Chương 128: CDM 3, Chapter 4: Off-Season

"A D gate needs cullers by 12: 30 a. m. Are you available?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Thank you for your service. I am texting you the address now."

"Good luck, Dor," Nathan's voice said out of the darkness. That was another one of the drawbacks of sharing one giant unfinished room: sparing the other person the disturbance of your every noise wasn't really possible.

"Thanks, man." When I saw the pin would take me to West Mifflin, I didn't think much of it. That was a side of the city I didn't have many reasons to visit, and I didn't realize exactly where I was going until I saw the slopes of roller coasters rising above the treeline. Kennywood Amusement Park was closed for the winter, but dungeon gates didn't care. An incredibly displeased security guard bounced in place to keep warm at the park entrance, giving the flashlight in his hand a bit of a strobe effect.

The parking lot was sprawling, but no one had any reason to plow it, so I pulled in behind three other cars on the side of the road and grabbed my gear from my trunk.

"Straight in," the guard grumbled, pointing to the entrance with his flashlight.

"Gate's by the Old Mill." I looked up at the many unlit lights and lamps.

"Too expensive to kick on the power for a few hours," the guard said, as if reading my mind. The entrance to Kennywood was on one side of a busy street while the park was on the other, so after patrons got their tickets, they walked down a slope and into a tunnel that went under the road. I was 19 the first time I visited the park, and despite being a few years beyond the target demographic, I found the entrance enchanting. The tunnel was painted and friendly and whatnot, but it closed off the rest of the world.

Coming out the other side felt a bit like stepping through a dungeon gate. This place was different from the reality you just left. It was an escape. Something separate from the "real" world. The Old Mill was one of the oldest rides in the park. Right by the entrance, it was meant to look like a country-western gold mine. During that one trip to Kennywood, Nathan made me wait in line for 45 minutes, talking about how iconic the Old Mill was for locals.

The actual ride was sitting in a small boat while it moved between dioramas of funny or spooky western scenes with life-sized props and basic animatronics. When we came out the other end, I asked, "That's it?" Nathan was very disappointed by that reaction, so we tried roller coasters next. I immediately got motion sick and spent most of the day sitting on benches while the other people we were with rode the rides.

Exiting the tunnel that night in the middle of winter was slightly less magical than my first visit, but being inside a closed amusement park with a foot of snow on the ground was a novel experience in itself. I could remember all the lights and games and noises and people. Now the park felt like one of the decrepit abandoned towns I hunted goblins in. Everything was shuttered. All the lights were off. I could tell why no one wanted this gate.

The hassle of getting a harvest team into a place like this wasn't worth the returns a D gate could provide. They were likely to spend more money on incidental repairs for damages to the park.

"Carmino?" a barrel-chested man with a mace asked as I approached. He was one of the three crawlers who beat me there, was a fighter, and was the captain for the run.

"That's me," I answered.

"We're waiting on two more, then we're in." I was relieved to see no one passing around rolls of duct tape.

"Do you know what kind of gate?"

"Termites." Not my favorite kind of dungeon, and I hadn't pulled one of those in a while, but anything was better than a roach run.

"Do some people call you 'Gray?'" a lanky man with a sword and a shield at his feet asked. He was also a fighter.

"Yes."

"You're the guy who ran the ogre gate, right?" Oh no. If that story had gone around while I was out, how many awkward conversations did I have in my future? I was a backrow guy on crawls and in life. Don't look at me, please, because I'm not good at talking to strangers and am even worse at being the center of attention. If I could choose between talking about myself or accepting a roach run, I would pick the roach run. No question, any day of the week. I just wanted a safe crawl and to get my XP.

I reluctantly nodded. The fighter bumped the shorter woman next to him. She was a brawler and was outfitted similarly to the fighter.

"Told you." Turning back to me, he said, "If you're here, we got nothing to worry about."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Carmino," the captain barked.

"Congratulations. You're the guard tonight."

"Uhh… I've never done that before. I don't know what to do."

"Sure you do. Don't let anyone die. Pretty simple."

"We've heard some weird shit about that run," the lanky fighter continued.

"They say you soloed an ogre and then chopped him up to use as bait."

"I didn't solo anything. Everyone pitched in to get us through it."

"But the bait thing is true?"

"Yes." Two voices echoed through the tunnel. If those were the last two crawlers, thank Jesus. I wouldn't have to talk once the run started.

"Michael and William?" the captain asked, referencing his phone. From the names alone, I knew they were settlers. When they came into the light and I saw their gear, I knew that for certain. Nothing on their person was CDM standard-issue, and they both had golden crosses engraved on the front of their leather chest pieces. Michael was a tubby monk with a quarter staff, and William was a rogue built like he stepped out of a bodybuilding magazine. He carried a bow and a rapier.

"Alright, we're all here," the captain said.

"It's a termite dungeon, so earplugs in and keep your eyes open. Voice calls will be tough for this run. You need to pay attention to hand gestures. We'll hear them coming, but they can attack from any direction. They'll eat straight down from the ceiling sometimes or come up right under your feet. When we hear a batch approaching, we'll hold for a few seconds and then step back so they're not on top of us when they pop out. Let's get this done." To the rogue, I asked, "Have you done a termite run before?"

He shook his head.

"Someone gave me this tip on my first termite dungeon," I said.

"If the opportunity presents itself, shoot an arrow directly into one of the holes. Sometimes four or five can come through the same tunnel, so if you kill one while it's still inside, the termites behind it have to get it out of the way first. Buys more time for everyone."

"You should take his advice," the fighter interjected.

"Some people call him 'the Baiter' because he used ogres for bait to kill them." Good Lord, I really hoped that nickname didn't catch on. Thankfully, the crawl began. The deafening noise of hundreds of giant termites tearing through the wood all around us was like I remembered, and after a few encounters, I was reasonably certain this wasn't a variant. An unproductive tension in my chest eased with that realization. The majority of the run went smoothly.

The settlers got out of position a few times and missed a couple calls because they weren't looking for hand signals, but no one was injured, and the boss was a typical termite queen. Her enormous chewing-gum-like body was grosser than I remembered, but I survived. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. When we got out of the gate, I wasted no time retreating to my car to avoid post-run banter.

I reviewed my profile as soon as I shut my door: Dorion Carmino Class: Archer Level: 11 XP Progress: 3, 401 / 102, 400 Str: 10 Dex: 19 Con: 12 Int: 5 Cha: 3 Abilities: Piercing Shot Dual Nocking Multi-Shot Vengeful Arrow Traits: Ranged Accuracy Improved Reload Sharpen Momentum Swift Hands Bloody Hands Battle Hardened Improved Recovery Spells: (none) I earned 612 experience points, which was 100 or so more XP than I earned on my last termite crawl.

If I kept those returns up, I would need 161 crawls to reach level 12.

"You knew this was coming," I told myself. Leveling slowed. That was inevitable, especially when you were limited to E and D gates, but that didn't make me any less frustrated. Memories of running with the Bluewater boosters only made that feeling worse because I knew what it felt like to make regular, rapid progress. I wasn't likely to ever have that again, so I needed to get used to my reality. Otherwise, every run I took would only make me angry.

A woman with a blonde ponytail and a black shirt buttoned all the way to the top greeted Megan and me. She stood behind a stone counter with a waterfall feature running its length, the glass barrier between us and the water so pristine as to be invisible. The lobby smelled like eucalyptus. Soothing, vaguely spiritual music played over the speakers.

"Welcome to Elevations," she said.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Osheski," Megan answered.

"Yes, Miss Osheski. We have you booked for a Premium Multiclass Package. Is that correct?"

"I think that's right." She slid the glass card across the counter that Enforcer McDouglas had gifted to me. With only a glance at the card, the woman nodded.

"Yep. Premium Multiclass Package."

"Is it okay if he comes back with me?" Megan asked.

"Of course. Follow me, please." She led us to something like an office and gestured for us to take the seats on the near side of the desk. The spa aesthetic continued with fresh plants in the corners and another waterfall feature behind the desk.

"Your guide will be in shortly," she said and left. Megan exhaled slowly.

"I'm so freaking nervous, Dor. You're sure you're okay with me using this? I wouldn't be mad if you changed your mind right now."

"I'm sure."

"Am I making the right choice? Is cleric dumb?"

"I don't think it's dumb, and I support it if that's what you want."

"Make my decisions for me so I don't have to be responsible for them." I laughed. A middle-aged woman, dressed similarly to who we spoke to at the front desk, entered the room with a tablet.

"Miss Osheski," she said, dipping her head.

"Wonderful to have you with us today. And who is this?"

"Dorion. They said it would be okay if he came back with me."

"Perfectly okay. It's lovely to meet both of you." She took her seat and poked at the tablet a few more times before looking up.

"We have you booked for the Premium Multiclass Package. Is that correct?" Megan nodded.

"We're delighted that you chose Elevations for this special moment in your life. I'm Cassie, and my role is to guide you through this process. It's normal to be nervous, and I'll be right here to help and support you. First, we can talk as long as you need today. If you have questions about class selections, build choices, or anything related to your multiclass, we will make sure all of those are answered.

"Once you're comfortable with your decision, we'll take you to a private room. Your friend can accompany you there too, if you like. It's pretty common for family members and such to be there for the actual selection. The multiclass process itself takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete, and then everything that follows is aftercare.

"You will feel tired, weak, and dehydrated. It's also common to have headaches, achiness, and nausea. This is a big change, and it's not the easiest adjustment for your body to make. Sometimes, the headaches and nausea can be especially intense, but we'll be here to help you through that.

"We start with an IV to rehydrate you more quickly, and we give you two hours to sleep. We'll check the IV periodically in that time, but most people don't wake up because the exhaustion is that substantial. When we wake you, you'll have a few light snacks, and then you'll get a massage, a soak in our rejuvenating bath, and, finally, a soothing skin treatment. That all takes about four and a half hours." She looked at me.

"You're welcome to wait in the lobby when Miss Osheski starts her nap, but most people leave and come back. We have a few wonderful tea shops on this street and restaurants too, if you're hungry."

"I don't mind waiting here if you'd like me to," I said to Megan.

"For the multiclass, maybe? I can get a rideshare home too." I shook my head.

"Nope. I'll be back to pick you up." Cassie continued, "Excellent. So you have the brawler class and are multiclassing into cleric. Is that correct?" Megan nodded nervously.

"Do you have any questions or concerns about that choice? Guests often use this time to discuss builds or other potential options."

"I'm planning to use a Battle Medic build," Megan said. Cassie nodded.

"I'm familiar, and that's an excellent choice. Martial class holders often avoid adding a support class, so it's nice to see someone recognize their value. What choices do you anticipate making for your next five levels?"

"3 levels of cleric to get Bless, Heal, and Cure Poison as well as the buff to their effectiveness. Then back to brawler for the next 2 levels."

"Are you uninterested in Turn Undead? That's typically a level 4 or 5 unlock."

"We fight a lot of stuff, so I don't want to burn an unlock that only works on one type of monster."

"Very wise," Cassie said.

"5 levels of cleric is also a common choice, but that pulls you far more into a typical support role. It sounds like you intend to stay on the frontline."

"That's correct."

"Then I have no concerns about your plan. Do you have any questions for me?" Megan shook her head.

"Alright, let me take you to your room." Cassie deposited us in what was essentially a small but very zen hotel room. There was a fluffy full-sized mattress, a chair in the vein of a barber or a dentist but with far more padding, and then a normal chair in the corner, which I guessed would be mine. Cassie guided Megan to sit and removed a velvet pouch the size of a hand grenade from a drawer beneath the bed and handed it to Megan. That was all the bigger $650, 000 worth of refined mana crystals were.

It was like seeing a thousand dollars for the first time. The bundle was far less impressive in reality than it was on television shows.

"You should see 1000 out of 1000 in your system profile."

"I do," Megan confirmed. Cassie gripped both of Megan's hands with hers.

"Congratulations on making this step. You should be very proud of yourself. When you're ready, hold the pouch and make your selection. Stay still until your system alerts you that you have a new class and points to allocate. It won't harm you to move or talk before then, but it will be incredibly unpleasant." Megan nodded.

"When I see you next, you'll be starting a wonderfully new chapter in your life. Thank you again for choosing Elevations." Cassie excused herself and gently shut the door. Megan's hands shook as she stared at the pouch in her palms.

"You got this," I said.

"Take a breath, and make the jump." She circled her lips as she forced herself to inhale and exhale slowly.

"Okay. Fuck. No, I got this. This is what I want. I thought about it enough." Megan closed her eyes and quieted. When the process finished, she received 3 new stat points to allocate and the base ability for the Cleric class: Bless Class: Cleric Type: Ability Cooldown: 60 seconds Duration: Your Level Multiplied by 3 Your touch delivers divine inspiration, providing the target a bonus to all stats. Bonus percent total is your level divided by 2.

Bless was one of the better base abilities provided by the system because its power grew with your levels. In Megan's case as a level 10, her Bless would last 30 seconds, and the bonus she received to all stats was 5%. Since she could use it on herself if she desired, Bless gave her another way to amp the speed of her Machine Gun brawler build. I was struck, however, by how apparent the physical toll of the process was.

Her face went from warm and youthful to pale and gaunt, like she had worked 36 hours straight in the span of those few minutes. Otherwise, she lay still and let the system run while I waited quietly to offer support, scrolling my news feed to pass the time. The President made Rick Young the first recipient of the "Medal of Peace" for his work with New Eden. A family of five died in an apparent bugbear attack in West Virginia. The National Guard and the EPA were en route to address the problem.

One of the scene's newest celebrity crawlers was TheUnderDome, and he hailed from South Africa. He wasn't LootLootLouis or Valcuree level, but his numbers had been on the rise since he went viral for taking a bunch of actresses into an A-ranked gate to film a video. That was mere days ago, and sources were already speculating that one of the girls was under 18.

And Nathan's good friend, the billionaire Leonard Resmith, teased that he had a major development in interdimensional travel (IDT) to share and would provide more details soon. Over the span of 7 minutes and 37 seconds, the pouch in Megan's hand slowly deflated until every mana crystal was gone. Megan stirred, and her eyes opened. Her voice hoarse and weak, her eyes watery from tears, she said, "I'm a cleric."