The Land: Monsters

by Aleron Kong

  There was also the point that by unlocking only one Power, he would also get Settlement Points. Of all the various points he’d accumulated thus far, they were the most rare. Richter didn’t understand the magic behind it at all, but it let him change the very geography of his village. He could flatten a hill, instantly construct a building or even add new resources to his land. This was only the second way he’d found to gain Settlement Points. The other was capturing another Master’s Hearth Crystal, a nearly impossible task. Hisako had said there was a third way he might earn them in the future, but he had no idea how. All she had said was that he needed to obtain his initial Masteries.

  Which raised yet another factor to consider. His battle with Nien, the Soul Eater, had taught him that unlocking all of the facets of his Place of Power was only the first step on his path to Mastery. There were higher levels to unlock after the first four. There might be more bonus abilities after he reached level two. There might also be new settlement options.

  There was also the selfish argument that turned into a questionably selfless one, as all selfish arguments were wont to do. These two Masteries would help him survive for the next week. If he could outlast the curse, there was a chance he might make it back to the village even if he died first. Without being arrogant, he knew for a fact that if he didn’t make it back, the entire village would suffer. He was not only Lord Mist, he was a Specialist Enchanter. The weapons and armor he made were powerful. He was also an experienced war leader and was the linchpin in the Mist Village’s alliance with the wood sprites. If he rolled the dice by unlocking only one Mastery, he might die and be damned for all eternity. That would not be the best.

  Finally, there was the practical argument to unlocking all his Masteries. Richter looked around at the tunnel he was in. It was lit only by balls of Far Light that burned with the intensity of a candle. It was about as dismal and pitiful a scene as there could be, trapped and lost far underground. He had escaped the ichorpede lair, true, but he could have died twenty times over in his desperate flight through the dark. The truth was, there was a very real chance that he wouldn’t last a week. That Singh’s curse would take hold and everything that he was would just cease to be.

  Even if he didn’t get back though, he had an Heir. If he could no longer be Master of his Place of Power, Sion would assume the mantle.

  Though the battle with the lich lord had been insanely dangerous, there was a true war looming on the horizon. Bugbears, dark elves, goblins and worse were massing in the Forest of Nadria. So far, they hadn’t been able to overcome the enchantments of his village, but Richter had learned that nothing was absolute. Sometime, somehow, they would find a way through the Confusing Mists. The kindir had already shown that a simple salve could penetrate the village’s defenses. Richter just thanked his lucky stars that he’d secured the loyalty of Verget Kunig before they shared that secret with his enemies.

  All that had done was buy them time though. Sooner or later, enemies would be coming to his doorstep. Factoring that in, increasing the power of the monsters around his village could be both a curse and a blessing. His people would have to fight the monsters back, but they also had home court advantage. Any enemies coming to attack wouldn’t be so lucky. The monsters could serve as a “natural” barrier.

  And if he did die, Sion was his Heir. At least the sprite would have more Masteries at his disposal. Hisako would guide her son and, between the two of them, they might be able to beat back the hordes that were coming. Thinking about thousands of enemy troops attacking his people brought a heaviness to Richter’s heart. The chaos seed let out a sigh. There were so many factors to consider.

  Someone else might have been overwhelmed, frozen into immobility. Richter had learned long ago, however, that a common thread could often be found in seemingly different arguments. For all the facets he’d just come up with to consider, it came down to a basic question.

  Should he protect his people at the cost of limiting both their exposure to danger and their potential for growth, like a father would a child? Or should he let them enter a new phase of their lives, even though it would bring danger and pain? If he fully awakened his Place of Power, it would bring them horror, but it could also unlock their potential.

  Like so many times in the past, it came down to a choice between fear or hope. To Richter, that was no choice at all. Focusing on the prompt, he made his decision. At long last, the Master of the Mist Village fully claimed his power. After millennia of somnolence, the Great Seal was awoken once again.

  CHAPTER 8 – Day 151 – Juren 2, 0 AoC

  Back in the Mist Village…

  Sion, Hisako, Randolphus and several others sat at a wooden table. The room branched off from the Great Seal. Dawn had broken over the forest a few hours before and the village was waking. Many of the villagers were in a jubilant mood. Once again, their modest village had triumphed over their enemies. There was a measurable boost to their Morale and Loyalty, but they were also happy that the casualties had not been as extensive as the battle for the Bloodstone.

  There had been many wounded, but bringing them back through the portal had let Sumiko and her healers save lives. The families of those that had fallen grieved, but the overall mood of the village was one of relief and joy. That was not a sentiment shared by the men and women sitting around the table. One and all, they wondered if the victory had come at too high a price.

  “We are fairly certain that he still lives,” Hisako stated, looking around the table. “The fool made Sion his Heir before deciding to sacrifice himself. That means my son should know if he dies. At least, if he dies the final death.”

  Despite her words, the Hearth Mother could not help but look at her son and feel relief. If Richter had not tricked his Companion into using the Bracelet of Home’s Heart, then her son could have been trapped and lost in the dark of the earth. Her irritation was just a thin cover for the heartache that was warring with the relief in her heart. Even though he was a gyoti, she had great affection for Richter.

  Sion was not nearly as composed. He stared off into the distance. Once again, he had lived at the expense of a brother paying the price. He absently stroked Alma’s dusky scales as he replayed the moment Richter had been swallowed by the dark. In his mind, he saw it over and over again, trapped in a private hell.

  The dragonling lay in a basket of piled cloth. She still hadn’t regained consciousness. Whatever Singh had done to her mind had been severe. As he couldn’t do anything to reverse the damage, he just kept stroking her scales, hoping she got some comfort from it. All the while, he made a solemn vow that he would save the dragonling even though he had failed her master.

  Quiet reigned around the table after Hisako stopped speaking. Each of their minds were occupied with thoughts of Lord Mist. A being who had come from nowhere only half a year before, but who had changed the world. Each of them held memories of the strange man, all of them contradictions in terms. Richter was both savior and devil, warm and callous, murderer and just lord. They may have varied in their affections for Richter, but they all wanted him back for their own reasons. Still, this council had not been called to commiserate. It had been called to decide on what to do next.

  Seeing that Sion was not in a place to lead the meeting, Randolphus and Hisako stepped up. They spoke about the death toll, the damage to the Dungeon, the food stores, and the threat of the bugbears’ alliance. A threat they could no longer ignore. They had just started to discuss troop allocations in their various territories when a ripple of Power radiated out from the first floor of the Catacombs.

  It spread throughout the entire ten-mile radius of the village’s domain. It looked like an inch-thin wall of water, but it had no actual substance. Everyone in the village was both shocked and frightened. The creatures within the village’s domain stopped whatever they were doing and turned toward the Great Seal, even if they were miles away. For a moment, every beast and monster quivered in fright, fearing at an instinctual level the pow
er that had just been released.

  Around the table, the village council looked at each other in concern and confusion. All except Hisako and Randolphus, who knew full well what it meant. They made eye contact, then rushed to the Great Seal. Before they made it down the hall, shouts of alarm echoed all around them.

  As they rushed to the seal, three sounds reverberated throughout the Mist Village. The first was the whoosh of gale-force winds. The next was the sound of birds chirping, wolves howling and lions roaring all at once. The bellow of every creature in existence, calling out in a cacophony that was somehow in key and in concert. The third sound was the loud gush of rushing waters, like an ocean being emptied into a moon-sized vase. After that, there was a complete absence of sound, which seemed all the more profound in contrast.

  Through this all, the eyes of the village council were locked onto the Great Seal and the powers that had manifested above it.

  Above the spiral of Air was a miniature hurricane. It towered twelve feet into the air. Lightning crackled across the swirling storm clouds.

  On top of the Life spiral was a ten-foot arched doorway made of pure, glowing gold. On the other side was a tree sculpted of the same bright metal, perfect in every way.

  The blue tiles of Water had disappeared. In their place was a whirlpool, diving deep into the floor. Looking down, it could be seen to descend at least a dozen feet into the ground. White froth appeared and disappeared as the vortex spun dangerously.

  The final spiral of Dark magic was a horrifying hole of nothing. No light escaped that perfect blackness. Everyone that looked at it felt as if they were being pulled in.

  It was the same transformation that had appeared during Alma’s summoning, the only time that Richter had drawn deeply on the raw energy of his Place of Power. This time, however, there was a fundamental difference. The Powers had manifested before, but each power had been mindless. Now, they were filled with awareness and purpose.

  Golden birds nested in the metal Life tree. Fish jumped in the waters of the maelstrom, and eagles made of pure lightning surfed the winds of the hurricane. In the black void of Dark, tentacled things writhed beneath the ebon surface. No one could get closer than twenty yards to the seal. The power each awakened ley line exuded created a physical pressure. Only Hisako would have had the power to go closer. Thankfully, she had the wisdom not to try.

  Each of the four manifestations surged in power. Each brought its own sound. Once all four were done raging, they sank or ascended back to the level of the floor. Seconds later, all anyone could see was activated tile again. Still, this was not the end. The four distinct spirals unraveled then intertwined with one another. This process continued until four new shapes were made, each a combination of two spirals: wind and darkness, darkness and water, water and life, life and wind.

  The previously sorrowful expression on Hisako’s face faded. With absolute certainty, she exclaimed, “He is alive! What’s more, he has fully awakened his Place of Power!” Her heart cheered. Smiles bloomed on the faces of everyone present at her words.

  Even Sion was able to break out of his melancholic mood. The newly changed Great Seal was finally coming to rest. The intense manifestations had faded away, and each of the new dual symbols glowed with a pulsing light. A cascade of prompts appeared in the sprite’s vision, showing the new spells and powers available to the Mist Village. As Heir, he was able to read the interface, even though he could not cast them himself. A smile crossed his face. Get back soon, you bastard, because I’m going to kick your ass.

  Of all the responses to the ascension of the village’s Powers, the most profound took place in another room entirely. Alma’s comatose form had been left lying on a pile of soft cloth. The soldier watching her had almost fallen in shock at what he saw.

  The moment the four new symbols of the Great Seal had locked into place, Alma’s eyes snapped open. Flashes of gold, blue, yellow and black energy shot through her eyes and electricity coursed through her body. She jumped from the basket, unfurling her wings at the same time. As she soared toward the Great Seal, the jubilant shouts of the others died down.

  Every eye was locked on the glowing dragonling and her growing body. Her lengthening wings spread out and she soared to the center of the Great Seal. All four symbols pulsed and ribbons of energy flowed into Alma’s draconic form. Beams of the same hue shot from her mouth and eyes. The lines between her scales were lit up as well. In front of their very eyes, she grew and became something… more.

  With a deeper roar than she had ever managed before, she threw back her draconian head and screamed, “Master!”

  CHAPTER 9 – Day 151 – Juren 2, 0 AoC

  Richter did not know about any of the changes happening in the village. If he’d known about Alma, he definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep reading the prompts so calmly. Even not knowing, his heart started beating faster as he read his next prompts. He now knew how Hisako obtained her most powerful spells! His attention was captured by the cascade of notifications that had appeared.

  Congratulations! You have unlocked all four Powers of your Place of Power! For unlocking the potential of your Great Seal, you shall be given four new spells. Each of these spells is unique to your Place of Power, and may only be cast once per year.

  Pure Waters

  Imbue a flask of liquid with the powers of Life and Water. This spell will make one dose of a powerful healing potion. It will remove all debuffs, curses, and injuries. Also restores all lost Health, Mana and Stamina. After summoning, this potion will disappear after one day. If not imbibed before then, the magic will be lost. It will be ineffective against Tier 3 and higher ailments.

  Cost

  1000 mana

  Duration

  Instant

  Range

  Touch

  Cast Time

  5 minutes

  Cooldown

  1 year

  It was a Restore All spell. He couldn’t believe it. In a game that might not have been too impressive, but in real life Richter knew perfectly well how expensive and how valuable such potions could be. To make a single batch of a basic healing potion that could restore a few hundred points of health would normally take a Professional Alchemist several days. Even then, there was a high rate of failure, roughly 50% depending on the specifics of the formula. And that was in a best-case scenario, independent of human error. If the alchemist failed to perfectly measure ingredients, or lost their concentration at any point in the days-long process, that 50% chance could seriously slip. If that was the case, the Alchemist would have to start again. They might even lose all the valuable materials they had been working with. Alchemy was a difficult and demanding trade.

  To be given a potion that could heal nearly any wound instantly was a powerful tool. It was a shame that he could only cast the spell once a year. He couldn’t even stock up on the potions. The magic would only last one day, once cast. The cast time was also huge compared to other spells. Not nearly as large as the mana cost though. He would have to use the village’s mana pool to manage it. Just another check and balance. Still, he was happy to have the option.

  The next spell was a combination of Life and Air magic. If the last spell had made his jaw drop, this one took his breath away.

  Breath of Life

  Breathe into the mouth of a being that has died in the last hour. The wind from your body will carry the power of Air and Life. At a cost of one year of your own life, you may rekindle the life of a dead being. They will be reborn in a weakened state.

  Cost

  1000 mana

  1 year of life

  Duration

  Instant

  Range

  1 foot

  Cast Time

  30 seconds

  Cooldown

  1 year

  The second spell was even more impressive than the first! Resurrection was possible in The Land, but only with the power of a master of Life magic. It was also one of the only spells he knew abou
t that required a spell component, a root from the Hearth Tree itself. Richter’s Mastery allowed him to mimic the strengths of a master mage, at least in the four Basic Elements that comprised his Place of Power, but he couldn’t cast spells of their level. He was limited by his own skill level. That meant spells of level twenty-two and above were beyond his capabilities to cast.

  The fact that Hisako and Sumiko were true Life masters had saved many lives. According to the powerful sprite women, resurrection magic required a skill level of one hundred or higher. It also required a powerful talisman of Life energy that was consumed during the casting. Breath of Life would let him save one life, and he could cast it at his current skill level. Again, the spell cost was huge. The extra component being a year of his own life was also not something he was excited about. Still, he would happily make that trade to save Sion, Terrod or Cau…

  He caught himself before his mind could complete that thought. It took several seconds to control his thudding heart, but he finally calmed down. Even though his thoughts had slipped, the truth was he could have saved Caulder if he’d had this spell only one day before. Looking at it that way, a single year was a small price to pay. He just wished he could have paid it yesterday.

  Richter shook off his melancholy once again. Dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed was emotional masturbation. It might scratch the itch at first, but you just ended up raw. Instead, he focused on the third spell.

  Dark Wave

  The Power of Dark and Water combine in a powerful attack. 7 waves of pressurized water from the depths of the ocean shoot forth in a cone from your hand. Will cause 125-400 Damage per wave. Chance to cause Blind, Freeze and/or Bleeding status