The small logging crew was in high spirits leaving Veil’s End, but excited conversations dwindled to subdued murmurs as they entered the shadowy forest. Harvey could feel the loss of Julian’s aura and was surprised to notice it stretched farther than before. Without it, the shadows got a little darker, and the monumental task of chopping down a beast-infested forest seemed more daunting.

  There was a hint of something else Harvey could feel deep in his soul. It wasn’t the fear of his own stain or Gabe’s desire to run for the hills.

  It was a ruthlessness that made him feel like a blade was trained at his throat.

  The group walked to the edge of the treeline at the base of the mountain before turning to Harvey. A gentle uproar erupted as axes seemingly appeared from nowhere, and people enjoyed the magic show as he handed out tools. With the two original axes and the three new ones, they had 5 to spread between the 13 veilstriders.

  “I say we start with the closest trees and work our way out. That will create a gap between the forest and the walls so nothing can sneak up on us.” Harvey called out. “Don’t worry about hauling logs around, we can throw them in the slipsack.”

  “We’ve got a big group here, who’s going to start digging?” Gary asked.

  “I was thinking we could pair up and work in shifts so we don’t get too tired. Two people per axe have 10 of us chopping down trees, and the last three can use the swords to clean the logs.” Harvey suggested.

  “This will take all year if half of us are standing around all day. Your break from chopping can be digging.” Gary shot back.

  Harvey was surprised to hear mostly mumbles of agreement from the crowd, so he handed shovels and pickaxes to the empty-handed veilstriders. “Alright, just don’t get so tired you can’t fight when trouble comes our way. If you’ve got an axe, always make sure you know who’s around you. Nobody should be in your blood circle.”

  “What’s a blood circle?” A woman asked.

  “Anything you would hit if you held the axe out and spun in a circle,” Harvey replied, remembering not everyone had gone through Boy Scout training like him.

  “What it means is stay out of my way, it’s not my fault if I hit you,” Gary smirked, striding over to a tree before taking a massive swing. Harvey was stunned to see the axe head almost completely buried in the trunk. He’d worked on chopping these trees down himself and knew how hard they were.

  “Yeah, I guess it boils down to staying out of each other's way. If you see anything coming towards us, call out. We’ll drop everything and group together to fight it off.” Harvey finished as people took tools and wandered away.

  The survivors naturally filtered themselves to those who were best suited for each task. Those wearing the leather armor of the warrior class found an axe, picked a tree, and got to work. The robe and cloak-wearing hunters and arcanists picked up a shovel and began digging a trench just inside the main gate.

  Harvey grabbed his own shovel and opted to work his way towards the base of the mountain, hoping to hide the yard behind the forge as soon as possible. After being constantly called away to load fallen trunks into the slipsack, he eventually gave up on digging and patrolled the worksite. He was still amazed each time an entire tree disappeared the second he touched it, appearing in the empty void in his mind with leaves and all. Trying to place a fourth inside, the sack rejected it, its space full. At least it didn’t crush things to fit.

  He unloaded each into a pile on the main road and retrieved two swords from the warriors to create a station where bark, branches, and leaves could be cleaned away. He worked on the first himself and made a small pile before retrieving a burning branch from the bonfire and lighting it.

  He recruited Amy and Elena to take over, throwing everything they didn’t need into his new burn pile. He expected Gary to groan about asking for their help while Harvey walked back and forth, but was surprised to see him hard at work, toppling trees like a machine. For every tree another axe chewed through, Gary chopped three. He expected the fat and greedy man to work slowly, but he was stronger than he looked.

  Harvey understood why when Gary took off his leather chestpiece and the shirt underneath it, revealing a hairy chest and putting his fat stomach on full display. As he wiped the sweat from his brow, Harvey spotted a black, silver, and red tattoo on his right arm, just beneath his shoulder. He was too far away, and Gary was moving too much to get a good look at it, but he guessed it had to be a mark. Looking at it intensified the ruthless feeling hanging in the air.

  Noticing his staring, Gary set the axe on his shoulder and called out, grinning wide. “Like what you see, Scoutmaster?”

  The rhythmic swing of tools quieted as the group turned to look at them.

  “I was just looking at your tattoo,” Harvey called out. “Is it a mark?”

  “Yep, the bona fide article. Had a lot of tattoos before I died, lost about $20,000 worth of work. I was pissed until I learned I’d be getting new ones.” Gary laughed.

  “My tattoos disappeared too! I just thought Julian had kept his somehow. What’s a mark?” A young woman asked.

  “Come see for yourself,” Gary said, a screen appearing for everyone to see.

  The same tattoo sat clearly on the screen, the image of a bloodrunn head with a sword stabbed down through it, blood pooling underneath.

  “Damn, that much strength from a tattoo?” One of the hunters exclaimed, and an uproar spread through the crowd.

  “Yeah, marks are pretty strong. Julian has two.” Harvey added.

  “Bossman’s got two? Good for him. What about you, scoutmaster?” Gary preened.

  “No, I don’t have any marks.” Harvey replied.

  “You don’t? I could’ve sworn Gabe told me you had a tattoo.” Gary laughed, a vicious smile on his lips.

  “Did he now?” Harvey replied, staring daggers at Gabe. He slunk behind Gary, unwilling to meet his gaze.

  “Come on, show it to us.” Gary taunted.

  Harvey took a deep breath before sharing his own legacy screen, the noose sitting over his heart appearing in front of him. The excited whispers gave way to absolute silence as the group read. Harvey looked around, but nobody was willing to meet his gaze.

  “You… killed yourself?” Elena’s quiet voice cut through the silence.

  Harvey’s chest tightened, but he forced himself to hold her gaze. “I’m not proud of it, but obviously it’s a part of me. Part of my story. What I am proud of is that every day since, I've gotten stronger. Started overcoming my weaknesses and focusing on my strengths.” His voice steadied as he spoke. “Would I appreciate 5 more willpower? Sure! Is losing it the end of the world? Not even close.”

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  Gary’s smile darkened slightly before he spoke. “Glad you’re getting better, Scoutmaster. We all know mental health is important.”

  “Thanks, Gary. I’ll let you know if a therapist shows up. Sounds like we could both use one.” Harvey replied

  Amy stifled a laugh, covering her mouth and turning to run back to her half-disembodied tree as Gary scowled at her. Nervous laughter rippled through the crowd, and when nobody said anything, they all got back to work.

  The rhythmic chopping began once more, and everyone settled into their roles. Sweat stained their dirty clothes like they’d been on a treadmill for hours, and even Gary’s pace began to slow as morning turned to midday. They took a break for lunch and sat quietly around the campfire. As labored breathing gave way to quiet conversation, Harvey got to know some of the new arrivals. They were from all around the world, and the group marveled as they took turns sharing what it was like living in their home country.

  Everyone looked different, but their shared patches of mottled gray skin reminded them how they were all in the same boat now. It was great getting comfortable with each other, but before long, it was time to get back to work.

  They’d built up a sizable stock of fallen trees, and Amy and Elena were struggling to keep up. Hopefully, Julian brought more survivors tonight, and they could evenly distribute each task tomorrow. Veil’s End was still a long ways away from a functional wall, but the pieces were starting to come together.

  With renewed vigor, the steady sound of shovels and axes renewed. Harvey felt himself slip into a mindless state as he moved back and forth from the increasingly far treeline and the trench, until a scream interrupted him.

  A young woman had been trampled to the floor, a boar like the one they’d found skewered in the woods standing above her. It stood about waist high, with a fat stocky build that nearly crushed the small woman pinned beneath it. Short, sickly green fur covered its leathery body, with a darker mane running down the length of its back. Obsidian black tusks curved upward from the corner of its mouth like rotten teeth that never stopped growing.

  It was rearing its head, preparing to gore her sides when a bolt of arcane power sent it tumbling away. Harvey said a silent prayer, thanking the System that his aim had improved as he ran towards her.

  “Group up!” He yelled, shooting another bolt at the beast as he knelt beside the woman, struggling to pull her to her feet. As they began scrambling back, Harvey heard a rumble through the trees and felt the earth shudder beneath him as a second boar burst into the clearing.

  It was massive, its back almost as tall as his shoulders with tusks at least a foot long. Its violent snorting sounded like a steam engine. Harvey felt each step rattling his bones as the beast charged for him.

  Harvey wrapped his arms tightly around the injured woman before conjuring a fangbreaker shield to cover his entire back. He expected it to knock the beast away, but it only managed to slow it down. Luckily, the tusks were long enough that he was thrown away instead of impaled, but he swore he could feel bones in his spine cracking as they flew towards the group of terrified veilstriders.

  They crashed hard to the ground. Harvey landed on top of the woman and could hear her gasping for breath as the rough ground knocked the wind from her lungs. All he could do for her now was thrust a healing potion into her hand and scramble to his feet.

  The boar hadn’t followed, simply stamping its feet and huffing at them. At its sides, three more of the smaller boars joined the injured one Harvey had blasted earlier. 5 boars facing 13 veilstriders. Each side stood, watching the other for a silent moment until a guttural scream from the largest boar rang out like a starter pistol. It led the charge, moving straight towards Harvey while the rest flanked around to attack the sides of their makeshift formation.

  He set his feet and began launching bolts towards the Alpha’s head. Each connection pushed it side to side, but he was only delaying the inevitable. Just as Harvey coated his arms with another fangbreaker, it feinted left and redirected its charge at Gary.

  Instead of protecting himself, he caught a tusk and yanked as he fell to his back. With a shout, he strained to pull its head down, letting the boar's momentum send it tumbling into the group behind him like a bowling ball. Everyone scattered, leaping out of the way only to find themselves in the path of its brethren.

  Before it could turn back to face them, Gary leaped toward it, axe high in the air until a massive swing buried its head in the meaty haunch. It bellowed in pain before whipping around to face him, blood dripping from the axe head. Again, it charged straight for Gary, fury replacing the hunger in its eyes as he dove out of the way.

  Harvey was stunned to see him lick the axe head like a spoon covered in brownie batter, crimson blood staining his tongue as streaks of red appeared in the weave covering his skin. His eyes opened wide as a bloody smile spread across his face.

  For a moment, he looked like the monster charging out of the woods.

  “Come on!” He shouted, a guttural growl to his elated scream.

  The boar charged him again, and this time he stood his ground, sending the axe careening towards the incoming tusks. The swing turned its head, but the bulk slammed Gary flat as it barreled past.

  Harvey ran over to help him to his feet, but Gary swatted his hand away. “Just shoot the thing!”

  Panicked, he looked around and watched the others variably struggle with their own beasts. One warrior had the handle of his axe jammed in a boar's mouth and was struggling to keep the sharp tusks away as a hunter and an arcanist desperately shot into its back. Another group had already killed their boar and moved to execute one that had been baited into ramming a tree.

  Dirt sprayed as man and beast danced around each other, wet earth becoming a muddy slurry as screams of pain and adrenaline filled the air around them.

  Turning back to the Alpha, he saw a chip in its tusk and madness in its eyes as it shook its head. Hulking muscles heaved with every breath, and the ground seemed to shake from simply supporting its massive body. Not wasting another second, Harvey resumed firing until he, too, was forced to leap out of the way.

  He had avoided the attack, but the group fighting behind him hadn’t been so lucky. An older man was knocked to the ground hard, and blood began to pour from an arm punctured by a sharp tusk. The boar reared up on its hind legs, preparing to stomp down on the man's back. Desperate, a shield sprang up over Harvey’s shoulder, and he screamed as he made his own charge. The impact barely managed to divert the crushing force, but he managed to knock the beast on its side.

  Gary strode next to them, axe held high like an executioner delivering justice. Harvey’s brain could barely process the sight of his blood-stained beard. The ruthless aura radiating out from his body grew stronger as the crimson light in his weave glowed brighter, paralyzing Harvey as he lay next to what he hoped was Gary’s intended target.

  With an exultant shout, Gary brought the axe down, carving deep into the boar’s hind leg. A deep crack echoed as blade met bone, and the beast released a violent snort. It thrashed wildly, struggling to raise its massive body from the small crater its fall made in the ground.

  Gary viciously hacked away at the leg until it was severed completely.

  Harvey scrambled away and helped kill the remaining boars still attacking the others. The clearing had become a madhouse, bodies and attacks flying wildly as untrained soldiers tried to fight like an army.

  Harvey handed out 3 of his 4 remaining health potions to those who wailed the loudest. Once everyone was accounted for, he turned to face the screaming alpha.

  Gary had mutilated its legs, cutting the back two off up to the shoulder and destroying the lower half of the front. Unable to stand, the dying beast writhed on the ground as Gary stood over it, his weave pulsing like a heartbeat.

  No one moved to finish the job. Their eyes weren’t on the writhing body beneath him, but locked on Gary.

  When he noticed everyone staring, he called out. “Come on, this is the only free lunch you’re ever going to get. I immobilized it so the rest of you weaklings can get some essence!”

  Nobody moved at first, until Gabe hobbled over and slashed down the leathery hide, leaving a shallow cut.

  Their stupor broken, the rest started sinking swords, arrows, and bolts into the dying boar. Most attacks were too weak to do much more than break the skin, but thirteen survivors moved as one and drove steel and spell into the beast until its thrashing slowed, then stopped. Sobs and shouts mixed together as many took their first life, ending another’s path to protect their own. The adrenaline coursing through their veins was too powerful to process the carnage wrought by their own hands.

  As the beast finally died, brilliant light shone from every veilstrider in the clearing, all 13 levelling up at once. Moans of relief and exhilaration echoed all around him as most fell to their knees.

  Harvey wanted to bask in the fire that reforged him, but his eyes stayed locked on the blood spattered across Gary’s chest, dripping from his hair like beads of sweat. He didn’t know which scared him more, the boar that had attacked them, or the bear of a man who had butchered it.

  The camp sat in silence for a long time as they processed the fight. Harvey got up and moved to sit on the rough stump of a toppled tree and went through his kill notifications.

  You have slain Level 4 - Stonetusk Charger. Essence gained. 147 Merit Earned

  …

  You have slain Level 6 - Stonetusk Charger. Essence Gained. 265 Merit Earned

  …

  You have slain Level 12 - Stonetusk Charger. Essence Gained. 540 Merit Earned

  …

  Your class Arcanist has reached Level 7. +1 Vitality, +2 Endurance, +2 Wisdom, +1 Willpower, +2 Free Points

  He’d gotten significantly less merit killing these stonetusks than a lesser iron elemental of the same level, so he guessed the merit was split between all the people who killed it. He put one of his free points into Strength and the other into Endurance.

  “I got the notification! I can create my first skill!” One of the warriors called out.

  More veilstriders announced the same, and it appeared the fight had taken five more veilstriders above the threshold.

  “Good, maybe you can get a good one like mine and not be so helpless next time!” Gary called out.

  “What’s yours?” An excited woman’s voice asked.

  “You’re joking, right?” Gary called back, looking around the group as he used his undershirt to wipe the blood from his face. When nobody responded, he got angry. “Do you all really think I’m that damn crazy? That I drink blood for fun? The glow? I know I have the radiance of a baby angel, but I thought it was pretty obvious!”

  His tirade quieted the crowd. Nobody was willing to meet his eyes. Harvey knew a skill like that couldn’t have come from nowhere, since the loom used your experiences to shape its creations. Judging by the horror on Amy and Elena’s faces, they’d seen the dark sacrament before.

  “Well, thank you, Gary,” Harvey called out. Before Gary could yell at him again, he continued. “I don’t know if we would all still be alive right now without you, let alone a level stronger. You took that thing down and gave everyone a chance. We appreciate it.”

  Others chimed in, and Gary’s boiling anger receded until he simply nodded.

  “I can take everyone who needs to make their first skill to the loom. It’s a pretty intuitive process, but an important one to get right. The more skills we get, the easier the next fight’s going to be. And if I’ve learned anything the past 2 days, we’ve got plenty more fights ahead.” Harvey called out, turning to walk towards the chapel.

  An excited group of veilstriders walked up beside him, and Harvey smiled as he felt Veil’s End getting stronger.