April 1896 arrived.

Out in the world, the first Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece. I knew this was the beginning of a new Olympic era. I was never a sports fan, so I was not interested in its results.

I found it hard to focus on anything else because I had a stream of visitors over the month.

It started with a pair of treasure hunters or grave robbers, I wasn't too sure.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

Harrington and Blackstone got the kills.

I had a brief conversation with Harrington before the start of the month over his performance with the last Challenger. He had agreed with me that he had been overconfident and promised to be more direct with his future engagements.

Yet proved that he could take criticism by using his new powers to slide up next to one of the two men while they were distracted by the appearance of Blackstone. He had run the man through with a sword from behind and allowed Blackstone to close the distance with the second while he was shocked, looking at his companions' death.

Blackstone's hammer to the skull finished the other one off.

Again, not much was gained.

I noticed that Harrington was engaging Herbert's services to have him send mail out into the world on his behalf. I inquired what he was up to, and he informed me that he was preparing for a delivery, courtesy of Herbert, of his occult book collection. It seems that he had stored it safely away in another location before travelling with the circus that ultimately led him here. He was now making arrangements to have it returned to his care.

I couldn't enquire any more at that time, as three days later another Challenger arrived.

He was a Caucasian man in his early 30s. He managed to make it past Blackstone, wounding the large Hunter in the leg, allowing him to escape deeper into the Dungeon.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

Roberson caught him not far into his hunting grounds, killing him quickly and making the body disappear. Some tobacco and alcohol were gained from this kill, which was split amongst the Hunters. I earned three silver dollars out of this, which was the first proper financial increase I've seen in several months. The rest of the money went to Herbert, of course, to continue to pay for my papers.

I now had over two and a half thousand silver dollars, which led me to wonder how many were in circulation nationwide. Part of me worried that I might be hoarding a bit too many of them. I dismissed that concern as another thing I couldn't control at the moment. If it were becoming an issue, I could return some to circulation, but I was loath to do so.

My thoughts were disrupted by the arrival of a group of four grave robbers. These were grave robbers, as the conversations indicated that they were planning to loot every single mausoleum. They quickly became disquieted when they searched several of the mausoleums and discovered that they were empty. Ironically, they had missed one of the few occupied in that area. That cheeky old bastard seemed still to have some luck even in death.

It was late in the day, and they decided to push on to the church to resume their efforts the next day. They travelled deeper into the graveyard looking for anything that they could acquire along the way. Unfortunately for them, they did. They acquired a meeting with the Hateful Spirit.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

This was the typical overkill from her. She was only one death from her next level, so the other three were wasted for her, but not for me. Blackstone was left with the unfortunate task of cleaning up the mess. For some reason, she was even more aggressive towards him than the other Hunters.

I had to use my punishment ability on her several times to keep her in line and away from him while he cleaned up the dismembered bodies. It took most of the night to find them all. I was going to have to use [Hide the Crime!] Over the next few days, clean up the blood.

The next day, I checked out her new ability.

Hunter Name

Hateful Spirit (Mary Johnstone)

Level

4

Kills

0/18

Perks

Spirit Form (Rare)

Loyalty

Hateful

Cry of the Banshee (Rare)

Seduction (Common)

Death Shriek (Common)

Talons (Common)

Dark Traits

Hateful Spirit!

"Cry of the Banshee?"

A rare perk which had replaced her claws on the list. I accessed it to find out more about this new ability she had.

Cry of the Banshee.

This marks the target, and for the next twenty-four hours, they are they are dogged by bad luck as death seeks to claim them.

"A status effect?"

That was interesting. I wondered if my other Hunters, if they ever gained access to the perk tree, could achieve similar abilities, and what they could be. Unfortunately, my daydreaming was interrupted by the arrival of another Challenger.

"What is up with this month?"

An African-American man in his early 40s came through the gates armed and ready for trouble. Unfortunately, it was found in the shape of Blackstone and proved to be not up to the task of getting past this Hunter.

[A Hunter has made a Kill.]

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The Challenger had foolishly tried to block the first blow from Blackstone's hammer. That broke his arm. The next blow shattered a kneecap, and as he screamed in pain on the floor, the third blow pulverised his skull. And that was that. I had to use [Hide the Crime!] again for the next two days.

After that, Challenger things quieten down for a few weeks. Mary arrived, and spring was in full bloom across the countryside.

On the eighth night of the month, I was walking through the graveyard. The skies were mostly clear, with a half-moon in the sky. Over the last few weeks, I had started walking in my avatar form through the Dungeon. I have been thinking about my plans, adjusting a few, and reevaluating several others.

My primary goal was to avoid being openly discovered and facing the full weight of federal authorities against me. I was no fool and knew that I would never survive such an encounter. I suspected that the federal government would, upon my discovery, lay siege to the outer walls and eventually push in using the military to overwhelm me with sheer manpower.

My Hunters would fight, and I knew that they would have the advantage of their home ground. Ai night, my Hunters would be stronger. By day, they would be fewer and weaker. The attack would most likely come during the day, as the US military had little experience fighting at night.

My purchase of the surrounding land and plans to turn it into a nature preserve would offer me some long-term protection, I hoped. I put provisions in Herbert's will that the land was not to be trespassed upon by hunters. I knew this was a bit of a fool's errand, but I hoped that my reputation with the locals would keep them away.

My next plan was with the Way of Athamos. I didn't want to work with them, but they were the only ones available at this moment. I had furnished them with a great deal of knowledge, probably more than I should have. If I manipulated and controlled them correctly, I could transform them into a multinational corporation that would serve my interests much more efficiently.

Oil was the future, and I had directed them towards it. If this world industrialises in the next 50 years like mine had, then they would be in an excellent position to profit from it and, in turn, me. I needed them to generate a significant amount of political influence, initially locally and eventually nationally, to protect my location. Money would give them that.

Another flawed plan I knew, but it was what I had, and I was running with it.

Joshua Driver was learning fast from his father. So as long as nothing untoward happened to him, I had at least some influence or ability to access the outside world. What would come of this? I didn't know what would happen in the long run, but I still had plans for them.

All things said and done, when it came to things outside of my walls, I was in as good a position as I thought I could be.

That did not mean I had not been thinking about things inside my walls.

I have been spending time thinking about every Hunter and the actual layout of everything within the walls. The maze was developing well, and I had no issues. It was performing its job, delaying many Challengers and intruders long enough for the Hunters to find them and remove them from being a concern. This, combined with the steady increase in the density of the graves and other obstructions, was making it harder for people to cut directly through to the church.

Rigger was the furthest along in what I call their development path. He was the least human of all the Hunters now. I had come to suspect what he was turning into strongly, but I had chosen not to name it. I could be wrong, and I did not want to prejudice my thoughts and opinions.

Rodriguez was not far behind. He, too, was changing, but I was not sure into what, just yet - something animalistic, that was for sure. I also had suspicions, but again chose not to voice them just yet.

Then there was the Hateful Spirit. She was beginning to represent and mirror a banshee more and more. I think she was becoming one or something very close to it. With her, I was not afraid to say what I thought, as it was in her Perks at this moment. I could be wrong, and I had to accept that, but I was willing to place money on it that I wasn't.

Thinking of McGregor next, I had no idea what was going on with him. He was becoming more reptilian, becoming what I had no idea. I had racked my mind many times over what horrors and monsters I knew of in both fiction and mythology that could come close to reflecting him. I have found anything yet.

Roberson was another enigma. I had thought just as long and hard on him, but again, I could not picture anything or recall anything like him. I had a few vague suspicions, but again, no solid evidence had presented itself just yet. I found it ironic that he was the only one of my Hunters so far apart from Harrington that was still willing to have a prolonged conversation with me. The others have become far more sullen and withdrawn, but he was still willing to chat away when the mood took him.

Speaking of Harrington, he was still willing to converse with me, but I had noticed that his conversations now were becoming much more focused, and he was withdrawing from all other subjects. Anything to do with the arcane, occult, or magic, he was willing to discuss and have long conversations about; however, he was becoming more hesitant and withdrawn about other things. Unless any of the others developed magical abilities, which was quite a possibility, I suspected that he was going to be the wizard or sorcerer of my little band of monsters.

And that left Blackstone. If I managed to get three words out of him in a single conversation, I consider that a win. I was becoming quite adept at translating his shrugs and grunts. I was a bit concerned that he would become disheartened and unhappy with the lack of means to make the elaborate traps he desired. But eventually, I think I figured out that he is quite happy to wait. Out of all of my Hunters, he is the most patient. The final thing with him is what he is turning into, and again, I have absolutely no idea.

I'm able to hold my avatar for quite some time now, and I think about all these things and more as I walk through the graveyard. A gentle breeze blows through, and I watch as it causes the trees and tall grass to sway gently. Soft and gentle silver light illuminates the area from the half moon in the sky. Occasionally, a cloud covers it briefly, but never for long, and the light is strong enough to keep the path partly illuminated, the deeper you go into the graveyard.

It's nights like these that make this place an enjoyable and calming location. Ironic, I know, given what lives here, but as I look around this spring night, part of me laments that others cannot come here and enjoy the quiet and pleasant solitude. Above me, the occasional cloud blocks out part of the starry sky, which is brilliant and quite spectacular.

"Yes, quite a shame."

My wanderings have brought me back to the church. I have noticed that these wanderings I take always lead me back here, whether by design or just subconscious desire.

The exterior of the church has taken on a more Gothic tone, and sitting here on this spring night, it still carries a faint air, or more accurately, gives the impression of a place of rest—another irony, considering how many people died within its walls.

Around the building, my freshly replanted flower beds have started to sprout, and before long, I will have flowers once more.

I went indoors to review a few papers I had left.

June meant summer.

The animals, plants and birds were alive and active. I watched them and the travellers along the road. The land across the river is tiled and has crops planted on it. I could see green growing that looked like corn.

I thought about the last two events of May, which I had learned from the previous paper delivery.

Czar Nicholas II's coronation in Moscow took place. All the major nations except Japan attended this. There were reports on the continuing tensions between the countries. The sub to the Chrysanthemum throne was real. The other was a tornado that had torn through St. Louis, Missouri, destroying several square miles of the city, and they were still looking for survivors and calculating the damage.

Looking down at the pathway and clearing before the gates, I had to get the Hunters out to clear the path again. The local vegetation was spreading back to reclaim it.

That night, I sent them out to cut back the vegetation. It didn't take them long, as the six cleared the plants quickly. Once they were finished, some continued to go and hunt during the night. They returned with kills some nights, and trades happened between them. The deals were negotiated with great tension, but they were honoured.

Harrington had his delivery of books. A total of two dozen arrived in several chests, accompanied by a few other items. Herbert brought them and dropped them off in the courtyard. Harrington showed up shortly after and collected them once I informed them that they were there. He transported them to his lair and took them inside. He appeared later in the church and gave me a rundown on his library. There were a few titles I would investigate later.

Not much else happened for the rest of the month. In Canada, an election took place, resulting in the election of the first Francophone Prime Minister of Canada. An explosion in a coal mine in Pittston, Pennsylvania, caused a series of massive cave-ins that devastated the mine. It was reported that over a hundred were dead and that the mine owners had been negligent in safety measures. This led to a wave of protests and strikes across the state from labour unions trying to improve workers' conditions. The federal government quickly responded, clamping down on them.

"I wondered what the long-term ramifications of that will be?"

As I read of the unrest and clampdowns, I had wondered that out loud. I couldn't recall from my world if the United States of America was similar in its stance on trade unions and workers' rights. That was another part of my memory that was foggy and distant at best.

July had come down, and summer was in full force.

It was an election year in the United States, and the parties were organising to present their presidential candidates to the American people. I skipped over most of the political stuff, just getting a vague idea of where the two parties were trying to establish themselves in the debate.

The Democrats were pro-business and pro-state rights, aiming for as little government oversight as possible. The Republicans were leaning more towards workers' rights and what they called balanced oversight from the government.

Reading some of the material, I wondered about the bias of the articles' writers as I was getting the vague impression that there was a growing split within the ranks of the Republicans. There seems to be a more radical socialist element forming within their number. If one did form, I would not be surprised due to the actions of the United States government in recent labour-based social issues.

The month ended with a major rail crash in Atlantic City.

Just after 6:30 PM in the outer suburbs of Atlantic City, two trains collided. They were both passenger trains, and one of them jumped the tracks, causing the two to collide. That in itself would be a terrible disaster, but what made it far worse was that one of the train's steam engines exploded due to the crash. The resulting blast shattered the train carriages and carried on into the neighbouring buildings.

The reports were speaking of a terrible disaster with several hundred dead on the trains, at least. They were still looking for survivors while counting the cost.

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