385 days until the Arkon Shield falls

All beginnings are painful, be it a mortal birth or the creation of a new Dominion. —Ashara.

You have exited Wyrm Island.

I stepped out of the dragon temple to a darkened sky. Dawn was still about an hour away, and most of location seventy-eight’s residents had not yet risen.

Sierra. The village is called Sierra now, I reminded myself. I felt my heart clench again as the settlement’s name evoked fresh memories of Mum. It still hurt every time I thought of her.

I was grateful to the commander for what she had done. Naming the village after Mum was a good thing, and it would preserve her memory. But I knew that my time in Sierra would be tinged with grief forevermore.

I shuffled into motion and hobbled down the temple’s purple steps. To distract myself, I considered Eric’s information again and what it meant for the future.

The orcs were hunting me.

It was not unexpected, but the speed and efficiency with which they’d organized their search was more than a little scary. It had been only six days since I had slain Kagan and Yarl on Earth, and I’d hoped for more time before they responded.

I must’ve revealed more than I suspected to the high shaman. Why else would the orcs be searching for me with such… fervor? The question, though, was: what do I do about it?

Nothing. I swallowed bile. There is nothing I can do—not yet. As much as it galled me, I still wasn’t strong enough.

I was worried that the orcs’ hunt would endanger Eric and Emma, but I couldn’t help them either. I didn’t even know in which direction to head to reach the pair, and until I grew stronger, I would serve them better by staying well away.

At least I know where they are now. Splatterpunk. It was the name of the gnomish settlement in which the two now resided. I needed to uncover everything I could about the sponsored city and its location, but my plans hadn’t changed in the short term.

Getting stronger remained my top priority, and heading north to the green-marked dungeon Marcus’ scouts had found was still my best hope of doing that.

I reached the bottom of the temple steps and inspected the sled I had left waiting there. Its contents had remained undisturbed in my absence. Taking up the sled’s leather straps, I wrapped them around my shoulders and headed out of town.

✽✽✽

The settlement’s northern perimeter had undergone a drastic transformation since I’d last passed this way. A few days ago, when I had crossed here with Tara and the others, only open trenches had marked the village’s northern boundary. Now though, even in the predawn darkness, I could make out the looming palisade walls.

At the sight, a pleased grin spread across my face. I’d helped build this. Whatever happened from this point onwards, it eased my mind to know that the village was secure and its residents safe. Or as safe as anyone can be in Overworld.

“Halt!” a voice barked out.

I bit back a start of surprise and drew to a stop. The order had come from the direction of the gate. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to pierce the darkness. Who was there? I couldn’t tell. The speaker was concealed in the shadows cast by the palisade. If only you had some way to see in the dark, eh Jamie?

Cursing myself for a fool, I drew mana into my mind and cast night vision. A second later, my magically enhanced sight pierced the shadows, and the gate and its environs snapped into focus.

Two figures with raised weapons—spearmen by the looks of them—stood in front of the barred village gates. Guards, I realized. Both soldiers were squinting as they struggled to see me.

“Identify yourself,” the first spearman growled. His face was bearded, and he held his weapon with the casual ease that came only with hard-worn experience.

“It’s Jamie,” I said.

The pair lowered their weapons with gratifying quickness. “Mage Jamie?” the second soldier asked.

I nodded, even though the pair weren’t likely to notice the gesture in the dark, and resumed walking. As I approached close enough for the soldiers to make out my features—a face and head startling free of hair—the last of the tension drained out of them.

“It is you,” the second spearman said.

The first guard saluted. “Sorry, sir. We didn’t recognize you in the dark. With all the new fish in town and the goings-on of yesterday, we didn’t want to take any chances.”

My lips turned down at the reminder. He was referring to the massacre orchestrated by the PKers. “It’s alright, sergeant,” I said, guessing at his rank. “I understand. And don’t call me ‘sir.’” I shivered theatrically. “That only makes me feel old.”

Both guards laughed.

I gestured towards the closed gate. “All quiet out there?”

The sergeant shrugged. “As quiet as it ever gets in this damnable world. A few random howls and guttural roars. Nothing out of the usual.” He turned to his younger companion. “Open the gate, Simmons, and let our mage through.”

My brows furrowed in surprise.

Seeing my look, the sergeant added, “The old lady left word that you might come by. She ordered us to see your party through without delay.”

I hid a sigh of relief. Thank you, Jolin. I had half-feared the guards would not let me leave.

The soldier’s face crinkled in confusion as he peered behind me. “Where are you companions, sir?”

“It’s just me, sergeant,” I said.

“Oh,” he replied, seemingly nonplussed by my response.

The next few seconds passed in silence while we waited for Simmons to slide open the wooden gate. Finally, the way was clear.

“Thank you,” I said and stepped through.

“You’re welcome, sir,” Simmons said. He hesitated then blurted out, “When shall we tell the old lady to expect you back?”

I paused and turned around.

Simmons was looking at me anxiously, and even the sergeant looked eager to hear my answer. I suspected it was less for the commander’s sake and more for their own that Simmons had voiced the question. The settlement had come to depend on me—perhaps far more than it should have.

I smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be back. But I will be gone for a while.” Alone and under-leveled, I expected it would take me longer than usual to clear the green dungeon, and from what I’d learned through the Trials Infopedia, some dungeon runs could take weeks at even the best of times.

The sergeant saluted. “Yessir. Any other messages we can carry for you?”

I had already penned all the missives I needed back at the dragon temple. The first, I had addressed to Marcus, telling him of my suspicions that the riverbed itself was a source of ore. The second, I had written to Jolin, informing her of my planned route, and the last I had addressed to Lance.

I shook my head. “No sergeant,” I said. “I’ve seen to everything already. Farewell.”

✽✽✽

The gate slid closed behind me, leaving me alone in the plains of knee-high grass. I suppressed a shiver of unease. The last time I had been outside the settlement, I had nearly died.

But this time I’m better prepared.

I searched through the packed sled and pulled out my wizard’s staff. Using the Focus as a walking stick, I waded through the grass, heading due north.

My first destination was the spider warren. I did not know the green dungeon’s precise location, but I knew the scouts who had found it were based at the settlement’s new outpost at the lair. It would be less risky to get directions from them than to search the foothills myself.

The first few hours of my journey passed quickly, and soon the sun rose in the east to banish the darkness. I breathed in the fresh morning air and watched the birds flit across the plains. Overworld was a pleasant world—or would have been if not for the dangers it hid.

Despite my determination to remain alert, the tranquility of my surroundings beguiled me and eventually, I found my thoughts drifting over everything that had happened in the last few days. I could scarce believe some of what we’d accomplished. Defeating the murluks, claiming the warren, and establishing the settlement were all feats to be proud of.

Still, I worried we had not done enough.

There was much yet left undone and little time. Three-hundred and eighty-five days. At best, that was how long we had. Before that, I had to find a way to rid the domain of the orcs and somehow unite humanity’s scattered settlements.

And that was just the beginning.

Even assuming we got that far, our future still looked bleak. What would the other races do once the Arkon Shield fell and humanity’s weaknesses were exposed? Invade? It was almost a certainty. Humanity couldn’t survive on its own, I knew. We needed allies.

Allies wouldn’t come easily, though, or cheaply. We would need to find valuable resources to trade and make ourselves strong enough that conquering us became more effort than it was worth.

I needed to get stronger too.

I had barely tapped into my Magic Potential yet. There were dozens of Feats and Traits that I needed to acquire and dungeons I still had to find. And, of course, many more player levels that I had to advance as well.

I rubbed at my temples. Become a force to be reckoned with, unite humanity, find allies, and expel the orcs—all before the Arkon shield falls.

Not a tall order at all.

I laughed, a trifle hysterically. Attempting to accomplish all that was madness. Impossible even. But I would do it. Somehow. For mum and all of humanity’s fallen.

I would not fail her—or them—again.

Still, even I was not so foolish to attempt everything at once. Keep it simple, Jamie. For now, I only needed to focus on one thing: getting stronger. The rest would follow thereafter.

I hoped.

✽✽✽

By midmorning, I entered the foothills. I kept my gaze roving over my surroundings, but nothing emerged to threaten me, and I reached the warren without mishap.

As I drew closer to the entrance, dragging the sled behind me, I saw that it, too, had undergone changes in my absence. Where previously the entry had been no more than a large hole in the side of a hill, it was now well fortified. Twin posts had been driven into the ground on either side of the dirt tunnel, anchoring a slatted wooden gate in place.

From inside the gate, two pairs of eyes stared out at me. “Someone’s here!” the first shouted.

“It’s our reinforcements,” the second added.

My brows crinkled. Reinforcements? As far as I knew, Jolin was not sending anyone out this way. I stopped in front of the gate and, while waiting for the guards to acknowledge my presence, I cast analyze on both.

The target is Peter Elroy, a level 21 human player and member of an allied faction: the Forerunners. He has no Magic, meager Might and Resilience, and mediocre Craft.

The target is David Steinhoff, a level 22 human player and member of an allied faction: the Forerunners. He has no Magic, mediocre Might, and meager Resilience and Craft.

Interesting, I thought. Analyze had revealed the pair’s allegiance. Was that because we were allied? The two were the first I had inspected since Jolin had formed the faction.

“He’s alone. Where is the rest of his squad?” Peter asked worriedly.

“Don’t you recognize him?” David whispered back. “That’s our mage!”

“Are you sure? What if it’s an imposter?”

I peered between the slits. “Good morning. Can you let me in?” I asked, deciding to intervene. If I didn’t, it looked like the two would go on ignoring me.

The pair fell abruptly silent. “Uh… no,” Peter said. “Sorry stranger, but we can’t do that, not until you’ve proved your identity first.”

I bit back a laugh. “You could just analyze me yourself, Peter,” I suggested gently.

A pause. Then a not-so-gentle thump.

“Idiot,” David hissed. “Why didn’t you think of that?” Peter rubbed the back of his head but didn’t respond to his companion’s jab.

I smiled wryly. It was easy at times to forget some of the benefits Overworld brought. I felt a faint tingle ripple across my skin as one of the guards finally analyzed me.

“Your identity has been confirmed, sir. Come on in,” David said and unbarred the gate from inside.

“Thank you,” I murmured and slipped into the darkened warren. It was as dank and moldy as before, but the large stretches of cobwebs that had draped the tunnels’ sides had been removed. Torches had been affixed at regular intervals in their place.

“Where is your sergeant?” I asked. I knew from Marcus that a full spearmen squad had been sent to occupy the warren.

“With the queen,” Peter replied.

I paused mid-step and swung back to face both guards. “The queen? What queen?”

Peter and David stared at me. “You don’t know?” David asked with unmistakable surprise. “But-but… why else would the old lady send you?”

I didn’t say anything.

“The creature showed up yesterday,” Peter said, “and since then, things have been… interesting.”

“I see,” I muttered, wondering what this development boded. “Where is it now?”

“In the final chamber,” David replied.

“Thank you,” I called over my shoulder and hurried that way.