Raiya- Early Game Read online

  She clapped her hands together, smiling. “You never take a break do you Howley?”

  “Figure I’ll just wait to take a break when my heart stops beating.” He said then turned and left the cabin, closing the door behind him.

  “Let’s eat breakfast and we will get back to it.”

  To his surprise, the oatmeal was perfectly prepared, gooey and sweet. Hints of cinnamon and sugar gave it a nice flavor to match the texture. He picked a few pieces of fruit, dropping them in his bowl. He wolfed it down in a hurry, happy to eat something that reminded him of home. When they had finished their meal, Fenna wasted no time.

  “Skree, you have a huge pack of critters to care for and you need a place for them to live. While Theseldora is a free city, I doubt the Kobolds will receive a warm welcome. They are, for lack of a better term, storybook monsters. While I am a pretty progressive individual with things like race, the people of Theseldora may not be so accepting.”

  “But they aren’t monsters. They have families,crafts andthey can perform magic. Their temples were exquisite works of art!” he said, defending his friends.

  She held up a hand to stop him from getting to worked up. “Listen Skree, no one has seen a Kobold in like, a thousand years. Even my dear old dad used to tell me stories about the tiny lizard folk creeping in through my windows at night and stealing me away to throw in their cook pots.”

  “You can’t be serious?” he asked with honest concern.

  “Oh, for sure. They are a parent’s favorite monster to scare little kids with. That and trolls, obviously.”

  “I can’t just leave them on your ship forever.” He said, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “So what are my options?”

  “No kidding. You will need a place to call your own, away from Theseldora and I think I know just the thing. My father is an eccentric man. He made a fortune from his inventions and when he dreamt up Theseldora, he purchased a deed for the island. He spent the next few years growing the population of the Settlement. So successful was this venture, my father bought the deeds for the nearest islands. Called ‘em investments.” She explained. Enacting a deep voice and exaggerated body language, she continued. “Who wouldn’t want to buy their own Island my dear? I will double or triple my money in the first few years. We get new neighbors and everyone will benefit.”

  She stared into the distance, replaying the fond memories in her head. “He could not have been more wrong. Hasn’t sold a single one. Not one in the twenty years since he bought them. Needless to say - he has grown tired of paying upkeep on the deeds and has considered letting them lapse frequently, but then he would lose all that money.”

  “Why doesn’t he build more settlements, grow those as well? Having more than one has to be more profitable than letting them collect dust, so to speak.” He asked.

  “I see you use that noggin for more than a hat rack.” She said, tapping at her temple. “Turns out, running a city is hard work, and even more expensive than just paying the upkeep on an island with no buildings or upgrades. Think of it like this; When you have one ship, it’s expensive to maintain. As you add better guns, quality sails and the crew gains experience, the upkeep on your ship continues to grow. It is the same thing with any piece of land. The more buildings you have, the more it costs to maintain those buildings. The more people, the more food you need to import and export.”

  She drank from her cup, wetting her lips. “Unless you have a mountain of gold to deal with the early stages of building and upkeep, you will lose settlers and the tax income they provide. Now you have less money than before, and people just keep leaving, making it harder and harder to recover.After all, who wants to live in a village that is falling apart with high taxes, knowing it will all fall apart?”

  Skree nodded his understanding of the situation. It was Economics 101. The rich are the only ones who can afford to own land, let alone entire islands.

  “You see his predicament? He assumed that rich lords or merchants would see the success of Theseldora as an example of what you can do when you put your heart and money behind something but he forgot one important thing. The rich are already rich and have no reason to expand into the furthest reaches of the seas.” She said. “Why would any rich bastard want to buy a wild and untamed island so far from the Central Kingdom? Logistics, trade, settlers… it’s all so much bother.”

  “I see what you mean.” He said. Running a settlement came with a lot of obligations.

  She smiled. “With all that said, I think you should buy an island and start your very own settlement!”

  Skree’s eyes went wide at her proclamation. “But you just said it’s expensive, difficult and maybe even pointless. Why would I want to do that?”

  Shaking her head, shestood. “Come with me.” Together they walked from the cabin and onto the deck. She made her way to the bow and leaned against the railing, letting the warm breeze tousle her raven hair. Eyes closed, she leaned into the breeze, face to the sun. “Close your eyes. Feel the wind in your hair, the sun on your skin.” She took a deep breath of the fresh sea air.

  Slowly, he closed his eyes and leaned against the railing, following her advice. He felt the gentle sway of the ship as it cut through the sea, the cool spray of the prow as it crashed through a wave. He heard the calls of seabirds, and the gentle rush of air as the wind caressed his face. The warmth of the sun felt good. It felt right.

  She placed a hand on his shoulder, breaking him from his reverie. “Skree, you have the resources needed to support a small island settlement and the fact you have a small horde of creatures willing to follow you anywhere shows me you have what it takes to be a leader. You may not have memories of before the island, but I can feel it.

  Her words sparked something in him, a memory of the Archon’s statue in the Kobold Warrens. Claim your destiny, grow powerful, lead nations. He felt it too, a desire to be someone better than he was in his previous life. He nodded in agreement, eyes sparkling with determination.

  “I think you’re right Fenna. I should build something. Buy an island and build a settlement, not just for the Kobolds, but for everyone that wants a new home, a new life, or an opportunity to build something of their own.” He said and the more he thought about it, the more he grew to love the idea.

  She let go of his shoulder and spread her arms against the wind, letting the sea and the sun fill her with joy. “My father will be overjoyed to hear the news. But keep in mind he has been losing money on these islands for two decades. He will push to get every bent copper out of you to recoup his losses.”

  A frown crept onto his face. “You think he will try to take advantage of me?”

  “Of course! He wants money, and you have it. You also have an urgent need for a place to live while he does not. My father is a shrewd and savvy negotiator, and the leader of a free city. But trust me when I say, he wants to rid himself of the debt.” Her warm smile put him a little more at ease. “I will help you understand more about the costs of land and deeds in the coming days so you won’t embarrass yourself when you sit down at the table, but it will still be up to you to negotiate a deal that works for all parties involved.”

  She turned, staring into his eyes with a serious expression.

  “There is an old saying in Theseldora when it comes to haggling. Never take the first deal, but never,” she poked him in the chest with a finger, “never miss the last one.”

  Chapter 3

  The sound of playful squawking was music to Priestesses ears. All around her were the last of her kind, juveniles who were playing in the cargo hold of the Typhoon. After a decent night of sleep, she and the others were playing with the younglings, doing their best to keep them distracted. She watched as Zuka leapt from one pile of crates to another, dozens of the little kobolds in hot pursuit. Despite the disaster that had occurred only yesterday, the younglings were holding it together. The playful sounds helped lift the weight from her heart.

  “Priestess! Chase me!” See
ma begged.

  She looked down at the young female and bared her fangs in mock aggression. “Raw!” she said, holding her clawed hands out before her like a dangerous predator. Seema and the other younglings shrieked and dashed away, running between the stack rows of crates and barrels as she chased after them. She jumped back and forth between the aisles, forcing Seema to do the same, cutting off her escape path.

  Seema giggled and yipped with joy as she tried to get past Priestess, but she was cornered. Priestess rushed forward and snatched her from the floor and pretended to eat her.

  “Nom nom! You are so tasty!” she said to the little one who was giggling and flailing. She set Seema back on her feet, stroking the scales of her snout with a smile.

  “Okay, now you run from me!” Seema said, holding her tiny clawed hands in front of her. Priestess feigned terror and fled in the opposite direction as the young kobold gave chase. They weaved through the crates with wide smiles, Priestess doing her best to stay just out of reach. She rounded a corner and slid into a small gap between some crates. Seema rounded the corner, then halted, realizing she had lost sight of her prey. She looked back and forth several times, then moved on. Perhaps she had gotten further ahead? When she passed the small gap where Priestess was hiding, the hunted became the hunter, jumping out and snatching her up into her arms once more.

  “Got you!” she said, tickling her without mercy. Seema struggled under the playful torture of Priestess, but couldn’t escape her grasp.

  “No fair! I was chasing you!” she howled.

  Priestess smiled. “Sometimes you have to surprise your hunter, otherwise you always have to run away.”

  A look of sadness crossed Seema’s face and Priestess realized her mistake. “Why couldn’t father and mother just run away?” she asked, tears glossy in her dark eyes.

  “Sometimes you also have to fight your hunter, to protect others. Even if it means you can’t escape.” Priestess explained, stroking her scaly face.

  “But... I miss my mother. She could have run away with us, then I wouldn’t be here alone.” Seema replied, her voice cracking as a deep wail formed in her lungs.

  Priestess knelt, pulling her in close. “You are not alone. Priestess is here to keep you safe, no matter what happens.” she said, rubbing her back. “Your mother and father asked me to take care of you, and that is what I will do.”

  Seema hugged her tighter, sobbing into her shirt. “What if you have to fight the hunters and you can’t escape, what then?”

  Priestess had no good answer. Grelo and Mud were the adult males that had escaped with them, but Grelo was a jerk who cared little for anyone besides himself. Mud was an experienced craftsman, but a fighter or parental figure he was not. The two females were adults but had little experience at taking care of younglings. Then again, what did she know about raising kids? Instead of telling Seema a lie, she pulled away and looked into her eyes, reassuring hands holding her by the shoulders.

  “Then it will be up to you to take care of the others. Help them find their way.” Priestess said. “Can you do that?”

  Seema’s lower jaw quivered as she stared at Priestess, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought about it, before nodding. “I can Kamilla.”

  Priestess smiled, patting her on the head. “I know you can little one, and remember, my name is Priestess now.”

  “Oh yeah! I forget, sorry Kamilla.” Seema said, realizing she had done it again. “I mean Priestess!”

  “Now, are you ready to get eaten by Priestess?” she asked, hands coming up in mock threat.

  The young Kobold squealed and took off running, making it only a few steps before colliding into Grelo, the impact sending her falling onto her tail. She yelped in pain as the male looked down at her with anger on his face.

  “Watch where you are going, you little brat.” he snapped, baring his fangs. Seema looked up at him and cried, then scrambled to her feet before running away. His eyes came to rest on Priestess, agitated. “I see you are letting them do whatever they want.”

  She marched forward, standing right in front of the larger male. “They have been through a lot, letting them play helps keep their mind off things. Maybe you should try it, might be good for you.”

  “Ha, as if I would waste my time playing with children. I don’t care what happens to them.” he spat. “Or you.” He turned, walking away as if he was better than her.

  “Excellent. I shall inform Lord Skree that you would like to disembark at the first opportunity. I will explain you would prefer to go it alone once we make it back to dry land.” she said as if she was reciting words from a boring book.

  Grelo stopped dead in tracks, tail motionless with fear. He looked over his shoulder. “You need me. Who will protect little Kamilla and her merry band of orphans?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and she shot him a warning smile. “Not you. You will be far too busy fending off creatures in the jungle all alone since you don’t care about them.”

  He whirled, stomping toward her, claws clicking on the hard floor. “I should be in charge here, not you, Kamilla the boot-licker.” he hissed. “They need someone strong to lead them.”

  In a flash, she had him by the throat and pressed up against the hull of the ship, her free hand wreathed in flame. Calm anger burned in her eyes, reflecting the red-orange glow from her spell. Grelo struggled to free himself from her grasp but her hand was like a vice, cutting off the blood to his brain. He raked at her arm with his claws drawing hot red lines of blood but she refusedflinch or relax her grip. Bringing her snout to his, she whispered threateningly.

  “These are my people. I will lead them through the dark. I will guide them to the light. If you do not follow my orders and do as I say, then I will toss you into the great water myself. Do I make myself clear?” she said, her question carrying the rumble of a thunderclap.

  His arms drifted back to his sides as black edged his vision. She released her grip, and he fell to his knees, gasping for air and rubbing at his throat. “Yes Kamilla.” he rasped.

  Her eyes narrowed, glaring at him until he corrected himself.

  “Yes, Priestess.” he snapped.

  Her face returned to a jovial expression. “Thank you for your support Grelo. There are buckets of youngling scat that demand your attention.” she said.

  He looked ready to argue, then slumped. “As you command Priestess.”

  She nodded politely, then saw her friend leaning casually against a crate, watching their exchange

  “That looked painful.” Skree said.

  “My arm will be fine.” she mused.

  Skree rolled his eyes. “I meant him. Painful for him.” He bit into an apple, chewing a few times before tossing one to her.

  “I doubt it was that bad, more... instructional than painful.” she said with a wicked grin. “Grelo has always been a blowhard, but he has his uses.”

  “Like bucket duty?” he asked.

  “Like bucket duty.” She said.

  “Take a walk with me?” he asked, nodding toward the nearby door. She nodded, following him down the hall to his small sleeping berth. He sat on the small bunk and she rested her small form on the modest shelf in the corner, tail wrapping around her waist.

  “What’s on your mind?” she asked.

  “I’m thinking about using the funds that Sawbones gave me to buy a new home for us.” He said.

  Priestess nodded. “I hate to sound insolent, but that seems like an obvious necessity.” She said, eye ridge raised. Skree stuck out his tongue at her flippant expression.

  “Yes, it’s obvious, I know. But I haven’t explained what I’m worried about.” He said. She leaned forward, interest piqued.

  “Fenna told me that kobolds might not be welcome in Theseldora. Apparently people think you will eat their children or something.” He said. She snapped her jaws a few times, fangs clicking. The absurdity of her gesture made him chuckle.

  “People have always feared what they don’t know, Ko
bolds are the same. For years we heard humans would eat our young, creeping into our nests in the dark of night and steal our eggs.” She chuckled at the thought. “Even I was nervous around you until I saw how harmless you were.”

  “I don’t think a whole city of humans and non-humans will take the time to get to know you. Fenna made it clear that the sooner we can get out of Theseldora, the better. She will spread the word you are under her protection but it’s likely that won’t last long.” He explained. “So we need to buy a new place to live and Fenna thinks buying our own small island and creating a settlement is the best option.”

  She shrugged. “I will follow your lead, though, won’t an entire island be expensive? Can’t we find one and build a new village without having to buy it?”

  “That is what I asked. And the answer was confusing. Yes you can do that, but if you do, anyone who buys the island will claim all the buildings and resources on that land.” He explained further. “Being a deeded land owner gives a lot more than just ownership over the island.”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  “Well, the way she described it was that you can enact certain magical protections for your village, along with taxes deducted from anyone who buys or sells anything in the settlement.”

  She scratched her head, puzzled. “What are taxes?”

  “Tributes.” he said. “Giving a part of your wealth to the clan to enhance the warren.”

  “Got it. Can’t you do that by hand?” she asked.

  “We could, but this is magic. Magic that collects taxes anywhere in the world.”

  She hissed. “What if I don’t want to pay taxes?”

  “Then you can’t live there. Look, forget about the taxes for now. The real benefit of being a deeded land owner is that it allows you to create buildings with the help of magic, instead of just hard labor.” He explained. “If you spend mana from the village reserve, you can build things much faster and repair them using magic instead.”

  “It sounds like exactly what we need. So what are you concerned about?” She asked.