Reaching the summoning area Jack finally paused and checked his leftover resources.
[Lords Common resources: Wood x500. Stone x15.000. Iron x190.000. Gold Coins x275.000]
Building the houses and the wooden wall was expensive. But the total number of stone used for the wall was staggering and left him very low in resources. It had even required 10.000 iron for the gate and a substantial amount of gold.
However. Jack still had enough for what he wanted.
[Mithril x1000, Sulfur x2000 and Gold Coins x100.000 received. 1x epic troop summoned. Completion time: 10 seconds]
After 10 seconds the first epic ranked troop finally appeared.
[Black Mountain Guard]
[Fortitude: 100]
[Spirit Power: 75]
[Abilities: Stone form. Weapon proficiency 8/10. Siege master 3/10. Earth manipulation]
The dwarf troop looked a little taller than Gondo and the other dwarfs. But those were civilians and dressed in common leather and tunics.
This one was much more fierce! It had appeared with a complete set of dwarven chainmail armor. Leather armor in the joints. A round and flat metal helmet that even covered the nose such as only the hair-covered ears, eyes and mouth could be seen.
In it's left hand it carried a round iron shield with black-painted carvings. Beneath the shield, fastened to a leather belt, a sword hilt hang carrying a short sword. In the right hand it carried beautifully crafted iron spear and on its back, above the dark cloak, hang a large double-bladed war-axe.
'Truly impressive troop! This is epic-rank for sure... The cost of this troop is surely worth it when looking at the abilities, stats, armor and heavily weaponized warrior...'
Jack took a moment to take in the sight of this amazing, anciently powerful, new troop.
"What is your name, dwarf?" Jack asked.
"I'm Fraco, my lord! I will defend you until my death!"
The dwarf troop saluted and then bowed deeply, showing a huge amount of respect for his summoning lord.
"Do you want to be a hero, Fraco?"
Fraco had just been summoned, and was more than pleases if he could just be sent to battle right away. That was who he had always been. A merciless fighter. He was good at it. He knew he could control the earth and stone to a certain degree, no foe had faced him and lived to tell the tale.
But he was also strangely aware that he had lost many memories of his old life, replaced by complete loyalty to his new lord.
"If that can make me more useful to you, lord, then I will become a hero."
'Seems like he just wants to do whatever I think is right... Not exactly intelligent? Though, he has just been summoned, maybe he will lighten up in time.'
[Do you want to use: Uncommon Hero Evolution Token?]
[Epic troop; Black Mountain Guard - Dormant Hero Ability detected: General]
[Evolve troop?]
Jack was yet again faced with the [Yes] or [No] question, and he didn't hesitate.
[Evolving Black Mountain Guard: Enhancing stats. Awakening dormant ability]
[Intelligent lifeform upgraded]
[Hero: Fraco]
[Fortitude: 110]
[Spirit Power: 85]
[Abilities: Stone form. Weapon proficiency 8/10. Siege master 3/10. Earth manipulation. General 1/10]
"I'm going to need your services right away Fraco. But first. Shortly describe your abilities for me."
Fraco seemed changed. Not just because he had obtained a hero status, but he felt he was 'free'. He were no longer a troop! He could now freely assist his lord in any way he wanted. And he regained many memories of his old life.
Mining, cooking, building, siege craft, smithing... So many skills and forgotten talents had return. He felt more alive.
"Yes my lord! My stone form allows me to temporarily harden my skin to a high degree, allowing rapid regeneration to wounds. I am highly skilled in the use of many different weapons. I can construct siege engines and lay sieges to fortified walls!"
'I'm glad I held on to the hero token until now... He isn't even done explaining and I already get goosebumps..'
"I have a common understanding of earth control. But I can use it highly effective in combat since I'm blessed with high spirit power. And now with the newly awoken 'General' ability I can clearly sense our nearby troops and send 'command intentions' to them."
Jack was puzzled. Command intentions? What did he mean by that.
"Fraco, are you telling me you can directly speak to the troop in their heads?"
Fraco smiled at this when he replied.
"Dwarves are naturally shorter sighted than humans. We live in the depts of the earth, naturally our other senses are higher. This ability further increases that. I believe that within a 1 kilometer area around me, I can directly imprint my intentions in the troops minds, yes. However it is not words directly, it's closer to a external strong feeling guiding them."
"I see. That will surely be helpful! For now, follow this main tunnel to the plateau outside. Ask for Harken beneath the plateau. He will get you up to speed about our current situation. I will meet you there later."
Fraco bowed deeply and moved down the tunnel.
[100.000 gold coins received. 10.000 trash troops summoned. Completion time: 27.8 hours]
[Lords Common resources: Wood x500. Stone x15.000. Iron x190.000. Gold Coins x175.000]
Jack had concluded most of his initial plans.
The food issues was being handled. They had a large stockpile of beast meat. The dimwag farm were already producing meat, ready to roast in a few days and the blackroot seeds was planted.
The housing issue was dealt with and the work in the goldmine intensified. The protective wall had been erected as well.
All he needed now was to somehow gain a forge, his mithril forge was sadly still out of reach, get a tannery for the beast hides and fur.
Jack felt ready to advance in the forest.
He currently commanded more than 8000 troops and had an epic troop-turned hero to lead them. And in about 27 hours another 10.000 replenishing troops would be fully summoned.
'But first lets have a meal before battle...'
Jack went to grab a ready to eat bowl of food and shortly after entered his meeting room in the mansion.
[Jack: How are you holding up?]
[Xena: The centaurs and hill trolls as already advanced. We barely fought them back. I have 23 troops and the last of the food is being eaten as we speak. Jack... My resources are spend. I don't believe I will survive until morning..]
'If I could place the ranch I could trade her a high horse! I have to do something...'
Jack hadn't realised just how critical Xena's situation was. But seeing that direct and conclusive answer made it very clear.
[Jack: Do you have anything to trade? At least I can provide some gold so you can make it until morning]
[Xena: I still have 100 pickaxes and 50 lumber axes. My civilians don't use them anymore. They are hiding in their houses. They know its just a matter of time now...]
[Jack: Trade them now. Set it all to one bundle for 50.000. That should buy you enough troops and food to move out as soon as the last troop is summoned]
Xena couldn't believe that Jack would actually do so much for her. She wasn't special. She had already given up. Yet here he came and offered her 50.000 gold coins? Just how rich was he really?
'Even Ramises the Goat has reached out to me... I can't believe all that Jack is doing, planning and the price he is paying just to get me as a hero..'
[Xena: That's too much Jack. Ramises told me about your deal and arranged where to meet. Are you sure you want to spend all these resources?]
[Jack: Just make the deal. You are the one who wanted to be my hero, right? Well, now things are in motion and I need you to be at that beach when Ramises hero gets there! Set up the trade! Buy food stocks! Summon all the troops you can and get moving!]
'Sigh... He really is a serious one..'
But Xena could finally smile again.
Having spend 50.000 gold coins on the trade plus 25.000 gold coins in the insane tradehub fee, his reserves plummeted to 100.000 gold coins. It was still a huge amount compared to most lords on Planet Prime, but Jack wasn't truly aware of that.
At noon, some time after talking with Xena and handing out the new pickaxes and lumber axes, Jack found himself inside his stone walls in front of the gate.
Hundreds of troops already stood on the walls. Troops marched in a steady stream all the way from the summoning portals in the main tunnel, with only 10 seconds between them.
In front of Jack stood 2 platoons of 4000 troops in a square formation with Harken in front of one and Fraco in front of the other.
"It's about time we initated the final attack on the crazed forest! We will claim this territory today!"
Everyone walking on the road to the forest camp, civilians cutting wood or carrying food and the troops on the wall. All of them halted for a second as Jack called up. They knew that in a moment, 8000 of them would be heading to a warzone, and they all felt a chill.
"Harken! Take your platoon to the right, the south forest! Fraco! Take your platoon to the left and north side of the forest! Kill everything and send it back here!"
Jack took a second to let the moment settle.
"All of you! Advance!"