Bork stood up, smiled, and waved at everybody. Grork quickly yanked his friend back down, putting a smile on Joe’s face. Lang hid in the back, hugged up against the wall next to the staircase.
“Even though I understand it will be difficult, it is my plan as of right now to free every slave who comes onto my land. At the conclusion of this address, I will begin that work. After each slave is freed, we will bestow them with the equivalent of two gold and ten silver coins. After that, they will have options.
“If they wish to stay here and become part of my kingdom, they are welcome to do so. My co-Champion will interview each one of you to determine your skill sets in order to offer you an appropriate occupation or selection of occupations. Everyone will be paid for their work. However, you are not obligated to work for me if you decide to stay in my kingdom. You can set up your own business here if that is more to your liking. I will provide a loan if you can present a solid business plan. This kingdom will be a kingdom of free individuals, no matter race or species, no one will be denied opportunities to better themselves.
“Some of you, once freed, will wish to leave. You are free to do so. In a few weeks’ time, the beasts being corralled by the stone angels outside will be allotted to the groups who wish to leave. If you choose to travel on foot before that time, you are welcome to, but I warn you that the journey may be treacherous. Weapons and training will be provided to those who desire it and I would recommend honing those skills before imparting on such a journey.
“Those who choose to stay and live under the rules of this kingdom, will become my subjects and have my protection. Our task set before us will be to develop and expand this kingdom and this castle. We will form an army of players who will train in a dungeon below, so that they can grow in their strength and combat effectiveness.
“This castle is massive, but it is largely empty. I will fill the unoccupied floors with livestock. This valley is slowly beginning to warm and, in the future, will become green enough that we can move the livestock out into fields. I see that many of you don't believe what I'm saying. When I look out these windows and see the frozen tundra, I can understand why you would doubt, but the last conflux changed the very structure of the Moon. The chief of Clan Bounder has confirmed for me that the lake in this valley will thaw and become a source of heat. Our population may be small right now, but I doubt we'll stay that way for long. Those platoons that just withdrew will inform those beyond the mountains of this castle and its power.
“Therefore, we as a kingdom will be pushing forward, creating something great. Become my people and let me be your king. Let’s start with breaking the bonds of slavery, then we shall turn this valley, this kingdom into a people who cannot be ignored. When others see what can be accomplished through the cooperation of multiple species, they will see the new standard for productivity and strength. That is all I wanted to say. If you wish to stay and observe me as I systematically break the slave marks, you are free to do so,” Joe finished with a click of his tongue and a couple shots out of his classic finger guns.
Before any of them could respond, Joe jumped down off of the altar and placed his hands on the foreheads of the two closest slaves. “I, King Joe, defy those who put you in chains! Be free!” Joe intoned, hoping the simplified speech would be sufficient in engaging his power.
Use kingdom authority and personal mana to free and protect these two slaves? Yes/No
Joe mind-clicked yes.
As Joe lifted his hand, the slave brands on their foreheads broke with the familiar sound of shattering crystal. Joe instantly pumped his fist up in the air in triumph.
“We can do this! That barely took any of my mana. Congratulations to both of you. Please eat and celebrate your freedom. Let me lean against the silver box to top off my mana and then the next two can step forward,” Joe said.
Seeing that Joe had finished his speech, a gentle murmur rose through the crowd as they began conversing with one another. Some sought to explain what Joe had said, while others scoffed at the idea that they could be the seed of a new kingdom. Spooky unpaused the movie and lowered the volume, providing a welcoming atmosphere for social interaction.
In under five minutes, Joe had freed the majority of the first group. And he received three messages in his HUD.
You've increased in rank in the profession Crier.
Current rank – Skilled Hobbyist
When you speak, the ears of the ignorant turn toward you. As you grow in this profession, continue to work on your posture. How you stand affects what is heard. Note: the UI has identified that you nearly have the lung capacity of a blue whale. Use it to your advantage! Stop taking so many breaths when you speak; pauses should be purposeful. Such pipes should not be wasted.
Special Achievement earned!
Let My People Go. Rank 2
By the power of your will and authority alone, you have broken the astral chains on ten captives. A true slave’s mark is not easily removed. Rank 2 in this achievement was reached by freeing ten slaves. Next rank attained at the freedom of 100 slaves.
Reward for Special Achievement:
Aura of Benevolence. Rank 2
No matter how fearsome you look, those in need will see a glimmer of your tender heart. You’ve been granted an increased chance that unskilled laborers will seek your kingdom. Plus 2 to Charisma.
The gain achieved in reaching the next rank in Aura of Benevolence was less than Joe had hoped for, but it was at least an increase. In Rank 1, only the hopeless and destitute would seek out his kingdom, but now he would be more likely to attract unskilled laborers. Joe held out the hope that, with each rank he gained, he could increase the chance that skilled people would also join his kingdom. They needed to grow in strength quickly if they were going to survive.
Not long after Joe finished with a group, the next set of slaves needing freedom would form a line in front of the altar. Each successive group had experienced slavery slightly longer than those preceding them, and the process for breaking the marks required more and more mana. Instead of feeling like a crystal shattering, the broken slave marks began to feel more like hardened pottery breaking.
When Joe had first considered the prospect of freeing hundreds of slaves, he had believed it would be dull and tedious, but he had failed to account for how much he would enjoy seeing their smiles and tears of relief. Each time he freed an individual the look on their face was unique. He saw pure joy shine from some, others a quiet sort of peace, and others a determined frustration mounted by an unswerving resolve. After freeing one of the slaves, however, Joe saw something he had not anticipated.
The ordinary older man with ruddy brown hair showed nothing but utter contempt on his face after his mark broke. He looked up at the king who had just liberated him and said, “What a fool you are,” turned, and ran straight at one of the more vulnerable-looking human women, screaming the whole way.
“The recompense has come, daughter of mine!”
His daughter curled in a ball on the floor before he was even fifteen yards from her. Luckily, Lang had been waiting for just this occurrence. The scarred woman stepped in front of the sprinting man and with a casual backhand, knocked him to the floor unconscious.
“You should put him in a cell before he wakes up, Your Majesty,” Lang said with just a little too much sarcasm at the end.
“Thanks for the assist. I take it there's a little bad blood between those two?” Joe asked.
“It's not so much that, as this poor young lady's father is evil. They were enslaved because of crimes he committed toward multiple women. She turned him in even though she knew it would mean her freedom as well. She was just a little child then. It would have been a good idea to find these things out before you freed him,” Lang said.
“Maybe, but sometimes freedom just can't wait. I suppose optimism can harbor its own dangers. I give everybody the benefit of the doubt when I first meet them. It’s only a problem when I meet people like this unconscious reproba
te. It’s said that God made man out of mud, unfortunately some seek to return to their original state,” Joe acknowledged.
“I wasn't made out of mud,” Lang fired back.
“I said man was made out of mud, women are all sunshine and rainbows. At least, that's what I've been told,” Joe said with a twinkle in his eye.
“You don't make any sense, Mr. King Man. You’re planning to free us all, but you're not prepared to deal with the fallout. What if this unconscious idiot had killed her?” Lang questioned. Spooky interjected.
“It's good you were paying attention to the threat, but what you failed to see was that the king had a spell ready to neutralize that faithless father,” Spooky corrected.
“Maybe you were ready this time, but you can't be everywhere, how are you going to keep everyone safe from each other?” Lang challenged.
“Lang, I'm glad you asked that question. In every kingdom, there needs to be structure, and someone to provide order. This kingdom will be no different. We need a sheriff. You want the job?” Joe asked, and though he didn't notice it, Spooky's eyes widened.
Startled by a message in her HUD, the UI asked Lang if she accepted the position of sheriff in Joe and Spooky’s kingdom.
“Are you crazy? You don't have any idea if I'm qualified for a job like that or if I'm even remotely ethical. You can't just offer a job out of nowhere to a slave whose been free barely an hour, let alone a day,” Lang said.
“I saw the way you provoked me and I think I know the reason you did it too. It was all about forcing me to show my true colors. A good sheriff brings the evil that's done in the dark out into the light. If you find someone better to take your place, great, but right now you're the best person for the job,” Joe declared.
“Allow me to ask you a question before you accept. Will you strive to be honest while you serve and protect the people of this kingdom?” Spooky carefully asked.
“Of course, I would. But, you should pick someone else,” Lang said and the UI decided to interpret her response as an acceptance of the job and informed her of her new post.
“Wait, wait, why did it say I am the new sheriff? I haven't accepted the job yet,” Lang panicked.
Both Joe and Spooky received new messages in their HUDs.
Congratulations!
You've hired a qualified sheriff. This is the first permanent employee of the kingdom. Plus 50% to feeling of safety in the kingdom.
Notification of special bonus- Lang has the skill: production multiplier. Every individual she oversees becomes 25% more productive.
“That's super handy. Spooky, did you realize we would get bonuses when we hired a permanent employee?” Joe asked.
“I didn't, just one more wrong assumption on my part. The UI seems to offer bonuses for a wide variety of things. You should also take a look at the Castle Progression System, here let me adjust it so that you get messages for it now. As for how permanent employees provide us bonuses, it really wasn't something we could have used until now anyway. It’s only been in the last few days that we’ve had more than five people here. In the future, though, maybe we should have an application process and decide on some questions to ask each individual before we hand over the keys. I'm just saying, Joe, you do have a history of trusting too quickly. I, unfortunately, proved that early on,” Spooky spoke solemnly.
“Yeah, that sounds wise, I’ll be more cautious, good advice. Anyway, my lack of focus is starting to get the better of me. Could you help Lang figure out what her new duties are and negotiate a solid starting salary?” he asked.
“Salary?” Lang chimed in.
“There are no slaves or interns in this kingdom. Wait, I hate being redundant and saying the same thing over and over… No one’s going to laugh at that? Yes, you’ll receive a salary. It comes with the position,” Joe responded.
“Will this salary include food like this?” Lang asked.
“For the time being, our food reserves are extremely high and apparently, Joe wants to turn this castle into one big ranch. For the foreseeable future, every citizen of Joe’s kingdom will be offered a daily food stipend. Your salary will be over and above your daily food allotment. You can use the money from your salary to buy extra food if you wish. That's your prerogative, you are your own person,” Spooky said.
“I know that I'm my own person, I'm just surprised that you’re aware of that fact as well. Let's negotiate,” Lang said.
Leaving the formidable ladies to negotiate, Joe turned back to freeing the rest of the slaves. Before touching the next forehead, however, a thought occurred to him and he realized that if he acted on it, he’d solve a handful of problems right off the bat. Jumping down from the altar, he called for everyone's attention.
“One more announcement, folks. I've decided that everyone who chooses to join this kingdom will start with a clean slate. I am announcing a general amnesty for crimes committed before you entered my domain. Obviously, the man who attempted to attack his own daughter will be held accountable for that act, as it occurred after his arrival in the kingdom. As for everyone else, all those who follow the laws of this kingdom will remain in good standing with me and my government. That's all I have, back to work for me and back to celebrating for you. Huzzah!” Joe cheered.
Jumping down, he freed one slave and then risked not filling up his mana and immediately freed the next slave. As the marks broke, the sound of broken karate-style boards pierced the ears of those nearby.
Congratulations!
Special Achievement earned!
Let My People Go. Rank 3
By the power of your will and authority alone, you have broken the astral chains on 100 captives. A true slave’s mark is not easily removed. Rank 3 in this achievement was reached by freeing 100 slaves. Next rank reached at freedom of 1,000 slaves.
Reward for Special Achievement:
Aura of Benevolence. Rank 3
No matter how fearsome you look, those in need will see a piece of your tender heart. You’ve been granted an increased chance that workers will seek your kingdom. Plus 3 to Charisma.
Joe gave another quick fist pump. Though this was difficult work, he was making progress and it was gratifying to see his gains. Reaching a thousand freed slaves, however, would not happen today. Feeling a renewed sense of energy, Joe began to free slaves quickly and efficiently. Diligently, he worked through each group of ten that Lil passed through, freeing both child and adult from a variety of races.
Luckily, the abundance of food and the entertainment on the large movie screen was enough of a distraction that there were no more attempted acts of revenge. The further Joe moved down the line, the more arduous and complex the process became. Those who had been slaves for more than 30 years took over half his mana stores to free.
A one-armed male dwarf in his mid-thirties approached the altar.
NPC
Dwarf, Slave of Joe
He looked up at Joe, beaming with anticipation, and knelt before the king. Like the others before him, this amputee’s slave mark broke, bringing joy to the former slave.
NPC, Rod
Dwarven Medic
Instead of lifting his hand, Joe held it tight to the dwarf’s forehand and brought his other hand atop the dwarf’s unkempt brown hair. Joe closed his eyes and knelt, keeping hold of the dwarf’s head with both hands. Joe had discovered something hidden within the dwarf. Joe opened his eyes and smiled wide.
“Rod, you have Life Magic in you. You’re a mage!” Joe exclaimed and the tongueless dwarf shook his head.
Joe’s twenty-sided eye spun and stopped on a 9.
Successful perception check.
“No, I am sure, I can feel it,” Joe confirmed.
Player, Rod
Dwarven Mage
“Congratulations, Rod. The UI just confirmed that your options have expanded. Go and celebrate! We’ll figure out how to awaken that blocked Life Seed later. For now, others need my attention. I wonder how many other blocked seeds I’ve missed bec
ause they weren’t Life Magic,” and he waved the next group forward. Rod walked away, rubbing the empty spot where his slave brand used to be, stopping short when a tiny, somewhat unnerving, stone angel handed him an hors d’oeuvre.
An elven woman approached the altar.
“Hello. Give me one sec while I refill my mana. What’s your name?” Joe asked the stoic woman.
“Unimportant. Will we be killing the vampires soon?” the elven woman asked.
“I don’t know. If they show up here, then, yes, we will be killing them. Don’t worry, you are safe,” Joe said.
“Safe? That is also unimportant. I will be making a bow and then we will be killing the vampires. They must die,” the elven woman said as she stepped forward, grasped Joe’s hands, and placed them on her forehead. Her slave brand broke almost on contact, pulling Joe’s mana before he could utter a single proclamation. Without another word, she spun and walked away. Joe’s eyes followed her with foreboding.
NPC, Hollowbirch
Elven Archer
Joe continued to free slave after slave. Everyone remaining had been a captive since their birth. Fortunately for Joe, with each slave he freed his kingdom grew and, with it, his authority. As he progressed through the slaves, however, the incremental increase in his sovereignty proved insufficient in itself. He was forced to list out his accomplishments to justify his right to free the remaining slaves.
Time passed and the party died down. Many had departed downstairs to sleep upon the simple pallets Spooky had provided. The top floor was now much emptier than before. Joe did not need to sleep and those who were not yet free were willing to wait for his attention. After all, who would want to sleep as a slave if by waiting a moment longer they could experience the never-felt relief of freedom.
The Sleeper Must Awaken Page 7