Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

  Finally, it was time to see my new drawbridge, so I closed the window and began heading for the canyon. As I did, I began planning an excuse to go on one of the hunting forays. That lone XP point I needed was going to aggravate me until I finally managed to get it. Hopefully, I could come up with a good enough reason for my companions to venture out with me.

  Things were busy as usual when I reached the fortifications. Ridge was putting the last few blocks in place to complete Dellon’s new workshop. He had already added the two towers that sat astride the gate and finished all but one of the structures behind our outer wall. While the stonemasons would still have to refine his rough work, completing the workshop marked the end of his work on our forward defenses.

  “What will you do next?” I asked Ridge as he melded another heavy stone block in place.

  “I shall begin construction of your Palace and the fortress that will protect it, Sintári,” he replied, addressing with the title now that my secret was out.

  The valley’s defenses were set up much like Lorida’s double-layered fortifications. Our perimeter wall was akin to The Citadel, providing a nearly impenetrable barrier against attack. But behind it, at the far end of the canyon, the elf King’s plans laid out the blueprints for a grand Palace surrounded by an imposing fortress.

  The large castle was designed not only as the residence for the ruler of the empire the elf King envisioned, but also the center of its government. The fortress around it served as both a second line of defense for the valley’s residents as well as the primary protection for the governmental offices that were housed within the Palace.

  Constructing all of it would be a daunting task—the Palace itself was a tremendous structure with countless rooms and facilities. The fortress that protected it was equally impressive, with multiple barracks, training grounds and various other associated buildings, including the forge that would be so helpful for the miners to have access to. Since I had no other duties to assign him, I let Ridge follow his own set of priorities and begin the process of constructing the grand projects.

  Leaving Ridge to his work, I passed by Hilgreth’s forge on the way to the outer wall. While her apprentices were busy at work, there was no sign of either of the smiths. Their absence reassured me that I would find them by the new drawbridge, so I picked up my pace, anxious to see their finished work.

  I could see that the new gate was in place as I approached through the long, enclosed passageway. The temporary span we had been using to cross the dry moat was gone, and in its place, the new drawbridge was lowered, once again allowing us secure access to the lands beyond our walls. Before I could get close enough to inspect the new gate, Hilgreth met me in the passageway.

  “Dreya Sintári,” she greeted me. “We have finished installing the new drawbridge, and the portcullis is nearly completed as well. We should have the defenses completely restored very soon.”

  “That is excellent news, Hilgreth,” I replied. “Show me what you’ve done.”

  Hilgreth smiled broadly and led me the rest of the way until we emerged from the far end of the passage and into the bright sunlight. The entire span of the new drawbridge lay in front of me, bridging the gap of the wide trench at the foot of our defenses.

  As I looked over the construction, it was obvious that Dellon had done a masterful job crafting the thick planks that made up the majority of the bridge’s surface. The timbers had been formed into sturdy planks that were each nearly a foot thick, providing not only a stable bridge, but also offering a great deal of protection when the gate was raised as a defensive barrier. Although Dellon’s work was impressive, it was Hilgreth’s contribution that almost took my breath away.

  The wide timbers of the drawbridge were held together and reinforced with thick metal bands and fastenings. As I looked over the broad metal bands, I had to kneel down to inspect the dark fastenings to make sure that I was truly seeing what I thought I was.

  “It’s all Dwarven Steel,” Hilgreth reassured me as I ran my fingers across the cool surface of the metal. “Every last bolt.”

  “Hilgreth, this is incredible,” I said as I stood back up. “How did you manage it?”

  “I’ve taken your words to heart, Dreya Sintári,” she replied humbly. “I taught my apprentices the process and they have been forging ingots almost full time for a while now. I also taught Renn how to work with it. This would not have been possible without his help.”

  “Your words reached my heart and opened my eyes,” the smith continued. “Once I taught him how to work the steel, it was Renn who figured out a way to speed up the process. We’ve been able to accomplish much more working together than I ever could have hoped to on my own, just like you said.”

  Renn had been standing by awkwardly, uncomfortable with the praise that had been directed his way, and I stepped over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. Although he startled at the contact, he managed to lift up his eyes and meet my gaze as I spoke to him.

  “Renn, you and Hilgreth working together are a perfect example of what we are trying to build here,” I began. “Your willingness to see beyond your differences and simply come together as people proves that everything I’m hoping for is truly possible. If there is anything I can offer you in return, you have only to ask for it. If there is a reward you desire, and if it is within my power to grant your wish, you shall have it.”

  “Thank you, Dreya Sintári,” he spoke softly in response. “As much as I enjoy working with Hilgreth, and would continue to do so, I would also like to have a forge of my own at some point.”

  “You are in luck!” I smiled back at him. “Ridge will be moving on to begin construction at the far end of the canyon soon. The fortress there will have its own forge. I will instruct him to build that structure as soon as possible. It may be some time, depending on what he might have to build first, but I promise that as soon as the new forge is ready, it will be yours.”

  “Thank you, My Lady!” Renn responded earnestly. “It’s been a dream of mine for so long. I can’t believe it’s about to come true.”

  “You’ve earned it, Renn,” I replied before Hilgreth gripped the slender man in a bear hug. I left the two to celebrate Renn’s coming promotion and turned my attention to Dellon.

  “Your efforts here have not gone unnoticed, Dellon,” I told him. “Ridge is almost done with your new workshop, but if there is an additional boon you desire, let me know.”

  “I’ve got everything I need, Dreya Sintári,” he replied. “The freedom to work as I see fit and the promise of the future you envision for us is more than enough for me.”

  “Very well. But if that changes, let me know.”

  With my inspection complete, the four of us walked back through the long passageway together. As we parted at the far end of the tunnel, Hilgreth bullied Renn into accepting her invitation to share a few drinks to commemorate his new forge, while Dellon declined, preferring to return to his work instead. My own rounds were done, so I headed over to check out Venna’s new infirmary.

  Her temporary hospital had been replaced with a facility located within the forward garrison’s headquarters building. Along with the infirmary, the building housed offices and quarters for the senior staff, a small group of holding cells, and a vault that I had requested Ridge add to the original plans.

  We placed all of the loot and treasure we had accumulated in the secure storage for safekeeping, and Broda arranged a 24 hour watch over our precious resources. Although we had no current use for the coin and other valuables, the time was rapidly approaching when we would need to trade with other realms for much needed items, and high on that list were tools and livestock, not to mention all of the furnishings my people needed for the many buildings we now had. Ilvain was producing a slow stream of basic furnishings, but with his main focus aimed at building shelters for the elves in the valley, we were still woefully short of simple things like beds, tables, and even chairs.

  Venna’s infirmary was still bei
ng worked over by a team of masons, and she flitted about worrying over them as they tried to smooth out the rough stone. Seeing her constantly get in their way, I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the small office and sat down with her on the floor.

  “They know what they’re doing, Venna,” I admonished her. “Leave them to their work.”

  “I just want to make sure everything’s done right,” Venna replied anxiously.

  “And would you really know if they were doing something wrong?” I asked her pointedly.

  “No,” she admitted reluctantly.

  “Right, so why don’t we go have some lunch and leave them to it?” I offered her.

  “Just lunch,” I added quickly when her eyebrows raised suggestively.

  One of the masons cast a grateful look in my direction as I dragged Venna away. Although she meant well, she’d obviously been hindering their efforts and they were glad to see her attention diverted.

  We joined the crowd that was gathered in the mess hall for lunch and once we got a bowl of the stew that was being served that day, found a place to sit outside in the shade while we ate.

  “Stel wants to build a road so we can begin trading for the things we need,” Venna offered.

  “Funny, I was just thinking about that earlier,” I replied curiously. It was uncanny how frequently my companions, especially Tási and Venna, would turn our conversations towards a subject I had been considering.

  “He thinks Ridge might be able to do it fairly quickly,” she continued. “If we add some secure campsites along the way, we might even be able to encourage some of the caravans to pay us a visit.”

  That was a truly interesting idea that I hadn’t considered myself—even if we didn’t coax the caravans to us, if we built a campsite where our road met the main trail, we might at least increase our trading opportunities.

  “That’s a really good plan,” I replied. “I’ll find Stel later and go over this with him in more detail.”

  Venna nodded back at me as she swallowed a mouthful of stew and we passed the rest of our meal in silence. When we finished, we returned our bowls to the mess hall and I strong-armed Venna into joining me as I searched for her husband. The stonemasons were still working on her infirmary, and I intended to provide them as much peace as possible while they completed the work there.

  We found Stel as he was just finishing his own lunch. Venna blurted out our reason for seeking him out, but I asked him to hold off on discussing the matter until we could locate Ridge. If we planned to have him help build the roadway for us, I thought it might be best to bring him into the process as early as possible.

  Ridge had already begun piling a stack of blocks in preparation for beginning his work on the Palace and its fortress when we arrived. I had him halt his efforts as we gathered around and told him what we had in mind.

  “I can clear the trees that block your path,” he replied once I had explained our idea. “And I will smooth the land for you as well, but you must choose the path for me to follow, as well as determine where you want me to clear the campsites for you.”

  “Our own journey here was a bit hectic,” I recalled. “I think Bane might be able to trace out a better route for our road.”

  The plan was agreed to, and I promised to have Bane include scouting for the path in his daily flights. It would take a few days for Bane to complete his survey, so I let Ridge continue his current project until the path was mapped out for us, but I did ask him to try and build the new forge for Renn while he was there. Venna and Stel left to tend to their own errands, and we promised to discuss the matter in more detail later over supper that evening.

  “You told me that you cannot harm any living thing, but the wilds are a dangerous place. Will you be safe out there?” I asked Ridge as he resumed pulling blocks of stone from the earth.

  “If there is a threat, I can retreat into the ground, Sintári,” he replied. “There will be no risk for me.”

  “I do have a suggestion that may help speed the process,” he added. “But it may involve some risk for you.”

  “What is it?” I asked, intrigued by what he had said.

  “Summoning another to assist me will make the work go much faster,” Ridge replied. “But the strain of binding and holding one of my kind grows more difficult with each of us that you hold under your control. It will not be easy, and failure might be dangerous for you.”

  I understood what he meant. Failure to bind a summoned elemental could easily result in the creature becoming enraged and attacking me. While Ridge submitted to me without a fight, it would not be so easy for me when I tried to draw another elemental to me. And the fact that Ridge was already bound to me would only make the binding even more difficult.

  “It may be worth the risk,” I replied. “We need supplies, and the sooner you finish, the sooner we can begin trading for what we require.”

  I left Ridge to his work and wandered back to my lakeside retreat for a few precious moments of peace. The still surface of the lake lapped against the stone, and I pulled off my boots to let my bare feet drape over the edge of the rock and into the cool water.

  I laid down on the soft green moss that covered the smooth surface of the stone and relaxed in the quiet of the woods that ringed the lake. This was one of the few places where I could truly escape the burdens and responsibilities I faced—responsibilities that seemed to grow with every passing day. Coming here returned a sense of peace to me, and I found myself sneaking off to bask in the quiet seclusion as often as my duties allowed.

  But then the sun fell behind the high cliffs all too quickly, and I reluctantly began my journey back to our campsite. While I looked forward to joining my companions, it also meant picking up the mantle of leadership again as well. I had promised Stel and Venna that we would discuss the construction of the road over dinner, and I was sure Khorim and Broda would have other matters they wished to go over as well. While I was growing more comfortable with the role I had been forced into, the burden of it still weighed heavily on me from time to time.

  I was the last to arrive back at the campsite for the night, and dinner was already being served when I took my seat around the fire. Tási had volunteered to cook, since she had been stuck in camp all day anyway. Bane was perched on her shoulder and showed no sign of joining me as Tási passed a plate of food to me, glancing at me curiously as I took a bite.

  “Are you alright?” She asked. “You seem a bit off.”

  “I’m fine, Tási,” I sighed. “I just feel a bit overwhelmed at times.”

  She smiled at me reassuringly, and I couldn’t help but smile back reflexively at her genuine expression of support.

  “I’ve been thinking about our road, Dreya,” Stel said, bringing me back to reality. “If Ridge can clear the path and open up some clearings, it shouldn’t be too hard for us to use the lumber he accumulates to build a few reinforced campsites.”

  “That will be the dangerous part,” I replied, having already considered this very issue. “The work crews will be vulnerable while they’re busy making the improvements.”

  “We will have to provide strong security for them,” Venna offered.

  “That will require us to split our forces,” I responded to her. “And I am hesitant to leave the valley vulnerable to attack.”

  “We will have to make sure that the work crew is capable of not only building, but fighting as well,” Stel countered. “That would effectively double the number of defenders in case of attack.”

  “It sounds like you already have some numbers in mind, my friend,” I replied, noting the unintended slip he had made.

  “Yes, I have,” he answered me. “It only seemed reasonable, as I intend to oversee the project myself. If we send forty people, and have them working in shifts, I think we can complete the work quickly and safely.”

  “That may work, but it will leave us stretched thin here,” I said aloud as I considered his proposal.

  “That’s not the end of my
thoughts on the matter,” Stel continued, unperturbed by my reluctance. “I also plan to accompany our first trade caravan. Khorim has volunteered to join me and trade for us in Dhel-Ar while I journey on to Lorida. My intention is to not only purchase supplies in Lorida and then in Íforn on my way back, but also to recruit for us and spread the word of what we are doing here.”

  “I’m not sure that’s wise, Stel,” I replied cautiously. “We only barely managed to hold off the orcs when they came against us in force. I don’t think we’re ready to deal with the power of the Realms should one of them decide to attack us.”

  “You overestimate their might, Dreya,” Broda joined in. “While they all have impressive defenses, very few maintain any offensive forces to speak of. The Realms skirmish frequently, but lack the power to truly threaten each other in any significant way. I doubt any of them could mount an assault greater than the one you’ve already defeated.”

  “Besides, we need more people if we’re going to make this place into what it’s supposed to be,” Venna added.

  “It seems you’ve already decided the matter,” I said glancing at Stel sideways.

  “The final decision is yours, as always, Sintári,” Stel smirked back at me. “We’re just trying to explain how wrong you would be to refuse us.”

  I agree with your friends, Sintári. Bane’s voice came echoing into my head. This is a task that must be done, and the sooner it is completed, the sooner your Realm can grow itself.

  “Fine,” I sighed in exasperation. “Stel, you’re in charge. Make all the arrangements. Coordinate your personnel choices with Broda so that she still has the right people to keep watch. I will expect regular updates, and you will not leave until I give you my final approval.”

  Stel and Broda nodded as I made my decision, and Khorim bowed his head as he extended his hand and deposited a few silver Marks in Venna’s palm.

  “You didn’t think I’d approve?” I said realizing that Khorim had lost yet another bet.