21 – Gaze up at the stars, for we are stardust

Achievement unlocked: a new race.

“Uh?” he let out a surprised noise, seeing the notification appear unexpectedly.

After reading the achievement, he half expected something to happen, but nothing really changed. It was still night, although the first light of morning was already appearing at the horizon. The little square of stone they were on right now needed to be expanded, soon, and then he had to provide the elves with enough material to rebuild their houses.

He had just, by all means and purposes, just taken on the role of the protector of this new tribe of Sky Elves. He would provide for them, however, now that he took this role there was no going back. If this was the price for saving them, however, he was more than glad to pay it.

For now, a little flat area of grass would have to do. He expanded the square of stone with a few rings of dirt, on which he planted some grass seeds. After consuming all of the dirt he had in his inventory, the platform was quite big. A circle of fifty meters in diameter, with a small square of stone in the center, and a fence all around.

He looked at his creation, and smiled proudly to himself. He had been preparing for this for quite some time now, mining all the necessary resources for the floating island and for the new buildings.

Tyla was still hugging her daughter, Lumia, when Jacob emerged from the little hole at the center of the platform. He placed a couple blocks on the ground and climbed onto them, then he began to speak. After he was done, he looked in the air for a moment, as if startled, then immediately set off.

She gasped when she heard his words. Sky Elves, he had proclaimed them, something that would have made them all laugh if said by anyone else, but that was of a dreadful seriousness as it was said by Jacob. Not only was he their savior, but he was also a gifted person, granted by the gods the ability of being a Player.

He didn’t seem to recognize what he had done. But she did, and so did everyone else. In fact, while Jacob built frenetically, placing entire chunks of dirt that floated in the air like magic, the whole Sky Elves tribe just stood there in silence and contemplation.

This day was going to be a day they would never forget, a day that would enter history as the most important day of this whole tribe. The day they were reborn as a new race altogether. In fact, after Jacob said those words, each and every one of the members of the village, every one of the former Woodland elves, felt something change within them.

They felt a new power surge from inside. They saw the message of the gods. They all knew that, from now on, they were a new people. And they all had Jacob to thank for that.

“Tyla! Did it… did it really happen?” One of the hunters asked.

“I think it did, yeah.” She said, still unsure herself of what happened.

“My lady.” He kneeled. “From now on we, new members of the newborn race of Sky Elves, pledge our undying loyalty to you as our supreme leader.”

She looked shocked. All the elves around her, her daughter included, were on their knees. For a brief moment, she glanced towards Jacob, to see if he was watching her. He was busy placing down entire tree trunks as if they were nothing, and then taking mountains of iron and wood and transforming them all into tools.

She looked away from him, focusing onto the kneeling mass of elves in front of her. If she was to be their supreme leader, then what did that make Jacob? Their god?

Still, she would do it. For the betterment of her people, she would accept this role.

“Gaze upon the stars, my children. For a new age is born. One is the voice of the Sky Elves. And with that voice, we thank our savior and forever father.”

“Now rise. Let us prosper and thrive in this brave new world.”

As her people went, one by one, to thank Jacob and get orders from him, she retreated to the edge of the sky island. She gazed down, and no longer did she see a home in the forest below. She only saw the vast sky, and felt like she was where she belonged.

“Nice speech.” Lumia said, nestling her head in her mother’s arm.

“I really didn’t know what to say. I was so embarrassed!”

“You did fine. You will do fine, mother. And with Jacob here, we aren’t lost anymore.”

“I hope so, sweetie. I hope that he won’t just pack up and leave one day.”

“Why would he?”

“He is a player. They just—I don’t know sweetie.”

“Did you ever meet another player?”

“Long ago, there was one. He was very different than Jacob, both in abilities and in character. I hope… well, that this time it will be different, that’s all.”