Having played many games before Gordon recovered first thinking that this was standard procedure for a reasonably well developed game. However one look to his side told him that Gloria and even Oneko were shocked speechless.
It was going to take them a moment to get their heads back in the game. Ren, in his arms, shook her head cutely while yawning. Snuggling up to him she seemed very content after her exercise and meal.
Suddenly there was strange sound coming from somewhere in the castle. The sound echoed within the throne room so it was difficult to pinpoint the direction it came from.
SWOOSH
CRACK
Followed by a
CLANK CLANK, CLANK CLANK
As something was wound back up. Either a ballista or a trebuchet, Gordon tried to place what he was hearing within what he knew of a castle's capabilities.sss
"My Lord if you wish to review the castle's armaments the attack has commenced. Come this way."
One of the commanders took the initiative to make a suggestion and Gordon took the opportunity provided to follow them out to the nearest lookout. They had to climbed several flights of stairs in order to arrive at a parapet.
The caste had two walls. The first wall surrounded the yard, out buildings, and public gardens of the castle. Its battlements were ten meters high growing to twenty at the main gate. While this caste had a second curtain wall enclosing the inner bailey yard and the keep itself. The wall that they were currently upon was some ten meters higher than the top of the palisade above the main gate. And while the curtain wall wasn't as thick as the main wall, Gordon could tell that it had many more enchantments build into it than the outer wall. Basically the bailey wall was strune with circuits in the shape of huge runes and mandalas.
Within that outer yard there were gardens, but also many different buildings mostly what looked like troop dormitories. Two stables, various smithies, training yards, and chapels could all be seen.
'Wow, Renier went all in for the luxury!'
Gordon thought.
There were so many details. He could even smell a pungent animal smell and looking up and behind him he saw that the entire top of the castle besides the towers were dominated by an eyrie. Enclosed by walls and a stone roof, but still wide open with various arched entry ways this eyrie was obviously the home of some monstrous beasts. And as Gordon watched a gryphon strode into view its saddle empty, waiting, holstered weapons gave the huge beast a menacing air even as it patiently waited. Its head would occasionally suddenly twitch before going completely still again. Turning to survey a new angle on its surroundings, its presence screamed that it was always on alert and would react aggressively if provoked.
Facing forward again he sighed, despite the impressiveness of the castle's defenses he knew that this was going to be a hard fight. And again he wished that he could just glance and know various stat information.
[Actively assessing status information for various individuals is a high energy task and could be detected by the apocalypse system. I advise against using such tactics. Passive detection has been engaged.]
Interesting, so it was possible for the system to prompt him with information, but he guessed that to do so through mystical means really would force the system to betray its location and its own status.
'What is this passive detection?'
[All beast beasts emit certain frequencies of energy which can be easily detected. Especially relatively higher level beasts. However, passive detection is not able to reveal stealthed individuals or beings of extremely great power. Anything at or above verdant mercury rank can contain their own energy readings if they desire.]
'Okay, got it.'
Looking at the four commanders Gordon started to have an understanding of what troops they represented. One of them a hard bitten smaller man in leathers, but also distinctly smelling of beasts had to be the Gryphon commander. Another woman in full armor, complete with a helm and gauntlets had to be some kind of knight commander.
The last two were hard to distinguish though. They both wore a tabard over a chain mail suit. One of these two men's tabard was a distinctive four checkered dark red and gold pattern with rampant lions in the panels forming the left and right chest. The panels below the belt contained no additional sigil.
The other man's tabard was less gaudy and while he still had the same four checkered panels the colors of his outfit were black and grey. This man's look was also hard bitten and weather beaten. Testifying to what must be normal forays out into the wilderness.
"Lord, our defenses have been prepared and the palace guard are prepare to defend you to the death."
This came from the man in red and gold. Evidently he was the leader of the palace guards. Following his admission the other three commanders also gave their oaths to defend the castle and his person as well.
Uncomfortable with their profession of loyalty Gordon turned to Gloria and Oneko.
"Do you want to join one of their troops? I am hoping that one of you can take Ren?"
Having forgotten about his two fellow invitees Gordon decided to let them decide what they would do with their time here in this training scenario. He also needed them to take Ren. He definitely didn't want Ren to be around him. With the way he was predicting that he would be the focus of this attack he was pretty sure she would be harmed if she stayed with him.
"Lord, may I suggest, we can call the castle servants to take anyone in your party that is not a combatant. Our non-combatants retreat to the most fortified catacombs below the castle."
The guard made a suggestion, but when Ren didn't immediately show any interest the regal looking captain bent over and engaging Ren directly eye to eye he said.
"And I will make sure they have plenty of yummy rock and metals for you to eat. And I am sure the maids and stable boys won't be able to resist playing, too... Hmmm?"
This time Ren perked up from her droosy state and eagerly nodded holding out her arms to the guard captain.
Feeling a little betrayed by Ren's immediate willingness to go away from him, Gordon smirked a bit, but let Ren go. The commander contrary to his dignified dress and capabilities abruptly walked away while teasing Ren with a hide and seek game covering just his eyes with one hand. Ren loved it and screamed her delight everytime the commander reveal his eyes to her.
Chuckling and seeing that Ren would be well taken care of Gloria took Gordon's suggestion and turned back to one of the other commanders.
"Yes! I want to go with the knights!"
Gloria answered first practically drooling at the knight commander woman who smiled at Gloria and welcomed her.
As for Oneko she shyly asked the fourth commander, whom Gordon wasn't too sure what his specialty was about, if she could join his regiment.
"A marine is always ready to serve."
Was the only reply that he gave, but it also clued Gordon in to what troops he commanded, probably rangers or scout type units. For the first time Oneko actually seemed to have a smile on her face as she walked away with the marine commander.
Once all of them had left Gordon contemplated the situation as system notes scrolled through his consciousness.
[You have killed a rat. (white animal) +.6 soul]
[You have killed a goblin. (black iron) +7 soul]
[You have killed a brown spider. (blue silver) + 1057 soul]
...
Even as he watched the notices kept coming. Around him the sounds of war gradually increase as more and more beasts found their way into the castle defense. Without the Philos family to hold back the waves of beasts Gordon was fairly sure that all the invitees would hole up and seek to avoid the rampaging tide. Many would still have to defend their hide outs, but they wouldn't be the focus of the attack. Hopefully the Philos family would been able to evacuate all the merchants and citizens before it became too bad. Gordon thought of Jessica and wished that she would be safe with her extended family.
Putting those concerns to the side Gordon asked the upgrade system a question.
'System what are these "souls"?'
It was time to really explore the system now that it wasn't erroring out.
[Soul is the upgrade system's unit of currency. Soul energy is produced in many ways. Most often it is produced through the natural process of living. Existences at a higher rank produce a steady amount of soul power as part of their daily existence, but even this can increase or decrease temporarily with more vigorous activity or with the individual's natural cycle. The second most often way soul energy is produced is upon death. At death the soul's energy is invisibly unleashed into the environment and the upgrade system can benefit from this dispersal. There are other methods, but these are the two most often used.]
The system referred to itself in third person as if it didn't have a personality, but Gordon wondered if it did have some sort of attitude underneath all the analysis.
'What can I do with soul, though?'
[As the system is funded with soul energy different options are made available. You may buy different capabilities. Here is a list of screens that you may choose from:
Party elements
Guild elements
Commodities merchant
Voucher merchant
Armor merchant
Weapon merchant
(+) Craft merchant
Cultivation merchant
Additional system space
Map]
[The status screen cost 1 soul energy unit and was made available based on the strength of your soul. However, each system screen will exponentially increase in price up to one million soul. Afterwards each additional screen will stay fixed at only one million soul.]
The system was talking about spending a million soul points as if it was nothing. This was crazy!