After his eventful encounter with the young boy named Kolt, Micro spent much of the night dwelling on the matter of his core. Despite an unmistakable amber hue, he didn’t seem physically capable of carrying the weight of an amber Core Card. He thought of what the problem could be but he eventually slipped into a deep sleep while staring up at the few stars he could see through a gaps in the trees.

  It occurred to him as he fell asleep just how tired he had become, and he soon found himself in an odd yet comfortable dream. He and his driver were travelling safely down the road from town in the direction of his home, but in the passenger seat there sat a dog that the old man had never owned. The sudden inclusion of the passenger on their journey startled him at first, but he enjoyed the dream anyway.

  The next day began for Micro as the sound of the non-cultivators packing up their supplies stirred him from his pleasant dreams. He met Lena near a small stream where several people were drinking the cold water and she nodded to greet him.

  “Do you think Feng is doing alright?” Micro asked.

  “It will take him a little time to recover his strength,” Lena replied. “Old age is still no worthy enemy to such a prodigy.”

  “That’s a relief,” Micro said, but he was unable to continue before Lena’s aura erupted with shock.

  “Why do you have an amber core?!” Lena gasped. “And the ring of energy around your core, the ring made of the water element, it’s reacting strongly…!”

  “Oh, I had a close call yesterday, but it worked out in the end,” Micro explained with a thumbs up. “You’re right about the ring though. Now that my core is amber, it almost feels like Ray is standing behind me. He really wants me to go find Lo, huh?”

  “A core afflicted by the oath of a dragon regarding a legendary basilisk…” Lena shook her head. “I hope your quest is successful.”

  “Is Lo really a legend?” Micro asked. “Ray mentioned that Lo was responsible for the two of them being kicked out of a dungeon.”

  “In all the many thousands of years since dungeons were created, it has not been uncommon for the monsters of obscure dungeons to grow bored and wander into our realm in search of meaning. Their presence in history as myth and legend is widely accepted…” Lena explained quietly. “I know relatively little of the world beyond this kingdom, where many stronger cultivators than us are abundant, but it is not a usual thing to come across such monsters around here. Your story would be improbable if it weren’t for its truth.”

  “So monsters like Ray and Lo are usually hard to find?” Micro said with a frown. “I wonder where their dungeon was.”

  “You may find an answer to that question at the Water Serpent Moon Sect,” Lena replied.

  “Then let’s go!” Micro shouted excitedly.

  “Yes, yes…” Lena rolled her eyes, but many of the crowd around them responded quickly to Micro’s announcement and hurried their preparations. In just a few minutes, the group was moving quickly through the woods, the rising sun poking through the trees at their backs.

  Lena continued to concentrate silently as she walked, surprising Micro with her ability to continue cultivating in a meditative state while managing not to trip over rocks and branches. Blue continued to sleep in his pocket, while Micro focused on scanning the area for any more monsters which may be dangerous to his many passengers.

  The group behind him was much more energetic after a long rest, and Micro grew curious about many of the conversations arising behind him. Many people shared concerns about whether their homes or families would still be there when they returned to the places from which they had been abducted, with many of the older men lamenting the villages which had been completely burned by the bandits. Some were optimistic that they might reestablish their lives further west, but most feared that they would either starve or be enslaved by the next group of outlaws to pass through.

  “Does everybody who can’t cultivate have such a hard life?” Micro asked one of the men walking nearest to him.

  “Excuse me?” The man replied with a startled expression. Though he looked like he should be warm, with animal skin garments wrapped around him and a full beard hiding his face, his skin was pale and he sounded short of breath.

  “People where I’m from couldn’t cultivate, but farmers could at least afford a house and a truck…” Micro continued. “Was there a bad harvest recently? I heard taxes were high, but this is…”

  “I wouldn’t dare lecture the young master on trivial matters of the ordinary farmer…” the man replied with his head bowed.

  “I’m asking because I want to know though…” Micro said with an eyebrow raised. “I’m not a young master either. I’m a Micro. You can just call me Micro though.”

  “As you wish, young—” the man stuttered. “Micro…”

  “So how did things get to this point?” Micro continued his questioning. “You don’t look lazy enough to be as poor as you are.”

  “Hard work only keeps you safe from boredom…” the man replied with a bitter smile, still gauging Micro’s reaction to his words. Content that Micro didn’t appear offended, he went on. “No village outside the capital city is safer from bandits than they are from taxes, drought, snow, or goblins.”

  “But cultivators like Lena seem willing to help,” Micro replied, pointing to the elder cultivator walking stoically ahead of them, deep in a meditative trance.

  “I am truly grateful for the assistance your comrades provided!” the man suddenly shouted, bowing once again. “We could never repay your kindness!”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “But…?” Micro asked as the man’s voice trailed off nervously.

  “But, respectfully, such a miracle isn’t common,” the man whispered with a heavy sigh. “Cultivators are a rare sight on the western plains of the kingdom. I don’t know much of life beyond the great forest that divides the kingdom, but the world we know is not so full of benevolent warriors…”

  “There’s less energy in the lands to the west,” Blue added, returning to Micro’s shoulder. “Cultivators like the mountains out east. Lots of energy there, and less regular folks.”

  “Why doesn’t everybody else move there then?” Micro asked.

  “Cultivators aren’t the only bunch drawn to energy,” Blue replied. “You think these bags of bones could handle an adventure out here alone?”

  “There really are a lot of monsters,” Micro agreed. “So the plains where we’re heading are safer?”

  “If you don’t count other humans, sure,” Blue said with a shrug. “I’d sooner take my chances dealing with the monsters out here.”

  “What do you do for a living, by the way?” Micro addressed the man once again.

  “My family works—” The man began, but he turned away and cleared his throat before continuing. “Excuse me, Micro. My family worked in the fields of Thornway.”

  “Thornway? I know that place,” Blue said. “I can’t think of a worse place to try and grow something! What did you say your name was?”

  “I’m called Sean, honoured creature of fate.”

  “You’ve mistaken me for a fairy!” Blue snapped, standing up straight on Micro’s shoulder with a proud expression. “You should know a pixie by their elegance and charm!”

  “My apologies, pixie,” the man said with a bow.

  “My name is Blue.”

  “Of course, Blue.”

  “Whatever, I’ll forget your name anyways, but wow…”Blue shook her head. “You really are wasting your time, eh?”

  “It’s as you say, but it was enough for us to live in peace, before the raids began,” Sean replied humbly. “We are grateful for each day we make it to the end of…”

  “I thought there were knights who dealt with bandits and the like,” Blue thought aloud. “Weird that so many bandits are just wandering around without a care.”

  “The knights no longer see to the needs of the people,” Sean explained with a hushed voice. “They are rarely seen outside the capital, or so I’m told.”

  Micro nodded slowly as he pieced Sean’s story together in his mind, painting a grim picture of the lands to which they were currently walking. However, as he considered the strange circumstances of the kingdom, he noticed that his vision was obscured.

  “Fog?” Micro mumbled, intending to use his energy to perceive the world around him as his good eye failed him. However, he was surprised to find himself just as blind while looking for signs of energy.

  “Micro!” Lena suddenly shouted as she ran over to where he now stood anxiously. The nervous voices of the crowd behind them grew at first, but they sounded muffled by the ever thickening fog.

  “What’s going on?” Micro asked, barely able to see Lena, though she was close enough to reach out and touch.

  “It seems we’ve stumbled across a well of energy. I imagine a vein runs beneath us, and has broken through the surface…” Lena shouted, but her voice was hard to hear.

  “This happens sometimes,” Blue added. “I usually just find somewhere to rest and soak up the energy before it passes, but it may not be comfortable for our little friends back there.”

  “It would have been nice to avoid this…” Micro mumbled anxiously. He became aware of the sound of coughing behind him as many of the people following him were overwhelmed by the energy-rich fog. Several of them had already fallen to the ground, but it only got harder to sense them as time passed.

  “These things pop up out of nowhere,” Blue added. “It’s lucky we didn’t wander into any before now.”

  “I see…” Micro frowned. “If we had some wind, perhaps we could…”

  “No use trying anything,” Blue explained. “You won’t be able to do anything with your energy in here. It would be like blowing a kiss in a tornado.”

  “That’s not good!” Micro shouted.

  “Just stay where you are and wait for it to pass,” Blue asserted. “And don’t make any noise, or you’ll invite all kinds of problems into the fog with us. We’ll deal with the humans when it clears.”

  Micro’s frown deepened as he confirmed that he was unable to freely control his energy while the energy of the fog disrupted his own. Even his thoughts were beginning to wander as the fog made him dizzier and dizzier. He gritted his teeth and spent the next few moments struggling to stay standing where he was. Eventually, Micro sank down to his knees, trying to clear his mind and wait patiently for the fog to lift. The constant barrage of chaotic energies carried in the misty air made the familiar act of waiting silently for time to pass nearly impossible, but he felt the benefit of the Turtle Art’s teachings as he gradually calmed down.

  Blue seemed unaffected by the extreme fluctuations in energy that washed over them, and Lena seemed to have much less trouble remaining steadfast in the fog. Micro tried to emulate the stoic air around Lena, understanding that moving carelessly could result in an injury to himself or others.

  “No headlights, no fog lights…” Micro reminded himself quietly. “Safety first… safety—”

  “Help!” The sound of a young girls’ voice suddenly cut through the fog for a moment, apparently unheard by Lena, and Blue sighed loudly as Micro jumped to his feet. Blue held on tight as Micro stumbled in the direction of the scream, catching his clothes on trees and bushes, tripping over rocks, and bumping into other people on the way. Through small gaps in the fog he saw several people struggling, but the scream continued to echo in his ears.

  “There,” Blue stated, pulling on Micro’s ear to direct him to the right. After tripping and picking himself back up again several times, he finally came to a place where the fog was thin enough to see several paces ahead. He looked in the direction which Blue was still pointing, and heard the young girl’s voice again.

  “Somebody help!” Through the fog, a girl not much older than Kolt was running in his direction, a large cut on her face. Micro reached out to meet her, but then noticed what she was running from.

  GRAWR

  Shortly behind the girl was a creature that resembled a small human, but its face was green and its features grotesque. It wore jagged, rusty armour that made a horrible sound as the monster ran, and in one hand it held a wooden club with small scraps of metal bound to its end.

  “Goblin,” Blue reported. “You’ll get sick if it cuts you. Nasty things…”

  “Help!” The girl ran past Micro without another word, and Micro stepped between her and the goblin, drawing the small green monster’s attention.

  KRAWK

  The goblin shouted with a voice that sounded like grinding gears, filling Micro with a strong urge to quiet the beast. It raised its club to attack as it approached Micro, but he was still able to catch it in his hands without even needing to rely on a skill.

  “It’s weak,” Micro said with a frown as the creature struggled to free its club from his grasp.

  “Most people wouldn’t think so,” Blue replied, pointing over her shoulder at the people behind them. “Good thing you’re not as pathetic as them.”

  “Umm…” Micro mumbled as the goblin continued to struggle. It made several attempts to scratch and kick him, but Micro found it easy to avoid its slow and crude attacks. “Let’s just put this thing somewhere else for now…”