CJ’s response must have shaken Riley to her core. She began to openly cry into her hands on the park bench. Taking in great gulps of air before expelling it in stuttered sobs. CJ produced a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her. He knew consoling her would be the right idea but the way things had been going lately, a crying woman was low on his priority list.

  It was just after six in the evening now and it would take him hours to get to the Redmond’s and Tommy. It would be better to get a good night’s sleep and start in the morning. Leaving Riley here to lament her own choices didn’t sit well with him, so he called in a favor.

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Jenn, I’ve got a crying woman out here. If you come to console her, I’ll change your party chat name.

  New Message from Psycho: Deal.

  New Message from Monty: How dare you?

  New Message from Elena: Hey! I like that nickname.

  New Message from Rubio: Children, please keep the chat to important… never mind.

  New Message from Roger: Ya’ll done did it this time.

  Jenn ran over to the park bench and Riley wrapped her arms around her. She continued to cry into her shoulder as CJ cast Now you Don’t. Successfully slipping away from the two while making his way back to the mattress store. Within the store people started to relax. Of the eleven people that were crammed into that bus, three distinct groups appeared. There was a family of five. It contained two parents, two children, and what looked like an uncle. Right now, the uncle was keeping the kids busy while the parents were discussing things with Saul. The kids were easily under ten years old. Monty was over with the two other groups. Two guys and a woman and an elderly couple. The conversation he was having was quite animated. CJ decided to make his presence known to Monty’s group.

  “Like I already said. Your slates are broken.” Monty wiped a paw front to back over his head and ears in frustration. “You can’t read these messages unless you let CJ fix it. Then you’ll get powers depending on whatever class you pick. Otherwise, you’ll just be getting in the way all the time.”

  “My little brother isn’t going to become some child soldier in the magic man’s army because his talking bunny said so. Where the hell is the government? Why isn’t there an elected official in charge? I want to speak to someone in charge.” Screeched the shrill woman.

  Now that CJ was closer he could see the woman talking and one of the younger men looked similar. They both had chestnut brown hair and were of a similar stature. The man trying to calm the woman was obviously her husband. He seemed used to her ranting. The elderly couple were just sitting on the bed listening to the conversation with wrapped attention.

  “I’ll do it. I’m surprised I’ve lived long enough to see the end of the world. This way they can see the process and can make an informed decision. Anything is better than fighting those Flaming Pitchfork pricks for scraps of food with just a cane.” Said the old man before patting his wife’s hand and standing up. “If I can help protect people before I go, all the better.”

  The man had a slight hunch to his back but also a challenge in his eye. CJ recognized it as courage. A deep resonating courage. The kind most people who’ve experienced losing everything and finding a way back seemed to develop. That man was worth the effort. His wife had a gnarled right hand that looked painful but was probably an arthritis affected limb. With that, CJ dispelled his mental cloaking and became part of the foreground standing right next to Monty.

  “That kind of sentiment I can get behind. Now I’ll have to touch you, and I’m told the process stings.” Said the magician as everyone gasped at their sudden awareness of him. “You’ll be given a choice of classes to choose from, should you see one surrounded by a rainbow glow, I’m told those are rarer.”

  He placed his hands on the side of the old man’s head and activated Harbingers Grasp. Mana spun up CJ’s arms before pouring into the old man’s head. He flinched just enough that CJ noticed it, but it wasn’t apparent to those around them. This old man had guts as well as resolve. As the mana past through his arms and into the target, it mixed with the old man’s mana reserves before repairing his slate. Then the mana returned back to CJ. All of this happened in microseconds.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  The elderly man sat back down on the bed. He was slightly panting and had a thousand yard stare. His left hand quested out for his wives before he sucked in a long breath.

  “They didn’t abandon us, Hana. They took some kind of deal. They’re… safe.” He said as a tear began to roll down his cheek. The old man stiffened up again. “Thank you, young man. I’m Leonard Fitzroy and my wife Hana. You didn’t realize this, but you just answered a question that’s been bothering us for weeks. We were on vacation in Atlantic City with our children and grandchildren. Until suddenly they just disappeared one morning. We thought they left us, and we couldn’t understand it. Now I know. We taught them well Hana. They prioritized the grandkids.”

  They held each other for a moment before Hana asked to be connected to her slate as well. CJ did so. His heart lurched once she read the initial prompts from the Goddess Fate and realized the same thing Leonard did. These poor folks were terrified and confused for so long. Not for themselves, they just wanted to know what happened to their family.

  As CJ watched the old couple he noticed Leonard’s back was slightly straighter and His wife’s right hand which was slightly misshapen from arthritis began to straighten out. He wondered if that was the mana coursing through their bodies in a more heightened state now or did the slate system need them in fighting shape. Something he would have to ask Wukong the next time he sees him.

  “So, it does work. They have access now?” asked the younger of the siblings in an overly excited voice.

  “Calm yourself Theo.” His sister said, “No one is giving magical powers without my say so.”

  “Anette! It’s the end of the world. Mom and dad are gone. This is my chance to help instead of hiding behind Saul and Marty all the time.” Theo replied.

  “Theo! Don’t talk back to me in front of strangers.”

  “All right. Enough of that. I’m done changing lives for right now.” CJ announced turning to address to the rest of the store. “I need to talk to my team outside right now. The rest of you get comfortable for the night.”

  Ten minutes later they all gathered outside in the street before the circular park. They made sure Riley joined the rest of traveling people. CJ was sitting on the bench now and taking a much needed bite out of the twinkie. Once Roger made it over to the group CJ began talking.

  “We need to have at least two of us on watch at night. We can alternate four hour shifts if necessary. Tomorrow I’m going to get my people from the Reservoir. I’ll take volunteers but at least some of us should stay here. I don’t know how these people will react to the quest pillar in the daylight. I don’t know if the bolster dungeon is still active for new people or just closed to us. Roger and Jenn may be the ones we can test that on. I can’t see the door anymore. I can’t tell if magic I’m feeling from the park is the quest pillar or a dormant dungeon entrance.”

  CJ took that small box out of his inventory and passed it around to everyone. Once they all read the prompt, they gave it back to CJ.

  “I was thinking of planting it in the park, but I’m going to wait until morning and after we test the dungeon entrance thing.” He said before stowing it back into his inventory. “No point in creating grove of apple trees that you have to clear a dungeon to get. Even if it’s only one time.”

  “Are we going to talk about that bug thing? It seemed pretty pissed off.” Said Roger.

  “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. On my way here before I met the Trinchars, Monty had to save me from a dog sized cicada.” CJ looked over at Monty who had his rabbit head tilted to the side in contemplation. “I used the children’s trick fifty two pick up to distract it, just as Monty knocked it off of me. The thing that grabbed me had one of my cards lodged in its mouth. Freakiest shit I’ve ever seen.”

  “Was it an ace?” asked Rubio.

  “Yea, Ace of Spades. How did you know that?”

  “Because the dog sized cicada that jumped at me just before we all fell into the dungeon the first time, had an ace of spades in its mouth. It certainly wasn’t humanoid though.” He replied.

  “Not a good sign. Monty, how is that possible?” asked CJ.

  “Sounds like additional mana mutation. But that would mean they have a boss monster that can produce higher grade minions.” Monty paced back and forth stroking his bunny chin with his paw. “It’s focus on you is more troublesome. You’re the only one that can make a no phone into a slate active person. It’s just too soon for monsters to evolve this rapidly. They’d have to have a substantial amount of corrupted mana to evolve a level of sentience this early. They should be mindless beasts.”

  “I think you should check your quests tab.” Elena blurted out after palming her face.

  CJ did just that. Right there in one of the first quests he got from the pillar.

  Quest: Cicada Matriarch- Eliminate the Cicada Matriarch before the beginning of summer or the Pine Barrens will be overrun. Rewards: Class Ability, Rare. Accept Y/N