Chương 3: Home Sweet Home

A home really isn't a home if the heart isn't in it, is it? Top 5 ways to christen your humble abode: 1. Overthrow the local government… —The Artificer's Guide to Blog Posts The world sharpened into focus around me, and I found myself in a courtyard of stone. A matching archway led to a grand castle that loomed over us—grand by my standards; I'd never seen one in person. I caught a glimpse of Gene with his back to me, still clutching Nibbles in his arms.

I saw Darby, the Thompsons, and everyone else who had been near us at the end. I would have imagined being scared at the whirlwind of events, but foremost was just the feeling of awe. Awe at the bluest of skies, the warmth of an afternoon sun kissing my skin, and above all, the crisp and clean air absent of pollution. I couldn't help but laugh. Gene turned at my outburst, and I gaped, attention to the world around me lost.

His skin was no longer mottled, his cheeks weren't gaunt, his frame had filled out, his hair was full, and he exuded vitality. He winked when he caught me goggling.

"What? Is there something on my face?" He scrunched up and looked down, knowing full well the reason for my shock. Smiling warmly, he slapped my shoulder with a free hand.

"Now close your mouth before you catch flies." Turning away, I saw that we were at the center of the courtyard, on a raised dais. Behind were steps leading down to a city that sprawled out below. Whoever lived here clearly had a flair for the ostentatious. A crowd, dressed like they were straight out of a Renaissance festival, had gathered and looked on curiously, whispering and pointing at us. A resounding bang from above brought the murmurs to a halt.

A rather portly man dressed in flowery robes of purple and gold appeared at the edge of a balcony. He cleared his throat and surprised us all as his voice boomed across the square, amplified by some unknown source.

"Welcome to Fairfield City!" He raised his arms grandly.

"I am Duke Demarius, your new lord and master! We have not seen survivors from a calamity in many years. By divine intervention, you were brought to Ossia, in the Vandmar Empire. As such, Emperor Ambrosius has seen fit to relegate you to my holdings." He hesitated and looked to his side, inaudibly speaking to someone out of view, then returned his focus.

"Captain Reybaum will see to your needs and point you to your assigned living quarters." He waved at us dismissively, then, seeming to remember one last point, gave a final message.

"You will do well to obey the laws of this land. I will not abide disorder or layabouts. You will earn your keep." He sneered at the last bit, then disappeared as quickly as he had come. The silence was deafening. We stood there, unsure of our next step. Whatever we were expecting, it wasn't this. A small child began to cry, as if sensing the souring mood.

"Well, I didn't vote for him." Somehow Darby was still holding his beer and slurped loudly, breaking the silence and prompting a sharp elbow to the ribs from Gene. He yelped, eliciting a nervous chuckle from those nearest. I pushed back my distaste at the rather disheartening speech and focused on the wonder of the moment. In the corner of my vision, an indicator flashed, begging for my attention. I held off, waiting for things to calm down before I dug into my interface. Captain Reybaum seemed to be nice enough.

He guided us down the stairs to the main city and through the streets, pausing occasionally to allow the elderly and those with infants to keep up. It was fairly busy, but not enough to drown out our sizable entourage. People watched us, defensively, then with relief as we were led out of their area. I got the impression we were unknown to these people and that there would be significant distrust in our future, if not outright hostility. I also found my distrust growing by the minute as our journey ran on.

Roads became more deserted, properties fell into disrepair, and each street was dirtier than the last. The mood had soured completely by the time we arrived at our new home. The grand adventure I had envisioned in coming to a world of magic was off to a rough start. Dilapidated houses, or more accurately, shacks, were sparsely laid out at the edge of the town. We were being tucked away from the city, and out of sight.

"You can't expect us to live here!" Danny Thompson was the voice of our shared frustration.

"I understand that we don't have much to offer, yet. But these are good people! We can work for our keep like the good duke said!" He maintained his composure well, under the circumstances, but was firm in his complaint.

"I understand your concerns, but I'm just here to see you settled. This is out of my hands, and if you have an issue with it, you can take it up with the duke." He squared his shoulders and laid a hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, a silent warning not to take it any further. I then realized my complete ineptitude in judging the character of others. The man was clearly an asshole.

"What about food? Or clothes?" Nancy spoke up, rallying with her husband.

"We don't even have blankets!" Her voice quivered with anger at our treatment.

"We have children with us for God's sake!"

"There's a soup kitchen in the last district we came through. You can eat there. You got clothes on, and if you want the nonessentials…" He paused and spat on the ground.

"Then you can work for it like everyone else in this city. If that's all?" The last bit was more statement than question, as he simply turned and walked away, ignoring those still asking questions. We spent the next half-hour taking stock of who had made it with us. I didn't know very many people in our neighborhood, but the absence of Linda's antics was particularly apparent.

Gene was much better acquainted in retirement, and between him, Danny, and Ernie Jenson, the head of our old homeowner's association, they were able to account for everyone present. It would seem that whatever system was behind sorting people into groups used pretty odd methods. All of us who arrived here in Fairfield were part of the HOA. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Everyone knew someone in our group, which was good, but the cracks were beginning to show. With the day winding down, the demoralizing speech, and our new accommodations, the tough facade everyone wore was wearing thin. Talk moved to concerns for loved ones, whether or not they made it here alive, or how we would find them. I could sense an emotional bomb about to go off, and Danny must have too. He quickly worked with Ernie to assign living spaces in an attempt to occupy our minds.

By request, I shared a space with Darby, Gene, and, of course, Nibbles. Our home, like the others', left much to be desired. It was a sad little house, not much more than a shack. The windows were open to the elements and any paint that might have existed had chipped off, revealing old and splintered wooden frames. The knobless door hung down on one hinge and scraped in the dirt when used. Inside were dirt-caked floors that creaked and popped with every step, sending up clouds of dust as we made our way in.

The only furniture was a rickety table and two broken chairs. Anything of value in any of the buildings had long since been taken. Our beds consisted of matted, dirty hay. However, they did sit off the ground—a small mercy. As we settled in, picking out our beds, a faint glint amongst the dirt caught my eye, and I bent down to pick it up. It was small and metallic, and a little spit shine revealed the copper visage of who I could only assume to be the emperor.

> Copper Coin > Currency used for goods and services in the realms of Emperor Ambrosius. > General skill unlocked: Inspect > Through exercising your ability to inspect, you may gain insight into an object or creature. Higher levels will give more information.

"Holy shit, guys!" I quickly handed the coin to Darby and eagerly watched his face, waiting for his reaction when the ability unlocked. The nerd in him did not disappoint. His eyes widened in wonder, and I could hear the gears turning in his head at the possibilities. Gene's reaction was a bit underwhelming.

"I just don't understand why we need a skill for something we can already do." He skeptically turned the coin in his hands.

"I got my own eyes to tell me what I see, I've used the same skill for seventy years, and I don't plan on quittin' now!" He tossed the coin back to me and leaned back on the wall behind him with a cheeky grin.

"Besides, I'm rather partial to my first skill anyhow." He waited for us to take the bait before gloating and jerking a thumb in Nibbles' direction.

"I can feel the little rascal, right in my ticker. Wherever he goes, an' I reckon it'll just get stronger the longer I'm around." After Gene was finished gloating about having a literal sidekick, we sat on our beds in the tiny room and discussed the day's events while Nibbles cycled between us for attention. We went over our new skill and its implications. The general consensus was that it was probably fairly limited right now, but had potential if we could level it up. Our classes were more interesting.

Gene was a Scout, a combat class he'd chosen from his time in the army. Darby was a Laborer, a choice that surprised me.

"Just think, right? We know we're going somewhere with minor combat. I wanted to go with a combat class, but the system suggested production. With laborer giving strength and vitality, I can stack those and pair with a strong combat class, without needing to wait to find things to fight to level up. It's foolproof, I'll be a powerhouse!" Darby continued to gleefully detail his plans for future world domination, and we talked late into the evening, making plans for the next day.

The room slowly grew darker in the absence of a light source, settling on a deep blue. Tiring of the conversation, I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air and some time to myself. The night sky was stunning. More stars than I thought possible splashed the inky canvas above. It reminded me of Earth, of home, and I briefly wondered if it was still out there somewhere, waiting for us… No. Earth and 'home' were gone. This was home now, for better or worse. Apotheos had seen to that.

The sudden thought of the creature didn't stir any feelings of terror now. It had fallen to the recesses of my mind, like a distant memory healed by time. Made me wonder just how long we had been in that dark place. The persistent blink in my periphery finally became too much to ignore, and I opened the first indicator. A window appeared displaying my stats.

╔═════════════════════════╗ Logan - Human Level 2 Health 40 / 40 Mana 70 / 70 Stats (Base: 8) Strength: 8 Dexterity: 11 Vitality: 8 Intellect: 14 Wisdom: 14 Classes Production: Craftsman Level: 3 Skills - 1 / 6 Recall - Lv. 1 Combat: Locked Level: N/A Skills - 0 / 6 Support: Locked Level: N/A Skills - 0 / 6 General Skills 1 / 10 Inspect - Lv.

1 Titles - Otherworlder Currency Copper - 1 ╚═════════════════════════╝ I didn't know how one might unlock class abilities or new classes in general, but that was a question for later. Hopefully one of us could find answers in the city the next day. I pulled the coin from my pocket and mentally cast [Inspect] on it again. > Copper Coin > Currency used for goods and services in the realms of Emperor Ambrosius.

A strange sensation tickled at my mind, like taking a cold drink of water and feeling it go all the way down.

The status tab was still open, and I noted that my mana had fallen a few points to 62. The coin was faded and appeared fairly old. I wondered just how old the emperor must be at this point. If coins back on Earth were anything to go by, it had to be at least fifty years old, and the emperor didn't look that young on the coin to begin with. Maybe it's his dad? Who knows. The thought brought old memories of home.

Of my own parents, probably an unfathomable number of miles or light years away, their graves disturbed and destroyed. Suddenly, I could see their faces in my mind, as if I was staring right at them. It had been years, and the details had faded, but I could see them clear as day. In my periphery, my mana trickled away, and I realized that [Recall] had activated. I stopped thinking about them and the status indicator faded. It was nice to see them again, and I found my mood elevated, not feeling so alone.

I was grateful they did not have to experience the end, and took solace in that silver lining. Pulling myself out of my reverie, I pocketed the coin, certain that it was the first of many. One last gaze at the vibrant starscape calmed my mind, and I headed back inside to try and get some sleep for the day ahead. I needed to make some money, and I was absolutely itching to get crafting.