“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Skalla,” Harik said as he bowed his head to the she-wolf.
“Likewise,” Skalla replied in a feminine tone as she rubbed her muzzle against Skovi’s fur.
“So, what’s with the changes?” Harik asked with a curious gaze. “You’re a foot taller than before, your fur has black streaks, and you have fucking fire running down your spine that covers your tail!”
“Hm, Lord Exile has granted me more of his power. That’s why my bride and I look as we do now.” Skovi hummed as he turned his crimson eyes away from the fire.
Harik Glanced at Skalla, who had black fur with white streaks but the same fiery features. ‘They look like something straight out of hell.’ Harik cursed as he rubbed his beard.
“You’ve been gone for some time. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Skovi?” Harik asked as he poured more mead into his horn.
“You’re heading for King Bargrux’s kingdom, correct?” Skovi asked rhetorically. “We’re coming with you. Lord Exile has tasked us with something that requires us to go there.”
“What does Exile need you to do?” Harik asked as he cocked his eyebrow.
“To convey a message to King Bargrux about when he will descend to give him his reward,” Skovi replied.
Harik frowned for a moment as he stared at the pair of wolves. ‘There’s something else Skovi isn’t telling me.’ Harik’s eyes narrowed before he let out a long sigh.
“Does Exile know what is happening?” Harik asked.
20:50
“Yes, he has spoken to Thovok about it. We will provide aid if “Does Exile know what is happening?” Harik asked.
“Yes, he has spoken to Thovok about it. We will provide aid if anything happens. But we will also assess the situation in Lord Exile’s place.” Skalla replied as she fixed Harik with a soft gaze.
Harik sat on a chair by the fire and absentmindedly reached out to pet Skovi. The great wolf was content to allow him to do so as the trio enjoyed the warmth. Harik mulled over their conversation for several moments before he posed another question.
“Why doesn’t Exile relay the message through Thovok? Or descend himself?”
“Lord Exile’s ways are his own.” Skovi sighed as he pricked up his ears. “It is not for mortals to question them or guess his reasons.”
Harik could only grunt in mild agreement as he allowed him to imagine what Exile was thinking. ‘The events in the South, the issue with the elves in the North, and now the dwarven kingdom. Skardia has three different enemies in three separate locations.’
‘What the hell is happening to the world?’ Harik groaned as he watched the dancing flames. ‘Then there’s this mysterious giant eagle protecting one of my cities. The Queen of a warbeast tribe, so I’m told. What am I meant to do with that?’
Meanwhile, Exile stared at the axe in his hands. ‘Another successful enchantment.’ He thought while nodding. He placed the axe on a pile of weapons at the side of the table. ‘Things are progressing smoothly. Nar’Kozz hasn’t assaulted Valheim yet, so he’s still unaware of our absence. I’ve crossed Skovi off my list of things to deal with. Harik is heading for Bargrux’s kingdom, so I can deal with the dwarf king soon. Ania’s in the North looking into this elf problem, and the players are levelling up fighting the mobs around here.’
‘It should be nearly time for Dretheir’s goddess to appear. I’ll have to bring Midas to that meeting if she wants to negotiate terms for cooperation.’ Exile sighed while shaking his head. Himinbj?rg had become busy since the player army arrived. Of course, things had become tense when they realised there was not enough room for everyone.
Exile had painstakingly arranged for the Pantheons to rotate through using the different checkpoints they had created on the mountain and using Himinbj?rg itself. The other leaders had become envious of Ragnarok’s position once they saw Himinbj?rg. They often questioned Exile as to whether it had hidden functions.
He had often wondered the same, but if it did, he had yet to find them. ‘Noslin hasn’t returned yet.’ Exile frowned as he thought about her. ‘Her Vice-Leader said she’s still on the register, so she’s still alive. But she’s taking too long. She must have run into trouble.’
“You ok?” Mikari asked as he placed his hand on Exile’s shoulder. “You were spacing out.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about all the work we have to do. What’s up?” Exile replied as he turned to face his brother.
“Hm, the players have almost recovered the divinity they lost during the ambush. The leaders are asking when their equipment will be ready. Some fights are breaking out due to the current living arrangements. Most of Skardia seems to be silent, with nothing of note happening. I could go on if you want me to.” Mikari chuckled as he eyed the pile of weaponry. “You’ve been busy.”
“Yeah, I’m trying to split my time to get everything done,” Exile replied as he closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“What about Skalr? Have you told Ania yet?” Mikari asked as he fixed his brother with a curious gaze.
“Not yet. I’m waiting for the right time. They don’t trust him.” Exile chuckled. “Thanks for those books on the Runelords. It really helped.”
“Well, after the events with Amari, I had our people ask their followers for written stories, myths, and legends to be given as gifts. But the Runelord books came from Jarxos’ store.” Mikari replied with a frown. “Why are you going to such lengths to pass Rune magic on to your followers? They’d accept it if it came from you. Why use Skalr?” ．
“Hm, I’d rather they believe it’s a power all of their own. Something that’s been recovered from history.” Exile replied as he gazed at the window. “I don’t want the NPCs to link the Runelords to us gods. That way, if they turn on us, they’ll still have faith in the Runelords.”
“I see your point, but why would they turn on us?” Mikari asked in a concerned tone.
“After reading through the books we’ve collected, I discovered an incident. It seems Bargrux’s grandfather led a rebellion against the old gods. He even succeeded in killing a few.” Exile groaned. “It seems like Bargrux recovered something hidden in Skardia during the war with Parthus. I’m concerned he may follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.”
Mikari remained quiet as he considered the possibility. He thought about what would happen in the mortal realms if the dwarves turned on them. Eventually, Mikari shrugged his shoulders.
“You won’t know until you talk with him. Suspecting your allies of foul play without proof can lead to ruin. Treat him as you have been, as a friend.” Mikari smiled as he patted Exile’s shoulder. “Ask him what he gained during the war. If it seems like a small thing, he’s probably lying. Either way, you need to keep the dwarves on our side. The Warbeasts and the Elves are knocking on our door. We need all the allies we can get.”
“Trust me when I say I hope Bargrux is still on our side,” Exile replied with a smile. “He’s done a lot for us without asking for much in return. I’ve sent Skovi and Skalla to join Harik in going to Bargrux’s aid. But they’ll be looking out for anything that could threaten a god.”
“I see,” Mikari replied. “There’s wisdom in making sure you’re not blindly walking into a trap. But if Bargrux realises he’s lost some of your trust, that might lead him to act against the gods. After all, he might think you’re planning to do something against him.”
“That’s why I sent my wolves.” Exile chuckled. “If I told Harik to do this, Bargrux or Thovok would see through him. He’s a great man and an honest one. That’s what makes him a poor choice for this.”
“Fair enough,” Mikari replied with a sigh. “I’ll send someone to pick up these weapons. Should I assume you’ll remain in seclusion?”
“Yeah, for now, I’ll keep working on increasing the reserves of our armoury. But I’ll split my time between the workshop and Skardia. Make sure the others are keeping in regular contact with the NPCs. They need their miracles to keep believing in us.”
“You got it, boss.” Mikari chuckled. “Just remember to log off. You have some things to do in real life too. Jay’s even hinting at getting you a personal assistant and having them join the game to help you manage everything properly.”
“Great, that’s all I need.” Exile groaned.
“Personally, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea. It’ll allow you to be more efficient with your time.” Mikari replied with a shrug. “Rebel Energy has a stake in this too, so it’s only natural they’d want someone on the inside.”
“I guess you’re right.” Exile stroked his beard as he pondered the matter. “Just make sure it’s not a woman. I don’t want Ania to get the wrong idea if a Goddess suddenly accompanies me everywhere.”
“Got it,” Mikari chuckled. “She’s probably still mad about the thing with Allyce. But she won’t say it to your face. If you want to go down that route, I’ll look into a way for them to become something like a messenger of the gods.”
“Like Hermes?” Exile asked as he cocked his eyebrow with a hum. “That could work. See what you can do to get that in motion. I’ll spare some time for Jay once I clear everything that needs to be done right now.”
“No problem. But remember, Jay will keep you for some time. He wants you to shoot a commercial for the new products.” Mikari replied with a sly grin.