Game On
Chapter 5
Vito lead his group, at the head of his now expanded camp. He had started with barely twenty people and now had just under fifty, food was becoming harder to keep in stock without a market to buy it from; Vito knew he'd have to find some kind of fix for it even if it was only a band aid. He looked over to Bart who was handling a few of the more menial task for him, leaving Vito free when Jacob ran up on him and said, “Master, scouts just came back, it's not good.”
The dragon looked to the boy, giving him a head pat as he asked, “What’s wrong??”
To which the young elf said, “Red rock is under attack, scouts report that we've been spotted and a portion of the shadows are now marching on us.”
Vito nodded, getting ready for a battle. He looked over to Bart and shouted, “Bart! We're under attack, lead the non-combatants away!” The older elf nodded, shouting for the women and children to follow him away from the battle.
Vito then shouted, “I need volunteers, any who are willing and able to fight follow me. Grab a weapon and fall into formation!” There was an organized chaos as the young panicked, and the women gathered up the young as fast as they could. Vito made sure Jessica went with them to make sure he had a feed of information on the noncombatants. Meanwhile Jacob falling into formation with the others alongside the dragon. Vito looked over as Bart called out to him, tossing the dragon a helmet once he was looking at the elf, gave Vito a nod then hurried away with the women and children. Vito rushed his men into formations, those with swords up front, spears and the rare pike behind them, and archers at least three lines behind them, to serve as over-watch and to watch the flanks.
Back in his mind space Vito said as he observed his interface, a map of the area, as he knew it, forming around him. His map filled out with more information as it reacted to the two elves; Jacob with Vito's archers, and Jessica with the women and children. Observing his map, Vito thought, ‘I see. So this is how these pacts come into play. They constantly feed me information, so I know what they know.’ He grins saying as pieces started falling into place, ‘So this is how my advantage works, this is going to be the single best tool I have in my arsenal.’He didn't have much time left to think about it though as red marks on his map started showing, his men shouting about the shadow demons rushing in fast. Vito fell back into the flesh space, he had a few moments to make an opening play before they were on his lines Vito shouting, “Archers ready!”
He waited for a moment as he got ready to bellow fire, Jacob getting a sense of what he was going to do and took command of the men saying as he too got ready to fire, “Men wait for it!” Vito looked back with a grin, thinking 'Good boy' as the dragon then began billowing fire into the night sky Jacob then shouting, “FIRE!!” at which point the men let loose their arrows shooting them through the cloud and taking the dragon fire with them and into the horde. The flaming arrows started rending their unnatural barrier like veil, killing a few and exposing the others who started to scramble back into their barrier. The flaming arrows continued to burn, those that had not hit a mark burned with the dragon fire keeping the veil from fully closing.
Vito turned to his line and said quickly seeing the demons still marching on them, “Wait for my play, stay in formation, and back each other up.” The Dragon stopped then saying, “We have to hold this formation, if we break there will be nothing between these monsters and the people behind us, show these monsters the men they face, Wait for my move!” The shadow crept closer the dragons words though helped the men to keep their wits about them. Jacob and the archers continued to pick off demons as they tried to rush though the pockets where the burning dragon fire arrows kept the veil from reforming. Once the shadow was on the front-line the dragon let loose with more fire igniting a few shadows that shirked in agony and once more pushed back the shadow. The men holding as the dragon had then struck the demons that were close to them, those with spears and pikes using their reach to both attack and protect the swords in front of them.
The dragon shouted after that first round “Strike then forward keep your formation, men on the ends watch the sides, archers keep them covered!” At which point filling his lungs once more he unleashed more fire same as before shoving back the shadow and exposing the monsters. The formation then in unison striking then moving up swordsmen shoving monsters down leaving the downed to the spears who gutted them.
It was lather and rise at that point, these shadows were acting solely on instinct rather than planning and strategy. What shadows that didn't get caught by the archers were finished off by the line. Vito alternated between illuminating the area in front of him to billowing fire into the sky for the archers to fire though spreading his flames father and opening more holes in the field. It took some time but much to the amazement of his force the battlefield soon grew quiet, the dragon hearing from the side as his men started to celebrate one man saying “holy shit we won!” Vito looked over the field then pulled himself back inwards looking at his map and seeing all hostile marks that had been on his map were gone, the field with he and Jacob were in field was clean, and the field around Jessica and those with her were also clear. The soul grinned or at least that's what he would have done had he had a face at that moment.
He switched back into the flesh space looking over as his men cheered and chanted his name till the dragon got an idea. He looked over to Jacob and asked the men, who were growing quiet, “Where are our scouts?” The elf nodded and called the men forward Vito then asking, “The field in front of the city, how was it?” The men nodded quickly giving the dragon in detail what they had seen, and as they did his map for that area filled out; it had the typical fog of war suggesting to him that he didn’t know what was going on but now knew the layout. The men details included a small farming village that, in the grand scheme of things, wasn’t far away from the actual city, but that had been moments from being descended on by a horde. There were defenders but they doubted they would be able to hold till forces from the city could get to them. Vito thought quick for a moment then said looking to his gathered troop, “Ok here's my plan, we need to make friends with these dwarves, this farm is clearly important to them.” His troops nodded the dragon then saying, “I mean to move on this farm and save as many as I can, at this point I doubt we can save the land itself but the people there can still run if we buy them time.”
His troops nodded the dragon then saying. “If you don't want to follow i'll understand; Go back to the women and children and keep them safe, for those who are willing to follow me get ready for hell.” The dragon watched as his formation held, no one moved away with a smile and a nod the dragon ordered his troops forward, and they followed. It took only ‘a moment’ to come upon the village, moments from being overrun. Quickly observing the field and his map Vito ordered Jacob and his archers up onto a hill facing the city, to once more serve as overwatch and so Vito could use Jacob’s far sight to clear out a good deal of the fog of war for him. Vito personally lead his melee formation into the village itself announcing his presence to the defenders with a loud roar, but also to attract the demons to him as well. He figured as mindless as they were at the moment they would rush the biggest treat, Vito then saying in his mind space, “Like trash mobs in any mmo, they'll go after the bastard pulling the aggro.”
His men got into the fray with the defenders who were shocked at their reinforcements but weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. The mix of humans, dwarves, and beast men rallied around the dragon and his troops, Vito saying to the man who seemed to be in charge of the defense, “Get the towns people out of here, we can hold them here!” The dwarf nodded then rushed over to where the townspeople had been ordered to hunker down at. Once the dragon saw them running he went about his play making himself the center of attention, both roars and fire filling the sky. Jacob and his men took every chance they got to use the dragonfire shooting volleys through his flames and exposing the monsters slowly but surely.
His troops and what remained of the defenders quickly realized what was going on, the shadows were rushing the dragon now, the horde had a hard on for him at that moment and they used it. Every strike that came his way was counted, every shadow that tried to rush him was picked off by archers, the battle for all intents was going well. Vito looked around the main of the horde was on them he'd have to pull back sooner rather than later. He looked back to the dwarf from before and asked, “The townspeople?”
To which the dwarf quickly responded with, “The last of them have fled, if we can hold a few moments longer they’ll have ample time between ‘em and the demons.”
The dragon nodded Vito then saying, “Everyone to me, we're pulling back.” With an acknowledgment both from his troops and the survivors of the village guard all rallied back to the dragon who had just struck down a few shadows himself, and slowly they started backing away. That was the plan though till the horde stopped, and suddenly grew a formation. Vito looked up as something pulled itself out of the shadows a much larger creature that started ordering around the more minor creatures.
Vito grimaced as he saw the creature give form and more order to the monsters saying “Shit a leader showed up.” He continued his retreat, his men were starting to tire and the troops he inherited from the town guard were already spent, they were not in a position to fight this any more. Vito looked back the shadows were trying to flank them but he wouldn't allow it spewing more fire on the sides till he said, no longer having any choice but to make the call, “Retreat, we can't hold this position. Fall back to the city!” The troop nodded and started to run Vito telling Jacob that he and his men needed to run too; the thing in charge had noticed the archers and had a troop marching up the hill as they spoke. Things were about to get out of hand and fast however the dragons good deeds seemed to have born fruit already as dwarven horns started to ring out. A dwarf covered in well designed heavy armor came over the hill, after giving his own horn another blast shouted, “GET THESE BASTARDS OFF MY DOORSTEP CHARGE!!!” As if on cue hundreds if not thousands of heavily armed and armored dwarves rushed into the fray, Dwarven horns blasting in the background, Vito could only sigh in relief his force had been too close to being overrun for his liking.
Seeing as the dwarves had this battle now well in hand, the army using what seemed to be fire bombs in the same way Vito had been using his flames. He looked around at his exhausted troops ordering them to fall back leaving this battle to the obviously professionally trained dwarves. Ordering his men and those he had for the moment inherited Vito lead them away from the field giving Jacob’s a head pat saying “way to go.” The dragon then looking as he heard a dwarf say his accent rich and deep reminding the dragon much of a Scottish accent, “Good on yourself.” Vito looked over as a grizzled older looking dwarf marched up, removed his helmet and promptly offered the dragon his hand saying, “Your men tell me your the one in charge here.”
The dragon accepted his hand, giving the dwarf a firm shake, Vito saying, “That I am, you may call me Vito.” The Dwarf nodded saying as he stabbed his thumb into his chest, “Riggor Fireheart, Head of the Fireheart clan and appointed chancellor of Red Rock City.” The Dragon nodded the dwarf saying, “Wanted to thank you personally, me and my army had been on our way, glad to see that you beat us to it, don’t think we’d have made it in time. The villagers that you saved gave us a heads up, that you and yours had taken up arms to protect the village; they be callin you a hero.” The dragon nodded then saying with a modest, “Was only doing what was right, not just to protect my own people, only a coward would flee from those in need.” Vito thinking to himself as he saw the dwarf order his own troops around for a moment, 'And so it begins.'
Vito and his men were relieved from the battlefield, much to the relief of his 'volunteer' troops; many of whom had never been trained for battle they just believed in the dragon, and had already fought on his side before. Vito watched from on far as the dwarves handily won the battle, thanks into their large supplies of what was not to long after shown to the dragon. Riggor saying when he handed Vito one, “You wanted to ask about these didn’t you, we’ve come to call them flash bangs.” Vito nodded eyeing the iron shelled explosive as the dwarf then went on with, “What do you know of Forge Fire?” to which the dragon responded with, “Its alchemical in nature right? A sort of magical fire that Dwarven smiths prefer to do their forging on right.”
The older Dwarf nodded saying “Aye that it be. It happened by sheer dumb luck admittedly, but some of our kin discovered the beasties don't like it to much. So far the only thing we've discovered to make them kill-able.” Vito nodded watching as the town guard gave the dragon their thanks again before they fell in with the rest of the Dwarven troops. Vito with a moment to spare sent a telepathic message to Jessica informing her that the battle had been won; that she and her father were to bring the others to him, now that it was safe. She agreed with him then cut the link to go deliver his orders, Vito then looking down to the dwarf who said, “I want to invite you and your men to the city, you'll be given a Hero's welcome, i'll see to it personally.” Vito nodded, thanking him, telling the man he would follow them after the rest of his band were with him; Riggor agreed then left with his men. Jacob looked at the village then at the troops who were leaving then asked looking to the dragon, “Are they not going to secure the village, why are they leaving?”
The dragon gave him a nod then said looking at the already half destroyed village, “Because its not whats important.” The young elf looked up as Vito explained, “Buildings can be rebuilt, fields can be reshown, a village in its entirety can be replaced, but those who live in the village, those lives can not be replaced, people are what's important, not buildings.” Jacob looked around the outer walls had been knocked down, buildings destroyed our burnt down. What remained of the village was in no conditions to keep the people safe so they abandoned it. Jacob nodded saying “I see, thank you master.”
Vito waited for a while till Bart and Jessica came back with the others. Once families were reunited with fathers and sons both regaled friends and loved ones with the story of the battle. Vito lead them toward Red Rock, the group quickly found and escorted by dwarven troops. Once at the gates the group was met by cheers, it was far from a grandiose entrance but Vito and his group felt more than just welcome. Within the hour Vito's group were brought to comfortable inns with clean beds, warm foods and cold drinks. The men who fought by the dragons side where treated as warriors, and held in high regards and some even offered true dwarven training. While his group was just on the underside of spoiled Vito was ferried to the council by Riggor the dwarf saying once the dwarven nobles had gathered, “My fellow clan heads, it is my honor to introduce you to the man of the hour, Vito, The Dragon.”
Vito looked around giving more than just a polite bow, thinking to himself as he absorbed the cheers and welcoming of the dwarf nobles, 'This is the first step in the direction I need to go, today I form alliances.' Once the council had calmed down and more properly taken their seats, Riggor offered Vito a seat then saying, “My friend, you have my gratitude, you saved our people from a dire situation.” Vito nodded saying with a warm smile, “It was nothing, I'm just glad I was at the right place at the right time.” The group looked up when one dwarven women asked, “And what were you doing so close to red rock?” The group looked over at her Vito then responding with, “I was hoping for aid, I am a king without land, my followers and I were hoping to barter for food and other supplies.”
Riggor looked at the dragon, then asking, “What do you mean a king without land?” To which the dragon the dragon responded with, “I'll make no lies about it, I plan to establish myself as a ruler, the people that travel with me want this as well. I came here with hopes to forge an alliance with you and your kin” With one sentence the dragon could see the change take place in the dwarves around him they went from joyous to cautious, in break neck speed. Vito spent what felt like hours talking to the council, who grilled the dragon on everything, his policy, what his laws would be, economic policy, absolutely everything. It took some time but Vito felt he did good while a few of the nobles seemed at odds with his ideals on titles earned by merit not heritage, but the bulk of his policies caught the eye of most, including Riggor who started to look on the dragon with a warmer outlook.
Once this was done and the council was dismissed, Vito returned to his group who had been invited into a large and wealthy looking inn. He greeted his people, made sure everyone was ok, then retired to his own personal room that evening. Vito had just started to eat a light meal not yet ready for a proper dinner which was brought to him by the inn staff. Moments later a knock could be heard at his door. Jacob opened the door once Vito gave him a nod and saying “Please come in.”
In walked Riggor with a pony keg under one arm, Vito greeting the dwarf, Riggor than saying, “Greetings friend, I think I would like to talk to you, man to man if you don't mind.” Vito nodded asking Jacob and Jessica who had been in the room with him at the time to leave to give the two privacy. Once they were alone, Vito then said, “Those are my knights the boy is Jacob and the girl is his sister Jessica.”
The dwarf nodded then saying, “I think I need to apologize, when we first met, I took you as just a knight that had been at the right place at the right time, I see now I am in the presence of someone who has a grander vision then even I dare to have.”
Vito nodded thinking for a moment till the dwarf then said, “I would like to be your friend, and perhaps one day you can consider me an ally, but let us start small shall we?” Vito nodded then saying “I would like that.” He nodded the Dwarf offering him his hand Vito taking it a moment later. After getting that settled Vito then said looking to him, “So from one ruler to another, would you mind helping me fill in the holes?” The dwarf nodded asking, “In what ways?” Vito quickly explained how he actually knew little of the lands around them, asking the dwarf if he could inform him of how the political landscape looked. The dwarf nodded offered Vito a drink which the dragon accepted and moments later Riggor had a large parchment map brought in. Using Red Rock as a central point Riggor told the dragon of the area that qualified as dwarven lands. The group however was fractured, Riggor informing him that the imperial throne for the dwarven kingdom sat empty as several different factions were squabbling over the crown when the king died childless and without naming a successor; stating that the stalemate would unlikely be broken in this generation.
East of the dwarven kingdom laid the forest of Geilion** which was home to the Elvin Queendom under the rule of Queen Narissa Silverwood. Riggor confessing that he had no love or any real positive outlook on the women sitting on the throne, stating the oddity of her rule; He informed Vito he was unlikely to garner any positive relations with this queen. When Vito asked why this was the dwarf stated simply and sharply that she dislikes and more to the point distrust men, the men in her kingdom are borderline treated as second class or in some cases more like pets to be kept on a short leash. Unable to own land, start businesses, or even possess currency and how above and beyond a man would have to go to get any kind of title let alone any political power; stating no man has willingly entered that territory in years as far as he knew.
To the south of the forest and east of Red Rock laid what was simply called the Empire, the human lands under the rule of Maximilian Grenwald the third. The dwarf informed him the human lands where rather biased, obviously favoring humans but still lacked the complete biased the elven lands had for men, but the lordship of these lands where weak to say the least. Riggor informed Vito that the whole reason Red Rock was founded was to establish a safe trade line with the human empire, but these request had simply fallen on deaf ears. Riggor almost regaling the dragon with the number of times he was sent to talk to some mayoral lord or the occasional Governor but never someone in a position that could authorize any agreement of the scale the dwarves wanted to forge. Far to the north the dwarf told Vito of the Nordic men, telling the dragon where these humans lack of leadership was complemented by their strength. They were a people of martial prowess, policy always being settled with a blood duel rather then some vote, what political system they had was largely clan based. they were a force not to be trifled with, claiming that the only people who could wield an ax better than a dwarf were the Nordic men.
Vito looked a little confused then asked “Wait what about the anthro races, do they have a kingdom or an empire?” Riggor than said, “The beastmen, aye they did, but they lost that war.” Pointing to the lands along the southernmost coast and many points in the human empire, telling the dragon that these lands use to belong to the Kingdom of Tails, saying yes as in furry tails. The king of the lands tried to build relations with the humans but they didn't end well, the human empire and the elves united for some reason and crushed the kingdom. Riggor told him of how fast the war ended, before the dwarves could even figure out what was going on. The humans and the elves had invaded and crushed the King of Tails armies. The king was executed, his lands seized by the humans, and most of his people just about enslaved by both empires, Riggor then saying with a sigh, "Well enslaved is a strong word for it, indentured servitude is the accepted term, but they're slaves none the less, they've just given it a prettier word."
Vito nodded a hand pressed against his chin till he asked poking the map to the west of the red rock mountains, Riggor telling him how these use to be the lands of the dragons. Vito looked at Riggor the dwarf then asked, “How can you not know your own peoples ancestral lands?” to which Vito admitted he had never been there. Riggor nodded then saying, “Aye, I can't tell you much about them, my grandpappy was only a pup himself when the dragons fell.” Vito nodded still asking what he knew about them. Riggor went over the fact that The Federation of The Dragon Clans just about ruled the continent with a firm yet fair hand. Riggor rubbed his chin as he recalled, telling Vito that the conflict that ended the dragons had started as a dispute between the human king at the time and the dragons.
Riggor informing him that even the dwarves knew not what started this war but that the humans had managed to rally just about every nation in the continent against them. The war lasted years but eventually the dragons were just gone, the dwarf unsure what actually happened. Ever since however the lands had been barren and just about devoid of life, the dwarf saying with a visible shiver “The whole area feels cold, and unnatural. I've been there once I didn't like it, even the stone in those lands feel lifeless and hallow.” Vito nodded looking to the dwarf as the man said, “Not sure what happened in the dragon lands, but it weren't good that much is for sure.” Vito nodded looking at the map then asking, “What of the lands beyond this continent?” The dwarf quickly responded with, “Sorry i'm not the man to ask about that, never even seen the ocean myself. I know there are other lands and a few island chains but I couldn't even tell you their names let alone who lives on them”
Vito nodded quickly thinking to himself as he rubbed his chin, 'Oh well that's jumping too far ahead anyway, i'll get to that point one day.' With that the dwarf looked over to his keg of ale that he had brought in offering the dragon another mug full, which Vito accepted. The two sat in the room quietly as they drank, till the dwarf asked, “So if you don't mind a stranger askin, what’s your next plan?” Vito looked over to the dwarf and gave him a smirk then saying, “Not sure I should tell my plans to a man I just met.” the two look at each other, giving each other an obviously playful glare then started laughing the dwarf saying with a jovial tone, “Your a good lad, outside of the political which will come later on mark my words, I would like to be your friend.” Vito nodded looking away shyly for a moment before knocking back his mug. Vito after setting it down said, “I would like that as well.” Riggor nodded giving the dragon a firm pat on the back.
Vito after a moment stood up saying as he got ready to leave, “Well I should go check on my people, thanks for the ale it was delicious.” Riggor grinned rather smugly then said, “Well of course it is, my clan made it after all.” The dwarf proudly patting the small pony keg he had poured it from. Giving the dwarf one more handshake Riggor with his keg under his arm exchanged more farewells and such with the dragon. Before the dwarf left however Vito asked with a playful tone, “Say friend, if someone was wanting to learn magic, who would you suggest?”
Riggor looked up at him, gave a nod then proceeded to stroke his beard as he thought of someone till he said, “Well there isn't many mages among the dwarves of red rock. . . but if memory serves there was a lass that had been staying in the village you saved, good little caster; smart girl too, but sadly she's mana addled.” Vito cocked his eyebrow then asked “Pardon?” Riggor gave a quick nod and said, “Sorry I can't explain it to well, all I of know of it is that is is something akin to a disease only mages can get, makes them uhh twitchy is the best way I could describe it.” Vito nodded saying as he got ready to leave himself, “I guess it’s something i'll have to see for myself.” to which Riggor nodded and shot out a quick “Aye.”
The two said goodbye again, this time however someone hurried over to Riggor and started handing him some documents, to which so he could look at them Riggor stuffed his keg into the boys arms saying”Don't you drop that.” as they walked away. Vito nodded then saying to himself, 'Well he is a political leader, I suppose I should be thankful we had as much time to talk as we did. He's a good man and he'll be a better ally.' Vito nodded his game had just started, there were people outside his own group that were looking at him as a potential leader, he lacked the power but he could damn well build the foundations for his empire. Vito walked around till he found Bart and his family as well as the others, the entire group it seems had been hoping to have some kind of collective dinner, Marry saying as he walked up, “Ah lord Vito, I was just about to send one of my kids to call on you, the others wanted to have a dinner in your honor.” He nodded looking around to the people of his gathered group, accepting the seat Bart was patting at the head of the table.
Vito looked around all the smiling faces looking back at him, Vito then thinking to himself, 'It’s really happening, I am their king. I never thought there would be a day when a gamer like me would have any real power outside of my video games.' Vito looked around once more till he cleared his throat a bit roughly, then said, “We've been together only for a short while, I know in this time you've grown to accept me as your king.” The others looked on as Vito started his speech, “I will not go around saying or even thinking that I am better than you, in any way or form. Truth is I am no better than any of you.” He looked around motioning to one he had spoken to one day then saying, “I have no clue how to farm,” He moves to point to another family bakers, “I have no clue how to bake,” He then motioned to the only two trained medical people his group had, “And I sure as hell am no doctor.” He gave a deep sigh then said, “I am not a perfect being, I make mistakes, I have needs and desires, there are a great deal of things I don't know, and many more I want to learn.”
He had everyone's attention by this point forks and other silverware had been set down, mugs and drinks had been set aside too. Vito grinned as he then said, “I am blessed by each and everyone of you. We may be just a wandering caravan right now, but I swear to you all, one day we will become a powerful nation, I will become a king you all can trust and can say with pride that 'I was there when this man was nothing, I trusted him with my future, and I do not regret it'” He looked around once more then saying, “Till that day comes, when we have a city to call our own, lands to raise our families on and friends and countrymen at our backs, I ask for your help, help this,” Vito stopping for a moment to place his hand on his chest then going on with, “Greedy fool of a man to build a nation that all would be proud to call home.” There was cheers around those clapping stood, he could even swear he saw a few others from outside of the room who had been listening in cheering. Once he let the others settle down Vito accepting a plate of food. Vito held up the mug of ale he had asked for then saying as he held his mug out, “To the future.” to which the others accepted his toast and said “To the future.”
Vito sat down with his group and had dinner that night, the dragon knowing he had taken the first steps to achieving his goal.
~End of chapter~
