A bang on the door interrupts our conversation within the meeting room.

It’d been less than an hour and we’d already developed a somewhat shaky but hopefully workable plan, but one that would also involve us splitting our team. Rembrandt would teleport back to New London along with Becky to enlist whatever support he could from Queen Angela. Aiko would meanwhile perform a reconnaissance of the Goblin Queen’s stronghold and the rest of us would hold a parlay with Braxus.

How it went from there would depend entirely on how the parlay unfolded. And much of that would depend on me. Lady Diana had sent one of her guards to deliver the message to Braxus’ camp, but that was just over ten minutes ago.

I look to Lady Diana. “He couldn’t have responded that quickly, could he?”

Wilbur shrugs before rising to answer the door. When he opens it, a burly middle-aged man with a graying beard and a bald head stands in the doorway. He scans the room with a scowl. “Are you them? Are you the Shard Warriors?”

“Greetings to you as well, Mister Keith,” Lady Diana says sardonically, while folding her arms with a sigh.

I check who he is, bringing up his stats on my HUD.

Name: Keith

Level: 72

Class: Miner

The simplicity of his stats and class peg him as an NPC, but they also remind me of my own humble beginnings as a miner back in the Crystal Shards. “Yeah, we’re Shard Warriors,” I say. “I’m Reece.”

“You the ruler?” he asks.

“I am,” I say. “And you are?”

“I’m fed up is what I am!” the man Keith says, barging his way into the room. “When are you going to do something about my people? We’ve done nothing but die defending this mud hole and all the while my men are suffering in those mines.”

Gilly shoots a glance to Lady Diana. “What’s he talking about? And who is he again?”

“Keith is the leader of the labor union,” Lady Diana explains with another sigh. “And he believes the Goblin Queen is holding the missing portion of the population, along with the mining crews, hostage in the mines.”

“And she don’t believe me!” Keith bellows, throwing an accusatory finger at Lady Diana. “She’s done nothing about it for days now. If you don’t act, I’m withdrawing what labor we have left.”

“Whoa, hold on a sec,” I say, rising from the table and pumping my palms like I’m my big brother. “We just got here and we’re still trying to assess the situation.”

“There’s no time for that!” He slams his fist on the table, causing wooden cups to jumps. “That useless knight you left in charge has lost us too much time already. If you ever want to see that wall repaired again, you’ll send a rescue party into those mines right now!”

“To do what, Keith?” Lady Diana raises her voice to match. “To die like the rest? If she truly holds them as hostages, then why hasn’t she made demands for their release?”

Keith stares at her with fury in his eyes, but doesn’t seem to have an answer.

“You need to come to grips with reality,” Lady Diana continues. “Do you really think monsters such as those are the kind to take prisoners?”

Her words are cruel, but knowing who she is, the cruelty is perhaps more matter-of-fact than intentional.

The miner’s eyes tremble as his chest heaves. “My son and nephew are still in that mine, you heartless wench. If it was your kin in there, how would you feel? Would you be happy to just leave them to their fate? To not even try?” I swallow as he turns his focus to me. “I’m through with asking help from her, so now I’m asking you. Do something!”

I give Lady Diana a quick glance and note the subtle shake of her head.

She sends me a PM.

Lady Diana: You saw those monsters, Reece. To send a party now would be a waste of time…and lives.

I’m not certain how much pull this guy has as the head of the labor union or whatever, but if he has the influence to cause what few workers we have left to desert, then we might need to listen to him. Despite if what Lady Diana says is true…and it likely could be…I need to keep this place functional. Even if it means making promises I might not be able to keep.

“Keith,” I say. “I can’t promise you a rescue right now, but what I can promise you is a reconnaissance mission.” I look to Aiko. “We’re sending our best infiltrator to go as far into the goblin stronghold as she can. If we find any sign of your people, then you can bet that we’ll be sending a rescue team right after. You have my word on that.”

It’s not a lie exactly. If we find people actually alive down there then there’s no way I’d be leaving them. But in the pit of my stomach I know my words are as empty as the hope Lady Diana laid out in her PM.

Keith extends his hand and I shake it while looking him in the eye.

“Please save them,” he says. “For us survivors, this hope is all we have left.”

* * *

I clasp hands with Rembrandt and then give Becky a quick embrace. “Say hi to the High Queen for me.”

Rembrandt chuckles. “We just left her, mate. I’m sure she’ll be wondering if we simply didn’t forget something.”

The rest of us, all gathered around the meeting table give a chuckle at that. It’s odd to think that they’ll be back in New London in the blink of an eye. But the return trip to Brookrun will be far from that. I remind myself that this could be the last time I ever see the both of them. It’s something I don’t want to think about, but I must. Obviously the risks are much lower with them travelling through the wild in a vehicle—the same way Lexi had numerous times.

Lexi…I don’t want to think about her right now either.

I force a smile and clap the cyberpunker on the shoulder. “See you in a couple of days, mate.”

Aiko stoops down to give her older sister a long hug. “Don’t screw around out there, Becks. Losing you once was bad enough.”

“I’m with the great Lord Rembrandt,” Becky says with a grin. “What could possibly go wrong? And you take your own advice. I don’t want to have to come looking for you down in that mine.”

Aiko laughs and hugs her again. “Deal.”

The rest of the team say their goodbyes and then after forming their own party, Becky casts her teleport spell and the two of them vanish before our eyes. I glance over at Aiko and see her actually tearing up a bit. It’s a sight that both takes me by surprise and warms my heart. With her nonchalant exterior it’s easy to forget Aiko’s somewhat sensitive on the inside and this being the first time she’s been separated from her sister since rescuing her in the labyrinth, it’s perhaps only natural that some of those feelings of loss come creeping back.

I touch the elf on her shoulder. “Hey…she’ll be fine. Like she said, she’s with Rembrandt, the baddest gunslinger there is and a True Ronin to boot. No one’s going to mess with him. Not even an Omega.”

She huffs out a laugh at my stupid joke.

“Okay let’s talk about how you’re going to stay safe out there now,” I say. “Are you going to go as Thief or Ninja?”

I ask the question purposefully to get her mind off Becky and back into the game.

“Both,” she says, composing herself. “Ninja for infiltration, but once I get inside, I’ll switch to thief for higher perception.”

“Good,” Val Helena says. “Definably don’t want to get caught unaware down there. And make sure you plan your egress for a quick in and out. And if something looks too dicey, just leave it alone.”

“Yes, mother,” Aiko says sardonically with a rolls of her violet eyes. She then straightens herself with a quick nod. “Right then. I’m off. See you when I get back.”

With little more than that, Aiko exits the room and then vanishes with a Shadow Cloak, leaving the rest in the room behind. I look about at my companions. It’s time to carry out our portion of the plan now. I turn to Lady Diana. “Are you ready for this?”

She sighs. “Let’s get it over with.”

* * *

We assemble just outside the northern gate; Val Helena, Maxis, Gilly and I. A half mile away from us, Braxus’s camp sticks out like a blemish on the open plain. His entire platoon of soldiers is on display, formed into a tight rank and file in front of a large tent. I can’t see for certain, but at the head of them looks to be Lord Xavier and next to the fat man, possibly General Lyons.

But I don’t see any sign of Braxus.

“I’ll hold down the fort,” Blacktop says from behind us. “Good luck. And whatever you do. Don’t trust that prick.”

I chuckle bemused. “I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing about me.”

And with good reason.

I glance to my left to where Lady Diana’s translucent form is just barely visible, made so by my recently cast Shadow Wall spell. “Better get into position before that spell wears off, Lady Diana. I’ll give the signal if and when it comes time for it.”

“Let’s hope that if and when remains in the ‘if’ category,” she says. “I’m not fond of this plan of yours, young Reece.”

“That makes two of us,” I say. “But it’s the best we’ve got. Don’t worry...it’ll pan out.”

I then check my Zenkai ability and make sure it’s off cool down.

“I’ve got an ace in the hole.”