Chapter 14 - First Orders (Edited Jan 17 )

Harold peeled away from the crowd before momentum could turn into noise. The brisk evening air carried a slight chill, crisp and invigorating against his skin, reminding him of the impending spring."Core group," he said, already walking. "Five minutes."Beth moved first, her eyes darting briefly back to meet Harold's as if seeking reassurance before locking onto the path ahead with a steely focus. Josh followed closely, his jaw set and fists clenched, ready for whatever lay ahead. Sarah slipped in without a word, her movements fluid and measured. Caldwell followed, his shoulders straightening as he noticed Harold's nod, a silent acknowledgment of shared purpose. The two brothers flanked him, mirroring each other's purposeful stride without a hint of hesitation. Bringing up the rear was Margaret, already holding a slate she'd acquired from somewhere, tapping it once like the meeting had been scheduled all along. Her eyes skimmed the group with an appraising look, as if tallying hidden strengths and vulnerabilities.They stopped just beyond the village hall, far enough that the hum of five hundred people faded into something manageable.Harold exhaled.That was when the panel slid into view.It didn't announce itself. No chime. No flourish. Just appeared in the corner of his vision like it had been there the whole time, waiting.PERK ACQUISITIONHe focused.The panel expanded.LEGENDARY PERK (VOIDED)Legendary CraftsmanEffect: Upon first death, restart the Crucible from the initial entry point.Status: ❌ INVALID – Role IncompatibleThe text didn't fade. It struck through itself, deliberate and final, like a correction rather than a punishment.Harold stared at it longer than he meant to. So that was what he'd almost been. He tried not to remember what he crafted and what he used to make it, but erasing the memory was impossible. It wasnt a potion he wanted to ever make again.He swallowed and scrolled.INITIAL PERK CONFIRMEDReturnerEffect:You carry the weight of outcomes unseen.When circumstances demand it, an aura will manifest around you.• To allies: resolve, hope, clarity, or inspiration.• To enemies: dread, pressure, or hesitationAura intensity scales with situation, perception, consequence and mana.World First AchievementCreate a mana based object before the crucible. (Legendary)Effect: 20% more control over manaEffect: You have been granted a Mana body(Perfect). He let the panel linger, then dismissed it.Josh noticed the pause. "You good?"Harold nodded once. "Yeah. Just… confirming my perks."Beth tilted her head slightly. "Anything good?""Yeah," Harold said. "I got one for being the first to establish a legendary village. Didn't get the one for the first village overall. Probably because it took so long for everyone to arrive, and because of the short walk we did. You'll have to tell me what you all got later. "Josh blinked. "You sound disappointed, but I'll tell you now, my starting one is one that increases my stamina."Harold shrugged. "I am. But I'll take the loss. This one matters more." He turned to Josh. "Stamina is a good one. You'll be able to work longer and tire less."Josh just nodded, lost in thought, but looking at Beth with a weird grin.Beth studied Harold for a second longer, ignoring Josh. "What does it do?""Among other things," Harold said, "it boosts recruitment. Fifty percent more from the stele."Caldwell did the math immediately. "So instead of the twenty five you said for epic…""Thirty," Harold confirmed. "Every day."Josh whistled softly. "That's a good increase."Sarah crossed her arms. "You're going to summon them now.""In a moment," Harold said. "I want everyone ready and in position first. Once I activate the stele, things need to start moving fast."He paused, glancing around the small group. "I know you all know this already. I've been repeating myself for days."Josh grinned. "Repetition is comforting when the universe is actively trying to kill us."Harold snorted despite himself. "Good. Then stay comforted."He looked back toward the village stele, its surface faintly glowing as if aware it was about to be used."I want to reiterate that these are real people coming out of here. Real backgrounds and stories. They can have kids and will have kids with them. They will be inhabitants of this place, and some of our people are going to fall in love with them. They're as real as you and me and will be integral to running this place. Then I want you to remember we wont have the benefit of spawned people forever. This world is massive and we will need the population."Caldwell just looked skeptical for a moment while everyone else just accepted it. There were stranger things to worry about.The panel appeared the moment Harold reached the stele.Just a quiet confirmation hovering inches above the carved stone.VILLAGE STELE INTERFACEOPTION AVAILABLE: SUMMON INITIAL RECRUITSBONUS APPLIED: +50% RECRUITMENTHarold rested his palm against the cool surface."Do it," he said.The stele answered.Light ran through the carvings like veins filling with blood. The pillar hummed, low and steady, and the air in front of it thickened, bending inward as if space itself were being folded.Then people stepped out.Not appearing all at once, but in a steady stream, as if exiting a doorway only they could see.Thirty of them.Men and women of varying ages, builds, and temperaments, blinking against the light of a world they hadn't known a breath ago. They arrived already equipped, not lavishly, but practically. Tools slung across backs. Packs secured tight. Weapons worn with familiarity rather than ceremony. One family came with a cart to haul all of their goods. Leading the group was a man with a distinctive scar running diagonally across his cheek, a mark from battles past. His eyes, though weathered, held a glint of determination and kindness that set him apart, offering a sense of leadership and quiet strength to those around him.Harold counted automatically.General laborers first. Broad-shouldered men and women with calloused hands, simple clothes reinforced at stress points, the look of people used to working that started before sunrise and ended when it was done.Then the craftsmen.A blacksmith stepped forward, hammer hanging from his belt, eyes already scanning the treeline and nearby stone outcrops like he was inventorying the land. A leatherworker followed, packs of cured hides neatly bundled, needles and tools secured in a roll that had seen real use. Two more craftsmen emerged behind them, both lumber workers, axes balanced on their shoulders with the easy confidence of people who knew exactly how much force it took to fell a tree cleanly.The hunters arrived last.Two of them.Lean, quiet, and alert in a way that made the rest of the group feel loud by comparison. Bows already strung. Quivers half-full. One knelt briefly, pressed a hand to the soil, then stood without comment.Soldiers rounded out the group. They werent knights or elites. But you needed disciplined infantry, shields worn smooth at the edges, swords held correctly without needing to be told. They clustered naturally, spacing instinctively.Harold felt it then, the faint pressure behind his sternum as the village acknowledged its first true expansion.Beth exhaled slowly beside him. "That's… clean."Josh nodded. "They don't look confused.""They aren't," Harold said. "This is their livelihood. Thankfully, there wont be any language differences."The blacksmith approached first, stopping a respectful distance away. He inclined his head, not kneeling, but clearly recognizing authority."My Lord," he said simply.The others followed suit in their own ways. A nod. A fist to the chest. A quiet acknowledgment.Harold turned back to the group he'd arrived with, just long enough to let them see it."This," he said, "is why we need to get as many first as possible."Then he faced the newcomers, voice carrying without strain."Welcome," Harold said. "You're safe here. For now. We have work to do, and we'll start immediately."No cheers. No questions.Just people shifting grips on tools and waiting for direction.The Crucible had begun.