Dream Stream Reality: Publisher's Pack Books 1-2: (A LitRPG Adventure)

by Derrick Burke

  Laughing again, Chief Branko begins lumbering over to the rest of the healers, who are standing near all the melee protecting us from the two battalions of ursine still alive.

  Now that the twenty-second stun is up, I get up and throw out a few Fire Blasts, to try to distract the chief, but because I had my threat reset with the stun, he doesn't pay me any attention and keeps heading for the healers.

  Before he can make it more than halfway across the distance between them, Kazzrak comes barrelling out of nowhere like he’s been shot from a cannon. He slams into the side of the chief's knee at an angle with his shield, which buckles his leg, and the boss folds to the ground. On his hands and knees. Kazzrak must have taunted him then, as the boss turns his full attention to him and swings his hammer one handed in a low sweep across the ground.

  Leaping forward, Kazzrak gets broadsided by the handle and manages to hang onto it, even as his health plummets to 40 percent. Immediately, Kazzrak is brought back to full health, and another shield of white light slams into place around him. With a roar, Kazzrak begins hacking away with his axe at Chief Branko's fingers that are holding onto the hammer.

  All the while, I and whatever ranged DPS are left continue to send all our mana and projectiles pumping into the boss. We are able to hit more vulnerable areas now that he is still on his knees.

  All of our attacks accumulate to another few percent of health loss, and now the boss is sitting on five percent.

  Nearly there! Come on!

  Knowing that I can't get in there physically because I'll just get stunned again, I stick to my ranged attacks. I send out a couple of Frost Spears, as I can see that the constant stream has turned into a trickle, and we can't afford for the boss not to be slowed. The other mages must have kicked the bucket when a full third of our raid was wiped out in one fell swoop.

  With the chief slackening his grip from Kazzrak's axe strikes, the hammer begins to fall out of his hands. Quicker than I would have thought possible, his other hand comes around and he catches it before he lifts it up and slams it into the ground again. This time he only stuns Kazzrak, as he is the only one within range of the attack.

  A roar from behind me lets me know that Halvard is back in action, and he follows in his father's footsteps, raising his hammer for another powerful strike. Getting in close, Halvard goes for another overhand swing.

  Just before it connects, Chief Branko raises his hammer in both hands to block the attack, although the force of the blow still makes him sink a little into the ground. Diving forward, Halvard slams his knee with bone-crunching force into his father's face, snapping his head backwards and causing his body to follow the motion.

  Damn, that has to hurt.

  I laugh out loud as the motion reminds me of when the seriously pissed-off nymph gave Dosan a good slogging.

  Taking the opportunity for what it is, Halvard rears up to his full height, and with another ground-trembling roar, he pounds his hammer directly into Chief Branko's face. That must have been a critical strike, as the boss's health is reduced to zero in a flash and he disappears.

  Raising his hammer into the air, Halvard roars his triumph to the heavens. Everyone's head then turns to the rest of the ursine, who have now stopped fighting and are just standing there. Walking over to them with the rest of the raid at my back, our melee fighters move out of the way for us.

  Looking at them calmly, I ask, “Do you wish to keep fighting, or do you choose surrender?”

  In unison, they drop a knee in surrender. They all disappear as well, and for the first time, I see that they have all been reappearing at the top of the incline just before the treeline.

  Congratulations! The Venatores Guild has won the duel!

  Chief Branko has proven himself a worthy adversary. You may grant Chief Branko one title pertaining to the Glade.

  Venatores receives the achievement 'War Leader' for winning a guild duel with 300 or more members.

  Venatores receives the achievement and title 'Emperor of all Guilds' for being number one in the guild wars rankings. You have unlocked the guild wars, which will be explained in an update soon.

  Congratulations! The Venatores Guild receives 600 experience and is now level 3. Guild perks for level 2 and 3 increase your gathering speed and output by 10 percent. Gain higher guild levels for more rewards.

  You receive 221,575 XP.

  Congratulations! Your familiar is now level 28. You now share the experience you receive equally.

  Your abilities have been updated.

  Your Guild raid group will disband automatically in 15 minutes to the original 50 before the guild duel.

  Looking over at Grace, who is still swirling around in the air, I just stand there and take a moment to watch her as she glides around with the backdrop of a setting sun with a pink sky and fluffy clouds.

  “We won!” shouts Dosan excitedly, jolting me out of my musing.

  After Halvard's roar of victory died off, everyone starts yahooing and carrying on happily. There are a great many backslaps going on between all the races, which is awesome.

  There's just something about a battle against a mutual enemy to bring acquaintances closer in friendship.

  The noise gets louder as we are joined by the two of our battalions who succumbed to Chief Branko's hammer. They must have teleported into the fortress, as that is the direction from which they came.

  Gradually the noise dies off and everyone is turning to look at the ursine coming down the hill with the still-giant Chief Branko at their head.

  Ifalna: Melee to the front! Two rows! Ranged and healers behind them, spread out equally! Double time, go!

  Without even really thinking about it, everyone organises themselves at Ifalna's direction with us players in the middle.

  As they come closer, I can see them all grinning widely with all their weapons sheathed. Chief Branko walks out to meet us with the same four ursine as last time, though this time I wait for them to come to me, standing at the forefront of my guild.

  Coming to a halt in front of us, Chief Branko bends a knee and kneels on the ground, along with all the other ursine behind him.

  “We submit to your superior force of arms, Lord Sybaal. The battle was over as soon as our ranged and healers went down. That was a very strategically well-played move, my lord,” Chief Branko rumbles with a mirthful growl and a smile as he looks down upon us.

  Quest Completed: War with the neighbours IV.

  Rarity: Unique.

  Details: Chief Kleemek requested your aid as his sovereign for protection against the ursine. In doing so, you have battled them into submission to your rule since Chief Branko wouldn't take no for an answer.

  You have gained 378 vassals. Current vassals: 1,613. Gain more vassals to help protect your Duchy.

  Additional Reward: 250,000 XP.

  Ah, I actually didn't level up that time, although I am really close to it. I guess I'm going to need a crap ton more experience now that I'm sharing it equally with Grace. I'm just glad it didn't take us forever to level up our familiars like it probably will for everyone else. Especially those who haven't been able to get their hands on a high-experience quest line.

  I can see that all the other NPCs of our guild have levelled up. The main bulk of the felorians are now level 24, while everyone else from our original fifty are now levels 28 or 29.

  “I'm glad to hear it, Chief Branko,” I say, grinning myself, then ask formally, “If I may be so blunt, I wish to include the Broken Rock Clan into our guild along with all the other sentient beings within the Glade. There are already a great many benefits to joining. What say you?”

  Thinking it over for a moment, he glances at his son, who nods in return.

  “I accept,” Chief Branko says, bowing his furry head slightly.

  Going into the guild tab of my menu, I select Chief Branko and invite him into the guild. I'm not sure this will work without first awakening him with a raid invite, but I'm hoping it will do the same thing.<
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  “Everyone, you know how this gift works, make your way through your ursine brothers and sisters and help them to become awakened,” I say loudly to my guild members.

  They all move forward and sift through the ursine, helping them press a button on an interface that they can't see, then helping them enter the tutorial. Once Chief Branko has been added to the raid, he accepts the guild invitation.

  Your guild has increased to 1,613 members.

  All of the ursine sit down where they are kneeling and just space out. They are probably going to be like that for a while.

  Grace comes and lands at my side now that all threats here have been dealt with. After a few minutes of waiting patiently, I look up at Halvard.

  “Hey, Halvard, would you mind shaking your father aware for me? I need to go over a few things before we take a rest,” I ask politely, motioning to his father.

  “Hehe. With pleasure.” Rubbing his hands together, Halvard approaches his father and pinches the end of his nose.

  It didn't look like it was a soft pinch, as Chief Branko leaps to his feet and begins to reach for his hammer before halting his movement as he gathers his bearings. He sees his grinning son and grabs him in a huge bear hug, tears streaming down his furry cheeks like little creeks.

  Sybaal: Alright, guys, any problems if I ask Chief Branko here to be the new Guardian of the Glade? Currently I still hold that title, and it would be silly to leave the Glade without passing it on.

  Kazzrak: I'm fine with that.

  Ifalna: It sounds like a good idea, especially with his class skills.

  Ezekial: I agree.

  Dosan: Definitely a good idea to keep this place protected when we go adventuring. I still haven't gotten my relic yet!

  Ifalna: Very true, we kind of got caught up in all this unique quest-line stuff.

  Kazzrak: Righteo, next port of call after we log out for a break is to go find the nearest town with a bank and get ourselves our relics.

  Ezekial: We are probably the only people who were able to get them but haven't done so yet. Quite funny, really, considering how much we have managed to achieve without them.

  Sybaal: Well, we did get rather well equipped at the beginning from the tainted guards. Okay, time to move this along.

  “Chief Branko, if I might have a moment?” I ask politely. “We have some business to discuss.”

  Rubbing a furry paw over his wet cheeks, he disengages from his son and comes to stand before us. Now that he is back to regular size, I don't have to crane my neck up so far, but still have to look up.

  “Yes, my lord?” he asks. “What would you have of me?”

  “Well, two things. Firstly, I need to know who your second for your clan's leadership is. It can't be your son; I have another use for him,” I say.

  Glancing around, Chief Branko finds the ursine he is looking for and bellows, “Zakon! Brother! Come, the lord wishes to speak with you!”

  One of the ursine who had met us with the parley, which feels like so long ago, ambles up to us and nods his head. “My lords.”

  Smiling at him, I say, “Zakon, I have an extremely important task for Chief Branko here, and that means he can no longer be chief. I request that you take over being chief as of this moment until such a time as you need to pass it on to another. What say you?”

  Both of them stand there stunned, as well as Halvard, who had come up to stand next to them. They all share a look between them that I could have sworn is them thinking I'm talking crazy, but they can't refuse.

  Shrugging, Zakon nods his head. “As long as I am not replacing my brother for something that needn't be necessary, then I accept.”

  “Thank you, Chief Zakon, muchly appreciated,” I say, then turn to Halvard. “Halvard, you have shown exemplary courage and skilfulness in battle. I would wish that you accompany us as we travel, so that you may gather a greater understanding of the outside world with us. What say you?”

  “Your will is my command. My hammer is your weapon. My shield is your protection. I will follow wherever you lead,” Halvard says as he bows deeply.

  “Well said, Halvard. Well said,” Kazzrak says with a nod, and the others murmur agreements.

  Finally turning to Branko, I ask, “Branko, I have the most important task for you, and due to the terms of our duel, you have succeeded in earning yourself a title. I formally bestow upon you the title of Guardian of the Glade of Everhein and all the requirements that come with it.”

  Looking quite confused for a moment, Branko shakes his head sadly. “I'm sorry, my lord, I cannot accept your request. There is already a Guardian, and because he has the title, I cannot take it from him.”

  “Dosan, please summon Woody, the previous Guardian of the Glade for me, would you?” I ask, looking to my left at Dosan with a wide smile.

  He happily obliges, and with a shower of sparkles, Woody is standing with us. Immediately, Chief Branko bows his head to the treant.

  “Guardian! I feared the worst when you contacted me asking for the help of my clan and weren't waiting here for us when we arrived. What happened? How are you being summoned like some bonded creature?” The relief that is evident on his face upon seeing Woody is marred by the puzzlement of the circumstances.

  “I had just arrived back at the nymph village when I received a distress call from a lady who had some disturbing news about some newcomers to the Glade.” Woody looks at Dosan with a slight glare, who winces as if remembering something painful. “Then these warriors here defeated me when they were only level 1 and freshly arrived to this world with not a single piece of gear to their names.”

  Woody then goes on to describe in detail his defeat. If I could adequately describe the gaping expression on Chief Branko's face, I would. Something about their mouths resembles Venus flytraps in my mind.

  After opening and closing his mouth several times, still wide eyed and staring at us all, Chief Branko grins widely as he exclaims, “Well, no wonder I lost! I don't feel half as bad now. I accept the title of Guardian of the Glade of Everhein. Though you’d better well just call me Branko, as I'm not that big on the whole formal-names thing.”

  Smiling, I clasp my hand over our new Guardian's wrist and he does the same in a warrior's handshake. I remember reading somewhere about it, how it signifies a strong bond or some such. Hell, it could have just been a way to see if someone was carrying hidden weapons up their sleeve. Ha.

  “I'm glad to hear it, Branko,” I say. “My companions and I are glad to have you with us.”

  “Yeah, I don't feel half as bad leaving now, seeing as how you are all quite strong, and everyone is nowhere near as defenceless as they were before.” Dosan grins.

  “Those were some great moves! We should spar sometime when you aren't as big as a tree!” Kazzrak laughs, slapping Branko on the lower back, as that's the highest he can manage while still on two feet.

  “Father, he is much stronger than he looks.” Halvard squints at Kazzrak.

  “Bah, don't you think I know that, boy?!” Branko harrumphs. “Who was it that was slamming me around when I was the size of a tree before you jumped in?”

  “Now that the formalities are in order, how do we feel about taking a break before we head out of the Glade?” Ifalna asks everyone.

  With a general consensus of affirmatives, I wave down a passing goblin and send her to gather the other leaders to meet with us in the fortress.

  We then start making our way to the gates. The others caught up with us while we were still leisurely strolling along.

  “You wished to speak with us, my—Sybaal?” Han asks, stumbling slightly and correcting himself.

  “Yes, I'm looking at all this cleared land that the ursine were so happy to help us with,” I respond while indicating the barren plain we just fought on. “There are a few things I wish to get started on, but firstly, Han, how many can the fortress hold comfortably?”

  “Around four hundred. Double that if we have two sharing a room,” Han replies
. “The treasury was almost empty when I was able to open it. We have been storing our materials in there for later use, so it isn't as empty. However, it is quite vast and can store a great many items. As it stands, the fortress is in possession of roughly ten thousand gold if counting the other forms of coin too. The repairs to the fortress I have estimated at around five hundred thousand gold.”

  “Ah, that was going to be my next question. That seems like quite a vast sum. Can we reduce it in any way?” Ezekial asks, his fingers rubbing the underside of his beak.

  “Yes. That is the estimate that includes having to buy the materials necessary.” Han nods. “If we don't have to buy the materials, we would then just have to pay for the labour. If we also don't have to pay for the labour, then the cost is nothing at all besides the time to find the supplies and craft the repairs.”

  “We have many skilled masons and other professionals who can repair the fortress,” Branko offers. “Apart from a way to transport the stone and other materials, not to mention depending on how much work there really is, we could be finished in two months’ time.”

  “Two months? With all of our resources?” Kleemek pipes up, astounded. “Why would it take you so long?”

  Branko shrugs. “Simple, the stone is just too heavy to move fast over long distances.”

  Kleemek's eye twitches and he stops abruptly for a moment. “Are you telling me you don't know about the mailing system? We fixed ours at our village quite a while ago, and I am in regular correspondence with the other goblin clans. How do you think we were able to get so many upgrades for the village? We paid through the nose trading our ore to have merchants send them to us, that's how. There is no weight restriction on mail, but there is a cost per item you send.”

  This tidbit of news piques my and everyone else's interest.