Chapter 40
386 days until the Arkon Shield falls
The last part of the wall to be finished turned out to be on the east side.
A small crowd was already assembled before the open section of palisade. At their fore was the commander and her direct subordinates, Soren, Albert, Melissa, Petrov, and Beth. Only Tara was missing. Is she still out on the southern plains? I wondered.
When Marcus and I arrived, Soren’s workers already had the final pieces in hand and were only waiting for our arrival to close the gap in the wall.
“Jamie, Marcus, come here please,” Jolin said when she caught sight of us.
Marcus and I moved to join her.
“Gentlemen, you may proceed,” the commander said to the squad of builders.
“Jamie, great work with the nails,” said Soren, stepping up to my side as the workers began to shift the final logs into place. “They worked better than we hoped, and as you can see we’ve finished earlier than expected!”
I bobbed my head in acknowledgement, then turned to the commander. “Is Tara still out, ma’am?”
“Yes,” Jolin replied. “But don’t worry, I’ve received word the ogres turned back. She will return before nightfall.”
“That’s good,” I said, expelling a relieved breath.
The commander threw me an amused glance. “I’ve heard you have been making plans to leave tomorrow, and with a team too.”
“I was going to tell you. With the settlement established, the quicker I set out, the better. Do you mind if I ask some of your people to go with me?”
“Anyone who wishes to accompany you is welcome to do so,” Jolin said, waving aside my concern. “I’ve already given orders to that effect. In which direction were you thinking of heading?”
“East, probably. Towards the dungeon in the forest. I don’t think we are in a position to attempt the dungeon just yet, but I still want to scout it out for myself.”
“Ah,” Jolin said. “In that case you will probably be happy to hear that the scouts have come back from the foothills with an interesting report. Marcus, if you will?”
“We’ve found another dungeon,” Marcus said with a grin. “Less than a day’s journey east from the spider warren. This one is marked by an obelisk covered in green runes.”
“Well,” I breathed. “That is good news.”
The commander raised an eyebrow. “I am guessing from both your reactions that the green runes signify something good?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, my eyes gleaming. “Dungeons marked like that are the lowest ranked, and suitable for players under level one hundred.”
She frowned.
I raised my hands to forestall her objections. “We still aren’t strong enough to attempt the dungeon, but once we can get a team of players above level fifty, we stand a decent chance of beating it.”
But even as I said that to the commander, my thoughts spun while I tried to figure how to attempt the dungeon even earlier. I would have to see the dungeon for myself first, though. Until I knew what creatures inhabited it, I couldn’t be certain of the challenge we’d face inside.
The commander was still frowning. She opened her mouth to ask a question, then closed it with a sigh. “I will leave such matters to you and Marcus. Now,” she said, turning back to the wall, “it looks like the builders are just about done.”
The old lady was right.
The final log had been installed, and the carpenters were hammering at the wooden post to secure it in place.
There was no real reason to watch the palisade’s completion. The Trials made certain that I, and everyone else in the Outpost, knew the exact moment it was finished. A slew of messages poured through my vision in a veritable wall of text. My mouth dropped open in shock as I scanned through them.
Location seventy-eight has been established as a: village. You are within its borders and required to follow the rules and regulations of its new owner.
Settlement name: Location seventy-eight. Type: Village, rank 1. Leader: Jolin Silbright. Owning faction: none.
Human Dominion default policies are in effect. Location seventy-eight is allied: with humanity’s Patron, the Orcish Federation, and neutral: towards all other factions.
Dragon temple upgraded to: rank 1. New facilities available for use: global messaging system.
Location seventy-eight has claimed the lair: Brown Spider Warren. For being claimed within the first 14 days of the Human Dominion’s creation, the boundaries of location seventy-eight have expanded to include all territory between: the village and lair.
You own: a tent in location seventy-eight and have been designated a: vagrant. Apply to the village leader for full residency. Residents must comply with all settlement regulations to maintain their status. Current regulations: none.
Warning: Under the existing village charter, the villager leader Jolin Silbright has sole discretion in the approval of all residency applications.
Warning: Your status as a: vagrant will be revoked if you spend more than one consecutive night away from the village.
Warning: Changing or losing your home settlement may result in dire consequences. Choose your affiliations wisely!
As a founding member of only the fifth human settlement in Overworld, you have earned the Trait: Pioneer.
Trait: Pioneer. Rank: 1, common. Your Attributes are boosted by 5% when in the wilds or unclaimed territory.
“Wow,” I breathed after I had read the messages. The last one especially claimed my attention. I had known from the Trials’ feedback when we claimed the warren that there were other teams of humans out there, fighting the same fight we were.
But to find out we were not the first, but the fifth human village in Overworld—that was encouraging. “We are not alone,” I said softly. There were others in the Human Dominion battling for humanity’s survival.
I will find them, I vowed.
I looked at the others around me. They were all staring sightlessly, still caught up in their own Trials messages. The commander was the first of them to recover. Pulling out a flat, disc-shaped medallion from beneath her clothes, she studied it thoughtfully.
“What is that?” I asked.
She glanced at me. “It’s a settlement core—the control device for this location. We found it outside the temple on our first day here. Now, let’s see what I can do with it.” Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she focused on the medallion.
A moment later, more alerts flashed through my vision.
Location seventy-eight has been renamed to: Sierra.
A new faction has been born: The Forerunners.
Ownership of Sierra has passed to: The Forerunners.
The Forerunners have granted you: Ally status.
The Forerunners have repudiated their Patron! The Orcish Federation is barred from all territory owned by the Forerunners. This resolution will be enforced by the Trials until the Arkon Shield falls.
The messages were like a punch to the gut. “You named the village, Sierra,” I whispered. My hands were trembling. “How did you know?”
It was Mum’s name.
The commander’s face was grave as she met my eyes. “I make it a point to know all my people,” she said. “And it was the least we could do to honour your sacrifices.”
I nodded. Tears streamed down my face unheeded. “Thank you,” I managed before I choked up altogether. In no fit state for further speech, and feeling far too brittle to face the others at the moment, I fled.
✽✽✽
Getting back to my tent took much longer than I’d expected. The entire settlement—I suppose I should call it a village now—seemed to have received a similar slew of messages. Most of the inhabitants had received the Pioneer Trait as well. In fact, the only ones who didn’t get the Trait were the day-zero fishes.
All around the village, players congregated together, shouting, hollering, and cheering the village�
�s establishment.
It is almost as if Earth has not been destroyed today, I thought.
But that wasn’t fair. In spite of Earth’s demise, or perhaps because of it, people needed something to celebrate, something to provide them hope.
And Sierra was that hope.
I swallowed painfully. The commander’s gesture had caught me off guard and memories I still wished to keep buried had resurged. I couldn’t blame her. She had meant well. But every time I heard one of the villagers toast the village’s new name, it felt like a fresh stab in the heart.
It’s a good thing I am leaving tomorrow, I thought.
Brushing through the last of the throng celebrating in the camp, I ducked into my tent, relieved to finally have escaped the crowds.
Inside, I found Tara waiting.
Chapter 41
386 days until the Arkon Shield falls
“Jamie,” Tara greeted, her voice solemn.
“Hi, Tara,” I said, recovering from the shock of seeing her here. “I thought you were still on the plains.”
She shrugged. “Once the ogres turned south, my presence wasn’t necessary there anymore. I hurried back north with a small squad to see what help we could provide.” She smiled. “But I see you had everything under control.”
“It was close, but we managed. The village is finally established.” I fell silent for moment. Now that the moment had arrived, I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of the recent tension between us. I took a deep breath. “Tara, I’m sorry I snapped at you the other day,” I said. “It was—”
“Stop, Jamie, I understand. I should have realised your grief was still too raw.”
My brows drew down in consternation. Not that I wasn’t happy by Tara’s response, but her forgiveness had come swifter than I had expected, especially given her noncommittal response the last time I had tried speaking to her. Had she been dwelling on our conversation from that morning as well?
“Uhm, thank you, Tara. I would hate to think I destroyed our friendship over… something like that.”
Tara nodded, her own face sober. She didn’t say anything further, and for a moment we both stood in uncomfortable silence.
Eventually Tara spoke again. “The others said you were looking for me?”
The others? What others? It didn’t matter though, because it gave me the opening to bring up the other matter I wanted to speak to her about. “I don’t know if you know… but I am leaving.”
“I know,” she said quietly.
It was more difficult than I imagined to speak the words, but I got them out. “Will you come with me?”
Tara let the silence draw out before answering. “Why, Jamie?”
“Because we work well together,” I said. I paused, ordering my thoughts. “I trust you like I do few others. I have ever since my first day on Overworld when, despite everything else going on around, you took the time to school a new fish like me. And again, when you saved me countless times during my first battle. You’re my friend and I think we make a good team,” I finished. There was more I wanted to add, but I didn’t have courage to say any of it.
“No, Jamie,” said Tara gently. “I mean, why do you want to leave?”
I blinked. The question caught me by surprise. “Because I have to,” I said.
“But why?” she prodded. “You’ve done so much already for the village. And there is so much more you can do here. Why leave?”
I fell silent. I wasn’t sure Tara would understand—not like the commander had. “Because I have to,” I repeated.
Tara stepped closer, scrutinising my face. “Is it vengeance?” she asked. Sorrow peeked through her eyes. “Is that what drives you? Are you trying to avenge your mum’s death?”
I closed my eyes against the sudden throb of grief. I didn’t want to discuss any of this. But I had started this conversation, and if Tara was going to accompany me, she had a right to know.
“Yes,” I said, opening my eyes and letting my rage shine through. “Yes, I want revenge. On the orcs that killed my mum, and on the whole entire system that led to her death.” I sucked in a breath and continued more calmly, “But it’s not only vengeance I seek. I want to save humanity. And to do that, I can’t stay here.”
“Why not?” asked Tara. “Who is to say we can’t build something here that can stand against the orcs?”
“I fought them, Tara. And I’m not ashamed to say I got lucky defeating them. Every one of the orcs I fought was a Seasoned player, all over level one hundred, and their shaman was a level-two-hundred Veteran.”
Tara was staring at me, her face expressionless.
I leaned forward intently, willing her to understand. “Those five orcs I killed? They were just one hunting party. If you watched the news back on Earth, you know the orcs had dozens of parties roaming our world. The Orcish Federation must have thousands, if not millions of Seasoned players. And they will be not be the worst of what we must face.” My eyes unfocused, remembering. “When I entered the gate, I caught a glimpse of the orc shaman who had created them.” I shivered, feeling my skin prick at the memory. “He felt altogether different… godlike, even.”
My eyes flicked back to Tara. “Do you know how long it takes the average player to reach Veteran status?”
Tara shook her head.
“Two years,” I replied softly. “Humanity doesn’t have two years, Tara. I have to get strong, fast. And I can’t do that staying here.”
Tara cocked her head to the side. “Jamie, humanity cannot stand against what you describe. To save humanity sounds impossible. Why take on such a mammoth task? To even believe you can do this… isn’t it a trifle egotistical?” She voiced the question gently, seemingly in an effort not to offend me. “Why are you trying to shoulder this burden?”
She thinks I am crazy. “Because someone has to try and… I have gifts other players do not.”
“There must be other mages,” she said.
“Not like me, Tara. None of them can do what I can.”
Tara’s brows furrowed and she failed to disguise her scepticism.
I sighed. “I will explain, all of it, if you come with me. Will you, Tara?”
She returned my sigh. “No, Jamie. I won’t.”
I stared at her, stunned. Despite everything, I had not expected her to refuse. I had anticipated resistance, obstinance, and having to work at convincing her, but I had never truly thought she would say no. “Why?” I asked, unable to disguise my shock.
She studied me in silence for so long I thought she wouldn’t answer. “You are driven, Jamie. Obsessed, even, and it makes you reckless.” She held up a hand to still my protest. “All your victories could have just as easily turned out differently. Eventually, Jamie, you will get someone killed. And I don’t want that to be me.”
“But—”
“No, Jamie, listen,” she said. “I’m not like you. I can’t take the same risks you do; I can’t throw myself into danger the same way. Perhaps it is because of what happened to you back on Earth that makes you so rash, I don’t know. What I know is, I can’t do the same.”
“But… but you are a warrior,” I said faintly. “You take risks every day.”
“Measured risks, Jamie,” she said. “Necessary risks. I do not fight when there is no need, nor do I attempt impossible tasks.”
Meaning I do. I opened my mouth, ready with another argument. Then I closed it with a snap a moment later. Everything Tara said was true. I couldn’t disagree.
In my defence, everything I had done had been with a singular purpose in mind. But that was her point. I was on a crusade. One which she didn’t believe in herself. A crusade I was willing to die for, but she not.
“I will be more careful, Tara.”
“No, Jamie, you will not.” She smiled, a sad forlorn expression. “Goodbye, Jamie.” Walking past me, Tara squeezed my hand once, then left.
For a long time, I stayed staring at no
thing after she disappeared. Rethinking everything I had done and wondering if was all worth it.
✽✽✽
I slept badly that night.
I pondered everything Tara had said and what it meant. She was right: I did gamble with my life. But I did so knowingly and necessarily—or so I believed. I couldn’t deny it.
Was I a danger to others around me? Did I needlessly place my companions at risk?
Could I lead a party out into the wilderness, knowing I might put them in harm’s way?
But there isn’t any ‘might’ about it, is there?
I was leaving the Outpost to actively court danger—all in a bid to get strong enough to face the orcs.
Was it fair to drag others along with me on my crusade?
Some would follow me regardless of the risks. John, for one. Probably Marcus too. And the sisters, Laura and Cass. But then, Tara had been the person I had been most certain of. And I had been wrong about her. I sighed.
I thought back to the moment on the wall, when the commander had had to choose between Lance and her men. Could I make such a choice? If it came to it, would I choose my companions’ lives over my vendetta?
I swallowed. I wasn’t sure.
And if I was not sure, I could not do it. I would not risk John, or Marcus, or even Lance on my behalf. A difficult path, the commander had called it, one that demanded more sacrifices than I realised.
I sighed once more. She had spoken far more truth than I realised at the time. I knew what I had to do.
I have to leave town alone.
Chapter 42
385 days until the Arkon Shield falls
1 day after Earth’s destruction
The humans and the Elders are connected somehow. It is the only conclusion I can draw from the Elders presence on the human homeworld so many millennia ago. But what is the connection? —Arustolyx, gnomish archaeologist.
I rose early the next morning, well before dawn, while the rest of the settlement was still asleep. I gazed around the tent at my meagre belongings.
Overworld (Dragon Mage Saga Book 1): A fantasy post-apocalyptic story Page 38
