Notice: This chapter is going into chronological order of events mode, and not story mode.
The sky was dark, and the stars were shining brilliantly in the night sky. Acacia was currently cooped up in the corner of a room, looking at report sent to him by the sages, in regards to information regarding the clans, and villages.
“Slow, far too slow. In order for their population to grow faster, the basic need of food is still necessary. While their hunting, food gathering, and farming skills have improved, it is merely on a small scale. If I want a high population growth I'll have to find a way to increase the production of food to exceed it.”
With a light sigh he casually ruffled his short black hair, and stretched his pale arms, causing his black robes to wrinkle. His red eyes shone in an eerie glow, despite the lack of light in the room.
“Hmm, in that case I should..........”
Later in the morning hundreds of black light pixies shot forth from the tower in all directions, all of whom wore a strange armband on their greenish red flower dresses. They flew all over carrying paper, and pens. Like and endless high way of flying pixies throughout the night, and into the next day.
After a a week, and a half the actions ceased, and Acacia had a pile of papers on his desk. Each piece of paper had words, and descriptions. Some were followed by drawings, and sketches, filled with a few numerical indicators. Acacia slowly but surely drew out images, using the information, slowly forming a rough map.
The pixies while weak in physical strength, and hardiness, had high intelligence, and learning speed. Things like math, written language, measurements, and drawing were something they had no problem with. Because of these racial features, and their ability to fly, and communicate, they were used for several utility roles.
Scouting, mapping, communication, and mail delivery. If the creatures they were sending a message for did not know how to write, the pixies could do it for them, and since they had communication magic, it was that much more effective.
Lumina personally organized her kind for several different functions.
When Acacia finished the map, he stared with interest at the lakes, and the one especially near the southern villages.
Later that day he personally set out on a journey to inspect the lake. He touched the soil, took out a handful of dirt, and felt it with his fingers. Then he turned around to stare at the vast open grassy plains.
“Hmm fine, let's go with that idea then, I didn't plan on doing it so soon, but I don't want to waste anymore time.”
A week later a message was sent too all ten chieftains to send forth five of their best warriors to the black tower. Upon arrival Acacia gave them a few basic lessons on self defence, proper movements, how not to be caught flat footed. How to correctly use force by combining muscle movements, and went through simple combat theories.
Throughout one month he had them spar with each other, use wooden weapons of various types that he personally carved, and had them face off against many different opponents. Eventually he had them all fight in a non-lethal combat tournament. Throughout those many grems, he picked six of notable skill. The rest were sent home, and asked to help train their fellow militia.
These six under went intense training, by Acacia personally tortur... Teaching them. He taught them simple theories regarding combat. The relations with the environment, weather, time of day, and food.
On one occasion he demonstrated how the force of a hit increases depending on the posture, and set of muscles used in unison. While the physiology of a grems is less flexible then a human, and shorter, they generally have the same muscle structure. Sometimes he would go over basic strategies he learned personally, and those he read from books back in his future lives.
[Even if your opponent is stronger, and smarter than you in every way, you still have a chance to win, why is that?]
One grems put his hand up.
[Because he's poisoned?]
[Hmm, nice try, consider several factors. A strong opponent at his peak that had a high probability of killing you, will lose that probability if several other factors come your way. What are those factors?]
[.....]
[The answer is not simple but, an enemy who is tired, fought too long, did not eat properly, is hampered by the weather, suffering emotionally, or psychologically would weaken them. The answer is not to wait for them when they are like that, but to bring about a situation that produces that result before fighting them. To understand their habits, predict their movements, thought process, and prepare to deal with them, before they even begin.]
The lecture on theories, historical, and 'soon to be historical' scenarios were brought up. The concept of signals, formations, command structure, morale, rallying, and strategies were hammered into them. The advantage of higher ground, suitable terrain, understanding weather forecasts, planning ahead, learning when to run, and logistics were thoroughly analyzed.
Acacia showed examples, diagrams, and sometimes physical demonstrations. He also emphasized weapons types, and uses.
[Steel armour usually meant the sword would ricochet, when not heavily infused by mana, that is prevalent in humans. That's why a war hammer proved more efficient in..........]
The lectures were long, and the training was suffering. The six grems were forced into harsh situations, and exercises.
[Daggers are mostly used as secondary, and sometimes tertiary weapons in close combat. Never rely only on a single weapon, consider long range, medium range, and close range weapons.]
The lessons lasted many months, Acacia written down all the lesson in notebooks for future use.
Near the final months of the lessons, Acacia brought each one of them into his warehouse. He had many exotic materials left by his master, but he could only use some of them specifically to fuse with the grems. Monster fusion magic did not actually exist in this world, it was a theory from the future that never came to realization because the end of times occurred. Therefore the items in the tower were never meant for fusion but for research, and making elixirs out of them.
The devil kin material for the pixie was pure luck. Pixies had high magic affinity, and several characteristics that could be individually improved, therefore several items that related to the pixies existed. Lumina was a pixie queen that lived for a few hundred years, therefor the fusion with several high level ingredients was possible, the same could not be said for the grems.
They were a physical race, with no true hybrid qualities. In order to strengthen them he needed objects that related to them, so the things remaining to give the grems were limited. Acacia presented them with a type of bone, an eye floating in a solution, some elixirs, plants, and a few other things.
[Choose which one you want, and I will use it to make you stronger. The bone will strengthen your body, the eye belong's to a beast that could see very far, this elixir allows for fast healing, and this plant.......]
Eventually when they all chose an item, Acacia began his long term plans.
In the year 1552 of the 6th month, and 10th day, Acacia formally declared war on all the other grem villages, and clans. The invading army was lead by six grand generals, five hundred militia grems, thirty grems sages, and five grems alchemists.
On the 20th day ten villages fell under control of Acacia, the five great clans quickly mustered an army of over five thousand grem militia. The allied villages afraid of the invading threat aided the great clans, producing a coalition force of ten thousand grems.
On the 1st day of the 7th month, a great battle near the great lake erupted. The six generals gained great infamy devastating enemy lines, outflanking the coalition forces, ambushing reinforcements, and quickly crushing defences. Aided by Sage magics, and deadly alchemists concoctions, the coalition's forces had their numbers shaved, and battered.
On the 14th day of the 7th month five hundred black light pixies lead by matriarch Lumina, tore open defensive lines, and forced the collapse of the coalitions defences. The five great generals pushed forward to take village, after village.
Five days later, the heads of their leaders were offered by the grems citizens of the remaining coalition forces, and hereby surrendered.
By order of Acacia, the remaining citizens were to be absorbed by the ten southern villages. In order to accompany the mass influx of the new citizens, Acacia already planned a great migration. Twelve designated areas were long planned to be resettled, two of them were personally led by Acacia to be formed. New sages were trained, and reshuffled across the tribes.
A mass effort of relocation, was lead by most the grems, and black light pixies.
When the 8th month came to an end, twelve newly formed grems tribes were created. The old farms, and hunting grounds were to be managed by small farming workers, and some hunters. The twelve new tribes were ordered to send forth thousands of men to the lakes, and started the construction of the great dams, and irrigation tunnels.
The great project was led by Acacia, the black light pixies, and the sages. The dams were built by stones, and mortars made of mud, and clay. A network of tunnels, and reservoirs were extended to control flood plains, and drinkable water. Eventually a large field meant for large scale farming was undertaken.
The project was finished later in the year 1553 of the imperial calendar, and Acacia became 13 years of age. The crops introduced were a type of rice, wheat, and fruits. All of these seeds were gathered beforehand, by Acacia, and the black light pixies.
Some small villages were left to only farm, some areas left for only hunting. An effort was made to breed, and raise livestock in specific regions, tasked personally by Acacia, and managed by the new tribe chieftains of the region. A newly formed group of black light pixies were tasked by matriarch Lumina to monitor the events, and act as the secret military police to prevent wasted resources.
The six great generals were ordered by Acacia to travel around, and continuously improve themselves. They also held a task to seek an area they would like to settle, and train their armies. When a land was found, Acacia would provide the necessary resources.
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On the 3rd month, a new project lead by Acacia was under way, to clear land, and make dirt roads available to connect all the tribes, villages, and farms. The sages created the wheel cart to transport items, and food. Using a mixture of earth magic, and grems labourers, the dirt roads were completed on the 4th month.
On the 10th day of the 4th month general Gu'har black tooth discovered a small valley surrounded by mountains, there he witnessed massive armoured beasts grazing on the land. He believed these beasts to be an asset, and so he chose this area to train, and breed them. Gu'har was given one thousand militia, an accompanying sage, a squad of black light pixies, and three thousand peasants.
And so the 1st legion was formed, and the stronghold called the Black Gate was built, home to the grey riders.
General Mul'maw settled near one of the lakes, in a shallow forest. There he discovered sturdy yet flexible wood that could be made into short bows, and later cross bows. He believed ranged weapons were the most useful weapon. The 2nd legion was formed later, called the silent eye. The strong hold was dubbed the Silver Tide, because of the shimmering lakes reflecting against the stronghold walls.
Frau'silak liked the idea of mounted beasts from Gu'har, but disliked how slow they were. Later when he wandered the plains he came upon the wild horses running along the plains to the north. The 3rd legions was founded there. Not only were they to be trained, and bred, but the sages recommended them to be used as transportation. As such, the horses were later introduced domestically, and the strong hold Swift Wind was founded.
Legion of the fleet foots, was officially adopted.
Si'shka discovered a strange ore near a mountain, later confirmed by Acacia as iron. Small mining towns were set up near the area, and the ores were slowly extracted using earth magic, and tools. Acacia later set forth thousands of labourers to mine the ore, finally introducing iron to the grems. With the help of the alchemists, sages, and Acacia, iron made weapons, and armour started to spread.
The introduction of swords allowed Si'shka to find his desired weapons, thereby forming the 4th legion silver bane, and the birth of the strong hold, Iron Road.
On the 5th day of the 5th month general Backroc wandered the land, eventually finding himself far north near the ocean, where he fell asleep from he soft winds, and smell of the ocean. When he woke up a long thin branch rolled up to his palms, he gripped it tightly like a spear, and found the feeling nostalgic. He built the stronghold in a place far north to enjoy the wind, and called it Ha'Dilak. in grems tongue, meaning gentle wind.
Forming the long overdue 5th legion called the wind seekers.
The last general wandered far east walking deep into the mountain spines in which one of the remote tribes Acacia created lay, and where stone quarries were set, up, and other stones were being mined. There he realized something strange, and founded a strong hold called Stone Valley. Ironically the last general did no have a name, and what that legions specializes in remained a great mystery to this day, as they are very secretive in that distant strong hold.
Forming the 6th legion, Unknown Silence.
On the 12th day of the 5th month, Acacia created an alchemist's secret academy, lead by high alchemist Grimlok to test various substances, and create chemicals, and mixtures. The work shop was built in secret, and not openly known to most. They aid the great grem generals, and sages with weapon designs, and new materials. The ten great sages remain training in the black tower, but also support the alchemists in the secret academy.
Should the alchemists require more staff, Grimlok is given free reign to recruit anyone he sees fit.
Matriarch Lumina overseas all of her kind, they act as messengers, scout, spies, and aides to chieftains, and great generals. However in the end of the day, she controls all the information, and is aware of all their movements. She claims the entire forest around the black tower, and her outer colonies remain hidden from the public sight, and record.
Rumours have it her outer colonies are filled with trained elites. Those who see her, notice that day by day she grows somehow different, and more mysterious.
Year 1553 of the 6th month.
Acacia, slowly realized the papers stored in the tower were quickly disappearing, and so were the pens. There were currently a few methods of making paper, one was create a woven mat of reeds, and scratch words on it, the other involved dried animal skins. The final one involved wood pulp, bleaching chemicals, a mesh, a chemical to strengthen the paper, and etc.
He ordered the secret academy to create the needed chemicals, and machinery to make the paper, and also the mixtures used in ink. Chieftains from the tribes were ordered to have their hunters to secure bird feathers for quill pens.
Meanwhile over fifty black light pixies were writing something, while Acacia recited the words.
“The goddess of the greater good loves all creation, regardless of race, or gender. She believes that we should all strive for the sake of the future......
When we die she will embrace us, and send us into paradise to live in eternal happiness. She wants us to fight all corruption, and obstacles that in-danger the greater good....”
After many long hours, lores, and rules were written into paper, and Acacia had all them compiled, and binded. In front of a cover, he drew an eye, with a single tear, followed by a pentagram over it. The black light pixies copied the process. Eventually a horse pulled wagon came to collect the books, and were spread to all the sages.
The sages were to push the information of the books unto the populace, and worship the symbol for every class.
Year 1553 of the 6th month, and 15th day.
Acacia ordered a temple to be built near stone valley, due to it's close proximity with the quarries. Six nearby tribes were to send thousands in the construction, overseen by Acacia himself. A large pyramid made of white stone was slowly constructed.
Acacia, and the black light pixies worked to draw a giant magic circle in a several hundred mile radius around the temple. Marked by measurements, and flag markers. To be inspected by Lumina from the sky.
On the 7th month, of the 23rd day it was finally finished. In the middle of the pyramid stairs were made that lead to the very top, where an inner chamber lay. There hundreds of grems were sent to construct the inner chambers.
When it was all finished on the 33rd day, the grems all mysteriously died a week later, the magic circles were all coated with a strange mixture, that made the magic circle permanent. Small temples that looked identical to the giant temple were constructed throughout all the tribes, even the outskirt mining colonies, farms, and ranches were given a symbol to worship.
It was recorded that master Acacia was seen staring at the sky, and smirking in contempt.
Present day.
Acacia walked away from the tower, and slowly began to travel north. These days whenever he sees Lumina he noticed a surge of magical power coming from her, more so than before.
“We'll unlike the grems who grow individually, the pixie's limits are what Lumina's are. So the more powerful Lumina becomes, the higher upper limit her colony has.”
Acacia was carrying a large travelling pack, filled with dried plants, and fruits. From the reports he received strange creatures have shown up in the skies near the swift wind strong hold. The area is called by Acacia as ivory mountain. An isolated mountain surrounded by a dense, and ancient forest, located north near the ocean shores.
The forests were far more ancient then the ones growing around the black tower, they look as tall as mountains, an created a permanent shadow in the depths of the forest. Everything was wild, and lacked traces of modern civilization. However this was to be expected.
The Vajra lands were a vast expanse of wilderness situated between the ocean to the north, and a great wasteland to the south occupied by the green skin hordes. To the east a spine of rocky mountains lay forming an impenetrable pass, and the only hint of a connecting civilization was to the far west, where the decayed lands extend far, finally meeting the empire borders.
There the lich king, and his undead army wage war with a great empire of men. The black death that came from the west was most likely the human tribes at the border being wiped out, and used as fodder for the lich king's undead army.
If Acacia traveled west, he expected swaths of empty tribal villages left by the humans in the Vajra land borders.
A cold breeze gently blew from the depths, as Acacia slowly walked into the darkness. The forest had birds chirping, and guttural yelping of strange creatures, darting in, and out of the shadows. His left hand casually gripped his staff, as he used it as a walking cane.
An acrid smell slowly wafted from a small clearing inside the forest, as Acacia slowly wandered forward. What slowly became visible was the giant skeletal remains of some long, and bulky corpse lay. It's innards were leaking out, the dull sheen of it's white bones still glistened with traces of red, and flies were buzzing around.
The creature looked about ten feet long, it was shaped like a snake, but had thick hardened scales resembling a giant lizard, with two clawed frontal limbs. The carcass had several slashes across it's body, and something like a burnt scar near it's neck.
Around the carcass Acacia noticed a few brown feathers swaying gently along the cool wind, blowing through the forest.
A shadow raced, a powerful screech sounded, blood danced in the air, and a single body fell to the ground.
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Notes:Yea this chapter was mostly a list of events, but imagine the pain of actually detailing each one into a chapter, on how to dig land, and make roads.