The home was cold and silent as little Jimmy woke up. His Mom had been crying half the night and his dad was quiet and angry as he stayed in the other room. His Mom was lying next to him and they were covered with every patch of fabric they owned; she hugged him tightly. Her breath left a cold trail in the air and the little boy looked at the sad remains in the fireplace from the last wooden chair they burned yesterday. For a three-year-old, he was quite intelligent so he understood that whatever was happening outside was bad. Jimmy looked at his small hands because they were funny. He couldn't understand why he couldn't play with his sister if she was getting better. At least she wasn't coughing anymore. His fingers were itching but he couldn't even scratch them because they hurt if he touched them. He finally started crying when he ran out of distractions.
"Gods..." His mother woke up and looked at him. "I'm so sorry, my boy... I'm so sorry..."
"Mama!" He cried as he showed her his hands with most of the fingers strangely black but she just cuddled him and started crying.
They both stopped when something heavy stomped on the roof.
"For Eriar's sake! That fucking ice!" Someone yelled angrily.
"Stop complaining and crack open the roof, Private. That house is done for anyway." Another voice said, calmly, without any anger.
"And move your fucking ass! I think we can save all four of them!" The woman's voice added, full of anger.
"Oh shit! You should have told me quicker!" The first voice lost all its complaints and something pierced through the roof. "Found two of them! Frostbite, malnourishment, and- oh, fuck, Cindy! Watch out, will you!?"
Something dropped from the roof near the man who was looking at Jimmy and his mom. It pushed him so hard that he almost fell over as it ran into the adjacent room. Jimmy thought he saw a big fluffy tail on that person or creature.
"Who are you, people?" His mother weakly asked as she tried to hide Jimmy behind her. "Why are you here?"
"Arcadian Marines, First Fleet shock troops, HMS Warrior, Ma'am!" The man knelt and dropped his huge backpack between them. "Please don't be scared, we are here to help you."
"Arcadia? I don't understand..." Jimmy's mother stuttered, however, Jimmy realised that he wasn't cold anymore.
"We are here by the request of Queen Theresa Iceleon, the new ruler of your country. Please, Ma'am, stay calm and don't move, our medic will be here in a moment..." A small-framed Wolfkin woman emerged from the room with a tired expression. "Cindy?"
"I managed to save the man, the girl... I just don't know, Gus. She’s fifty-fifty. I'm nearly spent..."
"For the fuck's sake! We have a lot of people to dig out and you are already spent? Unbelievable..." The man called Gus raised his hands above his head and dropped them powerlessly. "Chug a potion and get back to work. Take a look at these two and I'm going to extract those you stabilised."
The man took something out of his bag while still grumbling under his breath as he walked away. In the meantime, the girl who was leaning on a long, white cane with a silver snake curled on top, drank something and looked at them. She stayed bent over her cane for a bit longer then she simply pointed it toward them.
"Full Restoration!" The woman declared and Jimmy started feeling much better. His hands weren’t hurting anymore and their blackness faded away.
"Is it true, Lady Cindy? Is my Marietta really alive? And my husband, Tur?" Jimmy's mother lifted him with one hand and looked pleadingly at the room's door.
"Jarred! Leto! Mike! Move your asses here!" The big man who entered their home through the roof bellowed at the hole in the roof and the three more soldiers jumped inside.
"I'm not a noble, Ma'am." The Wolfkin woman waved her hand dismissively. "And yes, they are fine for now but we must take them to the airship's infirmary because I only managed to buy them a little more time."
The four men stood under the hole in the ceiling carrying stretchers with Marietta and Tur. They attached them to the ropes and they were lifted away with the three soldiers who came last. The big man approached them and picked up his bag. "We must go, Cindy. Tell the Sarge that this home is clear."
"What about those two?" The woman asked as she pointed at Jimmy and his mother.
"Well, she can carry the kid..." He kneeled and scooped a thin woman in his arms. "...and I will take her. Flawless plan."
"Sir, you shouldn't..." His mother tried to object but the Human just laughed.
"We will be fine." He said as they started quickly ascending.
Jimmy was blinded by the bright white light. However, as his eyes adjusted, he looked around.
"Where is the village, Mom?"
"Oh, Gods..." The woman whimpered and hugged Jimmy even tighter.
"Nope, they have no idea what caused this disaster." The Human shook his head. "But as you can see, your village was buried under the snow."
"What do you mean the Gods have no idea what happened here?" She stuttered upon trying to repeat such blasphemy.
He snorted upon hearing her concern and with a violent pull he spun them around in the air. Another tall man was standing in the air without any rope as if he were flying without wings. His arms were extended and, only now, Jimmy and his mother saw that he protected the entire village from the falling snow. It was like he pushed the clouds and falling snow away, letting in just a little bit of sun to warm everything. "Goddess-Empress Hestia called a few more Gods to help. Behold as you watch the God of the Winds at work. Divine Zephyr has personally descended in hope to save as many people as possible."
They were left speechless observing the unmoving figure in the skies that defied the weather. His Mom offered a quick prayer and looked at the Human who carried them.
"From your village, we saved only a few dozen people. As soon as I put you on board the assault craft, I'm going back." He said with a guilt in his gaze.
"Thank you, mister..." She hesitated. "But why?"
"Well... The answer to that particular question is complicated." He laughed and Jimmy wondered what was so funny. "I wanted to help you because I could."
They reached a strange, fairly small airship. Its hull was dark grey, almost black, and strong arms pulled them away.
"Maybe we will bump into each other later." The man smiled at them. "My friends here will give you some food. Follow them inside to warm yourself and rest. I will return and dig out more people."
"Wait! What is your name, sir?" She asked him as they were led away.
"Private, First Class, Gustav, Arcadian Marines, Ma'am!" He saluted them and dove away from the ship as his rope started rapidly unwinding.
•••
Captain Mark Ulman walked down the halls of his frigate and wondered about the extent of their fortune. The random hand of fate reincarnated a Hero, their Emperor, in the former Cridia and he took matters into his own hands. He wasn't like most of the Heroes of the past, a shining beacon of all virtues who came and went, rarely solving anything and, more often than not, contributing to the people’s problems. The Heroes from the stories Mark heard as a kid were brave and dashing but most believed they could change the world by talking or killing a bandit or two. When he was a child, their heroic deeds gave him hope and dreams of a time when those heroes still roamed the lands of Nilmerthis. As he grew older, the fairy tales occupied his mind less and less. As classless, Mark was bound to misery and poverty. No hero could change his birth status but then he was found by the agents of the Emperor. He was offered a chance and here he was now: a Captain in the Royal Navy. Lord Theon Avalon detested the heroes of old and Mark fully understood him.
Where the old Heroes talked too much and endangered others with little accountability, Theon Avalon would not shy from sending his assassins or soldiers. The Emperor led through the use of laws and his edicts. He spoke by cold steel and the road he paved was stained with the blood of anyone who defied his will. The Heroes were lenient and forgiving; soft. Lord Theon was stern and unrelenting. Frankly, he was the kind of hero Nilmerthis desperately needed. While others tried to match and abide by the laws of the lands they moved through, he weeded out unfairness and even brought Gods to their knees. His strength and shear force of will set everyone under his rule free and killed nobles and royals who defied him. He raised mighty armies and his knowledge and wisdom allowed the people like Lords Ian and Ragnar to build mighty weapons of war. So now, looking at all those people, Mark couldn't help but wonder: what if...?
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The answer in his current circumstances was easy. Even in the case of a similar disaster in their home, they were protected by the combined might of their Lord and all Gods who allied themselves with Arcadia. The Dungeon Cities of Arcadia would easily shelter the entire population of the Empire and protect them from the harsh elements. He looked at those they saved who occupied all the available space of the ship and wondered ‘what were they thinking’. Whole families were sitting together while those who lost their relatives mourned. The Marines and off-duty sailors were helping those who needed extra assistance while they pushed carts with food and served anyone hungry.
"Excuse me, my Lord..." An older man respectfully bowed to him. "I recognise the insignia on your uniform. Are you the Captain of this ship?"
"Yes. Captain Mark Ulman of the Royal Navy of Arcadia." He nodded and noted the old man was alone. The Emperor ordered commanding officers to not correct everyone about their noble status or, rather, a lack of it. "Is there anything I could do to help?"
"You have already helped us so much, Sir, but..." The man hesitated and lowered his gaze to the steel floor. "But I believe that you would want to know about a lumberjack camp about three kilometres north in the surrounding woods..."
"Where?" His eyes narrowed as he instantly summoned a huge map of the area and slapped it on the wall. He handed a pencil to the man and looked at him expectantly. "Where is it?!"
"Right here, my Lord!" The old man marked a spot in the wood with a shaking hand. "My son is one of the lumberjacks..."
"They should be fine, albeit cut off by the drifts of snow." Mark rolled the map and handed it to a nearby Marine with an order to instantly take it to the planning room. "However, we are close and should, at least, check on them. Do you have any idea how many people are there?"
"At least fifty lumberjacks and probably some of their families." The man brightened as he spoke.
"All right..." The Captain took out an intricately detailed pocket watch and checked the time. "My troops should be done scouring the city for any survivors in the next half an hour. After we ensure no one is left behind, we will head straight towards the camp."
"Thank you!" The man dropped to his knees with tears in his eyes.
"Thank your Queen, Theresa Iceleon, for overthrowing the corrupted nobles and forging an alliance with Arcadia." He said as he helped him stand up.
•••
"Gods... We lost so many people..." Theresa covered her face with her hands as the dire news was reported back.
"The weather is worsening at an alarming speed." Empress Lavender slowly nodded and took a sip of herbal tea. "I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!"
"With all due respect, Lady Lavender, but you look younger than me..." Theresa blurted out and covered her lips. "I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be. Thank you, Dearie..." Lavender giggled and snapped her fingers. "I'm much older than you can imagine."
The disguise illusion started dissolving like a fog. Her honey-haired Elven features faded away and Theresa, bewildered, looked at a Dryad. The honey-gold hair shifted to the red and brown of autumn leaves and her green eyes looked at Theresa with the soft wisdom of the ages.
"You are a Dryad!" Theresa couldn't believe her eyes.
"Yes, I am. I'm Lavender va'Theon, the sixth Empress of Arcadia, the Queen of Nature, and the Guardian of Yggdrasil." The Dryad nodded. "Anyway, I'm not telling you how old I am and you can believe me that this weather is tragic."
"Ummm..." Theresa suddenly felt very embarrassed. "A Goddess, a Dryad..." She mumbled mostly to herself. "Just what kind of man Theon Avalon is?"
"One of a kind." Lavender giggled. "Speak of the devil."
Theon entered the room and slowly approached the table. He looked tired but that was just superficial; his voice was full of energy and he seemed focused.
"The situation is far worse than we initially estimated. The First Fleet is moving independently across Iceleon and they are trying to save as many people as possible. The death toll of this disaster is going to be considerable. The good news is that of those people we rescue, we will have enough power and knowledge to nurse them back to full health. The bad news is we have just three or four more days. After that, I doubt we will find anyone alive."
"Gods..." Theresa was terrified by Theon's words. "Then what? How long can we stay in the Dungeon before it demands sacrifices?"
"Indefinitely. The Dungeon won't try to actively kill anyone but, if someone overestimates their capabilities and gets themselves killed, it's on them." The Emperor shrugged.
"How can you be this sure? I know that you are powerful and your armies are vast but the Dungeons are beyond any rules and powers." Theresa bit her lip. She was worried about her people and hoped that the Emperor would understand her.
"Well... It's not the first Dungeon that has sworn its allegiance to me." The Emperor smiled. "There is one title I skip most of the time when I introduce myself. I'm a Dungeon Core, Theresa. I am Avalon in the most literal sense. I am the Righteous Dungeon."
She looked at him in silence and tried to understand the joke. However, he didn’t look like he was joking.
"You are a Dungeon?" She asked through her suddenly dry lips and throat.
"Yeah. But don't get so excited about it. They are just another race of Nilmerthis." He shrugged. "My patron, Eriar chose their race for me to bring his order to protect the world. All Dungeons under my control follow the rules of Arcadia."
"Well it's a lot to take in..." She sighed and looked around. "But in that case, what do you get from helping so many people?"
"Mana."
"That's it?" Theresa gave him an incredulous stare.
"Well, it's, in fact, a lot of mana, so I wouldn't downplay it..." He smiled widely.
"I don't understand... You saved us all, and all you gained was mana?"
"We, the Dungeons, are probably the only beings in Nilmerthis who don't generate mana on our own. However, everything we build, spawn, and even the fact of our existence cost us mana. For you, gold, gemstones, mithril, orichalcum, and adamantium are extremely precious. Especially the first two. For us, they are nothing but resources to use, mostly, as a lure to bring in people so we gain mana. Everything you do while you are in a Dungeon gives us mana. Exploring, gathering, fighting, and even surviving long enough gives Dungeons the mana we need. And now we are at the moment which terrifies you the most: murderous dungeons." Theon Avalon detailed as if he were describing a work of art to her and she sat speechless in disbelief. "Killing people gives the most mana. It's seemingly the most profitable action that a Dungeon can do. This is extremely stupid and short-sighted on their part."
"I'm afraid I do not follow..."
"It's damn easy." He huffed with a tired voice. "If I kill someone, I gain no less than one hundred thousand mana. My monthly upkeep was, when I was only just Avalon, one million mana. To gain the same amount of mana, ten people had to work for an entire week, fighting my monsters, and gathering a lot of resources. Just a week. A person's lifespan is much longer than just a few weeks. So I offered a deal to my people."
"A deal?" She carefully asked, utterly lost in his logic.
"I would be their ruler and protector. I would shield them from the evil and cruelty of this world. I would give them the safest place to live and easy laws to follow. In return, I only ask for their time and loyalty." He said with a smile. "Each day millions of people wake up to start their day and work as miners, lumberjacks, gatherers, soldiers, adventurers, or one of hundreds of other crafts. Unlike Iceleon, Arcadia has no natural mine but we have Dungeons. Everything my people need can be found inside them. Resources, food, and money just waiting to be taken."
"So they give you mana by spending their time in Dungeons." She slowly nodded as the understanding dawned upon her. "What about the protection you promised?"
"You have seen the Immortal Legions of Arcadia and my Praetorians. They know no fear of death. They are my immortal servants but, normally, you would call them monsters. They are the first line of defence of Arcadia. They are the tip of my spear and the doom of my enemies." He said it in such a careless tone that it seemed absurd but, as he tipped his head at the nearby Praetorian, she yelped in fear.
The soldier took off his helmet and dropped the veil of illusion that disguised him as a Human. The bone-white skull wrapped in blue flames gaped at her. Two, even brighter, azure-blue furnaces lit ablaze in the eye sockets. A Death Lord Champion was standing just a few steps away from her. A monster so powerful that it was believed to be a calamity itself and, yet, she wasn't afraid. She looked at a dozen Praetorians standing along the wall of the room and she noticed the faint blue light in the visors of their helmets.
"They can't be killed." The Emperor picked up a cup of tea and put a spoonful of sugar. His voice was amused as he swirled the dark liquid. "Of course, one can fight them and even temporarily stop them. But in the long run, they will always return. They are the ultimate warriors in the war of attrition that we have mastered. They will endure any siege, any battle, and any adversity that would break a Mortal. For them, death is nothing more than a statistic and every single one of them keeps track of their kill-to-death ratio, thinking that I don't know. For them war is just a game."
"That's terrifying..." Theresa said through her parched lips and, though stunned, accepted tea from the Emperor who finished mixing the sugar. "And you are telling me that I accepted an alliance with you?"
"That's correct." He nodded with a grin.
"I don't know if this is a blessing or devil's deal, but I want to believe you, Lord Avalon..."
"So don't believe me." He shrugged with a smirk but wasn't offended in the slightest. "Let my actions speak louder than words."
He stood up and moved to the window while she hesitated for a moment. When she approached, she was just in time to see a stream of people disembarking HMS Warrior. Above the lake, three more destroyers were slowly descending in an orderly fashion. Her eyes went wide as she realised that each one of them was full of her people.
"Thank you..." She managed to say.
"You are supposed to find who your true friends are when you are at the time of your greatest need." He smiled. "The First Fleet has been tirelessly rescuing your people since the night the three of us talked. There are far fewer survivors than we initially estimated because the nobility shamelessly stole any meagre supplies."
"I want to punish them... I want them to suffer before they die." She said quietly. "But just killing them..."
"About that..." Theon scratched the back of his head. "You know, I used a lot of mana to build this resort so, I think, your unruly nobles can fund it. I have an idea..."