Chapter 303: Layovers (Patreon)

Jones helped Coop aim the tip of his ethereal spear toward where they believed Empress City should be located relative to their shared position. The pair stood together atop the modified northern outer wall of Ghost Reef, at the highest point of the fort, above where the bat colony had relocated. Somehow, miniature dunes of fine sand managed to form gentle waves on the leeward side of the solid stone foundations, making the walls seem like they had risen straight out of the coral rock below.

Coop and Jones were doing their best to triangulate the perfect angle by squinting at the  horizon and pointing into the distance, debating with each other about Coop’s mistjumps. Jones was feeling more pessimistic about Coop’s travel plans, but Coop was back to his unconcerned self, trusting that things would work out as long as he pushed forward.

Coop had spent an extra night in the settlement, unable to skip a shower and a trip to his bed when he was so close, after catching up with the alien residents and those of his friends that weren’t too busy with their own tasks. A tiny almost week-long nap had really thrown his sense of time for a loop. It seemed like he had just finished a major event, but somehow a bunch of days had come and gone, so he had to make do with a single night in his lighthouse before setting off. It was fine. That was all it took to restore his island vibe.

It was the morning of Day 171 in Earth’s assimilation, and he was embarking on a journey once again. He was preparing for another long period of travel, taking advantage of all the practice he had in the Underlayer to hopefully shorten the trip into more comfortable chunks. Thankfully, this time around, he was sticking to the surface, letting everyone else occupy the endless dirt plains of the underground. At least there would be some varied scenery for him to see as he went.

“You got the trajectory?” Jones confirmed, sounding particularly unsure about the plan.

Coop shrugged. “Don’t worry, old man. I’ll aim high.”

Jones shook his head, disappointed with Coop’s levity. “That’s what I’m afraid of. If you overshoot Florida and end up too far in the Atlantic, I don’t think even you could survive for long.” He added, rather morosely.

Coop wasn’t as worried. “Oh c’mon, if I end up swimming around for a while, I’ll make friends with a sea monster and bring it home.”

Jones scoffed. “As long as you can keep it fed, do whatever you want.” He responded, knowing when he couldn’t win.

“You need to aim fifteen degrees to your left if you don’t want me fishing you out of the drink.” Admiral Kayla interjected, causing both Jones and Coop to take heed and reignite an intense round of pointing and squinting, like two old men supervising a simple road repair.

Kayla, the queen of the pirates and siren of the seas was standing behind them both, with Sharkbait at her side, picking at her nails with a knife while watching them from the corner of her eye. Among those present, she was certainly the expert with regard to navigating the seas, but she let the guys have their debate.

“That look good?” Coop asked, adjusting ever so slightly to aim for a particular cloud in the distance that more or less marked the path he thought needed to follow. As long as the wind didn’t blow too much, the cloud seemed like as good a landmark as he was going to get.

“Close enough.” Kayla stated with a slight smirk as she sheathed her blade, causing her gold bangles to rattle softly. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride with us? We’re following along to find more suitable Gulf ports anyway, just in case we need to open a flank on the Fallen Zone.”

“I’ve gotta give this a shot eventually.” Coop argued with a tilt of his head toward the horizon.

Kayla gestured for him to do as he wanted. “Don’t see why, when we’ve got this many good ships and willing crews.” She mumbled before turning rather serious as her eyes settled on the clouds he would be aiming for. “The skies have been foreboding recently. Could be a storm brewing. You should be careful.”

“No worries.” Coop reassured his friends. “Let’s see how this goes.”

He hopped forward, finding the right gait before planting his foot with a thump that unsettled the loose sand on the stone walls. He launched his spear as far as he could, hopping on his other foot before his momentum carried him over the side. The wind whipped his hair as the spear shot into the sky. The angle was particularly high, and the group watched as it ripped through the subtle crimson lingering within the blue sky before penetrating the pinkish cloud he had aimed for.

“That’s gonna be far short.” Jones noted.

“That’s alright. I’ll readjust in the air.” Coop turned away from the horizon and continued the conversation with Jones as if he had all the time in the world.

Jones extended his finger toward the missile, refusing to tear his attention away from its flight. “Don’t mess around, you’ll miss the apex.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll see you later, old man.” Coop bid the caretaker goodbye.

“I’ll hold down the fort.” Jones promised, as if it even needed to be said. The man was a devoted caretaker to the island even before the assimilation had begun. Despite the apocalypse, some things hadn’t changed.

  Coop nodded at Kayla and her first mate.

“The Tempest Fleet will be in your wake.” Kayla promised with a silent confirmation from Sharkbait.

With their farewells exchanged, Coop activated his mistjump, recalling the pathways of his original Retribution and Salvation skills in a way that wasn’t completely conscious, similar to muscle memory. He flickered through the world of mists, barely catching a glimpse of the monochromatic world before reappearing with a burst at his ethereal spear, as if he had taken a single step forward. When he looked down, already being pulled by gravity, a warped outline of the peninsula that was once Florida was far in the distance ahead of him, shrouded by wispy clouds.

Jones was right, he wasn’t close at all, but he had time to adjust, having developed his travel speed such that he was more like a stone skipping along the surface of the world of mists. In the past, Coop was more like a package strung to a rocket, being dragged forward by his ethereal manifestations, but becoming a Mistwalker evolved the experience.

As he drew closer, the landmass became more visible. Lush vegetation contrasted with the blue waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, creating the vibrant image of wild marshes  and thick forests, outlined by fringed barrier islands and cream colored sandbars. The vast wetland ecosystems had spread from coast to coast, interrupted only by the expanded Lake Okeechobee and the countless deeper channels within the river of grass that caught the reflection of the pink touched sky as they flowed toward the edge.

The Florida Keys appeared like a thin, curved line of submerged reefs, the dry land inundated with water and reclaimed by reenergized corals. While Coop knew there weren’t any civilization shards along the strip, he could imagine settlements on stilts, bridging the gap between Ghost Reef and Empress City if human civilization ever really recovered.

As for his specific destination, he couldn’t pick out any human development at all. It took him a dozen more mistjumps before he would even land on solid ground, then half a dozen to find the airport. The surrounding city had been transformed into a blocky jungle, with most of the unclaimed buildings metamorphosing into the foundations of pioneering vegetation if they stood at all.

Only the ringed airport was thoroughly landscaped, with humans actively taking care of the interior sections as opposed to letting the greenery run wild with mana-fueled growth. Once Coop spotted the gleaming new construction, he zeroed in, shooting toward his destination in less than half the time it would have taken normally, though it was still longer than simply relocating to the civilization shards via the Champion skill.

Coop landed near enough to be seen by the gate guards, and contrary to his past visits, he was let in without any problems. By this point in the assimilation, his reputation preceded him, and most of Empress City was fresh off their return from the Underlayer themselves.

It barely took two minutes after he crossed the threshold of their protective gates before someone was leading him to Jackson and Fabiana while someone else ran ahead to let them know he had arrived.

“Champion Coop!” Jackson welcomed him from outside the former airport’s main terminal, in a courtyard that had formed in the shared space in front of the guild halls. “Did you come to check on us?” He asked with a smirk eagerly forming on his face, clearly in a good mood.

“Sure did.” Coop responded with a friendly grin, inspecting the Champion of Empress City as he approached.

 [Human (Level 228)]

[Wild Mage (Intelligence)]

[Member of the Lighthouse]

[Red (Challenger)]

“How did it go?” Coop asked, though judging by Jackson’s demeanor and level, everything went well on the surface while the rest were in the Underlayer.

“Well, let’s just say you missed the party.” Jackson declared with a big smile. “The Swamp Lord’s territory continues to expand throughout the Everglades, and there are no more Field Bosses to be found.” Jackson continued. “The volunteers we sent into the Underlayer are extremely jealous. Those of us who were subjugating the swamps had way more action while they ended up being the equivalent of signposts displaying the number of miles remaining to Ghost Reef.” He laughed.

Coop rubbed the back of his head. “I feel kinda bad, but we had no idea exactly how the event would play out.”

“Oh, it’s fine. They still got a hero’s welcome when your fleet of ships carried them back. We celebrated for three days and toasted your name the whole time.” Jackson continued, clearly still riding a high from their first major victory over the alien invaders.

Fabiana cleared her throat, having some business with Coop and trying to prevent her partner from too much frivolousness. Coop wondered if that was how his advisors had to negotiate around his own whims.

“I have to ask about Ghost Reef.” She began. “We’ve heard about how many outsiders are moving in. Are you going to be able to handle it?” She questioned, always the serious one. “Should we expect to absorb the overflow?”

“Don’t worry, it’s under control.” Coop answered. “In fact, as I understand it, the third level is reserved for residents of Empress City. So, if things get out of control out here, we’ll have room for you too.”

“Hey, don’t look down on us.” Jackson urged. “We’re getting stronger too.”

Coop chuckled as he saw that the rebels that had risen up against the Endless Empire hadn’t completely lost their edge. “Don’t worry, I’m not, but who would say no to a vacation home?”

“Certainly not us.” Fabiana declared on behalf of them both, and Jackson quickly changed tone.

“Anyway,” She bowed her head slightly, “Champion Coop, we wish you luck at the Summit. Unfortunately, we were directed not to keep you long. Neptune’s Bridge is a bit desperate for your visit.”

“Oh?” Coop was surprised, mostly because it seemed like everyone knew his itinerary before he did. He supposed it was the consequence of oversleeping by a few days. “Do they already know I’m coming?”

“Without a doubt. The boardwalk is a bit of a hike, but we are fully connected now.” Jackson pointed out. “Plus, the Ghost Reef messengers are all over the place, popping out of the ground like prairie dogs as they explore the Underlayer.”

“I see.” Coop was surprised by how much the residents of his little settlement had done after the conclusion of the Underlayer Event. It seemed like they had been taking action even before he made it back.

“The siege of Neptune’s Bridge was halted by the mana dome during the event. They had a break for the first time, but as soon as the dome fell, they had a surge of enemies.” Fabiana added. “We tried sending reinforcements, but the nature of their defensive chokepoints prevents additional numbers from making much of a difference. Their walls are already saturated with towers.”

Coop nodded, understanding that she was encouraging him to avoid wasting time. “I guess I better get going, then.” He accepted, resummoning his spear.

The pair bade him farewell, stepping back as he launched the weapon into the clouds once again.

Coop left the organized city behind, following the boardwalk from the air. It was an unbroken path that began beyond the city limits, lined with alligators and patrols of soldiers, weaving through swamps, grasslands, and forests. Occasionally, he spotted a variant of the Primal Constructs struggling in the mud, but they were never long for the world, with humans and animals constantly on the lookout.

The monsters that spawned away from the established path had a chance to survive for a longer period, but the effect of the Swamp Lord’s territory diminished their ability to evolve, drastically slowing them down. The humans and animals that were occupying the Everglades would have to neglect the invaders for a long time before they developed into more advanced threats, and presumably, during that time the forces of the Lighthouse would continue to advance at an even faster rate. Coop thought things were looking good in Florida.

Coop followed the trail all the way to the Swamp Lord’s base, the old alligator farm that was home to Bobby Jon and a collection of reptiles, easily finding it as the most significant outpost along the path. When he landed in the main animal pen, Bobby Jon practically jumped out of his skin.

“Wha! Ha-! Damn!” The alligator wrestler sputtered as he choked on his drink.

“Oh, it's the boss-man. You scared the spit outta me.” Bobby Jon stated as he recovered.

“My bad.” Coop apologized. “I just wanted to see how it was going.”

“No skin off my back. It wasn’t half as bad as when your messengers climbed out of the darkness of the missile silo like the devil himself. But we got used to that real quick, isn’t that right Dorothy?” He continued, patting the albino Swamp Lord on the snout.

“How are the other animals?” Coop queried, curious about the collection of creatures he assumed were involved in some sort of independent conspiracy to save the Everglades.

“Well, most days they’re all accounted for.” Bobby Jon admitted, leaving Coop feeling a bit concerned. “I’d say there’s always enough to entertain any guests. We’ve been gettin’ a lot more visitors these days. It’s been real nice, but I heard my neighbors up north are struggling somethin’ mighty.”

“Dang.” Coop muttered. “You heard that too?”

“Of course. They’re my neighbors after all.” Bobby Jon stated like it was obvious.

“Alright. Before I go, did you hear anything about Ghost Reef?” Coop wondered.

“Sure. Heard there’s a whole mess of people out there now, and if things get bad I can take shelter there, but c’mon brother, I ain’t leaving. No hurricane had me packin’ up, and no aliens are gonna drive me out neither.” Bobby Jon responded rather predictably.

“Well, if it comes down to it, you know where to go, right?” Coop confirmed.

“Don’t worry about me, ol’ Dorothy will be by my side. You just take care of everyone else.” Bobby Jon suggested.

“You make it sound simple.” Coop chuckled.

“Well, if you need it, I believe we got room for a few hundred inside the silo, so long as they don’t drink my beer. You can send some my way if your place gets too full.” The alligator wrestler generously offered.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Coop agreed before bidding farewell, though he wasn’t sure if Bobby Jon was aware of the actual scale of things.

Coop mistjumped over the rest of the swamp, flickering in and out of corporeality while leaving splashes of mist at each juncture, like the footsteps of a ghost sprinting across the landscape. He followed the boardwalk as the path skipped from grassy patch to hardwood island, noting the various species of heron, ibis, and other wading birds that rested on the edges of the wood planks, relaxing in peace thanks to the culling of Primal Constructs. If they were challenged by the respawned alien invaders, they were all plenty strong enough to take care of things. The alligators were relatively less the further north he went, but that didn’t mean the monsters were unchallenged by other species.

Pretty soon, the trail reached an old pine forest with spindly trees that stretched high into the sky. Coop was forced to rise higher and higher to avoid their thin canopies. The height of the trees was completely disproportionate to the coverage of their crowns, and the trees swayed dramatically in the breeze, casting thin shadows on the long needle straw and pine cone covered ground.

Once he surpassed the center of the slash pine forest, he caught his first sight of an unexpected sea blocking his route to the north. The strip of ocean that separated Florida’s peninsula from the rest of the continent had been undersold to him. He angled down toward the shore, where the boardwalk transitioned into a simple dirt trail and eventually connected with a bleached stone bridge, protected by a set of lookout towers.

Coop landed in the center of the road, directly below both towers. Small clouds of dust burst from his feet, but the trail was packed solid, compressed by frequent traffic.

“Phew!” He expressed his relief at making relatively quick work of the trip. What once would have taken many days had been reduced to less than one.

A pair of faces peeked over the edge of each of their towers, hiding from view as an ethereal commando airdropped into their vicinity.

“That’s him for sure.” He heard them whisper on one side.

“Where’d he come from?”

“No idea…” A whispered conversation took place in the right tower.

“It’s exactly like the messenger said.” Another observed from the left side.

“Champion Coop?” The second in the left tower finally spoke directly to him while the others murmured to each other.

“Yes.” Coop responded. “That’s me.” Coop responded, rising up from his crouch and standing straight while propping his spear onto his shoulder as he gazed at the seemingly endless bridge.

“We’ve been hoping you’d come.” The guard declared.