Mounting his horse after casting light upon the lantern, which brightens the area a bit, letting Keith shut off the flame. The sun has already set over a half-hour ago. Able to still see in the twilight, but they may need the light if they are attacked before getting back. Keith snaps the rein against Molly's rear, letting her know she can start pulling the buckboard down the road. They pass the lane to Hendrick's road and turn down Alice's turn-off. It took twenty minutes to reach the house with no trouble. As they got closer, Jason could tell the curtain was pulled shut to muffle what light was inside. Alice walks out of the house with a spear that looks like one hanging in the bunker.

"Hi, Keith. Hi Darla. Hi Sheila." She said.

Sheila wave. "Hi, Mrs. Robertson!" She exclaims as the buckboard stop, and they all pile off.

Pulling off the suitcases, Jason and Kieth took them inside while leaving the womenfolk to talk. Hearing magic spoke a few times. He helps lead the buckboard to the carriage house where the two wagons are parked. Squaring away the goats in a spare stall and water and fed them before putting Molly and Rita in another two stalls. He brushes down Rita while Keith brushes Molly down. Both men were quiet as they were working.

Keith was in his little world when Jason was dealing with a prompt.

[Do you wish to merge the Kingdom orbs? Yes/no?]

Thinking yes.

[Congratulation, you have a level six Kingdom orb. Do you wish to create a Level two Kingdom? Yes/no?]

"No," I mutter.

Thinking menu, then help and search for Kingdom orb.

[Kingdom orb is an orb that creates a wall area and claims the surrounding area as its own. A fortress can be formed with walls by using a Kingdom table. The size of the Kingdom depends on the type of orb. Each orb merge with the first orb makes a Kingdom orb stronger. A level one Kingdom Orb grows the territory by a one-mile radius around the orb. Castle/manor gets stronger and bigger based on the number of orbs merged with it. The max size of territory is ten miles in radius. No new Portal gate can appear within the territory. All old kingdom or dens will not grow beyond it size if it is surrounded by a kingdom that has a larger area of control. You, as the owner, cannot build within a mile radius of a den if your orb is surrounded by another settlement. Thus you cannot grow until the other Kingdom or den is destroyed. Five orbs raise a Kingdom to level two. Ten orbs merging with the Level two Kingdom will grow it to three and twenty orbs to level four and forty to Level five. Once a kingdom reaches level ten, it can raise itself from a poor kingdom to a superior kingdom. As a Kingdom grows, it can create buildings and gain perks using orbs they found or Kingdom they destroy. Good luck to you, future Lords and Ladies.]

Moving back inside the house after locking up. Keith follows Alice into the bunker where his family is staying. Jason locks the house doors and checks to make sure the windows are secure, thinking he may have to board up the first-floor windows in the next few days. Following behind them to the pantry and close the bunker door and lock it in place. He cast light on three lanterns and carries them back to where Alice is talking to Darla, who is sitting beside Keith.

Sitting one lantern on the table, he handed the other to Keith. Turning to Alice. "Where do you want me to sleep?"

She points to a door opposite of the door to where the Patricks are staying. "Okay, where is the office at? I figure you keep one down here?"

She pointed to the same door. Raising an eyebrow, Jason shakes his head as she mouths later to him. After stepping through the door into a small living space, he went to the back. Passing by the small kitchenette into the next room that is a large master bedroom. Staring at the bed and seeing no other around. He looked around puzzled and turned to walk down the hallway with a large bathroom with a shower and tub. The water is a hand pump that sits on the sink and the tub. While the shower had a tank above it to store water.

"Look like there will be a cold bath in the future. Guess we heat up the water by hand." touching the handpump as he scans the room.

Walking on, past the bathroom to another hallway with two storage spaces used as closets with a door at the end. Opening the door, he found a large office with a table on the right and a desk in the middle of the room. Books line the back wall going two shelves deep with all types of books on survival. Must be a thousand books cram into the shelf and stacked on the floor.

"Guess she wants more than a kiss from me." Jason Thought about the single master bed. Smiling as he looks over the room, not seeing another bed. Taking the orb out, and once again, he was prompt.

[Do you wish to create a Kingdom? "Yes or no.]

"Yes."

[Do you wish to keep the building above intact or become a part of the keep?]

"Can you show me the layout of the fortress from the simple fort to what I can build now?" I said. The table shows a 3D view of the farmhouse and barns that surround the house. A wall made of dirt with sharpen sticks pointed outward appears. This is the first level of a kingdom orb. Showing various walls that can be built until level Two Kingdom pop up shows a wood-like fort like the US Calvary use during the Wild West. The last is of a square building that sits upon towers. The towers are placed at four corners of the fort and a gatehouse with two towers on each side. Instead of fort-like buildings, I expect to see from a western fort. It shows the land around the house. Only the barns and sheds are shoved against the thirty-foot tall wood walls that are ten feet thick with pack dirt fill between the logs. The walkways run from each tower and the gatehouse. The Victorian house was changed to stone on the bottom and enclose to allow no access except for the front door. On the second floor, it replaces the windows with arrow slots. And the fake tower became an actual rock tower that is to the right side of the front of the building. The wrap-around porch disappears.

"Alice will not be happy about her porch." He mutters.

The keep is now double its size and with a reinforced log palisade that surrounds it. Leaving the inside grounds to be about five acres of land. The barns and sheds moved to the walls that were twenty feet high. The barns all turn into stone with a wood tile roof. There is a stone well that appears between the house and the barn. Overall the layout looks nice. The fact they had large enough Kingdom Points or KP and a lot left over made him happy. He was able to enclose the towers and add arrow slits instead of rifle holes that most wild west forts had. Hearing Alice closing the door in the other room and locking it, she moved back to where he was and widened her eyes at the table.

"What that?"

"That is a Kingdom orb. I was waiting on you to get the okay to finish or not. That your new keep, that will integrate the house and barn into it. I don't own the land, so you need to tell ..." he stopped speaking when her finger hand was on his lips as she stared at the table.

"Chet had me put you on the deed in case I died. I had it done, so you're part-owner of the land since there is no one else I can give it to when I get old and die. So use the orb. Jason."

[You, as a Kingdom Orb owner you could claim any land to build on.]

Seeing the prompt, he figured that little knowledge might be handy in the future.

[Land of six hundred and forty acres is your domain. Do you wish to make this your domain? Yes/no.]

The map shrinks to fit the land that he and Alice own on the map and highlight it.

"Yes," I spoke.

[Do you wish to claim a two-mile radius as your territory to keep new gates from appearing? Yes or no?]

What are the differences between Domain and Territory?

[Domain that you can build your fort on and expand to its size. The territory is the land you patrol and can build settlements and outposts to protect your territory and prevent gates from appearing. No gates can open within the territory except for a travel gate you make as you level up. Do you wish to claim the two-mile radius as your kingdom and build your fortress?]

"Yes," I spoke.

Watching the map change to a highlighted circle two-mile radius of the house. Two enemies' kingdoms are near the edge of the map. One enemy kingdom appears to be where a gravel quarry is next to the creek. It covers a one-mile area that ends inside of his domain but not by much.

[Look like you have to clear these two areas to advance to level three. Walls will be around the house by midnight. The rest of the keep will be done by sunrise.]

"There are Thirty-three people are within your territory. Do you wish to tax them 1% of their kills?"

"Tax?"

"A Kingdom can be tax income, experience, and items from sales, and looting. A Kingdom lord can raise it as high or as low as they want." She said. "Higher taxes can cause problems in a territory."

"yes."

Thirty-three people in the area of two miles. Counting up the number of people in the area in his head. To west and south is Hendrick's ranch. There is no one for ten miles or more in that area. Counting the two men living in a trailer that smoke pot, they are often too stone to move. Mrs. Gaines is an old busy body with twenty-something cats running around her place toward town. Surprisingly, the house doesn't smell. She is so bored that she teaches them to use the toilet.

"Nine people have been kill since the gates open in a two-mile radius of the orb. There are eighteen people on the north side of your domain at the creek. There are two enemy kingdoms in your territory. The location of one is northeast of here near the river and due south on the other side of Hendrick's home about a mile from them."

"Wait, have you been answering my question? And there are more people north of us. There is nothing there except for the county park for swimming and fishing. Shit! There must be families there swimming at the swimming hole."

"I am the Kingdom Sentient Servant that has been enhanced now to level seven. I was summoned when you started building a level two Kingdom. How may I help you?" Spoke a female voice that combines Alice, Darla, and Sheila's voices into one. Alice's firm, strong voice mixes with Darla New York nasal tone and Sheila's local accent mix. Hearing it make you pause to decide which type of voice you hear.

"Did you just blend all three of the women's voices into one?" looking at Alice.

"Yes, my lord, I have based my voice upon the females of this place because you seem to listen to the females' opinion compared to the males," she said as Alice smirk.

"I like her," Alice coughs into her hand to cover a laugh.

"What is your name?"

"I don't have a name, but you can give me one."

Thinking for a minute and looking at Alice, The Kingdom is a saving grace for us, so why not Grace? Seeing Alice nodding.

"Okay, Grace. I need to get Keith and Sheila to rescue those people at the creek."

"Go ahead and build the plan of the fortress. I may need a wall soon." Jason studied the map one more time.

"It's already dark. Good thing the moon will be out tonight. The road past the barn leads thru the field to the park. We are about a mile or more from the water. I can lead the horses pulling the wagon to help bring back the kids." Alice spoke in thought. "Jason, you and Keith can walk down there as us girls can hook the horses up. I was told Sheila has a good spell. Plus, I can use a bow. So we will meet you there." Alice gave him a peck on the cheek before pushing him out the door.

Keith and Jason didn't take long to walk into the field as the moon was standing full in the sky to the east. Being a full moon today only made sense with the gates appearing. Using the moonlight, they decided not to use the light spell encase of monsters. It was a long mile to the other side of the property. Each step they took, they expected monsters to leap out of the shadow. Alice's land was not flat to had a lot of rocks and trees. The road is barely two tracks made by a truck going to the creek. Thankfully, about half the property is a field, as it would have taken longer to get there in the dark. The road to the creek is a bit twisty as to miss the bad spots, so it took longer. As they got to the lower field and seeing the metal gate ahead in the moonlight, they heard grunts and something striking metal from the direction of the outhouse.

Standing in front of a cement block outhouse are two lizard-like humanoids. The head is shaped like a lizard and walks upright using a tail for balance in the moonlight. They stood about three feet tall. The lizard-like creatures were thrusting their spears at the metal door of the cement building. Making a loud thumping noise. Lifting his crossbow, waiting for Keith to pull his bow back, they both let loose their arrows. Keith's arrow stuck the back of the one creature, making it wail in pain. Jason's bolt seems to skitter across the scales upon the body of the other one as it turns that scale on it reflects in the light of the moon. It must have hurt the creature. Flinching in pain, it then turns and rushes at him with its spear. Pulling the second crossbow out of storage, he aims and fires as the bolt slam into its chest as its flings its spear at him.

The spear slams into Jason's right shoulder as a wave of pain from the spear sends pain into him. Gripping the spear, he drops the crossbow. Seeing that he took ten points of damage, he pulls it out as he loses a few more points to a bleeding buff that appears in his eyes. Ripping his shirt and holding the makeshift bandage over the wound, he relaxes a little as a prompt appears.

[Bleeding stop due to makeshift bandage +1 healing to wound]

Better than nothing. Checking both of the creatures.

Kobold

level 1

Hitpoint 0/10

Attack 3

Skill Throwing spear 10 damage.

Looting the creature, he sees a skill book, Spear Throwing. He put away the book into his storage. As the creature fades away. The other creatures had no skill book but only five copper like the one he just looted.

Keith then knocks on the door, "It's safe. You can come out. We got a wagon on the way."

Fifteen people crowded together inside the building spills out as the door opens. Thelma and Cassy, both divorced ladies in their late twenties, are from town, each holding a child about six months old that was crying. Both women's fathers of their children were rumored to be the same asshole from the factory in Horton that caused their divorce. The guy quit his job and ran.

Ginny and Lacey are part of three female teenagers that always running around causing trouble. Only one of them seems missing from the trio. John is one of the four older teenage males that hang at the creek. He looked severely wounded. Both teenage girls are holding him up. Seeing a few other younger kids and one man, who has several cuts and some blood on him. Jason looks around for the other man only to see a few bodies near the cars of three male teenagers and an older man on the ground, along with four kobolds lying dead. Three of the Kobold have arrows piercing them. Counting up the people present and coming up one short.

"Who's missing?" Reaching down and looting the dead. None of the teens or the men have ashes on them. Meaning they died before the settlement. Finding twenty copper on the kobold and two magic books off one that has three arrows in it. Flame bolt and Curse Physique. The others didn't have any skill books. the four dead people didn't fade away, which mean they did will not be brought back

"Gina was taken by the larger one." Ginny pointed to the west where the gravel quarry is at.