As Geth and the others prepared to leave the clearing, Hulk showed up with news of victory and a small ambush waiting outside the Orc Dungeon.

They had lost one man during the ambush but had managed to glean some information from their attackers. It was another set of soldiers under this Enslavement user.

'Looks like we'll have some enemies after this.'

Hulk's group hadn't been as efficient as Geth and his party. Two of the enemy had escaped.

Geth glanced around the group standing before him and then at the bundle of furs they'd laid on the ground. He felt some regret that one of the men had died.

'If only it had happened nearby.'

He shook his head. There was nothing that could be done about it now.

"Does this man have any family?

"

The man who had volunteered for the position of training newcomers in hand-to-hand combat stepped forward. Geth still hadn't learned his name.

"He was a friend of mine. His wife died long before we'd come to this world. He had no kids or family to speak of.

"

Geth nodded,

"Kane, would you be able to carry this man's body? I would like to give him a proper burial in the city.

"

Kane simply nodded his head and lay on the ground near where the body was wrapped. Two men loaded the corpse onto his back and strapped ropes around his belly.

The she-wolf watched with interest. Their connection still hadn't faded, and Geth could sense a bit of admiration toward his Tame.

He looked around at everyone in the area. There were now thirty Direwolves and nineteen Humans standing around him.

The bodies of the soldiers had all been stripped bare. Surprisingly, there were some fine pieces of equipment between the leader of this group and the group that Hulk fought.

"Alright, everyone. Let's go home.

"

Geth used Mass Invocation, surrounding everyone in the area. The wolves were surprised as the Formation of light appeared beneath them.

The group's Agility increased by 459 while their Wisdom increased by 243. The spell's effects were constantly growing.

With an average running speed of around 90 miles per hour and a sprinting speed of well over 120, what should have been a two-day trip was shortened significantly.

What would have taken them almost two days on foot as normal humans, they ran in two and a half hours, even through the trees of the forest. One hundred forty miles passed in a blur.

Geth felt a sense of relief as he saw the city's northern gates come into view. He'd long since informed Larz of their impending arrival.

The elven hologram was smiling at them in front of the entrance. There were almost fifty people there, anticipating the arrival of their friends and loved ones.

It hadn't seemed like long, but Geth realized that a little over a week had passed since their departure. He hadn't been in contact with Larz, so these families had been waiting anxiously for news of their family member's well-being.

All three of his children rushed toward him before he could make it to the gate. Jen also jogged forward with the baby, meeting with Geth, Zolis, and Filthy.

Filthy took the baby into his arms and began tossing her into the air playfully while Geth and Zolis hugged the other children. Many of the teachers and a few of the students rushed forward to question Jack, Rift, Sindri, and Peter about the experience.

"Alright, alright, that's enough. Geth turned toward Kane and motioned for him to follow.

"

The crowd parted as he proceeded forward, and they all filed in behind him. The MMA guy, whose name he found to be Tito, walked next to him and the wolf.

He'd already explained the situation to a few of their friends, and they followed closely behind. It wasn't long before they came to the almost unoccupied housing area that once belonged to the Graveyard Dungeon.

The mausoleum-like homes loomed depressingly over the Graveyard in the center. According to Larz, this place worked similarly to the Graveyard in the old Dungeon.

Upon burying a body, the Mana would be stored and used to power the city's Formations and defenses. This was amongst many other sources of energy that had once sustained every Dungeon in the region.

Geth chose a spot between two of the mausoleums, one of which Tito regularly stayed in. He used State Change to dig a deep hole in the ground, allowing Tito and one of their other friends to place the body.

Each of them said a few words, along with each of the man's party members. Once they had finished, Geth buried the body, entombing it in hardened earth that wouldn't be disturbed.

It was kind of pointless, but it was the closest thing he could make to a casket on such short notice. No matter what, the body would disperse into Mana to further fuel the world and their environment.

Well... everyone might not be aware of that now, but he intended for it to become common knowledge once he opened up a learning facility.

Not only children, he even intended to make the adults in his community enroll in these schools. Knowledge was power, and without it, they were nothing better than the Goblins roaming the woods outside.

After the burial, Geth headed to the Tower along with a few who decided to follow along. His children, Jen, Filthy, amongst a few others he'd been with for a long time.

Zolis and Sindri walked beside him, with Larz just slightly in the lead. Larz had already informed them that over twenty more cities had cropped up around the globe in the time they had been gone.

Out of those cities, one had already opened their Tower, Valhalla would be the second.

Geth wasn't surprised. He had spent a lot of time dealing with that Skeleton Dungeon before, along with recruiting the students of his old school.

Larz led him up the steps and to the door of the Tower. Geth pulled out three Dungeon Crystals, handing one to each Sindri and Zolis.

The three of them reached forward, placing each gem in its appropriate slot. A Formation lit on the ground around them, spreading to the entire city as more residential areas appeared and the wall expanded.

Then, after two long months, the doors to the Tower opened.

******

--End, Phase 1: Growth--