Drake begrudgingly fell in line with the others, moving along to the teleport crystal to reach the staging area.
The conversation he had with Tan and then the briefing shortly after still lingered at the forefront of his mind.
He wasn't sure what to make of Tan. This place called the Farm, or all of the other terms that were being thrown around. With new ones coming seemingly every hour.
Coming ever closer to the gate, Drake noticed the C-Rank guards at the gate. Two tall slender men with green hair, green eyes, pointed ears in form fitting light metal armor.
Are these what Primordial Elves look like? Do I just call them High Elves or do they go by something else like 'Extremely Pretty Boy Rizzler Elves'? He thought sarcastically.
But even with his sarcasm, there was no denying the strength that permeated the air around the pair. Drake was sure he couldn't hold a candle to them.
But I would sure love to try…
The Elves kept a watchful eye as countless people walked past them disappearing after coming in contact with a large colorless crystal hovering in the middle of the fenced off area.
It reminded Drake a lot like the Anchoring Crystal he had used for his town.
He saw Tan place a hand on the crystal first before vanishing. The rest of the group following shortly after, Vale turning and giving Drake a wink before leaving him as the last one to transfer.
Drake was slightly hesitant but sighed before placing a hand on the crystal.
Transfer to Al'Riveara?
Cost: None
Yes/No
Drake affirmed and in the next moment he was standing in a new place. A barren wasteland of red, orange and heat. A blistering sun bearing down on his skin.
He relaxed his outstretched arm and quickly found Tan and the others.
But not before being shoved from behind.
"Out of the way, lessssssssser!" a voice hissed.
Drake turned around, ready to put his first through someone's skull.
Once turned he saw who had shoved him and couldn't help but hold back a chuckle.
A small orange scaled lizardman looked up at him with a death-like glare. A pair of green goggles on his head, a backpack that looked to have some sort of mechanical arm, and wearing hardened leather with a pistol that was large enough to act as a fourth arm for the man at his side.
"What are you supposed to be, mecha yoshi-" But Drake was stopped cold as he was flung backwards, his body barreling through the crowd.
He slammed against something hard and felt the taste of metal fill his mouth.
Drake looked over his shoulder, seeing Tan with a displeased expression.
The small lizardman caught back up with Drake, now with an entourage of other lizardmen of varying height and color. All of them had some sort of mechanized gear on their person.
"Are we going to have a problem already? Cattle feed?" the small man hissed, a forked tongue snapping in the air.
Drake whipped his mouth, ready to stomp the little gecko like a goomba, but Tan beat him to it.
Tan stepped in front of Drake, bowing his head.
"I apologise for my squad member, Lord Sethian. He has just gotten here from the breeding planets and barely knows his face from his rear. It won't happen again, I assure you."
Drake wanted to protest, he knew very well his face from his ass. And he was ready to beat the living shit out of these wanna-be Godzilla body doubles.
Lord Sethian shoved a clawed finger into Tan's chest, "Sssssee, that it doesssen't! Or I'll take my payment out of your assss, Half-Elf welp!"
The group of lizardmen dispersed as did the crowd around them. But Drake got the distinct feeling this wasn't the first time something like this happened.
"What was that? Why didn't we just squash those little-"
Drake felt a sharp pain in his gut, then another on the side of his face as he fell to the floor, coughing.
He looked up confused, seeing Tan towering over him.
"Learn this lesson now. Keep your head down, and mouth shut. Anything you say can and will be used against not only you, but everyone in this squad, in this camp. It can even be used against your entire race. You speak when spoken to and nothing else."
Tan turned away, going back to the group.
Drake rubbed his jaw, not because it hurt. No, whatever the small lizardman had done was stinging far worse, a prickly pain in his chest. However he was still surprised with Tan's personality taking a 180.
I thought he wanted me to help him? What's his fucking problem?!
Rising to his feet, Drake had to endure the scathing eyes of the entire staging area.
Those he had crashed into getting up themselves all while grumbling obscenities at him. Some were races he knew in some form. He saw beastmen, half-elves, dwarves. Then there were races he had never seen.
Purple furred four-armed Gorillas. Blue skinned four-armed men and women. He had spotted women with slitted eyes, long devilish tails and horns.
There were tall white figures in long flowing robes with featureless faces almost as if wearing a mask. He saw more beastkin that resembled Leon more than Silvester. He even saw smaller animals.
A racoon? No, a weasel? Holding a crossbow?
Drake shook his head in near disbelief.
Everywhere he looked there was almost some race that was new to him, all holding weapons and wearing armor that looked to be either hundred of years old, or had just seen a fight where the other guy didn't make it out.
Blood was a normal color on clothing here.
But that didn't entirely mean the mood was bad in the staging area. As he walked he heard the shouting and bellowing laughs of many.
Particularly a group of men and women all wearing cloth armor Drake had seen before. He had seen it before because it was the same armor he wore back on Earth.
A group of about ten men and women all stood with smiles around a fire, clanking drinks and tearing into some sort of dried meat as they conversed.
"Those be the Asurans little man," a deep voice said in front of him.
Ganeer had apparently come back. Whether it was to make sure Drake didn't get lost or because he was just wandering the came, Drake wasn't sure.
"See anyone you know?" Ganeer asked.
"I- Uh…" Drake stumbled over his words.
Damn I'm supposed to be from somewhere aren't I…
"N-No," he lied, "Doesn't look like anyone from my backwater planet. They're too pureblooded."
Ganeer raised his overly sized brow, the sound of scraping stone following it.
"Lad, have you seen yourself? You've got more Asuran blood in you that I've seen my entire time here," he chuckled, slapping Drake on the back.
Drake lurched forward, coughing, "Y-you got me there."
He looked back up, seeing the Asurans from the group staring back in curiosity.
Oops… Better get scarce before someone asks me too many questions…
"Hold on there Drake, best you stay with me unless you want those Bounty Vipers to take your head," Ganeer smiled.
"Bounty Vipers? Oh you mean short and ugly?"
"Thems the ones," Ganner nodded, then picked Drake up by the hem of his clothes holding him as he walked to the group, "Don't want to get to involved with them, they're called Nightmare Vipers, but we all just call them Bounty Vipers on account they are paid to hunt us down if we desert-"
Suddenly someone screamed in the massive crowd, Drake only catching a glimpse of what happened through a parting of the blob of people. On the ground someone was melting into a pile of disgusting green goo. And he noticed the small lizardman next to the slop, smiling brightly.
"Yup, and if we get a little too rowdy…" Ganeer sighed, "They have an innate talent for poisons, nasty little bastards. They'll for sure be watching the operation so don't go doing anything that will get us all killed."
"Thanks for the tip…" Drake scoffed.
They finally met up with the rest of the group, Tan already mid briefing.
"-Once we have finished here we will be split from the group, we will be randomly transported to a location within the crystal's influence on the planet. From there we will kill anything and everything in our path as we remove the planet of resistance."
Tan held up a small green crystal and pointed to Drake.
"You all have your trackers. It will record how many of what you have killed, and points will be distributed accordingly after the operation is done. Don't forget to pick up any you see on the ground, recovering a deadman's crystal will net you some extra points," Tan then threw the crystal to Drake, followed by a few milky vials he had seen before.
Drake caught them, inspecting the items.
Point Recording Crystal [Uncommon, F-Grade]
A crystal imbued with mana attuned to a specific frequency. It allows the tracking of various statistics.
Statistics Page is only visible to the administrative crystal this crystal is attuned to.
Overpowering Hex Steroid [Uncommon, E-Grade]
An overpowering, addictive, stimulant.
+10% to all stats for 10 minutes.
1 Hour Cooldown.
Continued use during cooldown will result in diminishing returns.
This item is a highly addictive concoction. Regular use will result in hallucinations and eventual loss of self.
Drake looked back at Tan, "You expect me to use this shit?"
"Everyone is expected to use it while on mission. It is how the Old Gods keep us compliant. They can't have their little soldiers running around without a leash on them after all."
Suddenly the air changed. And Drake felt a familiar pressure weigh down on him and the surroundings. It was a powerful aura, a high rank one at that.
Everyone within the group was forced to one knee at least. Vale, who was not a physical type class was forced to bow.
Walking in on their group was two tall men in fully plated golden armor with intricate engravings, but most noticeable were the silver cloaks that draped over top them pinned together with a gold and green tree branch.
The pair turned to each other as one held up a scroll and began reading from it.
"Announcing! The magnificent, unmatched, powerful, handsome, 13th branch of the First Tree! Bestower of Glory in the battlefield of the 93rd sector war! Beheader of the 82nd Chaos Abnormality! Son of the Magnanimus, Taywin Lorienca and First Tree, Aliwi Vernelis! First of his name! Alwin Aradithas!"
A younger man walked in between the pair with a scowl plain on his face.
Drake struggled to look up, the pressure of the pair of elves forcing him down like the others. Raising his head slightly he got a look at the boy.
Verdinant colored hair, sharp face yet not enough to be described as masculine. If Drake had to pick, he would even go as far to say the young man was more androgynous. Which he was beginning to notice was a trend among elves.
"You halfwit!" the boy screamed in reprimand, "It is the 81st! Chaos Abnormality! 81st!! And you forgot to add the Conqueror of the 5,827th Rebellion! How incompetent can you be?!" he roared, slapping the man across the face.
The taller elf man bowed his head, "I apologise my lord! I will fix it immediately!"
"See that you do fool!"
Alwin turned to the group, a scowl still on his face, "Well? Where is my greeting?"
In unison, everyone outside of Drake spoke up.
"The dogs of the Gods, greet their Handler!"
Alwin smiled, but only for a moment, noticing one among them had not greeted him properly.
"Who is this? Someone new?"
Drake was unable to raise his head further, the pressure from the men accompanying Alwin still suppressing the group.
"Do you not know etiquette?!"
Alwin roared, kicking Drake in the chin.
But Drake didn't move. There was no power behind Alwin's strike. Drake hardly felt it, his face left dumbstruck.
This only bemused Alwin all the more as he motioned to one of them men accompanying him.
"Alfo, strike him. Don't kill him though, I am feeling lenient today."
"Yes, my Lord!"
The next thing Drake knew he was staring at a bright sky, his face not only hit with blistering sun, but agonizing pain.
For the second time today, he hadn't seen what hit him.
He was supposed to be a Primordial. When was the last time he had been thrown around like a rag doll? But he struggled to keep his thoughts straight, the pain was too much. His breathing had immediately become ragged.
Drake tried to open his mouth but even more piercing pain set in. His jaw was broken, and his breath came in painful wheezes.
"Tan, do be a good boy and see that he is still alive in a few hours. And make sure he knows to show respect the next time we meet…" Alwin warned.
The pressure relented and Drake forced himself to get up, his eyes points as he readied himself to fight.
A hand reached for him. And out of instinct Drake grabbed it out of the air.
"Whoa now!" Norris shouted, "Don't crush my arm! The little lord is gone."
Drake restrained himself, the moment he did his body went limp, dropping back on the ground. The strike from Elven man had nearly killed him.
He felt a warmth take over him as well as the familiar feeling of a health potion being used on his face.
Drake did his best to refocus, seeing Vale holding her hand out over him, red light blanketing his body.
Tan was on the other side of him with Norris.
"How does it feel to be welcomed to the shit?" he then added in a whisper as he knelt down, "Now do you see why this needs to change?"
Drake felt a well of anger he had not encountered before. Tan had let all of this happen to show him what it was like to be one of them.
He spat to the side," Screw you." he growled back.
"If you think this is the worst of it, you are sadly mistaken. That was the 13th son of the First Tree. We consider him nice. Depending on how tomorrow goes when we invade. Our hell is only beginning."