Benvari Mountains (Emerilia Book 2)

by Michael Chatfield

  Alkao gave out a rumbling laugh that never made it past his lips. “Do you not know that I could kill you with a single swipe of my fist? I could kill everyone in here in minutes if I wanted to.”

  “Brother, get over yourself. So what, you kill us? Then what? People go and start attacking Demons because when we showed their leader hospitality, he went and killed those giving him shelter and food. Then, there’s the little fact that I can’t die, numb nuts. I’ll keep on coming back, whether you’re sleeping, taking a dump, or eating. Might not kill you, but I bet a dagger in your kidney will hurt a bit. Think I haven’t dealt with threats before? I’m a summoner, dipshit. My aim is to bind big dumb brutes like you to my will. So, unless you want me to soul bind the shit out of you and make you wear a pink fucking tutu for the rest of your miserable life, shut up and be civil, ya goddamned stop sign!”

  Alkao blinked at her as she ate another spoonful of food.

  “Now that’s a threat. Now we going to have a conversation or a dick measuring contest?” Suzy looked up at Alkao. She’d dealt with people of his kind. Either he would rise to the challenge over honor or some useless sense of pride, or they could actually work together.

  The entire food hall was quiet as she continued to eat her food.

  Alkao’s face split into a genuine smile as he laughed. “You should’ve been born a Demon! None of that High Elf pretty girl crap!” He continued to laugh. “Very well, let us talk. It has been awhile since I have done so. Longer still when it was someone who did not fear my presence.”

  “So, how much food are you going to eat?” Suzy asked.

  “As much as I can until I’m satisfied.”

  “So, do you hate Angels?”

  “That is a hard question to answer.” Alkao grabbed a chicken leg and ate it absently. “Demons and Angels fought one another constantly. We were always at one another’s throats. When the Demons decided that they didn’t care to be thrown into battle with the Angels anymore, we retreated to our own lands and started building our strength. The Pantheon, scared that we would be successful in our growing rebellion against the Dark Lord, banded together and sent everything they had at us, with the Angels in the lead.

  “Fortresses that spanned across Ashal were torn down, villages were put to the torch and my people were beaten back. The forces attacking us didn’t care who they killed. Anything that had Demon blood was thought to be a taint. Even after my people’s rebellion, the Angels continued to hunt down and kill anyone who had a hint of Demon blood.” His words were hot and angry as he bit through the chicken, crushing bone and flesh.

  “I did not hate them before, seeing them as the slaves that they were. Now I cannot do anything but hate them for their blind devotion to the Lady of Light. The rebellion changed them. There was no power to withstand them and there was no one left for them to fight.

  “I have read the histories, of how they went on a holy crusade for their Lady of Light. How they moved through Emerilia, killing anyone they believed to follow another lord or lady and destroyed the other temples and places of worship.” Alkao looked almost sad as he lowered what was left of the chicken leg. “There was a time when they had a code of honor, but power, greed, and their own short-sightedness turned them into fanatics and zealots. Who was to question them? The rightful heirs of Emerilia that their own god had blessed?”

  The food hall was once again quiet.

  “So, I guess I did not hate the Angels that I fought. Before the rebellion, they had honor and integrity. After, with all that the Pantheon was doing to show that no one could raise a fist at them? I’ll slaughter every single one of them who raises a sword in anger.” His pupils expanded, turning his eyes to obsidian spheres.

  A chill ran down Suzy’s spine at the sight, but she forced herself to eat. She hadn’t gotten over her fears, but she now knew how to confront them and keep a level head. Who would know that Angels were a bunch of assholes? “So, what are you going to do?” Suzy asked.

  “I will find my people and return to our land.”

  “What about your fight with the Pantheon?”

  “I have learned that it is better to build our power in secret than out in the open as we did with the rebellion. I have asked around and few if any people travel to the northern areas of Ashal. We will train and become stronger before bringing the Pantheon down to Emerilia for what they have done.”

  It would definitely be useful to have him as an ally later on. Suzy thought the scenario through with the mind that had made her an asset to Dave. “What weapons do you use?”

  “Why do you want to know? Do you wish to fight me?”

  “No. I was asking because I know someone who will be able to make you some weapons if you need some. Our priorities are similar.” Suzy’s eyes hardened.

  Dave wanted to look after his friends and that meant becoming stronger and fighting the Pantheon that was gunning for them.

  Suzy—her reasons were simple. She wanted to destroy the people who had created a life for her that would ridicule her and drive her away from the things that she enjoyed, just to get her to play Emerilia. She didn’t care about what the Jukal Empire had done to the Human race. She cared what they had done to her life, how they had put her on the cusp of more than one emotional breakdown by forming her environment to make her depressed. Emerilia now gave her the strength to break free from that horror that people called normality and hit back at the bastards who had directly affected her.

  She cared for those around her and their goals aligned with hers, but anger and hatred drove her.

  “I see that we are more alike than I thought.” Alkao’s calm voice was almost sad. “Hatred is a powerful motivator. Make sure that it does not warp your mind into something that you cannot tame.”

  Suzy nodded sharply, using her coping strategies to push the pain of those memories—and the anger that welled up from them—away.

  “I fight with a shield and a longsword. My Affinity is Earth.”

  “Well, I’ll see what he can come up with, though it might take him awhile, if you are interested in waiting?” Suzy asked.

  “My people are still coming to this land and it will take time for them to group together and reach our lands. I will use the time to train. Even for your low levels, your party is stronger than I thought it would be.”

  “Yeah, we’re full of surprises.” Suzy smirked.

  “I am seeing that the more I look,” Alkao said.

  The two of them ate in companionable silence, an alliance growing between them.

  ***

  Dave finally touched the ground. His legs shook as he lowered himself into a sitting position. “Let’s never do that again.”

  “You did better than Suzy. I am surprised that the two of you are so scared of heights.” Anna wasn’t even using lines to support herself.

  “It’s a natural reaction,” Dave said.

  “Well, now you know how to fight it.” She smiled.

  Dave rolled his eyes before he focused on his notifications.

  New Active Skill: Climber

  Well, look at you go, regular spider monkey you are! Thought that rope was going to snap and you would just plummet all the way down. Also, bet you’d cry—nearly had you on that one!

  Level: Novice Level 7

  Effect: You can climb 17% faster, footholds and handholds are 10% easier to see (stacks with perception at 50% strength).

  Cost: 25 Stamina/s

  Stat Increase

  +1 Strength

  +1 Intelligence

  +12 Willpower

  +1 Endurance

  +3 Agility

  After a day of facing his fears, his stats had increased nicely.

  Character Sheet

  Name:

  David Grahslagg

  Gender:

  Male

  Level:

  3

  Class:

  -

  Race:

  Human/Dwarf

  Alignment:

&nbs
p; Chaotic Neutral

  Unspent points-290

  Health:

  2,600

  Regen:

  2.14/s

  Mana:

  1,430

  Regen:

  6.30/s

  Stamina:

  720

  Regen:

  3.40/s

  Vitality:

  26

  Endurance:

  107

  Intelligence:

  143

  Willpower:

  126

  Strength:

  72

  Agility:

  68

  He leaned against the mountain’s rock face and focused his attention inward. His Touch of the Land let him see the Mana and soul energy floating through his body. His soul energy had been the size of a pea before; now it was the size of a bottle cap. It didn’t sound like much, but due to the condensed nature of soul energy, it was.

  He pulled out the piece of Mithril he’d been given and his disruptor. He’d already destroyed the bonds twice today. He extended his soul energy through the disruptor, willing it to break the bonds of the Mithril.

  Light descended from the disruptor, falling on the Mithril. The faint checkered pattern seemed to shake before cracks formed where the lines connected. The Mithril’s lines faded away as Dave smiled.

  “So, I guess we won’t be seeing you for a while.” Deia looked at the Mithril.

  “I’ll be back faster than you know. Then, we can go and meet up with the rest of the Stone Raiders.” Dave stood up to meet her.

  Deia smiled, pulling him close and kissing him. “Better make this up to me.”

  “I got you that.” Dave pointed to her ring.

  “That’s more of a deposit.” She grinned.

  Dave made an annoyed noise. “I should have never told you about the forums!”

  “Ah, she’d learn enough from just talking to Suzy,” Anna said, heading for the practice square.

  “I’ll be done as fast as I can. Mithril is a right pain in the ass to forge, but once you can, the items it makes are impressive. I never saw any kind of material like it on Earth,” Dave said as they looked at the flat sheet of Mithril.

  “Well, I will be here when you get back,” Deia said.

  “I love you.” He leaned upward.

  “I love you too.” She leaned in for the kiss. It was longer and more heated than most, as Dave pulled her tight to his muscled body.

  “Can you stop trying to do mouth-to-mouth out in the open?” Suzy smiled.

  Dave just gave her the middle finger, holding Deia close to him as he kept kissing her.

  Deia laughed and pulled away after a few seconds. “Damned horny Dwarf,” she said, low enough for only him to hear.

  “I’m not the only one.” Dave raised an eyebrow and pulled her against him.

  “Better hurry back so we can both relieve some tension.” Her eyes flickered to his body and then back to his eyes.

  “You two done?” Suzy sounded amused.

  “For now, you cock block.” Dave looked to Suzy but didn’t let go of Deia. “Whaddya want?”

  “Could you make Alkao a shield and a sword?”

  “Why?” Dave asked, curious as to Suzy’s interest in the Demon.

  “He is a good ally to have and fighting alongside him would be beneficial for both parties. Giving him a shield and sword that he can use to protect his people is not something that he is likely to forget in the near future,” Suzy said.

  “When did you get so good at making alliances? Okay, I’ll make it, though I’m going to need some sizing done. I’ll send you a list,” Dave said.

  “Fine,” Suzy said, trying to sound like a pouty teenager forced to do something they didn’t want to.

  “I’ll walk you back to the gate,” Deia said.

  “Okay.” Dave smiled.

  “Good luck,” Suzy said.

  “Thanks, Suz.” Dave grinned.

  “So, how long do I have to wait till you’re back?” Deia asked as Suzy headed off toward the training square.

  “I honestly don’t know. Once I can forge Mithril—I’ve just got through the first stage—then I have to figure out what the hell my smithing art is and there isn’t really any other way to find out what it is other than just keep on making things.” The world was moving by fast. Learning about smithing was fun and Dave knew it would be useful, but it was slow.

  Emerilia seemed to be calling out to him.

  Deia and Dave walked hand and hand toward the gate.

  I wonder if I’ll look back on this moment and wonder how everything could have been so peaceful?

  “If you’re making a shield and sword for Alkao, could you make me two new blades and a compound bow? The ones I have now can’t handle my Strength or Mana.”

  “Send me your character sheet, your Affinity levels and I’ll see what I can do,” Dave said.

  “Thanks, babe!” She kissed his cheek.

  “My fiancée is a weapon freak,” Dave muttered.

  “I heard that,” Deia said, bumping him slightly.

  “Well, it’s true.” Dave grinned.

  “So?” Deia smiled.

  Chapter 30: The Last Metal

  Once Dave had shown Jesal the piece of Mithril and told her that he had broken its bonds three times, she took him to a different area.

  “Now, turn that nugget into pure Mithril and then something we can use.”

  “Are you kidding me? That’s like seventy percent stone!” Dave looked at the amalgamation of Mithril ore and stone that stood around three square meters.

  “Well, you should hurry up about it, then.” She left him to his ore.

  That was three days ago. He had worked with different tools to break off as much of the stone as possible. He knew hitting the Mithril with his tools wouldn’t break it. There were a few gems and other materials but he didn’t care for them as he whittled it down so that he could actually see all the Mithril.

  “Damn chunk of rock and crap,” Dave muttered to himself. Even though the other materials had been useful, getting in his way meant he had a new hatred toward them.

  He looked at the rock, pulling out the soul tools that he had been given to use on the Mithril. He started using it on the big rock and breaking the bonds in places, making it possible for him to cut away sections. Using a crucible and constantly applying soul energy, he was able to remove most of the impurities before he pulled out the refined Mithril and put it to the side. He moved quickly, removing sections as fast as possible and melting them down to take out impurities.

  “A full day and I’ve barely got three pounds of material to work with.” He shook his head at his luck, letting his Willpower recharge before going in again.

  ***

  “Four fucking days to get it all refined.” Dave looked at the Mithril laid out around his workstation. He had only moved to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom.

  Now with the first part done, he laid out on his workbench and went to sleep, not caring where he was as long as he got some rest. No one disturbed him, most of them sharing impressed looks as he quietly snored.

  On the sixth day, he woke up and ate some rations from his bag. “Okay, well, time to work with some Mithril.”

  It had not been an easy or quick path to get to this stage. Dave had developed a lot faster than any other Dwarf. Even with this, he was excited to get started on his work. He pulled out a piece of parchment with different measurements. He grabbed the disruptor and focused his energy on two decent-sized ingots of Mithril, breaking its bonds and putting it into the furnace. Now the real work would begin.

  ***

  Deia hadn’t seen Dave in two weeks. Alkao had finally left the food hall to do some training. His skills were incredible. Anna could only barely hold him off, even with her swords. Deia had tried but he had easily beaten her.

  Now, she and Induca were once again working on different spells.

  “So, what do you think of Suzy?” Induca a
sked.

  “She’s had some impressive growth. If I didn’t know Dave’s own ability to jump up stats like he has, I would think that she was some kind of glitch in Emerilia.”

  “Yeah, she has worked hard for her position, there is no doubting that. I’m interested in what kind of creature she will summon and soul bind to,” Induca said.

  “Why the sudden interest?” Deia asked.

  “I’m always interested in how everyone is doing. We are a party, after all. The weakest of us all shows our strength.” Induca looked a little flustered.

  Deia nodded and decided to not prod anymore into the subject. “So how did your tests with the cannon go?”

  “Well, I took what you and Anna were saying. I don’t know if you would be able to do it as it takes a level of control that is damn hard.” Induca put out her hands in front of her as fiery tubes of different colors appeared.

  A cyan capsule of fire appeared in the middle of the tubes. It started through the cylinders, picking up speed faster than Deia could track, and let out an ear-shattering boom as it left the cylinders, which recoiled from the force of the barrels’ acceleration.

  The barrels disappeared as the cyan capsule disappeared from the sky.

  “Wow.” Deia could only imagine the destructive force that had been imparted on the plasma round.

  “Yeah, that shit is scary. In close combat, you’d need to make it a lot smaller. In large-scale combat, you’d need to refine the spells a bit but it would be damned powerful support weapon. Though, that’s why you’re engaged to Dave.” Induca grinned.

  Deia rolled her eyes and smiled. Dave could not only tear apart spells to use as power, he could also strengthen them to increase their effectiveness. With him supporting Deia and Induca, their Plasma Cannon spells could be truly terrifying.

  ***

  Dave sat in the magical forge, at a workbench, and stared at the Mithril in front of him. He had forged it three times, taking four days the first time and two days for his latest one. It still wasn’t how he wanted it to be.