(MC POV):
I was still giggling to myself as I strolled leisurely away from Brookmere, a tailwind at my back. I had come to this town alone, and I hadn't told anyone what I was doing. Let's be honest, who would agree to their Chief betting their town away for some gold and elixir? Sure, it was risky, but who cares? I won, so it's fine.
The Lord of Brookmere and I had crossed paths once before. He had been arguing with my foster father over a patch of land, a discussion that left more than a few bruised egos. The Lord was built solid; in the past, he had worked the land himself. This was the first clue that he wasn't born to nobility. Calloused hands, sunburnt hair, the kind of man who thinks more of himself than he ought. He wanted my town, and when I offered it in a bet, he jumped at the chance. The resources he was wagering weren't insignificant, but he taxed his people harshly. He could afford the risk.
I felt the cards in my breast pocket, and the hum of magic emanating off them calmed my heart. I didn't think I would lose the match, but I was ready to pawn off the golem card if needed. It was a keepsake from Thornridge's founder. The last play was risky — not in terms of the game, but in terms of everything else. Epic cards are rare, and now everyone knows I have one. This was a calculated play. It would draw in people, which would increase the risk of my crown being lost, but it was the first step to showing that I had power. While a baron might risk a large sum of resources to snatch my golem, higher-ranked kings, or ones who held their own epic card, would steer clear — at least for a while.
The air was as fresh as it always was. The firm, crunchy dirt path held true through crisp, rolling hills. Lost in thought about what was to come and what the resources could be used for, the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. As the last whips of sunlight licked the land, I finally reached my Thornridge.
Wooden walls rose out of the ground around the base of a nondescript mound. I had finally returned. The journey had taken longer than I thought; I underestimated the weight of my loot and had to take multiple breaks on the way back. I was glad I reached town before it got dark — not because it was particularly dangerous, but because I could've gotten a cold, or worse, gotten lost. Behind the wall stood an overbearing tower, on which two pink-haired youths stood side by side, a quiver slung over their backs and a bow ready in hand. I smiled when I saw them. The fact that they were there and the walls looked intact meant that the town had not been besieged while I was away. In my mind, I called them Gwen and Aelig. They looked the same, so I couldn't tell them apart, and they didn't talk, so I couldn't tell if they liked the names I had given them.
"Heyy, good work today!" I yelled as I waved at them. They had already spotted me, of course, but instead of waving back, they just nodded their heads. They never wave back, I sighed in my mind as I continued toward the gate.
As I walked through the gate, I passed by an elderly couple, greeting them as I passed. The town was bustling. It wasn't overly loud, but most people had finished their day's work and were just milling around. Suddenly, some kids ran up to me, curious about what was in the large bags I was holding. I entertained them a little as I walked them back home. When I dropped them off, I was invited in for dinner, but I politely declined and walked toward the town hall in the middle of town. On the way, I stopped multiple times, greeting and chatting with some townsfolk. By the time I finally reached the town hall, the moon had neared its apex, and I was exhausted.
By the town hall stood two leveled cannons. One was level 3, the other level 2. While neither cannon was that large, the level 3 was considerably more bulky than the level 2.
This is the first thing that's getting upgraded… it can wait until tomorrow.
The town hall was a simple building: a stone base, wooden supports, a thatch roof, and a large chimney near the back. While large compared to the rest of the buildings in Thornridge, it didn't stand out that much. Pushing open the door, I dropped both bags to the floor. I had been carrying them all day, and my shoulders were aching. Magic lamps that could stay bright forever (probably) sputtered to life as I stepped inside, lighting up the hall.
After giving myself a moment, I grabbed both bags, dragging them through the hall. The hall was sparsely decorated, except for the portraits of previous kings. The bags glided effortlessly over the carpeted floor, through the main meeting room to my throne — a bigger, more comfy chair. I moved the chair, then pressed my hand onto a specific part of the floor. This was a magical mechanism that could only be activated by the King of that region. The mechanism cast a faint glow across the hall that contrasted greatly with the warm light emanating from the lamps. After a while, the ground beneath me began to sink slowly. The magic hummed softly as I continued to descend until it came to a halt, revealing a dimly lit room.
The walls of the room were the color of frost, not a speck of dust inside. The room was slightly chilly, and you couldn't smell anything. In the center of the room, floating above a pedestal, was a glowing octahedral (8-sided) crystal that spun in erratic patterns. My dirty boots left a trail behind me as I walked past the crystal toward the back wall. By the wall sat a wooden trough and a glass flask attached by rope to two wooden posts. The two storage units looked out of place in this mystical, ethereal room, but it couldn't be helped. The town hall's level was simply too low.
Both the gold and elixir storage units (pics) looked full, but that didn't mean they held much at all. I placed the bags by the storage and reached out to both. As I did, two panels appeared, floating in front of each unit, each displaying how full they were. 8,000 gold. 1,400 elixir. It was a pretty depressing sight, but after depositing the resources "looted" from Brookmere, the numbers shot up to 18,000 and 3,400, respectively. I grabbed the bags, now empty and lifelessly sitting on the floor.
On a shelf situated between the two storage units sat a petite, exquisite chest, and eight empty tiles floated above it. The empty tiles glowed dark blue. The first two slots had a small crest in the middle and were a lighter blue; they were also just a little bit larger than the rest. I reached into my breast pocket, taking out the cards that had recently defeated the Lord of Brookmere, before placing one into each of the slots. My gaze lingered on the skeleton card and arrow cards for a while longer. A sense of longing built up in my chest.
If only I had Log or evo skeletons. Then I'd be invincible under the heavens…
I lamented to myself while looking around the pristine room. My footprints had disappeared. They always do. Carrying the two bags, I headed toward the entrance. Activating the magical mechanism once more, I stepped onto the platform, slowly rising back up into the main chamber.
18,000 gold, a little over 3000 elixir. This should be enough. Let's get this shit rolling.
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Thanks to everyone who has read my story so far. This is my first time publishing anything I've written, and I can't believe how many views its gotten.
I'm working on the formatting (why is it so different for mobile 😭😭), and I'd love some feedback and/or constructive criticism — just don't be a dick about it. I have a fair bit planned for this story, so I hope you all enjoy and stick around.