Voices faded as Arcum was carried away by someone. Risking a glance, he opened his eyes.
As he thought, he was currently being carried away by the Cloud Knight, presumably to where the healer was.
"I'm going to have to do some reputation repair later," Arcum dreaded in his head. "I hate looking weak."
The Cloud Knight took a few turns here and there, walking through the buildings. He turned and took to the main path of the base, where Arcum closed his eyes.
Knock!
Arcum opened his eyes as movement stopped, and a knock on a door was heard.
The sound of an oak door opening was heard, followed by the voice of an annoyed lady.
"What.. is it now?"
"A visitor," the Cloud Knight said, addressing Arcum over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "He got distracted and injured while helping the builders train."
A sigh from the lady was heard.
"I have enough injured as is," she responded with a hint of urgency in her tone. "How bad is it?"
"It's a stab wound. It shouldn't be too bad, Miss Lingsha."
"Bring him in," Lingsha said. "Settle him down on the bed and get out."
Arcum felt it as the Cloud Knight started to move again. He knew he was inside a building, the way the light dimmed and the atmosphere changed.
Getting settled on a bed, Arcum heard footsteps receding from his bedside as the door closed, leaving him in the room, presumably still with the healer.
Arcum immediately sat up, injury be damned.
Looking around the room, it was a decently sized room made of oak planks. Torches lined the walls, many beds were spaced out evenly, with some decorations around the room.
Other people were laying on the beds, some of them with arrows sticking out of them, others with some cuts or casts around their limbs.
"And... you're up already."
"Oh," Arcum thought. "Caught already. Welp."
Turning to look toward the voice, Arcum put an appearance to the voice he had heard at the door.
A young woman with straight, thigh-length brown hair tipped with red was standing in front of his bed, arms crossed over her chest.
Her arms and her legs had red, fading scale-like marks. She was wearing an ornate, fantasy-style outfit with a black and gold strapless top, a white cutout leotard, and an asymmetrical teal-lined skirt.
She had tasseled sleeves, detailed gold ornaments, dark heels, and elegant accessories on as well, making Arcum think she was some well-off healer.
"Being up doesn't mean I'm still not hurt?" Arcum defended himself, asking it more like a question. "I still have a gaping hole in the side of my stomach."
Lingsha blinked once, one of her hands moved to pinch her forehead.
"... whatever," she responded, her hands dropping to her sides. "Clearly if you can talk and sit up, you're fine."
"If I'm already here, could I be healed?" Arcum asked. "Pretty please? With a cherry on top."
The wound still hurt, but it wasn't to the point where it would prevent him from doing anything important—it was still annoying though.
She pushed her lips together, her eyes narrowing onto Arcum.
"Fine," she said, complying with his request. "Then, you can get out."
"Man," Arcum thought. "She's hard to talk to."
It didn't help that he couldn't read what she was thinking. No matter what she did, be it narrow her eyes or purse her lips—her face stayed serene.
Stepping closer to Arcum, she raised a hand to his wounded stomach, a small mist seeping out from it.
"Is that an ability you have?" Arcum asked, glancing down at the healing process. "It seems useful."
His wound started to mend itself, closing up slowly. The pain that was throbbing at his side started to dissipate the longer the treatment went on.
"Do you get paid to talk so much?" Lingsha said, not bothering to look up from her treatment.
"Why are there so many injured?" Arcum asked, not bothered by her tone nor biting words. "It's only been 2 nights."
"You'd have to talk to the General about that," Lingsha responded, seemingly done with trying to keep Arcum quiet. "I'm not allowed to divulge such information."
"Stelle can do that then," Arcum responded, laying back down onto the pillow. "I'll ask her later once she gets her audience with him."
Arcum could feel the wound stop mending as Lingsha paused her treatment.
"You know Stelle?"
Her tone was inquisitive and curious, unlike the previous tone she had taken up with him.
"I do," Arcum responded. "She came with me here."
Arcum, assuming that Lingsha knew who Stelle was, told the story of how the group managed to find their way to this base, and his plan to see who Lingsha was.
"And so we came here," Arcum said as he finished the story. "You know Stelle?"
"I do," Lingsha nodded, removing her hand as the treatment ended. "Injuring yourself to come here is immature."
"Well, those goons said that you and General Jing Yuan were strong," Arcum responded. "So I made the assumption that all strong people are connected to Stelle."
Many people that Arcum had met through Stelle, like Mydei, Hysilens, and Argenti had their unique quirks, but they were undeniably strong.
"You shouldn't always make that assumption," Lingsha chided. "It can and will get you killed."
"I'll keep that in mind," Arcum agreed. "Do you mind telling me now about why there are so many injured people?"
Lingsha looked back towards the many injured individuals left on the beds, sighing and rubbing her forehead.
"Apparently," she started standing up fully. "They're trying to clear something they've called a... 'Trial Chamber.'"
"A trial chamber? This early?" Arcum's eyes widened, his mind already flooding with the loot that he could get from it. "Golden apples, wind charges... a mace."
"They can't clear it because..?" Arcum questioned. "It shouldn't be too hard if you have the General. I heard he had a Lightning Lord?"
"That's why they're having a meeting," she clarified. "Everyone's been feeling uneasy since last night."
Before Arcum could ask more, the door to the clinic opened abruptly, causing Arcum and Lingsha to both turn to the people entering.
Stelle, Fugue, Hysilens, and an unfamiliar face entered the clinic.
"Hi Arcum!" Stelle said as she entered the clinic, her eyes moving to Lingsha who stood beside his bed. "Oh, look! It's Lingsha!"
Arcum nodded, eyes looking to the new arrival. He didn't know who just entered along with his teammates. His eyes looked the individual up and down, noting every detail.
He was a tall man, with long white hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon. His golden eyes looked relaxed and kind, a mole present under his left eye.
He wore an oriental-styled blouse with plating and golden armor, with tall boots, multiple belts.
"You're healed," Fugue said as she entered, breathing what seemed to be a sigh of relief. "I didn't expect you to get stabbed so easily."
"You had stronger showings on the first night," Hysilens said bluntly. "I assume that your injury was with purpose."
"Yes," Arcum said, his head down. "It was... I hope you believe that, because I probably looked like a twig."
"You did," Stelle, Fugue, and Hysilens all said at the same time.
"Damn," Arcum sighed out.
"Oh right," Fugue said, starting another topic. She gestured towards the tall man who entered with them. "This is the General."
Arcum looked at the general. "General Jing Yuan?"
Jing Yuan nodded, giving a smile towards Arcum. "There's no need for formality. 'General' is a temporary title. You can simply call me Jing Yuan."
"That's uncomfortable..." Arcum commented in his own mind. "I'd rather not..."
Arcum's eyes turned to look at Stelle. "Did you talk with Gen- Jing Yuan yet?"
Stelle nodded, but also gave a shrug with her arms. "Yes and no. We can't really give our insights because we don't know much about this."
Hysilens and Fugue nodded at what Stelle said, prompting Arcum to look at Jing Yuan.
"So... could I get a rundown then?"
Jing Yuan nodded.
"We have been in this new reality for a few days now," Jing Yuan started. "Some of us seem to know more about this world than others."
Arcum nodded along. "Yes, I could be considered one of them."
Jing Yuan gave a curt nod. "Yes, which is precisely why I've come to talk to you, at Miss Fugue's suggestion."
Putting his arms behind his back, the general continued.
"My Lightning Lord has been given a cooldown of 20 hours, which does not allow for me to use it all the time."
"Some people living within these walls wish for me to lead the charge into what they call a 'Trial Chamber,'" Jing Yuan continues. "However, last night, we were attacked by a siege of hostile creatures."
"A siege of hostile creatures?" Arcum repeated. "Zombies and skeletons, I presume?"
"Yes," Jing Yuan confirmed. "Some of us are worried that there will be another attack like that tonight. I had activated my Lightning Lord to defend the previous night."
"So you have to choose between either clearing the Trial Chambers, or defending a siege that may or may not come?" Arcum asked, trying to get as much out as he can to make a plan.
"Indeed," Jing Yuan said. "As you know, many people living here are builders, not fighters. We are unable to clear the Trial Chambers and unable to defend the siege at night without my Lightning Lord."
"I guess with smarter mobs, it's harder to do two things that are usually easy," Arcum thought. "But I think it's an easy fix."
"You want my opinion on this?" Arcum asked, trying to confirm what Jing Yuan wanted.
"Yes," Jing Yuan nodded. "We only have that one Cloud Knight you've seen, our fighters are... limited. Again, we cannot defend the siege without the Lightning Lord, nor clear the Trial Chambers without it either."
"Not to mention," Jing Yuan added. "They wish for me to stay up here instead of bringing myself down to the chambers and helping, as they fear the siege of hostile creatures with 'armor,'"
"So they're scared of the mobs wearing armor and ignoring burning in the sun," Arcum noted. "And they want to keep him up here for defense, so he's unable to bring himself and his own power to clear the chambers."
At his nod, Arcum scratched his head, before voicing his opinions.
"I'd say you save your ability for the night's siege," Arcum said. "The Trial Chambers can be cleared easily if you have enough competent people."
Arcum pointed to Stelle, Hysilens, and Lingsha. "If you send these people in, including me, I believe we can clear the chambers for you."
Jing Yuan nodded at Arcum's suggestion and plan, turning to Stelle. "Are you willing to do that?"
Stelle gave a thumbs up. "If Arcum says its possible, it probably is. I trust him, even though we've known each other for a few days."
"Shouldn't I be taking care of the injured instead?" Lingsha vocalized, finally entering into the conversation. "Their conditions could worsen."
"It won't take more than a day," Arcum said. "If they wanted to clear the Trial Chambers, then we just have to make it so that it's an easy farm."
Lingsha sighed. "Fine."
"Farm?" Stelle questioned.
"With enough loot and blocks," Arcum said, drawing out a plan in his head while he explained it to those listening. "We'll trap them as they spawn in, securing easy kills and loot."
Arcum put a finger up.
"However, they'll be spawning in, so we need fighters and a supporter to make sure we don't die before setting it up."
Arcum turned to look at Jing Yuan again.
"If we do this though," Arcum said, offering a deal. "Then can you ally with our own base? It'd be easier to survive if we partner together."
"That was already planned," Jing Yuan reassured, looking toward Stelle. "Your friends are our friends, and your enemies, ours."
"Great," Arcum said, standing up. "I want to get to work immediately."
"Is there something in the chambers that is needed?" Fugue asked, tilting her head. "Those who seem to know more about this world than us are rushing to try to clear it."
"Yes," Arcum said. "You can create an extremely strong weapon down there, and there are resources down there that are useful, too."
"If you're planning to try to clear it now," Jing Yuan said, gesturing towards the door. "Then follow me. I'll take you to the storage the others created before you head down to clear it."
Arcum nodded, following Lingsha as she followed the rest of the group out of the clinic, presumably headed to the storage.
"Getting a mace this early will be good," Arcum thought, his smile widening with excitement and glee. "This truly was a good find."