by Prax Venter
The two men shared an appraisal and a nod before Harrak continued talking current strategy.
“How many do you want me to send after you?”
Jack rubbed his chin as they all walked along the beach. It was a good question.
“I want to do this with trickery over brute force, but I want to make sure we hold what we take. I don’t know what we’re going to find in Brittlehorn. If the Mayor won’t join us, things could go wrong fairly quickly. And after seeing our Tower, I have no idea how Ivyset will react.”
Jack thought about the problem for a handful of strides as his eyes wandered to the empty castle embedded within the cliff. He noticed Sevik staring at it too and the answer became clear. The best outcome wouldn’t come from sending his whole Kingdom across the world but by calling on the Heroes already there to take back what was theirs.
“I want to find our missing people first, and we don’t know what else our various enemies will send here. Garrison more Heroes to watch these Docks, but don’t send anyone out after us until we know how to deploy them down there.”
“Very good,” Harrak said as they approached the pier. “We will hold this land.” He hugged his daughter and bid her safe adventures. The two were becoming pros at saying farewell.
As the group of six Heroes moved toward the sea and their waiting trade ship, Jack noticed a larger boat docked on the other side of the pier and he knew it had to be the Gardener’s ship.
Harnal the Dockmaster was speaking with the captain of the smaller schooner booked for their second voyage south, and Jack paused staring at it. He knew boats had hit points and the thought occurred to him that he should order all these Heroes with him to attack it until it sunk to the bottom of the endless sea…
But he stopped himself. The traitors would only be stuck there in his lands and might open the door to retaliatory destruction on their end. The whole Negative Mark thing seemed inadequate if there was no karmic retribution for property damage.
No. If he were going to lead by example and control the damage of this coming war, he would not give the people of this world reason to fear or mistrust the Kingdom of Blackmoor. This might be a war better won with ideas.
“I don’t step in often,” Alt said telepathically. “But I think this is a wise move. You don’t want people who own boats to be afraid to dock here.”
Jack sent back the concept that it would depend on how far Velintanna took things. If anything happened to Haylee, Ryea, or Jip, he’d burn their whole glittering Town to ash.
The AI didn’t respond to that.
“Greeting, King Jack,” the bearded captain of the trade vessel said. “It’s an honor to have ya’ aboard- and the Queen. I saw with my own eyes what those Gardeners are doing in front of your Fountain. Madness, your grace. No matter a man’s beliefs about poking at Dark Towers, working toward starving a Town… it’s unthinkable.”
“Aye,” said one of his crew.
“They’re Demons in flesh!” shouted another.
“Thank you,” Jack said. “I couldn’t agree with you more. If you want to help, tell everyone what you saw here today. The world needs to know how far the rulers of Ivyset Crag will do to aid the Corruption as it consumes everyone but them.”
“As sure as the wind blows,” said the captain with a serious nod. “My boys’d done sing this dark tale from port to port- whether you’d asked it.”
Jack looked out over the horizon and the dimming sunlight. “How long until we reach Brittlehorn?”
“Six hours and then a bit more. How much more depends on the sea herself.”
Jack sighed. It was going to be a long night and since this was a trading vessel, there were no cabins for any of them.
“Well,” Jack said to Sevik as their ride slid between the sea-worn stones cradling the cove. “I wish I could have at least given you a tour, but what do you think of our Town?”
The Lancer’s eyes remained fixed on the glowing blue letters of Our World arcade for a moment before he turned to look at both the King and Queen.
“It’s smaller than I imagined,” the serious Lancer said and then held up his palms. “I don’t mean that as it sounds, it’s merely for what I’ve seen of Jack, I expected something… grander.”
Lex smiled. “I know exactly what you mean, but we are only beginning to build something more grand than anyone has ever seen. I’m glad to meet you, Sevik. It looks like my Jack as made an impression, and honorable new alliances.”
Jack put his arm around his Bastion’s waist. “I told you she’d be here and taking care of business. Farrah, Kron, Cabe,” he continued loudly, gathering his people into a loose huddle while the crew continued their work around them. “This is Sevik. Hero of Angelshade and married to that Mayor’s daughter. After we find where Haylee went, our one goal is reuniting him with his wife and joining Angelshade to our Kingdom. He is a disciplined and experienced Lancer Class, and we should spend this time we have getting to know each other and our plans.”
One of the first things he did after that was inspect Cabe, Kron, and Farrah to find all of them Hero Level 57. They’d been busy as a close-knit team, and he also learned their normal healer stayed back to climb with low-level Heroes while the three of them made the trek to Blackmoor to meet Jack when they’d gotten word about serious events unfolding.
While the Queen filled in everyone on the boat with a first-hand account of what happened to her at the hands of the half-corrupted Orchid Oracle, Alt filled Jack’s virtual notepad with their updated Hero abilities, and he immediately scanned to the Tier 3 Sun Striker.
PATH: Martial Master [3]
► Deadly Force [Passive | Cannot equip Weapons | Unarmed Damage = Total Defense]
~ Your will to protect this world makes you unstoppable.
► Excessive Force [Passive | 2x Dmg every fourth Unarmed Attack]
~ Your onslaught is inevitable.
Alt’s note: Continues through switching targets.
► Force Awareness [Passive | +200 Dodge | +25% Unarmed Attack Speed]
~ Your conviction is untouchable.
PATH: Siphon [3]
► Fusion Fist [Activated | 2 MP | Next Unarmed Attack Heals 5% of Dmg dealt]
~ Take back what was taken. Returns at least 1 HP.
► Plasma Kick [Activated Charge x3 | 2-minute recharge | Next Unarmed Attack restores 10 MP]
~ Absorb the furry of your foe.
Jack made his own annotation at the bottom.
Jack’s note: This dude might never run out of HP or MP as long as there were enemies to hit.
The group talked into the night and Sevik fit right in with Cabe and Kron as they commiserated in their deep drive to take back the land from the Corruption. They all sat to eat the meals Lex had planned ahead and brought, but the idea of trying sleep never really manifested. After a few hours, the Heroes split into smaller groups, and Jack treasured the feel of Lex in his arms under the splatter of milky stars across the inky black above.
“Why couldn’t the evil oracle take the memory of watching my mother die in the Tower,” his wife said, her head resting on his chest. Jack kissed the top of her head and breathed her in as he considered his response.
“I say be glad Velintanna took something we can enjoy replacing over and over. That distant memory from young Lex’s past is an important part of the woman I fell in love with. Also, it would have still happened. You’d lose her again and not even know why.”
His queen pulled in a deep breath and held him tight as they sailed back toward the monster who’d done this to her.
- 16 -
The first indication that they were close to their arid destination was a vibrant red burst of energy in the black void ahead. Someone had just attacked another person within the influence of Brittlehorn. Despite the ramifications of such a dangerous place, everyone was relieved to see the sleek curves of The Embrace resting among a few other less impressive boats parked at the Docks.
No Dockmaster or
other Townsfolk came to greet them, but that wasn’t surprising as they’d arrived in the middle of the night. The captain and crew of the Wave Whistler decided to stay the night on their ship and so Jack’s party of Heroes immediately disembarked to start searching for their missing people.
The air was dry and cooler at night, but still nowhere near as cold as their stormy northern cove. The smell of the sea mingled with a strong spice he’d never smelled, and Jack couldn’t see much, but the ground of this sunbaked region was mostly sand or cracked dirt. The buildings stood cramped to the shore and as they came closer to the start of the pier, they began to make out a handful of people moving up and down a central footpath that ran horizontally in front of it all.
When they set foot on land, Farrah the Assassin shifted into the ubiquitous shadows and stalked off to seek information her own way while the Bastion, Lancer, Guardian, and Sun Striker stayed close to the Irrelevant King as they all moved straight for an impressive domed building they agreed was a prime candidate for the inn.
That was until they moved close enough to hear what had to be a cheering crowd echoing between the structures.
“Do you hear that?” Kron asked.
“I sure do,” Jack said and turned left at the main road instead, steering them toward a torchlit footpath through the buildings. As they moved past the first row of blocky clay structures, the Town spread out more, and it was impossible to miss the torch-lit ring of spectators near the west-most edge inside the Town’s Wall.
“A fighting arena…” Lex said, trying to stand on her toes to see. “Like in our arcade?”
“The cheers sound the same,” Cabe said. He’d spent a few rounds himself in their home arena and his fights tended to draw good crowds.
“Mmm,” Kron rumbled as he pointed a gauntleted fist. “It’s their Sparring Yard, I can see the Barracks over there.”
Jack hastened his strides. “Looks like the whole Town is there so let’s check it out before anything else.”
They passed small outdoor shops that didn’t look like normal system-buildings, but he reserved any conclusions until they saw the place in action. The specific smell of livestock drew Jack’s attention deeper into the darkness and he was trying to make sense of the almost see-through hulking animals looming in the darkness behind a long fence when his wife dashed ahead of the group.
“That’s Jip fighting!” she yelled.
They sprinted toward the torch-lit crowd, but the spectators pressed in close again to block their view once more. Jack’s heart soared with hope that everyone was still alive and just got stuck here for whatever reason, that was until a darker vision of them all being forced to fight as gladiator slaves until-
His fantasy melted away when everyone in a 200-yard radius heard the Farmhand’s cheerleader.
“Make ‘em eat dirt, Stringbean!” Ryea bellowed over the boisterous crowd. “That’s my man! Wooo!”
The ambient noise around the arena ramped up with her encouragement, and Jack got the sense this was more fun for her than it was abuse.
Sevik signaled Jack’s attention as they jogged, and he followed the Lancer’s nod to see a several human-shaped silhouettes fliting between the sparse structures.
“Thanks for watching our backs,” he said, and both the dragon-masked man and Cabe shared a glance before they decided to actively guard the rear as the rest continued forward to find the others.
There were at least three dozen people gathered around a circular Sparring Yard, and both Jack and Kron followed Lex as she circled around to where Ryea’s bullhorn of a voice was coming from. Now that they were this close, it was a lot easier to make out Blackmoor Cove’s wiry Farmhand inside the circle. His shirt was off, and he was currently dancing around two other shirtless men while a third crawled out of the ring under the delineating rope.
Sweat poured out of the young Farmhand and a devilish grin covered his normally innocent face. Jack could tell he was enjoying whatever this was. He watched as one of the men darted forward and Jip rolled into his legs, taking him down and then smashed the attacker in the face with an elbow as he rolled away from the other rushing in with a kick. The guy’s bare foot whiffed through the space where he’d been instead.
Jip ended up back on his feet as the kicker chased him with a flurry of blows that were either blocked or ducked and then the Farmhand countered with a swift jab to the man’s nose before dancing out of range again.
Both attackers waited until they were on their feet before trying again while Ryea screamed her head off.
Jack began scanning the strangers cheering or booing instead of the fight itself, and Alt almost blew off the back of his head with unfettered joy when they both spotting their lost Dark Prism standing between two older women near the Wall. One taller and in gaudy silks and the other in tight Tower-dropped leather armor. All three of them were focused on the fight.
Lex had already shoved her way to Ryea and the two were still embracing when Jack and Kron caught up.
“Oh, I knew you’d save your Queen and come for us,” Ryea said as she turned her big brown eyes up to his, but an ‘Ooo’ from the crowd drew her attention away instantly.
“Pop ‘em in the mouth!” the freckled Farmer shouted as she shoved her fist into the sky. “Yes sir- yes sir!”
Jack shared a look with Lex and Kron as Farrah came sashaying out of the darkness to watch their backs with Cabe and Sevik. With a deep breath of contentment, Jack turned back to see Haylee and the leather-clad woman both now looking his way from across the fight. His Royal advisor’s face split with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on the nearly emotionless girl, but the woman held no expression.
“Borick!” the taller silk-wearing woman to Haylee’s left shouted and drew Jack’s eye. It was clear she was talking to Jip’s single remaining foe in the ring. “If you win this, I’ll exempt you from a week’s worth of Jobs.”
Jip never took his eye off the other man, and as his opponent glanced over to who had to be the Mayor of Brittlehorn, the spry Farmhand rushed him. The contestant tried to back up, but his bell had been rung too many times already and he tripped over his own feet. Ryea let out an overly sensual “oh yeah” as she watched her man repeatedly pound the guy in the face until he stopped moving.
Some people cheered but a lot of people booed, and Jip finally noticed he had a bigger cheering section. He dashed straight over as everyone else started dispersing.
“Did you see that?” the smiling Farmhand said, panting as he approached. “I’m mighty depths better with no weapons or armor getting in the way! Maybe I’ll turn out to be a Sun Striker too. Wouldn’t that be something- oh! Cabe’s here?”
Jip squeezed through the King and Queen to go shake hands with him.
“Cabe’s his idol,” Ryea said with a sigh. “Ever since he tossed my man out of the ring Jip’s wanted a rematch to earn his respect.”
“How are you all doing here?” Jack asked as he noticed Haylee and the two women making their way over to where they stood. “Everything okay?”
Ryea put her hand on her hip and pointed straight at the one wrapped in silks with a long braid that Jack had assumed was the Mayor.
“Zarda won’t let the Dockmaster clear your ship for Blackmoor. Says she wants to buy it and of course Haylee ain’t sell’n. We’ve been fine, honest. A few interesting things going on in this hot corner of the world though. As I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.”
“King Jaaack,” Zarda said as she held her arms open with a wide smile showing teeth stained gray. “And the Blackmoor Queen too, we are honored to have such important, worldly people visit bony Brittlehorn. Your young royal advisor insisted you’d come for your people, and I see she inherited her Mother’s gift for correctness.”
Jack’s brow came down, but the woman with the thick braid continued before he could ask what she was talking about.
“Tomorrow we finally get to discuss your boat. Deals be done in the sun. Now, I go to collect some ri
ch winnings from tonight’s bare fist wagers.” She shot everyone gathered her stained smile again and then turned, speaking over her shoulder. “Meet me in the Town Hall, One After Close.”
Jack watched her go and wondered if trading her The Embrace was all she’d want in exchange for joining the kingdom, but Lex spoke and pulled his attention back to the leather-wrapped Hero who’d approached.
“You’re Haylee’s mother?”
The Dark Prism’s serious mask snapped back in place; her grey eyes unblinking as she answered.
“King Jack and Queen Lex of the Kingdom of Blackmoor, this is Yan. She is the current champion of the Brittlehorn battle ring. And yes, she’s my mother. We met when she was hired by Jesix to assassinate me.”
Jack was positive Sol had told no one other than him that his wife ditched him and their newly spawned child when things got tough. He looked her over with new intensity and although she possessed raven-black hair and rounder face, her keen gray eyes were a dead match. They mutually inspected each other.
Yan - Hero: Shadow Blade | Level 55
Marked for Violence [-20% to all Skills and Proficiencies]
[Health 1,305/1,305 | Mana: 1,430/1,430]
Relationship -
[Disposition: Neutral]
When she spoke, it was uncanny how close she sounded to her daughter. Only worn by time.
“I obviously did not complete the contract. Nor will I accept one for any within Blackmoor Kingdom until I establish your objective here, Irrelevant Jack.”
At that, Haylee moved from her side to stand next to her true family, and Lex pulled her into an aggressive hug as King Jack took a step forward, watching her mother’s reaction.
“I appreciate you not murdering my trusted royal advisor. As I’m sure you have seen for yourself, Haylee has grown into an exceptionally talented young woman. Tell you what, as a courtesy, I won’t murder you either.”