83 Rampage
1444 Words
Janus jumped to his feet and let out a yelp. He had been searching the barracks grounds alone in fully activated arcane vision, and still, the goblin caught him unaware. Again.
"Skeeter! I didn't see you coming. How did you find me? I wasn't sure you were here." Janus asked.
Skeeter tilted his head in confusion as if Janus was acting weird again.
"Skeeter moves in silence. Skeeter has never once..."
"...been caught. Yes, yes." Janus sighed, he had tried his hardest to catch the goblin for years now, but the goblin would appear out of nowhere every time.
He should be happy, given that he had a slippery little thief as his Master of spies, But no, somehow the goblin's sneakiness and constant habit of surprising him hurt his feelings.
"Well anyway, how did your last trip fare?" Janus asked.
"We rendezvoused with the refugees in the forest yet again. We didn't want the merchant to catch any suspicion, so we traveled on a separate path. A hundred refugees, just as our operative in Galedon reported. Master Ringo and Princess Yvaine are welcoming them now."
From the very first time they visited the Stingers army to the north, the skills of Skeeter and his gang of Whiskers had been their foremost method of recruiting new citizens to the village. They would disguise themselves as assistants and mercenaries to Master Roban's caravan, but as soon as they arrived they started navigating the underground circles to spread the word to potential migrants to Wayward Home.
Their first priority was slaves and rebels who wanted a way out of oppression, but more often than not they found regular individuals who were interested in a better way of life.
The Whiskers had to be discreet and move in the shadows. For the act of urging civilians to move to another village could be seen as an act of aggression in some countries.
They also stomped down rumors that Wayward was building a military force to overthrow Galedon, since that was merely not the case while telling stories of how everyone was given their own land and had free education for the promise of labor. They also targeted adventurers who were seeking for a land that they could master their skills in, as well as strong professions and warriors who wanted bigger challenges. They didn't sugarcoat that work was harsh in the village and that there were dangers lurking everywhere. Still, it was better than what other villages had to offer.
With their skills in persuasion and the development of concrete trade roads to and from the village, they had consistently brought new recruits in and spies out of the village.
Janus was deeply proud of their work. Especially considering their roots in the underground cities of Gaddi, where they were treated as lower-class citizens. Clanchief Gragosh is currently thriving in the south with the rest of the Plague Rats. They were now working as regular farmers, fishermen, and builders. Clanchief Gragosh's workshop specialized in researching and dealing with clockwork technologies. He had given him a quartz-powered wall clock that was now hanging in his office.
After their lengthy discussion, Janus asked the goblin if there was anything unusual he encountered during the trip.
"Ahh yes Princey, do you remember the Rhinosaurs? The creatures that Jundra discovered three months ago?"
The Rhinosaurs were a rare breed of monsters that lurked in the Forest of Mist but were also seldom seen in the southern edges of the borders. Mostly at the very edge of their ranging coverage. The creature was a mix of a Rhino and a Boar, with some adults growing as large as elephants. The Merrimen had trapped and killed one who went berserk close to the expansion camps. The bones alone gave Janus two thousand contribution points in his Golden Library.
"Well, some of my men spotted a herd of around thirty roaming in the south."
"Interesting, have you told Jundra and Astrid?"
"Yes, Princey. I believe they are deploying personnel there right now."
"Thank you Skeeter, you've done a good job."
Skeeter bowed and took his leave.
A herd of Rhinosaurs. Janus remembered that it took ten men to trap one beast. Having a herd of them rampaging on the borders would be a problem indeed. No matter, their signaling system should inform them if anything is wrong. The southern border is an hour ride via sled, he might need to camp out there if there were more sightings.
Janus was lost in thought for a few seconds. Enough time for Skeeter to disappear without a trace, not even leaving footprints behind him.
#
Years of advancement and gathering of information had yielded Janus a wealth of Contribution points that he had a hard time spending it all. Every new batch of migrants came with them a wealth of culture and knowledge that gave him points simply by talking to them.
Several creatures and strange phenomenon under the Mountain of Brimstone earned him points just by seeing or experiencing them up close. Several forms of wraiths, Owl-bears, tentacled sea creatures, slimes of varying degrees of intelligence, and glowing orbs of light were not a very uncommon sight during the night. Simply strolling around the grounds would get him a couple of points.
Years ago he would constantly run out of points due to his collection of fantasy novels, field manuals and encyclopedias on the various aspects of life in Kalesia.
Back in Gracewood Manor he had to sought out these sources of points himself. But now all he had to do is live his life. Even with the constant sourcing of books for his students, he still had a wealth of points to spare.
That night, during a short session of browsing through its multiple menus, he stumbled across something he had never seen before.
It was an item labeled as "Natural high-threat defense protocol" and had a point cost of 100,000CP. He had ignored this item a thousand times before due to never having any hope of unlocking it. But now he had a surplus of 400,000 points with nothing to spend it on.
He clicked it and read the description.
Premium Item
Only awarded for those with a great commitment to the Golden Library.
This Natural High-Threat Defense Protocol is something every wanderer should endeavor to acquire on his journey. Effects may vary over different worlds, but it is a premium option for dealing with natural high-level threats.
Janus sighed. It was decorated with blinking stars and bright lights, which was enticing to look at. But the vague description turned him off. He didn't want to waste points if he can help it, and 100,000 is a bit too much.
He scrolled around but struggled to find the close button. He shook his finger around and tapped it incessantly. The screen froze for a moment, and a large celebratory text appeared on it. The screen exploded with flowers and falling confetti.
Thank you for your Purchase. Management assures you that you would not regret this decision.
The Golden Library does not accept refunds on premium products. Have a nice day.
Drat. In his clumsiness he mistakenly bought the item.
He was too sleepy to even bother. He closed the console and went to bed. He didn't know exactly what it did. But he would find out only a week later.
#
The creatures were closing in on their fifth year cycle. This was their sacred ground, the place where they did their mating rituals and bore their young.
For them, it was the natural cycle of life. The herd had spent the last five years around the southwestern side of the mountain, where there were large pools and waterfalls, large grasses, and even larger prey.
Now was simply the time for them to return to their point of origin. Rhinosaurs lived for upwards of a hundred years, and they had a good memory. They knew the forest like the back of their horns.
For them it was simply a time to go back to the motherland, where they would breed and raise their young for the first few months.
Except...
Except...
Why are these trees wrapped around our homes? Why are these small creatures roaming around the place where we once grew up?
This cannot be.
How dare they?
The Matriarch bellowed.
Hundreds of hooves drummed across the landscape.
A scream was heard as one of the guards saw them galloping across the fences.
There was a loud crash.
#
Red lights blared on the ceiling of Janus' room.
It was a peculiar feeling, he thought he was in his Wellspring, experiencing a surge of fire until he heard the loud crackling of arcane energy.
The red bulb on his ceiling blinked and buzzed.
He had that thing installed so that he would be alerted to the emergencies in the village. The council members also had one as well.
Janus sprang to his feet, got a quick change of clothes, and ran outside.
- Writer
