by Han Yang
The capacity of the city allowed for almost double our population, with a lot of the homes being able to house more goblins than humans, so the ratios didn’t paint a simplistic picture. The big thing with Tribe Moonguard was our lack of a stable economy – something we needed to kickstart.
That was very evident when we passed only a single vendor selling wood carvings. Our city had a lot of blankets, wagons, and cart animals. It would be hard to sell what we had to offer, but not impossible.
Our groups walked under the inner gate’s portcullis. These sections remained unmarred by the effect of war. The house to house fighting barely reached this area, but further down the road, we did see crumpled buildings or doorless homes in need of repair from magic or skeleton assault.
We turned right and entered a section of the city devoted to the devout. Multiple general churches towered in three or four story grandeur on the left. On the right, the buildings were smaller in nature. I saw a dozen churches meant to be for specific gods. In the middle, a ruined water fountain used to have a sculpture of a planet. I would like to see it fixed but understood it was low on the priority list.
“This way,” Mom shouted from the threshold of a megachurch.
“I shall take my leave, I need to tend to the dragon roost anyway,” Jorma said and exited my guards.
I paused to stare at the massive church that had been converted. An image of Caitlyn rested above the doorway. The granite exterior shone brightly in the day. Gargoyles of spider queens adorned the corners on the roof and a weather vane rotated in the breeze.
I let out a soft whistle. Someone had done some serious upgrading, and I pondered just how grandeur the interior would be.
CHAPTER 2
Moonguard City
“Wow,” I exclaimed after entering Caitlyn’s newest church.
My voice echoed a few times before quieting. A magical barrier killed the noise from outside somehow.
Caitlyn waved a free hand. A goblin polished her nails from behind a comfy desk at the back of the building.
“I adore it. My first level ten church ever. They even upgraded the portal to five,” Caitlyn said in a pleasant tone.
I glanced over and saw the counter at 248. A series of waroni skeletons stood near the sparkling and surprisingly active yellow portal.
“Where the hell does that go to and why is it down two?” I asked.
“Good question. Bell opened it and as far as I know that Leor kid went in with Ossa,” Mom said. “We have other things to discuss anyway.”
I let my fingertips run over the back of the stone pews. Stained-glass windows allowed in colorful light. Massive chandeliers hung high from the immense ceiling. The preacher's platform was massive with gargoyles of Caitlyn in each corner.
One of her was in spider form, the other was her in human form. The altar itself held a sprawling map table. The podium for a priest to lecture from stood about chest high. The front held ornate carvings inlaid with gold and jewels.
“I like how much of my treasury went into this building,” I said while gawking at the lavish nature of the upgrades. “I’m probably poor again.”
“Likely,” Mom said.
“Hey, you told Tarla before me,” I said with a finger point.
“Yup. I received a rare magic, and it should stay a secret,” Mom said.
“Guards, close the door and fetch me a silence mage,” I ordered.
The goblin who worked on Caitlyn’s nails erected a bubble to silence our conversation from the outside world. The thud of closing doors echoed in through the church.
“Alright, what did you get?” I asked.
Caitlyn said, “Damien, you need to understand something. The six approved your parent’s revival. Even made it harder for it to happen. However, they overlooked something, and I may not have mentioned it on purpose.”
“I was a champion before,” Mom said.
“Correct. Clare is an anomaly. She shouldn’t be here without her god proclaiming her again,” Caitlyn said.
“Yet here I stand.”
I folded my arms and said, “Okay, he literally killed you on Earth. I would assume he is not taking you back. So, what gives?”
“I’m a woodshaper. I think that was to match something similar to Gregory. We came as a mason and carpenter. Cute and quaint really,” Mom said with a sincere smile.
I plopped down into a random pew with a huff. “That’s great and hardly a problem.”
“So observant,” Caitlyn said. “Yes, your mother arrived as a champion without a god to champion for. I talked with Zozo because this issue needed to be broached. Clare has one of three options. Die and be reborn as a normal citizen with alteration. She will be a new person, literally. Wait in que to be a goddess, or find a god in need of a champion.”
“Wait? Really?”
Mom came to sit by me. “I ascended to get back to you. Actually ascended. That is rare, and since the divine deaths from Earth and Leo, the queue has shortened to become divine. Every year the lowest performing divine returns to a mortal, and a new mortal in the queue goes up to being a divine.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize that you knew Zozo. I take it he is the one who gave the offer?” I asked. “That’s a big offer Mom.”
She nodded. “Yeah, about that. I got to see Mags and you. My sweet little boy - all grown up with kids of his own. I wanted more, but after...” She paused. “Anyway, becoming a goddess would rob me of being here for you both. Two champions can exist in the same city, but the issue becomes the churches.”
“How so?” I asked.
Caitlyn said, “You saw almost twenty churches here. A city can only have two portals. One for general worship, and one for a primary god. In Sasin, for example, I revived the dead through the upgraded general church. Arax owned the specific upgraded church.
“I received no benefits from the general church’s upgrades. That means all the Zorta invested didn’t help me, and I only benefited from the individual transaction. I couldn’t experience growth in Sasin, unless Arax’s church was demolished, and one was built for me. Are you catching on?”
“The Six Gods limited portals and the amount of portals per city. They limited churches to avoid champion clumping. This causes whomever Mom needs to champion for to need their own church. Which means we need a city for Mom, preferably one nearby,” I said.
“Exactly,” Mom said. “My god is a sphinx. His name is Larynx. And no, nothing to do with the human body part. It is merely his name. I need a second city. Can we make that happen?”
“Uh…” I glanced between Mom and Caitlyn. “For what? No offense, why not just be reborn?”
Caitlyn chuckled. Mom frowned.
“You’d rather I died!?” Mom asked in a huff. I could tell she was teasing.
I answered honestly, though. “Thousands perished taking Sorona. Converting this city meant good goblins, trolls, korb, humans, minotaurs, orcs, and more were lost. This was a shock attack with a betrayal at the worst moment. If that hadn’t happened, more would have fallen.
“I love you Mom. I do. But whatever magic type you have would need to be worth an empire, and I’d need time. You just probably aren’t worth the stress at the moment. I say that as a King, not as your son.”
“Well, my second magic type is worth it. I’m a beast tamer,” Mom said.
I frowned. My eyes flickered between the two, and I shrugged. “There’s animal healers which heal animals, help wool grow, help milk increase, and aid in reproduction.”
“Correct,” Caitlyn said.
“Then there’s beast masters. They control a pack of cerberus hounds to do as they bid. They’re limited to how many they dominate or control. They can break the spirit of an animal and become its master. So, you’re a beast master?” I asked.
“Wrong, but close,” Caitlyn said. “This is part of why your mother didn’t say anything to you. The main reason being that if it’s known two champions are here then that makes this place a double targ
et. Back to why you were wrong.
“A beast master cannot turn a full grown bear into a docile pet. It doesn't work that way. You kill the mother, you take the cubs home, and you after lots of work, you end up with a bear mount.”
“Really?” I asked in confusion.
“Yup. A beast master can’t just kill a bear and have it serve you after a revival,” Mom said with a smile, “You get to, but all those you revive are bound to you. Even the children will have issues if you die. Don’t look too far into that, but know that Jax is bonded with you for a reason.”
“So if I die, what happens to Jax?” I asked.
Caitlyn scowled at my mother. “We cannot say. Don’t die and focus on the conversation at hand.”
Mom huffed and continued, “No such thing exists for any beastmaster. As they grow in power, the amount of animal minions under their control expands, but they must always start as a docile pet. This is why breeding is such a big business both on Ostriva Prime and Nordan Prime.”
“Okay, and a beast tamer is different?” I asked.
“When an animal dies, they give an orb,” Caitlyn said, and I nodded. “Good. When Clare connects to that orb, she will have three options: Consume, Drop, and Tame.”
“Okay, I take it you have to break a certain barrier to reach the Tame unlock option?” I asked.
“Yes, just like you struggle to convert a cyclops or an ogre, she will have the same issue. Her ability to tame a dragon will come down the chain in her leveling. The other issue is that she needs a beastmaster nearby for after a tame. When the animal becomes docile, it still needs someone to guide and control it,” Caitlyn said.
“We have a few dozen beast masters,” I said.
Caitlyn rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly and Mom said, “None that are human and none that are leveled.”
“So what if you have to work with a troll?” I shrugged.
“I actually don’t mind, but the three are all male. Your father will probably want to know what’s going on,” Mom said.
“Oh, you didn’t tell him?” I asked, watching her reaction. “About any of this. Harsh, Mom.”
“I know what he would say. Be the carpenter, and the two of us can have a second chance at life. I was gone years, Damien. I owe him,” Mom said.
“And he will be pissed if you're joined at the hip by a troll instead of him. You do owe him. Did you already sign on with Larnix?” I asked.
“Larynx, not Larnix. Son, I have to decide right now. You being told was my ultimatum.”
“Mom, this should be you telling Dad and not sticking it on me. I can buy animals. Every market I’ve been to is filled with them. While the concept is great, and I’d love to have you as a beast tamer, conquering a city and lying to Dad is not exactly ideal. This is about your future. I won’t stand in your way, but I won’t risk my army or lie to dad for you,” I said.
“I - I understand son.”
“And Mom, I think Dad doesn’t want to hold you back. I don’t either. Maybe try to get an extension on that city. Every week we get a new portal too. Nothing says we can’t stick you in the middle of nowhere and hope to connect again one day,” I said.
“This church is needed,” Caitlyn said, shooing the goblin who did her nails away. “Walk with me to the Creator’s Dungeon.”
“Of course. Good luck, Mom,” I said, and Caitlyn followed me onto the street.
My guards surrounded us, and we stepped off towards the port. “You know she is going to be a champion, right?”
“Oh, most certainly,” I said and let it drop.
There was never really an option. I just found it silly. She died. Like horrifically. Given a second chance at life do you take mundane or make the most of your rebirth. I’d like to think I’d play it safe. If I was faced with such a stark choice, I’d probably pick to be the champion and disagree with myself.
“How have you been? Since the recovery?” I asked.
“Bored. I need another Ostriva Prime champion. I’ve been advised to not take from your loyalist because that hurts your chances to keep succeeding,” Caitlyn said.
“You can always come down and babysit,” I said. “It’ll make for an exciting adventure.”
“Please! Not a chance. I watch Jax all the time, though. The irony isn’t lost on me that thousands will die over one life. That makes him intriguing. All he does is sleep, eat, and shit. And yet, I watch over him like he glows golden. I’m going to be disappointed if he ends up being a farmer with a simple life,” Caitlyn said.
We left the churches, heading east to the docks. The residential area we passed through froze at the sight of Caitlyn. She increased in size and glowed a vibrant golden hue. A few kneeled in place to respect their goddess.
“My church will be open soon. Boons to a lucky few,” Caitlyn said with a booming voice.
I watched her wave to her devoted followers and I didn’t mind. We walked by two and three story stone homes packed with goblins. Laundry lines hung between the buildings, water mages filled containers from above, and the entire area was alive with goblins working to improve their homes.
An aqueduct system was planned. In the upper nobility area one existed and only needed minor repairs. We needed to expand the sewers, create new water lines, and so much more. All that came after the repairs to the walls and upgrades to defenses.
I noticed wagons clogging parts of the street. Excess items still needed to be moved into new homes. Goblins peeked out from nice interiors that were not worth giving up for a stone house. That would change with time, but for the moment I allowed it.
The elevation decreased, and I heard waves crashing. The noise was barely audible over the sound of workers breaking stone.
Homes transitioned into large single story warehouses. King Lin had an excess of children, not too different from our rabid breeding numbers, and a lot of the storage buildings had been converted into daycares or schools.
Children played kick ball down an alley. The troll kids played against each other while goblins played catch. On the opposite side of the street crews cleaned with fire, water, and air mages.
“Progress,” Caitlyn said, pulling me from my casual observation of the city. “I’ve never been more powerful. Really is surprising.”
“Hey, I thought you had faith in me,” I said.
“Sure, as much faith as I had with the others. Necromancy is tough early. This result is marvelous. You have a city Damien. That is something most can never claim,” Caitlyn said.
“Apparently it’s not enough,” I replied dryly.
“This is not me giving advice, just merely conversing. Why not expand? There’s a dozen other targets to smash in this area. You can even clear the Coorg Woods and build a new outpost town. There’s two more portals,” Caitlyn said, gesturing to the woods behind us.
“Couldn’t I just build a dozen towns around this one to exploit the portals?” I asked.
“If you load them up with people, sure. It doesn’t take much, either. There’s a reason the Jeer Empire had a hundred cities,” Caitlyn said.
I snickered with a head shake. “The amount of work defending all those would be horrific.”
“To each their own. Just keep in mind that the whole point of this planet, and this competition, is for everyone to compete to become the best. I could resonate with having this as a fantastic end goal. Until your goblin boon becomes a goblin problem,” Caitlyn said, whispering the last line. “They love Tribe Moonguard, and Tribe Moonguard is nothing without the goblins, but I hear you. Their population booms are meant to experience death and suffering to balance their numbers. Speaking of which, what happens when Nee levels to her next evolve?” I asked.
“Everything is speculation. Even the books delivered by the gods are guesses, and it feels good to say ‘I can’t tell if I knew’, but ‘I don't know’. Good luck with that one, especially now that you’re poor again,” Caitlyn said with a smirk.
We reached the docks and I ingested the sig
ht. The nearest buildings were all designated for quick loading and unloading. I wrinkled my nose because the docks stunk to high heaven of fish. I did notice the wooden platforms were in great shape. I guessed this port could house a few hundred ships.
Above us rested a stone ceiling that stopped at the water line. I figured it was mostly to protect from sunburn instead of from siege weapons. In the water, a few dozen boats bobbed from the motion of the ocean.
Man-made jetties created a big half circle with an opening that held triple chains to prevent entry or exit. Atop the rocks, defensive siege weapons were strategically placed and manned by the undead.
“No wall, three simple chains, and no inner defense. I had the option to send units under the water to assault this way. Without magical support, I didn’t want to risk it. An army of mermen could get halfway into the city before I’d notice they were here,” I said with a sigh.
“I cannot comment,” Caitlyn said and left the nice view. “This way.”
I followed her by the immense warehouses and up an inclining road. This section of the city transitioned into estates with waterfront views. All of them were being cleaned and none were occupied.
The team of cleaners - that included korb, humans, and trolls - stepped aside as we entered a massive three-story estate.
“Is that sulfur?” I asked, sniffing extra hard.
Caitlyn held up a finger and put it to her lips. I reached for my weapon, and my guards tensed. She shook her head and waved us down from our aggressive posturing.
The slate flooring scraped with our foot falls, and we entered a dungeon room. Iron shackles hung from the ceiling, and the room stank even worse of sulfur.
Caitlyn handed me the shackles on the right side before collecting the left side. “Pull on three, two, one, and pull.”
We both pulled, and the sidewall exposed a door frame. A heavy grating sound echoed through the torture room. A gloomy descending staircase required Caitlyn to grab a magical lantern off the wall.