“What you working on there?” Kol asked Dave.
“Little side project. Right now, our most powerful smithy is in Cliff-Hill. I don’t want us to have to go back there every time to do our best weapons so I’m hoping to upgrade or make another smithy with its abilities.”
“It’s a soul gem though,” Kol said, intrigued.
“Yes, but soul gems are made from crystals. I’m hoping that I will be able to make this grow or form according to what I’m coding. I’ve also enchanted it so that if it does work, people will feel less tired, more focused, as well as have increased Strength, Intelligence, and Endurance. Tinkered with the magic of the thing to provide a boost to all Affinities. Took a lot of studying the portable smithy, but just like it, this smithy should grow in power the more items that are made on it,” Dave said.
“So, is it going to be one of those soul gem-powered items like your factories in Terra?” Kol said.
“Yeah. And how do you like the new name of the guild hall?” Dave asked.
“It works. ’Bout time the damned hole in the ground got a name.” Kol huffed.
Dave grinned, looking to Kol and back to his work, carefully forming new runes in the ebony band. “So, by my estimate, I think we’re ahead of schedule with the DCA’s armor.”
“For now, we are, but there’s always the possibility of something messing up along the way and we fall well behind. Yes, we’re getting four companies done in a day instead of two and a half, but it will still take three and a half months to get them all properly fitted.” Kol pulled two wrapped objects out from his bag of holding.
“Still plenty of time,” Dave said. “What are those?”
“These are yours.” Kol put them on his workbench. Dave moved closer as the cloth was pulled away to show two familiar-looking rods.
“I didn’t code them because I know that you’d want to do that, but there is a core of soul gem, then an ebony sleeve, silver layer for the coding, and an outside layer of Mithril. Each layer has soul gem shards embedded in them.” Kol smiled.
Dave looked at the rods. They looked like Roman pillars. Three-quarters up their length, they looked as though they had been twisted apart, showing the white of the Mithril, the silver and ebony layers, and the soul gem core that shifted with contained power.
The lights played off the different layers. It was only when looking close, someone could see the beauty of the piece, formed into a complex tool and piece of art.
Beating Rods
Formed by Dwarven Master Smith Kol for his unofficial second grandson, Dave Grahslagg, to magically code into tools to defend himself with.
Quality: SSS
Abilities:
(???)
Soul Bound (not currently bound)
Charge: 750,000/750,000
Durability: 10,500/10,500
Dave read the description. A small smile came to his face. He started to blink faster as his eyes became itchy and hot.
Kol cleared his throat and looked away.
“You ornery old bastard.” Dave wrapped his arms around Kol.
Kol hesitated for a minute and then hugged Dave back. There was no need for them to say anything.
After a moment, Dave let go.
“So, you made the damn thing and left all of the hard part about magical coding to me?” Dave sighed as he studied one of the rods.
“Ha! It was a pain in the ass to make those with the different layer—had to do each on top of one another and then run the crystals in a certain matrix. Compared to those two conjured batons on your hip, you’d be surprised with the amount of power you can get from them. Also, you might find that you can actually hit someone who’s suppressing magic without your weapons half dissolving,” Kol said.
Dave scratched his head awkwardly, remembering his fight in Selhi Capital.
“Lad, you make some of the most impressive items I’ve seen, but other than the runes on your body and your armor, you haven’t augmented yourself all that much.”
“Well, if I augmented myself, then sure I could be really damned powerful, but the thing I’m doing is to empower the largest group possible. I am but one person. However, if I can give an item to two or three people instead of myself and allow them to do great things, then it could cause ripples, changes further out there that I can’t even imagine but can only hope for.” Dave looked out to Unity, over the smiths who were carving magical coding into their breastplates for the bomb drop ability, hammering and forming armor for the DCA.
“What is your end goal for all of this?” Kol asked.
Dave pursed his lips in thought. “To let people decide what they want to do with their lives.” Dave looked around and sighed.
“You miss Deia?” Kol smiled, sitting back.
“Yeah. She’s been training her brains out and I understand that, but I do like seeing her.” Dave smiled.
“Well, go and surprise the girl. You two need some time off anyway. You’ve been making things and fighting creatures since Boran-al’s Citadel. I think having a few days off is warranted,” Kol said.
“But there’s so much to do!” Dave complained.
“There is a lot to do, but there are a number of things that are more important than work. Having a personal life and being with the woman you love are a few of those things.” Kol’s voice was firm.
“Bu—”
Kol cut him off with a wave of his hand. “But nothing. Everyone else is back and working their brains out. I can talk to Suzy for you. You go and take Deia out on the town. All work and no play makes life pretty boring.” Kol gave Dave a smile.
Dave took a deep breath and let it out. Kol had a point. Just working all the time—it was a habit he’d fallen into with the Rock Breakers and Deia had the same with training. Both of them were always striving forward for more. That motivation and drive was one thing that attracted them to each other, but without the other there, they were liable to grind themselves into the ground.
“And when you get back, leave the fitting to us lot. I know you’re working on several different projects. We can fit armor just fine and we’ll get the smiths we need for it. Your research is of more help than all of this, and while you’re working on that, maybe just go do some things for fun?”
“I think you might have a point. I’ll finish up this first, though, and then set off for Per’ush.” Dave smiled.
“Fine. Don’t leave it too long.” Kol stood. “I’m going to get some darned sleep!”
Dave waved good-bye to Kol. He finished carving out the runes on the ebony band before he headed out for a space that had been left for expansion of the smithy.
“Going to have to alter that thing’s makeup; could boost the power a bunch,” Dave muttered to himself, putting his creation down.
Portable Smithy
The portable smithy shakes with power. Do you want to use it?
Cost: 3,500 Mana
Y/N
“Seems the Mana cost has increased, compared to the portable smithy in Cliff-Hill. Probably because it’s more powerful,” Dave thought out loud before he hit the Yes button.
The soul gem seemed to unfurl. Its glowing light released calming light as it unfurled outward, creating a floor of smooth crystal and rising up into workbenches. A forge flared to life with blue flames; glowing soul gem crystals made up the anvils, racks, basins, and other items that were part of a smithy.
Black supports with silver runes grew upward and above. A roof grew together from the supports, attaching to the adjoining smithy. Its progress slowed considerably, but the items in the adjoining smithy had been turned into soul gem crystal.
“Wow.” Dave looked at it all.
The glow faded. Inside, it was easy to see swirling patterns moving over the different surfaces. The floor felt more like wood instead of crystal, with no chance of slipping.
It was warm, but not the burning heat of a normal smithy. Dave moved about, feeling inspired by the beauty and workmanship of the building.
You Have Creat
ed a Soul Gem Construct
A soul gem construct is a building that has been formed from a soul gem. They constantly gather ambient Mana and channel it inside, to keep the interior at optimum conditions. According to the orders given to it, it can supply this power to the users of the area, or use it for other things like expansion.
The original creator of the construct may choose what is done with the construct.
You have gained [Soul Gem Smithy] in your buildings tab.
Dave changed tabs, looking to his buildings. He minimized the ones under [Terra], opening the tab [Cliff-Hill Smithies] and finding [Soul Gem Smithy].
Dave made excited noises as he looked over the information there.
“Going to need to change the programming some, but this is awesome! Imagine what I could do with the greenhouses! Do that later, once the farmers come back to me with their recommendations. Now, hmm, what should I tell it to do? Keep the base stat increase and bonuses—that’s a given. Any extra energy this puppy stores up to its full charge goes into covering the other smithies. Damn, okay, that’s useful.” Dave read over a part where the smithies could be altered at any time. Moving items would be as easy as doing drag and drop on his interface. Growing things cost Mana but the smithy could store up to 10,000,000 Mana. It was a small four-person smithy right now, but with time and power, it could expand over the other smithies. It would be less of a power draw with other facilities already there.
“Well, what’s the use of having toys if you don’t use them? First, I should get that power situation sorted.”
Dave looked around the smithy, studying it. He pulled out pieces of steel, whistling to himself and carving out some simple runes. He heated up silver over a blowtorch, using it to fill the runes.
It didn’t take him long to make a few dozen of the items. He conjured metal over them. They spread outside the smithy, burrowing into the ground. They spread out in a net around the smithy, covering a massive area.
He destroyed the conjured metal. The runes on the metal activated, turning heat into Mana or capturing free Mana and routing it all toward the smithy.
“Okay, so next.” Dave put the twin rods in the furnace. Just a few feet away, it was still warm, but once you got within a foot, then it felt as though you had stepped into Hades.
He grabbed another scrap piece of metal from his bag of holding.
Having something for him to make magical code on honed his skill and could be used in all kinds of situations.
He put it in a pocket in front of his belt. It made the heat manageable as his arms were covered in Mithril. He reached into the furnace; each of his hands curled around a rod.
Runes flared across Dave’s body, his eyes silver as he focused completely on the metal in front of him. The Mana flow amplified the waves of heat that the furnace gave off.
Ten minutes later, Dave pulled his hands from the furnace. Hitting a button with his elbow turned its flames off, and the runes in the smithy converted the heat back into Mana.
Dave dismissed the conjured Mithril and looked down at the twin rods. Runes could be seen within the opened sections, running along the different layers, the soul gem’s light playing over them.
If one was to look really close, they would see bands at the bottom of the rods.
“Damn, these are beautiful.” Dave looked at them both.
A prompt appeared in his vision.
Quest Completed: Dwarven Master Smith Level 4
You must craft 2 weapon of SS quality (2/2), or 100 of S Quality with your Smithing Art (0/100).
Rewards: Unlock Level 5 quest
+10 to all stats (stacks with previous class levels)
Quest: Dwarven Master Smith Level 5
You must craft 3 weapon of SS quality (0/3), or 150 of S Quality with your Smithing Art (0/150)
Rewards: Unlock Level 6 quest
Increase to stat gain
Class: Dwarven Master Smith
Status:
Level 4
Effects:
Allowed access to all Dwarven Mountains and smithies.
Allowed to take on smithing apprentices.
+40 to all stats
Access to special quests.
Using a hotkey, he changed into his fighting gear. Dave slid the rods into the loops in his belt. He looked at them proudly.
“Okay, let’s go and see if I can’t wrestle Deia away from some of that training.”
“Okay, so you know about my family, but what about yours?” Alkao asked Anna as they sat at a table in an up-and-coming restaurant.
“Oh, I’m pretty similar. I was created by my father; he’s using the name Bob right now. Uh, I guess, I kind of technically have a kid. I helped Shard and the Aleph make Steve.” Anna tapped her chin in thought and sat back in her chair, shrugging. “Yeah, think that’s about it.”
“So, Steve is your kid?” Alkao asked, a confused look on his face.
“In a way. To Shard and me, it was more of an experiment to see if we could actually make another separate and intelligent creature.” Anna shrugged.
“What’s he think?” Alkao asked.
“We’re pretty good friends, though he bugs me at times, calling me Mom.” Anna shook her head.
Alkao chuckled and his hand covered hers.
She entwined her fingers in his, looking up at him with a smile that seemed to make her eyes sparkle.
“You are beautiful,” Alkao said.
“Thanks,” Anna said, shyly.
“Haven’t been on many dates?”
“Have you?” she shot back.
“Not really. Being a Demon Lord was more fighting than anything like this.” Alkao waved at Unity and Devil’s Crater.
“Same with me. At first, I went around trying to solve everyone’s issues. I saw the futility of it and just started to look after my Beast Kin. We were hunted down like yours. Thankfully, Dad saved us and then gave us a second chance, a chance to change this system.” Anna’s eyes fell to the table before moving back to Alkao’s, and she gave him a small smile.
“Well, you’ve already changed it quite a lot with your actions,” Alkao assured her, squeezing her hand.
“Oh, the things you will learn,” Anna said, sounding sad.
“They are my things and burdens to learn, but hopefully I have a sexy little wolf next to me.” Alkao leaned forward.
“Oh, so I’m a sexy little wolf now?” she asked playfully, also moving closer.
“Personal opinion.” Alkao’s eyes traced Anna’s body. “Definitely.” His serious tone was broken by the grin that spread across his face.
“You know I could kick your ass?” Anna asked.
“Hmm, kinky.” Alkao laughed, raising his free left hand to place his forefinger under her chin.
“I am much older than you,” she warned, not fighting as he drew his forefinger back, half beckoning, half pulling her forward with an invisible and immaterial force.
“I’m a big boy. I can deal with it,” Alkao said. Their eyes closed as Alkao kissed her gently. After a moment, he dropped his finger, their lips parting as they opened their eyes.
“I heard that the Grove is great this time of night. Come on.” Alkao stood. Anna rose with him, a complicated expression on her face. Alkao led her out, grabbing their coats, and headed for the Grove, where the oldest, rarest, and most beautiful trees had been gathered by Fornau. There were many parks across Unity, but the Grove was the largest. It seemed to have been perfectly sculpted by Fornau. The collection of trees was more beautiful than most ruling castles’ flower gardens. Glowing vines ran between the trees, giving off light, while certain bushes and other plants gave off heat to fight against the fall weather.
“I hope my kiss wasn’t that bad,” Alkao said as they entered the Grove. Others moved about, from people running to those finishing up picnics. There was a party happening in one of the larger gazebos; couples walked along the paths.
“No, it wasn’t that. It’s just that I know what is
going to come and I do like you, but I don’t want to get close to someone and lose them. I know that it is really hard to kill the others, but they’re not as visible as you. People are going to come after you and I don’t want to have things to distract me when I’m fighting,” Anna said.
“I think the same thing.” Alkao sighed. “But that is life. If we don’t take a risk on this, whatever it is and whatever it might become, well, I feel like we’re going to regret it when we get older. As for the being weaker stuff, well, then count me as a willing student. I have my own things I want to defend and I can see that you’re one of the best swordswomen I have ever seen. The Air seems to react to you as if it is a part of you. I don’t know how you’re so in tune with an Affinity.”
Alkao’s words weren’t from jealousy or anger in his own inability, but the sound of a man who saw a dream and wanted to chase it.
“Okay, if you become as strong as Suzy, then I’ll think about it,” Anna said.
“As strong as Suzy? She commands nearly a company of creations!” Alkao sputtered.
“And?” Anna asked.
Alkao opened and closed his mouth a few times before he sighed. “Okay, very well, but I want your help.”
“You’re going to need it. Can’t have you getting all worn out away from prying eyes,” Anna said. The look she gave Alkao made his brain short-circuit for a short while.
***
Fire had a confused look on her face as she looked in the direction of the teleport pad that had just activated. The look wasn’t for the teleport pad, but for the person who walked off it. She activated her monitoring system, moving to a mage light to watch the teleport pad.
“Something the matter?” Mal said in her room.
“Our son-in-law has arrived. He’s been getting stronger,” Fire said with approval, leaving the mage lights and pulling up her interface to send Dave a quick message.
Stone Raiders' Return (Emerilia Book 6) Page 5