Chapter: 24

Len jumped off of the train, keeping his strength down. Rick followed. They’d shed their bracers but continued wearing their armored vests. Cause fuck fashion, being sword proof was style points.

Len shifted around his backpack, looking around. The train had gone back through Warwick, ending at Nedlin.

The city sat on either side of the Myrned River, just above where the river forked, two of those tributaries big enough for the lock boats, with one leading towards the port city Heras, and the other stream heading down towards the port city Markaz.

It had grown in size due to its position along the waterways and its proximity to the breadbasket of Plynthia. Goods flowed in and out of Plynthia along the waterways.

Docks lined both sides of the river, with great tall bridges that would allow ships with sails to pass from the Capital to the ports.

Farmers with carts filled with their belongings moved towards the cargo carriages to begin loading.

Len wandered over to a few of them who were waiting for the laborers to clear out the carriages. “Heard a rumor that Goran is looking to hire farmers and skilled workers.”

A few caught his eyes, interested.

He nodded to them and walked away. Probably spread through the train before they reach Warwick.

Train cars loaded with grain were being secured to the last carriage while the engine was disconnected and continued to the train yard while another engine switched tracks and puffed into position at what had been the rear of the train, workers hooked it in, preparing it for the return journey through Warwick, Goran and Eskon

Len and Rick gathered stares with their gear, but they were lost in the wash of people.

Len shook his head as they started over one of the massive bridges spanning the Myrned River. "When the waters start filling up with all kinds of beasts, it's going to be hard for them to try and defend the city. Not a damn wall in sight and the whole thing's split by a river."

"Different kind of time, different kind of threat," Rick said. Len grunted in agreement.

At the apex of the bridge, Len could see both sides of the river and the mainly wood homes that stretched along the banks.

Boats sailed up and down the river, laden with goods. Some were fishing.

The streets were busy with carts full of the harvest. A bolt of enlightenment dropped from the sky, hitting some poor bastard down in the city.

No one so much as commented on it anymore.

The screens have spread to here as well.

Len and Rick continued their trek through the city, taking the opportunity to grab food.

People moved through the city using their new strength letting Len and Rick blend in as they sped up their pace, quickly reaching the edge of the city.

Roads from the city broke off like chaotic roots in every direction, heading for the farming communities outside the city.

"Which one are we supposed to take?" Len asked.

Rick held his finger in a ‘gimme a sec’ as he chomped down on his latest mouthful of food, bouncing his head as he chewed, pulling out his compass.

He waved it around orientating it and then turning till he was facing west and slightly south, he looked over his compass into the distance before putting it away and walking that way.

“Thataway!” Rick increased his pace and ate more of the wrap they’d bought.

They used their full strength once they were away from the city, the region was covered in fields, dotted with forests only where the ground was hard to work with.

There were farming hamlets where several farming families had built communities together. The further they went or the closer they were to forests and wild lands. Standalone farms were abandoned and left empty.

They slowed as they past carts hauling the year’s harvest to Nedlin. The farmers waved, happy at first, worried and cautious the further they went. Going from just one driver to teams of farmers carrying tools that could be used as weapons—watching the fields around them.

“What’s a screen?” Len and Rick kept moving, not breaking their stride.

“We’re not that far from Nedlin and everyone has one,” Rick said.

“These communities might only go into the cities once a year. They probably haven’t interacted with anyone that’s got a screen. We should pass as many of them as we can to spread it out,” Len said.

“Agreed,” Rick said. “Give them an edge at least and then they can spread it to their families when they return.”

“Why didn’t Velkaris get a trainline?” Len asked, tearing away a layer of dirt as he shot forwards.

“The Gosmund family ran the city from when it was needed in the unification wars. They didn’t care for the politics that happened in Eskon. They didn’t send representatives to the council. Thought that it was the right thing to do. Other nobles that were pissed at the accolades they had or didn’t want them to grow more worked to cut them off,” Rick said.

“Fucking politics.” Len shook his head.

“Where there are people there is drama, just part of the experience.” Rick pulled out his compass, jumping off of a boulder, up a hill as he checked the surroundings, he planted his foot in the ground as he landed.

“Just off a few degrees.”

Len followed him on the slightly altered direction.

“You go far enough and a degree or two is enough to put you in a different country,” Rick said.

“Or in the damn sea.”

“Salt water,” Rick grimaced. “All scratching and floaty and shit.”

Len sighed and shook his head, that was just so Rick.

***

Velkaris was partially built, partially carved out of a rock formation along the bank of the Myrhal river where it bowed out. Lock ships moved along the banks of the river, some pulled by beasts others operating on their steam engines. Sailing boats were out in the deeper waters, fishing nets out over the side.

There was a weight to the city as it sat in the landscape, a silent and slumbering sentinel. Its walls blackened with moss and time as it watched over the landscape and water.

“Looks newer in a way,” Len said, looking up the switchbacks that led to the city’s gate. He held out a hand, stopping Rick.

“Hmm?”

“They’re not the ‘step’s yet.” Len said.

“Urggh this old world has no style,” Rick muttered as they took the long way, walking up the switchbacks, passing carts going up and down. “Bet there’s a dozen tunnels that are faster.”

Len grunted in agreement as they walked up to the city. They passed through the city’s large gates, old wood stained with age, water and rust.

The city was clean albeit dour, people watching one another with distrust as they moved through the streets. Vendors stood infront of their carts, watching those that came close.

Len and Rick walked through the city.

Feels like home in a way.

“Bought and sold more stuff here than anywhere else,” Rick said.

“And celebrated it. Look that’s what will be the Gold Catcher,” Len pointed at an old decrepit building.

“Good times,” Rick chuckled.

They walked to the market district, the strategiest might rule the whole city, but he did so from his seat of power in the heart of commerce.

“I don’t see the grand auction house,” Len said.

“Nah, mostly fish and food on sale here.” Rick said.

Len looked around and dug his hand into his coin purse, walking over to a beggar on a corner.

“We’re looking for the leader of the stone crooks,” Len dropped some coins into the man’s hands.

“I don’t want nothing to do with that mad man!” The beggar threw back the coins.

Rick took out several silvers and held them up to the man.

He snatched them away as he looked around. The beggar’s voice becoming brusque and business-like. “Head down this street three blocks. Then you’ll see warehouses on the left side. You’ll want to go to the warehouse marked, Lowell’s imports.”

“Lowell’s imports, thank you,” Rick nodded to the man and the duo walked onwards. The beggar cleaned up his spot and departed into an alleyway.

They quickly found the warehouse, it was one of the largest with carts moving through it continuously.

“Business is good,” Rick said.

They moved up to the guard on duty. Rick cast a charm spell. “Where’s the boss?”

“Oh, he’s downstairs resting,” The guard smiled and waved them inside, dropping the tough-guy act.

“Thank you, have a great day,” Rick said.

“You too!”

Len cast divert eyes the spell made them less interesting to people, causing them to look away. It was only people look away from them.

There were people coming and going constantly. A section of the warehouse dipped down to a series of sewer entrances that crossed the city and probably exited it in a few locations. Mining carts were being loaded and unloaded, secondary routes to those above ground.

Len and Rick found a set of stairs leading underground, quiet moans and someone yelling in the distance coming up.

“Why didn’t you use charm on the beggar?” Len asked.

“He had some levels on him, no simple beggar. It would’ve probably worked on him, but it could’ve slid off and we don’t need the beggars knowing that we’re not normal.”

Len grunted, the beggars in Velkaris were the eyes and ears of the various criminal organizations that operated within the city. “Guard seemed friendly enough.”

“The strategist never worked like the other criminal leaders. That was how he was able to control the city. He’d used legal and illegal together seamlessly. His people were always a step above the other toughs.”

Screams and yells rang out in the distance.

Rick slowed his steps and frowned.

“That doesn’t sound too good,” Len said.

“Nope.” Rick kept walking.

There was rusty red lines on the walls and floors.

“Blood,” Len said.

Rick sniffed the air.

“You sure he isn’t some kind of psychopath?” Len asked.

“Not human blood.” Rick picked up his pace. A guard at the end of the tunnel they were in perked up.

“What you doing down here?” The man stepped forward, radiating threat.

“What you say?” Rick held up his hand to his ear, moving closer quickly.

“What do you want?” A guard stopped them at the entrance to another hallway where the screaming and yelling was coming from.

“To talk to your boss,” Len said.

“Someone was being uncooperative so the boss is taking a personal interest into it,” The guard grinned, taking sadistic pleasure in his words.

“Through there right,” Rick pointed down the hallway.

“Stop, please, I have a fa—” The words devolved into screams.

“I wouldn’t!” The guard warned.

Rick bounded down the hallway and slammed through the door. Len was a halfstep behind him.

The man ‘screaming’ and ‘pleading’ nearly jumped off of his chair, spilling tea over himself next to the steak he was cooking on a bunch of coals. “Whatthefuckareyoudoingbackhere?” He wafted out his tea soaked shirt and stepped forward.

“Wow you really sound like your dying out there, nice acting,” Rick walked across the room.

“Who the fuck are you?” The screamer yelled.

“There you are,” Rick pulled on a hidden handle. “Just here to see your boss.”

A door opened in the wall revealing a library and a acholarly looking man blinking rapidly, drawn out from the book he was reading.

“What?” Lucius Valtern, the Strategist asked, raising a shotgun.

“Lucius Valtren, its good to meet you, this here is Len, I’m Rick, we want to make you a very rich man,” Rick grinned.

The bloodthirsty leader of the Stone Crooks put down the book he was reading.

The guard from the end of the hall ran through the broken remains of the door.

“Did you tell him that I was torturing someone back here?” Lucius whined slightly.

“I did, alluded to it and all of that, got the grin down!” The thug from outside was pouting.

“Was top notch acting,” Rick gave him both thumbs up.

“Mister Valtren, we’re here to talk about business, and we’d very much prefer to keep you alive for that. If you could not fire that shotgun, gunpowder is doing some rather weird things right now,” Len said.

“Who are you and how do you know my name?” Valtren asked as he lowered his shotgun.

“I’m Rick Isendia and that’s Len, been a dream of mine to meet you.”

“Isendia, like the mercenaries?”

“One and the same,” Rick said.

“Rick—your grandma tried to make you the leader of the city but you turned her down. Now she is taking back her role. Why would you be here looking to talk to me?”

“Because we got a business opportunity for you,” Rick grinned.

A smile crept onto Len’s face.

Lucius looked between them, his expression pensive. “What kind of opportunity?”

“A never before seen product that will literally power the future,” Rick leaned on a table. “What do you know about mana?”

Lucius raised an eyebrow before his eyes narrowed. “There are many people that have supposedly known about this mana.”

“It spread here after some people from Eskon, Goran or those that had contact with them came here,” Len said.

“That’s well known information at this point,” Lucius said.

“There are spells,” Len made a flame in his hands. “There are skills that are hitting everyone with fucking lightning.”

Rick grunted in agreement, so did the guard and the dude who’d been screaming.

“Have you heard of potions?”

“Drinks that are able to have immediate and incredible results,” Lucius said.

“Right. These are the first wave of magical goods. There will be a flood of magical materials and all the products that they can create,” Len said.

“And we’ve got access to these materials,” Rick said.

“And you want someone to sell them for you. Though why you searched me out is beyond me.”

“Well we’ve got a good nose for these kinds of things,” Rick said.

“And we need someone that doesn’t care as much about the rules, but agrees in contracts,” Len admitted.

“Lets head to my office,” Lucius said.

***

Lucius’ office took up a corner of building that looked over the merchant district. Len watched the men and women he employed. They looked like office workers, using typewriters and noting down information on paper that flowed through the building continuously.

Lucius put down the pages that Len had copied out of the alchemical books in the dungeon.

“And you have a continuous supply of these ingredients?”

“Yes,” Rick said.

“I’m sorry but the two of you look rather young.” Lucius said.

“Looks deceive,” Rick chuckled.

“It won’t be a problem.” Len turned from the window.

“Your family has connections into Eskon, why not sell there? We all know that nobles are willing to skirt some rules to increase their standings or the amount in their coffers,” Lucius said. “They also have better routes to connect to others.”

“You effectively control Velkaris, or you could with the right backing. Velkaris is a fortress city, the kind that could withstand a lot. The land out here isn’t the best suited for growing crops, though you have plenty of water and get a lot of food from the Myrhal. We don’t want to trade with you, we want part of Velkaris,” Len said.

“Part of the city?” Lucius frowned. “The Isendia family runs one of the largest mercenary groups in Plynthia and you’re looking for a city with good defenses. Are you expecting war?”

“No, we’re looking to safeguard things. Give you goods that others desire and can’t get easily. You get us permission through the right people and we can create connections to the main train lines,” Rick said.

“Make people look at Velkaris instead of Goran,” Lucius said.

Rick nodded.

“Okay, that’s easy enough, lots of people need to move goods that they don’t want to be connected to. Though train lines, why?”

“To make it easier for you to sell goods and for us to get them to you,” Rick said.

“That’s a lot of goods then,” Lucius said. “Managing supply and demand is going to be essential to not flood the market and keep high earning potential. I will have to start rumors and interest among merchants. If there are goods that they can make a profit on they’ll come.”

They sat back and watched as Lucius started tapped on his desk in thought. “Traders love nothing more than beating one another, finding the deal that the others missed. We will need an auction.”

Len and Rick looked at one another, smiles spreading across their faces.

“You thought of a name for it?” Rick asked.

“Well simple is best but we need to elevate it some. The Grand Auction house works well.”

“I think I got goosebumps,” Rick said.

Len shook his head.

Lucius overlooked what they were doing, or maybe he never came out of his thinking fuge.

He pursed his lips, selling what you have is interesting, but if you have found goods that are abnormal, others will too. If we do the auction we should allow others to participate in it as well we make a percentage off of selling the items and keeping the sellers anonymous. They can sell anything and everything.”

“We could also buy out materials if they would be useful for us?” Len asked.

“Sure,” Lucius said, but you could tell he was only half listening. If we were able to get the auction house going we could start holding just the highest value items within it. Then we distribute thebuying of other goods around it. Those trains would make it much easier for people to get to and from the city. We would have land and lock travel.”

“Might be a good idea to buy out the market square so that you have the auction house and then you own the others around it and get them to pay you a fee.”

“Oh I already control most of it.” Lucius waved them off. “Now for this contract, what do you want?”

“We can connect you to the main train line, get you magical goods to sell, supply you with food and aid in arms if you so require,” Len said.

“I can give you a preferential rate on items that are auctioned. You’ll earn revenue from the trains that are coming here. We have enough coming in to feed the city. It has increased in price but not majorly so.” Lucius steepled his hands together. “I would like you to come to me first if you have any more new goods.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“That’s quite the ask and get ahead of a lot of people,” Rick said.

“I will need a flow of high-quality goods to keep the auction house going and start ups Velkaris as being the place to buy and sell mana items. If you can do that and find more of them then it would be mutually beneficial. More people would come here looking for your products.” He looked at them with confidence.

“This will be an investment into you and Velkaris. If you want to be our sole seller, why don’t we become partners in this venture?” Len asked. “A stipulation to the contract is that the information we share shouldn’t be passed onto others.”

“A partnership seems quite a bit. I have the connections, the position, you just have some goods. I can reach out to others and it might be harder but I can find them,” Lucius said.

“For that we would want more than just a better rate with the auction house. We want a stake. Sixty percent, trains are not cheap.”

Lucius laughed and leaned backwards. “There is no way I would go for sixty percent.”

“Then we can reach out to the traders that we do know. Goran and the Isendia Mercenaries use a lot of materials. It will be annoying to break things up. Though as you said we have those connections with other nobles, plenty with deep pockets. Also we’ll be buying up all the supplies we can and that will be much cheaper along the train routes,” Len said.

“Now that’s just being mean,” Rick said.

“Fifty percent,” Len said.

“Twenty,” Lucius growled.

“You will rule over Velkaris and the routes through Plynthia. Forty-five.”

“Thirty, I already own the city and I have more routes through the country than you’d understand.”

“I think that I already understand it all, forty tickle your interest? We’ll be using our gold to mostly buy raw materials, iron, steel, wood and food. We’ll need massive amounts, that’s a lever that we could give to you to use against the nobles.”

Lucius paused in thought.

Nobles usually sold resources to one another, the bigger towns and cities turning the resources into goods that spread throughout the country. Those resources were the lifeblood of the country. Nobles were always looking for the best rates to make the most from what they could sell.

“Goran’s population isn’t small, then there are all those fighting units and well we’re going to need steel to make tracks, trains and carts,” Len said.

“I thought that Goran was broke. Your uncle was not a man that thought of the future,” Lucius looked at Rick.

“It’s a good thing that my grandma is in charge instead isn’t it?”

“Harvest numbers are down this year as well. Beast attacks like the ones happening across all farmlands. You need funds Thirty five and I get the rights to trade on your behalf for resources.”

“If you buy some that is more expensive because you’re trying to get into the pocket of a noble then that will need to be s discussion beforehand,” Len said.

“That will take time, a deal might need to be sealed immediately,” Lucius said.

Len pulled out a sound transmission device and put it on his desk. “This will allow you to call us, as if we were right here anywhere in Plynthia.”

Lucius looked at the device, picking it up and turning it over. “Its made from stone.”

“Yeah we’ll make some stronger ones that you can call anyone across the entire world,” Rick said.

Lucius looked at the duo. “Can you get more of these?”

“Yeah they’re plenty easy to make, molds?” Rick asked Len.

“Thirty five percent and you get us the best deal on resources,” Len asked.

Lucius looked at the pages, materials and then the sound transmission device in his hands. “We have a deal.”

“How many do you need?” Len pointed at the sound transmission device. “We could probably make a few hundred a day.”

Lucius’ face went white. “Are you the only one that can make them?”

“We taught some others, though they were following a set pattern. Was a while before they appeared anywhere?” Len looked at Rick as he opened up his messenger bag.

“Yeah I think that we’re good for a long while still,” Rick said.

Len took out a contract, the binding enchantment already on the back and some sections filled out. He wrote in the sections that hadn’t been completed.

“Is there a way to stop people from copying it?” Lucius asked.

“Yeah, most enchanters employ tactics to make sure that others can’t copy their designs. We can add those in for sure,” Len said as he jotted out the contract.

“We’ve got someone working on turning those plants into proper concoctions. Once they’ve figured out how to do it we’ll industrialize the process, stock it up and then the remainder we can sell off through you,” Rick said.

Len finished up the contract, read it and then handed it over to Lucius. He read it over. “This works for me.” He signed the contract and passed it to Len.

He signed it and handed it to Rick.

“Well I never, signing a contract with the Strategist himself,” Rick chuckled as he signed it.

The binding enchantment burned up the paper. A weight settling in Len’s core as he felt the contract settle into his very soul.

“What is that?” Lucius rubbed where his core was.

“That is going to be your new best friend. A contract that all parties have to agree to fully and it can’t be broken until its completed, one of the boons of mana,” Rick said. His smile was just a bit too wide and a bit too eager.

“Real serial killer vibes right now,” Len said, producing a pamphlet and threw it onto the desk. “Now we’ve got that all sorted out. This can be your greatest advertisement and resource.”

Lucius opened the booklet. “A guide to screens?”

“It tells people what the body and mana stat are, how making things will gain you experience. Methods to increase your body stat beyond experience through tempering and up your mana stat with cultivation and how too much can make you go a little fucky,” Len said.

“Technical term,” Rick said.

“Jackass.” Turned his attention back on Lucius. “This will show that you understand what’s going on in the world right now and have more information than others.”

Lucius was partially listening while he drank in the information contained within the few short pages.

“Is this all real?” Lucius asked as he got to the end.

“Yeah, this will give people a base to work from,” Len said.

Lucius held the pamphlet between his fingers, tapping it on the desk, watching them thoughtfully. “How do you know all of this?”

“Trade secret,” Rick winked, tapping the side of his nose.

“You want to get that map out?” Len asked.

“Right,” Rick stood up and went to where his pack and map case were up against the wall.

“What can you tell me of the situation within Plynthia right now?” Len asked.

"The situation within Plynthia. Is there anything specific you'd like to know?”

“The things behind the scenes, what's happening with the nobles, movements with troops, how food shortages are starting to affect people, the beast attacks, everything.” Len said. “None of the covering up fluff.”

“You are more than meets the eye, aren't you, Len?" Lucius asked.

"We both are," Rick said, falling back into his seat while holding his map case. He sat it across his lap, waiting on Lucius.

"The situation is complicated," Lucius said. "The king's poor health has mobilized his two sons to gather support within the nobles, splitting them largely in two. His daughter is nowhere to be found, and the nobles are starting to get antsy. Under the guise of building support against the regular beast incursions, they’re gathering fighting forces.” He looked for a reaction from the two.

“The Isendia Mercenaries have been contracted out to kill beasts all across the nation. They can recognize the signs of camps being built and fighters trained,” Rick said.

“Does the Isendia family have a side in this fight?” Lucius asked.

“No, there are bigger things to worry about,” Rick said.

“Bigger things than all out civil war?” Lucius stopped playing with the pamphlet.

“Much bigger, and we need to be ready for it,” Len said. “You were saying?”

Len saw Lucius filing away and thinking on what he said even as he spoke.

"Debt is at an all-time high among the nobles, and the banks are more than happy to supply it. The merchants are selling weapons. While, the nobles on both sides are hoping for a quick and easy victory.”

A bloody three year war. Len leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“The food shortages have largely been dismissed, as the nobles can still buy and sell without the population starving,” Lucius finished.

Len looked over to Rick. "How much food would you be able to buy?" Len asked.

"Right now, as much as you want. The prices are getting higher and higher as there is a shortage, and the nobles are trying to get more so that they can sell arms.” Lucius said.

Rick, tapped his map case with a finger. "We're going to be outfitting our mercenaries with new gear anyway. What if we were to take the old stuff and barter it for as much food and raw materials as possible?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. “You would have to deal with the nobles or their intermediaries, but many would go for the trade and you could get favorable rates.”

“Velkaris is known to be a criminal city, it would be normal for weapons to be sold out of here." Len said. "It's going to take time to outfit everyone with new gear though.”

"Not as long as it might have," Rick replied.

Better make those smithies open air to skill them up.

Len held his chin, thinking on the scale they were imagining.

They’d need more workers, more smiths, more smelters. Open all of those warehouses in Goran, bring life back into their crafting district. Possibly a few here in Valcaris. We need people, and for people, we need food, and for food, we need farmers.

Len paused his racing thoughts, looking at Lucius.

He took it as a the signal to continue. “Two powder mills exploded over the last week, which now I might think has something to do with this mana you talked about.”

“Things are tense and becoming tenser with the people stuck in the middle of the nobles. How are you for food?” Len asked.

"Here in Velkaris, we are out from under the eyes of the nobles and others. We've been able to amass quite the stockpile of food and have been doing so for years.” Lucius paused weighing whether to continue talking. “Eight years ago, we went through a near famine, which removed the power of the last member of the Gosmund family. They'd sold off the stockpiles of food we had for a little bit more profit so that they could continue partying in Eskon.” There was a cold neutrality to his words.

“People were starving and he ordered the guards to stop people from fishing the waters. He had been away for a long time and their families were the ones trying to fish the waters. Since then, the operation of Velkaris has altered slightly,” Lucius said.

"You took over running the city.” Rick said.

“We keep the last Gosmund in gold and he’s none the wiser as he continues to drink and forget about his family home,” Lucius said.

"You spend enough time around nobles as long as there's gold coming in, parties to attend, and stupidity to enjoy. They don't care how it comes about," Rick said.

"Unless their pride is hurt," Len added. "What of the situation with the beasts and the people?"

"The situation there is much more dire. Farms are collapsing at a rapid rate. Reports on the beast’s abilities and strength have reached the point that nobles and the general population have stopped believing it could possibly be true,” Lucius looked at the two of them. “I sense that you believe these reports.”

“We do,” Rick said.

Tension bled out of Lucius as he looked tired. “I have sent my own trusted people to verify the information. Few of them returned. Those that did, the stories they told.” Lucius raised his eyes to Len and Rick. “I started reaching out to the towns and villages at our borders. A costly exercise. Though villages and towns have been slaughtered by beasts.

“People are focused on the problems with the nobles and don’t believe the reports so they’ve been missed,” Rick said.

“Right,” Lucius said.

“What of the common people?” Len asked.

“I believe a lot of farmers are starting to hide their own supply away from others' eyes so that they might continue through the winter. The people living within the towns and cities are much more vulnerable. They don't create their own food and are reliant upon the farmers and the trade of the nobles and merchants to get their sustenance. The only industries that are truly thriving right now are those of metal and coal. Smiths around the country are creating weapons continuously,” Lucius said.

"Okay, so we're going to sell the weapons for food and metal. With that we can start building trains and rails and support a larger population base. What we're going to need first are farmers.” Len studied the floor, his mind working. “If they haven’t skilled up already we skill them up and based on their skill level we give them different plots of land or plants to grow. The more skilled get the alchemy plants, the less skilled making as much food as possible to support the population.”

“We should reach out to the smiths and workers that are in the outlying villages and towns. They need a location to work from. They’re probably holding on hoping things will get better. If we give them a new option, a safer one with employment they could be very interested,” Rick said.

“They can help build the weapons, armor, rails and trains we need. Bring up people to be enchanters too,” Len said. “Connecting Velkaris to the rest of Plynthia makes it an asset and also puts it at risk when civil war breaks out.”

“Whoever controls Velkaris controls the routes throughout Plynthia,” Lucius said.

“We’re going to need to get that last son of Gosmund under contract and our control. Put measures in place to make sure that there’s no legal fuckery to install someone else as the ruler of the city,” Len said.

“If we want to get those goods to Velkaris we’re going to need a train line, Goran is too far from the lock system. We’d have to train to Eskon and then use the locks down to Velkaris.

"I was hoping that a train line out in the open would be the easiest way," Len mused, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling.

"There is no guarantee that a civil war will break out," Lucious interjected.

"What's the saying? Plan for the worst, hope for the best," Rick chimed in.

It would be so much easier if they could just make tunnels, Len frowned, the thought consuming his attention. “What if we didn't make it out in the open? What if, like Valkaris and its tunnels, we made tunnels of our own?” He turned to Rick.

"You want me to build a track that goes underground from Goran to Valkaris?" Rick's eyebrows shot up in a ‘Really?’ expression.

"Why not?" Len countered. "That way people won't know that Goran and Valkaris are in an alliance. They won't look at Valkaris as a threat or tactical position. The nobles aren't going to be telling everyone that they're buying weapons and armor from Valkaris. And the intermediaries will want to keep it quiet. We use their desire to keep it hidden to our favor.”

“Would a train even work underground?” Lucius asked.

“We won’t be using a normal train. We’ll be using one that’s powered with mana, not just coal,” Len said.

“If you are able to get me the goods I can work through the contacts I have to sell everything and get the resources you need to Goran and here to Velkaris. But it will take but one person with loose lips," Lucius said.

Len pulled out a contract from his messenger bag and holding it aloft with a smile.

Lucius’ face melted into a smile. "My new best friend indeed.”

“With the sound transmission device we will be able to communicate and coordinate throughout Plynthia, creating a network of transporters and traders that can look totally independent from one another,” Rick said.

“We keep up the appearance of Velkaris being a seedy city willing to dabble in mana related items. Sell to the traders and intermediaries of the nobles. Offer them some kind of exclusive ‘edge’. While also using the network of people using the sound transmission devices to buy and sell across the kingdom and gather information.” Lucius blinked, his eyes moving.

“Starting to see just what we could create?” Len asked with a smile.

“There are still many parts to be figured out. It would make us a hidden power. We wouldn’t be able to sell the sound transmission devices to anyone that’s not under contract with us, they will be the backbone of the whole thing.” He held up the pamphlet. “This is a potential powder keg. If we share it to direct people towards us it will make us a target. To the nobles we don’t have much weight behind us. They can come up with any excuse to force us to bend.”

“We need to get that information out there,” Len said. “If we don’t then more people are going to die.”

Lucius studied them for several long seconds. “Do you care if you’re credited as the ones giving the information?”

“No,” Len didn’t hesitate and Rick shook his head.

“That makes me relieved and feel better about the agreement we’ve just made,” Lucius said. “We can duplicate this and spread it throughout the nation and beyond. It will add fuel to the civil war that is developing, both sides, thinking they have the advantage over the other with this new power.”

“Right now the fastest way to get stronger is to increase your skills. There are more skills for civilians than fighters. The strongest are going to be the people that have had to learn how to do a lot to keep going. There are few skills that a noble will inherently learn,” Len said.

“Knowing what fork to use isn’t really a skill, or know the latest fashion and gossip,” Rick threw in.

Lucius looked at the pamphlet. “A powder keg. If you say is true, which I don’t doubt. Then there is going to be a big change in power. If levels become the new basis of power, not who your father was and the history of your family. If things are pushed too far then it might not be a civil war between the nobles.”

“You think that the people would rise up against the nobility?” Len asked.

“The nobles are selling off their food. They are being attacked by beasts that they can’t do anything about. They or their children are going to be conscripting if war comes. Now if the nobles are the weaker group in this problem.” Lucius let them draw their own thoughts.

“Then they’re going to run into one hell of a problem.” Rick said. “The new world we’re heading into what matters is how strong you are. If you aren’t strong then someone else is going to beat you down and do what they want.”

“We still need to put out that information, if we don’t then more people are going to die. It could stop the civil war too. If the people can push back and not get forced into the fighting,” Len looked at the others.

“If Velcharis and Goran support the people and aren’t looking to enter into the fighting and create safe harbor,” Rick said.

“That could mean thousands of people heading to our cities,” Lucius said.

“Think big right?” Len smiled.

Lucius gave him a flat look and sighed, holding up the pamphlet. “There is another way that we might use this. This information is valuable, you’re going to be giving it away for free. That builds trust and recognition. We can’t use that right now, though we can add in a signature, a brand that we can use later.”

“A brand that people trust in.” Len held his chin—thinking. Humanity had fallen, divided and keeping all their secrets to themselves.

We have a lot of information though. “What if we were to create skill books on all the basic skills?” Len asked.

“Teach anyone who wants to learn the basics on any skill. That would give a lot of people options beyond what they start with,” Rick said.

“Sell them for cheap, add in the brand, then when we reveal ourselves we reveal schools that teach those skills,” Len said.

Lucius’ eyes widened. “Oh, that is devious. Then they would trust our schools already and they would come from across the world to learn from the schools, advance their skills and we would benefit from it.”

“We can use some of the crystal in the paper and the books and add in a minor enchantment that if they put mana into the pages that they’ll light up with the brand sigil,” Len said. “We control the crystal and few people are going to understand enchanting till we teach them. That creates a signature that no one else can copy.”

“What’s an institution you can think of that everyone trusts that’s spread across the world?” Rick asked.

“Religions?” Len said.

“Banks?” Lucius said.

“The Adventurer’s Guild.”

Len’s face dropped as his eyes opened, his skin flushing.

“The Adventurer’s guild? I haven’t heard of that before,” Lucius said.

“You—well.” Len suddenly felt too warm.

“Not just for fighters, but for everyone,” Rick said.

“That’s--” Len trailed off. The adventurer’s guild was a pillar of the very world itself. There was one located in every decent sized town. They would buy and sell most materials and they ran one of the largest transportation networks.

They were massive.

“You want to form the Adventurer’s guild?” Len yelled out.

“Someone has to,” Rick grinned.

“That would take a lot,” Len said.

“We start with these books and the information. We get outposts in the different towns. If we’re going to be buying all that food and selling food, then moving onto buying and selling mana related gear, having a location might be a good idea,” Rick said.

Len could see the steps it would take. But building the adventurer’s guild?

“I’m sorry what is an adventurer’s guild?” Lucius asked.

“An Adventurer’s guild is a mix of things. Primarily it is a place where people can issue missions or requests. So we would have boards,” Rick grew excited. “Where you put up ‘hey I want you to get this thing from this dangerous place, or hey I want someone to make me this potion I have these ingredients. Or hey I want a sword with these specifics.”

Len raised an eyebrow—that was new.

“We’re teaching all of these people all these skills we make a place where people can request their expertise. Also people can sell materials and gear to the adventurer’s guild. Those materials we can use with our crafters to make things as needed, or ship them across the world to places that need them.”

“Fighters go out and get materials, bring them back to the guild, sell them to the guild, those working for it can then use those materials to make gear and sell them back to people in the guild or those outside of the guild,” Len said.

“Guild members pay a fee to be in the guild and sign a contract which gets them a discount on gear, food and rooming. In return they have to complete missions, can be requested to go on missions, defend the guild as they can, or the defense of the places they’re in if they get attacked,” Rick said.

“Why would a town be attacked?” Lucius asked.

“Villages are already missing, there will be stronger beasts in greater numbers in the future,” Len said.

“Why is it called an adventurer’s guild then if it is taking requests from everyone?” Lucius asked.

“Request Guild doesn’t sound as cool?” Rick said lamely.

He didn’t think of another name.

“It would create a constant flow of materials to us. We have few crafters right now,” Lucius said.

“We can use the sound transmission devices to send the requests to Goran or Velkaris and the crafters here. See if they want to make it. Then we use the network of traders and transport through Plynthia to reach the location that had the request,” Len said. “To start we don’t tell them that we’re making it. Just say that we have to get it from another location.”

“A grand idea to work towards,” Lucius said.

“If we have the trains, we could connect the different adventurer guild locations? A transportation network across the world,” Rick said.

“It will take us some time to build the underground track between Goran and Velkaris and a specialized train,” Len said.

“And we really should look into where we want it to go.” Rick tapped the map case against his leg and stood up, pulling the top off the case and drawing out a map. Len stood with him as Lucious rose from his chair.

Eskon was to the north west, Goran north and slightly east of Velkaris, while Warwick was closer and further out east. To the far east was the shores of Plynthia that curled around the south to the south west where the stained mountains started curving around what was Plynthia.

The Myrhal River was one of several rivesr that originiated in the north west, passing around Eskon before they carved through Plynthia aiming south east generally.

“What are these?” Lucius pointed to markings.

“Those are dungeons,” Rick said. “Nearest to you is the Starlight gate to the north and the Moonlit sancturary to the north west.”

“Starlight—that could be very useful,” Len said.

“Definitely worth connecting to. Will probably get a city built up around it too,” Rick said.

“Just from the sheer amount of trade through it,” Len nodded.

“What I was thinking was that Warwick is actually in the midst of a couple of dungeons, we’ve got the forgotten library, Crystal, and the whispering grove.”

“What do you mean by dungeons?” Lucius asked.

“Places where we can get resources from,” Len said.

“If we run the trains to the line between Warwick and Heras on the coast. We jump it onto the tracks somewhere there. Also make that a collection point for the materials from the other dungeons,” Rick said.

“We should have Lydia and Adrian check out the dungeons there and secure Prism,” Len said.

“Put that expedition idea to use,” Rick nodded.

“To get to Warwick you’d need to cross the Myrned River,” Lucius pointed out.

“We’ll need to grade down from Velkaris to go under it.” Rick held his chin, clicking his tongue. “The grade would be really steep back up from there to Warwick.” He traced a curving line from Velkaris, over the Myrned and then up alongside the tracks that ran between Goran and Warwick.

“Can just split into the middle. Have trains going from Goran to Velkaris and picking up gear when it departs the main track for the underground version. Just organize carts and other transport to the dungeons around Warwick,” Rick said.

“We’ll have to cut fresh track into the Goran-Eskon line, then send it north, through the Shifting Sands Dungeon, under the Stained mountain range trainline and through the mountains themselves. Then we can arc up and to Harmonia,” Len traced his finger over the map.

“Test out the underground train idea under the shifting sands and the stained mountain range,” Rick said.“We’re going to need a ton of track and a lot of skilled builders.”

“Going to need the trains too,” Len said. "Do you know what happened to the Xinta Ironworks Lucius?"

"Xinta," Lucious frowned, searching his memory, "Ah, the steam engine and train makers?"

"That's right," Len confirmed.

"They refused to be bought out by the nobles or give them a percentage of their earnings. The nobles were angry so they bought foreign trains that weren’t as capable but were also cheaper. The nobles drove out the Xinta trains and then the cheaper train makers that had been trying to cut them off increased their prices for all engines.”

“Force their competitor out of the market,” Len shook his head. “Do you know what happened to their workers and their staff?"

"I haven't looked into it in a while. I believe that the Xinta family itself, the father and daughter, still live in Eskon. Do you want me to look into it further?"

"If you could, that would be appreciated," Len said. “We're going to need someone that can think outside of the box to combine enchantments and magical means of manufacturing and powering a steam engine.”

“What do you think about the proposed routes, do you forsee any issues?” Rick asked.

“Lots of farms between Goran and Warwick. It might be a good idea to quietly purchase up that land. That way you don’t have people not under contract watching the train lines,” Lucius said.

“Farmers, they get all bored and start watching the trains,” Rick sighed and shook his head.

Len smacked his arm. “You were saying?”

“I would put a depot there to store and switch out goods That way you can have one location between all of the cities, hidden, moving goods and supporting the others. If we need to go to ground then we can use it to hold all the excess,” Lucius said. “It would be nice to have a way for goods to be stopped at the Myrned River, though you can use the route through Warwick and down to Nedlin where it perches at the Myrned break.”

“If we’re doing a gradual decline and incline could we put in a station next to the river?” Len asked.

“We’re down there anyway, we can knock a bit more out on either side. Going to be deep there though. Have to go along the river and see just where we have the shallowest section and the right ground to build.” Rick tapped on the map and tilted his head to the side. “It’ll take us some time to figure out the best passage across the river.” He shook his head.

“What?”

“I was thinking that we could run elevators from the tracks up, though we need to find where we’re crossing under the river before we run the tracks else we’re just doubling up on the work. We’re going to need spells and gear to test the soil and ground composition, then the depth of the river.”

“There are records for the depth of the river and there is surveying information on the kind of soil, would that help?” Lucius asked.

“Who would have that information?” Len asked.

“The Myrned and the Myrhal are vital passages through Plynthia. Before there were trains there was just the waterways. The royals and the nobles checked all up and down the rivers to see what they could build where. It won’t be hard to get the information.”

“That would save us a lot of time. Do you have the same information on the Myrhal river?” Rick asked.

“Of course,” Lucius said.

“Once we’ve got the links to Harmonia and between out cities sorted then we’re going to drop another line between Velkaris and the Prism dungeon,” Rick tracked a line through the river, and down to the south west where the dungeon was marked.

“What is there?”

“Materials that we can use to create folded spaces,” Len said.

“What are folded spaces?”

“Think of a cart full of goods, folded up and hidden within a ring and you can take it out or put it in at any time. Removes the need for packs and you can maximize what you’re transporting,” Rick said.

Lucius looked skeptical.

Understandable, the dungeon is a pain to navigate and the materials are temperamental as hell.

"One of the things we're not going to have to worry about if we do an underground train is the topography of the land. Clearing out trees or going through hills and smoothing out terrain is going to be a lot easier," Len said.

Lucius looked at the map. “Velkaris will become the center of Plynthia once more.” He looked at Len and Rick. “Now its up to you to make it happen.”

“We’ll need those reports. How soon do you think you can start selling the mana goods?" Rick asked.

"It would depend on when you can get it to me, really,” Lucius said.

“Lydia is going to the Crystal Dungeon. Once she’s done there, get here and the expedition to bring twenty percent of what she’s collected to Velkaris,” Rick said.

“We should have all the meat, cores, mana stones, and the complete plants we pulled out. The base crystal isn’t that useful for people. We should use that. We can use it to make Journeyman enchanted gear with molds. The crystals that give off light and heat, they’ll sell well,” Len said.

“Can the crystal be cut like gems?” Lucius asked.

“Yeah,” Len said.

Lucius nodded. “We have a few people that specialize in gems within the city. We are a criminal city, there are plenty that are looking to offload valuables and you have to alter them slightly. If we can cut them up and make them look good. Well I can see rings made of light crystal will make quite the statement. Thin inlays of heating crystal will allow many ladies to wear dresses well into winter and keep nobles warm on their hunts.”

“Then the rough cut stuff the people will use to keep themselves warm and light their homes at night,” Rick said.

“Take lanterns and put in a light crystal,” Lucius nodded. “I’m going to have to reach out to some of my contacts. Now back to the process of getting the materials to my city. If this Lydia—your sister if I’m remembering correctly—can get the materials to the Myrned say here,” He tapped a location on the map.

Rick took out a pencil and marked it.

“Then I can have some of my lads there with boats to haul the supplies across the river and then cart them to the city without anyone the wiser.”

“Once they’ve got all the level gains they can from the crystal dungeon we should set them on the other dungeons too. Set up a rotation. Got a lot of people from logistics with the mercenaries. In Goran they’re not going to have as much running around. Put them to work shipping the goods from the dungeons around Warwick to the pick up location until we can get the trainline through?” Len asked.

“They’ll be under contract and know how to deal with issues that might arise,” Rick nodded.

Len took out his sound transmission device, he carved into it, changing the numbers and handed it to Lucius. “This will keep you in contact with those that are heading to the river. I’ll see what we can do about getting a bunch of the devices made and added into the shipment so you can start spreading them throughout your network.”

Lucius accepted the device and put it on his side of the desk. "I'll get reports and maps for the areas we’ve talked about sent over to Goran. I'll send a message to my people in Eskon to find out more about the Xinta family and their old workers and organize for the Xinta’s to meet with you in Goran.”

Len looked between the other men, "I think we have something of a plan now." His smile stretched into a grin.

Rick chuckled and reached out his hand to Lucius, "Good doing business with you."

Lucius took his hand and shook it, "And you too."

Lend traded handshakes with him as well.

It was the biggest deal he’d ever done in this life or his last and with the strategist himself.

There were so many working parts. Not to mention building hundreds of kilometers of train track through mountains, under rivers, and all hidden from everyone else.

There was all the people that would be involved in one way or another, dungeoneers, crafters, logis, traders and merchants.

"Exciting, ain't it?" Rick chuckled.

Len’s smile stretched into a grin as a chuckle escape his lips. “Next we’ll be transporting to nations beyond our borders and drawing in people to trade with just us.”

Lucius pursed his lips and nodded in the way of ‘yeah why not’.

“Thinking big aren’t you,” Rick laughed.

I thought it was crazy, but—is it?