The next morning, as Robert was enjoying a tranquil moment with his morning coffee the quietude of his home was abruptly shattered by a firm knock at the door. With a curious mix of anticipation and apprehension, Robert opened the door to find two familiar faces. "Good morning, Detective Ramirez," Robert greeted the officers, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "What brings you out this fine day?" Detective Ramirez returned the greeting. "Mr. Williams, it''s good to see you again. I hope you don''t mind, but I have a few more questions about the gold you recently sold. I believe it would be best to discuss this matter further at the station." Robert''s brow furrowed as he contemplated the detective''s request. "I''m not quite sure I understand," Robert stated, "What exactly do you want to know?" Detective Ramirez, sensing Robert''s unease, maintained a professional demeanor. "I assure you, Mr. Williams, this is merely a routine inquiry. However, given the nature of the gold in question, it''s imperative that we have a more detailed conversation. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated." The detective''s insistence was clear, leaving Robert with little choice but to comply, "If you insist, give me a moment to let my wife know."
"Sara, could you come here for a moment, please?" Robert called out, his voice tinged with a hint of urgency. A moment later, Sara appeared in the doorway, her expression curious. "Yes, Robert?" she inquired, her gaze shifting to the two men standing behind her husband. "It seems these fine officers," Robert began, his tone laced with sarcasm, "can''t quite grasp the concept of leaving law-abiding citizens alone. They''re determined to waste their time with pointless questioning." He pulled out a business card and handed it to Sara. "Give Frank a call and let him know I''ve been ''invited'' to the station. He''ll handle this." Sara''s concern was evident as she took the card. "Are you sure everything will be alright?" she asked, her voice filled with worry. Robert offered a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry, honey. Frank will take care of it. I just hope these detectives have a solid backup plan for their post-law enforcement careers." With a quick kiss, he turned to the officers. "Alright, gentlemen, let''s get this show on the road. It''s time to start the countdown to your retirement."
After nearly an hour, Robert sat impatiently in the sterile interview room, his patience waning. He was on the verge of leaving when the door swung open, revealing two familiar faces and a young woman. "Mr. Williams, this is Assistant District Attorney Catherine Van Derlyn. Thank you for agreeing to answer our questions," the detective announced. Robert let out a dry laugh. "Agreed, is that what you told the ADA, miss? I didn’t agree; I was told to be here." The ADA exchanged a glance with the detectives. "Sir, firstly, you are not obligated to be here. Secondly, you are not under arrest. However, I understand you called your attorney. Would you like to wait for him to arrive?" A moment of confusion flashed across Robert''s face, followed by a knowing smile. "Oh, I apologize. Frank isn''t my attorney. The number I gave my wife was for the White House switchboard. Frank is Frank Davenport, a wonderful man. I had dinner with him and Victoria a few nights ago when I was in D.C." A heavy silence fell over the room. Detective Ramirez, visibly shaken, finally broke the silence. "Wait, are you telling us you know the Secretary of State?" Robert simply smiled. "I know several people in the White House."
After a brief pause, ADA Derlyn began, "Mr. Williams, we understand your concern. However, in recent months, you''ve sold approximately half a million dollars worth of gold with unknown markings and an unidentified source. This has raised some red flags." Robert, unfazed, replied, "So, is it now illegal to sell one''s own property?" The ADA quickly responded, "Of course not. But we need to verify the legitimacy of the gold''s origin." Detective Ramirez, eager to contribute, interjected, "Is it drugs or terrorism? How else could you have acquired that much gold?" Robert, visibly confused, asked, "Excuse me?" Detective Ramirez persisted, "The only explanation is either a drug deal or a terrorist plot. Which is it?" Robert stood up abruptly. "I believe we''re done here." ADA Derlyn attempted to salvage the situation. "Sir, we''re going to need you to stay. We''re in the process of obtaining a warrant to search your home and review your financial records." Robert, visibly angry, retorted, "So, I''m under arrest? You lied about that." ADA Derlyn quickly clarified, "No, sir. You''re not under arrest, but you are detained." Before she could continue, the door burst open, revealing a furious Chief of Police.
"Mr. Williams," Chief Lawson began, his voice a mixture of frustration and apology, "on behalf of the department, I want to apologize for the egregious misunderstanding caused by two of my officers. Please believe me when I say a thorough investigation into their actions is underway." ADA Derlyn, visibly perplexed, interjected, "Sir, I don''t understand." Chief Lawson''s voice grew sharper. "Well, let me enlighten you. I just spent the last five minutes being chewed out by your boss, who was, in turn, chewed out by the Attorney General of the United States. Do you three have any idea what kind of mess you''ve created?" Detective Ramirez, still bewildered, blurted out, "Sir, why is the AG involved?" "I don''t know, and frankly, I don''t care," Chief Lawson retorted. "All I know is there''s a squad of FBI agents waiting outside to escort Mr. Williams home. You three are to stay as far away from this as possible. Is that understood? Now, all of you, get out. And you two, detectives, I''ll see you in my office when I''m done." Turning to Robert, the Chief offered a sincere apology. "Please accept my apologies, Mr. Williams. You''re free to go. The agents outside will take you home." As Robert left the station, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief. A simple misunderstanding had escalated into a major incident, involving high-ranking officials and federal agents.
When Robert arrived home, Sara was waiting for him, worry etched on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, rushing to embrace him. "I''m fine," Robert reassured her. "So, did Frank help out?" Sara chuckled. "It took a bit to get through to someone who could confirm, but once they did and Frank took my call, things moved quickly. He mentioned walking into the President''s office and I could hear her swearing like a sailor. Apparently, she took the matter very seriously. They assured me it would be handled." Robert recounted the events at the police station, leaving Sara amused by the chaos and confusion. "Well, I hope that puts an end to that nonsense. We have more important things to worry about," she said, trying to lighten the mood. Later that afternoon, Robert received a call from the President herself. She assured him that the issue with the local police had been resolved and that he had nothing more to worry about. She also informed him that they had selected the group of people who would be receiving his training. Someone would contact him the following day to finalize the schedule. Robert thanked her for her help and expressed his eagerness to contribute.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
The following morning, Robert received a call informing him that two uniformed military personnel would be arriving to pick him up for his training session at MacDill Air Force Base. He confirmed his readiness and was told to expect them within the hour. After notifying Sara, Robert prepared for the day. As scheduled, two Airmen arrived and escorted him to MacDill. Upon arrival, he was introduced to the team he would be training: a diverse group of civilian engineers and military personnel, all with strong mathematical backgrounds. Robert decided to begin with the fundamental power system skills. He spent the rest of the day imparting his knowledge to the group. At the conclusion of the session, he agreed to return in two weeks to teach the next skill. After the training, he was driven back home. The next day, he received a call confirming the success of the training session and assuring him that the funds would be transferred to his account after the next round. Sharing the good news with Sara, Robert relaxed for the rest of the day before embarking on his next dungeon run the following morning.
The following morning Robert began his 30th dungeon run, this time he did visit the store where he found a few interesting items:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88.5417%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Item Name</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">Item Tier</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">Item Rarity</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">Item cost</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">Item Description</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Food Ration</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">1</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">common</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">2 copper</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">
A basic daily food ration.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Water Bottle</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">1</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">common</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">2 copper</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">A small bottle of daily water.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Greater Healing Potion</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">1</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">uncommon</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">25 silver</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">A healing potion that when used will heal for 250 health.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Greater Mana Potion</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">1</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">uncommon</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">50 silver</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">A healing potion that when used will heal for 150 mana.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Tier 6 Random Scroll Pack</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">6</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">Epic</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">2 token</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">This pack contains 5 random Tier 6 spells</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">Tier 3 Random Spell Book</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">3</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">Epic</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">2 Tokens</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">This book contains 25 random spells from the following spheres, summoning, soul, Darkness, Conjuration, Abjuration, Transmutation, Necromancy, Divination, Travel, and the Mind.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.381%">The Aetherium Spire</td>
<td style="width: 7.79138%; text-align: center">6</td>
<td style="width: 9.15035%; text-align: center">Legendary</td>
<td style="width: 7.0666%; text-align: center">Free</td>
<td style="width: 54.5397%">This is a set of blueprints for creating a mage tower.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"Hal, what''s the deal with these blueprints?"
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 47.0478%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">Well, they''re a reward for all your hard work in preparing your world. It''s not the most extravagant gift, but it''s a pretty nice place to call home, don''t you think?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Pulling up the blueprints Robert had to agree, the blueprints outlined a 7-story tower that included a library, lab, study, servant and student quarters, a master''s chamber, spell cast room, and others. This was a true wizard''s tower. Robert also purchased the book and the scroll pack, the pack contained the following 5 spells
Name: Scroll of Inferno''s Embrace
Tier: 6 Epic
Sphere(s): Fire
Description: This spell creates a massive fireball that engulfs an area with a diameter of 2 miles..
Charges: 1
-----
Name: Scroll of Stormcaller''s Fury
Tier: 6, Epic
Sphere(s): Air
Description: Summons a colossal tempest that can level towns.
Charges: 1
-----
Name: Scroll of Summon Celestial Host
Tier: 6, Epic
Sphere(s): Light, Summoning
Description: Calls forth a legion of powerful celestial beings to fight for the caster.
Charges: 1
-----
Name: Scroll of Portal Mastery
Tier: 6, Rare
Sphere(s): Space, Travel
Description: Opens a portal to any location known to the caster within 3000 miles.
Charges: 1
-----
Name: Scroll of Memory Manipulation
Tier: 6, Epic
Sphere(s): Mind
Description: A spell allows the caster to alter, erase, or implant memories in the minds of others.
Charges: 1
Besides the Mind spell, Robert was pleased with the spell scrolls. While he planned to keep the mind spell, the very notion of its existence filled him with a sense of awe and trepidation.
Robert left the entry chamber and entered the dungeon which appeared again to be a mine, Fighting Dark Dwarves he found several sections that contained mithril and spent some time mining the valuable ore. Completing the run earned him two new levels . The boss at the end was a Dwarf King.
Dungeon run complete. Epic chest awarded.
Chest contains:
<ul>
<li>Skillbook(Weapon Crafting)</li>
<li>50 gold coins</li>
<li>Two unlocked skill token</li>
<li>One Epic Shop Token</li>
</ul>
Items added to user inventory.
Thank you for visiting The Training Dungeon!