Sixth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “We take these people to the supply station that is the furthest from here, we drop them off and then we move through the dungeon more, we miss these three places completely and go to another outpost. We can use that place to rest up and plan our next move,” Storbon said.

  “You got a route?” Rugrat said.

  “Somewhat,” Storbon said and manipulated the map as he talked “We hit the supply station Knugrith, then we head for the outpost Ivaris.”

  Rugrat and Erik looked at each other briefly trusting in Storbon.

  “Works,” Rugrat said.

  “I need a damn bed and out of this armor,” Erik agreed.

  “What about this Vinters thing?” Storbon said.

  “Dude needs to die,” Rugrat said and looked at Erik.

  Erik rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Yeah, he does but we can’t go off half-cocked, otherwise we aren’t going to do anything but die. We don’t have any power in this realm and we’re just a small group. His guards cultivated their mana and body’s while they aren’t as strong as Rugrat and I, they have at least three quarters our power.. This is more of Elan’s thing,” Erik said, the words sour in his mouth.

  There was a cough from the side, the three looked over and saw Yuli there.

  “There is a young girl that wants to talk to you,” Yuli said.

  Erik and the others pulled on their helmets again, hiding their features.

  “She say what she wants?” Erik asked as Storbon put the map away.

  “She has a request,” Yuli said.

  The three masked men finished with their helmets.

  “I might need to shave this thing, gets stuck in the damn clips, ow!” Rugrat complained.

  Yuli turned back, getting the girl and bringing her over to the trio.

  She was young, just a teenager her eyes were turned to the ground in nervousness.

  There is something different about her, her skin is different and her muscles while small are dense. A body cultivator? A special constitution?

  “Go on,” Yuli prompted the girl as she was playing with her sleeves.

  “I need to meet with my tutor, I had snuck out and was seeing an old friend before he wanted me to meet with someone when I was captured. I uhh, I want to see him again.” The girl said.

  “Do you know where he is?” Rugrat asked.

  “Blue Crystal Palace in the Faded Scroll Campus.”

  ==========

  Quest: Mysterious Tutor

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  Take Melika Nemati to meet with her mysterious Tutor.

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  Requirements:

  Lead Melika Nemati to Blue Crystal Palace in the Faded Scroll Campus unharmed.

  ==========

  Rewards:

  EXP

  ==========

  Erik looked at the others, all of them sharing a look.

  It is so important that the Ten Realms has created a quest for it and added their own reward. Mysterious tutor? I feel like the Ten Realms is trying to guide us somewhere.

  “We will consider it,” Erik said.

  Melika nodded her head and quickly turned to leave, looking downtrodden.

  Yuli guided her back to the group.

  “Well, looks like we have a new task,” Rugrat said.

  “Why the hell is the Ten Realms making this a quest?” Storbon asked.

  “The Ten Realms is a self-regulating machine, the quests it issues allow it to maintain itself. I don’t know if it is sentient, but if something affects its balance then it self corrects. It seems to be unable or unwilling to use its own power to do so, but the quests push the pieces together. We put our damn noses into so many things that we get a lot of notifications, but most people don’t get many quests in their entire lives. The ones they do are guiding quests that lay out a path for them to make them become stronger.” Erik said.

  “I have a theory, the Ten Realms as long as its core systems are unaffected it is just trying to nurse us all to make us as powerful as possible. In its eyes any and all means to become powerful are fair.”

  “For what purpose?” Storbon asked.

  “That part I’m still figuring out,” Erik looped his fingers into his armholes.

  “Plenty left to be learned, maybe we’ll get some more answers in the higher realms,” Rugrat said. When we get somewhere that’s a bit less risky, I have a date with a forge.”

  “You had a breakthrough?” Storbon asked.

  “Maybe? Have to wait and see,” Rugrat leaned back against his rock and rested his helmet against it, adjusting where his rifle was as George padded in from where he had been hunting with some of the panthers and Gilly, they were still wandering the area, eating their fill and acting as scouts.

  George laid down next to Rugrat.

  “Wake me up when we’re ready to move,” he said.

  “I’ll take first watch,” Erik said.

  Storbon nodded and laid down on the stone ground.

  Erik checked his rifle and scanned the area from where he was sitting.

  “Erik,” Storbon started, halting his words.

  “What’s up, champ?” Erik asked.

  “How can you still be excited by the Ten Realms? Everything we’ve seen, people killing one another over resources, even the smallest treasure.”

  Erik sat there in thought.

  “The Ten Realms isn’t a paradise by any means, people can be monsters, much worse than the beasts we encounter. Death and loss are constant. We have stepped upon six different planets, six different realms. Amongst all of that darkness, we can be consumed by it, or we can acknowledge it, understand it and fight against it. Look at Alva, people from all walks of life, from all different realms, working and living together. The Ten Realms is a place filled with wonders, a place where things that were impossible in the last realm are commonplace in the next. Dungeons are treasures in the Fourth Realm, in the Sixth Realm they are training grounds for academy students, resources farm-lands to produce tools and aids for those competing in the academy cities above to clash with their fellow peers to grind and advance. There is so much to see, so much to learn and explore. Never ignore the darkness, but aspire for the light,” Erik said.

  “You say that as we prepare for war,” Storbon said.

  “Seek peace but do not be afraid to use war to defend it,” Erik said. “Sometimes everything else fails and we must fight. If the Willful Institute were in the fifth and higher realms then we would only be able to compete in a bloodless battle. In the lower realms; war, not competitions, decides the fate of people and sects. There are too many interests in the higher realms that no one wants to deal with a war.”

  Storbon was quiet as he took it in, coming to his own conclusions.

  “See you in the morning,” Storbon said.

  “Sounds good,” Erik said.

  Erik was left alone with his own thoughts and his notifications.

  =======

  Skill: Marksman

  ==========

  Level: 82 (Expert)

  ==========

  Long-range weapons are familiar in your hands. When aiming, you can zoom in x2.0. 15% increased chance for critical hit.

  ==========

  ==========

  45,948,136/56,900,000 EXP till you reach Level 58

  ==========

  Chapter: King’s Hill Evolution

  Aditya looked around the room, most of the outpost leaders were there, all of them looked to be in much better spirits than the tense expressions they had shown before they united and when they had to fight against the other outpost leaders and their backers.

  The room had expanded and there was a long table on one end that ballooned into a semi-circle table.

  At the Main table, Aditya sat in the middle and several outpost leaders sat to either side, taking on the roles of trade leaders, military commanders, mercenary liaisons, crafter liaisons, ambassadors and more. They created the core power within not only King’s Hill but
all of the outposts connected to it.

  Many of the outpost leaders took the position because they needed to, but their skills lend them to other activities that they would be better utilized in. Now that they have the opportunity I can use their talents to the best of the Beast Mountain Range.

  It has brought them together and the opportunities and wealth has only increased in recent times.

  “In conclusion, we will finish our first set of roads connecting all of the outposts together, creating the Ring Road that circles the Beast Mountain Range and the Compass Trade Route which connects the outposts to King’s Hill. We have recognized several trade routes that could be upgraded to roads to increase trade from different neighbors. We are working with the military and mercenary liaisons to see which of these paths we can cover, talking to the traders liaisons to evaluate the profit that will be brought into the Beast Mountain Range and we are keeping an eye on our neighbors to see which ones will play nice and which ones that are eyeing us. I would prefer to not give the enemy a path right into our heart,” Caius Sidonis said to the murmurs of the crowd.

  He bowed to Aditya and sat back down as one of the outpost leaders raised their hand.

  Aditya nodded for them to continue, he rarely talked in these meetings, allowing others to do so, acting more like a neutral party than someone with an agenda.

  “I am sure that your own doves have been hearing information from the forces outside of the Beast Mountain Range. So far they have left us alone. Will they continue to do so in the future and can we deal with it? We are a group of traders and mercenaries with a massive forest filled with powerful beasts that are only getting stronger. What if one of those beasts hits an outpost and weakens them and then someone takes advantage?” The outpost leader’s words gained nods from others.

  Aditya looked to Pan Kun, the leader of the military and the mercenary liaison.

  Pan Kun stood up, everyone looked over to him. He was a quiet and simple man, but his power made all of the outpost leaders wary of him.

  “The King’s Hill Army will support the outposts if any fight breaks out. We are proposing training for the outpost guards, increase their fighting ability so that they can hold on for longer so that the army can reinforce them easily and work together without issues.”

  “We have started to register all of the different mercenary groups that operate in the Beast Mountain Range, if there is a beast outbreak and they are inside the outpost, then according to the contracts that we have with them, for better treatment and preferential prices they will assist us in defending our outpost, doubling the effective fighters we can call upon,” the mercenary liaison said right afterward.

  It seemed to mollify most of the people.

  “What about the profits? We have not seen any profit out of King’s Hill, all of it has been spent as soon as it comes in!” Another Outpost lord said.

  The treasury leader Lass stood up, being of the older generation everyone quieted as he spoke. “King’s Hill is in a period of rapid expansion. We have linked everyone together, are training a large army that is growing to support our needs. Repairing the damage done to the outposts, moving people around between outposts and offering loans to increase the number of traders and mercenaries coming to the area. We might not earn any profits in years, but have we not all benefitted? Better equipment is being sold every day, we have crafters that can make gear for us instead of having to rely on buying from passing traders. We have a number of trading groups that have set up their bases in our outposts. It is possible to even buy mana stones and weak true alchemical concoctions.”

  His words fell on everyone’s ears as they remembered the windfall that had come with uniting the Beast Mountain Range.

  “Yes, the beasts are stronger, but their materials are more valuable, our population is swelling, we are able to produce food in some outposts and we are amassing a great amount of food in case someone does attack our small nation. While we might not have received any returns from the King’s Hill Outpost personally, all of us have increased our profits. We’ve all advanced our own cultivations and levels, who here in this room is not above level Fifteen?”

  Lass was one of the older outpost leaders, having weathered the good times and the bad. The older outpost leaders could see the hope and possibilities of King’s Hill. They looked to the future and the younger generations.

  The healing that they had received from the Alva Healing house hadn’t changed their appearances, but the aches and hidden wounds upon their bodies had been healed.

  Aditya adjusted his position in his seat, looking at the people along the tables, it hadn’t been immediate but more were coming over to his side, putting down the mantle of outpost leader, what they could gain actually increased.

  There were very few that wanted to remain just as outpost leaders, still Aditya had plans for them, making them regional governors, if they had the ability.

  The Outpost leader that had raised the question lowered his head slightly under the gazes of the others.

  Aditya cleared his throat before the atmosphere turned weird.

  “We should also talk about the Auction and events that are happening in the coming days,” he looked to the others.

  Emmanuel Fayad stood up, he was the leader of all the traders, he had come into his element with it, half of his family working to push the trade of the King’s Hill as fast as possible, the other half were part of the army, serving and protecting King’s Hill Outpost. He had placed his own Shadowridge Outpost under the command of King’s Hill, creating a precedent that allowed others to annex their outposts, bringing them into the fold. Aditya had also followed. In his mind, King’s Hill, Vermire, and everything in the Beast Mountain Range was owned by his masters.

  “As you all know, in two months we will be hosting the largest auction that the Beast Mountain Range and the surrounding area has seen. We will have High-grade Novice items and even pieces of Mid Apprentice level gear up for sale. Rare ingredients, concoctions, rare beast materials. Monster cores, mana stones. It will be an auction to bring in people from across the realm. Through my contacts I have heard that there will be people from the Blue Lotus coming to see King’s Hill and see if it is worth putting a branch inside the city,” Emmanuel’s voice dipped as he looked around to everyone at the tables.

  They sat up straighter, the Blue Lotus was an immovable giant.

  “If we can get them to put a branch here we must prove that we have people willing to buy and sell in the area, that we have adequate defenses, our city has a high enough standard. For the next few weeks, people will start coming in from across the realm, and people might descend from higher realms even. This is an opportunity to show the ability and wealth of our Beast Mountain Range. Gather more experts and elites to join the mercenary bands, our own administration, and military. Create new trade routes and bring more of the nations and groups that are outside of the Range onto our side.”

  Emmanuel waited a moment for people to calm down.

  “We will not allow the different outpost leaders or administrators to participate in the main auction, but there will be a second auction, an exchange where people will be able to bring out items in secret and put them up for others to bid on. Bids can be placed with materials and not just coins. Also, people can request items and give terms of what they would buy the items for.”

  Emmanuel’s words got people’s eyes shining, displeased at the first part but they lived in the Beast Mountain Range, the beast gear they’d already claimed. On the other hand, all of them had a number of treasures and resources that while they couldn’t use them, they couldn’t find the right person to sell them to. This would solve that problem.

  Emmanuel took a seat and Aditya rose. The room became quiet as he stood.

  I never thought that the outpost leaders would look at me, waiting for my every word.

  Aditya hid his mirth as he pulled out a box, inside there were several medallions.

  “Beast Mountain R
ange Trial. I thought it stopped?” Someone asked.

  “That’s what the high realmer’s think,” Aditya said.

  “Inside some of the beasts inside the Beast Mountain Range, these medallions were found. Through thorough examination, we have found a number of hidden doorways. There is a counter above the door that decreases each day that passes and there is a recess for these medallions to be placed.”

  “The Trial always took place on a platform before,” an outpost leader said.

  “It seems that it has changed. The trial will open in two month’s time. I have enough medallions for each outpost to elect seven people to undertake the trial. And then a dozen extras. Each Outpost will elect their own fighter. For the remaining medallions, anyone can compete for them.”

  “You want to tell outsiders?” Someone hissed.

  “If people want to be part of the trial, they will have to fight in Beast Mountain Range. If they are to attack us then they will lose access to the trial. Who knows, if pushed to the brink we could destroy the doors to the trial that only we know about,” Aditya said.

  A chill ran through the room.

  On the outside, it looks like a gift, but truly it binds us, not to the nations’ leaders around us, but to the normal people under their command. Won’t they want a chance to take the trial? What if their leaders take it away from them?

  “At the very least, the competition will inspire people from around the Beast Mountain Range to visit.”

  “I have heard that people can go missing after the trial,” one leader said.

  “Yes, people can die in the trial, it is not without its risks. Also, it is said that there is a higher level to the trial and that people can get guidance and go into seclusion, greatly increasing their ability, only to reappear later unable to speak of the secrets they have learned. Even if these people are unwilling to tell us, they are still our people and have a much greater power than us,” Aditya said.

  The meeting slowly came to an end and Aditya headed to his next meeting.

  He sat down in his office, barely had he done so that there was a knock at the door.

  “You want to get that?” Evernight asked. She was sitting at a secondary desk writing out a message while she held a report in another hand, checking the facts she was copying.