B01DCAV4W2 (S)

by Aleron Kong

  He placed the Arrow of Piercing on his bow string and triggered Drill Shot. The guardian recovered a half second before Richter finished the two second activation of his subskill, but the distance was so small it had no hope of evasion. The arrow left his bow spinning and struck the guardian dead center. The arrow as a whole stopped spinning after a second just as his previous drill shots had. The special property of the Arrow of Piercing was to ignore 66% of its target’s armor though. The arrowhead continued to spin and it drove deep into the monster’s chest. For the first time in the fight, the Focus Crystal itself was damaged. The guardian fell to its back.

  The Focus Crystal pulsed wildly. It was a form of life that was barely self-aware, but it still struggled to survive. It needed to heal itself, but it lacked the mana to use the crystal in the garden. So the Focus Crystal used the only thing available to it, the body of the guardian.

  Before Richter’s eyes, the monster began to shrink in size. As it did, Richter noticed that the cracks his arrow had made in the Focus Crystal began to disappear. He knew that he didn’t have much time. Dropping his bow, he drew his shadow dagger and ran over to the guardian’s prone body. Raising his dagger high, he drove it down into the hole that the piercing arrow had made. Now, both his dagger and arrow pierced the central crystal.

  The guardian swung one arm up to strike Richter, but the loss of its mass showed in its decreased strength and speed. Richter released his dagger and jumped back out of the way.

  *Alma! Drain it!*

  His familiar flew in and wrapped herself around the monster’s head. The guardian was only five feet in height now and its limbs moved randomly as if it had lost the ability for concerted action. It shrunk faster now that Richter’s dagger was sunk into its heart. The Focus Crystal drew upon the guardian more and more, but it couldn’t heal with weapons still penetrating it. Richter drew his high steel longsword. He placed both hands on the hilt and raised it up prepared to drive the blade down into its body, when he realized he was wasting an opportunity.

  He freed one hand from the hilt and twisted his fingers into an odd configuration. A word of power left his mouth like a caress and he cast Soul Trap. Then he raised his sword again and drove the blade down into the guardian’s neck. The high steel sword shot straight through the crystal and only stopped when it hit the tunnel floor. With a twist and a wrench, the head came loose and the guardian’s health dropped to zero. A ribbon of light twisted through the air and disappeared into Richter’s Bag.

  The monster was finally dead.

  CHAPTER 18

  Alma crowed in triumph and jumped into the air. Richter looked down at the once large body. Despite not moving, the body continued to shrink as the Focus Crystal tried to heal. It still couldn’t though and the body was only three feet tall now. Not wanting his prize to be lost, he quickly removed the dagger and arrow and watched as the wounds in the crystal closed before his eyes. Once it was completely restored, the body stopped shrinking. A prompt appeared.

  You have found: Focus Crystal. This can be used to grow a Crystal Garden. It can be planted anywhere, but thrives underground. This is a living entity and it feeds on the ambient magic in an area. It must be planted within one week or die. Weight 13.6 kg.

  He barely had time to look at the Crystal before another series of prompts filled his vision.

  You have completed the Quest: Crystal Garden I. You have successfully harvested a Focus Crystal. You are now responsible for this form of life.

  Reward: A Focus Crystal

  Reward: 12,500 (base 10,000) experience points.

  You have unlocked the Quest: Crystal Garden II. The Focus Crystal you gathered is a living creature. You must plant it within one week or it will die. Penalty for failure: possible loss of alignment. Reward: Crystal Garden. You have no choice in accepting this Quest. Your actions have consequences!

  Richter smiled and picked up the seed for his new garden. The quest wasn’t a problem. Dead or alive, he would be back in his village within a week. The Focus Crystal was about the size of an eggplant and was heavier than it looked. Nothing he couldn’t handle, but it was amazingly dense. It was no wonder that it had resisted any damage until he had used his Arrow of Piercing.

  That made him look at the arrow again. When he examined it, it looked none the worse for wear. The prompt that came up showed that its special property of ignoring 66% of an enemy’s armor was still intact. When Richter had reached initiate status in his Archery skill, he had gained the ability to retrieve half of all the special arrows he used. After his death, though he had dropped below level ten in Archery so he hadn’t thought that he would maintain the retrieval power. Either way, he was glad to have been able to keep such a useful weapon. The arrow went into his Bag.

  After Richter placed the Focus Crystal into his Bag as well, he looked at the rest of the guardian. Another prompt appeared.

  You have found: Concentrated crystal. The creation of a crystal guardian compresses the crystal used in the creation of its body. That coupled with the power of the Focus Crystal flowing through it, changes these crystals. The magical properties are increased dramatically. Any potions or items created may gain extra potency or powers.

  Looking at the small amount of the guardian’s body which was left, he grunted. If he had known that its remains would be so useful, he would have tried to hack more of it off. At least he had won though. Richter picked up the severed head which was about the size of a large watermelon and placed it in his Bag. The rest of the body would have to be taken apart before he could take it with him. He started looking around for something to break it apart when his vision suddenly went black. The Darkvision potion had run out. Alma squawked in displeasure as her potion ran out not long afterwards.

  As useful as Darkvision had been, he decided it was time to bring some light onto the situation. Richter invoked his Light magic and several globes shot from his fingers to illuminate the cavern. What he saw took his breathe away.

  He had seen the cavern through his Darkvision, but the beauty of it could only really be appreciated in the light. The crystal cavern sparkled and shined. It reminded him of standing near Victoria Falls at sunset. The massive waterfall had struck the ground a mile below where he stood with such force that a mist had been driven a hundred yards above his head. When he had looked in the direction of the setting sun, the red and gold light had refracted in the countless water droplets and it looked like the air had caught fire. It was a natural beauty Richter had never forgotten, just as he knew he would never forget the sight of the crystal garden illuminated by his magical light.

  Richter suddenly doubted his decision to disturb such a beautiful setting. Actually seeing the sections of the garden that had been destroyed made him feel like he had done something wrong. All he had thought about was that there was something that he had wanted, and so he had committed this desecration of a natural wonder. He hadn’t stopped to think about if he really had the right. Back on Earth, Richter had criticized the greedy corporations and governments that had plundered the planet’s resources with no concern for the human cost. Was what he had just done any different? Was this what it meant to be a Chaos Seed?

  A hiss of displeasure interrupted his introspection. Richter looked back and saw that En’fota was still alive. She had been knocked unconscious by her elemental, but was now pulling herself out from the rubble it had left behind in death. Seeing her, Richter found some internal peace. He may have had to cause some destruction to gain the Focus Crystal, but it was better than letting creatures like her continue to use it. He had not forgotten the story of how she had obtained her staff.

  “Quit complaining,” he told her. Richter looked around preparing to leave when he saw a faint illumination against a far wall. He had forgotten about the section of wall that had been revealed by the guardian’s regeneration. It was glowing the exact shade of blue that his Pierce the Veil skill used to indicate a hidden compartment. The only problem was that it was across the sect
ion of tunnel that had been converted to mud.

  A command to En’fota solved that problem. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the spell. The ground became solid stone again. Richter quickly walked across to the wall taking the pickaxe with him. When he arrived in front of the blue square, he ran his hands along the panel searching for a latch or lever. He didn’t find anything obvious, but his fingernail did detect a crack in the wall exactly in line with where the blue glow stopped. Stooping Richter blew into the crack. A small gout of dust flared and Richter could see that the crack was actually a well-defined slit. Richter placed his dagger in the opening and slowly pushed. With a click, a side of a panel raised from the wall.

  Richter smiled in delight. Sheathing his dagger, he dug his fingers into the edge of the panel and pulled. With the sound of grinding stone, the panel slowly swung outward until he could see a space. He put the tip of the pickaxe into the crack and then wedged the door open like a hammer taking a nail off the wall. It opened easily after that and Richter was able to see the treasure it contained. His eyes widened in excitement!

  You have found: Magic Book. Durability: 4/5. Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.4 kg.

  You have found: Magic Book. Durability: 6/6. Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.5 kg.

  You have found: Magic Book. Durability: 7/7. Item class: Common. Quality: Above Average. Weight: 0.4 kg.

  You have found: Magic Book. Durability: 8/10. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb. Weight: 0.3 kg.

  You have found: Magic Box. Durability: 195/199. Item class: Rare. Quality: Exquisite. Weight: 4.1 kg.

  You have found: Stonewood Chest. Durability: 263/289. Item Class: Common. Quality: Superb. Weight: 38.7 kg.

  You have found: Magic Short Sword. Durability 62/66. Item Class: Uncommon. Quality: Above Average. Weight: 1.2 kg.

  “Cha-CHING!” Richter said loudly. His concern over the damage he had caused in the garden just didn’t seem as important anymore. It was amazing how a bunch of swag could make any existential crisis just… fade away. Richter stared at each item, but his Lore skill was apparently not high enough to identify any of them. He put out a mental call for Futen and examined his treasure.

  The chest was locked. Not wanting to move too fast and trip any hidden traps, he just placed it his Bag. The opening was just large enough to take fit over the chest long ways. The sword had the silver gleam of quicksilver, and an ornate hilt. The sheath was formed of some type of pale pink hide. Other than that he couldn’t tell anything about it except that it was still sharp despite how long it may have sat hidden behind the wall.

  Before he could check anything else, Futen appeared.

  “That was fast,” Richter said.

  “Yes, my Lord. I was already on my way back. There is a patrol approaching your position.”

  Richter cursed, “How far? How many?”

  “I did not see them, but I heard their voices echoing in the tunnels. It sounded like a great many.”

  “Fuck!” They must have been attracted by the noise of the battle. He quickly shoved the sword into his Bag and then the other items as well. Under the box was an intricate symbol carved into the stone of the cubby. Richter stared at it for a second and then ran towards the entrance to the garden. Alma and Futen flew above and En’fota fell in step behind him. When he exited the cave system that held the garden, he was able to hear the echoes of the barking voices himself. He knew tunnels could play tricks with sound, but it sounded like there were a lot more enemies than he could handle.

  He turned to En’fota. He had planned to kill her ever since he had first captured her and the story she had told him about the gnome family had made it even more certain. Richter hated what he was about to do, but he realized that he had to let her go. He pointed in the opposite direction from his route to the surface. “Wait here for the patrol. Tell them you were attacked and that I ran that way. Lead them away as long as you can.”

  “Yes, master,” she replied.

  Richter stared at her another moment. He was tempted to try and charm her again, but it would be the third time, and if it failed he would have to fight the hateful mage while an army approached. No. There just wasn’t time. He just had to hope that he got enough of a head start before the enchantment wore off. He drank a Darkvision tincture and gave another to Alma. With a slight bit of mental flexing and a crook of his fingers, he dismissed his Far Light spells. Then he ran down a side tunnel and hid behind a bend. Alma settled onto his shoulders and at his order, Futen turned invisible.

  Before long, he heard loud yapping as En’fota met the band of kobolds. Either she was very convincing or her higher caste put her in charge, because soon Richter could hear them running away from his position. He waited another minute for them to be led away, but didn’t dare wait any longer. He wasn’t sure how much more time he had left before En’fota broke free of Charm, but it couldn’t be long. Richter caste Haste and took off running.

  Richter sprinted as fast as he could, following his map to the exit. The winding tunnels were confusing and there was no way he could have found his way out unaided. Thankfully though, the kobolds’ racial ability of pathfinding underground had translated to the quality of the maps they provided. The tunnels appeared before him exactly as they had been depicted.

  Once again, he ran until his stamina started to run out. Then he would jog lightly until it refilled halfway. Traps appeared regularly, but he didn’t dare take the time to disarm them all. He simply skirted them and sped on. When his Darkvision potion ran out he had Futen light the tunnel up. The time for stealth was over. Now it was about speed and stamina. He moved his legs as quickly as he could, but then he heard the horns.

  Richter would never know if the alarm was sounded because En’fota’s enchantment wore off or he had just passed an unseen sentry, but the baleful sound of horns started coming faster and faster. Initially they were just behind him, but then Richter was sure he started hearing them to either side. He kept running.

  It was unclear who was more surprised, him or the kobold patrol that he ran across. Futen led the way slightly and went around one of the endless twists in the tunnels. As soon as the orb disappeared from sight, Richter heard cries of pain and anger. He rounded the bend a second later and saw seven kobolds reeling from the sudden bright light. They had come from another small tunnel that was a dogleg to the right and had been taken by surprise.

  Richter didn’t pause. Instead he just threw both hands forward and contorted his fingers in a specific configuration, each a mirror image of the other. He shouted the word of power. For the first time, the magic seemed to resist his will, but after a moment of intense focus, he spat it out. Warmth flooded both of his arms just prior to twin gouts of flame exploding from both hands. They interwove with each other like he was a ghostbuster crossing the streams and the combined forces created a large jet of flame. The color of the fire which was normally yellow-orange became a solid orange and the flame shot out much further than before. His arms were locked together by the force of the spell and he felt his mana pour out of him. With a cry of rage and power, he aimed the flaming lance at their faces as he ran by. They all fell to the ground with even louder cries of pain. The scent of cooked meat filled the air. He didn’t stop running the whole time.

  Once he was past them, he cancelled the spell. He heard a few crossbows discharging, but the kobolds were firing blind, and none of the shots came near him. As he sped up the tunnel he noticed that his mana bar had fallen a good deal faster than he would have expected. Richter was mentally patting himself on the back when he heard another horn right behind him. One of the kobolds in the patrol must have had one! Sons of bitches, he thought. Richter pushed his legs to pump faster.

  Richter glanced at his Map and saw that he only had a few miles left to go! He kept running, the kobold patrol’s screams of agony fading behind him. He started hearing more horns to either side of him. Before the loud blasts had been one long mourn
ful note. Now however, it was three short blasts. Richter could only assume that the change communicated that the hunting parties had found their quarry… and were closing in on him.

  Ten steps, thirty, one hundred, then five hundred. Richter’s stamina bar was nearing empty, but he couldn’t stop when he was so close, he kept pushing. “Futen… what time… of day… is it?” he wheezed.

  “It is mid-afternoon, my Lord.”

  Richter used that information as a personal rallying cry. He just had to make it outside and he’d be safe! The sunlight would keep them from following.

  He turned another corner and entered a last straight stretch. The tunnel rose at more than a thirty-degree incline and was covered with gravel. Richter kept running, having to focus to keep his balance. He cast Grease behind him near the bottom of the hill, hoping to slow any pursuit. He slipped and scrabbled in the loose scree, occasionally falling to all fours, but never stopping his upward progress. A horn blew. Two long, loud blasts. Richter hadn’t heard that particular horn pattern before. He looked behind him and what he saw at the bottom of the slope made his heart drop!

  Ten kobolds were at the bottom of the slope and they were mounted! Their steeds looked like centipedes only thousands of times larger than the small insects he had seen on Earth. As he watched, one of the mounts opened its and Richter saw a row of needle sharp teeth. A kobold pointed it spear at him and roared, Richter’s form easily seen in Futen’s light! They all took off towards him.

  “Shit!” Richter turned back towards the top of the slope and willed his legs to move faster. Despite his stamina being near empty, his fear gave him extra strength. He only had a quarter mile left up the slope. He had to make it!

  He risked another look behind him and saw they were coming up fast. Too fast! One broke ahead of the pack and raced up the tunnel. It hit the greasy spot well ahead of the rest and the mount’s thousands of tiny legs scrabbled for purchase, but it tipped forward. The centipede was going so fast it flipped end over end and the kobold rider flew forward and landed with a thud. Richter started to cheer internally, but then saw the other centipedes veer to either side of the grease patch. The tunnel was narrow enough that the ten-foot radius of the Grease spell covered the entire floor, but it didn’t stop them!