...........................
After they were out of hearing range, Dale asked about the Asakku.
“They are the darkest and most evil-seeming race. Demons is what some people say. Satan worshippers and shit, if you believe that stuff. They are scary looking. I think Captain Redding was joking, you’re not a good candidate for the Asakku, I mean, unless you secretly want to destroy everything and maybe be an assassin. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do whatever you want, but that race isn’t you. At least in my opinion.”
“Probably not. I agree. So what else?” Dale didn’t want to be even more confused, but he figured he needed to know all his options if he was going to make a good choice.
“So, we have twenty races—”
“What? That’s twenty races and how many guilds?”
“There’s twenty-one guilds. And, there are rumors that the Nagant Monks will add more as the tech progresses, nobody knows for sure. So, twenty-one guilds, twenty races, and eight classes.”
“That’s…”
Erin?
Three thousand three hundred and sixty combinations.
“Three thousand—”
“I got it,” Dale interrupted. “Continue giving me examples.”
The races are humant; that’s what your avatar is now. Based closely on your real body, according to the Nagant Laws, and supposedly you can’t gender switch in this form, I don’t know. Don’t trust anything.”
“I hope that’s true, that woman…”
“Amy?”
“Yeah. She was cute.”
“Be careful. The Sidheagin are similar to the Naphil. I guess those races are attracted to you; here you have Redding and this Amy chasing you. Lucky guy.”
“Or unlucky.”
“Yes, or very unlucky.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
~ The Paschal Lamb
I usually get along with the gods, but this Jesus fellow… Have you read Revelations chapter nineteen?
~ Kelty the Evelake Witch
...........................
The lock puzzle had ended up being an obscure math sequence that Princess Rohini Talargo had never learned about in her schooling. She was happy that her party contained a math whiz who had recognized a pattern and after pushing the correct sequence, a hidden door had opened.
They exited the mine tunnels into a vast valley. Their maps all had the same information, this valley if it was indeed the Valley of Shadows, was the right valley to follow to get to the Pierstone Castle.
“We need to locate the river, then head upstream, until we get to the Bridge of Askgorothian. According to my information, passing over the bridge will lead us to a safe trail that will take us directly to the castle.”
“My lady,” Ruthann said. “I sense that we are being watched.”
“I concur,” said the witch Kelty.
“Arms,” the Princess ordered.
Her soldiers surrounded her, swords and bows at the ready.
An arrow struck a nearby tree. It had a scroll wrapped around the shaft.
Rohini sheathed her weapon.
“Stay alert,” she said.
She walked to the tree and removed the scroll.
...........................
The Kingdom of Moschatel
By Order of King Moschatel
Maker of Time
Herbal Lord
Dragon Slayer
You and your party are ordered to stand down.
Sheath your weapons.
Failure will result in your destruction.
Upon showing your intention of peace, the Lord King Moschatel’s ambassador will approach you.
Treachery in the Kingdom
Will result
In being fed to wraith dragonlings
In the Dungeon of Bones
Signed/ Robur Representative of King Moschatel, Long Live the King!
...........................
The Princess placed the message into her inventory and pulled the arrow from the tree.
It was an excellent shaft, finely made, iron-tipped, and had feathers she did not recognize.
“Everyone, stand down completely, put away your weapons, we’ve received an offer of peace from an ambassador of the king of this valley.”
Her soldiers followed her instructions, and a creature appeared out of the woods.
“A sigtrygg,” Kelty said.
“Like a dwarf,” Ruthann said.
“I see.” The Princess moved to the front of her party and looked at the dwarf creature.
The ambassador was shorter than her, stocky, and he had a long curly hair and a massive beard. He wore light armor, but his head remained uncovered and he was not bearing a sword. If he’d shot the arrow that carried the message, he’d put away the bow. Rohini assumed he had a well-armed guard still hidden in the trees.
“I am Robur, ambassador to King Moschatel, Long Live the King! King Moschatel rules the lands from the Castle Pierstone to the great Blue Leaf Meadow in the south, to the Sea of Serpents in the east. You have entered his kingdom uninvited. He is Lord of Herbs, Lord of Time, and Dragon Slayer, he requests that you state your business and intentions.”
“I am the Princess Rohini Talargo, representative of King Talargo, my father. Long Live the King! We come in peace. I bear news of the great Nagant War, and I wish to ask for sanctuary from your king.”
“I know of your father.” Robur stretched out his left arm. He wore a dark brown gauntlet, and he placed a piece of bloody meat onto the top of it. He whistled. A multicolored falcon dropped out of the sky and shrieking with a loud cry it landed upon the gauntlet and ate the meat in one swallow.
Another Sidheagin appeared. He carried a scroll, and once he reached Robur, he dropped to a knee and unrolled the scroll.
“Princess, may I have your seal?”
Rohini looked at the scroll, it was written in beautiful script and stated everything that had transpired. It included the number of her party and their apparent strength. It also correctly noted all of the parties races, the presence of the Waltores, the ponies, and an estimate of the parties power should a melee break out. She came to a place on the scroll that requested her seal to verify her right to act as the representative of King Talargo.
“You shall. Wax?”
The scribe produced a candle and apparently it was charmed as it lit itself and dripped wax onto the scroll.
The Princess impressed her ring into the warm wax.
“Very good, Princess Talargo,” Robur said.
The scribe rolled the scroll tightly and placed it into a tiny cylinder that was attached to the falcon.
Robur spoke a chant over the bird of prey, and it flew off.
He then whistled again and a party numbering eighteen revealed themselves. They walked out of the woods and Robur instructed them to set camp.
“Princess, allow my Sid to prepare you a feast tonight, we shall camp here until tomorrow. My falcon is fast, but there are dangers, so I suspect he shall return by the third hour after sunrise tomorrow. Until then, you are our guests.”
Being a guest under such conditions meant that to leave would be an act of war. The Princess instructed her party to set camp as well.
...........................
Darkness fell early in the valley. The mountain ranges on both sides were high and snow capped.
“We are safe here,” Robur had said earlier, while his Sid set up the evening’s feast.
A large table was set up and out of the cooking tent, great dishes were presented. Large mugs of mead were placed in front of everyone, and Robur raised his mug and announced a toast.
“I, Robur, ambassador of the great King Moschatel, welcome you to our lands. Long Live the King!”
“Long Live the King!” Everyone, even Rohini’s party, shouted.
“I, Princess Rohini, ambassador of the great King Talargo, accept your welcome. May our kingdoms com
e to live in peace and harmony. Long Live the King!”
All members of the feast repeated the cheer. “Long Live the King!”
Mugs were emptied, and Sid servants refilled them.
The first dish served was made of blue forest mushroom caps, a rare delicacy that was known throughout the Kingdom of Talargo as being expensive and a dish normally saved for special events and holidays.
The caps were stuffed with a mixture of sausage and herbs.
The taste was sweet and savory and as Rohini bit into the mushroom, the sausage and herbs dripped fat down her chin. If she hadn’t been already drinking her second mug of mead, she might have cared, but with the festive mood that fell upon them she ignored standard court manners and wiped her face with her sleeve.
Next, the Sid brought out loaves of freshly baked bread. How, or where, they’d made an oven, the princess wondered, but before she could ask, Robur handed her a dish of butter.
“Princess, this butter was churned from the milk of a dairy cow which only feeds on the sweet grasses of the lower meadow, a grass known for being magically sweet and wholesome. It is said the milk from this dairy cow is the best in the kingdom. Please…” He watched as she buttered her warm bread.
She bit into the fresh baked bread. The sensation was like no other, the bread was soft and tender and had the taste of fresh grain and yeast. The butter created a sensation of pure joy.
“My Goddess,” the Princess nearly whispered. “I’ve never tasted anything so divine in my life.”
“My lady,” Robur said as he smiled with pleasure.
The table was then filled with large roasted birds, goose, duck, and capons, each with its own distinct dressings and sauces. A suckling razordillo was brought out on a spit. It had a pear placed into its mouth, and its flesh appeared seared and tender. It smelt heavenly.
“What beast is this?”
“That my lady, is a suckling razordillo, a delicacy of delicacies. They are only edible if harvested before their last week of suckling. Once they are weaned, they are fed poisonous berries, making them deadly to eat. You have never eaten such a beast?”
“No.”
“You’re in for a treat.”
Rohini was served a choice cut of the razordillo. She placed a chunk of the tender meat into her mouth, and the flavors exploded. The texture was similar to roasted pork; a subtle beef flavor was present, and there was an aftertaste of smoked bacon.
“Another day in your Lord’s Kingdom, Robur, and I will be needing a tailor.”
“My lady,” he said and bowed his head.
The meal continued, vegetables, salads, whole salmon and trout were presented. When everyone was beyond full, with aching bellies, and another round of mead had been served, the servants brought out several massive pies.
“Arodian pecans, my lady,” Robur said.
“I thought they’d been wiped out in the great fire?”
“My King has always kept an orchard, my lady; he saved the species. I’m sure he’ll provide you with a sapling to gift your King.”
Rohini bowed her head.
...........................
The following morning nobody woke up early.
The Princess had a hangover and after using a nearby bush, checking the ponies, and drinking as much water as she could stomach, she went back to her tent and fell asleep again.
As noon approached, she heard a commotion outside.
“The falcon has returned, my lady,” Ruthann said.
“I’ll be right there.”
The falcon had been placed upon a branch and served a mouse.
Watching it tear into the raw flesh gave Rohini’s stomach a queasy feeling. She turned her head.
“Coffee, my lady?” Robur handed her a mug.
“Thank you,” she said.
The coffee was rich and sweetened with cream.
“Breakfast is prepared. My falcon has returned with a scroll; it is addressed to you.”
He handed her the scroll, and she opened it.
...........................
Welcome To the Kingdom of Moschatel
King Moschatel recognizes the greatness of King Talargo
Long Live Your King!
A Quest
The Kingdom of Moschatel was invaded by a great dragon six green moons ago. She placed her eggs in caves, crevices, mines, and pits throughout the kingdom. Last spring these dragonlings hatched, of these thirteen, only four have been killed.
Destroy as many dragonlings as you have the time and resources to hunt.
Alliance and Peace will be granted to your party upon the first kill.
The Gift of Herb Skill will be bestowed upon the second kill.
The Gift of Emeralds will be bestowed upon the third kill.
Loot, leveling, and other gifts may present themselves.
Accept this quest? Y/N
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Tyrell: She's beginning to suspect, I think.
Deckard: Suspect? How can it not know what it is?
~ Blade Runner (1982)
When my father, and my grandfather before him, were inducted into our military, they did not merely swear allegiance to our country; they swore allegiance to our race.
~ Amy Lyang
...........................
System Message
Welcome to the MTTS: Jabez, UEDA
Class: BMF
Permanent crew: 496
Brigade Transport: Max 5500 personal
...........................
Dale had never seen such a large craft in his entire life. The Massive Troop Transport Ship Jabez was housed in an air force base somewhere in the middle of Ohio. Dale only knew that the location was top secret. He stood in line with the rest of his company. Bravo Company was made up of fifty-four personal, Captain Redding was the Company Commander, and First Lieutenant David Beck was the Executive Officer.
The company was divided into four platoons of twelve. Dale was in the 3nd Platoon. 2nd Lieutenant Brinkmann was the platoon leader, and Dyfrig was the platoon sergeant.
Dale tried to keep the procession into the ship in perspective, but it was hard. The ship was being filled all day, their slot to board had started at 0900, but they’d been stuck in line for over two hours, and everyone was getting irritable and hungry.
Captain Redding announced a feast and spread a table from her own supply.
She didn’t speak to Dale, but while he was reaching to pull the leg and thigh off of a pheasant, her hand brushed against his. She seemed to linger, and when he looked at her, she winked.
He blushed.
After the feast everyone in the company was given a potion to ward off sickness at launch. The count down was at four hours and thirty-seven minutes after they’d finished their last meal on Earth. Dale felt strange about the whole experience.
An hour after being processed into the ship Dale was in his personal pod.
Each troop had a private pod which contained a secure locker for items, a Bed of Deep Sleep, and an interface that allowed connection into the ship intranet while in flight, and both the intranet and the internet, while docked on Earth.
Dale checked his personal email. He wrote a short letter to his parents letting them know he was doing okay and that he’d be off-world for an unknown amount of time. “Don’t worry, Mom,” he said out loud while he typed the words.
He typed I love you, mouthing the words silently.
Then he accessed the intranet and saw that he already had dozens of messages.
...........................
Welcome to the MTTS Jabez intranet.
Name:____________________________
Rank:_________
Brigade:____________________
Company:___________________
Lacying-Barington Act of 2037 CE number, including any additional classifications:
_________________-_________-______-_______-_______
Please complete the above and provide
a retinal scan.
For initial log-in you must supply a blood sample.
For the help desk, please email [email protected]
Thank you for your service and welcome aboard.
Attention: All avatars, mounts, and pets are strictly forbidden on all decks except ALPHA & CHARLIE.
...........................
Erin, can you auto-fill this information?
Yes, except you must present your eye for scanning, I cannot use retinal scan files, and I also cannot provide stored DNA samples, you must provide fresh blood on your first log in.
Okay. What can you access while onboard?
Only the same information that is available to you.
...........................
Login successful.
Your default email address: DaleBrw8766ctr
You may change this in settings.
Note: Per article 245.45c you may not create an email with the intent to deceive or mislead. All emails must have a verified signature attached.
You have 37 new messages.
Inbox.
Create message.
Calendar.
Folders.
Create new folder.
Trash.
...........................
Dale selected inbox and saw that he had dozens of announcements, updates, and a couple of personal emails.
...........................
Subject: Hi
To: Brown, Dale
From: Cassandraler, Nancy
Hello Dale,
I’m new to your company, and I wanted to say hello. I’m in the Charlie Company, under Captain Collins, who kind of scares me. How’s Captain Redding?
Nagant Wars: A LitRPG Novel (Nagant Wars Series Book 1) Page 19