Logging out to eat and freshen up Helen barely spent less than two hours outside the game before leaping back in.
Her excited self barely realized how she'd kept walking around the house while not reacting drastically to Mr. Furrow's presence. Something the man and his wife didn't try to point out. Best to let her subconscious move things on faster if possible.
The pull in her mind as she got logged into the game and tossed into her avatar made a smile bloom across her face.
"Let's get this done".
Lying on the large Queen-sized bed with five or six little bodies snuggled around her. Hilde felt content with the little utility she had added to the Lunar Palace.
Exiting the room she looked around once more. With only five utility templates in hand, she had settled for a large Royal room and another large room for cleaning up after fights. The aftermath of her last fight had made her realize that there was no automatic cleanse or something of the sort. One had to clean the normal way.
Though she could will it the shower room felt right. Then there was a kitchen, which surprised her since she'd both forgotten it and also wanted it. It made her wonder about eating. If it was made realistic with taste buds and all then there were sure to be players coming just for the various in-game cuisines.
There was an armory for weapons which was empty. A Blacksmith forge because she had to have one.
Her great hall which she got earlier was nothing to compare with the World Forge but it was the best of what was available now. Golden and green pillars loomed above holding up the ceiling. Large bronze bowls stood at the corners of the room with burning white flames lighting up the hall.
The walls while dark and the ground black seemed to absorb the light of the flame letting only dim lighting spread through the room.
A throne of huge black stalactites rose from the ground and crisscrossed themselves to form a resting wall while the seat itself was made of the fur of what she assumed to be a Void Wolf.
Outside the grand doors, she stared at the new security structures she had put in place. The first was a variant of the real deal. Since she lacked MVC and was holding onto her remaining coins for an emergency she had opted to expand the features of the current Security structure template.
A huge black gate blocked off the nothingness from the palace. It was confusing like stepping in and out of different realms though the courtyard was clearly within the nothingness. Walls made of a gleaming crystal a bit duller than the crystals of the world forge surrounded the Lunar Palace from all sides. The second security feature was the force field of lightning that wrapped the entire section of the Lunar Palace in an egg.
Unprompted it went unnoticed.
Outside the Lunar Palace standing on the new ground a feature that she edited into the gate and wall template, stood the Living Armors.
[SECURITY BASIC TEMPLATES]
[VARIANT]
[Living Armors]
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The Guards of the Lunar Palace. Existing only to protect and preserve the honor of her house. Powered by the shards of purified cold divinity their existence remains locked to their maker
Might - 25
Mobility i - 25
Physicality- 50
[Entuty Ability - ]
[Entity Skill - Core Enhance]
Draw on the core of their house to temporarily boost attributes.
[Entity Ability - Cohort]
In the presence of other living armor in battle, all Endurance is doubled.
[Personal Skill (Set by Owners) - Unholy Judgement]
Smithe offenders with the chill of Cold Embers]
The personal perks were additional abilities granted by whoever would choose to use the Living Armors.
Since the Living Armors were Guards for her house and honor she set their template up for sale since they wouldn't meet any creator-player opposition. Hopefully.
The traps to the palace were all laid outside. A proximity sensor that would trigger a hail of black crystal arrows was set up on the walls. A ring of blue water surrounded the walls like a moat. It was liquified lightning energy. Enough to kill a Level 1 to 9 Void wolf.
It was advised to never attempt drinking it since it looked purer than any water known.
The remaining traps were lava waterfalls. Set to pour down the walls during a battle. Then there was the inner courtyard where the last trap was set. The very reason why Hilde had tweaked the security feature to have a ground leading to her doors.
She could float in the nothingness. So why bother?
The last trap needed a ground. It was something she made for a last resort moment. Who knew what the Devs would throw their way? The last trap was an amalgamation of two traps forming her deadliest one ever. She even held its templates back as she knew it would come in handy, not for defense but for the MVC it would pull in when the time was right.
Hilde stood there by her window in only her gown admiring the setup she created. The once quiet palace was now filled with the sound of iron boots marching around the courtyard.
They all felt more lively even if they were just Living Armor. Lacking souls and simply powered by shards.
"Love what you've done to the place".
The reaction was instantaneous. Vulkans' prize equipping automatically with the golden weave and Harbinger appearing in her left hand. She was already rolling to the side and spinning fingers already pulling on the strings of the soul stealer as a blue arrow formed and pointed straight at the intruder.
"You?. How. I mean what are you doing here?".
Hilde was already getting narrowed eyes as various reasons some not so good filled her head.
"Before you get dark thoughts..." Cole began then noting her darkening face added".., or probably worse ones I'm just here to offer a truce and a deal". His hands shot up in a placating gesture.
" Nice move by the way. That was some good reflexes there". He chuckled.
" I'm not even going to ask how you can get in here. Just what do you want, I'm not going to tell the world about you". Hilde glared her hands not leaving the arrow even if she knew it probably wouldn't do anything.
"That's not why I'm here. " he waved his hand as if to show how unimportant it was.
"I'm here, for you Hilde Fearghal"
Her brows rose, and her lip made a twitch.
"That was meant to sound more foreboding". he whispered.
"Yeah, I got that. Cutting the name short didn't help though" she spat. Then dropped the bow low and sent it back to her inventory. Motioning to her Great hall she spoke.
"Let's talk somewhere that's not my bedroom". her eyes dared him to refuse.
*****
" So basically you want me to find you these things and you pay me back by teaching me the in-depth features of the game. "
" I know it's a game to you but it's more like my own living space and world. Worlds." He corrected. "So try being more empathic please" he begged.
"What even are these?". She scanned the list in her hands and the map sprawled on her lap.
Sitting on the stalactite throne her eyes surveying the map she couldn't help but ask again.
"And where is this whole place? There shouldn't be anything in this Void right? "
"True and false," he answered.
"For the coming players, yes. For you and the Creators no. I won't say more until we seal this deal". He halted there looking her straight in the eye.
Hilde couldn't still understand why there was no trace of fear in her with him around. Was the doctor right and she just needed to face it all along?
"Why me?"
Cole groaned rubbed his face and glared at her again.
"Because you stared into the Primordial Cesspool of the End and fought its pull".
"The Pri...what..."
"I'm not saying more than that. All you need to know is this. It has to be you. You can take your time to decide. I still have the other ninety-nine yet to meet me or my copies.
"Copies?"
"Yeah. Can't have you and I scenario happening again". he grumbled. Hildelith found herself smiling without realizing it. The boy stared at his fingers for a moment before waving them in her general direction.
Floating from out of the ground, blue dust coagulated in front of Hilde. Then solidified and dropped. The clang of metal against the stone floor rang through the hall as the Sword of Murre bounced.
"I hope you help. "His stormy gray eyes caught her blue ones, rhe sharpness in them catching her by surprise. The next second he faded like an apparition.
Hilde remained there staring for a moment her eyes looked onto the spot where the gray-eyed boy had stood a desire to accept his request egging her on.
"One thing at a time. For now let's get my universe completely set up before getting Vaustaris ready for the NPCs and others".