Day 3: The Morning Debut

Horns blared, and drums beated, and cymbals clashed in celebration as a rendition of 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' played. Though no band was to be seen playing the instruments making these sounds. The guards who watched the tower watched enraptured as the convoy headed their way.

"GREETINGS FROM THE CITY OF VEROD! MIGHTY CITY OF KEN!" a voice said, startling the guards and the Keners near the walls began converging on the gates to see what on earth was going on.

"WE HAVE COME TO TRADE AND TO BARGAIN! COME TO MAKE EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP AND SONG!" the strange voice echoed again.

The Dawn Templars escorted Lady Claudia to the situation at hand, to see a token force, with what looked like an iron wagon with a long tube on the front, and several horse-drawn caravans alongside it. Carrying with them were banners of vertical blue, black, and white stripes respectively, a red star shining in the center of each. "Lady Claudia, what should we do?" a violet-haired knight looked at her commander for orders.

Lady Claudia furrowed her brows, "Verod?" she mouthed, unfamiliar with such a place. She looked at her subordinate, a calm expression framing her face.

"We shall know of their intentions face-to-face, have some of our women greet them. They do not seem to have hostile intentions." the knight-errant bowed.

"At once, my lady."

The North Wall, Ken

"Jesus, did we really have to make an entrance like that?" a grunt whispered, watching the parade strolling through the gate.

"It'll provide a distraction, they said, while we infiltrate the city underneath them. Didn't you listen?" handing the cloaked man a shovel, they began to dig with the others.

The Grand Hall of Ken, Castle Ken

The Keners welcomed the delegation, some of them were wearing a strange white mask, but they thought nothing of it as they took to their pomp and music. Not minding a parade in the city, it seemed like a nice change of pace for them. Sock, who led the delegation, answered the questions of the… exotically dressed ladies that hailed them from the avenue.

Where were they from?

Verod.

Where was Verod?

North of here.

That's where our enemies live, who are you?!

Uh, we just appeared there, please lower your sword. You're escalating the situation.

Answer my questions!

And all that jazz…

Thankfully, Lady Claudia, if he remembered correctly from the reports, de-escalated the situation. Seemingly believing their explanations of their entire city being transported like magic, but under their guard. The Dawn Knights escorted them to the place of power in the city.

It reminded him of something out of mediterranean architecture, but looked like it belonged here far up north. There were many other consistencies, like the german-like buildings on the peasant quarters and districts and renaissance-era clothing on the nobles. All the mark of a fantasy porn setting he supposed, he wondered how these Dawn Knights got off scar-free if these people have been in one near-apocalyptic war for hundreds of years.

That wasn't important now though, facing the throne room of the city. He saw three figures that looked important, two men standing beside her. He cleared his throat and got to the point of the crux.

"We'd like to open trade with you." He said. Might as well build up the reputation of being up-front on our intentions, saves a lot of breath.

The three of them were shocked at the blunt and almost blasé nature of that statement. Expecting them to open up with frivolity or give out slow introductions. Though Lady Claudia herself felt it was almost refreshing to have someone state their intentions, clear and concise. Meeting with the nobility had jaded her mind as the days went on. The mask the delegate wore though…

"Why."

"We're going to starve, my lady." Sock bowed.

That made Claudia Levantine feel off-put.

"When our city was teleported, we were surrounded by wasteland. No farms were brought with us, and days since, we had almost used up our food storage." though they could respawn, it wasn't a pleasant feeling to go through. Adding that, was the fear that if they kept on dying, something bad might happen. As of now, ill-side effects like losing memories or suddenly dying for real weren't observed.

But what made them not want to die, was the disturbing rumour that surfaced within the city. Stating the person who dies will stay dead, and the 'respawned' player is merely a clone of the original. That, made most people in the city fear the throes of death once again, even if they were immortal.

"Where is your city?" looking at the masked man for answers.

"Well…"

Near the Windows, The Grand Hall of Ken

"Hehe… mission success! Boys!" radio static clicked as the man in the shadows congratulated himself in their stealthy endeavour.

The Merchant's District, East Ken

"…it'll cost fifteen-hundred gold." a fat renter showed them nasally. The companymen, took a good long look at the building in front of them. Two stories, including an attic, full of spider webs, and creaky floorboards.

"Deal." the large hatted cloaked man nodded.

"Excellent." the scammer bowed, feeling giddy at cheating these newcomers.

"We welcome you indeed!"

"With that out of the way," the cloaked man revealed himself as Hanz. Taking off his hat to reveal his red horns. "All right boys, major renovation operation is a GO!" The oni-man clapped.

Failing not for their fond lieutenant of TradeCo. the companymen brought out their axes and chisels, alongside the other builder factions. Quickly chopping apart the floorboards to reveal a hidden basement.

"An extra floor! Perfect!"

With that, their enthusiasm increased ten-fold. They replaced the rotten floor with diamond-shaped tile blocks. Others went upstairs to break the spider webs.

Furniture, fixtures, and chest-shops were quickly placed all in the right order, potions, enchanted gear, and other items were quickly displayed. The stairs were quickly replaced with ones more sophisticated.

Meanwhile outside, Yale and his team stood watch. Milford winced at the noises being done inside, and pretty sure the entire street before them heard the racket outside. "What's going on!?" Yale's group sweatdropped at the presence of the bikini warriors now approaching them.

"Uh…"

"You there!" she pointed at the strange man with a box for a head. "Oh god, why me…" Milford muttered inside the box. She looked a bit hesitant asking the obvious lunatic in front of her, what kind of madman would wear that? "What's happening inside there?!" pointing at the building behind them, shaking and heaving like it was angry.

"They're doing renovatio-" Mark started-

"I was not asking you!" she sneered.

She turned back to the boxhead,

"And take that ridiculous getup of your face! That is an order." she said firmly, having enough of these strange foreigners and their even stranger jokes.

"I-I'm afraid I can't do that," he said, slightly muffled as he held the box down with his hands. Without a word, she pointed her sword at his throat.

"Hey!" Mark gritted his teeth preparing to pull-

*crrrreeeeeeaaaak-*

*BLAM*

…

…

"Whoops, too much pressure!" Everyone in the street stared at the sight before them. A man in a yellow helmet, poking out of the destroyed hole in the roof. "*sigh…*, might as well add another floor." And disappeared back into the hole, like a gopher.

The rooftiles slid forward and crashed upon the stone pavement, generating a cloud of dust. The people below, including the exploratory team, were all covered in it.

"*Cough! Cough!* Apologies! *Cough!*, we were doing renovation. Stevian *Cough!* style!" the doctor coughed again, harder this time.

"That's a *Cough!* dumb fucking name! Doc!" Tiko coughed.

Robert's Apartments, Verod

Lily stared at the window, seeing the people below her still scurrying about. She sighed as she looked around her new home. She shouldn't complain so much, papa was gone, but had wanted her to live during that terrible day. Telling her to run far away as possible, but she didn't.

Remembering the memories so vividly, it grabbing her leg, slithering its tongue in-

"Hey, I've managed to get ourselves a sandwich." she looked up to see, Malice "call me Mitch". A witch apparently, living in the city some time ago. She couldn't quite get used to her enchanting hair, so pink and silky. Her eyes having those of a cat's, with slits and all, glowing a vivid yellow. Sometimes…, she could get quite lost in those eyes…

"Hey Lil' you alright?" she snapped back to reality. Blushing in embarrassment for not responding, Malice smiled and gave her a piece of her food. Silently thanking her, she daintily grabbed hold of the offering.

"Ready to work?" the witch bent over on her side, grabbing things from her chest.

Lily blushed, at seeing her bountiful curves covered up by tight pants. She licked her lips, "Yes." she responded softly. She caught the gloves, almost missing them and equipped them on.

She saw her putting on that recognizable witch hat that was mandatory for her kind, and lifted the duffle bag on her arm. Walking downstairs to see Robert sleeping on the job again, Malice rolled her eyes and opened the door. They walked outside, and the witch smiled a grin at her. Making Lily smile as well, and off they walked off towards the base of the plateau. To improve the earthworks together.

The Industry Bloc, Verod

"Strange… utterly strange, and odd." Isabel said. Lowering her violet eyes down at the humans as though they were ants. She leapt up again at another building, her cloak of shadows hiding her presence from the people below. If Isabel was honest, she was disturbed at the development, they were building quickly, too quickly in fact. "Foul human magicka…" she huffed. Leaping again, to a building of importance, as it was guarded by four in its double-doored entrance. She guessed it as the storehouse judging by its size, leaping onto the top of it.

She whispered a shadow spell that made her melt from the roof and rise up from the floor, all the while invisible to the naked eye. She saw one man, looking down at his notes. Looking both directions to see that he was alone, she knocked him out, crumpling to the floor without any repercussions. She looked again for anything that can be used for timber. Lines upon rows of wooden chests, how pitiful.

Casting a small flame spell, she then grabbed the man and held a gem, its aura engulfed the both of them and they disappeared.

The Meeting Room, Tower Verod

"… so how'd you like the poster?"

"It's nice."

"Gee, that's all you have to say?"

The door slammed open, the workman slammed his palms on the table of the faction leaders. Nearly startling them from their seats.

"FIRE!"

…

"Fire?" one of them said.

"FIRE! WAREHOUSE!" he screamed again.

They quickly went into high-gear, leaving the workman behind in the meeting room. The now-alone workman looked both ways, before going into one of the chests to rummage in.

That pig.

Warehouse 03, The Industry Bloc

"Ayaiyai… there goes one-third of our stuff." Brick shook his head. The entire warehouse was now a flaming wreck, at least from within. As the entire structure was made of stone materials, but the insides were another story entirely. It was noticed too late by the guys outside, only going in when they finally noticed the crackling noise.

"…we've got company!" four faction leaders turned to look at the new face. "What? What now? What happened?" Kraz stood up to face the giver of news.

"North of us! Some of our people are currently fighting them!"

"Who's them?"

"The same guys that attacked Mathilde's village, they said! Orcs! Armies of them!"

"Are you fucking with me?" one of the minor faction leaders said.

"Sound the alarm!" Brick took the initiative, and led them to the northern walls.

The Lower Fields, Verod

"That doesn't sound good…" Lily held unto Malice's arms, not quite knowing what was happening, as a horn-like sound blared from above them. Malice looked up, searching for the answer.

"THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! ENEMY ARMY CLICKS AWAY FROM VEROD! READY YOUR ARMS CITIZENS! PROTECT THOSE WHO CAN'T PROTECT THEMSELVES!"

The horns continued blaring, she suddenly felt herself being picked up again, this time by the taller woman. "Hang on!"

She screamed for dear life as they were lifted up, up and over the walls. Before she jumped through, however, she saw those who were working with them below quickly changing gear. Memories flashed at that fateful day… when her father called out his last words.

The Northern Walls, Verod

"TO ARMS CITIZENS! DO NOT LET THEM PASS!" it wasn't a coincidence that Verod had an almost familiar name. As it was the bastardized latin name for Verodunum, the settlement that would've become the famous last stand in the Battle of Verdun during the great war. It was also no coincidence that its leader embodied the qualities of its men that defended it.

Brick arose from the steps, walking with purpose as he was followed by a slew of men behind him, ready to defend the city from the invaders. His blue coat flapping in the wind like a grand banner, likened to the robes of a conqueror or a liberator.

The Captain-General crossed his arms, staring at the horizon slowly being filled with monsters and demons. He noticed some small specks speeding away from it, grimly recognizing them as the remains of the northern outposts.

Tyre got beaten to death by orcs

Jillo got skewed by lesser imps

Hatchbird took a swing from a minotaur

He sighed and lowered his head. They were blind-sided, bamboozled, and certainly in dire straights. Perhaps he should've focused on his northern flank, rather than rooting the dogs out while they had the chance. Perhaps he should've never revealed themselves so openly, perhaps they should've hid from the world by pretending to be a mountain. It could've been done with the right amount of platforms.

After a moment of contemplation, he gave the invaders a gaze of his own. Though his' were black, with no whites in them. But the soul inside of his darkened eyes truly did scream and roared for vengeance and brutality. He felt it, and from the bottom of his heart knew some of them felt it.

yellow5 got ripped apart by orcs

wellington the third took a swing from a minotaur

"TO ARMS! TO ARMS! THEY SHALL NEVER PASS!" the alarm shouted again.

He made his decision, and he was going to deal with the consequences for it. This he swore.

He clenched his fist and roared in defiance against fate. The rest of them joined their commander, roaring in tune, and brandishing their swords and guns for all to see.

"THEY SHALL NOT PASS!" all of them roared in unison.

The Siege of Verod has begun.

AN:

27/09/21: Have a chappy from me. Will install revised info-chappy later.

28/09/21: Fixed some minor spelling and grammar issues in the previous chapters and made Claudia less robotic.