370 days until the Arkon Shield falls

This is troubling news, archmage. I don’t like surprises, and the humans are entirely too full of them for my liking. Step up your efforts and make sure that village is ours before the Arkon Shield falls.

Prepare the thralls as well. You have my permission to deploy them if you must.

—Supreme Mystic Lionel Biaxal.

Hours later, freshly bathed, dressed, and rested, I was seated in the tavern, sharing a table with Sanctuary’s leaders and Sierra’s representatives.

The table, like the rest of the tavern, was spotless. The freed villagers had been hard at work, and few signs remained of the battle that had raged here last night.

“The orcs have been defeated, but they will be back,” Tara said, uttering the words on everyone’s minds.

“Eventually,” Arneson agreed. His gaze flickered from Tara to me. “I owe you an apology, Jamie,” he said, staring unflinchingly into my eyes. “I was wrong to doubt. I’m sorry.”

Arneson’s tone was sincere, and I thought his words heartfelt. Inclining my head, I accepted the rebel leader’s apology, though I was not yet ready to extend him an arm in friendship. The rebel leader was too hot-tempered for my liking. But for better or worse, he was Sanctuary’s leader, and we’d have to work with him, so I kept my reservations to myself.

“We’ve time now,” Thursten said into the small silence that had formed. “And the shaman to help us to prepare.”

After the battle’s conclusion, the two rebel leaders had issued Jhaven with an ultimatum: agree to the year of service I’d proposed initially, or die. This time, the orc had not rejected their offer.

“There is a lot we don’t know about the Orcish Federation yet,” Tara mused. “Their numbers, internal politics, leaders, force disposition, strongholds, and so on. The shaman can help us learn all that.”

I was in wholehearted agreement. If we were going to take the fight to the orcs, the knowledge would be invaluable. “Don’t forget Jhaven is a Veteran earth mage too.” I glanced at Lance. “He can teach you.”

“I will learn what I can from him,” the blond mage promised.

“The commander wants to send someone from Sierra to question the orc too,” Petrov said. His gaze slid over the rebel leaders. “If there are no objections.”

“Of course not,” Thursten said. “Please send whomever you like.”

“There is something else we must discuss,” Tara said. Pressing her hands together, she hesitated before going on. “As Petrov has just implied, we’ve been in communication with the old lady. We’ve discussed the matter of Sanctuary at length with her, and she has agreed: we will not hold you to your allegiance.”

Arneson opened his mouth, but Tara held up a hand, stopping him before he could speak. “Please let me finish. The orcs, for one reason or the other—” her gaze darted my way—“will focus their rage on Sierra. Their defeat here will not go unanswered. Even with our territories protected from direct invasion, do not doubt the orcs will find a way to threaten us still.” She held Arneson and Thursten’s gazes. “You do not need to be part of this fight, not if you do not wish it.”

Thursten studied her gravely. “You are advising us to leave the Forerunner faction?”

Tara shook her head. “Not at all. We can use every fighter who will join our cause.” She leaned forward across the table. “You made the decision to ally with Sierra in haste, with the lives of your people at stake, but I urge you to consider the matter again and more carefully the second time around. If neither you nor your people are to regret it later, you must fully understand the consequence of what you do. You will lose many more of your people before this fight is done, and perhaps even your entire settlement. Understand the risk you will be taking.”

Tara had not broached this subject with me beforehand, but I found myself agreeing with the tack she and Jolin had chosen. If Sanctuary joined their cause to ours, they needed to do so willingly and with their eyes open. There would be no turning back once the orcs knew of the extent of the village’s involvement.

Arneson and Thursten did not respond immediately. For a long time, the two gazed at each other, exchanging silent messages between themselves before Thursten turned back to Tara.

“Thank you, captain,” he said formally. “I have fought in many wars in my life.” A bleak smile flickered across his face. “If there is one thing we humans do well, it’s war. At heart, every way I’ve fought has had one thing in common. Greed—human lust for power and money.” His gaze swept the table. “This war will be different. This is a battle for survival, and I am honored to pledge myself to it.” He bowed his head in Tara’s direction. “We have not changed our minds, captain. Sanctuary shall remain pledged to Sierra if your commander will still have us.”

Tara rose to her feet and stepped up to the village leaders. “Of course, she will, and gladly.” She held out her hands for Arneson and Thursten to clasp.

The pair stood up and locked hands with her. “To our survival,” Thursten said, holding up his glass.

“And the orcs’ defeat,” Arneson added.

“For humanity,” Tara agreed.

The rest of the table rose, echoing the trios’ sentiment, and soon a chant spread throughout the tavern.

I smiled. Unexpectedly, and in a manner I had least foreseen, we were growing. Sierra, which had started as an out-of-the-way outpost struggling to survive in a new world, was growing into a center of human resistance.

I leaned back in my chair and sipped on the cup of ale in front of me.

A kingdom, I mused. That is what we’re becoming.

A new kingdom in a new world.

✽✽✽

The celebrations went on throughout the day and continued into the night.

Begging off yet another round of drinks, I went upstairs. I’d been given Gorkin’s room of all things. Despite how much I’d protested, Thursten had refused to hear differently.

Sitting down on the bed, I considered the future—my future in particular.

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My time in Sanctuary was not yet done. I had my own questions to pose to Jhaven. There was much I was eager to discover about the Orcish Federation, and many of my future plans would depend on what I learned from the shaman.

Then, too, there were the Trials messages at the end of the battle to ponder. Recalling them from my core, I perused them again.

You have gained in experience and are now a level 75 Trainee.

Ash has gained in experience and is now a level 30 lesser elemental. Ash’s Attributes have increased, and her channeling, spellpower, constitution, and vigor have reached rank 2.

You have orchestrated the deaths of a significant number of orcish players. Your Orcsbane Feat has advanced to rank 4, evolving two of its Techniques.

Orc hunter: You are aware of any orc that gets within eighteen feet of yourself.

Burning brightly: Reveals your presence to any orc that approaches within five feet.

I had advanced three levels from the battle and Ash, a whopping twenty. Her extravagant gains, I knew, were a result of her low starting level at the beginning of the encounter. Still, I was pleased for my familiar.

My own gains left me with something of a dilemma. I was not far off from attaining Seasoned rank, which begged the question: did I try achieving the next rank before I made my way into one of the cities?

The realization I’d come to about the messaging system made clear that I could no longer assume my location was unknown to the orcs. If Orgtul knew where I was, there was little reason for me not to venture into a city. In fact, knowing I might already be compromised made visiting a city all the more imperative.

The cities had many of the tools I needed to speed my growth: equipment, trainers, scrolls, and spellbooks. Leaving the Forerunners’ territory would also give the orcs less reason to focus on the faction.

On the other hand, there was no denying the cities contained danger of their own, and in them, I would have less opportunity for advancing than in the Dominion’s hinterlands. Which made achieving Seasoned rank before entering a city also necessary.

“A real quandary,” I muttered.

There were the changes to my Orcsbane Feat to consider too. That the Feat had evolved was not surprising. How it had done so, though, was interesting—the range of orc hunter had doubled, while that of burning brightly had halved. In future, I would be able to detect nearby orcs before they sensed me. This had obvious advantages.

What benefits will the Feat’s next rank bring?

Wondering that almost made me contemplate focusing all my efforts on slaying orcs. I was sure there was no shortage of them nearby, and with Jhaven supplying me information, finding them might even be easy.

I yawned. Whatever path I decided on following in the coming weeks, I wasn’t going to figure it out tonight, and tomorrow would be another busy day.

Between visiting the dragon temple, scouring the burned-out remains in the fort, questioning Jhaven, and investigating some of the nearby notable locations I’d learned about from the villagers, the coming day was shaping up to be as busy as the one that had just passed. Time to sleep. Lying back on the bed, I closed my eyes.

A knock sounded at the door.

I sat up. “Come in,” I called.

The door slid open, and Tara stepped in, a small smile on her face. “I thought I might find you hiding in here.” She studied me keenly. “Why aren’t you downstairs with everyone else?”

I smiled wanly. “The others deserve their celebrations, but I can’t stop worrying about what comes next.”

Tara stepped away from the door and sat down on the bed next to me. “You’re concerned about Orgtul. Is that it?”

“Partly,” I admitted. Central to all my questions about the future was how to best equip myself and humanity to face the raw might of the orcs when inevitably that day came. “The orc high shaman is determined to lay hands on me, and I’m worried about my friends from Earth. I’m not sure for how much longer they will be safe. Or Sierra, for that matter.” I paused. “What we’ve done here will only make things worse. Once Orgtul learns of it, I’m certain he will increase his efforts to get at me.” I blew out a troubled breath. “I guess I’m wondering if I’m doing the right thing or if I’m going about this the right way.”

Tara cocked her head to the side and looked at me questioningly.

“By pitting myself directly against the orcs, I mean,” I said. “It seems the farther down this road I go, the more I will endanger the people I care about.”

Tara did not laugh, nor did she say, ‘I told you so.’ “It is not only you who has chosen this path,” she said solemnly. “The commander believes in your cause, and she is the smartest woman I know.” She cocked an eyebrow at me. “Or are you saying she’s wrong?”

I laughed. “No, I’m not, but I find myself doubting.” I bowed my head in my hands and rubbed my face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Maybe I’m just tired.”

Tara smiled. “Or perhaps you’re changing.” She fell silent, and for a moment, we sat in companionable silence. “I was wrong, you know,” she said.

I glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“That day in the tent when we parted ways weeks ago, I was wrong.” She held my gaze. “You’re rash at times,” she said, “and heedless of your own safety.” She laid her hand on my own. “But I’ve come to realize you care, perhaps too much and too deeply, and this is what drives you as much as revenge does.”

I lowered my eyes, not meeting her gaze.

“I was too hasty in my judgment,” Tara said. She fell silent for a moment. “You’re not the only one who has changed. I’ve grown too. The wilds of Overworld have taught me that nothing is safe. No matter how much of a fortress we make Sierra, we will always be endangered by the rest of Overworld. I understand now what you were trying to tell me then.”

I looked up at her. “Thank you,” I said. “That means a lot.”

She nodded and rose to her feet. “Your quest is important to all of us, Jamie. One day, I suspect you will change this world.”

I laughed. “Now, wouldn’t believing that make me—what did you call it?—a trifle egotistical?”

Tara smiled. “Perhaps that is what this world needs.” Her humor faded. “Don’t stop thinking big, Jamie. We need you to do the impossible—what the rest of us can’t.”

“I’ll try,” I promised gravely.

Seeming to consider the matter closed, Tara moved the conversation on. “Have you decided what you will do next?”

“Once I’m done with matters here, I think I will return to Sierra,” I said, my plans coalescing, “and join the trade convoy heading south.”

Surprise flickered across Tara’s face. “Really? I expected you to go after the orcs in the region.”

I smiled tiredly. “You told me to think big, didn’t you? Killing a few dozen orcs will be of short-term benefit only. I will gain a few levels, but more orcs will come and replace those slain. And besides, the faction doesn’t need immediate protection. The Arkon Shield already sees to that.” I shook my head. “What Sierra requires is long-term stability. And to achieve that, we need three things.” Raising my hand, I ticked them off on my fingers. “Allies. Supplies. Knowledge. All three can only be found in the cities.”

Tara nodded slowly. “You’ve given this much thought, I see.”

I reddened. “It all came together just now.” I paused. “What do you think?”

She pursed her lips. “I think… I think you’re doing the right thing. When will you leave?”

“In a couple days, perhaps less,” I said.

“So soon?” she asked.

“Time is against us.”

She nodded in reluctant agreement.

And what about you? I wanted to ask. Will you come with me? But I knew it would be the wrong question. Tara had responsibilities of her own. “Where is the old lady sending you next?” I asked finally.

“Nowhere, actually,” Tara replied. “I have orders to stay here,” she said, “And help Arneson and Thursten build up the village’s military strength.” She smiled, a little sadly, it seemed. “At least we will have the next couple of days to catch up.”

I rose to my feet. “I would like that.”

Surprising me, Tara darted forward and pulled me in a hug. “Goodnight, Jamie.”

Before I could reply in kind, she slipped away and out of the door, leaving me staring at an empty and suddenly colder room.