"Okay, so Gnolt, this is the ignition. The trains usually just start when Caldesan or myself enter one, but you will need this to activate the engines, much like activating a "Mana Beacon" to power your airships. As Marchen described it to me, the Mana Beacons get activated and they receive magical power to keep the ships floating from somewhere else. Well similar to that, our trains are powered by the same electricity that our Nuclear Reactors and Coal Generators make. The tracks themselves conduct the power to the train, but you cannot get electrified by touching it, because of the Phasing." Glossarai explained.
"Yes, I remember your description and the various states of matter that you achieve through your phasing. I believe these tracks are of that Static, or Stationary Phase as you described it. They will never move, they are not technically in this dimension, but their mass is tied to the center of gravity of our planet. So the tracks themselves are resting on the gravitational pull that is made by the mass of the planet, and not so much any actual matter that is here." Gnolt said.
"Wow, you must have a perfect memory or something!" Caldesan interrupted.
"Cald...I think everyone here is very smart. It would be silly for them to send uneducated people here." Glossarai said. "Anyways, you are correct Gnolt, unlike most of our processed goods, which are in the Versatile Phase or State, which allows them to stack within themselves up to certain mass amounts. But in the Static Phase, the Train Tracks can transmit electricity, so we effectively have a power grid that extends along with our transportation infrastructure. Immediately we have resources and power wherever we go."
"So many SAT words in there Gloss, I think you are trying too hard. Wait, you said there are three phases..." Caldesan said.
Glossarai laughed at the old SAT joke, "Ah yes, the last one would be Solid Phase or Physical Phase. Existing almost entirely in our three dimensions. Our Vehicles, and even the trains themselves, would qualify for this state, or phase."
"Fascinating, where did you learn this? On your world?" Gnolt asked, always trying to get more information, from these two new resources
"No, I am 100% sure she just put that together since we got here. Our Glossarai here is what we call a genius!" Called said with a wink behind her helmet and an arm around a blushing Gloss.
"It is apparent that you both have genius in your ways," Gnolt said. The Nagas' long form seemed comfortable in the surprisingly large driver's compartment of the train.
"Yeah, anyways, let me teach him how to drive this so we can get going, did you finish loading up your inventory?" Gloss asked.
Cald scoffed then said, "Uhh, yeah, I don't have to get more things...that I am not going to do right now....okay bye." She exited the single Train Engine that Glossarai had set up so they could drive it around for a bit to practice.
"Okay, so, this is how you operate a locomotive!" Gloss said to Gnolt. She then let Gnolt practice driving around the different loops through the Mega Base Complex. All the while practicing how to make track switches, how to program station stops and more intricate things with the PDA that was the driving screen on the interior of the Train Engine.
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A few hours later and everyone was ready to go.
"Alrighty, do you have everything Cald?"
"Yes, mom!" Caldesan said with just a tiny bit of sarcasm.
"I am just checking, is everyone else ready?" Glossarai asked.
"Yes, however, I am very curious as to how this will work if you have not been to the town yet. How far does this track go?" Charine asked the pair.
"Well, where do you think Cald was this morning?" Gloss asked.
"Hehe, I made it almost entirely to the beginning of the mountain range. The crazy part is that I only altered the angle of the track 4 times. That is 240 Kilometers of mostly straight Track...It will be a boring ride." Caldesan said she was blown away at how far the "Smart! Foundations" mod let her extend platforms, walls, and more.
"I am continually shocked by your casual feats. Things that many people would spend many lifetimes together to achieve." Pault interred.
"Yes, I remember the Great Road that goes across the continent took nearly 5 years to complete, and it is always in rough shape." Marchen supplied with nods all around.
"And they build this transportation system that goes for hundreds of leagues...while we were eating breakfast." Alana, Priestess of FicSitine, now thoroughly humbled, said with a smile on her face. "We are truly lucky to have you two."
"Awww shucks." "Thank you, High Priestess." Cald and Gloss replied respectively.
"Well then, Gnolt shall be driving the second train that is the passenger one, it has 2 passenger cars that are connected, One is a bar and lounge, and the other has enough beds and seats for everyone, but I don't think it will take that long to get there. I will drive the first train which is very long.....50 cars and 15 engines, so it will take a bit to get going. The Train you guys will be riding on has 3 engines and 15 freight cars and 2 passenger cars." Glossarai explained.
"What will you be doing Caldesan?" Charine asked as she wasn't in the plan.
"Wellllll, I thought I would hang out for a bit then fly ahead and make the other half of the track," Caldesan said.
"What do you mean?"
"Well if you notice, the tracks are just on the right side of that pillar there." Caldesan pointed to the tracks that you could see off in the distance from the HUB. "There is a singular central pillar and the tracks are on top of it, but one platform to each side, so trains can be coming and going. Two directions of travel!" Cald continued.
"Ah, that makes sense," Charine said with a slightly bewildered look. They couldn't even travel without building something.
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In the Bar/Lounge Train Car.
"Well, Cald, how do you feel about going to this town, Idlefrost?" Marchen asked.
"I am stoked!" Cald said, still using terms from her home world. "Honestly, I just love building, not to mention, helping people. We were able to put 3 full train cars of water in those 5-gallon bottles we gave you guys. So we could hand those out pretty easily."
"Wait so how are they surviving with no water right now?" Cald asked after thinking for a second.
"It is possible for a priest or someone who uses divine magic to purify water, it is a taxing process, and the water that you two provide has healing properties so it is much different than what they have access to. It is incredible really that you two brought so much water, it will certainly be needed." Marchen replied with a smile on his cat-kin face.
"So stoked...is excited?" Marchen asked as the Caldesan nodded about the water.
"Oh, yeah, sorry!"
"No problem, I must confess the Governess of the Town is a very stubborn woman, who might not be happy about you two building like mad there," Marchen said with a sheepish smile on his face.
"Oh? They don't want us to build there?" Cald asked, and she sounded and looked like her whole world was crashing down around her. The innocence of the two pioneers is so endearing to Marchen that he has hope that they will charm the stone-stubborn Lady of Idlefrost. The strong Earth mage was a Foxkin that was very uncompromising in almost every aspect of the town.
"They will just be uncomfortable at the rate at which you two create things. I mean no disrespect, it is just that they would never believe what we witnessed over the past few days. By the way, neither of you slept have you?" Marchen asked. Other people were listening, but until that point, none felt the need to interject.
"CALDESAN!!! What am I hearing? That is three days...You poor child you must be dying right now." Nalah said while unsure whether to be mad, worried or what else, so she just went with them all.
Caldesan smiled at her, "Don't worry, we both slept a few hours the other night. Strangely, neither of us feels tired daily. It's like we haven't adjusted to the time here. Or how it flows or something. I wonder if time is affected by our presence, it is relative after all." As she said the last bit she stared off into the distance.
The things the pioneers said could sometimes seem so profound, but the utter ease with which they dive into strange depths of knowledge that seemed to have no end was shocking. How can you seem like an expert on some random topic that pops up in conversation? It was one of the mysterious powers the two pioneers had. Glossarai would put insane thoughts together that is world breaking and very well thought out. Every time she speaks she can bring ideas forward that will change society if it gets out. Then Caldesan would say something that could have 100 meanings and it meant something different to everyone in the room, she seemed to see things that no one else could even comprehend. Not to mention the supernatural connection the two have, they seemed to be able to speak telepathically.
"Anyways, I think even if they want to make their buildings, we can put in a road, help with mining, and honestly I hope they have some extra orichalcum or that other one....what was it, mithril? I would love to put the Molecular Analysis Machine to work on a different metal!" Caldesan said.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
"What would that accomplish? Just out of curiosity." Pault asked from the bar.
"Well, if we get a decent-sized sample, the machine would be able to break it down to its molecular form and learn everything about it damn near. It is pretty incredible how that machine works, I will make sure you guys are there to watch when we do that, okay?" Caldesan said with a smile.
"Hmmm, I was thinking I should fly ahead, but I kind of want to go ride the train! I will see you all in a bit!" Caldesan said as she put her helmet on and locked it before walking to the door. She was then dancing on the roof if the noises were to be believed.
"Is she riding the train?" Melissa asked. Nalah shook her head with worry, and Marchen snorted.
"These two play with the very natures of our world as if they created the very strings of fate they dance upon." High Priestess Alana said with a distant look in her eyes.
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Caldesan decided not to fly ahead when Marchen reminded her that she would have to be introduced to the people of the city before she could start building things like mad.
The trains began to slow down as the hills began to get as tall as the tracks and they finally stopped a mere 100 meters from the end of the track, the second train with the passengers was much further behind.
"Alrighty! Should we go over to the village right now?" Caldesan asked the group, as she made a ramp going down to a walkway that she was putting in as she walked towards the first train. The Train Tracks were still elevated nearly 30 meters from the ground, even with a hilly landscape. Caldesan made her temporary station.
"That's not something you see every day...even among our Pioneers," Marchen said watching the tracks assemble under her feet.
"Well, you didn't watch them make the Nuclear Power Plant. It was as if it built itself with how fast they put it up. It seemed so complex and they just powered through it like nothing else." Charine said, surprisingly not shocked as she followed Caldesan who made the ground she walked on.
"Hey Gnolt, let me make you a ramp down......There ya go. Let's go meet up with Gloss!" Caldesan's voice was excited as she built a ramp from the door of the Engine Compartment so Gnolt could just slide down it to the path she was making.
They met up with Glossarai at the front of the first train and began to walk up the hills to where a forest of dead trees parted for a beat-up dirt road going up to a high bowl between mountains. The land was ravaged by a fire, but if you looked closely there were some small amounts of greenery trying to poke through on the floor of the forest.
"This pathway sucks," Cald said bitterly.
"This is the road that goes far South to the rest of the Beastmen Kingdoms." Marchen supplied.
And after 15 minutes of hiking, they came to a spot where the road turned right towards the mountains and began to climb where it was immediately blocked by a large landslide of rocks, trees, and other debris. The Road continued South if you passed the landslide-blocked road, and to the left where there was no road, it was a pretty level clearing that would be perfect for a train station.
"Cald get down here! No flying!" Gloss tried to reign in Cald before she did something to scare the new people who should be a small hike further, no doubt aware of their presence.
"Okay, okay, okay." Caldesan laughed as Gloss grabbed her foot before she could get too high in the air.
"I do apologize for having to climb, but this landslide is one of the main problems that this town is dealing with as I said earlier, it wiped out half of the main flat area the town was on." Marchen supplied as he too climbed up the rockslide that had all kinds of debris in it.
Strangely enough, they had yet to see any towns folk and Caldesan was getting very excited to see some more Beastkin people.
"It's fine Marchen, Caldesan just gets impatient sometimes. Anyways what is the name of the...Lady Governess as you called it?" Glossarai asked.
"Her name is Earth-Shrine Guardian Lorella. She is a Shrine Mage of the 6th Tier, indicating that she has considerable power and influence. This was once a large HUB into the wilds, I am sure it will be again soon. You should Call her Shrine Mage Lorella, Or just as you said Lady Governess Lorella, you may also call her Guild Master Lorella, but you should always use one of her titles. She is very insightful, and will probably request to see your faces, so I should hope that will not offend you two." Marchen Al'Mare was nervous as he described the incredibly powerful Shrine Guardian who deserves the utmost respect. She held a very respected position that deserved and demanded honor.
"I am sure that will be fine," Glossarai said, while Cald just shrugged.
"She is also very intelligent and will require explanations for everything you make or do for that matter. Also, probably blueprints or something to see before you make it would probably help you out. As an Earth-Shrine Guardian of the 6th Tier, this will be her place of power, and she uses the rocks and soil to create buildings of her own. However, it takes time to make them so only a few stand, including the main building...the Town Hall. There were two more of her buildings that were just covered in the landslide and the rest of the wooden structures were mostly burned." Marchen delivered the news of the fate of the town with a regretful tone.
"I am excited to meet her, she sounds amazing," Caldesan said almost wistfully, ignoring the negative parts of his description.
The group of Gnolt, Marchen, Alana, Melissa, Charine, Pault, and the two Pioneers finally made it to what seemed to be a massive crowd of people all working together to excavate a large landslide that covered the Northern half of what could be called a town...if there were more buildings. Looking directly west, you would see a road going through a gate that seems boarded up at the far end of town. The two peaks to either side of the town, one to the Northwest, and one to the Southwest left a large "bowl" area that was where the town currently was. The Northwestern side is mostly covered in a rockslide.
People were hauling rocks to the South and throwing them off the side of the mountain.
"Oooh wow, this has potential Gloss!" Caldesan whispered as she looked at the landslide and how much open area there was.
"Okay, let's meet her, she is just over there," Marchen said, gesturing at the large stone building that was decently decorated that seemed to be built into the wall of the Northwestern mountain base. It was a good walk away and there was plenty to see on the way.
The Pioneers were awestruck. Not at the devastated town, but rather the fantastical people that lived here. There were Beastkin of many different kinds.
Wolfkin, Rabbitkin, and even some Elves, Humans, and even a couple of Giant Honey Badgers. No one stopped working, but everyone stared with curiosity.
Everyone was dirty, there was nothing but burnt structures being torn down, and rocks being hauled across the landscape by clearly depressed and exhausted people. Not a single person was standing by though, with everyone engaged in some type of work, the Shrine Guardian of the town was sitting on a stone chair outside on the ground with plenty of what seemed to be aides and advisors working with the table set up. She was going through reports of some sort as they approached.
Caldesan audibly gulped as they got a better look at the Earth-Shrine Guardian. She was beautiful beyond compare, she had two massive tails that dwarfed her own body in size. The two ears on the top of her head were the same grey-black fur as her fox tails, and she had raven-colored hair that was long and braided. She wore a brown robe that seemed comfortable and made out of some very nice material that seemed to show her prowess as an Earth Mage.
She looked up as she heard our footsteps and her beautiful face split into a careful smile with hard eyes as she saw the group approaching with Marchen at the front.
"Ahhh, First Chosen Marchen Al'Mare, Good of you to finally grace us with your presence. Please, introduce your group." Lady Governess Lorella said with piercingly orange eyes that glowed with power as she stood.
Marchen introduced all of the representatives of the other races and the two Priestesses of FicSitine. "Then, allow me to introduce the two Pioneers of FicSitine, Glossarai, and Caldesan. We have personally witnessed their amazing feats, and they are both very excited to help your town rebuild."
Glossarai stepped forward first, she removed her helmet, but Caldesan didn't move as if she was in a trance.
"It is an honor to meet you my Lady Governess," Glossarai said with a proper bow...for a male, something that made Lorella raise her eyebrow.
She was taken aback by the purple eyes of power that Glossarai locked into her orange ones when her bow finished. You needed to at least be of the 6th tier of magical capacity and ability to have the slightest amount of glowing eyes, and the Earth-Shrine Mage Lorella just passed into the 7th Tier in capacity and has yet to catch up in ability, putting her on the cusp. Her glowing eyes were nothing like the power emanating from Glossarais' eyes.
"An honor indeed, and you?" Looking to the speechless Caldesan who still had yet to remove her helmet.
"Cald!" Gloss stage whispered/yelled.
That seemed to shake her out as she replied, "Oh wow, I am sorry! I just wasn't expecting her to be so pretty, and her tails look so amazing, I am just stunned by it all."
"CALD!" Gloss said this time with outrage as she slapped Cald's shoulder with the back of her hand.
"Ow! What Gloss, have you ever seen anyone like that before, how are you not shocked right now?"
"OH MY WORD, CALD! TAKE YOUR HELMET OFF AND BE RESPECTFUL!!!" Glossarai yelled.
"Okay, sorry!" Calde then removed her helmet.
The Shrine Guardian as well as others who looked slightly confused now gasped as they saw an exact copy of the other but with powerful blue eyes of power instead of Gloss's purple. Time seemed to stand still, as blue eyes met orange, and finally, Cald bowed.
"Hello, it is an honor to meet you Miss Lorella!" Caldesan said immediately, messing up her titles.
"CALD ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!?!" Gloss said with cheeks as red as a tomato her hand was trying to hide her face.
"OH! Sorry, Lady Governess Lorella! Sorry Gloss! I have trouble remembering things like that sometimes..." Cald said with a pout.
The Shrine Guardian then did something no one expected...and laughed. "This is the most adorable thing I have ever seen. But I feel the power you two carry, what do you think you will be able to do for my Town?"
It was Caldesans turn to blush, and she did as Gloss replied. "Well, how about an example? Give us an hour and we will make a nice road up to your town, and clear the landslide down at the bottom of the course. And maybe a few other things too!"
Cald didn't say anything but looked surprised at the great answer Gloss gave.
The Shrine Guardian only thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, Very well, that sounds like a fantastic opportunity to see what you can do. Did you say in an hour? That doesn't seem possible, I have seen the road itself, it is quite destroyed right now."
Gloss just shrugged, and Caldesan smiled a beautiful smile while looking back at her, and trying to hide her glances at her tails.
"BUT, there is one condition if we do this..." Gloss said.
"Oh? And what would that be?" The Shrine Guardian said with amusement at the absurd task they had laid out for themselves.
Caldesan looked at Gloss whose smile matched hers, and they nodded. Nalah, seeing where this was going just chuckled. Lorella looked to the chuckling Giant Honey Badger and raised a delicate eyebrow.
"WE REQUIRE A HUG...of your tails!" They started the first part together, but Caldesan added the last part in an exciting squeaky voice. After they yelled that out loud, neither looked at the priestess, as if trying to shield their eyes from an explosion.
Marchens eyes went wide when the Pioneers asked to touch her tails, "Girls surely you don't mean to ask that." He looked as shocked as possible, his accent was seemingly more prevalent while he was stressed. The rest of the party....who were used to the Pioneers' antics like how they hugged Nalah daily. To quote Caldesan it was to get their daily dose of Nalah-ium, whatever that means.
The Shrine Guardian looked.....confused. "My tails? What would be the purpose of that?" She asked sternly.
The Pioneers' faces fell as they felt they would be denied. "They just look sooooo soft. We just would love to hug them." Caldesan said quietly.
It was then that the group realized that no one was working any longer, and instead were staring at the girls in shock. No one had the guts to talk to the Shrine Guardian so casually, especially about touching her sacred tails.
"How about this...you build a road to the base of this plateau in an hour, and you may hug my tails whenever you wish." Lorella knew that they could be as high as the 9th Tier in magic with the aura they gave off in conjunction with their eyes, but it would be a nearly impossible task with the amount of debris that covered the old road. The evil-looking smirk on Lorellas face suggested that there was an or else coming, but before she could continue both Pioneers shouted at the same time.
"DEAL!!" They both yelled before running off. Both put their helmets on and jumped into the air. Leaving more people shocked at the display of power.