They barked at four others before they rushed off. More guards took their places without getting in Jung Lee’s way.
Jung Lee waved his hand. Water flowed from his hand as his Air and Water Affinities worked together, drawing it from the atmosphere.
He snapped his fingers on the other hand; blue flames shot out from his fingers and darted under the cauldron, raising the temperature. Water stopped falling into the cauldron as Jung Lee whisked his finger above the cauldron. A portion of the Water spirit darted into the cauldron, moving the ingredients around. The water changed color as the medicinal ingredients seeped into the mixture, giving off an aromatic fragrance.
A guard returned, panting. “Jekoni says to keep them coming, a bit strong but he can administer doses so that they’re not wasted.”
“Take the filled ones to him as soon as possible.” Jung Lee waved to the other guard who filled vials quickly and carefully, not letting a drop go to waste.
“Yes sir.” The guard, even though he was tired, took the full vials, placed them into his bag of holding and then raced off once again.
Jung Lee changed a few settings on the last glass apparatus that purified the potion and was being poured out into vials.
With a wave of his hand, water appeared in a ball. A flame heated it from underneath. The water raced through the different dirty apparatus, followed by an air stream to dry them out. Jung Lee was already mashing up more ingredients within his mortar and pestle.
Once again he refined the different ingredients, turning them into pastes, powders, and liquids. He placed them in different glass tubes to be strained, or in crucibles to be heated.
He turned back to the cauldron and looked at the purple liquid inside. The wind carried over the cauldron, allowing him to smell it.
“Good.” He waved to a guard. “Take this to the ono, pass it through, and say that it’s for Malsour and Dave. It will directly attack the spores but will need a wide dispersion,” Jung Lee said.
The guard nodded. He took five others to carry the cauldron to the ono.
After ten minutes, another yellow solution was falling into vials smaller than the blue/green liquid-filled.
“Fill these up as well,” Jung Lee said. More vials appeared in front of him, leaving two guards filling vials from different spouts on his alchemist table.
“I’ve brought the different people selling or making potions,” a guard said. Behind him was a group of men and women, from merchants to potion makers.
“Good. Show me your different potions I requested,” Jung Lee said. They all pulled out different potions quickly and without fuss.
“Cure—will remove the effects on those without controlled limbs. Protect against the spores for a limited time if exposed. Useless. Useless.” Jung Lee examined the different potions, classifying each as cure, prevention, and remove effect—throwing in useless more often than not.
In a matter of minutes, he had highlighted which potions would work and which would not.
“Potion makers remain,” Jung Lee said. The guards pushed the others away as Jung Lee worked on his interface quickly. He created three different potion formulas with the headings of Cure, Prevention, and Suppression.
“The cure will destroy the infection in advanced cases. Prevention will allow someone to walk within the spores without being affected for a time. Suppression will remove the status effects if applied quickly enough and will destroy spores that they directly interact with. Break up into three groups due to what potion you would be best at making. I will provide ingredients and tools as well as twenty gold for an hour of work. If you are fast enough, you will gain a bonus.” Jung Lee waved his hand and alchemy tables appeared from his arm as the street was quickly covered in equipment.
The potion makers quickly broke into three groups as Jung Lee then removed ingredients listed on the different potion formula sheets.
“See that they have all they require.” Jung Lee handed three hundred gold to the guard captain who had brought them to him.
The man nodded solemnly.
“I will be with Jekoni, looking over the infected,” Jung Lee said.
“Yes sir.” The guard bowed his head slightly.
Jung Lee seemed to float into the air, moving in a flash toward where Jekoni was.
He sent messages from his interface to the Stone Raiders’ leadership and Dave. Now that he had created the three potions, they could be spread to Norkurn Mountain and a counterattack could be made against the Elsoom spores, so that they could be stopped.
Chapter 5: Chemical Warfare
Dave was once again back in his smithy. Already the different groups within Terra were armoring themselves up, readying to deal with the Elsoom spores.
Dave stood over a grand working, his hands moving across the soul gem surface. Within, someone might be able to see a thick purple liquid that had been so compacted it looked to be a crystal. Multiple seals were layered within the grand working. Dave let out a breath and held out the shell to the waiting dwarven shield bearer.
With a grunt, he took the grand working, depositing it into their bag of holding before he rushed off toward the teleport pad connected to Norkurn Mountain.
With Jung Lee’s potions, the dwarves had gone into overdrive. All across Emerilia, potions were flooding into Terra and then Norkurn. They’d covered the entire city within the mountain in the purple potion that killed spores on contact. People were all being checked out for infection; the cure was passed around to those who showed any signs of infection.
The Terra smithy was filled with all manner of people who knew how to make grand workings, combining the soul gem container with the suppressing potion and powering the whole thing from Terra’s power grid.
Dave wiped sweat from his face; seeing that there was no more potion to work with, he turned to his furnace and the bow within. He took a Stamina potion, swigging it back as he moved with a determined face to the furnace.
He took a few moments, looking at the faintly wavy design of the bow, restoring himself slightly. He stepped forward into the heat of the furnace.
Waves of heat rolled over him as he put his hands into the furnace, touching the bow with both of his hands. The metal and materials within started to move at a speed barely visible to the human eye.
In his time within the Weapons of Power vault, Dave had gained some inspiration and ideas.
In his hands, a black-bodied bow grew. Across the front of the bow were Mithril guards. They looked like flames spreading out from the grip where one would place their hand and notch an arrow.
These Mithril coverings lay over black ebony, metal that had been specially treated and engraved to make it elastic instead of brittle. It was not a standard bow but was made with the pulleys of a compound bow.
The pull weight on the bow was stronger than most Level 300s could apply. Runes glowed with a red light along the ebony body and the Mithril flames. As the runes finished, the bow seemed to cool, unaffected by the flames anymore.
Dave pulled the weapon from the furnace. Sweat soaked his clothes and his face as he took the bow to another table. He strung the compound bow, fusing the high-tensile metal and organic thread string.
He took a deep breath and cut his thumb open as he closed his eyes. He created a seal on the weapon with his blood. People looked over to Dave; they felt the deep rush of power as Dave poured out his Willpower into the weapon, changing it into a Weapon of Power.
The air around Dave vibrated as the seal across the weapon seemed to turn into flames, descending upon the weapon. The seal on the bow seemed to be absorbed into the weapon. A red aura covered the weapon before disappearing. The runes became more powerful and tyrannical, no longer lit with a red glow but rather looking as though they were made from dancing flames.
Dave panted, his legs shaky as he fought to stay on his feet.
A screen appeared in front of him.
Quest Completed: Dwarven Master Smith Level 8
You must cr
aft 3 Weapons of Power, 20 weapons of SS quality, or 150 of S Quality with your Smithing Art (Currently 3/3, 0/20, 0/200)
Rewards: Unlock Level 9 quest
+10 to all stats (stacks with previous class stat increase)
800,000 Experience
Class: Dwarven Master Smith
Status:
Level 8
Effects:
Allowed access to all Dwarven Mountains and smithies.
Allowed to take on smithing apprentices.
+80 to all stats
Access to special quests.
Quest: Dwarven Master Smith Level 9
You must craft 4 Weapons of Power, 30 weapons of SS quality, or 250 of S Quality with your Smithing Art (Currently 3/4, 0/30, 0/250)
Rewards:
Unlock Level 10 Quest
Stat Increase
Active Skill: Soul Manipulation
Level: Master Level 5
Effect: Tools you make to manipulate souls and their energy is 95% stronger. Able to use soul energy to fuel spells. 30% increase to soul energies reserves (can only be used for spells; does not act as extra Willpower points).
Cost: Dependent on creation.
Active Skill: Soul Smith
Level: Expert Level 9
Effect: 81% less soul energy necessary for crafting with soul smith.
Cost: Dependent on creation.
Active Skill: Builder
Level: Master Level 8
Effect: Speed and efficiency is doubled. Creations material cost is reduced by 40%.
Required: Tools
He looked at the weapon in his hand, holding it by the grip. There was a small wheel on the side of the weapon. With a flick of his thumb, the wheel rotated; different runes lit up as the different runes came into place.
“Dave, you best go get ready. The Stone Raiders are moving out in thirty minutes.” Kol passed Dave a Stamina potion.
Dave drank the potion greedily. “Thanks,” Dave said, his voice hoarse from all the energy he’d expended.
Kol nodded as Dave made to head to the roof, the bow disappearing into his bag of holding.
***
Party Zero were all gathered in the lobby on their floor of apartments. Dave joined them, looking tired as he stuffed a sandwich into his face and his hair still wet from the shower he’d just had.
Deia smiled to Dave in relief.
He opened his bag of holding and pulled out a bow.
Everyone took a sharp intake of breath as the weapon was revealed. Power seemed to roll off the compound bow.
As she took the bow, she felt her Fire Mana revolve faster and faster, seeping into the bow. The air around the bow shivered with the Mana flowing into it.
A screen flashed in front of her face.
Firecracker’s Bow
Using multiple different techniques, spells, and runes, this bow was formed from metal. Within this Weapon of Power, one’s Fire abilities are focused and greatly increased.
Quality: Weapon of Power
Abilities:
Fire Affinity spells are 15% stronger
Fire Affinity spells cost 10% less
Every arrow is imbued with Fire Affinity, increasing their attack potential by 5-20% depending on quality of the arrow
Grows in power through use
Soul Bound
Preset Fire Affinity spells to be cast with arrows. (Fiery Rain, Piercing Heavens, Fire Lance, Plasma Arrow)
Charge: 456,000/456,000
Durability: 937/937
Her eyes filled with complicated emotions.
“And you won’t be using it today,” Dave said, his voice firm.
She looked to him, finding cold eyes as she straightened her back for a fight.
“There is some kind of damn spore out there that can turn people into zombies and kill them. I’m not going to have you expose yourself to it just because you think you have a duty to come with us everywhere,” Dave said.
Deia looked to the others. They didn’t look as if they wanted to get involved but they were backing up Dave.
“Dave—” she started, her voice hot.
“Deia, if you go out there, we’re going to be so scared for you that it’ll distract us,” Anna said in a firm voice.
Deia wanted to argue and rave. Just because she was pregnant, she wasn’t useless.
“If it was just a physical enemy then we wouldn’t be as scared for you. Here, with these spores...” Gurren, in his Devastator armor, shook his head.
Even Steve looked serious.
The hot anger building in Deia’s stomach disappeared as she sighed. In one hand, she held Dave’s bow to her; the other she rested on her large stomach. I have to live for the both of us.
She looked to the others and their expressions. They didn’t want to argue with her, but they were going to see her and her baby safe.
“I’ll stay within Norkun,” Deia said.
Relief showed on everyone’s faces as they looked to Dave.
“I still don’t like it and I’m going to have shield bearers assigned to drag you back to Terra if something happens,” Dave said.
Even with his firm gaze, Deia could sense the fear in his voice and manner.
“I’ll stay to the rear. They’re already a week late,” Deia said, scolding her belly and the one inside.
Everyone seemed to take a relieved breath at Deia’s words.
Even in the last stages of her pregnancy, she wouldn’t let it hold her back much, still staying close to the front. Here she would truly be in the rear in Norkurn Mountain.
She gripped the bow tightly and checked her leather armor. With the baby, she’d had to take off her Abscondita chest plate, reducing its strength. Still, she had the sword Dave had made her on her hip, as well as different potions on her belt.
She pulled her old bow from her shoulder, pulling off the quiver of holding from the grip. She put the bow away and attached the quiver to her new bow. She pulled on the string and her eyebrows rose. The pull on the bow was impressive and even with the Mithril and ebony construction, she could sense the flexibility in the altered ebony.
“Well, let’s go kill some damn spores,” Lox said.
Party Zero jumped into one of the descending lifts. All of the Stone Raiders were flowing down out of their homes, training areas, and wherever they found themselves, gathering in the massive cleared area around the Stone Raiders’ towers.
There were a number of other people there, from the elven Fire mages of Asha-moor to the potion swigging forces of the Egas Nation. There were few fighters; most of those roles were taken up by the Stone Raiders and other player-ran guilds: they could come back—POE’s couldn’t. The Fire mages and potion drinkers could stave off the spores as well as counteract the Elsoom spores directly.
Josh and the different leaders spread out to their different groups. Once everyone was ready, Josh stood in front of them all. “Let’s raid!”
Cheers rose from the players as the POEs grunted in agreement.
Today they would beat the first true group from the event Of Myths and Legends to spawn into Emerilia—or die trying.
Chapter 6: Eradication
“Load tubes one through fifty-three!” an artillery commander yelled out within Norkurn Mountain. There were many layers to dwarven mountains, the exterior of which was the natural mountain; the armored walls were strengthened and compacted stone as well as metal in critical areas. Then there were the defensive runes. Floors and floors where dwarves could stand to repel attacks from the sky and ground. Then there were chambers that passed through these. In these areas, massive gears started to churn.
Grand workings with purple-looking crystals were loaded into massive chambers. Metal plates were locked and sealed behind them.
“Loaded!” gun commanders yelled back.
“Engage Fire runes!” the artillery commander said to his assistant. Runes started to glow, heating the air until it shimmered.
These were meant to kill any s
pores that tried to enter the mountain.
“Open covers!”
Massive gears shifted as the mountainside seemed to shake at three dozen different locations. Dirt, rocks, and pebbles fell down as holes appeared on the Norkurn mountainside. These holes had not been seen in centuries. To many, these holes represented disaster.
“Run the guns!” The commander’s voice was followed by huge gears moving the massive artillery assemblies out of the inner areas of the mountain.
From the outside, these rune-covered artillery cannons looked like some great sea beast rising from the depths, and each gun shone with cold light.
The moving gears finally came to a stop. Locking noises reverberated through the mountain as each gun settled into a firing location.
“Check elevation and traverse onto target!”
The cannons shook once again as wheels were turned. Magical Circuits and gears turned these small wheels, changing into massive movements that were capable of shifting the enormous guns. No other race would have been able to create these weapons and the incorporated systems other than the dwarves. Not even the Aleph had the industrial background to make these massive weapons.
“Gun one on target!”
“Gun seventeen on target!” Guns were called out as on target until silence descended.
“One suppression round followed by rain round! Confirm!” the artillery commander called out. His words were repeated back to him without fail.
“Ready guns!” The commander waited for a moment before he took a deep breath. “Fire at will!”
Runes along the lengths of fifty-three guns glowed from their base to the tip of their barrel. As soon as they did, the guns recoiled as the grand working rounds contained within were spat out into the sky.
The entire mountain shook with the shock waves of the passage of the grand working rounds. The mountain was covered in dust from rocks and loose material being thrown violently into the air.
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