Carefully setting my plate and fork down beside my coffee cup, I stood up and glanced around the room. Those with a view of the old Speedy Pizza building were already staring out the windows. A few others had gotten up to see for themselves. I was closest to the door, so three steps later, I opened it and looked outside.

  There were two little Kobolds were already standing in the cracked parking lot near the door, shifting from foot to foot. Through the dark, broken doorway of the abandoned building, I spotted the larger Goblin, its fat belly and twisted face the same as this morning…same crude gear, same crude sword.

  “They’ve spawned again. Six-hour gap, it looks like,” I muttered as I turned back to the living room, doing a quick head count. “We have eleven people total…and parties are only five.” The number gave me an idea.

  “OK. I don’t know if the game allows two parties to attack the same group of mobs. I haven’t heard of anyone trying it yet. But I want all of you gaining experience if possible. That means two parties of five. I’ll be the odd man out. I don’t need the experience like you do, so I’ll hang back…and let you fight.”

  While I talked, I sent a quick heads-up.

  [William of Brinsford:] [IRREGULARS] [New round of spawns at 1 pm. Same location]

  “James, Jack, you’re the tanks, one for each party. Ryan, you’re with Jack’s group. Party Two. Megan, you’re their Healer. Art R, you’re Healer for Party One. James, you want the pair of Kobolds or the Goblin?”

  He paused, thinking. “I’ve got the shield. I’ll take the two.” He strapped his shield onto his arm and picked up the sword from his lap without another word.

  “Group up now. Paladin, and…” I pointed at the young Fire Mage, his name still slipping my mind, “you’re with James. Witch, and you…” I gestured at the other Mage, “with James too. No area-effect spells. Pop your own SHIELDs. Paladin, buff everyone. Do it now.”

  I let the moment stretch, making sure they were ready. A faint golden shimmer washed over me as the Paladin’s prayer finished. +1 ATTACK. Not much…but better than nothing.

  “Ryan, give the Paladin that sword from this morning. Jack gets the armor. Megan, teach Art R. how to heal…just the basics…as we get ready. I’ll put up shields on the casters and healers… one each for the melee fighters. Tanks get over-healed.”

  Hope I’m not screwing this up…

  Hat on, cane in one hand, sword in the other, I said, “Let’s go get them. Kill them fast and clean.”

  [William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Tell your people they’re spawning again.]

  Stepping outside, I called out, “Hey! Uglies!” to get their attention. Quieter, I added, “Tanks first. Engage and turn them away from the others. Then light ‘em up.”

  We walked out into the street, the warm May sun brushing our faces, the air a little muggy. Heat radiated off the asphalt under our boots and shoes. A soft breeze rattled the leaves in the tree behind us as the monsters started to move toward us.

  “Why do we have to fight on such a beautiful day?” I pondered as I got out of the guild’s way.

  The Kobolds were on the left.

  “James! Lead with your shield. CHARGE now!”

  A blur of chainmail shot past me on the right. James slammed into a Kobold, knocking it five…maybe six feet back almost to the side of the building, where it dropped its club with a clatter.

  “Jack! Run! Take him!”

  I stayed put, letting the parties rush past me, lifting my free hand to cast MANA SHIELDs…one on Jack, one on James, then broader shimmering barriers in front of each group of Mages and Healers. Other casters layered their own shields over mine, multiple colors of the different shield types shone brightly in the sunlight.

  James was already turning the second Kobold away from the others. A crackling Lightning Bolt lanced from the Ryan and hit the creature just as it got up, knocking it back down, smoke rising from its body as it twitched once, then went still. Their Paladin caught up, bringing his borrowed sword down on the first Kobold’s arm. The blade didn’t cut through completely, but the club fell from its grip.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A better sword would’ve finished the job in one strike.

  Jack was holding the Goblin’s attention, managing to half-turn it away from his group. An Ice Bolt slammed into its back, followed by a sickly green flash. A Witch’s curse, maybe poison. The Goblin screamed, twisting around, and caught a two-handed thrust from Jack’s blade. The steel punched through its gut, tearing out the other side, its entrails slapping the street a moment before the rest of it fell.

  James swung again, almost severing the Kobold’s head. Silence fell, except for the soft rustle of leaves behind us and a distant bird call.

  Golden light flared around Megan and Ryan as they leveled up. Fifty points, plus the fifty from this morning…enough to hit Level Two.

  “Good work, everyone! Loot the bodies, split the coins, see if there’s anything usable.”

  “Oh, and clean your weapons after the fight,” I added with a short laugh. I hadn’t gained a point of EXPERIENCE. Shields didn’t count unless they took damage, and these monsters hadn’t gotten the chance.

  “Something else I need to tell Blaze and the Irregulars.”

  Everyone got 10 copper SHIELDS. There was another crude sword and a worn leather poncho. The Paladin took the poncho, looking stunned and proud at the same time.

  I let them talk while the corpses faded into nothing. Then they turned toward me, James and Ryan led the way.

  “Ryan, Megan…gratz on the level-up,” I said so everyone could hear.

  James stepped forward. “Thank you, Warchief. We got through it…but what happens next? We need better gear. My sword barely cut him, and my shield’s got dents.”

  “Your shield has dents. Do you?” I asked, grinning.

  He blinked. “Uh…no.”

  “Right. Because it did its job. It took the hit so you didn’t. Welcome to the real world of sword and shield. You’ll need real training if you want to live through this. I hope we have time to get it to you.”

  I nodded toward my house. “Bring your sword and shield over in a couple hours. I’ll sharpen your blade, maybe pound out the worst dents. Same for Jack, if he needs it.”

  “My parents wouldn’t let me sharpen it,” James admitted, sheepish. “They were afraid I’d hurt someone.”

  “They were right. You did.” His grin spread, and a ripple of laughter went through the group.

  “Look…that fight was short and ugly. You outnumbered them ten to three. They never had a chance. But you learned something. Fighting as a unit matters. You’ll need to learn more if you want to survive. These monsters will get tougher, and there are more of them out there. Probably some still lurking from this morning.”

  [Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Roger that. Passed it on.]

  “I won’t always be here to help. I’ll do what I can…but it’s up to you. If you haven’t formed a guild yet, do it. Register it downtown. You’ve got more knowledge than most of your neighbors. Get them out here before seven tonight. That’s my guess for the next spawn time, if the six-hour cycle holds.”

  “Make them watch. Make them fight. Kill anything that comes out of that door.” I pointed at the broken, splintered Speedy Pizza front door.

  They were all quiet. Some glanced away.

  “Will…” Ryan said.

  “Yeah?”

  “We already figured that out. James will lead. We just…need your help with the other stuff.”

  Shaking my head. “No, you don’t. You’ve got two gamers here who can handle that. There’s probably more info online now. Pick professions that support the guild. Keep each other alive. Sir Andrew and the other local group, or shire, fighters can hold real-world practices. Melee, tactics, formations. I don’t know when it starts, but it’s coming.”

  “You can do this. All of you can.”

  [William of Brinsford:] [Sir Andrew of Darkfeld] [We need to train fighters ASAP. Get the shire fighters on it. Spread them around town. Let downtown know where and when.]

  [Sir Andrew of Darkfeld:] [William of Brinsford] [You’re getting slow, old man. Already on it. Had a couple of classes this morning. More coming. Word is out.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Sir Andrew of Darkfeld] [Thanks.]

  “They’ve already started,” I told the group. “I’ll let you know where and when.”

  Turning towards Ryan and Megan, who were standing, hand-in-hand, at the back. “One last thing. You two should join the neighborhood guild. Not the Irregulars. Not because I don’t want you, but you’ll help more people this way. You can always chat me or knock on my door.”

  “And you can deal with anyone who says they’re too old to do this,” I added with a grin.

  “You’re right,” Ryan said. “Still…being part of the best Eddington guild is something special.” Megan nodded in agreement.

  “I know. In a way, you still are. When we need help, we’ll call you. And I won’t charge your guild for enchants, at least not for now. Later, maybe. Gotta earn game coin somehow.”

  I looked around at the group. Neighbors, teens, retirees. They were fighters, no, adventurers now.

  “I’m proud of all of you. Until tougher enemies show up, you’ve got this. Learn, build, teach others. Start other guilds if you get too big. The city will probably want you to watch this spawn site. Figure out how you’re going to handle that. Let me know your guild name, and I’ll add it to the list. Or call downtown…ask for Harry at the Eddington System Response Department.”

  Two system messages popped up. Ryan and Megan had dropped group from the Irregulars.

  “Now…give me an hour or three to rest. Come by if you need something. I’ll have some starter gear ready. Bring what you’ll actually wear, and I’ll enchant it. It’ll do until you find something better.”

  “We’ve already done most of that. We’re calling ourselves 19th & Fox,” Jack said.

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