Monroe

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One. Strange Bedfellows.

Thidwell smiled sharply as he looked out over the cobblestone plaza filled with long shadows cast by the rising sun.

Each Guild Leader had brought five freshers, as he'd requested, and despite not having met any of them personally, save for Calder, he could tell the Leaders apart as their freshers huddled around them.

"Good morning!" Thidwell boomed, his voice carrying over the plaza. He waved his hand and cast his control air spell, causing a small pile of pouches to rise into the air, each directed to and arriving at a Guild Leader at the same time.

"Inside those pouches lies our salvation," Thidwell began, "paths to power and the keys to unlock them, a way to grow and protect our people so that we need never fear wave nor tide again."

"If you'll look through the pamphlet I've provided, you'll find a set of paths that can be unlocked by the special crystals I've provided as well, and instructions on how to rebuild your Dungeons using Gateways, the same method used in Harbordeep, and here in Holmstead," he continued.

"It has taken me a long time to gain this knowledge, and no small amount of sacrifice, but I share it freely with you, because I know that each of you has struggled, suffered, and bled for the people you've sworn to protect," his voice rang out with passion and sincerity.

"I know that all of you have questions, and some of you might even have doubts," Thidwell gestured, and Eddi joined him on the stone platform.

"Why don't you tell the Guild Leaders your name, and your level Eddi?" Thidwell instructed.

Eddi coughed nervously and then stuttered as he realized that he was talking, when he'd need to shout in order to be heard. He glanced about, embarrassed, and then he spotted Wayna peaking out from around the corner of the Adventurers Guild.

She gave him a thumbs up and a beautiful smile.

Eddi smiled back, and stood a little straighter.

"My name is Eddi," he roared, "and I'm level twenty-five."

"And this," he gestured confidently to his left, summoning out Rexxy, "is Rexxy, who is level fifty-eight," Eddi grinned widely, "say hello Rexxy," he commanded.

Rexxy, the level fifty-eight Tyranosarrus Rex, who stood fifteen foot at the shoulder and massed more than twelve tons, ROARED, unleashing a wave of sound that triggered deeply buried primal instincts within everyone inside of two hundred feet, as they suddenly knew they were in the presence of an apex predator.

"And these are the rexettes!" Eddi yelled, which did less to get their attention than did the forty smaller dinosaurs, each a mere eight foot at the shoulders, as they flowed into the plaza and formed a wall of claws and teeth between Eddi and the crowd.

"Thidwell said that some of you have doubts, and I have the answer to them!" Eddi yelled, "Behold the POWER of the ENDLESS SWARM!" he finished with what could only be described as a cackle.

Bob woke up slowly, the gentle glow of dawn creeping through the sunroom and into the rest of his home. Monroe was sprawled out alongside him, sleeping peacefully, and ensuring that the left side of Bob's body was uncomfortably warm.

Bob wiggled out from under the sheet, taking care not to disturb his Imperial Majesty, before stretching and heading for the shower.

As he dropped the persistent effect that had created his boxers, he considered that summoning really was underrated. He turned on the shower and stepped under the warm water as he considered what to do with his day.

His thoughts turned to the valley he'd discovered but he resolutely pushed that to the back of his mind.

He didn't have enough mana crystals to increase his tier to six. He was fairly close, but he wasn't quite there.

'Trebor,' he mentally projected, 'if I apotheosis into a Yehldaar, will I still be, for lack of a better word, me?'

'Both yes and no,' came the pleasant reply, 'your body will be altered, however your consciousness, your mind as it were, will remain unchanged, at least until the new physiology begins to influence you.'

'See, that's the sort of the thing I'm worried about,' Bob thought fiercely, 'besides a desire to explore the universe in a spaceship, what else is likely to change?'

'You'll see mana, very much akin to mana sight, all the time, and the natural mana affinities will make you hypersensitive to ambient mana,' Trebor said, 'all of which will likely cause some sort of minor alteration to your personality, but really, it's the fact that you will know that you are higher tier, and thus better than humans that will subtely impact you the most.'

'More different, as opposed to better,' Bob projected.

'No,' Trebor disagreed, 'better. In every conceivable measurement. Heirarchy of Tiers isn't simply a catchy turn of phrase,' he continued, 'you will be to a human as a human is to a dog, and as time passes that simple fact will cause you to, even if only subconsciously, regard humans as lesser creatures.'

'Is that why everyone who is tier six is an asshole?' Bob asked.

'In small part, however, the near feudal system upon which Greenwold operates encourages that behavior to a significant degree,' Trebor answered.

'I don't want to be an asshole,' Bob stated firmly.

'I'd suggest keeping that idea firmly in the front of your mind then,' Trebor suggested, 'perhaps you'll be able to stave off that sense of superiority until your friends are all tier six, and it won't matter.'

'Or,' he continued, 'until you're piloting your vessel as it floats in the vast expanse of space, with only your cat and summoned creatures to keep you company, another situation where it won't matter.'

"Great," Bob grumbled as he started scrubbing, "I'm so excited to tier up."

Ellen walked through the Gateway created by Huron, and stepped into the Temple of Vi'Radia in Holmstead.

The Temple was oddly empty, and she hastened towards the plaza, only to stop as she found a large T-Rex a few feet outside the door.

She heard Thidwell's booming voice.

"Eddi isn't wrong," he said, "he can hold forty-five degrees of our wall by himself during a wave."

The oddly feathered flesh disappeared from her view, and she could see into the plaza, where Thidwell was addressing a crowd from a raised stone platform.

"But I know that you'll need to see how it works with your own eyes, so lets get started," Holmstead's Leader thundered, "Harv, Elli, Bailli, Eddi, and myself will each guide one of you, and your freshers, through the Dungeon here in Holmstead, so you can see the results for yourself."

Ellen winced. She knew it was going to have happened soon, but she hadn't expected it to happen this soon.

"Come on into the tavern, we'll get those freshers set and then off to the Dungeon," Thidwell finished, beckoning the crowd into the Adventurers Guild.

Stepping back into the Temple, she ducked into an alcove, and took a small silver cube from her pouch. Reverently she placed it on the stone floor, and then pushed her mana into it.

Huron appeared in a muted flash of gold, and he stumbled forward nearly crashing into her.

Righting himself and regaining his dignity, the priest straightened his robes and looked at Ellen in surprise.

"That was rather sudden," he said ruefully.

"Yes," she replied, "however as I left the Temple, I walked into the plaza to catch the tail end of Thidwell telling people to bring their freshers to the Guild so they can use the crystals," she hesitated before continuing, "I recognized a few of the Guild Leaders from my previous assignments."

Huron shook his head slowly and sighed, "events never do proceed at the pace we'd wish, but have faith that Vi'Radia's light will ever guide us to the path we need, if not necessarily the path we'd choose," he said.

"Go and resume your assignment," Huron instructed her, "I'll make sure that Thidwell is aware that we are aware of the path of action he has chosen."

Ellen watched as Huron strode out of the Temple, and shook her head.

"Back to farming I suppose," she muttered.

Thidwell stood in the ritual room, overseeing fresher after fresher take level one, and then level two, using the Affinity Crystals he'd provided.

His smile was deliberately unnerving as each fresher exclaimed and then explained to their Guild Leader the bonus they'd received.

His eyes narrowed and he forced his smile to remain unchanged as he sensed a presence move into the room and stand beside him.

A glance told him who had joined him.

"Your emminence," Thidwell stated flatly, acknowledging the man's presence.

It was difficult not to feel the power that radiated from a tier seven person, much less one who stood ready to ascend to tier eight, who further radiated the power of dozens of divine blessings and persistent effects.

"Thidwell," Huron greeted him with a soft smile, "I see that you are following in your fathers footsteps, changing the world," he said gently.

"Yes," Thidwell replied through clenched teeth, "however unlike my father, I won't allow myself to be betrayed and purged from history."

Huron sighed softly and raised his hands in surrender, "As I told you, all those years ago, I was tending to the wounded and unaware that your father had been left to fight the Hydra alone," he continued quietly, "as for our history, the choice was to allow the people of Harbordeep to see their hero betrayed by the very forces they rely on to protect them, or to stay silent."

Thidwell did his best to swallow his anger. He was in no position to challenge Huron, and really, the priest's only sin was in looking the other way when nobles, equal to his power, sought to rewrite history to cast their betrayal in another light.

"Although I know it brings you no comfort, I can assure you that I didn't make my choice lightly, and as the years have passed, I have become more and more convinced that I strayed from Vi'Radia's light when I walked that path," he said sadly, "you should know that I've recently ordered those records purged, and I am replacing them with the truth of what happened."

Thidwell blinked, his teeth unclenching and his mouth falling open slightly before he recovered his composure.

"What brought on the sudden bout of honesty?" he whispered to the priest.

"When the Church began investigating a young man named 'Bob', and by association, Holmstead, we found that our records were woefully incomplete," Huron said, "which caused some of our more paranoid and zealous members to suspect cultist activity."

Huron waved a hand gently to dispel Thidwell's response.

"By the time it was brought to my attention, we had already infiltrated Holmstead, and discovered that the suspicion of cultist activity was groundless, although these new crystals and paths caused quite a stir," he finished.

Thidwell glanced over at Huron, trying to read his intent, and failing.

"And what," he ground out, "is the Church's position on the matter?"

"That having more powerful adventurers to stand before wave and tide is a blessing," Huron responded promptly, "the Church is grateful that you've worked so hard to codify your discoveries," he held up a battered pamphlet, "and that you've not only willing shared the information, but gathered the resources to start the rest of Greenwold down the path to safety and prosperity."

Thidwell waited.

Huron looked at him carefully, and sighed again before continuing, "Thidwell, I have my failings, and as the Church is comprised of men and women, so does the Church," he paused to consider his words before continuing, "I've made mistakes, and I've failed you, personally."

Huron waited, until Thidwell gave him a sharp nod, then continued.

"Mistakes aside, the Church recognizes this opportunity, and will stand by you, and the other Guild Leaders to support you in this endeavor," he went on, "support that you'll need, as the Church estimates that the likely outcome is that the King will seek to entrench Nobles from Harbordeep into the towns and villages, in order to sure that the prosperity that will surely follow your hard work is properly taxed and delivered to his coffers, with said Nobles taking a bite of the profits along the way."

"I was hoping they'd rot in Harbordeep and leave us alone," he grumbled.

"Unlikely," Huron replied, "the lust for wealth and the power it provides is perhaps the longest, but surest path which leads to darkness."

"If you won't object, I'd like to stay and watch this endeavor," Huron said, "while I know you don't need it, giving it the visible approval of the Church can only help."

Thidwell nodded slowly. The old priest wasn't wrong, and while Austin was well known in Holmstead, Huron's rank was clear, and his presiding over the whole affair sent a strong message.

He forced himself not to grit his teeth. 'Any tool,' he thought to himself, 'any weapon, any alliance save to those backstabbing cowards.'

"Welcome to the revolution," Thidwell said.