Date: 2022-08-01T18:00:00+00:00
Description: It's time for Alex to officially move into his new home in Colorado, as new associates join him in developing FAE in reality. Meanwhile, in Eternal Dominion, he continues to move forward with his quest, to gain the approval of Nium’s nobility in the final year before he is to be wed to Princess Enye. While also getting to know the two other princesses from foreign nations who have their eyes on him as well. All while tracking down a few potential boosts to his guild in the form of a pair of phoenixes. As always, this series contains a no smut harem that seems to be getting out of control, but

Eternal Dominion Book 9

Acceptance

Bern Dean

Bern's Books LLC

Copyright © 2022 Bern's Books LLC

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by: ebooklaunch.com

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

December 31, 2266.

ED year 2 days 139-140.

Morning January 1, 2267 & ED year 2 day 141.

Evening January 1, 2267 & ED year 2 days 142-143.

Morning January 2, 2267 & ED year 2 day 144.

Evening January 2, 2267 & ED year 2 days 145-146.

Morning January 3, 2267 & ED year 2 day 147.

Evening January 3, to Evening January 21, 2267 & ED year 2 days 148-203.

Morning January 22, 2267 & ED year 2 day 204.

Evening January 22, 2267 & ED year 2 days 205-206.

Morning January 23, 2267 & ED year 2 day 207.

Evening January 23, to Morning January 25, 2267 & ED year 2 days 208-213.

Evening January 25, to Morning January 26, 2267 & ED year 2 days 214-216.

Evening January 26, 2267 & ED year 2 days 217-218.

Morning January 27, to Morning January 28, 2267 & ED year 2 days 219-222.

Evening January 28, to Evening January 31, 2267 & ED year 2 days 223-233.

Thanks!

Preview

Afterword

December 31, 2266.

Alex stood next to Sam, Nicole, Ava and Mia as the shuttle bus carrying Fred, Dan and Amanda pulled into the parking lot. This was it. In a moment they would be on their way to a whole new way of life in Colorado. Alex’s parents had just received the keys to the car he had been using and both his and the twins’ apartments. They would also be handling the movers who would be showing up in a few weeks to pack up the few things that everyone had left behind. As the shuttle stopped and opened its doors, Mrs. Bell pulled Alex in for another hug.

“You better keep us in the loop and take care of yourselves out there, or I’ll have to come out there early,” warned Mrs. Bell, while holding back a few tears.

“Mom, we will be fine, but you are welcome to come out after your next OBGYN appointment. I will just worry about how Dad and Anna will eat once you’re gone.”

“Son, your sister and I know how to cook,” quipped Mr. Bell.

“Yah, but would you take the time to, or would you live off take-out?” shot back Alex.

“You’re one to talk. From what I know, you three have been doing a lot of that yourself.”

“Enough, you two! Alex, your dad and Anna would be fine. If anything, Jessica would start cooking for them if I came up early. Now let’s just enjoy the last bit we have before Alex and the girls are gone,” interjected Mrs. Bell.

Mr. Bell pulled Mrs. Bell to his side and put his arm around her as they both said another round of goodbyes, before the five of them got onto the shuttle. It had 12 luxury seats divided by a small offset aisle, with two seats on one side and one on the other, for a total of four rows of seats. The other three had already taken the first row, with Amanda and Fred on one side and Dan across from them. After some greetings and jokes, Alex sat behind Dan as Nicole and Sam took the other side from him, with the twins behind them. With one last look at his parents, Alex watched as they drove away from the town he grew up in. He found that his feelings this time were much different from the last time, as he wasn’t bitter and worn down by life anymore and he wasn’t leaving to live somewhere simply so he could survive off his meager earnings. No, he was moving to truly establish himself and his guild and build a brighter future.

“So, is anyone else looking forward to seeing our new place?” asked Dan.

“What are you talking about? The twins took your room. You’re either going to be on the couch, or in some box of an apartment that still uses physical screens to watch everything,” quipped Fred.

“You would be right there with me if they did.”

“Nah, I would let him beg his way into my room,” teased Amanda.

“Is that what you call it? Interesting, we just call it sex,” interjected Sam. “Besides, Alex probably got separate places for all of us. After all, do you all really want to live with two newborns?”

“Sam, yours and Nicole’s newborns, absolutely. Anyone else’s might be a different story. I mean, you won’t kick me out if I decide to have a baby, right?” responded Amanda.

“You girls are crazy. Hey, Alex, a crappy apartment is starting to sound better than living in baby fever hotel,” retorted Dan. “I mean, if you put Fred and Amanda under the same roof, it’s bound to happen.”

“Shut it. Unlike someone, I actually wrap it,” shot back Fred while looking nervous.

“Aww,” cut in Mia.

“Is Fred afraid of becoming a daddy?” teased Ava.

“Nope, not listening, lalalala…” Fred put his fingers in his ears as he kept saying lalalala.

“Look what you made him do.” Mia laughed.

“Honestly, you would think that someone was telling him a horror story,” retorted Ava.

“Oh, to him you are. I might have feelings and even want kids with him at some point, but even I know he’s not ready,” sighed Amanda.

“Fred, you can stop,” called Nicole as she waved her hand in front of his face.

“Are they done?” asked Fred cautiously.

“Yes, Ava and Mia are done talking about how we all can’t wait to see you and Amanda settle down and give Sam’s and my child a friend to grow up with,” supplied Nicole with a grin.

Fred was about to put his fingers back in his ears when Amanda stopped him.

“Fred, have I done anything that makes you think I actually want a kid right now?”

“Um, no.”

“Then stop worrying. After all, when I want one, you will give me one, won’t you?”

Alex saved Fred from answering as he laughed and looked at Fred, before adding his opinion to the mix.

“Fred, just smile and nod, and accept that by this time next year, you will probably know how I feel right now, at least in part.”

“Yep, a crappy apartment sounds great right about now,” quipped Dan.

“Oh, hush it. You’re talking with my sister about seriously dating once she turns 18 in a few years. If you think you’re not going to be getting this, but way worse if you two get serious, you are in denial,” returned Alex. “Besides, I set up a room especially for you. I think Anna will love it when she visits this summer.”

Dan could be heard taking an audible gulp as he looked at Alex as Fred broke out laughing, and it wasn’t long before the conversation turned to other topics surrounding the move as they made their way to the airport. When they arrived at the airport, the shuttle drove them directly to the tarmac where the private jet was awaiting them. As the eight of them stepped out of the shuttle, they were greeted by the pilot and three flight attendants, who would be taking care of their inflight needs.

“Greetings. I am Captain Margaret Brewys and I will be your pilot today. This is my husband Nathan, who will be the head steward and emergency pilot, and our daughters, Rose and Elizabeth. The four of us will be taking care of you today and thank you for booking with Brewys Air.”

Alex smiled at the middle-aged couple and their two teenage daughters, who looked like they belonged in high school, or college. Both had their mother’s auburn hair instead of their father’s blond and they looked surprised to see that all eight of their passengers were around their age.

“Captain Brewys, it’s good to meet you. I am Alex and these are my friends…”

After quick introductions were over, Rose and Elizabeth guided them on board while Nathan loaded the luggage. When they entered, they found the main cabin had 20 luxury seats and just past it were four private rooms that were set up for sleeping, if the passengers so wished. Past those rooms was a crew-only area that Alex suspected was their personal rooms that they lived in while working.

“So, Alex, are you really the one who booked us?” asked Elizabeth.

“No, I used a middle man, but I am the one paying, if that is what you are asking.”

“Seriously, you and your friends don’t seem the type who normally books us, let alone all of the flights your group has lined up over the next month,” responded Rose.

“That’s because we are not,” interjected Mia.

“Yeah, Alex here is still getting used to running his workshop,” added Ava.

“Wait, you aren’t talking about a gaming workshop for Eternal Dominion, are you?” asked Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth, you know the rules. We don’t ask customers how they earn a living,” chided Rose.

“Sorry, I am a bit curious about you all as usually when we fly a bunch of people around our age, they are, well…”

“Stuck up and look at you like you are dirt,” supplied Alex.

“Um, I didn’t say that, but let’s just say that they wouldn’t have taken the time to actually introduce themselves like you did.”

“Elizabeth, you’re tiptoeing close to the line. We don’t want Alex, or his friends, to think we speak ill of our customers.”

Alex just chuckled softly at the sisters’ banter, as everyone except Ava and Mia, who were staying next to Alex, found seats. Sam and Nicole left a spot for him between them along the right side of the plane.

“Well, anyways, make sure you are all buckled and facing forward when we take off. It should be about two and a half hours once we are airborne,” informed Elizabeth.

“We will be around to serve you once we reach altitude, until it is time for descent,” added Rose.

As the pair walked away, Ava and Mia smiled while they turned to take their seats, as Alex joined Sam and Nicole. 30 minutes later, they were just about to take off as Alex took note of the roar of the engines when they came to life, as the plane shot down the runway and took off into the sky. He couldn’t help but smile at the feeling of a fuel-injected engine. The plane was the only place most people ever experienced the sound and feeling of an engine roaring, as only a rich collector would own anything that still ran on a liquid fuel. Several attempts to change that had been made, but in the end, jets still needed jet fuel, as every alternative proved to have a major flaw that could not be overcome. Several had shown promise over the years, but when dealing with something 10,000 feet or more in the air, even minor setbacks, from reliability and safety issues, would almost kill those projects. There were still those working to overcome the issue and perhaps one day a battery light enough that could be mass produced at a reasonable price would be invented. As Alex was thinking about this, they had taken off and while they were still ascending, their backs were no longer stuck to their seats and Sam spoke up.

“That was awesome. Makes me want to go drive another corvette.”

“Sam, you shouldn’t be driving such that you get the same feeling as a jet taking off,” chided Nicole.

“Oh, come on, it was on a private track. It’s not like I did that while other cars were on the road.”

Alex just laughed before butting in. “You are both right. Sam, take it easy on the fast cars until summer. I promise you that we will go driving again once you have recovered.”

“Fair. I guess I will just have to make do for the time being.”

“Honestly, I don’t get what is so great about feeling like you’re going to die.”

“Nicole, when you are behind the wheel, it is a very different experience. Trust me on that one,” responded Alex.

“Are you saying that I made you think you were going to die?” asked Sam with a bit of annoyance in her tone.

“Die, no. Crash and have to pay for damages, maybe a little,” quipped Alex.

Sam tried to give him a hard look, but the smile he shot back made her crack up as Rose and Elizabeth returned. The rest of the flight passed as the eight of them enjoyed chatting with the two teenagers, as it was revealed that Rose was 19 and Elizabeth was 16, when Amanda asked them. Ava and Mia took to asking them a ton of questions on how their family ended up doing charter flights for small groups like theirs. As it turned out, their parents had sold everything and bought this plane when Elizabeth was just 10 and had basically lived on it as they hopped around the world, flying one group after another ever since. Both girls were taught completely through a distance learning program and were actually well on their way to being pilots in their own rights. Their father had checked in a few times, but seemed content to stay in the cockpit with his wife after seeing his daughters laughing with Alex and his friends. When it came time to land, both girls returned to the front to make sure everything was secure and take their seats. Once they had landed and made their way to the private hangar where another shuttle was waiting for them, all four of the Brewyses came into the main area to welcome them to Colorado Springs. After the welcome and a quick weather report, Nathan spoke up.

“Alex, we are going to be staying here until your next flight in a few days and you all seemed to get along with Rose and Elizabeth well enough. They don’t really get enough time with anyone their own age, so would it be alright if they hung around with your group a bit over the next few days?”

Alex blinked as he took in the hopeful looks on Rose’s and Elizabeth’s faces, before turning to the group to take a general read of their thoughts, and responding.

“I don’t have an issue with it. Now are you talking about them leaving with us and returning when the group that you will be flying around for the next month comes back?”

Alex didn’t miss the smile on the two girls’ faces, or the look exchanged between their parents at his inquiry.

“Umm, if that is not too much of a bother and you have a place for them to sleep, that would be great.”

“Anyone have any issues with Rose and Elizabeth hanging around for the next two days?”

“Just one,” interjected Mia.

“What will they be doing when we all log in to ED?” asked Ava.

“Oh, we play as well, though we only are able to do so sporadically,” answered Elizabeth.

“It is what we will be doing if we stay here,” added Rose.

“Oh, what country are you all in?” asked Nicole.

“Um, Cedian, why?” replied Rose.

“Just curious. Are you two independent players, or are you part of a guild?”

“Nicole, let them breathe. It’s not like we are going to recruit them or anything,” quipped Sam.

“Oh yah, I know. It’s just that it is always nice to know a few extra players in any country in case we ever need to head out that way.”

“Wait, you’re already hopping between countries?” questioned Elizabeth.

“Oh, that’s right, we haven’t mentioned who we are yet. I’m Aalin in game and I’m a vice guild leader of FAE.”

“FAE? Can’t say I have heard of you before. Are you guys one of the major workshops or something?” asked Elizabeth as Rose looked like she was trying to place them still.

“Nicole, they are just casually playing. While the serious players know who we are, if you leave Nium, few independent players will recognize our names,” counseled Alex. “Though that will change as time goes on and we make the major workshops eat humble pie several more times when they try and mess with us.”

“Wait, are you the guild that made Abysses End put out those apology videos?” asked Rose.

“Yes, that would be us!” said Nicole excitedly.

“Wait, would that make Alex Xeal in game?” continued Rose.

“That I would be. Go ahead, tell me what is being said about me.”

“Um, I’m not sure I should.”

“It’s fine. I really don’t care what those outside Nium think of me.”

“Well, the rumor says you are an insatiable womanizer who has set his eyes on bedding a princess from every country. They also say you are like a ghost coming and going as you please on the battlefield.”

Alex just laughed as he shook his head, before the twins responded for him.

“Well, they’re not all bad,” opened Mia.

“At least they recognize your skill,” added Ava.

“Still, I wish you were an insatiable womanizer sometimes.”

“Yeah, if you were, we might already be like Sam and Nicole are.”

Both Ava and Mia were rubbing their bellies as Ava delivered the final line. Sam and Nicole were giving them a look as Alex just shook his head.

“Well, both are a bit of an exaggeration. Yes, I am difficult to deal with in game and have had a few countries push their princesses to marry me, but three is not 100. As for being a womanizer, you can ask any of the ladies here if that is what I am.”

By this point, Margaret and Nathan had concerned looks on their faces, as Amanda spoke up before the twins could dig a deeper hole for him.

“Look, he may have my two best friends enamored with him, but it was them, not him, who started this whole complicated mess he is in. As far as the NPCs that are involved with him in ED, let’s just say that if you shine too brightly, NPC nobles start throwing their children at you. At this point, most of us have taken to placing bets on if he will come back with another bride every time he goes on a diplomatic mission.”

“Wait, what?” asked Elizabeth in confusion.

“Put simply, if he had been left alone, he would have avoided relationships altogether up to this point,” offered Sam.

“We simply didn’t give him a choice when he tried to turn us down after he admitted that he was interested, but thought the timing was bad,” added Nicole.

“Yep, and then a couple of hussies showed up,” quipped Mia.

“And we just refuse to leave him alone,” added Ava.

“Hold up right now. So let me get this straight. You are only involved romantically with those two, right?” inquired Margaret.

“If we are speaking of here in reality, then yes,” replied Alex.

“And all of your parents are fine with that?”

“Captain Brewys, they are still getting used to it, but they are getting there.”

“Alright and I don’t have to worry about you making a move on my daughters, right?”

The twins started to laugh at that as Alex shot them a look, before Mia responded.

“You should be more worried about them making a move on him.”

“Yes, Alex values his life too much to make a move on anyone here in reality,” added Ava.

After sighing, Alex replied as well.

“I have no intent to touch either of them, even if they have other ideas.”

After a bit more of a back and forth, both Margaret’s and Nathan’s fears were mostly put to rest and the ten teenagers piled into the shuttle as they headed to pick up the last two of those that would be joining them today. Thankfully, this shuttle was the same model that had taken them to the airport. The drive to the hotel was uneventful and when they arrived, Henry (Casmir) and Tara (Taya) were already out front waiting for them. At a flat six feet, the blond-haired Henry made the five-foot-six brown-haired Tara look small. Alex directed the shuttle driver to stop in front of them as he stepped out to welcome them in as the shuttle driver handled their suitcases. Tara was the first to speak.

“What kept you so long? You were supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. You weren’t picking up more ladies, were you?”

“Tara, I’m sure Alex is not that irresponsible. He was probably just late landing. Now let’s get going so we can see what our headquarters is like,” prodded Henry with a smile that was suspicious.

“Alright, who messaged you what?” pushed Alex as he crossed his arms and looked at them, before looking back in the shuttle.

Henry tried to salvage it, but Tara just shook her head as she spoke.

“Not going to give them up, but yes, we know about and wanted to have a bit of fun teasing you about the two flight attendants who will be hanging out with us, until Dan, Fred, Amanda, Henry and I fly out on the 2nd.”

Alex just shook his head as he looked at Fred and Dan, whom he suspected of having messaged Henry. After they were loaded up, the conversation shifted to talking about how nice it was to meet everyone in reality, finally. 20 minutes later, the shuttle pulled into a parking complex attached to a 13-story-tall office building, with a grey exterior that blended in with the other buildings. When they disembarked, they were greeted by a tall man in his late 40’s, with well-kept black hair. Alex couldn’t help but notice how straight this man was standing, as he straightened the glasses on his face before speaking.

“Greetings. I am Quentin. I work with Background Inc. to ensure quality is delivered and I will be accompanying you today as we inspect your new headquarters. All 35 of the full-time employees are currently awaiting your arrival, before enjoying the catered lunch that you requested.”

“Thank you, Quentin. I am sure you already know that I am Alex, and you can relax. I am sure that everything will be in order as I trust you’re on top of it.”

Quentin stood as straight as ever as he responded.

“It is good to meet you in person, Mr. Bell-”

“Quentin, Mr. Bell is my father and grandfather. Alex is enough with me. After all, I have essentially bought your contract to make us your exclusive client that you need to interface with.”

“I understand, Alex, and I do apologize for the loose lips that let slip your purchases and I look forward to meeting all of your needs going forward.”

“Alright. Tara, you and Quentin should spend some time getting accustomed to one another, as you two will be working together quite often. He will also be playing ED and establishing an in-game version of Background Inc. in Nium with our help as part of his contract.”

“Umm, okay. Hi, I’m Tara, or Taya in game. It’s nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise. I have heard that you are exceptional at coordinating operations.”

“Okay, we will talk more later.”

“Undoubtedly.”

With that, Alex introduced the rest of the group and they followed after Quentin as he led them into a conference room that was large enough to fit around 100 people, if needed. The room was currently set up with tables for eating and along one of the walls were ten catering workers awaiting their arrival. As they walked in, Quentin led them to the long table in the front of the room with 13 seats set up on one side in front of a podium facing the rest of the room. Alex smiled at the two seats that had been set up last minute for Elizabeth and Rose at his request, before sitting down directly in front of the podium, with Sam and Nicole to either side of him, with everyone else sitting down such that Rose and Elizabeth were at one end of the table and Ava and Mia were at the other end, with a seat for Quentin left open just past them. As they sat, Quentin stepped out and returned five minutes later with the 35 employees, several of which were looking a bit anxious as they got their first look at Alex. Quentin brought one of them over as the rest found seats.

“Alex, this is your office manager, Harrison Barnes. He will be in charge of making sure everything stays on schedule,” informed Quentin.

Alex stood and stretched out his hand to Harrison as he greeted him.

“Harrison, it is good to finally meet you in person. I take it all of my messages have been giving you fits.”

“Not at all. They just let me know that you are working to ensure we all stay employed for a long time. Though I will admit it is going to be nice to corner you and Tara in the office regularly to tackle the issues that need your approval, rather than having to submit them in Eternal Dominion as we have been.”

“Oh, you think I’ll be in more than once a month to make sure you all are still alive and the place is still in one piece?”

“Umm-”

“Don’t bother pushing it. I just accept that he will address the mountain of paperwork on his desk when he feels like it,” interjected Tara. “Honestly, I am surprised that nothing has been late, yet.”

“Believe it or not, I actually look at the deadline schedule that you put together for me. It has been a real lifesaver as I know you never put anything on my desk that needs my attention in less than a week.”

“More like the only time anything has to be done right away is when you initiate it,” grumbled Tara.

Alex just smiled as Harrison chuckled, before excusing himself and taking a seat. Now that everyone was present, it was time for Alex to give a short speech before the food would be brought out. So, he stepped back and around to the podium, as he laughed to himself at the box that it had been placed on to give it an extra 6 inches of height. Standing behind the podium, Alex found that he didn’t even need to get everyone’s attention as they had all already turned to him, making him smile wryly as he started to speak.

“Well, here we are, on the eve of a new year and of our official launch. I know all of you have been hard at work already behind the scenes to make this day happen and I thank you for that. Now, if you think that you are simply a data analyst, accountant, human resources worker, or a forum researcher, know that you are not. There is a reason that I required you to play Eternal Dominion as part of being hired on here. You are a member of FAE, both inside and outside of Eternal Dominion. Never think that you are just the job I pay you for! Each of you have every right to rise above your station and exceed mine and your own expectations. I need not look any further for a perfect example than Tara here, or Taya as most of you know her. When I first met her, she was completely focused on her crafting and as I intended to put an emphasis on crafters, I rolled the dice to see if she could handle being a vice guild leader. She proved to be able to handle it, and more, as she basically became the guild’s face as the rest of us strove to improve our combat skills. Had that been all she did, she would have earned her spot among us without issue, yet she went further and shocked me. She took what others were doing to get ready for tier-5 and applied it to herself, and walked through the nightmare on her first attempt, joining the ranks of our elite members. She did not say that being adequate is enough. No, she pushed further and it is with pleasure that I recognize her and reward her for going above and beyond, with what we all prefer, a raise.”

Alex smiled as he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Tara, who was looking a bit embarrassed. She quietly opened the envelope to give it a quick look before doing a double take as she looked at Alex, who was back at the podium to continued his speech.

“Now, just how much she was making and is now making is for her and finance to know, but needless to say, it is not nothing. I do not expect any of you to do more than I ask and I am well aware that the jobs you do slow your progress significantly, so take advantage of that. Do not rush to the finish line, but move with purpose and deliberate actions to build upon your foundations. You may not grow to be the tallest tree, but when the wind blows, it will not be you who is knocked down. Now, I doubt you all wish to hear me talk any longer. After all, I’m just an 18-year-old kid who got lucky, and if I wasn’t paying you all to sit and be quiet, none of you would be listening to me right now. So, let’s eat.”

Alex smiled as he sat down causing several confused looks to pass through the room as chatter started up while the caterers started to bring out the food and Nicole spoke to Alex.

“Was it really necessary to call them out for only paying you lip service?”

“Nicole, everyone sitting at this table are the youngest in the room. That goes for all of our upper leadership in ED. If we simply ignore that, we will only come across as a bunch of kids who don’t know what we are doing. By blatantly pointing it out, it shows that we are aware that that is how many see us and shows awareness. You are right that there are some negatives in pointing it out, but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives, as at the very least it will provoke thought amongst them.”

“Still-”

“Nicole,” cut in Sam. “Just leave it be and trust Alex. It’s not like it matters how others see us. After all, we are just a group of dumb kids who are living a dream.”

Alex smiled as he just gave Nicole and Sam a kiss as their food arrived. After they ate, Quentin and Harrison accompanied them as they walked the dedicated floor that was set aside for them, showing Alex the various features that he had been adamant about, such as recliners that were set up for everyone to play ED from. Additionally, the building had 24 individual internet lines set up such that 240 players could be online at once, with path diversity built in to ensure that service interruptions would be extremely unlikely. Harrison had questioned if such measures were really needed, as he just saw it as a waste of money. Alex chalked it up to his own paranoia after his dealings with Abysses End and didn’t mention how in a few years, targeting real-world operations would become a common tactic by the super workshops, especially Abysses End. It would get so bad that outages that would normally only happen every five years or so, would be happening weekly for some. Even with the diversity that was currently set up, it could still fail if someone really put their mind to it. The real advantage is it would only happen once, as those involved would have a hard time calling it a coincidence if three separate paths, that didn’t share any equipment, went out at the same time. When they were done with the tour, it was time to return to the shuttle and finally make their way to their new home. By this point, everyone was happy to sit back and relax as the altitude was clearly affecting them, especially Nicole and Sam who had each taken a few breaks in some of the recliners. Alex smiled as he knew it would take a while for everyone to adjust from living at just above sea level, to elevations around 6,000 feet above sea level.

It was around a 15-minute drive from the downtown area where their headquarters was, to the place Alex had purchased, before having Background Inc. renovate it for his needs. These had shifted slightly when he found out Sam and Nicole were expecting, and the changes that were added at that point had added an extra 2,000,000 credits, for a total cost of 22,000,000 credits to buy the mansion. Alex was looking forward to seeing more than just a few pictures and floor plans to work off of.

It wasn’t long before they were driving up a long driveway that was made of cement, with brickwork separating the different sections. This led to a private estate, tucked away at the edge of the developed areas on the outskirts of what could be considered still Colorado Springs, and Alex smiled at the sight of it. Before them was a two-story mansion. Its exterior was a mix of tan-colored stucco, stone and brick, designed to be aesthetically pleasing while also not standing out too much, with a basement that was hidden below. If you ignored the roughly 5,000 square-foot gymnasium that contained a full-size basketball court, with a hydraulic floor that rose to reveal a swimming pool beneath it, then the living area was roughly 17,000 square feet. This included 19 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms of various sizes and purposes. The first floor was dominated by a massive kitchen, dining room and living room on one side, with the other side having a six-car garage and a utility room, where tasks like laundry would take place. In addition, there was a weight room and four bedrooms and two larger bathrooms on this floor. The second floor was set up to be the main living area with a smaller kitchen, living room and dining room, to go along with the 15 bedrooms and nine bathrooms. Save for the massive master bedroom, each room shared a full bathroom with the one that connected it, with a half bathroom off of the dining room as well. The basement was made up of four rooms. A conference room, a room just slightly over 1,000 square feet which was set up to be an area for kids to play without worry, a two-lane bowling alley and a bathroom. The bathroom, however, was a major feature of the property as it contained 4 toilet rooms and a single massive jacuzzi tub that could easily fit ten.

As Alex was looking forward to verifying everything, his friends were having a different reaction to seeing the mansion for the first time. Fred and Dan were smiling like idiots, while Henry laughed nervously as it became clear that there was nothing past it and it was indeed the shuttle’s destination. Amanda and Tara were giving Alex a look that just said, really, and Sam and Nicole were looking rather shell shocked. Meanwhile, Ava, Mia, Rose and Elizabeth seemed to not find anything out of place. It was Nicole who prodded Alex first.

“Alex, how the heck are we going to find time to clean that?”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh, which earned him a look from Nicole that said “Not okay,” before he responded.

“We each will only need to worry about our own rooms. Everything else will be handled by our staff, who we are about to meet.”

“Wait, we are going to have servants? Just how much are you spending on this place?” inquired Sam.

“If I include the first year of the four live-in workers’ pay, it cost less than three months of running our headquarters.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Sam, leave it be for now. When it is just the three of us, Alex will share the full details with us, won’t you,” stated Nicole.

“Down to every extra credit that went over budget,” replied Alex happily. “After all, you two will get to see everything regarding our finances at midnight.”

As Alex said those words, the shuttle pulled up to the front of the mansion and waiting there were two men and two women. Each was dressed distinctly from each other, with the black-haired man wearing a three-piece suit and the brown-haired guy in nice jeans and a plain shirt. Next to each man was a lady. The brunette next to the man in jeans was dressed as a chef, and the blond next to the man in the suit wore a simple and comfortable dress over her clearly pregnant belly. All four of them stood looking like they were anxious as the shuttle’s doors opened and everyone stepped out, with Alex wasting no time in walking forward to meet them. As he did so, the man in the suit stepped forward to greet him.

“Welcome home, sir. If I may take a moment to formally introduce everyone, we can move onto getting everyone settled.”

“Certainly. After all, I am the only one who even knows your names as I kept this all as a surprise for them. Also, have some patience with us as we all will need some time to adjust to our new lives.”

“It will be my pleasure, sir. Now, if I might have everyone’s attention.”

Alex checked and found that everyone was off the shuttle and the driver was currently unloading their luggage and just after Fred and Dan stopped laughing at something, the butler began.

“Greetings, sirs and madams. I am Gido Brack and I will be serving you all as your butler from today forward. What that entails can wait for a bit as I am sure you are all eager to explore your new home. This is my wife Julie, who will be working as a nanny once the little ones arrive.”

Gido motioned to the blond who was pregnant as she stepped forward and curtsied slightly before saying “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” and he continued.

“Here we have the grounds keeper and handyman, Mr. Jacob Davis and his wife Sofie, who will serve as the mansion’s chef.”

The Davises both waved and gave their own short greetings before Gido continued.

“Now, I recognize all of you but the two ladies over there from the files Master Bell has provided. If you two would be so kind as to introduce yourselves?”

“Hold up,” interrupted Alex. “I am sure that I said I was fine with being addressed as sir when needed, but otherwise you are to simply call me Alex and that goes for the rest of my friends as well. We are a bunch of teenagers who don’t come from money. If you start calling those two over there master, their heads may never deflate.”

Alex was pointing to Fred and Dan, both of whom were holding in a laugh as Gido responded.

“My apologies, sir. It is an old habit that I will have to break. I only ask that you have some patience with me.”

With that, Alex nodded and assented as Rose and Elizabeth introduced themselves and Alex instructed for them to be placed in one of the guest rooms.

“It will be my pleasure to take care of that. Now, if you’ll follow me, I will act as your guide now.”

As Jacob started to bring their luggage in, Gido guided them along the path next to the road where an attached six-car garage with three two-car doors was. He then pulled out a small remote with a fingerprint scanner built in and three buttons. Each of the buttons opened one of the doors, as he demonstrated and explained the additional security features built into the system. As the doors opened, it revealed five cars and one open space. Two of the cars were the private vehicles of the Bracks and Davises and were nice sedans that would be inconspicuous. Two of the others were full-size SUVs that seated seven comfortably after the interior options had been chosen, and at the same time could take a hit. Alex had chosen them due to the safety ratings for crashes after he learned he would be a father. This particular model had done all it could to shift its center of gravity down to mitigate rollover issues as well. Last, but not least, was the midnight-blue corvette that Sam was currently drooling over, as Gido showed the doors leading to the utility area before reaching the main house. Instead of heading inside, out of the cold, Gido closed the garage doors and walked around the side of the garage and to an area that was designated for parking should they ever need it during an event. It was deep enough to fit three SUVs and wide enough to fit 12 of them if they were packed tight by a valet driver. Alex doubted they would ever need that much space, but knew that it would be useful once everyone started to get their own vehicles. Next, the group was led in through a sliding door to the gymnasium that contained the full-size basketball court, as Gido launched into his speech.

“Here we have a full-sized basketball court. As you can see, the floor is completely free of all equipment. If you will look over there, you will see another sliding door that will lead to a weight room, which also contains all of the equipment meant to be used out here. Now, if you would walk through those doors.”

After everyone else was through the doors and standing on the durable black rubbered tiled floor of the equipment room, Gido stopped just before them and spoke.

“Now, Julie dear, if you would please attempt to raise the floor.”

“Alright, here we go.”

Julie walked to a control box on the wall next to the gym and after entering a code, pressed the up button as a red light in the gym flashed and a display screen projected with a red warning displayed, saying to clear the floor before attempting again. Gido stepped forward and Julie pressed the up button once more as hydraulics came to life and over the course of five minutes, the floor was raised 15 feet and 100 four-inch square steel poles swung out from the wall, stopping two feet out before lowering into slots a foot down to lock in place. Next, the floor lowered until it was resting on the steel poles as Gido started speaking again.

“As you can see, the floor will not rise if any of the sensors pick up an issue. This does run the risk of a sensor failing, but Mr. Davis is well versed in maintaining these systems, so any issues should be minor. These sensors will not allow the floor to rise if it senses anything larger than one square inch on the floor, and for safety it will not lower if anything is below. Now, I believe it would be a good time to take a short break in the living room across the way.”

Alex looked at Sam and Nicole, who were clearly starting to feel the difference in altitude once again, even if only slightly. Still, they made their way to the enormous living room that, like the rest of the house, sported hardwood floors and off-white walls, along with area rugs under all of the furniture to protect the floors. The rugs all had different neutrally colored geometric patterns that broke up the monotone of the floor and the room, as did the various pieces of flower art that hung on the walls. With several couches and recliners set up as per Alex’s instructions to create enough seating for 40, it was easy to spread out as Sam and Nicole sat with Julie to talk and everyone else took to exploring the room. As they did so, Gido stopped next to Alex and spoke.

“Sir, if I may have your ear for a moment.”

“Gido, feel free to share your thoughts whenever you feel it’s relevant.”

“As you wish, sir. I just wished to thank you for hiring Julie and I. While I am sure I could have found employment, it would have certainly come at the cost of barely seeing her and our child.”

“Gido, if I am honest with you, the fact that she is expecting was what put you at the top of my list. I am well aware that your role will have your needs come after my own and will see you working far more hours than is healthy. I am also aware that due to your circumstances, you wish to be in a role that will allow you to have more time with your family. I also will soon need a nanny, even though we still intend to be highly involved in raising our kids, so hiring her as well made sense. Besides, I was able to hire you both at a cost that was just slightly more than hiring a butler normally would cost. So, if anything, I should be thanking you.”

“Sir, you jest. Julie and I are well aware that between both your ladies and family that will be arriving, she will hardly need to do more than pay attention to the baby monitor.”

“Yet that is an important role and you have to remember that my mother is expecting as well. Yes, my intent is to have Julie act as a second pair of hands 90% of the time, and I even expect her to take a break and leave your child in our care for a few hours at least once a day. However, do not think for a second that I do not feel her services are valued. If anything, I value her more for the fact that she will have a child of her own, who will hopefully grow up to be the best of friends with my own.”

“Is that really proper?”

“Gido, while I still expect the loyalty and discretion any good butler would have, I do not wish for you and your family to exist entirely in the background. Besides, you try and tell a bunch of kids not to play together, or tell them that they can’t play together anymore once they are old enough to understand. All that will create is a distorted view on reality where my children would think that they’re better than yours and I will not have that.”

Gido wore a troubled look and Alex could tell that he was having issues with breaking his own view on how he would live his life. At 40 years old, he had been living this life for the past two decades. He had only found himself looking for a new position when it came out that he was in an intimate relationship with the 25-year-old maid Julie and she was carrying his child. This was due to a strict no fraternization policy that they both had violated and their employer requiring one of them to leave. Both knew that they would never see the other more than a few times a year if one of them stayed on and they had the savings to be fine for a few years at least. Alex knew all of this, just as he knew that he was paying Gido about 60% of what he was worth. He was also paying Julie the same amount. It was still less than they were making combined before, but it was only around a ten percent loss total, as Julie was being paid well above her old salary. The side benefit that really made it a fit was the fact that they didn’t need to have a separate residence, as Alex had allotted them two rooms, allowing them a room for their unborn child. He had put the same thing in Mr. and Mrs. Davis’s contract should they decide to have a child as well, which was part of how he secured their services. Gido’s face finally lightened as he looked over at Julie talking with Nicole and Sam, and with a nod to Alex, he spoke to the room who had been enjoying the five-minute break.

“If I could get everyone’s attention once more. I trust that you have had a chance to warm back up and catch your breath, as I know the altitude will take a bit to fully adjust to. If you would follow me, Sofie should be ready to show you around the kitchen.”

While Gido had been talking, Alex had made his way over to Sam and Nicole and after helping them up, he gave Julie a hand as well, to which she smiled. As they walked down the hallway headed away from the direction of the garage, they passed by the stairs and a bathroom on the right, before turning left into the roughly 1,000 square-foot kitchen. The kitchen had been modeled partially off a professional one, with stainless steel surfaces and equipment with reddish-brown slip-resistant tiles and in the center stood a smiling Sofie, who wasted no time in getting their tour started.

“Welcome to my domain. Now, I have a few rules that Alex here said would be fine. The first rule, if you want to cook something, do it in your kitchen upstairs. Yes, this place has two kitchens. This one is my domain and I don’t play nice with others in here. Second rule, that fridge over there is the only one any of you should be getting into, as it is where I will leave ready-to-eat snacks for you. I will also be stocking a fridge upstairs with the same snacks, for convenience. Now onto the rest…”

Sofie walked from one spot to another, explaining what it was and why it was off limits, with enthusiasm for the next ten minutes. Alex could tell she was just enjoying telling someone about all of the new toys she got to play with, as she described the different dishes she would make using the various tools. As a professional private chef, she was used to working in limited kitchens, like the one upstairs, from how much she was gushing over the professional-grade setup. Alex almost felt he could have gotten her to pay him for the opportunity to work out of this kitchen. Still, he had forced her to make one exception to her rule of only she was allowed to touch anything in the kitchen, for his mother. It would be interesting to see how the two of them would interact with one another when she came out in February, or March. After the kitchen, they went out the way they came in and were shown the downstairs dining room, to include pointing out the large hot tub on the porch outside it, before Gido led them upstairs. When they came to the top of the stairs, he explained that to the right were eight bedrooms that each shared a bathroom with one other room. They turned left and walked down the hall past two bedrooms on each side that also shared a private bathroom with the one next to them. These were the rooms Alex intended to put his and Sam’s parents in, along with any visitors when they came out. After taking a left, followed by a quick right, they found themselves in the upstairs living room, or den, depending on how you looked at it. With the 14 of them present, the room felt close to capacity as they enjoyed another short break as everyone talked about this or that regarding the house.

After the break, they were shown around the smaller kitchen and dining room, which were closer to what a normal house would have. The kitchen had the same reddish brown tiles as downstairs, but hardwood cabinets and granite counter tops. Altogether, the kitchen, dining room and living room combined were about the same size as the kitchen downstairs was and Alex still found it strange to think about. He had to keep reminding himself that there were going to be over 20 mouths to feed regularly once his and Sam’s parents came out and the babies were born. After the kitchen, Gido pointed out the double doors that opened into the hallway where the master bedroom and two more bedrooms, which would be his kids’ rooms once they were born, were. Gido simply stated that it was the private area of Alex and his family, before ushering everyone to the elevator, or stairs, to head down to the basement. By the time Alex and the rest of the group who had to take the stairs made it to the bottom, they could tell that the air was thinner, as none of them thought that they should be winded from that, but they were. Alex was happy to see that the conference room was set up such that it could also function as a media room. Fred and Dan had both looked at Alex weird when they saw the bowling alley, and Sam and Nicole cooed in delight when they saw the room that was set up for their babies to play in. Yet the big fuss happened when Ava and Mia discovered the hot-tub-style bathtub in the bathroom large enough to fit ten. Both had hinted that they couldn’t wait to get some quality time in it while giving Alex eyes, which he ignored. The basement was one of the areas he could do nothing about as far as major structural changes went. The room for the kids had just been repurposed from a home bar and the rest was as it had been when he bought the place.

Finally, the tour came to an end when they returned to the first floor and were shown where the four bedrooms were that were set aside for the live-in help. As well as their main bathroom that felt like two that had been combined into one, with it set up with two private toilet rooms and two private bathtubs and shower combos. One of which was a two-person one with water jets installed. As they all made it back to the living room to relax and talk about everything, they saw Jacob had returned and spoke.

“Well, everything is in place and ready for you guys to head to your rooms when you are ready.”

“Wait, we don’t get to pick our rooms?” asked Dan in surprise.

“No, I have assigned you each rooms ahead of time. Amanda, you are good with rooming with Fred, right? If not, I have a second room that you can switch to. Just know if you do stay with Fred, you will have to share a bathroom with these two doofuses.”

Alex was smiling as he pointed at Fred and Dan, as Amanda thought about it before responding.

“I get to make them clean the bathroom if they make a mess out of it, right?”

“Even better, you can have Gido here supervise them and teach them how to really clean it.”

Amanda smiled brightly as Fred and Dan looked worried as she responded.

“I’ll give it a try. Who knows, it might be nice.”

“Wait, shouldn’t Fred have a say in if Amanda will be staying in his room?” inquired Dan in a worried tone.

“You’re right. Fred, do you want to share a room with me?”

“I would like nothing else. I think it is a great idea and certainly have no concerns about whatever Dan is thinking about,” replied Fred a bit rigidly, while looking like he wanted to smack Dan upside his head.

Alex held in a laugh at the scene as everyone got up and made their way back to the second floor. This time, instead of turning left, they made a right into the area with the eight bedrooms. When they reached a T in the hall, Jacob directed them to the right and the first door on the left was Henry’s room. At the end of the hall on the right were two rooms that were ready for Elizabeth and Rose to use for the moment, with the corner room on the left empty for the time being. On the left side of the hall were the other four bedrooms, with Dan being the first on the left, and Fred and Amanda just past him. On the right side was first Tara’s room, then it was the twins in the corner room just past Tara’s room. As everyone went to check out their rooms, Alex smiled as he followed Dan to his. Upon entering, the first thing he noticed was the VR pod that Alex had installed in every room, with two being in any room planned for double occupancy. The pod was around eight feet long and two feet wide and was just large enough to fit anyone who wasn’t excessively tall, or broad. The technology that it had originally been based off of was a failed attempt at creating a deep space stasis pod to place the user in a state of suspended animation. Unfortunately, while they had been successful in most areas, they ran into the issue of keeping the muscles healthy as even in stasis, time did not ignore them. They had figured out how to stimulate them, but failed to find a way to get them the nutrition they needed in a timely manner without breaking the stasis. These pods had dropped the stasis aspect, but still maintained the muscle stimulation and included a mouthpiece from which a nutritional fluid would be fed to the players as the system detected the need. Dan had been so enamored with the pod that it had taken him a few minutes to realize something was off with his room.

“Hey, Alex, I know that I will be spending most of my time in the pod playing ED, but where is my bed?”

“Dan, I decided that you don’t need a bed, or a recliner in your room. You can just head to one of the living rooms if you want to relax.”

Alex was holding in a laugh as Fred and Amanda walked in through the shared bathroom.

“Alex, the VR pods are awesome! How the hell did you manage to secure so many for us?” questioned Fred excitedly.

“Dude do you not have a bed as well?” cut in Dan.

“Nah, we have a nice big one. Why? Oh, well would you look at that,” responded Amanda with a smile. “Alex, did you only get us a bed since we were a couple?”

“Nope. Dan’s room is one of the only two without a bed,” laughed Alex.

“Dude, not cool. Alright, the joke has gone far enough, where is my bed?”

“It will arrive August 5th, 2268,” quipped Alex.

Dan just looked at Alex in confusion, until he realized the meaning and responded.

“Really, I don’t get a bed until Anna is 18?”

Alex just smiled as Amanda blinked a few times before breaking out laughing, as Fred just whistled.

“Oh, that is good.” Amanda chuckled. “Dan, just smile and accept this one. Alex is just doing his part as an older brother to make sure you two are good when she visits this summer and whenever else she comes out. I take it the other room without a bed is for Anna when she comes out?”

“That would be correct,” replied Alex.

At this point, Sam and Nicole had made their way over to see what the fuss was about, having caught Amanda’s comment and getting the gist of the situation. They both gave Alex a look of amusement and he just smiled as he turned to leave with the pair.

“I think we should head over to our room so I can show you both the few surprises I have for you.”

“Room, as in only one?” interrogated Nicole.

“Just let me show you the setup before you ask any questions.”

“Hmm, fine.”

“Nicole, relax. Even if it is a single room, I’m sure Alex has considered our feelings,” added Sam, while looking at Alex as if to say, “you better have.”

“You both need to relax. There are a few different options we need to decide on and everything will be set up to how we want. Everything past the dining room is ours to figure out. If you two don’t like the current setup, I will have the area ripped to the studs and reconfigured to however you two like.”

“Four,” cut in Mia who had just arrived with Ava.

“We have already talked with Sam and Nicole,” added Ava.

“They agreed to letting us give some input if any decisions were going to be made on the living situation.”

“Though it will only be a consideration, with them still having the final word.”

“Wait, what?”

“Alex, we told you we have already accepted it is pretty much a when, not if,” responded Sam.

“Yah, and while we aren’t letting them make any decisions, Sam and I want to know their thoughts, if for no other reason than they are our friends,” commented Nicole.

“Your friends who have thought about things like this way too much I take it,” sighed Alex in defeat.

“Oh, don’t be like that,” joked Mia.

“Yeah, smile and just be happy that we care,” continued Ava.

Alex just shook his head as he led the four of them to the other end of the house and opened the double doors that led to another hallway. Alex started by showing them the two rooms on the left that were meant for their kids as they grew up. Both rooms were around 230 square feet and they shared a bathroom. Once they had walked through the two rooms and bathroom, Ava and Mia chimed in.

“Alex, how many kids do you plan to have?” asked Mia.

“Umm.”

“Really now, that set-up will work for two, maybe even four thanks to the half bath off the dining room,” stated Ava.

“But just imagine four girls trying to get ready with only one shower and those two sinks,” continued Mia.

“Still, I can see a few workarounds that should be doable, if needed in the future.”

Ava and Mia went on to list what they would change, stating that they didn’t see Alex having less than four and more likely at least eight kids, if they joined the relationship. Alex could only watch helplessly as the four ladies plotted and planned the adjustments they thought were needed. Nicole had actually started to take notes as Sam recorded the conversation to make sure they didn’t miss anything. Hearing them talk, Alex was happy that he had left this area alone before arrival. While he could tell everyone else to deal with it when it came to what he had done for their areas, Sam and Nicole were a different story.

“Alright, let’s go ahead and see what this master bedroom looks like,” stated Nicole, interrupting Alex’s train of thought.

“Alright, follow me.”

Alex led them across the hall and into the massive room that was over 500 square feet, with an enormous walk-in closet and a private bathroom. The bathroom had a large two-, or three-person, bathtub with jets, as well as a separate shower. There was also a double sink and a small room with a closed-off toilet in it. While Ava and Mia walked around looking like a pair of housing inspectors, Sam and Nicole had moved on from the Alaskan king to the three VR pods, as they looked at the two that were very different from the rest of the ones currently in the house. They were both about six inches wider than the rest and clearly had a few extra features, to include built-in speakers.

“Alex, what are we looking at?” asked Sam.

“So, your first insight into my finances is that I have been buying as much stock as I can in the company that makes these VR pods. When I found out that you two were pregnant, I funded two custom pods for you that will also act as prototypes of maternity pods.”

“Hold on, what?” interjected Nicole. “Alex, just what did these cost?”

“Nothing compared to what you are thinking. I actually am considered a major shareholder at this point. So, they were happy to work with me as long as I agreed that they could collect data on both of you and our kids over the next few years.”

“Hold on, you agreed to turn us and our kids into guinea pigs without asking us?” questioned Sam.

“No. First off, you still need to sign the waiver before they can collect anything and second, all they are asking for is the information from your normal physicals. If you turn it down, I will just have to pay full price and they will have to add a few more to their testing phase. Also, if you want to disable all of the extra features, all you need to do is turn that key and it will function the same as any other VR pod.”

“Alright, now just what kind of features does this thing have?” inquired Sam.

Alex spent the next ten minutes going over the various features which could be toggled on and off through the menu if the system was enabled. These included speakers that would play music, or other audio files if set to do so, to include letting you speak from within the game itself. Additionally, there was a partial shared senses option that could be toggled on that would allow them to feel when the baby was moving, even when logged in. Then for post birth, there were several features as well, to include an automatic pumping machine that stored the breast milk in a refrigerated compartment. There were several other features tailored to expecting and new mothers built in, such as increased monitoring of the player vitals. Alex had remembered how these three had been key features that had been a must for any model that he had acquired for Twilight Sky in his last life. By the time Alex was done talking, Ava and Mia had come over and had listened to most of his explanation of the features. As the four girls digested the information while looking at the manuals Alex had handed them, Nicole spoke.

“Alright, so it seems like there are some pros and cons with these features, but I think I will agree to let them have my data. However, Alex, I do not like how you didn’t check with us before setting all of this up, even if I get part of why you did. I’m going to let this slide this time with you having to accept one thing Sam and I decide for you, within reason, at a later date, so long as Sam agrees.”

“Agreed. Nicole and I will discuss what you will have to do and come up with something good. I’m thinking diaper duty for the first year whenever you are not in ED,” commented Sam.

“Alright, now that that is out of the way,” cut in Mia before Alex could respond.

“We have a lot to talk about as far as this room goes,” continued Ava.

With that the four girls entered their own world as they discussed different aspects of the room, with the twins complimenting Alex on getting a bed that could fit all five of them with a bit of snuggling. In the end, they all agreed that they should see how sharing one large room worked out before making any adjustments, though they were already playing around with the idea of turning it into three bedrooms and one bath with smaller closets. Alex didn’t miss Sam and Nicole talking about how if they added the dining room in to the master bedroom and bathroom, they would have as much space as their three-bedroom apartment had. While they were all discussing various options, Gido arrived to inform Alex and the ladies that dinner would be ready in a half hour and that a Ms. Kate Astor had arrived asking to see Alex. Alex frowned as he walked to the elevator after leaving Sam and Nicole to talk with Ava and Mia some more. As he and Gido stepped out onto the landing of the first floor, they made their way to the living room where Julie was standing by with Kate, in case she needed anything. As Alex got his first look at the young heiress of the Astor family in the flesh, he frowned. He could tell she was wearing luxury brands, yet if he saw her in a crowd in a mall, he would have no idea she was wearing over 10,000 credits in apparel. While she did not look as plain as she did when she came to represent Fire Oath’s interests in ED, her brown hair and eyes matched her in-game persona, down to the simple style she wore her straight hair in. As Alex came into view, she smiled as she stood and closed the distance before speaking.

“I must say that while the reports on how you modified this place do show a lack of refinement, you certainly did focus on practical and functional features, for the most part.”

“Coming from you I will take that as a compliment. Now, to what do I owe the honor of hosting you today, Ms. Astor.”

“Alex, please call me Kate. I am only a few years older than you. As for my reason for being here, do you have a room where we can meet in private?”

“I must apologize, Kate, but I have a policy against meeting in private with any young woman outside ED for security reasons.”

“I see. I suppose after what that idiot Nantan tried to pull that is understandable. Hmm, very well, I suppose that it will be fine for Gido to accompany us as I am well aware that he can be trusted to maintain confidentiality.”

“I see that you have done your homework. Very well, we can move to the conference room downstairs.”

Kate smiled as she walked beside Alex, with Gido walking two steps behind them. Meanwhile, Alex’s heart sank as he knew the fact that she was seeking a private meeting with him meant that she wasn’t here to simply congratulate him on the official launch of his workshop scheduled for tomorrow. With her personality, Alex was sure it would be to offer a deal that would look wonderful right now, only for it to chain him down a few years from now. Still, as he already had an agreement with Fire Oath through her, he couldn’t simply refuse to meet with her. As they made it into the conference room, Gido stayed near the door as he and Ms. Astor moved to the far side of the room, before taking a seat on a few chairs along the wall.

“Now, Kate, what has you here wishing for a confidential meeting the day before Fire Oath has to own up to the first part of our deal? You couldn’t be looking to get me to delay, or allow you to back out, could you?”

Alex was looking forward to establishing the crafting deal with Fire Oath that they had agreed to in exchange for letting them out of the two-billion-credit bet they had made with him. Now that his workshop was officially opening in reality, they would essentially be turning over all crafting to FAE and supply materials slightly below market rate. This would allow FAE to grow much faster in the long run, as far as crafting was concerned at least.

“Heavens, no. To the contrary, we are looking forward to working with you and Free Art Expo, though I believe that is simply a euphemism for how you feel about Abysses End. I am not sure as to what they did that set you off so thoroughly as I doubt that the encounters you had with their members early on could have made you go so far, but it matters not. Plain and simple, I am 90% sure that one of your main goals is to cause issues for Abysses End, and you seem to be doing an excellent job, I might add. However, your last actions may bring you more issues than you would like. Part of why I am here is to offer our cooperation with no strings attached, in dealing with the behind the scenes fallout that is headed your way.”

“I see. You are speaking of the counters they will make, to attempt to frame things as I set Nantan up, to clear his name and instead put me behind bars, correct?”

“It is good that you are already aware of that one, but no, we are speaking of the fallout of when they stop caring about perceptions and target you without holding anything back. The fact that you have equipped this place with three fully redundant internet packages with just as much bandwidth as your office downtown shows that you are already paranoid. What we are offering is to monitor their actions and let you know when we hear of any moves they intend to make.”

“Hmm, your offer is tempting, though I feel it is too good to be true. Let’s see, from how I see it, Fire Oath already has all of the feelers out there and would not be doing anything extra but letting me know about actions Abysses End is going to take against me when it’s convenient. Were I to agree, it would delay me in building my own information network to the necessary level and make me reliant on Fire Oath. At which point I would be slowly pulled into your sphere of influence until it becomes hard to separate myself from you.”

“Why do you have to already be involved with so many women?”

“Excuse me?”

“If you weren’t currently fully engaged with the ladies you have, I would be asking you to marry me right now.”

“Is that what your family wants?”

“Ha, even if they did, they know I would refuse unless it was my own desire. No, I have grown tired of all of those who simply look at the now and can be led by the nose. When I sit with you, it is like you already know the traps I will lay before I even place them. I would say that you simply can read me and nothing more, if it were not for seeing you in action over the past five months. No amount of luck would have you go from a kid with no credits to your name, to sitting as an equal to an heiress of one of the wealthiest families in the world. While you are a bit too loud with your wealth, you have not flaunted it in any truly extravagant ways either. Hmm, out of curiosity, were I to propose that you marry me and make me your legal wife while keeping your other four ladies as recognized mistresses, what would you say? Before you answer, know that I had to earn my status due to being born to my father’s tenth mistress. It is really not as uncommon of a situation as you may believe, among our circles, to have a few dozen ladies to love.”

Alex took a moment as he processed her double speak as she essentially said no, she didn’t and yes, she did want to marry him in the same statement. Add it to everything else that he had to deal with on this day and he just wanted to be done with it all and spend some time playing ED.

“Kate, what I think is that you are leaving your position ambiguous in hope of understanding my own feelings and adjusting accordingly. So, I will simply say, that regardless of how the world sees it, I don’t have mistresses, I have two ladies who I consider to be my wives. What the other two are is far too complicated for me to express accurately, so I will just ask if you know any decent guys you think could lure them away. As for marrying you, that is something that I am not even thinking about.”

“Correction, it is something that you weren’t thinking about and you’re right, I do want to know where you stand. Make no mistake, I am self-aware enough to know that I would never be first in your heart. Legal wives rarely are in the circles I grew up in. No, our union would be purely a business transaction were it to occur, one in which I dare say you would profit the most from, yet I would enjoy the most. Now let us move away from what could be and instead focus on what will be. For that, allow me to enlighten you on where Fire Oath stands in regard to you and your workshop. We are in full support of ensuring that you stay on the path you currently are as we have little interest in your continent in ED. Nor do we place a premium on having the first guild bonus, as much as we do in ensuring that our opponents do not. If I were to say what your guild has that we value, it is only you and the insights you seem to have and the exploits that you find and use so freely.”

Alex sat in thought as he digested her statement once more. He knew quick responses would only lead to trouble, yet he wasn’t finding any blatant lies, or deceptions. The only thing he could point to was the quick pivot away from the talk of marriage. He couldn’t help but wonder if her true goal here today was to plant the seeds in his head of marrying her. Still, if he could avoid that subject moving forward, he would. So, with that in mind, he responded.

“The value Fire Oath sees is my thoughts and actions, not anything else? Hmm, you’re here to get the inside scoop on the tier 5 trial, particularly the Nightmare mode, aren’t you?”

“That would be welcome, but an unexpected boon. We are well aware that your policy regarding super workshops is to hinder, not help if at all possible. Even your actions of helping Jingong didn’t help them avoid degrading to a major power in the near future. You simply stopped the freefall and denied us and the other super workshops a few easy acquisitions at discounted prices. Well done by the way. I must say that your actions and the results you achieved exceeded my expectations.”

“Alright, you have me at a loss. You can’t simply be here to offer me information on Abysses End, as you could have just called the next time they were going to make a move. Fire Oath’s elites should be a few weeks away from attempting their tier-5 trial, so wanting inside information on it made sense, yet you say that is not what you are after, so what is it?”

Kate smiled brightly like she had won a prize, before responding.

“It is nice to know I can still surprise you, Alex. I am here to show Fire Oath’s sincerity to FAE. To do this, I am to offer you a few options on how our cooperation will work moving forward. You have a strictly business as usual approach option where everything is done based off profits and losses like you currently intend. We are also willing to move to more of an investment mentality, though I know that is not something you are interested in. No, the option I expect you to choose is the one that brings you the most benefit, yet will also bring the most scrutiny and possible action from the other four super workshops, or three, if you ignore Abysses End.”

“And what option would that be?”

“Simple. You sell me, not Fire Oath, a five percent non-transferable to a degree, stake in FAE for 500,000,000 credits and I join FAE in ED as the vice guild leader in charge of external guild relations. I would handle all dealings with any other guilds that came to FAE seeking cooperation, or trouble. This would of course include the other super workshops when they come knocking. I would ensure to run things by you before I made any final decisions as you are the guild leader and your vision and goals would need to be considered as well. So, does that sound like something you would be amenable to?”

Alex was torn at the offer. He could clearly see all of the traps that accepting would create and he was sure he was missing some. Yet he knew Kate Astor from his last life and her ability to make a deal and turn it to her absolute advantage was well beyond anything he could hope to achieve himself. If she were really committed to FAE and wasn’t setting things up for an eventual Fire Oath takeover, having her in his guild would be an enormous boost.

“Kate, before I answer, let me explain how I see you. You are a driven individual who prides herself on always getting the best of any deal, even if it takes years for the results to show. You are patient and calculative. You don’t make a move without calculating what the next 100 moves will be. You likely have three, or four, variations of that offer to spin to me should I decline it, all of which would lead to a similar result. You have likely addressed every counter argument you could see me making and if I could believe that you would truly put FAE first, bringing you on board would be great. However, even if you became my legal wife, I would still not see you putting Fire Oath’s interests behind FAE’s. So, tell me, how can I place my faith in you to assume such a vital role in FAE?”

“Alex, have I mentioned just how much I love the fact that you see to the heart of the issue? I will be blunt with you. 500,000,000 credits is almost everything that I can call my own being liquidated, or borrowed against. If you agree, then I will be all in on FAE and I am well aware that you don’t need my funds at this time and can easily turn my offer down. If you ask how you can trust me to place FAE before Fire Oath, that is easy to answer. Fire Oath is a super workshop and owning 0.5% of it is something that is beyond anyone who wants to join them. Alex, in under six months, you have taken FAE from nothing, to standing on the stage with every other major workshop that dreams to become a true overlord. In another year, who knows just how high you will rise and I would be shocked if FAE is not a super workshop in a decade. Here I can truly become what I wish to be, but could never in Fire Oath. Yes, I will still care about Fire Oath and have a connection with them, but FAE would be my priority. So, is that convincing enough for you?”

Alex sighed as he answered. “Yes, though I still cannot shake off my concerns completely and I can’t simply agree to your offer without consulting the rest of my guild’s leadership first.”

“You mean Mr. Gaute Holmsen, or Geitir Hakonsson as he is known in Eternal Dominion, who has recently become a minority owner in FAE. It was actually the details of how he became an owner that have me settling for only five percent. I had hoped to secure ten percent. Very well, would it be safe to assume that this meeting will take place in ED?”

“That would be ideal.”

“Alright, would you be willing to host me here in the meantime, or should I return after the meeting?”

“Did you truly arrive here alone?”

“Heavens no. My security detail is simply waiting in the car for my return. Speaking of which, you really should hire some security for your home. You never know who will try something when you are unprepared and you’re logged in to ED. The automated ones you have can only do so much, regardless of how advanced their AI is.”

“Duly noted. What will your detail be doing while you wait here?”

“They will stay in the car all night should I require it, though I am sure they would rather relax in your home.”

“Very well, have them come in and join us for dinner. After which, I will gather all of my vice guild leaders and relevant parties, to discuss your offer to partner with us. Just know that if I do accept your offer, it will come with a short leash to start with while we grow accustomed to working with one another.”

“Understandable, though not altogether appreciated as it will make my role harder to have to clear everything I do before doing it.”

“You misunderstand, the leash will be a shadow who I trust, not extra red tape. Think of it as a mandatory personal assistant who will be reporting everything you do in ED back to me.”

“Oh, and what about out of Eternal Dominion?”

“I have a few options to address that, though I would rather not need to use any of them.”

“Hmm, I see. Then I will offer my own suggestion. Supply me with two rooms here, one for me and one for my security detail, and I will stay where you can see me at your leisure. I will even allow you, or someone you trust, to accompany me whenever I leave the property.”

“That was one of the options, though I hesitate to simply agree as there are other considerations that must be made first. Now, let us head to dinner and log into ED. I expect you to come to my guild’s headquarters as soon as you are online as well.”

“Very well. I assume you have an extra apparatus for me to use to log in with.”

“Yes. Gido will show you and your security to the room that I have prepared for when my parents come out in a few months. You can use the standard VR pod in there to log in.”

“Very well.”

Alex and Kate both smiled as they walked out of the conference room and made their way to dinner, as Gido went to invite her detail in. As Alex made his way into the massive downstairs dining room, he found everyone else had already gathered. He took note of the groups that seemed to have formed as Dan, Fred and Henry all chatted, while Amanda, Tara, Elizabeth and Rose were laughing together, as Sam, Nicole and the twins were going over a few quick drawings of ideas for changing up the master bedroom area. Kate shot Alex a glance as she inserted herself next to Sam and Nicole as Ava and Mia gave her a suspicious look. Alex simply sat down before sending out a message over the guild leadership chat that they needed to be ready for a meeting first thing when he logged in after dinner. After the message was sent, he watched as most everyone at the table took note of it and gave him a look as Gido arrived with three more women. All of these women were dressed in suits and clearly had the feel of personal security surrounding them as they instantly checked in with Kate before taking seats off to the side of everyone else. Alex could tell that they were scanning the room for exits and possible avenues of attack in case something went down, as if it was second nature to them.

After everyone was seated, Sofie entered pushing a cart, with Julie following behind with a cart of her own. Sofie went on to introduce the evening’s meal as she and Julie placed dishes in front of everyone and bid them to enjoy it and let her know if they would like more. Tonight was a beef stew that was meant to warm everyone up after making the trip from sunny California to Colorado. While they had stayed indoors most of the day, it was still winter. The massive temperature shift’s effects were still noticeable, making it the perfect meal for their first night in Colorado. Once dinner was over, Alex, Sam and Nicole made their way to their room ready to log in at 6:00 PM for an extended session, as they didn’t plan on logging off until 7:00 the following morning. As they stepped into the massive bedroom, Nicole was the first to speak.

“Alex, is everything alright? You seemed out of it at dinner.”

“Yah, just a few worries about motives behind Kate’s actions have me pondering what outcome I should hope for.”

“Oh. I know we are about to have a meeting about what she wants, but what has you concerned?” asked Sam.

“Just how the conversation flowed between her and I and what she is truly after from me.”

“And what do you think she wants from you?” inquired Nicole.

“I’m not sure and that is my concern. She could be just after enriching herself, or she could want to experience being part of the rise of what she sees as a future super workshop. However, the one that has me concerned is that she could be after me.”

“After you how?” pushed Sam, looking concerned.

Alex took on a complicated look as he responded. “I am unsure myself on that point as she is the type to hide her true goals under other seemingly more realistic ones. She could be leading me to believe she wishes to marry me. Only to actually wish to ensure that a wall is built that will keep us as simply business partners. At the same time, by claiming that a marriage between us would be a simple business deal, she could be lowering my guard to actually fall for her.”

“Wait, what is this about marrying her?” questioned Nicole.

“One of the hypotheticals she posed to me during our meeting. She passed it off as a passing thought, yet it is where I feel her true trap has been laid.”

“Alex!”

“Nicole, I have no intention of entertaining the idea.”

“Wait, Alex, please tell us exactly what she said and how she said it,” pressed Sam.

Nicole looked at Sam in confusion as Alex did his best to remember Kate’s exact wording and how it had been said. When he was done, Sam started to laugh, as Nicole and Alex looked at her in confusion until she was done, and responded.

“Alright, sorry. It’s just that I had a random thought as to why she would plant the idea, even if she has no intent to actually marry you.”

“And just what would that be?” questioned Nicole.

“While she has the ability to refuse to marry Alex if her family wishes it as she claims, she may not have the same ability to do so with others. It is likely that they’re going to start pushing her into a marriage of their design soon, as she is trapped in the world of political pairings. In all likelihood, she would be one of the mistresses in this arrangement and wishes to avoid it. Alex, you are her out. Even if you refuse to have a relationship with her, she can paint a picture that she is working to secure you to her family, buying her time, if nothing else.”

Sam’s comment provoked a bit more of a back and forth, yet nothing truly substantive was said in the short time before they needed to be online for the meeting. In the end, Alex gave both Sam and Nicole reassuring words before hugging and kissing them both as they logged in using the VR pods for the first time.

(*****)

ED year 2 days 139-140.

As Xeal stretched after awakening from his extended absence, he stood and took in the difference he felt from logging in with the VR pod. While it was only a slight increase in efficiency, it was still a noticeable effect that made every movement feel far more natural, with only the slightest amount of a feeling that this was not reality left. As Xeal left his room and made his way downstairs, he appreciated feeling this once more as he had grown accustomed to this level of immersion in his last life. Still, now was not the time to dwell on that as he quickly made his way to the conference room where the meeting was going to be held. When he arrived, he found that only Aalin and Gale had yet to arrive and most of the rest of the room was talking about how the VR pod was feeling for them. As Xeal looked around, he found Geitir looking a bit out of place next to Friva, who seemed at a bit of a loss as to where she fit in as well, though she was chatting with Amser with little issue.

“Geitir, can I have a moment alone with you?”

“Xeal, sure thing.”

A minute later in an empty side room, Xeal started to fill Geitir in on the offer that Kate had made him. Once he was done, Geitir confirmed that this was the main reason for the meeting and he took on a thoughtful look before responding.

“Xeal, while I only dealt with her for a short bit, I can tell you I would rather be on her side than against her in a negotiation. Honestly, the fact that you got the better of her in the dealings you had was surprising. That said, I feel like she could be holding a grudge against you and is simply maneuvering you to where she wants you before she gets even with you.”

“What do you think she expects me to do?”

“Both.”

“Ah, she can’t read me, so she has a plan for either.”

“Yep, and they could have polar opposite outcomes as well. If her goal is simply to have you recognize her talent, refusing her could have dire consequences, while accepting her could see her become a major asset to our guild. Right now, my vote is a yes as I see her only adding value to my shares and ensuring that you can pay me back in ten years, though I doubt I would mind owning almost half of FAE either at that point.”

“I see, thank you. Please send Amser over as I have a few questions I would like to ask her before the meeting.”

“Alright. I hope I helped.”

“You did. I just need to confirm a few things that she would have the best insights on before I am ready to present this to everyone and get their feedback.”

With a nod, Geitir left as Xeal mulled over his thoughts for a few minutes before Amser walked in.

“You wanted to talk, Xeal?”

“Yes, Amser. I know you have been extremely quiet about who you are outside of ED and I respect that. Still, I have a few suspicions and while I wouldn’t normally ask to confirm them, I need insights from the you that I believe you are outside of ED.”

Amser was giving Xeal a hard stare as she replied to his words.

“Alright, let’s hear who you think I am.”

“I do not know who you are, I just have a picture of your situation in life. If I am not mistaken, you were born into one of the elite families that hold a stake in Abysses End, yet instead of accepting that world, you have rejected it. You are likely living off a lump sum of hush money for something that happened, but I think it is safe to say that you are estranged from your family and that they don’t know you’re part of FAE. The reason you were resistant to joining any guild and have been growing more distant of late is due to the fact that you hate what you experienced as one of the elites of a super workshop. If I had to place a bet, you are currently worried that FAE will head down the same path as the other major workshops and become nothing more than a profit-driven business.”

“Ha, I must say I have underestimated you. While you have a few things wrong, you have the gist of it down. Now what do you plan to do with this knowledge?”

“Nothing. I don’t care if you are a princess of England who is in line for the throne, I simply wish to get your opinion on something before the meeting that is about to happen.”

“Alright, give it to me, though we will need to talk a bit more about this later.”

“That’s fine. Alright, Kate Astor…”

Xeal gave Amser an abridged version of what went down in reality before asking for her thoughts on the matter. For her part, she was silent for the whole story and stayed so for a few minutes after before sighing and responding.

“Sam’s random thought is likely correct, or close to and Geitir is likely right that if we don’t let her join us, she will turn against us. Honestly, she is my polar opposite as she rose through the games and I ran from the games our elite families play to hone us into what they want. I took the out my family gave me when I had the chance and that was when I wound up in Abysses End, as my family has nothing to do with the higher echelon of any guild. My issue with guilds is as they grow bigger and more decentralized, they become more like the elite families. You need to ensure that you hold onto at least 50.01% of FAE forever, as anything less and I will walk as you will no longer be a monolith.”

“I see. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and being open about your past.”

“Ha, well you have earned knowing at least that much. Who knows? One day I actually might let you know my actual name.”

“It won’t change how I see you. You will always be the crazy ring blade maniac to me.”

“Ha, and who was it that made me try out that damned weapon?’

“Some idiot that thought it would let our other members have a chance against you in sparring.”

“Accurate.”

“Alright, let’s get this meeting over with.”

Xeal and Amser made their way back to the conference room where everyone was now present, and it was clear that Aalin and Gale had already started to fill the others in on the gist of the situation. Xeal smiled as he welcomed them all and launched into a retelling of his own, as the room listened before launching into an open discussion. For his part, Xeal stayed quiet to see where the room went with their thoughts and feelings. The first substantive comment came from Takeshi, who had been sitting quietly like Xeal, Amser and Geitir were.

“Xeal-san, if she joins us, will it force us down the path of allying with Fire Oath, or will they treat her as an unrelated party once she joins us?”

“I am unsure, Takeshi-san. We are already walking down a path that would lead to a mutually beneficial relationship with our crafting agreement. That said, as they would lose little from our destruction as their crafters would simply return to them, it is a shaky agreement at best to call it an alliance. Honestly, it will depend on how they interpret her move. Though as we did not recruit her and she instead invested in us, it will likely result in at least a neutral stance from them,” responded Xeal.

“I see. You know I walk the path of struggle to hone myself, and while I do welcome the trials that facing off against the super workshops would bring, I also do not seek it. My vote is to allow her to toss her lot in with us so long as she is truly ready to commit to FAE, even if it means opposing Fire Oath. One cannot have two masters if they wish to be decisive when it matters most.”

As if Takeshi’s words had called for it, the rest of the room started casting their votes.

“I agree. If she is ready to truly put FAE’s good before even her own bottom line, I support her joining,” voiced Friva. “She holds a fair bit of sway and while I hate the major powers and how they operate, she could be seen as the same as myself when I founded Rising Oblivion. She will be willingly leaving a position of power in her current workshop to show she can do more, while betting everything she has on herself.”

“You already know my vote is to allow her to join us,” offered Geitir.

“I don’t like it. I’m sorry, but my vote is a no as I feel it will push us away from who we are,” declared Casmir.

“I’m with Casmir, man. She just doesn’t sit right with me for some reason,” said Ignis while shaking his head.

“I say we let her join. It will be nice to have someone else to handle all of the guilds who keep pestering me to meet with you,” responded Taya.

“Sorry, but I just can’t consent to another woman who may, or may not, be targeting you as a possible husband to slide in, even if it means the end for FAE,” stated Clara, while looking at Aalin and Gale.

“I’m with Clara,” chipped in Amet.

“I’ll only cast a vote if it’s a tie, so don’t look at me. At this point I think it is a question for Aalin and Gale,” Amser diverted.

As all eyes turned to Aalin and Gale, both looked troubled as both felt that Clara was only voting the way she was because she was their friend first and a vice guild leader second. They took stock of who was for and against Kate Astor’s proposal and noticed that only their friends and Casmir were opposed to it. This made them doubt their friends’ decisions were based on what was good for FAE, and instead on what was good for Aalin and Gale. After a long moment, Aalin broke the silence.

“Xeal, Kate is here waiting our decision, correct?”

“Yah, she should be in a waiting room, why?”

“I think Gale and I should speak with her before we vote, assuming of course that you will be siding with the majority once everything is said and done.”

“Aalin, I would have done what you and Gale wanted even if it was you two on one side and everyone else on the other. I am ready to handle whatever comes either way. I just figured that it would be best to make the decision after hearing everyone’s thoughts. You have to remember, I intend to spend the rest of my life with you two. Everyone else is fun to hang out with and if there wasn’t a chance that she was planning to marry me, it would be different. So, you and Gale go take your time and let us know what you decide.”

With a nod, both Gale and Aalin left the room and made their way to the waiting room where Kate was sitting reading the forums while she waited. Upon seeing Aalin and Gale, she smiled as she spoke.

“Well, it looks like Xeal did end up leaving the choice to you two. I take it that there was a vote beforehand and it was tied, with your friends all being against while most of the rest were for my offer.”

“Good. Since you already have a decent idea of what is going on, why don’t you tell me how I am going to vote,” stated Aalin as she and Gale sat across from Kate.

“That is easy. You both will accept the offer simply because you know it is good for FAE, even if it risks me capturing Xeal’s hand in marriage in reality. You both love him and know just how much of himself he has put into FAE. You also know that if I did marry him, I wouldn’t see you as any less than as his true loves and know that while I would have the certificate, I would have little else.”

“So, you do intend to marry him then?” Gale scoffed.

“I am not sure yet. Make no mistake, I am still unsure if it would be a tenable situation for me to join what you have, but I am interested in finding out.”

“Alright, we get it. You are unsure and won’t be sure until you have a ring on your finger. Now the real question is, are you committed to putting your everything into FAE, or is joining us all just a game for you?” questioned Aalin.

“Of course it is a game. What else would you call it?”

“Our lives,” Gale growled.

“I never said it wasn’t a high-stakes game, where the winners live like royalty and the losers, well let’s just say that if I lose this game after I join you, I won’t be much more than a uterus to my family. When I said I would be going all in, I meant all in. If I placed anything but FAE first, it would spell my own defeat and the end of my time to play. Make no mistake, the reason I must consider marrying Xeal is if I don’t, the game will be lost before it starts as my family would take offense to me leaving Fire Oath. However, if they see it as me making a play on marrying Xeal, well, they would sit back and smile, even if my actions harmed their interests to a point.”

“Just how messed up is the world you grew up in?” Gale scoffed.

“Ha, you have no idea, but let’s just say that I had to earn the right to have the Astor name, and of my father’s 30 bastards, I was the only one to catch his eye. Yet even so, I am at most a tool to be offered as a mistress when the time is right. My only hope to avoid that is to ensnare a match that he would approve of on my own and while Xeal is not quite there, he has the potential to be.”

“So, what, you marry him and your father pulls him into his sphere of influence as we get pushed to the background with our children?” interrogated Aalin.

“Not at all. Yes, there would be a connection, but it would be a casual association as I would relinquish the Astor name, and with it any right to claim an inheritance once my father passes. Whereas as a mistress, I would hold onto my inheritance even if my children weren’t allowed to claim either my name, or my partner’s name.”

“Yep, one messed-up world. Why would we want to even touch that world?” asked Gale, looking like she had heard enough.

“Like it or not, you already have. I have talent and so I was able to rise. Those who never had to rise often times only have ruthlessness, as keeping others down is how they ensure their own inheritance. To my siblings, I am nothing but a sore spot. It is why I am all the way out here in Nium while they are on larger continents. The same way the twins keep the predators away who would happily bend Xeal to their will, I will keep those who see themselves as the true owners of the world from trying to lay claim on him.”

“Alright, but I have one condition that you must accept,” stated Aalin.

“Wait, what? You can’t be buying what she is selling,” cut in Gale.

Aalin leaned over and whispered in Gale’s ear what she had in mind and Gale gave her a weird look before sighing.

“Alright, if you can agree to Aalin’s offer, I’ll let you in as well.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“Kate, if you marry Xeal, you will…”

Aalin went ahead and shared her condition with her and as she thought it over, she couldn’t help but chuckle at the slight miscalculation she had in judging Nicole. Still, for Kate it was an acceptable condition as she didn’t actually think that she would end up marrying Xeal. If anything, she could use him to buy time for herself, perhaps even avoiding the issue altogether if she played her cards right. So, she gave her response.

“Alright, I can deal with that. Now, shall we let everyone else know?”

“Certainly,” stated Aalin with a calm smile as they rejoined the rest and announced their decision.

Clara looked at them both in confusion and Amser nodded her head, before pulling Kate to the side for their own one on one. Xeal took note of this, but made no move to stop it as he took a moment to check in with Aalin and Gale, but all he could get out of them was they had come to an arrangement. With that, they both gave Xeal a kiss and a hug before returning to their work to find the phoenixes, with a promise from Gale to return for their date that night. For his own part, Xeal spent the day catching up on current events and preparing for his upcoming tasks. This included the meeting with Empress Jingū and Holly about her guild shifting operating areas to her empire on day 142. Mari was looking forward to it in particular. He also had Enye’s birthday to prep for on day 146, which he laughed at the realization that it was the same day he had first met her. Once he was done with that, he spent the few hours he had to spare, forging to pass the time.

Xeal and Gale enjoyed a simple date of simply sitting on his balcony as they enjoyed a meal, as they both had had enough excitement for the day. As they talked about everything and nothing, they eventually found their way to the bed and enjoyed the fact that they both were allowed to fall asleep together in game for once, as they had been on different sleeping schedules for the most part recently. Among the things to celebrate was the fact that Gale and Aalin had a good lead on two more of the phoenixes and they intended to split up over the next month to confirm them.

When Xeal awoke on the morning of day 140, he smiled as he made his way to the dining room where he found Bula, Violet and Daisy enjoying a meal as they chatted. Midnight was off to the side looking a bit lost as he searched for something which Xeal knew was Eira, as the tiger-woman had been the one to give him the most attention. Still, as a servant brought Xeal his breakfast, he tossed Midnight one of the sausages like he always did and the matagot happily went about eating it as Xeal took his own first bite. The three ladies smiled at seeing Xeal join them as Bula broke the silence.

“It is good to see you. I trust that your other business has been settled for the time being and things will be returning to normal.”

Xeal swallowed before responding, “More or less, but things will be a bit different moving forward. With rare exceptions, I will be living on a schedule that is much closer to what you would call normal.”

“Wait, does that mean no more 36-hour cycles?” questioned Daisy excitedly.

“No, it just means they will be rarer, but typically I will rest at night like a normal person and be awake in the day. Speaking of which, what do you all have going on?”

“Well, since Enye and Dyllis are back and getting ready to challenge their test for tier 4, we were going to go spar with them,” offered Violet.”

“I see. Perhaps I will join you all for a bit before I hide away in the royal forging room for the day.”

“That would be wonderful!” responded Violet excitedly.

Xeal just smiled at her enthusiasm as he finished his breakfast, before walking with them to the royal palace. Once there, they were led to a courtyard that had been serving as Lingxin and Mari’s training ground and was now serving as training grounds for the entirety of Enye’s party. As Xeal took in the sight, he could see Enye and Dyllis facing off against their own shadow warriors from the mirror shards that FAE had lent them, while Mari, Lingxin, Luna, Selene, Arnhylde and Lucida all acted as safeties. Enye looked to be engaged in an epic fencing match as she crossed rapiers with her double, trading one blow after another, while Dyllis was crossing vocal talents with hers while wielding a whip. Watching Dyllis hold a tune while moving was wonderful to watch, as while it was clear that she had a fair bit of room for growth as she missed a note here or there, Xeal could tell she was improving. Seeing this scene, Xeal held the rest of his group back for ten minutes as both Enye and Dyllis finished off their copy and started to catch their breath. As they did so, everyone else relaxed before chatting with one another and it was Lingxin who noticed Xeal first.

“Xeal?”

As Lingxin looked over and said his name in mild confusion, the rest of those present turned and noticed him as well. Xeal decided it was time to join them as most of them had started to make their way over to him already. They ended up meeting somewhat in the middle and a slightly disheveled and sweaty Enye was the first to address him.

“Xeal, what are you doing here?”

“What, am I not welcome to stop in and say hi once in a while?”

“Umm, you are, but you never have before. It is just strange. Not that I mind a bit of extra time with you.”

“Oh, and who says he is here for just you?” quipped Dyllis, while smiling.

“Now, now, I am sure he is here to see all four of us,” interjected Mari.

“Yes, if he came here to only see one of us, he would never hear the end of it,” added Lingxin.

“Ha, I am here to see you all. However, you all might not like why.”

“Oh, and why is that?” questioned Mari.

“I heard you were all sparring in preparation for Dyllis and Enye to advance to tier 4, so I thought I would join you and give you all a demonstration of my own.”

“Oh, and what did you have in mind?” asked Lingxin.

Xeal took out four of the mirror shards he kept in his personal inventory and handed one to Enye, Dyllis, Mari and Lingxin, before telling them that he was going to show them their own weaknesses. After explaining what he wanted them to do, Xeal took up his position as he took out two mirror shards of his own. Taking a deep breath, Xeal told them to start and all four of them activated their mirror shards, before running to Xeal. As soon as the last one passed him, Xeal activated his own two shards and quickly found himself up against six shadow warriors. As his own took up the role of frontline fighter, the rest shifted to the best roles for them, naturally. This meant that as Dyllis’s started to sing and look for openings for her to attack, the rest shifted to looking for opportune moments for their own strikes. As they did so, Xeal spoke while restraining two of his own copies that had 90% of his own abilities.

“As you can see, the shadow warriors instantly know how to work together to a certain extent. Watch them and see just how they act. Soon, the four of you will need to do the same, only better.”

Just as he spoke, Lingxin’s and Mari’s copies made a move to attack him and he parried them into his own copies, as Enye’s copy made her move. Xeal took the moment to close the distance between him and Dyllis’s copy, who failed to react with its whip fast enough as Xeal attacked, destroying the shadow warrior in a few attacks infused with elemental blades.

“As you can see, if the support in the rear is left vulnerable, all it takes is a single opportunity for your opponents to make you regret it. Though to be fair, none of you should be facing a foe that outclasses you as much as I currently do.”

With Dyllis’s copy out, the other five copies lost the boost they had been getting from her song and Xeal smiled as he picked apart each of the princesses’ copies. While doing so, he took time to point out every issue that the linear thoughts that NPCs were prone to created. Xeal knew that as time went on, NPCs would grow and adapt from their experiences with players to move past this issue. Still, that had taken four, or five years, in his last life. While this made many of the current quests that required persuading NPCs easy as he simply needed to lay the path down for them to follow, he wanted to get the NPCs that he cared about past it. Only once they had started to think about things outside of the norm could they truly shine. Once all four of the ladies’ copies were gone, he focused on his own and after a solid half hour of effort, he was able to finish all six off. He caught his breath and let his stats recover, while thinking about how annoying it had been to ensure his copies didn’t direct a dragon’s breath towards any of the spectators. Still, he had enjoyed the extra challenge as it had let him push his own skills further, quietly. As Xeal recovered, it was actually Arnhylde who broke the silence.

“Guild leader, what was the point of showing just how weak you see the four of them as, let alone the rest of us? We all know you are simply a monster even among those at your level. I doubt if every last one of us here attacked you we could do more than scratch you before you defeated us.”

“Arnhylde, guild leader has his reasons, I am sure. He wasn’t just hoping to show off for all of his ladies,” chimed in Lucida with a giggle.

“I do. Put simply, I want to show them a goal to reach. Not me of course, but what I just did. That goes for the four of you as well. All of you should be trying to handle two of your copies while distracted by others as well. The fact that I was able to use Lingxin and Mari’s copies to disengage with my own is because I knew that action would work on myself most of the time. Once you are no longer able to push your abilities further against your copy, look to understand your own shortcomings and how to exploit them.”

After Xeal had finished speaking, Lingxin smiled as she walked toward him, stopping about ten feet from him and speaking.

“Xeal, thank you for your demonstration. If you would be so kind as to critique my skills while I attempt to break through your defense?”

Xeal smiled as he accepted and the following few hours were spent as all of the ladies took turns attempting to break through his defense, unsuccessfully. Even Luna and Selene gave it a go as a single team before he decided it was time to be on his way, after leaving another 20 mirror shards for them to all use. Xeal than spent the rest of that session working on experimenting with different materials in hopes of understanding them better in preparation to create his own unique design.

(*****)

Morning January 1, 2267 & ED year 2 day 141.

Alex stepped out of the VR pod once it settled into a normal upright position, as it had shifted through various angles and positions throughout his session to ensure optimal blood flow was maintained. This, plus the muscle stimulation that it provided, made him smile at the lack of the slightly lethargic feeling that using the helmet always left you with for a few minutes after logging off. As he smiled and stretched, both Sam and Nicole stepped out of their VR pods as well and Sam spoke first.

“These things are amazing. I feel way better right now than I ever did when using the VR helmet.”

“Yah, though there is one thing I don’t care for about them,” added Nicole, while looking expectantly at Alex.

Alex just smiled as he stepped forward and gave Nicole a kiss, before turning to Sam and giving her one as well. As he was finished, he took a moment to hold them both in his arms before breaking the moment.

“We should probably head down to the gym to get in some light exercise before breakfast, if we don’t want to miss it. Nutritional fluid is great, but nothing beats actual food.”

“I don’t know. While it doesn’t do anything for your body that normal food can’t, it is supposed to be great for those looking to perfectly regulate their calories,” quipped Sam.

“You just want to avoid learning to cook in the future and raise our kids off expensive fake food,” replied Nicole.

Alex smiled as the pair exchanged a few more words in fun as they put on workout attire, before heading downstairs. Once there, they found everyone doing different things as they tried out the new equipment they had available for use. Still, Alex could tell that they were all keeping their exercise light as Gido and Jacob watched over them while Julie manned a water cart. After 30 minutes of power walking while Sam and Nicole sat on a pair of exercise bikes, Alex called it a morning as he worked to get used to working out in the thin air. After a quick shower, he made his way down to the dining room to find that Sofie had cooked up eggs benedict and waffles to choose between, or have both of. Alex knew that after him and his friends had their fill, the staff, to include the three members of Kate’s security detail, would enjoy their meal. As Alex sat down to enjoy a stack of three waffles topped with a berry compote and whipped cream, Kate sat across from him with her eggs benedict before Sam and Nicole made it down.

“Good morning, Alex. I trust you enjoyed your morning exercise? Though since you have a VR pod, I don’t understand why you bothered,” greeted Kate.

“Good morning to you as well, Kate. And I almost forgot to mention it, but I am sure with all of the homework you did on us, you are already aware that once the deal goes through, you need to join us. After all, I have a policy that all leadership must exercise six days a week for at least 30 minutes each day.”

“I will be an owner. Surely that offers me a few fringe benefits, like not working out when it is unneeded.”

“Sorry, but no. Even if your health is maintained by the pod, you still need to give your respiratory system a workout and get your blood pumping. Just because you can look like a model from what the VR pod offers doesn’t mean you can ignore your body’s underlying needs. Out of curiosity, have you ever actually done strenuous exercise in your life?”

Kate looked like she didn’t want to answer as Sam and Nicole each sat down on either side of Alex. Seeing her not wanting to answer, he looked over at the three ladies who were standing behind her and got an idea.

“I’ll take that as a no. Even for someone who claims to have been recognized for their talents, you seem to have a few blind spots. That is, unless you are just seeing how I will handle the situation of you refusing to exercise. Out of curiosity, do any of your three guards know aikido?”

“They all know it and several more styles. Why?”

“Excellent. Which one of you wants to be hired on as Ms. Astor’s personal trainer and get to teach her everything you know about aikido, and any other martial art you find relevant?”

“Excuse me, my guards are not so easily swayed. They know I would not allow them-”

“I’ll pay you 50 % more than whatever she is now and hire you as the mansion’s official security. That would mean you would still be responsible for Ms. Astor’s safety.”

Alex laughed as three hands went up as all three ladies smiled brightly, if not a little scarily, as they looked at Kate. When Kate turned around, she scoffed before turning around to look at Alex.

“They can want to all they like, but I hold all of their contracts, so you will have to buy them out first.”

Alex just laughed as he responded, “Or get you to terminate them on your own. I don’t mind if they are pulling double duty. After all, only one is on the clock with you while you are online. I don’t mind if one of the other two is monitoring the security system.”

Kate simply shook her head as she shifted the topic to what needed to happen, now that the deal for her to acquire a portion of FAE had the green light. Like with Geitir, it would take time for her to shift her wealth around, to include liquidating a fair bit of it, but by her estimates, everything would be finalized by the end of the month. She also discussed the plan that Alex had in place for the grand opening scheduled at 9:00 that morning, to which he said it was already taken care of. Finally, they talked about how everyone except Alex, Sam, Nicole and the twins, were scheduled to fly out on the second as they made an appearance at every satellite location. This included Quentin and Harrison, along with a few more of the support staff. All said, Alex expected them all to be back at the start of February. At this news, Kate just gave Alex a look before clicking her tongue and shaking her head at Alex. When he asked what that was for, she just looked at Sam and Nicole before saying, “He really is clueless, isn’t he.” Both Sam and Nicole laughed before smiling and giving Alex a kiss on each cheek, leaving him wondering just what deal the three of them had made in ED.

When Xeal awoke on day 141, his focus was on all of the paperwork that needed to get done before he allowed himself to take on another long quest. Xeal wasn’t sure if taking on another of the prince’s quests right now would be for the best, as the next one he had his sights on would likely bring the high and wood elves into cooperation with Nium. He felt like it would be best to let the waves settle from the beast-men joining with the kingdom before adding another wrinkle to everything. With just under 200 days to reach earl, Xeal wasn’t worried. He was sure that the only reason that he hadn’t been promoted after the last quest was due to his acceptance rate with the kingdom’s nobles being too low. He had reached 69%, but he suspected that if he were made an earl before he reached at least 80%, if not 90%, it might cause issues. To remedy this issue, Xeal was planning on focusing on nothing but noble house quests until his acceptance rate was above 80%, once he returned from the Muthia empire. With a plan in place, Xeal went about working to get everything in order before spending the rest of his login working in the forge.

(*****)

Evening January 1, 2267 & ED year 2 days 142-143.

Alex enjoyed a meal with everyone that evening as he made sure they were each ready for the trip. Once they had discussed the plan for the morning, the conversation shifted to other topics as Dan and Fred weaved in a few comments about how they were going to miss using their VR pods. By the time dinner was over, they still had a little over an hour before it was time to return to ED. So, they took the chance to play a few rounds of a party game and even roped one of Kate’s bodyguards into playing to make it an even 14 players. An hour later, Alex was smiling as he gave both Sam and Nicole kisses before they logged in for the night.

As Xeal awoke, he stretched and got out of bed before he made his way downstairs, bidding Bula, Daisy and Violet farewell as he ventured to the palace where an eager Mari awaited him. Upon his arrival, they set off with Mari’s guards and made their way directly to the Muthia empire. When they arrived, they found themselves going from early morning to the middle of the evening, as they met up with Holly outside the teleportation hall. Upon seeing Xeal and Mari, Holly approached as she greeted them.

“Xeal, it is good to see you and this must be the princess you are set to merrily marry, Princess Mari.”

Xeal just shook his head at Holly’s word choice as he responded.

“Holly, it is good to see you again. How was your week with our new friend?”

“Oh, Jewel is great. She has just been lonely and wanted some girl time. Still, I worry about holding the line for her once we make the shift to here.”

“That is why you need to ensure that you put your best foot forward to Empress Jingū. Now, are you ready to show what you’re worth?”

“Oh, Xeal, you are far too serious. I am sure that my mother just wanted the excuse to see how the two of us are doing. It has been over three months since I left with you after all,” chimed in Mari as she cozied up to Xeal. “Holly, just be yourself. From what Taya has shared with me, your guild will be a welcome addition to our nation’s strength.”

“The fact that you will be able to tie Xeal a bit closer at the same time doesn’t hurt either, does it?” quipped Holly as she looked at Mari awkwardly.

“Oh, that’s right, you seem to find the fact that Xeal here seems to collect princesses despite his attempts to avoid it, weird. I did as well when my mother first sent me to play fiancée to him. I even thought he’d chosen me because he thought I would be the easiest to escape. I even was hoping that he would at first. Now I don’t know as he has grown on me a fair bit since then. You should take care you don’t follow suit,” teased Mari.

“Gross. Don’t worry, he is all yours. Well, yours and the other 100 women who he will end up with at the rate he is going.”

Xeal just shook his head at the back and forth as he cut in, “Alright, let’s drop it. We don’t want to keep your mother waiting after all.”

Mari simply smiled as Holly nodded and they were off to the palace. A short time later, Xeal once more found himself seated and enjoying a meal with Empress Jingū, as Holly sat awkwardly while Mari caught up with her mother. Once Mari and Empress Jingū had spent a good bit catching up, Empress Jingū turned to Xeal and spoke.

“Xeal, I must say thank you. You have truly gone above and beyond on your end of our agreement. While it is still unknown if it will be enough, we are at the very least keeping pace with our neighbors for the time being, and on pace to pull ahead of them before your kind reach tier-7. Still, that will be the true test, as I doubt your kind will have as easy of a time crossing that threshold, as only those of us truly confident in ourselves, or have no other choice, will take that step. Now tell me about just what it is about Ms. Holly’s guild that makes you wish for me to show them favor?”

“Ah, before that, I must be discourteous, Lady Sakurai. It is of an extremely sensitive matter and for her to even talk about it, we all must sign this contract that will bring us all in on the secret.”

Xeal pulled out a contract and handed it over to Empress Jingū, who looked it over before signing it and handing it to Mari, as she dismissed the few guards who had still been present. Once everyone had signed, Xeal continued.

“Alright, as your daughter has stated, I have used a valuable treasure to ensure her life on par with, or better than, what you took with you when you challenged your tier-5 and up quests. What she did not tell you, is it is a drop of phoenix blood, mixed in a special way, to give her a mark that will not only revive her once, but transport her to a safe location. Now my guild is currently questing to find as many of the phoenixes as we can to secure their blood and feathers for our use. The feathers are being used a bit more liberally as I can get ten from each, while I can only get four drops of blood, with a fifth being used on who they mark. Holly here is one of such marked individuals and has received several boons to go along with it. As such, she will grow into one of the most powerful adventurers should she be allowed to mature.”

“I see. So, her guild is just a tag-along. She is the prize, hmm.” Empress Jingū was looking at Holly as she judged her, before turning back to Xeal and continuing. “Just what is her relation to you going to be exactly?”

“Her guild will be a subordinate power of a sort. I technically own a little over half of it now, but it is its own entity. Mine and my guild’s will be mainly hands off as we allow them to develop in your kingdom, while supplying them with finished products as they send us their raw materials. Yes, that would mean they could easily work as a go-between for the crafting enterprise I am developing at full speed currently.”

“I see and just how large do you intend your crafting enterprise to grow?”

“It is currently almost 100,000 crafters strong and growing. By the time war is imminent, I hope to have at least 500,000, if not twice that.”

“Are you insane?!” cut in Holly. “How the heck can you even think of developing that many crafting players? You would need around 100,000,000 adventures supplying them!”

“That is why guilds like your own are key to my plans, though I have much larger supply chains already secured. Holly, leave the how to me, as that will be only around a single percent of the total adventurers that will be around when war takes this world over.”

“Still-”

“Holly, just nod your head and do your part,” cut in Mari. “Xeal knows how to deliver results that seem impossible when he commits to a task.”

“Scarily so. I must say, that with Holly’s potential at my disposal, I have little hope of being able to claim that you failed to set my empire up to at least survive the opening act of the wars. Now the question is, has my daughter managed to find a way into your heart, even if only slightly?”

“Lady Sakurai, it would be a lie if I were to tell you that I was in love with her. That said, she is a wonderful woman and it would also be a lie to say that she has not grown on me.”

“Hmm, 120 days. I will either call off the engagement, or set it in stone, based on both of your wishes. I can only hope what has started to grow blossoms in time. Now on to you, Holly dear. I believe it would be best for me to keep you close. Perhaps you could become as Xeal is for Prince Victor for one of my daughters, or perhaps you would be interested in becoming my daughter-in-law.”

“Umm, no thanks on the whole marriage thing. I kind of intend to marry someone who can be with me in both worlds, no offence. As for growing close with one of your daughters, I wouldn’t mind that, so long as they don’t try and rope me into a polygamous relationship with them.”

“Oh, hmm, I see. You would even be against having your own harem of men?”

“Wait, what? Absolutely no, no way, no how, that is just way too nope.”

Xeal laughed as he watched Empress Jingū tease Holly, as Mari was holding in her own laughs, while Holly turned redder by the second. The rest of the meeting revolved around minor chitchat and the general logistics of how everything would work, to include the planning to acquire the area where the crystal phoenix Jewel was imprisoned. Before he left, Xeal left three of the crystal feathers with Empress Jingū, saying it was for each of her daughters. Empress Jingū accepted them with a smile, while jokingly commenting perhaps she should just send all her daughters to marry him. Xeal just shook his head as he asked her to refrain from doing so before leaving.

After the meeting, when it was just Mari and Xeal walking back surrounded by her guards, Mari addressed the deadline set by her mother.

“Xeal, do you want me to take a step forward, or back, in my pursuit of you?”

“Mari, that is like asking me to pick which of your legs to stab a knife in. You have known from the start that I am content with what I had with just Enye, Dyllis, Aalin and Gale. You and Lingxin both have been placed at a disadvantage as far as winning a piece of my heart, even if some believe love is infinite. Even so, I like to believe that I am at the very least trying to be open and genuine with both of you, though you seem hesitant.”

“Hesitant, yes, that is a good way to put it. I grew up expecting my husband to either woo me, or to simply accept the political marriage my mother set for me. Yet I am here in this strange in-between place, with a wonderful man I fear growing attached to for fear that I will be tossed aside. I never thought I would be the one who needed to do the wooing, and I fear that I may never recover should I truly try and still fail to secure you.”

“I see. I can certainly relate to that as I shared the same fear when Gale and Aalin started to court me. Though it was for different reasons. I guess the real question you need to ask is, if you simply allow me to get away, will you be able to recover from that? Mari, as you said, you need to woo me if you want me, but ask Enye or Dyllis if I wooed them right back when the time came. In the end, I am just an idiot who has found himself surrounded by women as I flounder about trying to make things work.”

Mari looked thoughtful, before nodding her head and putting on a smile as she responded.

“If I decide to push forward, don’t say I never gave you a chance to escape.”

Xeal simply smiled as he saw Mari put on a determined face as he finished escorting her back to the royal palace in Nium, before shifting focus. Today, Xeal was headed to Earl George Beckett’s home in the capital to meet with him and hopefully attain a quest to increase his approval rating among the nobility. Xeal’s current schedule was free until his date with Dyllis in the evening of day 145, giving him just over two and a half days to focus on whatever the earl might have in store. Xeal pondered just what kind of quest he might be given, using the few such quests he had done in his last life as a reference. They had been anything from escort quests and fetch quests, to simply entertaining them one way, or another. Simply put, nobles had always wanted the adventurers to serve them in some capacity. Xeal wasn’t sure if that would be how this meeting would go as he didn’t expect any noble to want to offend a rising power, regardless of if they accepted them.

With all of these thoughts and more on Xeal’s mind, he arrived at the earl’s home in the noble district. The residential area of this district was made up of several nice manors, as well as properties that were shared residences that mostly housed nobles below earl when they had business in the capital. Xeal found himself at one of the more modest manors that only had around an acre of land dedicated to its plot. After waiting for a moment, Xeal was greeted by a young maid, who appeared to be in her early 20’s and had her dark hair in a bun. After confirming his identity, the maid led Xeal to a parlor where Earl Beckett was seated enjoying an iced drink as he read some documents. Upon entering, the maid announced Xeal while curtsying and Xeal gave a slight bow of his own as he greeted the earl.

“Earl Beckett, thank you for accepting my request for a meeting.”

“Viscount Bluefire, think nothing of it. If anything, I must thank you for wishing to meet with me. Now come and sit and enjoy a drink while we discuss things.”

“Very well.”

After Xeal sat and the maid poured him a glass of iced tea, she curtsied once more before she took her leave, and Earl Beckett started to speak.

“Now, Viscount Bluefire, I am aware of why you wish to meet with me. It is due to you making the rounds before your wedding with Princess Enye. You know that I am in the camp that is still judging you from the role that I played in the recent conference. Now the question is, what are you hoping to get out of this meeting besides my support?”

“Earl Beckett, you act as if I take the fact that I can sway you for granted. No, I know things are not that simple. If you want to know what I hope to gain from meeting with you beside your support, it would be simply insights on who is in which camp.”

“I see. Hmm, as far as my support goes, you needn’t worry too much as my ask is a simple one. I simply wish for you to take my third son under your wing and see about finding him a wife among the ladies of the new land that you will be ruling over. I would expect that to be what most earl and under houses will be looking for you to do for them.”

Xeal almost spit out his tea at the earl’s request, as while it was simple, it was also potentially impossible. Still, he needed to at least look into the plausibility of the proposal.

“Earl Beckett, may I ask for some honest information on the son you have in mind?”

“Oh, of course. He is 17 years old and must leave my home upon his 18th birthday by tradition. Normally he would do as my own younger brothers did and serve in Nium’s army, but with this opportunity arriving, it only makes sense to have him go for it. As for his personality, I think he will do quite well for himself with a little help, as he has been focused on his personal strength since he was 12 and is preparing to challenge his tier-5 trial now. I am not asking for you to succeed in finding him a wife. That is something that he must do on his own. All I am asking is that you aid him in reaching the point that he can succeed at passing a more difficult trial.”

“Earl Beckett, what happens when he challenges the nightmare and dies? Even with all of the work that I have my own guild going through, we still have over a 50% failure rate.”

“Viscount Bluefire, we are all aware that you have phoenix feathers that you use to guard your own life and the life of those close to you. How you came upon so many is a mystery that many of us would love to solve, as such items might appear once a century, yet you have enough to gift three to the royal family and sell another. That tells me you have at least four more that you are using to guard the lives of your four brides-to-be. All I am asking for is to let my son borrow one when he attempts his trial after meeting your standards. Should he still fail and waste the feather, I will pay the same price that was paid at auction for it.”

(Quest: Assist Gideon Beckett in reaching tier 5 by completing at least the hard trial. Do you wish to accept this quest? Rewards, Earl Beckett’s favor and unknown. Warning, failing the quest will have negative repercussions on your account. Yes or No)

Xeal thought on Earl Beckett’s words for a good moment before responding. He knew that he had enough feathers, especially after getting more from Jewel. What he was unsure of was if it would be wise to accept the quest. Before accepting or declining, Xeal responded to Earl Beckett.

“Earl Beckett, while I will not deny that I have the ability to aid your son, the risk of his failure and the subsequent loss of the feather, would place the one who is currently reliant on it at risk. That said, you are right to believe that I have the ability to risk several and while I will not say that I will never be able to acquire more feathers, it is not a sure thing either, making it a very limited supply. If I am going to risk one of the feathers I have, in turn potentially putting those who are close to me at risk, I am going to need a lasting commitment from your son.”

“What is it that you have in mind?”

“He needs to continue to strive until he reaches tier 7 and be ready to serve the kingdom when war comes, in whatever capacity the kingdom asks of him without hesitation.”

“Hmm, I see, you really do intend to push Nium to greater heights. I fear that we old nobles may watch as the houses you help found might overshadow our own in a decade. Still, so long as I can claim a connection to one, I should have nothing to fear, so I’ll agree so long as my son has a son before being called to the front lines.”

“That is fine. Just know that he will be under my care until he reaches tier 6. My hope is that, not after this new year, but the next, to hold a summit for the ladies of the beast-man tribes to be introduced to young nobles who wish to establish houses.”

“So long?”

“That is the soonest that I see the city there being ready for such events. I am sure some nobles will attempt to lay claim to lands before then, but I doubt many will be successful.”

“I see, that should be acceptable then.”

With that, Xeal accepted the quest and Earl Beckett pulled a rope next to his chair and the maid from before returned. After having her fetch his son, Earl Beckett turned to Xeal and chatting amicably for the 15 minutes it took for the young Gideon Beckett to arrive. Xeal instantly started to evaluate the young man, who had clearly defined muscle and was a few inches under six feet. With short cut brown hair and brown eyes, Xeal would say none of his features would stand out in a crowd. Still, he could tell that the teenager was focused as he greeted his father.

“You called for me, Father?”

“Yes, Gideon. This is Viscount Bluefire. I have asked him to take you under his wing and help bring out your true potential and possibly even claim some lands for yourself.”

“I understand, Father.”

“Viscount Bluefire, do you have anything you would like to say?”

“Thank you, Earl Beckett. Gideon, I will expect you to report to my guild first thing tomorrow morning having bid your place in your father’s house goodbye. Once you arrive, every day will be dictated by the regimen that I set out for you. I am aware that you are already level 79, but what is your class and fighting method?”

“I am a knight, as I should be and I prefer the spear, but I am proficient with the short and longsword as well.”

“I see. Then I will see you at 7:00 tomorrow morning, ready to dedicate the next 500 or so days of your life to learning what I have to teach you. We will start by pushing your skills to your absolute limit before you walk the nightmare.”

“The nightmare?”

“Son, relax-”

“Earl Beckett, please allow him to decide if he wishes to push himself to his absolute limit. Any nobleman that I will endorse to marry a beast-woman will have walked the nightmare.”

Xeal hoped that Earl Beckett would take the hint that Xeal wanted the fact that he would have access to a phoenix feather quiet, as it would ensure he was committed during training.

“I understand. I will make my peace tonight. Father, may I go and start my farewells?”

“You are no longer my charge. You should be asking Viscount Bluefire.”

“I see. May I leave, Viscount Bluefire?”

“One last thing. Don’t approach what is to come as a condemned man. Approach it as a man who wishes to become something more than they are. I promise I will not send you into your trial to die, as I do not waste my efforts. Though should you not train like your life depends on it, you may find yourself training to become a butler. Now go and say your farewells. Know that I will not allow you to see them again until you have completed your tier-5 trial.”

“Thank you.”

With a nod, Gideon was gone and Earl Beckett watched his son walk away before speaking.

“Viscount Bluefire, is there a reason you stopped me from reassuring my son?”

“I do not know your son well enough to know if the knowledge that he will have a lifeline will cause him to relax in his training. If he wishes to truly pass this trial, then he needs to surpass his limits. The reason that so many of my kind fail their trial is that we do not need to fear death, and challenge it before we are truly ready.”

“I see, very well. If there is nothing else, you may be on your way.”

“Just one last request. Can you give me a list of the houses with sons who will need to leave their houses soon that are serious about their future, like your son is?”

“I could, though I might ask why?”

“Simple. If I am going to train one, I might as well train 20 or 30.”

“Hmm, I see. I will send them all an invitation to be here tomorrow morning if they wish to accept this opportunity. My son can leave with you after that meeting as well.”

“That will be acceptable.”

“I’ll see it done then.”

“Thank you, Earl Beckett.”

“Ha, no, thank you. This should raise my own stock a fair bit.”

Xeal just smiled as he bid Earl Becket farewell and made his way back to the royal forging room to continue to work on his smithing. He would continue working until late into the night, until he succeeded in creating a level 100 unique gold sword that was similar to one of the more popular designs from his last life. Simply put, it was a normal longsword with a lighter metal as its core. While it didn’t deal as much damage and had a reduced durability, dexterity builds had loved it in his last life for its improved rate of attack. With its creation, Xeal received the following notification.

(Congratulations, new crafting design created for a gold-ranked item. Please complete the name for your item to finalize the design…. ______ sword)

Xeal looked at the blank as he tried to decide what he wanted to name the sword, while thinking how the system kept players from calling an ax a sword, by forcing the last part of the name to be the base item. There had been a few good names for swords that were designed for dexterity builds in his last life and he decided to steal one of them and give it the name swift sword. With the naming completed, the system finalized the design and he received another string of notifications.

(Congratulations on designing your first unique crafting design. Awarding 3,590,375,673 XP!)

(Congratulations on designing a qualifying item for your promotion to the next rank of crafting. Awarding 11,742,028,900 XP!)

(Congratulations on being one of the first 25 players to create a gold-level or up unique smithing design. Awarding 250 gold, and 23,484,057,800 XP!)

Xeal smiled at the experience he gained, knowing that all of them were based off area bosses. The first being based on one at the same level as him, the second was based on a boss at the level of the item made and the last was twice the second. This ensured that it was always a decent reward when a player created an item. For Xeal, it was enough to push him to level 90 and after allocating his free attribute points, Xeal looked at his class skills. He had 38 available points and could buy several of the available skills, but he wanted to buy the second level of dragon’s breath, which cost 45 points, next, so he held off by telling himself that he just needed three more levels. Feeling satisfied that he would only need to craft a crap ton of items now to become a platinum-ranked smith, Xeal called it a night, knowing that he had a busy morning in front of him.

On the morning of day 143, Xeal found himself once more in Earl Beckett’s capital manor. Today, however, there were another 30 noble couples present, ranging from baron to a few other earl houses. Each had brought at least one son, while a few had brought two, all of whom were at least level 60, but none above level 79. In total, if he included Gideon, there were 35 teenagers, ranging from 16 to 18 years old, showing varying levels of concern. After several quick introductions, Xeal asked that Gideon and the other teenagers leave while Xeal addressed their parents. From what Earl Beckett had told him, all he had put out was that Xeal was willing to take on several sons who were set to be disinherited due to birth order and were approaching tier 5, to train them. The stated goal was for each of their sons to earn his endorsement to court a beast-woman and receive their own holding. Now it was time for Xeal to expand upon it, before weeding out a few of the teenagers, as Xeal got all of the parents’ attention before speaking.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Now, as you all know, I have brought you here after Earl Beckett asked me to aid his own son in improving his potential. To do this, I intend on putting him through a grueling training program. Now, before I say any more, Earl Beckett has a contract that I had prepared. All it states is that you will not tell your sons anything about what I say from this point on. It is key that certain aspects of my intent are unknown to them before the moment they face their tier-5 trial.”

Xeal gestured to the side where Earl Beckett stood with the contracts, as one by one each noble present made their way over and signed, before Xeal continued.

“Thank you, now…”

Xeal went on to explain what he had in mind, to include the requirements such that they must be 18 no later than the end of the next year. He also let them know he intended to have their sons use a phoenix feather so long as their houses could agree to cover the loss the same way Earl Beckett was. For many of the baron houses present, they had a complicated look on their faces as a single feather would cost more than they could afford. Xeal’s suggestion was for them to pool resources and make a contract to cover for each other in case one of them needed to pay. This ran the risk of if more than one feather was lost costing them more, but still decreased the risk of the burden ruining their houses. Xeal also made sure to emphasize that each feather was a rare and valuable item that he could not easily replace, and he would not send any of their sons into the nightmare that he thought couldn’t cut it. When he was done talking, he answered several of the nobles’ questions regarding if they would be able to see their sons in the interim, which they would at certain points, but generally not. Once that was done, only a few baron houses declined to participate due to financial concerns.

Next, Xeal interviewed each of the remaining 30 teenagers to ensure they had the right attitude and drive to succeed. He found that most of them were almost desperate to be accepted, especially those coming from baron houses. In the end, Xeal only rejected a single son of a viscount due to the fact that he refused to give a straight answer to any of the questions, and he added 29 individual quests to his list of ongoing quests. The parents of the individual were upset and attempted to get Xeal to reconsider, but he simply shook his head and stated that he needed young men who were ready to follow orders, not question him. On that note, he added that any who failed to do so would be dropped from the training and sent home. With that taken care of, Xeal left, to find it was already late in the afternoon and he returned to the forge as he worked on his smithing. While doing so, he mentally went over what it would take to develop the 30 teenagers.

(*****)

Morning January 2, 2267 & ED year 2 day 144.

When Alex awoke, there was no one exercising despite the fact that it was a Wednesday. Instead, after breakfast, a shuttle was waiting with Quentin, Harrison and three other members of the staff from FAE’s headquarters. Rose and Elizabeth both thanked Alex for letting them hang out for the last two days and commented that they were going to miss the VR pods. As Amanda, Fred, Dan, Tara and Henry said their goodbyes, Alex reassured them that they would do fine and to say hi to everyone for him. In some ways he wished it was practical for him to go with them, as he would enjoy getting to meet Gaute (Geitir), Sato (Takeshi), and Frida (Friva). However, with his experience needs, it wasn’t even remotely plausible and with him needing to work with the young nobles, he would need to use the same method he used when grinding last time. This meant he would be moving to the royal forging room anytime the young nobles needed rest, just not to fall behind his current pace too much. He was hoping that the rewards from completing each of their quests would be enough to offset his lagging pace.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Alex turned around to see Sam, Nicole, Ava, Mia, Kate and her three bodyguards, with Gido and Julie standing in the background. It was only then that it hit Alex that he was alone in a house full of women, besides Gido and Jacob. After pausing for a second to think of the implications, he just shook his head and walked inside to return to ED while taking both Sam’s and Nicole’s hands.

Xeal made his way to the courtyard in FAE’s guild headquarters with Bula and Midnight in tow, after agreeing to meet up with Daisy and Violet in Dragon’s Heart city a bit later. Today was the day Enye’s party would be attempting their tier-4 tests. While half of their tests were private, they could watch Dyllis and the twins as they did theirs. However, before that, he had 30 teenagers to get settled in. He wished that Eira was back as she would be a great help in shepherding these trainees. Still, he needed to get this out of the way as in a few days it would be nonstop for around two months ED time. At which point, he intended to start the first of three waves as he had just over ten feathers at his disposal currently. When Xeal arrived, he was surprised to find Kate and her shadow, Ivy Cutefreeze, who had finally left recruitment duty, awaiting him with all 30 teenagers looking ready to join in the training. At level 75, she was only a bit behind the majority of professional players and even though she was a mage, Xeal realized the training he had in mind would still be attractive to her, though he could think of a better regimen that she could undertake that would also help Ivy catch up in levels as she was only at level 51. So, without saying anything to her about her presence, Xeal made his way to the small stage that was usually set up for the instructions that Nora would give to his guild, as he started speaking.

“Good morning, knights, or should I say, aspiring knights. Each of you have stepped on the path that many have failed at before you. Of those that do, there are usually more than a few who stand out, but as each of you will be walking the nightmare, you must be ready to either become that standout, or die. I speak as one who has walked the nightmare and survived. During this training, you will interact with several of my kind who have done the same. Now the next few days will be about seeing where you are, and Bula here will be taking care of your assessments today and tomorrow. As the day after is Princess Enye’s birthday, it will be your final reprieve before your life becomes sleep and train. Each day your time to rest will be shortened, until you can go a full 33 hours with only a single three-hour rest. Now Bula will take over and after she shows you to your rooms, she will call you one by one to be tested.”

As Xeal stepped down, Bula took over and he made his way to Kate, as Bula directed the teenagers to follow her as she led them away.

“You know, if you wanted to be run through your paces and prepped for your tier-5 challenge, all you had to do was ask.”

“Why should I have to ask? Even Taya was able to complete the nightmare trial with your methods. By my intel, she should have only been able to pass the hard mode, at best. Whatever your method is, I know several guilds who would pay dearly for it.”

“I’m surprised it hasn’t leaked yet.”

“As am I. I must say, you have done quite well at keeping your members who have challenged the nightmare mode from talking.”

“They just don’t want to lose access to it as it will still be of use when working to pass their tier-7 trial.”

“Really, now I really must know.”

Xeal smiled, knowing that she and Ivy had already signed an NDA both inside and outside of ED, as he handed each of them a mirror shard for her to inspect. He just smiled at her expression as her astonishment of it grew with each second as she read the description. Ivy seemed to want to stay quiet as Kate gave Xeal a look of intrigue, waiting for him to elaborate.

“Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal, as you would have found out about those regardless of if you asked, or not, as you would be using them soon.”

“Hold on. Just how many of these do you have?”

“4,096.”

‘So few? Can you get more?”

“Ha, if you knew where I got them, you would just smile at the fact that we even have the ones we do.”

As Kate looked like she wasn’t going to let it drop, Xeal shared the details of the fight with the shadow warrior, leaving out a few details about how he was able to overpower it out. He then advised Kate on a few good areas to level up while focusing on improving her capability to pass her tier-5 trial on nightmare mode. Xeal also sent a message to a few tier-5 players, who were part of the still-forming main force, to act as safeties for her and Ivy, before they went off to meet up with them. With that taken care of, Xeal made his way to watch the tier-4 tests of Dyllis, Luna and Selene. As Xeal entered the knight’s practice yard in the Dragon’s Heart city’s keep, he was greeted by Viscount Weawen.

“Ah, Viscount Bluefire. It is good to see you. Can you believe it has almost been a year since you stood here to attempt your own tier-4 test?”

“Time has really flown by, hasn’t it?”

“Ha, you can say that again. The young knight who I saw with so much potential has already risen to stand as my equal. I must say, even I thought that it would take longer for you to rise this far, yet it is all but assured that you will be an earl before the next Founding Day. With that said, is the rumor that you are taking several third sons and lower of nobles under your wing true?”

Xeal smiled before responding, “News travels fast…”

Xeal and Viscount Weawen chatted for a bit as they made their way over to the waiting area, where Luna and Selene were waiting while chatting with Dyllis and Enye. Xeal knew both Arnhylde and Lucida were off taking care of their own tier-4 tests, leaving just these four who were waiting on him to start their day. First would be the twins as their test should be the fastest and then it would be Dyllis’s turn as she was put through her paces as a bard, at which point they would all return to the capital as Enye would undertake her test in private. As a princess, she was afforded a fair bit of special privileges and her tester was scheduled to come to her to administer the test. As a rogue, Xeal knew she would be tested on her ability to complete a mock heist that would take stealth and infiltration skills into account. It was the need to remain hidden that precluded others from watching the exam. Still, from the reports Xeal had, he was confident in Enye’s ability to produce a satisfactory result. As the four ladies chatted, it was Enye who noticed Xeal first and made her way over to greet him.

“Xeal, I must say it is wonderful to see you this often, especially as you will be spending the whole day with me in two days, right?”

“Enye, my intent is to spend your birthday with you as I am aware that it is an important day for you, but I also know that you will have other obligations on that day.”

“Hmph, if any of those obligations intend on separating you from my side, they can just be ignored. Why do you think we are all testing today? You spending the whole day with me is what I want for my birthday. I don’t care if we spend the whole day deep in the mines killing kobolds, as just having you with me is what I want.”

“I understand and I will make sure to please you. After all, it is not just your birthday, but it is also the day we first met, though I do hope you will afford Dyllis a bit of my time as I believe it is an important day for her as well.”

“Oh, you are right. Hmm, I know. She may have you to herself first as she did meet you first, but I want you to myself from 10:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night.”

“That sounds perfect!” interjected Dyllis enthusiastically. “I had figured that our date the night before would have to substitute for my time with you.”

“Dyllis, you need to stop simply stepping aside for Princess Enye,” chimed in Luna.

“Yes. While she is our lady and the princess, when it comes to Xeal’s heart, she needs to share it on dates that are important,” added Selene.

“Indeed, with just how many ladies he is attracting, there are bound to be conflicting days from time to time.”

“If status starts playing too much of a role among you all, then it will all fall apart.”

Xeal just smiled helplessly at the twins’ words that they delivered, while smiling at Xeal like they were planning something. Still, before Xeal could say anything, Dyllis spoke.

“Yes, I know. Now, Xeal, what time will you be waking up that morning?”

“Honestly, I can head to bed once our date from the night before comes to an end, so eight and a half hours after that,” responded Xeal.

“Good, then nine hours after our date, I expect you to host me for breakfast at your home. We can play it by ear from there until you escort me back to the palace when you head to see Enye.”

“As you wish. Now, I believe we should move onto the reason we are here today.”

With Xeal’s words, the twins smiled as they stepped forward and Viscount Weawen instructed the confused on-duty knight captain to set up two combat dolls in a single arena, with swords and shield configurations. Xeal had been surprised to learn that the twins had picked up the shield in this life, as he had never heard of them using anything but swords in his last life. Now they each held a round metal shield that was 20 inches across in their left hands and a 30-inch blade in their right hands. He remembered having to deal with them during their short training the other day and wondered if they had fixed the minor issues he pointed out to them. From the smug looks they had on as they split up, while circling the arena as they worked to set up their entrance, Xeal thought that they didn’t place this test in their eyes, or that they were just that confident.

Luna and Selene circled the arena, looking at how the pair of combat dolls tracked them and after completing a full circle, they had their plan. They did a quick about-face, ran like Xeal had taught them was best for starting the test, once they were on opposite sides with the two dolls facing away from each other. When they jumped in with a roll, they quickly found their way to the center as both dolls charged at them with shields forward. At the last moment, Luna and Selene dodged to opposite sides as the dolls tried to turn and stop. The resulting crash put both dolls in a compromised position, as the twins started to pick them apart. The difference was easy to see as Luna and Selene worked almost flawlessly together and the dolls were seemingly led by the nose for the full two minutes it took the twins to disable them.

Xeal clapped as he couldn’t see how anyone could have performed better on the altered test format than they did. They had made it look effortless and Xeal could already see the gears turning in Viscount Weawen’s head. With a laugh, Xeal headed off any trouble from that avenue.

“I wouldn’t try to pull something like you did with me on those two. They are a bit more than you should try and handle. Now, if Prince Victor wanted to have a go at it, I might just sit back with some snacks and enjoy the show.”

“You know he would attach them to our bed, right?” quipped Enye.

Xeal just looked at Enye like he had wished she hadn’t said that.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he does just that and enjoys some snacks while watching the show,” continued Enye with a smile, like she was daring Xeal to challenge her.

“Anyways, let’s move on with our day,” diverted Xeal.

Viscount Weawen gave Xeal a look that was a mix between intrigue and pity, as Luna and Selene rejoined the group as everyone congratulated them. After a short break, they made their way to a local theater where Dyllis’s test would take place. Waiting there was an older man, with graying hair and a kind smile, as they approached. Before they could say anything, he spoke to them.

“Ah, Lady Dyllis. I must say, I am glad to have lived long enough to see you come for your test. Now, if everyone else will please find a seat inside, I will take Lady Dyllis to prepare for her performance.”

30 minutes later, Xeal and the rest of the group, to include Viscount Weawen, were seated as the curtain rose, revealing Dyllis standing next to four dolls with blue stripes on their waists. These dolls were similar to the ones Luna and Selene had just faced, except that they had no weapons. Across the stage were six other dolls with red stripes, that Xeal knew would be Dyllis’s opponents. The test was straightforward, yet extremely difficult to pass with top marks. A simple pass required her team to prevent any of the six hostile dolls from reaching her. If she wished to do more than pass, she would need to have her team defeat dolls on the other team. The more she beat and the fewer of her dolls that fell, the better her score would be. Many players who had played bards had complained about the fact that getting the top results for this test seemed impossible, in Xeal’s last life. It was only years after the launch of ED that any player had successfully defeated all six of the hostile dolls without losing any of their own. As there had been a few spectators that day, the video had been posted immediately, revealing the tactic to all and from that point on, around two percent of all bards who took this test had achieved such results and the average results had soared. Xeal had, of course, shared this method with Dyllis.

As the curtain rose, Dyllis watched as the ten dolls came to life and she started to sing a melancholic melody that she had been practicing, while focusing on the six red-striped dolls. The effects were almost instantaneous, as they slowed to a shuffle and the blue dolls surrounded them on her mental order. This move caused Viscount Weawen and the elderly man who was administering her test to look confused, as it made it easier for the red dolls to break through. However, when all four recklessly charged into the six red-striped dolls, causing them to collide with one another and fall to the ground, they both smiled as the four dolls were the first to recover. Dyllis switched to a fast and joyous tune as the four started to pummel the six that were still on the ground with kicks and punches. One of the red striped ones would occasionally catch the leg of one of Dyllis’s, making them fall, but it was obvious that the advantage was on her side. Finally, it looked like a few of the red dolls were going to get to their feet when Dyllis switched songs once more, to something slow and serene. The next moment, all six red-striped dolls froze as the blue ones knocked them back to the ground. This process repeated itself a few more times, until at last the final red-striped doll was defeated, as four battered but standing blue dolls deactivated and the test came to an end.

Xeal watched as the look of concentration on Dyllis’s face turned into one of pure joy at the completion of her test. The clapping that followed from everyone, to include Xeal, just made her smile even more as the proctor spoke.

“That was wonderful. Truly inspired. I don’t believe we have ever seen such results before. Your control was superb and your tactic was something I have never seen before. Tell me, where did you get that idea, my dear?”

“Umm, it was something that Xeal suggested to me.”

“I see. I must say that you may be the most talented bard that I have seen in all my years. Even your mother didn’t perform as well as you.”

“Thank you,” stated Dyllis, looking embarrassed and at the same time sad at the high praise.

The proctor failed to notice the sadness that had come over her and continued to gush over Dyllis’s performance, while she continued to get redder as more and more praise was added. It didn’t help when her father joined, though no mention of her mother was made by him and finally Xeal decided to rescue her.

“Dyllis, you were wonderful. Now, let’s get out of here so Enye can start her test back in the capital.”

“Thank you, but it was only due to your plan,” stated a relieved Dyllis.

“Dyllis, at best only two percent could have pulled off what you did, even with my plan. Your own talent was what allowed you to achieve what you did. I only gave you a push in the right direction. Everything else was you.”

With a slight smile, Dyllis took Xeal’s offered arm as they left the theater and shared a small moment where she seemed to draw comfort from him, before she sighed and let go. After stealing a quick kiss from him, she rejoined Enye, Luna and Selene as they returned to the capital. Once there, Xeal bid the four ladies farewell as he returned to his work in the royal forging room, while going over the plan for the next few days for the rest of that session. His last task of the day was to receive Bula’s report on the teenagers and it was a mixed one, as none of them were able to come close to defeating their shadow on the two tries that they each had that day. Bula had been forced to step in all sixty times, with a few not even being able to hold their own for more than a few moments before she needed to do so. While Bula was disappointed, Xeal simply smiled as it was about what he had expected to be the case. With plans to change that in mind, Xeal made his way to bed before logging out.

(*****)

Evening January 2, 2267 & ED year 2 days 145-146.

Alex stepped out of his VR pod, feeling ready to relax for a bit as he gave Sam and Nicole some kisses, while they updated him on the status of their hunt for the phoenixes. They were relatively sure of two more of their locations, but getting to them would require level 100 players at the bare minimum, so they had shifted focus to finding the rest. The three of them had been enjoying simply talking as they relaxed on the Alaskan king bed, when Sam and Nicole told Alex to go check on dinner. Alex knew that Gido would come get them in another ten minutes, or so, but both of them were persistent. So, Alex made his way to check on dinner. However, when he walked into the smaller dining room upstairs, he found Ava and Mia waiting for him. They were dressed in only baggy tee shirts that stopped just above their thighs and revealed their undergarments when they bent over. Alex had to blink a few times as his brain processed the scene, before he could respond.

“What are you two doing?”

“What do you mean?” asked Mia.

“Yeah, we are just waiting for you, Sam and Nicole,” offered Ava.

“In that?”

“Oh, do you like?”

Alex gulped as they both did a quick twirl, causing their shirts to ride up slightly.

“We thought it would be okay for the next few weeks.”

“And Nicole said it was fine.”

“Oh, here they are now.”

Alex turned to find Sam and Nicole standing behind him dressed the same as the twins, only they were in two of his shirts, before Sam spoke.

“Alex, we have already told Gido and Jacob to stay on the lower floors until everyone is back. Until then, Ava and Mia will be testing your resolve at our request.”

Alex went to respond when Nicole cut in.

“This isn’t our single request that you owe us. It is more of us seeing if you can really resist as you seem so determined to do. It’s only for the rest of the month and Sam and I have already given them permission to do anything that doesn’t involve intimate touching underneath your clothes. That is, unless you initiate it.”

“Nicole…Sam,” stammered Alex, looking at the two of them like they had grown an extra head.

“Don’t look at us like you didn’t bring this upon yourself,” scoffed Sam.

“Exactly,” cooed Mia as she pressed to Alex’s right side.

“You said you weren’t going to make any moves until after this month,” added Ava, while cuddling Alex’s left side.

“Yet when little Miss Astor showed up, you let her get her foot firmly in the door.”

“So, now we are going to either make you prove that you can resist our advances with no help from Sam and Nicole.”

“Or accept us and we will be the wall that they and you clearly can’t be.”

“We wouldn’t mind if you just gave in now, though.”

As Ava finished her words, she and Mia took one of his hands and pressed them against Sam’s and Nicole’s bellies that were just starting to show, before Sam spoke again.

“Alex, Nicole and I have talked and we are fine with Ava and Mia and will even give Kate a chance to grow on us if she does make a real play, but that’s it. Five is the limit of what we think we can handle in the long run.”

“I feel like this is a trap,” was all that Alex managed to get out as he found himself being hugged from four sides and it was Nicole who replied.

“Oh, it is a trap. It’s just one that we expect you to happily fall into. Alex, we love you, but you suck at keeping your guard up and when you try to, we don’t like who you become. Ava and Mia are willing and able to play that role and yes, that means we would be sending them everywhere with you once you let them in.”

“Yep, we will be like your personal secretaries,” chipped in Mia.

“Only you wouldn’t need to worry about any legal issues when you showed us your affection,” Ava purred.

“And before you even worry about it, Enye and Dyllis are fine with it.”

“That’s right. We have done our due diligence, and while Mari and Lingxin have some reservations, they won’t object.”

As the four women continued to reassure him and counter any arguments he could muster before he could make them, Kate walked in, followed by her three bodyguards. The next thing he knew, Kate was laughing softly as she looked at the four of them and spoke.

“I see that they wasted no time. Hmm, should the four of us join in this dress code as well?”

“Kate, you know that you aren’t invited to this party,” responded Sam in annoyance.

“Yes, I am aware. If I join in, I must play the lady through and through as the four of you get to be as loose with Alex as you like, while I smile and watch. Still, he looks so helpless with the four of you smothering him. He doesn’t stand a chance like that.”

“That’s the point,” shot back Mia.

“We want him to embrace us, so why would we give him a chance?” added Ava.

“Fair. By the way, Sofie and Julie will be here with dinner shortly, so unless you want them to see you like this, you should let him go.”

With a slight hesitation, the four of them released him, with Sam and Nicole each giving him a kiss on the cheek before walking to the table that was large enough for 16, if two sat at each end. They took the seats to either side of the head of the table where Alex was clearly meant to sit, as Ava sat next to Nicole and Mia was next to Sam. Kate took the seat at the opposite end of the table, with her bodyguards taking the seats to either side of her, creating a gap between the two sides. Alex struggled to keep his mind from wandering throughout dinner and felt relieved when it was finally time to return to ED, as he knew he would get at least a short break from the situation once he logged in.

After checking in with the noble teenagers once more, Xeal went about spending day 145 working on guild paperwork and increasing his forging proficiency. That evening, after he heard Bula’s report, Xeal enjoyed a nice dinner with Dyllis before calling it a night at 8:00 and letting the staff know to expect Dyllis at 5:00 in the morning for breakfast, as he went to bed. He was still getting used to the single sleep cycle that his new schedule allowed him and while he was not feeling like it was causing him problems, he could feel the difference. Still, he knew from his last life that this schedule was the best balance of everything when players used a VR pod and didn’t only go offline once a day.

The following morning, Xeal found himself sitting with Dyllis on his balcony as they enjoyed breakfast, with Maxwell at the ready to serve them. As they enjoyed their breakfast while watching the night turn into day, Dyllis spoke.

“Xeal, do you think we could simply move to the bench there and just spend our time enjoying simply being together?”

“If that is what you would like, I will have no complaints. I could use the break as well, if I am honest.”

“Wonderful.”

The pair smiled as they enjoyed their meal, before moving to the cushioned bench as they listened to the world wake up, punctuated by a song from Dyllis here, or there, as they talked about life. When 10:00 drew near, they reluctantly made their way back to the palace, where they separated as Enye greeted Xeal. Enye had given both Luna and Selene the day off and a pair of tier-7 royal guards walked behind the pair as they made their way to the gardens, where Enye had a private tea time prepared for them. As they sat on a bench seat and Enye snuggled up to Xeal, he spoke.

“Before I forget, congratulations on reaching tier 4, though I am slightly curious as to how your test went.”

“Thank you and it went wonderfully. The guard dolls didn’t notice a thing, though my skills are still far from getting past my own guards.”

“That’s wonderful…”

The next hour and a half was simply spent talking as they enjoyed a slow start to their day together. That ended as they joined the rest of her family that was able to come for lunch in another area of the massive gardens. Present were her mother and father, Princes Victor and Valentine, as well as several of her half siblings who were still living in the palace. As they arrived, Queen Eleanor was the first to greet them as she hugged Enye, then Xeal.

“It is so wonderful to have you join us, Xeal, though I must ask just what you have put into my daughter’s head that has her determined to reach tier-5 before your wedding?”

“Mother, she simply wishes to be at her best when she attempts her trial, as once we are married, we will have other duties to fulfill that will delay her continued advancement,” responded Xeal, as he watched Queen Eleanor melt at him calling her mother.

“Still, I worry about her. I never thought she would ever reach tier-5, let alone beyond it. If you weren’t going to such extreme lengths to ensure her safety along the way, I might have to have words with you.”

“Mother, Xeal knows what he is doing and as you see, all of the young nobles he is training will walk the nightmare successfully first as they reach tier-5. You should see that for yourself.”

Xeal couldn’t keep a smile from forming on his face at the scene of the mother and daughter going back and forth as Prince Valentine made his way over.

“It is good to see you again, sister. I must say it is a relief to hear that your test went without issue, though you shouldn’t rush to reach tier-5 like you are. It is not like anything you are expecting and will push you farther than you think you can go to survive, if you challenge the hard trial as I did.”

“Thank you for your concern, brother, but I assure you that I will be fine as I walk the nightmare once Xeal tells me I am ready for it.”

“The nightmare. Surely you do not intend to put my sister through such an experience? How can you say that you care for her and send her to face that, even if you have a method to guard her life?”

“Valentine-” started Enye when Xeal cut in.

“Prince Valentine, the nightmare is coming for us all in the coming years. Only by readying ourselves now will we be ready for it when it arrives. Make no mistake, I take no pleasure for what I intend to have her endure, but I need to know that even without the protection I have placed on her life, that she will survive.”

“Isn’t your role to stand between her and that which might place her life in danger? If you can’t even do that, how are you worthy of her hand?” retorted Prince Valentine.

“Do you control where you will be sent once war comes? Will you have the luxury of standing next to your wife and child, or will you have to hope that those you trusted them with will give their lives for them? The hotter the fire, the stronger the steel. If you can’t understand this simple truth, then I fear for your future, Prince Valentine.”

“My sister is not steel. She is closer to silk-”

“Brother, I am no delicate flower that must be sheltered, or be ruined, and even if I were, the times that we live in would likely force me to adapt, or die. If you think for a second I am displeased with the expectations that Xeal has for myself and his other brides, you are mistaken. If anything, I am grateful for them as they show that he believes I can be more. You should be striving to be more as well, if you wish to survive what is to come.”

Prince Valentine looked affronted at Enye’s words and was about to respond when their mother beat him to it.

“Son, I love you and will always do so, but like Enye, you were born without the weight of the throne, or a mandatory political marriage. Enye had to endure the advances of a fool, and was swept off her feet by a rising knight, with her brother’s approval. When I first heard of the situation, I figured the pair were playing a prank on all of us and ignored it, expecting them to grow bored after a month, or so. Yet they weren’t and once I looked into the situation, I found nothing but praise for both of them for their foresight. Is Xeal perfect? No, but nor am I, or you. Valentine, you can question their match all you like, but do not insult Enye’s resolve. If anything, you should learn from it.”

Prince Valentine looked close to a drowned cat as he responded, “I see. Very well, Mother, I will take my leave then.”

After he had walked a fair distance, Queen Eleanor spoke once more.

“Xeal, I do love you and have accepted and understand what you intend to put my dearest daughter through. Just know, that should something happen to her, I will still hold it against you. That said, from what her proctor says, she will likely be able to stand among the elite should she be allowed to mature. So, I will have faith in your methods as I am sure you are refining them from your guild’s experience.”

“Thank you, Mother. I have no intent of Enye living anything but a long and happy life with me at her side.”

“Good. Now the two of you should return to enjoying yourselves.”

As Queen Eleanor left the two alone, they made their way around the lunch and for once, Prince Victor didn’t attempt to talk about quests, or politics. In the end, the conversation was the only significant moment in Xeal’s mind from the rest of the day as Enye simply had Xeal escort her everywhere. This included a few more events, such as a charity dinner where an exterior area of the gardens was open to the orphans for a good meal. It was sweet to see Enye serving each of them a roll as servants brought out and served the rest of the meals to the kids. Still, even though it was nice to see, it still reminded Xeal that while this world was in a game, it still had the less fortunate in it. Those who through no fault of their own would find themselves standing alone against the world. He knew that most of them would end up in the nation’s military, or guard force, with a few others finding a craft that fit them as it was just what orphanages were geared for in this kingdom. Xeal was also aware of just how stressed the systems like this would become once wars raged everywhere. After dinner, Enye simply enjoyed a short walk and relaxing with Xeal, before it was time to call it a day as she thanked him for a wonderful day and he pulled out his gift for her.

“Enye, I am aware that the date is already set and I still need to become an earl to make it official, but I have never asked you. So, Enye, will you be my wife and walk with me through life?”

Xeal held a ring that matched the half heart design of the real ones Sam and Nicole had in reality, except that it had musgravite that was cut to highlight its purple aspects inlayed. Xeal smiled as Enye looked at the ring for a single moment, before holding out her left hand and responding to him.

“Of course I will, silly, though I am happy to hear you ask and I must say that I look forward to wearing your ring for all to see, regardless of if you are an earl or not.”

Xeal simply smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger, followed by pulling her in for a kiss before walking her back to the palace and bidding her farewell.

(*****)

Morning January 3, 2267 & ED year 2 day 147.

Alex found himself unable to ignore Ava and Mia as they worked out in nothing but booty shorts and sports bras. Both Sam and Nicole were on the bikes taking it easy, as the twins and Alex were power walking loops around the basketball court. As a side note, Alex was happy to see Kate and her bodyguards getting some work in as well. Even if Kate was only doing a casual walk while laughing at Alex’s resistance to the pair of red-headed temptresses. Alex was happy when breakfast was over and it was time to return to ED for the day, even if it was a short session.

When Xeal opened his eyes, his senses told him something was off and he quickly looked around, until his eyes landed on a figure that was currently asleep in an armchair. At first, he was ready to leap into action before he realized it was Eira and calmed down, even if he was still confused. As he thought about it, his slight movement seemed to wake her as her eyes shot open, before seeing that Xeal was awake and calming down and speaking.

“It’s good to see you’re back in our world.”

“Okay, but why are you in my room?”

“As was agreed before I left, I am bound to your service. As such, I intend to guard you when you are at your most vulnerable. I am aware, that unlike the rest of your kind, your body is bound to our world for some reason and while nothing has happened yet, it is only a matter of time before an attempt is made. For that reason, I intend to rest here whenever you are leaving our world and would be otherwise unguarded.”

“I see. Still, I would have preferred some warning, though it is good to see that you completed your trial without issue.”

“Yes, my mother was ecstatic when I succeeded. She remembers walking the nightmare herself and how she was a full two years older than I am now when she did so.”

“You never had any doubt about having to walk it, did you?”

“No, though ours is far different from what you humans face. After all, mine was just surviving for a week with nothing but my own gear in the forest. The nightmare was the fact that I had to kill seven level 85, or higher, wendigos while doing so.”

Xeal knew that for her, level 83 wendigos would have been hard mode, and she would have had to only last five days. Normal would have been level 81 and three days, and easy was as simple as finding a level 80 wendigo and killing it. The beast-man tribes each had a monster that they had to face to reach tier-5 and up. It was the system taking into account the lack of training facilities and general difficulties that they faced in simply surviving. Still, Xeal knew that only those like Noriko and Eira, who had a primordial beast’s inheritance, would face off against wendigos for their trial. In some ways it was easier than what Xeal had gone through, and in others it was harder as it was shorter and didn’t require you to constantly fight. Yet at no point could you be called safe, as it was common for players to fail, from being killed while they were offline due to not concealing their hiding spot when they logged off, well enough.

“Alright, are you ready to be put to work?”

“Oh, you already have a task for me?”

“Yes, and you will be perfect for it as I need to fix any idiots over the next year, before I allow them to try and court other beast-women. That said, feel free to let me know if any are beyond saving, as I will withhold my endorsement from them if that is the case.”

“Hold on, what are you talking about?”

Xeal just smiled, before explaining what was going on as he stretched and the pair made their way to breakfast. When they arrived, Violet and Daisy were quick to hug Eira and spend some time catching up, as the servants brought out the food and Midnight showed up with Bula. The moment Midnight had gotten Xeal’s first bite, he went straight to Eira and refused to leave her lap, making him chuckle as she petted him and he started to purr like he was a real cat. As breakfast came to an end, it was time for everyone to go their separate ways once more. For Daisy and Violet, that meant that they would be leaving the mansion for extended periods, starting today. This would mean the only beast-women in his home would be Eira and the shy Scicie, who seemed happy to follow around the maid who was caring for her, when she woke up in the late morning. Xeal felt like she was still getting used to not needing to stay with her guardian at all times like she had needed to do in the beast-man tribes’ lands.

As for Violet and Daisy, they would be joining the ever-expanding group that made up Enye’s party of women. All together it would contain Mira, Lingxin, Luna and Selene as the frontliners. Violet and Daisy would be acting as support mages and off-healers, as their class was a unique one to fox-men and it mixed a bit of cleric with mage, with a focus on illusions. With Dyllis as full support, Enye acting as a striker, Lucida as the main DPS and Arnhylde as the crazy cleric that wasn’t happy if she didn’t bloody her sword, they made an interesting party. Xeal had given both girls one of Jewel’s feathers as a safety measure as they left that morning to meet up with the rest of Enye’s party, as they left to descend from the first level of the mine once more.

After seeing them off, Xeal led Bula and Eira, who had Midnight acting like a neck pillow, to the area where the teenagers would be waiting. When they arrived, they found all 30 of them standing at the ready and Xeal smiled, as he saw leaving them with Bula for a few days was a good call. As quiet as she was normally with Xeal, he had seen just how she had been able to get Narfu to get in line. He figured that if she could get the orc to get in line like that, then her father should have taught her a few good tricks of how to instill some discipline in the most undisciplined. Xeal also was pretty sure it involved a threat to tell him something that the teenagers didn’t want him to hear. Either way, Xeal wasn’t concerned as he stepped in front of the group to speak.

“Good morning. So, I hear each one of you are not even an opponent for a weakened version of yourself. As I am sure Bula told you, all those shadows are only able to display around 90% of the skill you are capable of. I will now demonstrate the point of where I expect each of you to reach before you walk the nightmare.”

Xeal motioned for them to clear a large area for him as he took out three mirror shards and took in a deep breath as he prepared for what he was about to do. He knew it was not his absolute limit, but it was still a difficult scenario to handle, especially with the use of dragon’s breath that he would need to deal with. Still, after activating one of the features of the courtyard that shielded a 30-foot area with a translucent dome for up to 30 minutes at a time, Xeal got ready to fight. The issue with using this feature was the cost to do so, as it ran off a magic generator that required MP crystals, that could only be bought from NPCs in a very limited quantity at this stage of the game, to run. This single use would cost FAE ten gold. It was why private rooms at the battle arena that was built in the fort town was better for battles like the one Xeal was about to have, if it was only for his training. With one final breath, Xeal activated all three mirror shards and started the demonstration.

Instantly, three copies of himself formed and took actions to surround him, as the center one fired a dragon’s breath at him. Which he countered with one of his own, before shifting to his left to head off one of his copies. Quickly he exchanged attacks with that copy and managed to get in some good hits, before it was time to evade the next dragon’s breath attack. Only this time, he was able to shift his copy into the line of fire, before landing his own dragon’s breath on that copy as well. Xeal smiled as his attack ended, but that was all the time he had to celebrate as the two untouched copies arrived. Still, Xeal had achieved his goal as one of his copies had already taken a beating and he had the dome at his back. Xeal launched into a full-out attack against all three, such that they couldn’t effectively use dragon’s breath without hitting one another as well. That wasn’t to say they didn’t, but as he knew himself, it was clear every time and he was able to avoid it all but once, before finishing off the weakened copy and moving on to the next phase of the fight. At this point, Xeal was around half health and had burned through three quarters of his MP and SP pools. However, it was also when it went from a decent back and forth, to Xeal showing his one-sided dominance. Twenty minutes after the fight had started, Xeal stood victorious as he retrieved the mirror shards as his stats recovered and the last ten minutes on the dome finished counting down. The teenagers looked at him like he had two heads and was twenty feet tall, as he casually walked out after the fight. Each of them had bet that once they could beat their copy, they would be ready to face the nightmare trial as they thought reaching that point would be enough. Now they knew that hell was what truly awaited them as the dome vanished and Xeal addressed them once more.

“Now would be when I asked if any of you wished to back out, if you had that option. No, as far as anyone is concerned, for the next year and some change, your life belongs to me and while I will not always be personally guiding you at all times, you will do as I instruct. Now you all have an hour to regroup at Dragon’s Heart city’s gate before we set off to where you all will be spending every moment for the next few months. There you will be molded by myself, Bula, Eira here and a few others, to walk the nightmare, or die.”

With that, they all got moving and the rest of the day was spent just reaching the area in the Vault of Ucnuc that Ceclie treated as her home, before it was time for Xeal to logout. With only enough time to briefly introduce Ceclie before calling it a day, Xeal, Bula, Eira and Midnight all returned to his mansion, leaving the young nobles all at the mercy of Ceclie. Xeal laughed as he had told her to make sure none of them died, were permanently damaged, or were violated, but other than that, have fun for a few hours before letting them rest.

(*****)

Evening January 3, to Evening January 21, 2267 & ED year 2 days 148-203.

The next two and a half weeks passed by quickly in reality, as the largely empty house fell into a normal routine of daily life. Both Sam and Nicole had their first appointment with the OB-GYN in Colorado on the evening of the 3rd, where they confirmed that both were about 16 weeks along and did a full ultrasound. At about the size of an apple, they were able to make a guess at the sex of both babies, but both Sam and Nicole wanted to wait till the next appointment when they would be more sure, before being told. Beyond that, Alex would receive updates on how the visits to each location were going and other administrative issues of FAE when he logged off each evening, while he tried to ignore Ava and Mia. The twins for their part were enjoying themselves as they teased Alex in ever-increasing ways as he grew desensitized to it, much to their frustration. The first time they had used the pool and a wardrobe malfunction occurred where both of the top halves of their new bikinis fell off at the same time had been hard, but he had gotten through it. The fact that Sam and Nicole were adding to his frustration wasn’t helping him either, as they had both decided that until the room was remodeled into separate areas, they were going to only have fun in ED. To top it all off, Kate had been placing bets with her bodyguards on how long Alex would last before he caved in. When he had passed all but Kate’s bet of the 22nd he had almost gloated, but the smile she had as she looked at him when he started to had turned it into him simply announcing that he had proved another of them wrong.

The next 56 days in ED were filled with nonstop work for Xeal as he focused on training the teenagers. Between himself, Bula and Ceclie, they were able to act as safeties as each of the teenagers struggled at first to fight evenly with the ghouls and other undead. For Xeal’s part, he was constantly returning to the royal forge whenever the group would take a break, to keep up his leveling pace. Even with all that, he was slipping behind and would need to get a massive boost from the 30 quests when they completed. He could only hope that with all the time that was required, that the system would be generous when rewarding him. Still, he was happy as he watched the teenagers go from unable to handle even a single enemy on their own, to being able to manage three of their own level, or better, at once. All of them had also managed to overpower their own copies and most could handle two, while three was still far beyond any of them to do more than last a few minutes before needing help. Still, Xeal selected 10 of them to walk the nightmare first and separated them from the rest, as he transferred them to the fort town to face an almost nonstop training regimen under Bula on day 190. They would face 10 straight days of only three hours of sleep, before having to face nonstop fighting as they sparred with one another and faced their own copies. They would do this until day 200, when they would be allowed to rest and take recovery items to restore them to peak condition by day 204, when they would start their trial. The remaining 20 teenagers continued to improve in the Vault of Ucnuc as this occurred and the next group cycled in on day 200.

During this training, Xeal only took a two-hour break for each of his dates and the normal breaks for his sleep and logouts, for the most part. The two exceptions came on day 172 for Lingxin’s birthday and day 182 for Mari’s birthday. For each of them, Xeal took them back home for the day so they could celebrate with their family.

Lingxin’s birthday turned into her spending the day with her brother and a few other relatives. Emperor Huáng Jin took advantage of having Xeal around to catch up on the events and run a few ideas by him. From what he could tell, Jingong had started to flourish as the bureaucrats of the empire and the guild had found a fair bit of common ground. The issue was this was causing the non-Jingong players to either join one of the feeder guilds that had been established, or start to leave the empire the moment they reached level 60 and could move to other countries on the continent. Overall, the prognosis was still a complete collapse once players reached tier-7, though it looked like it would take a few extra months now. Lingxin had been happy to hear that things were even a little better, but still knew that Xeal’s hands were tied as far as what he could do to help. Xeal’s gift to her was a necklace and earring set to note her status as courting him. He had used more of the musgravite that was left after crafting Enye’s set, only it was cut such that it was translucent and colorless. It was set to accent the top quality yellow jade that he had playing the focus in each piece. There were also yellow sapphires worked into the design, making the set as a whole feel warm and happy. Lingxin had been ecstatic to see the set and had instantly had Xeal put it on her as she looked at herself in any mirror they passed for an extra second for the rest of the day. In the end, it had been a bittersweet day with Xeal comforting her for once after all the times she had done so for him.

“Lingxin, don’t worry, I have no intention of doing nothing when your brother finds himself surrounded with no way out.”

“Xeal, it’s alright. I have made peace with the fact that my home will be taken over by others. I will simply have to look forward to the one you build for us.”

“I mean it. I doubt I will be able to save the empire, but I may be able to convince him to escape.”

“Ha, not if the capital would fall into enemy hands. No, he will sit on his throne to greet the new ruler and ask for his life to be spared just long enough to pass on some secrets to them. It is one of the steadfast rules of our family that the emperor will not run from death and instead embrace it when it inevitably comes. In these situations, the feather he has is just to give him a chance to perform this duty if assassinated. I am the only other one who knows what is needed to be known should he be unable to share it.”

“I take it that there is more than the one I am aware of.”

“Yes, though that is the largest. There are others that if not known, could cause great harm to the people.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you for being willing. If there was a way to save him, I would want you to, but I don’t want false hope.”

Xeal gave her a thoughtful look, before he dropped the subject with a hug.

When Mari’s birthday arrived on day 182, Xeal once more found himself in the Muthia empire dining with Empress Sakurai Jingū and her daughters, as well as a few of her sons. Unlike Lingxin and Enye, Mari didn’t keep Xeal to her side for the entirety of her birthday, as she wandered off to spend time with her sisters for a few hours. During these times, Xeal found himself alone and he used the time to get updates from Empress Sakurai Jingū. Xeal was pleased to hear that Holly and her guild had quickly integrated into the empire, though for the time being they were keeping their favored status quiet to avoid any unwanted attention. Xeal knew that the major workshops likely already knew due to the fact that Xeal now owned 51% of the guild and workshop Festive Spirit. When he had received the paperwork, he had almost laughed at just how small they really were. It turned out that it was a group of five rich kids who had bought a hotel and converted it into their headquarters. Altogether there were only around 100 compensated members, with the rest having joined in hopes of having access to the two dozen, or so, expert players that they had hired to get started. They had poached these experts from major powers where their skills were just enough to be part of the main forces, but they had no hope of rising to even a squad leader position. Still, they actually had a decent start as they had managed to avoid attracting the anger of any of the major powers as they secluded themselves to the single dungeon and a few of the surrounding maps. It would be interesting to see just what they became with his aid, limited as he intended to keep it, as Holly was the only real player of consequence that he had to worry about.

When the party was over, Xeal escorted Mari as they returned, with her smiling happily as she chatted about her sisters. She let Xeal know that they all thanked him for the feathers and at the same time, she smiled at the fact that for once she felt like her sisters wished they had something she did, with the exception of Kuni. Xeal smiled as she talked and he handed her his gift to her, as she smiled as she opened it, to reveal a necklace and earring set similar to Lingxin’s, only made with top-quality white jade and white sapphires, with more clear musgravite accents. Like Lingxin, she smiled when she saw it. Unlike Lingxin, however, she paused before she put it on.

“Xeal, does this mean that you intend to marry me, or is this simply checking a box?”

“In between those two. It is me accepting that I have to be more open to your advances.”

“Ha, and just how far do you see me advancing in the less than 80 days before my mother’s deadline?”

“So, you simply wish to give up?”

“Xeal, we have had two dates and today since that day, and will only have four more before a final decision is made. With the insane schedule you are on, tell me when you expect us to have time to truly bond? I know you can’t show me preferential treatment, or the rest would demand the same and I will say that I am bonding with them in the mine as we train, though Luna and Selene can be a bit much. I just don’t know. Love and romance does not come naturally to me. If you asked me to join your other brides-to-be, I would do so without a second thought. However, I do not love you and I know you do not love me. There is a mutual attraction that could grow if given time, time that we do not have before we would marry. So, I guess the question is, will you marry me before you love me?”

Xeal took a long moment to think before he responded to her question as he thought over everything. Finally, with a sigh, he responded to her.

“Mari, yes, I will marry you so long as I feel that it is possible to love you. Over the past few weeks, I have become resigned to a few facts. The largest of these is that I am likely to have at least nine wives, some of whom are set and others that are still fluid. I have accepted that you and Lingxin will be among them as I do not wish to roll the dice with what the next woman to come along would be.”

“Oh, and who says more women would come along? Also, you already have nine ladies you don’t think you can escape. Who are the other three?”

“Just call it a nagging feeling as far as the fact another woman would appear. As for the other three whom I doubt I will be able to do more than stall, two of them are already a bit much for you and the other one isn’t likely to give up her hunt.”

“Ah, I see. Xeal, allow me to think before I put this on, as once I do, know that I have chosen my path. I don’t want you to marry me simply because you are resigned to do so, even if that is normally how these things work for those of my station.”

Xeal smiled as Mari pocketed the jewelry and he kissed Mari on her cheek when she wasn’t expecting it. As she gave Xeal a confused look, he responded.

“Mari, thank you.”

Leaving it at that, the pair returned to Nium.

As the days continued to pass by, one of the days Xeal had been fearing would lead to a major headache for him came and went. Tier-5 players were officially popping up all over the place and many of them were checking out many different places. There had even been several who demanded a meeting with him as representatives of various powers. However, when they were led to a room and greeted by Kate Astor, who stated that she had the job of dealing with all external guild relations before the guild leader would get involved, most of them froze. While Kate was still relatively unknown, her last name preceded her as one saying that either she was connected to the Astor family in Fire Oath, or she wanted to be killed until she quit the game. Needless to say, they all doubted that she would be in a leadership position if she wasn’t a member of the Astor family, as no guild would want to earn their full ire by supporting a fake. This caused many of them to have the misconception that Fire Oath had already secured FAE for themselves. This caused every guild, to include the other super guilds, to hesitate as they investigated the situation thoroughly. Even though the truce they all had was over, none of them wished to have to guard their back against Fire Oath. When Xeal had heard this result, he had been ecstatic as it meant that, at least for the moment, he didn’t need to reduce all activity to the area that Darefret and Ceclie guarded, yet.

As day 203 came to a close, Xeal was satisfied with how everything was going and he smiled at the fact that he had managed to just reach level 94, picking up the second level of dragon’s breath along the way. Additionally, the first group of teenagers was ready to set foot in the nightmare trial. When he returned to ED next, he would send them off to face their trials, after ensuring that they had a phoenix feather at the ready in case they failed. Even after all of the training that Xeal had put them through, he would still be surprised if none of them died as it would be just too good of a result. Part of him lamented the loss that each failure would cost him, while he also thought of the boost 25,000 gold would be to his guild, even if it was worth less than the feather’s true value to the right buyer. If Xeal were to get two princes, or kings, to fight over one, he could likely get 50,000, or more, for a single feather. It was with these thoughts that Xeal called it a day and logged out.

(*****)

Morning January 22, 2267 & ED year 2 day 204.

As Alex stepped out of his VR pod on the morning of the 22nd, he found Sam and Nicole chatting with Ava and Mia while they waited for him. Before he could even ask what was going on, Sam spoke.

“Alex, it’s time to pay the piper.”

“What?”

“What Sam means is that we are calling in our one decision,” clarified Nicole.

“Alright, what within reason decision have you reached?”

“They have decided that you are our birthday present,” cooed Mia.

“That’s right. Today’s our birthday. Surprise!” added Ava with a smile.

Alex blinked as he processed this information before responding.

“I thought it was supposed to be within reason?”

“Oh, it is. They still can’t have their way with you and need your consent for any excessive physical contact. Is it really that unreasonable for you to spend the morning and tonight with them?” asked Sam.

“Yah, it’s not like you will even be sleeping in a bed with them. You just have to spend time with them, alone and preferably doing something fun,” added Nicole.

“So how about it?” asked Mia.

“Are you going to let us enjoy our birthday?” questioned Ava.

Alex thought for a good second before he responded with a smile.

“I just need to let them be alone with me during my logouts today, right?”

“Exactly and you can’t skip the next one,” replied Nicole.

“And I can do whatever I want, so long as it is something they are able to do with me?”

“Yes,” answered Sam.

“Alright. Ava, Mia, get your coats and snow pants and boots that should be in your closet. We are going for a walk.”

“What?” responded Mia.

“There is a foot of snow on the ground out there,” added Ava.

“Hence the snow gear, unless you want to go out there like that.”

Alex just smiled at the hesitation the twins were showing and the looks Sam and Nicole were giving him. They made the rules and he was going to use them to get some time where they would cover up for once. As he was feeling smug, the twins exchanged a look before putting on a smile of their own and responding.

“Alright, we’ll come with you.”

“Yeah, it will be nice to get some fresh air with you.”

“See you out front in ten minutes, then,” replied Alex as Ava and Mia turned and left to get ready as Alex turn to Sam and Nicole.

“Alright, what gives. A month ago, you two were willing to let things play out, then you decide a week later that because Kate made an ambiguous play, that I needed to show I can resist. Now you are all but saying to give in to them. I need some answers.”

As Sam and Nicole processed Alex’s words, he started to get ready and it was Nicole who responded first.

“Alex, you’re right, we have started to push them. Honestly, after looking over everything you have set up and this house, we just feel like if we don’t lock down all avenues of approach now, it will be too late.”

“Yah, we know we are being a bit forceful today, but you surprised us with how resistant you have been. We figured that you would have taken their virginities already with how aggressive they have been. Honestly, they are starting to think that you don’t find them attractive,” added Sam

“Hold on, what?”

“Crap, forget the virginity part,” responded Sam.

“Sam, honestly. Alex, look. We know that you are just trying to protect us and make us know how important we are to you. We appreciate it, but stop it before mistresses three through a thousand show up and ruin what we have. Ava and Mia are half of what we feel is needed to avoid that, with the other unfortunately being Kate, or someone like her.”

“Hold on, back up. What about Kate?”

“We want you to have a loveless legal marriage with her under the condition that she agree that you will only have four mistresses,” responded Sam, looking annoyed. “And don’t look at me like you don’t understand. She has the status to justify it to any rich and entitled brat that would get the same idea in their head.”

“Sam is right. You just have too much of a target on your back right now.”

“You two are overreacting to all of this. First off, I don’t want any mistresses. The two of you are all I do want. Second, I will not have a marriage where there is no hope of love for any reason. Lastly and most importantly, you need to talk with me when you have these concerns, not come up with your own solutions that ignore my view.”

Both Sam and Nicole were silent as Alex finished putting on his cold-weather clothing and it wasn’t until he was done getting ready that Nicole spoke up.

“Alex, I understand that you are upset with how we determined this without talking to you and I’m sure Sam does as well. However, be honest with us. Do you think that the way things are right now it will work for the next 60 years? If it was just me and you, or you and Sam, how do you think things would play out?”

“It would work out. You both would likely have issues with all the girls in ED and I would have had to pass up the opportunity with Jingong, but it would be fine.”

“Alex, we would be possessive bitches who would never let you out of our sight in, or out, of game,” retorted Sam.

“To put it simply, neither of us would handle it well and it would cause the situation to deteriorate into an unsalvageable situation. However, together we balance each other, as Sam boosts my confidence and I restrain her desires. The issue is neither of us dares to be selfish about you. Ava and Mia can, and Kate would eliminate the chance of someone with money and status trying to force their way in.”

Alex just shook his head as he responded.

“Nicole, Sam, I love you both and you are my world, especially with what you are carrying right now. I think everything has been happening too fast and it’s causing a bit of an overreaction, but let me think on your words. I’m going to talk with Ava and Mia also to see where they are on all of this as well, and yes, I know, you have already. Just let me have my own talk, okay?”

With those words, Alex left to meet up with Ava and Mia, who were both looking like a pair of marshmallows in their snowsuits. Alex just smiled at how refreshing it was to see them and not instantly need to find somewhere else to look, as he greeted them.

“Well, let’s be on our way. I figure we can walk for a half hour before taking a break and enjoying the view before turning back.”

“Alright,” responded Mia.

“Lead on,” added Ava.

Alex just smiled as they went outside and trudged into the snow across the driveway that went up to his shins. Ava and Mia smiled after they had made it around 1,000 feet and had crested over a small hill, as they both bent down and picked up some snow before throwing it at Alex and waiting for his response. Alex blinked for a second before he laughed and returned fire, and a snowball fight pitting him against them started just out of sight of the house. Ava and Mia laughed as they overwhelmed Alex, and it wasn’t until his timer saying that it had been a half hour went off that they gave him a break, as they plopped down in the snow next to him.

“It’s time to enjoy the view, right?” chuckled Mia.

“Yeah, don’t just stand there, join us, or do you want to eat more snow?” quipped Ava.

“Alright, I yield. I’ll join you down there, though I had planned to have a better view instead of being in a bowl like this.”

“It’s fine. You are all the view we need.”

“Or want for that matter.”

“Okay, let’s have a talk. Just me and the two of you. What is it you are after?”

“Alex, all we want is you.”

“Yeah, at first we were just after money but, that changed.”

“We have talked with Sam and Nicole.”

“And they have given their blessing, so please.”

“And what if I don’t want this?”

“Then the next two years are going to suck for us.”

“Yep, we will not give up before our 21st birthday.”

“If you can hold out ‘til then, you will be free of us.”

“If not, then all the better.”

“What exactly are you hoping for? It’s not like I can give you each the attention that you deserve. I already feel like I am not giving Sam and Nicole as much as I should. All that adding more will do is make it worse.”

“Alex, none of us are asking for you to spend every moment you can with us,” responded Mia.

“All we are after is a few kisses every day, a hug here and there, and a night or two every week, or so, where you are ours,” commented Ava.

“We know that you are stretched thin and we don’t intend to try and monopolize you at any point.”

“We don’t even intend to take two turns.”

“Ava, Mia, if I did let you in, I would want to make you each feel special. You wouldn’t need to share every moment that should be your own.”

“Alex, have you ever seen us apart?”

“You haven’t. Alex, we do everything together.”

“We have since we can remember.”

“I don’t think I could handle not being able to see Mia for more than a few minutes.”

“Yeah. Ava and I are a package deal, in everything.”

“So don’t try and give us something we don’t want.”

“Perhaps in a few more years we will be able to hang with Sam, Nicole or a baby and not have issues.”

“But right now, it is not happening.”

“It’s actually one of the reasons we are so adamant on joining your harem.”

“We know what we have isn’t something that is sustainable forever.”

“However, it’s something that we don’t think can be fixed without others that can be relied on.”

“We tell you that we are big girls and can handle ourselves.”

“Well, that is only because Ava and I are always doing it for the other.”

“When things get hard, I just say this is for Mia.”

“And I just say it’s for Ava.”

“I think we could literally swim through a sewer if we thought it would help the other.”

“We were ready to let you have your way with us before we even met you.”

“It was actually a bit of an awkward moment for us when you didn’t.”

“Yeah, we had built up the will to accept a sleazeball treating us as objects.”

“Only for a gentleman to refuse to touch us.”

“We kind of fell for you at that point.”

“Even if we denied it for a good moment.”

“It didn’t really hit us until that day in court just how deep we were in.”

“Then Nicole had to drop the bomb that both her and Sam were pregnant.”

“We thought that would be it.”

“Then Saki arrived and we remembered that you needed a shield.”

“After that, we just kind of worked to become real friends with Sam and Nicole.”

“While hoping to catch your eye.”

“We weren’t sure where everything stood.”

“Then you flew Nana out for Christmas and we felt like pushing our luck.”

“Needless to say, we were ecstatic with how everything played out.”

“And now here we are, for better, or worse.”

Alex had been listening to the pair’s duologue as they shared about themselves and couldn’t help but sigh at his own missteps, if he had wanted them to give up. While he was sure he could last the month before everyone made it back, he wasn’t sure he could resist for two years. He had already resigned himself that it was likely to happen, but he had still figured it would still be a while off. Sighing, Alex responded to the twins.

“I really miscalculated at Christmas, didn’t I. I had hoped your grandmother would dissuade you two. Instead, it only made you both almost inevitable.”

“Why is it that you are so pressed to push us away?” asked Mia.

“Yet you can’t seem to completely shut us out?” added Ava.

“I want to push you away because I love Sam and Nicole and letting you in won’t be like letting an NPC in, as you are in both worlds as well. As for why I can’t shut you out, all I can say is that there is something about you two that draws me in.”

“It’s the red hair,” quipped Mia.

“Hm, yep, I think you have a thing for redheads,” added Ava.

“There are three of us after all.”

“And four with black, or close to it, hair.”

“Dyllis is going to start to worry if we do join as she will be all alone with her blond hair.”

“You just might have to add that white-haired tiger girl who we know is chasing you.”

“At least it will increase the diversity a bit.”

“Though we will know that red is your favorite.”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at the twins’ light-hearted banter as he took note that if they wanted to get some breakfast, they would need to head back now.

“Alright, you two have given me a good bit to think about. Now let’s get back before Sam and Nicole eat all the food.”

“Hey, they are eating for two.”

“Hmm, Mia what do you think it will be like when we are eating for two?”

Alex just tuned out the rest of that conversation as they made their way back over the hill and back to the mansion. When they returned, they found a nervous Sam and Nicole waiting for them and Alex could tell that both would need some time to relax before they had another discussion on how his relationships would be handled moving forward. Still, he had just a single thing to say for all four of them.

“Sam, Nicole, I love you both regardless of how annoyed I might be. Ava, Mia, you two need to have a long conversation with Sam and Nicole before tonight. You all need to make sure that you are really ready to actually share me in every way. I will not tolerate any half measures, or we can figure it out. If the four of you are serious about this, I will let them in on the condition that you all can get comfortable at least snuggling together. I know you are all straight and aren’t interested in one another, for the most part, but darn it, if I am going to have four girlfriends, wives, or whatever you want to call it, they need to all be able to at least snuggle with me at the same time.”

The smiles Ava and Mia had on were radiant as Sam scratched her cheek and Nicole sighed and responded.

“I can agree with that so long as everyone has some sort of clothing on.”

Sam chuckled before seconding that as they all made their way upstairs for breakfast.

As Xeal awoke in ED, he once more found Eira asleep in an armchair, but this time Midnight was curled up in her lap as well, making him chuckle. As he stirred, so did she and Midnight jumped down from her lap before looking at her expectantly. After exchanging good mornings and Eira giving Midnight some love, they made their way to the dining room where Bula awaited them and the servants had already brought out breakfast, knowing that Xeal had a busy day. After giving Midnight a strip of bacon, the three of them discussed the teenagers and their progress, as Eira stated that she felt at least eight of the current group would succeed, as they all had the ability to do it. However, she knew that humans had to overcome a major personal hurdle at the end of their trial to move forward. Unlike players who could switch races to avoid this hurdle, the teenagers were stuck as humans. With that thought, Xeal thought of the players who had switched races in FAE already due to the issue and the few who had switched after and had basically had to take two tier-5 trials to do so. Still, before long, it was time to head to the royal knights’ headquarters that Captain Bexley was allowing Xeal to use for these teenagers’ trials.

An hour later, Xeal stood in front of the ten teenagers, with Gideon Beckett standing at the head of the group. All ten of them looked nervous as they looked at the array that would transport them to their trial and Xeal waited a moment before speaking to them.

“Alright, the moment of truth has arrived. Will you all persevere and take a step towards a brighter tomorrow, or will you cost your families a small fortune. Now, time for me to let you all in on a little secret. Bula and Eira will start affixing a pendant to your back that will ensure that if you die, you will be sent out of the trial instead of dying. You will still need to spend some effort to return to your current strength after, but you will be alive and your family will be out 25,000 gold. Now, which one of you wishes to place that burden on them? If you are thinking of refusing the pendant, just stop as you don’t have that option and if you remove it in your trial, all you will be doing is sacrificing your life if you die as I will still charge your family for the lost pendant. Now it is imperative that the pendant is kept in contact with your body at all times as if they are not, then they will not function.”

Xeal took out one of the ten pendants that he had prepared, using copper to encase one of the phoenix feathers. The design on them matched his house’s, with a circle split by a yin and yang symbol as the background, with a whirlpool in its center, blending the two sides together with a void point in the center. On each of these the void point was filled with a shield. Each pendant had straps that were double layered, with leather on the bottom and chainmail on top, to complete the setup. At Xeal’s order, each of the teenagers exposed the small of their backs as the pendants were slid into place, before being fastened tightly in place to ensure they maintained contact with bare skin. With copper being a conductive metal, it would allow the effects of the feather to activate and avoid the risk of it being hit in battle and being cut in two at the same time. There were a few other concerns that could not be completely removed, but they were unlikely to be an issue in this situation. With that taken care of, one by one, they each entered the array and were transported to their trial in a flash of purple light. With that taken care of, Xeal smiled at Sir Tristan Lennon, who was the same knight who had overseen his own trial. Sir Lennon had a troubled look on his face as he spoke once the last teenager left.

“I will let you know when they return, but you know if they succeed, Captain Bexley will want you to pass on your methods to him.”

“Ha, the only thing special about my method is the last-minute reveal of those pendants. Counter to what you may believe, knowing you will live, after training like your life depends upon it with the goal of walking the nightmare, increases your odds greatly, especially the way I did it.”

“How so?”

“All of them came here resigned to face death, but not the financial ruin of their house. Yes, a few of their houses can handle the cost with only minor pain, but do you think any of them want their houses blaming them for the cost? For most nobles, gold is thicker than blood when you look at any but their chosen heirs. Knowing that they will have to face that if they fail and at the same time knowing that their life is secure, will keep them from hesitating, or being truly reckless.”

Sir Lennon had a thoughtful look on his face as Xeal left with Bula and Eira, and headed for the teleportation hall, where Bula and Eira split off to check in on the noble teenagers in the battle arena who were currently being monitored by other members of FAE while the pair rested. Xeal, on the other hand, left to meet up with Aalin and Gale, who were confident in having likely located another half dozen of the phoenixes. The issue now was which ones should they focus on and they hoped Watcher would be willing to point out Nature and Poison, if they had located them, as they were still the only ones they had good hosts for. Xeal had to laugh as he made his way to the kingdom of Cedian where Aalin and Gale were currently working out of. They had been enjoying hanging out with Rose’s and Elizabeth’s characters Rohlisa (Rose) and Elrunia (Elizabeth), who had been helping out with sifting through information. Both had signed confidentiality contracts as well and as part of the deal, they had both received a mirror shard as a leased item. As it would happen, one of the phoenixes was in Cedian and was a reasonable choice to target if they had to simply pick one to go after.

As Xeal entered the hotel room that had been rented out to Rohlisa and Elrunia, who were both offline currently, to act as cover, he found Aalin and Gale looking over paperwork as they discussed which ones were the best targets. They were sure that even if they had been found, that the quests that would be required without Xeal’s elder dragon mark should take a fair bit of time to complete. With that assumption and how remote, or guarded, each area they had located was, they figured they had a bit more time left before others would be able to snatch the marks away. As they noticed Xeal, they both greeted him, but there was still a bit of awkwardness left after that morning in reality.

“Xeal, as you can see, these are the six that we are almost sure of. Now if you can get Watcher to point us to the right ones,” commented Aalin.

“Alright, give me a moment.”

Xeal took a breath as he activated his skill to talk with Watcher and watched as a seventh of his MP pool drained.

“Watcher, I know you don’t want to tell us where each of the phoenixes are, but we have six locations and are hoping to find Nature and Poison. So, any help would be appreciated.”

“Xeal, please tell me that you will keep the ones they mark far apart.”

“They will run into each other from time to time, but they are focused on different areas.”

“No, once they are marked, do not let them near each other. Those two never mix well, or do you enjoy pain?”

“Watcher, they will not be the phoenixes. I am sure they will be fine, though if there are issues, I can make sure that happens.”

“Fine, you can find them at…”

Watcher directed Xeal to the locations in the Stisea kingdom for Poison and the Nuya empire for Nature.

“Thank you. Anything else to add?”

“I will not help you with the other four. If you go after any of them, you will just have to hope you have a good candidate with you.”

Xeal just sighed as he didn’t feel like pushing as it was still a debate on if they had the time to worry about the other four. Instead, he relayed the information to Aalin and Gale as they started to make plans to go after Poison first, as Lily would be easier to coordinate a raid with right now. They agreed that Nature would need to wait until Taya was back in Colorado and that they should plan a raid on the one in Cedian as well. Xeal ignored the groan from Watcher at this, as well as his warning that he would never get any rest if he didn’t stop. With targets set and a basic plan in place, they all returned to Nium as they went about gathering the team that would set out at the start of the next session.

As Xeal was putting out the requirements for the expedition, he found himself wishing that he could already have a full VR pod force. Unfortunately, besides the ones he had bought for the mansion, it would be hard to get any more before late spring, or early summer, and few of his guild members had the finances to afford them. Eventually he planned to supply FAE’s entire core force of around 500, or so, with them, but between the cost and overall supply that was available, that would take at least another year. This was mainly due to “VR life pods” needing to finish expanding their output, and the few other brands that were out there focused on extremely custom units that cost at least twice as much. It was just one of the major changes that ED brought about by being the first VR game that had so many players wanting to spend every moment possible in game. Still, the schedule was set and they would set out on day 205. Xeal sent the info to the 300 members he intended to take, all of whom were above level 90 and would be able to give even super guilds pause, still. That said, from what Xeal could see, they shouldn’t run into any of them during this exercise. With that taken care of, Xeal spent the rest of the day in the royal forging room where Kate tracked him down while Ivy waited outside.

“Xeal, we need to talk.”

“What can I do for you, Kate?”

“My father will be at the house tomorrow morning, and before you ask me why I am only telling you this now, I just found out.”

“Alright, and I take it you weren’t expecting this.”

“Not this fast. I expected him to come a day, or two, before everything closes on our deal at the end of the month to probe us. This is too soon. It means there is something that has raised his concern level to the point that he might actually try to stop me from officially taking ownership of part of FAE.”

“I see, and do you have any idea what that would be?”

“It could be one of about a dozen things, but none of them make sense with how he normally acts.”

“Perhaps he just doesn’t want to see you leave Fire Oath.”

“Possible, but unlikely. I am not seen as anyone of great consequence. I have talent and they value that, but not enough to go out of their way to hold onto me.”

“Alright. Well, what do you need from me?”

“I need everyone to be on their best behavior. As fun as it is to watch you squirm as the twins tease you, it won’t go over well for my plans.”

“Oh, you mean the plan to make him think you intend to explore marrying me?”

“Among others. Honestly, I doubt he believes that I am serious about marrying you and I doubt he cares, but there is always an appearance that must be kept up.”

“Alright. I need an honest answer from you so I’m sorry about this, but sign this contract. All it says is that you will answer the next question I have without any deceit.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“Kate, I trust you to not do anything you feel is harmful to FAE. That is it for now.”

“Alright, can’t say I blame you. In fact, I would be disappointed if you did.”

Kate signed the contract before returning it to Xeal.

“Alright, is any of this part of your true plan?”

Kate blinked for a second before smiling.

“Xeal, I am happy that you are aware that I have a true plan, but no, I am actually surprised by my father’s visit and do not know for sure why he is coming. As good at scheming as I am, I am not perfect as you have proven. It’s why, while it is a remote possibility I would be satisfied if I did end up with you, it would be a lie to say that I am not attracted to you. After all, you are able to play my game so well and I love that.”

“That was a bit more than I asked for. A simple yes or no would have been enough.”

“I know, but why would I waste an opportunity to build trust between us, even if I don’t plan to marry you? I still intend to work with you for a very long time, which to me requires more trust.”

“Good to know. Well, I will let everyone know tonight. Is that all?”

“No, I am about to attempt my tier-5 trial after the meeting with my father. Is there any way you can delay the raid you are setting up till I am done?”

“No, though there will be another one right after it and one more after everyone else returns, if you are hoping to go on one.”

“I see. Very well, I will ensure I am ready for the next one.”

With that the two talked a bit more while Xeal worked on his forging until it was time for them to call it a night and log out.

(*****)

Evening January 22, 2267 & ED year 2 days 205-206.

Alex stepped out of his VR pod slightly before Sam and Nicole did, and after helping them out and giving them each a kiss, they heard a knock at the door and Alex opened it to find Ava and Mia. The twins had looks of tentative excitement mixed with a bit of anxiety as they looked at Alex. He simply smiled at them and invited them in before speaking to all four of them.

“I take it you all had the needed conversation?”

“We did and we even sat down with the other four while we did,” responded Sam.

“Yes, Mari had a bit of a troubled look, but said she had expected it. Lingxin simply hugged them and wished them luck. Enye just simply laughed while making a few jokes about the situation and Dyllis simply looked at her hair before sighing and consenting. I could go into more detail, but that is the gist of it.”

“Alright. Sam, Nicole, the rest of tonight is theirs, but before you leave, know that we all need to be dressed tomorrow morning…”

Alex shared the fact that Kate’s father was going to make an appearance and the need to not cause issues where there were none, if possible. They had a few questions to which he simply told them to ask Kate, while also asking that they let Sofie and Julie know that he and the twins would take dinner in the bedroom tonight. As Sam and Nicole left, Alex could feel the tension rise as Ava and Mia waited for him to make the first move. Alex simply shook his head before speaking.

“If you two think that I am just going to flip a switch and get physical with you two, you need to calm down. Tonight is just more talking while we snuggle. I need to really get to know you both before we go any further.”

“Alex, you don’t need to hold back,” stated Mia, sounding more like she was convincing herself.

“Yeah, we want this. We are just a bit nervous, so be gentle,” added Ava with an anxious tone.

“Good, but I want to take my time with both of you. You both said you were resolved to wait two years if you needed to. So, you two can last a year as we get to know each other. I want to make sure I love you and you love me for more than a good time between the sheets. You’re not Enye, Dyllis, Mari, or Lingxin, who only exist in ED, nor are you Sam and Nicole, who I have known since before my voice changed. I am also aware that the moment we do get physical, you two want to get pregnant and while I am tentatively looking forward to that, I would like to at least wait a bit longer.”

Alex could see the tension leave both of them as they took in his words before they responded.

“Alright, but you have to let us feed you.”

“And put our hands anywhere above your waist.”

“Alright, but no deep kisses yet. I don’t think we are at that point yet.”

With a pair of smiles, Ava and Mia shifted back to a more natural posture as they started to tease Alex and entice him to show them affection. For his own part, he lay back as he pulled them onto the bed where they snuggled up as they started talking about everything and nothing all at once. They went over favorite colors, foods, songs and even day of the week. As they simply enjoyed the moment, Alex couldn’t help but smile as Ava and Mia each held one of his arms hostage. They didn’t even let him have them back when they were feeding him the fruit and meat tray that Sofie brought in for them. Alex had to chuckle at the surprise she showed at seeing them all still clothed as she entered, though she kept her comments to herself. In the end, Alex had given Ava and Mia a playful night, ending with gentle kisses for both of them, as they left for their own room for the night as Sam and Nicole returned before they all logged back into ED.

As Xeal arrived in the Stisea kingdom, he made a point to keep the cloak he was using up as he made his way to the rendezvous point. From the report that Aalin and Gale had put together, the poison phoenix was in a medicine valley of a sort. The location itself was blocked by an NPC power that focused on the healing arts and had the kingdom’s backing. The main issue that Xeal expected to run into was either getting past them, or getting their consent to enter their restricted area. Xeal had a few ways to maneuver in this situation as he met up with the rest, before setting off on the half a day journey to the valley. Xeal was both happy and annoyed that the valley lacked a teleportation gate, as while it added to the time it would take to reach it, it also meant that they would have time to escape should things go bad. Xeal knew that it would not be a stretch to have the whole country looking for them if his status of viscount was discovered and he messed this up. Still, that was a problem for after they got there and for now, they had to cross through two level 90 to 100 areas that would put stress on their team. They could go the long way around and only have to pass through a level 80 to 90 area, but that would take too much time and pass up a golden opportunity that could be vital in negotiations.

It was six hours later and they were in the second area, that was full of insect monsters that varied from attacking in swarms to single large predators. This required a constant rotation to take place as no other players had probably even explored this map. The only reason Xeal even knew about his target was due to it being a famous area boss that was among the top 100 most valuable kills in all of ED for level 100 and below. This area boss was ranked around 7 on that list and part of its drops were highly valued by the healers in the valley that they were headed to. As they came to the area that the monster was known to roam, Xeal started to pay extra attention and shifted the raid team formation to avoid grouping up too much. While this prey was valuable, it was also deadly as it was a bit of a chimera and had the general shape of a scorpion with its stinger. However, where you would expect claws, were a praying mantis raptorial legs. If that wasn’t enough to frustrate raid parties, on the surface of its tough exterior were fine hairs that if brushed against by a player, would cause massive poison damage as their body was racked with pain. If not countered in 15 seconds, most players wouldn’t have a chance of survival as few could avoid hitting the system safety feature from how painful it was. Xeal remembered being affected by it the first time he challenged this boss and how it was the worst pain he had experienced, even compared to the after effects of the soul bond. Luckily, there was a simple counter to the issue and he had brought it. Now he just had to find it before it found them. The other annoying part of this monster was that of its size, as it was only around the size of a Clydesdale horse. This allowed it to maneuver around much easier and decreased how many players could engage it at any one time.

As Xeal was searching for it in the overgrown grass and bushes that covered the area, he heard the sound of agonizing screams coming from the far left of the formation. Without missing a beat, he ordered everyone who had detox spells, or skills, to use them on the group that had just been ambushed, as he rushed into action. The moment he had a clear view of its furry green body, Xeal unleashed a dragon’s breath at it. As the bluish-white light hit the monster that still had a struggling player in each of its raptorial legs, it let out a shriek and flailed about, sending the two critical condition players flying where healers got to work. Xeal’s next order was to have everyone but a team of 100 that he had designated ahead of time, back off as 40 healers, 20 precision magic casters, 20 support magic classes and 20 frontliners, to include Xeal, stepped forward. As this was happening, the monster had started to recover and Xeal tossed a clay pot at it which burst on contact, releasing a milky substance that spread over the monster, sticking to its hairs and neutralizing them for at least a few minutes. At his signal, the other 19 frontliners began to conduct quick strikes. As they continued to cycle through their ranks, none of them stayed engaged for longer than five seconds at a time. After each engagement, each player had two dedicated healers work on them casting cure and detox spells as needed. Even with the counter measure in place, it didn’t completely neutralize the issue. It just cut the pain from a 20 out of ten to about a four, while reducing the amount of damage taken per second to something that would kill them in around a minute.

As each frontliner went to attack, their assigned support mage would hit them with a buff and when they disengaged, a precision attack mage would unleash their charged attack. By keeping this rotation going where a full rotation was about a minute long, the monster never had time to recover as its opponent constantly shifted. Then there was Xeal’s turn where he would hit it with another dragon’s breath and clay pot, in addition to all the other damage that was being piled onto it. Besides the obvious power increase that had come from leveling dragon’s breath up, Xeal was enjoying the second effect where it stunned any monster for a short time. The exact time depended on many factors, and for the current area boss it was all of a tenth of a second when the breath attack ended, but that was enough to ensure the clay pots kept hitting. An hour later and the boss was dead as the 100-man team looked confused as it had obviously been an area boss from the announcement that they received, but they felt like it had been way too easy of a fight. Normally you could expect at least a few dozen deaths in a fight against an area boss that your party didn’t out level significantly while not tripping the system anti-farming protocol. Yet the fight had been smooth and even caused a few of them to level up and they were all even under leveled for the fight. What they didn’t know was that was only thanks to the clay pots’ effect that made it possible to even touch the monster without searing pain. As Xeal gathered the loot and looked through it, Aalin and Gale made their way over to him and Gale spoke first.

“Xeal, just what was that thing?”

“It was an area boss called the chimera hell scorpion, just like the notification said.”

“We get that, but how the hell did you know how to fight it like that?” continued Gale. “Aalin and I did all of the research on this area and that thing didn’t even pop up anywhere, let alone whatever that stuff you kept throwing on it was. From the report I got on the group that was hit in the initial ambush, simply being brushed aside by that thing was enough to incapacitate them from pain. Yet you throw whatever that stuff was on it and the issue is all but solved.”

Xeal took a moment to pick his words before responding.

“Gale, we will talk offline about the how. As for what I tossed onto it, that is just a watery gel that gums up barbs on fine hairs. I knew we were headed through an insect area and puss caterpillars are one of the worst in reality, so I was looking for a counter to them when I got that stuff.”

Gale was about to continue talking when Aalin stopped her with her own reply.

“Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. We can talk more after this expedition is over. Now let’s let Xeal go through the loot.”

Xeal smiled as he returned his attention to the loot in front of him. It contained a bountiful harvest as the first kill of any area boss would. While the majority were crafting items, like the toxic hairs that could be used in making nasty blow darts to go with the level 100 platinum-ranked blowgun that dropped, others could be used to make armor. The hide was especially prized as the hard carapace, which was a platinum-level material, that could be used to make top-quality armor for classes like druids that couldn’t use anything metal. With that said, to go along with the blowgun was a full armor set that was perfect for any poison-focused shaman, or druid class, and several other items that would be great, like a scorpion-tailed whip. Xeal had to laugh at just how much gear dropped as it was more than could have possibly fit inside the boss. Still, the prize that he knew would be coveted by the healers was the scorpion’s stinger that was still filled with its venom. Securing that, Xeal held an auction for all of the ready-made gear as it wouldn’t be long before the members of this party could use level 100 gear, if they had any skills, or items, that allowed them to ignore a few levels. As for the materials, he stored those to be allocated later once there were a few more platinum-level crafters as his guild only had around 100 across all crafts.

With that taken care of, Xeal led the group to a safe zone about a half hour away from the valley that was their target. Once there, the first planned break for everyone to log out took place as he used an advanced return scroll and made his way back to Nium. There he deposited most of the leftover loot in the guild store house, before meeting Enye for a date that would be limited to a dinner in the royal gardens due to time and safety constraints. With under a half year to go before their wedding and the knowledge of the developments happening in the lands that Xeal was set to be lord over that was on par with a marquess’s holdings, things had started to really move. While it was still early in their actions, Cosmo Musgrave, who was still getting used to being a marquess himself after his father’s forced retirement, had warned Prince Victor of a few individuals looking to interfere with Xeal and Enye’s marriage. They were mainly among the younger generation as that was where Cosmo was the most connected. Though Prince Victor warned Xeal that if they felt fine speaking of it, it was likely that their fathers held similar thoughts. So, until Xeal felt his approval had reached where it needed to be, Enye was only going to be in the mine and the palace with several guards nearby. When Xeal had greeted Enye, he had found that she had dismissed Luna and Selene for the night and it would be just the two of them. The conversation stayed light until after they had finished their main course and had moved to a bench to enjoy dessert, when Enye shifted topics.

“So, Luna and Selene managed to secure you after all. I must say I am not surprised, though it will be awkward having my sisters act as my guards.”

“Yes, though it will still be a few years before I believe they will officially become sisters to you in the full sense of what you mean.”

“Oh, hmm. When it all is said and done, you will have taken a year and a half from accepting my courtship to when we will be married. They also do not have the same time constraint that Mari and Lingxin have of needing to marry you directly after you marry me. Still, why are you going to make them wait so long?”

Xeal sighed as he launched into the intricacies and differences he took into account when separating those who were only present in Eternal Dominion and reality. During this he put an emphasis on the time dilation that he experienced in this world and how three years here was a single one in his world. Enye understood most of it, though she did have one point that she wanted a good answer from Xeal.

“Xeal, you speak of how you approach relationships differently based on whether or not the woman will be present in both worlds, and speak of the difference in time scale. When I am reaching 80 you will still be in your late 30’s and will likely be younger than our children. How will you look at me then?”

“Enye, you, Dyllis, Mari, and Lingxin will all still have as much of my devotion then as you will when you are in your mid 20’s. I do have an intent to do what I can about mitigating the issue of what I view as your premature aging, but even if I can’t find ways to extend your life, I will still treasure what time we have. Though by that point I hope to have secured us a place to seclude ourselves from the world, for the most part.”

“Why do you wish to withdraw from the world that you will have helped to build?”

“Enye, if I succeed and extend yours and the others’ lives, then it will only be a matter of time before others wish for the same. I am selfish and don’t intend to allow my supply to be drained by others, to include your brother or our children. If we stayed here long past when our eldest is 45, it would cause issues, as it will be time for them to assume my house by that point. Not to mention how hard it would be to see them grow old and die while you stay young. Make no mistake, I do not intend to remove myself completely as I will still check in on things regularly and ensure there is a way for our grandchildren to visit us at the very least.”

“Xeal, you speak of a future that sounds wonderful and terrible at the same time, and for the first time I find myself saying that you have enough ladies if that is your true intent. With just the four of us you would need more waters of youth, or items like them, than have ever surfaced and been recorded in Nium. I know better than to doubt your ability to find such items after you have found two phoenixes and the other feats you have pulled off. That said, I am unsure if I would want to live in a world where I have to watch my children die before me as I carry on, possibly forever. To add to that burden, I am aware that while you cannot die here, you can in your own world and no amount of the waters of youth can stop the aging that you will suffer,” Enye sighed before continuing. “Xeal, I had always assumed that as I aged, I would simply take a step back and push a new young lady onto you with a smile. I knew you would step back from ruling your lands as our son took over, but I had thought that you would have still stayed in the picture. Now I suppose we will see whose vision comes to pass. Though if you can, I would prefer it if you found a way to support our children and their children in our eternal retirement.”

“That would be nice, but unless I secure the fountain of youth, or grow a tree of life, I doubt that will be possible. No, what is most likely is I am able to secure enough waters of youth to last the four of you a few years after I die, before you start to age normally. Still, you will likely see what the world becomes in 200 years if I am successful and nothing goes wrong along the way.”

“Xeal, 200 years is a long time to exist, at least to me.”

Xeal smiled bitterly as he knew he would be 85 years old at that point, which was a realistic age to reach in reality if he took care of himself. He knew life was full of uncertainty and while it was normal to live to be 110 and 120 was possible, it was also common to die at 60 from a long litany of causes.

“Enye, I know 200 years is twice what you could hope for, or more, in this world and that is one of the cruel jokes that this world plays on my kind. It would not be impossible for me to still be here 300 years from now and I will have to watch this world become something completely different from what it is. Knowing the greed my kind can have, it would not surprise me to find that several of us try and conquer it for ourselves. In some ways I have that very intention for this continent, though I intend to leave ruling it to your family as FAE becomes the true source of the kingdom’s power. How things will turn out elsewhere is a mystery, though I doubt it will be pretty for a very long time.”

“I see…”

Enye and Xeal continued to discuss the future, though Enye directed the conversation to areas that didn’t involve such dark topics, such as how many children they would have if she stayed young for 200 years. By the time Xeal left to rest for the night, she had a bright smile as she promised to share this with the rest of his ladies to save him from having this talk four times. Though she expected each of them to have a question, or two, of their own.

The next morning, Xeal found himself standing at the entrance to the valley with Aalin and Gale next to him, and a party of ten standing behind them as the rest of the team waited outside the valley. With a smile, Xeal started his approach to the modest mansion, that looked more like a boarding house, where a few level 199 guards stood at the ready. Around the area, groups of NPCs of all levels wandered as they tended to various tasks related to the daily needs of survival, or medicine. This area was among the top 20 alchemy locations that existed before guilds started to develop areas that NPCs avoided for one reason, or another. The fact that Xeal could see several players mixed in with the NPCs told him it had not been ignored to this point. Had it not been for the fact that guilds had only started to reach tier-5, Xeal expected that the valley would have started to close its doors already as too many players would be trying to gain entry to learn alchemy. In his last life, he would had been stopped at the front of the valley and asked what his purpose was before he would be asked to pay the entrance fee and a few tier-7 guards would have been in front of the mansion.

Xeal knew that the guards were supplied by the kingdom to ensure that the alchemists were safe from the occasional stray monster that would wander in. He also knew that the master of the entire valley was a tier-7 druid and orichalcum-level alchemist who was known to rarely meet with anyone. Xeal knew that if diplomacy was going to work, he would need to gain an audience with him if he wanted to have any chance of success. With that in mind, Xeal arrived before the guards and spoke.

“Greetings, I would like to have a meeting with the master of this valley, if possible.”

Xeal waited as the pair of guards exchanged a look before the one on the right responded.

“Don’t waste your breath. Hura Crepitans doesn’t meet with anyone unless they pique his interest. So, unless you have something that would rouse his intrigue, it would be best if you didn’t attempt to bother him. He might just add you to the list of those who paid the price for bugging him.”

Xeal knew that they were referring to those that didn’t know how to give up and ended up poisoned, in one way or another. If they were lucky, it would be something that only debilitated them for a few weeks without an antidote. If they weren’t, death was the only escape from the pain. Still, Xeal just smiled as he pulled out the stinger from the area boss and continued to speak.

“Thank you for your concern. I am not a big enough fool to come here without acquiring something that I feel Master Hura Crepitans would appreciate as a gift for a bit of his time.”

“Very well, but only you. I would rather keep the ladies from becoming collateral damage if he decides he doesn’t care for what you have to say.”

“Alright. Aalin, Gale, wait here. If I am not back in four hours, assume the worst and wait for my revival.”

“Don’t get yourself killed in there,” commented Gale as they took the rest of the players, who were all alchemists for FAE, to look around and speak with the NPCs.

When they were gone, Xeal followed one of the guards into the house, where they led him into a larger inner courtyard that was overgrown with plants, with a tall and massive tree in its center. As Xeal set foot into the area that felt like a completely different world from the area outside of the mansion, as if it was far more alive and aware, he removed his armor and weapons, along with any metal accessory. Placing them just inside of the mansion, Xeal continued with no metal left on his body, as the guard looked at him strangely, before wishing him luck and staying inside the mansion. Xeal walked carefully on a narrow path as he ensured he did not damage any of the plants that covered the area as he did so. Finally, he came to a small opening at the base of the tree where an elderly man, who looked like he had moss for hair and something close to a birch tree’s bark for skin, sat. Seeing that he had his eyes closed, Xeal breathed slowly before placing the stinger down and taking a seat himself as he waited for Hura Crepitans to speak first. Closing his eyes, Xeal waited as he cleared his mind and let time become meaningless while he lingered in the courtyard. After Xeal lost track of time, he found himself being pulled out of his quiet meditation by a gravelly voice.

“You obviously do not know how to take a hint and leave. Had I wished to speak with you, I would have done so when you first arrived. As you did bring me a valuable present, I will allow you to leave without harm, but do not come back until you have at least washed the smell of the forge completely from your body and mind.”

Xeal smiled as he recalled his reason for being here and uttered two words as he stood.

“Poison phoenix.”

“Wait, what do you know?”

“That she is likely being concealed by you and you either have a harmonious relationship with her, or she wants you dead.”

“And you wish me to allow you to see her I take it. Your kind is so very vexing. I cannot kill you and those who came with you to silence you. So, what kind of deal are you hoping to make with me?”

“That depends on what you want. I am aware that the very fact that I work with metal is repulsive to you. Had I entered here wearing my armor, or harming anything even slightly, I would have likely not even been able to utter a word. I would like to bring a few of my guild members with me when I meet her, one of which walks the path of alchemy. It is she who I hope will gain the most from the exchange of ideas, though if you are looking to gain something from this, hmm, have you ever heard of a pill that can make someone hear something random every time they notice something, or fart every five minutes for a week?”

“Hmm, I can think of a few things that could cause someone to have uncontrollable gas, but I cannot say the same for the first pill. Do you have such a pill on you?”

“No, though I did have the misfortune of having to deal with its effects for a day. I just know the location of an alchemist who created them, or at least I think he did.”

“Interesting, and you wish to trade his location to me as your toll fee.”

“If you’re interested, though I will warn you, he is a bit brash, though from what I am told, he is not so with others who have reached tier-7.”

“I see. I take it you are not on the best terms with him.”

“I don’t think anyone is on the best terms with him, but I can arrange a guide who he will at least not play games with.”

“Hmm, very well, under a few conditions. The first is, I will accompany you to speak with Belladonna, and the second is, if she agrees to mark the one you have in mind, they become my apprentice.”

“That can be arranged, so long as you sign a contract that will bar you from sharing anything you learn about myself and those who accompany us. As for taking her as an apprentice, I don’t have any true issue with it, other than the inconvenience of this location for her and my guild.”

“You wish to set conditions on me and push back on the ones I put forth? Perhaps I should simply deny you entry after all.”

“You’re right, it is absurd that one as weak as I try and dictate terms. However, ask yourself why I have not attempted to use my name, or status, to sway you. Yes, I know you do not care for such things, but you would still account for them when determining your actions as you enjoy your peace here.”

“I see you are not from this land, and I would suspect your presence here may not be welcome. Very well, she must be my apprentice, but she only needs to spend part of her time here.”

“Thank you and I will leave the details of exactly what is expected between both of you. As for agreeing to sign the contract?”

“I will. It’s not like saying anything would end well for me as the moment the kingdom finds out about Belladonna, they would seize this area from me completely. It is why all of the guards are weaker than I am. Now, let’s gather the rest of your companions.”

Xeal took note of the cold light in Hura’s eyes as he spoke while standing and took and signed the contract that Xeal offered him. The pair of them made their way into the house to find a startled pair of guards, as Gale, Aalin and Lily came up and greeted Hura, before he led them back into the overgrown courtyard. Once there, Hura pulled Lily aside to speak and Xeal knew he was confirming that she would be fine with becoming his apprentice. Xeal just smiled as he had ensured that she was fine with it before they had even started this journey, as he knew there was a decent chance of him having such a condition. When it looked like they had come to an agreement, Hura walked over and placed his hand on the tree at the center of the courtyard and one of its massive roots rose to reveal an opening that was large enough for a single person to fit through. Xeal could only smile wryly at the thought of having to find this entrance and sneak into it had Hura been uncooperative. As they followed Hura into the hole that was pitch black, they found themselves in a tunnel only wide enough for a single person and once all of them were in it, the root returned to its resting spot as they were engulfed in darkness once more. Before Xeal could say anything, bioluminescent funguses started to emit light as Hura spoke.

“From here on you need to stay close, as if you lose sight of me, the maze down here will swallow you until you use a return scroll to escape. Also, we may run into a few subterranean monsters along the way. Just let me take care of the pests.”

With those words, they were off as they walked at a quick and steady pace for the next few hours, with a few encounters with monsters that were dealt with in seconds by Hura as they continued to go deeper. Finally, they arrived at a large opening and Hura stopped them all from entering before speaking once more.

“Bella, I have arrived with a few guests who wish to speak with you.”

“Ah, does that mean that I get to have a bit of fun?”

“Unfortunately, they are some of those adventurers I have been telling you about. Simply silencing them would be near impossible.”

“I see, then why do you guide them here?”

“They speak as if they are positive of your existence and I feel as if they may have information on your sisters from the way they talk.”

“Then why haven’t you shown them in yet?”

With that, Hura ushered them all in as Xeal got his first look at the purple-haired beauty who was looking at them like a predator would a meal. That was until she took full stock of Xeal, Aalin and Gale, and a frown replaced the smile she had on, before speaking.

“They have a fair bit more than information. One has been marked by one of my sisters and another has been by my eternal mate who abandoned me to this fate. As for the third, she is marked by a deity. I must say, this certainly will not be boring. I take it you wish for me to give that one over there my mark?”

“That would be the idea, though I don’t presume anything when it comes to you. I learned that lesson when I met Jewel a few months back. Aalin here has been marked by Bīng and Gale carries Freya’s mark. As for the one who marked me, he is currently going by Watcher. It is nice to meet you, Belladonna. Is there anything in particular that you want to know?”

“Is Watcher telling you where to find us, or are you doing so on your own?”

“I’ll take this one,” interjected Aalin. “Watcher helped us find Bīng and let us know which continents you were all on. The rest have been Gale and I.”

“I see, and just how did you determine I was here?”

“A whole lot of trial and error. Gale and I travel all over the place chasing down even hints of a lead and when we get close, we know it. Gale needs me to confirm as her ability just tells her that something divine is afoot, while I just get a feeling when I am getting closer to one of Bīng’s sisters.”

“Alright, so others can’t replicate it, though with each mark that is given out, it reduces our ability to stay hidden. Hura, that could spell trouble for us later as I doubt this group will find us all before another one earns one of my sister’s marks.”

“Indeed, just how close did you need to get to feel her?” questioned Hura.

“I could tell that something divine was going on when I arrived in the valley. These prisons really make a mark, even with how deep underground you are,” offered Gale.

“I got a nagging feeling as we were a few hours out, but didn’t know for sure until I was in the valley as well,” added Aalin.

“How would the kingdom react to you closing the valley off to all those who don’t have your permission to enter?” asked Xeal.

“It would depend on how it was done. I do not have many friends in the palace and am tolerated due to the services I provide. If I were to close the valley, they would want something to turn a blind eye to it,” responded Hura.

“So, give it to them,” commented Xeal. “State that you are only allowing those who walk the path of alchemy to enter to avoid being overrun by adventurers. Your tier-6 guards will work for now, but you need to have a plan for what to do when my kind starts to reach tier-7. As for what you will give them, simply tell them that you are going to take a few apprentices from among the adventurers and that they each will have to supply finished products to the palace while under you.”

“I doubt they will allow me to keep out all non-alchemists like that, though I could still limit it. The issue is when the kingdom learns of Bella’s existence. At that point, they will take complete control of the area and I will likely not be able to even see her anymore,” lamented Hura.

“It would be their mistake,” growled Belladonna.

“That it would. Keeping Belladonna happy will be in their best interest,” offered Xeal. “That is not to say that there would not be major consequences. Hura, do you harvest any of Belladonna’s blood, or feathers?”

“No, I have not done so, other than the drop that is currently protecting my life, as it would draw attention should they leak out.”

“Alright. Lily, you and Belladonna should talk and see if she is willing to place her mark on you. The rest of us should leave. Also, if possible, I would appreciate any feathers and blood you are willing to part with.”

“How do you intend to use them?” questioned Belladonna.

“The blood will stay in reserve to guard the six women that are currently guarded that way. The feathers would be disguised as pendants before being used to guard the lives of those attempting to challenge their tier-up challenges.”

“I see, so you have used six of the eight drops you have received on your harem. You are very much like Watcher was. How many of the feathers have been lost?”

“None, though none are currently unused, as they have been given to those who need the protection like Gale here.”

“I see. You truly are brazen. I take it the fact that you have a source is well known at this point. The question is just what do they know about it,” stated Belladonna, with disapproval evident in her tone.

“You would be correct that it is known that I have a source. However, as far as any of them are aware, I only have a sole source. I do not believe the limit on your feathers and blood is well known. As for your concerns about being discovered, regardless of if you mark Lily and gift me your blood and feathers, it will not change a thing. My venture here will have tipped off any who have discovered it, though I do my best to conceal our identity and travel the path with the fewest eyes, someone will have taken note. While some nobility of a few of the kingdoms I have ties with are aware of the situation in more depth, I trust them as their interests align with my own.”

“You are still brazen, though not a complete idiot. I take it that it was impossible to hide, so you shined a light that led them elsewhere. Much like how Hura spent a decade reshaping this land to turn it from a monster-infested area into the mostly peaceful valley it is now. I doubt many would believe a prize like myself was located here over the surrounding area that you came through.”

“That was part of the reason we ventured through the level 90 to 100 area on our way here. It will throw off the scent, at least partially.”

“Alright. Allow me some time to speak in private with the one you wish me to mark.”

Xeal smiled as he left with Aalin, Gale and Hura, retreating a few hundred feet back into the tunnel, before stopping and waiting. As they did so, Hura began interrogating Xeal on just who he was and how many more phoenixes he had a lead on. Xeal simply smiled as he told Hura most of what he wanted to know while keeping a few key details to himself. They continued their conversation until Lily’s voice could be heard calling for Hura to return, as he left Xeal, Gale and Aalin in the dark for another ten minutes. When they returned, the first thing that Xeal noticed was the change in Lily’s appearance as her ice-blue hair had a faint purple tint to it now. Before Xeal could say anything, she smiled as she held out ten purple feathers and four small vials that held a drop of blood each.

“Xeal, she told me that if you don’t keep up with the pay you promised when I reach tier-8 and become an Adamantium-ranked alchemist, I should ensure that you are ruined.”

“That makes a bit of sense for poison to say, but don’t worry, if you hold up your side of the contract, then I will hold up mine.”

“I know. Me telling you that was just one of her conditions to allow me to act as her vessel. With that said, I will be staying here until it is time for me to advance to tier 6, then I will return to train while Master Hura meets with the alchemist you mentioned.”

“Alright. Be sure to keep us informed and you will be missed in Nium, especially amongst the other crafters.”

“They will be fine. Besides, I couldn’t ask for a better situation to learn…”

Lily continued to talk as they walked back through the tunnels and Xeal could tell that she was nervous as they drew closer to their parting. Smiling, he spoke to Hura.

“Hura, would it be fine if I sent some of my more promising alchemists here to spend a month, or so, studying?”

“I do not have time to spend entertaining novices. I will be taking six apprentices. Beyond that, I intend to restrict entry to those who reside here and their apprentices. There will be an area just outside the valley where those who wish to find a master, or buy products, may gather.”

“I see and how will you be choosing these six?”

“I will be holding three interviews a day until I find five more who meet my standard.”

Xeal smiled as he thanked Hura for the information and sent a message to Taya to advertise the opportunity to every top-notch alchemist in FAE. He knew that the nine who were still wandering about were among the best, but there were others who were better that just lacked the higher combat standard. With that taken care of, Xeal was happy to wrap up their time here as he sent the withdraw order, and the members who were on standby started to use return scrolls in varied groups and intervals to return to the nearest town, before returning to Nium. For Xeal’s part, he, Aalin and Gale took some time to look around the valley before it was time for them to withdraw.

(*****)

Morning January 23, 2267 & ED year 2 day 207.

Alex made his way downstairs walking next to Kate after they had been informed by Gido that her father, Jasper Astor, was awaiting them in the living room. Alex could tell that Kate was actually nervous for once and he wondered just what he was in for as they entered the living room. There they found an older gentleman, with perfectly kept short white hair and sharp brown eyes that was evaluating them immediately, awaiting them. As Alex took in Jasper Astor, he took note of the suit and button-up shirt that likely cost the same as some cars, that lacked any blemish on them at all, before he greeted him.

“Mr. Astor, it is nice of you to pay my home a visit. I do hope my staff has been making you feel welcome.”

“You can drop that fake persona with me, young man. I have lived five of your lifetimes and know when I am welcome, and less than so. Though I do appreciate that you are at least trying to project what would be expected. No, today is not a pleasant visit where we simply sit back and enjoy a light meal while exchanging information. Today is about figuring out how you lured my Kate away from her rightful place in Fire Oath.”

“I see. Well, for that one I believe you would need to ask her, as her actions caught me off guard as well.”

“Kate, please tell me what has made you take this action, especially to the point of all but shutting down any paths to return to Fire Oath as you left.”

Alex waited to hear her response as the impatient man before him looked at her with his scrutinizing gaze. Kate held her ground, but Alex could tell she was close to breaking under his pressure as she took her time to answer.

“Father, does the reason matter?”

“Yes. While you may think that I never had the time for you and thus lack the concern needed to care about you, I assure you that is incorrect. Kate, you are the only child that I chose to give our family’s name, and while your elder siblings who share that name are cold to you and I ignore it, I do so as to do otherwise would only make things harder.”

“I know, Father. In fact, the very fact that you are here ensures that should I return home, I would find brother and sister ready to push me into a corner. By this time next year, I would be a mistress to a man in his late 60’s as I have a bastard, or two, for him that can’t claim my name, or their father’s, unless they excel as I did.”

“I see. You know I never intended to do that to you.”

“Yes, I am aware that you would have left me unwed and alone until you died, but then what? Father, I do not wish to be tied to a man at least twice my age as his newest trophy, nor do I wish to die without ever knowing the embrace of a man.”

“So, you truly do intend to marry this upstart.”

“No, at least not yet. Father, the truth is I have no clue for once. I know that I could easily tilt things that direction if I tried. However, that would be a mistake as it will only gain me a sperm donor who keeps up appearances while others are watching, with the way things are right now. My intent is to simply enjoy myself as I prove that my insights and judgments are correct. I chose FAE because Alex, for all of his flaws, always seems to exceed my expectations as he keeps me guessing, yet at times he seems to be just as blind as everyone else. He is an enigma that I am simply enjoying being able to watch and I know that my investment will allow me to rise higher than I could ever were I to stay with the family and Fire Oath.”

As Kate finished speaking, she was short on breath from her mini rant and her father looked at her before responding.

“Very well. I believe that Alex and I should exchange a few words in private.”

“Is that truly necessary, Father?”

“Yes. Now, unless you wish to force my hand, you will do as you are told and leave us.”

After a long moment, Kate sighed as she sent Alex a pleading look, before leaving the room and as she did so, Mr. Astor let out a breath as he seemed to age 30 years all at once. It was only then that Alex noticed the cane that had been stowed somewhere till now, as he leaned on it before speaking.

“Alex, I believe it would be best if we sat for our conversation. I am not as young as I once was and my trip, plus my exchange with Kate, has taken a bit out of me.”

The shift in tone to a much gentler one had Alex on edge, but he agreed to sit nonetheless, as the two of them found their way to a pair of armchairs with a table between them.

“Now, I need to ask you, what are your intentions for my daughter?”

“If this is your version of intimidating the boyfriend, you can save it. My intention is to allow her to put her talents to use in helping FAE rise to become an apex power. I did not allow her to become an owner of my workshop and a vice guild leader on a whim. I see her talent and believe in it, nothing more and nothing less. That said, I am aware that there may be complications due to her ties to Fire Oath, but she assured me that they would not be an issue.”

“She is not wrong. Her siblings have been skipping with joy to see her leave. They all knew that she would end up running our faction inside Fire Oath in a few years. The question is, if you two don’t marry, what will you do once I pass and her siblings make things difficult for her? Before you answer, you should know that I am 102 years old and I don’t expect to reach 110 and her siblings will take any opportunity to disinherit her. There are times that I wonder if it would have not been kinder to simply give her my name in my trust as a final gift to them.”

“I take it you are disappointed in them?”

“Not in their motivations, but in their capabilities. Huh, none of them have the feel for the game like I do, other than Kate. Yet, to keep her safe from more overt attacks from her siblings, I need to keep her at a distance. Now it seems that you have not only caused her game to shift, but completely ruined mine. Now, answer my question.”

“Even if I do not marry her, she will still be a member of my guild and workshop. If you can last for five years, then I assure you that regardless of what they wish to do, they will be unable to act, or they will have no reason to. By that time, FAE will either be at the same level as Fire Oath, or relegated to a footnote in ED’s history. Regardless of the outcome, we will carry on living.”

“I see. Very well, while I will hope for a wedding announcement, I will not hold my breath. In the meantime, I will ensure that Fire Oath treats this as a deepening of trust, but not a merging of assets. I can see why Kate finds you fascinating to watch, though to me it just seems like you have more experience than your years should allow and excellent foresight. Now, if you will send her in, I need to have a conversation with her before I allow you all to return to your lives.”

Alex put on a troubled look as he stood and bid Mr. Astor farewell and sent Kate in to meet with him, before changing into his workout gear and getting a short run inside the gym done before taking care of the rest of his morning routine. When he saw Kate at breakfast, he could see the internal debate she was having with herself and decided to allow her to find her own answer to whatever her father left her with. If nothing else, Jasper Astor was an unknown for Alex as he had never heard of him taking an active role in Fire Oath in his last life. Though he was right, from what Alex could remember. Kate was one of the key figures in the running of Fire Oath and would be a major loss for them. Still, something was bothering him from the whole exchange and he worried that like Kate, Jasper had just gotten what he wanted without the other party, in this case him, knowing.

Xeal spent Day 207 going over the reports from the poison phoenix expedition and working in the forge, as Kate stepped away to complete her tier-5 trial. Once she returned, they would set out on the next expedition to secure a phoenix’s mark. As its element was an unknown, Xeal found himself once more in need of finding candidates to receive the mark. After going over all of the options, only three made sense from the standpoint of loyalty. Even though it looked like the situation was going to work out, Xeal did not want a repeat of what happened with Holly. With that in mind, Xeal had selected Jinx Periculum, Ihyi Kaze and Kate, assuming that she was successful in reaching tier-5, as the three options. Jinx had joined with Geitir and had been one of his assistants as guild leader, and Ihyi had come with Friva when her core from Rising Oblivion had merged into FAE with her. Both had shown promise as they acclimated to how FAE operated and Xeal felt like they would work out, as he prepared to go after the unknown phoenix. As the session drew closer to its end, Xeal found himself prepping for the conversation he knew was coming when he logged out.

(*****)

Evening January 23, to Morning January 25, 2267 & ED year 2 days 208-213.

As Alex stepped out of the VR pod, he found Sam and Nicole waiting for him on the bed, with a pair of looks that let him know that it was time to talk. While neither of them looked mad, or upset, they did look like they needed some answers and Nicole opened the discussion.

“Alright, Alex, Sam and I have been talking things over and the more we do, the stranger everything seems.”

“Yah, everything has just been nonstop since ED launched, so a lot has slipped by until we looked closer,” added Sam

“Now, to be clear, we are not upset with you, but we just need to know how it is that you are so far ahead of everyone skill-wise, knew just where to go to find perfect leveling areas, and seem to know how to beat monsters the first time you see them.”

“Also, how the heck did you know to bet on the Angels to win the World Series and who to invest in to watch your funds explode?”

“To be clear, we have a list of a few hundred things that make no sense and a few ideas that make less sense, but we want to hear your answer.”

Alex put on a helpless smile as he started in on how he believed was the best approach to answer them.

“Sam, Nicole, I love you both and if I said sometimes ignorance is bliss and you might be happier not knowing, would you still want to know?”

“Duh. Come on, we have already prepared for a trip to crazy town,” responded Sam.

“Want isn’t even where we are. It is more of a need at this point,” confirmed Nicole resolutely.

Alex exhaled before resigning himself to whatever came of this. He just hoped they could handle it.

“Alright, do you remember when I told you about seeing a future that is different than our current one during my visit to the orc village?”

“Yah, you were a bit of a mess after that,” answered Sam.

“Of course. It was weird how hard that hit you. We figured you would talk more about it when you were ready, but you never did,” added Nicole with concern in her voice.

“Alright, here goes, but before I start, all I ask is you don’t ask for details that I would rather not get into. Don’t ask me how, but I have all the memories of that version of myself…”

Alex went into how he felt like he had woken up on the day ED launched like it was 20 years in his past. He explained how Abysses End had gotten the first guild bonus in that life and been on their way to absolute dominance in ED as a whole. It had basically turned into them versus everyone else and they were slowly gaining ground as time went on. He then went through his last memory as he went to delete his character and start over to avoid having to join them. Sam and Nicole waited until he was done to respond and Nicole was the first to do so.

“Alex, do you know how crazy that sounds?”

“Why do you think I have kept quiet about it? If I’m honest with you, I have been hoping you would figure it out ever since the orc village, to avoid being the one to bring it up.”

“Hold on. Let’s say we believe you. Where did we end up in that life?” asked Sam.

“No, that is an area that I will not touch. What was is no more, as far as I am concerned. Even things like how many games the World Series lasted have changed. Nothing good will come from knowing any of the answers you want to know.”

“So, you’re saying we had families that will never be?” pushed Nicole.

“No, I am saying that even if I had walked away from your lives and gone off on my own to try and avoid changing anything, I don’t believe things would have turned out the same. I have no idea if this world is the same world, or if it is a many worlds situation. All I know is that this is my life now and I intend to make the most of it.”

“Alright, so what was your plan before we decided to turn you into our babies’ daddy?” quipped Sam.

“Honestly, build FAE into a super guild, screw over Abysses End, and not end up alone with no real connections left in life. Don’t get me wrong, we all still were friends despite the strain that existed in a few areas, but all we really did was send happy birthday messages to each other, or at least that was all the contact I had left.”

“Was that it?” inquired Nicole.

“I have a few friends that I look forward to meeting in this life, though most of them will need to wait for a bit longer as they aren’t based in Nium and I’m not sure where to find them.”

“Alright, let me make sure that I got this straight,” started Sam. “You know a good deal of what will happen in the future and have been using that to make your choices. You don’t want to tell us about our future as you feel all it will do is open a can of worms that you don’t want to. You believe your actions have affected everything to the point that nothing you know is sure anymore. Lastly, you don’t think you have suddenly gone crazy and you actually believe you have traveled back in time somehow.”

“Sam, the jury is still out on if I am crazy, or not. All I know is I haven’t been steered wrong when using the information in my head. Yes, knowing a lost future has no gains but pain, so even if you hold it against me, I will not share that pain with you.” Alex paused as he let out a breath and sat down in the space between Sam and Nicole before continuing. “Look, I don’t know how to explain any of this. I know time travel is not supposed to be possible. All I ask is that you believe me when I say that this is what I am experiencing.”

“I believe you,” replied Nicole. “And I don’t think you time traveled exactly. It’s more like you received a message from the future, which is much more possible. It would mean only data was transferred and I would expect that it was likely the current brain map of your older self when he deleted his character.”

“Nicole, that makes no sense. I know time travel was at the top of our list of crazy ideas, but come on.”

“Sam, it makes sense with everything, to include why Alex couldn’t say no to us when we ambushed him and why he seems to have matured overnight when ED came out.”

“Okay, let’s say that we believe that Alex has these memories that may, or may not be real, but definitely have been accurate. What are we supposed to do with that?”

There was a long pause before Nicole responded, looking like she had resolved herself.

“We do nothing with it. We simply carry on, happy to be where we are and knowing that Alex isn’t just winging things. I agree with Alex that knowing details about the future that has been lost would do us no good, as I know it wasn’t spent with him, or the child we are having. Sam, would you leave him over what happened in his memories from that life?”

“No, I just can’t help but wonder. Still, you’re right. Our current future should be the focus, though I am not ready to say that I won’t want to know. For now, however, I will take some time to digest things and figure out if I can leave the subject closed, or not.”

“Thank you, both of you. I know that it is a lot and I am sure that you have a million questions that I may, or may not, be able to answer at this time. All I ask is that you keep this between us for now, at least. I am sure the day will come where Ava and Mia will know, if things continue to progress, but the fewer people who know the better.”

As Alex finished talking, he pulled both ladies into a hug and gave them kisses on the cheeks and lay back with them to enjoy a few more moments before it was time to join the others for dinner. Both Sam and Nicole had pensive thoughts as the three of them lay there and through dinner, that would slowly fade over the next few days as things adjusted to the new normal. With Kate in the midst of her tier-up challenge and the twins enjoying the bits of affection that they were receiving now that Alex had accepted them, the five of them found themselves in their own little world during their down time.

In ED, time carried on as Xeal spent his time focused on leveling and guild business. With Kate and Taya unavailable, or on an awkward schedule, Xeal found that he needed to pick up the slack as more and more tier-5 players representing different powers arrived. His answer to all of them was the same, FAE was not looking for any alliances, but was always open to expanding its crafting supply chain. The deal was always the same and rarely required anything but his final approval as far as involvement. Still, there were the self-important that seemed to always demand an audience with a vice guild leader at the very least. That currently meant Friva, Geitir, Takeshi, or himself, had to handle the situation, which was more often than not blacklisting the individual and barring them from any building owned, or operated, by FAE. Most of these were due to the demand that Darefret’s forge, the Vault of Ucnuc, or the other areas his guild occupied, be opened up for their guild’s exploration. Xeal laughed at the forums as he read the posts about how if FAE didn’t want to allow visiting players into the areas that he had locked down, then everyone should block any FAE members who leave Nium from being able to even explore.

On day 208, Xeal took Lingxin out for a date and smiled as she wore the jewelry he had given her once more. For this date, Xeal simply enjoyed a meal on his private balcony, served by Maxwell, while they talked. As Lingxin talked about her experiences in the mine with the other ladies, Xeal found himself smiling as he let out a short laugh when he had a realization, and she called him on it sounding slightly upset.

“Xeal, I am aware that our actions are simple to you, but they are wonderful to me. For the first time I am not simply waiting for my escort to all but cripple an opponent before engaging.”

“I’m sorry, it is not your story that I was laughing at, only the fact that when we first met, it was I who was telling you stories and you the willing audience. I was just thinking how wonderful it is to have the roles reversed, if only a bit.”

“Really?”

“Yes, though I won’t lie and say that your feats are inspiring to me. The interactions with the others you are sharing with me while smiling brightly are wonderful. It is reassuring to hear you speak about the others so fondly, and hearing about things from different perspectives is refreshing.”

Lingxin’s smile widened as she blushed and looked at Xeal intently.

“You know, if Aalin and Gale joined us and Arnhylde, Lucida, Violet and Daisy left, it would be all of your brides working together. That’s not to say that I wish for any of them to leave, though. The four of them are nice, though they do get kind of awkward whenever we start talking about you, especially Violet and her crush on you.”

“That was what I had originally intended, though you, Mari, Luna and Selene weren’t quite in the frame at that point. Still, just as the four of you entered the frame, life decided that Aalin and Gale needed to focus elsewhere. As for Violet and her crush, I am hoping that she will move past it before she is ready to truly become a woman.”

“I see. Enye did share with us your intent to ensure we all live as long as you do, though don’t you worry about boredom in living that long and away from everything? Also, you might need a different target for Violet to focus on if you don’t want her to pursue you. She could easily play the long game once she adds a few tails.”

“Thank you for warning me about Violet. I will need to think on the issue as I don’t think she has really seen me and only sees what she wants to. Are you worried that your life will be the same as your life was before I arrived?”

“A bit. Can you say that it will not be, for sure?”

“It will depend on what you want. While I do not know where it will be, I do know it will be somewhere where each of you will be able to pursue something that interests you. Besides, if we find ourselves unable to find excitement, we can always take a trip to see something new, or to see how something old has changed. If all else fails, books will never stop being written.”

“Ah books, my dearest friends before you came into my life. Perhaps I will write a few of my own when my days of adventure come to an end and settle into the role of a mother.”

“Who says your adventure needs to come to an end? Instead, it will only expand as our children grow and have their own adventures. I only hope I can secure enough phoenix blood to guard them as they do so.”

Lingxin smiled as they continued to talk about what life would be like, as time passed until it was time for her to return to the mine and for Xeal to turn in for the night. The next few days were spent waiting for the ten teenagers to finish, only for none of them to do so, though the fact that none of them had failed gave Xeal hope that they all might just make it, as Xeal reached level 95 while waiting.

(****)

Evening January 25, to Morning January 26, 2267 & ED year 2 days 214-216.

Alex sat at dinner on the 25th, with Ava and Mia enjoying a turn at sitting to either side of him while they enjoyed the meal Sofie had prepared, when Gido walked in and spoke.

“Alex, you have a visitor who wishes to speak with you. All she would say was that she is Kate’s older sister and to call her Mrs. Astor.”

“I see. Did she arrive alone, or is she being accompanied by another?”

“She has a rather large gentleman with her. He appears to be her bodyguard.”

“Has he been checked for weapons?”

“Yes, he relinquished a pistol that I entrusted to Jacob.”

Alex took a second to think about how he would like to handle this situation before responding to Gido.

“Alright. Have her meet me in the conference room. She has clearly come for business, not a simple house call to check on Kate.”

“As you wish.”

As Gido took the stairs, Alex made his way to the elevator and made his way down to the conference room to wait. He didn’t have to wait long for a woman in her seventies, with fading brown hair and the same plain brown eyes as Kate, that seemed to radiate disapproval, walked in. Behind her was a man who was more muscle than person as his frame barely allowed him through the door sideways. He had a polished bald head and wore sunglasses and sported an ear piece while dressed in a black suit. Alex wanted to roll his eyes at the obvious posturing the pair of them were making as they locked on to Alex.

“Mrs. Astor, to what do I owe this unexpected visit to?”

“Excuse me, is that how you treat a guest?” huffed Mrs. Astor.

“A guest would give their full name to my butler and call ahead, before demanding the time of a very busy individual. No, you are not a guest. Not quite an intruder either though, so here I am to see exactly what your purpose here today is.”

“I see. Very well, I am Olivette Astor, eldest daughter of Jasper Astor and one of the true heirs of his name. As to my reason for being here today, I hear that my little sister has recently started the process of acquiring a 5% stake in your workshop. I was hoping that you would be willing to offer me the opportunity to outbid her for those shares.”

“I see. So you waited ‘til she was fully leveraged before arriving and offering to outbid her and leave her in a lurch, as it would cost her a fair deal. By my estimates, your move would cost her at least a tenth of her wealth if she didn’t find another avenue to invest it. Unfortunately, I value my word far more than any amount you could offer me. Especially as I doubt I could trust you not to leave me hanging at the last minute when Kate has already suffered the loss.”

“I assure you that I would not. Just as you value your word, I do mine, and it is never dishonorable to accept a better offer. Had you shopped those shares you could have likely gotten a full billion credits or more, yet you sold them for half of their value. However, if you are unable to back out, then perhaps you would be willing to sell me six percent for 1,200,000,000 credits?”

It was official. This woman was just here to make Kate’s life miserable, so with a deep breath, Alex smiled as he responded.

“Mrs. Astor, I am sorry, but I have no interest in adding you to my ownership team as the only value you bring is in money and I have plenty of that.”

“Excuse me! What does my ungrateful little sister have that I do not? I am just as valuable of a negotiator, if not even more so, as my connections run far deeper, or is it her body that you are after? If so, say no more. I have a granddaughter who is your age and has a much nicer body who would love to make your acquaintance.”

“Your connections mean nothing and I could care less about Kate’s body. No, it’s her mind that I value. Something that I can tell that despite your years of getting your way, you have never developed past the point of seeing beyond the box you are in. The fact that you would offer your granddaughter to me like that speaks to just how little you know about me. Now if there is nothing else, I would like to return to enjoying my meal.”

“Hmph, and what makes you think I will allow you to refuse my offer? No, I think you will be signing these papers before I leave here today.”

Olivette snapped her fingers and the large man pulled out a pen and some papers as he started to approach Alex. Alex just sighed as he spoke.

“If he takes another step forward, I will assume it to be a hostile action and react accordingly.”

“Oh my, and just what will you do? Ron here is 136 kg. That’s 300 of your pounds, in case you’re unstudied. All he has to do is grab you and you’re done.”

Sighing, Alex stood as the silent Ron lumbered towards him. From the way the man moved, Alex felt like all he knew how to do was use his massive size advantage to control people. Though Alex knew better than to assume such things as they could easily be a feint, and he took a ready stance just as Ron’s massive arm shot out to grab him. Seeing this almost as if it was in slow motion, Alex sidestepped and grabbed the arm, before executing an Ikkyo technique from aikido, using Ron’s momentum and Alex’s control of his elbow to send him to the ground immobilized and at Alex’s mercy.

“Honestly, it’s like you didn’t even do a second of decent research on me and just assumed that I would be an easy target. Thus, you made the single biggest mistake you can ever make in underestimating your opponent. Next, you did so on my home turf in a setting I provided, putting you in my arena where I make the rules. Even if you had been successful in getting me to sign, a single phone call and it would be voided when the audio and video recordings that I have been running are handed over to the police. Seriously, when I brought Kate down here to discuss her proposal, she at least had the foresight to speak quietly such that any audio would be piecemeal at best, and you say you are her equal in skill. Now here is what is going to happen. You are going to actually act your age and stop trying to make Kate’s life difficult. For the love of geriatrics, you must be in your 70’s and Kate is still coming into her own as a woman. She never asked to be given the Astor name. Now when I release Ron here, you two will leave and never stand in my presence again, or I will make this an issue and as good as the lawyers I am sure you have are, they won’t want this case. Are we clear?”

“Act my age, where do you-”

“Are we clear, or will I need to drag an unconscious Ron out and make sure you land in some of the mud that today’s melt has created?”

“Why-”

“I really don’t care what you have to say. Either say yes, or get ready for me to be very discourteous to my elders.”

Alex watched as Olivette seemed to short circuit as she tried to think about a way to respond as Ron weakly struggled, as even the slightest movement threatened to break his elbow. Ron was also likely aware that after his elbow was broken, Alex would easily be able to begin stomping in his skull, if he so chose to. Finally, Olivette seemed to realize her wall of muscle wasn’t going to be able to overcome the situation as the frustration on her face boiled over as she stood and shouted her reply.

“Fine! Ron, let’s go. It is obvious that FAE is led by an idiot with no class!”

Alex just smiled defiantly at her glare as he released Ron, while creating enough distance between them to avoid being in range for a surprise attack. As the large man struggled to his feet, Alex left the room to find Gido waiting just outside.

“Gido, ensure Olivette and Ron here leave and tell Jacob to place their gun in the trunk of their car as they drive away. They are not to be allowed to return in the future either and should they come on the property, you are to call the police and have them trespassed immediately.”

“Understood, Alex.”

“Also, send the tape to Jasper,” whispered Alex.

Gido had a smile on his face as he watched the sweat-drenched Ron and red Olivette storm towards him. Unbeknownst to them, he had been watching and listening to the whole exchange on the security feed that had been recorded. While he could see the trouble this may cause as Olivette spread a twisted version of the event among all of her circles, he also knew that Alex had already countered her. When her father watched this exchange, who knew how much hell would be unleashed on her as if it was made public, it would cause a massive stain on the Astor name.

For Alex’s part, he just called the elevator as he didn’t even care to ensure that the door didn’t hit the pair on the way out as he returned to his now-cold meal. When he arrived, he found his four ladies happily chatting and he smiled. Instantly feeling much better, he sat and shared the events that had just occurred at some light prodding. After they all had added their take and feelings on the situation, with a bit of laughter at Olivette and Ron’s expense, the five of them returned to their rooms to log back into ED for the night and returned to their normal routine the following morning.

As Xeal stepped out of his room followed by Eira on day 114, he smiled as he sat across from Bula and passed Midnight a piece of sausage. The second group had just finished their ten-day exhaustion training and were starting their recovery period. This meant that both Eira and Bula had a few days off before they needed to put the last group through the ten days of hell and deal with any that failed on the first go through. Xeal was still unsure how he would deal with the few who were sure to fail, as he doubted any of their families would be willing to risk the cost of a second feather for them to retry. With that in mind, he spoke.

“Bula, how would you rate the second group’s chances?”

“Worse than the first. If the first each had a 90% chance, then they would have an 80 to 85% chance. Still, they have shown great growth over the last few months.”

“I’ll say, though some of them still need some humility,” added Eira.

“Oh, are any of them beyond hope?” inquired Xeal.

“No, though they seem to have their sights set way too high.”

“What Eira means is a few of them thought it would be a good idea to flirt with her during training,” quipped Bula.

Xeal blinked once before holding in his laughter as he pictured the poor fools who decided to make a pass at her. Then he realized something and had to ask.

“Wait, Bula, are you saying that more than one of them tried after seeing her shut one of them down?”

“Oh, yes. It was fun to watch them each make an attempt, as if doing so was a rite of passage.”

“Don’t laugh. It was terrible and they each paid for it,” commented Eira with a sigh.

“Indeed, each of them found themselves doing a fair bit of extra running. Honestly, the improvement they all showed after she was done with them was the most progress any of them made,” added Bula.

“I can imagine, though I do hope that you weren’t too hard on the poor boys.”

“They still have all of their limbs and no scars were left,” stated Eira smugly. “There is only one man that I will allow to make an advance on me, though he better be ready when he does.”

Xeal ignored the look Eira was giving him while she made her comment, before returning his focus to the teenagers and his current plans.

“Alright, so we should start to see the first group finish up in the next day or so, but in the meantime, I need the two of you to act as representatives for your people on a little mission.”

“Oh, what do you have in mind?” asked Eira.

“He wants us to accompany him to see the high and wood elves, and yes, he is aware of the issues with that,” commented Bula.

“Yep, but if they can’t put those issues aside, then it may be best to simply handle them by other means,” confirmed Xeal.

“You do realize that they are more likely to kill us than greet us,” stated Eira, looking annoyed.

“I doubt that. Unlike orcs and beast-men, they do keep tabs on things in human lands quite closely. I actually suspect that they have begun to grow concerned by the fact that I have yet to seek them out.”

“You took care of our people first,” observed Bula. “To force them to accept us and avoid them hindering our ability to integrate with Nium. You knew that they would hinder any progress you could have made and would push for my kind’s eradication and Eira’s kind to be second-class citizens, at best. Not to mention the fact that you have Ceclie in your service.”

“More or less, but really, I have just put it off for so long as I doubt I’ll enjoy the experience of meeting with them. Add to the fact that I need to worry about appearing to gather too much power too quickly and it didn’t make sense to move before now.”

“Still, what makes you think taking us with you is a good idea?” shot back Eira.

“To force them to acknowledge the fact that they have to play nice with your kind,” responded Xeal. “Though I am only able to comfortably take this path thanks to the fact that both of your lives are protected.”

“So, you accept that we may find ourselves being killed on sight,” confirmed Eira.

“He does, but we won’t be. Xeal has played this correctly from what I can see. Perhaps a little too well even,” interjected Bula. “If what I am getting from the sight is correct, then they are currently terrified that Nium will remove them with our aid, as they know it would only be a minor setback at this point.”

Xeal took note of how talkative Bula was being, but stopped himself from asking about it as it may have just been that her gift of sight was clear on this issue at that moment.

“Bula is right. They will know I am there as a diplomat and you two will be seen as the same. They also know that killing us would result in a full-scale subjugation. I would never eradicate them, but forcibly integrating them into Nium and the removal of a few key heads would be very much on the table.”

“Alright, I’ll go, but if I waste the extra life you gave me, I expect you to renew it at no cost to me,” conceded Eira.

“Alright, we need to reach the southwest of the kingdom. We should head to Eboro City today and check in with Marquess Rais. I am sure he will be willing to welcome us now that Takeshi has been so kind as to open the city to us.”

That was yet another reason that Xeal had yet to reach out to the elves. Marquess Rais, who lived in Eboro City, had the most dealings with the elves. Had he not met with him before setting out, it would not only likely rub him the wrong way, but also lowered the overall chances of success significantly. That said, as it was one of the eight marquess’s cities, it was also one of the more prolonged to unlock and Takeshi had actually been working on the chain to do so since just before the beast-man tribes conference. It had only just been unlocked and Xeal knew that he needed to ensure he was on Marquess Rais’s good side before leaving for the elven capital of Anelqua, 240 or so miles to its south as a bird flies. Though it would be almost 400 miles by ship, as crossing over the center of Anelqua Lake was asking to die as it was a level 250 zone, while the shore line was only at most a level 100 area most of the time. If all went well, Xeal would be able to arrange for a ship to ferry the three of them the 16 hours it would take to reach the city after everyone returned from touring FAE’s satellite offices. Each of them having such an erratic login schedule had led to them all forming a party and simply focusing on leveling when they had time to get online for the most part. With a plan made, Xeal finished his breakfast and it was when they were walking to the teleportation hall that the first notification came in and he smiled.

(Quest: Assist Gideon Beckett in reaching tier-5 by completing at least the hard trial: Complete, calculating completion rate… 101% completion, rank SS. Reward: 8,000,000,000 XP, 100 renown, favor increased with Earl Beckett, improved acceptance by kingdom of Nium nobility…current acceptance rate 70% and 1,000 gold).

Xeal had been wondering when the first one of them would finish as they operated on a slightly different timetable. While players would go for 30 hours before being allowed to take up to a three-hour break in reality, they would have the break inside ED. This meant while players had 36 to 39 hours pass per session in the trial, NPCs only had 33 hours pass. This meant that over nine days in ED, they would spend an extra 18 to 36 hours on the path as they struggled to complete it. Today was the start of day 11 in the trial for all of them and if they didn’t return by day 13, it would be doubtful that they would succeed at all, normally. Instead of making his way to check on the young man, Xeal trusted Captain Bexley to handle his and the other nobles’ recovery period as he continued to make his way to the teleportation hall.

As Xeal made his way through the river town of Eboro, he took in the sights that were created by the dual dichotomy that existed, formed by the two different areas life there revolved around. On one end you had the hardworking people that made their living from harvesting the resources of the river, or relied on those who did so. On the other end you had those who dealt in elven goods, that walked around like they were of a higher class, for the most part. There were even a few high and wood elves present that Xeal could hear scoffing and making worried, or rude comments, about Bula and Eira. There were times that he wished he didn’t have better senses than any beast-man, though he was sure Eira had heard more than a few of the comments as well. Xeal had to chuckle as a group of six tier-6 guards approached him, telling him to halt and state his business. The fact that the city had only started to see players in the past few weeks was all that kept Xeal from going off on the guards as he had when the patrol had first threatened him and Bula. Still, they needed to learn to not be idiots, so a bit of a lesson was in store for them as it would be convenient. Pulling out a scroll with his seal displayed on it that Prince Victor had prepared for him, Xeal spoke.

“The business of a viscount is not the concern of a simple guard on patrol. Still, you can be of some use. The streets are a bit crowded and I would not mind an escort to clear the path and constantly announce the presence of Viscount Bluefire and his honored guests, Ladies Eira and Bula.”

Xeal watched as the guards all blinked a few times as the seal’s authenticity was clear to them and they knew that Xeal was making a point with his action. They had stopped him due to the presence of Bula and Eira obviously upsetting the elven visitors and residents. Now they would need to lead the way while essentially calling out that they were both special existences that were not to be disparaged. As the guards hesitated, Xeal spoke once more.

“I believe I have made myself clear and am being reasonable as I am simply asking to be led to the keep to see about meeting with Marquess Rais in the near future.”

“Um, yes, of course we shall act at once,” stammered the lead guard as he turned. “You heard Viscount Bluefire, we are to announce him and the ladies as we walk them to the keep.”

Xeal held in his chuckles as Bula and Eira did their best to hide their embarrassment at the six guards repetitively calling out in sync, “Make way for Viscount Bluefire and his honored guests, Lady Bula and Lady Eira.” They walked like that for a good twenty minutes at a casual pace before they came within sight of the keep, which had already been made aware of the situation from others who had seen the spectacle. Xeal watched as the guards on duty simply opened the gates, looking like they didn’t wish to be involved in the mess that the six guards had clearly stepped in. Still, Xeal stopped them before entering the gates and spoke.

“Alright, gentlemen, you have delivered us to the keep as I asked. You are free to return to your other duties.”

The six of them looked like they had been granted amnesty as they wasted no time in bowing and vacating the area and leaving the gate guards to deal with Xeal. Xeal took a deep breath as he prepared for the next step in what he knew would be an annoying process. After collecting himself for a moment as the last of the six guards disappeared from sight, Xeal spoke.

“Good morning, I would like a meeting with the steward of Marquess Rais’s schedule.”

“Um, Viscount Bluefire, Marquess Rais has already been made aware of your presence and has sent word to send you and your guests straight to him when you arrive.”

Xeal was slightly surprised by the guard’s response. He had figured that there would be slight chance of actually meeting with Marquess Rais today, as most marquesses only seemed to make time for one another and the royal family. For the rest they would simply find a reason to delay and ensure that the one requesting the meeting knew it was on the marquess’s terms. Still, part of why he had come in the morning was to allow time in case Marquess Rais made time for him immediately, so after a bit of hesitation, Xeal responded.

“Very well then, if you would guide us to him.”

The guard gave a single nod as he began walking, with Xeal’s group following after him as they walked through the decadent estate. Xeal had to hold his tongue as he took note of the fact that Marquess Rais seemed to live in more extravagance than the royal family did. Still, Xeal knew this was mainly due to just how close of a relationship with the elves his family had maintained for generations, as they were the only city in all of Nium to have any elves who would live in it on a permanent basis. In a way, if you looked just at the city itself, you could say they had already managed to integrate with the elves, halfway completing Xeal’s task. Yet from the way Xeal looked at it, the city made his task twice as hard as it gave the elves a foothold to use as leverage in negotiations. This more than anything was why Xeal needed to meet with Marquess Rais before he undertook his journey into elven lands. As Xeal was considering these things, he was led to a room where Marquess Rais awaited him with a high elf standing next to him. Marquess Rais was an older man who was slightly plump, with balding white hair and calm blue eyes. The man next to him was tall with bright blond hair and yellow eyes that seemed to see through everything. Annoyed that there was a level 220 high elf currently present, Xeal took a second to recover before speaking while performing a slight bow.

“Marquess Rais, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“Nonsense. Ailluin here has been asking me when the fabled Viscount Bluefire, soon to be Earl Bluefire, and likely marquess after that if rumors are to believed, would be visiting. Though I must say that you made a bit more of a scene than I would have liked. Even so, I was happy when your vice guild leader greeted me the other day as I knew it meant that you would surely soon be doing the same and here you are. I must say, Takeshi is quite the exceptional individual as well. To me it looks like your guild seems to be gathering several of such individuals.”

“Thank you, Marquess Rais. I take pride in what we are building in FAE, and greetings to you, I would assume either diplomat, or counselor, Ailluin.”

“Ah, just Ailluin will do. I tend to prefer to keep things casual when I am on this side of the border. Though I must say that it is a relief to finally have a chance to make contact with you as we have been concerned with the events of recent times. It is my hope that meeting with you will help to alleviate those concerns.”

“I see. I can say the largest part of why it has taken me so long to make contact with you was due to the logistics of arriving and unlocking the city of Eboro for my kind. Though there would have been other considerations to consider that would have likely still delayed our contact ‘til just recently.”

“That is worrying to hear. I would have assumed that you would want to shore up the factions that already have the closest ties before expanding one’s coalition.”

“Were these normal times, that may be the best route to take, but when the time comes to place everything on the table, one must be willing to risk what they have to gain what they need.”

“Hmm, there is wisdom in your words, even if I feel that I disagree with your choices. Now, let us stop parsing past actions and instead focus on the here and now.”

Xeal could tell that Ailluin was trying to lead Xeal to begin working to broker a deal through him, which would run contrary to what he needed to happen if he wished for the best outcome. Frowning, he turned to Marquess Rais and spoke.

“Marquess Rais, I do appreciate you seeing me upon my arrival and it has been a valuable opportunity to meet with Ailluin. However, there are things we need to discuss in private before I am able to complete the task that has been assigned to me by Prince Victor.”

Xeal could see Marquess Rais get nervous and Ailluin look disappointed at his words, and he waited to see how things played out as Marquess Rais responded.

“Viscount Bluefire, perhaps we can allow Ailluin to discuss things a bit more to understand the situation and possibly aid in achieving a desirable outcome.”

“Marquess Rais, I understand your thoughts, but until we speak in private, I am really unable to continue discussions with Ailluin. It has nothing to do with me valuing his aid, or not wanting to deal with him, but of the necessity of the situation for me to effectively move forward and achieve the most desirable outcome.”

Xeal waited as the moment of truth was here for the first stage of his plan. Marquess Rais seemed to be struggling with something before he finally responded.

“Very well, perhaps we can sit down this afternoon as I need to conclude my business for the day with Ailluin first.”

“Thank you, Marquess Rais. Would you like me to wait in your palace, or would it be fine for me to wander your beautiful city in the meantime.”

“Ah, yes, feel free to enjoy yourself in my city. The market is a highlight and I am sure you will be able to find something to woo your ladies there.”

“Very well, I will have to check it out.”

As Xeal left the keep, he sighed as it was clear that things were as he had feared. Marquess Rais was but a puppet for the high elves, or at least Ailluin. With that knowledge, Xeal sent a message as he made his way to the market with Bula and Eira in tow. The next few hours would likely be eventful and it was best that they found themselves far from the palace. Xeal enjoyed looking at the wares in the market with Bula and Eira as they wasted the several hours they had to spare now. During this time, Xeal smiled as three more of the teenagers completed their trials and he got a great windfall in experience as all of the quests had an S-ranked completion.

When they finally returned, the sun had reached its zenith and it was obvious that something had occurred as a tier-7 royal knight stood next to the pair who were guarding the gate. At the sight of Xeal, the two guards that had been there before moved like their life depended upon it as they opened the door and allowed him to pass unchallenged. Once past the gate, Xeal could see more royal knights moving about as Xeal returned to the room he had met with Marquess Rais earlier, to find that a much younger man was sitting at a table across from Prince Victor, looking nervous. With blond hair that was cut such that it barely touched his ears and the same blue eyes as Marquess Rais, Xeal figured this was one of his sons that had yet to develop the gut of his father. Upon noticing Xeal, Prince Victor was quick to welcome him.

“Ah, Xeal, I am glad that you could join us. I was just talking to Frances about how his father Frederick has decided to retire and spend some time in the capital and he will need to step in as an acting marquess for his house, at least for the time being.”

“Interesting. I was only just talking with Marquess Rais this morning, my prince, though he did seem a bit off at the time. Frances, it is good to see you again. I believe Founding Day was the last time we had a chance to interact.”

“Yes, it is good to see you again. Um, you were here to discuss you and the two ladies with you making a trip to the elven capital, right?” asked Frances, looking like he was ready to do whatever Xeal asked of him.

“Frances, you can relax. I am not here to fleece your family’s wealth, or ask you to fall on a sword, hopefully at least. No, I just needed to talk to the leader of the city as my actions may cause some friction between Nium and the elves. I assure you that I have no intent to cause a complete dissolution of relations, or irreparable harm, but your city might find itself in the middle of a power struggle and you need to be ready to hold firm. If you show weakness, you will undermine all of the work I have done to reach this point and it may very much spell the end of friendly relations with the elves that your family has benefited greatly from.”

“I understand,” mumbled Frances.

“Frances, I have no intent of turning your house into a puppet for the crown. We just can’t have you be a puppet for the elves either,” stated Prince Victor.

“I know, my prince. I just worry that I am ill prepared to oppose Ailluin.”

“Just who is Ailluin?” interjected Xeal, as he could not place him from his last life at all.

“Ah, um, well, you see, he arrived just after word of the success of your negotiations with the beast-man tribes reached the city. He came bearing a sealed letter from Queen Aila Lorafir that only my father was allowed to read, so even I am not quite sure. The only thing I know for sure is that since that day, it has been difficult to find my father alone as Ailluin has been like his shadow.”

“Hmm, it looks like the elves have prepared to hold nothing back in the negotiations that must occur. Unfortunately for them, they have still failed to anticipate my plan. Frances, I will apologize to you now for what you will need to do, but I will offer you a bit of help with my next move at least. Prince Victor, I assume Ailluin is currently standing by awaiting your summons?”

“Yes. He was rather upset when I arrived and required Marquess Rais’s immediate attention and he was not permitted to join. Are you intending to speak with him now?”

“Yes, though I would like to do so in private, if that is fine, my prince.”

“Is that wise? I am sure he will blame you for my actions today.”

“I am counting on it. He already knew that I have your trust. Now he should be aware of his mistake as he should have realized where the power lies, my prince.”

“If you are sure. I assume these two ladies will be staying with us during your meeting?”

“That would be for the best, my prince.”

“Very well…”

Prince Victor called in one of the royal knights that had been standing at the ready just outside the door and ordered him to take Xeal to see Ailluin. Xeal took advantage of the short walk to try and work out the most likely positions that Ailluin held in the elven court. Xeal knew that Queen Aila Lorafir was not a figure to be taken lightly as she was the pillar that the current elven society had been built upon for the last 500 years. Her true age was a hidden fact, but Xeal knew that even for an elf she was ancient, yet she did not age and was known to even be very prolific in producing heirs, having one every ten to twenty years. For elves who typically lived between 400 and 600 years and only had one to three children, this was a very unusual trait of hers. There was a decent chance that Ailluin was one of these heirs, or perhaps he was her newest consort that she had grown bored of and sent here to be rid of him. Of the many mysteries that surrounded the elf queen, one thing that was clear was she was one of the few tier-8 NPCs that even casual players knew about. Knowing about and meeting her were two different things, as the most Xeal had ever managed in his last life was a glimpse of her from afar, as she made a short appearance from her palace at a festival he had been part of once. Yet Xeal was about to play a hand that would require him to sit across the negotiation table from her and play every card he had to try to come out on top. When Xeal came to a stop outside the room where Ailluin was currently waiting, he gave the pair of royal guards on the door a nod as he entered. Xeal found Ailluin seated next to the window, casually drinking some wine as he stared out at the city. Before Xeal could speak after closing the door, Ailluin beat him to it.

“You know, if you had simply met with me like you were supposed to, we could have become great partners. It would have been easy to come to an understanding that would have given us both what we wanted that I could have sold to my queen with ease.”

“Yes, but it would have been a hollow document that failed to achieve what is needed. You are right in the fact that it would have held things together, perhaps even past the war that is to come. However, if the agreement is made with anyone other than Queen Aila Lorafir, your people will have no issue going back on it should times get difficult.”

“Ah, I see you are well aware of how my kind think. You are right they would gladly sacrifice me and place any blame on me when the time comes. The question is, what makes you believe you have any right to meet with her?”

“None whatsoever. Only by forcing her hand will she be willing to meet with me, let alone allow Eira and Bula into her palace to sit at the table as well.”

“Wait, you actually intend to enter our lands accompanied by those two, let alone expect her majesty to sit with them as well? Are you mad? You are all but asking for no negotiations to take place.”

“Ailluin, I do not know just where you fall as far as the hierarchy of the elven court is concerned, but I am sure you will work as a great messenger. That is all I need from you after all. I will be departing from here in 31 days to meet with her majesty, accompanied by Lady Bula of the orcs, daughter of their chief, and Lady Eira of the tiger-man tribe. I would prefer that her majesty welcome us as the diplomats we will be coming as, perhaps even have a vessel awaiting us here to bring us to her. We will be coming with no guards as we place ourselves entirely at your people’s mercy during our stay. That said, I am confident that you are all aware of the consequences should something happen to us along the way.”

“It’s confirmed, you are mad. I suppose you are already ready for me to state that we will remove ourselves from this city and cease all trade with Nium should you refuse to deal with me.”

“I’ll do you one better should your queen refuse to meet with me. Prince Victor is ready to expel you all. We are well aware that despite the fact that your kind would have us believe we are the ones who gain the most from the ongoing trade, it is your kin that need the food which we provide. True, you could easily establish a trade route with Paidhia, but it would be a far more difficult path that would quickly run into issues.”

“You would have my people starve?”

“Not at all. When I say expel you all, I simply mean those who choose to remain subjects of your queen over integrating into Nium. Make no mistake about the situation. While there is no plan to take Queen Aila Lorafir’s kingdom from her, like the orcs, she will need to nod her head and accept uniting under the banner of Nium.”

“You would have us lower ourselves below you humans!?”

Xeal could hear the outrage in Ailluin’s voice at the thought of it.

“No, at least not during peace times, which if my preparations succeed, will be the norm for this continent after a few unavoidable bloody years. Outside of that, the deal would ensure that while free passage between the lands would be open to adventurers, each kingdom would maintain their own laws with a few caveats.”

“Oh, and what caveats would those be?”

“That is something that will be discussed between myself and your queen. I have given you my message and enough information to answer most of the major concerns she may have. Now, I expect you to do your job and deliver the message once you are released.”

“Ha, I will deliver it for you.”

“Good. Now sign this and take this.”

Xeal pulled out a contract that simply stated that Ailluin would ensure that the sealed scroll he handed to him would make it to her majesty and he would not distort any information about today. Ailluin mumbled under his breath as he signed the contract and took the scroll from Xeal, as Xeal left the room, before returning to speak with Prince Victor and the soon to be new Marquess Rais. After a short conversation where Xeal shared how everything with Ailluin went, he took his leave and returned to Nium, where he secluded himself in the forge until that evening when he was due to have a date with Mari. It was one of the last three that they would have before the decision needed to be made as to if they would marry, or not, and Xeal wasn’t sure if she was sure of which she wanted at this point.

When it was time for the date, Xeal made his way to the palace to meet up with Mari as tonight was only meant to be a simple walk through the royal gardens after a light meal. Xeal found Mari dressed in a nice but functional blue dress and a small handbag. Xeal took note of the fact that she wore no jewelry and wondered about her motives regarding that. Was tonight when she would decide to wear the set he had gotten for her, or was there another reason? Either way, Xeal greeted her and she took his arm as they made their way to the table that had been set for them and enjoyed their meal while catching up on recent events. Though Mari hadn’t brought up the conversation he had with Enye about the future by the time dinner had ended. As they stepped into the gardens for their walk, Mari continued to talk.

“Xeal, we only have two of these nights left before my mother will expect us to find time to see her and make the determination on if you have held up your end of the deal and if we are to marry.”

“I am aware. How are you feeling about it?”

Xeal could see Mari as she hesitated and put on a troubled face as she answered.

“Torn. I honestly wish the decision was going to be made for me. Then what you told Enye has been weighing on me and it honestly scares me. To live that long, what would life be like? I know the elves make it work somehow, but they do so by devoting their lives to pursuing their passions and I don’t know what that is for me. My life has been simply to do as my station dictates and is expected of me. Having so many choices and the need to discover a passion that I can enjoy eternally, it’s just, I fear it will be more than I can handle.”

“Mari, you will be fine. I am sure there are things that you enjoyed more than others growing up. Simply start there to find a passion and see where you end up. As for having the ability to make your own choices, that is something that you will need to just accept, as I expect any wife I have to be more than a simple damsel in distress.”

“Xeal, what are your true feelings for me?”

“Guarded. I feel as if you haven’t truly opened yourself to me and I fear doing so first, though as I say that, I realize just how unfair that is.”

“Ha, I’ll say. I feel like if I open up now, it is already too late and all that will happen is that I will set myself up for the pain of loss of when it doesn’t work out. Then, there is the fear of spending an eternity with a man I don’t love, or even care for, not to say I think that is where we will end up. However, I have met a few of my aunts that have become little more than a womb for their husbands. They look forward to the release death will bring them, but will not hurry it along out of a sense of duty to my mother. I learned from them not to hope and the fact that with you I can hope is a bit overwhelming and I can’t tell if I am in love with you, or the idea of you.”

“So, what will you do?”

“I wish I knew. All I know is that I need to come to a decision soon, or you will be gone for good.”

“Mari, when what you want is in front of you, all that hesitating will do is cause it to get away. As I have said, I do not love you as I do Enye and Dyllis and I know saying that hurts you, but I say it because I care about you. If and when you choose to wear the jewelry that I gave you, I will never spurn the affection that you show me and will return it to you in kind. I do believe that as time passes and the looming deadline leaves us, that we will learn to love each other as I think it is actually what is holding our feelings back.”

“You say that, but what if I am the only one you never grow to love? I think simply being a womb would be easier than that.”

“What if the wild lands expand and life as we know it is threatened? Mari, we do not know what tomorrow holds for us, let alone next year, or the year after. What I do know is I would never force you to live like that. I would sooner set you up to live a nice life in the countryside where you could simply be you if that was the case.”

“Do you want to love me?”

Xeal blinked as he registered her question as he really thought about it. Did he and had he wanted to love any of the women who were in his life? As he thought about it, he realized that the pain he had felt at losing Nicole in his last life had never really healed until she embraced him in this one. Once she had, he found himself incapable to not love her and unable to deny that he felt the same way about Sam. With Enye and Dyllis, he found himself feeling trapped at first, before simply accepting it was what it was and that trying to change it would only bring himself misery. Once he had accepted it, it took time, but love grew between them and he was happy it had. When it came to Mari, Lingxin, Eira, Ava, Mia and Kate, if she really did intend to pursue him, it was hard to know. Still, besides Kate and Eira, he had accepted that each of them would be a part of his life and he would need to make room in his heart for them. It was there that he found his answer as he thought about what it would feel like to watch any of them disappear from his life. With a sigh, Xeal responded.

“Mari, when I first met you, I did not want to love you, but I accepted that I needed to try to. Now if you ask me where I am at, it would be that while I am not in love with you, the thought of seeing you leave my life would cause me pain. What I am saying is that at this point I do want to love you, because to desire otherwise is to ask you to leave my life and I don’t want that.”

Xeal could see as Mari struggled to hold back her tears as she reached into her hand bag and withdrew the case that the jewelry set he had given her was in, and took a deep breath as she opened it.

“Xeal, would you be so kind as to give me a hand and hold this for me?”

Xeal smiled as he held the open case as Mari removed one item at a time, putting on both earrings before turning so that her back faced Xeal and lifting her dark hair up.

“Would you be so kind as to help me with the necklace?”

Xeal almost laughed as he removed the necklace and placed the empty case in Mari’s free hand, as he stood behind her and connected the clasps in the back, securing it on her neck. As he finished, Mari let her hair fall down and pulled Xeal into a deep and passionate kiss, as he felt something shift inside of him. When she let him breathe again while still keeping her arms around his neck, he could see the smile she had as she spoke.

“Thank you, that was all I needed to hear. Xeal, I am yours, even if you are not mine, but all of ours. I also agree with Enye. It is time that we start to be picky about the ladies from our world that we allow into your life. Eira is fine as we all know she already has her heart set on you and you have already begun to open up to her. However, any more must pass a high bar and they will not be allowed to share the same wedding day as the three of us. You really need to set a date for your and Dyllis’s wedding as well…”

Xeal just smiled as Mari refused to let him go as she went on about how he needed to do this, or that, and ensure that he took care of all the little details surrounding his ladies and their weddings. He couldn’t say she was wrong, with less than four months before he would be married to at least the three princesses. The rest of the date was spent with Mari refusing to let go of him and Xeal just enjoying this side of her that she had kept back. Gone was the wall that she had kept up and lowered was his own. The simple joy Xeal felt from this surprised him and made him realize that things would be complicated, but that was alright.

The next two days were uneventful as Xeal passed them in the forge, as the rest of the noble teenagers completed their trial without a single failure. Xeal was wondering if the system was providing them assistance due to their completion being tied to a quest that Xeal had undertaken. Though the fact that a few of the quests only received an A-rank told him that he couldn’t be sure, as the ten of them were the most promising group and he expected to learn more from the second group. Still, he was enjoying the boost to his experience that each was supplying to him, as well as the fact that his acceptance rate had risen to 74%. Xeal knew that he would need to meet with the second group as they started their trial, before heading off to spend the day with Dyllis for her birthday.

(*****)

Evening January 26, 2267 & ED year 2 days 217-218.

Alex enjoyed a quiet evening with Sam, Nicole, Ava and Mia, who were each taking turns next to him as they enjoyed a web series, using the end of each episode as their cue to switch. Kate was still in the middle of her tier-5 trial, though from the reports her bodyguards were giving them, she was likely almost done with it. The only thing of note that evening was when Gido informed Alex that Jasper had thanked him for the message and video. As it turned out, Olivette had acted against his wishes and he would ensure that she knew what would happen if she continued to cause issues and the video was released. With that side of things handled for at least the current moment, Alex could place his focus elsewhere.

After seeing off the second group the same way he had the first group, Eira and Bula made their way to work with the last group, as Ceclie was finally done with them. Xeal felt a bit of pity for the last group, as they had no idea if anyone had even survived the nightmare and they had had a fair bit of their own nightmare already, from the extra time with Ceclie. Even though Xeal knew she was putting them through their paces according to what she was tasked to do, he also knew from the reports on the second group that she wasn’t afraid of pushing the envelope.

With these thoughts in mind, Xeal met up with Dyllis at the palace, as he acted as her escort back to Dragon’s Heart city, to enjoy her birthday with her family. Dyllis was dressed in a simple and welcoming baby blue dress, while wearing the jewelry that he had given her when their courtship was announced. He still smiled at the dark-blue sapphire that had been fastened into a rose that hung around her neck. In some way, he felt guilty at the simplicity of the others’ designs, even if they had a far more valuable set, but he had thought it was right for her. Whether or not he would admit it out loud, she was special to him and was the one who he felt the worst about what he was putting all of his ladies through to grow strong. Of all of his ladies, Dyllis was the one that he felt like her simple presence soothed him the most.

“Xeal, it is wonderful to see you.”

“As it is for me to see you looking so lovely. I must say, I always smile when I see you wearing my gift.”

“Thank you, I do love it. I just wish I could wear it more often.”

“As do I and perhaps one day you will be able to wear it as much as you like, but that day is not today.”

“I know. Still, I can dream about it for a bit. Are you ready for today?”

“Yes, though it would be a lie to say that I am not nervous to finally meet your mother.”

“Yes, just remember that she is not well and has very little strength left and even a simple conversation is more than she can normally handle.”

“I will ensure that I don’t overtax her.”

Xeal knew that Lady Weawen suffered from a degenerative disease and it was one of the few subjects Dyllis didn’t bring up with him. From Xeal’s memory, he could never remember seeing, or hearing, about her in his last life, so it was likely that no players ever received a quest to cure her. In all likelihood, that meant it was likely that her condition was not something that could be cured through conventional means and would likely cause her to die prematurely.

“Dyllis?”

“Yes, Xeal.”

“I know it is a difficult subject, but all I know about your mother is that she is too weak to leave her room. Would it be possible for you to share a bit more, even if it is painful?”

Dyllis paused and frowned, before sighing and giving Xeal a worried look.

“Even if I may share her fate?”

“Especially if you will share her fate as I will need to ensure that it is avoided.”

“I know and you deserve to know. My mother suffers from a disease that has plagued her family’s women for as far back as anyone knows. For most of us, we simply believe that we are enjoying borrowed time and focus on enjoying the time we have. It is part of why I had not already been married to a baron, or viscount, when you came along. I am turning 21 today and most noble women born below an earl’s house would be getting ready to have their second child by now. Instead, I would likely have been 25 before I would have been married off, as that is usually when the signs of the disease start to show up. For my mother though, it didn’t hit her until after I was five and she was over 30. From there, I watched as my mother slowly lost her ability to function, to the point where she hasn’t been able to stand for the last five years, or sing for the last 2 years. It’s why her family always becomes bards, as the last function we lose is our voice and even when the world goes dark, we can at least sing to ourselves. Now she can only enjoy listening as she slowly embraces what she knows will be her end in a few more years.”

Dyllis was holding in her tears as she finished speaking, as she looked at Xeal with a worried expression and awaited his response.

“You leaving home must have been hard for you and her.”

“No, she smiled at hearing that I was going to have a chance to become a mother, regardless of our condition. I still visit her whenever I can and she loves hearing about what I am up to as she tells me to live without regrets and enjoy whatever time I have. If I am being honest, I am hoping that your goal of finding enough waters of youth for the four of us will reverse whatever effects the disease will have on me.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me. I am sure that no healers have been able to help?”

“They can slow it down, but that is it. Nothing that has been tried has worked, but a treasure like the waters of youth has never been tried as it is not something that we have access to.”

“I see.”

The pair shifted subjects as they traveled the rest of the way to the small palace that could be barely called such after experiencing the royal palace, or the one that was in Eboro City. Still, despite the fact that it was completely incorporated into the keep, it was still a nice place to have grown up. As they arrived, they were greeted by her father and younger brother. Xeal had not seen Dilwyn since the young man had watched him complete his tier-4 test against the combat doll.

“Xeal, it is good of you to come and spend some time with us today,” greeted Viscount Weawen while smiling.

“It is good to be here to celebrate Dyllis,” replied Xeal.

“Yes, now let’s move inside. Ellis has been waiting for a chance to meet you for a while and the mornings are when she has the most energy,” stated Viscount Weawen with a twinge of worry.

“Lead on.”

Xeal followed behind Viscount Weawen as they quietly made their way to a small room that was on the second floor in the corner of the keep, such that two windows could be opened for a cross breeze. There lying in a bed was Lady Ellis Weawen, Dyllis’s mother. She looked like a shell of a person, with milky-white eyes and faded blond hair that had almost turned white. Xeal could see the shadows of who she used to be and could tell that Dyllis had certainly gotten most of her looks from her mother. Xeal was lost in thought as Dyllis spoke as she moved next to her mother, taking her hand as she did so, bringing Xeal back to the current moment as he moved to stand next to her.

“Mother, I have brought Xeal here to meet you today.”

“Ah, I finally get to meet your love.” Lady Ellis’s words were slow and quiet, to the point that they were barely above a whisper.

“Yes, just give me a second,” replied Dyllis as she directed Xeal to sit in the chair by the bed as Dyllis placed her mother’s hand on his face, moving it across the whole of it before returning to holding it.

“He certainly is handsome, ha cough, ” quipped Lady Ellis weakly.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Alright, your mother asked me to give her a few minutes alone with Xeal,” stated Viscount Weawen, as he ushered a reluctant Dyllis and Dilwyn out to the hall. Once they were gone, Xeal started to speak.

“Before you speak, know that I am aware that Dyllis may suffer the same way you are now. Don’t worry, I will still love her even if I fail to save her from it.”

“Ha, cough… you know a mother’s worries well… I wish I could have really seen you… instead I have to settle for only hearing your voice…”

Xeal paused for a second before he sighed and spoke.

“If you are willing to try something, there is a chance that I could heal you, but I am not sure if it will work and you will have to endure a fair bit of pain.”

“Pain, cough, what do you think my life is... but don’t waste whatever it is… I have accepted my life… hope will only add more pain to it.”

“Hope for Dyllis. If it works, I will know it can save her as well.”

Xeal could see a frown cross Lady Ellis’s face as she heard his words, before she sighed and spoke.

“What will you do?”

“Have you be reborn using a phoenix’s feather and worry not, I have one for your daughter as well.”

“So, you will kill me to save me… it is funny… I always knew death was the cure… very well, but only if my husband does it.”

“Is that really a good idea?”

“Cough… Xeal, you will need to, cough… do it for Dyllis… but let me show you what love is… now tell me how to use it.”

Xeal explained that she just needed to be in contact with the feather when she died and its effects would kick in. Once he was done, she asked him to ask Viscount Weawen to enter, leaving Dyllis and Dilwyn in the hall.

“Dear, it is time.”

Viscount Weawen froze up for a second before looking at Xeal who just stayed quiet, and after another few seconds he responded.

“Can I at least bring Dyllis and Dilwyn in to say farewell?”

“No, that will only… break my resolve.”

With a sigh Viscount Weawen opened a drawer in the nightstand next to the bed and shakily removed a bottle of a dark liquid as he fought tears while looking at it.

“Please, not today.”

“Dear, it…will be… fine... everything…will… improve… now let…go.”

With a deep breath, Viscount Weawen steadied himself as tears started to fall as he spoke once more.

“Does Xeal need to see this?”

“Yes… he will… need to… be ready… if Dyllis… needs him… to do this… one day.”

“I understand. I apologize for this, Xeal. It was unfair of me to saddle you with this the day I pushed Dyllis towards you. I do hope you will forgive me.”

With those words, Viscount Weawen leaned forward and gave his wife one last kiss, before opening the bottle and pouring the contents down her throat. Xeal acted quickly and covered himself and Viscount Weawen in a thick blanket he had retrieved from a cupboard at Lady Ellis’s direction. Viscount Weawen was confused as he started to struggle.

“Xeal, let me go. I need to be with her.”

“Give it a second.”

“What!?”

Xeal just stayed quiet as a few seconds later, he felt something hit the blanket and a beautiful voice spoke out.

“It is alright now.”

Xeal tossed aside the blanket to reveal a room that looked like it had had acid dumped on it as everything looked half melted. Xeal quickly averted his eyes as he took notice of the fact that Lady Ellis’s clothing had not been spared. He had known that a blast of poison would be expelled as part of the feather’s activation, but this was a bit more destruction than he had expected from it. Viscount Weawen looked shocked as he saw his wife looking as beautiful as his memories showed her. Xeal could hear him swallow audibly, before Lady Ellis continued to speak in a voice that could only be called beautiful.

“Dear, I do apologize, but Xeal made an offer to try and heal me using a phoenix’s feather and I didn’t wish to waste your resolve. I love you and thank you for being willing to follow through with your promise. Now, stop staring and help me find some clothes so poor Xeal can look somewhere other than the ceiling.”

“Um yes, wait. A phoenix’s feather? Xeal, why!?” questioned a stunned Viscount Weawen.

“Dear, clothing, then we should probably move elsewhere and have the staff clean this room up.”

“Of course, right away. Let’s see.”

Lady Ellis chuckled as her husband came back to reality and finally tore his eyes from her as she looked over Xeal closely. She kept her thoughts to herself as her husband returned carrying a nightgown that had been in the dresser, which would need to be replaced, as like everything else in the room it looked like the surface had melted. Once she had the gown, it only took a few moments for Viscount Weawen to assist his wife in getting dressed, as he stole a few kisses during the process.

“It is safe to look now,” teased Lady Ellis.

With her words, Xeal finally took in the room and found that the only thing that had been spared was the stone beneath the wooden floor that now had several holes in it. The blanket he had tossed aside was now a puddle of something and the bed that she had been on was a complete loss. Xeal swallowed knowing that this was with a feather, while the results with a drop of blood were said to be far more potent, by the flavor text of the two items. Xeal wondered just how violent would the burst from Aalin be if she were to die as he hadn’t heard any details from players using raw drops of phoenix blood in his last life. This was due to its value as an ingredient in many adamantium-level potions, as were the feathers.

“I must say that using that made quite a mess, but before anything else. Thank you, Xeal. This really is like a dream after what the last decade has been like for me. Now I want to see how my children have grown with my own eyes.”

Lady Ellis wasted no time in walking to the door that had been at the edge of the area affected by the blast and only had minor damage. As she opened the door, Xeal could hear the moment of silence before Dyllis could be heard shouting in joy “Mother,” before Lady Ellis was pushed back into the room by the force of her daughter’s hug. A stunned Dilwyn wandered in behind them as Lady Ellis just laughed as she returned the hug and reached out for her son as well. It only took a second for him to join as tears fell and the three of them found themselves laughing as they cried, while Lady Ellis commented on how much they had changed. Xeal just watched as Viscount Weawen came over to him and spoke.

“Thank you. If you weren’t already going to be my son, I would be offering you Dyllis’s hand as well as to be named my heir. I also know that you have no need for my lands, so I will just say this. You and your guild can ignore all of the fees and taxes levied by me inside the city.”

(Congratulations. Hidden quest complete: save Lady Ellis Weawen from her fate. Quest difficulty: impossible, calculating completion rate… 100% completion, rank S. Rewards: 732,410,704,086 XP, 5000 renown, increased favorability with Viscount Weawen, Lady Ellis Weawen, Lady Dyllis Weawen and Lord Dilwyn Weawen to max. Guild F.A.E. is now exempt from all city taxes in Dragon’s Heart city and the surrounding areas and 50,000 gold)

Xeal blinked as he looked at the quest notification as his level jumped all the way to 97 and smiled as he realized he had just gained the same experience as if he had just taken down a level 95 world boss, even though no world boss would be at such a low level. After acknowledging the notification, Xeal returned his attention to the scene before him, as Dyllis had shifted her attention from her mother to him and was running at him, as she almost tackled him with a hug as she started to kiss him while she still couldn’t stop crying. Xeal just lifted her into a bridal carry while waiting for her to calm down as he followed after the rest of her family. As they passed the occasional servant, there were several double takes and gasps as they took in the scene. Finally, after a bit of walking, Xeal found himself in the same courtyard that he had first had tea with Dyllis and her father, as they all sat to enjoy the early morning. As Xeal looked at Dyllis, he saw that she had mostly calmed down as she just smiled up at him like she never wanted the moment to end. After leaning down to give her one last kiss, he set her down and even though she pouted slightly, she brightened right up when Xeal sat down and gestured for her to sit on his lap, which she happily did. It was Lady Ellis who spoke first with a smile.

“Xeal, once more, thank you. This is really like a dream and I feel better than ever before right now. That said, I believe it is for the best if we keep the details vague on just how this was possible, for your sake as well as mine.”

“Mother, how are we supposed to do that? After all, it will be obvious that Viscount Bluefire was involved in whatever took place,” inquired Dilwyn.

“Dilwyn, just Xeal is fine, we are going to be family after all. As for keeping it vague, you just say that I entered the room and only your mother and I know what was done to heal her. If you want to take it a step further but still not lie, you can say that I sought out a famous alchemist in another land and after speaking with him, I left with the item that healed your mother. Though it needs to be said that it was an item that he cannot produce at will, so it is not something that others can hope to replicate.”

“I’ll say I still can’t believe you would use such an item so freely,” commented Viscount Weawen.

“I did not use it freely. You are family and there is a chance that I will need to do the same for Dyllis one day. Though as I am thinking of it, can you tell me more about just how the condition is spread?”

Things looked awkward for a second before Lady Ellis spoke and started to explain what she knew. She explained that men never showed symptoms, but their daughters did over half of the time and that no woman that never showed symptoms ever had a descendant that did. With this information, Xeal looked at Dilwyn with concern as he knew that this meant that it was likely that he would pass the issue on to his children. Xeal also learned that this was why Viscount Weawen had never taken a second wife as doing so would cause issues when it came time for succession, as the fact was that Dilwyn could cause the whole Weawen line to have the issue if he carried it. Had there been a second son from another woman, it would have been highly likely that the pressure to name them as the heir would have been far too great to ignore. As it was, there was already a fair bit of pressure for one of Dilwyn’s cousins to inherit and as things stood, it was looking like Dilwyn would inherit, but never marry and adopt one or two of his cousins’ sons to appease the rest of the house. After hearing all of this, Xeal reached out to Watcher while taking a pose that made him look like he was thinking.

“Watcher, I need to know if the use of phoenix feather will cure what I would call a genetic defect in a person, or just roll back its symptoms?”

“Xeal, a feather would remove the symptoms in the one who used it for the rest of their life, but it would still be passed on, while a drop of blood would fix the issue completely. It is the difference between being simply reborn and remade during the revival process.”

“I see. Thank you, Watcher.”

“No problem, but do not waste a drop on your lady’s mother, or brother, until you have more, as I don’t wish to see you run out of it and lose one of them.”

“You just want to enjoy living vicariously through me.”

“Is that so bad? Your life is far more interesting than what I have endured since the gods decided to imprison most of us.”

Xeal just left the conversation there as he smiled and shared what he had just learned.

“It is likely that you will never have symptoms again, but could still pass it to a child if you ever had another one, Lady Ellis, as I used the weaker of my two options on you. The one that I have already given your daughter, but have yet to use, will likely ensure that she will not be able to pass it on if she does indeed carry it. Unfortunately, I do not have enough of that one to allow Dilwyn to use one yet, but I am working to change that.”

“Don’t. Even if you do cure me, I will not have any children of my own as even if I were cured, getting others to believe it would be beyond impossible. Xeal, I appreciate the thought, but simply knowing that you will make sure that my nieces and nephews will not have to worry about the issue is enough for me. That said, I may choose to adopt one of them when the time comes to name my heir, so have plenty of them for me.”

Xeal chose not to push back against Dilwyn’s resolve, as doing so would likely insult him and instead allowed the conversation to end there as the topic shifted to happier topics. Xeal enjoyed the rest of the day as emotions poured out and even the servants could be seen shedding tears of joy. It wasn’t until it was almost time for Dyllis and him to leave when he pulled her to the side for a second, got onto a single knee, and pulled out a small box. Xeal could see her eyes widen for a second before she just smiled and said “yes!” before he could even start his prepared speech.

“Really, you didn’t even let me ask the question. I could be asking you to become my maid,” quipped Xeal.

“Xeal, you could ask me to be your anything and I would say yes, because I would be yours. I just wish we didn’t have to wait until after Enye’s wedding.”

Xeal smiled as he opened the box to reveal a dark-blue sapphire imbedded in an engagement ring that shared the same style as the other ladies, but had rose imprints at the top of the band to match the necklace that he had given her. Dyllis smiled as she let him put it on, before pulling him into yet another hug and kiss, before heading off to show her family. An hour later, Xeal smiled as he dropped her back off at the royal palace, where Enye and the others were waiting. When they noticed Dyllis’s joy and the ring, Enye gave Xeal a knowing smile, while Lingxin and Mari sent him a look filled with a bit of envy. Luna and Selene just smiled while sending Xeal looks of expectation mixed in with a few winks. Smiling, he bid them all farewell as he returned to his mansion to sleep, before he awoke and met with the ten teenage nobles who had completed their trials already.

As Xeal looked at the ten men, he didn’t see the same teenagers he had at the start of the training. Each had matured a fair bit and looked confident as they stood awaiting Xeal to speak to them.

“Well, you all survived and I am sure your families will be overjoyed to see that you all made it through the nightmare. I must admit I was surprised to see you all pass, as I was expecting a few of you to have poor luck and need to use the pendant I gave you. With that said, you all are still my responsibility to train once you return from taking some time off at home. I expect each of you to return when I summon you after the rest of your compatriots complete their tier-5 trials.”

“Viscount Bluefire, do you intend for us to reach tier-6 through the same method?” asked Gideon Beckett, who seemed to have become somewhat of a leader to the group.

(Quest: Assist Gideon Beckett in reaching tier-6 by completing at least the hard trial. Do you wish to accept this quest? Rewards, Earl Beckett’s favor and unknown. Warning, failing the quest will have negative repercussions on your account. Yes or No)

Xeal accepted the quest as he responded.

“Gideon, I intend for you all to reach tier-7 if I can manage it. After all, you all are going to be my vassals once my lands are ready to be settled. They are not lands the meek, or timid, should think of holding and you all will be the standard by which other lesser nobles looking to claim a piece for themselves will be judged against. I suspect it is only a matter of time before half of the kingdom is clamoring to have their sons go through what you all just did.”

At Xeal’s words, each of them stood taller as he received nine more quests and accepted them all, before releasing them all for a bit of rest and relaxation, within limits. As they left, he gave them one more reminder that they were still being evaluated during their time off and he would not assist anyone he couldn’t trust to handle the job. With that taken care of, Xeal spent time in the guild dealing with the issues that had popped up while he was with Dyllis yesterday. As he did so, he couldn’t wait for Kate and Taya to return, and he was even missing Lily as she had become a leader of the crafting players. Still, he had smiled at the fact that three of the alchemists that had managed to become Hura Crepitan’s apprentices were from FAE, including Lily. Additionally, Lily had gotten him to allow 18 other members of FAE to stay and train under her and the other two that had reached his standard. She had used the logic that one of the greatest ways to learn is to teach. With that, he had agreed to let them try, for a few months at least, as he countered with, those who can’t do, teach. It was partially that philosophy that had kept him from accepting any students before. Now, if only Xeal could get all of the guilds that kept demanding FAE allow them to do this, or that, to accept that it was not going to happen, he would be doing great. Still, he had known that this was the life of guild leadership in any successful guild when he had chosen his path. As much as he wished he could spend his days exploring the depths of a cave system, or climbing to the top of a mountain like so many casual players did, this was his career. Add the fact that he needed 1.5 times the XP to level, and simply keeping pace with the rest of his guild took every trick he knew and only allowed the slightest of leeway to him.

Once Xeal was done with the guild work that needed his attention, he spent the rest of his time in the forge as he continued to work on raising his proficiency high enough to reach Platinum-rank. Between each item he crafted, Xeal would examine them to see where he was still failing to adequately reach the standard he would expect of something he would buy. With each item, he would refine his technique slightly and slowly he was improving, though he would only rate his ability as a seven out of ten, and would never buy anything that was below a nine.

(*****)

Morning January 27, to Morning January 28, 2267 & ED year 2 days 219-222.

When Alex arrived at breakfast with Sam and Nicole, he found not only Ava and Mia, but Kate was there, looking like she could still use a bit more sleep. Still, she had a smile on her face as she walked up and gave Alex a hug, before stepping back and speaking.

“That is for what happened with Olivette. I must say, you certainly are a knight in shining armor at times.”

“It would have ended the same if she had come before you with the same offer. I didn’t let you buy in for your money. The only reason I even took it was because I need to know you are really all in. I would have given you five percent simply to recruit you, because you are worth it.”

Kate looked at Alex for a moment before Nicole cut in.

“What Alex means, is that he knew that you would add more value than what five percent of the guild is worth in the long run, from your prior interaction.”

“I am aware, but to have faith in me after he outplayed me so thoroughly,” replied Kate.

“You came at me while tying your own hands and making obvious mistakes. Yes, I can tell when I am being tested,” quipped Alex.

Kate just blinked for a second, before she smiled and replied with a straight face.

“I might just have to force you to marry me. It seems like the one and only area that I could easily outplay you.”

Alex just stood there as Sam, Nicole, Ava and Mia all started laughing softly at the face Alex was making at Kate’s words, and even the three bodyguards failed to hold it in completely. He had gone from full confidence to a look of utter helplessness as he waited for them to finish. It only took a few seconds before he could respond, but for him it had felt much longer.

“Kate, if that is truly what you want, go ahead, but you have to promise to play the same role as Ava and Mia and ensure that it is only the five of you. If I split my attention any further than that, I fear that everything will fall apart. Also, please accept that like Ava and Mia, I expect you to wait at least a year before we go farther than kissing.”

“Really, you are surrendering to me just like that? Where is the fun if you don’t at least try and avoid me?”

“I know I would lose. After all, you are right. I am a pushover when it comes to women once they work their way into my life. You even warned me when you joined us here that you might push for me to marry you before too long.”

“I can’t tell if you are trying to use reverse psychology on me right now, and I love it. It looks like there might be hope for you after all. Now, do I call your bluff, if that is what it is now, or not? Hmmm, nope, not quite ready to get involved like that with you as once I do, there will be no turning back. Though I will say my timetable for that year started when I showed up on New Year’s Eve. Who knows? Maybe I will have you end, or start the year with me.”

Alex smiled as the six of them enjoyed eating breakfast. They chatted about current events as Kate caught up on the things that had happened since she started her trial. Alex let her know that he was looking forward to having her back at the guild as he filled her in on all of the guilds showing up to make demands. She just smiled as she thought about how she was going to play with them. When it was time to log back in for the day, they all smiled knowing that the session would be full of the prep needed for going after the next phoenix.

The following evening and morning would see all of them continuing to focus on the current task of reaching the phoenix.

Xeal smiled as he enjoyed not having to deal with all of the guilds that were making demands, while watching Kate deal with them in creative ways he just didn’t have time for. He watched, as in a single day, she was able to make an example of several and in doing so, get the rest to back off. Xeal knew that she had done this partially by using the connections she had built when she was still part of Fire Oath and while it was fine for now, it would be at best a temporary fix. Though he was sure she had also done it to simply gain time for her true solution that was still to come. During this time, Xeal had set up everything for the expedition that would start the next day. This included a rather interesting meeting with Jinx and Ihyi.

“Greetings, you two. Now, as I am sure you have been told, you have been selected as candidates for something that is classified, so before I tell you more, you need to sign these NDAs.”

Both looked distinctive and Xeal took in their appearances as they read their copies of the NDA. Jinx looked like a teenage girl that belonged in a vampire movie as a willing victim. She had pale skin to contrast with her black hair and purple makeup. Add to it that she wore only black and the looks she had been giving him since she came in, and Xeal could tell she was a character. Ihyi looked like the wind had done her green hair for her, as her tan skin was contrasted by a smattering of cloth armor that looked like a messy hodgepodge, though he could tell the synergy of them was excellent. She looked like she could care less about how she looked and all that mattered was function. When they had finished reading and signed, Xeal stored them and it was Ihyi who opened the discussion.

“Alright, what is so secret we had to essentially sign away our lives to know it? You aren’t looking for more women to warm your bed, right?”

“Oh, Dad said that if you even look at me that way, to make sure I move in with you and give him at least four grandchildren,” interjected Jinx in a bored tone that made it hard to tell if she was joking.

“Friva told me to send a tornado at you if you even try and touch me like that.”

Xeal just pinched the top of his nose as he looked down and sighed before responding.

“No, my bed is more than full already.”

“Ah, but Dad sounded really hopeful. Something about you having a thing for dark hair.”

Xeal blinked a few times at Jinx’s words that he still could not tell if they were serious or not, before responding.

“Who is your father?”

“In game you would know him as Geitir.”

“Okay, I am going to need to have a talk with him, but moving on, no I am not looking for anything of the sort.”

“Good, now what is this about. I need to get back to leveling,” interrupted Ihyi.

“If you would let me speak…”

Xeal explained the basics about the phoenixes to both of them and why they had been selected as possible candidates. They both asked several more questions and Xeal was continually trying to figure out what Jinx’s deal was as she seemed to be doing a parody of flirting the entire time. By the end of the meeting, both had signed on to be considered and added to the expedition and Xeal had sent a message to Geitir, who showed up an hour later.

“You wanted to talk to me, Xeal?”

“Yes, close the door.”

“Okay, what is this about?”

“So, I met Jinx today.”

“Oh, and what did you think? I know she is a bit different, but she is actually a kind soul beneath everything-”

“Just stop. Not interested.”

“You sure? I don’t mind if you—” Geitir couldn’t keep a straight face any longer as he started to laugh at the look Xeal was giving him. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it. Did she really give you a slow motion eye flutter?”

“Bastard, that is not funny. You know that I am trying to avoid adding any more women to my life like that.”

“That I do, but it was just too good of a setup to not do it. Friva even joined in by telling Ihyi there was a chance that was what you were after, but it was unlikely.”

“Is that really your daughter?”

“Yeah, and the whole wanting grandkids isn’t a complete lie. Know any good guys who wouldn’t mind giving her a chance?”

Xeal just shook his head as the two shifted to other topics, before returning to their other tasks. For Xeal, this meant he was back in the forge where he spent the rest of the session.

When Xeal logged in on day 220, he wasted no time in going to the Cedian kingdom to start the trip to the area that was suspected to have a phoenix. Once there, he made his way to the designated meeting area outside a small town that had little in the way of interest for any players. This had made moving 300 players to the area easier and harder, as it meant that there were fewer players to notice them, but it also made it easier to notice the increase in activity. It had taken coordination and a full day but, Xeal felt that even if they had been noticed, that it would be hard to tell that they were part of the same group at least. Now it was time for the two days of travel that would have only a single rest break where players could log out and Xeal and Aalin could have a quick date, before getting some rest of their own.

Along the way, they faced a decent amount of opposition in the level 90 to 100 areas they were crossing as they avoided any areas that were likely to have players in them. While this meant that they had a harder overall trip as there was not a decent shortcut for them to use, it also meant that they were enjoying the benefits of pioneering more areas that had yet to be touched. This meant every hidden treasure was still untouched and despite the fact that Xeal had no prior knowledge of the areas, they still found more than their fair share of goods as they crossed each area. The trip took them across a desert area and into the mountains, which transitioned from a lush and green base, to cold and rocky as they climbed to reach their destination’s entrance. It was actually one of two possible entrances, with the other being on the far side of the mountain and in a level 60 area. Both led into a cave system that went deep into the ground and was full of rock elementals that could come out of nowhere once inside, despite their overbearing size. Xeal knew that so long as the group avoided the ambushes they would be fine, as they could handle any that might appear in this area. Just as Xeal was going over everything in preparation for the logoff before descending the vertical shaft that was their entrance, Watcher reached out to him.

“Xeal, please reconsider going after this phoenix.”

“Watcher, I am going to go after all of them regardless of the risks, so why would I turn back now?”

“Please, she won’t be easily satisfied like the others. I fear for your safety if she gets her hands on you.”

“Thank you for the warning, but I will be fine. I still have my fruit of life and if this costs me that, I have phoenix blood available. While it is not quite as good, both will protect me from losing your mark.”

“Nothing I say would stop you from doing this?”

“Nope. The best that you could do is get me to put it off until I had no other phoenixes I could get to, by giving me all of their locations.”

“How are you even going to control this area once you secure her mark to keep it from leaking out eventually?”

“Kate already has it handled. It pays to have someone with her connections handling things. We sign a deal and hand over two feathers and provide a few players to help level their core and they will lock down the area and as time passes, we get the blood and they get the feathers that are produced.”

“Very well, just don’t say I didn’t warn you when you lose your fruit of life.”

“I won’t, but I can’t afford to hesitate.”

Watcher didn’t respond as Xeal went about finishing his preparations, before leaving by using an advanced return scroll to return to town with Aalin and Gale, where they were staying in an inn room to ensure that they weren’t exposed while offline.

When they returned on day 222, they quickly returned to the mountain next to the vertical shaft and found that the guild members were already in the midst of descending as planned. He smiled before making his way down the shaft via one of the rappelling ropes that had been set up for their use. Once at the bottom, Xeal went about checking the area out as he was unsure just how deep they were, but was sure it was at least a level 90 to 100 area, as that was what they had just left. Xeal smiled as his senses adjusted to the lighting and slight echo that came from being in the massive tunnel that could easily fit the Brewys’s private jet in them. As he looked around at the rough walls, he chuckled as it was almost comical how easy his enhanced sense made it to notice the rock elementals hiding along the walls. He actually had to hand it to them as he doubted any average player below tier-6 would notice the level 100 foes’ rough bodies that matched the tunnel’s walls almost perfectly. The key to doing so was the slight bulge that was created which ruined the natural circular curve of the tunnel, if only slightly.

A few minutes later, Xeal was joined by Aalin, Gale, Kate, Jinx and Ihyi, who were the keys to this mission. Aalin was quick to confirm that they were close and Gale was able to quickly give them a general direction, before they set off. As they went, Xeal walked out in front as he pointed out each rock elemental along the way and used his dragon’s breath attack to initiate each fight. With the rock elementals finding themselves being ambushed instead of doing the ambushing, they became easy foes as their lumbering forms were just too slow. Once the attack began, they would rarely be able to even land any hits, though the few that did would usually take around a full quarter of the player’s health who was hit, half if it was a spellcaster in cloth armor. Still, the moment after the hits landed, healers would restore any lost health and Xeal felt the party of 300 was overkill at this point. Still, he would rather have them than not if they had run into another guild along the way, especially now that tier 5 was becoming common among professional players.

It was ten hours later that they arrived at their destination and found the tunnel they needed to get to guarded by what Xeal could only call a massive headache. They had climbed up to the level 80 area and had even started to see a few players around, though they all seemed to avoid this area. A few had even asked if they were trying to raid whatever kept killing any players that ventured into this area. Now Xeal knew what was going on, as in a massive chamber the size of a major sports stadium meant to seat over 100,000 people, a trap was set. Along its walls were a few hundred normal rock elementals, and ten enormous ones that were clearly boss-level monsters. If that wasn’t bad enough, standing such that the tunnel they needed to go through was directly between its legs, was a colossal rock elemental that was likely the area’s boss. Xeal instantly stopped the expedition team and told them to recover to peak condition and prepare for a hard fight.

After everyone was on task, Xeal sat and thought about how he was going to handle this. It was obvious that a few volleys of attacks from the monsters would be far more than could be handled and their numbers would just make it more likely that they would suffer casualties in each wave. All it would do was make dodging the boulders that were hurled at them harder if they stayed together, so Xeal decided to make use of the massive area instead and embrace the chaos that would ensue. 20 minutes later Xeal stood with the 50 other players that had been chosen for this plan’s initial phase and spoke.

“Alright, in a moment every other player here is going to launch whatever range skill, or attack, they have at the walls before retreating. After they do so, you have only two jobs. Run like your life depends upon it and stay alive. It is going to be pure chaos once things start. Unless we can get them to reduce their own numbers for us, all that having everyone in there would cause would be more casualties. So, spread out and have a few healing potions on standby and once you run out, do whatever it takes to escape. Now let’s move!”

With that, all 300 players streamed into the massive chamber. Xeal and the other 50 scattered as the other 249 players launched as many attacks as possible at the walls. After five seconds of bombarding the walls, the 249 players all executed a full retreat as all 111 monsters stopped waiting in ambush and came to life. Xeal pushed himself to the limit as he went straight at the level 90 colossal rock elemental and pelted it with dragon’s breath. Xeal smiled as he had clearly gained its attention as it lobbed a massive boulder the size of a house at him. He pushed his abilities to the limit as he avoided the attack that rolled right into and destroyed one of the regular rock elementals. Xeal knew that a single hit from that attack would kill any player below tier-6, to include himself. The only reason that it wasn’t completely impossible was due to how easy to avoid it was. Also, it was in fact the best tool for dealing with the other rock elementals that crowded the area. One minute turned into two and two became ten and so on, until an hour had passed and Xeal was feeling the strain of peppering the massive rock elemental with a dragon’s breath once every minute or so to keep its attention. He had been unable to do anything but focus on his own task as the only indication of any of the other 50 still being active was the occasional glimpse of them he would get. Still, he had been successful and it was time to call in the artillery and he sent the message for the rest of the players to enter, as he had the colossal rock elemental such that its back was faced to where they would arrive from. Additionally, from a quick count, it looked like only around a dozen regular rock elementals were left, to go along with the ten larger ones, that still looked tiny compared to the one Xeal was keeping busy.

With only enough MP to last another 40 minutes at his current pace, the attack began in full as the 249 players that had been on standby focused on one of the larger elementals at a time, as the remaining players who had been playing extreme dodgeball with Xeal pulled out, leaving Xeal alone in the field of battle. Still, he just laughed, as over the next half hour, every other elemental fell, save for the one he was still dealing with. With a smile, he launched one last dragon’s breath before making a break for the tunnel that he needed to enter, as one attack after another started to land on the massive form of the colossal rock elemental. Once safe, Xeal took a breath as he got a system notification that made him groan.

(Warning, area past here contains a risk of capture and rape if entered. System escape is not authorized. Warning, to continue you must accept the risk. Accept? Yes or No.)

Xeal stood there as he thought about Watcher’s warning and wondered just how bad this experience was going to be. He ended up waiting the full 30 minutes it took for Aalin, Gale, Kate, Jinx and Ihyi to show up, looking like they had just walked through a dust tornado. Before Xeal could say anything, Gale spoke.

“Xeal, why are you waiting here? I thought you would have already made it to the phoenix by now?”

“Step past me and let me know if you get a notification.”

Gale looked confused as she walked by Xeal and turned around.

“Okay, what was that supposed to do?”

“Hmm, everyone else go stand by Gale.”

They all did while looking at Xeal in confusion, which only increased when they turned around to look at him.

“None of you received a system warning?”

“No, should we have?” asked Aalin.

“I did. If I continue forward, I might get raped. I haven’t accepted the risk yet and by the sounds of it, I am the only one in danger. So, the question is, do I continue, or see if you can handle it?”

The five girls all blinked a few times before Jinx started to laugh hysterically, causing everyone else to let out a few laughs of their own, before Gale responded.

“Just don’t go near her barrier. She should at most be able to get an arm out of it so, if you stay three feet back you should be good.”

“Gale is right, but still be careful,” added Aalin with a worried look.

“Alright, though I feel like this is going to go badly simply from the fact that the warning popped up for me when it didn’t for the rest of you.”

The six of them talked a bit as they slowly walked, with them letting Xeal know that the rest of the team was resting after taking down the area boss and that there were 30 casualties among the 50 players that had accompanied him, but only another 16 from the rest, all of whom had been revived to reduce the penalty that they suffered. The haul from the battle had been nice, as they basically would be leaving with as much ore as the team had room to carry and some great gear. There had even been a few Orichalcum-grade materials, which Gale handed to Xeal to use as he saw fit. Finally, they exited the tunnel into an open area and Xeal instantly had to look up, as standing there in the nude was a beauty with lightning-yellow hair and eyes, as she smiled at Xeal. Before anyone could speak, the nude woman did.

“My, my, aren’t you the shy one. So, how is my old lover, lover?”

“He is not your lover, and put something on,” retorted Aalin as she stepped out in front of the group.

“Hmm, let me guess, ice, and what am I supposed to wear? It’s not like I have anything to put on and electricity doesn’t exactly make the best clothing.”

“She goes by Bīng now, and here.”

Aalin tossed a blanket to the phoenix who, caught it and was quick to drape it over her shoulders, before responding.

“Ah, it has been so long since I have felt something soft, or warm. Hmm, let’s go with Levina for what you all can call me. Now, I take it you want me to mark one of those three?”

“Yes-”

“Not you, I want to talk to him. If I am going to make a deal, it will be with my new lover.”

“Levina, I am not your new lover. Sorry, but my bed is full. I don’t need to add you, or any of your sisters, to my love life. Also, he goes by Watcher now.”

“Blah blah blah, I don’t care. No, if you want my mark, then you better be ready to put out.”

Xeal just shook his head as he went through his options before responding.

“If all you are looking for is a man to satisfy your urges, I am sure I can find someone willing to spend time with you regularly, or irregularly, if that is what you want.”

“And if I say that I will only accept you?”

“Then we will walk away.”

Xeal watched as Levina debated on challenging his words, before she sighed and replied.

“I see my old lover didn’t pick a complete lothario like himself, though I can tell that you have at least a couple of women who call you their lover, from the looks I am getting from them. You promise the one you bring will meet my standards?”

“So long as they are realistic and agreed upon before we leave.”

“And all you want from me is my mark for one of these three, my feathers and blood, right?”

“That would be it.”

“Alright, I think we can work something out. So, why don’t you come over here to work out a deal?”

“I will let Kate here handle that as she is my go-to for such matters now.”

“Hmm, just what is she to you?”’

“I am a vice guild leader for him and nothing more,” replied Kate promptly. “Now, Levina, let’s us work out a deal that makes us all happy, as I am sure you wouldn’t mind something besides stone to lie on.”

“Hmm, for looking so plain, you certainly have a good bit of spirit in you and I can tell you enjoy a good game. Very well, you will do for the one I will mark.”

“Alright. Well then, let’s talk more about just what the details of this deal will be…”

For the next hour they watched as the pair went back and forth over different issues and terms, until they came to something that was agreeable to both sides. It was when Kate went to hand the contract to Levina that she made her move as she dropped the blanket and grabbed Kate and pulled her into the barrier that held her captive. Kate only tried to struggle for a moment before going rigid from the electrical current that Levina hit her with as she was held to Levina’s chest.

“Alright, now here is the real deal. You come in here and accept your fate, or I will keep her here until she dies.”

“You do realize that we can’t truly die by your hand, right?” inquired Xeal.

“Yes, I can sense that you don’t belong in this world, but I can make it take weeks for her to die and I am sure that you don’t want to have to deal with that. Besides, it’s not like you aren’t going to enjoy what I want.”

Xeal gave Levina a hard look as he watched Kate move her eyes side to side as she struggled to overcome the phoenix’s hold. He looked from Gale to Aalin, seeing both of them biting their tongue as they glared daggers at Levina as Watcher decided to add his advice in.

“I warned you, Xeal. Levina has always been the most demanding when it comes to mating. She is easily responsible for a quarter of all of my children. The only time she would leave me be was when she was nesting.”

“Is there any way this doesn’t end with me impregnating her and still freeing Kate?”

“Exchange yourself for her and die, while refusing to give her what she wants. She will likely think you are using a drop of phoenix blood to safeguard your life, not your fruit of life, so she won’t hesitate to kill you to prove a point, before trying to force you again. She may even feed you a drop of hers to make you go through being killed multiple times until you give in. She wants you to be an active participant, not a stiff board while she uses you.”

“Thanks, I will do what I can.”

Xeal sighed as he responded to Levina.

“Alright, here is the deal. You give Kate your mark, a drop of your blood and ten feathers and I will let you grab me to be the hostage.”

“I want a lover, not a hostage!”

“I can’t agree to that, so you are just going to accept that I will resist you as much as I can.”

“Xeal, don’t. Even if this sucks, Kate will be fine in the long run. She can just stay offline for a few days,” interjected Gale.

“I know, but I am selfish and don’t want to miss out on her mark. Just trust me, alright?”

“Fine, just get it over with.”

Xeal looked to Aalin who just gave him a complicated look, before giving him a nod and he turned back to Levina and spoke.

“So, do we have a deal?”

“I don’t know. What assurance do I have that you won’t just do this stay offline thing to escape?”

“I would have to be willing to lose Watcher’s mark if I did that as I would die and not revive instantly using the drop of blood I have.”

“Ah, okay, then we have a deal. Alright, Kate, I am going to give you my mark. When you gain the ability to move, don’t until I tell you to.”

Xeal watched as Levina placed ten feathers into Kate’s pocket before feeding her a drop of blood and pushing her hand and Kate just outside her barrier, and gave Kate her mark before speaking.

“Alright, Kate, tell lover over there that I gave you my mark by showing him your belly.”

Kate looked mortified as she was wearing a set of robes that acted like a dress and she would have to expose herself to do so. Xeal knew this so he looked up and spoke.

“Aalin, let me know when I can look again.”

“You’re no fun, lover. I was just trying to give you a bit of a show first.”

Xeal just ignored Levina’s teasing until Aalin spoke.

“You are good, and she has the mark. Just be careful.”

“I know. Well, here goes nothing.”

Xeal took a deep breath as he dropped almost everything in his inventory and all his equipment, leaving him in just plain clothes. Xeal then walked forward resolutely, looking Levina straight in the eye as he did so. He could see her licking her lips as he drew near and he wished that he hadn’t accepted the risk, but here he was. When he was just outside her reach, Xeal turned to Kate and spoke.

“Don’t blame yourself for what is about to happen. I should have expected something like this and had you toss her the contract to sign.”

With that said, Xeal stepped forward as he felt a hand grab him and the next thing he knew, he was on his back with Levina on top of him. He instantly shut his eyes and sealed his lips as he did whatever he could not to do anything but lie there.

“Aww, that’s no fun, lover. I want you to enjoy this and become addicted to me. If you won’t even look at me, how am I supposed to move past this stupid resistance you have right now? I know, a few shocks won’t hurt you too much, though I have to warn you that they will just keep getting worse until you start behaving.”

The next 20 minutes were filled with increasing amounts of pain as Xeal received one shock after another, as he did his best to refuse to give in, biting his lip to keep from screaming. Levina was just giggling the whole time as she increased the pain and asked Xeal if he was ready to play along yet, in several differing ways. Still, the pain was nothing compared to when he had last dealt with the backlash from Gale using her soul bond skill. The ones really having a hard time were Gale and Aalin, who were watching all of this happen with no way to help. The only thing that kept them from charging in despite the fact that they knew it was pointless, was the fact that Xeal had seemed confident that he had a card to play. They were just wondering when he was going to play it. Next to them, looking like her soul had left her body, was Kate as she watched Xeal endure what she felt should be her torment. It didn’t matter to her that he had told her not to blame herself, she did. She couldn’t help but do so, as she could have thought to send the contract to Levina without entering her reach. Everything had just seemed like it was going so well and the reports from the other three phoenixes made her think nothing was off. She should have realized when Levina mentioned a good game, that she was setting everything up for what she was doing now. Both Jinx and Ihyi just stood there as they watched the scene play out, wondering just what they had gotten themselves into when they agreed to receiving a mark from a phoenix. Finally, it seemed Levina was getting frustrated and spoke.

“Perhaps I should find out which of my sisters you have a drop of blood from. After experiencing death once, perhaps you will be more willing to cooperate?”

Xeal just kept his mouth and eyes closed waiting for her to boil over and that she did.

“Fine! Time for you to learn a lesson!”

With a scream, Levina sent enough electricity into Xeal that it lit up the entire opening as his body spasmed and he screamed his lungs out and died. The next moment, Xeal’s fruit of life activated automatically, with its feature to send him next to his nearest ally who was not engaged in combat and he found himself standing next to the five women the next moment, thankfully fully clothed. The next moment, he received a notification and smiled like a kid on Christmas.

(Fruit of life hidden ability activated: life finds a way. Due to being killed by a pure primordial force, you have gained full immunity to and control of that force. Effect: all electrical damage is ignored and instead, the energy can be redirected at will within 30 seconds before it starts to dissipate. Any being made of electrical energy is a puppet in your hands and can be controlled within 100 feet.)

Xeal had never heard of this effect and doubted anyone had received it in his last life as a parting gift from their spent fruit of life, as he suspected only a few entities outside the phoenixes could trigger it. As he looked at Levina, who had a look of pure horror on her face, he knew that she could innately sense what had just happened, as she made a dash for the discarded contract like her life depended on reaching it. Xeal simply smiled as he put his hand out and she froze halfway there, as she started to plead.

“Please, I’m sorry. I just wanted to be embraced and feel the touch of a lover again.”

“You could have had that by simply signing the contract we offered you, but you had to try and have it your way.”

“Please, I’m sorry, but you are the one I want. Watcher was my world before he left me here to rot. Forcing him to watch me take you as a lover is the only revenge I can get on him, while also sating my own urges.”

“That is just messed up on so many levels. Too bad for you that you miscalculated and the results exceeded my calculations.”

“So, what now?”

Xeal thought long and hard as he looked at Levina. Here he had one of the most powerful beings in all of ED completely at his mercy, and for the first time he thought about what it would take to free her. While he knew it was a dumb idea, especially if he didn’t want to have to face off against a god or two, he still thought about what riding a phoenix into battle would be like, and couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Still, it was a terrible idea that he was totally going to try and pull off if he ever reached level 300 and had nothing else to do. For now, however, he needed to make sure she would behave as he needed, moving forward.

“Kate, I need you to write up another contract for Levina here to sign.”

As Xeal finished speaking, he focused and a bolt of lightning shot out of Levina’s hand that was still outstretched and incinerated the old contract.

“Alright, what is it going to say?”

Xeal smiled as he laid out the details that he wanted, that basically forced Levina to bend to his will and even covered if she ever managed to gain her freedom. The only things that Xeal gave her as far as assurances, was that he would not treat her like she was a slave and she was free to speak her mind, so long as it was not done to hinder Xeal, or FAE, in any way. Gone was any chance of having her urges satisfied unless Xeal approved it, and the consequence of breaking the contract was to be forced into her true form until Xeal allowed her to shift out of it. Xeal had mulled over what he could punish her with if she broke the contract that the system would actually allow, and that was all he could think of. He knew that once transformed, she would be squeezed tight in her prison and unable to move and he figured that it would be the worst thing she could have to go through as she couldn’t die. When Kate slid the contract through the barrier and stepped back and rolled four vials to through it as well, Xeal allowed Levina to move once more. Levina gave Xeal one last forlorn look before she walked over, picked up the contract and signed it, before placing a drop of blood in each vial and speaking.

“There, I am all but your slave now. Can you at least give me a bed to sleep on?”

Xeal just gave her a look of pity before he spoke.

“I think I can allow that. After all, who knows, the day may come that you are free from your prison and can truly serve me. I will not ruin the chance for you to be at least neutral to me when that day comes by denying you such a modest request, but you need to ask yourself why things turned out this way.”

“I am well aware of how they did. I underestimated you and now I will have to pay the cost, and I didn’t even get to enjoy a taste.”

Xeal simply shook his head as he accepted the contract and vials from Kate, who smiled at him before blushing when he looked her in the eye. Sighing, Xeal took one of the vials out and drank the drop of blood, as he figured a burst of electricity was better than poison would be. With that out of the way, Xeal looked back to Levina and responded.

“No, you simply were selfish and tried to have everything you wanted, while risking everything that you had secured through negotiations. You are the fourth phoenix we have met, Levina, and you are the first that won’t have a regular visitor who stops by every few months, at least. Isn’t that right, Aalin?”

“Yes. Bīng will be sad when she hears how this turned out. I suspect she will ask us to show her a bit of mercy and try and have Kate visit her once every three or four months, at least, as her marked.”

“That will be up to Kate, as she was also the one held hostage by her.”

“I’ll think about it. I am still all turned around from everything that just happened and what I will need to do now that I have a mark,” responded Kate.

“Let’s just leave while we think about what to do,” interjected Gale and everyone agreed as they left Levina to her isolation and returned to the rest of the expedition team.

An hour later, all of them were back in Nium as Xeal found himself looking up at his bedroom ceiling, reflecting on what had happened. He found himself wondering if everything that had happened was fine. He couldn’t help but feel that it had been a mistake to continue once he received the warning. After taking some time to unpack everything, Xeal sighed as he logged out.

(*****)

Evening January 28, to Evening January 31, 2267 & ED year 2 days 223-233.

The first thing that Alex did when he logged out, was deal with Sam and Nicole not being willing to let him go for a good ten minutes, as they told him how much of an idiot he was. Alex just smiled and reassured them, letting them know that he had checked with Watcher before choosing to let Levina capture him, knowing that he would die when it happened. They asked about how he had been able to control her like he had and he shared the surprising effect of the fruit of life that had kicked in, joking about how he wished that it had been the fire phoenix, as it would have made it so he could swim in lava. Both of them gave him a look, before sighing and calming down as they moved to the dining room, where Ava and Mia were talking with Kate, who was clearly sharing the events of the last session with them. When Kate noticed Alex, she walked straight up to him and pulled him into a passionate kiss, while wrapping her arms around his neck before leaning back so her face was only a few inches from his and speaking.

“Consider your bluff called. I would be a fool to let you go after that. Now, how does next May sound for you to marry all five of us?”

Alex blinked a few times as he worked to process, before sighing and responding.

“You are skipping a few important steps.”

“I don’t think I am, though I will admit the five of us need to discuss exactly how we want things to work and put together a finalized remodel of our private area of the house. I am thinking we need to build a third story for that portion, unless you plan to have everyone else move out once we start having kids. Though if any of them want to have families, that might be for the best anyways.”

Alex just shook his head as he freed himself from Kate, as she shifted to a side hug on him as he looked between the five ladies that he could already tell were going to end up running his life outside of ED and sighed.

“I have already lost any chance to say no, haven’t I?”

Nicole giggled before she responded to him.

“Alex, we told you the five of us are it, and we meant it. If you think we haven’t been talking about everything already, you are just ignoring reality.”

“Yah, we weren’t sure about Kate before today, but come on. If you keep saving women like that, how can you expect them not to fall for you?” added Sam.

“On that note, you are forbidden to play the hero for any woman that is not the five of us and isn’t an NPC from this point forward,” lectured Kate sternly.

“Agreed,” echoed Mia.

“Yeah, how do you think you got stuck with us?” posed Ava with a giggle.

Alex just laughed as the six of them sat down and continued to talk, as they enjoyed a meal as Kate, Sam and Nicole finished telling them about meeting Levina. Once the meal was done, Ava and Mia declared that Alex was theirs for the last hour before they returned to ED and made him get in a pair of swim trunks. The pair took him to the massive indoor hot tub in the basement that they had had Gido fill for them. Both were dressed in their bikinis, as they giggled and laughed while teasing Alex about his latest act of heroism. The three of them enjoyed the hot water and jets, while occasionally splashing water as they teased one another.

“Alex, do you think this will work?” asked Ava.

“I have no clue, but I think we are past the point of no return on finding out.”

“Good, because I want to know.”

“You know we are going to tell Enye all about this, right?” teased Mia.

“Yah, just do me a favor and don’t wind her up too much before our date.”

“Ah, but that sounds like fun,” Ava pouted.

“Yeah, for someone who wants you to have 19 wives, she is rather possessive of you,” quipped Mia.

“Enye just sees herself as the head wife as she knows that is what society expects of her. She knows that it is not how things will actually work, as Sam and Nicole are the real gatekeepers, but she feels the need to appear to be the gatekeeper to others who are not part of the harem.”

“We know,” Mia giggled.

“We just like to see her so passionate about it,” added Ava.

“Yeah, part of why she loves having us around.”

“Is because we keep her up to date on everything regarding you.”

“You two really did make the most of the opportunities that you were given to get close to me.”

“Alex, if you told us you wanted to give us babies right here right now, we wouldn’t hesitate to let you do just that,” answered Mia.

“Yeah, but we are past trying to get you to do it,” added Ava.

“We know it is only a matter of time before you feel you are ready.”

“And that’s the way we really want it anyways.”

Alex just smiled as he pulled them both in for a kiss, before shifting back to lighter topics as they enjoyed their time in the hot tub until it was time to return to ED.

The next three days fell back into the normal routine, except Alex noticed that Kate had stopped looking plain. Each day she adjusted slightly as she started to make an effort to appear more attractive as she continued to be affectionate with Alex. Alex knew he would need to take her on a nice date soon, or there was going to be issues. The other notable thing was just how much everyone had acclimated to being in Colorado, as they found themselves able to exert themselves much more since they first arrived. Even Kate was starting to take the morning exercise seriously, though Alex felt it had to do more with the fact that it let her be Alex’s partner by default for anything that required two people. This gave her time to have him to herself as Sam and Nicole were on a pregnancy regimen and the twins always worked together. For Alex’s part, he found this new side of Kate cute as she was clearly putting in an effort that had been lacking before and he wondered just how much it would change who she would be over time. The Kate Astor he had known in his last life had been cold and calculating with everyone, seemingly disappointed at the close of every negotiation. Had that just been what she showed the public, or had that been the real her in that life as she walked her path in Fire Oath?

Xeal spent the next seven sessions leveling and doing prep work for the rest of the known phoenixes, to include the next target they would go after once Taya was available, as Aalin and Gale worked to locate the last two. During this time, he kept his ear to the ground on how the elves would proceed, though it had been quiet on that front still. Aside from that, he had sat through Enye giving him an earful on what he did with Levina. After she had finished with that, she moved onto playing twenty questions about who Kate was to him and if there were any more women besides Eira she should have her eye on. Xeal had chuckled as he reassured her that as far as adventurers went, he was at his cap and any more women beyond that were a mystery to him still. His words only calmed her slightly and it was a long date as they sat in the royal gardens under the moonlight, while her guards just pretended not to hear anything as best as they could. His dates with Lingxin and Mari went similarly, while his one with Gale just saw her making full use of their time together.

During this time, Xeal also enjoyed it as once more all ten of the teenagers in the second group completed their tier-5 trial and the last group started theirs. Xeal had decided that while none of the teenagers had given him an S-rank completion this time, and a few had even given him a B rank, that the system would not let them fail if he put in enough effort. This fact made him feel like he had almost found a cheat to creating an army of top-tier NPCs, though the issue would be that they would always be behind the peak players. He also worried about what the system would do if he tried to exploit it, as like with the patch on the Behemoth Slayer title, he could see them patching it if he started to create a true army with his method. Still, Xeal was happy to have the last group in the trial as it meant that he could leave their training to his guild members, until it was time to help them reach tier-6 in another year, or so. With these thoughts, he passed the days before logging out to welcome everyone back after their visits to all of FAE’s satellite locations.

(*****)

Thanks!

Thank you to all of my patrons on Patreon, especially my knight-tier patrons Ottojanius, Jim Hall, Benjamin Griner, Rowan, Carl Benge, Clayton Flores, Nathan Ross, Timelesschief, Christof Köberlein, Benjamin Grey, Casey, Freedcats, Daniel Sifrit, Fiedems, Michael Jackson, Tim Bartlett, Jeffrey Iverson, Jacob Shaw, James Vierra, David Peers, Kyle J Smith, Roman Smith, Derek Morgan, William J Dinwiddie II, Rick White, Ryan Harrington, Lokii, Andrew Stueve, Michael Mitchell, Rtewan, Stefan Zimmermann, Grantland Case, Francisco Brito, Peter Barton, Peter Hepp, Kore Rahl, Joel Stapleton, Lazai, Richard Schlak, Bret Haggar, Rodger Maynard, Shard73, Bodybags87, Blackpan2, Thomas Watret, Adamantine, Daniel Washburn, Alex Wierzbicki, William Adams, Joseph Wade, Matthew, Douglas Sokolowski, Edwin Courser, Sam Ellis Nicole and Andrew Eliason.

Preview

ED year 2 day 234.

Upon logging in, Xeal wasted no time in meeting up with Aalin and Gale, who were in the Nuya Empire where both Ava and Mia had originally started to play from. As Xeal made the trip to the meeting location where the team for this raid was assembling, he noticed a player whose face rung a bell pass by. It took Xeal a moment, but his name came to mind just as he passed by, as Lodovico Michelangelo had been famous at the start of ED and infamous by the time Xeal had found himself back in his old body. Lodovico’s real name was David and he had been an insufferable idiot who just happened to be the first player to start a guild. Obviously, Abysses End had succeeded in getting him to sell it to them and he had ended up as one of their middle of the road team leaders who lacked any real leadership, but was still a pain to go toe to toe with in a fight. His team had been made up completely of players like himself who thought that they were god’s gift to women, despite the fact that even NPC prostitutes would hide once it was known that they were in town. As Xeal was thinking about this, he had a thought that he would need to confirm before he could be sure, but from Abysses End’s actions in this life, he could see Ava and Mia being used to seduce the bastard into selling. Xeal found that the thought made his blood boil and head to a dark place that went deeper than his general hate for Abysses End did. Taking a deep breath, Xeal filed it away and worked to calm down before joining with the rest of the expedition force, all of whom were at, or above, level 95 at this point, which would hopefully be enough.

As Xeal arrived, he quickly found Aalin and Gale who were with Taya, Jinx and Ihyi, as they went over the needed preparations for what was expected to be a three-day trip into the depths of the desert. The report Xeal had gotten from them when they scouted this area with Amser had been slightly infuriating as they had almost died along the way a few times, as they had been under leveled for the maps that they had to cross. It didn’t help that the phoenix was located in an ancient ruin with a level 100 area as its first level. Luckily, from what Gale could see, whatever divine influence there was in the ruins was not too deep underground. Still, crossing the deserts of the Nuya Empire required preparations that were more intense than anything that they had to do so far, as they would need to carry enough water for all four days, or have the whole team use advanced return scrolls. At 300 members and the fact that a single scroll was now going for 30 silvers each time they used them, it would cost 90 gold. When compared to the normal return scrolls that would cost only three silvers for the whole team, it was obvious which option made sense. Add the fact that water was free, but annoying, as you needed to have a container that quickly used up a player’s carry weight limit before movement penalties hit, and it was just annoying. Each of these containers would hold around eight hours’ worth of water, meaning they would need 12 per player, or add a water wagon that they would need to protect and return with. For players like Xeal that had decent strength and didn’t need to carry various items for different skills that required different mediums, it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, when you got to the magic-based classes that had next to no strength, it was an absolute nightmare. In the end, they had to balance the load by limiting the extra gear that could be carried and having frontliners carry some of the water for the rear guard. This had allowed them to avoid anyone being above a medium load at the start of the journey, and once they started to drink that would quickly become light loads.

“Xeal, are you listening?!” exclaimed Gale.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought there. What were you saying?”

“We were saying that everything should be good for us to set out now. Where were you? I don’t think I have ever seen you space out like that before,” commented Aalin.

“It was nothing. I was just going over the situation and what we will need, in my head.”

“Perhaps we should do this one without you to see how it goes,” offered Taya.

“No. While I would like to do so as well after the last encounter, I doubt the phoenix will be that cooperative if Xeal doesn’t come with us,” replied Aalin.

“We are still going to try and have him wait outside the area with the phoenix to confirm this though,” added Gale.

“Alright, let’s set off,” directed Xeal.

The group gave him a few more looks before disseminating the order to begin the march across the sand that was sure to be a pain. Xeal worried about how everyone would handle themselves on the unfamiliar terrain as they fought the inevitable monsters that would be along the way. The desert they were crossing lacked any definable features, other than the rolling dunes that they found themselves climbing constantly as they moved. The heat of the day was brutal and even with the water keeping the debuffs it would start giving them at bay, it still was uncomfortable. It didn’t take long for them to encounter their first fight as the sand all around and under them shifted, causing more than one of them to lose their footing. Xeal knew this would be how most fights would begin for them, while they walked on the sand and waited to see which monster they would need to face first. When a swarm of beetles numbering in the tens of thousands all the size of his palm appeared, Xeal wanted to cures his luck as it was the worst draw they could get. These beetles were based off of a movie from the distant past that had popularized a twist on the real scarab, making them into flesh-eating swarm monsters and had been copied ever since. Xeal knew that each of the beetles would die in a single hit, but they were also hard to attack on an individual level now that they had started to emerge in the middle of the whole team. Still, Xeal had a counter thanks to his last encounter, and he ordered every magic caster to fire their strongest electrical attack at him, while everyone else flailed about trying to kill the ones attacking them. 50 spells hit Xeal the next instant and after taking a single breath, he started to redirect it like a shock wave as it weakened the farther it spread out from him, while hitting every single beetle and player in its range.

Afterword

Nine books. What can I say but wow, and when I sit and realize just how much more I have to share with all of you and get to because of all of you! Now the question is, do I stand on a soap box and tout about myself, or do I just say hi, wave casually and let my work do the talking? Ah, one of my eternal dilemmas. I have enjoyed seeing just how many of you have enjoyed my work here. When I first wrote the opening day to this story, I was worried that I really made a mistake on just how long it took for them to make it into the game. However, when I read it and my editor and beta reader of a mom’s only issues was the need for more details surrounding the house, I was relieved, at least somewhat. Though until I get the feedback from my patrons and fans on Facebook, as well as the ever important honest reviews, I guess I won’t know. I can honestly say that it was fun to write and hope you enjoyed it as well. If not, don’t worry. Long stretches spent in reality isn’t a constant feature of the next few upcoming books, though I won’t say it will never happen again.

For all of you hoping for me to share more action of the fights and more loot and gear with you all, know that I hear you and I will try to increase it once Xeal ties the knot with his first group of ladies in ED. That said, it is a skill that I am still developing as an author and I worry about how it will affect the pace of everything. That said, I have a few ideas of how I want to approach this and hope to do so, even if you won’t see it until book 12, or so.

Now, time for updates on my audio books. Well, they are being made and prepped to begin monthly releases, starting in most likely September as things stand now. Now, the key is to make sure that they are popular enough that Soundbooth Theater never lets the title go and pushes to play catchup, so that when the final book of this series releases, the audio book isn’t far behind. Anyhow, that is enough for now. On to the necessary but repetitive stuff.

As always, if you feel I have forgotten something, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook through my page, or join my group. I am only one person and sending a message to my Facebook author page is the fastest way to get me to see it as I don’t get alerts on my personal page when non-friends message me for the first time. That said, I will not answer personal questions, like where I live, even in a general fashion. Please keep it to my story, or my writing process.

If you would like a weekly extra that focuses on looking at the supporting cast and is not plot necessary but is canon, I publish shorts on my Patreon. The first several of which are currently available to my $1 patrons, who will get another one every four weeks, while my $5 patrons get one each week. If you want to see what these are like, I have put a few up on my Facebook group as well now. I also now have a $5.50 tier for those who want to read the first 5 to 7 thousand words of the next book a week or so early, as that is when I have it back from the copy editor. To be clear, I delete the extended preview just before, or after, the book it is attached to is released. Some may ask why the extra 50 cents and to that I give two reasons. I have had some patrons tell me that they don’t want the extended preview and it lets them ignore it, Also it allows me to see just how much demand there is for extended previews.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/berndean
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Bern.Dean
https://www.patreon.com/berndean

Thank you again for reading my story and I hope you return for the next installment of Alex’s tale. If you enjoy LitRPG and GameLit books, check out the following Facebook groups. Both are great and have helped me get my stories out to you!

LitRPG: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books

GameLit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGsociety