by Han Yang
The question wasn’t without merit. I’d thought about the issue myself ever since we’d spotted the signs of their journey. A few answers popped up, but most were easily dismissed. Only one really made sense, but even that was based on shaky logic.
“Blimps,” I answered after a short pause. “Blimp drops, to be precise. They probably skirted the mountains, dropped the teams off in discrete locations, and then set off from there.”
“Blimps? This close to the mountains?” The ‘Master Scout’ had overheard our conversation as he turned back with a thoughtful frown. “That would be near suicide. Any Blimp traveling in this terrain with the weather we have would crash and burn long before- Ah…”
He cut himself off hurriedly as he gave me an awkward look, as though he was expecting an angry rebuttal to his words. Instead, I merely chuckled and shook my head.
“It’s fine. I don’t remember the why or how behind the crash I was involved in.” I rolled my shoulder, releasing some of the tension that had built up over our walk. “Believe me, I don’t much care for the idea of it, but can you think of an explanation that makes more sense?”
No one in the group answered my request. While it was clear they weren’t sold on my guesses, they also didn’t have any responses of their own to counter my assertions.
So, with one mystery partially solved, we continued on our way. Even though we were wiping out our tracks as we went, our little team still traveled far faster than the Portin squad. We left the invaders far behind as we closed in on Norn.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t walk indefinitely. Several nights had already passed without rest, so, as the sun drifted down and the sky turned from pale grey to dull black, I finally called time on our journey.
The trackers searched the area while the rest of the team set up camp. Their caution was easy to see as they clambered up trees and arranged sleeping areas just below the main canopies of each towering trunk.
It would make it less likely for us to leave clues behind and a lower possibility for a night ambush from the creatures of the wilds. And, as a side benefit, we’d be off the snow filled ground that crunched beneath our feet.
I took the first watch, despite all the ardent requests for me to allow my followers to take up the burden. I promised them that I would wake the next in the rotation as soon as my allotted time passed, and after several conflicted glances, they all went to their beds and drifted off to sleep.
It was good to finally have time to relax. Well, not relax, per se, but sitting high in the tree with my legs dangling down into the dark abyss below differed enough from the tense trek that it gave my brain time to unwind and unpack.
Worry about Ginli took center stage. The chances of her being at Norn were slim to none but at the very least I could use Duke and his Gearnix contacts to make a basic search. A Blimp drop was possible, barely, but landing in the wilds without a tower to perform a pick-up was literal suicide.
So, if she had traveled to another city, the logs at our train station would mark her departure. If she’d traveled by boat, the guards I had set up around the docks would be able to report on any sightings of her.
And if she’d been picked up from the city by Blimp, then, well, it wouldn’t be all that hard to find a hundred folk who’d seen such a spectacle.
But, as the night slowly drifted by, I couldn’t avoid thinking about my past. More specifically, every single decision I’d made jumped out, front and center, each and every one calling out for introspection.
Should we have fought back when Charlie and his motley crew demanded we leave for Norn in the first place?
No. That would have been so moronically stupid it hurt to even consider.
Was it a good call for me to become the Baron Lord slash Dictator of Norn at the flip of a hat?
Yes. Overall, it had gained us more than we’d lost, and Ginli would have been dead long ago without the help of Duke and his robot underlings.
Should I have taken Ginli with me on the survey trip?
Now that question… was a little trickier to answer. There was a danger in her leaving the relative safety of Norn, but forcing her to stay behind would have had its own set of perils, not least the chance she’d have sneaked out to join our expedition of her own accord.
In the end, as much as my mind wanted to find some way for me to blame myself, I had to go back to the logical response.
Ginli had made her own choice. I’d done everything I could to protect her.
There was no way I’d keep a friend locked away in my city against their own free will. Such an action would be tantamount to making Ginli my prisoner, and, if that were to occur, I’d be no better than the bastards in Langshire who had started the whole sorry mess.
Ginli wasn’t a pawn in a game. She was a close friend, one I planned to bring back to our city come hell or high water.
With that moral dilemma out of the way, I woke the next guard in the shift and settled down for my own rest. With so many members of our group, it wasn’t hard for each of us to get a good amount of sleep. I’d persuaded the trackers and scouts to skip out on the rotation with the logic that they needed to be at the full potential for the journey ahead.
If one of them nodded off and messed up, our walk would turn into a frantic chase through the wilds, and we all knew how such a situation would end.
Sleep came slowly as I propped myself up against the sturdy tree trunk. Various thoughts and ideas bounced around my brain for minutes at a time, but eventually, without any conscious thought, I finally drifted away into the land of nod.
No time at all seemed to pass before I was gently shaken awake. The Master Scout himself had taken the time to wake me while the rest of the team were ready and waiting to continue in the snow far below.
I fought the irritation at being the last one awake in the group. To be fair, even if I’d asked them to not give me such courtesy, the chances of them actually listening to such a request was minor indeed.
I was, after all, a legitimate Baron Lord.
After I carefully climbed back down out of my perch on the tree, the journey started up once more. Hours passed in stilted silence as we continued toward our distant goal.
Norn.
Unfortunately, our trek through the wilds wasn’t as smooth as previously.
Maybe it was due to the amount of time that had passed since we last journeyed through the woods, but more creatures appeared to interrupt our path with every passing hour. At first, we could easily avoid them, but eventually we had to draw our blades against the intruders.
“No guns.” I hissed to the rest of the group as I unsheathed my steam blade. “Clean and quick. Hide the kills as best you can.”
I knew the chances of us leaving behind no clues was slim to none, but we had to try. So, as the creatures of the wilds rose up to attack, I went to work.
Pincers and fangs, claws and teeth. A motley selection of the worst the wilds had to offer rushed us intermittently as we continued along our way. Most were easily dealt with, but eventually we even ran into some larger beasts. The screeches and bellows of their assaults rang through the air as we slashed and hammered our way through their seemingly endless barrage.
“Sir,” The Master Scout turned to me as a small pack of mammoths gathered in the distance. “Do we -”
I answered his unspoken query as I pulled my - as yet unused - weapon from the sling on my back. “Long rifles, single shot. Make your Hydrox count!”
We were close enough to Norn to pass for a standard hunting party, so before anyone was injured from fighting such huge creatures in melee, I decided to switch tactics.
The time for stealth had passed.
“Ready.” I shouldered my rifle and took aim at the nearest mammoth. My aim statistic still wasn’t the highest, but at the very least I’d be able to land some good shots against such a huge target. “Aim!”
“Fire!”
An unknown voice yelled out from the bushes before I could speak. A b
arrage of bluish bullets rained into the mammoths from the rear. The ambush caught the herd unaware. They tried to turn to face their attackers, but as they clumsily tried to spin around, I called out to my own team.
“Take them down!”
Our own fire layered with the shots coming from the opposite side of the mammoth herd, cutting many of them down with the sheer number of bloody craters forming in their flesh. The remainder, seeing that their ambush was doomed to failure, spun on their heels and fled into the forest.
As the trumpeting of the defeated mammoths faded into the distance, I turned my long rifle toward the spot where the other assault had originated. The Portin squad was still far behind us, but maybe this was an advanced deployment…
The question was answered as a clunky figure stomped out into the clearing and waved in our direction. It didn’t take more than a moment to recognize who it was from the comically oversized head upon its shoulders.
“Duke!”
Chapter 3
Meeting Duke was a surprise, for sure, but a welcome one indeed.
“Baron Lord Bradley, I did not expect to see you here.” Duke’s calm voice echoed out as he strode over to our group. “I believed you would send back a squad after you received the message, but not that you would come yourself. How did you arrive here so quickly?”
I shared a glance with the rest of the group before I stepped forward and planted a palm on Duke’s shoulder plate. “It’s nice to see you too. What message is this, exactly? Is it something to do with Ginli?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. We really need to head back, Baron Lord.” My robotic companion twitched a little as he glanced at the confused crowd behind me. “We should return to Norn. There is business to attend to, and we progress nothing standing around out here.”
I sighed and nodded in agreement. Clearly, whatever Duke wanted to speak about needed the privacy of my manor. If Ginli was there, I could have the pointed conversation about why she had left the team unannounced, and if she wasn’t…
Well, I could deal with that situation as it came.
I informed Duke about the Portin squad trailing behind us, but he didn’t seem overly worried. In fact, he still ordered the venturebots he’d brought with him to harvest the mammoths before we set off again toward Norn.
The fact my own venturebot was keeping me in the dark was a little confusing, but I had to trust in Duke’s methods. He had saved me and mine more times than I could count, so allowing him the time to tell me everything until we were safely back home was a fair request.
The rest of our journey passed with relative ease. Duke and the squad he’d put together had already cleared the route from Norn to us. It was pretty smooth sailing the entire way back as we followed the same path back to my city.
Norn’s tier two walls towered in the distance as we finally crossed out of the forest. Going from the amount of cleared space between the walls and the edge of the woods, Duke hadn’t been lazy in the time I’d been away.
Easy money, work to keep the venturebots happy, and more sightlines for any potential attackers…
Maybe he really did know about Portin’s plans already?
Our arrival back at the city wasn’t met with much fanfare. The team who had escorted me through the wilds was given accommodations while Duke led me back to my now completed manor.
The huge building towered over the rest of Norn. Ironic as it was, I bet that from the highest tower I’d technically have the waterfront view I’d craved for so long. That flippant thought was cast aside the instant my study door closed behind us.
“So, what happened?” I lowered myself into the seat at my overly large desk.
The padded seat sunk beneath me, welcoming me into its embrace as I rubbed the leather covered table before me.
Duke didn’t say anything in response. Instead, he handed me a letter. It looked unopened, though I could guess that the venturebot before me had taken the initiative to check through the contents before my arrival.
And, after I read over the letter myself, I could see why he had decided to let me see it.
Baron Lord Bradly,
I hope this letter finds you safe and well.
First, let me apologize for the actions of my predecessor. The terrible things he perpetrated toward you and your companions sickens me to the core, but, as fortune would have it, he is no longer present to continue such acts of barbarity.
Our last meeting didn’t pass smoothly, but I hope you can forgive me for that. I now wish to mend the bridges my city has burned, and, on that note, I have sent a gift to prove my sincerity. This letter will not take long to reach your hand, but please know that every single one of the belongings seized from Ginli after the Mistress’ untimely demise have now been returned.
All I ask for is your consideration of my request.
Please, allow Langshire to offer its hand in friendship. We wish to form an alliance with Norn for the betterment of both our cities.
I beg of you to consider this request.
Yours faithfully,
Tycoon Charlie
“What the hell is this?” The letter crumped in my hands as a vein throbbed in my forehead. “When did this -”
“Long after your departure. A train containing Ginli’s effects has arrived in the meantime, which should please her no end.” Duke paused as he noticed the furious glint in my eye. “Has something untoward happened to Lady Ginli?”
“I- I don’t know.” I tossed Charlie’s letter to the desk and turned to face the window. The sight of my town flourishing calmed me a little, but it only lasted for a moment before I turned back to see the offending slip of paper on the tabletop before me. “She vanished. I had hoped she decided to return home, but I’m going to assume that isn’t the case, correct?”
“Unfortunately so, Baron Lord.” Duke hissed steam as his cold gaze also turned toward the Tycoon’s ‘peaceful message.’ “This truly is a coincidence of the greatest proportions.”
“Exactly.” I grit my teeth and angrily huffed as I tried to calm myself, without much success, mind you. I turned to Duke with a thoughtful expression. “Did he send anyone with Ginli’s items?”
“No. The train was empty.” He tapped one of his overly dexterous digits against the cold metal of his chin, sending a low-pitched dinging sound through the room. “There were a few venturebots, but I took the liberty of folding them into our ranks after a thorough check up.”
“Damn it.” The fight to keep my calm finally failed as I swept up Charlie’s letter and ripped it to pieces. “Friendship? Alliance? Consideration? Bastards!”
Duke moved to block me as I strode toward the door. For a moment, I felt an urge to barge past him, but the reality of my chances of succeeding in such an endeavor brought me to a halt.
“What?”
“I can see the look in your eye. Please, allow me to assist in planning a suitable response.” Duke held up a palm to cut off my irritated response. “Or plan anything at all. Rushing headfirst into Langshire might be exactly what he wishes, Baron Lord.”
It was true, but the coincidental timing of Charlie’s request couldn’t be ignored. Did he really think he could buy me off with trinkets and gizmos? Even if I could ignore everything they’d put me through, the mere fact they might be related to Ginli’s disappearance made my blood boil.
Joanna would never let me live it down if I didn’t do SOMETHING.
“But I don’t think it’s impossible to visit the Tycoon personally.”
I paused as Duke’s voice took on a thoughtful tone. “I had planned to go and ask him a few questions, but what plan do you have, exactly?”
“Oh, nothing untoward.” Duke’s cocky voice made me imagine him grinning, if such a thing were possible for his solid, metallic features. “We do not have a Blimp tower, but a vessel for a one way trip to Langshire wouldn’t be impossible to procure.”
“How- You know what, I’m not going to ask.” I strode back to my desk and d
umped myself back down in the overstuffed chair. “How long?”
“Give me six hours.” Duke chuckled as he saw my shocked expression. “My role is to anticipate your needs, Baron Lord. After the other preparations I’ve made, this would be child's play.”
I decided to not ask about the ‘other preparations’ he was making. The Portin forces wouldn’t launch an assault on Norn while I was gone.
Their plan was probably to piecemeal drop squads into remote areas, then bring them together over time into a staging point to assault our walls.
I spent the remaining time checking over the incidents that had occurred while I was away. Most had been dealt with by Duke during my absence, but a few needed my personal touch to sign off on his suggestions. I didn’t find any proposals I disagreed with, so it didn’t take long at all to push through the mountain of paperwork.
Some were requests for additional funds. Duke had accepted a few, while the remainder were left to the side for my perusal, along with comments annotated in their sidelines. Duke’s handwriting was sharp, clear, and to the point. Literally, in some cases.
The Docks were expanding, and the number of homes Norn needed had increased exponentially. While we were keeping up, my robotic companion suggested we build MORE than was required.
It was a suggestion I fully agreed with.
More living spaces meant more immigration. Sure, there was the possibility other cities would send spies, but workers were the lifeblood of any growing community. Eventually, our growth would peter out if we didn’t continue to expand our baseline civilian population.
In regards to the Docks, I easily signed off on its expansion. The funds we gained from the mountain survey, along with the boss level kills we’d managed along the way, would pay for that and more. In fact, I also signed off on an upgrade to our sewage system and our roads.