Evolution: A Warlock's Rise To Power

Lucan checked the time in the interface.  He decided to not head down into underground area right now.  Instead, he went to the Dragon Spine fortress to receive a report about New Avalon. Apparently, everything had been progressing normally ever since the beast tide.  Looking out towards the horizon, he could see players developing the city while also pushing into the dark forest to explore and look for resources.  The road that led deep into the dark forest was already being built and things were progressing smoothly and the wall that surrounded the city had already been completed.

Even if the wall wouldn't do much against and advance enemy, it still gave the NPC citizens peace of mind and helped them relax when they laid in their beds at the end of the night.

Lucan then returned towards Shadowsweep and headed underground.  Once he arrived outside the dwarven stronghold he contacted Supersleuth.

Twenty minutes later, ripples began to spread across the black, still, water.  A boat pulled up to the dock that had been built.

"Hey Lucan, hop aboard."  Super said.

Lucan didn't hold back and jumped onto the ship.  The warlock looked around, the ship wasn't nearly as impressive as the pirate ships, they had been on yesterday, but it was still a good size ship with a single mast.  It had a cabin that you could enter but it didn't have multiple levels like the pirate ship.  As Lucan took in the ship, several workers on shore, began to load on supplies that would be delivered to Super's base.

"Not bad."  Lucan said.  "But when did you get a ship."

"I had it built, along with a few others." Super replied.  "I can't have a city in the water without having a few ships, now can I?"  He asked.

Lucan thought it made sense.  Super waved his hand and a mage created wind to fill the sail as the ship began to turn around.  Since this sea was underground, the wind was almost nonexistent.  So a boat either needs to be rowed or wind would have to be created to fill the sails.

A few minutes after the left the dock, Lucan could see lights in the distance.  Once they slowly started to come closer, the image in the darkness became more clear.

Super had put quite a bit of effort into his underground base.

A large rock wall that stretched from the floor to the ceiling sealed off most of the harbor that they were currently sailing in.  In the middle of the rock wall was a two-hundred-meter gap that opened out into an even larger body of water.

The rock wall wasn't completely solid, it was made from large stalagmites and stalactites that hung from the cavern ceiling and rose up out of the water.

Buildings and stone structures had been attached to the wall on either side of the large opening.  A hundred meters in the air, a sturdy bridge went from one side of the opening to the other. Currently, embattlements and defensive positions were being built above the bridge.

The floating city was divided in two, allowing a ship to travel through the middle and leave the harbor and enter the much large dark sea.

"I have only made a little progress so far, but what do you think?"  Super asked as the boat pulled into a dock."

"It is impressive, you have done a good job."  Lucan said as the two disembarked.

Workers in the floating city began to take the supplies off the boat and bring them into the floating city.

After walking around for a few minutes, Lucan made an observation.  "How come all the docks are located on the western half of the city?"

"Oh, you noticed that?"  Super said with a grin.  "Here, let me show you."  He said while leading Lucan to the bridge that spanned towards the eastern part of the city.

Lucan and super climber up several flights of stairs that had been carved directly into a large stalagmite that eventually led to the bridge.  The bridge itself was thick and sturdy.  Lucan found that there was many defensive positions on it and could see a bit of mana running throw the bridge itself.  The man was a formation that was cast upon it to make it sturdy and keep it from crumbling after a few attacks.

On the others side of the bridge were several guards.  It appeared that the eastern half of the city was completely looked down.  Even though everything was still under construction, Lucan had seen people milling around in the western half of the city.  There were even a few play run shops that had been opened.  But here in the eastern half of the city, everything was under strict control.

"The western half is open to the public.  People can take a ship and come out here to explore or do whatever they want, but the eastern half is reserved solely for our business.  The NPC guards that I have working under me keep a strict watch over this area.  Here, come and look at this."  Super said, leading Lucan into a large warehouse.

The warlock was impressed by what he saw.

"Now we don't have a teleporter here, but we are able to get by with our own means."  Super said.

Over fifty shadow tunnels lined the walls of the warehouse.  Guards kept a close watch over these tunnels.  As soon as a person came through one of them, the guards would rush forward to check the identity of the newcomer.

"I have this place connected to thirteen different planes of existence spanning across forty-two different countries and territories."  Super said with a bragging smile.  "All the operatives of my information network can use this area as a transportation hub.  And with my floating city as the center, all the information is collected and brought here.  And most of these shadow tunnels go to large cities or towns that have transporters, which allows us to reach even further."

Lucan nodded. It certainly was an impressive transportation hub, especially since it didn't make use of a teleporter.

Super led them out of the warehouse.  "All the players that are players who have been employed by me for over a year and have passed the background check are given certain privileges.  One of those privileges is the ability to build or purchase a house here in the eastern half of the base.  Oh, I haven't told you the name yet."  Super said with an excited grin.  "The name of the floating city.  I have decided to call it Atlantis.  Not bad right."

Before Lucan could even answer, Super was leading Lucan to a shadow tunnel that was by itself and heavily guarded in a small outbuilding.

"Come check this out.  It is my favorite part about the city."  Super said as he went through first.

Lucan followed behind him.  With Menta's eye, before he entered, he could see that the tunnel leads upwards, but he didn't know exactly where it went.

Stepping out, Lucan found himself in a moderate sized room with glass windows all around.  In front of him, Super sat behind a large desk.

"My office is pretty cool right?"  Super asked.

Lucan took a look around and peered out the window.  Down below he saw what appeared to be the floating city of Atlantis, but the office seemed to bee at least a thousand meters above the water.

"Very cool."  Lucan answered.

"He, he, you know it.  It wasn't easy but I had some people hollow at a stalactite that clung to the ceiling of the cavern.  Right now we are hanging up above everything."