Changing World Draft 1, CH 9 (Patreon)

Chuck looked up at the stars. He wasn’t an enthusiast, but he couldn’t help being amazed at how many there were, or rather, how many were visible with the usual light pollution. The only ones at the moment were the handful of fires along the front of the Walmart and the orange glow in the distance to the north. A forest fire, he expected. Without powers, even a small fire would get out of hand.

He, as well as seven of the non-humans better geared for fighting, had taken position on the outside of the parking lot as sentries once the sun set. There had been no more disturbances after the Earth Elemental’s attack, which had earned Chuck a level. He’d put his two free attribute points in his dexterity because as much as he didn’t intend on fighting, the elemental’s attack had demonstrated the fights might come to him, and he doubted they would all just stand in place and let him hit them.

Fighting the elemental had had another beneficial side effect; the group’s human contingent was more comfortable among the non-humans. They’d worked together to pull supplies from the store instead of going back to segregating themselves; and together allocating everything had been quick.

Chuck found it amusing he didn’t think of himself as part of the humans, not that he thought of himself as part of the non-humans either. He’d always been a loner; it was the only way to ensure no one could get to him, use him again. Hurt him.

“Chuck!” Hazell called, waving as he approached.

Chuck waved back and angled his watch to check the time. Nearly midnight, the time they’d agreed to change the sentries. Hazell and his wife had taken over arranging the humans so he and the others wouldn’t have to spend the night on watch.

“All quiet?” the dark-skinned man asked.

Chuck chuckled. “I’m pretty sure any fighting would have been noticed.” He motioned to the glow in the distance. “What do you make of that?”

“A fire.”

“Any thoughts on what caused it?”

“As large as that seemed to be, I’m guessing a plane dropping out of the sky.”

Chuck stare. He hadn’t even thought of that. He’d figured a campfire left unchecked because the people had runoff. “You sure?”

The man shrugged. “I can’t be sure, but DC’s right around there.” He pointed east. “They have an international airport, so it makes sense there was a plane in the air around here when the power went out. I expect we lost a lot of people over the world when the planes fell.”

“Couldn’t they have made controlled landings?”

“Maybe? I’m not a flight engineer, so I have no idea how this would have affected the planes, but the power completely cut out in my car. Without power, what would work in a plane?”

Chuck looked at the glow again. Too far to do anything but pray, he told himself. He hoped whoever had been there had gotten out and made it to safety.

“Anyway,” Hazell said. “My turn to stand here and hope to be bored for the next three hours. You go rest.” Hazell offered him a gun. “Before you go, take this. You’re tough, but range is better than taking the hits.”

Chuck looked at it. “I’m going to pass.”

“Come on, everyone needs a gun.”

“I’m Canadian, guns aren’t something we carry.” Or worship. He almost said.

“Look, it’s easy, just point and press the trigger.”

Chuck stepped back as Hazell stepped forward. “I said no.”

“No need to snap. I’m just trying to make sure you survive this.”

Chuck ground his teeth. Trying to make sure I do things your way, you mean. He turned and walked away. He didn’t need a fight with the person keeping the larger group under control. Once they reached Winchester, he reminded himself. Then he’d set out on his one. He looked at the distant fires. If they weren’t too far off his route, he might see what had caused them.

He nodded to the group at the closest fire, broken wooden furniture at their side to feed it, a tent for the six of them secured to a cart corral. Inflatable mattresses would be in it, he expected. No one wanted to sleep on the pavement.

At the fourth fire, he found Terry working on a pair of sunglasses, with a bunch of broken ones next to him. “How is it coming?” he asked, sitting.

“I know he needs at least six layers of the darkest lens or the light blinds him,” the teen replied, “I’ve used epoxy to make them hold together, but that’s so thick I can’t get any of the frames to hold it. I’m also worried that any light coming from the sides will be enough to blind him, so I got this pair of goggles, but now the lenses aren’t larger enough, so I’m using duct-tape to widen them until they fit.” He stopped talking, considered something, then looked at Chuck. “Sorry. I’m rambling. He’s a drow. An actual drow.”

Terry had been excited at finding out about Ilimitar he’d almost dragged him outside to get a good look at him. Only the dark elf’s issue with the light had made the teen stop. Ilimitar had tried coming out with the sunset, but even that was too much. Unlike the half-elves, his vision was based on light intensification; and was sensitive enough starlight let him see as if it was broad daylight, and broad daylight felt like his eyes were on fire, so Terry had set to work out a way around the problem because he wasn’t abandoning the dark elf here by himself.

Chuck suspected Ilimitar’s desires didn’t come into play.

“Do you mind taking a break? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Of course not.” He put down the set of lenses and tape and straightened. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Well, I went up in level.”

“Me too,” Terry beamed. “I raised my flame spell to level 3.”

“That’s actually part of it. I got a spell point, but I didn’t get a list of spells to pick from.”

“Yeah, I got flame as my spell because I’m a fire wizard, but I hadn’t received other choices.”

“But I can learn skills by using them. I learned how to punch from hitting the elemental over and over. I raised my perception skill just by using it. So I’m thinking that if you teach me you spell, I can learn it.”

“Oh.” Terry deflated a little and looked at his hand. “I don’t know.” He forced a smile. “I don’t know if I should. Wizards aren’t supposed to divulge their secrets.”

“I don’t think there are any established rules as to what you’re supposed to do with what you know, Terry. Most MMOs don’t care.”

“In MMOs, a player can’t teach another player,” the teen countered.

“True. This is beyond games.”

Terry nodded. “And what happens if everyone knows what I know?” he hesitated. “I don’t want to sound selfish—”

“But your magic makes you special.” Chuck nodded and patted the teen’s leg. “I completely understand. I’ve been there, in demands because I was the only one with something others wanted.” He stood. “I don’t blame you for wanting to keep it to yourself.” He turned and headed for the Walmart’s entrance. He’d do a last check then go to—

“Wait!” Terry called. “You’re right. I’m being an idiot.”

Skill Acquire: Manipulation. Level 1

Getting people to do what you want is an art. Be it through words or actions, getting your way is important to you and you’re well on your way to never being contradicted.

Chuck stared at the message.

“No,” he whispered. He wasn’t like his father. He’d meant what he said. He hadn’t been trying to get Terry to change his mind. He angrily swiped at the window. He wasn’t like that bastard.

“Chuck?”

“No!” he snapped, and Terry took a step back. Chuck bit back the rest. Terry wasn’t who he wanted to scream at. With a few breaths, he was calmer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“It’s okay?” Terry said, uncertain. “I can teach you. If you can learn, it would really be useful. Although I don’t know if you’d be able to attack with it. The flamethrower thing is my ability as a fire wizard.”

Chuck shook his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to guilt you into agreeing. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

Terry studied him. “What are you talking about?”

“I manipulated you.”

“You made good points.”

“But you didn’t want to.”

“I was wrong?” Terry seemed confused. “I’m not doing this against my will. I just realized you were right.”

Chuck looked at the teen, he’d gained the skill, so he had manipulated him. It was level one, so he couldn’t have been so skilled Terry hadn’t realized it. But wasn’t any conversation a form of manipulation? He hadn’t aimed to be malicious, so Terry wasn’t seeing it as such. Was that the difference between this and what his father did? His father had been nothing but malicious in his manipulations.

“Okay,” Chuck said. “So long as you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“I don’t, I mean it. And if you can learn, I’ll see about teaching the others. If we don’t have to rely on lighters, it’s going to be good for everyone.”

Chuck put his discomfort aside and followed Terry back to the fire, where they both sat.

“Alright, the flame spell is a combination of words and movements. We’re going to start with the word.”

“You don’t say anything when you use the spell.” He shoved the paranoia down and waited for Terry’s explanation.

“You can think them, but because of my ability, my fire spells are stronger, so I bypassed the spoken level. I get plus five to my fire spells. Somewhere between one and five, you stop having to say the words. They’re more like sounds, really.”

Chuck nodded and pointed out to his paranoia it made sense. “Probably level five. Most games tier in fives or tens.”

Terry chuckled. “But this is now also the real world. We can’t take anything for granted, can we?”

Chuck agreed and Terry made the sounds, which Chuck spent the next hour trying to reproduce.

* * * * *

“How are you doing?” Chuck asked Ilimitar as they walked. They’d packed up first thing in the morning and set out before the sun was completely up. Chuck had received fewer complaints than he’d expected. Everyone but the sentries had gotten a good night of sleep, Chuck had a tired Debuff the one-point penalty in intelligence and dexterity was bothersome, but not horrible. He’d already spoken with Hazell, and different people would have sentry duties the next night.

“I’m basically blind,” the drow answered, tapping the goggles, “but I’m happy to be able to move. I’m not sure I’d have had the will to leave the Walmart even at night with what’s happened. Being alone sucked before, now, I think it can be deadly.”

Chuck nodded, not that he agreed. He was looking forward to being alone again. After four hours of walking, crossing through Woodstock and a few other small towns, their group had already doubled, mostly humans, with a few who were almost humans; elves, and half-elves, although one insisted he was a Vulcan. It seemed that over the first day, the non-humans who had been able to, had left for parts unknown.

Chuck didn’t blame them. The new people didn’t integrate as well since they hadn’t seen the group’s non-humans put their lives on the line for the others.

A shadow flew over them and Enrique landed. “We might have a problem,” the gargoyle said. “There a storage place ahead and there’s a group of about ten people setting up there for the long haul.”

“Okay, what makes you think they’ll be a problem?”

“They have lots of guns. And are setting up a barricade on the road.”

“Do they know about us?” Ilimitar asked.

“I don’t know, but it seems suspicious they’re setting that up as we’re heading there.”

“How far?”

“Half a mile? A little less? I’m not exactly used to working distances as I fly.” He grinned. “Although I have to say I do love flying.”

Chuck considered it. Ten people, probably confused after yesterday. He couldn’t assume they meant to be violent, but with over a hundred people behind him, he needed to admit his paranoia could be right. He motioned Hazell over.

“We have a potential problem ahead. I want you to keep everyone here.” He looked around. “Have them go to the sports store, or back, or—”

“Just call this a pit stop to rest our legs,” the man said, grinning.

“Or that,” Chuck agreed. He wasn’t cut out for this crowd thing. “I’m going to take a group and check it out.”

“Your group, or others?”

Chuck stared.

“You know, you, the fire kid, his mom, the orc, the troll? Gladys can go with you if you’ll need more firepower.”

“I’d like to go,” Ilimitar said.

“Aren’t you sort of blind with those on?” Chuck asked. “And complete blind without them?”

The drow chuckled. “I might have been exaggerating. My sight’s fuzzy, but I can be useful. If they try to cause trouble.”

“Bernard stays here. He gets angry too easily and a troll might scare them into attacking before we can talk.”

Hazell eyed him. “Sure, a troll will scare them, but won't Hanz do the same?”

“He’s human-sized. Less scary.”

“With green spots.”

“I call them birthmarks,” the orc said. “I noticed the powwow.”

“Go get Terry and his mother. I’ll explain as we walk. Hazell?”

“I’ll keep everyone else from wondering what’s going on. Are you sure you don’t want a gun?”

“I’m sure. We’ll have Terry. Can you provide cover from the air if needed?” he asked Enrique.

“Yes.” He unslung his rifle. Someone had made him a harness that took his winds into account.

“I also have a ranged attack spell,” Ilimitar said. “It isn’t powerful, but everything helps, right?”

“Magic missile?” Terry asked, stopping his run.

“No. It’s called Withering Bolt.”

“Intelligence-based damage?”

“Plus the spell’s level.”

Terry nodded. “I’ve been talking with everyone who has spells. Mana is how we pay the cost, the effectiveness is based on our intelligence and the level.”

“You seem to know a lot about how this works,” Enrique said.

“Lots of game work like that. It forces us to do more than just put all-out points in one stat.”

Chuck invited them to form a party and Terry was the first to accept, beaming. Once they were all in, they began walking.

* * * * *

“Halt!” a woman called standing on something so she was visible over the barricade. “This is private property!”

“It’s a road,” Chuck called back, stopping.

“It’s my road. You want to walk on it, you pay the toll.”

Chuck took his wallet out and pulled the bills. When was the last time he’d had to take them? He kept them for emergencies, but everything was plastic these days. Had been. He reminded himself. Maybe now that computers didn’t work, paper money would come back. He’d deal with it when he had to.

“I have two hundred US and one fifty Canadian. Is that enough?”

“And what bank am I going to put that in?” she yelled.

“The back of I don’t give a fuck,” Hanz grumbled, only to gasp at the slap on the shoulder Elizabeth gave him.

“Language, there’s a minor present.”

“A minor able to fry out asses,” the orc replied.

“Flambe,” Terry corrected.

“That’s a no, then?” Chuck yelled, doing his best to ignore the others. Chuckling at their antics wasn’t going to be helpful.

“It’s a no,” she confirmed.

“So what is it going to take to let is pass without problem?” Chuck put the money back in his wallet and that away.

“Everything you have.”

Chuck judged the distance between the two of them. A hundred meters? Did he have to pay the mana upfront or would it be used as needed to cover the difference between him and his target? Or his charge? His range doubled that way. He smiled and thought, Tag, you’re it. She highlighted in blue and Edith Carlyle appeared under the party window with ‘charge’ next to it. She didn’t react to being his charge. Interesting, she hadn’t gotten a notification.

“It sounds like you aren’t going to be reasonable able this,” he yelled, then lowered her voice. “Get ready. I’m going to switch with her. I’ll bring down the barricade. Attack as you can, but try not to kill anyone. Being assholes isn’t a crime, certainly not one deserving of death.”

“Being reasonable isn’t required once the world ends and you have all the firepower.” She raised her rifle, and six more appeared above the barricade.

“Don’t they know about magic?” Terry asked.

“You can ask them later,” Chuck said and thought switch. A fifteen-minute timer and a twelve-second one appeared as he appeared on top of two upturned crates that toppled as he tried to maintain his balance.

On his back, he turned so his legs were aimed at the barricade and kicked out as the timer hit nine and the first of the men around him got over the surprise. A section of the barricade made out of furniture fell as the butt of a rifle hit Chuck in the face. He didn’t even feel it.

He grabbed the rifle and pulled the man down as he got to his feet. A bat hit him on the back of the head and shattered. Chuck grabbed that man and threw him against another section of the fence. As he focused on those left, who had decided to aim their rifles instead of hitting him with them. A black bolt hit one of them and he screamed as he became emaciated.

That was enough to give Chuck time to realize he needed a way to increase his reach. Looking around, he couldn’t see anything, but a quick look through his inventory got him his barbell. A little more than two meters was a good reach extension.

It appeared in his hand and he swung it at the closest man as a shot hit him in the other shoulder. He barely felt that but was a reminder his timer was running down. The man spun under the impact and Chuck closed the distance to the one who’d shot him, receiving more shots as he swung wildly.

Skill Acquire: Clubs. Level 1

Hitting something with your first is all well and good, but when the target isn’t within reach an extension is required and that is a club. Strength increased by 50% for damage calculation, plus 10% +1% per level.

Chuck smiled. That was a skill he could get behind. He swung around himself to keep the others off balance. When he stopped someone jumped at him and Chuck turned, swinging, not realizing the bar hit the man’s head in time to pull his blow.

Critical hit: 440 damage. Base strength, plus club modifier times 20. Ezekiel Carlyle, Thug Level 2, had died. You have gained 20,000 experience.

You have gained a level, Level 3. You have gained strength +1, Endurance +2, Aether +1, health +2. You have 2 attribute points, 1 ability point, 1 skill point, 1 spell point to distribute. Experience needed for level 4, 8452.

Chuck cursed. He hadn’t wanted to kill anyone. He made sure his next blows broke limbs and not heads. The timer hit zero and his health took a hit, staggering him. He’d been too exhausted with the elemental to pay attention to how it worked, but now he saw the damage remained proportional when the switch buff ended.

The butt of a rifle glanced off his head, staggering him. A stun debuff appearing.

Stunned

You have been stunned. Intelligence and dexterity halved. Movement halved. Duration: damage taken minus endurance divided by 5. Duration 2 seconds.

Chuck tried to block the blows, but his arms wouldn’t get there in time. Fortunately killing one of them had enraged them beyond thinking of shooting him, and his endurance meant he could take the pummeling. They also didn’t seem to realize a blow to the head had stunned him, so didn’t capitalize on it.

Once the debuff vanished. Chuck had only taken thirty cumulative damage. He kicked the legs out from under those in that direction and grabbed one other before the rest moved away. A scream as Chuck stood made them look as the man whose head Chuck had caved in hit one of the others.

That was enough for the rest. Screaming, they ran off.

Chuck looked for his barbell and grabbed it, readying himself for the undead’s attack. When he didn’t move Chuck backed up until he could look around what was left of the barricade. His group was approaching.

“Are you guys okay?” he called.

“Us?” Elizabeth asked. “You’re the one who ended up taking them all by yourself.”

“I’m a tank,” chuck replied. “I can take it. And I had help.”

“Sorry I didn’t help,” Terry said. “I realized fire isn’t really good with you in the middle of the bad guys.”

Chuck smiled. “I could have been smarter about how to do this. Don’t get any closed. We might have an undead problem.”

“It isn’t a problem,” Ilimitar said. “He’s mine.”

“You’re a necromancer?” Chuck asked in dismay.

“You’re a necromancer?” Terry echoed, in awe.

“Is that going to be a problem?”

Chuck looked at the undead. “You kind of ended this fight, so I don’t have a problem with it, but the others?” he looked around.

“I’m more of the action speak louder than words,” Hanz said. “And your actions said you’re on our side.”

“I agree with Hanz,” Elizabeth said, “But aren’t necromancers evil?” She looked at her son. “That’s what your gaming books said, right?”

“They’re used as bad guys in adventures,” Terry replied. “Ilimitar isn’t evil, right?”

The dark elf chuckled. “I don’t plan on taking over the world, if that’s what you mean. Or building an army of undead. I just figured Chuck could use a more direct hand in the fight.”

“And I could, but the others, back there, I don’t know how they’re going to feel about it. How adamant are you about keeping this one?”

“I’d liked to, I don’t know how common bodies I can animate will be.”

“It’s going to ostracize you,” Enrique said. “More than I am for the way I look. Anyone who’s seen a zombie movie is going to be afraid of you; and a lot of people are already on edge.”

“You didn’t mention it before,” Elizabeth said. “I’m guessing it’s because you knew.”

Ilimitar sighed, and the undead crumbled. “Yeah, I knew. It’s what I get for always enjoying the macabre.”

“I’m sure you’ll find yourself people who won’t mind,” Chuck said. “How Edith?”

“If you mean the woman you switched with, she’s unconscious and tied up,” Enrique said.

“Hanz, do you mind staying here with Enrique while the rest of us go get everyone? Just in case those who fled come back.”

“I can reanimate the dead,” the drow offered hopefully. “Or not,” he added at the looks he received.

“You went up a level!” Terry said.

Chuck nodded. “I accidentally killed one of them.”

“That’s so cool.”

“No!” Chuck grabbed the teen. “This isn’t a game, Terry. That was a man I killed, not some animation on a screen.”

“But weren’t they going to kill you?”

“That doesn’t matter. Killing was wrong before the change, it’s wrong still.”

“But—”

“Leave it, Terry,” Elizabeth said. She looked at Chuck sadly as she ushered Terry away.

As horrible as he felt, what scared Chuck more was how much experience the man had been worth. The elemental had been level twelve, and while had no idea how the points were distributed, he expected the bulk had gone to him and Bernard. This man had been level two and worth in the same range at the elemental. If the others realized this. He could be looking at people turning player killers for the easy experience.

What was this system turning them into?