After the sun lights the valley, Aria and I are on our way deeper into the gorge searching for my goats. Well, they aren’t my goats yet, but they will be! I refuse to give up on this. I will find goats!

Another two kilometers into the journey and there is still no sign of my future horned herbivores; there is only more frustrating goatless gorge.

After another two hours of despair, I hear Grace.

#I detect non-threatening mammalian life forms. . .

“Go!” I call excitedly. Grace guides us another kilometer or so until we look up on the near vertical wall, a herd of goats doing gravity-defying stunts.

I jump off Grace and cheer with my hands in the air. “YES!!!!”

“You’ll scare them away, honey.” Aria, ever the voice of common sense, states to me blandly.

Oh, right. I stop immediately and blush. I’m just so excited.

[Grace, what is your maximum elevation?]

#24 inches, Host Vic.

[Jo, time to whip out the climbing and repelling gear.]-

Using grav and stabilizing pitons I am able to climb up to the middle of the goated side of the gorge. It is disappointing having not located metal deposits, but I’m only halfway up. Discouragingly, none of these goats have the look of the shiny hide we had purchased from the lucky hunter. I stop after reaching two thirds high and look around. It’s beautiful up here. Too bad Aria decided to stay down, but her fear of heights and not wanting to risk me in case she freaks, is wise.

I turn back around and see a glint of sunlight reflected off the other side of the gorge.

[Well shit, we picked the wrong fucking side.]

It appears so. . .

It’s a pain in the ass but I disassemble everything on my way down and stomp angrily over to the other side. “Fucking wrong side. Fucking goats. Have to fucking redo everything. Fucking better be worth it.” I am not mumbling to myself. I’m not!

Nobody says anything to me.

I attack the opposite side with a vengeance and get half way up when I see a fissure in the stone to my right. It’s over a meter tall and at least wide enough for me to stick my whole hand in. I look inside and can’t see shit. Calling on my mana, I create a globe of pure white light and send it a few inches into the dark space. I see sparking metal along the walls. Here’s the big moment.

[Inspect]

Name:

Large Silver Ore Vein

Description:

This is a substantial vein of the precious metal, silver. With the proper mining this can produce anywhere from 30 to 300 tons or silver ore. There is a chance for earth mana stones to be found while mining this vein.

Condition:

Rich

Risk Assessment:

N/A

Value:

Once claimed, selling or leasing the rights of this ore vein will result in massive profit.

[Claim it.]

Claim has been filed with Sea Saddle City and the UFH. . .

I keep going up. To the right of me is another obvious glint of metal. It is far out of my [Inspect] range so I have to use pitons and my own climbing expertise to move sideways a good 20 meters to get to it. I only almost fall to my death once, so that’s not too bad.

[Inspect]

Name:

Medium Iron Ore Vein

Description:

This is a moderate sized vein of the common but highly desired metal, iron. With the proper mining this can produce anywhere from 10 to 1000 tons of iron ore. There is a chance for earth mana stones to be found while mining this vein.

Condition:

Good

Risk Assessment:

N/A

Value:

Once claimed, selling or leasing the rights of this ore vein will result in substantial profit.

Vein claimed. . .

I‘m still only barely half way up so I keep going. After another 30 meters, I see another fissure to the left and far above the silver. I go that way and never almost die. Go me.

This fissure is tiny but in a very odd angle that could really only be seen from where I was. If observed from below it would look like normal rock and from the other side it would be hidden by the angled stone edge.

Putting a light inside I see mostly brown glow, with an occasional silvery shine.

[Inspect]

Name:

Unknown Size Earth/Metal Mana Stone Lode

Description:

This is an unknown sized lode of the mana stones. This is a dual affinity lode with the overwhelming majority being earth mana stones. Less than 10% of the total lode also contains metal affinity stones.

Further excavation is required to determine stone density and value.

Condition:

Unknown

Risk Assessment:

N/A

Value:

Once claimed, selling or leasing the rights of this lode will result in massive profit.

“Fucking godballs on a dragon!”

Indeed. Lode claimed. . .

“Aria! We’re geniuses!” I scream down to her.

“Good for us dear”, she calls back up. She’s busy looking through a bunch of the crap I stole from the shaman’s chest.

I feel like a mana stone lode is worth a little more yelling, but what do I know? After spending the rest of the day wandering all over the gorge, I find and claim six more veins and even two more earth lodes.

“Gah! I want to stay and search everywhere!”

I’m pacing around our campsite back at the lake.

“Calm down, Vic. We can always come back.”

[Are the location of the claims hidden from the public?]

Yes. . .

“Ok. That’s a relief. Yes, we can come back.”

You received a number of messages while you were in mining mode. Not that you actually mined anything by the way; you just looked. You don’t even know the quality of the ores you claimed. . .

[Fine! I’ll mine some next time. I’m just going to end up selling or leasing it all out anyway. At least I get to use my outrageously expensive fancy new pick. It’s better than a rock and broken sliver of metal.]

I’m sure you’ll take plenty of joy from swinging expensive tools. More importantly, Master Stonetamer offers his thanks for both the warning and protecting his people. He says he will warn the clans and add substantial protection. He also hopes “the dunderheads will listen to reason”. . .

I stop pacing and just stare off at the lake.

[I wonder if they are compromised. Send a reply: I found what I said I was going to and you should prepare to decide if you want to buy or lease. Also, I’m concerned someone may be working against your people from the inside. I have a feeling your clan or someone close to your clan has been compromised.]

Message sent. You have a message from Hyoto, asking for a meeting in two days. . .

[Agree to whatever time works for them.]

Sent. Your HQ sent a message requesting an update on mission status. . .

[Response is: Debrief upon return.]

Sent. . .

You have received requests from three mining companies inquiring about purchase or leasing rights to your veins. They apparently monitor the claimant registry. . .

I take out the matriarch’s core.

[Absorb all the regeneration essence]

Affirmative. Absorption started. . .

Feel dizzy for a sec and sit down on the edge of the lake.

Aria walks up and sits behind me. She puts her legs to either side and lifts up my shirt. I let her and she leans her bare torso against my bare back.

[Time remaining?]

2 minutes 41 seconds.

“So, how’s it feel to be a dual affinity finally?”

She rubs her face lightly against my neck and kisses my upper back. “It’s like having something mom left me. Really special. I can’t say how much I value it.”

Smiling myself, I say, “Shen would have been so proud to have you learn what she knew so well.”

I sigh, lean back and turn my head as far as it will go. She kisses the side of my mouth.

Turning back to the water, I say, “I want to explore the lake.”

She sounds surprised. “Oh? Where did this come from?”

“Heavy and precious metals that are washed in by the river would sink to the bottom and perhaps compact enough over time to make a vein. Given what else I have found around here, it seems plausible there may be underwater veins.”

“Why the sudden drive for this, Vic? I mean aren’t you already rich beyond belief?”

“We are rich, yes. But humanity isn’t. Resources have always been our greatest constraint when fighting the Invaders. Enough metals, enough coins, enough food. If we find this and can flood the market, we can offer more of everything either directly or indirectly. “

“How does metal help with food?”

“By using the metal to either directly buy food, or indirectly give us access. Did you see those farms on the way here?”

I feel her nod her head against my back.

Absorption complete. . .

“Here, absorb this and I’ll tell you.”

I toss the green stone over my shoulder. She squeaks and I see her scramble and fall over. Twisting my head, I enjoy the show. She punches me in the back and I laugh.

“So, about the farms. Do you know why there aren’t more? Resources. How will it be defended and cultivated? How will the goods be transported? Resources. If we have more metal, turrets will be more affordable. If we have more mana stones, more power will be available for mana shields and more inscriptions can be made cheaper. If we have more coin, more of all of that can be bought. Everything is dependent upon resources and humanity needs more.”

“Oh. I guess I didn’t see how big it is.”

“Big. How’s that stone?”

“Almost empty. This will be a huge boost for me, thank you. Now strip and get in the lake.”

“Ok but why?

“So I can wash you. Thoroughly. Then you can explore until you want to stop.”

“You’re the boss.”

She nods. “Yes.”

I do and she does.