It seemed to take longer for citizens. Maybe because they had patience programmed into their code. Still, Thalgrin emerged from the smithy less than ten minutes later. He looked refreshed and revitalized as if the act of smithing had cured his hangover.
Returning to the table, he held up a sword, presenting it to Alexander. “This be fer ye, lad. Fer all ye’ve done, and all ye will do.”
Alexander rose to face the dwarven king. Taking the sword gently in his own hands, he inspected it.
The blade was as long as his arm, and maybe three inches wide yet was nearly weightless. A fuller run down the center of the blade, and on either side of it were engravings that ran the whole length. The grip was unwrapped, yet felt rough and secure. And warm to the touch. The guard was a stylized black dragon with emerald green eyes that seemed to glow with power. The pommel was rounded and smoky grey. Upon closer inspection, Alexander found that it was a soul gem.
The Fall of Darkness
Item Level: Unique, Scalable
Stats: Intelligence +15, Wisdom +15, Strength+20, Stamina +15, Charisma +10, Agility +10
The first weapon born in a Dragon Forge blessed by five gods of the pantheon, this sword is imbued with holy magic unparalleled on Io. Crafted by a dwarven master of the line of Durin for a Champion of the Light, the sword will cause devastating damage to servants of darkness. When drawn in battle, the wielder’s allies will receive boosts to morale, strength, and stamina. This sword shall be a beacon of hope in the battle against the forces of the dark. It will absorb the souls of its victims and use their energy to strengthen itself and its wielder.
Alexander held the sword in shaky hands as he read the description. “Your Majesty… I am not worthy of such a weapon. I…”
“Bah! Give it here!” the king took the sword in hand, and Alexander felt as if a part of him had been yanked away.
“Kneel, lad.” The dwarven king commanded. Alexander obeyed without thought, taking a knee. Thalgrin raised the sword above his head. “This be a time of coming darkness. The fate o’ our world be uncertain. In such times, always a few champions step forward ta take up the cause of light and face the darkness. I name ye, Alexander Greystone, Champion of the Light!”
As he spoke, Thalgrin lowered the sword, setting it upon Alexander’s bowed head. Then he once again took it in both hands, presenting it to Alexander as he said, “Rise, Champion, and take up yer sword!”
When Alexander rose and took the sword in hand, every soul around him, including the king, took a knee and bowed their heads. Not knowing why, but feeling it was right, he thrust the sword into the air. The people around him let out a cheer that was quickly drowned by roars from Lia and Kai that shook the entire keep.
He lowered the sword, suddenly not sure what to do with it. Those around him rose to their feet, many coming to congratulate him with a handshake or pat on the shoulder. A roll of thunder echoed off the cliff above, signaling Odin’s approval as well.
Jules and Sasha came out of the kitchen in a rush, forgotten plates of pancakes still in hand. Brick wasn’t far behind.
“What the hell happened?” Sasha demanded, looking around. “Was there some kind of attack?”
“BWAHAHA!” Thalgrin’s laugh was back to normal. Definitely no more hangover. “Yer friend here’s just become a Champion of the Light!”
Sasha let out a held breath. “Oh, is that all? Dorkboy got another achievement. Whoopee,” she deadpanned.
And just like that, Alexander’s rapidly swelling head was deflated back to normal size.
Brick noticed the new sword and asked to hold it. Upon inspection, he whistled. “This be the most epic weapon I hear’d about on Io.”
“King Thalgrin made it. Just now. In the dragon forge,” Alexander replied.
“Let me take a look.” Kai, now in his human form, approached with a hand out. Alexander handed him the weapon. Kai inspected it for a moment, then read the runes that ran up both sides of the blade.
“Within the darkness, light. Within the light, salvation,” he said aloud.
“That’s beautiful.” Jules smiled as she sat down with her breakfast. Sasha sat next to her. “Yeah, it kinda is. Too bad it’s wasted on his royal dorkiness.” She grinned at Alexander, who rolled his eyes.
The greatly amused King Thalgrin interrupted the teasing. “I’ll be getting’ back to me home, now. I’ll be needin’ to prepare for our own dragon forge!” His statement caused a murmur among his guards.
Thalgrin said his goodbyes and Brick escorted him to the portal to activate it, the guards following behind.
Alexander sat down next to Jules, laying the sword on the table in front of him. “I’ll have to ask Lainey or Thea to make me a scabbard. I can’t just walk around holding this thing all the time,” he muttered.
Jules elbowed him in the ribs. “Why not? Ya look so sexy with it.” She winked at him as Sasha groaned and rolled her eyes.
Alexander decided to play along. “Women. All they care about is the size of your sword,” he lamented. This caused Jules to blush and focus on her pancakes.
Regina and Bodine joined them at the table, each holding a half-filled plate of fruits and fried potatoes. Noticing the questioning look from Sasha, Regina said, “We don’t eat animal flesh. At least, not sentient animals. We do eat fish, oysters, and such.”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t introduced you,” Alexander quickly corrected his oversight. “Jules, Sasha, this is Regina and her husband, Bodine. Jules, they have a gift like yours. They are able to communicate telepathically with animals.”
Jules immediately forgot about her pancakes. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I was hoping to find someone who can help me learn. I can understand rough ideas from the kitties, but it’s not really like talking.”
“Kitties?” Bodine asked, a smile on his face.
“We found a family of night prowlers up on the plateau. One of them has adopted Jules. She seems to be able to see images from their minds, and speak to them in a similar way.” Sasha clarified.
Jules nodded her head emphatically. “It’s like I see flashes of a thought, in pictures. Sometimes they are memories, but not always,” she explained. Taking advantage of her distraction, Alexander swiped a syrup-saturated pancake from her plate.
Regina said, “Yes, that is how it started for us, too. When we were young. The gift will grow as you use it.”
Bodine added, “We can teach you. You are the first we’ve encountered who shares our gift. And it sounds like you’ve already found your bonded species.”
Jules tilted her head questioningly. “Bonded species?”
Regina explained, “Bodine’s species is wolves. He is able to communicate much more clearly with them. We learned as children that each of us with the gift would find one species to which they have a bond.” She looked down at her hands for a moment. “I’ve not yet found mine. Though I can communicate with most animals to a lesser degree.”
Bodine chuckled. “You will find yours. My father’s bond was with cattle. It was funny to watch him walk through the field when we were children, cattle tagging along behind him like puppies.”
Alexander asked, “Your species is wolves? You can communicate with the wolves in the forest outside?” He was thinking they would make excellent scouts.
Bodine’s face fell. “No. Those are Dire Wolves. There is something broken within them. They will not speak. Their only desire is to kill. But I have a small den of wolves on our farm. They let us know when danger is near. And keep the dire wolves away.”
Regina leaned forward. “Speaking of which, we need to go home today and fetch our zoo.” She looked at Alexander. “You mentioned sending farmers to buy livestock?”
Alexander rose to his feet. “Of course. What do you need?”
Bodine answered right away. “The wagon we used yesterday. And an escort through the city, to keep curious folks from getting too close? Our animals are well behaved, but they will be nervous around crowds.”
After a moment, Jeeves responded, “It is done, Master.”
Alexander looked around the dining area. He had seen Master Plowright earlier… there! “Master Plowright!” He waved at the farmer who was just getting up from breakfast.
The farmer walked over, waving in greeting to everyone. Seeing the new couple at the table, he said, “Regina! Bodine! It is good to see you here.”
Alexander grinned. He should have known they might be acquainted. “I’d like you to take Regina and Bodine with you today. They’ll assist you with your purchases, and they’ll need to round up their own stock to bring here.”
Plowright looked mildly worried. “All of them?”
Regina laughed. “Don’t worry. We will keep them away from the others. They’ll behave themselves.”
Bodine added, “Still, it might be a good idea to keep them separated once we’re all back here…”
Alexander volunteered, “How about up on the plateau? There’s lots of room at the garrison tower.”
Plowright nodded his head. “Good idea. There’s room for his wolves to run up there.
Alexander added, “Speaking of wolves, Jeeves says there are a couple of large packs in the woods across the river east of the tower. Maybe you can speak to them? Keep them away from our livestock, so we don’t have to kill them.”
Bodine thumped the table and stood up. “I love a challenge! Let’s get going.”
Alexander walked with the three of them to the main courtyard, where they found Taylor just arriving with the wagon and the five guards that made up his squad. Alexander explained their mission for the day, and then he opened the portal for them. He instructed them to be back by noon as that was when he would be opening the portal for the other volunteers in Stormforge. He gave Taylor additional instructions to get as much help as needed to ensure the animals could be moved safely through the city. He handed the sergeant 100 gold to be used for hiring help if needed.
Lola gave Plowright the funds needed to purchase more livestock. With nothing more to say, Alexander opened the portal, and the group moved through. He closed it behind them and turned to Lola, who was still standing nearby.
“Have we made our initial deposit with Blix yet? He’s going to need to have funds available to start loaning money soon.”
Lola nodded slightly, consulting her list. “Aye, we gived him 250,000 gold, 200,000 in gems, and a pound o’ mithril to keep in tha vault.”
“Thank you, Lola. Is there anything you need from me? Anything you want to discuss?”
“Aye, there is. Can we talk in private?”
“Of course. Let’s go to my chambers.” Alexander led the young dwarfess into the donjon and up to his quarters. Making herself comfortable in one of the sitting room chairs, Lola consulted her list again.”
“Ye be burning through yer cash at a fast pace” she began. “Ye still gots plenty, o’ course. But we be needin’ cash coming in, as well. If ye continue at this rate, ye’ll be out of gold in a year.”
Alexander was surprised at the short time frame. “Well, we’re paying wages to more than 300 citizens now. And feeding everyone. I see what you mean. But things should slow down now. We’ve got crops going in. That should cut down on food expenses. And the mine is producing now, right?”
“Aye, it be producing. Right now our own blacksmiths be using most o’ the ore that comes from the mine. We’ll have all the citizens armed in a week or two. After that, we can begin to sell the ore fer profit. If ye opens one o’ them mines up top, that’d be pure profit. Ye need to decide whether to sell it at auction, or direct to Stormforge or Broken Mountain.”
Alexander only thought for a few seconds before responding, “Whichever you think is most profitable. We are not in a hurry, so use your best judgment.”
Lola advanced another question. “We must pay the taxes to Stormforge on the mine down here. Does ye owe taxes on the others up top as well?”
Alexander shook his head. “No. We’ll pay King Charles the taxes on just the one mine. And the quarry, and any lumber or trade goods we sell from down below. At least until we declare an independent kingdom. I’ll have to discuss with him what happens after that.”
“Ye could sell crops and fish to Broken Mountain,” Lola added.
Alexander hadn’t filled her in on his discussion with Thalgrin. He asked, “I offered Thalgrin a free cartload of fish per week if he sent us dwarves to do the fishing. Were any of the dwarves that arrived yesterday fishermen?
Lola chuckled “There be no dwarf fishermen that I know of. Save for a few who like to fish in the creek with a pole. But there be three young’uns who arrived yesterday who be willin’ to learn. Me Gramp sent them to Lars.”
“I suppose I should be having this discussion with both of you. Have you got time to wait while he joins us?”
Lola nodded her head. Alexander teleported himself down to Silverbeard’s office. Finding the man at his desk, he said, “Lola and I are meeting upstairs. Do you have time to join us?”
“O’ course, lad.” Silverbeard stood and moved around his desk, and Alexander teleported them both back to the sitting room. Silverbeard nodded at his granddaughter and took a seat.
Alexander caught him up. “We were just discussing the finances, and specifically the new citizens coming in. I’m afraid I don’t know much about the new arrivals from Broken Mountain. But here are the ones already here or coming from Stormforge today, as well as sixty or seventy more volunteers we can choose from. They are all recommendations from the king or the Redmonds.”
Silverbeard took the list and looked at it briefly. “These first ones’ll do nicely, lad. Good choices. As fer dwarves, we got ten miners - so we can open at least one of the mines up top.”
Alexander smiled. “I’ll take Grimble up there to check them out to figure out which will be first. Lola says we got three potential fishermen?”
“Aye, three lads just old nuff to take up a trade. We got six more that’ll be farmers, and two that want to be smiths.” Silverbeard grinned at that last part. Every dwarf wanted to be a smith when a dragon forge was nearby.
“We got three cooks and four hunters; eight crafters, not including Grumpy; a husband and wife, jewelcrafters both; a master leather crafter and two apprentices; a silversmith, who bring his wife; a scribe, and a tinker.”
Alexander had been counting on his fingers. “I make that thirty-seven total?”
“Aye. That be right,” Silverbeard confirmed.
Alexander was about to ask about housing for all the new arrivals when a message from Lorian popped up on guild chat.
“Alexander! There are dark elves in Dire Forest. They are moving toward the demon caverns.”
“Shit!” Alexander said to himself. Then in guild chat, “They must be trying to free the army that I trapped in there. How many? And how far away are they?”
“There are about twenty of them. They’re moving quickly through the trees. They should be at the caverns in fifteen minutes or so.”
Alexander had expected an attempt to be made to free the army. But he hadn’t expected drow. He hadn’t even known about the drow until yesterday.
Kai spoke up before Alexander had formed a response. “We must eliminate them before they can free their servants.”
“Okay, all guild members to the keep courtyard. Lorian, where are you?”
“I am up on the plateau with Lainey and Max. And Pollock’s group. We will get there as fast as we can.”
“Jeeves, give me loudspeaker, please. Sasha, Jules, Brick, we’ll need to hold them off until the others arrive.”
“Go ahead, Master,” Jeeves replied.
“Attention, citizens. We’ve just been informed that a party of twenty drow are making their way through the Dire Forest to free the undead and demons trapped in the caverns. If they succeed, we m
ay have an army at our door by nightfall. I want everyone preparing for battle. Each of you pick up weapons and armor, bandages and healing potions. We’ll need to be ready to get food and water to troops on the wall if this becomes a siege. Any crews outside the walls should return to the keep now. Secure the livestock inside the walls. Get the light cannons set up on the outer wall, either side of the gatehouse.”
He paused to consider his next words. “We’re prepared for this. We’ve been planning for it since the day we arrived. I have complete faith in you all!”
Alexander teleported Silverbeard, Lola, and himself to the courtyard. The two dwarves immediately went to work organizing people.
Brick, Sasha, Jules, and Grumpy showed up a moment later, coming from different directions. All of them in full armor with weapons in hand.
Brick had a look of dismay on his face. “Five us against twenty drow. This be a awful time ta be short so many friends.”
Alexander agreed whole-heartedly. “When we get there, everyone call your mounts. Maybe they’ll help even the odds a bit.”
Kai and Fibble joined them with a flash. Kai said, “His wand might come in handy if these drow are truly servants of the dark.” Indicating the little goblin he’d brought along.
Fibble looked at Sasha with uncertainty for a moment, then rushed to hug her leg. “Fibble sorry! Not protect.” He had tears in his eyes.
Sasha knelt down and hugged her little protector. “I’m just fine, Fibble. See? I’m okay. No one could have saved me from that. It was evil magic. We are going right now to fight the drow. The ones who use that magic. Will you fight with us?”
Fibble growled from deep in his throat. “Fibble HATE drow! They make goblins slaves. Hurt Sasha. Kill drow!” He waved his stick around as if the enemy were already upon them.
Alexander teleported the group to the clear area just in front of the demon caverns. Sasha reminded them, “Summon your mounts.” A few moments later there were three large cats, one giant battleboar, and a mean-looking dog nearly the size of Bacon. It looked like a bulldog, but with spikes and fiery red eyes.
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