Dave nodded. He could sense how hard it was for Josh to admit he was wrong but he’d moved past that to talk to Dave.
“Second, I would like to extend an invitation to you and Deia. An invite to join the Stone Raider’s guild,” Josh said.
Dave put down his tools. Malsour watched them both.
“Hi, my name’s Josh Giles.” Josh held a hand out to Malsour.
“Malsour. It is interesting to meet you.”
Josh tilted his head in question.
“Your guild is rather famed over in Opheir, as well as Asha-durn, Heval, and Coen’us.”
“Thanks. We’re just having a good time.” Josh smiled.
“I have heard that you stood between the Orcs of Coen’us and the Elves of Asha-durn to stop a war created by traitors on both sides,” Malsour said.
Dave looked at Josh with interest.
Josh shrugged, as if stopping a war between two major races was not a big deal.
“Well, we knew the truth. We weren’t about to let people die over a bunch of merchants who were just trying to make money over a war.”
Malsour nodded.
“I will think about your proposal. But until Boran-al’s Citadel is gone, I’m not going to leave Cliff-Hill,” Dave said.
“Understandable—this is your home. I’ve been meaning to ask you. What do you think that the mayor would think about letting us own a plot of land in order to cycle people through here for training, repairing weapons, getting supplies and all of that?” Josh asked.
Smart—he’s not only trying to pull me in with the chance to do something exciting and put my name on something, but showing that even if we go far, we would always come back here. Cliff-Hill is a good place to make a guild-base: slightly isolated, good smithy nearby at a decent cost.
“How are you going to get people back here?” Dave asked.
“Well, there are portals that apparently go to other planes of existence. I don’t see why we can’t use those to make a bridge from here to wherever,” Josh said.
“You want to connect portals from here to across the globe?” Malsour sounded impressed.
“That’s the plan at least. Might take some time but there’s no denying how useful it would be.”
The plan was a solid one, if they had learned how to fight properly and used spells without having to buy new ones, just altering what they had already. Then it was only natural that they thought that they could engineer portals.
“I still have a lot to learn about smithing and I want to go to the Mages College in Opheir at least,” Dave said.
“That’s fine. There are only about a quarter of the raiders here. Most are off pursuing their own studies or doing something that they want to. Our one rule is that we will always watch one another’s back no matter what and if the guild calls you in an emergency, then you come. We haven’t had an emergency yet.” Josh smiled.
“It makes sense with a guild of so many E-heads,” Dave said.
“Exactly. People are living their lives in here; they don’t have time to just do what the guild’s doing. We have several people learning all kinds of crafting and magical techniques,” Josh said, as if it was nothing.
Dave saw the impressive structure of the Stone Raiders. They went about doing as they wanted; the main group raided, but others were all over the globe learning skills and gathering information that they could send to the guild instantaneously. They might have less numbers when they went on a raid, but they gained information and skills at a higher rate than a guild that only accepted people who would only raid. They wanted to be the best raiding guild in Emerila, not the one with the most members. E-heads didn’t want to just devote their life to one thing, but have multiple options.
In return for people’s information and passing on their training, they got protection by the guild.
In a few years, they would have the most information across Emerilia. Their name had already reached far, and would only grow if they could create and use portals.
“I won’t deny that I’m not interested but I’ll need to talk to Deia,” Dave said.
“We’ve extended our offer to her as well.” Josh grinned. “She’s been kicking our asses so hard that we’re using it as a plea for mercy.”
Dave laughed. “She is one hell of a fighter.”
“Now that’s all done, I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something a bit more personal.” Josh pulled out what looked to be two curved daggers that would go out in front of a person’s fist and down their arm.
That wasn’t the most interesting part about them. They had been made from Mithril, with inlays of ebony and silver engraving.
“Where did you find these?” Malsour asked, his voice quiet as Dave took the blades with reverent hands and put them down on the bench in front of him.
Daggers of Demons Ruin
Blades forged to fight against the Demon Lords of Xelur. Shadows were their holder’s friend and Death their constant companion.
Quality: S
Damage: ???
Abilities: Control the shadows as a second skin. Gains strength with the blood of its enemies
Charge: 20/80,000
Durability 1/32
The rune’s language was ancient and one that none of the races on Emerilia used. He read the pop-up that came with handling the blades.
Dave examined the blades with his Touch of the Land. It didn’t take long for Kol to appear, his own Touch showing him the daggers.
“Where did you find these?” Kol asked.
“A raid against a Xelur titan. Had multiple wraiths fighting for him—think he used soul magic. He had these blades on his belt but he didn’t use them. I got them as a gift for my birthday.” Josh rubbed his head awkwardly.
“It is no wonder the demon didn’t use them; they would have burned him. He must have taken them as a trophy from one of the wielders of this blade,” Malsour said.
“Quite right.” Kol nodded, holding a blade, as he flicked it with a finger and listened to it.
“Why?” Dave asked.
“These were made as great weapons centuries ago. Demons are creatures that use a creature’s soul to power their magic. These blades were some of the great weapons that were used to attack the demons and attack them right at the core, to pull the souls they used from them. These blades are the soul dancers. They rip at the very soul of the creature they are fighting. With the People of Emerilia, this means that if they die then their defenses weaken and their soul powers them. For the demons, it means that their power is being pulled from them constantly. They don’t have a magical shield to hold their soul in with, so each blade not only wounds them, but drains them of the souls that they have used for destruction.”
“And now they are close to destruction. Without souls to feed it, they have weakened considerably.” Kol examined both of the curved blades and put them back down.
“Can you fix it?” Josh asked.
“No,” Kol said.
Dave looked to him. There wasn’t anything that Kol couldn’t fix—he was a Dwarven master smith, after all!
“These runes, the power in this weapon…I am a great changer of metals. If you give me any weapon or armor, I can take it and make it and its enchantments stronger and more powerful. If I understand the runes, this…These runes are beyond even me. Dave, what do you think about them?” Kol asked.
Dave sighed and looked at them all. They were complex, a great series of them. They were as complicated as Dave’s own ebony sheets but compacted, engraved with magic. It made his ebony sheets look like a Turing machine while it was a smartphone.
“This is more complicated than anything I have ever seen before. It’s also written in a language I don’t know,” Dave said.
“Abyssal,” Malsour provided.
“Do you know much of it?” Dave looked to him.
“If you can make a sketch of them, then I can probably figure them out. The demons of Xelur are the greatest masters of soul man
ipulation. I didn’t spend all my time in the libraries for nothing.” Malsour smiled.
“So they’re still around?” Josh asked. “That damned titan was a bitch to kill. Took nearly three months.”
“Yes, though in the great battles which these blades were created for, Emerilia was newly formed. The gods’ power was freely given to the people, knowing that their lands would be destroyed if they did not act. In that age, a great number of great weapons, tools, and different magics were created and used.” Malsour showed a fond smile. “It was referred to as the time of dragons, when great power was born and used. There have been few events like it in times past, though the signs show that another time is coming upon us.”
“Thanks for that, Malsour.” Dave shook his head. He looked at the dagger and its runes. If he could figure out the runes and how they were made, he might be able to use it on his own armor. If the demons were so good with managing soul magic, then it would make sense that they were good at using soul gems.
“How the hell did they engrave inside the metal?” Dave asked.
“Dwarven master smith tricks?” Malsour looked to Kol.
“Probably. Few others know how to use the skill,” Kol said.
“Well, that sounds like something useful to use,” Dave said.
“Well, first you would need to become a master smith. We don’t just go around spitting out all our secrets,” Kol grumbled.
“One day, one day,” Dave said.
“In the meantime.” Kol pulled something out of his pocket and gave it to Dave.
Dave held a simple metal chain with three metals threaded onto it. They had been polished and turned into smooth discs.
There was iron, steel, and silver.
“If you can get that damned armor complete, I might even think about giving you the ebony one.” Kol held up an obsidian black metal disk.
Dave took the chain with pride. It had taken a lot of work and patience but the chain showed that he had become a master of three materials. He still had stone, malachite, gold, ebony, and then Mithril before he could be counted as a master smith.
He’d skipped malachite and gold in order to focus on his work with his armor. It was why his Blacksmithing Skill had been jumping up as he proved his skill with ebony.
Active Skill: Smithing
Level: Expert Level 4
Effect: 71% improved quality of smithing creation.
“Thanks.” Dave held the chain.
“Now, get to work! Malsour needs those damned runes so you two can figure it all out and your damned armor isn’t going to engrave itself!” Kol turned. “And you, come here.” Kol grabbed Josh’s ear and pulled.
“Ow! What the hell, old man!” Josh yelled.
“You’re the little bugger who threw a dagger in my smithy. ’Bout time we educated you on the finer points of smithing health and safety!”
Dave quickly put his head down and started to sketch up the runes, feeling sorry for Josh as he tried to plead his case.
“Remind me to never annoy him,” Malsour said.
Dave sensed that Malsour was a powerful practitioner of magic, but even then, there were few things more powerful than a master smith in his forge.
“Good idea,” Dave muttered, reinforcing how Malsour was a damn smart fellow.
***
“Hello, Malsour. You’ve certainly gotten—well, I guess, smaller since you’re in human form.”
Malsour turned around from his desk. Induca jumped out of bed; her feet and fingers turned into claws and held onto the walls.
Malsour looked at the gnome who sat in a recliner with a pipe between his lips.
He didn’t know the gnome, but he knew the seat and the power that emanated from the creature.
There were only two people in the Pantheon who deigned to leave their places of power: his own grandmother and creator, and Neutrality.
“What brings you here, Neutral?” Malsour’s scales along his face and his claws retracted and his purple eyes stopped glowing.
“Just seeing what’s going on! You know how boring it gets when you’ve got all this power. Induca, I saw you when you were nothing but a damned egg—could you please get off the damned wall and stop acting like a lighting fixture!” Neut said.
No one dared to talk to the twosome like that if they knew their true nature.
Induca got off the wall slowly, her eyes dimming and the fire ball that had been growing in her mouth disappearing. She sniffed the air, a curious expression on her face.
“What are you doing here, Neutral?” Malsour asked.
“Teaching,” Neut said.
“Who and why?”
“Because a change is coming.” Neut’s usually carefree voice turned serious.
“I have sensed that the Pantheon is moving in odd directions,” Malsour said.
“My vision has been restricted. The governors of this world have passed rules onto me. They want more entertainment and are letting the gods run rife.”
A shiver passed through Malsour as he took a seat.
“Are you not the balancer?” Induca asked.
“I am, but here, the very balance of neutrality is shifting.”
Malsour’s eyebrows rose.
To have the balance of neutrality shifting on Emerilia meant that a paradigm shift was coming. Neutrality was the medium of all actions and reactions. Currently, Emerilia was balanced between the six major powers, with Light and Dark canceling each other. If say four of the Affinities banded together, then the world would shift to the new balance of power. If it went to the Dark side, then violence would become a lot more prevalent and regarded as the norm. If Light had their way, then it would become more pious and genteel. Maybe.
The thing with the gods being their own creatures—Light, Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Dark—they could not be defined into good and bad. Some might be just garnering power for the sake of gaining power through non-harmful ways. Others might use their mediating forces to attack other Affinities and use means to transfer the other Affinities’ power to their own.
It was all complicated and free flowing.
For six centuries, Neutrality had balanced the Affinities. Now with him out of the picture, the Affinities’ personalities would start to affect the very moral and social fabric of Emerilia.
“Enough about me. How is Fire’s daughter and Dave’s fiancée doing?” Neut asked.
Malsour’s eyes thinned.
“Child, I was the one who made her a Player, so stop being so protective of your aunty,” Neut said. “Both of you. Seriously, Induca, you’ve got flames—at least own it, put some on your claws. Well, put them away for now, but you know what I mean. Looks cool, like flame decals.” Neut laughed at his own odd words.
“What do you want with her?” Induca asked.
“Nothing, my dear. Just as with you and with your creator, it does my old soul good to see the spark of life you all hold. I just want to see what the heck she does with her life.” Neut smiled.
“Did you start bringing back the weapons of power?” Malsour asked.
“Right to the heart of the matter.” Neut pointed at Malsour with his pipe. “As you know, I am the balancer. As the enemies of Emerilia gain strength, I needed a way to give the Players and People of Emerilia a chance of defending themselves. I may have allowed a few items out of the vault.”
Malsour thought about bringing up Dave’s armor; when he completed it, it might be regarded as a great weapon. With the modifications Dave was planning, he was still a few breakthroughs away but if the Dwarves took him as one of their own and taught him the ways of the smith and he learned how to make the engravings that Malsour was researching on the two daggers, his control of metals and magical runes would be impressive.
“What do you think will happen with the rise of Boran-al’s Citadel?” Malsour asked.
“I might be an old creature who has seen many times, but alas there are no seers. The future is murky until we see it in fact. That said, I t
hink that the rise of Boran-al’s Citadel will be a catalyst of great change. What that change will be, I do not know.”
Chapter 30: Breakthrough
Dave did a little dance at his workstation, distracting Deia from her meditation that Induca had taught her.
The woman was lively and a big bundle of energy. In a battle between the two of them, Induca’s brother Malsour had needed to be on hand in order to make sure that they didn’t turn Cliff-Hill into a crater. Well, their power wasn’t that great, but they would have certainly totaled the sparring area.
Both of them had about the same amount of raw power, which made Deia curious. She didn’t know of someone who had the same power as her. The other thing was how Induca showed up Deia’s spells. She might act erratic, but in a battle, her spells were efficient and a touch of genius. Her understanding of her Fire magic almost seemed innate. She needed few chants to complete her spells and she acted as if she had been born to Fire.
Deia was eagerly trying to learn that kind of control over her own magic. Her father was a great Fire mage, but he didn’t know the difficulties that she had to deal with.
Induca also knew extremely complex spells that Deia would have not thought of.
“Whatever it is, it better not blow up!” Deia yelled.
“I did it!” Dave turned around, laughing like an idiot. He ran over to Deia, hugging and shaking her.
“Let me go, you big oaf!” She hit his shoulders and laughed.
He kissed her and put her down. “I finally got the soul gem worked out! The permutations are a pain in the ass to deal with, but I can grow more of the crystals and form them to our armor!”
“So how much power are we looking at here?” Deia asked.
“With front and back plates, the equivalent of two million points.” Dave grinned, as a message was shared with her.
Vault Class Soul Gem
Rechargeable container for both soul and Mana energy. Does not lose charge with every recharge. Capable of increasing storage capacity with time.
The Trapped Mind Project (Emerilia Book 1) Page 43
