"What the hell, Morlekai! This kid's plan is as reckless as it is insane!" snapped a glaring Louie. "He's going to try to goad the chieftain? Those damned orcs have at least a hundred flintlocks. That's a hundred guns against our... count them... zero firearms. And this isn’t our war! I still don’t see why we’re not just slipping into the vault and heading out, with everything we can safely carry.”

Eric winced, not having expected his plan to be so completely and utterly shot down, Alice signifying her agreement with Louie while giving Eric a fierce hug.

“Eric, you were nearly killed today. We all thought you were a goner!”

Drake nodded. "She's right, boy scout. Can't tell you how good it is to see you safe and sound. Because you surprised the hell out of us, coming through that door!”

“We all nearly died, grabbing those cannons.” Alice gazed down at her own trembling hands. "If it hadn't been for you and Morlekai..." she choked up, fighting back tears as Louie protectively held her close. "As far as I'm concerned, we more than paid our dues. We've done our part for these damned elves and their war, after stripping those orcs free of their cannons. And you already killed, what, two shamans, now, including the bigwig?"

Her eyes flashed with sudden heat. "It's about time someone else stepped up, Eric, not just you. Let someone else take out the chief. I say we get what gold we can, and slip out in the darkness. Even if those elves are one with the forest like in all the fucking movies, between your infravision and Morlekai's blood crow form, we should be able to stay well clear of them. And if they give us any shit? We got twelve fucking bronze cannons saying we’ve done our part.”

Morlekai nodded. “You should listen to them,” he said, clapping Eric's shoulder. "No one can say you haven't done your part for a worthy cause. Besides, I've been keeping an eye on things during the entire day you were away and we feared you were already a past tense, after taking out Grand Central. The chieftain's gone absolutely paranoid, and for good reason. Patrols can be seen patrolling this hotel and the adjoining plaza around the clock. The bloated bastard now refuses to even come outside!"

Eric nodded thoughtfully at this. “So, how’d that bastard become chieftan anyway?”

Drake shook his head, favoring Eric with a bemused smile. “Jeez, buddy, you don’t know anything about orc culture, do you?”

Eric shrugged. "The only culture I care about is the one that lets me wipe them from the face of the Earth."

Louie chuckled dryly at that. “You and everyone else, kid. But still, it never hurts to know one’s foe.”

“They fight for it,” Alice said. “An underling can challenge. But there is a price.”

Eric smirked. “Of course there is.”

Alice nodded, flashing a dazzling smile. "If the challenger wins, then the former chieftain becomes an elder, an advisor if you will, who swears to serve the new chief for life. Because his honor is now the tribe's own. But if the chieftain wins..."

“The challenger gets eaten alive by the chief and his advisers.”

Eric blinked. “Okay, that’s pretty fucking grim.”

“Not only that, it’s a point of pride for them to keep their dinner alive and screaming for as long as possible, so no one dares disturb the chief with petty challenges again,” Louie declared. “Twisted as all hell, sure, but damn if it isn’t effective.”

Eric nodded. "So the chieftain is hiding in his hotel throne room, which just happens to be over our heads, and absolutely no one will call him out on his cowardice?"

Morlekai smirked. “Pretty much. The good news is that with him turtling up with his crack troops near the plaza, the further away one travels from the hotel, the more likely you’re going to encounter nothing more than the lazy undisciplined dregs of the orc army, which, let’s be honest, is most of them. They’ve all been told to keep a sharp look out for elves, and other than that, pretty much left to their own devices, which seems to be getting drunk and claiming slave rat kills for themselves.”

Eric nodded, focusing on what truly worried him. “Okay, how are things for the Javelineers playing for team human?”

Morlekai flashed a satisfied grin. “Funny story, actually. It seems that just hours after grand central was hit and a good chunk of it blown off the map… a good portion of the orc’s elite human champions disappeared like ghosts.”

Eric flashed a relieved smile. “That’s good to hear.”

Morlekai nodded. “Isn’t it? Word’s clearly gotten out.”

Eric sighed. “Alright, then. I guess I'd better have a chat with Sylvan command, and see where we stand."

And a few minutes later, Eric found himself sipping an ice-cold soda from what he was now certain was a magically restocking refrigerator, staring into the near hypnotic green eyes of Commander Valorn once more.

"My spies report that a certain train station filled with ordinance has been left a smoking ruin, with no trace of black powder or cannons to be found anywhere."

Eric forced a grin. “Funny how that worked out. Still, one is curious about how much a bronze cannon might net on the open market.”

This earned a throaty chuckle from the woman. “Millions of credits, if you were to sell those weapons to the Sylvan Alliance, boy. Most especially my own clan, which, let’s be honest, is the only clan in position to use it, once we claim Gilton under our banner.”

Eric whistled. “Millions of credits per cannon? Sounds like a lot.”

“It is,” she assured. “Considering that seized prizes of war bypass the rules that limit all our factions, it's the only way we'll be able to get our hands on those things. Purchasing them through outside brokers is forbidden." Her gaze was almost pitying. "Did your mother really explain none of this to you?"

Eric winced, feeling an unwelcome pressure even at the mention of the one person he both loved with all his heart, and was desperate to be free of for all time. As if fate itself would love to see the unstable wildcard that he was safely bonded to a faction that would assure he stayed tightly wrapped up in bonds of mediocrity.

“No need to bring her into it. I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time.”

The noble elf nodded. “And my patrol just happened to run across a full dozen javelineers making their way across Sylvan territory.” She flashed a reassuring smile when Eric furrowed his brow. “As most of them were traveling with women and children, and several claimed to know you personally, all of them cognizant of our arrangement, at least as it pertains to them… we were happy to provide them safe escort to Freetown.”

Eric bowed his head. “Thank you,” he said solemnly.

Surprisingly, she shook her head, and maybe Eric's eyes widened a bit too much at the sight of her milky-white shoulders and gently pointed ears jeweled with emeralds and sapphires, much as was the golden tiara she wore today, now looking every inch the lady that she was. “No, Eric. For taking out two sources of peril to our people, it is I, Lord Drevyn, and the entire Sylvan Alliance, who should be thanking you.”

A crimson lacquered fingernail tapped her pert little chin as she peered a bit too intently at Eric, who hadn’t paid any attention to her lush gold-tinted lips when they had been pressed into a hard commander’s no-nonsense line, when last they spoke. But now? When she was biting her lower lip so thoughtfully? Suddenly they were all he could see.

She caught his gaze and flashed him a challenging smile. “In fact, Eric Silver, I think I would very much like to thank you… personally.”

Eric gulped at that. “Really.”

She nodded, her bright emerald eyes peering at his scarred cheeks with undisguised fascination. Eric quickly snapped his gaze up and away from the swell of generous cleavage that her shift in posture all but invited him to gaze down upon.

“I can’t help but find the play of fire upon your features to be… fascinating.”

Eric was surprised by those words. “Wait, you mean my scars?”

She flashed a bemused smile. “Those aren’t scars, Eric.”

“No? Then what are they?”

“Essence marks.”

Eric froze as knowing eyes drank in his own.

“You should know that very, very few scions of even the most gifted clans ever unlock essences, and almost never before Bronze."

Eric blinked, not knowing quite what to say.

Her smile grew. “Can you channel your essence already, Eric Silver?”

Eric froze, mouth agape, realizing that there was nothing he could say to that. Nothing that her bemused smile hadn’t deduced already.

She bit her lip, now gazing at him like a ripe melon she would absolutely love to devour. “Truly, I fear your mother made a grave miscalculation by treating you so lightly, focusing so much of her resources on your sister.” She gave a sympathetic shake of her head. "Still, there's something to be said for blazing your own trail, is there not? Untold heights you might achieve, should you not crash upon the shoals of your own folly."

Eric winced. “Yeah, not crashing into the shoals of my own folly is still the part I’m working on.”

Her honeyed laughter rang like music to his ears. “I can imagine. It’s a folly that claims too many. Perhaps you’d like some guidance?”

Eric blinked at this.

Her grin widened. "You wouldn't be the first young scion to appreciate that our alliance is far more important than any single clan, no matter how powerful, nor to appreciate the… benefits of relations forged in the passions of battle, as opposed to the cold machinations of clan elders, and most especially the Winter Queen herself, who would see everyone dancing on strings of silver and gold that she alone would pluck.”

She took a sip from a fluted champagne glass, leaving golden lipstick behind as she raised her vessel. “I look forward to thanking you in person, once this territory flies under our banner.”

Eric, mind still racing, could all too easily sense the trap behind those words, no matter how benign her intentions. "I'll do my best to take out the chieftain," he said hoarsely.

Lady Valorn gave an approving nod. Like she was a queen, and Eric her champion. “I have no doubt that you will, nor that my agents will be suitably impressed by your… resourcefulness, once again. Commander Valorn out.”

Eric took a shuddering breath as the screen went dark. “Too close.”

Alice chuckled throatily behind him. “She was totally hitting on you, you know.”

Eric winced. “Yes, I know.”

She raised a bemused eyebrow, taking a drag from her cigarette. “Do you? No girl as comfortable as she looked in that uniform the other day, giving butch vibes strong enough that I knew I could claim her in a single night, goes to that much trouble to play princess for no reason.” Her lips curled in a mischievous smile. “Not unless she’s looking to net herself a prince.”

Eric blinked and frowned. “Wait, then why would she?” he flushed under her bemused gaze. “I mean, how would she know to get ready? Or that I was even going to contact her?”

She gazed at the smoldering tip of her cigarette before shrugging her shoulders. “No idea. But it’s for damn certain that she did.” She frowned thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Maybe there are hidden cameras, here? Never mind that electronics aren’t worth shit, everywhere else. Because clearly the apocalypse isn’t happening to that fridge upstairs, the lights above our head, or the computer in here.”

Eric winced. “But if that’s the case...” And if my mother knew I was alive, why didn’t she come to rescue me? Eric shook the troubling thought away, focusing only on what mattered. “Guys? I know this might sound crazy, but I have an idea.”

He turned to his friends, doing his best to get a read on all of them before sharing his plan. A plan that earned more than one raised eyebrow and an angry glare from Morlekai. “Eric, you’re going to get yourself killed!”

Eric smiled and shook his head. “I’m almost certain that I won’t. But either way...” he sighed and nodded. “I won’t hold you to any obligation. I guess you could say this burden’s on me, not you. So, provided you don’t mind having a crow scout for me, at least until I set some surprises set up… you guys go get your gold with my blessing. And when shit really hits the fan, everyone will be heading in the opposite direction you will. I can almost guarantee it.”

Louise frowned, leaning against the bunker wall, powerful arms in a cut-off shirt still wrapped around a content-looking Alice. “I don’t like it. You’re putting your ass on the line half a dozen times without seeing any profit, you’ll hardly get any experience for your daring, even if this works, and if the orcs don’t snatch you up and eat you alive… that elven dame certainly will.”

Drake nodded. “Fine looking filly she was, though. But… yeah. Somehow I don't think you'll be the one wearing the pants in that relationship. You get what I’m saying, buddy?” he said to a flushing Eric with a too knowing wink.

Alice chuckled throatily. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Our boy scout’s pretty tightly wound. Maybe he secretly yearns to yield control to his future mistress. He might be surprised at how good it feels to surrender to a loving dom.” Her smirk hardened. “But if that’s not boy scout’s secret kink, then he should listen to his friends and get the fuck out, because that girl’s clearly a top, especially with the boys.”

Eric chuckled awkwardly. “Warning noted.” He turned to Morlekai. “Are we good?”

His friend gazed at him for long moments before finally giving a nod. "I think you're taking a crazy risk, but fine. If you want to take on the whole damned orcish army so all the poor saps trapped here get the benefit of whatever goodwill your assistance garners them from the Sylvan Alliance? I won’t stop you.” He flashed a fierce smile. “And to be perfectly honest, I don’t mind doing my part either.” His gaze hardened. “But asking my sister or anyone else to take on those bastards head-on is tantamount to suicide.”

Eric bowed his head. "Agreed. We're talking several hundred towering eight to nine-foot tall warriors, half of them armed with muskets that are the equivalent of black-powder 10-gauge shotguns."

“And if that Valorn chick hadn’t let slip that only a tiny slice of them actually level up, I’d think you’re actions even more foolhardy than they are," Drake said with a fond, almost brotherly smile. "As it is, I still think sticking around to be a hot target in someone else's war is pure crazy. But if there was ever a paladin in the making, it’s you, boy scout, and that’s a fact.”

Eric winced but smiled back. “You’re probably right. Just make sure to leave a little gold behind for me, alright good buddy?”

Drake’s ivory-white teeth shown in a brilliant smile. “You know we will, boy scout. Fact is, there’s a fortune in gold beyond belief locked up in that bank. A hell of a lot more than any one of us could carry to Freetown. Why do you think me and Louie devoted so much of our potential to Strength builds? I mean, besides the obvious edge it gives us in wreaking holy havoc with our bardiches."

Drake clapped his shoulder. "If there's one upside to this, it's that no orc or refugee's gonna be checking if a bank with vaults locked tighter than fort Knox magically opened in the middle of a firefight, so I think you got all the time you need. Just try to make it back in one piece, okay, buddy?”

Eric swallowed the lump in his throat, giving his friend a wordless hug, then Louie and Alice as well.

“You take care of yourself, okay, boy scout?” Alice stroked his chin with a worried smile. “Even if you gotta make like a spark and leap free of it all before it all goes up in smoke… just make it to Freetown alive, okay? You know you’ll always have a roof over your head and friends at your back, once you’re there.”

Eric flashed a genuinely grateful smile. “Thanks, Alice. That means a lot to me.”

She nodded. “You’re important to us, Eric. And your life is worth a hell of a lot more than any score. Remember that.”

Morlekai nodded. “But if we’re going to set things up for tomorrow night, Eric, best we get started right now.”

Eric sighed and nodded. Hungry as he was, his friend was right. It was close to midnight, and now was the absolute best time to set up some more presents for his friends.

Alice glared at her brother. “He can spend fifteen minutes filling his belly, bro.”

Morlekai shrugged, and Eric didn’t complain even once when he found a steaming hot plate of meatballs and spaghetti with a side of scrambled eggs before him, digging ravenously into the delicious fare, knowing he needed to restock up on edibles himself, since all he had at that moment was his still massive quantity of undead lizard bulwark, for all that it had definitely lost some mass in the last few encounters, and of course, the orcs.

With his belly full and his storage now up a steaming pot of water, half the food in the magic fridge, and some ramen noodle boxes to go along with the absurd amount of ordinance he was lugging around, Eric soon found himself darting through the pitch darkness of a city lit only sporadically by trash can fires and the very occasional torch. Tiny pools of light in a sea of gloom that, to his infravision, was no hindrance at all.