This is Our Land (Emerilia Book 5)

by Michael Chatfield

  Dave> The Grey God put them under my control. Their purpose is to help the alliance be ready for the coming war.

  Dave made it to the teleport pad and checked his other messages. Alkao had replied. He didn’t have time to check it just yet.

  “Devil’s Crater,” Dave said to the teleport pad’s controller. They nodded and activated the teleport pad.

  Unity appeared on the other side and Dave ran through.

  Private Message

  Jesal> How much materials are we talking about?

  Dave> Enough to change all of the Warclans’ artillery guns. It’s like two decades’ worth of all the Dwarven mountains’ mining.

  Jesal> $#@%! Okay, I’ll get talking to people and see what we can come up with. I was going to sleep tonight, you know.

  Dave> Ah, sleep is for the weak, didn’t you tell me that?

  Jesal> Smart ass.

  Dave switched over to the other chat as he ran through Unity.

  Private Message

  Alkao> I’m in the government building. No rest for the wicked, I guess. What do you need?

  Dave> Be there in five. Got something to discuss with you to make your fliers much more powerful.

  Dave ran to the government building. Soldiers, upon seeing Dave, checked him for illusion magic and then ushered him quickly inside. He was stopped twice more before he made it to Alkao’s new office near the top of the tower.

  Dave burst in, drinking from his water skin.

  “Whew! Good little run there. You got somewhere where I can test out some explosives?” Dave wiped his face with his sleeve.

  “Dave, what did you mean in your message?”

  Dave saw his messages blinking. He opened it, finding Hamdir had replied. Got to talk to him next. Dave moved to the balcony.

  “I’ve got something that might really improve your army, though I don’t have much time, so, I need you to come with me,” Dave said.

  “Well, it’ll get me out of this office.” Alkao sighed and rose.

  “Where are most of your generals?” Dave asked.

  “Kala and Vrexu are off in the training area of Unity. Their soldiers will be the first to get your new armor,” Alkao said.

  “Let’s go pay them a visit. Mind giving me a ride?” Dave asked.

  “Can’t you fly?” Alkao’s wings opened up and stretched through the truly massive door that led to his balcony.

  “I can levitate for periods at a time—no flying. Though I do know some rather risky ways to get around, but I’d rather not use a rocket to get from here to the training ground.” Dave smirked.

  “Rocket?” Alkao asked.

  “Maybe one day I’ll show you. Shall we?”

  Alkao checked his shield and sword. His wings flapped and pulled him up into the air. His large feet grabbed onto Dave’s shoulders and Alkao dove over the banister.

  Dave yelled out as they rushed toward the ground. Alkao laughed as he turned his dive into a glide, quickly turning them toward the training area.

  “Hey, no interface and fly!” Dave said, seeing Alkao on his interface. I should have run to the training ground and had Alkao meet us there.

  “We’ll be fine.” Alkao dismissed his screen.

  ***

  A tired Malkur stretched and yawned. He had been doing paperwork while Kala and her people had the night off. Kala stumbled into the courtyard; she found a medic who healed her of her drinking. She stopped wobbling and headed to meet with Malkur.

  “What the heck is it that Alkao wants now?” Kala growled as she got closer.

  “Not sure, though we should find out soon.” Malkur pointed at the growing flier headed for their training area.

  There were multiple fliers in the early hours of the morning, but few were as big as Alkao in the sky.

  “Looks like he’s bringing us a package.” Kala pointed at the man in Alkao’s feet.

  Malkur squinted, looking at a displeased-looking Dwarf Halfling.

  “Looks like Dave came for a visit.” Malkur had a note of respect in his voice as he touched his blade. The weapon was the finest that he had ever seen. He couldn’t use it in sparring for the advantages it gave him. Having Kala around made it possible to actually train with the blade without fear of cutting the other’s weapons.

  Alkao came in to land and released Dave, who dropped onto the ground, squatting to absorb the impact.

  “Ugh, hate this nature version of flying. Give me a damned plane any day of the week. At least they’re trained to do it,” Dave muttered, pulling out a disk of metal.

  “So, what do you need us for?” Kala asked.

  “Dave has a plan for a weapon that our fliers can use,” Alkao said.

  “Well, everyone can use it. First, just to make sure, you’re going to be changing your organization into two main groups: those who can fly and those who can’t. Your fighting tactics are not going to be stand-up battles but rather hit-and-run, whittling down the enemy and making their lives hell and any expeditions they make costly.” Dave looked to them all.

  “Pretty much,” Malkur said.

  “We will be adding in artillery units, mage units and healers, as well as supply services,” Kala added.

  “Good, good. Might have some of that artillery ready for you soon enough. In the meantime, I want to show you something that will change the way that your army fights. Do you have a range around here?” Dave asked.

  “This way.” Malkur waved for Dave to follow him. They all walked toward the archery range.

  “So, what is this idea?” Alkao asked.

  “This.” Dave tapped the Mithril and Ebony bracelet on his arm which had three different thin bands That could be rotated into different positions.

  “What does it do?” Kala asked.

  “It’s cooler when you see it in action,” Dave said.

  “Show-off,” Alkao said.

  “Mad inventor with a sense of pride, thank ye very much!” Dave winked.

  They reached the archery range. Dave took the piece of metal he had pulled out of his bag of holding and put it behind a target. He adjusted the bands on his bracelet. He pointed his palm at the target. Spearheads sunk deep into the archery target.

  Then Dave cocked his hand back; a spear appeared in it and he threw it across the field and into the target, showing his Strength and Agility with actually hitting the target at two hundred yards.

  “So, this thing can conjure items?” Kala pointed at the band.

  “Yes. It can be powered by soul gems with the right attachments, but that isn’t the best part—at least, not for your forces.” Dave turned another band on the bracelet. He raised his palm quickly before he lowered it again. A single spearhead flew across the range.

  Malkur watched as it hit the target and exploded. The sound of the spearhead detonating rang through the range as everyone looked at the now vaporized target. The plate that Dave had put down was a Mana barrier that had taken the brunt of the blast, leaving scorched marks along the wall where they didn’t cover.

  “Pretty good, huh?” Dave grinned.

  “What was that?” Kala asked, recovering first.

  “They’re conjured items, made from pure Mana. If I take away the controlling form of the conjuration, it turns into raging and unformed Mana, just like a Mana bolt. Think of all that refined Mana slamming into a target.” Dave pointed at the now vaporized target.

  He cocked his hand back; a spear appeared in it. He threw it; as it hit the Mana barrier, extending out and around the plate he’d put down, it, too, exploded.

  “Okay, I’m not going to lie. That’s pretty impressive. So, what are you hoping for us to learn from this?” Alkao asked.

  “I can give all of your fliers and the people on the ground these bands—well, not these ones, but ebony and silver ones. The Mithril ones are much harder to make and honestly they’re overrated and expensive for what you need. This can give you more than shields and swords in the sky. You can be like fighter planes with dual guns in
your hands. Well, spear throwers, I guess. Then, on the chest plates, we can enchant another conjuring band. Instead of having to carry Mana bombs in your claws, with using your bands, your people could carpet-bomb an entire area with their enchanted breastplates. Turn them into a bomber/fighter hybrid.” Dave smiled.

  “I get some of what you’re saying, but guns, carpet bombs, bombers? I don’t know what that all means,” Malkur said.

  Dave sighed and opened his interface. He looked up the history of fighter planes as well as bombers, and then shared it with Alkao and the other two.

  “How much will this cost us?” Alkao asked.

  “Probably a bit more as I’m going to have to take some of my people away from other tasks. Though the bracelets—I’m going to talk about doing a patent and selling it to the Aleph, so they can produce a lot of them nice and cheap. Also, I’m realizing how few good magical coders there are, so I’m going to be opening a school at the smithy for learning how to do it properly. If I have to code everything myself, I’m liable to break my workbench with my forehead out of boredom,” Dave said.

  “You’d be willing to teach others such a powerful gift?” Kala asked.

  “Look, we’re all in this together now. I’m going to be meeting with the Elves, Dwarves, and Aleph to see about really ramping up production. Right now, there’s four different groups that are all working on the same things. If we can get you all together and in an alliance, we can start sharing that information and together we can iron out the weaknesses that every group has. Think of it: The DCA as a supporting aerial and ambushing force. Aleph to manufacture, support, supply, and scout. Dwarves to act as an attacking force or a defending one. Elves to act as close ranged support and Stone Raiders to run about like a bunch of idiots with their heads cut off,” Dave said, getting chuckles from the others.

  It was one hell of an ambitious plan but Alkao nodded.

  “I think it is time that we started not only being allies on paper but also in trade and in support. I will send messages to the others to open up our teleport pad to them. We have plenty of space and much that needs to be done,” Alkao said.

  “Good. Now, I’ll be back in…two days? Maybe three? Not sure—Suzy deals with that. I’ve got to run to some more meetings. I’ll get her to write something up about the armbands and the breastplates. Read over the plane information.” Dave drew a quick drawing of a stick figure with wings in 3D. On their chest, he put a circle facing toward the ground, and another two on the figure’s arms, sending it to the other three.

  “I’ll see you later!” Dave said.

  “Talk soon.” Alkao waved good-bye and Dave returned the gesture.

  “Well, it sounds crazy, but if we can actually get this to work, it would be pretty effective,” Malkur said to Kala.

  “Agreed. Going to be a pain in the ass to train them with shields and swords.” Kala moaned. “I can just see some idiot shooting their melee weapons while trying to kill someone.”

  “If Dave is going to get the Aleph to make these new bands, then we might be able to switch the contract from the swords and shields to these bands,” Malkur said.

  “This is going to cost a lot more than we hoped.” Alkao sighed.

  “Well, looks like we’re going to have to get some of our people to clear out some of the dungeons around here.” Kala smiled.

  Malkur hid his grin. Alkao wanted to have his forces trained up more in Unity and the keeps before sending them out to fight again. Kala and Malkur were of the school of thought that they had trained enough. The ones going into the dungeons would be given the best equipment. If they came up against something too hard, they could pull back, but the materials and experience would be invaluable to growing the treasury and their force’s abilities.

  “It looks like you’ll get your wish,” Alkao agreed.

  ***

  Ela-Dorn had to be nearly carried away from her lab. It was only the fact that it was Dave himself coming that she was willing to leave.

  She arrived at Alephir, about the same time that Dave skidded into the room.

  “Whoa! Forgot how close that wall is.” Dave clicked his fingers and pointed at Ela-Dorn and Hamdir.

  “Just the people I want to see! Dorn, I was wondering if you could do me the honor of teaching me and Malsour a few things about those portals. Damn, I should have grabbed him, too, but he’s off reinforcing the keeps and the walls.” Dave waved his hand. “Hello, Hamdir. Heard good things—good to meet you properly.” Dave moved to Hamdir and shook his hand quickly.

  “You said that it was vital that we meet?” Hamdir asked.

  “Well, okay, so, may have found a way to really improve the DCA’s fighting abilities. I have the patent, want to sell it to you guys because you’re awesome with factories and we need them all like yesterday. Also, need to talk to you about hiring a bunch of people as consultants and starting up a ton of factories. So, maybe my smithies can make really good weapons but it takes time and all that mess. You guys can step up a factory in a couple of weeks and crank out items over and over again at a high rate. I have a whole bunch of resources and I need help turning them into Weapons of War. The Dwarves can make really good artillery, but, they can’t produce it as fast as you can. Sooo, I want to build an artillery cannon, then a factory to make them all, so that we aren’t stepping on people’s feet. Going to talk to the Dwarves, though you’re going to need to make an effort on your side if you want to not only be friends, but allies for what is coming,” Dave said.

  “Why should we be allies with them?” Ela-Dorn asked.

  “Most powerful assaulting force on Emerilia, got more resources than the Aleph, awesome defenses, have close interests, and you’re already trading with them. Got the basics for friendship down. Turning it into an alliance isn’t all that difficult and I’ve been talking to Bob. We’re going to need one another,” Dave said.

  “So, that’s who lit the fire under your ass,” Hamdir said.

  “Yep, making a war economy all by myself.” Dave smiled before he frowned. “Well, that does sound shitty—not too proud of that, but if we survive then I’ll be fine with it.” Dave shrugged.

  “Okay, so, go through what you want from us,” Hamdir said.

  “Okay, so, first a bunch of people good with factories. I can build things pretty easily; I just need people who know the right way to build it the first time. I need more people and machines to run these lines and keep up production. I’m talking shields and artillery, maybe other small things to aid in improving people’s magical coding. Oh, I’m going to start teaching people how to do that the right way instead of just taking a stab in the dark. Going to need repair bots and utility bots, so that I can have more people in my shop, less of them running around moving things from place to place. Then foundries and teleport pads. We need to set up a network of teleport pads to get from location to location—move supplies, troops, anything we need in days, not weeks or months. When these things start showing up on Emerilia, we need to be ready for them.” Dave looked to them.

  “That isn’t easy. The cost and resources would be immense,” Hamdir said.

  “I can supply the materials at a reduced cost. I can also help with the teleport pads. I know a few things that could speed up production and decrease costs,” Dave said.

  Hamdir and Ela-Dorn looked at each other. It seemed alarmist on Dave’s part but the Aleph were a paranoid bunch and there was also the chance to learn much and make a lot of gold in the process. Ela-Dorn nodded to Hamdir.

  “Very well. We can get into further talks later. I will get some volunteers together to meet with you,” Hamdir said.

  “Send them to Kol. I’m going to be meeting him soon—he’ll know what to do,” Dave said.

  “So, do you want to know what we learned from the portal so far?” Ela-Dorn asked.

  “I do and I know Malsour does too. I have most of the science down but I’m still missing a few dots. Once I do, I can take apart a portal’s Magical Cir
cuits and I should understand them,” Dave said.

  Ela-Dorn let out a shocked breath and covered her mouth. To talk of such a rare resource and just destroy it for the chance that he might know how the Magical Circuits will work—none of my people would think to do it. He truly doesn’t see them as that great of a resource, or just trusts his own insight that much.

  “Also, we’re going to need something a bit faster than carts and various creatures. Sure, they’re jogging speed for most things but we’re going to need enchanted vehicles good for going off roads and supplying our people on the move. Maybe even have the artillery pulled by them, or combine them and the artillery for magical tanks?” Dave shrugged as he opened his interface and sent a wad of files to Ela-Dorn and Hamdir.

  He checked the time at the top of his screen. “Okay, talk soon. I’ll get Suzy to call you up. I’m off to go and see a banker! Cliff-Hill please, controller!” Dave yelled up into the control booth. Dave was running through an open teleport pad moments later.

  Hamdir and Ela-Dorn looked from the pad to each other.

  “Well, he seems like a handful. I hope that we don’t need all of these preparations he’s talking about, but best to have them and not need them. Gives our people something to do as well,” Hamdir said.

  “I don’t think I want to know what he’ll be like if he pulls a portal apart and understands how it works.” Ela-Dorn shook her head.

  “Brilliant men rarely think about their actions until someone else brings light to them,” Hamdir said.

  “Well, at least we can start learning magical coding.” Ela-Dorn looked through the different files: one on bracelets, another on tanks, hovercraft, artillery, and cars.

  Ela-Dorn’s eyes went wide with the amount of information in front of her. They referenced things she had heard of Players talking about, but she never thought she’d get the actual technical details on how they worked. She squealed in excitement and ran for the teleport pads.