The Land: Catacombs

By

Dr. Aleron Kong

FORWARD

Hello dear readers.  Thank you so much for joining me once again.  As always, creating the latest edition of The Land has been a labor of love.  Like all true love, it was exhausting, demanding and exhilarating!  As some of you may know, I will be releasing a Version 2 of the first three books soon.  Book four, the very story you are about to journey through, is built upon the laws and rules of Version 2.  There will be NO major plot changes or twists, just a few mechanics issues to make everything a bit more fun.  For a complete list, look under the “News” section of my website.  www.LitRPG.com.  For those of you now gnashing your teeth, lol, just think of it as an update for one of your favorite games.  Now, without further ado, welcome!  Welcome back, to The Land!.

This book is dedicated to my brother, Freddy Kong.  He is an amazing man, an inspiring father and my stalwart supporter through the years.  He is the heart of our family.  The one who reminds me to take a step back and be human.  I love you brother.

The Land: Catacombs

A self-published book by Aleron Kong

Copyright ©2016

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contents

The Dark Court (Subrealm Gamma’Not-Fractal~2489)

CHAPTER 1  _

CHAPTER 2 _

CHAPTER 3 _

CHAPTER 4 _

CHAPTER 5 _

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7 _

CHAPTER 8 _

CHAPTER 9 _

CHAPTER 10 _

CHAPTER 11 _

CHAPTER 12 _

CHAPTER 13 _

CHAPTER 14 _

CHAPTER 15 _

CHAPTER 16 _

CHAPTER 17 _

CHAPTER 18 _

CHAPTER 19 _

CHAPTER 20 _

CHAPTER 21 _

CHAPTER 22 _

CHAPTER 23 _

CHAPTER 24 _

CHAPTER 25 _

CHAPTER 26 _

CHAPTER 27 _

CHAPTER 28 _

CHAPTER 29 _

INDEX

Richter’s Spells

Richter’s Skill Rank Bonuses

Richter’s Qualities

Richter’s Abilities

Alma’s Abilities

Quality Ranks

Status Pages

The Dark Court (Subrealm Gamma’Not-Fractal~2489)

“Things are happening that we don’t know about!” Stridex spat.  The Exile was eight feet tall, small for one of his kind.  What he lacked in size, he more than made up for in intelligence and magical ability, however.  Though the other six members of the meeting were physically larger, it was Stridex who had gathered them.  “The Originals know something that they are not sharing!”

“The Originals always hide things from us.  Despite each of us having existed for millennia they only see us as their children,” Branit said.  He had no love lost for Stridex, but he couldn’t deny that the weasel looking Exile was able to increase soul traffic.

“This is different!” Stridex spat.  “We had been gaining several new souls a day from the nonhuman slave trade in Yves.  My agents worked for years to destabilize that kingdom!  Several months ago, almost all sacrifices stopped!  Even now the soul traffic is not at the level it was before.  I have spoken to others, and they have had disruptions of their interests in The Land as well.”

“Are we under attack?” another Exile asked.  Yaseg was a taciturn being.  One of the first generations of beings born of the Originals, he had been there in the first centuries of the Originals being locked away into this pocket Universe.  “Has the Light Court found a new way to oppose us?”

Arborene, an Exile whose powers focused upon psychic manipulation and divination, spoke up, “It is not the Light Court.  I have been able to detect that their operations are being disrupted as well.  It is also not an attack, at least not a direct one.  It is more like the number of random events in The Land has been increasing exponentially.  It first started several months ago, and it is increasing in frequency.  A small number of these events have even worked in favor of the Dark Court, but again that seems to be just a random consequence.”

“So how can we guard against this?” Yaseg asked.  The nonhuman sacrifices in Yves had recently become the most profitable means of soul traffic for the small cabal.

Stridex’s rat like face twisted into a sadistic smile, “I have already taken care of that.  I have dispatched a group of higher level agents to discover who or what is responsible for the disruption of our interests in Yves.  The plague squad will find the one who has opposed us,” Stridex looked around at the cabal, “and will make them suffer!”

CHAPTER 1

You have been offered a Quest: Long Live the King I.  Long ago, the kobolds of the Depths were ruled by the Khan caste.  In a bloody coup, all of the known Khans were slaughtered.  Since that time, kobold society in the Depths has devolved into what it is today.  Will you help to restore this scion to power? Reward: Unknown. Yes or No?

Before Richter could choose “Yes” or “No,” a flash caught his eye.  He minimized the prompt and saw that the box had started to vibrate.  Lines of white light appeared at the edges and then the side panels began to peel back, somehow now flexible like a banana peel.  Richter did a fist pump in the air and said, “Yeah baby!  Gimme whatcha got!”

The panels completely fell back, making a wooden “X” on the table.  In the center of the box was a pedestal that held a large egg.  As he watched, the egg began to vibrate, and the sound of scratching could be heard.  A look of utter horror crossed Richter’s face, and he shook his hands rapidly back and forth. “No, no, no, baby!  Don’t gimme whatcha got!”

The smallest of cracks appeared in the shell, and as eloquent as ever, Richter said, “SHIT!

Okay, this is bad.  This is bad, right?” Richter asked to no one in particular.

More scrabbling could be heard from inside the egg, and the crack widened slightly.

“How the hell do I turn this thing back on?”  Richter grabbed the wooden panels of the stasis box and tried to push them back together.  The egg stirred again on its pedestal, but thankfully stilled after that.  He didn’t know how much more time he had before a baby dinosaur would be running around his conference room, but he wanted to avoid it if possible!

He finally got the strangely flexible wooden sides to stand up into a tower again, but only by holding it with two hands.  It completely resisted his attempts to make the four edges stick together.  He heard more scrabbling, and his heart started racing.  In a flash of insight, he realized he had some rope in his Bag.  He could tie the sides together!

In a brighter flash of insight, he realized that using rope was a fucking moronic idea.  He might as well try asking a stripper for her real number… it just wouldn’t work!  More scratching came from the box in his hands and almost made Richter consider trying the rope idea, dumb or not, but then his hand brushed the disc he had attached to the box.  Maybe that was the key to making the box work again.

Holding the box together with one hand, he tried to use his fingertips to pry the silver medallion off.  It didn’t come loose, but a prompt appeared.

Do you want to reactivate Stasis Box?  Yes or No?

“Yes!” Richter cried as he selected the prompt.

Know This!  A soul stone is required to reactivate the enchantment.

Richter heard a very distinct crack.  “Shit!”  Still keeping one hand on top of the box to keep the sides from falling, he reached into his Bag and accessed the inventory screen.  He grabbed a weak soul stone.  Placing it to the medallion, he tried to remove the silver disc again.

The soul you have supplied is insufficient to reactivate the enchantment.

“Gah!”  Richter dropped the glowing stone and reached back in his Bag.  He pulled out a basic stone and tried again.

The soul you have supplied is insufficient to reactivate the enchantment.

The box vibrated in his hand as the egg rocked on its pedestal.  “Come on, man!” Richter cried aloud.  Why did he have to waste one of his better soul stones?  It wasn’t fair!

Even as Richter complained to himself, he could see his family shaking their heads and calling him cheap.  He wasn’t cheap.  He was… thrifty.  “If you went swimming with sand in your hand, it would still be dry when you got out of the water.”  Yeah, his cousin was an absolute fucking riot.

Not wasting any more time, he reached in and pulled out a common soul stone.  If this didn’t work, he would have to try the higher stone he got from killing the crystal guardian or, Whedon forbid, the special stone he had received from killing the crypt mistress.  Placing the multifaceted common stone against the medallion, he accepted the prompt “Yes” again, and finally got a good result.

The wood panels firmed and no longer seemed to want to slip out of Richter’s grasp.  Lines of white light appeared at the four edges.  They flared brightly, and then the medallion fell away.  Once again, Richter could see the three “S” symbol that had been beneath the activation disc.  He was about to examine the box when another prompt appeared.

Know This!  You have reactivated the enchantment on the Stasis Box.  The egg within was in the process of hatching, however, and the protective shell has been compromised.  Previously, the egg of the Khan would have remained viable for millennia.  Now, the enchantment will only be able to preserve the life within for one hundred and three days.  If you do not reopen the box before then, the life inside will be terminated.

Richter read the prompt and then dismissed it.  He held the box up to his ear and listened for a solid minute.  When he didn’t hear anything scratching to get out, he breathed a sigh of relief.  Whew, he thought, that had been a close one.  It wasn’t like he was afraid of a small baby kobold, but he was deathly afraid of the responsibility it would mean.  What if he had blinded it by having it born in a room with so much light?  What if it had attacked him immediately?  Good god!  What if it had tried to suckle him?  He shivered involuntarily.

Richter was just relieved that he had bought himself some time.  He would be able to get some advice from Sumiko and hopefully Hisako.  In the meantime, he had to keep the box safe.  He gingerly placed it in his Bag along with the activation medallion.  He would have to remember to ask Randy about the three S’s.  His chamberlain was a fount of knowledge, and the man just might be able to add some light to this situation.

A flashing icon in the corner of his vision reminded him that he had never actually accepted the quest that appeared when he triggered the Stasis Box.  Not really seeing a downside, he chose “Yes.”  After all, what was in this egg just might be the key to him conquering the first level of the catacombs.  He wasn’t sure exactly how a baby kobold would help, but at least now his options were expanding.

Richter looked at the remnant, “Futen, what time is it?”

“More than an hour before midday, my lord.”

“Good.  Then it’s time for me to do something I’ve put off for way too long.  I’m completely knackered.  I need some sleep.  Wake me in five hours.”

“Yes, my lord,” came the monotone reply.

Richter packed the items from the secret kobold compartment, as well as the bugbear ranger’s weapons, back into his Bag.  Then he looked around the conference room once more, and seeing nothing out of place, he took the first advice his mother ever gave him.  He went to bed.

CHAPTER 2

“My lord.”

“Grema, gwah, no goat soup,” Richter said sleepily before turning over.

“My lord,” Futen said louder, brightening his light.

Richter kept his eyes shut for a few more seconds, but his remnant had no snooze button.  Besides, as the man said, “No rest for the wicked.”

“I’m up.  I’m up, Futen.  I trust that we haven’t come under attack while I slept?”

“No, my lord.  There have been no changes.”

“Well, then it’s a perfect time to get some work done.  Go back to helping around the village.  Be at the Quickening at sunset, though.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The grey orb floated away at the speed of a quick walk, and Richter got out of bed.  Despite some initial grogginess, he felt great.  Just before falling asleep, he had tried out his Sustenance Belt for the first time.  It was supposed to reduce his need to eat and sleep by 50%.  After his short rest, he could absolutely believe it.  He should not have felt this energized after just a few hours of sleep, but he was ready to rock and roll.

Richter decided to keep his new belt on for the time being.  He walked out of his room and over to the Great Seal.  He was turning to walk down the hall when he saw that Randolphus was in his office.

“Randy, do you have the money from Basil’s trade trip?  I’m going to put things in the treasury.”

The chamberlain stood and walked over to a small lockbox in the back of his office.  He took a key from his pocket and unlocked it.  Then he took two pouches out and brought them over to Richter.

“The larger one contains the profits from the sale of the Potions of Clarity.  The smaller one is the leftover gold that you provided to Basil for expenses.  I have a detailed expenditure report for you if you would like to peruse it.”

Richter raised a hand and shook his head. “I’m assuming you checked and made sure that Basil got a good price for what he bought?  And that he’s not robbing me blind?”

Randolphus gave a faint smile. “He did very well, my lord.”

Richter laughed and accepted the pouches.  “Good enough then.  Come with me so you can get an accurate assessment of our assets.”

The two men walked over to the treasury.  When they reached the Great Seal, they immediately turned down a side tunnel and went to the treasury.  The door opened for him to the sound of bolts being drawn back, and he was greeted by the sight of the large eight-walled room.  The room was almost completely empty, but Richter smiled anyway.  It wasn’t going to be empty for long.

“He walked to the back wall and began removing crystals from his Bag of Holding.  He reached into the Bag, again and again, handing the stolen crystals to the chamberlain.  Randolphus carefully stacked each of the crystals, and Richter marveled at the massive amount of the resource that he had been able to steal from the kobolds.”  When he had been on the back of the wagon that had held the crystals, he hadn’t really understood how much he had been shoving into his Bag.  The crystals took up an entire wall of shelves and spilled over to a second wall.  He kept smiling the entire time.

Next, he unloaded the Sword of Gnome Slaying he had found in the Depths.  He didn’t want anyone knowing about the sword, especially his gnomish population.  Part of him thought he should just have Krom melt it down, but another side of him just couldn’t destroy something that he might need in the future, so it went onto a shelf.

Next, Richter took out all of the pouches he had gathered from various fallen enemies.  He upended each one into his Bag to allow for the autosort to tell him exactly how much money he had.  It seemed like a waste of time, but he couldn’t think of a better method.  Looking at the numbers that were stacking up, though, he really couldn’t complain.

Between the Night Blades’ chest, searching the pouches of all the enemies he had slain— humans, bugbears, and goblins—the money from the skeeling’s lair, and the thousands of gold he had taken from the Tefonim vault, the final count was 12,572 copper, 3,614 silver, 5,234 kobold silver, and 3,719 gold.  According to the inventory sheet Hafiz had prepared, what seemed like a long time ago now, the remaining jewels he had in his chest were worth roughly 3,500 more gold!  He also had a large amount of jewelry he had taken from the Tefonim vault.  He was rich!

He started handing handfuls of copper to Randolphus, who filled the empty pouches with the coins.  Richter removed the coins in bunches of fifty, which made it easy to fill each pouch with five hundred each.  The chamberlain filled the pouches with no comment, but once Richter handed over the kobold silver, he paused.

“My lord!  Where did you find these?”

“Some hidden cubby in the kobold warren.  Why?”

“These coins are ancient, several thousand years old.  The story is that once the kobolds were not just the scavenging predators that they are today.  They had a massive underground empire, which had formal trade ties with other kingdoms.  Their currency was said to be the standard used throughout the River Peninsula.  It was made from silver of the greatest purity.”

Richter nodded, definitely interested in the local history lesson, but what he really wanted to know was: “So how much is each coin worth?”

“If you merely resmelted each coin, you would get six common silvers from each.  What I would recommend, however, is waiting until you can sell them in Yves or another civilized kingdom.  Any of these coins will sell for at least a gold coin, but some might be worth far more.  The Golden Age of Kobolds was said to last approximately one thousand years.  In that millennium, there were twenty-five ‘Dark Khans’ who presided over the Trinar Empire.  If you look at the various coins, each is minted with the face of the first ruler of the empire on one side and emblem of the empire on the other.  A small percentage of the coins, however, have the likeness of one of the Dark Khans in place of the emblem.  Any coin collector would pay at least one hundred gold for any coin with the likeness of a Dark Khan.  For the rarer of Dark Khan coins, the price starts at 1,000 gold.  I actually have a small collection myself.  How many of these do you have, my lord?”

Richter’s smile broadened significantly.  He handed over more handfuls of the octagonal silvers.  Randolphus’s normal professional reserve cracked, and he excitedly took a large sack and collected all of the kobold coins.  Once Richter had no more left to give, the chamberlain immediately left the vault and returned to his office, eager to pore over the relics.

Richter shook his head and shouted after him, “Oh, don’t worry.  I can do the rest on my own!”

“Yes, my lord,” came a distant reply.

Richter shook his head again and then picked up an empty pouch.  He filled it with five hundred gold and then moved on to the next.  He filled several more bags, stacking each on the shelves.  He left himself with about two hundred gold in his own Bag of Holding.  He didn’t know what he’d be spending it on, but he figured to use condom wisdom.  Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Then he started stacking all of the jewelry on a different shelf.  He decided to keep several pieces from the Tefonim vault in his Bag in the end, though.  None was enchanted, but he hoped that he could use the pieces to trade with Hafiz’s sons.  After that, he carefully removed the large alchemical jugs that he had filled with the Waters of Clarity.  Each jug held hundreds of doses, and he had eighteen in total.  Every jug was placed carefully on the shelves.  If any spilled, it would literally be pouring hundreds of gold down the drain.

When he was finally done, he walked to the middle of the room and looked at the growing wealth of his people.  Richter chuckled slightly in greedy pleasure and then walked out of the room.  A faint boom echoed as the treasury door closed itself, and he heard the sound of the door’s many bolts sliding into place.  He walked over to Randolphus’s office and saw the chamberlain poring over the silver coins.

The chamberlain was bent over his desk, examining each silver with a furious concentration.  A growing pile of silver coins was over to one side, apparently having already been ruled out, but seven coins were laid out singly in front of him.  He kept reaching into the sack, pulling out another silver, examining it quickly, then placing it to the side.  As Richter watched, though, the chamberlain examined one and exclaimed delightedly and placed it next to the other seven that had been set aside.

“Found something interesting?” Richter asked.

“My lord!  This is miraculous.  This coin is the 22nd Khan, Khan’Padir, and this one!  This coin shows the 17th Khan, Khan’Nol!  It is rumored that the King of Yves has these two coins, but you’ll not find them anywhere else in the kingdom.  The fact that you have these, not to mention the other Dark Khans that I have already found, is amazing.”

Randolphus went back to feverishly searching through the sack.  Richter smiled to see the usually stately and mature man acting with such childish enthusiasm.  He walked over and picked up one of the coins his chamberlain had set aside.  A prompt immediately filled his vision.

You have been offered a Quest: Reunite the Dark Khans.
Twenty-Five Rulers of darkness and might.
One Thousand years of rule out of sight.
What once was here, shall rise again.
Reunite the Dark Khans, when you wish to begin.
Will you find and reunite the visages of all 25 Dark Khans?  Yes or No?  Reward: The power of a Khan.  You have found 1 of 25 coins.

Richter blinked away the notification.  He looked at Randolphus in surprise.  “I just got a quest when I touched the coin.”

“Yes,” Randolphus said distractedly without looking up.  “The quest to reunite the Dark Khans.”  He spoke as if he were discussing common knowledge.

“So you mean everyone who touches one of these coins gets this quest?”

Randolphus looked up. “Yes, my lord.  Did I not mention that while we were in the treasury?”

“Uhhhh, no.  Ya didn’t, Randy.  Well, what is ‘the power of a Khan’?”

“No one knows, my lord.  Some have thought it will unlock a mighty treasure.  Others believe it will allow you to control a kobold army.  One theory states it will teach one of their lost secrets—how to construct an onyx golem, a black highway, or possibly even planar magic.”

Questions were swirling around Richter’s head, and they multiplied with every word that his chamberlain said.  “I thought they were just coins.  So no one has ever completed this quest?”

“If they have, it has not become publicly known, my lord.”

“Why would getting some coins together do anything?” Richter asked.  He looked at the coin in his hand a bit more closely, but it just seemed like a simple silver disc.

“I do not have a complete answer for you, my lord, but I do know that coins with the likeness of a Dark Khan emit a tiny amount of magic.  This has been clearly proven by magical scholars.  It is said that the coins were given as marks of favor during the reign of each Khan.  The leading theory is that the Khans were keepers of a secret that they encoded into the coins.  They form a key of sorts.  Each Khan added to the magic.”

“So for the first Khan, you only needed one coin?” Richter asked.  “That makes no sense.”

“That is the biggest hole in that theory, my lord.  It is thought that the enchantment was started during the reign of the eleventh Dark Khan, which was the very height of the Trinar Empire, and the first ten coins were enchanted retroactively.  No one knows for sure, however. That’s why it’s only a theory, my lord.”

Richter nodded.  He really would need to get his hands on some history books if he wanted to be an effective leader.  The Land was violent and contentious.  He would be a fool to ignore centuries and millennia of tradition.  He said as much to Randolphus, stating that history books would have to be added to the list of items to trade for.  It was the first time that Richter saw his chamberlain hesitate to add to his endless list of notes.  The man did break away from the coins long enough to jot down his liege’s order, albeit reluctantly.

“Okay, Randy.  I’ll leave you to the coins, but is everything on track for tonight?”

“Yes, my lord.  The feast is being prepared.  The hunters have been able to bring in some good animals.  A cow and a pig have also been slaughtered and are being prepared to your, ahem, specifications.”

Richter gave a delighted “hehehe” and rubbed his palms together.

“Unless there is anything else, my lord?” Randolphus asked.  His eyebrows were slightly raised, and his hands were on the coins.

Is Randy getting a bit snippy with me? Richter asked himself with no small amount of humor.  He decided not to make a point of it.  A good ruler is magnanimous and forgiving after all.  “Haha, okay, okay.  I can see that searching through these coins is important to you.  Why don’t I help out?  It will go faster.”

Not waiting for a reply, he pulled up a chair and started searching through the coins himself.  It might have occurred to Richter that leaving the room meant potentially leaving his chamberlain alone with objects of great power.  A good ruler may be magnanimous, but a wise ruler never gave someone a gun and just hoped he wouldn’t be shot in the back.

CHAPTER 3

Richter and Randolphus went through the coins in about thirty minutes.  The coins with a picture of a Dark Khan were easy to distinguish.  Whenever Richter touched a new one, he would receive an updated quest prompt showing that the number of coins he had found had increased by one.  When all was said and done, he had found seventeen of the twenty-five.  Many of the Dark Khan coins even had duplicates.

“This is amazing, my lord.  You may have a greater collection than the king.  I know for a fact that no one has been able to find the coins for Khans two and seven for hundreds of years.”

“Good.  So I’m thinking that if I show some of these coins during my negotiations with Hafiz’s sons, none of the extremely rare coins, mind you, but some of them, it will greatly increase my bargaining power.”

“It would indeed, my lord.”

“Which coins do you have in your collection?” Richter asked.

“Only Khans fourteen, sixteen, and twenty, my lord,” Randolphus said, looking at the coins with true appreciation.

“And fifteen,” Richter said.  He picked up one of the duplicates and handed it to his chamberlain.

“My lord!  I cannot take this.  This coin would be worth hundreds of gold.”

“Randolphus,” Richter said, softly but firmly, “you are worth much more to me than gold.  You have kept this village running, while I have had to leave multiple times.  I cannot promise that I will not have to leave in the future, but I will make more of an effort to be present.  Right now, though, you will accept this small token of my appreciation.”

Randolphus thanked him with a bow of his head and accepted the coin.

“Now, point out the five most common Dark Khan coins that we have duplicates of.  I may trade those to Hafiz’s sons along with the regular kobold silvers.  I will put the rest of the coins back into the vault.  Please have Roswan place a podium at the end of the feast area.  All of the tables should be laid in front of it, so everyone has a clear line of sight of me when I’m up there.  I want all of the new potential villagers brought to the tables.”

“They will not be able to see through the mists, my lord,” Randolphus reminded him.

“Only for a short time.  I plan to make a central clearing in the mists again.  These new people will not be given immunity to the mists until they have been both interrogated by Sumiko using the questions you devise and until they have lived with us for a short while.”

“And when you clear the mists and restore their sight, it will be good for them to witness the power of their new lord,” Randolphus said with a slight smile.

“The thought did occur to me,” Richter said with a cocky grin of his own.

“It will be done, my lord.”

Richter gave a nod and then scooped up the coins.  He placed the regular ones into his Bag as well the duplicates Randolphus had pointed out.  He made another short jaunt to the treasury to deposit the rest of the silver and then walked outside.

*Where are you, love?* he called out mentally once he was looking out over the village.  Many of his villagers were working to prepare for the evening meal.  Dragging tables into position, lighting candles and torches, placing jugs of water down beside cups.  One of the villagers had even brought out a fiddle.  A jaunty tune filled the air, bringing a smile to everyone’s faces.

A small shriek sounded above him as Alma zoomed by his head only an inch away from flying into him.  He ducked involuntarily with a curse and looked up to see her doing a loop in the air while she trumpeted the success of her joke.  He laughed in spite of himself.

*Get down here, you little beastie!*

Alma flew high and then did a tight corkscrew spiral downward before leveling out.  His familiar was clearly in good spirits.  A few seconds later, she had alighted upon his shoulders, her tail wrapped around his arm for balance.  Richter reached behind him and poked her full belly.  “I guess you’ve been having fun eating, huh?”

She blew a gust of air into his ear, but it was halfhearted.  She immediately settled back down and purred contentedly.  Richter smiled and walked down the slope to say hello to some of his people.  First, he walked over to an area where he had seen some men training.  Futen floated up silently beside him and kept pace with his lord.  When he got closer to the impromptu training yard, Terrod hailed him.

“Welcome to training, my lord.”

The members of the militia had been paired off and were sparring with what looked to be blunted weapons.  To Richter, it seemed like there was just a good amount of flailing around.  Except for one pair, where one of the men was on the ground and his partner was just mercilessly pummeling him.  Richter wasn’t sure, but he was fairly certain those two were married.

“Terrod,” Richter greeted him.  “Should we be concerned about that?” he asked, indicating the man who was now just aiming some defensive kicks at his wife from the ground.  It wasn’t working very well.

Terrod looked at them and said, “Ehhh, in a minute.  Apparently Harn has been a bit too ‘friendly’ with some of the other female villagers.  I figure this is healthy.  Besides, my sergeant will stop it in a moment I’m sure.”

“Sergeant?” Richter asked.

Terrod just smiled and pointed.  Richter looked where the captain indicated and saw an old familiar face, Caulder!

“That’s a sword, not your cock!  Don’t play with it so damn much!” Caulder yelled at one of the guards.  He took the blunted weapon from the man and showed him the proper grip.  The guard took the rebuke well, and when Caulder handed the weapon back, the sparring began again.

“Caulder,” Richter yelled out with a laughing tone.  “Get over here!”

The man jogged up. “Well!  It is nice to see you again, my lord.  You seem to have filled out a bit since last we met.”

Richter looked down at himself.  The points he had added to Strength and Constitution had definitely changed his body stature.  He was bulkier and, though he couldn’t be sure, he was pretty sure he was at least an inch taller than when he had first gotten to The Land.  If the appraising glances he saw some of the villagers giving him were any indication, his face might very well have become comelier as well.  Most likely because of his increased Charisma.

“I have been through quite a bit since we have seen each other,” Richter agreed.  “So what do you think of our militia?”

“Do you mean this group of invalids behind me?” Caulder asked, hiking a thumb behind him.  “I’m just surprised more of them aren’t shoving their weapons up their own bungholes!”

“Do you not think that is a bit harsh?” Terrod asked.

Caulder’s voice lost all joviality. “It’s not harsh enough, Captain.  These boys and girls would be taken apart by any gang I ever ran across when I was a guard in Law.  From what I have heard, the animals and monsters around here could be just as dangerous, if not more so.  They need training and plenty of it.”

“What do you have in mind?” Richter asked.  “Sword forms?”

“Ha!  That might be good for lords like yourself, but for guards and soldiers, they just need to be the toughest sons of bitches around.  We will get into the technical bits of fighting sometime soon, but for now they just need to start training.  Every morning we will be doing runs and exercises.  If you leave them in my hands, their Strength, Endurance, and Constitution will rise, I can promise you that.”

Richter was impressed, but was also surprised by the fervor he heard coming from the man.  His impression of Caulder had always been that the guard was lackadaisical and relatively harmless.  Not wanting to beat around the bush, Richter decided to express that. “It all sounds good to me, Caulder.  I think we all need to get tougher, but I’m surprised to hear you speaking with such passion and determination.”

Caulder gave a knowing grin. “I know how I came across when we met in Leaf’s Crossing, but that was almost a retirement.  The worst I ever had to deal with there was to drag a drunk to jail to sleep it off for the night.  I didn’t get to level thirteen by drinking ale, though!  I spent more than a decade in the king’s army, and I fought my share of bandits, goblins, and even the occasional wild troll.”

Richter quickly Analyzed the guard and was surprised that he was right.

Name: Caulder. Human. Level 13.  Health 310.  Mana 110.  Stamina 300.  Disposition: Pleased.  Humans are one of the shortest lived, but most prolific breeders in the Land. Humans have a broader affinity for skills than other races. No special bonuses to race. Humans get four points to distribute per level.

Richter spoke up again. “I’m assuming you plan to include the guards that came with you in these daily exercises?  If Terrod says you’re to be his sergeant, then that’s good enough for me, but I insist that everyone must be treated the same.  I have no interest in breeding divisiveness among my guards.”

“Hmpf.  Half of those that came with me are no better than what I see here.  Don’t worry, Lord Richter.  My father taught me a simple truth long ago.  If someone has their head up their ass, you’re doing them a favor if you give them an ass beating.  With luck, it just might be dislodged, and they might finally see the light.  My pa wasn’t one to discriminate in helping people!”

Richter laughed.  That sounded good enough to him.  He didn’t forget that he had a Captain of the Guard now, though.  Turning to Terrod, he asked, “Does the Sergeant’s plan work for you?”

“It does indeed, my lord,” Terrod said with a smile.

“Carry on then.  I might actually join you for some of these morning calisthenics.”

Both men looked at him in mild confusion.

“Never mind.  I’ll run with you tomorrow morning.  Just make sure that someone comes to get me.  Now, unless there is anything else?”

Richter was already turning away when Terrod spoke up. “Actually, my lord, there are two things I would like to discuss.”

Richter nodded. “Go ahead.”

“If I am going to train my people effectively, then they need their own space.  Each member of the militia will work a string of days, and I have seen that they need to be kept separate from distractions.  This includes family and friends.  If you want them to be an effective force as soon as possible, then we need a formal area to train.”

As soon as Terrod stopped speaking, a prompt appeared in Richter’s vision.

You have been offered a Quest: Strengthen Your Tribe I.  Your fledgling military needs a building to train effectively.  Will you build them a barracks?  Reward: Societal bonus from building a barracks.  Yes or No?

What societal bonus?  These prompts could be so damn frustrating, Richter thought.  Well, it’s not like he wasn’t already going to build a barracks.  Maybe he would just make it more of a priority now.

“I’ll talk to Roswan about it,” Richter said.  “Do you have a spot picked out?”

“On the hillock that’s on the other end of the village from the longhouses, my lord.  It’s not much, but it should give some small amount of seclusion.”

Richter nodded.  It would also put his militia nearer the armory.  They would be able to quickly equip themselves if the need should arise.  “Okay, so what’s the other thing?”

“You know that we have been seeing monsters and dangerous animals closer to the village lately.  I was going to take a group out and do some hunting.  If we leave in two hours, we can hunt for a good while and still be back before the feast.”

You have been offered a Quest: Hunt the Hunters I!  The lands around your village are becoming more dangerous.  Your captain wants to proactively deal with these threats.  Will you seek out and vanquish five solitary monsters or groups of dangerous creatures?  Yes or No?  Reward: Increased safety of your people.  Village-wide Loyalty will increase by +10.

“I like it,” Richter said with a smile.  He selected “Yes.”  He had been doing a lot of running away lately.  First from the rock giant and later from a small army of kobolds.  It would be good to do some hunting of his own.  “I still want everyone to stay within the mists, though,” he said warningly.

“Absolutely, my lord.  I have spoken sternly to the group that you saved.  Also, Barden’s death has hit a lot of the militia hard.  He was well liked.  No one plans on leaving the mists anytime soon.  Besides, there is more than enough danger to be found within the bounds of the enchantment.”

“Good,” Richter said, mollified.  “Who did you plan to bring?”

Terrod began ticking off fingers. “Myself, Sergeant Caulder, and your lordship.  I was thinking of bringing two of the casters to finish the group of five.  I hadn’t chosen which ones yet.”

“Hold off on one of the casters.  I have a better idea.  Send one of your guards to fetch Beyan the Alchemist.  Bring him forcefully if you have to, but not too forcefully.  Find him some light armor and a crossbow.  He will be our fifth.”

“As you say, my lord,” Terrod said hesitantly.  “May I ask why, however?”

Richter nodded. “We need to level him up.  If he can become a Professed Alchemist, that will be good for the village.  Also, I just want to see what the man is made of.  Something doesn’t exactly add up about him.”  His tone became speculative as he considered the enigma of the abrasive gnome and his strangely large mana pool.

Terrod nodded and said that it would be done.  He told Richter that he would be waiting at the city gates in two hours’ time.  Caulder had already left them to deal with the woman who’d been beating her husband.  The poor fellow was already unconscious, but she was still kicking him. Caulder dragged her away.  Richter ordered Futen to tell him when an hour and a half had passed, then he went on to his next stop.  Alma remained sleeping on his shoulders.  Richter wanted to know more about the monsters that had been seen near the village.  He figured that talking to his hunters would be the best place to start.

He walked through the center of the town, pleased by the savory smells.  The feast should be amazing.  Richter couldn’t wait to try the special snack he had asked for.  He grinned.  Even Alma woke up at the appetizing smells, but she apparently decided that sleep was more important.  The dragonling just tightened her tail around his arm and snuggled down a bit more into the soft folds of his cloak.

Richter crossed the village, aiming for the section of the wall where the hunters cleaned their kills.  It was far off to the east side because of the inevitable smells.  Before he got there, though, he saw a knot of his villagers.  He also heard cursing.

“The damn things keep getting inside.”

Richter heard another round of diffuse muttering before he made it to the group of people.  “What’s going on here?” he asked.

The villagers parted seeing that their lord was present.  Once he was at the center of the group, a dwarf spoke up.  “Yer lordship!  We have a problem.”

The dwarf was clearly agitated, and Richter started to get concerned.  “What is it?”

“Rats!” the dwarf said.  He shoved his hand towards Richter’s face, holding a very large and very dead rodent in his fingers.  Its teeth were huge, and its front paws were overly pronounced.

“Gah!” Richter said. “Get that out of my face.  What is it?”

“It be a damn burrower rat.  Sorry, milord, but this thing should na be here.  Ye usually only see them deep underground, but for some reason they are up here on the surface.”

“Okay, so we have a pest problem.  Let’s just build a granary or some place with rock walls.  It will take a bit, but I’ll talk to Roswan.”

“These are burrower rats, Lord Richter.  They can eat through solid stone, and the damn things can smell food through ten feet of solid rock.  We need a specialized Repel Vermin charm that we can place near the food.”

Abrams and Whedon!  If it wasn’t one thing, it was another.  “Well, how do we get one of those?” Richter asked, somewhat exasperated.

The dwarf looked irritated as well. “That be the problem, yer lordship.  Back in Yves, I know where ye could buy this type of item.  If I was back home in the mountains, I could go to one of the crafters there.  I asked around to most of the crafters in the village, though, and no one here knows how to do it.  A few know how to make a basic Repel Vermin charm, but no one has any experience with these damn things,” he said, shaking the rat again.  “I don’t think it’s all that complicated, but you still need to know the knack.”

“So I have to send a trade delegation back to Yves and just hope that we can find one?  How much food are these things eating?” Richter asked.

“They have already spoiled two crates of food, which is about 5% of our stores.  We are killing them when we see them, but more keep coming.  At this rate, we are going to lose another crate every two to three days, and I expect it to get worse.  Burrower rats always attract more of their own kind.  They are na a danger to us directly, outside of maybe getting bitten if you grab one.”

Okay, this could be a real problem, Richter realized.  If he ignored this, in a few months’ time his people could be starving.  He could send a delegation back to Yves, but best case scenario was they could find what they needed in Leaf’s Crossing.  That still meant a little over a week before they could get back.  If they had to go all the way to the capital, it would take several weeks, which meant even more of their food would be gone.  That wasn’t even counting the expense of sending a ship just to get the item.  He doubted there would be time to conduct any proper trading if the crew was rushing back to deliver this one item.

“Are you sure there is no one in the village that can figure it out?” Richter asked.

The dwarf looked thoughtful. “Well, those arcane gnomes are pretty good at coming up with stuff.  If you bring them a burrower rat, maybe they could figure something out.”

You have been offered a Quest: Splat the Rat!  A type of rare vermin is eating your food stores.  They are not susceptible to standard Repel Vermin charms.  Speak to one of the arcane gnomes to see if they can help with this problem.  Yes or No?  Reward: Solving the problem of the rats and increased Loyalty.  Penalty for failure: Ongoing loss of your people’s food.

Another quest from one of his villagers?  What was going on here?  There had never really been any rhyme or reason to when he had gotten quests in the past, but this seemed a bit strange.  Richter accepted the quest anyway.  There didn’t really seem to be another option.  He had to address this issue.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said.  He told Futen to mention the problem to Randolphus.  Then he realized that the chamberlain might be able to help with all of the quests, so he told the remnant to pass along any others he might get.  “Where can I find them?”

“Them flighty bastards roam all over the damn place.  They are always examining this or that.  They almost never miss a meal, though, so ye can probably find them at the feast tonight.”

Richter thanked him and took the body of the dead burrower rat and put it in his Bag of Holding.  The anti-entropic effects of the Bag should keep it from degrading for at least a day or two.  He was turning away when the dwarf added one last thing.

“Even if you can find an item that repels the burrower rats, we still don’t have enough space to store everything efficiently.  Many of the storage sheds are packed full, and it’s causing some of the food to spoil early.  We need a storage shed.”

You have been offered a Quest: Waste Not Want Not.  Your people need a central location with more space allocated for storage.  Your goods are decaying.  If you wish to reduce this, you must build a storage shed.  Will you?  Yes or No?  Reward: Societal Bonus of Storage Shed.  Reward: 5% Increased productivity from having goods in a central location.

Something weird was definitely afoot.  Richter told the dwarf that he would get on it and accepted the quest.  Before he could continue on his way, yet another notification appeared.

Know This!  You have unlocked a new field of study: Enchantments.

Richter had no idea exactly how this whole scientific research thing was going to work, but he knew that he would have to figure it out.  According to his village interface, he needed to build a scholar’s hut before any research could take place.  Just item #394 on his to-do list.  He dismissed the prompt and resumed walking.  Thankfully, he was able to make it over to his hunters without any more demanding villagers giving him quests.  The hunters greeted him as he walked up.  The smell of blood was in the air as two of the hunters were skinning a large boar.  One of them laughed and cut free a bloody piece of haunch.

“So you brought back our little hunter, my lord?  She already ate her weight in deer not three hours ago.”  The hunter tossed the piece of raw meat onto a nearby rock.  Alma had picked her head up in response to the smells in the air.  With a raucous cry, she launched herself at the rock.  She took the hunter’s offering with an air of extreme satisfaction.

*So you think you’re a little princess, huh?*

*No, Master.*  She paused for a moment. *I am a queen!*

Richter laughed and then raised his voice to address all of the hunters present. “I have heard that the lands around the village are getting more dangerous.  What can you tell me about it?”

“You have the right of it, my lord,” one hunter said grimly.  “There have indeed been more dangerous animal sightings.  I myself have seen some cave bears standing eight feet at the shoulder, and that forest boar they are skinning over there was the smallest one in the sounder.  Some of the other hunters have seen giant scorpions, screech wurms, pucker bats, dire spiders, and other man-eaters.  We have also seen some monsters; green ooze was seen south of the village, one of the hunters said he saw a river skath to the east, and one of the other hunters reported hearing a harpy screech echoing out of the mountains to the north.  He didn’t actually see one of the foul creatures, though, thank the Banished.”

Richter nodded.  He had known that his lands were getting more dangerous, but he had no idea that it was this bad.  Even if Terrod hadn’t asked him to go hunting later, he most likely would have organized a party of his own anyway.  His job was to protect his people, and despite the fact that he was new to The Land, he was probably one of the strongest fighters in the village… now that Yoshi wasn’t here.

“Is there anything else you can tell me?” he asked the hunter.

The man looked uncomfortable.  He mulled over something internally for several long moments, but ultimately came to a decision.  “I can tell you that we are starting to feel unsafe, my lord.  Hunters always accept that there is a risk of running into something dangerous out in the wild, but lately these monsters are more than we are equipped to handle.  Is there anything that you can do to help?”

You have been offered a Quest: Hunters or Hunted I?  Your hunters consistently go beyond the safety of the village walls.  Because of your actions in unlocking the second Power of the Mist Village, they are facing more powerful enemies.  They are asking for your help.  The form of that help will be left entirely up to you.  Will you help?  Yes or No?  Reward: variable.  Penalty: Ignoring or failing this quest will cause a drop in the Morale and Loyalty of your hunters.

Richter accepted the quest and told the hunters he would help.  They all looked relieved.  The hunter who had spoken bobbed his head repeatedly while thanking Richter over and over.  That, as much as anything else, convinced Richter that his lands had become unsafe.  After a moment’s consideration, he had all of the hunters stop what they were doing.  He told them that until further notice, they were not to go beyond the walls of the village.  A few immediately protested, but he assured them that this new policy would be short lived.  He also let them know that the break in their routine would be so that they could be better equipped.  That quieted any complainers.

He thanked his hunters for their hard work, and then started walking to the Forge.  It was time to see what Krom had been up to in the Forge of Heavens.  As he walked, Richter turned to the floating grey orb by his side.  “Futen.  I need you to find Sion.  When you do, bring him to meet me.”

“As you command, my lord,” was Futen’s monotone reply.  The remnant sped off in front of Richter, searching for the sprite.

Richter kept walking, somewhat lost in thought.  Why was he getting all of these quests?  It was possible that something had happened that he didn’t know about and the village was responding somehow.  He also supposed that the influx of new villagers had triggered something.  Richter had a sinking feeling that he knew why all of these quests were coming one after another, though.  It was because he had been an absentee landlord.

After the bugbear attack, he had immediately left to unlock his Life Power.  He had been gone for weeks.  After that, he had been back for less than a day before that bitch Assassin had killed him.  His resurrection had taken at least a day and then he had rushed off again.  Admittedly, he had needed to save Terrod, but if he was being honest, vengeance had spurred him forward as much as justice.  Even though he had succeeded in rescuing his Companion, he had been gone for more than a week again.  Put simply, he hadn’t spent any meaningful time in his own village for over a month.  Maybe it wasn’t that he was suddenly earning a bunch of quests.  Maybe it was just that he was finally around and the quests had been waiting on him.

Richter was brought from his internal thoughts by the sound of metal clanging on metal.  He had arrived before the Forge of Heavens.  The black roof showed the celestial bodies above despite the sun still being rather high in the sky.  The many crystal columns gleamed dully in the sunlight.  Though the marbled quartz that comprised them was mostly opaque, each column glowed, adding some faint illumination to the inside of the forge.  Not that this was needed of course, with the bright glowing fires within.

Some dwarves worked the bellows, while others crushed raw ore to feed the smelter.  One was working on a half-finished piece of chainmail armor, using a small set of pliers to interlink the rings.  Richter got a mild surprise when he saw humans in the Forge.  Near the back, sitting on simple wooden stools, were a human man and woman, close enough in appearance that they had to be brother and sister.  Both were brunette and heavily muscled, and they talked quietly while sewing together pieces of leather.  What really drew Richter’s gaze, however, were the dwarves working on the anvils.

Two dwarves swung hammers on the smaller forges.  Both seemed to be working on axes.  On the central forge, however, was the village’s Smith.  Krom worked on his project with single-minded focus.  Clang-cling-cling, Clang-cling-cling.  Each heavy blow that the dwarf rained down on the hot metal he was forging was followed by two light taps, one on the hot metal and another on the Forge.  Then the cycle would start again.

Richter just stood back and watched.  Five minutes passed by and then ten, but still Krom kept up the same rhythm.  Richter marveled at the dwarf’s strength and endurance.  Finally, the metal lost its heat, and the metal darkened to a dusky grey color. Krom placed it back in the hearth to heat it again.

Richter walked up to his Smith. “Krom.”

The dwarf looked over with a smile on his bearded face. “Greetings, yer lordship.  Did ye have a nice little nap?”

Richter laughed at the audacious dwarf. “What’s that you’re making there?  Somehow that dark grey metal makes me think that it’s not my elementum short sword.”

“Alas, no, milord.  This be a sword for the new captain.  I be using one of the cobalt ingots ye brought back.  It looks to be coming out well so far.”

“Oh,” Richter said.  He tried to keep any disappointment out of his voice, but some bled through.  “If you can get to my sword soon, it would be appreciated.  I agree that Terrod should have a good weapon, though.”

Krom scratched his beard and looked up speculatively.  “Welllll, I could start on a sword for ye or ye could just use the one I have already made.”

Richter tried to keep a smile off his face, but failed miserably again.

Krom laughed and waved for his lord to follow him.  He called out to one of the other dwarves to tend the half-finished blade he was heating.  Richter followed his Smith over to a rack of finished weapons.  Spears, swords, maces, and daggers hung on the long rack made of quartz.

“Is it just me, or are there more stands here than before?” Richter asked.

“Yer not crazy, yer lordship.  The Forge just seems to know what we need.  When we ran out of space, the racks just appeared.”

Richter looked around at the Forge again.  The stars shined against the black roof, and the sun could be seen near the western edge, only a few hours from setting.  This thing truly was a Legendary Object.  He turned his attention back to the weapons, examining each in turn.  Richter was pleased, but not surprised, that each item he examined was above average quality or better.  He even noticed a few superb and exquisite quality weapons.  He stopped looking over them when Krom took down a short sword and handed it to him.

The sheath was made of soft-looking grey leather.  The cross guard was a thick bar that curved up towards the blade slightly at either end.  The hilt was wrapped in the same leather, and the pommel was a weighted ball of clear green metal.  Richter’s smile widened even further.

“Now I don’t want ye trying to give me a kiss when ye see the blade, yer lordship!”

Richter laughed and said he would try to restrain himself.  He unsheathed the weapon and examined it.

You have been given: Elementum Short Sword of Freezing.  Damage: 33-37.  Durability 158/158.  Item class: Scarce. Quality: Exquisite.  Weight 2.3 kg.  Traits: +6-7 points of water damage per attack.  4% chance to cause Freeze.  +10% damage vs. spell barriers.  Charges: 220/220.  Bonus Trait: +10% damage against Earth and Dark creatures.

Richter’s mouth dropped open in shock.  He looked at Krom and then back at his new weapon and then back at Krom again.  “How did you do this?”  Richter had awe in his voice.  His high steel longsword only had a damage potential of 12-17.  And how did it have all of those other enchantments?

Krom cracked his neck and began speaking in the affectionate tone he reserved for discussing his craft. “Well, my lord.  Short swords normally have a base damage of 8-10 and the metal…” The dwarf laughed.  “Well, let me just say that elementum be a tough son of a bitch.  Even I di’na know how much power the metal would add, but the base damage increased by +9!  The rest though is due just to my skill and the strength of me arm.  I am a level sixty-two smith, and the bonus from my skill increased the base damage and the bonus from the metal.  When ye add the +5 for the exquisite quality of the weapon, it brought the damage up to 33-37!”

The smith took a sip of water, then continued, “I can tell ye that it wasn’t easy.  We had to stoke the fires to be hotter than me asshole in summer!  As you can see though, yer lordship, it was well worth the effort.  I was a bit concerned seeing as how me Smith rank is lower than it should be to work with that type of metal, but it still turned out good!”

Richter agreed.  It was a gorgeous weapon. Richter could barely tear his eyes from it, but he was confused by something Krom had said. “What do you mean?  What does your skill rank have to do with anything?”

“Ye know that I be a journeyman smith, yer lordship.  That means several things, but one of them is I can bend and poke any metal up to ebony like it was me second wife.”

“Not your first wife?” Richter asked with a smile.

“No, yer lordship.  She was so tight that if I had put a copper between her knees, it would na have hit the floor for years!  But that na be the point right now.  To work elementum without penalty, I would have to be an adept.  Seeing as how I am a rank short, it shows in me work.”

Richter struggled to keep a straight face and asked, “How does it affect the weapons that you can make?”

Krom scratched his beard and asked, “Are ye sure ye wish to know this?  It be a bit technical.”  After Richter nodded, he continued, “I’ll need to tell you something else about Smith ranks first.  For each rank there be a specific chance to make a weapon or armor of a certain quality every time I swing me hammer.  The higher me rank, the more likely for me to make a higher quality item.  Do ye understand?”

After Richter nodded again, Krom grabbed a piece of hide and a charcoal stick.  He started making lines on the pale leather and writing words to either side of each line: Trash, Poor, Average, Above Average, Well Crafted, Exceptional, Superb, Exquisite, Masterwork.  Then he drew a curve perpendicular to the lines, and Richter almost dropped the sword in shock.  Krom had just made a bell curve.

The smith continued speaking and pointed at the line between average and above average. “A novice smith would start here, yer lordship.  They would have a large chance making an average or above-average quality item and a smaller chance of making a poor quality or well-crafted quality piece.”

“In that scenario, is it a 34% chance to make the average or the above-average weapon?” Richter asked.

Krom looked at him, surprised. “Not exactly, yer Lordship.  I was never too interested in the specific percentages of me craft, but me old master said the chances of making the lower quality was closer to 55% and to make the higher quality was about 35% when ye first achieved a new rank.  When ye move another quality level over either way, it was three times as likely to make a lower quality piece than higher quality.  Also, the chances to forge higher quality items do improve when yer skill gets closer to the next rank.  This all be the broad rules though, yer Lordship, because Luck, ingot quality, and other factors would affect the numbers somewhat.”

Richter nodded.  So not a standard bell curve, more like a negative skew.  He did some quick math in his head and realized that meant there was probably about a 7-8% chance to make a much lower quality weapon and only a 2-3% chance to make a much higher quality weapon.  Interested in the complexities of the Smithing skill, he motioned for Krom to continue.

“At me journeyman rank, the middle of me curve be here.” He pointed at the line between exceptional and superb.  “If everything turns out near perfect, I might make an exquisite piece, but the best I can normally hope to make is a superb quality weapon.  Like I said, though, there is a penalty for working a metal a rank above my ability.  Anything I make would automatically drop one quality level, so the best elementum blade I should have been able to forge would be capped at superb quality.”

Richter examined the blade again, seeing that it had exquisite quality. “Then how—”

“The Forge!” Krom interrupted excitedly.  “All of the elementum ingots ye brought back were masterwork quality, which made forging them easier.  I poured all of my energy and sweat into it, and I made the best blade that I could.  I swear, yer lordship, I felt like me hammer was being guided to exactly the right spots.  When I finished the sword, I knew that it was exquisite, but of course the rank penalty knocked it down to superb.  Then the main anvil started to glow!  The light shot into the sword, and when I looked again, the quality was back to exquisite!  I can only take part of the credit for this fine weapon, yer lordship.”

Richter laughed.  Krom was almost dancing a jig.  The smith calmed himself and went on to explain the magic imbued into the blade. “Now, the freeze enchantment is a bit lower than it could have been.  All I had to work with were the common soul stones ye left.  Luckily, Gloran agreed to help.  His journeyman rank in Enchanting allowed him to spell the item without penalty even though I was the one forging the sword.  It also let him use two soul stones on the enchantment.  We were still way short of the forty-five possible points we could have used, but we worked with what had.  The twenty enchantment points Gloran could get from the common stones allowed us to get four points of cold damage as a base and give a 4% chance to activate the freeze ability.  His level sixty-five Enchanting skill increased the base enchantment to 6-7 damage!”

Richter was always impressed by Krom’s dedication to his craft.  The only other time the taciturn dwarf spoke passionately was when he was cursing someone.  He grew downright loquacious when he talked about making weapons and armor, though.  “Okay, so I get the high damage and the cold enchantment, but what about the bonus trait?  Why is it stronger against Dark and Earth creatures?”

Krom looked around at the Forge with what could only be called love in his eye.  “That be thanks to Ria here.”

“Ria?” Richter asked.

“Aye, yer lordship.  The Forge reminds me of the first love I ever had.  A strong beauty of a woman, who would happily burn your nuts off if you didn’t pay attention the whole time you were with her.  She also let me come inside whenever I wanted.”  Krom kept looking around at the Forge with a wistful smile.

“Inside… of her house?”  Krom’s bearded grin only deepened.  Richter looked at his Smith with a slightly scrunched face.  This seemed… inappropriate somehow… and how many true loves and wives had Krom been through?  He wasn’t sure what to do. When Krom started audibly and breathily sighing, however, Richter couldn’t take it anymore.

“Dude!”

“What?  Oh yes, sorry, yer lordship.  Went somewhere for a bit.  As I was saying, when I finished forging the sword, the sun and one of the moons glowed on the ceiling.  A beam of nearly clear green light came down from the moon and a beam of yellow-white came down from the sun and bathed the sword in a bright glow.  When it went out, the sword had the bonus trait, and that be when the mark appeared.”

“What mark?” Richter asked.

“At the base, yer lordship.”

Richter looked closely at where the blade met the hilt and saw the slight impression of a four-pointed star.  As he watched, it glowed slightly before resuming the appearance of clear green glass.  Richter turned the blade over and saw another impression.  It was a square with four characters, one in each quadrant.

“That one be me smith mark, yer lordship.  It let all know that the weapon was forged by Krom of the Red Stone clan,” the dwarf said proudly.

Richter smiled. “So do all of the weapons you’ve made here have this glowing star?”

“So far it only be this one.  I do believe the mark only appears when the ceiling be triggered to grant extra powers.”

Richter was pleased to know that the special quality of the Forge of Heavens had already come into play.  The extra damage could make all the difference, especially in the catacombs.  “And so far only my sword has gotten this kind of special bonus trait?”

“Yes, yer Lordship.  When the moon and sun lit up, the two points formed a straight line to the central anvil.  I was actually thinking that if we knew more about when the moons and stars would be present overhead, we could know how to get more of these special bonuses.  Could ye figure that out?”

You have been offered a Quest: My God!  It’s Full of Stars I!  Krom has tasked you with learning more about the movement of celestial bodies.  How you do this is up to you.  Will you accept?  Yes or No?  Reward: Improved Weapons and Armor.

Richter had almost expected Krom to give him a quest.  He accepted it without another thought.  Another prompt appeared.

You have unlocked a new field of study: Astrology.

If only Ms. Cleo were here, Richter thought.  Then he’d know everything he needed about that field of study.  She could also teach him about tax evasion and fake accents.

“I’ll take care of it, Krom, but it might mean having some gnomes wandering around the Forge.  They’ll most likely need to study the ceiling.”

Krom’s face darkened.  He prepared to protest, but Richter cut him off. “Do you want to understand the Forge or not?  What would the real Ria do if you ignored her needs?”

The Smith immediately hunched as if to protect his middle. “You’re right, yer lordship.  I guess I can deal with it if there only be one at a time.”

Foreseeing a potential future issue, Richter decided to nip it in the bud. “More than one may need to be in here at one time, Krom.  You need to be okay with up to four.”

“Four?  Four?  My speckled arse I will have four of those buggers in me Forge.  Two!  Two is all I could take.”

“Two then, but you have to be helpful,” Richter smirked on the inside and couldn’t resist twisting the knife. “You also have to be nice.”

Krom looked almost apoplectic.  Richter added, “We could always just set aside some dedicated time for the gnomes to be in here without you…”

“Banished gods, no!  I absolutely refuse… yer lordship.  I will be”—Krom’s mouth twisted as if he were chewing sour glass—“nice.”

“Good,” Richter said.  “Make sure the other smiths are as well.  Understand that if I have to come over here to deal with silly complaints myself… I.  Will.  Not.  Be.  Happy.”  Richter clipped each of the last words as he said them.  “Are we clear, Smith?”

Krom, who had seen Richter’s steely disposition when he had accepted the job as village Smith, definitely saw the merits of keeping his lord happy.  “I will keep these knuckle draggers in line, yer lordship.”

“I knew I could count on you, Krom,” Richter said jovially, clapping the man on the shoulder.  “Now, do you have any other toys for me or should we just get to business?”

Before answering, Krom grew serious. “Ay, yer lordship.  Before I show ye, though, I wanted to say one thing.  Yer blade should show ye the power of having such a wonder as the Forge of Heavens.  I just wanted to say that I take the honor seriously.  I am with ye til death, yer lordship.”

Richter held out his hand until Krom reached out too, and the men clasped wrists.  The smith’s fingers were rough and his grip sure.  “I know you take it seriously, Krom.  I am lucky to have your service.  When you make these weapons, you are saving the lives of your fellow villagers.  This is your home for as long as I breathe.”

They released their shake and Krom coughed, somewhat embarrassed. “Well, I do have one or two more things to show you, milord.”  First, he tossed Richter a small piece of flat and thick marbled quartz. “Ye’ll be needing that.  Any softer stone will be cut right through when ye try to sharpen yer blade.”  Then he walked over to another stand and took down a quiver of arrows.  “I thought ye might be able to do some damage with these.  All we had left were the basic soul stones from the hunters, though, so the enchantment came out weaker than it could have.”

You have received: Moonstone Arrows of Freezing.  Quantity: 60.  Durability: 8/8.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Superb.  Damage: +4.  Traits: +3 Water damage.  2% chance to cause Freeze.

“How did you enchant all of these?” Richter asked.  He was thoroughly pleased.  “I didn’t give you that many soul stones.”

“That was na a problem, yer lordship.  The arrowheads are so small; you can enchant them in lots of ten.  I have to warn ye though.  I be almost out of powdered crystal.  If ye want more enchanted weapons and armor, I will need more.”

“It won’t be a problem,” Richter assured him.  Then he went back to gushing over his new arrows.  “This is amazing, Krom.  Thank you.  That reminds me, though, can you do anything with this?”  Richter reached into his Bag and pulled out the schematic for the heavy arrows.

Krom greedily took the diagram and rushed over to a wooden table.  He smoothed out the large parchment and began poring over it. “Yes… See I always thought that… The counterweight…” Krom muttered to himself for a full two minutes.  That was the extent of Richter’s patience.

“Krom!  Can you make these or not?” he asked.

The dwarf looked up. “I think so.  Yes, yes I can make them.  Just going to take a little trial and error.  Thank you for giving me this, my lord.  Give me… a week.  Learning to make these will increase my Smithing skill a lot more than just swinging a hammer.  Can I hold onto this?”

A prompt appeared in his vision.

Return to Smith Krom in one week to see if he has learned the creation of Heavy Arrows.

Richter dismissed the notification and nodded. “Just make sure that you get it to one of the scribes when you have figured it out.  Tell them to make a copy and then give both to the chamberlain.  Okay?”

Krom nodded.  He weighted down two of the parchment edges with daggers he took from a nearby stand.  From the longing glances he cast at the diagram, Richter was sure the Smith would be back to poring over it the moment he was alone again.  “I do have one other thing to show ye, milord.”

Krom walked over to another table and reached underneath.  He pulled a chest out and lifted the lid.  Inside was a collection of white, hand-sized scales.  The skeeling scales.

“Haven’t made much progress, huh?” Richter asked.

“More than ye think, my lord.  Each scale has been scraped clean.  Each also has small holes drilled to link them together and have been treated with a resin that will keep them strong, yet supple.  I have done everything short of making the actual armor, but it is completely planned out.  We will also measure ye for the armor first.  It will take longer, but there will be a boost to the defense.”

“So why haven’t you made it yet?” Richter asked, confused.

“I believe these scales will make something special, my lord.  Because of that, they not only need to be forged well, they need to be enchanted well.  I know it not be easy, but we need more soul stones with strong souls.  It also would be a good idea to place more armor enchantments into the Forge.  If you do that, I can make ye an amazing set of armor.”

You have been offered a Quest: The Spirit of Defense.  Krom wants to make you an amazing set of armor, but he needs more soul stones!  Will you obtain them?  Obviously, higher-level stones will give you a better yield!  Optional: Place new armor enchantments in the Forge of Heavens.  Yes or No?  Reward: A new set of armor.

“Of course,” Richter said.  He chose the “Yes” prompt.

“Just let me know when yer ready to start on the armor.  Well, that be all I have for ye so far, yer lordship.  Much of our time be spent making arms and armor for the new militia.”

“This is more than enough, Krom.  Thank you.  I’ve seen the new gear the militia is wearing, and I want to congratulate you on a job well done.”  The dwarf’s chest swelled up with pride.  “I need to ask something else of you, though.  The hunters need better weapons and armor if they are going to keep going outside of the walls.  Can you make sure they are equipped with what they need?”

“That will not be a problem, yer lordship.  Do ye want me to wait until we have more soul stones?”

Richter thought about it for a moment. “No.  In addition to the meat they bring in, they are invaluable as scouts.  Just equip them as fast as you can.  I’m not letting them beyond the walls until you do.  Find them during the feast and set up a time for them to meet with you.  I’m going to send Basil to speak with you about his diplomatic mission with the Serrated Mountain dwarves too.  He is going to need as much information as you can provide.  Actually now that I’m thinking about it, should you go with him?”

Krom’s face immediately clouded. “I can’t leave now, yer lordship.  I just learned my new enchantment.  I know I’ll learn the other one soon!  I can feel it!”

Richter raised his hands placatingly. “Okay.  I do think someone should go with him, though.  Preferably two someones.  Are there any dwarves here that you trust to guide Basil’s party and act as a liaison?”

Krom scratched his beard. “I might know just the dwarves.  Me second cousin and his friend.  They’re young, barely thirty, and still more balls than brains.  They’ve been spoiling to go exploring and wouldn’t mind a bit of an adventure.  It be a good idea for Basil to have a guide.  There are more than dwarf tribes in the mountains.  More than one goblin and orc clan call the mountains their home.”

Richter nodded grimly.  He would have to increase the number of guards that he sent with Basil.  He felt much better knowing that Krom would pick a good guide for the man.  He thanked the smith and said, “Now I have to go.  I still have a few stops to make before I go hunting.  Keep up the good work.”

Richter had turned and started walking away when he heard, “Ahhh, yer lordship.  There was one more thing.”

Richter was honestly starting to get a bit annoyed.  It was starting to feel like he was being pulled in twenty different directions.  He quelled his aggravation, though, and just turned back with a serene expression. “What do you need, Krom?”

“It’s about the iron mine, milord.  Some of the dwarves and the human miners have been gradually going deeper.  A few days ago, one reported that he heard some noises coming from lower in the shaft.  Since then, the other miners have been reporting hearing the same type of noises.  They say it sounds like a child laughing.  Well, I told them to toughen up and get back to work, but they will only work the areas closer to the surface now.  The iron veins that close to the entrance were the first that we stripped, though, so iron production be slowing down.  I thought ye might be able to investigate and put their minds at ease.”

Wait for it, Richter thought.  A notification popped into his view.  There it is!

You have been offered a Quest: Noises in the Dark I.  Your miners have heard sounds like a child’s laughter in the iron mine.  It is unnerving them and slowing down productivity.  Krom wants you to investigate the mine and ensure that there is no danger.  Reward: Access to the next level of the mine.  Your iron production will resume normal levels.  Yes or No?

“I’ll take care of it, Krom.”

“I knew ye would, yer lordship.”  Some of the other dwarves had stopped in their tasks when the Smith had asked about the iron mine.  Seeing that, Krom’s voice boomed out, “Get back to work, ye lazy slugs!”

Everyone in the Forge hopped to.  Krom continued his tirade to make sure they kept at it.  Richter took the opportunity to retreat.  As he was leaving, he told Krom to take a look at the weapons and armor he had placed in the armory and to bring it all back up to full durability.  The dwarf grunted and nodded.  As Richter left the Forge, he set his sights on the meadow to the north of the village.  He felt a longing to see the celestial tree.  The silver wood and velvety white leaves brought a sense of tranquility to all who observed it.  After the horror and stress of the last week, Richter could use a little inner peace.

CHAPTER 4

Richter walked out of the Forge and looked around, but unfortunately there was still no sign of Sion and Futen.  Figuring they would catch up, he went on to his next errand.  The remnant always seemed to know where he was anyway.  While he was walking to the slope that would lead him to the meadow, sure enough Futen floated up with Sion strolling behind him.  He told the remnant about his new quests so they could be passed along to Randolphus, then turned to see his friend.

“Piss off any more rock giants?” Sion asked with a mocking grin.

“Well, that depends,” Richter answered with a speculative gaze upward.  “Giants compared to me… or to you!”  His grin was just as shit eating as his Companion’s.

“Oh Richter,” Sion said without missing a beat.  “You will never compare to my giant.”  The sprite patted his crotch.

“Now why did you have to make it weird?” Richter complained.

“It is not my fault that I recently saw you naked.  Raw chaos must be really, really cold.”

“I’m a grower not a shower man.  Just ask Daniella,” Richter said offhandedly.

“Daniella?” Sion said, sounding confused.  “Shouldn’t I just ask the cows and the sheep?”

“Enough!” Richter said with a laugh.  “It is good to see you, my friend.”  He reached out his arm.

Sion clasped wrists with him. “Always, my friend.  Now why did you have your magic ball bring me?”

“We have hunting to do.  The lands around the village are getting more dangerous.  Terrod wants to do some scouting before the feast.  I’m assuming you are up for a little action.”

Sion twisted his neck and a loud crack sounded.  “That is an understatement, my friend.”  His expression grew serious. “I feel horrible that the Assassin was able to harm you.”

Richter stopped walking. “That wasn’t your fault, Sion.”

The sprite looked up into Richter’s face and met his gaze.  “I am your Companion, but even more than that, I am your brother.  I feel great shame that I did not protect you.  It should have been me and not Terrod that started instituting greater security in the village.  If I had, you might not have died.  Will you forgive me?”

Richter saw the earnestness in his friend’s eyes.  He realized that more protestations would only insult him and waste time.  “I forgive you, but only if you will forgive me for my selfishness.  I have been walking around the village, and it seems like everyone that I meet needs something.  I’ve come to realize these are all things that I should have been making more of a priority before now.  I have been too focused on my personal needs when I should have been paying attention to my responsibilities as a leader.  I am sure that I have also been ignoring my responsibilities as a friend.”  A silence grew between the two men.

“We have a deal,” Sion said.

“Good,” Richter said.  “Don’t wait so long to answer next time, though.  Having to look you in the face for so long… now that deserves an apology!”

“I could paint my face to look like a pig’s behind if that helps.  I know that’s the view you’re used to,” Sion quipped back.

“Really, dude?  Another animal sex joke?  You’re better than that!”

The two friends kept up a running train of friendly insults as they climbed the slope to the meadow and just enjoyed each other’s company.  It was a comradery born of battle and sacrifice.  Richter did not have many friends in The Land, but what he lacked in quantity he knew he made up for in quality.

When they got to the top, they could see a large tilled field.  The last time Richter had been up here, the herb garden had just been, well, a garden.  Now it was at least five times larger.  Three elves and a human female were tending it now.  The original garden was showing some great growth.  Plants of many different colors were sprouting up in various spots.  The new sections still just looked like furrowed ground.  As he watched, one of the men ran string between two small poles that stuck straight up from the ground.  Richter could see that a loose grid system had already been started.  He guessed it was to separate the different types of herbs that had been planted.

As the two Companions walked up, one of the elves stood and started running towards them.  It was Isabella, Terrod’s love.  She didn’t slow down when she got close, but instead threw herself into his arms and held him close in a fierce hug.

“My lord, you did it!  You brought my love back to me!  From this day forward, you have my devotion and support!  Will you accept my pledge?”

Richter shifted uncomfortably.  Not because of the emotion she was conveying, but instead because her lovely lady lumps were causing a certain reaction.  He tried to extricate himself from her grasp, but it just made her hold him tighter.  “Please do not refuse my pledge, my lord.  My honor will not allow for anything less.  I must serve you!”

Richter didn’t know what was happening.  It seemed like Sion and the other gardeners completely understood his predicament and were immensely enjoying the show, but Isabella was completely focused on getting Richter to agree.  He tried gently pushing her off again, but she would not take the hint.  She held him close, and the problem got worse.  Now there was friction!

“Okay!  Okay!  I accept your pledge.”

Your relationship with Isabella has improved from Friendly to Trusted.

She relaxed her death grip and looked him in the eye. “Thank you, my lord.”  Isabella went into a deep curtsy and then looked up at him with sweet and happy eyes.  He reached out to help her up from her curtsy.  She smiled brightly and then turned away to help the other gardeners.  Wanting to defuse any sexual tension, he reached out to clap her on the shoulder.  To his surprise, as soon as she felt his touch, she shied away.

Until this moment, Richter hadn’t really had a real interaction with Isabella.  From the time that he had saved her from Count Stonuk, she had been in seclusion.  He was finally seeing her as a person, though, and not just a damaged victim.  It was easy to see how Terrod had fallen in love with the elf maiden.  She was an obvious beauty, with her chestnut hair and dusky brown skin.  Her eyes were also captivating, being the shining gold of the setting sun.  More than the physical, however, Isabella clearly had a gentle and genuine spirit.  This was the creature that Count Stonuk had abused physically, mentally, and emotionally.  She had healed emotionally to the extent that she had been able to embrace him, but unexpected contact still made her flinch.  The count had hurt her deeply.  Richter reaffirmed his resolve to deal with the man in kind once he had dealt with the threat of the bugbears.

He took a step back from the wood elf and just extended his hand, letting her come to him.  Isabella had recovered from her involuntary recoil and had a slightly pained and embarrassed expression on her face.  She firmed her lips, took a step forward, and placed her hand in his. “I am sorry for my reaction, my lord.  I know that I owe you for my freedom.  I can never repay you for that or for saving my love.”

Richter loosely held her hand, making sure that she did not feel trapped. “I have heard what you have done for me, rallying the villagers.  You take whatever time you need to heal.  With that in mind, I would like to give you a gift.  I must touch you to do so, however.  Are you okay with that?”

Isabella’s body tightened perceptibly.  It was quiet in the meadow as the four bystanders witnessed the interplay between the wood elf and lord of the Mist Village.  Richter didn’t make any move as her hand quivered inside of his.  He sensed this was a pivotal moment for her.  When she had seen him initially, she had clearly been overcome with emotion and a need to express her thanks. That was most likely why she had been able to hug him like that.  Now, though, he was asking her to consciously allow a man to lay hands on her again.  Richter just waited for her decision.

Several long breaths later, her hand stilled and she nodded.  “I trust you, my lord.”

Richter smiled comfortingly and placed one hand on her chest above her breasts and the other on her head.  His Power made his senses come alive as it sensed his intent.  Words spilled from his mouth, heavy with the gravity of the moment.  “By the Right of My Power, I Awaken Your Power.”

Warmth blossomed in his chest.  Images flashed through Richter’s mind, and each brought a warm emotion with it: holding his nephew for the first time, and then feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.  Then something he could not possibly have remembered, but still knew was a true memory.  He remembered his mother holding him as a baby and looking into her face for the first time.

All of these memories and emotions suffused his very soul in the space of a single heartbeat.  Then he felt the warmth in his chest spread down either arm and flow into Isabella.  There was another breathless moment while both Isabella and Richter waited to see what would happen, but then they felt it.  The resonance.  He didn’t know if the Life magic found a home in her soul or if the Life magic inside of her had just finally awoken.  Either way, a new Life mage had been born!

Isabella had seen Richter awaken the Air mages several weeks ago, but it in no way prepared her for the exhilaration of magic coursing through her.  She felt as if a part of her that had always been asleep, a part of her that she had never even known existed was now singing out its birth to the world.  The spiritual scars she had sustained during captivity would never leave her, and some of her emotional wounds were still healing, but now some of the darker parts of her spirit were being bathed in the healing light of her new Life magic.  A smile bloomed on her face.

Isabella spoke in a calm voice.  Richter heard a surety in her tone that had been lacking before. “Thank you, my lord.”

Your relationship with Isabella has improved from Trusted to Ally.

Richter smiled happily.  It just felt “right” somehow that the Life magic had found a home within her.  “You’re welcome, Isabella.  What spell did you learn?”

Isabella’s eyes lost focus for a moment and then she answered excitedly, “I learned three spells, my lord.”

“Three?” he asked, surprised.  “Your affinity must be high!  What is it?”

“100%!” she answered, delighted.

“Well, what spells did you learn?” he asked again.

“Detect Life, Virol’s Blessing, and Slow Heal I!  I don’t know what I want to try first!”

Richter laughed.  The woman had undergone a transformation.  “Well, what does Virol’s Blessing do?”

“It increases the yield of growing plants.  The spell can be cast once per day, but the casts are cumulative.  Each time I invoke the spell, the final growth and potency will increase by 5% for a max of 100!”

Richter wondered at the unknown rules of The Land.  That spell sounded like exactly what an herb gatherer would need.  Did she get the spell because of her skill in Herb Lore or did her skills in Herb Lore and Life magic both stem from something intrinsic to who and what she was?  The line of questioning was probably about as useful as “chicken or the egg,” Richter realized.  He decided just to be happy for his new Life disciple.

“I want you to learn what I know as well.” Richter placed his hands on her head and chest again.  Her pupils dilated, and she knew!  He was able to teach her Charm I and Soul Trap.  His other spells required a higher level in Life magic than her current skill level of one.

She thanked him profusely again and hugged him.  There was no hesitation this time.  He looked at the other gardeners, who had stood silently by watching, and decided not to waste a good PR opportunity.  “Your loyalty and fealty are not taken lightly, Isabella.  I stand by my first pledge that as I rise, you will rise as well.”

He looked at the three villagers and clearly saw that his words had taken root inside of them.  With any luck, they would spread this story during the feast tonight.  Even if it only convinced one more person to swear fealty, it would have been well worth the effort.  They all just stood there for few seconds.  Richter still wanted to go check on the Quickening, but had a feeling that as soon as he started walking away, someone would speak up and ask him for something.  He decided to nip it in the bud.

“Isabella.”

She looked at him.

“Is there anything else that I can do to help you?”

“Well, my lord.  Now that you mention it…”  She kept talking and he got a new quest.

You have been offered a Quest: If It Grows From The Ground, It’s Probably Okay I.  Your herb gatherers are working hard to supply the needs of your burgeoning village.  They need a structure to dry and treat the plants that they harvest, however.  Isabella requests that you build an Herb House.  Bonus will be provided if you select a location suitable for both light-needing and dark-needing plants.  Yes or No?  Reward: Increased potency of herbs.  Yes or No?

Richter accepted the quest.  “I’ll talk to Roswan about it, but you may need to wait a bit.  There are a lot of other things we need to build first.”  She assured him there wasn’t a major rush.  The first batch of herbs would not finish growing for a while and those could be hung up in the longhouses.  Richter nodded and then started walking towards the Quickening with Sion in tow.  Alma had gotten enough of a rest apparently and flew off towards the village below.  Futen floated behind them silently.

Before Richter had taken more than a few steps, he heard chanting.  Isabella was looking at the tilled herb field and had both hands extended out. She spoke in a smooth measured voice, and gold light suffused her arms.  As Richter watched, she moved them sinuously.  Her movements matched the cadence of her voice perfectly.  Apparently her spell had a relatively long cast time, but for a potential doubling in herb yield and potency, Richter knew it was worth the effort.  He turned away again and left Isabella to explore her new Power.

A short walk later, the two friends were standing under the canopy of the Quickening.  The two sprite guards had greeted them before fading back into concealment.  The thick white leaves shifted above them, causing a faint rustling as they rubbed together.  The silver bark shone slightly in the scant light that filtered through the foliage.  Richter and Sion kept walking until they were directly in front of the trunk.  It almost looked like eight different trees that had been woven into a complex helical shape.

Richter ran his hand over the smooth wood.  The surface of the Quickening was not wrinkled like an oak tree.  Instead, it was covered in smooth whirls that were artistic in appearance.  Richter closed his eyes and stood there for a full five minutes.  Every breath in filled his mind and soul with contentment.  Every breath out exhaled a small amount of tension.  Richter kept one hand on the tree in a simple communion.  Sion shared this sacred space with his friend.  The wood sprite, like all of his people, had an almost religious reverence for nature.  Being able to see and stand beneath a heavenly tree was a dream made reality for his Companion.

Richter opened his eyes.  The residual stress of the past week was still there, but it felt distant now.  Sion looked at him and smiled.  The sprite also felt the same oneness of spirit.  Richter peeked through the gaps in the trunk and looked at the cocoon within.  Elora’s chrysalis was spun of silver thread that matched the trunk.  He silently wished her well.  He took a step back and exhaled in contentment.  Sion turned to leave, but stopped when Richter touched his arm.  The sprite looked back with a questioning expression.

“I know this is a somewhat sensitive topic, but you are my best friend.  The list of my enemies is only growing longer and more distinguished.  I want to give you every weapon and advantage that I can.  With that in mind, I would like to try and awaken Life magic in you.”

Sion shook his head and his face adopted a slightly pained expression. “My mother has tried, Richter.  Sumiko has tried.  Other Life masters have tried.  It has never worked.”  Though Sion tried to stay even keeled while he spoke, the volume of his voice rose ever so slightly by the end.  Richter didn’t interrupt.  He knew what a sensitive subject this was for his friend.  Being the son of the Hearth Mother and yet living most of his life thinking he was magically barren had taken a serious toll on Sion.  The sprite had been able to shed most of that emotional weight once he had learned Air magic, but no one could easily forget decades of shame, even if it was about something beyond your control.

“I know, Sion, and I don’t bring this up lightly.  You were present at the birth of the Quickening, though.  Your mother said that the amount of new Air disciples I was able to make was unheard of.  She said it was because they were exposed to the magic released when the tree was birthed.  It increased the affinities of the villagers and let me awaken their Power.  Now I don’t know if this will work, but I would like to try.”

Sion took a deep breath and then stepped close. “Okay,” he said heavily, “let’s try.”

Richter placed his left hand on his friend’s head and the right on Sion’s chest.  Warmth blossomed inside of his chest and the sensation flowed down both arms.  The energy flowed into Sion, searching for a resonance.  The two men locked eyes and waited, but nothing happened.  The energy dissipated like smoke in the wind.  Richter’s face crumpled somewhat in sympathy.  What he had said was true.  He did want Sion to be as prepared as possible for the inevitable fights to come, but he had had another, deeper motivation.  Richter had wanted to give his friend a gift.  Not just the gift of magic, but also the gift of freedom from any lingering doubts as to his own self-worth.

Sion didn’t let him dwell.  With a bit of forced joviality in his voice, the sprite said, “Maybe you should get a woman.  This is an absolutely pathetic attempt to get a little affection.”  He stepped away, breaking the contact between them.  The sprite started walking away.

Richter fell in step behind him.  In an effort to help Sion move past the disappointment, he said, “Well you can’t blame a guy for trying.  At least I got you alone first.”  Sion gave a halfhearted laugh.

The two men walked out from under the comforting embrace of the Quickening.  Despite Richter’s failed attempt to awaken Sion’s Life magic, their time with the celestial tree was not wasted.  For both of them, the world seemed a bit brighter and the future a bit more hopeful.  Once the sun was shining directly on their faces again, Sion seemed back to himself.  He smiled brightly, just enjoying being alive.  Richter smiled back, happy that the awkward moment had passed.

He started walking south, intending to go back down the hill to the village, but Sion stopped him.

“What’s up?” he asked the sprite.

“There is something that I want to show you.  It’s on the far end of the meadow.”

Richter nodded, but looked up at where Futen floated above his head. “How much time has passed since I finished speaking to Terrod?”

“One hour and twenty-two minutes,” came the monotone reply.

“Okay.  We should have enough time, but let’s run.”  Richter spoke a word of power.  One hand moved in a particular gesture as he cast Haste I.  Suddenly the world seemed to move somewhat slower, and he, conversely, could move that much faster.  Sion did the same, and the two men took off at a run.  The sprite led the way, and they quickly moved to the west.

Richter thought they might have been running to the lake, but Sion started veering north towards the cliff face.  They ran for another minute or two and then stopped before a waterfall.  The water fell from the cliffs high above and filled the lake that dominated the western aspect of the meadow.  A second waterfall fell from the south side of the lake down to the level of the village.

Richter realized that he had never actually come all the way to the western end of the meadow before.  He looked up at the river feeding the lake and wondered if the torrent of water came from a stream or river that wended its way through mountains to the north.  The spray falling over the two Companions was certainly icy cold.

“So this is what you wanted to show me?” Richter shouted.  This close to the site of impact, the waterfall was quite loud.

“No, gyoti!” Sion shouted back.  “I have been searching around the village and the surrounding area.  That includes this meadow.  I was searching for a particular herb, White Rine Tendril, that is known to grow on rocks near running water.  I was scaling the rocks near the waterfall, doing my best not to fall.  That was not easy, by the way!  The water covers the rocks completely where I was searching, and it made enough froth that I couldn’t see my hands when they were in the flow.”

Richter rolled his eyes a bit over this slightly long and boring story.  Sion glared at him, but continued, “As I was saying, I was making my way across a series of rocks hidden by the water.  Things were going fine, but then I put my hand down through the water again, but I couldn’t find a handhold.  There wasn’t anything there!  I peeked my head through and found the cave.  Now come on!”

Sion smiled wildly and then started walking on the rocks that crossed in front of the falls.  Richter followed him until they had gone about twenty feet.  They were both drenched by the spray before they had even made it half that distance.  The large rocks at the bottom of the falls were slippery, but both men had more than enough Agility to navigate the path.  Sion got right up to the wall of water and motioned for Richter to follow him. “This way!”

The sprite stepped through the torrent and disappeared.  Shaking his head at how intensely cold the water was likely to be, Richter stepped through as well.  He had thought he was wet before, but the deluge falling on him made him feel like he was diving into the ocean… near Antarctica.  The force of the water threatened to push him off balance, but again, he was able to keep his feet.  He was effectively blinded by the sheer volume of the water falling on him, but he kept pushing forward.  For a second, Richter started wondering if this was all an elaborate trick by his Companion, but then a small, strong hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the rock face behind the falls.

Richter stumbled through the water, and his foot found a slick gravel floor.  The volume of water blocked almost all of the afternoon light, but Futen floated in and illuminated the space.  The entrance to the cave was only three feet across and ten feet high.  Compared to the forty-foot width of the falls, the entrance was quite small.

Richter looked around.  The cave opened up widely after the narrow opening.  Moss-covered rocks lay near the entrance, and large stalactites hung from the ceiling.  He hadn’t known what to expect, but what he saw was more than a simple cave.  The moisture from the falls apparently made the perfect environment for fungus.  In Futen’s light, Richter could see lichen of varying shades and textures hugging most available surfaces.  Sion was already running around like a kid in a candy store, examining them and exclaiming over the properties each could convey.

“You were here before, weren’t you?” Richter asked, amused by his friend’s “oohs” and “aahs.”

“Yes, but I just discovered it a day ago!  I also could barely see.  Only a small amount of light filters through the water of the falls.”

Richter nodded and kept looking around.  The ceiling rose to fifteen feet above his head and the cave he was standing in extended back another hundred feet.  A small break in the ceiling allowed a cascade of water to fall through.  Richter couldn’t see any sky through the fissure in the ceiling, but he felt it was safe to assume that the water came from the waterfall running above their heads.  It fell into a small wading pool that in turn made a small rivulet that ran down the center of the cave until it flowed out towards the entrance.  Futen’s light reflected weakly off of the white marbled quartz.  The scene was one of untouched beauty.

He realized that this might indeed be an ideal place to plant his garden.  It was well hidden, which could come in handy.  The villagers would most likely know of course—something like a crystal garden couldn’t be kept secret in a village like this.  Once one villager found out, gossip would ensure the rest would know soon after.  It would keep the garden secret from invaders, however, and that might be invaluable.  If they were raided again, it was unlikely any enemies would make it to the meadow and then have the foresight to explore the waterfall.

He did not forget that his quest had specified that darkness was preferred when he planted the Focus Crystal, though.  The light entering the cave was weak, but he wondered if he might find a place of complete darkness further in.  He left Sion to keep examining the cave’s flora and walked to the back of the cave.  Richter hoped to find the most shadowed corner, but to his delight, he found much more.  A shadowy recess that he had taken to just be a fold in the cave wall actually turned out to be the start of a small tunnel.  He ordered Futen to dim his light and stay with Sion, then he cast Darkvision I.  Futen’s dim light and the small amount of sun that filtered through the water was somewhat painful, but as the remnant floated away, it became manageable.

Richter walked through the tunnel, which quickly narrowed in both width and height.  In six steps, Richter was hunched over.  Four more and he was in a three-point stance as he edged forward.  The slope of the floor also increased to a forty-five-degree angle.  Five more steps and a turn of the tunnel later, a bare wall confronted Richter.  The path didn’t end, though.  Directly above him was a hole with irregular edges.  Just by standing in the shortened tunnel he was able to get his head and shoulders above the edges of the hole.  Richter looked out at a large cavern that was in complete darkness.  It extended past the twenty-five-yard range that his Darkvision I spell allowed.  He didn’t see any other light, though.  This might be just what he was looking for!  Richter gave a small internal cheer at having found the perfect space to grow his crystal garden.

That was, of course, right when the tentacle grabbed him.

CHAPTER 5

Richter was yanked up through the hole.  The tentacle had looped under one arm and back around his neck, giving whatever had him a firm grasp.  It whipped his body back and forth in the air before throwing him across the pitch-black cavern.  He gave a startled shout as he flew through the air.  He landed heavily but quickly got to his feet.  He anxiously looked in all directions but didn’t see anything.

A loud crash echoed through the cavern.  He dismissed Dark Vision I and then with both hands started casting Far Light I.  Every second, two balls of light would shoot into the darkness and affix to whatever they struck.  Richter aimed at the ceiling, the far walls, and the floor.  He turned in all directions, his hands glowing gold in a vain attempt to see what had attacked him, but still, he saw nothing.  He didn’t stop.

Each ball of light cost him five mana, but that wasn’t a problem as he could draw on the village’s mana pool.  Richter kept turning.  He wished that he knew which direction the entrance to the cavern was, but between being shaken in the air and then spinning after he had been thrown, he was completely turned around.  He accessed his map, but all it showed was a black space surrounding him.  The cave entrance was roughly to his right, but that was all that he could tell.  So he did the only thing he could.  He kept casting.

Ten balls of light shot out.  Then there were thirty and then one hundred.  Richter kept turning, trying to look in all directions at once.  Despite his preparations, something struck him, and he didn’t see it coming.  He took a heavy blow across his shoulders that knocked him off his feet.  His armor absorbed most of the damage, but he still lost twelve health.  He fell on his face and before he could turn over, something wrapped around his left leg.  It began pulling him across the floor to a patch of darkness that lacked a ball of Far Light I.

Richter cried out in panic and anger.  Flopping over, he put both hands together and dual cast Flame I.  He forced a word of Power from his throat and his wrists locked together.  A gout of orange fire flew ahead of him and began to cook the tentacle that held him.  It was dark black in color and thick like an octopus’s arm.  When the fire touched it, he heard a scream that sounded like the whistling of wind through a canyon.  The tentacle loosed its grip.  As it retreated, Richter was horrified to see that the wiry limb was lined with suckers.  That was not noteworthy, but each sucker had a small mouth in its center that was full of needlelike teeth.  The mouths snapped and gnashed at him in no observable sequence.  He kept up his fire attack and traced the lance of flame in the direction of the retreating tentacle.  The scream grew louder, and Richter got his first look at what was attacking him.  He used Analyze.

Dark Aberration.  Level 18.  Health 630.  Mana 350.  Stamina 410.  Disposition: Hatred.  A dark aberration can arise from the remains of sacrificial victims used in Dark magic.  The rotting flesh of those poor souls will sometimes flow together to create this horrid creature.  An amalgam of agony, fury, and Dark magic, an aberration is filled with hatred and will attack any creature that comes near it.  Rather than being seen as an unfortunate consequence of magic experimentation, some evil wizards have sacrificed hundreds, if not thousands, of men, women, and children for the express purpose of creating these hateful things.  A dark aberration can lie dormant for years and can survive by feeding off of the residual Dark magic that created it.  If it is supplied with fresh flesh or Dark energy, this monster could theoretically be an immortal watchdog.

The thing was huge.  It was at least the size of a Humvee.  The entire body of the aberration just looked like a tarry black mass that had a forest of tentacles extending out from it.  Eyes of various colors and types were randomly placed on the body and several large mouths were screaming in concert.  Some of the mouths were as long as Richter’s arm and filled with jagged shark-like teeth, but one mouth was human sized and was lined with full red pouting lips.  Somehow the normal mouth was what really filled Richter with revulsion.

He only got a look at it for second because it quickly scooted farther back into the cave and beyond the range of his Flame I spell.  Richter immediately lost sight of it, and the screams quieted after a few seconds.  Except for the whoosh of his Fire spell and his own harsh breathing, there wasn’t another sound to be heard once it disappeared into the dark.  Just great, Richter thought, this thing is a fucking ninja!  He screamed defiance at it for a second and maintained his fire attack, but then cut it off and sprinted in the opposite direction.

As Richter ran, he started casting buffs.  Minor Life Armor I, Minor Life Aura, Haste I, and Barkskin I.  He even cast Courage I, though he couldn’t tell if it had an effect.  He was still scared shitless by what he had just seen.  That thing had been huge, and he was pretty sure one of those eyes had winked at him!

As he sprinted away, he aimed his run towards an area that seemed to have a greater concentration of his Far Light I balls clustered together, reasoning that had to be the direction he had been thrown from.  It also coincided with the section of the map where the cave entrance was.  Luckily, it was roughly opposite of the direction that the aberration had skittered off in.  Richter intellectually understood that didn’t mean it wasn’t still following him in the dark or even that it hadn’t managed to get ahead of him, but seeing as how he was running for his life from a giant tentacle monster, it really didn’t seem like the time for deep thoughts!

It didn’t take more than a few seconds to cast his buffs and after that he just cast Far Light I in all directions again until he reached the portion of wall that was already festooned with his balls of light.  His breath was still coming fast and short and his heart thudded forcefully in his chest.  He quickly turned around, placing his back to the wall, and drew his new sword.  It gleamed green in the light of Richter’s balls of light.  He looked out over the cavern, searching for the aberration.

The first thing that struck Richter was the strangeness of the cavern he was in.  The ceiling was only twenty feet directly above his head, but in front of him, the cave became a warren of holes and short tunnels.  To Richter, it looked like staring into a block of Swiss cheese.  There was even a four-foot hole leading directly up into the ceiling only a few feet from where he was standing.  Richter quailed internally when he realized he was standing in a three-dimensional maze.  He could only hope that he had run in the right direction and that he could find the way out.  It was now abundantly clear why the position of the Far Light I balls was so confusing.

Richter looked around, searching for the midnight black body of his attacker, but he didn’t see anything.  He shot out a few more balls of Far Light I, but each ball of light only illuminated the space around it for a few feet.  The oil-colored body of his enemy could be in any of the seemingly endless shadows that were in front of him.  Richter looked to either side, trying to find the entrance to the chamber.  He sidled a bit to the left, but then whipped his head back to the right, fearing to be attacked from the darkness again.

Richter took stock of his situation.  Just like when he had been confronted with a difficult situation on Earth, he remembered the wisdom of Frank Herbert, “Fear is the mind killer, I will face my fear.  I will let it pass through me.”  Richter took a deep breath and steadied himself.  With his short sword held before him, he faced the facts.

Fact, a monster wanted his life.

Fact, if he didn’t escape, he would have to fight for his life.

Fact, it was bigger than him.

Richter’s fear faded as he forced his mind to confront his situation.  In its absence, anger became his primary emotion.

Fact, he had already hurt it.

Fact, this was his damn house.

Fact, he was going to kill this fucking thing!

Richter stopped looking for an escape and started planning for his victory.  Both hands flew out, and he cast Far Light I fifty more times in quick succession.  The village’s mana dropped by two hundred and fifty, but there was still more than enough available.  The village mana pool would recover at more than forty points per hour, and the light should last at least another ten minutes.  He also cast Simple Light.  Between that and the glow that Minor Life Aura caused, he could easily see the area around him.

Richter drank a Potion of Clarity and then cast one of his new spells, Summon Weak Saproling, for the very first time.  The fingers of his left hand contorted in a particular series of movements.  The cast time was three seconds, but the aberration left him unmolested as he completed his spell.  Richter felt his will push against the fabric of the world as he made a hole in space between “here” and “somewhere else.”  With a final word of Power, he clenched his hand into a fist.  The spell was completed.  A green disc four feet in diameter phased into view.  Richter heard the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, and the crisp scent of pine filled the cavern.  A creature stepped through the disc.

The saproling was three feet tall and seemed to be composed of thick sticks and leaves.  The pale wooden branches were bent and intertwined like wicker.  It was bent forward on all fours, but its stance was more akin to an ape’s than a dog’s.  The saproling didn’t have any feet.  Instead, each limb ended in a small mire of sprawling roots.  The head was a solid piece of wood.  Two green balls of glowing light served for its eyes, and it looked out from holes in the front of its wooden skull.  Three more holes ran down either side of its jaw, but Richter didn’t see any discernable mouth.

The summoned creature looked around and then locked eyes on Richter.  No sounds came from it, but Richter understood the silent communication.  It was waiting for orders.  It was waiting to discover why it had been summoned from whatever world it called home.  He really didn’t know too much about its capabilities, so he Analyzed it.

Saproling.  Level 5.  Health 180.  Mana 200.  Stamina 220.  Disposition: Neutral.  A low-level forest elemental, a saproling can take many forms.  They are often summoned by Novice Earth mages for a variety of tasks.  Though helpful, they can also attack with deadly force when needed.

“Protect me!” Richter shouted.  He started casting more Far Light I balls into the dark recesses.  While he did, he kept searching for the entrance in case the fight went badly.  He still fully intended to kill whatever was in here with him, but he didn’t see any shame in… strategically retreating if the fight turned south.  The hair on the back of his neck was up as he tried to look everywhere at once.  He kept imagining that he could detect the pitch-black skin of the aberration.  Each time he created a ball of light, it stuck to whatever surface it met, but he saw no sign of the monster.  Richter just couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that even though the aberration could be hiding ten feet away, he still might not see it.

As it turned out, the monster was only hiding eight feet away, hanging from the wall above and behind him.  A tentacle snaked out of the darkness and wrapped around Richter’s neck.  It yanked him off his feet and cut off his oxygen like a noose.  Richter felt the small mouths on the inside tentacles bite him.  What was worse was the nauseating pulling sensation.  With budding horror, he realized that this thing was drinking his blood even as it choked him!

The saproling immediately rushed to the wall to attack the monster, but that did nothing to help Richter directly.  More tentacles reached out to combat his summoned creature.  The saproling was stopped a good five feet away from the mouths Richter could now see yawning open.  He reached up instinctively and tried to dig his fingers into the space between his neck and the tentacle holding him.  There was no gap to be found, however.  As soon as he touched the tentacle, it tightened like a garrote.  The pressure increased behind his eyes as the flow of blood was constricted further.  The muscles in his abdomen constricted, and Richter had to fight a sudden urge to urinate on himself.  He probably wouldn’t have been able to resist that primal defense mechanism, but the panic that rose within him as soon as his feet left the ground suddenly abated slightly.  An unseen notation on his combat log detailed that Courage I had just taken effect.  His conscious mind took over, and he realized that he wasn’t using the best weapon at his disposal.  That actual weapon in his fucking hand!

The tentacle still held him aloft and had twisted his body around as it tightened.  This was good news because it let him face the wall where the monster was fighting his saproling.  If the tentacle were still behind him, he would not have been able to hit it effectively with his sword.  In this position, though, Richter was able to first bring the sword across his body and then swing at the tentacle with a mighty backhand.

The clear green blade refracted the light slightly as it arced through the poorly lit cave.  Richter’s vision was starting to darken when the blade hit the tentacle.  His teeth bared in a grimace triggered by both pain and a desperate need to free himself from the aberration’s grasp.  The oxygen wasn’t the problem—Richter knew for a fact that he could hold his breath for minutes.  The lack of blood flow was another matter.  If he didn’t get free in the next few seconds, he would lose consciousness.  Once that happened… game over.

Time seemed to slow for Richter.  External sounds faded as all he could hear was a ringing in his ears and a distant thud from a just finished heartbeat.  Once the sword touched the tentacle, though, he rejoined the world jarringly, and a horrifying screech filled the air.  Each of the aberration’s mouths was wide open and caterwauling at different tones, from a deep roar to a ladylike scream.

His blade had struck the black tentacle a foot from his face.  It was more than close enough for him to see a flash of blue-white frost when it struck.  The elementum blade sank easily into the octopus-like limb and cut more than halfway.  Richter yanked his arm down, sawing the length of his short sword the rest of the way through.  The severed end of the limb whipped back and forth, spraying black blood across Richter’s face and body.  He didn’t care, though, because he was in the process of falling to the floor.

He was able to land on his feet, but he still collapsed to his knees due to his blood-starved brain.  The severed rubbery tentacle was no longer squeezing with crushing force, but it remained tightly wrapped around his neck.  Richter dropped his sword and grabbed the bleeding stump with both hands.  He started unwinding it from around his neck, but when he was half done, it seemed to stick.  He heard a sound like a tree limb breaking and assumed that the saproling was not faring well.  Richter gave a mighty yank, and a sucker came free, ripping a set of sharp teeth free as well.  A red teardrop icon appeared in the corner of his vision, indicating bleeding status.  Richter felt blood flowing freely down his neck and chest.

The blood loss of five HP per minute was minor compared to his five hundred and eighty-nine health point total, so he didn’t hesitate to rip the rest of the suckers free.  Two more teeth-filled suckers were attached, and the teardrop grew a deeper red in color, but he was finally able to breathe unencumbered.  His head was spinning, but Richter heard more sounds of breaking wood.  He didn’t have the luxury of recovery time.  He grabbed his sword with one hand and tried to cast Slow Heal I.  Nothing more than a rasp came out.  Another loud crunch resounded in the cavern.  It drew Richter’s gaze to the battle between his saproling and the dark aberration.

Pieces of wood littered the ground, and he could see that the saproling’s legs had been ripped off.  The forest creature had not finished fighting, however.  Large thorns had sprouted along the entire length of its body, and it was clawing furrows in the dark aberration’s tentacles.  The only problem was that there were still so many tentacles to fight.  Richter’s summoned creature still had not gotten close enough to score against the monster’s body.  As he watched, five more tentacles wrapped around the saproling despite the damage the spikes caused.  The tentacles tightened, and wooden creature inside the vise started to convulse in a hopeless attempt to escape.  Richter knew he didn’t have much time.  Once the saproling was disposed of, the aberration would devote its sole attention to him.  Without the ability to cast magic, he wouldn’t last five seconds.

Richter pulled an enhanced health potion out of his Bag and downed it.  He immediately felt the holes in his neck begin to close and the soreness in his throat start to ease.  Whether the potion was strong enough to repair his bruised voice box was anyone’s guess.  In hopes of bringing himself back to full fighting potential, he also released the power of his Ring of Healing.

That done, Richter sheathed his sword while the saproling continued to be slowly crushed into oblivion.  The aberration whipped a free tentacle in his direction, but Richter was already moving backwards.  He rolled out of the way and stood, sheathing his short sword.  In a now practiced motion, he reached into his Bag of Holding and drew out his Recurve Bow of the Wood Sprite as if he were drawing a blade.  After it was fully clear of the space-folding properties of the Bag, he let the smooth wood slide through his hand until he reached the handle and with his other hand he pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back and nocked it to the string.  The entire process took less than two seconds.

Without the ability to speak, he only had one other type of magic available to him.  His first type of magic.  The sprite ability to Imbue his arrows.  The glow around the arrow started as a pure gold.  A second later a dark tinge could be seen on the surface of the golden shell.  More cracking sounds reverberated through the chamber, and the saproling’s head was now whipping violently back and forth as it tried to free itself.  Just hold on a little longer, Richter thought with silent urgency.  Another second passed, and black streaks appeared on his golden arrow.  He had to resist the urge to try and force more mana into the arrow.  That simply wasn’t the way sprite magic worked.  Instead, Richter had to relax and let the magic flow through him and into the arrow.  So that’s what he tried to do.  Another second passed.  The streaks flowed faster.

Richter kept drawing mana from the village reserves.  He watched as another tentacle snaked over to wrap around the saproling’s head.  With a final tightening, the monster wrenched the saproling’s head free.  The rest of the wooden limbs lost all life and movement.  In the dim light shining on the aberration, Richter saw several of the eyes that were sunk into its body turn in his direction.  He was out of time.

With a shout that he hadn’t been capable of moments before, Richter let the arrow fly.  The aura around it had gained enough power that the black line adopted a swirling candy cane appearance before it left his bow.  Even though the distance was small, Richter used Focus, magnifying his target by 2.4x.  He couldn’t risk hitting the sea of tentacles.  The damn thing just seemed to shrug that off.  So he aimed for the most vulnerable spot he could see.

The arrow moved across the twenty yards at a speed of hundreds of miles per hour.  As fast as the tentacles were, they couldn’t intercept the glowing projectile.  It threaded the needle through more than a dozen writhing tentacles and reached its target, the largest open mouth that Richter could see.  The parrot-like beak was a foot across and two feet high.  It was open in a raucous scream of triumph over crushing the saproling.  As soon as Richter had seen the mouth open, he’d thought, Keep laughing, muthafucka!

The arrow impacted just as he had hoped, several inches inside of the hooked bill.  A deafening boom sounded inside of the cavern, staggering Richter.  Less than a second later, the shockwave from the powerful impact finished the job and knocked him down.  Richter didn’t mind.  He knew he had hurt his enemy.

Even though his ears were ringing, he could still hear the piteous cries coming out of the dark aberration’s remaining mouths.  He looked up from his crouched position and saw a large crater where the mouth had been.  Three of the tentacles near the impact site lay limp.  The rest moved in different directions without rhyme or reason.  Pieces of black blood and flesh fell from the wound.

Richter stood and nocked another arrow, but had no time to Imbue it.  With a furious roar, the aberration flowed to the floor like oil.  Richter released his arrow, but it just struck the body of the monster, barely penetrating its resilient skin.  Meanwhile, it quickly scurried towards him, half of its tentacles acting as legs.

Richter’s hastened body let him at least match the monster in speed.  He dropped his bow and slapped both wrists together.  Bracing one foot behind him in a staggered stance, he dual cast Flame I.  His fear and anger made his will powerful.  For the first time he had no difficulty at all forcing the words out, and his fingers almost danced as he completed the one-second incantation.

A gout of orange flame shot from his hands and bathed the aberration in fire.  The mouths started screaming again, but it didn’t stop coming.  Some of the tentacles formed a shield to block the body from the worst of the damage.  Richter tried to pour more power into the spell, but he couldn’t increase the DPS just by force of will.  The lance of fire burned the front tentacles to char, but precious little damage was done to the main body.  Before Richter could do anything else, one of the undamaged tentacles grabbed his leg and pulled him off his feet.

Richter fell hard and struck his head.  For the first time, he experienced spell feedback.  The Power he had been channeling stopped flowing out of him and bottlenecked inside of his own body.  Richter felt a moment of blinding pain and then… nothing.  He had been dazed and confused before, but he had never felt anything like this.  Richter was conscious of his own existence, but all sensations fled.

The only saving grace was that he had only been channeling a novice-level spell.  The spell feedback was not prolonged, but it was still more than enough time for Richter to be put at the mercy of the aberration.  When he came to, the aberration had a tentacle wrapped around each of his arms and legs.  Richter was spread-eagled and was being held several feet in the air.  He had no idea why he was still alive.  Why would the monster have left him alive?

That was when it spoke.

“Ssssso you are the new masssster.”

Of course, the evil tentacle monster can talk, Richter thought.  The mouth that was speaking had a long forked tongue set between thin lips.  As he hung there, he watched the various eyes opening and closing.  More than one of the eyes seemed lazy and appeared to be looking just past him.  For some reason, as he hung there at the mercy of this freak of magic, the fact that he didn’t know which eye to stare at irritated the shit out of him.

“Do you know what your people have done to us?” the aberration asked.  This time, it was a different mouth.  The tones had the musical cadence of the wood elves and the language was in wood elf speak as well.

Richter tried to yank one of his arms free, but the monster just tightened its grip.  He felt one of the suckers pierce the flesh of his leg and then felt that horrible draining sensation again.

“Don’t do that,” the creature said.  The mouth speaking was small, with human lips.  Horrifyingly, it was the voice of a young girl.  “We had to wait soooo long for you to wake up!”

“Well, not that long,” said a mouth with a sultry woman’s voice. “Only a few minutes.”

“It felt like a long time!” The child mouth pouted.  Then it giggled. “If you want to keep being bad, though, you will have to be punished!”

All of the tentacles tightened more, and Richter’s shoulder and hip sockets ached from the strain.  His eyes almost screwed shut, but then a tentacle moved towards his face.  Richter braced himself to be choked again, but it just gently caressed his face.  The mouths started chuckling evilly, then the tip of the tentacle was at his mouth, trying to force its way in.  Richter screwed his lips tight and twisted his head to the side, but a tentacle wrapped around his neck to keep his head still.  Soon he felt the tip pressing against his lips again, trying to wriggle its way inside.  This can’t be happening! he thought.

Richter’s fingers were still free, but with his arms and legs spread as they were, his Ice Dagger I and Flame I spells would just shoot off into darkness.  As the tentacle poked at his lips, the horrifying laughter coming from the dark monster deepened.  The strength in the tentacles holding his arms and legs was massive.  He had no doubt that the black tip pressing on his lips could force its way in if it really wanted to.  The damn thing was toying with him.

“Shhh, shhh, shhh,” the sultry mouth said to the other voices.  “The young master here should know why he is so important to us.  We have been trapped here for so many years, living off of the ambient Dark energy of this Place of Power.”  The voice turned wistful. “You should have seen us in the past.  We were so much stronger… grander.”  The mouth smiled at Richter, showing a set of yellow, rotted teeth. “Now you are here, though, and everything will be better!”  The chuckling began again.

Another voice started speaking in the gruff tones of a male dwarf. “You will join us.  We will add you to us.  The last time we added a Master we were well fed for a century!”  The tone grew insidious and teasing. “Now would you like to know how we are going to add you?”

Richter wanted to try to bargain with the thing, but he didn’t dare risk opening his lips.  The questing tentacle traced the outline of his mouth.  This shit CANNOT be happening, he thought again.

“We just have to put a bit of us inside you and leave it there.  If you die before you get it out, we can absorb you!” the child voice said, giggling.  “Of course, if you don’t want us to go in from the top there is another option.”  Yet one more black appendage snaked forward.  It touched the calf of his left leg, then slowly slid upward.  The tentacle at his mouth started poking the center of his lips again.  It would try to wriggle inside, withdraw an inch, and then poke his mouth again.  He couldn’t even move his head away because of the vise-like grasp the aberration had on his neck.  The tentacle between his legs latched onto the small space near his groin that his greaves left unarmored.  A sucker attached to his pants and the sharp teeth sunk through the fabric and into the meat of his thigh.  The black feeler gave a sudden wrench downward.  Both Richter’s pants and the meat of his thigh tore free.  A large chunk of Richter’s flesh was still attached to the tentacle.

Blood flowed freely down his leg, and the bleeding status he had earlier was put to shame.  A large blood red teardrop appeared in the corner of his vision, showing that he was losing fourteen health points per second.  An involuntary scream escaped from Richter’s mouth before he clamped it closed again.  The black limb at his face continued poking his lips.  The aberration’s raucous laughter filled the air.

“Oooh, you taste so good,” the sultry voice said with a disgusting hunger.  “We must have more!”

The tentacles holding Richter moved him upward and forward until his body was suspended above the black mass of the aberration’s body.  It contorted him so that the blood draining out of his leg dripped directly into one of the mouths.  The creature’s other mouths cooed as the mouth beneath him noisily smacked and gulped his life essence.

“Stop,” the gruff dwarf mouth said.  “We can’t kill him yet.”  Some of the other mouths complained or grumbled, but Richter was moved back in front of the monster, his limbs spread-eagled again.  The monster had drunk his blood for more than ten seconds.  The time it had spent draining him had at least allowed his bleeding status to improve.  The large blood-red icon had been replaced with a smaller one.  Red blood continued to flow down Richter’s leg but at a reduced rate.  Despite the blood loss having decreased, he still felt a trifle woozy.

“Now, we are sorry about that bit of unpleasantness,” said a voice that hadn’t spoken yet.  Richter couldn’t see which mouth was speaking, but the voice was the most surreal yet.  It sounded like a kindly old grandfather, comforting and reasonable.  “You must understand though, young Master, we have been trapped here for so long.  I’m sure you wouldn’t begrudge a starving man a meal, would you?”

All of the eyes that Richter could see oriented on his face.  The tentacle was still poking at his mouth, so he kept his lips screwed shut.  The silence stretched out, and the eyes seemed to widen expectantly, so he gave a slight shake of his head, all he could manage with the tentacle around his neck.

“See, we knew you could be reasonable,” the kind voice said.  Some of the other mouths seemed to grumble in disagreement.  The voice continued, “You have hurt us.  Your arrow silenced one of our voices and your fire burnt many of our limbs, but we think we can put that behind us.  As we said earlier, we have been trapped here for many centuries.  An old runic enchantment has kept us tied to this place since we were created by a Master of this Place of Power so long ago.  We believe it is only fair that because you are the new Master, that you fix this grave injustice.”

The voice started sounding less reasonable and adopted a note of what Richter could only identify as religious zeal. “We have suffered long enough.  Our pitiful level and size are only the barest glimmer of our former power.  We must be free.  You will set us free.  If you do not, you will be subject to the most depraved violations that we have come up with over countless years of confinement.  We see the defiance in your eyes!  We feel you still wriggling to get free!  Perhaps you just need a taste of what we can do!”

A tentacle slipped up his leg, having entered through the hole in his pants.  The tentacle at his mouth drew back a foot.  The protrusion tensed, and the tip grew more pointed.  It quivered, and Richter knew that playtime was over.  The tentacle in his pants moved between his legs and up to his buttocks.  He knew that in just a second, the tentacle in front of his face would drive forward into his mouth and down his throat.  He had a pretty good idea that the other one might try to meet in the middle.  Richter could see the future clearly, and the fear of what was coming felt like a black hand wrapping around his heart.

He wasn’t done though, and his anger hadn’t abandoned him.

Richter hadn’t been wriggling just to try and free himself; he had been trying to cast the one spell that could possibly help.  He knew that he would only have one chance.  He had to inflict as much damage as possible in the opening salvo, so he had been attempting to dual cast the only spell that he could aim in his position, Sonic Wail I.  Again and again the spell fizzled as he tried to complete the necessary hand motions.  His position made it difficult to coordinate the specific gestures, and the word of Power continually stuck in his throat.

The impossibility of his task added to his panic, but this wasn’t the first time he had dealt with an implacable enemy.  The same rage he had felt when he had triggered a bomb in Sonirae’s face rose inside of him.  With fury making tears leak from his eyes, he started moving his hands in sync one last time.  His mouth opened, and he forced out the word of Power. “SONEKKIRU!”

Rings of force rose up through his throat and left his mouth.  His teeth bared in a wide-mouth rictus, and his eyes tightened against the force he was expelling out into the cavern.  The pain in his jaw made him think that it was breaking under the force of the dual casting, but that was nothing compared to what was happening to the aberration.

The invisible rings of force quickly widened as they left Richter’s mouth.  Though he couldn’t see the physical manifestation of the spell, he could see the effect on the monster.  The tentacle in front of his face bent back.  The force of Richter’s spell hit the black creature, and he saw the skin on the body ripple as it was buffeted by a quick succession of sonic waves.  The monster screamed and seemed to lose the ability to control itself.  The black mass of its body fell to the ground as the tentacles keeping it upright spasmed randomly.

The inky limbs holding Richter upright flailed around as well.  The ones holding his arms and right leg released their grip.  The small mouths left bloody wounds as they detached in some places, but nothing major.  The tentacle on his left leg actually tightened and yanked Richter to the side.  He fell to the ground, one leg still bound, but he kept his face and his spell focused on the dark aberration.  A second later, even that tentacle released, and Richter was free.

He kept his mouth pointed at the monster for a final second, enjoying seeing the mouths open in screams.  He couldn’t hear it, the Sonic Wail I having deafened him from being used in such a confined space, but Richter still took pleasure in the silent suffering.  Once his spell was done, the monster was able to regain some control over itself.  Some of the mouths opened and closed forming unheard words as its tentacles tried to lift its body off of the cavern floor.

Richter raised his hands.  His fingers interwove, each five a mirror for the other, and he spat a word of Power.  Once again the orange lance of flame spread over the monster.  His leg was still bleeding and pained him terribly, but when Richter spoke, there was joy in his voice.  The aberration’s mouths were once again unified in screams.

“I know you were probably trying to say something, but I can’t hear you!  When I was fucking you up with my sonic attack, I think it blew out my eardrums.  I want you to know, though, I do think you had a good point!  I do plan to fix the mistakes of those who came before me!  Namely that someone thought it was a good idea to make a schizoid rapist monster like you!”

Richter focused the flame on the base of the tentacles closest to him.  It let him hurt the body and burn off the aberration’s ability to attack.  It was able to launch an attack or two at him, but he would immediately turn his flamethrower on that tentacle and it would quickly slough off.  Soon, all of the tentacles on one side of its body were gone.  It continued to try and lift itself up with the tentacles on its body that remained, but Richter turned his flame to those as well.  When only a few remained in odd places, he finally stopped his Fire spell.

As soon as he let up his fiery attack, he cast Slow Heal I and then Grease I.  Once the brown gravy colored film had settled over the monster, he cast Flame I again.  The oily residue left by the Earth spell fed the flames even after he stopped the spell.  As he watched the monster burn, Richter’s hearing returned like someone unclicked the “mute” button.  He could hear the screams filling the cavern again.

“No, stop hurting us!” the child’s voice wailed.

“We will kill you!” the dwarf’s voice threatened.

“Please, Master!  We can be nice!” the sultry voice begged.

Richter ignored them all.  Most of his balls of Far Light I had gone out during his recovery from the spell feedback and the subsequent attack.  He cast Simple Light, and the glow was enough for him to see his discarded elementum short sword.  He walked a few paces away from the monster and picked up the sword.  He knew the one-minute cooldown had elapsed, and so he cast Sonic Wail I for a second time.  Once again, the spell completely incapacitated the monster for three seconds.  Once again, the mute button got clicked, and all sound went away.  That didn’t bother him though.  Richter still had a bit of pep in his step while he walked around the aberration and systematically hacked off its remaining tentacles.  The fire went out after the Grease I spell expended itself.  The aberration lay there, several of the mouths mewling piteously.  He cast Slow Heal I and happily listened to its suffering once his hearing returned again.

Richter cast Simple Light, and a glowing ball rose above his head.  As he watched, the black mass quivered.  It clearly strained and somehow rolled over a bit.  Uncharred flesh presented itself, and a mouth that had escaped Richter’s assault spoke.  The voice spoke in the musical tones of the wood sprites and the language was sprite speak.

“Have mercy on us,” it wheezed.  “We are only what we were made to be.”  Other mouths continued to cry softly.

Richter extended his hand and spoke a word of Power.  Soul Trap settled onto the monster.  He leaned over and spoke with a still certainty. “You chose the right voice to plead for mercy.  That’s what I will give to the poor spirits who were sacrificed to make you.”  As Richter raised his sword, the monster’s eyes oriented on it.  As the green blade fell, every one of the monster’s remaining mouths screamed.

CHAPTER 6

Richter’s arm was tired by the time he was done.  He had hacked the aberration to pieces.  Then he had hacked the larger pieces into smaller pieces.  Then he had stomped on some of the smaller pieces for good measure.  Through the entire experience, voices pleaded for mercy.  Most he could ignore—the barking of a kobold voice, the squeaking of a goblin promising retribution—but the children’s voices tugged at his heart.  He had tried to localize where those were coming from and attack those spots first.  As his elementum sword swung down and mutilated the small mouths, he had to continually remind himself that he was actually ending the life of a monster.

The process took longer than he would have thought necessary, and he had to renew his Soul Trap spell three more times.  Finally, the last piece of black flesh stopped moving, and a ribbon of rainbow light spiraled around him multiple times before disappearing into his Bag.  Richter sat down heavily, almost collapsing to the ground.  His throat was hoarse.  Sometime during his butchery of the aberration, he had started shouting… or screaming… or laughing, he really wasn’t sure.  All he knew was that he was drained.

The wound on his leg pulsed with pain.  He was still bleeding slightly, but it wasn’t a significant problem.  He had hundreds of health left.  Richter made a quick check of his village mana pool and saw that he had used more than five hundred MPs during the fight.  His head throbbed from channeling so much magic, but he still cast Slow Heal I again.

The wound on his thigh closed, as did the other bloody rents caused by the sharp tentacle teeth.  The bleeding finally stopped.  He drank some water, and by simply supplying this basic human need, he felt much refreshed.  He stood and then cast Summon Weak Life Wisp.  A ball of golden light came into being and slowly orbit him in a two-foot radius.  The wisp would heal him if he suffered any more damage.  He hadn’t seen anything besides the aberration in the cavern system, but then again, he hadn’t seen the aberration until it had attacked him.  He hoped that the monster had killed anything else that might be in here, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.  He recast Simple Light, Haste I, Barkskin I, Minor Life Armor I, and Minor Life Aura.  Between his buffs, the wisp, and the Simple Light, he could easily see within ten feet of where he was standing.  Past that, though, was darkness.

Richter knew he needed to get out of there, but he wouldn’t be able to if he couldn’t see.  This interlocking series of small caves was confusing.  The main problem was that he couldn’t see the entirety of the cave system with the Light magic he had at his disposal.  The novice-level spells just weren’t strong enough.  He thought about it for a minute; then he realized the solution was literally at his fingertips.

He accessed his city interface and pulled up the “Spells” section.  He immediately saw the Summon Mist Worker spell.  He had cast it plenty of times before.  Almost all of the other spells were greyed out.  He didn’t have access to them yet.  Richter knew that one more was available, though. He just hadn’t had the opportunity to cast it before.  Finally, he found it.

Mist Light.  Creates a ball of glowing mist.  It will affix to whatever surface it is pressed against or can be maintained in at a fixed point in midair.  The lights can be physically moved as needed.  The properties of your Place of Power will keep this spell going much longer than almost any other spell. The mist light will last for a full year, fueled by the ambient magic of the location.  This is a settlement spell.  Can only be cast within the domain of your village.  Cost: 50 mana.  Duration: 1 year.  Range: 500 feet.  Cast Time: 1 minute.  Cooldown: N/A.

Richter accessed the spell.  A cool and wet feeling built within him just like when he’d summoned the mist workers in the past.  A slow series of movements came to him unbidden, and he began speaking a language of magic that not even his Gift of Tongues ability could decipher.  A minute later, a basketball-sized grey globe shot from his hands towards the ceiling.  It rose fifteen feet and then affixed to the roof of the cavern.

For the first time since being attacked, he could see clearly in all directions.  The first thing that he noticed was a large round boulder about thirty yards away.  It was resting on a depression in the floor.  Richter suddenly knew why he couldn’t find the exit before.  It also explained what the loud crash had been when he had first been attacked.  While he was flying through the air like a demented squirrel, the aberration must have rolled a boulder over the opening to prevent his escape.

Richter walked up to the rock.  It was roughly rounded on the bottom to fit snuggly into the hole.  It was only about three feet high and four feet to either side, but that still meant it was more than a cubic meter.  The thing probably weighed two tons!  Even with his Strength of twenty-eight, there was no way he could dead lift two thousand kilos.  Maybe, just maybe, he could shift it, though.

He took his Belt of Strength out of his Bag and put it on.  The Sustenance Belt took its place in the special folds of his Bag of Holding.  His muscles grew somewhat, and increased strength flowed through his body.  He walked around the rock, trying to figure out the best way to approach the problem.  The small boulder was only a couple feet from the wall, so Richter ultimately decided that he should just brace his back against the rock.  He put his feet on the wall, and checking to be sure he was in a good position, started pushing with his legs.  The rock dug into his back as he put more and more force into his push.  It was extremely uncomfortable, but finally, he felt the boulder start to shift.  Giving it all he had, he gave a mighty push and the rock rolled free of the hole.

The problem was that the last shove with his legs overbalanced him, and he fell backwards and headfirst into the hole.

“Shiittt!” he said as he slowly toppled over.  The hole was only three feet deep, so he didn’t fall far, but it still hurt when he whacked his head on the ground.  The blow prompted a loud “Owwww!”  His exclamation stemmed more from irritation than pain.  When he heard the rock shifting again, however, he looked up quickly and saw that it was slowly tipping back towards the hole.  He hadn’t pushed it all the way into a stable position.  It was going to fall back into place.  He’d be crushed!

With no time to do anything else, he pushed himself up into a handstand and bent at the waist, so his body was in an “7” position.  Then with all of the force he could muster, he started kicking at the rock above him.  Each kick would rock the stone away from him, but it wasn’t enough to get it to fully tip over and leave him in safety.  So he just kept kicking.

“Move, you son of a bitch!  Take this boot!  Just fall over, bitch!  Gahhh!”

This was how Sion, Terrod, Caulder, Futen, Alma, and several of the guards found him.  Upside down, kicking like a drunk baby, and shouting obscenities up into a hole.

It was later explained to Richter that the entire rescue party had come at a run.  Sion had heard the sound of Richter’s shout when the dark aberration had attacked, quickly followed by the heavy thud of the boulder sealing off the entrance to the caverns above.  He had tried to move the rock, but to no avail, so he ran to get help.  The guards had all come running when Sion relayed the danger he suspected Richter was in, but it had still taken time to run the miles between the village proper and the waterfall that hid the cave.  By the time they had returned, Richter had just freed himself and was now trying desperately not to be crushed.

So as they walked up to the tunnel and peered in, they saw their lord, upside down, with arrows strewn about him that had fallen from his quiver, gyrating his hips as he kicked like a drunken baby and shouted at something above him.  Confusion and astonishment were the order of the day for the now unneeded rescue team.  Even Sion was rendered somewhat dumbstruck at the bizarre tableau.  So they watched Richter for a good little while before the sprite said, “What the hell are you doing?”

Richter looked over while still kicking the rock and said, “Don’t ask me stupid questions!  Someone get over here and help me push this fucking rock over before it crushes me!”

Caulder ran up the incline, and after a bit of body manipulation managed to push his hands up between Richter’s legs.  Between the two of them, Richter and his new sergeant were able to push the boulder over into a stable position.  The Master of the Mist Village breathed a deep sigh of relief.  That was when he realized that he was now in perhaps an even more precarious position.  He swore everyone present to secrecy, but he learned a little-known fact that day.  When you’re in a handstand and another man is standing in front of you, at the very least, you’re going to get a whiff of balls or ass.

CHAPTER 7

Richter finally righted himself, and everyone else filed into the cavern.  None of his guards said anything, and even jovial Caulder seemed a bit uncomfortable with the sequence of events that had just unfolded.  There had been some confusion about whether he or Richter should move out of the hole first, which in turn had caused some… grazing of cheek and nethers, but again, that occurrence fell under Richter’s royal decree of silence.  It was made a bit more awkward by the large hole in his pants and the unrestricted view that provided while Richter was upside down.  Caulder for his part seemed more comfortable wandering into the caves to search for more monsters than hanging around a man he’d almost tea bagged.  All of the other guards fanned out in a loose circle around Richter, and except for Sion asking if Richter needed to go wash his face, there were no more awkward moments.

“You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you?” Sion asked.  He walked over to the aberration’s mutilated body as he spoke.  “It looks like you won, though.”

Richter shrugged as if his victory had been no big deal. “Some muthafuckas always try to ice skate uphill.”  Futen floated up and hovered above his Master.  Alma flew up into the cave and settled on his shoulders.  She licked a clean section of his face in affection but then nipped his ear hard enough to draw a drop of blood.  When he recoiled, she spoke in his head to make sure that he had received the message.

*Where have you been?* she thought at him with consternation.  *You stay with me!  I keep you safe!*

Richter chuckled at his protective little familiar.  *You do know that I am the master here, right?*

Alma just sniffed at him and tightened the grip her tail had on his arm.  The message was clear.  Master or not, she was going to be watching him closely for the next little while.  Knowing the futility of arguing with self-righteous women, he just smiled again.  Richter looked over at his captain and said, “Terrod!”

“Yes, Lord Richter,” the man replied with his fist clapped to his heart.  The other men followed suit.  “I am so sorry about the danger you were just in. From now on you will have a guard with you at all times.  I will need you to let me know if you plan to do any more exploring.  Then I will…”

“Hey,” Richter said loudly.  He could just see his future.  If Terrod had his way, Richter would be Lo-jacked.  “We live in a dangerous world.  Shit happens.  I appreciate your concern, but I won’t be coddled.  I am in charge here and you do what I say.  Capish?”

Terrod looked somewhat confused by the last word, but Richter’s general meaning was clear enough.  Seeing the steely determination in his liege’s eye, he dropped the issue, but not his salute.  “I understand, my lord.”

Richter relaxed. “Good.  Now don’t worry about what just happened in here.  Let’s focus on what we need to happen now.  Start searching the cavern with your men.  No one goes out alone though.  Teams of five.  If anyone encounters a hostile, come back here and we tackle it together.”

Terrod nodded and started snapping orders.  He took charge of one group and Caulder took over the other.  It worked out well because there were two main exits from the entrance cavern they were in, a small one on the right and one on the left that led downward slightly.  Richter took a couple of minutes to make two more mist lights and gave one to each group.  He also ordered Futen to move around the caverns and make enough mist lights to illuminate the entire system.  The two parties and the remnant moved off into the side caverns while Richter and Sion examined the remains of the aberration.

In the mist light, several components of the slaughtered monster caught his eye.

You have found: Tentacle of the Dark Aberration. Centuries of Dark magic have coursed through this beast until its flesh is almost pure Element.  The concentrated Dark magic can be distilled from its flesh.  You feel that it could make a potion to greatly increase the strength of Dark spells for a short time.  It could also be added to certain items to add Dark damage or defense.  Only experimentation will tell for sure.

They were able to recover fourteen complete lengths of those, each ten to fifteen feet long.  The rest were badly charred or chopped into bits.

You have found: Flesh of the Dark Aberration…

The description was the same as the tentacles.  Richter was only able to find sixteen pieces large enough to register as “Flesh.”  The rest of the mutilated carcass didn’t provide a prompt.

You have found: Blood of the Dark Aberration.  You feel that this could be a component of a Potion of Dark Resistance or a Dark poison.  It could also be used to hide from means of detection reliant on Dark Power.

There was more than enough to be found in puddles around the body.  The chunks of flesh and the tentacles still dripped blood as well.  Richter filled several dozen vials and resolved to collect more later.  He stopped when he found a black gem shining dully in the light.

You have found: Dark Gem.  This is a Quest item.

You have unlocked a Secret Quest: Who Will You Be II?  Hundreds, if not thousands, died in the experiments that created the dark aberration.  Some gave more than their lives, however.  Their very souls were trapped by the energies unleashed.  The prison for one of these souls is the Dark Gem that you hold.  Find nineteen more and take them to a Light master if you wish to free these souls.  If you do not, these Dark Gems can be converted into filled special-level soul stones.  Do you accept this quest?  Yes or No?  Reward: Unknown.

Richter’s mind was spinning by the time he finished reading the prompt.  Secret quest?  And he was on part two?  What had been part one?  He looked at the small jewel in his hand.  The Dark Gem looked like a shard of obsidian about four inches long and as big around as his thumb at one end.  The other end tapered to a dull point, and it had four flat smooth sides.  It was amazing to think that this thing could become a special-level stone.  According to the quest prompt, there were nineteen more!

He told Sion what the prompt had said, and they started searching the rest of the blood and flesh.  They quickly found five more.  One of the search teams came back while they were searching.  Caulder and the other men looked with revulsion at the sprite and their chaos seed Lord rooting around in the foul smelling black blood and flesh, but that revulsion turned to dread once Richter gave them an order to help.  The men just stood there until Caulder snapped some orders of his own.

“You hear the lord.  Get your asses over there and find those gems.  What?  Do you think you’re too good to get in the muck?  I swear to the banished gods, the last person over there will clean out the latrines with their hands!  Move your asses!”

The soldiers lost their reticence and dove into the task with gusto.  Whatever reservations Richter might have had about Caulder disappeared at that moment.  The sergeant kept strict discipline.  Richter knew that his people would need that if they were ever going to transition from a militia into a true army.  The soldiers took out knives and started inspecting the pieces of the aberration.  More than a few retched, and one actively started vomiting when he reached a hand inside a body cavity, but they still did what was required.  Before Terrod’s group returned, Richter had all twenty crystals in front of him.  Seeing as how the soldiers were already soiled, Richter took out several hundred empty vials and had them start collecting blood.  A simple “You heard him,” from Caulder got them moving again.  Richter asked the sergeant if he had found anything while searching the caves, but the answer was a succinct “No.”  When he saw that Richter didn’t have any follow-up questions, Caulder stooped down to help his men.

As the guards worked, Richter examined the notifications that had appeared and been auto-minimized since he had been attacked.

You have trapped the soul of a Dark Aberration!  Soul level: Special.

Richter couldn’t keep a smile from creeping onto his face.  He didn’t let himself get too distracted by his new swag, though, and kept going through the notifications.

Congratulations! You have reached subskill level 5 in Focus. Zoom increased by 0.1x.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 7 in Small Blades.  +2% attack speed.  +2% bonus to damage.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 8 in Small Blades.  +2% attack speed.  +2% bonus to damage.

Congratulations! You have reached skill level 11 in Light Armor. +2% to defense of all light armor.

Congratulations! You have reached skill level 7 in Dual Casting.  The spell power of a dual casting is doubled at skill level 1.  Advancing in this skill will increase this bonus by 2% per skill level.  At this level, total spell power increased by 228%.  Mana cost of dual casting a spell increases used spell points by 300% (Cost decreased by 4x skill level).  At this level, mana drain increases by 272%.  Chance of spell miscast decreased by increasing this skill.  This number is affected directly by spell level and caster’s proficiency in that branch of magic.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 7 in Fire Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 8 in Fire Magic.  New spells are now available.

Richter cycled through those prompts quickly and found what he had been looking for.

You have unlocked a Secret Quest: Who Will You Be I?  You have found a cavern that was once a sight of sacrifice.  Countless lives were extinguished in these dark caverns, far from the light or any hope of escape.  The pain and magic unleashed here created a Dark Aberration.  Trapped within it are the crystallized souls of some of these sacrificed men, women, and children.  Kill the aberration to find the Dark Gems that contain these souls.  Reward: Unknown.  Do you accept?  Yes or No?

Richter had never finished a quest before he had accepted it.  He wasn’t sure exactly what would happen, but he chose “Yes” anyway.

You have completed the Secret Quest: Who Will You Be I?  You have slain the dark aberration.

Reward: 25,000 (base 20,000) experience points.

He smiled.  Richter was glad that he hadn’t missed out on so much experience.  Now the question was what to do with the second part of the quest.  Of course he wanted to help the unfortunate souls that had been trapped for so long, but he’d have to give up TWENTY special-level soul stones as well.  He could make three full sets of highly enchanted armor and weapons with them!  While his elementum sword was wonderful, the potential damage could have been so much higher if Krom had had a special soul stone to work with.

Richter stared at the treasure in front of him, more than tempted to take the money and run.  He could rationalize that using the soul stones could save the people that were still living here in the village.  After all, it wasn’t like he could bring back the people that were killed in the Dark experiments that had made the aberration.  What was done was done, right?

Richter stared at the gems so long that Sion asked him if he was alright.  Richter shrugged the question off and kept pondering the decision he had to make.  Did he owe anything to these people?  Despite the fact that he was the Master of the Mist Village now, he wasn’t responsible for the actions of previous Masters, right?  Richter played several arguments through his mind, but the whole time a part of him knew what he would choose…  He had to help these people or what was left of them anyway.  He chose “Yes” for the second quest.

Richter placed all twenty Dark Gems in his Bag.  He looked at Sion and said, “Sorry.  Just had a decision to make.

“And what did you decide?”

“I decided to be the good guy,” he replied.

The sprite nodded.  His eyes grew slightly hooded and distant as he responded, “I know that can be a hard choice to make sometimes.” Then Sion’s expression changed.  His eyes unfocused and in a surprised voice, he said, “I received a quest as well.  It says that I am supposed to bring these twenty crystals to my mother.”

Richter looked at him with surprise of his own.  Sion just happened to get a quest that coincided with his own?  It couldn’t be a coincidence.  The only thing he could think of was that their Companion status was coming into play again.  Being a Companion seemed to mean absolutely nothing most of the time.  When they had first been tied together, Sion hadn’t even liked him, so it didn’t necessarily mean that you’d have a best friend for life.  At other times, though, it seemed to be vital.  If the Universe would give them complementary quests, what else could their Companion bond mean?

“Should I accept it?” Sion asked hesitantly.  Richter realized that he hadn’t actually told `Sion what his own quest was.  He clapped his friend on the shoulder and filled him in on the complementary nature of their tasks.  Sion smiled in understanding and accepted his own quest.  Right afterward, Terrod walked up.  His group had returned while the two friends had been talking.  The guards that had followed the captain were good-naturedly making fun of the soiled appearance of Caulder’s group.  The responses were predictably vulgar.

“My lord,” Terrod said, “we found something.”

“What is it?” Richter asked.

“It would be easier just to show you.  It isn’t far.”

Richter nodded.  Wanting to be fair, he ordered the soldiers in Terrod’s group to carry the tentacles and aberration flesh outside and to collect more blood in vials.  He chuckled internally at their small groans of disgust.  He had learned long ago, though, that what truly divided a community wasn’t crappy treatment.  It was unequal treatment.  As long as everyone had to wade through the same shit together, they’d grumble, but they’d do it and laugh together as they cleaned off later.  The soldiers in Caulder’s group came along as escort to see what Terrod had found.

Richter’s group moved along, their way illuminated by the mist lights the captain and sergeant still held.  Alma continued to snuggle on his shoulders.  Terrod led him through a series of interlocking caves until they arrived at a particularly large one.  Water flowed down from the ceiling in a small waterfall in a corner.  It fell into a small pool on the floor that Richter realized must drain off somewhere in its bottom.  In Futen’s light, Richter could see that this cave was formed of marbled quartz, and not simple grey stone like the other caves.  The walls sparkled beautifully.  They got barely a glance from Richter, though, because what was in the floor was infinitely more interesting.

An intricate design had been carved a foot deep into the stone.  It appeared each groove had been filled with glass.  Not the fragile silicon substance that you would see in windows, but instead the impossibly hard material that certain weapons and armor were made from.  There were two main symbols with small dots and squiggles coming off of them, and surrounding them was a ring of much smaller symbols.  The first large symbol looked like a triangle with two circles above it.  It lay inside of a second symbol that looked like a square with concave sides.  Richter recognized the center symbol as the representation for “Dark Power” from his book of lore.  He could only imagine that this was the seal that the aberration had wanted him to unlock.

The men with him spread out around the seal, wary of crossing over it.  He was about to walk closer to the seal when he heard one of the soldiers exclaim, “It’s a rune!”

Richter quickly looked over and saw that the speaker was a gnome.  A quick use of Analyze showed that the woman was an arcane gnome.  “What did you say, Biruya?”

The short woman looked around, clearly not having intended to draw her liege’s attention.  He nodded encouragingly at her, and she spoke up.

“I said it looks like a rune, my lord.”

“Why does that surprise you?”  he asked.  “I’ve seen plenty of signs and writing since coming to The Land.”

Biruya shook her head. “A rune is no mere form of writing, my lord.  It is a spell made solid.  It is magic given permanence by the spell form carved into the rock and powered by a soul stone.  Only a few in the River Peninsula know any rune magic these days.  I only recognized it because one of the focuses of my parents’ research was lost magic.  I remember my father lamenting the lack of information about runic magic.”

Richter’s face adopted a slightly confused expression. “This doesn’t seem complicated, though.  That symbol”—he pointed to the triangle—“represents Dark magic.  I recognize it from an introductory Lore book.  The other one looks like it’s there to contain the Dark magic symbol.  If I can discern that knowing almost nothing, how could rune magic be completely lost?”

“It is not completely lost, Lord Richter.  It is known that royal builders know some of the minor runes for durability.  That is why the walls of the royal palace have such impossibly high hit points.  I also agree that the basic function of this particular rune is fairly easy to surmise, but that doesn’t mean we could recreate it.  All of those flourishes and marks are not for show, my lord, they are integral to the workings of the rune.  I also have no idea what the outer ring of symbols mean.  If there is one thing I remember from listening to my parents, it is that runic magic is exact.  Everything you see here has a purpose, and removing any one would have a consequence.  The material the runes are made or carved from, the size of the rune, even the depth of the etching in the floor would affect the final spell.  For this specific rune, the exact curvature of the square around the triangle would be important as would all of the flourishes that we can see.  Many factors would alter the potency of the rune and countless more would render it completely useless.”

Richter nodded in understanding.  If rune magic required that level of detail, he could see why it might be hard to learn how to use it.  “Is there anything else you can tell me about it?

“I remember that every rune is powered by a soul stone.  I can also tell you that the fact that this rune is made of two different types of material is beyond anything I ever heard my mother and father discuss.”

“If you studied it, could you figure out more?” he asked excitedly.

She looked uncertain. “My parents were the real scholars, my lord.  I don’t think I could understand it.”  His ardor waned a bit, but then she added, “Maybe if you found someone who understood basic spell theory, then we could learn more.”

You have unlocked a new field of study: Basic Spell Theory.

You have become aware of a new field of study: Runic Magic, but have not yet discovered the prerequisites for this branch of study.

So an insanely powerful magic rune made with knowledge that was now lost to time…  Richter was glad that he had been able to slay the dark aberration.  Seeing what lengths had been taken to contain it, he would never have let it out.  Which meant he would have most likely been tortured and worse.  Richter shuddered remembering the tentacle that had wormed its way inside of his pant leg.

Shaking himself loose from such horrible thoughts, he thanked the gnome guard for her help.  He also asked her to speak with Randolphus later about the rat problem.  She clapped her fist to her heart and told him that she would seek out the chamberlain soon.  Richter thanked her again and then stepped forward onto the rune.  The glass tracery began to glow as if it recognized him.  In the center was a glass circle like on the treasury door.  He bent down and aligned the circle with his Master of the Mist Village Mark.  A prompt appeared.

Welcome, Master of the Mist Village.  You have accessed the Rune of Dark Holding.  It serves to keep any being of Dark magic within the confines of the spell.  Do you wish to deactivate the runic magic?

Richter stepped back and dismissed the prompt.  He didn’t want to turn it off until he was absolutely sure that there wasn’t anything else hiding in these caves.  If there was another aberration hiding, he wouldn’t risk letting it loose on his people.  He looked at Terrod. “Have you searched the rest of the caves?”

“Yes, my lord.  This cavern seems to be the center of the cave system.  There are no other open entrances that I could see.  I did find two other interesting things.  One is a cave in the back filled with various items, packs, and bones.  I surmised that it must be the remains of whatever poor souls were killed by the monster you vanquished through the years.  The other thing was a small metal door set into one of the rock walls.  It was made of steel with black swirls set into the metal.  It had a clear disc like that one set into it.”  He pointed at the activation disc in the center of the rune.

Titan steel, Richter thought excitedly.  The only other time he had seen it, or even heard it mentioned before now, was in his own treasury door.  If the old Masters of the village had used the powerful material as a door here too, there must be something valuable inside.  “Show me the door!”

He had Caulder throw his Mist Light at the ceiling.  It stayed where it struck the roof, providing easy light in at least that cavern.  After that, everyone followed after Terrod.  Only a short time later they arrived in another cavern.  Just as the captain had said, a door was set into the rock wall.  It was only three feet tall and was set three feet off of the ground, so it looked more like a safe than an exit.  Nonetheless, Richter was almost trembling with anticipation when he raised his wrist to the clear circle.  A voice spoke in his head.

*Do you wish the door to open, Master?*

He thought back, *Yes.*

A heavy thunk sounded, heralding the moving of a bar, and the door swung open.  The inside was not overly large, only about two feet deep, but the entire vault was covered in titan steel.  Even if something had burrowed through the rock, it still wouldn’t have been able to get inside.  There were several shelves that held a number of items.

You have found: Magic Book.  Durability: 12/12.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.5 kg.

You have found: Magic Book.  Durability: 14/14. Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.7 kg.

You have found: Magic Book.  Durability 20/20.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.4 kg.

You have found: Small Chest.  Durability: 168/204. Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 3.4 kg.

You have found: Pouch.

You have found: Magic Bottle.  Durability 19/54.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.03 kg.

You have found: Magic Blueprint.  Durability: 4/20. Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Well Crafted. Weight: 0.2 kg.

You have found: Soul Stone.  Level: Resplendent.  Status: Filled.

You have found: Soul Stone.  Level: Special.  Status: Filled.

You have found: Soul Stone.  Level: Special.  Status: Filled.

You have found: Soul Stone.  Level: Brilliant.  Status: Filled.

Richter sent out a mental call to Futen.  He would probably need his help to identify these items.  Sure enough, looking at the books, blueprint, and bottle revealed nothing more.  While he was waiting he opened the pouch.  A smile found its way onto his face.  The heavy pouch was filled to the brim with finger-length gold bars.  They were the first he had seen since he had bartered with Hafiz and each was worth one hundred gold.  A quick count showed there were twenty-one bars in the pouch.  That equaled 2,100 gold coins!  He had just gotten 200,000 grand richer!

He dumped the gold bars into his bag before anyone could really see what he had found.  He didn’t think his men would attack him, but no reason to wave meat in front of the bear as his mother used to say.  He scanned the bread-loaf-sized chest for the telltale red of traps.  Nothing concerning appeared, so he decided to open it.  Richter quickly closed it again and hid it in his Bag along with the pouch.  The chest was full of multicolored jewels.  He would have to count them later, but as far as he was concerned, the same meat waving rule applied.

Richter stared at the rest of the treasure while he waited for Futen to appear.  The gold and gems alone were amazing, but the soul stones could potentially be invaluable.  The highest level stone he had had before was special.  That had come from slaying the crypt mistress.  He had never seen a resplendent stone before.  It was noticeably larger than the special stone.  He couldn’t wait to see what Krom could make out of it.  The stones went into his Bag as well.  Futen floated up.

Richter indicated the magic items still in the small vault with a motion of his head.  Futen flared white, and Richter could see what the rest of his haul was.

You have found: Book of Lightning Bolt I.  Fire a bolt of lightning from your hand.  Chance to stun your enemy.  Durability: 12/12. Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.5 kg.  This is a spell of Air, level 12.

You have found: Book of Explosive Lightning Ball I.  Shoot a weak ball of lightning forward.  It explodes on contact and will strike everyone within five feet.  Chance to stun your enemy.  Durability: 14/14. Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.7 kg.  This is a spell of Air.  Must have Air magic skill level 19.

You have found: Book of Greater Air Containment.  Create a containment field for a strong Air creature.  While the spell lasts, the creature must do as you will it to.  If the spell fades or the creature leaves the containment circle, you will lose all control over the creature.  Durability 20/20.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.4 kg.  This is a spell of Air.  Must have Air magic skill level 33.

You have found: Containment Bottle.  This bottle contains a great wind demon.  Durability 19/54.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.03 kg.

You have found: Blueprint:  This blueprint will teach you to build a: Mana Storage.  This building will let you store mana to be used at a later date.  The capacity of the mana storage is 1,000 mana.  You must be within one mile of your mana storage to access the mana.  Durability: 4/20. Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Well Crafted. Weight: 0.2 kg.  Must have Construction skill level 56.

Know This! As Master of a Place of Power, if you build the mana storage within your domain, you may access the stored mana within one mile of the boundaries of your domain.

In Richter’s mind, he just heard, “You can hate me now… but I won’t stop now… you can hate me nowwww!”  He laughed aloud.  This was amazing!  He finally had his lightning magic!

Richter put the books that he couldn’t access yet in his Bag, but then wasted no time reading the Book of Lightning Bolt I.  He started reading the first page, and the knowledge flowed into his mind and soul.  The pages started turning faster and faster until their passage was a breeze on his face.  Before he knew it, the back cover of the book slammed shut, and it crumbled to dust.  Richter’s eyes widened.  He knew!

Congratulations!  You have learned the spell: Lightning Bolt I!  Cast a lightning bolt from your hand.  Chance to stun your target for 1-2 seconds.  This is a spell of Air, level 12.  Cost: 31 mana.  Duration: Instant.  Range: 20 yards.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 2 minutes.

Richter didn’t think for a moment to keep this bounty to himself.  He checked Sion’s status page and saw that his Companion had advanced his Air magic skill to level twelve.  He took two steps over to Sion and placed one hand on the sprite’s head and the other on his Companion’s heart.  Sion’s eyes widened.  His breath sucked in.  A second later the sprite smiled.  Sion half raised his arm and slowly clenched his fingers into a fist as if he could feel the new power coursing through him.  Richter smiled back.  He knew exactly how his friend felt.

Richter carefully placed the containment bottle with the wind demon into his Bag.  Somehow he didn’t think that breaking the vessel would be a good idea.  The durability was much less than its maximum.  Richter didn’t know if that was because it had held the demon for such a long time or not, but either way, he felt much better once it was within the spatial folds of his Bag.

The blueprint of the mana storage was also fascinating.  He would basically be able to double the amount of mana he could wield if the village were attacked.  Richter planned to discuss what was needed with Roswan as soon as possible.  He examined the small vault thoroughly one more time but unfortunately didn’t find anything else.  Richter was more than satisfied with the contents, but something was nagging at him.  While these items would be very useful to him and his fledgling village, would they really have been enough to warrant a protector like the dark aberration?  There was also the fact that this was a second vault built in a hidden cavern.  A great deal of trouble had apparently been gone to in order to make the rune as well.  It was enough to make him suspicious.

Richter mulled it over.  The resplendent soul stone was arguably worth a great deal, as were the other items, but they had just been pushed into the vault together.  None had been given a place of prominence over the others.  He knew he might be looking for something that didn’t exist, but he had to try.  He examined the walls, roof, and floor of the titan steel cubby.  He even examined the door, but still saw nothing.  His last effort was to remove the shelves.  If that failed, he was just going to close the vault and be done with it, but when he removed the first shelf, he saw the smallest glimmer of blue.  A spot the size of the head of a pin gleamed azure at the back of the safe!

He quickly removed the other shelf and saw another pinpoint dot of blue.  He examined both and didn’t see suspicious red, so he just took two lock picks from his Bag and inserted both into the holes.  After pushing each in for an inch, he felt a click.  The bottom of the safe popped open like a cigar box.  Richter was sure that there hadn’t been a seam there, but now a hidden compartment could clearly be seen.

Richter reached to lift the lid higher but then paused.  The men were all looking expectantly to see what their lord had found.  Richter wasn’t sure what was in there, but he was sure it was important.  That meant he didn’t necessarily want anyone else to know.

“Captain Terrod!”

“Yes, my lord!”  The man jerked to attention at hearing the slight snap in Richter’s voice.

“Organize all of the men to start taking the pieces of the aberration down to the area where the hunters clean their kills.  It is the best we can do for now.  Instruct all of the men to drain as much blood as they can and collect it in closed vessels.  Commandeer anything you need.  Then leave all of the flesh and tentacles on large rocks to dry.  I will send our alchemist over to examine it later.  These men are to be given the night off.  They have done enough today.”

The men cheered at hearing they would have a break after their dirty day.  More than one had started looking sad at hearing they had to deal with the creature’s smelly remains again.  The idea that they would be able to join the feast, though, made it all worthwhile.

Richter held a finger up. “Make sure you bathe thoroughly before you eat, though.  Ingesting even a drop of this evil creature’s blood could make pieces of you drop off!”

The men paled and one asked, “Could that really happen, my lord?”

Richter forced a grave expression on his face though he was chuckling internally. “From teats to taint, you might lose something!  Wash well!  Terrod, after you see them off, come back to show me the other room that has the gear.”

The men all snapped a salute and Caulder and Terrod moved them out.  Once they were all out of the cavern, Richter finally let a smile cross his face.  He had no idea of what would happen if they got any of the flesh or blood in their mouths.  Maybe nothing, but either way it would be gross.  Hygiene standards were not really a priority in The Land as far as Richter had observed, so he resolved to help correct that where he could.  If he was able to get a laugh out of it at the same time… well that was win-win!

“Should I leave too?” Sion asked.  “Do you have a task to keep me busy while you open that as well?”

Richter laughed. “Didn’t fool you for a second, huh?”

Sion chuckled back. “I doubt you fooled the captain or sergeant either, but I imagine they are used to taking orders.”

“Well the answer is no, my friend.  I have no secrets from you.”  A thought did occur to Richter though.  He turned his head and said, “Futen, go put mist lights in the parts of the caverns that are still dark.”

“Yes, my lord,” was the monotone reply.  The remnant glided out of the cavern.

The two Companions waited for a moment before Sion spoke again. “What was that about?  Now you don’t trust your little floating light?”

Richter thought for a second before replying in sprite speak. “Let’s just say I’m learning caution.  Futen is a remnant of an old mage, at least that’s what he told me.  I have just learned that an old Master sacrificed hundreds, if not thousands, of sentient beings to create that thing that I killed.  How do I know that he didn’t serve that Master?  How do I know he wasn’t that Master?”

“You’re getting a little paranoid, aren’t you?  Futen has been nothing but helpful as far as I can see,” Sion said.

“I trust myself and those who are me.  You and I are in this together, so I trust you.  Anyone else is on the outside until proven otherwise.  That’s how things will be from now on.  Okay?”

Sion looked him in the eye and said, “Okay.”

Richter nodded and then turned back to the hidden compartment.  He lifted the lid and looked inside.  It seemed like his precautions had all been for nothing.

You have found: Map Fragment.  Durability: 7/23. Item Class: Artifact.  Quality: Superb. Weight: 0.1 kg.

There was nothing else on the prompt.  The fragment was about the size of printing paper but with ragged edges.  It was written on skin that was light red.  The letters were inked in a red that was so dark it was almost black.  It showed a series of mountains and what he thought was a desert.  There was also a large forest or maybe a jungle on the other side of the mountains.  Words were written across the top of the fragment, but to Richter’s surprise, he couldn’t read them.  None of that mattered, though.  He had found his first artifact!  He had no idea what this map led to, but he knew that it must be important.  Richter was immensely glad that he had asked everyone except for Sion to leave.  He knew with almost absolute certainty that the entire point of all the defenses was this scrap of parchment.  It was probably conducive to his long-term health that no one else knew he had it.

“What do you think?” he asked Sion, showing him what was inside.

“I don’t know,” the sprite replied, “but I do know I don’t want to touch that thing.  Just looking at it makes my skin crawl.”

Richter moved the fragment away from his Companion.  The only time Sion had acted like that before was when he had seen the staff that had housed the pixie chrysalis.  That had been because the staff was an utter perversion of good.  Basically, it was an item of negative alignment, and it had reacted badly with the sprite because he was positive alignment.  Richter had no idea what he was holding, but he was pretty certain it was bad juju.  He couldn’t just leave it there, though, so he put it in his Bag.

“Don’t talk to anyone, even your mother about this, okay?  If an old Master went to these lengths to keep this hidden—an aberration guard dog, a titan steel safe, AND a hidden compartment—it might be safer if we are the only ones who know this thing even exists.”

Sion nodded. “I’m with you, brother.  It stays between us.”

“Good.  I’m glad you’re here.  Let’s do what we initially came to do.”

The two Companions walked back to the front of the cavern system, to the room where he had initially been attacked.  Futen had already left a mist light on the roof of the cave they were standing in, and Terrod was waiting by the hole that led back to the waterfall.  Richter didn’t want to plant the Focus Crystal near the room that had the rune.  He had no idea about the growth pattern that the garden would take, and if it grew near the rune the results might be unpredictable.  Planting it here should buy him some time.  Richter walked up to a flat section of wall and reached into his Bag.

When he withdrew his hand, it was holding a pulsing crystal.  The eggplant-sized shard shed light on the wall in a soft white radiance.  This was the third time Richter had laid eyes on it, and while the size and shape were the same, the pulse was coming slower than before.  It would have actually been more appropriate to call the light a flicker now rather than a pulse.  When he had harvested it from the chest of the crystal guardian, the prompt had said that the Focus Crystal was a living thing and that he only had one week to plant it again.  Between running from the kobolds, recovering from his injuries, and traveling back to the Mist Village, six days had passed.  Richter could only guess that the fading of the crystal’s light meant that it was near the end of its life.  He knew there was no more time to waste.

Richter placed the Focus Crystal on the wall and a prompt appeared.

Do you wish to plant the Focus Crystal in this location?  Yes or No?

Richter selected “Yes,” and the crystal floated from his hand.  It hovered in the air for a moment, then slammed against the wall like a powerful magnet attracted to metal.  The light began to flicker again and it looked to Richter like the glow inside of the crystal was straining to grow brighter, but was failing.  Another prompt appeared.

The life force of the Focus Crystal is faint.  You have planted it in time, but it will take a long period of time before the garden begins to bear more crystal.  If you wish to restore its power faster, you may sacrifice a soul stone.  The level of the soul will be proportional to the amount of healing performed.

Richter’s forehead wrinkled in irritation.  Now he had to give a soul stone?  Why did he always have to give so much more?  He sighed.  Mo money mo problems.  At least he had more in his pockets than lint.  He accessed his inventory to see what soul stones he had available.  After gazing at them for a while, he chose to use a special-level stone.  He had just gotten two of them, so it wasn’t really like he would feel the lack.

He held the stone up to the Focus Crystal.  The internal light of the soul stone faded, and the crystal’s light grew from a flicker to a strong and bright pulse.  A large amount of crystal grew over the Focus Crystal and then continued to flow over the surrounding wall.  The pulses came faster, and each beat of the crystal’s luminous heart spread more crystal over the wall.  Richter and Sion smiled at one another seeing how much of the precious substance was growing in just a few seconds… and it kept growing.

“Uhhhh, is this supposed to stop soon?” Richter asked.  The crystal had grown to the edges of the wall and was now starting to cover the floor.

“Why are you asking me?” Sion responded.  “What did you do with that soul stone?”  They both took a step back as the crystal spread across the ground.

“The Focus Crystal was weak!  I got a prompt that said it needed more juice!”

“What type of stone did you give it?  What the fuck!”  Sion and Richter ducked their heads in alarm.

A tiny piece of crystal had shot across the room.  The clear spike had grown near the Focus Crystal like many others, but without warning had sped away from its perch and imbedded in a nearby wall.  Richter and Sion whipped their heads over to look at the impact site.  A small crater now adorned the wall behind them.  As they watched, more crystal started growing from the impact site.

“Is that going to happen every time?” Richter said loudly.  He hadn’t thought he’d be dodging clear bullets when he planted the Focus Crystal.

“Why do you keep asking me stupid questions, gyoti?  I don’t know!  But I think we should get out of here!  I still want to know what level stone you used.”  The crystal had reached another wall and was growing up it.

“Maybe we should leave, my lord,” Terrod said nervously.

Richter and Sion backed further from the wall.  The white light from the crystal was almost constant now.  He looked over at the hole that led outside.  The growing crystals were only a few feet from the hole.

“You might be right, Terrod.  I think it’s time for a strategic RETREAT!  Gahhh!”  Alma flew into the air with a squawk and flew down the hole.  Another bullet-like crystal shard had shot through the air… and then through the meat of Richter’s shoulder before burying itself into the wall behind him.  It happened so fast that he didn’t even feel the pain initially, just a bit of pressure.  The Universe fixed that a second later.  Sharp, horrible pain shot through his body and his initial “gah” transformed into “AHHHH, FUCK!  Let’s go!”

First Richter, then Sion and last Terrod hopped into the tunnel.  They scurried down the narrow space until they could stand up straight.  More pings and crunches came from behind them.  Richter looked behind him and saw some crystals starting to grow down the narrow passage.  They jogged until they were halfway to the waterfall, then stopped and turned around.  The crystal didn’t follow them down into the cave they were standing in, so they just listened as the pings grew in frequency for another few minutes.  Richter cast Slow Heal I on himself and waited for the pain in his shoulder to abate.  After about five minutes, they heard the noises slow in frequency.  After another two or three minutes, the cave was quiet again.

The three men had remained silent while they listened to the explosive growth of the crystal garden in the caverns above them.  When the noises stopped, Sion slowly turned and stood in front of Richter. “What… did… you… do…?”

Richter was still breathing slightly heavily and was examining the newly healed wound in his shoulder. “Like I said, the Focus Crystal was close to death, so I used a soul stone.”

“How strong of a soul stone, my lord?” Terrod asked.  “I have seen a crystal garden before.  My squad was tasked with protecting one at a duke’s estate once.  I saw one of the enchanters use a soul stone to make the garden grow faster, but it only grew at about an inch a minute.  It was nothing like what we just saw!”

“I used a special level soul,” he said.

“A special?” Sion asked incredulously.

“Yeah, what’s the problem?” Richter asked, irritated.  His bicep was still throbbing with ghost pain.

“The problem, gyoti, is that special level stones hold the souls of low-level demons and angels!  What did you think was going to happen when you used a spirit of that power?  These aren’t toys!”

“I know that!” Richter snapped.  He seethed for a moment, goaded by the fading pain in his shoulder, but then forced himself to be calm.  His friend was right.  He was just irritated because of his injury.  If he was being honest, he was embarrassed too.  He hadn’t really thought about something bad happening when he had used the soul stone.  Richter took a long slow breath.  After he audibly exhaled, he said, “You’re right, man.  I’m sorry.  I should have considered the possible consequences of using such a strong soul.”

Sion glared for a moment longer, but then a smile graced his face and he chuckled. “Well, it does seem like we won’t have any shortage of crystal.  I just don’t want to be turned into a statue.  Okay?”

“Deal,” Richter said sheepishly.  He started thinking about their new windfall. “I’ll have to send some people up to start harvesting this tomorrow.  Even more than we need the crystal, we need to be able to get to that rune.  I want to know more about it.”

“Don’t forget about the cavern at the back with all of the items and weapons, my lord.  Some of it could be quite valuable.”

Richter nodded. “That’s a good point.” He turned his head to get Futen to remind him of that later and only then realized that the remnant wasn’t with him.  In fact, the last time that Richter had seen him was when he sent him out of the room with the rune.  That meant Futen was still… Richter turned his gaze to the narrow tunnel.  “There may be another reason for us to clear away some crystal, guys.”

As Richter related that Futen had been trapped, Sion slapped his hand onto his forehead and shook his head slightly.  Terrod stood stoically, unwilling to criticize his lord, even if he had committed a totally bonehead move.  As Richter spoke, the crystal garden continued to grow, slower each moment, but still fast enough to observe.  The crystals grew new shards, ready for harvest, and one particular bloom was unlike the others.  In a garden of iridescent shards, one particular outcropping was the dark red of blood.

CHAPTER 8

Richter jogged back over to the tunnel and saw that crystal was blocking the entrance to the caverns.  It wasn’t a solid plug of crystal.  Instead, iridescent shards crisscrossed the narrow shaft.  No one was getting by until they were harvested.  Richter stood back and cast a spell.  Mist rose from the ground and leaked from cracks in the walls.  It pooled at his feet and then it rose into a humanoid figure.  Soon a faceless grey worker was standing before him, waiting for instructions.

“Clear the way up to the passage at the end of this tunnel.  Try to break the pieces of crystal off in large chunks and then put them in a pile here on the floor.  Once you have cleared a way to the tunnel, stop harvesting crystal.”  He didn’t want to risk that the poor intelligence of the mist worker couldn’t differentiate the Focus Crystal from plain crystal.

That done, Richter and his Companions turned to leave.  Richter ordered a guard to be stationed outside at all times.  The lake was to be off-limits to everyone except Sion, the guards, Randolphus, and himself of course.  Terrod told him it would be done, and they walked to the cave entrance.  The guards had taken the pieces of the dark aberration out of the cave, but smears of black blood could still be seen on the ground.  Richter led the way out of the cavern.  They all got soaked to the skin again as they passed through the waterfall, but that wasn’t a problem for Richter and Sion, who were happy to wash off the aberration’s black blood.  Soon they were walking through the meadow.  Before they had gone too far, Terrod spoke up.  There was a tone of wonder in his voice.

“I just gained a level, my lord!  I received 15,000 experience for finishing a quest called…”  Terrod’s eyes lost focus for a second. “Crystal Garden II and another 20,000 for finishing Who Will You Be I.”  The man started to smile. “I don’t care what Sion said, this was worth almost being encased in crystal.”

Richter laughed.  It was good to see Terrod being excited about something.  It was easy to forget that a month ago the captain had watched his friend die in front of him.  Not to mention being racked with guilt over what had happened to Isabella.  Richter was happy to see that the man’s overall mood was improving.  As he looked at Terrod, he really examined the captain for the first time in a long time.

Terrod’s musculature had increased, of that there was no doubt.  He also moved with greater ease though, and his features appeared a bit more defined.  It wasn’t a marked difference, but it was still there.  Richter wondered just how many points his Companion had invested in Charisma.  The captain was also a man in his mid-forties.  He had always seemed healthy and in shape, but now there was a vitality in his visage that Richter didn’t remember seeing when they first met.

Richter continued his assessment of his friend and another thought occurred to him.  Terrod hadn’t exactly been present for either the fight with the aberration or the planting of the garden.  Did his Companion’s get experience for every quest he completed?

A quick question to Terrod earned Richter a confused, “Yes, of course, my lord.  Were you not aware?  With this latest experience, I am now level fourteen, almost fifteen.”

Richter’s eyes bulged slightly.  The last time he had checked Terrod’s status, the man had only been level 7!  He quickly accessed his Companion’s page.  While he watched, Terrod’s numbers shifted as the man distributed his new points.

Name: Terrod

Age: 46

Level: 14, 77% to next level

Health: 250              Mana: 120                Stamina: 190

Strength: 25

Agility: 16

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 25

Endurance: 19

Intelligence: 12

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 21

Luck: 14

Abilities:

Comradery

Skills:

Swordsmanship Lvl 8; 12% to next level, 63% affinity

Medium Armor Lvl 7; 53% to next level, 92% affinity

Light Armor Lvl 8; 39% to next level, 68% affinity

Shields Lvl 4; 84% to next level, 72% affinity

Cooking Lvl 8; 13% to next level, 96% affinity

Horsemanship Lvl 10; 7% to next level; 83% affinity

Repair Lvl 4; 64% to next level; 54% affinity

Repair Armor Lvl 3; 13% to next level; 52% affinity

Repair Weapon Lvl 4; 18% to next level; 52% affinity

Gather information Lvl 18; 76% to next level; 92% affinity
War Leader Lvl 1; 14% to next level; 99% affinity

Marks:

None

Resistances:

None

Race: Human

Reputation: Lvl 1 “Who are you again?”

Alignment: 0

Language: Common Tongue

Terrod had doubled his level!  According to the captain, it was mostly because of Richter’s quests.  And his shield affinity…

“Did your Shield skill always have such a high affinity?” Richter asked.

Terrod smiled and nodded in understanding, “It happened when the Quickening was planted.  When I hold a shield now, things just seem to come naturally now.”

Richter turned to Sion. “What about you?  Did you get an XP bump?  Have you gotten the experience whenever I finished a quest?  And did any of your affinities increase.”

The sprite’s head bobbed back and forth noncommittally, “I haven’t had an increase in any of my affinities.  As far as the experience though, I thought you knew.  I have been benefiting from quests you finish since we became Companions.”  Sion’s eyes unfocused and then a broad grin split the sprite’s face. “And I did again!  I am level fifteen now.”

Shaking his head at his own lack of attention, Richter checked Sion’s page as well.

Name: Sion

Age: 44

Level: 15, 35% to next level

Health: 243                  Mana: 290                    Stamina: 160

Strength: 18

Agility: 18

Dexterity: 60

Constitution: 20

Endurance: 16

Intelligence: 29

Wisdom: 23

Charisma: 10

Luck: 12

Abilities:

Wood Craft

Concealment

Know Thyself

Skills:

Herb Lore Lvl 12, 6% to next level, 63% affinity

Alchemy Lvl 7, 82% to next level, 78% affinity

Archery Lvl 43; 59% to next level, 72% affinity

Imbue Arrow Lvl 31, 30% to next level, 87% affinity
Focus Lvl 26, 72% to next level, 81% affinity

Double Shot Lvl 8; 82% to next level, 87% affinity

Drill Shot Lvl 6; 61% to next level, 90% affinity

Stun Shot Lvl 5; 48% to next level, 95% affinity

Tracking Lvl 14; 13% to next level, 76% affinity

Small Blades Lvl 19, 82% to next level, 72% affinity

Light Armor Lvl 26; 48% to next level, 81% affinity

Air Magic Lvl 12; 83% to next level, 94% affinity

Marks:

None

Resistances:

Types of Magic

Life 10%

Earth 10%

Light 10%

Schools of Magic

Enchantment 50%

Race: Wood Sprite

Reputation: Lvl 1 “Who are you again?”

Alignment: +2

Language: Sprite, Common Tongue

So being his Companion let them power level through his quests, Richter reasoned.  It was a bit of a letdown that his friend’s affinities hadn’t increased.  It was entirely possible that an affinity had increased in a skill the sprite hadn’t discovered yet, though.  Putting it out of his mind, Richter began to wonder if being a Companion might also be a loophole for the five-person party limit.  A group larger than five had the consequence of decreasing any experience gained from fighting or questing.  If Sion and Terrod weren’t counted, though, that could bring them up to seven.  It had the potential to drastically increase the power of any strike group he was in without slowing down any of their growth.  He could think of one rock giant that he wouldn’t mind making his bitch!

“This might mean that we can increase party size when we hunt together.  I know we had a party of five people planned, but let’s add two more.  If we don’t get an experience reduction when we make a kill, then we will have proved that this works.  I just wish this whole Companion thing came with an instruction manual.”

Terrod nodded. “I will take care of it, my lord.  Was there anyone in particular that you had in mind?”

Richter thought about it as they walked.  Who did he need to level?  The first person that came to mind was Krom.  Who knew what useful skills the dwarf might gain if he became a Professed Smith.  It would be great to have a powerful healer in the group, but Sumiko was too old and too valuable to risk on a hunt.  It could be nice having another archer along though.  “Have Krom come, and ask if Ulinde will come along.”

Terrod nodded.

“How long til the feast?” Richter asked.  He silently cursed not having Futen around.  How else was he supposed to tell time?  He sent a mental call for the remnant.  As soon as the mist worker finished getting through the crystal covering the entrance to the caverns, he wanted the remnant by his side.

“I don’t believe we have much time, my lord.  The instruction was for everything to be ready an hour before sundown.”  The captain looked at the sun.  “I would gauge we have less than an hour.”

Richter nodded. That was what he had thought as well.  There wasn’t time to hunt before sundown, and he didn’t really want to be out with all the monsters when night fell.  “When we get back down to the village, send someone to tell Caulder and Beyan that we will leave to hunt at first light.  I don’t care what everyone does tonight, but be ready at the gate when the sun rises.”

They were at the edge of the slope leading down to the village.  Richter could see everyone bustling around.  He heard laughter and happy shouts as everyone prepared for the feast.  He saw at least ten casks of ale being set up behind a simple bar that had been cobbled together.  It was going to be a wild night!  Richter looked back at his Companions and smiled. “Ahhh fuck it.  Let’s just start the hunt at noon.”

Sion threw a fist in the air and said, “Grendah!”  Roughly translated from sprite speak, that meant “Huzaah!”

The three of them walked down the hill.  Terrod peeled off and went to find Caulder and the others.  Richter and Sion were walking towards all of the hustle and bustle when Richter got a surprise.  Futen came floating towards them from the east.  He was thoroughly confused seeing as how the waterfall cave was to the west.

“How are you here?” he asked once the remnant was close.

Futen’s monotone voice replied, “You summoned me, my lord.”

“I know that!  I meant you were trapped in the caves.  How did you get out?”

“I did find it difficult to follow you once you had entombed me, my lord.” Richter was sure he heard just a touch of attitude this time.  “When you called for me, however, I used my ability to transport to the Great Seal.”

Richter hadn’t been aware that Futen’s transport ability was so specific, he had just thought the remnant could teleport to a random spot in the village.  “Okay.  Well, sorry about the whole buried alive thing, but now that you’re here, let me know when it’s an hour to noon tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Richter looked at Sion and said, “Now come with me.  It’s time to meet the new villagers… right after I put some new pants on.  I’m tired of flying in the wind.”

After Richter had donned another set of clothes from this Bag, they walked towards the feast area.  Richter took the opportunity to deal with his own prompts.  The very first brought a wide smile to his face.

TRING!

You have reached level 26! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!

You have either characteristic points or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week or they will randomly be assigned for you.

He resolved to distribute his points later that night.  He had three levels worth of stat points to distribute and unless he was counting wrong, he had SIX levels worth of percentage points to distribute.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 29 in Enchanting.  All enchantments 1% more effective and increased chance of enchantments taking hold.

Well, that should help, Richter thought.  He wondered if the bump in enchanting was proportional to the level of stone he used.  The soul of an angel just had to be worth more than the soul of a frog or a fox.  He’d have to ask Gloran about it later.  He dismissed the prompt and moved on to the last one in the queue.

You have completed the Quest: Crystal Garden II.  You have successfully planted the Focus Crystal.  As you have planted it underground, your garden will experience a +10% growth bonus.  If you need a boost to crystal growth, expend a soul stone to increase production.

Reward: A Crystal Garden

Reward: 18,500 (base 15,000) experience points.

Bonus Reward: Planting the Focus Crystal on a Place of Power earns you a bonus.  One month’s worth of instant crystal growth per Power available.

Richter shook his head after reading the last prompt.  No wonder things had gone crazy.  Abrams and Whedon!  If he was reading the prompt right, four months of growth had happened almost all at once.  When you factored in the 10% boost from being underground and the 30% boost from his Life ability, and then compounded it all with the high-level soul stone he had used… no wonder everything had gone ape shit all at once!  It meant there had been between five and seven months of boosted growth in just a few minutes.  A smile crossed Richter’s face.  It also meant it wasn’t all his fault.  He knew just who he wanted to share that information with.  Richter tapped Sion on the shoulder and said, “Hey dickhead!  Let me tell you ’bout me!”

The two of them were arguing loudly within thirty seconds.

CHAPTER 9

Alma flew up to the bickering friends.

*Too loud.  Stop making noises!*

“We aren’t making noises,” he replied to her aloud.  “We are having an intelligent debate!”

“What are you talking about?” Sion said.  “I know I’m being intelligent.  In you, though, intelligence might be a bit of a stretch.”

“Shuddup!  I’m talking to Alma.  She said we were making too much noise.”

“Your familiar is talking about me?  Since when can she even talk?”

Richter chuckled. “She’s had a few upgrades.”

*Little man stop talking,* she thought.  There was little doubt as to who she was talking about seeing as how she had landed on Richter’s shoulders and her sinuous neck was pointing straight at Sion.

“Is she saying something else?” Sion asked suspiciously.

Richter weighed out the various permutations of how this might go down if he relayed Alma’s last message.  Many of the options were potentially quite humorous from his perspective, but the responsible part of him decided to just keep the peace and not share what Alma had said.  Then the asshole part of him decided to say “fuck it.”

“She said, ‘Little man stop talking.’”

“Little!” Sion bristled.  “Listen here, you flying rat.  I’ll shove my arrow up your—Banished gods!”

Without even leaving her perch on Richter’s shoulders, a yellow glow had started to surround the dragonling.  A second later, a bolt of lightning shot from her body into the ground at Sion’s feet.  It didn’t strike the sprite, but it did impact with a loud sizzle and both of the Companions suffered the effects of the electricity bleeding through the ground so close to where they were walking.  To Richter, it was only a mild irritant, but Sion immediately howled and started hopping from foot to foot.  Richter actually found it kind of funny to see the sprite slapping his legs, shouting about pins and needles.

He chuckled slightly, but hid it in a cough when Sion turned an angry glare his way.

“Is something funny?” the sprite asked.

“Of course not!” Richter protested innocently.  “You know I felt that too.”

“That would mean something to me if I didn’t know that you had a 50% resistance to Air magic.  Aren’t you going to admonish her?”  Sion had stopped hopping but was still massaging both calves.

“Oh yes.  Of course.”  He turned his head to look at Alma. “You mustn’t use magic on our friends, Alma!”

*Yes, Master.  I’m sorry.*  She didn’t sound very sorry to Richter, but he decided not to push it.  *Sion wants to speak more?* she asked with a sweet mental tone.  Her head was pointing directly at the sprite again.

“What’s she saying now?” Sion asked warily, having caught the direction of her attention.

“Well, she asked if you had anything else to say,” Richter said.

Sion looked from him to Alma, whose neck was still fully extended.  “Ahhh, no.  I think she understood my point.”

The dragonling’s neck relaxed, and she settled down across her master’s shoulders.

*You’re a bad bitch, baby!*  She had made Sion back down and Richter had seen the sprite go head-to-head with demons.  Also, seeing her so casually cast Lightning Bolt I made him excited for future battles.

*This is true, Master,* she thought with a satisfied tone.  Richter chuckled again, and he and Sion just kept walking.

It didn’t take too much longer to arrive at the feast area.  As Richter had instructed, Roswan and the other builders had made a platform at one end.  Long picnic tables had been set up, and as he watched, Richter saw guards and other villagers leading people to the tables.  It seemed like slow going leading the new villagers into place because of their lack of immunity, but most of the tables were already filled so he didn’t think it would take too much longer.  They walked back to the stage.  Randolphus was waiting.

“Greetings, my lord.  The food has been prepared, and almost all of the new villagers have been seated.  If you will give me your attention for just a few moments, there are a few small pieces of business to discuss before we begin.”

Alma flew off.  Richter looked after her, thinking, “traitor.”  Sion also made good his escape, saying he planned to go get an ale.  Richter was alone and defenseless against his chamberlain’s efficient bureaucracy.  He exhaled a long suffering sigh and then gave Randolphus his almost undivided attention.

After some time had passed, a guard came up and told them that Captain Terrod said that everyone was seated.  Richter thanked him for the information.  The guard started to move off, but then Richter said, “Stop.”  He recognized the man.  “Is that you, Sedrin?”

The guard turned back and stood at attention.  “Yes, my lord.”

Richter reached out and extended his hand.  The guard looked at him for a moment and then returned the clasp.  “I still think often of Petal.  I have not forgotten your little girl.”

“I think of her every day as well, my lord.”

“I am surprised that you joined the guard, Sedrin.  Honestly, I thought you would be leaving the village once your year was done.”

Sedrin’s jaw quivered with emotion before he spoke again. “I was going to do just that.  Then I asked myself what I was going back to.  All that was waiting for me was a country that spurned both my daughter and me.  She was half elvish. I don’t think you knew that.”

Richter was moved by the man’s emotion.  Some time had passed since the bugbear attack that had left twenty-one of his people dead.  He had been racked with guilt and shame at letting his people down.  It had been his own arrogance after all that had let the bugbears reach the village.  Seeing how the pain was still fresh for Sedrin brought his own feelings flooding back.  “I did not know that,” he said simply.

“She was,” Sedrin said.  “Her mother was beautiful, but died in childbirth.  I tried to do my best, but the new king’s unjust laws and prejudice made it impossible for me to even earn enough food to feed and clothe her.  I was spurned by my old so-called friends.  Your offer to come here to a new life was a blessing.  She and I were so happy.”  His jaw firmed.  Looking at him in the eye, Richter could clearly see the ferocity in the man’s gaze.  His grip on Richter’s wrist tightened, not to harm his lord, but out of anger and passion.  “When my daughter died, the joy I felt turned to ashes in my mouth.”

Richter nodded.  He knew people were waiting, but this man who had lost so much deserved his time and respect.  He would not rush Sedrin.  He would wait for the man to say his piece.

Sedrin kept his eyes locked onto Richter’s own.  “I will not lie.  Initially, I blamed you for my daughter’s death.  I harbored anger and hatred towards you, my lord.  I can understand if you cannot trust me.  I will leave both your service and the village if you command it.”

“Do you still blame me?” Richter asked with quiet intensity.  He was acutely aware that he was in close proximity to a man who had just admitted to hating him.  His muscles were tense, but he was ready to respond however this should turn out.  He waited for Sedrin’s reply.

The guard’s eyes didn’t waver.  After a few moments, he said, “No.  When you unveiled the monument to the fallen, I saw in your eyes that you felt the pain of her loss.  My anger towards you faded.  Afterwards, I felt only emptiness.  I almost ended my own life to rejoin her, but then I found something to live for.  Revenge!”  Richter heard a bit of fanaticism in Sedrin’s voice as he continued.  “I plan to send as many of the bugbears as I can find to the deepest hell that will take them!”

Richter used Analyze and saw that Sedrin was only level four.  “You will have to be much stronger if you plan to do that.”

“Then I will get stronger, my lord.  This I vow or I will die trying.”

“Will you pledge your life to me to accomplish this?” Richter asked.

“For the deaths of my Petal’s killers, I will give you my life in return,” Sedrin said, nodding.

Richter nodded back.  The man was weak right now, but maybe only in body.  Sedrin’s will was a foundation he could build upon. “When I call for allegiance tonight, step forward.”  The guard nodded and clapped a fist to his heart in salute.  He then turned away to leave.  Before he had gone far, Richter spoke up again. “Find your captain and tell him that you are to join us tomorrow for the hunt.”  Sedrin saluted again and then walked away.

The exchange had reminded him of what was at stake.  He had to protect his people.  He had to get stronger.  His enemies were only growing more numerous and his allies were too few.  These were the facts that he needed to impart to his people, both new and old.  Randolphus had stood by during the exchange, silently observing.  When Richter turned towards him, the chamberlain saw his liege’s intensity.  He clapped a hand to his heart and bowed slightly. “Your people are waiting, my lord.”

Richter nodded and walked up the steps of the platform.  The whole thing was simply a large table, albeit one that was fifteen feet high.  He stood and looked out over his people.  Everyone was here except for the guards standing upon the village walls.  When he ascended the wooden dais, hundreds of heads turned to see him.  At half of the tables, hundreds more simply looked around, confused.  The new villagers could hear the commotion around them, but their vision didn’t extend more than five to ten feet through the mist.  He decided to fix that.

His arms rose, and his fingers spread wide.  He accessed the spell Confusing Mist on his village interface and willed the mists to roll back.  Starting at the Great Seal, the enchantment cleared the mists like a drop of soap would clear grease.  Within seconds, the air was clear to the village walls, and a second later, it had cleared to the edges of the farm and pasture land.  The new villagers caught their first sight of their new lord, standing above them, arms raised, commanding the very air.  The old villagers cheered at the sight.

“Welcome!  Half of you know me and have been bonded to this village by sweat and blood.  You have fought and sacrificed for a better life.  I am honored to be your lord!  I am honored to be one of you!  I am honored to stand by your side!”  The people cheered at his words.  They all remembered how he had not shied from a fight when the bugbears had attacked.  They all remembered how he had shared his power by awakening the Air magic in many of them.  Richter continued.

“Welcome!  Many of you are new and have come to this village hoping for a new life.  Look to those who have been here before you.  Some have lost loved ones.  Some have suffered injury, but they still stand tall.  Despite any losses, this village grows in strength and wealth.  Here you can learn to be your best self.  Here, you can make a life for yourself independent of your race, but instead, dependent on your character!”  More cheers greeted his pronouncement, and this time, many of the new villagers cheered as well.  Richter waited for the noise to die down before continuing.

“A third time, I bid you welcome!  I will tell you the same words that I spoke to Captain Terrod when I asked him to join me.  I make no promises for what the future will hold, but I promise that if you stand by me, then we will meet whatever does come together.”

One of the villagers, a new Air mage that Richter recognized, stood and shouted, “A cheer for Lord Richter!  A cheer for our liege!”  A resounding shout broke out as hundreds of voices rose in solidarity.  Again, Richter waited for the tumult to die down.

“This feast is a celebration of life.  Of the life that we have begun to make for ourselves here.  For the lives that we have protected.  For the lives that we have lost and for the new lives that are here to join us on this journey.  So eat!  Drink!  Celebrate this bounty that many of you have worked so hard for.  Let us welcome our new brothers and sisters with open arms.  Again I say welcome!  Welcome to the Mist Village!”

Cheers broke out all over.  This time, he did not wave to settle them down.  Instead, he pointed at one of the villagers who held a musical instrument and the man began to play.  Other musicians took his cue and joined in.  Soon a joyous melody was floating through the feast, and many voices rose to sing counterpoint to the well-known song.

The sun is on the green and the scent of grass is in the air

My love is on my mind and my mind is on her flowing hair

I will live my days in glory so that she will know me by my fame

I will live my nights in bed though so just listen for my name!

Ohhhhh ….

Laughter spread around as more and more people joined in.

Richter didn’t stay on the platform any longer.  He wanted to join his people.  When he got to the bottom, though, he was shanghaied by Randolphus and led through the tables.  They were all perpendicular to the podium, but there was one at the end that was parallel and sat on a raised stage.  When Richter had seen it from the podium he had assumed that it was there for serving, but now that they were closer, he saw a bench along one side and understood its purpose.  Randolphus had made a high table for him to look out over his people.

“I was planning to sit with the people.  Walk around and get to know them,” he said.

“You may, of course, do anything that you wish, milord.  I believe that spending personal time with the villagers is a wonderful idea.  I would also say, however, that if you wish to lead and command these people, they must be accustomed to you being presented as a leader.  As I said, however, the choice is, of course, yours to make.”

Richter gave his chamberlain the side eye, but then laughed and kept walking to the table.  He knew that he had just been manipulated.  It wasn’t like he could really refuse to sit at the table now without looking like a stubborn fool.  He also knew that Randolphus had done it only with the best of intentions and that the man was also probably right.  The table sat on a platform four feet off of the ground so that Richter could have an easy view of everyone and they all could have an easy view of him.

The sounds of song still surrounded him as he walked up the three steps and stood in front of the table, looking out at the gathering.  After his people saw him, those singing gradually ceased, but those with instruments still played, just at a lower volume.  Everyone was looking to Richter, and he realized they wanted some formal start to the beginning of the meal.  He also realized Randolphus was right that the people would naturally look to him for their cues.  Not one to pass up an opportunity for showmanship, he extended his hand once again and cast Mist Light.  The ball of glowing grey light shot forty feet above everyone’s heads and hung suspended in the air.  Then he shouted jovially, “Let’s eat!”  Everyone cheered again.  Covers were whipped off of the food and casks of ale were tapped.  The feast had begun!

Richter sat down on the bench and Randolphus stood to the side behind him.  He looked at his chamberlain and said, “Oh, no.  If I have to sit up here being looked at, then you will be joining me.”

“It wouldn’t be proper for me to sit next to you, my lord,” Randolphus protested.

“Proper hell.  I don’t mind taking your lead, and I appreciate your advice, but we won’t be standing on pointless ceremony here.  I can’t stand useless traditions.  So sit your bony ass down and share an ale with me.”  Richter’s tone was full of laughter.

The chamberlain smiled faintly and said, “As you wish, my lord.”

“Now where is everyone else?  At the very least I want a few more people up here with me.”  He beckoned to a guard standing by the end of the table and told him to fetch Sion, Terrod, Isabella, Sumiko, and Krom.  As the guard hurried off, one of the village women walked up and told him that his special request from the cook would be ready soon.  She smiled shyly and gave an awkward curtsy when he thanked her.

“Bring six more servings of food and drink please, my dear.  I will be having company up here.”  She curtsied again and rushed off to fulfill her lord’s command.

Randolphus settled in next to him on the bench and said, “As long as we have this time, my lord, there are a few more things—”

“Ah!  Stop!  Good god stop!” he said quickly.  The chamberlain stopped.  Richter exhaled a sigh of relief.  Then he looked at Randolphus and decided to seize this rare quiet moment. “There actually is something that I wanted to ask you about.  That bitch Sonirae was an Assassin.  When I analyzed her, I saw that being an Assassin was a Specialization of the Rogue Profession.  How does one become a Specialist?  Do you know anything about it?”

Randolphus look at him with an inscrutable expression.  Richter looked back at him slightly confused, but then the chamberlain’s face smoothed, and he started speaking as if nothing had happened, so Richter wondered if he had imagined it.

“Well, my lord.  As you may already know, to obtain a noncombat Profession you must reach a personal level of ten and be a journeyman in a relevant skill.  To obtain a combat Profession, you must be a personal level of twenty and also be a journeyman.  Each level that you reach after you obtain your Profession, you are allocated a certain number of Talent points.  To become a Specialist, you must reach a personal level of thirty and have saved enough points to ‘buy’ the Specialty.”

Randolphus’s answer just made a dozen more questions for Richter. “How many Talent points do you get per level?  How much does it cost to buy a Specialty?  How many specialties are there?”  The questions came rapid-fire and, for once, the chamberlain was the one who looked overwhelmed.

“There are many factors that affect the answers to your questions, my lord.  Certain races have a predisposition to certain Professions and so obtain more Talent points per level.  Consequently, you may suffer a penalty depending on your race if you choose the wrong Profession.  That is why you don’t see many gnome Barbarians.  Humans typically have no racial predispositions or weaknesses, though this is not always the case.  Humans born on the Twins typically make better Sailors, for instance, my lord.  Also, the affinity you have for whichever skill got you into the Profession also affects how many Talent points you are given.  There are also other random factors that can affect a person’s Profession.  Humans normally get ten Talent points to distribute per level, but as all of this varies from person to person, no specific numbers have ever been recorded with any accuracy.”

Richter nodded with resignation.  Same shit.  Nothing could ever be easy.  At least he should get a bump if Randy was right about having a high affinity.  His Limitless ability would continue to help him progress.  He held off on any more questions as several of the villagers arrived with their food and drink.  One of the main cooks was with them and was holding a plate covered by a cloth handkerchief.

“My lord, we tried to follow your instructions as best we could.  I hope that you are pleased.”

Richter took the covered plate and Analyzed the woman to get her name.  “Thank you, Claren.  I’m sure it will be wonderful.”  He made a mental note to see which of his cooks was of the highest level.  He thought the idea of having a noncombatant villager accompany hunting parties was possibly high risk, but definitely high reward.  Who knew what a Professed Cook might be able to do for his people on a daily basis.

Not wanting to wait any longer, he ripped off the cloth and sighed in contentment.  Richter had never seen such a beautiful sight.  He was so overcome with emotion that he got choked up.  In front of him lay a thick slice of fresh bread, topped with a leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato and… a ground patty of fresh beef blessed with a thick slab of melted cheese, FOUR slices of crispy bacon and finally, another slice of bread.  A tear escaped his eye as he saw his first hamburger in months.

“Are you well, my lord?” Randolphus asked with a faint amount of concern.

Richter didn’t respond.  He just took the miracle in front of him in both hands and treated himself to a deep bite.  An explosion of wonder and spices filled his mouth.  His eyes closed in bliss, and a faint croon came from the center of his being.  The grease in the burger burned his tongue ever so slightly, and the smokiness of the bacon perfectly balanced the sharpness of the cheese.  A smile graced his face, giving him a chipmunk appearance as his cheeks were still stuffed from the large bite.

Sion walked up just as Richter swallowed the first bite and asked the same question Randolphus had.  The Lord of the Mist Village simply said, “They should have sent a poet.”

Everyone else that Richter had requested came to grace the high table.  As the hundreds of villagers enjoyed good food and better comradery, so too did Richter’s friends and confidants.  He sat back and savored every single bite of his burger, one of the things he had missed most from Earth.  True there was no ketchup yet, but Richter resolved to fight one battle at a time.

After he was done eating, he left the table and walked around amongst the villagers.  Terrod insisted upon accompanying him, citing that more than half of the people present were new to the village.  After his encounter with Sonirae, Richter didn’t argue.  Randolphus came as well.  Richter spent the next hour or so just walking among his people, shaking hands, sharing laughs, and listening to their compliments and complaints.  Many people were deeply invested in their food or ongoing conversations, so they simply smiled and bowed their heads as their liege passed.  Many others were well on their way to being deep in their cups, so they didn’t even realize he was walking by.  Richter was happy to see his people enjoying themselves.  More than that, he felt… fulfilled.  He had made a home that he could be proud of and proud he was.

As great as walking around was, Richter realized he needed to give his speech quickly if he wanted people to still be coherent.  Already loud shouting was coming from a group of dwarves, and a bit of shoving had broken out between two humans apparently vying for the affection of a young wood elf lass.  Richter spoke to Randolphus, who nodded and began leading the way back to the raised stage at the end of the picnic tables.  He sent Futen to ask Sion and the others to join him.

Richter climbed the stairs and looked out over the festivities.  Laughter abounded, and many of the children seemed to be playing a game of tag whose rules shifted from moment to moment.  People began to notice him on the stage and started chanting his name.  The call was picked up by others, and soon the feast resounded with “Lord Richter!  Lord Richter!  Lord Richter!”

He raised his arms first in happy reception of the chant but then turned his palms downward to quiet his people.  Soon silence reigned, and the people waited to hear what their lord had to say.

“I hope you are all having a good time!”  Cheers broke out again, and Richter had to wait for them to die down.

“As I said before, this feast is a celebration of the accomplishments of those who have been here.  It is also a welcome to those who are new here.  There is a third reason, however.  When many of us got off of the boats from Yves, this village was barely discernable from unbroken wilderness.  It was raw material, and so were we.  Times are changing now.  We have made this place into the beginnings of a village. We have made ourselves into the beginnings of a community.”  Many of the first-wave villagers were nodding and sharing looks of pride.  Most of the new people were just looking a bit uneasy, unsure as to where this was going.  They were used to leaders taking whatever they wished, whenever they wanted.  Richter was still an unknown to them, and they feared for their futures.

“Things are changing,” he repeated.  “We are getting larger and stronger, but that means others are taking notice of us.  We have been attacked and suffered losses.  I have been attacked personally by agents of Ronin, the head of the Night Blades.”  Many of the villagers shouted out, some in anger and some in dismay.  They all knew of the bloody underworld leader.  They had all heard of Richter’s raid on Ronin’s base and his freeing of the nonhumans, most of whom were now villagers.

Behind him a woman called his name.  Richter turned his head and saw Isabella looking back at him with determination on her face.  Gone was the wounded creature who had hidden beneath the branches of the Quickening for weeks.  Who he saw now was a woman who had chosen to stand and face both her past and future head-on.

“May I speak, my lord?” she asked.  Richter nodded and stepped back.  She took the center stage.

“I have already told my story to those who came here before, but for those of you who are new, I will tell you what our lord has done for us.  What he has done for me!  Lord Richter fought the Night Blades in their very base of power to save many of us.  After he had already saved so many, he infiltrated the home of Count Stonuk to find me.  Still he wasn’t done, though.  To bring me to safety he fought through an ambush of the Night Blades.  An ambush that claimed the life of my husband’s long-time friend, Jeremy.”  Richter looked over at Terrod, but the man just stared straight ahead, his jaw tight.

Isabella continued speaking with intense emotion. “Since that time we have suffered an unprovoked attack by the bugbears.  How many of you did Lord Richter save?  How many of you fought next to him side by side as he worked to defend our people?  Who stood with him as he comforted the families of the lost afterward?”

Shouts of “Me!” “I fought with the lord!” “We showed those bugbears they should never have come!” rung out from the crowd.  The villagers were getting fired up.  Isabella still wasn’t done, though.  “And he saved my love!  When those horrible people took Terrod away, our lord immediately chased after those people and SINGLE HANDEDLY slew them both and rescued his Companion.  That is the type of person that our lord is.  He is someone who has given me power of my own!”

She extended her hand and cast Slow Heal I.  There was no target to her spell, but the gold glow surrounded her hand, bright enough to be seen despite the torches and mist light.  The villagers exclaimed loudly.  “This very day, Lord Richter gave me the power to heal.  He is someone we can trust.  He is someone we can put our faith in.  He is someone that I pledge my fealty to!”

With that, she carefully arranged her skirts and then went down on one knee.  “I formally swear allegiance and loyalty to you, my Lord Richter.  From now, unto my very death, I will protect you and your interests, to the best of my ability and without deceit.”

Richter was shocked.  He hadn’t expected such a profound and public show of support.  He walked forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I accept your oath of fealty, and swear to honor your pledge with the same gravity in which it was given.”  He offered his hand and helped her back to her feet.  He continued to hold her hand as he addressed his people.

“I make the same pledge to all who swear fealty.  The same pledge that I have made from the very beginning.  As I rise, so too will you rise.”  Shouts and cheers echoed out.  “Just north of us in the meadow, a celestial tree bears fruit that will increase our affinities.  Our Smith is forging enchanted weapons and armor in the Forge of Heavens to better prepare us for future battles.  The winds of change are upon us, and they blow in our direction!”  Raucous shouts of happiness rung out in the crowd.

Richter waited for the crowd to quiet again.  “I have decided to extend the same terms to our new villagers as I have to the old.  You will be paid a fair wage for your work.  You will be fed, and you will have a place to stay.  These terms will last until the end of the year that my original villagers agreed to.  After that, all will be paid for work as appropriate and will pay for everything else from these wages.”  There was an almost palpable sigh of relief.  The people who had just come to the village had left all they had known.  They had boarded ships in the blind hope that the lord of a forest village would welcome them.  It was entirely possible that this unknown leader could have killed them or sold them into slavery.  That had been the extent of their desperation to leave Yves.  The news that they would be treated fairly and with respect was like a dream come true.

“Everyone here has a choice to make, however.  The same choice that you just saw Isabella make.  This village is going to be a haven of law and justice.  It will continue to be a home for those who need and deserve it.  Only those who swear fealty will enjoy the special benefits of residing here, the fruit of the Quickening, the weapons of the Forge, Potions of Clarity and”—he held Isabella’s hand high—“my ability to awaken your magical power.  I want to say again, that any who do not swear fealty will be treated fairly.  Nothing will change for you.  For those of you who will bend the knee once, though, I promise I will help you to stand for the rest of your life.  What do you choose?”  His voice rose through his speech and at the end he was shouting.  Isabella’s hand was still in his, and she looked out at the crowd, radiating confidence.

“I swear fealty!” came a shout from the villagers.

“Lord Richter!” came another.

“Lord Richter and the Mist Village!”

Then the shouts grew too numerous to hear.  The villagers surged to their feet and amassed in front of the stage.  Most of the first wave of villagers was there.  Not too many of the second group of immigrants seemed ready to bend the knee, but Richter was not bothered by this.  As he looked out over the mass of loyal followers, he knew that he had time.  Shouts of his name continued to fill the air.  Despite the fact that he could bend the elements to his will, in that moment he realized that he was experiencing his first true taste of power.

He liked it.

CHAPTER 10

Randolphus organized all those who chose to swear fealty into a line, and they came up to the top of the stage, one after another.  The music started again, and the procession adopted a festive air.  Sumiko stood next to him and cast Soul’s Window on each as they gave their oaths.  Happily, everyone that swore fealty was genuine.  It took several more hours, but ultimately two hundred and thirty-seven people bent the knee.  Almost every one of his old villagers came forward as well as dozens of the new villagers.

Some villagers brought their children up to pledge allegiance, but after he saw the first small wood elf girl walking towards him, he put a stop to it.  A command to Randolphus was all it took, and an official decree was made.  No one under the age of fourteen could swear fealty.  In all honesty, even that was creepily young as far as he was concerned, but the chamberlain had whispered to him that fourteen was the age of adulthood in the River Peninsula.

He was happy to see Quasea, Ulinde, and Zarr amongst those who pledged their loyalty.  All of the nonhuman elders he had met within Terrod’s inn so long ago did as well.  It also wasn’t a big surprise but was still reassuring, when Caulder bent the knee.  His example brought most of the other guards and their families in line.

The ceremony would have gone faster, but for two things.  He used Analyze on every person that bent the knee and also took the time to try and awaken their Life and Air magic.  After analyzing about eighty of them, he got a series of prompts that brought a smile to his face.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 10 in Analyze.  Your understanding of others has deepened on an intrinsic level.

You have received 2,500 (base 2,000) bonus experience for reaching level 10 in the skill: Analyze.

Congratulations!  You have advanced from the rank Novice to the rank of Initiate in: Analyze.  In addition to the information you already receive, you will also be provided with an abbreviated status page showing the creature’s attributes.

Well, that could come in useful, Richter thought happily.  His good mood was improved at the number of mages he was able to awaken.  When all was said and done, he was able to make three more Air mages from the new villagers, and thirty-two adult Life magi between the two groups.  Most of the new Life magi came from the old villagers, showing again how lucky everyone was that had been present at the birth of the Quickening.

A wonderful surprise was that Krom had the affinity to become a Life mage.  The shocked expression on the dwarf’s face was priceless.  Richter began to laugh and soon his Smith joined him.  Weeping was a far more common reaction in many of the villagers.  At first, Richter had been concerned, but he soon saw they were tears of joy, and many of the villagers embraced him when the magic was kindled inside of them.  One man explained that for his whole life he had felt incomplete, like a piece of his soul was missing.  With tears in his eyes, he told Richter that he now felt a hole inside of him had been filled.

Each time he was able to feel a resonance inside of one of his subjects, he taught them the level-one spells that he knew for that discipline.  His new Life novices were taught Charm I, Soul Trap, Weak Cure, and Slow Heal I.  All of the Air mages learned Haste I and Weak Errant Wind.  Whether they were Air or Life magicians, the way they looked at him afterward was the same, with adoration and loyalty.  Richter had to disable the prompts telling him that his people’s disposition towards him had improved.  Each new caster’s disposition rose by one or two levels.

Once the ceremony was done, he left the stage and walked among the children of those who had sworn fealty.  With their parents’ blessing, he awakened magic in as many as he could.  He was able to awaken Air magic in two of the children and Life magic in seventeen more.  Randolphus was nearby to record the starting spells of all of them.  Most simply received Slow Heal I or Weak Cure, but one received Cure Minor Disease.  Other notable spells were Summon Luminous Butterfly, which just seemed to conjure a dozen small glowing white butterflies for a minute, and Call Small Creature, which would bring the closest small creature running to them.  For the next five minutes, it would obey simple commands.  What Richter was most impressed by, however, was Life Beacon.  The spell shot a glowing gold ball high into the air.  It would let anyone within a mile know that help was needed even if they could not see the light.  The knowledge seemed to be instinctual.  If they were ever attacked again, the spell could be invaluable.

Richter was relieved that none of the children had been granted battle magic.  The idea of a petulant five-year-old casting Charm I on her parents was not something he wanted to contemplate.  He had known there was a chance that might happen, but the opportunity to have children train for years in their magic and one day be high-level magic users to fight for his cause was too good to pass up.  He would be lying if he said that it hadn’t also occurred to him that children growing up knowing that they owed their greatest resource to him might in turn feel a great deal of loyalty through the years.  Richter saw hushed discussions occurring between some of the parents who hadn’t sworn fealty.  Seeing such a tangible boon given to other people’s children and not their own clearly gave them a lot to think about.

No matter their starting spells, he taught each of the children with Life magic Slow Heal I.  He wished he could have taught them Summon Weak Life Wisp as well, but their levels weren’t high enough.  Still it was a lot better than nothing.  He went on to teach all of the Air children Haste I.  They were the spells that, if ever the village were attacked again, might give the children a fighting chance and could keep them and others alive.  Richter pulled Randolphus aside and told him he wanted the children placed in a daily class where they could practice their spells.  The chamberlain made a notation and promised it would be done.

The entire feast had been a wild success.  Despite the fact that most of the second wave of villagers hadn’t sworn fealty, he was happy to see that the new people were meshing well with the old.  It warmed his heart to see families reunited.  Now that the official work of the night was done, he joined his people to party.

CHAPTER 11

“What is that goddamn noise?” Richter shouted while holding his head.  It felt like a tribe of kobolds had taken a dump in his brain.  He opened his eyes slightly and immediately groaned.

“Oh God!  That was a horrible idea!”  Despite the fact that he had hated what had just happened to him, he had to know what that horrible clanging was.  He cracked one eye open again and blearily looked up from the hard surface he was lying on.  What he saw didn’t make any sense.

He knew that the sun was up because there was so much light to see by, but for some reason he was looking at a black sky filled with stars.  And what the hell was that gawd awful clanging?

He painfully opened his other eye while holding a hand up in front of his face to lessen the light that was shooting fire picks, he chuckled slightly, into his brain.  When he didn’t immediately die, which had been a legitimate fear for him, he slowly widened his gaze.  A rack of weapons was to his left and a clear green anvil was sitting on the ground to his right.  His hangover-addled brain started piecing these clues together, and he realized he was lying on the floor of the Forge of Heavens.  He started to get up but lost his balance and fell back down, one hand flying up above his head.

“Owww,” a grumpy and ladylike voice said.

Richter looked behind him and saw a beautiful wood elf woman… who seemed to only be wearing his Cloak of Concealment.  The cape had adopted the smooth white appearance of the marbled quartz it was set against.  Grey lines even shot across the material, blending near perfectly with the floor.  It did nothing to hide the pale shapely leg that stuck out from one side or the beautiful face and mop of red hair that peeked out of the top of the cloak.  He had inadvertently slapped the woman’s chest with his hand.  His first thought upon seeing this was that it couldn’t have hurt too much since she had so much padding in that particular region.

“Sorry,” he wheezed out.  She grumbled slightly without opening her eyes and faded back into sleep.  Judging by what he was seeing, he’d had an amazing time the night before, but he just didn’t remember it!  He used Analyze and found that her name was Lorala.  Seeing her name on the prompt triggered a memory.

He groaned again as he remembered drunkenly walking up to her and saying, “Hey, sexy lady.  How’d you like me to show you heaven!”

He attempted to stand again and this time succeeded, though he had to lean against the weapons rack to stay upright.  That was the moment that he had his next grand realization.  He was naked.  Firmly believing that walking around a forge in his birthday suit would be a bad idea, he cast about for his Bag of Holding.  Sure enough, it was only a few feet away.  He retrieved it and found his clothes strewn about next to it.  He put on his small clothes, pants, shirt, and shoes.  Richter had no idea what had happened to his armor, because it wasn’t in his inventory.  He guessed that it had something to do with the black scorch mark on his chest, and why his health was down a few points.  He didn’t waste more time with that though.  He had an important mission.  The mission to find whoever the fuck was making all that noise, kill them, and then sow their lands with salt!

He left the naked goddess under his cloak and stumbled around the weapons rack.  His head throbbed with every clang of metal on metal.  After picking his head up, and squinting very hard, he saw a dwarf at the main elementum anvil.  Richter knew he was imagining it, but he could swear that he saw a red outline around the man, clearly marking him as an enemy that must be destroyed.  As he got closer, his bleary eye sight showed a salt and pepper beard and a familiar face.

“Stooppp!” he croaked.

“Ahhh, yer lordship!” Krom said loudly.  “That was some shindig last night!”

The dwarf put down the hammer and left what looked to be the back of Richter’s chest armor on the anvil.

“Wha-wha-what happened?”

Krom let out a hearty bellow that made Richter hate him slightly.  “Well everyone was having a good time and then you said you wanted something called a ‘shot.’  Zarr asked ye what that was and ye said that you wished that the ale we had was stronger.  Right after that, Zarr cast some spell on all the casks and that be when the party really got going!  When you did that thing with Alma, I laughed so hard ale came out of me nose!  Ha ha ha!”

Richter shook his head, confused. “Alma?  What does Alma have to—”  The rest of his question was cut off as he let out a rather ladylike scream.  His familiar had chosen that moment to speak with him and her psychic volume was turned way up!

*MASTER!  Master my head HURTS!*

“Alma!  Please stop thinking so loud!” he shouted reflexively while grabbing his head in both hands.  Then, not wanting her to mentally shout at him again, he thought to her, *Please think softer, my love.  Where are you?*

He heard a pitiful mewling and then saw her drunkenly flap up from where she had been resting behind a bucket.  Seeing her hovering in midair brought back another series of memories.  Him offering her a sip of his drink.  Her liking it and then sticking her face deep into someone else’s mug and drinking more.  A bunch of other stuff had happened… Then Sion had dared him to do… something.

His memory got fuzzy again.  He reached up to rub his aching head and felt a twinge in his chest again.  Suddenly, Richter’s eyes grew wide as it all came flooding back.  “No fucking way,” he said to himself.  He hadn’t been dumb enough to…

“Krom,” he said in a grave voice.

“Yes, yer lordship?” the smith said with joy in his voice.

“Did I climb back up on top of the stage last night?” he asked, knowing what the answer would be.

“Oh.  Ye did indeed, me lord.” Krom was clearly enjoying himself.

“And when I was up there, did I shout, ‘Someone call Kenny Loggins because I’m about to go into the Danger Zone?’”

“Yes, ye did.  That part was confusing for all of us, but what happened next more than made up for it!”  Krom’s grin was threatening to split his beard in half.

Richter just nodded.  He could well believe what had happened next would have been what people really remembered.  Because what had happened next was that first he had shouted at Alma, “Do it!” and then she had obeyed and unleashed a lightning bolt directly into his chest.  The bolt had struck him dead center, and the force of it had knocked him off his feet, and consequently, off the podium.  At a guess, the fifteen-foot fall was why Krom was now hammering a dent out of the back plate.

Richter closed his eyes and nodded to himself.  That was, possibly, not his finest moment.  He opened his eyes and asked, “Is there anything else that I want to know about last night?”  Alma had made her way to his shoulders and basically collapsed onto him.  The poor thing was still mewling pitifully.

Krom scratch his beard. “Anything that ye WANT to know?  Well that I can’t say for sure, but I can tell ye one thing that everyone else knows now!”

Richter took a second to control a wave of nausea and then said, “What’s that?”

“The Mist Village can party! HAHAHAAA!”

Despite the throbbing in his head, Richter smiled back.  Then he vomited just a bit into his mouth.  After washing his mouth out and spitting several times, he thought about the sexy woman he had woken up next to and decided that all in all, it had been a great night.  “Can I assume you have the rest of my armor here?”

“Aye, milord.”  Krom reached to the other side of the anvil and lifted up the other pieces, setting them by the chest plate.  “And rest assured, this dwarf will be ready to fight at noon.  I could use a good hunt.  Now go see if you can bring that young lass you have back there back to life.  From the noises I heard coming out of here before dawn, you fair killed her last night!  Ha ha ha!”  With that last quip, Krom walked away.

Richter cast Slow Heal I to fix the damage to his chest.  Then he donned his armor and withdrew his sword from his Bag.  He shooed Alma off of his shoulders to the sounds of her protest and then fastened the sword onto his back.  He was ready to greet his bedmate—floor mate—of the night before, except for one thing.  He plunged his head straight down into a barrel of water.  The chill water cleared some of the cobwebs from his brain and he drank his fill.  When he straightened up, he felt much more alert.  He walked back to where he had left her.

“Lorala.  Lorala, it’s time to wake up.”

The elf maiden, well definitely not a maiden anymore from what Richter remembered, opened her eyes, and he was able to see that her irises were the same green as elementum.  She smiled sleepily at him and said, “Good morrow, my lord.  Was I so fearsome last night that you must gear for battle before we go again?”

Richter chuckled at her saucy reply. “I would never put armor on before joining you in bed.  Why would I when all I want is for you to slay me again and again?”

“Well I knocked you down at least five times last night, but you just kept getting up.  I supposed it would only be polite for me to do the same.  Though I believe eating that much star zenia was cheating!”  With that she stood and let the smooth material of the cloak flow off of her body and pool on the ground.  Richter let out a slow and appreciative whistle.

She was five-seven or five-eight.  Apple-sized breasts sat firm on her chest, and her white skin contrasted with deep pink nipples.  His gaze traveled downward to a trim waist and flat stomach, not muscular, but also with little fat.  His eyes traced the curve of her hip inward, and he observed her femininity in all of its glory, contrasting on her skin like an apple floating in cream.

She looked at his expression of appreciation and gave a slightly throaty chuckle.  Her voice was a smooth alto as she said, “I’m glad you appreciate the view, my lord.  Last night you seemed quite pleased that my ‘carpet matched my drapes’ as you put it.”

Richter chuckled as well and said, “Well, thank you for last night.”  Then his male brain started scrambling. “I’m not sure how things are supposed to go now.  I’m also not sure what I might have said last night, but I’m not really in a good place for a relationship.  I was also kind of seeing this other girl back on Earth, and even though we’re probably separated by at least twelve parsecs now, I still don’t think I’m in the right emotional space to make a serious…”

He stopped talking because she laughed at his babbling.  “You humans and your conservative views.  I am not some stuffy high elf spinster to deny myself the passion I deserve.  Do not feel bad about enjoying me and having to leave.”  She gathered her dress and slipped it on over her head.  Then she walked up to him, grabbed the hair on the back of his head, and kissed him soundly.  “After all, I’m the one who used you.”  She let him go and started walking away.  Seeing the cockiness of her stride, Richter realized it would be more accurate to say she sauntered away.

Looking at her back in bemusement, he called after her, “But I came up and propositioned you.”

She looked back and winked. “Keep telling yourself that, Lord Richter.”  She walked off into the early morning light.

“This world definitely has its perks,” he said to himself.  It was also good news that he had taken the star zenia.  He didn’t need any little Richters running around right now.  He looked around for someone to share this moment with, but didn’t see anyone.  So as Alma settled on his shoulders once again, he gave himself a high five and walked out to greet the day.

As he walked away from the Forge over to the Great Seal, he sent out a mental call for Futen.  Looking around, he saw more and more people passed out in various states of undress.  Some were up, but it looked like they were hating life as they stumbled through their walks of shame.  Richter shook his head and said, “Fuck you, Zarr.  What did you turn the beer into?  Chloroform?”  With no one around to appreciate his wit, he just kept walking and his head continued to throb.

He tried to distract himself from his discomfort by checking on his notification log.  Apparently, he had auto-minimized everything during his speech and the party afterwards.

Your village has grown by leaps and bounds!  Never forget, there are consequences to your actions.  The following adjustments have been made to your village values.

Average Morale has decreased from +330 to +155.

Average Loyalty has decreased from +321 to +151.

DONG!

The Morale of your village has decreased from Happy to Neutral.  The Morale of your people has decreased to the point that there is no effect upon population growth, productivity, or fighting spirit.

DONG!

The Loyalty of your village has decreased from Dependable to Neutral.  The Loyalty of your people has decreased to the point that there is no effect upon productivity.

Know This!  Your leadership has inspired more than 25% of your villagers to swear fealty.  Ongoing changes in Loyalty are twice as effective.

Know This!  The Loyalty change from your Tenet, An Honorable Ruler I, has increased from +0.5 to +1 Loyalty increase per day.

Hmmm, Richter thought.  What was it the Aes Sedai said?  The rule of three consequences or something like that?  He hadn’t really thought about how adding more people to his village might take away the perks that the increased morale and loyalty had granted.  He supposed it made sense though.  Like adding water to dark red Kool-Aid, there would be more to go around, but it would definitely be less sweet.  The bump to his Tenet was a nice surprise though.  If the Loyalty of his people was two hundred and thirty-one, the overall Loyalty should be back to “Dependable” again in a little over two weeks.  Not too long of a time to wait for a 20% production bonus, Richter thought with a smile.

He smiled as he saw a series of prompts that showed increases in the regard that many of the villagers had for him.  There were dozens of them and he quickly saw that they were the people whose magic had been awakened.  He hadn’t expected such an outpouring of love when he had made his new magi, but he would take it.  This time the rule of three worked in his favor.

He closed all of the prompts and saw Futen floating towards him.

“Greeting, my lord,” he said in his deadpan voice.

“Good morning, Futen.  Is anyone looking for me?”

“Not that I am aware of, my lord.”

“Well what time is it?”

“It is two hours until noon, Lord Richter.”

“Okay, find Gloran, Basil, and Randolphus and have them meet me at the feast area.  I need to get some breakfast.  Then go over to the ships and have Hafiz’s sons meet me as well.  I think they’ve waited long enough.”

Futen said farewell and floated off to do as he was bid.

*Are you ready for some food, my love?*

She didn’t respond for a second, but then she thought poutingly, *Yes, Master.*

So they started off on the epic quest to find some grub.

CHAPTER 12

Richter was digging into his second helping of eggs, potatoes, and venison, all the while bemoaning the lack of ketchup, when Randolphus came up.

“Greetings, my lord.  I am pleased to see that you survived the night.”

Richter smiled at the disapproving man standing on the other side of the table. “Things did get a little wild last night, huh?”

“Well, when the dwarfs started playing noggins, I decided it was time to retire for the night.”

Richter’s face wrinkled in confusion.  He didn’t remember that at all.  “Noggins?”

Randolphus sighed. “It involves a round of singing where the dwarves walk in a circle, occasionally changing direction.  When the song stops, whichever dwarves are at the top and the bottom of the circle run at each other full pelt until they slam their heads together.  If you get knocked down, you are knocked out of the game.  There is, of course, a large amount of drinking involved as well.”

Richter didn’t even need to ask if he had joined that particular game.  The fact that he didn’t have a skull fracture made it clear that he hadn’t.  “So what you’re saying is—”

“You threw a truly epic party, my lord.”

“Yes,” Richter said, nodding sagely.  “Yes, I did.  I’m surprised that you would admit that though, Randy.”

“You ordered me to tell you that last night, my lord,” Randolphus said somewhat sourly.

“Yes,” Richter said again, gently stroking his chin in satisfaction.  Then he smiled at his chamberlain. “I’ve asked Futen to bring Hafiz’s sons to meet me.  I wanted you here so we could make sure to place orders for anything that the village needs.  Now while we’re waiting, is there anything else we need to speak about?”

“Well, my lord, now that you mention it.”  Randolphus kept talking and Richter went on autopilot, just saying “yes” or “no” perfunctorily.  His conscious thoughts were replaying the “meow” scene from Super Troopers and wondering if Whoopee and Picard had gotten busy on the Enterprise.

Thankfully he was saved before too much time had passed.  Basil walked up to the table they were sitting at and plopped down next to Randolphus. The man’s shirt was slightly torn and a large stain that looked like dried ale covered his front.  Richter could see a burgeoning bruise on the trader’s left cheek, and the man had some twigs and pieces of leaves in his hair.

“What was in that ale, my lord?”  Basil’s voice quavered and randomly rose and fell in pitch.  “Was it demons?  Did that damn Earth mage put demons in the ale?”

Richter looked at the man in amused shock.  He’d never seen the outwardly uptight man talk like that before.  Basil saw his lord looking at him in surprise and misinterpreted the gaze for one of rebuke. “I apologize, Lord Richter.  I just have a bit of a headache.”

Richter didn’t want the man to clam back up into a conservative shell, so he confided that, “Don’t worry about it.  I’m still looking for the cat.”

“What cat?” Basil said, confused.

“The one that must have shit in my mouth while I was sleeping last night,” he replied with a completely straight face.

Basil just looked at him with surprise of his own for a moment, then started chuckling.  Even Randolphus laughed aloud at that one, and all three men enjoyed the comradery you can only find by having drunk deeply from the cup of Bacchus and having lived to tell the tale.  Whenever the laughter started to die, one of them would add another ribald comment and the levity would be revived.

A few minutes later, Richter was wiping tears from his eyes.  One of the village men had brought over large platters of food and set them down on the table.  Randolphus explained that he thought a bit of food might make the negotiations go smoother.  For the thousandth time, Richter marveled at his luck in finding his chamberlain.  Then he wondered if it really was his Luck characteristic having come into play.  If so, he would need to add more to the esoteric stat ASAP.

Once Basil had eaten some food and, at Richter’s strong urging, had a bit of the hair of the dog that had bit him, the former Yves merchant looked more alert.  Richter decided to broach the topic at hand.

“Basil.”  The man looked up from his plate at hearing the serious undertone in his lord’s voice.  He swallowed the last bite he had taken, put his knife down, and gave Richter his full attention.  “We have a fight coming our way.  If the past weeks have taught me anything, it’s that these mists are not an absolute defense.  We need to get stronger and we need more allies.”

Basil nodded. “I understand, my lord, and I am ready and willing to do whatever I can to serve.”

“Good man,” Richter said, nodding.  “Tomorrow I want you to leave at first light.  You are to go into the Serrated Mountains and treat with the dwarf tribes.  Your primary goal should be to get fighters that are willing to come down to the forest and fight the bugbears and their allies.  A secondary, but almost as important goal, is to foster relations between the Mist Village and the groups that you find.  I want to be clear that I’m not expecting miracles.  This is just a first step.  After you leave this table, I want you to go see Krom.  He is to give you any weapons and armor that you need.  After that, I want you to spend the day getting as much information about the dwarves from him and anyone else in the village that can be helpful.  Tell them that helping you is to take precedence over anything else they may be doing.  Knowing Krom, you will probably get some pushback.  Tell him that if I have to come make the point myself, then Alma will be making the point with lightning.”  The dragonling looked up from where she was filching morsels from Basil’s plate.  She flared her wings happily and then unashamedly grabbed a piece of meat in her forepaws and started tearing off hunks with her sharp teeth.

Richter smiled at her lovingly.  Then he reached into his Bag and pulled out three purses.  “These two have a hundred gold coins each.  From what Krom told me, money talks and bullshit walks with the dwarves of the mountains.”  Basil smiled at hearing that unknown idiom, but the meaning was clear enough that Richter didn’t need to explain this time.  He continued speaking. “I’m sure that you are not going to convince anyone of the rightness of our cause just by words.  I’m equally sure that you’re going to have to bribe some people to get through certain territories and to get certain introductions. Use the money as you will.  Once you get in to see the chiefs or kings or whatever the hell the main man calls himself, that’s when you use this pouch.”  He tapped the larger brown hide bag.  “I have twenty Potions of Clarity in here.  These are to be given as gifts of respect and as a taste of what the village can offer to friends and good trading partners.  Now with all that being said, I have already seen among the dwarves in the village that there are certain factions, like the Bone Crusher clan, that I don’t think we would… mesh well with.  I won’t fully write a group off without meeting them personally, but I want you to use your own intuition and Krom’s advice to decide if there are any groups you should avoid.  Keep in mind as you meet these tribes and clans that every potential ally is also a potential enemy.  Do not invite a snake into our garden.  You’ll be going with two dwarves that Krom recommends as guides and liaisons.  I’ll also be sending ten guards with you.”

Basil listened to the entire long speech without interrupting.  When Richter was done, he asked a few targeted questions.  After that, he just said, “I won’t let you down, sir.”  Richter half stood and reached across the table. Basil did the same, and the two men clasped wrists.  When they let go, the trader was going to leave, but Richter bid him stay a bit longer.  He could see four men approaching, led by Futen.  He could only assume that they were Hafiz’s sons.  Though Basil would be an integral part in preparing for the future war with the bugbears, Richter was fairly certain that a different type of conflict was about to happen right now.  It would be bloodless and it would be economic, but he was glad Basil’s business experience could help in this arena as well.

Richter stood, and his chamberlain and diplomat followed suit.  A mental command was enough for Alma to abandon the rest of her breakfast and fly to perch on his broad shoulders.  They stood waiting as the four men approached.  All were clad in the same white silk and red sash that he had seen their father wear.  They all also wore white turbans, but that was where the physical similarities ended.  He remembered Hafiz as a short, portly fellow that looked just like the nice sultan in Aladdin.  Basically a kindly, but shrewd, grandfather.

These guys looked more like Sons of Anarchy.  Each was at least six feet tall, and they had strong angular faces covered in well-trimmed beards.  Their tunics were sleeveless and large muscles stood out in easily followed definition on their arms.  Their skin was the color of toasted almonds, and their weathered faces spoke of a life of frequent travel.  They wore empty sheaths at their waists that were curved as if built for scimitars.  Each had an intense expression and they looked around as if noting every little detail of what they saw.  There was a clear hierarchy in how they walked.  One pulled up the rear, holding a small metal chest.  He followed the two in the middle who walked with a sure dignity, but the leading man, who seemed a bit older than the rest, exuded a palpable sense of authority.  The two men in the middle were carrying a large wooden chest banded with high steel and with a thick padlock clearly seen on the front.

Four of Richter’s guards followed closely behind.  Caulder was among them.  Richter was pleased to see that they were taking the security of the village so seriously.  There might have been a time when he would have thought that an armed escort for trading partners was overkill.  He wouldn’t be so cavalier with the safety of his village again.  The fact that Terrod and Caulder seemed to be on the same page was one less thing he had to worry about.

The white-clad men stopped a good ten feet away from Richter.  The leader of the group spoke. “I bring you greetings, oh great leader of the Mist Village.”  The man’s voice was a rich bass, booming across the small space that separated him.  “My father wishes you good health and prosperity.  He wishes that he could be here to meet his good friend in person, but hopes that you will accept myself, his eldest son, and my brothers as a poor substitute.”  The man swept his right arm far out to the side and crossed his left arm across his waist as he went into a deep bow.  His brothers placed the chest on the ground and then swept into identical bows.

They held that pose, and Randolphus cleared his throat slightly but poignantly.  Richter looked at him and the chamberlain indicated the four men with a slight crook of his neck.  Taking the cue, Richter took a step forward and said, “I accept this greeting in the grand spirit with which it was given.  When you see your father, tell him that I look forward to the day that we can sit together again.  Until that time comes, however, I am delighted to meet the sons of the man I hope to one day embrace as a brother.”

All four men smoothly rose from their bows.  The lead man looked Richter in the eye and nodded slightly.  Richter suddenly felt like he had passed some sort of test.  He smiled to himself.  If the man wanted to match flowery language, he shouldn’t go toe-to-toe with someone who had grown up listening to Sting and Sade!

Tired of not knowing what to call him, Richter used Analyze.

Name: Abbas. Human: Lvl 17. Health 380. Mana 320. Stamina 260. Disposition: Neutral. Humans are one of the shortest lived, but most prolific breeders in the Land. Humans have a broader affinity for skills than other races. No special bonuses to race. Humans get four points to distribute per level.  Profession: Trader.

Suddenly Richter was both happy and bothered.  Happy that he had learned more about the man he was about to be negotiating with and also that he had had Basil stay with him.  He was definitely bothered that he was about to negotiate with a Professed Trader though.  That made him realize that he had never actually used Analyze on Hafiz.  Richter had thought that he had done well in those negotiations, but if the man was an old Trader, he had probably been fleeced.

“My name is Abbas, Lord Richter.  May we approach?”

Richter schooled his face so that his discomfort didn’t show.  At least he hoped he did.  For all he knew, Traders had a Talent that let them read micro expressions.  Not wanting to draw the moment out, he smiled expansively and swept an arm towards the food-laden table.  “Of course.  We have set out some food so that you can break your fast.  Please eat and drink.  We can talk about the future of our relationship after that.”

The four men moved over to sit at the table.  Before they started to eat, however, all four moved their hands in a circle over their food and said a short phrase in a language Richter hadn’t heard before.  His Gift of Tongues ability translated it to “For the bounty our success has brought, we thank you, dear Lady.”

Speaking in the common tongue, Richter couldn’t resist asking, “Was that a prayer?  I was under the impression that all gods had been banished from The Land.”

Abbas nodded in understanding. “You are, of course, correct, Lord Richter.  That does not mean the teachings of our Lady Nadjah are any less valuable.  The wisdom of the Lady of Good Fortune has guided the actions of our family since long before The Great Binding.  We offer a prayer to her in thanks and remembrance.”

Richter gazed back at the man, pondering what he had just heard.  Blind faith was a challenge in and of itself, but he had to reason that it must be even harder to know that your god is real and that she had been forcibly taken from you.  For a family to remain devout for centuries and millennia after that… what did that say about them?  Richter wasn’t sure, but he was fairly certain it meant he should take them seriously.  As he opened his mouth to continue the conversation, another thought occurred to him.  Were there any other pockets of faithful followers out there?  What would they be like if, instead of luck, their god had been one of death or pain?

Richter blinked such cheery thoughts away.  “Well I would love to hear more about your Lady Nadjah at some point, but not right now.  I insist that you eat.  Can I offer you refreshment?  Some ale or water perhaps?”

They all made small talk for about twenty minutes as Abbas and his brothers ate their fill.  He introduced his brothers as “Falih, Mahir and Kadar.”  Luckily, none of them were Professed Traders, though Falih and Mahir were both above level ten so he assumed their trading skill just hadn’t reached journeyman rank yet.  Once they had committed enough time to the niceties, they got down to business.

“In addition to greetings, my father has sent a gift in appreciation of our profitable relationship.”  At Abbas’s gesture, Kadar, the youngest brother, placed the small chest on the table, angling the front towards Richter.  He opened the lid and revealed that the inside was lined with crushed purple velvet.  Sitting on a cushion of the same color was a bracelet.  Two clear red gems sat on a braided band of gold.  Futen glowed white, identifying the object without asking.

You have been presented: Bracelet of Home’s Heart.  Durability 43/43.  Item class: Scarce.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.2 kg.  Traits: The gems on this bracelet are actually two halves of a whole.  Expertly cut, the jewel is a rare drop from a silver wyvern.  The last drop of its blood crystalized to embody the speed and grace of this aerial predator.  That magic has been preserved.  Now the wearer of this bracelet may leave one of the gems in any location they choose.  If the magic of the bracelet is then activated, the wearer will gain the ability of flight and be pulled at the maximum flying speed of a silver wyvern to the location where the other jewel was left.  This is a one-use item which will be destroyed afterwards.

Richter’s eyes widened as he read the item’s description.  This was the first example of fast travel he had actually seen.  The calculations for portals were rattling around somewhere in the back of his head, but the cost of making one, let alone two of the expensive things just wasn’t feasible yet.  Hafiz truly had given him an amazing gift.  This meant that he could escape a horrible situation or come rushing back to defend his village if need be.  He would have to think very carefully about where to place the gem he would be coming back to.

Richter stood and bowed slightly. “This truly is an amazing gift.  I do not know what to say.  I, and my people, thank you.”

The four brothers stood and bowed deeply in return.  They sat back down, but Richter remained standing.  “In my travels and adventures, I have come across many wonders.  One of the most beautiful, however, was this.”  He reached into his Bag of Holding and pulled out a gem-encrusted bracelet.  Small diamonds formed the spine of the red-gold bracelet and the two ends shined green.  One end was a dragon’s head, with emeralds set as eyes.  The other was a tail made of creamy jade.  The quality of craftsmanship was such that the piece looked like it could come to life at any moment.  When Richter had examined the item, it had registered as “masterwork.”

Richter held it hidden in his hands, until he spread them apart like a book opening, leaving the jewelry balancing on his palms.  The reaction he received was more than he expected.  Falih and Mahir immediately began speaking to each other quietly in their native tongue.  Richter could understand them, though they didn’t know that, and heard them exclaiming over the value of the piece.  Kadar actually breathed the word “Tefonim,” which earned him a cuff from one of his older brothers.  Richter noticed all of this peripherally, as most of his attention was on Abbas.

The lead brother showed no reaction.  At least not one that Richter could detect.  The man raised his eyes from the gold dragon and looked Richter in the eye. “Do you know what this is, my lord?”

“It is a gift for your father.  It is also a piece of jewelry from the Tefonim people.”

Abbas licked his lips and considered his next words carefully. “It is quite rare to find pieces from the master builders.  Even more rare to find a piece as exquisite and well preserved as what you have here, my lord.  I mean no disrespect, but may I examine it?”

Richter didn’t really get what the big deal was, but assumed that the jewelry must be more valuable and therefore more expensive than he had thought.  “It is yours.  You can do as you wish.”  With that, he handed over the bracelet.

Abbas didn’t bring it close up to his eyes and inspect it like Richter had assumed.  Instead he just held it in his hand and closed his eyes.  A slight hum could suddenly be heard at the edge of Richter’s hearing, like a generator coming on down the street.  When Abbas opened his eyes again, a broad smile crested his face.  His large white teeth were stark contrasted to his sun darkened skin.  “My lord, this truly is a wonderful gift.  I apologize for any doubt or hesitation on my part.  Please do not believe that I thought you would cheat us or my father, but there are many, many forgeries of the work of the Tefonim.  So much so that the chances of a piece being authentic are less than a thousand to one.  I am honored to receive this princely gift.  My father spoke of your fairness and strength, but left to me the choice of how closely we would ally ourselves in business.  Your gift shows your caliber though, my lord, and I am happy to say that the Company of the White Pearl considers you a Friend in Commerce.”

A series of prompts immediately filled Richter’s vision.

Know This!  The saying is that there are more customs in the land than drops of water in the ocean.  It is impossible to know them all.  Your innate respect and generosity, however, have steered you well.  The exchange of gifts is a time honored tradition amongst the traders of the River Peninsula and will set the tone for all future dealings.  You have given a gift well beyond what was expected and have been named a Friend in Commerce to the Company of the White Pearl.

Your relationship with Abbas, Falih, Mahir, and Kadar has increased from Neutral to Friendly.

The relationship of the Mist Village and the Company of the White Pearl has increased from Neutral to Friendly.

Know This!  As a Friend in Commerce, future trade dealings with the Company of the White Pearl will be 10% more lucrative.  New trade opportunities may now become available.

Richter didn’t let the momentum of the moment pass. “It pleases me that my gift is so well received.  I hope that it is the start of many future successful dealings.”  He was about to refer them over to Randolphus when he experienced the strangest of sensations.  His nose tingled, and the most tantalizing scent reached his nostrils.  It came and went quick as a flash, but despite not seeing a source, Richter was sure he had smelled something wonderful.  It was like an olfactory potpourri that reminded him of the scent of a woman’s hair, spiced apple pie, and crisp mountain air all at once.

He looked around trying to pinpoint where the wonderful smell had come from, but while he was distracted, the brothers had taken the time to open the larger chest. “Our father sent along some items of interest.”  Abbas smiled faintly. “As I said, it was left to me whether these would be offered or not.  Now that we are all friends, though, I absolutely believe that a man like yourself, someone of discerning taste, deserves to own such wonderful objects.”

Basil objected. “I was under the impression that we had already negotiated for everything you had to sell.”

Abbas shook his head. “The opportunities for trade are limitless, so sayeth our Lady.  Specifically, though, we were instructed by our father to only reveal these to Lord Richter directly.  A man of your wisdom and foresight will understand, I am sure.”

Richter chuckled at the obvious wind-up that Abbas had given him, but as Abbas started laying items on the wooden table, his laughter changed to frank appreciation.

You have found: Bottle of Royal Jelly from Aswani Queen.  Durability 9/9.  Item class: Rare.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 0.2 kg.  Traits: The Aswani are insect humanoids that form a hive culture.  The royal jelly of the queen is fed to her personal guard to make them stronger.  Permanent boost of +2 to Strength.

Know This!  Your skill in Herb Lore also gives you the strong feeling that covering yourself in this would improve how Aswani regard you.  It could also be a component of a levitation ring.

You have found: Book of Slow I.  Durability: 6/6.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.3 kg.  Slows the target by 10%.  This is a spell of Water, level 3.

You have found: Book of Fireball I.  Durability 8/8.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Exceptional.  Weight: 0.4 kg.  Fires a ball of flame that detonates upon impact.  This is a spell of Fire.  Requirements: Fire Magic skill level 12.

You have found: Bottled Elder Banshee Scream.  Durability 10/10.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.2 kg.  Traits: This bottle contains the scream of an elder banshee.  Opening the bottle will create a sonic attack in a funnel pattern in the direction of the bottle opening.  Range: 50 feet.  Those affected may also suffer Stun, Silence, Deafen, Madness, Bleeding.

Richter became especially excited when Abbas pulled out the next item.  It had the same dimensions as a cigar box, but was twice as big.  Richter had seen a similar case in Hafiz’s shop.  It was a dark wood, lacquered so that it was shiny and smooth.  When the trader opened the lid, Richter smiled.

You have found: Arrowhead of Multishot.  Durability 10/10.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.2 kg.  Traits: Will split into five arrows upon firing.

You have found: Arrowhead of Tracking.  Durability 11/11.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Traits: Will leave an easily followable trail upon impact for one hour.

You have found: Arrowhead of Analysis.  Durability 9/9.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Traits: Provides detailed information of the creature upon impact.

You have found: Arrowhead of Negation.  Durability 12/12.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Traits: 5% chance to ignore magical defenses.

You have found: Arrowhead of Quenching.  Durability 14/14.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Will create an explosion of water on impact.  Increased damage against creatures of the Fire element.

You have found: Arrowhead of Sleep Spores.  Durability 13/13.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Upon impact releases a series of spores that, if inhaled, may place targets into a light sleep.

You have found: Arrowhead of Freeze. Durability 12/12.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Will do additional 2-4 damage on impact. Chance to cause Freeze.

You have found: Arrowhead of Dark Energy. Durability 18/18.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Well Crafted.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Will do additional 5-8 damage on impact.  Entropic effects cause increased damage against whichever armor is struck.

Richter was so taken with poring over the arrowheads, that at first he didn’t notice the next item that the brothers placed on the table.  When he looked over, though, he immediately forgot about the weapons.

You have found: Initiate Mapping Ring.  Durability 60/60.  Item Class: Scarce.  Quality: Well Crafted.  Weight: 0.1 kg.  Traits: Can be bound to a Traveler’s Map.  Whoever wears the ring will transmit their information to the owner of the Map.  Range: 200 miles.

“How does this work?” Richter asked, picking up the ring.  It didn’t look like anything special.  It was just a gold loop with a stylized “T” on top.  It matched the “T” Richter had seen in the corner of his Map.

“My father thought you might want this,” Abbas said with a faint smile.  “He acquired it specially for you.  It’s a mapping ring.  Not everyone in the Guild of Traveler’s has their own map.  To prove their loyalty, many will apprentice under a known Traveler.  They are given a ring like this.  It records whatever the apprentice sees and puts the information on the master map.  Some Traveler had the bright idea of wearing the rings even if you already had a Map.  Established guild members started to trade rings so that what one of them learned, the other could learn as well.  They started making rings with a better range than the apprentice rings, which only worked within one hundred miles of the Traveler’s Map.  This initiate ring will work up to two hundred miles away.”

Richter smiled.  An item like this could be invaluable.  Not only would it allow him to update his Map faster, but it would also let him find whoever had the ring on them.  If Terrod had been wearing this ring when Sonirae had kidnapped him, then Richter would have been able to hone right in on his location.

While he was thinking about the possibilities of the ring, the strange scent reached his nose again.  He glanced over and saw that the last two items the brothers had laid on the table had gold lettering on their prompts.  Despite his fascination with the Mapping Ring, he gave the new objects his full attention.

You have found: Blood of Aged Glass Dragon.  Durability 6968/6973.  Item Class: Epic.  Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 8.7 kg.  Traits: ???

You have found: Soul Stone of Cloud Giant.  Durability 45/46.  Item Class: Epic.  Stone Level: Resplendent.  Weight: 0.4 kg.

The high-level soul stone was obviously useful, but the scent was somehow coming off of the “blood.”  Richter only thought of it as such because of the prompt provided.  The bottle that contained the liquid was about the size of his old one liter Nalgene.  The blood was completely clear and it was thick, moving like honey when he tilted the bottle.  Richter held it up to the sunlight and saw that the blood made a rainbow of vibrant color on the table they were sitting at, just like his old glass knife.  He brought it close to his face on the pretense that he was looking at it more closely, but in actuality he was breathing deeply of the wonderful scent that was somehow coming off of it.  He wanted this.

Richter didn’t want to overplay his hand though.  He put the bottle back down and looked at the soul stone closely.  He “oohed” and “aahed” and made sure that he held it longer than he had looked at the dragon blood.  For good measure, he looked over the box of arrowheads and the ring again.  He was actually just wasting time during his perusal since he desperately wanted both of the items.  He did see one interesting thing, though.

The crafter of the sleep arrow had come up with a clever design.  The arrow was a broadhead that had a glass vial behind the initial metal point.  The tip of the vial was packed with tightly wadded cotton.  It was easy to see how, on impact, the force of the strike would both crush the vial and push the cotton into the mold.  The combined result would be to release the spores in a cloud.  Despite his minor fascination with the device, he kept up his perusal much longer than necessary.  He only stopped when he heard Abbas ask, “Have you seen anything that you like, my lord?”

“Perhaps,” he replied nonchalantly.  “I don’t suppose that these are gifts as well?”

“All things are gifts from the divine, my lord.” Abbas responded with all seriousness.  Then a twinkle rose in his eyes. “These particular divine gifts require monetary compensation, however.”  Richter smiled in return.  Then his smile faded as Abbas started outlining the exact prices.

“The Book of Slow and Fireball sell for eight gold six silver two coppers and seventy-seven gold four coppers respectively.”

“SEVENTY-SEVEN gold?” Richter asked incredulously.  “Are you going to dip it in gold first?  Cuz if so, just keep that gold and charge me less!”

Abbas’s face now looked like he was wildly sympathetic.  “I understand, my Lord Richter.  You must understand what goes into making these spell books, however.  Only a magician who both knows the spells and has a high ability in either Enchanting or Scribing can make a spell book alone.  A mage working with a sufficiently skilled enchanter could also make a spell book, but the process takes substantially longer, and of course the price for two skilled individuals working for long periods of time increases the price as well.  Once a book is made there are other options to make more, but the amount of each book in circulation is understandably curtailed by various agencies.  The general rule of thumb is that from skill level one to ten, a spell costs one gold per level if you learn it from a Master.  Because of the specialized labor to make a spell book, and the cost of materials, the cost of a spell book will be a minimum of 1.5 times as much as learning the spell directly.  If you also factor in the difficulty of bringing such items to a distant locale such as this, I am sure you will agree that the price is reasonable.”

Richter didn’t like what he was hearing, but he understood Abbas’s reasoning.  Magic had the potential to make a physically weak person into a virtual powerhouse.  What the trader was asking was a large amount of money, but how much was it truly worth to be able to wield such a powerful spell for the rest of your life?  He had some questions first though.  The first of which was, “What materials go into making a spell book?”

With his enchantment skill on the rise, he might be able to sell his own spells.  The scribes in the village could help with that.  Just like he wanted Krom and other noncombatants to go on hunts, if he were able to power level the scribes, then they could increase their Copy Talent to make more spell books.  Hello, new trade good!  It sounded like the various groups in Yves that made spell books were sitting on a shared monopoly.  It would be his absolute pleasure to break that monopoly.  The nobles or merchants might not like it, but as Sun Tzu said, “Fuck ’em!”

“The materials are not rare,” Abbas answered, “but neither are they readily available to most people.  The main materials outside of knowing the spell are to have powdered crystals, quality ink, and a higher quality book.  More may be required, especially for higher level spells.  The quality of the materials also influences how likely it is for you to be able to learn the spell.  For lower level spells, if your affinity is good, the likelihood is usually 100% or close to it, independent of the quality level.  Believe me when I tell you, my lord, that you will want a higher quality spell book if you learn anything above Initiate level.  There is no point in spending hundreds of gold to buy a spell book only to have its low quality give you only a 50% chance of actually learning the spell.  The book turns to ash either way.”

“Well that’s a hell of a sales pitch,” Richter grumbled.  “How much are you selling the rest for?”

“First, let me say that I see the prices I have quoted have given you pause.  I would never want such a valued trading partner as yourself to feel unhappy with a transaction.  Your happiness is my primary concern.”

Richter just looked back at him and said, “Uh huh.”

“I am sure that it is in the best interest of all of us to have a profitable and long-term relationship.  Neither one of us are so shortsighted as to place momentary gains over our new friendship, I am sure you would agree, Abbas,” Basil said.

With a faint smile, Abbas continued, “As I was saying, I must humbly apologize for any misunderstanding.  Those prices would be for the average consumer, my lord, not for someone such as you.  You are now a Friend of our company and will receive a 10% discount.  I also respect your skill as a trader, as well as Basil’s, and so will take off another 16%.  With that factored in, the Book of Slow I would sell for six gold, five silver, and five coppers.  The Book of Fireball I could let go of for fifty-eight gold, five silver, and five coppers.  Will that be more acceptable?”

Richter nodded slowly.  He didn’t think that Hafiz’s sons would be giving up gold out of the kindness of their hearts.  His skill rank in Trading would get him a 6.5% price reduction.  The fact that he was being offered a 16% reduction probably meant that Basil’s Trade skill was level thirty-two.  Richter resolved to find out exactly what Basil’s skill level was later, but right now he was just thankful he had asked the man to stay.

The reduction in prices was just another way that the Universe bent events to fit the peculiar rules of The Land.  He wondered how Abbas’s own trading bonus factored in, but figured it must just be worked into an initial markup.  It irked him that he knew Abbas’s trade bonus must be at least 24.5% since the man was at least a journeyman in Trading.

Despite the fact that he was sure he was getting a pretty raw deal, Richter also knew that his access to items like this was extremely limited, at least until his boat was completed.  He decided to just take the discount.  Besides, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.  “That does sound better.  Why don’t you tell me about the other pieces?”

“Well I saw you examining the arrowheads, my lord.  They are all made of high steel, so the base damage of each shot will be increased by one.  The true value of course has more to do with their special abilities.  My father remembered the interest you paid to the arrowheads you bought in his shop, so made a special effort to procure these items.  In Yves, each arrowhead ranges in cost from one to three gold, but I could part with the entire box for thirty-two gold.”

Richter ground his teeth at the markup, but knew there was nothing for it so he simply asked, “So that would be twenty-four gold and three silvers with the discount, right?”

“And two coppers, my lord,” Abbas corrected smoothly.  “Of course, the other items are more valuable and so unfortunately, the price must reflect that.  I truly wish it wasn’t so.  Despite the cost, these items are definitely reserved for the more discerning of customers.  The Bottle of Royal Jelly is two hundred and eighty-two gold.  The banshee scream is worth ninety-five gold, eight silvers, and the Mapping Ring I could sell for another one hundred and thirty gold.”

Richter wasn’t sure about the price of the bottles, but he was a bit surprised at the cost of the ring.  “One hundred thirty, you say?”

Abbas mistook the nature of Richter’s question. “I assure you that is a good price, my lord.  The Traveler’s guild itself is the only group in the River Peninsula with the knowledge to make these.  I believe that you could find it very useful.”

Richter nodded, but then responded, “It is an item of very specialized use, isn’t it?  If it requires a Map to work, I imagine that there aren’t many who could benefit from such an object.  I wouldn’t mind helping you sell it for say, seventy gold.  Before my discount, of course.”

Abbas’s expression didn’t waver. “It is true that there are not many who are blessed to have such a Map, but as the Lady says, blessings should be shared.  Would you begrudge a poor trader who traveled so far to share the blessing of his ring?  Not when I could give it to you for a mere one hundred and five gold.”

“Of course not,” Richter said sympathetically.  “It must have been a heavy weight indeed to carry a ring so far.  We are always sympathetic.  That is why I would never dream of making you carry so much heavy gold.  I would worry for your back.  Seeing how strong your brothers are, though, I believe they could manage carrying thirty gold each.  Why don’t we agree on ninety gold and then I won’t have to worry over your health!”

Abbas’s lips twitched in a slight grin. “Your concern is touching, Lord Richter.  How could I say no to such a caring and generous host?  Ninety gold it is.”

Richter nodded with a smile and gestured to the last two items.  Abbas resumed his price recitation, “Know that these last two items are truly rare.  The blood of the crystal dragon and the resplendent soul stone are extremely difficult to come by, Lord Richter.  I could not give away the stone for less than six hundred and fifty gold, and the blood is eight hundred and twenty.”

Richter choked on the water he was drinking.  His throat burned as the liquid went down the wrong pipe.  “I’m sorry, I was just hallucinating.  I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot reduce my price on these items at all, I am afraid.  When an item is as difficult to procure as these, then the price of the item is equally difficult to endure.  It is a consequence as immutable as when something is dropped that it falls to the ground.”

“Gravity,” Richter said sourly.

“I do not know that phrase, Lord Richter.”

Richter opened his mouth to explain, but then said, “Forget about it.”  It really wasn’t the time to get into Newtonian physics.  Especially seeing as how Newton’s ideas fell short of explaining gravity on a stellar scale anyway… and also because seeing something like a crystal dragon would probably have made Newton poop his shorts.  What mattered, was that he knew he wasn’t going to leave this negotiation without the dragon blood, but there was no reason to let Abbas know that.

“I get that this dragon blood is hard to acquire, but I’m not really interested in being a collector for collecting’s sake.  What does it do?”

“Well, the properties are unknown, sire.  At least to myself and my brothers.  There are stories of incredible potions and items that have been made from such blood, however.  If anyone were to discover its hidden potential, I am sure it would be you, my lord.  After all, you have already accomplished such wonders.”  Abbas looked over to the left, where the Forge of Heavens could be seen on a small nearby hill.

Richter’s face became serious and his eyes grew hard. “Of course it would go without saying that anyone allowed into our village would be expected to keep anything seen confidential.  That understanding is necessary for our survival.  In fact, it’s necessary for the survival of anyone who even witnessed the wonders that you have seen.”

Abbas’s face grew equally serious. “The word and honor of the Company of the White Pearl are accepted and trusted in all of the Kingdoms of the River Peninsula and beyond.  I would not like to think that our new friend was questioning our honor.”

“Of course not,” Richter said levelly.  “No more than you questioned mine as you checked the authenticity of my gift.”

The seven men seated at the table all sat in silence as Richter and Abbas gazed at one another.  The four guards standing nearby tensed slightly at the change in mood, and Alma picked her head up from the table.  Richter placed his hand on her back, not wanting her to attack his guests, but otherwise remained motionless, simply staring at Abbas.  Thankfully the man smiled and the tense moment passed.

“My father told me that you had steel in you.  Truth be told, I was wondering what you would do when I mentioned your… luck in having such a building.  You can count on the discretion of myself and my brothers.  I see that you understand the truth of trust.  It begins as only a small seed.  Only with time and attention may it grow strong.  I look forward to the day that it is a mighty tree that may shelter us both.”

Richter reached out his hand and Abbas did the same.  As the two men clasped wrists, he said, “We understand one another.  If our relationship continues to improve, perhaps the Company of the White Pearl could help to sell some of our weapons and armor.  Perhaps if our relationship becomes very strong, your Company could be the only trading group that sells our enchanted items.  I imagine that could be quite lucrative.”

Abbas’s eyes widened slightly as he started to understand what Richter was offering. “Our relationship and my Trade skill is just high enough that we could enter into a Trade Agreement…”

Richter held up his hand and with a kind smile said, “As you said, I look forward to the day that we can shelter under the same tree, but that is not this day.  Just know that I value the friendship of the White Pearl and that I am looking towards the future.”

Abbas bowed his head.  Richter continued to move the conversation forward. “So the total cost of everything would be…” He looked at Randolphus.

The chamberlain finished doing a quick computation on his clipboard. “Two thousand fifty-five gold, four silvers, and six coppers before the discount.  After taking it into account, it would be fifteen hundred and sixty-two gold, one silver, and five coppers, my lord.”

Richter nodded as if he had already done all of the math in his head. “That’s what I thought.  Before we get to what I am willing to pay, I would like to say that I am glad that you enjoyed the gift that I provided.  In light of how happy it made you, I could be persuaded to part with another piece.  I am curious, what do you think this item would be worth?”

He pulled another piece of Tefonim jewelry from his Bag.  It was a platinum ring that was formed by the coiled body of a lizard.  Sapphires served as its scales and rubies as its eyes.  Again the craftsmanship was so realistic that it seemed that it might scurry off of his finger if anyone startled it.  Richter heard Abbas’s brothers murmur to each other again, behavior that was swiftly curtailed by a sharp expression from their elder.  Again, Abbas himself showed no visible reaction to the valuable piece.  Richter wondered if it was a Trader Talent or if the man just had a deep well of self-control that let him school his face to impassivity.

At Richter’s prompting, Abbas took the ring to examine it.  Richter told him to feel free to use his Talent again, which did bring a faint smile to the Trader’s lips.  A faint hum tickled Richter’s ears for a second time, and then Abbas put the ring back on the table.  “For this ring, I would pay one hundred and thirty gold coins.”

Richter made his lips into a moue as if he was deep in thought.  Then he signaled Randolphus to lean in and raised his hand to hide his lips.  As softly as he could, he said, “I actually have no idea how much this is worth.  Is that a good price?”

The chamberlain, sharp as ever, caught onto the game and looked at the ring on the table.  He put on a slightly aggrieved expression and shook his head at the ring before leaning back down to whisper in Richter’s ear, “I cannot say for sure, but it sounds rather low.  The old King once bought a Tefonim ring for over one hundred gold and that was simple gold without jewels.  I do know the prices of the magic books and all of the other items, except for the blood, sound appropriate if you factor in a substantial markup from them traveling here to trade.  My best guess is that he is charging you 150-200% more than what you would pay in Law.  That is just going to have to be tolerated, though, my lord.  The blood I cannot advise you as to an appropriate cost, though I do know that dragons are exceptionally rare on the peninsula and that the older the dragon is, the stronger it grows.  It just depends on what you are willing to pay, my lord.  Now I’m going to randomly show you something on my clipboard and shake my head in disapproval.”  Randolphus flipped through a couple of pages on his ledger and then pointed.  He loudly said, “You see, my lord.  I just don’t think we can justify the expense.”

Richter nodded at his chamberlain’s apparent sage advice.  “I was hoping that we could figure out more in trade, but my chamberlain is correct.  I can’t justify buying all of these things.  I suppose I will take the arrowheads and the Book of Slow.  Tell your father I appreciate his thoughts and consideration.”  He stood as if to leave.

“I’m sure there is something we can do,” the youngest one, Kadar, said.  Abbas’s reserve truly broke for the first time as he snapped at the young man in their own language.  Richter translated the words as “shut up, dummy,” but he would have been able to pick that up from context alone.

Richter smiled and asked, “Is that true, Abbas?  Is there something we can do?”

Abbas stared at Kadar again, his gaze promising retribution later before turning back to Richter. “Of course, Lord Richter.  There are always things that we can do.”

“Great!  Now I think you might want to take another look at that ring.  I’ve been told on very good authority that a Tefonim ring can sell for over two hundred gold if it was only a gold band.”  A little creative license never hurt.  “This ring is platinum and encrusted with jewels.  The quality is exquisite.  Now I am about to open trade relations with the dwarves of the Serrated Mountains.  My own trade ship will be finished soon as well, and who knows what opportunities that may open up.  I would like to continue having the Company of the White Pearl as my primary trading partner, however, as long as we can come to an arrangement.  We are, after all, friends.”  Richter gave him a brilliant smile.

Abbas smiled back, like one dog baring its fangs at another. “I see now that my earlier estimation was too hasty.  My brothers and I will be taking a trip towards the Twins after this.  I do know of a noble who might be interested in acquiring another Tefonim piece.  I believe I could sell this ring for about four hundred gold.  I of course cannot buy it for the same amount.  I could offer you two hundred and eighty gold, however.”

Richter was sure that if Abbas said he could sell the ring for four hundred, it was probably closer to five or six.  That wasn’t the point though.  Richter decided that it didn’t hurt to drum up a little goodwill on this one deal, especially since he actually would be able to send out his own trade missions soon.  So he decided to be magnanimous. “They will sing songs of your generosity!” Basil coughed and shook his head slightly when Richter made eye contact.  The message was clear: “Dude!  You’re doing too much.”  Richter reined it in.  “I thank you for your honorable offer.  I gratefully accept.”

“Well, if we subtract the cost of the ring from the remaining items, that would be twelve hundred and eighty-two gold and fourteen coppers.  Are you interested in procuring them all?”

Richter slapped the table.  “I think I would!  I can have the gold brought out immediately.”  He started to stand, but then cocked his head to the side as if just remembering something.  “That is, unless you might be interested in any of these items.”  He placed four of the Dark Khan coins and a heavy gold Tefonim necklace on the table.

Abbas’s brothers didn’t start talking this time, but it looked like the youngest might pop a blood vessel from restraining himself.  Abbas examined each of the items and said, “So you just happened to remember these items at this moment, my lord?”

Richter smiled broadly. “Damnedest thing, right?”

Ultimately, Richter didn’t pay a single gold piece.  Abbas and his brothers paid three hundred and ninety-four gold for the necklace and a total of twelve hundred and sixty-five gold and seven silvers for the Dark Khan coins.  The price for the silver coins was more or less what Randolphus had told him to expect.  Richter was more than pleased.

That of course left them owing him a rather large surplus of gold, nearly four hundred gold coins.  The brothers offered to go back to their ship and obtain the necessary funds, but Richter had a different idea.  Seeing as how they would be traveling to the Twins, he proposed that they invest his money for him.  Abbas immediately looked regretful and turned down the offer.  He said he was willing to discuss an agreement dealing with weapons and armor from the Forge again, but otherwise wasn’t willing to enter a trade agreement just yet.  Richter just smiled and proposed another idea.

He offered to let the brothers hold onto the difference if they would search the Twins for certain objects he was interested in, namely low quality enchanted weapons and armor, multiple copies if possible.  He also asked for one or two more specific magical items that he had been wanting and said he would buy any books that the brothers could lay their hands on.

Richter thought the proposal would be attractive to the traders as they had probably been planning on a cash windfall from selling these objects to him.  Not having liquidity might hurt their negotiating stance once they reached the islands.  He said they could pay him back in trade or gold if they came here again after their trip to the Twins.  All he asked was another 10% discount for their next round of trading.

Abbas looked at him long and hard, thinking it over, before finally agreeing.  He even asked if Richter would be willing to front them a few hundred more.  Richter smiled and said, “Of course!  For another 10% off in ALL future deals.”  Abbas just smiled and stood up.  Richter did the same.  They clasped wrists and like that, their economic battle was done.

Abbas took a moment to show Richter how to bind the mapping ring to his Traveler’s Map.  The procedure was actually quite simple.  As the owner of the Map, he only needed to bring the two items together.  A prompt appeared which asked if he would like to bind the items together and that was that.

The four brothers stood and bowed a final time.  Randolphus handed them the list of sundry items that they needed and then they walked back to their ship.  Richter had offered them the village’s hospitality for another day, but Abbas begged off saying that their trip had already been delayed.  The two parted, not as friends, but as business partners with a healthy respect for one another.  Richter smiled as he put all of his new loot into his Bag.

“Okay!” he said, slapping his hands together and then rubbing them vigorously.  “Now I need to go kill some shit!”  Alma tooted in excited agreement.

CHAPTER 13

Richter told Randolphus that he would need to speak to Roswan and the new alchemist, Tabia, later that night.  The chamberlain said he would have them both come to the Great Seal after dinner.  Then he started absently talking about the various things he needed to do and how he would make a lap of the village to ensure everything was in order as he walked off, flipping through the pages on his clipboard.  Richter watched his organizational guru leave and whispered, “You complete me.”

“Did you say something, my lord?” Basil asked.

“No!  I said nothing!” Richter responded quickly.  “Go get ready for tomorrow.  Krom will be hunting with me for the next few hours, but make sure to check in with him later.  Let me know if you need anything else before tomorrow.”

Basil stood and bowed, then moved off.  Richter picked Alma up off the table and tossed her into the air.  Her wings unfurled and she glided behind him as he walked to the gate.  While he was walking, he saw that he had a new prompt.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 14 in Trade.  0.5% bonus to buying and selling per level.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 15 in Trade.  0.5% bonus to buying and selling per level.

He smiled broadly.  He had known that he had done well in his negotiations with Abbas, but hadn’t expected the Universe to agree so strongly.  Two whole skill levels!  Not a bad start to the day, he thought.  Then he thought about a certain sexy redhead and thought, definitely not a bad way to start the day.

He dismissed both prompts and kept walking towards the gate.  While he moved through the village, he heard a shout. “Lord Richter!  Lord Richter!”

Turning his head, he saw Gloran running up with Futen floating above.  He stopped walking and waited for the high elf to catch up.  The man was breathing hard from having sprinted, so Richter let him catch his breath.

“I’m sorry… my lord… I was in the… far pastures… when Futen found… me.” The elf was wheezing a bit between gasped words.  He had actually forgotten that he had sent for the elf.  Richter watched Gloran wheeze with a bemused expression.  It occurred to him that he might want to institute a calisthenics program for the villagers.

“It’s fine, Gloran.  I need some more soul stones.”

“Yes, my lord.  You mentioned it… last night.”

Richter had no recollection of even seeing the man the previous night, but then, he barely remembered taking a lightning bolt to the chest.  Gloran unhitched a heavy pouch from his belt and handed it over.  The bag was filled with amber colored soul stones of various sizes.  Richter identified many basic-level stones, which didn’t surprise him because the marbled quartz could be changed into that level of soul repository.  He saw several common, higher, brilliant, and even a few special stones as well, though.  All of those required precious or semiprecious gems to make.  So where had Gloran gotten…

With a sinking feeling, Richter asked, “These are from the gems that I gave you last night?”

“Yes, my lord.  I converted all of the jewels you provided, the entire handful you took out of your Bag.”

Richter sighed.  At least the wealth had served a purpose.  He thanked Gloran and started to walk off when another though occurred to him. “Gloran.  Make sure that all of the Life magi have some basic-level stones, especially the hunters.”

The elf hesitated before responding. “Errr, my lord.  You told me that last night as well.  Right before you slapped me on the behind and walked off with a red-headed woman.  If I remember correctly, as you were leaving you said you were going to, ‘Grind the pretty off of her.’”

They looked at each other for a moment.  Then Richter said, “I think we’re done here.”

Gloran nodded, looking relieved to escape the situation, and walked off.  Richter poured the soul stones into his Bag and continued walking towards the gate.  When he got there, everyone was already waiting.  Sion and Caulder were speaking about something that was making them both laugh quietly.  The main thing drawing his attention, though, was the loud complaining coming from Beyan.

“This is unbelievable.  Why am I here?”  The gnome had been outfitted in the same armor that the guards wore, a high steel chainmail shirt, greaves, and helmet.  He had been given a crossbow instead of a spear, though, the idea being to let him stay away from any direct melee combat.

“You were told what this is about,” Terrod said, clearly irritated.  “Why do you keep asking?”

“First, you made me wait here last night, then tell me Lord Richter got detained, then you drag me back out here again this morning!  This is ridiculous!” Beyan yelled.

Well, that’s actually a valid point, Richter realized.  Still, better to just nip this in the bud. “We discussed this, Beyan.  You agreed to take a wage to be here.  So saddle up.”

“What?  What saddle?  What are you talking about?” the gnome cried out, exasperated.

Fucking colloquialisms, Richter thought for the umpteenth time.  “Let me put it another way.  If you don’t want to help with this hunt, where you just might earn a large amount of experience, then you can always go help on the building detail.  I think they are widening the latrines today.”

Beyan’s face screwed up until Richter thought he might break something, but he ultimately wandered off a bit, muttering to himself.

“Ha ha.  Well done, yer lordship,” Krom guffawed.  The Smith was wearing high steel chainmail armor as well, and he held a two-handed ebony warhammer.  Futen flared and Richter could see that the hammer had magical properties.

You have found: Ebony Warhammer of Crippling.  Damage 40-52 (Max 42-53).  Durability 132/158.  Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 27.6 kg.  Traits: Successful strike will decrease a target’s movement speed by 37%.  Charges: 440/440.

“Nice weapon,” Richter said with a low whistle of appreciation.  The thing looked heavy as hell, which probably meant it was slow, but if it connected… bye-bye bad guys!

“Thanks, yer lordship.  Ol’ Bessie has been in the family for centuries.  It’s one of the reasons I’m dying to increase my Smithing rank.  I won’t be able to get her to full durability and damage again until I’m an adept.”

“She’s a lovely lady nonetheless,” Richter said.  Then he turned to Ulinde. “It is good to see you again.  I’m excited to finally see you in action.”

The archer clasped wrists with him. “It will be good to hunt with you.  I’ve been able to go out with some of the village’s other hunters, but we always had to avoid and retreat from the larger predators.  It is time that they come to fear us.”

“Damn straight,” Richter said with a laugh.  “Now I’ve got a little present for you.”  He handed him a bundle of his new ice arrows.  Ulinde smiled broadly as he inspected each arrow in turn.  A consummate warrior, he wouldn’t trust someone else with his weapons.

As Richter turned away, he heard Krom call out, “Don’t worry about my work, pointy ears!  Yer lucky to finally have something long and powerful in yer hands!”

Richter decided to not get in the middle of it.  There was an addition to the group that he wanted to greet. “Sedrin, it is good to see you.”

“You as well, my lord.  I am ready to hunt.”  Sedrin had opted for a large wooden spear with a foot-long head and a thick crossbar.  Richter recognized it as similar to a boar spear, a weapon made to skewer an opponent and then ensure that your target would keep a safe distance away from you as it died.

Richter nodded to the guard, but he was worried that they might have too many people present.  Assuming that his theory about Companions not being counted against the total group number was right, he, Terrod, and Sion would be one.  With Sedrin, Krom, Caulder, Ulinde, and the Air caster Terrod had brought along, a human male named Jean, that made six.  Richter was just about to ask Jean to leave when a prompt appeared.

Greetings, War Leader!  It seems you are trying to make a war party.  At your current rank of Novice, you can lead six others in your war party.  These party members will share all experience from kills and quests equally.  Party members will also benefit from any badges or promotions that are acquired.  Any friendly forces within your Sphere of Influence will still benefit from attack and defense bonuses from your skill rank in War Leader.  At your current rank of Novice, your Sphere of Influence is fifty yards.  Select your party members.

Everyone around Richter developed a faint aura and a “0/6” counter appeared in the bottom right corner of his vision.  Sion had a gold aura and for some reason Terrod had a gold outline with a purple one lying overtop it.  Everyone else developed a green aura of various shades.  Krom, by far, had the richest green aura.  He focused on the dwarf and thought about selecting him.  Immediately, the glow brightened and the counter became “1/6.”

Richter smiled.  It looked like he wouldn’t be included in the party because of his War Leader skill.  Next he selected Sion, and the gold aura brightened, but the counter remained at “1/6.”  Richter’s smile widened.  He quickly selected Terrod and another prompt appeared.

You have selected another war leader to be in your group.  As you are only Novice rank, he cannot lead another war party under your command.  He is counted as another party member.  His benefits from being a war leader are not cumulative with your own.

He dismissed the prompt and saw that the gold glow around Terrod had brightened.  Richter wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the purple aura stayed the same.  He didn’t fully understand the implications of the last prompt, but what was important was that Terrod had joined the war party and the counter had remained at “1/6.”  Richter quickly chose everyone else and the counter increased as one by one each green aura brightened.  The color around the party members wasn’t glaring or distracting in any way, it just made seeing them a lot easier.  Another prompt appeared.

You have filled all available slots in your war party.  If you are sure of your choices, then select “Yes.”  Be aware that you may only choose one war party every twenty-four hours.  Is this the group that you wish to proceed with?  Yes or No?

Richter selected “Yes.”  As soon as he did, everyone started looking around at one another in surprise.  Other prompts came up, but he minimized them for a second.

“What are you seeing?” he asked Sion.

“Everyone has a faint green aura around them.  Except for you.  Your aura is purple,” the sprite replied.

“What about Terrod?  His aura is green?” Richter asked.

“Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”

Richter just shook his head slightly. “Is that what all of you see?”  Everyone gave nods of agreement.  The War Leader skill was already stronger than he’d thought it was.  Being able to clearly see where all of his people were was an invaluable boon.  At the very least, it should cut down on friendly fire.  It would be hugely useful when fighting in low visibility conditions or underground.  It also seemed that no one could see the gold auras that Richter assumed denoted his Companions and didn’t see that Terrod had a purple aura that must indicate his War Leader skill.

While everyone continued to examine their new green lantern look, he pulled up the prompts he had minimized.

Know This!  Your ability in Map Making is synergistic with your War Leader skill.  The position of your party members can now be found on your map as long as they remain inside of the Sphere of Influence.

Richter had to make leveling this skill a priority. He pulled up a minimap in the corner of his vision and sure enough, there were two gold dots, five green dots, and one purple one in the center.  He instinctually knew which dot indicated which person.  The War Leader skill was immensely valuable and could be the difference in the upcoming war with the bugbears.  Right now, his rank only let him affect five members and the bonuses only extended fifty yards, but who knew how many people he could include when he leveled up?  One thing he didn’t understand was the “badges and promotions” that had been mentioned in the prompt.  He needed to ask Terrod about it, but right now he had to prepare.

First, he needed to learn his new spell.  Slow spells had been a staple of every RPG he had ever played and could definitely come in handy.  He opened the Book of Slow I and started turning the pages.  As with past spell books, the pages started turning faster and faster as knowledge was poured into his mind.  He stood staring in a trance as the page turning became a blur.  Suddenly the back cover slammed shut and the book fell to dust.

A new spell was now in his mind, ready to be used.  The next thing he had to do was load his Ring of Holding.  He went through his spell list, weighing the pros and cons.  Charm I had been his go-to spell, but it wouldn’t work on whatever monster they were probably going to find.  His eyes landed on Paralysis Beam I and he decided to give it a shot.

Focusing on the spell, he summoned the energy but didn’t finished the casting.  After three seconds, his mana dropped by thirty-nine and the clear gem on the ring became filled with a faint green light.  The spell had been stored.

He handed the Mapping Ring to Sion and explained its use.  The sprite happily accepted and slipped it onto his finger.  Richter looked at his Map and saw that large sections of the forest lit up brighter than before as the Map updated itself with Sion’s travels.  Some rivers widened, and the density of trees changed as those areas of the Map came to reflect more up-to-date information than what had been seen by the Traveler who made the map hundreds of years ago.

As a final preparation, Richter handed out his remaining health potions to everyone and also gave each a Potion of Clarity.  They all downed the experience potions and he gave another to Alma, who tilted her neck back and quaffed the contents of the vial.

With all that done, Richter smiled, looked around and said, “Let’s do this!”

CHAPTER 14

The war party took off at a jog.  Sion, Alma, Jean, and Richter cast Haste I on everyone in a round robin to increase their speed.  Terrod led the way, heading south and east.  The hunters had told the captain that several monsters had been seen in that region in the past few days.  It seemed like a good place to start.  While they moved, Richter pulled up next to Terrod.  He wanted to discuss his questions about being a war leader and also to put some space between himself and Beyan.  The gnome was already complaining about having to move quickly while in armor.

“I had no idea how useful the War Leader skill was.  I don’t know what it meant by badges and promotions though.  Do you have any idea from your days in the Yves army?”

“Only loosely,” his Companion replied.  “I was never high enough in the ranks to work under a war leader, so everything I know comes from soldier’s gossip.  Basically, whenever a war party fights there is a chance of them gaining a group ability called a promotion.  I don’t know what earns it, but I do know that it usually has something to do with how they fight.  Mountain fighters can get +10% to attack in the mountains.  Survivors of a siege can get +10% defense in a city.  The promotion only works if the fighter and the war leader both have it and are working together.”

“Okay, promotions definitely sound like they could come in handy.  What about badges?” Richter asked.  He marveled at the capabilities of his body here in The Land.  There was no way that he could have held a conversation like this while running with his old Earth physique.

“I know even less about that unfortunately, my lord.  The basic difference between promotions and badges is that while promotions require both the war leader and fighters to have gotten the bonus, badges only require that the war leader has gotten a bonus.  I heard that General Jameson has a badge that drastically increases the movement speed of his armies.  He is famous for quelling an uprising in an eastern duchy and then force marching his men to the other side of Yves to fight off an incursion of Gold Plains raiders.  Again, all this is hearsay, my lord.  I am afraid I do not know anything more.”

“It’s more than I knew. Thanks, man.”  Richter sped ahead.  As he looked around, he noticed a new icon in the corner of his vision. It was an axe and hammer crossing over a shield.  He focused on it and a translucent window appeared.

*Base Values not adjusted for Characteristics or War Leader bonus

**Cumulative Armor Base Value not adjusted for Characteristics.  Damage will only be calculated based upon the specific armor piece struck.

The War Leader skill could apparently give him an abbreviated status page for each of his party members.  Terrod and Sion’s info was clear, but when he tried to access the values for party members other than his Companions, he just received a short message saying his rank wasn’t high enough to have that information.  Just another reason why he would have to level up the skill as quickly as possible.  Richter dismissed the window and bent his attention to examining the tracks that he could find.

He saw plenty of small game trails.  Squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits abounded through the verdant forest.  Following those small prints were occasionally the tracks of wolves and foxes.  He saw another set of prints that he didn’t recognize, but that Sion identified as a mountain lion’s.  They found nothing that seemed beyond the capabilities of village hunters, so he kept the party moving.

After a while, Terrod pulled up next to him again. “Can I have a word, milord?”

“Of course, Terrod.  What’s on your mind?”

“I know you have a lot on your mind, your lordship, but I’m still worried about the people we left behind in Yves.  Saving them won’t fix all the ills in the world, but it will make a world of difference for them.  I can’t sleep some nights, thinking about what they must be going through.”

Richter nodded grimly. “That’s been in the back of my mind as well.  Between the bugbear attack, your abduction, and the new villagers, though, there barely seems to have been any time to think.”

Terrod stopped running, an alarmed look on his face.  The other members of the war party slowed as well, but Richter waved them on, saying he and the captain would catch up.  The other fighters moved on.  Terrod said, “My lord!  I never meant what I said to sound like a recrimination.  I am so very thankful that you saved me from that crazy woman and the Warrior she was with.  I know that you have done your best.  You saved my Isabella and so many others.  You must beli—”

Richter held up a hand to stop his captain’s babbling. “I didn’t take it as an accusation, Terrod.  Before I say anything else, I want you to know that I am always willing to listen to you.  If there is anything that is concerning you, anything that you want to discuss with me, not only are you welcome to, but you are ordered to.  Okay?”

Terrod looked relieved. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Meanwhile, I’ll tell you that I gave Randolphus some papers I had taken from Count Stonuk.  He told me it was encoded, but that he would try and crack it.  I confess that barely a day goes by without me asking him to do something else.  Despite everything that needs to be done, you raise a good point, Terrod.  We can’t just forget these people.  Will you give him the ledger you took from the Night Blades’ chest?”

Terrod immediately agreed, confessing his frustration that he had not been able to decipher any more of the encoded text.  Richter nodded and called out, “Futen!”

The glowing ball floated up. “Yes, Lord Richter?”

“When you see the chamberlain again, tell him I want the Night Blade ledger to be made a priority.”

The remnant voiced assent and Terrod looked at Richter with grateful relief.  The two men quickly clasped wrists and then took off, quickly catching up with the other members of the war party.

The Air casters re-upped the Haste I buff on the party regularly as Sion and Richter kept searching.  They staggered casting the enchantment, buffing half the group, then five minutes later buffing the other half.  It let them get around the one-minute cooldown on the spell and keep up a fast pace.  Richter was delighted when he found an unexpected benefit of the speed they were going—Beyan ran out of breath and so could no longer complain.

They kept up their pace for about thirty minutes.  The speed was well below Richter’s top mph, but he was planning for a marathon, not a sprint.  The tracks he found continued to be relatively benign and he started to wonder if they should search in another direction, but then Sion called out.  They slowed to a stop, and Richter jogged over to see what his Companion had found.

Richter bent down and examined the print on the ground.  It glowed faintly just as all of the other tracks he had seen, but the color was slightly darker.  It didn’t have the intensity he had seen in the tracks of sentient beings, but the difference between it and the tracks of normal animals was clear.  The print looked a lot like bear tracks that he had seen, but it was twice as big and the claw imprints were much more pronounced.

“What is it?” he asked Sion quietly.  He had no idea how far away this thing was.  The track looked reasonably fresh.

“It appears to be a really big bear,” Sion said.

“Thanks, Kemosabe,” Richter said sarcastically.  “I thought you might have something more to add.”

“Well I don’t,” Sion snapped, matching Richter’s sarcasm with irritability.

“Hisako said you sprites fought off monsters around the Hearth Tree all the time.”

“Yes we do.  In case you have forgotten though, Lord Richter, the Hearth tree is more than a hundred miles south of here.  You live in the shadow of the mountains!  Who knows what monsters could have come down into the forest because some gyoti decided to reawaken a sleeping Place of Power?”

Richter glared sourly at the sprite before saying, “I can’t hear you from all the way down there.”

“You will hear me!  You will hear me when my arrow goes up your—”

Sion’s shouted threat was interrupted by a deep and bellowing roar.  Then they heard the sound of snapping branches not more than forty yards away.  The two Companions looked at each other and said simultaneously, “Look what you did!”

*Big bear!  Big bear is coming!*

Richter and Sion straightened quickly.  Sion ran to a nearby tree and scurried up into the branches.  Richter drew his elementum short sword and shouted, “Something is coming!”  Most of the party formed up into a loose line with him and prepared their weapons.  Beyan hung to the back, cursing and holding his crossbow, and Jean took position beside him.  Another roar sounded and then the beast came into view.

Barreling through the thick foliage came a wall of fur and muscle.  The basic structure was of a bear, but rather than a shaggy coat, its skin sat taut over powerful muscles like the hide of a lion.  Two round ears framed its head, and its large mouth was open and slavering.  Richter could see four massive fangs as long as his forearm, two protruding from the bottom and another set in place of its incisors.  Each fang was a pure white, like fresh cream.  The pelt was brown in color, and a stripe of spiky hair ran down its length like a Mohawk.  Three wicked and long claws tipped each of its four paws and were the same color as the fangs.

Richter Analyzed it.

Saber Bear.  Level 19. Health 810.  Mana 120.  Stamina 710.  Saber bears are dangerous predators that are fiercely territorial.  They are often found near mines of metallic ore.  They are able to ingest this ore and through a passive use of magic, can digest it to grow their claws and fangs.  These natural weapons will be made of the latest metal the bear has ingested.

Once the saber bear saw the war party, it stopped and looked at them before letting loose another bellow.  With its powerful forepaw, it swung at a nearby tree.  The trunk was five inches in diameter, but it was sliced in half by the razor-sharp claws of the monster.  The top half fell to the ground with a resounding thud that they all felt reverberate through the ground.  The bear looked at them again.  The message was clear: “Ya’ll stepped into the wrong neighborhood!”

Richter looked at the downed tree, then back up at the ten-foot-tall animal.  “Kill it!” he shouted.  Raising his hand, he unleashed his stored Paralysis Beam I at the same time that Ulinde fired an ice arrow.

The beam struck the bear in its side as Ulinde’s arrow struck its right shoulder.  The arrow had more of an effect.  The bear seemed to just shrug off the paralysis spell.  The ice arrow sunk in two inches and frost spread out from the wound.  The arrow was just a small irritant to the bear, though, only taking off a small fraction of its health.  With an irritated bellow, it charged forward.

The saber bear crossed the distance to the fighters in two long bounds.  It had its arm raised to strike Richter when a lightning bolt struck it in the back of the head.  Alma pulled out of her bombing run and swooped past the stunned monster.  Krom struck it with his hammer as it slumped, and Sedrin jabbed his large spear at its neck.  The hammer sunk into the meat of the bear’s shoulder with a wet thwack, but even Krom’s ebony hammer couldn’t force the giant bear to fall.  Sedrin’s spear pierced its skin but caught on the collarbone, which stopped the thrust before it could sink too deep.

At the same time, Jean the Air mage and Beyan loosed their crossbow bolts.  The shots went wide thanks to the panic both men were experiencing.  Thankfully Terrod and Caulder kept their heads and moved to either side of the bear, hacking at it with their swords.

Richter took advantage of the bear’s disorientation to cast Slow I.  His fingers moved into a new configuration and a word of Power flew from his lips.  One second after he began, the spell completed and a blue glow enveloped the bear for a split second.  The stun from Alma’s lightning bolt wore off, and it rose to its feet, but its movements were noticeably slower.

It roared in anger and pain and swiped at Richter.  The chaos seed was too close to dodge, but he had enough time to swing his sword up to meet the blow.  Green elementum met white moonstone and the glass blade cut into the bear’s paw and severed all three claws.  Guess you should have snacked on titan steel, Richter thought grimly.  The saber bear screamed, and as soon as it brought its paw back down, it surged forward to bite Richter.  Its movement was too slow, though, and this time Richter was able to dance back out of the way.

Ulinde shot another arrow, which tore into its cheek and got caught in its thick jaw muscle.  Sedrin had lost his spear when it had attacked Richter, so he faded back, but the captain and sergeant continued to attack it from the sides.  With a quick dart forward, Caulder stabbed it, the blade sinking through muscle into the organs beneath.  A gout of blood covered the guard as his weapon did its brutal business.  Terrod’s target was more surgical.  He sliced along the back of the beast’s right leg, cutting through muscles, but unfortunately no major tendons were severed.

Jean and Beyan were still reloading their crossbows, which actually pleased Krom to no end.  Without having to worry about being shot by some amateurs, he raised his heavy weapon again.  Howling, he brought the hammer down on the bear’s front elbow, which crumpled inward from the blow.

The bear crashed to the ground with a deep-throated scream.  As soon as it collapsed, a glowing blue bolt struck the creature’s back with a loud boom.  Caulder and Terrod were knocked off their feet by the resulting shockwave and fell onto the ground.

Richter moved back in as the creature mewled piteously and cast Soul Trap.  Looking up into the trees he thought, *Finish it, my love.*

Alma swooped down and latched onto the bear’s head.  The pitiful mewling turned into a strange keening as Alma mentally drank all of its experiences.  Richter moved around to the side and drove his elementum sword into its side.  He poked around a few times until the tip of his sword punctured the large monster’s heart.  It gave a final sigh and died.  A rainbow swirl of color rose into the air, spiraling around all of their heads before diving into his Bag.

Richter withdrew his sword and looked at it.  The beauty of its green glass was obscured by bright red blood which extended down to his hand and wrist.  He realized with an odd detachment that he must have pushed his hand inside of the animal’s body while he was trying to reach its heart.  Behind him, Sedrin cheered.  To his side, Caulder and Terrod good-naturedly argued over whose sword thrusts had been better.  He looked to the left and even saw Beyan and Jean exchange sheepish smiles.

Richter looked back at his bloody hand and remembered the horrible sounds the animal had made before the end.  He understood that this thing was a danger to his people.  He understood that he had a responsibility to deal with these kinds of threats before one of his villagers was killed.  The animal had seen so much more… real than his other enemies though.  Fighting skeletons, ghouls, rock giants, or a giant skeeling had always seemed like he was battling something unnatural.  Like he was fighting against the powers of darkness or something.  Even killing sentients like the bugbears, Night Blades, and kobolds hadn’t bothered him overly much.  Those situations had always been kill or be killed.  Seeing this bear being slowly and bloodily… deconstructed, though, shook up something inside of him.  It had just been an animal.  A baleful, savage, and magically enhanced animal, but he couldn’t say that it was evil.  He couldn’t justify calling it a monster.

Richter looked at the bloody meat in front of him and then back at his red hand, his red sword, and the small drops of scarlet that were dripping from the blade onto the green earth.  In his mind, Richter replayed the scream as its elbow snapped, the pathetic mewling as it collapsed to the ground, and soft wmpfh as its last breath left its body.  The smell of hot copper was filling his nose and his tongue experienced the faintest taste of pennies to mix with the nausea broiling down in his stomach.

Sion dropped from the tree he had been in while Alma rose in the air, trumpeting her triumph to the world.  The sprite walked up to his friend and asked with concern, “Richter.  Richter.  Are you okay?”

Richter gave him a slightly sick smile and said, “So what’s next?”

CHAPTER 15

Beyan walked forward and picked up one of the severed claws. “These are pure moonstone.  That’s amazing.  I wonder what else we can find of use in its body.”  It looked like he was about to slice into the beast’s hide right then and there, but Richter put a stop to it.

“We don’t have time to carve it up, Beyan.”  He took a deep breath and steadied himself. “We still have more work to do.”

“Do you plan to leave it here to rot?” the gnome asked scathingly.

“No,” Richter said.  He silently added, ‘you pain in the ass.’  “We have other options.”

He checked the village mana pool and saw that it had eight hundred and seventy-three MP left.  More than enough for his purposes.  He started his casting.  The mists around them coalesced and soon a mist worker stood before him.  “Carry this back to the village as quickly as you can.  Go through the gates and then take it to the far eastern edge.  Leave the body there.  Once you’re done, go to the center of the village and wait there until you are commanded to do something.  Follow any commands that do not endanger another villager or cause harm to the village.”

The eastern edge of the village would probably be far enough away from everyone that there wouldn’t be any commotion at seeing a giant dead bear bleeding into the ground.  It was also near where the hunters cleaned their kills.  Perhaps one of them might even show some initiative and carve up the bear for them.  As his cousin Yodi had said once, “Bears make good eatin’!”

The mist worker walked over to the bear’s body, silent as its name implied.  It reached down to grab its body and the grey arms elongated to completely encircle the bear.  It easily lifted the carcass in what Richter sardonically realized was a bear hug.  Then its face, head, and feet fell backwards into themselves and reemerged opposite to their initial direction.  With no other ceremony or delay, it started moving towards the village at the speed of a slow jog.

Beyan picked up the other two severed claws and was about to pocket them when Richter said, “Ah, ah!”  He made a beckoning gesture, and the gnome handed over the three claws with a surly expression.  Richter put all three in his Bag and then removed a water skin.  He poured some in his mouth and then more on his hand and sword.  Richter wiped his sword through the grass to remove most of the blood and cleaned most of the rest off on a spare rag from his Bag.

“Now, when I analyzed that thing, the prompt said that you could normally find it near sources of ore.  Those moonstone claws might mean there is a vein of ore near here.  I say we follow it back to where it came from.”

“That works for me, yer lordship,” Krom said happily.  “It was a good bit of fun we just found!”  The dwarf was cleaning some blood from the head of his hammer with a rag of his own.

“As good a direction as any,” Caulder said.  “I trust your lordship can lead us?  I don’t have much skill with Tracking.”

Richter nodded and was about to tell everyone to move out, when Terrod spoke up. “Sounds good to me too, my lord.  I do have to say one thing first though.  You two!”  He pointed at Jean and Beyan.  “Do NOT fire your crossbows unless your lives depend upon it.  One of those bolts that you blindly fired whizzed by my head!  Now I will hear a ‘Yes, Captain’ or you will spend the rest of this hunt without weapons.”

Both of them said “Yes captain,” and they looked down as they abashedly recocked their weapons.  Terrod nodded to Richter to say he was done.  No one else seemed to have anything else to add, so the party rebuffed with Haste I and they took off with Sion and Richter leading the way.

As they ran, Richter reflected on how his paralysis spell had been rather lackluster.  Nonetheless, he wasn’t ready to give up on it.  If the spell had worked, the fight might have lasted only seconds rather than minutes.  He decided to give it another shot.  After a bit of focus, the gem on his Ring of Holding was glowing green again.

They continued to move roughly west, and Richter checked the prompts from the last fight.

You have been awarded 16,965 (base 226,195 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 19 Sabre Bear.

For slaying a Saber Bear, you have been awarded four War Points!  Total War Points: 4.

You have trapped the soul of a Saber Bear!  Soul level: Common.

Not enough to level him or his familiar, but valuable nonetheless.  The group kept hiking another few minutes and then Richter saw the saber bears tracks begin to crisscross themselves and he assumed they were getting close.  He and Sion spread out, and soon Richter found exactly what he had been looking for.

You have found: Moonstone Ore Deposit.

Richter called everyone over and bent down to examine the deposit.  A knob of grey-white rock stuck up two feet from the ground.  White streaks peeked through periodically, showing the metal locked inside of the ore.  Claw marks could be seen marring the stone, and a large chunk was missing from one side.  Richter picked up a fist-sized rock and received another prompt.

You have found: Moonstone Ore.  Durability 43/43.  Item class: Common. Purity: ???  Weight: 2.2 kg.

“I see ye found it, yer Lordship,” Krom said, walking up.

“Yeah,” Richter replied.  “Doesn’t seem like too much, but maybe we can get a few swords out of this.  What do you think?”

Krom started laughing. “Ye need to not just judge things by the surface, yer lordship.  I know that ye only see a bit of rock here, but The Land, she be a woman of hidden depths.  I have the Mining skill to apprentice rank. I can tell ye there be at least several feet of the ore under our feet.”

Richter was pleased at the news.  Bringing Krom along on the hunt was having unseen benefits.  He tossed over the chunk of ore he was holding.  Krom deftly caught it and began inspecting the rock.  “Can you tell me anything about its purity?  All I see are questions marks.”

“That I can.  Ye have actually had a good deal of luck.  This be lunatite.”

Everyone else had spread out.  Terrod and Caulder were slowly circling their position, keeping watch.  Sion started inspecting an orange fungus that was growing out from the side of a tree like stacked shelves.  Beyan sat on a nearby rock with a sour expression.  Richter just stared at the dwarf, waiting for more.

“No doubt yer prompt be showing ‘ore’ or maybe ‘ore of moonstone.’  My Mining rank lets me know more specifics.  For any given metal, there be multiple types of ore that can be smelted to produce it.  For moonstone, the lowest purity ore would be wanatite.  The concentrations of moonstone be only 3-8%.  Lunatite, though, be one of the highest purity ores.  We can expect concentrations of 65-80%.”

Richter nodded in understanding.  This find was much more valuable than he had thought.  “So 80% of what’s beneath us could be moonstone?” he asked excitedly.

“Not exactly, yer lordship.  Ore veins are bound to be mostly rock, but the ore that we find could be that pure.  What ye should take away is that we should be able to make a fair amount of weaponry with what we have found.”

Richter smiled and pulled up a large version of his Traveler’s Map.  When the translucent map took up his entire view, he zoomed out until he could see both the village and their position.  They were only a few miles away.  He made a mark on the Map so he wouldn’t forget the position of the ore deposit, then minimized it again to take up a small position in the bottom right corner of his vision.  He extended his arms and summoned two mist workers.

He thought about what orders to give the simple creatures for a minute.  “Start digging up this ore.  Keep going until you reach any of the following conditions.  One, twenty hours have passed from this moment.  Two, you have harvested as much as you can carry back to the village.  Three, there is no more ore to be mined.  Once any of these conditions are met, go back to the village as quickly as you can without losing any of the ore.  Deposit everything you find inside of the city gates.  After that, return here and follow the first three instructions.  If you are attacked, however, ignore all previous instructions and defend yourself.  If you survive, follow the earlier instructions again.”

Krom spoke up. “It is not uncommon to find jewels when mining ore, yer lordship.  Ye should have the mist workers pay special attention to collect any that they find.”

Richter was about to thank his Smith for the advice when something occurred to him. “The other dwarves have been going through the iron mine for weeks now, but I haven’t had any jewels turned in.  Have I just had bad luck?”  The bonus from the Quickening made that somewhat unlikely.

Krom’s face adopted a slightly pained expression. “I have not heard about any jewels being found, milord.”  There was just the slightest emphasis placed on “heard.”

“Uh huh,” Richter said, eyeballing the dwarf.  Krom suddenly found the ore he was examining much more interesting and didn’t seem to have time to make eye contact.  Loudly, Richter said, “Futen, tell Randy to come up with some procedures to ensure we know exactly what comes out of the mine next time you see him.”

“As you command, my lord,” came the flat reply.

Richter looked at Krom a minute longer before saying, “Uh huh,” again.  Then he shifted his gaze to the mist workers.  He added the provision about paying special attention to looking for jewels and then changed one order.  Everything that they took back to the village was to be taken to the room of the Great Seal and deposited in a back corner.  He was fairly certain that nothing placed there would be disturbed.  He hadn’t really thought about having to worry about being cheated by his own villagers, but with more than four hundred people walking around, he had been foolish not to consider it.

At his command, the mist workers started working.  Their arms elongated and formed picks at the end.  Soon a constant rhythm could be heard as they chipped away at the ore deposit.  The sound was actually quite loud, and the entire war party was ready to be off.  Richter’s map showed a small stream a couple hundred yards away, so they moved off in that direction.

At the stream, everyone refilled their water skins and cleaned off any residual blood from the fight with the saber bear.  Richter scrubbed vigorously at his right hand and cleaned as much of the dried blood from beneath his nails as possible.  Some of the blood had stained his skin and wouldn’t come off.  He shrugged and just accepted that it was there.  He pulled up his Map again and tried to decide their best course.

There were several notable locations within twenty miles of where they stood, such as dungeons and ruins, that had been annotated by the Traveler that had made the Map.  The information was hundreds of years out of date, but would still be worth checking out.  None of the locations seemed to be inside of the mists, though, and Richter didn’t plan on a prolonged excursion today.  The moonstone deposit showed that there were probably many other hidden resources close to home.  He would have to make exploration more of a priority.  Now that Sion had the Mapping Ring, having up-to-date information about the land surrounding the village should be less of a problem.  Despite that, Richter gave Futen another order to bring the topic up with the chamberlain.  Maybe the hunters could draw maps of what they saw and the scribes could add them together into a larger version.

“I say we keep going south and follow the waterway,” Richter proposed.  No one else had a better idea, so they were off again.  Richter and Sion took point the same as last time.  They moved at a steady, ground-eating pace.  Both of the Companions kept an eye to the ground, examining the tracks they came across.  Their attention to following trails was probably why they were caught completely off guard by the next attack.

The river they were following had continued to widen until it was about twenty paces across.  Sion had just said that he had found the tracks of a timber warg.  He was showing the imprint in the mud to Terrod when a pack of green reptiles exploded out of the water.  The attack couldn’t have come at a worse time, which was perhaps why the monsters had chosen that specific spot.

The war party was strung out in a line along the riverbank.  A stand of thick trees was to their left and had pushed them closer to the water.  To make matters worse, the river had just gone around a bend that contained a silt bank, leaving the water turbulent and murky.  There was no warning before seven of the creatures surged out of the water.  Before anyone could react, one latched a powerful bite on Beyan’s unarmored leg.  Another bit Caulder on the arm.  The sergeant swung his sword, but was only able to strike a glancing blow against his attacker.  Both monsters immediately started dragging their prey back into the water.  The rest of the pack surged towards the other party members.

Richter quickly Analyzed one of the monsters to know what they were dealing with.

River Skath.  Level 14.  Health 310.  Mana 40.  Stamina 350.  These pack hunters hide in the shallows of rivers.  Their diet consists mainly of fish and small land creatures, but they are extremely aggressive.  Skaths are known to attack parties of adventurers who walk along riverbanks.  Their powerful bite is almost impossible to loosen, and skaths will often drown their prey by dragging them to deep water.  Though river skaths are air breathers, they can hold their breath for hours.  The only warning travelers may receive is the occasional air bubble piercing the surface of the water.

Beyan screamed as he was yanked into the water.  The powerful bite of the river skath was as strong as a vise.  When it pulled sharply, the gnome lost his balance and was thrown onto his back.  No one was close enough to help, and Richter feared that if the man was pulled all the way into the river, then he would never resurface.  Praying that it worked this time, Richter raised his hand and released the paralysis spell stored within his ring.  The beam shot towards the skath and locked its body into place.  Richter couldn’t give any more attention to the alchemist’s plight, though, because he was being attacked himself.

Two skaths surged towards him.  Their bodies were compact like Rottweilers, and their heads were oversized to match.  Large serrated teeth lined their gaping mouths and green-brown scales covered their body, the perfect camouflage for hiding in the river.  Their long claws let them gain purchase in the muddy bank, which is how they were able to close with Richter in just a few seconds.

Only two things saved him.  One, his spell-hastened body let him jump backwards and dodge the skaths’ first attack.  Two, Alma was a bit of a badass.  For the first time in battle, she released her improved Psi Blast.  The ability had not only become stronger by reaching level two, but it also let her narrow or widen the AoE with a corresponding change in strength.  Richter saw just how powerful the concentrated beam could be.

The effect was obvious and devastating.  The two skaths attacking Richter collapsed to the ground as if their strings had been cut.  A small amount of blood also leaked from their noses and eyes.  Three more also dropped, including the one that had been holding onto Caulder.  That unfortunately meant that Caulder was caught in the blast too.  The sergeant collapsed along with the skath that had bitten him, and his nose and mouth were cast down into the water.

Terrod rushed to help his sergeant, while another skath was attacking Krom.  The dwarf cried out, “Eat this, ye ugly bastard!” as he swung his ebony hammer diagonally.  His target was the skath’s large head, something that shouldn’t have been hard to miss, but the monster surprised the smith.  It bent its legs and flattened its body so that the heavy sledge passed just over its head.  The black weapon whistled through the air and buried itself in the soft earth of the riverbank.  While Krom tried to free his weapon, the skath sprung up from its hunched position and clamped its powerful jaws on the dwarf’s shoulder.  Krom lost his grip on his weapon and went down with an oath that sounded more like a curse.

Meanwhile, Sedrin and Jean fought together to hold back another three skaths.  The guard had his boar spear pointed towards the three monsters, which were slowly stalking forward undaunted.  Jean had scored a lucky shot and had landed his crossbow bolt in the open mouth of a fourth skath.  It wasn’t dead, but the bolt had pierced the soft tissue on the inside of its throat.  It hacked violently as it choked on its own blood.  The Air mage was trying desperately to reload the crossbow before Sedrin was overwhelmed.

Sion and Ulinde retreated a small way to give themselves a better field of fire.  The move was almost instinctual, born of thousands of hours each of archery training.  The two men knew they needed to be back from the melee in order to have the greatest effect.  Unfortunately, the skaths that were engaging the other members of the war party were too close to their comrades for the archers to strike at safely.  More monsters were surfacing in the river, though, so the two bowmen kept up a steady rain of arrows, hoping to thin their ranks before they could attack the rest of the war party.

Battles were raging all around Richter, but he couldn’t rush to his party members’ aid just yet.  He knew that the stun effect from Alma’s Psi Blast would only last for a few seconds and he had to kill the skaths in front of him while they were helpless.  He gave Alma an order to help Beyan and then drew his sword.  He stalked towards the two helpless skaths.  He cast Soul Trap with his free hand and plunged his sword down through his target’s skull.  Withdrawing the gore-covered blade, he did the same with the other.  A muffled boom echoed from the water, and Richter looked up to see a previously hidden skath reel back not five yards away from his captain.  It had not hidden well enough to escape Sion’s watchful gaze, and the sprite had managed to strike it with an imbued arrow.  The actual arrow strike lost some of its power as the skath was still a foot underwater, but the magic invested into the arrow more than made up for it.

A bloom of red blood spread through the water.  The captain looked up in gratitude at Sion and tried to pick Caulder up out of the water.  The skath that had attacked the sergeant still had a death lock on his arm though.  Not wanting it to regain consciousness while he was struggling to save Caulder, he knew that he had to kill it while it was helpless.  Standing in knee-high water, Terrod drew his sword and stabbed down into the skath’s neck.  He sawed his dusky grey blade back and forth to increase the bleeding, but still the comatose skath maintained its grip.  Knowing he was running out of time, Terrod dropped his sword and grabbed Caulder with both arms.  He slowly dragged both the sergeant and his attacker out of the water.  He silently prayed to the banished gods that the monster died before it could recover its wits, his only hope being that the skath would bleed out before it regained consciousness.  Another boom sounded as Sion struck the hidden skath for a second time, giving Terrod cover as he tried to get his compatriot to safety.

Krom screamed.  The skath still had its mouth clamped on his shoulder and now had gotten on top of the dwarf.  It was raking his chest with its brutal front claws, and only the high quality of Krom’s chainmail had kept him from being eviscerated.  The defense wouldn’t last long though.  As he fought to get free, links on his armor were already snapping.  He struggled to get to his dagger, but his belt had shifted thanks to the skath’s efforts to maul him and he couldn’t reach the hilt.  Having no other recourse, he just kept pounding his fists against the skath’s hard skull.

Richter stabbed his two stunned enemies twice more to ensure their deaths, but then a scream grabbed his attention.  Looking over, he saw Beyan had carefully aimed his crossbow and shot the skath that was holding him in the eye.  From the amount of bolt still sticking out of the skull, though, he knew that the gnome’s shot hadn’t penetrated the brain.  The paralysis from Richter’s stored spell had elapsed, and the enraged monster was dragging Beyan into deeper water again.  The gnome screamed in pain as the monster bit harder into his leg, but was saved by Alma.  Diving in, she used her special attack and latched onto the skath’s oversized head.  The animal screamed in agony, which finally loosened its grip on Beyan’s leg.

The skath tried to shake off its attacker, but its body would no longer obey the command of its mind.  It fell over on its side while Alma continued to drain its memories, health, mana, and stamina.  Beyan’s leg leaked blood into the water, and the pain he was feeling overwhelmed almost everything else.  The one thing that he felt stronger than the agony in his leg, though, was an anger that he spent his life trying to keep at bay.  With a furious shout, he contorted his body so he could reach the crossbow bolt sticking out of the skath’s eye.  Wrapping his hand around the length of metal, he screamed in rage while moving his fist like he was scrambling eggs.  Finally, the bolt aligned with the eye socket and the weapon sunk deeper, penetrating the river skath’s small brain.  The beast's chest deflated as it died.  Alma released her grip on the dead monster and rose back into the air.  She crowed her triumph at another enemy vanquished and immediately started winging back towards her master to protect him from any other threat.

Beyan slumped down over the body of the river skath, both physically pained and emotionally exhausted.  The sounds of battle continued to echo around him, but before he could even push himself out of the water, he saw a telltale line of bubbles breaking the surface of the river in front of him.  The disturbance was only twenty feet away and it started moving swiftly towards him.  With a cry he threw himself backwards.  His hand extended towards the dead skath, and purple-black energy dance on his fingertips.

While Alma had been draining the skath attacking Beyan, Terrod had managed to get Caulder safely out of the river.  The guard sergeant recovered from Alma’s Psi Blast and fell to his knees, coughing up the river water he had swallowed.  Luckily, the skath that had been attacking him had indeed bled to death, relaxing its bite as it died.  Terrod drew a dagger to protect the sergeant while he purged the river from his lungs.

Sedrin’s fight was not going well.  He had plunged his spear into one of the skaths while the other two lunged.  A speeding blue arrow struck the one directly in front of him, but the third skath rammed the guard in his side.  Its oversized, thickened skull made the perfect battering ram, and Sedrin went down.  He fell onto his chest and the skath that had body checked him bit savagely into his leg.  The teeth penetrated the chainmail leggings, but they at least kept the skath from tearing off a bloody chunk.  He screamed as the skath he had stabbed rushed forward as well.  Sedrin threw up an arm to keep the skath away from his face, but the monster just began to savage his extended hand.  It bit off two fingers, then proceeded to bite and destroy the rest of his hand.  Sedrin screamed.  He screamed.

The Air mage jumped on the back of the skath that was chewing on Sedrin’s leg.  All he had was a steel dagger though.  With Jean’s low Strength, the blade barely broke through the monster’s hide.  Each attack drew a small amount of blood, but did little else.  Jean didn’t stop though.  He kept stabbing, but the monster beneath him kept mauling Sedrin’s leg and the guard kept screaming.

Richter finally made his way through the river mud to help his fallen guardsmen.  Another imbued arrow from Sion struck the skath that was attacking Sedrin’s hand.  It was knocked to the side, but the guard lost another finger as its mouth was ripped away.  Richter ran through the mud to attack it while it was vulnerable, stabbed his short sword into its soft underbelly, and yanked the sharp blade up.  With a red spray, the skath’s guts spilled out onto the ground.  It still struggled to get to its feet, but before it could manage it, Richter extended his hand and cast Flame I.  Fire shot out from his hand and burned the river skath’s flesh.  The entrails and skin burned faster than he would have thought possible, and in a few seconds the skath stopped moving.

While her master killed his third skath, Alma had latched onto the head of the monster attacking Sedrin’s leg.  Its jaw loosened and it fell to the ground twitching.  Jean tumbled free from its back and stumbled over to bandage Sedrin’s bleeding wounds.  Delirious with pain, the man continued to thrash, not understanding that Jean was trying to help him.  His wounds bled heavily.  Richter ran back over and thrust his short sword into the skath Alma was draining.  He thrust his sword into it repeatedly, until it finally died as well.

While all of this was happening, Krom had finally managed to draw his cobalt dagger and was desperately stabbing the skath on top of him in the neck, over and over.  The tips of its back claws had made their way through the chainmail on his abdomen and had pierced his stomach in several places.  The dwarf’s organs remained inside his body, but his stomach was a bloody mess.  He kept stabbing, hoping to kill the beast or at least take it with him through death’s door, but his vision began to grow dark.  His fingers were losing strength.  He knew his fight was done, but then, strength suddenly surged through his body again!  Richter’s Life magic began to knit skin and muscle back together, and Krom found the will to stab the creature with renewed vigor.  Suddenly, the creature shivered and fell atop the dwarf, hundreds of pounds of dead weight.  Krom didn’t know how his awkwardly positioned strikes had managed to slay the beast, but he was relieved that it was dead.  A second later, Krom discovered the answer to the riddle.  He hadn’t killed the skath, his lord had.

Richter withdrew his sword from the skath’s body.  The chaos seed gave Alma a mental order to summon a life wisp and then stuck his sword in the ground.  He grabbed the jaws of the monster lying on top of the smith and pulled with all of his might.  In his Earth body there was no way that he would have been able to manage this, but with his Strength attribute of thirty-two it was well within his capability.  He felt the sinews of the skath’s jaws snap, but he was able to loosen its hold on Krom’s shoulder and then kick it off of the dwarf.  Krom got to his feet, cursing up a storm.  His arm was hanging limp.

“Where is my hammer?” the dwarf raged.

“It doesn’t matter where.  Hang back and heal yourself and Sedrin,” Richter commanded.

“I can fight!” Krom spat.

“You’re a healer now.  Sedrin is dying.  Help him!”

Krom looked at the bleeding man.  His face looked like he had just swallowed something awful, but he did as commanded.  Caulder and Terrod made their way over to stand with Richter as more bubbles raced towards them from the river.  Four more skath surfaced and began stalking forward.  Behind them, came another one that was half again as large as the others.  Richter Analyzed it.

Bull River Skath.  Level 34.  Health 760.  Mana 210.  Stamina 610.  The larger of the species, male river skath are often solitary creatures.  Unlikely to attack unless threatened.  The exception to this is during mating season when one bull will mate with an entire pack of females.  Travelers have come to fear meeting a bull in this scenario as their normal solitary nature is replaced with a horrible belligerence.  They can also release magical pheromones to increase the ferocity and strength of female skaths.

Richter shook his head.  “This shit just keeps getting better and better.  Sion!  Ulinde!  Take out the big one!”

Richter heard Krom muttering an incantation to summon a weak life wisp as Terrod took position on his right and Caulder stood to his left.  Seeing Terrod holding only a dagger, he gritted his teeth, then said, “Take this.  Shit’s about to get interesting!”

He shoved his sword into the captain’s grasp and then extended his hands.  The skaths were only a couple yards away now, staring at the villagers with their teeth bared.  The bull skath stood right behind them, and Richter saw a green glow start to surround it.  They were out of time.  “Let’s do it!”

Sion released, and the blue arrow streaked forward and struck the bull on its haunch with a loud boom.  Ulinde’s shot struck the bull on the snout.  Frost spread outward from the wound.  Neither attack stopped the bull skath’s ability, though, and a green mist shot out from its body in all directions for forty feet.  It surrounded all of the female skaths, whose claws grew longer and whose muscles grew more defined before Richter’s very eyes.  Each also seemed to grow several inches in both height and width.  The transformation was almost amazing enough to distract from the disgusting fact that he had just gotten bull skath pheromone in his mouth.  As he spat it out in irritation, he finally understood the point that Jenny Vanderhorne had tried to make when he was fifteen: you just don’t do that without asking for permission!  He channeled his anger and after a one second cast, his hands snapped together and bathed the lead skath in orange flame.

Buffed or not, the skath couldn’t withstand the flames and it scurried away from the assault to take refuge in the river.  Before Richter could pursue, the other skaths attacked.  The skaths to the far left and right engaged Caulder and Terrod respectively.  The inner two, however, attacked Richter directly.  He swept his flame towards the one on the left, which shied away, but it left him completely open to attack on the right.

The skath jumped forward with its mouth open.  Its hormone enraged eyes were bulging as it swiftly closed the distance.  There was no way that Richter could dodge, but once again, his soul familiar saved the day.  Lightning fired from above and struck the skath, short-circuiting its system.  Three hundred pounds of enraged river skath cow struck Richter at the speed of a run, but it didn’t have the ability to bite down for a couple crucial seconds.

Nonetheless, Richter was knocked down, with the skath falling to his side.  When he hit the ground he looked over to see the skath’s stunned form, the mouth not six inches from his face.  He swiftly rolled away as it struggled to regain its wits.  Before he had gone more than a foot, though, a massive set of jaws closed on his left thigh.  The skath that Richter had burned had rejoined the fight.

Caulder and Terrod did their best to stand firm against the assault of their respective skaths.  They both knew that they had to keep the skaths away from the injured party members.  Even with the elementum sword, though, the magically enraged skath attacking Terrod was barely kept at bay.  Caulder had already received another bleeding injury to the hip.  A constant staccato of booms told the story of Sion’s attack on the bull skath, but the sprite wasn’t able to put much energy into each strike because of the speed of attack.

Krom saw all of this while he knelt over Sedrin’s still form.  The man still breathed thanks to the dwarf’s healing spells, but he had swooned and was defenseless.  Jean was busy casting Haste I on all of the party members and was still trying to reload his crossbow.  Caulder went down as a skath rushed forward and bit his leg.  Terrod was pulled farther from the group, trying to keep his opponent at bay.  Richter was stabbing the skath biting him with a dagger, but it wasn’t releasing its savage hold, and the only reason he hadn’t been killed by the other was that Alma was attached to its head.  The skath was down, but the dragonling was also out of the fight.  To make matters worse, the larger skath was almost close enough to join the fight again despite Sion and Ulinde’s withering fire.  When he saw two more shambling forward through the river, he knew that the fight was over.

The two skaths approached Terrod and the reptile he was fighting.  The captain came to the same conclusion as Richter, knowing that he couldn’t hold off three.  As he prepared for a last suicidal lunge, his only thought was of Isabella.  Before he could complete his attack, though, the two skaths surged forward… and bit into the skath Terrod had been fighting.  None could ever say who was more surprised, the beleaguered monster or him, but Terrod wasn’t going to waste the moment.  The two skaths had bitten into its left arm and leg.  The monster roared in protest, but Terrod wasn’t interested in fair.  The captain shoved the green sword through its open mouth and up into its brain.  Its body froze for a second before crumpling to the ground.

Terrod withdrew the sword and prepared to defend himself from the other two, but they were already shambling towards the bull skath.  Now that he had a moment, he could clearly see that one had a crossbow bolt sticking out of its eye and the other had a fist-sized hole in its side dripping black ooze.  A loud shout made him look to the right just in time to see Beyan thrust his hand forward and finish an incantation.  A purple-black disc with a white chattering skull in the middle shot from the gnome’s hand and struck the bull skath broadside.  It rocked back from the blow and roared in pain for the first time.

Terrod stared at the alchemist in disbelief, but then Richter’s scream of pain brought him back to the reality of the moment.  He turned around and saw that his liege was straining to keep the snapping jaws of a skath away from his face.  Krom had joined the fight and was bashing the skath in the head with a rock, but between the monster’s thick skull and its enraged status, it barely noticed the smith’s futile efforts.

Jean had finally loaded another bolt, but couldn’t get a clear shot on anyone, so he just kept the crossbow up and waited for his moment.  Terrod ran forward a few more feet and plunged the short sword hilt deep into the skath attacking Richter.  The pain of the blade piercing its internal organs got through to the monster in a way that Krom’s rock bashing had not.  It reared on its hind legs as its back arched in pain.  Blood sprayed on Terrod and Krom’s faces as the captain withdrew the sword.

Damaged, but not defeated, Richter snarled up at the skath from his position underneath it.  Before it had time to fall again, he forced a spell form to coalesce in his mind as he made the necessary movements with both hands.  His wrists clapped together of their own volition and he spat, “IGNO!”  A gout of orange flame shot up into the skath’s belly, roasting it.  Again, the skin blackened and charred faster than should have been possible.  The monster reared back even further to escape the dreaded fire, and its back legs slipped out from underneath it.  As it crashed to the ground, Richter sat up, keeping an unrelenting stream of fire on the skath.  It rolled on the ground, but was too overcome with pain to form the coherent thoughts needed for escape.  As the skath screamed and squirmed under the onslaught, Terrod shouted for Richter to cease his attack so he could finish the beast.  Richter, savoring his enemy’s pain, heard nothing.

It took Krom grabbing his arm and shouting that they still had to fight the big one for him to stop his spell.  With the horrible heat gone, Terrod stabbed the skath in the abdomen.  Its flesh crumbled like charcoal and the captain met almost no resistance as the blade claimed the skath’s life.

Richter stood up and looked around, taking stock of the situation.  The archers had scored against the bull skath multiple times, but it showed no signs of slowing.  Jean had managed to fire and successfully hit the skath that had been fighting Caulder, judging by the bolt sticking from the creature’s side.  The sergeant must have used the distraction to attack and behead the river monster.  An overlarge reptilian head lay next to the body, weakening spurts of blood still coming from its ragged stump of a neck.  Alma had finished draining her skath and was hovering in the air nearby.  Sedrin was still passed out, but the bleeding had slowed thanks to tourniquets Krom had fashioned out of strips from his shirt.  The dwarf had regained his hammer.  His shoulder was healed enough to hold the large weapon, but he was still clearly favoring one side.  Terrod stood ready with the elementum sword held down at his side, staring at the bull skath, and Beyan stood far off to the side, looking between the last skath and his party.  His face was a collision of fear, anger, and uncertainty.  Richter turned his attention to the bull river skath.

The entire party had stopped their attack and were watching the confusing tableau focused around the male skath.  The large monster was still fighting one of the traitorous skath cows that had come to Terrod’s aid.  The other had been torn in half, though the top half still seemed to be trying to reach the bull by clawing its way forward on its front paws.  The remaining skath was down on its back with the bull’s massive foreleg on its abdomen.  As Richter watched, the bull bit down on one of the smaller skath’s legs and, with a massive wrench, pulled the leg free.  A spray of blood covered the ground at the moment of separation, but no more blood spurted from the severed shoulder.  The skath didn’t scream or give any indication that the loss of its limb troubled it, it just kept trying to bite the bull.

Richter stared at it, confused.  He activated Analyze.

Weak Reanimated River Skath.  Level 3. Health 120.  Mana 0.  Stamina 450.  The corpse of a river skath that has been reanimated.  The level of this reanimated monster is substantially reduced and its values and characteristics are adjusted accordingly.   The exception to this is that its stamina is increased.  It will feel no pain and will only be destroyed by massive tissue trauma or damage to its central nervous system.

Richter wasn’t sure how much longer the small zombie would distract the bull, but he didn’t think it would be long.  He cast Slow Heal I and then focused on the present moment.  He cleared his mind, and his hands wove in sync.  Words of Power flowed from his tongue.  Each syllable grew harder to speak until it felt like he was trying to swallow a cracker after being denied water for a week.  Despite that, he knew that this fight had to end.  Sedrin had to be taken home as soon as possible, where Sumiko could minister to him.  So Richter focused his entire will upon the casting and forced the final sound from his lips.  The casting was complete.

Richter felt the power he had manifested pierce the skein of reality, and a six-foot-tall green disc appeared in the air.  The scent of evergreen flooded his nostrils, and a creature stepped through the gateway.  This saproling was larger than the last and it took the form of a five-and-a-half-foot-tall grass-covered stag with prehensile tentacles rising from its back.  Richter’s head felt like it was splitting open from the strain of finishing the dual casting, but he mustered the fortitude to shout, “Attack!”

Sion and Ulinde resumed their fire upon the monster, which roared in response.  It ripped the head off of the skath underneath it, and the small creature collapsed, limp, to the muddy bank.  The skath ran at the party, but was intercepted by the saproling.  The earth creature rammed its horns into the bull.  The black prongs on top of the stag’s head pierced the monster in the neck and chest.  The bull roared again, trying to bring its sharp claws to bear against the saproling, but the tentacles on the summoned creature’s back whipped forward to wrap around the front limbs and thick neck of its enemy.

Sion and Ulinde continued their ranged attack and Beyan cast his skull spell again.  Another dark purple disc with a white skull in the middle shot from his hand and impacted against the bull.  Both monster and saproling were staggered by the spell, but didn’t fall.  Jean shot his crossbow at the struggling pair, but ended up hitting the saproling instead.  Luckily, the mage’s poor aim didn’t seem to have an effect either way.

Terrod looked at Caulder and said, “Shall we join the fun?”

Caulder plucked at his bloodied chainmail and said, “I didn’t get all dressed up for nothing!”  Both guards ran in to attack the bull from the sides.

A snapping noise brought Richter’s attention to the fact that the saproling could not match strength for strength with the powerful bull.  Already the monster had pulled one of its arms free, severing the vines holding it in the process as well as snapping off part of the saproling’s horn.  Unlike the first saproling Richter had summoned, this one did not remain mute.  It screamed in an all too human voice as it was ripped apart by the skath.

Richter ran forward but stayed out of the general melee.  He cast Slow I.  A blue aura surrounded the bull for a split second and afterwards, it was just a touch slower.  Terrod and Caulder attacked from either side, drawing blood, but not achieving any true damage against its thick scales and head.  Beyan seemed to not have another offensive spell, and the cooldown on the last had not elapsed, so he was more or less useless for the moment.  Once again, the archers couldn’t fire with impunity for fear of striking their comrades, and Krom’s ability to fight had been greatly compromised.  Whatever had happened to his shoulder was a type of injury that Slow Heal I couldn’t fix.  The battle was up to Richter, Terrod, and Caulder, he realized.

A second later, he was shown how wrong he was when Alma released a bolt of lightning from above.  The yellow energy forked through the air and impacted the bull skath on its back.  It roared louder than before, and a black scorch mark appeared on its back.  It freed its other arm and hammered the saproling to the ground with a mighty blow.  The forest creature tried to rise again, but the bull skath knocked the deer’s head free with a mighty swipe of its claws.  Green blood flowed thick from what was left of its neck.  With the saproling disposed of, the bull looked up to target the dragonling, but Alma wisely remained high and out of reach.

Not having to worry about hitting the saproling anymore, Richter dual cast Flame I again.  Trying to attack Alma had made the compact creature rise up and present its chest.  The lance of fire burned into the bull’s breast, charring the skin and muscle beneath.  Sion and Ulinde released their shots in the short window of opportunity as well.  Ulinde’s ice arrow struck the bull’s face, paining it, but Sion couldn’t ignore the tempting target of the bull’s chest.  The imbued arrow struck with concussive force in almost the exact same spot as Richter’s flame.

The sprite had poured almost every mana point he had into the shot.  In truth, Sion had feared losing control of his imbuement and soon would have had to fire the arrow just to avoid damaging himself, but instead, the timing worked out perfectly.  When the arrow hit, ripples of force propagated through the monster’s whole body and it was thrown backwards.  Even Caulder and Terrod, who were still harrowing its flanks, were thrown onto their backs.

The combined damage was too much for the bull skath.  It struggled to rise, but it had a ragged crater in its chest.  Analyze showed that it had only thirty health left.  Richter sent out a mental call to his familiar and he cast Soul Trap on his prone enemy.  Alma latched onto the bull skath, which tried to whip its head back and forth to reach the dragonling.  Its motions were weak, however.  The last thing the monster heard was “Igno” before more flames poured into the hole in its chest and consumed its heart.  A ribbon of rainbow light spun through the air.  All was silent.

CHAPTER 16

Richter ran over to Sedrin and cursed when he saw the damage the man had sustained.  There were large bleeding holes in his leg where the skath had bitten him.  Far worse was his hand though.  Only two fingers remained, thumb and index.  The rest had been torn off.  Two were lying on the ground not far away, but of the pinky there was no sign.  Richter looked at the scene and started barking orders.

“Futen.  Teleport back to the Great Seal and tell Randolphus what happened.  Tell Sumiko that we have injured and that Sedrin will need to have his fingers reattached.  She should prepare whatever she needs to, so that they can be reattached without delay.”  He wanted to have another guard detail dispatched, but they would have no way to accurately find him in the wild.  The last thing Richter wanted was for another group of his villagers to be attacked.

“As you command, my lord,” Futen replied.  The inner glow in the floating orb flared to the point of being blinding and, with a clap of air rushing into a vacuum, the remnant disappeared.

Richter extended his hand and cast Ice Dagger I.  The foot-long ice shard shot into the ground at his feet.  He picked it up along with Sedrin’s bloody fingers and wrapped them all together in a loose length of cloth.  The entire package he tucked inside of his chest armor.  He still wasn’t sure if placing something inside of his Bag caused cell death, and he wasn’t willing to risk Sedrin’s fingers.  It was a blind hope that Sumiko would be able to reattach the digits, but if she could, he would do everything he could to increase her chances of success.

“Which of you have Agility greater than thirty?” Richter asked.  Only Ulinde raised his hand.  “Then I need you to come with me.  Sedrin must get back to the village and Sumiko’s magic as soon as possible.  We cannot wait.  Everyone else needs to follow behind us in a group.”

Terrod immediately protested. “My lord.  You cannot travel through the forest with only one man for protection.”

“I can do whatever I damn well please, Captain.  I am the lord here.  I will save this man’s hand if I can, and you will follow my command.  Am I clear?”

Terrod stiffened and came to attention.  Clapping a fist to his heart, he said, “As you command, my lord.”

Richter nodded and said, “Stick together and keep safe.  I will see you back in the village.”  He looked at Beyan, who was still holding himself back from the group.  When Richter’s eyes fell upon the gnome, the alchemist’s face grew guarded as if he was ready to fight or flee.  Richter took a deep breath to control his stress and said evenly, “I do not know why you hid your magic, but I am sure you had a good reason.  That doesn’t matter to me right now.  What matters is that you fought with us and helped us survive.  Go back with the group and know that you still have a home among us.  Come to the Great Seal tonight, however, because I will have your story.”

Beyan bowed his head and, without any of his customary irritation or arrogance, he said, “As you command, Lord Richter.”

Richter nodded back.  Another thought occurred to him—discretion might be the better part of valor in this situation.  He instructed everyone to keep quiet about Beyan’s magic.  They all agreed, but several of the other party members eyed the gnome suspiciously.  It just underlined the importance of speaking with the alchemist sooner rather than later.  Now was not the time though.

Richter checked the village mana pool and saw that he could summon three more workers without compromising the village’s upkeep.  As soon as the grey figures had formed, he ordered them to take the bull’s body and as many of the other skath bodies back to the village as possible.  He was about to pick up Sedrin, when Alma nearly shouted in his mind.

*Master!  Master!  Come see!  Come see!*

The dragonling was hovering over a stand of thick reeds that was a few feet out in the river.  Richter had rarely heard her so excited, so he decided to just run over and see what had captured her interest so strongly.  When he got close, he parted the fronds and understood why she had called him over.

You have found: River Skath Nest.

A mound of mud had been piled on the inside of the reeds.  In individual divots, eggs were resting upright.  Each one was about the size of his hand and white, but the central egg was grey and twice as big as the others.  When Richter examined it, a prompt told him that it was a Bull River Skath Egg.

He wasn’t sure what good they could do him, but he also didn’t want to leave a nest of dangerous monsters behind to attack his people in the future.  He called over a mist worker and told it to forget bringing back the skath bodies and to instead bring back the eggs, safe and unharmed.  It would have been easier if he could just put the eggs in his Bag, but he ran into the same problem as with Sedrin’s fingers.  Richter had once put a live salmon in his Bag as an experiment.  The fish had tasted fresh when he had removed it, but it had definitely died.

Following his directions, the mist worker picked up the first egg and then placed it inside of a cavity it had formed in its chest.  Once the egg was inside, the opening to the cavity closed off and the egg remained hovering in place, suspended by whatever matrix made up the mist workers.

*Thank you, my love,* Richter sent.  *We must travel fast now.  Keep watch for predators from the air and warn me of any danger.*

The dragonling tooted her assent and flew higher to get a lay of the surrounding lands.  He jogged back to Sedrin’s body and picked the man up.  The jostling brought the guard back to consciousness, and he cried out in pain.  Richter told him to be strong and that Sumiko would help soon.  Jean cast Haste I on Ulinde, while Richter enchanted himself. Sion wished his friend speed and safety and with that, Richter took off, Ulinde in tow.

According to Richter’s map they were about seven miles away from the village.  He planned to break some records.  Running full tilt, the two men quickly put distance between themselves and the rest of the war party.  Even carrying Sedrin’s weight, Richter was almost able to run at his top speed.  Alma flew above and proved invaluable as a source of info.  Twice she steered the trio around potential predators, though thankfully these were simply forest cats and a small black bear.

Sedrin lost consciousness again sometime during the run, a fact for which Richter was grateful.  The guard had tried to stifle sobs or gasps of pain as his battered body was jostled, but the suffering he was experiencing was obvious.  Still, Richter didn’t slow.  He knew that if the situation was reversed, he would happily suffer almost any pain if it meant being able to restore the use of his hands.  In the end, they were able to make it back to the village in less than an hour, though Richter’s endurance had been very nearly empty for the last mile of the run.

Sumiko, Randolphus, and a contingent of guards were waiting for them at the city gates.  Richter quickly put Sedrin down as gently as possible and moved out of the way so Sumiko could examine him.  Ulinde slumped to the ground, exhausted.

“Damn fools,” she said, with more fire than normal.  “Look at the mess those beasts made of him.”

Richter didn’t respond to the criticism.  Instead he took the package with Sedrin’s fingers from its resting place in his armor.  The density of the ice dagger had kept most of it from melting.  “Can you reattach his fingers?”

As he unrolled the bundle, Sumiko scrutinized the fingers and said, “Well at least you showed some good sense in keeping them cold.”  She looked at Sedrin’s ruin of a hand and said, “I cannot promise, but I think I can.”

“Good.”  He beckoned to the guards standing nearby.  “Get ready to run, we are going back for the others.”

“You’re dead on your feet, child.  You can’t go back out like that!” Sumiko snapped.

Richter was tired, in pain, and in no mood to be told what he couldn’t do.  He opened his mouth to snap a scathing reply, when Sumiko raised her hand and said, “Hush!” in sprite speak.  Her hand wove in a complex pattern and she muttered an incantation.  Gold light suffused her arm and then flowed into Richter.  His exhaustion fell away.  If he had been able to inject Red Bull directly into his veins it would probably feel like this.

“I’ve fortified your max endurance and replenished your stamina pool.  The increase will only last an hour, though, so do what you need to do and come back safely.”  Her tough exterior cracked. “I don’t want you to have to go to that awful place again.”  Several of his people had seen him come through a rift that led to a sea of pure chaos the last time he respawned.  Sumiko had been deeply disturbed by what she had seen through the rent in reality.

Richter smiled, riding the ultimate runner’s high.  All of his irritation and anger of a moment ago forgotten, he said, “Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll bring the other kids back safe!”  She scowled at him again, but he just laughed and started running, the guards close behind him.

Alma flew overwatch again and led them unerringly back to the other members of the war party.  The three mist workers were walking with them, each carrying their assigned load.  Even though they hadn’t been separated overly long, Richter was still relieved to see all of them.

“So yer back from yer little jog, yer lordship?” the dwarf asked.  A smile was on his bearded face, white teeth poking through his salt and pepper beard.  One of the smith’s arms was up in a sling, but it didn’t seem to have dampened his spirit at all.  The dwarf had his hammer slung over his other shoulder, and though his chainmail shirt was still rent, the flesh Richter could see underneath was smooth and unblemished.

Richter smiled back. “Sumiko is a bit irritated with us for getting banged up, but she says she can save Sedrin’s fingers.  The ones we found anyway.”

Terrod walked up and handed over Richter’s sword.  He could see that the captain’s own sword had been recovered and was resting in its sheath.  “That is quite the instrument you have there, my lord.”

“Krom is to thank for that,” he replied.  The village Smith nodded with pride.

Richter examined the members of his war party.  No one had made it through the fight unscathed, but except for Sedrin, no one had been seriously hurt.  Terrod and Caulder stood tall, giving orders to the guards Richter had brought.  Jean looked a bit pale, but he still smiled reassuringly when he saw Richter examining him.  Krom looked energized from the fight and would probably have said he was ready to fight one hundred more of the lizard monsters.  Only Beyan refused to meet his gaze, the gnome’s face a complex mixture of emotions.  Richter knew that this was not the time to confront the man, but resolved he would do it that night.  The last member of the party, Sion, stood tall, bow in hand, steadfast as ever.

As the guards that Richter had brought with him fanned out around the battered party, he and Sion clasped wrists.  They shared a look that communicated their friendship and their silent relief that they had survived such a deadly ordeal.  Since the end of the fight, Richter had been in damage control mode, not letting the stress, pain, and bloody horror of the fight reach him.  Now that they were in relative safety, though, it started to encroach on his psyche.  The solidity of his Companion’s friendship helped him to weather the emotional onslaught.  Sion gave him a nod and released his grip, and they made their way home.  Richter looked around and said, “Alright.  Let’s go home.”

Alma continued to fly overhead.  Richter looked up, and the dragonling, sensing her master’s attention, dove into a complicated spiral pattern.  She pulled out of the dive at the last moment and buzzed directly over one of the guard’s heads before regaining altitude.  The man hunched over with a surprised oath and Richter couldn’t help but chuckle at the mischievous creature.  He checked the prompts he had earned.

You have been awarded 10,547 (base 140,632 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 15 River Skath.

You have been awarded 4,290 (base 57,199 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 11 River Skath.

You have been awarded 11,840 (base 157,865 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 16 River Skath.

You have been awarded 91,178 (base 1,215,703 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 34 Bull River Skath.

TRING!

You have reached level 27! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!

TRING!

You have reached level 28! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!

You have either characteristic points or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week or they will randomly be assigned for you.

You familiar has reached level 22!

You familiar has reached level 23!

You familiar has reached level 24!

Richter held off on opening the next prompt.  He was delighted that both he and Alma had leveled thanks to the battle, but it also reminded him that he had been putting off allocating the points from his earlier levels.  This was his last night before his stats would be randomly allocated.  He promised himself that it would happen before he slept.  He wanted to know what he could do with Alma’s points right now though.  Richter accessed her status page.

Name: Alma

Level: 24, 41%

Health: 340              Mana: 442              Stamina: 340

(Unused level points: 4)

Abilities:

Psi Bond – Lvl 3, points to next level: 3
Psi Blast – Lvl 2, points to next level: 2

Brain Drain – Lvl 6, points to next level: 6

Can use:

Air Magic

Life Magic
Resistances:
Mental: 100%

Air: 50%
Life: 50%
Race: Psi Dragonling

Richter saw that with the points he had, he could increase either her Psi Bond or Psi Blast once.  If he waited another two levels he would be able to level her Brain Drain again, but that just didn’t appeal to him.  The power of her Psi Blast was amazing and advancing it to level two had let her deal direct health damage with the ability.  Level three might unlock another effect.  More than anything, though, he loved how much… MORE she was since the Psi Bond had been increased.  She had been little more than a pet at first, but now she was like a cherished friend.  Richter shook his head and realized it was actually more than that.  She was family.  That thought helped him decide what to do.

*Come here, my love.  I would like to see you,* he sent.

She immediately flew down towards him.  Richter raised his arm and sent a mental image of her alighting upon it like a hawk.  She beat her wings to slow when she reached him and then gracefully landed.  Her tail wrapped around his wrist for stability and then her little face stared into his own, her draconian eyes full of love and affection.

*You have gotten stronger, my love.  In the past, I have always made this decision for you, but you are so much more than you used to be.  I think you should help to decide how you develop.  So I am asking, what would you like me to do?*

The dragonling continued to stare at him without moving for several minutes.  Everyone else knew there was something going on with their liege and his familiar, but since Richter didn’t call out and his steps didn’t falter, they just let him be.  Finally though, Alma did speak inside of his mind. *I trust my master.*

Her tone was full of love, but Richter thought he also detected a bit of hesitance.  He prompted her to continue.  After another minute she sent, *I like eating minds.  It feels good.  It makes us strong.  I like help too.  I hurt master’s enemies.  I keep master safe.*  She stopped transmitting, but he felt she had more to say.  He kept walking, holding her up, and looked into her small face.

When she spoke again, there was more strength to her thoughts. *I like these things.  I love knowing myself.  I love knowing master.  I love my master.*  She extended her neck forward and licked his cheek.  Richter smiled at his familiar, love blossoming in his heart.  The answer was clear.  He allocated her points and confirmed his decision.

You have chosen to increase your familiar’s ability: Psi Bond to level 4.  Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 75%.  She can now communicate in eight-word sentences.  Her base Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 45%.  Your familiar’s Psi Bond has advanced to being able to form a psychic connection even with those lacking the Psi Bond ability.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance from Psi Bond has increased to 30%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 750 yards to 1000 yards.  Finally, the improved Psi Bond stabilizes your own mental fortitude.  Tasks which require strength of mind will now come easier.

Richter continued to stare into Alma’s eyes and what he saw took his breath away.  He stopped walking without realizing it, the rest of the party halting as well.  As the dragonling continued to look at him, her gaze deepened.  Gone was the unquestioning devotion he had seen a moment before.  In its place was love tempered with increased self-awareness.  Richter felt like he had watched her grow from a child to a young adult in the blink of an eye.  Even her tone was more measured in his mind and also distinctly more feminine.

*Thank you, Master.  Few dragonlings ever reach this level of thought.  My world is violent.  The only law is eat or be eaten.  You have set my mind free.  My consciousness is exploding with new ideas.  I understand so much more now than I did before…*  She stopped for a second as she seemed to reflect on the mysteries that her mind was now unraveling.  She stretched her wings, then hopped from his arm up to his shoulders.  *I love you, Master.  I will be with you to death.  Then I will follow through to the beyond.*

Richter was moved by the depth of her sentiment.  As she settled her body onto his shoulders, he felt her chest rise and fall against the back of his neck.  *I love you too, Alma.*  The expansion of her mental capabilities had clearly worn the dragonling out because she fell asleep on his shoulders without another word.  Richter started walking again and addressed the rest of his prompts.

You have trapped the soul of a River Skath!  Soul level: Common.

You have trapped the soul of a River Skath!  Soul level: Common.

You have trapped the soul of a Bull River Skath!  Soul level: Higher.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 16 in Tracking.  +1% attack bonus vs individual prey.  You can follow older tracks.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 9 in Small Blades.  +2% attack speed.  +2% bonus to damage.

Congratulations! You have reached skill level 12 in Light Armor. +2% to defense of all light armor.

Congratulations! You have reached subskill level 9 in Grace in Combat.  Dodge increased by 15%.

Congratulations! You have reached skill level 8 in Dual Casting…  total spell power increased by 232%… mana drain decreased to 268%…

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 9 in Fire Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 13 in Air Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 4 in War Leader.  +1% effective distance.  +1% attack and defense for all allies.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 5 in War Leader.  +1% effective distance.  +1% attack and defense for all allies.

Congratulations!  Your war party survived a surprise attack from a superior force without taking any casualties.  Your party has been awarded the Promotion: Vigilant I.  +5% to perception of future hidden enemies.  +5% to response time to future surprise attacks.

You have unlocked your first Challenge: Leave No Man Behind I!  Survive a total of five battles with common soul enemies or higher without losing a single party member.  Fail Condition(s): Adding new party member.  Death of a party member.  Reward: Thirty War Points.

Know This!  War Points are awarded based upon the soul level of slain enemies.

For slaying seventeen River Skath and one Bull River Skath you have been awarded seventy-three War Points!  Total War Points: 77.

Congratulations!  You can purchase your first Badge!  At the rank of Novice in your War Leader skill you have access to the following promotions.

Richter smiled.  The War Leader skill just got better and better!  The question now was which Badge to buy.  If it followed the same logic as everything else in The Land, then successive levels would require more points.  It looked like he would earn more war points for each enemy that was slain by any member of his war party, though, so technically there were an unlimited number of points that he could collect.  That meant he had some leeway with his investing.  He had already collected over seventy points on his first trip out, after all.  On the other hand, there didn’t seem to be any time limit imposed on when he had to spend the points, so there really wasn’t any rush.  Richter shrugged and decided to spend ten points just to see what would happen.

He selected “Magical Attack I.”  As soon as he had, another prompt came up asking which magical school he would like to choose.  The options were Life, Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Death.  He wondered at the lack of Light and Dark magic, but then he reexamined the fine print under the description and saw that only spell schools that had been used during battle were eligible.  Plenty of healing spells had been used, which covered Life.  Haste I had been cast continually and Richter had summoned the saproling, which accounted for Air and Earth.  He had also cast Slow I and Ice Dagger I so he understood Water being available.

The fact that he could choose Death just confirmed what he had already suspected.  Beyan was a Death mage.  The skull attack spell didn’t seem like it could come from any other school, and the skaths that had attacked the bull had received grievous wounds without any reaction.  The only question now was why Beyan had tried to hide his magical ability.  Richter resolved to get to the bottom of it, but right now the prompt was still hovering in his vision.

Richter decided to choose Life attack.  It was true that there weren’t many offensive spells in the spell class, but Charm I remained an amazing spell when fighting sentients.  Of course it was only useful if it worked, and his Life magi would be lacking his 50% bonus to spell power.  The extra 5% could make the difference between victory and death.  And hey, it was only ten points.

You have chosen Magical Attack I (Life).  Life attack spells will be 5% stronger.  This badge will not take effect until you dissolve your current War Party and form another.

Well there it is, Richter thought sourly.  There always seemed to be some form of check and balance in The Land.  True, he could wait as long as he wanted to spend his war points, but they would only be effective when he made a new war party.  Since he could only do that once every twenty-four hours, it basically put a day-long cooldown on his ability to use new badges.  Still, if he thought ahead, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, he realized.  Richter kept going through his prompts.

You have unlocked: Magical Attack II (Life).

Richter brought up the table of badge promotions with a bit of mental flexing and saw that it had changed slightly.  Magical Attack II (Life) was present now and it would provide an additional 5% to spell strength.  Like he had suspected, though, buying this next badge would cost him 20 points as opposed to the original 10.  Magical Attack I was still present for the same 10 points, presumably for the other spell school badges he hadn’t bought yet.

Satisfied with the results of his experiment, he dismissed the remaining notifications and just enjoyed walking through the forest with his people.  Apparently, Sion checked his prompts a short while later because he excitedly asked about the Vigilant I promotion.  The other members of the war party checked afterwards and asked what it meant, which prompted Terrod to explain what he knew about badges and promotions for the second time.  Richter smiled as he walked.  He felt peace replacing tension and he simply enjoyed his people, the cadence of their simple conversation, and the gentle sounds of the forest.

CHAPTER 17

They returned to the village with no other difficulty.  Matching the speed of the laden mist workers, it took a couple hours to make it back to the gates, but it was worth the wait.  Sedrin, Ulinde, Sumiko, and Randolphus were waiting with several other guards at the gate.  Sedrin looked pale, but he gave a wan smile at seeing everyone approach.

“Now you’ve seen them,” Sumiko said in a scolding tone.  “No more stalling.  Go rest.”

Sedrin was leaning on a makeshift crutch with an irritated look on his face. “I appreciate you healing me, Lady Sumiko, but like I said, I don’t take orders from you!”

Richter and the others crossed through the gate in time to hear Sedrin’s response.  Richter wasted no time saying, “But you do take orders from me.  You and you,” he said, indicating two guards, “take him back to one of the longhouses.”

Sedrin started protesting again, but Richter would hear none of it.  “Sedrin.  You have fought hard for your village and for me.  You have done enough for now.  You need to rest.”  Richter’s voice softened a bit and he leaned in, his words for the guard’s ears alone. “Remember Petal.  Remember your vengeance!  You must heal for a few days so that you can fight again in the days after.  Will you follow my command?”

The guard looked at Richter with both emotional and physical pain on his face.  He then stood straighter, and with a bit of balancing, managed to salute with his fist to his heart.  “As you command, Lord Richter.”

Richter nodded and turned to address Sumiko, though he waited to speak until after Sedrin had moved off. “Were you able to heal him?”

She exhaled heavily. “Yes.  Though it took several types of spells.  He wasn’t just missing fingers.  He was also missing pieces of flesh and bone.  The bites of the river skath are also poisoned.  The effects would not take hold for several days, but if I waited then he would have been raving with hallucinations.  Come here, each of you.”

The tired sprite woman had each man of the war party kneel before her.  While he waited for his turn, Richter sent the mist workers over to the east side of the village.  Sumiko performed the same incantation, ridding each of them of a latent infection that had not even produced an icon in Richter’s vision yet.  She complained while she helped them. “Absolutely irresponsible to hunt creatures and have no idea of the dangers.”  “You all deserve the middle rot.  Do you know what the middle rot is?”  “If I was the healer of this village, things would be different!”

Richter received his healing and then stood before the diminutive sprite woman. “Will you be the healer of this village?”

His question caught her off guard.  He didn’t wait for her to answer, but instead pressed forward, “You have already done more for us than I have any right to expect.  I have benefited both from your magic and your wisdom.  The Mist Village is young, though, where the Hearth Tree is venerable.  I do not know if you can bind yourself here or if you must return someday to the wood sprite home, but if you would stay, I would feel honored to have you as the healer of this village.”

Richter delivered his offer with as much verve and sincerity as he could muster.  As he spoke, Sumiko stood taller, and the crotchety old woman persona that she had been portraying fell away like a discarded cloak.  “The people of the Hearth Tree are not prisoners.  I can pledge myself where I wish, young Lord.  The question is, what do you stand for?  Why should I pledge myself to your service?”

Richter looked at her, searching her face for a hint of what she wanted to hear.  The men stood around them, completely silent.  They wouldn’t risk interrupting their lord and the Life master.  More than that, though, they wished to hear Richter’s response as well.  He considered various answers and decided to just tell the unvarnished truth.

“My people have a saying,” he began, “that the meek shall inherit the Earth.  What history showed again and again, however, was that the meek would only be abused and killed.  I believe a greater wisdom is that freedom is not free.  I will live my life as I choose.  What I have chosen is to make a haven for those who cannot simply live their lives elsewhere.  I do not plan to just be a shield, however.  I am not here to always stand between the helpless and oblivion.  I am here to rid the helpless of their weakness and make them strong.  I have no illusions.  I will have to spill blood to make this village into something special, and I will make these rivers red if that is what is necessary.  I am not here to conquer though.  I am here to live.”

The sprite looked up at Richter and said, “Life magic is not just about keeping people alive.  It is about accepting the cycle of creation and destruction.  In my heart, I know that you are an agent of change.  I do not know if that change will be good or ill for the forest.  Good or ill for The Land.  Good or ill for Life itself.” She paused, considering her next words.  “I do know that you have a good heart now, though.  I will stand by you in the hope that I can keep it so.”

With a grace that belied her age, Sumiko went down on one knee and said, “I formally swear allegiance and loyalty to you, my Lord Richter.  From now, unto my very death, I will protect you and your interests, to the best of my ability and without deceit.”

Richter placed his hand on her shoulder. “I accept your oath of fealty, and swear to honor your pledge with the same gravity in which it was given.”

He helped her up and asked, “Does this mean you will be the official healer of the village?”

As if she had not just been discussing the existential matters of good and evil, she again adopted the mantle of a termagant grandmother. “Well of course it means I’ll be the healer.  I didn’t get my knee dirty because I like grass stains.  I’ll also be in charge of the Life magi.  They have a lot to learn.  And we will need to start making more health potions for those of you going out to hunt.  Also, I better get a healer’s hut built immediately!  I can’t be expected to deal with every little cut and scratch, especially not out in the fields without a roof over my head!  You warriors are always brave until you get a little bruised.  If I had a copper for every time…”  She kept up her verbal stream of consciousness as she walked away from the gate, heading back into the village.

Richter looked after her with slightly wide eyes, wondering what he had just signed up for.  Sion looked at him, laughing, and said, “Be careful what you wish for, brother!”

CHAPTER 18

The guards that had accompanied Richter went off to handle their previously assigned duties.  The members of the war party looked at one another.

“I do believe most of us need to have some repair work done on our armor,” Krom said.  He plucked at one of the ragged holes that the skath’s claws had left.  “I know I do.  I will get started on the repairs now.  I won’t be carrying yer armor for ye up to the Forge, though!  I nae be a bloody messenger!”

Richter checked his own weapons and armor.  His chest plate definitely had some scoring on it, but nothing so bad that it decreased the defense potential.  He checked his sword too and was amazed that despite the serious work it had just done, the durability had only decreased by 12.  Looking at the ragged armor of the other war party members, it really underlined what a difference better gear made.  If they had to fight another monster right now, many of the party members might not make it with such large holes in their armor.  His personal fighting ability on the other hand was undiminished.  As he thought more about it, he realized that this particular facet of The Land was the same as how things were on Earth.  A Navy Seal with special forces gear could be a veritable god compared to the average American.  The conclusion of his line of thinking was obvious.  He had to get his people better gear and training.

“Krom is right.  Go repair your armor and sharpen your swords.  Tomorrow we are going out again.  Or maybe we will go down into the lower levels of the catacombs.”

The dwarf perked up. “That stairway off the Great Seal?  I’ve been dying to get down there.  Probably treasures galore!”

“I will admit that I have been curious as well, my lord,” Terrod said.  “I wouldn’t mind knowing more about what is beneath us.”

“The catacombs it is then.  We will leave tomorrow after the morning meal.”

“Should I find another guard to replace Sedrin?” Caulder asked.

“No.  We received a challenge after our battles today.  If we can survive four more battles we get a bonus, but we fail the challenge if we add any more party members.  We will make do.”

“As you command, Lord Richter,” Caulder said.

Krom and Terrod echoed, “As you command.”

Richter nodded to them in response.  Then he reached into his Bag and handed over the soul stones he had collected as well as two of the special stones.  Krom’s eyebrows rose as he saw the boss grade souls that two amber gems held.  Richter told him to use his best judgement and only to use the special stones if he was making something truly amazing, but to use the higher level and lower stones as he saw fit.  Krom promised that he would use them well, then he and the guards walked off in the direction of the Forge.  Ulinde tried to hand back the unused moonstone arrows along with the one he had retrieved after the battle, but Richter told him to keep the ammo.  He asked if the archer would be ready for another battle tomorrow and got a smile and a nod in return.  Ulinde walked off, and Jean said his farewells as well, saying his wife would kill him if he didn’t check in with her now that he was back.  The Air mage agreed to be ready to fight again in the morning.

Beyan, Sion, and Richter looked at each other.  Futen floated nearby and Alma flew in lazy circles above.  Richter looked at Futen and said, “Check on the village.  If the mist workers are still waiting in the center, make sure they are put to good use.  In fact, if they are free, run them back to the spot where we found the moonstone vein and have them harvest as long as they can.  After you’ve checked on everything, report back.”

“As you command, my lord.” The remnant floated away.

Richter looked at Beyan. “Let’s go take a look at the bodies we brought back.  Who knows what we might find.  Sion, I’m sure you’d like to learn more as well.  Why don’t you come with us?”

The sprite took the hint and readily agreed.  Beyan’s face had the resigned look of a man walking to the electric chair, but he agreed as well.  The three of them slowly walked along the inside of the village wall.  The earthworks were gradually being replaced with marbled quartz, but there was a great deal more work to be done.  The sun shone down on them and each step released the faint scent of crushed grass.

Richter checked a prompt that had appeared.

Congratulations!  You have uncovered another Job of your Village.  You have filled the position of: Healer.  Your village will benefit proportionally to the skill of whomever you have chosen.  Life mage Sumiko is an excellent choice.  Her highest healing skill has the rank of: Master.  Diseases are less likely to spread.  All healing spells cast within the village domain are increased in power by 10%.  All healing potions are increased in power by 10%.  Health of the village will increase by +5 per week.  In light of your choice being a master Life mage, you are awarded +250 to Health.

DING!

The Health of your village has increased from Neutral to Healthy.  Good health is the bedrock of a thriving settlement.  Your village has made strides towards a brighter future.  Reward(s): +5% to Population Growth, Morale, Loyalty, and disposition of your villagers towards you.

You have been offered a Quest: House of Healing I.  Your new Healer has demanded that you make a place for her to attend to her patients.  Though it was not discussed beforehand, she made it clear that you have no choice in the matter.  You must build a Healer’s Hut within one month.  Reward: Societal bonus from building a healer’s hut.  Penalty: Decreased relationship with Sumiko.  Daily haranguing from Sumiko.

No choice?  No CHOICE!  Richter got ready to get all huffy about the prompt, but then he just dismissed it with a sigh.  Sion had been right.  It was important to be careful what you wish for.  Those penalties sounded like a pain in the ass.  Having Sumiko as the village healer would be worth him sacrificing a little pride.  Besides, he thought, looking at Beyan, he had more important things to think about.

None of them spoke and none of them were in a hurry to break the silence.  Richter had learned long ago the benefit of allowing people to do things in their own time.  He also knew from personal experience that difficult topics were easier to discuss when one’s hands were occupied.  If Beyan hadn’t started talking by the time they were done with the messy task of searching the bodies for useful components, then Richter would broach the topic himself.  He decided he would give the gnome that time, though.

They walked up to the area where the hunters skinned and dressed their kills.  The men were standing around the bodies of the skaths, poking and prodding them.  The workers had managed to bring back the bull and three of the females.  The saber bear’s carcass had already been skinned and the hunters had rigged a large drying rack for it.  Richter smiled.  It was good to work with industrious people.

Richter singled out the mist worker carrying the eggs and had it stand to the side.  The others he gave orders to run back to the site of the fight with the skaths and to bring their bodies back here as quickly as possible.  He also told them to keep a lookout for more eggs and that if any were found to store them safely and then bring them directly to him.  The two workers moved off at a slow jog.  He cast Haste I on one of them before they got out of range, and Sion buffed the other one.  The spells wouldn’t last long, but Richter figured every little bit helped.

The hunters praised the three of them for bringing down such dangerous creatures.  Sion joked with the men, saying they should have seen the really big ones that were left out in the forest.  That got a round of laughs, but Richter saw that Beyan was feeling strained at getting such attention.  He thanked the hunters for their praise, but said they would be digging into the monsters and didn’t want to spoil the good meat nearby.  A quick order later and the mist worker had dragged the saber bear carcass a short distance away from the cleaning area.  The hunters would still be within eyeshot, but they should be far enough away that Beyan could feel comfortable speaking, though with elf hearing you could never be too sure.

Before Richter moved off, two of the hunters who had become Life magi handed over a handful of basic soul stones.  Each was glowing with an inner light, showing that they were filled, but the lights shone with various intensities.  When Richter checked them individually he saw that most of the souls were only poor or weak quality.  Still, every little bit helped.  He thanked the hunters.  The two men prepared to leave, but stopped at Richter’s command.

He gave them a copper for each weak and basic level soul and also handed over four empty common soul stones.  Richter told them to spread the word that a similar bonus would be paid in the future, and that any common level soul would earn them five coppers.  The men smiled as they pocketed the coins.  From the happy expressions on the hunters’ faces, he was fairly certain more stones would be coming his way in the near future.

Once Richter, Sion, and Beyan were around the dead monsters, they took out their knives and got to work.  The air filled with the scent of blood and after a while, buzzing insects filled the air, feeding on the offal.  They only spoke when they found something useful.  Their efforts were not in vain.

You have found: Moonstone Claw.  Durability: 178/178.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Weight: 0.8 kg.  Traits: Smelting three of these will produce a masterwork quality moonstone ingot.

You have found: Moonstone Fang.  Durability: 178/178.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Weight: 1.9 kg.  Traits: Smelting one of these will produce a masterwork quality moonstone ingot.

You have found: Saber Bear Scent Gland.  Durability: 5/5.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Weight: 0.03 kg.  You feel that this could be a component of a potion or ring to give you a “sixth sense” regarding nearby metal deposits.

You have found: Skath Poison Sac.  Durability: 3/3.  Item Class: Common.  Weight: 0.01 kg.  You feel this could be used to make a slow-acting hallucinogenic poison.  If squeezed into water, it also functions as a fish and frog attractant.

You have found: Skath Fat.  Durability 5/5.  Item Class: Common.  Weight: 0.2 kg.  This can be converted into a highly flammable oil.

You have found: Bull River Skath Pheromone Gland.  Durability: 6/6.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Weight 0.02 kg.  You feel this could be used to enrage river skath cows.  It might be useful to make a Strength potion or appetite suppressant.

Whenever one of them found something useful, they would call out and the item would be set to the side.  It was gory work, but the components they found made it worthwhile.  The bear alone provided enough raw material to make eight moonstone ingots, and the scent gland could prove to be invaluable.  The time spent harvesting also served a much deep purpose.  After a few minutes, Beyan began to speak.

CHAPTER 19

“My family comes from across the Beckoning Sea, south of the Plains of Gold.  We served the local ruler as magicians.  For generations, our services were valued and our family was respected.  I was from a proud bloodline.”  Beyan’s voice was thick with bitterness and regret, like a once sweet syrup that had turned rancid.  “We were always strong in various magics.  My uncle was an accomplished Earth mage and my grandmother was a Dark mage.  It was known, though, that Death magic was the true strength of my family.  It was the magic that my grandfather was born with.  It was the magic that I was born with.”

Beyan laughed without any real humor. “I remember how, as a child, I was praised.  The local assessor discovered that my starting Death affinity was 100%.  My family was so proud and all I heard for days was how wonderful my life would be.  I sometimes wonder if they were right.  If my life might have been great if…” His voice caught.  Richter and Sion looked at one another, but neither spoke.  Beyan kept sawing at the body of the skath he was working on.  They went back to work as well.

After a few minutes, the gnome started speaking again.  “My grandfather was a powerful Death mage, but he was more interested in creating life.  At least that was how he explained why he dove between the legs of every woman in the kingdom.  My grandmother turned a blind eye to it, but one day he chose a target that she couldn’t ignore.  He bedded the wife of the local duke.  The fool!  To make matters worse, the duke’s son found them in the act, and my grandfather killed him.”

Beyan barked a short, dark laugh. “My bastard of a grandfather was gravely injured as he made his escape.  He only just managed to make it home before he succumbed to his wounds.  Mind you, he didn’t warn any of the family of what he had done or what danger he had placed us all in.  He simply hid in his room and died.

“The duke had already started mobilizing his men to search for my grandfather.  If there was one thing my family was known for more than its magical ability, it was my grandfather’s philandering ways.  It didn’t take the duke long to know exactly who was responsible for the cuckolding of his wife and the murder of his son.  To make matters worse, he had used death magic to kill the noble heir.  There was no doubt as to my grandfather’s guilt.”

Beyan shook his head.  His hands continued to saw back and forth.  They were all doing their best to preserve the skath hides while they harvested.  He collected himself again and added, “The duke was known as a brutal man.  My entire family would have been tortured before death in retribution, if not for my grandfather’s warning.”  Beyan’s voice quavered at the end and he grew silent again.

A few more minutes passed and Richter couldn’t resist asking, “But I thought you said that your grandfather spoke to no one before he died?”

Beyan smiled with sick fatalism.  His hand continued its bloody work. “You forget.  There was another Death mage in the family.  They discovered my talent when I was five years old and for the next year, I practiced incessantly until I reached skill level eleven and could cast the spell Commune with Dead I.  It would only work on the recently deceased, but it forced spirits to appear and tell the truth for a short time.”  He chuckled darkly. “You have no idea how much ‘loving’ family members were willing to pay to get the truth out of a dearly departed husband or uncle.  My chores didn’t consist of sweeping the floor or washing pans.  Instead I added to the family by hearing spirits confess to murders in detail or reveal where they had hidden money from their families.  I will say one thing about being a Death mage.  It gives an unvarnished and stark view of life.

“So when my grandmother saw the bloody remains of my grandfather, she knew that the trouble had not ended with his death.  Unlike him, she was no fool.  Knowing time was probably short, I was called to his bedside and stood there while my grandfather’s spirit related his latest conquest in detail.  I still remember my grandmother’s face.  Even as she listened to his betrayal, there were tears in her eyes at the loss of her love.  Then she made the mistake of asking if he still loved her.”  Disgust filled Beyan’s face. “‘I never loved you,’ he said.  I swear I could hear my grandmother’s heart break, Lord Richter.”

Beyan exhaled deeply. “Once the tale was done, she stoically had me ask a few more questions.  She found out that he had squandered most of the family’s vast fortune on liaisons and drink, but also that there were pockets of money hidden through the house and more importantly, hidden books of magic.  There were only six of us left, my mother, father, grandmother, and two sisters.  We raced through our home and grabbed what we could.  Then my grandmother started a fire and we raced for the docks.  When the duke’s men later came to the house that had sheltered my family for centuries, blades out and looking for blood, they found only flames and ash.  I remember looking back and seeing the only home I had ever known burning brightly with the body of my grandfather inside.”

“I’m sorry,” Richter said quietly.

Beyan shrugged and kept talking. “We fled.  We were lucky enough that the tide was high and a ship was sailing out.  With only what we could shove into the sacks that we carried over our shoulders, we sailed out.  Over the next few weeks, we hopped from port to port and ultimately we landed in Lebaron.  We lost ourselves in the capital city of Elecktra, and started putting our lives back together.

“At first, things were not so bad.  We had been able to grab enough money and gems to buy a small alchemy shop with rooms above for us to live in.  Neither my mother nor my father had been born with an affinity for magic, and so they had supported themselves by making potions.  My grandmother remained saddened by the loss of my grandfather, but the rest of us had never been close to the callous man.  Life continued.

“Years passed.  My older sisters grew up and were married off.  Both to incredibly boring men as I recall, but they seemed happy.  One moved to Kailand to run a bakery with her husband and the other ran off one night with a trader from the Twins.  My parents had not agreed with her choice of husband.  They were both gone by the time I reached ten years of age.  I have seen neither of them since.

“More time passed and my family found happiness in our new life.  My mother and father worked hard and were able to buy a larger shop.  I worked with them each day and learned everything that they could teach.”

The gnome smiled again, but with true happiness for the first time. “I remember the scent of the herbs greeting me when I woke each morning.  The people of our neighborhood treated us kindly because they came to trust that potions bought from my family would work as promised.  We began to prosper.  There was only one rule that was instilled in me again and again.  I was never to show anyone my magic.

“You see, Lord Richter, Death magic is not overly common in the River Peninsula.  Especially not in gnome families.  As such, while not taboo, it, and those who practice it, are generally not trusted.  My grandmother foresaw that if word of a gnome death mage became well known, our anonymity would be destroyed.  Though we had not heard from the duke for many years, my grandmother never let me forget the stories of his cruelty.  I was told over and over that we must remain hidden to remain safe.  My grandmother was wiser than I appreciated at my young age.  I should have listened.”

Beyan grew silent for several minutes.  The only sound was the buzzing of flies around the three men.  The Death mage took a deep breath before he finished his story.  “You see, as much as I hated my grandfather for what his actions did to me and my family, the hunda fruit did not fall far from the vine.  As I grew older, my gaze was drawn more and more to the girls that lived near us.  One night, I finally convinced one of them to lift her skirts for me.  Convinced!  Ha!  I learned later that I was the fifth boy to gain that ‘honor’ in less than a month.  I was a fool.

“At the moment, though, I was convinced that our love was a story for the ages.  As I lay next to her in a derelict storage shed, I compounded my foolishness by telling my ‘true love’ my entire story.  I even demonstrated a spell for her.  She was so impressed!  I was so proud!  I knew that I would love her for the rest of my life…”

When Beyan spoke again, Richter heard no bitterness, only sorrow. “I imagine that as soon as I had headed home, she immediately ran to an information peddler.  The going rate for information from street urchins was a single copper.  That was the price of my family’s lives.  A tight fit, a wet slit, and a single copper.  That is what was traded for the only people in the entire world who cared for me.  Like my grandfather, I betrayed my family for lust.

“From that moment, it was only a matter of time.  My grandmother was right you see, my lord.  The duke had never forgotten my family and what my grandfather had taken from him.  Both his son and his wife.  The story of the duke who had blinded his unfaithful wife with his thumbs before throwing her onto the street to live as a beggar was well known.  No, he had not forgotten us.  The only thing that had changed through the years was that the bounty on my family had grown larger.  Less than a week after my foolish mistake, my family was walking in the local market and a host of men set upon them.  They were slaughtered.

“The only reason that I still live is that a neighbor of ours risked her own life to run back to our shop where I was watching the counter.  My heart darkened with every word as she told me of the deaths of my mother, father, and grandmother.  I remember that I stood motionless with shock for a long moment, but then I started to move.  Despite the joy and prosperity we had found, my family never forgot the night we had to burn our own home.  Beneath a paving stone behind our shop we had hidden a bag that contained the majority of our wealth and the magic tomes we had saved so many years before.

“I took the satchel and started running.  I didn’t stop for years.  I traveled all over the River Peninsula, never staying anywhere for long.  Ultimately, I settled in Law.  My funds were much reduced, but I had enough to repeat the example of my parents.  I bought a small shop and practiced the alchemy trade.  I did not befriend my neighbors.  I withdrew within myself and kept small.  I stayed quiet.  I never used my magic again, until today.”

Beyan put his skinning knife down and stood.  He walked over to a nearby bucket of water and plunged his arms in, scrubbing vigorously to remove the skath blood.  When he came back, he was calm.  “I would have been content to live that way until the end of my days.  Perhaps not content exactly, but I could have done it.  I grew accustomed to my solitude.  I considered reaching out to my sisters from time to time, but I realized that leaving Elecktra, leaving the family behind, was probably the only reason that they were still alive.  I knew that attempting to find them would only place both them and myself in greater jeopardy.  So I took the lesson that close personal bonds were to be avoided.

“Living in Yves, I began being rude to people to keep them away.  After time, that practice became easier, and then it became reflex.  For years, I have thought that the anger in my heart was an armor that kept me safe.  I have thought that it existed by my own choice.  When I used my magic today, though, I felt a peace I have not felt in years.  I now know that my anger and misery came from denying my own nature.  I will never do that again.”

Beyan poured some water out of a skin onto his dagger and began cleaning it with a rag. “Now you know my story, Lord Richter.  If you wish me to leave, I will.  It has been many years since I fled Elecktra and I have heard nothing of the duke in all of that time, but I cannot promise that my presence is not a danger to you and the village.”  He waited for Richter’s response.

Richter and Sion stood, washing their hands and blades as well.  Futen had returned while they worked and hovered nearby.  Richter leaned over and whispered to Sion.  He handed over his Bag and the sprite nodded and jogged off.  He told Futen to have Sumiko meet him at the base of the slope leading to the northern meadow.  The remnant floated off, and Richter turned his gaze back to Beyan, who still stood nearby, his bald pate burned slightly red from so much time in the warm sun. “Walk with me.”

As they passed by the hunters, Richter told them to save and salt the meat and also what to preserve when the other skaths were brought back.  The men told him it would be taken care of and the two men continued on.  They were silent until they were beyond earshot again, but then Richter shared his thoughts.  “You have a home here.  You do not need to hide your magic any longer.  Every nonhuman here is fleeing oppression and the dictates of vengeful nobles, and I see no reason to treat you differently.  I only demand from you the same thing I demand from everyone else that lives within my lands.  Do not harm any of your fellow villagers and work to keep us all safe.  Can you promise me that?”

In a tone of disbelieving astonishment, Beyan answered, “I swear it, Lord Richter.”

“Then I have another question.  Can you stop being such an asshole?  It’s a serious question.  I honestly considered just punching you in the face before today, but I quite like the version of you that I’m seeing now.”

Beyan looked at Richter in shock.  He was so taken off guard that he tripped over a rock and fell onto his butt.  Richter tried not to laugh, but it sneaked out as a cough, then a chuckle, then a full-throated chortle.  Beyan looked up, annoyed at first, but then started laughing as well.  Richter helped him up and they kept laughing together for a few more seconds.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Beyan said, “Well if that’s not a sign from the Universe telling me not to take myself too seriously then I don’t know what would be.  The answer to your question is yes.  It probably won’t happen overnight, but since I used my magic, I feel like a knot has started unraveling inside of me.”

Richter nodded. “Well I can’t ask for a more honest answer than that.  Now I have one more question.”  He started walking in a more northerly direction. “Now that you’re using your magic again, are you willing to put your Alchemy skill to good use on behalf of the village?”

“What does that mean exactly, Lord Richter?”

“One, you would teach others what you can do, share your knowledge.  Basically you will take on novices who will help you with your work.  Two, you’ll make potions for the good of the village.  Sumiko is right.  We need to be better prepared for future battles.  Three, you bend the knee.  Amazing things are on the horizon, but I can only make you a part of it if you are truly with me.  If you swear fealty, you’ll do so in front of Sumiko.  She will cast her truth spell on you, just like everyone that bent the knee last night.  You will agree to obey my commands and the commands of those I place above you.  There can be a home here for you either way, but if you are tired of running from those with more power than you and would like my help to become powerful in your own right, then I can help you do that.”  They had reached the bottom of the slope leading up to the meadow of the Quickening, and Richter stopped walking.  “If you need time to consider it, that’s fine, but tell me now.”

Beyan looked at Richter with an intense stare.  His body was tight with tension and Richter could almost see a lifetime of distrust warring with the gnome’s desire to have a better life.  They stood there, unmoving, for several minutes while Richter awaited the Death magician’s answer.  Sumiko walked up with Futen floating beside her.  The sprite woman was grumbling about being summoned by a flying rock, but when she felt the serious air around the two men, she quieted and waited to see what would happen.

Beyan looked from Richter to Sumiko and back again, then went down to one knee.  Sumiko, picking up on why she had been summoned, cast Soul’s Window.  After her hands stopped glowing, Beyan made his pledge.  Not the same formulaic words that had been spoken to Richter hundreds of times now, but a pledge that was specific to the gnome and his complicated path through life.

“I formally swear allegiance and loyalty to you, my Lord Richter.  Through life, and unto my death, I swear my service to you.  I will follow your commands and the commands of those you place over me.  I swear with my whole heart that if you ever punch me in the face without cause, I will punch you back in a much more sensitive spot.  I also swear to give you my best every day.”

Sumiko coughed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and said, “He meant everything he said.”

Richter laughed again and helped the gnome up.  “I can live with that.  I accept your pledge and promise to tell you if you start being an asshole again.”

Beyan smiled and said, “I can live with that too.”

“Well if this excess of manliness is done, I have work to do,” Sumiko said with a huff.

“Actually, miss sassy,” Richter said with a smile, “I’d like you to come up to the meadow with me.  There is something that I think you would like to see.”  Sion jogged up to them and handed over Richter’s Bag of Holding.  The sprite nodded to him and Richter said, “Let’s go.”

They walked up the slope.  At the top, Isabella and Terrod were laughing about something and a few other people were working in the garden.  The woman ran up to Richter and embraced him again.  How she didn’t hurt her fun bags on his armor he had no idea, but since it didn’t seem to bother Terrod, he wasn’t going to complain. “Thank you for bringing him back safely from the hunt, my lord.  My Terrod has told me that you even gave him your sword, leaving yourself defenseless, when he lost his.  Thank you!”

Richter laughed and extricated himself from her embrace. “It was a team effort.  I’m glad you’re here though.  There is something I would like you to see.”  He told all of the other gardeners to stop what they were doing and to follow him as well.  For good measure, he even cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted towards the Quickening, “Come on over and see something cool!”  He had to imagine that the sprite guards Hisako had left behind got bored just guarding the tree and the pixies.

Richter walked past the garden and went another two hundred yards.  He turned around and addressed everyone, “I wish the entire village could be here, but I’m happy I can share it with you.”  Then he reached into his Bag and took out the item he had sent Sion to retrieve, the alchemy set he had bought from Leandra’s shop so long ago.  He carefully reassembled it while his people watched, confused.  When he was done, he turned back to them and with dramatic flair, removed the Magic Core from his Bag.

“By the reaper’s gonads!  You have another one?” Beyan asked, shocked.

“What?  Does the reaper even have gonads?” Richter asked in a half laugh.

“Big as melons, just like mine,” Beyan replied without missing a beat.  “But the point is where did you find another one?”  The gnome’s stare was threatening to burn a hole through the object.

“The where doesn’t matter.  What matters is that I am about to make a Philosopher’s Cauldron.  That’s why I needed to know where you stood.  Before today I would never have trusted you near this, but I want you to work here.  We both have a ways to go before we have a deep trust, but today was a good start.  Sion will be in charge here and there is apparently another alchemist I need to meet, but I invite you to use whatever I am about to create.”

Beyan bowed his head and said, “I am honored, my lord.”

Richter nodded to the gnome and without further ado, brought the Core and the alchemy set together.  A prompt appeared.

Do you wish to create a Philosopher’s Cauldron?  Yes or No?

Richter chose “Yes.”  The prompt disappeared and another took its place.

Know This!  A third component is required to create a Philosopher’s Cauldron.  You must supply a potion ingredient.

Richter dismissed the prompt.  It only made sense, he supposed.  The elementum had been such an important part of determining the character of the Forge of Heavens.  The question was, what could he add? The garden was right there and it was growing herbs and plants of various types, but that seemed too mundane an option.  He pulled up his inventory to see what else he had available.  If he didn’t find any good options, then there was nothing forcing him to use the Magic Core right now.  This was the last day to use some of his skill bonuses from leveling, though, and if he wanted to put them to the best use, it would be after he got whatever bonus he would earn from building the Cauldron.

The first thing that his eyes landed on was the enhanced crystal he had gotten from slaying the crystal guardian.  When he put the components together, though, a prompt told him that the crystal was a resource, not an ingredient.  So he put the crystal back and searched for the next item.  He smiled when he saw an item that he had completely forgotten about.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Rotting Blue Berries.  Trait(s): +0.5% potion creation success rate.  +100% effectiveness of intellect potions.  +2% chance of adding random undesirable effect to potions.  Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Twisted Focus?  Yes or No?

Well, I can certainly do better than that, he thought with a smile.  He handed the berries to one of the gardeners and told him to see if they could grow anything.  He also motioned for Futen to come closer and told him the results and to relate a comprehensive list to Randolphus later on.  A compendium of the effects of Magic Cores could come in handy in the future.  Richter pulled out the next item.  A simple healing herb that he had picked from the forest.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Forest Sage.  Trait(s): Healing potions will automatically be one level higher.  Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Basic Healing?  Yes or No?

“What are you doing with that sage, my lord?” Beyan asked.  The question was obviously directed at Richter, but the gnome’s eyes were glued to the Magic Core.  Richter tried not to laugh at him while he explained what was happening.  Immediately, everyone started shouting out herb examples.  Richter exhaled with irritation.  This was why he hadn’t told everyone immediately.  It felt like he was on The Price is Right bidding on a tube of toothpaste!  He just nodded and fake smiled as he listened to the cacophony and started trying other items from his Bag.  He just couldn’t resist seeing what would happen with the next ingredient.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Skath Fat.  Trait(s): ‘Oil’ level potions will be twice as powerful.  Incendiary potions will be twice as powerful.  Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Flammable Oil?  Yes or No?

Hmmm, stronger than he would have guessed, Richter thought.  He chose “No” again.  He told Futen the effect, and decided to quit playing around.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Blood of the Dark Aberration.  Trait(s): Dark magic and the agony of thousands suffuse this blood.  All Dark potions are 300% stronger.  All Light potions 60% weaker.  Spilling the life’s blood of creatures in the central cauldron will increase the power of any created potions for a short time.  This benefit is increased both by the level of sentience of your offering and the degree of suffering it experiences before death.  Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Dark Sacrifice?  Yes or No?

“Holy fuck!” Richter exclaimed.  A chorus of questions immediately came his way, but he waved them away.  He would NOT let this information out into the world.  He wasn’t interested at all, but he was sure some sick fuck would have no problem torturing puppies and babies to make stronger potions.  Still, knowledge was knowledge.  He whispered the effects to Futen and then took out the next ingredient.  Richter was fairly certain this wouldn’t be nice and cuddly either, but he had to know.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Crypt Mistress Ichor.  Trait(s): The true power of this demon lies in the spell disciplines of necromancy and enchantment.  Potions dealing with those disciplines are 200% stronger.  You will be able to make a unique potion: Death’s Kiss.  Forcing another to take this potion for ten days in a row will make them your slave, though it will halve their natural life span.  Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Demon Slavery?  Yes or No?

Richter’s lips twisted in disgust.  He wasn’t sure which option would have disgusted him more.  He started to whisper the results to Futen, but this time he decided not to even do that.  The Land could continue on without this particular knowledge.  Even if it was already out there, he wouldn’t compound the problem.  He just put the vial away.

His eyes were drawn to another item, and he felt something.  It was a still moment.  Like after you throw a dart and know it will hit the bullseye while it’s still in the air.  Or the moment right before you lean in, but already know she’s going to kiss you back.  He knew he had the right choice.  He withdrew the item from his Bag and completed the trinity of the ingredient, the set, and the Core.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient: Blood of Aged Glass Dragon.  Trait(s): Glass dragons are not the most powerful beings in The Land, but they are among the toughest.  Their blood and bodies embody the impossibly hard and clear metal, glass.  Dragons will continue to get larger and stronger as they age.  This Cauldron will do the same.  New characteristics may appear as the Cauldron ages.  The advanced years of the dragon this was obtained from has magnified the effects of its blood.  Created potions have a 0.08% chance of having another effect which will permanently increase a characteristic, skill, affinity, or resistance.  Potions will also increase in strength the longer they go unused.  Do you wish to make the Dragon’s Cauldron?  Yes or No?

Richter smiled and selected “Yes.”

The Core and bottle of clear blood rose from his hand.  The glass holding the blood suddenly shattered with a loud crack.  Richter and everyone else threw up their arms to shield their faces, but the force that sundered the bottle was so great that all that was left were tiny particles.  The explosion still distracted everyone enough that no one saw a single drop of the blood fall onto Richter’s left forearm.  It oozed through the small holes in the straps that secured Richter’s bracer to his arm before the clear blood soaked into his skin without leaving a trace.

When everyone looked again, they saw that the blood had formed into a sphere equal in size to the Core.  The two spheres began to follow the track of an unseen circle, tracing a matching orbit as they descended towards the alchemy equipment.  The circle they followed grew tighter until they were so close that they merged and became a shining ball of light.  It grew in intensity until it was almost blinding.  Even when Richter blinked, he could still see a red and orange afterimage.

The brilliant globe touched the alchemy set and infused it with the same light.  The globe disappeared.  The set just stood there shining for a few seconds, but then spherical pulses of light began to come off of it like it was the nucleus of a slow-moving explosion.  The light washed over Richter, Sion, and everyone nearby, then it swept through the meadow past the city walls and into the forest.  As it washed over everyone, they rocked back slightly.  The pulse had the same resistance as a slow moving ocean wave.  Once the first pulse was gone, another two came in swift succession, then three, then four.  Despite the fact that each pulse barely had any force to it, the frequency increased until it felt like it was a steady push.  Everyone standing with Richter was slowly bowed down, until they knelt before the majestic birth of The Land’s newest wonder.

All of a sudden, the light vanished.  Everyone had closed their eyes against the sea of light that had washed over them.  A host of prompts cluttered his vision even with his eyes shut, but Richter just minimized them all.  He had to see his new awesomeness!

Richter looked up, blinking quickly to clear his eyes of sunspots, and saw that he was standing in a building made of pure glass.  The walls were faceted and cut like a gemstone, and the sun made faint rainbows on the inner surface as it shone through.  Just as with the birth of the Forge of Heavens, the building had grown up around them.  The villagers with him exclaimed in wonder as they examined the many parts of the Dragon’s Cauldron.

As Richter looked around, he was astonished not just by the beauty of the building, which was larger than the Forge of Heavens, but by the fact that many parts of it looked like a twenty-first-century lab.  Beakers and cylinders of various sizes sat against the walls, all made of glass.  Against one wall was a vented hood that looked just like the one in his tenth grade chemistry class.  There were even streams of water coming down from the ceiling in each of the corners.  Richter walked up to one of these streams and saw that inside of a nearby wall, water was being funneled up from the ground and then released to fall back down and drain out through the floor.  It was plumbing!

Alchemical sets of various types were in discrete stations around the room.  Some were large and others were small and Richter even saw one that was in a case.  He checked it and it registered as a portable alchemical set of Core-level quality.  He closed the lid on the case and placed it in his bag.  Who knew when something like this might come in handy?

In the center of the building was the cauldron itself.  It was perched on four waist-high pillars that curved in a counterclockwise spiral.  The cauldron was the size of a large pumpkin and had a wide circular mouth.  The entire thing was built of glass which refracted the light beautifully, but what was amazing was that through the thick walls of the cauldron, he could see clear blood vessels tracing through it.  On closer inspection, each of the four pillars also had vessels as well.  As he watched, the vessels slowly pulsed, growing larger, then smaller as they pushed the glass blood around the circuit of the cauldron and up and down the columns.  Standing next to it, he felt like he was actually standing next to the beating heart of a dragon.  As close as he was, without even touching it Richter could feel the slow vibration of the blood coursing through the cauldron like the rumble of a far-off train.

Richter’s inspection was interrupted when he heard a feminine exclamation of delight.  He looked to the right and saw that attached to the main building of the Cauldron was what looked like a greenhouse.  Scratching absently at his arm, he walked over to Isabella and the other gardeners who were running around the spacious attachment.  The greenhouse was about twice as large as a two-car garage.  Once he had walked in, he could see that at one end, the glass was completely frosted over so that much less light would filter through in that section.  He supposed that would make it much easier to grow a wide variety of plants.  If this was meant to grow anything an alchemist might need, though, what about plants that could only grow in darkness like the lichen in the catacombs?

Terrod shouted out, “I found a trapdoor.”

Well ask a stupid question, Richter thought.  He walked over and drew his sword while Sion nocked an arrow to his bow.  He didn’t think that anything would come out and attack him once the door was opened, but he hadn’t expected a greasy black tentacle monster to almost rape him when he went into the waterfall cave either.  Caution was definitely called for.  Everyone else stood back, and at Richter’s nod, Terrod grasped the ring handle and yanked the door open.

There was simply a series of steps leading downward.  Sion chuckled and then Richter and Terrod joined him.  Richter’s heart rate slowed down, and he exhaled in a short, forceful huff.  The levity died quickly, though, because they all realized the job wasn’t done.  Alma flew up and landed on his shoulder, her neck extending past his face.  He figured he was as ready as he was going to be and he walked down the stairs.

The steps were made of glass just like the rest of the Cauldron, but it was pebbled to have the texture of fine sandpaper, so he didn’t need to worry about slipping and breaking his neck.  It seemed that whatever cosmic architect had made the Cauldron had thought of everything.  The stairs crossed back on themselves three times so that at the bottom, it was near pitch-black.   After the last stair there was a short hallway and a door.  Casting Darkvision I, he opened the door ready for violence… and saw the inside of an empty room.

Smiling at his own paranoia, he called up that it was safe and looked around. There actually wasn’t too much to see, just a series of alcoves that looked like scalloped wall lamps built into the walls.  He could see them being the perfect spot for potting plants.

Chuckling to himself, he saw that the only other things in the room were three long glass tables that grew out of the floor.  Turning around, he squeezed past everyone on the stairs and headed back up to the sunshine.  When he got back up, he saw a mist worker carrying eggs and decided to sneak off while everyone else was still busy.

He cast Haste I on the mist worker and then quickly moved off towards the banks of the lake.  A mental call to Futen brought the remnant floating along behind him.  The roar of the waterfall grew louder the closer he got, and before long, he was at the edge of the lake.  The guard that he had ordered stationed here was walking the perimeter of the lake.  When he saw his lord, he began to jog over, but Richter waved him away.  He then hunted around for a few minutes before finding a nice muddy patch of earth that was hidden from view by a small overhang of turf that extended over the lake by about a foot.

Richter had the mist worker give him the eggs one at a time.  Taking a break only to try and dig his fingers under his bracer to scratch an itch, he carefully worked each one into the mud until they were half buried, just like they had been when he found them.  He didn’t really know if he would be able to tame these things, but some of his favorite games had been when he was a beast master.  If he was able to harness the baby skaths’ potential, he could grow them into an aquatic strike force or maybe even attack mounts.  It was probably a long shot, but he had no idea what was possible in The Land.  It didn’t hurt him to try.

His efforts were rewarded.  After he placed the last egg into the mud, Richter received a prompt.

You have been offered a Quest: Beast Tamer I!  Every creature in The Land struggles for survival.  Conflict is not the only way to survive, though.  Even the most violent monster can be turned into an ally if you have the skill.  Will you protect this clutch of skath eggs until they hatch?  Yes or No?  Reward: Baby skaths.  Reward for accepting the Quest: The spell Tame.

Richter smiled.  It looked like he was on the right track.  He selected “Yes” and was about to head back to the Philosopher’s Cauldron when more prompts appeared.

Know This!  Not everyone has the skill to breed the dangerous creatures of The Land.  As you possess the requisite affinities, however, you are awarded the skills: Beast Bonding and Blood Magic to aid you in your quest.

Congratulations!  You have learned the skill: Beast Bonding.  The types of life that fill the various planes and realities of The Land are more numerous than the stars in the sky.  Masters of this skill can cause even the mightiest creatures to heed their call.  Be not fooled, the roads to bonding are many and total dominance is only one.

Congratulations!  You have learned the spell: Tame!  Bend the will of a creature to your own.  Creature level must be less than or equal to your rank in the skill: Beast Bonding.  At the rank of Novice, you may attempt to tame weak-level souls and may use the spell once per day. If you tame the same creature for a required number of days in a row, then it will be loyal to you til death.  As a novice in Beast Bonding, the required time is six days for every level of the creature you have tamed.  Betray the sacred trust with your bonded beast to your peril!  This is a spell of Blood Magic.  Cost:100 mana, 100 health, 100 stamina.  Duration: 40 hours.  Range: Touch.  Cast Time: 5 seconds.  Cooldown: 12 hours.

Know This!  Your close bond with a psi dragonling gives you an advantage in taming reptiles.  At Psi Bond level 4, you receive +8 skill levels to Beast Bonding when taming reptiles.

Know This!  The likelihood of taming a creature is based primarily upon its level compared to your effective skill level (not including specific resistances).  Each time a creature is successfully tamed their effective level is decreased by one for the purposes of your chances of successfully taming again.  Their actual level remains unchanged by casting Tame.  Leveling your creature will make repeat tames more difficult.

Congratulations!  You have learned the skill: Blood Magic.

Know This!  Blood magic is a form of Deeper Magic.  The path to Power is never without cost.  Beware using your power without thought, there could be consequences to such reckless pursuit of your goals.

Richter read through the prompts several times.  A spell that had a stamina, mana, AND health cost?  And a hundred points of any one of them was no small thing.  If he had tried the spell when he first came to The Land, it would have killed him!  It never entered his mind that he wouldn’t pay the spell cost, though.  Tame opened up too many possibilities.  The collar of submission had been burning a hole in his proverbial pocket, but he hadn’t wanted to waste it on a low-level monster.  Now that he had Tame, though, he could start bringing some monsters over to his side.

He looked at the skath eggs again and this time there was more information on the prompt.

You have found: River Skath Egg.  Health 9/10.  Durability: 4/4.  Item Class: Common.  Weight: 0.5 kg.  Trait(s): Will lose 1 HP per day unless properly cared for.  Will hatch in fifteen to thirty days.

Well I guess I can’t just leave them here, Richter thought.  He thought about it for a moment.  Maybe they’re just dry, he reasoned.  They are “river” skath eggs after all.  He dipped his hand into the lake and poured some water on top of the white shell.  There wasn’t any physical difference, but he did get another prompt.

You lack the necessary skill to care for: River Skath Egg.

“Damn,” Richter said quietly.  He had to hope that someone in the village could do it or maybe one of the sprites.  If none of the villagers could help, the six-day round trip to the Hearth Tree would still let him help the eggs before they died.  “Futen, tell Randolphus to go through the knowledge tablet and see if anyone has the skills to care for some skath eggs.  I have Beast Bonding.  None of the villagers have that skill, but maybe they have another that will work.  Make sure he knows where the eggs are hidden.  I also want you to summon a mist worker to watch these eggs twenty-four seven, at least until we can find someone to care for them.”  The last thing he wanted was for a skath to hatch and harm one of the village children.  “Also tell Randy to have Roswan build a small paddock around the eggs.  It’ll serve to protect them and keep them penned in if they suddenly hatch.”

“As you command, my lord,” came Futen’s typical monotone reply.

“Thanks, Futen,” Richter said absently.  He ordered Futen to take the mist worker to go find Roswan.  He was sure the builder would put the worker to good use.  As he started the walk back towards the Cauldron, he saw a steady stream of villagers walking from the other direction to look at the new Core building their Lord had created.  A nagging red blinking in the corner of his vision reminded him of the prompts he had minimized during the Cauldron’s creation.  A torrent of transparent windows flooded his vision.

Congratulations!  You have created: The Dragon’s Cauldron!  Each Philosopher’s Cauldron is granted powers based upon where it has been created.  The dragon’s blood used in its creation has found resonance with the Life magic of your Place of Power.  Your central cauldron has been imbued with a hint of life.  What this bodes for the future cannot be known, but the beating heart of the Cauldron may rarely infuse potions with a touch of the dragon’s essence, increasing their potency many fold.

Know This!  Your Philosopher’s Cauldron has been built with the blood of an aged glass dragon.  Your Philosopher’s Cauldron is currently: Level 1.  At this level, any potions created by the Dragon’s Cauldron will have a 0.08% chance of having an extra effect which will permanently increase a characteristic, skill, affinity, or resistance.  Potions you create will grow stronger over time.

Congratulations!  You have crafted a Legendary Object: The Dragon’s Cauldron.  In light of this amazing achievement, you may choose to drastically increase your skill level in either Enchanting, Alchemy, Crafting, or Herb Lore.  Which do you choose?

Richter paused before moving onto the notification window.  He had been hoping to get the option to improve his Enchanting skill again.  He had planned to choose it despite whatever options were offered, but he hadn’t counted on Herb Lore being present.  On the surface, there was no comparison between the two.  He would choose Enchanting ten times out of ten.  There was one other thing to consider, though: the Quickening.  Sion had mentioned once that Herb Lore was so valued by his people because at higher ranks it allowed you to accelerate the growth of plants.  Richter pondered the decision as he walked towards the Cauldron.

He ultimately decided on the Enchanting skill bonus.  Better to go with a known benefit that he could use now rather than an Herb Lore benefit that might still mean years of waiting for a potential gain.  Richter selected “Enchanting” on the prompt and waited to see what he would get.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 30 in Enchanting.  All enchantments 1% more effective and increased chance of enchantments taking hold.

…

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 46 in Enchanting.  All enchantments 1% more effective and increased chance of enchantments taking hold.

You have received 7,500 (base 6,000) bonus experience for reaching level 30 in the skill: Enchanting.

You have received 10,000 (base 8,000) bonus experience for reaching level 40 in the skill: Enchanting.

Congratulations!  You have advanced from Apprentice to Journeyman in: Enchanting.  You can now create magic books based on spells that you already know or if you are in the presence of someone else who is willing to have you scribe their knowledge.  You can now create skill books based upon skills that you already have or if you are in the presence of someone else who is willing to have you scribe their knowledge.  You can now add enchantments to already created items, albeit with a 40% penalty to effectiveness.  You can now help other craftsmen enchant items they are creating.  Enchantment will be based upon your skill level.

Richter clapped his hands together. “Whooose house?  Richter’s house!”  He laughed wildly at the huge bump to his skill.  Alma’s head rose from his shoulder.  She glared at him before lying back down.  He turned his head and winked at her before continuing to go through his prompts.

Know This!  Your creation of the Dragon’s Cauldron represents devotion to the furthering of alchemical sciences.  You now enjoy an increased relationship with all alchemists in the village.

Bonus Reward: Your people are impressed by the creation of a Legendary Object.  Morale increased by +50.

Congratulations!  You have created a Legendary Object!  You have won +1,000 fame points!

Know This!  You have built a fully functional alchemist’s workshop.  Your settlement will now enjoy the Building Bonus of increased chance of higher strength potions and increased chance of successful potion creation.

Know This!  As you have built a Philosopher’s Cauldron, you have maxed out the Building Bonus of having an alchemist’s workshop.  +10% chance of a potion being automatically upgraded to a higher quality once completed.  +10% chance of a potion being successfully created.

There was more to read about the Cauldron’s properties, but something strange happened.  A prompt with a flashing red outline jumped to the front of the message queue.  The color flashed as if to demand his immediate attention.

Know This!  You are intrinsically linked to your Place of Power.  By creating a Legendary Object within its boundaries, you have been Marked.  The dragon’s blood you have absorbed will change you, and the full effects may not be seen for millennia to come.

Richter abruptly stopped walking.  “When I absorbed what now?” he exclaimed loudly.  He began to experience a familiar tingling over the entirety of his body.  It began as barely noticeable but quickly became intense, like the worst itch of his life.  This is different than my previous marks, Richter thought with some concern.  The sensation began to localize to the inside of his left forearm and as the area grew smaller, the itch grew more intense.  It felt like beetles were crawling under his skin!  The area was covered by the straps of his bracer, so he hurriedly started untying them.  His fingers fumbled in his panic and before he had even undone the first clasp, the pain skyrocketed and spread out from his arm to encompass his whole body.  His blood was boiling!

Richter screamed.  His back arched from a muscle spasm and one of his vertebrae fractured from the strain.  His only thoughts were of the horrifying agony that somehow still seemed to be getting worse.  His red status bar flashed as whatever was happening to him drained his health points at a prodigious rate.  Alma flared golden, casting Slow Heal I, but it didn’t stop the transformation that was racking his body with more pain than he would have thought physically possible to experience.

A rib broke and punctured his lung.  Blood shot from his mouth in a brief spurt as the change in pressure in his chest cavity triggered a reflex to expel perceived foreign matter.  An evolutionary reflex meant to buy a few more moments of life when his body was faced with massive trauma.  Richter’s neck contorted in a hopeless attempt to escape the pain he was

experiencing, and his last sight was of his guards running towards him, swords drawn.  As he fell to the ground and blackness flooded in all around him, Alma landed and placed her head on his chest, crooning in despair.

HAPTER 20

Richter came to a few minutes later.  The first thing that he noticed was the lack of pain.  Without even opening his eyes, he said, “Oh thank god!”

One of the villagers cried out, “He calls upon the banished gods!  His end must be near!”  A wailing moan rose up from many throats all around him.  Fuck me, Richter thought.  Tears and hysteria were the last thing he needed at that particular moment.  He was about to open his eyes and tell everyone to be calm, when a matronly voice spoke up with the commanding certainty of a general.

“Quiet all that noise before I thump you and give you something to really cry about.  Our lord just spoke.  In my experience that is much more likely to indicate life than impending doom!  Now get back.  Get back!”

As Richter opened his eyes he saw a brown blur in the shape of a cane swing out and rap someone on top of the head.  There was a corresponding “OW!” and the crowd of shapes hovering above him pulled back.  Well, dude, she warned you, he thought.  Terrod’s face came into his field of vision and the captain reached down and helped Richter up.  Once he was standing, though, the captain took a step back with a startled, “Wha—?”

Richter couldn’t be sure of course, but he was fairly certain Terrod’s exclamation had something to do with the fact that it seemed like he had grown.  Terrod was a tall man and had always been able to look Richter straight in the eye.  Now, though, Richter had to crane his neck down slightly to make eye contact.  By his guess, he must have grown two or three inches!

Despite everything that he had just been through, his first thought was that maybe he could dunk now.  His second thought, he was ashamed to say, was that this should make it easier to get laid!  Luckily, his third thought showed at least the smallest amount of introspection and maturity, as he wondered if there were any external changes to his appearance.  He raised his hands and cast Mirror.

A flat reflective surface appeared in front of him.  While his people whispered to each other around him, he moved close to the mirror and examined himself.  After a minute of close scrutiny, he felt fairly certain he hadn’t grown any scales and that his tongue wasn’t forked.  He dismissed the mirror and was about to address his people when one final and horrible thought occurred to him.  He reached his hand into his pants and made sure that everything was where it should be, then exhaled a sigh of profound relief.  The monster was safe!  Sumiko let out a disgusted grunt and started walking off muttering about the idiocy of men.

“Are you alright?” Sion asked.  “What just happened?”

Richter shook his head. “I’m not exactly sure.  I was reading about a new Mark when—  Alma!  Not so tight!”  The dragonling had flown down from where she was circling overhead and had wrapped herself around his neck in a tight hug.

*I was so worried, Master!  You were bleeding from your eyes!  Oh, Master, never do that again!*  Then her tone grew scolding. *What did you do?  Whatever you did, never do that again!*

Richter pried her body loose from the choke grip she had and then shook his head.  Why was it that the smarter and wiser a woman got the more they believed that anything bad that happened was somehow a man’s fault!  It was quite rude in Richter’s opinion.  The fact that the women in his life were usually right in blaming him for any mischief that might arise was completely beside the point.  He sent calming thoughts to his familiar, but only received a mental huff in response.  He absently noted that Alma’s thoughts were clearer than he had ever heard them before.

He looked around and assured his villagers that he was fine.  A subtle look to Terrod spurred the captain to start shooing everyone away.  It wasn’t too difficult to convince everyone though.  Now that they could see that their lord was up and about again, they remembered the majesty of the Dragon’s Cauldron.  Krom was known to chase lookeyloos away from his Forge with a hammer, so most of the villagers hadn’t been able to closely examine a Core building before.  Besides, the old villagers had started to become accustomed to their lord’s eccentricities.

His people moved off, and Richter felt a bit of relief at no longer being under the microscope.  The truth was, he was just as eager as anyone else to know what had happened.  The only time he had felt pain worse than what he had just gone through was when that bitch Sonirae had maimed him.  His lips twisted in disgust as that particular memory flashed through his mind, but he didn’t let himself dwell.  Instead, he focused on the now.

Richter turned his left arm over and started undoing the straps of his bracer.  After watching him pick at the tight knots for ten seconds, Sion grunted in irritation and moved over to help him.  The sprite’s smaller fingers made quick work of the knots, and the bracer fell free.  All Richter saw was smooth unbroken skin, but with a bit of focus, his newest Mark revealed itself.

The Mark itself looked like a glass dragon that had been pressed into his skin.  Its body was bent into a circle and its snout was touching its tail.  The entire thing was only two inches in diameter, and Richter looked at it bemused.  It seemed crazy that the horrid ordeal he had just lived through had just been to get this strange little tattoo.  When he started reading the prompts waiting for his review, he realized he had gained much more than that.

You have received a Mark: Dragonkin I.

Know This!  You are now considered dragonkin.  This may drastically change how some races respond to you, for good or ill.  The reaction may be instinctual as few will be able to detect the change simply based on your physical form.  The full ramifications for this may never be known, but the following changes have taken place immediately: Strength +5.  Constitution +5.  Fire resistance +5%.  Fire magic +5%.

Know This!  Being dragonkin gives you a considerably increased connection with the Dragon’s Cauldron.  What this bodes for the future, only time will tell.

Richter smiled.  Well that explained the increase in height.  His body was just making allowances for his increased stats.  And dragonkin?  It didn’t get much more badass than that.

Sion and Terrod looked like they were ready to brain him if he didn’t share, so he told them about his increased stats.  Something made him hold back from telling him that he was now dragonkin, though.  He didn’t understand what it meant, but the message on the prompt was clear.  The people of The Land could have a strong reaction to the information, and the response might not be a good one.  Now was not the time to find out that Sion’s ancestors had been killed by dragons or something like that.  Sprites were known to hold a racial grudge, as evidenced by Sion’s hatred of goblins, even harmless ale-serving ones.  No, Richter decided, he would keep this to himself for now.  He waved his Companions forward, and they started walking back to the Cauldron.  Richter dealt with the rest of the prompts.

Know This!  As dragonkin, your bond with your dragonling familiar has deepened.  Psi Bond increased to level 5!  Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 100%.  She can now communicate with you without restriction.  Her base Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 60%.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance from Psi Bond has increased to 40%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 1000 yards to 1250 yards.  Tasks which require strength of mind will come even easier than before.  The Psi Bond has provided your familiar with a greater understanding of herself and has unlocked a new ability!

Your familiar has gained the ability: Psi Channeling.  You may now cast spells through your familiar.  The cast time will still be the same for you, but any restrictions based on distance can use the location of your familiar as the casting point!  At the current level, the range of Psi Channeling is one hundred yards, and using this ability will require 300% greater mana usage.  Any other spell requirements will remain unchanged.

Know This!  Tame is now much more effective in regard to reptiles.  Being dragonkin gives +10 skill levels to taming reptiles.  Psi Bond level 5 gives +10 skill levels to taming reptiles.  You may attempt to tame up to common-level reptile souls.

Though Richter couldn’t bring himself to actually admit that the new skills and abilities were worth the pain he had experienced, in his heart he knew he would go through it again.  The increased stats were great, but the ability to channel his magic through Alma was amazing.  He wouldn’t have to wait for enemies to get within striking distance anymore!  True, the mana penalty meant he couldn’t use the ability indiscriminately, but it was awesome to have the option.

The three Companions were a few hundred yards away from the Cauldron now, so Richter quickly went through the remaining prompts.  He planned to clear most everyone else out when he got there and then play with his new toy!

Know This!  Your Philosopher’s Cauldron can transmute one base ingredient or resource into another.  The conversion ratio will be greatly determined by the abundance of both the initial resource and the final resource in the surrounding lands.  Simply place the ingredient you wish to change into the central cauldron to initiate the transmutation.  The Cauldron can only make ingredients or resources that have already been placed in the central cauldron and subsequently consumed.

Know This!  Placing an assortment of ingredients in the central cauldron will allow you to know if a potion can be created from that combination.  At the Cauldron’s current level, this can be used once per day.

Know This!  Placing a potion into the central cauldron will give you the chance to learn the exact recipe used to create the potion.  The potion is used up during this procedure.  If local equivalents of the ingredients exist, those will be provided as a substitute recipe.  Each time the potion is created there is a small chance to learn another recipe for either that potion level, the level below, or the level above.

Know This!  Your Map Making skill is synergistic with your Cauldron.  While ingredients common to your location will not be marked, the general location of rarer ingredients may be indicated.  Increase your Herb Lore and exploration to increase the effectiveness of this.

Know This!  At this level, your Dragon’s Cauldron has a final function to separate it from common alchemy sets.  If a potion is successfully created, it can be placed in the central cauldron.  If enough materials can be provided, there is a 100% chance to make nine additional potions of the same level and strength.  Potions created in this way cannot be used to trigger this or the Cauldron’s other powers.

Richter still didn’t understand exactly how potion levels worked or what the difference was between levels and strength, but he was excited to find out.  He couldn’t wait to start learning some recipes.  He still remembered Beyan yelling at him for almost idly drinking the luck potion.  He still hadn’t used it for fear of needing a boost to his luck sometime in the future.  If he could get an unlimited supply of them though… the sky was the limit.

He went through the final prompts.

You have completed the Quest: If It Grows From The Ground, It’s Probably Okay I.  You have completed the first quest given to you by one of your villagers!  Doing this has shown that you are attentive to their needs.  You have been granted the Administration skill.  You have gone above and beyond the call of this quest by supplying a Core-level building!  All rewards doubled!

Reward: 7,500 (base 3,000) experience points.

Bonus Reward for supplying underground area:  10,000 (base 4,000) experience points.

Reward: +20 (base +10) village-wide Loyalty.

Know This!  As you have built a Philosopher’s Cauldron, you have maxed out the Building Bonus of having an Herb Shed.  +10% growth of herbs.  +10% strength of herbs.

Congratulations!  You have been granted the skill: Administration.  Not every conqueror can rule the conquered.  Not every ruler can rule well.  You have shown that you can meet the needs of your people, however.  Increasing this skill will affect every facet of your village’s abilities.

…

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 6 in Administration.  +1% to Morale, Loyalty, and Production for your village.

They walked into the Cauldron, and Richter gave an order.  Terrod and the other guards slowly began ushering everyone else out.  Isabella, Beyan, and Sumiko were allowed to stay.  Terrod’s wife leaned in and thanked Richter profusely.

“My Lord, I never expected something so grand!  This is amazing.”  She looked around the building and ran her hand through one of the rainbows being created by the sun shining through the walls.  She looked through the wall to her tilled garden outside and then looked at Richter while biting her lip.  She opened her mouth slightly, but then closed her lips again and seemed to withdraw into herself.  He watched her follow through that pattern a few more times before he took pity on her.

“Is there something else I can help you with, Isabella?”

“My Lord, you have already done so much!  I couldn’t ask—”

Richter held up his hand with a laugh. “Just ask, Isabella.  What do you need?”

She shrugged cutely and said, “It’s just that…”

You have been offered a Quest: If It Grows From The Ground, It’s Probably Okay II.  Isabella has asked you to find five rare-class herbs and bring back a cutting or seeds to plant in the herb garden.  Reward: Unknown.  Yes or No?

Richter easily acceded and chose “Yes.”  He waited for everyone else to file out.  One thing was bothering him.  He was above level twenty in his personal level and he now had a journeyman rank.  For Enchanting, he should only need to be personal level ten since it was noncombat.  Why hadn’t he been offered a chance to get a Profession?

A prompt appeared before him.  Silver background with black lettering.

Do you wish to be tested for your Profession?  Yes or No?

Richter smiled.  It had finally happened.  He had some things to do first, like test out the Cauldron’s capabilities and distribute his level points.  He still needed to speak to Roswan, and Randolphus almost definitely had a list of things to discuss with him.  After that, though, the answer was obviously going to be yes!

No sooner had the word “yes” popped into his head than a twenty-foot-tall black disc appeared directly in front of him.  A hand the size of an elephant shot out and grabbed him quick as a flash.  Alma squawked as one of the fingers pinched her tail as it closed over his shoulder.  A split second later, the hand yanked both Richter and the dragonling through the disc.  The hand held him suspended above an inky nothingness for just a moment.  Then it let go.

The whistle of passing air was so loud in his ears that Richter barely heard his own voice, but the fell creatures that called the netherspace their home remarked to one another about the strange creature that fell shouting one word.

“SHHIIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!”

CHAPTER 21

Richter’s face slammed into gravel.  He slid for a short distance and the small stones bit into the tender flesh of his face.  It felt like he had been falling for damn near three or four hours, but he hadn’t hit nearly as hard as he’d thought he would.  It still hurt like hell, though.

“Gunnhhhhh,” he moaned.

“You really needn’t grovel like that, darling,” a masculine and cultured voice said.  “It’s not very dignified.”

Richter picked his head up to look towards the voice and his mouth dropped open in shock.  In front of him was a giant canopy bed with purple sheets and white silk strung between the posts.  The thing was twenty feet across, and atop it were four huge people.  A bare-chested man sat in a lotus position upon the bed.  His skin was an ebony black and hair the color of old gold hung down to his shoulders.  He was at least twelve feet tall, though it was hard to tell because of his seated position, but even if he had only been four feet tall, it would have been clear that he radiated strength and power.

With him on the bed were three beautiful women.  They were all draped over him, and all completely nude.  What made Richter’s mouth drop open, though, was the fact that he recognized them!  Nine-foot-tall Halle Berry smiled at him seductively from her position stretched across the man’s lap, while eleven-foot-tall Scarlet Jo rubbed his shoulders and nibbled at his ear.  Rosario Dawson lay on her back to the man’s side and was slowly playing with her bare breasts while her black hair fell off of the side of the bed.

“What that fuck is this?” Richter asked, standing up quickly.  Except for the dude being there, he was definitely looking at one of his favorite dreams.  A pebble fell from where it had been imbedded in his forehead.  Scarlet made a beckoning motion with one finger.  A part of him wanted to immediately dive into whatever was happening on the bed, excited that this could actually be true.  Another part of him was screaming, “It’s a trap, stupid!  This type of shit doesn’t actually happen!”  For some reason that part of him was talking in Rob Corddry’s voice.

Rob had never done wrong by him yet (Hot Tub Time Machine, hello!) so he stayed where he was despite the fact that Black Widow was now pouting at him.

“So you’re more than just a cock on legs, huh? Well that’s refreshing,” the man said.  He slapped Halle on her beautiful chestnut colored ass and shooed her off of him.  Richter was momentarily distracted by the wonderful ripples that slap had made in the woman’s perfect bottom, but then was somewhat bothered by what was about to be revealed when she moved.  Richter breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that the man was wearing underwear.  European speedo underwear that was quite… bulgy, but underwear nonetheless.

The man started walking closer and said, “I suppose that introductions are in order.  You may call me Nexus.”  As he said it he placed all five fingers to his perfectly proportioned chest and bowed ever so slightly.  “You are %&*#-^!”  When Nexus said the last word all Richter heard was a series of random sounds, most notably a jackhammer and the screeching of a dial-up modem trying to connect.  “And this,” Nexus said while tracing a finger along Rosario’s areola, “is a fantasy I found in your mind.  Though I don’t know why you made me so… ‘bulgy’ I believe is the right word?”

“Wha-wha-what?  I didn’t make you anything.  What the hell are you talking about?” Richter protested.  His gaze kept being drawn to the bed behind the giant man.  The girls had decided to start entertaining themselves and had made some type of vanilla ice cream sandwich with Scarlet Jo in the middle.  Richter shook his head to focus, but his gaze was drawn right back when he heard another giggle.

The man made a tsk, tsk, tsk sound and patted his crotch before saying, “Methinks the man doth protest too much?  Hey!  Eyes up here, cowboy!”

Richter’s gaze snapped to the man’s face.  He hadn’t been looking… “Shut up!  I’m not here to play games with you!”  Nexus cocked his head and raised one eyebrow, but Richter didn’t stop.  “I’m here to—”

Nexus held up a hand and interrupted. “I know why you have come, %&*#-^.”  This time the noise created sounded like a TIE fighter screeching by.  “You have come because a giant hand plucked you out of your village and then dropped you down a giant fucking hole.  I also know why you think you’ve come, to be granted a Profession.  You are here, though, to find out your name.”

“I know my name,” Richter said, already disliking the pompous ass.  “My name is %&*#-^.”  He heard the sound of paint cans falling onto the floor.  He tried again, but this time he just heard Gerard Butler shout, “This is SPAR-TA!”

Nexus laughed and clapped his hands together excitedly. “Ohhh, your mind holds so many wonderful ideas and stories!  Delights of all”—he looked back at the bed—“colors, types, and proclivities.”  He walked towards Richter and leaned over.  In a conspiratorial whisper, he said, “One of them likes backdoor action.  Do you want to know which one?”

Before Richter could answer, Nexus’s hand shot out and slapped him ringingly across the face.  “Saucy, saucy,” Nexus mocked as he backed up.  Despite the giant’s playful tone, the blow had been powerful, and Richter was knocked down to his knees.  His health dropped by 10% and his jaw felt loose in its sockets.

“Enough!  I’m here to get my Profession, and if I have to fight you to get it, then that’s fine by me!”  He stood up, trying to ignore the pain in his face.  He glared at the large man with the gravest expression he could manage.

“Ooooh, so serious.  It seems you are determined for there to be violence!  That’s fine, but let’s keep this gentlemanly, sooooo, PUTTEM UP, PUTTEM UUUP!”

The man’s hair grew into a long mane around his head and his voice was a dead ringer for the cowardly lion from Oz.  Richter looked at Nexus in utter confusion as he pranced around with both fists up.  The giant moved his hands like they were cycling a bike’s pedals, revolving them in small circles until he threw a quick jab into Richter’s nose before prancing off again.

Richter was getting thoroughly annoyed.  That shit had hurt!  He decided it was the last straw.  He had been grabbed by some giant fucking hand, dropped for who knew how long, face planted in gravel, and then bitch slapped by an insane fucking giant!  The muscles in his neck grew tight and the pain in his jaw just stoked the fires of his anger.  Maybe this was all a test and he was supposed to defeat this asshole in a fair fight, but fuck fair.  It might be true that a great man met his opponent on a field of honorable combat, but he’d settle for being a good man and just frying the sumbitch!

He wove his hands in a specific series of movements and sighted upon Nexus.  The giant wasn’t more than ten yards away.  Richter smiled slightly as he shouted the word of Power, “Stati!”  Nexus’s body blurred as the lightning left Richter’s hands in a white bolt.  Despite the sort distance, the spell struck nothing but air before dissipating into the wall behind where the black giant had stood.

Before he could even look around to see where Nexus had gone, Richter heard a voice speaking from just behind his right shoulder.  In a thick Latin accent, Nexus asked, “Really, primo?  Chu want to play by prison rules?  Chokay culo!”

Richter felt a massive pull on his left shoulder and he flew down onto his back.  Nexus didn’t let him recover as the air fled his lungs, but instead stomped down on his chest.  Three ribs cracked and a sizeable portion of Richter’s health bar disappeared.  The remaining air in his lungs was squeezed out of his mouth with a horrible sounding wheeze.  He looked up and saw Nexus’s smug face looking down at him. “Who you tryin to get crazy with, Ese?  Don’t you know I’m locooo!”  Richter was saved from answering because suddenly the man disappeared in a flash of light and a clap of sound.

Richter struggled to catch his breath.  After a profound struggle, he was able to cast Slow Heal I.  His health began to rebuild, but the spell wasn’t able to fix his broken ribs.  Every breath was like knives driving into his left side.  When he stood, though, he heard a comforting flapping and Alma flew down to hover by his shoulder.  She let out a small and defiant roar at the downed giant.

Nexus slowly stood, his back smoking.  When he turned to face Richter and his familiar, there was a broad smile on his face.  “I didn’t expect that!  How did she get in here?”  He looked up slightly, like he was examining a screen only he could see, and his fingers moved in a strange pattern.  An orange glow surrounded his hand for a brief second and then Nexus turned his attention back to Richter. “She’s a soul familiar?  I haven’t seen that in forever!  Well it explains how she made it into the Trial.”

Nexus gave Richter a cocky grin and said, “Still, we can’t really have her interrupting our duel.  Why don’t I summon a little playmate to keep her company?”

The giant started a furious incantation with his hands moving quickly to complete the spell form.  Richter cast Ice Dagger I, but Nexus didn’t even bother dodging.  The icy shard simply broke against his black skin as he finished his chant.  A metallic grey egg came into being in front of him and then slowly faded away.  In its place was left a mechanical eagle with a four-foot wingspan.  The tips of its wings were razor sharp and its beak was hooked viciously.  It turned its head towards him, and Richter could see the artificial oculus of its eye tighten as it examined him and his familiar.  It flexed its claws as its metallic wings beat, somehow noiselessly.  The motion kept it suspended in midair, a feat that would have been impossible for a normal eagle.

Nexus looked at the bird and then back at Alma before he said, “Go play.”

The eagle shot towards them like a bullet, crossing the space between them too fast for Richter to even finish a one-second casting.  Instead, he hunched forward slightly and drew the sword on his back in one smooth motion.  The green blade swished through the air almost at a ninety-degree angle as he tried to bisect the mechanical beast.  The eagle surprised him though.

Barely losing any forward thrust, it tucked both wings into its sides and corkscrewed its body.  The metal bird basically became a ballistic missile weighing hundreds of pounds, and with its heavy beak leading the way, it crashed into him like a sledgehammer to the chest.  His already cracked ribs gave way and for the second time in as many hours, bone punctured his lung and he coughed blood.

Richter fell onto his back with the bird on top of him, and to add insult to injury, it unfurled its wings as he fell.  One taloned claw grabbed his armor, the tips of its nails easily pierced his sprite armor, and with a beat of its wings, Richter’s collapse was turned into a measured fall.  Even through the pain he was experiencing, it was clear to him that he was at the construct’s mercy.  As if in agreement, it opened its beak and let loose a raucous and artificial sounding cry of triumph.

Alma was not about to let her master be manhandled by some mechanical bitch!  Landing on the ground near Richter’s head, she looked up at the metallic monstrosity atop him and carefully funneled her Psi Blast in a cone that bypassed Richter’s head but completely encompassed the bird.  Her little dragonling heart beat with anticipation and savage righteousness as she attacked the foe that had dared touch her beloved master.  The blast of pure psychic energy struck the bird directly in its chest, but nothing happened.

Nexus laughed loudly. “Psychic attacks might not be your best option against a mechanical construct, Alma, my love.  Just one man’s opinion.  Have fun, you two!”

The eagle beat its powerful wings once more while still standing upon Richter’s chest.  It lowered its head and let loose a scream of defiance directed at the dragonling.  The pressure on his chest increased ever so slightly, and Richter knew that the artificial bird of prey was about to launch itself at his familiar.  Weaving one hand in the necessary movement, his other crossed his body to grab the leg that was still holding his armor.  He thought, *RUN!* and finished casting Slow I.

A blue glow surrounded the bird for just a moment.  Alma didn’t like it, but she obeyed her master and shot into the air.  A yellow glow surrounded her and her speed increased.  Meanwhile, the construct apparently didn’t appreciate being held by Richter.  It opened the claw that was holding his armor and pressed down.  Four-inch-long talons entered his body and blood began to flow.

“Gawk!” Richter coughed weakly.  One of the claws had pierced his other lung and an icon appeared in the corner of his vision.  It showed a torso with bands of metal around it.  He could easily interpret what it meant.  He was suffocating even though he was surrounded by air.  Still he didn’t let go of his grip on the eagle’s leg.  If he was to die, he would give Alma every chance he could to fly away.

The construct screamed and beat its wings, but it couldn’t get into the air with his death lock on its leg.  Then it looked down at him and slammed its metal head into his tender organic one.  It took care not to pierce his flesh with its wicked beak, but his head was still compressed between the hard ground and the mace-like blow.  It was too much.  He became dazed and his grip released.  The eagle shot into the air with a cry, chasing after Alma, and Richter was left bleeding and helpless on the ground.  Through his stupor, he thought he heard, “Ooooooh, you know that had to hurt!”

He came to a few seconds later and immediately reached into his Bag and pulled out a healing potion.  Richter yanked the stopper out with his teeth and downed the red solution in one go.  It immediately started repairing the internal tissue damage, but could only do so much with his ribs still out of position.  Still, it helped relieve some of the horrible pain he was feeling.  He heard a mechanical attack cry above him and knew he had to work faster.  Alma needed his help.

Still on his back, Richter dual cast Slow Heal I and golden light surrounded his hands.  Blood flecked his lips as he spoke the word of Power, but he managed to complete the casting.  Healing magic worked with the potion, and he was able to stand again.  He looked around to see his enemy leaning against a bedpost, looking up and clapping.  The ladies were… otherwise occupied with one another.  Richter followed the ebony giant’s gaze and his heart dropped.

Alma was frantically weaving through the air, trying to avoid the horrible claws of the eagle.  She wove and dodged the aerial hunter, which was at least four times her size.  If it wasn’t for the speed differential that Slow I and Haste I had provided, it was clear she would have already been killed.  As it was, Richter was pained to see that red blood fell as she frantically tried to evade death.  A gash marred her beautiful dusky scales.

Richter was about to pull his bow from his Bag, when Nexus looked over with an easy smile.  His voice was cultured again. “Oh you’re back up.  Good!  I think I’ll take one of your eyes!”

The giant rushed at Richter, each large stride devouring the distance between them.  Richter had time for one move.  Praying it would work, he flexed his legs and jumped away.  Nexus reached for him, but before Richter fell to the ground, he finished the casting he had started before he moved.  A beam of green energy shot from both of his hands.  The dual casted Paralysis Beam I was twice as thick as what had resulted from his previous castings.  It struck Nexus in the chest as his black hand was extended towards Richter.  A horrible smile froze on his face as the spell took effect, the pearl whiteness of his teeth contrasting with skin the color of midnight.

Richter hit the ground in a roll.  He only had four seconds before the giant was back on him, and he couldn’t waste it.  He kept an internal count. One!

*Alma!  Fly to me!*

The dragonling banked again and avoided the awful talons of the construct by a hair’s breadth.  She immediately dove towards Richter, the construct just behind.  As soon as he was on his feet again, Richter set his feet wove his fingers in a furious spellcasting.  Two!

There was no cleverness to Alma’s flight now, just pure speed.  The aerodynamics of her dracanoid body couldn’t match the artificially streamlined body of the mechanical eagle, though.  The distance between her and the eagle decreased by the millisecond, but she trusted her master and would do as he had bid.  Power crackled between his hands as she dove straight towards him, then she heard his voice again, *Drop!*

Richter channeled the energies of his spell.  The dual casting that had given him such problems in the past now flowed easily and almost without thought.  Independent of any conscious decision, both of his hands had half bent into claws and then came together until they were almost touching.  He called out a frantic mental warning to Alma, and two sparks of light appeared in the cage his hands made.  THREE!

The sparks combined and formed a brilliant arc of white lightning, much brighter than any other he had ever created.  The crackling bolt shot towards the space Alma had just vacated.  His aim was true and the lightning sped across the distance to the eagle in a time span measured in milliseconds.  The electrical attack impacted against the large bird, and the energy overloaded whatever internal process gave it flight.  Its wings locked into place and it plummeted to the ground.  When it struck, it was with a horrible clanging crash.  The bird was only ten feet away from him.  Richter finished his count with satisfaction. Four.

He reached for his sword.  His hand grasped the hilt, but before he could draw it free, a hand grasped his shoulder and spun him around.  A large black fist crashed into his face and his body flew through the air.  Teeth and blood filled the back of his throat, and the vertebrae of his neck ground together as they struggled to protect the delicate spaghetti of his spinal cord.  He lost consciousness before he even struck the ground.

Alma cried out in her own mind.  For the first time, her anger drove her to connect to a mind other than her master’s. *Leave him alone!*  A yellow glow enveloped her body again and lightning shot towards the giant.  Nexus just smiled that same arrogant grin.

As soon as light began to surround Alma, the giant raised his hand.  A disc of crystalline light appeared and the lightning bolt was drawn to it.  The disc absorbed the energy and then with a pulse, fired it back to the dragonling.  Alma was struck in the head by her own spell and collapsed just as the eagle had.  The bones of one of her wings snapped, and the gash in her side widened, blood pulsing out onto the ground.  Nexus tutted at her and cast another spell.  A cage of purple light appeared over the dragonling, both keeping her constrained and draining her mana and stamina.  He started walking towards Richter, but then paused and looked at the familiar.  After a moment’s thought, he cast another short spell and gold light surrounded his fingers briefly before winking out again.  Alma’s breathing eased as her wing straightened and her wound closed.  The black giant didn’t spare her another look.  The eagle stirred while Nexus stalked towards Richter.

Richter had hit the ground hard.  Pain woke him back up, but this time, the damage was too severe for him to recover.  His left shoulder had snapped out of joint and some nerve damage must have resulted, because he couldn’t move that arm at all.  He turned his head to spit out the teeth and blood filling his mouth and then raggedly gasped for air.  His face was a ruin and every breath was an agony as bone shards were driven deeper into his lungs.  Richter tried to weave his fingers into a healing pattern, but he couldn’t recover enough air to breathe out the word of Power.  Nonetheless, he tried until a black foot stomped down cruelly on his hand, snapping the bones.  Richter cried out, blood spattering weakly from his ruined mouth, as he saw Nexus’s leering face look down at him.  The eagle flew into view, slowly circling above them.

“How do you think the fight’s going?” Nexus asked in the smooth, cultured voice that he had first spoken in.  “Personally, I think everything is going swimmingly.”

Richter glared up at the giant.  Tears leaked out of his eyes, bringing shame to his heart, but the pain skyrocketed as Nexus pressed down harder on his ruined hand.  Richter screamed again.  The giant smiled and said, “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.  Foot, do you get it?”  Nexus ground his heel down and Richter screamed until he started choking on his blood again.  “Good!  You do get it.  As I was saying, we can stop all of this.  It’s not necessary.  I can send you home and you can forget all about the fact that I just made you my bitch.  I won’t even kill that flying rat you seem so fond of.  Now how does that sound?”

The eagle landed next to him and drove its sharp beak into his shoulder.  Richter squirmed and screamed, but couldn’t move anywhere.  Nexus started speaking again. “Come on.  You don’t really need to be here.  Let it go.  All you need to say is, ‘I relinquish my Profession.’  Just four simple words.  I mean is it really worth more of this?”  Nexus whistled again and the eagle tore off a chunk of Richter’s shoulder, leaving a bloody hole that drained his blood onto the rocky ground.  He passed out again.

Nexus twisted his foot, and Richter came back with a sob.  Sweat from his forehead stung his eyes and mixed with his tears.  Alma revived and cried out to him psychically, but the cage she was in made her too weak to even move, let alone aid him.  She almost immediately sunk back into a spell-imposed stupor.  Richter looked up again and saw Nexus arch an eyebrow at him, silently asking, “Well?”

Richter closed his eyes and mumbled his reply.

“What was that, old boy?” Nexus asked.

Richter coughed weakly and strained to get his limbs free, but still couldn’t.  He spoke again, his words weak and garbled by the blood in his mouth.

Nexus sighed and went down on one knee.  Richter almost passed out from relief when the pressure was relieved from his hand.  The giant spoke softly. “Come on.  I just have to hear you say the words and this is all over.”  He forcefully grabbed the hair on top of Richter’s head and pulled the chaos seed’s face towards his own. “So what do you say?”

Richter looked Nexus in the eye and opened his mouth again.  He inhaled and then spit a large glob of congealed blood into the man’s perfectly sculpted face.  Richter began to laugh maniacally, both at his own audacity and in fearful denial of the retribution that he knew was to come as the bloody spittle oozed down Nexus’s cheek.

Nexus just continued to hold Richter by the hair as the spittle slowly oozed down his face.  Then he shook his head slightly and said almost sympathetically, “Oh lad.  You shouldn’t have done that.”  As Nexus started to torture him, Richter learned the truth of that statement.

The black giant hurt him again and again.  Richter tried distributing his unused attribute points in a bid to get strong enough to defeat his tormentor, but for the first time he couldn’t access his personal interface.  Nexus smiled sadistically at him when he tried.  With what had become a familiar tsk, tsk, tsk, he rained blows into Richter’s face until the chaos seed passed out.

Throughout the brutality, Nexus kept him just short of death, healing him when necessary.  Intermixed with the torture, the giant kept up a running train of verbal abuse and questions. “Do you give up?  Who do you think you are coming here?  I’m not your enemy, you are!  No one is going to help you.  Why don’t you help yourself?”  Richter wasn’t allowed to sleep and for some reason didn’t need to eat or drink.  His world became only pain as layer by layer, his personality was stripped away to lay bare the core of what he was.

After what felt like days of brutality, Richter was limp.  The only reason he was not lying in a heap on the ground was that he was held upright by glowing magical bands surrounding his chest.  His feet were a few inches off of the floor.  He had learned that this was one of Nexus’s favorite spells.  It made escape impossible and left his body accessible for any torments that the giant could devise.  Richter had tried to fight back several times, and each time it had triggered an even worse round of retribution.  Nexus had just finished his latest attempt to break Richter’s will—dripping acid, which would burrow its way straight through him, all over his body—when the giant finally said something different.

“Maybe we can come to a deal.  I’m actually getting tired of cutting and burning you.  So how about this.  You don’t actually need to say the words.  Just give me… the most valuable thing in that Bag of yours.  We will take that to be your acceptance of the inevitability of your situation.  What did your people always say?  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  All that is going to happen if you stay here is I will keep hurting you.  I will hurt you until the stars burn out.  Time moves differently in this place.  I’m not making idle threats.  I will break your mind until all that is left is a drooling ruin of who you used to be.  Or”—Nexus’s face softened and his tone grew convincingly kind—“you can be reasonable, be logical, and help yourself.”

Richter looked at the giant.  The finality in Nexus’s voice when he said he would keep hurting him had been terrifying.  He believed that the giant would break his mind.  He was already balancing on the edge of a precipice.  If he had to endure much more, Richter felt like he might snap.  He had come to hate the beautiful black face and golden hair of his tormentor, a face that often wore a sadistic smile.

Now though, Nexus’s face was a study of compassion.  Richter knew he couldn’t trust him, but he wanted to believe that Nexus was telling him the truth.  That everything would be okay if he just gave in.  A deep part of him needed to believe that.  It begged and pleaded to just be released from this hell.  It was willing to give anything to just stop the pain and degradation.

A deeper part of himself, though, stood fast.  If it was only his own wellbeing that was at stake, he would have succumbed long ago.  Each time he got close, though, he thought about his people.  He thought about Petal, who had died because of his foolishness and pride.  He thought about Sedrin, who had been mauled because Richter hadn’t been strong enough to protect him.  He thought about the upcoming battle with the bugbears and other enemies that would inevitably come to find them.  Richter knew that whatever suffering he experienced now would be nothing compared to the anguish he would feel if he gave up and his people suffered because of it.

So he continued to look at Nexus trying to stall for time.  He knew from experience that the giant wouldn’t wait long for an answer though, so he started inching his hand towards his Bag.  Nexus’s ever present smug smile deepened, and his eyes widened slightly in anticipation.  Richter’s hand went into the Bag.  When he withdrew it, he slowly turned his arm until his fist was upright… with his middle finger extended.

Nexus looked at him in disbelief and Richter laughed, or sobbed, he wasn’t sure.  “This is what I’m willing to offer.  A big handful of ‘fuck you.’  So you better just fucking kill me because I won’t stop!  That’s not who I am!”

Nexus’s expression became cruel and angry.  The giant wove one hand in a series of gestures, and black and red light surrounded his body.  Harsh guttural words of Power spewed from his lips and then he drove his hand into Richter’s chest.  Pain worse than anything he had ever felt spread through Richter as his very soul was scorched.  Nexus bellowed unintelligently into his face.  Spittle landed on his cheek as the giant grabbed the back of Richter’s neck with his other hand and screamed, “Who the fuck do you think you are, you little shit?”

“My name is Enchanter!” Richter shouted.  The answer had come without thought or guile.  As soon as it was spoken, he felt the truth of what he had said.  A loud bell rang three times and the giant took his hand away.  The red and black fire died out, and Richter cried out in relief.

Nexus looked up into the darkness above and cocked his head, listening to something that Richter couldn’t hear.  When Nexus looked down at him again, there was a smile on his face, but for the first time it wasn’t mocking.  Instead, it seemed like a different person was looking at Richter from behind the chiseled black features.

Nexus began a casting and gold light surrounded his arms.  When he was done, another light surrounded Richter’s body, and all of the pain left him.  Muscle reknit and his bones bound together.  Richter’s lacerated organs healed and his nerve damage was repaired.  The many icons indicating the disabilities he had gained during his torture disappeared one by one until he was left whole.  Nexus cast another spell, and a wave of green light restored his weapons and armor to perfect condition.  With a final wave of his hand, Nexus released Richter from the bands that held him and released Alma from the cage that had kept her in an unnatural sleep for days on end.

Richter stared at the giant, thinking this must be the start to some new sick torment.  Then he realized that whether it was or not, he had to help Alma.  He circled around Nexus, never taking his eyes off the giant, then ran over to where his familiar lay on the ground.  He picked her up and was relieved to feel her small chest rise and fall.  Richter was relieved to see that she didn’t have any obvious injuries.  She stirred and then opened her eyes.  She looked at him, licked his face, and then asked, *Did we win, Master?*

He smiled down at her. *Yes, my love.  We won.*  He didn’t have the heart to tell her that these might be their final moments together.

She closed her eyes again and purred.  Richter placed her atop his shoulders and she settled in comfortably.  When she wrapped her tail around his arm for balance and fell back asleep, Richter turned his attention to Nexus.

The black giant still stood in the same place.  His hands were at his side and he calmly regarded Richter. “Do you remember what you said?”

Richter licked his lips.  “I said…”  Nexus nodded encouragingly.  “I said, ‘I am Enchanter.’”

“So you are, Tim,” Nexus said with a bow of his head.  “It has been my honor to help you uncover this truth.”

“Uncover what?” Richter screamed at the giant.  His arms and legs shook uncontrollably, though he couldn’t honestly say which emotion he was feeling at that moment.  Anger, fear, sadness, joy… his nerves were scraped raw and all of his feelings felt like a live wire searing his brain.  “That I wanted to become an Enchanter?  I could have told you that!  You didn’t have to torture me!  It felt like days, you sadistic fuck!”

Nexus weathered Richter’s verbal assault without reaction.  When he was done shouting, the giant replied, “You did not become an Enchanter.  You have learned that you have always been one.  A Profession is not a choice.  It is not who you are, it is what you are.  I stripped away the surface layers, the ‘who’ of how you define yourself, so that you could see the truth of ‘what’ you really are.  You are an Enchanter.  In time, you may find other truths about yourself.”

Richter looked at Nexus, still seething, but the giant’s words held the same feeling of immutable truth that he had felt when he had named himself “Enchanter.”  He stared and asked the only question that seemed pertinent, “So what now?”

“Now you return home.  From the viewpoint of your villagers, you will have been gone for one week.  As I said, though, time moves differently here.  Though you have experienced several weeks of pain, your body has only aged a fraction of that time.  Before you go, however, I was asked to give you a message—‘Hurry.’”

Richter looked at Nexus for a long moment. “Is there any more to it?  If not, you might as well tell me not to go chasing waterfalls!  And given a message by who?”  He could finally identify what he was feeling.  Perhaps the oldest emotion.  Anger.  A distant and reasonable part of his mind posited that speaking harshly to a powerful being that had just tortured him with impunity might be a bad idea.  Another part of him told that part to fuck off though.  If Nexus were going to attack him again, it probably wouldn’t be for being snarky.

Nexus smiled slightly, again with real humor, completely different from the cruel grin Richter had grown used to seeing.  “I was told that you had something to do before you were brought here.  Specifically, that you had seven hours and fourteen minutes before your leveling decisions were taken out of your hands.  When you arrive back into your village, your personal time will have advanced by seven hours and twelve minutes.  Hence, the message ‘Hurry.’”

“Let me get this straight,” Richter said slowly and with intense irritation.  “You have been torturing me for a month, but only a week has passed in The Land, AND I’ve only aged seven hours?  That makes no damn sense.”

Nexus smiled wider. “He told me that you would say that.  Then he said I should tell you Time is not linear.  It’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey whimey stuff.”

Richter had been about to tell Nexus to wipe the stupid smile off his face, but then he stopped.  He knew that he had heard that before, he just couldn’t place where.  “Who gave you the message?”

Nexus cast a spell, silently bringing a black disc into existence behind Richter.  He ignored Richter’s question and said, “It’s actually kind of lucky that you started your Trial when you did.  If you had finished spending your level points before you came here, you would have been treated as if you were level twenty-eight rather than level twenty-one.  Those extra Talent points you might have wasted will probably come in handy.  It’s almost like you have someone looking out for you.”  Nexus’s expression seemed to indicate that Richter should be picking up on something.

“Wait!  What do you mean?  Give me a straight answer god damn y—”

Nexus rushed forward and pushed Richter backwards into the disc.  The last thing he saw was the smiling giant winking at him, then everything was black.

CHAPTER 22

“He has returned!  Lord Richter has returned!”

Richter raised his head up from the grass.  Looking around he realized he was in the feast area, and judging by the smells, it was mealtime.  He didn’t really remember how he got here, but he must have hit with some speed because his face had been driven into the ground.  He had to spit a bit of turf out of his mouth as his people rushed up.  It wasn’t exactly the dignified homecoming he would have hoped for, but at least he was home.  Alma flew in front of him and licked his face while Richter groggily looked around.  His mind was having trouble processing.

As the villagers surged around him, babbling, Richter tried to make sense of what was in his head, but his memories felt… compressed.  He quickly replayed the events of the last few days, shuddering sometimes as he relived a particularly bad moment.  It took only seconds, but then he remembered the message Nexus had relayed at the end and his heart began to pound.  He quickly checked his status page and saw that he did indeed still have points to distribute.  If Nexus was right, though, he only had two minutes to do it after coming back, and he had already wasted at least one of them!

More and more of his villagers were coming up to him.  The fact that he hadn’t gotten up from where he was lying on the grass filled some of them with fear that he had been mortally injured or was afflicted with some malignant spell.  It didn’t help at all that Richter had accessed his personal interface so it looked like he was randomly staring off into space and mumbling to himself.  The villagers’ voices grew louder as they started shouting to him.  Richter absently noticed that apparently in every world, people believed that if they only spoke louder, then other people would finally understand them.  With an irritated start, Richter realized he was wasting even more time and just pulled up his status page.

First, he dumped the 200% of skill points into Enchanting.  That done, he quickly looked at the rest of his status page.

Name: Richter
Age: 24
Level: 28, 70%

Health: 589              Mana: 454              Stamina: 300
Strength: 37
Agility: 32
Dexterity: 38
Constitution: 46
Endurance: 30
Intelligence: 41
Wisdom: 24
Charisma: 24
Luck: 17
Abilities:
Limitless
Gift of Tongues
Fast Learner
Bounty of Life
Psi Bond
Qualities:
Resolute
Honorable
Implacable
Skills:
…
Marks:
Master of Mist Village
Blood Oath
Forge of Heavens

The Dragon’s Cauldron

Dragonkin I
Resistances:
Air 50%
Earth 20%
Fire 5%
Life 50%
Mental 55%
Spiritual 15%
Race: Human (Chaos Seed)
Reputation: Lvl 3 “You seem like someone worthy of my attention.”
Alignment: Neutral
Language: All

There wasn’t any one area that he was particularly lacking in, but Richter knew he didn’t have time to waste.  He checked and saw that he had thirty points to distribute and quickly dumped ten points into Constitution.  He could always use more health.  He also put five points into both Endurance and Intelligence.  His eyes scanned the rest of his stats and in a near panic he placed another three into both Wisdom and Charisma and finished by placing the final four into Luck.  He pushed accept on all of his choices and breathed out in relief.  He had made it!  Richter immediately promised himself that he would never leave his leveling to the last minute again.

Richter looked around to see a truly large crowd surrounding him.  He reached out his hand and one of the guards helped him to his feet.  The villagers bombarded him with questions which Richter answered as best he could.  “Yes, I am fine.”  “No we aren’t under attack.”  “Yes, I’d be happy to talk to your… ‘cheating whore of a husband.’”

Terrod saved him just as his patience was running out.  He showed up with a contingent of guards who shooed everyone away.

“Welcome back, my lord,” he said once Richter had some breathing room.

“That’s it?” Richter asked.  “No, where have you been?  Or what’s going on?  Why aren’t you panicking like everyone else was?”

Terrod smiled. “I may not have ever reached such heights personally, but I have met Professionals before.  The portal to their Trial is always a black disc.  The hand that Sion and Beyan described was something new, but the Trials are said to last a week, so I expected you back sometime today.  If you hadn’t returned, then I would have started to worry.”

Always dependable Terrod, Richter thought with a smile.  It was good to be home.  It was a bit strange to hear confirmation that he had actually been gone for a whole week, but the village was still standing and Terrod didn’t seem panicked so Richter decided to take a beat for himself.  He took another look at Terrod and saw that the captain’s gloves, boots, and chainmail pants were now a creamy white color.

“New threads?” Richter asked, examining the moonstone armor.  The quality was all superb.

Terrod smiled appreciatively. “Krom is to thank.  The mist workers have been working daily to bring in more ore.  We did have a problem where one day they did not return.  The next morning, I led a squad to the ore vein and found signs of a fight and harvested ore strewn about on the ground.  I’m not sure what destroyed the workers, but it was clear why they didn’t return.  I assigned two five-man squads to oversee the retrieval of the metal and safeguard the workers as they return to the village.  Since then, we haven’t had any other major issues, though the strike teams have had to kill a few animal predators.”

Richter congratulated the captain on a job well done.  Then he told Terrod to gather Randolphus and other important people and to bring them to the high table.  While he was at it, Richter sent out a mental summons to Futen.

Terrod nodded and said, “Very well, my lord.  What are you about to do?”

“Have lunch, man.  I’m starving!”

Terrod chuckled.  As he walked away, the captain said offhandedly that he had dealt with the issue in the mines and that a squad would be patrolling them from now on.  Richter thanked him, confused as to what he was talking about, but too hungry to press the issue.  He went to the food table and made himself a heaping plate of cold meat and hot vegetables.  He sat down and tucked into the meal.  After washing it down with a cup of ale, he felt one thousand percent better.  As he waited for everyone to come fill him in, he checked his notifications.  As soon as he opened the first prompt, the sound of trumpets filled the air.  Richter looked around in surprise, but didn’t see anyone else reacting to the music.  He quickly realized the music was only in his head.

Baaa-baba-baba-ba-baaaah!

Congratulations!  You have discovered your Profession!  You are an Enchanter!  Your efforts will bring magic and wonder to The Land.  A ring is no longer a simple band to you, it is a pathway to power.  A sword is not only for a soldier’s hand, it can also grant the power of flight.  Scoff at those who put their faith in the fleeting might of muscles or the taxing strength of spells.  Your enchanted creations will last until the Universe grinds all stars to dust and their power shall rival the gods!

You have earned new Talent Points!  As a Chaos Seed, you earn 15 points per level as opposed to the usual 10!  For having a 100% affinity in your chosen talent you receive an additional +5 Talent points for each level this holds true!  For affinities of 95-99% you will receive +3 per level and then +1 of an affinity of 85-94%.  As a human, you have no bonuses or penalties to choosing the Enchanter Profession.  Choose your path well, it will affect the progression of your life and most likely determine the nature of your death.  Revere your craft, take your power, LIVE!

You have: 160 Talent Points.  Do you wish to expend them?

He selected “Yes,” and then his eyes widened in amazement.  The next prompt was unlike any that Richter had ever seen before.  It was nearly opaque.  What was more impressive though was that the background wasn’t the standard monochromatic black, grey, or white.  Instead, Richter felt like he was gazing into a nebula of shining stars surrounded by gases of various colors.  Rich reds, blues, and greens contrasted with patches of black space, and sprinkled throughout were the shining jewels of stars.  Floating above it all was a series of pale blue glass spheres connected by filaments of light.  The central sphere was the largest and it glowed with a soft light.  A single word was emblazoned across its surface: “Enchanter.”

Six glowing filaments extended from the central sphere, roughly following the x, y and z axes.  Each of the filaments ended with another sphere attached to the opposite end.  More filaments extended out from those spheres, but these threads were dark and the entire picture grew hazy and distorted past the initial six globes.  Richter could faintly see more spheres through the haze but couldn’t make out any wording.  The six attached to the central sphere were easy to make out, however.  Each sphere had words written on it.  Richter found that he could change the orientation of what he was looking at with a simple thought.  He examined each in turn.

Increase Enchantment Potential I: Increase the number of enchantment slots on the object you wish to enchant.  Increases enchantment slots by 10%.  Cost: 5 Talent Points.

Deconstruct Items I: Gain the ability to deconstruct an enchanted item.  Increase this Talent to improve chance for successful deconstruction and to increase chance of obtaining better items after item is destroyed.  Cost: 5 Talent Points.

Increase Enchantment Success I: Increase this Talent to improve the odds of an enchantment taking hold.  Cost: 5 Talent Points.

Macroenchantment I: Increase this Talent to have your enchantment affect larger items.  This is extremely helpful for creating enchanted buildings, ships, engines of war, and other large projects.  Cost: 5 Talent Points.

Increase Number of Charges I: Increase the number of charges on items with finite uses.  Will increase number of charges by +10 or by 10%, whichever gives greater yield.  Cost: 5 Talent Points.

Increase Enchantment Strength I: Increase strength of enchantments by 5%.  Talent Cost: 5 Talent Points.

He frowned.  Buying Talents was not exactly cheap.  True, he had one hundred and sixty points to play with, but if he had understood correctly those points were from increasing his personal level eight times.  Once those points were gone, he couldn’t expect a large windfall again.

Without his bonus as a chaos seed and his boost from having 100% affinity, buying just one of these would constitute half of his spending for a level.  He had to imagine that the cost would only go up the farther he got into the upgrade tree.  He also had no idea what Talents were covered by the haze on the prompt.  If he went down one line of improvements, he might miss something truly spectacular on another branch.

Richter shook his head.  He clearly had to learn more about this.  He resolved to speak to Randolphus and Gloran to see if either could shed light on the situation.  As he waited for everyone to show up, though, he couldn’t resist spending just a few of his points.

He mentally clicked on the sphere for “Increase Enchantment Strength I” and bought it for five points.  Richter figured no matter what, having stronger enchantments could come in useful.  Both the globe and the filament leading to it started to glow like the central sphere and the name changed to “Increase Enchantment Strength II.”  Examining it, he saw that the cost had doubled to ten points to gain another 5% bonus.

Something else happened, though, he saw excitedly.  A section of the Talent tree revealed itself.  Three filaments lit up, leading from the Talent he had improved to three more spheres.  The picture resolved to show more upgrades.

Increase Strength Weapon Enchantment I: Accessing this Talent will increase the strength of any weapon enchantments by 10%.  Talent Cost: 10 points.

Increase Strength Armor Enchantment I: Accessing this Talent will increase the strength of any armor enchantments by 10%.  Talent Cost: 10 points.

Increase Strength Item Enchantment I: Accessing this Talent will increase the strength of any accessory enchantments by 10%.  Talent Cost: 10 points.

These spheres had even more filaments extending from them, but again, the new threads were muted and everything past those three globes remained shrouded.  He wanted to see what else he could uncover, but decided to hold off on any further experimentation.  Besides, there were more prompts to deal with and he could see Sion and Randolphus approaching from across the feast area.  He quickly accessed them.

You have been offered a Quest: Practice makes Perfect I.  Trust thyself, every heart vibrates to that iron string.  You are an Enchanter, in the same way that you are a man or a chaos seed.  Practice your new Profession and honor who you are.  Will you enchant ten items?  Yes or No?  Reward: Five Talent points.

You have completed the Quest: Hunters or Hunted I.  At your instruction, Krom has outfitted your hunters with better leather armor and arrows.  Nothing special was done to complete this quest so you will be granted no extra rewards.

Reward: 1,250 (base 1,000) experience.

Reward: Village-wide Loyalty +5 (+10 for hunters).

Reward: Increased regard of the hunters for you.

You have unlocked the Quest: Hunters or Hunted II.  Speak with one of your hunters for more information.

You have completed the Quest: Splat the Rat!  At your instruction, your chamberlain searched through the new villagers and found a human with the knowledge and ability to alter a standard repel vermin charm.  Your food stores are now safe from burrower rats.

Reward: 1,250 (base 1,000) experience.

Reward: Village-wide Loyalty +5.

You have completed the Quest: Noises in the Dark I.  At your chamberlain’s order, your guard captain took a squad into the iron mine and discovered the source of the strange noises.  It had been a nest of gibberlings.  Though foul smelling and aggressive, in low numbers these monsters posed no threat to your guards and were quickly destroyed.  Your miners are already back to work and normal iron production rates have been restored.

Reward: 1,250 (base 1,000) experience.

Reward: Village-wide Loyalty +5.

Reward: Access to the second floor of the iron mine.

You have unlocked the Quest: Noises in the Dark II.  Upon exploring the second floor of the iron mine, signs of more monsters have been found.  Sending your miners there without protection would risk their lives.  Will you explore the second floor of the iron mine and do what is required to ensure the safety of your people?  Yes or No?  Reward: Unknown.  Penalty: Failure to accept or complete this quest could endanger the lives of your miners.

He accepted the quests and dismissed the prompts for the completed quests.  His people had been busy while he was gone.  Richter had never thought that asking Futen to keep Randy in the loop would have ever paid so many dividends.  It was true that the rewards for each quest weren’t very much, but then again, he really hadn’t done anything to complete them.  It was amazing that being leader of this community meant he could start delegating not only the work that needed to be done, but also experience-gaining quests.  Richter supposed it made sense though.  As the village got larger and larger, if he had to deal with people’s needs personally and by himself, then he would be run ragged within a week.  He resolved to follow the old adage of the successful administrator: hire good people, then take credit for their work.

Before he could ponder the implications of delegating quests any further, his Companion and chamberlain walked up.  He clasped wrists with both and then Sion asked, “Back from your vacation?  Always like a lazy human to disappear when there is work to be done.”  The sprite plopped down across from him and grabbed some meat from his plate.

Richter scowled at Sion, but he could only keep the expression on his face for a moment before he broke out into a wide grin.  It was good seeing his friend again.  “Trust me when I tell you, it wasn’t a picnic.”

“Did you come back with anything nice?” Sion asked.

Richter raised his arm and made a muscle. “You are looking at a Professed Enchanter.  Feel free to be impressed.”

“Congratulations, my lord,” Randolphus said with a bow.

Richter forcibly raised his chamberlain’s arm until his hand was up.  Then he gave the man a high five.  “Randy!  You totally crushed it while I was gone.  Thanks for knocking some of those quests out while I was gone!”

The chamberlain smiled weakly while he shook the hand Richter had slapped, slapped perhaps a bit too hard considering his thirty-seven Strength points.  “It was my pleasure, my lord.  I always endeavor to provide both for your needs and the needs of the village.  If we are done slapping palms, however, there are several matters to discuss…”

Richter chuckled and settled in. Same old Randolphus, he thought.  The chamberlain proceeded to catch Richter up on the events of the past week.  Besides resolving the quests, precious little had actually happened.  One of the hunters had been injured by a wild boar, but otherwise, there hadn’t been any violent incidents.  The patrols continued to circle around the borders of the village, but except for the two groups stationed to protect the mist workers, stayed near the walls.  Terrod had apparently curtailed all other trips deeper into the mists after the battle with the skaths.  Futen had floated up while the chamberlain was speaking and now hovered silently over the table.  Alma continued to gorge herself on meat off of Richter’s plate.

At mention of the skath fight, Richter was suddenly reminded of the eggs. “Randy!  Did Futen tell you about the eggs?”

“Yes, my lord,” the chamberlain said, nodding.  “We were lucky enough to have found a pair in the second wave of villagers with the skill Beast Taming.  They are a bit… eccentric, but I have had them check in with me daily.  They say the eggs are doing well.  I would like to ask though, my lord, what exactly do you plan to do with them?”

“I’d like to tell you that it’s all part of some master plan, Randy, but honestly I have no idea.  I have already gained some interesting skills because of the clutch though.  Let’s just see the eggs hatched, then we will go from there.  Has an enclosure been built around the nest?”

“It has, my lord.”

“And is a mist worker stationed there to watch it every hour?”

“I made a slight alteration to that command, my lord,” Randolphus said.  “With the speed of construction happening around the village, not to mention the mining and ship building, mist workers are extremely valuable.  Some of our new workers have very little in the way of useful skills however.  I have assigned three to watch the skath clutch in shifts.  In addition, I asked Captain Terrod to station three guards in the meadow at all times.  Two to keep other villagers away from the lake and the third to guard the entrance to the waterfall.”

Richter nodded in agreement.  Conversation was halted briefly as he stood up to greet Krom, Sumiko, and Shivona.  He embraced the women and clasped wrists with Krom before having them join him at the table.  One of the village women brought more food and drink when she saw her newly returned lord holding court.  He got a report from each in turn.

Krom told him that the moonstone had been a richer vein than he had originally thought.  He had already smelted two dozen ingots of the white stone and told Richter that he should be able to make three full suits of chainmail armor from them.  The dwarf warned, that making the white armor would take a fair bit longer to forge than the highsteel armor he had been making.  Richter nodded, now understanding why Terrod’s armor was mismatched.  Krom also said that he had been able to master the creation of Heavy Arrows and had used the moonstone to make two bundles of them.

Richter thanked him and said he would need to work with him soon anyway to practice his new Enchanting Profession.  He moved on to Sumiko, who said that she had been working with Roswan to make the latrines more sanitary and she had also dealt with the pit that the hunters threw offal into.  It had apparently been breeding a bad disease when she first examined it.  She had ordered the entire pit burned for three days and then had cast a series of cleansing spells.  There was also a new ordinance that trash was to be placed in a central pit and burned weekly.  She said the ash could be used to make a high quality fertilizer.

Richter thanked her.  Then he thanked her again.  He was truly grateful that she had stepped in and helped to put some new health protocols in place.  In retrospect, he should have immediately known that a pit filled with rotting remains was a disease risk.  He hadn’t seen an outbreak here, but even on Earth, plagues had still existed.  True there was magic here, but didn’t that also open the door to magical plagues?  Richter started considering the possibilities of that and shuddered.  He closed the mental door to that particular brand of horrors and just thanked Sumiko again.

Shivona didn’t have too much more to report.  The ship construction was going well.  Krom had done a good deal of work on a scorpion ballista.  It would have the capability to fire both bolts and pots of various weaponized potions.  The boat itself would take another five to seven weeks to complete.  Richter did some quick math in his head and realized that, as suspected, the timeline to finish the ship had increased once he lost the bonuses for increased Morale and Loyalty.  The fact that he had changed his request for her to make a war vessel rather than a simple trading boat also probably had something to do with it.  He still felt that the decrease in production was more than a fair trade-off for increasing the population of the village.

Roswan and Terrod had joined the table as well.  Richter asked if anyone else had pressing issues to discuss.  Randolphus of course had his unending list of notes to go over, but when Richter glared at him, the chamberlain begrudgingly said there was nothing that couldn’t wait.  Richter nodded calmly, but internally was doing a fist pump and cheer that he had been able to back Randy the Reporter down.

“Terrod, get our war party together.  The same people and no one else.  We have a Challenge to complete.  Everyone is to be ready to go and at the gate at midday.  Have everyone go by the Forge first though.  Krom, outfit them with the best gear that you can.  Also go to the Philosopher’s Cauldron and pick up any helpful potions.  Speaking of which, how is our newest marvel, Sion?  How has Beyan been?”

Everyone looked at each other uneasily until Sion said, “We have been able to make some potions in the Cauldron, but we haven’t been able to use any of its abilities.”

“Why not?” Richter asked, confused.

“You didn’t give anyone permission to use it before you were taken to your Trial.”

“Oh, my bad,” he said.  He still didn’t understand why everyone was looking like they had bad news.  If anything, he would have thought that people would be irritated with him for wasting a week of potential potion making.  He looked at Sion quizzically until the sprite started speaking again.

“Beyan has been having a few issues with the other alchemist, Tabia.  They don’t exactly… mesh.”

“Ha,” Sumiko said.  “I’ve seen wet cats with dysentery trapped in a bag that get along better.”

“Well thanks for that visual, Sumiko,” Richter complained.  He turned back to his Companion. “So you’re basically saying that this is a problem that requires my direct intervention?”

“That might be best,” Sion said brightly.  The sprite was clearly happy not to have to be put in the middle of the two alchemists anymore.

“Fine, I’ll deal with that too,” Richter said with just a touch of irritation.  “As I was saying before, Terrod, make sure everyone is equipped with at least some health and stamina potions, because then we’re going hunting.”

“Yes, my lord,” Terrod said.

Richter dismissed everyone except for Roswan and Randolphus.  Before leaving, Krom handed him the copper cylinder and piping that he had requested.  Richter’s grin almost split his face in half.  He placed the entire five-foot-long device into his Bag of Holding.  No matter how many times he saw a large object disappear into the small space, it never got old.  Of course, that was the way all of his exes had felt as well, he realized.

Richter chuckled to himself as the rest of his informal council stood and left.  Before Richter could start speaking again, Randolphus placed a small pouch on the table.  Opening it, Richter saw that it contained at least two dozen glowing soul stones.  The chamberlain said they had been collected by the hunters and the patrol that had cleared the iron mine while Richter had been gone.  Richter opened his mouth to ask a question, but the chamberlain preempted him by saying that the bonus had been paid for each soul.  Then the man went on to say that it would be nice if such financial decisions were communicated to him before villagers came up asking for money.  Richter took the slight rebuke in stride and said, “Yes, dear.”  Randolphus just gave a long suffering sigh and flipped through his notes.  Richter winked at him and said, “You’re pretty when you’re angry.”  Randolphus didn’t respond.

“What can I help you with, Lord Richter?” Roswan asked.  As always, the gruff elf’s expression seemed fixed into a perpetual slight frown.  The mustache on his face shifted like a fuzzy brown caterpillar as he spoke.

“I have been trying to talk with you for the longest, Roswan.  Things just seem to keep getting in the way, though, so I thought I’d take this time and do it now.  What have you been able to build so far?” Richter asked.

“We built another longhouse while you were gone.  I personally believe that real men should sleep under the stars, but I was told that I sounded like a forest loving maniac.  Less than a third of the wall has been converted to stone, but the work speed is improving with the influx of villagers.  We are still having to divide our effort between the wall and the outer trench you ordered dug, however.  Things might go faster if we had a workshop.”

You have received a Quest: Every Tool has its Place.  One of your villagers is requesting for you to have a workshop built.  Yes or No?  Reward: Settlement bonus from building a workshop.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about,” Richter said.  He accepted the quest.  “I’ve been getting a good number of requests for buildings.  I think that we’ve been spreading ourselves too thin on too many projects and we might do better focusing on one at a time.  What do you think?”

“Grrrrmmm” and a nod was the only reply Richter got.  It sounded like a low, rumbling way to say the word “grim.”

He sighed. “Well after the workshop, what do you think we should build next?”

Roswan looked at him with that perpetual half frown.  The caterpillar above his lip seemed to dance as his frown lines deepened.  Then the elf said, “More buildings.”

Richter prayed for strength.  “This is what I was thinking. We build the workshop, then the Healer’s hut.  After that we build the barracks and a storage shed.  How does that sound?”

“Grrrmmm.”

“Roswan, I love these talks we have.”

“Grrrmmm.”

“You are my Oprah, buddy.”

“What’s an opahbudie?”

Richter shook his head.  What he wouldn’t give for just one person to discuss primetime cable with.  “So can you make them one at a time so we can get them done faster?  How many workers do we have, Randy?”

The chamberlain flipped back through several papers. “Of the three hundred and forty-eight workers, seventy-three have become militia, which with the eighteen guards from Leaf Crossing and Sergeant Caulder and Captain Terrod give us a fighting force of ninety-three men and women.  Eighty-two villagers spend their days caring for the crops and the animals.  Including Isabella, there are six villagers that tend to the herb garden.  There are seven smiths, seventeen hunters including Ulinde, eight fishermen, fourteen cooks, eleven washers, and nine weavers.  Twenty of the villagers have been assigned to watch the one hundred and thirty-three children.”  Richter’s eyes bulged a bit at hearing how many children he was responsible for, but he didn’t interrupt.  “The nineteen children who you awakened magical power in have been taken charge of by Lady Sumiko.  She instructs the Life magi children and teaches the Air children mental exercises and healing techniques for a portion of each day.  Lady Sumiko has also commandeered all of the Life magi.  Twenty-two of the Life magi have joined the militia, but the other ten are being taught by the village Healer each day and so cannot help with other duties.  Quasea and Zarr have also spoken to each of the village children and villagers.  One child with Dark magic has been identified and two with Earth magic.  They have also found three adult mages with an affinity in each magic.  Twelve of the villagers have mining experience, and are now back to work in the iron mine since Captain Terrod cleared the first level.  The two scribes have been helpful to me, and nine of the villagers have the Construction skill and have been leading the building efforts under Roswan’s direction.  Finally, Shivona has two apprentices helping her with ship building.  That leaves only fifty-seven unskilled workers that have been helping with manual labor, my lord.”

The sheer amount of work that was taking place every day just to keep the village running was staggering.  Richter was again immensely grateful for the chamberlain’s tireless efforts.  “How much do I pay you, Randy?”

The chamberlain paused for a second with a slightly surprised look on his face. “I make the same four silvers as the other villagers.”

“Not anymore,” Richter said.  He took a piece of paper from Randolphus’s clipboard and then took his pen.  Richter surreptitiously wrote a number on the paper, folded it in half, and then slid it across the table to the chamberlain.  “Now you make this much.”

Randolphus opened the paper and coughed. “This isn’t necessary, my lord!”

“I disagree,” Richter said.

“My lord, it is my honor to serve.  You have given me a home.  If you would do anything for me, then I would appreciate it if you would stop calling me ‘Randy.’”

Richter waved the request away. “Naw, that’s not going to happen.  Congratulations on your raise though!”

“Uhhh, thank you, my lord.  Why did you write my salary down and then slide it across the table, however?”

Richter made a face to indicate that the answer was obvious. “Because it’s a baller move, Randy.  Try to keep up.  Now just for my own curiosity, what do you have the unskilled people doing?”

“Various jobs,” Randolphus answered.  “They have been helping with chopping down trees and carrying some of the iron ore.  Most recently they built the fire in the hunter’s refuse pit and helped to dig a new latrine pursuant to Lady Sumiko’s new health regulations.”

Ugh, Richter thought to himself.  The message here is stay in school, kids.  Apparently being unskilled and uneducated led to “shit” jobs no matter what world you lived in.  Hearing about their duties reminded him of something. “I heard that the iron mine can sometimes yield gems.  When I asked Krom if anyone had found jewels and not turned them in, he seemed a bit cagey.  I don’t want to believe the villagers are stealing from me, but on the other hand, I absolutely believe that some of them would steal from me.  What can we do?”

Randy nodded. “Futen notified me of your concerns.  Zarr knows a level eight Earth spell that can detect the presence of gemstones within two feet.  He has agreed to teach this spell to his new novices.  Once they know it, part of their duties will be to scan everyone that comes in and out of the mine.  I have limited entrance and exit from the site to three times a day.  I have also started a story that the magi will be casting spells on everyone entering and leaving to detect any dangerous earth creatures that might hide in their clothes or in the ore.  I have also made it clear that the spell will also detect any metals or gems present on a person.”

Richter nodded.  He saw the wisdom in letting people know they would get caught if they stole, but also supplying a cover story so they wouldn’t feel like they were being scrutinized.  Basically, it would let him catch the guilty and not offend the innocent.  He motioned for Randolphus to go on.  “As you may know, in light of the attack on the mist workers as well as the gibberlings that were found in the mine, Captain Terrod has also dispatched a squad to patrol the area in and around the mine whenever there are workers present.  I think these measures should be sufficient to deal with the problem, though any theft that has occurred so far will remain undiscovered.”

“That’s alright, Randy.  A little bit of graft is inevitable in a setting like this.  I’m not worried about the past.  I’m looking towards the future.  Which bring us back to you, Roswan.  Defense is obviously important, but we can hold off on transitioning the walls to stone for a few days.  Can you use these fifty or so free workers, the other builders, and the mist workers to build each structure quickly rather than spreading the work around?”

Roswan looked up from the food he was eating.  A bit of egg was nestled into the left side of his mustache.  Rather than answer, he flagged down a passing woman who was carrying a jug of water.  For the first time, Richter heard the elf speak with a lighthearted tone and with joy in his voice. “Excuse me, ma’am.  Would you please bring me some more bacon and eggs?  Please and thank you.”  She smiled and bobbed her head before continuing on.  Only then did Roswan look at Richter and say “No.”

Richter stared at him, then over at Randolphus.  The chamberlain shrugged his shoulders slightly and wore a perplexed expression.  Richter turned back to the builder and said, “You gotta give me more, man.  I feel like I’m talking to a Kardashian.  I have no idea if there’s actually anything going on in your head.”

Roswan frowned for a minute then said, “When you build something, you should build it right.”  Silence followed the statement.

Richter looked at Randolphus again to make sure he wasn’t missing something. “It’s like he’s trying to communicate with us.  If only he knew the language.”  No one could miss the irritation in his voice.  Roswan looked completely unperturbed by Richter’s ire and just kept chewing his bacon like a cow eating cud.  The chamberlain proved his value again by diffusing the situation.

“I believe Roswan is referring to the quality of the building created.  Perhaps you could tell Lord Richter how that works.”

“Grrmmmm.”  The elf’s frown deepened until Richter couldn’t be sure that the man wasn’t taking a poop, or at the very least wasn’t extremely constipated.  Like lactose intolerance plus chocolate shake topped with cheese constipated.  Since he didn’t smell anything and the elf started talking, Richter let it go.

“I am journeyman ranked in my Construction skill.  That means I have a high chance of building a well built or exceptional work quality building.  I have a smaller chance of building an above average or superb craftsmanship quality building.”

Richter interrupted.  He took Randolphus’s clipboard and drew a bell curve on a piece of paper.  “Is this the way the probability would shake out?”

Roswan glared at him. “I can tell you about making strong buildings.  If you want to discuss drawing and finger painting, the children are up in the meadow.  If you hurry you can make it in time for juice.”

Richter started silently counting backwards from ten: Ten, don’t kill him.  Nine, he’s the best you have.  Eight, I could shave his mustache while he’s sleeping.  Seven, I’m sure that Isabella could whip me up a potion to knock him out…  That was as far as he got because Roswan started talking again.

“There are several levels of building quality: slum, shoddy, poorly made, average, above average, well built, exceptional work, superb craftsmanship, and masterfully constructed.  There are also Core-level buildings, which are the highest quality known.  Those are basically like cheating though.  A real craftsman would never really count them as true buildings.”

Is that this guy’s problem? Richter asked himself.  Building envy?

Roswan continued, “Anything below average quality has a chance of just collapsing, being blown over by the wind, or catching on fire depending on what type of building it is.  Each rank below average also decreases any building perks and there is a higher risk of injury just from someone being inside.  That’s just to name a few potential issues.  On the other hand, any building with a quality greater than average gets a 10% durability increase.  Well built has a +20% increase to durability and exceptional work has a +30% increase to durability.  What I build is even stronger because I have the subskills ‘masonry’ and ‘woodworking.’”

“Why don’t I ever see durabilities when I look at a building?”

“It is a benefit from the Construction skill.  Feel free to come swing a hammer with the real men if you get tired of watching us work.”

Richter ground his teeth.  With a strained voice, he said, “Okay, I’m still not seeing the issue with having everyone work on one project.”

“Grrmmm,” Roswan grrmmed.  The sound was starting to make Richter’s eye twitch.  “If someone without any Construction skill tries to build then they have a strong chance of creating a shoddy or poorly made building.  I can use others to help me, including unskilled labor, but only so many on one project.  For each rank in Construction, I can include five other workers and still have my rank and skill level apply to the final quality of the building.  At my journeyman rank, I can also include three other builders who can have work crews of their own, as long as their Construction rank is less than mine.  The problem is that all of the other villagers with the Construction skill are novices except for one initiate.  So the maximum number of people I can have working on any project is forty-five.  The best thing to do if we want to erect one building quickly would be to put all of the villagers with the construction skill on my crew and fill the rest of the slots with unskilled workers.  That means there is no one else to work on other projects, though, unless you want subpar work.  Luckily, the mist workers don’t seem to affect the number of people counted on the crew and they have been a great help.”

Roswan looked almost exhausted by the long speech.  One of the village men came back carrying the elf’s order.  To Richter it looked like a massive amount of food, especially for a second helping.  Roswan took the plate and was about to dive into the food, but then he said, “This is going to be a challenge, but we can get through it together.”

Richter was taken aback.  Maybe he had misjudged the elf.  He hadn’t really spent too much time with him after all.  Was it possible that he had been projecting an unfair bias upon the man?  Roswan did remind him a bit of his mean uncle Reggie, now that he thought about it.  Maybe he just needed to try and connect with the taciturn builder.  Maybe this was the start of a productive and healthy working relationship.  As sincerely as he could, Richter said, “Thank you, Roswan.  I agree.  We can do anything as long as we all stick together.”

The builder looked up from his plate with a mouthful of eggs. “Oh.  I was actually talking to my food.”

Richter closed his eyes. Ten, he won’t respawn if you murder him.  Nine, I definitely need to shave off that fucking mustache.  Eight…

CHAPTER 23

Richter walked away from the table a few minutes later.  In the end, he was able to divert Roswan’s attention away from his meal long enough to finalize the building order and to get the elf to agree to creating a building crew to finish individual projects faster.  The order they agreed on was to build the workshop, healer’s hut, barracks, and lastly the storage shed.  One constructive thing that Roswan did add was that work could go faster if they had even rudimentary roads.  He proposed that the unused unskilled workers break rocks into gravel and then strew it between key locations.  Apparently a job as simple as that wouldn’t be affected by a lack of the Construction skill and it would lay the framework for better roads later.  At Richter’s nod, Randolphus made a note to start the project tomorrow.  The three men agreed to discuss other projects, like the scholar’s hut, once the first four buildings were completed.

They also discussed the blueprint for the mana storage.  Unfortunately, Roswan’s skill level in Construction was only fifty-one, five skill levels shy of being able to construct the magic repository.  He had even less luck when he asked the elf if he could build a caster’s chamber.  Roswan just looked at him and asked how he could be expected to build something he had never heard of before.  Disappointed and irritated, Richter took the blueprint back.  He just hoped that Roswan would level up his skill enough by erecting the new village buildings.  He handed the blueprint to Randolphus, telling him to get the scribes to make a copy.  The chamberlain said he wasn’t sure if they had that capability, but he would enquire.

Most importantly, Richter got Roswan to agree to be the official village Builder.  It was another Job of the Village, and with Roswan’s journeyman rank in Construction, having him as a builder provided a 6% boost to construction speed.  The elf initially didn’t seem at all interested in the position.  Richter offered him more money, but the elf just said “grrrmmm” and kept eating.  Then Richter had an idea.  He said he would make sure that Roswan could eat eggs with every meal—breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  A rare smile crested the builder’s face.  To Richter, it made his mustache look like the caterpillar was now floating on a bowl of yellow-white milk, but he was still happy to have the man’s services.  Roswan agreed to bend the knee as soon as Sumiko was available.  He said it with a mouthful of bacon, but Richter just sighed and decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

Randolphus and Richter stood up and began wandering away. “My lord, there was one other matter I wanted to discuss.  The encoded Night Blade ledger has begun yielding its secrets.”

“You know where the other nonhumans are?” Richter asked excitedly.

The chamberlain shook his head in regret. “It appears the ledger was written by several different people.  Because of that, the code used varies from entry to entry.  I am getting closer though.  I should have the first one deciphered soon.”

Richter thanked him and the man took his leave.  As Richter started walking away, he asked Futen how much time he had before midday, and the remnant told him about two hours.  He decided to head up to the meadow first.  He wanted to check on the Quickening and then go see the Philosopher’s Cauldron.

“I really wish that I could tell time without asking you, Futen,” he remarked.

The remnant flared, and a clock appeared in the corner of Richter’s interface.

“What the fuck?” Richter exclaimed.  “Could you have done that the whole time?”

“Yes, my lord,” came the flat reply.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“You never asked before, my lord.”

Richter’s blood began to boil.  He had known that was going to be the answer as soon as the question left his lips, but he just didn’t catch himself in time.  “For the last time, Futen!  Provide this kind of info BEFORE I ask for it!  And don’t ask me ‘what kind of info’!  That’s a circular argument!  If I knew what kind of info, I could just ask for it!  Do your best!”

Futen voiced a monotone agreement, calm as a Hindu cow.  Richter glared at the remnant, a little annoyed that his rant hadn’t had more effect, but then just let it go.  He examined his clock.  It seemed standard, two numbers before and after a colon.  Sure enough, it read “10:13.”  He willed it to disappear, and his vision cleared.  His arms glowed yellow as he cast Haste I on himself, and then he picked up the pace.

*Come meet me by the Cauldron, my love.*

Alma agreed, projecting that she would be along soon.  Richter ran up the slope leading to the northern meadow and greeted the gardeners working at the entrance to the meadow.  He then turned left and jogged up to his glass building, appreciating the rainbow colors it made on the surrounding trees.

The peaceful feeling the Dragon Cauldron’s beauty created was shattered by a cacophony of raised voices.

“I don’t care what you think, you crazy woman!  For the last time, stay away from my side!”  Richter recognized Beyan’s dulcet tones.

“Call me crazy one more time, you balding bastard, and I’ll make the right eye match the left one.”

“Can you two stop fighting?  I’m tired of this racket!  Keep this up and neither of you will get to run the Cauldron!”

Richter jogged up to see Sion with his arms extended to either side.  He was physically holding back Beyan with one hand and a glaring elf woman with the other.  Richter stopped and appreciated the image of the three-and-a-half-foot-tall sprite holding back the four-foot-tall gnome and a six-foot-tall high elf woman.  He was especially amused by the fact that Sion’s hand was pushing against the elf’s stomach because of their disparity in height.  If his hand was just a foot higher, Richter was fairly certain this scenario would be a good deal more interesting, volatile perhaps, but definitely more interesting.

“What is going on here?” Richter exclaimed in his best “dad” voice.  He thought it might have been laid on a bit thick, but it worked.  Beyan and the elf woman took a step back with chagrined expressions on their faces.  Richter used Analyze, enjoying the skill’s expanded utility for the first time.

Name: Tabia                            Race: High Elf              Disposition: Friendly
High elves are gifted in archery and most magical arts. They have increased resistance to magical attack. Bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom each level. High Elves get three points to distribute per level, and each level gives +1 to Intelligence and +1 to Wisdom.

Age: 31
Level: 14, 58%

Health: 190              Mana: 320              Stamina: 140
Strength: 13
Agility: 13
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 19
Endurance: 14
Intelligence: 32
Wisdom: 25
Charisma: 21
Luck: 11

So this is Tabia, he thought.  She… made an impression.  High breasts hugged an athletic body.  She was wearing light brown leather armor that contrasted with her beautiful dark brown skin.  Her black hair was dreaded down her back and held with a simple rawhide strap, revealing her high pointed ears.  The hair fell down to her waist, ending atop a taut bottom and matching leather brown leggings that looked like they had been painted on.  In short, she was a knockout.  Which might explain why Beyan’s ugly mug was sporting a black eye… but probably didn’t.

“I asked a question,” Richter said sternly.

“This might be partly my fault,” Sion said.  Both Beyan and Tabia looked at him sharply, but the sprite quickly held up one hand, palm facing out, letting the two know that their input was not required or desired.  “We have been trying to familiarize ourselves with the Cauldron.  I figured the more the merrier, so I invited Tabia to come because of her journeyman rank in Alchemy and apprentice rank in Herb Lore.”  Sion’s tone indicated that he thought his decision had been completely reasonable.

“Somehow I don’t think that’s the end of the story,” Richter said, fixing Sion with a glare.

“Everything was fine… at first, but then these two started fighting about every little thing.  So I made a very simple statement that I might need a second-in-command to run the Cauldron.”

“I won’t work for or put up with advances from someone that doesn’t even have the right tool for the job!” Tabia spat.

“You would be so lucky,” Beyan shot back.  “My height isn’t the only thing on me that’s four feet!”

“So you do want a matching set then?” Tabia snapped, raising a fist.

“Enough!” Richter said loudly.  Everyone quieted and he said, “I think I see the problem here.  You’re both trying to fight it out to see who is going to be able to run things when Big Daddy isn’t around.  Let me make this simple.  THIS,” he said, gesturing around at the entire Cauldron, “is all MY shit.  Ya’ll are just guests here.  So there isn’t any need for you to fight over something that isn’t, and never will be, yours.”

Richter turned to his Companion, who was nodding along at his words. “And you!  Quit pissing in my Kool-Aid, man!  Don’t start trouble that I have to deal with.”

Sion rolled his eyes a bit, but still said, “Okay.  I’m sorry I didn’t handle this myself, but we still need to have someone be in charge when you and I are gone.”

Beyan and Tabia looked to him for a ruling.  Richter glared at Sion, communicating a big “fuck you” with his gaze.  Sion just smiled back.  He turned his attention back to the two alchemists. “Okay.  We’ll do it like this.  You both have a week to make the best potion you can.  I will give each of you temporary access to the Forge during that time.  Whoever can impress me the most will be granted temporary command of the Cauldron, after Sion and myself of course, for a one-month trial.  Let me repeat, one month.  Whoever loses agrees to do their best to work under the other person.  You are only eligible if you will swear fealty though, Tabia.  Now are the two of you in or out?”

A prompt appeared in front of him.  His eyes widened slightly as he read it.  Beyan started speaking, but Richter waved him quiet as he took in this interesting new development.

You have created a Quest: Prove Your Worth.  The alchemists Tabia and Beyan have been vying for power in the Dragon’s Cauldron.  You have given them the task of creating a potion that will “impress” you.  Whoever does better will be granted a one-month trial of running the Cauldron, answerable only to you and your Companion Sion.  This is a Duel Quest: Failure of one person to fulfill the objectives or accept the quest results in the other quest recipient immediately winning.  Rewards: Trial management of the Dragon’s Cauldron.  Penalty: The loser will work for the winner to the best of their abilities.  Fail Conditions: Lack of fealty by end of the week.  Do you wish to offer this quest?  Yes or No?

Know This!  You are bound by the terms of the quest you created.  Failure to honor these terms could have grave consequences, both long and short term.

Richter read through it several times.  This was the first time he had created a quest!  In the back of his mind, he had wondered if it was possible, especially after receiving so many quests from his villagers.  He never got the feeling they were creating them though.  Was this a special function of him being Master of this village and Place of Power?  Richter shook his head. Whenever he got a handle on things it seemed like something else popped up to show him how little he actually knew.  He didn’t really see any downsides to issuing the quest, even though he didn’t like the idea of being locked into a course of action.  It was true that he didn’t know Tabia that well, but even the quest had specified that it would just be a trial management position.  Also her disposition towards him was “friendly.”  Richter decided it was worth it, even if just to see what happened as an experiment.  He selected “Yes.”

Both Tabia and Beyan’s eyes unfocused.  Tabia appeared to finish reading first as she oriented on Richter again.  He got a “Quest accepted by Tabia” prompt, quickly followed by one for Beyan.  The beautiful elf spoke up. “I will make you a wonderful potion, Lord Richter.  Also, I have spoken to many of the original villagers over the past week and based on what I have been told, I believe you are someone I can put my faith in.  I will swear fealty now if you like.”

Richter shook his head. “Thank you for your faith in me.  All pledges of fealty must happen before the village Healer, Sumiko, however.  She is able to detect any lies or falsehood.  We can handle it any time in the next week.”

“I understand, my lord.  I will see you in a week.”  She turned to Beyan. “As for you, pig!  I look forward to having you work beneath me.”  With that, she stalked off towards the herb garden.

Three men watched her leave, one standing more than six feet tall, another at four feet and the third at three and a half.  They all shared an appreciation for what they were seeing though.  When she was beyond earshot, Beyan grumbled quietly, “I already tried to work under her.”

Richter looked at him, taking in his black eye again and asked, “Okay, man.  What the hell happened to your face?”

Beyan looked down for a second like he was embarrassed. “I was just taking your advice and trying to connect with people.”

“Ha!” Sion scoffed.  “He was trying to connect with her alright.  Just a specific part of her!”

Richter chuckled, the picture becoming clear. “So you made a pass at her and she decked you?”

“No,” Beyan said sullenly.

“No?” Richter echoed.

“No,” Sion said with a smile.  “A woman named Mimi decked him.  Apparently she didn’t like Beyan flirting with her wife!”

“Oh?” Richter said, wondering if he had heard wrong.  Then he said, “Oh.  Oooh!”  He started chuckling as he looked at Tabia again in the distance.  She was chatting with Isabella, presumably about getting access to ingredients she would need to make her potion.  “Well if it makes you feel any better, man, I’m going to give you credit for having a threesome.”

“Really?” Beyan asked.  His face had a hopeful look that the situation could somehow be salvaged.

Richter laughed even louder. “Of course not!  You got beat up by a girl!  But come on.  Let’s go deconstruct some potions.”

Sion joined in on the laughter.  Beyan had a sour look on his face, but still followed the two Companions into the Dragon’s Cauldron.

CHAPTER 24

Once again, Richter was overwhelmed with the beauty of a building made entirely of glass.  He held his hands under one of the rainbows created by the light coming through the walls and smiled at seeing the vibrant colors.  Beyan cleared his throat, impatient to learn new recipes, and Richter acceded.  He was eager to see what would happen too.  He walked over to the central cauldron and put his hands on the rim.

The first thing he did was give Sion complete access and the ability to alter other people’s access.  Sion’s eyes unfocused for a second, but then he told Richter he had received his new clearances to use the Cauldron.

Richter also gave Beyan and Tabia access to the Cauldron for one week.  Then he asked them to organize anyone else with Alchemy skill in the village and see if they could be helpful.  Richter wanted to have a stockpile of potions.  If he had his way, every villager would carry at least one health potion in their belt pouch at all times.  While he was attending to those matters, Alma flew into the Cauldron and settled onto his shoulders.  He reached up and scratched the scales along her back, eliciting a happy croon from the familiar.  Now that the administrative matters were out of the way, he pulled out his first potion.

The first thing that he did was place a Potion of Clarity into the cauldron.  A prompt appeared asking if he wished for the potion to be deconstructed.  He excitedly chose “Yes.”

This is a naturally occurring substance.  No recipe exists and so it cannot be deconstructed.

“Boo,” Richter said aloud.  He told Sion and Beyan and they looked equally nonplussed.

Then Sion asked a pertinent question while looking down into the central cauldron at the small amount of liquid at the bottom.  “How do we get the potion back out?”

All three of them looked down and Richter said, “Shit.”  He put his hands back on the Cauldron, and was about to try and lift it to pour the valuable liquid out when another prompt appeared.

Do you want to retrieve this potion?  Yes or No?

He chose “Yes,” and the liquid rose into the air in a thin stream and deposited itself into the empty vial he was holding.

“Well that was easy,” Richter said with a smile.  “Let’s do the next one.”

He pulled out the box that held all of Sonirae’s poisons.  He placed the first one in and selected “Yes” on the deconstruct prompt.  This time something spectacular happened.  The beating vessels of the cauldron began pulsing faster.  As they watched, the potion drained out of the pot though there was no obvious hole.  Then Sion exclaimed and pointed at one of the vessels in the walls of the cauldron.  The blue potion could be seen flowing through the clear veins before tracing down through the vessels in one of the cauldron support columns and then disappearing into the floor.  The barely perceptible throb of the central cauldron increased in strength until it seemed like it was all Richter could hear.  The sound wasn’t deafening, it just seemed like all other sounds in the Universe had disappeared until all that existed was him and the beating heart of the Dragon’s Cauldron.  His own heartbeat synced up to this mighty rhythm and then a prompt appeared.  Suddenly the knowledge of how to make the potion was etched into Richter’s mind, chapter and verse.  He was also provided the knowledge of how to make it with local ingredients.  In the space of three more beats, the volume of the Cauldron returned to a normal, barely perceptible level.  He smiled broadly at his Companions.

“Did it work?” Beyan asked.

“What do you mean?  You didn’t hear that?” Richter responded.

“Hear what?” Sion asked.  The gnome and sprite looked at one another in mild confusion.

Richter just laughed. “I can’t explain it to you.  You’ll understand when you connect with the Cauldron.”

One by one, he placed all of the Assassin’s potions into the central cauldron.  He had to use several doses for some of them before the recipe was revealed, but they all yielded their secrets and all had local equivalents of their ingredients.  The names changed to represent the underlying purpose of the potion.

Drowned One Poison became Water Damage Poison.  Beyan said the recipe contained some expensive ingredients if they would have had to buy them in Yves.  The local ingredients did not sound hard to procure though.  It required three scales of a sling eel, the dried petals of the dusk clover flower, the congealed blood of a spotted deer, bark shavings of a kerrigan tree and a few other things.  Brewing the potion required several steps and had specific cooking and drying times as well as a prescribed number of times to grind certain ingredients.  The petals, for instance, just needed to be broken into small pieces while the bark had to be ground into powder.  Richter had no idea how anyone would find this out by trial and error.

Just figuring out the recipe of the first potion made Richter appreciate the power of the Cauldron.  It also made him appreciate how difficult it was to make potions.  Beyan told him that specific recipes should be used to make only a small number of doses.  The number of doses was determined by the alchemist’s skill rank.  Beyan, as a journeyman, could make four measures of a potion without compromising the formula.  Apparently, proportionally increasing the ingredients to make large quantities of the potion all at once increased the chance of the entire alchemy being ruined.  Learning that made Richter appreciate the Cauldron’s ability to clone a potion and make nine more copies all at once with a 100% success rate.  Beyan said that at his rank, he had a 65% chance of making a solution-level potion correctly, but that it would also take at least three hours.  Richter quailed at hearing how involved the process was.  One thing was clear.  He had to find more alchemists and level up the ones he had.

He told Beyan to expect more hunting trips and that he would be required to start training with the militia to increase his martial skills.  There was no hemming and hawing this time.  The gnome understood.  He also gave Futen an order to pass along to Randolphus.  He wanted every recipe to be recorded and compiled on a daily basis.  Then the scribes were to make a copy and create a book.  The third part of the order was to get his villagers taught in the ways of Herb Lore if possible.  There were long rows of empty shelves running down several of the Cauldron’s walls.  Richter wanted the building stocked with any ingredients that they could find.

Next they put in various health, mana, and stamina potions.  For each, they received the recipes and instructions on how to make them.  Most of the recipes Beyan and Sion already knew, but there were a few that were unknown to them.  Richter was happy to find that apparently a common weed could make a solution-level mana potion.  It would be good to have a few more of those in his Bag.

The last thing he pulled out was the Elixir of Luck.  Before he poured it into the central cauldron, he looked at Beyan and asked, “Happy now?”  They both remembered Beyan’s meltdown when Richter had almost “thoughtlessly” drank the potion.  The gnome smiled expansively and waggled his eyebrows.

“Don’t… don’t do that, Beyan,” Richter said.

“Yeah, it’s a bit creepy,” Sion cosigned.

Beyan stopped in mid waggle. “Pour it in then!  My lord.”  The last two words were clearly added as an afterthought.

Rolling his eyes, Richter unstoppered the silver potion and poured it in.  He answered “Yes” on the prompt, and the Cauldron consumed the elixir.  Once again, they saw the liquid drain through the vessels of the quasi-living cauldron.  This time in addition to the two recipes, he received another prompt.

The primary ingredient of the Elixir of Luck, Shiverleaf Frond, is ‘rare’ quality.  The general location has been marked on your map.  This spined plant grows in water in the absence of light.

Richter opened his Map and saw an area a couple hundred yards across highlighted with a red circle.  It was about eight miles to the west.  Beyan and Sion checked the other ingredients and said they were relatively easy to come by, but agreed that they had no idea where to find the shiverleaf.  Richter remained undaunted. “Looks like we’re hunting to the west today, boys.”

He checked his clock and saw that he had a little under an hour left.  He decided not to risk the Potion of Nil Ability yet.  He only had one dose after all.  The way Sonirae had gone on and on, it sounded like it was incredibly valuable.  Once they made some luck potions, he’d feel more comfortable taking the chance.  Sion and Beyan said they could make a quick potion or two before noon, so he bid them goodbye.  Right before leaving, though, he remembered something.

“Sion, do you still have that recipe for the stagnation poison?  The one that stops health regeneration?”

“Yes.  Honestly, I’d forgotten about it.”

“Well, get it to Beyan and see if you can make a few doses.  I still remember that troll we saw a while back.  If we see another, I think it will go better if we had something like that.”  The two men nodded at him and said they would handle it.  His business at the Cauldron done, Richter jogged over to the Quickening.  Some of the village children were playing tag in the meadow and one used him as an obstacle to avoid being made “it.”  Watching the future of his people, his heart felt light.  It was good to be reminded of what all of his fighting was for.  Walking towards the white tree with the sun shining down on him, it felt like everything would work out.

As he got closer, the two sprites Hisako had left to guard Elora and the tree appeared in front of him.  They appeared to step out of nowhere and once again, Richter was glad to have the sprites as his allies and not his enemies.  “Anything to report?” he asked.

“There is one thing, Lord Richter.  Perhaps you should see for yourself,” one replied, gesturing to the tree.

Richter walked under the boughs of the tree, and as always, the presence of the Quickening filled him with utter contentment.  The soft velvet undersides of the leaves seemed to float on the wind, slowly shifting on their branches.  As he got closer to the braided trunk, he could make out the intricate tracing on the bark.  Above him, he saw the fruit of the Quickening changing from a green color to a dark silver.  They still showed as “immature” on the prompts, but he took the change in color as a good sign.

When he was close enough to touch the trunk, he saw immediately what the sprite guard had been talking about.  On the inside of the hollow trunk was Elora’s cocoon.  It shined and looked like it was spun from pure silver.  Those details were no different than before, but now light was peeking through the cocoon in odd spots.  Richter could clearly see yellow, gold, and blue lights.  He even saw several filaments of black light that seemed to leech color from whatever it touched.

“How long has it been like this?” he asked in awe.

“Two days, Lord Richter.  We assume it means that the pixies will be born soon.”

“I look forward to meeting them,” he said, gazing at the cocoon in excitement.

Richter left the warm embrace of the tree and made one more stop before leaving the meadow.  He jogged over to the memorial made for his fallen villagers.  Gazing at it for several long moments, he silently vowed to do better for his people in the future.  Then he cast Haste I again and started jogging back down to the village proper.  He would have liked to have checked on the skath eggs and crystal garden, but they were on the far edge of the meadow and he had two more stops to make before noon.

The first place he planned to go was the eastern edge of the village, where the hunters dressed their kills.  He had to get the new quest.  Before he was halfway through the village though, he ran into one of them.  Without even needing prompting, the woman told him about worrisome tracks that had been seen to the west.  They were large and always seen around broken trees.  The hunters were too afraid to hunt over in that direction since they had started seeing this.  A prompt appeared in Richter’s vision.

You have been offered a Quest: Hunter or Hunted II.  Your hunters have seen signs of a powerful and violent creature.  They have not seen the actual monster, but the tracks are large.  Will you look for and remove this threat?  Yes or No?  Reward: Unknown.  Penalty: Decreased hunting grounds for your people.

Richter accepted the quest.  He couldn’t just allow something to control part of his lands.   It was also in the direction of the shiverleaf, so hunting it would be killing two birds with one stone.  The huntress thanked him and then also thanked him for the increased weapons and armor.  She showed him that her arrows were now tipped with moonstone heads.  He smiled, said he was glad to help, then left and headed to the Forge.

Several of the dwarves were hard at work and Krom was at his customary spot at the main anvil.  His hammer rose and fell with regularity, a level of proficiency that was enjoyable to watch.  This time, though, Richter interrupted him.  “It’s time to add some new enchantments to the Forge.”

The dwarf smiled and relinquished the anvil.  The entire thing was the color of clear green glass except for two small motes of light that danced near the center, one blue and one gold.  Richter planned to add some more lights to the show, and hopefully his increased Luck would help out with that.

The first thing he pulled out was his Arrow of Confusion.  He placed it on the anvil and accessed the Forge’s power.

You have brought an enchanted weapon into contact with the Forge of Heavens: Arrow of Confusion.  Do you want to deconstruct this weapon for a chance to have the enchantment stored for future use?  Yes or No?

Richter selected “Yes” and watched as motes of white light appeared around the arrow.  They circled the weapon, and every passing moment, more sparkling light joined the rest, until the arrow could no longer be seen.  The lights began to flow down towards the anvil and then into it.  The sparks coalesced into a black sphere that floated near the initial gold and blue ones.

Richter did a fist pump. “Woohoo!  Right out of the gate.”

“Good job, yer Lordship!  What else ye got?” Krom said with a grin.

Richter laughed and pulled out the next item to be deconstructed.  For the next thirty minutes they went through the enchanted weapons and armor Richter had managed to collect.  They were able to add Earth Resistance and Goblin Slaying—Richter noted Krom was exceptionally excited about that one.  They were also able to successfully destroy his Shadow Dagger and learn Ignore Defense.  He smiled when he saw the Iron Axe of Strength he had taken from the goblin chief to claim the Mist Village.  A green light joined the others floating in the anvil’s center.

Some of the enchantments failed to be absorbed, though, and just fell to dust.  He lost the Summoning Staff of Earth, the Steel Dagger of Beast Slaying and most of his new arrowheads.  The motes of white cascaded off of the large anvil again and again without kindling a new colored light.  Richter began to grit his teeth as it happened again and again, but he was able to save three of the enchantments: Dark Attack, Tracking, and Analysis.  The sleep powder arrow was a device that the Forge couldn’t deconstruct.  Krom said he could take it apart to see if he could recreate it, but he was doubtful.  Richter placed it back in his Bag.

He wasn’t willing to risk the Ebonwood Bow of Sundering or the Glass Boots of Shockwave until he had the luck potions.  Just like the Potion of Nil Abilities, they were too valuable.  Richter also discovered that his set of unenhanced sprite armor wasn’t able to be deconstructed.  Krom thought it must be because sprite armor wasn’t forged in a traditional sense.  Richter didn’t let him daunt him though.  He had actually felt a bit off about sacrificing the first armor he had ever worn.

There was one embarrassing moment when he brought out the Ouroboros armor.  Krom examined the hood and asked Richter, “When you were underground, how many of those darkvision potions did ye drink?”

“Six or seven.  Why?”

“And every one of those had squished kobold eye jelly in them?”

“Yesss.  Why?” Richter asked with a hint of consternation.

“Did it taste good?” the smith asked with a smile.

“No!  It tasted like old taint!  Why?”  Richter was getting pissed at Krom’s random teasing.

“Well you do know that you could have just worn this hood and you would have been granted darkvision, right?”

Richter’s mouth hung open.  He started talking, but then stopped and just stood there with a pained expression.  Finally, he said, “Let’s not tell anyone about this, okay?”

Krom looked at him with barely concealed glee. “Of course not!  I would never embarrass ye, yer Lordship!”

Richter glared at him suspiciously, but Krom moved them past the moment by asking if Richter wanted to hold onto the hood or deconstruct it.

“Well of course we’re going to destroy it!  Give it here!”

A few seconds later, Richter forgot about his bonehead move because he had earned another black sphere in the Forge.  They went through the rest of the Assassin’s armor.  He was able to successfully add the enchantment from the leggings, fighting gloves, and arm wraps.  They provided the ability to increase movement speed, increase unarmed attack damage, and increase attack speed, respectively.  The other pieces of armor simply fell to dust.

Despite the fact that a fair number of his attempts had resulted in the items just being destroyed, when Richter looked at the good number of lights dancing in the central anvil, he knew he’d made the right choice.  It also felt nice to have unloaded so much of the gear he had been carrying around.  Checking his clock, he saw that it was actually a few minutes past twelve.  He literally had to order Krom away from the anvil.  As they walked away, the dwarf kept throwing longing looks back at the Forge and all of the new enchantments that were waiting for him.

Richter clapped his arm around the Smith’s shoulders and said, “Don’t worry, mi amigo.  We’re going to go kill some shit!  There might even be goblins.”

A smile broke out both on Krom’s face and in his heart. “Aye!”

CHAPTER 25

Before they left the Forge, Krom handed him some high steel heavy arrows.  Richter happily took his quiver out of his Bag and placed the arrows inside.  He also took several pieces of armor and weapons from the Forge and put them into his Bag, then they were on their way.  When they arrived at the gate, Richter found that everyone was waiting.  He looked around and was pleased to see Sedrin standing with the others.  The guard walked up to him, and the two men clasped wrists.  Looking down, Richter saw that his fingers had been reattached, but that his left pinky was still missing the last two segments.

“Good morrow, my lord.”

“Hello, Sedrin,” Richter greeted him.  “I wasn’t sure that you would be here, but I’m glad to see you.”

“How could I stay away when our smith has provided me with such an excellent weapon?”

Richter looked and his eyes widened as he took in the stats of Sedrin’s spear.  The head was pure moonstone.  A central spear tip extended a foot and a half from the socket, three inches across at its widest point.  It appeared to almost be a pitchfork, as two prongs extended horizontally from the base of the spearhead before turning at a right angle and extending up six inches.  These solid spikes ended in wicked points.  No man or beast skewered with this weapon would reach Sedrin as long as the man kept a sure grip.  As the guard moved the spear, Richter saw the same glowing four pointed star that was on his short sword.  The weapon was a beauty of utility, but its properties were what stood out.  It was clearly Forge born.

You have found: Charging Moonstone Spear of Freezing.  Damage: 24-29.  Durability 96/96.  Item class: Scarce. Quality: Exquisite.  Weight 4.1 kg.  Traits:10 points of water damage per attack.  6% chance to cause freeze.  +10% damage vs spell barriers.  Charges: 290/290.  Bonus Trait: Can absorb direct moonlight to increase attack power.  Current charge 0/10.

Richter arched an eyebrow at Krom.  The smith shrugged. “I thought he deserved it after what he had been through.  I had intended to make a simple spear, but as sometimes happens, the metal took on a life of its own.  After I saw how beautiful it was, I didn’t hesitate to use a higher stone and one of the commons.”

Richter smiled. “I think you did a great job.  I pray the rest of my men can be so well equipped.  Let me speak with Sedrin a moment, though, Krom.”

The dwarf nodded and walked away.  Richter looked Sedrin in the eye and was about to speak when the guard beat him to the punch. “I bear you no ill will for what happened, my lord.  I knew that things could be dangerous when I agreed to be a guard.  As promised though, you met the danger with me.  I was a bit delirious on the way back, but I know that you carried me yourself.  Most rulers I know see their men as disposable, little better than slaves.  I am proud to serve you, and if you allow it, I will serve you for life.”

Richter was quiet for a moment. “I am honored, Sedrin.  I don’t know what else to say.  Thank you.”

Sedrin nodded, then a smile broke out over his face. “There was an unexpected benefit.  I got a nickname!  ‘Ten Fingers.’”

Richter’s face took on a bemused expression of confusion. “I don’t get it, man.”

Sedrin leaned in and whispered, “One of the village women gave me the nickname.  It’s because my biggest finger is the one you can’t see!”  Then he started laughing.

Richter joined him in the laugh and they walked over to the rest of the men.  Everyone else was chuckling a bit, and he heard Krom say, “and he had the hood in his bag the whole time!”

Richter fixed the dwarf with a glare. “You’re a dick, Krom.”

Krom smiled back. “Thank ye, yer lordship!”

Shaking his head, Richter created the war party again and made sure that everyone was visible on his minimap.  Then he had Sion hand out health and stamina potions.  The sprite also handed over thirteen mana potions for Richter and several more for the casters.  Richter looked at him in surprise.

“Did you think I just wasted the week you were away?” his Companion asked with a laugh.

Richter put the potions into his Bag and then handed out Potions of Clarity.  After feeding one to Alma, he took one himself.  Then he loaded his Ring of Spell Storage.  Not knowing what they were going to find, he decided a little extra help couldn’t hurt.  His hand glowed green as he finished the three-second incantation.  As the light died out, another green light flared within the clear gem on the ring, letting him know that he had successfully stored Summon Weak Saproling.

The last thing he did was to distribute some of his items.  He made it clear that everything was a loan, just like any weapons or armor they may have gotten, but he wanted to see his war party better equipped.  When he had been deconstructing items at the Forge, he realized that his extra rings weren’t doing any good just sitting in his inventory.  Coupled with the fact that he had drank all those darkvision potions when he could have worn the hood (he shuddered again remembering the taste), he came to two conclusions.  One, he should spread the wealth.  Two, he had so much stuff that he forgot to use his items.  He had to unload.

First, he pulled out all of the armor he had taken from Orvin, the Warrior who had accompanied Sonirae.  All of it went to Caulder.  The sergeant groaned when he hefted the Steel War Door Shield, but he was strong enough to handle it.  The task became much easier when Richter gave him the Belt of Strength.  Caulder smiled as soon as he buckled it on and started moving around with much greater ease than a few seconds prior.  Richter looked at his new Tank and knew that he had made the right choice.  The Belt of Sustenance went around his own waist, and the sleepiness gnawing at the back of his mind faded substantially.

Next he offered the Stone Lizard armor he had taken from the bugbear ranger to Beyan.  The gnome begged off, though, saying he was concerned about disruption of his spells, so instead, Richter gave him the Apprentice Dark mage robes he had scavenged after the bugbear attack.  The defense on the robes was only +5, but it covered the alchemist head to toe and would give extra protection against magical attacks.

The armor ended up going to Ulinde.  The archer seemed more than happy with the durable, but lightweight, protection.  Richter also handed over the Ebonwood Bow of Sundering.  Though the bow was powerful, Richter wasn’t willing to relinquish the Dexterity boost his wood elf bow provided.  Ulinde reverently took his weapon and immediately began checking the wood for cracks.

The Wand of Dark Bolts he handed to Jean.  Krom happily took the crossbow away from the Air mage.  He considered giving Jean his original sprite armor, but it just seemed wrong somehow.  He told the mage to stay back from any direct fighting and hoped that the mail armor Krom had provided would be enough.  Richter asked the mage what his Air magic skill level was, but unfortunately Jean was still only level seven.  That meant it would still be five levels before the man could cast Lightning Bolt I.

He also equally handed out his extra rings and amulets, increasing everyone’s health and stamina slightly.  The mana ring went to Sion.  He searched through his inventory once more and lastly pulled out a wooden shield that he gave to Terrod.  With his war party as well equipped as he could make them, he addressed the group.

“We have two objectives today.  We will be searching a small area, looking for a specific plant, a shiverleaf frond.  We are also going to be investigating a monster sighting that the hunters have reported.  Any monsters or dangerous animals that we find while we are doing those two things, we take out.  Any questions?”

Caulder spoke up. “I thought we were going into the Catacombs, my lord.  I was looking forward to that.”

Several other party members nodded.  Richter could understand where they were coming from.  He had told them that this excursion was going to involve the Catacombs and yet they were going nowhere near them.  In fact, he had barely thought about the Depths since he had put the kobold egg back in stasis.  Despite that, he said, “Suck it up, Sergeant.  The Catacombs aren’t going anywhere.  We’ll get to them, just not now.  So get your game face on.”

Caulder bobbed his head in acquiescence, but Richter heard him mutter, “Promises were made.”

The Air magi cast Haste I on everyone, and the party took off through the gate.  The guards stationed there saluted as the war party jogged past.  The sun was warm, and looking up, Richter appreciated the azure sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.  The farmers waved to them as they moved by, as did the villagers tending the livestock.  They crossed into the trees with a light breeze at their backs and birdsong echoing in the trees around them.  As they got into their stride, Richter rechecked their collective status page.

*Base Values not adjusted for Characteristics or War Leader bonus

**Cumulative Armor Base Value not adjusted for Characteristics.  Damage will only be calculated based upon the specific armor piece struck.

Yup, Richter thought, we are some bad hombres.  He noticed that the challenge had been added to the top of the page.  He intended to conquer that task or die trying.

For the first fifteen minutes, they jogged through the woods, Richter and Sion leading the way.  The overall speed of the party was limited to their slowest member, Caulder, so the two Companions ranged ahead.  At first they didn’t find anything more dangerous than a wolf or bear track, but then Sion froze.  Richter silently made his way over to his friend and examined what he was looking at.  At the sprite’s feet was a trail that looked like a broad ribbon on the ground.  Sion made eye contact and said, “Shale adder.”

The other members of their party caught up and Sion explained what they were facing. “These things are big.  At least ten feet long, often up to twenty.”

“Okay, so what else?” Richter asked.  “Does it spit acid, mesmerize us with it gaze, fart poison?”

“No,” Sion said, shaking his head, “but it’s big, fast, and camouflages itself well.  Very well.”

Richter raised his head as the others approached. “Okay.  We have our first customer of the day.  Sion says it’s a big ass snake called a shale adder.”

Everyone nodded, except for Ulinde who asked, “How big?”

“At least twenty feet,” Sion answered.  The elf blanched slightly, but nodded.

“We move forward together now.  Tight formation.  Caulder, bring that slab of metal up here.  You’re right behind me and Sion.  Beyan and Jean, you’re in the middle.  Let’s move.”

Haste I was rebuffed and they got back to it.  Richter and Sion kept one eye on the ground and the other on the surrounding trees.  The sprite had told them that the adders liked to strike prey from above.  They moved slowly through the thick trees, making far too much noise for Richter’s liking, but he knew it couldn’t be helped.  Most of the other party members were just lacking in stealth or wood craft.  The trail started leading them north.

The war party slowly jogged on following the slithering tracks.  Almost an hour later, they found a splash of red blood.  Not too much, but still enough for them all to go on high alert.  After a minute when nothing else happened, Sion and Richter fanned out and found a blood trail that continued to follow the path of the snake.  The strange part was that the sinuous trail was fainter than it had been before the blood.

“If the snake killed something and carried it off, wouldn’t it be heavier?  I mean wouldn’t the tracks be deeper and easier to follow?” Richter asked.  Sion nodded.  “Then what’s with this?”  Sion just looked back and shrugged.

Having nothing else to go on, they kept moving forward.  Ten minutes later, the trail ended at a hole in the side of a small hill.  Richter never would have seen it if they hadn’t been following the snake’s trail.  The entrance was on the far side of the hill and covered by thick bracken.  After they had chopped through the briar, it was clear that they had found a lair.

The bones and remains of animals both large and small littered the ground around the cave.  What was even more concerning, was that as they had cut their way closer to the cave entrance, they had started seeing webbing as well.  Standing in front of the cave, Richter turned to Sion. “I don’t suppose that this is a special type of snake that makes webs?”

Sion slowly shook his head while keeping his eye on the cave.

Richter turned back to the cave with a grim expression on his face.  “That’s what I thought.  Fuck.  I hate spiders.”

He had Futen turn invisible and then scout inside.  The remnant came back a few seconds later reporting a large cavern filled with webs.  He could not go any further without disturbing the white strands.  Richter nodded and placed his bow back into his Bag, drawing his short sword instead.  Underground, it would probably come to some close quarters work.  The green blade made a shing sound as it cleared his back scabbard.  He waved Caulder to the front of the group and they filed into the dark, one at a time.

As soon as they were underground, Richter cast Far Light I several times.  The slope leading into the cave had been somewhat steep, and they went down about fifteen feet before reaching the earthen floor.  Loose and stringy roots hung down above their heads and larger roots interwove through the ceiling and walls.  More webs were strewn across the room, making moving forward impossible.  Sedrin tried cutting through the webbing with his dagger, but the stuff was thick and somewhat sticky.  It quickly clung to his blade, like tape on scissors, forcing the guard to stop and peel it away.  To make matters worse, the webbing numbed any exposed skin it touched.  It wasn’t a problem for those of them wearing gauntlets, but the webs still stuck to the armor in the most irritating way.  Terrod’s cobalt sword was able to cut through well enough, and the threads fell right away from Richter’s elementum blade, but it was still taking too long.

“Stand back and be ready,” he told everyone.

Richter began casting with both hands.  He didn’t dual cast this time.  Instead, he cast Flame I twice.  Twin jets of fire lanced out from his hands, severing and burning the webs in front of them.  The cauterized ends of the white strands snapped back under pressure, sending reverberations through the web.  His flames revealed a doorway to the far left; the blood trail continued on in that direction.

They were about to go through, when Richter heard something.  Click, click.  Click, click.  They all stopped and listened.  The noises started coming faster and closer together and it soon became clear that more than one creature was making the noises.  Noises that were getting closer.  They all shared a look and then Richter shouted, “Back up to the entrance and get ready!”

Richter cast Grease I in front of the doorway and then hastened to rejoin his party.  They moved back, always facing towards the deeper part of the cave.  The clicking grew louder and louder.  Richter began casting buffs, Barkskin I and Minor Life Armor I.  Before he could do anything else, the doorway leading deeper into the cave exploded with black spiders.

Each was about the size of a German shepherd.  Their bodies were long like a wolf spider’s, and two clusters of red eyes sat above slavering mandibles.  Clear spittle dripped from their mouths and several thorn-like teeth lined the top and bottom of their jaws.  Their mandibles were to either side of their mouths, like pincers.  The clicking came from them snapping together again and again.  The ends of their legs were sharp like pins, easily digging into the floor and walls as they boiled out of the entire circumference of the hole.  They climbed on the walls, the ceiling, and the floor.  First one, then five, then more than a dozen ran into the room.

Richter quickly Analyzed one.

Name: Assengai Spider Drone              Disposition: Neutral
Assengai spiders are pack hunters.  Their speed, numbers, and natural weaponry allow them to overwhelm enemies many times their size.  These fallen foes are taken back to their lair and assengai drink their blood, slowly draining them to death.  The process is not quick as the nest will live off of several enemies at once, allowing one victim to recover as they move on to the next.  The webbing of the spiders is a weak tranquilizer, keeping prey docile, but also conscious.  It is said that the prey of the assengai die of hunger rather than blood loss, knowing one irrevocable truth as they starve: they are food.  Drones are the lowest members of the assengai hierarchy.  With extremely low intelligence, they are fiercely loyal and will attack enemies of their queen with little regard to their own safety.

Level: 12

Health: 310              Mana: 0              Stamina: 260
Strength: 16
Agility: 18
Dexterity: 18
Constitution: 31
Endurance: 26
Intelligence: 0
Wisdom: 3
Charisma: 4
Luck: 10

As soon as Sion saw them, he shouted, “Spear spiders!” and began loosing arrows into the creatures.

Richter watched, hoping to see the ones on the floor slip in the grease, but their eight legs and the fact that each ended in a sharp point was enough to keep them upright.  Gritting his teeth, he thought, *Psi Blast!*

Alma let loose a cry and then flew forward several yards.  When all of the members of the war party were clear of her mental blast, she unleashed her devastating psychic attack.  She chose to narrow the beam in the confined space of the cave, still striking all of the spiders that had made it past the doorway.  The assengai fell to the ground twitching.  Sion and Ulinde wasted no time peppering the fallen spiders with arrows.  More continued to pour from the opening, with no concern for their fallen.  One was even in such a rush that its sharp legs pierced the abdomen of a fallen spider, sending green ichor spraying as it ran past.

Richter pointed his Ring of Spell Storage and released the spell.  A green disc phased into being, but Richter didn’t waste any time watching the saproling be summoned.  The first spiders had reached the party and they were slamming their sharpened legs against Caulder’s heavy shield.  The ting ting ting sound left no doubt as to how strong and dangerous the spiders’ attacks were.  Knowing they needed time, he cast a spell he had never tried before.  Both hands wove through a slow, but exacting, series of movements.  A cry of pain threatened to undo his concentration, but the fact that spiders continued to pour into the room firmed his will.  Words of Power poured out of his mouth, getting thicker and harder to say, but since Alma’s Psi Bond had leveled up, his ability to focus had deepened.  Three seconds after he started, he finished the spell with a shout and wrenched his hands down in a slashing motion.  For the first time he saw the power of Rending Talons I.

The entire area in front of the hole the spiders were coming out of became a spinning maelstrom of talons and hooked nails.  They randomly spun around the space at high speeds, scoring against anything they could touch.  The talons weren’t strong enough to do more than score the spiders’ armor at first, but they moved with increasing speed and soon green gore was flying.

Caulder and Terrod stood side by side, fending off the attacks of the spiders that were already beyond the AoE of Richter’s spell.  Their attacks complemented one another as Terrod held his shield in his right hand and Caulder held the war door in his left.  Caulder stood slightly forward, taking the brunt of the attacks.  The cry of pain had come from Terrod, and blood leaked down his leg from a puncture mark, but a dead spider now lay at his feet, neatly bisected.  Sedrin stood behind them both.  The longer reach of his weapon let him jab the spear forward whenever a spider tried to get past his fellow guards’ blades.  The creamy white spearhead already dripped green.

Sion and Ulinde stood several feet back from the guards, flanking them and forming the two bottom points of the party’s triangle formation.  They shot as quickly as they could, each arrow causing frost to spread from the impact point.  Occasionally spiders were knocked back by a heavy arrow connecting.  They would always regain their feet, though, and surge forward again.  The space was too small for Sion to use imbue arrow, but his shots still struck with devastating force and accuracy.  From the center of the formation, Jean added to the ranged attacks with shots from his wand.  There was a slight bzzzt as each black bolt left the wand.  Krom stood near the center of the formation, ranging left or right whenever a spider attempted to sidle past Terrod or Caulder’s shields.  Beyan’s contribution was seen in a reanimated spider attacking its former compatriots.

As Richter had been casting Rending Talons I, the saproling had crossed into the cavern.  This time, the saproling took the form of a six-footed pit bull, comprised of roots and thorns.  It stood four feet tall at the shoulder and had an oversized head.  Its mouth was full of sharp thorns that oozed a green poison of some type.  It dove into the spiders with gusto, not at all minding that it was outsized and vastly outnumbered.  The spiders attacked it with their needle-like legs and powerful bites, but the tough wood that made up its body was highly resistant to piercing attacks.  The Earth creature also drew strength from being underground, surrounded by the roots of mighty trees.  It drew energy through its legs and it was able to self-heal some of the damage it suffered.

The spiders started falling one after another.  To Richter’s surprise, rainbows of light traced through the cavern with each one’s passing.  He looked over and saw Alma weaving through the cavern, casting Soul Trap on any spider that looked to be near death.  The mana expenditure was significant, but at level twenty-four and with the 60% bump to her Intelligence, she had almost five hundred and fifty mana to draw on.  The dragonling had become a force to be reckoned with.

Despite the effectiveness of the party’s new gear and efficient fighting tactics, spiders continued to pour into the room.  They pushed mindlessly through Richter’s AoE spells.  A few were knocked down by the claws, but more and more were making it into the room having suffered only minor to moderate wounds.  Richter drew his sword, prepared to rush forward.  If he could get close enough, he could light the grease on fire.  At the very least, it would give his party some breathing room.  Before he could step a foot forward, though, a mass of spiders swarmed the saproling.  It went down under their weight.  Richter held back because he could see the same thing happening to him.  The spiders continued to grow in number, uncaring that the war party needed a respite.

Alma fired a lightning bolt at one of the spiders on top of the saproling, and it fell to the ground, twitching.  Seeing her use of magic reminded Richter that he wasn’t using his full capabilities.  He sent a mental order to Alma, who immediately looped in the air and began flying towards the tunnel.  One spider jumped to strike at her, but the lithe dragonling avoided the attack and quickly crossed the distance between the war party and the storm of swirling claws.

Richter extended a hand, his fingers moving in a precise pattern.  He finished the one-second casting, but instead of channeling the energy through his hands, he reached for a recently unlocked portion of his mind and directed the Power there.  Alma glowed red for a split second before flames shot out from her body in a five-foot jet.  She strafed the ground for a few feet before the fire finally touched the grease.  Flames shot up in a circular inferno, and the spiders finally made a noise besides their incessant clicking.  A high-pitched keening began, and those caught in the AoE scrambled and lashed out in confusion, some even fighting each other as they burned to death.

*Keep soul trapping them!* he thought to Alma.  Then Richter turned his attention to the spiders that were already attacking his party.  The triangle formation was slowly moving forward, now striking at the spiders with impunity.  They all recognized that they had a small window to kill the spiders that had made it into the cave.  Another zombie spider had joined the first and struck its fellows with its spiked legs.  Krom had taken a wound to the shoulder, but he had already healed himself and was still in the fight.  Jean continued to fire dark bolts from the wand and Sion and Ulinde showed no signs of stopping their distanced death dealing.  His war party was doing well, so Richter focused on trying to save his summoned creature.

With one hand, he cast Slow Heal I and with the other swung his elementum blade in an overhand chop.  His mind easily compartmentalized, and he was able to finish the spell form while smoothly executing the sword form Setting Sun. His blade almost effortlessly swept through three of his target’s legs and, in the same motion, the tip of the sword split open the assengai’s side.  The spider toppled over and then rolled onto its back, pincers clicking madly.  He cast Soul Trap with his left hand while he swept his sword through the spider’s head, shearing it in two.  Another ribbon of light spiraled around him.

As his war party pushed forward, hacking and stabbing, rainbow swirls of light began to come from all sides.  Alma, mana nearly depleted, flew back to his side.  Richter took a step back from the fighting, happy to see that his saproling was still biting and clawing against the five spiders attacking it.  He reached into his Bag and uncorked a mana potion and gave it to his familiar.  She drank it down in one fast gulp, the blue solution restoring one hundred fifty-eight mana over the next nineteen seconds.

She took off into the air and fired a lightning bolt at a spider attacking Terrod.  It collapsed to the ground stunned.  With a gleeful shout, Sedrin’s white spear stabbed it through the abdomen while Terrod skewered it with his dusky grey cobalt blade.  A ribbon of light rose from its body thanks to Krom’s quick thinking.  The party continued to surge forward, desperate to kill the assengai in the room before Richter’s grease fire burned itself out.

Meanwhile, Richter knew one thing.  When the saproling finally succumbed, those spiders were going to be on him and his men.  Thrusting his short sword into the ground, his hands wove in a dual casting.  Pressure built in his throat for the next three seconds.  With a shout that seemed to stretch out longer than should be possible, rings of weaponized sound energy shot from his throat and washed over both the spiders and his saproling.

The attack traveled at Mach 1 and overwhelmed the spiders’ senses.  His ears rang, but the spiders were far enough away that the feedback didn’t immediately deafen him this time.  Three fell to the ground, legs lashing out blindly, while the other two ran aimlessly in a desperate bid to escape Richter’s attack.  One was able to leave the cone-shaped AoE of the sonic assault, but the other circled and tripped over the body of another spider.  It stabbed its legs into its brethren again and again, maddened by the pain of Richter’s attack.  The one which got away suddenly collapsed, Alma’s sharp claws latched onto its back.  The poor intellect of the spear spider was no match for her level six Brain Drain.

Krom ran past Richter, and with a savage yell, swung his ebony hammer in a 270-degree windmill.  The dense black metal impacted against a spider’s hardened carapace.  The spider’s natural armor was quite good at resisting tooth, nail, and even the glancing blow of a blade, but it could nothing to stop the raw blunt force trauma of the dwarf’s attack.  The spider’s body burst as its insides were compressed past its exoskeleton’s ability to contain them.

Green gore sprayed everywhere including Richter’s face and open mouth.  He spit in disgust, but neither the taste nor Krom’s manic laugh deterred him from swinging his sword.  One!  Two!  Three!  Each sword stroke laid open the belly of another spider, not killing them, but doing massive damage before they could fully recover from his sound attack.  He cast Soul Trap on each as Caulder, Terrod, and Sedrin rushed forward to finish them off.  Richter turned to kill the last spider, but two arrows shot forth from behind him, taking it in each eye.  With a last click of its mandibles it fell silent.

Everyone gathered together in the chamber.  Beyan’s zombies had been taken apart, but everyone else had made it through the fight with only minor damage.  They were all breathing heavily, and to a man, they were looking at the slowly dying fire in front of the exit and listening to the ever present clicking of the spiders waiting on the other side.  The spiders in the next chamber shared every creature’s fear of fire, which was the only reason why the war party had found a respite.  The entire war party knew that battle would recommence once the fire died.  Richter looked around at his people, struggling to take a deep breath.  The air had begun to grow thin as the fire continued to burn in the confined space.

“You always take me to the nicest places,” Sion said.

“Let’s not forget that it was your idea to lure that skeeling out,” Richter quipped back.

“My lord, do we stay and fight or do we retreat?” Terrod asked, a pained look on his face.

Seven pairs of eyes looked at him, awaiting his command.  Richter looked behind them to the entrance to the surface and then back at the doorway that led deeper into the caves.  Before he started speaking, he took Jean’s wand and recharged it with several of the weak and poor soul stones the hunters had provided.  After he had handed it back, he looked at each of them one by one.  “I don’t want to be here either.  I didn’t expect to find a nest like this, but we are here and we did find it.  I can’t leave this den behind to grow stronger.  To one day spawn more of these things that can attack our friends and loved ones.  Can you?”

Each and every member of the war party met his eyes and shook their heads slightly.   Their jaws were firm and they turned to the dying fire and spiders that waited beyond.  Richter spoke up again. “Well I don’t see any reason to wait for them to come to us, do you, Sion?”

“No reason at all, Richter my friend.”  With a grim and bloodthirsty smile, he nocked an arrow, and blue light flickered into existence.  Beyan started chanting, Ulinde prepared to fire and Jean raised his wand.

Richter started to dual cast Rending Talon I again, only too happy to teach these monsters that he was the true master of these lands.

CHAPTER 26

They fought off three more waves of spiders.  Richter was able to halt the influx of enemies each time with a grease fire, preventing them from being overwhelmed.  They went through most of their restore health and stamina potions, Beyan suffered a dislocated shoulder, and they all suffered flesh wounds, but otherwise they made it through unscathed.  After finishing the last spider, Richter looked around and with weariness in his voice said, “Let’s finish this.”

It had taken more than an hour of fighting, but they made their way into the next chamber.  As they proceeded, Richter burned away any webbing he could see.  Once it was gone, they found several blind end caves that were offshoots from the one they were standing in.  There was also a tunnel entrance leading downward at the far end.  They systematically cleared each cave, but there were no more enemies remaining.  Richter assigned Caulder, Terrod, Sedrin, and Ulinde to guard the tunnel entrance, and everyone else just searched around.  Each cave turned out to just have a mixture of bones and small eggs sacs.  Beyan had called Richter over when he found the first one.

You have found: Assengai Spider Drone Egg.  Durability 1/1.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Weight: 0.01 kg.  If kept in a dry place this will hatch an assengai spider drone.  Your Beast Bonding skill lets you know that this egg will probably hatch in 3-4 weeks.  You also have a feeling that this could be used to create a cure poison potion and the jelly of the egg could be used to slow decay.

Richter’s first impulse was to burn all of the golf-ball-sized eggs.  Each had a transparent skin and he could see the developing spider within.  It filled him with a sense of revulsion.  There were hundreds of eggs, though, and if they were a source of making cure poison potions, it was a resource he would be foolish to squander.  He also reasoned that he could just put them in his Bag.  The spatial folds that comprised the inside of the storage device had shown to be incompatible with any higher form of life, but the Bag would keep the eggs fresh until they could be stored in the Dragon’s Cauldron.  Basically, he could be sure that he wouldn’t wake up one morning covered in baby spiders with insanely sharp legs.  The thought of it made his skin crawl.  Richter physically shivered, but when Beyan asked him what was the matter, he just gave a manly, “I’m good!  What’s wrong with you?”

He tried picking an egg up, but it immediately popped in his hand.  The fragile skin of the egg clung to his fingers, making them burn and tingle at the same time.  The jelly inside the egg coated his hand and the scent of old rotting fish filled his nose.  The warm sensation of the goo felt like someone had just blown their nose on his hand.  The sound Richter let loose could never have been willfully repeated. “Blehaguh!”  He vigorously wiped his hand back and forth on the cave wall until it had mostly been cleaned off, though he could still feel a bit under his fingernails.  Beyan was looking at him with a barely held in laugh, but Richter held up a finger and said, “Not one word, Beyan!”  The gnome shrugged innocently, but his lips were still suspiciously and tensely pressed together like he was struggling to keep something in.

Not wanting to repeat the experience, Richter unshouldered his Bag.  Holding the opening wide, he scooped the eggs in.  Going through each of the five small caverns, he was able to collect more than a hundred eggs.  He didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if this nest had gone unfound for another month or two.  Hisako had told him that as he awakened his Place of Power the monsters around his village would become stronger and more numerous.  He had assumed that she had meant just higher-level monsters that he would have to challenge and fight.  This was something else though.  If the number of eggs he was seeing was any indication of how quickly these spiders normally bred, they posed a very serious danger to his people.  Five hundred of these bastards would be enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the village!  He had to start exploring his territory more seriously.

He also had to seriously consider if he was ready to unlock another Power.  Having 30% better loot from his Dark Hidden Treasures ability or having a 30% reduction in his spell costs from the Water Tranquil Soul ability sounded great.  If the trade-off meant increased danger for his people, though, he might have to wait until his village was better prepared.  The simple fact that his war party was better equipped during this expedition drastically improved both their ability to deal damage and protect themselves.  Richter nodded to himself.  He had to think like a leader, not some selfish prick that was only out for himself.  If that meant having to wait a bit, then so be it.

Once he was sure there was nothing else of value in the caves, the party gathered in front of the tunnel entrance.  The lights he had cast in the cavern they were in barely penetrated the darkness, so Richter extended his hand and cast Far Light I again.  The ball of white light shot forward, showing that the tunnel remained at roughly a thirty-degree slope.  It struck the floor when the tunnel leveled out, shining like a flare dropped down a well.  The tunnel continued forward out of sight.  Richter had Futen turn invisible and scout ahead again.  The remnant went to the end of his tether before returning.

“There is a wide cavern with high ceilings forty yards down the tunnel.  Several large cocoons are either hanging from the ceiling or lying on the floor.  There are several large piles of eggs, and eight spiders are moving around the floor.  They are quite a bit larger than the ones that you just fought, Lord Richter.”

Richter gritted his teeth in annoyance. “How much larger?”

“Twice as large, Lord Richter,” came the monotone reply.

“Futen!  If you’re going to tell me that I’m going to fight a spider the size of a horse, maybe you could put some fucking inflection on it?  Like the high likelihood of us being eaten is a bad thing, maybe?”

“Yes, Lord Richter.  That would be very bad.”  There was no change in the remnant’s voice.

“We’re going to be eaten?” Jean asked in a small voice.

Richter made eye contact with the Air mage and shook his head reassuringly.  Then he turned back to the remnant. “Did you see anything else?”  It was a big assumption of course, but the spiders they had fought had been “drones.”  The large ones below sounded like soldiers guarding a nest or larder.  That posed the question, where was the queen?

“I did not, my lord, but there are large stalactites and stalagmites throughout the cavern.  It is possible there were other monsters hiding that I did not see.”

Richter took the information and made a command decision.  “We just don’t know enough.  I won’t risk our lives on incomplete info.  That’s why I’m scouting ahead.  The rest of you wait here.”

“My lord, no!  It is too much of a risk,” Terrod protested in a hushed voice.

“I agree, Lord Richter.  Let one of us do this,” Caulder added.

“I am quite skilled at scouting and have an apprentice level stealth skill, Lord Richter,” Ulinde said.  “I can undertake this mission.”

Jean, Krom, and Sion expressed their displeasure with the plan too.  Everyone looked at Beyan, who was the only one who hadn’t spoken up.  When he saw their attention, he raised both hands to ward off their gazes. “What!  I’m not going to be the one that goes down to play with the giant spiders,” he whispered harshly.  “Best of luck, my lord!”

Richter chuckled to himself. “I hear all of your objections, well, almost all of your objections,” he amended, eyeballing Beyan.  The gnome looked back with a perfect “honey badger don’t care” glare.  “This isn’t just about recon though.  Ulinde, you may be able to stealth, but I doubt you have experience with traps.  My Traps, Trap Disarm, and Pierce the Veil skills are all above twenty.  I am going, and that is the end of the matter.  Futen will go with me.  If things go sideways, he will make the brightest light and loudest sound he can to distract them.  I’ll escape in the chaos.  All of you wait here.  If I give you the signal, run like hell for the surface.”

“What will the signal be, yer lordship?” Krom asked.

“Something like me running my ass off shouting, ‘Run, you sons of bitches, run.’”

“I’ll make sure to watch out for that,” Sion said dryly.

Richter nodded to him and started walking off, but the sprite grabbed his hand. “Be careful.  I don’t want you to go on… vacation again.”  Richter’s ability to be reborn was still a loosely kept secret, and Sion understood the wisdom of keeping it that way.  The sprite clasped wrists with his Companion for a second, then Richter moved off.  Alma protested for a moment, but he explained that he might need to move quickly.  In the end, she agreed to stay behind.

He cast Haste I and Barkskin I on himself, then loaded his Ring of Spell Storage with Paralysis Beam I.  After taking a deep breath, he lifted the cowl of his hood and activated Stealth.  To his fellow war party members, it looked like he faded into the stone.  There was a rustle of fabric, then Richter was moving down the tunnel.  He flexed a mental muscle and extinguished the ball of Far Light I at the bottom of the slope.  His eyes slowly acclimatized to the new ambient light level.  One of his hands twisted and he muttered a word of Power.  Black energy surrounded his hand for just a moment, practically invisible in the low light.  His world became a contrast of green and black.  Richter reached the bottom of the slope and started walking forwards, the floor now irregular stone.

The tunnel was ten feet across.  Thirty yards ahead, it opened into the large cavern Futen had described.  Richter walked forward carefully, making sure not to slip in the loose scree.  It never entered his mind that the monsters in the room ahead hadn’t heard the sounds of battle, but they were clearly protecting something so had held back from the initial fight.  That still didn’t mean that he wanted them to know exactly where he was though.

He crossed into the cavern and saw that it was indeed about the size of a large amphitheater.  Monstrous spiders that were six feet tall were stationed around the room.  They were motionless except for a slight up and down movement as they tensed and relaxed their legs.  They looked like larger versions of the drones except for their front legs.  As opposed to simple poniard-like extremities, their front two legs were in the form of heavy doubled-edged blades.  Though Richter didn’t dare get too close, from where he stood the edges of their legs looked wickedly sharp.  As he crept through the room, the only sound was the off-tempo clicking of their various pincers.  He Analyzed one of them.

Name: Assengai Spider Cutters              Disposition: Neutral
Assengai cutters are larger, meaner, and more powerful than their drone cousins.  They are normally seen only when the queen is being threatened.  Their front blade limbs have been seen to bisect horses and tear through leather and chainmail armor with ease.  Cutters are also able to spit a magically corrosive venom.  Assengai cutters are not foes to be taken lightly.

Level: 19

Health: 510              Mana: 80              Stamina: 410
Strength: 25
Agility: 19
Dexterity: 24
Constitution: 59
Endurance: 41
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 4
Charisma: 4
Luck: 10

Richter continued to skirt around the outside of the cavern and he counted eight of the large spiders, all between levels eighteen and twenty-three.  He didn’t see the queen though, so he kept edging around.  Then he saw a telltale flash of red.

He had gone more than halfway around the room.  As he inched closer, he saw more red spots appear on the floor, more than ten when he stopped moving.  Barely breathing, he looked up, and his heart dropped.  Suspended twenty feet above him and thirty feet to the side, was a monster of a spider.  Twelve feet long, it had to weigh hundreds of pounds.  Its forelegs looked like double-sided war axes.  Unlike the cutters and drones, it had a bulbous body, and Richter could see an egg sac upon its back.  He used Analyze, praying that it hadn’t seen him.

Name: Assengai Spider Queen              Disposition: Unfriendly
The assengai queen is smarter than her drones.  Cunning and proficient in Dark magic, the queen is not meant for the frontlines of battle, but this does not mean she is helpless.  The power of her spells and traps have led many to their deaths.

Level: 36

Health: 750              Mana: 640              Stamina: 590
Strength: 39
Agility: 27
Dexterity: 20

Constitution: 75
Endurance: 59
Intelligence: 64
Wisdom: 22
Charisma: 4
Luck: 13

Well that’s all sorts of bad news, he thought to himself.  He held his breath as he slowly eased away from the queen.  Now that he knew what was waiting for him in the cave, he moved even slower.  He gradually made his way back to the party, not dropping Stealth until he was back on the upper level.  Richter dismissed Night Vision and told them what he had seen.  The response was predictably cheery.

“You have got to be joking,” Beyan exclaimed.  “I say we leave and come back with… everyone else!”

Terrod just puffed up his cheeks and slowly exhaled at hearing about the forces they were up against.  The other guards stayed silent, waiting to do whatever Richter ordered.  Krom looked at Richter and said simply, “I be with ye.”  Jean looked depressed, and Sion stood by, ready to support his friend.

Richter wasn’t upset with Beyan.  He had had almost exactly the same thought himself.  Then he had decided that retreat wasn’t an option.  The queen was a clear and present danger to his people.  So he had come up with a plan.

“We aren’t leaving.  We are going to kill the queen.  So here is the plan and just for fun let’s skip the part where you protest and then end up doing what I say anyway.  I want to get out of this fucking hole.”  Richter paused, and for a moment he acutely missed being back on Earth.  It would have been the perfect time for someone to say “phrasing.”  “I need to know one thing though.”

Richter focused for a moment and Alma flapped into the air from where she was clinging to the wall.  She stopped in front of Sion, intently gazing into the sprite’s eyes.  Sion looked uncertain as the dragonling hovered in front of his face, but then his eyes widened. “I heard her!  She said ‘Now.’”

Richter smiled in satisfaction, pleased that Alma was able to make a psychic connection despite Sion not having Psi Bond.  Apparently her communication skills were limited, but it still meant that the war party could communicate nonverbally over distance.  That would be important.

“So what is the plan?” Sion asked.

Richter reached into his Bag and held up the remaining vial of shrieke venom with a smirk. “Well, depending on your perspective, this is actually the easiest part.”

Sion groaned.

CHAPTER 27

Richter stood in the same place he had before, almost directly underneath the assengai queen.  The cutters remained in their defensive stance.  In his left hand he held his bow and in his right, he kept an arrow nocked on the string.  The hood of his Cloak of Concealment was up and his Stealth skill was activated.  Now that he was in position, he sent a signal to Alma.  All he had to do now was wait… and wait… and wait.

He was about to irrationally shout for Sion to hurry up, when the cutters howled in rage.  The clicking of their mandibles increased in speed as they rushed to attack the lone sprite that had dared to fire at one of them.  Two at a time, they bottlenecked into the tunnel, chasing after Sion.  Before the fifth and sixth spider could enter, an arrow shot out of the cave and struck the cutter on the left.  It paused and then started lashing out wildly.  It did serious damage to the spider by its side before the beleaguered assengai warrior started to defend itself.  The final two approached the scene and were attacked by the maddened cutter as well.  It started to fight a losing battle against three of its fellows, but it still bought the war party at the other end of the tunnel precious seconds.  Alma launched from her hidden spot by the tunnel lip.  Her slate grey body had gone unnoticed by the monsters passing beneath, but they did not miss her when she unleashed her Psi Blast.  Her power swept over the four assengai that were fighting each other, and all fell to the ground, green ichor leaking from their mouths.  Then she started winging towards the back of the cavern as quickly as her little body could move.

Richter witnessed none of this.  His attention was riveted upon the queen.  As soon as the first cutter cried out, he soundlessly drew his bow back to full extension and activated Focus.  At a distance of less than forty feet, he felt like he was suddenly within spitting distance.  He continued to prepare his attack against the bloated spider that was comfortable in its perceived safety.  Seconds passed and the eight cutters became fully committed to their attack, and Richter knew his moment had come.  His bow made the slightest creak as he finished his draw.  It was enough to alert the queen, but there still wasn’t enough time to evade his attack.  Richter released and his arrow left the string with a twang.  To him, it sounded like the strong certainty of the inevitable.

The arrow crossed the distance in less than two-tenths of a second, and Richter’s aim was true.  It sank deep within the queen’s bulbous eye, more than two-thirds of its three-foot length buried in the queen’s face.  The shrieke venom started to do its work before the arrow had even stopped its passage, causing more than a hundred points of damage each second.  The critical damage was compounded by the sneak attack, and the queen screamed in rage and pain.

Richter had already nocked another venom-coated arrow as the monster turned her gaze upon him.  She summoned dark energies as he drew back and just before he could fire another arrow, she unleashed her fastest spell, Blind Madness.  Her spell attacked his eyes and mind at the same time.  His strong bond with Alma kept his mind from being completely fractured, but he still lost most of his sense of self.  He was also immediately robbed of all sight.  He released his second shot blindly, but it only grazed the queen, not even breaking through her tough exoskeleton.  Before he could do anything else, she activated another ability, Shadow Shift, and suddenly she was on top of him.  The queen was intelligent enough to know that she was dying, but with her last hateful act she would kill the human who had killed her and her children.

With a mighty slice of her axe-like front leg, she struck Richter in the chest.  His armor saved him from most of the damage, but a rib still cracked and he tumbled to the ground, the queen’s entire weight on top of him.  Her pincers clacked together in quivering anticipation and she leaned down to bite Richter’s head from his body, but then she heard a diminutive shout in her mind, *NO!*

A bolt of lightning struck the queen in the face, worsening the already horrifying arrow wound.  The light blinded the queen for just a moment, and though the low-level spell was not enough to stun her, it did allow Alma to latch onto the monster’s bulbous head.  Alma cast another spell and then started her special attack, Brain Drain.

Maddened by pain, the queen collapsed onto Richter, trying to reach the small dragonling that was siphoning its little remaining life away.  It swung its axe-like arms at its own head, gouging deep furrows in its carapace, but missing the brave dragonling, who clung to the ridge of its remaining eye.  Richter’s last thought as blackness claimed him was, I’m dying with a homicidal bitch writhing around on top of me… it’s just like that old gypsy woman said…

CHAPTER 28

“Push it!”

“I am pushing it!  Caulder, you pull!”

“Yer lord is dying and me and the lizard be running out of mana!”

“It’s finally shifting!  Grab his arms and pull him out!  Hurry!”

Richter felt someone grab him by one wrist and pull him from under the warm cover he had been sleeping under.  He tried to fight off the intruder, but for some reason, he felt horribly weak.  Darkness took him again.

When he came to for the second time, his head was cushioned atop something soft, but foul smelling.  He tried to jerk his face away from the offending scent by sitting up.  As soon he was upright, though, the blood rushed from his head and he simply passed out again.  This time, he fell to the other side, where there was no soft pillow, foul smelling or otherwise, and he struck his head firmly against the stone floor, causing a lump.

Muddled voices filtered through to him. “Krom!  Did you really ball up your used underclothes for Lord Richter’s pillow?”

“I didn’t see ye running out for goose down and silk pillowcases!” retorted an angry dwarven voice.

“Quiet!  All of you!  He’s waking up again.”

Richter slowly opened his eyes and saw Sion looking down at him in concern.  Alma hovered in the air behind him and Futen floated above, casting enough light for everyone to see by.  Krom and Terrod glared at each other, and the other members of the war party looked down at him.

Richter started to pick his head up, but the movement made pain shoot through his still reeling mind. “Oh god.  How long was I out?”  The last word was said in a half groan, half moan.

“Only a few minutes,” Sion said.  “Just enough time for us to tidy the place up a bit,” the sprite said in light jest.

“Uhhh, Sion?”

“Yes, Richter?”

“Shut up, then help me up, then shut up again.  I feel like a puma scratched my brain.”

Shaking his head, Sion and Terrod helped him up to his feet.  “What happened?” Richter asked.

Sion smiled broadly. “Your plan worked.  The dart traps you set in the tunnel struck the cutters that were coming for us.  Setting the trip wires at four feet was a brilliant move.  I was able to run back quickly, but they triggered every one.  The shrieke venom on the darts weakened them enough for us to finish taking them down.  I will admit that I didn’t think that Arrow of Confusion you had would work, but it slowed down the last four.  With Alma having blasted them, we were able to rush forward on two of the last four while they were still recovering.  Between us, we were able to take down another one, then Alma came out of nowhere and did that mind suck thing she does to take out the last one.  After that we saw that you were trapped under your girlfriend here,” Sion said, kicking the queen, “and we got you out.”

Richter smiled to himself.  He had honestly thought the plan was a Hail Mary.  His only real point was to kill the queen.  To do that, he had needed the cutters to be distracted.  It had only been a slim chance in his mind that he would actually escape afterwards.  He had been seriously doubtful about how effective the arrowhead he had bought from Hafiz so long ago would be.  If the arrow’s special confusion power hadn’t worked, his group might have been overwhelmed.  Still, everything had gone better than he could have hoped.  Alma flew up and rested on his shoulders.  Her neck snaked around and she licked his cheek.

*You saved me, little one.*

*Of course I did, Master.  Who knows what trouble you would get into if I wasn’t around?* Alma definitely had a sassy tone to her thoughts.

Despite the pain still racking his body, Richter smiled.  He was relatively unscathed, though he did have an icon showing a broken rib.  It hurt and caused a 2% reduction in his max health, but it wasn’t enough to distract him from the wonder that his familiar was evolving into.  It was amazing witnessing the progression of her personality.  It was like raising a child all at once and being able to see them turn into first a loving teen and then a worthwhile adult.  He positively shone with pride.

“What else is happening?” Richter asked.  “I’m assuming they’re all dead since you’re just standing there looking at me?”

“No!  We decided to leave one alive to dramatically attack us later,” Sion said sarcastically.

“Ha ha,” Richter said loudly.  Then he leaned in and whispered to Sion, “You did make sure they’re all dead, right?”

Sion leaned in too and whispered back, “Yes.  I stabbed each one of them again just to be sure.  I hate it when they pop up afterwards.”

Richter pursed his lips and closed his eyes before giving Sion a vigorous nod of approval.  “Well search around, guys.  I don’t want to leave anything that could be useful.  Remember not to go any further into the cavern than this though.  I can still see the traps, and I don’t know what they do.  I’ll get you some help with the heavy lifting.”  He focused his power and, with a series of particular gestures and words of Power, summoned three mist workers.  He told them to follow the instructions of anyone in the war party.  With a parting quip to “share their toys,” his eyes unfocused and he addressed the notifications blinking in the corner of his vision.

You have trapped the soul of a Assengai Spider Drone!  Soul level: Common. x 27

You have trapped the soul of a Assengai Spider Cutter!  Soul level: Higher. x 6

You have trapped the soul of a Assengai Spider Queen!  Soul level: Brilliant.

Many other prompts were awaiting his perusal, but he stopped reading in shock.  He knew that they had reaped quite a crop of souls from the drones, but he hadn’t known they had been able to trap any of the cutters, let alone the queen!

*Did you do this, my love?  Did you capture all of these souls?*

*I captured the queen before she died, Master.  I also trapped one of the big spiders.  The others were caught by the stinky one with the beard.*  Alma had a decidedly feminine tone of distaste and disapproval as she thought about Krom.  The fact that Richter was sure that she knew Krom’s name, but chose instead to just call him “stinky,” just made him chuckle as he marveled at her increased intellect.  He told her she was amazing, and she happily trilled as she flew through the air.

“Krom,” he called out.

“Yes, yer lordship?” the dwarf called back as he trotted over.

“Alma tells me that you are the reason we captured most of the cutter souls.”

“It seemed a shame to let them go to waste,” Krom said with a smile.  He lovingly rubbed the head of his ebony hammer as he spoke.

“Well, then you’re entitled to a bonus.” Richter reached into his Bag and pulled out six silver, four for the cutters and the other two to round out his contribution in capturing the drone souls.  He put them in the dwarf’s hands.  Krom opened his mouth, looking like he was about to argue, but then seemed to remember that he was a dwarf.  Instead he just thanked Richter and continued to search the chamber, biting one of the silver to test its veracity.  Shaking his head slightly at the compatriots he had found himself since coming to The Land, Richter went back to his prompts.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 14 in Stealth.  +1 to concealment.

Congratulations! You have reached subskill level 5 in Focus. Zoom increased by 0.1x.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 10 in Small Blades.  +2% attack speed.  +2% bonus to damage.

Congratulations! You have reached skill level 9 in Dual Casting…  total spell power increased by 236%… mana drain decreased to 264%…

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 7 in Earth Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 8 in Earth Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 8 in Fire Magic.  New spells are now available.

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 6 in War Leader.  +1% effective distance.  +1% attack and defense for all allies.

…

Congratulations!  You have reached skill level 8 in War Leader.  +1% effective distance.  +1% attack and defense for all allies.

You have received 2,500 (base 2,000) bonus experience for reaching level 10 in the skill: Small Blades.

Congratulations!  You have advanced from Novice to Initiate in: Small Blades.  You now enjoy a -5% penalty for each hand while dual wielding (this benefit is cumulative with increasing ranks).

Congratulations!  Your war party dug out an entrenched enemy and slaughtered every member of the enemy force!  Your party has been awarded the Promotion: Sapper I.  +5% to attack against an entrenched enemy.

Congratulations!  Your war party killed more than five times its number in an underground battle!  Your party has been awarded the Promotion: Subterranean I.  +5% to defense when fighting underground.

For slaying forty-two Assengai Spider Drones, eight Assengai Spider Cutters and one Assengai Spider Queen, you have been awarded two hundred and fourteen War Points!  Total War Points: 281.

You have been awarded 7,386 (base 98,481 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 13 Assengai Spider Drone.

You have been awarded 4,684 (base 62,449 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 11 Assengai Spider Drone.

You have been awarded 5,725 (base 76,328 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 12 Assengai Spider Drone.

You have been awarded 5,372 (base 71,623 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 12 Assengai Spider Drone.

You have been awarded 21,684 (base 289,119 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 21 Assengai Spider Cutter.

You have been awarded 107,027 (base 1,427,037 x 0.06 x 1.25) experience from Brain Drain against Level 36 Assengai Spider Queen.

Your familiar has reached level 25!

Your familiar has reached level 26!

Your familiar has reached level 27!

TRING!

You have reached level 29! …

TRING!

You have reached level 30! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4.  You also receive 15 Talent points instead of the usual 10.  +5 Talent points for 100% affinity in Enchanting.  You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!

You have either characteristic points or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week or they will randomly be assigned for you.

Know This!  By having a Profession and by raising your personal level by +10 since obtaining it, you may now purchase a Specialization.  The option is available on your Profession screen.

Richter closed the last prompt.  The fight had been long, but it had been worth it in more ways than one.  He hadn’t expected the boost to Dual Wield when he advanced his Small Blades skill, but he would take it.  Since his first disastrous attempt to wield two blades against the fades, he had never really tried again.  When he thought about the potentially devastating power of wielding two elementum blades, though, he resolved to make training with two blades a priority again.  Trying to use the skill in combat would be insane, but maybe he could level it by training with the guards.

He also had a lot to think about regarding his own Profession and the war party.  He could choose a Specialization now!  He was still hesitant to just use his points willy-nilly, but he couldn’t wait to see what he could specialize in.  The war party points were also stacking up.  Something held Richter back from investing more.  It might be a good idea to at least reach initiate rank in War Leader and see if other options opened up first.  There was a third way he could move his party forward though.

Richter decided to open Alma’s status page to invest her new points, when Krom called out.  “One of these things still be alive!”

“Dammit, Sion!” Richter snapped.  He drew his sword and immediately started running towards where Krom was standing.

“I stabbed every one of them!” the sprite protested as he nocked an arrow.  “In the face!”

Richter grew confused as he saw Krom wasn’t swinging his hammer.  His befuddlement increased as he saw the other party members who were closer just stop and look down when they got next to the dwarf.  When he finally got close enough, he saw that Krom wasn’t looking at one of the spiders, he was looking at one of the cocoons.

The entire thing was about twenty-five feet long and about four feet wide at the middle.  It was stuck next to one of the stalagmites.  The cocoon was dotted here and there with bloody stains surrounding small holes, evidence that whatever was inside had been fed upon.  Richter could see small movements within the cocoon, weak attempts by whatever was inside to break free.  When he was standing next to the other members of his party, Caulder looked over and asked, “Should I finish it, my lord?”

“Finish ‘it’?  What is ‘it’?” Sion asked.

“That’s a good question,” Richter said.  “Let’s unwrap our present.  Everyone stand ready to stab and beat whatever this is to death if it doesn’t want to play nice.”  He drew his sword and proceeded to saw into the cocoon.  With his free hand wrapped in a strip of spare cloth, it was slow going, but that didn’t bother him.  Moving too quickly might have risked killing whatever was inside by accident.  The webbing was layered, and he removed one after another until he saw the top of a white scaled head the same color as the webbing.  The head was diamond shaped and the size of a large watermelon; two lids opened, showing yellow eyes and large black elliptical pupils.  Its jaws opened wide, showing horrifying fangs, and a forked tongue shot out from between its jaws.

Richter jumped back. “It’s the snake!  The adder!”

Terrod raised his grey blade, ready to stab it down in the cocoon. “Do I kill it, my lord?”

Richter looked at the drugged creature and knew that it wasn’t a threat.  It continued to struggle to free itself, but it couldn’t manage to break the tight bonds of the webbing.  He used Analyze.

Name: Shale Adder                            Disposition: Neutral
Shale Adder are stealth hunters.  Their chameleon abilities coupled with great strength and speed earned them the name “The Unseen Killer.”

Level: 19

Health: 70/420              Mana: 40              Stamina: 5/370
Strength: 22
Agility: 29
Dexterity: 32
Constitution: 42
Endurance: 37
Intelligence: 4
Wisdom: 5
Charisma: 6
Luck: 12

*Come here, my love,* Richter thought.  He held out his arm and Alma flew down to land lightly upon it.  Her tail wrapped around his wrist and she stared at him inquisitively.  *I’m going to try to Tame it.  If I fail, stun it, cast Soul Trap, and then drain it.  Do it as quickly and painlessly as possible.  This creature doesn’t deserve to suffer any longer.*

*Yes, Master,* said her small voice in his mind.

Not wanting to place his hand too close to the adder’s mouth, drugged or not, he moved a few feet away from the area of the cocoon he had already opened and started sawing through the webs again.  Soon he had revealed an area of the snake’s white back.  Not letting himself consider the pain the spell would probably cause, he began casting.

The spell required both of his arms to move in intricate counterpoint.  The words and syllables were harsher and more guttural than any he had spoken before.  The power began to visibly coalesce on his arms.  It was red in color, not the bright red of Fire magic, but a dark rouge the color of raw, still bleeding meat.  Richter was used to being a conduit for his magic.  His invocation allowed him to manifest a specific result, but the power had always come from elsewhere.

This spell, however, was Blood magic.  It tapped into a primal force of nature, and that force was him.  His blood sang in gleeful savagery and called for the incomparable beauty of destruction.  His body yearned to dominate and reproduce, to live forever through the immortality of his lineage.  As he continued the demanding spell, he lost control of his restraint and ceased to be restrained.  Petty concerns did not matter.  Kindness, jealousy, friendship, pride, and other weak definitions no longer served any purpose.  His will was all that mattered.  His desire was the only god to be worshipped.  He WAS!

With a savage shout, he finished the incantation and slammed his hand flat against the shale adder’s back.  Dark red light shone all about them, and the energy spilling over from the spell made Richter’s hair fly back and away from his face.  His features were portrayed in a contrast of blood light and shadow, stark and unforgiving.  The other members of his party stared at him, feeling a mix of awe, caution, and fear.  Only Alma and Sion looked at Richter undaunted by what they saw—Sion with acceptance of the darker side of his friend’s nature and Alma in exaltation of her master’s unforgiving power.  The snake bucked wildly for one second, the blood magic banishing the sedating effects of the webs.  The moment seemed to stretch into infinity, unending until suddenly, it did.

The sensation of being pure id left Richter as his conscious mind reasserted itself.  He fell to one knee gasping, each of his status bars decreased by one hundred points.  The effects from each loss—pain for health, mental exhaustion for magic, and weariness for stamina—were all handled with relative ease.  What Richter hadn’t been ready for was the unchecked ferocity of his own deeper self.  It had been terrifying… and exhilarating.

As the snake continued to writhe, a prompt appeared.

You have bonded your first beast!  The Shale Adder.  Treat your bonded beast well and it will serve you unto death.  Treat it poorly and it may turn upon you.  Taming a well-treated beast that has already been bonded is almost a certainty.

Know this!  Your Psi Bond ability is synergistic with Beast Bonding.  You can communicate mentally with your bonded beasts, but the level of communication will still be limited by their intellect.

A new area of his mind unlocked, similar to what he shared with Alma, but dimmer, like a candle compared to a sun.  Richter looked at the snake and thought, *Stop fighting.*  The writhing motion in the cocoon instantly stopped.  With a deep smile, he thought, You’re mine now.

CHAPTER 29

“Cut it free,” Richter ordered.  He cast Slow Heal I and Summon Weak Life Wisp. The adder’s health bar quickly refilled, though it still remained too weak to move.

“Are ye sure, Lord Richter?” Krom asked.

“Do it, and strip the bodies of anything useful.”

Richter walked away from the snake without waiting to see if his orders would be followed.  He knew they would be.  He ordered the mist workers to gather the other cocoons and bodies and bring them to the tunnel entrance.  The adder he ordered to wait by the tunnel and not to harm anyone when freed.  While all of this was happening, he turned his attentions to the traps at the far end of the tunnel.  He wanted them.

After crossing the distance, he knelt and began to examine them.

Three hours later, Richter looked up from his work.  He had toiled with single-minded obsession, focused on his desire to take what he wanted.  His efforts had paid off.

You have found: Tranquilizing Web Trap.  Durability 5/5.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 0.3 kg.  Triggering this will flood a 15x15 foot area with sticky threads.  Contact with this webbing will slowly drain the stamina of whoever is trapped within. x2

You have found: Constricting Web Trap.  Durability 14/14.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 0.3 kg.  Will wrap whatever triggers the trap in tight bonds that will tighten until the target is killed or freed.  x2

You have found: Razor Web Trap.  Durability 21/21.  Item Class: Scarce.  Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 1.5 kg.  Triggering this causes strands of razor webbing to shoot in all directions.  Range: 15 feet.

You have found: Acidic Web Trap:  Durability 15/15.  Item Class: Scarce.  Quality: Exquisite.  Weight: 0.4 kg.  Triggering this will coat a 10x10 foot area in webbing coated in a caustic substance that will eat through armor and flesh alike.

Richter smiled as he put each into his Bag.  There had been more than thirty traps, but most had been destroyed once they were disarmed.  When he stood up from bagging the last one, he turned towards the tunnel entrance and saw everyone staring at him.

“What?” he asked, confused.  They looked concerned.

Sion walked up and said, “Are you alright?”

Richter shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Of course.  I was able to grab some great traps.  Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Ye were over there for hours, yer lordship,” Krom said softly.

“Yeah, but I needed to get them.  I wanted them… so badly.” Richter stared off into space as he remembered that single-minded devotion to his own desires.

Sion asked again, “Are you alright?”

Richter came back to himself and forced a smile onto his face. “I’m fine.  Ready to get out of this damn hole, though, how about you guys?”

There was a round of chuckles and nods.

“Well, did we find anything else good?”

“We did!” Beyan said excitedly.  “The glands from the cutters can be used to make a strong acid, and all the webbing from the cocoons has some great numbing properties.  It is also great at stopping bleeding and infections.  We need to get all of this back to Sumiko.  The egg sac from the queen is also interesting.  It has growth properties that could be used to make several enlarge potions.  The other cocoons just held dead animals, but I did find another interesting thing—”

“Meh, that na be what is interesting,” Krom interrupted.  Beyan glared at the dwarf, but Krom just kept pushing through.  “The tips of the spiders’ legs be hard enough to make +2 arrowheads, and the bigger one’s front legs will make +3 swords.  The axe legs on the queen can make even stronger weapons, but I saved the best for last!  Yer lucky yer arrow took the beastie in the eye, because her armor was hard and thick.  The same way me third wife described me!”  Krom chuckled at his own joke.  “The point be, I could make a good suit of armor out of her shell.”

“That is good news,” Richter said with nod.  He walked over to the stripped carapace and rapped his knuckles against it.  It rang like metal.  Looking around at everything that needed to be carried, he summoned four more mist workers from his personal mana.  The village mana pool had replenished slightly over the last few hours, but the battle had still made a sizeable dent in it.  His personal mana would replenish much faster, and they still had work to do.

Richter ordered the mist workers to take everything, including the bodies, back to the eastern side of the village.  The grey figures silently started about their task and Richter knew that no matter how many trips it took, the workers would get the job done.  The party members made their way back up to the surface.  While they walked, Richter received some good news.  Except for Sion, Terrod and Caulder, everyone in the group had reached another level.  Jean had actually increased two!  The entire party was in good spirits when they walked outside.  The sun still shone down and the tranquil forest sounds contrasted pleasantly with the life and death struggle that had taken place in the spider nest.

“Anyone that wants to head back to the village can, but I still intend to investigate the disturbance the hunters were complaining about.”

The party members looked at each other and then Terrod said, “We follow where you lead, my lord.”

Richter smiled at them in appreciation.  He and the other Air magi cast Haste I on the whole party over the next few minutes and then they took off.  The adder easily kept pace, sliding through the undergrowth.  Its scales became a mosaic of brown and green, and Richter had trouble seeing it at times despite knowing it was there.  Birds sang above them as they jogged in a southwest direction towards the area the hunters had seen the monster.

They traveled for another several miles and were almost out of the mist when Richter saw a large track that he recognized.  His heart beat faster, and without consciously deciding to, he picked up the pace.  Alma beat her wings faster and everyone else jogged faster as they struggled to keep up.  Soon he was sprinting and barely heard Sion’s shout to stop.  Not that he listened.  They left the mists.

Richter kept running through the forest, rage building in his breast as he followed the distinctive trail.  Some of the slower members of his party began to fall behind, sweat pouring from their faces.  He forced himself up a hill and pushed through a stand of trees, seeing the meadow that extended below on the other side.  There, only a hundred yards away, he saw a distinctive three-pointed crown.  The rock giant looked up, its mouth smeared with blood, the body of a slain bear at its feet.  When it saw him, it roared both in rage and recognition.  Alma, hovering above, screamed back, and the adder rose ten feet in the air and hissed.  Richter drew his elementum short sword and roared back, “Missed you too, motherfucker!  You and I have UNFINISHED BUSINESS!”

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I hope you all enjoyed traveling with me, Richter and Sion!  I really appreciate all of you joining me again!  The adventures of your favorite Chaos Seed continue in “The Land: Swarm” which will be coming soon!  Dance the funky chicken and as always: Peace, love and the perfect margarita!

The Land comics are coming soon! (Really this time lol)

INDEX

Richter’s Spells

Earth

-         Barkskin I: This spell will increase natural armor by +2.  This is a spell of Earth Magic, level 2.  Cost: 20 mana.  Duration: 20 min.  Range: self.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

-         Grease I: This spell will make a 10x10 foot area slick greatly increasing chance of anyone in the area falling down.  This is a spell of Earth Magic, level 1.  Cost: 15 mana.  Duration: 5 min.  Range 25 feet.  Cast time: 2 seconds.   Cooldown: 10 min.

-         Summon Weak Insects: Summons a host of stinging and biting insects in a ten-foot wide circle.  Causes minimal damage, but impedes concentration.  This is a spell of Earth Magic, level 1.  Cost: 25 mana.  Duration: 5 minutes.  Range 20 feet.  Cast time: 1 second.  Cool down: 20 minutes.

-         Rending Talons I: Summons invisible claws to attack all targets within 10 foot AoE.  This is a spell of Earth, level 4.  Cost: 52 mana.  Duration: 8 seconds.  Range: 60 feet.  Cast Time: 3 seconds.  Cooldown: 10 minutes.

-         Sonic Wail I: You can make a sound attack with your voice.  All within cone shaped AoE suffer damage and risk being deafened.  This is a spell of Earth, level 6.  Cost: 27 mana.  Duration: 3 seconds.  Range: 20 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 1 minute.

-         Paralysis Beam I: Fires a beam that will lock the target’s body into position.  This is a spell of Earth, level 5.  Cost: 39 mana.  Duration: 4 seconds.  Range: 25 feet.  Cast Time: 3 seconds.  Cooldown: 6 minutes.

-         Summon Weak Saproling: Summons a level five forest creature to do your bidding.  You can only have one summoned creature at a time.  This is a spell of Earth, level 6.  Cost: 39 mana.  Duration: 5 minutes.  Range: 5 feet.  Cast Time: 3 seconds.  Cooldown: 1 hour.

-         Acid sphere I: Creates a ball of acid that can be thrown at your target.  Damage 4-6 per second.  This is a spell of Earth, level 5.  Cost:  22 mana.  Duration 10 seconds.  Range: Throwing range of caster.  Cast Time: 2 seconds.  Cooldown:  N/A.

Water

-         Ice Dagger I: This spell will throw a dagger made of ice at your target.  This is a spell of Water Magic, level 1.  Cost 20 mana.  Duration: 1 min.  Range: 40 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

-         Slow I: This spell will slow the target by 10%.  This is a spell of Water Magic, level 3.  Cost 25 mana.  Duration: 10 min.  Range: 5 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

Air

-         Haste I: This spell will increase the speed of the target by 10%.  This is a spell of Air Magic, level 1.  Cost 25 mana.  Duration: 10 min.  Range: 5 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

-         Weak Errant Wind: Increase the dodge of your party to projectiles.  This spell will only work when you are outside.  This is a spell of Air Magic, level 1.  Cost 50 mana.  Duration: 20 min.  Range: 50.  Cast Time: 4 seconds.  Cooldown: 45 min.

-         Lightning Bolt I!  Cast a lightning bolt from your hand.  Chance to stun your target for 1-2 seconds.  This is a spell of Air, level 11.  Cost: 31 mana.  Duration: Instant.  Range: 20 yards.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 2 minutes.

Fire

-         Flame I: Shoot a weak gout of flame from your hand.  This is a spell of Fire Magic, level 1.  Cost: 10 mana.  Duration: 3 seconds.  Range: 5 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

Life

-         Charm I: You can convince an enemy that they are your friend.  In battle, they will fight for you.  Casting this upon a creature lowers they regard for you after the spell wears off.  This is a spell of Life Magic, level 1.  Cost 60 mana.  Duration: 1 hour.  Range: 20 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 10 minutes.

-         Slow Heal I:  Restore 30 missing health over 60 seconds upon casting.  This is a spell of Life Magic, level 1.  Cost 20 mana.  Duration: 6 seconds.  Range: Touch.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 1 min.

-         Weak Cure:  Remove minor poison effects!  This is a spell of Life Magic, level 1.  Cost 50 mana.  Duration: 1 second.  Range: Touch. Cast time: 2 seconds.  Cooldown: 30 seconds.

-         Soul Trap:  Binds the soul of the target to this plane, preventing passage to the beyond at the time of death.  They will instead be pulled into any nearby empty soul stone of appropriate size.  This is a spell of Life Magic, level 1.  Cost: 30 mana.  Duration: 2 minutes.  Range: 10 feet.  Cast time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

-         Minor Life Aura: The caster’s body is surrounded by a golden shield of pure Life energy.  Any nearby death, dead or undead creatures will be discomforted.  Any actual contact with the shield will cause damage to the undead.  This is a spell of Life, level 3.  Cost: 50 mana.  Duration: 15 minutes.  Range: self.  Cast time: 2 seconds.  Cooldown: 20 minutes.

-         Courage I: Improves your Fighting Spirit by +50.   This is a spell of Life, level 4. Cost: 25 mana. Duration: 15 min. Range: self. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 15 min.

-         Minor Life Armor I: Defense of all armor pieces increased by +1 (+3 vs. Death attacks).  This is a spell of Life, level 5.  Cost: 30 mana. Duration: 10 min. Range: self. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cooldown: N/A.

-         Summon Weak Life Wisp: Summons an entity comprised of Life magic.  Will float in the area and restore a total of 100 health to you or one of your allies.  This is a spell of Life Magic, level 6.  Cost 60 mana.  Duration: 5 minutes.  Range: Self.  Cast Time: 3 second.  Cooldown: 20 minutes.

-         Banish Undead I: If successful, you will dissipate the energy allowing a Death creature to exist in this plane.  This is a spell of Life, level 3. Cost: 40 mana. Duration: instant. Range: 40 feet. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.

-         Minor Stabilize:  If a target is stricken with a ‘Bleeding’ status, this spell will decrease the rate of bleeding and total bleeding time.  Effects will vary based on extent of the injuries.  This is a spell of Life, level 3.  Cost: 27 mana.  Duration: instant.  Range: Touch.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 1 minute.

-         Life Bolt I: Fire a bolt of concentrated Life energy.  Damage 5-10.  Increased damage against Death Creatures.  This is a spell of Life, level 4.  Cost: 22 mana.  Duration: Instant.  Range: 30 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 2 minutes.

Dark

-         Night Vision: You can see even in the deepest darkness.  This is a spell of Dark Magic, level 1.  Cost 5 mana.  Duration: 3 hours.  Range: 10 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: N/A.

-         Cloying Darkness I: Cast a cone of thickened darkness from your hand.  Movement and Attack speed of targets decreased by 20%.  All in area of effect will suffer from spell.  Will not work in direct sunlight.  This is a spell of Dark Magic, level 2.  Cost 30 mana.  Duration: 10 minutes.  Range: 10 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 5 minutes.

-         Troubled Sleep I: Places your target in a restless sleep.  He will be plagued by nightmares until awakening.  Any attack or hostile action taken against target will awaken them.  Area of effect five feet.  This is a spell of Dark Magic, level 3.  Cost: 50 mana.  Duration: one hour.  Range 15 feet.  Cast time: 3 seconds.  Cool down: 15 minutes.

-         Flood of Darkness I: Blankets an area 25 yards around you in darkness.   Effect banished by direct sunlight.  Blocks out all light based sight.  This is a spell of Dark, level 3.  Cost: 46 mana.  Duration: 1 minute.  Range: self.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 45 minutes.

-         Dark Bolts I: Fires a bolt of concentrated Dark energy at your target.  For every three skill levels the caster has in Dark magic, the spell will fire another bolt (Max 10).  Damage 7-9.  This is a spell of Dark, level 4.  Cost: 31 mana.  Duration: instant.  Range: 40 feet.  Cast Time: 2 seconds.  Cooldown: 30 minutes.

-         Darkvision I: Provides Darkvision for 25 yards.  This is a spell of Dark, level 2.  Cost: 43 mana.  Duration: 20 minutes.  Range: Self.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cooldown: 5 minutes.

Light

-         Simple Light: Creates a ball of white light that will hover above your head, moving with you.  This is a spell of Light Magic, level 1.  Cost: 2 mana.  Duration: 10 minutes.  Range: Self.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cool Down: N/A.

-         Far Light I: Creates a ball of white light that can be fixed to a distant surface.  This is a spell of Light Magic, level 1.  Cost: 5 mana.  Duration: 10 minutes.  Range: 100 yards.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cool Down: N/A.

-         Mirror: Creates a 6x3 foot reflective surface.  This is a spell of Light Magic, level 1.  Cost: 15 mana.  Duration: 1 minute.  Range: 10 feet.  Cast Time: 1 second.  Cool Down: N/A.

Spirit

-         Weak Aura Lance:  Fires a blast of spiritual energy at your target.  Does no physical damage, but causes disruption of the target’s aura.  Reduces resistance to all spell types.  This is a spell of Spirit, level 1.  Cost: 168 mana.  Duration: 1 hour.  Range: 100 feet.  Cast Time: 10 seconds.  Cooldown: 1 day.

Blood

-         Tame: Bend the will of a creature to your own.  Creature level must be less than or equal to your rank in the skill: Beast Bonding.  At the rank of Novice, you may attempt to tame ‘weak’ level souls and may use the spell once per day.  If you tame the same creature for a required number of days in a row, then it will be loyal to you til death.  As a novice in Beast Bonding, the required time is six days for every level of the creature you have tamed.  Betray the sacred trust with you bonded beast to your peril!  This is a spell of Blood Magic, level 1.  Cost:100 mana, 100 health, 100 stamina.  Duration: 36 hours.  Range: Touch.  Cast Time: 5 seconds.  Cooldown: 24 hours.

Richter’s Skill Rank Bonuses

1)    Herb Lore

a. Novice: Can detect one trait from picked herbs.

b. Initiate: Can detect two traits from picked herbs.  Can avoid one negative trait when ingesting

c. Apprentice: Can detect three traits from picked herbs.  Can avoid two negative traits when ingesting

2)    Pierce the Veil

a. Novice: Can see hidden traps

b. Initiate: Can see hidden compartments

c. Apprentice: In addition to seeing hidden traps and compartments, you can now find hidden doors and a have a chance to detect magical concealments.

3)    Trade

a. Novice: Can create standing trade agreement with those who have ‘Loyal’ disposition and higher.  Can “smell” a deal, gets stronger with higher ranks.

b. Initiate:  Can create standing trade agreement with those who have ‘Interested’ disposition and higher.   “Feel the market” – You can get an idea of what will sell well in a given market, gets stronger with higher ranks.

4)    Portal Construction

a. Novice: Can travel only between two points on the same ley line.

b. Initiate: Can create portals to allow travel between any two points on the same type of ley line.

c. Apprentice: Can create a portal with multiple exit points.  This can only be built at a Place of Power.  The number of destination points is determined by the number of ley lines present.

5)    Enchanting

a. Novice: Can add an enchantment to an item while it is being created.

b. Initiate: You now will gain more charges when recharging with a soul stone.  Items you enchant now have their enchantment potential increased by +5.  For each new rank in Enchanting that you achieve, enchantment potential will increase by another five points.  You can now add enchantments to already created items, albeit with an 80% penalty to effectiveness.

c. Apprentice: You can now enchant scrolls based on spells that you already know.  Items that you enchant with a finite number of charges will now have +10 charges.  For each new rank you obtain in Enchanting, you will get another +10 charges.  You can now add enchantments to already created items, albeit with a 60% penalty to effectiveness.  You may now use two soul stones on one enchantment.

d. Journeyman: You have advanced from Apprentice to Journeyman in: Enchanting.  You can now create magic books based on spells that you already know or if you are in the presence of someone else who is willing to have you scribe their knowledge.  You can now create skill books based upon skills that you already have or if you are in the presence of someone else who is willing to have you scribe their knowledge.  You can now add enchantments to already created items, albeit with a 40% penalty to effectiveness.  You can now help other craftsmen enchant items they are creating.  The resulting enchantment will be based upon your skill level.

6)    Tracking

a. Novice: You can now follow tracks and spoor to find your quarry.

b. Initiate: Your sense of smell is now heightened.  You can track an enemy by scent if you have a piece of clothing or an item they were recently in contact with.

7)    Archery

a. Novice: Increased ability to wield a bow

b. Initiate: 25% chance to retrieve special arrows after they have been shot.  This is cumulative with successive ranks.

8)    Small Blades

a. Novice: Increased ability to wield small blades

b. Initiate: You now enjoy a -5% penalty for each hand while dual wielding.  This benefit is cumulative with increasing ranks.

9)    Light Armor

a. Novice: Movement speed penalty of 3% per piece of armor (including shield).  Can wear Light Armor

b. Initiate: Movement speed penalty decreased from 3% per piece to 2% per piece.  Decreased casting penalty from wearing light armor.  Stamina drain from exertions while wearing armor reduced.  You have learned to move in your armor gaining the Perk: Synergy.  Synergy gives a +20% defense bonus to light armor as long as you are wearing only light armor.  Synergy stacks with each successive level.

Richter’s Qualities

1)    Resolute - The choices in your life led you to a critical point. A nexus of opportunities were laid before you, many leading to disaster! You have chosen a finer path! The experiences of your entire life have culminated in this one moment. You have decided not to kneel, but to stand; not to beg, but to take; not to wait, but to forge ahead. Bonus to mental resistance 15%. Bonus to spiritual resistance 15%

2)    Honorable - You chose to save the life of a comrade rather than eliminate a threat. In a key moment, you chose to honor life rather than pursue death.  +2 to Charisma, 3% decrease in critical strike chance and critical strike damage.

3)    Implacable - When faced with the near impossible task of rescuing a Companion from a superior enemy, you did not pause.  When attacking a battle hardened Warrior, you did not flag.  When mortally wounded and kneeling before a sadistic Assassin, you did not succumb.  You have shown that you will conquer whatever is before you, even burning your own head and skin to destroy your enemies!  Your relentless focus and pursuit of chosen goals will be reflected in your skills.  You are awarded Initiate level in the skill Tracking.

Richter’s Abilities

1)    Limitless: 100% affinity in any and every skill

2)    Gift of Tongues: Ability to comprehend almost all languages including writing.  Cannot comprehend certain higher or lower languages.  Cannot understand nonsentients.

3)    Fast Learner: +30% to skill advancement

4)    Bounty of Life: +30% growth for the physical manifestation of your Place of Power

5)    Psi Bond (Level 5): Your mental resistance from Psi Bond has increased to 40%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 1000 yards to 1250 yards.  Tasks which require strength of mind will come even easier than before.

Alma’s Abilities

1)    Brain Drain (Level 6): Successful kills will now give x% of total experience to both you and your familiar.  Drain occurs faster.  Stun can occur on enemies level [1 + (x-1)*5] and below.  (x = level of brain drain)

2)    Psi Blast

a. Level 1: This concentrated blast of psychic energy can stun enemies for 2-4 seconds.  The AoE is a cone extending 10 feet from the direction your familiar is facing.  Cooldown: 5 minutes.

b. Level 2: The mental disruption caused will now also cause direct health damage.  The 2-4 second stun effect is increased to 5-7 seconds.  The initial AoE of 10 feet can be increased to 15 feet with a corresponding drop in the blast’s effectiveness or narrowed to five feet with an increase in the blast’s effectiveness.  Cooldown decreased to four minutes.

3)    Psi Bond

a. Level 1:  Thoughts can be shared with another being that has the ability Psi Bond.  A connection can only be completed by both parties being willing to participate.

b. Level 2: Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 25%.  She can now communicate in two word sentences.  Her Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 15%.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance has increased by 10%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 250 yards to 500 yards.

c. Level 3: Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 50%.  She can now communicate in four word sentences.  Her base Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 30%.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance has increased by 20%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 500 yards to 750 yards.  You can now each sense if the other is in danger.

d. Level 4: Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 75%.  She can now communicate in eight word sentences.  Her base Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 45%.  Your familiar’s Psi Bond has advanced to being able to form a psychic connection even with those lacking the Psi Bond ability.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance for Psi Bond has increased to 30%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 750 yards to 1000 yards.  Finally, the improved Psi Bond stabilizes your own mental fortitude.  Tasks which require strength of mind will now come easier.

e. Level 5: Your familiar’s base innate intellect is increased by 100%.  She can now communicate with you without restriction.  Her base Intelligence and Wisdom are also increased by 60%.  You will also benefit from this stronger tie to your familiar.  Your mental resistance from Psi Bond has increased to 40%.  Maximum distance of communication increased from 1000 yards to 1250 yards.  Tasks which require strength of mind will come even easier than before.  The Psi Bond has provided your familiar with a greater understanding of herself and has unlocked a new ability!  Psi Channeling.

4)    Psi Channeling

a. Level 1: You may now cast spells through your familiar.  The cast time will still be the same for you, but any restrictions based on distance can use the location of your familiar as the casting point!  At the current level, the range of Psi Channeling is one hundred yards and using this ability will require 300% greater mana usage.  Any other spell requirements will remain unchanged.

Quality Ranks

1)    Weapons and Item Qualities

a. Trash

b. Poor

c. Average

d. Above Average

e. Well crafted

f. Exceptional

g. Superb

h. Exquisite

i. Masterwork

2)    Weapon and Item Rarity

a. Common

b. Uncommon

c. Scarce

d. Rare

e. Mythic

f. Legendary

g. Artifact

h. Unique

3)    Potion Level

a. Brew

b. Tincture

c. Solution

d. Elixir

e. Philter

f. Draught

g. Essence

4)    Potion Strength

a. Tainted

b. Clouded

c. Weak

d. Basic

e. Enhanced

f. Strengthened

g. Processed

h. Refined

i. Oil

j. Pure

5)    Buildings Quality

a. Slum

b. Shoddy

c. Poorly Made

d. Average

e. Above Average

f. Well Built

g. Exceptional Work

h. Superb Craftsmanship

i. Masterfully Constructed

Status Pages

Name: Richter
Age: 24
Level: 30, 85%

Health: 689              Mana: 504              Stamina: 350
Strength: 37
Agility: 32
Dexterity: 38
Constitution: 56
Endurance: 35
Intelligence: 46
Wisdom: 27
Charisma: 27
Luck: 21
Abilities:
Limitless
Gift of Tongues
Fast Learner
Bounty of Life
Psi Bond
Qualities:
Resolute
Honorable
Implacable
Skills:
Herb Lore Lvl 40; 72% to next level
Alchemy Lvl 2; 48%% to next level
Enchantment Lvl 48; 3% to next level
Crafting Lvl 1; 0% to next level
Smithing Lvl 1; 0% to next level
Analyze Lvl 10; 57% to next level
Pierce the Veil Lvl 23; 72% to next level
Stealth Lvl 14; 9% to next level
Traps Lvl 22; 22% to next level
Trap Disarm Lvl 22; 48% to next level
Tracking Lvl 15; 88% to next level
Riding Lvl 7; 76% to next level
Archery Lvl 11; 76% to next level
Imbue Arrow Lvl 7; 29% to next level
Focus Lvl 5; 13% to next level
Double Shot Lvl 2; 11% to next level,
Drill Shot Lvl 2; 81% to next level
Swordsmanship Lvl 1; 43% to next level
Small Blades Lvl 10; 65% to next level
Unarmed Combat Lvl 1; 78% to next level
Pressure Points Lvl 1; 0% to next level
Dual Wield Lvl 1; 0% to next level
Light Armor Lvl 12; 24% to next level
Grace in Combat Lvl 9; 51% to next level
Dual Cast Lvl 9; 35% to next level
Air Magic Lvl 13; 48% to next level
Life Magic Lvl 7; 53% to next level
Earth Magic Lvl 8; 87% to next level
Water Magic Lvl 5; 96% to next level
Dark Magic Lvl 8; 98% to next level
Light Magic Lvl 7; 61% to next level
Fire Magic Lvl 10; 23% to next level
Spiritual Magic Lvl 1; 0% to next level
Blood Magic Lvl 1; 19% to next level
Beast Bonding Lvl 1; 21% to next level
Map Making Lvl MAX
Trade Lvl 15; 77% to next level
War Leader Lvl 8, 51% to next level
Portal Construction Apprentice
Lore Lvl 1
Marks:
Master of Mist Village
Blood Oath
Forge of Heavens
Dragonkin I
Resistances:
Air 50%
Earth 20%
Fire 5%
Life 50%
Mental 55%
Spiritual 15%
Race: Human (Chaos Seed)
Reputation: Lvl 3 “You seem like someone worthy of my attention.”
Alignment: Neutral
Language: All

Name: Alma

Level: 24, 41%

Health: 340              Mana: 442              Stamina: 340

(Unused level points: 4)

Abilities:

Psi Bond – Lvl 5, points to next level: 4
Psi Blast – Lvl 2, points to next level: 2

Brain Drain – Lvl 6, points to next level: 6

Can use:

Air Magic

Life Magic
Resistances:
Mental: 100%

Air: 50%
Life: 50%
Race: Psi Dragonling

Name: Sion

Age: 44

Level: 15, 73% to next level

Health: 243                  Mana: 290                    Stamina: 160

Strength: 18

Agility: 18

Dexterity: 60

Constitution: 20

Endurance: 16

Intelligence: 29

Wisdom: 23

Charisma: 10

Luck: 12

Abilities:

Wood Craft

Concealment

Know Thyself

Skills:

Herb lore Lvl 12, 8% to next level, 63% affinity

Alchemy Lvl 8, 7% to next level, 77% affinity

Archery Lvl 43; 64% to next level, 72% affinity

Imbue Arrow Lvl 31, 32% to next level, 87% affinity
Focus Lvl 26, 78% to next level, 81% affinity

Double Shot Lvl 8; 82% to next level, 87% affinity

Drill Shot Lvl 6; 61% to next level, 90% affinity

Stun Shot Lvl 5; 51% to next level, 95% affinity

Tracking Lvl 14; 74% to next level, 76% affinity

Small Blades Lvl 19, 82% to next level, 72% affinity

Light Armor Lvl 26; 48% to next level, 81% affinity

Air Magic Lvl 13; 12% to next level, 94% affinity

Marks:

None

Resistances:

Types of Magic

Life 10%

Earth 10%

Light 10%

Schools of Magic

Enchantment 50%

Race: Wood Sprite

Reputation: Lvl 1 “Who are you again?”

Alignment: +2

Language: Sprite, Common Tongue

Name: Terrod

Age: 46

Level: 14, 91% to next level

Health: 250                            Mana: 120                              Stamina: 190

Strength: 25

Agility: 16

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 25

Endurance: 19

Intelligence: 12

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 21

Luck: 14

Abilities:

Comradery

Skills:

Swordsmanship Lvl 8; 17% to next level, 63% affinity

Medium Armor Lvl 7; 82% to next level, 72% affinity

Light Armor Lvl 8; 39% to next level, 68% affinity

Shields Lvl 5; 16% to next level, 72% affinity

Cooking Lvl 8; 13% to next level, 96% affinity

Horsemanship Lvl 10; 7% to next level; 83% affinity

Repair Lvl 4; 67% to next level; 54% affinity

Repair Armor Lvl 3; 18% to next level; 52% affinity

Repair Weapon Lvl 4; 18% to next level; 52% affinity

Gather information Lvl 18; 76% to next level; 92% affinity
War Leader Lvl 1; 14% to next level; 99% affinity

Marks:

None

Resistances:

None

Race: Human

Reputation: Lvl 1 “Who are you again?”

Alignment: 0

Language: Common Tongue

Name: Elora

You didn’t really think I’d throw out a spoiler like this did you?