The Crystal Bard: A LitRPG Adventure (Kingmaker Saga Book 2)

by Thomas K. Carpenter

  He found her fighting a tall elf with broad shoulders wielding a spear. Chanterelle had a long thin blade in her right hand and a smoky black blade—the Nightblade—in her left. She parried the thrusts of the spear with the longer weapon, batting it away with the flat of the blade while keeping the shorter weapon at the ready. She held herself in a side stance, which made the target of her body quite small.

  The spear elf seemed to be getting the best of her, pushing her back, but the smirk on her lips told Terran she was just waiting for the right opportunity. A few other elves stopped their drilling to watch the fight. Chanterelle kept giving up ground until she stepped into a patch of shadow beneath the trees. Wisps of darkness swirled around her weapon like an umbra of night.

  When the larger elf overextended with a punching thrust, Chanterelle danced past the tip, slapped his hands with the flat of her longer blade, and pricked his shoulder with the Nightblade.

  He dropped his spear, holding his shoulder with a grimace. "I thought we were just practicing. No blood."

  Chanterelle sheathed the Nightblade and rested the longer weapon on her shoulder. "A lesson for you. Had that been in battle, I would have slit your throat."

  The tall elf wrinkled his lips as he backed away. The rest of the fighters returned to their drills. As if the battle had never happened, Chanterelle came skipping over and gave Terran a deep kiss that he felt down to his knees.

  "What was that for?" he asked when he finally pulled away, a grin on his lips. Her eyes were darker than ever, but it gave her a smoky look that warmed his midsection.

  "Every time I fight, it's exhilarating," she said hungrily, tongue resting playfully on her teeth. She bit her lower lip. "Can we make a visit to your tree house?"

  "Maybe later. Duty calls." He paused. "When you used the Nightblade, there was a smoke lingering around it, like night made real. What was that? are there some hidden abilities in the blade?"

  Chanterelle lifted one shoulder playfully. "Who knows. All I know is that it fights like a dream. I feel like I'm unbeatable when I'm wielding it and standing in shadow."

  Terran didn't quite believe that there wasn't a hidden component to the weapon, and his suspicions were confirmed when a quest popped up.

  You have been offered a quest: Figure out what's going on with the Nightblade.

  Reward: Unknown

  The lack of a clear reward made Terran suspicious, but Lhoris joined him before he had time to ponder on it. Lhoris wore his Rock Leaf armor like a second skin, sauntering over with his hands clasped behind his back. He positioned himself where he could watch the recruits working with their spears.

  "I heard you met our new additions," said Lhoris.

  "An interesting encounter. I've met friendlier enemies," said Terran.

  "Don't mind that old geode," Lhoris said without turning away from the drilling.

  "Geode?"

  "It's what we call the Crystalline Conservatory bards. Head and manners like a rock, but if you bust it open, it's filled with crystals of knowledge. Don't let them hear you say that though. It's quite derogatory, and I don't think you want to go sending Zaros into a rage," Lhoris explained.

  Terran snickered. "I guess I'm glad to know it isn't just me they don't like."

  "Oh no. They hate everyone equally. Too much time surrounded by books and not out with the trees makes them cranky I think. But don't worry. It looks like there are only two of them. The others should fit in nicely."

  "That's a relief at least."

  "Petram tells me there will be a seed ready to plant again soon. Any idea what you're going to grow next?" Lhoris asked.

  "I assume you asking means you have some thoughts on the matter," Terran said.

  "I think an archery range would be the most useful. If we have more attacks on the settlement it would be good to have better trained archers and more damaging arrows," he answered.

  Terran pulled open the settlement tab to see what options were available, noting the change in population had already shown up.

  Settlement: Gneiss Glen (Tap to rename)

  +20% defense

  +25% attack

  +20% damage

  +20% food production

  +10% morale

  -5 days seed production

  +5% HP

  +5% AC

  Level: 2

  Fortifications:

  Bramble wall 1/1

  Watchtower 0/5

  Gate 0/2

  Population: 42/75

  Housing: 5/10

  Seeds grown: 5/10

  Days until next seed harvesting: 1

  Total Buildings: 5/10

  Barracks (Level 2) 1/1

  Fungi Garden 0/3

  Shaman Hut 1/1

  Chieftain Hut 1/1

  Orchard 1/3

  Leaf Armory (Level 1) 1/1

  Weaponmaker (Level 1) 1/1

  Crystalline Conservatory 0/1

  Aviary 0/1

  Archery Range 0/1

  Occupations:

  Unassigned: 12

  Orchard Tender: 3

  Mother Tender: 1

  Armorer: 1

  Captain: 1

  Shaman: 1

  Tenders: 2

  Warriors: 5

  Loamers: 7

  Weaponmaster: 1

  Gatherers: 3

  Builders: 3

  Resources:

  Food Stores: 1,423

  Loam: 510

  Healing herbs: 1,480

  Leaves: 202

  Sap: 16

  Hibernating Shrooms: 30

  "Archery range seems like a great way to go. Thanks for your input, Lhoris," Terran said after looking everything over. "Anything else?"

  "We need more steel for weapons," he said. "Most of our recruits are using wooden weapons. While the Mother Tree can gift us leaves for armor, she cannot make a good spear point."

  "Where do we find steel?" asked Terran. "I don't see it as an option for the settlement."

  "There's no ore in these hills. That's found in the mountains to the north, but harvesting it is impossible with the Crag Trolls. Our best bet would be to trade with a nearby city. Salt Luck on the coast is probably our best bet," said Lhoris.

  You have been offered a quest: Find a source of steel for the weaponmakers.

  Reward: Improve defensive capabilities of the settlement

  "Great," said Terran. "I'll see if we can find someone to make a trip."

  Terran continued his rounds, checking on all the trees, the elves of the settlement, and the security of the bramble wall. The wall had filled back in quickly after being torn down in places by the Crag Trolls. He had made it halfway around the settlement when Luna bounded up to him.

  "I see how you are. Taking the easy way home," she ridiculed.

  "I'd like to see how you'd feel after being dropped from hundreds of feet in the air to splatter on the ground like paint. I doubt you'd call it the easy way had it been you," Terran poked back.

  "It's not like I didn't warn you, but better you than me any day." She grinned. "I see lots of new faces," she said, nodding toward the fire, changing the subject.

  Terran rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm sure you'll have the pleasure of meeting Zaros soon enough."

  "Sounds like I have that to look forward to. I think I'll take a nap instead. I ran all the way home, unlike someone I know."

  Terran shot her a playful snarl. "Yeah, I bet that was exhausting," he called after her as she loped toward their room in the Chieftain's hut.

  That evening at the communal dinner Terran noticed lots of clenched jaws and smiles that did not reach the eyes of the elves that interacted with Zaros. The normal cheer and chatter over dinner was diminished, and many of the elves ate in an uncomfortable silence. After the meal, he called a meeting with his advisors. They joined him in the spacious room in the Mother Tree.

  Standing within the enormous tree always brought Terran peace, even as the trials of the settlement weighed on him, which was why h
e always had them meet in that space. The regulars—Petram, Lhoris, Kumotake, Elia, Ara—took one side of the tree, leaving Zaros on the opposite side.

  "As leader of Gneiss Glen, I would like to formally welcome Zaros to the settlement as a representative of the Crystalline Conservatory," said Terran.

  "Seems unlikely since there is no conservatory yet," said Zaros as he looked down his nose.

  Terran sighed. "A topic for later. But welcome, anyway." He gestured to Elia. "Let's go around the room. Elia, you first."

  She inclined her head, stepping forward to speak. "The loam supplies are getting low. As the Mother Tree grows she'll need more food. Especially if we add more defenses." She nodded to Lhoris, who gave her an approving smile.

  "Yes, Terran. We could use watchtowers in the surrounding area, and we still haven't put a gate into the bramble wall. We're still using the holes the Crag Trolls made that we chose not to fix," he said.

  "Is there enough loam out there for us to harvest?" asked Terran.

  Kumotake cleared his throat. "There is, but it's further out, and would put my loamers at risk if we attempted to harvest it. The Rock Leaf Forest is still dangerous, even without the threat of the Crag Trolls returning."

  "Where's the next nearest area?" asked Terran.

  "Karst Hollow," said Kumotake. "It's to the northeast, out of range of Lhoris' patrols, but it's a rich vein, and would double our input of loam."

  "Double the loam will allow us to continue to grow and upgrade our buildings," said Terran. "We're going to start having food problems, but I can't increase the orchard production without the loam. It seems like this is going to be a continuous problem." He looked to Lhoris. "Can you send elves with them?"

  "I can, but that takes time, and our newer recruits are too green," said Lhoris.

  "Send a mixed patrol, the more seasoned ones with the lessers. It'll get them experience, and we need the loam." Kumotake and Lhoris glanced at each other with tight lips. "And...I'll assign more loamers and warriors from the newer elves. Three each sound good?"

  "A wise choice," said Kumotake. "We'll make the trip tomorrow and add the Karst Hollow to our harvesting."

  "Great," said Terran. "Ara, anything from your end?"

  The old elf smiled at him. "We need more sap for armor. The newer recruits are wearing cloth or animal skins."

  "Have them collect the sap for their own armor." He snapped his fingers. "Actually, have them collect twice the sap. The extra can go to the reserves. We need it badly."

  "Thank you, Terran," said Ara, stepping back into the circle.

  Terran shot a glance at Zaros to see how impressed he might be by the smooth workings of the council meeting, but the bardic elf was examining his fingernails with a detached expression.

  "I have an important point for discussion," Petram said grimly as he stepped forward with a blank parchment, half burned and crumpled. "This was recovered at the Crag Troll camp, in the tents of the Trio. At the time, we thought nothing of it, but I saved it since parchment is rare in these parts. I thought I might repurpose it. But when I tried to write on it, the ink would not transfer to the parchment, which made me realize that it wasn't regular paper, but something with a hidden message on it. I know a few tricks involving burning thistle mixed with butterfly wings, which revealed the message."

  Everyone leaned towards Petram.

  "What did it say?"

  Petram pulled out a wrap of herbs, and using an ember he'd brought in a bowl, lit the concoction until smoke bloomed from the end, which he waved over the parchment. Flamboyant handwriting appeared on the page.

  The shaman cleared his throat and read, "'The tree cannot be allowed to grow any further...coin-hungry allies will meet you at the stronghold...' There's something about a tower, but it's not clear." Petram poked the lower part, which had a hole burned through it. "The last section only mentions that the great powers have awakened and then the rest is burned and unreadable."

  "Old enemies return," said Ara, shaking her head.

  "Where are those places? The tower, or the stronghold?" asked Terran.

  "The tower? Could mean a lot of things. There's an old stone pillar, stone worn away by time, called the Lingering Tower, and then there's supposed to be an old wizard tower in the Silent Plains, but he's long dead, and a lighthouse at Salt Luck that people call the Towering Eye because of its bright light. Towers are commonplace, even in these remote areas. But stronghold? That suggests something hardier than even a keep or settlement. There was an old stronghold in the Jagged Peaks, the home of the Crag Trolls before the Great Fall. If I was to bet, the parchment speaks of that place," said Petram.

  "That's probably where the Trio were bound," said Terran. "Whoever this hidden force behind them is, they have resources. I bet they thought they could strike us when we were vulnerable. This makes growing the settlement even more important."

  He also needed the settlement to grow to improve his chances of getting his friends back, which would help in the defense of the settlement, but he wasn't going to tell them how important that goal was to him.

  "What shall we do about the Trio? They could come back down with a larger force of Crag Trolls and attack again. It'd be some time, but the threat remains," said Kumotake.

  "You're right," said Terran, finding it strange to be agreeing with Kumotake after their past conflicts. "We can't always be waiting and watching, expecting a new attack. Eventually, we need to find out who this hidden hand is and deal with them."

  "How do we do that?" asked Petram. "If we don't even know who they are?"

  "I think we're going to have to take a trip to the stronghold. We'll likely find the information we need there," said Terran.

  Lhoris crossed his arms. "Is that wise? They nearly wiped us out last week. If we attack them, it'll be on their terms."

  "I'm not saying it's a good idea, or even possible, but we need that information. Otherwise, the Trio and a successively larger army will come down and attack us. They have time and motivation, and there's no way to get rid of them. If we stop the person supplying them with troops, then they just become an annoyance rather than a threat," said Terran.

  You have been offered a major quest: Find out who is behind the Trio and the Crag Trolls.

  Major quests are linked quest lines. Rewards depend on how successful you are at solving the quest.

  As everyone seemed to grapple with the idea that their troubles were only beginning, Terran brought up the final item they had for discussion.

  "There will be another seed ready to plant tomorrow," said Terran. "Considering we need to improve our defense, I'm going to grow an archery range."

  Zaros, who'd been patiently studying his fingernails, even during the important discussion of the hidden threat, snapped toward Terran.

  "Why would you bother with that when you don't even have a Crystalline Conservatory yet?"

  "Well, um…" Terran stammered under Zaros's gaze.

  "An archery range would be a boon to the defense of the Mother Tree," Lhoris asserted. "It would improve my patrols as well. Our speed through the forest is an asset. We can harass a larger force with a small group of scouts with good bows."

  Zaros exhaled out of his nose. "Worthless compared to the things we could do with a conservatory."

  Lhoris gestured angrily towards Zaros with his finger.

  "You were not here when the trolls attacked. How dare you imply that you know better. We've been here since almost the beginning. Perhaps you should learn to make friends before demands. You may intimidate the others, but you don't fool me, Zaros. You only want the conservatory because it would give you personal power."

  Lhoris was shaking with anger and his chest heaved as he pointed his finger at the slender elf. Zaros narrowed his eyes as Lhoris spoke. When he was finished, the elf stood slowly, glaring at Lhoris.

  "You speak only from the experience of a few weeks, I have the backing of centuries of lore. How dare you imply that I do not know bet
ter. I have the knowledge of countless generations of Rock Leaf Elves, not the measly bits and pieces only available to you. Arrows will be no defense compared to the artillery available to a Crystal Bard," said Zaros, scowling.

  "You and I both know there are no Crystal Bards left," Lhoris grunted, then stormed off toward the barracks.

  They could hear a dove cooing in the distance and leaves rustling in the breeze as a complete hush filled the space. Terran shuffled his feet and shifted his weight as Zaros's gaze came down on him.

  "Well, Chieftain, whose advice are you going to take?" he seethed.

  Terran took a deep breath and sat up straight. "I will weigh the options tonight and have a decision in the morning. Perhaps you would like to share some of your lore and thinking as to why we need the conservatory first to help in my decision-making process." Terran felt like a judge preparing to render his verdict as he spoke.

  The veins of Zaros's neck stopped bulging and his eyes widened from their previous narrow slits as he stepped back. "Of course an offworlder would have no idea of the importance of the crystals," he started. "Regrowing the Mother Tree is just the first step. She has the ability to grow both seeds and crystals. The magical crystals have countless abilities depending on the bard using them. The voice of the crystal bard brings life to the crystal much like casting a spell, but we must have a conservatory to train a bard.

  "Lhoris is correct that there are no longer any crystal bards, but that can only change once we grow a conservatory. A single well-trained bard would do more for the defense of the Mother Tree and the settlement than even twenty archers," he finished.

  Petram, who had been quietly watching the exchanges, piped in, "That may all be true, Zaros, but no one has seen a geode in decades."

  Terran raised his eyebrows toward Petram. He'd thought geode was a derogatory term for the Lore Keepers.

  "Do you think a Lore Keeper wouldn't know where to look?" Zaros fired back.