Chapter 67: Catching Up

News Around The World

New Video Blog Series "New York, New World" To Detail How Manhattan Is Coping In The Aftermath Of The Merger

Water And Food Shortages Reported In Pakistan, Iraq, And Afghanistan

Burj Khalifa Of Dubai Collapses, Taking Ten Thousand Lives

UNDF Sees Surge In Recruitment As Unemployment Rate Increases

Half Of The World's Capital Cities Declared Safe

UN Issues Warning Of Dangerous And Addictive Xothican Drug Called "Dreamscape"

Airforces' Role Called Into Question When An Entire Squadron Crashed In A Suspected Case Of Level-Up Fatigue

UNDF Operations 2

UNDF Division: Counter Xothican-Human Ops

Classification Level: 2

Purpose: Also known as the CXH, the purpose of this division is to take on Xothican and Human enemies that are enhanced thanks to the SYSTEM. This division is prepared for skirmishes or full-scale battles.

UNDF Division: Recon Ops

Classification Level: 3

Purpose: This division is responsible for reconnaissance of enemy territory, new resources, and future battlegrounds. This division will work alongside Rumour Ops and Resource Ops to secure new advantages for Humanity.

UNDF Division: Dark Ops

Classification Level: 4

Purpose: Rumour Ops is responsible for surveillance and spreading or collecting news, disinformation, and rumours.

VVVVVV

Tom and his companions walked out of City Hall into the bitter cold of the streets. The guards gave them a look of curiosity. The UNDF soldiers handed back the weapons that were taken from Tom's group.

"The Governor has given us permission to move about freely," Tom told the guards. "We are just heading to the Guild and visiting the ladies' home. We won't cause any trouble."

"I appreciate that," one of the guards said.

Tom noticed the guards were shivering in place. Neither of them were dressed in warm wear. Their gray clothes were loose and thin. Tom reached into his Inventory and pulled out four hand warmers.

"Here take two each," he said as he handed them the small fabric sacs. "These are hand warmers. Just scrunch the packs and they'll warm up and stay warm for ten hours."

With a look of suspicion, the guards did as Tom said. In moments, the packs heated up.

"What magic is this?" one of the guards gasped.

"It's more akin to alchemy," Tala corrected. "Chemicals react inside the pack and generates heat."

"Thank you. All of you. We're just not used to such cold temperatures."

"I'm afraid it's only going to get worse," Tom said.

Unlike Earth, the world of Xoth doesn't have seasons. Everywhere that wasn't the far north or south, or the mountains, never saw snow. For them, it was summer all year round. Now that their two worlds fused, the Xothicans now have to contend with the seasons that Humanity endured for eons.

The coming winter storms was why the UN was rushing to establish diplomatic ties in North America. Skysign, the largest independent city on Xoth, was about to experience a Canadian winter. The fact that the majority of Xothicans have never experienced a winter would play a pivotal role towards Humanity's negotiating power.

Humans can provide Xothicans with winter-specific clothing, food for when their crops die, and snow clearing technology. In return, it is hoped that Humanity can gain access to magical research, books, samples, technology, and mages. On its face, the deal seemed to give more to the Xothicans than Humanity took, but for Humanity it was a small price to pay to gain unlimited access to information about magic and Mana.

Snow flakes started to fall from the cloudy sky. It was just a few flakes at first. Then a few more. Snow then started to fall in sheets. Everyone on the sheets looked up at the sky in curiosity and anxiety.

"By Kara, why is it snowing?" one civilian asked out loud.

"Doppler is calling for thirty centimeters of snow tonight," Tom notified the guards.

"You have a mage that can predict the weather?" one of the guards asked.

"Oh, no, no. Doppler is a device that Humans use to predict the weather within a time frame."

"Incredible. Well, I don't want to keep you. Please enjoy your time in Skysign."

Tom's group walked off in the direction of the smithy that Reia used to work at. The civilians were kind enough to keep their distance from them, but they still stayed around to check out the new race.

"She's not a bad person," Reia said. "The Governor, I mean."

"Even if she was willing to throw you under the bus?" Tom replied.

"Governor Thaas is a pragmatic woman and she has been through a lot to get the city to where it currently is. The third last Governor of Skysign was an extremely corrupt woman. Bribery, extortion, murder, embezzlement, you name it. She constantly postponed elections 'in the name of security'. Thaas, with the support of her wife and husband, collected evidence of wrongdoing and form a faction large enough to oust her out of office and have her arrested. Dion still rots in prison. Elections came back and to ensure that there would be no suspicion that Thaas was trying to vie for power, she abstain from running. Thaas worked hard to bring order back to Skysign. I understand her stance concerning the Empire and me."

"She did sound a little dickish with that 'oh, you' comment," Vivian said. "You have to admit."

"She was probably tired," Sylmae said. "I doubt the last two weeks were good on Skysign. All of a sudden temperatures drop from the mid-twenties Celsius into the negatives. And now we have snow."

The street they were walking on was now covered in a thin layer of snow.

"Oh, hold it," Sylmae said. She pointed to a building with a sign that said "Jackalope Hunter's Shop". Next to the words on the sign was the black painting of a Jackalope silhouette.

"This is the shop I worked at. I'll just go in real quick and see what's going on. Just wait here."

Sylmae ran into the storm. Tom leaned towards Tala and asked, "do you want to swing by the library and check the situation there?"

"I was just support staff who only got paid when I showed up," Tala replied. "Either I was working or not. There were plenty of others who picked up my slack."

"If you say so."

The door to the store opened again and Sylmae walked out.

"So?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, I was definitely fired. They're glad I'm alive, but I've already been replaced." Sylmae shrugged. "No skin off my back."

"You seem pretty okay with this," Tom said.

"Well, I have my current job now, so it's fine."

"And Tom's money," Vivian added.

"And Tom's money," Sylmae giggled.

Tom chuckled. "So are we close to the smithy that Reia worked at?"

"Just about," she replied. "It's just between the Waterfall District and the Middle District."

On their walk, they saw more people become fearful over the snowfall. Many were freezing from their seasonally-inadequate clothing. Tom made mental notes that he could report to the UN with about how they could help Skysign. After ten minutes of walking, the group came across a dome-shaped building with two smoke stacks on top of it.

"This is the place," Reia announced.

A sign over the building's entrance called the building "Jux's Smithy". Snow had covered the roof of the building giving it an igloo-like appearance.

"Come on, let's go in," she urged everyone.

They entered inside the smithy. It was comfortably warm inside despite the blizzard outside. They all could hear the slamming of a hammer on metal. They entered inside the main room of the building where the smithing and smelting was done. A muscular, shirtless, dark green Orc was hunched over an anvil slamming a heated piece of metal with his hammer.

Before anyone could say anything, Jux quickly rested his hammer and raised his hand to extend his index finger to signal to give him a moment. He picked up the hammer and pounded the metal several more times before he dunked the glowing red metal into a water bath. The water hissed and steam came out in one large cloud. Jux pulled the metal out and laid it down on a nearby counter.

Jux sighed and got up from his chair. He turned around and Tom was able to get a good look at him. Jux was fairly old. His ponytail-style hair was gray and he had wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. That aside, his appearance screamed grizzled. Jux had scars all over his chest, arms, and face. Some scars were from old cuts, others from burns. Of the two tusks that came out from the corners of his mouth, one had a chipped end.

"I'm afraid our orders are quite backed up, so there'll be a wait-" Jux froze in place when he saw who he was speaking to. "By Kara's grace... Reia?"

"It's me, Master Jux," she said.

"You've been gone for so long, I thought." Jux, in shock, stumbled forward a few steps.

Reia smiled at being reunited with her teacher again. That joy was suddenly cut off when Jux did a chop to her head.

"Ah! Master Jux!" Reia grabbed the top of her head from the chop. It wasn't due to pain, but an instinctive reaction from being chopped on the head before.

"You stupid girl!" he yelled. "You've been gone for a month and then your sisters disappeared. I thought you were dead! I thought you were all dead. What in Agony's realm happen to you?!"

"It wasn't my fault," she pleaded. "I was sent to another world."

Jux cocked a brow. "Of all the excuses you have made-"

"It's true," Tom interjected. "She along with the others were sent to my world."

Jux looked at Tom with an eye of suspicious.

"You are definitely not an Elf," he thought out loud. "What are you?"

"I get that a lot," Tom joked. "My race is Humanity. I come from a world called Earth. And while it has been a month for you, in our world, a year had passed. They have done so much for my world and even saved it several times over."

"Really?" Jux said with a slight chuckle in his throat. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's all true."

Jux looked at Reia and asked, "Who is he?"

"He's Thomas Everett, our lover," she replied.

Jux chuckled in his throat. "I'm surprised Reia could find a guy that has enough patience to deal with her."

Reia pouted at the comment while Tom laughed out loud.

Jux took a deep breath in and then said, "I'm going to put on some tea. And then you're going to tell me everything that happened while you were all gone."

VVVVVV

Zokot Kingdom

Tuilene walked down a hallway towards to wing of the castle. She tried to hurry down the hallway before anyone could see her.

"Tuilene, darling!" her mother called out.

'Kara fucking damn it!' Tuilene screamed in her head.

Tuilene turned around and saw her mother walking towards her. "Your father wishes to speak to you. You better go see him now."

"Yes, mother..."

Tuilene turned down another hallway towards her father's office. Every time she walked down these halls, she always bitterly wondered why they were so long to accommodate a family of five with some servants and guests. It took her five minutes to reach her father's office. From outside the door she could hear him.

"I don't care how much it costs!" he yelled. "I want The Liberator caught and quartered! He has freed hundreds of slaves. That's thousands of gold lost in revenue."

"It will be done, Your Majesty." The aide walked out of the office.

Tuilene walked into the office and saw one of her father's assassin standing next to his desk. A slave stood in the corner of the room ready to take on any order of Vizik. Vizik looked up and said, "I'll speak to you in a moment. I need to speak with Reaver's Glare here." Vizik pulled out an orb and set it on his desk. "Hastur sent this to us." An image was projected over the orb of a black Human. "This is Thomas Everett. I want him and his companions dead. Prepare your team."

This was the first time Tuilene saw what Thomas looked like. She couldn't help but blush. He was as handsome as she had hoped. Tom resembled an Elf to her but more bulky and round ears.

"Where can we find him?" Reaver asked.

"We had reports come in that the Humans are visiting Skysign. He'll likely be there. Get all the Needles and send them off as soon as possible."

"It will be done, Your Majesty." Reaver bowed and walked out the room.

Tuilene stood there, a little dumbfounded.

'Did they just discuss top-secret Intel right in front of me?' she thought. 'Does my father think that I'm little more than furniture?'

"Tuilene. Please sit down."

Tuilene sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

"Plans have been finalized for you. With the war with the Empire over, General Deicayn will return within two weeks. When he does, you will marry him."

"Doesn't he already have a few dozens wives already?" Tuilene muttered.

"Which means he has many connections to many prominent families. Connecting our family to his will increase our prominence and influence."

"Isn't he also twenty years older than me?"

"You are going to marry him when he returns and that is the end of it," he growled. "We aren't going to argue further. You are my daughter and you will obey me."

Tuilene kept her calm exterior but she felt her anger rise up inside her. Vizik reached for his cup of wine, but looked in it before drinking.

"Slave!" he yelled.

"Yes, Master?"

"There is a bug in my cup of wine! Get me another!"

"Yes, Master."

Vizik looked back to where his daughter was and saw she had left.

"Damn girl."

Tuilene walked down the hallway while tossing the image orb in her hand. The orb landed in her hand and then displayed the image of Everett.

"I will see you soon, Thomas."

VVVVVV

Skysign

Tom and the girls sat around a metal table with Jux on the opposing side from Tom. Jux just listened to the story about where they have been for a year and had a solemn look on his face.

"Show it to me," Jux quietly demanded.

Tom pulled out the Proof Of Death of Mordiggian and placed it on the table. It was a jackal-like skull with runes of an unknown language carved into the bone. Tears came to Jux's eyes.

"He really is dead. Thank you. This monster was responsible for the death of my son during the last war."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Amber said.

"With Mordiggian gone, I believe he can finally rest in peace. I should probably send a message to my daughter and let her know about this."

"I didn't know you had a son and daughter," Reia said.

"Because I too focused on making sure you knew how to mend armour," he managed to joke. "But seriously. My personal business is my personal business. I try to keep these parts of me separate. I haven't contacted my daughter Usha in a year. It has been off and on between us since she left for the Temple of Kara. She's about the same age as you ladies."

"She's a Spirit Maiden?" Vivian asked.

"Sadly she did not have a strong enough connection with spirits, but she opted to become the Guardian of her friend, uh, uh, Suvie! Suvie Vulez. From what I know, my daughter became a Summoner."

"Oh, cool," Tom said.

"Thomas. Thank you for watching over them this whole time. I hope you will continue to watch over them."

"Of course."

"Good, good." Jux picked up his tea and took a long sip of it. He placed the cup back on the table and said, "You know during your tale-telling, I have been trying to make heads or tails on your armour. It looks light-weight but tough at the same time. I tried identifying it but I don't understand it at all. Carbon nanotubes? Spider webbing? Non-Newtonian fluid?"

"You know I could put you into contact with the people who made this armour. They would love to learn from a black smith who has worked with magical metals."

"Could prove beneficial," Jux said. "I would be interested in learning about an other world's smithing. So get me in contact as soon as possible."

"I'll get right on it."

"So where are you all heading next?"

"We're going to form a group at the Adventurer's Guild," Sylmae answered. "We have to find the other Elementals. We figured that making a name for ourselves would be the fastest way."

"Makes sense. However, you are going to also attract the attention of those who oppose you. With the death of Mordiggian and Ithaqua, Hastur is going to send everything he has after you."

"We'll just have to get stronger," Vivian said while crossing her arms.

"That reminds me. Reia."

"Y-Yes?"

"The war between the Zokot and Eikoryu is over. It's only a matter of time before the Prince comes to claim you."

"The only thing he will find is pain and regret if he tries anything," Tom said in a low tone.

"Oh, Mister Tough Guy," Vivian jokingly swooned.

"Just making sure you are all aware," Jux said. He glanced outside the window and saw it was late afternoon. "It's starting to get dark out, I don't want to keep you all when you're trying to register at the Guild."

"Thank you for your time, Master Jux," Tom said as he reached over to shake hands with him.

Jux reciprocated the gesture. "A mighty fine hand shake you got there, Everett. I wish you luck on your journey. Also, if you need any help concerning gear, don't be afraid to come to me. And Reia."

"Yes, Master?"

"You really make me proud, girl."

"Thank you, Master Jux." Reia smiled, stood up, and bowed.