Even Chloe raised an eyebrow, wondering what Therese was doing.
“Although a wedding is a happy occasion, I would be remiss in my role as your new queen if I were not to offer a warning of tougher times ahead. Many of you saw the darkness that attacked the city last night, and I fear that it was only the beginning of what is to come. Should the right people not unite and help bring the world together for the benefit of the greater good, we will all suffer.”
Therese took a deep breath and turned toward the KieraSlayers. She motioned to Chloe.
“Chloe of the KieraSlayers, will you please step forth?”
Chloe did so, slowly breaking ranks once more. She made her way to the end of the platform and stood between Abe and Therese.
Another wave of murmurs issued from below them as Chloe came into view and a few of those who had pointed and made guesses about the warrior clad in gold and emerald armor wondered whether their theories were about to be confirmed.
“This is Chloe, a battle mage, and one of the bravest fighters this realm has ever seen. Together, we have been fighting the darkness that has been growing across the realm, but we cannot do it alone. We need your help.”
“What are you doing?” Chloe hissed.
Therese ignored her.
“In order to combat this darkness, and as one my first duties as your queen, I invite any and all fighters with abilities to draw on the etheric to make themselves known by joining us in the abandoned barn on the eastern front of the city tomorrow night. There we may configure a plan to push back the darkness and ensure that light reigns supreme.
“Those who are able but choose not to join will not be reprimanded, but neither will they find great reward for their efforts when the darkness eventually takes us all and the world ends.”
Ben shuffled uncomfortably, whispering to Gideon, “Well, that’s cheery. Has she ever been to a wedding before?”
Gideon didn’t reply.
“For my second act as your queen, I wish to thank Chloe for all the contributions she has made to our protection thus far by assigning her the role of Chief Guardian of the Queen. Separate from the king’s guard, the queen’s guard will consist of the KieraSlayers party, and will spread the word of the queen across this city, protecting my legacy and aiding in the distribution of tasks and civility.”
A notification popped up in Chloe’s vision.
New title acquired: Chief Guardian of the Queen
As the queen’s chief guardian, the duties and responsibilities of ultimate protection will fall upon you. You will rank as equal to the king’s guards, and your word will hold weight among the people of Hammersworth.
New locations unlocked
You now have access to more locations in Hammersworth, namely, the palace. While there are still some rooms and floors that will remain a well-guarded secret kept by the city’s royalty, you will no longer have to wait while guards check your identity before entering the palace.
A word of caution: while your new title might unlock many doors and opportunities, it will also expose you to more threats within the city. Remember that there will always be someone else vying for your spot and rank.
Bonuses: new areas of the city unlocked, For the Queen! skill granted, permanent residence within the palace available
(NOTE: bonuses and effects only remain while title is held. Should player lose title, they will also lose all granted effects and boons)
You’ve unlocked a new (unique) skill: For the Queen!
Unite and inspire any and all allied fighters surrounding you in battle with a war cry, backed by the queen herself.
Fighters will rally around you, finding courage in their hearts to fight longer and with increased strength for a limited time.
Bonuses: +5% strength, +5% stamina, +5% endurance, +5% mana regeneration, +5% health regeneration.
Duration: 3 minutes
Chloe was stunned and her mouth fell open. She looked at Abe for help, but he merely laughed and shook his head. “Didn’t I tell you? She’ll make a great queen.”
Therese grinned and poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth.
“Chloe, do you accept this charge?”
Chloe didn’t know what to do. She turned to her friends for help and found Ben miming a curtsy and nodding his head emphatically. When she still didn’t respond, he cupped his hands and called, “Now would be the time to curtsy.”
Chloe fell to one knee before the queen, to a reverent silence across the city.
“Chloe, I dub thee Chief Guardian of the Queen. Arise and fulfill your duties.”
When Chloe stood up, the silence remained. Below them came the single clap of an excited old matron, then another from the woman beside her. Slowly, one by one, a large majority of the town began to whoop and cheer. Never had they seen such excitement at a royal wedding.
As the cheering and applause continued to swell, Therese ushered Chloe back to her place in the ranks. Chloe tried to hide the tears of joy beneath her helmet, not wanting anyone to see her cry.
Not that it made a difference. Everyone saw it. No one said a word.
After the public ceremony was complete, the newly-crowned queen and her husband made their way into the dining hall of the palace, where their staff had outdone themselves. Tables fifty seats long were decorated in silver, gold, and white. Plates and trays were piled high with food, and servers were on hand to keep the cups filled.
Chloe had never seen so many people dining together. She sat toward the head of the table with Gideon, Ben, and Talbot on one side and Veronica, Leonie, and Huk on the other.
They ate until their stomachs hurt and drank until the room swam. They clapped and whooped and celebrated all the excitement that had gone on during the ceremony.
“You know what we really need?” Ben said, arm looped around Gideon’s neck. On an average day, even this simple gesture might have made Gideon uncomfortable, but it seemed the mage was more than happy to engage, thanks to copious amounts of mead. “A song.”
“You know who sang great songs?” Veronica asked, her words slurring.
“Tag,” Therese finished. “He had a song for every occasion. Had a way with the words, that one.”
Chloe nodded. “Only in song, though. If he opened his mouth to speak, you’d be better off running for the hills.”
“You’re goddamn right.” Ben laughed, raising his drink. “I miss that scamp.”
“Scamp?” Talbot chuckled.
“Hey, I’m in a game that doesn’t let you swear without blowing your ears off. Excuse me if my vocabulary is limited.”
“Try saying that three times fast,” Leonie remarked, the quietest of the group now that the alcohol had hit her system. She smiled goofily and her eyelids softly closed.
“Vocabluraly is limited, vocebaculary ish limided, vocabsuwary...” Ben stopped, unable to control his laughter.
After the food was finished, they took to their feet and went to the next room, larger than even the dining hall.
The ceiling was at least three stories tall; a large fireplace took up the majority of one wall, where a miniature bonfire crackled and sent heat forth. At the far end of the room, an open wall dotted with pillars led out onto another balcony that looked across the city, where lights twinkled down below. The people of Hammersworth indulging in their own celebrations.
In the corner of the room, a ten-piece band produced beautiful music. Accompanied by strings and horns, a singer with a rotund stomach and an impressive voice provided the tunes while the guests set about dancing.
Dresses whirled, men bowed, laughter rang. Chloe couldn’t help but feel slightly out of place, clad in her armor.
“Forget about it, Chloe,” Gideon said, sensing her discomfort. “You can still dance in that, right?”
Chloe shrugged. “If I can, it’s a miracle suit. I’ve never been able to dance out of armor. Not like these people dance, anyway.”
Gideon grinned, emboldened by his mead. He offere
d a hand. “Come, let me show you.”
Chloe had never had so much fun in her life. Gideon was a confident instructor, taking her in his arms and guiding her effortlessly around the room. Despite her reservations, she found herself falling into step, enjoying the ebb and flow of the music and the dance.
Other dancers whirled around them, their smiles sincere and broad. When the song ended, Chloe lingered a moment longer in Gideon’s arms.
“You’re a fast learner,” he said.
“You’re a great teacher.” She smirked.
Their gazes held for a moment longer before the next song started to kick in.
“Care for another spin?” Gideon asked.
Before Chloe could answer, someone called Gideon’s name.
“Heather?” Gideon said, his smile broadening. “How… Why are you here?”
Heather coyly grinned. “After all that happened with my brother, we reported to the cleric elders. Turns out that a few of them had invites, and after hearing how we helped identify the source of the illness and possible healing measures, they managed to get me invited along for the evening celebrations.”
“Well, it’s great to see you.” Gideon beamed.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Chloe said, taking a shy step backward. “Good to see you, Heather.”
“You don’t have to go,” Gideon protested.
“It’s fine,” Chloe said. “Turns out this armor chafes when I dance. You’ll be better off dancing with Heather.”
Heather raised her eyebrows, impressed. “You dance?”
“I dabble.”
“He’s an expert.” Chloe winked. “Now, go on, you two. Have fun.”
Without looking back, Chloe worked her way to the edge of the room, stopping by a table filled with bowls of punch. There she found Ben and Talbot deep in a heated debate over whether either of them could beat Blueballs in a fight.
They broke apart when Chloe approached.
“All okay, Chloe?” Ben asked.
Chloe nodded, turning back to face the room. At that moment, she had everything she needed. Good friends, good company, and an upgraded standing among the people of Hammersworth.
Even though a tiny part of her felt a little odd at watching Gideon lock eyes with Heather, she was truly happy he had someone to give him everything he needed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Unlike the previous morning, when the rising sun kissed the stone walls of Hammersmith, the streets were nearly empty.
Trash littered the roads, rolling around lazily in the breeze.
The streets, which would usually already be slowly filling with morning traffic, were empty. Only a few residents were out and journeying to their daily chores, regretting their decisions to celebrate well into the early hours with copious amounts of mead and ale.
Jobs still needed to be done, livestock taken care of, food prepared, and fields tended to. The few who were up dragged their feet and staggered a bit as they made their way to their respective jobs, scolding themselves and believing a good night’s sleep would fix everything.
Even the palace was quiet that morning. The festivities hadn’t finished until the first signs of dawn had approached. Starlings had sung on the balcony, causing the few who remained to finally find places to rest their heads and sleep.
Bodies littered the floor. Chests rose and fell as snores and whistles created a symphony that echoed around the chambers. A few servants began cleaning, tiptoeing over the unconscious, mopping up spills, and working to set the palace to rights again.
“It’s like an episode of a teen drama,” Chloe mused, scanning the chamber that had only hours ago been alive with dance and song. Not for the first time, she was incredibly grateful that the pain gauge on the blessed players had been all but removed, so hangovers really didn’t have much effect.
Not only that, but with a quick jolt of her Healing Hands spell, she felt right as rain.
“You’d never think such a thing would happen in a palace, would you?” Gideon commented, sipping a mug of something hot and sweet-smelling a handmaiden had offered him. The liquid thick and green.
“Maybe that’s why they keep everything so secret. The celebrations of high society behind locked doors. That way, the lower classes won’t get jealous.”
“Maybe.” Gideon nodded, enjoying the warmth of the sun on the back of his neck.
The morning wore on, and the palace began to find itself back in order. Like dandelions, the nobles rose one-by-one, soon disappearing and floating off back to the reality of their own lives.
By midday, the remaining KieraSlayers showed no signs of waking.
“Maybe they’ve logged off?” Gideon suggested.
Chloe agreed, stating that they all needed the rest after the last couple of days. She and Gideon headed outside into the sun and worked their way down the city streets, finding it incredibly refreshing how easy it was to walk through the city now that the celebrations were over.
They passed a flower shop on the corner, where a woman with a tangle of dark hair hunched over as she arranged her vases. She caught Chloe’s eye as she passed and executed a crude bow.
A woman on the other side of the street who had been busy brushing the knots out of her son’s hair saw the florist, looked around in alarm, and bowed low too, nudging her son to do so as well.
“What are they doing?” Chloe asked.
“Showing respect.” Gideon grinned. “You’re the new Chief Guardian of the Queen, remember? I suppose you’d better get used to people not being sure how to react to you. Fear does that to people.”
“Fear?” Chloe whispered. “I don’t want them to be scared of me.”
“It doesn’t matter what you want; you can’t control an entire population. I suppose you’ll just have to get used to it.”
It was easier said than done. The farther down the levels of the city they got, the more reactions she received. A few bowed. Some curtsied. Several dark-looking gentlemen hanging around outside a nearby tavern narrowed their eyes and saluted mockingly.
Chloe shook her head and focused ahead, not sure how to feel about the attention she was receiving. When she rounded a corner and came to the intersection where her Heroes-for-Hire board hung, she was surprised and excited to notice several figures standing in front of it, fingers tracing the words on the notices as they read the various quests.
“It’s being used,” Chloe squealed.
“That’s nothing new. You told me you’ve been making money for a few days.”
“But I haven’t seen anyone using it,” Chloe replied.
Which was certainly true. After all the excitement of the last few days, she hadn’t had time to visit the site of her first in-game business venture. The view filled her with glee.
Not least because the board was doing exactly what she wanted it to do. The figures standing in front certainly looked the part of heroes.
Maybe I can put up more boards. Grow the business. Expand across Obsidian…
One step at a time. KieraFreya chuckled.
There were three of them standing there, two mages and a warrior by the looks of them. The warrior was in the middle, taller than the other two by a good couple of feet. His shoulders were broad, and his biceps bulging beneath his plate armor. A broadsword that stretched from his head to his ass was strapped to his back.
The mages on either side were arrayed in cloaks. The one on the left wore purple, while the one on the right wore red. Their hoods were pulled over their heads, but she could make out the narrow frames beneath the folds of the material.
The mage wearing red held a long gold staff with some kind of crystal on the end.
“Magic-users,” Gideon breathed, only then realizing that Chloe had already peeled off and was approaching the trio.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” Chloe said brightly. “How does thee fare on this fine golden morning?”
How does thee fare? KieraFreya mocked. The Dark Ages have long since passed.
“Gentlemen?” inquired a soft, sweet voice.
The mage in purple turned around and proved to be a slender elven woman. Her cheeks were pinched, and her eyes were ice blue.
“Who’s she calling ‘gentlemen?’” the mage in red asked. She was a tall elven woman of much the same appearance as the first. The two were almost identical. “You know it’s rude to assume a person’s gender.”
Chloe backpedaled. “I’m sorry. I meant no offense. It’s just, I saw your friend there, and…”
“Assumed I was a man?” the warrior asked in a gruff voice that did not match her gender. Chloe couldn’t place her race. Her skin looked as though it was partly stone. Her features were rough and looked carved. Her jaw was wide, and she had two stumpy fangs jutting from her lower gums.
“To be honest, yes,” Chloe said, unable to think of what else to say. “It was my mistake.”
The mage in purple looked at Gideon. “What’s your friend’s problem? She’s never seen a troll before?”
“Half-troll,” the giant corrected.
“How can you be half troll?” Chloe asked.
“Simple,” the mage in red replied. “When a mommy troll and a daddy human love each other very much—”
Chloe waved her hands and screwed her eyes shut, trying not to picture it in her head. “Enough. I get it. Science, or some pseudo strain of it. Fine.”
The troll chuckled. “She’s a gullible one, isn’t she?
“What do you mean?” Gideon asked.
“I’m not an NPC,” the troll said. “I’m one of the blessed. I got to choose this character.”
“You chose a half-troll?”
“Yeah, why not?” The troll smiled. “Seemed a lot more interesting than some of the other races offered to me. Elves, men, and dwarves have been done to death.”
“No offense taken,” the elves said in unison.
The troll beamed and offered a hand. “Name’s Gelda.”
“Chloe,” Chloe replied. “And this is Gideon.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Gelda said, almost crushing their hands in her grip.
“Holly,” the mage in purple said, offering her own hand. “And my sister Molly.”
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