Rine's Bar,
Meilfour.
29th Mazem, 1092.
Rine's Bar was awash with joyous cries as violins played an energetic Celtic tune. The citizens of Meilfour laughed and cried as they downed one drink after another, bolstered by the songs of Lunette and her entourage.
The fever in the building was contagious, and even Hektor could not resist the festivities. He downed several jugs of Merkil Mead with his left hand while he took on two wolf-men in an arm-wrestling with his right. "Yer tink ya gat wat i' takes ta bea' da future god of war!?" In his drunken state, his accent which he working to mask slipped out, but he was too drunk to care. "oOH!" With a loud grunt, he crashed both fists the table, smashing it beneath them. He laughed as another table was placed before him. "Who's next?"
Syel watched from across the room as men and women lined up to challenge the warrior. He swiped a bottle from a passing drunk and took a sip of its contents, wincing as it scorched his throat. "Damn, that's some strong alcohol." He raised it to his lips, only to have it similarly swiped from his hands.
"You sure you can hold your drink?" Shoko teased. "Wouldn't want you passing out now, would we?"
The elf attempted to snag his drink, but she held it just out of reach. "Pompous princess like you, I can definitely hold better than, at the very least."
"Is that so?" Shoko tilted her head back and downed the bottle in one gulp. She wiped her mouth as she placed the empty bottle on a table, then raised a challenging brow at him.
"Oh, you are so o-" Syel stopped, having sensed the presence of the one he had been waiting for. "... He's here."
Shoko turned to face the entrance just as the tavern door swung open.
The room fell deathly silent as the fabled dark elf, and his demon wolf stepped into the establishment. Men and women swallowed hard as they parted, clearing a path to the Bar.
Kashi walked to the counter, his gait measured. He signalled Muko who served him with a pitcher of his Yarcon Juice. Aware of the tensed atmosphere behind him, he raised the pitcher high as he turned around. He swallowed a deep breath then cheered at the top of his voice, "Drink Yourselves Dead! Today, All Drinks Are On Me!"
"OOOOO!" The Bar erupted once more in cheers as the patrons raised their glasses high and resumed their celebrations.
Kashi finished his drink then placed a pouch of gold coins on the counter. "Here. This should cover everything."
Muko shook his head. "No, I cannot accept this. You've done so much for us already. Consider this on the house."
"I wasn't asking," Kashi maintained. "You need this for what is to come."
"You best accept," Syel advised as he hooked his arm around Kashi's neck. "He looks the stubborn type."
Muko relented, and reluctantly accepted the pouch. "What is coming?"
"Yeah, Kash," Syel urged. "What're you planning? Where'd you go after you gave us the slip back at Tahos?"
"Is there somewhere private we can talk?" Kashi asked pointedly at Muko.
Syel raised a brow. "Hey, you're not thinking of ignoring me are you? Or you gonna pretend you don't know who I really am."
"You are you." Kashi turned to Syel, eyes cold as he shrugged of his arm. "However, I do not know you well enough to trust you. Your relationship with Suzuki is of little importance."
"Ouch." Syel feigned a chest pain as he stepped back. His lips curled a snide grin as he proposed, "Well, how's about I gain your trust?"
"How do you suppose to do that?"
"For now, I'll accompany you. I'll get my chance eventually."
Kashi's eyes narrowed. "Why would you do that."
"Two reasons! First, you're intriguing. I've never seen someone use parallel to their advantage the way you do. You make an exciting case study."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kashi refuted. "...And the second?"
Syel shrugged. "I don't know about Suzuki, but Kashi's blessed by fate. I can tell your life won't be a boring one. If I stick around, I'll get to kill some strong guys."
"You wish to kill?"
Syel's grin widened to a ferocious snarl. "More than anything. But I can't kill in the real world without getting some scary people angry. You could say this world was built so I can fulfill these desires."
"Understood," Kashi muttered.
"What's that?"
"I now understand the kind of man you are."
"Oh? What kind is that?"
Kashi's glare seemed to rip right into the light elf's eyes. "You have no ambition or desire. You're a pawn, a powerful one, but a pawn still. Such a man will never pose a threat to me."
Syel's grin shrunk to a shorter, but even more sinister one. "Heh? I pegged you as the type to pretend to be friends, while plotting ways to use or kill me behind my back. Why the hostility?"
"Is there a point in attempting to sneak through an open field in high noon?'
"With the right gear, it'll be hard but not impossible."
"Only if the reward is worth the trouble."
Syel sighed and shook his head. "Stop, stop, riddles and metaphors were never my thing. In regards to your statement, I find nothing wrong with being a pawn. It's a position that often gets the first kill."
"And is usually always the first to perish in battle."
Syel laughed. "You shouldn't underestimate pawns too much. If they survive till they reach the end of the board-"
"They can become anything they want," Kashi finished. "And something tells me you're the surviving type."
"Quite the compli-"
"It's not," Kashi interrupted. "To survive you'll have to sacrifice both your enemies and allies. Very few can shoulder such burden."
Syel's smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed. You're saying I can do something like that?"
Kashi's glare was like an ice-pick. "I'm saying you have. Countless times."
The air around Syel grew thick. "How much do you know?"
Kashi, unperturbed by the obvious bloodlust replied, "Nothing." He stood up straight and held out his hand. "But enough to now know I want you in my guild."
Syel's bloodlust dissipated instantly as a huge grin appeared on his face. "Why didn't you just lead with that then?" He asked as he grasped the delf's hand.
"My apologies. I needed to investigate your true nature by instigating you."
"Hah! There's the sneakiness. Method might've been different, but I was right about you. You don't show hostility unless it's of some benefit to you."
Kashi looked to the gallery they had attracted. "You guys come too. You'll all play a part in the next phase."
Shadow sighed. "You never stop scheming do you?"
"Couldn' care less," Hektor said. "Lon' as i' means I git ta figh'."
"Perfect then," Kashi said. "Your part starts now. You're not too drunk to fight are you?"
"Course no," he drawled. He shut his eyes, then released a massive shockwave from his body with a roar. "What do I have to kill?" He asked, eyes and voice sharp as a nail.
Kashi blinked, surprised. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
"In the army. An attack can be sprung at any time. Soldiers had to learn to expel negative toxins from their bodies."
"I'll have you teach me that sometime," Kashi said. "But for now I want you to get these for me." He handed a list to the warrior.
Hektor's brows furrowed as he read the contents of the list. "You want me to go on a fetch quest?"
"I promise, you won't be disappointed," Kashi assured. "I met some of these beasts on my way here, and I had difficulty besting them."
Hektor's eyes sparked. Monsters even the delf had trouble fighting would prove a great challenge. He gripped the list with an excited grin. "Fine then. I'll do it."
Kashi handed identical lists to Shoko, Syel and Shadow. "If you can, please help in gathering these in your spare time."
"Hey!" Hektor protested. "Can handle this on my own!"
"I'm sure you can, but we're working against time."
Though dissatisfied, Hektor relented. He left immediately, determined to cover as much as possible on his own.
Kashi returned his attention to Muko. "About that private room?"
Muko nodded. "You can use the cellar in the basement. No one'll hear your conversation down there."
With Kashi's approval, Muko led him and his party to the cellar.
The cellar was notably bare of stored drinks. Kashi could guess as to why procurement of drinks had become so difficult for the Bar. Well, it was all part of what he planned to rectify.
Kashi, Kira, Syel, Lunette, Shadow, Shoko, Iggy, Zeigfried, Diegel, Lufer and Muko gathered round a long table which was situated near the entrance.
Kashi ran his index finger along the dusty table. "Hmm, I get the feeling this is not the first secret meeting held here, is it?"
Muko's expression betrayed nothing. "Sometimes, certain parties hold certain negotiations down here."
The corner of Kashi's lips rose in a knowing smile."You're not a simple bartender are you."
"We're never what we seem to be."
Kashi knew a formidable man when he met one. This Muko character was not going to give up any of his secrets; that was fine. The fact he had secrets meant he was a man of strong character, which meant he would be useful.
The delf shook off thoughts of the bartender as he turned his mind to the matter at hand.
He took out his system map of Destia and laid it on the table. Unlike the others', his had been updated because he had been to the river, and also had the new road formed when Suvron's Gate rose from the abyss. Unlike normal maps bought in game, the system maps were of ancient and old magic. They had every location, known and unknown already stored in them, but unless its owner actually travelled to an area, it was blacked out. The only way to artificially update them were to buy maps, or receive very specific descriptions of locations from people, or quests.
Each Summoned had one, and the maps could be used in their windows or laid out in paper form. Either way, the many features of the maps were excused with the power of 'magic'. A convenient tool for any game developer.
Kashi tapped the border between Rosendun and Merriheim, and the map zoomed into the location. He told them of his plan to build a bridge connecting Rosendun and Merriheim.
Lufer frowned. "Sounds like a solid plan, but are you sure you can get enough engineers to actually get the job done?"
Kashi nodded. "Yes. Of that I am sure-"
"-But this is not why you called this meeting is it?" Lunette interrupted. Her eyes bore into his as if searching his soul for answers. "You're planning something big. What is it?"
Kashi was stunned, impressed and just a little bit scared. Maybe he needed to practice more if he could already be read so easily. "Something like that." He zoomed out of the map and pointed to the nine (and a half) countries, that made up Dreiza. Before I got here, I stopped by Riven and bought some information on the political powers in Dreiza right now."
"Gah!" Diegel gacked. "Politics! Coulda stayed home if I want ta hear dis bull-OW!"
Iggy and Zeigfried punished their brother with blows to the back of his head. "We apologize. Please, continue."
Kashi nodded. "Rosendun is the most politically stable country. All the cities are united under the king's flag, and though there are moments of unrest, they are swiftly dealt with. Monoch is always embroiled in civil wars, but they are rumored to stand together against any threats of invasion. Markoth, like Rosendun is quite stable and are rarely disturbed by other countries. The Elysian Cove is home to the pirates. They have no rules but there is rumors of a Pirate King who supervises over their codes. Daggerfall is quite large, but there is no concrete intel on their activities. The woodelves of Ederwood live in small settlements in the woods and follow a council rather than a single head. Serisis is by far the poorest state, the people live in squalor and there is huge civil unrest, but even that's nothing compared to Merriheim which has no stability whatsoever. Matter of fact it never has. There are independent cities and villages networked by roads but that's as far as their co-operation goes. With such alienation, it's no wonder they've been invaded so easily."
Syel stifled a yawn. "Does this history lesson have a point?"
Kashi turned to Muko. "The mayor's dead. Who takes his place? Is there a vice-mayor or something?"
Muko shook his head. "If the Mayor is slain, there's a forty-eight hour time limit for a citizen of the town to stake a claim. If there are more than one claims, then there is a voting process."
"And if there is no claim?"
"The one who slew the mayor becomes the default mayor."
Kashi thought about it. "Can I meet those who have staked a claim?"
"That's going to be difficult," Muko said.
"How so?"
Muko swallowed hard. "No one has."
Ten pairs of eyes looked to the delf as realization dawned. "No way," Kashi muttered, but as luck would have it..
Ping!
Kashi winced at his new alignment. That could get him frowned upon at a lot of places, and rates at shops would increase as a result. He would require some tremendous good deeds to shift it back to a positive place. He shook his head, then focused on the significant information. He was now mayor of both Lib Tahos and Meilfour.
Both were the only two towns in the south-south region close to the border. The next settlement was several miles north, which effectively gave the entire territory to the mayors in both cities.
Kashi opened his menu, then went to an option called 'Politica.' It was from this option he could make decisions for the Hopeful Maggots, but his aim were the two new tabs added: Lib Tahos and Merriheim. As mayor, he could make executive decisions for both towns, and he was about to make the most significant decision of all. His finger hovered over a particular option as he looked to his mates.
"We have had it easy so far because we have operated fairly below the radar," Kashi started. "However, with this, our names will definitely reach the caves of Markoth. We will meet strong opposition the likes of which we've never seen, and would be starting a war that will claim thousands of lives. Do you still wish to follow me down this path of carnage? Now is as good a chance as any to leave."
Lunette smiled warmly. "No offense, but if we were worried about that, we would never have joined up in the first place. You're a disaster magnet, you know?"
"Hahaha!" Syel laughed. "It's as the lady says, Kash."
Shadow placed his daggers on the table. "I owe you a life debt. Until I pay it, I will follow, even to the pits of Gyllenhal."
Shoko followed suit and placed her katanas on the table. "I am loathed to admit, but Syel's instincts are usually on point. If he says going with you will be interesting, then odds are it very well will be."
Across from her, Syel raised a mocking brow. "Did you just praise me?"
Shokō's eyes flashed, and he playfully raised his arms in mock surrender.
Lufer bowed his head in respect. "I speak for the orchestra when I say we will assist you in any way possible should you ever need our help. Also, with your leave, we would like to join your guild."
Kashi shook his head. "No, it is our guild that would love to have your group. It would be our honor for such a great orchestra to fly our banner." He looked to his party, then to Kira, who had silently watched the entire proceeding with detached interest. "Well then, here's to a new chapter..." He let his voice trail off as he pushed the option.
Immediately all Summoned present experienced a loud ringing in their heads as a rapidly blinking notification appeared in front of them...
Throne Room,
Imperial Palace,
Riven.
The King of Rosendun had to stifle a laugh as he read the report just handed to him. "Damn you, Kashi, give me some warning next time." He looked to his advisors with a stern, but excited expression. "Well, what are you waiting for? Mobilize the army as quickly as possible. Other countries will not take kindly to this."
Vonred's Watch,
Monoch.
The hands of a halben shredded his report as he let out a crazed wail. The windows in the palace burst and the walls cracked from the pressure. His crazed, blood-shot glare locked onto the nearest living being: his personal guard. He grabbed the poor man's neck and tightened his grip. "Find me the leader of this Hopeful Maggots!" He yelled to those present in the throne room. "Bring me his head!"
Imperial City
The shaman dropped the report and looked to the priests gathered. "It has been ten long years since the last war. The continent, still licking its wounds from the previous war, has been in a state of strained tranquility. This fragile peace paid with blood the innocent is about to be destroyed by the greedy ambition of one man. Blood will dye this earth if we do not act fast. We must find the leader of this Hopeful Maggots guild before he plummets this world into another decade of war." Her brow creased as she looked at the prophecy she received before. "Honestly, I am unsure which shall cause a greater disaster: Skyrm or this Maggot."
Merriheim
Men and women scattered as a dragon landed in the middle of the town. The rider hopped off, then walked to Rine's Bar. He had been right. This guild was the one he had been waiting for.
The land of Destia was in utter chaos at the prompt that appeared to all Summoned. This prompt served as an opener to the rampant chaos that would envelop the land in the coming years...
Kashi swallowed hard as he matched the stares aimed in his direction. "Now, here's what we have to do..."