Emerilia Series Box Set 2

by Michael Chatfield

It took some time before they all calmed down.

  “God, I miss the old days.” Mal wiped tears away.

  “Don’t we all,” Alamos said.

  “So, what you looking to learn and what do you have to trade?” Jelanos asked.

  “More Fire magic. I offer information and applicants,” Mal said.

  “What information?” Jelanos opened his desk to try to find his pipe.

  “Information about the coming wars,” Mal said.

  Jelanos and Alamos looked to Mal quizzically.

  “Which wars?” Alamos asked. The mage’s guild and college did not get involved in wars. Members were allowed to do as they wished in defending their homes, but they were not to involve the college or guild in any way. The one thing that the mage’s guild did do was put a stop to war crimes: killing innocents, treating those who have surrendered outside of the laws that had been passed down. The mage’s guild kept all of the kingdoms and fighting groups of Emerilia in check.

  Mal opened up his private chat; the other two opened up their own interfaces to accept it. They talked among themselves. No words came from their mouths and Fire was unable to read their lips.

  She waited, watching their facial expressions.

  Alamos and Jelanos looked to each other. Their faces ranged from shock and confusion to regret, then determination and finally resolve.

  It was awhile before they canceled the private chat.

  “I believe it is time that we ran readiness checks on the battle mages and those contracted with the guilds. Many of these forces are already in Emerilia and we must be ready to deal with them when they surface. The next three years are going to be hell,” Alamos said.

  “It shocks the mind, but we must be prepared and vigilant. Very well, you may peruse our libraries as you desire and attend classes. Would you be interested in a teaching position?” Jelanos asked, his demeanor brisk and business-like, a side that few rarely saw.

  “I will think about it. I’m not sure about teaching. I like being in the field a lot more. I have a number of students who would do well to substitute for me. I’ve spent too long hiding away in my forest. Now, it’s time to fight for my home and protect my daughter’s future,” Mal said.

  Fire didn’t need to imagine anything as Mal looked directly at the mage light that was on the wall.

  Damn, he has gotten stronger if he’s able to know that I’m spying on him. I can’t leave right now. There’s too much at stake for me to get away. Guilt followed Fire’s thoughts.

  Why am I always running away from him when I see him? Fire felt a wave of sadness. What must he think of me as I just continue to run away? It would be nice to see him in person again.

  Chapter 11: Envoy

  “Dave?” Shard appeared as Dave put down a smoking destruction staff.

  “Holy! Damn, dude! Think I just blew a heart valve, scared the hell out of me!” Dave held his chest.

  “Seems that people can still sneak up on you,” Shard said with some pride. Since Dave had his Touch of the Land, no one had been able to truly sneak up on him.

  “Just you, Shard. Have you been testing out the applications of that graphite? Damn stuff is pretty useful back on Earth.” Dave slumped into a chair, pulling out a waterskin and drinking from it.

  “I have. The material is indeed interesting. I even applied it to the soul gem projects. I have high hopes.” Shard’s excitement was getting ahead of him.

  “Going to need to boost the power output by like forty percent if my next plan works out.” Dave’s eyes shone as he thought of the applications of the new metals and discoveries.

  “What are you thinking of making?” Shard couldn’t help himself.

  “Some true artillery. It takes too long for it right now. So complicated with all the chanting and then the Mana distribution. Going to speed it some. Taking an idea from the Dwarves and my own armor.”

  “Before we get sidetracked even more, there was another reason that I was here.” Shard sat across from Dave.

  “Okay,” Dave said, feeling the atmosphere tense between them.

  Shard didn’t say anything for a while, as if not knowing how to put his thoughts into words.

  “Will you spit it out? You look like dial-up. All we need now is that annoying ass tone and I’d swear you were crashing.”

  “What’s dial-up?” Shard asked.

  “I don’t think that is the reason you’re here.”

  “Ah, no, it’s not. I am here to extend an invitation from the Aleph Council. They wish to show their gratitude to the Stone Raiders for all that you have done and extend their hand in friendship.” Shard studied Dave’s reactions.

  “Well, you know that Josh, ah, no, probably Lucy is the person you should be talking to?”

  “I know that, but I wanted to field the idea to you first. You have a lot of sway within the guild and I wanted to know your thoughts on it,” Shard said.

  “Huh, well, personally, I like the idea. The Aleph are powerful allies to have. Just for the trade opportunities. My first question would be to ask if the Aleph are going to reveal their return to the rest of Emerilia.” It was Dave’s turn to look at Shard, who seemed to be a statue except for the blinking eyes.

  “Well, remind me to never play poker with you. If the Aleph want to stay in the dark, which I think would be their best option, I know that the Stone Raiders would be happy to help out, being sent on different quests to help your people. More quests, more fun. We’re already hoping to set the same thing up with those living in Devil’s Crater. That way, your people can gain strength. We get resources, show our friendship, and grow together. If you do choose to come out and show yourselves, then the Stone Raiders would also reap benefits for being the people to aid yours. It will show that we are the guild that different POE kingdoms and empires want working for them. Other Players will want to join up like no tomorrow and we can show the pesky other guilds who think they are as strong as us their place.”

  “Interesting. What would you like to be the reward for helping the Aleph?” Shard asked.

  “Going with the easy questions, huh?” Dave chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. Dave thought for some long minutes before he stared into Shard’s eyes.

  “Friendship with the Aleph,” Dave said, thinking back on all the agreements and alliances that the Stone Raiders had made with those they had helped out with various raids. There was always a clause for the Stone Raiders and the other party to help each other, to open trade and teleport pads between the two.

  “Want to read all of our books, do you?” Shard teased with a small smile.

  “While I do want to read your books, I am only halfway through that apprentice book on portals yet. Damn, those things are hard to make!” Dave shook his head.

  “You are crossing possible light-years of distance through them,” Shard pointed out.

  “Well, yeah, but books are not the reason I would like your friendship. Friendship has to be earned between two people, yet it is one of the strongest bonds that people have. Family you are born into. If you are lucky, your family will be awesome and it will feel like they are your friends. Friends are the people who have stood by your side, know the most about you and they’re still willing to deal with you. Friends are there for one another no matter what. I can get all the materials and items that I want through hard work. The possibility of becoming friends, or at least the mutual trust between the Aleph and the Stone Raiders, so that we might become friends in the future—if all we get is that opportunity, then I would say it was worth it.”

  “That was not the answer I was expecting,” Shard said.

  “Plus with all the stuff we’ve sold off, we’re rich as hell.” Dave laughed.

  “I now see why Deia always calls you a smartass.”

  Shard’s dry tone made Dave laugh more.

  “Get used to it. He might be smart as all hell, but sometimes he acts like a right dolt.” Suzy walked into the forge, hearing the tail end of their conversat
ion.

  “So, how is the staff?” Suzy looked to Dave.

  “It’s cooling!” Dave whined, as if sensing that he would need to do more work.

  “So, want to tell me what this staff is going to do?” Suzy asked.

  Dave tried to pout, but his excitement won through. He stood and clapped his hands together.

  “So, this thing is a bit experimental,” he started, moving to where the staff lay on a workbench. Every one of the nine main materials, as well as veins of others that had been “discovered,” twisted together to form a grip around a sphere. Each face of the sphere was made from a different chemical.

  “What I did was gather every element from the periodic table and contain them into the top of the staff. That way you’ll have a greater resonance with any of your creations down to the elemental level.”

  “There’s so many sides to that damned thing it’s almost a sphere.” Suzy studied it.

  “Yes, well, my thought is that with every single element known to humanity that you will be able to create items from all manner of substances—from ice to sand, to helium and radon—each contained within a non-reactive crystal matrix.”

  “You’ve got radon in there?” Suzy stepped away in alarm.

  “Well, it’s an element.” Dave shrugged.

  “And it’s radioactive!”

  “What is radioactive?” Shard asked, confused.

  “Don’t worry—it’s all contained. Trust me, I checked with my Touch of the Land. Even if you were poisoned, a bit of healing magic or just respawning and you’d be good.” Dave shrugged, ignoring Shard’s question.

  “I don’t want to have to get myself killed just because your staff poisoned me,” Suzy growled.

  “Hmm, do you think it would be possible to harness pure radioactive isotopes and convert them into Mana? Just like they do with the coal in the city power stations?” Dave said out loud.

  “Math and numbers here, not chemical reactions.” Suzy raised her hands up in surrender. Shard and she shared a look before she looked back at Dave, who was in full thought fugue.

  “Hmm, definitely something to think on. Imagine if you were able to store all the power from a kilogram of radioactive isotope. Could be completely clean as you’re taking all the available power from it.”

  “Dave, staff,” Suzy reminded him.

  “Ah, yes, sorry, another experiment, I think.” Dave shook his head, looking back to the staff. “Okay, so, we’ve got the major materials throughout the rest of the staff as well as magical coding. Everything that is included in this staff you will have greater control over. We’ve also got a boost in Willpower and your range will be extended. I’ve added in a last resort phase as well. Only activate it if absolutely necessary. So, that this staff won’t explode the soul gems that are inside it, it will only release a charge as it is used. The staff doesn’t hold the charge like other weapons but leeches it. If it didn’t leech, then it’d turn into one big ole bomb. I’ll tell you how to change things so you can do that.” Dave laughed to himself. “Guess there are two last resorts with this thing. So, anyway, the one that doesn’t blow up in your face. Well, shouldn’t. It will cast the control orb up into the sky, acting kind of like a signal booster. Your range will increase dramatically. The fail-safes will be removed and your control over your creations will soar. You will need to have a high amount of soul power stored in your armor to use this, or else it will be wasted. You might die from the feedback of it all, though with respawn that isn’t too bad. If you do somehow survive, you’re going to be out for days with your body messed up.”

  “So, if I use this then I’m going to increase in power a lot and I will hopefully die afterward, so that I’m not useless for a few days,” Suzy said.

  “I still don’t understand how you Players talk about this all so easily. Dying seems to just be a reason to use some kinds of magic that no one should dive into.” Shard sighed.

  “Well, it’s an advantage that I’m willing to use every damn time. Suzy will possibly double or triple her power if she uses that last resort on her staff.”

  “Have you named it?” Suzy asked.

  “Yep! Everything has to have a name. Don’t worry, you’ll find something to name in the future.” Dave smiled.

  Suzy rolled her eyes. “Well, what is it?”

  “Staff of Hecate.”

  “Huh, well, it isn’t horrible.” Suzy looked at the staff.

  “I must be going. I will talk to you later. If you could keep our conversation to yourself?”

  “I will, but all of the Stone Raiders know that they’re back.”

  “How?” Shard frowned.

  “Bob told me and then I told everyone else. With us, it’s best that everyone knows what’s going on around them. The more information we have, the less blind we are going into different situations.”

  “This is interesting, but I will still ask you keep our conversation a secret.”

  “You have my word. Just tell them to hurry up and make a decision. Also, any help we could get for the college would be appreciated. I am not looking forward to going up against that Lich and his creatures.” Dave shuddered.

  “I will try to have an answer as soon as possible.” Shard nodded.

  “See ya, Shard.” Suzy waved as Shard disappeared.

  “So, you going to pick it up or just stare at it?” Dave looked at the staff.

  “Fine.” Suzy picked up the staff. A screen appeared in front of her; her eyes widened as she read the screen. Dave smiled, knowing what it said.

  Staff of Hecate

  Forged by Dave Grahslagg, this item has been made for his dear sister, Suzy. With it, the very gods themselves shall fear her wrath and accept her judgment.

  Quality: S

  Abilities:

  Increased command of all elements making up the staff (+10%)

  Increased range of Creations (+20%)

  Wielder’s Willpower increased (+15%)

  Grows in power through use.

  Summoner’s Bastille

  Charge: 100,000/100,000

  Durability: 314/314

  “Damn.” Suzy looked at the staff with new eyes.

  “Only the best for you.” Dave smiled.

  “I’m your sister now?” Suzy laughed.

  “Ah, no one I’d rather have.” Dave winked.

  “Well, thank you, big brother.” She smiled, her eyes becoming misty.

  Dave wrapped her up in a hug and pat her back as she cried. “Quiet down, you—making me all misty-eyed.”

  Suzy just laughed before she broke the hug, the two of them wiping their tears away.

  “Now, go, and show off to Induca. I still have Deia’s blades to work on and then the Dracul’s ornaments.” Dave waved her toward the teleport pad out of the forge.

  “Don’t overwork yourself!” Suzy glared.

  “I wouldn’t dare.”

  “You always say that and you always do way too much work. You’ve got two hours, then I’ll send Deia down to pull you out of your workshop,” Suzy said.

  “Spoilsport,” Dave muttered.

  “Got to look out for my idiot bro.” She laughed and walked away.

  Dave smiled. Despite all they bugged each other, he truly did love Suzy. He would do anything to protect his little sister. The staff had only put into words what they had both been thinking for years.

  Dave pulled metals out of his bag as he accessed his notepad for the sketches he’d pulled together. “Now, better get Deia’s blades done first. Malsour and Induca are crazy assed powerful as it is.”

  Ever since the reversal of the raid in the housing Complex, Dave had been striving to do everything in his power to increase the strength of his party.

  He wasn’t alone and he could rely on their strength as well as his own.

  A notification popped up in his vision.

  Quest: Aleph Homecoming

  You have cleared an Aleph Housing Complex.

  Rewards: Increase all power an
d resources gained by 5%.

  205,000 EXP

  Increased standing with Aleph people

  Level 114

  You have reached level 114; you have 516 stat points to use.

  Dave breathed a sigh of relief, they had been throwing fire bombs into the teleport pad for a few days. After their recent losses, they had agreed to take some time off between the next raid.

  With the spiders dealt with, they could focus on the next job they had. Other than the repairs on various facilities, that the automatons could mostly fix, except for the portal factory, there was only one location they needed to clear of mobs.

  The Aleph College and the undead that walked through the mini-city.

  Chapter 12: Face Of The Enemy

  Alkao glided down onto the rise that Krenua had secured.

  “I hate flying in trees,” Vrexu said as they moved through the forest and up the rise, staying low. Their guards watched for any possible threat.

  “Better than alerting our twisted descendants that we’re here.” Alkao knelt in the muck and took his time through the forest. He dropped down to his stomach as he found Krenua past the forest and up a steep incline, lying on his stomach and watching something intently.

  Before, Alkao would have never knelt, let alone crawled; doing so was seen as a sign of weakness. Now, his Demons didn’t give a second glance as they were doing the same. They took their time in reaching Krenua and his second.

  The second moved over to Vrexu as Alkao moved up next to Krenua.

  “Well, looks like we’re in the right place.” Alkao saw signs of destruction in the distance. Wisps of smoke rose up into the air, thousands of fires set ablaze. Krenua handed him a pair of binoculars. Alkao used them and his natural eyesight to look into the ragtag camp.

  Demons of all kinds lay around—fighting, dying, eating, sleeping, and copulating. They were pure savages. Alkao watched as one leaped straight through a five-meter-tall bonfire to tear at the Demon on the other side with their claws and teeth. Strength was the only thing that was respected in the camp. The scent of death and blood drifted on the wind.