Author's Note: Just wanted to let everyone know that I greatly appreciate their support for both the story and the map it's based on.
Now enjoy the chapter!
Life of a Zero Dragon
Chapter 23: The Ticking Clock
Rosina, Dragon Catcher, and Cora Rune, Blue Chosen Dragonet, traveled through the harsh, cold environment that made the high mountains of Kayla. Though these large natural formations were native to the world that is Life of a Dragon Sequel, its current proximity to the floating island of Albion displaced it. To add to that, the Ice Trolls of Kayla continued to increase in numbers, though thankfully ending at a certain numeral due to the map's respawning triggers.
Regardless, both Heroes had focused on killing a large populace of the creeps, it would have been called genocide if not for the artificial nature of it all. This allowed the Dragon Catcher and Chosen Dragon to increase their level of power to a more comfortable area.
A golden light erupted around the green dyed clothes of Rosina, signaling another step of progression towards the maximum level cap.
"Hell yeah, level twelve!" Rosina shouted.
"Congratulations," Cora said in response, the blue dragon taking a small breather from recent combat as a nearby Frost Bite Troll, a higher level troll creep, decomposed slowly.
Normal Warcraft units would decompose into skeletal corpses within seconds before their body disappear a minute later. Of course, like many other changes, the Transition altered this rate to take hours instead of seconds.
Probably for the best.
"Thank you, thank you!" Rosina exclaimed, "You have no idea how refreshing it is to not speak in fancy style."
"Fancy style? What do you mean?" The Blue Dragonet tilted her head curiously at the seventh player.
Rosina paused, thinking of a way to explain it, "When I talk to others, I spoke all like 'My gratitude for your word of thanks.' Instead of the usual way I spoke." She shifted her tone during the quote to imply a more noble speech pattern.
"Sounds like a movie actor in one of those medieval settings," Cora said, easily pictured and played out different scenarios, after all, she had always been quite the role player before all this happened.
"Exactly! It was totally bizarre! Not the way I like to speak in the slightest! Might be because they were NPCs or something, but I doubt it," Rosina stated as she browsed mentally through her Hero Abilities, pondering which of the five skills to place her newly acquired skill point.
Cora Rune smiled, while she was not as energetic as Rosina, and certainly not as carefree in terms of speech, the fifth player appreciated the straightforward personality behind the Catcher's appearance. It provided a relaxing atmosphere in a usually tense situation.
"At the current moment, with you having reached level twelve and my current being ten, I believe we can handle the trolls without having to return and recover at the Blue Dragon Nest," Cora explained.
"Mmh," Rosina hummed as she chooses to place a point in Rejuvenating Light, a healing ability that restores health over time. "At the village, I stayed at, the peps there gave me some idea of where we can head next. It's freaky weird how it's a Britain name, though."
"What's its name?" Cora asked, wanting to know a possible destination.
"Carlisle, the name is exactly like another town's name on Earth," Rosina explained. "I walked off the road a bit and met up with you, though it was strange that I suddenly knew that someone would be here."
"You think the Map Maker is also in this world? He was in an observer slot, so perhaps he has something likened to the role and is using that to communicate with us?" Cora theorized.
"Perhaps," Rosina began, "But that's just a theory, let's head to Carlisle."
"Sure, let me pick up the item drop from the troll first," Cora said as she hovered over to the corpse of the troll and picked a shining object which was placed into the player's metaphysical inventory.
Ice Shard; reduces all magical damage taken by 10%.
"That'll be useful," The Blue Dragonet commented.
"Sweet, let's go," Rosina finished.
The Fel King entered the confines of the Fel Burrow, while he had recently decided in the previous night his exact plans to head way towards the port city of La Rochelle, he had been studying up on the information gleaned from the three humans made temporary residents within this very burrow.
"Greetings," Grom said, his accent rather thick in the foreign language he presumed was some form of French.
"I demand you release me you barbaric monster!"
"Oh shut up you pampered noble!"
"Here I thought we could actually get along…"
The Fel King, the ninth player, sighed in frustration at the three individuals that couldn't cooperate with one another at any sufficient level. It wasn't hard to figure out that there was a sort of caste system that the common folk rather hated and the 'higher' nobles appreciated their elevated status. While Grom cared little for their internal political struggles, as well as cultural, these three were unfortunate to be his only source of any information related to the neighboring nations.
The first man was a noble with well-kept clothing and pale, smooth skin akin to a sheltered and wealthy lifestyle of this era. His attitude left much to be desired, arrogant, prone to making demands, yet also a coward at his core should Grom choose to threaten his life.
He was also a magic user, but strangely after the taking of his wand, he became unable to cast any spellcraft. While Grom was familiar with this sort of tool requirement from Earth's fictional fantasies, the Empire was clueless in the mage's lack of wandless, hand weaving abilities. Still, the man was a treasure trove for the more diplomatic and political structure of this nation called Tristain.
Regardless, the Fel Orcs trusted their Warchief, their King, and will follow his command to the death. The loyalty engraved within them both lore-speaking and map wise was that commendable.
The second, a commoner, or so the former had stated. A rugged man with wool clothing, thick and suitable for field work. His muscles were toned and the man had much knowledge and experience in local geology, however, any matters pertaining to Tristain were vague or ignorant.
The final, third individual, was actually just a traveling merchant that sold his wares as he went throughout the five human nations, he was perhaps the most cooperative and informative person out of the three.
Grom turned his attention towards the merchant, "Your cooperation in the past three days has been much appreciated. All your goods have been securely watched and untouched by my orcs and you will be released momentarily to continue your journey."
"That's good news to hear," The merchant said. "I'm actually very interested in your people, never have in all my life have I've seen such a species like your own. Would you care if I partake in a trade with some of your men?"
"Not at all, while the language barrier is a bit of an issue, I'm sure we can all appreciate and understand a well-traveled tradesman," Grom began. "I myself might be willing to browse your wares, which brings me to a certain question."
The Warchief brought out a small pouch containing one hundred gold pieces, "Can I have your expertise in the conversion rate of our currency into your own?"
The tradesman took the pouch, taking a single gold coin and examining it. "I can more accurately tell its value with my scale weight."
"Don't ignore me you brute!" The noble shouted.
Grom unsheathed his blade in an instant, the tip of the long sword coming just short of cutting the noble's head clean off. The weapon, an artifact, hummed with the power of flame as runic sigils simmered with a reddish orange hue.
Artifacts… If there were any item most affected by the Transition, it was these relics. In the map, they were considered the most powerful items to have in one's inventory, each having their own piece of lore.
This lore, tied into the transition, amplified the Artifact's already overpowering attributes. They were greater, had an unseen presence to them. As if they were legendary items from mythical tales.
"Be silent, I do not have the patience to deal with witless, spoiled, stuck up rich boys," Grom spoke with an underlying anger, his voice's tone changing ever so slightly to reflect both his human soul and the orcish body.
The noble Mage shut up quickly as his cowardly personality surfaced in the face of death.
"A-alright, let's not get too hasty," he responded.
The ninth player lowered his weapon, "Now, you said you needed a scale?" The Warchief questioned the merchant.
"Yeah, I have one in my inventory as well as a bag of the local currency, get me both and I'll give you a rough estimate I'm sure will apply to most places." The merchant said.
"Very well, afterward I will release you."
"What about us?" The commoner man asked.
"I'll think about it if you provide more information."
A crack of lightning echoed for miles, dark, gloomy clouds hanging high above in the sky as they began to pour their contents down towards the land below. A storm, rain, dripping down merciless onto the buildings below. The constant pecking of raindrops splashed against the many rooftops, water slid down their brick and stone exteriors as the residents stayed within the avoid being pelted by the vicious storm.
Within this large city, in the midst of it all, a lone castle stood surrounded by a formidable wall, its guards retaining their posts whether sheltered or not from the beating weather. These men had critical jobs, the protection of the Royal family living in the white halls of the large fortification.
Deeper inside, stuck in the confines of the castle for the current duration, a figure surrounded by many sat calmly displayed on a throne.
In front of this person, kneeling down before the small staircase leading up to the throne, a female soldier with dark peach colored hair relayed her report.
"Your Majesty, Queen Henrietta, I bring information concerning the task you have given me," She said.
"Stand, Captain Agnes," The Queen, the same figure that sat on the throne, dressed in angel white garments and having beautiful lavender hair, said. "Begin your report."
The Captain of Tristan's Royal Musketeers stood up straight, "Scouts have reported that within the confines of the Tristain Kingdom, there are numerous displaced regions that do not fit any known geological descriptions from Halkeginia's records. I've made a list of such areas within this parchment," Agnes reveals a tied up scroll, neatly rolled, and presents it to Henrietta.
The Queen of Tristain takes it, "Excellent work, continue." Henrietta's face gives no expression of weakness, she does not let her emotions through in sight of everyone around her.
There were many reasons behind this, only known to a select few.
"Yes, there have been sightings of strange red-skinned creatures, to the most northern parts of Tristain, by fortune, these new residents have eliminated a majority of the native orc population. They have not attacked or sought out any humans as far as we are aware."
Henrietta nodded and motioned for Agnes to continue.
"As for news regarding Orangebark Forest, the Ogres have been dealt with until further notice. The creatures having stopped coming after a sizable force camped within the forest, possibly intimidated by the military regiment and having retreated deeper into the forest. All attempts to cut down the trees have met with failure, the local landlords have giving up of removing the forest and instead seek to plunder it for any new resources it may have within its depths. That is all."
Agnes stops, having finished her report. The Queen remains silent, thinking over the report and how to respond to the events occurring in Tristan's borders. She was a new Queen, recently Princess, but having been forced to succeed after the death of her late father and her mother's rejection of taking the throne in his death.
"Thank you, Captain, meet with me within my private quarters later to discuss an important matter," Henrietta said, it was the following report from Agnes she really desired to hear.
Agnes bowed, "As you wish, your Majesty."
Henrietta faced her military advisor, General Walter, an old gruff man with gray hair and brown eyes, but in those eyes lay decades of experience.
"General Walter, your opinion on Orangebark?" Henrietta asked this man was perhaps one of her most trustworthy advisors, loyal to the crown and not the nobility.
He hummed in thought, rubbing his chin with his hand, "If the local nobles in the region believe that resources could be found within Orangebark, that is their own business. But I will not needlessly send the forces there deeper into the place without further investigation on the Ogre's numbers and strengths. We have no idea what lay in the depths of the woods."
"I'll take your opinion into consideration, now concerning these red creatures I want you to make sure the commoners aren't unprotected," Henrietta said.
"With all due respect, my Queen, we lack a sufficient amount of information concerning these red skins. It's best we watch from afar before making any decisions. We do not know if they are as smart as us, or dumber than the orcs they slew." Walter said.
"Then do what you think is necessary, I trust you in this matter."
Walter bowed, "By your will, it shall be done."
Henrietta stood up, "I will head to my quarters now; Agnes with me."
The Queen of Tristain and Captain of the Musketeers left the overbearing atmosphere of the throne room and entered the comfortable small room of Henrietta's private quarters.
Henrietta closes the door, and faced the Captain, her friend, the strict, monotone-practiced expression dropping as the facade vanished.
"What did you learn of Louise?" She asked immediately.
"Very little, unfortunately," Agnes mentally scolded her incompetence, "Louise, her familiar, and three other individuals named by Kirche, Tabitha, and Ms. Longueville, all chased after the famed noble thief Fouquet where they all soon after vanished, including Fouquet."
"Is that it?" Henrietta questioned, hoping for more.
"I'm sorry, there were some minor rumors of a bright light shining briefly, it could be seen for miles but the sunlight was particular that day. There isn't any conclusive evidence," Agnes replied. "However, Professor Osmond did a thoroughly detect magic in the area… And discovered something quite shocking that he wanted me to give to you."
Agnes pulled out another scroll, it was darker in tint, the ink having bled though the parchment at some points. The Queen of Tristain took it and briefly skimmed through its contents.
"This…" Henrietta trailed off in disbelief.
"Yes, something with that magnitude of power… It is difficult to comprehend that it could even exist."
"... Louise…"
Suddenly the door banged loud, and Agnes opened it cautiously.
"What is it?" The Captain responded.
"Urgent news! La Rochelle is burning!"
Henrietta snapped out of her stupor and turned quickly, "What? By whom!?"
"By a dragon!"
He, the Map Maker, stood there transfixed at the message displayed on the World Editor before him. It was impossible, yet, when taking into consideration all that had occurred up to this point it was not the most surprising event to occur.
There, on the screen that revealed all of Kayla and Halkegenia, were the words.
Update Complete: Life of a Dragon Sequel v2.1
"Oh shit," The Map Maker said.
There were many, many implications and complications that arrived with a map update, while the minor things such as bug fixing and generally repairing and remastering of the core trigger work didn't cause many problems. It was the addition of new content that worried him.
Such as the inclusion of fixed custom Events.
Events that apparently were also displaced from their original points of execution.
The Map Maker glanced down at the game text that displayed itself on the side.
A Rogue Red Dragon is attacking the Kingdom!
Only, it wasn't attacking the right Kingdom…
"Well… Crap… Uh… I'm sure they can deal with one full adult red dragon unit…" He felt guilty, but his responsibilities lie in keeping the Players safe, not playing the merciful god.
Besides… He didn't have the luxury to needlessly expend power, he had work to do if Kingdom and Empire Players were to survive the following storm.
Meanwhile, in the midst of a wide, open grassland, two figures traveled though the vast plain. A dragon and a girl with pink hair, though the former did not experience exhausting from having journeyed a far distance, the same could not be said for the latter.
"Erisdar!" Louise exclaimed as she stopped right then and there, "I'm exhausted, we've been walking for hours!"
"I don't know about that," Erisdar replied, "But I guess we can take a short break."
A heavy sigh of relief escaped the noble girl's lips as she slumped down and sat on the soft grass, the gentle breeze gracefully passing by and caressing her tired body.
"How much further do we need to walk?" Louise Valliere questioned, ideally wishing she had a horse for a while now.
"Uh…" Erisdar trailed off as he looked southward, "Maybe a day?"
"Ugh… I'm starving," Louise said, "I haven't eaten anything since… Since we left the Academy."
The Chosen Dragon nodded, "Yeah, you were quite distracted by the elves that you didn't notice anything else… Well, thankfully I got something."
She arched an eyebrow at the dragon, "Got something? You aren't carrying anything on you!"
"Not true, I have some bread in my Inventory."
With that said, a large loaf of bread appeared, transitioning slowly from whatever place into the physical realm. By fortune, the size of the bread was as long as Louise's arm. Erisdar handed the item to the girl.
She held it in her hands, a distant whisper, or some description hovering in the forethought of her mind.
Bread
A large loaf with five slices baked from dough. Restores 200 hit points per use. Contains 5 charges.
She didn't care, Louise tore a slice free and devoured it hungrily. Just the single piece tasted fantastic, most likely from her starving demeanour did she ignore the bland flavor. The lone slice gave her stomach satisfaction, it would suffice but it didn't fill her.
Before she took another to eat, Erisdar took it back and it vanished, the bread's opacity dimming into nothingness as it returned to the dragon's inventory.
"Erisdar! Why did you do that? I'm still hungry!" She voiced her complaint.
"I know, but it's all we got! You can have more later tonight!" Erisdar said, the familiar himself probably hungry, but the body of a dragon allowed him to stave off the stomach pain for much longer durations than the human girl. "Now, in a few more minutes we can continue walking. I promise we will reach somewhere by the next day- huh?"
"What is it? Why did you stop suddenly?" Louise asked in concern.
"Two point one…? Oh, it's nothing, just, a random thought…" The Chosen Dragon trailed off.
'Well, if he says so…' Louise thought as she rested a bit more.
Current Status:
Chosen Dragon Player 1: Saito Hiraga - Alive - Dragonet (Agility) Level 11
Chosen Dragon Player 2: Alex Storm - Alive - Bronze Dragonet (Strength) Level 8
Chosen Dragon Player 3: Asuna Godiva - Alive - Nether Dragonet (Strength) Level 10
Chosen Dragon Player 4: Artos Archway - Alive - Green Dragonet (Agility) Level 8
Chosen Dragon Player 5: Cora Rune - Alive - Blue Dragonet (Intelligence) Level 10
Dragon Slayer Player 6: Celdrahil - Alive - Slayer Level 8
Dragon Catcher Player 7: Rosina - Alive - Catcher Level 12
The Human Kingdom Player 8: Aylmer and Abigail - Alive - King Level 3, Princess Level [Error]
The Fel Empire Player 9: Grom - Alive - King of Fel Empire Level 5
Mercenary Player 10: Elizabeth Loyal - Alive - Sorceress Level 7
Observer Map Maker: Map Maker - Alive - The World Editor