《Settlement of Safehaven - A Hearthtree Series》Chapter Thirteen
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Bandit Camp.
Devon appears next to his camp Banner after dying, swearing and cursing Leo for warning that fool of a dwarf. Spitting on the ground thinking how could a human take on such a hideous form. He wanted so much to lash out and beat someone to a pulp. The red haze that fills his eyes whenever that rage build up in him if he was on earth he would just walk into a random home and beat to death the whole family. Yeah, the news all called him the Rage Killer. Here there was a settlement and his men but he needs his men for now.
After twenty-one families killed in their burnt down homes to keep his DNA evidence from being found. The last two home he had been sloppy somehow a girl got away by climbing out the upper window while calling 911 forcing him to burn the house before his rage was quench. The last one was a young man, the older son of the family, somehow he survives the beating and crawls out the house as it was burning down save and was a cripple for life. Biggest worry was his DNA evidence that was when one of the colony ship ECS Asgard was going to do a random drawing for a number of people to go abroad to a new colony, Devon sign up on a lark being already packed to leave the country when he got the notification that he won a position on the ship. Earth was no longer a threat to him.
Staring around him as he seethes with anger. Seeing to the upper left of his eyes a countdown of just under two hours before the raid ends. With only five of his people left, three bandit class all three of them at level five, an Alchemist and a Mage at level five. While he was at level ten with a title of Brigand. Killing everything including the NPCs that he has come across have level him up fast. To think that his street smart on earth could be a skill here.
“Gamire, Get a Gate spell to Hodstad ready, Risham you and Bart get the chest,” Turning to the Alchemist, “Kish, trap the camp we leaving in ten minutes!”
“What about the wagons and horses? There is a lot of stuff we robbed!” Risham yells back.
“No time get your lazy ass to the chest so we can leave! NOW GIT TO WORK!” Devon yells.
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Touching the banner to get the prompt.
Do you wish to end the raid? Yes/No?
“Yes!” growling at the prompt.
Do you wish to take Banner? Note taking Banner will no longer be a bind point, all others that bind here will go to nearest previous bind point. Yes/No?
“Yes.” snarling in disgust.
Do you wish to end Camping? Take thirty minutes to end. Yes/No?
Looking at the prompt he was very tempted into wanting to say yes but the need to inflict pain overwhelm his need to keep the camp. “No, they can have the fucking place!”
Hearing Bart yelling incoming. Devon goes flying through the air as a fireball explodes near him. Throwing him hard on to the ground taking twenty points of damage with a 'Stun' prompt that was counting down twenty seconds, he staggers to his feet and bumps into Gramire as Kish rush up and yell at a stun mage next to him to gate. As the 'Stun' prompt end, Gramire gate spell activates, seeing several spells and an arrow heading their way “Ahh crap!” The gate open and then they were gone.
Settlement of Safehaven.
Bandit Raid has ended!
300 experience, Settlement Points 1
“Whoa! Wait. Settlement Points what the heck are those?” Jack strokes his beard. “Mesa-la What is Settlement Points?
“Settlement Points can be used to upgrade building or NPCs during Raids and War.” She spoke in his head.
“There a big difference on Raids and War? I know Raids last 24 hours and cannot be used again for thirty days.”
Correct, War is different, it must be declared from a Seat of Power like a throne room or town hall and it cannot start until twenty-four hours from a declaration of war. War can only end when both sides have declared a truce or one side had won. Another thing no other bandit or settlement can raid for twenty-four hours to give a settlement a chance to repair.
A few minutes later I scry the camp ten miles away and see a large group of people loading up two wagons with stuff, Devon was nowhere to be seen.
“Jack! Kari and her friends attack the camp half an hour ago, they capture two players and Devon fled. She also said the mage gated the rest. They will be here later today after loading the wagons and the prisoners.” Ann holler.
“Thanks,” I yell back. Thinking she needs to breathe.
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Watch Tarla head his way, she lifted her hand “ I know, not safe here, we need to get out of houses the children want to run and play.” Putting her hand on her hip waiting for him to disagree.
“Alright,” feinting surrender, “just keep them to the center of the settlement.”
Smiling, “good about a schoolhouse.”
Laughing and patting her on the shoulder, “good try, I put it on my list of a thousand and one items to do. Watching her head back to the tower shaking her head.
With the help of Cora’s elemental and mine, we were able to pull the damaged wagon out of the pit. Casting stone with both Cora and Firebrand helped, we had the pit filled in with stone. Putting both of them and myself to the wall on the East side we had a fourth of it finish when Kari arrive at the gate at sunset.
Ann, Cora, and Firebrand were greeting their friends as I arrive. Seeing a hauflin Druid standing three feet tall coal black hair and emerald eyes, large busted for her size, with a dimple on both sides of her mouth that seem to always smile. Thinking a hauflin was considered a Scottish halfling.
“So this is the famous Jack Stonewright that Ann been talking about!” Shaking my hand.” Watching Ann blush. “Got you a present,” pointing to two bandits all tie up and gagged, “sorry we not able to grab that sorry sack of cow dung of a bandit leader. My people said they gated out and disappeared, like cowards.” Spitting on the ground.
Seeing about a dozen people with her, “Oh we found some travelers along the sea, a priest and a paladin both of them look lost. About a day from here fighting a giant turtle and was losing. I can send some guys back to get the shell if you want it.” I just stared at her as she took a breath. “ What?” She asked.
Grinning, “just seeing if you can breathe.” Hearing a few chuckle and laughter. “are you sure you and Ann not sisters?” Chuckling.
A big smile appears on her face, “ laugh it up guys I remember that when you need a port.” Turning to me, “is it alright to bind here?”
Pointing to the Hearth Tree near the middle of the settlement, “Ask Mesa-la she the Hearth Tree.”
“Her name is Mesa-la and she can talk!” Her eyes go wide, she hugs herself thrusting her breasts up showing her cleavage. Feeling something stirring inside of him he turns and started walking toward Mesa-la waving for her to follow hoping he loosened up by the time he arrived at the tree.
“Hello Kari, I was told that you will be arriving,” Mesa-la said.
“You knew?” Her eyes getting wider.
“Of course she did, silly I told her,” as Ann bump her hip against Kari.
“Oh,” blush from embarrassment.
“I let you get acquainted, I will go deal with the bandits.” Walking back hearing a mumbled goodbye.
Hearing Ann run up next to me, looking over at her grinning face, “what?”
“So you like short big breasted women,” she said winking.
Turning red, “Yes, no, she reminds me a little of my wife, she was tiny, full of life before she was taken from me.” Frowning.
“Sorry I didn’t try to bring up bad memories, it just you never hit on me so I was wondering if you were not interested in women, considering you not touch any of the goblin women, or maybe it was me.”
Stopping, “It not you, it just my wife died about,” checking his interface clock, “ a year and three months ago by a gang of thugs that wipe out a village we were helping. All because they could. To me the horror of seeing my family being dragged out in the middle of the village and butcher. Many of the men and the women were raped and then gutted. They had me watch them rape my wife over and over then they killed my daughter after that they killed my wife. I was shot when the African army rushed in next thing I knew I woke up being transported into my pod. They told me my mother was still in a coma. So I am not sure if she survived yet. So no it's not you, I just have not mourned my family death to move on nor will I let people like that get away with preying on others.” I walk toward the prisoners leaving Ann to stand with tears falling down her face.
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