The changes to the blade's notification on his mind, Xavier moved to stand next to Ella for a moment. “You know more about this blade than you are telling me, don’t you? “He glanced over at her face briefly. “We are going to need to talk about it. I need to trust you if we are going to be teammates.”

She hesitated for several minutes before her shoulders slumped and she nodded. “I promise I will tell you more. You are proving trustworthy so far but, well it is a lot of things. Keep the blade for now; I will stay with you as long as you have it. I promise that much at least.

Xavier studied the young woman he had been traveling with and started to call his friend. He felt the distance between them keenly now that he knew she was hiding things from him. He wanted to trust her but that was a two-way street, if she didn’t trust him could he actually trust her? Sighing slightly, he leaned on his wish to be able to trust her. “All right, but you know you can tell me anything, we’re in this together.” He briefly rested a hand on her shoulder before returning to the gathered villagers. “My village is to the southwest of here. I don’t have a lot of supplies yet so it's best if we gather what we can from Bramblegate. I will not force anyone to come along if they don’t want to however, I do ask that if you do you give me time and all your support. You know who I am, beside me is Ella Bree and we have one more back at the village by the name of Aelriva. We’ll do everything we can to help get you settled in as quickly as possible so you can get your lives back”

There were mumblings and sounds of concern from the villagers upon hearing how dire the situation actually seemed to be. However, they had agreed to go with him for safety if nothing else. Together the crowd moved about the corpses of the slavers stripping whatever they could from the bodies and loading it into the wagons. Two of the halfling lads, Finn and Theo, turned out to be brothers and shepherds so with their natural affinity for animals they took the leads of the oxen and started to lead the wagons back to the remains of Bramblegate.

Xavier and Ella went to where they left the cub first and found it still curled up in the undergrowth of the bush sleeping contently. Gathering up the little thing they rejoined the rest of the villagers. The collective spent the rest of the day pouring through the village. While most of that of value had been looted or burned, they were the ones who had lived here and knew where most everything else had been stored or stashed away. The devastation was overwhelming for each of them in their way, having grown up and with many of those now dead or missing. There was a single significant moment to break up the depressing work, it came around midday. In the center of the town square Willa, one of the humans who had been taken in the carts sat. She had recovered a small mandolin from where it had fallen and been kicked under a bed. She was carefully tuning it while the others worked. After a time, she looked up, her face streaked with soot from the fires and the rivulets her own tears had left behind. Xavier paused in dragging the bodies of the invaders to a pile and watched as the young girl’s fingers started to tentatively strum the strings of her instrument.

The song started softly, tentatively, as if she was afraid to disturb the workers around her, or more likely draw attention to her from the slavers once again. However, that didn’t last long as she continued to play, the music haunting and sad but catching the attention of anyone who heard it. People emerged from wrecked houses and shops, still carrying whatever they had found, and started to gather around Willa, fresh tears drawn to their eyes from the music alone, and then Willa opened her mouth, tremulous and full of sadness.

“Oh Bramblegate, oh home so dear,

Now lost to ash and bitter tear.

The fields we tilled, the hearths that glowed,

Are silent now, their warmth bestowed.

The laughter fades, the voices still,

As shadows claim the vale and hill.

Our mothers, fathers, friends we knew,

Now sleep beneath the morning dew.

Yet from the cinders hope may rise,

A flicker caught in tear-stained eyes.

For though the night has wrapped us tight,

A dawn will break, a newborn light.

So, sing with me, though hearts may ache,

For bonds, we forge will never break.

Through grief, we find the strength to stand,

To build anew, a promised land.”

Her words faded softly, and there was a renewed look of determination in her eyes as she stared challengingly at Xavier. He felt both fear at the chance of failing her but also excited to give her and the villagers a chance to rebuild something new and better. He let go of the arm of the corpse he had been dragging and moved over to her. “Rynthavael will be all Bramblegate was and more. I promise.”

As dusk drew closer the villagers carefully laid out the bodies of their friends and loved ones on small pyres. Off well away from those they cared for the corpses of the invaders had been heaped in a large pile and covered with what straw and wood was left over. With reverence, they set the pyres to flame and then tossed a torch into that of their attackers. Willa once again played the melody of the song from earlier but refrained from singing. Night fell and the village burned once more, this time in memoriam instead of destruction.

Xavier leaned in and whispered to Ella, “Is it normal to burn the dead here? I’m used to them being buried.”

She glanced at him part in horror and part in confusion. “I am not certain about these villagers but magic runs wild and a body is just ripe to be animated and come back as some sort of undead. Especially if it was a body from a slaughter like this. Maybe if there was one of faith to consecrate the ground then burying could work but I do not see any of that trapping on these people.”

Xavier stood back up and considered her words. The land was ripe with magic? It kind of made sense given there was a nexus of ley lines beneath his village but for it to be enough to cause havoc like undead without someone to guide it was worrisome. That led his thoughts down different paths, what kind of magics were there? Why had he not seen any, in his admittedly small exposure, casters of any type? It seems every time he got one question answered four more popped up and he realized how little he actually knew about the new world he found himself in.

The villagers loaded the carts with any salvage they could find, the two shepherds and what hunters there were roamed the forest nearby gathering up what animals had fled but not far enough to be lost truly. Winter caches of foodstuffs were unearthed along with hidden pouches and bags of coin and supplies. While not great in its number, the villagers could scrape together enough to make a new, if difficult, start. Xavier smiled as he saw a small collection of particularly valuable to him at least, treasures bundled together in one of the carts, books. He looked over the rest of the loads and smiled slightly seeing tools, cookware, foodstuffs, and some raw materials. There was enough, he thought, to get the village started.

Xavier settled the cub in one of the carts atop a pile of clothing. The cub yawned and stretched the motion catching the attention of Darra, who happened to be one of the surviving hunters. She moved closer and gasped slightly when she caught a better look at the little feline.

“That is a shadowmane cub. Where did you find one of those much less one without its parent? They are unheard of outside of the Kelari mountains.” She moved closer enthralled with the little cub and started cooing to the little thing scratching it behind its ears.

Xavier eyed the wolfkin animari curiously at her reaction to the little cub a smile growing on his face. “When we were coming to Bramblegate we found it and an adult being attacked by a small hunting pack of shardfangs. We were unable to save the adult when we killed all but one of them. The survivor fled and this little one was left behind. We couldn’t just leave it alone, so we brought it along. It really seems to enjoy shardfang meat which I found kind of ironic considering how we found it.”

Laughing softly Darra continued playing with the cub. “You are lucky. I have heard it is difficult but I know some of the Dushkari, the pantherkin animari, train shadowmanes as companions. Do you have the wild bonding skill? It is rare but would enable you to tame this little one eventually.”

Xavier knew he hadn’t learned that skill yet but as Darra told him the possibility he knew he wanted it. Now he just needed to figure out how to get it. “Could you teach me the skill? That sounds amazing and useful.” He spoke excitedly as he shifted to stand next to the wolfkin woman and joined her in scratching the little cub eliciting a loud rumbling purr.

She shook her head sadly. “No, I do not have it myself. Maybe one of the shepherds has some of the subskills to it. They could teach you those and it might trigger for you. Otherwise, you might find a skill book though they are really rare.”

Xavier deflated slightly but his resolve to learn the skill grew. “Alright, we should talk more though. I would like to learn more about hunting also. The more I understand the better I know how you and the other hunters can help the village.”

The small convoy of villagers and carts got moving, torches held aloft in many hands to help light the way and keep animals at bay while they moved. Everyone was anxious to get away from the ruined village and to the potential safety of Xavier’s new one. The decision was made to push through the night and rest for several hours in the early morning. This would put distance between them before bedding down.

As they traveled Xavier moved amongst his new people. He felt a need to learn who they were and what they did before the attack. He found he had quite a diverse collection of skills coming to his settlement and started thinking about how their capabilities could be put to work. Blacksmiths and even a smelter would give them the ability to make and improve tools. He even had a miner to retrieve ore and rocks from the warrens under the village. Hunters, a fisherman, a farmer, the two halfling shepherds, and a gardener would provide food especially as small as the village was for now. He would need to discuss with Braegor how to best utilize them. He also had not just a carpenter but a stonemason as well between the two of them building shelters and shops should be capable. A grin grew on his face as he thought about several of the settlement strategy games he used to play. He felt lucky to have the conglomeration of individuals he had considering he usually was forced to start with much less. The others had skills as well that would support the village in their ways but would require more to be built or gathered, it was a solid foundation he thought.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The choice to move for as long as possible, resting only enough to regain stamina and allow weary minds to recover, ensured that the trip back to Rynthavael only took a couple of days. It was midmorning two days after departing Bramblegate that the clearing marking the edges of the settlement came into view. The hunters that had been leading the way came to a sudden wary stop when they saw several of the golems moving about the area still removing stones and clearing away trees at the edge of the woods. Xavier moved quickly up to reassure them that the constructs were not a threat and actually part of the village. Though they eased up on the semi-drawn bows the hunters and a number of the villagers were still ill at ease but tried to keep faith with their new lord. Xavier led the caravan into the clearing and gazed about at the amount of work that had been accomplished during their brief time away.

Most of the hopelessly ruined buildings had been cleared along with large sections along the tree line. Numerous mounds of stone and logs scattered about the edges ready for use in whatever the young lord saw fit to do with them. While he was surveying the area there was a collective gasp from the villagers as Aelriva mischievously chose that moment to drop her concealment and appeared at Xavier’s right shoulder.

"As ye can see, I’ve been hard at work here, fulfillin’ what ye set me to. I’ve been drainin' the village’s mana daily to keep as many constructs workin’ as I could. I thought ye’d appreciate havin’ the most space cleared for yer return.” She spoke brightly, her form still everchanging drawing even more murmurs from the villagers that were watching her. She turned her gaze back over his shoulder to the gathering. “I see ye’ve done well in recruitin’. I didn’t expect ye’d find so many to join the village. But tell me—where do ye plan to house 'em all? We’ve not near enough homes for the lot. Though, I suppose the warrens hold rooms that could suffice for now. Ye truly ought to finish explorin’ those before venturin’ into the deeps. I’ve felt naught but rodents and pests down there, but there could be an unknown burrow leadin’ to darker depths. Best to be certain."

Xavier sighed at her words, it was on his list of things to do but there always seemed to be more that needed to be done than the time to do it. He really needed a way to keep track of his tasks besides the small quest log he could find in his interface. He smirked, another thing to add to his list of things to accomplish. It did seem to grow exponentially. “Well Aelriva, there is news about that. Bramblegate is no more, these people are the remnants who were not killed or already taken by the slavers. Ella and I rescued them from the last group to depart.” He turned to his new villagers and introduced the sprite to them. Braegor and Aelriva exchanged a look as it was clear the former Alderman and sprite were going to be working hand in hand in the future. “All of you follow me, we are going to find somewhere for you all to rest while we build. It will be temporary until residences can be built, but it will be dry and safe.”

With that, he turned and started to lead the people towards the central hall and the entrance to the warrens. They spent several hours combing through the passages and vacant rooms. Individuals picked out various rooms either as groups or alone and started depositing personal belongings in them. Before long everyone had a place to call their own even if it was more communal feeling than personal.

They had also identified rooms that had clear purpose from before, a small kitchen had been discovered connected to a tiny well and storage room. Frieda Deepstone, the matronly dwarven cook, laid claim to it for now and started instructing several others where to store the recovered supplies key to her craft. Once satisfied she immediately started to work on a large pot of stew in preparation for dinner that night and it wasn’t long before the warrens started to fill with the pleasant aroma of spices and cooked food.

Several small rooms were found with stone shelves cut into the walls that were determined to be storerooms of various types and they were soon filled with what limited tools, weapons, and other sundries the villagers had recovered. Things were cataloged and the lists provided to Braegor so he could bring them to Xavier’s attention.

Towards the evening Xavier met those he was beginning to see as key advisors. They included Braegor, Aelriva, Ella, and a member of each of the other races that made up his village. Rhett Calloway, for the humans and also the sole carpenter of the village. Orrek Deepstone, spoke for the dwarves and happened to be the stonemason to work in conjunction with Rhett. Sylvie Tumblewick was brought forward for the halflings, being the former tavernkeeper she knew everyone in the village and could provide insight as to the social undercurrents that could arise. The tinkerer Lorrin Thistlegear ended up speaking for the gnomes. And the group was rounded out by the soft-spoken Deerkin Elric Stagstride for the animari. Xavier didn’t get much information out of Elric about his skills but the rest of the animari seemed to defer to him so the young lord brought him into the inner circle and determined to learn more about him as he could.

They had chosen a larger chamber near the mosaic that made up the Syr’Vailen. Most of the villagers, having seen the place of elemental powers were unnerved by it and chose to avoid the location, which was fine by Xavier since it gave him an area in its vicinity that was more private and he could relax somewhat there. This room happened to be just far enough away that it didn’t cause unease and was large enough for a decent-sized group to gather. Xavier could see it becoming the council chamber when things needed to be discussed in private as opposed to above in the main hall. They all took up spots sitting on the stone floor, each had a fresh bowl of Frieda’s stew in hand and were taking bites of the savory fare between talking.

“As I am sure you have noticed, the village is rough.” Xavier started, “I am sure that most will not want to stay in the warrens for long so we need to figure out what to build and when. Houses would be a good idea though some sort of more communal residence might be better at first just to get people above ground faster.”

“I agree Lord Xavier, having a more comfortable place to rest would settle any unease before it took root,” started Sylvie before Xavier raised his hand to cut her off.

“Wait, no just call me Xavier. No need to bow and scrape to me.” He protested.

“You are the Lord, however,” Braegor interjected, “If you are to lead the village people, including you, need to accept that.”

Xavier bristled slightly and opened his mouth to speak again before Ella rested a hand on his forearm. “Listen to him. Remember that these lands are yours now. If you don’t want them to bow and kneel fine but they do need to recognize you as who you are.”

"The last Ard'Maelor was much like yerself, Xavier.” Aelriva chimed in. “He cared little for titles and such, yet he understood his duty was to lead. Ye canna lead if yer not respected and shown the deference the role demands. We can do as his council once did—call ye Xavier in private—but don’t fool yerself into thinkin’ ye’ll get that same casualness among the people. Leadership carries its weight, whether ye like it or not."

Xavier sighed realizing this was not a fight he would win, for now at least and continued. “Alright so housing and then what?”

Rhett and Orrik both raised a hand having been holding conference most of the day as they inspected the area to work with above. “Begging your pardon,” Rhett began, “Housing is important however people have a place to sleep now. Orrik and I think it would be better to wait and build a construction hut first. That way we could better plan what to build and where plus get the bonuses of having one, even if it is just a tier one hut.”

That caught Xavier’s attention. He remembered the prompt from the Heart of Creation saying it could improve buildings but he hadn’t realized they actually had different tiers. He slapped himself mentally, of course they did, didn’t many games have that type of structure? Lower tiers were more limited in capabilities and as they improved the settlement would gain access to better perks and abilities.

“Ok yes, but why is that important? Wouldn’t you be able to build that after we have everyone in homes and then the hut could be used to improve them?” Xavier asked of the two craftsmen. “What am I missing? I am still rather new to this leadership position.”

The two men exchanged glances before Orrik spoke up. “Well, ye see m’lord. Between the two of us we can make huts and simple buildings, but we are not truthfully builders. We be more support for that. The buildings we be making be only the lowest tier and crudely crafted at best. If’n ye do nae want them to collapse in the first strong storm we be needin’ tae properly design them. The construction hut be the building tae allow that tae happen.”

Xavier scrubbed at his face but couldn't help but chuckle that the stereotypical brogue that dwarves always had in books and games held here as well. “Ok, but you just said you are not builders. Wouldn’t that just collapse as well?”

Rhett took up the line of dialog, “Well yes eventually, but it would allow us to actually design the tier one buildings. Something that would be average crafted instead of poorly. We would not be able to build better than that without acquiring blueprints and having the builder skill, but even the two of us could build the basics with a construction hut.”

Xavier set his now empty bowl on the floor beside him and scowled slightly. It was so much easier in the games he thought. “Alright so a construction hut, then housing?” The rest of the group assented to that plan. “Then what next?”

The rest of the meeting drew on as they debated what buildings would be most beneficial and then they were either agreed to by the two craftsmen or were shot down as being beyond what they could do. Aelriva was tasked with continuing to clear areas of the forest around the village to start making room for farming and various buildings that would house supplies and tools for gathering professions. They all agreed to build in the direction of the river and incorporate it into their plans so they would have ready access to the waterway.

As the meeting drew to an end Xavier was optimistic in the path forward for now at least. The rudimentary plans were decided, they would have all the basics that had been in Bramblegate plus towers for the hunters and a couple of guardsmen they had to keep watch from. It would take weeks at the very least, but Aelriva assured them that the golems could help with the lifting and moving of the materials to ease the labor.

Xavier hadn’t noticed but throughout the meeting, as he started stepping more into the role of leading the gathering instead of just being a part of it, Ella had quietly watched him from the side. Her smile was soft and slight, but it kept the corners of her mouth slightly upturned. She also had noticed his hand would often rest on the end of her dagger unconsciously stroking it while he thought. She walked beside him now as he moved back towards the Syr’Vailen and the handful of chambers that he had claimed. She had laid out her bedroll in the same room as his, still unwilling to be too far apart from him.

Knowing that there was now a rotation between the hunters and guardsmen above to keep watch, the pair laid down exhausted in their respective bedrolls and bid each other goodnight. The morning would come a lot faster than either wanted and they needed to be ready for it.