[22] Spawn

After narrowly escaping the chaos at The Drunken Kraken, Elara and I hurried through the dimly lit streets of Portus Corsair, making our way to a different district. The tension of our escape lingered, but there was an unspoken agreement that we needed to put distance between us and the potential wrath of the district's boss.

Finding a nondescript hotel in a quieter part of the city, we quickly secured a room. The room was small, with barely enough space for the two-person bed and a rickety table. Elara shut the door behind us, locking it securely.

"Remember," she said, turning to me, "hotel rooms like this can serve as temporary spawn locations. It's not just a place to crash; it's a tactical retreat point if things go south."

I nodded, understanding the strategic importance. "Good to know. We might need it if we keep stirring up trouble like we did back there."

Elara sat on the edge of the bed, her expression serious. "Alright, we need a plan. We've got some gold now, but we can't keep gambling our way through this. We need something more solid, more sustainable."

I pulled up a chair, my mind racing. "Right. We need to establish ourselves, get some sort of base or operation going. Maybe start looking into that trade route idea, see if we can get a foothold in the market here."

She rubbed her temples, deep in thought. "It's going to be tricky. We're new faces in a city that doesn't trust easily. We'll need to find allies, or at least people who don't want to slit our throats for a few coins."

I leaned forward, my voice low. "What about the pirate factions? If we could get in with one of them, it could give us the protection and the connections we need. It's risky, but it might be our best shot."

Elara looked at me, her eyes sharp. "You mean cozy up to one of the Yonkos? That's playing with fire. We'd be pawns in their power games. But... you might be onto something. If we pick the right faction, play our cards right, it could work."

I could see the wheels turning in her head. "We'll need to be careful, pick a faction that aligns somewhat with our goals. And we'll have to keep our ultimate objective in sight – we're not here to play pirate; we're here to build something for ourselves."

Elara nodded, determination settling on her features. "Alright. Let's start gathering intel, feel out these factions. We keep a low profile, figure out who's who, what they want, and how we can use that to our advantage."

"Sounds like a plan." I commented.

"Do you know how to set a spawn point?"

"No." I scratched my head.

"Okay, so to set this place as a spawn point, we've got to lie down for ten minutes. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but better safe than sorry. But this rule only applies to peace time, if this is a warzone, the spawn mechanics is a hell lot more complicated."

I nodded, understanding the necessity of the task. The bed, barely large enough for two, seemed even smaller as we both got in and lay down next to each other. The proximity was a bit awkward, and we both seemed conscious of it.

Elara cleared her throat, trying to break the tension. "So, here we are, lying in a bed together in a pirate city. Not exactly how I imagined my day going."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her comment. "Yeah, it's not exactly the height of luxury, is it? But hey, it's part of the game, right? Besides, could be worse. Could be lying on the floor of that tavern with a drunk pirate drooling on us."

Elara let out a laugh, the sound lightening the mood. "True. This is definitely the better option. Just... don't get any ideas. I've got my spear within arm's reach."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I replied with a grin, trying to make light of the situation. "Besides, I value my life too much to risk the wrath of Elara."

We lay there in a comfortable silence for a moment, each lost in thought. Then Elara spoke up again, her tone more serious. "Once this spawn point is set, we're really in it. No turning back. We're going to have to play it smart, Wang. This city is a snake pit, and we're right in the middle of it."

I turned my head to look at her, meeting her gaze. "We'll manage. We've gotten this far, haven't we? We just need to stick to the plan, stay alert, and watch each other's backs."

Elara nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "Right. We've got a plan, and we're going to see it through. Come hell or high water, we're going to make our mark on Portus Corsair."

As we lay there, the ten minutes ticking by slowly, the reality of our situation settled in. We were in a city of pirates and cutthroats, far from the familiar territories we knew. But in the world of 'Game of Kings,' risk was part of the game, and we were playing for high stakes.

Finally, the ten minutes were up, and our spawn point was set. We both sat up, a sense of accomplishment mixed with the anticipation of the challenges ahead.

"Alright," Elara said, standing up and stretching. "Let's get to work. Portus Corsair won't know what hit it."

Q: What would you do next in this situation?