New Horizons (Emerilia Book 4)

by Michael Chatfield

  They were a group that had come together in adversity. Even as they came back to their homes, feeling as if only hours had passed when it had really been centuries, they didn’t let it play on their minds. Already, they were working to pull together their cities. They brought new life to the growing areas and assisted the automatons Shard was using to continue the repairs done by the Raiders

  Alephir was a massive city. Party Zero had worked tirelessly to get the different power generators and stations online. The city was once again able to spin with that power, but the Aleph were rebuilding homes that had fallen apart, planting gardens, growing food, and returning the city to its former glory.

  It will take time, but once again the Aleph will rise.

  They were keeping their return a secret from the guild as they built up their strength. The Stone Raiders had helped them, but they didn’t know them. There had been many cycles of Players while they had been gone.

  Shard was interested in the various simulations he had run to see what might happen with the Stone Raiders and Aleph. It is my role to give the council and my people choices of what to do.

  Shard had been an immature AI when they had all left; now, he was something of a guiding elder. The council paid much more attention to what he said instead of just thinking of him as a convenience.

  ***

  Hamdir looked away from the windows that overlooked Alephir. As more and more of their people returned from where the Grey God had kept them, lights could be seen on everywhere, greenhouses were once again creating food and factories were barely able to keep up with all the demands.

  The greenhouses were once again creating food. The lights were back on, the factories were working nonstop, and Aleph walked through the streets once more.

  There was over five million people just in Alephir.

  “Something on your mind?” Ela-Dorn walked up beside him, also looking out the window at their capital.

  Look at the consequence of our pride" Hamdir said "We are but a fraction of our numbers, all because we were unable to ask for help or accept it from the Grey God until too many had paid for that mistake.”

  “It still feels unreal. Many people are going through their mourning. Decades gone in the blink of an eye and we’re left here,” Ela-Dorn said her voice heavy with loss.

  “We must look to the future, to what will come next. I have been thinking on the Stone Raiders.”

  “What about them?” Ela-Dorn asked as Shard arrived.

  “The meeting is beginning, council members.”

  “Thank you, Shard.” Hamdir turned away from the window and headed into the council chambers. “All will be explained soon enough.”

  Ela-Dorn frowned, clearly wanting to ask more as they looked for their own seats in the council chamber.

  There were viewing balconies that looked down on the council. These seats were given to whoever wanted to attend. The council sat around an elegantly carved table, natural scenes engraved into its mixed metal surface.

  “The Aleph Council is called to session,” Shard said through unseen speakers as the council sat as one. Only Hamdir remained standing.

  “Over the last couple of months, we have come far. We have brought our city to life and our people have been able to return. We are still weak compared to how we were before, but with time, we will regain our strength.” Hamdir was met with applause by the council and those watching the meeting. “Though we must remember the lessons of what drove us from our homes. We were powerful, mighty, and proud. We lived in a time of prejudice and came together to create a society that did not care of your creed or your station in life. We took in all; we educated and we passed our knowledge on to those who were willing to work with us. We were proud of our society and we had every right to be. The Affinities Pantheon itself felt threatened. When they issued their threats, we stood together against them.”

  The hall was silent as his gaze looked to them all, races from all walks of life, from an age long passed.

  “We fought the forces of the Pantheon; we slowed them and we declared that we would defeat them. Pride took us and we fought a losing battle even as we had been given another chance by the Grey God to escape the bloodshed. In the end, we took it, but taking that option was called the coward’s choice. Pride blinded us, made us call one another cowards for escaping with our lives. Our pride made us weak, to admit that we were not as strong as we believed. With our knowledge and our open displays to the other races and the way we shut ourselves in, accepting so very few, we taunted and played with those who might have allied with us. When the Dwarves and Elves, years before judgment was brought down on us, asked if we would like to work together, to bring our races closer, we were brash and told them to worry about themselves. There were people all across Emerilia who wanted to work with us. Instead, we were too prideful. I hope that we do not make the same mistake. We have been given a second chance. A chance to return the Aleph to prominence. Will we once again shun those who wish to call us friends? Will we make walls when we could make roads?”

  Silence had seemed to descend over Alephir, the meeting being broadcasted across the city.

  “Shard protected our cities and homes as best as he could in our absence. We owe him a debt of gratitude. Yet, he had the wisdom to reach out to those who showed him friendship, who are right now fighting to reclaim our homes. You have all seen the videos of the Stone Raiders, seen as they charge forces that we could not fight with clear abandon. We are builders, creators, crafters, and I am proud of our achievements, but few of us are warriors. We created automatons to protect us, to care for us.” Hamdir stabbed the table in front of him as he talked, holding the eyes of the council and the eyes of those watching this moment.

  “It is only together that we might succeed or fail. We are not just the Aleph; we are the People of Emerilia. We have shown our strength together. Think of the possibilities if we are to work together with others. I have seen the things we are capable of and it brings a smile to my face. I hope that we as a race have matured enough to not shun those who have sacrificed so much in order to help us. I propose that we, the Aleph, extend our hand in friendship with the Stone Raiders, with the Demons and Beast Kin. All of us saved by the Grey God, all of us working together to try to look after our people and secure a future for tomorrow. To see a new horizon, with the suns of tomorrow shining upon us. Together, our four groups can build together. When we are ready, we can go out into Emerilia and hold our heads high. Not with pride, but with our hands extended in friendship.”

  Hamdir let the silence sit for a minute, feeling drained. His chest was tight with hope as the stony faces of the council looked back at him.

  Hamdir didn’t know who started it but a single clap rang out. The faces of those in the balconies and those in the council’s chamber broke out into smiles and nods of agreement. Clapping sounds of agreement and whistling rang out through the council chamber.

  Hamdir’s eyes itched as he looked upon his people. They had come from the edge of oblivion and were now given another chance.

  The Aleph, Demons, and Beast Kin had all defied the Affinities Pantheon; supported by the efforts of the Stone Raiders, they had been able to return. Hamdir smiled and looked to his people, hiding his shaking hands.

  It took some time for the clapping to die down.

  “We call for a vote,” Shard said. The council’s interfaces appeared. They cast their votes, the room quiet.

  “The votes have been cast. By unanimous decision, we will send out an envoy to the Stone Raiders, then to the Demons and Beast Kin to discuss terms of an alliance.” Shard’s words were cut off as Hamdir sat back in his chair, the applause and cheering of the Aleph filling the city.

  They had taken their first step toward not only recovering their lost status but carving out a new future for themselves.

  Chapter 7: Nearing The End

  Josh sighed as he sat down at the mess hall table.

  “How’s the forges going?” Jo
sh asked Dave, who was shoveling food down his mouth.

  Dave gave him a dirty look before clearing his throat. “In the six months we’ve been here, I’ve got all of the damned forges going, even modified a bunch of them to take the Dwarves’ materials and turn them into different metals. We’re cranking out carbon fiber, titanium, aluminum, and a dozen other metals and materials. Thankfully, no one has noticed the movement of materials because of the drop pads and using the Exdar’s Traders. They part of the guild yet?” Dave looked to Josh.

  “Uhhh…”

  “They will be soon. We’re in talks with them,” Suzy said from down the table.

  “Hey, Suzy, you had a look over that teleport pad stuff for Cliff-Hill?” Dave asked.

  “Yeah. We should be good in a couple of weeks. Probably be a good idea for the Exdar’s Traders in Verdul to get one as well.” Suzy shrugged.

  “I feel like I’m missing something.” Josh looked between the two of them.

  They both had just shoveled food into their mouths.

  “Dave is going to buy a teleport pad for his smithy and ceramics factory. They’re going to be putting it right in the middle of Cliff-Hill,” Deia said.

  “Ah,” Josh said as Dave downed half a glass of orange juice.

  “Woohoo, that hit the spot! You guys ready to go mess with a mining facility?” Steve looked at the others with a goofy smile on his face.

  “You don’t even eat food.” Dave groaned.

  Steve shrugged his massive shoulders, that goofy smile only growing.

  “There’s a group out there with a bunch of destruction staffs and melee types. They should be able to clear it up and then the crafters there can get the machines moving,” Deia said.

  “All right, so what are you doing after breakfast?” Dave leaned over, giving suggestions with his eyes.

  Deia smiled and shook her head at his antics. “We’re going to do some extra training.”

  Dave put on his best hurt puppy-dog face.

  “We’re going to be working on how to actually shoot a bow.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Dave asked. The others seemed interested, too.

  “Well, I have been doing a bit of research into Earth’s history. Have you ever noticed how in ancient drawings, no one had a quiver on their back? The damn things are annoying as hell and well, you’re going to drop a ton of arrows. Here we’ve got storage quivers that make sure we don’t drop our arrows, though they’re still not as good. So I went back to basics and I’ve been trying something out. I’ll show you down in the training area.” Deia smiled mischievously.

  “How is it you know how to get me to go along with your training every time?” Dave sighed.

  “Because you’re curious as hell and it is so good seeing you working out.” Deia winked as Josh choked on his breakfast.

  “Proper pair of horndogs, them two,” Suzy commiserated.

  “Should we put in for that room change? I kept on hearing noises through the walls last week,” Dave asked Deia.

  “Nah, we’ll just have to be louder than them next time.” Deia gave Suzy a wide smirk.

  Josh, who had been trying to clear his throat with orange juice, now had it fly out his nose.

  Suzy turned an interesting shade of red.

  “Cold season is coming along—good idea to get your vitamin C in,” Dave said to Josh, who was spluttering on the table.

  “Can we just go and shoot some targets please? I don’t think my sinuses can take much more of your innuendos,” Josh said.

  ***

  Deia pulled three arrows out from her hip quiver, holding them between the fingers in her hand. She had three targets at different ranges in front of her, all of them armored.

  “Okay, let’s see this in action,” Josh said.

  A group of other archers had gathered. “Where did she get that quiver from?” one of them asked, confused.

  “Shut up and watch!” another chided. Deia had proved herself to be one hell of a bowwoman and they were all interested.

  “When I say, go,” Dave said.

  “Ready.” Deia eyed her targets and brought her first arrow to her string. Another arrow appeared in the quiver of holding.

  “Go!”

  Deia fired at the middle target, pulling a new arrow from the quiver near her left hand, hitting the right target and then the left.

  “Point two seconds? Probably faster,” Dave said as Deia looked at the three arrows that had put holes through the armor and the targets behind them. The third target fell over as everyone gathered was silent.

  “Damn, where can we get quivers like that?” one of the other archers asked.

  “Most places. Just need to put the settings to one arrow at a time and then get used to the forward weight,” Deia said.

  “Makes a lot of sense—don’t need to reach back and pull an arrow out of your quiver, just pull it out of the quiver, right onto the string and then release. Much, much faster.”

  “Well, that just shot down the whole firearms thing,” Josh said to Dave.

  “Hell yeah. Think of how fast a group of ten archers can fire, all of them shooting arrows that could put a hole in an armored carrier back on Earth.” Dave shook his head.

  ***

  “Oi!” Steve slapped a troll with his axe, sending them into the wall. “Dick head!”

  “Thanks.” Dwayne slammed his shield into another troll, throwing them back ten feet even though they were twice Dwayne’s height. “Sounds like you’ve been fighting with Josh a bit.”

  Steve’s left hand rotated down; a dozen arrows took down the troll Dwayne had pushed back.

  “Hey! Kill steal!” Dwayne grabbed a spear from his back and hurled it into an advancing troll.

  Steve’s hand clicked back in place. A shield extended above and below his forearm, stopping a boulder that a troll had ripped out of the wall. “What? You’re just slow! And Josh has good sayings!”

  “Just have to be a bit faster,” Esa chimed in.

  “See! Nice shield, Esa!”

  “Thanks, Steve!”

  “Sometimes, I wonder about my friends.” Dwayne grunted as a troll punched his shield, letting out a howl as it shook its crushed hand.

  Dwayne didn’t give the shocked troll time to recover as he shoved his claymore through the troll’s ribs, turning and ripping it out. The troll dropped to the ground.

  “Fiddly dee potatoes!” Steve said. The trolls looked over as Steve threw four grenades into their midst.

  The trolls caught them or juggled them, confused. Lightning, fire, and frost leaped out of the “grenades,” removing half of the trolls.

  Steve couldn’t stop laughing. “Did you see that!” Steve stopped moving forward and slapped his thigh. “They were all like hot potato juggling them! Ah, fuck, I think I might break a rune!”

  “Oh, stay down, will you?” Dwayne stabbed a troll that had been mostly torn apart.

  “Dis is Sparta!”

  “Watch out, Dwayne!” Esa yelled.

  Dwayne flattened himself as a confused-looking troll flew over him. “Damn it, Steve! Let me know the next time you’re going to punt a troll.”

  “Sorry, dude. Got all excited.” Steve had a grin plastered on his face as he stepped up beside Dwayne. There were only a handful of the trolls left.

  The Stone Raiders finished off the remaining trolls, all of them grouping together.

  “Scout guardians, go out and see what else is hiding here. Send back one as soon as you find any more hostiles,” Dwayne said.

  The scout guardian automatons appeared before disappearing, headed through the partially cleared housing complex.

  “Let’s pull back for now. We’ve cleared out an area for the rest of the guild to come through. We don’t want to antagonize the other beasts that are here,” Dwayne said.

  “I friggin’ hate spiders.” Esa shuddered.

  “Why can’t we just burn them out?” Steve asked.

  “We got some of the guardi
ans to try to clear out this place one time. The webs are pretty resilient. We can burn it away but it shrinks rather than disappearing altogether. It also alerts the spiders—they’ll track down the disturbance and destroy whatever came into its domain. We found out that when the webs shrink, they become conductive. If we can get to the middle of the nest, we’re hoping to burn the spider webs and then feed a ton of lightning into the web to zap the bastards. We have to be in the center or else it won’t work,” Dwayne said.

  “When they cut the webs, didn’t spiders descend on them in just a few minutes?” Esa asked.

  “Yeah, which is why we’re bringing so much of the guild. We need to get into the center as quick as possible, then we zap them from the middle out and start preparing for the college.”

  “It sounds like it should be easy, but why is it that I know it’s not going to be?” Steve said, as if mulling over the question.

  “Because nothing ever goes as planned,” Esa chimed in.

  Dwayne just grunted, agreeing with his two friends.

  ***

  Dave’s breathing was heavy as he circled Anna. She had returned the night before. After getting some sleep, she’d tracked down the rest of the party to the training area.

  Deia had been mobbed by people wanting to know more about the quiver and where she had bought it from, so Anna took it upon herself to train Dave.

  “You should just ask him out. Would hurt a lot less—well, for me at least.” Dave blocked a screaming Wind blade with his shield and came in close with his sword. She caught the blade with her own, moving to kick his knee. He shifted his stance, pushing her out and to the side; his sword and shield came together, forming into a great sword as he swung at her, making her hastily throw her own blade up to defend herself.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Anna asked.

  “Alkao,” Dave said, defending against a flurry of attacks.

  “What are you talking about?”