Elijah sat on the edge of the ditch, his legs dangling nearly ten feet above the deepest portion. It was filled with sharpened stakes, many of which glistened with ethera from various skills. After his initial success with the divide-and-conquer strategy, he’d managed to use it one more time before the orcs – or rather, the shamans – wised up and refused to follow him into the wilderness. They still sent a few bands of orcs after him, but he quickly discovered that they weren’t nearly as vulnerable to his spells as they’d once been.
It was only a day later when he saw them performing some sort of ritual that he discovered the reason. Obviously, they’d enacted some sort of defense against him. It wasn’t really surprising; they’d long proven that they were capable of mitigating his spells. Yet, this was the first time that they’d developed a strategy to do so without the shamans being present. And Elijah didn’t like what that represented, because it verified everything he’d already learned about orcs.
They were evolving more with every passing day. If he and his allies didn’t do something soon, the creatures would grow too powerful to combat. So, he’d retreated to the area around Ironshore, where he hoped to contribute to the preparations of their collective defense. When he’d arrived, he had discovered that they had piled quite a lot of dirt into an edifice that surrounded the town, and they’d built some siege engines as well. The alchemist, Biggle, had even lent his expertise to brewing a few dozen barrels of some sort of toxic concoction that he claimed would “make those orc-y bastards think twice about coming to Ironshore”.
Elijah wasn’t so sure of that, because if there was one thing he’d confirmed, it was that orcs were single-minded in their pursuit of dominance. They’d already swept through the area like a plague, consuming anything they hadn’t destroyed. So, Elijah knew there was little chance of them giving up. Nothing short of total annihilation would stop the orcs.
Which meant that the weight on his shoulders wasn’t limited to the coming conflict. There was every chance that if he and the other defenders of Ironshore failed, the orcs would rampage across the region and eventually grow too powerful to stop. If the situation got to that point, Earth would almost assuredly be doomed.
And the only thing standing in the way of that was a few ditches, Elijah, and some non-combatants who’d been thrust into a situation they were ill-prepared to confront.
He sighed, reaching into his pack and retrieving a jug of water. He drank deeply from it, then set it on the ground. A moment later, the sound of soft footsteps announced the arrival of Kurik.
“Want a drink?” Elijah asked, holding up the jug.
“Water?” asked Kurik.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll pass,” the dwarf said, settling in beside Elijah. He went on, “Should be here in a day or two. We’re not sure if they’ll stop outside of our range and amass before coming for us.”
“Probably,” Elijah guessed. “They’re getting smarter.”
“Orcs do that.”
“Have you thought about what’s going to happen if we’re unsuccessful?” Elijah asked, glancing toward the dwarf. Kurik looked as exhausted as Elijah felt, with large bags beneath his eyes.
“I’ll disappear into the wilderness. You should do the same.”
“If I’m still alive, I’ll be fighting.”
“Why?” asked Kurik. “You don’t owe nothin’ to us. We attacked you in your home. By all rights, you ought to’ve killed each and every one of us.”
“Cabbot was different,” Elijah reasoned. “And honestly, he probably wouldn’t have tried what he did if he knew what I could do. Definitely not if he knew the orcs were coming.”
“If he knew that, he’d’ve got mommy and daddy Eason to pay his way back home,” Kurik responded. “They paid most of the fee to get them ritualists here. Like it wasn’t nothin’, too. I bet that idiot didn’t even know they was subsidizin’ his little dragon kidnappin’ plot.”
“Maybe,” Elijah agreed half-heartedly. He never really knew Cabbot, so he couldn’t speak to that. “But you’re asking me why I’m doing this? Three reasons.”
“Yeah? What are they?”
“First, I’m not the kind of guy to abandon people when they need help. I know that probably makes me a sucker, and I’m sure someone will eventually take advantage of me,” he explained. “But if that happens, that’s on them. Someone else’s dishonesty won’t stop me from doing what I think is right.”
“Noble words. Maybe you’ll change your tune when somebody crosses your lines.”
Elijah shrugged, looking out over the array of ditches. There were twelve of them, each just as deep as the last. Hopefully, that would slow the orcs down.
“Maybe,” he acknowledged. “But the second reason is a little more personal. I want to protect my home. I like my island, and I can’t imagine the orcs leaving me alone if they take Ironshore. So, protecting the city is a roundabout way of protecting myself.”
“And the third reason?”
“This is my planet,” Elijah said. “If we don’t stop them here, those orcs are going to spread. That’s what they do, right? They’re like a virus. And I’ve got people out there I care about. Not anyplace close, but they’re out there. And if I don’t do what I can right now, there’s a good chance that they’ll find themselves on the wrong end of that horde sometime in the near future. The orcs are vulnerable now. Beatable. That means I’ve got to take my shot, here and now, because there’s a high probability that humanity will never get another chance.”
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For a few moments, Kurik didn’t speak. Then, he took a deep breath before saying, “Nobility and selfishness. I can get behind that.”
“Anyone who says they’re doing something for purely altruistic reasons is lying,” Elijah said. “There’s always a little self-interest in there.”
“You ain’t wrong,” Kurik agreed.
Then, the two fell into an easy silence until, a few minutes later, Kurik said, “That sure is a lot of ditches.”
“Yeah. A friend of mine from college was on track to being a historian,” Elijah said. “Specialized in ancient warfare. And every time we saw a movie or talked about a book that dealt with war or sieges, he would always criticize the tactics on display. His favorite thing to say was that the best and most effective defense is a ditch. If you’ve already got one ditch, then build another. You can fancy it up with stakes and walls or water, but the bottom line is that ditches are where it’s at when it comes to defense.”
“Sounds like a smart fella,” Kurik said. “’cept the parts of that I didn’t understand at all, of course.”
The pair shared a laugh, but then Elijah pushed himself to his feet before saying, “I’m going to get a shower and a real meal. You interested? Might be the last time we’ll get the chance.”
Kurik shook his head and glanced back at Ironshore. “Got a complicated relationship with cities. Don’t do so good with people, if you catch my meaning.”
“Yeah. I can understand that. But if you change your mind, you’ll know where to find me.”
“If I didn’t, I’m sure I could just follow the angry glares. Some folks still ain’t forgiven you for killin’ their so-called security force,” Kurik stated.
Elijah shrugged. “Can’t blame them for that, I guess. Anyway, I’ll see you later.”
“Sure.”
After that, Elijah ambled toward Ironshore. When he entered the city proper, he was once again confronted by the same resentful glares that had greeted him every other time that he’d visited the city. There was fear there as well, but it was muted, probably because they were growing accustomed to his presence. Eventually, that would assuredly come to a head.
When that inevitability came to pass, Elijah would have to make an example of someone, which was something he didn’t want to have to do.
In any case, they weren’t quite there yet, so he traversed the small city without issue. He passed by a few familiar locations, like the barbershop, Mari’s boutique, and the central building housing the Branch. In the distance, he saw the mines as well, though he hadn’t visited them since rescuing Sara the dragon.
For a moment, Elijah considered using Ancestral Circle to teleport back to his grove so he could spend the night there. However, he chose not to for one simple reason: he had no idea if he’d have time to row his way back to the mainland if the orcs attacked. No – it was better to remain in town, even if it meant being a little less comfortable.
“Elijah!” came a shout from behind. He turned to see Ramik jogging in his direction. The prim and proper goblin was dressed in the same Victorian style he always did. That wasn’t a precise description, considering that there were some subtle but glaring differences, yet it was close enough that Elijah felt comfortable with that descriptor. In any case, he stopped so that Ramik could catch up. The goblin doffed his bowler hat and asked, “Can I interest you in a meal? I have a reservation at the Stuck Pig. I remember how much you enjoyed that last time, and I thought you might like another visit.”
Elijah looked down at his travel stained clothes and said, “You know what? Sure. But I’d prefer to get cleaned up a bit first. Give me about an hour?”
“Certainly!” said the excited goblin.
“Any suggestions on a hotel? Somewhere with a shower?”
“Oh – a man of your means will want the Imperium.”
“Sounds expensive,” Elijah groused.
“It is. Yet, there is no finer accommodation in the city. Indeed, it is the only true hotel in town. We don’t get many visitors. Or any, point of fact. So, there hasn’t been much use for the place, if I’m honest. However, that’s sure to change as the world begins to open up,” Ramik insisted.
Elijah shrugged. It wasn’t as if he was short on money, so he said, “Sure. So long as it has a shower and a soft bed, I’ll be happy.”
“Oh, you will be quite satisfied. Allow me to lead the way.”
After a nod from Elijah, Ramik led him through the city and to a large, three-story building with elegant architecture that put Elijah in mind of the Palace of Versailles, though on a much smaller scale. It also featured a sizable bronze dome, but the general theme was close enough that it made Elijah wonder about the similarities between the newcomers’ culture and those native to Earth.
As such questions crossed through a couple of facets of Elijah’s mind, he followed Ramik into the Imperium. And when he stepped inside, he couldn’t contain a slight gasp. To call the décor rich would have been an understatement. Inlaid marble, gold trim, and elaborately carved moldings abounded, and the floor tiles were arranged in an artful and dizzyingly complex geometric design.
A goblin in a tuxedo greeted them. Aside from a brief glance at Elijah’s bare feet, he gave no indication that he was put off by the sheer shabbiness on display before him.
“Welcome to the Imperium,” the goblin intoned. “My name is Dakar, and I am the chief proprietor of this branch of the Imperium, the finest hotel in the universe. Please, may I ask what I can do for you?”
“My friend wishes a room,” Ramik said. “Money is no object.”
“Uh…it’s some object,” Elijah remarked.
“Trust me, my friend – you won’t regret spending a few ethereum on this,” Ramik stated.
Elijah shrugged. He didn’t really know what else to spend his money on, so he said, “Sure. Whatever. Fair warning, though – it’s got a ways to go if it’s going to compete with my tree house.”
“I am certain that the Imperium will compare quite favorably to any…tree house,” said Dakar.
And it did.
Elijah spent the next hour being pampered in a way he never thought possible. Not only was he afforded the opportunity to finally take a shower, but the apartment he rented for the night was twice as large as his tree house. On top of that, it was just as richly decorated as the rest of the hotel. That meant that it looked like it was fit for a literal king.
On top of that, Elijah was also subjected to a massage administered by a skilled dwarven woman. So, when he finally returned to the lobby an hour or so later, he felt more refreshed than he had in months.
The following meal was just as enjoyable, albeit in a different way. There was something so communal about eating a meal in good company. It seemed like such a simple thing, and though the food was good, it shouldn’t have relaxed him like it did. However, by the time Elijah finished with the Stuck Pig – where he ate what felt like his weight in smoked meats and sides he couldn’t identify – he felt flush with contentment.
A more cynical person would have expected something to interrupt that happiness, but nothing happened, and Elijah ended up settling into his huge bed and falling asleep with some degree of optimism in his heart.
He almost managed to forget about the orcish horde knocking on the proverbial door.
But not quite.