Even with everything I know and have done, I still don’t know everything.
Dave smiled to himself, taking the grand soul gems, pouring power into the staff, and bringing it up to half charge.
He didn’t notice Jekoni’s look of interest as his staff, now sword, was getting charged.
Dave handed the sword back to Jung Lee once he’d charged it.
“Thanks for letting me study it,” Dave said sheepishly, knowing his face had probably been filled with childish awe as he looked over the sword.
“With all of your machines and different items you and the others have been able to show me, it feels good to surprise you.” Jung Lee chuckled.
“That reminds me—when we were attacking the Six Affinities Temple a second time, when we got to the Affinity spirit-controlled shades, they attacked us outside of their range,” Malsour interrupted.
Jung Lee tilted his head and looked to Malsour. “I think it might have been because I wasn’t there. Was there someone on the throne?”
Malsour looked to Dave, who closed his eyes, thinking back to what his Touch of the Land had sensed.
With his high Intelligence, his mind was like a computer with past saved files of all he’d done.
“I think that there was,” Dave said after a moment.
“When I was sitting on the throne, I had some command over the Affinity spirits. There was less control over the Free Affinity shades as they were stronger and had more will.
“I never tried to exert any control over these creatures as I was fighting my inner Affinities. However, if someone has spawned in to take my place on the throne, then it might be said that they could control creatures of less power than themselves. While the Free Affinity spirits are indeed powerful, they are not sentient. If they were, they would have left the Six Affinities Temple long ago. They are strong beasts with incredible reflexes and power. As with all beasts, they submit under the power of the strongest.”
Dave and Malsour glanced at each other.
“I wonder what the mob that replaced you would be like,” Dave said.
“What would happen if you were to return in your current state?” Malsour asked.
Jung Lee opened his mouth to reply, before closing it. It was some time before he replied. “I am not sure.” Jung Lee shrugged. “I might be able to exert some control over the creatures that reside in the Six Affinities Temple. I might equally have to fight them in order to gain access to the temple once again.”
“Control them? Could you possibly move them out of the way?” Dave asked.
“It is possible,” Jung Lee said, not sounding as if he truly believed his words.
“Would you be willing to try?” Anna, who was nearby, asked.
“For those who rescued me from that prison, I owe many favors. I would do this for you. It would also give me an opportunity to vent my inner frustrations,” Jung Lee said. “However, I have one condition.”
“Name it,” Anna said.
“I am new to my current body and power. I might have to go all out to test it out and remove the one at the peak of the temple. I do not want too many people to see my new true strength. As such, I would only like the people of Party Zero to be with me,” Jung Lee said.
Dave looked to Anna and Malsour in the conversation, all of them nodding to the other. “We can agree to these terms. The rest of the party will agree, too,” Dave said, vouching for the others who had become akin to his family. He would naturally know their reactions.
“I look forward to it.” Jung Lee gave a faint unsmiling smile, a hint of coldness in his dark eyes. Finally, after uncountable years, he was going to be able to unleash his strength and vent his rage at the very place that took his freedom away for so long.
Jekoni circled Steve, his eyes glowing as he did so. “I never thought that so many things would change while I was within the vault.” Jekoni tapped his chin as he inspected Steve.
“Who’s the floating midget?” Steve said, a big finger making to push Jekoni’s head away. Instead, his finger went through Jekoni.
A complicated expression appeared on Steve’s face.
“You’re a ghost! I knew that they were real!” Steve cheered, jumping up and down, sending tremors through the resturant
“I am not a ghost. Those are just animated ectoplasm with a faint animalistic reaction system,” Jekoni chided. “I am a spiritual body incarnation,” Jekoni said in a haughty manner.
“Sooo, high-class ghost?” Steve said, a confused look on his face.
“If I’m a high-class ghost, then you’re an upgraded garbage can!” Jekoni waved a thin and gnarled finger at Steve.
“That’d be cool—mean I’d get some more storage.” Steve grinned.
Jekoni let out a frustrated noise as Jung Lee cleared his throat.
***
First elder Houx’Rei looked up from her meditation as a bright golden light flooded her senses. Who dares attack me within the first elder chambers of Markolm!
Markolm, the island of elves—the majority of which were high elves—was controlled by a council of elders. The strongest and most powerful was the first elder.
Every eight years, the position of first elder was vacated and one on the council of elders was elected into the position of first elder. It was largely based on the strength of the elf and their overall age.
A terrifying aura filled the floor, causing Houx’Rei to be unable to move from her seat. If she had been standing, she would have been struck to the floor under the power of this aura.
Cold sweat ran down her back. She was a Level 1500 talent! Someone suppressing her to this degree must have been at least a hundred levels more powerful. Her eyes widened as the golden light faded slightly to reveal a woman who would have stirred many men’s hearts and a number of women’s with her beauty.
That outward beauty was only further refined by her serious expression and the displeased look on her face.
People would sacrifice their lives in order to make her smile again.
Her golden eyes looked upon Houx’Rei with distaste, her golden armor shining in the approaching nighttime.
Houx’Rei’s eyes were not wide because of her beauty or the armor that exuded its own powerful aura. Her eyes were glued to the twin, blindingly white and pure wings that extended above and to either side of the angel.
“Khan...un...dra,” Houx’Rei said. The combination of massive wings, the three powerful beasts released from captivity, the woman’s beauty and power: all of these things allowed her to make this guess.
“Seems that you have not forgotten everything,” Khanundra sneered, as if looking at an unsightly blemish on an otherwise perfect landscape. “I have come to pass on a warning.” Khanundra’s words were cold as she looked at Houx’Rei. Her aura decreased slightly, leaving Houx’Rei panting.
“This warning is to all of the believers who have been turned away from the Lady of Light, the rightful goddess of Emerilia. They need not fear as their goddess has returned.” Khanundra’s eyes sparkled with fanaticism and belief in her goddess.
Houx’Rei had seen all manner of people. Of them, those like Khanundra were the worst, in her mind. They believed that everyone had been led astray from their right and proper religion. That once everyone followed the teachings of her deity, that they would be forever grateful.
They called it bringing people to their religion, finding them purpose. Instead, it was just their way of acquiring more power and feeling as if they had accomplished something. They didn’t really care about their religion as much as they showed their devotion to it. They were devoted to the idea of power, power that came from having others follow their ideology.
If anyone was to argue against them, or take on another religion, there was nothing that would change their mind. They were losing the basis of their power! If they didn’t have it, then they didn’t want anyone else to have it.
“Those who follow the Lady of Light are free to do so. I will not tell them who to
hold in their hearts,” Houx’Rei said.
Khanundra’s eyebrow rose as her golden eyes turned cold. “Are you not the leader of the people on Markolm? Do you not command this nation’s armies and fleets?” Khanundra said, her voice icy.
“I might control the military power, but it is my position to try to carry out the people’s will. Not be the one to determine it.” Houx’Rei’s voice tightened as Khanundra’s aura pressed down on Houx’Rei once again.
“The Lady of Light was right when she said that the people of Emerilia had lost their way in our absence,” Khanundra spat.
“We found it, out from under the control of the Pantheon and their tools.” Houx’Rei wheezed after spitting out the last word. Her body pressed into her chair once again.
“If you’re not with us, then you’re against us.” Khanundra slowly stepped forward.
Houx’Rei could sense the boundless anger she was faced with. “In all that time, you still remained blinded. At least the demons found their way.” Houx’Rei’s voice held a note of sympathy within it.
“Demons? You think demons are better than me and my kin!” Khanundra yelled, her voice filling the room, her wings expanded out in fury.
“You may kill me, but you will not kill the spirit of my people. We might have been blinded in the past, but now we can clearly see. You and the gods do not determine our fate or our paths. It is our strength of will to fight against our circumstances, to push ourselves forward that makes us strong.” Houx’Rei propped herself up on her seat, her calm and collected features now red as veins popped out across her forehead and down her neck.
“Then, there is no need for you,” Khanundra sneered. She turned her wing and lashed out. Its white feathers left a red line on Houx’Rei’s neck as she slumped into her chair, blood staining her simple robe.
The strike had been so fast that not a drop of blood had landed on Khanundra’s wing.
She looked down on the first elder of Markolm as if wanting to spit on the dying woman’s body.
Houx’Rei never thought that she would die this way. Her thoughts ended with hope and anguish. I hope my people and Emerilia are strong enough to resist these angels and the monsters that will be released upon the lands.
With that, the first elder of Markolm died, her lifeless eyes looking toward the ceiling of her office, where she’d worked for her people for six long years.
Chapter 2: Pandora’s Box
It had been three days since the dwarven tournament. Jekoni and Jung Lee were following Dave and Malsour as they entered Terra’s power station facility.
Jekoni had been in a state of curiosity since entering Terra. Now that he was a spiritual entity, he didn’t need to sleep. He’d taken the sword and headed off across the city to look at different systems and areas.
Now, he was looking at the power station in interest.
Malsour grinned at Dave.
Dave snorted at Malsour’s expression. I wonder what he’ll do when he sees the things we’ve been working on?
They entered through the secret entrance into their laboratory, nicknamed Pandora’s box.
Jekoni’s severe expression turned into slack-jawed amazement at everything within the laboratory. Magical tech that had never been seen on Emerilia was out in the open, displayed in its full glory. Jekoni muttered to himself as he seemed to teleport to different areas of the laboratory.
Dave and Malsour grinned; Jung Lee had an amused expression on his face.
“Who’s there?” Bob’s voice came from one of the private workrooms off to the side of the large work area.
“Bob, what are you up to?” Dave asked.
“Ah! I did it! Well, at least part of it!” Bob yelled.
“Part of what?” Dave asked.
“Making the bodies!” Bob said. There was the sound of things being dropped on the floor and swearing before Bob’s gnome face appeared from the workroom.
“How?” Dave asked, all of his attention focused on Bob.
“We grow them!” Bob clapped his hands together.
“I know that much.” Dave waved his hands for Bob to elaborate.
“Okay, so we’re thinking we’re going to have to mass-produce these people’s bodies as soon as the Jukal find out. Well, what if we were able to grow their bodies, without any imprinted memories, then upload the memories to their minds when the Jukal do find out? That way, we don’t need to make their bodies all at the same time. We’ve got them all stocked up and ready!”
Dave and Malsour looked to each other.
“Can we actually do it?” Malsour asked.
“What materials are we going to need?” Dave added.
“We can do it. I’ve got a few things pulled together. Had to use Jeeves to do the heavy coding. As for materials, we’re going to need tons of organic materials. The power consumption is going to be massive—and that’s not even including the metals, soul gem constructs, and other items we’ll need to make the machinery to not only create and store these bodies, but transfer the player’s consciousness from the player vaults over to their bodies.” Bob grimaced. They were running low on every kind of resource. Bob’s resources were being used up at an alarming rate and their mining projects were only just slowing down the consumption rather than meeting their needs.
“Well, making a few million bodies is going to be hard work,” Dave said with a wry smile.
Malsour gave Dave a smile. He knew that Dave was in charge of producing most of the materials.
“With the resources we have left, we can maybe get a third of everything set up,” Bob said.
Dave’s face looked pinched. The resources Bob had at his disposal were not inconsiderable. For them to only make up a third of everything that was needed, Dave didn’t think that he’d be able to get the resources through normal means.
“I haven’t wanted to do this for a long time as I know that it will bring attention after a while. Though, is there a way to trick the AIs and use my money in the Earth simulation here to speed things up?” Dave asked.
Bob let out a breath. “It’s going to have to be small amounts. Maybe endorse the Stone Raiders, buy ad spots. Then that can reflect back on you in-game,” Bob said. “I can have a look at it, but as you said, we can keep it up for maybe a year or two in Emerilia, before they start figuring out that you’re playing the entire time that you’re also supposed to be in the simulation.”
“When they figure that out, then there’s going to be hell to pay,” Malsour said.
“Well, let’s do what we can in the meantime. We’re putting miners in Ashal around the outpost. We’re building more ship bays as well as extensions for Terra.” Dave shrugged. “If we have enough time, then we should be able to get all of these bodies made before the empire figures it all out.”
Jekoni and Jung Lee looked at each other in confusion.
“Dave, you going to introduce us?” Bob asked.
“This is Archmage Jekoni and the man who was captured in the Six Affinities Temple, Jung Lee,” Dave said. “Jung Lee, Jekoni, this is Bob, the Grey God, or Neut.”
Jekoni and Jung Lee had alarmed looks on their faces. They’d heard of the Grey God, the seventh member of the Affinities Pantheon who oversaw the others and tried to balance things out. However, it was hard to associate that name with Bob, a simple-looking gnome wearing simple clothes and working on rows of machinery.
“Good to meet you. Seems that Dave trusts you and thinks that you might be able to help us on our insane little projects! I guess I should show you what we’ve got going on here.” Bob waved them to his workshop.
There were several tanks to one side, a console of sorts. Then, banks on banks of metal plates that had been coded with runes. The whole room was warm with the multiple grand soul gems and three vault soul gems that were littered around the room.
In the center of the mess, there was a pod with runes and tubes running into it.
“So we take the DNA of the brains that are stored within the dif
ferent facilities. We then get Jeeves to break it down, input it into this thing and then it can grow a body from that. This essentially uses the same idea as a tree. Feed the cells with the right kind of growing energy and wait till it forms the right shape. Once they’re fully formed, they’ll be just a toddler. We take them from this incubator to a growth chamber. In a couple of days, they go from being a toddler to a full grown adult. Then, they go into a dormant phase where they’re maintained at the age they are within the Earth simulation, ready to have their mind and their memories uploaded in a moment,” Bob said.
He made it sound simple, but he was essentially cobbling together systems that would be able to do the same thing as an Altar of Rebirth.
This was only based off his own knowledge and experience. Unlike the Aleph and Dave with teleportation, where they had been able to work off the portals to some degree, Bob was making this up as he went along.
It was much more impressive than the Aleph and Dave’s cobbling together of different ideas. He’d come up with ideas, turned them into working machines, and replaced a system that people had used and understood for nearly fifteen hundred years.
“Now then, we just need time to infiltrate a moon,” Malsour said.
“No time like the present!” Dave thrust his forefinger into the air. “Bob, this is—well, it’s damn incredible. With this, we’ve got options and a path we can take. Have you figured out a way to automate this all?”
“I had Jeeves sort that out. Thankfully, for the heat sinks, we can use a heat-absorbing series of runes like the power stations and cycle it right back in so that we shouldn’t show anything on the Jukal ships or AI’s sensor sweeps.” Bob sounded excited.
“With our Pandora’s box, we’re not opening up disease to the universe but bringing back the human race.” Malsour shook his head.
“Well, it’s not going to open itself! Shall we check and see if reversing the teleport array will work? I think we’ve got enough data from the nearly three hundred summons that people have gone through already.” Dave rubbed his hands together, a wide smile on his face.
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