Chris and Serena returned to Harborton after unintentionally helping the dwarven hold get rid of an ancient dragon.
"They seemed really happy that we cleared out the dragon, but I am worried about what will happen now that an ancient dragon has awakened. Wouldn't it have been better if it was still sleeping in the volcano?", Chris says to Serena as they walk through the gates of Harborton.
"I can't even fathom what we, or rather, you have done. You are a dragon slayer now. You killed two dragons! That is no small feat, but an ancient dragon is something entirely different. I don't know too much about them, but they are the stuff of legend in this world. This is all far beyond my capabilities. I thought I would finally find a peaceful life and maybe even find happiness. Now I have been roped into this mess.", Serena answered with a gloomy expression on her face.
She then immediately realized that she sounded very ungrateful. "I don't mean to be ungrateful. I apologize for what I said. Nothing of this is your fault. Please don't be angry with me.", she added.
Chris was still too preoccupied thinking about the ancient dragon. He didn't even realize Serena's distress from complaining. He thought that she was just worried about the dragon, just like him.
"Don't worry, I understand that you are worried about the dragon. So am I. I will send you to Amber Village, you should be safe there while I investigate the matter.", he says to her.
It is already getting dark when they reach the inn. Serena heads into her room and Chris goes into his.
Amelia is getting ready for bed when Chris suddenly comes back from his journey. "Welcome back! I have missed you.", she says and gives him a hug.
Chris tells her about the alliance with the dwarven hold and how it had led to him awakening an ancient dragon. He can see how she becomes more and more worried by what he tells her.
"Dragons are incredibly powerful and vengeful creatures. It sounds like you killed the children of an ancient fire dragon. Ancient dragons are almost as strong as the gods. I am worried that we will now have to face the wrath of this ancient fire dragon.
Tomorrow I will pray to the goddess and ask for her guidance.", Amelia says to Chris after hearing his story.
"Thank you, Amelia. I am also worried and it is always comforting to have you and the goddess on my side.", he answers and gives her a goodnight kiss.
...
The next day, Chris starts the day by sending Serena to Amber Village. The hired guards are sent with her and they have been told to talk to Thor about arrangements in the village.
Amelia leaves to commune with the goddess at the shrine in the forest and is not expected back until the evening.
~Amelia~
Amelia uses the teleportation point to quickly reach the Shrine of the Goddess. The forest is as calm and quiet as usual, despite this, she feels a strong uneasiness lying in the air.
A person appears from a portal on top of the Shrine. The person who appeared is a young-looking woman with dark slightly purple skin, a slender form, long black hair, and most interestingly a pair of white ominous eyes. She looks powerful, yet graceful.
"Hi, Amelia. I have been sent by the Goddess as her emissary. Great darkness is gathering in the old fortress and we must prepare for war. You can call me Noctera.", she says with a slight smile. It looks as though she is trying to appear calm and friendly, but there is a great deal of worry that shines through.
Amelia is startled by the sudden appearance of an unknown person and with such an appearance. She can feel power emanating from Noctera and instinctively took a step back when she appeared. Amelia realized the importance of the Goddess sending an emissary and quickly regained her calm.
"H-hi Noctera, it is an honor to meet the goddess' emissary. Do you have a plan prepared?", she answered while first stuttering briefly before she had completely recovered from the initial shock.
~Thor~
Thor is going about his day as he usually has been since being entrusted by Lord Chris to oversee the expansion and fortification of the village.
First, he goes to check on the progress of the new Lord's Manor which he commissioned some time ago.
"How's the work going?", he casually shouts to the man in charge of the construction.
"Everything is going well. The initial entrance building which we will later expand upon is almost finished. The Lord will be able to stay there when he comes back.", the village's best carpenter, Alvor, shouts back to Thor.
"Very good!", Thor answers with a content smile.
Second, he takes a round around the village to check on everything else. He checks his smithy, the project to further reinforce the village, and the efforts to expand the lumber mill. Everything is in order and there are no major issues.
Suddenly a guard comes running toward him. "Lord Chris has sent an important prisoner. Please follow me to the gates.", the guard speaks loudly. This guard is one of the latest recruits which Thor recently hired and he is easily excited when something unusual happens in the village.
"We will go immediately", Thor says in a friendly, yet firm voice.
~Serena~
Serena is standing in front of a large wooden gate. She is accompanied by two guards from Harborton. They are all waiting for the guards to let them in and lead them to a man known as Thor.
A few moments later, the gates are opened and a strong-built man with a full beard walks up to them.
"Hello my name is Thor and I am entrusted with the management of the village when Lord Chris is away. Who are you?", he says to Serena and her guards.
A guard quickly answers, "We are here by order of Lord Chris. This woman's name is Serena and she is a valued prisoner of his lord. He wants you to take care of her here in the village until he returns. We will be accompanying her at all times."
Just as Thor is about to reply. Amelia comes running out of the forest. She heads straight toward Thor and Serena. Someone else is with her. It is a woman with a sort of otherworldly appearance.
Amelia steps up to Thor, while her companion stays a few meters back. "Hi Thor, I bring grave news. Evil is gathering to attack us again and we must prepare. This woman is Noctera, emissary of the Goddess and she will help us prepare.", she says with a worried expression.
Thor looks at Amelia and starts to speak, "I'm starting to get used to that by now. We are already working on the fortifications and so we will need more resources from Harborton if we are to do even more.
Before we discuss all of that, do you know this Serena woman in front of me?"
"Let us discuss possible defensive upgrades in detail and then contact Chris.
I do know Serena. She is a friend of Chris, but we do not fully trust her yet due to her past. She used to be the evil necromancer in the mountains to the North. Chris has supposedly converted her to the good side, our side.", Amelia answers.
Amelia, Thor, Serena, Noctera, and a few village elders start to discuss the pending attack and what can be done to prepare. The first step is to check on the village's current status.
________________________________________________________________
~~Amber Village status~~
Villagers: ~500
Guards: 1 captain, 3 veterans, 12 recruits
Defensive structures and fortifications:
Wooden walls
3 watchtowers
Stocked armory
- Holds high-quality equipment for ~100 soldiers.
Businesses:
Large lumber mill
Blacksmith
General merchant
Medium farm
Exports: Wood and wood products
Imports: Building materials other than wood
Other:
A Lord's Manor is being constructed.
There is a nearby Temple of the Night Goddess.