Tristan
October 29, 1786, Realm Timeline, Brno, Bohemia
In a week and four days, Tristan managed to level up to fifteen and to bring everybody else up to level five, except Emilios, who was level twelve, and Pops, whose level was unknown. He had pushed the others and himself to the limit, and a bit beyond. They had trained, sparred, hunted a bear that attacked and killed a few villagers, done errands, and partied every night.
Sunday morning brought warm weather. The Outworlders called that time at the end of October and the beginning of November an 'Indian summer'. Tristan insisted that the team accompany him to church in Brno. Cedric had objected, but Tristan won him over with the promise that prayers and regular Mass attendance would cure his ugliness. It was a lie, but saving the elf's soul was important. Cedric was a good kid, always trying to help.
Tristan had expected his Humanity to grow by at least ten points per person after bringing the team to the church; however, he got only one. It had increased a bit after partying with the team, but had decreased after sleeping with Sandra. They had seen each other every other day.
I'm supposed to marry her. It's my Christian obligation... Pfff... Maybe that's why I had the Humanity stat so low at first; because I didn't marry any of the girls I've been with... Never mind... At least that annoying warning is gone.
Since Eliza had given him free rein, he took the notion to heart, investing most of his attribute points. Considering he had also gained stats through training, he felt pretty confident. A true hero waiting for the proper chance. As soon as Mass ended, he led his team toward the train station, checking his build on the way.
Name: Tristan von Melk
Age: 22
Class: Vampire Minion. Advance to level 20 to become a Minion Champion and be able to turn others.
Level: 15
Body
Strength: 25
Dexterity: 30
Constitution: 25
Agility: 30
Endurance: 30
Speed: 25
Mind
Intelligence: 25
Wisdom: 12
Perception: 20
Knowledge: 10
Focus: 15
Willpower: 26
Spirit
Arcane Power: 12
Blood Potency: 20
Mana Affinity: 12
Mana Capacity: 15
Soul Resonance: 20
Humanity: 29
You have 2 free attribute points to invest
Skills:
Passives:
System Interface / Universal Translator / Night Vision.
Combat:
Kill Streak / Vampiric Touch / Mana Bleed / Nocturnal / Triple AOE: Bloodlust, Vampiric Aura, and Killing Intent / Chekhov's Gun.
"Where are we going, Sir?" Isolde asked. "Bratislava?"
"There's a rock festival in Olmutz," Cedric said. His voice projected the hope of a treat. "Did you buy tickets for a concert, Sir?"
"We're not taking the train," Tristan said, going through the train station's building and crossing the rails, after making sure there was no train coming. On the other side was an empty lot, with Sandra's chopper waiting on it.
"Take a seat. Give me five minutes for the warm-up," Sandra said.
"Don't tell me we're learning to skydive," Isolde said, pointing at a pile of backpacks on top of which lay Tristan's spear and Cedric's longbow and quiver.
"Just backpacks," Sandra said.
"What's skydiving?" Tristan yelled. As long as the chopper was not in the air, the anti-noise enchantment didn't work, and the ruckus was unbearable.
"I'll show you!" Isolde shouted, taking her phone out.
"Oh... That could be useful," Tristan said a minute later. "Maybe next time."
"I know how to skydive," Emilios said, raising his hand.
"How do you know how to skydive?" Cedric asked.
"When you cook as well as I do, millionaires consider you their friend. We did skydiving, snorkeling, and all sorts of stuff. But none was as fun as being on the team, boss," he added.
"Bootlicker," Dorian snorted.
"I sure hope so."
"Fasten your seat belts, here we go," Sandra yelled.
'Thank goodness," Isolde said once the helicopter was up and the anti-noise charm activated.
"That's a neat charm," Tristan said.
"Sam came up with it," Sandra said.
"He's an enchanter?"
"Not quite... I don't know if I should share it with you. He's edgy about it. Let's leave it here."
"I understand. How long is the trip?" Tristan asked.
"About an hour and fifteen minutes, babe."
"Where are we going again, sir?" Isolde asked, trying to hide her roll of eyes. Tristan was almost sure she had also mimicked gagging.
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"A short field trip," Tristan said, frowning at Isolde. "You're forbidden to ask again before we land. Now focus on your builds, and invest all the free points you have except for two. We keep those just in case. If you don't know where to put them, ask, but go with what feels right to you. Isolde, can you ask Pops what his level is?"
There was quite a bit of writing and reading between the old man and Isolde, and the latter let out a lot of Ohs.
"He's ten, in our terms," Cedric, who had peeked over Isolde's shoulder, said. "He leveled only by meditating and teaching us kung-fu."
"Then, his kung-fu must be very good."
Tristan leaned back and dozed off. He woke when the chopper had already landed on a beach surrounded by forests, near the Danube. The others were outside, with the pile of backpacks. After hugging Sandra goodbye, Tristan exited, and the helicopter took off. Everyone was standing, looking at him for an explanation, except for Dorian, who was lying on the ground, half-buried in the soft ground.
He jumped off the chopper, Tristan realized.
"Ahh..." Dorian gasped, reviving. "Landing sucked. Flying is fantastic," he showed a thumbs-up.
"Boss, what are we doing here?" Aldric asked.
"Pushing our limits," Tristan said, making a rhetorical pause.
"How?"
"Twenty miles that way lies Buda," he pointed south. "The city is besieged by the Kingling."
"You want to break the siege?" Big Hair Max gasped.
"That would be impossible."
"And illegal!" Dorian said. "We have a neutrality treaty with the Kingling."
"Yes, because you're idiots who trust anyone. And don't talk without asking for my permission first. Now, where were we... Yes. There are only woods from here to Buda. I did a bit of research, and they're full of bandits and smugglers. We'll scout and gather information. We fight only if we must. Sandra's next flight is in three days; she'll pick us up at the same place."
"Err... Boss?" Dorian raised his hand.
"What?"
"May I speak?"
"Yes!"
"We Outworlders have a thing called drones. It's like a golem bird that flies and gathers information."
"Sandra told me about the drones. They don't fly over this area; it's considered low-priority. That's why I chose it," Tristan ended emphatically.
"Small detail," Aldric said, pointing at the giant river behind. "We're on the wrong bank."
"Sandra's not allowed to transport people to the other side, only humanitarian aid. We'll cross the river by ourselves."
"That's a huge swim, boss," Aldric said, scrutinizing the river. "We won't make it."
"And it's cold," Maximilian said, testing the water.
"I swim like a fish," Emilios said. "Cold, hot, doesn't matter."
"We won't swim," Tristan said. "Cedric will make a raft for us."
"That could work," Aldric nodded.
"I'll need someone to help me carry the logs," Cedric said.
"We'll all help."
"Sorry for asking, sir, but..." Isolde whispered. "If Sandra isn't allowed to take us on the other side, isn't crossing the river, you know... breaking the law? How is this different?"
"I care she doesn't get in trouble. Why would I care about you getting in trouble? You're a band of criminals in the first place."
"Criminals, Sir?" Isolde asked. "We're not criminals. Why do you think we are?"
"All those banners? Inglorious bastards, etcetera?"
"We told you it was a joke, Sir."
"You definitely didn't," Tristan said with assurance, because he had just remembered they had indeed told him about it. Yet officers were not supposed to show their weaknesses to their subordinates.
"We're not criminals," she insisted.
Tristan rubbed his chin, suddenly realizing his troops didn't fit the profile he had in mind. Max was, probably, an embezzler, and Dorian a conspirator, but the rest were... normal. He wasn't even sure Aldric had killed anyone. "Say... Why did Eliza put you together?"
"It wasn't Eliza who chose us; it was the Council's President, Sir," Dorian said. "There are three teams. It's a secret, but people talk. The best is made of combat classes and is led by the Juggernaut. He's a big guy who worked as a bodyguard. Taking damage only makes him stronger," the young man sighed in envy.
"The second team is made of mages," Isolde said. "Dunno all of them, but I'm pretty sure they have a shapeshifter."
"We're the ones with the worst classes," Aldric said.
"And the worst training," Dorian said. "No offense, Sir, but since it's the moment of truth..."
"And with the ugliest elf in the Universe," Cedrid added.
"They say we're support, but it's to make us feel better," Max added.
"I have an idea!" Emilios raised his hand. "Let's call our team: The Leftovers!"
Tristan shook his head. "Nonsense. There's good potential here. We need a name that inspires our friends and frightens our enemies. Suggestions?"
"The Brave Fools," Dorian said.
"The Black Sheep?" Emilios proposed.
"Chaos," Pops said loudly.
A few others were about to speak, but Tristan cut them off. "I like it. The Chaos Company. Now, we shall take the first step toward glory. For that, I need undivided dedication. We have no idea what we'll find on the other side. You might have to kill people. If you have problems with that, you can stay behind."
"It's better to test our mettle here," Emilios said. "If we wait for the next war, it'll be too late."
"Aye," Aldric nodded.
"I agree. Now, in those packs, you'll find all the survival gear you need. Inflatable vests, Sandra's idea. Light crossbows, a machete or an axe—switch among yourselves if you don't like what you get —tools, gear, food, water purification pills, and so on. They weigh forty pounds each, but you shouldn't have problems now. Your stats are big enough."
For a while, they busied themselves building the raft. Cedric had a way to use vines instead of ropes, wrapping and tying them with magic. The raft ended up having two layers of logs and a low railing for precaution. It was heavy, and they struggled to move it, even when everyone gave a hand. They launched two hours after they landed, paddling with improvised but sturdy oars.
"Emilios, if someone falls in the water, you're going after them. Except for Dorian, of course."
"Thanks again for your care, Sir!" Dorian wailed.
"Keep an eye open for debris."
"Bleep!" Isolde yelped.
Tristan couldn't blame her. The river's might was impressive. A mile wide, looking even larger from the water level, with a strong current pushing the raft East very fast.
"C'mon, guys, put some effort!" Tristan shouted.
Their paddling barely made them advance, and the current was pushing them toward a big island he had hoped to avoid. It divided the river into two channels, with the northern channel containing rapids. They were not high, but at that huge flow, they were dangerous nevertheless. Feeling the moment, Cedric took his oar and made it into a rudder. The island was getting closer and closer, but they were almost halfway down the river.
"We did it," Aldric yelled, pumping up his fist. That stopped him from rowing, and it counted. With a jolt, the raft planted itself on the western part of the river.
"Now you jinxed it!" Isolde said.
"It's nothing," Aldric said. "We take the raft on the other side and continue."
They were only a few dozen feet from the larger channel, and there was a path around the shore. However, a path meant also people, and Tristan made the hand sign for silence and hurry up.
"I smell death," Cedric said abruptly.
"W-what?" Isolde said.
"Dead bodies. Humans... no... not all of them..."
"How can you tell?"
"The intestines smell differently when they rot. There's a cow somewhere."
Isolde vomited. Emilios followed a second later, when the wind brought the stench toward them.
"Let's hurry," Aldric proposed.
"We're here to gather information," Tristan said. "This looks like it."
"You know what the Kingling is famous for, right, Sir?" Aldric said. "He spreads plagues. It's not worth the risk."
"I'll go have a look," Dorian proposed.
"I'll go," Cedrin said. "You could still spread the disease before you die. I'm immune to plagues, and I have an AOE that kills germs."
After Tristan nodded his approval, the elf walked away, stepping as lightly as possible, leaving his bow behind.
"We should move the raft; we might have to leave in a hurry," Tristan said.
Without Cedric, the raft felt heavier, but they managed to pull it across the island, with a stop every few feet. The elf returned fifteen minutes later, keeping twenty feet away.
"I'll tell you what I found, and you tell me if it's okay to approach, sir," Cedric said. I cast a Cleanse over me and my clothes, just so you know."
"Go on."
"There was a hamlet half a mile away. They had boats, hidden in the bushes."
"Had meaning?"
"They're all dead. About forty people, many kids," Cedric closed his eyes, a shiver passing through his body. "It happened a couple of days ago, maybe three. There are pustules all over their bodies, and they died very fast; they were lying all over, but in a radius of no more than a hundred feet."
"If they died so fast, it's not a plague," Aldric said. "It's gas."
"Swamp gas?" Tristan asked.
"Nerve gas. One of our weapons of mass destruction. A drop is enough to kill," Isolde said.
"It shouldn't act so fast," Aldric said. "I remember our briefs."
"Maybe they used magic," Cedric said.
"Local technology shouldn't be able to make this kind of stuff. And what about the delivery system?"
"What's that?" Tristan asked.
"A way to shoot the poison at a distance safely, or it would kill you too. This is not normal."
"Pops asks what's going on," Isolde said. "Give me a moment to translate... Wait! I still have signal!" she waved her phone. "Sending Sandra a message: Important! Found people killed by nerve gas on the island next to where you left us. Probably Renegade tech transfer... She says: OMG. I'll pass the news. She's back in Brno. Choppers fly fast."
"It looks more like mustard gas, but enhanced," the stonemage said. "The pustules."
"Correction: mustard gas, but stronger," Isolde said, typing the text.
"Tell her to say it was some news she heard in Budapest," Tristan ordered, "or your authorities might try to stop us from continuing our mission."
"Say you heard the rumor in Budapest..." the girl continued typing.
"Maybe giving up would be for the best?" Max said.
"You think so?" Tristan snapped.
"Yes." The man scratched his head. "We should leave it to... err... the professionals?"
"Hm..." Tristan crossed his arms. "And whom might they be, pray tell?"
"Yeah, I see your point, Sir, but... I'm a coinage expert, Emilios is a cook... This is dangerous."
"The captain's right," Emilios said. "This is what we have volunteered for."
Unexpectedly, the old Chinese became animated, gesturing widely. He talked for over a minute before noticing Isolde tugging his sleeve.
"Can you repeat, Pops?" she asked. "I put it on voice translate."
"What's more dangerous?" the man's words blurted out from the young woman's phone, spoken impersonally by a robotic voice, in stark contrast to his animated face. "Investigating now, or waiting for the barbarians to murder us in our sleep? We have an elf who can detect people better than a hound. An immortal," he pointed at Dorian. "A vampire," he said, moving his hand toward Tristan.
"Yes, but the rest of us—" Maximilian tried to say, but the Chinese spoke over him.
"This is how we grow. I came here by mistake, but now, I have magic. The Heavens have a plan for me. I intend to follow it. You can do whatever you want."
"What does he mean by coming here by mistake?" Tristan asked.
"Ah, that," Isolde said. "Pops was invited here because he has the same name as a renowned scientist. They switched them by mistake."
"Lucky scientist," Maximilian said.
"Fine, Max, you can stay behind," Tristan said. "We're going on. Cedric, put together a couple of logs for him so he can cross back."
"W-wait! I can't swim!"
"I'm sure you'll do fine. Crossing some rapids is no big deal," Tristan said.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Max sighed.
"That's what good armies are made of," Tristan nodded. "Volunteers."