Looking over the first screen Zach felt lack luster about Dirue. They were honest about wanting slime kills, but the thirty silver a day was just too much money for their little group to afford. Looking over the second application he made it to the Ugly Elemental before he realized that Jason was the dwarf that Zach had a hidden quest to talk to. By getting him to join Alexa and his group, it would at least offer opportunities to talk to the dwarf and see if he couldn’t complete the quest. The only two problems he saw with choosing Jason, as their groups healer, was that Jason didn’t have a real [Heal] spell and he had no idea what the drop rate was for Mana Alkahest.

Pushing the matter to the back of his mind, Zach idly looked at other guild services as he did the mental math. Zach thought about how many rats and leeches that Alexa and himself could kill versus having a few more people in the group as he opened the training services offered. He thought of dozens of scenarios and cost of health potions and passes added up quickly. Looking at the guild services, they had a long list of items like enchanting one’s gear or training someone in a skill or weapon, but the price tag for each service was incredibly high. How was anyone supposed to make money from the dungeon when the guild was ready to take it all away?

“You’re not supposed to make money.” Grim said. “The guild just gives you the illusion of money. I have been reading every item price and quest reward they are showing, and the simple answer is that it would be next to impossible to make money from just collecting a few ingredients from the first level of the dungeon. For what I can see posted, the guild is using the dungeon sewer level as a human meat grinder. Here let me show you what I mean.”

The screen that Zach was looking at adjusted and showed how many dungeon points or coins one could get for a hundred pounds of rat meat. “So because of our passes we know that the dungeon exchanges the rat meat on a ten to one ratio, but here in the Guild it’s closer to a fifteen to one ratio. At fifteen to one ratio you would need to kill around thirty rats to get a kill count on a slime. They are forcing the poor and weak to take on tougher creatures like the slimes to make just enough money so they can survive, and the simple fact is that Christina might have been able to kill a rat or two, but there would have been no way for her to take on a slime.”

Zach lifted his hand over his mouth to speak, “So what do you want to do, Grim?”

Zach heard Grim sigh softly. “I don’t know Zach.” Grim said as a feeling of disappointment echoed in Zach’s mind. “I thought maybe we could set up a vendor shop outside the dungeon and buy the drops from the people for slightly above what the guild does and then turn it into the dungeon for a profit. However, we would run out of money before we could buy enough things to even pay for the cost of the dungeon passes. We also have the advantage of auto-loot, and therefore can get most of the loot that forms from the creatures. While, most people have to dig through remains and trash to find their loot slowing them down or making them lose it. Because most of the loot is absorbed back into the dungeon, I don‘t know if people will have enough items to sell us to even make a profit. I thought of a few other schemes, but there just doesn’t seem a good way to break the Guild’s hold on these people. I guess I wish there was a way to screw them over.”

Zach nodded softly, he could feel Grim slowly going over hundreds of news reports on stock scams, movies about con games, and even his hacking knowledge to determine if there was anything they could do. Yet Zach could feel the disappoint keep growing as Grim reviewed a memory and then discarded it. Getting up from his stool, the Guild bartender smiled at him and removed the Guild access plate and then wiped the counter. Looking around Zach realized just how much money and magic was being sunk into this building. Magical lights hung from the ceiling, blue guild screens hung everywhere, waiters and waitresses came out carrying wooden boxes or food depending on the adventurer’s purchases. A strange memory came to Zach as he was watching the room, it was a quote from a movie he once saw long ago. “The spice must flow.” Zach whispered.

Pushing past the tables, Zach headed out of the Guild with the quote ringing in his mind. Loot had to flow out of the dungeon and into the hands of the Guild. It was the only way they could sustain the magic and their lifestyles. Closing the dungeon turned off the money spout, no wonder Andy had Zach close the dungeon when it first appeared. He wasn’t just building it up; he was making sure that the sudden influx of wealth didn’t make the village dependent on the dungeon. Loot was the key to this town, it had built itself around it and couldn’t figure out what to do if the dungeon wasn’t producing it.

Stepping out into the bright daylight his eyes took a moment to adjust before heading out of the Adventurer’s Guild courtyard. “Zach, why don’t you head over to the City Guard’s station and turn in your quest.” Grim said as Zach’s vision came back.

Tucked away between two large shops was a small grey building that showed a City Guard coming out of. Quickly Zach made his way between the wait staff and across the street to the Guard station. Entering the small city guard’s post, Zach noticed the large similarities to the other one near the Dungeon entrance. However, instead of being dragged in by some guard, Zach had walked in and saw several guards pushing someone to the stairs. Coughing, a Guard at the large desk brought Zach’s attention to him. “Hello, Adventurer, is there something I can help you with?”

Sighing, Zach pulled up a chair and told the guard the story and about the quest he had found in the dungeon. As he finished the tale and placed the dagger on the guard’s desk, two blue screens popped up, one in front of Zach and the other in front of the guard.

Congratulations, on completing a hidden quest! The Bellmare City Watch have been issued a quest to find the criminals. As you have allowed justice to be served by the Guard, the City Core recognizes you as an upstanding citizen! You can now become a citizen of Bellmare. If you wish to change your citizenship just head to the Council Hall.

You have gained +400 to your experience!

You have gained 2 Silver!

Gruffly the guard thanked Zach as he escorted him out. Without further distraction Zach made his way back to the Ugly Elemental to see Alexa and Andy drilling Christina in a spear form. It was almost painful for Zach to watch as Christina stepped forward with too much weight on her back foot and thrusted the spear. Zach could feel his skill wanting to correct Christina’s form while another part of him analyzed her moves and predicted where her next strike would come from and how to counteract it. Noticing Zach staring at Christina, Andy motioned him to come over as he called Christina to stop.

Andy looked to Alexa and Zach in a deadly serious way before saying anything, “I leave the two of you alone for an hour and you decided to add to the party. I am upset and proud with what you have done. I am proud because after listening to Alexa and talking with Christina for a few minutes, I have realized that she and her family should be helped and you two did that together. I am upset because she is a giant liability in a dungeon. She has no mana regeneration without a cultivation technique, she has little natural talent for weapons, and should you fail to protect her you will orphan several children. Yet what upsets me the most is that you assume she should go to the dungeon, neither one of you asked her what her skills were did you?”

A look of surprise and confusion came over Zach’s face. He was certain he asked her what her skills were. “Actually, you specifically asked if she could explain a little more about her class to you. She then told you she had no weapon skills, and a few spells. Alexa was the one that asked about Cultivation Technique.” Grim whispered to Zach as Andy just seem to allow the dead silence to stretch out.

“I am very sorry, Andy. I… I fell into the same trap as the rest of the city and thought the only chance she had was to go into the dungeon.” Zach said as he decided the top of his boots looked really worn and could use a shine.

Andy snorted at that, “Pretty words Zach, but you do not understand how dangerous of a trap that Dungeon is. This town is nothing more than a hand to feed people to that Dungeon. All these shops, marvels, coins, weapons…. It’s all because of the dungeon. They aren’t gathering resources anymore, or trying to patrol the surrounding areas. The only trade caravans they have are for the small hamlets around them to help bring in food. However, in order for enough iron to be mined in the dungeon, people have to die trying to get at it. For every herb the alchemists use, someone risked their lives to get it.” Shaking his head, he looked from Zach to Alexa.

“I expect the both of you to do better. At least with Christina in tow, you won’t go after the slime boss or try to press too far into the dungeon. Now, Zach, since you have the spear skill go over every movement for the next hour with her. I will get herbs, casings, and potions so that Christina can use her cooking skill and make the rat meat into something we can sell.” Zach and Alexa looked up at Andy in surprise.

“That’s right, she had the cooking skill. I negotiated with the innkeeper for the use of his kitchen after talking with Christina. After she makes the sausages, we split the profits three ways, a two-fifths goes to the innkeeper and Christina, while we keep the rest. Since he hasn’t sold mana laced dishes in a while we should be able to get a gold or two depending on the effects. Christina will probably get a couple hundred silver, enough for a mana potion and some extra to feed and house her family.” Andy seemed to calm down after saying the last bit, “The dungeon should never be your first option, but I agree that having her go in there and gain a little bit of experience and mana will be beneficial for her and her family.”

Grim slowly brighten between Andy and Zach. Zach couldn’t help smile as Grim wore his usual jeans, converse shoes, and t-shirt that had a gravestone on it with the words ‘Buffy Anne Summer – She Saved The World A Lot’; but to Alexa and Andy he looked nothing more than a light with the shape and size of a twelve-year-old boy. “I am sorry to interrupt, but Alexa, Zach and even myself were thinking it would be best to get a healer to help out. Zach and myself were able to find a candidate when we went to the Guild to turn in the Rat King quests.” Two screens appeared in front of Andy and Alexa and out of the corner of Zach’s eye he could tell it was the posting for Jason Silvervein. “I know that he doesn’t have the Heal spell, but with stabilize Alexa and Zach can be more effective killing rats as they won’t stop from pain or bad wounds.”

Andy dismissed the screen and looked down at Grim. Shrugging for a moment Andy spoke, “It’s not my call, I am going to push tomorrow soloing as much as I can. Alexa, why don’t you two talk for a moment and decide as a team. Zach, please help Christina, she might not have the mana right now to spend on learning the skill, but if she gets the movements down, it should be a lot easier for her to learn the skill when she does.” Zach felt Grim activate his auto-loot skill and pass the little money they had to Andy as he left to buy components for Christina’s cooking recipe.

Alexa looked over the screen again as the skin between her eyebrows bunched up as she thought. “Was there no one else?” She finally asked after a full minute of looking at the screen.

Grim coughed slightly like he was clearing his throat. “There were a few other candidates, but to secure their service we would have to spend more silver per day than we could earn from the dungeon. In fact, Jason was the only healer asking just for an equal share instead of a higher share of the loot or experience. His request for the slime drops is small compared to some others.”

Alexa bit her lip in frustration, but nodded deciding that they were both right. “Ok, I will trust your judgement. Zach review Christina’s spear form and I will talk with Jason about joining our group.” Zach opened his month to interrupt, but before he could say a word Alexa pointed at him. “No… No to whatever you are thinking! You have the spear skill! You need to teach Christina, I can handle any negotiations, that’s our jobs.”

Zach nodded, “You’re right, I wanted to finish what I started, but keeping Christina alive is far more important.” Seeing Alexa nod, Zach braced himself for a long evening of spear training.