Zeal Legacy 2: A GameLit RPG Fantasy

by Riker Kane

  “It was a simple life but I couldn’t ask for anything more. One day, everything changed. The ruler of my city made a Royal Decree… An announcement that something was coming. Something that always comes. My father was conscripted. He gave me his hammer before he left. Told me not to hurt myself with it.”

  Grady stood in place, his eyes lost in whatever memory was running through his head. Everybody stayed silent as they waited for him to say the words on the tip of his tongue.

  “It was the last thing he ever said to me. From that day forward, I vowed I would do everything I could so that no son would ever have to suffer a loss like I did. I worked hard. I studied. I read countless tomes. I spoke to the wisest scholars. I found every piece of literature I could, even if it was only a rumor with no truth to it. All of that led me here, to Taius… waiting for someone to acquire this…” He held the stone up underneath the sunlight. “Waiting for you, Ferrum.”

  Clayton squinted at the old man. He stared until it finally dawned on him. “You… You’re the Outcast. You’re the blacksmith I’m looking for.”

  Grady nodded softly. “When my father died in the war with the Maledict, it pained me to know the peace would only be temporary. I did everything I could to find a way to seal the Maledict away for good.”

  “Are you saying there’s a way to end the Maledict threat once and for all?” Jalise said, just as surprised as Clayton. She shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve never read of such a thing.”

  “I’m considerably older than you. Old enough to have lived through two Maledict invasions, it seems. I hoped the next Ferrum who came to save Nalore would want to push further. It has been many years but honestly… I didn’t think it would happen. I was planning on passing my knowledge to Owen or someone else in Taius, so they would wait for the next Ferrum to come.”

  “The stone,” Rena said. “If it is not Lourinth, what is it?”

  “The ancients had to construct a weapon with something beyond ordinary steel and iron to beat the Maledict. It needed special properties. They infused it with this… They called it Zealinite.”

  “Zealinite…” Clayton held his weapon up. “That’s what the Zeal Blade is made from.”

  “I’ve studied. I’ve trained. I’ve practiced for a lifetime to learn how to process it. With this, not only can I repair your weapon but I can make it strong enough to end the Maledict threat once and for all.”

  “…Just like you’ve always wanted.”

  Grady nodded again, unable to hold back his smile. Clayton smiled just the same, though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You can fix Zeal then. I can beat Belenoth with it.”

  “Is that what you want me to do, Clayton?”

  “Hell yeah! Uh, I mean… If it’s not too much trouble.”

  “It is not a simple matter. Extracting the necessary ore from the Zealinite will take time. Days. If you wish this, you should know you will be without your weapon.”

  Clayton looked at his sword and nodded. “If that’s what it takes.”

  He set the two pieces of his sword down on the workbench and Grady set the Zealinite next to it.

  “What was it that happened again?”

  “A crab… A big crab… I don’t understand how a crab could do this yet nobody can weld it back together…”

  “Its effectiveness is maximized against the Maledict but limited otherwise. The metal will not yield regardless of how hard the blacksmith hammer is swung. It will take a special touch to reassemble it.”

  “There’s something else.” Clayton reached into his pouch. “I got this hilt from someone. Can you do something with this?”

  Grady examined the hilt Clayton acquired from Okari. It was dirty with the orange stone on the pommel dull.

  “You gain the most power from your own spectral stone,” Grady said. “But I might be able to shape this into something to make Zeal stronger.”

  “Okay…” Clayton couldn’t contain his excitement, smiling at his companions. “A few days from now my sword will be repaired and it will be stronger than ever.”

  “I have only one question for you, Clayton.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Do you have a preference on the state of your weapon?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Are you comfortable with Zeal in combat?”

  “Ha!” Kailani laughed. “You should see him fight bats. BB here is flailing around like he’s trying to knock away flies. Maybe you should fix that thing so it teaches him some proper technique—”

  “Ahem!” Clayton cleared his throat. “Just make Zeal as powerful as you can to the best of your abilities.”

  “You have my word, Clayton. You will wield a weapon stronger than any Ferrum has ever held.”

  “That’s… music to my ears.”

  “I regret to remind you, it will take some time.”

  “That’s just fine. I’m sure we can find something to do in Taius to avoid restlessness.”

  Grady moved to his kiln and fired it up. The stones inside burned red hot and the smoke began to rise. He sighed with a satisfied smile on his face as he picked up his hammer. “It’s time for me to get back to work.”

  “Come.” Mirella put a hand on Clayton’s shoulder. “Let us give the blacksmith the time he needs.”

  The group moved away from the forge and stood at the edge of the plateau.

  “I guess we’re gonna be hanging around Taius for awhile.” Kailani scratched the side of her head. “Not that I mind. It’ll give me more time to taste their desserts.”

  “I would advise you not to do too much of the same,” Rena said to Clayton. “Perhaps you could sharpen your skills and continue you to train while your weapon is repaired. The blacksmith in Taius could provide you with a suitable replacement for the time being.”

  Clayton nodded in agreement. “Gain a few levels and train. Sounds like a good idea.”

  Chapter 40

  “It’s been awhile since I’ve had to use this.” Clayton pressed his palm against the tablet and watch his stats form in front of him.

  The party spent the day in combat with all of the dangerous monsters of the mountains, though the five of them proved to be too formidable for any beast in the area.

  They returned to Taius later that night to relax and unwind.

  Rena stood next to Clayton as he examined his stats.

  “Just three levels…”

  “Gaining three levels is nothing to scoff at.”

  “I’m not scoffing. It’s just… I’ve leveled so much since I first started. It’s amazing to think about how much progress I’ve made. I can’t believe I’m actually doing it. I can… I can feel how much stronger I am. I can see it, too.”

  Clayton flexed his bicep to his own amusement. And it was to his own amusement, considering the elf’s only emotion was to try and not roll her eyes.

  “Tell me that’s not impressive, Rena.”

  “Will you be distributing your stats or not?”

  “Right, right… Since we don’t know how much longer it’ll be until Grady is finished, I figure there’s time to gain more stats. This is all for you, Rena.” On a whim, he put all of his points into agility then observed his new stats.

  Clayton Brooks

  Essence Level 84

  Available Points 0

  Hit Points 900

  Stamina 100

  Strength 24

  Constitution 22

  Agility 24

  Dexterity 19

  Wisdom 17

  “Look at that. I should be as fast as I am strong now. But I’m not as fast as you.”

  “No one will hold that against you, Brooks.”

  Clayton had gotten used to the elf’s icy demeanor a long time ago, so everything she did at this point just made him smile. In his mind, he had every reason to be in a good mood.

  “When the kraken busted up our ship, I ended up in the Hilamau Islands with nothing but the Zeal Blade and the compass Iolas gave me
. Then the Zeal Blade got snapped like a twig. I had a broken weapon and slim hopes of finding you or Jalise. I found her. I found you. And now my sword is being repaired. You gotta let me enjoy this, Rena.”

  The elf looked down her nose at him then sighed a deep breath. “You are right. You have been on a long journey. You have accomplished something no Ferrum has ever done. You should be proud.”

  “Thank you.” He leaned forward and put his face to hers but she pulled away.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I just felt like giving you a kiss, that’s all. You were pretty damn excited when we found each other in that shack…”

  “It was merely an outburst of emotions after thinking I would never see you again—”

  “A-ha! So you missed me a lot! Don’t try to deny it—”

  “The others in the village are waiting. I suggest we join them to enjoy the festivities.” The elf spun on her heel and walked back to the village before Clayton could say anything more.

  Bonfires were scattered around Taius as the townsfolk enjoyed the peace of the evening. Kailani continued to indulge in the liquor and sweets foreign to her. Mirella regaled more tales of Azure to fascinated townsfolk. Jalise assisted Owen in crafting medicines in case of sickness.

  “How is your weapon?” Rena asked.

  Clayton unsheathed the small sword he’d acquired from the blacksmith. “Not bad. It’s a lot lighter than the Zeal Blade even though it’s not that much smaller. Doesn’t have the same weight to it but you saw how I did out there. It got the job done.”

  “Getting the job done is appropriate when you are dealing with the beasts in the wild. But there is some credence to what the girl from the islands spoke of.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You do not have proper training with a weapon. You are only mimicking the swordplay you have observed but you still do not know how to fight with precision.”

  “Hey! I take offense to that! I’d say I’m swinging this thing pretty damn well. And when my stats go up, I’ll only swing harder and faster. Who needs technique?”

  Rena sighed and rolled her eyes. “We have the time. I would like to train you properly. When your weapon is prepared and with your increased levels, it will only maximize your abilities.”

  “Fine, fine. We’ll practice a bit. I’m a lot better than when you first brought me over. At least admit that.”

  Rena paused for a moment to consider her response. Clayton was already stifling a laugh, knowing the elf was preparing some stinging barb. “You have improved.” He stopped laughing, her compliment catching him by surprise.

  “Well, then… I’m glad you’re finally able to be honest with yourself. You see—”

  “What is that?” A loud voice interrupted him. He and Rena turned to the side where all of the other villagers were now looking.

  Clayton narrowed his eyes for a moment before he quickly realized what everybody was staring at. “No… Not now…”

  The black mist formed in the sky at the edge of the village. It swirled in the air, dark blue glowing at the center of it. He rushed forward with Rena just as Maledict Beasts emerged from it.

  “Run!” he shouted. “Take shelter!”

  Kailani and Mirella charged forward with Jalise behind them to engage the beasts.

  “Gotta make this work…” Clayton didn’t have Zeal but he fought valiantly. His strength and improved agility made it easier for him to maneuver around as the vicious beasts clawed and snatched at him. It took more effort to cut through them but the wolf-like creatures met their end.

  The others fought with the same vigor as him. Kailani threw her knives and leaped into the air to pounce on top of the galloping beasts. Mirella kept them at bay and stabbed with her trident. Jalise used her flames to engulf them while Rena twirled around the battlefield to finish them off.

  More Maledict spilled through the opening. There were so many of them, the party was not able to stop all of them from entering Taius. “Protect them! Don’t let them get near the villagers!” Their efforts fell short as the creatures brought havoc on their homes.

  But the villagers would not cower in their homes.

  “Come on! Fight back!” Owen raised a sword up and yelled as the other townsfolk joined him in battle.

  A war had interrupted in the village with everybody forced to fight.

  Clayton felt his stamina depleting. He cut down as many of the Maledict as he could while trying to prevent more of them from entering the village. He dashed forward and sliced through a beast, moving closer to the rift.

  “Dammit… I can’t close it without Zeal…” He stared helplessly at the mist, waiting for more beasts to appear. But instead of more Maledict, black and blue smoke blew in front of him, taking the shape of the armored knight he didn’t want to see.

  “All the way in the mountains.” Belenoth smirked as he looked around, his eyes a glowing blue smoke. “I can sense your power. You cannot run away from me.”

  “I’m not running from you. I’m right here.” He slammed his sword into the ground and motioned for the Maledict to come forward.

  Belenoth’s eyes widened as he peered at Clayton’s weapon. “And do you intend on fighting me off with that?”

  “I think it’ll make it a little more challenging.”

  “Oh… This shall be fun.” The Maledict held his hand out and the rapier formed in his palm. He moved his other hand behind his back and pointed his sword at Clayton. “Let me see just how strong you’ve become.”

  Clayton yelled and charged forward, slashing as hard and fast as he could with his short sword. Belenoth parried the blows, knocking each one back with little effort. Quick stabs forced Clayton to back off but he tried again.

  “Gotta get close…” Clayton dashed forward then behind the Maledict, hoping to catch him off guard. But as soon as he swung, the Maledict was gone. “Crap…” Sensing Belenoth was behind him, Clayton rolled forward to avoid getting stabbed. He turned around to see his instincts were correct.

  “Well done.” Belenoth’s satisfied smirk looked as sinister as ever. “You’ve improved. I haven’t been able to hit you. But that weapon is inferior. Your levels are inferior. I grow tired of spending time in Xeylon. Let me give you a taste.”

  Belenoth held his sword up to his face. An energy began to form around him, a blue aura moving from around his body then to his sword.

  “What the hell—”

  “Let me show you the true power of envy, Ferrum.” Belenoth disappeared in a flash and reappeared in front of Clayton. Clayton didn’t even have a chance to raise his sword before he felt the Maledict’s weapon pierce his chest.

  “Oh… Dammit…” Clayton groaned. But the pain he felt wasn’t what he expected. He didn’t feel his insides bleeding. He didn’t feel a wound opening up. He didn’t even feel like he was dying. He just felt himself getting weaker.

  Belenoth moved his face closer to Clayton and looked him in the eyes before pulling his sword away. The two of them fell to their knees, gasping as they tried to recover.

  Belenoth grinned as he struggled to breathe. “Yes… Yes, that was lovely… Though a bit draining… I suppose I will have to take the rest of you when I’ve had a chance to recover.”

  Clayton reached down for his stomach but there was nothing. His armor was intact. There was no wound underneath it. He could not taste the copper in his mouth like he had so many times before.

  “What did you… What did you do—”

  “It is simple, Ferrum.” Belenoth got back up to his feet. “You have two nights. Meet me at the summit of the Great Horn Mountains. There, we will settle this.”

  “Ha… You really expect me to fall for an obvious trap?”

  “I don’t. But you have no choice. You… or this village.”

  “I know how it works… You don’t… You don’t have the strength to open up another rift.”

  “For a full Maledict attack? Perhaps. But even you, Ferrum, will f
all under a relentless attack. I will destroy this town and everyone living here.”

  “No…” Clayton didn’t have to look at the Maledict to know he was serious. He had no choice.

  “Two nights. I will be waiting.”

  Belenoth returned to the mist from where he came. The Maledict beasts vanished and the storm ended abruptly.

  “Clayton!” Jalise rushed up and cast a healing spell on him. “Are you all right?”

  “I…” He looked down, still confused that Belenoth’s attack had left no wound. “I don’t feel… I don’t feel right.”

  Jalise cast another spell but it did nothing.

  “Something’s wrong…”

  “What? What is it, Clayton?”

  “I don’t know. I… I just feel… tired.”

  Clayton fell back, laying on the ground and looking up at the stars. The last thing he saw was the sage looking down at him as the worst fatigue he’d ever felt consumed him.

  Chapter 41

  Clayton blinked his eyes open, the morning sun blindingly bright.

  “I must be dreaming… or dead… maybe both.”

  He breathed in a gasp of clear, mountain air. The grass beneath him was soft, something he could tell even through the weight of his armor. The scenery was tranquil but in his heart, there was panic.

  “Clayton…” He looked up at Jalise. Rena, Mirella and Kailani all stood beside her.

  “…Did I die?”

  “You did not.” She helped him sit up straight.

  Clayton immediately took in his surroundings. He wished it were a dream but the devastation of the Maledict attack on the small village was clear. Their homes had been destroyed. Their belongings scattered in every direction. The townsfolk wept as they tended to their lost loved ones.

  He pushed himself up to his feet. “Strange… Why does my armor feel so heavy? Something… Something happened to me. I can feel it.”