The Land: Founding (Chaos Seeds Book 1) (11 page)

 Turning to leave, a last thought
occurred to him. Pulling out the clear gem he had taken from the goblin chief’s
body, “What is this?”

 “That is the Heart Crystal my
Lord Richter. It is the embodiment of your dominion over these lands and the source
of your connection to the village.”

 “Does that mean if someone
takes it from me suddenly they own the village,” Richter asked with some alarm
in his voice.

 “In its current state yes, but
you can bind the stone to you. In this way it will be tied to you and your
bloodline. You will also gain the powers inherent in the crystal.”

 “What powers?”

 “Each Place of Power has
certain characteristics depending on the composition of ley lines that creates
it. As I stated before, this village sits upon a strong collection of Air,
Water, Dark and Life ley lines. Binding to the Heart Stone will tie your soul
to the Place of Power. By fulfilling certain requirements you will obtain
mastery of each of those powers in turn.”

 Tied to his soul huh? That
didn’t sound creepy or ominous at all! The other option was to lose this
village to the first thief that took the Heart Stone though. After a few more
moments thought, Richter asked, “How do I do it?”

 “Simply will it my Lord.”

 Focusing upon the gem, he
stared into its depths. He suddenly felt that he was being pulled into the
stone, though he did not actually move. A slight tingle played across his skin.
The sensation became focused upon the inside of his left wrist.  He
realized with a start that the Heart Stone was gone.

 “It is done,” the remnant said
its deadpan voice.

 Looking at his wrist, Richter
saw a silver grey circle on his inner wrist where the strange sensation had
focused. It had a swirl of grey smoke within its boundaries that seemed to move
slightly as he stared at it. After a moment the mark faded from view. He knew
somehow he could summon it back if he desired.

You have received a Mark: Master of
the Mist Village.

 Making their way out of the
tunnel, dawn seemed to be just breaking. The workers had not be idle. There
were three piles at the base of the hill leading from the cave, one of items,
one of weapons and the other of armor.

 Richter was about to ask
Futen
to call a worker over, but he remembered what was
said about the village being an extension of himself. Focusing on the nearest
worker, he willed it to come closer. It promptly left its task and came to
stand before him. Smiling, he said, “
Futen
, how do I
Analyze
the worker?”

 “Yes my lord. You must gaze
upon it. Focus until it becomes the only thing that exists. See past the
external to the internal truth. This attention will draw its information to
you.”

 Focusing upon the worker, he
stared intently at it. Richter looked at the light grey swirls that slowly
moved under its skin, the clear lines of its arms, head, torso and legs. He
gazed at its shapeless face and suddenly just knew!

You have learned the skill: Analyze.
Cost 5 mana. You will be able to know information about other creatures simply
by looking at them. The greater difference in level between you and the target,
the less effective your skill may be.

Mist worker, Lvl 1. Health: 50/50,
Mana 0/0, Stamina 400/400.

 “I was able to do it
Futen
, but the information is pretty basic.”

 “Yes my Lord. You will have to
increase the level of the skill to obtain more information.”

 Pleased nonetheless, Richter
let the worker return to its duties.

 The bodies had been dragged
outside of the boundaries and placed within a pit the workers had dug. Grabbing
a few
waterskins
from the pile of items. He removed
the stopper from each pouring out a small amount of the contents. The first
appeared to be water as expected. The second he quickly cast aside deciding not
to ponder what the vile contents could be. The third however appeared to be
oil. Moving over to pit he poured the contents over the bodies. Striking flint,
Sion lit one of the torches from the goblin camp and then cast it into the pit.
After a short time, the flames were licking eagerly at the naked green forms.
Giving one last order, Richter said, “Once the bodies are consumed, fill the
pit with dirt again. I don’t want to be reminded of these creatures.”

 “Is there anything else I can
do, my Lord?”

 “Don’t hesitate to advise me if
you have something useful to say. Do your best to take care of the village and
me. I want to be made aware of any major decisions, but in my absence do your
best to protect and grow the village.”

 “It will be done my Lord,”
answered
Futen’s
deadpan voice.

 Richter and Sion began their
trip back to the Hearth Tree.

The journey back to the home of the
sprites was without incident. After several days of moving through the forest
they were greeted by the sight of the golden grasses of the glade. The Hearth
Tree loomed in front of them. As before, the Hearth Mother seemed to know they
were approaching and waited for him at the edge of the grass.

 She smiled at him with a look
of contentment and peace.

 Richter smiled back, and nodded
his head slightly, “I have finished my quests. We traced the sickened animals
to a goblin camp. There was a hobgoblin necromancer who was responsible. It
gave the mage control over them somehow. I do not know how, but the important
thing is that it’s dead. The danger has passed.”

 “I greatly appreciate all of
your effort, and for bringing our warrior home safely. In addition to your
reward I will give you a word of caution. Though those creatures were evil, it
does not make them things. Robbing other creatures of their identity or gender
may ultimately rob you of you goodness.”

You have received 1,000
exp
for Cleanse the Forest I

You have received 3,000
exp
for Cleanse the Forest II

You have received 6,000
exp
for Cleanse the Forest III

TRING!

You have reached level 5! Through
hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed you gain 6
points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get
25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your
allies, LIVE!

TRING!

You have reached level 6! Through
hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed you gain 6
points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get
25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your
allies, LIVE!

You have either characteristic points
or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you
have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week or
they will randomly be assigned for you.

You relationship has improved with
Wood Sprites from neutral to friendly.

 “We have made these while you
were gone. I hope that they serve you well.” Two sprites came forward, one
holding a bow, the other holding a helmet and gloves. The bow was a beautiful chestnut
recurve. The handle looked like deer hide. The ends of the bow curved back
forward. Delicate carvings of leaves extended up both ends of the bow. The
gloves were the same pliable yet tough green material of the armor he already
had. Silently, Richter reached out and took the weapon and armor.

You have received: Spritely Helm.
Defense +5. Weight 2.1 kg. Durability 30/30. Item class: Uncommon. Quality:
Above Average. Type: Light Armor. Vision increased by 25%

You have received: Gauntlets of the
Wood Sprite. Defense +4. Weight 1.3 kg. Durability 25/25. Item class: Uncommon.
Quality: Above Average. Type: Light Armor. Ranged accuracy increased by 25%

Congratulations! You have obtained an
entire set of matched armor: Sprite Armor. Defense given by each piece
increased by 25%. Special Bonus: 50% less noise made while moving through
forest.

You have received: Recurve bow of the
Wood Sprite. Damage 14-19. Durability 35/35. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb.
Weight: 3.8 kg. Traits: + 8 Dexterity. + 5% accuracy. Provides the subskill:
Focus.

You have learned the subskill: Focus.
By expending stamina you can zoom in on your target making shots easier. This
is a subskill of Archery.

 Taking a firm grip upon the
bow, he sighted upon a branch at the edge of a clearing. He invoked his new
skill, and the branch zoomed into his view. By a guess it was 2x the original
view. As he held the increased view, he was aware of his stamina bar
decreasing. At its current rate, he would completely exhaust his stamina in
about 30 seconds. As the bar got closer to empty, he felt the dizziness and
exhaustion that he had felt at the end of the fight with the goblin chief.
Releasing Focus, the bar began to replenish slowly. After a few moments the
feeling of disorientation began to abate. A wonderful new skill, but possibly
dangerous if overused in the heat of battle.

 Bowing his head Richter said,
“These are gifts beyond measure. How can I repay you?”

 “You have aided the Forest.
This is the purpose of our clan, to serve its will and interests. Now speak no
more of it,” she said with a soft smile. “There is something else we need to
discuss. You may have noticed our Hearth Tree is larger than the surrounding
forest.”

 Smiling wryly, Richter said,
“Yeah, it’s a little hard to miss.”  The tree was the size of a small
highrise
!

 “I am the Master of this Place
of Power,” Hisako said, “and as such I can recognize other Masters. Our Powers
are of Life, Earth and Light.” Holding up her left wrist, a small circle
appeared. While Richter’s was silver and filled with mist that slowly swirled,
the Hearth Mother’s was deep green with the figure of a tree. The branches
seemed to wave in an unseen wind, the leaves gently shifting. Somehow feeling
it was the right thing to do, he held up his left wrist, and his Mark appeared
as well.

 “Thank you for showing me
trust,” she said with a smile. “Your Mark will be hidden from most, but any
Master of a Place of Power will be able to identify you if they get close
enough. There is a glow in the center of the eyes, you can see mine if you
look. Be careful of this. Being a Master means that you have access to power.
Power that other’s will take if they can. You are now a player in the great
game, but you are a target as well. Invest in the growth of both your village
and your own power. Create a meaningful community, and be careful who and what
you allow in. The decisions of today can bear fruit centuries in the future.”

 Smiling at her motherly tone,
he thanked her for her advice. “I need people for my village, and I need to
sell the skins, and other treasure that I have found. I plan on traveling into
the Kingdom of Yves. Hopefully there I can find a buyer for my goods, and
settlers who are willing to come with me for a fresh start.”

 “Hmmm, that is the closest
human kingdom, and you can find almost anything there. Tread lightly when you
go. I do not know what humans are like in your world, but here, while they can
be generous and kind, they are often petty, greedy and cruel. I would not
easily tell anyone that you are a Master, or where your village is located
exactly. And as I said, Masters can recognize each other. You should stay away
from the palace or other halls of influence.”

 “Is every settlement built on a
Place of Power,” Richter asked.

 “No, but most settlements that
have grown to prominence, did so because of the strength of their Powers. I
have not been into the human lands for more than a century. The capital city of
Yves is called Law. It is built upon a confluence of Fire, Water, Earth and
Air. Most places of power that are taken over by human settlements have a
balance of their forces. It may be because they have an equal likelihood to
serve Good or Evil.”

 “Huh, so be careful, everywhere
I go is dangerous, and I’m now a cosmic target. Is that basically it,” Richter
asked.

 The hearth mother walked closer
and motioned for Richter to kneel down. He took a knee and looked her in the
eye. That was when she slapped him in the side of his head. He really needed to
start being careful of letting small beings within striking distance.

 “Don’t complain. It could
always be worse, and nobody likes a cry baby,” Hisako said.

 Sion chuckled behind him, and
said under his breath, “Rookie.”

 Flaring his nostrils, Richter exhaled
a deep breath, then gave a chuckle himself. “Yes ma’am.”

 Standing back up, he turned to
Sion. “Well my friend. I will miss your company.”

 The sprite smiled at him, “No
you won’t. I’m coming with you.”

 With a half-smile on his face
Richter asked, “Are you sure?”

 In a sweeping gesture that
started at his head and moved down towards his feet, Sion replied, “A big guy
like me belongs in the big city!” And the grin on his face grew wider.

 Hisako nodded in approval. “In
the past the people of the Mist Village and Wood Sprites of the Hearth Tree
have been friends, even allies. I hope that we can be again.”

 Richter replied, “I hope so
too. I was concerned that you might not welcome me as a friend anymore. My
village is on a ley line of Dark Magic.”

 “It is true that many evil
creatures are drawn to Dark or Death magic, but that does not make those powers
inherently evil. Night is just as natural as day, and death will be always be a
part of life. Your actions will determine the character of your village, and
you have earned my trust,” Hisako said. “Now is there anything else we can do
to aid your journey?”

 Humbled by her faith in him, he
smiled, “I could use a way to transport goods to and from the city.”

 “We can help with this, though
it will take the rest of the day. Is there anything else,” she asked again.

 Sion stepped forward, “We have
found an artifact of evil, Mother. I hoped that you knew how to destroy it.”
Richter unwrapped the staff, showing it to Hisako.

 For the first time, Richter saw
a look true anger on her face. “Drop that thing,” she commanded.

 Richter quickly complied,
releasing it to tumble out of its wrappings. It fell, but did not strike the
ground. The golden grasses wrapped around the staff. The grass wound so tight
that Richter could hear squeaking from the pressure. Some of the gold color
leached from the grasses as they tried to crush the black wood. Brighter
flashes of red color could be seen coming from the staff, almost as if it tried
to free itself from the golden vice. A look of serious concentration was on
Hisako’s face. With a tightening of her jaw, she glared at the staff, and then
there was a loud rumbling sound. A small tear opened in the ground, widening to
five feet long and one foot wide. The grass bent, lowering the staff into the
ground as the red pulses came faster and faster. The rent in the earth, closed
over the staff and all was quiet for a moment before a boom came from beneath
them, more felt than heard. Richter looked over the seemingly benign sea of golden
grass that he now knew was a deadly prehensile defense. Hisako exhaled a breath
of relief.

You have completed the Quest: Destroy
Evil’s Weapon. A Royal Pixie Chrysalis was recovered! This may have long
reaching consequences in the future!

Reward: 1000 XP

 “It is done,” she said. “That
was an artifact of greater evil than you know. I can see why you instinctually
felt it needed to be destroyed my son. It was not just a tool of evil. It was a
corruption of good! At the core of the staff was a Royal Pixie chrysalis!”

 Sion inhaled in shock. “Can it
be true? Can you save it?”

 “I don’t understand. What’s
happening,” asked Richter.

 “Sion may have told you that
goblins were our racial enemies. As such, neither of our two races can normally
abide the other, and aggressive qualities are increased on both sides. That is
partly because goblins are usually of a negative alignment, and wood sprites
are normally of positive alignment. Pixies are the opposite side of that trait.
They are our natural allies and bring a completion to our magic. It is said
that every sprite born has half of a destiny, and each pixie born has the other
half. Long ago, even before I was born, there was a sickness that only affected
pixies. Despite all of the efforts of the races of Good, pixies were erased
from the surface of The Land. Finding this chrysalis is like finding the other
half our soul! Will you please relinquish the pixie into our care? We can
channel our life magic into it and hopefully revive at least one of the
species.” She looked at him with a pleading gaze.

 “Uhhh, yeah,” Richter said,
taken aback by the depth of emotion in Hisako’s voice. He then immediately felt
like a moron for not giving a better answer than ‘
uhhh
,
yeah’ in such a pivotal moment.