Jack Millard had not been joking when he talked about losing their sense of time easily. They’d taken extra time to finish Ira’s level – mostly because he was grumbling about Jonas having caught up to him – and they all thought it was going to be Thursday very late evening. But the sun was shining over the Gate clearing and it was obvious quickly that they had arrived on Friday afternoon.
The team had decided to head to the Frozen Boar and unwind first, trying not to sleep too early. Stamina helped adjust to constant time shifts, but that didn’t make it pleasant. Jonas decided to check on his ‘headquarters’ first, before heading to the War Office for ‘The Talk’ with Arthur Wellesley.
Jonas first thought when he tried to turn the key in the office’s door was that it was becoming quite a busy location. And as he stepped in, he found yet another person in ‘his’ office. The man was apparently sorting through files and raised his head as Jonas entered the room.
“Oh. Sir Sims, I presume,” he said, eyeing the robe.
“I think so. You are?” he replied, raising his fist.
They exchanged descriptors, as the man introduced himself.
“Massive Spotter Fleming. Got recruited two weeks ago as Labyrinth general manager for the High Labyrinth Office by the Duke.”
As often, Jonas was slightly surprised by the differential between a standard tier three and the team.
Ambrose Elmore Fleming
Health: 873/873 (675)
Mind: 920/920
Endurance: 959/959
Aether: 1344/1344 (1233)
Effective level: 143
Level 41 Massive Spotter
Level 56 Sentry
Level 46 Watcher
Experience: 10277/123000
Strength: 26 (19)
Dexterity: 23 (15)
Agility: 27
Constitution: 21
Stamina: 25
Wisdom: 21
Focus: 134 (68)
Presence: 40 (22)
Fortitude: 27
Intellect: 39 (31)
Defence rating: 88
20% team defence
3% endurance conservation
Milestones: Watcher III, Sentry IV, Massive Spotter III
Skills: Gauge Enemy (3), Notice Attack (3), Trip (2), Replace (1), Place Self (1), Turn Blade (0), Prepare (0)
Equipment: Whitened Headband (10FOC/10PRE), Plain Leather Tunic (13FOC), Saurian Fingerless Grasp (8DEX/7FOC/109hp), Braided Belt (7FOC/89hp), Burlap Trousers (7FOC), Simple Ankle Boots (8FOC/111aet), Ornate Bronze Dagger (8PRE/7FOC/7STR), Cutter Knife (8INT,7FOC)
Despite thirty additional levels, the man still went under Alton Raby’s range of vitals, let alone Potentials. The man had obviously a low quality and overall level of gear, probably whatever he got away from whatever company he’d been employed before.
“I am sorry. We spent six weeks doing intensive experience chasing in the Labyrinth. So I’m a bit out of touch,” Jonas apologized.
“That happens when you’re totally focused on Labyrinth affairs. But yea. The Office is expanding fast… with the scheduled operation stuff…”
Jonas smiled. Despite low levels, the man was obviously in the know. Probably anyone in the company would be – the Duke would not be recruiting anyone not at least peripherally involved with the planned assault.
“Nobody’s around. You can say ‘Agni’ without risk.”
“The Duke seems to be pretty touchy on that.”
“Oh? I’ll be heading to London’s War Office next, I’ll ask him if there’s anything off. So, you’re here to organize it all?”
Ambrose pointed out the various papers and folders he was stacking.
“Moving the existing registers to the headquarters. There are still some papers around here that belong to the city hall.”
“Oh? I thought this was the headquarters?”
“Right, six weeks away. Yes, with all the people the Duke is poaching all around, it would be weird if the High Labyrinth Office did not have a dedicated compound. So, my first job is that I helped finalize an acquisition. It’s a bit far away from the Great Gilded Gate, but it was the only location available that was large enough for the planned teams.”
“Do we get that many?”
“We’re at eight finalized teams and a handful of loose Professionals that come from all over and haven’t made solid teams yet. So yes. It’s starting to become big. Actually, some suggested making a high tier compound, near Nindarul or something, but it would end up being complicated for everyone. In addition to the time required in making a compound from scratch in the higher tiers.”
“Nindarul… that’s the other trunk access.”
“Yes. I do not have much information on it, but apparently, it’s a success.”
“So, all the lairs were actually found,” Jonas immediately deduced.
“Maybe. I know I’m only there for the administrative stuff, mostly because I’ve dropped out of my old company for a job that lets me be regularly in London a lot of the time, but I’d like to see it at one point.”
“You don’t have a team?”
“No, I’m doing the mercenary route. Half time in the Labyrinth for a quick expedition, half doing administration when needed. That gives me time for the family. They’re going through a rough time, and I’m there to support them. At one point, I’ll go back to near full time and see what it’s all about,” he explained.
“It’s not that impressive. Especially at our tiers. I mean, you can get into the tier three, but its guardians might as well be Legends for all we can do at our levels.”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Is it true…”
“That the Plaza have Legends? Yes. Except tier one, who has an Ancient instead. All of the trunk is pretty insane when you think about it. Even for the Labyrinth.”
“Makes you wonder about it, doesn’t it?”
Jonas laughed.
“So, what is this about a dedicated headquarters?”
“Right. Let me show you.”
Jonas thought the area looked familiar, and then realized where they were moving into once the Massive Spotter turned into a courtyard.
“Wait, isn’t that the headquarters of the Artefact Hunting Company?”
Fleming turned his head to reply.
“Yes. You know them?”
“Our Assistant’s cousin is working for them. They hosted us for a while when we came back from… the far corners we started in. Before we reopened the Gate and got enrolled in the Duke’s company.”
“Well, they moved. From what their head manager said, they kept losing personnel as fast as they recruited, so while they still gained levels on average, they couldn’t keep the company growing. Without fresh capital from their sponsor, they had to switch to a smaller place.”
Jonas grimaced. Guss would probably not be happy with the news. Could they recruit his cousin Luther… no, the man was in his upper tier-three. Far too low to get through the Nicamore access, and probably requiring too long for the long trek across the Great Line. Which was partly why the Duke had set the minimum level to mid-tier four.
The courtyard was busy. There was a small crew of workers replacing a gallery and a carriage unloading boxes. A team was standing at the side, looking at the activity.
Jonas recognized one of the men in that one. It was the Competing Mauler, Nolan Woolahan that he’d met a couple of months ago. The man was looking to leave his old company, and it looked like he’d gotten vetted by the War Office.
“Saying a quick hello,” he notified Fleming, who stepped aside, waiting for Jonas.
“Sir Sims. I thank you for vouching for me,” Woolahan said.
“Just gave your name to the boss,” he replied. “Is that your team?”
“Yes. Resilient Shieldrunner Cornelius Reekey, Precise Ancillary Corrie Corbeld, and Light Strategist Alois Corbeld. We’re probably going to pick a low tier-five, high tier-four fifth to grow slightly the team, as four is a bit understrength. Maybe one of the people we team up for the entrance to the trunk.”
“Othary?”
“Yea. The rumours about the tier four entrance say the access is reserved for mid or late tier-fives or greater. You not only need to clear every lair of a tier-four zone but then you need to face 500+ ancients. I do trust my team, but we’re not quite at that level.”
Jonas grimaced.
“I can quite imagine. We’ve looked at the tier three guardians, and I can’t imagine pretty much anyone under 300 fighting them, without help.”
Woolahan shrugged.
“Our team has a slot in late July. So we’ll start on the trip soon. I want Cornelius to get his tier five as soon as possible, but we have access to Zilbarn, so we should be good,” he said, referring to the Great Line access.
“Well, if you come through Vuneras, don’t be surprised if you stumble upon us. That’s our main levelling area until we get close to level four, and maybe even afterwards for a while.”
“I promise I won’t devastate too many lairs,” Nolan said, half-laughing.
The office was spacious, slightly larger than the one at the City Hall. Shelves, drawers, a desk that looked a bit too small for the room.
“Here’s my office.”
Jonas laughed.
“Jack Millard just told me I’d better get used to having an office in Gatepost, and here you steal the new one,” he joked.
“Well, I can probably use it more often than you. Besides, you’re one of those.”
“Those?”
“The far divers. The ones that keep improving their levels all the time. Even with the bonus… getting tier-three under a year takes dedication. It’s doable but rare. Took me nearly two.”
“Well, it helps we had little choice of where we started. No breaks, and no time to reflect much. Plus, of course, we were told to get levels. Each level makes you a tiny bit harder to kill and gives you more time if you are.”
Assuming someone can find you, that is, he thought, reflecting on the French team they wiped in the Labyrinth.
He noticed a section of the wall with mounted panels on pivots. The panels seemed to be sliding wood slats with names on it.
“My innovation. That’s the Labyrinth Office roster. Allows anyone to see who is in what team, and their main tasking,” Fleming announced proudly.
Jonas looked.
Tier 6
T6 Byron Edye (Tempered Shieldmaker)
T6 Watson Lobb (Perseverant General)
T5+ Fleta Peaton (Abiding Ancillary)
T5+ Frances Remmington (Resilient Pioneer)
T5+ Sullivan Porden (Precise Aethermaker)
Enabling Nindarul
“We do have tier sixes?”
“Only one team. We have two-third in their tier fives, but that’s the only one with low tier sixes. The T5+ means they’re working on a side Profession,” he added.
“Where do they come from?”
“They were a peak team from Minkton’s Crystal Company. They were feeling under-used, apparently.”
“We got lots of teams from them,” Jonas said, thinking about Nolan Woolahan’s team.
“Harvesting Power Crystal is essential for the Empire, but it’s not glamorous,” Fleming admitted.
Jonas turned the panels until he found the one he was looking for.
Tier 3
T3 Guss Fullmore
T3 Jonathan Gilbert
T3 Laura Harvey
T3 Ira Heard
T3 Jonas Sims
T3 Alton Raby
Experience ?
“No Professions?”
“I did not have anything about those. Well, I can add yours, and the rest of your team once I get the information.”
Fleming pencilled the Solid Aethershaper mention on Jonas’ slat, then added the other’s professions as Jonas dictated them.
“Now, it’s perfect,” he said once the panel was completed.
“Yes. Let’s see your room and set you in,” Fleming said.
The room was a bit better furnished than the one the team had used nine months or so ago, but otherwise, it was pretty much the same floor plan. Team rooms would be pretty much standardized across the former Artefact Hunting Company.
“That’s your team’s. Permanent room as well,” Fleming announced.
“It’s perfect. It’s going to be a bit weird after all those months staying at the Frozen Boar Inn, but yes. It is perfect.”
“Privilege of the seniority. I mean, your team is the oldest of the company.”
“Wouldn’t that be her Highness’ one?” Jonas countered.
“Well, we’re keeping a single executive room aside for her, just in case, since she’s officially on the rolls, but I’m not expecting her to use it for a long while. Her old team has basically taken as mercenaries, with the marriage and all that,” the Spotter said.
“Oh? She’s getting married? The Swedish heir?” Jonas asked.
“Yes. The ceremony is set to mid-July. Some people seriously proposed to do it on July 14th, just to taunt the French, but cooler heads prevailed, apparently. So they’re married on Monday before instead.”
“It is going to be grand. The current Heir being married and two Professional royals, to boot.”
“For sure. But unless you hold a major life peerage, good luck getting invited. Who’s invited and who is not is major politics, and the rest of us might get to watch the procession across London – possibly, and if there’s room in the streets. Her old team are nobles, so they’re probably going to be there, but I’m not sure even his Highness’ team is getting invites,” Fleming said.
Jonas contemplated the room one last time before closing the door.
“I’ll tell the team, but I’m pretty sure they are already slumped in their beds at the Inn. We’re all heavily time-shifted this time. Don’t expect us to move in until tomorrow, I’d say.”
“Lots of things to move?”
“No. The Boar has some storage when we’re not renting the rooms, but not that much. Mundane clothing and knickknacks, that’s all. Most of the gear is stored at the Bank.”
They both went down, and Jonas asked before leaving the compound.
“Headed to the Duke’s office. Anything I need to carry?”
“Nope, we’re good. You can tell him that most of the work will be done soon, and that we’re on track for the trunk access.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow, Spotter Fleming.”
“I’ll be probably in London, like every weekend.”
There were few newsboys hawking their wares on the streets toward the War Office, but the claims raised caused Jonas to pick one copy of the Evening Standard, unfolding it to read as he walked down the street next to the Palace.
Major Scandal Erupts as Wellesley Brothers Attempt to Monopolize Labyrinth Resource!
A major scuffle erupted yesterday in Parliament as an honoured member of the Lords asked why both of the Wellesley brothers were attempting to purchase so-called ‘Orbs’ stemming from the depths of the Labyrinth.
It appeared quickly that the brothers may have abused their respective positions in his Majesty’s Government to pre-empt acquisition of what appears to be a new resource for the Kingdom’s Professionals, and even used state funds to potentially fund their private ventures.
It has been speculated that the recent expansion of the Duke of Wellington’s own company, grown from a single team supporting the Heir’s presence in the Labyrinth, to monopolizing the largest potentials of the Labyrinth, is in part spurred by his insider information…
Jonas grimaced as he stepped up. The Duke had predicted that this particular secret would come out sooner or later, and he was right. What Jonas hoped was that the scandal would not cause too many problems for the High Labyrinth Office. The British Scouts seemed to be mostly unmentioned in the article, but the newspaper focused a lot on the Duke’s company instead.
Jonas folded his newspaper and slowed down. Hurrying at 46 Agility meant you walked faster than mundane Londoners. His attire marked him as a Professional, of course, but that didn’t mean he no longer had to avoid navigating around slower walking men.
Besides, it was only a mile and a half, and that did not take long, in practice.