More Than A Game (Epic LitRPG adventure)

Chapter 5: Clan Volunteer Part 3

"Then I'm in!" I said and tapped the button to accept.

Congratulations! You joined the Thunderbirds.

You are currently a volunteer in the clan.

"Will I be a volunteer for long?" I asked Gerv.

"You start as a volunteer; that's how our clan works. Then, a month or two later (or earlier if you prove yourself), you become a kinsman. That's when you're a full clan member."

"What then?"

"What then? When you get to Level 120, you earn respect in the clan and, if the clan council deems it necessary and possible, you can become an officer. Then, you can invite new members, you get new bonuses, and you get a nice badge next to your name. After that, it's deputy leader and, well..."

"I'm not going anywhere yet," announced Elina. "Though we could skip the volunteer stage. Maybe we should make him a kinsman?"

"Why skip it?" Gerv asked. "First, that's giving him too much. Second, we can't put the spotlight on him like that. People will start asking why he gets special treatment, and we can't have that. Let him run around with everyone else."

"Agreed," Elina nodded her head. "Okay, get over to the fortress."

"Me?" I sheepishly asked.

"Who else?" the elf sarcastically responded.

"How? I have no idea where it is!" I was taken aback.

"As if I didn't know that." I was starting to think the young lady wasn't quite the pleasant person I thought. I was going to have an interesting time of it.

"Gerv, take him there."

Gerv took me by the hand and read from some kind of scroll. The last thing I heard in the room was Elina, "Well, how much money did we save?"

Another blue rainbow spun out in front of me, and I found myself standing on a cobblestone square.

When I imagined their "clan fortress," I thought of something from my distant childhood: Walter Scott, Dumas, or, especially, something from Ivanhoe—some kind of forbidding castle built out of enormous blocks, a drawbridge, turrets, dungeons, and a courtyard in the middle.

There was a courtyard, but that was it. I mean, yes, it was all there, but not how I imagined. It was more like an overgrown country house belonging to some oilman or mid-level delegate somewhere in Nikolina Gora.

"Not impressed?" Gerv asked ironically.

"Nope," I honestly replied.

"Well, good."

"Why?" I didn't understand at first, though the truth began to dawn on me. "Ah-ha! I get it! The more unassuming it looks from the outside, the fewer people you'll have trying to figure out what's inside?"

"Exactly. Well done!" Gerv nodded.

"But other people could figure that out, too."

"Not everyone. Gorotul still has no idea why we like to keep things on the down-low."

"Draw it for him," I suggested. "Maybe he understands pictures better than he understands words."

"You're just a volunteer, and don't forget that," the scout turned serious. "We're talking about a deputy clan leader here. Oh, and the clan master for combat. He's no genius, but there's no one better when it comes to planning raids. If he ever invites you to go with him into a dungeon or on a raid, you'll see for yourself. Anyway, let's go find Sergeant. I'll turn you over to him for training, and then I have some things I need to do. Quite a few, in fact..."

As I had imagined, the fortress was much bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Either the Thunderbirds were well acquainted with the fifth dimension, or there was an extra paid option I didn't know about when you buy a clan fortress. (I was much more inclined to believe the latter option.) One way or another, there were rooms, twists, passages, and balustrades everywhere.

Gerv quickly ran through the whole maze, from time to time, pointing things out. "That's the training hall," "That's the small clan storehouse. You aren't allowed in there yet," "And that's the big clan storehouse. You'll never be allowed in there," "That's the main hall." After seven minutes or so of that, he stopped at the entrance to a small room.

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