Dao 4 Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Dar stepped up to the boat, creating a stairway made of granite rising to meet his feet as he walked up and over the edge.

Sasha was right on his heels, not advising him, just letting him do what he would.

“Milord.” A number of the crew waved him down. For many of them, the voyage  had been their first time aboard a river boat, but as immortals, they were up to the task with little training.

There were a handful of new faces on the boat that hadn’t left on the trip from Hearthway. Dar noticed they perked up and paid him more attention after the greeting he got from the rest of the crew.

The first was an older man built like a bull, only one that was starting to have permanent hunch with old age. “You are the lord of this village?”

“Yes, I am.” Dar eyed the man, pretty sure that he was the weapon smith Dar had been hoping to acquire.

“Your people sold me a high bill.” The man held his back briefly, though the pain was nothing but a flicker on his face. Then his eyes drifted over to the stone steps where Dar had made his way over to the boat. “Tell me, are you a demon?”

Dar grinned. “No. I was once human. Though now I call myself an immortal.” Dar was happy to play it up if he could win over the weapon smith. War was on the horizon. Bellhaven hadn’t taken him seriously, and it continued to prove costly. Dar was ready for his seat at the table, and to get that seat, he couldn’t afford to look weak.

His people were allowed to use their abilities to their fullest on the trip. Dar knew that meant they would be attracting attention, good and bad.

But there was no longer a point in remaining hidden. Hearthway would likely have close to a dozen grand cultivators before the end of the winter. At that point, they were anything but a small village. They would be an asset in any war.

And many would want to understand how humans were now walking among the ancient races with dao paths. Greed would bring many, but Dar only wanted those truer of heart.

The old man weighed the worth of Dar’s words before nodding. “Am I to be able to walk the dao path too?”

“Tonight, I will help you. If you would take someone’s aid in reaching the village, you could see our forges as well. We are utilizing enchantments on anything we can.” Dar grinned, knowing that the old blacksmith would be giddy over enchanted forges if Bart and his men’s reaction were anything to gauge.

“We shall see. Do I follow that path through the snow?” He pointed down the steps towards the path Dar had made. “I might be old, but I can carry a few sacks.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Dar decided to show off, waving his hands over the goods strapped down to the deck of the boat. His inner world became a vortex at his navel, sucking up everything that wasn’t bolted down. “I can handle carrying a few things.”

The old blacksmith’s gray bushy eyebrows were trying to climb across his forehead and nestle themselves in his hairline. “I see. There are a few things I’ll have to get used to here.”

“Sasha, would you be a dear and escort him to the village?”

“Of course.” She did a small curtsy. “If you’d follow me Master Johnson.” Sasha treated him respectfully, and Dar knew he’d fit in well among the village.

She wouldn’t be like that if he had shown her any disrespect.

As Sasha departed, many took the cue to leave themselves, some with fresh faces. Dar assumed they were family or friends that had been recruited from Kindrake.

Dar had asked his crew to not openly recruit for the village, but they could bring back people already known to them.

As people left, Mika lingered back, watching over the final group.

Dar could tell that this group was going to be trouble.

A man who looked like he had a rod shoved up his ass as he stood ramrod straight in full military dress, surrounded by four men dressed more practically for violence in chain mail and tabards.

“How can I help you five?” Dar put on a stiff grin. He’d play nice until they messed up, which he considered highly likely.

“I represent King Tolmier and his majesty’s army as Captain of the 9th division and recruiter. We have come to conscript from your village.”

Anger churned through Dar. His city and people weren't given the time of day before. Now that they were needed, there were those ready to use his people.

“Nope. Take a hike. Bellhaven is that way.” Dar pointed vaguely to the south east.

“You are citizens of Kindrake, and war is coming.” The Captain puffed himself up ready for a fight, though he probably expected Dar to use words.

Dar shook his head, already tired with this group. “You see, we were expelled from Bellhaven. We were kicked out to fend for ourselves, some of the people here were dragged from their homes. We are not citizens of Kindrake, not after that.” Dar crossed his arms and stared down at the group.

The four guards had their hands starting to move closer to the pommels of their swords. They thought they could take him; Dar knew they were wrong.

“We’ve heard of the political strife of Bellhaven and regret what happened to your people. I can guarantee that the prince has dispatched to deal with those factions, and you are welcome back to Bellhaven.” The captain smiled warmly, yet there was just a hint of oiliness to it.

Dar pulled the signed document from the prince as a last resort. He wasn’t sure how much weight it would hold with the prince gone. “Well then, since you hold the prince’s word so high, you’ll be happy to hear that we negotiated with the prince to have Hearthway become a sovereign nation.”

Dar smiled as he handed the man the document. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that Bellhaven will be quite as you expect.” Dar sighed.

Given the most recent developments had occurred just before the first snowfall, it was unlikely Kindrake knew that the insect devils had torn apart Bellhaven.

The captain was frowning at the document, working the edges through his hands as he scanned each line. “This is very odd.”

“They were in a lot of trouble and needed my help.” Dar took the scroll back and rolled it up before disappearing it back into the inner world. “They still are. Last we saw, the nobles abandoned the city. I never saw the prince’s corpse, but his manor was smashed in and looters were taking anything they could.”

The man gaped like a fish on dry land, struggling to put words to his thoughts. “That can’t be.”

Dar shrugged. “Best way to know is to see it for yourself. I have no reason to lie to you.”

“Except to avoid the draft that the king has demanded. That scroll could be a fake.” The man stuck his chin up in defiance.

Dar leaned forward, pressing the captain to take a step back into his men. “If I wanted to avoid the draft, I could just rip you and your men apart here and say that you never made it.”

“Watch it.” A guard drew his sword and pointed it at Dar’s neck.

And that was the wrong move, a step too far than Dar was willing to take.

Before the guard could react, Dar snatched the blade of the sword, shattering it with his grip and grabbing the man by the front of his jacket before throwing him high into the air, over the bow of the boat and into the frigid water.

“If you want to get him, you need to hurry before he freezes to death.” Dar’s words stalled the other three guards. They hesitated, waiting for the captain to step in and eying their friend in the water.

“Hurry. Get him out of there. Rope is everywhere; pull him out of the water.” The captain shouted, the men rushing to aid their comrade.

“At least you take care of your men.” Dar snorted.

The captain relaxed. “Ah. This was a test. That makes far more sense.”

“A test of your character, yes. But it doesn’t change my statement regarding recruitment in my city. Get your men off my boat and walk down to Bellhaven to see the situation for yourself. If you or your men are seen near my village, you’ll be killed without hesitation. I will protect my own.”

“We are representatives of the king; you wouldn’t dare.” The man puffed up his chest.

“I just threw your man into a frozen river, and he’s no longer my king.” Dar reminded him of the scroll. “Unless your king wants a gorilla war on a second front, I’d recommend that he not test me.”

He squinted at Dar. “Your village is too small to threaten war.”

“Fuck around and find out.” Dar only grinned. His men had finished retrieving the overboard soldier, and he wanted them gone. “Now get the hell off my ship and on your way. Your man is going to freeze to death if you don’t get going and find him a fire soon.”

With that, Dar turned to Mika. “Got the motors locked up?”

“Yes Sir.” She threw him a grin. “Just wanted to ask for your help in tying it down.”

Dar closed his eyes and felt granite shift beneath the boat, locking the big boat into place with a gentle shake. “Done. Let’s get back to the village. I’ve missed you Mika.”

The blue haired wave spirit jumped for the chance to cling to Dar’s arm as he left the boat with all of the goods in his inner world and Mika by his side.

“I hope it isn’t a problem that I brought that group back?” Mika hesitated.

“You were in Kindrake, their home turf. I’m sure if you kicked them out you’d have found yourself in more trouble than it would be worth.” Dar raised an eyebrow, waiting to see if he was right.

She blushed as he saw right through her. “I hoped that they would be able to set some order to Bellhaven. We still have no idea what happened to the nobles of the city, and the rest of them didn’t really do anything wrong.”

“Only throw fruit and join the nobles when they cast the ancient races out.” Dar rolled his eyes. The nobles might have been behind it, but the citizens weren’t exactly innocent.

That’s why Dar hadn’t spent any effort to help them through the winter.

“Is it wrong to help them?” Mika asked.

Dar shook his head. “It is never wrong to help someone. But in this case, we must prioritize ourselves and our village. There is nothing wrong with ensuring your own survival before others. Few things are so selfless that they would ensure other’s survival before their own.”

Dismissing the stone steps as he got to the bottom and the soldiers were off the steps, Dar paused to make sure that they indeed went south along the river before making his way to the village. “At least one of them will die before they reach Bellhaven.”

“Sad, but true.” Mika looked after them for a moment before pulling Dar’s arm forward. “Come on. We should get back. I want to see what has changed.”

They pushed through the path, Dar keeping an eye out for the white wolf in hopes that it would seek him for more food. But for the moment, it was nowhere to be seen. The others might have startled it away.

Mika had to look up at Dar as they walked and he decided that he wanted to carry her, scooping her up in a princess carry. She giggled at it. “I wondered how long it would take. You really do love physical contact.”

Dar stuck his tongue out. “And you like to go fast, but I’m not that speedy.”

“Haven’t taken Tami to bed for her dao of speed?” Mika teased, batting his chest and making her bracelet of sea shells jingle.

“You know that’s not my way.” Dar sighed. Tami had actually been quite reserved since they’d returned from their trip. She’d added her dao to the family dao book, but she seemed to be avoiding the family dinners or other get-togethers. She always had some reason or another that it wouldn’t work.

“She’s probably having trouble settling into everything. I’ll talk to her when I find her.” Mika leaned against Dar. She was so small in his arms that at times he forgot that she was petite despite her large personality.

Mika was his wild one, loving nothing more than the freedom of swimming or driving the speed boat down the river. Though she had bound herself to Dar as his dao companion, she was never meant to sit in a house knitting clothes for future kids.

Mika needed the wind in her hair.

Dar had no doubt by the next morning she’d be itching to get out of the village and explore. Kissing her head, he savored her holding still for a moment. “Do what you want. I’m content. The winter has been a nice change of pace.”

“But…” Mika urged him onto the next topic.

“But your return represents a change that is coming.” Dar sighed. “War is on the other end of the thaw. We have what? Two months, maybe three to get ready?”

Mika nodded. “We should be ready in the next two and use our spare time to enjoy ourselves. Snow here doesn’t last half the year, but you’ll get a good four months of it.”

“Exactly. We are halfway, yet we are only now getting the smiths ready to make real weapons.” Dar was reminded of the time they went after the eddercaps. Half of the villagers were using picks and hoes to fight. Though there had been plenty of axes for chopping wood to go around.

“That’s huge progress. Besides, everyone is an immortal now and working double the speed on everything else. We’ll be fine.”

Dar looked off into the distance, thinking there must be more he could do. His eye caught in the direction of Frost’s Fang, where The White resided.

She could be a key ally if he were to stand up against Kindrake’s sovereign. The ancient races within Kindrake were considered her people, even if she rarely moved beyond her mountain.

“What are you thinking?” Mika asked.

“That the village is safe, and my presence isn’t needed. The White might be due for a visit. If nothing else, it would be to our benefit to have her recognize Hearthway.” I mulled over the option.

Mika booped my nose with a giggle. “Boop.”

I blinked and refocused on her.

“Can we celebrate our return first, and talk this over as a family at tonight’s fire?” She arched an eyebrow, not wanting to get into serious talk yet.

“Of course.” He pressed her to his chest. His women did a wonderful job of keeping him grounded, and their advice was always welcome. “For now, let me show you what’s changed. Look at those towers.” He pointed at the dark wall.

“Tall, and if it is made mostly of iron like the wall. Even Bellhaven would be jealous.” Mika hopped out of Dar’s arms and hurried ahead to see them closer. “Dar, we could just hold up here. You could make a fortress.”

“You are the last person I expected to hear pitch a fortress and staying in. We’ll expand, but that requires people, and we aren’t getting any during the winter.” He reminded her.

“Babies.” She said with a teasing smirk.

Dar shook his head though. “Noo one, even as much as Neko, who desperately wants one has gotten pregnant. It seems immortals are much like the other ancient races, and pregnancy is rare.”

“Then we’ll have to just keep trying.” Sasha’s voice broke into the conversation. The demon was waiting just inside the walls as she put one foot in front of the other, swinging her hips from side to side. “Really, Dar. We should keep trying.”

When she reached him, she put a sensual hand on his chest and leaned close, standing on her tiptoes to kiss at his neck.

“Sasha. We should go somewhere private.” Dar groaned.

The people of Granterra might be completely comfortable with sex and public displays of affection, but Dar still had some hangups from his time on Earth.

“Mika, will you be joining us?” Sasha turned around lacing her fingers in his and tugging him along.

“N-no thank you.” Mika’s face was one giant blush.

Despite being a free spirit, she was a little shy in the bedroom.

“Join us in an hour.” Dar grinned, stopping and forcing Sasha to stop as well. “I need to welcome you back too.”

Mika nodded meekly and Dar let Sasha continue to pull him for a few steps before he overtook her and threw her over his shoulder.

“You brute!” She playfully beat on my shoulder. “I’m a lady!”

“My lady.” Dar corrected her. “How can you practically blow me in public and then be shy about this.”

Her huff was his only answer as people of the village caught their antics and gave him big knowing grins before turning back to their task.