Awaken Online: Dominion

by Travis Bagwell

  Jason’s dark mana practically flooded his body at this question, pushing back at his doubt and hesitation. His plan had been ambitious, but what he planned to do next was a gamble; one he hoped would pay off. Negotiating with a god always carried uncertainty and risk.

  “I’m going to go get stronger,” Jason said, turning to face the group as his dark mana responded to his desire, tattoos of energy peeling away from his body and lashing at the air. “The Dark One made me a promise when he sent me to recover the grimoire. Payment has come due.”

  Chapter 6 - Capitalistic

  Alexion sat inside a small reception area lined with several rough-hewn, upholstered chairs. The space was disconcertingly commonplace. There was even a coffee table with assorted papers. He had no doubt that they were printed newspapers that provided insight into the goings on within the trade city. It was sometimes remarkable to consider the game’s level of detail.

  His entourage stood outside, the Nephilim’s wings making it awkward to traverse a normal building. Besides, he doubted the leader of this trade guild would welcome his soldiers covering his reception area in white feathers. Even Alexion was forced to perch uncomfortably on the edge of his seat to avoid smashing his golden wings against the seat cushions. While his recent race-change certainly made him look glamorous, he had found the wings to be remarkably frustrating in practice.

  Only Caerus sat beside Alexion, the noble’s expression pensive as he considered the meeting ahead of them. It had taken Alexion nearly two days to reach Barrow, which was a relatively straight shot west from the Crystal Reach. They had been slowed by Caerus, who lacked the ability to fly. However, the noble’s assistance had been invaluable since his connections with local NPC leaders opened doors with the various trade guilds in Barrow.

  Not that it had helped them secure any trade relationships.

  “They have been making us wait for nearly thirty minutes,” Alexion grumbled in irritation.

  “I’m certain they have other matters to attend to. We did simply show up on their doorstep unexpectedly,” Caerus responded tactfully.

  “Still. To think they would be this rude to the ruler of a neighboring city,” Alexion retorted. “Isn’t this guild little more than an upstart within Barrow?”

  He had been surprised to learn that the diminutive city was a nexus for trade throughout much of the in-game continent – something unusual for an inland city. Geography likely explained that coincidence since the city had easy access to both the eastern and western coasts without traversing dangerous territory. There was also a mountain pass to the north – one of the few access points to the northern part of the continent.

  “While this might be an upstart trade guild, my sources indicate that it is quickly becoming a dominant force within the city,” Caerus corrected. He opened his mouth to add something else but thought better of it as he noticed Alexion’s grim expression.

  The noble’s hesitation was not lost on Alexion. He knew what the older noble had been about to say. They couldn’t afford to be choosy, and they needed to make a good impression. They had visited nearly every other guild in Barrow over the last day, and they hadn’t exactly received the red-carpet treatment. Regardless of Alexion’s standing in the Crystal Reach, merchants only valued money and goods. Unfortunately, he currently had little of either.

  A fact he had hoped to remedy by making this trip.

  “Excuse me, gentlemen.” An older man had appeared in the doorway, his hair graying and wrinkles tugging at the skin of his face. He was dressed in functional, yet high-quality attire. It was much less glamorous than the display the other houses had put on. Alexion had expected more flowing silk and velvet. “Our Master is ready to meet you. If you will come this way,” the man said, waving at the open doorway.

  Alexion mustered his face into a genial expression. He couldn’t afford to let his frustration overcome him. The older man led the pair down a short hallway before opening a rather plain door.

  Instead of a massive office or conference room, the door opened on what appeared to be the guild’s warehouse. A roar of sound suddenly overwhelmed Alexion’s senses, the combination of foremen shouting orders and the work of dozens of men and women. Along one wall stood an extensive collection of wooden crates which towered into the air, the containers a myriad of shapes and sizes. Labels had been affixed to the side of each package, presumably indicating the contents and destination.

  What captured Alexion’s attention, however, was the enormous ship sitting in the center of the warehouse. It appeared for all intents and purposes to be a typical sailboat. However, above the wooden frame rested a cloth balloon that spanned the entire length of the vessel. The boat had been “moored” to the ground using heavy sandbags slung over the side of the ship and thick ropes tied to metal brackets embedded in the floor. The ceiling of the warehouse seemed to have been removed, although upon closer inspection Alexion saw that the ceiling was actually comprised of a large, hinged door. He could only assume it allowed the airship to land inside and could be closed to prevent rain and weather from spoiling the packages.

  As Alexion watched, the air mages – their yellow robes making their profession apparent – worked in unison to lift the heavy crates onto the ship. The wooden parcels teetered in the air, levitated by an unseen force as gusts of wind occasionally whipped through the room. The whistling sound only added to the cacophony of noise. Alexion was surprised at how quickly the mages could load the ship using this method, directly depositing the crates in the hull of the ship, where menial laborers stood ready to arrange the boxes.

  “Admiring the view?” a feminine voice spoke from beside Alexion.

  Overcoming his surprise quickly, he turned and assumed a warm smile – one honed from years of practicing in front of a mirror. “I suppose you could…” he stopped in shock as he found himself staring into a familiar set of taunting eyes set above a pair of luscious, red lips that were now curved into a knowing smirk.

  “Ahh, as eloquent as ever, Alex. Or should I call you Alexion here?” Evelyn St. Clair asked, her smile widening slightly at his reaction. She placed her hands on her hips, causing the fabric of her leather jacket to stretch and hug her lithe frame. At the corner of her lapel rested a small pin in the shape of a daisy.

  A flash of emotion swept through Alexion’s typically sedate mind. He could sense irritation among the medley and something more… ephemeral. It was the same odd sensation he had experienced upon meeting Evelyn at the charity event. He had no idea why she was here or what this strange feeling meant, but this visit had just grown more complicated. While he had his motives for approaching her guild, he needed to be cautious. Her real-life family was not to be toyed with.

  He cleared his throat to buy himself a moment to regain his thoughts. “You caught me by surprise,” he eventually replied. “Although, I have to say that I am indeed admiring ‘the view’ much more now that you’re here.”

  “Ahh, keep that up. Flattery will get you far with me,” Evelyn replied with a wink. “Besides, I like a man who is quick with his tongue.” This earned him yet another, slightly more lascivious, smirk – this one sending a faint shiver down his spine.

  She had him off balance and floundering. Again. He needed to regain the upper foot in the conversation. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. We were supposed to be meeting with this guild’s leader.” He looked around searchingly. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

  As he watched Evelyn’s smile widen further, and their guide’s wrinkled face crease into a frown, Alexion immediately realized his mistake.

  “You are looking at her,” Evelyn replied evenly. “I’m the proud guild leader of Cloud Shipping. Although, as you can see, we are quite busy so we’ll need to walk and talk. I expect this won’t be a long conversation, anyway.”

  Without waiting for Alexion’s response, she turned to address the older man who had escorted them. “We will be fine for now, Fredrick. Stay close in ca
se I have need of you. Have one of the air mages create a bubble so that we can speak without interruption.” The man nodded curtly and then disappeared into the crowd without a word. Then Evelyn glanced at Caerus. “Your man can wait in the lobby. I would speak with you alone.”

  Not waiting for an answer, Evelyn set off through the warehouse, clearly expecting Alexion to follow. The two men shared a confused look, and Alexion simply waved Caerus off. The noble seemed a little put off by her rude tone and his abrupt dismissal, but it was better not to rock the boat here. Resolved, Alexion set off after Evelyn.

  The woman set a brisk pace, weaving between the men and women filling the warehouse as she inspected their work carefully. More startling was the shimmering globe of air that formed around the trio a few seconds later. The wind didn’t seem to create a physical barrier, and Evelyn’s employees had no difficulty stepping inside. However, it dampened the noise of the warehouse to a dull roar.

  Alexion did his best to overcome his shock. The woman had clearly planned this entire exchange to put him off-guard. He needed to lean back on his training. He had spent enough time watching his father to understand that you start every new conversation with small talk. As his father always said, “Rapport builds trust, and trust leads to a deal.”

  “How did you come to manage this trade guild?” Alexion inquired as he watched Evelyn closely. “This seems like an odd choice for a video game.”

  This earned him a glance and a raised eyebrow as the woman reviewed and signed an inventory list handed to her by one of the foremen. “I began playing this game out of curiosity. Although, my father’s instructions also had something to do with it. Our family wanted to understand what had fascinated George. I’m sure you are aware that your father has invested considerable resources into this VR technology and game world.”

  She hesitated, her eyes scanning the warehouse. “However, after spending some time here, I’m not certain I would even call this a game. I don’t know how he managed it, but there is an entire world here.”

  Evelyn turned back to him, meeting his gaze. “Did you know that every city has their own economy? Their own specific resources and products? Their own import and export needs? Goods and materials within the world are generally finite, except what is gained by players through quests – much of which is self-contained to the player market. A large percentage of the items sold to in-game vendors simply disappear, perhaps to prevent inflation. However, outside of those special circumstances, this world has one of the most intricate and fully-fledged trading systems I have ever seen. It is almost indistinguishable from our own.”

  Evelyn abruptly returned to her rounds, walking quickly through the warehouse as Alexion struggled to keep up. “Anyway, to answer your question, I had no interest in slaying dragons. I was more curious about the inner workings of the NPCs and this world. That naturally led me to the trade guilds here in Barrow. I quickly found they were rather antiquated. I’m sure you are aware of our family’s distribution business?”

  Indeed, Alexion was. Most of the St. Clair wealth had been built upon a transportation empire. If Alex’s family specialized in building products, Evelyn’s family focused on delivering them. Their relationship had always been an uneasy one of grudging symbiosis. “So, you decided to create your own guild?” Alexion murmured, his brow furrowed in thought. “How…”

  “How did I build something this large this quickly?” Evelyn asked with a tinkling laugh. “Simple. Can you believe they were still using wagons to transport goods overland? Wagons! In a world of magic, they were still using beast-powered transport. There’s a long story there, but I will spare you.

  “Let us just say that I stumbled upon one of these dilapidated beauties,” she continued, patting the ship beside her. “After that, it only took a bit of my own seed capital, a low-cut dress, and a demonstration of how much more efficient a flying cargo ship could be to convince a few other NPC investors to join in the enterprise.”

  She glanced at Alexion as she continued her brisk march, a shark-like smile on her face. “In short, we took on some angel investors.” Her grin widened as her eyes flicked to Alexion’s golden wings, clearly appreciating her own wordplay. “And now we are primed to deliver to four major cities on this continent, with plans to expand into four more within the next two months. We’ve also grown to a fleet of five airships now, with many more under construction.”

  She abruptly stopped and turned to meet Alexion’s gaze firmly. “Power is not a function of brute strength or zealous devotion.” She glanced at Caerus at this last comment, who looked a bit uncomfortable under her scrutiny. “Just like in the real world, wealth is power. When I control this world’s trade and distribution, it won’t matter if you are an angel of light or death himself. You will still have to deal with me.”

  Alexion was a bit flustered by her explanation and tone. He hadn’t really thought beyond conquering a city or his revenge on Jason. In contrast, Evelyn had approached the game with logical precision and a cunningness he found alluring – and somewhat terrifying. The mixture was intoxicating, and the insidious voice in the back of his mind could only weakly question how many other people had discovered opportunities like the one that Evelyn had snatched.

  He cleared his throat. “That is an ambitious plan. Perhaps we would be a good…”

  “I know you are here to discuss a trade agreement,” Evelyn interrupted him. “We were your last stop, after all, so we’ve had plenty of warning regarding your intentions. The answer is no.”

  A frown tugged at the corner of Alexion’s mouth, and he could feel the voice in the back of his mind whispering that she had set up this meeting to embarrass him. He forced himself to remain civil, his smile never faltering. “You haven’t even heard our proposition, and you are already turning us down? Why even take the meeting?”

  “Curiosity,” Evelyn answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. Another foreman started to approach, and she gestured at him to wait. “I wanted to see what I was dealing with. I had heard stories of the Great Alexion, although, I was suspecting something a little… greater. I can see that you barely understand this world.”

  “I think that’s uncharitable. I have made a great deal of progress,” Alexion replied quickly, irritation coloring his voice at her slight. “I have conquered an entire city, after all.”

  Evelyn nodded. “In part. I even hear your emerging theocracy has done wonders to curb the remaining dissenters – or should I call them heretics now? In any event, that doesn’t solve your underlying problem, does it? As part of conquering that city, you killed half the population, destroyed most of the commerce inside the city, and completely destabilized its economy. Now you don’t have the means to equip your own troops, much less entice new NPCs and players for any length of time. In short, your situation is nearly as bad as the Twilight Throne.”

  “We have increased tax revenue dramatically. We are far from broke,” Alexion replied, hedging slightly. In fact, even with their new taxes, they were barely making ends meet. He had been forced to pay his guildmates to manage the leveling areas around the city, and it was impractical to equip his soldiers using the player market. Evelyn was right that his city had almost no local economy at this point.

  “The ploy of charging new players to use leveling areas was a good idea, but it’s only a short-term fix,” Evelyn continued, watching Alexion. “The reason that the other guilds wouldn’t deal with you is simple. You don’t have anything to trade. You are able to lean on your father’s connections in the real world, and you have clearly failed to take his lessons to heart. Here you are forced to start fresh. You are a nobody.”

  Alexion bit down on his frustration, the voice in the back of his mind now screaming at him to be heard. How could this woman stand here and claim that his achievements were worth nothing after everything he had done and endured? Alexion forced the voice to be silent. He had experienced firsthand the consequences of arrogance. He still shuddered at the memories of
his encounter with the dark god. He couldn’t deny that much of what Evelyn said rang true – even if he didn’t want to admit it.

  Regardless, he did have something to offer.

  “Military strength,” Alexion said, raising his eyes to meet Evelyn’s. “We may not have any products to trade, but we have military power in the form of the Nephilim and the Confessors. The Confessors do not need much, if any, equipment and they are extremely effective in small-scale skirmishes. The Nephilim are also the only aerial fighters in the game for now.”

  Another smile appeared on Evelyn’s face. “I knew you were clever. Indeed, you could offer military power. But how could I use that?”

  Alexion felt like she was testing him – the knowing smirk on her face a dead giveaway. He gestured at the nearby airship. “My guess is that the air is not without its threats; native monsters that can fly and can attack from any direction. This would make these expensive-looking ships difficult to defend.”

  He tilted his head to the side. “And native monsters aren’t your only concern, are they? After meeting with some of your fellow guild leaders, I expect that they may not take kindly to an upstart putting them out of business. You need to be concerned about sabotage – both on land and in the air.”

  This earned him a pleased laugh from Evelyn, and he found himself concerned with how much he enjoyed the sound. He shook off that thought immediately as she addressed him again, “You’re not far off! I do have need for aerial fighters to accompany my ships. That contract work would be somewhat lucrative and gain your fighters some much-needed experience.”

  “I sense a ‘but’ coming,” Alexion said with an arched eyebrow.

  “Indeed. Bodyguards are well and good. I want something more valuable.” A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. “There are certain products that I can only secure with the use of brute force. I also expect that you may find our interests align here.”