FACTION INTERFACE SCREEN
OUTPOST – BLACK WING FACTION
TIER II OUTPOST
* 26% OUTPOST STRENGTH
* 80% REGION MAP
FACTION LEADER SCREEN INTERFACE
FACTION LEADER – JAZMEL
WAR COMMANDER – MARY
FORGE MASTER – GORIN
SCHOLAR – BAEK
FACTION CAPTAINS
* BANNERMAN
* KATIE
* GILMORE
* GELTH
* ELAI
* WENDY
* LYSANDER
* TERA NEMA
* GRACE
* MYN
* MORWEN
FACTION RETAINERS (WELL KNOWN)
* TANGO
* SADE
* LENO
* SERAFINA
* SAIF
OUTPOST POPULATION
* 2 MASTER TIER
* 20 RANKER TIER
* 250 SEEKER TIER
GROUPS
* CLAW
* MOUNTAIN BREAKERS
* BRADDON HILL DEFENDERS
ALLIES
* KINGDOM OF OREVALOR
* BRADDON HILL
Jazmel was looking over his faction screen again. He had been extremely focused on preparing the teams as best as he could. The faction overall had some power, some strength. Especially with the new additions. But he wasn’t naïve to believe that they were prepared for anything. Especially while his friends were still only newly made rankers, ranker tier I or ranker tier II.
Simply put he would be focusing on upskilling everyone. After all, they all had to do their best. Even he, in leading them. It was important that he ensured that they were focused and motivated to continue their tasks.
DING!
QUEST CREATED!
HOUSEHOLD DUTIES!
COMPLETE YOUR DAY-TO-DAY TASKS AND BE REWARDED
* FOR 5 DUTIES GAIN 2 RANDOM STAT POINTS PER TASK COMPLETED
* ENTER THE LABYRINTH 3 TIMES AND GAIN A TIER ITEM EQUAL TO YOURS!
* COMPLETE A PLOT AND GAIN A TIER ITEM ONE TIER ABOVE YOUR TIER!
Jazmel was happy with that, after all it was motivating and continued to push them. pushing the faction members, retainers, and captains to keep going. Which made him consider his captains again.
“AI.” He called and out of nowhere, the little sprite that was consciously connected to his central node appeared.
“Yes?” it greeted him with a smile and a shrill squeak.
“How do I pick captains from my retainers?” Jazmel asked and the sprite bobbed in the air as it thought about his question.
“The same way you make quests, tasks, and other things. For anyone who is part of your faction.
Jazmel nodded, thanking the sprite who bobbed and disappeared once again.
He thought about it again, willing his thoughts through the system screen.
WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SELECT FOR THIS TASK?
The system asked him, for some reason it always felt uncanny when it asked his opinion.
He selected his people and system whirred into action as it confirmed them.
YOU HAVE SELECTED THE SEEKERS BELOW TO BE CONSIDERED CAPTAINS!
* LYSANDER
* TANGO
* SADE
* KATIE
* BANNERMAN
* GELTH
* GILMORE
* WENDY
* ELAI
* TIMONE
* TERA NEMA
* MYN
* MORWEN
* GRACE
CAN YOU CONFIRM?
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Y/N?
…
…
…
DING!
QUEST CREATED!
CALL OF THE CAPTAIN!
YOU HAVE BEEN MARKED AS ONE WHO COULD BEAR THE GARB OF CAPTAIN!
…
…
YOU MUST EARN THIS RIGHT!
THE NEXT TIME YOU ENTER THE LABYRINTH A PLOT WILL BE CREATED FOR YOU!
WITHIN THAT GATE, COMPLETE YOUR PLOT AND EARN YOUR TITLE!!
IF YOU MAKE IT TO CAPTAIN YOU WILL BE REWARDED!
…
He was sitting on his seat of power; it was a tall, backed chair. It rose high and almost twenty feet high. It was made completely out of a dull grey marble. That stood out against white of the chamber hall, room.
The doors creaked with motion as they opened. Jazmel looked to see Sadé enter the room alongside Baek, they were talking to each other. He couldn’t hear what they were discussing, but he could see Sadé smiling and laughing.
She was dressed in a summer dress, long and flowing. It was the colour of daisies and little blue flowers had been sewn into it in beautiful arrays.
“You have been busy young master.” Baek greeted him, he smiled and Jazmel agreed.
“I have been trying to add more tasks for the faction. I needed to keep the faction motivated.” He explained and Baek inclined his head, knowing why Jazmel was reacting this way.
“Young master when I lost my first friend in the labyrinth. It took many years; I mourned for many months. But in the end, your life did not end alongside him.” Baek shared and Jazmel listened to him, feeling his heart suddenly lighter.
“I know what you are saying Baek, I feel it too. But I keep thinking back if you or Tango had come with us. Patton would be here now.” Jazmel offered, that was the true guilt he was feeling. That was the real thing he was suffering beneath.
“Maybe, or the system might have made your advance through the gates even harder. You have to remember the system is in charge here. It never takes a back seat; it is always driving. Never forget that.” Baek said and in truth, Jazmel had not considered it like that.
“You have to forgive yourself.” Sadé said, coming forward and sitting on the arm of his seat of power.
“I am trying.” He said and he cried, a single tear broke the dam and soon he was sobbing quietly. Sadé slipped into his lap and hugged him, holding him together as he shook with mourning.
And he stayed like that for ten minutes, which felt like hours to him. but he cried, he wallowed, and his heart wrenched with the pain of loss. He was so hurt, and he was questioning why it hadn't been him. But now he felt like he would no longer be able to ask that. So instead he decided to focus on getting so strong, he wouldn’t lose anyone again.
“I have something to show you both.” He said, as he tried to stop himself crying.
“AI, close off the chamber.” Jazmel said and the chamber changed, the arrays closing the doors to both the outside and also the tower.
He pulled out the Magellanic memory mould and the orb fizzed with the memory. He felt it warm in his hand, he hadn't watched it back. After all, it was still fresh in his mind. But he would cherish the item, and he wouldn’t lose it or break it.
“Can I share a memory I have saved? Or is it linked to me and only I can see it?” Jazmel asked and Baek studied the memory mould before answering.
“You can share it; we can view a memory with you. But it can only be shared through expense of your own Mana.” Baek explained and after a breath, he explained to Jazmel what to do.
Jazmel breathed deeply, inhaling and exhaling. He was trying to figure out how to funnel his Mana, he pushed it willed it and forced it; gently down his arm. Into his hand, he watched as it poured into the mould. He was gentle, he didn’t want to shatter the orb. It was all he had of his mother.
At first he felt the orb pushing back, trying to hold the memory within its mould. But Jazmel wasn’t to be contained, he pushed his Mana deeper and soon the mould relented. Jazmel watched as the memory expanded and he watched as it glimmered in brilliance as he pumped more Mana and soon his memory flared free. Burst from the orb and filled the entire chamber.
On the enlarged view. He watched himself meet his baby form and his mother all over again. Sadé had still been sitting in his lap at this point. He didn’t want to move her or say anything, he was comfortable with her being this close. her hair cascaded down her back and in front of him. it smelled like summer flowers, and he suddenly stopped, focusing his mind so he didn’t think about her soap.
“She is beautiful…” Sadé said absentmindedly, and he watched as she watched the face of his mother. He looked up, he watched her watching him meet his mother in a memory or a dream.
When the memory ended and Jazmel stopped his outpour of Mana. The memory orb grew warm again as the memory returned into the orb.
“Young master…” Baek said and stopped, he closed his eyes and focused his breathing.
“I have found him.” he said and Jazmel knew he was talking to himself. Talking to his real master, the man who was Jazmel’s father.
“I cannot believe you saw her.” He said, again to himself. Baek who was usually the man of complete calm. Was suddenly overcome with emotion, he had banked on something. He had believed all by himself that Jazmel was his child. But now he had confirmation. Jazmel was sure now and even surer than before. He would have to meet this man; he would have to find out about his father firsthand.
“We will go to the kingdom. But I will not have you explain who I am or tell him about this memory. I want to meet him as a stranger and see how who he is without prearranged ideals.” Jazmel explained, Baek looked like he wanted to argue but he inclined his head conceding to Jazmel, he realised he had proven he was truly the son of the king of a kingdom and now Baek was treating him as such.
“I will leave you two.” Baek said, bowing and stepping out of the chamber hall. AI brought the barriers up again and Sadé made to move from his lap. Realising just where she was sitting.
“You don’t have to go.” He said and she looked at him.
“Things are different now.” She said, but he could feel her feelings emote from her body.
“What do you mean?” he said, confused. Was she telling him, she no longer cared.
“I am a princess; you just saw your mother and now you know you are a prince. Too much is happening, we just lost Patton. I know you cannot be focused on this, on us at the moment.” She explained and he felt his heart yearn for her even more. Even now she was putting her feelings aside and was considering him even now.
“Sadé, there is nothing to consider. Before I knew anything there was you. Before I even held a sword of my own, you were there. I wouldn’t have all of this, or even be able to become this without your help. I might only be the leader of a small faction. But we are pushing forward, we are strong. We will create something amazing here and I want you present for all of it.” he told her, he was confessing here, and she was listening intently, mere inches from his face.
“You are a princess now and I know that comes with duty. But I have a duty too, I am not someone who pretends to know anything. I let the person who is the greatest at it, take control. That’s the way I lead, you are the greatest person for my heart. So I offer it to you. She smiled, she looked at him, her face wet with tears for his mother. She started crying again, she turned; sidling. She hugged him and cried over his shoulder.
“Well prince and princesses do not date.” She said, in between sobs.
“Oh yes, you are right. They court.” He said, remembering something he had read as a child.
“I am not a prince.” He said and she laughed a little.
“Not yet, you need to meet your father.” She bid him and he nodded. She was right after all.