Lore and alliance

Vevznir said *Thank you every one for exterminating the tarsiers, you saved our race. We need to be ready for the power vacuum that their death will leave and we must as well have in mind longer plans. As most of you know, the Emberwood forest used to be the capital of the Emberlight kingdom. Destroyed by the blacksaber clan, all traces of our glorious past were destroyed. We are the only remaining proof of our history. We mustn't forget it, nor forget the betrayal of the Blacksaber clan, nor the scheming mind of our sworn enemy, the Empire of light. I know that you had diverging mindsets regarding the Tarsiers than us Ents and the Gorillas. Still, we couldn't let ourselves die.

And we couldn't allow for the Empire's lackeys to roam free in the forest! Interject the gorilla. We must punish those that betrayed us!

Now now Harma. Said Vevznir. I know that the Tarsiers' scar still aches. We must not be clouded by emotions and remain composed. I understand why you Langurs and Mandrill did not intervene.

We don't! Said Harma. My ancestors told me that the Langurs were nobility and had deep ties with the royal clan. Why did you not kill these pests? Why did you not avenge the kingdom?

You know nothing, young Harma, said Lampu, the male tier 4 Langur. While his mane and fur was dark, he had a long beard reaching up to his chest. We were indeed close with the royalty and some of us even worked with the royal guards to protect the dynasty. What you don't know is that when they were hit, all our strongest members were immediately killed by the Blacksaber dynasty. Fearing our potential, they engaged in a killing spree and very few of us live today. You may not know but we are the specie with the lowest birthrate in this Emberwood forest, and among monkeys and many other races. The blacksaber's perception covers most of the kingdom. We couldn't make ourselves known nor could we grow more powerful, fearing to be targeted again. There is nothing strange for several rank 4s to mature in this forest. Ranks 5 however threaten the stability and the royalty would send the army and mercenaries to kill these tier 5s. Lampa and I managed to reach something called a class. We focused on it and reached tier 4 as a Monkey's sage and Monkey's archwizard. We reproduced, kept our infants safe and spread these class things among our clan. We didn't do nothing all this time. We didn't lose any member and we grew stronger. Sharpening our fangs.

What about the mandrills then? Could they not do something?

Harma, Vevznir said, the mandrills were always neutral. During the purge, they crafted armors and weapons only to those belonging to the Emberlight kingdom. Many of them lost their lives and their knowledge was lost to a great extent. While they have several aggressive and strong warriors they must keep safe those crafting. It is true that they didn't do anything, that they didn't craft armors or sent warriors. What they didn't do as well was arming the tarsiers or telling on us. They did not betray us. To go back to our main point of discussion. Emberwood is now relatively safe for us. We will be able to somewhat prosper. The problem is that the Blacksaber clan will not let us prosper. We Ents are trapped here. We risk loosing the precious remaining artifacts of the Emberlight kingdom's dynasty. Moreover, if we do leave the sanctuary, the king of Blacksaber will sense us. Another issue is that when us Ents reach tier 4, we are detected as well. It seems that you monkeys can reach tier 4 without facing this phenomenon and I believe that it is because of our Mana signatures, but I may be wrong. While we strengthened ourselves, the Sanctuary is crowded for that many of us. We cannot welcome anymore tier 4s and we can't have the new ones dying. Algen, several other Ents, Sunkong and Mookong left Emberwood this morning and are now traveling north, towards the Eternal mountain range, where the kingdom perception and persecution does not reach. He marked a pause.

These informations were crucial to Ezyze and the Unshakables. They understood more of the power dynamics of the Emberwood forest and the Blacksaber kingdom. Moreover, the culture of the monkeys seemed to run deeper that they imagined.

Vevznir continued. During the battle yesterday, 47 Ents died, their essence returned to the forest. 120 brave gorillas lost their lives. Every survivors grew stronger. Alvem and several other Ents are now postponing their evolution until their reach the mountain range. They are accompanied by Sunkong and Moonkong that wait to be ranked up to monster lords, tier 5. We have information that many bandits, troll villages and other beasts roam these mountains. *

While more and more are coming there from lands further away from the mountain range, the Blacksaber kingdom let them roam free. They apparently gain more money by keeping this unstable situation and waiting to be commissioned to take them down.

In the Blacksaber kingdom, the royal capital has been relocated in the South, facing the border near the Red Feather kingdom. The Eternal Mountain range being a natural barrier, the clan established itself in the South in order for the closest cities and mercenaries band to develop in the South. Even if the Blacksaber clan had an established and edicated army for the protection of the kingdom, it was mainly used on the war against their Southern neighbor.

Their ranks containing several high ranked high elves legendary classes dedicated to magic, they used their incredible lifespan to understand and develop countless spells and grow their classes stronger. A noble like society focused towards magic, few of the millions of elves and high elves fought in the frontlines. It is said that their long lasting history spans century and pioneers developed their fighting arts, bowmanship and other, polishing them since the beginning of their existence, surviving ever since.

After agreeing to pay tribute to the Empire, the elves took power, established noble families and had an elve centric view on power, where a royal elven nobility ruled over the kingdom and its many elves. Still, several other clans became nobles and even dukes of the kingdom. They are the polar opposite of the Blacksaber kingdom which has nobilities and then clans ruling cities. While the immediate area around the Blacksaber's capital city, Swordgrave and neighboring cities had strong clans, rank 5 beings and supporting troops, public order was maintained. On the other hand, cities were quite far away from each others in the North.

In order to go from city to cities, mercenaries band could escort travelers, merchants and such. Many bandit troupes were established in the northern regions. The western area was relatively safe and free from bandit and monsters. The Eastern side had the forest and the Sea, having one mercenary stronghold in the Southern part of the forest.

Established mercenaries usually had many members, a vast network and made a part of their living from their escorting fees. Mercenaries from the blacksaber kingdoms were also highered in fights against foreign countries. They could be hired by foreign politicians, royalty, businessmen, and every people with money. Adventurers were usually people choosing to adventure in a small party, or their own. Their tasks were more diversified and include exploring, cultivating and many others. They could travel from kingdom to kingdoms, but they usually had ties with specific regions and kingdoms. Adventure guilds were established in every Kingdom and mercenaries guilds were separate organizations that were established abroad similarly.

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The region between the forest and the mountains was quite far from Blacksaber's prying eyes and they could develop themselves there without necessarily falling under the kingdom's swords.

*There, we aim at being a force to be able to overtake the usurper and live in a place where we won't be hunted and constrained to a sanctuary, where we can carry on with our lives. We want to live in somewhere like this. In order to do this, we have to be able to rival the kingdom and its powerful army. It is a far sighted dream, but us Ents have time. We will eventually find a time to establish ourselves.

Moonkong and Sunkong are wise yet courageous, a good portion of their forces and several hundred of Ents will eventually be under their guidance. With a history spanning centuries, we believe that we can become apart of our ambitions and use our knowledge to develop ourselves. We have sent 12 rank 3 in advance. Their are strong, sturdy, yet slower. Alven will soon evolve into something that matched the instincts of a being that battled and fought for hundred of battles and finally gained a rank 2. He was one of the few that have a class, being a rare rank 2 arborist. He evolved into the unique Bonsaï- tree grower, a rank 3 Unique class that can make trees grow into their smaller version. He intends on trying to evolve into a human shaped form, in order to evolve into something that would be recognized as a human or gaining simlar status, thus offsetting the system's rule. This way, he would eventually be capable to establish forces that would be smaller, yet, more likely to gain classes and thus develop themselves more quickly.*

Only 5 Ents have in total gained a class in their clan. Yet, many of them lived centuries. 4 rank 4 of these monsters gained a magic oriented class, while one rank 5 a combat oriented class. Yet, they were at most classes rank 4. The Ents could notice the tremendous effects that these classes had on the Ents and their development. They could have access to some special abilities! With those, they could repel those who hurt them.

*We will send a batch of 15 other ents when the stronghold is established, hoping for their quick growth. Harma and many other Thunder gorillas will go with them. We are asking you to collaborate with us. We need more people to develop ourselves and need reliable partners, allies and even comrades with whom we would develop ourselves. We will need initially as much help as possible and offer for other clans to join us.

We will send as agreed several members, but still need to choose which- ones, so soon, said Lampa.

One craftsman volunteered himself, for his own growth. Explained the leader of the mandrill race. We also agree to start trading more with the other monkey races.*

All were positively surprised. The monkeys, promising to come back at a later date, went to their respective clans. The unshakables were left in the sanctuary.

*Little one, we learnt from our own people of your tales of bravery. You went above our expectations and our deal. Still, we will reward you now.

He gave a rainbow colored fruit, that was glistening heavily with mana. It is one of the treasures that we cultivated for centuries.

While we agreed to give you a fruit that will boost the production rate of your Queen, this here is a one of the only 8 fruit of its genre and is this rare because to produce it, the process is of the fruit acquiring different types of energy and enormous amount of mana, taking centuries. They give a huge boost to those who take it. For your Queen, it will have enormous effects.*

Thank you, Ezyze bowed.

*Also, Volzir agreed to gift to the next batch of evolved, his essence. We thought that it will help motivate some of the newcomers.

The newcomers?

Some of the female hoplites are pregnant. You didn't know?

I didn't. Thank you, once again.

It is only fair. Also, Volznir was a bit disappointed not to hear of the tales of his unique goblin descendance fighting valiantly at the frontlines. We hope that it will be used to grow a strong user. Also, the offer is extended to you.

What offer?

Establishing ourselves in the region. You seem to be forming a sort of mercenary group. We give you the offer to join us in establishing a stronghold and develop an organization.

While I can agree in principle with an alliance, I must specify that while I will never tell a living soul about your enterprise, we may at some point part ways. We do not want harm to come our ways if this were to happen. I want to guarantee the safety of my members, while having the freedom to know what my beliefs are in this world. Establishing a strong hold is part of my current plans, I don't know whether I want to make an enemy of Blacksaber yet, we aim at being stronger.

And I vouch for what you just said. The Council seconds me.*

Ezyze thought for a long time.

*Who are these 15 Ents that you are sending?

They are 10 young sprouts that we personally raised in the sanctuary and mana-rich river. Some of them can already cast a bit of magic. They manipulate mana extremely well. We hope that they will gain magic classes. The 5 are our descendant, that we groomed for as long the forest exist. They are rank 2, but are mana rich smaller version of us. There, they will be able to develop fully and not make the same mistakes that we did.

It is well thought. What about the Langurs and gorillas?

Harma and her faction are powerful. While a rank 4 Thunder Gorilla, she is also is a rank 3 gorilla gladiator - a unique class. She is supposed to create the conditions among her tribe for her to leave while having the tribe striving. It will take some time. The Langurs are still a strong force in the forest and act for a better balance in the forest. Many of these magic beings were still growing stronger and far from tier 5s. Strong enough members need to stay to ensure the survival of the young and weak few, while many are eager to roam free somewhere else. They will know which balance is just prior to the expedition.*

Diii~iing!

Congratulations, you formed an alliances and made plans to establish yourself wih other factions. It is a turning point in your development. You gained 5 Aries.

He returned home and gave Cleopatra the fruit to eat. She ate it and expressed how delicious it was. She quickly created a cocoon and started assimilating the fruits energy.

It seems that it will take some time, he thought.

He gathered everyone around and asked them what they gained from the battle. The Aries warriors killed a huge numbers of rank 3s and some contributed to kill a rank 4. The number of rank 2s that they killed was extreme. They were already past developing their rare class at the level 30's some of them reached rank 3, pushing their first class to the 40's. The Spearman reached a rank 3 epic class and the rank 2 rare class Aries warrior. Her levels were past 90 overall. Baal became a rank 3 hell-fired blessed horned demon epic class and rank 2 fire swordman.

Arthur became a rank 4 unique Aries force swordmaster. This is far from the class that he coveted for a decade. Inhabited by a renewed thirst to gain experience and grow his capabilities to enhance their individual strenght, he chose the unique class, delivered to those who had mastered fully developed Aries sword arts. It enhances the capabilities that he possessed and make his aura grow stronger. His sword beams were tougher, larger and had more penetrative power. His aura and sword become silvery. He now has the Passive option to train a student. He could also choose a person to be the opposite force for few minutes. During this time, all beams would be attracted to the designated opponent, force could be used to move objects. It wasn't telekinesis, it was more like intense gravity. His second skill was to create force swords. They could be moved around using force.

The hoplites gained enough experience to propel their class into the rare hoplite - rank 2.

Ghoblin became a unique ghost hoplite - rank 2. He could now cast a buff to the nearby 4 hoplites, decreased their chance of being perceived by the enemy by 10 percent. He had the active shadow slash thrust and the Passive ghost presence, which decreased his chance of being perceived by the enemy by 10 percent.

Froblin became a frozen hoplite, an epic class at rank 2. His actives were freezing thrust, the active ice wall, capable of creating an ice wall in front of him, and the Passive freezing armor, which increases his armor by 10 percent.

Whoblin and Golblin became rare light hoplites, a rank 2 epic class. The had the active light thrust, the Passive healing aura, which healed periodically for 5 percent of their Vitality. Their last ability was Passive and called light feet, which increases speed by 5 percent.

Broblin became a unique rank 2 immortal hoplite. His active was savage thrust, his Passive were undying will increasing the regeneration rate of allied troupes by 20 percent and unaltered strenghy, increase his strenght, dexterity and Stamina by 5 percent, every 20 percent of Vitality lost, capping at a + 50 percent.

Zephyr became a rank 2 epic class called the storm dual swordman. He gained the active skill wind blade where he could create wind blades that he controlled with his mind. The active skill dual wind gave him added damages when he used the sword and increase in the output of wind based skills. His last skill was sharp sword, which increased movement speed by 10 percent and damages by 5 percent when using two swords.

Rea became a rank 2 unique monstrous bladed fighter. Her active skills was bladed armor, which coated her limbs, increasing damagesanx defense. Her Passive skills were monstrous combo, where here strenght, speed and Stamina increased by 1 percent for each continuous hit and hit made within 5 seconds. Her last Passive was human weapon, which increased the penetrative power of her attacks when attempting to cut an enemy by 10 percent.

It was time for Ezyze to check his status.

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