Frostbound

Chapter 273 - Nothing Standing in my Way

Strong? I never realized that was her last name. I knew she had mentioned it at least once before but I had forgotten. It wasn't like it was something I had to keep at the front of my brain.

I hadn't even spoken to her in years. The last time was right after we returned from the tutorial and resupplied at her city during our journey North.

I wonder what she wants? Here to call in her favor already?

She did give us a hand during our resupply so I technically did owe her a favor. Tracy wasn't largely put out by what she gave us and I would only do what was reasonable. The added fact of what I did during the tutorial made me feel a touch guilty as well. It gave her some wiggle room for her ask.

Still, anything too big was out of the picture. She didn't do that much for us and it wasn't like we would have died without her aid.

My tent and those of my family were surrounding our own campfire so it wasn't hard to slip in and get it ready for guests. I'd had many in the past days so it was already cleaned and appropriate.

A table and chairs were already at the ready from the last meeting I had.

"You can send her in," I told the scout who then ducked out to go get her.

When the tent flaps parted and she stepped in, she looked like a completely different person. Even though it was only two years, her bearing had completely changed.

Never once during the tutorial did she give off a strong feeling of power. She relied on traps and the men around her to survive. That had changed. She wasn't at my level, nowhere close really, but she was up there. About Ashton's level.

It seems she's been working on herself.

It wasn't only the subtle power she now held that was different. She held herself confidently. Her head was high and her clothes stood out against the rest of the people here.

Not as fancy to describe them as regal, but well made and expensive if they were to be sold.

Her hair was shorter than I remembered. Only reaching her shoulders but without being put up in any way. Her face was smiling but it hid a weariness I couldn't put my finger on.

She seemed tired. Drained, and not from recent activities.

"Tracy, it's been a long time," I said.

"That it has, Christopher." She sat down at my offered chair.

"I didn't expect to see you here. This doesn't seem like your type of scene." It was the polite way to put it in my mind. Our latest intel, which was wildly out of date, put her as an Arcane Trapper as her Class but that was her F-rank class.

I had no idea what she'd evolved into or what her skills were now.

"I couldn't afford not to come. Not only for the connections, but to steal some essence." A small smile appeared, "It's too big to miss out on but not to worry, I won't be staying. My traps are set and there's little else I can add that other people can't. I'll be making a swift retreat with all the Crafters, Builders, and opportunistic Merchants that came around."

That was more like it. She'd plant some traps to accrue some participation and gain some levels but stay far in the back to mitigate risk. That was how I expected her to act, but the new strength she had hinted that she was changing.

With greetings out of the way, "Why are you here, Tracy?"

"Ah, it's good to see some things haven't changed. I imagine you're worn out from everyone wanting to meet you?" I didn't even have to nod as she already knew I was.

"Most are just going around and feeling out all the Factions. The conversations end when they realize I want no part in what they're selling." I answered.

"The winds are changing, that much is obvious," Tracy said, "What do you think will happen when this is all over?"

I sighed. I didn't want to talk about this. It was brought up repeatedly and it was something my family discussed, but I still didn't like it.

"By your face, I can tell you already know." Tracy said, "Everyone came out of the tutorial to ruins. The first year they were scrambling to get their feet under them. Some couldn't find sure footing and their efforts failed. Others found themselves. After that, the second year was securing that footing. Building up walls and cities to protect themselves."

"Now, with the home front secured, their eyes turn elsewhere. I've seen it already. The only reason more wars haven't kicked off is because of this test." There was a heat in her voice that portrayed that she liked it as much as I did.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Which was none at all.

"If you came to warn me, I already know," I said sadly. After this test was over... things would go downhill.

Tracy nodded, "I wanted to make sure. I saw where you settled on a map and by god you couldn't get any further North." She chuckled, "How long did that take you?"

"Eight months."

"Geez, when you said you were going North I didn't think you would go that far." She commented, "Still, being that far away gives you an advantage. I'm in the thick of things and I had to come and see where things were going. My City depends on it."

"You've got Nick, don't you? I met him by the way."

"You've met him? So you see where my troubles are." Tracy sighed, "He's mainly the reason I came. He was gearing up to claim more land before this obelisk was found. I've seen his plans... He aims to build his own Empire."

He seemed like the type. "He won't be the only one." I said, "Are you worried he'll drag you into something you don't want?"

She looked around the tent before answering, "I'm not sure. He's left me mostly alone once he left. He hasn't been back since moving to Storm City. As long as I send him his taxes on time, he leaves me to do what I want. It's the other Factions I worry about. I meet with them often and try to impress upon them to not lump me in with him, but there's only so much I can do since we're both in the same Faction."

"Do you regret choosing him to serve under?" I asked. When she left the tutorial, she said her goal was to look for someone to play the leader while she got to run her City and push the blame onto him.

It seemed like she bit off more than she could chew. Instead of someone who had a lot of strength and wanted to be a Leader without doing the work, she got someone who wanted to build an Empire.

"I'm not sure," she said, "Only time will tell. It isn't like there's anyone else who is better. It isn't just Nick that's looking to expand. I don't know whether to be happy or sad that I don't think he will lose."

"Is he a Baron?" I asked.

"Yes, I was there when he did the upgrade. It was one of the few times he called me back." She said.

"If that's so, and from how strong he feels, then yes, I don't think he will lose." I said, "Not unless he goes up against one of the other Barons."

"How many other Barons are there? I wasn't able to go to the meeting," She asked.

"I know of two others for a fact. Marcus, the man I arrived with who runs what used to be Minneapolis, and Vanessa. She runs a City in Eastern New York called the Eternal Flame Faction, but there are a few others I suspect."

"I've heard of both of those." She said.

"Have you met the Leader of the Great Lakes Alliance?" I asked. Patrick Staffords was the closest person I suspected of being a Baron to where Tracy's City stood.

Tracy looked confused, "Which one?"

"What do you mean? There's only one leader I saw at the meeting and he introduced himself as the Leader of the Faction." I questioned.

"There are multiple leaders. They started as individual Factions but came together to form an Alliance against the Lake Monsters. The beasts that come from them are stronger than normal." Tracy dropped insider knowledge like it was nothing.

I didn't even know where his city, Harbordeep, was located.

"Well, I don't know about the other ones, but I suspect that he's a Baron. There are two in the New Orleans area but that's pretty far from you. The rest are equally as far." I continued. "There's also the possibility that there is a Baron out there that didn't come."

"I highly doubt that." Tracy said, "I haven't heard of any big hitters near me that aren't here. Unless they're really good at hiding, I think this is all of the major Factions this side of the Mountains."

"I wouldn't know," I said. I hadn't heard of most of the Factions here.

"Here, take this," Tracy said and handed over what looked to be an innocuous bag, "I can't stay here long and I don't want Nick to get suspicious. I've visited all the other Factions for the same amount of time so as to not draw attention."

She seemed a little flustered and that made me confused.

"Did you not tell him you know me?" I asked.

"No. I told no one. Those who saw us meet after the tutorial don't know who you are and most don't remember. We've had a lot of visitors since then." She said.

"Why? Why keep it a secret?" I asked.

"I want something that's mine without him getting in the way. I doubt he'd ever want to go far North as to conquer you, but if he does, I'll try to dissuade him, and to do that he has to think I don't know you." She said.

"I'm not worried about fighting him. He may be strong, but so am I." I said.

"Oh, don't worry, you don't have to tell me that. I've seen what you can do. It's mostly for my own benefit, not yours." After passing me the bag, she got up to leave.

It felt mostly empty with only a small, hard object inside it. It made me curious, "What's this?"

"A way to communicate. We're calling them Messaging Stones," She said, "But I have to go, take care, Chris."

"Take care," I was instantly intrigued by what was in the bag but I watched her leave before opening it.

Once she left, I pulled open the strings to see a crystal covered in Runes inside. It was misleading to call it a stone when it wasn't but I wasn't the one who named it.

Picking it up and giving it a closer look revealed tiny, delicate Runes inscribed all around the crystal. [Beginner Runic Language] gave me an indication of what they were but that didn't reveal the entire picture.

Most of the Runes I knew were for Protection or Defense. Durability or a way to deflect or absorb damage. I also knew a few offensive ones like Sharpness, Piercing, and Penetration.

The ones I was looking at now were not even close to the ones I knew. The fact they were so small also didn't help.

Who in the world made this?

The work was above something I could manage. I didn't have the dexterity to create something so small. The crystal had a string of multiple Runes carved around it and if I had to make something that small, I'd be hard-pressed to engrave one Rune, let alone a string of them.

It was exciting but it would take more time to decipher than I could give it. I only had a few hours left before heading to rest and I didn't want to waste them studying.

I'll come back to it after.

Instead, I went back to the fire and enjoyed my family's company. Everyone was feeling the weight of what tomorrow held and it was nice to be together. It made pushing away the dark memories of the past easier.

"What did she want?" Austin asked with a smirk, "She got the hots for you?"

"Austin, you have a gift of ruining the moment."

"Hey, I'm just saying. A young, fit, and beautiful lady comes calling after sundown and you host her in your tent. It was a bit quick but I won't judge." Everyone else around the fire chuckled at his teasing.

"It wasn't like that. She just came to warn me." I said.

"Warn you of what?"

"Of what we already expect. After this obelisk is dealt with, there'll be nothing standing in the way of War."