The loot box appeared in a cascade of colors right next to the quickly fading bodies of the oversized Skeleton King and Skeleton Mage. Looking around it seemed that the magic powering all of the other living skeletons died with the King, as the remainder of the Skeleton King’s forces collapsed into piles of bones all around us.

“That’s it?” I complained. This shit was too easy. Exhausting, sure, but, where’s the challenge?

“Apparently so.” Keeg deadpanned opposite of me while approaching the waiting chest. It popped open at his approach and shimmered for a second before a shiny silver colored shield with intricate gold inlay fell into his waiting hands. He appraised the item with a smile and quickly strapped it to his left arm.

Stephen approached the box with a gleam in his eye. A pair of plain black tights, similar to yoga pants landed in his hands. As soon as he inspected it, he frowned, “Generic Caster Leggings. Common. Da fuq!?”

Courtney came up and appraised them and smiled, “Well, look at the bright side, they give you 25 more intelligence and they’ll make your ass look good. Maybe.” She giggled then received what appeared to be a pair of elbow pads. A slight frown started to form before she quickly schooled her expression.

Stephen seeing the chance to return her playful ribbing quickly scanned the item and laughed, “Rugged Elbow Pads, also common. Won’t do anything for your appearance, but at least your elbows won’t get banged up.”

She gave him the look, then walked off arm in arm quietly giggling at each other. Carly decided not to hesitate and stepped up to the chest. A wicked looking staff rose up out of the box, the head covered in what looked like finger bones. She silently examined it, a slowly growing smile cracking her face from ear to ear. “Knuckle Bone Head Staff of Storms, it’s Rare. Gives me the Lightning Storm ability once a day. Increases my Wisdom and Intelligence by fifty each.”

Stephen let out a long whistle, “Congrats! That’s really good for any caster really.”

“It has 25% damage increase to Ice, Water, Air, and Lightning magic. All MINE!” She teased the older man.

Albert approached while the others were chatting over their loots. A pair of cargo pants appeared which he quickly snatched out of the air and walked off without saying a word. He wasn’t much of a talker so I didn’t concern myself with his lack of enthusiasm as I approached the box. A desert tan pair of tactical gloves appeared which I quickly examined.

Viktos Tactical Gloves (A) Uncommon

[+50 Armor]

[+25 Perception]

[+25 Agility]

Mod Slots 1/1

Mod Slot 1: Kevlar Reinforced Knuckles +10% Unarmed Damage

I frowned at the information presented by the System. Seems my current gloves are technically better for me? Lame. Guess I won’t be using these anytime soon.

The Rogue Gunslingers Fingers (B) Legendary

[+50 Strength]

[+50 Agility]

[+250 Stamina]

[+25% Elemental Resistance]

[Passive: Quickdraw, The Gunslinger can draw, aim, and fire his pistol in the blink of an eye, you do so faster.]

After taking a moment to consider whether or not the new gloves were better or not, I stored them in my inventory and turned to my party. “Next stop, the Show Low Aerie. Let’s get out of here.”

We climbed to the top of the bluff and looked down on the city of Show Low. The undead still lethargically crowded the streets, though the haze of the poisonous smog had lifted behind us. Already the area around the former big box stores appeared to be recovering. The raging hellfire that consumed the Walmart had since extinguished itself, and I was pretty certain I saw a pair of soot covered faces poking up from behind a large rock several hundred meters beyond the rubble. Maybe some made it out?

Heading towards the Show Low Airport, now the Show Low Aerie, the landscape changed once again. Large trees began to stretch up several dozen meters into the sky with inordinately thick branches spread wide. Large bird nests snuggled up against the trunks where the branches were thickest, the ends of the branches heavy with a multitude of vulture like bird people.

The Harpies had large wings capped in the middle with three fingered claws that looked capable of tearing straight through our unprotected hides. Their faces were largely bird-like with creepily human eyes. Bodies shaped like a young woman’s covered in feathers stretched down to an odd amalgamation of humanoid and bird like legs that ended in more thickly curved talons, clearly made for snatching their prey from the ground.

Keeg and myself took the lead, hands on weapons but not drawn as the eerie silence stretched on as we marched through their domain. No one said a word as the bird ladies eye-balled us menacingly, though surprisingly they didn’t make any hostile moves. Far above us we could see several dozen of the harpies circling the airfield as we approached the runway.

As we exited the corridor of trees we had been walking down a trio of Harpies adorned in brightly colored feathers landed before us. Most of the other harpies we had seen thus far were muted shades of brown, black, and white. These that stopped in front of us were covered in shades of red, yellow, and blue.

“Adventurers, the Queen would speak with you. Follow us.” The lead Harpy croaked out in surprisingly adequate English. She was covered in bright red feathers, while her entourage was a mixture of yellow and blue. She motioned awkwardly with one of her wings for us to follow, then turned and waddled towards the far end of the airfield.

My party gave each other questioning glances then followed me as I began following Red and her entourage across the tarmac.

No one say a word. This quest description says we might be able to make a deal with this Queen. I sent through the mental message system.

They could be refugees. Keeg offered.

Possibly, though they come off a little... under-equipped? Yeah? Courtney pointed out their lack of equipment and weapons. They were rather primitive, and it seemed like all the species we had met thus far that were considered refugees were quite advanced technologically. Even the Valkyr that favored physical combat methods were quite adept with firearms and vehicles when needed. If these were refugees it was because they failed to embrace the System and all it offered.

We passed by several small hangars as we walked towards the control tower at the other end of the runway. Albert silently pointed out one hangar with the door open enough to get a glimpse of at least a pair of Air National Guard F-16’s. Yo! See the hardware?

Wonder if they are still functional? Stephen queried the group.

Maybe, didn’t know we had an Air Wing up here. I sent to everyone.

Albert replied quickly, We don’t. I bet they were in transit or doing a training flight when the shit hit the fan.

Speculation over the dubiously valuable treasure of fighter jets was brought up short as our guides stopped in front of the main office building. Looking up I could see that the tower had been converted into a home fit for a Harpy Queen. Red looked at me cautiously before speaking.

“Head up the tower, we will meet you there.” With that simple instruction the three harpy escorts launched into the air to circle several times before landing out of sight at the top of the tower.

“Well, let’s go make friends.” I said smarmily as I opened the door to the dark office interior.

“This shit’s just weird.” Carly, who’d been quiet since the Skeleton fight finally spoke up.

I shrugged as I found the stairs up and shot back, “As opposed to what?”

Her face twisted in search of a response, she seemed unable to come up with anything good and instead chose to keep her mouth shut. The stairs we were on brought us to the second floor of the office building where conveniently placed signs directed us to the end of the building where the elevator to the top of the tower waited for us. Oddly enough, it had power.

Everyone packed uncomfortably into the elevator car with a small amount of grumbling. When the doors opened at the top of the control room, we saw a harpy standing by an open door that led out onto a balcony that ringed the entire structure. The harpy, not one of the brightly colored trio from before, motioned for us out onto the catwalk. A crudely erected ramp of wood logs brought us to the top of the tower into a large thorny wooded nest.

At the center of the nest was a massive harpy with pitch black feathers from head to toe. Clearly this was the Harpy Queen, who quite possible stood at least ten feet tall and sported a wingspan at least fifty feet wide. Intelligent, calculating, bright yellow eyes fixed on my party with malice. Somehow, I doubt this will end without violence.

Queen Mogolla, Blackwing Harpy Matriarch; Level 15 (A) ***

Queen Mogolla spread her wings wide in greeting before speaking, “Adventurers, you are either foolishly brave, or ridiculously stupid for entering our domain on your own.”

I considered her words for a moment before stepping forward with my hands fused to my hips just above my pistols. “I’m neither foolish or stupid. I have a task that suggested we would be able to come to some kind of agreement.”

She studied me like she was trying to decide if she should start with my liver or heart when she ate me. Her head bobbed awkwardly for a moment as a series of clicks and hisses emitted from her beak. Her entourage, or advisors maybe, responded in kind. She quickly finished consulting her people then returned her attention to me.

“Yes, I think we might be able to negotiate, though I am curious as to what it is exactly you would want from us?”

“Simple, leave the town and it’s people alone. Come to the town’s aid in the event of an attack. That is, of course, once it’s populated by other than the undead.”, I gestured over my shoulder in the direction of the zombie infested city.

A series of clucks and screeches amongst the four harpies ensued as they discussed my needs in their own language. The noise stopped once again with a series of clicks, “We find those terms acceptable, though what we need may be beyond what you are willing to provide.”

“And that is?” For some reason I felt this was going to go south really fast.

“We require your seed, all of your seed. You may have noticed there are only females here. We usually acquire donors from the local sapient populations. The current beings within the city are clearly unacceptable.” She stressed the word beings with great disdain.

Everyone in my party shifted uncomfortably. By the looks on their faces it was clear none were interested in sleeping with a Harpy. Also, this is when I realized when I thought she was deciding how tasty I’d be, she was more focused on the subtle bulge in my pants. Ah fuck.

“Well, that is a problem. I’m kind of on a timeline. Got two other tasks to complete in the next couple of days, then some babies to plant, and a state to conquer. Is there something else we could provide? Maybe take a raincheck?” I put on my best smile. Not because I was concerned about taking her in a straight up fight, but because I would rather just make a deal and dip out to complete my other tasks.

A round of more clucking and squawking ended with a simple response, “No. We cannot wait. We must mate now.”

Deja Vu has increased in rank!

Shit!

“Karl?” Stephen whined behind me as my vision narrowed.

“WE MUST HAVE MATES!” The matriarch squawked at me as a wave of dizziness flushed through my body.

“Reaper! They are starting to take flight!” Keeg warned but my mind had been pulled out of my body and was viewing the events as they unfolded in multiple realities.

Deja Vu has increased in rank!

In an instant I saw versions of this situation playing out where we submit to being their mates, creating the next generation of Harpy. The result being bigger, stronger, and fiercer. Another where they overwhelm us while we deliberate with them. A version of the events plays out where I offer some of the avian type beast men I had yet to meet. Another, where the beast men in question balk at the arrangement resulting in a quick and bloody war.

Deja Vu has increased in rank!

“Karl! We need to move!” Someone barked in fear behind me. I couldn’t be sure that voice was in the here and now, or in a particularly gruesome reality where Courtney and Carly are fed to the newly hatched Harpy chicks. Alive.

Deja Vu has increased in rank!

BOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOM!

The sound of a gun ringing out atop the nest pulled me out of the cascade of visions that threatened to overwhelm me. When my vision focused the Harpy Queen’s body was falling over sideways, blood and feathers spraying into the air from where her head once sat. At some point I had subconsciously come to a decision and drawn my now smoking handcannon. Her colorful attendants stared blankly at her quickly falling body before snapping their heads as one in our direction. The intent was clear, negotiations were over.

Mogolla’s dead body thumping against the floor of the nest was all the signal my party needed to act. Three more reports from the muzzle of my hand cannon removed the former Queen’s entourage from the fight in a colorful spray of feathers. Another two hours followed with the liberal usage of bullet, blade, and magic that left the airfield covered in blood, viscera and slowly falling feathers. The battle ended at the other end of the runway when a dozen of the Queen’s elite soldiers attempted to overpower us.

They chose to attempt to dive bomb us from above. They were so tightly packed that Stephen just wrapped them in a bubble of increased gravity. The sudden increased speed of their dive left them unable to recover before smacking into the ground. They exploded on impact into an impressive amount of flying feathers and gore.

“Heh, not much effort when they do the work for you.” Stephen smirked at his handy-work. He’s clearly enjoying himself.

I stared at the carnage we wrought, noticing several shapes flying away in the distance and shook my head. Courtney came up to me placing a hand on my bicep, “Hey boss, that foresight thing hit you again, didn’t it?”

Everyone from Winslow knew I had some ability to see the future, most didn’t know the details as well as Junipher did, but the rest knew enough to know what to look for when it happens. I nodded my head silently.

“You ok? You froze up there in the nest.”

“Yeah, it just kind of washed over me suddenly, no warning.”

Keeg stepped up and fixed me with a stern glare, “You have the sight?”

I looked at him then panned my gaze across the rest of my party. Albert sat on a rock and watched our interaction carefully. The rest of my party didn’t react, they already knew about my thing and had seen it in action.

“System calls it Deja Vu, I’ve experienced it long before the System came, though not nearly as vivid as it is now.”

He considered my words for a moment and took a step away from me, “A Reaper, with sight. If you survive, Karl, you will be an unbalancing force within the Universe.”

I didn’t respond, only considered his words silently then turned towards the shimmering chest that appeared at the other end of the runway. He watched me walk off then everyone followed at their own pace, “C’mon. Let’s snag our loot and find somewhere to camp. It’s getting late.”

[Quest Chain updated! Sub Quest: Take Flight! completed! All party members have earned 2.5 million XP, 250,000 UMC and one random loot item.]