End of the Demon War V

"Oh, I'm sorry. Um, can you please visit?" he begged. His face was blushing like a tomato as he shrunk a little. Pops had joked about him having a crush on her when they were with Selene before.

"I… fine…" She didn't know how to answer, still wanting to see her friend and talk a bit more.

"Dina! Dina!" a yell was heard in the distance. Tilly was at the far corner of another street, waving at her in hopes of getting her team to come in for another internal quest to fight crime. "Can't stop just yet! Another call for help from the station just reached us! They only have two officers in that district!"

"I guess we have more work ahead of us. We'll see you later." They both agreed as Ezra ran to catch up to the other priests, waving behind him as they headed off to a much better area of the city. As the adventurers headed towards the guild receptionist, an officer ran towards them and stopped, panting. Pops handed off the son of some noble family, still laughing and yelling out slurs thinking he'd be allowed out of jail the moment his parents bribed the captain. He didn't know that the police were now very well paid, with their families well taken care of and strict training. Their standards did not allow anyone that could bring down their fledgling reputation right now.

Before they got to Tilly, her golden titian curls swaying as she hopped a little waiting for them, another woman walked by with odd colored irises and gazed at her the entire time, not stopping once. Dina turned her head as the woman exited the street and headed down an alleyway. She had heard rumors of the empress having eyes and ears everywhere, minions of her own creation helping keep the peace and watching over everyone. Selene had to be a goddess, there was no other way she could do what she did so well. The rest of the gods could learn a thing or two about how to take care of their children.

"Ok, what's next?" the ranger asked.

"I'm glad you asked! First off, if you get this one done, I can guarantee an upgrade in your rank!" Tilly responded with a huge smile shooting a fist into the air.

"What?! Really?!" all of the team said in unison, grouping their heads together.

"Yup! You'll be raised to Gold Rank if you can finish this! There's only one catch… it's… it kind of involves a minor noble house, and it's time-sensitive. Nothing really scary, just needs to be done quickly and follow the laws." They all looked at each other.

"Sure. What do we have to do?" There was a group of Orichalcum adventurers nearby watching them and pointing once in a while, also tracking the son of the noble that was just caught. They were laughing and making odd gestures involving how the team had just barely nabbed the criminal. Once the quest was handed to Dina, they turned around to bump into the chest plate of two warriors.

"That was a pretty interesting chase you just had, little missy. You aren't too tired, are you?" one of them asked, a huge grin on his face as the braids in his brown beard shifted on both sides. His partner just stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, their teammates in the back sitting on barrels.

"We handled it as best we could and got the job done. There's no problem honestly."

"Huh. They must be lowering their standards for gold rank then if they just hand it out to people like you after that show" the man laughed out, lifting his head up as if his amusement was aimed at the sky. Dina frowned at him, annoyed that they'd talk down to another party trying to keep the peace.

"It seems we'll have to handle the crime lords by ourselves these days, Nixon. There's so few higher ranks around that can really handle themselves, getting winded just from catching a young boy" his partner added in, their rank plates jingling a little as they hung from their armor.

"Both of you, why even waste your time talking to them? We need to go get paid by the noble houses for the arena we just singlehandedly closed down" the witch behind them giggled out, adjusting her dress a little to keep her chest covered as the cloth slipped slightly. There was an assassin and a priest nearby, both looking to try and avoid speaking. Not all of the Orichalcum team shared the same view.

"Why you little…" Marv grumbled out as Pops held him back with one arm outstretched. There was no sense in arguing with them in the middle of the street.

"Oh well. Maybe we'll see you around sweeping the alleys later, or saving a cat from a tree."

"Hey! You knock this off! Bashing on other adventurers while in the middle of a quest is strictly forbidden! It causes an increased likelihood that interference may become a factor, causing failure!" Tilly warned. The guild was set up more to keep the teams in check with guidelines and rules to control any confrontation, to make sure they were paid correctly for contracts completed, and as communication hubs and party-building locations. Having a higher rank pick on a lower one was a clear sign a fight could break out in the middle of the street, which could cause collateral damage that would need to be repaired and people healed. That would reflect on the guild's reputation, so they did whatever they could to contain the bullies. Those who did not agree to follow the rules were immediately considered bandits in Artinia, with small armies sent out to eliminate them due to their strength.

"Yeah yeah, good luck with your city cleaning duties! We'll uh, we'll head off and make some real money and won't disturb you anymore. Have fun being the maids at the precinct." Both warriors walked away and waved nonchalantly behind them. Tilly looked as if she was fuming, her hands clenched in fists and pushed outwards at her hips.

"Ooooooh, the local adventurers piss me off so much! Not only do we have to deal with the ones that are volunteering from Silvinholm, but also the teams that already live here! They have such a stuck up attitude!" she snapped, then looked at Dina. "Ah, sorry about that. Most of the ones that came with us to Aureos are different, just like you guys! Don't let it get to you. You all did a great job just now."

"Yeah. Well, even at a lower rank, I'm pretty sure we could have handled those bastards" Dylan grumbled out, with his wizard teammate agreeing.

"With the gear we have right now? Not likely. As much as I would have wanted to show them a thing or two, they have much better equipment that amplifies their strengths. Sorry to say, but we just need to take it and stay silent," Pops replied, his face in a grimace as his eyes closed. He hated saying that, admitting defeat before they even fought.

"We can't get better equipment when we're stuck paying the legal fees for working in Aureos, with part of our pay going to room and board! That's why we went to Silvinholm in the first place!" Marv snapped at him.

"You aren't paying for either now. Didn't you know? As long as you stay at the certified adventurer's inn near the guildhall, that's free as long as you are on a quest or recently completed one" Tilly informed them.

"When did that change?" Pops asked.

"Since the Clockwork Empire started reviewing taxes and withholdings in the past week. Costs have also been dropped for those who work with the police to deal with situations inside municipalities, to improve the chances of adventurers keeping their equipment maintained or upgraded to keep up with new ranks. There's even an offer to collect on some of the stolen property if no one comes to retrieve it, provided it isn't restricted for military only. Some of that is magical after all."

"Can we… can we be sponsored?" Dina asked. "I mean, it could quicken the pace…"

"Mmm, I don't know of any noble houses that are willing to do that around here. Most of the ones in Aureos are still a little shady with ulterior motives, or so the rumors say; I doubt you want to mingle with them too much" Tilly responded as she tapped her finger on her lower lip and thought for a moment.

"Maybe have the empress fund us? That would be an amazing dream" Dylan chuckled out, saying it as more of a joke than anything. They all looked at him. "What?"

"You think she'd actually do that? That's all it would be, a dream" Marv told him.

"Maybe. I don't know, it's… hmm…" Dina said, a plan forming in her mind. Up until now, they had never been allowed to be a part of a raid to break a crime ring, and there were numerous below the streets that had run everything from slave trade to exotic weapons dealing. While most of the corruption in Artinia had allowed it to flourish, only clamping down when it pushed into official business, the Clockwork Empire was tearing apart the criminal organizations trying to keep working under the radar. She hoped that the empress considered them at least somewhat like friends. "Whatever, that's a question for another day. Let's see about this quest."

"Good to hear. Now…" Tilly started as they gathered around, two copper teams walking by to go help with much smaller issues in the city, an iron team stopping a shoplifter.

Four Hours Later, Noon

(Recommended Song: Peder B. Helland - Going Home)

"Shore up those lines! The ice is building up a little more than expected!" Erilyn shouted at her crew as they ran around on the deck, getting the ship latched down. They had a scuffle with the last pirate cove to the north, an iced-over island that didn't even have a name other than 'Hidey Hole.' There were barely any ships worth mentioning, though they were troubling the fishing trawlers for the past few days. Her fleet had a run-in with them, sending them packing quickly only to head straight into two clockwork corvettes ready to intercept. They were now all sunk, with the admiral ready to get some much-needed shut-eye.

"Is it true admiral? You're really leaving us?" one of her crew asked. She turned around, her chest bouncing a little from the poor support of her blouse and jacket. The men on deck always liked seeing that, though none ever tried to make advances on her.

"It's true. I've been learning little by little how to deal with the new designs the empress has for her fleets. I applied, the application was accepted. I'm going to need to go through a bit more training, but you'll see me on the high seas again sooner or later."

"That's a shame. We're all gonna miss your bounc… er… your bravery and presence when we have to fight against those scallywags again." She raised an eyebrow and shifted her stance, her hands on her hips while rocking a little and allowing her multi-colored hair to fall slightly to the left. It was getting a little longer than she wanted, expecting a hair cut in the next week or so.

"Yes… indeed. Well, I have to meet with someone, finish up here, will you?" She said, right before hopping off the side of the ship to a large waiting plank leading to the dock. Her calf-high boots made knocking noises as she headed through the city of Sweet Water, straight towards the mayor's estate. The guards at the gate let her in quickly, the butler opening the main door with Mia waiting just inside. The ex-princess ran to hug her, the admiral reciprocating the action. "Hey there, your highness."

"I'm not a princess anymore, you know that Eri." The buxom woman started to pet the teenager's head, a smile creeping on both of their faces.

"You're always going to be royalty to us." The smile on the mayor's face turned into a pout.

"But I'm not! I chose this. I'm happy here, the city is doing well after a few changes to the policies."

"Did you bring those changes up with the empress? She might not like you fiddling with laws. She seems to have a good idea of what to restrict."

"I didn't do anything with the laws, I changed some of the policies and procedures of how the citizens should go about business. Fewer checkpoints for trade, more random patrols to catch anyone who tries to open a black market. We have waivers to sign for those who wish to try and harvest the ocean farther than we can look out for them. The sea lanes are color-coded on the map to determine the risk to travel, with green and blue being well protected while orange and red informing we can't always defend ships that far out." Erilyn raised an eyebrow and pulled away, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, ok, just be careful about interfering with the security forces that occasionally arrive to check on the tunnels. Gilford has been trying to stop hidden magical item sales in there, which is making more and more boats become hubs for illegal transactions. I don't know what they hope to get, there's no one really to fight." Mia had a mischievous grin on her face and put her hands behind her back as she leaned forward a little, sticking her small chest out. She had a bit stronger personality now that she wasn't forced to hide anymore, to control a city with the counsel and overwatch of the empress. The admiral liked seeing her in this way, coming out of her sweet and innocent shell and growing a backbone little by little.

"I know why they're trying to collect all of these magical weapons and gear." The admiral seemed shocked that the young woman knew more about what was happening than they did, as both the police chief and herself were having difficulties getting intel or interrogating those who were captured. "There's an underground war happening between nobles that hasn't yet started."

"Wait, a war?! Oh, Mia, we have to warn the empress!"

"There's no real need if you think about it. They're trying to get rid of each other so that they can win her favor in a new future brought about by the empire. It technically helps the empress if they all try to kill each other."

"That's not the point! They could bring in outside help that could harm anyone caught in the middle!" Mia seemed to still be smirking at her with one eye closed, a finger pointed at Erilyn.

"Except that's not how nobles fight. I've seen how they try and handle each other just to have someone higher in title take notice. They don't want anything flashy. Did you notice all of the magical weapons found didn't cause large amounts of damage to the area? They want to backstab and assassinate, to poison and mind control others in hopes of keeping everything quiet. We won't see any commoners getting caught up in this because they don't want word getting out any of this is happening. It could damage their standing with the empress. If that comes to pass, then that house is most likely doomed. What they want is to have her listen to them no matter what, to alter laws. Somehow, I doubt she's willing to do that." Erilyn raised her eyebrows, then looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"So… she hasn't executed any of the nobles until they actually do something that could cause instability of the empire? That seems… foolish, too foolish for what she's already been doing. There's no madness in her method, everything has been well planned and orchestrated."

"Exactly. I heard that when they crawled out of their bunkers in Silvinholm, they were met with those special weapons her majesty's soldiers carry. They begged to meet with the king and beg for mercy, not knowing that Artinia was conquered already. Now, they're trying to recoup so many losses with their financial status and land ownership, they don't have time to scheme against anyone but each other just to climb the power ladder again. I guess they still have large enough funds to get back on their feet at least. It just simply isn't worth it for them to try and pick on the people of Silvinholm, Aureos, or try anything here. If they planned anything against the empress, she'd find out quite quickly given Gils has seen even minor disturbances that could affect stability to be neutralized by her security coming from their amazing forts."

The admiral crossed her arms under her bust, the blouse and jacket barely keeping her ample chest contained. "I see… yes, now that you mention it, her… what were they called… coast guard seemed acutely aware of any shipping of illegal goods before we were. The only time we dealt with them was when they used the boats in the harbor as a market itself. Hmm… I wonder if it is true… there's no way she's mortal if the empress knows about these events before it actually happens." The door opened again for Gilford to walk in, snow slowly falling outside as he brushed it off his shoulders and took his coat off for the butler to put away.

"Gil!" Mia rushed to hug him as he did the same. He looked exhausted; the police chief lived in his own home despite being in a relationship with the ex-princess. While it did raise a bit of concern for the citizens that they wouldn't always be looking out for the wellbeing of the people given that their priorities may always be to each other, they had proven already that their actions would always put the best interests of the city at the forefront for the most part. Though there was an option to have a commissioner above Gilford and it was suggested by the people, the empress herself decided not to have that position available, which settled the issue. Their population wasn't quite high enough to require one, among other factors.

"Sorry I'm late, we had to track down an illegal drug transport coach that was holding Scooze. I don't know why they're trying to get that stuff to Eld Horn, no one needs it anymore or cares." He pulled away after a quick kiss and gave Erilyn a much shorter hug before they headed into the dining room.

"There is still a market for it Gil, the empress didn't exactly make recreational drugs illegal, just the ones that can physically harm the body. Right now, Scooze is still being researched on all of its effects, whether it is 'medically damaging' or can somehow be beneficial. Until then, it's not allowed to be sold," the admiral replied as they sat down. The terminology they used was due to the increase in education level for the people in Sweet Water, having time to actually learn quite a few new things; even some subjects that were banned by Artinia were now available so that the citizens could understand how to make better choices.

"Then why are they so set on trying to get it out of the city? Also, where are they making it? My officers can't seem to find the body of water they're using in the cleaning process. It doesn't make any sense."

"You know, Gil, you aren't supposed to join your men out in the field. A police chief deals with the paperwork and keeping things orderly back at the precinct" the admiral coyly told him. He simply looked at her and blinked.

"This is me you're talking about."

"Right, what was I thinking? I take it your lieutenants aren't too happy with the arrangement?"

"This is why I asked Mia if they can get a little extra pay for their service. They also don't have to do a lot of physical exertion, which is a bonus."

"Maybe I should take that away if it means you'll be in more danger out there," the mayor commented, a small frown creeping onto her lips. He sighed as he tried to keep a smirk from showing, his mouth wiggling a little as he rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine, Mia. Besides, anything that is too over our heads gets sent to the adventurer's guild for extra backup to arrive, and even then… if it gets out of control, that's when the Clockwork Security Force tends to show up." Erilyn picked up her fork and poked at the starter salad for lunch, moving a carrot slice away from a cherry tomato. Vegetables in winter were still a luxury given how magic added in nutrients back into the land, it didn't yet speed the whole process up or make the plants grow well in bad weather. New improvements in small farming allowed even gardens to be protected inside greenhouses, with a small bauble that eventually dissolved in the soil to speed the whole growth of the vegetables up. This was just one of the new creations that had started to filter out for the people to use in the empire, crafted with a fusion of basic runecraft and tier magic that shouldn't normally be allowed.

Apparently, as long as the ritual wasn't completed, runecraft could create the housing necessary for another spell to be used in the whole design, allowing warped versions to be experimented with. While the more complicated the spell used, the more unstable everything became; the process still allowed for minor tools to work well without issue. So far, a similar effect to [Growth Spurt] had been developed, something supposedly similar in effect to the empress's own magic, at least the lower quality tiers and first dimensions. There were swords made that could launch manacles hastily crafted from spare metal lying around, along with a gauntlet that could easily move water in a contained barrier to douse flames. Most believed their ruler had somehow contracted the dwarves to produce these unique items to be used by the people, though a rumor abounded that she already knew how to create their secretive mana infusing magic. No one knew the truth, however; the goddess wasn't very transparent with her actions and what her holy army was doing in the background.

"Yeah yeah, keep thinking they'll be there to save you when your butt gets in a bad spot. I'm not going to always be around to watch from offshore when you need a cannon shell fired by the way." The mayor looked forlorn as she averted her gaze down to the soup provided.

"Do you really have to leave?" she finally asked after a few moments of peace.

"Only for the training, then I'll be back. It's only a few months, the crews of our harbor defense will be fine."

"I just… I…"

"You'll miss me, I know. You still have Gil here. You know, you really do need to make nice with some of the wealthy in the city. Not all of them are nobles, and they do have the best interest for the city at heart; you might find a few that can become friends." Erilyn sipped from a glass of wine, not really caring that it was noon. A line she tended to use was "It's happy hour somewhere in the world, what's to stop me from drinking in the morning or midday if it's the night on the other side of the ocean?"

"I know…" Gilford reached under the table and grasped her hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of her fingers. She looked up at him as he tried to comfort the young woman. Just then, the butler arrived.

"Madam, this is most peculiar, but there is a group of men and women at the gate that would like entry. Supposedly they know you. There's a note as well in an envelope addressed to you." He handed the mail to the teenager, who promptly ripped open the top and pulled out the letter.

"Don't hold them up, they've been anxious to see you again. A gift you could say, mostly for them. – S"

"S? You mean… wait, the empress?!" Erilyn was shocked, then jumped up out of her chair and looked out a nearby window. "No way… it couldn't be… how is he alive?! The sword was… impossible!" she ran out of the room with Mia and Gil heading after her, right towards the foyer. The doors opened up to show… all of the guards from Silvinholm, including Commander Ralos.

"Are we interrupting anything?" he asked with a smile on his face, bowing carefully to Mia. The rest of his soldiers were right behind him, even the magician of the team.

"How are you still alive?" Erilyn questioned, wondering if this was some trick.

"I don't have the answer to that. One minute I was sure that was the end; the next I'm in a dark and foreboding place. Hands were grasping at my body, trying to tear it to pieces… then light. I had no understanding of time before I awoke in a bed, some… metal woman checking my eyes and blood. I was given a clean bill of health and… is it alright to come in? It's dreadfully cold out here." The mayor waved them all in, getting small hugs from each of them as they were all too happy to find out the princess had survived and was taken care of.

"You look… different, stronger now," Ralos stated, looking Mia up and down. "You, however…" his eyes landed on Erilyn.

"Admit it, you just missed these" the admiral replied, hopping a little to allow her assets to bounce. The commander brought his hand up to his eyes and shook his head slowly. They all continued to talk as the now much larger group headed back to the dining room. The mayor's office now had some new… old… colleagues to help keep the city of Sweet Water under control.

Meanwhile

"No." That was the answer the empress gave the Kohar Confederacy chieftains sitting in front of her.

"Why?" Kolbron asked, annoyed, and unable to see her side of this.

"Because it's proprietary technology. No. No one does that. At best we can give weapons crafted by my subjects and loans to get your own orders of equipment created, paid back over time of course." Selene had her hand up to her eyes in a facepalm, dumbfounded at the fact that the Minotaurs kept trying to add in things they wanted in negotiations. One of them, Tolgax, requested some technology as recompense for her race's actions in taking their lands so long ago. The ambassador was doing her best to keep things running smoothly after the introductions and starting conversations.

"You cannot believe that we—"

"How are any of you this bad at negotiations? Seriously? We just hashed out trade routes for your people into my empire with us dealing with all the security, a neutrality agreement between our borders, no interference when you go to take Caerel back, and I said we'd at least investigate this… this undead force to your eastern flank. Now, above everything, you want me to sell some of my technological advancements? No. You join for that or settle for swords and shields. I've reached my limit." Wrox seemed to growl, a whole speech ready in his mind to yell at her. Just as his mouth opened, she snapped. "Try and order me around, and you will find them to be your last words. I've so far given and given, hoping to keep a positive and understanding view of all of you, and a professional demeanor. Now, I'm getting annoyed here. You don't want the person who's trying to give you more than what you previously had to be annoyed. I've given an inch, and you are trying to take a mile."

"How can you not share what you have created? It could benefit all, even those across your borders. Knowledge should be shared. If we had what you have available, then there would be no need for you to investigate the undead force in the east. They could become a threat to all of us, including Tal Salunbal" Polaw said, confused as to why she didn't want to help everyone defend themselves. Selene shut her eyes tightly closed. No country in their right mind would sell or give away schematics or blueprints for what gave them an edge over anyone else; Earth's major powers only gave enough modernized weapons to hold the line against another common foe, and rarely if ever the bleeding edge tech. These chieftains simply didn't understand this concept, which made no sense to the dev. Assisting through supplies, helping a country get a decent government to rule over the population, advancing itself to new golden ages was all viable. Handing tech to a drastically inferior civilization was a great way of destabilizing everything, even causing them to get bold enough to pick a fight with everyone around them. The disparity between them was just too damned large.