Rune Seeker

“The Raze,” Hiral said slowly. “We heard the name in the B-Rank dungeon in the Ascender’s Tower.”

“I take it they aren’t a good thing?” Elezad asked.

Hiral shook his head. “One of the NPCs – Non-Party-Civilians – in the dungeon suggested they were the ones who sent the Enemy. The ones who controlled them. And they were… worse.”

“Definitely not a good thing,” Elezad said, turning to Al. “You said some kind of energy level is increasing? Will completing the trials in here stop that? Make it go back down to keep us safe from the Raze?”

This time it was Al’s turn to shake his head. “No. Tomorrow theorized it was a natural process of enlightenment coming to the world that increased the levels. It’s not energy like you understand it. Not solar energy. You can’t feel it, touch it, or see it. It’s the growth of a connection, of…”

“The runes,” Hiral said. “They want to be found.”

“You’re doing this?” Ilrolik asked Hiral. “Those runes?”

“Those runes,” Al confirmed. “But one person couldn’t attract the Raze’s attention all by themselves. No, the realm is naturally progressing to the stage where the Raze will take notice again. They came before, and their presence forced most of the Progenitors to leave – or to lose the entire world.

“When the Progenitors left last time, they wiped most traces of the runes from this world, removing it from the Raze’s sight. But, as the young man said, the runes want to be found. To be understood.”

“Nobody knows,” Al said. “Or, if anybody does, they’ve never shared it with me.”

“Did the Emperor know?” Seena asked Li’l Ur.

“I… believe he had a suspicion,” the lich said. “But he never told me. He kept his theory close to his chest, like even the knowledge of why was dangerous.”

“The why does not matter,” Al said, voice louder to reach the entire crowd again. “Tomorrow knew this day would come again. Knew the world would need a chance to defend itself. So, she prepared the Cradle for that. Succeeding here will reward you with many benefits.

“The least of which is that if you manage to tame the entire valley, you will have a place safe from the Enemy. Safe for as many people as you wish to bring here.”

“They can’t come here?” Seena asked.

“They cannot,” Al confirmed. “They can’t even find this place. Tomorrow made sure of it. The space she could hide from them was limited, but she pushed the Cradle to the limit of that. Even tested the arrays that hide it by placing bait in the heart of this place guaranteed to draw them. They never came.”

“Bait?” Hiral asked. “Runes?”

If those were runes Hiral didn’t know, that would definitely be quite the benefit – to him. Then again, a place people could safely stay…? That was huge.

“So, it’s like an Asylum?” Yanily asked. “The Cradle I mean.”

Al chuckled. “Your Asylums are a crude imitation of the Cradle.”

“How?” Gran asked. “How could they be an imitation? We didn’t really know this place existed.”

A few heads turned at the woman talking like she had old knowledge, but most people stayed focused on the Triclops.

His answer to her question was to point back to the valley shrouded in mist. “Again, the knowledge you seek lies within the Cradle.”

“Why can’t you just tell us?” Ilrolik asked. “Why the carrot and stick routine?”

“Because I do not know the answer,” Al said.

“Then why are you so sure the answer is out there?” Elezad asked.

“Because Tomorrow told me the answers to all your questions – and more – would lie within the Cradle.”

“You believed her?” Yanily asked flatly. “Just like that? You sure she wasn’t just trying to sell you something?”

“I have no reason to doubt the one who created me,” Al said.

“We might still do that,” Seena said. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Al said.

“So, this place is safe from the Enemy as long as we’re inside?” Elezad asked.

“Yes,” Al said. “Though it is not safe until you’ve conquered all the territory and trials within.”

“And what does that involve?” Sera asked from beside her husband.

“Overcoming all the challenges Tomorrow set up to test her perfected race,” Al said, pointing again to the fog. “The valley itself is separated into two halves, not quite mirror images of each other, but similar enough to present similar trials to each faction within the Cradle. Your first goal should be to pacify each of the various zones within your half.”

Al stopped for a moment like something seemed to occur to him.

“Your second goal,” he clarified. “Your first will be to claim your fortress, and begin converting it for your needs.”

“Fortress?” Yanily asked. “Like a treehouse? Is there a Boss in there?”

Al shook his head. “It was sealed to all but a guide. Having defeated me, you’ve earned the right to enter and begin molding it to your needs.”

“Molding it?” Seena asked. “It’s not finished.”

“No,” Al said. “It is… very basic, and not nearly large enough for all the people here. However, Tomorrow set up means within the Cradle to improve this base of operations for you. To make it more livable. More defensible.”

“How?” Elezad asked. Since he wouldn’t be fighting, ensuring everybody had a safe place to go back to would be pretty high on his list of things to do.

“The same way you do everything else in the Cradle,” Al said.

“Complete trials,” Hiral reasoned. “Will there be information in this fortress on where these trials are?”

“There is a map, yes,” Al said. “But all it will show at the beginning is the relative strength of an area. E-Rank or C-Rank, for example. As your people progress into these areas, the map will fill itself out.”

“And as we complete the trials, we’ll get things we need to make the fortress bigger?” Hiral asked.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“That’s one of the things,” Al said. “For example, capturing a quarry will provide stone to use to build walls. Capture a lumbermill, and you’ll have wood.”

“Why does it seem like this is all… I don’t know…” Elezad started. “Like it’s set up like some kind of game? Are we going to need to roll dice too?”

“All of your actions here are like a roll of the dice, as you put it,” Al said. “And, yes, Tomorrow set it up with specific challenges for her races to strive for. Though, I would call them war games. There are many more than I just gave examples of, and they are more difficult than they sound.

“The first goal of your activities here will be – as I said – focused on gaining control of your half of the Cradle. It’s designed to see if you can work together to accomplish a large objective. Together. If you can’t even take these territories and build yourself a safe home, you are not the race that will endure.”

“Then, after we have our half of the valley under control,” Hiral spoke up. “Then we have to deal with who’s on the other side of the valley?”

“Correct,” Al said. “The true challenge of the Cradle is overcoming the other faction also vying for the crowning rewards here.”

“Couldn’t we just work together with them?” Seeyela asked.

“No,” Al said. “Tomorrow set this place up to ensure competition. Even if you entered as friends from opposite sides, the Cradle would find a way to pit you against each other.”

“Is the Cradle alive?” Sera asked.

“Not alive… exactly,” Al said. “It does have a mission though, and it has the magic it needs to accomplish this mission.”

“What if we don’t succeed in here?” Burs asked. “We decide this field of safety is enough, and just decide to stay here.”

“You’ll be safe,” Al said. “For a while. Until the Cradle realizes what you’re doing and sends its denizens here for you. At some point, the Chimeraswill take notice of you. Believe me when I say it would be better for that to happen after you’ve prepared your defenses and have a fortress with strong walls to shelter your non-combatants.”

“Just to make sure we understand all this,” Hiral said. “There are trials out there in the fog. Each trial we complete will give us something to make the fortress better…”

“Or your lives here, in general,” Al said.

“Okay,” Hiral said, nodding. “And, it sounded like there were personal rewards as well?”

“Yes,” Al said. “The Cradle will work alongside your PIMP to reward you like a dungeon would.”

“Whoa,” Hiral said at the same time Gran said, “Hold up.”

Hiral gestured to the old vampire to say her piece.

“Again with saying things that don’t make sense. How are you saying this place could work with the PIMP?” she asked. “That doesn’t make any sense. Even the rumors of a place like this existing predate the PIMP by more years than I’ve been around. And thems a lot of years.”

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Al said. “But Tomorrow told me to use those words – very specifically.”

“Which means the Custodian of Tomorrow knows – or knew – what the PIMP was,” Hiral reasoned.

“Tomorrow wasn’t around either,” Gran said. “We were actively looking for Progenitors. There’s something you’re not telling us.” Her eyes bored into Al.

“There are many things I’m not telling you,” Al admitted. “Because I don’t know them. Again, look to the Cradle for answers.”

“Maybe I’ll look for answers in your…” Gran started, only to cut off when Hiral stepped between her and the Triclops, a hand held up for her to stay calm.

“We’re not going to get anywhere asking Al about things he doesn’t know,” Hiral said. “And, to confirm, Al, you don’t know how or why the Cradle and PIMP could work together? Or how Tomorrow even knew anything about the PIMP?”

Al chuckled. “I don’t even know who the PIMP is, though I picture somebody in a large hat and fancy shoes. Maybe a colorful fashion sense.”

“I said the same thing!” Yanily said, pointing at Al.

“Which really makes me worry about our guide,” Wule said before his brother elbowed him gently in the side.

“Back to things you do know,” Hiral said to Al while ignoring the brothers. “You said the point of the first half of the Cradle is to teach us to work together to pacify our half of the valley, right?”

“Or at least most of it,” Al said. “There are more rewards for taming the entire territory, but reaching seventy-five percent control is enough to progress to the next stage.”

“What’s to stop one raid group – say, ours – from just going from one area to the next? Why would we need other people?”

At his questions, more than a few heads snapped in his direction.

“Hey!” somebody said before Al could answer, and a big Maker pushed his way through the crowd. From the solar energy revolving around him, he had to be Low-B-Rank, probably from one of the other groups that’d come down. “You trying to keep all the rewards here for yourself like you did before? You think we didn’t see that new axe Ilrolik is carrying? Is that how you tricked everybody into thinking you aren’t the Everfail anymore?”

At the word – Everfail – those in the back of the crowd, mainly the Bonders and some Growers, began whispering about what it could mean.

At the front of the crowd though, oh, that was a very different story – the people there went deathly silent. Deathly still.

“What did you say?” Right said, stepping from Hiral’s side to glare at the man.

“Pretty sure I didn’t stutter,” the man said.

“Rikki,” Loan groaned. “You weren’t there – I get that – but you’ve been told Hiral…”

“Was your pity-student,” Rikki said. “I heard. Also heard the stories trying to prop this nobody up as a hero because he happens to have a couple of famous parents. Yes, I’m talking about you two.” Rikki looked at Elezad and Sera as he spoke.

“They aren’t stories,” Ilrolik said. “While your words and actions are an embarrassment to every other Shaper here. Not to mention the lives Hiral and his friends saved.”

“The reported lives they saved,” Rikki said. “I don’t know why you’ve going along with it Ilrolik…” he trailed off and looked at Elezad and Sera again. “Never mind. I figured it out. I always knew you were a dog of the council, but they’ve got your leash now?”

“Enough!” Ilrolik shouted, the volume of her voice reinforced with enough solar energy the E- and D-Rank people staggered under the weight of it.

“No!” Rikki shouted back, the same people staggering a second time. “This isn’t about the lies or what happened on Fallen Reach. This is about what we’re doing here. Now. We,” he gestured to the crowd, “all came here for the rewards and the chance to get stronger.”

“Funny,” Loan said. “I thought we came here to make sure we could keep our people safe.”

“Lie to yourself if you want to,” Rikki said. “We’re here for strength. It’s all that matters. And these trials and rewards sound like the way to get it. I for one am not going to be left out.”

“If strength is all that matters,” a new voice said. “Then why don’t you prove you’re strong enough to tell everybody here what to do. In the honored traditions of our people – the Makers – I challenge you to a duel.”

“You would challenge me?” Rikki said, spinning on the girl standing now far from him, and barely coming up to his waist. “A child. Oh, no, I recognize you. Not just any child. One of the Everfail’s pathetic sisters. Another example of kids relying on their parents’ successes. What are you, brat, E-Rank? I could crush you with a sneeze.”

Milly stood her ground in front of the big Shaper. “A duel… by proxy. If you’re so confident in yourself, fight my brother. Fight the Everfail. Fight Hiral.”

Hiral couldn’t help but roll his eyes, despite how angry he was at what Rikki had said about his sister. He could’ve – would’ve – ignored the man’s comments for the sake of the overall raid, but, well, the man had missed his chance to walk away from this instead of limping away.

Milly had challenged yet another Shaper to a duel on Hiral’s behalf. Except, this time, he wouldn’t be running.

Hiral’s fist slammed into his open palm hard enough the shockwave outright knocked over the E-and D-Rank people. Luckily, the grass was pretty soft, but Hiral’s eyes remained locked on Rikki. “Do you accept?”

“Do I accept?” Rikki asked. “Of course I accept! I’ll show all these people the truth of this false idol we’re following.” The big Shaper took a step in Hiral’s direction, Meridian Lines glowing as solar energy circulated through his body. “What about you, Everfail? Do you accept?”

“Hiral,” Ilrolik and Elezad said at the same time.

“You don’t have to do this,” Ilrolik said, looking at Elezad for his support. “We have more important things to go.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Elezad said, and Ilrolik nodded along before she realized what he’d actually said.

“What?!” she asked.

“Kick his ass,” Elezad said. “For what he said about you…” Elezad turned an icy glare on the Shaper. “And Milly.”

“Oh, I will,” Hiral said. “I…”

“He doesn’t accept,” Right said, stepping in between the two before things escalated.

“Thank goodness one of you sees reason,” Ilrolik said.

Right nodded at the older Shaper, then turned to face Rikki. Barely up to the man’s chest – and half as wide – the size difference was almost comical.

“I heard about you,” Rikki said. “You and the other one are some kind of ability? What are you, the cowardly half? The one who runs away and doesn’t fight?”

“Oh, I never said there wouldn’t be a fight,” Right said. “Just that Hiral wouldn’t be the one doing it. You’re not worth his time.”

“Whaaaat!?” Rikki roared, spittle flying from his lips – only to be deflected by a subtle wall of Rejectionfrom Hiral to keep his double dry.

“Pretty sure I didn’t stutter,” Right said, echoing the man’s earlier statement. “You think you’re enough to challenge him?” Right thumbed over his shoulder at Hiral. “Get through me first.”

With the words, Right’s Meridian Lines flared with energy, red and purple flames lining the right side of his body, while his gauntlets and pseudo-aspect lit up. If anybody around them had thought he wasn’t serious before, that illusion was quickly dispelled.

“Do you accept?” Right asked.

“I accept.”