Roy stood at the docks of Noruma one last time, staring down a trembling royal in a makeshift straitjacket. The man had once boasted titles and authority; now he was bound and terrified, forced onto a small dinghy that Roy's Presidroids had fitted with a locked, steadily chugging motor.
"Please!" the royal wailed, his voice echoing across the quiet water. "I'm sorry! You don't have to—"
Roy turned away and waved a hand. "Tell that to Grandma Hisa," he said flatly, stepping back onto the pier. Eryndra stood at his shoulder, arms crossed, as the dinghy's motor rattled into life. The bound man's pleas faded as he drifted farther from shore and out toward open sea. In minutes, he was just a speck against the gray horizon.
Warrex exhaled, as if letting go of some tension. "That was harsh, but I can't say he didn't deserve it."
Roy nodded, silent. Then he shrugged and turned to Eryndra, brushing the final matter aside. "Now we move. Let's get everyone aboard."
Over the next day, Noruma's last lingering residents crammed their belongings onto the Nightshatter. By the second dawn, the old fishing village stood empty, just a smattering of abandoned shacks and half-collapsed piers. Roy tried not to let the sight weigh too heavily on him. He kept telling himself it was for the best, they'd have safety within Otherrealm's expanding walls.
Once at sea, Maelara left the main deck and headed below, intending to check on Riven's condition. She'd heard rumors about him putting on significant weight from Roy's endless stash of snacks.
At the bottom of a dim corridor, she passed the brig and halted, seeing Kaelor's silhouette hulking inside one cell. She nearly shrieked at the monstrous half-shark torso and its row of jagged teeth. The cell door had fallen off its hinges, leaning precariously against a box of extra bars.
Kaelor noticed her stunned expression. Immediately, he lurched for the door, grabbed it, and wedged it back into place, as if to prove he wasn't escaping. Then he returned to his cot in the corner, carefully folding his giant arms over his chest. Maelara lowered her hands, heart hammering.
"What on earth…?" she whispered, still bracing for a fight. Kaelor avoided her gaze. She backed out of the room, unnerved.
She found Roy on the bridge a few moments later, scanning the horizon for any sign of trouble. Warrex and Eryndra stood to one side, while Lutrian fiddled with the sonar console, quietly practicing mana flow.
Maelara planted her fists on her hips. "Captain," she said sharply, "did you know Kaelor's cell door is basically off? Oh, that reminds me, when did you take another member of the Abyssforged Alliance?!"
"Huh? Just the other day. "Roy rubbed his eyes. "He ripped it off, but he is well behaved enough."
Maelara scowled. "Well, the next time he changes his mind about cooperating, the entire ship could be in danger."
Roy nodded. "I know. But so far, no incidents." He sighed. "We'll keep a closer watch."
The Immortal Family remained hidden, strictly under Roy's orders. Father Skeleton especially was told to keep out of sight. The last thing Roy needed was more terror for Maelara or anyone else while moving to Otherrealm.
They arrived at Otherrealm early the next morning, the wide bay lined with newly expanded walls. The open waters parted for the Nightshatter, flanked by smaller ships carrying the last wave of Noruma citizens. Roy wasted no time ordering the Presidroids to help assemble temporary houses. He wanted the villagers comfortable quickly.
The Triplets came rushing down from a half-built tower near the second ring. "Roy!" they yelled in unison before Emiko took control, "Can you kinda... calm down on the new villagers for a few weeks? We are struggling to get everyone up to speed on cultural norms here. Have you ever tried to explain a toilet and a light switch to a former slave barely capable of speech?"
Roy chuckled a bit and put his hand on her shoulder. "No." Roy slowly turned and awkwardly walked away.
The day wore on with the usual bustle of expansions. Noruma's ex-residents introduced themselves to the Otherrealmers, though Roy tried to avoid contact with certain moody classmates who still lingered, in case trouble brewed.
Roy stood in the middle of Otherrealm's new "City-Planning Center," a small room they'd tacked onto the side of the Triplets' metal mansion. Soft lights glinted off touch-display panels that jutted out from a squat table in the center. He ran a fingertip over one screen, zooming in on colored lines that formed an overlapping patchwork of walls, squares, and farmland zones.
"Alright, Serenity," Roy said, leaning forward. "Walk me through the expansions again. You recommended, what, farmland in the southwestern corner?"
A calm tone resonated overhead. "Yes, Captain Gunn. The southwestern sector is prime for farmland. The soil tests from our Earthmancer dwarves show rich loam, excellent for vegetables. And if we align irrigation channels here"—a flashing blue line appeared on the display—"we can feed directly from that small river near the fourth wall."
Eryndra, arms crossed at Roy's side, arched an eyebrow. "Better farmland means more mouths to feed and less reliance on the Infinite Pantry, you know." She huffed, but a faint grin softened her features. "Keep in mind we've got ex-Noruma folks who want to fish too."
Roy tapped the console. A segment of the map lit up in green. "That's the farmland. Over there… we keep the mini forest as is. We promised the elves we'd preserve it. And this big chunk—" He gestured at a wide swath behind the second wall. "We can store the dwarven building materials, big shipping crates, maybe even some… I dunno… Draconic relics, if we ever get them." He rubbed his chin. "We're turning into a full-blown city-state, not just a fortress."
Eryndra snorted. "Not to mention a museum of oddities. Next thing you know, Warrex will want a personal training pit."
Right on cue, Warrex poked his head in, half-bear ears twitching. "Actually, that's not a bad idea." He stepped into the projection, inadvertently blocking half the display with his broad frame. "A pit with weighted logs, maybe a high wall for climbing—"
"Hey, bud," Roy interjected with a nervous laugh, "before we start building your personal gladiator arena, can we finish these walls first?" He gestured at the color-coded lines shimmering in the display: a light blue for Wall One, bright green for Wall Two, a bold red for Wall Three, purple for the looming fourth, and a smaller white ring for "New Noruma." Far off on one edge was the big pink line marking the future mega-dock.
Warrex grunted. "Fine. But I want my pit soon."
Takara slipped in behind them, bandaged arm carefully resting at her side. She eyed the plan's pinkish farmland squares. "Roy, you realize if we keep cramming farmland and forest so close, we'll get boars messing up the fields?"
"Serenity's already on it," Roy replied confidently, glancing at the rotating map. "She suggested a boar-proof fence that's half-runic, half-drone turrets. The boars are basically out of luck."
Takara chuckled. "This is insane. In a good way, though. Look at us, a whole city?"
Roy gazed at the map's dazzling lines. "I see a city that's lively, a place for the ex-Noruma folks to fish in peace, farmland for produce, a big shipping dock for trade. We'll even have that chunk of forest left untouched to keep the elves happy, Maybe they'd even join us." He spread his arms wide as if embracing the display. "We're building something real."
Warrex's ears flicked at that. "Speaking of building… where's my pit gonna be?"
Eryndra gave him a playful shove. "Patience, savage. The Captain's got it under control."
"Savage?" Warrex grumbled, folding his arms. "What if I plant and orchard right next to it? A pit next to an orchard sounds nice, right?"
Takara snorted, shaking her head. "You want to break bodies in one breath, then eat apples in the next? That's so typical of you."
Serenity's voice chimed in, "Actually, fruit orchard expansions are planned near the southwestern farmland, if the Triplets approve. Emiko was quite keen."
Roy swiped the display, highlighting the southwestern corner in a bright pink glow. "Here, orchard. Done. See, Warrex?"
A grin tugged at Warrex's mouth. "All right, all right. Fine. I'll wait on the pit."
An unexpected beep signaled the system finalizing the layout. Roy stepped back, letting the map fade. "Alright, team. That's the blueprint. Let's show it to the council. If no one throws a fit, we start construction in, oh, five minutes?"
Eryndra nudged him. "I'd say tomorrow. We literally just arrived, remember?"
Roy feigned a dramatic groan, rolling his eyes. "Fine, tomorrow. But I want to see those walls and farmland expansions up in record time. We have dwarven materials coming, too. We're unstoppable."
As they made their way out into Sector One, Roy noticed something. Most of his classmates had gained noticeable improvements to their magic or physical strength. He watched one classmate, an unassuming girl named Denise, casually lift a log thicker than her torso. Another fiddled with an orb, conjuring flames.
"Everyone has gotten so strong so quick but I haven't gotten any stronger, I wonder why," Roy said to Serenity.
Keeper ambled by, still scrawny as ever, glaring whenever eyes turned his way. Roy wondered what Keeper had done with Zehrina these days,but decided not to ask.
Another quiet night blanketed Otherrealm. The hush outside the walls suggested nothing amiss, but inside the Nightshatter's lower deck, a suspicious shape crouched near a locked hatch, fiddling with it under the dim glow of a ceiling lamp.
Serenity, ever-watchful, registered the anomaly instantly. Cameras zoomed in on a hooded figure pressing an ornate key into the hatch's lock. Metal clicked, and the hatch popped open an inch.
Up on the upper deck, Warrex's communicator vibrated with a hushed ping: Intruder detected. Without a word, Warrex stepped away from the guard station and descended toward the supply wing. Halfway down the corridor, he spotted a flicker of movement behind stacked crates.
He circled around with silent steps then pounced, intercepting the intruder right as they eased the hatch open.
"I found a sneaky little rat, what should I do with you?" Warrex rumbled, seizing the person's shoulder. The startled figure tried to bolt, but Warrex's grip was iron. They stumbled, dropping a small, decorated key that skittered across the metal floor.
"Nngh–! Let me go!" hissed the would-be thief, hood slipping aside. Moonlight from a porthole revealed a face that Warrex vaguely recalled, but he couldn't remember his name.
Two Presidroids arrived on Warrex's heels, rifles slung at their sides. "Nightshatter security, you are trespassing. Prepare to lose both legs."
Warrex nodded at them, then turned to the captive. "Care to explain why you're sneaking aboard, oh stealthy burglar?"
The intruder's eyes darted left and right. He tried to jab an elbow into Warrex's ribs, but Warrex didn't budge. Instead, Warrex returned a calm, bruising twist of the man's arm, forcing him to yelp and drop to one knee.
"All right!" the hooded figure gasped. "...the Kaigun Dominion... They want us... I mean, me, to get secrets… or the battleship… or anything you have. Now let go!"
Warrex's gaze narrowed. "'Us'? More traitors to the captain and his kindness, is there?" He jerked his head at the Presidroids. "Lock down the corridor. Let's see if Roy wants to deal with this personally."
The intruder tensed, a flicker of panic crossing his features. "Look, we have an arrangement! They promised me nobility. That's what the others got! I just needed to snag something."
Before Warrex could respond, footsteps echoed down the hall. Eryndra emerged first, eyes flashing. Roy followed, scanning the scene, dressed head to toe in cartoon giraffe themed sleepwear. In the porthole's pale beam, Roy squinted at the man's face.
"…Sven?" Roy asked, disbelief plain in his voice. "I wasn't expecting you of all people."
Sven, shoulders pinned by Warrex, let out a hollow laugh. "Yeah, hi. Fancy ship you got. The Kaigun Dominion gave me an Ancient Runic Key that opens almost any lock, so I figured I'd… slip in and... y'know..."
Roy's expression hardened. "And do what exactly – steal my notes? My entire ship? Maybe blow something up while you're at it?"
Sven tried to look indignant, but Warrex's hold made that impossible. "They wanted info. They offered royalty as a reward. They... they, uh, gave him the same offer,"
Roy cut him off with a single raised hand. "Warrex, you can let him breathe. Not like he's going anywhere. Now then, who is 'him'?" Roy asked despite knowing the answer that was coming.
"Caliban," Sven said softly.
Roy sighed, trying not to show fear. "I was afraid of that, must have been why they stole from the ship the other night. Bastards."
Warrex loosened his grip slightly, but didn't release Sven. "We can't trust him," Warrex said bluntly.
Roy nodded, gaze flicking from Warrex to Eryndra. "Yeah, I'm not going to." He leveled his stare at Sven. "Sorry, Sven. You're exiled."
Sven blanched. "Exile? That's basically a death sentence in these wild lands. Just last week an adventure was playing catch with his son and the ball went over one of the shorter sections of the unfinished wall. The guy went to get it and never came back, all we heard was screams. And he was a B-rank!"
Eryndra let out a snort. "Should have thought about that before sneaking on board. Or maybe you should try that special 'key that opens any lock' on Warrex's fists and make your escape!"
"Then I want my Weathermaker Map back!" Sven yelled.
Roy cackled and dramatically as he could. "And let you drop tornadoes on us? No thanks."
A Base Model Presidroid beeped, "Captain, do you want us to escort him to the brig? Also, is this battle worthy of a sandwich?"
Roy rubbed his temple, exhaling. "No…, no sandwich this time, just a bagel or something. The brig's for bigger threats than this clown. We're exiling him. Toss him out the gates, assign a drone to watch him so he can't come back."
Sven's eyes grew wide. "Wait– Roy, we were classmates! Doesn't that mean anything?"
Roy felt a flicker of old memories, passing glimpses of Sven sitting in the back row, laughing after he threw half a brick into Roy's shoulder blade. "Funny you say that now, did that matter when you broke my bones?" His voice cooled. "Yet... I still moved on. You should too. But not in my city."
Sven's mouth opened as if to protest, but Warrex grabbed his arm and hauled him down the hall. The Presidroids followed, cheerful as ever, ignoring Sven's frantic pleas.
Roy sank against the metal wall with a weary sigh. "Why does it always have to be a betrayal?"
Eryndra gently tapped his shoulder. "It's better we weed them out early, right? We could also preemptively kill them all. Except the triplets and a handful of others," Eryndra said with a wide smile.
Roy slowly turned his head to Erynda and simply stared at her, assessing how serious she was. "Who are you and what have you done with my Eryndra?"
"Oh? My Eryndra?" Eryndra said as she turned her face slightly, "I'm yours again?"
Roy rolled his eyes and ignored Eryndra entirely. He turned to a nearby Presidroid and gestured out towards the direction of the wall. "Polk, just… escort him beyond the outer gate, make sure he can't sneak in again. And give him this semi working tablet. Maybe they'll be kind to him if he hands it over."
"Yes, Captain, you are too kind. I was going to pull his arms from their sockets," it chirped, trotting off to assist Warrex. Roy didn't know who to be more scared of, the mad robots or the crazy lady.
Eryndra arched an eyebrow. "Anything else on your mind?"
Roy let out a humorless laugh. "I wonder how many deals are made behind my back. That's not changing anytime soon, is it?"
"Probably not," Eryndra said, lips curving into a small, sympathetic smile.
They followed the corridor back to the upper deck. Outside, Warrex had already marched Sven through the city's gate, setting him loose on the dark road under watchful eyes. No final speeches, no heartfelt regrets. Just the clang of the massive gates shutting behind him.
Roy stood on the upper deck with Eryndra, watching the lone figure vanish into the night. A swirl of tension lodged in his gut, but also some relief. Another potential spy neutralized, no one hurt. He gave Eryndra a faint nod.
"All right," he muttered, "that's one less problem inside our walls."
"Let's call it a night. Tomorrow we can question everyone to see if they also got a similar offer," Eryndra replied softly.