On the second day of building the palisade, we began dropping the posts into position. At first Joel had to oversee the entire operation, but Scralex and Grastad were never far away from him learning everything they could, and soon they were able to start in different areas. The whole process began to speed up dramatically after that.

It was a very strange feeling to be part of something like this. There was no way to know how far we would go with the buildings here, but to create our own little walled village hit a chord of satisfaction deep within me.

I worked almost nonstop, neatly cutting the trees with Neuma as fast as I could, but it soon became clear the speed I was working at was holding everything up.

When one of the Krysan suddenly remembered they had a small axe, I was hit with a mix of relief and irritation.

From that point, they helped me to cut the logs, though they regularly swapped out when they became tired.

Early on the third day, the final post was dropped into position completing the walls themselves with only the opening remaining to finish. Joel intended to spend some time building the gates, so they functioned properly but that would be a job for him and apparently me. Not the entire pack.

With that in mind, he marked out the foundations for the new whitan first and had both the Krysan and Nystiobek digging them out. They were much wider than the ones we’d excavated for the palisades and much deeper in places, too. The depth was governed by finding the bedrock to build off. Higher up the slope, it was only a few feet deep, but at the base where the ground leveled out, they had to dig down over ten feet deep before they hit.

I couldn’t help but be surprised by the scope of the building he intended. And as I sat with him near the fire, I brought it up.

“It’s barely big enough!” he laughed in response. “We have over a thousand people here, Clive and there may come a time when we have to house them all inside.”

“Hmm, when you put it like that, I get your point.”

“That’s all a problem for tomorrow or the day after. I want to show you what I want for the gate hinges and I’m hoping you can carve the wood smooth enough to make it work.”

I watched as Joel scratched deftly in the mud with a stick and impressively, I could make out what he’d intended.

“This is a pretty clever Design mate,” I said. “I wondered how you were going to do it without metal, but that will probably work. Probably won’t be the easiest gates to open, but I suppose that’s the point,” I laughed.

I worked with him for most of the third day until it was almost time to go on duty at the wall. I liked to go early so I could sit with Sania for a little before we swapped over.

I grabbed some cold meat, from the day before to eat on the way up where I found her leaning on the top of the palisade looking out. There was a Nystiobek a Krysan and a few members of her original pack with her.

She waved as I walked over. “You’re even earlier today. Did you miss me so much?”

“You know it,” I said, about to climb the rough stone pile that led up to the walkway. Theni remembered a very important fact. I could kinda fly. So I did. Taking a moment to concentrate I pushed myself off the floor, halting the flow of Neuma just as I crested the platform and used momentum to travel the rest of the way. It worked exactly as I’d intended for once and when I looked back up to Sania, her smile was huge.

“I’ve been practicing every day with my Neuma while I’ve been up here, Clive. I’m getting quite good at using my Meridians, but I still can’t get my core to act. You must walk me through it some more. I need to Fly,” she said with real intensity.

“Can you teach us to fly, too?” The Nystiobek asked. I noticed everyone was now staring at me eagerly.

“Seriously guys, I can barely fly myself yet,” I laughed. “You need Internal connection, too and even then, it’s difficult to learn the basics.” I saw a few thoughtful faces as they turned back to their posts. “Or you can worship a god and hope you get in good enough standing to be given the gift.” I added. No one seemed keen on that idea.

As I sat with them watching out, through the pass, an urgent sounding Grigor came though the bond.

“Niko and the others are back, and they are being followed by hundreds of Hycantha and Demons. We need everyone back at the camp now!”

Sania had heard the message to and was already shouting orders to the others. Without hesitation, they all jumped down from the twelve foot high platform as if it was nothing and we went racing back to Far Reach.

The battle had already started by the time we got there. The demons had come down the west slope of the valley, and those walking had not reached the palisade yet. The ones who could fly were swooping down at Grigor’s battle lines. As we entered the palisade ourselves, I couldn’t help but feel it hindered us more than it hindered Destructions forces. Sania nudged me, pointing at the same time as I acknowledged the one figure that stood out above all others. A huge horned demon, 20 foot tall, carrying a huge glowing axe was striding down the hill, with purpose.

Getezat: Baatazu Demon: level 84

He swung the axe at the fresh new palisade, cutting clean through a ten foot section with ease. As he kicked through the fence to clear the debris, Grigor charged him, with Feen. He swung the axe again. Grigor managed to dodge it, but Feen had to deflect the blow with his Claw of ascension. While it prevented a fatal wound, it also sent him back flying through the air. Grigor moved in and slashed at the demon's leg, before diving out of the way av a vicious back hand. I looked at Sania, “Baatazu?”

She nodded grimly. “Baatzu.” We started running over to help the desperately defending Grigor out. Sania stretched out a lead which I normally wouldn’t have minded, but on this occasion, I really didn’t want her reaching the demon before me. So, I launched myself into the air with as much Neuma as I could channel while running.

As I soared through the air, I saw Grigor who was doing everything he could not to get hit, get booted thirty feet away by a surprise kick from the Baatazu. With Grigor dealt with for a moment, he then turned its gaze was on the recovering Feen and the rapidly approaching Sania, so he never saw my out of control ass soaring through the air until it was too late.

I was out of control because I’d used my meridian to coat my fist rather than send out tendrils to slow my flight. When I slapped against his head and shoulder with a fair amount of force, I was able to follow up with a Neuma coated right hand to his temple. It was a solid punch and the Baatazu reeled from the force, though he also simultaneously brought his free hand up to grab me.

I let myself fall before he could reach me, landing on my feet ready to deal with his retaliation. Instead, I heard another roar of pain from him as both Feen and Sania hit home. Of course, it’s important to remember the demon wasn’t alone on the battlefield. Which was something I forgot until I was hit by a Hycantha’s pincers.

I fell forward a little with the blow, but used the momentum to move away from the demon's axe and the attacking Hycantha, until I could get my bearings. It came at me fast, with its high pitched hissing. This one was level 34, so it would prove a much tougher test than the ones I’d previously fought. Ducking under a slash from its pincer, I kicked out at its leading leg causing it to topple slightly to one side. A situation I capitalized on with a left hook that sent it to the floor where I proceeded to punch it to death.

“Move!” Sania screamed at the same time as I felt a flare of panic. I rolled to the side without thinking, just as a red, glowing axe smashed down where I’d been standing.

Then I rolled again to my feet trying to get my bearings. I was just in time to see Sania be kicked away and Feen take a sickening blow to the chest by the enraged Baatazu. Grigor came back in distracting the demon from me with a brutal slash to its hamstring as I was stabbed by demon with a knife. I was about to retaliate when that demon disappeared in a ball of fur. A Nystiobek, in bear form tearing the demons' arms off in brutal fashion. I had a brief second to wonder why everyone here had a thing for limb removal before I returned my full focus on the Baatazu. He was still distracted, so I crouched down and concentrated on my golden meridian, sending out a tendril as thick as I could. Miraculously, the surrounding carnage left me untouched for those few brief seconds as Nystiobek, Krysan and Wultr fought with terrifying ferocity. There was no doubt in my mind our new back had danced this kind of dance before.

The Baatazu was on one knee now after our combined assault, but was still strong and swinging, at least until I sent the tendril straight through his head. While I concentrated on causing damage with it and the Baatazu slowly dropped to the floor, I was smashed off my feet by a painful bolt of purple flame.

The sound of fighting intensified all around me, but I could barely focus from the attack I’d just received. It left me partially paralysed unable to move. When my vision cleared, I saw, hovering high in the sky above me, none other than:

Ferro: Level 93: Paladin of Justice: Nephilim

Fuck. That was the last thing we needed. She wasn’t looking at me anymore. Instead, she was shooting more balls of purple fire at Wultr and demons alike. I saw Grigor get hit and go down. Sania took one high on the shoulder, which spun her around, dropping her to the floor with a desperate cry. Thankfully, they were both still alive and moving, if barely.

I was so furious, that almost without conscious thought I began pushing out a tendril from my dark meridian toward the flying bitch of Justice. It was a good distance to her, but I’d gotten good at that with my flying escapades.

As it closed the distance, I couldn’t believe she hadn’t sensed it coming. Of course, that’s when she tuned to look directly at my efforts, though it was too late for her. The look of surprise just before it hit her square in the face was priceless.

I pushed all my malice into the attack. I hated her as much as the demons and her screams were like music to my ears. She continued screaming even after she swiped a hand through the tendril, cutting it off.

Incensed with rage, her entire focus was on me as she built an immense bolt of silver and red lightning. Despite the paralysis her first attack wearing off, I still couldn’t move out the way of this thing. It was so big that I wondered how she could see beyond it.

Ferro only stopped screaming when she finally hurled the bolt at me. I guess she got as much of a shock as me when two hefty axes glowing with darkness absorbed her bolt. I rubbed at my eyes, unable to comprehend what was going on.

“Take your stinking Justice and fuck off, Ferro,” A coarse voice shouted. A very similar voice, but definitely different, shouted next.

“Unless you want me to fly up there and shove my axe up your arse.”

“There was a raucous round of laughter and banging metal and as my vision cleared, I discovered I was surrounded by dwarves. Many, many, dwarves.

I scrabbled to my feet. Mainly wanting to thank them. Hoping they didn’t want to kill me and also feeling a bit bad for towering over their five foot stature. Granted they were five foot wide with muscle and heavy plate mail. The two main dwarves who stood above me both had impressive armor and identifiers.

Fakasta: level 74 Paladin of Darkness, Dweml

Stilbraker: level 75 Paladin of Darkness, Dweml

In the identifiers of the army behind them, I could see a lot of level 40+ Dweml but those lower than 40 were identified as Dwarves.

“Your time is coming you dark cursed fools. Do not imagine Kalabri will stand for much longer.” She didn’t wait for a response before disappearing in a flash of light.

Once she left, I got a series of notifications, which I dismissed immediately. Time for that later.

“Pretty crappy place you got here,” Fakasta said nodding down the hill to the whitan and destroyed palisade.

“Yeah, right mess now, ain’t it?” Stilbraker replied. “You had it looking all pretty too.” The dwarves behind them laughed some more as I took in what was left of our fledgling fortification.

“It er, we’ll rebuild it,” I said.

“Will you now? With wood again?” Fakasta asked, This time to sniggering from behind.

“We plan to use stone eventually,” I replied getting confused. “It’s just we have only one builder, and no tools. Wood is plentiful.”

“Great for fires, but sod all use for keeping demons out.” Stilbraker said. “What you guys need is someone you can trade with who has plenty of stone and tools and not very much wood.”

“Or furs,” Fakasta added.

“But that doesn’t add up, does it?” Stilbraker said. “A few furs and sticks for beautiful stone blocks and exquisitely crafted tools.”

“You’re right,” Fakasta replied. The dwarves behind were having a good chuckle at the two Paladins, who I was beginning to think might be brothers.

“Whoever was willing to make that trade would probably want something else,” Fakasta continued.

Sania and Grigor had arrived now as the drama unfolded.

“Ah, lovely, some more company. How are you doing? We were just saying to this strange man here how you have a few things you could trade, but they’re not really worth tools and stone blocks.”

I held up my hands to stop them. “Seriously guys, thanks for the save and pissing Ferro off. I really hate her. But what are you two going on about?” I asked.

“Huh, real charmer you,” Fakasta replied. “I see you haven’t been investing in your Charisma. No good for negotiations. What is it? 20? 15? A good leader invests in Charisma.”

“It’s eight,” I said cringing at just saying that out loud.

“Eight! May Darkness have mercy on your soul. I’ve known cave moss with more Charisma than you,” Stilbraker roared with laughter.

“Maybe we better take it easy on him, Stil,” he said to the other dwarf before turning to me. “What’s your intelligence?”

“21,” I sighed.

“I thought it would be lower to be honest. You know it’s pretty stupid to just tell some random stranger all of your stats when they ask. What’s your Perception?”

And god damn it if I wasn’t about to tell him. I caught myself just in time, biting my lip to remain silent.

“Good lad,” Stilbraker said. “You’re learning. Now, I don’t know what’s going on with your arms and legs, but you seem like a canny sort. So here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna trade with you so you can make your little settlement here a little more Destruction proof. But you lot have to trade back obviously, and to make up for the horrid deal we’re getting here. You boy,” he said pointing at me. Have to come and talk to my gaffer.”

Th mood seemed to turn serious at that. I raised an eyebrow at him. “And who’s your Gaffer?”

The whole dwarf army erupted into laughter, yet again.

“Who d’ya think it is? ya daft shite,” Fakasta said.

“I don’t even know where you came from! I know you’re dwarves and you follow Darkness, but you could be referring to a king as your gaffer.”

“He’s got a point Fak,” Stilbraker said.

I turned to Grigor. “See these guys shorten names.” I half whispered.

“Only family,” Stilbraker said. “It’s death for anyone else to do so.”

Grigor’s smile stretched wide. Until The dwarves started laughing… again.

“I’m just kidding ya. You can call me Cabbage if you want. Just don’t touch me money, me ale or me wife, in that order. As for me gaffer, well that’ll be the God of Darkness himself and for some reason he really wants to talk to you.”

I didn’t know how to feel about that. I fell silent for a moment before replying. “Can I have a minute to think?”

“Sure! You can have two. Got anything to drink round here?”

“The stream is surprisingly clear,” Grigor answered.

The expressions from the entire dwarf army should have been enough to turn Grigor back into a puppy.

“That’s all we have and probably something else we’ll be wanting to trade. I’ll try to think of other things we can offer, even if it takes a little time.”

“So you’re coming with us?”

“I just want to speak to my friends first. Can I ask, how the hell you all just appeared. And also, thanks for scaring off Ferro.”

“Heh! She ain’t so tough,” Fakasta said.”

“When we have an army behind us,” Stilbraker laughed. “You got major stones for shooting her in the face like that, demon boy. I’ve not seen that expression on her face for over a hundred years!”

“There’s so much I don’t know,” I groaned.

“That makes all of us. Now come on and have your chat, I don’t enjoy being up here overly much.”

“You never told me where you came from?”

“It’s called under the ground. Or underground for short,” Fakasta replied with a grin.

Realizing I wasn’t getting a straight answer anytime soon. I waved at Grigor and Sania to follow me back down to the whitan. “I’ll have my decision very soon,” I said over my shoulder.

“We’ll have a mosey down, too,” Fakasta said. “I wanna have a look at the place.”

“Why?” Grigor asked.

“Trading partners. I want to know what we’re dealing with.”