Chapter 10

  I was able to spend about another hour training my gear pups before I finally ran out of refreshers. The higher level they got, well, the longer it went between levels, which meant they didn’t instantly heal fully after a given time. Additionally, I may have gotten a tad overconfident, which actually made one of my poor little guys turn back into his Mun crystal mid battle. Something that immediately caused me to panic. Thankfully, the refreshers could not only heal him, but also let me bring him back out, at 20 health, almost instantly during the battle.

  Apparently, this world had critical hits too. A lucky strike from a calfer that had wandered into the area I was training, had done the trick. The level 10 Mun had made me greedy. My first gear pup had been level 8 by that time, the other two level 7, and the promise of a big boost of experience had overly excited me. Unlike the springers… and other gear pups I may have been using the auto battle option for to gain quick experience without too much guilt, the calfer was tough. My Mun’s barely did any damage to it, and it had a fire attack that could scorch them for about a forth of their life each hit.

  That battle had drained a refresher alone, before the lucky critical on an attack where the calfer stomped on my poor gear pup, had caused it to break apart into split gears here and there before returning to its crystal form.

  Needless to say, once that battle was done, my nerves had been spent. I did a few additional low level battles, to round my guys out and get them all to level 8, before I decided to head back to town.

  The mayor, all the while, simply stood there, watching me. He did, at the very least, pull out a pipe, from where I wasn’t sure, and spent the time puffing away happily on it, watching as if he could amuse himself this way all day.

  “All done then?” He asked, pipe clenched in his teeth as he spoke, a burst of black smoke puffing from it.

  “For now,” I said, looking at him, and then down at my gauntlet. All six of my gem slots were filled. Three gear pups, two springers, and the calfer. That being said… “is there anything I can do with all these extra Mun crystals?” I asked, holding up a handful of the gems from the Mun’s I’d been defeating.

  “Most people just leave em if they don’t want the Mun for later.” The Mayor said with a shrug. “If a Mun crystal is left alone on the ground for a few moments, it will sink back into the surface, incubating in a way, slowly healing. Depending on the strength of the Mun, it may be back in the world within a few hours, or days. Some of the strongest Mun, mind you, will disappear for months, or even years according to stories, if they’re defeated but their Mun Crystal isn’t collected.”

  I looked back at them. “So, uh, just throw them back out there? Won’t they be in danger of breaking?” that was the only way a Mun could die, after all.

  “Yup. It’s just like you’re planting new Muns. And don’t worry about them breaking. Destroying a Mun Crystal isn’t something that happens by accident. There are a few Mun powerful enough to break the crystals, but otherwise, only humans can do that, and only with certain machines and methods that are… in poor taste.”

  “Let me guess,” I said, catching on to his tone, “the Disciples of Grand Nox do it?”

  “That they do,” he said with a grim nod, “another reason why they need to be defeated.”

  “Or avoided,” I said, barely audible. I was quickly making mental notes on who, what, and where I needed to avoid to ensure I didn’t get dragged into any unnecessary bullshit.

  “What was that?” The mayor asked.

  “Nothing,” I said, clearing my throat as I quickly turned and tossed the Mun crystals out towards the grass. I figured I should trust the man, and believe him at his word regarding the fate of those poor, defeated creatures.

  “I’m going to go out on a limb and assume there are ways to switch out my Mun too, right?” I rotated my wrist around, showing all six glowing crystals, “from my gauntlet that is.”

  “Of course,” the mayor smiled, motioning back towards the town. It seemed we were going to talk while we walked. “Any time you want to, you can remove a Mun crystal from your gauntlet by grabbing the gem and commanding the gauntlet to release them. Any Mun crystals you have that you don’t want actively on your person, you can keep stored in your item pouch, or with the Mun center. Mun centers have a specialized system that links with your Trainer’s Gauntlet. It’s like a bank of sorts, where you can store items and Mun crystals.”

  “Sounds like these Mun centers are a one stop shop of sorts for all things Mun,” I commented as we passed once again through the barrier protecting the town, and moved into the small village itself once more. I did my best to pay attention to our directions as we walked, so I could find my way back to the training area whenever I needed.

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  “They have a special crystal at each, which is linked to the very core of the planet. They’re also what generates the anti-mun barrier I told you about. A Mun center is the very heart of every single town. Which makes sense, considering well, this world is the world of the Mun.”

  “And Tamer’s just happen to exist to capture them, harness their powers, and use them for their own needs.” I said, somewhat sarcastically, “that tracks.”

  “We didn’t create this world.” The mayor said, “and are just doing our best to live in it. I can’t claim to understand most of why the world is how it is,” he shrugged, “I just try to make sure the people of my village are happy, and that we treat our Mun with respect. Not much more you can do really.” He gave me a hopeful smile, “which is why I am so excited you’ve arrived. You can save the world, and get rid of those who go seek only to cause pain and harm.”

  “Uh huh,” I answered, noncommittally. “Once we get to the Mun Center, they can heal all my Mun, right?” I asked, changing the subject. “For free?”

  “Correct. You’ll place your gauntlet against the crystal there, and it will replenish the health of all your Mun, remove any negative effects, and give you access to the special Mun network if you wish. That’s the bank type system I mentioned to you.”

  “Neat.” I looked at him, and then around the town. “And you said we will then get the items I need from Max for my journey as a Tamer?”

  “That we will.” He smiled warmly at me again, “I will do everything in my power to ensure you’ve enough replenishers to get you to the first destination on your journey, as well as provide you with a map on how to get there.”

  “My first destination?” I asked. This was the first I’d heard of that. I figured I’d get to stick around for a bit, at least.

  “Yes. Now that you’re here, you can start your journey as a Tamer. He held up his gauntlet, and a second later it pulsed, showing a number beneath the massive gem on the center. The number 5. “Gauntlets have tiers, and you have to increase them, in order to command stronger Mun.”

  “My gauntlet has levels?” I asked, dumbfounded, and somewhat annoyed. That was going to cause problems, wasn’t it?

  “Think about your gauntlet, and command it to show its tier.”

  I did so, and the number 0 flashed on my gauntlet. “Tier 0?” I said stupidly.

  “All new Tamer’s have a tier 0 gauntlet. It will let you control Mun up to level 20. Each tier after that, increases that number by 10. Gauntlet tiers also effect the type and strength of augmenting stones you can apply into your knuckle slots, as well as the amplifier you can apply to your gauntlet overall.” He motioned to the gems on his knuckles, and the large stone on the back of his palm, as he spoke.

  “And… in order to increase the tier of my gauntlet…” I began, already guessing the answer.

  “You have to defeat certain Keepers in the various towns. There are 9 in total, each with a special crystal that links directly to the core, and has the power to amplify a gauntlet and raise its tier.”

  “Do I have to face them in a certain order?” I asked, dreading the answer.

  “No?” The man shook his head, “that would be dumb. Battles with Keepers take place with the special crystals in place, and based on the tier of your gauntlet, they will have their teams likewise limited, in order to ensure a fair challenge for you. It is strange, I know, but this world seems quite keen to ensure the path to power, and fully enhancing a gauntlet, is a fair one.”

  “Then why isn’t yours tier 9?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

  “Because I never wanted to be a Tamer,” he said with a shrug, “my place was here, with my people. I only traveled and trained as needed, to ensure I could be strong enough to oversee my village. In order to be a Mayor, you have to have a tier 5 gauntlet. Higher positions within this world, require even higher tiers. Not only Tamers have to chase power. In this world, and as Liz likes to show, might makes right.” His voice grew grave, as we neared a building that had a sign declaring it as the Mun Center. “In order to even stand a chance against the Disciples, you’ll need a Tier 1- gauntlet.”

  “I thought you just said there were 9 Keepers. Wouldn’t that be tier 9?”

  “Tier 10 can only be gained by defeating one final challenge. The council of Tamers.” His voice was solemn. “The original five tamers, bound forever to the crystal, impartial to all in this world, sealed away in the final dungeon. Once someone has a tier 9 gauntlet, the world will give them access to the dungeon, where they may challenge themselves, and seek the true pinnacle of being a tamer.”

  “And why would someone do that?” I asked, curiosity actually piqued. I had no intention of fighting Liz or the Disciples, but I was still curious about everything Tamer related.

  “Because only a Tier 10 gauntlet can Tame the legendary Muns of the world, and call forth the true power of the other Mun of the land.”

  “Oh.” I said, as we stepped inside. That would definitely be something I’d chase instantly within a game. Here though, I wasn’t completely sold. At least… not yet. Already though, I could feel myself wondering what the last part meant. What did he mean, the true power of the other Mun? Were their secret evolutions or forms that only a Tier 10 gauntlet could call forth? It was… tempting, to say the least.

  “It is a journey that will take you far and wide,” the mayor continued, the old man likely assuming I was deep in thought about how to save his world, “but know that I truly believe in you.” He paused in front of a large crystal that floated within the middle of the room. A few people milled about, some with their hands on the crystal, others just waiting around. There were seats in this massive space, and some folk were actively just relaxing and reading books. Weird.

  “Here you are, Taylor,” he said, motioning forward towards the crystal. “The Mun Center.”