June 1898 was another busy month.

The numbers warned of continued coming to New Midian.

[Alert! Intruder is not recognised as Challenger.]

Another treasure hunter. I was worried that people would start to track the growing number of disappearances in the area. In this time. A couple could be easily explained away, but the increasing number being claimed by New Midian could not be explained away forever.

A middle-aged man was walking through the graveyard. McGregor was stalking him right now and expected the attack any moment. He was carrying a large backpack with both hands firmly gripping the shotgun.

I was going to have to do something about these rumours about wealth within my Dungeon. I was close to, but I might have to reach out to Senior Ahmed to see if the Way of Athamos could help suppress these rumours.

I looked up at the sky, noting the increased cloud cover. The wind was coming from the West, and I looked to the mountains. I could see the rain clouds in the distance. Another storm was heading this way, but it was still a few hours away, I believed.

I hoped it wasn't another full-blown thunderstorm.

Turning my attention back to the intruder. McGregor was closing in on him. The intruder was unaware of his approach from behind. McGregor had his blade out and was approaching from a low position.

Once he was close enough, he slashed out, cutting the intruder across the back of his knees. The intruder screamed in pain as he collapsed, his knees no longer holding him up. He fell forward onto his face, pinning his rifle under his torso.

McGregor jumped onto the intruder's back to further press him down with his weight. The intruder was struggling to get up but was currently unable to move. McGregor reached into a satchel he had on his side that he had not noticed before and pulled out some rope. The man below continued the struggle, and he hit him across the temple with the back of his blade, stunning him.

McGregor looked around at the neighbouring gravestones, evidently planning something. I didn't know what at the moment, but I decided to wait and see. He grabbed the dazed man, hauling him up by the backpack, and dragged him to one of the stones nearby. He pulled his arms up and bound him to the gravestone with the rope.

By the time the man recovered his senses, it was too late; he was now trapped. He started struggling to free himself, but the rope was strong and not well tied. McGregor stood above him now, leering with that sadistic smile of his, enjoying his praise, increasing panic, and fear.

He started to cut away at the intruder's clothing. As he began to tell him what he was going to do, I realised I no longer wanted to be around.

I moved away, heading back towards the church. I knew that McGregor would clean up after he was finished and take care of the horse that was grazing outside the gates. That reminded me of something I need to do in the courtyard, so I turned and headed in the opposite direction.

It didn't take long for me to get there, and I began looking around for a better place to use as a storage area. Herbert delivered things to me, and I realised that I needed the equivalent of a mail drop-off and collection point. This would allow him to nip in, drop off what was required, and pick up anything that I left for him without triggering the Dungeon.

I knew Blackstone could build me anything I needed, and I began to think about where the best location would be. My criteria were simple. First, it needed to be of a decent size, neither too small nor too large. Second, it needed to be hidden from sight, located only where Herbert would know where to find it. A lot will probably be a good idea as well.

I picked out several possible locations and, as I looked around, noticed that Herbert and Joshua were approaching. I found that, as odd as it was, it was not the standard time for a drop-off.

They were walking, and Herbert looked at the horse grazing outside the gates, a frown on his face. I summoned my avatar to just within the courtyard, and Joshua nudged his father's arm, alerting him to my presence.

"Herbert. Joshua. What brings you here?"

I greeted them and got straight to the point.

"Keeper, I've been hearing rumours about people coming to the area looking for a hidden treasure. From what they've been asking the locals around Crossway, it's clear that they are looking for the location of New Midian." He shifted slightly, wondering what my reaction would be.

Before I could reply, a sound of a man screaming carried on the wind in the distance. Both father and son pale slightly as they hear the slow death of the intruder.

"Unfortunately, I am aware of the rumours myself. I am doing my best to counter them. If anyone comes asking, tell them that it's a local legend, a rumour that there is no evidence that any such treasure exists."

The screaming was getting worse. Joshua was speaking past me into the graveyard, his eyes wide and his face now deathly pale.

"Curiosity killed the cat, young Joshua. Some things are best left unasked or unknown."

He jumped up my words as he realised I knew what he was trying to do. His father didn't say anything and seemed as unsettled as his son.

"Best be on your way back home. Take the horse with you. Its rider no longer requires it."

As I emphasised my words, the screaming went up a notch. Herbert quickly nodded, understanding what I was telling him, and he grabbed his son; the pair then recovered the horse and made to leave soon.

"Before you go search the saddlebags, leave any alcohol or tobacco here."

I always forgot that my Hunters would be disappointed if they didn't get access to any that were available. There was a good chance the intruder was carrying his supplies, but you never knew for sure.

They didn't find anything and quickly departed. I returned to considering a possible drop-off location, narrowing it down to two potential places. I would need to discuss this with Blackstone and get his input on my thoughts. I knew he would build it, but then he might come up with a better idea.

The screaming continues, and then suddenly cuts out.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

It seemed that McGregor had finished with his entertainment and finished off the intruder. Or he had died from his wounds, which I realise was probably more realistic.

I returned to where McGregor had been working on the intruder. He was still bound to the gravestone, but his body had been stripped of clothing from the waist up. McGregor had spent time carving in spirals and symbols into his flesh, and the area was saturated in blood. When I got there, McGregor was untying the man. His backpack was lying off to the side unopened, but I knew that would change soon.

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Some distant part of me was still disturbed by what I was looking at, and I took that as a good sign that my humanity had been totally eroded over the decades. Even for my Hunters, this was quite a display of sadism. McGregor, I suspect, knew I was around, but he continued to work, knowing what he was required to do. I left him to get on with it.

The month continued, and it wasn't long until I was watching the next pair of intruders being taken down by Roberson. A young man and an older man travelled into the Dungeon. They look similar or possibly related, but they fell quickly to a blitz attack. The older died first, with the younger panicking, giving Roberson the time he needed to move in and kill him too.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

He claimed both bodies instead of burying them. This still meant that I had to use [Hide the Crime!] To clear up the bloodstains. Some money was recovered, but they were treasure hunters seeking instant wealth.

A few days later, a Challenger then appeared, which was a welcome change of pace. At first, I thought it was a slight man, but as she approached the gates, I realised it was a woman dressed in men's clothing. This was quite surprising, as I rarely had women come as Challengers. Truthfully, she was the second real Challenger to test themselves against my Dungeon.

She entered and headed north as the sun was setting behind the mountains. She moved lower and began a brisk, steady jog, not wanting to be out in the open for long. This, ironically, had her bypass the first Hunter, Blackstone. He was moving to the hunting ground when she quickly passed through it. Unfortunately, that takes her straight into the Hateful Spirits.

Unfortunately, this woman was not ready to face such a being. She spotted the Spirit about the same time she was seen in turn. She stopped momentarily, confused by what she was looking at, and that ultimately cost her life. The scream of hatred tore across the graveyard, followed by screaming in terror.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

Rigger drew the short straw and was forced to clean up the mess. I was with them the whole time and made sure the Spirit did not interfere with him.

I wondered what else the month would throw at me.

July arrived, bringing June to an end. Summer was in full bloom, and after the Challenger, things went quiet for a short time.

I have spoken to Blackstone about the drop-off box, and he is looking at providing a design within a few days. I told them that he was not in a rush to build it and that he could take his time.

Many other Hunters were out and about collecting firewood or hunting local wildlife. I have also asked them to pay attention to the path and the clearing before the gates, as the regional vegetation is once again trying to reclaim them. So far, it was a typical July with nothing out of the ordinary.

On 4 July, a fireworks display took place in the late evening, after the sun had gone down. The town of Crossway had been celebrating the holiday more as the years passed. A few years ago, fireworks began to be used, and this year was the largest concentration yet.

From a distance, I watched them explode in the sky. I enjoyed the show as it was a welcome break from the usual routine of managing New Midian. The papers I was being supplied had little in the way of stories that attracted my attention. Tensions remained high in the Pacific and Europe following the land grab in the Philippines. It appears that tensions are starting to subside on the islands, with the territories now equally divided between the German and Japanese empires.

It was about halfway through the month when I noticed a rider approaching the gates. I shifted down to get a better look at the rider, recognising her straight away. It seemed that Eleanor from the Daughters of Medusa had come back to visit me.

She was dressed differently from the last time I had seen her; gone was the elaborate dress. She was now dressed more like a man, wearing a hat on her head and a heavy, long coat that covered most of her body. Her hair had been tied into two long braided pigtails as she rode a horse with confidence.

She dismounted and tied up a horse, giving it enough room to graze.

As she approached the gates, the tension in her shoulders was evident, but she walked with purpose. I respected her commitment, knowing that many would run far away and not look back if they realised what I was. I wondered what the rest of her sisterhood thought about what you discovered here. Then I wondered if she had even told them? Now that was an interesting question.

I stopped pondering possibilities when she stopped for the gates. I watched as she licked her lips nervously as she prepared herself. Watching her, I came to wonder again what those who encountered me honestly thought of me.

"Keeper of New Midian, I, Eleanor, a Daughter of Medusa, seek to speak with you." She called out into the courtyard, and her voice carried. She called out without fear or hesitation.

I responded by bringing my avatar into being before her. Not directly, but a safe distance away, indicating that I was not seeking violence. I caught the faint look of fear before it was hidden.

"Well, I half expected you not to return."

"My sisters wish to treat with you." She was entering a prepared speech. "We offer you much…"

I held up my hand, stopping her before she got started.

"Eleanor, Daughter of Medusa. Stop and tell me what you are here for. Speak plainly and I will consider your words."

She hid her emotions well. But I knew this was not part of the script she had been prepared for. I suspected she was expecting a long, complicated dance of offers and possibly veiled threats. In contrast, she was in for a surprise with me.

"My sisters seek knowledge and power." She eventually said after a few moments of silence.

"Elaborate."

"We have discovered that you have been truthful about your dealings with the Way of Athamos. We seek to redress the imbalance that has been created. We offer to match their price in return for what you have shared with them."

I was not unsurprised by this. From what I read, two of her organisations were just as power hungry in many ways as the Way. The only difference was that they were more subtle in their application of power, preferring to act through proxies rather than bringing in new members already in power.

I spent some time thinking about this and other possible offers that they would have approached me with, and I had already made my decision. I needed to establish a second line of influence in the world. I could rely on the Way, as one bad event could destroy everything I was working for. Logic dictated that I bring both parties in and have them working against each other.

"No."

My flat refusal broke the mask she was using to hide her thoughts and emotions. I caught the look of fear and confusion before she had it again.

"May this humble one ask why?" She again adopted the body language of someone respectfully asking someone more powerful than her to enlighten her.

I had to admit she was far better than Senior Ahmed in this.

"What you are asking of me would violate my rules. But fear not, I will share with you other things and knowledge if we can agree on a price."

At first, her face dropped slightly, but she became far more intrigued with the second part of my offer.

"What price do you seek, Keeper?" I can hear the hesitance in her voice. I couldn't blame her.

"That depends on what you're seeking. The more you ask for, the higher the price shall be. That is both my promise and my warning to you. I don't expect you to answer. Go back to your sisters and seek their counsel."

She seemed hesitant for a moment, but then realised I was offering her a way out without making any promises or commitments. Again, I spotted the flash of confusion, suspecting that this was not the way things were handled with supernatural forces.

She bid her farewell, and some departed.

I now had to decide what to tell them if they agreed to the deal. I had sent the Way of Athamos into oil. That would be the fuel of the next century, at least, and was one of the easiest technologies to point them to. That now left the question of what I would do with the Daughters of Medusa.

I was admiring the dropbox that Blackstone had built. It was tucked away, and I had supplied one of the keys made for it to Herbert. It was tucked away in a sheltered location and was not easily discovered unless you were doing an active search of the area.

This meant that I was at the gates when a group of four riders approached from the road. I looked them over and sighed mentally as I realised that they were more treasure hunters.

I reached out to my Hunters, informing them of the intruders before the system did.

It was early in the morning, 8 o'clock at the latest. These riders must have set off early from Crossway or camped nearby to arrive so early. It was a clear and sunny morning. There was very little in the way of clouds in the sky, and I knew that Rigger would not be in play for this event. That also applies to the Hateful Spirit.

Harrington currently had a northern hunting ground, while Rodriguez had one in the south. It looked like I was going to be planning an ambush further into the graveyard with the five Hunters I had available.

That changed when I received a message from both Harrington and Rodriguez. Both requested that they be allowed to take a run at the intruders together.

"Well, that's new."

I agreed, but told Blackstone to cover the gates just in case we had runners.

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