Fate Online...
Surface- Valley of Origins Region
Empire of Night- City of Eternal Night
Middle City- Gilded Dice
The Gilded Dice was a mix between a gambling den and a cat house. The crowd was loud and boisterous and anyone could easily slip in and out of the crowd here. Ailis could easily see why the Master of Shadows had chosen the location as the meeting point. There were games from Earth, like Texas Holdem and Roulette while others had been created by this world like Three Blind Men and Blood Knives. They were all confusing, especially Three Blind Men, it had both dice and cards. No blood was ever spilled though and if there was even a question of cheating the owners immediately stepped in and took care of everything. Their solution was simple, kick everyone who was caught with the problem out and the house took the pot.
"Anything else besides dinner and a drink? Feel like joining any of the games lass?" the bartender asked.
"No thank you. I have never played and I don't feel like giving up my hard-earned money too soon. I will enjoy watching and learning though." Ailis told the man as she made her way to one of the few quiet corners and started eating as she watched a game of Three Blind Men.
Twenty minutes later, she was no closer to learning the ins and outs of the game when Darren joined her in studying the game. "I have seen three different versions of that game. I think the only rule that matters with it is to see who can cheat the best. So if you ever plan on playing, max out Slight of Hand, otherwise, you will lose whatever you bet. Come on, we got to talk." Ailis nodded her head in acknowledgment and quickly followed the other Vampire as he pushed through the crowd towards the back. A couple of unassuming guards moved aside for them as they went into the back of the inn and towards the private rooms that could be rented for unofficial meetings.
More guards dotted the hallway and they all ignored Darren and Ailis. Once they were in one of the rooms Darren hit a release and a hatch popped up revealing stairs leading down. "This was rediscovered by Ezekial after the city came back to the surface. There are sewers of course down here, but also soo much more. The other major guilds give us a wide berth when we come down here because they know its official Imperial business and they don't want Legionnaires down here cleaning everyone out because they tried to rough us up or hinder us in any way. In other words, we don't exist according to too the other guilds, however, the Smugglers, Thieves, and Assassins, and a few shadier guilds have a presence down here. We watch and observe, but unless it threatens the city, we don't do anything to disrupt their operations."
"So why am I here? If I have a mission here in the city, just give it and I will be on my way." Ailis responded.
"You are here because these tunnels and passages might be the very things that save your life over the next couple of days. You need to explore and get used too them. Some parts are extremely dangerous and we even have a level one-hundred Dungeon down here." Darren responded as he glanced back at her.
"Ok...Sorry." Ailis replied sarcastically.
"Don't get cocky. You have been doing good work out east, but the mission we are about to start is probably the most dangerous one we will give you since you joined." Darren replied.
"I understand and like I said I am sorry," Ailis replied and tried not to let her anger get ahold of her.
"Good. Have you fixed things with your sister?" Darren prodded.
"Why?" Ailis asked as they entered an underground grotto.
"If you have not, you should. Earth faces extinction and if you decide to become a permanent citizen here, you might not see her for a while. Family is important." Darren replied openly.
"Yes, we reconnected and Ava almost sounds human. She is starting to act like when we were younger and she was a real person. I know the changes could not be permanent, but I am hoping." Ailis replied quietly causing Darren to smile.
Darren raised an appraising eyebrow, "Did you invite her to live here in the Empire?"
Ailis smiled and nodded, "Yes but she turned me down. Said she had received a quest that she had to face. Something about being treated the way she used to treat everyone else. She said she had to do it and until she was done, she could not move down here."
"So the great Ava O'Conner is trying to atone for her past sins...The end of the world changes everything I guess." Darren quipped as he lead her to a small room with about a dozen hooded figures and Ezekial. Before Ailis could ask what was going on Darren shushed her and placed a collar around her throat. He grabbed her hands and showed her how to remove it before moving away from her.
"Thank you all for coming. This meeting will be short and to the point. Once it is done, we will more than likely not meet again for a while. The hoods and collars are for your protection, they both keep your identities a secret so in case you are captured you cannot compromise the identity of another Fang.' the Master of Shadows stated as he looked around. 'Now you were all recalled due to a mission of extreme importance. The Empire is on the brink of a Civil War. Within the next couple of days, some of the Eight Houses are going to try and take the Palace of Night and the Throne. This cannot happen. We need to buy time for the invasion of the Dark Lands to start. Once it has, the Eight Houses will be to busy supporting the invasion to have aspirations for the throne. We need to find out what Houses are going to try and rebel and stop them before they make their attempt. You will each be given assignments. This will not be easy, some of you will more then likely die, but if they succeed far more will die. Questions?"
Ezekial immediately started fielding questions like the pro he was. Everything from logistics to locations, to making sure they were not arrested by the Home Legion or the Heart Guard. Everything was responded to calmly and quickly. Yet no one asked why Jacob wasn't doing anything about it and it made Ailis nervous. Ailis immediately opened up a chat window and messaged Darren.
From Ailis...What's going on? Why isn't Jacob doing anything about this? Why doesn't he just step in and quash it?
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From Darren...Can't say.
From Ailis...Can't or won't?
From Darren...Both. Too important and to many things are going on right now. We NEED a stable Empire right now. Can you imagine an open Civil War within the Empire of Night right now with all the Immortals coming in? Tens of thousands would die. It could stop people from coming to this world. So the ramifications of a Civil War could cause huge problems in both worlds. So Emperors Fang, stop asking questions and help us save an Empire.
Ailis simply nodded her head a little bit before closing the chat window.
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Real World...
North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate
Black Spire- BlackRock HQ
Anthony looked out at the sea of faces. Department heads, programmers, janitors, security, anything and everything needed to run a business was present and looking at him. "I want to thank you all for your hard work over the years. I know I was demanding, but all your hard work has paid off. Humanity has a future, digital, but still a future and a chance to live on. All further support will be handled by A.I.s and at this time we are shutting down. For those who want to make the jump into Fate Online, we have more than enough FIVR Pods in the basement levels to accommodate everyone. If you have a family at home and want to bring them here, notify security and they will retrieve them. If you want an escort home, notify security and you will receive it...What I am trying to say is, I am damned proud of all of you and what you accomplished here. You all should be proud as well. Good luck and safe journeys." Anthony said as the meeting broke up. It was his sixth meeting like it and his last.
"Mr. Mitchels, can you please tell my father he is not too old to go to Fate Online." Hayley Jackson fumed as she dragged her father up in front of Anthony.
Anthony laughed at the older man's put upon face, "No one is too old. Anyone can make the leap and everyone deserves a chance to try."
Bart glared at him, "I have never played video games other than Solitary. I know nothing about them. Business and banking, that's what I know. I would be a liability in this new world."
Anthony laughed as Hayley glared at him. "I have told you before daddy, you do not have to be an adventurer. You can do whatever you want. Including being a merchant, farmer, engineer...Anything and everything. Please, Mother refuses to join, I cannot lose you as well." Hayley implored him.
Anthony jumped in immediately, "She is right. You can do pretty much anything you want to be. If you want to just work in a bank, you can. It will be boring for the most part with the occasional attempt at a bank robbery, but you can do it. You can also become a Merchant as your daughter said." Anthony told him.
"Please, I know mom is a stubborn bitch and is being an idiot, but don't let her drag you down too." Hayley implored and he started to cave. With a squeal, she kissed his cheek and hugged him earning a smile from him.
"Fine, I will try. I refuse to wear that stupid metal armor though. I will not spend eternity as a man that swings a sword. I worked damned hard to get my education and I will not wast it." Anthony smiled and winked conspiratorially too Hayley as Bart walked off following the crowd toward the elevators and stairs down to the basement.
"Mr. Mitchels thankyou soo much. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I lost both of them. Can I ask one more favor?" Hayley wheedled.
"Ask, I might not grant it though," Anthony responded.
"What is Kevin's name in Fate Online. I know he has confidentiality, but I have been trying to get ahold of him the last couple weeks and he has not responded. He has turned into a real friend and I don't want to lose that if at all possible." Hayley laid out.
Anthony considered it before responding, "His name is Jacob Longstrider. That is all I will say. Goodluck Miss Jackson." Anthony quickly left before she asked any more questions about him.
"You always did have a way with words." was called out as he walked down the hallway to his office.
Anthony turned and looked at him. The man looked like shit, but after the press conference the other day, it was no surprise. "Since we are in my building and after you had your little toy rock the boat, I think I will call you Jack and not Mr. President any more. Why are you here Jack?"
"Did you really have to air my dirty laundry like that Anthony? Did you really have to do that?" Jaco responded.
"You started the fight Jack and I ended it. You wanted to make me look like I was hiding something or had not done everything we could to save humanity. We did both. If we tried to save live humans, it would not have worked. The projections were that we had a less than one percent chance at surviving with live humans. That was if they made it to the closest star system to Earth. After that, the chances went down. We just didn't have the tech to do it. If I could put all of humanity and send them to another solar system with a viable world, I would do it in a heartbeat. I can't Jack. This is our best chance at survival and you tried to mess it up. Go home, Jack. Talk to your family and decide if you want to make the transition or not. Either way, get out of my building." Anthony told him before turning away.
"My family hates me. They saw the broadcast live and they hate me now. My kids always suspected and my wife...she said if the world wasn't ending she would divorce my ass. She plans to make the jump with my kids and she said she hopes I die if I try." Jack replied totally defeated.
Anthony stopped and signaled some of the nearby security, "Last piece of advice Jack. If you decide to go, don't be the same egotistical jackass you were on this world. Cause you won't be protected by secret service and that attitude will get you beheaded or gutted, or both. Start a new life and maybe one day you can reconnect with your kids. Gentlemen, please escort the President out of the building. We are done." Anthony told them as he walked off.