Forming the Company (Alpha World Book 2)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Warburg turned the book he had been writing in to Alburet, “Just sign at the bottom and hand over the two hundred gold required to set up the account.” Alburet did both, noting that the coin he was using was the bridal money. “Welcome to the Royal Bank of Stormguard. Should you have need, we can transfer money to any other bank in the world for a small fee as well. So, if you end up on a different continent and need to tap your account, it can be done.”

  Alburet nodded a little absently, wondering why Stacia had given him their bridal money to open the account. That had wiped it almost completely out. He would have to talk with her about that when he caught up to her and Fluff. He blinked, realizing that Warburg was holding out a book to him, “Sorry, lost my train of thought for a second.”

  “It happens to the best of us when we are handing over so much gold,” Warburg replied with a chuckle. “I wish you a good day, Alburet. Oh, one more thing. Only people in your guild with rank of officer or higher or your accountant if you hire one, can access this book. Is there anything else we can do for you today?”

  “No, thank you,” Alburet said, taking the book and shaking hands with Warburg, wincing as the dwarf squeezed.

  “Sorry, about that,” Warburg apologized. “My hands used to hold axes in my youth. All of my strength is still there but sometimes I forget.” Warburg had eased up on the handshake when Alburet had winced.

  Alburet paused as he finally realized Warburg didn’t have an accent like Grimgar. “I wonder, sir, why you don’t seem to have an accent, if that isn’t rude to ask?”

  Warburg shook his head, “The accent you refer is how most of my kind talks. I have trained myself to speak more clearly since my job is so important. It helps prevent any number of misunderstandings.”

  “Ah, that makes sense. Thank you again, sir,” Alburet gave a small bow before he left the room. He found the secretary behind her desk, she stood as he came out. “Thank you miss, for your assistance.”

  “It is our pleasure to help people open accounts with us,” she said smoothly. “Would you like to open a personal account at this time, as well?”

  “Not right now. I have things that need to get done today,” Alburet said, tucking the book into his bag.

  “I wish you a good day then, sir.” She opened the door leading to the lobby for him.

  Alburet just nodded as he exited the room. He pulled out his Guildstone as he crossed the lobby and let Fluff and Stacia know he was on his way back to the portal guild. He put the stone away as he got outside. The sound of rain on stone greeted him as he stepped out through the doors. A heavy downpour was soaking the street. Sighing, Alburet looked down the street towards the portal guild. Shaking his head once, he ran for the portal guild, the rain striking him and beginning to wet his hair and face as he went. He noticed a number of people using umbrellas and made a mental note to get one soon.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Alburet frowned as he pulled at the wet clothing and armor stuck to him. Maybe he wouldn’t get a cold from being caught in a downpour, but it still sucked. Hoping it wouldn’t take all day for his clothes to dry, Alburet leaned against the wall just inside the portal guild. He opened up the guild tab to check over what he could tax at what percent while he waited for the women. He could tax the usage of guild funds to use the portals. If he set it to max, it would deduct from a player the same amount that was used from the guild account for each portal. The net effect would be to give all of the guild members a fifty percent discount on portal use, while also keeping the guild portal fund topped off. He could tax the sale of loot sold up to half, and also tax all coin looted up to half. He set the portal tax to max and the coin tax to ten percent, just finishing up when Fluffball came through the door. She paused to shake water off an umbrella before she put it into her backpack.

  “Sorry for the delay, Fluff,” Alburet called out to her as he came off the wall, pulling again at his wet clothes.

  Fluff looked at him, her expression curling into a small amused smile, “Caught in the rain?”

  “Yeah, didn’t think it was going to pour like that,” Alburet sighed. “I definitely need to get me an umbrella when I get a moment, because wet clothes and leathers suck.”

  “You haven’t had wet fur, at least,” Fluff replied. “You don’t have to worry about catching a cold, either.”

  “Yeah, Stacia told me about that. I didn’t even think about having my armor and clothes plastered to me, though. Now I know even without fear of getting sick, rain still sucks.”

  “I brought ya an umbrella from home, asthore,” Stacia said, having snuck in the door without them noticing.

  “Not my best color, but even that will beat being soaked.” Alburet looked at the pink umbrella for a moment before he took it. “Now that we are here, let’s head out. We can tackle the solo gnolls, I think. I set the guild taxes already, portals will cost you the same amount deducted from the guild fund and all coin looted gets a ten percent cut.”

  Fluff nodded, “I have no problems with that. Means we get the portals at half the previous cost at least. Why a ten percent tax on coins though?”

  “To pay the taxes on the guild house, mostly, but I think there might come a time when the guild might need coin for other expenses.”

  “It can be adjusted?” Stacia asked as they started walking towards the stairs.

  “Yeah, pretty easily at that,” Alburet replied before waving at Kim, who smirked at his wetness.

  “Umbrellas are cheap, Alburet, you might want to look into getting one,” Kim called out to him.

  “I’ve got one now, just didn’t when I was out earlier, but thanks for the warning,” he replied before the group got out of view.

  They climbed to the correct portal room. When they arrived at the fort, the sun was out and no clouds were visible in the sky. The two guards outside the gate looked at Alburet with grins. One of them chuckled as he spoke, “So, raining in Stormguard is it?”

  “Nope, I just love taking showers in my clothes,” Alburet deadpanned back.

  The other guard snorted, “Well, good luck with your hunting today. Fighting in wet armor sucks.”

  Alburet just nodded, walking towards the woods with the women in tow. “So only nine more days until the testing. You excited, Fluff?” Alburet asked before he summoned Tiny. He slapped Tiny on the back with a welcoming nod, “How are you today, Tiny?”

  “Ready to protect you, master,” Tiny rumbled.

  “I’m excited and nervous all at once,” Fluff said a moment later, grooming an ear. “The idea of being able to stay here for a solid month is amazing. I still need to tie up a few lose ends before then, though. I’ll be taking one or two days off before it starts so I can make sure everything is in order.”

  “We will be glad to have ya with us more often,” Stacia told Fluff. “How goes the talks with me Ma’? How was the massage by Marian last night with Karen?”

  Fluff blushed red, averting her eyes, and studiously grooming her ears. “Your sister can really work out a person’s tension. Karen teased me a little, but she was just happy to have me there. Lilith is making progress with me, I think, but she thinks it will be a while before I get over some of my more serious issues. I still don’t understand how she does it.”

  Bob popped into existence as Alburet finished summoning him, “So just Fluff today? What, she blushing already? What did I miss?”

  Alburet sighed, “Nothing, Bob. Outside of her recounting the wild sex she used to have.”

  Fluff went a darker red while Bob stopped dead, his mouth falling open, “I missed that? Why didn’t you summon me first, then?” Bob’s lips quivered slightly as if he had just been told that his birthday had been canceled.

  Alburet burst out laughing, “Sorry, Fluff. I really wanted to see how he would respond. Seriously, Bob, she didn’t say anything of the sort. She was talking about how Lilith was helping her with her issues.”

  Bob let out a huff as he glared at Alburet, “That wasn’
t nice. First you won’t let me stay and watch Stacia and her double, then you do that to me.”

  Stacia giggled, “The life of an imp is tough.”

  “I know,” Bob nodded, “bad enough when your friend is as smart as a rock, but then to have your master deliberately taunt you like that is awful.”

  “It shows he cares,” Tiny rumbled. “Remember what Grefluzan was saying, his master won’t let him speak at all. Master, on the other hand, engages you on your own level.”

  Everyone blinked at Tiny, who had lapsed back into silence. Bob sighed. “Okay, fine, you have a point. But it still wasn’t nice.”

  “You’re right Bob, I’m sorry for teasing you like that. And I’m sorry for embarrassing you even more, Fluff. Stacia, if you would give Bob a hug to make him feel better, please?” Alburet asked just as he copied her.

  The two Stacias converged on Bob, who froze in place, his eyes going wide. One Stacia picked him up, hugging him tightly to her chest. He let out a muffled gasp as the other Stacia sandwiched him from behind. After about ten seconds they moved back, letting Bob flop to the ground, gasping.

  “I’ve died and the Dark Lord sent me to paradise,” Bob finally panted a moment later, his eyes glazed.

  Fluff let out a stifled snort, her cheeks pink as she looked at the imp, “He really is passionate about Succubi, isn’t he?”

  “Alright Bob, we good now?” Alburet asked. They’d reached the edge of the tree line.

  Bob sprang to his feet, standing at attention and snapped a salute, “Yes, master!” He skipped off as if floating on air, up to the front with Tiny.

  Fluff gave another muffled snort of laughter, “He is funny.”

  “Da’s imp was serious and never played jokes. Bob is completely different. He be more like Unca Stew’s imp, who loved to play pranks on the other infernals,” Stacia added as they entered the woods, heading for the first path to set an ambush.

  “I’m glad he isn’t into practical jokes,” Alburet chuckled. “Okay, Kitten, we start like before with you dazing the gnoll. Tiny will grab it after I blast the plant life off its back and then we gang up on it until it dies.”

  They followed that plan for close to two hours, taking a break around noon for jerky and tea just after Alburet leveled to nineteen. Fluff asked about his new spell. “Demonic Vitality rank two. It now gives ten health per second for its minute-long duration. That should help Tiny a bit more. Just one more level until a new ability.”

  “Ya be getting’ the chance to take an ability for one of us next level then, master,” Stacia told him as she finished her jerky. “I look forward for what ya think will be the best way to go. Mayhap ya will take the other option instead, though.”

  “I doubt it, upgrading you three is a major priority. Plus, the really cool abilities will be later on, I would think,” Alburet smiled at her. Before he could add more the guild icon started flashing.

  Gerald:

  We’re here, are you all hunting already?

  Fluffball:

  We’re killing single gnolls. If you two come out we can tackle the camps again.

  Stacia:

  Aye, it be boring doin’ the single ones, come and join us.

  Gerald:

  We’re on the way.

  Alburet put his Guildstone away, not seeing any point of adding anything. “Guess I get to be the strong silent type with you all around,” he mused.

  “Aye,” Stacia giggled.

  About thirty minutes later they retreated to meet up with Gerald and Marysue at the edge of the woods. A round of hugs and handshakes went on as they merged into a single group with Alburet sending invites to the duo.

  “Did you use the guild fund at the portal guild?” Alburet asked as they started into the woods.

  “Yeah we did. Why did it deduct coin from me?” Gerald asked.

  Alburet filled Gerald in on the guild fund and the guild account at the bank as well as the taxes. “This will help build our funds for later expenses plus taking care of the guild hall, without it becoming too intrusive I think.”

  Gerald mulled it over, “I’m not sure if ten percent is the right way to go. Five percent will do the same thing. More so once we add in other long term testers. Since our guild can hunt longer and more often, a lower rate is even more attractive for those we are looking to add. I think most of the other guilds will go ten percent or more, they’ll have to to even get a permanent guild building, I think. It’s funny that we already have one and they haven’t announced the system yet.”

  Blinking, Alburet pursed his lips, “I hadn’t thought of that. I bet they’re going to announce it when they kick open the long term testing in nine days. Wouldn’t be surprised if they take,” he caught himself, looking at Stacia, “the portal between our worlds down for a day, to update things before they put you all in for the test.”

  “They want us there a day early, for prep,” Marysue added. “That email came this morning. So your thoughts have merit.”

  “Are you two going to take a day or so off before that to square things away?” Alburet asked. “Fluff mentioned doing so already.”

  “Yeah, I should,” Gerald sighed. “Mary doesn’t have to worry about it, but I do.”

  “I’ll take the day off if you do, Gerald. You know dad doesn’t want me playing without you with me. I tried to tell him that I’m perfectly safe in the game, but he won’t listen,” Marysue sighed. “It’s like he can’t understand that nothing really bad can happen to me while I’m in Alpha World.”

  “All parents worry,” Stacia said softly. “Me own Da’ all but forbad me from huntin’. If nay for Alburet, I would still be stuck in the inn.”

  Alburet gave one of her a squeeze, “Here we are. Time to get our game faces on.”

  They fell into position and launched their attacks with what was fast becoming practiced ease. Alburet and Bob threw Fire Blasts onto the shelters, drawing out each set of two. Stacia dazed both casters while Tiny and Gerald each picked up a melee. Fluff was just behind them, focusing Tiny’s opponent down first. Bob and Alburet focused their attacks on the same one. Once it died, they switched over to the one on Gerald, dropping it in short order. Once both melee were dead they single focused down the casters, with Alburet burning the spores off their backs first. A minute later they were looting and heading for the next camp.

  Pausing on the trails to kill the lone wanders, they went from camp to camp for the next five hours, slaughtering gnolls with brutal efficiency. With an hour or so of daylight left Fluff spoke up after they killed another camp. “I need to get going for the night. I’m supposed to stop by to see Lilith before I log off.”

  The rest of the group spent another hour killing gnolls, each camp taking just a bit longer without the damage Fluff contributed. Just as the sun was setting at six, they called a halt for the night. Marysue was supposed to have dinner with her father, though she seemed reluctant to go. They decided to turn in quests first so the group headed back to the keep. Once they’d turned in their quests, Gerald and Marysue logged out for the night.

  Left to themselves, Alburet looked around, “We could go back to soloing for a bit.”

  “Or we could go home, have dinner and a relaxing bath. Mayhap a massage then climb into bed,” Stacia said as she sandwiched him with her two bodies.

  Bob let out a wolf whistle, “Option three, take the imp with.”

  Face palming, Alburet shook his head, “That is never an option, Bob. I don’t do imp.”

  “That’s fine as long as she does,” Bob winked at Stacia. “You know Stacia, they say once you go imp…”

  “Goodnight, Bob,” Alburet cut him off with exasperation.

  “Spoilsport,” Bob muttered before he vanished.

  “Hunting tomorrow, master?” Tiny asked.

  “Yeah. Karen will be here tomorrow instead of Fluff. Gerald and Marysue should join us in the afternoon, as well.”

  “He is a good protector,” Tiny rumbled before he also vanishe
d.

  “Wait, did he just compliment Gerald?” Alburet muttered.

  “Aye, me thinks he sees the same in Gerald as himself. Complete devotion to guarding another,” Stacia replied as Alburet dismissed the copy of her.

  “Well, Kitten, you ready to go home?”

  “With ya, master, anywhere is home. But I do look forward to tha’ bath. Just one thin’- do ya want food first, ya bath first or perhaps me?” With a wink she vanished, having used her Homestone.

  Alburet paused, chuckling for a moment, “I wonder where she picked up that line. Oh well, time to go make the hard choices.”

  He appeared before the house, with the rain coming down hard. He scurried into the house, already dripping from the short time he was outside. As he entered the house, he saw the line of wet leathers and clothing Stacia had been wearing that led to the bedroom. “Well, that answers that,” he smirked as he began to do the same, stripping as he made his way to the washroom where he could hear the shower running.