Blake: Oh, Crazy was just telling us how he figured out how to use magic.

Wyvern couldn’t help but pause for a long moment as she processed what these two sentences meant. And also...

Wyvern Cuddles: Crazy being the first one to figure out magic is not unexpected.

CrazyCore: Guys...

CrazyCore: Stahp.

CrazyCore: I’m not that great.

CrazyCore: I mean, the only reason I had the idea was because of the various people I talked to.

Blake: Stop being so modest.

CrazyCore: Hey. I already told you my theory on that.

Wyvern Cuddles: Never stop being you, Crazy. Also, how do you use magic?

Staria: Answer the question, Crazy!

CrazyCore: Okay. So first you have to understand that our world has fundamentally changed. The system took a non-magical world and inserted magic into it at certain points.

CrazyCore: These points, I theorize, are not only where the most magic is, but also where the highest leveled monsters are.

Wyvern Cuddles: So, if you’re in a dangerous area, you have more magic you can access but you’ll also be in more danger?

CrazyCore: Exactly. So if you’re in a medium-light danger area like myself, then you’ll have more access to it than a light danger area.

Staria: But how do you cast it?!

Wyvern Cuddles: How do you cast it? +2

CrazyCore: So far, the only way I can get it to cast is by focusing on the tip of my finger and thinking about fire while saying ‘Fire.’ A small flame like a lighter will appear on the tip of your finger.

CrazyCore: Of course, then you feel drained, so only try this when you’re somewhere safe!

Dr McQuackins: That will probably improve the more you do it.

Dr McQuackins: Oh! I came up with a theory after hearing about yours.

Dr McQuackins: If what I think is happening does happen, then we’re all fucked.

Wyvern Cuddles: I mean, it’s a System Armageddon so, we’re already fucked. Spill it, McQuackins.

Dr McQuackins: These zones aren’t permanent. I think the system will keep them as is only temporarily. This is to give some humans a chance to survive. But I think the magic in the high level areas is going to trickle down into the low level areas.

Wyvern Cuddles: ... Well, fuck.

Blake: You guys. My wife and I just killed a giant orange deer monster. Both of us‌ reached level 10!

Wyvern Cuddles: Congrats, Blake! Badass! I hope you didn’t get hurt!

CrazyCore: Congrats! Also, if you are hurt, maybe try healing magic? I haven’t looked into that one yet.

Blake: Oh! Don’t worry. I already have about a hundred things I’m going to consider once I reach somewhere safer.

Wyvern Cuddles: Where are you? Did you have to leave home?

CrazyCore: And he’s gone.

Wyvern Cuddles: Yeah. That happens. I got to go too. I’m about to enter the school to pick up my boy. I’m sure there’s monsters in here.

Wyvern Cuddles: Considering how many cars there are, some of them might be human.

CrazyCore: Stay safe Wyvern. And good luck.

Wyvern Cuddles: You too! If you don’t hear from me in a few hours then either my internet finally went down or I’m dead.

Wyvern had to admit, being in the low danger area was likely the only reason she was still alive.

“Alright, Squiggs. I guess this is where we get out and walk.”

Since the cars in front of her still hadn’t budged, she pulled up to the sidewalk and parked her car in the bike lane. She pressed the button for the hazard lights and gave zero fucks. Today was just that kind of day, after all.

***

Wyvern lugged her backpack full of supplies down the sidewalk. In one hand, she carried her sheathed sword her other held the slightly sticky hand of her tamed goblin monster.

“Now, be sure to not let go. We need to show people that you’re not just some random goblin. You’re my goblin.”

“Suuupt! Goshus vas!”

She nodded. “Yeah. Humans may not be more dangerous than monsters, but they can certainly be crueler and more deceitful. Of course, that doesn’t mean that all humans are like that.”

“Ruunta voosh.” Squiggly pointed at the crowd of adults and a few children who were ‌entering or exiting the school.

“I see them.”

Just then, one of the soccer moms worriedly tugging on her 6th grader pointed at Wyvern and Squiggs. “Eeeek! Monster.”

“Goshus!”

“I know! They’re so rude. Don’t pay attention to them.”

A older woman with giggling jowls walked up. She hefted her glasses up and stared into Wyvern’s eyes. “Hey! You can’t come in here with a sword and a... a… monster! There are children in here.”

Wyvern pointed to the small group of part dog, part skunk-looking monsters chasing a couple of screaming kids out of the school. “Well there are also monsters in there. And I don’t see the officer who’s usually stationed around here helping out.”

The woman looked horrified as the dog-skunks attacked the group of parents and children. Fortunately, the parents stood in front of their kids, but it was still horrifying.

“So, can I take my sword and goblin into the school if I take care of those monsters?”

Not that she had any idea how, except for relying on Squiggs. Well, her class was [Monster Tamer], so it would make sense that she had her monsters fight for her. But she also didn’t like the idea of them getting hurt. She’d spent a lot of sandwiches and energy getting to know Squiggs.

And the lady didn’t respond. Wyvern decided to take that as an affirmative.

Taking a closer look at the monsters, their front halves really didn’t look like dogs. It was closer to gross-looking smelly wolves?

She figured that this was a long shot but… she rummaged around in her backpack and grabbed a handful of the giant rat bones.

“Ready to go fight something scary, Squiggs?”

“Suuupt!”

By the time they both reached the wolf-skunks, a few of the parents were fighting with them. The others quickly ran off, trampling over a few of the less fortunate people.

One parent dropped, clutching his arm. The wolf-skunk, now free, was just about to attack a nearby child when Wyvern threw the rat bone at the monster.

It bounced off its head and then landed somewhere in the melee.

She had hoped that it would go after the bone. Instead, it looked at her like it could not believe she just did that.