Chapter 11 - New world.. New me..

The two men talked about everything that had transpired the past days. Berto told his mentor about his struggle against the robed madman and his adventures in the Rift. Manuel on the other hand, explained what transpired since Berto's disappearance. His Mana poisoning, the second Quake and the, now frequent, appearance of Rifts all over the island. 

Berto could not help but feel there was a strange connection between everything that had happened to him. How likely was it that a second Quake just so happened to come about, the same day a crazy wizard activates an ancient relic connected to a cosmic force? Was it somehow his fault? And if the wizard activated the horn, why did the Evergreen make a connection to him instead of the person who activated it in the first place? Mariah would finally have to explain all this next time they were able to converse.

"These people need our help niño.. I tried my best but this magia is killing me.." said Manuel with a sigh, all while holding back the constant coughing his condition had burdened him with. "Don't talk like that Mr Manuel.. Think about Coletta.. You can't leave her without a dad! And besides we got so much work to do on Monday!" jested Berto as they always did at work, trying to give the man a sense of normality. Manuel laughed with a weez in his breath and a nurse suggested he lied back down.

"Niño.. I'm poisoned.. You know we can't change that. I'm so sorry I'm doing this to you.. After what you told me about your madre. I didn't want you to see me go out the same way..".

The young man felt despair's talons gripping on to him as he listened. "I lost my Esperanza the same way.. But I was there for Coletta as I was there for you.. Can you promise me that when I die you'll take care of her?". "Mr Manuel please don't say th.." Berto tried to argue when he saw his mentors eyes welling up. Two beds over, Berto finally noticed the twenty something year old woman sleeping on a chair. Coletta was a beautiful girl with shoulder length black wavy hair. She had a curvy body with a few extra pounds and the kindest pair of dark colored eyes, which were now saddly swollen red, obviously from crying herself to sleep over her father. 

Berto had met Coletta on multiple occasions the 4 years he worked under her father but the two never hung out on their own. " will do everything I can Sir.." promised the young man and earned a look of gratitude from his mentor. What was he doing? He wanted to ease his pain sure.. he owed him that much. But taking responsibility for another person's wellbeing, albeit hesitantly, was uncharacteristic of the nerdy Alberto. In order to never let anyone down, Berto had learned to only take on as little responsibility as possible. Maybe the person who survived the Rift and could slay monsters had a bigger backbone than he did. Maybe Alberto had little to offer but that guy, the Mariner, could help turn this place around.

Berto gave a farewell to his mentor and allowed him to rest for the noon. The young man figured it was time to cash in on his work as a newborn "awakened".

                             • • •

Champions had altered the economy of the world. Being some of the highest payed individuals, bringing in goods of immense value to sell back to big companies or entire nations, they had given cause for a market of their own to rise into existence. Enter the Champion's Guild. Guilds provided employment, support, bought back loot from rifts and sold gear to the awakened. 

The branch of Santa Barbara was one of the more "lacking" Guilds but even it had an array of resources available for sell and the ability to purchase high grade Monster Hearts and materials from Champions. It was built within an old mansion from the time when the Dons of Spain, ruled over the Archipelago nation. There were small markets within, each clerk offering different services. Of cource now the place was buzzing with people but most of the higher tier Champions were outfitted by their employers directly. They were privately contracted and didn't need to struggle for Rifts against the average Chanmpion, as their companies bought out rights to Rifts by the dozen. An arms race to secure the magic that would help fund a new world. All while making a fortune for those involved.

Berto dumped everything he had collected on a counter in front of a nicely dressed lady. "Well.. 6 Monster hearts. 4, C Grades, 0 stars.. and 2 B Grades, again 0 Stars. This pearl however.. this is quite unique and our scanners are detecting a high concentration of mana particles. Quite the find for a C Grade like yourself! You must be a very lucky Hauler for a good Party.." said the woman and Berto simply nodded with an awkward smile. She had assumed that Alberto, being a weak looking individual, probably just worked as a Hauler for a larger group of more capable awakened. Haulers being the people who literally haul the gear, loot and equipment around for the rest of the team. He was just happy she hadn't realised he was the guy they had dragged away from the Rift two days ago. 

"I'm afraid I won't be able to give you too much for your trouble. The pearl is valuable but the Monster Hearts aren't going to fetch you alot." she continued and Berto frowned. He needed cash and quick. He had put some money aside but it all went into purchasing his own apartment. He didn't have time to save up again and now he was out of a job. 

"Six low grade Monster Hearts and a 1 star C grade material.. I can take this off you for 8040 US dollars." offered the clerk and Berto's jaw dropped. This was considered a "small pay" in the Champion's world!? That was double his monthly salary and he thought his job was above average in pay here in the Islands! "Ok.. sounds fair.." said Berto, confirming the transaction, trying to look a little disappointed and probably failing.

After having the funds transferred to his account he could finally make the stop he came here for. The Supply Depot. Champions could pay for provision supply that covered a big crew, for the span of several days when they went on expeditions in huge Rifts. A supply of provisions like that could help the shelter get back on its feet until they received proper help. Bedrolls, food and water rations, first aid kits, light sources, batteries and other survival assisting equipment. Berto asked for package deals and the biggest one he could purchase was only the third most expensive. It came up up to a staggering 6000 dollars, however with this, 30 more people would have a place to sleep, with all the tents and bedrolls contained and even more would have food rations for the upcoming two weeks at least.

Berto took the deal, arranging for the provisions to be delivered to the shelter but realised this was only a temporary fix. The first Quake plagued the Earth for months before it settled. What if this were the same? What if it were worse? Monsters would come for him and his father eventually. He was going to fight again whether he liked it or not. The old Berto would be having a panic attack right now but a survivor's first instinct is to prepare. With that the young man visited a few more shops, spending his remaining money on some items for himself.

                              • • •

Back at the Union Campus Shelter, families were setting in slowly. There was ample space for the refugees but few provisions and amenities to go around. The soldiers helped as much as they could but most of the time ended up being a source of stress, what with all their gear and intimidating weapons. They kept a good lookout, opening fire on a any unnatural looking creature that came to close to the school. They could barely harm the mana infused beings but a good scare would deter the lesser ones from coming closer. 

Two soldiers were completing a round when they spotted a scurrying movement in the bushes near the fence. This fence separated the school from a small park called "Iguana Land". There was a great chance their intruder was just an overgrown lizard but they took no chances, quickly raising their weapons and investigating. What they found was less frightening than expected but much more complicated. Two adults were trying their best to lift the wire fence in order to allow their child, a young boy around 10, to enter the School shelter. The first soldier on the scene yelled for them to stop!

The two desperate parents unleashed a cacophony of pleads and calls for mercy as they continued clawing at the dirt without stop. They were afraid of the weapons pointed at them, but even more afraid of losing their child. "Please Sirs!!" yelled the mother, "Our camp was overrun yesterday! If you won't take us at least take our boy!!" her eyes filled with tears to the point she could barely see through the wet blurriness. 

Soldier A: I said STOP!! We can't take any more people! There is no more food and water!!

Father: He's just a child!! Just one child!!

Soldier A: I SAID NO!! HALT OR I'LL SHOOT!!

Soldier B: Stefan, what are we going to do!? They're parents man! Can't we just take the kid in? 

Soldier A: Everyone has "one more child"!! We can't take them all in, don't you understand!? What are we going to say to the next couple that comes by? We have our orders!!

The parents lost hope and huddled together sobbing, as the two soldiers lowered their weapons, disgusted at what they were forced to do. The second soldier suddenly staggered back after a audible wet thud. His partner looked at him but failed to process, exactly what was happening quickly enough. There was a metallic iron bar with a fixed spear-like head, similar to the ones commonly seen as part of fences, now protruding from his comrade's chest! He inadvertently screamed out of shock when he saw the form of a large creature behind the family and opened fire. 

The family fell to ground clasping their ears, as live rounds flew over their heads. The creature jumped out of sight and the soldier fell forwards and yanked open the same wire fence he so fiercely protected a moment ago. These were his people and, in the thick of it there were no rules or restrictions that could keep him from protecting them. "Get in here now!!" he yelled as he struggled to maintain his grip while all three members of the family crawled under the fence and inside the school. He finally let go and ordered the family to follow him as he started to run back to the front of the school, where all other soldiers were stationed. With a loud noise of crunching leaves and twigs, a figure flew overhead and landed in front of the fleeing humans, cutting them off. 

It slowly rised from a hunched over position, to its full height, almost a head taller than the soldier. Green scales, a reptile's snout, a long powerful tail with spines that continued to its back and all the way up to its head. A bipedal, 1,9 meters tall, humanoid iguana stood in front of them, glaring with eyes of reptilian cold blooded indifference! It wore crude leathers and had a basket on its back like a sack. It was filled up with fruits, dead animals and even human bodyparts. Its arms were thin and long, almost long enough to touch the ground despite the creature's height with well defined muscles. Finally, the extra spear it had brought along completed the look. A primitive Iguana folk, a forager perhaps, obviously mutated in the park by the overflowing mana.

The soldier hesitated for a moment but then sprayed the creature with bullets, emptying his already half used clip. The Iguana man took the shots with an almost surprised expression. It staggered back and yelped as bullets scratched its scales but ultimately bounced off of them. The soldier ejected the empty clip and grabbed his second one as he was lifted off the ground with a strike that seemed unfair for a normal human. He flew a meter off the ground before slamming down helplessly. A split second later, a mass of powerful muscles wrapped around his neck, before he even got a chance to move. He stared at the panicking family he had initially refused to help. He wanted to shout "RUN" but a gurgle of air and blood was what came out instead.

The lizard man stood over the annoying mammal, its tail wrapped around the helpless animal's neck. With a forceful tug and a *SNAP* it was over. Two more good specimens ready for harvest and three live ones paralyzed from fear. This was a good day for the forager. These animals were good meat but awful prey. No fight, no rush, they simply yelled and screamed while sitting still. Even now they screamed and their voices echoed from every direction. "EN TOUTO NIKA!!" another one shouted from somewhere behind him and the Lizardman grinned a toothy grin at the prospect of having more prey close by.

With a metallic *KHATIIIING* the Lizardman found himself flying sideways after receiving a painful blow to the side of the head. It hurt, it actually hurt! It crashed on the soft dirt below and raised its head immediately, only to see its prey running away. A new mammal had come along and stood between him and its query. This one seemed different somehow. More dangerous. It wore plain grey coveralls, with leather paddings protecting its vital areas, held a long sharp blade in one hand and a circular piece of metal in the other. It also wore a helmet like those other two he had just killed but this one's covered its entire face completely and he could barely make out the mammal's eyes.

Mariah: Shield Bash activated! 1 mana consumed, 6 points of damage dealt to Guana Forager Lv.7. 27/33 HP remaining.

Shield Bash was proving more valuable with every use. Berto was also pleased that the Skill's extra, knock-back effect, was activated. His outfit looked wrong and mismatched but would do the trick for now. His coveralls were considered basic armor for Haulers, his longsword and shield were standard non-enchanted pieces of weaponry. Anything fancier was way too expensive for the fledgling awakened to purchase right now. The helmet finally, had another use other than protecting Berto from getting his "bell rung". Berto had decided to keep his powers a secret, at least for the time being. The mad wizard could still be out there and the Evergreen in general seemed like too great of a thing for him to casually explain to someone. Even he barely had any information on it still.

The Lizardman got back up and lazily assaulted the knightly Mariner with a flurry of spear stabs. Berto parried the blows but soon realized that this course wouldn't be viable for long! The creature was stronger than it looked! Each strike caused Berto's shield-hand psysical pain and the vibrations travelling up his arm gave it an unpleasant numbness. The young man swung around, altering his stance, to more effectively maneuver around the Lizardman's strikes. Dodging the beastman's attacks proved just as difficult but ultimately less painful. Berto realised he had lost 3 HP just by shielding against them initially.

The young man danced around the Lizardman trying to find an opening but was outmatched. The humanoid Iguana attacked with spear, claw, fang and tail in a maelstrom of animosity. Berto could barely keep balance, let alone get an attack in. At that moment he felt immobilized, a reptilian foot firmly stepping on his boot! The moment it took the man to decide on a countermeasure, was all the time the Guana Forager needed to slam its tail against the knight's chest and send him flying. 

Mariah: 7 points of damage received, 2 points deducted due to armor rating and Thick Skin! 37/45 HP remaining!

Berto looked up at the lunging green monster and rolled out of the way. "This wasn't so hard last time!" he thought and then suddenly fell into a pit of sadness. "It wasn't so hard because I wasn't fighting alone.." and the memory of his former, unlikely companion came to mind. The young survivor jumped to his feet, filled with rage. He stabbed his longsword into the ground and left it there. The blade itself was iradiated with Berto's mana but was not enchanted in any way. It was a meter long, single edged sword with a modern aesthetic to it. A fine weapon in the hands of a trained warrior. 

Sadly Berto was no trained warrior and although the awakened seemed to have a greater affinity for swords than he had with spears, he had no idea how to use one in an actual fight. The Mariner, switching tactics, dove into the Guana's defence, catching the predator off guard. The Lizardman tried to yank its spear back into an attacking position but the fledgling warrior grabbed the shaft of the weapon, holding it in place! 

Berto pulled his left arm in and released a Shield Bash into the creature's stomach, lifting it slightly off the ground! He followed up with a right cross to its snout but ended up hurting his knuckles on the Lizardman's sandpaper-like scales. The creature attempted to claw Berto's face but the Mariner blocked the attack with his shield and drew something from the rim of his boot.

Berto knelt and struck the creature's knee with his shield forcing it to keel over. The mariner thrusted upwards with his right hand, stabbing the Lizarman under its jaw with his coral dagger, returned to him by Greywood, amongst his other belongings! The creature yelped and squirmed, stabbing at Berto with its spear. Berto grabbed the spear once more, now that the monster's movements were finally getting sluggish. He broke the tip with a slam of his shield and sidestepping the charging Lizardman, drove the severed speartip into its eye.

Mariah: Critical Hit! 13 points of damage dealt! Guana Forager defeated, 135 xp awarded. 235/1700xp required to reach level 8.

*PING* Feat of the Day parameters met. You have saved the life of another person, a family of three. 2 free Attribute Points awarded.

Berto looked at the slayed soldiers with a miserable look on his face. He didn't feel like a hero.. he surely wasn't for these two men. His gaze turned towards an ominous glow beyond the fence. He brushed the foliage aside and walked closer as his blood boiled and cold sweat gathered at the back of his neck. A Rift.. There was a Rift just a dozen meters away from him. Just about 100 meters away from the school, his father, Manuel, Coletta and all the people who had to leave their homes just to stay safe from this very danger.. "Mariah?"

Mariah: Yes User Berto..

"How do you return to the worst nightmare you've ever had?"

Mariah: You dive in.. No hesitation.. You don't give your fear a single inch to latch onto.

"Eh.. Sounds like ok advice.. thanks Mariah.." 

Berto jumped over the fence after grabbing his weapon. He left the body of the Lizardman intact so that the soldiers would know what had killed their comrades. He walked closer to the rift, his entire being begging him to walk away from it. The Mariner clenched his jaw and jumped through!

* User : Alberto Ferantelli - Level: 7 *

Free Attribute Points: 3

Health: 37/45

Mana: 5/7

Brawn: 13

Agility: 16

Vitality: 14

Intellect: 18

Charisma: 14

Spirit: 14

Skills: 

1) Engineering (B) Lv.5

2) Bypass (C) Lv.1 

3) Pain Mitigation (B) Lv.3

4) Insight (A) Lv.1

5) Craft (D) Lv.5

6) Tame (C) Lv.8

7) Harvest (C) Lv.3

8) Shield Bash (C) Lv.2

Mutations:

1) Mariner (B) Lv.2

2) Thick Skin (D) Lv.1

* Status update complete *