Shadow Sun Expansion

by Dave Willmarth

  Even Chris looked impressed at this point. Still, Allistor hadn’t forgotten that the man pointed his gun at him again when the monsters showed up.

  “Lars, I hope we can continue our conversation. But not with him here.” He jerked a thumb toward Chris. “I warned him that if he pointed his gun at me again, I’d kill him. His first reaction when the canids howled was to aim at me, instead of them.”

  He paused while the others looked at him nervously, except for Chris, who was instantly angry and started to raise his weapon. “You son of a-”

  He didn’t finish the sentence, as Allistor cast Restraint on him. The man froze with the barrel of his gun at about waist height, a snarl on his face.

  “I won’t kill him, for your sake, and in the hopes that we can still be friends. But get him out of my sight. I won’t forgive him again.”

  The big man carefully removed the weapon from Chris’ frozen grip. Two seconds later, Chris unfroze. “Bitch!” he finished his sentence. He tried to step toward Allistor, but the big fella backhanded him, knocking him on his butt. Not saying a word, he just pointed back toward the gate. Cursing under his breath, Chris got to his feet and walked back inside.

  “I apologize, again.” Lars stuck out a hand, which Allistor shook. “He managed to keep his wife alive through the early days, only to have her die at the hands of Paul. He has nothing but hate in him lately.”

  Allistor sighed. “I won’t antagonize him, but if he comes at me again, I’m going to have to deal with him.”

  “Understood.” Lars said, and both his people nodded their agreement as well. “That was some cool magic you got there. We’ve found a few basic spells from the market, but nothing like that.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been scouring the market, too. Not a lot of spell scrolls for us low level noobs. I got lucky early on, and found these. And I’ve used them quite a bit since, so they’re leveling up, getting more effective. This new world is all about using your skills as often as you can.”

  “Well, I’d say you’ve earned an invite. You’re welcome to come inside. You mentioned something about canid meat?”

  Allistor grinned. “We have this really good recipe…”

  *****

  They spent the evening with Lars and his people, sharing a meal and talking about their experiences since the apocalypse. It turned out Lars was a gamer too, currently level eleven, and had established his Stronghold about the same time Allistor had created the Warren. He had more than three hundred people living inside, and he told Allistor he and his people had come across five other Strongholds in Denver. Two that he knew of were larger and much more heavily populated than his, with thousands of people each. He’d heard of a few others, but not seen them.

  “Are you allied or affiliated with any of the others?” Allistor asked.

  Lars shook his head. “As far as I know, each Stronghold is a stand-alone community. We don’t interact much, except when we bump into each other while foraging or hunting. The other groups are friendly enough so far. The only one who actively seeks contact is Paul, when he attacks one of us.”

  “He attacks Strongholds?” Dawn asked, eyes wide.

  The woman who had accompanied Lars outside finally spoke. They’d learned her name was Eden. “No, he’s not stupid. He attacks foraging parties. Usually with a large group. The coward doesn’t believe in fair fights.”

  Allistor grimaced. “Where is his Stronghold?”

  Lars laughed. “The asshat set himself up in the federal depository. You know, the one where they store all the gold? But the joke’s on him. The upper levels are a good place to hole up, it was like a fortress before the world ended. But the lower levels, where all the loot is, are full of mobs. It’s a damned dungeon, or might as well be. He has manpower, but his people apparently don’t have the levels or the skills to clear it. We’ve heard he sent several parties of poor slobs down there, and they never came back.”

  “So… if there’s mobs in the basement, he hasn’t actually claimed it as a Stronghold?” Allistor asked.

  “Nope. The fool loses people every once in a while when something spawns in their rooms. But he refuses to move and risk losing all that gold. And it is well defended, even if it doesn’t have walls. He’s got plenty of guns.”

  Allistor shook his head. “Just how much gold is in there? Is it worth dying for?”

  Lars answered, “We looked it up before the internet died. There should be about fourteen hundred tons of gold down there. At least, that’s what the government tells the public. Could be more, could be less.”

  Allistor’s jaw actually dropped open. He started doing the math in his head. Lars saw him calculating, and said, “I’ll save you some time. Current pricing for an ounce of gold is twelve hundred klax. Which makes a pound of gold worth just over nineteen thousand klax.” Lars’ face split into a wide a grin. “If you sold all fourteen hundred tons of gold in that building on the market, it would be worth about fifty-three billion klax! That’s billion with a B.”

  Allistor’s mind blanched for a moment, before it spun up and began to list all the things he could buy with that much currency. His own private tropical island was high on the list. Alien weapons. Vehicles that didn’t need gas. Hell, he thought he could probably buy his own spaceship. Maybe a fleet of them.

  Lars misread the look on his face. “Yeah, if Paul got his hands on that kind of dough, it would be very bad for the rest of us.”

  “Then we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.” Allistor looked at the man and his people, his face becoming stern. “I’ll tell you here and now, I’m going to take that building. If you have a problem with that, we can part company now as friends. You’re free to try and beat me to it, I won’t try to hinder you. If you make it inside before we do, we’ll wait for you to clear it, or…” He didn’t finish the thought, as everyone present knew failure to clear probably meant death. And there were no respawns.

  Lars shook his head. “Nope. We thought about it. But fighting Paul in his own Stronghold would cost us too many people. We wouldn’t have the strength to take the lower levels afterward. As much as I’d like to claim the place, it’s not worth the cost.”

  Allistor nodded. “I’m glad you think that way. Human life is precious now, and it’s good to meet another leader who keeps that in mind. My people and I have a little experience clearing our new world’s equivalent of ‘dungeons’. Had to beat a nasty one with a dragon boss to claim my Stronghold in Cheyenne. We’ll clear this one too.”

  The giant, who had earlier introduced himself as Logan, cleared his throat, giving Lars a look. Lars nodded once, and Logan turned to Allistor. “I’d like to go with you, help you take out Paul. I’ve been in the building, back when I worked security. And I have a personal score to settle with that man. I’ll help you clear the dungeon too, if you like.”

  “Personal score?” Dawn asked. “Did you lose somebody?”

  Lars answered for Logan when the big man just nodded. “Logan’s little sister Suzy was killed in an attack on one of our foraging groups. She was also Chris’ wife. He was actually a decent guy before that. Her death has… changed him.”

  Logan added, “I know you don’t like him, but if you give him a shot at Paul, I’m sure he’d agree to obey your orders. I’ll vouch for him, and keep him away from you as much as possible. He’s a vet, and knows his way around a firefight.”

  Lars agreed. “It’s why we had him out there in the ambush position. He was with the foragers when they were attacked. Killed four of Paul’s guys before they retreated. It eats him up that he wasn’t able to save Suzy. He’s been on a mission ever since, hunting Paul’s hunters.”

  Allistor was happy to include Logan in his group, but had mixed feelings about allowing Chris. On the one hand, he could totally understand the man’s pain. He was angry a lot of the time himself, over losing his family, his friends, and the general injustice of what had been inflicted on his world. On the other hand, he seriously wanted to shoot the
man in the head for being such a dick.

  Helen decided for him. “If he wants to come, he’s welcome. But know that Allistor wasn’t kidding – if Chris goes at him again, that’s the end of him. You and he both need to know that before you sign up.”

  Logan offered a hand, and Allistor shook it. Lars said, “I’d go along too, but if I get myself killed…”

  Allistor raised a hand. “I know exactly what you mean. I’ve been in the same situation. You need to be here for your people, but at the same time you need to be out getting stronger. It’s a hard choice to make. You are, of course, welcome to join us and level up a bit. And I’ll pledge to do all I can to keep you alive, but you know I can’t guarantee anything.”

  When he saw Lars actually thinking about it, he added, “If it helps any, all of my people know healing spells, and Amanda here is our best healer. We also have some potions that our alchemist Nancy created. Before we attack Paul at the depository, I’ll establish a Stronghold here. I’ll bring down some of my people to help clear the place, and they’ll bring scrolls with them. If you want to join us, I’ll gift you a healing spell, and a few offensive spells if you have the stats for them. But you’ll have to take an oath never to use them against me or my people.”

  “It doesn’t sound like you need my help. You’d do all that to help make us stronger, even though we’re potential rivals?” Lars asked.

  “I don’t see it that way. You’re human, and the way I look at things, it’s humans against the aliens that brought us here, and maybe all the aliens who are about to colonize our world. I have already claimed enough land to keep hundreds of thousands of people fed and comfortable. And I’ll claim more before the year is through. But I don’t need to claim it all. There’s more than enough for the few of us that are left. At this point, I’m playing a prevent defense. Taking as much territory and resources as I can to prevent them from claiming it. And our most valuable resource is ourselves. So, if I can help make you and my fellow humans stronger, and I have assurances that you won’t try to use that strength against me, then it’s a win for both of us. And if I can either recruit you as citizens of my lands, or form solid allegiances with you and the other Strongholds, we can help each other defend what we have when the time comes.”

  They talked well into the night, sharing their experiences, knowledge, and pain. Allistor held back some vital information, like the fact that he could set up teleports, and that he had control of nuclear weapons at the Silo. He trusted Lars, but some things just had to remain secret for the time being.

  In the morning they met again for an early breakfast as the sun was rising. Logan offered some suggestions for Allistor as they ate.

  “We’ve scouted most of this area. How big of a Stronghold are you looking to build? The pro stadium is already taken.” His mouth twitched in a slight smile. They’d told Lars and his people about the Stadium in Laramie the night before.

  “Not too large. When we take the depository, it’ll be our main location here in Denver. So maybe location is more important than size. Something with some height to it, so we have a view? Like an airport with a tower? Maybe something with gas pumps? Or underground levels?”

  Helen added, “Something with some space, too. Need to be able to graze some livestock.”

  Lars chuckled. “Why not just take the capitol building?”

  Logan’s eyes widened. “Hey, that’s… not bad. It’s like four blocks from the depository, it’s tall enough you can see for quite a ways, there’s parkland around it that’ll work if you don’t have too many cattle. And more parks nearby.”

  “Sounds perfect. Is it really big?” Allistor asked.

  “Smaller than a stadium.” Lars winked at him. “There are tons of rooms inside that could be converted to living spaces. I kind of wish I’d thought of it before I made this place.”

  “Alright! Let’s go check it out. If it’s that close to Paul and his people, I’m guessing there will be guards, or scouts. We’ll take the RV as close as you guys think is safe, then walk the rest of the way.” Allistor got to his feet.

  Logan cleared his throat again. “Um, about Chris?”

  “Bring him along. But if he points a weapon at me, he’s dead. I won’t wait for you to talk him down.”

  The big man looked solemn, putting a hand to his chest. “If he points his gun at you, I’ll shoot him myself.”

  “And if he doesn’t, I will.” Lars stepped forward. “I’ve decided to join you. I can’t pass up the chance to level up. And I believe you have what it takes to succeed.”

  “Awesome!” Dawn pumped a fist in the air. “Team Lars and Team Allistor, kickin’ ass and takin’ names!”

  All geared up, the group loaded themselves into the RV. Lars, Logan, and Chris joined Allistor, Amanda, Dawn, Helen, and Nathan as well as Fuzzy. Logan took over as driver, being the one who knew the area best. He kept the pace slow, averaging about fifteen miles per hour as they weaved through Denver’s side roads. They passed the occasional burned out building, even a few entire neighborhoods. Buildings with broken doors and windows, cars abandoned in the middle of the streets or crashed into buildings as their drivers panicked or died. The city looked like every post-apocalyptic movie ever, except for one thing. There were no bodies. Anyone killed by the monsters unleashed upon the world was also eaten. The only trace of their existence being dried bloodstains.

  In less than an hour, Logan pulled the RV into a parking lot and turned off the engine. “We’re about a half mile from the capitol building. I’ve never seen Paul’s people patrol farther than a quarter mile out, but better safe than sorry, right?”

  “Right on. We’ll walk from here.” Allistor and the others piled out. They had to wake up Fuzzy, who’d decided to take a nap under one of the bunks in the back. The oversized cub complained about being disturbed as he followed them out. The group spread out, and Logan led the way. Allistor was right behind him, with Helen and Lars bringing up the rear. Chris kept Amanda and Dawn between himself and Allistor. As a group, they hugged one side of the street, sticking close to the walls of the buildings they passed. Logan kept a sharp eye out for both monsters and other humans. The way he moved and kept his eyes moving reminded Allistor of soldiers he’d seen in movies.

  It was only a few minutes before they reached the edge of the capitol building’s grounds. The once manicured park grounds hadn’t been tended in quite some time, but it was still lovely. Logan spent some time surveying the area before he motioned with one hand for them to move forward. Nobody needed to be told to keep quiet. They were approaching the building from the north, down Sherman Street. Logan paused one last time before crossing the last street and moving up a wide stone stairway to a side entrance. The granite building rose several stories above them, with the central tower extending up to the dome that topped out at nearly twenty stories high.

  “I’m not so sure this place is smaller than a stadium.” Helen whispered as she looked sideways at Logan and Lars. “But I like it!”

  They found the doors unlocked, and made their way inside, pulling the doors closed behind them. Lars took a moment to lock them using the bolts that sunk into the floor, in case anyone or anything tried to follow.

  Allistor immediately tried to claim the building as a Stronghold. Unsurprisingly, the system wouldn’t allow him to do so.

  You cannot claim this structure as a Stronghold at this time. This structure is currently occupied by a life form that has a prior claim to your own. To claim the structure, you must kill the prior occupant, convince it to relinquish its claim, or banish it from the vicinity for twelve hours.

  “Yep, knew that was coming.” Allistor mumbled to himself. Turning to the others, he said, “We’re not alone in here. Someone or something is keeping me from claiming this place. I say we start with this floor, clear every room as we work our way up. If we don’t find anything going up, we’ll come back down and hit the basement. But first, hang on. I promised you something, and now seems like
a good time to deliver.”

  Pulling some scrolls from his inventory, he handed each of the three men a Restore scroll. All three of them eagerly opened the rolled parchment and learned the spell. Allistor noticed Amanda using her Internal Analysis spell to watch them as they absorbed the information. Next, he held up an Erupt scroll. “Any of you have a six or higher Intelligence stat?”

  Logan and Lars both raised their hands. Chris looked sullen but said nothing. Allistor resisted the urge to comment on his lack of surprise. Instead, he handed both of the other men scrolls for Erupt, Vortex, and Flame Shot. Chris likely could have used the latter, but Allistor was not going the give the man a spell that could be used to ambush him at an opportune moment. And though he trusted Lars and Logan, he held back the Restraint spell as well. If they decided to betray him, that spell could keep him from defending himself or his people.

  Spells all absorbed, the group proceeded to search the floor. Room by room they made their way down the main corridor, closing each door behind them. Locked doors were kicked in, creating more noise than any of them would have liked. But nothing came charging at them in response to the racket.

  When the first wing was cleared, they found themselves in a wide and beautiful rotunda, columns around the perimeter leading up to graceful arches. A look upward revealed the space was open all the way up to the dome that capped the building. Allistor stood there, gazing upward with his mouth open, taking in the view until Amanda bumped him with her hip. “Gawk later. We’ve got work to do.”

  They moved on and cleared the balance of the first floor. As they passed the exterior doors, they secured them from the inside, either with the floor bolts, or by tying the handles together. Allistor was starting to rethink his earlier plan.

  Speaking in a normal voice, since they’d blown any chance of surprise long ago, he said, “Hey, guys. This would be a lot faster and quieter if we had keys. We don’t have time to search every desk in every office, but if we could find a security office or a superintendent’s office, we might find keys. Since we didn’t find either on this level, my guess is that one or both are downstairs. What do you think?”