“Music?”

“Rock?” Abhy asked. “We usually do rock for Shadow Fall. They always start in on their crazy and it’s got a good fast tempo for their style.”

“I don’t know. I feel like that Half queen pretty much owned the scene.” Andrew, a musical consultant answered. “How about symphony with an opera female voice lead? We can do an electric guitar in the background with the symphony.”

“Strong female vocalist to go with when the Half queen goes berserk? I like it.” Abhy agreed, turning to MKC Online CEO, and her husband, Elias Thompkins. “What do you think?”

“Get me something to listen to with the opera idea. Something in Latin or Italian. I’m not sold on the vocal accompaniment but I want to hear it.” Elias finally decided. They were sitting around reviewing the footage they had received from Amelia. It had been coming in spurts, and frankly, no one had any real idea what to do with it.

“Those people are at it again,” Audrey noted. She was taking notes in case they needed to ask for permission to use anything they were adding in.

“I think we have enough for an opening episode. The arrival, the look around, and then the intense siege of the Half castle that turned into one of the four great heroes being born.” Elias spread his hands. “I think we should cut out a lot of the walking around. Let’s leave in the guild meeting where they are talking about their plan to be bad guys, but leave out most of the actual plan. Don’t want to spoil it.”

“What slot do you want to put it in?” Abhy asked, checking her terminal.

“Let’s slip it in under the Job section. Technically it’s a special job-related quest.” Elias said after some thought. “If we just put Amelia’s name by it and Shadow Fall I think we’ll get enough initial interest that the players will be advertising it for us. Draw a lot of attention to that forum. It’s been popular anyway.”

After the visage arc, the new continent of Elysium had become the Job capital of the game. Tradesman and Crafters from all the kingdoms were flooding the new land to learn recipes to and to practice their craft under the ridiculously trade-friendly agreements that Amelia had put in place under the three city-leaders. While they ruled their respective territories and gained all the taxes and other benefits of owning a territory, they were also obliged to have Amelia formally acknowledge their trade and economic strategies, as well as a number of laws concerning Transient and Resident behavior while in their territories.

It was somewhat surprising and disheartening that after that month where Amelia was temporarily the number one watched streamer, she had fallen out of the hall of fame as interest waned. Watching her plan and organize the territories hadn’t been as interesting as players who were exploring the new dungeons. It hadn’t been a total wash. Many of the new streamers and hall of famers had been signed on by MKC Online simply because they were the service that had made Amelia famous.

“Yeah. Sculpting is booming. That Pluto guy can’t make stuff fast enough. Forums are going nuts over what he does next. He made that dragon statue in the square and then added to it recently. He inscribed a bunch of scales and other things and now players who look at it receive a daily 5% buff to experience gained in addition to that luck thing. It’s really drawing adventurers and people leveling to settle in Blutonsi.” Eric explained. He was one of their new game consultants. All he did really was tell them about the general feel of the game. He worked only a few hours of the day and spent the rest of the time in AA getting the mood and fresh news for them. It was working out unexpectedly well. Not only that but Elias really enjoyed the way Eric started getting excited and talked quickly when describing what was going on. He was a great litmus test for what people were interested in.

“Wow. Game-changing player additions to the decor.” Elias mused. The game was turning from a simple but comprehensive skills game to something else entirely. “Anything else?”

“Uh, before she left Amelia apparently paid for a grand library construction project. Carpenters and Architects have been joining the project. That thing is going to be massive.” Eric reported. “Be worth it to probably go get some footage of it being built. The labor quests that King Elairdrin is giving out are incredible. You can be a stone-hauler or a cook or a resource gatherer and he pays you a huge gold amount, and that is dwarfed by the architects and the actual carpenter quests. Rumor is he thinks the library is going to give him an edge. Silf and Dwarves are complaining and there’s another rumor that says those territories are going to build non-essential combat buildings including libraries now too. Which means that they can choose what to put in based on player interest without input from Amelia.”

“I’m starting to feel like a daily news show,” Elias grunted, though he was smiling. “It’s nice to have consistent stories to stream. Seems like the days of hunting the interesting stuff are over. Go anywhere and you can see something amazing.”

Abhy was bobbing her head in agreement. “When I go play now I just go play, I’m not out hunting for news.”

----

They followed Victoria back into the castle. She made no mention of, nor even looked at, the destruction she had caused. That wasn’t the case for her newly repurposed royal guard. They gaped openly and stepped gingerly around destroyed wood and fixtures. When they entered the grand hall Victoria simply took one of the normal chairs from a table and dragged it with her as she approached the spot where the demolished throne lay. She kicked the pieces aside and sat the chair down, doing a marvelous job of acting like the chair was perfectly suited for a queen.

“Approach,” Victoria called. Slowly guards began filing along the walls, watching Shadow Fall suspiciously. Largely Hunter’s guild had been forgiven, but there was no way the Half would ever relinquish their weapons ever again. Just as well, Amelia thought.

Amelia came forward with Hunter and stood before her. “Do not kneel.” Was Amelia’s only suggestion as they approached.

“I’m tired of kneeling.” Hunter sniffed disdainfully.

“Raven. Approach.” Victoria called out, a cold look in her eyes.

Hesitantly Raven skipped through the room and stood beside Hunter and Amelia.

“It was once asked of us where we are from,” Amelia said before Victoria could begin raking Raven over the coals. “I am of the Kingdom of Brack. Hunter is from the Silf. The rest of us are largely unaffiliated or from similar lands of the three other races. The Human, the Dwarven, and the Silf.”

“Do they seek war with the Half?” Victoria asked tiredly. “I have largely surmised that your attack on us today was to show us that we are woefully unprepared. There were words that were spoken however, that cannot be taken back.” Her gaze slowly drifted toward Raven.

“They do not know of the Half,” Amelia answered. “Shadow Fall is a guild of adventurers from a thousand years in the future. The Half were annihilated, crushed, and destroyed. No survivors.”

Silence met this decree, and suddenly an older Half approached. “Permission to approach.”

“Granted, General Erd Griner.” Victoria allowed with a slight nod.

“My queen, that is a ridiculous story. Your reign cannot be called into question. We must execute Shadow Fall at once.” He did not look at them as he spoke. There was a grim line where his mouth was. It was strange considering until recently he looked to be getting on really well with some of the Transients. He and Tempest, for example, had been hitting it off.

“Good reaction.” Hunter praised, earning a startled look from the Half General.

“I shall consider.” Victoria returned her gaze to Amelia. “Explain this farce.”

“Recently the three hero races were called into war against an enemy called the Visage. They were a magically created army built by using the corpses of the population. They were made largely in the image of what you know as Grendel.” Amelia began. She considered using storytelling but decided not to press her luck. It was likely they would all be cut down by Queen Victoria if Amelia started her magic pony show.

Whispers broke out along the walls until Victoria swiped her hand for silence. “Such an army would be formidable. You 25 vanquished such a foe?”

“No. Thousands fought in the battle. It was won when the evil mage was struck down on the mountain at the site where a great historical figure fell. She was, of course, the Hero Queen Victoria.” Amelia smiled, ignoring the shouts of rage from near the walls. The clamor really was getting on her nerves but she supposed she admired their anger at the suggestion that their new hero could be killed. Really, it was refreshing watching the utter disdain and hatred that even made the guardsmen speak out of turn when their queen had not given them leave to speak as opposed to the mindless apathy their presence had been causing.

“I see. How did this historical hero fall?” Victoria asked, raising a small hand and holding it under her chin. Silence descended again.

“She was struck down, protecting the other three hero kings and queen as they marched forward to save the Half. Her wounds were mortal but she hid them from her friends. Even the great red dragon that came to aid them, Keristrazly, was tricked. She died alone, sword at her side, amidst no surviving enemy.” Amelia said softly.

“Yet the Half fell?” Victoria raised an eyebrow. “It seems foolish that she would give her life and fail.”

“Failure is a matter of definition.” Amelia allowed. “The three heroes tried to save the Half but were ultimately late. What they did do, however, was ensure that the rest of the world was saved.”

“I see. Please continue.” Victoria wrapped her hand around Changer’s hilt and shifted it into her lap. It wasn’t a threatening move, simply frustration. Amelia would be frustrated if someone told her that she got killed too.

“From this, a thousand and more years of peace fell on the lands. Well, as peaceful as could be. The bonds of the races were formed. They did not war with each other but there are always dangers. Their numbers were devastated and many technological advancements were lost to simple population decreases.” Amelia explained. “Also the murderous monster tribes, dangerous deviants, and criminals were no longer outnumbered and fell upon the kingdoms.”

“What is a guild?” Victoria interrupted.

“Yes?” Amelia frowned, thrown off her groove.

“You are in the ‘guild’ Shadow Fall. Do you not belong to anyone fighting force? You are comprised of many kingdoms. How does one lead Shadow Fall? I speak of a guild and you speak of a guild and I do not think we speak of the same thing.” Victoria wanted to know. Her face was pinched together as if she were considering whether or not Amelia was the one she should actually be talking with. "here there are guilds that protect interests by promoting work and ensuring price and quality. What is this adventurer guild. Are you mercenary? Do you speak for them?"

“I do not. Hunter leads Shadow Fall. I have been temporarily placed in charge while we … are here.” Amelia finished lamely.

“Hunter. I require your speech.” Victoria demanded. “What is a guild?”

Hunter shrugged after a moment, not looking in the least intimidated. “In a kingdom, there are forces bent on serving and protecting ideals. Army, guards, bodyguards, religion. This is understood to you?”

“Yes, this is understood.” Victoria replied. “Give me a simple answer, as if I am not a fool.”

Hunter smiled. “Alright. I am an individual. I want to see the world, meet people who I can laugh with and have a good time. I want to fight foes, have adventures, and go places no one else has been. This is not at the behest of my kingdom. I am an explorer. Yet there are places I cannot go alone. So I gather around me anyone who desires adventure. People I trust with my life and with my happiness. We are Shadow Fall. We will fight when an enemy appears if it is our enemy, but that is determined by us as a group.”

“So no Kingdom may choose your enemy for you nor command you?” Victoria nodded as if this explained much. “This is understood to me. Thank you.” Victoria motioned for Amelia to continue.

“Uh. So we battled the Visage under the command of dark mage Mourning atop the mountain at this site.” Amelia continued, thinking.

“No,” Hunter interjected.

“No?” Victoria said, surprised that Hunter refuted Amelia’s words.

“No. We did not battle. Shadow Fall was on the shore below fighting thousands upon thousands of magic Grendel along with many other guilds. Amelia was alone on the mountain with the dragon Keristrazly and slew the enemy mage at great personal peril.” Hunter didn’t look at Amelia, who was naturally shocked at the sudden correction and high praise. “She was then granted the title Empress of Elysium, and given all the land on which we now stand.”

“Do you mean to tell me Amelia rules here?” Victoria asked softly, danger reappearing in her voice.