Master Of None

The merfolk had taken the longest shifts when it came to defending the ship. Their job had been of the utmost importance. The main reason being the integrity of the ships. They were under the water scouting the stocks, trees, and other dangers that the ship might face while traveling.

The mages had been working closely with their signals. On top of this, they had been the guiding force when it came to the earth and water mages expanding or smoothing some of the river banks so that the ship could fit. At a few trunks in the river, there had even been streams slightly diverged to better flow in to the river.

"But that small brook beaver really sent you for a trip! I wasn't sure that you would manage to catch it before it got back to the hole it had dug itself in the bank!" Leon and his merfolk soldiers were laughing a lot. They seemed to be enjoying the trip even though they had been working hard.

"I am glad you all have so much energy. I was wondering if you would be exhausted yet." Walker's greeting came with another burst of laughter and shouting. They had all been having the time of their life. It seemed that Leon had raised the morale of his soldiers pretty high before they had gotten in to the adventure.

"We have had a lot on our plates. But saying that to you and the others that deal with those bugs on the river bank might be wrong. We were just dealing with a few small pests in the water. Can't have any beaver dams blocking up the river between the ships we send or come back, right?" Maintaining the future of their river was going to be a very large job.

"I was actually hoping that the merfolk and demi-humans with similar traits could handle that. It would be an ongoing job. Rover maintenance while not disturbing the important natural life. I think even the water elves would work with you on it." Walker knew that the Genesis council already had plans to put outposts along the river. It would be the best way for them to be able to protect the initial work they were doing.

"I would take that!"

"Hey, no, Give me the captain position!"

"Ha! Captain? Of what? Slipper eels trying to eat away at the river bank!?" The merfolk started up again teasing each other and getting even more rowdy than they were before.

"As you can see, we are enjoying our job. The work with the water and earth mages is actually going very smoothly. The monsters are less frequent in the water after the incidents with the kraken spawn. It's actually a blessing in disguise." Walker had not considered this and was very impressed that Leon had managed to put this all together. He had actually ended up with a much better position than those patrolling the river banks.

"I think that sets you up for success then. You just have to watch for obstacles. If you have your soldiers now act as trainers, they could each become captains of guard posts along the river." This was also how Walker envisioned small farms along the river would be able to start.

The river presented a great way for many villages to form. If the monsters in and around the river were in check, then there would be a safe place for people to move. Many people were not happy with the city life. They would prefer the peace and quiet of a small village. It would also mean that they could put everything they had in to farming or developing unique herbs.

The river would also become a major trade route. Boats could bring crops to any point along the rover. It would increase trade while reducing food shortage issues. From there, it would connect other trade routes to other cities around the lands. It was similar to the underground trade routes that the dwarves were creating. A perfect supplement for all merchants.

"I can't see that being an issue. But I won't be losing my best men. They have been with me too long. If I lose them then who will I boss around!?" Leon found a few of his best soldiers glaring at him but their smiles told him that they never intended to leave anyways.

"You're telling me that you wouldn't want to lose a few soldiers? Come on, they might take your job if you let them learn it all." Walker gave in to the atmosphere while sitting down next to Leon. Midnight saw no need to stay in her dragon form and switched to her dragonkin form privately before coming back to steal the spot next to Walker. They could sit and eat while speaking more in depth. The rest period for the merfolk soldiers had to include some sleep to keep them sharp. Walker was no different and would be catching a small nap as well.

The atmosphere slowly calmed down as they ate and spoke here and there. Walker managed to hear about a few places where pests were identified. The beavers were more or less normal animals. But they had the ability to block up the brooks, streams, and smaller waterways. They could cut many trees and apparently multiplied quickly once they built a dam.

The green river muscles were also an issue. They were a species of shellfish monster that could snap up a whole person if left to grow long enough. The main issue that they caused though was not that they snapped up whole prey to eat. It was that they had to latch on to the bottom of the river. This caused them to break away parts of the river and weaken the bank. From there large stretches of sand would form that could only be washed down river by strong currents.

"So, you can see the issues that we will face over time and up ahead. That's excluding the monsters that we should see once we get downriver more. I am sure that there are more that are coming back in to their normal habitats after being pushed out by the kraken spawn."

"I agree, we should wait and see what else there is. This is light work for you and your soldiers. I will be ready to help when things get more troublesome." Walker was gladly going to assist the merfolk and the other underwater patrols when it came to the monsters that would surely show up.

"I was wondering why you had considered using condensed poisons to deal with the ocean monsters. I thought that it would limit your ability to swim in the water as well." Walker knew that Leon had thought of the idea as soon s he heard about the high amounts of poisons they had from the frogs and assassin jackets. It was a good idea but limited the number of forces they could have underwater.

"I know it will make things harder, but I think it will be safe. There are a lot of antidotes. The alchemists aboard can create better potions to protect us. It will make shifts shorter but it can be a resort that protects us from piranhas, tuna schools, and even the razor fin schools. There are more dangers in the water but those are some we might face right away." Leon had been thinking of the monsters and fish that would cause issues that couldn't be easily solved.

"So you heard about the assassin jacket swarm and knew that fighting them as a swarm would be too tough. Then you applied it to the monsters you knew." Walker perfectly understood and was gladly going to back up Leon when it came to this.

"I can't afford to lose any of my men to a school or swarm. One on one fights are rare and can only be done with good strategy." Leon's surety in this statement showed that he had thought hard and used the past experiences he had to make this decision. Only a veteran fighter would be able to easily discern this.

"You should pass this on to Scylla before you rest, it will be better to develop a solid plan. Scylla and you working together might actually be better than we imagined." Walker knew that Scylla had an unending battle strategy. She was the front line general for the demi-human forces. Add in the strength that Leon had as an underwater specialist with high training because of his background, it was a perfect team. Two generals that would help everyone.

"Sounds like a plan. But for now, I will take my men to sleep. The cabins are actually pretty great you know." Leon praised the ship as he left Walker and Midnight to finish eating then rest themselves.

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