by Aleron Kong
You have reached level 26! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!
You have either characteristic points or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week or they will randomly be assigned for you.
He resolved to distribute his points later that night. He had three levels worth of stat points to distribute and unless he was counting wrong, he had SIX levels worth of percentage points to distribute.
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 29 in Enchanting. All enchantments 1% more effective and increased chance of enchantments taking hold.
Well, that should help, Richter thought. He wondered if the bump in enchanting was proportional to the level of stone he used. The soul of an angel just had to be worth more than the soul of a frog or a fox. He’d have to ask Gloran about it later. He dismissed the prompt and moved on to the last one in the queue.
You have completed the Quest: Crystal Garden II. You have successfully planted the Focus Crystal. As you have planted it underground, your garden will experience a +10% growth bonus. If you need a boost to crystal growth, expend a soul stone to increase production.
Reward: A Crystal Garden
Reward: 18,500 (base 15,000) experience points.
Bonus Reward: Planting the Focus Crystal on a Place of Power earns you a bonus. One month’s worth of instant crystal growth per Power available.
Richter shook his head after reading the last prompt. No wonder things had gone crazy. Abrams and Whedon! If he was reading the prompt right, four months of growth had happened almost all at once. When you factored in the 10% boost from being underground and the 30% boost from his Life ability, and then compounded it all with the high-level soul stone he had used… no wonder everything had gone ape shit all at once! It meant there had been between five and seven months of boosted growth in just a few minutes. A smile crossed Richter’s face. It also meant it wasn’t all his fault. He knew just who he wanted to share that information with. Richter tapped Sion on the shoulder and said, “Hey dickhead! Let me tell you ’bout me!”
The two of them were arguing loudly within thirty seconds.
CHAPTER 9
Alma flew up to the bickering friends.
*Too loud. Stop making noises!*
“We aren’t making noises,” he replied to her aloud. “We are having an intelligent debate!”
“What are you talking about?” Sion said. “I know I’m being intelligent. In you, though, intelligence might be a bit of a stretch.”
“Shuddup! I’m talking to Alma. She said we were making too much noise.”
“Your familiar is talking about me? Since when can she even talk?”
Richter chuckled. “She’s had a few upgrades.”
*Little man stop talking,* she thought. There was little doubt as to who she was talking about seeing as how she had landed on Richter’s shoulders and her sinuous neck was pointing straight at Sion.
“Is she saying something else?” Sion asked suspiciously.
Richter weighed out the various permutations of how this might go down if he relayed Alma’s last message. Many of the options were potentially quite humorous from his perspective, but the responsible part of him decided to just keep the peace and not share what Alma had said. Then the asshole part of him decided to say “fuck it.”
“She said, ‘Little man stop talking.’”
“Little!” Sion bristled. “Listen here, you flying rat. I’ll shove my arrow up your—Banished gods!”
Without even leaving her perch on Richter’s shoulders, a yellow glow had started to surround the dragonling. A second later, a bolt of lightning shot from her body into the ground at Sion’s feet. It didn’t strike the sprite, but it did impact with a loud sizzle and both of the Companions suffered the effects of the electricity bleeding through the ground so close to where they were walking. To Richter, it was only a mild irritant, but Sion immediately howled and started hopping from foot to foot. Richter actually found it kind of funny to see the sprite slapping his legs, shouting about pins and needles.
He chuckled slightly, but hid it in a cough when Sion turned an angry glare his way.
“Is something funny?” the sprite asked.
“Of course not!” Richter protested innocently. “You know I felt that too.”
“That would mean something to me if I didn’t know that you had a 50% resistance to Air magic. Aren’t you going to admonish her?” Sion had stopped hopping but was still massaging both calves.
“Oh yes. Of course.” He turned his head to look at Alma. “You mustn’t use magic on our friends, Alma!”
*Yes, Master. I’m sorry.* She didn’t sound very sorry to Richter, but he decided not to push it. *Sion wants to speak more?* she asked with a sweet mental tone. Her head was pointing directly at the sprite again.
“What’s she saying now?” Sion asked warily, having caught the direction of her attention.
“Well, she asked if you had anything else to say,” Richter said.
Sion looked from him to Alma, whose neck was still fully extended. “Ahhh, no. I think she understood my point.”
The dragonling’s neck relaxed, and she settled down across her master’s shoulders.
*You’re a bad bitch, baby!* She had made Sion back down and Richter had seen the sprite go head-to-head with demons. Also, seeing her so casually cast Lightning Bolt I made him excited for future battles.
*This is true, Master,* she thought with a satisfied tone. Richter chuckled again, and he and Sion just kept walking.
It didn’t take too much longer to arrive at the feast area. As Richter had instructed, Roswan and the other builders had made a platform at one end. Long picnic tables had been set up, and as he watched, Richter saw guards and other villagers leading people to the tables. It seemed like slow going leading the new villagers into place because of their lack of immunity, but most of the tables were already filled so he didn’t think it would take too much longer. They walked back to the stage. Randolphus was waiting.
“Greetings, my lord. The food has been prepared, and almost all of the new villagers have been seated. If you will give me your attention for just a few moments, there are a few small pieces of business to discuss before we begin.”
Alma flew off. Richter looked after her, thinking, “traitor.” Sion also made good his escape, saying he planned to go get an ale. Richter was alone and defenseless against his chamberlain’s efficient bureaucracy. He exhaled a long suffering sigh and then gave Randolphus his almost undivided attention.
After some time had passed, a guard came up and told them that Captain Terrod said that everyone was seated. Richter thanked him for the information. The guard started to move off, but then Richter said, “Stop.” He recognized the man. “Is that you, Sedrin?”
The guard turned back and stood at attention. “Yes, my lord.”
Richter reached out and extended his hand. The guard looked at him for a moment and then returned the clasp. “I still think often of Petal. I have not forgotten your little girl.”
“I think of her every day as well, my lord.”
“I am surprised that you joined the guard, Sedrin. Honestly, I thought you would be leaving the village once your year was done.”
Sedrin’s jaw quivered with emotion before he spoke again. “I was going to do just that. Then I asked myself what I was going back to. All that was waiting for me was a country that spurned both my daughter and me. She was half elvish. I don’t think you knew that.”
Richter was moved by the man’s emotion. Some time had passed since the bugbear attack that had left twenty-one of his people dead. He had been racked with guilt and shame at letting his people down. It had been his own arrogance after all that had let the bug
bears reach the village. Seeing how the pain was still fresh for Sedrin brought his own feelings flooding back. “I did not know that,” he said simply.
“She was,” Sedrin said. “Her mother was beautiful, but died in childbirth. I tried to do my best, but the new king’s unjust laws and prejudice made it impossible for me to even earn enough food to feed and clothe her. I was spurned by my old so-called friends. Your offer to come here to a new life was a blessing. She and I were so happy.” His jaw firmed. Looking at him in the eye, Richter could clearly see the ferocity in the man’s gaze. His grip on Richter’s wrist tightened, not to harm his lord, but out of anger and passion. “When my daughter died, the joy I felt turned to ashes in my mouth.”
Richter nodded. He knew people were waiting, but this man who had lost so much deserved his time and respect. He would not rush Sedrin. He would wait for the man to say his piece.
Sedrin kept his eyes locked onto Richter’s own. “I will not lie. Initially, I blamed you for my daughter’s death. I harbored anger and hatred towards you, my lord. I can understand if you cannot trust me. I will leave both your service and the village if you command it.”
“Do you still blame me?” Richter asked with quiet intensity. He was acutely aware that he was in close proximity to a man who had just admitted to hating him. His muscles were tense, but he was ready to respond however this should turn out. He waited for Sedrin’s reply.
The guard’s eyes didn’t waver. After a few moments, he said, “No. When you unveiled the monument to the fallen, I saw in your eyes that you felt the pain of her loss. My anger towards you faded. Afterwards, I felt only emptiness. I almost ended my own life to rejoin her, but then I found something to live for. Revenge!” Richter heard a bit of fanaticism in Sedrin’s voice as he continued. “I plan to send as many of the bugbears as I can find to the deepest hell that will take them!”
Richter used Analyze and saw that Sedrin was only level four. “You will have to be much stronger if you plan to do that.”
“Then I will get stronger, my lord. This I vow or I will die trying.”
“Will you pledge your life to me to accomplish this?” Richter asked.
“For the deaths of my Petal’s killers, I will give you my life in return,” Sedrin said, nodding.
Richter nodded back. The man was weak right now, but maybe only in body. Sedrin’s will was a foundation he could build upon. “When I call for allegiance tonight, step forward.” The guard nodded and clapped a fist to his heart in salute. He then turned away to leave. Before he had gone far, Richter spoke up again. “Find your captain and tell him that you are to join us tomorrow for the hunt.” Sedrin saluted again and then walked away.
The exchange had reminded him of what was at stake. He had to protect his people. He had to get stronger. His enemies were only growing more numerous and his allies were too few. These were the facts that he needed to impart to his people, both new and old. Randolphus had stood by during the exchange, silently observing. When Richter turned towards him, the chamberlain saw his liege’s intensity. He clapped a hand to his heart and bowed slightly. “Your people are waiting, my lord.”
Richter nodded and walked up the steps of the platform. The whole thing was simply a large table, albeit one that was fifteen feet high. He stood and looked out over his people. Everyone was here except for the guards standing upon the village walls. When he ascended the wooden dais, hundreds of heads turned to see him. At half of the tables, hundreds more simply looked around, confused. The new villagers could hear the commotion around them, but their vision didn’t extend more than five to ten feet through the mist. He decided to fix that.
His arms rose, and his fingers spread wide. He accessed the spell Confusing Mist on his village interface and willed the mists to roll back. Starting at the Great Seal, the enchantment cleared the mists like a drop of soap would clear grease. Within seconds, the air was clear to the village walls, and a second later, it had cleared to the edges of the farm and pasture land. The new villagers caught their first sight of their new lord, standing above them, arms raised, commanding the very air. The old villagers cheered at the sight.
“Welcome! Half of you know me and have been bonded to this village by sweat and blood. You have fought and sacrificed for a better life. I am honored to be your lord! I am honored to be one of you! I am honored to stand by your side!” The people cheered at his words. They all remembered how he had not shied from a fight when the bugbears had attacked. They all remembered how he had shared his power by awakening the Air magic in many of them. Richter continued.
“Welcome! Many of you are new and have come to this village hoping for a new life. Look to those who have been here before you. Some have lost loved ones. Some have suffered injury, but they still stand tall. Despite any losses, this village grows in strength and wealth. Here you can learn to be your best self. Here, you can make a life for yourself independent of your race, but instead, dependent on your character!” More cheers greeted his pronouncement, and this time, many of the new villagers cheered as well. Richter waited for the noise to die down before continuing.
“A third time, I bid you welcome! I will tell you the same words that I spoke to Captain Terrod when I asked him to join me. I make no promises for what the future will hold, but I promise that if you stand by me, then we will meet whatever does come together.”
One of the villagers, a new Air mage that Richter recognized, stood and shouted, “A cheer for Lord Richter! A cheer for our liege!” A resounding shout broke out as hundreds of voices rose in solidarity. Again, Richter waited for the tumult to die down.
“This feast is a celebration of life. Of the life that we have begun to make for ourselves here. For the lives that we have protected. For the lives that we have lost and for the new lives that are here to join us on this journey. So eat! Drink! Celebrate this bounty that many of you have worked so hard for. Let us welcome our new brothers and sisters with open arms. Again I say welcome! Welcome to the Mist Village!”
Cheers broke out all over. This time, he did not wave to settle them down. Instead, he pointed at one of the villagers who held a musical instrument and the man began to play. Other musicians took his cue and joined in. Soon a joyous melody was floating through the feast, and many voices rose to sing counterpoint to the well-known song.
The sun is on the green and the scent of grass is in the air
My love is on my mind and my mind is on her flowing hair
I will live my days in glory so that she will know me by my fame
I will live my nights in bed though so just listen for my name!
Ohhhhh ….
Laughter spread around as more and more people joined in.
Richter didn’t stay on the platform any longer. He wanted to join his people. When he got to the bottom, though, he was shanghaied by Randolphus and led through the tables. They were all perpendicular to the podium, but there was one at the end that was parallel and sat on a raised stage. When Richter had seen it from the podium he had assumed that it was there for serving, but now that they were closer, he saw a bench along one side and understood its purpose. Randolphus had made a high table for him to look out over his people.
“I was planning to sit with the people. Walk around and get to know them,” he said.
“You may, of course, do anything that you wish, milord. I believe that spending personal time with the villagers is a wonderful idea. I would also say, however, that if you wish to lead and command these people, they must be accustomed to you being presented as a leader. As I said, however, the choice is, of course, yours to make.”
Richter gave his chamberlain the side eye, but then laughed and kept walking to the table. He knew that he had just been manipulated. It wasn’t like he could really refuse to sit at the table now without looking like a stubborn fool. He also knew that Randolphus had done it only with the best of intentions and that the man was also probably right. The table sat on a platform four feet off of the ground so tha
t Richter could have an easy view of everyone and they all could have an easy view of him.
The sounds of song still surrounded him as he walked up the three steps and stood in front of the table, looking out at the gathering. After his people saw him, those singing gradually ceased, but those with instruments still played, just at a lower volume. Everyone was looking to Richter, and he realized they wanted some formal start to the beginning of the meal. He also realized Randolphus was right that the people would naturally look to him for their cues. Not one to pass up an opportunity for showmanship, he extended his hand once again and cast Mist Light. The ball of glowing grey light shot forty feet above everyone’s heads and hung suspended in the air. Then he shouted jovially, “Let’s eat!” Everyone cheered again. Covers were whipped off of the food and casks of ale were tapped. The feast had begun!
Richter sat down on the bench and Randolphus stood to the side behind him. He looked at his chamberlain and said, “Oh, no. If I have to sit up here being looked at, then you will be joining me.”
“It wouldn’t be proper for me to sit next to you, my lord,” Randolphus protested.
“Proper hell. I don’t mind taking your lead, and I appreciate your advice, but we won’t be standing on pointless ceremony here. I can’t stand useless traditions. So sit your bony ass down and share an ale with me.” Richter’s tone was full of laughter.
The chamberlain smiled faintly and said, “As you wish, my lord.”
“Now where is everyone else? At the very least I want a few more people up here with me.” He beckoned to a guard standing by the end of the table and told him to fetch Sion, Terrod, Isabella, Sumiko, and Krom. As the guard hurried off, one of the village women walked up and told him that his special request from the cook would be ready soon. She smiled shyly and gave an awkward curtsy when he thanked her.
“Bring six more servings of food and drink please, my dear. I will be having company up here.” She curtsied again and rushed off to fulfill her lord’s command.
Randolphus settled in next to him on the bench and said, “As long as we have this time, my lord, there are a few more things—”
