Chapter 66: Skysign

News Around The World

Cost Of Oil Hits $416 Per Barrel

Countries Are Paralyzed Due To Fuel Rationing

Newspapers Unavailable Due To Resource Shortage, News Websites Remains Operational

Space Exploration Company, Infinite Horizon, Ready To Deploy Satellite Network to Bring Free High-Speed Internet To The World

A Billion Dead, Millions More Missing

The Two Week War: The Fight After The Merger

Florida Man Dies Trying To Take A Selfie With A Kelpie

UNDF Operations Improving As Soldiers Level Up

Diplomats Being Deployed To Skysign For First Official Mission

UNDF Operations 1

Classification Levels

1 - Public knowledge

2 - Private rank and above

3 - Commissioned Officers

4 - Commander rank and above

5 - Top-level Commissioned Officers and politicians only

UNDF Division: Dungeon Ops

Classification Level: 2

Relevant Intel: Dungeons are a type of megafungus that takes on different shapes depending on where its spore lands. The closest Earth-based analogy would be the Honey Fungus in North America which has been reported to reach the length of five and a half kilometers. A Dungeon spore quickly grows as it absorbs the nutrients and Mana from its surrounding environment and eventually becomes cave-like in its structure. The largest known Dungeons can reach a radius of one kilometer and two kilometers in height. As a Dungeon grows, it releases pheromones that attract animals into its interior where it then shares a symbiotic and parasitic relationship. When anything dies inside a Dungeon, the biological remains is eventually absorbed by the dungeon to feed its growth.

Purpose: Dungeon Ops is responsible for locating and securing locations of Dungeon organisms so they can be used for training purposes and gathering specimen samples.

UNDF Division: Map Ops

Classification Level: 1

Purpose: Satellites can only provide so much information about the landscape with its picture capture capabilities. Cartographers have been hired by the UNDF to record the locations of villages, cities, natural formations, roads, and borders.

UNDF Division: Beast Ops

Classification Level: 1

Purpose: This division is solely responsible for eliminating monsters and animals that attack civilization centres.

UNDF Division: Elemental Ops

Classification Level: 5

Purpose: This division only consists of Thomas Everett's team. They have been given complete autonomy in their mission in locating the remaining Elementals. They only report to Supreme Commander Steele, the UN Secretary-General, and the world leaders.

VVVVVV

Tom scanned through the journal he picked up off of the Elven bandit. The map they got was given to the designated UNDF cartographer. The soldier had a series of maps out and he marked down on his atlas places that corresponded with the bandit map.

"Anything interesting in that journal?" Reia asked.

"Mostly about villages they robbed," Tom replied without looking up from the book. "We have locations so I can hand that off to the map guy and Command. These villages might be good to approach." He turned another page. "Ah, here's something good. We now have the name and location of the person that they sold slaves to."

"Isn't it kinda dumb for him to list all this information?" Vi asked.

"It is. Probably an idiot who didn't want to forget this information. I'd scoff at this, but then I remember that there were plenty of Human criminals who bragged about their crimes on Vine and facebook videos."

Tom slammed the journal closed and handed it to a nearby soldier.

"So are you all excited to finally going home after so long?" he asked.

"It seems funny to me," Amber said. "My origin is on Xoth, but I was truly born on Earth. A child of two worlds."

"Now a child of one," Tala finished the thought. She grabbed Amber's knee and gave it a soft squeeze. "It'll be good to learn more about the world you're from."

"Thanks, Tala."

"It'd be nice to see our home again," Sylmae said. "Though it's nothing compared to our new home. Still... Home is home."

"We all actually put our money together and bought it about a year before we came to Earth," Reia further explained to Tom. "It has a lot of sentimental value."

"What about friends?" Tom asked. "Got any friends you all want to see while we're in Skysign."

"We didn't really have too many friends..." Tala said.

"My eyes are partially responsible for that," Sylmae sadly sighed. "Bad omen and all."

"Sorry, I didn't realize," Tom apologized.

"Oh, don't be sorry," Reia said. "We have you, and now we have friends here on Earth."

"Oh, crap, I just realized," Sylmae gasped. "I'm so fired from the store I worked at."

"You just realized that now?" Reia let out a throaty chuckle.

"We've been pretty busy for the last year."

"Specialist Everett?" the driver called out.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"I see a large wall up ahead. I believe this is Skysign."

Sylmae leaned forward to look out the front. Up ahead there was a tall dark gray wall made from large bricks. The walls ran in both directions beyond how far the eye could see. The road led to a gate made from dark metal. To the side of the gate was a regular door made from the same kind of metal.

"That's Skysign, alright," she said. "You might want to stop a good distance from the gate. I can already see the guards at the gate getting concerned about us."

"Understood. We'll stop twenty meters out."

"I'm excited for you to see Skysign, Tom," Tala said. "It really is a beautiful city."

"I've heard it's a large city by some waterfalls, but not much more than that," Tom said.

"You'll see."

"We're twenty meters out," the driver announced as the APC came to a stop.

"We'll step out and approach the guards on foot," Tom said. "We want this mission to be a success. We don't want to spook them. Come on, girls."

Tom opened the rear hatch of the APC and stepped out with the Xothicans in tow. They approached the gate where four guards stood at guard. The guards were in a position between relaxed and combat readiness. Their grips on their swords and spears were tighter than usual.

"Identify yourself!" one of the guards demanded.

"I'm Specialist Thomas Everett," he announced. "I have a diplomatic team that are representing Humanity."

"Humanity?" the guard repeated in confusion.

Tom reached up for his helmet and removed it from his head. The guards looked at him like he was an oddity when his face was revealed.

"It's quite a long story but to quickly summarize, Xoth and my world fused with each other. My race is known as Humanity. We wish to speak with your Governor and establish diplomatic ties."

The girls took off their helmets like he did to reveal their identities. Amber was the only one to abstain from revealing her face due to her being a Dryad. She did not want to cause an immediate commotion at the gate.

"We're citizens of Skysign," Sylmae stated. "I'm Sylmae Lyvan. I worked at the Jackalope Hunter Shop. I can testify to their integrity."

"Sylmae?!" one of the guards exclaimed. He leaned his spear against the wall. "And it looks like your sisters are here too. Reia and Tala. I also recognize Vivian Terrabane."

"Oh, Teber!" Sylmae exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you under the helmet."

"You know him?" Tom whispered.

"He occasionally shops at the store I worked at."

"You all disappeared a month ago," Teber said. "Notices were put up at the Adventurer's Guild. We were worried there was some strong monster nearby."

"Oh..." Sylmae felt dejected that the worry over her and her sisters' disappearance was over the possibility of monsters.

"They have all been with my people this whole time," Tom explained. "Like I said. It's a long story. Can we meet with your Governor?"

"Just a few questions. How many more people are part of your convoy? How many of them are soldiers? What are your levels?"

"We have fourteen other soldiers in this convoy," Tom answered. "Three other members are purely diplomats. My team are in their thirties while the soldiers are around level five so they have their first class."

"Thirties?" Teber looked at Tom's companions with a look of suspicion. "I know I didn't take the time to know you all, but I was sure that at least Lyvan was level one."

"It's a long story," Sylmae said.

"Nothing but long stories here," he sighed. "Let me contact the Governor."

Teber pulled out a communication orb. He went into a trace for a few seconds before he lowered his hand and placed his orb into his Inventory.

"The Governor has given the go ahead, but with conditions."

"I'm listening," Tom said.

"We have more guards coming here who will escort you to the Governor's office. I'm afraid we cannot allow those metal carriages through our gate. We have no idea what those are or what they are capable of. You can leave who you wish to keep an eye on them. Also all of you will need to remove your helmets if you wish to have an audience with the Governor." Teber nodded towards Amber.

Amber looked towards Tom for a silent request for permission. Tom nodded back to her. Amber reached up and removed her helmet. She placed the helmet into her Inventory. Her appearance earned an audible gasp from the guards.

"By Kara's grace!" Teber muttered under his breath. "Y-You're a Dryad!"

"In the flesh," Amber nervously shrugged.

Teber looked at the others. "H-How?"

"It's a-" Tom tried to get out.

"A long story," Teber groaned. "Please wait while your escort arrives."

"Sure thing."

While they waited, Tom went back to the APCs to organize who was to enter Skysign and who was to guard the APCs. The diplomats along with a squad of UNDF soldiers went with Tom back to the gate entrance. The diplomats wore body cameras on their vests to ensure that the entire experience was recorded so others can learn from it.

By the time everyone was organized, twenty guardsmen had arrived at the gate. Tom scanned each guardsman and saw than none of them were higher than level fifteen.

'I could take them,' Tom jokingly thought.

"Open the gate!" Teber yelled upwards.

"Opening the gate!" someone on the top of the wall yelled back.

The metal gate groaned as it rose up. As it went up, everyone could see that the city used a double gate to protect their borders. The inner gate rose at the same time as the one outside. Soon the gate rose high enough for everyone to get their first glimpse of Skysign.

The road past the gate was covered with carefully cut stone that was tiled together to create an even surface. Other roads intersected with the main road but were mostly dirt roads created by heavy traffic. The smell of manure entered the air. The area near the walls was filled with farmlands and low-income houses.

The Skysign guards placed themselves on both sides of the Human convoy and gestured for them to follow. Farms animals travelled alongside farmers on the roads near the gates. Some children were seen being urged by their parents to leave the roads in preparation for whoever was entering Skysign.

Everyone near the gate hurried out of the way, worried that a carriage might rush through the gate with little concern for anyone still in its way. When they saw that no carriage came through the gate, they took the time to check out the new arrivals. The people were confused by the appearance of these newcomers. Many of the residents gathered around the road edge to watch the visitors pass by. Their mutterings could be heard by the Humans.

"Are those Elves?"

"Can't be. They're tall! And those ears. Round!"

"They are dressed weirdly."

As they went further down the road, more buildings populated the area with civilians of higher income. The houses were less made from wood and more made of rough rock and mortar. The intersected streets were also covered in crudely cut tiles as oppose to the dirt roads of the farmers. The people there were also better dressed and there were market stalls were all over. Other stores operated alongside them as well.

When they walked over the hill, they finally saw the center jewel of Skysign: the waterfall district. The district sat next to five tall waterfalls that fell off of a cliff. The water collected into a lake. The lake then flowed into tunnels underneath the stone city. The buildings of the district were bright white, blue, and gray. In the center of the district was a wide open area where stalls could set up to sell their goods.

No matter which district they were in, people gathered near the main road to watch the newcomers. The peering eyes from the people of her city made Tala feel self-conscious and she ducked her face behind the hood of her robe.

"Didn't you sit in front of dozens of world leaders?" Vivian teased Tala. "Or thousands of UNDF soldiers?"

"I did, but at that time, all their focus was on Tom. It's easier to deal with."

"I'll be your shield any time, Tala," Tom said to help tease her.

"Tom!" Tala whimpered.

Vivian laughed and patted Tala on the shoulder.

"There's City Hall," Sylmae announced as they walked into the city square.

When he saw the building, Tom realized the reason why Reia thought he was a noble when she first came to his house. The City Hall building was slightly smaller than his previous home. It was a two-story red structure with half a dozen of windows in the front. Two guards stood outside the building, next to the stairs to the front door. Both kept a stoic look on their faces until the Humans arrived.

"These are the diplomats representing the race known as Humanity," Teber announced to the two building guards. "The soldiers are their escorts."

"We can't let so many unknown soldiers into City Hall," one of the guards said to the group.

"We can leave the UNDF soldiers outside, but we would like for Everett's team to come in with us," the UNDF diplomat, Jin Seo-yun, said.

"So long as they leave their weapons down here with your soldiers, that is acceptable."

"Specialist Everett," Jin said.

"Hand them over, ladies," Tom said.

"Feel so naked without my hammer," Vivian groaned as she handed her hammer to a nearby soldiers.

They all took their weapons out of their Inventory and handed them over to the UNDF soldiers.

"We will also need to check your Inventory to make sure you don't have any other weapons," the other building guard said. "Is that acceptable?"

"It is acceptable," Jin replied.

"Alright, Peek." A ring of magical energy appeared around his right eye and he looked at all three diplomats. "The diplomats are clean." The guard then looked at the Xothicans. "They're clean." Finally his eye fell upon Tom. The colour from his face drained. "That can't be right... That's impossible!"

"What?" Teber asked.

"He saw the two proofs of deaths I have," Tom said.

"Those have to be fake!" the guard yelled.

"Well, after this meeting I was going to turn them in at the Guild. If they are fake, they would be the first to say."

"Who are the proofs of death for?" Teber demanded.

"Mordiggian and Ithaqua," the guard muttered.

All of the guardsmen stiffened their posture when they heard the names.

"I don't know what would be worse for you," Teber said to Tom. "You lying about these proofs of death, or you actually being truthful about them."

"Can we go in now?" Tom asked.

"Follow me," Teber sighed. "And you should know that this building is outfitted with runes in its walls that negate magic usage. Try to cast any magic in this building, nothing will happen, but we will know and will arrest you."

"We aren't planning to cause any trouble," Jin said.

The group followed Teber into City Hall. The entry hall had paintings on the wall of what the Humans presumed to be important political figures of Skysign's history. In the center of the foyer was a desk with a wolf Beastkin woman sitting behind it.

"Welcome to Skysign's City Hall," she greeted. "I am secretary to the Governor, Fila Thaas. I can take you to Governor Viktoria Thaas." She noticed the raised brows of the Human visitors and quickly followed up with, "the Governor and I are wives of the guard captain Tox Thaas. Now, please follow me."

Teber and Thaas led the diplomatic group up a set of stairs and down a hallway on the left. They past several doors before they got to the end of the hall. Fila opened the door to a conservative office. There were several book cases next to the wall. In the center of the office was the Governor's desk, where an Elven woman sat, with two piles of paper on top. Behind the Governor was a large glass window that overlooked Skysign. Through the window, they could see a small crowd gathered outside of the building.

"Governor, they're here," Fila announced.

"Thank you, Fila," Viktoria said. "You and Teber can go."

The two nodded in acknowledgment and left.

"I am Jin Seo-yun, representative of the United Nations of Earth. With me are the ambassadors of the two countries around Skysign. Joseph Lightfoot, the ambassador of Canada, and Bruce Williams, the ambassador of the United States of America. We come here under the banner of peace and wish to create diplomatic ties with Skysign and open trade."

"Welcome to Skysign," Viktoria warmly greeted. "I am Governor Viktoria Thaas. Please, Ambassadors, take a seat." She gestured towards the chairs in front of her desk. "Are your escorts okay with standing?"

"We are," Tom replied.

"That's good and..." Viktoria's eyes fell upon Reia and then they narrowed. "Oh... You."

"Hello, Governor Thaas," Reia shyly said. "It's... nice to see you again."

"I'm afraid I cannot say the same for you."

"What the hell is this about?" Tom blurted out.

"Has she told you about her engagement?" Viktoria said.

"To the Eikoryu prince?"

"Yes. And you are...?"

"He's my lover," Reia answered.

"I see," Viktoria said. "I have had people from the Eikoryu empire come to me to make claims towards Reia Zyer. They threatened to bring the full force of the empire to my city if I don't turn her over when they come. When Reia disappeared a month ago, I was hoping she had fled the city."

"How can you be so cold towards one of your citizens?" Tom angrily asked.

"I am not without empathy. But my position requires me to take care of this entire city. We don't have an army. We only have guardsmen and a mountain range that makes it difficult to bring in a large army. If an army bypasses our mountains, our guardsmen would not be able to defend against such a massive force. Worst case scenario, I was planning to hand over some coin towards Reia so she could leave in the dead of night."

"Reia is under protection of the United Nations," Jin said. "She has done so much for Humanity, we wouldn't dare abandon her.

"Even if that means war with the Empire?"

"Even then. She has helped save billions of lives."

"Billions?" Viktoria looked at them incredulously.

"This leads us to our story. Our race, Humanity, is from another world known as Earth. A month ago for you, a year ago for us, Hastur-"

"Do not say that name here!" Viktoria yelled while jumping out of her chair. She realized that her outburst shocked the diplomats. Viktoria collected herself and sat back down. "I'm sorry. That name... brings a lot of sorrow and pain. In the future, be very careful of who you say that name to."

"We meant no offense," the Canadian ambassador apologized. "But... He casted a spell that would make our worlds merge. Did you have some odd purple storms in the previous months?"

"Actually we did," Viktoria said. "We received some Intel that the Demon continent was up to something big. Nothing like this."

"We have been authorized to pass on this information," Jin said as he pulled out a binder from his Inventory and handed it over to Viktoria.

Viktoria opened the binder and saw its pages dense with information. She looked back up to the diplomats.

"You said you have a story to tell?" Viktoria said. "Let's hear it."

Over the next couple hours, the diplomats took turns telling Viktoria about the events that occurred on Earth before the merger. They were sure to tell her of Tom's and the girls' deeds and heroics. At times, they even pulled out their phones to show her videos of many major events.

After the summary of the past year, the discussion went back to Mordiggian and Ithaqua. Viktoria looked to the girls and then to Tom. She sadly sighed and said, "The Yellow King is not going to rest until you are all in the Agony. You'll have armies, assassins, and monsters sent after you. You have my sympathies."

"We're not going to give up that easily," Reia said.

"I don't doubt it. Again I'm afraid I cannot offer you any protection in my city. We couldn't handle the Empire. We sure as hell cannot handle the Demon army."

"I understand."

"Governor, with your permission, we would like to sign up as Adventurers at the Guild," Sylmae said.

Viktoria tapped her fingers on her desk before she replied, "sure. The Guild network is more or less outside of my jurisdiction. They can allow anyone they want to join. Though tell me, you are all part of the UNDF military. While your army may be different from most armies on Xoth, I'm sure you have benefits that an Adventurer doesn't have. Why become an Adventurer?"

"We are looking for very specific people," Sylmae answered. "People to help us in our mission to kill Ha- the Yellow King. We plan to make a name for ourselves and use our reputation to find these people."

"Try not to cause any trouble in my city and we won't have a problem. I should warn you. That Dryad, Amber. I have run into a couple in my life. They are greatly sought after to be made into slaves. Be careful."

"Thank you for the warning, Governor," Amber said.

"Can you three handle things from here?" Tom asked the diplomats.

"We can," Jin replied. "You're free to go. Good luck in your mission. The other soldiers we brought with us will take us back to base once we are done here."

"Thank you, sir."

Tom and the others walked out of the office room, closed the door behind them, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're finally here," Vivian said. "No more orders. No more reports."

"Finally free," Reia squealed. "Our adventure begins!"