Chapter 7: The Last of Their Kind
Ashen's gaze swept across the throne room, carefully observing each and every person present. Satisfied with his survey, he slowly turned towards Dominic, his trusted advisor, and addressed him with a solemn tone. "Now tell me the truth, Dominic," he said, his voice ringing with authority. "Are there any other races besides mermaids and mighty sea dragons?"
Dominic, standing tall next to the throne, turned to Ashen with a solemn expression etched on his face. "There exist two more races that have eluded my discovery, their whereabouts remain unknown despite my decade-long presence here," he declared, like a sailor lost in a vast ocean, seeking desperately for any signs of land on the horizon.
Ashen was taken aback to learn that even Dominic, who was as strong as an ox, couldn't locate the remaining races. It suggested that there was an enigmatic force at work on this planet, which he and Dominic had yet to uncover.
He turned towards the mermaids and sea dragons and asked them curiously, "Where are you all staying? Where is your village? What type of food do you eat? Why are there so few of you present here? And do you know of any other races on this planet?"
Upon hearing the barrage of questions, the group grew hesitant to answer. However, a man with a brown beard and white skin tone emerged from the Mighty Dragon's race. His back was adorned with deep grey scales, reminiscent of a suit of armour, and his long tail swayed like a pendulum.
He spoke with a deep voice, introducing himself, "I am Ethan, the manager of this village, or rather, this group of people. Lord GreyGhost, to answer your first question, we are currently living in this ruined section of the palace, almost as if we are temporary guests. Previously, we resided in a village where happiness thrived until an unfortunate incident caused us to lose it. Now, we are the last of our kind, like remnants of mermaids and sea dragons."
While pointing out some small fish that could be seen from the broken window of the majestic throne hall, Ethan exclaimed, "Sea dragons, with their sharp teeth and hunting instincts, are like ferocious hunters, preying on fish, squid, and other small marine animals. Mermaids, on the other hand, have a more varied diet, as they are able to harvest seaweed, kelp, and other edible plants found in the ocean."
With fear in his eyes, he continued, "As for other races, I know of sea serpents with their long, snake-like bodies, multiple humps or coils, and often with a large head filled with sharp teeth and glowing eyes. They were the reason for the decline of our village and our people, like a deadly predator lurking in the shadows."
His eyes welled up with tears as Ashen felt both terrified and sympathetic for their loss. Like a storm brewing in the horizon, his emotions threatened to spill over.
Turning to Dominic, he asked in a shaky voice, "You didn't spot any sea serpents, did you?" His voice was like a small boat lost in a tempestuous sea.
Dominic shook his head, disappointment evident on his face. Ashen's suspicions were confirmed, and he felt like a detective unravelling a mystery.
"You're keeping secrets from me, aren't you, Dominic?" Ashen accused him. His words were like a bolt of lightning striking the ground.
Dominic remained silent, and the tension between the two was palpable, like the calm before a storm.
Ashen then turned towards Ethan, his concern evident in his voice. "How much food do we have left for all of us?" His words were like a beacon of hope in a sea of uncertainty.
Ethan's response was not what he wanted to hear. "Not enough for even a day," Ethan admitted. His words were like a thunderclap, echoing in the silence of the room.
There were total of 30 groups consisting of both mermaids and sea dragons. Out of these, six were mermaids, four were mermen, 14 were male sea dragons, and six were female sea dragons.
Upon hearing this, Ashen quickly ordered the male sea dragons and mermen to stock up on food for one week by hunting fishes and small sea animals, while the female sea dragons and mermaids were tasked with collecting any valuable resources they could find for survival, such as sediment rocks and other mineral resources on the sea bed.
As they all went to their respective assignments, Dominic said to Lord GreyGhost, "That was a very thoughtful and strategic decision you made. By assigning these tasks, they will be able to survive until your return, as you will be visiting Midnight Bay once a week."
Ashen was shocked by Dominic's words, thinking, 'How could an NPC know this stuff? Even though they are human AI NPCs, they have their own consciousness and shouldn't know about it.' He concluded that the game developers must have added this information.
Ashen asked Dominic, "Without a sun to track the hours, how can we tell the passage of time?"
Dominic replied, "My lord, on this planet, we have a full 24-hour day. By observing the moon's movements, we can determine the current time."
Ashen nodded in understanding and then asked, "Tell me more about my powers as a lord."
Dominic answered, "As a lord of this planet, you have the power to summon scouts, soldiers, and other creatures specially designed for this planet's environment. It's an exclusive perk for our lord."
Ashen's face lit up with excitement at the news.
Dominic added, "However, keep in mind your current level allows you to summon only once a week, and you can have just one creature with you at a time. Here's how it works:
If you summon a creature this week, next week you can summon two.
The pattern continues, adding one to the number of creatures you can summon every week.
For instance, if you summoned one this week, you'll summon two next week, and then three the week after that.
As you become more experienced, you'll reach certain levels where you can summon even more creatures. Every 10 levels, you gain the ability to summon an extra creature of your choice, based on the type of help you need. This means you'll have some powerful allies joining you as you become more skilled."
Dominic also explained, "This system lets you gradually summon stronger creatures as you level up, making your adventures even more exciting. Just remember, you're in control of how you use your summoning powers to your advantage!"
Ashen nodded and asked, "How do I summon these creatures?"
"Follow me, my lord," replied Dominic, his voice as smooth as silk. He led Ashen to a grand chamber with a pond at its centre. The moonlight, like a celestial spotlight, bathed the pond in a soft, otherworldly glow.
"Stand upon that small podium over there," said Dominic, gesturing towards a raised platform. "And drop a single drop of your blood into the pond. Only then will you succeed in summoning your first minion."
Ashen climbed the podium and, with a flick of his finger, drew a droplet of blood from his finger. As the drop touched the water's surface, a rhythmic hum filled the chamber, and the water began to gather in a single point, coalescing into a humanoid figure, as if sculpted by the very forces of nature.
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