The Connected System

“What exactly is a Bladeknight,” Loch asked as the large group set out through the woods.

Elora and Harper were up front with the hunters that were accompanying them; Jerry Tomlins, Kyle Smith and T.J. Wolfe. Brian and Jenny were next, followed by Julia and Piper. Loch would have kept her behind but he figured they needed Cerie. It was still hard to admit, but he knew Piper would be able to take care of herself, he just didn’t want to expose her to what they might find. He still wanted to get her some more offensive and defensive capabilities. Maybe some kind of enchanted rings or other jewelry. A weapon of some kind would be great.

Loch hung back with the new team. This was the first time he’d talked to any of them since the first time at the wall. There were five members. The group had more fighters but they hadn’t had enough to form two full teams, the rest of the fighters electing to become Guards for the Clanhold. That left Josh with a mix of Classes. His Bladeknight. Stephen Cross was a Striker. The husband and wife team of Sarah and Harold Brigham were a Strafer and Shieldbearer. The last was a Healer named Julian Bradford. All were Uncommon Classes except for Julian’s Common.

It was hard to tell how the ranks of Classes were decided. Josh’s Bladeknight was the only one Loch had encountered so far. As was Sarah’s Strafer. There were a lot of Strikers in the Clan and now Harold was the second Shieldbearer. Strikers seemed to be numerous, but it was considered an Uncommon Class. Loch wondered if his Unfettered Trait was screwing with the Connected System’s Class selections. Cerie had said that Earth’s Connection was unlike any other she had records of.

It made his head hurt thinking about it and ultimately it didn’t matter.

“I already told your lady at the school,” Josh said, yawning. He had been grumpy and testy all morning. Didn’t like getting up early but had done it. As he had told Loch, they needed to get stronger and this was a good opportunity to get to know Loch better. “Could have just asked her.”

Loch took a deep breath. He hoped this wouldn’t be the way the whole time with Josh went. He wished that Davis or Drew had been back. He barely knew Drew but liked the younger man. Josh was about the same age, maybe a little older, but was a harder personality. Loch knew the type, probably had a Don’t Tread On Me flag at his house. Josh thought himself a rebel, having to give anyone in authority a hard time. It was going to get annoying.

“I’d like you to describe it,” Loch said. “It’s best to hear it straight from the person.”

Josh shrugged.

“Whatever,” he said. “It’s Bladeknight, as you know, and it’s basically what the name says. I’ve got some defensive Abilities, giving me more endurance and health. I’m not a tank but can take some solid hits and I can deal a ton of damage.” He reached over his shoulder and touched the large sword strapped to his back. He’d made a sheath for the weapon from a bunch of different things crudely stitched together. It protected his back from the sword’s edge and made it easier to carry. “I can make this thing cut through almost anything. I haven’t found anything I can’t cut yet, but the description says there is a limit. Also get a speed boost.”

Bladeknight seemed a melee DPS Class even though it had a defensive Ability. Loch had reviewed Kristin’s notes and most Classes had some defensive capabilities, which allowed the Class to fight on its own without having to be part of a party. But it was in the party that each Class would be the most efficient and showcase its role the best.

“What about Strafer,” he asked, looking back at Sarah.

Roger Lewis’ team was still the only one, so far, that had what the old games had considered an optimal mix of Classes. Tank, melee DPS, ranged DPS, casting DPS and healer. Josh’s party was heavy on the melee DPS with Josh’s Bladeknight and Stephen Cross’ Striker. Three of the members had to be in melee range, which had to make it hard on the Healer as the damage from whatever they fought would be more spread out amongst the group. And it had to be difficult on their ranged DPS, Sarah Brigham. How did she aim with the rest of her team blocking the monster?

“It’s basically a rapid fire archer,” she replied. Her accent was southern, not from New Hampshire. Loch hadn’t heard her husband speak, so couldn’t be sure if he was from the south or New England. Probably from the area and that’s why they had settled in Pittsfield.

Seeing the two exchange glances, walking close to each other, it sent a sharp pain of jealousy through Loch. They weren’t the only couple to be in the Clan but they were the only one that had both as fighters. Loch wondered if that was what would have happened with him and Kelly. Would she have gotten a fighting, support or crafting Class? Probably a fighting Class like him. They could have been out in the wilds together, fighting side by side.

Or one of them back at whatever they’d found as shelter, providing protection for the girls. Because with both of them, there would have been no need for Harper and Piper to fight. Loch and Kelly had a good relationship, a strong one. A lot of their friends had said they were jealous of it. It had seemed almost perfect. That hadn’t been the truth, they had their ups and downs just like any partnership. They’d fought, argued and grew frustrated with each other. But that had just ended up making their bond stronger.

Sarah kept talking, pulling Loch from the trail of thoughts he’d been working hard to avoid.

“Archers get an Ability that lets them fire faster but mine is much better,” she said proudly. Where Josh had been reluctant to share his Class, Sarah was eager. “Theirs makes them shoot in the same spot, but mine allows me to keep the speed and alter where I’m aiming.”

“How do you avoid hitting your allies?”

“Not sure,” she said happily. “I haven’t yet.”

“Yeah, first time an arrow came whizzing an inch over my shoulder to slam into a monster, it was pretty damn freaky,” Stephen said, barking out a laugh.

The five of them shared a look and a laugh. Some kind of in-joke. Loch wasn’t happy with how cliquey the adventuring teams were. Darren Holmberg was doing good spreading people out in the guard rotations, but the teams were made up mostly of people that had come to the Clan together. It made some sense, as they were already familiar with each other and how they fought, but it just didn’t feel right. It meant that they didn’t know how to work with anyone else. That could be dangerous.

“I also have a kind of movement Ability,” Sarah said, once the round of chuckling was done. “Archers have to stand still to fire, but I can move and still launch arrows. Not as fast as if I was not moving, but still faster than an Archer.”

The Strafer Class name made sense. Loch wondered what specifically Sarah had done to warrant the Uncommon Class. If they could get more Strafers insead of the Common Class Archer, like how the Clan was getting more Uncommon Strikers instead of the Common Guard, it would be a huge benefit.

“What’s the story with the elf,” Josh asked.

Loch looked past the others to where Elora was barely visible at the front. She’d moved ahead of the rest of the point group, almost disappearing into the trees.

“How do you know she’s loyal,” Josh continued.

“She swore an oath that is enforced by the Connection,” Loch answered. He wasn’t angry the question had come up because it wasn’t the first time. He’d been asked a lot. Elora made people nervous. She received a lot of shocked and fearful looks the first time anyone saw her. “She’s one of my Bannermen.”

“What’s that?”

“Someone that’s sworn to the service of the Clanlord,” Loch answered, already knowing the conversation was going to be frustrating.

“So someone forced to serve you,” Josh asked. “That’s not really being free now is it?”

Loch sighed.

“The Clan doesn’t force anyone to do anything. I don’t force anyone to do anything.”

“Forced us to come along,” Josh said, his tone implying he’d scored a point in the conversation. He even looked over his shoulder at his team, who seemed to be working hard to ignore the conversation.

“I didn’t force you to come,” Loch pointed out. “We asked you to come.”

“What would you have done if we hadn’t?,” Josh asked.

“Nothing.”

“Wouldn’t have thought less of us? Wouldn’t have pushed us down the ladder?”

Loch didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

Josh was right. If they hadn’t come, Loch would have been angry. They needed to come to help protect the Clan. It was the right thing to do. But Josh and the others really hadn’t had a choice. Loch wouldn’t have forced them to come, but he would have thought less of them. He might not have consciously pushed them down the ladder but it would have happened. Others, those more willing to risk themselves for the Clan, would have been given better gear, better dungeon slots, more benefits all around.

But what about Loch’s choice? He was forcing Josh and his team to do what he wanted, but wasn’t he also being forced to do things he might not have wanted to? He didn’t want to fight, didn’t want to lead. But he was forced into that position. He was reaping the rewards and benefits but he was taking on the biggest risks. He was personally getting stronger but it wasn’t because he wanted the power. He was doing it for the Clan.

And that was the difference.

Choice was being taken away but not for personal power but for the Clan as a whole. TLoch needed Josh and his team. But it really wasn’t Loch that needed them. It was the Clan that did. And that was why the people that voluntarily risked themselves for the Clan deserved the benefits. Because those people would be risking themselves for the betterment of the Clan, not just their own personal Advancement. They would deserve first compared to someone that didn’t want to help.

It was the same as the citizens and crafters. They had to help the Clan for the Clan to help them.

“You’re right,” Loch said, stopping, making Josh and his group stop as well. “If you had said no, which you could have, I would have thought less of you because it meant I couldn’t count on you. No, not just me, but the Clan. The Clan wouldn’t be able to count on you and the Clan needs to be able to count on its strongest members.”

Loch looked down at Josh’s wrists where he wore a matched set of metal bracers. They were a dark metal, visible hammer blows marring the surface. Runes were carved into the tops. Loch didn’t know what they did, but he knew where Josh had gotten them.

The Painted Caves Dungeon.

Josh looked down at his bracers and back up at Loch. The items were a reward from the Dungeon. Something Josh wouldn’t have been able to get if not for the Clan.

“You want something from the Clan, then you give something to the Clan,” Loch said, locking eyes with Josh. “That’s your choice.”

Loch turned away, walking to catch up with the others. He heard the rest of the team following, what sounded like Harold whispering to Josh, and then the Bladeknight following.

***

“Holy crap,” T.J. said, large smile visible through his thick beard. “I just hit Level Five and whoa… I get to pick a Class.”

“What are the choices?,” Cerie asked, flying closer.

“AH,” the man said, holding up his hands as the fairy flew too close. “Back off.”

Cerie flew back a foot, wings buzzing as she hovered in the air.

Loch tried not to laugh. T.J. Wolfe looked like a man that lived in the woods. Large, burly, with a thick head of hair and beard, even before the Connection. He had lived in Northwoods but never socialized much, preferring to be in the woods hiking. It had just been luck, he had explained, that he’d been home when the Connection hit. Normally he would have been up in the mountains, somewhere, not necessarily New Hampshire. He’d hurt his ankle the day before and had to come home to nurse the injury, not wanting to risk getting trapped on a mountain.

The Connection had healed the wound, but he was still glad to be home. He’d done overnight hikes before, and had even done the Appalachian Trail, but being alone in the woods with the monsters of the Connection was something he was glad he’d avoided. He didn’t leave his home right away, wanting to wait and see what happened, figuring the government would take control back and the military would roll through anyday. At least the National Guard. Emergencies like the Connection was what they were created for.

But as time passed and no one came, and the internet stayed off, T.J. ran out of provisions at his house and decided it was time to head out and see what had happened. He’d felt drawn to go to the school and eventually found himself a part of Clan Brady.

Loch liked the man. He was older and easy going, more than happy to help Loch and the others out. He had talked with Jerry a lot as they walked, asking about landmarks, why Jerry had picked the path he took, offering suggestions. The way T.J. talked, it wasn’t bossy or condescending. People were happy to talk to him, to share and listen to his advice.

They’d stopped to rest in a small clearing near one of Jerry’s landmarks. It was a large boulder set on the east end of the clearing, grass spread out around, roots running across the ground, surrounded by oaks, maples and birches. The rock itself was large and an odd oblong shape. The sides were fairly smooth, making climbing the fifteen foot tall boulder difficult, but both Harper and Elora had managed. Being on top didn’t give them any advantage as the tall trees blocked any sightlines.

T.J. and Jerry had been talking near the boulder, pointing in various directions when T.J. had spoken.

“There’s two choices. Uncommon one called Pathfinder and a Rare called Strider.”

Loch stood up from where he’d been sitting with Piper, backs to the boulder. She had her sketchbook open, working on a page. Loch couldn’t tell what it was, and wasn’t sure if it was the magical sketchbook or not. Whatever she was drawing was very detailed. The sketches she used for her inkcreatures were fairly rough, making it quicker and easier for her to summon them. She’d always been a good artist but from what Loch could see, her skills as an artist had made huge improvements.

“Rare?,” he asked, walking over.

T.J. nodded his head, eyes unfocused as he was reading.

“Yeah, and it sounds pretty sweet.”

“What does it say?,” Cerie prompted. “Read it word for word.”

If T.J. was offended, he didn’t say anything.

“Strider. A Strider is one that goes before the rest. It does not lead the way but finds and marks the best path. It does not lead the others down the path for the Strider is already far ahead, scouting out and exploring what is to come. The Strider is meant to be alone for extended periods of time. It has both offensive and defensive capabilities but the Strider is primarily a mapper. The Strider can link its mental map with others, marking locations on those maps. Because it is a Class based on movement, the Strider cannot wear heavy or medium armor. It is restricted to shorter melee weapons. The Strider’s primary Attributes are Dexterity, Intelligence and Perception. Strider’s receive +1 Intelligence and +1 Perception at each Level.” He stopped speaking, his eyes remaining unfocused. “Huh, it sounds like it’s got some of the same uhm.. Abilities, I guess, as the Uncommon Pathfinder. Pathfinder sounds more like it’s about mapping where Strider is exploring.”

“A Rare Class is always worth taking,” Cerie said, glancing at Loch. “There are a significant number of Rare Classes coming from a Clan of this size. They are called Rare for a reason.” She tilted her head to the side, looking at a couple members of the group before giving Loch a glare filled with meaning. “There are a lot of Uncommon as well.”

“I figured something Rare would be better over something Uncommon,” T.J. said with a shrug. “And to be honest, I was going to take it no matter what. No offense,” he continued, nodding at Loch. “But I prefer to be alone anyways.”

“None taken,” Loch said, chuckling.