59.
Golden hour. The setting sun sank behind the mountains and cast golden light across the lake. Hundreds of people worked tirelessly, desperate to finish their work before darkness set. Timber walls formed a ten foot outer wall and four fifteen foot towers anchored the corners of the fort.
Naomi watched it all with a pleased expression, content for the moment with their labors. Having had the money necessary to prepare equipment for when the System arrived had been helpful. Express shipping was a miracle to rival all miracles. One of the many casualties of System’s arrival.
She turned her gaze to what had been other casualties in the first go around. Her daughters and husband were drilling in the central yard. A half dozen other fighters were all practicing their craft. Marcus fought two others with a blunted assegai, moving smoothly between his two opponents. He was a master at his craft, the spear keeping his opponents at range until he slid past their defenses.
The twins were both superb archers, firing arrow after arrow downrange. They had managed to build a sort of moving course and the girls never missed a target. Having a skill or spell was useful, but having the underlying skills to fully utilize the System granted abilities was invaluable. Something she had worked to make sure others had figured out.
The damn geas were crippling. How could she lead her people to become successful and thriving if she couldn’t talk to them about it? She was left with hints and innuendo, tactfully leading them on to the conclusions she needed. So far nothing had truly fallen to the wayside. There had been hiccups of course, but everyone was alive who should be alive.
A sense of pride at her accomplishments swelled through her like it did everytime she stared down at her domain. Blood, sweat, and tears had built this. Her maxed out class told its story, she had stood in the forefront of the fighting and was now standing on the precipice of evolution.
“Beware, sister. Pride comes before the fall,” Duncan whispered from the shadows. She had to refrain from spinning and cutting the shadows in two, the rogue likely not even inside of them. How he had slipped past her sentry’s was obvious. There had been no guards who could keep the Rogue class Apostate out of their camps in their first life, there would be none now.
“Duncan, it’s good to see you,” Naomi said, keeping her voice calm.
“You look happier this time around. There is less rage inside of you this time.”
“You can see why.”
“Yes, those of you who lost families were often the most driven. It softens you, but there is an edge I’ve seen. A desperation to preserve.”
“Yes. Is there a reason why you’re visiting?”
“I came to see how you were doing and then I’ll be on my way to kill the interloper,” Duncan’s voice continued to be pitched out of the shadows behind her. She was certain he was to her left though, in a patch of darkness that was just a bit too dark.
“Is that your priority right now? You have no one you wished to save? No base of power to build?”
“You know me better than that. I kill the little scout and we should be fine. I got two of the Champions on my way here. I couldn’t get to the Blackheart.”
“It’s already formed?”
“I think so. It was hard to tell, there was too much chaos to confirm before I had to start heading this way. Travel isn’t as fast as it used to be after all.”
“A minor inconvenience that will fade with time.”
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“Yes. I miss my old strength. I knew it would be hard coming back, but this is beyond what I thought it would be. To feel weak and vulnerable. Twice I had to flee to save my own life.”
“You are no battle maniac who would die gladly for the thrill of war. We already have one of those.”
“Of course, I have no desire to replace Annabelle.”
“Have you made contact with the others?”
“No, you are the first I’ve spoken to since the Initialization.”
“What do you think of the other regressors?”
“Unimportant. If they had been strong enough to affect us, they would have done it in the last timeline.” Duncan stirred out of his cloak of shadows finally. Naomi offered the shy man a grateful smile. He knew how she loathed speaking to air.
“So, tell me sister, what’s next?”
“This. Grow strong, evolve, continue to grow strong.”
“You will still serve?” Naomi tensed at the question. Duncan was fast and could deliver terrible damage quickly but he couldn’t survive the counterattack. He was also a true believer, bordering on fanaticism. If he didn’t believe her, he’d attack without hesitation.
“Of course. Only with our Lord’s might was I able to see my family again. He has my sword until my dying breath.”
Duncan watched her with narrow eyes. The silver handle of a dagger showed through his ragged cloak as he judged her words. After a moment, the dagger disappeared and she breathed a sigh of relief. She had no desire to fight her fellow Apostate.
While in the future she’d be a good counter to him, right now they didn’t have the stats to survive brutal hits. They were superhuman, but still human. By the time they evolved to Disciples they’d be human in name only, able to survive gruesome injuries and deal mountain shaking blows.
“Good. I will be looking for others to convert. Without Seth, we are too few. A few more would ensure our Lord’s will be done. Would your family swear allegiance?”
“They will in the future. Right now they still believe we can win. That we can overcome this. Desperation will make them look to other sources of inspiration and protection. Then, and only then, will I introduce our Lord to them.”
“You will have to lead them out of your oasis then.”
“I will. Soon. When the pillars arrive, I will compete for them.”
“Dangerous.”
“I will succeed.”
“I have no doubt.”
“Good luck on your hunt little brother. Felicia said he was a wily opponent. It took her weeks to crack him, and even then, he was still aware.”
“Strong Willpower to be able to resist her charms. Even we aren’t invulnerable to them.”
“Casey has her skills. She was the one who found Blackheart for us.”
“Kelsey did her part, none can argue it. If she says he’s tough, I will be careful. I’m built to kill mages though, I have no fear of the boy.”
“I didn’t say to be scared of him. Just be careful. Look how I have changed. He could have experienced something similar.”
“That’s why you’re our general and I am the blade.”
“Stop being pretentious for just a moment. I have no desire to bury you.”
“I promise, sister. He will die before he knows I am there.”
“Then I wish you well on your hunt. You will come back and I will introduce you to Marcus and the girls.”
A smile filled Duncan’s face and he dipped his head in acknowledgment. He turned and walked away, slowly fading away as his raggedy cloak blended in around the edges until he disappeared from sight. Naomi let out a small sigh of relief. Duncan was a good man to have with you in a fight. He was a kind and gentle person once you got to know him.
He was also a merciless killer and a fanatic. Having someone that was willing to spill blood so close to her family sent chills down her spine. The thought of her girls or Marcus facing off against him was impossible. It was enough to think about, that she had seriously considered killing him, consequences be damned. It wouldn’t be the first time an Apostate had killed a fellow believer.
She looked back down at her girls. They had stowed away their bows and were walking next to Marcus. He had just said something that made the girls groan and shake their heads while he laughed uproariously.
It had been worth it. Everything she had done. Everything she would do. Seeing them like this was enough. She wished that boy Duncan was hunting a swift death. It was kinder that way. They all needed to die so she could build a safe world for her girls.
She left the small platform she had been standing on and headed toward their home. It was her turn to cook dinner and it was looking like it was going to be just sandwiches, her talk with Duncan having taken too long. The slivers of normality is what made it all possible. Made the killing and fighting tolerable. She had lived one life without them, had survived from sheer stubbornness and the glimmer of hope.
Her hope had been rewarded by their Lord. He had whispered to them how to go back and fix everything. He had given her her family back. For that, she would burn worlds in his name.