Revelations aside, the night was pretty good. The trouble is nothing lasts. Angelica was crashing with a nice couple from the Fantasy Kingdom. Tasha and Franklin were from Windrow, apparently a neighboring town to Angelica’s hometown of Millerton. They were willing to keep hosting her but I had to find somewhere else to sleep.

Tasha was very specific. This is not a hotel, and no more coed hosting. She’d fixed her last bedframe.

That is a fair boundary.

Honestly, Adora-adjacent shenanigans aside, my mind was miles away from that sort of thing. Plus I still had Spine with me. I chose to ignore Tasha and Franklin ignoring him. There was almost certainly something to unpack about that but plotting an assault with an army was taking priority.

Holy shit! I have no idea how to do that! This was going to get people killed. …fuck.

Burying that moment of extreme anxiety I shifted focus to something I could control. I turned to Spine, “Wanna go to the goblin camp and find you dad?”

Spine had to think about it, “Yeah, yeah I do.”

I stepped outside the domain. I was not immediately assaulted by mobs. I waited a moment.

Spine stayed just inside the domain, “Where is the snow lion?”

I turned to talk to him, and that is when the big cat hit me from behind. This moment was going to be entered into the dog lovers manifesto. Shit like this is why I hate snow lions.

After I ripped the head off of that particular snow lion, Spine and I made our way to the edge of the goblin camp.

Damn. Just how busy this place had become was something to behold. Getting ahead of myself a bit: let me give you this. The goblins had sturdy tents as their main dwellings. Each one was about ten feet by twenty feet, the center poles were about ten feet tall but the walls were only about five. At least, that is how they looked from the outside.

They were set up by the goblins digging a foot down into the snow or ice. The tent would nestle into the depression and would be bolted down. Each tent housed twenty goblins. So each tent was two hundred square feet and the camp had more than 1,780. That worked out to roughly 357,200 square feet of tent. But that was if they were packed together perfectly like Tetris blocks. They clearly weren’t: yeah, they tried to cozy up to each other, but they still needed paths to get around and roads for vehicles. They also had larger tents for communal spaces and structures for vehicle storage/maintenance. Those factors doubled the camp’s size and doubled it again. All said and done, it was roughly 30 acres. With another 92,000 goblins coming this way, I wouldn't be surprised if this place swelled to 160 acres or a square quarter mile.

I glossed over my brain being able to brute force the number crunching like that. Pre-system me, the Titan, couldn’t have done that, not without pen and paper. While it is true a small portion of me worried that my being able to do this was a product of the system and thus beholden to it, I simply allowed my mind to calculate and extrapolate. Otherwise I would have to consider the overwhelming weight of being responsible for that many people.

Anyways, they set this all up in the space of six hours or so. Damn, apparently goblins are combat engineers.

The camp was strangely dark. The fires were apparently inside the tents. They also had slight curves to the roof that prevented snow from building up on top of them while also looking more like waves in the snow drifts than obvious built structures.

The edge of the camp was no small distance from the Mandir. Spine and I started the trek. Spine didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

“You alright, Spine?” I asked.

“Once I am back with the goblins, the pact is over. I am going to lose so much power.” Spine admitted.

I hadn’t expected that. Don’t get me wrong, Spine had been more than a sport for most of this adventure. From the kidnap-adjacent start to the duel to the death, he had done his part. Sure there were a few instances of complaining and yelling, but honestly I was pretty sure I was a worse offender in that regard.

That said, he was currently getting 49 of his 80 total attribute points from the Pact with me, not to mention the health regen. Hell the Pact even elevated the perks we had access to when he leveled. I am not going to pretend like I didn’t rely on my power, nor would I handle losing more than sixty percent of my attributes particularly well.

“That is the downside to Titanic Pacts,” Cole said. His shadow had appeared next to me, “They end and people resent the loss. Watch out for that, the power boost is borderline addictive.”

“Holy…” Spine choked on his words, “Dr-Dragonsworn…”

Cole gazed down at Spine. Hard to tell with his shadowy appearance, but it seemed to be with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. “I still can’t believe they can talk.”

“They are players,” I corrected, “Just like us.”

“If you say so,” Cole replied with an odd tone in his voice. He cleared his throat, “I am sorry for our last meeting. I was out of line.”

“Don’t worry about it. How are your kids?” I asked. Both the Titan and Wilson had made it sound like their situation wasn’t great.

Cole sighed heavily, “It has been rough. Jade died trying to protect them. They had an extremely close call with Onamazu. They are safe for now but we are going to have to fight our way out of the Ys and armies of Dahutkin. They are just twelve years old. I don’t think they are ready for this level of combat. It’s basically a dungeon.”

He didn’t sound all that confident.

Dammit. I knew this sort of behavior was a bad idea but had to do it, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Cole studied me for a beat. I could tell it cost him, “I need something that can provide a distraction. Ideally, Cinder and Ember need a means of stealth. The Duhatkin are drawn to their golden scales.”

I checked my inventory. I didn’t have to search far. Tons of snow lion meat wasn’t likely to help. A couple things looked promising.

Vitae of Tumult

Made from the blood of a Titan Spawn, this crimson grease inflicts the Gore-Soaked condition on anyone. For ten hours it will also inflict the Blood Frenzy condition on any predatory mobs that perceive it.

Blood Frenzy

Anyone with this condition will have attack speed doubled but must attack the source of the condition until it or the bearer of this condition is killed.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Sun- & Moon-Eater Axes

Every culture has some sort of legend about something terrible happening to the sun and the moon. These axes are the means to that end. Both axes project a field of the Absolute Dark condition. The Sun-Eater Axe is the bane of the God of the Sun. Damage against the God of the Sun is doubled, and will inflict the Baneridden and Manableed Conditions. The Moon Eater Axe is the bane of the Goddess of the Moon. Damage against the Goddess of the Moon is doubled and will inflict the Baneridden and Manableed Conditions.

Damage: Power + 50

Note: These axes wielded together are Divine Scale. If wielded separately the weapons are reduced to Heroic Scale

Absolute Dark Condition

Everything within the effects of this condition will cease to emit, reflect or project light. This will create a sphere of obfuscating lightlessness with a diameter equal to the originators magic attribute. This sphere will also block all light based attacks that try to move through area of effect unless attack is of higher scale.

The Vitae of Tumalt was not exactly precious to me, but it was just too dangerous to hand out haphazardly. This could be used to kill someone in a truly fucked up way, leaving them to be torn to shreds by mobs. The Axes were another matter. These things were incredible. I wasn’t a munchkin, nor was I desperate to make the number go up, but these things were both a major damage boost and a borderline perfect defense against my bane. With them I could be almost impossible to kill. Something of no small value when planning to go to war… against demons.

I was going to regret this.

I pulled the bucket of Vitae and the Axes out of my inventory.

The effect was instantaneous. Everything went black. Strangely I could still see. In this impossible dark, Cole’s shadow form was bright white. The axes were similar. Each was a one-handed battle ax. The handle and flat of the head were engraved with carvings of wolves, snakes, and demonic people. An absence seemed to radiate from the weapons. It was almost like they hungered, whether for light or for blood I couldn’t say.

“Who turned out the lights,” Spine asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

“I did,” I told him. “Don’t worry,” turning to Cole’s shadow I asked, “Would these help?”

Cole examined the items, “Yeah, they are… basically perfect.”

“I can loan these to you. I would like these back when your daughters are safe,” I held out the items.

Cole didn’t take them, “What do you want in return?”

…alright, we were having this conversation. “Are we family, Cole?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral, if not kind.

“What do you mean?” Cole legitimately did not understand the question.

“Exactly what I asked. Are we all the children of the Titan? Would that make us siblings, or are we just absurdly powerful strangers? Am I offering aid to a rival or to my Brother and Nieces?” I had committed to providing the help, but I did need to know where we stood.

Titan Spawn seemed to be in a PVP mindset. I wasn’t about that, but I wasn’t going to keep sticking my neck out if everyone was simply looking for the chance to cut my throat.

Cole thought about that for a long time. It was almost like he was embarrassed, “I would like us to try and be family. I… if you can help me save my children…”

“I get it,” I pressed the axes into one of his massive hands, and the bucket in the other.

“There must be something I can do,” Cole insisted. Asking for help isn’t always easy. Accepting it can be even harder. Some people can’t own others.

“Can you tell me where Kate is?” my voice was calm but my heart rate surged.

“I am sorry, but no,” Cole slumped his massive shoulders. “It has been years since I last saw her.” He pulled the items into his inventory. Light returned to the world.

“Wait! You know she is alive?” I could barely hear his answer over the pounding of my heart. My hands were shaking. I felt a bead of sweat roll down my spine.

“Of course. She is the first Darkspawn. Kate is the highest level demigod player in existence. Her other nickname is The Knife of Nadia. She doesn’t get hurt, she hurts people.” Cole explained.

I didn’t even realize it until I heard the groan of metal. I had pulled Cole into a bear hug. “She’s alive,” I managed.

Cole hugged me back, “Yes, brother. Listen. Kate isn’t the girl you remember. She has lived an entire life without us. If you plan to meet her, remember that.”

I nodded. “Thank you.” I let him go.

“When you reach level 11 please come visit me. Meet your nieces.” Then he vanished.

“What just happened?” Spine asked.

I wiped my eyes,”I learned something important. Kate is still out there.”

Spine nodded, “Who’s Kate?”

“The daughter of the Titan,” I explained. We started walking to the camp again.

“So who is she to you then?” Spine asked.

“I don’t know, but I have to find out.” Admitting that was harder than then I would like to admit. At the same time, though, the moment’s vulnerability provided the clarity I needed to see the truth.

I felt the nail on my pinky finger. I was not the Titan. I didn’t need to find Kate because she needed me. I was going to find her because the Titan needed me to. I was all but certain that he could alter the system. Between Empowered Critical and Formless Void, I had seen him bend the mechanics of the world.

Quest Updated

Try: You have earned the friendship of Cole Dragonsworn.

Next step: Try

Quest Update:

What any father would do: You have learned that Kate is alive. You also know she is the first Darkspawn, and the Knife of Nadia. That’s Ominous.

Next Step: Find Kate.

Yeah that more or less galvanized my resolve. One step at a time though.

“Spine, how worried are you about the pact ending?” I asked.

Spine didn’t answer right away, “I want to keep helping, but I really don’t want to go back to being as weak as I was?”

“Spine, you were willing to lay down your life to buy a chance for your friends and family to live. I doubt you felt it at the time but that is one of the most powerful things someone can do. I can only think of one action that takes more strength.” I paused.

Willpower check… Successful

Emotional state remains in control

Note: Repeated rolls will increase the difficulty.

“What can possibly be harder than dying?” Spine pressed me.

“Living,” I said. For the first time in my existence I felt bad for the Titan. “To be the one to have to carry on and rebuild. To have the weight of it all on your shoulders. To have people need you both today and tomorrow. The burden only grows with time.”

“If you say so,” Spine didn’t sound convinced.

I decided to give it one more try before moving on to the other point, “If you could go back to that day and you had the choice; would you be where you were and have the role you did, dying, or be where Nanny Shiv was and take all her responsibilities?”

“I get it,” Spine said. After a beat he added, “If need be I would try.”

I liked Spine. He had a good heart. “Tell you what. Once this pact ends, let’s make a new one.”

“What could you want from me?” he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

“I am about to get involved in politics. I’m a warlord now. I am going to need someone I can trust to tell me the truth about goblin culture and the people. Help me.” I let him think about it.

We neared the edge of the camp.

“Are you sure you want me for that?” Spine asked.

Promising answer, actually. “Yeah.”

“Can I have a cool title?” He asked.

“Sure, you can be my Mugwump.” I said. I always liked that word. It beat muckety-muck any day of the week.

“A what now?” Spine asked. He was clearly circumspect of the term.

“A political independent,” I answered. I saw that didn’t impress him much, “It also means an important person.“

“I’ll take it.” Spine said as we were met by the guards.

“Take me to your leader,” I told them.

They paused, “Is this a riddle? Are we supposed to take you to you?” one asked. His name was Barry Back-Stab.

“Who is organizing this place?” I asked.

“You are,” They said, growing more confused.

That was on me, “Who was in charge before me?”

“That would probably be Toad Badkiss.” Barry answered.

“Let’s go talk to that guy,” I instructed.

I could already tell. This whole Warlord thing was going to be a shit show.