“Shall we go somewhere a bit more quiet?” Lucy suggested.
“Certainly,” Ela-Dorn said.
Lucy and Florence talked to Ela-Dorn in excited tones as they walked through Terra, showing off its full brilliance.
People, seeing the Stone Raiders Guild leaders, moved out of their way, watching them go with respectful and in some cases worship-filled gazes.
It wasn’t long until they reached the Stone Raiders’ tower and made themselves comfortable within the conference room.
“How long will it take to set up the summoning hall?” Josh asked.
“It will take two, maybe three days,” Ela-Dorn said.
“How many times a day can we use it?” Dwayne, too, had a serious edge to him as he had found out about the Jukal.
“It might need a few minutes to calm down between summonings, though it really depends on how quickly the person doing the summoning can win over the creature,” Ela-Dorn said.
Josh, Dwayne, and Kim looked to one another. They led the main fighting groups of the Stone Raiders.
Josh nodded. “Very well. As soon as it’s set up, then we can start letting people summon creatures. Now, with the ono network—how is that coming along?”
“We will be able to fill your complete order within the month. The extra components that Dave and Malsour added in have been retrofitted to the units that didn’t have them before.” Ela-Dorn referred to the Mana well and the soul gem construct that would absorb the excess power from it.
“What about Dave’s different items?” Dwayne asked.
Ela-Dorn’s face turned pensive. She had been brought in to help Frenik and Kol when they were organizing the contract for the various items.
“We’ve stepped up production for the Band-Aid suppression device. We are ready to push them through all of our sales channels at ten gold,” Ela-Dorn said, well aware of the methods that the Jukal were willing to use in order to get rid of problems. The Aleph had once been considered a problem.
She had a good number of friends within the Players and she didn’t want to see them die.
“Good. Florence, we will also sell them at the same price and try to push them out across Emerilia,” Josh said.
“Okay.” Florence nodded her head even though a confused look passed over her eyes.
These Band-Aids would allow a person greater protection against spells within their personal area. They were an item that could be sold for three hundred gold and not seem too extravagant.
However, she didn’t want to bring this up in front of Ela-Dorn; she might be a friend, but business was business.
“You might also be interested to learn that we have figured out the defensive measures that Dave had us working on,” Ela-Dorn said.
Josh’s eyebrow rose in question.
“We made these clamps that can fit over a portal. They would allow us to connect to different portals. We have been working on making an attachment that would allow us to block that portal. Basically it would create a Mana shield around the event horizon of the portal. Anything that comes through hits the shield. Being unable to pass through the currents within the portal would tear the person apart.”
“That guy really does like to think ahead,” Lucy said.
The corners of Josh’s mouth twitched. Having a way to stop things from coming through the portals was a good idea. Most of the portals that had been opened had creatures on the other side, but they hadn’t been strong enough to defeat the people fighting them and make it into Emerilia. There had only been a few breakthroughs but the events that came with the breakthroughs and the rewards meant that people rushed to put them down and once again enter the portals to take back more land from the creatures on the other side.
With the completion of these projects, they would be able to control the flow of the creatures leaving the portals.
I wonder what the Jukal will do if we start using that on their portals?
***
Edwards rushed into Sato’s office, his face alternating between red and white as he held up his work pad. “I just— How can— He gave us this! It’s just—well, I…” Edwards said in broken sentences, unable to formulate anything like a normal sentence.
“What is it? Where did you get it from and what does it do?” Sato asked.
“Portal tech! Dave. We can create gates to move instantaneously across systems!” Edwards said in choppy sentences, a look of disbelief on his face as his arms shook, holding the pad as if it was some kind of holy object.
Sato sat up in his chair in alarm. “Start from the beginning.”
“So, I was going through the information that we were given, went on a search for items that Dave himself had worked on. Within them was all of his information on portals, teleport pads, and what he calls onos.” Edwards shook his head as if he didn’t believe the words he was saying.
“Portals—as in the long-distance creations that only the inner systems of the Jukal Empire use?”
“Precisely. The teleport pads look to be much shorter range items that can cross around a planet-sized area, though they have the ability to change the location that they will connect to. Onos are basically just anchors. The teleport pads can punch a wormhole to these points; the ono stabilizes it and you can go between them. The onos, however, only go to one teleport pad. They’re much less power intensive and simple, but again only connecting to one place. Basically they’re just really scaled-down portals,” Edwards said.
Sato let out a hiss as he shook his head. “We’ve never been able to get any information on the Jukal’s teleportation tech. It’s been one of their most closely guarded secrets.”
The Jukal might not be a massive race but they still maintained an iron control over their empire due to their ability to control the economic factors within it. As well as their ability to quickly and swiftly deal with any threat they had from within their empire.
Each planet had a small group of Jukal on it, monitoring the situation there. They also had portals within hardened installations, some where the Jukal’s consulate was, and others in orbit. There were always several Jukal fleets that were ready to move at a moment’s notice.
If a planet rebelled, then soldiers could walk through a portal, immediately reinforcing the consulate while a fleet of warships passed through the portals within the systems. In just minutes, any single system within the Jukal Empire could have a fully armed and prepared Jukal fleet and armed forces breathing down their neck.
Thus the Jukal retained control of their empire quickly and efficiently.
Only the Jukal created portals. This allowed them to keep control of the tech. Anyone found trying to learn about the portals was killed.
It was the reason that the Aleph were killed off. The tech in the teleport pads was much more unstable compared to the portal, so they allowed the portal facilities to continue working as they took the teleport pads and seeded them across their home systems.
Onos were new tech. They were short-range but they were much more refined than the teleport pads.
Sato and Edwards sank into silence.
Having that portal technology, they might be able to use it themselves. To move an entire fleet across star systems in less than a second.
When the Jukal came for humanity, they seeded these portals behind them, moving up their resupply line. For them, it was just a second to move from the front lines to the rear to repair and re-arm. In weeks, they could have a ship back on the line while humanity’s supply lines were cut and they had to fight to the bitter end with only what they had on hand.
Sato’s hand curled into a fist. His shocked face turned into a cold, indifferent mask as he thought of the possibilities that this would give his forces. “When can you start testing this out?” Sato asked, a fire in his eyes.
“I will need some more resources in order to work on this.” Edwards grimaced.
“Done,” Sato said without a moment of hesitation. Being able to move his forces across such vast di
stances was a massive advantage. If he could remove the advantage that the Jukal had, then it would be a matter of putting his ships up against those from the Jukal. He wasn’t yet confident in his ships’ numbers, but on a one-for-one basis, he felt his battleships were stronger than the Jukal’s version. He had seen the simulations of the different battles and it showed that his battleships had a clear advantage.
However, the Jukal had deep forces. They not only had battleships, but carriers and all manner of warships to contend with anything Sato sent at them.
Edwards paused, tapping his chair.
“What’s on your mind?” Sato asked.
“Dave has given us a wealth of information—he’s even sharing his plans for his warships and his weapons. However, we haven’t given him anything in return. He’s updating his personal notes to share. I don’t think it’s by accident. It not only allows me to see how certain things work and are made but I’ve also picked up on a number of different problems he’s been encountering.
“He’s trying to make facilities to regrow limbs and people. A kind of alternative Altar of Rebirth. He’s also got a number of systems on his warship that he hasn’t been able to complete. I was thinking—if I could send him some pointers…” Edwards said.
Sato took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
Their debt to Dave was indeed great. However, there was also security to think about.
“I’m not saying we give him plans to systems, just that we send him some vague notes to put him on the right path,” Edwards said.
Sato’s finger tapped on his desk, his face unreadable. “Very well. Make sure it’s vague and, as for the healing and regrowing tech, the Jukal are already much more advanced than us. Being a bit more specific with it—I don’t think it would have much impact if it was to fall into Jukal hands.”
Edwards nodded, a smile on his face.
***
Fire, Water, and Bob were sitting within Water’s domain.
“Seems that Air wasn’t kidding around.” Water stroked his beard, a pensive look on his face.
“She is a rather complicated person to figure out.” Fire drank from her tea cup, a small smile on her lips.
Across Ashal, nations and groups that had held enmity toward one another for generations were making peace. To many, they thought that it was in the light of the oncoming event.
That might have been a factor in it all, but Bob, Fire, and Water had been around for a long time. As long as they had been on Emerilia, so had the goddess Air. They knew the ways in which she worked. Although few would recognize her methods or the traces she left behind, these three could clearly see her hand at work.
“Seems that she’s uniting the Ashal continent. She already got the Gudalo continent to pull themselves together,” Bob said, faint praise in his words.
“Just wish that she wasn’t so all over the place. Would be nice to know if she’s someone we can come to rely on.” Water sighed.
“Do we know what is going to happen with the event?” Fire’s voice carried a cutting tone.
“I thought I knew.” Bob pursed his lips together. He felt that he bore some responsibility for Fire’s Dragons dying. He could see that Fire was also saddened by the loss of these Creatures of Power that she regarded as her own children.
“What’s supposed to happen is that notifications will start appearing at different points within Emerilia. If someone is in the location, then they will get a notification telling them that in less than three days something will be arriving at that point. There will be no indication of what it will be—whether a swarm of nether rats, or some Xelur Demon Lord that massacred hundreds of POEs to raise his strength. I don’t even know where these places are going to be or in what order,” Bob said angrily. “Seems that the emperor himself has taken interest in the ongoing event.”
Fire and Water looked at Bob, their faces becoming harder with the word “emperor.”
Fire sighed and put her cup down. “Our preparations have been mostly complete. Denur is sending representatives to meet with the Stone Raiders.”
“I have also sent my champion Welaj to meet them and create an alliance,” Water said.
“There might come a time when we will need to use our own strength,” Bob said. “Are you ready for that?”
“These creatures are welcome to test my strength.” Fire’s eyes flashed in anger.
Due to the Jukal, she had lost many granddaughters and grandsons. And she was holding onto that personal grudge.
Water also bowed his head. “I, too, will fight with my strength,” Water said. Although he was a creator of the merpeople, his position was more one of respected elder who watched over them, offering guidance through turbulent times.
Although Fire was a motherly figure among her Dragons, she was much more connected to them than Water was to any singular merperson after a few generations. When Akatol had attacked her family, her anger had been ignited.
“In that case, I believe it is time that we go to Per’ush together. There are a number of different spells and skills that you might develop that could increase your power,” Fire said.
Water’s tea cup paused in mid-air as he sent Fire a look. She might be the weakest of all the Pantheon because her divine well was nearly always dry. Though her personal skills were something that shouldn’t be underestimated. She had been building up her strength over hundreds of years. With her mage’s college and guild, she had access and knowledge of different skills and spells that not even the rest of the Pantheon knew of.
Her offer showed that they were not only allies in their fight, but that she trusted him.
“Thank you, Fire.” Water gave a deep bow of his head; by his expression, he was clearly relieved and deeply thankful for her offer.
“I’m off to get back to work with those growing chambers.” Bob sighed and rubbed his face.
Fire and Water looked to him.
“Dave wants to revive all of the Players who are currently in the Earth simulation. With my knowledge of Human biology, after growing and creating all the races on Emerilia, I have to look at what systems I can make that could possibly allow the Players to escape their simulated prison,” Bob said, his face firm.
“Good luck.” Fire’s tone softened. She knew that although she thought of Dragons as her children, Bob was attached to the people of Emerilia. He had, after all, made the planet and the people on it. He wasn’t impressed with the decisions they made sometimes but they were still here because of him.
Water bowed his head to Bob, acknowledging the large task that was ahead of the Grey God.
“I’ll be seeing you.” Light surrounded Bob as he disappeared from sight.
“So, are you ready to visit Per’ush?” Fire asked.
The gods could go anywhere they wanted. Except Per’ush. On the islands, there was an integrated rune system that would cut off any god or goddess from their divine well. Also, Fire would sense them immediately.
“Whenever you are ready,” Water said without any hesitation. Per’ush was a place of Fire’s power; by going there, he would be completely at her mercy.
A flash of light enveloped them as they disappeared from the merpeople’s city.
Light poured in through windows as they appeared to be in a large office overlooking the Per’ush islands. The room was clean but it looked as though it hadn’t been used in a long time.
Fire didn’t change into her disguise as she walked out of the office. Mages who were guarding the upper floor looked to Fire with alarm. They had the presence of mind to scan her first, remembering their teachings; they knew the signs that their teachers had taught them. It had been ingrained into their souls, to check for the signs of the Lady Fire.
The proud mages took a knee in front of Fire.
“Tell Alamos and Jelanos I wish to see them. Bring me instructor Kujo of the Water mages,” Fire said to the guards.
They opened their interfaces and sent out her orders.
�
�I will be in Jelanos’s office.” Fire moved past the guards and down the tower to where Jelanos’s office was located.
People looked at her with interest as she passed, but few were able to sense that she was the goddess Fire. Some of the older generations who had seen her before bowed their heads respectfully.
Fire greeted them with a smile and nod as she continued on her path.
“Who is that?” one person asked.
“I don’t know, but the older generation is respectful to her,” another said.
“Seems that things are about to heat back up now the goddess has returned,” one of the older generation mages said, an excited look in their eyes as a smile passed over their face, talking to their peers.
Fire smiled slightly, seeing the younger generation’s confused looks.
She arrived at the office. The secretary, who had already got a message from the guards on the higher floor, bowed deeply before Fire.
“He’s waiting in his room,” the secretary said in a respectful tone.
“Thank you,” Fire said.
Water looked over everything with interest, inspecting the walls, the people, their clothes and studied the way that they held themselves. To him, everything was new. He had gotten reports from his people who were staying within the mage’s college or working with the mage’s guild. Still, this was his first time ever seeing Per’ush islands from the inside.
Fire walked into the office without pausing; Water followed. The door closed behind them with a wave from Fire.
Jelanos made to take a deep bow as Fire snorted.
“You can stop with that crap. Jelanos, meet Water. Water, this is the archmage of the mage’s college, and my friend, Jelanos.” Fire waved to the man and flopped down in a seat.
Jelanos’s face broke from its rigid lines into a smile as he came around his desk. “Water! As in the god! Damn, usually she just comes around to bug me! Always good to meet Fire’s friends,” Jelanos said, his composure completely different from the grave man from before.
Time of Change (Emerilia Book 7) Page 43
