by Troy Osgood
The wind blew harder across the meadow, making cloaks snap, the lanterns wave, the light flickering. The fire behind Hall flared up. He could feel the heat.
“This may not be the best location for a home,” Hall said, earning some laughs. “It’s rough country. Dangerous country. But we’ll make a home here. Continue to build Skara Brae into something special.”
He lifted his mug high, cheers coming from the crowd, mugs rising in salute.
“Skara Brae,” he said. The call echoed.
The celebration continued late into the evening. The sun went down, a multi-course meal was served and eaten, the fire was stoked, the tables and chairs pulled out of the way, and dancing started. Hall was surprised to find the three Battleforge brothers playing instruments and not fighting.
It was rare to see the brothers not fighting.
The music was a traditional Dwarven tune, heavy on the drums and bass, sounding like it came from deep in the mountains. But it was catchy, the music uplifting. People started dancing, none of them the same, all different styles.
Sharra held Brandif’s hand, guiding him through a dance from her home in the Jaden Empire. Brient and Dinah danced close, gazing into each other’s eyes. Hitchly was showing Akun, one of the new town guards and from the Jaden Empire, how to do a local dance. It was an interesting mix.
Even Jackoby, the normally stoic Warden, was moving around the dance floor with a female Firbolg who had accompanied his mother to the celebration.
Hall stood back, arm around Leigh, watching it all.
She nudged him, elbow in the stomach, pointing to the side. Roxhard was protesting as Gerdi tried to force him out onto the dance floor. Hall wondered if Roxhard had ever danced with a girl before. As a Dwarf, he looked older than Gerdi, but in reality he was only fifteen years old. Gerdi Battleforge, as tough as her brothers, wasn’t taking no for an answer. She pulled, and finally Roxhard gave up, looking embarrassed.
Sitting by themselves at the edge, Gorid and Herj hooted and hollered, encouraging Roxhard.
Hall laughed at seeing his friend, someone he thought of as a little brother, something he’d never had before, being embarrassed. It would do Roxhard good. Gerdi had her mind made up. Roxhard was hers. The sooner he accepted it, the better off he’d be.
“Come on,” Leigh said, pulling Hall.
He didn’t resist, letting her lead him onto the grassy area set aside for dancing.
Taking his hands in hers, she led him through the steps slowly. Hall had never been a good dancer in his real life. Awkward, lacking coordination and anything that resembled rhythm. But here, in Sky Realms Online, as a Half-Elf, he had higher Agility, and the moves came easily to him. It didn’t take long for him to understand and start anticipating the next steps.
Arms wrapped around her, they stepped side by side, their legs moving around each other, twirling Leigh and pulling her back in. The dance reminded Hall of what he’d seen of Irish dancing. He smiled, laughing with her, happy that here he could dance. Here, in Hankarth, he wasn’t Sam Duhall, he was Hall. Here he was someone.
The Battleforge brothers brought the song to an end, everyone clapping. Captain Hart took over, lute in hand. His song was slower, a little sadder. A haunting melody that everyone stopped to listen to. He started singing, his voice solid. The words told the tale of a young boy leaving on a ship to find his fortune, leaving behind the love of his life. It told of the adventures he had and the life of toil the true love had. It ended with the young lad returning to find the love had moved on, had to move on, with a husband and family of her own. The young lad had his fortune but no love of his life. A cautionary tale, about how love was not worth leaving behind.
Once done, Hart stood up and gave a deep bow. Everyone clapped, and Hall saw more than a few tears in the eyes of some of the women.
Hart sat back down, starting to strum a more lively tune. The Battleforges recognized it, joining in. Hall didn’t know the song, no words, just music. It didn’t feel Gaelic or Dwarven. Not Elven. Bodin? There was a lightness to it, a feeling of enjoying a spring day in a grassy field.
No matter where it came from, Hall found himself dancing with Leigh again. They didn’t follow any particular steps, just making it up, working with each other, complementing each other.
Hall lost track of time.
The music, the food, drinking and holding Leigh as they danced. The night blended together. This was what he had wanted it to be. A celebration of all the hard work everyone had put into Skara Brae, Meadow Grove, and the rest of the Breakridge. This would need to be an annual tradition, he thought, twirling Leigh off his arm. She danced away from him, arms rising and lowering as she moved back into his arms.
All the citizens needed a night like this. A night to relax and to enjoy each other’s company without the stress of working. Just relaxing and celebrating.
What to call it?
He held Leigh close as they walked over to one of the benches. Laughing. Hall couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such fun, had been able to let loose and relax.
Of course it wouldn’t last.
Hall stiffened, head turning toward the ridge to the east.
“What’s wrong?” Leigh asked.
“Pike,” Hall replied.
His gaze lost focus as he activated the Shared Vision ability, allowing him to see through Pike’s eyes. The dragonhawk was circling high above the ridge, just coming back from hunting in the mountains. Eyes able to see in the dark, and see great detail, Pike flew over the ridge, watching the progress of three figures. Hooded, cloaked, they were walking up the switchbacking trail, almost halfway up. There was no urgency, no attempt at sneaking.
Hall didn’t think there were any other visitors he had been expecting. Who was coming to the village?
Disconnecting the Shared Vision, Hall shook his head, the world around him coming back into focus.
“We have visitors,” he told Leigh.
A spot of flame appeared to the east, the shadows of the arch at the top of the ridge visible, flickering as the wind pushed at the small fire.
Aidan, one of the hunters from Cuthers, was on sentry duty at the top of the ridge. He’d just lit the signal fire, which meant he’d finally seen the figures making their way up the ridge. Even at night, there were torches set up on the trail, it should have shown the figures long before now. Hall knew Aiden was observant, which meant the visitors were just naturally stealthy, even if not trying to be.
He turned to look around the crowd, trying to spot the people he wanted. Seeing Jackoby, Hall made a motion with his hand. The Firbolg nodded. Spotting Brient, he made the same motion. The sheriff looked confused for a second before nodding. He bent down to the shorter Dinah, whispering something in her ear. A momentary flash of worry passed her features before she pushed it away, making the smile appear again.
Good, Hall thought. No need to worry anyone else yet. He did see some heads looking at the signal fire. Hall held up a hand, stopping Garrick and Roxhard from following.
Leaving Leigh, he met the other two just past the tables.
“Aiden lit the signal,” Brient asked.
“Pike’s up there,” Hall said, pointing into the air above the dark mark that was the ridge. “Three people are making their way up the ridge.”
“At night,” Jackoby growled. “Not friendly?”
“Not trying to hide themselves,” Hall replied with a shrug. “Let’s go find out.”
The walk took almost half an hour. There was no more signal from Aidan at the ridge, which meant there was no trouble. Hall had Pike stay above the ridge, watching. The last Hall had seen in the connection, the three visitors had stopped just below the top of the ridge, waiting. Even more of a sign that they were friendly.
Reaching the top of the ridge, Hall saw Aidan standing in the middle of the stone arch, sword out. His posture was somewhat relaxed. Looking over his shoulder, he looked relieved.
“Three of them,” Aidan said,
his accent thick.
Coming from Cuthers, an island somewhere far to the east, but not as far as the Jaden Empire, Aidan spoke with mostly a Gael accent, some local dialect in the tone. Hall hadn’t gotten used to it yet. Close enough to Gael but off just a bit, making it hard to understand.
“Haven’t done anything. Stopped down the hill a bit, told me their intentions were peaceful and they wanted to see the ruler of the area.”
“Let’s see what they want.”
Hall strode forward, hand on his sword hilt, glad they had stopped to grab weapons. He wasn’t wearing his armor but had the special harness that held his spear and javelins. Looking down the steep slope, Hall saw the three figures staring up at him, torches set on poles to either side. There was too much light for his Limited Night Vision to activate, but that wouldn’t have helped him make out the details.
Each of the three wore thick cloaks pulled tight, hoods over their heads. Bows were slung across their backs, quivers at their waists. Each wore a sword at their waist. Their hands were held clear of any weapons.
“Good evening,” Hall said.
“Are you the lord of these lands?” the one in front asked. His accent was Gael.
“I am,” Hall replied. He briefly thought about playing it off that he wasn’t, but that wouldn’t gain anything in the long run. The three had shown, so far, that they were there peaceably. The only way to find out why was to get them talking. “My name is Hall.”
The one in front stepped forward, pulling his hood down. In the flickering torchlight, Hall could see an older man with a full beard and unkempt hair.
“I am Dain,” the man said, “of the Greencloak Rangers.”
Hall stepped back, shocked.
The Greencloak Rangers?
One of the many factions that players could gain reputation with, earning special rewards, the Greencloak Rangers operated in the northern forests and mountains of Edin, with smaller outposts on some of the other nearby islands. Their base of operations was a small town called Timberhearth Keep. The faction and the town were one of Hall’s favorite areas in the game. His Town Stone, when it had been operating, had been set to the inn in Timberhearth, a place called the Green Craobh. It had been Timberhearth that Hall had thought he was teleporting to after the Glitch happened mid-fight with the Jotun chieftain, Dravogr the Icebane. He’d wound up in Grayhold instead.
Back at level one.
The Rangers were just what the name implied. They worked to protect nature from all threats, but especially a group called the Expedition Lumber Company. Hall had spent weeks working through the reputation quests with the Rangers, finally getting to the max reputation. Not many players did. By the time Trusted reputation was earned, the player would have outgrown the weapons and gear that the Rangers offered.
Hall just did it because he liked the area and the quests.
Skara Brae was on Edin, with the Rangers far to the north of the large island. Hall had fully expected to travel to Timberhearth Keep someday. He just never expected the Rangers to come to him.
“What brings you here?” Hall asked, regaining his composure. “You are far from Timberhearth Keep.”
Dain gave no indication that he was surprised Hall knew the name of the Rangers’ headquarters. At least none that Hall could see. He wasn’t liking that this meeting was taking place in the dark. It made reading expressions hard.
“That is a long tale,” Dain said, glancing back at the other two. “We’ve traveled long and are tired and hungry. Could we retire to your village to continue this?”
“Of course,” Hall said.
“Thank you,” the Ranger said, starting to walk up the rest of the way. “We would also like to speak to the Custodian of the Grove.”
Chapter 23
Dain sat at one of the tables in Skara Brae’s inn. His eyes roamed the walls, as they had the entire village on the walk in. Hall didn’t detect any hostility from the man. It was just genuine curiosity and the training of a man used to observing every little detail at all times. He was a couple of inches taller than Hall, with gray hair, small scars across his cheeks, and hard lines around the eyes. His skin was tanned, cracked, as if he spent all his time outside.
Which he probably did.
He held a steaming cup of tea in his hands.
The other two Rangers, a woman named Avril and a man named Ganner, sat at the bar. They had rotated around on the stools, facing into the inn, eyes roaming from Dain to Hall and the others in the room.
There weren’t many. Hall, Jackoby, Brient and Leigh.
Hall had been surprised at the request to see her.
“Thank you,” Dain said, nodding to the cup. There was a plate of food, just crumbs left, pushed to the side. It hadn’t been the best meal, leftovers from the celebration, but the Ranger hadn’t complained.
“What brings you so far south?” Hall prompted.
Dain nodded. He sighed.
“We are really here to see the Custodian,” he explained, nodding to Leigh. If he was surprised at her young age, he didn’t show it. “But seeing as how the Grove is in your lands, it was only right and proper to ask the lord’s permission first.”
Hall nodded. It made sense. Somewhat. Most likely a game mechanic to get Hall involved in whatever quest was coming. And he knew there would be a quest. That was why the Rangers were here. He leaned forward a bit, eager to hear what Dain had to say. Hall was looking forward to this.
An area of the game he knew very well compared to everywhere else he had been post-Glitch. Quests and a town he had spent a lot of time in. A faction he enjoyed. He was surprised how much he wanted this quest.
Dain’s focus shifted to Leigh. “Do you know much of us Greencloak Rangers?”
“I grew up in Cliff Fields on the eastern side of Edin,” Leigh answered. “I have heard of you but confess that was little more than stories.”
Dain leaned back, looking up at the inn’s ceiling, working out what to say.
“We’re not a large organization,” Dain said, returning his gaze to Leigh. “Mostly the northern half of Edin, protecting the area from fell magics, monsters and those who would try to destroy it. A noble calling but a dangerous life. The north of Edin is a very wild and untamed land. In recent years we have started to spread to other islands, the goals the same. No offense to you Druids, but you concentrate, rightly, on the Groves and the magic that keeps the islands afloat. That leaves nature itself to us Rangers and others like us.”
Leigh nodded, showing there was no offense. It was true. The Druids weren’t numerous and had to concentrate on the Branches of the World Tree. Without that magic, the islands would fall.
“The biggest threat we face is the Expedition Lumber Company and still is, but in recent months, they’ve changed.” He paused, glancing back at the other two Rangers. The woman, Avril, nodded. Dain continued, “Changed doesn’t describe it rightly. They’ve always hired a rough bunch of people little more than thugs, but now they’ve employed higher grade mercenaries and others.”
“Others?” Hall asked.
“Demons,” Dain replied. “Strange creatures we haven’t seen before. It’s a strange one. Taxing us to our limits. They have allied with the Expedition Lumber Company, adding to those forces. We are hard-pressed. But the worst part is the corruption.”
Hall and Leigh glanced at each other. That sounded familiar. But how would Vertoyi’s corruption spread all the way up north?
“The Druids up north don’t have an answer. They can’t figure out what is causing the corruption to spread, which is why we are here.”
Dain finished, setting his hands on the table, looking squarely at Leigh, waiting.
“Of course I’ll come help,” Leigh said. “I’m not sure what aid I can be, but I will try.”
Leigh glanced at Hall.
“We’ll come as well,” he said.
Dain looked skeptical. “Begging your pardon, Lord, but you do not have an army.”
“No
,” Hall replied. “But we do all right.”
Dain shrugged. “More blades are always welcome.” He stood up from the table. “We have a ship a half day’s walk from here. Thought it best to not just appear in the skies. We can leave first thing in the morning.”
“A couple of hours past,” Hall said. “We need to prep our ship.”
“And make sure the Dwarf crew isn’t too drunk,” Brient muttered.
Dain lifted an eyebrow before nodding. “I apologize for interrupting your celebration.”
Hall waved it off. “We don’t have many rooms available,” he said. “There might be room in one of the empty homes.”
“We thank you,” Dain said with another nod.
Notifications flashed before Hall’s eyes. He glanced at Jackoby and Leigh, seeing the slightly vacant look indicating they were reading the same.
Dain of the Greencloak Rangers has come to request the aid of Leigh in helping the Rangers with problems in the northern territory of Edin. They are overwhelmed with a form of corruption the Druids cannot deal with along with the new demonic allies of the Expedition Lumber Company.
THE GREEN CLOAK RANGERS I
Journey with Dain to Timberhearth Keep 0/1
Rewards: +200 Experience, +200 Faction Reputation With the Greencloak Rangers
Accept Quest?
Dain, representative of the Greencloak Rangers, has come to Breakridge seeking help from the Custodian of the Grove. Your willingness to aid in their conflict has earned you respect from the Rangers. You have gained +500 Faction Reputation with the Greencloak Rangers. You are now KNOWN to the Greencloak Rangers.
Hall accepted the quest.
Getting the Battleforge brothers to stop drinking was the hardest part. It took a while, and finally Gerdi had to break up the fight. Like anything to do with the brothers, it had devolved into the three fighting in a big pile. Once broken up, threatened by Gerdi, the brothers rushed off to bed. Gorid promised the Ridgerunner would be ready by noon.