Time of Change (Emerilia Book 7) Read online

  Dave doubted that the Demon King would have said that a year ago.

  “Anna is calm and calculated, but she is using the same attacks and feints as before. Her movements are really simple when you break them down, but she constantly uses them in different combinations. With her processing power, it’s hard for someone to beat her unless they have overwhelming power. I wonder if this is the power of an artificial intelligence inside the body of a Beast Kin?” Dave said.

  “It does make for an impressive fight, but there are always people beyond the predictable.”

  The two fighters sped up and their blows rang out. The barriers flared slightly from the fallout of the two women’s attacks.

  “If someone is able to fight faster than Anna or just faster than her mind, then her plans would be thrown into chaos.”

  Dave nodded. “You raise a good point.”

  It made Dave think about his own stats. He had a really high Intelligence, but his Agility was comparatively low.

  At first, he had been fighting on the front lines with Steve, Anna, and occasionally Deia, but since Lox and Gurren had joined Party Zero, there were five, sometimes six melee fighters, out of the nine party members.

  Dave’s strength was his ability to support others. Add an enchantment here. Give a person a weapon there. Drop a Mana bomb there. While he was fighting, he needed to split his thoughts, to focus on fighting.

  He wanted to be at the front, to be fighting toe-to-toe, but as he continued to ponder on this, he came to the conclusion his biggest impact would be as a rear support.

  My Vitality hasn’t ever been the strongest. Now Deia and Anna can take it out with two hits. What’s going to happen if something we fight gives me three hits?

  Steve was a pure tank. His hit points were high and his Mana barrier was stronger than Deia, Suzy, Anna, and Dave’s Abscondita armor combined.

  Gurren and Lox had been training hard. Although their Strength and Agility were still less than Dave’s, their Vitality, training, gear, and classes were all directed to make them stronger fighters. They were specialized Dwarven tanks.

  Dave could trust them to take the front. He wasn’t going to try to change his weapons master class. It was still a great boost to his stats and if he did stay back, there might be a time when he needed to run forward and cut down those who put pressure on his frontline teammates.

  “You look rather deep in thought,” Alkao said.

  “I just thought that I should stop fighting at the front. Sure, I’m decent at it, but with my orbs and my knowledge, I’m better at conjuring items to support my people. I’m a walking, talking, magical coding and enchanting machine. ’Bout time I started thinking and fighting like it.”

  Alkao grunted. “I’ve learned that sometimes it is harder to stay in the rear than be among the fighting.”

  Deia’s blow went too high; Anna jetted from one side and then back in and under the attack in a blur. Her sword stopped just centimeters from Deia’s front.

  Deia jumped back, pausing before she lowered her weapons. She bowed to Anna slightly. She was showing now. Dave had altered the armor so that it would change with her as she and the baby inside her continued to grow.

  Wish she would take it easier. Dave frowned.

  Anna and Deia looked over to where Alkao and Dave stood in the bleachers.

  Alkao and Dave waved.

  “Guess we should get down there.” Dave made his way to the stairs leading down into the arena.

  “After you.” Alkao followed him down to the arena floor. Deia and Anna were talking and gathering up the gear that they had put to the side.

  “How did the meeting go?” Deia asked as Dave greeted her with a kiss.

  “Good. Looks like the mage’s guild and college are happy with us. Also, seems like Alkao and Devil’s Crater are going to be getting a lot of laborers in the near future,” Dave said.

  “It won’t be long until winter is gone. There’s plenty of work to be done,” Alkao said.

  “You decided to come and watch, trying to pick up hints on how to beat me?” Anna teased.

  “One day, I will get through that stubborn shell. Though, for today, I will settle for taking you out to get some lunch.” Alkao smiled. The two of them only had eyes for each other.

  Dave wrapped his arm around Deia as she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “What are you two looking at?” Anna said, noticing their looks.

  “Will you go out already!?” Dave said. Deia gave Anna a look that agreed with her fiancé’s words.

  “This again?” Anna groaned.

  Alkao smiled and put a teasing arm around her. She let it settle there and the corners of her mouth curled upward.

  “Will you join us for lunch?” Anna asked.

  “No can do. We’ve got a checkup,” Dave said.

  “Looks like you’ve got him well trained.”

  “He remembers this stuff more than me. I feel like I’m some kind of prize-winning cow!” Deia said.

  “I would never say such a thing!” Dave looked to Alkao for support.

  “You best not or else I’d be kicking you out of bed,” Deia threatened, nestling her head into his neck.

  “I don’t think you can sleep without your body pillow,” Dave said with quiet confidence.

  Deia looked up at him with thinned eyes. Dave’s stoic expression broke into a smile and Deia’s lips quivered for a moment before she looked away, trying to hide her amusement.

  “All right, well, we’ll get together sometime later,” Anna said as she and Alkao started to walk away.

  “Have fun!” Dave led Deia in another direction, toward their apartment.

  “I thought we were going to the appointment?” Deia intertwined her fingers in Dave’s.

  “We are, but you’ve been fighting with Anna for a few hours.”

  “Oh.” Deia sniffed her pits. “You might have a point,” she said, blinking as if she were about to pass out.

  Dave shook his head at her antics.

  ***

  Jules looked up from her desk. She had been working for four days straight after the battles in Gudalo. There were wounded streaming in from everywhere it seemed, from their allies and Stone Raiders, to Esamael’s people who were found broken on the ground.

  With magic, they had been able to save a great number of people, though not everyone had survived. The streets and apartments of Terra had been filled with the worst cases. The Stone Raiders’ allies sent their healers to help.

  Jules had turned to looking after the people left in her care or taking time to recover. Those with lost limbs took more time to heal due to the cost of magic and the toll on the person regrowing the limbs.

  When Dave knocked on her door with Deia in tow, Jules’s face lit up.

  “Come in!” she said with a wide smile. Dealing with so many injuries had put her in a rather somber mood. Having Dave and Deia there with her expecting brought some much-needed happiness into her day.

  “Hey, Jules.” Deia walked into the room. Dave closed it behind them.

  “Hello, Deia. How are you feeling?” Jules moved to the examination table, tapping it.

  Deia jumped up on it as Jules rubbed her hands together to get them warmed up.

  “Good. The nausea has reduced. I’ve been training some.” Deia paused at Jules’s severe look.

  “Oson’Deia, I told you to calm down on the training. You do it or else I’ll damn well hound you down at the arena!” Jules’s eyes bore into Deia.

  “Okay,” Deia said in a small voice.

  “Good. Simple exercise is fine, but heavy strain on your body is only going to hurt you and your baby. You Elves give birth faster so you’re nearly halfway through your pregnancy. Just another three months and your boy or girl will be out and ready to bug you two.” Jules pushed Deia back onto the table and moved her shirt out of the way as she ran her hands over her stomach.

  A smile reappeared on Jules’s face as she could see the tiny ba
by within Deia moving around. The baby gave a slight kick, making Deia and Jules smile and giggle a bit.

  Jules’s eyebrows rose as she examined the child. “Do you want to know if it will be a boy or girl?”

  “No, we’d like to keep that a mystery,” Deia said.

  “Very well.” Jules nodded, checking things once again and then taking her hands away.

  “Okay, well, you both look healthy as far as I can tell. Also, the baby is going to be pretty damn powerful on the magical side.”

  “Good—need someone to compete with Deia.” Dave smiled.

  Jules moved to her table; Deia and Dave took seats in front of her table.

  “Okay, for the next three months, take it easy. Don’t use more than fifty percent of your magic. Try to keep away from big fights, definitely not on the front lines. Also, tone down the training. Stress on your body and the baby is doing no one favors,” Jules warned Deia.

  “I’ll tone it down on the rigorous stuff and the fighting.”

  “I’ll make sure she does,” Dave reassured Jules.

  “Good!”

  “What am I going to do for three months?” Deia moaned.

  “Well, could see your family some, read, visit the Aleph and Demons. I know that they’d be interested in learning some fighting skills from you. Also, we can go see the Dwarven tournaments or go on a few scouting trips,” Dave said.

  “Okay, maybe a break would be fun,” Deia said, touching her jaw.

  “Could see your mom and your sister as well. After all, your mom’s in a similar situation.” Dave grinned.

  “Still weird how Elven mothers and daughters will be pregnant at the same time as if it’s natural.” Jules shook her head.

  ***

  King Sigaird finished signing the final proclamation. Lord Orkan of the Orcs and Gnomes to the southwest and Lord Fea’Iso of the Elves to the southeast put down their own quills.

  The pieces of paper seemed to turn together; light filling the room as they combined into one single scroll.

  A pop-up appeared in front of the leaders and their people.

  People of Gudalo! A treaty has been signed between the Gnomes, Orcs, Elves, and Humans of the continent, revoking the borders to the south of the country. All hostilities will cease immediately. A forum made up of the best and brightest will be made from the citizens of Gudalo.

  Applications and testing will begin in one month.

  Together, Gudalo will become stronger than before!

  “Well, it looks like we’re finally done!” Sigaird looked to the other leaders.

  “What will you do now?” Fea’Iso asked.

  “Well, make sure that it is a smooth transition from my reign to the new leaders of our nation, clean up any of the remaining mess left behind by Esamael and then retire as a King.” Sigaird stood. “Oh, and start adventuring again with my wife.”

  Sigaird grabbed Lady Merguine’s hand. She let out a shriek as he pulled her close and kissed her. To any who were analyzing her, her last name fell away, changing to Sigaird.

  “Strong man does what he wants, not what he is told,” Orkan said with approval.

  “How were you able to hide your identity that well?” Fea’Iso asked Merguine.

  “Think of it as a blessing.” Merguine smiled.

  The Lady of Air had been the one to bless her. Her aim had been to unite Gudalo, but Esamael had started to move. Still, she had not left her two champions to their own devices. It seemed that she had a role to play in getting the Stone Raiders to act.

  With the information that the Stone Raiders were able to gather on Esamael and his people, little effort was needed to root out his supporters among those with power and positions of nobility.

  Once they were gone, there were few who openly opposed this move to unite the continent. Sigaird’s hope was that with the unification of the people under one government and the integration of all cultures, Gudalo would never again return to such polarity.

  I never thought that I would be happy about Esamael’s greed, though it will certainly aid in paying the Stone Raiders.

  They had saved Gudalo and given them a path forward. Esamael, who had been taxing all of the people around him, as well as the businesses selling to Per’ush and the teleport pad in Emaren, had amassed a large amount of wealth—wealth that was returned to the crown.

  Sigaird had lowered the cost of entering Gudalo and people were flooding in.

  Gudalo had seen the darkness of greed, but now with the rot cut away, they could once again grow and prosper into something that would make the world look at them with respect.

  Chapter 2: Projects’ Room

  Malsour sighed and tapped his jaw in thought as he looked at the items in front of him. He had been spending the last week modifying the lab. Now, it was one large room, two stories tall.

  There were tables and different workstations around the room. In one corner, there was the humming sphere that Dave was calling his mini-sun. The damn thing gave off enough power to make Malsour pucker up and he’d been around Lady Fire for a large part of his life.

  Then, there was another machine that took in heavy metals and then pushed out diamond crystal Mana wells. They were moved to another machine that took them and put them into control boxes that could safely drain power from them.

  Then, there was a soul gem growing factory, magical coded pieces of various kinds, bags of holding, different bracelets, rings, and necklaces over four tables, and then a suit of armor that had no visible way to get into it, right next to one that had been taken apart and cut open. Some items were together, others apart and strewn across desks.

  To many, it was pure chaos.

  To Dave and Malsour, it was paradise.

  There was a flash of light and three people appeared at the front of the room.

  Malsour instantly recognized Lady Fire and Bob.

  The other tall man with a beard seemed to reach out for something.

  “Don’t touch that!” Malsour barked across the room.

  The man’s eye met Malsour’s with an annoyed expression.

  “We’re not sure if that will destroy everything in a ten-foot radius or plant a forest for ten miles!” Malsour yelled.

  “Bob, what the hell is this place?” the man asked.

  “Well, good of you to ask, Water.” Bob smiled as he walked over to Malsour.

  Fire looked pale as she crossed her arms protectively over the very visible stomach bump.

  “What the hell are all of these things doing in the same place and what is that over there?” She pointed right at the “sun” and Mana wells.

  “Damned bomb factory in here,” Malsour muttered.

  “Malsour Dracul, you will explain what you are doing with such dangerous magic!” Fire demanded just as the door to the lab closed. Dave and Deia walked in.

  “Bob! What the hell, dude? This is supposed to be a secret lab! Not a damned tourist attraction!”

  “I wanted to show them the stuff we’ve been working on. They’re some of the oldest people after me and they do have a lot of knowledge about magic,” Bob said.

  Dave’s face went slack. “You were bored and you wanted to show off,” he deadpanned.

  “Hi, Deia. What are you doing in this place?” Fire disregarded what the other two were talking about as she side-hugged Deia.

  Malsour shook his head and went back to studying the information in front of him.

  Bob tried to convince Dave that he wasn’t showing off, but Dave wasn’t having any of it, seeing through the Grey God’s bluff.

  Water made his way over to Malsour, careful not to touch anything.

  “So what is this place?” Water asked.

  “Bob didn’t brag about it?” Malsour snorted.

  Water gave him a look that seemed to ask “what the hell do you think?”

  Malsour gave a half-smile, shaking his head as he looked over the room. “We’re working on projects for items that might let us face what’s coming out
from Bob’s prison and the Jukal, if they attack us.”

  “Okay, though I don’t see how one lab could do all of that,” Water said.

  “Over there, we’ve got a reactor that can generate more power than an entire island of Per’ush mages’ combined strength in about ten minutes. There, we’ve got a Mana well that will give off residual Mana for a few million years. Over in that area, we’re working on armor sets. Dave is trying to determine how to make an armor set to augment a person’s abilities. Then, we’ve got all manner of weapon augmentation and defense coding. We’ve got a few Aleph automatons in the back.” Malsour waved to a large storage room off to the side. “Right now I’m working on incorporating grand workings with Dwarven artillery.”

  “What? What do you mean by incorporate?” asked Water.

  “Well, we found that while you can activate grand workings anywhere, they don’t last forever, so using them close to the enemy is the most effective way. We had a fight where someone sent a person in with a grand working. The closer it is when it goes off, the more destruction it’ll bring down. So, what if we don’t need to be right next to an army to activate the working? How about if you launch it from Dwarven artillery? Or, what if you changed the grand working so that it goes for maximum destruction over targeting? It could reduce the Mana used for the transmission and control of the spell, and more used to give the spell power?” Malsour smiled.

  Water looked pale as he looked from the artillery pieces to the grand working parts and finally to Malsour.

  “You’re the Lord of Water, right?” Malsour held out a hand.

  “Yes, and sorry, I didn’t catch your name. You’re…?” Water held out his hand.

  “Malsour Dracul.” Malsour smiled.

  “Shadow Eater.” Water shivered slightly as he shook Malsour’s hand.

  “Oh, that is an old nickname,” Malsour said with a cold smile.

  “You killed off everyone who attacked the Wood Elves you were living with,” Water said.