AVARICE ONLINE: KEL'VAN RED HAND

by Titus Nettles

  “The gloves give +3 defense, so it’ll enhance the damage you can block, but the claws are the feature here,” he explained. ”You may have lost some health from your last pair of gauntlets, but you have gained more offensive damage with these. Just like Fer’shad, you’ll get a better version of these before we start patrolling, including boots.”

  Belar slipped on the gantlets and gripped her palms. “They fit well captain; I will gladly accept these gifts you labored over in respect.” She bowed her head towards him, and Kel’Van returned the gesture.

  “Alright Fer’shad, let’s get started. We’ll begin with your abilities since they are more class-oriented than everyone else’s. Belar, come over- “

  “Wait captain!” Voresh intervened. “Don’t you have anything in your bag for me?”

  Kel’Van almost felt sorry for the big lug. The look on Voresh’s face was so puppy dog sad and cute it was almost unbearable. All he needed was a teddy bear, some pajamas, and he would be the kid who woke up on Christmas, didn’t find his present, and was asking his dad where Santa Claus had put the bee-bee gun he asked him for.

  “Well damn,” Kel’Van said. “It’s like this Voresh, these guys' classes are more gear dependent than yours is, man. Not to mention, I didn’t have enough coin to buy gear for all of us, so I spent my money on who needed it most.”

  “Money that we will put back into the collective holdings captain,” Fer’shad interjected.

  “At any rate Voresh, I’ll make you some gear by the time we set out on our patrol, alright?”

  “Yes captain,” mouthed Voresh.

  It was plenty evident to all that the poor guy was hurt, but in Kel’Van’s mind the situation had already been dealt with, and Voresh was going to have to put on his big boy pants and just deal with it too. Right now, class was in session. He then instructed Fer’shad to step into the middle of the room and placed Belar directly opposite of him.

  “Fer’shad, I want you to activate your Bulwark skill first to bolster your defense, then activate Aegis taunt. Since the taunt only has 10 feet, I’ll stand where you need to be for the taunt to work.”

  “Actually, captain there is a circle around any area I look at when I turn on the skill. I think that’s the area where I can use it.”

  “For real?!” asked Kel’Van. he stepped exactly 10 feet away from Fer’shad. “Am I within the circle now?”

  “Just barely, but yes.”

  “Whew! That saves time trying to explain things! Whenever Belar is in range, activate your taunt skill, and we will take it from there.”

  Fer’shad activated his “Aegis Bulwark” skill. The only physical notice of the ability was a quick changing of his eyes to silver, then back to brown again. Feeling physically heavier, he edged close enough in range of Belar and activated his taunt skill.

  “Grawww” Fer’shad yelled toward Belar. She faced him with her eyes going blood red. Then charged with a flying kick. “Well, at least we get a good look at that Auger kick skill,” thought Kel’Van. Fer’shad stiffened behind his shield as Belar pounded it with multiple kicks and punches for the next 12 seconds, then all of a sudden, she stopped.

  Belar turned her head toward Kel’Van quickly. “This is exactly what happened with you and I when we fought the Terran with the shield!”

  “Yes, but his effect worked on both of us. I’m sure Fer’shad skill will level up with that effect by 20,” answered Kel’Van. “How did the Aegis Bulwark ability go?”

  “I felt my body go heavy, and the attacks Belar made didn’t feel as hard as they usually are,” mused Fer’shad as he looked over his shield.

  “Good. The skill you got only enhances your ability to withstand attacks more efficiently now.”

  Kel’Van turned his attention toward Belar. “You mind demonstrating your other skills against these wooden dummies here?”

  “Of course, captain.”

  Belar walked over to the first row of wooden enemies before her, only a short distance away from the wall. She then got in her stance, breathed, then threw a punch right into her target's face. She quickly followed her attack with a backhand blow from the right, then a low kick from the same side to the dummy’s leg. Then with a snarl, she let loose her Titan’s Punch into the wooden man’s chest. An audible crack sounded as the wooden mannequin chest caved in, leaving a crumbling hole in its center.

  The captain walked to the wooden dummy touching the crater in its chest.

  “Well, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.,” he said aloud. “How did you feel when you were able to access the skill?”

  Belar scrunched her eyebrows together as she tried to find the words to describe the experience.

  “I felt a tightening in my belly and a warm sensation there, that sent heat to my fist, waiting to explode. Once I concentrated on my fist into a strike, the heat exploded and…well, now a hole is in this wooden figure’s chest.”

  Kel’Van rubbed his chin and wondered at Belar’s skill mechanic. “Try the Titan Kick.”

  Belar bobbed her head and again faced off against one of the wooden practice dolls in front of them. She struck the immobile target with a right jab, then quickly followed with a left look. Belar fired off a right hook, then felt the familiar warm sensation in her belly. A right cross connected to the dummy’s chin when Belarstood on the balls of her feet and pivoted her left leg. Her hips swayed hard to the right, followed by her right leg smashing into the wooden target’s side. Splinters of wood sprayed into the air as the others covered their faces from the debris.

  “Well damn,” mouthed Kel’Van.

  Belar only smiled in return.

  “Gaea has gifted me greatly with these skills,” said a humbled Belar.

  “ I don’t doubt it,” replied Kel’Van. He was greatly impressed with the kick. Especially since he didn’t teach her that move, nor did anyone else. The form was picture perfect in execution.

  “Did it feel the same as the punch?”

  “Yes,” she answered. “ I could feel I could use the punch if necessary,but as soon as I added another strike, I felt two connections with a stronger one leading to my feet.”

  Kel’Van began rubbing his chin again. The mechanic really was as he read it: it depended on multiple moves to activate more powerful ones. Was there a specific time these moves had to be made? Did it depend on what types of attacks to activate them? Only time and practice would tell.

  “That was a great demonstration of your talents Belar,” said the captain. “Me and Voresh’s talents are a bit more straight forward than you Fer’shad’s, but that doesn’t exclude us from getting more comfortable with them.

  Belar Kel’Van made sure he faced the whole team as he turned toward them. “That goes for everyone here. The skills we now have only made our formations more effective. Nothing has changed people. Now it’s just making sure we get comfortable with our abilities in the formations we already know.”

  Kel’Van put the crew through its paces. He had all of them practicing their skills on the wooden dummies until they were comfortable with their abilities. Belar began integrating claw attacks in her rotation of punches and kicks. Kel’Van practiced his Seared Flesh technique repeatedly with his sword strikes as well with the Crimson Blade attack which he was starting to fall in love with. Afterward, they practiced the attack formations using those skills for the next two hours. Then he made sure they went back to their usual daily routine of going over their stats before bed. He had five days before they would rendezvous with Field captain Kelza to begin their patrol. He intended them to be capable and ready for duty when that day came.

  CHAPTER 34

  Kel’Van was on his way out of the bathroom when he heard a rapping on the front door. He had taken the room on the first floor instead of the master bedroom because Fer’shad and Belar obviously were going to spend more time in there than he was, despite their protesting to the matter. He turned around to head to the front door and was greeted by a smiling or
c still wearing his dusky and bone dusted work clothes.

  “Good Morning Sunshine!?” Ulgo Longtooth yelled cheerfully.

  Kel’Van slowly wiped the sleep from his eyes as he numbly let the door swing open for Longtooth to enter. “Make yourself at home; you want something to drink or eat?” He pulled up a chair for the head armorer to sit comfortably from the dinner table before them. Longtooth wordlessly reached into a bag Kel’Van did not remember he had and laid out a pile of armor on the table.

  “Ya forgot to enchant these before ya left.”

  “I knew that that the new order of gear for the war camps came last minute. So, when I walked in today, I didn’t want to bother you till it was done. Figured we’d make do until you had a proper set for us.” Kel’Van replied.

  “It’s alright, as ya just said, we make do, right?” Ulgo Longtooth then spread his hands at the amount of armor on the table. “Here’s the armor ya paid for. Ya better get cracking on the enchanting since ya got to meet ya Field-captain in about 5 hours or so.”

  “True enough,” thought Kel’Van “But didn’t you forge these? I thought I couldn’t enchant something that was already enchanted?”

  “I didn’t enchant them, I commissioned them out! Ya asked for level 12 gear. I’m a level 30 enchanter and armorer! You are not the only customer I have and no disrespect intended, I got more important clients than you!” exclaimed Longtooth. “So, I got level 12 armorers from the outside shops to make the pieces. Then had them put the pieces together per the specs ya gave me and my own supervision. This is the result. Well-made gear without it being enchanted. …And ya welcome.”

  The captain looked at the scattered armor on the table. He had to admit the armor skills that created the assortment in front of him was better than his own level 2. These gauntlets did not have the bulky amateurish style that Belar’s practice gloves had. They looked rather intimidating just lying there. The interior of the gloves was tough leather, but the fingers were layered with segmented white bones on top of the leather, almost resembling a centipede's body. The back of the hand was made of solid thick square bone. From the wrist to the forearm was leather, with two half-circle shaped bones wrapped around the sleeves. Only a crease of leather could be seen, which separated the stone circles from connecting. The fingertips stretched out into 3-inch claws that were beautifully crafted. They had the look and feel of eagle talons right before they snatch their prey from the ground.

  Next to the gauntlets was the tower shield. It was definitely tall and wide enough for Fer’shad. There was an emblem of an Elkane head covering almost the entire front of it, colored in brown and black. What was next to the shield was the real surprise. A large bone sword and short sword with intricately crafted hilts laying beside the tower shield.

  “I didn’t order this Ulgo Longtooth.”

  “I know ya didn’t because I did. I figured I might as well throw something in for the last guy on your team. Again…ya welcome,” said Longtooth said with a frown on his face. “Don’t ya think ya should be spending less time yapping and more time working? “

  “Point taken,” smiled Kel’Van. Longtooth handed him a crystal blade and he started on the shield first. “Do I need to actually carve into the armor or something?”

  “What?..No!!!” “Just lay the blade along the objects and focus on it like ya do when ya carving it out.”

  Kel’Van picked up the longsword, pulled up a chair to the table, and ran the crystalline knife over it. He pictured the now finished blade within a column of fire in his mind. The image twisting and turning within the flames, as he imagined his spirit as a white cord attaching itself to his knife, then connecting to the sword, strengthening it. He collapsed the column of fire he imagined the sword inside of, and pictured it bathing the blade's edge from hilt to its jagged tip. When he had reached the 75% mark on both his spirit and mana, he shut off the enchanting while still keeping the image of the white rope attached between himself, the crystal knife, and the sword. As if all three were connected by an umbilical cord. This was done to give his mana and spirit time to replenish itself without breaking contact with the blade. Kel’Van had developed this technique early during the week while experimenting with ways to make his enchanting more efficient. He discovered cutting off his spirit would finish the product early, leaving him with a poor quality item that would break easily. Cutting off the mana before the item was ready would sometimes lead to it exploding. (He had never been more thankful for his ability to heal when this happened.) This process helped his crafting skills increase and raised his spirit level faster than meditating did. Once his mana and spirit reached 100%, he would begin his enchanting anew.

  It took only an hour to complete the work since he didn’t have to actually craft the sword. Both Ulgo Longtooth and himself looked at the bone sword, examining its quality.

  Congratulations! You have enchanted an uncommon standard short sword: chance to flame target 6 %.

  “Interesting,” murmured Ulgo Longtooth. “I was hoping ya enchanting this sword would put ya past level 9 in enchanting. Honestly, I thought you would’ve been at least 4 weapons in armor before this!”

  While Longtooth rubbed his chin, trying to figure out what was wrong, Kel’Van said nothing while he picked up the tower shield and began enchanting that item. He knew exactly why he wasn’t at level 9 for any of the crafting skills he learned. It was only two nights ago when he finished crafting a sword when he got a prompt congratulating him on it.

  Congratulations! You can now reach tier 4 in enchanting!

  Congratulations! You can now reach tier 4 in weapons!

  Do you wish to allocate skill points to the following skills?

  Kel’Van had bowed his head in frustration but understood precisely what happened. It was the same problem he found out about when he discovered Belar and Fer’shad couldn’t allocate points to their Health/Stamina/Magic pools. It was automatic for them, while for him, he had to choose. It seems it was the same with sub-skill as well. So, it made sense for Longtooth to be confused about Kel’Van not making it to level 9.

  Kel’Van saw that prompt and knew that for him to level it will cost him skill points. Points he needed to buy skills for his class. A mere 1% increase in crafting didn’t seem enough at the moment to justify sacrificing potential class skills yet. Especially since upgrading enchanting cost 3 skill points for each increase because crafting wasn’t his primary class.

  He knew this.

  But he also knew you always outfit your troops with the best quality gear available, which led to him putting the remaining skill points into his profession. The added bonus that his crafting capabilities were unique to him only made it that much more evident. So the 6% to enchanting would have to do. Especially since he could try to buy or actually win set gear with dungeon diving. (I got to find a healer for that to happen though) he thought to himself. But he would cross that bridge when he got to it. For now, he concentrated on what was in front of him and continued enchanting the items on the table.

  “I’m going to leave ya to it then,” smiled Ulgo Longtooth. “Good luck on your morning patrol, and don’t forget to enchant some of your gear. Never know what ya might run into out there. We’ll talk more about your enchanting when ya reach level 10.” And with that, the orc walked out, grinning from ear to ear.

  Kel’Van had to admit to himself again that he rather liked this civilian. But he was right. First, he had to deal with the mail left to him on his D.S. Clicking it on, he scrolled down and reread the message.

  Hello Kevin,

  I’m just witting to back to see if you are ready for a meetup. Like I said, there is a lot that has happened since last we talked. A whole lot. Tomorrow, I’ll be at this spot. If this is not convenient for you, we could meet up half-way so that it’s a neutral area for both our safety…God, I can’t believe we are acting like it’s a game of Splinter cell or something, right? But yeah, it’s up to you how you want to do this…Did I say how important th
is was yet? That’s because it is…

  V/R,

  Kandice, Breadman

  “Time to get some answers,” thought Kel’Van

  Hey, Kandice

  We’re leaving in the morning realm time. I’m not sure how that equals out in real-time, but we can talk about where to meet up once you contact me.

  Kevin.

  “Hmm.” It doesn’t even feel like my own name anymore,” he said quietly under his breath.

  He then consigned himself to enchant the items in front of him, then quickly do the same with the armor they picked from camp billeting last night. He couldn’t get to all of it, but he figured he’d have all week to get to the rest of the gear. With a sigh, he got back to work as the sound of the front door closed behind the boisterous orc.

  CHAPTER 35

  “You’re early; this speaks to the quality of your leadership and the orcs who follow you,” smiled Kelza. She was back in her battle leathers that were almost green in color, with two twin axes behind her back in sheaths.

  The entry to the gate outside was blocked by large Elkane harnessed to carriages and empty planked bins in front of them. The Field-captain made her way over to an Elkane mare that had carried Kel’Van’s group in their own carriage merely seconds ago. She reached behind the ear of the animal, petting its fur and rubbing the neck down softly.

  “This is a beautiful animal,” Kelza said while eyeing Belar. “Clearly, someone with discerning taste purchased her.” Belar merely bowed her head in thanks. “My gratitude Field-captain Kelza.”

  “It definitely was not me,” smirked Kel’Van. I wouldn’t have known where to look.”

  In truth, he hadn’t known they possessed one till this morning. He had walked outside after everyone had packed their inventory to call one of the Elkane drivers over. That was until Belar had walked from the back of their estate with the mare and carriage in tow. The shock on his face almost matched those of his compatriots when they woke up to their enchanted gear on the table. Voresh was still looking over his new long sword with a deep grin on his face when Kel’Van turned to look back at them. The bone sword had +6 attack and chance to flame target. Fer’shad’s shield had +6 to defense. He had plated Belar’s boot heels and toes with bone and had added +6 to defense to them as well. He would rather have put an attack stat for the boots, but he hadn’t quite figured out how to do it. While tempting, putting a flame spell wasn’t a good idea till he understood how to place an attack enchant anything that wasn’t a bona fide weapon. At least for now.