Deia didn’t want to see any more experiments or messed-up AIs that could control behemoths ever again.
Chapter 32: Within the Densaou Ring of Fire
“Every time I think that the Aleph have run out of impressive things to do, they shock me once again,” Dave said in an awed voice. His Touch of the Land extended out to search through the forge for what was wrong with it.
There was plenty wrong with it. It was hot as Fire’s own home, but Dave marveled at the brilliance and smarts of the Aleph once more.
“What?” Malsour used his own senses and sight to spread out his awareness. “That is impressive.”
“What is?” Deia asked.
“You’ll see soon enough, my dear. This is something that has to be seen to be believed.”
As unenthusiastic as Dave was about going to his third Aleph location that day, he didn’t catch Deia’s questioning glance to Malsour and then Anna. Malsour was not willing to ruin the surprise and Anna was as confused as her.
The forge was one large rectangular prism, with one end that accepted raw materials, took the raw ore, purified it and then separated it. For some, like with steel, different elements were added at different stages or went through different stages to create different materials.
Most were poured into ingots and were either sent directly to the forges and factory lines that would turn the metals into sheets, beams, and other common items, stored in massive warehouses that lined the sides of the forge facility or sent on to the rest of the Aleph facilities to be used in some manner.
The entire facility was hot enough to make people remove their layers and still have sweat pouring off them. Dave felt at home, used to the heat of the forges and refiners of the Benvari Mountains or his own Cliff-Hill.
Finally, they came to an odd window, one that had thin lines moving through it.
“You wanted to show us an odd window?” Deia asked, as the others stepped up to look through.
“By now, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Suzy shrugged and shook her head at what she saw. In front of them, there was a magma chamber.
“The magma’s heat is channeled into the blowtorches and the smelting furnace, heating the entire thing up. All we need to do is back the process up a little bit and the system can heat up the metals that solidified. The runes are going to be a bit of a pain to fix, but then that’s why I taught everyone the basics.” Dave looked to the crafters he had taught in the power station.
They looked eager to try out their newly learned skills.
“As you say,” Deia said, looking out over the magma chamber.
“Are we in the Densaou?” Malsour looked to Induca.
“Ye-up. One of the colder reaches and out a bit, but we’re in the circle of fire,” Induca said.
“The realm of Dragons and Fire herself,” Matt said. It looked as if he had sucked up some of Emerilia’s lore.
“These Aleph are pretty badass.” Jackie grinned. “Damn, I love this game!”
The other Players laughed and smiled, their excitement clear. They had only been playing for a few months and there was no end in sight for the fun that they had been having.
Dave knew that feeling and smiled too. It faltered after a few moments as he thought about what he knew, the truth behind it all and the reality that these Players and all the Players across Emerilia might have to come to terms with.
“Well, if you lot get working on finding the problems and getting this place up and running, I’m going to get to the forges. Anna, going to need your help to figure out your great sword’s requirements and then I have to work on the drop pad,” Dave said.
“Crafters, partner up with a few melee types. I’ll get the other parties to meet up with us. Once we’re done here, we can get back to the city. Anna and Dave, take a trip past the command center and put in our command crystal so Shard can get to work.” Deia pulled her eyes from the slowly churning magma.
“Can do!” Dave headed toward the command center, his Touch picking it out for him.
“So, Anna, what do you need from the blade in order to have it whistle?” Dave asked.
“Well, I need you to make the different holes to different pitches. When they work together, then the vibrations of the Air passing through the blade and a bit of Mana leaking into it can form wind blades and other wind attacks,” Anna said.
“Couldn’t you have come up with an easier way of attacking?” Dave sighed.
“I like my two-handed great sword. It just has a problem with hitting people who are really far away. The wind dance and the holes help to make up for this problem,” Anna said.
“Fine. I’ve got to put a bunch of holes in it—how will I know they are right or not?” Dave asked as they continued their walk.
“That is simple. I have multiple different designs that will work.” Anna sent a folder over to Dave.
Dave looked through the hundreds of designs and passed them off to Shard. He muttered out different words, whittling down the different designs until he just had five. “These will work,” Dave said.
“Why not the designs for a heavier blade?” Anna asked.
“Because your blade is not going to be heavy as hell. Also, this one allows you to use more Mana through it.”
“Yes, but then it will not be a refined blade of Air,” Anna complained.
“Oh, ye of little faith. It is not just your noisy contraption that changes the flow of the wind—it’s the blade as well, which I can alter in order to make up for this. This is going to be a fun little project. You okay with flashy and watching your back?”
“I do already and why? Do you want to make this thing out of gold and silver?” Anna’s tail flicked in amusement.
“Of course not. I’m going to make it out of Mithril,” Dave said dismissively.
Anna stopped walking, her tail standing on end. “MITHRIL?”
“Damn it, she-wolf—I like my ear drums!” Dave jumped a bit at her screech.
“Dave, I couldn’t accept a blade of Mithril. It’s too expensive and rare. It takes a ton of power just to generate a nugget of the material.
“No one outside of Emerilia is powerful enough to shape the material!”
“You’re my friend and one of the frontline fighters. You’re going to be right beside me in fights. I would prefer if you had a weapon that I know will be the best and can help you cleave through your enemies,” Dave said.
“I couldn’t accept it,” Anna said.
“I have sixteen bars of the stuff and I’m in talks with Shard to get more. Did you know that the Aleph couldn’t forge the Mithril into anything, but they did store it in massive warehouses?”
Anna’s eyes went wide in shock.
“So, shut up and take my gift, and don’t tell anyone that I have sixteen ingots of Mithril. The Dwarven council was foaming at the mouth when a claim found just five ingots of the stuff!”
Dave opened a door and walked inside, humming to himself as he looked over command consoles. He found what he was looking for and inserted the command crystal Shard had given Josh, who had given it to all of the Stone Raiders.
The command center came to life.
“Hello, Dave and Anna. This will take me a moment to get sorted out,” Shard said.
“No worries. We’re going to the forge. I need to replace Anna’s weapon.”
“I did not tell you that we had a ton of Mithril!” Shard said.
“You didn’t but I know that you lot wouldn’t throw it away and none of the tools you have here makes me think that you can work Mithril. You’re very good with mass-producing simple items at high quality in massive quantities, but playing with rare resources with small quantities and of the finest quality? I think that still remains in the Dwarven realm.” Dave smiled.
Shard stayed silent as Dave walked out of the room.
“Thank you, Dave,” Anna said.
“No worries.” Dave gave her a friendly tap on the shoulder. “This damned sword-whistle is going to be a p
ain in the ass. We’re going to need heat, a lot of it, and some drawings for me to figure out how it’s going to work. Oh, Shard, in the nature of goodwill, if I were to have some designs that could upgrade Steve, would you be able to get me some of that Mithril that you don’t use so I can make it? And maybe increase my level of books so I can access from Journeyman to Expert?” Dave said, his wheedling tone clear.
“I can supply you with the materials needed for a prototype of an augment for Steve and instead of giving you that access, I can upgrade you a few levels in Journeyman and give you a necklace similar to Malsour’s.”
“Ah, come on—all the good stuff is in Expert!” Dave complained.
“You haven’t even started on the Journeyman items. I also have found more resources that can make potions of retention and potions of increased reading.”
“You strike a hard bargain, but I agree,” Dave said, more happy to keep Shard as a friend than bicker and mess around with bartering. That was Suzy’s area of expertise.
Quest: Upgrades!
Shard is interested in your knowledge on possible upgrades to the Behemoth Guardian. Share with him what you know.
Rewards: You will be supplied with materials that you may keep.
Necklace of Librarian’s Knowledge
Dave closed the quest and looked out over the forges.
“I ask that we enter a contract like we did when I worked on Steve. This skill is hard as hell and I don’t want it getting out. The Dwarves trusted me with it and I would like to see that it is not passed on without their knowledge,” Dave said.
Shard appeared before them.
“I agree to not record or distribute any knowledge that I have on the work processes that you are about to use, without your previous agreement,” Shard said.
Binding Contract
Shard will not tell anyone of your working practices with Mithril and other materials without your permission. If someone attains this knowledge from him, this contract will be shown as broken.
Do you agree to this contract?
Y/N
“Yes,” Dave said, relieved. “Thanks, Shard.”
“No worries, Dave. I will leave now. If you require me, please use the private chat as I will be turning off all recording devices in this area,” Shard said.
“Thanks, buddy.” Dave smiled. Shard disappeared and Dave hotkeyed an outfit. He wore his Aleph clothes with a thick, burned and stained apron overtop and his tools along his sides.
“Now, let’s get started.” Dave pulled out an ingot of Mithril. He put his bag down at a workstation and moved to a massive furnace in the side of the forge. He pressed some controls, opening up the forge to the incredible heat of the magma chamber. Dave put his ingot into the furnace and shut it.
“Now we just have to wait for the little bugger to melt a bit.” Dave smiled. “Let’s get working on those drawings.” Dave moved to a worktable, sharing his notepad with Anna so she could see and edit it as the white projected image covered the surface, showing the five different whistling apparatus and Dave’s basic design he was thinking of for the blade.
They had some work to do. Dave needed to know exactly what he was building so he could quickly change and form the Mithril in one go instead of having to alter it a number of times.
“So, let’s get started. How long do you want the blade to be?” Dave asked as they sat down to begin.
Chapter 33: A Meeting of Clans
Bob wandered into the Demons’ meeting room. “Heya fellas!” Bob said, feeling in a better mood than last time.
“Gray God,” Malkur said in greeting.
“Yo, Bob!” Vrexu, the youngest, said, a large smile on his face.
Bob looked behind him, finding the Demi-Humans were admiring his stash of items. Bob sighed and moved to one of the tower’s doorways. He looked out over a forested area, its colors identical to those that had surrounded the demi-humans’ settlement.
While the Demi-Humans’ settlement was about a five-hundred meter wide circular formation, the Demons had spread out over ten square kilometers.
There were some houses; most places were made from mud and used by the population that were not part of the army, about a third of the population. Demon males and females alike were more prone to violence than settling down.
Hordes numbering in the thousands did drills together, sparring and fighting—in the Air, on the ground, and in the forests.
Bob’s senses passed out over the area; a number of the hordes had sent out their people with the villagers.
“It seems that you did listen,” Bob said as Malkur joined him on the balcony.
“I have been reading that book you gave me and thinking on your words. You have not led us astray yet and being able to gather our own food and resources while we are away from our villages is a good idea,” Malkur said.
“Good. Then I’m going to need you to gather forty of your best fighters. I want to have a demonstration. It’s time you learned how to war instead of just fight.” Bob smiled at Malkur’s confused expression. The Demon Prince opened his interface as Bob started to hear challenging growls.
“Lezar, play nice.” Bob’s voice was light, but with a hint of steel in it as Bob turned to the command room.
“Are you and your lot done with admiring all of my items?” Bob asked Kala as the fox-Demi from yesterday and eighteen others entered into the command room.
A Demi-Human who looked to be crossed with an elk held his arm and grimaced.
“Seems that someone wanted to touch them.” Bob glowered at the elk, who looked like it wanted nothing more but to slink away.
Bob sighed and waved his hand as the elk let out a relieved noise.
“I am sorry, Gray God. Curiosity got the best of me.” The elk Demi-Human lowered its horns to the ground.
“It happens to us all. Just, next time, look—don’t touch. There are much worse wards hidden around there.” Bob looked to them all. They’d have to wander through again and he didn’t want anyone to get turned to ash because they touched the wrong thing.
“So, we’re here. What do you want?” Kala wore her full armor. Even the Demons eyed her warily.
“We’re going to have a fight!” Bob clapped his hands together and smiled.
“All right, where?” Kala’s eyes scanned the Demons and found them wanting.
Bob saw that a number of them wanted to say something and all of their hands were just inches away from their blades.
There was a clear challenge in the Demi-Humans’ and Demons’ eyes. They saw one another as interesting opponents and warriors who had been left out of the fight for so long, they were eager to prove their worth and grit.
“Down in the training area, where everyone can see,” Bob said.
“You want us to fight this large game?” Lezar said.
“Lezar, what have I said before about watching your mouth? Fine, you will be fighting them as well,” Bob said, not missing Kala’s cold smile.
“Oh, I will be more than happy to show this one who will be playing the games by the end of our fight.” Kala chuckled. The other Demi-Humans looked less Human and more the predators that they had gained half of their blood from.
Forty Demons moved into the large hall; one moved to Malkur.
“Forty of my best, as you have commanded,” the mottled black and red Demon said, bowing to Malkur.
Demons rarely even tilted their head to those who were stronger than them. Respect and trust were earned, something that had become a mantra to the Demons after leaving the Dark Lord’s service.
“Good!” Bob clapped and everyone was in the middle of four hordes’ training area.
The fighting around them stopped as every Demon’s eyes looked over the new group that had appeared in their midst.
“Okay, so we’re going to have a battle between the Demi-Humans of Akashal and the Demons of Devil’s Crater.
“Kala will lead the Demi-Humans; Lezar, the Demons. I want everyone at a hundred
paces. Go at full force. If someone is about to die, I will remove them from the battlefield. Attack like you mean it,” Bob said.
Malkur and the other Demon Princes calmed people and the Demons made a ring around the fighting area. Others took to the skies in order to watch the spectacle.
Bob rose off the ground a dozen feet. “To your side, please, and Lezar, you are to use all of the Demons at your command.”
Lezar grunted and moved with his Demons, talking to one another as they moved to the boundary of the circular area.
Kala and her forces secured their armor and the straps that held their shields to their arms.
“Signal when you are ready.” Bob looked to Lezar, who nodded; he’d been ready and waiting for some time, the muscles of his body tight and ready to spring into action.
Kala looked relaxed as her people made a line two deep and ten long, their shields in front and their swords still at their hips.
“Let’s get this over with. I’ve got a lunch meeting,” Kala said.
“Very well.” Bob took one glance at the two forces. “Begin!”
The Demi-Humans moved with practiced efficiency, turning into a circular formation as shields came together.
The Demons moved with all of their possible speed, rushing toward the Demi-Humans. Some took to the skies; others rushed toward their enemies with their blades.
Bob looked at their weapons and armor with a careful eye. They cared not for crafters and others who wanted to make items. Making weapons was seen as a lower position and the blacksmiths were scorned as they went about their days, hammering out metal into a rough shape before moving to the next. Armor was rare and its workmanship poor. Quantity over quality seemed to be the motto of the Demon’s gear.
The Demons slammed into what looked like a shield hut. None of the Demons had bows, all of them preferring swords.
Time slowed for Bob as he watched blades react. The Demi-Humans’ swords came out. Bob let the attacks hit that wouldn’t immediately kill.
For The Guild (Emerilia Book 2) Page 40