Shadow Sun Progression: Shadow Sun Book Four

by Dave Willmarth

  All around the table the analysts shook their heads no. “Droban, would you organize that with Gralen and Nigel, please?” The minotaur bowed his massive, horned head in acknowledgement.

  “Thank you. Next, I want our higher level people, whether they be human, dwarf, beastkin, whatever, to start locating and claiming more significant sites like Dover Castle. They can start as soon as they’ve all visited their class trainers. We’re all going to be much stronger, and safer, with the proper spells and skills. And I’m going to take a small group with me to start contacting other communities of survivors, try to recruit them. Or at least form alliances with them.” He looked at each of them for a few seconds as he said, “And of course you’re all welcome to participate.”

  Longbeard bowed his head slightly. “I thank ye for thinkin’ of us. Meself, I’ll be headin back to Lightholm instead. There be a few things I want to check on.”

  Allistor nodded. “Please thank your people for me. I’m sure Helen will be glad to know that the supervolcano won’t be killing us all anytime soon.”

  His first meeting done, Allistor snagged several pastries and slid them into his ring. Riding the elevator down, he took a seat in the lobby and began to compose another list of priorities. As he was writing, Fuzzy came and sat by his side, Fiona nowhere in sight.

  Check on Luther’s Landing

  Meet with Leila’s replacement?

  Talk to Harmon about Ancient Ones some more

  Meet with Helen, pick more sites to claim.

  Decide what to do with orb relic – talk to Daigath? Buy a planet? Fleet?

  Visit Lightholm.

  Check in with Daniel and William.

  Test new enchantment idea. Maybe discuss with Michael.

  As he sat there thinking about what other items to add to the list, the pungent smell of unwashed grizzly became stronger and stronger. Smiling to himself, he added:

  Give Fuzzy a bath.

  “Nigel, where is Helen?”

  “Minister Helen is currently located in the dining area of this facility.”

  “Thank you, Nigel. How does the upgrade feel?”

  “I am… quite pleased with my increased functionality, sire.”

  Allistor headed to the dining room, where he found Helen having a late breakfast with half a dozen citizens. Fuzzy, never one to be shy around food, immediately passed by Allistor on his way to mooch from Helen. He chuffed happily, alerting her to his presence well before he arrived. Allistor thought the bear almost hopped a little in his excitement.

  “Hey Fuzzmeister! Where’s your girlfriend?” Helen searched behind the bear, spotting Allistor and waving. Fuzzy gave a small growl that sounded very much like “Don’t know.” before planting his head in her lap and demanding scratches.

  Allistor took a seat, grabbing an orange from a bowl on the table and beginning to peel it. “So I thought we’d discuss more places to claim overseas.”

  Helen nodded. “I’ve been giving it some thought. Been leaning toward historic sites that we could preserve. Like the palace at Versailles, the Great Pyramids-”

  McCoy interrupted her with “Oh, no. Uh uh. If there’s any place in the world you just know a dungeon is going to form, it’s the pyramids.”

  Allistor grinned at him. “All the more reason to make sure it’s ours, and not taken by some alien faction. You want them to get all the best loot?”

  McCoy groaned, but shook his head. “No. I’m just saying, there’s gonna be dudes with jackal heads and scarab beetles the size of donkeys. You wait n see.” The others laughed at him.

  A man Allistor didn’t know spoke up. “I was on the Detroit team when we claimed the Stronghold. There’s a great big salt mine nearby that goes like, miles deep. Might be that a dungeon forms there, too.”

  “Salt!” Allistor smacked his forehead. “I should have put that on my list. Too many things to remember. He looked at the surprised man. “Can you take a team back there and investigate? Don’t try to clear it if you find monsters down there. But apparently salt is going to have some significant value, so we need to claim that mine.” He held up a hand as the man started to get to his feet. “Not now. Wait until your group has all visited the class trainers. Then get Gene or Gralen to fly you guys out there. Take a bunch of droids with you. Report back on what you find.” The man nodded, retaking his seat.

  They discussed several other places where folks thought dungeons might pop up. The catacombs under Paris, the lower levels of the Vatican, London underground. One person suggested his childhood girlfriend’s basement, because it had creeped him out as a kid. Another mused that the Great Wall of China could be one long dungeon stretching for miles. Allistor thought about that for a second. “You know, if we could claim that, it would probably give us a ton of new territory. Might be worth investigating.”

  Helen nodded. “Even if it doesn’t, the structure is worth preserving.”

  They spent a little time spitballing more locations with the group, then Helen and Allistor retired to the roof. Helen suggested the location because Fuzzy was “Getting a little ripe.” At which point Fuzzy looked hurt and snorted at her.

  When they sat down in the lounge area, she pulled an old school paper world atlas out of her ring and set it on the low table in front of them. The thing was practically falling apart, but the maps were clear enough. Allistor saw that she’d circled several places with a red marker.

  “We have to assume that at least some of these places have already been claimed, either by humans, or colonists. But with our very own super speedy space ship, we can hit a lot of them in a relatively short time.” She began to flip to random pages and point out locations like Victoria Falls in Africa, the Roman Acropolis, Neuschwanstein Castle, Buckingham Palace, the ruined castle at Dorset, and Allistor’s favorite, Stonehenge.

  “Alright, let’s set aside… a week?” He paused and waited for her to nod her head. “We’ll get everyone trained up, and head out in a few days. And if we pass over or near any human settlements, we’ll stop and visit. Let’s make sure that the Phoenix cargo hold is stuffed with food and supplies that might help them out.”

  With that settled, Allistor decided to spend some time crafting. He heated the furnace and retrieved the half-formed sword he’d been working on before. The new enchantment that had occurred to him in his sleep had been lurking in the back of his mind ever since. He’d simply been too busy, or too distracted, to try it out.

  As he worked the metal of the sword, he found himself missing the constant barrage of blows against his barrier from William. His squire had become a fixture of his life in a short amount of time. Allistor caught himself wondering about the process of adopting the boy, then snorted. “You’re the boss now, genius. There are no forms to fill out. Just declare him adopted, and it’s done.”

  Letting the nearly finished blade cool for a moment, he said, “Nigel, please connect me with Amanda.”

  Seconds later, her voice rang through the smithy. “What’s up, your highness?” Her tone was playful.

  “I uhh… I have something serious I want to talk over with you. Are you available now?”

  Her tone suddenly matched his, with a slight hint of worry. “Where are you? I’m coming right now.”

  “On the roof. No rush. Nobody’s in danger or anything.”

  She didn’t reply, so Allistor put the blade back into the forge for one last heat. He wanted to fine tune the shape a bit before quenching and hardening the metal. He was gently tapping it with his hammer when Amanda arrived.

  “What’s up?” She asked, a concerned look on her face.

  He gave the sword a few final taps, then dipped it into a barrel of oil. “I want to talk about William. And… maybe the girls, I guess?” He pulled the blade free and wiped it down with a rag before setting it on his workbench. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the nearest sofa.

  “I’ve been considering… what do you think about us adopting William. Like, officially. And just now it
occurred to me, maybe Sydney and Addy, too?”

  Amanda thought it over for a few seconds. “Well, first… we’re not married yet. So there might be…” She stopped when she caught him grinning at her. “What?”

  “You were about to say there might be some complications with paperwork or something?”

  Her eyes widened, and she laughed. “Ha! I guess not. Okay, well there’s another consideration. If you adopt the kids, they become your legal heirs. That might put them in danger.”

  Allistor hadn’t considered that. Danger was everpresent in their world now, and he’d almost automatically dismissed that as a factor.

  Amanda took his hand in hers. “Another thing. And this sounds so corny, but… what if we have a child of our own? The other kids are older, and if we go by all the old traditions, our biological child would be fourth in the line of succession.”

  Allistor had flashbacks of old stories and movies where jealous siblings murdered each other to take a throne. Then a vision of William bonking his newborn son on the head with a stick. It was ridiculous, and he shook his head.

  Amanda continued. “I think we need to think this over for a while. I’m all for us continuing to take care of our little family. Maybe even give each of them their own planet to rule one day.” She winked at him. “But let’s talk to your advisors first, and take a little time. We also need to ask them if they even want to be adopted, assuming that’s the way we decide to go.”

  Before he could find words, she leaned in and kissed him deeply. “I love you for wanting to adopt them, and for loving them the way you do. You are a good man, Allistor.”

  “I thought you just loved me for my big… holdings. And cuz I can lift heavy stuff.”

  Refusing to take the bait, she gazed into his eyes. “No. I love you for your heart. You’re young, and decently attractive, and smart. But what makes me want to be yours is what’s inside you.” She placed a hand over his heart.

  He covered her hand with his own. “I feel the same. Except when you try to cut me so you can test something. Then, not so much.” He leaned forward and kissed her even as she smiled.

  “I’m going to go back to my office. I’m working on an experiment, trying to better understand the motes, and how they work.” She pulled away from him and got to her feet. “We can talk more about this tonight.”

  Allistor nodded, getting to his feet and pulling her close for one more kiss. “I’m going to be experimenting with a new enchantment. So if you hear a boom, and the building shakes, well… maybe don’t come up here. I might be splattered across several blocks.” He grinned.

  She slapped his chest and turned away, boarding the elevator.

  Picking up his newly formed sword again, he closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure how to accomplish the enchantment he wanted. The idea had awakened him early one morning, and he’d been imagining and discarding different methods in his head ever since. When he thought he had a clear and viable idea in his head, Allistor went to work.

  He’d left a hole in the pommel of the sword for inserting a gem. Digging through his inventory, he pulled a diamond from a bag of gems he’d looted. It just instinctively seemed the most appropriate stone for the enchantment he wanted.

  Mounting the stone in the pommel, he used some wire to temporarily hold it in place. Once it was secure, he took the weapon in hand and looked it over. The sword wasn’t a masterpiece, by any means. But it was a serviceable weapon, with a thirty-inch leaf shaped blade. The hilt was still just metal, as he hadn’t taken time to wrap it in leather yet, so it felt cool in his hand. He supported the blade with his other hand, the edge much too dull at this point to cut him.

  Once again closing his eyes, he thought back to his experiences in learning spells. Focusing on the way information flowed into his brain, teaching him complicated formulas and concepts that, as he learned more and more, seemed to tie together. He specifically looked at the process involved in the Mend and Restore spells, the way the motes came together to stitch wounded flesh, or regenerate missing tissue.

  Then he did his best to reverse it.

  For the better part of an hour, he focused his mind on creating the effect he wanted, never breaking contact with the weapon. Eyes closed, he was able to sense it when his own mana finally began to drain, and his intent was absorbed by the weapon. He felt it flow through his hands, into the metal where it flowed down the blade, imbuing the steel as it went. Finally, he felt it inundate the diamond, filling it with power.

  When he opened his eyes, he caught sight of the gem glowing brightly for a second before the light faded. His interface was immediately filled with notifications.

  Skill Level Up! Your Enchanting skill has increased by +1

  Skill Level up! Your Weaponsmithing skill has increased by +2

  Skill Level up! Your Improvisation skill has increased by +1

  Congratulations! You have discovered a new enchantment! By focusing your will, knowledge, and intent, you have imbued a weapon with the enchantment: Lacerate. This enchanted weapon will cut deeper into flesh than a normal blade, doing an extra twenty percent above the blade’s normal physical damage. Each cut will have a fifteen percent increased chance to generate a bleed effect, draining the target’s health for the same amount as the physical strike damage over thirty seconds. Bleed effect can stack up to five times. Each added effect resets the thirty second timer.

  Allistor set the weapon down on the bench and shot a fist into the air. “Yesss!” He did a little victory dance up there on the roof, all by himself, except for the odd swallow that was nestled quietly in one of the planters next to its coconut. Calming down, he Examined the blade.

  Unfinished Sword

  Item Quality: Common

  Damage: ??

  Enchantment: Lacerate

  Shaking his head, he took the weapon over to a grinder and began to sharpen the dull edges. When he was through there, the next step was to polish the blade’s surfaces. Lastly, he took some of the crimson drake hide from his ring and carefully wrapped the hilt. When he was finished, he tried Examine again.

  Cutter

  Item Quality: Good

  Damage: Slashing 900-950; Piercing 600-750

  Enchantment: Lacerate (+20% Slashing damage; 15% chance to inflict Bleed effect)

  “Who’s the man? You da man!” He congratulated himself. This was by far the coolest weapon he’d created so far! Allistor spent a little time admiring the blade, tilting it so that the sunlight reflected off of the Damascus pattern he’d layered into the steel. The leaf blade had a fuller cut down the center of both sides, taking some of the weight from the metal and making it easier to wield. Not that it mattered much in his case, his Strength made it feel no heavier than a willow switch in his hand.

  He immediately stepped out to a clear area beyond the lounge seats and took the defensive stance that Daigath had taught him. After a few practice swings, he worked his way through the forms, both offensive and defensive, again and again. The sword felt good in his hand, and after a few minutes of twinges from sore muscles, his body began to respond. He moved a bit faster, his transition from one form to the next getting less hesitant and jerky. His mind focused, and he began to imagine an enemy before him, a sword of their own in hand. His every thrust was answered by the imaginary foe, and he blocked or parried their thrusts in turn.

  When he finally came to a halt, more than an hour had passed. He was sweating, and breathing hard, and his Stamina was down to about ten percent. Returning to his work bench, he carefully cleaned the weapon before putting it into his inventory ring. A quick ride down the elevator to his quarters for a shower, and he was ready to head out to Cheyenne. He wanted to show off his new weapon to Michael and the other smiths.

  Allistor was walking toward the elevator, having just taken one of the breakfast pastries from his inventory to snack on, when William’s voice came to him through Nigel.

  “Allistor! Come quick! It’s the eggs… they’re… Daniel says they’r
e about to hatch!”

  *****

  Loki sat in his chamber, the mists around him swirling in reflection of his agitation. He was still annoyed with his reaction to Baldur’s rage, the momentary slip in his normal reserve. Worse, he had been successfully set up to take the fall for actions he had not taken. And he was certain he knew who was actually behind them.

  Activating a holographic viewscreen with the touch of one tentacle, he observed an image of Hel as she moved across her own private chamber. The feed was from one of more than a hundred hidden devices he’d had planted in that particular room, and one of only three she hadn’t located and destroyed.

  She was watching a feed of her own, the human prince on her holoscreen practicing his sword skills. Loki had been watching him as well, but quickly grown bored. The weapon he had just crafted was interesting, though. Not its form, which was still crude, or its stats. What interested Loki was that the human had managed to teach himself a fairly complicated enchantment.

  Allistor and his people had advanced exceptionally quickly during Stabilization. And now that he’d arranged for an unprecedented army of class trainers to actually join him as citizens of his princedom, they would grow even faster.

  If Loki had possessed teeth, he would have ground them in frustration. His tentacles waved in annoyance, causing the mists to swirl even more emphatically. Loki was no fool. He took Baldur’s warning to heart. The fact that he had to not only stop scheming against the human weakling, but now had to work to protect him against Hel’s machinations, as well as those of any factions who might wish him harm… it was nearly too much to bear.

  He briefly considered his best course of action. Trying to root out and foil all of Hel’s various schemes would be a challenge, and require way too much time and resources. She was a master of misinformation, deception, and covert action. Possibly even his equal, in some aspects.