Lucas clenched his teeth together, and a determined yet grim grin formed on his face.

“What’s that look on the boss’s face?” Bonnie asked, failing to do so quietly. The small group had only just begun climbing one of the rounded staircases that encircled the trees and led up toward the Alfar city. “Something is definitely wrong with him.”

“No, nothing is wrong with him,” Nick answered. “It’s just . . . I think . . . I think he’s smiling? That’s . . . so weird. So very weird to see him looking happy.”

Chapter 8

Character Name: Lucas

Level: -57

Hit Points: 240

Arcane Energy: 800

Stamina: 100

Holy Energy: Class Locked

Current Class: Enchanter

Stats:

Arcanum [increases Arcane Energy by 10 per point]: 70

Holy [No Effect/Class Locked]: 0

Athletics [increases Stamina by 10 per point]: 0

Fortitude [increases Hit Points by 1% per point]: 0

Charisma: 50

Luck: 0

Unspent: 20

Current Elemental Attunement:

Lightning Affinity: 0.5%

Effects: +1% Lightning Element Damage

+2% Lightning Element Channeling Speed

-1% Non-Lightning Element Channeling Speed

+0.25% Lightning Element Damage Resistance

Combat Proficiencies:

None

The city proper was far more interesting than the forest floor if for no other reason than the system of wooden bridges that linked each platform. Strangely, however, there was only a short, one-rail fence blocking people from directly falling off of the massive connected structure that was the main part of the town. It definitely wasn’t the type of safety-inspired design that any modern town in real life would be able to get away with, and any clumsy idiot walking around could trip and tumble over the lone railing or roll underneath it.

“You think paint is illegal here? Maybe they hate the smell of it or something? Or do they just not know how to use dye?” Nick asked while looking out at the lush town. The place lacked a single house of a different color.

“They really like to stack them deep,” Bonnie commented, pointing to a house.

“Can’t blame them. Everybody loves fat stacks and nice homes,” Nick suggested. “Why not combine the two?”

Lucas looked over and saw that the houses all had names on the doors listed on what appeared to be a standardized plaque that read “Here lives:” followed by what was easily a dozen names per home. In fact, everything in the entire Alfar area had labels clearly carved on wooden plates right next to each building’s entrance. The leather worker, for example, had a piece of leather armor with the word “Leatherworker” inscribed on it along with the names of the people who worked there. It was an incredibly orderly and easy-to-navigate town, even if they did seem to pack people and workers into buildings like sardines in a can.

“Gotta protect nature by not wasting anything,” Lucas guessed.

“If they have this many people up here, how come there were only a few defending down there?” Nick asked.