Time was ticking. A war was looming. And Olivia was going to get ahead of any problems.

  They teleported back to Fort Bone, and Olivia snapped into her work-hard, get-stuff-done mode. She summoned the mini faeries, sending notes and messages flying in every direction. Atlas arrived first, fresh from training with Portilla and Crushir, strolled over.

  “Well, I can definitely be there. That’s not a problem,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “I’m assuming you’ll have no issue putting together a marching band?”

  “That’s no problem,” Olivia said, nodding confidently.

  Alexander chimed in, “Getting pretty armor, though, that’s going to be a harder thing.”

  “Yes, it’s important that it’s ceremonial armor, not war armor,” Victoria added, her tone firm. “If you show up with an escort in war armor, I don’t think they’ll get the right impression.”

  “Oh, I’m happy to do that,” Alexander said with a grin, already picturing himself leading a parade of soldiers in gleaming golden armor through Fort Bone, soaking in the cheers. ‘Gotta talk to Randy, and rush this order. I know he’s been making a lot of golden armor based on mine. Sure is handy being an idol.‘

  “Then all that leaves is a gift,” Olivia said, turning to Atlas. “What can we get an Emperor? He can pretty much buy anything he wants.”

  “There’s one thing, though,” Atlas replied, a sly smile creeping across his face. “Something I think he would love. Something he can’t get. And he doesn’t even know about it yet.”

  “What’s that?” Olivia asked, intrigued.

  “Follow me,” Atlas said, excitement bubbling in his voice. “This is a good time for you too, Alexander. Me and John have been tinkering with something for a while now.”

  They hurried toward the new vending machine, operated by the Nagas, where Atlas believed they’d found the perfect gift for the Emperor.

  ‘‘‘

  The Speedy Serpent Vending Machine hummed with energy, its interface glowing as Atlas eagerly interacted with it. This remarkable machine was known for creating mounts, and Atlas had successfully crafted three so far—one for himself and one for Portilla and Crushir. They’d all worked out perfectly, no unexpected failures.

  “We’ve been tinkering with this thing, and we’ve got the hang of it now,” Atlas said, excitement bubbling in his voice. “But the machine allows for custom designs. In our off time, John and I have been working on designing a horse. It looks a little alien still, but it’s definitely recognizable as a horse.”

  “I think instead of just walking, if we had mounted soldiers, that would be impressive,” Atlas continued, his enthusiasm growing.

  “Hell yeah!” Alexander replied, eyes lighting up at the thought. He now imagined himself leading a mounted horse troop through town, women fainting in admiration as roses rained down on him.

  “But look at this option,” Atlas said, pointing to the screen. “That custom option we’re playing with is... well, custom. We can make anything. And we have enough bones to do it.”

  The excitement in the room was undeniable as they realized the potential of their plan. “The only thing about it is the cost,” Atlas added, his brow furrowing slightly.

  “Well, I’ve talked to Amber,” Olivia chimed in, glancing at her notes. “We have enough money for quite a bit. We could upgrade our castle to level four, or we could get everyone into level two armor instead of that 1.7.”

  “Good,” Atlas said, relief flooding him. “Then I don’t have to worry about spending a couple hundred coins on one mount. Just 500 coins. This thing is a bit more expensive than I’d like, but it’ll make a mind-blowing present.”

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  He started pumping coins into the machine, calling for others to throw bones into the mix. After about twenty minutes of tinkering, he finally had what he wanted. With a satisfying whirr, a custom dragon token ejected from the machine. The token depicted an Eastern-style dragon crafted from skeletal remains, its design both elegant and fierce.

  “I think this will be the perfect gift for the Celestial Empire,” Atlas announced, holding the token up triumphantly. “A mount of its own—a symbol of its authority.”

  Olivia glanced at Victoria, who nodded in agreement. “That would be perfect. No one else in the world has anything like it. And if you promise him that no one else will ever be able to make one, it should cement our friendship.”

  “No problem, we can delete the design,” Atlas grinned.

  With the plan solidified, anticipation filled the air as they prepared for their meeting with the Emperor, knowing they were on the brink of something monumental.

  ‘‘‘

  With the emperor’s gift out of the way, the next thing was the cavalry escort.

  Atlas stood in front of the Speedy Serpent Vending Machine, a determined look on his face. "Alright, let’s get started. Standard warhorses, nothing fancy, but solid and reliable."

  Alexander practically bounced on his heels. "Man, I can’t wait! A whole troop of mounted soldiers? This is gonna be somethin’ else!"

  Atlas grinned, feeding the first set of coins into the machine. "One hundred warhorses, ten coins each. It's a deal."

  The machine hummed to life, the screen flashing as it processed the command. Within moments, the first warhorse token popped out, a gleaming silver coin with the silhouette of a horse on it. Atlas tossed it to Alexander. "There you go, one down, ninety-nine to go."

  Alexander caught it, turning it over in his hands like it was a priceless artifact. "Hot damn, I’m gonna be leadin’ a cavalry charge in no time. Yeehaw!"

  As Atlas continued feeding coins into the machine, tokens began spilling out faster and faster. The room buzzed with energy, each new token adding to the growing excitement. Alexander was practically vibrating, picturing himself in golden armor, leading a troop of mounted soldiers through Fort Bone.

  "Are you going to get some roses for good measure?" Atlas teased, knowing exactly where Alexander’s mind was.

  "Don’t you worry, Atlas," Alexander grinned wide, pocketing another token. "I’ll make sure the crowd knows what to throw!"

  ‘‘‘

  Atlas felt the weight of tomorrow's presentation pressing down on him. This wasn’t just about showing off—they were going to be the face of the Empire. He wanted everything to be perfect.

  "Olivia, how are we doing?" he asked, a hint of tension creeping into his voice.

  Olivia looked up from her notes, calm but focused. "The mounted troops are going to look impressive. The band? That's all set. The trolls—"

  "Let's upgrade the troll armor too," Atlas interrupted, an idea sparking in his mind. They’d been using the same basic level-1 armor for a while, simply because the trolls didn’t need anything fancy. But this was different. They needed to make an impression.

  It hit him how long it had been since he even thought about upgrading their gear. ‘Actually, never,‘ he realized. The flame resistance potions had always been enough. But two trolls in closed-faced helmets and plate armor? That would look badass—especially if their armor was in Red Fairy Red.

  Determined, Atlas went straight to the vending machine. He punched in the code and watched as the machine spat out two tokens. Holding them up, he felt a rush of satisfaction. ‘Perfect.‘

  He handed the tokens to Portilla and Crushir. Portilla’s eyes lit up, and she grinned. "Thanks, Daddy!" she chirped.

  Crushir, always more straightforward, smiled wide. "Presents!"

  They activated the tokens, and in a flash, their armor appeared, gleaming hot pink and matching Atlas’s own. The three of them stood there, a formidable team in vibrant, sparkly, armor. It was ridiculous and amazing all at once.

  Atlas couldn’t help but laugh. "Now we’re ready."

  ‘‘‘

  The Red Fairy watching the show cheered, as more of her iconic Red Fairy Red spray paint was used. The mana coins were jingling into her account. ‘Good job Atlas! Work harder!‘

  ‘‘‘

  The next day, the army trooped out from the castle toward the teleportation point, excitement crackling in the air. They’d definitely make a parade out of it, though. A band played the anthem of Fort Bone, filling the atmosphere with pride and anticipation.

  Atlas and his trolls led the army in their hot pink armor, riding atop their oversized mounts, their hearts swelling with confidence. Behind them, Alexander, resplendent in his golden armor, proudly led the troops, all 100 of them on their matching warhorses, beaming with enthusiasm.

  The crafters and new recruits followed, looking fierce in their level 1.7 bone armor, determination shining in their eyes. Olivia and her diplomats were also part of the procession, their expressions a mix of hope and nervousness.

  Flowers were thrown by the girls—thanks to Alexander, who had made sure to purchase plenty and gave them to the mini faeries to distribute, adding a splash of color to the scene.

  “This is it,” Atlas said, a mix of excitement and anxiety in his voice as they reached the teleportation point. “Now we’re going to meet with the Celestial Emperor, and hopefully, we come out of this with a solid alliance.”