[Voidknight Ascension] Chapter 227 – New Kids on the Block

Though the battle was hard fought, the Sil’marans were gracious and welcoming hosts. At least, Raiko hoped so. The effort was there.

People were ushered from Kale’s Skyshard onto Sil’mara while Raiko worked to sculpt another earthen dome to house the nearly five dozen newcomers.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. People watched in amazement as Raiko created rooms and shelter out of the very land.

The settlement itself wasn’t much to look at, but now that Raiko was significantly stronger than before–not to mention Haman’s presence soothing her weary soul–she was able to make something much more like a building than a dome of dirt and rock.

This time, the door frames were correctly aligned. Sconces of elemental crystals were designed and shaped to provide even lighting. And the beds resembled actual plush beds rather than cots, even if they were still mostly made from [Cushion Moss].

These people would be able to sleep in relative comfort. Though certainly not in luxury.

“This looks better than ours,” Matt remarked, staring at the tall structure with fluted columns marking its entrance.

More columns marched inside, leaving the first floor open and airy, with tables to eat, rest, and gather around. The stairs at the back of the sculpted building rose and split, doubling back on themselves to form two separate sections of rooms on either side of the building. One for the men, the other for the women.

Families–Raiko was somewhat astounded that any managed to stay together–were afforded their own rooms so people wouldn’t be unduly split up.

It was a relief to be capable of sculpting a detailed structure again, a truer reflection of what was within her mind. It was too bad that she couldn’t create enhanced buildings like Bal’daz could.

She needed to take her Profession in a different direction. Presumably being able to enchant items, create magical weapons and inventions would come at the cost of not being able to make grand buildings.

You never know for certain, she thought to herself, reflecting on what she mentioned to Kylie earlier.

“That’s because it is,” Raiko said wryly. “I’m not running on fumes anymore, and I’m no longer taking a harsh hit to my attributes now that Haman is with me once again.”

Haman, however, spent most of his time slumbering in her arms. He was exhausted from all the work he’d put in and, as Raiko told the others, he needed a lot of sleep to offset the magicks he used to keep the people and his Skyshard safe.

His new geomancy was certainly fascinating. When things calmed down, she planned to learn everything Haman could do now. And praise him immensely for it, of course.

Without her brave, noble pobul, Raiko told Kale that his Skyshard would have been destroyed by the Maelstrom’s caustic winds.

Kai looked appreciably at the new structure. “Would it be much bother to–”

“I can make a superior structure, if that is what you wish,” Bal’daz put in, slinging a pack from his shoulder and setting it down.

The ground thumped heavily.

“What’s in there?” Matt asked.

“Your precious bathroom,” Bal’daz said. “The apprentice was already working on much of the same materials that I needed. All that was required was to fashion them into pipes and fittings. I would have waited for a commission–” He cleared his throat and moved on as swiftly as he could. “As I was saying, I can perform a few functions with these materials. I can make smaller fragmented bathrooms, or a building that is all-inclusive.”

“That seems like a no-brainer.”

“Ah!” Bal’daz chided, raising a red finger. “The specialty building will come with a buff while the individual bathrooms will not. I only have materials for one right now, though at the pace the apprentice is moving, a week or two will give me enough to make another should we need.”

Matt looked curiously at the others, surprised to find Kale there.

“Still here,” Kale said with a chortle. “So we could do the Roman thing, eh?”

“Just no vomitoriums,” Matt said.

“I will not ask,” Bal’daz said calmly. He turned to Raiko for the answer.

The building with the buff was clearly better. People needed as many enhancements as possible, so long as it didn’t compromise much in comfort.

“There is privacy in the specialty building, right?” she asked.

“If you like,” Bal’daz said. “Is that important?”

“Yes, it’s integral in human society. That can’t be compromised.”

He nodded thoughtfully, as if this was all new information to him. “Very interesting! I can make the necessary arrangements. It is the work of a few moments during casting. Would you like the facilities to be split by sex as well or simply each cubicle to be separate and private?”

“Both?” Matt asked, looking at the others nodding along. “Both.”

Bal’daz frowned. “I do not see how you will find an appropriate mate, but very well.”

Amusing burn aside, Raiko found it a relief having multiple people pitching in on the decisions. Eventually, she did not wish to govern the day to day, but that seemed a long way off yet.

Kale looked up curiously. “What sort of buff are we talking about?”

The demon spun on him. “Very good of you to remind me! The buff improves morale, raising the mood and happiness of all people who use the bathhouse while simultaneously lowering the damage any physical afflictions might deal to those who have used the bath within a day’s period.”

“Wait, like lower damage taken from poison?” Matt asked.

“Precisely! As well as many other physical maladies,” Bal’daz explained. “As a much weaker version of the healing springs, the baths can also speed up convalescence, and we will have a populace of people who do not smell as if they rolled around in dakon leavings.”

“What’s a dakon?” Kale asked.

Bal’daz frowned, trying to grapple with the explanation. “You have pigs, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“Big demonic pig with three fire-spewing anuses.”

“Oh.”

Raiko frowned at the heinous memory of fighting those hellish swine. Of course a dakon’s weakness was its backside.

She desperately tried to banish the vision from her thoughts.

Matt was still trying to wrap his head around it. “So…it’d be like napalm coming out of there. Sticky and–”

“Please stop talking,” Raiko told him quickly.

Matt looked around at the slight green tinge to everybody’s features. “Yeah. That’s probably a good call.”

“A very…lax monarchy you have here,” Kylie pointed out, trying for a bit of levity. “Are you really just…going to build a bathhouse? Just like that? No more wiping with leaves or trying not to fall into it while you’re going to the bathroom?”

Matt looked aghast. “You didn’t even dig a hole?”

Raiko slowly looked up and stared mutely at Kylie.

“With what?” Kylie shot back. “You have shovel hands? It seems easy to dig through dirt until you actually try. That stuff gets under your nails!”

“Strength…makes it easier,” Raiko said reluctantly, disturbed.

Matt shook his head. “Even hitting the ground with a magic spell would do the trick.”

“For one, I am a Scout, so Strength isn’t my strong suit, and two, have you tried to use even superhuman Strength on the soil and rock of a Skyshard? Everything seems amped up the longer it’s exposed to all this mana stuff.”

“It’s pronounced mah-nuh,” Chris said primly.

“Oh, whatever, nerd.”

“Moving on,” Bal’daz said brightly. “Where would you like the bathhouse to be placed? I was thinking over in this region here.” He motioned to a small hillock that would be easily visible from anywhere in the settlement.

“Good sight lines, easy to find targets,” Simon said approvingly.

“For the bath house dude?” Matt asked.

The man raked a hand through his dirty blonde hair. “I’ve been living in survival mode for months. But also…yes. This is still a small place. Our Skyshard was attacked countless times by both monsters and bandits.”

“I mean, I guess you’re right anyway,” Matt admitted.

“Have your walls been tested?” Simon pressed. “They are thick and sturdy, but–forgive me for saying–quite crude.”

“I doubt any of us here except for Raiko could put a dent in them,” Matt said proudly. “They have been put through the wringer and come out on top.”

“I still say we should work on a stone wall next,” Bal’daz offered.

“Lord Builder Bal’daz has a point,” Kai said with a wry wink at the demon.

Raiko glanced between them. “We are working on the stone wall next. Growing in population hasn’t changed that. Protection and shelter come first.” Without intending to, she kept going. These people needed something to hope for. “We’re going to have livable conditions, and we’re not going to be living in fear. Sil’mara will be a sanctuary of prosperity and advancement, not a mere collection of huts struggling to see the next day.”

“We should be so lucky to have huts!” Kylie said, evoking a deep belly laugh from Kale and Chris. “We barely had those things you stretch between poles to keep rain off your head? Yeah, those. Not even tents. The genius men here didn’t know how to pitch a fucking tent, can you believe that?”

“Not like you could either!” Kale said, roaring with laughter. “We barely had enough material between us to make shade, let alone a tent.”

“You could hardly be blamed,” Raiko said, frowning. “Hunted by monsters and humans with barely any resources on your Skyshard, then nearly torn apart by the Maelstrom. Imagine what you could do without such harsh conditions.”

“A rest would do wonders for all of us,” Kale agreed. He could hardly believe that their journey to find a sanctuary was at an end. After everything they had been through…and with a few waves of their hands, these Sil’marans conjured opulent dorms and bathhouses for Kale’s beleaguered people.

With the spot chosen, Bal’daz began creating the bath house, speaking his magical incantations and weaving the runic symbols through the air.

“I would love to get a tour of your home,” Kale told Raiko. “But first, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get the others situated. Maybe afterwards I can introduce you to Ryan and Henry.” He looked at Kylie. “What was it you always call them?”

“Base dads,” Kylie said. She turned to Raiko. “They basically run the people and make sure everybody gets what they need if not what they want. Nobody got what they wanted, but at least we had food and water. It was better than they had before, and without Ryan and Henry…” She shook her head and blew out a deep sigh. “Even if you guys want to take over everything we’ve got, you’ll want Ryan and Henry on your side. They’ll make everything a thousand times easier.”

That piqued Raiko’s interest. “Base…dads? I would very much like to meet them.”

Kale motioned to Chris, and the pair went off with a wave. Simon excused himself and joined them, leaving Kylie alone with the others.

The Archer grabbed her forearm behind her back and rocked on the balls of her feet while watching the splendor of Bal’daz’s magic at work.

Bricks, boards, beams, and all manner of copper pipes soared through the air and assembled themselves with unerring precision. In less than ten minutes–longer than it took to erect the workshop, Raiko noticed–the bathhouse was completed.

Raiko gently placed [Glyph: Refresh] upon Bal’daz’s arm. It was somewhat difficult. His mana, in some way, resisted hers.

For a moment, she could sense how thoroughly drained Bal’daz’s MP was. He seemed relieved to have his MP begin to replenish.

How odd it is that I’ve come to trust an oni, she thought. Our kind have always been in conflict, and yet he’s nothing like his brethren. He must have felt so alone for so long.

Like Raiko now was. The last Incarnate, once again.

It was a bitter reminder that she was ever the survivor. Everyone else died or disappeared time and time again throughout her life, leaving Raiko alone.

In this way, her bloodline was a curse.

At least, now I have you again, Haman. Raiko held her pobul close. He chirped softly in his sleep.

A flash of Shardscript alerted them all to an unexpected bonus.

Skyshard Milestones Accomplished:

Create a bathhouse (Rare).

Reach a population of 20 (Common).

Reach a population of 40 (Uncommon).

Reach a population of 60 (Uncommon).

Transform a Tile by placing buildings (Rare).

New Tile: Frontier Outpost

Your Skyshard gains greater Experience!

Your Skyshard Levels Up!

[Frontier Outpost]

(Tile) (E-Class)

(★★★ Rare)

The first step toward a proper settlement. Frontier Outposts gain bonuses to housing density, citizen offense and defense, as well as increased population limits for the Tile they reside upon. Any amenities placed upon this Tile will also have their effects enhanced. By placing additional buildings on this Tile, it is possible to transform the Tile further.

As a first-time bonus for unlocking a [Frontier Outpost] Tile, you are awarded with the following:

[Barracks Schematics]

[Aqueduct Schematics]

[Town Center Schematics]

[Basic Fortification Schematics]

“A new type of Tile,” Raiko said in astonishment. “One that benefits from buildings.”

Several bundles of scrolls appeared out of thin air in front of Raiko and the group. Even with Haman held in one arm, Raiko managed to snatch each scroll out of the air before anybody else could react.

Bal’daz, a sheen of sweat on his face, looked at them hungrily.

“I believe these are yours,” Raiko said, handing the gathered scrolls to the demon.

For a moment, she thought he might faint at the prospect. Instead, he dropped into a cross-legged pose, floating mid-air, as he hungrily unfurled and read each scroll.

One by one, the scrolls vanished with a sparkle of light as Bal’daz committed them to memory. “This will change everything,” he whispered.