The Ancients World

Chapter 71: The journey to Zenith city IX

{I just want to let everyone know that The journey to Zenith city finishes around part 20, I've currently stockpiled a bunch of chapters and I do feel bad for only uploading 1 a day when I write 2 to 3. So if my story gets into the top 20 s by Sunday morning I'll release all stock piled chapters, by Sunday there will be 12 chapters in total. Thanks for your patience, I know some readers only want action and loot, and others want story and development. I'm doing my absolute best fulfilling both. The journey to Zenith city is a time I'm taking to develop characters and the plot, once Zenith city is reached the story will have better lore, characters, and plotlines. Thanks for reading!!!}

Suddenly my hologram pad flickers back on and I see the staticky image of William. He is trying to say something, but there is to much interference. Soon the call cuts out and I'm left to my thoughts, he might have wanted to keep talking. We will be there soon, we have a few more gates to pass through and everything is going according to schedule. I make my way out of my mobile tent and tell the soldiers carrying it to put me down, I need to speak to the leader of this city before we use the next gate. Nelmorp is a lovely city, but so many new people have been arriving that its making travel extremely difficult. The soldiers that are carrying my tent take a breather while I make my way to the mayors office.

While Saintess Lucy makes her plans and prepares to mobilize her troops, Cera is minutes out from Nelmorp. I have made great time and the sun should be rising any minute now, Nelmorp is in view and I cant help my fear at seeing mom after I ran from her last night. It's taken awhile to get here, but the vast majority of my journey is done. The capital is a day away from Zenith so I shouldn't take long getting there once I'm done here. I travel for a little longer and I make it to the city gates, every player in sight is wearing leather armor. Some are probably people wanting to hide their good gear, the copy paste feature works really well when you want to hide your value.

Most players only use the leather armor look so they don't stand out, the more you stand out the bigger target you are for PKers. So anyone that wants to keep their items uses the copy paste system and makes their gear look low level. It really is a cool unspoken rule, keeps player killings low as long as nobody uses inspect on you. I wait in line to get into the city, time passes and soon I'm at the guard who asks security questions. "State your reason for coming to Nelmorp." This particular guard sounds very tired of dealing with us players. I should make this quick it I don't want to upset him.

He looks at me with irritated eyes and rolls his wrist at me to tell me to hurry up. "I'm here to meet up with my family. I don't have any other reason than that." He nods his head in a drone like manner and tilts his head for me to continue in. I walk in and I can see thousands of players doing all sorts of things, its going to be difficult to find my family, but there is 2 things I need to handle before I start searching. The first thing I want to do is write a letter to Amelia again, I did promise that I would write any chance I got. I make my way to the beautifully decorated building, you can count on the church having the best buildings.

I walk up to it and enter the large doors, there is some nuns and others church workers here and there. I make my way over the message area and pick up a piece of paper and a pen. I wonder if I should tell her I'm going to Zenith to do my tier up quest, I wouldn't doubt she'll ask me to swing by Blue Grass to say hello. After I'm done writing her a letter I need to head to the bank and get the gold that my shop has made. I should have accumulated 80 gold by now. I start writing and writing the updates about my journey.

"I hope you and the orphans are doing well, I've been busy myself if you have heard the announcements from the churches. I wanted to let you know that I'm doing fine and I wasn't hurt in my battle with the orcs. I want to give you a heads up that it might not be safe in Blue Grass if the orcs armies get to far. If that happens I'll come get you and the orphans and take you guys somewhere safe. Hopefully the war won't progress that far, but be ready just incase. Let me know if you guys need anymore gold, I'll send some if you want. -Signed Your Son"

I pick up an envelop and neatly fold the message up, then I stick it in the envelop. I walk over to the magic delivery system and place the destination to Blue Grass and recipient Amelia Zern. I watch the letter disappear in a flash of light and leave the slot I put it in. Now since that's all handled I can head to the bank and fill my empty pockets, many of the players who have been playing since the start have accumulated enough money to serve their needs. I will have money that I wont know what to do with. The bank is usually built close to the churches so people are compelled to donate, so it wont be to far.

I make my way down the commercial district and I can see a packed building, I look at its sign and it says bank. Looks like players have already started the grind for currency, I'm impressed that so many are eager to level up and leave the starting city. I look at the packed place and cant help laughing a little, players are arguing with each other and hurling insults. Everyone wants some personal space in this small building, but you wont get any. I also make my way inside and see the stress on the bank tellers, this is probably a daily thing for them. I go to the back of a line myself and begin to wait for my turn.

While Cera waits for the line to move, there is a bloody battle happening in Alsoma. The youngest princess of Alsoma, Princess Fiona, is locked in her room as she hears the guards fighting outside of her bedroom. Father ordered me to my room soon after the monsters arrived at our gates, I have heard screams and smelt fire coming from outside the castle walls. Now I hear fighting in the hallway to my room, the guards are also fighting to defend me. If it were my order I would have sent them home to their families. There is no way we can beat a horde by ourselves. I hear the fighting and clashing of weapons stop outside my room.

###WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW###

I look into the mirror before my fate arrives, I wish I had the courage to end my own life. I don't wish to die by my own hand, all I can do is force these monsters to kill me. Soon the door to my room opens and I hear the heavy footsteps of a monster, I turn to look at my doom and see a giant orc. I think I will end my life on second thought, I refuse to have that fate. I bare the dagger on my desk and go straight for my neck, however its stopped by an unseen force. "We can't have the beautiful princess taking what's ours." I hear a twisted voice from behind the orc and see some monster that can use magic. "She is all yours, just don't do to much damage. General Eriz likes royalty." My skin crawls as the giant orc makes his way to me, I try and try to end my own life. The magic he used is stopping me however. Soon the orc is in front of me. He picks me up and tosses me on the bed while he rips my dress off, soon he undoes his loin cloth and a vile thing fills my sight. I can't stop the tears from falling before my most valuable thing is taken.

While Chaos and death ensue at Alsoma, the Saintess is currently talking to the mayor. "I get you want to use the teleporter Madam Saintess, but it needs to finish charging. It should be done in a few hours, just wait a little bit longer." I cant really force them to speed up this process, all I can do is wait. They have no control over the charging time so it isn't their fault, we will be a few hours late. However its nothing to worry about. While the NPC's do their normal things the players hear a world announcement that is disturbing.

[World-wide Announcement: The capital city Alsoma and its country has fallen! The monster horde has entirely decimated any resistance shown! The monster forces will have a boost in soldiers from the capture of woman used as reproductive cattle! The orcs armies and monster forces grow stronger!]

###END OF GRAPGIC CONTENT###

There is no cheering coming from the players, only quiet whispers that silently discuss the revolting reality that the war brings. Soon after the players get notified the NPC's get a magic announcement from the church. Countless NPC's bring their hands together and silently pray for Alsoma and its people. Now that Alsoma has fallen, Saintess Lucy has a new mission. She is currently on her way back to the tent. I can't believe we were to late, William said they were 2 days out. Not attacking right then and there, its only been a little bit since the hologram meeting ended. Now it makes sense why he tried to call back, they must have used some sort of magic to interfere with the transmission. Looks like we failed, I make my way back to the troops and prepare an new mission objective.

I stand on my carriable platform and look out at my soldiers. "We just received terrible news, with the fall of Alsoma this becomes a recon and rescue. No longer a defense, if we find any survivors be sure to use sleep magic on them. It's more than likely any survivors will be traumatized. Get ready to move out in a few hours." I give my new orders and return into my tent, I guess no matter what we did we couldn't save them. If I get a chance to exact revenge for the ones captured I wont hesitate, men cant understand what its like. I intend to save as many as I can, and I hope that I can save at least one.