Essence Wave Book 2 Chapter 24

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

Happy Mother's Day! 

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

Two hundred and fifty people had dropped everything they were doing to help the village level again. David ran around, spending ten to twenty minutes at every building to channel as much Mana and Energy into it that he could. As soon as he hit the required number, he moved on. The stack of wooden planks and stone blocks that had formed over the last few days quickly dwindled.

Josiah, Michelle, Christine, and Duke were all redirecting the available resources all over. Very few buildings got everything they needed, with Unworked Stone and Wood replacing Worked in almost all cases. Energy replaced Mana, nearly every person in the city having significantly more Energy due to humanity’s immense natural Constitution.

Finally, just as the sun was setting at the end of the extended day, every building was upgraded. David opened the upgrade menu.

Upgrade Hope’s Refuge to Village Tier 3: Yes/No

Population Required: 344/200

Buildings Required: 30/24

Wall Upgraded to Level 2 Tier 2: Yes

Mayor’s Manor Upgraded to Level 2 Tier 2: Yes

Researcher’s Hall Upgraded to Level 2 Tier 2: Yes

Total research projects completed: 11/10

Upgraded at least two production buildings to Level 2 Tier 2: 5/2

“Well, we went above and beyond,” David said. “Research finished too! Alright, alright, alright!”

“Okay, McConaughey,” Christine said.

David laughed, “And boop,” he said, mentally and physically upgrading the city to Village Tier 3. Again a gold wave flew out from the City Crystal, and each building glowed for a second.

Congratulations! Hope’s Refuge is the first Village to advance to Tier 3!

Reward: 1500 credits to each citizen! Each building has a tiny increase to their durability and a small increase in efficiency for all workers inside!

Upgrade Hope’s Refuge to Village Tier 4

Population Required: 344/250

Buildings Required: 30/30

Wall Upgraded to Level 2 Tier 3: No

Mayor’s Manor Upgraded to Level 2 Tier 3: No

Total research projects completed: 11/15

Upgraded at least two production buildings to Level 2 Tier 3: 0/2

Sufficient food growth for entire population: Yes

Increase defensive capabilities of village: Yes

“Huh, just got to upgrade the wall, the manor, two production buildings, and do some research,” David said. “Also got two more people for some reason.”

A bunch of shrugs met his second statement. “Well, we’re completely out of resources,” Christine said. “So that’ll have to wait. Almost everyone is out of Mana and mostly out of Energy.”

“We should have a party,” Michelle said. “The looting team has been stockpiling every bit of alcohol found.”

“Does it even affect us anymore?” David asked.

“Probably won’t do anything to you,” Duke laughed. “Otherwise it’s just an excuse to drink more!”

“I will go organize a banquet,” Michelle said.

“I will set up a guard rotation,” Josiah said, “Let everyone have a chance, but know that they will be severely punished for showing up drunk after their turn to party.” He turned to David. “How about you go do your four hours of research, and we’ll start the party right before you finish. Give the cooks time to cook and everyone to set up tables, chairs, etcetera.”

“Sounds like a plan,” David said. Everyone split up, but before David left he called Aly. “Shadow, are you okay?”

“Lord, hey babe. Yeah, we’re fine. We found the others and are headed back. Also found a couple who had been hiding in their basement for the last week.”

“Ah, that’s where the two more population came from,” David said. “But, if that’s the case, why didn’t the people coming from Salida count?”

“Maybe they need to be accepted by someone in a high enough position at the city?” she asked. “Or they could just count as citizens of Salida until they get here.”

“Good point,” David said. They talked for a bit, with David telling her all about upgrading the city. He walked and talked, finding himself in his new office. Nothing seemed different about the building from its upgrade, so he just shrugged and opened the research project menu. Two were highlighted.

Research Project: Enhanced Irrigation

Cost: Variable

Description: Increase the effectiveness of a Farm’s output by optimizing the water irrigation provided. Select one currently built Farm to enhance.

Research Project: Dual production lines in Woodcutter’s Hall

Cost: Variable

Description: Develop a more efficient layout to allow for a second production line in the same amount of space. Select Woodcutter’s Hall to upgrade.

“Woodcutter’s Hall, definitely,” he told himself, then selected it. The current setup of the building appeared on the wall, and he got to work. The hall almost seemed to guide his movements, and he fell into the same meditative trance that he’d dropped into before. Four hours later, he hit a stopping point. “Alright, looks promising. Ooh, nice, research points one fifty six out of two hundred. No inspiration bonus.”

He looked at the number, then at his status. “Ten percent more research points than my intelligence. Is that how the value is calculated? Makes sense, I guess. So researchers need to bump int. I wonder if wisdom has any effect? Maybe it makes an inspiration more likely. No idea. Party time.” Unlike the first time he’d done research, this time he didn’t get any Skill increases.

He walked out of the Researcher’s Hall to find a bonfire set up in the square in front of the Mayor’s Manor. Dozens of people danced while a band played acoustic instruments. When he was spotted, a cheer rang out, and he was rushed. Steve and Jack lifted him onto their shoulders, and chants of “Lord Black,” “Baron Black,” and “City Lord,” rang out.

What in the world! He thought, though he kept the slowly rising panic and nervousness off his face. It took nearly ten minutes to get them to let him down, and they only did so when they reached an elevated table. Josiah, Michelle, Alexander, Sarah, and Emily were up there already. “We weren’t sure if the others would get here in time,” Michelle said, gesturing to the four empty seats, “so we kept them a chair anyway.”

“Plop your butt down,” Alexander said. “Summer’s bringing a plate for you already.”

“This is crazy,” David said, waving to the crowd that was standing around. A cheer met his wave, and then everyone turned to their partners.

“Everyone is incredibly stressed all the time,” Josiah said. “While they feel safe enough here, we all know that safety is an illusion. You give them hope, though, and we’re going to push on that as much as we can. Now, enjoy dinner, go talk to people, and have fun.”

The next two hours flew by before he excused himself. He’d been toasted dozens of times, and chugged at least four beers, but nothing seemed to affect him. Probably have to buy or make special booze if we want to actually get tipsy, he thought when he went into the Mayor’s Manor. He dropped half his Mana and Energy pools into the City Crystal, building the City Essence stores up a tiny bit, before he found a quiet spot to sit and cultivate.

Three hours of cultivation later, and he was up nearly a quarter of an Essence. Each cycle seemed just the tiniest bit easier than the previous one, and a bit more effective as well. Gotta keep practicing, he thought. A glance outside showed that the party was still in full swing. David shook his head, Not tonight. All peopled out. More cultivation? Should I try to do some Mana cultivation instead? No, Essence is more important, at least for now. Need to see if there is Energy cultivation too. He looked outside again. Check tomorrow, I don’t want to deal with the party again. I should temper, that’s what I should do.

With an anxious face, he started to channel his Mana and Energy, focusing on following his new Skill’s directions. His body felt like it was on fire, but he persevered. When he opened his eyes again, Aly was standing in front of him. “You’re back!” He exclaimed, and leapt to his feet.

“Yup,” she grinned while pulling him into a hug. “Not a whole lot else happened. Come on.” She slid her hands into his and tugged him out of the room. “I want to dance.”

“Fine,” he smiled at her, letting her pull him. They partied, the crowds cheering him on again and again while Aly danced with him. Even his massively increased agility didn’t stop him from looking like a spaz, while Aly was as graceful as ever.

The party finally wound down nearly nine hours after sunset, now halfway through the night. David shook his head once Aly let him finally drag her back inside. “That was fun,” she said. “Been a long time since we danced until morning.”

“True,” David said. “But I think there is another seven or eight hours until the sun comes back up.”

“The new days are still screwy,” she said.

“We’ll get used to them eventually,” David laughed, then dragged her to their room to continue celebrating.

The next day, Aly left to train some of the hunters in stealth, while David went back to the Researcher’s Hall to finish the research he’d started. Half the people were stumbling and bleary-eyed, nursing hangovers.

It only took him two hours to complete the design that was then fed into the City System. “Seneschal,” he spoke into the comm system. “Just finished research that should let us double how much wood we get out of the Woodcutter’s Hall. We’d have to shut it down for however long it takes to complete it.”

“Roger,” Josiah responded. “Have you checked what the requirements are?”

“Not yet,” David laughed. “I’ll head over there now.” On the way, he channeled a bit of Mana and Energy into the Tax Pillar, then Sprinted over to his destination.

Do you wish to upgrade the Woodcutter’s Hall with a second production line? If so, please provide Resources, Energy, and Mana.

Resources provided: 0/6 Units worked wood, 0/2 Units worked stone, 0/2 Units worked metal, 0/1 saw blade

Energy Required: 37,972

Mana Required: 206,339

“Not too bad,” he told Josiah, who’d met him at the Woodcutter’s Hall. “But we need worked metal and a saw blade.”

“I’m wondering what the next upgrade after worked is,” Josiah responded. “Or is it just going to be the addition of more specific items.”

“No idea. Michelle might have a better answer,” David said. “I wonder if we can get an Inscription put onto the blade to make it last longer or cut better.”

“Probably,” Josiah said. “We’ll schedule this when the current shift ends. That should give us enough worked wood for the upgrade.”

“And stone,” Michelle said, walking up. “But not metal. At full capacity, the Forge only puts out one unit of worked metal a day, and they also have to create the saw blade.”

“Do we need another Forge?” David asked.

“Yes, but it’s not worth it now,” she answered. “We don’t have enough metal coming in to work. Right now, all we get is incidental harvests from the Stonecutter’s Hall, and reprocessing cars that won’t run. It seems like metal refined before the Essence Wave is almost worthless, only counting as a third of the same amount of newly mined metal.”

“So what we really need is a mine,” David said. “What about that second dungeon I put down? It’s supposed to be a resource provider. How about my team and I go clear the dungeon and see what’s there?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Josiah said, a grin on his face letting David know that was his goal all along. “Make sure to stop by the Market and buy some mining picks, shovels, and a cart.”

“Sure thing,” David laughed, then called Aly, Colin, and Liz. “Do you all have time to help me clear the second Dungeon we put down and see about mining some ore?”

“I can,” Aly responded.

“I’m down,” Colin said.

“I need an hour,” Liz said. “In the middle of something.”

“Got it, meet at the bridge across the river in an hour,” David said, then he jogged to the Market. Okay, I’ve got over twenty-two thousand credits. Let’s find some nice stuff to get. He browsed for a few minutes, before settling into the menu for professional equipment.

Here we go, mining. A Beginner Skill Stone is only a thousand. Basic pick is ten, not too shabby, but one Inscribed for durability and sharpness is nine hundred. Only Beginner level Inscriptions too. Apprentice one is nineteen thousand, holy crap that’s a huge jump. I need to work on my Inscriptions some more. In games it was always good to have a harvesting and a production class or skill or whatever the game used. So I can mine, then get someone to turn it into plates, swords, or armor. Then I can Inscribe it, and sell for a massive up charge. Heck, I could buy the non-Inscribed versions, Inscribe them, and then sell them. Not as profitable, but still makes some cash.

He looked for a few more minutes, then ended up buying two Inscribed picks, two high-quality unInscribed picks for two hundred each, a Beginner Skill Stone, and a mining cart that had a dimensional storage space like his belt for five thousand. That one he paid for out of the city funds, intending to leave it for others to use too.

With a quick glance, he saw he still had forty minutes before he told the others to meet him, so he kept looking at the Market. “Okay, I can search for items compatible with my armor. Whoa, that’s a lot of things. Filter by price, under fifteen thousand. And that’s most of them gone. Really? That’s annoying.”

Let’s see, weapons, weapons, more weapons. All just minor variations on what I already have. Oh, that might be useful. Mana-crossbow, Initiate level. Creates and fires bolts out of Mana. If I have the Mana-Bolt Skill, it instead enhances the bolts. It siphons off some of my regen when I’m not using it, and then adds it to the Skill. Neat. six thousand credits though, man that’s rough. What about upgrading my sword or shield?

Name: Tier-Two Mana Focusing Hilt - Arming Sword

Description: A hilt with cross-guard designed to focus Mana into the shape of a two-sided sword of moderate length. Designed to be used one-handed.

Effects: Focus 250 Mana into the hilt to create a sword. If you possess the Mana-Weapon Creation Skill, increase efficacy by 100% through the Journeyman-tier.

Durability: 2000/2000

Cost: 15000 Credits

Ow, only a fifty percent increase in efficacy for the sword for fifteen thousand credits? Not worth it, at least not until I have a better source of income than village upgrades and hunting Daemons. There’s tons of useful things here that I can buy with that much money. Like this, an Energy-powered motorcycle! Only nine thousand. I could use it to get to places much faster, especially once we have built out the roads. Twelve-thousand for an Energy and Mana powered truck. Let’s get that, haul even more ore back, hopefully, and transport all of us.

Name: Tier-One Material Transport Vehicle

Description: A transport vehicle that seats up to six humans. Transports five thousand kilograms in the six cubic meter storage compartment. Not suitable for combat. Capable of off-road travel.

Durability: 150/150

Cost: 12000 Credits

“And purchased,” he said to himself. The pedestal in front of him started to form the items asked for. Four picks, a crystal, and then two silver pucks formed before it finished. He reached in and pulled out two picks. They grew to a fairly substantial size. One was unInscribed, made of a steel infused with a minor amount of Mana and Energy during production. It was supposed to be stronger than normal steel, and hold Inscriptions better.

The other had a series of runes Inscribed up the handle. The wood was inset with a gold powder that was lacquered over. “Huh, neat. I guess there is stuff to enhance Inscriptions,” he mumbled to himself. With a thought, he stored them both in his belt, then got the other two. After that, he pulled out the two pucks. They grew to be the size of a dinner plate. One had a four wheeled cart with a large open top on it, while the other looked like a blockish pickup truck with an extended cab. He used Scholar’s Vision on one.

Name: Tier-One Material Transport Vehicle Summoning Disk

Description: Place disk on ground with sufficient space around it, then activate with a small pulse of Mana.

Durability: 10/10

Ah, don’t break these, he thought, almost fumbling one. He immediately stuck them in his belt, then sighed with relief when they stored. The last thing he grabbed was the Knowledge Stone, and then he got out of the way of the next person who wanted to get into the Market stall. He nodded at them, and they responded with wide eyes. “Have a good day.”

“You too, uh, sir,” the young man said.

David grinned, then ran off, pushing Running and Sprint to get to the base of the compound quickly. Soon thereafter, he found himself right by the new bridge across the Arkansas river. There were a dozen people fishing off to one side, but he had a good area clear. “Okay, let’s see what this does,” he said, pulling out the truck disk. He sent a couple of Mana into it, and it started to glow. Quickly, he set it down and backed away.

Immediately above the disk, a point started to glow. Two seconds later, the point stretched into a four meter long line, extending away from the center of the disk. It then swept three hundred and sixty degrees, forming a bright circle hovering in mid-air. The line got shorter and kept swinging around and around. Each pass added a tiny bit of material to a boxy shape in the center.

Over the next five minutes, over a hundred people had gathered around to gawk at the light show. It was only half done when Aly appeared next to him. “What is that?” she asked.

“Our new truck,” he said. “Not the best looker in the world, but it runs on Energy and Mana and can carry a crapton.”

“Is it supposed to be glowing?”

“It’s still forming. Since this is taking so long, I guess I should trigger the mining cart one too,” David said. He cleared a space, shooing people out of the same radius that the truck had, just in case. “Here we go.”

The cart only made a two meter radius circle. Everyone around watched as the two items were built by the System. Luckily, they both finished at about the same time. “Well, that was awesome,” Colin said. “What’s that?”

“That is a spatial mining cart,” David told him. “The inside is supposed to be five times bigger than it actually looks. Was pretty cheap because it doesn’t reduce weight at all, so we’ll have to push pretty hard to get it moving when full.”

“Is that why the wheels are so large?” Liz asked.

“Uh, probably,” David laughed. “Come on, it looks like it’ll fit in the back of the truck.” He walked over and lifted the cart. Colin grabbed the other side, and together they hauled it over to the truck and carefully set it into the cab. Their massively increased strength was on display.

“Just barely fits,” Aly said, helping to guide it in from the tailgate.

The lights turned on, and David looked to see Liz sitting in the driver’s seat. “Got it powered up. We’ll all want to put in some Mana and Energy. The display says the tank can hold ten thousand of each.”

“Neat,” David said, and he walked to the doorway. He just looked at her for a second.

Liz rolled her eyes at him, then got into the back. “Well, there is a charging port on each wall,” she said, pointing to a metal plate that indented itself around her hand when she touched it. “So we can all contribute.”

The truck had a steering wheel very similar to Earth cars, though the entire thing was the soft metal of the charging plate. There was no radio. The dash had a few displays, speed, Energy and Mana storage, and a display of the truck with each side colored in green. “Are you all ready to go take on a dungeon?”

“Yeah!” Colin bellowed, and the crowd outside cheered. They parted when the truck started to slowly move, the engine completely silent. The ride was smooth, the shocks better than anything David had ever driven before.

“Onward,” Aly said, pointing, and David laughed.