Chapter 13
Vaettr grew like a weed over the following months, and Xane found himself forced to visit Stonevale more than he had originally planned. With his increased visits came something unexpected for him. He found another friend in the girl, Charlotte.
The little girl loved Vaettr and would dote on the growing hell cat whenever she could. Curiously Xane found himself able to relax around the little girl, often becoming a child himself when she convinced him to play games with her.
Xane found Charlotte was very smart for her age and could talk his ear off. For his part, he would just listen to her, often communicating with her through facial expressions and the occasional verbal answer. It was during one of their many one-sided conversations, he found out she wanted to be an adventurer and delve the labyrinth. Soon after, their childish games of hide and seek turned to them sparring with sticks.
That wasn’t to say Xane spent all his time in Stonevale. He still roamed the woods far outside the range of the captain’s scouts. Especially after Vaettr went through an explosive growth spurt and grew to the size of a small horse. With some trial and error along with Charlotte’s father’s help, Vaettr had transitioned into a mount.
At first Vaettr would send him feelings of irritation when Xane would fit the saddle on her back. But with plenty of coaxing along with plenty of meaty treats, she became used to the mass of leather and straps the saddled added. That wasn’t to say Clive provided the saddle for free. Xane had to pay the man ten gold coins for his work. Fortunately Xane had more than enough coins thanks to his foraging in the forest for herbs the apothecary normally couldn’t get.
It was during one of his extended excursions at the behest of Captain Alder when Xane came across a small cave in the western woods. Night was falling and Stonevale was hours away, even when taking Vaettr’s speed into account. A chill wind blew through the trees, causing him to pull his cloak tightly around himself in an effort to ward off the wintry chill.
Sliding off the saddle, Xane looked around the area before he started to make camp for the night. Using his earth spells, he quickly raised a series of low walls around the small cave before starting a fire. He wasn’t worried about the cave being occupied, from the way Vaettr had sniffed the opening, then dismissed it.
With the fire started Vaettr settled against one wall as Wraith roosted in the large cat’s fur. Setting his sight on the cave opening, he crawled inside, finding he could barely fit. Having nothing better to do and his pets having settled themselves in for the night, Xane started working. A smile grew on his lips as the earth and stone started shifting and the space expanded from his magic.
Xane had just returned from taking a break from his digging to stoke the fire and eat a late dinner when he found it. After coming back in, he had pulled his lamp from his inventory and lit it to see the space he had dug out. Lamp light glittered off something still buried in the back wall of the expanded chamber. With his pick, he dug around the spot that glimmered, and after fifteen minutes of work, he was holding his prize. In his hand was a crystal like piece of silvery blue metal that was rather light for its size.
Mithril Ore
This rare ore is created by certain minerals being saturated with pure mana over an unknown amount of time. While light, this material is highly resistant to damage and boasts an unnaturally high durability. It is for this reason that it is a highly sought after resource amongst crafters and kingdoms.
All thoughts of sleep were forgotten after reading the description his identify skill provided and dug further. It wasn’t until the sun had risen high enough in the sky to shine a light into the cave that he came to a stop. He had expected to find a chunk, maybe two, if he was lucky, but what he found left him wondering how his luck stat actually worked.
It had taken nearly a whole night of digging and casting spells before he finally broke through the last of the stone wall. During his digging, he had found more and more of the crystals that only spurred him on. Now as he packed away the last of the loose crystals in his bag, his eyes kept moving to the more impressive of the finds. The cavernous room glittered brightly from the light of his small lamp. The cave was massive, with large clusters of the silvery blue crystals jutting from almost every surface. The sight of it reminded him of the giant geodes that could be found in most museums on Earth, just on a much grander scale.
Slipping the strap of his satchel over his shoulder, Xane sent his lamp into his inventory before leaving the cave. Stepping outside, he found his fire had died away and was nothing more than a bed of smoldering coals that was quickly being buried in falling snow. Lowing a section of the wall, he slipped into Vaettr’s saddle and turned towards town. By the time the sun was nearing its noon time apex, they were breaking out of the tree line. Vaettr turned towards the gate while Wraith flew overhead.
Vaettr’s rolling stride slowed from a run to a slow trot as they passed through the town gate. A moment later Charlotte came running up to bury her face in the hell cat’s dark fur as she gave the feline a fierce hug. The moment Xane’s feet touched the ground, Charlie had released the cat and threw herself onto Xane embracing him as well. He accepted his friend''s hug and gave her one in return.
“We were worried about you, Xane. We thought you may have gotten lost in the snow.” Charlie said as she fixed him with a teary smile. In return, he gave her a reassuring smile and ruffled her hair.
“Xane, how did the expedition go?” Delores asked as she came walking up to them, letting her spear relax against her shoulder. Xane’s smile grew wide before he fished out a small crystal the size of his thumb and tossed it to the woman. A moment later, his smile fell as the woman’s eyes widened and her face grew pale.
Delores hurriedly pushed the shard back into his hands before ushering him inside Marcus’ office. The whole time muttering something about having to inform the captain.
Once more, Xane found himself sitting on the stool in the corner of the room while the quarter master just watched with his stony gaze. “What the hell? Delores went from happy to upset in the blink of an eye.” He started thinking as Wraith gobbled down the piece of smoked meat he had received. Before he could get too lost in thought, the door opened, with Delores and the captain following shortly behind.
“Sergeant Cartwright tells me you found something.” Captain Alder said, coming to a stop a short distance from where he sat. Marcus just snorted and shook his head as he started to stand. Xane just shrugged and pulled the piece of mithril from his pocket and handed it over to the captain.
Alder’s eyebrow rose as he inspected the small piece of mithril for a moment before he turned his eyes back on Xane. “Was this all you found?” he asked.
Xane shook his head and opened his bag and began to upend it.
“There’s more?” the Captain asked, but was answered by the thunks and eventual clinking of the crystals piling up on the floor. Xane guessed he had emptied out about a hundred pounds of the stuff before he stopped and checked his bag. While a hundred pounds of the material was a large amount, it was nothing compared to the two-hundred cubic feet his bag could hold. After a brief glance, he figured he had another five hundred pounds of the stuff still stored away, along with the other items he kept inside the bag. While he did keep the majority of his items and gear inside his inventory, Xane maintained a small collection of items in his bag, so no one would suspect he had the skill.
“Xane, where did you… where did you find all this?” the captain asked as Delores and Marcus were still stunned by the pile of glittering crystals. Xane reached back inside his bag and removed a rolled-up parchment while hopping down from the stool. Spreading the parchment out on the floor, he quickly pointed out the location of the cave. His finger was in a spot that was mostly blank, as it was the area he was sent to explore.
Pulling a piece of charcoal from his bag, Xane quickly traced out a copy of what his system map displayed. Marking the location of the small cave on the newly filled map a few minutes later. He stepped back for the three “adults” to inspect. The three of them fell into a hushed conversation while Xane just shrugged and started packing the crystals back into his bag.
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His hand was reaching for the last of the shards when the captain placed a hand on his shoulder. “Xane.” The man started, then took a deep breath as he fixed him with a serious look. “Is there more mithril where you found this?” He asked, pointing at the remaining shard. Xane just gave him a slow nod, as if he was saying there was a lot more.
Acting on the captain’s advice, Xane had purchased any supplies he needed before he left town and holed up inside his cave. The reason was so scouts could be sent out and investigate his find before any decisions were made. Xane had no issues accepting the request from the man he had grown to respect. It was four days later when Wraith arrived with a message.
Originally the captain had planned to send someone to his home when a decision was reached, but Delores had come up with the idea of having his raven deliver the message instead. When Vaettr stepped out of the forest and trotted up to the gate, Xane was caught by surprise. Waiting for him was not only Charlotte, her parents and Delores, but the captain and the mayor were there as well.
Minutes later, he found himself inside the mayor’s home with everyone’s eyes on him. The first to speak was Mayor Unger. “Xane, I’m sure you are wondering why I have brought you here.” The mayor said, to which Xane nodded as he looked around nervously.
“It’s about the vein of mithril you discovered days ago. While it will be a great boon to Stonevale, it will bring complications for you.” The mayor said. Xane only raised a brow in question. “The problem stems from the fact that you discovered the ore vein, but you have no family to back you.” The mayor started. Xane’s questioning look became one that showed he didn’t like where this talk was going.
“Xane… we understand that you… don’t have a family. Not to mention you exhibit abilities well beyond what one of your age should be able to use. As it stands now, we fear that someone with nefarious purposes may try to use you.” The mayor continued, causing Xane to scowl.
“What Mayor Unger is trying to say, Xane. Is that we believe it would be best if you let yourself be adopted by one of us.” Captain Alder said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. Xane’s scowl changed back to a questioning look as his green eyes swept those gathered.
“Why? Town can have mine.” Xane said with a shrug. He didn’t want the mine, as he had more than enough of the crystals in his bag, not to mention the larger ones he had squirreled away in his inventory.
“While that will benefit the town immensely, you are still listed as the one who discovered the mine and will be entitled to a percentage of the earnings. And with you not having a family, any noble could try to snatch you up and use you for their own means.”
“So to prevent that, Xane, all of us here wish to adopt you.” Sarah said as her hands rested on her daughter’s shoulders. Beside her, her husband Clive gave his wife a sideways hug while giving Xane a small grin. After a moment of thought, he made his choice and with a raised of his hand, informed the others.
“Me?” Delores said, clearly shocked when his small finger pointed her way. Charlotte looked disappointed for a moment until her mother whispered something in her ear. Seconds later, the girl’s smile was back and larger than before.
“Well, Sergeant Cartwright, it looks like you are now a mother.” Captain Alder said with a chuckle. Xane fixed the man with a scowl and a shake of his head.
“Not mother. Sister.” He said simply, getting a round of laughs and a look of relief from the shocked woman. A few moments passed before the mayor rose a hand and quieted the laughter. Once everyone was silent, he spoke again.
“Now then, it will take some time for us to get word to the capital, especially with winter’s arrival. I suspect it will be spring before we hear back. I propose that in the meantime, we start clearing a way to the site and begin mining operations.” After a nod of assents from the adults and shrug from Xane. He continued. “As for you, Xane… I’m not going to force you to live inside of town, but I will request that you do spend more nights within its walls.” The man said with a small smile. Xane frowned a little, then shrugged as he gave Delores a sideways glance. Apparently Mayor Unger had silently dismissed everyone as they filed past him, giving him pleasant smiles or pats on his shoulder. Just over a minute later, the two of them were standing outside the mayor’s home when she turned to him and asked.
“Why me?”
Xane looked up at her from the corner of his eye, giving her a small grin. “You… know… secret.” He said slowly, having to find his voice after not really speaking for almost a year.
Delores raised a brow. “You mean you trust me?” she asked with a smirk. Xane just shrugged before holding up his thumb and forefinger with a small gap between them. Delores gave him another questioning look before she let out a laugh.
“A little, huh? Well, it’s a start.” She said as she moved past, stopping when she got a few feet away. Turning back, she motioned to him. “Well, come on, let me show you your new home.”
Xane looked down at her from the top of the stairs, with his arms crossed over his chest. Taking in a deep breath, he let his arms drop to his sides as he exhaled and moved to her side. Looking up at the woman who held her hand out to him, he rolled his eyes. Before she could drop her hand, he reached out and took it. A small smile grew on the woman’s lips as she led the way.
“I know it’s not much, but at least it’s home.” Delores said as she shouldered open the door. Vaettr stuck her head in after the woman before letting out a chuff and bounding off the porch. Xane gave Wraith a side eyed glance as the bird perched on his shoulder before following the woman inside.
“Sorry, it’s been a while since I had company.” She said, as she moved to block his view from a pair of women’s underwear laying on a nearby chair. All round the small two-room hut, clothes sat discarded as if the owner didn’t care. Out the corner of his eye he saw her snatch up the undergarments and stuff them under her armor and away from view.
“Small.” he said, giving her a glance.
“Well, it’s better than living in a dank cave.” She snapped back defensively. Xane crossed his arms as he fixed her with a look that said. “Oh, really.”
“Xane, I don’t know about this.” She said as she got herself situated behind him. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled as if saying, “Too late.” Right before Vaettr lurched forward in a run. Delores’ screams mixed with his laughter as they shot out the gate and disappeared into the trees. Her screams fell away minutes later as she hugged him tightly while the hell cat raced through the trees.
Even loaded down, the six-legged cat still managed to beat his best time back to the cave by ten minutes. Vaettr preen as he pretended to grumble while giving the large beast a few loving scratches behind her ears. Delores slid from Vaettr’s back before clutching the ground like a man lost at sea. Wraith landed on an outcropping of stone as he gave out a laughing call.
Turning to the rock wall, Xane channeled his spell, causing a portion to slide away. Pulling the lamp from his bag, he let Vaettr enter first before motioning for the woman to follow. Giving him a dubious look that quickly changed to awe after seeing his home for the first time.
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Delores got a bad feeling from the look that Xane gave her when she brought up his cave. Motioning for her to follow, he walked back outside and called his hell cat over. Next, he hopped into the saddle on the huge cat’s back, then turned to her with an outstretched hand. Tentatively she reached out and found herself surprised by the strength he had. The next moment, she found herself sitting behind him atop the feline beast. Next, Xane let out a click of his tongue and his hell cat shot off faster than any animal she had ridden before.
Delores found herself screaming as they shot out the gate, crossed the clearing and entered the woods. The trees and bushes passed them in a blur and Vaettr kept running as the huge feline avoided anything in its path. Her screams came to a stop as her throat became sore. Left with no choice, she closed her eyes tightly as she wrapped Xane in a tight hug filled with fear.
Before she knew it, the terrifying ride was over and she practically leaped from the saddle and clutched at the ground, swearing she would never leave it again. Behind her, she heard Xane chuckling at her actions. But she didn’t care, she was safe, and that was all that mattered. When she was able to stand, she turned to find Xane standing before the rock face as his hand glowed with a golden light.
Her confusion left her a moment later as a chunk of the rock pulled back into itself and slid to the side. The large cat chuffed happily before bounding inside the opening as Xane’s raven flew past to follow the cat inside. Xane suddenly had a lantern in his grasp that wasn’t there before. When he lifted the cover, it revealed a magical flame that he turned to the darkness that now split the face of the rock wall. With a quick gesture for her to follow, he stepped inside.
Following him, she assumed it was a simple cave. But Delores found her jaw was hanging open when her eyes took in his home. Just inside the doorway she found moderate sized room with doorways set in the other walls. Off to one side sat a pair of roughly made wooden tables filled with items used in crafting potions and arrows. Another table held a single chair with a tin plate sitting on its surface that his bird had picked up in its beak, like a dog begging to have its food dish filled. Xane pulled a handful of fresh meat scraps that he dropped into the plate after the bird had set it back down on the top. The more he showed her of his cave, the more conscious she became of how lacking her own home was.
The final straw was when she followed him into a large room with pillars and shelves littered throughout. A moment later Vaettr slunk past her and started jumping from pillar to pillar before lounging on a large shelf of rock and started licking herself clean.
Delores’ mind stalled as her knees buckled and she fell onto her ass, unable to process what she had seen. Compared to her small home, Xane lived in something akin to a low ranking noble. He even had a stone bath that he filled from a source of water that came out of the wall using a series of channels. As her mind finally cleared the shock, she blinked as she looked at him and asked. “How?”
Xane just grinned widely as he lifted a hand that glowed with golden light. “Magic.”