by Sean Oswald
The biggest part of the housing dilemma was that she and Dave both agreed that all citizens, no matter their race, needed to live in the town proper. That meant, at least in the short term, the elves would have to live in human homes. It would take too long to grow trees, even lesser ones, inside the walls. The elves weren’t happy about it, but she promised to address it as quickly as possible. The irony of it was that once the tree shapers joined in with helping the loggers, the milling process became effortless, and the smoothness and quality of the boards produced was significantly improved. Further, they were able to help shape even the planks used in homes. They were able to bind the boards together without requiring nails or tongue and groove cuts. The twenty tree shapers had effectively increased lumber production and construction rates by 25%.
The brewers were probably the first that she needed to visit. She wasn’t a big drinker but knew that the town was going through the stores of wine and ale which had been sent very quickly, and most of the advisors asked her more often about the brewer’s progress than the housing, food stores, or warehouse situation. It was sorta comical to her. Or at least it was until she found herself sitting in the dining tents for the midday meal.
She felt like her hair was still frazzled from hearing the elven and human brewers slinging insults about each other’s products back and forth. They were fighting some of the same limited resources, and when Dave had set things up he had only allocated one lot for the brewing. And why not, when the cooks had managed to integrate, it was only natural that he would assume that the brewers could do the same. Apparently though, no one could get between a man and his drink of choice. The rest of the town was going so well, Mira and her enchanting master had already started to enchant the town's main gates. It was frustrating that one little problem stuck in her head despite all the positive things going on, a bad habit that she couldn’t seem to break or compartmentalize away.
Her musings came to an end when the table she was sitting at shook as though an earthquake was happening. Emily whipped her head side to side to find out what was wrong only to see that it wasn’t an earthquake but rather a massive bull made man attempting to sit at her table only to break it. The bench on the opposite side of the table cracked and then split in half under Rak’kar’s weight. The fall to the ground didn’t hurt him, but he did snort in what she took to be embarrassment. His face was so different though that she couldn’t be sure. Behind the minotaur, who was trying to get back to his feet without overturning the rest of the table, was Mira, Daichi, Jaselm, and Sir Tradon wearing a fancy red vest. She giggled as she remembered something that Dave had told her about once from Star Wars, no maybe Star Trek. Anyway, it had something to do with people in red clothing dying. She would have to ask him about it.
Then as if on cue, a whistling sound grew louder and louder. Enough so that hands went to weapons and people looked around to the sky, even though the tents blocked that view. One of the tent flaps shook as a small almost translucent creature flew past it only to stop hovering in front of Emily.
The bird flapped its wings furiously to stay in place, prompting Mira to say, “I wonder if it even actually has to flap its wings.” When everyone looked at her, she said, “I mean because it's an air elemental, shouldn’t it be able to just move through the air without flapping?”
No one bothered to answer, writing it off as another of Mira’s ever increasingly esoteric questions. Rather, all attention at the table and from quite a crowd of people who had dropped their meals and come over to hear what the message was from the Baron.
“Hello family and friends. I hope that all is going well for you. There is some grave news which I must report, and I need you all to be on your guard. Druid Fumihiro and I have discovered evidence of large groups of goblins moving through the Chenhou forest. As of yet, they don’t seem to have encountered any elven villages, but it is only a matter of time. We have chosen to delay our trip to the capital so that we may investigate these incursions. It is only the right thing to do. This is the way that things have to be.” Dave's Voice came out quickly but deliberately so that he could convey all his message within the time allotted by the spell.
Emily’s heart dropped as she heard that message. Looking at Mira, “That is just like your father. He goes off doing the hardest thing possible and thinks that just ‘cause he says it’s the right thing that that makes everything okay.”
“So, does this change our plans, mom?” Mira asked.
“It has to. Now we need to focus on preparing for a goblin attack here,” Emily’s concern apparent upon her face.
“Respectfully, Chosen, if there is a chance of a goblin attack here, then it is all the more reason for us to follow the original plan and go dungeon diving. You need to be as strong as possible if we are going to weather a large-scale attack without the Baron here. Remember that in battles like this, the line is often held by strong individuals more than by well-trained troops. The church soldiers both from Shanelle and I must admit Mishpat are far more than your average soldier in the king’s army. The same can be said for the forest wardens and the members of your honor guard. We don’t have huge numbers, but there are still over 350 of us, and that is no minor force,” Jaselm spoke up.
“I agree with the paladin’s counsel, Lady Emiri. In order for a sufficient force of goblins to get through to be threatening to the Murkwood, our scouts would give us plenty of notice. No, the best thing that you can do is present a strong leader rather than a simple figurehead,” Daichi added matter of factly.
“Bah, one goblin or a thousand, it doesn’t matter to me. The worst thing about goblins is that they can get stuck on your axe,” Rak’kar added as if speaking only to himself.
Emily considered everything they were saying. It still went against her understanding of how the world worked, but she prided herself on following local customs. She just needed to see this their way. The onlookers all noticed as she got that absent stare looking off at her character sheet. She was up to 51 unspent stat points but didn’t really want to spend those now. She was saving up for when she could increase her skills to Tier 3.
Adopting a somber look, Emily said, “Very well, we will leave first thing in the morning before first sun rise for the dungeon that thinks it can bury my husband. But in the meantime, I need to meet at my home with all of the leaders of the community both military and civilian.” Then focusing on Mira she said, “And get your sister, I want to spend some time with her this evening.”
After speaking to the town leaders and encouraging them to redouble their efforts in working on the wall and to be extra careful with the patrols, Emily remembered that there was something else she had to do. It was a new idea to remember that she could telepathically communicate with Yua, who was essentially the queen of the moon elves. The ring that she had been given gave her that power, but she wasn’t sure how it actually worked. She looked at the ring as she ran her fingers over the designs carved into the metal and wondered what she was supposed to do to make it work. It frustrated her that Dave would probably have a simple answer for this.
All that Emily could think to do was will it to happen and ultimately that was all that it required. She felt a link established between her and Yua, but then was nervous and unsure what to say. Intending to speak telepathically and yet hearing a voice in her head was something different.
“Emiri is that you?” Yua’s voice was hesitant, far less commanding that when Emily had appeared before the Throne.
“Yes … I don’t mean to intrude.” Emliy laughed in her mind at that. How could telepathic communication not be intrusive? She had always thought it would be a great superpower to be able to read minds, but now, she wasn’t so sure.
“It is wonderful to hear from you. I have been wondering how long you would wait to use the ring,” Yua declared.
“I don’t mean to bother you, but I have some important information for you,” Emily paused for a moment before continuing, “My husband is on his way to re
late to you the success we had in destroying the tree sapper swarm, Saisho no josei.”
Yua interrupted, “That is excellent news. We will look forward to meeting your Consort.”
“There is more, Saisho no josei. He has sent us a message saying that he and the druid he is traveling with discovered evidence of a large number of goblins invading the elven lands.” Emily wondered if the solemnity that she felt was conveyed in her mental communication.
“That is very disturbing, Lady Emiri. I will speak to Konoe immediately. Thank you for this warning.” There was a sense of finality that came through with the words into Emily’s mind.
Urgently, Emily tried to add one more thing but wasn’t sure if the thoughts went through. “Please ask my husband to gate back as soon as you can get word to him, my Saisho no josei. We need him here.”
The next morning, Emily along with the other five who were making up their party gathered outside of her home. It was another perk of her position that people came to her, and she wasn’t oblivious to it, but if it let her sleep in ten minutes longer, then who was she to complain. Besides the party, she also saw Emmaline, the head cook. The woman was waiting for them all and distributing packed lunches, some trail rations, and best of all had a somehow found the time to set up a small table outside of Emily’s front door where a breakfast of the hot liquid which passed for coffee and delicious bacon surrounded by a pile of fluffy eggs waited for her. Emily wasn’t much for breakfast, well other than her coffee, but she wasn’t going to turn down all the woman’s work. Most frustrating of all was that no matter how many times she asked or even tried to order the others to sit at the table and share her breakfast, none of them would have it. They all contented themselves with talking about the strategy for the day. Even Rak’kar occasionally said something although admittedly, he was hard to understand.
As she ate, she couldn’t help but feel the excitement growing. She really hated that this was necessary, but she admitted it was, so she would do her best at it. As Nana Gonzalez had always said, “Anything worth doing was worth doing right.” So began Emily, the dungeoneer.
Chapter Thirty
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln
Dave felt strangely alive. To his knowledge, his family was relatively safe. Relatively because his ideas of safety would never be the same in Eloria as they had been on Earth. He was unaware of Emily’s plea to Yua asking her to get word to him. That ignorance gave him a bit of freedom to enjoy himself, at least in his mind. The trip to the Moon Elf capital with one of his wife’s druids should have been relatively uneventful. After all, he was only going to turn in a quest, one which should be well received. He also planned to use the trip to open diplomatic connections between the Moon Elves and Albia. If he could turn Eris’ Rise into the trading hub between two nations, then their future wealth and with it the security for his family would be assured. What better city than one jointly ruled by a human and a moon elf, even if she was only a moon elf by virtue of a choice upon being transported to this world.
All of that planning had gone astray when he and the druid, Fumihiro, had noticed goblins in the elven woods. Dave didn’t know if it was a big deal at first, but his elven companion had assured him that goblins never came into the forest, or at least not this far. They were more than a hundred and fifty miles east of the lowland mountains which the goblins called home. The plan went even further sideways when they discovered Captain Martin Raddick, an Albian military officer and scout who had been sent to track the sudden departure of the goblins from the western front. Saving the captain’s life had been easy and exhilarating at the same time.
Now that he stood at the center of a small elven community under siege by goblins, he felt that tingle of life. He had grown dramatically in power over the few months since they had arrived in Eloria. Dave was now Tier 3 and eager to test his limits. This isn’t perhaps surprising. While on Earth, Dave had always felt stifled, like his day to day life didn’t mean anything. He had been a man of duty, seeking escape in mmo games. No longer did he need to escape into a computer to live out his fantasies. They were thrown into his face now.
Here in the village of Nakan’na, innocent elves were being dragged from their homes and fields to be killed or molested by a band of goblins. There were likely more than fifty goblins in this band, at least the ones that were still alive. The goblin shaman who led them seemed to be the only spell caster, so Dave wasn’t really worried about any of the goblins. Not that he wouldn’t kill them with zest. Apart from Krinnk, who had somehow been tamed by his youngest daughter, Sara, he had never met a good goblin except a dead goblin. If that wasn’t enough, the atrocities the goblins were inflicting in this village were cause enough to end them all, but no, the real threat was in the large ogre elite who called himself, Ballie’og, and the five ogres, male and female who he called his family. None of them appeared to be Tier 3, and they certainly weren’t as large as Ballie’og, but they were all still eight foot tall monstrosities.
In the face of all this, it would have been rational for Dave to be scared, terrified even. The thought of using his Gate spell to escape has crossed his mind, but that wasn’t the man who he was. With the decision to fight made, a rush of endorphins and adrenaline made him want this. He was going to be a hero. The elves here would owe him their lives and more, and he wasn’t going to let six measly ogres stand in his way.
A plan formed in his mind based upon the many hours he had spent running through different possible scenarios in his head during the trip north. He had what his sense of confidence told him was a perfect plan, so he set it in motion.
“Close your eyes,” he yelled out in Moon Elf, hoping that Raddick would understand. Then he cast, Lesser Radiant Brilliance while running forward a few feet to make sure that the shaman and all of the ogres were in his area of effect. The spell’s one second cast time made it so it wasn’t necessary to waste mana on his Quicken Spell skill, and he just let the flash of blinding light burst forth from himself. The way the spell worked, he perceived the light but wasn’t affected by it. It was more like he knew it was happening without actually seeing it. To his thinking, it was akin to a giant strobe light on steroids extending in all directions from his body.
All the creatures within thirty feet of him other than the shaman and his companions were blinded by the effect. The shaman apparently spoke moon elf and had enough presence of mind to follow the command Dave gave the others. He didn’t even notice. He had a plan, and he was executing it until circumstances necessitated a change. Besides, he had intentionally gotten close enough to the shaman for the hateful creature to be within the five foot radius which would be affected by radiant energy. The spell delivered (102) damage to the goblin shaman. Not a super impressive amount, but satisfactory for a spell which had as its primary purpose to be an area debuff. Even at that, one hundred and two damage was likely a good chunk of the spellcasters health.
Next, Dave cast Ablative Armor and after two seconds was encased in overlapping layers of crystalline armor. He could see out, but if any of the enemies had been able to see and focus on him at that moment, they would have only very dimly been able to see Dave. After this, he moved onto two spells which he needed to quick cast. First was Alcoholic Cloud, which formed a thirty-foot radius cloud comprised of inebriating vapors. Dave focused, and as the spell form came into being, he made sure that it was centered on the ogres and that he was only at the very edge of its effect. The spell would make it like he was slamming down shots of his favorite vodka back home.
As soon as that spell was cast, he back pedaled while casting his second quickened spell, Minor Enlarge. Even that brief time in the cloud had caused him the equivalent of drinking a shot. It wasn’t enough to affect him, but with his already aggressive mindset now, it was enough to make him feel even more of a rush. The stretching he felt as a part of being enlarged and reshaped to be a full nine feet t
all was offset somehow but that little bit of alcohol he had absorbed, and it didn’t seem nearly as unpleasant as in the past.
Behind Dave, the goblins who had been outside of the blinding radiance were beginning to swarm Raddick and Fumihiro, but the two were holding their own. The ranger seemed to be most focused on killing any of the blinded goblins while they were effectively unprepared to defend themselves, and the druid had already called forth a set of thorny armor around himself which was helping to keep his smaller attackers at bay.
Feeling that they had his back, Dave returned his focus to the ogres. He knew that they would likely be stumbling out of the cloud any second, that is unless they were even more stupid than he gave them credit for in which case even their massive size would eventually be brought down by the intoxicating cloud. He paused his casting for a moment to pull out a pair of potions. Moving as smoothly as he could, he popped the tops off the two high quality points. One was a light red almost rose in color and would regenerate his health at a rate of twenty points per minute for the next thirty minutes, and the other was a brilliant blue, probably properly called cobalt. It would restore his mana by one hundred and sixty points but have no ongoing effect. He quickly quaffed them down noting that their generally mildly unpleasant taste was made much worse drinking both at the same time. Still they accomplished their purpose, and he felt the power surge through him as the liquified mana released into his body.
At that time, the large bodies which he could vaguely see within the cloud started moving towards him. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the ogres were moaning and bellowing. Apparently, some of them liked the effects of the cloud while others were fixated on how they had been blinded.
Ballie’og was in the latter group. “Ballie’og no see. Who take sun away?” While the ogre’s voice displayed the same stupidity as before, there was no indication of slurring or other effect from the cloud. Dave guessed that it should be expected as the creature was massive. He would probably have to be in the cloud for quite some time. Now Dave just had to keep the ogres in there.
