Synthetic Survivor: Machine Age - Chapter 134

“Cheers!” The sounds of glass hitting each other filled the room as laughter quickly started.

The barracks was lively although it was the dead of night. The soldiers, although they were far fewer than their last party, were full of energy and happiness.

Leading the party was William, blessed with a bag of silver from the man in black himself, he started the party to honor their new beginning.

“A bright future is ahead of us!” Jorn shouted before chugging down his beer.

The party was being held in the hall. The tables were packed with all kinds of meat, fruits, dairy, and drinks from cold beer to good old water.

The party’s other difference from the past was  that there weren’t any prȯstɨtutės. Normally there would be 2 prȯstɨtutės per 1 man but ever since the revolution, prȯstɨtutės have retreated from their business.

William knew what happened to them. Whenever he patrolled the streets, he saw the ladies they once played with actually doing labour, working in workshops, sellings, farming, or being dispatched to cut down trees for lumber.

They were given a new meaning. Seeing that, William was happy, he felt that his decision to follow the man in black from the start was the best decision he had made.

Unemployment plummeted to near zero, the living conditions were being improved but by bit and every household was guaranteed a meal before they went to bed.

It was as if they were in heaven.

Still, William was aware that some of the knights and a handful of mages were still skeptical of the man in black. Their skepticism wasn’t without good reason.

Just a few weeks prior, the man in black came in and destroyed the eastern wall and most of the outer garrison and then suddenly crowned the famed dwarf Wog as king.

However, none of them dared to speak our against his majesty or the man in black in fear that they’d be executed on the spot for doing so.

In actuality, there hasn’t been any execution of the like ever since they took power. The only people that have been executed were the count, his goons, and several criminals found guilty of the so-called heinous crimes.

As the knights indulged themselves with the temporary luxury of a feast, William, Jorn, and Toby were gathered around their own table.

Toby, despite looking like a shy man, once drunk, would become a babbling drunkard who always laughed.

William was a drunkard himself but the alchohol didn’t really have any big effect on him. Jorn, on the other hand, was a normal drinker but was also a big glutton.

“This is the life,” Toby said before chugging down another glass of beer.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you died right after tonight,” William teased.

“Oh hell no, I’m gonna live through this paradise for many more years to come! Gonna go and raise a family once I retire and work on them fields,” Toby said as he chuckled.

“This meat is amazing,” Jorn was too focused on eating his share of the pork.

But although the atmosphere around them was a lighthearted and jubilant one, William raised his concerns for the future.

“2 weeks,” William whispered.

Jorn and Toby both stopped what they were doing and looked down on the table.

“Do the others know?” Jorn asked.

“Not yet. The man in black specifically told us NOT to tell anyone of what that cultist said. But since he was once my friend, I couldn’t help but believe what he said,” William said.

“It’s funny, ya know,” Toby said.

“What is?” William and Jorn said in unison.

“Well, before shit hit the fan a few weeks back, I was just some random mage from the garrison. And now look, I’m here with you guys, the top brass, and.. I’m part of the top peeps as well now,” Toby smiled.

But his smile quickly faded.

“I can’t help but fear that this is just a temporary dream and that in 2 weeks time I’ll be lying on the ground, dead and dismantled like the rest,”

William then passed him his beer.

“Huh?” Toby looked at William. William smiled and winked.

“Then drink as much beer as you want before that happens,” William said.

“Y-yeah,” a smile broke away from Jorn before he began chugging down the beer William gave him.

Jorn smiled before continuing his gluttonous adventure.

Back at the castle, One applauded William’s use of the bag of silver he gave him back then for his work.

“I wonder if he knows I took that bag from Lady Anne’s secret treasure room,” He said as he turned back and retreated into his room.

The night was peaceful, no spies, no infiltrations, he went back to planning.

Or so he thought.

Just as he was about to sit down once again before the desk, he sensed someone with immense magic power appear.

He walked outside towards the balcony again and saw the figure he had sensed. A silhouette against the moonlight of one of the two bright moons.

They were both staring down each other.

One’s eyes glowed sky blue as he readied his two blades.

Just as the figure raised his hand, One let go of one of the blades and pointed his finger at it.

“Two can play that game,” He said before firing a thin beam of energy at the figure.

Not to be outdone, the figure cast his own magical attack in the form of a beam with the same trajectory.

The two beams collided in the air and resulted in a blast of energy that bursted windows below, alerting the population.

King Wog and Patricia were awoken as the garrison immediately scrambled. William, Jorn, and Toby along with the rest of the knights in the barracks quickly stormed out and looked up.

“Is that?” Toby recognized the figure’s shadow.

The entire Fortress city was shook awake by the sounds of two powerful beings about to clash in a battle of epic proportions.