The next morning we pack up quickly, and in about 20 minutes, Nic is sitting in his seat, Notch and I in the back of the cart. Riding in the back of the cart is nothing like any of the carriage rides I have been in before. They were always a relatively smooth ride with just a bump now and then. Nic’s cart, on the other hand, was so bumpy I could barely keep my seat and Notch looks like he is trying to dance. That isn’t even taking into account the noise… carriages have a little background noise, but you can block most of it if you pull the curtains. This percussion instrument that Nic calls a cart is so loud that any kind of talk I would have had with Nic is impossible.

This did leave me with a lot of free time while we were traveling so I did the only thing I could practice Mana Sense and shoot off a Mana Bolt whenever my mp allowed it. With shouted questions at Notch about Mana Sense and his somewhat shaky mimed advice, I was able to have a breakthrough right before we stop for the night. I successfully sensed mana without being in a meditative state causing a window to pop up.

Weak Mana Sense allows you to sense the flows of mana around you. At level 1 you can find strong mana source at up to 1 foot away.

One foot isn’t much, but it does surround me entirely so I should be able to find anything I may have miss otherwise even if it's underground. I still can’t seem to move too much when using Mana Sense… I could probably do use it while walkinging, but I’m not too sure, I’ll have to see.

Unfortunately, I am still struggling with Mana Bolt. With what I now know about Mana Sense, I think I will have to be able to conjure my mana into a ball and shoot the Mana Bolt without consciously thinking about each step. But every time I try the mana seems to just unravel from its' ball and flow away. It also doesn’t help that I can only shoot off one every five hours. Meaning by the time we stop for the night I was only able to use it three times, counting the two I can fire off right from the start. I really need to get into that dungeon and to its' core so I can level up my Spirit Level...

When we finally stop for the night. I once again help collect the firewood, unload Nic’s traveling gear, and help brush down Tug, with Nic showing me what to do. I was finally able to start my first fire too. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, but I did get a little over excited when I lit my first ember and blew too hard putting it out forcing me to start over… but still, I had fun.

During our meal of more hardtack and some fire baked potatoes, I ask, “So, do you know what I should expect to run into in the dungeon?”

“Well, I know what monsters you will probably run into based on what is sold to me but as for traps or the layout of the dungeon itself you’ll have to talk to the Adventurer's Guild,” Nic responds in a natural tone.

“Have you never entered the dungeon?”

“Well no, I haven’t I was never interested in gaining more levels or adventuring more than what was needed for my shop. But, even if I was, the dungeon in Dondton is only the rated up to Spirit Level 10, which is to low even to benefit me.”

“That makes sense. What brought you to Dondton then if not to use the dungeon?”

“Well, my wife is the leader of the Adventurer's Guild in Dondton. We decided to move there when she was offered the job as a kind of retirement.”

“So, your telling me between you owning the general store and your wife being in charge of the Guild in town is a retirement? Between the two of you, you basically own the town right? That has to be a lot of work.”

“What makes you think we own the town?” Nic askes with a confused look.

“Well, Dondton is a dungeon town right, and in those types of towns, the economy revolves around the items and goods generated in the dungeon. So, most of the profits should pass through the Guild, due to the commissions, and your shop. And where there’s money, there’s power so with one family being in charge of both establishments that would be you correct?”

“Uh… Well, that may be true for other dungeon towns, but Dondton’s economy doesn’t revolve around the dungeon but the Silver Fins that are fished out of Lake Dond. The dungeon only produces the bare minimum to keep open and Adventurer's Guild to be honest.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“But all of that takes us completely away from what you first asked about the dungeon.”

“That’s right. You said you know what type of monsters I can expect to see?”

“Yes, well first monsters you will run into from what I’ve heard is Slick Rats and Water Slimes. When you get to the lower levels, you will start to run into Water Rats. Then I think the one boss monster in the dungeon is a Soldier Water Rat, but I’m not too sure about that.”

“Doesn’t sound like there is much variation on the different types of monsters then.”

“Well, it is a low-level dungeon what would you expect?”

“I guess that is true. Do you know how many floors there are?”

“Uh… I think I remember the wife saying something about five floors but again you should check with the Guild when we get to town.”

“Okay, I will but one more thing about the dungeon that you should know what should I collect to get the most from a dive?”

“Ah, see that is something within my department. If you can skin the rats, our town blacksmith/tanner or I will buy the pelts off you for about three-four Talons depending on quality. Then there are the cores from the Water Slimes can fetch you about five Talons if you can get an intact one. There are a few parts of the rats that the town alchemist may buy from you, but you would have to check with her. Lastly, there are just the random drops like that dagger I told you about that may net you a Talon or two. I’d check the commissions at the guild for any miscellaneous stuff that a villager may need also.”

“Sounds like I’ll need to learn how to skin a rat then… not to mention the knife I'll need to skin with. One last thing before we go to bed for the night.”

“Hm?”

“Who should I ask for a job from when we get to town. That is if you’re still not hiring.”

“Sorry Nox, I already have someone working in the shop, and I don’t have any need for another helping hand. As for some other shop… I would assume you would still want some time to dungeon dive most days?”

“That would be best but honestly being able to sleep in a bed and have something to eat does come first.”

“In that case, I would check with the blacksmith, Druss, or the alchemist, Gwen, one of them may take you on as an apprentice or use you to gather resources from the mine or surrounding area. If you had a fishing pole and a stronger monster I would say you can try and fish for the fishmonger. Other than them I’m not sure anyone else would need any help.”

“I’ll start with them then thanks again. I’ll also take first watch tonight you drove all day.”

“Sounds good, night,” Nic said with a wave and heads into a tent.

“Night,” I reply with a nod.

After Nic has settled into his tent, I turn to Notch and ask quietly, “I know you were listening in on that so I wanted to ask are you okay with fighting and killing the Slimes in this dungeon? If not we can figure out something else to do.”

Notch goes still thinking then nods.

“Okay, I just wanted to be sure. I didn’t want you to do anything you were not comfortable with.”

Notch nods and wiggles a thank you.

“Well, now that I can use Mana Sense without meditating I can practice it while keeping watch. Any advice on how I can raise its’ level?”

Notch thinks for a second then stretches his body out into an almost flat disk.

“I have to try and stretch out my sense?”

Notch nods and I start practicing. I’d also practice Mana Bolt, but I don’t want to wake Nic, so just Mana Sense it is. After a few hours of trying and failing to stretch out my senses, I wake Nic for his watch and head to bed myself.

The next day and a half pass in much the same way as the first day traveling with Nic, with me practicing during the trip and having small talk at night. When I finally get my first sight of Dondton across Lake Dond. It was a moderately sized town maybe 100-200 stone and wooden buildings. With what looks like a short stone wall surrounding the town, probably to keep any stray monsters out, and what looks like a busy dock area with quite a few boats out on the lake. I can also see what looks like a cordoned off tunnel that leads underneath the lake just outside the city walls, that must be the dungeon. Other than that it looks like how I imagine most towns to look.

Shortly after seeing the town I, at last, succeed in shooting off a Mana Bolt without having to think about each step.

Mana Bolt is a spell that allows you to shoot a ball of pure mana. At level 1 this spell cost 5 mana and does 1 damage.

Trying to do a celebration dance in the back of a jostling cart seemed like a bad idea, so I settled for giving Notch a high five or I guess a high tentacle?

From this side of the lake, it took us another hour of travel to reach the town. When we get to the entrance to the town, Nic turns to me and says, “Welcome to Dondton, Nox. Now if you want you can jump off now and head straight over to the Guild or if you help me unload my goods at the shop I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

“I would be more than happy to help you unload Nic.”

“Good to hear, shouldn’t take to long, and only about five minutes more until we reach my shop.”

In almost no time at all, we reach an one story but slightly broad shop with a sign that says “Nic’s Goods.”

“I’ll be right back I’m just going to go get Dan, my employ, to help us,” Nic says as he jumps down from his seat and walks into his store. A few seconds later Nic exits with a 20 something-year-old man with dark hair and beard.

“Dan this is Nox, I met him on the road he’s here to do some dungeon diving. And Nox this is Dan my employ and my neighbor's son.” After we shake hands, Nic claps us both on the back and says, “Alright, introductions are now out of the way so let’s get to work and get all these crates inside.”

A half hours work later we have all the boxes unloaded into the shop and Nic walks me out of the store the points across the way to a three-story building with a sign I can’t read out front. “That’s the Dondton Inn and Tavern, meet me there in about three hours, and we’ll get something to eat. Now, if you go down that road (pointing north) a little way and look out for smoke and listen for someone hammering that will be Druss’s shop. Now down that road (pointing south) and take the first left you’ll see a shop with a garden out front and a Sign that says Gwen’s potions. Talk to them and mention I sent you their way looking for a job. As for the Adventurers Guild, I’ll have my wife take you over there after dinner and register you. Think you need anything else?”

“No, I think you have helped me way more than what was needed thank you so much Nic. I can’t say how much it means to meet someone that’s so nice.”

“Now boy no need for compliments and run along I’ll see you in about three hours.” With these last words, Nic steps back into his shop leaving standing out on the front steps.

“What do you say Notch Blacksmith first?” I ask turning to Notch who is once again perched on my shoulder.

Notch nods and I head off down the north road keeping an eye out for some smoke and hammering.