Thanks for your continued support on my pet project. To be honest, it’s fun to write because I’ve already watched all three seasons multiple times so this keeps me hyped for more. Plus, they walk about all the servers in the Log Horizon Fan Wiki so my story gives me “creative license” about guilds on the North America server. This week, I introduce you to the Eagle Mountain guild. Here is Part 4 of my Log Horizon anime fan fiction, A Tale of Log Horizon-The Gunslinger and Eagle Moutain.

* * *

Part Three Recap: Part Three Recap: In the world of Elder Tales, more than 70,000 Japanese players found themselves trapped inside the world of their favorite MMORPG. In the adventurer’s town of Akiba, the Round Table Conference maintains the peace amongst the guilds calling this city home. After a year-long journey across the ocean and four continents, Gideon Hawkmoon, the sorcerer gunslinger from America, reunited with his wife, Henrietta of the Crescent Moon Alliance. After introductions around to members of the Round Table Conference, including a PvP duel with Isaac of the Black Sword Knights, Gideon began to settle into life in Akiba.

* * *

Weeks passed since Gideon’s arrival in Akiba, and he found himself overwhelmed with work. The young adventurers looked to him for guidance and training on everything from different combinations of spells to strategy in a fight. He didn’t mind lending his experience to help them survive in this new world and get their levels up. He even tore Henrietta away from her bookkeeping and other administrative duties to help demonstrate the power of a unified sorcerer and bard in a party. They utilized their many hours of hunting, raids, and quests together to synchronize their actions in a fight. Being together, fighting as a team, was fluid and seamless, like muscle memory as it all came back to them.

At the same time, there were still those who wanted a chance to take on the number one PvP. Gideon kept his record strong against challengers, including Demikas and Silver Sword. He only agreed to fight Demikas if the monk promised to apologize to Serara for mistreating her once Gideon defeated him. When it was over, it humbled the former guildmaster to have to bow down and apologize to the little druid. Of course, her big brother, Major, was right there with her to make sure Demikas followed through on his promise. He tempered his anger, desperate to continue the beatdown Gideon had started. Still, Serara made him swear not to do anything to Demikas. She wanted that episode of her life on Yamato left in the past.

While it seemed that his days rambled together in constant battle, Gideon’s nights were for love. There was more than a year that both he and Henrietta needed to make up for, and they didn’t waste a single moment. From dinner dates to dancing the night away or just a quiet walk, they spent their time living, laughing, and loving each other. It was as if their time apart only strengthened the bond between them.

The other project that kept Gideon’s attention was about to become a reality. As a highly skilled weaponsmith, Gideon needed a place to make and repair weapons for the adventurers and People of the Land. With the help of Michitaka—a fellow blacksmith—and the Marine Agency, his forge was finally up and running. As one of the largest production and crafting guilds in Akiba, Marine Agency was able to covert a building next to the Log Horizon guild into a fully functioning blacksmith shop. The front of the building had fallen into disrepair—the bricks crumbled down, and the second floor was completely missing. Gideon had them turn the first floor into an open-air forge, so people could look in and watch him work. He was a showman at heart, so he didn’t mind all the attention. The second floor was rebuilt into a store to sell his weapons and armor. Gideon knew that people would want to buy what they saw being made right in front of them.

Gideon and Michitaka watched the work along with Tatara, a dwarf samurai-swordsmith, as the workmen were putting on the final touch—a large shield with a hawk flying over a crescent moon. It was a coat of arms for Gideon, symbolizing his name in Elder Tales. He was no knight by any means, but he earned a reputation for quality armaments as a weaponsmith.

“Looks good, Michitaka! I can’t thank you enough, partner,” Gideon said, patting the brawny guildmaster on the back.

“It was no problem. I’ve been meaning to refurbish this building, and your idea for it was perfect. Besides, I’m not about to turn away a fellow blacksmith. You know what it means to work with your hands, and you need just the right place to do your work.”

“You got that right, hoss. I’ve been itchin’ to get started. Once we get the coal bins filled and the forge heated up, I’ll be rarin’ to go.”

“As much as I want to see your work, Gideon, I hope it doesn’t cause me to lose business,” Tatara said.

“Now, Tatara, you know that a little competition is good for everyone,” Gideon explained. “If my prices are too high for someone, they’ll come runnin’ to you instead. It’s good as gold, darlin’!”

“Perhaps, but I’ll reserve judgment for now.”

“By the way, Gideon, that was a great idea about using the salamander,” Michitaka complimented as the workers brought in a rather peculiar-looking monster. It was a flame-red lizard and burned with searing heat, so much so that the men had to use protective gloves and poles to maneuver the creature under the firepit. “Just feed him the coal, and he’ll keep your forge nice and hot.”

“Yeah, I just gotta find me an apprentice to help out, but there ain’t too many in these parts with the blacksmith sub-class.” Gideon looked over at Tatara with a sly grin, hoping she would catch his drift.

“No way, I have my own shop to run!” she exclaimed, backing away from the conversation.

“Well, I can loan you a couple of my blacksmiths from Marine Agency for a few days to help you get started,” Michitaka offered. “I’m sure they would love to learn from a world-class weaponsmith like you.”

“I appreciate that hoss, but I wouldn’t want to take anything away from your work. I know you got your hands full these days, getting ready for a possible fight with Plant Hwyaden.”

“Once you get your shop up to full steam, we’ll be more than ready for anything those bastards throw at us.”

“Excuse me, Master Gideon,” Touya shouted, running over from the Log Horizon guildhall, interrupting their conversation. “Do you have a minute?”

“Sure, Touya, watcha need, little man?” Touya paused for a minute as if he was embarrassed to ask his question.

“Well, I wondered if you might consider taking me on as an apprentice blacksmith,” he asked. “I have the accountant sub-class, but it’s not useful as a samurai. I’ve learned a lot about it from Miss Henrietta, but I’d like to change my sub-class to a blacksmith and work my way to being a bladesmith. I promise to work really hard and do whatever you ask. Please, Master Gideon!” He bowed politely as Gideon’s eye lit up, as his prayer had been answered from heaven above. He looked over at Michitaka and Tatara for their opinion, and they gave him a thumbs up and a simple head nod. They both knew Touya better than Gideon, so he valued their opinion.

“Alright, greenhorn, you’ve got a deal,” Gideon agreed. “Go talk to Shiroe about changing your sub-class. Once that’s done, you need to pick up some basic supplies to start off. He can get those from you, right Michitaka?”

“Sure, come by the Marine Agency, and I’ll get you hooked up, Touya.”

“Then, get back here pronto. We’ve got a lotta work to do to get this forge up to speed,” the gunslinger added. Touya was thrilled that Gideon accepted him as an apprentice. He took off to talk to Shiroe without even saying goodbye.

“Well, I’ll let my men finish the work here. I’ve got some things to do, and I’ll tell one of my guys to get some supplies together for your new apprentice,” Michitaka said. “Plus, I’ll keep an eye out for that other side project.”

“Thanks, Michitaka!”

“And I’ve got a shop to run before you put me out of business,” Tatara added as they left with a wave. Gideon tipped his hat before he turned his attention back to his forge. He shivered with excitement at the ideas for weapons and armor he wanted to make rambled through his thoughts until something caught his attention.

A large snow owl landed on the brick wall. The bird flapped its wings and hooted loudly at Gideon. The owl had a rather large pocket watch hanging from a chain around its neck and a scrolled-up parchment in its claws. Gideon couldn’t believe his eyes as he recognized the bird immediately.

“Archimedes? Is that you? How in tarnation did you get here?” he asked, expecting the owl to answer. The owl’s head spun around, shaking its feathers to attract attention to the watch around its neck.

Gideon went over and pulled it off his head, and popped it open. The blue glow from inside the watch shined as Gideon looked over the interior intently. “Well, I’ll be a tumbleweed in a tornado,” he exclaimed. “Einstein did it . . . I can’t believe that little scallywag did it!”

The owl sounded off loudly at Gideon as if arguing with him. Gideon could see he offended the owl’s master in its eyes. “Dagnabbit, Archimedes, you are fit to be tied. Alright, alright, I apologize!” The owl accepted his apology and held out the scroll to Gideon. He took the scroll and opened it up, reading it through.

“Well, I’ll be a Rocky Mountain Canary. Sis, you are one helluva miracle worker!” He rolled up the scroll and tucked it into his pocket. “Archie, you tell Celeste I’ll see her at the next lunar cycle. Now, go on, git, before your way home closes.”

The snow owl loudly hooted one last time before taking off and flying out of the city until it disappeared from sight. Gideon couldn’t believe his luck as he looked at the watch one more time before tucking it into his pocket and attaching the chain to his vest. “Thunderation, things are about to get interestin’ around Akiba. Guess who’s coming for dinner, ya’ll?”

* * *

The work in a forge is hot, demanding concentration and precision. Gideon spent the first week giving Touya his first lesson being a blacksmith . . . managing the fire. Touya was responsible for maintaining the temperature in the forge basin, from pumping the bellows to fueling the furnace.

“You’re not color blind, are you Touya?” His question confused his new apprentice.

“No, Master Gideon, why?”

“You need to know the color of fire—the red, blue, yellow, and orange. That lets you know when to wait and when to work. You especially need to keep an eye on that salamander,” Gideon continued. “If he starts to turn a dark red, the little fella’s losing his heat. Give him a shovelful of coal to keep the varmint warm and toasty. The forge will do the rest.”

Gideon hammered out a myriad of weapons in a short period. In the year he traveled to Akiba, he only had the chance to make slight repairs to equipment. Finally, Gideon was able to put his heart and soul into new weapons. As a sorcerer-weaponsmith, he could make magic weapons, enchanted and forged by his own hand. It’s what made his work unique.

After giving Gideon a few days to get started, Henrietta and Marielle made their way to see how the forge was doing. Henrietta was so proud of her husband, not only for taking Touya under his wing but for getting it operational in such a short amount of time. He used all the gold he earned on the trip here to pay for the construction and supplies. Because of the illegal feedback loop, Gideon couldn’t deposit any of his gold in the bank on the way to Akiba. He had plenty of coins on hand, which Henrietta made him deposit immediately. Her frugal side always kept him in line.

“I can’t believe how quick Gideon got his business up and running,” Marielle commented. “It seems like all of Akiba is talking about it.”

“Gideon is a talented weaponsmith, one of the best, so it’s no surprise that everyone wants one of his products,” Henrietta added with pride.

“I thought you two would have bought a home first instead of building his forge,” Marielle queried.

“We talked about that, and we agreed that the forge was necessary,” Henrietta explained. “For now, we’ll just continue splitting our time between the two guildhalls, now that the access protocols have been properly updated.”

Marielle swallowed hard and chuckled under her breath as Henrietta reminded her of the minor indiscretion when Gideon first arrived. She knew Henrietta wasn’t one to hold a grudge, but that doesn’t mean she’ll forget it either.

As the two women approached the forge, a flurry of activity caught their attention as a crowd gathered to watch the master weaponsmith at work. What shocked Henrietta was that most of the bustling crowd was female, and when she approached the open forge, she realized why.

Gideon sharpened a forked spear on the spinning stone wheel, grinding it down to a perfect edge. He was shirtless, wearing only a heavy leather apron to protect his chest with his bandana wrapped around his head, holding back his sweat. His body dripped with sweat from the heat of the forge. Henrietta couldn’t take her eyes off him as he worked, watching his muscles flex with every move against the wheel. She understood why all the women were there, but it didn’t matter. Gideon belonged to her.

Gideon stopped and checked out the spear’s edge when satisfied with the work. He turned to Isuzu, who waited patiently off to the side with Rudy. Gideon made one last check on the straightness of the blade to the shaft of the spear before he handed it to Isuzu.

“There you go, Miss Isuzu; it’s ready for you!” Isuzu took the spear and smiled as she felt the weight of it.

“Wow, Master Gideon, this is amazing! But you didn’t have to do this. My howling spear worked just fine for me.”

“The howling spear is a weapon for an up-and-coming bard. You need something to go with your increased abilities,” he explained. “Here . . . tap the tip of the spear against the anvil.”

Isuzu reached out and the forked spear clanged against the top of the anvil. The spear resonated in a perfect pitch as the sound echoed off the walls. “It’s like a tuning fork. It will amplify your bard skills and abilities incrementally with each use. I call it the Song of Amarigin.”

“An appropriate weapon for a graceful bard like yourself, Miss Isuzu. With that spear, we’ll be an unstoppable team!” Rudy exclaimed, flipping his hair back and flashing a smile at Isuzu.

Isuzu rolled her eyes at Rudy, seeing his puppy dog demeanor, before realizing that she probably couldn’t afford such a weapon from a craftsman of Gideon’s caliber. “Master Gideon, thank you so much, but I can’t afford a weapon like this.”

Gideon leaned in close to Isuzu as he whispered something to her. “It’s a gift for my guild members, darlin’, but act like I’m giving you a great deal. That’ll make the people out there want to buy something.”

Isuzu understood as she played it up for the crowd. “Oh wow, I can’t believe I got this great weapon for a bargain price! Thank you, Master Gideon!” She bowed politely before rushing out with her new spear, desperate to show it off to Minori.

“Another satisfied customer for the Hawkmoon Forge!” Gideon shouted, ringing a bell hung on the wall. It was all part of the show, and he was center stage at the moment, soaking it in.

“Vanity is not a good look on you, darling,” came a familiar voice. Gideon spun around to see Henrietta and Marielle, watching his antics with a sour disdain on their faces. “Besides, how will you make any money if you keep giving away your weapons for free? That’s the third one since you opened!”

“It’s called marketing through free advertising, honey, something Naotsugu taught me,” Gideon explained. “I’m giving away a few select weapons to people in different guilds to help spread the word and get people interested in my work.”

“Yes, we heard about the sword you gave Kyouko from West Wind Brigade. She was so excited to try it out that she immediately formed a party and headed out to the hunting ground,” Marielle interjected. “But what about the Crescent Moon Alliance, hmmm?”

“Funny you should mention that . . . Touya, bring me the gift for Henrietta!” Touya stopped working on the firepit and raced over with a compound bow and quiver of arrows. The bow mechanics were interlaced with intricate scrollwork like a musical clef. The arrowheads and feathered tips all resembled musical notes of various forms.

Touya happily handed the bow and quiver to Henrietta. “Here you go, Henrietta, ma’am. Master Gideon made these, especially for you.” She took them and gazed at the workmanship with wonder.

“You did it . . .” she stammered. “You actually made them!”

“But what are they?” Marielle asked as she looked over the bow.

“It’s a Symphonic Bow with Acoustic Arrows,” Gideon remarked. “Henrietta said there weren’t a lot of magical items for bards who used a bow and arrow as a primary weapon. It gave me a challenge, so I designed these specifically for her.

“The bow will increase the range of her AOE spells,” he continued, referring to the area of effect. “And the arrows will add to a spell’s overall effectiveness and bolster her abilities. I know you don’t go in the field much anymore, darlin’, but I want you to have the best when you do.”

Henrietta blushed a bright red as her emotions got the best of her. She handed the bow and quiver to Marielle before she wrapped her arms around Gideon and kissed him passionately, earning a few “ooh’s and aah’s” from the crowd, but she didn’t care. Gideon was a little taken aback, knowing that Henrietta didn’t really go for public displays of affection. She had to thank him properly for thinking of her as he forged these weapons.

“Well, Hell’s bells, honey, if you like it that much, I’ll have to make gifts like that more often,” he joked.

“How about you just focus on making weapons to sell in your shop,” she said, putting her finger on his lips to shut him up before he could offer a rebuttal. “And I’ll really show you my appreciation tonight.”

“Oh geez, get a room, you two!” Marielle commented as she looked away. Before Henrietta could say something to her friend and guildmaster, they were interrupted by a cry for help.

“Help, please, someone, help us!” a voice cried out. Everyone turned to see Dolce, a bard from the West Wind Brigade, carrying her friend and fellow guild member, Isami. The samurai was lifeless in her arms as the muscular woman hobbled down the street with her.

Dolce dropped to the ground and gently laid Isami down. They rushed over to help her and find out what had happened. Marielle dropped everything to summon her Morning Aqua staff to start healing their injuries. “Dolce, honey, your ankle is twisted badly. How on Earth did you manage to carry Isami here?”

“I had to get here as quick as I could to protect my girl, Isami!” she cried. “I couldn’t let her be taken as the others.”

“Taken? What do you mean, Dolce?” Gideon interrupted.

“It was assassins from Minami!” she exclaimed. “They hit our party with those darts, just like poor little Minori.”

“You got hit with one too?” Touya asked.

“I did, Touya baby, but it wasn’t enough to bring down a big, strong girl like me!” Dolce said, flexing her muscle. “Kyouko told me to take Isami and get back to Akiba to get some help. She was fighting off some nightshades then going after the ones that took Kurinon, Fragrant Olive, and Kawara!”

“Nightshades? Like we fought in Saphir!” Touya added.

“Where were they headed, Dolce? Did they say how they were getting back to Minami?” Gideon pressed, trying to get more information.

“One of them said something about getting the girls to a train,” she remembered.

“That must be that magic train they used in Operation Red Night,” Henrietta recalled from the briefing on the incident. “Of all the days for Shiroe and the Round Table to be in Suskino, meeting with the Ezzo Empire.”

Gideon considered all the options before he pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it intently. He closed it before tucking it back in his pocket, more determined than ever. “Dolce, are you alright to walk?”

“You bet I can, sweet cheeks. Marielle, honey, fixed me up good!”

“Then I need you to skedaddle through the transport gate to Suskino and get Shiroe, Souji, and the others back here ASAP.”

“Will do! Be back with Souji-poo in a jiff!” Dolce shouted as she took off for the inter-city transport gate. These gates allowed players to travel between the major cities but malfunctioned after the Apocalypse. They only recently started working again.

“Gideon, Isami isn’t waking up,” Marielle worried. “My magic can’t help her.”

“Go get Doc, Marielle. He’s got the antidote for that drug.” Marielle took off toward the Log Horizon guild hall to find the Inuit Medicine Man. “Touya, go get my stuff from the forge!”

As Touya took off, Gideon turned toward the guild and shouted, “Akatsuki!” With that, the little ninja suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Her eyes widened, stunned at seeing a friend of hers lying in the street.

“What happened to Isami?” she asked.

“There’s no time to explain,” Gideon interrupted her. “Plant Hwyaden wrangled some of the girls from West Wind Brigade. They’re headed for a magic train to vamoose back to Minami.” Touya showed up with his hat, coat, gun belt, and saddlebag as soon as he said that. Gideon reached into his bag and pulled out a handful of foxfire grenades, handing them to Akatsuki. “You track down that train and help Kyouko rescue those girls. Use these to stop the train from leaving! You head’m off at the pass, and I’ll be right behind you!”

Akatsuki understood what he asked, putting the grenades in her own magic sack before disappearing to use her tracker sub-class skills to find these marauders. As soon as she took off, Marielle returned with Doc and Chief Nyanta, along with the other junior members of Log Horizon.

“Chief, can you fortify the city’s defenses until Dolce returns with Shiroe and the others? We need to be sure this isn’t an ambush!”

“Mew sure can; consider it done, my friend. And what are you going to do?” Nyanta inquired.

“Henrietta, get your bow, darlin’ you’re coming with me . . . We’re going to get us some back-up!” Gideon exclaimed.

* * *

Miles away from Akiba, the three sleeping captives were carefully loaded into coffin-like chambers to both contain them and keep them drugged during the trip back to Minami. All this was being done under the watchful gaze of Jered Gan, the Eighth Seat of the Ten Seat Council. The white-haired, big head elf looked more like a researcher than an archmage, and as the former Sage of Miral Lake, he preferred that role. The money and independence given to him by Indix helped him in his quest to make the People of the Land equal to adventurers.

Those experiments included the nightshades surrounding the train—People of the Land spiritually tapped into monsters’ bodies, forcing them to level up without hurting themselves. After the previous failures to recover any specimens for examination, Jered Gan took no chances. Along with his personal guard, the Fūma Demons added to the overwhelming force protecting the train.

Rezor Ginta, the leader of the Fūma Demons, kept a close eye on the adventurers. The nearly seven-foot giant, draped in a red and black yukata with his belly pushing it to its limits, looked more like a sumo wrestler than an assassin. Although he was only level 60, his power and presence were quite formidable. He leaned on a kanabō, a giant metal club with spikes, as he kept watch.

Jered Gan appreciated the work of the Fūma Demons, especially Rezor, for his loyalty to him and Indix. Gan knew that Kazuhiko and his Wolves of Mibu only feigned loyalty to their ideas. Still, he knew better than to tangle with an assassin like Kazuhiko. Gan would welcome the chance to put Rezor on the council instead. For now, he accepted the intense caution he brought to this mission.

“You are on edge, Rezor, and for a good reason. The sooner we leave with our prizes, the better it will be,” Gan admitted.

“I wouldn’t be this apprehensive, master if those two hadn’t gotten away. I don’t want to be caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a raiding party from Akiba.”

“Our spies in Suskino told us that the majority of Round Table would be there today,” Gan explained. “I expect you can handle most low-level adventurers waiting behind in Akiba. They are no threat to us.”

“That guardian, the one that fought off the nightshades single-handedly while we escaped to the train with our captives . . . She’ll be here soon. We need to hurry things along, master.”

“I cannot rush this process, Rezor. If they are not properly sedated, they could easily break out of the containers,” he explained, frustrated as he banged his cane off Rezor’s ample belly. “All of these adventurers are over level 90, which would cause a problem for you and the Fūma Demons. I trust you and the nightshades can handle one guardian.”

“Think again, old man!” Kyouko surprised them. She looked menacing, dressed in full plate armor, except for the dainty plaid scarf tied around her neck. She was ready to strike with a massive shield in one hand and a broad sword in the other. “Time Slash!” she shouted, slicing her blade through the air, until suddenly, all the nightshades were cut down, their anima dispersing all at once.

This was the power of the sword Gideon made for her—The Chronos Blade. If you waited one minute, the sword calculated where your enemies moved in the previous moment in time. Kyouko cut down all the nightshades in the past with a single slash, thereby killing them in the present. This was the perfect weapon for a guardian, giving them time to defend while the sword calculated their next move.

“Ack, my nightshades! How did she do that?” Gan queried.

“It doesn’t matter . . . Fūma Demons attack!” Rezor commanded as his assassin leaped down to swarm on top of her. Without warning, Akatsuki activates her overkill or oral art, Shadow Lurk, and dozens of clones of Akatsuki attacked the assassins, cutting them down. Over half their force was cut down by these two adventurers. They were left lying on the ground, injured, or incapacitated.

 “Thanks, Akatsuki! I’m glad Dolce made it back to Akiba. Is Isami okay?” Kyouko asked.

“She’s in good hands with Doc and Marielle, but let’s focus on these jerks until help arrives,” she said. “Can you take on fatso? I need to stop this train from leaving.”

“You got it!” Kyouko shouted as she charged right toward the massive man. If I can hold off his attacks for another thirty seconds, I’ll be able to do another time slash and take him down. I won’t disappoint Master Soujiro or my guild.

Rezor lifted his club with ease. Before Kyouko reached him, he slammed it into the ground, sending a shockwave across the land. It threw Kyouko back, but she noticed that it broke the timer on her sword, resetting it back to the original minute.

“I don’t know your sword’s ability, but it doesn’t matter anymore,” Rezor said, keeping his club at the ready. “My kanabō is called Monolith Breaker. Not only can it shatter attacks, but it also breaks through any magical buffs, debuffs, protections, and spells. With this, I have a level playing field with you God-like adventurers.”

Kyouko got to her feet, back to the ready. “You’re gonna need more than that to equal any adventurer, especially those from the West Wind Brigade!” She charged again, watching his movements as she anticipated his next swing. Rezor brought his kanabō down, but this time Kyouko leaped over the shockwave, using its momentum to lift her into the air. She planted her feet on the side of the train before pushing off and catapulting her into Rezor.

“Shield Smash!” she screamed, swinging her shield into the big man and knocking him down. She backflipped off her attack, quite nimbly for a woman in full plate armor, landing on her feet. “If you’re gonna swing that monstrosity, I suggest you learn more than just one attack.”

Rezor wiped the blood dripping from his lip, angry that this woman got the best of him. He quickly got back to his feet, ready to continue the fight, while Jered Gan had his hands full dealing with Akatsuki. The archmage threw lightning bolts, icicles, and flaming arrows, but the nimble ninja was too fast for the inexperienced combatant. For all his bravado, Jered Gan researched magic more than he wielded it in combat.

“Damn you, cursed brat, hold still!” he shouted, throwing another volley at her. To her credit, Akatsuki could outmaneuver him while using the remaining members of his personal guard as shields. As she moved around the top of the train, she made sure to get in line with one of the assassins so they could bear the brunt of the attack. For all his bravado, all Jered Gan was doing was picking off his own men. All the while, Akatsuki was moving closer and closer toward the engine.

The giant spinning gears between the cars powered the train through the magic circles generated by the engine. It was a marvel of magical and mechanical engineering, brought together by utilizing engineering skills from the other world with the magic of this one.

Akatsuki knew she had to disable the spinning gears to stop the train from leaving with her friends. She had the bombs from Gideon but no way to light them without stopping her defensive moves, but then it hit her. “Come on, grandpa, I’ve seen better magic at a child’s birthday party!” she teased.

“Grandpa? Grandpa? Now, you will face the wrath of Jered Gan! Inferno Strike!” He called down a flurry of fireballs that followed Akatsuki as she danced across the train roof. Before reaching the spinning engine gear, she tossed Gideon’s bombs behind her before leaping up and over the engine. The fireballs ignited the bomblets as they exploded on the gear structure, causing immense damage to the two sections of the train.

Gan was beside himself at the destruction caused, further impeding their escape back to Minami. He had only one thing left to try and facilitate their departure. “Rezor, unleash the demon! Infinity Force!” he channeled a powerful magic spell into his protector. It broke through his limiters and increased his strength and power. Once he charged up, Rezor slammed the tip of his club on the ground, unleashing a cascading wave of force, like a thousand tiny earthquakes in this one small area. It radiated up through the club and into the air, pressing down from above.

Akatsuki was thrown off the train into Kyouko as the two felt crushed beneath the force emanating from his club. They could barely move under its crushing weight. “What is this? I can’t move?” Kyouko stammered.

“I don’t know. I never felt anything like this before,” Akatsuki replied in an equally paralyzed response.

“It’s appropriate that women should be on their knees before their superiors,” Rezor laughed at the helpless nature of the two adventurers. “This is the power of the Shuten Dōji Monolith. When Master Jered unleashes my full potential with Infinity Force, I can summon the power of Shuten Dōji, the most powerful demon in all of Yamato.”

He strolled over to them and raised his club to strike. “Don’t worry; we’ll let you return to Akiba once Master Jered finishes with you!”

“Arpeggio!” a voice cried out as an arrow plunged into Rezor’s shoulder. Musical notes began swirling around him. After being hit with a sudden weakness throughout his body, he dropped his club.

“Singularity!” another voice chanted as a gunshot rang out, striking the ground beneath him. A gravitational singularity formed at his feet, pulling Rezor to the ground. He could barely keep himself on one knee as he looked up and saw Henrietta and Gideon rushing toward him. Henrietta kept an arrow nocked in her bow while Gideon leveled his six-shooters at the helpless man. “How’s it feel to be brought to your knees, you cold-blooded sidewinder?”

“Dispel Magic!” Jered Gan chanted as he quickly dispelled the magic, forcing Rezor to the ground. Gideon knew that he could access a wide range of spells as an archmage. Rezor pulled the arrow out of his shoulder and raised his club. Suddenly, a slew of nightshades appeared along with the remaining members of the Fūma Demons, healed and ready to fight. Rezor grinned at the overwhelming odds in his favor.

“It looks like you didn’t bring enough people with you, adventurer?” Rezor mocked. Now it was Gideon’s turn to grin at the behemoth.

“You sure about that hoss?” Gideon remarked when multiple arrows shot out from behind him, knocking the club out of Rezor’s hand and the staff from Jered Gan. The surprise attack came from a large group emerging through the trees.

“Eagle Mountain, attack!” Celeste Hawkmoon shouted as she fired another volley of arrows, this time aimed at the other members of the Fūma Demons. The deadly accuracy of this assassin was matched only by her beauty. Her long black hair flowed out from under a feathered headdress resembling an eagle. The flowing dress of dragonweave chainmail, slit up to her thighs, seemed out of place in battle, but she nimbly moved in it. “Veronika, you and Tom take care of those nightshades! King, support them with a Resonance Beat!”

“Uh-huh, you got it, boss, uh-huh uh-huh!” he replied. King—dressed as Elvis Presley in a rhinestone jumpsuit, dark glasses, and a pompadour—started to play his guitar like a virtuoso. His bard song echoed across the battlefield with a rock n’ roll beat, affecting the weapons of his guildmates.

“Shiver me timbers, let’s sink these scallywags to Davy Jones Locker!” shouted Veronika Red, swinging two cutlasses wildly. She sliced her way through the nightshades with ease, even with one eye, thanks to King’s enchantment. She embodied the spirit of a true pirate swashbuckler.

“Tiger Echo Fist!” cried Tom Redwood as he slammed his fist at the remaining nightshades, blowing them apart. The Cherokee monk towered over his opponents like his namesake, taking them down with the power added to his massive gauntlets.

“Brother Tate, see if those two women need healing!” Celeste commanded. “Gideon, Henrietta, you’re with me!”

They moved alongside Celeste, charging toward Jered Gan and Rezor. At the same time, a muscular dark-skinned man went to check on Akatsuki and Kyouko. He wore a simple tank top and jeans with some leather bucklers for protection. He glistened in the sunlight with all the gold chains and pendants hanging around his neck. He wore massive brass knuckles on his hands, etched with “peace” and “love” in big, bold letters.

“Hey there, ladies, you look like you could use Brother Tate’s good vibrations and wonderous healing powers!” he said before casting a healing glow over them. Tate could see the two were shocked at seeing his guild in action, especially Akatsuki.

“Is that . . . that . . . Celeste Hawkmoon? The Arclight Assassin?” she stammered.

“The one and only ninja girl, guildmaster for Eagle Mountain!”

“Eagle Mountain? But you’re from the North America server. How did you get to Yamato?” Kyouko asked.

“It’s quite easy, actually,” someone interrupted. Stepping through the trees were the last two members of Eagle Mountain. The woman was a Ritian, apparent by the tattooed runes on her face and hands. She wore an elaborate set of multi-functional goggles over her eyes as she operated a complex pocket watch, similar to Gideon’s. Next to her was a guardian dressed in black armor, from head to toe, emblazoned with a bat emblem on his chest plate, sword, and shield.

“With my lunar chronometer, we were able to navigate the transport portals to bring us directly from our home outside Angels to Yamato in an instant. Although, sadly, this little excursion of ours will mean we will have to wait two weeks, three days, ten hours, and forty-five minutes until the next proper alignment to return home.”

The intelligent banter confused the two women until Tate sorted it out. “She used her gizmo, and we jumped through some fairy rings until we made it here,” Tate explained. “This is Einstein, our resident genius, and her bodyguard, Sir Wayne.”

“Hi-ya,” Wayne said in a deep, gruff voice.

“Thaddeus, I asked you not to call me by that ridiculous nickname. Please introduce me as Dr. Roberta Copernicus,” Einstein countered.

Tate looked at her with slight contempt, knowing she hated Einstein’s nickname as much as he hated her calling him Thaddeus. “Sure, Bobbi!” he retorted, earning him another glare from Einstein before Tate finished his healing. “Okay, ladies, you’re all set.”

“Thank you so much,” Akatsuki said as she got to her feet, giving him a polite bow.

“Yes, thank you very much!” Kyouko added. “We’re so grateful for your help in rescuing our friends.”

“Think nothing of it, little lady. It’s just what we do, right Wayne?” Tate said, looking over to his companion, who just nodded.

“Justice must prevail,” was all he said in response. As soon as he said that, the battle was over. The nightshades were destroyed, the remaining members of the Fūma Demons were either unconscious or severely injured, and both Jered Gan and Rezor were forced to surrender.

“Roberta, see if you can get those containers open and free the adventurers from West Wind,” Celeste added. “Brother Tate, you and Sir Wayne help her.”

“I’ll help too,” Kyouko added, trotting off to help her guildmates while Akatsuki stepped up next to Gideon. They gave each other a fist bump, happy at how things worked out. Jered Gan, on the other hand, shook his head violently. He was vehemently upset at how things transpired.

“No, no, no, you have no right to interfere in my experiments, no right!” Gan protested.

“Experiments? These are people, not lab rats!” Henrietta screamed in his face. “We will not allow you to kidnap and abuse our family and friends!”

“Someone done stole your rudder, partner,” Gideon remarked. “Now, unless Plant Hwyaden wants an all-out war across Yamato, you’d better back off with these shenanigans, or you’ll last as long as a pint of whiskey in a five-handed poker game.”

“You don’t scare me, cowboy,” Rezor spat back at him. “We have ten times your numbers. We will march across Eastel and crush you beneath our boots.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” someone said behind them. Shiroe and the rest of the Round Table Conference leaders walked through the forest with Dolce following close behind.

“See, Gideon sweetie, I told you I’d get them here in a jiffy!” Dolce shouted with a wave.

“You did real good, Dolce! You’re aces high in my book!” Gideon replied with a tip of his hat, causing the masculine woman to blush. Shiroe and the others ignored Jered Gan and approached Celeste, bowing politely as he spoke.

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, Celeste Hawkmoon of Eagle Mountain. We welcome you to Yamato, although I am curious about how you got here?” Shiroe asked. Celeste bowed her head politely before she answered.

“The honor is mine, Shiroe of Log Horizon. We can explain things in detail later. For now, I thank you for taking my wayward brother into your guild. I hope he’s not too much of a nuisance for you.”

“No, not at all. He’s starting to grow on us, even with his little pranks of drowning people in the water,” Shiroe answered sarcastically.

“Oh yes, his little Rainmaker spell. I see he’s still acting like the petulant child he is . . .” Celeste remarked back.

“Uh, Ya’ll know I’m standing right her?”

“Yes, we know you are, brother dear. We’re just ignoring you,” Celeste joked. “Now, please be quiet and let the adults speak.” Gideon hated when his little sister got smart with him. He was about to snap his fingers, dunking his sister with water, but she swiftly pulled a long dagger and aimed for his throat. He immediately blocked it with his own bowie knife. The two locked in, pressing back against the other’s blade.

She stared at him with what Gideon called her “scary eyes,” and he stopped in his tracks. “Don’t even think about it, Jedidiah!” she warned, using his real name.

“Now I wouldn’t dream of it, Dorothy,” he shot back, using her real name too, which made some of the members of Eagle Mountain chuckle under their breath. “How about we hold off on our little family squabbles until this is over, okay?”

Celeste pulled back her blade, as did Gideon, but not before Celeste pinched him on the cheek. “Oh, you’re so cute when your angry!” she joked before Henrietta pulled him away from her. She didn’t want him to start another fight with his sister.

On the other hand, Akatsuki was star-struck and in love with her idol even more. “She is so awesome!” she whispered quietly.

Soujiro and Nazuna ignored all the misadventures and went to check on their girls. Brother Tate and Kyouko helped them out of the containers, laying them on the ground. They were still under the effects of the powerful narcotic.

“They seem alright but still unconscious,” Brother Tate told Soujiro. “Gideon said that his medicine man friend has an antidote for the drug. I’m sure they’ll wake up once we get them back to Akiba.”

Soujiro fumed, and his fury turned to Jered Gan and Rezor. The fire in his eyes burned with a hatred Soujiro reserved for anyone who messed with his girls. In the blink of an eye, he had both of his swords drawn, bearing down their throats.

“You deserve death for what you put my girls through,” he spoke with unwavering passion. “I am sick and tired of following the rules while Plant Hwyaden gets to do what they want.”

Jered Gan cringed as the samurai blade scratched his throat, but Rezor Ginta smiled and laughed at him. “Go ahead, little man, kill me. Make me a martyr, and I will live forever to the people of Westlande. All you’ll do is embolden our forces to crush Eastel. We will enslave you and your girls to work for the glory of the Holy Empire of Westlande.”

His threats infuriated Soujiro even more, but a comforting hand touched his shoulder. Nazuna leaned into her guildmaster, wrapping her arm around him. “He’s not worthy of your blade, Souji. Don’t taint it with the blood of this Yatsu.”

Soujiro understood what she meant and lowered his blades before stepping back. Jered Gan breathed a sigh of relief while Rezor just continued his taunt. “That’s what makes you weak, samurai, bending to the whims of your woma . . .” Before finishing his sentence, Soujiro brought his blade down across Rezor’s face, leaving a deep diagonal gash. The brute screamed in pain but not before Nazuna raised her hand to his face.

“Holy Curse of the Sword!” she said, casting her prayer spell as the wound seared close, creating a wicked scar. “That scar will never heal, no matter what any healer might try. That will remind you NEVER to mess with the West Wind Brigade again.”

“And if you do, I won’t hesitate to take your life,” Soujiro added. “Don’t even think about setting foot in Akiba unless you want a quick death.”

Rezor became enraged at the insult leveled at him. “You think this changes anything? All of Westlande will destroy you in one fell swoop.”

“I doubt that very seriously,” Shiroe interrupted. “Unless you want to take on the Ezzo Empire along with the Freedom Cities of Eastal.” Both Jered Gan and Rezor were stunned into silence. “You can tell Indix and Princess Nureha that the Round Table Conference signed a mutual defense accord with the Ezzo Empire. If Westlande invades again, the Ezzo Empire will support us militarily, and we will support them in return.”

“As will Eagle Mountain,” Celeste interjected, surprising everyone. “We will not stand by and let our family be overrun. Should you invade and attempt to conquer this land, I will bring the full weight of twenty thousand adventurers to Yamato to stop your plans.”

She paused for a moment before turning to Shiroe. “I realize there is no formal agreement between our guilds, Master Shiroe, but consider this a mutual understanding between guild masters.”

Her sudden announcement shocked Shiroe and the others. Still, he realized that this could be beneficial in stopping an all-out war across Yamato. He looked around at the other members of the Round Table Conference—Soujiro of West Wind, William Massachusetts of Silver Sword, Reize and Misa of the D3 Hub, Michitaka of Marine Agency, and Akaneya of Radio Market. They all nodded their heads, agreeing with the alliance with Eagle Mountain.

Shiroe offered his hand to Celeste, and she hardily took it. “The Round Table Conference welcomes an alliance with Eagle Mountain. From this day forward, we will support you just as you helped us today,” he announced, and then he turned his attention back to their captives. “I suggest you pick up your wounded and get back on your train to Minami. When Plant Hwyaden and Westlande are ready to talk peace, we’ll listen.”

Everyone backed away to allow Jered Gan and Rezor to leave. The rest of the Fūma Demons helped their wounded board the magic train. They disconnected from the damaged cars and headed south, “With their tail between their legs,” Gideon commented.

While they prepared some stretchers for the drugged members of West Wind, everyone got a chance to gather around and meet their new friends from Eagle Mountain. It made for exciting conversation as new friendships were made that spanned an ocean and two servers.

Henrietta finally received a proper introduction to her sister-in-law as the two embraced. Celeste never had a chance to meet her in the real world. She heard all about Henrietta from her brother, thrilled to see that she lived up to all his praise. As those two talked, Akatsuki nudged Gideon repeatedly to urge him to keep his promise and introduce the tiny ninja to his sister. He finally took the hint and interrupted the two women in his life.

“Excuse me, Celeste, but there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” he said before motioning to Akatsuki. “This is Akatsuki, our ninja in Log Horizon. She was the one who stopped the train from leaving with those petticoats from West Wind.”

Akatsuki nervously bowed to her in-game idol. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Celeste. I am Akatsuki, Master Shiroe’s shinobi and personal bodyguard. I have long admired your career in Elder Tales.”

While she remained prostrate, Celeste was quiet. She didn’t say a word; she didn’t move a muscle except for the occasional twitch in her eyes and lips. She stared intensely at the little ninja, which unnerved Akatsuki until . . . “Oh my God, you are the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen!” Celeste screamed as she crushed Akatsuki in a death grip hug around her head. “Isn’t she just adorable!”

“I know, right! My little Akatsuki is such a cutie-patootie!” Henrietta added as the two women assaulted her repeatedly with love and affection. Gideon sighed audibly at the sight of these two uncontrollable women. That’s why he didn’t want to introduce Akatsuki to his sister like this, but now it was too late. He could deal with Henrietta, but he needed some help with Celeste.

“Tom, can you . . .” he asked the towering monk.

“Yeah, I got it,” he said as he walked up to Celeste, picked her up with one hand, and pulled her off Akatsuki. He was the only one who could get away with manhandling Celeste as she continued to struggle to reach Akatsuki. Gideon did the same with Henrietta, leaving the little ninja in shambles. Her hair was a mess, her clothes all crumpled as she stood there in silence. Shiroe walked over to his companion, but she held a finger to shut him up before saying a word.

“Don’t say anything!” she warned as he waved it off and walked away. But then, she just smiled and sighed. Deep down, it thrilled her that she was mauled by her idol. “Totally worth it!”

* * *

Stay tuned for Part 5 of A Tale of Log Horizon-The Gunslinger’s First Mission. Check out my fan fiction page if you want to catch up on the whole story.