I'm Ethan, and I've never been one for complicated plans. Keep things simple, hit hard when you need to, and make sure everyone gets home safe, that's how I operate.
I was at the training area we'd set up just north of the settlement, watching Kate and the others work through their exercises.
AJ was constantly busy helping in and around the settlement and so Victor and I took 5 of the recruits each. We gave them the choice, presenting our fighting and training styles. My new team consisted of Kate, David, Carl, Elena, and Jake.
4 days had passed since Sam's meat farm plan was first brought up, and Kate was finally cleared for active duty again, though Doctor Hayes had been very specific about taking things slowly.
"Ethan," Kate said as I approached the training area, "I've been thinking about my weapon."
I raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"The spear worked fine before, but during the wolf attack..." She paused, touching her shoulder unconsciously. "I kept wishing I had something with more power. Something that could put a wolf down with one good hit instead of having to land multiple strikes."
"What did you have in mind?"
"A war hammer," she said without hesitation. "Something with reach like a spear, but with crushing power when I need it."
Jake, who'd been listening nearby came over. "Since we're talking about weapons, I still need one. I've been using whatever was available for training."
"What weapon do you want?" I asked.
"Long sword," he replied immediately. "It's versatile, suits how I like to fight and more importantly it's badass."
I smiled, both choices made sense. "Right then. Let's get you both sorted."
---
AJ appeared at the training ground with the requested weapons—Kate's war hammer was an impressive piece, featuring a long handle for reach with a spear tip on top, a sharp blade on one side, and a square striking face on the opposite side.
All the metal components were crafted from obsidian steel with ravager scale reinforcement. Jake's long sword had the characteristic obsidian steel blade as well.
"How's the balance?" I asked Kate as she wielded the hammer.
"Very manageable," she replied, taking a few practice swings.
Jake tested his sword with a series of cuts and thrusts. "Feels good," he said with satisfaction.
"Gather 'round," I called out, getting everyone's attention. "We've got weapon changes today, which means adjusted training."
The morning training session focused heavily on helping them adapt to their new weapons. Kate had to learn to use all three aspects of her war hammer—the spear tip for thrusting attacks, the blade for piercing, and the square face for crushing blows.
While I didn't know much about weapons and the stances and techniques that came with them, I knew some general fundamentals. Still, for the most part, they would have to figure it out for themselves.
"Think of it as three weapons in one," I coached as she worked through some rough forms. "Spear tip for reach and precise strikes, blade for piercing attacks, hammer face for maximum impact. The trick is knowing which one to use and when."
She practised transitioning between the different striking surfaces, learning to rotate the weapon smoothly.
Jake's transition was smoother. He had good instincts and the long sword complemented his natural fighting style. "Remember, it's not just a big knife," I reminded him. "Use the whole blade—point, edge, even the guard if you're close enough."
Carl and David continued their spear work, their partnership becoming more refined with each session. Elena practised her shield and short sword combinations, building on the solid foundation she'd established.
"How's the shoulder feeling?" I asked Kate as she finished a series of exercises.
"Better," she replied. "The war hammer actually feels easier than the spear did. Having multiple attack options means I'm not repeating the same stabbing motions constantly."
The wolf attack had shaken her, but it hadn't broken her spirit. If anything, she seemed more focused than before, and the weapon change had given her renewed confidence.
We eventually moved onto basic conditioning—exercises designed to build the kind of strength that actually mattered in combat.
Carrying heavy loads over distance, lifting weights that developed functional muscle, and endurance work that would keep them fighting even when exhaustion set in.
"Combat isn't about being the strongest person in the room," I explained as they worked. "It's about being strong enough when it matters, and having the endurance to keep going when everyone else gives up."
The morning passed quickly, each exercise building on the previous one. By the time it was lunch break came, we were all sweating and breathing hard, naturally I joined the exercises, leading by example.
A small smile crept up my face as I saw them struggling to keep their movements steady and controlled.
"Good work everyone," I said as we cleaned up our equipment. "You're all improving faster than I expected."
---
Lunch meant a short walk back to the settlement, where I found Eric. He'd really come into his own, the combination of responsibility and Richard's absence having brought out leadership qualities I hadn't seen before.
"Ethan!" he called out with a grin. "How's the training going?"
"Better than expected," I replied, settling down beside him with my meal. "Kate's getting back into things with her new war hammer, and the others are becoming properly dangerous."
Eric's positive attitude was nice to see, the nervous, uncertain person who'd served under Richard had disappeared, returning to the person Ethan knew. He was someone who genuinely enjoyed his work and took pride in doing it well.
"Remember when you used to complain about having to organise anything?" I teased.
"That was different," Eric protested with a laugh. "My parents wanted everything done their way, even when it made no sense, same goes for Richard for that matter. Now I can solve problems my way instead of just following orders."
We spent the meal catching up on settlement news and sharing stories about our respective responsibilities. It felt good to see my old friend doing well.
"How's the training ground setup working out?" Eric asked.
"Perfect for what we need," I replied. "Enough space for the exercises, and close enough to the settlement for safety but far enough out that we're not bothering anyone with the noise."
"You think they're ready for real action?"
I considered the question seriously. "Getting there. Kate's the most experienced, but she's still recovering. Carl and David work well together, Jake is a natural and Elena's got good instincts. They're not ready for anything too dangerous, but they can handle themselves."
"Speaking of which," Eric said, his tone shifting slightly, "I heard Sam's got some kind of special project planned. Something about using the nests instead of destroying them?"
"The meat farm," I confirmed. "Crazy idea, but it might actually work. We're supposed to help set it up any time soon."
Eric's eyebrows rose. "Sounds dangerous."
"Everything worthwhile comes with some danger," I replied with a shrug. "The question is whether the risk is worth the reward."
---
The afternoon brought news that Sam's meat farm project was ready to begin. AJ appeared at our training ground with the kind of focused energy that meant serious work was about to start.
"Time to put Sam's idea to the test," he announced. "We need you to handle security while we build the containment system."
I gathered Kate, Carl, David, Jake, and Elena, explaining the mission as we prepared our equipment. The mission was straightforward—guard them while the construction is under way.
"Simple job," I told them as we checked our weapons. "Keep the wolves away while the others work."
The hike to the nest site took about an hour. The location was perfect for Sam's purposes—isolated enough to minimise risks to the settlement, but accessible enough for regular operations.
The nest itself was almost identical to the one we'd destroyed, a cluster of artificial boulders hiding an underground chamber where the crystal spawned wolves at regular intervals.
"Okay," I said, studying the cave entrance. "Elena, you're with me inside. Kate, Carl and David, watch the perimeter. Jake, you're our runner—if anything goes wrong, go back to the settlement and get help."
AJ and Thomas had brought a team of workers and enough materials to build. The plan was simple in concept—construct barriers around the cave entrance that would trap emerging wolves, then add killing mechanisms that would eliminate them.
"How long do you need?" I asked Thomas.
"Most of the afternoon," he replied. "Maybe longer if we run into complications."
"Alright, let's get this over with."
Elena and I descended into the cave system, following the passages that led to the main chamber. The crystal artifact hung in the air just like the previous one, wolf-like shadows moving within its depths while actual wolves rested on the chamber floor.
"How many?" Elena whispered.
"8 or 9," I counted. "Manageable, as long as we don't let them rush us all at once."
We positioned ourselves at the chamber entrance, weapons ready. The plan was to hold this position and prevent any wolves from reaching the surface while the construction work proceeded.
The first few hours passed quietly. The wolves in the chamber seemed content to rest, showing no interest in leaving their sanctuary. I began to think this might be easier than expected.
Then the crystal pulsed, and 3 new wolves materialised near its base.
"Here we go," I muttered, raising my axe as the creatures noticed our presence.
The fight was brief but intense. 3 wolves in a confined space required careful coordination to avoid being overwhelmed.
Elena's shield and short sword combination proved effective in the cave environment—she could deflect attacks with her shield while striking with her blade in the tight quarters.
"Nice work," I said, as we surveyed the defeated wolves. "Your weapon work nicely in this kind of cramped space."
"The shield makes all the difference," Elena replied. "I can focus on defence while you handle the heavy hits."
"Not bad," I agreed. "But we'll need to stay alert. That crystal could spawn more at any time."
The pattern repeated throughout the day. Every few hours, the crystal would produce new wolves, and we'd eliminate them.
By evening, Thomas's team had completed the basic containment structure—a wooden enclosure around the cave entrance with gaps that would funnel emerging wolves into killing zones.
"Good work everyone," I announced as we prepared to return to the settlement. "Tomorrow we'll test the system properly."
---
The next few days established our routine. My team and I would arrive at the nest site every other morning, relieve Victor's team, and spend the day managing the meat farm while continuing our training.
Each morning brought a burst of about 10 wolves emerging from the cave, followed by smaller groups of 3-4 throughout the day.
The killing mechanisms were simple, the wolves would walk into a tunnel and heavy spears would drop onto them.
Obviously the whole process couldn't be fully automated yet, but that's where we came in. We locked the spears back into place and removed the wolf corpses after each round.
"It's like having a hunting ground that never runs out of game," Carl said during one of our breaks.
"Better than hunting," David added. "No tracking, no long hikes, and no risk of coming back empty-handed."
I also managed to create a few training opportunities by letting out a single wolf to use as a training partner.
The wolves were challenging enough to keep my team on their toes, but not so dangerous that I couldn't maintain control of the situation. It was perfect for building their confidence and refining their skills.
Kate's recovery progressed steadily. The regular combat practice helped rebuild her strength and reflexes, and her new war hammer gave her confidence that she could handle threats effectively.
"How's the shoulder today?" I asked as she cleaned the blood from her war hammer after eliminating a wolf.
"Better, I'd say it's around 90%," she replied.
The meat farm operation became routine within a week. It wasn't glamorous work, but it was effective. The settlement's food security improved, and my team gained valuable experience in a controlled environment.
Standing at the edge of the containment area, watching wolves emerge only to be efficiently dispatched, I couldn't help but think about how much had changed.
Not long ago, we were worried about these creatures and their dangerous capabilities. Now we were farming them like livestock.