Chapter 13 - Resources

Underneath the pile of ash, concealed like a treasure awaiting discovery in a pirate film, rested a weathered wooden chest. Emilee approached the chest cautiously, lowering herself to her haunches, and gingerly opened it. To her relief, the chest opened without incident, defying Trev's half-hearted expectation of a trap. Together, they peered into the chest, revealing an assortment of objects resting on a shallow shelf.

Atop the shelf laid two gleaming silver coins which caught Trev's eye with their metallic lustre. Next to them were three shimmering crystals which, much to Trev's surprise, were not all blue. Alongside the expected blue crystal, there was a vivid red one and a radiant yellow one. Additionally, three tokens were present, each bearing the molecular representation for water, and three others adorned with the image of a drumstick—an unexpected portrayal of food. Emilee carefully removed all the items, setting them down on the concrete floor. As she did so, the shelf crumbled into ash, revealing a second chamber.

Below the shelf three distinct items awaited their attention. A blade that resembled the formidable arm scythes of the mantis, but equipped with a sturdy handle. A set of dark green gloves that were made out of what looked like to be the hide of the mantis. Lastly a ring, which shone with a glimmering blue sapphire. Emilee again carefully removed all the items, laying them out on the concrete floor. The chest then turned to ash, and as if a sharp wind had come through, the ash dispersed, leaving just them and the items.

Elena's eyes glistened at the sight of the blade. It was roughly six inches long, made of what looked to be steel, with a dark green handle that appeared sturdier than the mantis' hide. Elena, ever ready to confront danger head-on, frequently lamented the absence of her knives, making the blade a fitting choice for her. Next to her, Emilee keenly eyed off the ring, and Trev had no objection to her choice, which left him with the gloves. If he had to choose, he probably would have picked them anyway, as they looked pretty badass.

"I think Elena should have the blade, Emilee the ring and I'll take the gloves. Do we all agree?" Trev proposed.

"Yes!" Elena snapped before Trev had even finished the sentence.

"I am happy with that," Emilee replied, her smile confirming her satisfaction.

They each claimed their respective treasures, and their focus then shifted to the remaining items. As Trev attempted to slip on his gloves, they stubbornly resisted his efforts. His watch emitted an error sound, displaying an information icon that demanded attention. Pressing the icon, text appeared before him with the message:

[[Mantis Gloves] require a different resource group. Please switch to the Energy bar.]

Trev clapped twice to dismiss the text. It seemed Elena was having the same issue with the blade. Whilst Emilee was happily able to put on the ring.

'What the fuck! Let me pick it up!" Elena seethed with rage.

"Won't let me put the gloves on either," he noted. "Something about the wrong resource group."

What did it mean by resource group? Then Trev saw it, small faint letters on his watch and a small arrow that pointed at an "M". He twisted his watch face to the next letter along, an "F", which caused his watch to light up red. Surprised at this change he twisted the watch face again to the "E", where it lit up yellow. Assuming "E" as an abbreviation for energy, Trev made another attempt to don the gloves, this time successfully. This time they allowed him to put them on. Elena, keenly observing this interaction, mirrored the action, twisting her watch to "F" and rejoicing as she effortlessly lifted the blade. Instantly, the purpose of the three different-coloured crystals became clear.

Acting without consultation, Trev selected the yellow crystal and inserted it into his watch, watching it amalgamate into the face. To his astonishment, a yellow bar materialised above his head, labelled "Energy." Elena swiftly followed suit, inserting the red crystal and witnessing a corresponding red bar emerge above her, labelled "Force."

"Wow, It seems we can only use items from our respective resource groups," marvelled Trev.

"It appears so," Elena shrugged. "I guess if we each take a group, it takes the argument out of loot."

She was right—contentious loot disputes were a common plague in MMOs, often resulting in heated conflicts. This newfound clarity simplified their lives. Trev picked up the blue crystal and handed it to Emilee, who pushed it into her watch, replenishing her mana. Emilee's face changed as her gaze fixed upon the ring, her eyes focused on something intangible. She raised her arm and aimed it at a nearby wall, baffling Trev and Elena, who observed in silent anticipation. Without warning, she tapped her finger against her palm, which unleashed a small ice ball that collided with the wall. She shrieked and ripped off the ring, throwing it on the ground.

"What is this wizardry!" she exclaimed, a mixture of awe and fear in her voice.

Trev glanced at her mana bar, noticing a deduction that indicated she had indeed cast the spell using her own mana.

"It was you silly, you used your mana to cast a spell," Trev smiled, whilst Elena snickered in the background.

"I did that?" Asked Emilee.

Trev nodded, acknowledging her question.

Emilee retrieved the ring, slipping it back onto her finger, and conjured another ice ball. This time, she beamed with delight, realising she possessed control over the ring's magical abilities.

"Amazing!" she exclaimed, embracing her newfound skill.

With their attention now drawn to the remaining tokens—three of each kind—they divided them amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Trev claimed the silver coins, aware that he had the capacity to carry them in his bag. Thus, the process of looting had concluded. The next point of call was the mysterious box that had produced the mantis. Approaching it, they noticed that it now emitted a pulsating green light from its top. Without hesitation Elena again touched the box with her palm, causing the green flash to solidify, quickly forming a transparent barrier that engulfed half of the park. As the barrier completed, a timer appeared on the box, commencing a countdown from twelve hours. Was this a temporary resting spot?

Behind them, the two refrigerator-shaped boxes underwent a transformation, morphing into what could only be described as alien vending machines. This explained why the machines had previously felt cold to the touch. One machine boasted an array of large water bottles, while the other presented an assortment of lunch boxes containing tantalising meals, ranging from Japanese curry to classic burgers and chips. Each vending machine featured an image corresponding to the tokens they had acquired—a drumstick for the food and the water token for the drinks.

"Ooooh, that looks delicious," Emilee drooled, peering through the vending machine's window.

She retrieved her token, inserting it into the designated slot. In response, the machine sprang to life, allowing her to select an appetiser, main course, and dessert, all expertly packed for transport and maintained at optimal temperature. Seeing this Trev and Elena sprang into action, procuring their own sumptuous feasts and large bottles of water within minutes. A feast followed.