The Fifth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “What are you going to do when we get back to the Third Realm?” Virion asked.

  “Cultivate—increase my Body Cultivation and then apply to challenge the Elite’s test,” Robertson said.

  “The Elite test? Again?”

  “I can do it! I know that I can!”

  “It takes brains, not brawn.” Virion sighed.

  “Well, it takes stubbornness, too. You’ve met the guild leader, right?”

  Virion snorted and nodded. “Guess being as stubborn as a metal mountain is true.”

  The group were relaxed as they left the fields behind and moved into the mountains that surrounded Peli. Great waterfalls fell down as they walked up the gradual slope and through the defensive outposts and into the rolling forests that covered the path to Alamas.

  “Who’s there!” one of the rangers in the group yelled out, pulling their crossbow. The others grabbed their weapons, looking around, wondering whether it was a prank or not.

  “Stop messing around, Kujo,” someone said as they straightened up.

  “Someone is watching us, following us,” Kujo said.

  Robertson looked around. He had an uneasy feeling.

  He looked around and there was a whistling noise. He threw himself to the side as arrows came from the trees. Three were hit and they cried out in pain. Kujo got several arrows, falling to the ground. His blood stained the ground.

  “Ambush! Get into a circle!” Robertson yelled. “Mages, smoke them out!”

  The mages started to cast. Another one was taken out with arrows before their attacks shot into the forest; two of them used detection spells that lit up all of the attackers.

  The archers didn’t need orders; they shot out at the silhouettes that were now highlighted in the forest.

  Only a few of the silhouettes disappeared as they were killed. The others dodged or blocked as the ambushers jumped out of the forest.

  “Well, I must say that you are better than I thought you would be.” A man pushed back his hood. He had pale skin and hair, with red eyes.

  “We’re from the Alva Adventurer’s Guild. Do you know what will happen if you kill us?” Robertson demanded, trying to gain time and looking for a way out.

  “Yes, some little mercenary group, I know.” The man opened his cloak so Robertson could see his sect emblem. He smirked. “Do you think my Willful Institute will care? Do you think that your guild would dare to come after me and my companions if we were to slaughter you all?”

  The man stepped forward, a vicious look on his face.

  A mage used their spell staff. A golden eagle appeared and shot forward. It flapped its golden wings that shot out from its body, sounding like metal darts as they struck the ground.

  “Run!” Robertson yelled. The group turned and ran, taking the dead into their storage rings as they did so.

  “Tricks.” The man snorted.

  Robertson looked back to see the man racing forward with several others.

  “Virion, make sure that they get out of here.” Robertson took out a pill and threw it into his mouth, then took out several spell scrolls. He passed her the storage bag and his storage devices.

  “Robertson,” she hissed.

  “Don’t let them down and let the guild leader know.” Robertson smiled. “It all has to end one day.”

  Robertson felt the pill turn into energy within his body. He took several spell scrolls and activated them. Power swelled in the area as the ranged fighters shot back and forth between the groups. A mage lay down a smokescreen, making it harder for the Willful Institute.

  “He’s using a spell scroll, defensive scroll!” one of the Willful Institute members yelled out as they drew out defensives scrolls.

  “We can make it!” Virion said.

  “You damn well better,” Robertson said as the power flowed through him.

  His body started to grow, to become withered as he used his life force to complete the change. Powerful forces of death and life worked within his body, increasing his strength massively at the cost of his future days.

  ***

  Kernys couldn’t see anything ahead. The tracker beside him was unable to confirm where the mercenaries were.

  “This damn smoke,” Kernys hissed. “What is that!”

  “Ahh!” A wet noise sounded as Kernys slowed his pace.

  The fog cleared a bit and the light shone behind a man who glowed in alternating black and white as power fluctuated wildly around him.

  His mana shield blazed with white flames while his sword was covered in black flames. One of his eyes was black; the other was white.

  He stepped forward and shot through the fog, creating a tunnel through it.

  Kernys was able to raise his sword to block, but he was tossed backward. He used his Agility to recover but the tracker was cut down by the white and black man in just two blows.

  The tracker was the real target!

  Kernys gnashed his teeth as the man tilted his head to the side with a peculiar look on his face.

  He shot into the fog once again. There was the sound of fighting and Kernys rushed forward, to find dead bodies.

  He found the man, who turned away from the woman who had spoken up in the meeting. Her face was covered in regret as he withdrew his blade.

  “Ahh the sects, the overlords, and dominators.” The man shot at Kernys, who was able to put his blade up in time and move to the side.

  He has incredible strength. With whatever he’s used, he has strength that people with Body Like Stone would be able to harness. Kernys assessed and prepared himself.

  I just need to work him until the effects wear off, or gang up on him with others.

  “Come here! I have him cornered!” Kernys yelled.

  “Oh?” The man’s head turned and that same creepy smile appeared. He ran to the side but Kernys was there to stop him.

  “You might be strong, but your techniques are weak, old man!” Kernys sneered as he halted the man’s movements.

  “Rat!” the man yelled out.

  Kernys deflected the attacks, but he was weakening as the man used his shield. Just as it was about to crush Kernys’s side, a green eye appeared at the point of impact and the man was hurled backward.

  Kernys felt the medallion his mother had given to him crumble. He didn’t have time to think as he ran forward and slashed, hitting the man’s side.

  The man distanced himself and got up, but there was a cut on his shoulder.

  An archer fired arrows and the man defended. There were two others, one with a sword and the other with a spear.

  “Space out and hit him from the sides. His strength is high—watch for his attacks!” Kernys yelled, a vicious look in his eyes.

  “I’ll break every bone in your body. I’ll kill you slowly and then take your skull and throw it into my toilet!” Kernys yelled.

  “What does it matter when I’m dead?” The man took a sword hit on his shield. The spear attack raked his side. He traded the hit as he stabbed at the swordsman.

  They had a defensive artifact as well, but it was only a simple shield. He broke it easily and plunged his sword into the sect member’s side, tearing it back out as they collapsed.

  He let out a grunt as an arrow pierced his shoulder blade.

  Kernys rushed forward but the old man blocked his blade. The spear user tried to angle himself to get a blow on the old man, who pushed Kernys back.

  Kernys charged forward again, this time using his sword and distance to play with the older man.

  “You think that we’re the only group to ambush you? There is another group down the road, waiting for your people. None of them will make it! No one will know of your fate!” Kernys boasted.

  The old man laughed. He seemed to be free of all worries. “We may die here today, young one, but I have faith in the guild and in my guildmaster. So what if you live in the Fourth Realm—you do not rule the Mortal realms!”

  The man launched a full attack, leaving himself open. An arr
ow whizzed by his head. The spear missed him and Kernys was too slow to stop him as the man slashed his armor, breaking bone and making Kernys let out a hiss of pain.

  The man paused for a second, and the spear man pierced through his leg, making him cry out as the archer put another arrow through his armor.

  The black and white features were even stronger than before. The man used his explosive power, reaching the spearman and slamming his shield into their face. He threw his sword. The archer didn’t seem to believe their eyes as the sword impaled them. The spearman dropped to the ground as the man bashed their head with the edge of their shield.

  Kernys ran forward. The man tried to dodge but Kernys raked his back.

  The man got back to his feet and faced Kernys. He was covered in blood as the power around him dimmed.

  Kernys sneered as the man took out a token and snapped it. A glow of power appeared around it before disappearing.

  “What did you do?” Kernys yelled.

  “I’m not sure.” The man threw a pill into his mouth, smiling. His eyes rolled back and he dropped to the ground.

  Kernys was stunned as the man’s power dissipated and he could tell that he was dead. The fog lifted from the fighting, but there were only a few of his sect members remaining, with only the one mercenary body.

  Kernys let out a yell and kicked the man’s corpse, the mocking smile still on his face.

  Chapter: Viewing Hall

  Qin was off seeing her brothers and her father, who was in the city, while Julilah brought Tan Xue breakfast. She had worked through the night again.

  Julilah sat there, watching her work as she had so many times and ate her food. She found the noise and the heat relaxing.

  Her mind returned back to her old memories, to her old life in Kaeju.

  She let out a sigh as Tan Xue finished what she was working on.

  “Julilah!” Tan Xue said, surprised to see her there.

  “I brought you breakfast,” Julilah said.

  “There’s no need for you to do that. How long have you been there for?” Tan Xue put the work to the side and sat down on the seat next to Julilah.

  “Only a few minutes. I got your favorites,” Julilah said.

  Tan Xue looked at the carefully made breakfast, unable to hide her excitement or hunger. “I remember when you tried to bribe me with these to teach you smithing.”

  “You would only eat them if I accepted your money,” Julilah said.

  Tan Xue snorted, looking at Julilah with a smile, and started eating.

  “I’m glad that I had you,” Julilah said.

  “Where is this coming from?” Tan Xue asked.

  “You know how my dad wasn’t there and my mother made money through pleasing men. You listened to me and talked. You might not have wanted to teach me smithing because you didn’t want others to use me, like they did with you, or have people threaten you with me,” Julilah said.

  Tan Xue paused her eating and looked down at her meal.

  “Thank you. I don’t know where I would be without you there,” Julilah said.

  Tan Xue looked up with tears in her eyes as she sniffed and looked away.

  Julilah didn’t let her get away and hugged her.

  “You...you can’t surprise me like that,” Tan Xue said off to the side.

  “I just realized I never said thank you for everything,” Julilah said in a small voice.

  “Come on, can’t have us both crying in a smithy!” Tan Xue said.

  Julilah laughed and they wiped their tears, feeling all the lighter for talking.

  “Come on. We should do something today,” Tan Xue said.

  “What?” Julilah asked.

  “Don’t sound so alarmed. You think I don’t know how you don’t like big crowds and being stuck in awkward situations?” Tan Xue said as she shoveled food into her face.

  “So where?” Julilah asked.

  “The Viewing Hall!” Tan Xue said.

  She finished off breakfast quickly and the two of them had tea, catching up. Tan Xue wouldn’t tell Julilah anything else about the Viewing Hall.

  They left the smithy and then went into the depths of the crafting area. They entered a building with a special key and they took the stairs down to an underground area with different rooms in it.

  “This is the Viewing Hall. It is a new addition to Vuzgal. The Crafting trial dungeons are all fitted with recording devices that record what different crafters are doing. All of those recordings are stored here and there is a second Viewing Hall that will be located in Alva.”

  “Recordings of Experts?” Julilah asked.

  “Yes,” Tan Xue said as she took Julilah to a room. “Put some of your blood on this key—it’s your key—then insert it into the wall. Then you will be able to access the recordings and the door will seal.”

  Julilah put some blood on the crystal-like key and put it into a glowing hole.

  A screen appeared in front of her, asking what type of crafter she wanted to see and what level of expertise that they were at.

  “Luis, Expert-level formation master,” Julilah said out loud. Her view changed and her body felt different.

  “It’s not just a recording, but Erik and Rugrat call it a simulation!” Tan Xue said.

  “I can’t control my movements!” Julilah yelled out.

  “Don’t worry. Try to emulate them. You’re not really here. We’re in a shared space that makes it as if we’re inhabiting their bodies while they’re crafting,” Tan Xue said.

  Julilah steadied herself and started to follow what Luis was doing.

  His movements were simple, but she could feel her movements, and the way that he was moving, incorporated more than just simple movements.

  Forgetting her misgivings, she started to concentrate on the movements, understanding why he was doing what. With just a recording, she might be able to see his movements, but being inside the recording, she was able to understand that what was happening on the outside could be misleading.

  She relaxed, her mind focusing with the high mana within the Viewing Hall. She fell into a trance-like state, combining her knowledge with the techniques she was practicing, matching the two together.

  Tan Xue stood off at the side, watching Luis/Julilah working on the formation, a proud smile on her face. She focused on what they were doing, frowning from time to time when she saw something new she didn’t understand.

  ***

  The light dimmed and Rugrat looked over Alva again.

  He let out a tired sigh. More houses had been built; there were more mana stones above the dungeon; students of the academy and the military moved around, talking to one another, focused on their studies or talking about the latest news from the other realms.

  Most of those who had been slaves had taken oaths of silence and generous payouts to continue on with their lives. A rare few wanted to go and visit Alva.

  They had shifted the bandits to other trader groups from Alva, to be used for labor as they were needed. They would be brought back to Alva for trial.

  “Ah, so back for a while?” Egbert asked, settling down in front of Rugrat.

  “You been flying around again?”

  “It is the easiest way now that there are all of these pesky buildings in the way,” Egbert said.

  “I wanted to test out something with the answering statue,” Rugrat said.

  “Elan sent word. It is on its way to Vuzgal now.”

  “Of course it is. How is the Crafting trial dungeon?”

  “It’s operational, as is the new Viewing Hall,” Egbert said.

  “How have things been?”

  “Calm. The recruiting has calmed down. People don’t want to draw too much attention and I think what happened in the Second Realm will only serve to make people want to bring less people in. Still, we have an impressive amount coming in every month, a few hundred now. We’re up to around twenty thousand people who are Alvans, or are being vetted to become people of Alva.”

&
nbsp; “The Metal floor?”

  “It is under our complete control. I have a few materials that we still need to identify...”

  “Give them to me and I’ll see if I can find out what they are from the people in Vuzgal or through Elan,” Rugrat said.

  “Thank you!” Egbert passed him a storage ring with them inside.

  “Also, Glosil has a plan to take the Earth floor,” Egbert said.

  “Good. The sooner we control all of Alva, the better,” Rugrat said.

  Rugrat saw Glosil, Blaze, and Elise approaching him and Egbert went quiet.

  “I want to head up to the Fourth Realm. Vuzgal is the center of trade in the Fourth Realm and I want to check on operations there,” Elise said.

  “I want to learn more about the associations and also fight in the Battle Arena,” Blaze said.

  “And you both have people to cover the other realms?” Rugrat asked.

  “Yes,” they both said.

  “Very well.” Rugrat nodded and looked at Glosil.

  “I have come up with a preliminary plan. I wanted to get your consent to it and then I’ll coordinate with the rest of the military to carry it out,” Glosil said.

  “Let’s head to my office and talk about it more,” Rugrat said.

  “You’re not going back to the Fourth Realm?” Blaze asked.

  “I’ll be a day or two, then I’ll join you. Don’t worry—Hiao Xen has everything covered,” Rugrat said.

  As soon as he and Glosil were in the dungeon headquarters, Rugrat’s face fell. He grabbed a seat, pulled out a nutrition bar and started chewing on it.

  “Rough?” Glosil said.

  “Trusted them to do the right thing. Instead, they created a criminal organization and they were using Alva to peddle their goods.” Rugrat shook his head in anger. “Don’t know how many they sold into slavery or how many they left dead in the Hersht sands. But we’re not here to talk about those pieces of shit. Your plan?”

  Glosil cleared his throat and called up the glowing floor plan of the Earth floor.

  “We know that the closer we get to the center of the room, then the higher the Earth mana attribute and the higher the gravity. So we’re going to need to take people who have tempered bodies that can handle that kind of pressure. The floor is an overgrown jungle—limited sight lines. Animals could be everywhere. We don’t know if there will be a king of the floor or if there will be different creatures fighting one another.