As we settled for the rest of the day, we ate what remained in the box of Haulage. The Wultr and elves went out to hunt, but food was difficult to find, as the land stripped clean by armies. What was brought back was stored in the box for the following evening’s camp.

The Fae and the Fensalfar worked together, to produce as much food as they could from the forest and that too was stored. It was my hope that we wouldn’t have to ask for any more food from Far Reach. I reckoned we were taking a lot from them, and while they’d never grumble, if we could feed ourselves we would.

Once fed, our army rested and got as much sleep as possible for most of the day and into the early evening. Ready to move again a few hours before midnight. It may not have been necessary, with our new, tentative agreement with Destruction, but I wasn’t taking any chances if I could help it. Apart from the Drengalfar, all of our warriors had naturally excellent night vision. Though the Drengalfar had all trained their night vision to a reasonable enough standard for it not to be an issue in the middle of an army.

Without any particular landmarks to avoid, and only enemy soldiers to worry about we walked in as direct a line as possible to Far Reach. I hoped that we could travel back within a couple of weeks, now we didn’t have to go and free a fort or break open the Palathi Peaks. Moving south and slightly eastward, we hoped to avoid Justice completely and in truth any of Destructions forces if we could help it.

As we came toward the southern edge of the forest on to the central plain, our scouts came rushing back toward us. Two Wultr and a Dokalfar all from different directions, seemingly spotting a problem around the same time.

“Destruction’s troops. Thousands of them,” The first Wultr to reach us said, panting hard as he transformed.

“Same here. I went further east. Tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of them. Filling the Plain as far as I could see.”

“Thanks guys. Did it look like a camp for the night? Maybe moving on tomorrow?”

“Probably not,” the first Wultr said. “They looked fairly well settled there.”

“Shit,” I hissed, turning to the others. “What do you guys think?”

“Head straight east within the forest, all the way to the Crasters,” Grigor said. “Most of us can fight better in the mountains and forests. Especially the Wultr, and they’re our biggest force.”

I nodded at him. It made good sense. “I like it. Though it does take us awfully close to Agorak and I still don’t trust the bastards not to try and pull us in there for questioning,” I laughed lamely looking to Danivra.

“I doubt they will,” she replied with an empty eyed smile. “The other issue is Helvien.”

“What? What’s the issue with Helvien?”

“We will pass close by on this route. It will be a stronghold of Destruction now.”

“Was there much left of the place? I thought it was trashed.”

“They will have kept strategic buildings for a base.”

“Right so, east to the mountains, tiptoe around Agorak and then Helvien and then it’s a straight shot to Far Reach. Fuckin hell, ha’way then. No point standing around with our faces up our arses.”

We set off again within the confines of the forest. I wondered how the Saleels were coping moving under all of the branches. We didn’t really see their passing, which meant they must have been travelling pretty deep. I didn’t actually know how they would navigate the mountains. They were essentially rock giants, but I’d only seen them move through soil. I filed the problem away. They’d just have to walk like everyone else if necessary.

Walking alongside Danivra, I probed her for more information on her home.

“Hey. You know Helvien doesn’t actually show on my protectorate map, right?”

She smiled sadly. “Yes, it’s shielded, meaning the palace isn’t destroyed yet.”

“Shame we can’t pick it up and take it to Far Reach. I bet it’s beautiful.

“It was beautiful, Lord Clive. The city was in ruins when we left.”

“I hope we do not have to look upon it. The pain of losing my home is still raw.”

“I bet it is. Falritas, is not a fun place.”

“It was once,” she said quickly.

“What, even with gods like War and Destruction?”

“It has always had its battles and intrigue, but far better than what we currently suffer.”

“I hear you. Do you blame Creation for fucking off?”

She paused at that. “I suppose, deep down I do yes.”

I nodded. “Yeah, seems like a total dick thing to do. He obviously left me too, in my world. Not even a goodbye. I’d love to know what the hell he was playing at.”

We fell silent for a while, before I spoke in her mind. “If the Dwarves of Agorak decide to come out and start shit, I’ve got your back fully. Just so you know.”

“I had faith that you would. But Darkness seems intent on remaining in good standing with you. Have you given much thought of what you will do with Devotions offer?”

“A little. It seems like it could be okay, but then what’s in it for her? I feel like there’s something I’m missing. The problem is, apart from you I haven’t really got anyone else to ask. I can’t trust any of the gods, so it comes down to whether I trust her.”

“And do you?”

“Yes and no.”

“Is Sania’s position still a straight no?”

“I think so,” I replied before bringing her in on the conversation.

“Hey Sania. The bond with Devotion. Do we take it?”

Her face visibly soured at the thought, but she didn’t say no outright.

“I do not like the idea, and I fear what it may mean. Yet if she is being honest and everything she told you holds true, then a god as a true, bound ally is potentially too good to pass up on. If we’re being realistic about the future, are we likely to need such an ally. What happens next?”

“We get home, I open the restaurant and we live our lives in peace and prosperity. Or the far less likely option that Kalabri is conquered by Justice or Devotion and then Darkness comes out to play. Conquers the surface, conquers Akomoka and probably Knuntang, maybe even Delosha. After that, who knows. Maybe it’ll stop there. But judging by the map in my head, probably not. Oh, and let’s not forget, If Darkness doesn’t conquer Delosha, I need to.”

They both came to a sudden halt. Then quickly started walking again, before they held up our column.

“What?” Sania asked. Danivra just looked at me, intrigued in a scarily intense way.

“Well, you see, I might have promised them that if they didn’t let me out to save you that I’d hunt them all down and kill them, and take Delosha off their hands. Admittedly, I probably shouldn’t have, but I was really fucking angry and… well… I promised, and I don’t like to go back on my promises. It helps that I genuinely fucking hate the self-righteous bastards as well.”

“I can’t tell if you’re being serious,” Sania said.

“Nor me,” Danivra added. “You haven’t mentioned anything like this before.”

I shrugged. “It hasn’t come up. It’s a pretty nice island to be honest, apart from the arseholes who live there. Might be a good base for us. Out of the way a bit.”

Danivra laughed, covering her mouth as she did so. “Delosha might be a good base for us. The Island of Delosha. One of the best defended countries on Falritas?”

“Yeah. I take it you don’t like the idea?”

“I’m speechless, Clive. The troops, the logistics…” Danivra fell silent. I felt my cheeks redden from how stupid I must have sounded. But deep down, I still intended to keep my promise. It wasn’t about pride or honor or even wanting to conquer anywhere. But if you go shooting your mouth off you need to back it up, or your words are worthless. I had people that I cared about, who trusted me. How long would that last if I didn’t at least try to make good on my promises.

“I know it’s not something we can just do. I still need to get stronger. We all do. I’m not actually bothered about conquering the place either. I’ll consider my promise fulfilled if I just kill the Triumvirate and a couple more I’ve met along the way that I’d like to see an end to.”

“They have been a thorn in our sides, and very ruthless toward us. I back you, Clive,” Sania said.

“I obviously back you, Lord Clive. I hope one day we are in a position to add other names to that list. I have promises of my own to keep,” Danivra said darkly. “Though my will is now yours.”

It felt as though I had detected the first hint of bitterness toward her bond to me since we’d agreed on it. I hoped not, as it wasn’t my choice, and I was trying to help the Dokalfar as much as I could.

“Well, we don’t have to make any plans now. Just know that it’s on my radar in the future.”

“I realise I may have sounded ungrateful, with my words,” Danivra said, echoing my thoughts. “I have no complaints about our arrangement considering the circumstances. My position is more than I could have ever hoped for when we met.”

I smiled at her, and shook my head. “Don’t worry, I get it.”

We continued walking throughout the day at a steady pace until the Craster mountains came within sight through the treetops. Their snow-capped peaks, dark and looming, were an ominous sight.

It was a good place to stop and rest, as tomorrow we would leave the forest and attempt to travel along their base, depending on our scout reports on Destruction’s forces.

As everyone set up the camp, and our hunters, foragers and scouts went out to gather what they could, I helped to set up the cooking fires. Tonight would involve a lot of cooking, and I had a host of skills to use with my fit for a god stat just refreshing.

While I worked, I watched Olata and Wind of the Wild create a shield over our army. Hiding our location and preventing any surprise attacks. It certainly lent a level of safety and security we hadn’t had very often.

I found myself mesmerized with their use of power, as the grays and greens wove together. I couldn't really see how they did it. What commands they used to produce the effect, but I felt watching the process would bring me closer to understanding and with my own abilities now to draw on the Forest Neuma at least, that I might one day be able to make a similar shield.

Once Grastad let me know that I’d marveled at their skill for long enough. I offered the Nysti a one fingered salute, and began preparing to cook up a permanent stat boost.

While none of the meat from the chest was of perfect quality, I picked through a large basket of cherries and found a good handful of perfect fruits.

I pulled out a few sections of butchered hog and set about hanging it over one of our cook fires. Then pulled a metal bowl from the chest, that had originally held rendered pork fat from Far Reach, but was now empty. It was perfect for cooking the cherries up. I began pitting the cherries, then stopped myself with a chuckle at my idiocy. The best way to reduce a Cherries quality from prefect was to have a twenty-foot-tall half demon pit them. With a shake of my head, I focused on the still perfect unharmed cherry in my hand.

Prunus Kalarbium

Quality: Perfect.

Weight: 0.2 oz

Internal Temperature: 11°C

Potential Use. (Level 30)

(Skills only available when cooking)

Fit for an Enemy + Ultra Rare Bonus

-5 points for 24 hours to any of the following statistics. Skill can be used once every 5 days. Can be used entirely on one stat or spread across multiple stats.

Fit for a King. + Ultra Rare Bonus

+ 5 points for 24 hours to any of the following statistics. Skill can be used once every 5 days. Can be used entirely on one stat or spread across multiple stats.

Fit for a God. + Ultra Rare Bonus

+2 permanent points into any of the following statistics. Can be used once every 14 days.

Strength

Dexterity

Agility

Speed

Stamina

Constitution

Intelligence

Charisma

Perception

Having had each one of my stats dropped by three and not having the option to increase Internal Connection with the skill, I opted to invest Intelligence into bringing it back up to 85.

Prunus Kalarbium: Fit for a God — +2 Intelligence

Prepare ingredient within one hour. Failure to do so will still count as one use.

Content with my choice, I pitted the cherry and worked through the rest of the bowl quickly before placing it in the coals. Stirring them with a stick, I made sure they came to a steady boil for a good half hour. The natural sugars and Pectin in the cherries, I hope would allow the sauce to thicken up nicely.

Once they were cooked I pulled them away from the fire to cool, and carved a few thick strips from the hogs leg dangling above the fire, with my cleaver. Straight into the bowl of cherries. It wasn’t pretty, but my mouth was watering at the sight of it. I checked over the bowl of food’s information to make sure it had worked. Still not having gotten over the mint tea I once made.

Pork and Cherry Mess of Intelligence:

+ 2 to Inteligence (Permanent)

I stared at the notification. Pretty sure it was supposed to be Pork with Cherry Sauce, but whatever, I thought to myself. Then dug in to the bowl, grabbing a thick strip of meat, scooping up cherries with it and stuffing it in my mouth. My tastebuds exploded. The cherry sauce, both tart and sweet coated my mouth as a perfect counterpoint to the juicy pork fat.

Congratulations:

You have increased Intelligence by +2 permanently.

After that bite, I reluctantly handed the bowl over to Sania. She took it, and pulled out a strip of cherry covered pork, eating it with a big smile before handing the bowl on to Danivra. I saw the same reluctance in the movement as I had felt myself and chuckled. It just went to show, that if you had good quality base ingredients you didn’t need much else. In the restaurant, I would have added half a bag of sugar and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the cherries.

Before I went back to the fire to help cook as much of the meat as I could for everyone else. I checked over my stats, to make sure everything was as it should be,

Physical statistics:

Strength: 72

The capacity to exert and resist force.

Dexterity: 37

Skill and ease in hand-based activity.

Agility: 87

How effectively the body can move into a range of different positions.

Speed: 87

Rate at which the body can move.

Stamina: 73

Period over which the body can effectively sustain prolonged activity.

Constitution: 220

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

Mental Statistics:

Intelligence: 85

Knowledge and its application

Charisma: 35

Charm, coerce, inspire.

Perception: 63

Awareness of surroundings

Spiritual Statistics:

Ethereal Awareness: 0

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

Internal Connection: 82

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power)

Singularity: 38

Innate understanding of universal essence (Neuma). Will increase with personal level. (Cannot be leveled by other means.)

World sense: 8.22% Knowledge of Gulithea.

Experience Points to next level: 800/3700