The Fifth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  Delilah moved her head to the side, allowing Elan to clear his thoughts.

  “Right now he hasn’t said anything to anyone. This is just a plan that he has and he’s seeking approval as well as intelligence resources on the other outposts. We have decent coverage on the other outposts. If we focus on developing more sources in key positions, we can know what the outpost leaders are thinking. We have the advantage of surprise: we find out their weaknesses, know about their fighting forces, how each of the outposts operate.”

  “How does this help his plan?” Delilah interrupted.

  “The more we know about the outposts, the greater reach we have. It allows us to use different methods to influence this plan. We can bribe, blackmail, and guide people into an alliance with Vermire. Then, using those same people again, we can merge those outposts with Vermire, taking everything.”

  “Building the outpost in the middle of the Beast Mountain Range is not the goal—controlling the outposts is. If they’re focused on the outpost being built, then they won’t think about themselves. We use it as a way to flush out the outpost leaders, use it as a test to see what they really think. Bring the rats out,” Delilah said.

  “Right.” Elan smiled, pleased with her leap in judgement.

  “Okay, so we will need to develop information assets in these different outposts to get to know what these outpost leaders are thinking. Then we give Aditya the go-ahead to start meeting with outpost leaders.” Delilah studied Elan, making a decision. “At the same time, present names to my secretary of people from your trading house who you think would be assets to Alva. We need to grow and rapidly. I will not accept people trying to make competing groups that create friction.”

  Elan had a grave look on his face, looking at Delilah. Even at three times younger than him, she had a presence that he had only faced a few times before.

  “I will present names to them shortly. I will only pick those I think will be loyal to Alva first.”

  Delilah held his eyes for a few more seconds, as if weighing his character. “Good. You may leave. Keep me updated.” She turned to the papers on her desk once again.

  Chapter: Crafter’s Path

  “So what are you going to do?” Rugrat asked Erik as they walked out of Alva and toward the barracks on the outskirts.

  “I’m going to head to the Third Realm. If I want to advance my cultivation, then I’m going to need to make some powerful concoctions.” Erik smiled. “What are you going to do?”

  “Vuzgal! Isn’t it the best place for crafters, after all? I think with Tan Xue there, we can bring over some more smiths from across the Fourth Realm. With the workshops and the materials, I’m excited.” Rugrat grinned.

  “How does Taran feel about being left behind to run the smithing department?” Erik asked.

  Rugrat coughed, looking a bit embarrassed. “I’m sure he’ll be fine with learning the secrets of the Metal floor. We’ve only touched the surface, and he has all of Tan Xue’s notes, Expert-level blueprints, and then the Expert-level workshop all to himself.”

  “Have you asked him or Tan Xue?”

  “Nope.”

  Erik let out a tired sigh.

  “You might want to do that before you kidnap one and force the other into their old job.”

  “He ran the whole academy for a while, they’ll be fine,” Rugrat said.

  “So you think that he’s going to reach Expert in smithing before you?”

  Rugrat snorted. “He can try! I’ve got five barrels of Alva shine on the line.”

  The corner of Erik’s mouth lifted as he shook his head. “When are you heading to Vuzgal?”

  “In a few days.” I have to talk to the two of them first, want to take Taran up there to take a look around if he can get the free time, before he takes over as the head of smithing in Alva. I talked to Jia Feng, she’s getting a group of crafters together to fill out our ranks.. A lot of people who left Alva searching for information and experience are congregating on Vuzgal now.” Rugrat yawned and stretched.

  “I had heard that people were buying monster cores like crazy,” Erik said.

  “Yeah, Elan has been doing a swift business, got his hands on a few Earth-grade Mortal cores. They’re only up to the lesser level, but still they cost nearly thirty mana stones down here. Boosting one’s level with monster cores is no cheap thing. Though most of the crafters’ expenses are low and the money they make is high, so although it’s difficult, it’s not impossible for them to purchase the monster cores.”

  “Yeah, I grabbed a set of them. We only consumed up to the Mortal common monster cores. I kept at least one Mortal greater, grand, and variant grade core and got an Earth lesser and common core. I haven’t reached a bottleneck right now, but they might come in use.” Erik pulled out a box.

  “What is this?” Rugrat asked.

  “I got you monster cores as well. I knew that you would forget otherwise,” Erik said.

  Rugrat coughed, an awkward look on his face as he took them.

  “Were you just feeding them to George?” Erik asked as a thought struck him.

  “Well, he’s a good boy and I didn’t think I had much use for them...” Rugrat trailed off.

  Erik opened his mouth and then closed it, thinking of the monster cores he had purchased for Gilga.

  Never mind, best not to try to think of how much I spent on treats, uh, monster cores.

  Erik cleared his throat as they reached Glosil’s office in the barracks and knocked on the door. Rugrat put the box away and stood straighter.

  “Enter,” Glosil called from beyond the door.

  They walked in and Glosil looked up.

  His expression cleared, seeing it was them.

  “Don’t worry, just here for a casual chat.” Erik stopped him from standing and saluting. “How are things going?” he asked as he and Rugrat took seats in front of his desk.

  “I have been collecting information on the Alva Earth floor.” He let out a sigh. “The formations are busted to hell. We were able to bring more of them online once we fired up the main command formation on the Metal floor.” Glosil pressed his lips together and put a map on the table. “Still, it’s not much.”

  “Do we know, roughly, what level the creatures are down there?” Rugrat asked.

  “Twenties to low forties. Increasing the upper limit just due to our limited information. Going to create a beachhead camp and then advance from there, bring the formations online to gather more information before pushing forward.”

  “Sounds like a good plan. How is training and the reorganization of the military going?” Erik asked.

  “In two weeks, the first class in Vuzgal will graduate—just over two hundred new privates. A new class will start right afterward. The staff in Alva will finish training the two hundred recruits here and then be shifted to Vuzgal to train the excess recruits we have there. Yesterday, Tiger Company completed their training and are all scout qualified. Next week, Rugrat will be taking command of the officer training class from Blaze.” Glosil looked to Rugrat, who nodded.

  “Blaze, Erik, and I sat down and confirmed the training schedule.”

  “They won’t like us, but they’ll have earned their spots,” Erik added.

  “I look forward to it, seeing as I’m in the class,” Glosil muttered.

  “You volunteered and it shows that you’re willing to learn—sets a good example and makes you closer with the rest of the officers,” Erik said.

  “If the training ends in Vuzgal in two weeks, doesn’t that mean that their vets will start training as medics, engineers, and mages?”

  “That is correct. In a month, we will be able to have people trained to fill the positions of a combat company, minus the close protection detail. It won’t be full, but we’ll have the skeleton.”

  “Someone sounds eager.” Erik chuckled.

  “Well, it looks like you have things in hand.” Rugrat slapped his hands on his legs to a random beat. “I will be heading up t
o Vuzgal tomorrow.”

  “I will be heading up to the Third Realm and then heading to Vuzgal to take over the officer training.”

  “We will be executing our attack on the Earth floor in three days with Dragon Company.” Glosil checked his paperwork.

  “Looks like we’ve got plenty to keep us busy,” Rugrat said.

  “And keep some of us out of trouble,” Erik added.

  ***

  Elan sat down in the bar. He wore simple trader’s clothing, his face dirtied up. A smile appeared on his face.

  “Good to see you. It’s been too long,” he said with a laugh, reaching out his hand.

  The other trader followed along and laughed. “The days fly by when you’re on the road!”

  A barmaid came over, smiling as she saw the two traders reunited. “Drinks or food?”

  “Two of your Jales, please.” Elan tossed out a silver coin.

  The girl snatched it up and hid it in her sleeve with a wide smile. “Coming up!” She rushed off.

  Elan looked at the other trader. It was their first time meeting, but the trader was someone who people from Alva had cultivated into an information source. “You have something for me?”

  “Everything seems calm right now. There are a few nations that are looking to insert trading companies that they own into Vermire to take over trading and then the city.” He laughed and patted Elan on the shoulder.

  Elan laughed as the drinks came back and the girl put them down.

  “Let me know if you need anything else!” she said with a bright smile and left.

  The two of them grabbed their smoky glasses filled with what looked to be clear water. They cheered and took a drink of the refreshing drink that tasted remarkably like fruit.

  “Dangerous, that,” Elan said as the man passed him a bundle of scrolls. Elan took it into his storage ring.

  “That’s when you know it’s the good stuff,” the trader said, his eyes scanning around. “There are talks of some of the healing houses moving to other outposts to pull people away from Vermire as well.”

  Elan seemed to weigh the information as he took another slow drink, watching the trader out of the corner of his eye.

  He didn’t say anything else, watching Elan nervously.

  Elan took out a clear potion bottle covered in runes. The potion was red, with golden flakes that were stirred up with the slightest movement. “This should help your grandson,” Elan said.

  The man looked at the potion. Even as a veteran trader, he didn’t seem to believe what he was looking at. “How?” he started. But then he looked at Elan and shook his head, a self-deprecating smile on his face. “I know better than to ask.”

  Elan nodded as he reached out more; the trader took the potion under the table and then grabbed the drink, taking a deep gulp.

  Elan passed over his sound transmission mark. “If you hear anything else, let me know. There are plenty of rewards that might be hard to find in the First Realm,” Elan said with meaning.

  “You have my word,” the trader said.

  Elan smiled, the serious atmosphere dissipating as he raised his glass. “To your grandson and your family’s health!”

  “And to yours as well!” The trader’s smile was now totally genuine as they clinked glasses and finished off their drinks.

  ***

  Elan headed through Vermire. Once he had become a person of Alva, Vermire was like his backyard. Lord Aditya didn’t hide anything from him. Elan had taken control over all of the spies Lord Aditya had raised, then those from the different Alva traders, and the Adventurer’s Guild.

  The information network was vast, so his last few weeks had been spent going through the totem. He had gone to the Second Realm before, but it was his first time going to the Third Realm. What was something that he thought he wouldn’t be able to do in his life had almost become an everyday norm.

  The Adventurer’s Guild and the traders in the higher realms had created extensive information networks. Most of them were looking for jobs, but a few of them had access to information that was useful to Alva. That would allow them to advance their reach and their ability, or escape issues that might appear.

  Seems that more people are looking to gain some control over Vermire now that they’ve seen that they can be a powerful player.

  He moved through different alleyways. Using the formations in the city, he could tell that there was no one following him. Still, he changed his appearance twice, a skill he had learned from some shadowy figures.

  Then he reached the lord’s manor as Elan Silaz. He presented his documents and was allowed in. He waited for some time before he was admitted to Lord Aditya’s office.

  Lord Aditya’s leg had been healed long ago and even more than that, he was now walking down the path to temper his body. He might have gone against Alva unknowingly in the beginning, but now he was one of their most loyal subjects.

  “So, how does the recruiting go? I heard that you were able to find some Apprentice-level crafters not long ago.”

  Both men would have been stunned with these words not long ago.

  “Don’t you find it strange when talking about Apprentice crafters as if they’re common cabbages?”

  “Get used to it.” Aditya shrugged.

  “Finding Apprentice crafters in the First Realm isn’t easy. Thankfully the only requirement is motivated people, which are a lot easier to find.” Elan pulled out the scrolls he had gotten from the trader and put them out on the table between two couches.

  “What’s this?” Aditya asked.

  “A potential problem, kind of.” Elan started to read the documents, looking at the files that contained information on the healing houses first, and waving for Aditya to join him.

  Aditya took the files on the different trading conglomerates and their actions, as well as different healing houses that outposts were talking to.

  The two of them fell into silence for some time.

  “Those ungrateful pricks,” Aditya said as he flipped pages.

  “Hmm?” Elan asked, his eyes not leaving the scroll in his hand.

  “There are a few traders who are trying to get their leaders to move in on the other outposts in the area, to have them take over and then create direct competition with us. They’re gathering support. Then there are other traders who are offering to increase their prices when dealing with us for goods like food. Otherwise, we can’t support our people. If they increase the prices, then others will do the same. At that point, people might question if I was to try to buy food from Alva, wondering where I got it from.”

  “You have stocks of food here, though, right?”

  “Yes, enough for the original Vuzgal to survive a year on. But now, with the new population increase, it would only last for four or five months,” Aditya said.

  “Let them increase their prices. People will be angry and pissed off, then you privately sell your stock, for the people. Show that you want what is best for them and you’re selling your own stock at only a slightly higher price than before. They will look like robbers taking advantage of Vermire’s people and be driven out, while your popularity will increase among the people of Vermire,” Elan said.

  “Well—” Aditya thought it over before he let out a small laugh. “When it comes to things like business, I’ve still got a lot to learn!”

  Elan smiled.

  Aditya realized that he was a frog at the bottom of his well, but he was actively looking to improve the way that he dealt with things. He was still a young man by Ten Realms standards.

  “They’re also looking to add additional taxes for anyone who comes from our direction because of the threat to their people on the roads and having to put out their soldiers to clear the trade routes. Some are directly looking for the militaries to pressure us. Now, the pressuring us with the military won’t work, because we’re a neutral ground for all nations. If the military tries to pressure us, then the other nations will quietly but firmly show their displeasure,�
�� Aditya said.

  Elan took a few minutes, finishing the line he was reading before replying. “Are you trying to impress us with your plan to make a trading city in the middle of the Beast Mountain Range?” Elan looked up at Lord Aditya.

  “I do as I am ordered,” Aditya said.

  Elan’s expression turned into a smile. “Well, I can tell you that my official job here is to expand the information network that we have into the other outposts and to see just how valid your idea might be. Then it will be up to the leadership to decide what we do.” Elan picked up a new scroll.

  Aditya’s face split in a wide smile.

  Elan knew his history and how he had come to the attention of Alva. Now he remained as the lord over Vermire Trading Outpost, one of their people. He was a lord in name only, but they had entrusted him with a great number of secrets and revealed more power than a simple group in the First Realm should have.

  He’d kept his lips shut and worked hard to do his best. With them looking at his plan seriously, it showed that he had gained a heavy measure of their trust.

  Seems that the healing houses are getting nosey again.

  “Is there something wrong with your scroll?” Aditya asked, looking at Elan’s sour expression.

  “It looks like the healing houses are a bit pissed off with how low the Alva Healing House’s expenses are. They also are confused by their techniques. They’re gathering information on them right now, but I don’t think that anything good will come from it.” Elan sighed.

  “I guess this is part of the price of success? As soon as you have something, then others want a piece of it.” Aditya let out a dry laugh.

  “Well, at least we have the drop on them so we can prepare ahead of time. I would also suggest that when the food prices are increased, create an area with greenhouses to grow food all year round,” Elan said. “Shows the people your sincerity and that you’re looking to avert disaster and take a step further in becoming a completely independent city.”