Dao 3 Chapter 32 (Patreon)

Dar and his women walked cautiously to the hive, needing to make sure that the threat was resolved. Much to their relief, all that remained was a handful of mantis and drones wandering the site aimlessly. Stragglers that had returned to the hive after the battle or those that had been deep in the hive finally surfacing.

It would seem much like an actual insect colony. These devils weren’t independent without the queen.

He filled the hive like the other by the bison field. He noted which directions any off shoots went so they could catch any other openings or hives.

Tami was helpful in creating a map, charting down where they’d need to search to weed out the rest of the insect devils. Luckily, all signs pointed to those hives being smaller and on the level of the one they found up near the bison fields.

For the moment, Dar was okay solving that later, so they headed back towards their boat. He’d focus on helping train up Hearthway to be able to take on the problem. A few small teams could go out and defeat them, and it would be a great training exercise.

Dar strategized as they walked, but was pulled back to the present as they approached Bellhaven, which looked like it was in the process of looting.

People had come out of their homes, wary but driven by hunger to seek food. It looked like they’d decided to go to the noble district and take what they could carry from the nobles’ homes that were destroyed.

From the shape the buildings were in, the noble houses looked like they’d become bigger targets for the devils. Dar wasn’t sure if it was just that they’d had more people or some draw to the wealth. The shacks by the docks were relatively untouched.

“We have to check on the prince.” Tami said, pulling at Dar’s sleeves.

Dar didn’t want to, but he knew he had to see if there was leadership left in the city. “Fine.”

As they went deeper into the noble district, Dar quickly spotted the prince’s manor. It was smashed in like many of the others. Picking through the rubble for food were a number of citizens.

Dar called to them. “Is anyone in that home? Or any of the nobles?”

Most of the looters scattered, but one young boy walked up to Dar. “I’ll tell you for a silver.”

Dar remembered the kid. It was the same one he’d sent running to warn of Karn’s arrival.

Sasha fished a coin out of her dress and handed it to the boy. “Tell us.”

He bit the coin and smiled. “I like her. You did good with that one.” The boy tried to butter Sasha up.

“Enough, tell us what you know.”

“We’ve all been hiding from the devils. They were snatching anybody that moved in the streets. I got hungry, but that was better than being insect food.” The boy shivered a bit.

“But then last night, people say they saw a large group heading out from the noble district. And nothing attacked them! So folks started creeping out of their homes today.”

Tami got down on the kid’s level. “Did anyone see who was in that group?”

“Nope, people say it was the wizards, but people say lots of things.” The kid shook his head. “But we’ve been digging through the noble homes for food all day and no one has come out to stop us.”

Dar sighed. When he had seen the unrestrained looting, he had a feeling that would be the answer. “Thanks kid.” He pulled out an orange from his inner world behind his back and handed it to the kid, who was more excited about the sweet food than the piece of silver. He held it close to his chest as he ran off.

“There you have it, Tami. The city is without leadership. Would it be so bad if I took it over?”

Tami shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe they ran away. It doesn’t make any sense. Why not rebuild?”

She stood for a moment processing the news, so Dar asked her the question again. That seemed to wake her up.

“No, don’t take the city over. Let the people run wild for a bit. News will get to Kindrake, and they’ll have to do something. That’s when you make your move. If you do it now, you’ll be blamed for everything.”

Dar paused. He hadn’t thought about it that way, but she was right. “Going to become my political adviser, now?” Dar chuckled.

“I know how the game is played. I’ve been standing to the side listening to it for over a hundred years.” Tami said, and it was clear wheels were starting to turn in her head.

“Won’t the Deep One come to Bellhaven if we leave it so empty?” Dar asked. Although he wasn’t sure he wanted to hold the city against such a powerful demon.

“Don’t worry about that now; there’s little we can do either way. We should get moving. Our village is at risk the longer we leave it without powerful demons and spirits. Dar, is there anything you’d like before we leave?” Sasha asked.

He rubbed his chin in thought. “I’d like to go through The Prince’s manor. He had quite the collection of maps and books. I doubt the looters have been looking for that, but it will help us understand more of what surrounds us. And if there’s a guard station with any weapons, that wouldn’t hurt either.” Dar’s mind was on the longer term than just food. He wanted knowledge and tools for the future.

Sasha snapped her fingers and pointed the maids to adjacent homes. They instantly moved to follow her instructions. “We’ll spread out and regroup. No use in letting those things or even all their delicate silk go to waste.”

“You’re going to take their clothes?” Dar asked.

“No, I’m taking their cloth for my own use. Very different.” Sasha smiled. “Besides, they aren’t here to say we stole anything. Nor to call us robbers.”

It reminded Dar of some old sayings. “The robbers are always those that lose, the kings are those that won. At least, according to history.”

“I like it.” Sasha smiled victoriously. “Since of course we just won.”

Dar grunted. “Just don’t take any food. The people here need it more. Assuming they manage to regroup, they should have plenty now that their numbers are more depleted in their winter stores.”

“Dar, that’s dark.” Mika wrinkled her nose.

He shrugged. It was the truth.

After that, they worked quietly for the next few hours alongside the looters. They wrapped up and headed back to their boat.

Dar was happy to see the boat in the same condition that they’d left it. Though someone had undone two of the ropes only to find there were no sails, oars, or other means to drive the boat. Mika had disabled the enchantment when they docked it.

Hopping aboard, Mika instantly got them moving. Dar looked up at the sky, roughly guessing the time based on the sun.

If they hurried, they’d be back for dinner at Hearthway.

***

Dar dreaded the walk from the boat back to the village. They’d left the village more unprotected than ever before, when the devils far outnumbered them. He was worried he’d made the wrong choice.

But as he walked through the opening in the obsidian wall, the village was lively as ever. Goats bleated and people move through the village. The villagers looked like they’d become one with the goats, who had taken the village over.

A few people looked up from their tasks to see Dar and company walking back into the village. Most just waved and continued on with their tasks. He was glad that nothing was so urgent that they needed to stop the group.

Dar couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him.

“Dar. Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you tell us about what happened?” Rex waved him down as they were passing through the central hearth.

“Sure.” Dar settled comfortably back into the routine of the village, the girls walking off to work on settling in as well.

The other leaders gave their updates, but nothing needed his immediate attention, so Dar let his mind wander a bit.

He was thankful that Hearthway had remained peaceful despite all the surrounding trouble. Simple was good, as far as he was concerned. He just wanted to keep his family safe, and if he could create a safe space for others as well, he would be more than happy to do it.

So he settled into the moment of calm. He’d seen enough to know it wasn’t going to last forever. Kindrake’s war, the devils, there would be more to come. And he fully planned to use the winter to organize. He wasn’t going to be able to take it all on just himself. He needed his villagers to grow in power. And he had the tools to do it.

Dar pondered on The Queen’s dao and the other insects that were probably being buried in his little dao tree as he sat there. He’d likely have several new fruits to offer to the villagers, and he couldn’t wait to find out what they were.

***

Winter picked up in the coming weeks, but Hearthway reminded as active as ever. Dar could sense mana and dao radiating from the villagers as they continued to work through the cold, shrugging it off with far more fortitude than an average person.

Then again, they were all immortals. Not only that, but they were growing by leaps and bounds.

The first group had left with Blair yesterday, to go seek out one of the secondary hives with eight villagers that had reached their first greater dao.

“And pour.” Bart called.

Dar pushed the crucible of purified iron and it tipped over into the wells that he’d made based on their specifications. It wasn’t anything fancy, just ingots, but the blacksmiths were all gathered around. Steam filled the air as they all tried to wave it out of their faces.

It had taken more than a few trials and errors to figure out what Dar could make and how they could remove the impurities. But this time, he knew it was right.

The red hot liquid rapidly cooled in the casting molds, losing its red hot glow and turning a metalic silver.

Bart held his hands over the ingots and smiled. “My dao of iron is reacting. They’re good boys!”

The group of blacksmiths cheered and hugged each other, because this wasn’t just iron, it was their futures as well. Each of the blacksmiths would have killed to have a supply of quality iron to work with.

Now they had it, and Dar figured more than one of them was going to stay up late at the forges. “Just don’t get so excited you try to pick one of these up before it cools.” Dar gave them all a chagrined smile.

The village was picking up steam in a big way. He had over twenty people in his inner world most days working hard on their own cultivation. Most of the village had opted for an earth related dao, the potential for them to build things with their dao was far more tempting than the lethality of shadow for most of them.

“Glad it all worked out this time.” Sasha leaned against his shoulder.

Dar snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Just took a few tries.”

“A few.” She rolled her eyes.

Sasha had been in a much better mood as of late, with the help of Cherry’s knowledge and Lilith’s dao book she had been working hard on her own dao path.

Dar suspected she’d be a grand demon by spring at this rate, as she worked towards a dao that Dar thought of as flesh, in hopes of being able to heal the rest of the family when needed.

“The village is really coming together.” Sasha sighed. “Enough that it won’t need you and Blaire here to protect it in the spring.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dar looked over his shoulder into her deep blue eyes.

“It means that come spring, I expect our family to get very busy.” Sasha leaned on him pressing her chest into his back.

Neko happened to see them and came hurrying over. “Kittens?” She tugged at Dar’s arm.

He knew exactly where she wanted to take him.

“At this rate, you are actually going to have kittens by the end of winter.” Sasha tagged along.

“Nothing wrong with that.” Neko only tugged harder at Sasha’s encouragement.

It would be a pleasantly busy winter for Dar. But spring had a few surprises in store for him.