Jazmel stretched and stepped through the gate. He inhaled, he breathed deeply into the scent of this new gate and yawned.
In truth, he missed this. He had missed delving and diving into the labyrinth. But the pain he felt in his heart, it was too much to bear. So it was only now, after four weeks. A full month, he was going to enter the labyrinth again.
He wasn’t alone either, Katie was still remaining at the outpost. She wasn’t ready to stop grieving or enter the labyrinth and Jazmel understood that.
So here he was, with Sadé, Bannerman and Mary. She had decided to come, as she was so close to master tier. She needed to stretch her legs and gain some exp and levels. This was due to the tasks he had handed out to his faction. But nobody was complaining, everyone was motivated.
DING!
FACTION LEADER PLOT!
YOU HAVE CREATED A FACTION!!
…
YOUR BUDDING FACTION IS STILL WEAK, GAIN RECOGNITION!
EARN THE RIGHT TO RAISE YOUR FACTION’S FLAG!!
…
…
REWARDS
* TIER FACTION UPGRADE
* RANDOM TRAIT TOKEN
* TIER UP TOKEN
…
Jazmel read the screen a few more times before turning and telling his party.
Everyone had gained a plot, something, or another. To add to the faction, but to enhance themselves also. The faction and the system seemed to be pushing towards gathering their strength. The faction system seemed to acknowledge his will and was motivating his retainers to bear it too.
The city they entered was one of the smallest that Jazmel had witnessed. Especially inside the labyrinth, but it seemed to be a junction because many people seemed to frequent it. stores and stalls were selling their wares, Jazmel glanced around but found nothing of want that he needed.
There was no auction hall, as well as no bazaar. In truth the city was close to a large town than to a city. But it was doing its best, the energy was vibrant and easy going. Or so it had been.
DING!
PUBLIC SEEKER ANNOUNCEMENT!!
MAY ALL FACTIONS AND GROUPS PRESENT HEAD TO THE CITY CENTRE!
PUBLIC SEEKER ANNOUNCEMENT!
The system yelled through the expanse of the domain. Jazmel looked at Mary and Sadé, they shrugged but waited for his command.
“Let’s go then.” He urged and at a sprint, they all hurried towards the centre of the city. In truth all the roads led to it and within ten minutes. Jazmel was there.
When they got there, there were groups already in attendance. Jazmel’s faction had the least amount of numbers but for some reason that didn’t matter to him. he was confident in his skills and that of those here.
A small sheepish looking man stood at the bottom of the stairs. The stairs that led up to a large water feature that had been erected in the city centre.
“Excuse me.” He uttered, his voice quiet and not travelling. Jazmel couldn’t hear him, but it wasn’t his fault.
“HEY!” Mary said, drawing her flag of the general, the item she had gained back at their faction quest. Bearing the emblazon of the black wing. she slammed the butt of the flag on the ground, and it enhanced her voice, making her shout sound like the roar of a dragon.
All the speaking stopped, and everyone turned to look at her. She in turn turned to Jazmel and beckoned for him to speak. He gripped his belt, feeling the weight of his swords and he motioned for the man to speak.
“Hello, you are all the factions present in Brackenwater city right?” he asked, and murmurs began to rise but Mary simply coughed, and they dwindled.
“We are.” Jazmel answered for everyone.
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“I am the city lord, the mayor. I just got word from the system that we the gate will be locked in under an hour. This gate is merging with two other gates to become one major domain. The city will be expunged. I am begging you all to stay and defend us. You will be rewarded!” he said as the voices rose again.
“What are the rewards mayor?” a lone man spoke up this time, he was standing off to the side. He was an Asian man, slim and tall. Near to Jazmel’s height. He wore no armour or weapons. He was standing there in black jeans, converses, and a red t-shirt with a black star over his heart. He was wearing a blazer too, with the same star but it was outlined with red. He wasn’t wearing it though; he had slung the blazer over his shoulders.
“The rewards will be up to the system, but I know that you will be rewarded the better your participation could be.” The mayor explained.
“We will stay.” He said, eyeing Jazmel and inclining his head friendlily.
“The black wing faction will stay.” Jazmel added and the mayor thanked him silently.
DING!
YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE BRACKENWATER CITY QUEST!
A TRI-GATE MERGING!
IN THE MERGING, BEAST WILL BE SPURRED INTO A FRENZY!
ENSURE THE CITY SURVIVES THE MERGING!!
REWARDS WILL VARY DUE TO PARTICIPATION!
…
Jazmel nodded and turning to Sadé and Bannerman he asked them to check the walls. They were going to have to protect them somehow. Bannerman bounded off, whereas Sadé leapt onto the back of Kazumi and loped off into the opposite direction.
Paldane wake up!
through their mind link, he woke Paldane who had been sleeping in his ring. Luckily for them, Paldane was able to revert to his small form at will and preferred it for travel. He leapt from one of Jazmel’s rings and crawled onto his shoulder.
What is it? he asked and Jazmel scratched beneath his chin.
“I need aerial viewing. Can you let me know what the environment around here looks like. a beast tide might be on the way.
Paldane perked up at that and growled.
“Food?” he asked and Jazmel conceded.
“You can eat anything outside of the city as long as it is wild. Don’t eat anyone’s livestock!” he yelled up, but Paldane had already leapt into the air and wreathed in aeonic flame. He had become his true size. Casting all those at the city centre in shadow. A few faces turned to look at him and Jazmel stared back, proud, and confident.
“Good posture. Don’t make them think you didn’t earn anything you have. You did.” Mary said at his side, and he turned to see her adjusting her gauntlets and vambraces. She was preparing for war.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked.
“Stick with me, we need to know what others plan on doing, I am thinking about holding the gate. Me and you.” He said and she smiled, her eyes fierce. Her mouth in a wrought grin.
“I could earn my last few levels in a beast tide. I am almost excited.” She said to him and Jazmel shook his head, Mary was a fighting maniac, and he knew it. but she was good at it and to be honest, another master tier in the faction would embolden them.
“Hey, you are you the boss?” he heard, turning he caught eyes with the Asian man. The one had spoken up first and was now so close that Jazmel could smell the scent of his perspiration on his brow.
“The name’s Deva. I lead the Delta Star faction.” He introduced himself, offering a hand. Jazmel reached out and shook it. clasping palms; Jazmel felt the immediate abundance of Mana and was almost shocked. His eyes were always perceiving Mana but nothing out of the ordinary had stood out for him. yet shaking this man’s hand, he could feel just how immense his Mana was.
“So your eyes can see Mana?” the man asked, suddenly knowingly looking.
“Why do you ask?” Jazmel said suddenly curious but not denying it.
“Well let’s just say we have some similarities.” He tapped the side of his head and his right eye glimmered golden yellow.
“I have a passive title that lets me see if someone would be a friend or foe. But I also have an active title called golem’s eye that lets me see the Mana of things. Not greatly, I need to upgrade it. but well enough. So imagine my surprise when my title tells me you are one of the best friends I could have, and my eye tells me you have master tier Mana.” He explained and Jazmel looked at him, so confused. There was nothing but sheer honesty in his eyes, this man meant what he was saying.
“I am Jazmel, I lead the black wing faction. This is my war commander.” He introduced himself and Mary who was standing beside him, close enough to get involved but with space for privacy.
“Oh you have strong people around you. Good because this is going to be a doozy! Three gates? I cannot even begin to imagine what we will be going up against. But can you imagine the rewards?” deva was talking to him like they were age old friends.
“Deva, let’s go and prepare a base of operations.” A tall white skinned man was saying to Deva. He was taller than Jazmel, closer to seven foot than six. He was clutching a staff and Jazmel could tell he was a mage; he was strong too. Maybe about as strong as Elai. His Mana was broiling off of him and Jazmel could see it firmly clasped within his core.
“Let me introduce my people.” Deva said and Jazmel simply watched the strange faction leader.
“This is Guile.” He motioned to the tall mage.
“That one over there is Sukina.” He pointed at a short woman who was clearly Japanese, her pale skin and cherry blossom lips giving her away. She carried a single katana in a lacquered black sheath. It was expertly made, even sheathed Jazmel could feel the keen spirit keening from the sword. she was studying the swords at his waist too. Especially Yoru No Tsubasa. When their eyes met, she inclined her head out of respect for him, or his swords. he wasn’t sure.
“Over there is Millie.” It was a giant, or a giant of a human woman. She was taller than Jazmel bigger than Gelth too. She was all muscle and wore it with pride. She was easily close to eight feet and carried a mallet made of what Jazmel could only assume was brimstone. She was grinning at him and Mary.
“Everyone is so small here.” She said, and Mary stepped forward.
“Nothing small about me darling. Wanna come and test me?” Mary said stepping forward. But Jazmel grabbed her and pulled her back.
“Millie stop it.” Deva said, words were enough to quell her it seemed. She stopped and Deva simply smiled bashfully.
“Finally that is Helios. He doesn’t work well with others, but he is good people.” He motioned at a younger boy who was wearing shorts and a cape. He wasn’t any different, but Jazmel could see the Mana within him. He was filled with fire; it was mixed into his Mana. But he was like an ember to the flame.