MMORPG: Genesis

The Eight Great Ocean Sieges

Stone-mist castle was one of the eight great ocean sieges in Genesis, it was invaluable to any race that held it. 

This was because it was situated on an island directly between the Eastern and Central continents and any ship that wished to travel between these continents had to stop at Stone-mist castle. 

There were similar castles between each of the five continents making eight in total. 

The distance between two continents was too far for any ship to make by magic power and combustion engine combined because either the players had to rest and let their magic recharge, or the ship needed to be refueled and it was too dangerous to stop in the middle of the ocean. 

The race that held these islands could charge an exorbitant price to let ships dock there and also the island contained a large number of mines. 

Currently the human race held two of these locations, Stone-mist castle between the eastern and central continents and Dragons-claw Bay between the eastern and northern continents. 

The loss of Stone-mist castle would be a huge financial, economic and military blow to the human race as it provides the perfect defense and staging ground between the two continents. 

Though it was unlikely any attack would come from the central continent as most races that lived there were peaceful, the fact remained that when the humans lost Stone-mist castle it would be available for capture again by any race. 

If a race hostile to the humans such as the Orcs captured it, then they would have a strategic location to invade the eastern continent from. 

"This is bad, when the empress hears about this, she is not going to be happy." Blue sighed. 

"You think? She is going to claim some heads if I had to guess." Oracle replied to which Blue could only nod in agreement. 

"Do you think we should warn Rose?" Oracle asked. 

"We may as well, they're going to hear it when Tia here makes the announcement so at least this way we can give them a heads up." Blue replied before turning to Tia. 

"By the way Tia, why come to me for this?" 

"There are two reasons, first you can be trusted not to try something foolish and hide things from me further damaging your race and second the aircraft you're currently on is currently flying over Dawnscape city." 

"Oh really, very well I will inform the pilot to divert, Oracle you contact Rose and start a group call." Blue suggested and they both opened up their friends' tabs to contact the relevant people. 

While the girls did this Tia sat there quietly drinking her tea as part of her monitored what was happening in Genesis and another part continued to use satellites to watch John Michaels' suspected wooden shack. 

After a few moments a holographic display appeared before them all showing a beautiful young human woman with long red hair and blue eyes, her beauty easily matched the other ladies in the room. 

Once she saw who was in the room the woman smiled before saying, " Oracle and Blue, oh and even Tia is with you what a surprise." 

"Rose, it's been too long." Oracle replied with a smile to Red Rose, a famous human female player. 

She was not as famous as Blue Ice Queen in Genesis but in the real world she was far more famous as she was the 1st princess of the Human race and daughter of the current empress. 

"Tia it's good to see you again how are you?" Rose asked. 

"I am fine thank you princess." 

"Tia come now how often must myself and Oracle ask you not to call us that?" Rose replied with a pout to which Oracle giggled before saying. 

"I just told her the exact same thing a short while ago, come now Tia we think of you as our friend even though we know you can't show favorites." 

"Very well I will endeavor to call you by your chosen names from now on." Tia responded, causing the two princesses to smile. 

"Is Blue busy messaging someone?" Rose asked, turning to look at her. 

"She is communicating with her pilot as she needs to land asap for a Atlantia Unique Quest that Tia just supplied her with." 

"Sounds serious so why contact me?" 

"Because it evolves a punishment the human race is about to receive, and it is not a small one." Blue responded as she came back from contacting her pilot. 

"I see, tell me about it then." Rose said, her face turning serious. 

In response Blue simply waved her hand as she did for Oracle before and allowed Rose to read the contents of the Atlantia Unique Quest she had received. 

The two girls and one AI continued to drink their tea in silence as they waited for Rose to finish reading the quest as they saw her face getting darker and darker before finally. 

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS!" Rose burst out losing all her princess decorum just as Oracle had before. 

"That's not the worst of it." Blue said with a frown. 

"There's more?" Rose asked with rage in her eyes. 

"The punishment for this has not been fully calculated as of yet, however at the very minimum the human race will lose Stone-mist castle." Blue informed. 

What color remained in Rose's face disappeared like Blue before she slouched back into her chair. 

After a few moments she recovered enough to speak. 

"When mother hears of this..." She didn't need to finish as they all knew how the human empress would react. 

She was a harsh but fair ruler in that she rewarded hard work and great dead's done for the human race with equally great rewards. 

However, for those that damaged or harmed the human race their punishment was swift and appropriate for the crime they committed, if the damage was harsh enough, she would not hesitate to have the guilty party executed and losing Stone-mist castle was definitely something worthy of execution.