Quad War - 2400 to 2402

Quad War, pt. 2


2400.2 - Empires complete first colonial ships
               Technocracy completes first Base Yard in homeworld orbit

2400.3 - Admiralty: mining colony Tudran IV
               Psionica: mining colony Fortunil IX
               Armada: farming colony Iola IX
               Armada: Missile Weapons level 2 complete, Ship Construction level 2 started
             
2400.4 - Psionica: mining colony Fortunil IV
               Armada: mining colony Iola I

2400.5 - Admiralty: mining colony Tudran I
               Technocracy: mining colony Regotha I

2400.6 - Psionica: radioactives colony Fortunil II
               Armada: research base Iolo V

2400.7 - Admiralty: farming colony Tudran V
               Technocracy: farming colony Regotha IV
             
2400.8 - Technocracy: Construction complete, Projectile Weapons level 2 started
               Armada: Ship Construction level 2 complete, Missile Weapons level 3 started
               Armada: F-12 frigate missile ship design created
               Armada: E-11 obsoleted

2400.9 -  Admiralty: radioactives colony Tudran VIII
               Admiralty: Military Science complete, Projectile Weapons level 2 started
               Technocracy: refining colony Regotha III
               Psionica: Psychic Studies level 1 complete, Ship Construction level 2 started
               Psionica: farming colony Fortunil VIII
               Armada: research base Iola VIII

2401.0 - Admiralty: HRMN Knight
             
2401.1 - Admiralty: future training base Tudran VI A
               Technocracy: mining colony Regotha IX

2401.2 - Technocracy: Sat-Launch 1a built
             
2401.5 - Psionica: Ship Construction level 2 complete, Psychic Studies level 2 started
              Psionica: Flickermind frigate design created

2401.6 - Admiralty: Bravery Fleet created

2401.7 - Psionica: Exploring unknown warp gate. Fortunil -> Butukret (2 unbreath gas colonies)
              Armada: Missile Weapons level 3 complete, Ship Construction level 3 started

2401.8 - Admiralty / Bravery Fleet: Exploring unknown warp gate. Tudran -> Prenix (storm system)
               Armada: Chicago Fleet created

2401.9 - Armada / Chicago Fleet: Exploring unknown warp gate. Iola -> Ishantrissti (5 unbreath rock colonies)

2402.0 - Psionica: Exploring unknown warp gate. Fortunil -> Bardron (asteroid system)

Four Empires of Space

Quad Black pt. 1


4 different styles of inter-stellar empires, all in the same quadrant of space

Golden Admiralty
-- Extreme Ship & Fleet Training
-- Extreme Combat bonus
-- Use Ships for almost every military function
-- Style Modeled after British Royal Navy

Silver Technocracy
-- Use Units for as much defense & attack as possible
-- Satellites, Mines, Fighters, Drones
-- Smaller Ship-based military to cover the gaps of the unit based military
-- Technological solutions to Colonial management
-- Modeled after High Tech Near Future Japan

Blue Psionica
-- Psychic Technology - the species is naturally telepathic and develops tech that can capture ships.
-- Ships / Weapon Platforms
-- Uses Psychic Tech in all areas of society
-- Arachnoa inspired (from Mother of Learning)

White Armada
-- Missiles & Fighters
-- Quantity over Quality
-- Construction & Maintenance Excellence
-- Backup weapons for when enemy point defense is too much.
-- Modeled after US Strategic Command (in some aspects) and WW2 US military (esp. like going against superior german tanks with numbers)

2400.0

Golden Admiralty

Started in the Tudran System
5 additional un-breathable rock planets in system


Admiralty Ship Designs

HRMC Lady of Stone - Rock Planet Colony Ship
(HRMC - Her/His Royal Majesty's Colonial)

HRMT Villager - Small Population Transport Ship
(HRMT - Her/His Royal Majesty's Transport)


Admiralty Technology Research

Military Science research started


Silver Technocracy

Started in the Regotha System
4 additional un-breathable ice planets in system


Technocracy Ship Designs

Ice Colony 1a - Ice Planet Colony Ship
Pop Transport 1a - Small Population Transport Ship
Sat Launch 1a - Satellite Launcher Small Transport Ship


Technocracy Unit Designs

Sat DUC 1a - Satellite using Depleted Uranium Cannon
Sat CAPM 1a - Satellite using Capital Missile


Technocracy Base Designs

Base Yard 1a - Space Station Space Yard with some cargo storage


Technocracy Research

Construction research started


Blue Psionica

Started in the Fortunil system
4 un-breathable gas planets.


Psionica Ship Designs

Hive I - Gas Planet Colony Ship
Journey I - Small Passenger Transport Ship

Psionica Unit Designs

Trap I - Weapon Platform

Psionica Research

Psychic Studies


White Armada

Started in the Iola System
1 breathable rock planet and 3 un-breathable rock planets


Armada Ship Designs

CR-111 - Rock Planet Colony Ship
PT-111 - Small Passenger Transport Ship
E-11 - Escort Missile Ship


Armada Unit Designs

WP-1001 - Missile Weapon Platform

Armada Research

Missile Weapons

Friends & Enemies

Part Seven of the Valkyrie Six



Alendria and the rest of the Six were in the basement of Rivacheg's main tavern, where gossip and mercenaries were equally welcome, according to the locals.

"I can't say I've ever seen your kind around here," the barkeep was asking one of the mercs.

"I'm a shopkeeper in exile. And I sure don't know what I was drugged with to end up here. Those robed mercenaries over there, not really sure who they are."

"Isaac!" Isseria yelled, running towards the man talking to the barkeep.

"Isseria? How did you get here?" Isaac asked.

"I was going to ask you that. Who are those other ladies you're with?"

Isseria shook her head, "I'll tell you later. This place is pretty rough so I've joined up with a group and we've immediately been attacked, or well, declared war on. I need to put an army together, and well, you're my second. The robed ones over there are priests. They can both heal and attack from afar. How much do you want a week? I'll pay you 12 ducats a week and we can renegotiate once you've got your feet under you. This place takes away your magics and slowly doles them out over time."

"How many ducats is a beer in this place?"

"3 farthlings for the light stuff. 2 ducats for something more stout."

"12 ducats a week, plus a 30% cut of your profits?" Isaac rejoindered.

"Just for that you're taking point," Isseria said, tacitly agreeing. "Let's go talk to the priests."

"What's your rate?" Isaac asked them, walking over.

"For our group, 160 ducats now, 20 ducats a week."

There were 8 of the priests standing in the corner.

"What spells do you have access to?" Isseria asked.

"Shadow Word: Pain and Smite. Lesser Healing," the group's leader said.

"Sold," Isseria said, "follow us, we're going to be the first scout party to get some eyeballs on enemy movements in the area.


-o-

Isaac hadn't been out in the field yet when he agreed to the price. This was a lot different than fighting magical gangs on the streets of Chicago.

He only had access to trap plants. He could lay down some subterranean eaters, and then when the orcs ran by, the eaters would emerge and eat. He didn't have his walking plants available.

They were looking for forces of the local nations that had declared war, but they stumbled upon a small orcish force. The problem was that it was only Isaac, Isseria and eight priests against two dozen orcs.

He had a knife, that was all he had left after the trap plants worked or didn't.

At least the orcs didn't have the wargs that Isseria had mentioned. They were on foot.

They were hiding in the tall grass as the orcs moved unevenly towards their position.

Isseria was a hundred yards away with the other 4 priests. Confusion and surprise was the best they could hope for.

An orc stepped his feet into the trapped area, and then another orc, and a third.

The gigantic mouth of the venusian eater closed over the orc and chewed.

Two more of the orcs were swallowed up and struggled, and the others backed away from the danger.

The orcs threw rocks, and sounded out where the eaters were by the response. The other three eaters didn't get any prey as the orcs skirted around, but he had swallowed up three of the enemy's numbers.

He heard the boom of Isseria's guns and whispered, "wait 2 seconds and then shadow word and smite.

The orcs ran towards Isseria's group, and Isaac's priests fired their spells at them seconds later.

Uncertain, about eight of the orcs ran his way.

Isaac held out his dagger, like it was a longer sword, and watched the orcs rush towards him. Smites smashed against them, and two orcs tumbled into the dirt.

Isaac spun out of the way of the first orc's axe and slashed at its side.

The second orc slammed into him, and pain and blood and healing spells covered him.


-o-

Isseria saw Isaac go down, and screamed at the Orcs. "You SOBs!"

Popping the kinetic rounds out of the gun, she took flame rounds, loaded the pistols back up, and fired both pistols into the gut of the next orc. She ran towards them, firing and moving, intimidating the enemy position as her priests followed instructions and concentrated fire on one orc at a time. She took an axe blow, two blows, three blows, but shot each one before he could get a bigger gouge in.

Running and moving, she smashed the blunt pistol into an orcs face, kicking him, yelling at him, and routing the rest of the orcs, who ran scattering in many different directions.

"All priests, get to Isaac and heal him up."

She didn't think about the alternative, but ran off after the orcs, killing two more of them, but two escaped.

-o-

"What the heck happened?" Isaac said, blinking as he sat up.

"This place is rough, splitting up was a bad idea. But we killed or ran off all the orcs. Two of them fled and escaped."

"How many did you kill?" Isaac asked, blearily.

"I lost count. I used up 80 rounds of kinetic, and 80 fire."

"Holy shit, Isseria! Did you use that much in all your time in Chicago?"

"Rough place, rough time. Let's head back and let another of the Six go out next. We both need a drink. Thank you priests, for all the healing."

Leaving the battle zone, Isaac noticed text flashing in front of him.

"It finally happened," Isseria said, as they showed up in the world zone.

"What? This weird flashy text in front of my eyes? Am I going sane?" Isaac laughed.

"Level up. So you leveled up at the same time? What new stuff did you get?"

Isaac checked what was in front of his eyes, and mentally dismissed it.

"I got a botany crafting hobby. My acid shot, and I can summon my walking Piranha plant. What about you?" Isaac asked.

"Poison bullets. And an acrobatic shooting maneuver. And I can show off my katas."

They returned to Rivacheg, and went immediately to the tavern basement. The tiny member of the Six was there.

"Alendria is a good musician, singer and also can heal a whole group of people with her music. Alendria, this is my friend Isaac," Isseria said.

"And I can shoot you if you make short jokes," Alendria said, laughing.

"She's a pretty good shot with that bow. In my world, a bow doesn't shoot nearly as far as a gun, but here, Alendria's out ranging me by a good 50 yards," Isseria said.

"Weird,  well, anyway, did you put together a group to go scouting next?"

"I found some townspeople who wanted to come along and help," Alendria said.

-o-

He was just a townsman, swept up into something bigger by an inspiring leader in Anduin, and moved by the music and tales of the tiny being who called herself a gnome. There were very old tales of gnomes, not friendly mind, but tales. But Alendria was a different sort.

The gnome was playing a stirring rendition of a battle song on a brand new set of war drums. This was more than just music, this was life, this was freedom.

He had a half finished longsword from his smithy, not yet finely shaped or sharpened, it seemed a waste to use, but he had nothing else to bring into the field when Alendria asked for help.

He heard that the previous group of scouts had encountered Orcs. But this was a big group of Vaegir footmen who had fled the field and abandoned their king to become free brigands.

There were perhaps three dozen of the betrayers arrayed against their makeshift army of sixty townsmen and women.

Sixty highly-motivated, stirred up, and on-fire soldiers fighting for the honor of Rivacheg, their home, and the Kingdom of the Alliance of Worlds.

The battle yell of untrained but motivated soldiers rose up, and the yell of the yellow bellies on the other side responded.

His sword clanked against an enemy's sword. A townswomen smashed her walking stick in a tomahawk motion upon the man's head and he slowly gathered his sword again and struck right in the Vaegir man's gut while he was parrying the walking stick.

The Vaeger man tumbled backwards as the townswoman fell back, in a pool of blood.

Elm didn't have time to help her as another Vaegir traitor tried to run him through with a spear. He barely got out of the way and the man overshot. He slashed at the traitor, hitting into flesh, the traitor's weapon was long and unsuitable for up close fighting, so he dropped it and pulled out a sword, in that moment, Elm took a change and shoved his sword through the enemy's neck.

Brutality after brutality. Elm found himself an inch from ruin and only the drums kept him going, kept him doing whatever to put this enemy force down.

As the song faded away, and a lilting, calm tune began to play on some other kind of instrument, Elm sat down and realized how hurt he was. His right eye was bloodied and he couldn't see out of it. His left ear was cut and hanging off. His left leg was bleeding badly.

"I'm so sorry!" Alendria shouted. "I didn't realize how strong our foes were. I am still used to fighting with the Six. I'm healing you up as quick as I can. I'm sorry! Stay alive!"

 "My head is filling with new knowledge. Knowledge about killing. I didn't want to know all of this!"

Elm knew about cleavers and a ball and chain and other grisly weapons. He knew about killing without remorse and honoring the song of battle by abandoning everything else but the joy of battle. To surely die someday, covered in blood.

"This world is different," Alendria said mournfully. "I don't like it so much."


-o-

When the six leveled up for the second time, Melara gained the ability to meditate, and sense any force users nearby as well as gain a sense of calm she had been lacking for so long.

She didn't expect to put the force sense to any use, but she was shocked when she sensed five force sensitives in town.

She was up in the upper level of the tavern, where the nobles supposedly came and went. But since it was an alliance of worlds town now, she had only seen Anduin and Aliaga up here before.

The five towns people,. two women and three men, were sitting around the largest table there with her.

"You all have some sensitivity to the force, even if you don't notice it. The force is an energy field that surrounds all living things. The force is our friend, our comfort and our power to those who can use it. You may have avoided something painful or deadly with the force, and brushed it off as just chance, but the force is real."

Rivacheg

Part Six of the Valkyrie Six



Valeraine, Anduin and Alendria plotted their plan of attack in the command tent.

"Anduin you will be in charge of the cavalry forces. Alendria, you will command the archers, as we have discussed. I will lead the infantry in charging up the ladders and into the town. Andiun, your Cavalry will be in reserve during the actual siege, to provide a second wave if the infantry starts to falter."

"Understood," Anduin said. "What of your Six?"

"Sophella will go up the ladder first, and disrupt the defenses at the immediate position on the walls. Melara will follow her up and then go invisible and get behind the enemy defenders. From there she can send her force attacks to fling defenders off the walls or whatever else.

Isseria will stay with Alendria's archers until the paladin wave starts and join them. Aliaga will go up with the infantry and provide healing and disruption.

And Anduin, your priests can stay with Alendria's archers until the paladins go up and then follow them and provide healing and spell attacks.

"If the initial push goes badly then what?" Anduin asked?

"Sophella will hold out until everyone can get back off the walls, and archers and ranged attacks will concentrate fire and take potshots until we make a final decision to try again or leave."

"May I make a suggestion?" Alendria asked.

"What is it?" Valeraine said.

"We've got the ranged firepower. If we keep the Six back off the wall, we can focus everything on taking potshots. Weaken the enemy. Aliaga's spells only need line of sight, not targetting, so she can use Shadow Word Pain, and Mind Control to disrupt things. The archers, myself and the priests can lay down firepower as well.

Melara can use force power, Valeraine, you can use backdrafts and fire shards, Anduin, I'm sure you've got some good holy magics. Let's force them to retreat off the walls entirely, or charge out at us. Keep the cav in reserve and if they do come charging out at us, we can spring them then. Once we wipe out their own ranged attackers we can do whatever we desire."

"And then, after they are all hiding under cover, Sophella can get up there, provide a landing zone for the rest to reach the top of the ladders safely," Valeraine said. "If there are no objections, I think that would be a safer plan against an unknown force."

Anduin said, "Here is another wrinkle. I didn't think about this until you make me realize we should look for every advantage. I know my father would have done so, but the Paladins usually prefer a straight fight. Until we know just how strong the orcs are fortified, we should do so.

Have the Six go to Rivacheg, just outside the range of the enemy's archers. And wait for the enemy to come storming out from the walls.

Meanwhile, I will take the rest of the armies, and stay close to Rivacheg, and when battle is joined we will ride in and overrun the defenders who are now out of position, greatly weakening their defenses."

"Alright, organize the forces under your command, we will trick these orcs and then reform into the commands we already mentioned," Valeraine said. "Thank you for the ideas, Alendria, Prince Anduin."

-o-


The arrows dropped a mere ten yards in front of them. The strongest archers, firing from the enemy wall, got that far. Throwing spears were scattered on the ground much closer to the walls. How stupid could they be, thinking they could throw spears far enough to hit the Six.

Sophella stood there, suited up, ready to activate her mud pots ability to slowly wound her enemies.

Alendria tried firing a few arrows but couldn't get them to reach the wall with enough height still on them to hit anyone.

The city gates were opening in the distance. Dismounted Orc cavalry were running towards them on foot. Where had their wargs gone, Sophella wondered.

The dismounted cav and infantry had gone first without their supporting archers, who were still leaving the wall row by row behind their melee compatriots.

That meant Alendria could shoot without being shot at. Then Aliaga's smite spell hit the closing in orcs.

This was a lot more orcs than Sophella expected to see. Valeraine started lighting the enemy up with fire shards. Isseria started shooting. Sophella was accustomed to guns, having fought many a criminal who only had a pistol against her. She threw a boulder at the first Orc to get into her sights and then surged forward blasting an orc in the face with her fist.

She heard the hiss of Melara's double-sided saber and battle was joined, and they quickly became overrun. Sophella activated the mud pots. Melara fought viciously. Isseria and Valeraine formed the other two sides of a square that formed up with Alendria and Aliaga in the middle. Alendria switched to her mandolin, and Aliaga switched to healing spells.

Sophella lost track of time and individual movements as her attacks and defenses became part of her and she flowed with the battle, manipulating and manuevering to stay alive, unaware of the horrendous damage she was taking and the tremendous healing Aliaga was pouring into her. Unaware that she had used her taunt ability instinctively to take the heat off of Isseria and Melara.

She felt the words of encouragement from Valeraine and her speed and enduring strength reached another level, and it was such a blur of vicious survival that she didn't even notice a paladin crashing into the enemy she was just about to punch.

She held back her punch a moment before it would have struck the paladin.

A way of healing flowed over her as Anduin's regiment of priests healed the battered and almost wrecked Six.

Valeraine had fallen, the pool of blood was flowing across the ground from all of them and Anduin stepped off his horse, going over to her. He channeled some kind of Holy magic for half of minute or so, and then helped Valeraine up.

His fellow priests immediately began to heal her as she stood up.

"What took so long?"

"Your position deteriorated faster than I expected. And I don't think they appreciated your rallying response. I've seen magic like that from a few of the best paladins in our world's history, it was shocking to see it from an off-worlder," Anduin said.

"That almost seemed like bardic magic, Valeraine. Very impressive. And Sophella, I couldn't even keep track of where you were. I thought my mandolin was going to snap in two, twice. And I didn't have time to switch to my bow. I'll have to tell you the story of the bard who destroyed his instrument and then tried to sing sometime," Alendria.

"Sophella," Anduin said, pausing, "In my world, there are those who specialize in their durability and controlling the anger of the enemy so as to take on everything themselves. Where you say tanker we say tank. But instead of a class of tankers as your world's heroes have, we find tanks in several classes.

Indeed, Paladins often choose either to become healers or tanks. These paladins are specialists of retribution, which is a less frequent choice for paladins. My point, distractions aside, is that among all the tanks I've had the chance to observe, the best of our alliance's finest guilds, I have never seen one take on so many enemies, and deal with so much aggro going the wrong way. We ask tanks to maybe handle a small group of minions, or at most 2 bosses, but you were handling 12 to 20 enemies at a time, instinctively taunting to regain control of anyone who wasn't focused on you.

And Aliaga, I can see you have grown to greater heights as a healer. Even without the full healing specialization you did a great job.

Is it common for tankers to be so durable?"

"My taunt ability can force up to eighteen enemies to pay attention to, and attack me. And often we would gather to fight notorious Archvillains in groups of eight. And I would be the only tank amongst the group. Some of the fights would be full of dozens of enemies surrounding me. Often one to three scrappers would help clean up the enemies I couldn't control, and massive aoe spells would be constantly cast by the blasters or defenders. My favorite were Dark / Dark defenders because they could be a potent offensive threat in addition to supporting our group. The pure healers were nice, but often with a better trained group of defenders and controllers I didn't need much healing.

In my world, healers were least frequently experts, among the defenders. I understand that in your world, there are many great healers, and support - defender sort of people don't exist as much."

"Uh guys, we might want to reform ranks, and get moving," Valeraine said.

"Apologies," Anduin said. "Although I would like to hear of these controllers at another time. I'm sure Azeroth would have really appreciated their help.

"Archers and Priests, form up on me. Isseria, Aliaga, to me," Alendria shouted.

"Alright, we've rested a moment, Vaegir foot soldiers, to me! Sophella, Melara, follow me," Valeraine said.

"Vaegir cavalry, Paladins, to me!" Anduin shouted.

The infantry formed up and started marching towards the ladders. The archers and priests followed behind.

The best orcs seem to have been defeated in the initial rush, but goblin muskeeters and troll spear throwers remained on the wall.

"Take positions here, lets' shoot these punks off the wall!" Alendria said.

The Vaegir archers fired, as the musketeers blasted back at them.

"Take out the goblins first," Alendria said.

"So tiny!"

Alendria fired her short bow, hitting two goblins in succession. The priests healed a few who were hit by enemy guns.

"Aliaga, Isseria, Priests, advance to spell ranges."

They moved forward, while Alendria and the archers stayed back.

Aliaga took control of one of the goblins that was about to take a shot at Melara. She had the goblin shoot anyone who noticed Melara trying to hide until she was able to help Melara get into hiding.

Sophella had cleared a path for the rest of the infantry, and a fierce fight was on between Sophella with the arriving Vaegir foot men against the enemy reinforcements.

"Lets follow up the ladders after the last of these footmen," Aliaga said to Isseria. Priests, lets get up there and heal those who are hurt."

So they took to the ladders, ascending under the cover of archers. Aliaga stepped out of the way of the ladder and started healing the hurt Vaegirs. Melara was attacking a group of muskeeters and spear throwers that she had found behind the main enemy force. They fell rapidly to the close range assault.

As the rest of the priests got to the top she started wiping out more and more of the enemy infantry. The battle was turning into a rout as the archers started climbing up the ladder.

Then a huge wave of orcs arrived from the inner portion of the fortress. There were warlocks, mages, shaman, warriors and Tauren paladins even.

Aliaga took control of one of the warlock's with mind control, and realized what she had discovered. The Orc had access to the dangerous demons that could harm the warlocks group when they backfired.

She deliberately summoned the greater demon and switched to a shaman, depleting a lot of her mana in the process. She set up several fire totems which started firing at the group.

The priests laid down a torrent of smite spells, as Aliaga sat down on the wall, and drank some water to recover her mana.

The demon was causing huge troubles for the enemy force, and though some shots came their way, a lot of the mages and warlocks were fighting this demon. By the time they killed it and the totems, the infantry started swarming down against them, and the archers joined in firing into the interior from the wall.

Aliaga had enough mana to fire again on the enemies with her smite spells, and then she ran down the incline towards the melee, "follow me priests!" she shouted. They got into range just in time as many of the vaegirs had taken heavy damage from the group of powerful orcs.

She started healing the group, and Valeraine rallied the infantry force as alendria came up with the archers and ran towards Valeraines group while pulling out her mandolin.

While the archers fired for effect, the priests desperately tried to keep as many alive as they could, including Valeraine who was fighting an Orc Death knight.

Aliaga tried to overwhelm the Death knight's mind but could not. He must have been the leader of the defending group here.

Sophella was obliterating mages and warlocks left and right, and finally Melara was able to rejoin the fight with the death knight and help out.

The Death knights attacks and debuffs were obnoxious for the two of them.

Aliaga made sure to apply and reapply Shadow Word Pain on the Death Knight, and the reinforcements dissolved as many Vaegir infantry men died as well.

Finally, Anduin arrived with the dismounted paladins and cavalry and gave Valeraine and Melara a reprieve.

The paladins surrounded the Death knight and spells and arrows buffeted him. The others fell one by one and then Sophella personally smashed a fist through the still fighting orc's brain.

It appeared the Death knight had brought everyone he had available, as the inner sanctum of the town's fortress was unoccupied.

Then Bodahn somehow showed up again, and he had the flag ready, and in the place where the Horde flag had flown, the new banner of the Alliance of Worlds was hoisted up.

It was blue with large gold and silver stars. There were eight stars for the worlds of Azeroth, Paragon Bay, the Old Republic, Isseria's Earth, Sapphiron and Dragonrealms, as well as Bodahn and Sandal's Dragon Age and the Calradia they were currently in.

"Now that you have a sovereign possession, I will stay in the fortress of Rivacheg, unless you decide to make some other possession your headquarters.

I will execute your instructions in diplomacy, recruitment and vassalship. Lords who have been banished from their own lands may wish to sign up with your Kingdom, remember, however, that the lords of these lands expect to have the right to raid and pillage the villages of their enemies. If you wish to excise this practice you may want to hold off.

As it stands currently, Anduin Stormwind, you are the King of the Alliance of Worlds, and Valeraine Sapphiron, you are the marshal of the Alliance of Worlds. Valeraine, you may issue a call of arms to gather what forces are currently abroad and led by other lords of your alliance. Currently, the only other lord who can lead armies is Anduin himself. You may make members of the six into Lords, but remember, once you do that, they will lead armies and operate on their own recognizance except when joined together during a call to arms."

"What else should we know about Rivacheg?" Valeraine asked.

"You can establish new crafting rooms and workshops to produce products based on the raw materials received by trade caravans that will come and go. Alliance of Worlds will soon have its own caravans

This fortress will be provisioned with a force of Alliance of Worlds soldiers within the next two days. These will include archers, foot soldiers, cavalry, and a smattering of priests, since you have united with the priest commander himself."

"Lets get some rest and then decide what we want to do next, and how we want to handle the people in this town."

The fortress had cots and a few beds, and so they were sorted out, the Six and surviving paladins, priests and Vaegirs.

Many of the people of Rivacheg had come to the fortress by the next morning.

They brought food and booze, animals and clothing. Offerings of thanks.

"The Orcs were worse than our old masters," one said.

"The worst."

Anduin came to the gates were the fortress opened to the rest of the town.

"Prepare a feast with what you've brought. We don't deserve tribute. We should share these good things. I will bring what I can to this feast, bring what you can as well."

So they sold a lot of the orcish equipment they scavenged from the fallen orcs, goblins and trolls, and bought out Bodahn's supply of food completely. They rooted through the fortress' kitchen and brought everything and everyone to the center of town.

Sophella was wearing a new dress, with no stone armor in sight, she had Sandal make a granite ring as her symbol.

 Isseria had bought new holsters for her guns and a hat with eight stars on it that Sandal made.

Valeraine wore her Sapphire pendant proudly, and had Sandal make sapphire earrings and a silver ring.

Alendria had a new gnomish purple dress made, and brought her spoons, mandolin, as well as a flute that she had purchased. She had bought some song scrolls that Bodahn mysteriously had.

Bodahn was like that, they all started seeing more items from their worlds in his catalog.

Aliaga was wearing a new set of deep blue primalweave robes. Sandal was able to use the very tailoring techniques from Azeroth that she had lost when she came to this world.

Melara was holding a toy model of her old Republic ship. It wasn't a fierce fighting ship but it was sure nice to have.

The towns people had set up tables and cookers and a keg of ale and another of brandy in the middle of town.

While the Six got ready, Valeraine had been speaking with the other five. She asked Anduin to grant them all Lordships, so that they could gather troops of there own and form seven armies in total, without having to call upon any local lords who might decide to do something evil like raiding villages.

Bodahn brought more food to the table. Anduin had obviously found some formal robes from Bodahn's inventory as he rode in to the town center surrounded by his paladins, the Vaegir horsemen and the Stormwind priests.

"Fine Folk of Rivacheg! I don't come to your town as a ruler, but as a servant. Not to abuse you, but to help you find new lives and new ways that are unknown to you today. Each of you has a potential to be more than you are now, whether you are a farmer or merchant or craftsman or soldier. My goal is to serve you, to be your assistant in protecting this town from all those who would wish to hurt you.

"I am a peaceful man by disposition, born as Prince Anduin of Stormwind, a place you have never known or been to. One month ago, these men, these Paladins and Priests of Stormwind were conducting an ordinary patrol of the Dark Portal which normally leads from my world to a world we call Outland.

"The portal was glowing with white radiance, unlike its usual properties. We believed we'd be able to go back through the portal, but we went through, and we ended up just north of this town. There was no way back, so we could only press forward.

"Something unknown and mysterious is taking place in this world. These Six who have joined together with the forces of Stormwind, and with your town, are from Six different worlds.

"They are all heroines of their own worlds. The way villagers and townsmen and women are treated in this world is something that concerned all of us.

"We are for an end to all pillaging and abuse. For an end to any inequality between men and women. Between nobles, merchants and peasants.

"We have to work within your system for now. And so I have declared that each of the Six will lead their own armies, so that we can begin to patrol these borders, and hunt down raiders and bandits and betrayers of the Light.

"I am a peaceful man, but this world is not a place of peace. I will be your avenging prince, for such a time as circumstances dictate. Please, bring up to me any items of concern you may have. I will be staying in the fortress for the next few weeks, so please come to me.

"Valeraine Sapphiron is the first of the six, and your new marshal of the Alliance of Worlds. She lead troops in the lands she hailed from, and she had potent spells, but do not be afraid, for you are not the target of her magics. Valeraine has told me she has an avid interest in history.

"Sophella is not a gargoyle, nor a monster, that appearance, of a mighty stone golem, is just her armor. Sophella, show them, your fighting form, and your normal form!"

A gasp rose up as Sophella transformed into the granite armored gargoyle that was her fighting form.

"Sophella can stand against the mightiest of men, and she comes from a world filled with battles and with incredible people who can jump as high as a mountain or fly around on their own. Some of you may have seen her stand and fight against dozens of orcs at once. Despite the fact that she's often in armor, she loves fashion and trying out new styles".

Aliaga is from my world, a priestess with a balanced ability to both defeat our enemies and heal people. Go to her if you need medical attention. Don't be afraid of her spells, for even the shadow magics she uses are only targeting our enemies. Aliaga is an avid tailor and seamstress, but she is still looking for the appropriate materials in this world.

Melara is from a world vastly unlike any others I have heard about. She has a ship that can travel between stars, or had it really. She wields a weapon which glows in a strange way, and she can disappear as needed in battle, so as to set up a surprising strike. I'm not sure if Melara has a hobby or not.

Alendria is a musician, she plays multiple instruments and sings. She can heal with a special lilt on her mandolin, and she is a great archer as well. She's going to be after dinner entertainment. She loves to make up and improvise new songs and tales, so you tale tellers, go to her.

Isseria uses some weapons you may have never seen before. They are sort of like crossbows, but much louder and quicker firing. In my world they are called boomsticks or firearms.

I'm also thankful for the locals who have already enlisted in the army and fought in the field and in the battle for Rivacheg."

With that said, the eating and drinking commenced, Anduin played it cool, and enjoyed the night, but stayed away from the booze.

Isseria and Alendria were both having a great time with the locals, dancing, singing, drinking and hooting it up.

Valeraine was sitting with some elders, talking about local history and her own world's history.

Anduin went to sit down at the table where Melara and Aliaga were chatting. He wasn't sure what Sophella was up to.

"Most priests are pretty disciplined. It takes spiritual discipline to connect to the Light, and it takes mental flexibility to connect with the shadow."

"Why didn't you stick with just the Light? You seem to want that and yet something keeps you halfway into shadow?" Melara said. "I've seen some Jedi who have come back from the Dark Side, who still struggle with it. Obviously, I don't know how it was in your world?"

"Some sources said shadow magic was bad. But it was all about Warlocks being bad in general, and yet the alliance has warlocks, and the Horde has paladins, and undead priests who specialize in the light. For a long time I tried to go through my trials as a Holy Priest but it was very slow going. Most priests were Shadow priests during their leveling trials and then changed afterwords."

"What do you mean by trials?" Anduin asked.

"I mean, I'm sure it was different for you, your highness, but for adventurers like myself, we had to go on a series of journeys from province to province, learning to help out in increasingly difficult situations, but we weren't really considered worthy members of the community until we reached our maximum level. After listening to Melara's trials, to become a padawan, to become a knight, I started thinking of that leveling journey as my trials.

And I tried to be a Holy priest. But being a healer for a group day in and day out was just too much pressure. The siege was starting to feel like the old days when I was a healer at Karazhan."

All the weight goes onto the tank first, and then the healers. The group I was part of wasn't really ready for all of the foes we faced in Karazhan, and that meant frantic healing and failure, and I wasn't fully as geared up as I needed to be."

Anduin said, "In this world I can't really tell who is an adventurer. I was an 8 year old for six years, and then all of a sudden I'm a teenager, and then a young adult. Just at random times when father was involved in some big events I would grow up somehow. I don't remember ever going out on patrol before this time. Do you remember anything before showing up at the Northshire Abbey?"

"No. It was before the portal was opened to Outland. I think I showed up there about six months before the portal opened. It took a lot of patience early on. Shield up and just keep smiting. I had a bunch of close calls and even died several times early on when I got swarmed by too many wolves. But the resurrection spirits kept me coming back. I think I went out to the Elves after my early days in Elwynn forest, and helped them out quite a bit before coming back to Eastern Realms."

Melara piped up, "Ok, now I'm confused, but also not. I had levels too. I started out on this planet where these native people were attacking explorers and colonists who had just arrived. The natives were sadly vicious and didn't have a lot of intelligent thought to them. I had to excavate some ruins for my master, and we had some interesting discoveries. I don't think the fighting was too bad, but it was a lot more focused on my force abilities than it is here."

"Yeah, back on Azeroth, I could switch back and forth from a purely Shadow set of powers to a purely Holy set. I didn't have the holy gear I needed to do well, but I could do ok. Here I have a weird mixture."

"I haven't noticed any differences between what I could do in Azeroth and here," Anduin said. "Although I am very curious where and how there is both the Light here, and this Force of yours Melara, and the elemental magic that Alendria draws on."

"The force pervades the whole universe. Or at least my universe. but I admit my perception of the force has become much dimmed since I got here."

"Uh, guys!" Sophella said, standing, ludicrously, on top of a shop roof nearby. "I think some people are very angry that we declared our own nation. Here's the letters we just received at the fortress.

Anduin stood up as Sophella, in full armor, jumped off the roof.

He collected the letters from her.

"Kingdom of Vaegirs declares war on Kingdom of Alliance of Worlds: Personal Dislike"
"Kingdom of Swadia declares war on Kingdom of Alliance of Worlds: Personal Dislike"
"Kingdom of Rhodok declares war on Kingdom of Alliance of Worlds: Personal Dislike"
"Kingdom of Nords declares war on Kingdom of Alliance of Worlds: Personal Dislike"

"That leaves what, the Kerghit Khanate and the Sarranids not at war with us?" Anduin said.

Anduin

Part 5 of the Valkyrie Six


Melara still couldn't meditate on the force, which had always helped her to regain her serenity in the middle of any situation. But at least she could practice levitating objects with the force now.

The group had recruited a group of new Vaegir recruits from the village they rescued. Then they moved to the north, passing by a Vaegir noble's army but nothing else on the way north.

Before they came to the sea, they saw the smoke and fire. There was smoke rising from two of the castles in this area of the Vaegir kingdom. It looked like the town at the waterfront was burning as well.

They didn't find the sea raiders they were looking for, but they did stumble upon a large battle between an Orcish army and some unknown force.

"Its the Stormwind army! Or a contingent of their forces at least. How did they get here?" Aliaga said.

They decided to help the Stormwind army fight off the Orcs.

When they were transported into the field battle, Melara noticed that those Stormwind forces were composed of two groups. One group were mounted and wore heavy armor and shields. The others were on foot and had staves like Aliaga's.

"Strangers! We appreciate the help, but be wary, the warlocks of the Horde have joined forces with the warg riders, foot soldiers and goblin riflemen. Don't be afraid of the warlocks' summoned demons, attack them and destroy them without pause!"

"Anduin? How did you get here?" Aliaga shouted.

"After this fight is done, we can parlay. As much as I wished to not fight, the Orcs are destroying this land and its people. So we must fight. For Stormwind! For the Light!"

The Paladins trotted forward at a slow pace and the staff bearers followed behind.

"Guards and Recruits, form up a line. Extend the Stormwind lines. Everyone else, get in the second row and get ready for battle. Sophella, I want you on point to take out any of these demons. We will provide ranged support. Alendria, find out if they need healing support," Valeraine said.

"Half their army is composed of priests who can heal as I can. My focus is split between Holy and Shadow, whereas Anduin and his army is an army of the light," Aliaga said.

"Stay in the group then. Lets keep up with them!"

The two armies marched side by side, the Stormwind forces being more numerous, with two rows of ten for the mounted group and another two rows of ten for the priests.

The Wargs rode ahead of their support, intending to end this quickly. There was one rider that was particularly stout and seemed to be leading the group.

Melara picked up the largest rock she could with the force, and flung it, missing the Orc but battering his warg, causing the leader to tumble off of it.

Sophella moved out in front of the first line forces. Valeraine focused on backdrafting while Melara used another flung rock to throw another rider off of his warg.

Alendria was firing arrows at the riders and Isseria was waiting for them to get into range. Aliaga started smiting the riders approaching their army.

Meanwhile, the priests were attacking with massed Holy spells, including smite and Holy Fire. The mounted forces drew their blades and the smashing, horrifying collision of forces happened next. Sophella personally was fighting the downed enemy leader, and Melara went invisible and skirted around the edge of the fight. The enemy leader was holding his own and resisting the Stone fists of Sophella while actually inflicting some damage on her, but when Melara showed herself, flashing her lightsaber back on and slashing into the Orcs' side, he was done. After a few more combined strikes from Sophella and herself, the leader was done.

The rest of the Orc forces were approaching. Melara and Sophella bypassed the enemy warg riders left and went right for the warlocks' demons.

Melara appeared behind a large demon who was glowing in bright and dark splotches of green. The demon hit her pretty hard but she slashed back at him. Some kind of draining magic hit her, and she threw a rock at the warlock in question.

Sophella fought against three demons as Melara slipped into hiding again, only showing herself when she slashing a warlock through the abdomen. The infantry orcs had been distracted and were fighting Sophella, so Melara took some hits and was bleeding, but she managed to shred the enemy warlock forces. With each warlock she killed, another demon disappeared, until Sophella was only facing orcish infantry.

Sophella was in bad shape, so Melara started flinging stones and force pushing the orcs away from her.

Anduin had reached their position and used some massive area of effect spell which both healed Melara and Sophella and caused heavy damage to the Orc infantry.

Sophella's mud pots power had caused the infantry to be slow and take fire damage as they stood near her. And the three of them together managed to wipe out the two dozen infantrymen left.

The infantry and warlocks on the far other side of the formation were still standing, and after a brief respite, Andiun said, "Come on, there is still more to do."

Melara had no idea what was happening in the fight against the cavalry units, or how the rest of their forces had fared.

The enemy infantry and orcs were not positioned to fight their flanking attack, and Anduin took out one warlock while Sophella once again attracted the anger of their enemies.

With concentrated fire and attacks, sneaking and surprising the warlocks, Melara was able to assist Anduin in downing the rest of the dark summoners. The orcish infantry and warg riders tried to flee, but Andiun used a wide area spell, causing most of them to collapse unconscious or dead, and Alendria at last picked off the last of the orcs with her bows.

"Where were the riflemen?" Anduin pondered.

Sophella dismissed her armor, and Melara put away her lightsaber.

Alendria came up to them. "Valeraine and Isseria had to take up our front lines when you went after the warlocks. They took some knocks. Aliaga helped to rally the Stormwind forces. The warg riders are pretty fierce."

"Let's return to my army's camp so we may be introduced," Anduin said.

After a quick healing process accelerated by so many priests and healing paladins, Melara and the others went to the Stormwind camp.

-o-

"I confess, I didn't expect to find a priestess from Stormwind out here beyond those who traveled with me. I didn't expact to see anything but bloodlust after the first week we've had," Anduin said.

"None of us are native to this place either," Aliaga said. "Something strange is happening, as if rifts from entirely different universes are appearing. Instead of gates from different worlds there are gates from entirely different sorts of universes.

"Sophella is from a world of so-called superheroes and supervillians. Many of them can fly, and jump huge distances, and they have access to things far beyond what we can imagine.

"Melara's world has gigantic ships flying in space, many thousands of times larger than the Exodar. There, magic is called the force and is something very rare.

"Alendria's world has entirely different types of magic than ours, although their society is somewhat similar, they haven't seen the kind of threat from afar we have seen. They understand magic at another whole level, and they can teach people to be better than things.

"Valeraine's world is kinda like ours, except once again the magic is different, and only elemental magic is available, but the kinds of things it can do are very flexible.

"It seemed like Isseria's world is similar to Sophella's except without the superheroes, but there is magic, it's very rare.

We don't know much about our camp friend Bodahn's world, or this world."

"If Azeroth has come to this world in part, do you think threats and allies will come from these other worlds as well? These giant ships from Melara's world could be used as forward bases and places to launch raids from."

"It would only take a small fleet of ships from my world to destroy this world or control it. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. My "world" as you call it, is actually many worlds embroiled in a war between the Republic and the Sith Empire" Melara said.

"There are some worlds in our universe. Only two that we know about, being Dranei or Outlands after its destruction, and Azeroth itself. But all of our peoples are from Azeroth."

Valeraine said, "This world we're in now, its unpleasant, full of conflict and people being taken advantage of. And if we run into a larger Orc force separately, we might be defeated and abused ourselves."

Anduin nodded, "As much as I prefer peace, it's looking like the best path to peace is to bring more people under our banner, and to start bringing villages under our protection. It would seem the Swadians are already upset because of your response to their raiders. What would you propose? Those who I command are used to working as part of larger groups. I've been a priest more than a commander, despite my surname."

"I propose that you place me in command in the field, but you would be the ruler for all diplomatic and sovereign functions. We need a new banner, a new name that reflects where we come from, and what we stand by?" Valeraine said.

"I propose the Alliance of Worlds. My own people can still say they are serving the alliance, and it accurately reflects who we are. And I agree with your plan, as long as your own people agree to join my banner in this way," Anduin said. "I'm not sure if, or when, we are returning to our respective worlds."

"Six?" Valeraine asked. "What are your thoughts on this?"

"This sounds like a good agreement. We need to make it clear that no one is to pillage and raid villages as they have been doing. Make it clear that we have come to provide safety and security for civilians all over," Aliaga said.

"We need to be ready to bring in more groups if they come. If both friends and enemies of your Azeroth have showed up, Aliaga, that I suspect we'll be seeing friends and enemies from all of our worlds," Melara said.

"Keep our friends together and our enemies split up," Sophella nodded. "If we see some of the worst villains of my city here, I shudder at what would stop them. Lord Recluse..."

"I'm not sure who would show up from mine? The FBI doesn't seem that threatening in a world so unlike their own."

Sophella looked at Isseria quizzically. "Hey, this is the first time we've found something in common between our worlds. The FBI division for super-hero affairs monitors heroes in Paragon City. The FBI is your enemy?"

"Hey, I bet the FBI is different in your world. In mine, I was forced to do a job for a criminal or be killed, and then the gangster tried to kill me anyway. The FBI came after me for that job. I didn't have any other choice!" Isseria said.

"I'm not sure who would count as enemies from my world. There have been so many who came and went," Alendria said. "And really, I was never powerful enough to consider them my own enemies. I've always been a rather weak fighter compared to the other people I knew. Maybe the Sand Elves? Oh no, what about the Gorbesh Army?" Alendria said.

Anduin pondered at all the different members of the six and how different they were.

"So is it settled then?" Anduin asked.

"Bodahn? Will you follow up if we join Anduin's group? Soldiers of Vaegir, will you follow us?" Valeraine asked.

"Always, milady. And if a new banner is what you need, Sandal's been waiting for your group to desire something crafted finely. What about it, your highness?"

"How much would such a master craftsman charge, Mr. Fedic?"

Valeraine turned to the Vaegir soldiers.

"My mother was beaten, dragged from her home and taken by one of the Sea Raiders," the Vaegir guard said. "I'm with this new Alliance of Worlds. But if you want to be able to parlay, I recommend you take a castle or town to plant that flag on."

The others were much the same.

"What value can we get from the armor of the orcs we faced earlier? Would that be enough to make up the different. Or Valeraine, do you have 1800 coin to cover this cost?"

Bodahn said, "The Six can pay 600 coin, the rest will be covered by the armor and weapons recovered."

"We'll take it," Valeraine said.

"The Vaegir soldiers made a good point though. We need a settlement of our own before the kingdoms of this world will even consider us worthy to talk to."

"The Orcs have already taken Rivacheg from the Vaegir Kingdom. It would be right if we took it from the orcs for ourselves. We need a greater force to attempt to take it however. The Paladins are not particularly skilled in sieges, as fierce as they are in the open field. These Vaegir recruits would seem to be our best bet."

"Start crafting that banner, Bodahn," Valeraine said. "Lets visit all of the villages that still stand in Vaegir and Nord lands. We can pick off any sea raiders or orc raiders as we go."

So they packed up the Human Alliance camp, and merged their camps together into one, and then took to the field again. The Nordic kingdom was nearby, so they gathered recruits from both the Vaegir villages and Nord villages. Two villages had already been wiped out as they went past them.

They didn't run into any orcs, and the sea raiders were either dead, or had already fled, so it was that there newly increased numbers were arrayed at a training field in the Nord kingdom.

It was time to train up these new enlistees.

Melara and Valeraine taught them melee combat. Alendria taught them archery. The paladins practiced mounted fighting with some of the new Vaegir recruits.

Over three days of steady training, they developed the new recruits into three branches: a small mounted vaegir force to supplement the Paladin cavalry. A decently sized force of archers who could shoot back against enemy archers on the walls as they stormed Rivacheg, and a force of fourty more melee infantry types to climb the ladders and battle it out on the walls of the town.

Village Decisions

Part 4 of the Valkyrie Six



With the stew still bubbling, we left the camp for a second time that day. Sophella walked at the front with Valeraine, stopped frequently, as her huge golem sized steps made it easy to accidentally put distance between the two of them.

Sophella could see and smell the fight that had taken place at the village now that they were close.

The villager who spoke to them about Ulburban's plight had assumed they knew what sea raiders did to a village they had captured.

It wasn't just sea raiders. It was anyone, and everyone that has an excuse. If the Vaegir King was at war, his enemies would take the same opportunity. And that opportunity was to kill every able bodied man they found who hadn't already died in the village's defense. To defile every woman of the village and drag her away to accompany the men wherever they went. To steal all of the food of the harvest and set fire to the village itself.

They had been thinking the night before. What exactly were they doing here, in this world. And what would they do, now that they were here.

"Anyone who orders or participates in this kind of 'raid' of a village or town or city or any other kind of place, is loathsome, despicable and our enemy," Sophella had said.

Sophella spoke up against it first, and everyone agreed. It wasn't until later that they realized that nearly every nobleman and soldier in Calradia had participated in a village raid.

The Six's own Vaegir soldiers had fought from the beginning only as part of the Six, so they hadn't.

Sophella was ready to get revenge for the sea raiders' depravity, and mark the line in the sand that they had agreed on.

As they approached the village, at last they teleported from the world zone into the village zone.

Surprisingly, they were surrounded by the villagers who had just been called hostages by the other peasant.

"Come on! we need to take back our village!" the man said.

The other peasants, armed only with pitchforks and without even cloth armor to their name, started charging into the village.

The sea raiders immediately started firing arrows into the crowd of peasants.

"Shut down those archers!" Valeraine yelled.

Sophella began bounded towards those sea raiders who moved to attack up close.

One peasant was cut down by a raider's sword before Sophella smashed her fist into the man, causing him to collapse. She use her taunt ability, saying, "Come fight me, you cowards!"

The archers and sword fighting raiders focused on her, and Sophella hurled a boulder into one archer's face while another fell as Melara reappeared behind them. Her light saber flickered on, and the Jedi began annihilating the raiders.

Sophella continued to smash raider after raider, and the initial wave of raiders was rapidly dissolved, but another group was holding position at the top of the hill. Sophella bounded forward into the middle of the leftover archers, and smashed them, killing each with only one punch.

A few peasants were dying as they got ahead of Melara and Sophella. Aliaga was busy healing the peasants and Alendria was shooting the archers at the top of the hill. Valeraine had hit the raiders at the hill with fire, and before Sophella could even reach them, they started to run.

Without any mounted troops it was tough to pursue the raiders, but Valeaine managed to kill two more.

Sophella was not impressed with the sea raiders, finding them stronger than the looters they had fought, but pathetic compared to the difficult Orc foes.

The village elder told Valeraine that they could take some of the villages food and supplies as just due for rescuing them, but Valeraine refused, instead giving the equipment of the fallen sea raiders to Bodahn for a decent sum. It seemed like the sea raiders wore decent equipment despite their poor fighting skill, as it all fetched a nice sum of 250 ducats.

Sophella approached Valeraine and the Elder. The Elder flinched away, scared by her size and weird appearance.

"This is Sophella, she's just wearing her stone armor, but she's human like you and me," Valeraine said.

"Oh, well thank you for intervening before more people were cut down by those animals," the elder said.

"Where do these Sea Raiders usually come from when they attack?" Sophella asked.

"We've never seen Sea Raiders in these parts before. The Mountain Bandits make their homes all around us, but the Sea Raiders stay to the north, near the sea and between Rivacheg of our nation and Wercheg of the Nords. Some of the other village elders think the Sea Raiders have been displaced by these so-called Orcs, and so they in turn have displaced the Mountain Bandits in these parts. You may want to go north and look for them, but I would sure appreciate it if you check around the village first before you go far."

Valeraine nodded, "We'll head out first thing in the morning, looking for these raiders."

So they returned to their camp, by once again going from the village zone, to the world zone and then to the camp zone. The stew was still cooking, bubbling away.

Alendria played a different song, while Aliaga was finishing up the cooking. She played it on her new spoons, and it was a lively, but tribal sounding song.

"What God is that song for?" Sophella asked.

"It's Drums of the Snake, I'm amplifying Aliaga's cooking abilities. I haven't seen a use for the chant in this world until now. It might help Melara with sneaking around while invisible, but I would have to be close to her, and my song would tend to cause more problems than it solves. Unfortunately, bards are decidedly bad at being sneaky. Why not one of my knockout songs, or even the fire song, but here I am with Drums of the Snake, and I suspect its usefulness would mostly be for other people from my world, especially locksmiths, or herbalists. "

"I've never thought of mixing everything like this, or adding these spices. I've got some other ideas for next time!" Aliaga said.

It was great stew. Sophella was very hungry after a day of fighting. The problem was, how do you eat while in stone armor.

Words flashed through her vision, like they were holograms.

Sophella, Stone Stone Tanker
Level Up! Level 2 Obtained

Fun Ability: Toggle Armor gained

Stone Armor Powerset Ability: Mud Pots
-- Toggle: Point Blank Area of Effect, Minor Damage over Time(Fire), Foe: Immobilize, -Speed

Stone Melee Powerset Ability: Build Up
-- Self +Damage, +To-Hit

"I'm so happy! Thank you Thank you!"

Sophella toggled off her Stone Armor, and in the middle of several other celebrations that must have indicated some leveling up, others looked towards her.

Sophella was wearing a blue shirt with a white skirt. Her hair was long and golden brown.

Sophella frowned though. Only level 2, and yet she already had the full granite armor? And she was just getting Mud Pots now? This was obviously something new in terms of what would happen at each level.

It looked like they all leveled up.

"I've got Smite, so I don't have to resort to my staff anymore. And Slow Fall! I can glide down from a mountain top if I wanted," Aliaga said.

"I got a little bit of my martial arts back, so I can try some more tricks," Isseria said.

Valeraine had a Rising Flames spell, and a Rally special ability.

Alendria was excited as she got a spell called Glythtide's Boon, which she said could summon a random drink for a little bit of mana. And she got an ability she called teaching.

Melara got a power to move things around with the force. She only gained one new thing, but then she explained that her fun ability was moving around everyday objects with the force, and her power ability was flunging things at her enemies with the force.

"Why did this happen now instead of after that last battle?" Aliaga asked.

"Maybe our skill ranks pulsed, and we just reached what we needed for level 2," Alendria said.

Sophella had no idea what skill ranks were or what pulsing was. "I think we all had slightly different ways of leveling up. Alendria how did yours work," Sophella asked.

"So I do different kinds of activities. If I use a bow, then I can bits in a pool in short bow. If I play my drums in order to play the drums of the snake chant, then I'm gaining Percussion, Primary Magic, Harnessing and Musical Lore bits.

After I've got some bits, there's certain points in time where the bits will pour out of those pools and give me partial ranks in those skills. Then I go see the guildmaster and ask her how much ranks I need to level up. And once I do I can talk to her and learn new abilities."

Alendria's world was weird.

"Why did we all gain a level at the same exact moment?" Melara asked. "That shouldn't happen."

Isseria and Valeraine asked, "What are levels anyway?"

"I remember like arcade games had different levels you could beat," Isseria said, pondering.

"Levels are what you gain to get stronger over time. Usually you have to fight a certain number of enemies and get experience by fighting them so that eventually you get levels," Melara said.

"Or do quests and get experience by completing them," Aliaga said.

"Quests? Like those things you have to pay a ton of money for?" Alendria asked, confused.

"No, quests pay you money and items if you complete them. OK, we are all from different worlds, so lets go to Bodahn and ask him, and then its time to eat," Aliaga said.

So they crowded around Bodahn.

"So how does this leveling thing work around here," Valeraine asked.

"The Six level together, always. I know, its not like my world, and I don't think its like this world. I mean, your Vaegir soldiers ranked up on their own, but I think you six have a shared experience pool. Everything I know about it, its just that the Six always have the same level. And I even suspect that the soldiers accompanying you gained some benefit from your leveling up, independent of their rank," Bodahn said.

"How do you know all of this stuff," Isseria asked.

"I don't know, I just do. Just let me know if you need anything."

So they went over to the tent where the four Vaegir soldiers were at.

"Did you notice anything when we leveled up?" Valeraine asked.

"We got something called a World ability. It said it was from your world, Six Alendria.. Its a feint that gives us greater defense after we attack with a sword. Its a weaker attack but then we can parry or block the enemy's blows better after that."

"Interesting," Alendria said.

After this news, and the excitement of their abilities had died down for the moment, they returned to the fire and ate. Sophella got the chance to interact with everyone all over again, this time not being treated like some kind of golem. She connected with Alendria and Valeraine a lot more. Melara and Aliaga seemed to be involved in a comparison of their orders, and how the priesthood's training varied from the Jedi academy's training. Isseria chimed in with her training at the reclusive martial arts compound.

It seemed like the others had one main story to tell, but Sophella could have told quite a few, and she got the impression that Aliaga had a few as well.

"Alright, let me talk about one of the stories I remember said," she said.

"My day to day life, largely involved fighting against all the gangs and criminal organizations in my world. I fought through so many warehouses full of goons that I've lost count. In addition, I often joined up as the protector for a group of fellow heroes that would taken on some of the bigger criminal foes, the arch-villains.

When I wasn't in a group I was tracking down my own leads into the criminal underworld. Finally, one day, I rescued a guy, who said he knew me, even though I had never met him. He gave a cryptic statement, and I had to track down what he was talking about.

Eventually, I found out that he was part of a group of time travelers, and I somehow stumbled upon their facility. I went through their time portal, and ended up at their headquarters in some distant future time when time travel had been invented.

The group told me that they were actually fighting against rogue time travelers that were trying to mess things up. I was sent back to the Roman empire to try to protect one of the first superheroes, who the meddlers were trying to kill.

It was a strange place and time, for sure. I had to gain Romulus' trust and then soundly defeat both the time travelers but also all the people they had gained on their side.

When I got back from that mission, the time travelers showed me a room that showed all of the major fights and investigations I had done since I hecame a superhero. I could look at them, or I could even go back in time, and try to fight my enemies again

I wasn't interested in redoing old fights, I didn't see the point in it, but I found an old fight that I had never actually fought. So I went back to that one.

After fighting through a wave of very scary enemies, who I barely struggled to defeat, I found another portal. It showed this very camp site.

When I stepped through, I thought I would be able to come back. As far as the hero authority is concerned, I just disappeared."

Melara and Aliaga headed towards the tents first, and then Isseria and Valeraine. Alendria practiced her mandolin by the fire, even as Sophella waved and said good night, and retired to the tents.

When she woke up the next morning and went to the fire, she saw that Alendria was talking with the Vaegir soldiers.

They had more armor now.

"My new ability can help the soldiers rank up!" Alendria said to Sophella as she came close.

"What are your ranks?" Sophella asked.

"I'm a guard, and he's a guard, and the other two are infantry," the soldier said.

"Does it work on us too?" Sophella asked.

Alendria did something, and then Sophella started realizing how she could better use her abilities. Upper cuts, body blows, grapples. Nothing visibly happened but she felt more confident in facing the enemy today."

"What's it doing?" Alendria asked.

So Sophella told her what she was noticing.

"I wonder if you have hidden skills related to using your abilities. In my world, teach is used for teaching a specific skill, but here it seems to teach each person the skill they need the most. For these soldiers, it was learning how to defend themselves and attack in a careful manner, as well as how to move around effectively," Alendria said.

"For me it was how to attack with my fists."

It wasn't long before the others were up, and Valeraine gathered everyone together.

Alendria seemed to be able to teach three people at a time, so she dropped the soldiers and tried Valeraine and Aliaga.

"I'm learning how to maneuver our forces and set up coordinated strikes. How does this even work?" she asked.

"I never really thought about it before," Alendria said.

Alendria was getting more confident in her teaching than she had been when the soldiers came to the fire the night before.

"Lets get moving. We'll do a series of spirals outward from the village and see if we find any one. If we notice any more villages being raided, or anyone tells us about it, we'll immediately go deal with that first."

So they left the camp and wandered around on the world zone near Ulburban. They found nothing for the first several hours, and it was just before noon when they noticed smoke coming from the village Ulandra to the southwest.

They were challenged at the village outskirts by a force of mounted knights.

"Hello, I am Count Grainwad of the Swadian Kingdom. We have never met before."

The man was bald, carrying a striped banner.

"Valeraine, of the Valkyrie Six. Why are you raiding this village?"

"As King Harlaus has declared a war to recover lost lands from the Vaegir scum, it is our right to raid any holding of the Vaegir crown," Grainwad said.

"We object strongly to any more villages being brutalized like this. The outlaws do this sort of thing, are you now falling to their level, or will you leave these peasants, who do not own the land you are seeking to recover, alone."

"It is my right to raid villages of the enemy. Peasants form the fighting backbone of any army. The resources they grow and gather sustain my enemy in the fight. So what are you going to do to stop me. Begone!"

"We will defend any village from any horrible treachery such as this," Valeraine said.

"So be it! You will be destroyed and scattered as a warning to the women of this world!"

Sophella was angry, she might as well be breathing fire. She knew Valeraine and the others felt the same way.

The conversation ended, and they entered the battle field.

"Hold Up villagers," Valeraine shouted, and the villagers that showed up beside them in the field of battle stopped running into the village.

"These are soldiers of one of the King's vassals. We're outnumbered. We need to soften them up first. Form ranks! Vaegir soldiers, form up on the first line with the villagers. Sophella, form up ten paces ahead of the first line.

Melara, Isseria, take flanking positions twenty paces to the left and right of Sophella. Aliaga, Alendria. form up right behind the first line. I will form up with you. Take your formations."

As the forces repositioned, Grainwad's forces were rushing out of the village, about half on horseback, and half on foot.

Alendria decided to sing an inspiring song,
"Whose gonna put up with this real Grainwad?
  Let's give him a fight that the Wad doesn't want.
  We stand for the village we stand for what's right
  We ain't gonna let no Grainwad take this fight.

  What do you say?
  Are you gonna take this anymore?"

"Hell no!
  Grainwad's got to go!"

"Ten paces forward!" Valeraine said, and they all kept formation, moving forward.

"Six! Fire on those cav! Blunt their charge!" she shouted.

Valeraine's fire, Alendria's arrows and Sophella's boulders crashed into the mounted fighters as they charged towards them. The horsemen tried to weave around Sophella, but Isseria started shooting and Melara slashed at a horseman from out of the shadows, and began to deal with the horsemen one at a time.

A few did make it through, and Valeraine waited until they crashed into the villagers and soldiers to yell, "attack at will, move and pursue your enemies wherever they are!"

Valeraine chopped at enemies attacking the villagers, avoiding hitting the friendly with the manuever. She used backdraft to fling threatening enemies away and off their horses.

Sophella was using her new mud pots ability to damage the people fighting her, and continued to smash and punch whirling here and there.

When the infantry and archers got into range,  Valeraine yelled, "Six, target the archers! Except you  Sophella."

Sophella and the villagers and soldiers continued to fight up front while Melara and Isseria extracted themselves.

Melara swiftly made her way up to the force and slashed her lightsaber into an archer. Isseria finished off another and Alendria shot back at several of them.

The infantry nearby took to battle against the two, and Valeraine bypassed the fight at the first line, flanking around to where she could using rising flames against a group of infantry. Aliaga leapt back to avoid getting hit by the fire, and watched two infantrymen scream in misery.

The battle was joined in several places, as the first line fight was going the Grainwad's way but the archers and infantrymen were routed. Alendria worked on healing the others near her with the lilt, and Aliaga healed whoever she could on the first line.

Sophella smashed Count Grainwad himself off of his horse, and one of the vaegir guards landed the knockout blow on the count.

The guard rank soldiers were a far cry from the recruits of just a few days ago, they had helped to rally the line and hold against the mounted units.

Valeraine watched as the last three horsed enemies rode in towards the villagers ago, and she launched one off his horse with backdraft, and watched as Melara flung a heavy stone into another horseman.

The guards and infantrymen on their side swarmed to the fallen enemies as Isseria shot the third cavalryman, and everyone mobbed the downed enemies.

Eventually, those few of Grainwads' who had survived fled the field.

The fight had ranged over a wide area around the village, and so it took a while to clean up.

The villagers had returned to their village, but surprising a few came from the village out to meet the Six.

"Can you teach us how to fight like that?" one of the village women asked.

"You can certainly learn to fight well enough to defeat men like Count Grainwad. We would love to see more villagers who are combat trained enough to repulse these hateful raids," Valeraine said. "If you are willing to help us protect other villages under attack, we'd love to have you."

One of the village woman decided not to come with them, and ran off, "Clair," the one speaking to them shouted.

In the end, Janet and Hilda decided to join up with them, though they didn't have any weapons more than crude wooden daggers, and only wore the traditional female dress of the region, with blue hoods and white robes that had seen many days in the field.

 Valeraine took the group back to camp to decide how to equip and bring the women into their group.

Janet and Hilda and the three Vaegir guards were sitting around the camp fire with Alendria, who was using her teaching ability with the two women and one of the guards.

"We meed to recruit additional forces if we want to take on this challenge," Valeraine said. "The Six can only do so much on their own. We need to be able to form a bigger battle line and protect the villagers from the initial wave of fighting."

Hilda said, "If you go to the men of our village, you might find more willing to sign up.to become Recruits. Also some of the bandits and raiders have captured women already. We should defeat them and rescue those women."

"What do you think six? What should our plan be?" Valeraine said.

"Let's work on building out this camp more, get some more tents set up, more firepits and supplies. Make sure everyone we recruit has a place to sleep. Then we can go to the village and find who is willing to join up," Alendria said.

"After that, we should go north and find out if the Sea Raiders have been displaced and see if we can rescue any captives," Melara said.

Stories

Part 3 of the Valkyrie Six


They spent the rest of the day recovering at camp. Aliaga had some skill at cooking, so after Valeraine started a fire going with her magics, the two went to Bodahn and bought what they needed to cook a nice dinner.

It was a stew, with a nice big cauldron cooking up enough for days. Bodahn said that all of their cooking equipment and leftovers would stay with the camp and wherever they traveled in the world zone they could always go back to the camp.

Aliaga started working on the Mutton stew, with carrots, potatoes, celery and spices. She marveled that it didn't cook up like her home world but took time to cook.

All evening long the recovering Valkyrie troop looked longingly at the food cooking away, and looked for someone fun to do while they recovered.

Alendria took it on herself to entertain the group.

"I collect stories," she said. "Sometimes I retell them or write songs about them. I think it would be fun if we tell some stories about each other's worlds."

Surprisingly, the normally subdued Melara told her story.

"I was a padawan under Master Youn Par, who specializes in archeology and exploring, especially in finding old Jedi artifacts and sites. Tython's aggressive natives, the so-called Flesh Raiders, attacked us while we were looking for some holocrons, which are recordings made by past Jedis, or, past Sith.

My master fell under the sway of a sickness of the dark side, which took away her moral faculties and restraints, and she attacked me when I was with her at the medical facilities on Coruscant, the Republic's homeworld.

Luckily, I was able to find out more about the condition my master suffered, and I cured Master Yuon Par of her condition, but it took a lot out of me in the process.

I was granted the rank of Jedi knight, but what I ended up doing is tracking down several other Jedi on other worlds who had fallen under this curse. Many of them had done a lot of damage to our cause in the process, killing and doing the bidding of a Lord Vivicar, who they constantly referenced.

Each time I healed the curse, it took something more out of me, and I struggled to continue. But eventually I fought out that Lord Vivicar was actually someone known as Parkanas Tark, who was abandoned during evacuations after a failed Jedi mission on Malachor Three.

I was able to locate Parkanas, and fought a vicious battle with the fallen man, but eventually prevailed. With Parkanas gone, the curse that had inflicted so many was no more.

It was only a few weeks ago that I was able to prevail against Lord Vivicar, and I had just received a new mission, to serve as an advocate and peace-broker for a group of planets called the Rift Alliance. I was in my Defender-class ship, and I made the jump to hyperspace, something went wrong and when I regained consciousness, I was here."

Alendria smiled, "Good story, I need to translate some of your terms though. We need to make it alive and fill it up. What kind of quirky people did you run across during all of this?"

"Padawan means basically a Jedi apprentice, who is not ready to work on their own yet, but will continue to train with an experienced Jedi until she is ready. I was the Padawn and Youn Par was my master.

I was part of the more diplomatic and force focussed part of the Jedi order. I rarely ever saw Master Par use her lightsaber, but she was well versed in the force, and she loved peace, gentleness and serenity.

From what little I understand of your world, Alendria, the Force is a bit like your Holy mana, but it also has its own intentions. The Force is a sort of being on its own, as well as a field of energy which you can learn to sense and feel everywhere. In this new world we are now in, I believe the force has somehow been channeled and limited to become merely a power source.

I don't sense any temptations from the Dark Side. The Dark Side is no longer trying to sway me, it's like it's not there at all actually. I don't mind that, at least."

Alendria nodded, "In my world, every God has his or her preferences and focusses, but in addition, every God has her Good aspect, and her Bad aspect. The song of healing I sing is called Hodierna's lilt. Hodierna is the God of healing, springtime, morning and light.

But she has a Good aspect, Berengia and an Evil aspect, Asketi. Even though Hodierna herself is for all these good things, Asketi is truly one of the vilest Evil aspects. I get the sense that the force itself is good in the way that Hodierna is good, but then the light-side is more good, and the dark-side is very bad?"

"Do Bards study the Gods and learn about them, and sing songs about them? To be honest, most of the masters of my order would see you as too jovial and whimsical for their taste. The force is a serious matter, and to know the force is to dedicate a lifetime to meditation and study, honing your greater awareness."

Alendria shook her head, "Some Bards may sing about the Gods, because we sing about everything, but the Clerics are much more like your order. Some clerics of Gods such as Glythtide, the God of joy and mirth, may be more light-hearted, but in general, our world's clerics are as serious and dedicated as the order you belong too. And I may be jovial and whimsical, but I have spent many days practicing my instruments and honing my voice as a weapon. I hope I get my screams back."


"Hmm, another thing about the story, if you want more, was my companion, Qyzen Fess. Qyzen was a good friend of my masters, and I became good friends with him as well. He is a Trandoshan who believes in a being known as a scorekeeper. He believes that he is required to fight for this scorekeeper, and fight worthy opponents for some kind of points to prove his honor.

He was always telling me about fights that were much points, while we were fighting to deal with various issues on the planets we went to during the story. He used a sort of fancy sword like weaopn called a tech-blade. I know we found him a few different types of tech blades before I ended up here.

There was a few other companions I met and could have chosen to work with, but I preferred Qyzen. Wish he was here right now really. I know he didn't really have a Jedi perspective on things, but I appreciated his perspective."

"Anyone else have a story you want to share?" Alendria said.

She was still practicing the spoons she had bought from Bodahn.

Isseria spoke up.

"I was just a normal university student. I was going to Northwestern, and I had been into martial arts since I was a kid. I even kept up with it at college. I was struggling in choosing my major even by the time my freshman year ended. But I heard about this exchange program with a Chinese school of martial arts. I could spend one semester abroad learning about how traditional Chinese martial arts work. I managed to get my parents to agree with it, and so I went to China, intending on staying for three months, and ended up staying for 3 years.

When I first got there, my pride in my skills was shattered, as this program really showed you how to fight for real. It wasn't a McDojo. Gradually, I went from being worthless, to being OK, and by the time my program was complete, the Guru of the program told me I had become an acceptable beginner.

He said if I went back to the US, I would slip back and lose my good habits because of the bad habits of the trainers there. So I stayed past my visa, and my parents didn't know where I was. I had long sense given up my phone and every other modern convenience. The part of the program I had experienced as an exchange student was just the fund raising arm of the guru's bigger plans.

After I agreed to stay, I followed the guru to a much more remote facility, that even the Chinese government didn't know about.

I trained every day, and I was a trainer for others every day, and the guru said I was making progress, but just as I had faced the difficult choice of major before, now he made me chose a specialty to work toward mastery in.

I had seen the master Wong Fei using pistols as a form of martial arts. He worked with two pistols and spun, maneuvered, fired and lived and breathed his weapons. He made them an extension of himself. I asked Wong Fei to teach me, but he refused to teach a woman. The guru refused to give me  access to weapons until I became a master in something myself, so I was stuck.

But Wong Fei reluctantly told me to make two mock pistols and practice with them. So I did.

It took another two years before Wong Fei acknowledged me as a good practitioner of the craft. I had got my pistols, and I was planning on spending years more at the compound, but I started to get more and more homesick, and so I eventually left the place and returned to Shanghai, where the Chinese authorities reported me as found, and I returned to the west.

It was horrible, the decadence in the west, now that I had lived with nothing for so long. I had helped grow the compound's own food, and we had done everything on our own in isolation.

I returned to Northwest to try to complete my degree, but I couldn't put up with all the lies. I knew the university was full of western assumptions even when they pretended to be multi-cultural.

Eventually, I grew extremely bored and irritated by the lack of competent martial arts dojos in Chicago and I set up my own.

When I soundly defeated a field full of men in a local Chicago martial arts tournament, and then did it two years running, I drew some interest from organized crime, the magical kind.

A local gangster demonologist threatened my life and told me he would kill me if I didn't get this certain item for him in 24 hours.

The FBI started investigating the break in, and I had a run in with a man who specialized in growing carnivorous plants. After a misunderstanding, we escaped from the gangster and the FBI together, and evaded a manhunt that crossed into Michigan.

Eventually I found out my old guru's own specialty, which was ki-attacks. Issac and I were able to defeat the gangster who was threatening us, but that old guru had been supporting the local gangsters by providing them with magic.

It was disappointing to have to fight my old guru, but I was able to defeat him by learning a form of Gun-Ki in the middle of getting pummeled by him.

The guru had been ranting and raving to me about this wave theory of history, where society went from being dominated by science and technology to being dominated by monasticism and mysticism, and he thought the wave was coming crashing back to his own position and that western society would be destroyed. I was on my way to China again to investigate what was left of the old training program when the plane through some stormy clouds, and I lost consciousness and woke up here.

"Your world is weird, I though Melara was using a lot of jargon, but I don't get most of what you talked about," Alendria said.

The story telling was interrupted while Bodahn came and told them that they had a visitor.

Valeraine went to speak to the visitor. He was a peasant, looking more frazzled than ever.

"Ma'am! We need help. My village, Ulburban, is under attack. Some raiders have taken our village and are keeping us hostage. I only barely managed to escape."

"Do you know who attacked you? Was it those orcs that have been wandering the countryside of late?" Valeraine said.

"No ma'am. These were Sea Raiders! Everyone's afraid of Sea Raiders, even the army. Please, we need help!" the man said.

"Where can I find Ulburban?"

"South east of here. I can show you," he said.

"Everyone, let's get ready, we need to save whomever we can from these Sea Raider. Be ready for the worst, we haven't fought these foes yet!" Valeraine yelled.

"Oh thank you. Thank you!"