Leprechaun Clan Mother
Level 35 Elite
Health: 11,700/91,000
When all three of them stopped to reload, Fuzzy charged forward. Allistor shouted, “Fuzzy, no!” But the bear ignored him. Just as the stun spell was wearing off, Fuzzy reared up behind the three-foot female leprechaun. He was easily six or eight times her size, and when he bit down on her head, it disappeared inside his maw. He threw his weight backward, and her torso was ripped in half by the spike as he pulled her free. At the last moment, there was a loud pop, and her head separated from her shoulders.
Everyone but Allistor, Amanda, and Fuzzy leveled up. The humans cheered and clapped each other on the back, congratulating each other on the victory and the new levels. A few of them sat down immediately and spaced out, assigning their new points.
The bear dropped the head on the floor and padded toward Allistor, sniffing him carefully as if making sure he was okay. When he caught a snootful of the void titan splatters on his human, he snorted and backed away.
“I know, buddy. I know.” Allistor reached out to scratch his bear’s ears, but Fuzzy backed away farther, shaking his head. “Ha! Okay. Good job finishing the boss, bearzilla. But you gotta stop running out in front of gunfire. One of our own people might have killed you.”
Fuzzy just tilted his head and looked at him like he was insane. Allistor could almost hear the bear thinking our pack would never harm me. Shaking his head, he gave up for now.
Walking around the dead titan’s head, he gaped at the massive hole left by that last lightning spell. It looked like Sam had blasted the thing with one of the Howitzers. He was suddenly very grateful for Prime and his fast thinking.
“Thank you, general, for saving my life yet again. If we had been out there when that spell went off…”
Prime nodded. “Yes, I suspect even I could not have absorbed that much electricity. Especially since my capacity is nearly filled from previous spells.”
Allistor’s mouth dropped. “You mean, you and your droids were using the lightning to charge yourselves?”
“Exactly correct, Sire. I will not need a charge for at least a week. Even my backup storage devices are filled.”
“Ha! Well, thank you again, Prime. Remind me when we get back to arrange the upgrades for you and your troops.”
“You are most welcome, Sire.”
Allistor bent to loot the boss, and grinned to himself as he saw a glowing legendary item notice appear, followed by a purple one. Eight thousand gold coins jingled their way into his inventory, along with a wand of some sort. He watched some of the others celebrate as they looted the boss and received their share. Then they all took a minute to walk around the room, looting what was left of the other mobs.
Now that he had more time to take in the room, he saw that the clan mother’s throne was solid gold. As was a wide circle of floor inlay around it. Behind her were several more of the large cauldrons filled with what looked like liquid gold.
He had his people spread out, and it wasn’t long before they found a hidden door near the back of the room. In there was a pile of gold coins ten feet high, as well as a cache of leprechaun-sized weapons. Short swords, short spears, shields, and knives. There were some enchanted items, but most were just high quality mundane weapons.
A quick inquiry to the general confirmed that his troops had cleared the upstairs floors. Allistor opened his interface, and was pleased to see that he had the green light to claim the depository building. He immediately did so, making it an Outpost and adding in the usual features, then naming it Campbell’s Rest.
As everyone finished their looting and exploring, Nigel’s voice rang out. “Congratulations on your new acquisition, Sire. Master Harmon is outside and wishes to speak with you.”
“Tell him I’ll be up in just a few minutes, Nigel. Thank you.”
His worn out crew made for the massive vault door and the stairwell beyond. Everyone was coming down from the adrenaline rush, and their feet were dragging. Noticing this, Prime moved to the front. He lifted Allistor gently in two of his arms, then turned to the others. “If you will allow us, we can transport you quickly back to the ground level.”
When Allistor laughed and nodded, Prime scooped Amanda up in his other two arms and effortlessly jogged up the stairs. The other droids each grabbed one or two humans and did the same. Fuzzy growled at the droid who reached for him, choosing to climb the stairs on his own.
Back at the ground floor, Prime set the humans down to allow them to exit the building with dignity. The troops that had cleared the building were arranged in three rows out in the street, unmoving and awaiting orders.
Allistor found Harmon leaning against the Juggernaut, which had enabled him to speak through Nigel. He waved at the big orcanin, who was looking sorrowful.
“Were you not able to claim the building you wanted?” Allistor asked as he joined his new friend.
“I was. I am just disappointed that I was unable to get here in time to assist you with yours.” He motioned at the newly converted Outpost. “Congratulations, by the way.”
Allistor looked from the building to his tired group. And the body bag being loaded into the rearmost Juggernaut. “We were able to clear it more quickly than I expected, but the cost was high. We lost a dear friend down there.”
“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. What sort of resistance did you face?”
“Leprechauns.” Allistor spat on the road. “Level twenty-five to thirty, mostly. The clan mother was a level thirty-five elite.”
Harmon’s eyes grew wide. “How did you defeat her? They are notoriously hard to kill.”
Allistor shook his head. “I’ll tell you what. I need a shower, and my people are tired. If you and your warriors will assist Prime’s battle droids in clearing the high rise here,” He pointed across the street at the Chase Bank building. “I’ll pay you the twenty percent of what’s in the depository.” He held up a hand before Harmon and his warriors could take offense at him offering the droids.
“You can make it a race. The battle droids will start at the top, and you can start at the bottom, and we’ll see who clears more floors. How’s that sound?”
Harmon’s fighters didn’t even wait for him to answer. They charged the building, smashing through the ground floor storefronts, and a moment later the roar of battling orcanin echoed out of the building.
Prime’s troops turned in unison and jogged through the openings made by the orcanin, stopping for a moment to scan for the nearest stairwell, then disappeared.
Harmon looked up at the tall building. “This may take a while. Even with both forces cooperating, I would guess an hour or two.”
Allistor nodded. “Please come inside. Let me grab a shower and change my clothes, and we can sit and talk until the building is clear.”
Chapter 4
Allistor put Helen in charge of modifying Campbell’s Rest so that it was comfortable for everyone while the other building was being cleared. He had added a tower, with a sentry post at its top, when he first created the place, and it turned out to be huge compared to the size of the building overall. He and Amanda took the elevator to the suite on the second highest level and quickly jumped in the shower. They scrubbed each other down with a minimum of shenanigans, then dressed in clean clothes and rode back down. They found a kitchen and dining area had been set up, along with dozens of one and two-bedroom quarters. Meg and Sam had already cleaned up and were starting a meal for everyone. Harmon sat at one of the long tables, his bulk making the furniture look tiny by comparison.
“Your people are quite impressive, Allistor.” Harmon motioned to the building around him. “They got right down to business and set this place up like professionals. Lady Meg, especially, is a force to be reckoned with.” He grinned.
“Ha! Meg is a force, for sure. One of the best people I know. And she makes some of the tastiest food I’ve ever had. Though I’m sure it doesn’t compare to what you normally eat.”
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br /> Harmon shook his head. “Cooking is more of an art than a science. Those with the gift stand out, no matter their skill level.”
“Let’s wait until you taste her food, then we’ll see.” Allistor sat down, Amanda taking the seat next to him. “Let’s get business out of the way first. Nigel, can you tell me how much gold is contained in this facility at the moment?”
“Of course, Sire. There are currently thirteen million, seven hundred and eighty thousand, nine hundred pounds, ten ounces of gold.”
“Thank you, Nigel. And twenty percent of that would be…”
Harmon answered instantly. “Two million, seven hundred fifty-six thousand, one hundred eighty pounds, two ounces. But let’s forget about the two ounces.” The orcanin laughed at his own joke, thumping the table so hard that it jumped slightly. “Sorry.”
Allistor rolled his eyes, producing two of the one-ounce gold coins from his inventory. “A deal is a deal. As soon as we have teleport pads set up and can make a connection, Nigel will transfer the funds. Consider these two ounces the down payment.” He slid them across the table, and Harmon roared with laughter, startling a few of the nearby humans.
“I like your style, Allistor!” Harmon’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You realize that you’re giving me close to fifty-three billion klax for clearing a building that my warriors would gladly have cleared for fun?”
“Well, to be honest, I’m hoping that it will purchase some cooperation going forward, as well. We’re going to be neighbors, after all. I’d hate to think I’d find myself defending against a horde of orcanin in the future. In fact, I was hoping we could enter into a kind of alliance, or a mutual defense pact. Something along those lines.”
Harmon’s face turned serious. “You need not try to purchase my loyalty, Allistor. I do not take offense, because I know you do not mean it as such. We struck a bargain, which I was unable to complete in a timely manner. You are overpaying for the service you are receiving, but I know it is because you have a generous heart, rather than a dishonorable intent.”
Harmon stood, then rounded the table and took a knee. “I swear on my life that neither I nor my people shall attack you or yours, Prince Allistor. May we be allies to our dying day.”
A green light swirled around the two of them, the system binding them in the oath.
“Thank you, Harmon. That means a lot to me. I am uncertain what our world will look like going forward, and I am greatly relieved to have a knowledgeable friend who can advise me. And while we’re here, I need to purchase something!”
“Ahhh! What does my favorite Earthling need?”
“Upgrades for Prime and his battle droids. He informed me that they do not receive experience for kills, so I have decided to level them up by purchasing upgrades.”
“Very good!” Harmon clapped his hands. “What did you have in mind? I have a wide array of options…”
“I have no idea. Please give me a minute.” Allistor whistled and waved at Prime, who was standing across the room. The general approached and saluted.
“How may I be of assistance, Sire?”
“General, Harmon here is the merchant we’ll be purchasing your upgrades from. He’s also our new neighbor and ally, as I’m sure you heard. If you’d be so kind as to let him know what type or types of upgrades you’re looking for?”
For the next fifteen minutes, the droid and the merchant discussed options, numbers, prices, and delivery times. When it was all said and done, Harmon handed Allistor a small pad. On it was the list of upgrades Prime had chosen. They weren’t all the same. He’d wisely opted to customize some of his troops to break them into special purpose units. Some would have thicker armor, others would be equipped with more powerful ranged weapons. Still others would be able to fly short distances.
The total bill for the upgrades was two hundred fifty million klax. That was a small price compared to the one point two billion he’d paid for the seven thousand droids Allistor had purchased in total. He asked Harmon to add another twenty charging stations, then approved the transaction.
Prime bowed deeply at the waist, then saluted. “My troops and I are grateful, Sire.”
A thought occurred to Allistor. “General, was there an upgrade in there for you? I didn’t notice.”
Prime shook his head. “There are few upgrades available for me, Sire. And those few are quite expensive.”
Allistor snorted. “I just spent two hundred and fifty million klax on upgrades, general. How expensive could they be?”
Harmon cleared his throat. “There are three upgrades to the Alpha unit available. One is a simple command capacity upgrade, allowing the unit to effectively command up to a division of twenty thousand troops. The second is extended flight capability, including the usual jet pack upgrade, but with the addition of wings that can be used to glide on thermal drafts for long periods. The last is a tactical upgrade, making the unit more intuitive and better able to address fluid combat situations. Each of them would cost in the neighborhood of fifty million klax.” The merchant paused, a sharp-toothed grin forming. “But considering the circumstances of the day, I’ll throw one in free of charge.” He held up a pad for Prime to examine, and the general quickly made his choice.
“Thank you, Harmon.” Allistor shook the orcanin’s hand, and a notification crossed his interface that the transaction had been completed. He didn’t ask the general what he’d chosen, figuring the android commander would share when he found it appropriate.
Meg and Sam announced that food was ready, so Allistor, Harmon, and Amanda joined the chow line, making subdued small talk as they moved through, taking a plate and having food piled on as they passed. Apparently the droids had taken down some canids in the upper floors of the depository, because Meg plopped a canid steak on each of their plates. After looking up at Harmon’s eight-foot bulk, she gave him three.
Back at their table, Harmon took a bite of the steak, and his eyes rolled up in his head. “That woman is a treasure. This is truly delicious.” he managed to say before cutting another large chunk and shoving it in his mouth.
They passed the time talking about cooperation and mutual defense as everyone enjoyed their meal. With no place in particular to be, they took their time and got to know each other. Helen and Fuzzy joined them soon after they started, then Ramon, Nancy, and Chloe. The little girl kept staring at the giant orcanin with wide eyes as she ate, and Harmon pretended not to notice.
Eventually, Harmon tilted his head, then laughed and spoke into his bracelet. At almost the same moment, Prime received a report and passed it on to Allistor.
“It seems the building has been cleared, Sire.”
“Yes, and my warriors claim victory!” Harmon added, thumping the table. “It seems of the forty-five floors, my warriors cleared twenty-four.”
“Were there any casualties?” Amanda asked, getting up and preparing to deal with wounded.
“Eight of my warriors were badly injured, and one killed.” Harmon replied, still smiling. “I am told it was a good death.”
“Twenty-three of my droids are in need of repairs. None were lost altogether.” Prime reported. “There was a significant amount of loot acquired, which they will deliver to your vault once the Stronghold is complete. And there is a dragon corpse on the roof, if your people wish to harvest it.”
Sam got up from the table, already calling for volunteers. He winked at Allistor. “We’ll handle it. But hurry and claim the Stronghold so we can take the elevator. I don’t feel like walking up forty floors.”
Allistor grinned, and got up himself. Most of his people followed him out into the street, and watched as he stepped through one of the shattered storefront windows. He opened his Stronghold interface and saw the green light. But this time, there was a new tab flashing.
Capital City
When he mentally clicked on that tab, a new message popped up.
Congratulations! You have earned the right to claim your Capital City!
&nb
sp; As a noble with the Title of Planetary Prince, you have amassed Fame Points, population, and resources sufficient to establish a Capital City at this location. The size and scope of your City depend on the amount of resources you wish to commit, both in construction of the City and its defense.
Allistor was tempted. After reading through more of the details, it seemed he could claim a large chunk of Manhattan, and do so without having to clear each building individually. Though any monsters or humans in residence within the City boundary would still need to be dealt with. Any sentients living within the City limits when it was claimed could choose to become citizens, or challenge the Prince for the rights to whatever property they held.
Rather than spend the time reading the pages and pages of information and legalities in the tab, he stepped back outside. Waving his advisors, Prime, and Harmon over, he filled them in.
“Okay guys so I have the chance to claim a chunk of Manhattan as my Capital City. Like, I can claim it all right now, put a wall around it, and we can go through and clear the buildings one at a time. I’m open to opinions.”
“How much territory are we talking about?”
“When I played with the little map thingy, it showed basically the max area was the lower half of the island. The cutoff was about halfway up Central Park.”
“Holy crap.” Amanda said. The others made similar noises.
“That would require a significant investment in defense.” Prime pointed out. “The perimeter wall would require several thousand troops to patrol, in addition to fixed defensive emplacements. The existing tall structures would be good locations for additional batteries, both ground and anti-aircraft. And the number of shield generators required…”
Shadow Sun Rebellion Page 6
