Naho, the 19th, 10,391

Six pulled with an easy rhythm. Back and forth lost in thought. He had learned much during the stops at Eridea and then at the brief stop at Olisrosa.

Olisrosa had gotten bad. The church of Kynairos taking complete control of the city and locking it down with clerics and priests patrolling the city. The tsunken aelves hid in the hold of the Dancing Racer and the crew stayed aboard for the most part.

The number of people had swelled still despite the lack of resources. A consequence of the system of rural security breaking down.

And Six had heard rumors of worse occurring in the inner lands of the sundered empire. The more populated areas being demolished under the struggles of the various purported factions that popped up.

Rumors that spoke of Juthe-Wei using the Zleenish garrison and the Imperial Mages Guild to march on the defiant cities of the heartlands. He replaced the town's guard and garrison with the recalled bodyguards of the Yudinzo clan. They ruled and patrolled the city now. Six could see that as reasonable. The consolidation of power and the creation of a buffer of space was crucial to long term stability.

Rumors talked of Juthe-Wei’s exploits and companions. How he slew a coalition of local warlords single handedly. How he strategically timed the loss of the Imperial Legions in the deserts of Salazhar. How he killed the entire royal family himself.

His companions were talked about in hushed whispers.

Mercy Fallblack, a meteor dwarf of the Imperial Mages Guild. Mercy was said to have been Juthe-wei’s tutor from birth and when asked Aclo had confirmed this. She was described with the slate grey complexion all her race had, with the enchanted robes of a senior mage.

Zero the Shell, a metal man of gears. Gone mad without its master. Juthe-Wei had managed to befriend it and had it join his retinue. Capable of wielding a heretical divine magic, he stands at the side of the usurper.

Char Talon, the Arkojian Vrill who works for the Dark Man. Him and Juthe-Wei were nemesis to each other growing up in the back alley battles of Zleen and it understreets. Cloaked in darkness he was the only one to truly be a brother in arms to him. Known for his use of deadly poisons he was one of the most dangerous members of the thieves guild. Now he served as an ambassador to his begrudging rival.

Finally there was the mercenary Lobert. A giant of a man. Blonde hair cascaded down to his pecs and his blue eyes held a deep calmness to them. He wielded a bow of legendary power. He sold his skill to the highest bidder and was known for his loyalty to his contracts. An honorable man, yet capable of great evil if said contract dictated so.

Juthe-Wei had enemies as well.

Tyber Zaun of the Church of Kynairos roamed the inner lands wreaking havoc upon the traitors of the old empire and recruiting the faithful and pressing the unbelievers. Already he was said to have a growing nomadic horde of divine warriors cleansing the cities and the countryside it passed by.

Then there was the Dark Man, leader of the Thieves Guild. Someone who demanded restitution from the chaos Juthe-Wei caused his organization. Thus the presence of Char Talon.

Rumors of Grand General Marcus leading the legions back were clearly fake but there was consistent talk of the legion’s return so some of them must have made it back from Salazhar.

People talked about how the Hynyks would see weakness and attack the Empire. But Six had never even seen one or heard any rumors from Muldstan, about Hynyks there.

Six had heard some rumors of Kynairos priests being ejected from the Kingdom of Harmony. Making their way from the west of the mountains and back into the western frontier of the empire. They spoke of the Orcish Herds of Muldstan going back to their old ways. Rejecting the tutelage of the Empire. Shouldn’t affect Six at all but it was neat.

There were also rumors of strange people of strange races, speaking strange languages. Wielding strange powers. Doing amazing things. Committing terrible acts. One of them almost certainly already had or brought guns here.

Six knew they were talking of people like Kathy, like Amog.

Like himself.

His people were beginning to be noticed. Threadlings were becoming known.

He had improved some of his skills slightly over the return trip and its stops and reviewed those gains.

Skill increased:

Inspect - Initiate - 11

Masonry - Initiate - 17

Carpentry - Initiate - 15

Sailing - Initiate - 12

Diametric Magic - Initiate - 9

Force Magic - Initiate - 8

Chainsaw - Initiate - 9

It was alright growth, he had tried to push his skills that were close to evolution but neither Athletics or meditation improved. He couldn’t really push himself completely with the landheart shard embedded in his chest. Meditation brought him to center and well, it had been a pretty relaxing boat ride back.

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A large part of himself considered the skill points he had available but he felt it irresponsible to spend them on such low level skills, so he didn't.

He pondered what weak spots to shore up next. He had a wide range of capabilities but none of them were particularly powerful save for his stone spells.

He needed more power. Simple power.

He needed a nastier saw.

His Musings were broke by Amos calling down to him. “Six, come stand near the prow. We are close to the lake mouth.

Six smiled at that announcement. He was almost home.

i can See it fine from here,

Yah but yah people can't see you

Six gave him a look but sighed and switched out on the oars. “Yer right Amos.”

The Captain grinned and Six could see the gleam of a fresh gold tooth. “I know you know I'm right. They should see a heron, not a bloody mudfish.”

Six chuckled. “ If I have to be a mudfish, so be it. I don't see myself below any job.”

“People need more than that, my boy.”

Six nodded. He didn't need face. Six had spent years trying to suppress the need for his ego to flex and had found a singular confidence associated with removing the need for societal approval.

As a leader, fostering that behaviour in general would create a society of unapologetic deviants. Socially speaking.

Shame and face culture was a powerful tool of societal manipulation. Six was becoming a leader and might have to rely on the lever of someone's social position.

To do, he must continue to craft his own.

Six stepped up on the prow of the ship and adopted his best pose, Looking forward as they approached the mouth of the lake. He dropped a Luminous Beacon to follow himself and a ley Beacon with his heraldry.

A six sided die with all faces showing six bloomed across the sky.

He was back.

“What are you doing,” Kathy asked, scuttling up behind him.

“Flexing for the peasants.” Six answered. They spoke in English.

“That seems immoral considering your level of education.”

Six didn’t reply immediately, he finished peacocking for the villagers watching from the shore and boats before he addressed her.

“Kathy, you could have stayed in Eridea or Olisrosa. You chose to accompany me here. Why?”

“I thought you were building something for me here.”

“That means what?”

“A fair society. A place like home. I dunno heh, democracy?”

“You were a police science major yea? You don't really believe those things were back home eh? Democracy?”

“You don't believe in democracy?”

“I believe that it was subverted and corrupted, and I don’t want that to happen to my work.”

“You believe these people's right to self determination is superseded by your guidance?”

“I believe in democracy in theory, but I've lived through it being used as a bludgeon.”

“Your trauma doesn't excuse shitty behaviour. A bludgeon? How exactly did you become the lord of this place?“

“I took it from a bandit that conquered it, he'd murdered the founder. No one has taken it from me yet and no one seems to care. They like what I can provide.”

“You should still know better,”

“Know better? The nepotistic dynasties that controlled who was allowed to participate in two party elections killed democracy. The red tape killed democracy. Rotting stagnant education killed democracy. Corporate and old money killed democracy. Democracy was rarely in the hands of the people.”

“We can build something better!”

Six shrugged. “I am.”

“You are not everyone.”

“Neither is democracy. It is simply 51%... You know that these people are still uneducated and hardly intellectually capable of participating in democratic vote.”

“Who's fault is that?”

Six lifted an eyebrow. “Not fucking mine!?” He smiled and waved at the growing crowd gathering at the makeshift docks that had sprouted up.

Six continued. ”This is a feudal society and based on the town interface, democracy might not be even possible. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Ignoring the continued protests of Kathy he jumped down from the deck onto the dock, landing with a heavy clank and eliciting a foreboding crack from the timbers before he waded into the crowd. He had priorities and he needed to get to work.

Six began to scan and take in the area seeing a level of development he hadn’t expected to occur in the months time he was away.

Seven more longhouses had been constructed and effectively doubled their housing. A saw mill and a granary. The mine had been established but Six doubted anything had come from that yet. Another whole section had been fenced off near the water's edge, several forges had popped up and he wondered if that was Gatbark’s doing.

A familiar voice reached his ears over the crowd.

“Make way,” Charles called and the crowd parted as if his words were a sword.

“Yo. Bro.” Six waved, and approached his second in command.

They shook hands and Six gave the lad a manly nod of approval.

“Thanks for taking care of things while I was gone, Charles.”

Charles beamed a warm smile back. “Sir, it is good to see you. There is much to inform you of.”

“Is any of it of immediate critical defensive or military importance?”

“Well no, sir.”

“Well I’m sorry Charles but I have one thing to do, then I can meet you and the officers at the town hall for an official debrief. Is that ok?”

Charles looked mystified but nodded and parted ways with Six, allowing the human to make his way to the first building he built for the village.

It was a smithy. Quaint and simple but made of stone transmuted from earth, accented and stabilized with plants grown with magic.

He neared the door and heard the sounds of clanging. She was working.

He knocked and heard the sounds of hammering cease. The door swung open to reveal a tiny woman standing before him. Her leather apron was stained black with the soot of the forge fires and hammers hung off her work belt. She was half aelf, her pointed ears and desaturated skin, pointing to her mixed heritage.

She looked at him with a tense irritated glare before it broke into surprised excitement, that immediately sunk right back to the irritated glare.

“Six, you have returned.” Ravna noted evenly.

“I’m here,” he said with a guilty smile.

She stared at him.

“Came here first thing.”

She stared at him.

“I sent a letter!”

She sighed and nodded. “Was it worth it?”

Six nodded. “Yes, progression on all fronts. Money, levels, knowledge, materials.”

“And the red shard sticking out of your chest?”

“Yeah, that is just a thing. I’ve had it for days now.”

“Just a thing? It's not ‘just a thing.’”

“It’s just a thing!”

“Then why is it still there! You should get that looked at by a healer!”

“Babe! I am a healer!”

She looked at him, unimpressed.

Six sighed. “I’m sorry for the way it went.”

“I need you hale and healthy Six.”

He waved it away joking with bravado. “Bah, if I die you can just get a new one.”

She smiled at his foolishness. “I can get a new lover, yes. But I can’t replace our child’s father.”

Six choked. He caught his breath.

“What?”