Benjamin – Citadel #1 ‘Keep Out’
You have established the Faction ‘NFA’.
You have constructed a Citadel by the name of ‘Keep Out’.
You have acquired the title of Founder (Uncommon) for establishing a Faction.
You have acquired the title of Exemplar (Unique) for establishing the first faction of your race.
You have acquired the Speak For All active skill.
You have acquired the Golden Gift active skill.
You have acquired the title of Manamote Magnate I (Rare) for expending 1 million or more manamotes at any one time.
You have acquired the title of Phasic Bastion I (Rare) for successfully overseeing the constructing of a Citadel on a Phase 1 World.
You have acquired the title of Manamote Magnate II (Rare) for expending 10 million or more manamotes at any one time.
Truncating titles into Manamote Magnate II (Rare).
As a comforting warmth wells within me, one of me wills away the string of notifications as another watches in slow motion as the flood of light recedes.
On initial inspection, my surroundings dictated that I’ve been moved to a nearly all but vacant, ludicrously large and open plan room as big as a football field.
One of my minds ignores my surrounds as it interrogates my new active skills’ details:
Speak For All – Active Skill – Convince anyone within 10 meters of you of a single idea for 5 minutes, once every twenty four hours.
Golden Gift – Active Skill – Transfer your Luck attribute to an ally for 1 minute, however upon activating the skill you will have your Luck attribute reduced by 50% for 5 minutes, only useable once per day.
One of me huffs at the blatant mind control skill and the fact that although I’m so far into the apocalypse, I still don’t have any fucking allies.
Collectively I vow never to use the duplicitous skill and internalize a string of expletives at being short changed by the system as it doesn’t matter anyway what the fucking skill is because I’m still suffering from the bloody Abyss Scarred debuf!
With the minds curiosity sufficiently satiated and internal infantile temper tantrum abated, another of me reports that I am not completely alone in the nearly all white room. However the defcon level remains low as its on account of the fact that at its center appeared to be a clear crystal orb of some sort sat atop a fluted white pedestal that seamlessly rose up from the floor.
Turning an attention to the room’s edges, I also find there’s a continuous concave window with a 360 degree view of what I recognize as the top alpha zones jungle canopy and the far off zone’s beyond it.
Ignoring the softly humming football sized orb right next to me for the moment, mind one and two move me from the room’s center to its edge, with a familiar split of wind, in a bid to discover just where the hell this new room and me were situated in the apocalyptic scheme of things.
The view, while breath taking and lofty, only brings more questions than answers.
Looking out I can see that wherever I’ve been moved to is atop a white plateau of sorts and at the plateaus edge there appear to be spires with a translucent rounded end. The protuberances in question seem to be about five to six men tall and look to be equidistantly spaced for the full 360 degrees.
Noticing that the scale of the thing below the room I was in was at least twenty or thirty times its size, I collectively scratch my head as to what to make of it all.
Shrugging and figuring its best I inspect the rooms other occupant, the power of jolly cooperation cleaves the air to bring me’s to the humming sphere. Sufficiently situated, I tentatively put a hand towards its crystalline surface.
What happens next however, causes a collective moment of alarm, ss a holographic display springs up from its now illuminated surface, depicting what appears to be a three dimensional view of the structure I was in as well as an assortment of diagnostic information of a sort and a subsequent menu.
The me’s relax again while one of me takes in the glowing lines of blue that depicted the construction was looking upon an architectural marvel. On its surface its a singular structure that if I extrapolate from the room I’m in, is more than a little megalithic.
While I had seen the tops of its studded walls first hand, the slightly curved proportions spoke to a sheer volume that even with my collectively increased intelligence, was only now just beginning to fully grasp.
The closer I looked at the hologram, the more my minds are able to pick out the intricate details under its skin. From the filigree fine lattice that acted as a circulatory system of some sort, to thicker more ordered circles and glyphs they as a whole speak of intelligent design of a frightening degree.
Moving past the substrate of its outer structure however, depicts neat rows of what I assume are dwellings, only three times the size and much more opulently outfitted than the ones I’d previously known.
Coming to the center of the thing, in place of the dome that was once presumably situated there, is a central stalk that’s half as wide as the room I’m currently standing in. At its base there are a series of squat, aircraft hangar like buildings set out in a flower formation that are filled with a multitude of vastly differing rooms and equipment, all except for one which contains corridors and rows of what I recognize are terminals numbering at a conservative guestemate, in the tens of thousands.
Directly in front of them is a circular path broken up by the arterial paths leading from the dwellings, and on the outer side of that inner ring is what looked like commercial five story, slightly domed office blocks. Their interiors, though all uniform, had a look of miniature malls with walkways and a single elevator shaft in their center to allow access to what were presumably store fronts set up on each floor around the access walkways.
Figuring that was probably the new trade quarter, one of my minds had its attention on the stalk.
The stalks internal makeup was that of 20 segmented levels, stacked one on top of the other, around a comparatively small central shaft containing four tubes that looked like transport for at present, stationary capsules. The levels themselves however were just as vacant as where I currently was.
At the top of the stalk rested a large, mushroom like dome that one of me tentatively identifies as the room I was in, especially given that there was an orange 3D representation of a humanoid in it. Shaking my head in a collective and bemused wonder, an involuntary smile begins to creep onto my face at the fact that I had, on the face of it, certainly gotten my manamotes worth.
Trying to not to get caught up in the daydream of playing at being richy rich for the rest of my, presumably extended lifespan, I unanimously elect to instead focused on the information below the floating depiction of my new Citadel:
Shield Integrity – 100%
External Integrity – 100%
Internal Integrity – 100%
Spire Integrity – 100%
Mana Reserves – 100%
Inhabitants – 1
Slightly depressed and at the same time relieved, by the solitary number of inhabitants a mind starts to take in the itemized menu that imposes itself between me and the still glowing, football sized orb:
‘Keep Out’ Citadel #1 – Administrative Menu:
>Information
>Citadel Upgrades & Maintenance
>Citadel & Building Access
>Citadel Law & Order
>Citadel Sub-structure Leasing & Taxation
>Amend Authorized Administrators
One of me grins at the apparent level of control I have over my costly new abode, whilst one of me selects ‘Information’:
Information:
Greetings Administrator,
Now you have constructed a Citadel, many new options are available to you ranging from automated defense to income and taxation options. What is more, there are a multitude of upgrades and manifestations that if invested in, will further improve your Faction’s chance at survival past First, Second and even Third Phases of the Elevation process.
Another new feature you may not be aware of is the remote access now available to anyone with administrative privileges from anywhere within the citadels confines. While you will still need to be within the Command Center to alter Administrative privileges, every other form of management is accessible by mentally or verbally intoning ‘Citadel Management’ whilst within the Citadels confines.
Regards Seraph #04762
Thoroughly informed, I selected ‘Upgrades & Maintenance’:
Citadel Upgrade & Maintenance:
>Repair Citadel – 0 Manamotes
>Replenish Mana Reserves – 0 Manamotes
>Upgrade Citadel Wall & Defensive Shield VI – 10,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Habitation Unit Amenities VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Habitation Unit Internal Dimensions VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Citadel HUB VI – 7,500,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Training Room’s VI – 2,500,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Dimensional Siphon Insertion & Recall Platform – 50,000,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Command Centre Physical Interface – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Interplanetary Communications Array – 25,000,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Management Suites – 2,500,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Executive Housing – 2,500,000 Manamotes
>Manifest Storage Containment – 2,500,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Blacksmith’s Forge VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Tanners Hall VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Tailors Hall VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Alchemist Laboratory VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Enchanters Scriptorium VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
>Upgrade Merchant Storefront’s VI – 5,000,000 Manamotes
As I looked at my now pitiful total of 426,901 Manamotes I invoked the spirit of Senator Clay Davis as one of me releases an unrestrained.
“Well SHIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!”
Starting to feel like a millennial priced out of the housing market by the misplaced economic values of boomers. We elect to instead put off buttering my toast with proverbial avocado and quickly go back to the main menu, whilst selecting ‘Citadel Access’:
Citadel & Building Access:
>Change Gate entry requirements – Currently set to = None
>Change Habitation Units entry requirements – Currently set to = Lease Holder, Administration
>Change Economic Buildings entry requirements – Currently set to = Lease Holder, Administration
>Change Profession Buildings entry requirements – Currently set to = Specific Profession, Administration
>Change Training Rooms entry requirements – Currently set to = Lease Holder, Administration
>Change HUB entry requirements – Currently set to = Administration
>Change Spire entry requirements – Currently set to = Administration
Seeing no problem with giving other people access to living, trading and working here, I turn my collective attention to the ‘Citadel Law & Order’ sub-menu:
Citadel Law & Order:
>Physical harm permitted to another Elevant – Currently set to = No
>Verbal or physical threat and intimidation permitted – Currently set to = No
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>Destruction of Elevant Property permitted – Currently set to = No
>Destruction of Citadel property permitted – Currently set to = No
>External Defenses Threat Designation – Currently set to = Hostile Elevant’s, Manabeasts
>Administrative exemption from laws – Currently Set to = No
>Banishment Term – Currently Set to = 72 hours
>Permanent Banishment List – Currently Banned - None
After a little internal toing and froing, me myself and I decide to set the last option to ‘yes’ based on, well people…and move onto ‘Citadel Sub-structure Leasing &Taxation’ sub-menu:
Citadel Sub-structure Leasing & Taxation:
>Habitation Unit Lease price and term – 10 Manamotes for 30 days
>Merchant Storefront lease price and term – 50 Manamotes for 30 days
>Training Room Lease price and term – 5 Manamotes per Elevant Per hour
>Terminal Trade Tax – 0%
>Accrued Citadel Funds – 0 Manamotes
My inner capitalist cries bloody murder as one of me knocks down the ‘Habitation Unit Lease price and term’ to 1 Manamote for 60 days. Yet seeing as it still rankled at the potential lost profits, I elected to give it a small concession by bumping up the ‘Terminal Trade Tax’ to 2.5%.
Inner robber baron placated for the time being, one of me goes to the ‘Amend Authorized Administrators’ sub-menu, just for due diligence:
Amend Authorized Administrators:
>Current Administrators – Benjamin
>Add Additional Administrator
>Remove Administrator
Sufficiently satisfied that people or worse, an AI, wouldn’t be stealing my new home out from under me before going all skynet, I step back from the interface and reconvene the triumvirate, to contemplate my options going forward.
I obviously need a metric-fuck-ton of manamotes to continue to improve the Citadel and I was also more than a little dubious about the upkeep of the gargantuan structure s-
Red moving dots brake me’s from my collective musings as a multitude of them moved from the edge of the Jungle toward my new digs.
Mind one and two unhesitatingly move me to the concave window near where the hologram indicated the things where.
Looking down, my enhanced vision easily identified the moving swarm of things as Giant Ants and I feel the unanimous need to protect my home intensify. Preventing the modus learned me by popular culture that, ‘The only Good Bug Is A Dead Bug’ from consuming many me’s, I instead elect to wait to see how the Citadels so called defenses react.
When the oversized, yet comparatively minute insects have gotten about a third of the way across from the clearing, I hear a monotonic voice issue from all around the room I’m in.
“Defensive protocol activated”
Following which the round tip of the spire closest to the approaching insects starts to glow, whilst also issuing a whining sound that grows in volume in concert with the brightness contained within the spires blue glowing tip.
Mind three fails to reign in mind one and twos collective squealing and clapping, leading excited Benjamin noises to echo through the room while the pitch of the whine increases.
I gleefully look on as the Giant Ant swarm reaches the half way mark in the clearing before the spire releases a *PHHHHTTT* sound, leading to a bolt of blue energy going straight for the insectoids.
Exploding in a cloud of puffy blue when the bolt make contact, it engulfs their brown chitinous exteriors completely, whilst the voice from before dutifully reports.
“Threat Neutralized”
Laughing manically at my fortress of solitudes evidenced autonomous defensive capabilities, it takes an embarrassing amount of minutes to quell my glee at what I had just bought. Collectively managing to calm myself, I return my attentions to the holographic interface in the room’s center and inspect the readout below the Citadel’s 3D representation:
Shield Integrity – 100%
External Integrity – 100%
Internal Integrity – 100%
Spire Integrity – 100%
Mana Reserves – 99.99% – Time Till Replenished – 56 minutes 43 seconds
Inhabitants – 1
Thoroughly impressed with its autonomous operation, a mind recoils at the thought of having to auction off all my materials one by one for new funds, when it dawned on me that the room had no exit for me to achieve such a thing. Panicking slightly one of me tremulously asks the room at large.
“C-can I uh, can I get access to a lift please?”
Seeming to have met the requirement for summoning said lift, a few meters to my left opens and an ovoid exits through it to hover there for a second before its side opens to reveal a flat floored and curved walled space, about 5 meters tall and 5 meters wide. Guessing that if the building wanted to kill me, it wouldn’t be doing what I asked, I go to the levitating spherical white object and step into its interior.
Once inside the space, the same monotonic voice I had heard before queried.
“Please state or mentally intone destination administrator?”
Going with the safest bet, one of me elects the ‘ground level’ and the opening telescopes shut to a featureless white state and a soft hum emanates from within the space.
This state of affairs persists for about ten seconds before on the opposite side from which I’m facing, another opening was seamlessly formed. On further inspection it appears to lead to the squat aircraft hangar like buildings and the merchants quarter.
Stepping out, the size of the buildings is what strikes me first as they took up a good half of the skyline, and that was the other thing…there was even a bloody skyline.
From the buildings glowing blue replica, I had collectively assumed that the sky would be completely obscured by, well the all-fucking-encompassing roof for a start. This was not to be however, and I could only chalk it up to magic holograms and shit, because whatever was at play, gave an indistinguishable facsimile of a blue and cloudy sky, sedately going about its vaporous business.
Basking in the faux sunlight of my new fiefdom, one of my minds told me to get to the terminal and see what I could flog on the auction house instead of smiling like a tool with his dick in his hands in the artificial light at the equally artificial sky. Mind two and three agreed but they also told me to stop being an asshole to myself while I was at it.
Internal circus in agreement, I make haste to where I remember the terminal building is situated and put an in person tour of the place, second on my to do list.
Selecting one at random and sitting astride its stool, the menu of the terminal sprang into being:
Citadel #1 (Keep Out) – Terminal #71
>Information
>Shop
>Auction House
>Quests
>Item Repair
>Item Manamote Extraction
>Citadel Communication
Seeing nothing much had changed the mind carried on to the ‘Auction House’ sub-menu and trawled it for about 10 minutes, to see the going rate for my gathered material and Siphon generated items. What I discovered however is that nearly all the materials I’ve gathered had nothing on there for comparison and even worse, the maximum level of the equipment listed for sale was forty fucking five.
Sitting there my minds mulled over what I knew of people and the potential reasons for the items absence and eventually rested on a few possibilities.
One. Everything high level was being purchased immediately by a person, persons or organization, but to pull this off they would have to be extremely wealthy and have a whole host of people always watching the terminals.
Two. The Auction House only connected to nearby Outposts, though judging on the sheer amount of items and their diversity, that seemed the least likely situation.
Three. There were no people currently above forty or there abouts, in the general population and given the defenders I had recently steamrolled coupled with the infrequent run-ins I’d had with others, this seemed to be the most likely lay of the land.
Still, if number three was in fact the case this meant that the titles and powers I currently had were likely even more rare and unique than they claimed. Yet as to why I was the only human who had achieved them thus far was an even more perplexing situation to contemplate.
Having too little information to make any concrete judgment’s just yet collectively resumed doing what I could now, like one psychologist had taught me, instead of playing the ‘what if’ game.
Electing to sit on the Siphon generated items for the time being, I went about listing the materials in batches for twenty to save time, and extrapolated their price by comparing similar jumps in lower gradation of them.
As my [Lesser Pocket Dimension] termini winked in and out of existence and the retrieved monster parts, herb and ores were flashed away in blue white light, one of my minds pointed out that my escapism into mmo’s over the years was finally paying off. Chuckling collectively with myself at being completely at home with the absurdity of being the only person in a city I had just bought and paid for with magically generated money, whilst sitting in front of a computer screen.
So after several hours had passed, one of me pulled out another stack of twenty [Glodis-Yrun Flower]’s and selected the ‘Create Auction’ option only to be warned by the mind back on danger duty, that there are whispers and footsteps coming from the entrance of the hallway I was in.
Gauging the distance, the owners were still at least tens of meters away on the merchant district ring road, so I finished up creating my Auction Lot and as the flash of light disappeared my bundle of herbs, I got up to inspect my potential new citizens.
Quickly changing out of my bloodstained [Robe of The Oltomath] for the slightly less beneficial [The Robe of Ika’dius] I then walked out into the not sunlight to greet my guests.
To my surprise however, the culprits of the quiet disturbance was a gaggle of what looked to be primitive children no more that 14 to 16 years old.
The kids themselves came to an immediate halt when they saw me and some went so far as to draw impressive looking weapons, only to be scalded and glared at by what seemed to be a female leader of the gang of fifty or so, weapon wielding and fur clad individuals.
After my initial assessment mind two pointed out that there were no adults present, while mind three chimed in that they had likely been bereft of adult guidance, and mind one thought of the potential horrific evils children could have inflicted upon each other in the year and change since this whole thing happened, void of any chaperons.
No sooner had the triggering thought occurred, then the mind was drawn back to when I had awoken to find that I had wet the bed again. Given that was a common occurrence I was about to put off getting up till I heard muffled screaming coming from Amanda’s room.
Unsure about whether her call was a figment of my mind or her genuine distress, I crept down the hall to find that the door to my foster parent’s room was ajar and empty. Unsurprised by the occurrence, I chalked it up to meaning that they were probably going to sleep off their hangover with someone’s place who they ran into down the RSL.
Continuing down the hall to the continued sounds of muted distress, I peaked around the door jam to Amanda’s room and stood rooted to the spot at the scene before me. Jack had his pants down for some reason while he pinned the struggling Amanda down and used his hand to muffle her ongoing protests.
Too young to understand what was taking place but knowing that he was hurting her, I found courage I didn’t know I possessed and ran bellowing at the startled Jack. Taking him by surprise, I managed to knock him away from her single bed and fell with him in a mess of limbs to the floor.
Amanda took my distraction as her chance to run screaming from the room and attacker alike, taking to the cold night air in torn pajamas and not looking back.
When Jack quickly subdued my feeble assault he made his displeasure at ruining his fun known by bringing the bedside lamp down on my knee ca-
Acknowledging the memory mind one was still reliving with mind two taking up mental triage, my other mind concerned with the here and now was focused on the boy fielding a staff, covered in grime and sporting the tattered remnants of a robe that was more rags then garment.
He *THUNK*ed his staff down defiantly on the black featureless road below as he started out in a confident German accent.
“We demand to speak wi…”
Before he broke off to pause and then continue.
“H-hey mister why are you crying?”
Wiping the moisture from my cheeks I broke rule 4 as I reply.
“Nah mate I’m not crying, just a bit sensitive to the light is all….so anyway, you were saying?”
Clearing his throat as he nervously looked back to the black-haired serious looking Aboriginal girl. The girl in question was clad in tattered leather, with a worn shield strapped to her back and a mace looped to a belt, and seemed to be nodding her encouragement to the boy, leading him to rejoin.
“A-as I was saying, we demand to speak with Benjamin!”
Barely keeping the smile from my face I counter.
“Alright kiddo, what exactly do you want to speak with Benjamin about?”
Brow crinkling, the boy shot another quick glance to the girl who I had designated as the potential brains of the outfit before he renewed.
“We don’t want to speak to some flunky! Where the hell is Benjamin?”
Before I got around to setting the kid straight however, the girl behind him groaned exasperatedly as she berated in a familiar native Australian twang.
“This ain’t how we agreed ta go bout it at all Jürgen! Here leme take over!”
The blonde boy blushed and lowered his head, whilst he grumbled something about bossy know it all’s, as he went back to stand with the gathered adolescents. While this was taking place however my heart lifted from its jaded prejudices as I recognized a somewhat healthy hierarchy was in place within the group, whilst she stepped forward to continue in his stead.
“Sorry about him, he means well…but we’ve all been through the ringer the past year aye?”
Nodding my agreement she furthered.
“So anyway I’m Toni an as Jürgen was tryna say, we just wanna talk to this Benjamin fella an make him an offer.”
Smiling at the shared determination that had manifested on their faces I replied evenly.
“Offer away.”
Surprise registers on her face before she re-schools her expression to answer.
“Ok so it’s like this, we wanna join an fight in Benjamin’s army…”
I tried to stop the laugh from escaping, I really did. But once it was out there the damage was done as they all seemed to take it rather personal, judging by their expressions and defensive stances.
Toni took it upon herself to voice their displeasure, snapping back.
“What? Ya think we arnt good enuf for ya army? Any one uv us could wipe tha floor with ya!”
Groaning internally at the mess I’d made, mind one and two rejoined the now, whilst three brought them up to speed with the goings on and they convened, leading one of me to endeavor to salvage the situation.
“It’s not that I don’t doubt your guys’ abilities, I mean just surviving out there is impressive... It’s more along the lines of I don’t want child soldiers working under me.”
Narrowing her eyes, she counters.
“We ain’t kids or nuthin, not any bloody more at least!”
Seeing nods of agreement from those gathered behind I massaged my brows before one of me supplies.
“Look, I think you guys are misunderstanding something here. You are free to live here in peace for as long as you want, you don’t have to fight in any wars or shit.”
At this she huffed in annoyance before rejoining.
“We ain’t no free loaders, We pull our weight an then sum!”
Walking forward the German kid gently grabbed hand, adding deflated’ly.
“Come on Toni, he dosen’t want or need us here, the camp is still back there. I know its not what we pl-“
Tears leaking from her eyes, she rounded on the youth, hissing.
“I told ya, I’m not a bloody savage an there aint no way I’m spending another night in the shit hole Yerg!”
‘Not only a slayer of monsters and men, now a demoralizer of displaced children as well?’ mind one internalized while mind two came to the rescue with a possible solution and mind three concurred. Shrugging mind one offered.
“So guys, as I said, I don’t need soldiers, children or otherwise. Hell I don’t even have an army… What I do need though, is people with intelligence enough to keep an eye on things.”
Turning to face me, the tear streaked leaders face is unsure to say the least as she queries suspiciously.
“Wait a bloody second, what ya mean by ya don’t hav an army?”
Thoroughly confused I counter.
“Well what exactly gave you the impression that I had one?”
It was the teenagers turn to look confused as she replies.
“We know there used ta be a whole Outpost here, an then we all got the notification bout a faction or sum such. We were gonna dismiss the whole thing as a bloody great joke, but then we saw tha flash of light from tha Beta Zone an this big white building just up an appeared!”
Looking back to the confirm her groups nods and murmurs of agreement she flourished her hand at them before she continuing.
“See! We aint dumb or nuffin, we know ya took this place from tha money stealers that were here before, an that place had tens of thousands of folks in it. An now erry ones got superpowers, the only way ya coulda taken it from them is with an army!”
Finishing with a self-satisfied nod, she crosses her arms in front of her tattered leather gambeson.
Sighing wearily, I look to the dried blood still caking my hands for a moment before I return my gaze to the young woman’s. She apparently only just noticed it on account of how she’s looking slightly less sure of herself as I rejoin.
“Your not wrong about me taking it but I can assure you it was just me verses a bunch of greedy brainwash… look that’s not important…the main point is there is no army. Who wants to be part of an army anyway?”
Still looking like she didn’t completely buy it, I collectively give up on receiving an answer and further.
“So anyway like I was trying to say before…I have a job that is you guys just keeping an eye on people, I’ll provide you with equipment and a salary and you report to me, sound good?”
Now frowning again she queries.
“Can ya give us a minute ta talk amongst ourselves?”
Nodding she made shooing motions towards me which I sagely interpret as their want of some privacy.
Electing to shrug and walk back to stand in front of the terminal building while they engage in what looks to be a quite healthy, if unruly form of democracy.
After a couple of boring minutes she beckons me back over and obliging, we met halfway and she relays.
“We talked bout it an we agree ta work for ya, but only after we confirm sum stuff!”
Looking at me like I was supposed to protest, on of me shatters her expectations by nodding and giving my best encouraging face, leading her to continue less certainly.
“R-right, so its like this. We aint gonna do anything shady or nasty like, got it?”
Nodding, I readily reply.
“No problems, all I want you guys to do is make sure some cult of wackos doesn’t set up shop in here without me knowing about it.”
This seemed to satisfy her condition on account of her continuing while a grin creeps onto her dark chocolate colored face.
“That sounds like something we can handle, next! We aint gonna work fer someone whos weaker than us, so ur gonna have to beat our strongest fighter in a one on one or we may as well be runnin this place!”
Shaking my head I replied.
“Not gona work.”
And she looked annoyed as she opened her mouth, a a me pressed on.
“If we fight in here, as soon as one of your guys tries to att…wait a second I think I might have a solution, follow me.”
Looking skeptically at me as I turned, she called the gang on teenagers over and followed as I led them to a building I’d seen on the hologram and had also been a little interested to test out in person. Turning to address them I gesture them into the squat aircraft hangar of a building as one of me announces with a smile.
“Welcome to my newly constructed ‘Training Rooms’”
If there were crickets about they would certainly be chirping at the unimpressed gaggle of teens as one of me furthers.
“You wanted to fight, well here is the best place for it!”
Warming up to the idea as they were potentially getting what they wanted I went to the nearest white, room’s oval entrance and went in as I beckoned the children to follow. Inside was a formless white room that seemed to stretch off into the horizon, and my Dimensional sense confirmed that it was indeed not a trick of the mind.
On the right of the door was a black oval slightly bigger than a hand, to which I went over as I waited for the rest of the stragglers to get inside the room. Once all were accounted for I put a hand to the black pad and a blue screen popped up:
Training room #1
>Number of Occupants – 53 – 265 Manamotes Per Hour
>Terrain Setting – None
>Safety Removal Threshold – 50% Health
>Attribute Reduction – None
>Party Settings – None
>Raid Settings – None
>Friendly Fire – None
Do You wish to commence Training Session y/n ?
Turning to the others before I committed to anything one of me asked as my triplicate ego took the reins.
“So I have a counter proposal for you guys?”
Looking furious Jürgen snapped.
“I knew it was a trap! I tol-“
But Toni cut him as with a raised hand before she responded in an obviously affected, casual tone.
“Alright, wats tha offer?”
Grinning at the chance to display my power level without anyone getting seriously hurt a me adds.
“You guys pick the terrain and the amount of health you have to loose before you get saved. I’ll fight every one of you lot with only my left hand and no spells or skills.”
It was the kids turn to laugh as mutters including ‘he’s a lunatic’ and ‘the citadel’s as good as ours’ ripple none too quietly though their number. Toni however was starting to get a little nervous as she looked to Jürgen with concern before he shrugged and mouthed ‘your call’, leading her to square her shoulders and reply in defiance.
“Fine!...Small hills fe tha terrain an we get ta get inta position before we start… An fer that health level thingo, if anyone loses a quarta of their red bar their off limits, NO bloody exceptions!... Oh an you betta not even think about backin outa tha deal afta we kick ya ass!”
Chuckling at her misplaced bravado I readily nod my assent and ask.
“Before you guys set up, what level are you?”
A smile creeps onto Toni’s face as she rebukes.
“Having second thoughts are ya?....Too Late ta back out now Benji!”
She calls whilst retreating and signaling her now merry band of misfits to follow as she leads them deeper into the white void.
Collectively shaking my head at the set of balls on the kid, a me puts my hand on the black oval and input’s the details Toni’s just stipulated before keeping an eye on the count down to the sessions start.
It was when the door closed that an involuntarily manic smile began to suffuse my face, and I collectively turned to face my new minions.