Mal came to a halt once he’d noticed my hand had left the altar. Face contorted with anger, fancy chest plate buckled from where I’d hit him.

“What the fuck are you doing Clive? This place isn’t for you.”

“And my town isn’t for you if you think it’s okay for your guards to threaten me on my return.”

“You’re fucking terrifying. Look at you, man. You’re a damn giant with massive demon parts.

“None of my people were scared,” I replied flatly. “Neither were you, for that matter. So if your people are fearful of me, then perhaps you two need to sort that shit out. At least if you want to stay here.”

Mal was about to retort, but Elsbeth moved alongside him and raised her hand for calm, before speaking herself. “You are right, Lord Clive. This is your town and we will ensure you are treated with the respect befitting your position in the future.”

“Thank you, Elsbeth,” I said, smiling at her with an ease I didn’t feel. “That’s all I ask and I don’t think that’s unreasonable, is it?” I said, turning my gaze on Mal. He seemed put off his stride by my pleasantness towards Elsbeth.

“No, it is not,” Elsbeth replied.

“Mal?” I asked.

“No. But you need to…”

Elsbeth stopped him.

“Good,” I nodded. “I’m glad we’ve been able to come to an agreement on that. Thanks Elsbeth. Now if you’ll both excuse me I have my council to see before I have to return to the north.”

“You're leaving again!” Mal snapped.

“Hopefully, you’ll be easier to talk to when I next visit Mal, but you need to change the attitude with me if you’re going to stay. I love you, mate, but our priorities are different. These are my people and this is my town. If you can’t deal with me properly, then you gotta go.”

“Someone has to defend Devotion’s interests here against you!” he replied.

“Are you really that stupid mate? Been putting all those points in Stamina? I am Devotion’s interests here, you bloody Muppet. Anyway, Elsbeth’s both smart and reasonable. So, I’ll just deal with her.”

Mal fish mouthed as I walked past them both to leave. No one had managed to get through the door yet and those who currently blocked it, now parted to let me out.

“You… you hit me you wanker!” Mal shouted after me. “Damn near caved my chest in!”

It came as I approached a smirking Joel. I raised my hand for a fist bump and he happily obliged. As I ignored my ranting friend.

“I sent people to gather the other Councillors, Clive. Shouldn’t be long. You ready to go to the hall?”

“Sure am,” I replied, eyeing Grimstrom. “Everything been okay here then, Joel?”

“Yeah, we’ve had a few battles. Though, with the Wultr and Krysan scouts, nothing ever gets close to our walls.”

“Awesome. The place has changed so much. Well done,” I replied as we set off walking toward the castle. I marveled at the smooth cobbled roads lined with mature fruit trees. It should have been impossible to have achieved so much, but with the range of people and different powers in Far Reach, it didn’t really surprise me.

“Just so you know, I really do have to go soon, Joel. So we’ll need to make this quick. We have a battle against Destruction later today to save a village of trullan.”

“Shit. Will you be alright?”

“Well, we’ll be massively outnumbered,” I said rubbing my beard thoughtfully. “But the folk I have with me are pretty handy. We’ll be fine.”

Grimstrom snorted. The first communication we’d had since I’d returned. I stared at the intense looking dwarf for a moment. Then back to Joel. “How have they been?” I said, indicating Grimstrom with a nod of my head.

“Fine for the most part. A little off with us a few weeks ago, but still helping plenty. Grimstrom rocked up just before you did. Knew you’d be coming somehow. We just weren’t in time to alert the wall.”

“Never mind,” I replied, watching the Dwarf again as we entered the doors to the castle. “So, what do you want? I assume you know I killed Stada and took his power, then?”

“Aye lad. Guessed you’d head back here sharpish after you took the Protectorate from him. Ran all the way through the night to get here, I did.”

I was barely listening to his reply as we entered the ground floor of Far Reach Castle. Ornate bronze colored chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Though the candles weren’t lit, they still offered an impressive sight. Tapestries hung around the walls and large black rugs set off from the main walkway gave the place a more homely The table from the top floor, had been brought down, though it had been sanded and polished up to a high sheen and there were soft leather armchairs at the far end of the hall next to the large fireplace. I was intrigued that we would no longer meet at the top of the building. It made sense really dragging everyone up there, when only Sania and I could fly.

“Nice,” I said admiringly. “So, what’s on the top floor now? I saw we had windows on the way down. That should keep the place a bit cozier.”

“Just your room now. Lierin and yours truly, are on the floor below.”

“You shoulda took the top floor dude. No point in you moving when we’re not even here.”

Joel shook his head. “Don’t be stupid, Clive. The top floors, yours. Nice novel by the way. Didn’t get a chance to comment on it earlier.”

“Huh?” I asked in confusion. “Novel? The hell you on about?”

“Above your head you daft sod,” he said pointing in case I didn’t know where my head was.

I shrugged. “What’s it say now, like? I know I’m level 64 which I’m bloody happy about. Yeah, hard to believe you’ve almost doubled in level… actually, no it’s not. Anyway, your identifier seems to be glowing a little brighter than anyone else’s. It’s not much but it’s noticeable to me anyway and it says:

Clive (1) Level:64 Chief and Co-Founder of Far Reach. Protector of the North. Elman (Human II).

“I wonder if the 1’s got something to do with my Ethereal spirit. Interesting. Thanks for letting me know dude. Any Idea how we ended up with these Far Reach titles?”

“Once the Castle was complete and had your crest formalized they popped up.”

“Crest?”

Joel nodded. Ah Yeah, he pointed to the large cold fireplace at the back of the hall. I hadn’t paid much attention to the details earlier as each tapestry had a different pattern, but now I focused in on it. There was a design of a shield with claw marks running through it and a cleaver over the top of them. I nodded appreciatively.

“I reckon you can guess what they mean, Mr. Demon claws,” he said as he looked at the crest admiringly. Lierin designed it, so you better say you like it or I’ll attempt to break your legs.”

“It’s amazing man. I’ll have to thank her when I see her,” I laughed. I wasn’t actually sure what I thought about, but I was happy to say what he needed to hear.”

“Can we talk?” The increasingly impatient Grimstrom said from my side. “He’d done well to stay so calm as long as he did, as I wasn’t giving him the lickings of a dog.”

“Yeah. I reckon I can, Grimstrom. So what do you want? I half expected to find everyone dead and Far Reach Burnt to the ground.”

He had the nerve to look offended, but then I supposed I didn’t know everything, and My ire was predominantly at Egard.

“Well, I figured some things needed smoothing out. Your trip north shouldn’t have gone down like that, but it had nothing to do with us. Even if Danivra had a part to play in the Dokalfar prisoner escaping, our interaction here is between Darkness and you, not Nuinaer and you, or even the dwarfs as a whole. Our personal shit shouldn’t have come into it and I promise you your little disappearing trick and not coming back has plunged Egard well and truly in the shit. So you can at least be happy with that,” he said, though he looked anything but happy.

“Your man, Halbraker, was a prick at the end, too. Second most grudging escort ever,” I replied.

Grimstrom shrugged. “My apologies for that. Can’t change what happened, but I can make amends in the future.”

“Fair enough. I never wanted you all as an enemy, obviously. But I actually liked you Grimstrom, and the king and the brothers. I just wish you’d all stop playing your damn games, though.”

“Aye well, I’ve always tried my best to be straight with you, Clive.”

“I believe you, man. And I’m not going to judge all dwarfs on that arrogant piece of shit Egard,” I replied.

Grimstrom snorted. “Best not go too far down that route. He’s still powerful and well respected.”

“He’s a cock. Nothing will change that or my views on the matter when his name is brought up.

Grimstrom laughed, but tactfully moved the conversation on. “So the seed matured plenty, then? You're like a demi-god now?”

“I am. Got followers and everything now. Six of them are level eighty Nanook’s,” I said meaningfully.”

“So I take it I can’t convince you to come back through the tunnels?”

I shook my head. “No way, man. We have close to a thousand people traveling south with us. I’m not just going to drop them and we have others to save.”

“Leave them. It’s not worth it. Destruction and Justice are getting closer to each other and you’re gonna end up in the center of something horrible. Just bring your thousand through the tunnels. Get them back here.”

“Grim, that’s never gonna happen. Not in this lifetime. While I might trust you, I’m not going to put myself at the mercy of the dwarves from Agorak. I only know, Egard and his men and they didn’t do a good job of advertising their trustworthiness. Do you know they walked us for days without speaking a word to us and without any food or rest? Didn’t let us know we wouldn’t be stopping for breaks or to sleep for two nights in a row.”

“That is not good,” Grimstrom nodded. “You should still consider it, though .”

“I can teleport back here whenever, for however long I want. I don’t need to come through the tunnels. I don’t need to risk taking Danivra through either, in case there’s a trap set up for her.

“There isn’t, but I understand your concerns. Will you do me one last favor at least.”

“Depends what it is.”

“Will you hurry the fuck up, Clive. The whole surface is about to erupt and you really need not to be caught in the middle of it when it does.”

I nodded. “Don’t worry about that. We’re moving as fast as we can,” I agreed. “But I’ve still got shit to do. Did those kids get back here safely?”

It was Joel who answered. “Aye, three hundred of the poor buggers. “They’re happy and settled now. Plenty of people to look after them, too.”

Our conversation was cut short by the entrance of council members entering the hall. Scralex came first. Hurrying over to me and offering a bow. I shook his hand, with a big smile for the wily Krysan.

“It is good to see you Lord Clive. We have feared the worst at times, though I have never lost faith you would return. Is my brother well?”

“Ralaex is good, yeah. And he’s been a great help to me the entire journey.”

“Im pleased to hear he has represented our pack with honor.”

As Scralex moved on to his chair, Sanyl, Sania’s mother, came next. “Lord Clive, it warms my heart to see you are well. I hear you cannot stay long?”

“Yeah, it’s a flying visit. I’m glad to see you well, too, but I imagine what you really wanted to ask the moment you spoke to me is, how is Sania? And I’m happy to report she’s doing great. We’ve fought and won many crazy, hard battles together. She’s Level 53 and a full Woltar now .”

Sanyl gasped at the news, and her eyes glossed over with unshed tears. “Thank you. For news and for taking her with you on this path you are on.”

I laid my hand on her shoulder with affection. “None of this would have been possible without your Daughter Sanyl. She’s incredible.”

As Sanyl moved on, I greeted the others as they came in. Hek in particular wasted no time asking about Danivra.

“Don’t worry Hek, she’s fine.”

“And is there anyway you can bring her back like you have?”

“Absolutely none, Hek. She’s probably safer by my side at the minute as well, don’t you think?”

He sagged at my words. “Perhaps. It is hard for me to be apart from her. I have given my life to her protection so…”

“I get you man, I’m sorry it’s playing out like this. But hopefully we won't be too much longer.”

I had to move him on as Zeine and some other familiar faces waited to speak with me. Among them, Sazor, the leader of the Wultr we had met on the plains of Kalabri, and Johan, the general of what had remained of Issel. The first town we’d come across in Kalabri. Additional council members and good additions, hopefully.

After assuring Zeine that Rella was fit and well and that we had another hundred Fensalfar with us, he was content and moved off.

Finally, I headed to my own seat when Lierin came in, running over swiftly to hug me. “You’ve been missed! Is everyone okay?” she asked at speed.

I hugged her back. The smell of whatever it was she smoked in her hair almost overwhelmed my increased senses, but it was great to see her. I smirked as I answered. “Mostly. We’ve lost a few, but considering what we’ve been through it’s amazing anyone is left alive. What about you? Looking after Joel for me?”

“I am. Thank you, he’s doing great,” she said, her face meaning with a wide honest smile, before she took her seat next to Joel.

Finally I sat, too, and it was an odd yet extremely enjoyable experience being home and sitting on a chair after so long. Even if the protesting chair didn’t feel the same under my considerably increased weight.