As for the blessed, I don’t think you’ll have much to worry about. Just bring them around to your way of thinking. Show them why they need this. People don’t like to leave their comfy bubbles unless they know there’s no other choice. Help them see the light. If anyone can do it, it’s you.
And never underestimate what you’ve learned from your mother and father. They might be cold and emotionless, but they’ve learned a lot on their journey. Some of it has already found its way into you. Just guard and protect what makes you Chloe and you’ll be fine.
No problem on the figures and stats. You know I’ve got your back. Everything is on the up and up, so there are no concerns right now. I’ll do some digging and see what I can get on the leading player.
I don’t understand how anyone’s journey could be more exciting than yours.
And, of course, with the twins. I’ll do some more digging when I get the chance. Silence isn’t always a bad thing.
I hope.
Just keep an eye out for Fukmos and the others. I don’t know much about them, but a recent Wiki article says that the two girls mentioned in the code with Fukmos are the goddesses of ghosts and disease. I might be going out on a limb here, but I’m going to say that’s not good.
Wish me luck as I try to keep Mia’s head above water, and go and kick some Obsidian ass.
Doc
Chapter Sixteen
Several days after the excitement of returning to the city and announcing the king’s union, the city was still abuzz.
The date had been set, and the arrangements were being made. By the end of the week, under the burning glow of the sunset, Therese was due to wed King Abaxis.
While the king’s servants ran around the palace getting things in order and the town prepared to sell merchandise and set up the streets for the big day, Chloe was busy watching a burly man in a stained shirt hammer a nail into a length of wood.
The man turned back over his shoulder. “There?”
Chloe deliberated. “A little higher.”
The man gripped the large board and raised it higher.
“Perfect!” Chloe said.
A second man moved into place and held the board at the right height while the first man finished hammering and making his adjustments.
“Nice one,” he grumbled. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and stepped back to admire his handiwork. “And you’re going to do what with this, exactly?”
The first man raised an eyebrow as he examined the board. Located at an intersection, the board was long and stuck out like a sore thumb.
Chloe tapped her nose, paid the men from her ever-shrinking pocketful of change, and watched them disappear down the street. When they were gone, she folded her arms and smiled at the board.
“It looks good,” Gideon said, appearing from behind her, arms laden with small sheets of paper and charcoal to write with. “You really can’t miss it.”
“That was the intention.” Chloe beamed.
A notification popped up in Chloe’s vision.
You’ve unlocked a new skill: Entrepreneur (Lv 1)
You’ve set up your first business! There are many ways to make money in Obsidian, but only a few learn the glorious benefits of letting the money make you. The more passive income you make, the higher this skill will increase.
Requirements: Start your first business
Bonuses: +5 intelligence
“Remind me again how this is going to help us?” Gideon asked, handing over the items.
Chloe knelt and began to get to work, sketching letters and pictures on various pieces of paper and sticking them up as she went along.
“It’s a Heroes-for-Hire board,” Chloe explained. “Anyone who has any issues or problems can come along and post their requests on the board, stating what their issue is, what they need, and how much they’re willing to pay for it. Anyone willing to help can read the board, take the paper, complete the quest, and earn some money.”
Chloe tried to pin a piece of paper to the board but stuck her thumb instead.
Gideon rolled his eyes, moving to help her. “I know what a Heroes-for-Hire board is, but I don’t see how this is going to help us. I mean, it’s an admirable thing to get started, fixing people up to help each other more, but haven’t we got mages to gather?”
“This is one step toward that plan. You see, for every quest that gets completed, I’ve configured the board so our party gets ten percent of the profit. That way, we’re making money that’ll help our cause without having to constantly look for monsters or needing to complete quests.”
“But we will keep completing quests, right? I mean, that’s the point of the game.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Chloe agreed. “This way, while we gather the mages and earn the trust of the city, we’re making enough money to cover our rent. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re on our last pennies, and we can’t afford to get thrown out of the inn.”
Gideon nodded. “Y’know, I’m still not sure why we can’t just stay with Therese and Abe. Surely, they could just give us a bedroom. We are part of the queen-to-be’s party, after all.”
“That’s exactly it,” Chloe replied. “‘Queen-to-be.’ She’s not queen yet. It’s not decent for us to stay in the palace while she’s unofficial. It’s bad enough that a few groups of NPCs are riling people up against the blessed.”
“Good point.”
Chloe stuck her tongue out as she attached another piece of paper to the board, ignoring the strange looks she was getting from passersby. “Secondly, by creating a central location where heroes have to come to complete these quests, we’ve created a meeting place for all types of altruists. We can even pin our own news on here, and with any luck, we’ll be able to lure talent to help our cause.”
Gideon nodded, impressed. “It certainly can’t be any worse than our visit to the Mages’ School.”
Chloe’s face soured. Compared to the Mages’ Academy in Killink View with its large, ornate rooms and passionate academic staff, the Mages’ School in Hammersworth was a veritable pile of dung.
The School had been their first port of call the day following their return to the city. If mages were what they needed, a school full of them should certainly bolster their numbers and help them make a start toward their quest.
What they quickly discovered, however, was that the mages in Hammersworth were a different breed than any others Chloe had met. Not only were they extremely xenophobic, viewing anyone outside of their circle as nothing more than dirty scum, but the academic staff wasn’t inclined to listen to Chloe’s plea.
Chloe and Gideon had been fuming when they’d exited the School, Chloe’s fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
“It’s no great loss,” Gideon said, trying to calm down and see the positive side of their experience. “That school could only house…what? Fifty students or so?”
“Still…” Chloe complained. “We would be a quarter of the way there.” She grunted and threw down her arms. “Irrational, bigoted, no-good…wizards.”
Gideon had clapped a hand to his mouth and strode in Chloe’s furious wake toward the inn, where it took a great effort for the others to calm her down.
Gideon was glad that in comparison to that Chloe, this Chloe was a lot brighter and optimistic.
They finished up the board and took a seat on the opposite corner, nonchalantly keeping an eye on any activity that might happen to occur. She had to admit the sign looked fantastic. Big and bold, with the legend Heroes-for-Hire in large letters across the top.
Several people stopped to take a look, reading the long scroll Chloe had written that detailed the purpose of the board and how it worked. After an hour or so, however, no one had added anything to the board.
“Come on,” Gideon said. “Let’s leave it and come back. It’ll take time before anyone puts anything on there. It is brand-new, after all.”
Chloe agreed, reluctantly allowing herself to be led away.<
br />
As they left, they passed a small table with mini figurines, dried fruits, and drawings for sale. Chloe picked up one of the figures and showed it to Gideon.
“Hey, Gid. It’s Therese.” She laughed.
Gideon examined the doll, a crude replica of their dwarf friend.
The two started laughing, put the ornament back, and disappeared down the street.
Therese wasn’t sure which was worse, the fancy gown she found herself in or the constant interruptions and attention from the maids and servants.
There was a knock on the door.
Therese took a sharp breath and glared at the sound. “What. Is. It?”
“It’s me,” came the syrupy sweet voice of Beverley Crocker, the chief handmaid of the palace.
Ever since Abe had introduced Therese to Beverley, she had been nothing but lovely and attentive. At every meal, she had ensured that Therese had all the napkins she needed.
In the mornings, she was the first thing Therese saw, fussing at the end of her bed and tucking in the sheets before she’d even risen.
Down every corridor.
Through every door.
In every room.
There she was…
“I’m fine!” Therese snapped, finally reaching her wits’ end. “For goodness sake, leave me alone!”
“Very well,” Beverley replied, no hint of annoyance or anger in her voice. Even her footsteps made Therese shake with rage, soft and perfectly gentle on the stone floors.
What did it take to get a moment’s peace around here? Did she have to shout and order the help to leave her alone? It seemed so simple. Why hadn’t she thought of it before?
And then she heard the sound of scrubbing from her lavatory. She rose from her seated position at the end of her bed and stormed across the room. She poked her head inside to see a young dwarf maiden on her knees, scrubbing around the edges of the room.
She froze with the brush in her hand.
“W-would you like me to leave?” she stuttered.
Therese felt herself overheating. Without a word, she stormed out of the room and tramped down the corridor.
Abe wasn’t prepared for someone to hammer on his door. It was early morning, and the king was famously a late sleeper. He jackknifed in bed at the sound of her knocks, and before he could even throw off his duvet, the door opened.
Therese stood in the doorway, her face beet-red. Behind her was a handmaiden, trying her best to calm the situation and apologize to the king at the same time.
“Therese? Whatever is the matter?” Abe asked, his face concerned.
Therese turned sharply, scaring the handmaiden, who scampered down the corridor. She stepped inside and slammed the door.
“I’m really sorry. I know that it must be lovely for you to be waited on hand and foot by servants, but if you don’t tell them to leave me alone, I swear you’re going to need to hire new help to replace the ones I’ve killed.”
Abe looked taken aback. In his groggy state, it took him longer to digest the words than usual. Eventually, his expression turned into a smile. “What is this about?”
“What do you mean? Ever since I arrived here, I haven’t had a second to myself. I mean, I’m super excited to become the queen and everything, but I didn’t sign up to have obnoxious shadows follow me around everywhere I go.”
“Obnoxious… Sweetie, you’re thinking about this all wrong. The servants aren’t here to get in the way; they just want to make sure that you have everything you need. Think of them as the wi-fi from your homeland.”
“Nice try.” Therese smirked, the wind leaving her sails. “Look, I need to be honest with you, Abe. I love the idea of becoming the queen of Hammersworth, and I can’t wait for our wedding day and to see what the future can bring with us two side by side. But I can’t live like this.” She gripped the hem of her dress and held it up. “This isn’t who I am. I’m an adventurer. A tank. I need my armor, and I need my friends. Without them, I am nothing.”
Abe thought about that for a long time, his internal conflict written all over his face. Eventually, he took Therese’s hand and looked at her.
“If that is what you wish, that is what you shall have.”
“You mean it?” Therese said.
Abe nodded. “I’d rather have you happy than have the shadow of what you were living here. The reason I like you is that you are so different from everyone I have ever known. And, although I know this is not yet love, I feel as though every day that passes in which you are happy brings me one step closer to the love my forefathers shared with their cherished wives.”
Therese smiled.
“Besides.” Abe nodded. “It’s not like we haven’t already broken plenty of rules already. What are several more along the way?”
They kissed for a long moment before Therese began to list the things she’d like to change. After Abe had noted them all down and promised to speak to the relevant people that day, their attention turned to the windows, where a great black bird had appeared on the sill.
“Hello?” Abe said, crossing the room and holding out his arm.
The raven hopped onto his forearm, flapping his wings gently to balance as the king brought him back to the bed. He detached the small scroll attached to the bird’s leg.
King Abaxis,
It is with honor that I receive your summons of my men to your keep. Your mission and need do indeed sound great.
However, every kingdom has its problems, and I am loath to lend help at a time when our own city is in need. Therefore, I offer you a counterproposal.
A great plague has been scourging our town. Men and women are dying like flies, and we are in dire need of assistance. I can rally mages to your cause if you would be able to lend clerics to help ours. While the healing abilities of mages are useful, it is with the clerics that the true power remains. We need the grace of the gods on our side.
Send us your response with haste.
Your loyal subject,
Erendal III
Abe read the letter out loud to Therese, face dark and shadowed.
“This is the second instance of this plague I have heard of,” Abe said. “It seems that darkness really is falling upon the land.”
“What kind of plague is it?” Therese asked.
Abe shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know. What I do know is that Erendal is one of the most loyal among all my subjects. He rules a small town beyond the forest, a fishing village that provides us great amounts of fish each year. He wouldn’t reject my invitation without a dire reason. He needs help.”
“How many clerics do you have here?”
“Enough,” he replied. He stumbled over to a chest of drawers and took out a paper and pen, scribbling a quick response before attaching it to the raven’s leg and sending him on his way. “It’s a fair exchange of services,” he said, watching the raven grow smaller in the sky. “A good king should always prioritize the health of his subjects.”
He thought for a minute, then returned his attention to Therese. “Now, where were we? Ah! Yes. Let’s get you out of that dress.”
Chapter Seventeen
Chloe heard the sound of coin against coin, a notification tone she had set up to inform her when a quest had been completed on her hire board and money had found its way into her pocket.
Another winner for Chloe, she thought, smiling.
I have to give it to you, KieraFreya said. Not a bad idea. Let the others do the work for you while you reap the spoils. Bravo, girly. Bravo.
It’s not like that, Chloe retorted. It’s a fair finder’s fee for helping get people together. We’ve already made enough to cover the costs for the final night at the inn before the big wedding, so I must be doing something right.
KieraFreya accepted this, congratulating Chloe again on her venture.
The board had taken a while to get going, but like any boulder that is pushed for long enough, momentum had begun to build, and now it was rolling.
&nb
sp; The notice board was almost filled with quests, everything from helping an elderly lady clear the rats out of her basement to sightings of wargs near the borders of the forest. An extermination team was brought together to tackle the warg problem.
Since the reward amounts were set by the NPCs, not all of them were fair. Chloe saw a quest put up just that morning by a sinister-looking character who offered five bronze pieces to help him re-roof the entirety of his house.
The good news was that offers had been accepted by people wanting to partake in Chloe’s quest to open the Nether Realm. Not that she had stated that explicitly, of course. She figured not many people would be open to the idea of tearing a hole in the fabric of the etheric for someone they had never met.
Still, the meeting was to take place after sundown that night. It was to be held in one of the abandoned barns just outside the city gates.
Chloe hadn’t been happy with the choice of location at first, but after Gideon had reassured her, stating they’d need a big space if they got the numbers they anticipated, she had calmed down and gone with the flow.
The invitations had been accepted in dribs and drabs. The option was there for the blessed to accept the quest on the spot in front of the board. For every player who accepted, Chloe got a notification.
Congratulations, a player has accepted your invitation to join your quest: Mage after Sundown
However, just because a player didn’t accept right away, it didn’t mean that she wasn’t prepared for those who had been indecisive to just turn up, or for NPCs to tag along as well, drawn by their curiosity and sense of adventure.
Another sound of coins tinkling.
Chloe brought up her inventory, enjoying the increase in her wealth. She grinned. “I’ll never get tired of that sound.”
When nightfall came, Chloe collected the rest of the KieraSlayers (minus Therese, who was otherwise occupied before her big day), and headed outside the city walls.
To her surprise, she could already see several people strolling ahead, lit torches in their hands. The flames floated like wisps toward the barn.
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