Vasariametz

    It took nearly three years, but his debt was finally paid, no small part because he finally got fed up. Diving into the blight and slaughtering half a sector had a way of speeding things up.

    High King Dain didn''t approve, but he also couldn''t tell Vasariametz what to do. Dain wanted to draw things out a little longer and use the front lines to battle harden his troops, but Vasaria wasn''t going to sit around and wait a decade for that to happen. The Dwarves were hardy enough already.

    He was missing all the fun!

    The new Integration would nearly be over by the time he finished his tour, and that was unacceptable. There had already been news of a few Planets being tested already!

    By and large, most of the inhabited planets for this integration weren''t very interesting, but there were a few that he earmarked to watch as they evolved. Having a Demon in the Integration usually added a bit of spice to things.

    The infernal bastards always shook things up. Desmodius will be pleased. Not every integration had every race represented, and Demons always grew excited when new ones arose. It was a chance to shake up their hierarchy. An opportunity all Demon kind found fun. Vasaria never understood why they gained such joy in chaos.

    During this time usually, he would be out flitting between the various Pantheons making fun or poking his head in to see what they were up to. Pick up on who they were watching and take note of any they blessed.

    D-rank was still a little early to start blessing people, but there were Factions out there that started that early. Bah, the Lightbringer and his ilk... They were... not the most fun people to be around, but Vasaria would visit anyway. If only to see which worlds they were going to contest.

    The Father of Light, as the bastard titled himself, always went about things the same way. It got old after a while, and it wasn''t much fun to watch. Now, if the Demons, the Faction of Light, and the Holy Pantheon all got into it on the same world, now that would be something to watch!

    A small part of him wished to go look in on the Human with Ymir''s technique, but he held himself off. He didn''t want to get his hopes up.

    I wonder if Skadi took my advice?

    Vulwin

    He had to admit that there were aspects of this new Planet that he''d grown to love compared to the others he''d been on. There were also a few that he wished would change, but that only came with time.

    The certain lawlessness that came from not having firmly defined powers and Factions would be bad for business. Also, the travel situation could use some updating.

    But, while that would change as Factions and Cities grew, there were a few things he hoped would stay the same. The beauty this world held, while vastly different from what he was used to, still held a certain charm. It would be a shame to see that destroyed.

    He knew a few Factions that would do so. They built everything in the name of efficiency and destroyed whatever landmark was in their way to make it so. The Forgeborn weren''t the best eye when it came to aesthetics. Nor was the White Horde.

    While they passed through a few small towns on their way North, the Twins was a wonder to behold. Its Walls stood tall and sat right next to the most running water Vulwin had ever seen in his life.

    Obviously, he''d seen rivers before, but nothing like that. There was the occasional glacier or snow melt that combined into such a waterway, but that... that was something different.

    The settlement itself was... rustic. He knew that they hadn''t had that long to rebuild, but it was a far cry from Dirvenguard, that was for sure.

    Plus, it was a little too warm for his tastes. The humans said that it grew much colder in the Winter and that the City would see plenty of snowfall, but it just wasn''t the same. Not truly.

    After spending less than a day there, his retinue was off at record speed. They wished to return with all haste, and Vulwin wasn''t complaining. His carriage could go much faster than theirs, but it had to hold itself back.

    It wasn''t until another month had passed that they came near where he was to set down roots. His companions had spoken a lot about their home. They would travel around towns and small Cities with barely contained disappointment at what they saw.

    If they held those settlements in contempt, Frostheim had to be better, right?

    He wasn''t holding out for the advanced enchantments and luxury of the Emporium, but he hoped that they at least weren''t barbarians. It would be a rough few years if they lived in tents.

    As temperatures plummeted, he and his team grew more relaxed. They could deal with the heat, but it wasn''t that fun to live in it. Spending months in it was already enough dissatisfaction.

    Snow, slow at first but growing more intense, built upon the land, and it began to look more and more like home. Snow drifts rose and fell in the open plains, and the trees lost their leaves.

    That was another oddity this planet held, but it made sense if there were seasons. That wouldn''t work in a world of permanent Winter, but it worked here.

    The color change was one such beauty he wouldn''t mind experiencing again.

    The snow''s attempts to slow their travel failed, and they marched on at the same speed. The trees whistled by as they drew ever further North. Vulwin knew they were getting close. From the Maps they had, it wouldn''t be too long now.

    It was also clear from the faces of his companions that they were drawing near. They had ridden hard, and most were tired, but they were pushing through all the same.

    It wasn''t until one morning they set off at a slower pace that there was something different. There was nothing to cause the delay, so he grew interested.

    Snow fell slowly from the sky, but not in any great Blizzard that would hinder them. The clouds blocked out the harsh rays, but it was still light enough to travel. The snow they plowed through was a few feet thick, but that hadn''t stopped them before.

    It was the subtle gazes and looks from the Humans that finally tipped him off. They were getting close, and they wished to see his reaction.

    So be it then. I wish to see this City they''re so proud of.

    The trees gave way finally, and he was able to set eyes on where he would be staying for the foreseeable future. They hadn''t expected him to be able to see it from so far away, so he was free to gaze without worry. The eyesight of Elves was nothing to sneeze at. Jekas, Rangrick, and his guard still couldn''t see it, but he could.

    Tall Walls rose from the ground that put many of the previous fortifications they came across to shame. The only one that came close was the Wall around the Twins.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    It stood over forty feet tall, with towers spaced out along its length standing even above that. Vulwin could even pick out a Second Wall even taller than the first further into the City with a Castle at its center.

    It wasn''t until they grew closer and his team started to make it out that Vulwin could feel the enchantments laid upon the stone.

    Impressive Wards for such a fledgling City.

    The Walls being made of Stone instead of Ice was something he hadn''t expected. Most Walls he''d seen were made of Ice, but that also had something to do with the Planet they were on.

    He had to admit, compared to the rest of what he''d seen, the City was head and tails above everything else. A few others had basic enchantments, but those were paltry compared to the Ward he felt now.

    If it became activated, it would hold out quite well against attack.

    He allowed a small smile to form so that his company didn''t assume he disliked the City. Far from it, in fact. It was perfect. It would hold against the Settlement Waves, and it would keep any stray monster at bay.

    Vulwin doubted any Human army could take it, not unless they had weapons hidden away he didn''t see. From what he saw in the aftermath of the test, enemies would be hard pressed to siege the Walls.

    It wasn''t only because of the Ward either.

    Someone had poured Spirit Energy into every Block upon the wall, saturating the stone in its energy. Vulwin suspected who was responsible, but he wouldn''t know until he saw the man again and compared the energy signature.

    The application was... well, it left a lot to be desired, but the fact that so much of it had been expended was mind-blowing. Vulwin didn''t have an Anchor himself, but he knew enough about them to know how difficult a task that was.

    That much energy took time to accumulate. Not days, or weeks, but months. Maybe even longer than that, and it had been poured into the stone relentlessly.

    The Walls would stand up through attacks, if nothing else than because of the sheer amount of Spirit Energy in them. The attackers would have to expend it all before they could truly start damaging the stone.

    Jonathan had watched him as they approached, and Vulwin had kept quiet so far, but not anymore. "Impressive. The amount of Spirit Energy is outstanding."

    The man smiled proudly, "You noticed that, eh? Most can''t pick it up without an Anchor themselves. All they feel is a sense of hopelessness in attacking."

    "They do not comprehend the reason behind it, but they instinctively know that attacking will be near impossible," Vulwin explained. Spirit Energy wasn''t like Mana. Nearly everyone could feel mana to some extent. Only those who had formed an Anchor themselves or knew what they were looking at would be able to tell it was there.

    The gates opened wide, and there was a large reception awaiting them, cutting off their conversation. Vulwin didn''t wish to impose, so he kept back and out of their way.

    It wasn''t until later that Jonathan came back to guide them, "Sorry about that. We only sent a few letters, and they wanted to hear the full story. They spent all this time in the dark and were eager to finally be informed."

    "That''s understandable," Vulwin nodded.

    "Here, follow me. Abigail already set aside some land for you guys in the Market District."

    Jonathan played the guide and pointed out the places they passed by or where things they might need were. Restaurants, Taverns, and Inns. They would have to stay in one for the time being until the Emporium could be built.

    "We passed through the South Gate, but there are two more. The East Gate and West Gate don''t get as much throughput, but there''s still a bit of foot traffic through them. The West Gate more so because of the Dungeons.

    "The street lining the Wall is dedicated to Garrison Buildings, Barracks, Order Buildings, and Stables." He pointed at what they had already passed by. "If you need a horse, it''s over there. We used to restrict them, but after two years of breeding, we have enough to rent them out or let people buy them.

    "Wolves are another matter. If you want enough to pull a sled, you''ll have to contract the Beast Tamers yourself."

    Oh dear. How many animals live in this City? He also wasn''t sure what the difference between the Garrison Members and Order members was, but he didn''t want to interrupt.

    "Right here in the South is the Crafters District. Forges, Leatherwork, Tailor Shops, and the rest are here. In the Southwest is the Market District, where your shop will be. Inns, Taverns, and all kinds of Shops are over there. The Residential District lines the Cliff. Both East and West of the Castle are dedicated to houses and apartments. Most of the shops and crafting buildings have upstairs housing, but this is for everyone else.

    "Frostheim grew pretty fast, and we''re still trying to catch up on everything construction-wise, but most land inside the wall has been developed already. Plans to expand are already being discussed, but we don''t know the specifics yet."

    Vulwin followed along and nodded accordingly. It was a common enough set-up that it wasn''t that hard to understand. He did notice that they were running out of space rather quickly, but it seemed like they had plans for that.

    There was only one question that Vulwin had that wasn''t answered during the tour, "What''s in there?" He pointed at the Second, taller wall he saw.

    He''d noticed the Cliff already, and the half-circle layout of the City in his head was already being filled out. The only thing left blank was what was behind the Inner Wall.

    The First Wall was one giant arc going nearly 180 degrees from cliff face to cliff face. The Inner Wall was a much shorter arc that went barely 45. It looked like a peninsula jutted out from the generally straight cliff, and they built the Castle directly upon it.

    "That''s the Castle and Inner Courtyard." Jonathan answered, "It''s where our family lives with a few other specialized buildings in it, but it''s mainly the Castle. Abigail and Christopher both live there, if you need to see them for whatever reason. I do as well."

    Like a Palace District?

    As they talked, they were directed West toward where they were to set up shop. The places they passed by were nice enough, and the wares he could pick out were of good quality.

    They weren''t masterworks or anything, but impressive enough for it to be the norm. There were a few weapons that caught his eye that stood out as well. There''s a half-decent Smith here.

    They finally came upon an empty piece of land that had nothing built on it. There were buildings on either side, but the space was large enough not to be cramped.

    "Here''s your plot. It was supposed to be something else, but the buyer disappeared. We think he died, but we don''t have proof. The agreement stated he had to start construction within three months, and he obviously hasn''t done that, so now it''s yours. There are a few rules we ask people to follow. It''s not mandatory per se, but we''d appreciate it if you followed them."

    Ah, here it is. The long list of regulations and licenses they''d need.

    "Don''t paint it any weird colors. No neon green or hot pink. No weird architecture. There''s a bit more leeway with this one, but once again, try not to make an eyesore. The plot extends four stories in the air and allows for a basement. Straight up and straight down. We already had a few trying to expand underground past their boundaries."

    The human stopped in thought for a second, "I feel like I''m forgetting some, but as long as you don''t have blinking lights or gaudy colors, I''ll be happy. If you need a Construction team, I can recommend a few, but other than that, you''re all set."

    That''s... it? Just don''t make it look bad?

    "Uh, uh..." Vulwin was caught off guard, and he expected a much longer explanation containing wildly different information. "What is the Lease situation and the tax rate?"

    He was prepared to look over a few documents and sign things, but this was turning out much different.

    Jonathan looked confused. "Didn''t Chris go over this with you already?"

    Vulwin shook his head more vigorously than intended, "No, he just asked what we wanted in return for setting up in his City."

    "Yeah, yeah, I know that part." Jonathan nodded, "You asked for a Plot of land in the Market District," he pointed at the plot they were standing in front of, "And for protection from the Waves."

    "And a Pylon Terminal," Vulwin added.

    "Oh, yeah, that too, but I can''t do anything with that until the building''s constructed. My Skill needs a viable target, and an empty plot of land isn''t one." He said.

    Am I missing something here? Vulwin thought. He signed no contract. Spoke no Oath. It was... odd. "Do you have a copy of the Tax Laws I can read?" His Contract through the Emporium stipulated he had to follow all Local Tax Laws, and he still hadn''t read up on what they were yet.

    "Uh, we don''t have any Tax Laws specifically. We just have the set tax rate through the Pylon." The man said, "We have punishments if you don''t pay them, but I don''t think those are what you were asking about."

    "You only have the set rate through the Pylon and that''s it? No specific tax on certain goods? No tariffs on imports? No off-planet tax or increased tax rate from certain Factions?" Vulwin couldn''t help but ask.

    "Uh, no. Just the flat 10%. That''s not saying that won''t change in the future, but for now, just the flat rate." He said before adding, "Dungeons are different, though. Anything you pull out of those gets taxed at 20%."

    Oh heavens. No paperwork. No contracts. No minutia they had to wade through. This was already looking better and better.

    "Chris will be back in a month or two, so if you need anything, come to either Abigail or me until he returns. Even after he gets back, you''ll probably still deal with us. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to ask. We want this thing up and running as quickly as possible."

    "I understand," Vulwin said, "We''ll get started right away. It will take a few days, but we''ll be ready in a week at most."

    "A week?" Jonathan was surprised, "Damn you guys work fast."

    Little does he know. The guards were chosen specifically for this reason. Their Professions made them perfect for the job. Every one of the five had just the Professions they needed.