Chapter 568 - The Gloves Come Off I (Patreon)

It was a fairly hard rule that Sentinels weren’t bothered on their time off. Susan regularly sent Elaine letters when I was off rotation, asking to chat socially, or simply sending me interesting little tidbits of information. With her information processing capabilities combined with her multitasking, I had no doubt that she was in close contact and communication with hundreds, if not thousands of people. 

I also regularly met with the rest of the War Sentinels, just one of the many social gatherings and ties I had. It was a fun weekly thing, helped get me out of the house, and all that good stuff.

Sentinel Dawn was never summoned by Sentinel Arachne though. That didn’t happen.

Or rather, I’d been warned it might happen, under the most dire of circumstances.

The poor [Courier] at the door didn’t know what hit her. I flashed over at full speed, runes glowing on my body to not create a villa-destroying sonic boom, and read the letter without opening it.

Dawn,

Urgently need you at Castle Stormwatch.

Bring your entire team.

Arachne.

Triple-gods-damnit-fuck.

Was it now? Was everything I knew about to be upended? I could feel my heart thundering in my chest like a drum, and my palms started to get sweaty. My stomach twisted in knots.

Not now. I thought. I still have so much to do.

I threw a bunch of coins at the poor [Courier], not really caring that I’d probably dumped two years wages in a single tip. My mind flashed to one of my more used spells, and I used [Reality, Writ as I Will] to reshape the world to my spell. My voice boomed, deafening anyone close by.

“Attention everyone! Skye, Titania, Valkyries, squires, and guests! If I am not back in three hours, head to the bunkers!”

I could tell my words had kicked the hornet’s nest, but I was already flying off to Fenrir’s cave at my top speed, coming to a halt in a great gust of wind. “Fenrir! Wake up! It’s go time!” I yelled at him. While he was waking up, I teleported into [Tower], my own personal pocket dimension, and armed up. 

It was go time. My mind flickered through all the floors, quickly reviewing everything. Had to be prepared for anything and everything. It was decades of preparation, but I could’ve used a few decades more.

The first floor was my armory, filled to the brim with everything I could practically want and use in a fight. My Sentinel armor was prominently displayed on an armor stand, and my two badges were floating in a display case attached to the ground. Spears, short swords, round shields and tower shields filled a portion of the room, as did several less-preferred armor sets, and a collection of assorted weapons. I was barely trained and barely proficient in them, but it was better to have quick access to the weapons and not need them, than it was to need them and not have them.

My mind flashed through the rest of the tower as I [Teleported] everything onto my body, finishing by cinching my belt tight.

The second floor was the hall of gems, Amber’s fortune funneled into a thousand and one life-saving measures. Floors 3 and 4 were secondary armories, dedicated to Iona and Fenrir’s armor, weapons, and spare supplies for each of them, and the fifth floor was potions galore.

Floors 6 and 7 were toolsheds, everything from chisels to looms, only missing out on the hyper specialized tools of some professions. Axes, saws, picks, and shovels all came in triplicate, along with more common and popular tools.

Floors 8 through 11 was a third armory, this time dedicated to Legion equipment. Given enough time to teleport in and out of my [Tower], I could arm three centuries of troops, from sandals to spears, from banners to shields.

The twelfth floor was my kitchen, because fuck having that on the thirteenth floor. That only took up about a third of the floor, and the rest of it was my ‘workshop’, where I hammered, sawed, nailed, and generally leveled [Handy And Dexterous] to create all the other furniture, storage, chests, cabinets, and general items used to store things inside of my [Tower]. It was a good place, filled with sweat, memories, and sawdust, but also something of a boring place. There were no great adventures, no fantastic memories, simply measure, measure, cut, drill, nail, hammer, repeat. I didn’t have any particularly fancy moments or terrific insights, bugging [Carpenters] to hand me blueprints for things I wanted to make, then faithfully creating them, letting my skills guide my hands. 

The hardest part was honestly getting things to where they needed to be. I could make the biggest damn wardrobe, but the hole in the middle of the tower was only so large. I’d need to make it in several parts, float each part to the final destination, and do the finishing connections there.

It would be far more interesting if Iona and Auri could come in here, but they couldn’t, and the space remained a practical one.

 The unlucky thirteenth floor was for coins and cash, along with important documents. Documents that would be worth less than the paper they were on if this was indeed the start to the great war. 

Floors 14-30 were pure food and water supplies. Enough to hopefully feed a village for a year, which was hopefully long enough for floors 31-34 to kick in - seeds, more plows, and other farming equipment. In my mind, these were probably THE most important floors, the ones directly dedicated to saving lives in the one way I was unable to help in.

I had some brief regret on the 35th floor. It was supposed to be ingots of all sorts of metals, but they were all heavy and expensive, and I’d elected to spend my time and funds filling up the rest of the [Tower]. 

Which brought me to some more self-indulgent floors. It wasn’t all disaster planning and future supplies, although I did like being more stocked up than a half-dozen warehouses. The 36th floor was for various trinkets and knick-knacks, along with a small unconsecrated shrine to Ciriel. The next three floors were dedicated to Iona and her artwork, thousands of pieces lovingly hung from the walls I’d built inside. Her best pieces were hanging in the villa, of course, but I squirreled away those I could to these floors. Here was the hall of memories, thousands of sights, views, and people Iona had seen and sketched over our life.

The 40th floor was dedicated entirely to my vanity and my vanity. A quarter was dedicated to the massive table, mirror, and countless drawers of lacquered wood that had been an absolute bitch to craft. Hadn’t even leveled from it all. A thousand and one makeup goods were scattered in nearly as many drawers, the ghost of a once-present organizational system crying deeply over what I’d done to it over the years.

I reminded myself to clean it up and organize it, only to notice nearly a hundred other notifications in the same spot in [Astral Archives] telling me the same thing.

Whoops.

Floor 41-49 were building supplies of various sorts. I’d intended for it to be fewer floors, but the stuff was big, and I kept liberally raiding it for my own construction projects. Bricks, clay, planks, the works.

Floor 50 and 51 were ‘core’ rooms, filled with arcanite. Getting it in piece by piece was easy, and it was surprisingly simple to re-merge them back into a single whole on the other end. Turned out, I wasn’t the first wizard with the problem. The art of fusing arcanite together, usually an Arcanite class special, had a large number of well-documented solutions. A narrow rod of arcanite ran the length of my tower, all my enchantments hooked up to it for mana.

In theory, I could reach out from where I’d teleported into my [Tower], touch the rod, and restore my mana. In practice?

My mana pool and regeneration dwarfed the core by such an extent, it wouldn’t matter.

Floors 52-64 were Legion supplies, from shovels to tents, toiletries to cookpots, a few ‘assemble into wagons’ and a large dose of medical supplies. The 55th floor was disassembled siege weapons.

I had no way of telling how useful the supplies would be in the moment. It ranged from ‘complete waste of time, money, and space’, all the way to ‘the supplies got burned and Dawn’s the only one with spares’.

Floors 65-67 were empty right now, and I currently regretted not working harder on getting everything set up.

Helmet and greaves, gauntlets and sword, a round shield and the heavy enchanted scale. Everything in its place, I teleported back to existence, Fenrir opening an eye.

I had no cape.

“Case?” He grumbled. I spoke rapid-fire.

“No case. Urgent summons from Arachne. Need to get Iona and Auri and get to Stormwatch.”

Most mortals would’ve heard my words in a high-pitched chipmunk squeak with how quickly I was talking. Invoking Arachne was one of the better ways to get Fenrir up and motivated, and I started to [Teleport] his gear onto him, blurring into motion as I expertly strapped on every piece of his armor.

Fenrir growled low in his throat, the rumble in his cave feeling like an earthquake. He could feel the urgency, perhaps sensed something on the stormwinds. A tendril of Ice wrapped around his pipe collection, and he placed it in front of his nose.

“Take.” He commanded as I tightened his helmet. I dutifully stored it, tossing it into the hall of gems to be properly sorted out later.

“Go.” I ordered, and the two of us took off towards Sanguino at top speed. I noticed Ranger Team Gale leaving the outskirts of the city on their roc, none of the current members part of the original group I’d met.

By Ciriel, I suddenly realized I didn’t know what had happened to each of them.

I stormed into Auri’s bakery like a force of nature, glad that she wasn’t on one of her trips to the North right now. How I’d react if we were separated… it didn’t bear thinking.

“It’s time.” I told Auri, feeling a little bad about the fear and panic I was spreading.

A summons like the one I got though? It… might be a good thing. I might be overreacting.

Atlas swore as he stood up.

“By the gods. Dawn, is it…?”

I wanted to shake my head, but it took too much time.

“Unknown.” I responded. “But I’ve gotten an emergency summons.”

“Brrpt!” Auri burned the words Everything Free into the wood behind the counter and hopped onto my shoulder, spinning up her Lava ring around her. “Brrpt?”

“I don’t know yet.” I flew out of the bakery, Atlas rushing over to break up a fight between two customers who were arguing over who got her coins. Not even out of the bakery yet and… it probably didn’t matter. “We’re going to find out.”

I flew at high speed over to Castle Stormwatch, where Fenrir was circling high above, Iona on his back. She flashed me a ‘go ahead’ hand sign, and with a steely face, Auri and I rushed past the guards to Arachne’s lair. The door was wide open, but she was in an animated discussion with Sentinel Devour and his team. A sheaf of papers slapped into my hand a moment later, animated by threads.

Dawn,

I apologize for not being able to tell you directly, but you process and read information far faster than I can explain it, plus Devour needs my personal touch right now.

The gloves are off. Forget restraining your skills to give other people a chance. Full city-wide heals, push your skills as far as they will go, push yourself to your full abilities. Keep people alive, regardless of who you have to trample on to make it happen.

The summons.

We’ve only just identified a newly bioengineered disease. It’s clever and it’s subtle. Here’s what we suspect so far.

Humans are carriers, but show no symptoms. It is possible that it’s been engineered to be helpful to a human host, which would dodge a large number of mediocre healing skills. 

It is quickly and violently lethal to any vampire who comes into contact with the disease, rapidly killing them within minutes. The autopsies are still being conducted. Every vampire was in the middle of a meal when they died, drinking human blood. Notably, other vampires have drunk the same blood but there was no impact on them. I speculate a non-traditional transmission vector, but the broad variety available makes it difficult to narrow down what, exactly, it is. 

Don’t bother slowing down to collect evidence. The Moonlit Medics are being deployed behind you as cleanup, but they take time we don’t have to get moving.

This is a clear act of overt warfare that we can’t ignore, and mobilization orders are being issued now. It is unclear which Sentinels might meet you in Massa at this time.

Your orders: Purge every city, town, and settlement of this disease, then report to the Sixth Legion. Legata Katerina is being reactivated, and should meet you there with further instructions.

We do recall our promise when you agreed to become a Sentinel - the Sixth will be deployed defensively.

I hope to see you on the other side.

Sentinel Arachne.

The second sheet of paper was a list.

Dawn,

This is the shortest path to hit every settlement in Exterreri, ending in Massa. 

Sanguino

1st Legion Camp

Sitlanta

Ludunum

…

Massa

If a city is destroyed, continue on the path. If a Legion is deployed, hit the camp, don’t bother going looking for the Legion itself. 

May the gods shade you.

Arachne.

The third piece of paper was a map of Exterreri, my flight path helpfully marked in red.

“Brrpt?” Auri asked as I teleported everything into [The Library of Infinite Wonder].

“Mission.” I started to explain all the details as we rushed out of Castle Stormwatch. The [Knights] of the Bloodsworn Order were mustering in the courtyard, and I traded a respectful nod with the [Grandmaster] of the Order. Who knew if we’d ever see each other again?

Rivalries aside, we were now firmly on the same side, and I’d be happy to see any [Knight] appear near my side.

“Brrrpt.” Auri shook her head in disgust at the whole thing.

“Can you go tell Iona while I take care of Sanguino?” I asked Auri.

“Brrrpt!” She confirmed, flying up to where Fenrir and Iona were circling, leaving a trail of flames behind her.

I rolled my shoulders and unleashed my skills, letting them stretch as far as they could go. Every single man, woman, child, regardless of species, affiliation, or status, was going to be healed of every ill.

No, more than that.

Everyone close by was going to be effectively unkillable. 

Nobody died when I was near.

Nobody.

Almost two and a half kilometer radius on [Universal Cure].

Sixteen kilometer radius on [Aurora Curialis].

[*ding!* [The Arbiter of Life and Death] has leveled up! 981-> 983. +400 Strength, +400 Dexterity, +800 Speed, +800 Vitality, +1600 Magic Power, +1600 Magic Control, +1000 Mana, +9000 Mana Regeneration from your Class per level! +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Speed, +1 Vitality, +1 Mana, +1 Mana Regeneration, +1 Magic Power, +1 Magic Control for being Chimera (Elvenoid) per level! +1 Mana, +1 Mana Regeneration from your Element per level!]

[Name: Elaine]

[Race: Chimera (Elvenoid)]

[Age: 112]

[Mana: 9,729,940/9,729,940]

[Mana Regeneration: 24,731,562 +(79,775,800)]

Stats

    [Free Stats: 0]

    [Strength: 78,653 (Effectively: 629,224)]

    [Dexterity: 102,994 (Effectively: 1,096,680)]

    [Vitality: 336,579 (Effectively: 5,259,047)]

    [Speed: 323,811 (Effectively: 6,373,572)]

    [Mana: 972,994]

    [Mana Regeneration: 2,692,854 (+ 7,977,580)]

    [Magic Power: 1,282,346 (+ 63,027,306)]

    [Magic Control: 1,281,410 (+ 62,981,302)]

[Class 1: [The Arbiter of Life and Death - Celestial: Lv 983]]

    [Celestial Spirit: 983]

    [Aurora Curialis: 983]

    [The Stars Never Fade: 558]

    [Luminary Mind: 983]

    [Universal Cure: 983]

    [Etheric Aegis: 510]

    [Event Horizon: 842]

    [Zenith Everlasting: 983]

[Class 2: [Seraph of the Dawn - Radiance: Lv 948]]

    [Radiance Mastery: 948]

    [A Light Shining in the Darkness: 751]

    [The Rays of the First Dawn: 948]

    [Radiant Angel's Spear of Obliteration: 430]

    [Celestial Dew: 948]

    [Sunrise Halo: 948]

    [Wings of the Seraphim: 948]

    [Six Wings, Six Million Feathers: 948]

[Class 3: [Sage of Tomes - Spatial: Lv 840]]

    [Spatial Authority: 840]

    [Scripture Savant: 840]

    [Teleportation: 840]

    [The Library of Infinite Wonder: 840]

    [Tower of Knowledge: 433]

    [Reality, Writ As You Will: 700]

    [Astral Archives: 840]

    [Endless Pursuit of Knowledge: 840]

General Skills

    [Long-Range Identify: 624]

    [Dexterous and Handy: 500]

    [Companion Bond between Elaine and Auri: 983]

    [The World Around Me: 533]

    [Oath of Elaine to Lyra: 983]

    [Sentinel's Superiority: 983]

    [Persistent Casting: 983]

    [Tender Gardening: 420]