POV: Victor Sterling

  The smiles were wide across the whole room. It was honestly a little creepy on Straeddas, but the genuine reaction was a relief. Ruze came over and hugged me, that quickly devolved into a rather embarrassing amount of hugs, fist bumps, and other such gestures.

  As we settled back, I let it slip, “I am relieved that you guys don't resent me for taking so long to get here.”

  Straeddas explained in his raspy voice, “At first, we thought you had abandon us because we did something wrong, but as the players started to appear in the world. We grew even more confused. The spy-mistress had investigated hard those first 300 years. We quickly pieced together two things from her investigation, the players didn't understand why they were coming back and there was a not very hidden order to their return. The order was in ascending order of their levels at the time of the shift.”

  Chlora continued, “We despaired a bit as we knew you level was vastly higher then ours, but we in our state before the shift never paid mind ton your level.”

  Zellora finished, “It wasn't until the player Doctor Crow came that we got a hint. He didn't know your exact level but he said that you were the highest leveled player in the game. He was the 13th. So we watched and waited. Deliliah spread our information network far and wide. About 480 years ago Empyrea came she was the last one before you. The vampire spies chased down even the smallest lead. Unfortunately we made a mistake and the spy-mistress got caught in the middle of the God War starting. That was about when the village that later became the city around the Forge, was founded. We couldn't pick up the spy network without Deliliah. So we voted and decided to isolation until your return.”

  I broke, my eyes watering, “I... I wished I wasn't so high level. I could have been here for you sooner. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sorry.”

  Smack! “No. You don't need to apologize for anything,” Zellora stated firmly. “You are you. We just had to wait a little. It wasn't even your fault, you didn't kn ow the rules for coming here or even that you were.”

  I nodded rubbing my cheek, “Okay. Thanks I think I needed that.”

  “Good, but I think it is high time to get back to business. We have a lot to decide on and do. First is to finish one decision that the residents of the Forge vote on and was unanimous.” the chief administrator of the Forge stated.

  “What?” my confused mind reeling.

  Everyone stood walked over to the empty space near where I sat and prostrated. My brain screeched to a halt. What.

  Zellora started, “We, the residents of the Forge of Creation, wish to return the Forge to its rightful owner, the player known as Victor Sterling. We wish to remain as his loyal servants and trusted advisers. We ask this not as the complex illusions that we were when we first meet, but as the full sapient and sentient beings that we have become. We have made this decision nearly one thousand years ago, but we have vote to keep to it every year just before the Festival of the Sleeping God. Please grant us this honor of serving under you once more.”

  A single tear ran down my cheek, “Rise once again for the Forge is a sanctuary of those who put in effort and those that create. For this is the Forge of Creation, for in these fires we are forged anew.”

  Every single one of them, including the guards at the doors responded in unison, “We are forged anew!”

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  “Thank you guys.”

  Once again, regrouped and sitting at the table once more, my succubus brought out a parchment, “So I have a list of thing I know about that we need to decide on. One, the city of Sterlingstead is going to fall under the rule of the Forge. We need to establish policy for how we are going to integrated them into our current ecosystem. Two, the religion that currently has no direction and has put our lord Sterling as their central god. We need to make sure they align with what Sterling ethics and moral code. Three, the missing spy-mistress needs to be recovered and the spy network reestablished. Four, we need to come to a respectable position on the God War. This also includes our own stance on the core issue of player vs non-player relationship. Is there anything I have missed?”

  Adratheth spoke up, “Isn't the fourth one basically already decided?”

  Everyone just started to look at each other, I broke the silence, “In the war I was thinking on aligning with the Protection Gods but taking a different stance. I think it would be best if I started a new faction that will see to the education and training of the residents of this world while I don't expect us get their levels up past a thousand I think we can at lease bring it to be consistent with what you have achieved in the Forge in my absence. Your thoughts?”

  “That is exactly what we thought you would say,” everyone nodded to Queendrabia's words. “How about the Educating Gods?”

  “Eh... not the worst but it doesn't have that same feel as Protection Gods,” Xodox criticized.

  A guard at the door, an arachnocentaur, spoke up, her voice filled with nerves, “How about the Ascension Gods, as you wish to raise the people towards your level?”

  Those at the table looked at each other nodding. Khiva the Grand Matriarch of the arachnocentaurs acknowledged the guard, “What is your name and clan?”

  The arachnocentaur now doing the spider equivalent of sweating bullets, “Uh, Iko of the House of Red Slik, Matriarch.”

  “Good, you will get a plate for your web for this Iko. All in agreement on the adoption of Ascension Gods as the faction name?”

  “Aye,” was the resounding response.

  I commented to Grav, “I'll need a piece of astral steel, I will be making her honor plate my self.”

  “Not a problem, sir.”

  Iko's fellow guards patting her on the back congratulating her. I smiled at this, it was a what I wanted. I don't want to be a source of fear, an unquestionable god. No, while I may rule for now, they live here with me, they have ideas and opinions no less valid than mine.

  “Back to the first item,” Zellora stated.

  I had to speak up, “I have a demand in the creation of the new order in Sterlingstead and the surrounding territory. I want a council set up each member voted on by the people, they are to be the voice of the people in my court. I will not be a blind ruler that demands from them without hearing them.”

  “Understood, what are we to do about protecting them?” Zellora asked.

  “As a start after the meeting with the current Regency Council, the whole of the territory should be considered of the Forge. No exceptions,” I said.

  Adratheth whispered, “That is going to put a strain on the army.”

  “I know, but we will be training the population in our methods so soon you will have new recruits. At least that is the goal. As for assignments, I think it would be prudent to have our less accepted battalions on a more offensive role with the more accepted being on defensive roles. I also think that the internal security will mostly be handled by the nubian kobolds, demons, fairies, and arachnocentaurs. But I want them teaming with the current guards to keep a sense of normalcy.”

  Zinket confirmed what I had though, “That is a good plan, my lord. I know for me the inbuilt fear for undead was hard to get over, no offense Straeddas.”

  “No taken, it is not a fault on you just the nature of the natural relationship between undead and the living.”

  Panora came forward, “I do have a potential good addition on the plan, the equestrian centaurs could be utilized for long patrols to keep the road security higher.”

  “Excellent point, but inform the patrols to not take risks. If it is a risky fight have them tail the threat and send a runner to get a larger force to deal with it,” Zellora said as if reading my mind.

  “One other thing, Xodox how many apprentice openings do we have?” I asked.

  “Not many, only about thirty. Do you intend to take on more?”

  “Yes, for now have the instructor's with open slots to go into the city and ask any one with quality talent if they would like the apprenticeship. It will be a predecessor to the full education system that we will be bring to the territory. That goes for all departments not just the smiths. Don't look at levels look at talent and potential.”

  The salamander gave a thoughtful look, “We can make it work, as you declared they will be of the Forge.”