Devin went to check on Casey. She fished a jar of salve out of her pack and rubbed it on her hands like moisturizing lotion. The cuts and burns disappeared.

  Devin's adrenaline was fading, leaving him tired. He checked to make sure the basilisk was dead, then touched the node.

  Achievement Unlocked! Node power (2) – You’ve discovered a pair of Crystal Nodes. A pair beats an ace, but that’s about it.

  Reward: Boost ‘Copper Crystal Affinity’ has been upgraded to ‘Silver Crystal Affinity.’ Allows the user to integrate up to 2 Silver crystal nodes and 4 Copper crystal nodes into a crystal network. Touch a node to begin integration.

  The area of influence around your nodes increases from 100m to 1 km.

  You can now make minor alterations to your nodes, including making them slightly smaller or bigger, changing their shape, and increasing or decreasing light levels.

  Your Copper Astral Hall was upgraded to a Silver Astral Hall. Your Astral Hall has been expanded to 1,000 square meters. You may now add Silver-level specialty rooms.

  With your permission, party members may access the Astral Hall and use nodes for travel when you are not present.

  This Boost allows the use of Silver Keystones.

  This is an Uncommon Boost.

  Reward: Copper Astral Hall Key

  You are attempting to integrate the Rebel Caves node (Copper) into your network.

  You currently have 1 Copper node in your network. You may integrate 3 more Copper nodes and 2 Silver nodes.

  Would you like to integrate the Rebel Caves node into your crystal network?

  Devin accepted. His vision changed to a top-down view of a stretch of land that he knew was Teth. The entire area was covered with clouds, except for the places he’d traveled and a small area around both of his nodes.

  Your primary node is currently Winsley Farm. You can change your primary node with no penalties whenever you capture a node. As you gain nodes, your primary node becomes more powerful and important. Would you like to change your primary node?

  Devin declined. The dot at Winsley Farm flashed, then the view of the map faded.

  You added the Rebel Caves node to your crystal network!

  This node adds a +1 bonus to all Primary and Secondary Attributes for combat party members.

  Your total crystal network bonus is +2 to all Primary and Secondary Attributes.

  Your current network contains 0/2 Silver nodes and 2/4 Copper nodes.

  Your current network and affinity allow you to enhance a maximum of 1 Silver level person and 2 Copper level people. You’ve haven’t enhanced anyone.

  Achievement Unlocked! Rebel Cave Node – The rebels settled a tiny part of this cave system 20 years ago, but it’s been around a lot longer than that. There’s a lot of cool stuff in these mountains for those willing to look.

  Reward: Copper Enhancement Keystone

  Reward: Boost ‘Crystal Mapping’ was upgraded to ‘Crystal Cartography.’ Detailed maps of your areas of influence and everything within them will be shown on your Automap. An area’s map will be updated when you visit the node. You may focus your vision on a specific location within your area of influence using your Concentration Attribute.

  Reward: Increase of +2 to the lowest primary Attribute and +1 to the lowest Secondary Attribute. The whole party has earned this reward!

  Devin’s senses exploded with information. He ‘saw’ the area around both of his nodes. He reviewed his other node first. In addition to the Winsley farm, there were 8 other farms in range. The area contained 53 people, none of whom were enhanced. He scanned them until he found one he recognized.

  Lee Winsley (Peasant, Unenhanced, Asleep)

  Yes, yes, your little friend is alive and recovering. Don’t you have better things to do than check in on peasants?

  Devin switched to the area of influence of his new node. There were a lot more rebels than he’d anticipated. According to his interface, there were 976 people within a kilometer radius of the Rebel Cave node.

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  “This is amazing,” Devin said. “It looks like they’re all unenhanced. Am I going to be able to see everyone around my nodes now?”

  “For unenhanced, yes,” Milo said. “When it comes to enhanced, there are a lot of factors at play. The difference in levels between you and your target will matter, as will the strength of your network and the number of crystals. There are also Skills to evade detection by networks available to classes like spies and scouts, and some non-combat classes.”

  Devin glanced at him. “This is the first I’ve heard of non-combat classes,” he said. “Are they just weaker than regular classes, or can they not fight at all?”

  “They’re weaker,” Milo said. “A lot weaker. If someone spends most of Copper level doing non-fighting things, they’ll get a non-combat class when they level. It’s how skilled craftsmen and other experts emerge in high-magic zones. Honestly, if your class is a high rarity, you can be a combat class and still be almost as good as everything as a non-combat class.”

  Devin nodded, but he was only half listening. There was a group of six people moving in their direction on his node map.

  “Someone’s coming,” Devin said. “It looks like they heard the commotion. Let’s wait for them here so we don’t spook anyone.”

  He examined each icon until he found the leader.

  General Landon (Rebel, Unenhanced, Concerned)

  The leader of the rebel military forces. I hope you’re ready to explain yourself.

  Devin brightened the node until the full cave was lit. There was only one passage leading out of the room. He noticed a hole in the floor that was shaped like the basilisk.

  “Did that thing form out of the stone?” he said.

  “Yes,” Milo said. “Prior to awakening, it was part of the floor.”

  “Man, I’m really not in Kansas any …” The words died in his throat as Casey pulled back her hood.

  He didn’t realize her face had changed when Rainford enhanced her. Beautiful wasn’t the right word for it, although she was that, too. Her face shined with an internal light. Her eyes held depths he couldn’t imagine.

  Devin’s mouth dropped open. “Is this what you looked like, before they...”

  “I never looked like this. I was a child when they mutilated me. I guess it’s how I would have looked.” She raised an eyebrow. “You know you’re staring, right?”

  He forced his eyes away from her face and examined the new icon floating above her head. It was a timer reading 23H:59M:23S. The text above it read ‘Healing Consumable Cooldown.” The seconds ticked down as he watched.

  There were more icons over each of their heads representing the four buffs the party got from Casey and Milo’s Boosts. They were represented by a syringe, a caduceus, a speech bubble, and an upside-down V.

  “Hell, yeah!” he said. “You’ve been restored, we got more party abilities, a bigger node network, and fast travel, on top of what we got from Rainford? This day is getting better and better.”

  “We’ve are truly blessed,” Casey said.

  Devin looked around. “Let’s not get too cocky. In my world, we have a saying. ‘Pride comes before a fall.’ Milo, can you keep an eye out on that tunnel?”

  “I can,” Milo said. “Turn the light down a bit, if you would.”

  Devin dimmed the light to the level it had been when they arrived. Milo slipped into the shadows near the tunnel mouth. He appeared as an outline next to the wall, with the word “Hidden” above him.

  Devin picked up the second Copper Keystone. “Where’s that Astral key?” he said.

  “It's in the Astral Hall,” Milo said. “It can’t exist on this world.”

  Devin frowned, then shrugged. He checked his updates. He’d gotten a few more Life shards and a Matter shard from minor achievements during the fight with the basilisk. The last achievement he'd received really got his attention.

  Achievement Unlocked! Shot in the Dark – You scored a critical hit on the first try against an opponent you couldn’t see. What the hell is the matter with you? Do I have to throw a squad of invisible demons at you to kill you?

  Reward: Boost ‘Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend.’ Removes all penalties hitting an opponent you cannot see. At least one other sense must be effective against the target for this ability to function.

  Grats! This is a Rare Boost!

  His new Boost was situational, but he was thrilled with it. He hoped that the flavor text about the demons was tongue in cheek.

  He’d gotten some nice Attribute gains, too. His Agility had rocketed up to 80 and was far and away his highest.

  Devin checked the approaching group’s location. They’d stopped moving, and it looked like they were waiting for some more people to catch up. He sighed and sat down in a yoga pose and petitioned Rainford for his shards.

  The response was almost instant this time. The pouch on his belt twitched as more shards were added.

  You have 66 Matter shards, 68 Life shards, 5 Universal Knowledge Shards, 2 Fundamental Forces shards, 11 Dimensional shards, and 1 Elemental shard.

  “Nice,” Devin said. “Let’s see what loot this big boy has for us.”

  He wanted to test whether it was necessary to touch the lootable corpse, so he pointed at the basilisk. “Give me something good!”

  Red fog covered the body. When it cleared, only the bones of the creature remained. A ring, a wand, a large vial, a lump of metal, and what looked like a squished eye lay among them.

  Victorious Transmutation created 5 items. The total cost was 2 Matter Shards, 6 Life shards, and 2 Fundamental Forces shards.

  Ring of the Goat (Finger, Fundamental Forces [50/100], Silver, Rare)

  A plain ring of white gold. This ring provides a +3 bonus to the wearer’s ‘Melee, Unarmed’ ability.

  This ring allows the wearer to cast the spell ‘Cram!” (Fundamental Forces.) This item’s Fundamental Forces mana pool is 50/100.

  This item must be placed on the ring finger. Up to two rings may be worn at once.

  Cannot be used by Matter adepts.

  Sunburst Wand (Magical Ranged Weapon, Life, Silver, Rare)

  An ebony wand topped by a peridot. This wand provides a +3 bonus to the wielder’s ‘Missile, Wand’ ability.

  This wand allows the wielder to cast the spell ‘Ray of Life” (Life.) This item stores charges from the user. This item’s Life mana pool is 0/20.

  Cannot be used by Dimensional adepts.

  Concentrated Basilisk Blood

  A vial of concentrated Basilisk blood. The natural form of this substance acts as a Copper-level acid, but this concentrated version is Silver level and can be used in many potions.

  Nugget of Feather Iron

  A small amount of Feather Iron. This rare material can be alloyed with more common metals to make high-strength, low weight magical items of Copper or Silver level.

  Ruined Basilisk Eye

  Although this organ was destroyed, it contains residual Life energy of the type used to create a magical construct.

  “I’ll take the ring,” Devin said. “The rest is Casey’s. Better luck next time, Milo.”

  Milo sniffed. Casey started to gather up the items. Looking over the loot made Devin remember the reward from Rainford. He checked his belt and saw there was a new pouch attached. It was small but looked like it was made of some kind of expensive leather.

  He opened it. Inside was a tea pouch with an actual string attached. He picked it up by the string.

  Empyrean Black Tea Leaves (Ingredient, Celestial)

  Brew this up with some hot water before a big fight for a special surprise! Serves up to 5.

  This is a Cheat potion. Cheat potions are exempt from oppositional sphere rules. This potion shares a 100-year cooldown with all other Cheat potions and items.

  Achievement Unlocked! Just Divine, Darling! – You got a Celestial item.

  Reward: 100 Universal Knowledge shards.