The Fifth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “You and your Second Rifle Squad are to head to the First Realm. Your mission is to train up the Vermire guard forces into a specialized combat company!” Yui smiled as he saw Sergeant Acosta just keep the displeased look off her face. “Once you have completed training with the guard force, you will then need to train up a green unit of new recruits. All of this must be done in secret and they must be to a high standard. I have heard word that Captain Glosil is looking at the Vermire guard force to add some of their members to our ranks!” Yui held Acosta’s eyes. “We only take the best troops, so I hope that we can take them all.”

  “Yes, sir!” Acosta said.

  He could see the fighting spirit in her eyes. “Good! First Rifle Squad will be your support.” Yui looked at Sergeant Song-Min, who came to attention and nodded, acknowledging his orders. “Get your bags packed and move out in packets by tonight. Report to Captain Glosil for further orders. Third Rifle Squad will continue to man the defenses and police Vermire. That is all!”

  ***

  Elan poured the tea down his neck as he stood when Rugrat came into the room.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Rugrat waved him back down to the meal and tea that had been set out in front of him.

  He had been working so much the last week that he had forgotten to eat. When he arrived, Rugrat heard he was there and got food sent to him as he was finishing up cultivating in the main pillar of Vuzgal.

  Elan swallowed and cleared his throat. “Was the manual on the mana cores useful?” he asked first.

  “It’s made it a lot easier for me to compress and clear my mana while increasing the speed and amount of mana I can draw in at one time,” Rugrat said, not hiding his excited smile. “Were you able to find more information on Mana Gathering Cultivation?”

  “I was only able to find a few pieces of information on Mana Gathering Cultivation and Body Cultivation.” Elan didn’t hide anything as he took out a collection of books and put them on Rugrat’s desk. There were only seven books, but they were worth more than three times their weight in Earth mana stones.

  Elan didn’t hold any jealousy passing them over. He knew how Rugrat had people copying the books already and freely shared everything with the people of Alva.

  He had read them on the way over and made some notes that could help him increase his cultivation with time.

  Elan was trusted by Erik and Rugrat completely and he made sure he did everything to show his loyalty—not out of fear, but wanting to show them that he was worthy of that trust.

  “What have you been able to learn otherwise?” Rugrat took his seat and invited Elan to do the same.

  “I was able to gather more information on the Fifth Realm. It would be apt to call the Fifth Realm the ‘admission realm.’ Once in there, there are massive competitions everywhere, to test the people of different sects and the people who have made it to that stage. If one can get good rankings, they can get the interest of powerful sects and associations. This applies only to crafters. For fighters, the Fifth Realm is pretty much useless to them, but the Sixth Realm is a holy land. I have heard rumors that the Sixth Realm is covered in large-scale dungeons where people can go to increase their fighting skills, acquire ingredients, and more. Some of the dungeons even have tests that one must go through in order to complete and can gain rewards upon completion

  “Sects control massive tracts of lands. Fighting between them happens, but it is limited because any loss is large. So there are more competitions to establish standing within a sect, standing between sects, competitions over plots of land and resources.”

  “So betting on a whole new scale?” Rugrat asked.

  “Pretty much,” Elan said. “The Fifth Realm is dominated by Journeyman-level crafters, with most being at least an Apprentice in another craft. The teachers are half-step Expert, or Experts up to the middle grade. The Sixth Realm has at least Expert-level students, with the teachers of the Expert middle and administrators of the high grade. Levels are gained through cultivation aids, monster cores, and increasing one’s crafting level. Most academies work on a credit and mission system: one needs to complete a number of missions and they get credits that can be used to buy different items from the sects or they can use it for classes, to meet with tutors. It replaces mana stones within the realm.”

  “What can the independent students do?” Rugrat asked.

  “They can join a sect to be taught and live in one of the outer cities, which are basically simple cities at the edges of different sect’s influences. Sects recruit from these, or they use them, treating them like their personal property, allowing them only to exist because they’re more useful alive than wasting the effort to kill them. If someone has influence, then they can enter an academy and learn from them as long as they are willing to pay the price. They will not get as much access as the other people in the sect; their credits will be worth less and the products sold by the sects will be more expensive. Prohibitively so.” Elan paused.

  Rugrat tapped his fingers on the desk, frowning. “Okay, so they’re using the dungeons, but do they own the dungeons, or are they just working around its limitations, killing all the creatures in it as soon as they respawn?”

  “I am chasing down some leads but I am not sure at this time,” Elan said.

  Rugrat smirked and nodded. “Good work.”

  “Thank you.” Elan bowed his head.

  “Anything else about the Fifth Realm?”

  “Not at this time but I am building more contacts, some that are returning or go back and forth more. I can get an idea of what is currently happening in the Fifth Realm and get to know when these different competitions are happening, if we want to allow people to enter them. Though, we should be careful. If we draw too much attention, then people might start looking at us as an annoyance. We need to grow in strength. With our contracts with everyone, there is a loophole that I only discovered through a source. As long as the people attacking us call themselves the real rulers of Vuzgal, then they will be able to take over without the association needing to step in. They likely won’t try to, either.”

  “Why?”

  “The associations want to do business with the best partners. Strength rules in the Ten Realms. If we can’t hold our position, then the next group that comes should be stronger and they already have a contract established, so their returns should be greater with this new group. It’s not like they will go up against the associations,” Elan said.

  “Would the associations try to take us out of power?” Rugrat asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Elan said, not feeling one hundred percent about it. “See, they understand that in these kind of things, it is best to have a neutral party in control so that all of the associations are treated fairly. They won’t stop someone but they won’t actively support either side. To them, we’re just a minor convenience. If there is someone else more convenient, they’ll take it. It has happened before.”

  “Is there anything that you have to report on Vuzgal?”

  “There are different groups trying to work together to affect prices in Vuzgal. There are groups recruiting from here as well. Crime is low. Most people are powerful and they are keeping their darker activities in places where they have more power.”

  “The other realms?”

  “We are firmly entrenched into the Division Headquarters now and can get information across the Third Realm. A number of books and pieces of information have been recorded down and sent to Alva’s Alchemy department. We have no issues there. In the Second Realm, a group of people from Alva have turned into bandits. They are going against the government there and are turning it into their own land, fighting against the forces there.” Elan looked at Rugrat. A flash of anger showed on his face before his eyes became cold and his expression deadly.

  “I have a full report on it here. They have been going to the Second Realm with their weapons and armor. They recruited some local people, started stealing and then they turned to bigger things—s
topping trade caravans, attacking military groups. They would return to Alva to increase their strength and purchase supplies. There are only eight people who are actually from Alva, while there are around four hundred people under their command.” Elan took out several pieces of paper and gave it to Rugrat.

  Rugrat took it with an ominous expression before he put it to the side. “Anything else from the Second Realm?”

  “No, the Trader’s Guild and Adventurer’s Guild have made progress in the First, Second, and Third Realm and are making progress in the Fourth Realm with rapid success. There are a few people skirting taxes but I have sent information to the treasury and a report for you and Erik.” Elan passed him another report and then took out another.

  “This is a profile on Tanya Kvist. I believe that she is someone from Earth as well. She spends most of her time in the forests of the Third Realm but she has a creature with her. She calls it a dog. It is smaller than most beasts. We’re not sure if it is called a Doberman or Tetsu,” Elan said, perplexed.

  “She’s from Earth? What is happening with her right now?” Rugrat asked.

  “Someone took her Doberman and she is working out how to get him back,” Elan said.

  “Who did?”

  “The Northwind sect in the Third Realm. They want to raise new beasts from him because he is loyal and powerful while not increasing in size as he gains strength.”

  “Assholes—steal a person’s dog?” Rugrat said. George growled in agreement. “Do a threat assessment on the Northwind sect.”

  “Already have,” Elan said as another report appeared in his hands. “They’re not a real threat and we can keep our hands clean. They won’t know who did it.”

  “All right, I want you to make sure that she and her pup are safe and that none of this links back to us. Get her somewhere safe for Erik or me to meet her. Tell her that the United States is nice this time of year,” Rugrat said.

  “Got it.” Elan made a note, not having any idea what Rugrat meant.

  “Now, anything else?” Rugrat asked.

  “I will need to use one of the special teams in order to carry it out,” Elan said.

  “You’ll have them,” Rugrat said.

  “Should be it,” Elan said.

  “Good work. Keep it up. I’ll read these reports, and take those books down to the scribes so that they can copy them out.”

  “I can do that.” Elan collected the books back up. Dismissed, he headed out of the office.

  Chapter: Family Reunited

  Tanya was down on the small rise, looking down at the bandit camp. Tents had been thrown together from one side to the other; there was all of the loot that the bandits had been able to gather among them. There were cages filled with people, beasts, and other valuables.

  One cage in particular contained an angry Doberman that was pacing around, barking, and growling at his captors.

  The captors laughed and jeered, hitting the bars and taunting the Doberman.

  “Stop, Tetsu,” she whispered to herself. Her fist tightened and turned white around the dagger in her hand. She wanted to run down there, free Tetsu, and escape into the darkness without anyone noticing. But she knew that would not be an easy task. She averted her eyes and looked at the sentries. She had been watching them for hours now, getting to know their habits and their routine. She checked her storage ring and her muddy clothes.

  Her Tomas Ledin shirt was tattered and torn; one could see the attempt she had made to repair it over time. Thankfully, her stylish combat pants and combat boots she wore had come in useful for once instead of just making a statement to the masses.

  She tracked the positioning of the lookouts once again, firming their locations in her mind.

  Then, before she could stop herself, she moved forward, coming down off the rise, surprised that she had been watching the camp for hours.

  “You know, this might be easier with a little bit of help.” A voice came from beside her.

  Tanya nearly jumped off the ground, her heartbeat racing as her blood ran cold.

  “Don’t worry. If we wanted to kill you, we would have done it long before now. After all, you didn’t even know that we were here.” A woman walked forward out of the bushes, looking at her and cleaning her fingernails with a knife.

  Even when looking at her, Tanya had a hard time concentrating. Just what kind of spells is she using to make it so hard to detect her even when she’s only five feet away?

  “I have been told to tell you that the United States is nice this time of year.” The woman looked at her, waiting for a reaction.

  Tanya looked at her in alarm. “United States?”

  “Ah, so you do know it.” The woman nodded, confirming something. “My employer would like to meet with you. He’d also like to help you and your Doberman Tetsu out.”

  “Your employer? Just who are you?”

  “I’m someone who can help you out,” the woman said with a mysterious smile.

  “What do you want with me?”

  “I don’t want anything with you. My employer just wants to meet with you and have a chat about Earth.”

  “Are they someone from Earth as well?”

  “Now that is a question I can’t answer.”

  “How do I know that I can trust you?”

  “If we make an oath on the Ten Realms, the light from it will be the signal to my friends. They’re already in position.”

  Tanya looked at the lookouts who were still patrolling the area, thinking about her options. It was clear that this group already knew what her plan was. If she didn’t agree with them, she didn’t know what would happen.

  At least I will have a binding oath if I agree. Haven’t I been searching for other people who might be from Earth as well?

  She debated it over in her mind before she let out a pressured sigh.

  “I, Tanya Kvist, swear on the Ten Realms, that if you save my Tetsu then I will listen to your employer’s terms and go with you without fighting. If either myself or my Doberman Tetsu are threatened or attacked in any way by yourself, your employer, or any of your associates, then your life will be forfeit. Do you agree to these terms?”

  “Tian Cui so agrees to these terms. You and your Doberman Tetsu, to the limit of my abilities, agree to meet with my employer and I will see that no harm comes to you before and during the meeting with my employer. You are free to leave at any time if you so choose.”

  Light of the Ten Realms gathered around them as the oath was confirmed, binding the two of them together as well as their terms.

  “Now it’s time for the fun stuff.” Tian Cui grinned. As a light came down, there were sounds of alarm within the camp.

  From her vantage point, Tanya had a good view everything that happened in the camp. People started to gather together, facing where the light had come from.

  Tian Cui grabbed her hand and with a feat of strength, pulled her over her shoulder and ran off into the forest. Tanya could only see Tian Cui’s feet as she moved through the forest with ease.

  Tanya heard an explosion go off, followed by the clash of metal on metal. It seemed that the battle had begun in the camp.

  I was looking over the camp for nearly a day and a half and I didn’t even notice them creeping up. Who are these people?

  ***

  Gong Jin saw the signal from on the hill, got up and started jogging, low and fast, close to the ground with his rifle ready as he scanned the area.

  Han Wu’s grenade launcher fired overhead and landed in the middle of the camp, where the bandits were sleeping and living. It only took a few grenades to cover all of the sleeping quarters that were far away from the loot stored on the other side of camp.

  Gong Jin cast Detect Life on himself, seeing through the camp and all of the people inside.

  A bandit on watch was cut off as Imani’s Silence shot took him in the neck, killing him and dropping him to the ground.

  Gong Jin took a running jump and cleared the wall. He came down,
dropping to a knee as he aimed and fired, working the bolt action on his rifle.

  Imani provided long-range support with Han Wu, while Yang Zan was on Gong Jin’s right, reloading his rifle.

  Gong Jin surveyed the camp. A bandit tried to run, only to have Imani find him with her rifle.

  Gong Jin and Yang Zan swept forward into the camp. The sleeping quarters were a smoking mess, with broken tents and temporary homes mixed in with what remained of the bandits.

  It was a scene of destruction.

  An arrow shot out at Gong Jin. He took it on his armor and he fired back at the archer. The round dropped them to the ground and they breathed their last.

  Gong Jin’s face was grim. This was his reality. Although there were good times, he was the tip of the spear, which meant that he would see the worst of people time and time again, and most times when he was sent out, it was to kill someone else.

  “Clear,” Yang Zan said.

  “Clear,” Gong Jin said.

  “Clear,” Imani reported via sound transmission.

  “All clear. Looking outward now,” Han Wu said.

  Imani and Han Wu left their overwatch positions and entered the camp as well.

  There was a knock at the door and Gong Jin walked over to it.

  “Knock, knock, anyone there?”

  ***

  Tian Cui came to a halt and let her down, before leading the way toward the camp. The noise had stopped some time ago.

  “That should be it,” Tian Cui said.

  “That should be it?” Tanya asked in confusion.

  “Trust me. Whenever one of Han Wu’s explosives goes off, it pretty much ends everything,” Tian Cui said flippantly.

  “Han Wu?”

  Tian Cui didn’t respond; instead, she walked out of the underbrush onto the road leading into the camp, right up to the front gate. Tanya was hesitant to follow her as there were over sixty different bandits within the camp.

  “You do know that these bandits were actually contracted by Lord Adda, right?”

  “I have my suspicions.” Tanya would have to be blind if she didn’t see how the different lords’ beast tamers and other people of the Ten Realms looked at Tetsu.