Kol might have not seen anything like it before, but he knew that this was a vessel for war. There were protrusions along the side of the ship that looked like Dwarven artillery, but by their size, they were as big—if not bigger—than the artillery cannons that were built into Dwarven mountains.
The entire vessel hummed with quiet power. As he got closer, Kol could sense the power within the ship. It was similar to that reactor in Dave’s laboratory. Except these were much larger and hidden deep within the vessel.
Automaton repair bots moved around in a flurry, moving all manner of materials from carts that were arriving every minute and ferrying different items into the massive dock.
The scale of what he was seeing—there was simply nothing else he could compare it to. The cart came down next to an office that lay off to the side of the vessel, overlooking it from the side.
Kol numbly walked off as he started to see interface screens showing the progress of the vessel.
It was called the “Ark.” Much like how Terra and the Aleph cities were formed, it had been cut from the rock. Miners then carved out different levels within the vessel and added in a power plant and refinery.
Materials were being poured into the refinery of the ship, pumping out refined materials that were passed to the complete line of factories that supplied the needs of not only this vessel but six others and the large-scale projects that Dave was handling in this yard.
Once the refinery was put in, the abilities of the yard had increased tremendously.
“Looks like A-1 is the first to get its refinery online. The other vessels are scheduled to get their refineries online as soon as possible. The amount of materials this must take...” Kol shook his head. “I was wondering where he was putting all of those resources that he had gotten from Bob. Seems that with the Jukal, he’s been keeping things a bit close to the chest.”
“Hello, Kol,” a familiar voice said in the office.
“Jeeves?” Kol asked in a confused voice.
Jeeves was the artificial intelligence that Dave had introduced to the Dwarven Master Smiths. Jeeves was a wealth of information on all things from Earth. He had been the backing of more than one Dwarven Master Smith’s discovery in the last couple of years.
“That is correct. Though in this form, I am but a fragment of my complete self. This is due to security reasons,” Jeeves said.
“Understandable.” Kol nodded. “So, what can you tell me about all of this? I got an alert telling me to come and check out this project.”
“This is the Ark-classed ship. It is meant to hold some ten thousand people if needed, but it can operate with nearly a thousand. It is meant to defend Emerilia and protect the people who are here. Currently it has been hollowed out; its three large-scale reactors and five medium-grade reactors have been brought online and a refinery has been grown within the ship. This is meant to supplement the ship with materials. All of the other ships are in the process of being hollowed out or mined into shape; then, they too will have soul gem constructed refineries placed within them to grow into fully functioning refineries.
“As this is ongoing, then the soul gem constructs will also grow with their power of the reactors, supplying them to make various areas like living quarters, internal factories, the command lines such as water pipes, as well as gravity drives and connections to the weapon emplacements.”
“So, basically, you hollowed out a bunch of rock, formed it into this Ark, then hollowed it out again, filled it with soul gem constructs and fed them power so that they grow within the vessel, creating everything inside?” Kol worked and lived in soul gem constructs, but he had never thought of using them on such a massive and complicated scale.
“That is correct. However, although the soul gem constructs can fill most of the area within the Ark, there are many sub-systems that need development before they can be created and placed within the vessel,” Jeeves said.
“They’re part of the project list that Dave has issued to all magical coders and the Dwarven Master Smiths. He’s spread the information out over so much area and through the Mirror of Communication that no one has been able to piece it together.” Kol whistled in new understanding of just how devious and smart Dave’s actions were.
He stood there, looking at the “ship” in front of him. It was an undertaking that not even a dozen Dwarven mountains could undertake!
Kol’s chuckles turned into a room-shaking laugh. He calmed down after some time, a big smile on his lips as he wiped tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes.
When Dave and Bob had brought Kol in on the realities of the Jukal, he had been upset by it all but he had also felt helpless—what was there that he could do? This was an empire the likes of which he just couldn’t comprehend. They were thousands of times more powerful than Emerilia.
Dave, with his tenacious attitude and his unwavering focus, had pushed forward.
“Seems that the student is teaching this old master some new tricks.” Kol smiled to himself.
Chapter 30: Possessed Creatures
Steve’s axe hit the charging boar with so much power that the very wind was disturbed by its passing.
The boar continued its charge, barely slowed by the blow as its body was covered in dark metals, its twin tusks sharpening into points.
Suzy’s creations lay broken behind it as Induca unleashed Fire attacks from above, turning the dark metal covering to cherry-red in a few moments. Anna unleashed her Air blade technique, leaving deep grooves in the boar’s protective covering. Malsour placed hexes on the Affinity boar while simultaneously boosting Party Zero.
The boar had been taken over by a Dark Affinity spirit, turning the Level 400 creature into a powerhouse. Its defense was already incredible, but with that Affinity spirit, it was nearly as strong as an ebony plated rhino of the same level.
The one difference being that the boar was affected by magical spells.
“Watch the ground!” Dave said. With his high Intelligence, he was able to see the spell that the Affinity spirit released.
Steve jumped to the side, rolling out of the way of the spell’s area of effect.
The others tried to do the same; Suzy used her remaining Air creations to move them to safety.
Dave held up his hands and unleashed Mana bolts from his bracelets. The air crackled, with Mana bolts landing on the boar’s hide.
The boar ran on, even as its Health dropped.
Dave jumped upward, assisted by his orbs; he was able to escape the boar’s charge.
The boar, now seeing none of its original targets in its path, turned in a wide circle, lining up for another charge at the group.
“This boar doesn’t know how to quit!” Steve said.
The raid party had been expecting a lot of resistance to take the portal. What they weren’t expecting was that the difficulty from the Affinity spirits to the animals possessed by Affinity spirits would be so much stronger than their counterparts.
These Ashal creatures weren’t weak and they still retained their natural traits and abilities with the addition of the spirits. It wasn’t as if they were fighting one opponent but two that complemented each other completely!
“Time to get serious.” Dave looked to Malsour, Induca, and Anna.
“I’ve got it.” Anna slowly moved down to the ground. All of them had been holding back their more powerful skills.
They might have a ranking of around two hundred—Malsour actually at three hundred and fifteen—but their actual strength was many times their stated level.
The air around Anna seemed to go still as the boar charged once again.
Anna held her blade within her two hands, her face calm and impassive and her eyes closed as she adjusted her stance slightly and bent low.
The boar fired spears of metal from its tusks.
Blades of wind sliced out from Anna almost lazily, breaking the spears with contemptuous ease. Many more followed after the first two. A semi-sphere of whistling whi
te blades of air cut down anything that tried to reach Anna as she opened her eyes.
The boar was just twenty meters away, breaking through her Air blade shield.
One moment, she was standing still; then, in a burst of motion, so fast it looked as if she had teleported, she was past the boar.
Its eyes rolled back as its legs collapsed beneath it and dropped to the ground, lifelessly.
Dave had seen it all. She had rushed forward, passing the boar and reaching its blind spot behind its massive shoulders; she had struck out with her blade, piercing through an opening in the boar’s enchanted hide to pierce its lungs and heart as she released an Air attack from the end of her blade.
It had raged through the boar, killing the Dark Affinity spirit before it could react.
Everyone in Party Zero grouped together by reflex, looking for another threat.
“The fighting is winding down. It looks like we’ll be resting here for some time,” Deia, who was commanding them from afar, said.
There might have been a spell that made it so that people would find it increasingly difficult to pass ten meters above the temple’s grounds, but for Deia, the daughter of Fire, breaking this spell with sheer power was simple.
Dave looked around. Parties had come together, excited from their victory with the Affinity spirits. They had thought that the Affinity spirit animals would be hard but they would persevere. What they had found was just how strong these creatures were; it was a smart move to take their levels and increase them by three or four times what one could observe.
Party Zero, detecting the auras of these creatures, had been incredibly careful in dealing with them. They were one of the few parties that could handle one of the creatures by themselves. They had rescued two other parties that had been fighting the boar, taking it on themselves. The boar had been one of the strongest and most difficult to deal with.
People had retreated back down the steps and into the open area around the temple, pulling the animals with them to get more room to deal with the creatures.
The fighting had been spread all over. POEs of a certain level had been ordered to pull back. This kind of order made sense as no one was willing to lose the support of these high-level characters.
Forty people had died to the animals; another hundred and fifty had been hurt enough to need direct healing by Jules’ people. Luckily, none of the people who had died had been people of Emerilia. Losing them was a big blow.
Nearly four hundred had needed to take some kind of Health potion or supporting heal from their party.
The last of the fighting ended as people relaxed. The supporting people moved around, making sure that everyone’s gear was good and that they were all healed up. Others moved in, gathering up all of the scattered resources. They would be able to clean out the animals so that they could be sold to various restaurants that would go crazy for this premium meat.
“Okay, so third group of creatures down,” Dave said, looking to everyone.
“I don’t think there’s a way in hell that we’re going to get past the Affinity shades without considerable casualties,” Anna said seriously. The others agreed.
The Affinity animals had been powerful but ultimately dumb in their attacks. The shades had shown that they were smart and the Affinity spirits were great and dramatically increased the power of whatever they were attached to.
***
Josh and the other guild leaders were having the same conversation.
Barabas, the leader of the mage’s guild who came on the raid, raised his hand. At Level 600, he was one of the strongest POEs on the raid. Although he might look old, there was a vibrant vitality that seemed to come from his eyes. As if his age was just a cover for the excited child within.
Josh indicated for the elderly mage’s guild representative to go on.
“I thank you for the great opportunity that we have been given here to study the Affinity spirits. Truly, these creatures are amazing. My people and I have been able to make a number of notes that will turn the mage’s college on its head,” the older man said with a kind smile to the other guild leaders. “We will support you with these next opponents but at the sign of too much trouble or creatures overrunning you, I will have to pull back my people to safety. I have brought mostly juniors and while I am able to protect them through Ashal after fighting the Affinity spirit animals, it is clear that these creatures are on another level. However, I will pass word back to the mage’s college and guild. I am sure there will be those interested in assisting you in here.”
“Thank you for all of the aid that you have given us already. I know that the outpost will welcome the mage’s college and guild setting up within its walls.” Josh nodded to the man with an open smile.
“Great! This really is the time of discoveries and knowledge. I will pass on your words immediately!” the old mage said with an excited smile.
Josh’s smile widened at the old man’s excitement.
The older-looking gentleman who led the adventurer’s guild POEs cleared his throat and uncrossed his massive scarred arms. His armor made him look like an armored Orc tank. “We will also look to support you in this next fight. Only when we have a feeling of the true strength for these creatures will we decide to stay in support or remove ourselves.” The adventurers were a proud bunch; to say that they might have met their match took guts and foresight. Glory could be earned later as long as one was alive.
“I understand. I again offer a place in the outpost to the adventurer’s guild. I know there are many dangers as well as events, creatures, dungeons, and resources to come across. I don’t think that the guilds here or Devil’s Crater forces can harvest it all by ourselves.” Josh smiled.
“Thank you.” The Orc’s voice was deep and guttural as he bowed his head in respect.
Josh looked to Gimel and Kim.
“We’re going to be ordering any of our POEs to the rear, just in case,” Gimel said. Kim, the leader of the Portal Purge Guild didn’t say anything, her guild only had players in their ranks.
“Okay.” Josh took in a deep breath. “It’s clear that the Affinity spirits, when in control of another’s body, are much stronger. These shades are going to be difficult. There are fifty of them. I want to pull them one by one, not rush in like we did with the animal shades. We were overconfident and we nearly got slapped for it.”
He looked around. Everyone was focused on his words. Their haul already had been incredible. Josh had even gained back four of the fifteen levels he had lost.
The risk of continuing was great, but the rewards they had gained already had entranced everyone. The mage’s college representatives were already talking to the different larger guilds to try to buy the different resources off them. The materials they might get from the Affinity shades, as well as the experience, was alluring.
Gaming was a lot like gambling. Here they had to bet that their skills were good enough to clear out the Affinity shades in order to get the rewards afterward. They were just four groups of enemies away from those loot chests that were positioned around the portal.
“We’ll group together, pin them in place and take them out. If there is more than one, we have one of the faster parties kite them away from the main groups—take it on a tour or deliver it to a group that isn’t fighting,” Josh said.
It was a simple plan, but it was tried and tested by thousands of gamers.
“Sounds good. I have a bunch of people who had to go off and deal with things; they should be back for the most part in twenty minutes. If we can have their bots tag along with the POE guild members, they can get out of here if things go south,” Kim said.
“Works.” Josh nodded.
***
Twenty minutes later, everyone was back on their feet and readying themselves.
Josh personally led those who would pull back ten different shades for the ten main groups to deal with.
“Okay, so, we’re agreed to use our more powerful abilities?” Deia look
ed to everyone in Party Zero.
They nodded. They didn’t want to show off their trump cards as they knew that they would be fighting more powerful opponents in the future. Though the matter of the fact was that here they could test out these moves; when they were fighting in the event, the chances they would get to use their full abilities would be greatly reduced.
Gurren and Lox pulled out their armor as the others pulled on different jewelry that enhanced their abilities or had Dave remove the blocks he had placed on their armor. Now they would be able to use their full strength.
Dave pulled out his twin rods. Unlike when Kol had given them to him, they now had a series of runed rings along their lengths.
Moving these pieces would allow someone to change between weapons. This would mean that Dave didn’t need to use them as anchors for his conjurations, storing up his Mana and keeping him from Mana fatigue.
Suzy, Anna, and Malsour wore a pendant each carved from fine metals and rings. These items had been made by either Dave, Malsour, or Dwarven Master Smiths. Their value was hard to determine.
Suzy pulled out her strongest creations. These ones were juggernauts compared to her usual creations. They were much more powerful, with their creation cores bristling with Mana.
Steve pulled off his limbs and attached his more powerful versions. He had personally worked on the stronger limbs using his knowledge of magical coding and drafted the help of Dwarven Master Smiths to make their forms as he traded his knowledge of coding. He stood back up, storing his axe within his spatial ring, and pulled out a much larger one. He let its head drop to the ground, leaving a crater underneath.
“Is that a Weapon of Power?” Dave looked at the exquisite axe in Steve’s hands. His senses probed the weapon.
“Ye-up. Custom built by Edmur,” Steve said with a pleased smile.
The material cost for the massive weapon must have been massive. It was made from Mithril, silver, and ebony. The runes along its length glowed with power as Steve stepped toward Suzy.
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