The smithy and the ceramics factories had been removed, leaving a large open area out front and to the sides of the house.
Dave opened the door for Deia. She walked in and checked out the closets for sheets and warm furs. The night was getting chilly quickly. Dave moved to the fireplace; logs were set in the fireplace, and a chill came down the chimney. He formed a small stream of fire, soaking the wood. It slowly came to life, lighting the room up some.
“Guess my night vision’s improved some. Don’t even need the torches anymore.” Dave turned around, his lips finding hers.
***
She grabbed the discarded furs from the floor, pulling them onto herself and over Dave. She kissed him. “I love you,” she said, stretching out over top of him.
“I love you too, you enchanting Elven seductress.” Dave’s hands cupped her butt.
She smiled, moving and getting comfortable on top of him.
Dave couldn’t help but smile at the cuteness of it all. He kissed the top of her head, hitting her ass lightly and wrapping his arms around her.
They fell asleep like that, the flames of the fire flickering gently in the fireplace.
Chapter 29: A Glance Into The Future
“He’s here!” Pete, Geswald’s secretary, burst into his master’s office.
“Who’s here?” Geswald demanded. Pete better have a good reason for barging into his office.
“Josh Giles, leader of the Stone Raiders. He and ten other Stone Raiders arrived from some unknown location. They arrived in Emaren just a few minutes ago. They’re already leaving the city and heading for Verlun!”
“How long until they reach it?” Geswald asked.
“A few hours? They’re running, but it is hard to describe just how fast they can run.” Pete shook his head as if he was still in disbelief.
“It takes two days to get to Verlun by wagon,” Geswald said, stunned by the revelation. Pete’s expression made it clear that he wasn’t going back on what he had said. “What are they up to? They bought up that large farm on the outskirts of town and they seem to be building a new headquarters there. It’s driving people away from them as it’s even farther from Emaren now. Maybe there is an issue with the traders in his guild? It would make sense, with him coming here, to tell them face-to-face what he thinks and see how badly they’ve messed up.”
Geswald rubbed his hands together, thinking of the Stone Raiders splitting off with the Exdar’s Traders they’d made a sub-guild out of.
If they fall apart, then it will be much easier to take down the Exdar’s Traders.
“I want our people in Verlun to know what happened between Florence and Josh. We need to know if there are issues between the newly merged guilds. If so, then we can use it to our advantage.”
“I will send word.” Pete bowed and left his master’s office.
Geswald rubbed his hands together. The Stone Raiders were the problem. Breaking them off from the Exdar’s would make the Player guild open to be attacked and pressured if they wanted to keep trading in the area. No longer having protection from a guild famed in combat was a good way to get one’s stores destroyed.
***
Josh and the Stone Raiders stopped, sensing the auras of the party in the middle of the road. They didn’t have their weapons out; they just stood there.
“Can I help you with something?” Josh asked.
“Do you know how long it’s taken waiting here to see if you lot would show up?” A man walked out in front of the others.
Josh shrugged.
“Well, my name is Jeremy. On behalf of the Fellox guild, we issue you, the Stone Raiders, a challenge to prove which is the best guild at raiding. We will record a massive raid that we do and you record a raid that you do, then we post it on the forums and the other Players of Emerilia decide which of the two clans is the better raiding guild.” Jeremy crossed his arms.
Josh felt his competitive side come out as he walked up to Jeremy. “Is there a time limit?”
“One month real time,” Jeremy said.
“So, three months in-game? I think we can do that. What do you want to bet on it?”
“Bet?” Jeremy looked confused.
“Well, look, if we win, we’re still number one, but if everyone starts trying to challenge us without some kind of bet, then it’s just going to get annoying. So, let’s say, a hundred thousand gold? You win, you get a hundred thousand gold and the title of best raiding clan; if we win, we get one hundred thousand gold and keep our title.”
“I’ll ask my clan leader.” Jeremy opened up his interface, using voice chat for a few minutes. “Very well, we agree,” Jeremy said.
A Challenge Issued
The Stone Raiders and Fellox guilds challenge one another to complete a raid in three month’s game time. Both sides will record their activities. The one with the most votes from the Emerilia community will be named Emerilia’s best Player Raiding Guild.
Failure: Don’t complete Raid, don’t upload video in three months’ Emerilia time.
Reward: Title of Best Player Raiding Guild, 100,000 Gold
Josh shook Jeremy’s hand.
“Now, if you excuse me, we’re headed off to Emaren to go meet up with the rest of our clan!” A wagon rolled out of the woods as the Fellox Raiders jumped on, eyeing their competition.
“Good luck!” Jeremy waved, moving to the wagon.
“You too.” Josh waved back before turning to his Stone Raiders. They started running again, Verlun visible in the distance.
***
Florence logged into Emerilia, her home turning into the fields around Verlun and the walls that were forming the new headquarters.
Her eyes widened at the walls. They looked to be made of one piece and as smooth as a kitchen countertop. Not the rough rocks that it had been just a few hours ago. There were Earth and Dark mages walking around, holding up the blueprints, forming the ground according to what they saw. Basements seemed to form out of the ground as rock and metal grew into the rough forms, creating walls and rooms. Crafters were sizing windows, or fitting in amenities and rune carvings where they needed to.
Florence saw a familiar face in the middle of it all, talking to her people.
“I should have realized that you were in the middle of all this.” Florence walked closer to him.
“Ah, Florence! They said that you were AFK for a bit. I didn’t think that you would mind if we sped up the project a little bit. As much as I like running, it isn’t all that fun.” Josh smiled.
“So, what is going on here?” Florence waved to the growing headquarters.
“Well, we’re building the main building for the guild. We’ve got a storefront going in, as detailed in the plans, on the lower levels. Offices and room for the guild on the upper floor. Tavern to the side right there, then stables beside that. On the left side, we’re going to be putting in the teleport pad as you’ve indicated on the plans. Going to include barracks and defenses around it. Can’t be too safe with those things. We’re going to be starting a road from here toward Verlun actual. We won’t complete it. We’ve got a day here before I need to head over to Markolm where the Golden Sabres are staying. We might be absorbing some of their members into the guild if all goes according to plan.” Josh smiled.
“Well, you’ve been busy.” Florence looked over the growing compound. It was literally growing from the ground in front of her. The traders were helping out where they could. The builders Florence had hired were clearing the area and putting the materials where the different buildings were supposed to be and talking to the mages about structural integrity and such.
Trees sprouted around two Earth mages. The branches of the trees wove together as they grew, forming into a roof and stalls.
“Wow.” Florence watched as the stables formed out of a dozen trees, a living building like some of the Elven cities she’d seen on the forums.
“Magic, it’s pretty damn crazy,” Josh said.
“Uh huh.” Florence shook her hea
d.
“Have you got the people needed for Cliff-Hill and the other location ready?” Josh asked, not risking speaking of Devil’s Crater out loud. There was no telling whether someone had a listening spell on them.
“Yeah, they’re all ready and good to go. Got some people also interested in being farmers, checking out the crafting side of things and such. They’re hesitant to do it as they’re part of the guild and scared they’ll be kicked, though I think with time they’ll come to understand the guild is more like a country. You are part of it no matter what and you can do as you want, but it reflects back on us. As long as they’re happy and answer the guild’s call when we need it, then they can do whatever they like. I know some people are interested to talk to you E-heads and make this their full-time life. Living three times longer than the rest of humanity and being part of a magical world like Emerilia has its draws,” Florence said.
“Are you thinking of making the transition?” Josh asked.
“Not yet. There are things that I have to deal with back on Earth, but maybe in a few weeks I could.” Florence’s mind moved to her brother, who was on life support. She’d come to understand that soon enough, he would pass away. There was no one left back on Earth and Emerilia had paid for his bills as she had forged out a life for herself on Emerilia.
Maybe becoming an E-head would be a good way to just get away from it all. A fresh start in a new place that I enjoy and have a bunch of good friends around me. She knew that she couldn’t leave her clan now. They had only just started. The possibilities of what they could do were intoxicating.
“With all of this done, we could have the teleport pad in place within the day,” she said, looking at all of the work.
“Good. Then, we can start cycling Players in and out. Have you talked to the bank about a place here?” Josh asked.
“I have, but they haven’t got back to me. Seems that they think we’re still too small for their business. Was thinking that we make up our own bank if they keep being assholes about it.” Florence growled.
Josh let out a barking laugh.
“What?”
“Seems you really are becoming a Stone Raider. If someone doesn’t give you a solution, then you’re going to get out there and make one. I don’t know about a bank, but it’s hard to scam people in this game. I’ll leave that up to you.” Josh smiled. “Once we get the teleport pad up and running, then you can check out the guild hall and meet up with Lucy. She’s still organizing everything. Once it’s all set up, then we can start shipping supplies through here and other locations. How many other branches do we have up and running?”
“One in Opheir, which’ll be two as soon as Cliff-Hill is connected; one in Markolm; three in Heval; then here in Verlun. We don’t have any in Ashal right now. None of us are high enough levels for it to be safe for us there.” Gaining levels by just being a trader was not the easiest thing to do.
“Well, all the more reason for people to follow what they want to do. Bring those levels up through some fun. Once Cliff-Hill is connected, then we’re going to have people from Cliff-Hill come here to train people here and then a training camp in Cliff-Hill for forest-orientated lessons. Then, another camp in the other location to teach about open area warfare tactics. It won’t be fun, but it means that everyone in the clan will know how to fight and work together no matter what.” Josh looked to Florence.
“But we’re traders—we don’t need to know how to fight!”
“You’re the Exdar’s Traders of the Stone Raiders guild. We have a big target on our back simply because of who we are, which also means that you do as well. Better to have it and the levels that come with it and not need them, than being attacked and you could have been capable of defending yourself.” Josh looked to Florence, his gaze hard and steady. He was doing it out of care for them, not out of a want to just show them how they weren’t warriors. They’d faced many kinds of enemies since they had come to Emerilia. He wanted them to be ready to deal with anything and everything.
“Okay, you make a good point. I know a few people won’t be too happy with it, though they’ll get over it.”
“Good! In the meantime, I have this.” Josh pulled out a box from his bag of holding.
Florence looked at it. Stone Raiders’ Treasury. “Josh! What is this?”
“It is what it says it is, linked right to the one in the guild hall. Instead of having to send it all back and forth, this will allow us to be linked together, connected at all times.”
“Thank you.” Florence tucked it away in a pouch on her hip, a small bag of holding.
“We’ve got far to go, but this is a good start.” Josh looked over the four large buildings that were forming.
“That it is.” Florence looked to the main building. On the face of the building, the Stone Raiders emblem was engraved above the wide open doors that led into the storefront.
***
Ela-Dorn checked her sword once again. Ela-Gal shook his head; it was the fifth time she’d checked it. Around them, five fighter and three archer automatons looked for any threats to their charges.
“Are you sure about this?” Hamdir asked again.
“I am. Hamdir, you were the one who said that we need to get out there and start making friends and not keep on hiding down here. This is a step forward in that direction. Also, if we do get a portal, then it would be one hell of a find. Think of all we could learn!” Ela-Dorn’s eyes lit up as she thought of the possibilities.
“There are a number of safeguards and other items on the portals that the Aleph had never been able to backward engineer.”
“With an inactive portal, then those safeguards shouldn’t be in place, allowing us to study them more than ever before!” Ela-Dorn reminded him.
“I know, but the risk is still rather high,” Hamdir said.
“Risk big to win big,” Ela-Gal said.
“Fine. I know when I’m beat.” Hamdir held up his hands in defeat. “Look after yourselves and let me know if anything goes wrong.”
“We will, mother hen,” Ela-Dorn teased.
Hamdir shook his head, looking to the Aleph standing in the controller room behind the teleport pad. They nodded; the teleport pad flared to life and a portal opened to Cliff-Hill.
Ela-Dorn took a deep breath and looked to Gal. “Well, let’s go and see Emerilia.”
“Sounds like an adventure.” Gal grabbed her hand and started forward, forcing them both into motion.
Ela-Dorn felt the sun on her as she looked out over a large flat area made from stones. A bunch of armed and armored Dwarves looked at them from behind their shields. Their eyes thinned at the sight of the automatons.
Dave and Deia walked through the dwarves, hand-in-hand. “Welcome to our home, Cliff-Hill. We’re not far from our home. We can go there to talk business. How fares things?” Dave asked.
“Shard sends his regards. Most of your people have moved off to their next event. The guild hall is expanding. You don’t think small, do you?” Ela-Dorn said as Gal’s hand rested on his blades, watching the Dwarves and the others with detached interest. Ready for anything. The archers and fighters spread out, ready to protect their masters at a moment’s notice.
“Ah, thinking small just limits one’s mind,” Dave said.
The Dwarves started to walk off, seeing to their other tasks. Many were still eyeballing the automatons. They’d never seen anything like them.
Dave held out his hand to shake Ela-Dorn’s. She shook it and then Deia’s. Ela-Gal repeated the gesture.
“I have seen a lot of your feats, Deia, though it has taken too long for us to meet,” Ela-Gal said.
“You are too kind.” Deia smiled at Gal. “I heard that you are interested in the spellsword fighting style that Anna and I use?”
“I have seen it. The combination of your magic and your blade makes for a truly inspiring fighting style.” Gal smiled.
“Shall we move to our house? Deia and Gal can talk about fighting things,�
�� Dave said.
“You just want to show off your toys. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten about you not practicing much recently,” Deia warned.
Ela-Dorn held in her laughter at Dave’s expression. She smiled and looked to Gal, who was sizing her up.
“Yes, I think that we will have to test your fighting skills once again. Better to be ready, right?” Gal’s studying eyes looked to Deia, who nodded seriously.
Right about that point, Ela-Dorn was thinking that her face looked really similar to Dave’s.
“Yes, let’s move this to your place.” Ela-Dorn waved Dave on.
***
Ela-Dorn tried to form words, but she found she couldn’t. Deia and Gal were out front of the house, sparring and talking different fighting techniques. Some Stone Raiders clan members were hanging around, including two of Dave and Deia’s close Dwarven friends.
The fighters and archers had stayed outside, watching for threats and being studied by the Stone Raiders around the home.
They’d stepped into the middle of the house. Dave activated a spell that transported them somewhere else.
“What is this?” Ela-Dorn’s hand rubbed the metal frame of the room they were in. It looked like a command center of some kind. The lights were similar to mage lights, but instead of runes, there was metallic string running to them.
“This is called a seeder, one of a whole bunch. They were made to change Emerilia from what it was, to what it is today. It comes with all you might need for changing a planet’s ecosystem, including the bits that you need on Emerilia to make it like a game.” Dave led the way to the back of the command room and to an elevator. Ela-Dorn got in. It was a short ride.
“So, how did you find this?” Ela-Dorn asked.
“Mostly it was just luck. I wanted to get away from everything, so I picked the most remote place I could. I also happened to find this thing. I didn’t know it at the time. Bob thinks that because I’m a bleeder, that some of the things that should be restricted from my interface aren’t. It’s also how he laid the hint for the housing complex that we stumbled into.”
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