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Table of Contents

Updates and progress Amatherean Tales - One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 1 Chapter 1 - Squished Chapter 2 - The Computer Says No Chapter 3 - T's & C's Chapter 4 - Evad Si Eht Tseb Chapter 5 - Starter Zone Chapter 6 - First Combat Chapter 7 - Level Up Chapter 8 - Lore And Order Chapter 9 - Farming Chapter 10 - Badger, Badger, Badger Chapter 11 - Soooooo Sad Chapter 12 - Doe a Deer Chapter 13 - Grey Areas Chapter 14 - Freeeeeedom Airlines Chapter 15 - Hoglings Upgrade Chapter 16 - Killic Chapter 17 - Tailor Fizzlewick Chapter 18 - Eye of the Town Chapter 19 - Bath and Bored Chapter 20 - Graveyard Shift Chapter 21 - Shopping Chapter 22 - Crypt Diving Chapter 23 - Salty Chapter 24 - Water Fight Chapter 25 - Makes No Sense Chapter 26 - Profession Chapter 27 - Hidden Gem Chapter 28 - Cheat Chapter 29 - The Pox Chapter 30 - The Docks Chapter 31 - The Wandering Ogre Chapter 32 - One Good Deed Deserves Another Chapter 33 - You Would Think He Would Think Chapter 34 - Visitor Chapter 35 - Bob! Chapter 36 - Announcements Chapter 37 - Discovery Chapter 38 - Heresy Chapter 39 - A Bolt From The Blue Chapter 40 - Martial Arts Chapter 41 - Not So Familiar Chapter 42 - Up, Up, and Away Chapter 43 - The Not Living, Living Chapter 44 - Adjudicator Chapter 45 - Breakfast At The Hogling Arms Chapter 46 - Compound Chapter 47 - Burn Baby Burn Chapter 48 - When It Rains It Pours Chapter 49 - Bordon The Brandisher Chapter 50 - Distracted Chapter 51 - Thanks Chapter 52 - Looking Down Chapter 53 - Broken Heart Chapter 54 - Emotional Progress One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 2 Chapter 1 - Training & Development Chapter 2 - Cottages Chapter 3 - Homemaker Chapter 4 - Mushroom, Mushroom Chapter 5 - Skill Selection Chapter 6 - Not Leaving The Past Behind Chapter 7 - Kata Claws Chapter 8 - Missing Gnoll Chapter 9 - Oooo Shiny Chapter 10 - Homeward Bound! Chapter 11 - Friends Of The Forest Chapter 12 - Mountains And Mithril Chapter 13 - An Idea Perhaps Chapter 14 - Insanity Chapter 15 - What's A Borzie? Chapter 16 - Amatherean Stand-off Chapter 17 - Charge Chapter 18 - Legionnaire Chapter 19 - Second Chance Chapter 20 - Sandboxes And Sandcastles Chapter 21 - Future Remembrance Chapter 22 - What Mana Chapter 23 - Council Chapter 24 - Gobbler Chapter 25 - Professional Opportunity Chapter 26 - Acquaintances Chapter 27 - Proposal Chapter 28 - Votes Count Chapter 29 - Who, What, Why Chapter 30 - Angelic Presence Chapter 31 - What! Chapter 32 - Magical Transference Chapter 33 - Fire Chapter 34 - From Above Chapter 35 - Wyvern Chapter 36 - Darren Chapter 37 - New Allegiances Chapter 38 - Setting Quests Chapter 39 - There And Back Again Chapter 40 - Missing Chapter 41 - Into The Dark Chapter 42 - Pit Chapter 43 - Following Orders Chapter 44 - Grey Matter Chapter 45 - Unknown Chapter 46 - Progressing Well Chapter 47 - Don't Go Down There Chapter 48 - The Root Of All Evil Chapter 49 - Archery Chapter 50 - Mistake Chapter 51 - Highs And Lows Chapter 52 - Secrets Chapter 53 - A Binding Oath Amatherean Tales - One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 3 Chapter 1 - Road Trip Chapter 2 - Cuopi Chapter 3 - Mollic Chapter 4 - If It Happens Chapter 5 - Asterfal Chapter 6 - Introductions Chapter 7 - Future and Foresight Chapter 8 - Breakfast and Bed Chapter 9 - Freefall Chapter 10 - Petunia Chapter 11 - Dinner Party Chapter 12 - Carlito Chapter 13 - Confirmed Chapter 14 - Searching Chapter 15 - Quiller Chapter 16 - Black Griffin Chapter 17 - Shark Bait Chapter 18 - Caged Animals Chapter 19 - Release Chapter 20 - Class Development Chapter 21 - Job Chapter 22 - Mind Games Chapter 23 - Incomprehensible Chapter 24 - Property and Proposal Chapter 25 - At Long Last Chapter 26 - Moon and Sickle Chapter 27 - New Branch Chapter 28 - Zigferd Chapter 29 - Proposition Chapter 30 - Levels Don't Matter Chapter 31 - Triple X Chapter 32 - Marriage Chapter 33 - Paranoia, Pets, Possessions Chapter 34 - Vows Chapter 35 - His Lordship Chapter 36 - Diplomatic Relations Chapter 37 - Synchronisation Chapter 38 - Saviour Chapter 39 - Normality Chapter 40 - Sunstone and Lollipops Chapter 41 - Paws for Claws Chapter 42 - The Squirrel Sphere Chapter 43 - Departure Chapter 44 - Clock Tower Chapter 45 - Warehouse Chapter 46 - It's a Trap! Chapter 47 - Audits and Enchantments Chapter 48 - Confronted Chapter 49 - Payback Chapter 50 - Life and Death Chapter 51 - Going Home

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Chapter 46 - Progressing Well

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“What the hell has happened?” Gary asked, his face in shock, seeing the blood-stained blankets lying on the floor where Terence had dropped them. “Floretta mentioned you had been attacked.”

“I have no idea how it was. They wore a cloak and a mask.” SJ replied.

“Do you have anything to describe them by?” Gary asked.

Greb walked over to the blankets and poked them with a spear he held. “Did they drop anything or leave anything behind?” Greb asked.

“I haven’t looked, sorry. Terence was kindly sorting the bedroom out,” SJ said.

“Do you mind if I look?” Greb asked.

“No..”

“SJ. Do you need a healing potion?” Gary asked, a look of concern on his face.

“No. I will heal soon enough. Whoever attacked me was at a much higher level. They were doing serious damage. I think they were level 19. If Terence and Floretta had not returned when they did and disturbed them, I doubt I would still be here,” SJ said.

“Level 19!” Gary exclaimed. “What would someone that level be doing attacking you?”

“I don’t know. I have been trying to think who or what it may have been, and I haven’t been able to come up with anything or anyone,” SJ lied.

“No ideas at all?” Gary quizzed.

“Nothing, sorry.”

“I can’t see anything left behind. There doesn’t seem to be anything dropped or marks to track.” Greb said, walking from her bedroom.

“How did they get in?” Gary asked.

“The front door. I think. It was unlocked as I knew that Floretta and Terence would be back, and I also never expected to be attacked,” SJ said, shrugging.

“It’s a little strange. I know of no one in the town who has got a bad word to say about you,” Gary frowned.

“I wish I knew so that I could help, but I really don’t,” SJ said.

“I am going to get a guard posted at the cottage while this is investigated,” Greb said. “I will go and let the Lieutenant know.”

“There really is no need to,” SJ said.

“Someone has tried to assassinate one of the town council. I think it is absolutely critical that we have a guard posted,” Gary said with authority.

SJ had never witnessed the professional side of either Greb or Gary when on duty and it gave her a sense of pride knowing how they both behaved.

Terence cleared up the blooded blankets and offered Gary refreshments while waiting for the guard to return.

“Don’t you need to get back on patrol?” SJ said after a while.

“You think I am leaving here before the guard arrives? You have another thing coming.”

That made SJ smile. If there was one thing about Gary, it was that he cared for his friends.

It was sometime later when Greb returned, not just with another member of the guard but with two new guards, and Lorna was with him. SJ had to then go through the whole incident from the start. Lorna asked specifics, even in relation to how they had attacked, whether she could remember anything about the blade if they were short or tall, their build, and the colour of clothing seen. SJ felt overwhelmed by the end of it, feeling like she had been at the end of an interrogation.

Eventually, Lorna, Gary, and Greb left, leaving SJ in the care of Terence and Floretta, who were both fussing around her and two guards who now stood watch at the front entrance. SJ had been instructed that she had to come to the barracks the next day to submit a full report, which she had agreed to.

Terence was returning from checking the back entrance for the third time.

“Okay. I can’t cope with this,” SJ eventually said, much firmer than she meant to.

“With what?” Terence asked, confused.

“The pair of you. Treating me as though I can’t look after myself. My wounds are almost healed.”

“I know you are a Legionnaire, but someone attacked you, and we just want to make sure you are okay,” Floretta said.

“I know. I am sorry. I didn’t mean to sound snappy. I just think I am over tired now,” SJ said.

“Try and get some sleep then. You know we are both here and the guard, and we don’t sleep,” Terence replied.

“I think I will go to the cottage. That way, I am away from here, and there will be peace and quiet.”

“Are you certain?” Terence said.

“Yes. Charlotte and Brian are there, and I will just grab some food from the kitchen before I go.”

“I will go and sort you something,” Floretta said, standing and hurrying into the kitchen.

It didn’t take Floretta long, and when she walked back through with some food wrapped in a napkin, SJ stood and walked through to her bedroom. Promising she would be back once the cooldown ran down. Checking her display, it was 02:00, and her eyes felt scratchy, but she knew she couldn’t have slept there after what had happened. Standing in the bay window, she selected her portal and transported to the cottage.

 

When she awoke mid-morning, her nostrils were filled with the smell of fresh coffee. Charlotte stood by the stove in the cottage and, seeing SJ stir, poured her a mug and brought it over.

“Here you go,” Charlotte said, smiling.

SJ had explained to Charlotte and Brian what had happened last night, and they had both been shocked, swearing they would hunt the would-be assassin down. SJ eventually calmed them both and, feeling exhausted, excused herself, collapsing on the bed and falling asleep instantly.

“Did you make the coffee deliberately,” SJ said sitting up smiling and taking the mug form Charlotte.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Charlotte smiled.

“It worked,” SJ said, sipping the steaming mug. The hard bitterness soothed her already overactive mind. The instant she woke up, thoughts of last night flooded her head.

“Yesterday. We need to focus on you levelling. If there is another attempt on your life you may not survive next time,” Dave said.

‘I know,’ SJ thought. “I am going to drink this, then do my morning exercises,” SJ said to Charlotte.

“That sounds like a plan. Do you need anything from me?”

“Actually, now you mention it.” SJ was mulling over an idea. “I think what I will do for the foreseeable future is transport here daily to sleep. I can go back after eight hours, and I should be able to get into a routine of completing my training and, even once the extension is finished, working on my profession. I want to make one of the new rooms into a tailor’s workspace. I would also like to get some training dummies built if possible?”

“I don’t see a problem with any of that. It will be nice to have female company here more often. The boys are great, but sometimes,” Charlotte sighed.

SJ chuckled at her comment. Climbing from the bed, she placed the mug on the side next to the coffee pot and walked outside into the front yard. Looking around, she decided that if she was going to train, an area at the rear would be best. Moving around the side of the cottage, she found Brian tending to the newly dug-out vegetable patch.

“Morning Brian. Can I ask you a favour?” SJ asked.

“Morning SJ, and of course. What do you need?”

SJ continued walking around the cottage’s rear and started planning a training ring and where she would like training dummies positioned. She even discussed having some archery targets set up, mentioning her plans to bring Cristy here at some point.

“Charlotte will like that idea,” Brian said. “I am sure she would enjoy training her.”

The remaining time at the cottage passed quickly, and as her display showed it was 12:00, she decided she better return to Killic. This would mean that the earliest she could return was 20:00 that evening, and she wanted to try to get the cooldown timer aligned as soon as she could. SJ considered what she was deciding to do to be no different from commuting to and from work.

Leaving her friends behind, she returned to an empty cottage. No guards were there, nor were Terence, Floretta, or Darren. She had made her way to the barracks and then had to go through the process of being interviewed again, this time with a scribe present, taking notes of everything she said. The news of the attack had travelled the town in her short absence, and she had to spend a substantial time calming Zigferd down, who wished to tear the town apart looking for her attacker.

Alice was improving but still very weak from the poisoning. SJ learned that Darren was staying with her at her property on the island while she recuperated. SJ could read the look of disgust on Zigferd’s face when he told her. Having explained her plans to Zigferd, the news of her had taken aback him having a soul stone at the cottage or a portal to use. Zigferd was happy with her plans, and although the skeletons didn’t sleep, neither Floretta nor Terence were high enough to combat a level 19.

SJ now had one priority.

Level.

 

 

“Okay. That’s that finished,” SJ said, wiping the goo from the spider on her dress, knowing it would clean.

 

Quest - A Tangled Web – Completed

You have cleared the spider infestation at the caves northeast of town.

Reward: 200xp (+100% bonus) 400xp awarded.

 

“What’s next?” SJ asked.

“Closest is the Cellar Dwellers. At Mrs Westerby’s,” Dave said.

“Okay. Let’s get going then,” SJ said, shifting to her miniature form and taking off.

“Two more quests, and you should reach level 15,” Dave said excitedly.

Since the attack at the cottage, things had begun to change. SJ had spent the past month questing full-time. Zigferd had given her leave from any council responsibility to allow her to focus on her growth. They had no reason to rush into solving the issue with Bellakiy, as it had existed for months before SJ was offered the quest. SJ had been spending every night at Farleck cottage and only using the cottage in town through the daytime. Since Terence had returned to Farleck, the extension was almost complete, and SJ had created a tailoring room where she would work for at least an hour a night before turning in once she returned there each day. This had been helping her immeasurably, and she had increased to tailoring level 6, completing the initial clothing quest. Her next task had been to create a rare set of trousers, which she had been struggling with.

SJ eventually admitted to Zigferd that she had spoken to Niweq, and he had not been pleased. He had made her swear she wouldn’t go anywhere near the place again without speaking to him first.

The Auction House’s main building was completed, Terence had done an amazing job with the carpentry before returning to Farleck cottage. He had promised to come back and visit Floretta. They had been getting on so well together. The walls of the adjoining warehouse were currently being finished, with only the final section left to go up and then the roof to be built. Nexis had spoken to the magistrate again and the transference network was to be configured within the week. Nexis could have set it up but, for obvious reasons, didn’t, asking the magistrate to send one of his nearest mages to configure it.

Nexis continued to be the town’s star, and the tailor shop had never been so busy with the number of clients. He had even mentioned to SJ that he should have run a shop properly before, as Nexis, because he was already aware of several new followers because of his work.

After the repairs were completed, the Inn was fully operational. Fhyliss had arranged a grand reopening, which had been the only night SJ had stayed in Killic since the attack. Nothing had happened back at the cottage, and when she moved around the town in the daytime, there were always beings around, and Dave was on permanent overwatch, which always comforted SJ.

The wyvern had revisited once in the past month, attacking the livestock in the field. An unfortunate cow had been seen being carried off back into the forests, mooing loudly. The guards and town had immediately reacted to the mage’s announcement, meaning everyone had cleared the streets apart from the guards and hunters who were present. They had attempted to shoot at the wyvern, but it had not come close enough. It had been enlightening for the town to know their training and hard work had been paying off. Their drills had been so slick. The town was not letting its guard down, though, and everyone had remained vigilant.

The mine was operational, and SJ still hadn’t been down to visit it yet. She had meant to go weeks ago, but with everything that had happened, she had left it in the capable hands of others. She spoke to Shelly regularly when she saw her and had been getting updates first-hand. They were currently finishing building the smelter on the ridge above, back from the edge itself. Nevik had been overseeing its build, and it should be operational in time for the completion of the Auction House, meaning that they could start getting Mithril sales as soon as possible.

“Where is Mrs Westerby’s?” SJ asked.

“Fourth street, southern edge, fifth house on the left,” Dave replied.

Dave had turned into her chief navigator and quest controller as she moved from one to the next, completing as many daily as she could. The experience needs had increased dramatically with each level, giving SJ an appreciation for why it had taken Darren so long to level.

“I think Darren is back today,” SJ said.

“Yeah. He should be.”

“I wonder how he got on?”

“I am sure we will find out soon enough.”

Darren had travelled with Alice to Asterfal. After her recovery, Zigferd decided that there was no point in SJ going to see if she could set a quest when Alice was because of meet with the council soon. Alice was going to discuss the new tax levies that Asterfal was trying to implement and would try to set up the quest at the same time. Zigferd ordered Darren not to leave the wagon, as he didn’t need any problems while there if Master Fretun discovered he had returned.

“Which quest is this one?” SJ asked as she flew across town. Her green dot had become a frequent expectation by many, and several often waved to her as she flew overhead.

“Cellar Dwellers. The description is a little vague, but I would guess it is a rat infestation to clear,” Dave said.

“Urrgh. Spiders to rats. But they all add up,” SJ finished, trying to be cheery. Many of the quests had begun to repeat, even if not directly but at least the basis of them. She had initially started picking up what she could do, including delivery or search quests, but soon realised that combat was the best option for her. At least they allowed her to practice her skills outside of training. Her kata had been improving dramatically with her daily routine and punishing quest schedule, and she had recently reached level 7. Her identification skill had also been getting its use and was now at level 8. The biggest bonus since the quest focus had been her developed combat skills. She was now adept at triggering all her skills as and when she could via their cooldowns. It had been what she should have done a long time ago.

“Here we are,” Dave said.

SJ flew down to the house and grew before knocking on the front door. The house was one of the larger ones on the street.

A kindly-looking ratkin opened the front door. “Councillor. What may I do for you?” Mrs Westerby said.

“Mrs Westerby? Please call me SJ, and I am here to complete the quest I accepted.”

“Oh. Please call me Silti. I had no idea it was you. Please come in,” Silti said.

“Thank you. What seems to be the problem?” SJ asked as she entered the hallway.

“There is something in the cellar. I don’t know what, but my Hawey won’t go near it.”

“Hawey?”

“My cat.”

The fact SJ was talking to a ratkin who owned a pet cat didn’t go amiss, and she smiled.

“I see. Well, hopefully, I can resolve the problem.”

“I never go down there personally. It was Goji’s workroom before he passed away.”

“Oh. I am sorry to hear.”

“Oh no, dear. No need to say that. Goji passed twelve seasons ago now. Silly old fool he was. Here, let me show you where it is.”

SJ followed Silti into a large kitchen area with a heavily bolted door. “It’s secured well?” SJ asked.

“Yes. It always was, and as I say, I never go down there. Hawey was going down weekly as a treat to clear the rats, but he won’t go anywhere near it now.”

Listening to a ratkin mention a cat being let into a cellar to clear rats was one of the most bizarre statements SJ had heard since arriving in Amathera. SJ watched a large tabby cat, walk into the kitchen, weaving around Silti’s legs and purring. Silti walked to the door and began pulling back the various bolts. Hawey hissed as soon as she did, and his heckles rose.

SJ frowned at the cat’s reaction as Silti turned a key and opened the door. The smell of musty, stale air wafted from the entrance, and SJ stepped forward. “Okay. I will go and see what the problem is,” SJ said as she stepped through the door.

The light from the kitchen only shone so far into the cellar’s darkness, so SJ removed a torch from her inventory and began to light it, striking the flint and steel. She heard a sound as though someone was scrapping nails on a blackboard. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. ‘What was that?’ she thought.

“I can’t see anything yet,” Dave replied.


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