《I love this world (Complete)》 Chapter 1.00 - Prologue *Thud!* As he opened his eyes, dazed, he looked around to see unfamiliar surroundings. It was dark, damp and cold, as he could feel the constant dripping on his head. ¡°A cave,¡± he thought. He got up on his 2 feet, glad that he could still stand after what seemed to be an imminent death coupled with crushing bones and flesh smashed against the ground. Pacing around his immediate vicinity within the dark cave he started thinking out loud to himself,¡± How the hell did I end up here? Last I know I jumped out of an airplane for a session of skydiving on my birthday.¡± He started hyperventilating, recalling in vivid detail what had seemed to have happened just moment ago, almost like it had all been one lucid dream. He recalls his friends inviting him for his 21st birthday to go skydiving. He remembers having taken the pre-flight medical check-up, signing an insurance claim form and boarding the plane. The climb up into the air, the leap from the plane¡¯s side door as well as the amazing view he experienced during freefall. And then he remembered ¨C the parachute did not open. Panicking, he stumbled and yanked his cord countless times trying to release the chute but to no avail. He remembers shutting his eyes as tightly as he can, bracing for impact and secretly glad that his last view on earth was such an amazing one. Thankful for the great friends he had supporting him, regret that he had failed to complete his research. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Now here he was, inside a cave who knows where, completely stark naked. He closed his eyes and felt for his surroundings, feeling the cold cavern floor and rocks digging into the soles of his feet. The bone chilling breeze that was ever present inside the cave. He felt his hair dripping wet from the leak in the cavern roof, and heard the distant roar of falling water. ¡°Well, nothing to do but to look around.¡± He said out loud to himself, trying to overcome the sense of loneliness and fear of the unknown. ¡°At least I¡¯m not dead and there¡¯s water to drink, so I think I¡¯ll survive, even if it¡¯s a little longer.¡± Adaptability has always been one of his strong suit. His name, is Kiefer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello dear RRL readers, this is my first time writing a fan fiction. I¡¯m pretty confident in my grammar and spelling, but if you do spot any mistakes please point them out. I work full-time, so I have very little time to write, as such the chapters will be short, but I will make a serious effort to upload at least one per day. Hope you enjoy and in future cases of writer¡¯s block, I will do a poll for ideas and I really appreciate your help in the future. Also, I will try to avoid cliff-hangers the best I can. Thanks for reading. Chapter 1.01 - The rabbit and the moon Kiefer slowly trudged his way through the cave, following the sound of the waterfall. The cave was dark to the extent that he could barely see around him, so he placed his hands along the cavern wall and made his way. It took him a good hour of slow walking and tracing to reach a wall of water blocking what he assumed was the entrance of the cave. Water had started to rise up along the way and at the exit, he was knee deep in the water. Being careful not to slip on the moss covered rocks below his feet, he cautiously approached the torrent of water falling from above him. And that¡¯s when he noticed a small gap on his left side between the rock face and the waterfall, along with a chilling breeze that kept blowing sprays of water into his face. The entrance itself was very wide, around 3 metres high and easily 5 metres wide. The waterfall had concealed the entrance really well, if not for the eroded rock face that left a gap barely big enough for Kiefer to squeeze out. His whole body soaking wet now, he stood next to the waterfall, taking in the surreal sight that greeted him. A large lake that the waterfall fed into, lead into a river some 50 metres away. The bank was a stone throw¡¯s distance away from where he was standing and the water seemed deep enough to swim in. There was a dense forest roughly 20 metres away from the lake on all sides and he could hear all sorts of creatures within the forest. However, all these had an insignificant impact on him, compared to the 2 celestial bodies floating in the starless night sky. ¡°Well there¡¯s a surprise.. 2 moons. That definitely means I¡¯m not on Earth anymore. If that¡¯s the case, back to my first question. How the hell did I end up here? And where the hell is ¡®here¡¯?¡± Kiefer started wondering as he stared long and hard into the 2 moons. One was a pale cream colour, full and round, while the other was smaller, maybe half the size and it was a azure blue crescent. Scanning across the bank closest to him, Kiefer spotted a small animal lowering its head to take a sip of water, only to look up and stare right into his eyes. ¡°Rabbit? No not quite right either¡­¡± Kiefer wondered for a while, staring at the cute grey animal. It had what seemed to be a soft coat of grey mangled fur, two long ears, a long swishing tail not unlike a cat¡¯s, and most prominently, 3 red eyes. ¡°Grrrr..¡± his stomach rumbled. As if in response to his stomach rumbling, the creature darted straight back towards the forest, as if it was afraid of becoming Kiefer¡¯s next meal. From the bushes, Kiefer could still spot the gleam of 3 red ruby eyes staring back at him. ¡°Gotta get out of the water. Avoid hypothermia. Why do I have to be naked, and in the middle of the night when it¡¯s so cold too?¡± Kiefer cursed internally as he dived into the water and headed towards the bank. Completely unbeknownst to Kiefer, because of the lack of mana in his body, as well as the disturbance in the water due to his swimming being masked by the waterfall, his presence went unnoticed to the beast living at the bottom of the lake. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. He got out of the lake and shook as much water off his body as he could like an ugly hairless dog and proceeded to think about his next steps. ¡°I¡¯m sure the cave is a lot safer than being out here, but at least there isn¡¯t any wind out here, so I will most likely not die from cold if I could build a shelter. Next step is a shelter I guess, followed by food. But I¡¯ll do those when there¡¯s light. Don¡¯t wanna attract attention by starting a fire.¡± Not knowing how long the night is going to last, Kiefer proceeded to dig out a hole in the ground just big and deep enough for him to lie down without exposing any body part above ground level. The hole was dug a fair distance from the lake to avoid potential flooding. Kiefer started working on making a makeshift bed, lining the hole with large human-sized leaves that he broke off a nearby tree in the forest. He then drank some water and lied down inside his temporary bed and shut his eyes. *thd*¡­ *Shhssss*.. *thud* ¡­ Shhssss* *THTUD* ¡­. *SHHHHHKKKKKKKKSSSSSSS* ¡°AAAARRGGGHH!! What the Eff is happening to me!!???!¡± Kiefer yelled, in a complete foetal position inside the hole. He had felt his body getting warmer soon after he tried to sleep, but that did not alarm him as it only felt comfortable at the beginning. He could feel a sense of throbbing inside him that he assumed was his heartbeat. As time went on, the heat became more intense and the throbbing stronger, accompanied by a suction sound. With each throb, Kiefer felt his body set on fire. After each throb, he could feel the cold wind piercing his entire body like billions of ice cold needles striking and digging into his skin. Hot and cold, this cycle repeated for what seemed like an eternity of pain until Kiefer passed out from the pain inside his little makeshift bed. Even then, the cycle continued, modifying his body. Kiefer had come from a world without mana, into one where mana was infused into every living and non-living thing. His body completely void of mana was like a dry sponge just thrown into a tub of water, soaking up as much as it could take. The mana induction process was initiated by drinking water saturated with mana from the beast. While non-living things such as rocks and water and air did not retain mana well, the sheer power of the beast within the lake had saturated the water to the point where it had become almost toxic. It had not occurred to Kiefer that the world he was in had mana; much less the fact that he would get mana poisoning from drinking water which he assumed was safe from watching the rabbit. And so he lay there, unconscious in his hole in the ground while his body adapted to the incoming surge of mana from his surroundings. ------------------------------- I got a little over zealous and proceeded with chapter 1 without sleeping.. guess im gonna be groggy at work tmr. :) Chapter 1.02 – Reasoning and Experimenting (1/2) [YOUNG MAN, RESPOND] [TALK TO ME YOUNG MAN] ¡°Wha.. who? Who¡¯s that?¡± (Kiefer) [DO YOU NOT RECOGNISE THE ONE WHO GAVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE?] ¡°You are the one who sent me to this unknown world? You saved me from my fall?¡± Kiefer asked in his head, his consciousness floating in a black void. [WELL¡­ YES¡­ AND NO.. IT WAS I WHO SENT YOU TO THIS WORLD. BUT I DID NOT SAVE YOU. ON THE CONTRARY, I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE SURE YOUR PARACHUTE FAILED.] ¡°So there must something you want me to do here if you had to go through the trouble of killing me and then sending me here. That¡¯s the only reasonable and essentially logical explanation¡± (Kiefer) [AGAIN, YES AND NO. YES THERE IS SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO DO IN THIS WORLD. NO IT WASN¡¯T ANY TROUBLE DOING A TRIPLE DEADKNOT ON YOUR PARACHUTE OPENING LATCH. AND NO, WHAT YOU SAID IS NOT THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION] ¡°Oh for fucks sake, will you just get to the point already? All this ambiguity in your speech is really getting on my nerves. You may think you sound mysterious with your loud booming voice and unclear explanations, but it¡¯s just pissing me off..¡± (Kiefer) [WATCH YOUR TONE YOUNG MAN. I COULD HAVE EASILY KILLED YOU AND--] ¡°Yes well you did¡± Kiefer cut him off, feeling annoyed. ¡°You just admitted you killed me to send me here and there was a reason behind it. You must obviously want me to do something here that you cannot personally do, and hence the need for a middleman ¨C me. I am necessary for whatever plans you may have and going by this logic, considering that I have already died once and wasted my life¡¯s work on earth, I hold the cards in this hand, not you. So will you hurry the fuck up and tell me the reason behind your actions so I can get this over with..¡± (Kiefer) [¡­.] [¡­.] [Fine you win young man.. Geez that¡¯s the first time anyone¡¯s taken that attitude with me. So firstly, I am known as the Balancer. As my name suggests, I keep the balance of the multiverse in check. Now the main reason I killed you and moved you here is because of your research in particle and astro-physics back on earth. The human race is vile and greedy and they were doomed to destroy their planet. However your research, if completed, would have led to the technology that helps humans colonise distant solar systems, terraform planets and continue to spread their vile hands throughout the galaxy. To stop that and make sure human kind wipes itself out, I had to kill you.] ¡°Ok, I thank you for not ¡®BOOMING¡¯ your way through that little speech of yours, but would have preferred if you started with an apology for killing me instead. It¡¯s just basic manners you know. But why not just kill me only. Why bother sending me here, and completely nude too?¡± (Kiefer) [I needed your research and analytical skills to help develop this world in the field of science and in the study of magic as well. The humans that grew on the world had poor affinity with mana and the moment anyone with sufficiently high affinity appears, they seem to send that person off to war and the magus ends up losing his life, never getting the chance to pass down his knowledge or genes. As an apology for my selfish actions, I have tweaked a little with your brain¡¯s neural chemical overlays so that language is no longer a problem. You should be able to understand and speak most of the common languages used by the humans and humanoid species in this world. And also, your body should have stopped hurting from the mana induction by now. Lastly, as a friendly tip, DO NOT attempt to go inside the lake anymore. You do not want to disturb Shearwood. She is a nasty piece of work.] Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The moment the voice ended, the pitch black void that Kiefer¡¯s consciousness was in immediately flashed bright white. Kiefer opened his eyes, only to shut them again instantly as the midday sun fell on his face. He felt fine after the night of agony and could find nothing wrong with his body. ¡°That bastard did mention something about mana and magic, but I have no idea how to use them..¡± as Kiefer pondered, the same voice boomed in his head again. [JUST SO YOU KNOW, I CAN STILL HEAR YOU, SO MIND YOUR LANGUAGE!] ¡°Right right. Let me rephrase, that asshole of a dickhead also mentioned doing something to my brain? And if I recall something about not disturbing Shearwood in the lake? But I swam through the lake last night and nothing happened.. Maybe that fuckface was just messing with me like he messed with my head.¡± (Kiefer) [¡­ ¡­ ¡­] ¡°the ¡®Balancer¡¯ guy did mention that my body was undergoing mana induction, whatever that may mean, so maybe the reason for the agonising pains last night was from my body being exposed to mana?¡± Kiefer thought to himself silently. ¡°If so, it must have been the water in the lake because the water from the waterfall and the cave didn¡¯t seem to have an effect on me. So how do I get water from a safe source to drink?¡± (Kiefer) Kiefer decided that there¡¯s no point in thinking about things beyond his control and just decided to get going with his plan. He needed shelter and food, and also a safe source of water to drink. No way was he going to risk going through the pain again drinking from the lake. He spent a good 6 to 7 hours foraging the nearby forest for sturdy branches and more of the large leafed trees he used the night before. After another hour or so, he has set up a fairly decent albeit a little small shelter to keep him from the sun and possibly rain. Tired, hungry and thirsty, he sat down in his shelter to take a break, thinking about various things. For now, he started hollowing out a thick wooden branch around 15cm in diameter out with a piece of sharp rock he picked up from the bank. It was going to serve as a cup/ bottle of sorts. Having taken a break, Kiefer began making his way up the side of the waterfall, using vines and branches as support to pull him up. He needed to collect water before it reached the lake in order to drink and quench his ever present thirst. The sun was unrelenting and the day didn¡¯t seem to be ending anytime soon, considering the sun has only moved a quarter of its way across the sky from the moment he woke. Once at the top, he took a sip of water and sat down, waiting for the pain to come. It never did. Having confirmed that it was safe to drink, Keifer gulped down mouthfuls of water and proceeded to collect some in his makeshift bottle to bring back to the shelter. ¡°It was easy coming up here, but going back down the slippery rock wall is going to be a pain,¡± Kiefer lamented, while shouldering his wooden bottle fastened by some vines to his back. It took him another good hour before Kiefer safely made it back to his shelter safely, but not without a few more small cuts on his palms and feet. ¡°Seeing as I have no way of hunting at this moment, I¡¯ll just try my hand at magic until night comes. I¡¯ve got enough water to last me till tomorrow, and maybe I might be able to make a meal out of the three-eyed bunny I saw last night.¡± (Kiefer) Thinking about Magic, only one thing came to Kiefer¡¯s mind ¨C H*rry P*tter. So he picked up a random twig he found on the ground, pointed it into the distant sky and yelled, ¡°EXPECTO PATRONUUUM!!¡± Chapter 1.03 – Reasoning and Experimenting (2/2) *¡­. ¡­. ¡­. Chirp chirp ¡­. ¡­. ¡­.* ¡°Ahaha.. I feel so stupid, no way that was gonna work was it.. I could literally hear the imaginary crickets chirping.. What am I doing wrong??¡±(Kiefer) After his first attempt at magic failed, Kiefer felt so stupid he actually started laughing out loudly. He dropped the stick he was using as a makeshift wand and decided to tackle the problem from another angle, all the time listening to the low rumble of the nearby waterfall. He was an astro-particle physicist, and he was well versed in all the properties of subatomic particles. Thinking and analyzing was his forte and his livelihood back on earth, so why not here too. He stood up, stark naked and his little brother dangling free and loose, and started pacing along the river. He felt the air in his lungs, the sun on his body, the rocks below his feet and the occasional spray of water from the waterfall. ¡°Over a million neutrinos pass through my body every second, coming from space. What if mana was just another subatomic particle unique to this planet?¡± He thought and began focusing his concentration on his body and its surroundings. Kiefer stood still for a long time, eyes closed and mind concentrating. He had this hazy feeling within his body, but could not pinpoint the source of it. It was foreign, yet not discomforting. He felt it seeping out of his body and radiating outwards dispersing in the air, while occasionally being reabsorbed when he came in contact with the water. Upon further concentration, Kiefer realized something. It¡¯s not that these haze like particles were dispersing and disappearing. They were being converted into a different form once they left his body, while his body was actively converting the surrounding particles into the hazy form that he had become familiar with. These so called ¡®mana particles¡¯ were constantly everywhere in different concentrations, in different forms, as if vibrating in different frequencies to differentiate their origin. Kiefer tried testing various hypothesis immediately. First, He tried to control his own mana particles (from now it will just be refered to as mana), willing it to move as he see fit. He could gather the mana in any part in his body and move it outside up to a metre away. Beyond that, his mana concentration was too low to be manipulated and begins converting into mana in the air. Too absorbed into this newfound discovery, Kiefer forgot everything the Balancer had warned him and proceeded on with his experiments. He started by limiting his mana leakage, and immediately willed his mana to stay within his body hoping to accumulate the total amount of mana in him. From there, he discovered that his body does not naturally generate mana, but instead needs to spend mana to convert surrounding mana into his own. However, because the concentration of mana in the air was so low, the conversion rate was similarly low. He realized that he had to release his own mana to convert the mana in the air at a rate of 1 : 1.1. This meant that he had to spend 10 particles to convert 11 into his own, with a net gain of 1. Trying out the conversion sequence from nearby resources, he moved from air, to rocks to trees and finally to the lake water. Everything had a unique mana type, with mana differing slightly even between 2 trees of the same species. He discovered that living things had significantly higher mana concentration and hence better conversion rates than non-living things. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The exception being the lake water. It had by far the highest concentration of mana that he had felt and he could tell that it was different from the water in his wooden bottle. ¡°Hmm, looks like that geezer was telling the truth after all. There must be something inside the lake powerful enough to release this much mana into the water.¡± Kiefer chuckled to himself. He decided to test his limit next, collecting water from the lake in his bottle while limiting his own mana leakage, then converting the mana in the bottle back at his shelter at a whopping rate of 1 : 9. With each passing bottle, he could feel the haze inside his body getting thinker and denser. As it did, he could feel his mind getting clearer and body becoming more refreshed. However, while converting the 4th bottle of water, he was overcome with a sudden onset of intense headache, followed by the all so familiar THROB reverberating through his body. ¡°Oh shit, not this again,¡± Kiefer cursed, knowing too well that he had pushed too far past his limit. ¡°Gotta¡­. watch out¡­ next ti ¨C¡° Kiefer collapsed inside his small shelter and fell unconscious again. *Kathunk!* Kiefer was rudely awakened by one of the wooden beams of his shelter falling on his head. ¡°Ow.. what the hell..¡± Kiefer groaned as he opened his eyes slowly, his head still slurring from the mana overload earlier that day. However, what he saw surprised him even more ¨C In the darkness of the night, 3 red eyes looking at him while its mouth constantly chewing what used to be part of his shelter. [[ Rabbit¡¯s POV ]] *Night 1* ¡°Thirsty. Lake Water.¡± ¡°Weird human in lake. Poor human. Shearwood scary.¡± ¡°Run. Before Shearwood come¡± *Night 2* ¡°Thirsty. Lake water.¡± ¡°Weird Short tree. Tasty¡± ¡°Yummy.¡± *Munch Munch* ¡°Human inside tree?? Scary. Run!¡± [[End of Rabbit POV]] Kiefer was hungry and mad. Mad that the rabbit had destroyed what took him hours to build. Mad that he was selfishly thrown into this bizarre new world. Mad that he was naked. Mad that he was hungry. And all he could think of right now was how to cook the rabbit that was inside his decrepit shelter. On impulse, Kiefer extended his hand trying to catch the creature, but something unexpected happened. As the creature turned around to run away, Kiefer could almost visualize a hazy silver claw extending from his outstretched arm grabbing the rabbit creature and crushing its neck. ¡°What just happened?¡± Kiefer asked himself. ¡°Could my mana actually be manipulated to manifest physical properties?¡± Sitting next to a campfire roasting the rabbit meat, Kiefer took a bite out of his first meal, staring into the 2 moons and contemplating the possible applications of mana to help him survive. ---------------------------- I''ll most probably be uploading another one tonight in about 8 hours or so, so look forward to it. Chapter 1.04 - Offense and Defense (1/2) With his shelter now eaten to shambles by the rabbit in his stomach, Kiefer slept more comfortably than ever since coming to this new world inside the makeshift bed again. Having had a tight work schedule back on earth, his body was accustomed to waking up after 6 hours of rest. Opening his eyes from slumber for the 4th time since he arrived, Kiefer looked around puzzled by the low hanging moons in the sky. ¡°I had a rough idea before, but now I have more or less confirmed it. The day/night cycle on this planet is almost twice as long as earth.¡± Kiefer made a mental note. He drank plenty of water from his bottle after converting the excess mana, and then finished up the leftovers from last night¡¯s dinner. It was still dark out, but the primary moon provided sufficient light to work around. ¡°I¡¯m glad most wild animals stay clear of this area because of Shearwood.¡± Kiefer silently thanked the beast in his heart. ¡°It means I can do most of my daily activities in relative safety.. that is until Shearwood makes an appearance¡±. Kiefer thought of the things he needed to survive. He needed tools, weapons and some form of protection, as well as a method to effectively and safely hunt food. He had not seen another animal besides the one in his stomach around the lake, which meant he would have to venture deeper into the forest if he was to catch anything. First on his agenda was to rebuild a sturdier shelter that wouldn¡¯t be eaten down by a rabbit. To do that, he would need tools such as a hatchet and a knife. Kiefer willed the silver haze inside him into a rod in his hand, slowly forming the axe head at the tip of the rod. It was a decent sized hatchet made of his mana that felt sturdy. The only set back is that Kiefer needed to supply a constant stream of mana into the hatchet as the mana in the hatchet was continuously being converted into mana in the air. He swung his mana hatchet at one of the wooden branches he used for his previous shelter to test it out. The results were really surprising. Upon contact with the wood, his hatchet left a slight mark on the branch, and then shattered into a puff of smoke. Kiefer was dumbfounded. He had made a glass hatchet. ¡°Hahhahaha.. this is even more pathetic than when I tried to conjure a patronus with a twig,¡± Kiefer couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his own feeble attempt. Having used only 5% of his total mana capacity, Kiefer tried again, using 50% this time, increasing the concentration of mana in his hatchet by 10 times. This time, the branch cracked without much resistance, but Kiefer was still not satisfied. ¡°Its finally useful to me, but the mana upkeep is really high. At the rate Im going, I can only keep the hatchet up for 10 minutes tops.¡± Kiefer commented to no one in particular, as he turned the hatchet back into a silver smoke and reabsorbed the mana. He repeated the same actions with a knife, only this time, the knife formed well on the first try. However, Kiefer met with another roadblock. The knife wasn¡¯t sharp enough. No matter how Kiefer imagined it, his mana knife was blunt and useless. ¡°That¡¯s no surprise,¡± He thought. ¡°I¡¯ve never handled an actual knife before, so I have no idea how to form it accurately. Guess I¡¯m stuck with blunt weapons. I¡¯ll have to settle for sharp rocks I can find.¡± With his mana hatchet, Kiefer started hacking down trees and branches. Tearing vines with his rock to make ropes. Replenishing his mana pool with water from the lake regularly, he rebuilt his shelter by day break, sturdier and larger than ever. He even made a decent bed inside the shelter along with a fire pit and a stack of firewood outside. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In the early morning sun, Kiefer began making plans to make traps to catch wildlife when yet again he hit a snag. ¡°Fuck, I have no idea what kind of animals are inside the forest. I have yet to see anything besides that darn 3 eyed rabbit. This stupid Shearwood is scaring all my food away.¡± Kiefer had no idea how large to make his traps or even what kind of traps to make. ¡°Does this mean I have no other choice but to go hunt them myself? I could make a sword but I have no idea how to handle a sword. I would make a gun if I knew how the internal components worked and even then, what would I use as ammunition?¡± Exhausting every other option, Kiefer decided to go with a fail-safe plan. Create armour out of mana for protection and use my hatchet to knock out aggressive animals. He would have to use himself as bait and hope the armour withstands at least one attack from an aggressive animal. Even if it fails, He would just run back to the lake and hopefully the attacker stays clear of Shearwood. ¡°Hmm.. Let¡¯s see, going by the same particle density as the hatchet, if I pour out all my mana, I can create a circular plate 2cm thick and half a metre wide. What if I shaved it down to 1cm thick and moulded the shape to cover my body. Yes that would seem to work. I would still have barely enough mana to keep the armour from dissipating for about a minute. That should be long enough to determine if I should continue fighting or make a run for it.¡± Kiefer did as he planned and yet again hit a snag. Today was definitely not his day. He was getting frustrated and you could almost see the steam rising from his head. The mana armour he created formed just like he wanted to flawlessly, except he had overlooked the fact that the armour was now his prison and he could not even move his limbs, much less walk or run. As such he reabsorbed his mana and replenished it with more from the lake. Kiefer decided to take a break. In the 2 days that he¡¯s been here, he¡¯s met more obstacles than he had in 6 years of research. He couldn¡¯t make weapons, nor could he make armour. Zero offensive and defensive capabilities. The one thing he succeeded was making tools, so at least he was fine on the utility side. Kiefer stared into the dim sky that was slowly lighting up for a while, thinking of any other options he could take. Bored and frustrated, he started doodling with his mana within his shelter, the one thing that proved his existence on this world. He would send thin threads of mana from the fingertips of his right hand into the palm of his left hand, practicing and fine tuning his control over the mass of silvery particles. He began intertwining them and braiding the threads, eventually forming strings of mana. It did not take much mana to form the strings and he could immediately reabsorb them to minimise loss. After several cycles of intertwining and braiding, he arrived at a short rope, about half a metre in length and stronger than any vine he had used before. ¡°That¡¯s it!!¡± Kiefer yelled as an idea dawned on him. ¡°It will take some practice, but I might be able to make a weapon out of this.¡± ----------------------------- Do not worry this is not a cliff hanger. Its the weekend, so it wont be long till the next chapter. feel free to guess what Kiefer is going to make. Im going to make all my author''s section orange from now on to differentiate it from the main story. Chapter 1.05 - Offense and Defense (2/2) *Kkkkkkrrraaaakkkkkk!!!* Deep within the Agrean forest, south of the Shearwood lake, the sound of falling trees and a maniacal laughter could be heard. It was none other than Kiefer felling trees testing out his new ¡®whip¡¯. Even though he calls it a whip, it was more like a long silver snake of indeterminate length that moves as its owner wills. Wrapping and constricting a large tree trunk that would require 3 adult males to hug around it, the silver rope snapped the tree at its base while lifting the rest of the tree into the air. This snake was made of countless mana threads intertwined and braided to exponentially increase its strength. It started from Kiefer¡¯s right hand, coiled around the huge tree several times, and then led back to his left hand. Kiefer was constantly supplying and reabsorbing his mana from different ends of the rope. ¡°The mana whip has strength, but it seems to lack speed. However, Im assuming that is just due to my lack of concentration and control in crucial times.¡± Kiefer was confident about his new skill. After all, he had starved for 2 days trying to perfect the deployment and control of the whip. He approached his shelter carrying the tree in his silver whip, and smiled at the bodies of 2 wolfs next to the shelter. The wolves, or so Kiefer called them, had no eyes, but instead enlarged ears and were the size of a medium domestic dog. It might have been more accurate to call them land bats since they used echolocation to hunt. ¡°I¡¯m glad they attacked me in such small numbers. It helped me secure a few days¡¯ worth of food as well as hides. But they still got me in the back. I can¡¯t seem to defend while using both hands to control the whip.¡± (Kiefer) Now no longer naked, Kiefer fashioned simple clothes out of the wolf pelts to the best of his ability, giving him a look that very much resembled Tarzan. It has been almost a week since he had arrived in this unknown world and he had started to live more comfortably with fewer worries than when he first started. Using the whip, Kiefer lassoed it around himself and hoisted himself up the waterfall cliff by anchoring the whip around a large tree at the top. He had decided to take a bath in the river before the waterfall. Securing himself firmly to prevent being washed away by the current, he entered the cooling water, and winced when the water brushed against the wound on his back. ¡°Damn wolves. I need to work on that useless armour again. I can¡¯t defend myself while using the whip. Besides, the whip doesn¡¯t require much mana, so I can afford to allocate around 80% of my mana pool to the armour. Problem is, how do I make it strong sturdy, yet flexible?¡± Unfortunately for Kiefer, he had not known that the river had washed some of his blood into the lake and has started to wake the beast from her slumber. During the past week, Kiefer had continued with his experiments and found that through the continued use of his mana and actively spending his mana allowing it to be depleted, his body¡¯s maximum capacity has also increased. What had started out as a stagnant hazy mist of particles within his body has become a torrential blizzard of mana constantly swirling and raging inside. When completely depleted, Kiefer had to convert mana from as much as 15 bottles of lake water to fill it back up. Even though it only took him 20% of his max mana to maintain and control the whip, it would have been impossible for him when he had just started out if not for the increase in capacity. Along with the increase in capacity also came the rise in how much and how fast he could release his mana from his body, allowing him to almost instantly deploy his whip. ¡°Sturdy and flexible are not 2 words that go well together. And there is also the issue with my mana consumption rate of the shield I developed. While it¡¯s strong, it takes time to deploy and costs so much more than my whip. It not feasible to wait for my max capacity to increase to the point of being able to sustain the shield,¡± Kiefer lamented while walking inside his mana dome. As a defensive measure, he had come up with a 3cm thick semicircle dome that protected him from physical impact. He had to constantly feed mana outwards to the dome via multiple mana strings linking his body to the dome much like spokes on a wheel. It was effective but highly inefficient. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. When using the dome, he could only use his whip within the dome, which makes this an all-out defence or offence option. Maybe I could program my mana in some sort of way to make it flexible? Over the course of developing the whip, Kiefer discovered that he could program his mana threads to automatically weave, intertwine and braid themselves in a set pattern to form the whip. This meant that he did not have to manually braid them every time he wished to use the whip and it sped up his deployment duration by a significant amount of time. Kiefer tried a variety of armour models, all of which left him unsatisfied. Plate mail model was too rigid while chainmail did not provide much protection against blunt force. He wanted to create something similar to Kevlar, but he couldn¡¯t find the right way to program his mana to act like a non-newtonian fluid. His mana in liquid form, while flexible, provided absolutely no defence at all. ¡°There must be something I¡¯m not seeing. Work! You stupid brain dammit!¡± Kiefer started cursing. He could feel that the breakthrough in the armour method was right at the tip of his tongue, but he still could not get it, leaving him frustrated. Looking around in his shelter, Kiefer suddenly came to a realisation, ¡°Fuck me dead, the answer has been here all the time. Thanks to the rabbit, I had to rebuild my shelter with a new design. I had been using the solution all the time without even realising it.¡± Kiefer concentrated very hard on the outline of his body. Slowly forming a thin sheet of flexible mana no more than a millimetre thick, Kiefer took a breather. The design was very intricate and he had to work slowly. Once formed though, he can leave it to the new method of mana programming he discovered to take over. On the thin sheet of mana, Kiefer started making tiny mana pyramids with triangular bases. After 2 hours, his body was now covered in tiny triangular studs. The walls of every stud was fixed onto the first sheet of mana, but hinged to other sturdy walls to allow movement. Finally, he sandwiched the studs with yet another thin layer of flexible mana. The new armour was barely 0.5 cm thick, looking like a flexible piece of corrugated cardboard. Kiefer¡¯s idea had come when he saw the triangular reinforcements he placed in the corners of the shelter to make it more sturdy. By the time dawn arrived, Kiefer had spent the entire night developing this new armor with 3 layers of tetrahedron studs, making it a little over 1cm thick. His movement was a little restricted as he tested the flexibility of the armor. Kiefer could still walk run and jump, but could not bend his joints all the way into an acute angle, making actions like picking up an object on the floor impossible. Kiefer began to mimic what he thought would act like Kevlar. He programmed the armour in such a way that if any layer or stud wall is broken, the neighbouring tetrahedron compartments would be instantly filled with high density mana particles, causing the immediate area to harden like plate mail. This would minimise injury from piercing damage while the triangulation of the layers of mana will serve to protect him from blunt force. The high density mana particles would then be used to repair the armour simultaneously. With further testing and some minor adjustments, Kiefer was somewhat relieved that even his own whip could not crush the armour. However, his hands remained vulnerable since he chose not to cover his hands in order to maintain full control of movement of his fingers, as well as the ability to use his whip. Kiefer had completely gotten lost in his research again, forgetting to eat or sleep. ¡°Looks like my old habit is back again, even after death I still get way too engrossed.¡± Kiefer smiled, as he began preparations to eat a light meal and take a nap before it gets too bright. "I¡¯ll continue after I wake." Kiefer thought as he shut his eyes. Waking up at midday and having exhausted more than 60% of his mana working on his armour, Kiefer, still drowsy from his lack of sleep, made a frightening mistake. He went straight to the lake to drink from it and convert the beast¡¯s mana. The lake¡¯s surface began to undulate as wave increased in size. ¡°Shit, I got careless,¡± Kiefer cursed as he saw what he thought was the floor of the lake rise up towards the surface.
Next chapter : The Serpent and the Sacrifice Chapter 1.06 -The serpent and the sacrifice (1/2) Kiefer instantly leapt back and instinctively deployed his mana armour, barely avoiding the huge wave that came crashing onto where he stood just moments ago. Now floating above the lake surface was the giant beast known as Shearwood. Looking back down at the lake, as a testament to the size of the beast, the lake¡¯s water level had dropped by almost 3 metres, and water from the out-going river was starting to flow back towards the lake. Dripping wet from the splash of water, Kiefer stared hard at the floating coiled serpent, easily reaching 100m in length if fully stretched. Its whole body covered in palm sized scales, it had a slender head adorned with jagged spikes protruding above its slit nostrils and void black eyes. The rest of the body was smooth and streamline, with a soft turquoise coloured belly and obsidian grey back. 2 wings that were small compared to the body sprouted from the back. ¡°Well now I know physics is weird in this world. There are no way wings that small can actually generate enough lift to carry a body that massive, and her body is not even aerodynamic.¡± Kiefer thought, as he dispelled his armour and concealed his mana, hoping to show the serpent that he had no hostile intent. Slowly, the serpent¡¯s gaze landed on him, with water still dripping off her body into the lake. < HUMAN.. What are you?? You don¡¯t seem to be an undead, yet I can sense no mana from you. Where is the unlucky one that woke me from my slumber, stealing my mana for his own? > ¡°What did she just say? Undead? There are zombies in this world?¡± Kiefer thought to himself silently as he could feel the elation from having a chance to study and research on zombies. ¡°Oh majestic and graceful Shearwood, my name is Kiefer and I did not mean to disturb you. I hope you would overlook my transgression and show me mercy.¡± Kiefer flattered her, hoping to avoid conflict. < NO.. I have awoken and have not eaten in 10 years. I do not have the patience to await my sacrifice for this decade. You shall have the honour of being my first meal!> Having said that, Shearwood uncoiled to her full length and dove straight for Kiefer, her jaws wide open and ready to devour the helpless human in one gulp. Kiefer reacted fast, setting up half a dome shield in front of him while digging his heels into the ground to brace for impact. Now that Shearwood was out, he had to be careful how he used his mana and it was near impossible to divert his attention to converting his mana from his surroundings. *DDOOOONNNN* It sounded like someone had hit the face of a metal bell really hard. Shearwood slammed straight into the dome shield and ricocheted right off it, not before sending Kiefer flying into the woods. While being thrown back, Kiefer deployed his armour to protect himself as he smashed into 5 trees in a straight line, plowing them down, while receiving almost no damage. ¡°Dayum.. That hurts.. Luckily I had my armour on. Well the good news it, I know it works in actual combat¡± (Kiefer) As Kiefer got on his feet and was about to run deeper into the woods, a huge red beam of light tore through the forest next to him. It had been so close, if he had been 2 steps to the left, Kiefer would have become a matchstick. Feeling the residual heat from the attack and looking at its aftermath of a path of hot molten lava on the forest floor, Kiefer can¡¯t help but yell out, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me!! That¡¯s not a flame breath attack! It¡¯s basically a fucking laser beam.. My shield only protects me from physical impact, I have no idea how to negate magical attacks.¡± As Kiefer saw Shearwood open its jaws again, He could see the glow of red light shimmer between the turquoise scales around her throat. ¡°She¡¯s gonna use that attack again.. gotta run¡±. Kiefer bolted through the forest floor extending his whip to pick up the large tree that he had snapped and brought back earlier that morning. He then flung the tree towards Shearwood, making impact just before she managed to release the attack. *BAM!* The impact from the flying tree hit Shearwood right below the chin, diverting the attack up into the sky and cut short the duration by causing her to close her jaws. Naturally, Kiefer with his close observation skills did not miss that. ¡°The most dangerous place is often the safest place.¡± And with that thought Kiefer came up with a near suicidal plan. He broke the Whip that started and ended in his hands into 2 individual whips, frayed at the ends as one could see the countless mana threads used to make the whip.. With his right whip, he grabbed and pulled himself onto the serpent and anchored himself firmly on the back. With his left whip, he made it thinner and much longer, wrapping it in countless loops around Shearwood¡¯s snout, forcing her to shut her jaws and giving himself another support hold on the beast. Shearwood thrashed about violently, trying to undo the unfamiliar bindings that were placed on her by this peculiar magus. Kiefer on the other hand seemed like having an exhilarating time playing a game of ¡°try to stay on the bull¡±. 10 minutes of struggling later, Kiefer grew bored and started worrying about his mana. He began to loosen the grip on the whip in his right hand. Sensing this, Shearwood seemed to wriggle around even harder, thinking this would be the only chance to escape his grip. She was getting tired as well. ¡°Dammit Woman! You started the fight and now you are seriously pissing me off.¡± Kiefer yelled at Shearwood, making sure she knew she deserved what was coming. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Saying so, he unravelled the whip in his right hand starting from the lose end, revealing thousands upon thousands to long silvery mana threads. Strength in numbers. That¡¯s the concept Kiefer was going for. He starting guiding the threads to dig under the scales of the giant serpent and wrap around its body for the entirety of its length. Kiefer now had control over the entire serpent, lowering himself onto the ground while lifting the serpent towards him. Leisurely, using his mana threads as a sort of siphon, he began converting Shearwood¡¯s beastly mana straight from her body into his own. As much as Shearwood wanted to struggle, she could not move a single muscle in her giant serpentine body. With his mana replenished, Kiefer brought Shearwood¡¯s face right in front of his. Staring deep into her eyes, his lips parted and asked a question, ¡°What do you say to someone you attacked without rhyme or reason?¡± Feeling the binding around her mouth loosen, Shearwood bellowed a single word, . She immediately began to prepare her breath attack again, opening her jaws with Kiefer set in her sights. ¡°Wrong answer bitch.¡± Kiefer smiled as he saw the red glow from deep inside her throat. He instantly shut her jaws again and started slamming her face into the rock wall behind the waterfall. Her scales were tough, with almost no damage from the beating, but she had suffered from multiple concussions due to her internals being knocked around in her impregnable exoskeleton. (AN : Please do not do this to snakes. The characters are completely fictional and I do not support animal abuse) Kiefer brought Shearwood back in front of him just before she passed out. ¡°Let me help you out with the answer I¡¯m looking for. I want you to apologise to me for attacking without provocation.¡± Saying that, he undid the binding on the serpent¡¯s snout, ready to shut it again if she tried to attack him. <¡­ ¡­> Shearwood remained silent and stubborn, refusing to lower herself to a human. She did not attack him, hoping he would eventually release her, but she absolutely refused to apologise. In her opinion, she did nothing wrong trying to eat food when she was hungry. In fact, it would have been an honour to be eaten by her, one of the 9 titans that existed since the beginning of the planet. ¡°Still stubborn I see. How about this then?¡± (Kiefer) < AAAAAAAhhhhhhhgggg¡­ NOOOOOOOO!! STOOOOPP!! > Shearwood screamed and howled, as Kiefer started peeling several of her scales off using his mana threads. (AN : Again, boys and girls, torturing animals is bad) ¡°Will you submit to me now SHEARWOOD?¡± Kiefer asked in a menacing tone, specially emphasizing her name. He had originally intended to let her go, but after the drawn out battle, he found another use for her ¨C to be his mana tank. Shearwood lowered her head, dejectedly. ¡°Such a disgrace for a titan such as me to be forced into submission by a mere human, even if I am the weakest of the 9. He uses some unknown magic without any incantation, ones I have never seen before..¡± Shearwood thought in her head. ¡°Good, for now you will return to the lake and not disturb me.¡± Kiefer ordered, satisfied with the outcome. He released his mana whip and replenished his mana, at the same time concealing his own mana. Shearwood returned into the lake, but left her head hanging from the bank, carefully observing her new master while trying to recuperate the mana he had leeched from her. Kiefer now had a new pet, and a convenient mana tank.
[ 1 Hour ago] Somewhere deep inside the Agrean forest, there was a convoy moving hastily through the dense undergrown. There were 4 knights cutting a path through the forest floor several metres ahead of a carriage pulled by 2 crystal horses. Several orbs of light floated around the convoy, constantly keeping the surrounding bright and a breeze could be felt sweeping through the forest, searching for any possible threats. Within the carriage was 2 holy magus controlling the orbs of light, a wind magus and a young boy, around 7 years of age. The boy was dressed extravagantly in a pure white robe lined with gold rims and a large jewel studded into each side of his robe¡¯s collars. ¡°I hope Shearwood decides to only take the sacrifice this time. I heard she wiped out the entire convoy 10 years ago.¡± One of the mage said to the others. ¡°Yes this is ridiculous, we lose our best mages and knights protecting the sacrifice every ten years, and it really does not help with the ongoing war.¡± ¡°There is nothing we can do but pray that she be merciful. Just our luck we ended up in the province she is guarding. I hear the other 8 provinces only need sacrifice every century.¡± ¡°Enough chatter back there! We best make haste. Shearwood will be awakening in 2 days and we do not want to be late for the presentation ceremony!¡± yelled the guard captain as he lashed the whips to make the horses move faster. Just at that moment, the convoy heard a blood curdling roar in the direction they were heading, and could smell burning forest wafting through the undergrowth. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. ¡°We might be too late already..¡± (entire convoy)
This one took longer than expected. im sorry for the delay. Chapter 1.07 -The serpent and the sacrifice (2/2) For a whole day and a half, Shearwood stayed inside the lake, watching her new master go on with his life. She did not disturb him as he had ordered and would occasionally help him with manual labour when he asked for it. She watched as the young man built a shelter out of resources he found in the forest. She watched him practice his unique and unknown magic quietly. He barely rested during this time, only sleeping long after the twin moons rose, and awake even before the twin moons set. ¡°Such a hardworking human,¡± she thought. ¡°It might be interesting to follow him and see what he would become.¡± There were so many things she wanted to ask him, but by his order, she had chosen to remain silent, curbing her curiosity. She wanted to ask him why he did not have any mana leakage, or how he casts spells without incantation, or even just how he is constantly feeding off her own mana. ¡°Master, some people approach,¡± Shearwood warned as she licked her lips. ¡°My sacrifice draws near.¡± ¡°Go inside the lake and do not come out until I tell you to!¡± Kiefer barked. ¡°And you gotta teach me some of your magic, but one thing at a time¡± Kiefer thought silently. He could not afford to give Shearwood any chance of ruining this golden opportunity to find civilisation. Still wondering how Shearwood could detect people¡¯s presence, Kiefer took a break from fine tuning his mana armour and stepped outside the brand new shelter (3rd one) to look around. Ever since his battle with Shearwood, he began optimising his skills. While he had no idea how to develop a defence against magical attacks, he could strengthen his physical defence by increasing the number of corrugated layers to 5 while at the same time reducing the thickness of each layer. This resulted in denser armour that was not too thick to restrict his movements. After concealing his own mana, he stood outside his shelter, facing the distant sound of footsteps and metal armour scraping against each other. What emerged from the forest, was a group of humans, and a carriage pulled by 2 large 3m tall crystalline horses. Deciding to take the initiative, Kiefer stepped towards the convoy and offered a friendly greeting,¡± Hello there! Good evening to you good sirs!¡± However, the men in armour responded by unsheathing their swords and pointing them at Kiefer. ¡°Stand back! Barbarian!¡± one of the men grunted. ¡°Why does every intelligent being I meet have to be an asshole?! First the balancer, then Sher, and now these humans that I¡¯m seeing for the very first time..¡± Kiefer sighed under his breath. ¡°I try to be nice but none of them seem to like it. Are the manners in this world really that bad?¡± Kiefer stopped in his tracks and began calculating his chances of survival. He saw 4 knights with their swords unsheathed, 1 knight which he assumed was the captain on the carriage, and observed 3 more people dressed lightly exiting the carriage. Not sure if the horses also had any combat capabilities, he took a mental note of their presence and size as well. ¡°I mean no harm! Im just looking for directions to the nearest village or city¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Well then you are out of luck sir. Im afraid we are here on a one-way trip and won¡¯t be able to guide you to our grand capitol of Alluviate. Even if we told you the direction to move in, you probably will not make it there alive. We lost 3 well trained knights on our way here, and the way I see it, you are just one unarmed person. You do not even have magi¡ª¡° (Wind mage) Suddenly, the man stopped talking mid-sentence and started discussing something with the other 2 men who stepped out of the carriage and the captain of the knights. ¡°Men surround him!¡± (Captain) At the captain¡¯s orders, the 4 men dashed forwards and formed a perimeter around Kiefer. Kiefer, who was confident in his physical defence, paid no mind to them and stayed his ground. ¡°What are you monster? Why is there not even a single wisp of mana coming from you? I pride myself in being able to detect mana using my wind, but you totally escaped my detection. Even normal people have at least a minute amount of mana constantly hugging their body, but you are quite devoid of mana, as if you are not even alive.¡± (Wind mage) ¡°I see! So completely preventing my mana leakage is suspicious as well! I did not know that since I have not met any humans until now. Better remember to release some in the future.¡± Kiefer made a mental note to self. But for now, he had to worm his way out of this situation somehow. Maybe a change in subject would help. ¡°Im sorry but I do not know what you are talking about. However, you said something really ominous earlier about this being a one way trip? Where are you headed and what do you intend to do?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°You ignorant fool! Do you not know you are standing right next to Shearwood lake?! We¡¯ve come to appease the titan ruler of this land and hope she does not bring her wrath upon our kingdom. And right now you are being a hindrance to the sacred presentation ceremony. Men! Detain this barbarian. We hope Shearwood will be pleased with the bonus sacrifice we are offering this year and leave us with our lives." (Captain) The four knights slowly closed in on Kiefer swords first, kite-shields next. Kiefer was not the least bit afraid and seeing his mouth curl up into a sinister smile, the knights hesitated, if only temporarily. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Sher! Come up and greet your dinner!¡± Kiefer yelled, and almost immediately, as if she had been waiting to open her Christmas present, Shearwood shot out of the lake, raining down water on everyone. Shearwood launched herself at the convoy and with one gulp, snatched the captain up and swallowed him whole, armour and all. The old guard did not even have time to scream, while the others were still confused as to what happened, their vision obscured by the torrential rain of lake water pouring down on the area. After all the water had fallen, the faces of the convoy contorted into terror as they stared at the majestic serpent looming over their heads. The four knights tried to run but they were unnaturally rooted to the ground. They looked down at their feet and saw silvery lines anchoring their feet to the ground. ¡°MAGE!!! Hes a mage!! Help us Priests!! What is this magic?!?! There was no incantation at all!!¡± (knights) It wasn¡¯t just the 4 knights that were binded by Kiefer¡¯s mana threads, the 3 mages as well as 2 hourses were rooted on their spot too. Lifting up the 4 knights, Kiefer flung them one after another by their ankles towards Shearwood. ¡°Here¡¯s 4 more presents for you Sher, catch!¡± Happily, Shearwood caught the men mid-air and swallowed them. ¡°Master! What about the carriage? Can I have that too? It smells so tasty!¡± Shearwood asked eagerly, smelling the young boy inside the carriage. ¡°Sure, but don¡¯t hurt the horses or the mages. I need a ride and answers¡± Kiefer replied, totally oblivious to the presence of the unconscious little boy inside. No sooner had he finished his sentence did Shearwood appear next to the carriage and take a bite out of it from the top, leaving nothing but wooden planks and splinters on wheels. The carriage somewhat resembled an apple that someone had taken a bite out of. ¡°Asviran, hinti mos durani enria!¡± (Mage) Kiefer observed elemental magic for the first time, and saw a blade of light emerge from behind the mage to cut the mana threads binding him. ¡°Interesting,¡± he thought, as he began to cover the entire ground between him and the 3 mages in thousands of mana threads. The mages watched in horror as the ground slowly turned silver, radiating from the half-naked man, creeping its way towards them. The silver threads starting working their way up their feet, ankles legs and finally up to their necks, constricting them and holding them in place. They did not know what was more frightening, the titan serpent floating above the lake, or the man that just fed the serpent four of their comrades. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± (Kiefer) The three of them frantically nodded their heads, not daring to provoke the young man any further. Facing one of them, Kiefer asked, ¡°Where is your kingdom capital?¡± in a menacing tone. Many scenarios were running through the head of the first mage. Should he answer, and risk bringing doom to his country, or should he keep quiet and face torture and death? Loyal to his king, and having served his whole life for his kingdom, the mage valiantly chose to remain quiet. He was already dead when he was given this assignment. There was no other way out for him. Seeing the mage just cry and shake his head, Kiefer sighed, and crushed the poor mage with a single thought. Turning to the other 2, he warned them, ¡°I hope you will not be as foolish as him. I am merely looking for a nice place to stay and do not wish to harm your home. Just answer my questions truthfully, and I will let you live.¡± ¡°S- southeast of- of Shearwood lake.. about 6 days by tarsus through the Agrean forest. You-you will reach the city walls at the northern ga-gate.¡± One of the mages stammered out a fairly decent reply. ¡°YOU TRAITOR! How could you lead this monster to our city walls?!?! You swore loya¡ª¡° The other mage did not get to complete his sentence before he too was crushed instantly. ¡°Very good, now if you don¡¯t mind, tell me what is a tarsus?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Th-that crystalline quadruped i-is a tarsus¡±(mage) ¡°Thank you. Now as I promised, I will let you live. Take one of the tarsus and head back home.¡± Kiefer assured him, gently lowering the mage down and unbinding him. The mage quickly mounted the tarsus, looked back to make sure Kiefer wouldn¡¯t attack him, and disappeared into the forest again. ¡°Sher.¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Yes master?¡± (Shearwood) ¡°Don¡¯t play with your food too much.¡± Kiefer said, with a grin on his face. ¡°Thank you master!¡±, Shearwood exclaimed excitedly as she shot off into the Agrean forest to chase her dinner. ¡°Hmm, so the nearest civilisation is the city of Alluviate, 6 days away huh.¡± Kiefer started planning his immediate future, while tying up the remaining terrified tarsus to his shelter with some vines.
I know the MC took a dark turn this chapter, but I couldn''t help it. It was crucial for his character development in the future. I also tried to limit the different coloured texts within the main story, hope it helps. Next chapter - His life and Her past Chapter 1.08 -His life and Her Past (1/2) This is rather short chapter, a little backstory on Kiefer''s life. It is told from the point of view of a narrator, but it is actually a conversation between Kiefer and Sher. Hope you enjoy.
His mother died shortly after childbirth, only ever giving him a name. He never felt the warmth of a mother or even saw her face. His father blamed the young baby for her death, and in an attempt to forget her and also to punish him, he burnt all pictures of her. Growing up, he rarely saw his father. He was raised by a plethora of babysitters, nannies and his father¡¯s ever changing paramours. He never wanted to see his father anyway. Seeing his father would only mean pain and suffering, watching the man¡¯s face contort into disgust every time he was present. At the age of 5, after his father¡¯s latest girlfriend broke up with him to avoid the responsibility of taking care of a child, he finally learnt the reason. In a drunken rage, the man yelled at him, calling his mother unfaithful and cursing at the gods why another man¡¯s child was ruining his life. The next day, he had lost the only relative he had. The man had passed away in his sleep due to alcohol poisoning and a heart attack. He did not know what those words meant, but he finally smiled for the first time, watching the body of his dead step-father. His heart and mind had been broken. Growing up in an orphanage, all the other kids shunned him ¨C the weird creepy one. He never smiled, or interacted with anyone else, just kept to himself. Even the caretakers were afraid of him. Things only got worse when the orphanage¡¯s pet guinea pig died. All the kids were heartbroken, wailing and sobbing their hearts out at the dead animal. He couldn¡¯t understand why, so curiosity took over him. Right in front of the children, he took a box cutter from a nearby desk and cut open the animal carefully, displaying its internals neatly inside the cage. Finally, he found the cause of death ¨C a piece of plastic wrapping stuck down its windpipe. He displayed the cage to the caretakers, almost proud of his own handiwork, but he only garnered disgusted faces from each one of them. ¡°What a creepy kid¡± they all thought. Even though no one said it, he knew that he was not welcome there. A week later, a local psychologist adopted him as her own son, hoping that her skills would help her understand him. Her husband was a scientist, a theoretical physicist. The couple showered him with affection, trying to get him to open up. He who received it, was grateful for the first time in his life, even if he knew the love might very well be superficial. They were the first to not shun him, not be disgusted by him, and almost maybe, understand him. His foster father taught him everything to do with academics while his foster mother taught him how to interact with people, understand others as well as understand himself. Having never gone to school before, Kiefer never knew that he had a knack for studying. Learning new things came easily to him, but social interactions did not. The couple were the first in a long time to call his name without any malice behind it, so he started to trust what they told him and taught him. At the age of 10, he aced his highschool examinations, following in his father¡¯s (foster) footsteps. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Kiefer breezed through university, getting his masters by 13, and PhD by a shocking age of 15, Kiefer joined his father in research. He never did have any interactions people other than his parents up till this point. No friends, no lovers, he had just buried himself in the joy he felt from studying and learning. His mother had always tried to get him to open up emotionally. She always said it wasn¡¯t his fault, it was just the way he was raised and it is normal for him to be the way he was. ¡°Normal¡±, not a word anyone has ever used to describe him. She diagnosed him with psychopathic tendencies and taught him how to manage them. As he was told, his brain was wired to make decisions purely based on outcome and results, with almost little to no influence from his emotions. He never did show any emotions much. He felt happiness being with his family, but he never smiled to show it. He felt anger at his past but kept it bottled up inside. To him, it was illogical to express these emotions since there was nothing to gain from it. He loved nothing other than his parents and studying, while nothing loved him other than his parents. Studying and learning had never let him down in his search for answers either. Eventually, everyone in his research team got used to his ¡®ability¡¯ to keep his emotions in check and make sharp precise decisions during work that helped accelerate their research. When asked, ¡°Would you kill a thousand people with your own hands to save a single stranger if you knew they were infected with a deadly infectious disease, but no one else believed you?¡±, his answer would be swift and concise. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°It¡¯s only logical¡±. He could feel no remorse whatsoever. Through his father¡¯s constant pleading, Kiefer¡¯s teammates and colleagues tried to constantly include him in social events, talk to him and even just ask him questions they already know the answer to, just to increase the social exposure he had. Kiefer would smile in front of friends, a fake gentle smile his loving mother taught him. They gradually became comfortable around him. 6 years in research blew by in an instant, making 2 major break-throughs in his study of particle physics, dark matter and anti-matter. His knowledge in the field would not lose to his father¡¯s and they would often work as equals to tackle problems that arise. He had a grand idea he was working on inside his head that would revolutionise propulsion technology using anti-matter nuclear fusion. It would solve the weight problems that chemical rockets often faced, as well as the raise fuel-propulsion efficiency. This would allow space craft to accelerate to velocities a fraction of the speed of light and shorten space travel by up to 80%. He was going to discuss his theories with his father, maybe get an engineering team and experimental physicists to prove his theories, but alas, he passed away due to an unfortunate accident on his 21st birthday.
¡°Master, thank you for sharing with me your story and your memories.¡± Shearwood said to him calmly. She had wanted to know where her master came from, how he became so unique and interesting. ¡°Now tell me everything about you, and this world. Do not leave out any details. I need as much information to accurately determine our plans for the future.¡± (Kiefer) Chapter 1.09 -His life and Her Past (2/2) I am, one of 9 titans to exist since the beginning of this planet. I am, the youngest of the 9, weakest of them, yet still, I have strength enough. I am Shearwood, serpent of light and fire, the most playful and temperamental one. The oldest of the titans ¨C Grandu, is a tortoise that boasts the ultimate defence and regenerative capabilities. His shell impervious to everything, magic, swords, and even time. It is said that he existed even before Aioa, this great planet, and that Aioa was birthed from his back. Next came the triplets of Drigor, Isana, and Wanda. These great dragons guarded and ruled over the elements of Earth, Ice and Wind respectively. Always bickering, they settled in continents as far away from each other as possible. Then from the sun and the moons, descended the 3 majestic birds ¨C Fiora, Luna and Rashael. These birds controlled the elements of fire, darkness and light as if they were made of the elements themselves. The 8th titan, my brother is a serpent capable of controlling minds and the wills of lesser beings. An expert in poison and deception, he slumbers on the other side of Aioa, furthest place from me. He is illusive and neigh impossible to meet, like a phantom. We used to fight each other, all 9 of us, to alleviate our boredom, but in the process, melted mountains, evaporated seas and terrorised the world¡¯s inhabitants. We were the cause of the mana catastrophe 3.5 million years ago. It destroyed a majority of Luna¡¯s home, the blue moon. After that, we called a temporary truce and chose to lie dormant for as long as eternity required us to. Mana on this planet is constantly recycled, with a small amount being generated from the core constantly. With the exception of the 3 avian titans, the other 6 of us, being originally one with the planet, are similarly capable of generating our own mana. The 3 avians absorb mana from their homes, where they are most likely residing right now. Lesser beings however, derive their mana from their surroundings ¨C the air they breathe, the ground they walk on and the water they drink, and their bodies automatically convert natural mana into their own unique forms. They have no control over their mana intake (unlike a certain someone). As titans, we watched the world grow, change and its inhabitants destroy themselves. We watched the extinction of the high elves, the phaeries, and the moles. We do not interfere as the lesser beings fear and revere us. To them, we are gods, mighty existences that they turn to for hope. And yet, we chose not to interfere. In hopes to win our favour, they decided to sacrifice their own kinsman, hoping they do not incur our wrath. As we slumbered, one particular race rose up and expanded rapidly, their greed never ending, their curiosity never satisfied. The humans fought and dominated other races, and eventually, even Aioa was not sufficient for them. They began warring with each other, new factions and kingdoms appearing every decade or so. Selfish bastards. Even this kingdom of Alluviate that was mentioned by my sacrifice, was non-existent during my last awakening. Humans are smart and vicious, mastering the ways of controlling mana faster and more effectively than other races despite their low affinity with mana. Their one weakness became their strength. These humans born a baby with higher affinity than others once every few years. Mages number about 1 in 10,000. Given the mere population size of the humans however, mages are not uncommon. Unlike you, my master, humans have no control over mana, but instead recite ancient runes to reconfigure their own mana into fixed pre-determined designs that constitutes their spell. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. My knowledge on humans, however, is limited to that. I cannot help you any more than you can help yourself. Your best avenue for information would be in books or professional mages found in major cities and villages. Even then, their knowledge is very limited. They do not truly understand mana, like the high elves and phaeries did.
Shearwood concluded her brief summary of Aioa¡¯s history to Kiefer. Looking down at the tiny human, wondering again and again just how powerful her master could truly become. He might be able to defeat her siblings, but she wasn¡¯t too sure about beating Grandu. ¡°Sher, can¡¯t you do something about your massive form? Its tiring having to look up at you all day. Besides, I¡¯m going to be traveling soon and bringing you along in this form is just plain stupid.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes of course, master. I can make myself smaller. Please wait for a moment.¡± Shearwood replied, happy to comply with her new master¡¯s commands. Her majestic wings slowly retracted and eventually disappeared, making her look like a plain giant snake. She began gliding through the air in circles, slowly but surely decreasing in size. In a spiral, the once giant serpent over 100m long gradually shrunk down to a tiny blue snake, no longer than 30cm and 1cm wide. ¡°How are you capable of transforming like that?¡± Kiefer asked, wondering if he could do something similar too. ¡°Magic.¡± (Sher) Kiefer just stared at her wide eyed, no expecting such a useless answer. ¡°Then how do you fly in the air?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Magic.¡± (Sher) Kiefer was starting to get annoyed at this pointless answer. ¡°What about your breath/beam attack? How do you do that?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Magic.¡± (Sher) This time, Kiefer was pissed off. Grabbing the serpent by her throat, Kiefer yanked her out of the air and bellowed, ¡°Listen you useless reptile. You better start giving me answers that are helpful or I¡¯ll skin you alive and turn you into a purse!¡± Scared by the sudden turn in her master¡¯s mood, Shearwood trembled. She had been answering the questions to her best capabilities. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master, please don¡¯t get angry. All the things you mentioned just come naturally to me. I was born with those abilities and I do not control mana like the humans do, so I do not know how to reply you.¡± Seemingly aware of his mistake and rash behaviour, Kiefer hurriedly released the little blue snake, and watched as she coiled up on his lap. ¡°Sorry..¡± he muttered under his breath, and could see a small smile show up on Shearwood¡¯s tiny snake face.
Sorry this took so long, I had to work today despite it being a sunday. Hope you enjoyed the little back story and the splash of Halo3:ODST in there. Next chapter: The Journey and the Growth Not a chapter - need your opinion I was wondering if my current release speed and format is working for you guys. Im actually breaking up my chapters into 2 parts each time, releasing a shorter chapter more frequently, but instead, would you prefer to wait a little longer to get the whole chapter intact instead? Chapter 1.10 - The Journey and The Growth ¡°I need more information.¡± Kiefer thought, as he began making plans for the future. Originally, his goal was to survive, but with Shearwood by his side now, he was fairly confident that he¡¯ll live. As such, he thought about what his next target and ultimately what his end game would be. ¡°I guess I would like to meet my parents again. And possibly complete my research just to spite that old man.¡± Kiefer grinned, thinking of his parent¡¯s reactions, and at the same time looking forward to the warm family that he so very much cherished. Preparing for the night, Kiefer salvaged what was left over from the carriage. While Shearwood had taken a bite out of the passenger section, there seems to be a storage unit attached to the rear of the carriage. Opening the lid, Kiefer started smiling, elated at the treasure trove he had found. He had found some linen shirts, pants, robes, 2 thick blankets, a sleeping bag with an insignia embroidered onto it, dried meat, various fruits as well as a canteen of water. With a thought, Kiefer summoned several mana ropes to carry all the items back into his shelter. After finally getting dressed decently, Kiefer spent a good hour staring at the fruits, memorising every detail of them, because these are the first clues he¡¯s had as to which fruits are edible. He burned into his memory the colour, shape, size, and smell of each of the 4 fruits he found. They were all brightly coloured, 2 red, one yellow, and another lime green. This was a problem, because from what he recalls, brightly coloured fruits not only meant ripe, but it could also be a warning sign of poison. Sitting in front of him, was a large red uneven fruit, the size of a watermelon, with a crunchy texture. It was only edible on the outside, while the core gets hard as a rock. Breaking the core with his mana whip revealed a large soft seed inside. There was another round red fruit, the size of his palm. It had seeds embedded on the outside and strangely resembled an overgrown strawberry. The yellow fruit was oddly shaped, with weird extensions in random directions, covered in a tough skin that Kiefer had to peel to eat the juicy purple flesh inside. The lime green fruit resembled a banana, but with a texture that felt like a plum. It was a little sour to taste, so Kiefer thought that it might not be ripe enough yet. Kiefer wished he had a notebook and a pen right at this moment. It would be a lot easier to just write down all his observations for later reference. As a cold breeze blew in through the opening in his shelter, Kiefer decided to go to sleep, tired from all the events that happened that day. He went to pick up the 2 thick blankets from the corner of the shelter and a small blue snake dropped out from within the layers, still groggy from being rudely awakened. ¡°I guess despite being a titan, Sher is still a cold blooded animal after all.¡± Kiefer smiled at himself as he lay down in his bed and threw both blankets over himself. The little blue snake dove in beneath the blankets and coiled up on her master¡¯s chest. Kiefer had the best sleep in a while that night. [The next morning] Shearwood came back down from the sky just as Kiefer finished loading up his (stolen) belongings onto the tarsus. He had given the remainder of the fruits to the tarsus to eat to ensure it had enough energy for the journey. ¡°Master, it¡¯s as you predicted, there is indeed a walled city a fair distance from here in the direction that the convoy cut through.¡± (Sher) ¡°Ok good. Come back into my robe, it¡¯s still cold out. We¡¯ll take it slow for now and see how things progress." kiefer commanded while silently thinking to himself," I¡¯m still not confident in my mana pool. The change is too drastic and I¡¯m not sure exactly how much of it I can actually still use.¡± Shearwood dove into Kiefer¡¯s robes and wrapped herself around his neck like a scarf as Kiefer pulled the brown woollen hood over his head. He had woken up this morning, shocked by the changes in his mana pool. What used to be a torrential blizzard of mana particles in his body had now returned to being a hazy, almost clear mist. He had tried siphoning mana from Shearwood, but he could tell that he was already at his limit, and anymore would lead to mana overload and that dreadful headache again. Confused by the changes, he decided to move forward with his plan while relying on Shearwood. Praying that she wouldn¡¯t find out and betray him, he had begun treating her more favourably. The tarsus had been trotting through the Agrean forest, following the path the convoy had cut through for about half a day already. Kiefer had yet to meet with any wild animals and just sat comfortably high atop the tarsus, munching leisurely on a piece of dried meat. Despite looking like a fragile crystalline horse, Kiefer could tell that the crystals only made up the outer covering, sort of like a defensive shell. The tarsus was still an animal with flesh and bone underneath the tough crystals. The body felt warm and depressed easily when pressure was applied. The tarsus remained meek throughout the journey, afraid of its new owner and his companion. Kiefer followed the pace that the convoy had used to arrive at the lake, taking breaks at large clearings that the convoy must have cleared for their stops. All the time, Kiefer was trying to come up with new cost effective offensive measures to adapt to his now tiny mana pool. However, he did not try any of it out in practice for fear that Shearwood might suspect something was wrong with him. He could not afford to lose his only lifeline at this crucial juncture. As night fell, Kiefer would secure the tarsus firmly to a tree with vines he brought, and then throw a blanket over the big animal in case it felt cold. He did not want to risk compromising the performance of his only ride. He would then proceed to wrap Shearwood snuggly in the other spare blanket and bring the bundle into the sleeping bag with him to sleep. 3 days passed without any incident, spending each night like that. There had been no attacks from any animals and the forest was always suspiciously quiet. Kiefer knew that it was because Shearwood was with him that all other living things kept away from him. But this was becoming a problem as he was running out of meat. The tarsus was fine grazing and eating random plants and fruits in the forest while Shearwood did not need to eat to survive. Kiefer, on the other hand, calculated only another day¡¯s worth of dried meat left. He had tried stretching his food by supplementing it with wild fruits he found in the forest, but it would eventually run out. On the 4th day, Kiefer knew he was in serious trouble. He was standing at the edge of the Agrean forest, overlooking a wide lush green grassland as far as the eye could see. There were 2 main problems with this. 1 ¨C The convoy never mentioned anything about a grassland, so he must have accidentally ventured onto another path that does not lead to the city. 2. Being in the grassland, he could no longer forage for fruits in the forest, which means his food supply would just run out quicker. Kiefer took a deep breath and decided to tackle his problems one at a time in a logical order. He had always gotten out of sticky situations by planning ahead and calm analysis. This would be no different. Kiefer sent Shearwood into the sky again, to re-orientate himself with a birds-eye view. Then he would think of what to do about food. He only had a few options to choose from. If he was to go through the grassland, he could forage as much fruits from the forest now before heading out, an in case of desperate times, he could always eat the tarsus and continue the journey on foot. If he had to backtrack his way through the forest, he might have to resort to hunting, leaving shearwood behind and then venture deep into the forest to hunt by himself, risk running out of mana and losing his way at the same time. The last desperate measure would be to simply fly though the sky in a straight line on Shearwood, and be exposed to all the attention of the city, even risk being shot down (not that Shearwood could ever be shot down that is). In the end he just could not make up his mind and simply waited for Shearwood to return. He was beginning to worry since Shearwood should have been back at least an hour ago, but he still could not see any signs of the small blue snake in the dim red morning sky. Stolen novel; please report. After yet another hour¡¯s wait, Shearwood was not back yet and Kiefer had convinced himself that he had been abandoned. He started packing up his things and loaded them onto the tarsus when all off a sudden, a huge brown mass dropped down from the sky. ¡°Master!! Sorry I¡¯m late. Please don¡¯t be mad, I brought this back for you!¡± Shearwood cheerfully exclaimed. ¡°You haven¡¯t been feeling well recently, not practicing your magic and not eating much, so I thought I would hunt something to help u recover¡± Kiefer was staring at the large brown 6 legged bull(?) thing, about half the size of his tarsus. Its neck had been ripped off with fresh blood still flowing out of the gaping hole. Shearwood lowered her enormous serpent head and nudged Kiefer in his side, as if asking to be petted. All of a sudden, his problems had been solved, by the one he assumed to have betrayed him. Kiefer felt guilty and remorse, while feeling glad and relieved. He glanced at Shearwood, gave her a rub on her massive head and then hugged her. He has never hugged anybody, not even his foster parents in his life. He definitely regretted it when he died, and he sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to miss this chance. Shearwood had become the only person (?) other than his parents that he trusted. Kiefer was overcome with a turmoil of emotions. He had obstinately refused to acknowledge all that Shearwood had done for him till this point of time, always convinced she was only doing it out of fear for him. She did not have any binding obligation to follow him after all. And yet, after this, knowing she had been worried about him, observing him and thinking about his well being, Kiefer could only softly say "Thank you... Sher. Sorry I doubted you" while hugging her enormous head. Feeling pampered like a little child, and knowing that expressing emotions was not really her master''s forte, Shearwood reverted back into her miniature form and dove straight back into Kiefer¡¯s robes, sighing out loud, ¡°Ahhh.. So much warmer than flying in the sky¡± to break the awkward silence in the air. Feeling hungry and relieved, Kiefer completely forgot to ask Shearwood about the direction to the city, but instead started a fire going to roast the cut up pieces of beef. With one less worry, tearing a slice of medium rare meat, Kiefer felt a weight on his shoulder lifted off, all thanks to that little reptile. That morning had been full of surprises, but there was one more surprise coming up. As Kiefer was smoking the rest of the meat to dry it, he noticed the tarsus looking in his direction, staring holes into the meat while visibly drooling. Seeeing this, Kiefer was shocked. He had assumed the tarsus was a herbivour because it looked like a horse. Wanting to see what happens, Kiefer tossed a slab of beef in front of the tied up tarsus and watched as the tarsus finished the slab in one go, like those cartoon cats slurping up a fish in one swift movement. ¡°I see. Not only have I been suspicious of Sher with no good reason, I had also been mistreating my ride, making it eat only plants. I really need to get my act together.¡± (Kiefer) Smoking and drying the meat took the whole day, so Kiefer chose to camp out at the edge of the forest, watching the night breeze move through the tall grass in the grasslands. In an all or nothing decision, Kiefer decided to test out his new skill, and afterwards, consult Shearwood about his mana problems, while not placing expectations on her answer. Taking a deep breathe, under the bright moonlight Kiefer stood up and faced the grasslands. Curious, Shearwood poked her head out from within Kiefer¡¯s robes to look at what he was doing. ¡°Yet another weird magic.¡± Shearwood thought, keeping silent and just observing her master. Kiefer raised his right hand, palm facing up, half afraid the spell might go wrong, and half afraid he might not have enough mana to make an effective skill. He closed his eyes and condensed his mana particles into a small bead that slowly elongated into a pointed end. A bullet. Kiefer opened his eyes, examining the bullet and smiled, glad that the first phase was a success. Next, the small silver bullet began spinning. Slowly at first, as Kiefer saw the silver mana particles being flung out in a spiral from the bullet due to the rotation. He concentrated on condensing even more mana into the bullet and making it maintain its shape, while increasing the rotational velocity. Finally, Kiefer was satisfied when he achieved a rotational speed of approximately 300 thousand rpm. That was a little higher than a rifle bullet¡¯s rotation. Kiefer prepared to proceed to phase 3, the most difficult phase. Honestly, Kiefer had absolutely no idea how to propel his bullet forwards. Even with his whip, he could control them only within a distance of 30m from him. He thought of 2 ways to propel the bullet during his travels, but no way to execute each method. He could either accelerate the bullet while it was still under his control range of 30m like he does with his whips, or he could simulate an explosive cartridge to provide the bullet with burst speed. Either way had its impracticalities and both were difficult to execute. He wasn¡¯t confident in propelling the bullet in a straight line for 30m while maintaining its orientation, and he did not know what an explosion in his hand could result in, or even how to create the explosion in the first place. Now, with the bullet in his hand, Kiefer simply acted according to his instincts. He propelled the bullet from the back as fast as he could, as straight as he could. The gyroscopic action of the bullet helped maintain its orientation and soon the bullet was out of his range, hitting the grassland approximately 150m away, leaving a poof of dust and silver sparkles around its impact point. Not really effective he thought, as he checked his mana pool, silently glad that not much has changed. The white mist had not become thinner at all. He was relieved he did not waste too much of his precious mana on a failed prototype. He quickly conjured up another silver bullet, this time spinning it a little faster and programmed his mana to do so with every thought of a bullet. He did not need to consciously control the shape, form and spin of the bullet anymore. With another thought, he formed a dense cartridge casing around the bullet. The casing was physically the strongest object he had ever created out of his mana thus far, hoping it would withstand an explosion. Thinking hard with the bullet and cartridge floating above his hand, Kiefer decided to try out one of his hypothesis. He started by programing individual mana particles to repel other mana particles. Then, he summoned a few of such particles within the cartridge. He added the particles slowly, cramming and squeezing as much as he could. Finally, there was a dense cloud of repulsion particles stuffed inside the cartridge, which he then sealed with the spinning bullet. Kiefer intended to aim the bullet into the sky, but with a slip of his concentration, the repulsion particles were no longer held in place by his mental fortitude, and expanded rapidly, pushing each other away. With a loud ¡°BANG¡±, the bullet disappeared, leaving only the cartridge which Kiefer managed to maintain in its position in a last second concentration. A few seconds later, in the grasslands roughly 2 kilometres away, Kiefer saw an explosion that left a crafter, and a shockwave travelling outwards, ripping the grass from its roots. Kiefer heard the boom from the explosion moments later and he could hear the forest wake up, as birds flew out of the forest canopy. Stunned, Kiefer and Shearwood could only stare at the impact point in silence, jaws wide open. ¡°Master.. Scary..¡± Shearwood broke the silence with a single comment.
Its the start of the week again, and I will most likely only be releasing the chapters at around this time of the night till the next weekend. Enjoy. In case its unclear at this point, the growth refers to Kiefer''s emotional growth. Next chapter : The merchant and the Gates Chapter 1.11 -The merchant and the gates. ¡°Ok. I think that¡¯s enough for tonight.¡± Kiefer said, looking down at Sher¡¯s tiny head. ¡°We¡¯ll continue in the morning, and then set off by midday tomorrow.¡± Kiefer made the usual arrangements for the night and shut his eyes. Soon, he could hear the coo-ing coming from within his sleeping bag, but he had trouble sleeping himself. Still overly excited at the success at his experiment, he wanted to continue, but he knew his body needed rest. While thinking of new ways to improve (as if it needs to be even more powerful) his new skill, Kiefer gradually succumbed to the cooling night breeze and finally fell asleep. As the morning sun¡¯s rays hit his face, Kiefer reluctantly opened his eyes, and saw the tarsus slowly grazing on the thick forest undergrowth. Sher was already awake and chasing some flying insects in the field not too far from their camp. Thirsty, Kiefer grabbed one of the lime-colored fruits and bit into it, letting the juices flow out and quench his thirst. Noticing her master already awake, Shearwood came floating back to the campsite, eagerly waiting to see Kiefer try out his newest skill again. She may still be a child, but she still loved destruction nonetheless. ¡°Hey Sher. There something I need to ask you.¡± (Kiefer) Shearwood just kept quiet, tilting her head and wondering what it was that he wanted to know. ¡°Ever since we left the lake, I¡¯ve found that my maximum mana capacity has decreased drastically. Is there any explanation for that? Did I over exert myself during the fight with the convoy?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Master, that is impossible. No matter who or what it is, their mana capacity can only increase with continued use, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone whose total mana decrease. The only way to lose mana storing capabilities is if you die. Since you are not dead, that shouldn¡¯t be the case. How can you tell your capacity decreased? Can you not use as much spells as you used to?¡± (Shearwood) ¡°No I¡¯ve been avoiding spending my mana because I¡¯m afraid it would just further decrease my maximum capacity. Last night was an exception since I needed a cost efficient way to protect myself. I used to be able to sense the mana inside my body. It used to be a mist, but gradually increased until it was somewhat like a torrential rain. However, since the day before we set off, I feel my mana¡¯s decreased back to a thin mist, maybe even thinner than what I started out with.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ahahaha.. Master. You are weird after-all. Only us Titans should be able to gauge our mana capacity in the way you described. All other lesser beings measure their mana by the number of spells they can cast. Like I said, it is impossible for mana capacity to decrease. I experienced what you described 6 million years ago, and was frightened myself too.¡± (Shearwood) ¡°And so? What is happening?¡± Kiefer asked, trying his best to remain calm and patient. ¡°Master, close your eyes and try to feel for your mana again. Search within your body, within that mist for something different. I¡¯m not sure what it will be or what it will look like, but it is different amongst the 9 of us.¡± (Shearwood) Kiefer followed the snake¡¯s directions, closing his eye, taking steady breathes and sensing his mana. It was a thin silver haze like he had felt before. He kept observing carefully, and then noticed that the thin haze was not the same throughout his body. There was one particular point where it got denser. Probing his senses into that area, what Kiefer felt and ¡®saw¡¯ surprised him. Opening his eyes, he muttered 1 word, ¡°Liquid¡±. His dense mana cloud had condensed into a ball of liquid, floating serenely right in the middle of his chest. He quickly closed his eyes again, trying to get a better picture. The silver ball was half the size of his fist, floating in the middle of his chest and pulsating along with his heartbeat. Kiefer deployed his mana armour, and felt a ripple travel across the surface of the ball, and then it became still again, going back to the regular pulse. Dissipating the shield had a similar effect. ¡°I see, Kiefer said. Mine is a small ball of liquid mana. What about yours Sher?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ahaha master you are really good at this. Mine is a crystal 10-sided star. But when it started, I had a lake in my body; my liquid mana filled me up starting from my tail.¡±(Shearwood) ¡°Thank you Sher. You have been really helpful. Now I can practice with peace of mind.¡± Kiefer said, while an evil smile grew on his face. For almost 12 hours, loud explosive sounds rang through the entire Agrean Forest and Eastern Alluviate plains. By the time the sun was high up in the middle of the sky, Kiefer finally stopped his practice, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He had a satisfied look and grinned at the spectacle in front of him. What used to be a wide expansive grassland covered in tall lush green grass now looked like the surface of the moon. Craters everywhere, dust covering almost half the entire field. There was barely any spec of green left within a 2 kilometer radius from where Kiefer stood. Kiefer was thoroughly satisfied. He had developed 3 sub-skills from the one he developed last night. The first is the original high powered bullet, but with 500k rpm. It was to be used for long range bombardment and wasn¡¯t very accurate. The second was a bullet with the cartridge packed with half the amount of repulsion particles. It was easier to aim with a range of up to 1000 metres. While the impact damage was not very high, he decided, it could be used for sniping since it was fairly accurate and had good piercing damage. These 2 types had to be fired from his hand. The last one was what he was most proud of. Kiefer had designed a bullet with a quarter the amount of repulsive bullets, but with a new cartridge design. Instead of being sealed by the bullet, Kiefer sealed the cartride with another mana wall, and then fit the bullet into the end of the cartridge. This way, he did not need to control the repulsion particles individually, but instead only need to maintain that new divider wall. He could dissipate that extra wall at will and fire the bullet. Without having to concentrate on managing the repulsion particles, Kiefer could summon multiple of these bullets anywhere in the space within 5 metres of him. To be exact, Kiefer had succeeded in mass summoning 50 bullets simultaneously. This last type of bullet had a range of only 500metres, but Kiefer was confident it would be able to pierce the steel breastplate of the knights he had fought at the lake. Happy and tired, Kiefer mounted the tarsus, and headed in the direction Shearwood had pointed to. As he slowly progressed through the now dead quiet forest, Kiefer converted Shearwood¡¯s mana into his own along the way. By the time evening came along and the sky started to dim, Kiefer was only 2 days away from the city walls when Shearwood suddenly perked her tiny head up and said ¡°Master I smell food. Delicious food.¡± Impatient, Shearwood kept nudging Kiefer¡¯s face saying, ¡°master hurry up! This way! So many of them! All the delicious food! Master I¡¯m starting to get hungry!¡± Kiefer had never seen Shearwood so excited and was wondering what kind of food she found, so made haste in the directing she was pointing to, cutting through the undergrowth and narrowly missing low hanging tree branches. Then he arrived at a clearing and finally understood what Shearwood had meant when she said ¡°Food¡±.
There, in the middle of the clearing was a simple looking carriage attached to 4 horses (not tarsus). Surrounding the carriage were almost 30 men with their weapons brandished. Some were holding swords, others wielding heavy maces or hammers. There were 3 with their bows drawn, all aiming at a short well-dressed man lying on the ground. ¡°Wow. What a template bandit situation.¡± Kiefer thought as he rode his huge tarsus in from behind the carriage. Surprised at his sudden entrance, all the bandits turned to focus their attention on the new intruder. ¡°That robe! And a tarsus! Everyone be careful, he¡¯s a mage from the royal academy! Do not give him a chance to chant!¡± (bandit leader) With swift and precise orders, the leader immediately identified the new threat and made the decision to focus on the academy mage first. Instantly, 3 arrows along with several daggers went flying towards Kiefer. All the projectiles however, seem to bounce off Kiefer like Styrofoam darts. Seeing the arrows bounce off, the leader was confused, but with the many years of battle experience, he made a different call instantly. As if to predict the bandit¡¯s next move, Kiefer immediately leapt off the tarsus and stood in front of it, shielding it from possible attacks. He couldn¡¯t let his only ride get injured. Seeing how powerful the young man was, the dwarf on the ground immediately grunted for help, ¡°Young man! Save me and I will give you all the gold I have on me now! Please!¡± Kiefer sauntered forwards, with all the bandits on high alert and the dwarf still unsure of his motives. A smile could be seen on Kiefer as he silently repaired and strengthened his mana armour with an additional layer while anchoring himself to the ground with mana threads. Staring straight at the bandit leader, Kiefer chuckled, and then yelled, ¡°Come on then, try your best to do your worst.¡± Instantly, without the need for orders from the leader, the bandits rushed forwards with their weapons. Sword slashes were deflected while maces and hammers felt like they were striking against a blacksmith¡¯s anvil. Kiefer¡¯s feet were slowly being dug into the ground, as if Kiefer himself was a nail being hammered in. However, Kiefer remained still, hands behind his back, still smiling. ¡°Stand back! All you useless fools! Guard the dwarf and make sure he doesn¡¯t crawl his way out. I¡¯ll handle this myself!¡± (Bandit Leader) The leader brandished his lance, pointed it at Kiefer and disappeared, leaving cracks on the ground where he stood. Faster than Kiefer could track the man, the lance was already at his chest, having broken through 5 layers of his armour. Stunned and shocked, Kiefer undid the mana threads and leapt back instinctively, secretly glad that he had added the extra layer before combat. As soon as the lance was withdrawn, the mana armour reformed. Kiefer now had some questions running through his head. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Not wanting to reveal anything about himself, he simply whispered to the serpent lurking in his robes (no pun intended), ¡°Sher, leave the leader and dwarf. The rest are yours.¡± No sooner had he finished his sentence, something small shot out of his robes into the sky and instantly, the entire area was covered by a large looming shadow. The giant serpent swallowed 6 bandits in one swoop and hovered in the air staring at the rest. Scared out of their wits and not expecting everything to turn sour, all the bandits but one began fleeing in all directions, leaving the scene in complete disarray. The leader had wanted to flee too, but for unknown reasons, he was rooted to the ground, unable to move his legs. In a last attempt to kill the mage, the bandit leader poured mana into his arm, and threw the lance at Kiefer. Having predicted his actions, Kiefer had already set up his dome shield, and sure enough, the lance bounced off the dome with a loud ¡°klang¡±, and shot up into the sky, landing next to Kiefer moments later, blade in the ground and handle upright. ¡°You! What are you!?! I thought high elves were extinct! How can you use magic without chanting?!?¡±(Bandit leader) All this time, while Shearwood was off chasing her meal, the dwarf had scurried onto his carriage, bruises on his face and tried to escape from the mess and the horrifying young mage that he had requested for help from. Seeing this, Kiefer extended his mana threads, securing the carriage and horses in place, while slowly constricting the bandit leader up to the neck. The entire clearing was now covered in silver mana threads moving constantly like a sea of silver snakes. ¡°Now then. I need answers and you will give them to me. Are we clear?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Y-yes.. please.. don¡¯t kill me.¡± The bandit pleaded, knowing full well how these things went. He had been on the interrogating side multiple times and he knew that right now, he was not going to get away completely unharmed. He would be lucky if he could leave with a shred of life. ¡°First, how many of your lot are there altogether?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°28, including me.. There¡¯s 2 more back at my base, but please do not hurt them, they are my wife and child.¡± (Bandit) ¡°Good. Next. Why are you attacking this merchant?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°We- we had intel from inside the city--. Th-that he was carrying something precious, a- and that, that he would be travelling alone to avoid attracting attention.¡± (Bandit) ¡°And how did you move so fast in our fight just now?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ma-magic sir. I fused my mana with my l-legs. Allowing me to move faster.¡±(Bandit) ¡°oh?¡± Kiefer was now intrigued. ¡°And do you not need to chant anything for it?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Si-sir, you are a royal mage from the academy.. Do you not know ho¡ªAAAARGGHHH!!!¡± (Bandit) ¡°I am the one asking the questions, you just need to answer them!¡± Kiefer bellowed as he broke one of the man¡¯s fingers. ¡°How do you enhance your muscles!?¡± ¡°I.. sniff.. I don¡¯t know.. I meditate everyday.. sniff.. and then.. sniff.. I can feel my energy rise.. sniff.. a-and, my body becomes stronger aft-after meditating.¡± (Bandit) ¡°Oh? And what do you do when you meditate?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I concentrate on-on my heartbeat, and my-my breathing and try to focus on my body¡± (Bandit) ¡°Ok good. It¡¯s almost over now. Why did you assume I was a mage from the royal academy once you saw me?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s because, the robe.. a-and the tarsus.. only royal guards and mages have tarsuses, everyone else uses horses.¡± (Bandit) ¡°Good, now leave and never let me see you again. Never mention me to anyone. Now its time for me to deal with the sneaky dwarf.¡± Kiefer coldly retorted as he undid his bindings and set his eyes on the carriage with a poor dwarf locked inside by his mana threads. Kiefer watched the bandit scurry off into the forest and smiled. He had obtained a wealth of information and possible a new method to augment his body. He willed his mana threads to open and door and drag the cowering dwarf out, hanging him by his ankles. ¡°Now your turn you sneaky bastard. What are your moving in your cargo?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Just- just some ores sir, I finished mining in a cave and was on my way out.¡±(Dwarf) *KRRRAAACCKKK!!!* Kiefer snapped a tree at its base, leaving only a stump, and proceeded to crush the rest of the tree into smithereens. ¡°Soorry!! I-I¡¯m transporting a case of mithril silver ingots and a lump of Adamantium ore!!¡± Terrified at what he just saw, the dwarf quickly changed his answer. ¡°Why did you try to escape in the middle of the chaos?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I- I was afraid sir.. afraid of you more than the bandits sir.¡±(Dwarf) ¡°And what of my payment for handling the bandits huh?! Did you think you could just escape with my money?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°So-sorry..¡± was all the dwarf had the chance to mutter before Keifer started shaking him up and down. From within his pockets, a few gold coins, an emblem token as well as a small pouch full of gold-rimmed coins dropped out. The token was a marble carving of a pickaxe and hammer crisscrossed, with what looks like the design of a white-gold coin in the middle of it. Kiefer used his mana threads to pick them up and inspected them. Kiefer kept the pouch and the gold coins in a pocket inside his robe, and then held the emblem token up to the dwarf¡¯s face. ¡°What is this?¡± he questioned. ¡°Sir, that¡¯s the insignia for the merchant traders guild. Only Leaders and vice leaders of the guilds for each province has them. I am the guild leader for the Shearwood province.¡±(Dwarf) Satisfied, Kiefer let the dwarf down abruptly from mid-air, and turned around to leave when the dwarf called out. ¡°Sir magus, please return my insignia. I am truly sorry for my irresponsible behavior earlier, and if it is not an inconvenience for you, would you mind travelling with me to Alluviate city? I would like to hire you for protection services.¡±(Dwarf) ¡°And what will you pay me with, you neither have any gold left, nor my trust.¡± Kiefer bellowed. ¡°You can have 2 mithril ingots right now and upon arriving safely at Alluviate, I will pay you 2 more. They are worth around 5 white gold coins each, and can be used to craft excellent armour for a magus such as yourself. Mithril is especially conductive of mana and is sought after by mages all over the Aioa.¡± (Dwarf) ¡°I have one more condition,¡± Kiefer replied, ¡°You are to answer any of my queries while on the trip and not to question me about anything. In return, I¡¯ll take only 1 Mithril ingot after the job is done.¡± ¡°Buying information huh?¡± the dwarf thought to himself. He smiled and firmly said ¡°Agreed!¡±. Preparing to leave, Kiefer received 2 dull grey ingots that weighed about 5kg each, and stored them iside his sack. He mounted his tarsus and begun following next to the merchant¡¯s carriage. Shearwood, in the meantime had reverted back to her tiny form, came back and slipped in under Kiefer¡¯s robe without the dwarf noticing anything.
[2 days later] Kiefer could see the tall greying city walls and the 2 giant doors that led into the city. It was a grassland outside the city walls and there was a short line of travelers waiting outside the gate. As Keifer and the merchant joined the line, the merchant informed Kiefer that as a royal academy mage, he did not need to line up. Kiefer thanked him and went on ahead to the gate. ¡°Halt!¡± (Gate guard #1) ¡°Yes is there a problem?¡± Kiefer asked calmly, trying to keep up with his fa?ade. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry sir, but please present your identification card issued by the academy. It is part of the rules as we were not informed of your arrival beforehand.¡±(Guard #2) ¡°I seem to have lost my card while fighting some bandits in the forest. Could you tell me where I could get another one re-issued?¡± Kiefer asked, trying to convince them of his fake identity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry once again sir, but it¡¯s a rule that we have to confiscate all your belongings as well as the tarsus if you cannot show proof of identification. They will be returned to you once someone from the academy comes down to verify. Its just a measure to prevent theft of properties belonging to the academy sir.¡± (Guard #1) Kiefer started panicking internally, not sure what to do. He was so close to the city but having the doors close in front of his nose would be too painful to bear. He decided the best course of action would be to turn around and leave, lest they take all his possession. Just at that moment, the merchant dwarf appeared interfered. ¡°Hello my friends, this mage here is my companion. He helped me fend off a group of bandits and indeed lose his identification in the chaos. We tried searching for it but gave up in the end. I hope you will let him through.¡± The dwarf said cheerfully, while flashing his insignia. ¡°Yes of course guild master! And you too sir, we are sorry for the inconvenience!¡± both guards apologized as they opened the path to the gate and bowed so low, their bodies made a right angle with their legs. The dwarf winked at Kiefer as he tossed Kiefer 2 mithril ingots, and then directed his carriage through the gates, smiling. He was glad to have met this mysteriously strong young magus and secretly exhilarated that he might have possibly left a good impression in a future powerhouse.
For all those wondering, the terms magus and mage are inetrchangeable. Magus is just the formal and "official" way of addressing people with high mana affinity, while mage is a more commonly used shortened version of magus. On a side note, try saying this really fast 10 times. How much wood would a Shearwood shear if a Shearwood could shear wood? Next chapter : The travel and the training. Chapter 1.12 – The Travel and the Training Through Buffon¡¯s recommendation, Kiefer led his tarsus through the city along the perimeter, garnering the stares of almost everybody he walked past. He finally arrived at an inn near the west quadrant where the city¡¯s agricultural hub was situated in. The inn¡¯s logo was carved into an oval plank of wood, with a stalk of wheat overlaying a mug of beer. It was pretty decent in size and was one of the few inns that provided a stable and animal maintenance service. Kiefer tied his tarsus to a temporary holding stable and went inside the quaint inn. What greeted him was the smell of alcohol accompanied by cooked food. There was a restaurant and kitchen to the left of the main entrance and a counter for reception on the right. Heading straight for the counter, the lady behind the counter greeted him with a warm smile. ¡°Good evening! My name is Marley. What may I do for you sir magus?¡± She asked, while examining Kiefer head to toe. ¡°How much do you charge per night for the smallest private room, and a stable?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°With 4 meals provided a day, a room, a large stable for your tarsus, with food and handling costs, that will come to 5 gold coins a day. 6, if you want to include daily grooming services for your tarsus as well sir.¡±(Marley) ¡°Good, I¡¯ll want to purchase an empty book as well as ink and a quill. I¡¯ll get as many days as this can get me, including grooming for my tarsus.¡± Kiefer said handing out 2 platinum (White gold) coins. These were the gold rimmed coins in the pouch that he ¡®received¡¯ for saving Buffon. ¡°Thank you sir, please wait for a moment while I process your payment.¡± Marley replied politely while quickly snatching the platinum coins off the counter, as if she was afraid Kiefer would change his mind. ¡°That would be a total of 33 days starting tomorrow the 11th day of autumn and ending on the 44th day of autumn. Here is your change of 2 gold coins, the book, ink and quill are on the house sir. Please remember to return your key on the morning of your last day; we will remind you again when it draws near. Also sir, how many pages would you like your book to have? We bind the parchment individually here.¡±(Marley) ¡°I¡¯ll get as many pages as you can bind,¡± replied Kiefer, pushing one of the gold coins forwards as a tip for their service. Moments later, Kiefer was settled into his small room with Shearwood whizzing around like an annoying fly. He sat down on the soft bed, and took his time to just enjoy the feeling his buttocks have missed for the past few weeks. The room was just small enough for 1 adult, with a comfortable bed, a desk and chair, a candle lamp, a wardrobe with 6 drawers, and a metal chest with lock and key. Ink and quill were already prepared on the desk. Recalling a portrait of Buffon he spotted down at the lobby, Kiefer let out a grin, ¡°That stingy and calculating bastard, no wonder he recommended this inn. It belongs to him! He just wants his money back from me.¡± Kiefer had made plans to stay in the city for a while, just to find opportunities to study the culture and find ways to improve his magic (once again, as if it isn¡¯t powerful enough yet). His first impression was that the city was still in the middle ages, with medieval weapons, stone buildings and cobbled roads. Their main source of light was torches and lamps illuminating only within the buildings and outside the main entrance, and in the richer areas, magic street lights. Watching the overly tired Shearwood curl up underneath the blanket, Kiefer heard a knock on the door. Opening the door, there was a burly man, easily mistaken for a bear, towering above him at over 2m tall, and holding onto a thick book. ¡°Ya the scrawny fella that ordered this book? Mah daughter said to bring it ta this room. Want me ta carry it to the table for ya?¡± (Marley¡¯s dad) ¡°No it¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll manage from here. Thanks for bringing it up here and sorry for the trouble.¡± Kiefer thanked the ¡®bear-man¡¯. ¡°Wow. They really do grow big in the country-side don¡¯t they?¡± Kiefer chuckled to himself. The book was big and heavy. It was leathered covered, with almost 50 pages of neatly cut parchment inside. The pages and covers were sewn together along one side by multiple leather strips. Kiefer immediately began to work, recording all that he¡¯s learnt, observed and heard since his time here in Aioa. He carefully wrote down every detail of what he had learnt from Buffon during his travels while it was still fresh in his memory, lest he forgets them later.
[Buffon¡¯s POV] It was supposed to be a fast simple and lucrative trip, no more than 20 days by horse. My cousin in the Grandu Province had sent me a request to process some mithril ingots that his company had mined along with a lump of adamantium ore as down payment. I was to pick it up at the port on the far-east side of the Alluvian grasslands, transport it through Alluvian to the neighbouring Rashael province. Rashael province was well known for its holy magic, especially in the city of light ¨C Luminas. The request was to specifically recruit a holy magus to smith the ingots into holy armaments- 2 sets of holy gauntlets. To give leeway for trial and error, I had been supplied with a total of 12 mithril ingots, twice the amount required for the job. And then, I was to deliver the gauntlets to the client in Luminas for the remainder of my payment. Considering the small cargo size, I opted to focus on speed rather than security, hoping praying that I would be able to avoid dangers on the road. I set off from the port at midday, moving quickly through the forest towards the open grasslands. It would be safer once I¡¯m in the grasslands since almost no one would be able to match my speed, and given the relative flatness of the terrain, I will be able to spot and avoid most dangers from a fair distance. Reaching the edge of the forest, I took a quick break, allowing the horses to rest and quench their thirst to prepare for the sprint ahead. It shouldn¡¯t take long to cross the grassland and I should be able to make it to the other side by midnight. The intention was to camp for the night after reaching the other side. After a final check to make sure my carriage is still in good condition, I climbed aboard to the driver¡¯s seat, held the reins in my hands and whipped the horses hard. By late evening, we were already speeding through the grasslands, without a single problem. It was very rare that my journeys went smoothly according to plan. Just as I let my guard down, there was a sudden explosion just 50m ahead of me. My horses stunned by the explosion, took a sharp left turn around the explosion, almost toppling the entire carriage over, had it not been for the shockwave that pushed the carriage back on its wheels. Without stopping, I started to panic. What the hell was that? Bandit attack? With heavy ballista no less? Turning my head to look back at the explosion, the dust had settled, revealing a large barren crater, but I don¡¯t see the ballista bolt anywhere. That¡¯s when a horrific realization dawned on me ¨C magic. Just how powerful was the magus? And why was he targeting me? This assignment was supposed to be a secret, how did he find out about the cargo? Luckily for me, after the near miss appointment with death, I safely made it to the Agrean forest. The magus stopped his attacks after that one blast. I kept going into the forest for an hour more, finally stopping to make camp. I was abruptly awoken the next morning with a deafening but familiar blast. However, it was different this time. The blasts did not stop. My horses were too frightened to move as the blasts kept going till midday. Just how frightening is this mage? And how much mana does he have to keep firing off magic like that? Why have I, the guild master of Shearwood province, never heard of such a mage, even within the academy? After sufficient time had passed and my horses calmed down, I set off again slowly, keeping minimal profile to avoid attracting wild animals. It was actually too quiet. By my knowledge, animals would avoid Shearwood Lake and be concentrated around this southern end of the forest. And yet, until now, I have not come across a single wild animal. Just as I was thanking my lucky stars for not meeting any aggressive animals, my horses stopped abruptly in a small forest clearing and moments later, I was already surrounded by numerous bandits. After a failed negotiation, I found myself lying on the forest ground being trampled on. That¡¯s when things changed from bad to worst. As they say, out of the frying pan, into the fire. An academy magus appeared behind me, on his tarsus. He didn¡¯t say much, but effectively repelled the bandits¡¯ attacks. Seeing this, I begged him to save me, promising all the money I had on me. But who would¡¯ve known that this mage was even more of a monster than the bandits put together. He made short work of the bandits¡¯ combined attacks and even took the leader¡¯s attack head on without so much as an incantation. I watched in horror as the sky turned dark and a giant magic beast headed straight for us and in one swift movement, swallowed 6 bandits whole. As the bandits began to scatter, I tried to escape in my carriage as well, from the magic beast, the bandits and most importantly from the monster magus. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The whole forest floor was covered in silver, as the strange phenomenon bound my horses and carriage in place. The mage had locked me inside my own carriage as he began interrogating this bandit leader. I just put my head between my knees, hands over my ears and cowered, hoping the mage would not attack me. I felt a tug on my ankle, and saw a silver rope wind itself around my leg. No sooner did that happen, I was yanked out of my carriage, held dangling in the air front of the mage. I caught a glimpse of the bandit leader scurrying off holding onto his left hand. The mage was a young man, barely in his twenties, yet he had the look of a killer, emotionless and to a certain degree, evil. He proceeded to interrogate me in a threatening manner, and then shook me down, picking up all my money and my insignia before letting me go. As he was about to leave after picking up the bandit leader¡¯s lance, a crazy idea struck my head. Why not have this monster guard me till Alluviate? And so I struck up a deal with the young monster mage, offering him a total of 3 mithril ingots as well as any information he required during our time travelling together. During our time travelling, he questioned me vehemently, and from his questions it almost seems as if he had been living in seclusion his whole life, or that he was somehow stuck in the past and just arrived in this new world. I definitely deduced that the tarsus and robe were stolen, not that I dared mention it. I gave him a map of the world, taught him about currency, cultures, the different provinces and their specialties. I taught him how to specially smith the mithril ingots and why they were so sought after by mages. I recommended him an inn that would suit his taste (my inn of course) and also a general layout of Alluviate city. Of course, I only answered what he asked and refused to provide any additional information for free, but he was very thorough in his questioning. The more we spoke, the more I realise how unique he is. He knew nothing of magic, and yet was already a powerful mage. He showed interest when I told him about elemental magic, almost as if he had not been told stories as a child. As time went by, I was increasingly certain that this young man would become a terrifying individual, even capable of rivalling the titans. Therefore, I decided to play a few tricks I learnt as a merchant, to get me in his good books. At the Alluviate city gates, I told him that academy mages need not wait in line, while fully aware that he was just pretending and that he would not be allowed to pass through. As per my predictions, he was stopped at the gates and got into a bit with the guards. As my turn came around, I convinced the guards to let him in on my authority as guild leader, ¡®saving him from trouble¡¯. Finally, to completely ensure future good relations with this monster, I tossed him 2 mithril ingots, hinting that I had provided the information during the trip for free. Glad it all turned out well, I turned around and headed straight for my guild building. [End of Buffon¡¯s POV]
Kiefer was finally alone. He had not dared practice while Buffon had been with him because he had wanted to keep his abilities/inabilities a secret. Buffon had assumed Kiefer to be a powerful mage, but Kiefer did not mention that he had no clue whatsoever about this world¡¯s magic system. Kiefer had been itching to try out the physical body enhancement since the bandit attack. According to the bandit leader, the difficult part was sensing one¡¯s own mana and directing it to the body part desired. Kiefer had no problems with that. In fact, that was about the only thing he knew how to do. Kiefer sat down and closed his eyes. He sensed the silver ball of mana and the mist around it. Kiefer directed a thread of mana from the silver ball in his chest up his neck, and to both his eyes. He concentrated on filling both his eyes with a thick uniform mist, concentrating on lens, and the retina. Initially, he felt a stinging in his eyes, so he shut them even tighter, but the pain only lasted an instant. Opening his eyes, Kiefer looked around the room and out the street. Everything had become so vibrant and detailed. He could see into the darkest corner of the street and still track the movements of a rat. Looking across the street, he could literally see the fly on the wall inside the room across the street. Enhancing his eyes had increased the resolution (Super ultra HD), as well as the performance of photoreceptors in his retina, allowing for improved night vision. Excited by his success, he tried it on various other senses too, only to regret it later. Enhancing his eardrums and cochlear fluids, he could hear things clearer, including the grunting and moaning coming from the building at the end of the street. Enhancing his olfactory receptors, He could smell the supper the inn was serving downstairs, as well as the manure from the stables and the agricultural fields. He could very well distinguish the smell of piss coming from the alleyway. Afraid of what he would taste floating in the air or what remains in his mouth, he chose not to enhance his taste buds. Wanting to try out more experiments, Kiefer reluctantly went to sleep because there wasn¡¯t enough space in his room to test the enhancement effects on his muscles. The next morning, Kiefer left the inn without his robe, but with Shearwood coiled up inside a sack that he bought from Marley. He headed back towards the gate, obtained a re-entry pass from the guards and left the city. He needed space, lots of space, for what he wanted to do. Kiefer¡¯s original plans had been to visit the library and the blacksmith, but they got put off on the count of his success with enhancement last night. After strolling a fair distance from the walls, with no one to watch him, Kiefer started his experiments. Enhancing his leg muscles, Kiefer started with a slow jog that progressed into a sprint. He found out that his legs were not tired and there was no lactic acid build up from the sudden strenuous activity. However, he was out of breath even before the sprint started. Before coming to Aioa, Kiefer had been an indoor¡¯s person, opting to stay out of the sun. He spent most of his time in a lab, on a train, or at home. Scrawny as a Chinese chopstick, Kiefer had no visible muscle mass whatsoever, making his first week in Aioa pure hell. However, he had gradually put on substantial muscle mass and could be described as lean rather than skinny. Through trial and error, Kiefer concluded that just enhancing muscles was insufficient for him. He had to infuse mana into his lungs to improve gaseous exchange rate, as well as his heart to make it pump harder. By the end of the day, with the sun setting Kiefer was happy with his progress. He could cover up to 20 metres with each step, sprint at speeds comparable to a car, and even punch craters into the ground, releasing a small shockwave, all of this of course, with his mana armour deployed. Sher spent the day observing Kiefer first, then taking turns to chase or be chased by Kiefer in his enhanced strength. Finally, she even competed with Kiefer on who could do the most damage to the ground. Even in her small form, a whip from her tail left a considerable hole in the ground, though not as impressive as Kiefer¡¯s crater. Slightly unhappy that she lost, Sher chose to melt a hole in the ground with her beam. There was something terrifying about seeing a large red beam about 3m in diameter come out of tiny Shearwood¡¯s mouth. Kiefer had to clap his hands really hard to produce a shockwave strong enough to extinguish the flames from her attack. Preparing to go home, Kiefer undid all the enhancements and suddenly fell to the ground, as if being crushed by his own weight. He could barely use his arms to sit back up. He had gotten so used to the enhanced strength that he had not been prepared to support himself without the enhancement. Keeping this in mind, Kiefer took a break and enjoyed the distant sunset with Shearwood, before heading back toward the city for the night.
Was eager to update and finished this during my lunch break at work. anyways thank you all for reading and for finally hitting triple digits in followers. I hope you guys will stay with me for the foreseeable future. Next Chapter: The blacksmith and the Library. Side chapter coming up soon: Kiefer''s notes PS: does anyone here know how to draw or use photoshop? i tried drawing a picture of the map of Aioa on MSPaint but it came out horribly disfigured, ending my future aspect as an artist forever. Chapter 1.125 - Kiefers notes (1/3) Economy Grandu Specialty ¨C ores and minerals Description ¨C mining province focusing on processing ores mined within the continent. Largest exporter of iron, copper, coal, tin and adamantium. Mithril and Orihalcom veins are absent in Grandu. Biggest client ¨C Drigor. Economy is booming with increased demand for metals resulting from ongoing war between drgor and the 3 avian provinces. Wanda Specialty ¨C fishing and marine transport Description ¨C Peaceful province focussing on a booming fishing trade, and developing faster and bigger ships. Imports raw materials mainly from Shearwood and Grandu via sea routes. Biggest clients ¨C Isana and Grandu. Shearwood Specialty ¨C wood, herbs, spices, staple agricultural food and restorative potions. Best alchemists in the main continent. Description - Economy is a little affected by occasional skirmishes with Drigor or Rashael armies. Still trades with warring provinces despite the attacks. Imports metals from Grandu and weapons from Drigor. Biggest clients ¨C Wanda and Grandu Rashael Specialty - Magic weapons and armour, Healing services, agricultural food products, meats and fruits. Description ¨C Economy has been badly affected by the ongoing war with Drigor. Attempts to pressure Shearwood into stopping trade with Drigor is not working. Actively supports Luna and Fiora by reducing trade tax and supplying both provinces with priests and magic weapons. Biggest client ¨C Grandu, Isana and Luna Drigor Specialty ¨C Wood, agriculture, weapons and armour. Best blacksmiths in the continent. Description ¨C Her economy is booming with under the table trades with her enemies for weapons and armour. Drigor could be said to thrive on war and chaos, but her citizens are not happy. Relations with Grandu are turning sour as Grandu intentionally jacks up the prices of metals. Original reason for war was refusal by Rashael to sell it magic weapons, thus sparking the war with the 3 avian provinces. Biggest client ¨C Fiora, Luna and Rashael Fiora Specialty ¨C mithril and Orihalcom ores. Description ¨C Only found in extreme heat, mithril and orhalcom veins are found in abundance within the largest volcano on the continent, where the titan Fiora is rumoured to be dwelling. Sole exporter of the only 2 mana conductive metals. The increased demand for magic armour by her sister provinces are leading to the veins being mined out, causing a gradual economic slur. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Biggest clients ¨C Rashael, Luna Grandu and Desir Luna Specialties ¨C magus training, fishing, tourism. Description ¨C The island off the coast of Luna has the highest density of natural mana in Aioa, and is even higher when the blue moon is out. The top magus training academy is on the island and school fees is not cheap. Multiple off-shore islets provide great scenery that attracts travellers from all over the world. War has not affected her economy too significantly. Biggest clients ¨C Mages from all over Aioa, Isana, Grandu. Isana Specialties ¨C Tourism, Ice, Warm apparels, best sculptors in Aioa Description ¨C Not affected by the ongoing war, Isana focuses on attracting travellers to visit their ice museums, enjoy cold weather all year round and climb ice mountains for the view. It mainly transports food and fish from Rashael and Wanda, but is self-sufficient in meats and pelts. Isana produces the best warm apparels and blankets in Aioa. Biggest Clients ¨C Wanda, Rashael, Luna and Shearwood Desir Specialty ¨C none Description ¨C Small continent isolated from the rest of Aioa, mostly self-sufficient. Does not actively carry out trade with other provinces but is not a stranger to the occasional merchant. Biggest client - none
Map of Aioa Blue lines indicate trade route by sea. Red squares indicate major cities. (names not included)
The 3 updates regarding kiefer''s notes are actually all the things that Kiefer had learnt from Buffon in the 2 days that they traveled together. Being a merchant guild leader, Buffon was especially knowledgeable on the workings of the world, especially in provinces that he ''s traveled to. You can think of these side chapters as what Kiefer had written down inside his book. Parts 2 and 3 will be on politics and military composition respectively but they will be out much later. Unfortunately, Buffon is quite lacking in the magic department so magic will be covered in another section called Kiefer''s hypothesis. Chapter 1.13 - The Blacksmith and The Library First, a shoutout to AnarchyDev for your brilliant suggestion. the map came out good did''t it. im quite satisfied. Thank you.
As Kiefer approached the city gates, he saw a familiar sight, this time accompanied by a group of 4 knights on horses. Though it was still far and the light was dim, with his enhanced eyesight, he could see the stingy dwarf on the carriage leaving the gates. ¡°Hey old man. Leaving already so soon?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Ho I¡¯m not so old yet boy! I¡¯m only 470 years old! I see you¡¯ve worked up quite a sweat. Be sure to try the bath house next to the inn, I¡¯ve already told them not to charge you for using it. How¡¯s Marley¡¯s family treating you?¡±(Buffon) ¡°Thanks for the service and advice again OLD MAN. Marley¡¯s alright, but her dad seems really intimidating.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s good. To think that ¡®bear¡¯ used to be at counter service. Anyway, enough chatting, I¡¯ve got a shipment to deliver! See ya boy, and don¡¯t try anything funny inside the city alright. They¡¯ve seen you with me and I don¡¯t want any bad rep on my sheet.¡± (Buffon) Suddenly leaning in to whisper to Kiefer, Buffon muttered in a low voice,¡± I hear they are taking applications for a new batch of mage students at the academy in 10 days, so maybe you can mix in with their lot? The library in the academy is much better equipped to answer your questions boy, especially about magic.¡± Having said that, Buffon winked at him, waved and left with his entourage. Surprised, Kiefer smiled wryly as he thought to himself, ¡°So he knew all along...¡± slightly embarrassed that his attempt to pull the wool over the dwarf had failed. Kiefer gave Shearwood a light pat, and headed towards to bathhouse after returning his re-entry pass, confident that Shearwood would enjoy a warm bath. After the bath, Kiefer hurried back to his room without even stopping to greet Marley. He pulled out his book and started scribbling some strange letters and symbols. These symbols were the runic marks he had seen carved on the bottom of the marble bath tub. When he enquired about it, the owner of the bath house merely said that it was a runic language passed down from the high elves. That specific set of runes was used to enchant the bath tub to heat the water by drawing mana from the surroundings. Only those who attended the Royal academy under the magus department would be taught how to read and invoke runes. Kiefer was excited. There was something he did not know and he knew how to find someone to teach him. Reminiscing the joy of studying and learning (yea right.. never happened to me before), Kiefer finally had a solid goal in mind. Attend the academy at all cost, learn more about magic and mana, and possibly fuse it with what he had developed. For now, he had to visit the blacksmith and gather whatever information he could from public libraries, at least until the academy application date. With that set, Kiefer skipped back down the inn in a jolly mood, handed Marley an extra platinum coin and informed her that he would be extending his stay. Kiefer then proceeded to enjoy a delightful hot beef stew with baked potatoes for dinner, ending his activities for the day. Kiefer opened his eyes in the darkness. It had been 8 hours since he slept, but with little to no concept of time, he could only look at the moons for an estimate. ¡°About 6 more hours before sunrise huh?¡± Kiefer muttered to himself. He lazily got out of bed dressed lightly and left the inn silently, leaving a soft bundle coo-ing under his blanket on his bed. As the chill air hit his skin, Kiefer decided, for better or for worse, to go for a run to warm his body up. He hadn¡¯t eaten yet so he made sure not to over exert himself. With his legs, lungs, heart and eyes enhanced, as well as mana armour deployed, he started running along the road that ran aside the inner side of the city walls. Every now and then, he would see guards either patrolling or standing watch at the gates, and Kiefer would smile and nod at them, before continuing with his run. He decided that this should be part of his daily routine if he is to improve his physical fitness. Within the 6 hours before sunrise, he circumvented the Alluviate city walls twice, covering a total distance of 140km. He was sufficiently sweating by the time he returned to the inn. Deciding to wash up again, he waited outside the bath house for the owner to open the doors. Within 15 minutes of sunrise, the bathhouse doors slowly creaked open and Kiefer made his way inside to shower. He returned to his room after breakfast to find the lazy snake still sleeping away in the same position he had left her. Within a few hours, Kiefer was back in the middle of the city, within the commercial district. He was slowly perusing through a tailor¡¯s, trying to make up his mind. This was visibly annoying the owner as Kiefer had spent a good amount of his time without buying anything, and from the way he was dress, the tailor assumed Kiefer wouldn¡¯t be able to afford anything anyway. Finally making up his mind, Kiefer chose a soft cream colored cotton fabric for his top and a brown tanned leather for his pants. He proceeded to pick one of the thick luxurious grey furs hanging on the rack for a hooded mantle. Looking at his selection, the tailor looked him in the eyes and crudely sneered, ¡°Ahm, sorry sir, but I do recommend this cheaper woolen cloak. That fur is made from the hide of a Seraplor, a high ranking magical beast. I doubt you will be able to afford it.¡± Looking at the tailor with disdain, Kiefer was disgusted by such prejudice based on his looks. Deciding that that was just the nature of businessmen, he quickly cast his rising anger aside, smiled and proceeded with his order. ¡°Regardless, these are what I¡¯ve chosen. I¡¯ll need 5 sets of top and pants from these materials, and also 2 well-made hooded mantles from the Seraplor hide. How much would the total come up to? And how fast can you get them ready?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Umm.. its 20 silver per set of clothes, and 5 gold each for the mantle. That comes to a total of 12 gold sir. I¡¯m afraid you will have to at least half up front for me to accept a custom job such as this.¡± (Tailor) Pulling out his drawstring pouch, Kiefer counted 7 gold coins and made sure to pull out a platinum coin as well just for show. He then passed the 7 coins to the tailor and laughed to himself internally,¡± Well it seems he still didn¡¯t trust me. The look on his face when he saw the platinum coin was priceless. Well worth the attitude I had to put up with.¡± ¡°Thank you very much kind sir!¡± The tailor immediately replied, with a 180 degrees turn in his attitude. ¡°I can get your apparels ready within 5 days. Would you like your mantle to be designed with a drawstring, or a metal clip to attach both sides?¡± Kiefer ended choosing a metal clip design that looked like 2 warped spear heads connected on ends. He then made his way to the nearest blacksmith, carrying the 4 mithril ingots in his sack. Stolen story; please report. Kiefer approached the blacksmith and was immediately overcome with the stench of burning oil and smoke. The heat was unbearable and the whole place was messy, with tools lying all over the place with no discernible order. He could hear loud banging of hammers on metal and the grunting of several men hard at work. Others were even yelling within the blacksmith¡¯s workshop. As soon as he stepped into the workshop, he was greeted by a young lady not much older than him. She had a face full of soot, messy short brown hair and freckles that could be seen on places not covered by soot. Seeing Kiefer, she smiled, turned her head towards the workshop, and yelled in a volume Kiefer would have assumed not possible for a lady. ¡°DAAAAADD!! THERE¡¯S A CUSTOMER!! CAN YOU HANDLE THE FURNACE FOR ME!?!!¡± She yelled, and then turned back to Kiefer and politely asked in a voice that would put singers to shame. ¡°Hi, sorry bout¡¯ that, I¡¯m Celena. What can we do for you?¡± Just as Kiefer was about to open his mouth to speak, he heard a jumble incomprehensible yell from within the workshop, and once again saw her turn her head towards the workshop. ¡°KAAAYYYY THANKS DAADD!!¡± turning back to Kiefer, She continued, ¡°Sorry again. So yes! What did you need?¡± ¡°I need someone to help me process and smith an armour out of these Mithril silver ingots.¡± Kiefer replied, while placing the sack on the nearby workbench. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m terribly sorry, but we can only process normal armour here. If we worked on your mithril, it will only turn out as hard as iron, but without any magic properties. See, none of my brothers or my father can use magic. You¡¯re best heading over to Rashael. There¡¯s a much better chance you¡¯ll find a magic blacksmith there who can work with mithril.¡± (Celena) ¡°Oh, ok that¡¯s fine. Im still new to this so do you mind explaining what I will need to craft my armour?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Magic armour is more complicated than normal armour. Because mithril can conduct mana, many mages choose to infuse mana of the element they have an affinity for. This way, the armour acts as a medium between the mage¡¯s own mana, and natural mana around the mage, improving the rate at which the mage recovers his mana.¡± (Celena) ¡°I see, so it¡¯s like a catalyst to improve mana conversion rate.¡± Kiefer murmured to himself, but the girl caught what he was saying. ¡°Kata-list? What is that?¡± (Celena) ¡°Oh it¡¯s not important. Anyway, you were saying? How do you infuse the mana into the mithril?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Oh, that¡¯s where you need to find a mage. There¡¯s a special hammer, hang on a moment ¨C¡° the girl cut off and ran into the workshop, and came running back carrying a large hammer in her hands moments later. ¡°This hammer was left to us as a relic from long ago, it is used to craft magic armour and weapons. The mage keeps the hammer with him for about a day to let the hammer absorb the mage¡¯s mana, and then returns the hammer to us so we can use it to mold the ingot. We don¡¯t even need to heat the ingot to mold it. As long as there is mana, mithril become soft and malleable once, and then it stays in the new form forever.¡± (Celena) ¡°If you have the hammer here, why can¡¯t you craft the armour for me?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Like I said, this hammer has been in my family a long time and my father does not want to hand it out to mages for a whole day. Even if the mage stayed in our workshop, it will only be a hindrance to work and my father hates it. So we have no way of crafting magic armour here.¡± Celena apologized while bowing deeply. ¡°So as long as I can feed mana into the ingot, I can shape it any way I want?¡± Kiefer asked, looking for confirmation. ¡°Yes, but again, you will need the hammer to shape the ingot. The hammer releases a little bit of mana with each impact and it causes the ingot to change shape where the mana is in contact. If you could find a way to fuse the entire ingot with mana at once, you will be able to mold anything out of it without being restrained to what the hammer can shape.¡± (Celena) ¡°Interesting. Thank you very much, you have been very helpful! And im sorry I took you away from your work. Have a good day!¡± Kiefer bowed, and turned around to leave. Now that he knew how crafting magic armaments worked, Kiefer was confident in making his own. He just needed to decide on what he should, and could craft from 4 mithril ingots. Pondering, Kiefer changed directions and headed for the library at the end of the street. Entering the small 2-storey building, Kiefer was met with a sight he had not expected. There were barely any books on the shelves, at least not enough to be called a library. He was worried if it would be helpful at all. Browsing through both levels, Kiefer picked up a few books. An encyclopedia on wild plants, fruits and poisonous vegetation compiled by what he is assuming to be a famous traveler, a picture book on animals of this continent, a history book on the races of sentient beings that walked this planet, a beginner¡¯s guide to basic magic and finally, a children¡¯s storybook that caught his eye. Holding all 5 books under his arm, Kiefer made his way to the counter when he was stopped by the elderly gentleman standing behind it. ¡°Sorry son, where do you think you are going with those? You¡¯re not trying to steal them are you.. Or are you?¡± the old man repeated his question. ¡°No sir, I was just going to borrow them for a little. How long can I hold onto these books for?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Sorry sonny, but there¡¯s no borrowing here. This ain¡¯t the academy¡¯s library where 1 or 2 missing books ain¡¯t a big deal. You read¡¯em here, or leave¡¯em here.¡± (old man) Kiefer spent the rest of the day running his fingers through the pages, picking up any useful information. The good thing about not being able to borrow books is that he was not restricted to how many books he could go through, and so he swept through almost a quarter of the small library by sun set. Finally realizing he was getting hungry, Kiefer sprinted back home in enhanced mode. He was eager to try out his hand at molding the mithril ingots and he had a very interesting idea, especially since the idea came from the children¡¯s storybook. Finishing a quick dinner, Kiefer returned to his room and laid the ingots on the desk in a neat row. Shearwood was floating above the table, interested in what her master was about to do. ¡°If my hypothesis is correct, and I pray to god it is, I should finally have some form of magic defense.¡± Kiefer explained to Shearwood. With a clear image of a right handed gauntlet with moving finger joints as well as pointed finger tips, Keifer extended a mana rope to pick one ingot up.
Next Chapter : The Complaint and the Error Chapter 1.14 - The Complaint and The Error ¡°NO! Absolutely not! I don¡¯t like it! Why do you need it anyway? You have me! I can protect you! Why do you need that stupid piece of metal?¡± Shearwood yelled, as she started throwing a tantrum. ¡°If you make anymore, then I won¡¯t let you take any more of my mana! You can just rely on that stupid ugly metal for that.¡± On the table were 2 silver gauntlets that looked like brand new polished chrome, shiny enough to see your own reflection in them. Next to the gauntlets was a mask with no visible eye-holes, and 3 dull grey mithril ingots. Kiefer laughed at Shearwood¡¯s little tantrum, and proceeded to pick up the next mithril ingot with his mana threads. [5 hours ago] ¡°I hope to god I¡¯m right.¡± Kiefer whispered to Shearwood as he began pumping mana into the ingot through his mana threads. As soon as the mithril was fused with Kiefer¡¯s mana, it turned into a bright shiny silver colour, same as Kiefer¡¯s threads and essentially, Kiefer¡¯s mana. The 5kg ingot kept absorbing Kiefer¡¯s mana for a full 30 minutes before Kiefer felt the mana flow slow down and noticed his mana dispersing out of the ingot. Manipulating his threads like a thousand tiny silver fingers, Kiefer applied pressure on the ingot and watched as it deformed like a piece of soft clay. He immediately got to work, first pulling the ingot into rough halves, then pinching smaller pieces off. Kiefer started by molding the finger-tips of the gauntlet, and then followed by the individual finger digits, a curved plate for the back of his hand, and lastly a wrist guard that extended about halfway to his elbows. Stopping the mana flow to these well-formed parts caused them to harden instantly. With the rest of the ingot still soft, he pinched a ball of mithril off and started pulling it into wires. Kiefer pulled the ball first into wires, then further into thin threads, resembling his own mana threads but with a much brighter shine. He used the wires to tie the different parts of the gauntlet together to form a hard plate armour that covered the back of his hands. With the threads hardened, he picked them up and they behaved almost similar to nylon threads, if a little more flexible. Kiefer then proceeded to make the left handed version of the gauntlet with the remainder of the ingot. After another hour of work, Kiefer finished the plate armour of the gauntlet for both hands and had about a kilogram of soft mithril left. With that he fashioned a full faced mask that resembled a bike helmet. The mask did not have any eye holes, just a small engraving of what resembled a frowning mouth and 2 slits for the nose. However, it was perforated with numerous tiny holes for where the eyes would be, making it essentially a sort of 1 way viewing port. Kiefer could see past the mask, but others would not be able to see his eyes. There were vents near the mouth to allow his breath to leave so it wouldn¡¯t be too uncomfortable talking with the mask on. Finally, Kiefer proceeded to weave a glove for each hand using the heaps of mithril threads he had pre-made, and to end it all, he had sewn the gauntlet¡¯s plate armour onto the mithril gloves. With this, Kiefer decided to take a break and realized that astonishingly, the whole process had almost depleted his own mana, leaving him with only a silver drop inside his chest. ¡°Perfect timing,¡± he thought as he put on his newly made gloves. They were cold to the touch, and fit snuggly around his hands and wrists. He moved and flexed his fingers and wrists, testing out how the new gauntlets felt. ¡°Good, no restriction of movement. I really made it well if I say so myself,¡± Kiefer grinned to himself. All the while silently watching her master, Shearwood couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at her master. Luckily for her, Kiefer was too engrossed in his new toy to notice Shearwood, and being ignored was starting to make her upset. As soon as Kiefer put on his gauntlets, He could feel the surge of mana rushing into his hands, and streaming straight up his arms into his chest. When Kiefer tried to actively convert the natural mana around him, the gauntlets started to warm up. He discovered that the conversion rate was overwhelming, peaking at around 1:30 from the original 1:1.1. This was more than 3 times as efficient as using Shearwood¡¯s mana directly and he wondered how fast it would be to use the mithril on Shearwood¡¯s mana. Even then it took him nearly 20 minutes to replenish his mana, only to find that his maximum capacity had once again increased. The silver ball in his chest had nearly doubled in size from when he last checked, now the size of his fist. It was not pulsating as much, although Kiefer could still feel the occasional ripples on its surface. ¡°Master, what are you going to do with the rest?¡± (Sher) ¡°I don¡¯t know. I had thought I would need all four to make the gauntlets alone, but it would seem that with my method of crafting, there were no wastage of materials and a 100% absorbtion of mana into the mithril armour. That¡¯s why it was so efficient. The book in the library said even the best made magic armaments only had 5 to 10% mana absorbtion, but was still considered good. I wonder what kind of monstrosity I just made. ¡°Kiefer laughed at himself, only now starting to realize how abnormal he was. ¡°Well, if I have this much, I can probably make a full body light armour. What do you think Sher? Maybe I¡¯ll start with a breastplate next.¡± (Kiefer) Shearwood was about to nod her head and agree with her master when it suddenly dawned upon her. ¡°NO! Absolutely not! I don¡¯t like it! Why do you need it anyway? You have me! I can protect you! Why do you need that stupid piece of metal?¡± Shearwood yelled, as she started throwing a tantrum. ¡°If you make anymore, then I won¡¯t let you take any more of my mana! You can just rely on that stupid ugly metal for that.¡± [Back to Present] ¡°Sher why not? You know I will still need you even with this light armour on. If you let me make this armour, I promise I will go look around the city later for thugs for you to eat. Will that be enough?¡± Kiefer tried bargaining with the little child, with the promise of sweets later. ¡°NO! I don¡¯t like it! If u wear that armour, I won¡¯t have a place to sleep anymore. It will be hard and cold and uncomfortable and I don¡¯t like it. And besides, you can make a shield or something else, and you have your mana armour to protect you. So why do you need the breastplate?¡± (Sher) ¡°It¡¯s ok, trust me.¡± Kiefer reassured Shearwood as he began making his breastplate. It was completed within 3 hours, with most of the time spent on pulling more mithril threads and weaving them to make a strap and a belt. The breast plate was made in 2 halves, one for the front and the other for the back. The back piece fit nicely to Kiefer¡¯s body, while the front piece had a section in the middle the shape of Superman¡¯s logo (Without the S) that was protruding out by about 5 cm. This gap between the armour and Kiefer¡¯s chest was meant as a space for Shearwood to sleep in. Seeing this, Shearwood was satisfied and finally smiled for the first time since Kiefer started making the breastplate. Kiefer had torn up the mage¡¯s robe that he had acquired from the convoy and lined the inside of the breast plate and sewn on with mithril threads. The mithril threads had been woven into a flexible strap used to join the 2 halves over each shoulder. There was a latch at each side to secure the breastplate in place. The whole piece was crafted from 1 ingot. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. With the 2 remaining ingots, Kiefer worked through the night to craft mithril boots and leggings, along a small rhombus shaped shaped shield that he designed to attach to either of the gauntlets. The shield was 60cm in length and 30cm wide. When the sun finally rose, Kiefer had completed his new mithril armour and decided to go down for breakfast before taking a short nap. He had completely forgotten about his ¡®routine¡¯ to run every morning. Waking up 2 hours later, Kiefer donned his new armour, with Sher snuggly seated inside, and headed out of the city walls to test his hypothesis. ¡°On hind sight, I probably should have just crafted a small shield to test it out first. If it does not work according to my predictions, I would have wasted one night and 4 mithril ingots on something that I probably wouldn¡¯t need.¡± (Kiefer) Holding the small diamond shield up in the air using his mana threads, Kiefer instructed Shearwood, ¡°Sher, fire your beam at the shield. Make it small, I don¡¯t want to attract too much attention. Let¡¯s see if this replenished my mana.¡± On his command, Shearwood floated out of his breastplate, looked at the shield and reluctantly fired her red beam, only this time, it wasn¡¯t the 3m monstrosity she usually used. Instead, it came out like a small laser cutter constantly pounding on the silver diamond shield. The shield shook while it was being attacked, and Kiefer could feel is almost empty mana pool being refilled. It would seem that Kiefer¡¯s hypothesis was correct. With a higher percentage of mana absorbed during the crafting, the mithril could convert foreign mana into the user¡¯s at an exponentially higher rate. With Kiefer¡¯s crafting method, the mithril with 100% mana absorption could essentially nullify incoming mana, and feed the user¡¯s mana pool. Kiefer only had a hunch on this concept, much less a hypothesis. And he had gotten the idea from a children¡¯s storybook. The hero in the story was presented with a large mithril tower shield crafted deep by the titan Grandu himself inside his shell. With the shield, the hero was able to withstand the demon king¡¯s magic attack and finally rid the world of the most evil being. Elated that his experiment was an overwhelming success, Kiefer decided to tackle his next problem ¨C Magic. He had seen this world¡¯s mages cast spells, he had tried to imitate the incantation, but nothing had worked for him. Kiefer did not enough time to read through the book on introductory magic in detal the last time, so he decided to pay the library another visit. Heading back to the inn, Kiefer ate a quick lunch, changed out of his armour and strolled towards the library. Shearwood was left in the inn, allowed to go out if she wanted to under the condition that no one sees her. While she had argued that if she ate anyone who saw her, then no one would have seen her, Kiefer immediately rejected that notion and had to add a clause that said no killing of people. ¡°This isn¡¯t right.. there must be some sort of mistake. These are fundamentally wrong even in the most basic level.¡± Kiefer cried softly, frustrated that he was going nowhere with the basic introductory to magic. Kiefer had always viewed mana as a subatomic particle that carried mass, but according to the book, mana was a form of energy that could be manipulated by beings with innate affinity. ¡°I had always assumed that mana particles would be classified as Fermions, but this book says otherwise. There¡¯s no way magic being taught to mages for generations could be wrong, but I know that I¡¯m not wrong either.¡± Kiefer kept trying to logically analyze the information. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t help that I can¡¯t understand these basic runic incantations either. I thought the geezer said he had tweaked my brain to understand the languages of this world.. I guess he must have conveniently ¡®forgot¡¯ about this one.¡± Kiefer started cursing under his breath at the balancer. Just remembering that voice made his blood boil. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible though. Mana is, after all, not from earth, so maybe the classification system from earth doesn¡¯t apply here? If Light has particle wave duality, where it can be both a particle and a wave depending on which property is being tested, maybe mana can do the same.¡± ¡°The mass can be converted to energy by nuclear fusion or fission, according to Einstein¡¯s equation E=mc2. And the easiest way to observe energy is in the form of thermal energy, by vibrating the molecules. The book also mentioned that the fire element was the easiest and fastest to learn. So maybe I¡¯ll try that out first?¡± Kiefer concentrated on releasing a few mana particles in front of him, and pictured in his mind the destruction of said particles and the agitation of the surroundings. He watched as the few silver sparkles disappeared into nothing, with no visible result. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s too little?¡± Kiefer conjectured while summoning a new batch of mana, this time forming a hazy smoke above the table. With a thought, he did the same to this batch, destroying them instantly. The result was instantaneous. Kiefer felt a hot blast of air in his face that made him close his eyes, and then reopened them to see the ¡°introductory to basic magic¡± book on fire. Panicking, Kiefer immediately threw the book onto the ground and stomped on it a few times, extinguishing the flames, not before the bald old man came over and said ¡°You are going to pay for that, aren¡¯t you?¡± Reluctantly, Kiefer surrendered over 1 gold coin which made the old man¡¯s face light up like a Christmas tree. At least he has a half burnt book to prove that his theories were right and that this world¡¯s understanding of mana is severely limited and erroneous. Trudging back to the inn, dragging his feet, Kiefer suddenly changed his mind and headed back for the city gates again. By now, the guards were no stranger to Kiefer¡¯s weird habit of going out and returning with nothing. Seeing Kiefer head out a second time this day with a long face, the guards tried to cheer him up. ¡°Look up boy! I¡¯m sure this time you¡¯ll catch something! The people at the guild can be real asses huh!¡± yelled one of the guards. They had assumed that he was leaving the city on assignment from the guild to gather or hunt something. None of them had remembered his face from when he rode the tarsus in on his first day in Alluviate. Several experiments and theories were running through his head as he took his time to walk to his usual secluded training spot. The sun was too hot to be running and Kiefer didn¡¯t have his mithril armour or Shearwood around to replenish his mana. Considering that he will be destroying plenty of mana particles, he wanted to conserve as much as he could.
There''s a few terms in this chapter i hope it doesn''t deter any of you from reading any further. sure there will be more in future chapters but I will try to use them in moderation. Unless you guys like it then I will pile it on like there''s no tomorrow. JK. Also, i know story is progressing slow, but its crucial you all follow closely with Kiefer as he develops his magic, tactics and allies in this arc. I''ve mentioned before in the comments in the previous chapter, there will be development in the plot and Kiefer will eventually play a big role in Aioa (not a spolier since im sure you all are already expecting that). Next Chapter : The negotiation and the class. Chapter 1.15 - The Negotiation and The class ¡°Hmm, something is coming my way, and it¡¯s fast.¡± Kiefer muttered, as he looked towards the direction of the Agrean forest. Kiefer was currently sitting down cross legged and slowly trying to convert natural mana in the air to his own. The process was slow as Kiefer did not have his mithril armour equipped and he was constantly spending mana to send out his radar pulses. As he enhanced his eyesight and hearing he could hear a distant scream, and saw a tiny worm flying towards him from within the thicket of trees. ¡°Maaastteerrr!!¡± Shearwood exclaimed, as she shot through the air like an arrow towards Kiefer, with tears in her eyes. ¡°My-my lake! It¡¯s so dirty now!! So many fishes, and animals.. They don¡¯t even clean up after themselves!! I had to boil my lake to kill the fishes but now there¡¯s not enough water and so many dead fishes.. sob* sob*¡± Shearwood cried, complaining to Kiefer the terrible condition her home was in now. She had been given the day to herself and chose to return to the lake, only to find it defiled by lesser animals. ¡°It¡¯s ok Sher, let the animals do as they please. And besides, that¡¯s not your home now. It may have been for however long you lived, but now your place is beside me. I don¡¯t have any friends to talk to other than you.¡± Kiefer consoled her. With that, Shearwood seemed delighted and hurriedly dove into his shirt and wrapped her small body around his neck. ¡°How convenient,¡± Kiefer thought as he began replenishing his mana. Shearwood was so happy by what Kiefer had said that she did not even notice the miniscule amount of her mana being depleted. After all, her mana was easily a thousand times over more than Kiefer¡¯s and what he took from her, she could generate within hours. Over the course of the day before meeting Sher, Kiefer prioritised the skills he needed to learn and practice. He had wanted to practice his fire skill, but decided it was more important to have a sensing skill rather than an offensive one. Looking through the unburnt part of the book he held in his hands, Kiefer managed to decipher something along the lines of a basic wind spell that allows the mage to detect presences where the wind passed. However, being unable to read the high elf runes, Kiefer had no choice but to try things out for himself. Using the same concept as with the heat spell, Kiefer chose instead to destroy his mana particles and convert the energy into kinetic energy, moving the air around the mana. While it had worked, the breeze he conjured up could only be sent in one direction and he couldn¡¯t even begin to phantom how the breeze was going to inform him of presences around him. ¡°I might have to apply something from earth again. Maybe a type of wind radar of sorts?¡± Kiefer re-summoned his haze of silver particles and destroyed them, this time with no directional control of the kinetic energy. A pulse of wind expanded from the mana haze as it was destroyed, rippling through the tall grass. Kiefer had the general structure of the radar down, but still couldn¡¯t detect anything from the wind. It was, after all, just wind, like a shockwave that was sent out. He still needed the feedback portion which he couldn¡¯t decipher because of the burnt pages. Thinking back, Kiefer noted that the only thing he could really feel with great sensitivity was his mana. Whether it was 1 particle or a million, as long as the particle did not disintegrate, Kiefer could accurately tell its location. As he swirled his mana thread around in the air, he could clearly feel each individual thread, as well as the mana particles constantly being converted into natural mana. With that, Kiefer completely abandoned the idea of elemental magic based sensory skill, but instead chose to utilise his unique ability to manipulate mana. This was the best course of action because without the knowledge of high elf runes, Kiefer had no hope of controlling and manipulating the elements through the runes like normal mages did. Kiefer gathered a hollow ball of mana, and filled it with repulsion particles. Allowing the repulsion particles to expand rapidly, Kiefer shot out a thin wave of mana particles at astonishing speeds. However, no matter how fast the wave was travelling and how far it travelled, Kiefer could still clearly determine the position of each particle even after they left his 30m control radius. Kiefer closed his eyes and focused on the expanding wave, and felt the exact locations where the particles disintegrated. Opening his eyes, he looked at the position of disintegration and finally smiled. A smile that only meant he had succeeded yet again. As the pulse travelled through the air and the ground, it gradually became thinner from being converted into natural mana. However, this loss was barely negligible, compared to when the pulse hit other living things. Since all living things on Aioa possessed a small amount of mana, they were constantly converting the surrounding mana into their own to replenish what was constantly being lost. It was like a cycle of mana between the organism and its surrounding. When Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse interacted with living things however, Kiefer¡¯s mana was significantly reduced and converted to the living organism since his mana particles are of a higher concentration, resulting in a higher conversion rate. Being the only being on Aioa who could sense and control the conversion of his mana, apart from keifer, nothing else in the world would be able to sense the pulse. Kiefer on the other hand could tell exactly where his pulse weakened and from the intensity that it weakened, estimate the size and power of the organism that his mana pulse detected. It took Kiefer sometime, but he gradually got used to the huge load of information that he sensed with each pulse. By the time his mana was almost depleted, Kiefer had managed to tweak his mana pulse to reach about a 2 km radius, sensing everything from trees, to animals, humans and finally in his most recent pulse, Sher. With Sher clinging onto him and his mana almost replenished, Kiefer headed back to his room. This time however, he chose to test his physical capabilities with a denser infusion of mana into his body. Kiefer effortlessly leapt 10m into the air, traversed another 20m vertically up the wall and finally hopped down the city wall, astonishing the guards at the gate. Kiefer gave a deep bow and apologised to the guard captain for leaving 2 feet shaped craters on the cobbled pathway, returned his pass and sprinted home. The guards just looked at him in stunned surprise, jaws almost hitting the floor. [A few days later] Kiefer was now waiting in line outside the royal academy for his entrance application procedure. He would constantly observe young nobles, both male and female, alight from lavishly decorated carriages. Most of them would attempt to cut the line with a bribe to the academy teachers only to have their bribe taken and refused entry, forcing them to the back of the line. They could do nothing to the powerful academy teachers. Kiefer was dressed plainly and he stood out like a sore thumb. He had chosen to leave his lavish Seraplor mantle in the inn along with his mithril armour as he assumed that will attract more attention than being dressed like a commoner. Occasionally, Kiefer would, with his enhanced senses and mana pulse, identify some nobles with the intent to harass him making their way towards him. Every time that happened, Kiefer would merely silently trip them with a single thin mana thread extending from his feet. It was enough to attract attention to the trouble makers and deter them from approaching him. Over the past few days, Kiefer had pretty much the same routine. Morning 6 hour ¡®jog¡¯, shower breakfast and then it¡¯s out to the fields to test out his hypothesis. He would occasionally catch a wild boar or ¡®rabbit¡¯ and roast it for lunch without returning to the city. He would only return when the sun was starting to set. With the exception for the day before, he spent the day playing with Sher after she complained that he was ignoring his only ¡®Friend¡¯. Nevertheless, it was a productive few days. Despite not knowing much about magic, Kiefer had managed to identify the basics of how to convert his mana into the different elements. With multiple tries, he had managed to convert his mana into fire, wind, light and lightning. With light, he had even managed to create a new skill designed to blind others temporarily, sort of like a flash bang. He simply had to readjust the spin, momentum and frequency of his mana particles and they would instantly release photons equivalent to its own mass. With that knowledge and superb control derived from 3 days of practice, Kiefer could either make a ball of mana constantly give off light slowly to illuminate the surroundings like a light-bulb, or instantly turn every mana particle into photons, creating an instantaneous blinding flash. Unfortunately, Kiefer had little progress with lightning as his method only comprised of ripping electrons from the air in large quantities using energy released from his mana destruction. However, he had no way to controlling the pathway of the electrons once they left the molecules and could only stand by and watch. Kiefer was still lacking one of three key components in creating a fireball ¨C fuel. As such, he had reached a roadblock with development of fire based magic. He could supply heat from mana, and there was oxygen in the air, but without fuel to burn, the heat simply dissipated. Having waited in line for almost half a day and 4 annoying noble kids later, it was finally Kiefer¡¯s turn to be tested for his aptitude. He had seen what the test comprised. The candidate simply had to hold a rod and according to the colour and intensity of light given off by the gem at the end of the rod, be selected for the academy. The colour showed the type of affinity the candidate had, while the intensity of the light showed the size of the mana pool. Having observed the numerous candidates before him, Kiefer adjusted his mana accordingly, making destroying them to form thermal energy when the mana interacted with the rod. The gem glowed red with a moderate intensity, and the teacher spoke in a cold careless tone ¡°Fire affinity, above average mana pool, you pass. Head to the central building to get your class assignment and schedule.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The academy was really big, yet strangely quiet. It had a central castle that handled administrative work, multiple old worn down stone buildings, a training field about the size of 4 football stadiums and a tall hedge surrounding the perimeter of the school. With his mana pulse, Kiefer could clearly feel the difference in student population sizes between the west and the east side of the academy. Entering the central building as instructed, a piece of parchment was shoved into his hands by a disgruntled student volunteer, obviously being forced to ¡®Volunteer¡¯ by one of the teachers. The parchment was a form, requiring him to fill in his name, age, affinity and classes he intended to take. A large curtain separated the lobby between the east and west entrances, and with his mana pulse, Kiefer could clearly sense the long queue on the other side of the curtain, as well as the distinct smell of sweat wafting across to his side. The magus department had less than 10 students picking their classes from the board while the knights department was packed full of sweaty students having just undergone a physical examination. Kiefer could choose from a minimum of 4 classes to a maximum of 8. According to the administrative personal, attendance was not compulsory in magus classes and as long as Kiefer was confident in passing the bi-annual exams, he was free to do what he wished. Looking through the list of classes, Kiefer had picked Magical theory and Basic runes. The others however, did not interest him. There was Magic history, Magical beasts and plants, Practical applications and Basic Enchanting left in beginner courses. With 2 more modules left to pick, Kiefer decided to ask a strange question. ¡°Excuse me; will it be possible for me to take lessons from the knight¡¯s department as well?¡± (Kiefer) Looking at him wIth eyes so wide opened, they looked like they were going to pop out, the female teacher replied,¡± Im sorry, I don¡¯t think I heard it right. Did you say you want to attend knight¡¯s classes? Even though you have magical aptitude?¡± Kiefer nodded his head firmly at her question, waiting for her reply. A soft chuckle could be heard from inside his shirt, but the teacher had just assumed it was Kiefer. The teacher immediately turned around and hustled into the adjacent room, and a crude loud laughter could be heard. Moments later she returned to the counter, with a tall muscular man in a dull scratched up armour. Without warning, the man drew his sword and cut down on Kiefer, only to notice Kiefer already standing 2 metres away from him. ¡°Ho!! You¡¯re a fast one ya little rat. A bit scrawny but I can fix that. And you already know how to enhance your body? Not bad! You are welcome to take knights classes boy, but the academy will not be held responsible for any injuries ya suffer in my department. Only if ya get injured in magic class will the teachers heal ya. If ya understand, then come on over and choose your class.¡± (Knight instructor) ¡°Thank you instructor, and Miss.¡± Kiefer replied politely while bowing. He then made his way across to the knights section. The once noisy room immediately became silent, and then hushed murmurs could be heard amongst the numerous knight candidates. Kiefer did not take long before he chose Physical training and Basic Swordsmanship to make up his minimum quota of 4 classes. Looking at his new schedule, the knights classes lasted twice as long as the magic classes, with training in the morning after breakfast and before dinner in the evening. Magic classes were held late morning and early afternoon. He had a 5 hour break in between the knight and magic classes, with a 2 hour break for lunch. ¡°That¡¯ll be 2 platinum coins per course, and I will issue your identification pass and robe once payment has been received. Would you like to register for a dorm? That will be an additional platinum coin.¡± (Admin lady) Pulling out his pouch, Kiefer counted his money, and hesitated for a while, before looking at the lady. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m short of 1 platinum coin, would it be possible for me to pay you the remainder on a later date?¡± Kiefer asked apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry sir, I cannot give you any leeway on that matter. As you are an orphan and do not have a substantial financial background supporting you, I am not confident in allowing you to owe us such a large amount. If you are unable to pay the full amount by the end of the day however, you are welcome to try again next year.¡± (Admin Lady) Seeing no other way out, Kiefer soon returned to his room in the inn, considering ways to earn that 1 platinum coin in the next 5 hours before the school gates closed. He had considered heading into the Agrean forest to hunt for bandits or even rob merchants, but he doubted they would carry so much gold. He could get 50 maybe 60 gold at most. The only other option was to sell one of the mithril equipment but he was highly against the idea because it would cause an uproar and attract attention to himself, which was what he absolutely would not want. Seeing her master in such a dilemma, Shearwood suddenly spoke up. ¡°Master! I have an idea, but we need to go to somewhere far.¡± Kiefer was confused, but he chose to believe in Sher anyway. Within an hour of enhanced sprinting, the 2 were at the edge of the agrean forest again, next to the pock-marked, crater filled Alluvian grasslands. ¡°So what did you bring me here for Sher?¡± Kiefer enquired, still confused as to what the little serpent was up to. ¡°Master, I hear that adamantium is really expensive. You may not know this, but my upper body is actually made of adamantium scales. Why don¡¯t you pick one and sell it, so you have the money?¡± Saying this, the little snake transformed into the 100m giant monstrosity that is Shearwood. ¡°But doesn¡¯t it hurt if I pull your scale out?¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Not very much, it was only painful the last time because master was being mean and tried to pluck out over 50 of my scale at the same time, and the big ones at that. If you peel the newer ones at the tip of my tail, it wouldn¡¯t hurt as much and I can easily grow it back after eating some adamantium ores.¡± (Sher) Kiefer reluctantly extended a single mana thread and wrapped it around one the smallest grey scales at the tip of Sher¡¯s tail and peeled it off, as Shearwood moaned, enduring the pain. There was a drop of blood lingering on the end of the scale and as it fell and hit the grass, it burned a hole in the ground. Shearwood transformed back into her tiny form and as kiefer saw the pale blue spot at the tip of her tail, Kiefer reached out to Shearwood, pulled her close and gave her a peck on her head. ¡°Thank you so very much Sher, for all the things you¡¯ve done for me.¡± Kiefer muttered. Shearwood could be seen closing her eyes and embracing the moment for herself. Racing back to the city, Kiefer drove his heels into the ground and shot straight for the blacksmith¡¯s shop he visited a few days back. There he met the same soot stained Celena hammering away at the blade of an unfinished sword. As he presented the palm sized adamantium scale, he saw Celena¡¯s expression change into shock. ¡°DAAAADDD!!! GUUUYSS!!! SOMETHING AMAZING IS HAPPENING HERE!!! DAAAAD!!!!! HURRYY!!!¡± Celena yelled, not taking her eyes off the treasure in Kiefer¡¯s hand. Immediately, Kiefer could almost feel the workshop rumble, as 4 bulky bearded, sweaty and dirty men came running out, hammers and pliers still in hand. Kiefer assumed they were Celena¡¯s father and brothers. He secretly felt sorry for Celena, being the only girl in the testosterone filled family. ¡°What is it Celena? What happened?¡± (Celena¡¯s dad) ¡°Its adamantium dad! He wants to sell us adamantium! And a high grade one at that!¡± Celena exclaimed, pointing at Shearwood¡¯s scale. ¡°Oh? That is indeed high grade adamantium. Boy, wherever did you find such a thing?¡± Celena¡¯s dad questioned, interested in the location of such a beauty. ¡°It a treasure. A treasure that a dear friend of mine gave me to use in times of need. While I¡¯m reluctant to sell it, I am really in need of some money right now. I hope you will buy it at a reasonable price.¡± Kiefer replied solemnly. He was still reluctant to let go of Sher¡¯s scale but he had no other choice. ¡°Fine then. How¡¯s 30 platinum coins? That¡¯s all we got in the shop at the moment, but I will be willing to provide you with any services for free in the future.¡± (Celena¡¯s dad) Agreeing to the trade, Kiefer left the workshop with a heavy pouch and a heavy heart. He had just traded part of his Companion for his own selfish reasons. He had never felt emotions like this before, and silently cursed his foster mother for bringing this side out of him. At times, he had felt things would be easier without emotions. Having completed his application process and with his new identification card, Kiefer could now ride his tarsus out in public. He could not wait to begin classes in 3 days.
From the previous poll, It would seem that it was fairly balanced between both options. there wasn''t an overwhelming choice out of the 2 like i had expected. Trying to accommodate for both preferences, I''m wondering if having longer chapters would help. That way, i get to explain in detail about Kiefer''s thoughts and experiments, while readers who focus on the story could just breeze through and skip to the main plot. Longer chapters would include more storyline as well as details on science-magic merger. This will most probably start from the next chapter onwards, but for now you are stuck with 3000+ words per chapter. Next Chapter: The Discrimination and the Friend Chapter 1.16 - The Discrimination and The Friend ¡°Master, can I eat them? They are all so annoying. And the boys.. they look so tasty.¡± Shearwood asked in a hushed voice. Kiefer could almost feel her salivating on his shirt as she poked her head out of his shirt¡¯s neck and looked at the class. Kiefer was standing outside the class door about to begin his first lesson in basic magic theory. He wasn¡¯t expecting to learn much from the first class, but had somehow expected the snide remarks and crudely hidden sneers from his fellow classmates. They were young nobles coming from wealthy and significant families, only around 15 years of age, whereas he was a commoner who only started attending at the age of 21. ¡°Look at his clothes.. he must have been too poor to even dress decently.¡± ¡°I hear he only started at 21 because he had to save up enough money for the school fees. I hear he couldn¡¯t even pay then and had to leave to borrow money on the application date itself.¡± ¡°His attribute was only fire. How pathetic. And his mana pool was only above average. When he¡¯s this old, there¡¯s no more room for improvement for him. He¡¯s just wasting our time and his money.¡± With his enhanced hearing, Kiefer could hear every whisper clear as day and chose to ignore them. There wasn¡¯t enough time in the world to be correcting them and dealing with these baseless nonsense. Kiefer strode confidently to the back of the class and took a seat. Almost immediately, as if he was oil and they water, a gap could be seen between Kiefer and the rest of the class. Kiefer chuckled at this, glad that at least he will have some privacy if everyone decided to leave him alone. As the class started soon after, all the student fell silent as the teacher started lecturing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know already.¡± Kiefer thought to himself silently. ¡°All this stuff about mana, and how its being recycled, and high elf runes.. maybe taking this class was a mistake.¡± Kiefer just spent the rest of the 2 hour class with his eyes closed and refining his mana pulse technique. He had managed to tweak it so that the pulse starts from inside his head, instead of on his palm. This would make it seem less obvious to his surroundings. Despite the teacher glaring at him several times thinking he was asleep, Kiefer continued to ignore the class that had no benefits to him. Through his mana pulse, Kiefer could only sense 2 relatively strong individuals, and even then, he was sure Sher could make snacks out of them. They were the Knight instructor he met on application day, and another whose identity Kiefer did not know. What surprised Kiefer though was that the knight instructor had a mana pool comparable to some of the teachers in the magus department. With the class concluded, Kiefer opened his eyes again and waited for everyone to leave the room before he slowly made his way out. Even before he stepped out the door, Kiefer sensed 4 individuals hanging outside in the corridor. He knew exactly what they were up to. Kiefer was no stranger to bullying. He was bullied by his biological father. He was bullied by older kids in the orphanage. He was even bullied to a small extent in university. He always handled them the same way. Complete ignorance and the bullies eventually get bored. The bullies get bored, while other kids get creeped out, either way; they end up leaving him alone. As soon as Kiefer stepped out the door, a bucket of water was thrown on him. Kiefer being Kiefer, skilfully dodged the incoming liquid by enhancing his legs and leaping forward at breakneck speeds. While the boys were still stunned that they had missed, Kiefer was already at the end of the corridor, turning a corner into the stairway. The 4 boys did not even get a chance to monologue about the disparity in their social status. The rest of his first day in the academy was pretty much the same. During runes class, nobles made fun of his social and financial status, while during knight swordsmanship class, the physically superior knight candidates picked on the weak oddball magus that joined their activity. All the while, Kiefer just completely disregarded them and by the end of the day, he was back at his inn. While Kiefer was feeling fine after the mentally exhausting day, Shearwood was not. She was visibly fuming, mad that her master had to endure all the humiliation he did not deserve. Humiliating her master would mean indirectly humiliating her, and she was seriously considering burning the entire city down to bedrock. Kiefer sensing her agitation calmed her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Sher, starting tomorrow, they won¡¯t have anything to say to me.¡± Kiefer started his morning with his routine jog, increasing his speed and distance to 3 laps around the city walls. The city guards were all familiar with the young man by now, having seen him rush past them every morning. Kiefer was not wearing his academy robe anymore. This time he stood outside the academy gate, wearing his seraplor mantle that concealed his mithril armour. He had equipped every piece except the shield and the mask. Shearwood was snoozing inside the mithril breastplate pocket. With this, Kiefer tooks large confident steps into the academy grounds and headed for his physical training class. There was no fixed attire for classes in the academy; however, students still chose to either don the robe or armour to differentiate their department. Kiefer undressed his armour and mantle and stored it inside the locker, leaving Sher snoozing in the breastplate to guard his items. He quickly changed into a light breezy uniform designed for comfort and mobility provided by the academy. His new attire was not meant for the knights department to see. In physical training, the students were usually too tired to pick on Kiefer and similarly, Kiefer was exhausted after the strenuous exercise. Varn (Knight Instructor) had forbidden him from using magic to enhance himself. Kiefer followed instructions like a soldier, knowing that this was meant to build up his body. After a quick shower, Kiefer put his plan into motion, and almost immediately, he saw a reaction. Dressed in Seraplor mantle, Kiefer made his way towards the academy library. He had wanted to acquire some books on rune incantations and interpretations. With his hood up, almost no one could see his face as he sat down at a table and opened up a book. He could hear whispers, conjectures and envious remarks. Some thought he was a senior returning from a mission; others were trying to figure out which rich family he came from. However, no one dared to approach him. The well-crafted seraplor mantle was doing its job. After all, not everybody can wear a piece of apparel that costs 5 gold like it was a daily clothing piece. Finally, some 1st years gathered up the courage and approached Kiefer. ¡°Umm.. Sorry to bother you sir, b-but we are first years and would like to ask you something we did not understand in class.¡± (Female student) Kiefer was grinning beneath the hood. He knew it would work, but he did not expect it to be so effective. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can help you, I¡¯m quite new to this myself see?¡± Kiefer replied, throwing his hood back and carefully scrutinising the faces of all those in the library. Success, in Kiefer¡¯s eyes, is when things go according to the way he predicted, even if it was without a doubt a bad result. Like when he expected an experiment to fail and yield no positive results, or when he expected everyone to stay away from him after being bullied. Nothing satisfied Kiefer more than success. The girl was stunned, speechless as she quickly returned to her table with her group, but not before casting a hateful glance at Kiefer for deceiving her. What they failed to realise is that they deceived themselves into believing Kiefer was a poor commoner. Kiefer had never spoken a single word to them, but instead, it was just their assumptions and delusions running wild. It had worked, as predicted. The magus students all avoided him, out of fear that he might belong to a powerful hidden family, or out of pure hatred that he had been pulling the wool over their eyes. All that¡¯s left are the knight candidates. Kiefer knew that strength meant everything in Knights department, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was after weak compared to the students who have been training since young. But he showed resolve and did everything as Varn and the other instructors ordered without so much as a whine. He wasn¡¯t trying to be a teacher¡¯s pet, just trying to improve his physical fitness as fast as possible. The only way to prove himself is at the weekly ranking tournaments, where students confident enough could join the test their skills. There was no prize for winning, just a sense of satisfaction. The plan to stop the discrimination in the knights department was a long and arduous journey. Within a week, Kiefer had catalogued a majority of the high elf runic characters and even performed the most basic fireball spell. Runic classes were the most productive while Kiefer had determined that magic theory classes were absolute rubbish. What was discussed in magic theory was in the end, just theories and hypothesis developed by various famous mages on the nature of mana and how it reacts to stimulus. While some theories came surprisingly close, others were just pure nonsense. There were even theories that said mana was a person¡¯s spirit and soul and hence there is no way to control how fast you recover your soul once you¡¯ve used it. ¡°Asviran means ¡®By my will¡¯ while Astuvhan means ¡®By your help¡¯. Interesting.. so that¡¯s the difference between incantation and enchanting.. With incantation, we use Asviran because we are controlling it, but while enchanting items, there is no mana control from the user¡¯s part.¡± Kiefer slowly deciphered the runes as he compared between spells in 2 books. ¡°And there¡¯s no point in just reciting the incantation if you don¡¯t understand the meaning behind it. It would seem that the power of the spell depends on the caster¡¯s affinity with the element and his proficiency with the spell.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Kiefer was still trying to analyse the fireball spell that was taught to him. The incantation was as follows, ¡°Asviran hidra no cadrin shak enro¡±. Kiefer understood that the incantation was somewhat similar to the mana programming that he developed, and that it controls the elements to execute spells. He had deciphered everything except ¡®hidra no cadrin¡¯. In his words, it would mean ¡®By my will hidra no cadrin shoot fire ball.¡± The o in ¡®enro¡¯ was a pictorial depiction of a ball rather than a letter while enr represented fire. Just as he was lost inside his head, Kiefer felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Varn grinning at him. ¡°I see you¡¯re hardworking even in mage class. How¡¯s your body holding up? Still sore from practice?¡± (Varn) ¡°No sir. I¡¯ve enhanced my heart after practice and it helps heal fatigue effectively. Enhancing my sarcomeres also helps improve the repair rate of my muscles while lessening the burden while I¡¯m out of practice.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°HO.. that¡¯s some new terms I¡¯ve never heard of.. What are sarkomeers?¡± (Varn) ¡°It¡¯s just another term for muscles. Sir, if you don¡¯t mind, I don¡¯t mean any disrespect but I¡¯m quite busy you see. There something I don¡¯t understand I hate the feeling of not knowing things.¡±(Kiefer) ¡°And what are you trying to figure out? Maybe I can help. I used to be a mediocre mage you know, before I became an outstanding knight.¡± (Varn) ¡°Well I¡¯m trying to understand what the incantation is actually saying. It¡¯s so cryptic and the grammar is poor. Its difficult to decipher the meaning behind the characters.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ha! They don¡¯t teach you that until you attend intermediate runes. But usually, the incantation includes a compulsory verse, the components of the spell, the action of the spell and finally the form of the spell. That¡¯s most of what I can remember before I left Mage School for knightship. They teach you boring useless stuff in basic courses thinking you¡¯ll be excited with just casting spells.¡± (Varn) ¡°You know, that actually helped a great deal! Thank you sir! I think I just might be able to figure this out.¡± Kiefer exclaimed excitedly while standing up. This was met with angry glares inside the quiet library and Kiefer sat back down immediately. ¡°Well just don¡¯t be late for sword swinging in the evening.¡± (Varn) Kiefer immediately flipped the pages of his basic runes book to view another spell, excited at the thought of another breakthrough. Comparing the spell for fireball ¡®Asviran hidra no cadrin shak enro¡¯ and the spell for water ball ¡®Asviran hidra condeen shak hidro¡¯, Kiefer became so happy he was having a hard time suppressing his laughter, coming out as stifled giggles. ¡°It was so simple after all. The high elves must have met the same problem as I had when trying to develop the fireball. They did not have any fuel. So they created the incantation to form fuel from water and carbon dioxide first, taking hydrogen from water and carbon from C02 to form an organic fuel to burn. So ¡®hidra¡¯ meant water and ¡®cadrin¡¯ meant carbon. ¡®condeen¡¯ could mean condense where the waterball spell would have more action verses than component verse.¡± Kiefer thought as he began furiously jotting down the notes in his book. Kiefer¡¯s notebook was special. He knew no one wold be able to read it because he had written it in English, a language completely unknown to this world. As such, he could be sure that his research was safe and no one would be able to steal his ideas and understanding, at least until they deciphered the language. Kiefer sprinted his way to the training field, ready to test out his new understanding of the spells. Overly excited, Kiefer was already running simulations on constructing new spells inside his head. All he needed where the runic terms for the different elements in the periodic table. His thirst for knowledge was ever growing. ¡°Master, why do you need to learn these inferior spells anyway? Isn¡¯t your unique magic sufficient? Why lower yourself to these selfish and vile creatures?¡± Shearwood whispered just as Kiefer arrived at the training field. ¡°There is a plan for everything Sher. I do not want my abilities to be known, and since I can control the amount of mana I leak, I am able to fool others. Deceiving your enemy is the best way to ensure your own survival. That¡¯s why I¡¯m learning the sword too. When my enemies think I¡¯m a swordsman, I can surprise them with elemental magic. Even then, I still have my trump card of mana manipulation and my over the top mithril armour that inconspicuously looks like normal steel armour. If that doesn¡¯t work, I still have you, a titan.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°The easiest way to win a battle is a battle where your opponent underestimates you. And here comes the perfect example.¡± Just as Kiefer approached the middle of the field, he was confronted by the same 4 students that tried to pour water on him. ¡°Look at this pathetic fire mage. You may be rich, but all you have is your fireball. Why don¡¯t we teach him what he¡¯s been missing out in practical lessons?¡± (Bully) Saying that, the 4 students began chanting the spell for waterball. The leader even chanted the spell for intermediate level water arrow. Kiefer naturally dodged the spells by circling the group and within 5 minutes of spell blasting and a couple of friendly fire, the bullies were soaking wet. The ground they stood on was damp with a few puddles of water soaking their feet. Kiefer looked at them and laughed. ¡°I might as well teach them a lesson, I sure hope this new spell works. Might as well test out my hypothesis on them.¡± Kiefer thought as an evil grin sprouted on his face. ¡°Asviran electron condeen shak lightnos!¡±. Immediately, several balls of electricity formed around Kiefer with tiny forks of lighting randomly shooting out of the spheres as if trying to escape. The lightning balls shot forwards, landing on the wet ground, none hitting the bullies. However, the water soaked bullies were still shocked and paralyzed by the electricity running through them. ¡°I see.. it would seem that spells aren¡¯t restricted to elven language or runes, and as long as the concept is in my head, the spell still works. Adding an ¡®s¡¯ in the end did in fact turn it into plural form, creating multiple lightning balls, and I can still use English terms such as electrons¡± (Kiefer) The academy teacher on standby came rushing over to the site of the duel and healed the 4 bullies. He did not say anything to Kiefer as it was still within school regulations. As long as it is nothing lethal and it was within the premises of the training field, any sort of magic duels was permitted. Kiefer was satisfied with his practical test that day. He had definitively proven that his hypothesis was correct and that meant he was not limited to the spells taught to him by the academy. However, Kiefer knew that elemental spells were after all inferior to his mana manipulation in the aspect that they required verbal incantation which would be fatal against an experienced swordsman. He needed to allocate more time to developing his own skills rather than learning new incantation.
Elsewhere, on the top of an ice cold mountain, a single wyvern was returning from its trip. ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s not home? Did she leave her lake? Ahahahaa it would seem my baby sister has found something interesting enough to make her lift her lazy ass out of the water. You¡¯ve done well. You may leave.¡± A sweet icy voice ran through the white cave. The weather was calm and the view was beautiful. A whole landscape of white, overseeing an entire province from the top of the tallest mountain in Aioa. The only place on Aioa where you can see both the setting sun and the rising twin moons at the same time. A place where snow was eternal, and summers were colder than winters in the rest of Aioa. And yet, all the magnificent beauty of the view paled in comparison to the charming woman strolling out of her cave. Skin soft and pale, long silver hair reaching her waist, and a sky blue gown that flowed like silk. The woman took a deep breathe, and then muttered ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go see for myself what my sister is up to¡±, as her green eyes flashed and she transformed into a dragon with white scales. The dragon took off into the crimson sky, leaving behind a snowstorm on the mountain top.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. A little more insight into the spells of Aioa and Kiefer''s understanding of them. Next chapter : The Failure and The Goal. Chapter 1.17 - The Failure and the Goal Once again, Kiefer was sitting in the grasslands outside the city of Alluviate. He had just finished his magic runes class and had a 5 hour break before his swordsmanship class. While he would usually spend his time holed up in the library, the academy had become unbearable to be around ever snice he defeated the 4 noble kids in the training ground. The news spread like wild fire through the first year students during the 2 weeks after the incident, with the student body splitting into 2 main factions. One side admired Kiefer¡¯s talents and abilities, while the other side was convinced Kiefer had cheated somehow, that he may have bribed one of the academy teachers to help him. Either way, Kiefer was unhappy because his plan to remain unnoticed backfired on him. So now, he¡¯s started spending time outside the city, just practicing his skills. Looking at the tarsus grazing peacefully, and Shearwood chasing some draeries, Kiefer smiled, and started to think of new ways to implement his magic. The draeries were a small dragon race, no larger than his palm, they had no magic, feasted mainly on insects and fruits, and were wicked fast. Even with Shearwood¡¯s speed, the draeries were always out of reach, cutting sharp corners, displaying their superior manoeuvrability in the air. Watching Shearwood chase them gave Kiefer an idea for another control type skill that he might be able to develop. However, try as he might, Kiefer was not able to come up with a new skill, partially because he did not fully understand the physics behind it, and partially because deep down, he had actually doubted the very existence of the illusive subatomic particle ¨C Graviton. Finally giving up due to lack of time, Kiefer got up on his tarsus, and rode it straight to the academy stables determined to try again on a later occasion. Today¡¯s lesson was going to be the first one wearing armour. For the past 2 weeks, the knight candidates had been taught a total of 8 sword forms, practicing against wooden dummies. To increase the difficulty, the students were going to wear armour to practice from now on. Everyone had their own armour, specially crafted by their family blacksmith. Kiefer was no different. The school would however issue armour to students without one and most students avoided that because it was old and heavy and looked ugly. Wearing his mithril armour, without his mask and shield, Kiefer stepped into the training grounds. The armours varied between chain mail and platemail, with the stronger bigger built students wearing heavy armour to show off their strength and family status. Kiefer¡¯s mithril looked like steel, so he did not attract much attention. Out of the 200 or so students clad in armour, a particularly large boy was staring at Kiefer¡¯s armour. As soon as Kiefer made eye contact with him, the young man started making his way towards Kiefer. Expecting trouble yet again, Kiefer put his guard up, but noticed that only the young boy was coming over and that his group of friends were not following him. Within moments, the boy was towering over at 1.8m tall, looking down at the tiny 1.71m Kiefer. ¡°Hey there. I¡¯m Rashan.¡± (Rashan) ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Kiefer. Is there a problem?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°No, not so much your problem, as it is mine. I¡¯m just curious where you had your armour crafted. I¡¯m the son of a blacksmith see, and I am familiar with the works of almost all the famous smiths in the continent. However, I have yet to see one with your design and intricate skill. So, I¡¯m wondering where you had it made.¡± (Rashan) ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my smith has expressed his desire to remain hidden and do not wish to be flooded with requests. He is kind of an introvert. So I can¡¯t tell you his name or his whereabouts.¡± Kiefer lied hoping that that would be enough. ¡°Oh.. that¡¯s a shame, but I understand. Blacksmiths do like to keep secrets, especially about their crafting methods. My whole family are blacksmiths, and I¡¯m the oddball, choosing to be a knight instead. However, if you are free after this, would you mind following me to my family¡¯s workshop? It would be a great honour for my father to see a work like this and I¡¯m sure he would greatly appreciate it.¡± (Rashan) ¡°I had plans after this, but if it doesn¡¯t take too long, I do not mind. As long as you do not make a big fuss about it. I want to keep a low profile you see.¡±(Kiefer) ¡°Haha. Ok deal, but I must say you are doing a pretty bad job at that. Rumours of you being a genius magus has already spread to the knights department you know. Most of us here are actually afraid of you.¡± Rashan laughed out, as he turned his head back to look at his group of friends. They were all staring at him, slightly worried for him. ¡°Well, class is starting soon, Varn is already walking over, so I guess we¡¯ll meet after class?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Sure! You can even have dinner at my place. We usually order food from next door though. My family may be genius at cooking metal, but they are absolutely the worst when it comes to food.¡± Rashan replied, running back to his friends. The class was standard as usual, with 500 strikes of each form including a break between the form. It was usually not a problem, but at the end of this class, most of the students were panting on the ground, tired from the extra weight there were wearing. Kiefer was no different, but he recovered the fastest. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ not¡­ fair¡­¡­ how are you¡­ fine after¡­ all that¡­¡± Rashan huffed, as he saw Kiefer walking towards him, with barely a sweat on his brows. With his body enhancements, and a little wind spell, Kiefer recovered astonishingly fast. Not wanting to wait too long for Rashan, Kiefer proceeded to cast a spell. ¡°Asviran wier suklos tiente¡± (By my will, wind, circle my target) Kiefer controlled his mana output to adjust the strength of his spell. A cool breeze swept over Rashan and his group and one could see their faces full of bliss. The spell had come from an intermediate wind theory book he had dug up from the corners of the library and was meant as a wind prison to entrap a target. Not long after, both Rashan and Kiefer were making their way out of the academy grounds, Rashan leading and Kiefer following beside. ¡°Just a heads up though, my family¡¯s kind of loud. And since I¡¯ve been living in the academy dorms, this is my first time going back, so there¡¯s going to be some shouting and yelling.¡± Rashan warned. Kiefer just smiled back, thinking that it reminded him of a family he knew. As they approached the workshop, a familiar smell of iron and oil assaulted Kiefer¡¯s nose. Just as luck had it, it was the same blacksmiths¡¯ that Kiefer had been to. Kiefer however, just kept quiet, following closely behind Rashan. ¡°DDAAAAD!! SIS! GUYS! IM BACK!!¡± Rashan yelled at the top of his lungs, almost matching Celena¡¯s volume from Kiefer¡¯s memories. ¡°HAHAHA!! THE PRIDE OF THE BALAZAAR FAMILY IS BACK!!¡± Rashan¡¯s dad responded equally loudly as he stepped out from within the workshop. Kiefer being smaller in physique was well hidden behind Rashan. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Adamantium!¡± Celena called out from behind Kiefer, carrying a large tray of bread and soup. ¡°And my little brother! When did you return!?¡± ¡°Mr.Adamantium?¡± Rashan looked at Kiefer quizzically. Kiefer just stared back at him and shrugged. Kiefer could hear the distinct stifled laughter coming from inside his breastplate. Soon, when all the yelling had stopped, the family and Kiefer were gathered around the only clean table and eating a hearty breakfast. Kiefer¡¯s portion was the smallest, although it was already a little too much for him. The Balazaar family however, were guzzling beer by the drum and throwing soup-soaked bread into their tummies like it was a bottomless pit. Even Celena was eating a portion almost twice of Kiefer¡¯s. With dinner out of the way, Kiefer was silently grateful and secretly glad that despite all the alcohol, the family was still sober. He couldn''t hold his liquor as well as the Balazaar family.That¡¯s when Rashan introduced his ¡®friend¡¯. That word struck a chord in Kiefer¡¯s heart. No one in this world has ever called him a friend. Even Shearwood only refers to him as ¡®master¡¯, as if to make their status clear. Slightly happy, and a little unrestrained from the alcohol, Kiefer smiled, a genuine smile of happiness as he kept drinking. ¡°KIEFER! You must absolutely tell me who crafted your armour! Especially those gauntlets! I¡¯ve never see such fine work. Where¡¯d you get them?!¡± Celena¡¯s dad was shaking him by the shoulders. However, just as Kiefer was about to speak, a little blue snake came flying out. ¡°Stay back! My master is not feeling well right now.¡± Shearwood interrupted before Kiefer could reveal the secret. In her opinion, it was a better situation to reveal herself than reveal her master¡¯s abilities. Kiefer was indeed a little loose-lipped from all the drinking. All staring wide eyed at the floating talking snake, the entire Balazaar family switched from Kiefer to the snake and back at Kiefer. Kiefer now suddenly aware of what was happening, immediately stood up and bowed deeply. ¡°I apologise if my companion has been rude, she is just trying to protect me. I can let you inspect the gauntlets, but unfortunately, like I have informed Rashan, I am unable to provide you with the details on how I acquired it. i also hope you would not ask too much about my companion.¡± Kiefer broke the silence. He then proceeded to remove his gauntlet and pass it Rashan, who then circulated the piece of armour. ¡°No way¡­ is this steel? How is it so light? No wonder you weren¡¯t that tired after today¡¯s exercise.¡± Rashan commented, before passing it onto his father. ¡°OH wow. Now this is new. The blacksmith even managed to pull the iron to such thin threads. I¡¯ve never heard of a method that does that. Even the glove is woven out of iron. This is really a masterpiece. I¡¯m so honoured to be able to inspect such a fine piece. Shame the smith did not put his mark on the armour.¡± (Duran Balazaar) ¡°Dad¡­ there something odd about this metal¡­¡± Celena started whispering as soon as she touched it¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not iron or steel, and yet I don¡¯t know of any other sturdy metal that is silver in colour¡±. Kiefer was now alert, he quickly took the gauntlet back from Celena before she could inspect any further. ¡°Sorry Celena, I would prefer if you didn¡¯t dig too deep into this armament.¡± Kiefer once again apologised. Celena leaned in to whisper to Kiefer ¡°Could you at least tell me what it¡¯s made of? I promise I wont reveal it to anyone, not even my family.¡± Seeing as She¡¯s not going to let it go and that she¡¯s promised to keep it secret, Kiefer whispered back to her, ¡°Remember the mithril ingots I brought to you a few weeks back? That¡¯s what they are made of.¡± ¡°IMPOSSIBLE!!¡± Celena immediately exclaimed, and the silently apologized again. She knew mithril armour were usually coloured and dull, based on what affinity the magic used to craft it and how well it was crafted. She had never heard of an attribute that is silver colour, and shiny at that. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Feeling that he¡¯s already wasted enough time and that he¡¯s already fulfilled what he came here to do, Kiefer abruptly stood up. He thanked the Balazaar family for the meal and alcohol, and then swiftly left heading towards the academy in the night. In order not to alarm Rashan, he had left his tarsus there and was on his way to retrieve it. Enhancing his liver, the alcohol was quickly broken down and he cursed at himself for letting his guard down. Had Shearwood not taken action in the nick of time, he might have revealed his secret. He thought he had learnt his lesson with regards to being careless, but it was apparently not true. Rashan had been a miscalculation on his part, a variable he had not expected. ¡°Friend¡±, the word rang through his head as he led the tarsus back home. Marley greeted him cheerfully and helped guide the tarsus into the stable. Unknowingly, Kiefer realised he had begun to let people into his heart. Though they may be strangers, he had never once thought he would be emotionally affected by them or their actions. With only about a month¡¯s worth of stay time left in the inn, Kiefer began to make plans to maybe include a few people in his travels. Those that might be useful. ¡°Sher, I have a job for you. It¡¯s almost time for me to leave. I¡¯ve learnt most of what I need to know from the academy¡¯s library. I need information from the other provinces.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes master, whatever you need from me.¡± (Sher) ¡°Head towards the borders of Rashael province. Observe the Alluvian guard¡¯s patrol routes and burn the crop fields of the border villages a day before the patrol arrives. Make sure no one from the village dies, even if you have to expose your true form.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes at once.¡±Sher quipped, as she shot out the inn¡¯s window. Kiefer was alone once again as he prepared for the night. [Shearwood border forest] It was in the middle of the night as Brett and his patrol group slowly made their rounds between the border villages. The forest separating Shearwood province from Rashael Province was thick and damp, often covered in a thick fog, with swamps littered around in no specific fashion. The forest floor was covered in dead leaves, trees fallen from being too old, and vines hanging everywhere the eye could see. There would be an occasional thorny poisonous plant here and there, but the real threats were bandits and wild magical beasts. There were demon bears that tower at 6m tall, hide as hard as iron, claws that tear through iron like paper. Crystalline wolfs from the same family as the tarsus called Fientrals that hunted in packs of up to 5. The crystalline body was hard as a rock and they could use illusion magic, making the pack seem like 30. The worst of all was a lone Seraplor, a giant lion-like creature that was one with the nature. It was at least 3m tall, and up to 10m in length, with powerful limbs and agile reflexes. The seraplor would normally be grey in colour, but could change its colour and shape to blend into the surrounding like a mimic octopus. The patrol group consisted of 8 experienced knights and 2 exceptional trainees from the academy that were there for experience. The trainees were often left to manage and guard the supplies that were meant to last the group 3 weeks of assignment. This was a speed team that differed from a defence team in that they did not have a magus slowing them down. Just as Brett and his group was about to set up camp for the night, assigning shifts for guard duty, the group started to smell burning forest and smoke in the air. The breeze was blowing from the north. They were already 1 week into the assignment and were about to head back to Alluviate in a few days, with no trouble so far. Squinting his eyes, the trainee shouted frantically. He spotted smoke through the thick canopy and could see the faint light coming from the direction of one of the villages. Many scenarios were running through Bretts head ¨C was it bandits? Drigor skirmish? Rashael skirmish? They were not prepared nor equipped to fight an army, but it was their duty to protect the citizens of Shearwood. With resolution in his heart, Brett gave out swift orders for everything to be packed and to hurry in the direction of the fire. What greeted them was utter despair. People were rushing around with pails of water trying to save what they could from their burning fields and warehouses. Even though it was winter and there were no crops to be lost, the ground had melted and it made it difficult for the farmers to plant crops when spring came around. Unsure of what to think, Brett sent one of the knights on his fastest tarsus to get word to Alluviate city leaders. The rest of the team would assits in any way they could. As is now, the ground was still molten and nothing could walk on it. Through the thick smoke, a small serpent shot into the night sky, unnoticed by the group. [Alluviate city] It has been more than 2 weeks since Shearwood had left on her mission. Reports and rumours were starting to sift into the common populace within the city and naturally, it the hottest topic amongst the academy students. Reports of border villages being attacked, or being completely encased in ice, were floating through the academy. There were speculations of a powerful magus attack from Drigor, and that war was imminent. Witness reports however indicated that it was an attack from a magical beast of proportions never seen before. Gate security had been doubled and tripled as time went by since the first report from Brett came in. Kiefer¡¯s progress with elemental magic had reached a plateau within the academy, having gone through most of the books in the academy library, even the ones from the restricted section which he secretly pulled out using his mana threads. While he made almost no progress with magic, Kiefer was intrigued by the history of the continent. The 4 warring states had been going at it for almost 200 years, with reasons for the war contradicting every several decades. While the older books mentioned the reason being religious extermination, other newer books reported greed for territory and resources as the reason. The most recent reason being the refusal of supplement of Magical armaments by Rashael. While the humanoids were at war, it would seem that there were never records of the titans taking part in any form whatsoever as their lands burnt and wasted. There were even speculations by a few authors that the capital of Drigor ¨C Diantes was actually under the influence of a demon, harvesting souls lost from the war while building an undead army. The mention of undead sparked a fire in Kiefer¡¯s chest, as he made a decision to visit Drigor at least once. Zombies had always fascinated Kiefer and he was not about to pass up a chance to study them up close. Aside from the history and search for information regarding undead, Kiefer had been spending his breaks training either his mana manipulation, or his body. He had implemented an effective way to train both at the same time and showed phenomenal growth in his swordsmanship skills. He placed 3rd in the weekly tournaments, sparring even against older students. In the meantime, he had completely integrated into Rashan¡¯s group of friends, but he only ever spoke to Rashan. His friends had gotten used to it and accepted Kiefer as one of their own, training with him and inviting him out for drinks. Rashan was the youngest in the group at only 18, and yet he was the strongest in terms of physical strength. As more and more reports came streaming in from patrol teams, people were getting worried that the culprit was never caused. Entire villages and thousands of lives lost within a span of a few weeks, all to a fire and ice magus. Kiefer was confident the fire was Shearwood¡¯s handiwork, but he had never known of an ice related ability of Sher¡¯s. Regardless, he went on with his training as if it did not bother him at all. Winter had nicely settled in on the city of Alluviate. Varn was personally training Kiefer, the only candidate from the new intake that had mastered the 8 basic sword forms. The sparring session though conducted in the cold winter during their break, was spectated by over 200 Knights candidates, both from older intakes and the newest intake. As Kiefer circled around Varn, leaving only a footprint in the snow, he swung his sword upwards in a diagonal slash. Varn reacted equally fast not only turning to block Kiefer, but also using Kiefer¡¯s force to distance himself. ¡°Why don¡¯t you chant something boy! Hahaha, I told you, you can use magic in these fights of ours.!¡± Varn yelled out while laughing as if he was toying with Kiefer. Not letting up, Kiefer gave chase to the veteran instructor, closing the gap of 20 metres within a second to deliver the next blow. This time however, his sword left a mark on Varn¡¯s old armour. Right at that moment, Varn pulled out a dagger from the back of his waist and stabbed it straight at Kiefer¡¯s breastplate, causing Kiefer to withdraw. A magic enhanced match between veteran Varn and genius Kiefer was something the knights get to watch almost every day and they would often predict who would land the first blow. The result was always unpredictable, with either Varn or Kiefer pulling out an unknown hand every match to outplay the other. ¡°huff¡­ huff¡­ Damn kid! What is your armour made of¡­ not even a scratch on it after my attack¡­ my old breastplate isn¡¯t going to last me much longer.¡± (Varn) ¡°huff¡­ haha¡­ha¡­ Instructor, it¡¯s my win today don¡¯t you think? Though that dagger was unexpected and a little underhanded I must add, but nonetheless I still landed the first blow.¡± Kiefer replied, out of breath and avoiding Varn¡¯s question. There¡¯s no way he could have told Varn it was made of mana. ¡°That last attack was powerful though, piercing 3 layers of my armour.¡± Kiefer thought, and wondered how much more powerful Varn actually was. With the match ended, the knights all applauded and dispersed soon after. After Varn and Kiefer rested enough, Varn turned to kiefer with a serious look on his face. ¡°Kid, do you want to experience the world for yourself? It¡¯ll be much better for improving yourself than these sparring lessons.¡± Varn paused for a moment, considering whether to continue or not. ¡°I¡¯ve been assigned to lead a heavy patrol group to the border villages to investigate the recent rumours. 15 villages have been attacked in the last month alone and they want the culprit caught. I¡¯m recruiting members for the task force and want to personally invite you.¡± (Varn) ¡°Sure that¡¯ll be really exciting.¡± Kiefer replied, with his characteristic grin growing on his face. His primary objective was in sight, as he knew he would be leaving the academy soon enough.
Next chapter : The Fight and the Teacher. Chapter 1.18 - The Fight and the Teacher ¡°Hey who¡¯s that?¡± Brett asked, nudging his fellow knight in the shoulder as he watched an armoured figure walk towards the group next to Varn. ¡°That¡¯s the talented rookie that Varn found inside the academy. I hear he¡¯s only 21 but can use magic to enhance himself like Varn.¡± (Gishard) ¡°Oh, that¡¯s reassuring. But still, a rookie? On a highly volatile mission like this? We need more mages man.¡±(Bartrem) ¡°Well as long as I¡¯m not stuck as his mother, taking care of him, I¡¯m ok with whatever Varn chooses.¡± (Ysolda) ¡°Ahahaha, looks like Varn¡¯s assembling his old team again, with a few additions.¡± (Lizbeth) ¡°Any of you know his name?¡± (Collette) ¡°Not too sure, but could be ¡®Kiefer¡¯. Heard Varn talk a lot about this boy recently during our drinks.¡± (Reginald) ¡°That sure is a nice armour. He¡¯s missing his pauldrons though. Hey Collette, maybe you can lend him one of your old ones.¡± (Reiley) Kiefer followed next to Varn to meet the task force. He was dressed in his full mithril armour, with his mask on. He scrutinized the group carefully. 5 males and 3 females, all tall and well built, clad in full plate mail armour. 3 greatswords, 2 large hammers, 1 claymore and 2 with heavy crossbows. It was a well-rounded team with Varn using a claymore himself. Kiefer was equipped with a steel shortsword he commissioned from the Balazaar family. However, he was assigned to the team as a magus. ¡°Alright Kiefer, meet the team. Reiley, Collete and Bartrem are the vanguard, they use greatswords. Brett, Gishard, Reginald and me, we are the flanking wings. We have a claymore and hammer each side. Ysolda and Lizbeth are rangers, responsible for protecting you. Team, meet our new addition. He¡¯s Kiefer, our mage.¡± (Varn) ¡°AHAHAHAHA!!! Mage?!?! With a shortsword and an incomplete armour? Varn you really know how to pick¡¯em don¡¯t you!!¡± Gishard burst out in laughter, holding his gut and almost falling on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t mind that idiot. He¡¯s just in the team as comic relief.¡± Varn whispered to Kiefer, grinning. ¡°This is my old team, the best team if I might add.¡± ¡°Kid! Show me what you¡¯ve got, I ain¡¯t riskin¡¯ my life to protect someone who¡¯s never experienced being on the edge of death before.¡± Lizbeth yelled as she suddenly fired a bolt in Kiefer¡¯s direction. Kiefer tilted his head to the left without so much as a blink, staring daggers into Lizbeth as the arrow shot past his right ear and landed deep inside a wooden dummy. ¡°She¡¯s kind of rash and extreme don¡¯t you think?¡± Kiefer asked Varn, still staring at Lizbeth. (not that you have any right to say. You torched 15 villages) After Lizbeth¡¯s surprise attack, everyone was nodding in approval. They had seen how calm and collected Kiefer was, and were amazed at his reflexes. Out of the group, maybe only Varn would have been able to dodge the bolt at such a short distance. Lizbeth still not satisfied, clicked her tongue and retorted, ¡°Show me some of your magic will ya? What attribute are ya?¡± ¡°Asviran wier Sia surroll¡± Immediately a gust of wind started blowing and running through the entire training field, carrying the drifting snow along with it. ¡°Asviran hidra no cadrin prias surroll¡± A circular wall of fire erupted, encircling everyone in the team, melting the snow on the ground. ¡°Asviran electron condeen, shak lightnAs¡± Several lightning arrows appeared around Kiefer and shot straight at the ground in front of Lizbeth. ¡°Asviran Hidra condeen prias surroll¡± Finally, a wall of water formed and extinguished the fire wall circling them. Kiefer then cut off his mana supply and ended the light show. Everyone was stunned, except Varn who was smiling from ear to ear. Breaking the silence, Varn spoke out,¡± Kiefer here is proficient in fire, water, wind, lightning and light magic. Do you have any more questions Lizbeth?¡± At that everyone applauded, and even Lizbeth was smiling. It was crucial after all that the team did not carry around a dead weight rookie mage on such a dangerous mission. Through the brief presentation, it was clear that Kiefer could hold his own very well, putting the minds of the team at ease. ¡°Prep your equipment, get some rest, we assemble before dawn tomorrow and set out at first light.¡± (Varn) With that, the team dispersed and Kiefer headed towards the Balazaar family. The sword and waist guard had been crafted by Duran Balazaar and Kiefer was on his way to collect his pauldrons. His special request was to make it as light and thin as possible. Kiefer was only focussing on mobility and appearance as the 2 pieces of steel armour served no functionality for him. The next morning, Kiefer packed up all his things, put on his seraplor mantle and rode his tarsus to the city gates. He had bid farewell to Rashan and his family, Marley and the inn keepers, as well as his academy friends the day before. Varn and the team arrived one by one shortly after, each on their own tarsus. The city guards were all gathering around, gawking at the veteran group. Never before had they seen such a large gathering of veteran knights, each with their own tarsus before. Kiefer was the only one wearing a mask, so his identity was hidden from the guards he was all too familiar with. The group did not bring much gear. They had intended to hunt and forage for food in the forest, so they only brought some whetstones to maintain their swords, a few cooking utensils and some pieces of hard bread to last a few days. It was the period darkest before dawn. The twin moons had set, but the sun had yet to rise. With snow drifting down onto their cloaks, and a chilling breeze caressing their faces, the group set off. 11 tarsuses with their riders rode off toward the east, into the rising sun and towards the Shearwood border forest. The tarsuses were fast, and it didn¡¯t take long before the team reached the outskirts of the forest, with the morning mist still lingering around. The grass had receded and the canopy was white. Even with the snowfall, it was warm inside the forest and snow barely made it to the ground. The group took a short rest, relieving their buttocks from the constant riding, while letting their tarsus graze on the green forest floor. There was a small path in the forest, leading between the villages. Trees had been cleared by patrol groups and it was wide enough or 2 tarsus to walk side by side with sufficient space in between for a third one. According to the royal court strategists, the attacks were following a pattern, moving upwards north along the border. Their next target was 8 days ride away and the team needed to make haste. Moving through the forest at trotting speeds, the group was 6 days in since the start of their mission. So far, they had encountered a pack of 8 Fientrals that looked like 40, 5 demon bears and 1 Seraplor. They had suffered minor injuries, but aside from that, the team was fine. Kiefer watched in awe as the team of veterans showcased extraordinary teamwork, as if they can read each other¡¯s minds. The was very little communication between them, and almost no orders from Varn, and yet each member moved without hindering others, as if they were limbs of a single organism. Kiefer was the eyes and the ears of the team, pointing out dangers and targets. He barely had to use any offensive spells, much less draw his sword. The vanguards handled most of the work. It was only during the fight with the Seraplor that Kiefer felt useful, with his mana pulse, essentially nullifying the seraplor¡¯s mimic ability. As they were one day away from the target village, Kiefer was struck with a dilemma. His original plan had been to kill the team off by having Sher eat them, essentially have the entire team and himself go missing and presumed dead. However, he¡¯s begun to see what a waste it would be and decided that they could be useful to him in the future, alive. Every few days, Kiefer would secretly meet up with Sher to update her on their progress and his plans. With his mind made up, he informed Sher of his arrival at the border village in a day¡¯s time and to carry out their revised plan that night. That night, the team was awakened by a deafening roar heard through the forest. Being veterans, all 10 of them got up instantly and took on battle formations. They face the direction where they heard trees crunching and breaking. In a blink of an eye a huge black shadow came rushing past them, swallowing their newest member whole before disappearing into the night sky. Lizbeth and Ysolda managed to fire off a few shots, but were left shocked when their heavy bolts simply bounced off the shadow and lodged inside a tree. The team of veterans couldn¡¯t help but stare at the spot where Kiefer was killed without a single trace. The beast had eaten him and all his belongings, leaving only the shortsword that he had held drawn. They immediately packed their things and rode straight for the village, worried the beast might attack. Yet, the attack they were expecting never came.
[Northern shore of Shearwood] Kiefer stepped out of Sher¡¯s jaws, completely unharmed, but covered in saliva, as he brought his sack out as well. The air was even colder up north, and he could see some icebergs floating off in the horizon. Waves were lapping the shore and despite the snow, there was none collecting on the ground. Kiefer chanted a spell that summoned a wall of water and he stepped into it, washing himself thoroughly. Following that, he released a thin mist of mana particles around himself and destroyed them, releasing a comforting heat blast around him. This dried his body in moments with several repeats. All clean and refreshed, Kiefer turned to Shearwood, smiled and hugged her enormous head. Changing back to her tiny form Sher spoke up, ¡°Master, welcome back, you know, I met someone during my assignment. She¡¯s my older sister Isana.¡± Sher pointed at the shore with her tail. Turning his gaze at where Sher pointed, he saw a goddess rise up out of the water. Long flowing silver hair, pale skin, charming womanly body with great assets, and two striking green eyes. Kiefer saw the woman smile, and just as he was about to introduce himself, the woman charged out of the water straight for him, arm raised and fingers poised like a claw. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Reflexed, Kiefer put up his mana armour, side stepped and punched the charging woman in her head, shattering half of it into countless tiny ice fragments. Undeterred by Kiefer¡¯s attack, the woman stopped and slowly regenerated her face from the falling snow. Next, as if watching a zombie attack, Kiefer saw at least 50 more beauties rise up out of the water along the stretch of the shoreline. Kiefer deduced they were only puppets, unrelenting, undying regenerative puppets. Considering it was Sher¡¯s sister, she would have an enough mana to summon puppets for eternity. ¡°Enough! Show yourself!¡± Kiefer bellowed as he instantly covered an area of 60m around himself with mana threads, constricting and crushing any puppets that came within his reach. As new puppets formed, Kiefer crushed them mercilessly, not even waiting to check if it¡¯s the real body. As if realising that her puppet show was over, the ice beauties all shattered, leaving only sparkling ice crystals floating in the air. A lone beauty floated down from the sky, surrounded by a blizzard circling her. Kiefer observed her descent, chuckling internally, ¡°Huh! Looks like she was compensating for something with those puppets,¡± as he stared at her chest. It was significantly smaller than the double-Ds the ice puppets were packing, but it was nonetheless sufficient to give her womanly curves. ¡°Sorry about that, I was just testing you.¡± She calmly explained, as she waved her arm. A wall of ice immediately rose up around Kiefer, but almost as soon as it appeared, it exploded into a cloud of steam. Kiefer had sent a heat wave by destroying his mana particles directly in the wall. As chunks and shards of ice bounced off Kiefer, He dove out of the cloud of steam, straight for Isana, and threw a punch, only to have his hand held and charge stopped by Isana single-handedly. It was quite surreal, watching a speeding man suddenly come to a stop because an ice beauty held his punch in her outstretched hand. Isara was clearly trying to crush Kiefer¡¯s hand but his mana armour was holding up. Kiefer smiled, and immediately started replenishing his own mana using Isara¡¯s, converting at an astonishing rate of 1:150 thanks to his mithril armour. Sensing her mana being drained, Isana instantly let go of his fist, and leapt back almost 10m. Isana began kicking up a blizzard around her, concealing herself with low visibility of the torrent of snow and ice. When the snow subsided, what was left in its place was a huge dragon with snow white scales, emerald green eyes and a large wingspan, almost 100m from tip to tip. As the dragon opened its mouth and roared, a blast of hundreds of ice shard came shooting out towards Kiefer, only to bounce off his dome shield. But before he could relax, a heavy white tail came crushing down on his dome, digging Kiefer and his dome into the wet sand and making a large circular depression in the sand that went down 10cm. The dragon was as long as it was wide, with 2 rows of jagged spikes starting from behind the eyes running down the back to the tip of the tail. Even though the face and snout were smooth with no protrusions to outline a feminine feature, 2 rows of sharp teeth could be seen. The most noticeable feature being the 2 extra-long canines that protruded downwards from the upper jaw even when the mouth is close, like a sabretooth cat. Kiefer released millions of mana threads first binding the dragon with his whips like he did with Shearwood, next wrapping her entire body with threads, wings folded and stuck to the back. In a rage, the dragon roared and spread her wings, snapping the countless threads and freeing herself. ¡°Is that the best you can do?¡± the dragon laughed, in an eerily sweet voice that did not fit the huge monster in front of his eyes. Kiefer kept quiet and pressed on, multiplying the number of threads used to bind the large dragon, this time, without the wings. With arms and legs bound to the body, jaws shut and tail immobile, there was a flash of green light in the dragon¡¯s eyes, as she started blowing out a mist of snow from her slit nostrils into the air above her. Within seconds, a second dragon, identical to the one being bound by Kiefer appeared out of the mist and roared, as the first one shattered into ice dust. ¡°I heard from my baby sister that you specialised in a unique control type magic, but you are never going to restrain me like this, much less hurt or defeat me!¡± Isana laughed again, belittling Kiefer. Kiefer was impressed at the plethora of skills Isana had, but he too had skills unique to himself. He sent a wave of mana onto the ground around him, coating the ground below the flying dragon. With a thought, he compressed his mana particles into billions of sub-atomic singularities like the ones he¡¯s seen on the screens inside the LHC, each one releasing countless gravitons. The ground grew dark as the flying dragon immediately plummeted to the ground, unable to even lift her head in the supergravity field. Kiefer had avoided using this move because it consumed mana at a horrendous rate, but he knew the fight wouldn¡¯t last much longer. With one hand raised out and palm facing the sky, Kiefer formed a single silver bullet. He then shot the bullet at Isana¡¯s shoulder, but due to the supergravity, the bullet¡¯s trajectory make a sharp downward curve, landing in the sand next to Isana¡¯s head. The shockwave blew out all the drifting snow within a 200m radius, improving visibility significantly. Next to her head was a deep crater with wisps of silver particles. She stared in horror as Kiefer began preparing the next shot, clearly having corrected its flight path. She was sure her scales would not be able to withstand the shot, and yet Kiefer did not know and was testing it out on her. She could barely breathe in the supergravity; much less dodge the next shot. Then, Isana saw a little blue snake dive from the sky in front of Kiefer. ¡°Master! Please stop, don¡¯t hurt my sister! She was only trying to test your capabilities!¡± Sher pleaded her master, tears in her eyes. Seeing Sher, Kiefer snapped out of his battle mode and dissolved the spinning bullet, along with his gravity field. She couldn¡¯t hear what her baby sister was saying, but when she felt the gravity return to normal, she knew that Shearwood had saved her. Such a terrifying human, barely an adult and already possessing so much power. Isana finally understood why her baby sister chose to follow him, secretly jealous that Shearwood had found a better man before she did. Kiefer took off his mask, took a breath of fresh air, and observed the snow that was blown away by the shockwave drifting back down again. He looked in the direction of the giant dragon, only to find a gorgeous beauty in a sky blue gown stepping out of a blizzard. The blizzard cleared immediately after, as the woman smiled and walked towards him. With each step, she got closer, and Kiefer kept his guard up, carefully observing the woman for any suspicious movement. When she got within 2 metres of Kiefer however, she leapt at him, not giving him a chance to react. Isana grabbed Kiefer¡¯s arm and hugged it, burying part of his upper arm in her reasonably sized chest. Kiefer was surprised by the sudden attack and could not react. As she held his hands, he could feel and incredible warmth emanating in his hands and part of his upper arm through the mithril and steel armour. ¡°Hey~¡±, Isana whispered seductively, ¡°Let me come along with you, won¡¯t you? I have to protect my future husband and my baby sister after all.¡± Said Isana sweetly, as she kissed Kiefer¡¯s cheeks. Her lips were warm, but her breath was icy. ¡°H-husband?¡± Kiefer stuttuered. He¡¯s never had a romantic relationship before, and this was the first time anyone, or anything, has tried to seduce him. Kiefer had no idea how to handle it. ¡°Of course!¡± Isana exclaimed, still not letting go of his arm. ¡°We dragons value strength and pride over anything else. And being a titan only makes things worse; I can¡¯t find a male who¡¯s stronger than me. Maybe Drigor, but he¡¯s my brother and I¡¯m not really at good terms with him. In fact, I haven¡¯t even seen in in the last 10 millennia. Since I¡¯ve been alive, you are the first ever to defeat me so cleanly.¡± Isana gave him a sweet smile. Kiefer gave up. Yet another variable not within is calculations. He hated variables the most. Back on earth, he could predict everything, everyone¡¯s actions and reaction. Even his research was predictable because he made sure he lived inside a controlled environment. And yet since coming to this world, it¡¯s been one surprise after another. There was no visible pattern in almost anything. He tries to control his surroundings, his relations, but new variables just keep popping up out of now where. Sighing, he started refilling his almost empty mana pool again. Over the past few weeks of training, he¡¯s managed to increase his mana pool significantly again. The silver liquid had expanded to a size almost filling his chest, but was back to a small ball again, with a tiny crystalline sphere the size of a grain of sand, right in the middle. ¡°Is this your stuff?" Asked Isana, pointing at his sack of belongings, still not letting go of his arm. ¡°Yes. What of it?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°It¡¯ll look unsightly for my dignified husband to be carrying all these around. Let me help you.¡± Isana replied coyly, as she finally let go of his arm. She picked up the sack and tossed it into the air in front of her. Kiefer watched as the sack disappeared into thin air, while Isana reached her hand in too. Half her arm disappeared and reappeared when she pulled it out, along with the other seraplor mantle, which she put on. ¡°Ehe¡­ now we look like a real couple¡± Isana chuckled. ¡°How-how did you do that? Where are my things?¡± Kiefer muttered, slack-jawed and shocked at the spectacle he had just seen. ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t know about the dimensional pocket? I guess you won¡¯t since you¡¯re not an elder titan. Not even Shearwood knows this skill. Come my dear husband, I¡¯ve got a lot to teach you. So, where are we headed first?¡± Isana explained, grabbing Kiefer''s arm again.
Next chapter: The lesson and The Ship Chapter 1.19 - The Lesson and The Ship Along the northern shores of the Shearwood province, 2 hooded figures could be seen walking along the shore in the cold winter night. They left a trail of footprints in the soft wet sand while falling snowflakes seemed to melt and disappear above the 2 hooded figures. They''ve been walking through the night since their fight came to an end. Relying only on moonlight, Kiefer and Isana strolled towards the Wanda province. Kiefer had originally intended to make his way towards Latiase, the second city in the province of Rashael, but changed his mind after conversing for a short while with Isana. Isana claimed that the high elves were not yet extinct but were instead being protected within Wanda, their small city protected by a spacial barrier. Only those exceptionally skilled in magic would be able to make their way in. Kiefer cast aside his desire to study zombies and undead in Drigor and chose to head in the opposite direction instead, hoping he would be able to learn more about mana than the library in Latiase would be able to provide. During the trip, Kiefer had explained to Isana his history and his goals and she in return tried to teach him ice based magic along with her special dimensional pocket. Kiefer caught on quickly, dissecting and analysing all the information Isana had given him while trying to apply it to himself. Although how Isana had explained it was pretty much unclear, Kiefer still managed to figure out the gist of it. The caster rips a hole in spacetime, linking it to an alternate dimension that occupies the same space as the caster, but is unperceivable to anyone else. Isana warned him that it will cost a big deal of mana to open the pocket each time, and the space you can get inside depends on your maximum mana pool. When Kiefer further questioned Isana, she was unable to answer his questions such as ¡°Can a living thing survive in there?¡±, ¡°Where does the alternate dimension lead to?¡± or even ¡°How much can you store in there.¡± Not satisfied, Kiefer was determined to find out the answers one way or another. Kiefer requested that Isana find something to fill her pocket till it¡¯s full. Reluctantly, Isana flew off into the distant sea, then came back an hour later. She then proceeded to unload an iceberg the size of a small mountain a little off the shore from where they were. Kiefer could only stare at the tsunami caused by the iceberg approaching him, before casting his dome shield in the last second to avoid drowning. With the water subsided, Isana came back down by his side, smiling and asking how she did, but Kiefer just kept quiet, ignoring her while deep in thought. Tired from the day¡¯s activities, the fight with Isana and the long walk along the beach, Kiefer finally decided to take a break, demanding his sack back from Isana and setting up camp. He put up a tent and was about to get inside his sleeping bag when he had to stop Isana. ¡°Sorry, but this tent has a maximum occupancy of two.¡± Stated Kiefer as a matter of factly, staring at Isana¡¯s emerald eyes. ¡°Well, there¡¯s you, and me! That makes 2!¡± Isana replied in a cheerful tone, only to be stopped by Kiefer again. ¡°Sorry, but my companion here counts as the second occupant.¡± Kiefer remarked, while pointed at his chest where a soft coo-ing sound could be heard, after which, he shut the tent¡¯s flaps in Isana¡¯s face. Pouting her lips, Isana turned around and faced the sea, yelling back,¡± Fine! but for tonight only. Tomorrow we are definitely getting a room together.¡± Kiefer ignored her and soon fell into a deep slumber, still trying to figure out how to open a dimension pocket. Morning came around quickly, almost making it seem like a time jump to Kiefer. As he opened his eyes, he was glad to see that it was only him inside the tent. Shearwood must have awoken earlier and left the pocket in his breastplate. Kiefer made his way outside, stretched and started packing up the tent when he heard rustling coming from the forest behind him. Putting his shield dome up, Kiefer stared into the forest, only to observe the beautiful Isana emerging from within the depths. She was carrying a live Fientral in each hand, grabbing them by the scruff of their crystalline necks. The Fientrals looked absolutely terrified, whimpering and staring at Kiefer with puppy eyes as if pleading him to save them from this dragoness. Shearwood¡¯s head could be seen hanging out from within the valley between the 2 mounds on Isana¡¯s chest. ¡°Good morning!¡± Isana greeted Kiefer, full of spirit. ¡°Ready for breakfast?¡± she asked, raising the Fientral in her right hand. ¡°Perfect!¡± Kiefer thought, with a smile on his face. ¡°Having her around might not be so bad after all. Only problem is I don¡¯t know where her allegiance lies and I can¡¯t trust her entirely yet. Sher might, but I don¡¯t¡±. As they prepared for breakfast, Kiefer stopped Isana from snapping the neck of the 2nd Fientral. He had plans for it. Asking Isana to open her pocket dimension again, Kiefer tossed the 2nd Fientral inside, then continued with preparing breakfast. Seeing his actions, Isana just shrugged. Though it cost a massive amount of mana to open the pocket dimension each time, her mana pool was so ridiculously large that It had not mattered to her how many times she opened it. With breakfast over, Kiefer then requested Isana to open her pocket dimension (PD) again, but surprisingly, Isana refused. She was craftier than Shearwood and knew how to get what she wanted. ¡°Each time you want me to open my PD, you have to promise to hold my hand on your own accord for the next hour.¡± Isana demanded. She had something Kiefer wanted, and Kiefer was something she wanted, and in her eyes, that was a fair trade. Kiefer was taken aback. The first titan he managed to subdue did not ever have any requests, so he had just taken her for granted. Now comes along a second titan, a smarter and craftier one and he, for the first time, had to compromise. Unwillingly, Kiefer agreed, still thinking about how much better Sher is compared to Isana. With the PD opened, Isana took out the remaining Fientral, still alive and whimpering. Kiefer¡¯s face immediately lit up, knowing that yet another unknown has been solved. Kiefer retrieved a rope from his sack and tied a leash around the Fientral, which followed behind him meekly, occasionally looking back into the forest where its home used to be. ¡°Isana, could you describe to me again what happens when you open a PD?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Mmmm, nope!¡± Isana replied cheerfully, holding Kiefer¡¯s hand and swinging it in a state of bliss. ¡°Haaah¡­ fine.¡± Kiefer sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll hold your hands for another hour if you tell me what I want to know.¡± Kiefer bargained. ¡°Mmm, nope! You let me hug your arm, with no pauldrons and no gauntlets, for 1 hour, and I will tell you.¡± (Isana) ¡°This girl¡­ she¡¯s getting greedier knowing I need her¡± Kiefer cursed internally, but still putting up a fake smile. ¡°Fine.¡± Kiefer said, removing his armour and allowing Isana to store it in her PD. ¡°I first focus my magic at a point in front of me where I want to open the PD. Then, a black dot appears, which then extends into a vertical black line. The black line then splits into 2 starting from the middle, eventually forming a black circle with white space in between. I just put my hand into the white space and think of what I want to take out, and then it lands inside my hand. Then I just pull it out.¡± (Isana) ¡°Thank you Isana¡± Kiefer muttered, back into his deep thought. ¡°Hey hey¡­ which do you prefer? Darling, sweetheart, baby, or Kii?¡±(Isana) It was obvious Isana wanted to call Kiefer by a nickname, but she also knew that Kiefer wasn¡¯t exactly interested in her, so she had mixed up 3 terms he would absolutely hate, with the one she actually wanted to call him by. ¡°If you let me call you with any of those from now on, I will stop hugging your arm and just hold your hand.¡± (Isana) Walking was difficult and awkward with a woman dragging your arm, so Kiefer ended up agreeing to being called ¡°Kii¡±, before continueing to analyse and think of possible ways to open his own PD. The man, dragoness and serpent had been walking for almost a day with the sun starting to set. They could finally see the port town of Shearwood in the distance. Thinking they would increase the pace, Isana started dragging Kiefer¡¯s arm when Kiefer suddenly let go and just stood still, with a determined look on his face. Looking up at him, Sher immediately recognised that face and shot out of his armour and dove straight for Isana¡¯s valley. ¡°Sana sis! We need to get away from here as far as possible! I know that face. Master is going to do something scary!¡± Sher urged her sister. Not knowing what to do, Isana, together with Sher and grabbing the Fientral, raced to a safe distance of around 500m behind Kiefer. Kiefer was completely oblivious to his surroundings as he raised his right arm. Kiefer began to collect his mana at a point roughly 3m ahead of him, feeding the point with more mana as time went on. The silvery haze of particles soon became a small ball of liquid, and then became a crystalline drop of silver mana. Kiefer kept compressing it, like he would for creating the subatomic singularities in his gravity field. With increasing pressure, the crystal resisted for a second, and then instantly collapsed on itself, imploding into a tiny blackhole. The instant the blackhole was created, Kiefer anchored himself to the ground as sand, water, trees and air all began swirling into the blackhole, never appearing again once past the event horizon. Concentrating on his mana within the blackhole, Kiefer forced the blackhole to elongate, putting up a mana barrier around it to prevent any more mass from entering the blackhole. Picturing what Isana had described, Kiefer opened up the elongated black hole from the middle, finally revealing an empty white space. As soon as the blackhole was opened in the middle and the PD established, it stopped emitting gravitons and stabilised, allowing Kiefer to walk forwards and put his hand in. Noticing his mana was terrifyingly low, Kiefer decided to try one last thing before closing the PD. He stuck his head inside and took a deep breath, looking around. A space completely white in all directions, enough oxygen to sustain life, and the boundaries could not be determined. He stepped inside his own PD and then stepped back out. Without enough mana to open a second PD to continue with his experiments, Kiefer decided to end it for the day. ¡°That confirms my theory, and maybe even theories back on earth. Blackholes really do rip a hole in the fabric of spacetime and could very well lead to other parallel dimensions. I have to publish this somehow once I get back.¡± Kiefer murmured to himself, as Isana and Shearwood cautiously made their way back. ¡°Kii, are you done? What did you do?¡± Isana asked with a worried face. She only saw Kiefer summon a black object that seemed to suck everything into it, and then watched as Kiefer disappeared, and then re-appear in the same spot. Looking around, she was glad she took Sher¡¯s advice to run to a safe distance, as everything around Kiefer was a mess. Trees uprooted, sand piling up in mounds in random places, water puddles starting to freeze in the sand and the sea level having receded significantly, and the huge hole in the ground that Kiefer was standing in, with a radius of 50m. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Everything is fine girls,¡± Kiefer assured them, with an expression that is over the moon. ¡°I managed to open a PD. Man you were right Isana. It took almost all my mana to just open one. Lucky it doesn¡¯t require any mana upkeep to keep it open.¡± Suddenly, without any warning, Isana burst out laughing. Sher and Kiefer just stared at the dragoness as she finally collected herself and spoke up,¡± My dear sister, you have definitely found yourself an interesting master. Such a genius, to think he would be able to open a PD by himself. And he¡¯s not even one of us 4 elder titans!¡± Isana explained, beaming with pride, looking at Kiefer. ¡°My dear Kii, you surely outdid yourself this time. Make sure you don¡¯t pass out from mana exhaustion.¡± Shearwood snuggled back inside Kiefer¡¯s breastplate, and nodded silently at Kiefer, indicating he could take her mana without restraint. During the long walk towards the port town, Kiefer slowly converted Sher¡¯s mana, and finally filled it back up after stepping into town. He could feel the crystalline silver sand grow to become a small sphere, a little smaller than a marble within his chest. Surrounding the marble was a thin film of silver liquid flowing non-stop and beyond the liquid was the familiar haze. The 2 figures wearing seraplor mantles slowly walked alongside the port with a Fientral in a leash, watching the shipmasters pack away their sails and men loading their vessels, preparing for the journey in the morning. Isana and Kiefer stood out quite well, looking like a rich noble couple with an expensive, exotic pet. One was a silver haired beauty while the other had black hair and manly features, looking quite handsome. They did not talk much, just walked through the town before deciding to stay at a local inn for the night. Isana was adamant about sharing a room and a bed, but seeing as she helped with him opening his PD, Kiefer selected a single room with 2 beds to compromise. Paying the innkeeper a total of 10 silver, they made their way to their room only to discover that there one large bed instead of the 2 as promised. After clarification, it would seem that Isana had bribed the innkeeper to choose a room with a single bed. Kiefer, tired from the day just gave up and removed his armour. The night passed without much incident, but with both Kiefer and Isana exhausted without getting any sleep that night. Isana had repeatedly tried to attack Kiefer and Kiefer was constantly repelling her advances. Eventually, Isana gave in and left Kiefer alone, allowing both barely 4 hours of sleep. With dark bags under their eyes, the 2 of them got dressed and headed down for breakfast. Both ate breakfast silently, refusing to answer Sher¡¯s question on why they looked so tired. The innkeeper lady just looked at them and chuckled, thinking that they must¡¯ve had an exhausting night. Walking up to the inn¡¯s counter, Kiefer asked the innkeeper in a low voice, ¡°Do you know any shipmasters heading towards Wanda¡¯s northern port? I need a ride and the sooner the better. As you may have already known, money is not an issue for me. I just need one that is fast.¡± ¡°There is actually a man on the west side of the port. He¡¯s transporting spice and herbs to wanda. If you hurry you might catch him. It¡¯s a medium sized transport vessel. His name is Sharon and he is usually dressed oddly. You can¡¯t miss him. He¡¯s supposed to leave in about an hour¡¯s time. However, your pet might be a problem.¡± She replied, looking at the Fientral sitting obediently next to Isana. ¡°Thank you. We best be on our way¡± Kiefer said, as he urged the dragoness and the dog to move quickly towards the west end of the port. ¡°Isana, throw the dog in your PD.¡± Kiefer whispered as he glanced around looking for Sharon. And that¡¯s when he saw a bulky man, with large hairy arms, a square chin, long blonde hair and a moustache¡­ in a dress, and Kiefer shuddered. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no mistaking it. That¡¯s most likely Sharon.¡± Kiefer thought, dreading the interaction he would have to go through. As he approached the man(?) on the deck of a moderately sized ship busy helping sialors haul up the anchor, Kiefer yelled out in a loud a crisp voice ¡°Sharon!¡±. He watched in horror as the man turned towards his voice in slow motion, hair trailing behind him in a perfect flow, like in those hair product commercials. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked in a squeaky voice, as he walked towards Kiefer. It became even more horrifying up close, with trimmed eyebrows and powdered face, Sharon blinked while staring down at the puny couple. ¡°Um¡­ w-we require a ride t-to Wanda and were told you could b-be of assis- assistance.¡± Kiefer stuttered, keeping his guard up. Isana looked at her flustered Kii and chuckled, covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°Sure! It¡¯s 3 gold per person for the trip. Although, we can¡¯t guarantee your safety in case of pirates.¡± Sharon replied, with her(his?) unusually high pitched voice, as if trying to imitate a female¡¯s voice. ¡°That¡¯s no problem!¡± Isana cut in, pulling out Kiefer¡¯s academy identity card. ¡°My husband and I are both accomplished magus. We should be able to protect your cargo for the duration of the trip.¡± Kiefer glared at her, but decided it would be best to play along. ¡°Yay!¡± Sharon exclaimed as (s)he skipped and clapped her(his?) hands, before turning towards the sailors and yelling in a deep baritone voice ¡°BOYS! We got ourselves a few mages!¡± Hearing that, the sailors all cheered and seemed to move about quicker in higher spirits than before. ¡°Come aboard then, I¡¯ll show you your quarters. Although I must advice, please keep nightly activities to a minimum ok?¡± Sharon winked at Kiefer, only making him shudder even more. He was back to speaking in his high pitched voice again. ¡°The trip will last 10 to 15 days, depending on wind conditions.¡± Following behind Sharon, Kiefer settled into his small room, while Isana ran off into the town before returning 10 minutes later. She had gone to let the Fientral go inside the forest behind the town. Kiefer opened his PD again, but this time without all the destruction of the blackhole, threw his gauntlets, mask and sack inside, leaving only his pouch of coins outside, before closing the PD. Once again, his mana had been almost completely drained. As the ship set sail, Kiefer and Isana went up to the deck and looked out into the cold sea, wind blowing against their faces. Kiefer started replenishing his mana from the surrounding, not using Sher¡¯s mana since there was plenty of time. Sher was snuggled up inside his breastplate and he did not want to disturb her. The ship itself was a simple design, with living quarters for the sailors at the lowest deck, followed by cargo hold in the middle level, and then the captain and guest¡¯s quarters on the highest level. Kiefer only had to open his door to see the open ocean scenery. The wooden hull was painted bright red, not exactly a subtle colour, with barnacles growing along the side. There were 3 large masts and great white sails and a crowsnest at the top of the middle largest mast. The ship was operated by 25 sailors including Sharon. The ship sailed silently for half a day towards the setting sun, with occasional yelling from Sharon or the sailors. Silently, Kiefer wished there would be some action on the trip, if not 15 days alone with Isana would be tiring. Kiefer¡¯s mana was full by nightfall and he decided to open his PD again one last time before heading to bed. Isana had been moving around the ship bothering the sailors on their jobs, curious like a kid who just discovered a new toy. However, just as Kiefer was about to open his PD, his mana pulse responded with a feedback. 5 groups of 6 people had triggered the feedback response from Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse and he dashed outside expectantly. Enhancing his eyesight, he could barely make out 5 small fast vessels approaching from 2 km away. It would seem that Kiefer¡¯s wish had been granted as there was a pirate raid on the first night. Leaving Sher tucked away in a blanket on his bed, Kiefer jumped off the ship before the sailors could stop him. He did not have his gauntlets, but was not afraid at all, at least not against 30 human pirates. Seeing Kiefer jump off the boat, Isana smiled as well, and followed suit. With each step in his sprint, Kiefer covered 20 metres, creating silver mana platforms in the air just above the water surface to use as footholds. Within minutes, he was standing above the water, with Isana by his side staring at the pirates. The pirates had not expected to be confronted so fast, and not by 2 magus at that. Kiefer yelled out loudly while enhancing his vocal chords, ¡°Tell me where your main ship is and I will let you all live.¡± Surprised and afraid, the pirates quickly turned their small boats around and paddled quickly, hoping they could use armaments on their main ship to fight on equal grounds, while inadvertedly leading Kiefer to his goal. The ship was a war frigate, probably stolen and pillaged from a navy. It was even bigger than Sharon¡¯s cargo vessel. Smiling, Kiefer followed behind the fleeing pirates for a good kilometre. Once within range, the cannons started firing on Kiefer who was still standing in the air. Isana had chosen to skilfully dodge the cannonballs hurling towards her, but Kiefer just stood still with his shield dome up. Like hammers hitting a gong, loud ¡®GONGS¡¯ rang out into the night sky in the middle of the ocean as cannonballs hit Kiefer¡¯s shield and deflected off. Within 20 minutes the firing stopped and Kiefer stepped onto the starboard of the massive frigate. The pirate¡¯s captain ordered the attack and instantly, Kiefer had whipped the charging pirates off deck, crushing their ribs due to the impact from his mana whips. The whole fiasco lasted an hour, with Kiefer taking the deed to the ship from the leader and choosing to let him go on one of the small attack boats. Kiefer had hoped that one day, the leader might build up a fortune again, for him to milk. Placing the entire Frigate inside her PD, Isana and Kiefer head back to Sharon¡¯s vessel, only to be greeted by stunned faces of all the sailors who have been alerted after their 2 mages had chosen to throw themselves overboard. Kiefer simply smiled, and set foot on the ship¡¯s deck and whispered to Isana, ¡°That was a rather lucrative venture.¡±
Sorry this took so long. My parents dragged me out to drive them for furniture shopping the whole day, so I could not work on the extra chapter today. I will be putting up a poll in the next chapter to decide whether Isana''s nickname for Kiefer should be Kii or Key. Next chapter : The City and the Treasure Chapter 1.20 - The City and the Treasure After a quick storm and 11 days later with no further pirate attacks, Sharon¡¯s cargo vessel finally docked at Wanda¡¯s northern port. Kiefer on the other hand had been busy experimenting and gathering data on his own mana pool throughout the duration. He started out only being able to open his PD once before he was almost dry of mana. Now, after a repeated process of completely draining his mana and replenishing it, Kiefer counted a total of 15 repeats before finally being able to open his PD twice in a row. Through some simple calculations, Kiefer concluded that completely draining his mana raises his max capacity by about 5% cumulatively. Finally with a rough estimate on his own abilities, Kiefer could now plan a training system to increase his own capacity. The northern port town of Wanda was not what Kiefer had expected. Completely different from Shearwood, the jetty and buildings were made out of wood, standing on stilts that buried deep into the swamp below. The jetty stretched out a fair way from the swamp, allowing for bigger ships to dock, but nevertheless, a putrid smell seemed to linger in the air. Kiefer could see the mouth of a river leading out to the sea, sandwiched between thickets of mangrove trees with root-ends that stuck out of the mud. Interestingly, Kiefer saw one of the roots extending upwards and snatch a low flying draerie right out of the air in a swift motion, before dragging the struggling dragon under the mud. ¡°Sher, stay inside my breastplate, absolutely do not fly around.¡± Kiefer whispered, knowing full well that Sher¡¯s speed which was inferior to the draerie would render her completely helpless against the roots. Kiefer seem to have forgotten that Sher could transform into a 100m long monstrosity and simply glass the area. ¡°Well this wasn¡¯t what I was expecting of a major port town that specializes in Shipwright.¡± Kiefer uttered to Sharon, revealing his disappointment. ¡°Oh no, this isn¡¯t the port town. The main port town is still a fair distance away. We only dock here because it¡¯s cheaper and we don¡¯t have to pay Marine tax if we transport our goods by land.¡± Sharon explained apologetically. ¡°Gotta save where we can.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. It¡¯s closer to my destination from here anyway. Well then, I bid you farewell.¡± Kiefer waved, stepping onto the wooden platforms and making his way towards the river. They had arrived in the morning and had already eaten breakfast on the ship. With Isana tagging along behind, Kiefer opened his PD and threw his mantle in. Now dressed lightly with only his normal cotton clothes, mithril breastplate and boots on, Kiefer felt much cooler. Even though it was winter, the forests in Wanda were surprisingly warm. Seeing Kiefer take off his mantle, Isana followed suit, and then ran to catch up to Kiefer who had not waited for Isana. Leaving the wooden platforms and walking along the bank of the river on his mana footholds, Kiefer followed the river and its tributaries. He had intended to avoid the city area to limit his interactions with additional variables. Isana had roughly indicated on his map where the hidden city of the high elves was and Kiefer was determined to visit them. With half a day of walking, the sun was now beating down on them and it was starting to become too humid for comfort. Isana, seeing her husband trying to tolerate the heat flew into the sky above and blew a deep icy breath. The immediate area became chill and dry as all the vapour in the air froze and fell as snow. Isana was eager to get in Kiefer¡¯s good books. The river bank had gradually changed from swamp mud, to sandy mud, to sand and now rocks, similar to Shearwood¡¯s lake. The mountain range separating Wanda from Shearwood was now visible on their right as they kept moving along the river. Finally, at one of its tributaries, Kiefer turned into the forest. During the long walk, Kiefer and Isana exchanged short conversations, mostly about what to expect when they reach the city. They talked about Wanda, the Wind dragon and Isana¡¯s wilful sister. Isana even mentioned a treasure that the high elves guarded with utmost secrecy ¨C Wanda¡¯s Fang. It is said that whoever holds Wanda¡¯s Fang, could hold the ability to conjure up anything from a breeze to the destructive forces of hurricanes, and yet in exchange for power, forfeit part of their life and soul to empowering the titan. It would seem that Titans could grow in power from different means, the most common being time. Titans only grew stronger with time, although it is a slow process, it is non-reversible. Other methods include absorbing souls of sacrifices with high affinity of the same elements as the titan, or from accumulating worshippers. Ever since he entered the forest, Kiefer had been constantly releasing his mana pulse, always noticing animals too afraid to approach the aura of the 2 titans. However, after about 3 hours within the forest, Kiefer was alarmed by a powerful being that seemed to completely dessimate his mana pulse. It always stood stationary, but was powerful enough to completely convert his mana into its own. Kiefer cautiously approached what he assumed to be the 3rd titan he was about to meet, only to be met with trees. Isana and Sher on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem to find anything wrong, or react to anybody that was as powerful as them. As Kiefer guardedly raised his hand in front of him and moved forwards, assuming the powerful being was invisible, he felt some resistance in his breastplate and boots for a moment, but it gradually passed and nothing happened to him. Confused, he let out another mana pulse, only to be alarmed that the creature was now behind him. Spinning around, it wasn¡¯t what he saw that intrigued him; it was what he didn¡¯t see. Isana was nowhere to be found. Had she been made? Did she run away? Questions ran through Kiefer¡¯s mind. Kiefer stepped forward deliberately again, and as he walked, he found Isana, standing behind some trees in the distance. He had felt the strange resistance in his armour once again, but it passed quickly. ¡°Kii¡­ have you figured it out yet? Ehehehe¡± Isana giggled, looking at the perplexed Kiefer. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me anything because I¡¯m not going to help you with this. There¡¯s no meaning if you don¡¯t understand it yourself.¡± Kiefer, however, was not mad. Analysing and figuring things out was his forte and he definitely did not need any help with that. Going with the only thing that he remembered felt weird, Kiefer opened his PD again, almost completely draining his mana empty, and equipped his gauntlets and shield. He released another mana pulse and finally understood. It was not a titan, nor was it some power being. It was a barrier. The barrier absorbed his mana at an amazing rate, and upon entering, Kiefer would be teleported to the opposite side of the barrier. Kiefer smiled, his evil grin showing up again. ¡°I see. If it is a spell, it has mana. If it has mana, that means my ¡®antimagic¡¯ armour would do the trick. Let¡¯s see who can absorb more mana, me with my 100% mithril armour, or you and your stupid barrier.¡± Kiefer declared, as if speaking to the invisible caster of the barrier. With his mithril claws, Kiefer slowly swiped the air in front of him, and felt a slight resistance as if moving his hands through jam. Confirming the position of the barrier, Kiefer placed his diamond shield against it and started to rapidly convert mana from the barrier to replenish his own. While doing so, Kiefer pushed forwards into an invisible jelly wall. The space around his shield starting to warp, Kiefer pushed on until he suddenly fell forwards when he reached the other side of the barrier. Immediately, there was a sharp green tinted sword touching his throat as a figure restrained his arms from beind. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°WHO ARE YOU?¡± the figure bellowed. Kiefer kept quiet, observing his surroundings. He was already surrounded, with5 long eared pale skinned elves pointing their longbows with arrows nocked at him. Kiefer enhanced his body and tried to break free, but unexpectedly, he still couldn¡¯t budge a single inch. Even his legs were immobilised somehow. He then felt the sword dig into the flesh of his throat, a trickle of warm blood flowing down his neck. Putting up his mana armour would be useless in this situation since the sword had clearly already penetrated his defence once. ¡°Try to struggle again and that will be the last thing you do, human. Answer my question. Who are you?¡± (Figure) Kiefer had decided to go all or nothing, choosing to either destroy everything and get away with his life, or die trying, even if he couldn¡¯t get the knowledge he came here for. Making up his mind and preparing to summon the blackhole once more, he hesitated when the space next to him began to warp and Isana came stepping in, with Sher in her valley. When and how Sher had switched hiding places, Kiefer did not know. He had been too busy finding the high elf city to notice. As soon as Isana appeared, Kiefer observed all the elves drop down on one knee and bowed their heads. No sooner had he seen this, he was forced into a similar position by the figure restraining him. ¡°Elder titan Isana, titan Shearwood, we were not informed of your arrival. Elder titan Wanda is still out around Aioa, we were not informed of her intended destination. We are sorry for our rude appearance; we had just caught a human intruder and were in the middle of interrogating him.¡± (Figure) ¡°Now that¡¯s quite alright. Although, it would be better if you released my future husband, and also patch him up before he decides to reduce your city to nothingness, General Alwin.¡± Isana calmly requested, looking over at Kiefer. Shocked and stupefied, Alwin immediately released Kiefer, undid the orihalcom shackles on Kiefer¡¯s legs and healed the cut on his throat, finally allowing Kiefer to stand up. Kiefer stared at him with eyes of disdain, keeping silent, before shifting his gaze to the orihalcom shackles. Stepping up beside Isana, Sher switched hiding places again and softly apologised to Kiefer, ¡°Sorry master, Sana told me to leave you alone, so I left just before we arrived at the border of the barrier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok Sher, I don¡¯t blame you. Isana did the right thing and I greatly appreciate it.¡± Kiefer glanced at Isana and saw her smile, then caught the sight of the elves flinching when they heard Shearwood call him master. Turning to face the elves, Kiefer simply declared, ¡°I¡¯ll forgive the earlier rudeness that you displayed, if you lead me to the treasure that I am seeking.¡± Right away, General Alwin issued an order and a carriage arrived within minutes, allowing Kiefer and Isana to board. The troops then escorted the carriage to the elven city like they were guarding members of the royal family. The ride was short and pleasant. Kiefer observed that the elves had enchanted almost everything with runes, from the wheels of the carriage, to the orihalcom shackles used earlier. The only difference being the amount of runes used to enchant each item. While the wheel had a simple repulsion rune carved onto it to reduce shock from uneven roads, acting like suspension, the shackles was almost completely covered in runes, layered one upon another. The City was thriving, almost every high elf being talented in magic, the day to day lives were dependant on magic. Paved roads, and stone buildings taller than any he¡¯s seen. The roads spread out from the palace in the middle like spokes on a wheel. There was only a thin forest separating the first building from the barrier. It was a straight road from the edge of the city to the palace and in no time, Isana and Kiefer were within the palace standing before the kneeling Elven king. In the elven King¡¯s hands was a sharp fang nestled on a red soft cushion. ¡°Behold, husband of elder titan Isana- Great Kiefer, our greatest treasure.¡± (King Ryul) Kiefer was puzzled, looking at the white fang being presented before him, then staring at the giggling Isana before realising the mistake. Even Sher was giggling inside his breastplate, going, ¡°Eehehe, master is so clueless at times.¡± Kiefer immediately corrected his request, explaining to the King, ¡°King Ryul, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. I¡¯m not looking for Wanda¡¯s fang. What I seek is your knowledge on magic. If you could provide me with some of your best mages for a session of questioning, as well as direct me to your most extensive library, that¡¯ll be great.¡± Kiefer and Isana were offered accommodation within the royal palace, being the place closest to Kiefer¡¯s primary goal. Once again, they were at crossroads, with Kiefer wanting separate rooms and Isana wanting a single room with a single bed. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the palace attendants were freaking out, not daring to offend Isana, while also being terrified of Kiefer who Shearwood called ¡®master¡¯. They finally came to an agreement for a single room with 2 beds. Eating lavishly within the palace, sleeping in beds so comfortable and soft they put the bed Kiefer had in his room on earth to shame, Kiefer gradually came to understand a little about the history of the high elves from conversing with the king and his mages. The sister dragons had been the one to protect the high elves from destruction spreading from human cities. Deeming the humans unfit to learn and control magic like the high elves, Wanda had hid the high elves away within her own province while Isana had helped put up the special barrier. The high elves then swore their eternal service to the 2 elder titans. After dinner, Kiefer had been shown to the royal library by King Ryul personally. The king explained that the library had been kept and updated since the coming of the high elves, and that there should be more information here than anywhere else on Aoia. Apparently, If Kiefer couldn¡¯t find it in the royal high elves library, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find it anywhere else. Stepping into the royal library for the first time, Kiefer was taken aback by the sheer size of it. With a Ceiling five floors up, runes enchanted into the ceiling so it doesn¡¯t fall even without support pillars, the place was filled with books. The square room extended so deep, it was about as long as a football field, with books stacked along the walls all the way up and tall shelves filling up the rest of the room. There were floating platforms that went up and down depending on which pedal you pressed, and shelves were enchanted to be light and floating so they can be dragged effortlessly. Floating crystals that emitted a bright white light were situated at regular intervals, keeping the entire library bright. ¡°This is it.¡± Kiefer thought excitedly. ¡°This is where all the knowledge of the world can be found. This treasure. And I have it all to myself. My one and only. Myyyy prrrrecious..¡±
Ok so apparently, my mother says its not ok to only have a plate, a bowl and one set of utensils in my apartment. So they had me go out to buy more. Whats wrong with not being able to cook. i just order take-out. The less i cook, the less i have to wash. amiright? Next chapter: The exchange and the metal Chapter 1.21 - The Exchange and the Metal Ok, first a very big thank you to all you readers out there. My friend just pointed out to me that i made the top 20 in weekly view and right now honestly, i still can''t believe my eyes. Thank you guys so so much with your comments and helping me improve my story.
Kiefer felt lost, staring at the thousands upon thousands of books in front of him. How was he going to find the information he needed, and where was he going to start from? Just as he was wishing for a search engine, Ryul walked forward and grabbed a thick black book and passed it to Kiefer. ¡°This is the master book.¡±Ryul said proudly, while holding his chest up. ¡°Inside it contains the directions of this library. Every single book and piece of parchment has been catalogued into a total of 1050 books. This master book contains the position of each of those 1050 secondary master books and will show you where to find what you need. It may take some time, but I assure you, it will get easier.¡± The master book was a book that held the contents page showing the locations of the other 1050 secondary master books, each also being a contents book showing the locations of another thousand books themselves. Flipping through the master book immediately, Kiefer starting looking for things that might be related to history and magic. After about 30 minutes of tracing, Kiefer finally obtained the location of the shelf that he was looking for. There were several large categories, including history, nature, magic, architecture, races, cultures etc. Following the magic section, Kiefer flipped to page 54, where magic was further sub divided into sections involving mana, incantations, runes, mana related diseases, classes of magic, different affinities, and many other sub divisions. Kiefer decided to start with runes, seeing as it is most widespread in this city. The master book directed him to secondary master book #405, located on shelf 405 ¨C 5th shelf in 4th aisle. Heading over, Kiefer retrived the secondary master book, which then proceeded to list the names of all the books that fell under this subdivision along with their locations. Picking a single book on the 3rd level, Kiefer returned to the ground and head back to the desk near the entrance and started to bury his head in the book. The first book he took was titled ¡°Runes ¨C how they work and how they alter natural phenomenon.¡± Kiefer spent the next week holed up inside the library, only coming out to shower and relieve himself once a day. He had ordered that no one is to disturb him while inside the library, giving him the space and alone time he needed to concentrate. Only Isana would ever go in to bring his meals to him, sometimes just leaving it next to him, or when she was lucky and both his hands were occupied with books, feed him directly. Aside from that, Kiefer had zero interactions with anyone. Sher had taken this chance to wander around the city. It had been sometime since she last had the chance to stretch out in her full form. The citizens however, were not afraid, and merely praised and revered her. The high elves, were direct servants of the sister elder titan dragons and felt gratitude for Shearwood keeping the humans away from the west beyond the border mountains. Meanwhile, the King had kept the royal elven mage corps¡¯ leading mages await for Kiefer to show himself. The 7 mages were the top mages within the city, and they more than eager to teach a young individual with so much thirst for knowledge that he would shut himself in the library for a week. Having obtained almost all that he needed for the moment, Kiefer finally decided to take a break, and spent the night in the room he was allocated. As he left the library, one could see that Kiefer was considerably drained, with deep black bags under his eye, and yet, he was smiling and seemed to be shining. Isana was elated, finally being able to sleep with Kiefer after arriving in the elven city. She had been sulking that Kiefer was locked away inside the library, making it pointless to have fought to be in the same room as him. After a good night¡¯s sleep and a hearty breakfast, Kiefer arranged to meet with the 7 royal mages. They were the top fire, water, wind, earth, light, darkness and runes experts. Kiefer started by reiterating his understanding on mana and its workings, as well as the language of runes, finally ending off with how incantations change mana into physical phenomenon. The 7 mages had confirmed this, also teaching him the difference between the conversion of mana energy into the different elements. By Kiefer¡¯s estimate, through their exchanges, the high elves had a crude understanding of chemistry and physics, and yet due to over reliance on magi, their science never did take a step forward. They understood that matter was made of tiny particles, but still insisted that all matter was made up of a mixture of the 6 elemental particles. They could somehow understand that Cadrin, was 2/3 the weight of the same number of Hidran particles. Kiefer understood from them that carved runes were like instructions that manipulated mana particle around them in a fixed pattern, achieving a desired effect. Incantations on the other hand, were like runes carved within our minds and bodies, controlling our own innate mana instead. While humans required chanting to effectively cast spells, high elves that had created and understood the runes could create the rune without chanting; just by understanding what they wanted their mana to do. As time went on, Kiefer eventually decided that the high elves¡¯ race would benefit the most from advancing science, and through science better understand magic. He could finally start doing what the balancer had sent him here to do. With that, Kiefer arranged a meeting with King Ryul. ¡°King Ryul, why have you kept yourself and this city hidden away from the rest of Aioa for so long, despite being magically superior beings?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s because of the humans, great Kiefer. Not only do they greatly outnumber us, they are more intelligent and craftier than us. We high elves had to spend centuries to develop magic, which the humans only took decades to learn.¡± (Ryul) ¡°What would you say, if I offered you knowledge not of this world, to help you improve this country? A knowledge not related to magic, but vastly similar and with the potential of advancing magic in itself. Knowledge that you would have monopoly on, giving you an edge on the rest of the world, giving you power that might even rival the titans. Knowledge that could let you venture into the stars, and seek what you will. What would you do with such knowledge?¡± Kiefer asked, waiting to see King Ryul¡¯s answer, and depending on his answer, decide the next step. ¡°I would of course record such knowledge and share it with my country, improve our lives. For so many centuries, my people have yearned to come out of hiding, yet continue to do so out of fear. It is only right to put an end to their wait, grant them their wishes and make this country prosper.¡± (Ryul) If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Very well. I would like to see where my knowledge of Science takes you and your people. Whether or not it will lead to destruction, falls in your hands, but I would love to live in a world of technology once again. I must warn you though, you will have to forsake many things that you have come to know as the truth, and accept new premises and theories without any bias in your heart. Only then will you be able to make full use of what I can teach. I also expect a form of payment of some kind.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Of course Great Kiefer. What would you like? If there is anything that intrigues you, please do tell me, I will fetch it for you.¡± (Ryul) ¡°I would love to study the mana conductive metal ¨C orihalcom. It¡¯ll be great if you could bring me some high quality orihalcom ingots.¡± Kiefer said wryly, almost rubbing his hands in greed. Kiefer had read in a book in the library about orihalcom. It was a mana conductive metal similar to mithril, but was far rarer and more expensive. It was as hard as adamantium but could freely change its shape with the application of some runes. Kiefer had read that orihalcom was often used to make anti-magic weapons due to its ability to absorb and convert mana like mithril, however, at a much lower rate than mithril. Orihalcom was similar to mithril in the fact that once it is crafted using a person¡¯s mana, it will only react and change its shaped when in contact with the same mana, destroying any mana from other sources. Reading about the metal, and experiencing the metal were 2 completely things. Kiefer had wanted to try his hand again at crafting the metal. With the orihalcom ingots presented, Kiefer began by picking it up with his mana threads while in front of Ryul. He figured that since he was going to teach this contry and watch it prosper, there would be no point in hiding his abilities from them. Watching Kiefer take out his mithril shield from his PD, and watching him manipulate mana according to his will, the King was stunned. ¡°He could very well be the 10th titan that the prophecy spoke of.¡± King Ryul thought silently. ¡°We could finally have a means of defeating the evil titan Drigor and at long last come out of hiding.¡± Feeding 6 orihalcom ingots with his mana simultaneously, the ingots guzzled Kiefer¡¯s mana like a dry cracked dirt path in the desert soaking up water. As usual, when the ingots were saturated with his mana, Kiefer saw the characteristic silver particles seeping out of the ingots and disappearing. The ingots turned a shade of crimson red colour and all melded into one large red orihalcom ball. Setting the ball down and stopping his mana supply, the red orihalcom ball hardened and stood where Kiefer left it. Satisfied, Kiefer took out all his equipment from his PD and lay them on the ground in a line. Picking up the red orihalcom ball again, Kiefer fed mana into it, causing it to turn into a putty texture. The orihalcon ball moved and changed its shaped according to Kiefer¡¯s will, as if it was his mana itself. There was no need t manipulate it with his mana threads anymore. He crafted pauldrons and waist guard in the same design as the steel versions he acquired from the Balazaar family. Adding a few changes, he changed his pauldrons from platemail to scale mail design to allow more freedom of movement, sewing each scale on with thin orihalcon threads that he pulled. He then proceeded to add red details using orihalcom on his mithril armour at the joints and edges of each piece to strengthen the physical durability of each mithril armour, as well as improving the aesthetics several folds. Finally, he molded an additional 2 ingots along with the remainder of the red orihalcom ball to coat the back and edges of his rhombus shield, causing its weight to increase tenfold. The red bordered and backed silver diamond shield now weighed in at over 15kg, but was still manageable to wield in Kiefer¡¯s enhanced state. Fully equipping his armour, Kiefer raised his shield arm and waved it a couple of times, making sure it was comfortable. Finally, to conclude his crafting session, he showed the king what he had been planning all along. Raising his shield, Kiefer willed his mana to transform the orihalcom. Immediately, a large red tower shield appeared, with 3 jagged spikes at the bottom appeared. The shield was 2.5m tall and 1.5m wide. In the middle of the tower shield, was a horizontal silver diamond that was Kiefer¡¯s mithril shield. Kiefer could jam the spikes into the ground and elongate the spikes if need be to hold his ground and endure a frontal magical attack. Happy with his work, Kiefer threw everything back into his PD after refilling his mana using his armour, leaving only the breastplates and the boots. He thanked the King for the resources and proceeded to arrange a daily meeting with the royal mages, to teach them everything he knew, and to correct them on everything they thought to be true. This was going to mark the start of a month long exchange of information and ideas between the Kiefer and the inhabitants of this world. Kiefer started by telling them that what they called elements were in actual fact just energy, a natural phenomenon, or in the case of water, a molecule. He taught them elementary level chemistry, starting from atoms, proton, neutrons and electrons, and proceeding to inform them of the periodic table and its 118 elements, not 6. Still stuck in disbelief, the mages, King Ryul and even Isana were astounded by Kiefer¡¯s knowledge, not willing to accept that their studies were all wrong since the beginning of time. Nevertheless, Kiefer kept going, using the mages¡¯ example of carbon and water to prove the validity of chemistry. There was only one problem with teaching them though, and that is the mages did not understand written English. Because their written language is automatically changed to English for Kiefer thanks to the Balancer, Kiefer could read and understand their books and text. The same however could not be said for the high elves. This limited Kiefer to drawings and symbols to explain scientific facts to the 7 mages. As Kiefer returned to bed that night, exhausted from answering all the questions from the high elves and Isana, he started drafting up a lesson plan for the future in his head. He was so pre-occupied he had not even noticed Isana sneaking into his bed as he drifted off to sleep.
Just a heads up, I would like to inform all of you in advance that there may not be a chapter release on October 27 and 28. There may be if I have time but that is highly unlikely as I will be duct taped to my sofa with my face stuck to the TV. Next chapter : The acceptance and the change Chapter 1.22 - The Acceptance and The Change Hi all, this is going to be your bonus Chapter that I failed to deliver on Sunday. There''ll be one more in a few hours tonight for today''s chapter. hope you enjoy.
In the middle of the busiest street in Arigan, the hidden high elf city, large crowds were gathering around a podium. It was midday, just after lunch time as more elves streamed into the open town square from nearby restaurants. Then, a single male elf, no taller than Kiefer strode up onto the podium, with a roll of parchments in his hands. Light reflected off the bright blonde hair of all the high elves shimmered like sunlight in the ocean waves as everyone began to quiet down. The male elf began to yell, at the top of his lungs. ¡°Bringing you the latest news from around Arigan! Elder titan Isana, along with her human husband Kiefer has set foot inside Arigan as of 10 days ago and are currently residing in the royal palace as honorary guests of King Ryul.¡± The announcer paused to take a breath and allow the crowd to settle down again, before continuing. ¡°News from the palace has informed me that Lord Kiefer claims not only to be from beyond our barrier, but also from beyond our world! He claims he comes from a world far more advanced than our very own glorious Arigan, and that he would teach us the ways of his world.¡± Stopping once again, the announcer observed the crowd becoming noisy. ¡°However! After going through our royal library, and a session with our leading mages, he claims that our knowledge thus far is not only inadequate but also incorrect! He claims he offers us his wisdom and knowledge as a promise to an omnipotent being that he described as a ¡®god¡¯!¡± The crowd was starting to get rowdy, as elves started to doubt the words of an outsider claiming to be here to set straight their incorrect way of life. ¡°Is he truly a prophet sent to us by our god? Or is he just a swindler, a conman that¡¯s got our lady Isana under his spell? Could what our gods have shown us all these centuries possibly be wrong? We shall await the opinions of our mages and ¨C¡° (Announcer) ¡°NO! its HERESY!¡± (unknown) One yell from an unknown individual silenced the entire crowd and the announcer. Everybody stared at the source, waiting for more of his opinion. ¡°How can you believe someone who just comes in out of nowhere and claims that all our knowledge is wrong?!? And a human at that!? He¡¯s just a heretic trying to weaken our country and its future!¡± (unknown) And so, the streets of Arigan were filled with talks about Kiefer. Elves were generally divided into 3 main factions, the one that pegs Kiefer as a heretic to their way of life, another that believes Kiefer is here as a prophet of the gods to help them in their time of need, and a last faction that could not be bothered as long as it did not have any negative impact on them. It had been one week since Kiefer started teaching the mages and they finally seem to start accepting his theories. Kiefer had understood that the language for the runes had changed several times during history and that it was not the language that was important, but the meaning. Trying it out, Kiefer attempted to cast a spell in English. ¡°By my will, calm yourselves, cease all movement and persist as I will, Permafrost!¡± Kiefer chanted, imagining all atomic movement coming to a halt within his mana¡¯s reach of 60m. As he intended, standing in the field in the royal palace, the surrounding instantly dropped to near absolute zero, with water crystals falling out of thin air, the ground freezing over and plants turning white covered by water crystals. The phenomenon persisted for as long as he supplied his mana and followed him wherever he walked. Putting a damper on his mana flow, the frozen field gradually returned to normal temperature, leaving patches of dead grass where Kiefer had walked. Kiefer decided to try another spell, one from an attribute he had not figured out until now. ¡°By my will, photons cease to persist, surround me and cloak me, dark shroud!¡± Kiefer was immediately encapsulated in a pitch black dome, void of any light. Even Kiefer was blinded and only regained his sight after cancelling the spell. ¡°Hmm, still not quite right¡­ Defeats the purpose if I blind myself too.¡± Kiefer thought still unable to practice magic related to darkness element. Being watched by the high elf maids within the palace, Kiefer felt bed for destroying the beautiful field that they had attended to, so he bowed and apologised, and decided to perform his tests only outside the city. With that, he made his way back to the conference room to resume his lesson after they had taken an intermission for lunch. The mages were beginning to accept Kiefer¡¯s new theories and have recently begun to experiment with chemicals themselves, creating new rune spells to manipulate chemicals and elements to do their bidding. The fire mage was exceptionally flexible in accepting Kiefer¡¯s teachings and showed obvious improvements, creating the first explosion spell ever in high elf history. He had managed to mix hydrogen and oxygen within the air in a 2:1 ratio and ignite it. Seeing his progress, the other mages become more permeable to Kiefer¡¯s new information and it helped with the teaching process greatly. Meanwhile, Kiefer had not only been learning new incantation based spells, he had been studying the barrier that Isana had put up to protect the village. After the session with the mages, Kiefer would be found at the edge of the barrier doing all sorts of tests. He probed the barrier with his mana threads to sense where most of the mana was gathered, and eventually found the source, or rather sources. The circular barrier wall, was dependant on drawing mana from 2 sources to operate the special feature. First was a preposterously huge runic circle drawn on the ground that encompassed the entire city, with the barrier running along its circumference. This magic runic circle served to dictate the size and shape of the barrier, as well as supply the other runes with mana converted from the ground. There was an exceptional conversion rate of 1:20, almost matching up to Kiefer¡¯s mithril armour. The next key components were the 2m diameter vertical runes carved into the air along the circumference of the first circle. These magic circles were tessellated next to each other and on top of each other for the entirety of the barrier, going up as high as 200m, making the whole wall look like a giant piece of bubble wrap. The runes consumed mana from the main circle at an atrocious rate, keeping the special barrier up. Each of the runes were created in twins, each one positioned directly opposite the other on the other side of the barrier. Entering the magic circle would teleport anything to the twin circle on the opposite side. Staring at the intricate design of the barrier, Kiefer couldn¡¯t help but come to admire and respect Isana, wondering how long it must have taken for her to establish the barrier. Not even the high elves had learnt to carve runes in the air like Isana had done with the barrier. However, looking at this gave Kiefer an idea to incorporate this new technique into his own repertoire of skills. Kiefer fetched a piece of parchment and began drawing a rune circle. Along the edge of the circle, Kiefer began writing down his rune in black ink, a rune meant for acceleration as well as mana conversion to supplement the power required for the rune. Within the middle of the circle were the parameters for the acceleration ¨C the magnitude, the direction as well as a smaller rune instruction to use mana to reinforce the object being accelerated. Finally, right at the centre of the rune circle, with a diameter of 2cm, was an activation trigger that will activate the rune on the object that broke the trigger. Setting the velocity multiplier to 10x and direction to be perpendicular to the plane of the rune, Kiefer lifted the piece of parchment using his mana threads. Taking aim, he threw a small rock, dead center of the parchment, breaking the activation sequence. The small rock accelerated instantly upon breaking the parchment, disintegrating midair due to the excessive acceleration, turning into dust. Seeing this, Kiefer tried to allocate more mana from the converter into reinforcement of the target object, but this resulted in a lowered acceleration multiplier. After a series of trial and errors and 20 small stones later, Kiefer settled for acceleration multiplier of 5x. This ensured sufficient reinforcement on the body of the projectile to prevent it from breaking apart due to air resistance. He then proceeded to try multiple step acceleration, lining up 3 circles one after another and then tossing the rock. The results were staggering. With each rune circle broken, the reinforcement kicked in, allowing for further acceleration, resulting in a final multiplier of 125x, without the stone breaking apart in air. Further testing and adjustments finally yielded the optimal results Kiefer was looking for. The projectile¡¯s acceleration reached its peak only 20cm after leaving the rune, so the optimal distance to stack the runes was found to be at 20cm apart to achieve maximum efficacy. By the time Kiefer was done with his tests, the sun had started to set and Kiefer returned to his room to review all that he¡¯s learnt and taught the mages. It was about time for him to proceed with physics since the mages already seemed sufficiently interested in chemistry to discover the wonders of science in their own time. Kiefer thought he would start with electro physics and magnetism, hoping it would allow him to bring about the topic on generators. Afterall, the modern world was a slave to electricity and they needed a way to generate it without having to depend on mana all the time. The goal was to move the high elf society away from its overdependence on mana and reduce the load with electricity. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°So, I heard you disappeared all afternoon after the lunch session with the mages. Still going at it at my barrier?¡± (Isana) ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve sort of started to understand how it works, but there is a huge loophole if I might add. The sky is not covered, so anyone could just drop in if they flew over the wall.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I considered that, but there wasn¡¯t enough mana from the converter sequence to support another large rune to cover the sky. And besides, no one can fly that high. Dragons and birds might, but they pose no real threat to the city and they do not have any evil intentions like humans.¡± (Isana) ¡°And while we¡¯re at that topic, how do you draw the runes in the air like you did with the barrier?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Oh you saw them huh? I don¡¯t know myself. I just can. It¡¯s just magic?¡±(Isana) ¡°Not this again.¡± Kiefer thought. It was the same reply with Shearwood when they just met. ¡°Titans sure have it easy, just being able to do the things they do without having to think of how.¡± Kiefer expressed his envy. ¡°Well, it¡¯s got its downsides. Not knowing how it works means we can¡¯t find ways to improve on it because we don¡¯t know where to start. I can only draw one rune at a time and it took me almost 2 decades to put up that barrier. If I knew how it worked, I would have drawn multiple runes at the same time.¡±(Isana) ¡°Well can you at least show me an example so I can try to imitate?¡± (Kiefer) Isana agreed, and put her right arm out in front of her. As she closed her eyes, Kiefer saw a light blue line forming in the air a few centimetres away from her palm. The blue line turned into a circle, almost as if it was ink writing on an invisible surface. Finally with the rune almost done, Isana stopped the process and the rune slowly faded away. ¡°See? If I lose concentration, the drawing fails and I¡¯ll have to start over again. I stopped the last one intentionally though, don¡¯t want this room turning to ice.¡± (Isana) ¡°Isana, I never asked you this before, but you can probably feel your mana like Sher does correct? What colour and shape is your mana?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Hmm.. My mana is a vertical light blue coloured crystalline shard with sharp edges. Why?¡± (Isana) ¡°Haha. Ok this is going to be fun.¡± Kiefer laughed, excited at what he is going to do next. Kiefer still seated at the edge of his bed, extended his mana thread to form a circle, finally cutting the thread off. He stared and watched the thread slowly disappear, taking a full minute to dissipate into nothingness. Kiefer made a mental note that he needed to write the rune within a minute. He proceeded to manipulate his mana, slowly forming the runic characters in his acceleration rune, finally ending in the middle with the activation trigger. Picking up the piece of parchment where he had drawn the same rune earlier, he confirmed that the designs were the same. Kiefer hastily tore a corner of the parchment and crunched it up into a ball, and flicked the paper ball into the middle of the silver rune floating in front of him. The ball sped up and bounced off the wall of the room. Ecstatic, Kiefer immediately programmed his mana to deploy in the previous design mentally. With that, he was satisfied, picked up Sher from the foot of his bed and layed her down next to his pillow, tucked her in and went to sleep. Isana just kept staring at the paper ball Kiefer had thrown against the wall, still flabbergasted at Kiefer¡¯s speed of learning new things. [4 weeks later] Kiefer was back at the smelly putrid swamp, standing that the end of the wooden jetty. Beside him were Isana, Sher who was flitting between Isana and him, and 50 high elf warriors. Of the 50 high elf warriors, 5 of them were the mages that attended Kiefer¡¯s lessons. The fire and light mage hadstayed behind to carry out more experiments of their own. During the last month, Kiefer had passed on the fundamental of Science which he thought were necessary to get the country to the starting line of a technological revolution. But they were stuck at a bottleneck and required raw materials to proceed. Hence their current location. Using his mana, Kiefer extended a silver bridge towards the ocean until he was standing atop deep water. The high elves had already seen what Kiefer was capable of and were too tired to be surprised each time Kiefer pulled out something new. Standing there, he requested that Isana pull out the Frigate they had acquired from the pirates. Their first plan was to sail to the main northern port town of Wanda to stock up on their travel supplies. Their next destination was the continent of Grandu, to purchase as much metals as possible. Boarding the frigate, the elves got into their stations one by one. With the 5 mages by their side, and Kiefer, Isana and Sher, the plan was to sell the magic cannons and munitions at the port in exchange for food and necessities. The cannons did not operate on gunpowder, but instead had repulsion runes carved on the inside that reacts with repulsion runes carved on the cannonballs. Kiefer was going to change that. The legacy that Kiefer left behind in the high elf city included economic reforms, improved education system and advanced agricultural techniques. He did away the copper, silver, gold coin system, and introduced modern coinage systems, using all silver coins with varying imprints. This allowed them to conserve on copper for use in machines, and gold for trading with foreign cities for resources. The education system now mimicked modern day schools with a revised syllabus to include chemistry, physics, biology and maths as compulsory subjects, with attendance compulsory for anyone above the age of 10. And lastly, he dug an irrigation canal from the nearby river and from the mountain river leading into the farms, and introduced seasonal cycling of crops to allow the soil to fallow. This would improve the crop yields within the country. With the sails at full mast, Kiefer cast a wind spell that got the entire frigate moving. Members of the crew were busy taking the cannons out of the munitions bay and securing them to the cargo hold. It was a 3 hour trip to the northern port of Wanda and they arrived without any complications. As the high elves alighted from the frigate at the docks, all eyes were fixed on them, and the couple that were leading the group. Partly from the awe of the largest ship in the dock, and partly shocked by the hair colour, everyone within the port started speculating the origin of this new arrival. Common elves in Aioa had light brown or chestnut hair, none ever documented to have shiny blonde hair. Seeing not one, but 50 such elves come into port, everyone was intrigued, yet afraid to approach the group. Keifer located a shipwright that looked prominent and engaged in negotiations, explaining that he wished to sell the cannons and cannonballs. Seeing his frigate and the way Kiefer carried himself, the shipwright did not dare to swindle him, and offered a price that was a little above market value. Going to the back of his workshop where the treasury was located, Kiefer took this opportunity to take his steel pauldron and waist guards out. Kiefer then offered the 2 pieces of armour as a form of goodwill and as thanks for the good price he had been given. With a sack of 1200 platinum coins for 12 cannons and munitions, Kiefer handed it to General Alwin who was his first mate and ordered him to buy the necessities for the journey. By nightfall, the port town had grown quiet, with the whole hustle and bustle about the frigate dying down, the ship had been loaded. General Alwin was stringent with the cash, negotiating for every piece of dried meat, vegetable and fruit. They had stocked 3 months¡¯ worth of wood, plenty of lumber, and sufficient tools for the ship. With the munitions bay turned into a cargo hold, the ship was barely even 20% full. They reserved the rest of the space for the metals in Grandu. The whole crew spent the night on the frigate resting and preparing for the arduous journey ahead of them, trying to make their country flourish and evolve. Kiefer however, spent the night repainting the ship with some paint he had bought out of his pocket. He needed a bold design and colour scheme, one that would attract attention and tell the world that change was coming. Morning came around, Kiefer, Isana and Sher were enjoying the sunrise over the mountains, high up in the sky. And yet, despite the 2 floating people, port residents were instead focusing their attention on yet another spectacle. A Grand frigate, painted red and gold, with pure white sails and a single high elf runic word Painted in deep black paint ¨C the word for CHANGE. Kiefer and his 2 companions came back down from the sky behind the crowd while everyone¡¯s attention was on the frigate. As they walked proudly towards their Frigate, Isana suddenly dropped to her knees. ¡°AAaarrghhhh¡­ this¡­¡­ pain¡­ won¡¯t¡­ stop¡­. AAAAHHHHHHH!!!¡± (Isana) No sooner had Isana fallen to the ground writhing in agaony, Sher did the same. She did not even have time to return to Kiefer¡¯s breastplate, and dropped out of the air wriggling like a dying earthworm on the paved ground. ¡°Mas-ter¡­ help¡­ so pain-ful¡­ nooo¡­ stop¡­¡± (Sher) ¡°Wanda¡­ What have¡­ you¡­ done¡­?!?! AArrrghhh!!¡± (Isana)
Muahahaa, CLIFFHANGER!! at least for a few hours. I apologise for that. Next one will be up soon. Next Chapter - The titans and the plan Chapter 1.23 - The Titans and the Plan Heres your chapter for today. sorry for the cliffhanger earlier. Enjoy.
As the 2 titans screamed in pain, struggling to keep their mind sane while on the ground, all the onlookers started to move towards them. To keep them away, Kiefer chanted a quick spell, and instantly, a circular wall of fire rose from the cobbled stone path, surrounding him and his 2 titans, while causing the crowd to back away. Wrapping and binding the 2 of them in a cocoon of his silver mana threads, Kiefer took to the skies. Before anyone could trace him in their sights, Kiefer leapt away from the port town, towards the dense jungle between the port and the northern city of Wanda, all the while enduring the painful cries of Sher and Isana. The group of high elves just stared at their leader, unsure of what to do before General Alwin took charge. ¡°Lord Kiefer seems to have had a change of plans! We shall proceed as he instructed and head for Grandu continent efeective immediately! Everyone back to their stations. Raise the anchors, lower the sails! We will catch the outgoing tide to get on our way.¡± (Alwin) With that command, the elves snapped back to their senses and set sail, starting their 2 month voyage towards Grandu continent. The winds were in their favour and within hours, their massive red/gold frigate could not be spotted from the docks of Wanda. Kiefer had travelled a fair distance in the air and set down his 2 ladies in the middle of a thick jungle. Using his whips, Kiefer swung them around like grass cutter blades, clearing his immediate vicinity of trees. Using the leaves from the trees, he lay them out on the damp jungle floor and then took out 2 thick blankets from his PD, before laying his 2 titans on the blankets. They were still struggling with the pain, which seems to be subsiding. Isana was clenching her teeth, enduring the pain, occasionally moaning, while Sher was held tight in Kiefer¡¯s threads, eyes shut and constantly groaning. Without any warning, the 2 titans were once again overcome by a horrendous surge of pain, causing both of them to yell out so loudly, it echoed through the dense forest. Right after the yell, however, the 2 of them instantly transformed into their true forms. Kiefer looked in horror, as the 2 titans cringed in their true forms, unsure of what to say or do to relieve them of their pain. The white dragoness, originally large in size, spiked back with 2 large scaly wings and thick limbs was now contorting in weird angles. Kiefer watched the spikes regress into stumps along the back, the distinct dragon head becoming slimmer and smoother, resembling a snake¡¯s, and limbs becoming thinner and longer. Kiefer could hear crunching sound reverberating from Isana, as he watched her bone structure undergo change. The scaly wings grew longer, with finger-like extensions growing from the ends. 2 more white wings began to sprout from the back, just behind her original wings. These new wings gradually grew to full size, stopping just a few metres short of the first pair. The second, shorter pair of wings also had finger like extensions and elbow joints like the first. Her tail elongated, becoming slimmer and fanning out at the tip, with leathery skin bridging the gaps between the fan spokes. She eventually stopped screaming, and let out one final roar of icy breath into the sky, before slumping forwards with a great thunk. A single drop of tear could be seen in the corner of its eye as it muttered one word, ¡°Wanda¡­¡± Meanwhile, the giant 100m long serpent nearly doubled in size as the scales changed colour. The missing scale on the tip of the tail grew back, but not with the dull matt grey colour it used to be. The new scale in its place was shiny and black, releasing tiny black particles as it moved through the air. The original matt obsidian coloration of the serpent¡¯s back turned a similar black colour. The scales along each side of the body were purple in colour, resulting in a nice transition from turquoise belly of the snake to the black back. The black leathery wings started contorting, crunching in on itself and eventually receded into the back of the giant serpent. Sher was still screaming for Kiefer to help her all this time, crying streams of tears that fell on Kiefer, masking his own tears. From behind the serpent¡¯s head, at a location where her shoulders would be, the scales started shifting apart crushing adjacent scales in the process. From the gap in between the scales on both sides of the serpent, a single white scale protruded out. Then another white scale, and another, and another, until eventually, Sher grew 2 limbs resembling giant pure white angel wings in the location where her arms would have been if she had arms. Finally, from the Joints where the wings connected to the serpentine body, a thick semicircular piece of shining purple armour plate grew, covering the joint like shoulder-pads. Each wing has elongated scales that looked oddly similar to feathers, and grew as long as her body from each side. Sher¡¯s Face had also changed considerably, with a snout that resembled a dragon¡¯s and her eyes turning a deep blue hue from the original void black. Her slit nostrils were now raised from her snout, with her upper and lower jaws separated by a set of newly formed teeth. Along the length of her body, sharp jagged spikes that looked like purple lightning bolts grew at regular intervals or about 20m. Exhausted from her transformation, the pain and her cries for help, Sher similarly slumped forwards, laying her head on her slightly smaller in size sister. With tears still running down her face, Sher slipped into unconsciousness, like Isana, and cried out one word, ¡°Master¡­¡± Kiefer was made to watch through the entire spectacle, watching his 2 closest companions suffer and writhe in agony while he simply stood there, unable to do anything other than cry for them and pray for them to be safe. Witnessing the grand transformation of the 2 titans, Kiefer was alarmed, wondering if they had gotten weaker, or if they would still remember him when they awoke. Right now, the 2 were asleep peacefully, as if the previous fa?ade had never happened. He could do nothing but wait. Wait for them to wake, wait for them to remember, and wait for them to forgive him for being so helpless. Sher¡¯s cries for help were still ringing in his ears, and Isana¡¯s agony was burnt into his memory. Kiefer did what he could, setting up a smaller version of the special barrier that he had studied in Arigan, making sure nothing disturbs the 2 slumbering titans. What worried him the most, however, was what Isana had said in her pain ¨C Wanda must have done something to trigger this episode of maniacal pain on the titans. He had assumed Wanda to be an ally, but now he wasn¡¯t too sure. Kiefer made a quick trip back to the port town, in the middle of the night, and realised that the frigate was gone. Asking around, it appears that the frigate had left several hours ago, just about after Isana and Sher collapsed from the pain. Returning to his companions, Kiefer took out his red shield, and molded the orihalcom into a thin protective perforated dome around the 3 of them as an extra precaution. He then proceeded to sit down and lean against the large bodies of Sher and Isana, and just wait. Just feeling their heartbeat, listening to their breaths and wait. And for 3 days he waited without sleeping, vigilantly guarding them, before he felt the slightest movement from Sher. As he got up to look at his precious companions, he saw Sher staring back at him, without saying anything, and spied Isana¡¯s eyelids trying to lift themselves. ¡°Sher¡­ are you still in pain? Do you know who I am?¡± Kiefer asked, hoping his Sher wasn¡¯t gone, praying what had changed was only her physical appearance, and that she didn¡¯t come to hate him. Sher stared at him blankly, and then nodded her giant reptilian head. Without opening her jaws, Kiefer heard her reply him ¡°Yes master. I¡¯m sorry for worrying you, I feel fine now. Thank you for taking care of me.¡± Sher had spoken to him directly into his head. She seemed to have developed a new telepathy skill after the transformation. Kiefer, as shocked as he was, did not hesitate and hugged Sher¡¯s head. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. As Sher got up, Isana finally opened her eyes, and with a blinding blizzard, transformed back into her human form, showing no visible changes in her physical appearance. However, she seemed considerably pissed at something, eyebrows knitted, lips upturned into a frown, and almost seeming like she was about to cry. ¡°Isana?¡± Kiefer called out. ¡°how¡¯s your body Isana? Is something wrong?¡± Kiefer inquired, worried. ¡°No, im fine. I feel more powerful now. But-¡° Isana was cut off mid-sentence when Kiefer ran over and hugged her, more tightly than he¡¯s ever done before. He¡¯s never shown this much intimacy with Isana, even during her little games to increase physical contact with Kiefer. She was pleasantly surprised, and felt a warm ooze, coating her icy heart. She hugged him back and reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just fine now.¡± After calming down, Kiefer started a fire going, Isana in human form and Sher still in her true form. Sher kept pestering Kiefer to make the fire bigger because she could barely feel the heat from such a small fire and the cold early spring wind is blowing against her giant body. Finally, Kiefer released his mana particles to coat Sher¡¯s enormous 200m body and slowly destroy them to convert to thermal energy, keeping it up and slowly depleting his mana reserve. ¡°So, Isana, you seem to know what happened. Could you explain?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Of course my dear.¡± Isana paused, checking Kiefer¡¯s reaction to her calling him affectionately. Seeing Kiefer smile, Isana continued, ¡°One of us died.one of the 9 titans that existed since the start of Aioa has died today¡± ¡°Do you know which one?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°It is either Wanda or Drigor. During the transformation, every titan is shown memories of the the last moments before the death of said titan. What I saw, what we all saw was a fight between Wanda and Drigor.¡± (Isana) ¡°How can you so sure that one of them died? Maybe they escaped?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°No that¡¯s not possible. When a titan dies, all its powers are divided amongst the remaining titans, majority of it going to the one that killed it. We all know this because just a decade after the 3 avian titans descended to Aioa, Grandu killed his own twin brother Gondor, and its powers were split amongst the 7 of us, before finally, the excess power from Gondor gave birth to 2 serpentine titans, Desir and his sister Shearwood. We all experienced the same feeling that time, but this would be the first for Shearwood.¡± (Isana) ¡°I see, well it¡¯s good that nothing bad happened to you both. But how shall we find out who died?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s easy. We return to Arigan.¡± Isana declared, with a face full of motivation. ¡°But first, how to get Sher back down to size?¡± Just as Isana spoke, Shearwood suddenly began to shrink and eventually, ended up as a small black and blue snake like it used to be, but with large furry white wings. She had a single tiny talon at the end of each wing, which she used to climb up Kiefer¡¯s body. She snuck back into the breastplate and looked up at Kiefer with her blue eyes, finally speaking to Kiefer in his head, ¡°Sorry master, I learnt so many new things from the transformation that I took me some time to get to my ability to transform.¡± The winged Sher just barely fit into Kiefer¡¯s breastplate as Kiefer looked at Isana and nodded. Together, they took to the skies and sprinted towards Arigan once again, praying the General Alwin would be able to complete their mission in his stead. The trio arrived at Arigan¡¯s royal palace in the middle of the night. The guards were alarmed at first, but seeing Isana and Kiefer, they resumed their duties. Isana raced to the palace treasury and using ice to freeze the hinges, she broke down the doors in a hurry, triggering the mana alarms. Right in the middle of the room, on the red velvet cushion, was Wanda¡¯s fang. Kiefer and Isana approached the fang cautiously, and reached out to inspect it. However, just as Wanda touched the very tip of the fang, it crumbled into fine white dust. The dust swirled around in a circle above the cushion, finally enveloping Isana, and then disappearing. Isana fell to her 2 knees, staring at where the fang used to be. Tears started rolling out of her emerald eyes, and she started wailing. Kiefer just knelt down beside her and hugged her, as she cried through the night, in the full audience of the high elf royalties. As she cried, her tears froze, dropping onto the cold stone floor and smashing into tiny pieces, never melting. [Back inside their old room] ¡°Wanda used to be so carefree¡­ She wouldn¡¯t care about fighting, only actively avoiding fights¡­ the 3 of us were siblings, but always fighting, between me and Drigor, and between Wanda and the 2 of us. She would always try to stop the fights¡­ why would she go and attack Drigor? And Drigor that bastard, to actually kill his own sister for power.¡± (Isana) Isana was muttering to herself, only Kiefer and Sher could hear her. Wanda¡¯s fang crumbling was an indication that Wanda had ceased to exist. Drigor would have obtained a majority of her power killing her. They knew Drigor had been in a fight with the 3 avian titans for a long time. Their inhabitants had waged war after war, lasting several millennia, costing billions upon billions of lives within Drigor¡¯s territory. What they did not understand was why Wanda had willingly gone to seek out her brother, and why they ended up fighting to the death. Without warning, Isana stood up from her bedside, her usual bright emerald eyes now dull and cloudy. Fists clenched so hard her already pale skin went paler. Then she said out loud, full of hatred and disgust, ¡°That bastard. I will avenge Wanda. I will kill him, and take his power for myself. I will see him die, and laugh, even if I have to trade my own life for his.¡± She prepared to take off through the window, only to be held back by Kiefer¡¯s threads. ¡°Let go of me Kii. I need to do this. I need to find out what my sister died for. What she did to deserve being killed by Drigor, and in the end, take his life.¡± Isana yelled back, shifting her shoulders as the mana threads constricted her and pulled her back towards the bed. At that moment, Kiefer kissed her on the lips, and only parted their lips after feeling Isana¡¯s shoulders fall. This was the fastest way to get her to calm down, to make her think of something else. The kiss wasn¡¯t very good, just pressing lips on each other, but in a way, it felt innocent, to Isana, this was a first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Isana, you weren¡¯t thinking straight. I may be terrible at expressing my emotions, but you need to know, that through the time I¡¯ve spent with you, I¡¯ve come to understand you, to care for you, and need you. There¡¯s a saying from my home world that goes ¡®Do not give promises when happy. Do not make decisions when angry.¡¯ I hope you will discuss this with me. We are in this together, after all we¡¯ve been through, I deserve the chance to help you.¡± (Kiefer) Isana, blushed, only nodding her head in silence, returning to her bed as Kiefer released her. ¡°We will change our plans. Head towards Drigor. It will be at least 6 months before General Alwin makes it back to Arigan. We have at least that much time to make things right. Isana, we will rest tonight, and set out tomorrow. I still need to test out your new abilities, and find a way to coordinate our fight. From what you¡¯ve told me, Drigor is powerful, and is only stronger now that he has most of Wanda¡¯s power. It may take all 3 of us to defeat him and we will need to work on teamwork.¡± Saying that, Kiefer calmed Isana down, while Sher poked her head out of his armour and nodded her head at Isana, assuring her it will be alright. Kiefer¡¯s plans to introduce technology would have to be put on hold. Isana is more important than some assignment a random ¡®god¡¯ gave him.
Just FYI, this arc is coming to an end in a few more chapters. you''ll know when the next arc begins, It will be opened by Kiefer''s notes(2/3), followed by the actual release. This first arc is titled - The learning phase. Next Chapter - The Coordination and the War Chapter 1.24 - The Coordination and The War It was midday, and Kiefer had spent the morning preparing for his trip. Isana was quiet the whole morning, just like Sher, but would smile whenever Kiefer turned to cast a glance on her. Up until last night, she had always been the one on the offensive, and yet, for the first time ever, Kiefer attacked and left her completely defenseless. She didn¡¯t know what to say or do around him anymore, just thinking of him brought back the brief but vivid memory from last night. Tracing her lips with her fingertips gently, Isana smiled. Within the 12 hours between sunrise and midday, Kiefer had been busy stuffing his PD with all the things he would need. He had also modified his armour once again, taking mithril ingots from the palace treasury as if it were his own to replace the orihalcom scalemail pauldrons and platemail waist guard. He then added the scarlet metal to his own shield, increasing its weight once again. The red metal extended from the silver diamond shield in a curved wall, along his arm and beyond his shoulders, like a smaller version of his tower shield. The shield was attached to his gauntlet and using more mithril Kiefer crafted a duplicate to attach to his right gauntlet. Splitting the heavy orihalcom shield onto both arms, Kiefer did not feel as lopsided when in combat, and if he wanted, he could instantly conjure up 2 large tower shields on each side of his body. Within his PD, Kiefer had stuffed it with preserved food a sturdy tent that he crafted from Demon bear pelt. With multiple thick blankets some cooking utensils and a large chest filled to the brim with orihalcom ores. It was almost all that Arigan had, but nevertheless, the king still willingly gave it to Kiefer. Finally, the trio approached the edge of the barrier facing the Border Mountains, and stepped outside. Kiefer lead the group, taking slow and deliberate steps in the jungle, while Isana followed closely behind. Sher was struggling to fit in Isana¡¯s valley, now a little too tight for her with her wings. Kiefer stoped abruptly and turned around to look at the 2 titans. They were now near the base of the mountain after having trekked for a few hours. The forest floor was dark and humid and sunlight barely made it down. Kiefer could still see the snow covered peak of the first mountain through the tiny gaps in the canopy. ¡°What is it Kii?¡± (Isana) ¡°Sana, Sher. I want you to attack me.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°What???¡± (Sher and Isana) ¡°I need to gauge your abilities, so I want you to attack me for real. We are far enough from Arigan to avoid collateral damage, so you 2 can go all out.¡± Kiefer explained, Sher now floating beside Isana after giving up on squeezing inside her old spot. ¡°You know there¡¯s no way we can do that to you. So why not just practice on something else? Like the mountain for example. Let¡¯s compete to see who can destroy that mountain first.¡± Isana rejected Kiefer¡¯s idea casually, instead offering up a more terrifying suggestion as if it were her daily routine destroying mountains. ¡°No, that won¡¯t be effective. How about this - If either of you can get me to admit defeat, I will do whatever you want for a da-¡° ¡­ *BAM!!* Before Kiefer could finish his sentence, Isana had already rushed in front of Kiefer and struck him with her fist. Kiefer managed to withstand it thanks to his mana armour, if only barely, while being shot through the forest and breaking several trees in a row. Sher had transformed into her true form and was preparing her breath attack. Isana did not let Kiefer rest, following him as he was thrown through the forest and following up with an overhead kick. Kiefer put up his dome shield which was smashed to smithereens by the kick, deflecting the trajectory of Isana¡¯s leg enough to leave a crater in the ground next to him. Kiefer smiled. He now knew how much stronger the 2 titans had gotten, as he dodged Sher¡¯s laser attack. Sher atomized a path through the forest, melting a tunnel into the side of the mountain in the distance. Kiefer took to the air using his mana footholds and lured Sher and Isana out above the forest canopy. They did not even give him the chance to equip his new armour so he tried to create some distance between them. As fast as Kiefer was dashing through the air, Sher was chasing behind him, creating small hurricanes with each flap of her angelic wings. Isana had also transformed into her 4 winged dragon form and was circling around to cut off Kiefer. Kiefer observed their speeds and was flabbergasted by how fast Isana had become, and how agile the 2 of them were. With the additional wings, they could make tight corners mid-flight to match Kiefer as he tried to escape the 2 reptiles. Isana and Sher would take turns to fire lasers and icy blasts to change Kiefer¡¯s directions and trap him between the 2. Still void of the opportunity to don his armour, Kiefer decided to kick things up a notch. He slowed down just a little as Isana fired a breath of ice shards ahead of him to divert him. Kiefer pretended to hesitate for a split second, which Sher caught as she flew straight towards him, attempting to knock him into Isana. Just at the moment when Sher charged in, Kiefer Jumped higher up into the air in an instant, and conjured up a giant acceleration rune directly in front of Sher. With not enough distance to stop, Sher collided with the rune, accelerating her towards the incoming Isana and causing both of them to crash into the base of the mountain. Taking this chance to catch his breath, Kiefer opened up his PD and immediately donned his armour while still running to create space and more time between him and his attackers. Finally in full mithril and orihalcom armour, Kiefer could stop worrying about his mana supply and go all out. He deployed his supergravity field to slow down the approaching titans while he took aim. Facing the 2 approaching titans, Kiefer conjured up 50 mid ranged silver bullets and stacked 3 acceleration runes in front of each one, firing the barrage at the 2 titans. As he fired, he kept making more bullets aiming at the dodging Isana. While Isana dodge the barrage by soaring to the side, Sher had stopped approaching him and released 3 white scales from each wing tip. Seeing this, Kiefer kept the barrage aiming at the circling Isana while pointing his left palm at the now stationary Sher. Kiefer created the long range ballistic bullet and stacked 5 acceleration runes in front of it, firing as soon as the last rune was done. However, just before the bullet reached its target, the 6 white feathers were in position and a huge purple hexagram formed between the feathers, followed by numerous overlaying runic circles within the hexagram. The ballistic bullet struck the hexagram, destroying one rune circle after another, before finally coming to a stop. Sher smiled, revealing her pearly whites, and shot a beam straight into the hexagram. Meanwhile Isana had summoned a large runic circle above Kiefer¡¯s head. Through that rune, a giant ice meteor shard descended freezing everything around it as it approached Kiefer. Kiefer attempted to dodge the falling ice shard, but was instead surrounded by Sher¡¯s laser beams. The hexagram had divided Sher¡¯s beam into 6 smaller beams which curved through the air instead of shooting in a straight line. The 6 beams were approaching from Kiefer¡¯s sides and bottom, leaving Kiefer no room to avoid the falling ice meteor. Kiefer was exhilarated by their improvements. Molding his red shields in both arms, Kiefer encased himself in a red orihalcom sphere, then overlayed 20 layers of mana armour over the ball. Sher¡¯s beams arrived at their target first, decimating the mana armour while putting dents in Kiefer¡¯s orihalcom shell. Kiefer immediately started replenishing his mana from Sher¡¯s magical attack that his mana armour failed to stop. Following which, Kiefer reinforced his mana armour at the top where the ice shard was expected to hit. As the giant ice shard struck Kiefer¡¯s mana, it penetrated all of his mana armour layers, losing most of its energy in the process. Finally, it failed to penetrate Kiefer¡¯s orihalcom shell, leaving a great dent and several small cracks radiating from the point of impact. The shard pressed against the red ball, plummeting to the ground with it. Kiefer¡¯s orihalcom shell was embedded halfway inside the forest floor, while the ice shard shattered into sparkling dust and snow. Without taking any chances, Isana flew down immediately, and encased the shell and the ground below it in a thick layer of magical ice, while Sher controlled her 6 feathers and embedded them inside the ground around the ice ball. Within moments, Sher had erected yet another hexagram, this time a runic prison meant to hold Kiefer inside. Finally, the 2 titans relaxed, still in their giant reptilian forms, staring at the prisoned ice ball of orihalcom with Kiefer within. Isana yelled out jubilantly, ¡°Kii! Remember your promise! You need to listen to me for a whol -!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She did not manage to finish her sentence when Kiefer appeared behind her and stuck her neck with his mana whips. Sher stared at him, eyes wide open, wondering how he escaped and looked back at her prison, observing the red ball that was still encased in ice. Looking back at Kiefer, He did not have his orihalcom shield anymore, just his diamond mithril shields. However, as she was staring at him, he disappeared once again and this time, was on her back, working his mana threads around her body like he did the first time they fought. Isana was sent tumbling through the forest floors, still struggling to orientate herself. The unexpected strike from Kiefer had caused her a serious concussion as she had not been prepared to take the blow. Her eyes still spinning, limbs wobbly, she looked at the fight between Kiefer and Sher. As Kiefer tried to restrain Sher, she sent out lightning sparks between the spikes on her back. This caused Kiefer to disappear once again and appear some distance from her. Sher, shot her beam at Kiefer while Isana, finally recovered enough, came charging through the forest towards Kiefer. Sher filled the entire air with high voltage electric sparks, setting nearby trees on fire, while Isana started up a blizzard around Kiefer, quenching the fires and freezing the ground. Unaware to the 2 titans, Kiefer had started to deploy his trump card. Above Kiefer, high above the canopy, a singularity formed, and it grew exponentially larger as it sucked in all matter and light around it. Before Isana could reach Kiefer, the blizzard she conjured was swirling towards the singularity, just as Sher¡¯s beam curved upwards away from Kiefer. Trees were uprooted and dirt crumbled away from the ground towards the singularity. Once the black hole grew to about 4m wide, Sher and Isana could no longer resist the pull and were gradually sucked towards the blackhole. Fearing for their life, they looked at Kiefer, but could not see any of his expressions under the mask. Kiefer promptly set up a mana field around the black hole, preventing any matter from moving any closer to the blackhole. The field was powered by the gravitons released by the blackhole and acted as an invisible wall, separating the blackhole from its surroundings. Nonetheless, the gravitational pull was still present and Sher and Isana, along with numerous trees were plastered to the external wall of the mana field, completely immobilized as more dirt kept piling on top of them. Finally knowing that they have lost, Isana yelled out from under the dirt, ¡°Fine! We lose! So stop this thing already!¡± Hearing that, Kiefer grinned, and destroyed the blackhole, causing everything stuck on the mana field to fall to the ground, including 2 large reptiles. With feathers ruffled, and hair a mess, tiny Sher and human Isana came waltzing down the small hill of dirt and trees, looking at the stretch of barren ground that Kiefer was standing on. The spar had lasted no more than 15 minutes, ending in complete and utter defeat of the 2 titans, along with the destruction of the forest and half a mountain. See the 2 of them taking their time to walk over to him, Kiefer opened his PD, and within his PD, opened another dimension gate, leading to the space behind the 2 titans. He stepped in through both portals, and appeared behind Sher and Isana. Kiefer had cracked the problem of inter-dimensional travel a week ago and had been eager to put it to the test in actual combat. He was still limited to travelling between points in space that he could visually confirm within the last 3 seconds. In the earlier fight, he had escaped once the ice shard broke through his mana armour around the orihalcom ball, and cut off his own mana leakage to avoid being detected. Then he waited for the moment the titans let their guard down to strike again. With the fight concluded, and the trio exhausted, they decided to rest for the day while Kiefer came up with ways to coordinate their attacks. Apparently Sher had been communicating with Isana telepathically during the fight, which was why their teamwork seemed so in sync. Setting up his demon bear pelt tent in the middle of all the destruction, Kiefer lit a campfire and sat on a log he gathered from nearby, next to Isana. As they nibbled on the dried beef jerky while staring into the fire, the sky grew dark as the twin moons rose over the mountains. They just sat and talked the whole night, talking about every little thing and laughing at memories they had while travelling together. Kiefer reminisced about his family back on earth, and his past, while Isana recalled memories from millennia ago about stupid bouts she had gotten in with Wanda. Isana went on about how she had helped Wanda teach young Sher about the world and how Wanda had given up some of her territory to Sher as a gift to a baby sister. Soon, the trio was asleep, Kiefer leaning against the log facing the fire. Isana next to him with a thick blanket draped over both of them, and Sher, wrapped up in her own fluffy feathers, coiled up on the blanket on Kiefer¡¯s lap. As the cold spring wind caressed their faces, they snuggled closer to each other, accompanied by the warmth of their companion.
The ground was dyed red, as the weeds and patches of grass seen growing around were fed the blood of humans and anthropomorphs alike. The Drigor army from the capital city Diantes consisted of humans defending during the day, and undead attacking during the night. The surrounding 3 avian titan¡¯s provinces were home to the all kinds of demi-humans and their army was categorized according to each race¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. This war had been going on for centuries, with both sides now unclear the reason it started or even who struck first. They only knew they fought to protect themselves. As the undead army attacked the 3 provinces at night, radiating outwards from Diantes, the demi-humans would retaliate near dawn and attack during the day. Humans in Drigor would fall back to their forward bases and defend until night came and the usual moaning and groaning of zombies and crackling of skeletons resounded around them. With no side having any real advantages, casualties just pile up every day, and with every death, the undead army gains one more soldier. Forces were spread so thin at some point in the war, armies on both sides would refuse to go to battle, with commanders leading only a handful of soldiers to skirmish the enemy. Spies and Saboteurs thrived during this war, especially from the demi-human race. There were cat-people who specialized in agile movements and stealth, who relay information to their respective leaders. Treants were great at ambushing supply convoys, cutting off the breathing tube to forward human bases and forcing them to fall back. Not as talented as the humans in magic, the demi-humans employed the help of wood elves from Rashael who specialized in nature and healing magic. The humans in Drigor on the other hand hired Dwarves to help smith excellent weapons, with an almost direct supply of metals coming from Grandu. Over the years of constant battle, the demi-humans had begun to develop fire based magic weapons, with materials supplied by Fiora. It was the most effective way of dealing with the undead, aside from completely crushing them into pieces. It was the dead of the night. Standing atop a hill, under the twin moons, was a Demi-human from the wolf tribe. He was 2.5m tall, had a sharp, crisp wolf head, and a bulky muscular body. With one long howl, the wolfman raised his crimson halberd high above his head, flames licking its blade, and yelled one word, ¡°ATTAAAACKKK!!!!¡± Large towering creatures over 10m tall began dragging their feet forwards, towards the sea of undead crawling towards them. The giants had finally picked a side and Commander Raywof was chosen to lead the first ever night attack against the undead. The giants raised their heavy metal clubs and swung them carelessly against the hordes of skeletons and zombies, turning them into bone meal and meat paste. The measly pokes and prods of steel weapons held by the undead could not penetrate the tough skin of the giants. In the darkness of the night, dimly lit by the moons, flashes of scarlet flames could be seen dancing in the battle field as Raywof cut and sliced his way through the hordes alongside his giant army. He was drowning in the battle, indescribably happy that for the first time, the demi humans were able to hold their own against the undead army at night.
Hope you enjoyed reading this, please remember to subscribe rate and comment belo -- oh wait sorry this aint youtube. Next chapter : Epilogue Chapter 1.25 - Epilogue Hi there, short chapter, but this brings an end to the first Arc of my story. enjoy!
¡°Hurry! Bring out the Cindertails! Men! Wield your hammers! Crush those bones! Tamers! Make sure your cindertail sears the flesh and burns the muscles! We can win this! Raywof has shown us the way!¡± (fox commander) It¡¯s been almost a month since the Avian alliance first managed to push back the undead with the help of the giants led by Commander Raywof. Since then, the alliance has had multiple victories on the battlefront pushing back the first line of forward bases that Diantes had set up to counter ther 3 provinces. It was the middle of the night, as fiery tails of elemental foxes burned brightly in a neat row. With their tamers by their side, the neatly assembled cindertails rushed forth enveloping the legion of undead in flames. Lamias wielding heavy hammers slithered forth unaffected by the flames due to their fire resistant scales and started an onslaught, targeting the skeletal warriors, crushing bones into fragments that would be impossible to piece back together. The tamers, each equipped with crossbows, held the defensive line, protecting their home province of Fiora with their lives. The tamers picked off any unlucky zombies that managed to crawl their way past the flames, their heavy bolts smashing the skulls and brains of the undead. With their backs against the Fiora mountain range, the Fax-people were the first tribe to come into contact with the Diantes undead army. ¡°Commander Raywof protected his province of Luna! We shall do the same for Fiora! We WILL persevere and push the damned diantes back to their measly city!¡± the commander roared again, picking up her twin hammers and jumping into the fray. Like Raywof¡¯s halberd, the twin hammers lit up her surroundings like 2 enormous torches. Swinging them around, she created a ring of fire that crushed and roasted everything they touched. The undead army was relentless, getting back up after being knocked down. With no perception of pain or morals, they kept trudging on, attacking former comrades. Each one they fell is another comrade that would join them. Mindless, vicious and numerous, the legion kept pouring forth without an end in sight. Their only downfall is the sun. That¡¯s when they are returned to the nether realm via teleportation, awaiting to be summoned again, living a cursed life, repeating the same process over and over again. Soon, the undead overwhelmed them, as the fox commander issued an order to retreat. Tamers, lamias and cindertails alike, all ran back towards the mountains where they would turtle up and await the dawn. Treading carefully over the wooden beams, each soldier made their way across the chasm, before removing the temporary bridges. From across the 50m wide chasm, soldiers set up defensive perimeters, awaiting the approaching legion of death. This was not the first time they¡¯ve done this. They were pushed back this far every night thus far. They were ready for the tricks the undead used. While most of the undead simply fell to their doom into the bottomless chasm, some with lingering cognitive function chose to stop. With specific control from the necromancers in the forward bases, these ¡®smart undead¡¯, as the demi humans call them, would toss their own kind over. 50m was not a long distance, and with their natural limiters removed, the undead were far stronger than their living counterparts. Zombie wolfmen towering at 3m would toss their skeleton buddies over the chasm. The Lamias were ready, batting the thrown skeleton back into the chasm or into the swarming legion on the other side with their hammers. The fox commander Feni was the one that came up with this defensive formation and it hasn¡¯t failed thus far. While she has yet been able to show results on the attack on the undead, her remarkable usage of terrain and defensive formations has kept the undead legion out of Fiora for the last 3 decades. Since she came into command, citizens in Fiora have had a peace of mind, not fearing for undead attacks and raids. As the twin moons began to set, the battlefield became enveloped in darkness. It was nearing the end of spring, so they only had 1 more hour till the sun rose and the undead legion disappears. Feni set her hammers down as she entered the commander¡¯s tent. On the large table in the middle of the tent was a map of the region spread out and held down by bronze goblets in each corner. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. She had seen this map countless times, studied the map and memorised it until she saw it in her nightmares. And yet, she could not find a way to take advantage of the terrain or weather to push the undead back. Having to resort to using the chasm every night, she was at her limits, knowing that it won¡¯t be long before the necromancers from Diantes army came up with a way around the chasm. Time was short on finding another trump card. Suddenly, a messenger came running in with an emergency report. ¡°Commander! The cats have spotted 2 unknowns approaching us from the east! We don¡¯t know if they are friendly or not, but reports say they are humans!¡± (messenger) ¡°Shit! Fuck this! How did they get behind our front lines!? Did they come by sea? What are the cats doing, only informing me so late!¡± (Feni) Dashing out of the tent, Feni picked up both her hammers and sprinted to the frontlines, barking orders to tighten up the formation. The first ray of sun peeked into the battlefield, reflecting off Feni¡¯s shining hazel fur. With 5 tails swinging behind her, each with a white end, Feni covered her eyes to shield it from the ray. ¡°Report!¡± Feni yelled, her voice ringing through the mountain forest while she continued to oversee the battle over the chasm, ¡°Update me on the 2 unknowns!¡± Immediately, a cat-man descended next to her from the nearby forest canopy and knelt down next to her. Dressed in a black garb that blended with its black fur, the hooded cat-man began his report. ¡°It¡¯s been confirmed to be 2 humans, commander! But.. there is a problem..¡± the scout trailed off towards the end, afraid to continue with the report. ¡°SPEAK UP! Finish the report!¡± (Feni) ¡°The humans¡­ they are¡­they are flying here commander! To this chasm! Estimated to arrive in under 10 minutes!¡± (scout) ¡°Flying?!?! FUCK! Just how advanced is their magic now?!? And to think 2 human mages managed to break our ranks from behind¡­ We don¡¯t have time to come up with countermeasures. Everyone! FALL BACK NOW!!! There are advance mages flying our way! Make sure you avoid any battles with them!¡± Feni bellowed her orders, making sure everyone heard her loud and clear. With that, all the soldiers abandoned their posts, and ignored the undead that were being tossed over. ¡°O- Over there!! They are here!¡± One of the fox tamers yelled, pointing in the sky. There were 2 people just standing on air roughly 50m above ground. One was a silver haired beauty, while the other was a masked stranger, wearing brand new steel armour. Feni raised her hammers and prepared for battle, hoping to buy her subordinates as much time as possible to flee. As she watched the 2 mages, the masked mage raised his arm and the red metal that was part of his shield flowed forth, caging some of the undead. Seeing the undead that are exposed to sunlight disappear, the masked man changed the design of his prison from a barred cage into a sealed metal container. Feni watched in horror, as she knew she would not last a second against the mage. The masked maged caged several undead variants ¨C a skeleton, a normal zombie and one of the wolfman zombies that was hurling its comrades over the chasm. With the 3 scarlet cages in tow, the 2 mages headed back towards the east where they came from, but not before staring at Feni and chuckling. Scared out of her wits, and relieved to be alive after witnessing the power of the mage, Feni dropped both her hammers and collapsed to the ground. 2 cat scouts came to pick her up and left for the base, returning moments later to retrieve the hammers. The battle for the night was over and they needed to prepare for the next night. They may not know it yet, but the battle that has gone on for centuries was about to come to an end, closing the curtains on the countless bloodshed that has plagued this continent.
Next Chapter: Kiefer''s notes 2/3 - Military might Chapter 1.255 - Kiefers notes (2/3) Military Strength Avian Alliance The Avian Alliance is made of the 3 provinces within the control of 3 Avian Titans ¨C Luna, Rashael and Fiora. Their main populace is made up of anthropomorphs, or more commonly known as Demi-humans. Though for some most of their races their reproduction rate is not as high as humans, they possess extrahuman capabilities which more than makes up for their lack of numbers. Technologically inferior to the humans, though not by much, the demi-humans have the advantage when it comes to relying on nature or their surroundings due to their keener senses and perception. Luna Province is known for being aggressive while Fiora is known for its defense due to its geographical advantage. Rashael is the most vulnerable with the lack of combative races but it well protected by its sister provinces.
Luna ¨C located to the west of drigor, the multitudes of small islands off its coast give rise to numebrous water based and airborne species, while the dense tropical forests found throughout Luna are home to orcs, wolfmen and giants. Race: Wolfmen Description: The Wolfmen live with pack mentality, with a pack leader often developing naturally when training in groups. Removing said leader will automatically result in another one taking his position as training progresses. As such, while wolfmen undergo training together, the leaders are often picked off by their superiors and given their own units to command, constantly producing new Wolfmen commanders. Race: Lizardmen Description: Lizardmen may walk on 2 legs and carry weapons like a human, but they are more at home in the water than on land. They have excellent sense of sight and taste to make up of decreased hearing and smell when not in water. Using their tongues to pick up chemicals in the air like snakes, these lizardmen have the widest of peripheral vision coupled with thermal sensing, which makes them formidable against hidden enemies. They are often deployed in groups of 2 or 3, led by a dragonewt for defense as scouting parties. Race: Dragonewts Description: The Dragonewts are the closest of the lesser beings in Aioa to being real dragons. Originally part of the Lizardmen tribe, dragonewts eventually broke away as an evolutionary cousin after developing wings. Their eyes shifted forwards, reducing peripheral vision range, but giving depth perception, making them good at using ranged weaponry. Capable of short term flight, the dragonewts can use their wings as additional limbs during combat, just as lizardmen use their tails. Boasting high offense and defense, these dragonewts lead scouting paries in Luna. Race: Giants Description: Giants tower over all other beings at no less than 10m tall. They are slow, unintelligent and brutal. Wielding giant clubs made from steel, or even just a random tree they plucked off from the ground, the giants are only vulnerable to magical attacks. This makes them an excellent force to use against the magic-less undead, earning the Avian Alliance their first ever victory against the undead legion. However, because the giants are rare and slow to reproduce, they are guarded heavily by support mages to prevent them from being taken down during combat. Race: Orcs Description: The main force of the Luna army, Orcs are strong, fast, brutal, dumb and listen well to orders. Not the brightest of the races, the orcs are the cannon fodder in the luna army, never questioning the orders from their wolf commanders and simply rushing to their deaths. Their numbers are almost as numerous as the humans, and would have won Luna the war if they were only a little smarter and could make decisions during battle themselves. Once they completed an order given to them, they would just idle around, even in the heat of battle until another order is issued. Orcs make up the majority of the infantry and manual labor in the war.
Fiora ¨C Located to the south of Drigor, it is a natural fortress owing its defense to the harsh mountain terrain in the middle of the border, with the river flowing from the mountains to the eastern shore. The river has cut a deep chasm into the ground and leads out into an ocean naturally guarded by a cliff face. Swampy lands to the west of the mountains make it difficult and slow to transverse through, with a poisonous bog that causes most sentient beings to avoid the swamps. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Race: Foxmen Description: The foxmen grow an extra tail every 10 years and are considered an adult when they have 3 tails (20yo). They are agile smart and cunning, often using tactics to outsmart the enemy. Though not the strongest physically, they have excellent coordination skills and are the heart of the strategy and tactics department. Foxmen are innately attuned with mana and most are able to cast simple spells, though not enough for battle. Some extraordinary foxmen are talented to be mages and wield magic weapons. Race: Lamia Description: With human upper halves and snake bodies for their lower halves, Lamias are naturally resistant to fire, but vulnerable to the cold. Their strength outstrips the wolfmen tribe and most are ambidextrous, allowing them to dual-wield light weapons, or simply haul an extra heavy one. Able to slither forwards and backwards without having to look, they are great when deployed in defencing measures, allowing them to retreat backwards while still facing the enemies and warding off attacks. Race: Catmen Description: Short for demihumans, the catman tribe specialize in stealth and espionage operations. Similar to ninjas on earth, they are equipped with a plethora of lightweight projectile weapons and are capable of blending in with the darkness. Excellent night vision and agile speeds, they can remain undetected venturing deep into enemy territory at night to disturb and cut off supply convoys. Race: Gnolls Description: Shorter smarter cousins of the Orcs, the gnolls are a quick study for anything aside from magic. They are close to nature and are often revered for their talents as animal tamers. This gives the gnolls a small army of themselves with the wildlife they have tamed. Records show the most common animal tamed is cindertail which is ubiquitous in Fiora, but rumors have it that some gnolls have even succeeded in taming wyverns or other lesser dragons.
Rashael ¨C Famous for its priests, Rashael province has almost no combat abilities to defend itself from Diante¡¯s attacks. In exchange for supplying priests as support holy magic and healers to her sister provinces, Luna and Fiora would send troops over to protect her. As such, most of the races seen in the other 2 provinces are usually found in Rashael. Race: Wood elf Description: Different from the high elves hidden in Wanda province, the wood elfs are only talented in nature and holy magic. Excellent healers as well as potion concocters, Rashael has been able to hold out against Diante¡¯s fierce attacks for the past few centuries only because the undead legion are highly susceptible to holy magic and they have minimal casualties in the loaned armies thanks to the abundance of healers and potions.
Drigor ¨C The largest province on the main continent with the greatest army in terms of numbers, this province is mainly occupied by humans, with severe discrimination against demi-humans. Within the last 2 centuries, a new form of magic has been discovered under the darkness element, leading to the deployment of necromancer mages in their army. With a total of 5 layers of forward bases established in all 3 directions, the army has been spread out very thin, resulting in only defensive measures to prevent the loss of territory. The army only attacks with undead soldiers at night, with almost no human lives lost. Interestingly enough, Diantes army only invades and provokes the Avian Alliance when the conflict dies down, as if it thrived on conflict itself. Aside from that, they never invade the territory of the other 3 provinces, only ever carrying out battles on its own territory.
Chapter 2.00 - Prologue It was still early in the morning, Kiefer was standing atop the bowsprit of a small smuggling ship enjoying the light breeze and admiring the reflection of the twin moons on the rippling ocean surface. Isana and Sher were still sleeping in their room and Kiefer chose not to disturb them, seeing as he was used to waking up early. The ship was small and fast, smaller than Sharon¡¯s merchant vessel and was painted in a deep navy blue colour with black sails to avoid visual detection at night. The smugglers only operated at night, making short fast trips moving slaves or opiate drugs. However, this particular smuggler¡¯s cargo hold was empty, for he was on an even more lucrative trip. With nothing illegal on board, the captain had agreed to take on the 15 day operation proposed by Kiefer for a payment of 1 platinum coin upon completion. Even though they had come to a mutual agreement, the captain was still afraid of the couple, not daring to approach them during the trip. After all, in the process of negotiation, Kiefer had burnt all his cargo drugs as a form of ¡®persuasion¡¯ saying that now he doesn¡¯t have any other shipment to move and thus will not reject Kiefer¡¯s proposal. Staring out into the horizon and watching the twin moons set, kiefer revised his plan for Isana¡¯s revenge in his head again. Having fought it out with the 2 titans, they came to an agreement that Drigor was most likely more powerful than the 3 of them and so it would be wiser to gather information and potential allies first. Seeing as Rashael has no fixed combative force and had to rely on others to protect itself, Kiefer chose to move to Fiora first. Tracing along the southern coastline from Wanda to Shearwood it took them almost half a month to arrive at the Southern Shearwood port. That¡¯s where Kiefer had managed to ¡®persuade¡¯ the smuggler to take him on a trip to one of the warring countries. His target: Avian Titan Fiora. They were already 10 days into the trip. In total, they¡¯ve encountered 3 pirates and 2 navy patrols from Grandu. Surprisingly, it would seem that the pirates and smugglers seem to have some sort of agreement or code that they follow, not bothering each other whenever they met at sea. The navy on the other hand though were a hassle, but were easy enough to deal with. The smuggler must have been famous to a certain extent, in the seas between Grandu and the main continent. Navy ships could spot him from miles away and identify straight away who the captain was and what he was most likely to be smuggling. It would seem that this smuggler is famous for bribing Naval officers and they all wanted a share of it, always keeping a close eye for him. With the naval officer on board the smuggling ship, Kiefer took over and presented his Alluviate royal academy identity card, and informed the officer that he was here on a covert and official business, before showing the officer a tiny fraction of his capabilities. Hinting that everything is to be kept under the hush or they will risk facing decimation, Kiefer managed to get rid of the navy easily and quickly. The idea to travel by sea was proposed by Isana. Kiefer¡¯s intention was to originally travel by foot which would be much more convenient on land because they could take breaks and set up camp for the night. However, Isana warned Kiefer of one of the many skills Drigor had. ¡°His territory may be very big, but given how powerful he¡¯s gotten recently, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he could sense us the moment we step foot within his territory.¡± (Isana) As such, they had to take the round-about method of hiring a smugglers ship since no other ship captain was willing to risk their lives to go to a warring province, much less a demihuman one where they will be killed as humans long before making port. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. And hence, here he was, standing on the smuggler¡¯s ship as it sailed through the ocean towards Fiora. Kiefer had been training non-stop ever since he had such a hard time fighting the 2 titans. Up till this date, the biggest improvements he¡¯s had are with his range of control. He could easily deploy his gravitational field for up to 500m away from himself now, while his mana pulse has increased its range to just shy of 10km. The only problem though, with such a wide mana pulse is the shear amount of information he was receiving and he had to take some time to filter out the feedback to pinpoint key threats. As such, he usually limits it to the original 2km radius which he had become comfortable with. Making several improvements with his red orihalcom metal, Kiefer decided to adopt a similar tessellated pyramid design for his tower shield and sphere shells, and with some testing, confirmed that it increased the resistance to blunt force tremendously with just a single layer. Kiefer now spent most of his time trying to figure out a way to mold some reinforcement armour for Isana using the orihalcom ingots in his PD. With her new form, she had sacrificed some of her defence for an enormous boost in speed and aerial maneuverability. While it was almost impossible to hit her while she was alert, sneak attacks would deal lethal damage to her, so Kiefer had wanted to infuse several ingots with her mana so she could control them. The main problems, however, lie in the fact that Isana cannot control her mana like Kiefer, so not only could she not induce her mana into the raw ingots, even if she managed to do it, she won¡¯t be able to manipulate the metal like Kiefer does. Kiefer had been trying to find the right runes to mold the metal into a neck brace and shoulder guards for her wings, but without the correct tools and information, he was stuck behind a really tall roadblock. The day on the boat passed as usual, with almost no incidents. If anything, the only interesting thing would be that one of the sailors had their arm frozen and shattered by Isana because he had accidentally touched her butt as the boat swayed due to the waves. Even then, there was nothing the ship captain could do but apologise to Isana. Saying that, night fell and the twin moons rose and set. However, just as the twin moons set, Kiefer¡¯s extended pulse registered a small skirmish going on around 9km inland. It would seem that the beings are fighting against something invisible, with no mana signature. Recalling Sher having mentioned that undead have no mana since they are not technically living things, Kiefer became excited. He equipped his full mithril armour with his 2 red shields, woke Isana up and informed the captain that he would be departing effective immediately. Tossing the captain 1 platinum coin, he carried the still sleepy Isana in a princess hold and leapt into the air, running towards the cliffs he could see in the distant. Isana, embarrassed by Kiefer¡¯s actions, immediately chose to get down and fly alongside him. Kiefer registered several demihumans hiding within the holes in the cliff, but he ignored them instead, heading straight for the battlefield. Careful not to touch the ground, Kiefer maintained his altitude high up in the air, steadily making his way towards a prospective research element.
Here''s the prologue to the second arc. lets go for another fun ride shall we? Next chapter : The Specimen and The Study Chapter 2.01 - The Specimen and the Study This one''s a little longer than usual. A lot of location changes here, and a little more colourful than usual, I apologise for that. hope you enjoy.
¡°This is useless. It not that they disappear in sunlight¡­ it¡¯s that the spell connecting them to this realm stops working in the day. This means I can only study them at night when I can capture new specimens again.¡± Kiefer lamented, observing the 3 empty cages. Despite the cages being completely sealed and dark, the undead samples he had acquired pre-dawn that day had disappeared nonetheless. ¡°Kii¡­¡± (Isana) ¡°Yes I know Sana. Sorry I got side tracked. I know we came here to gather more information on Drigor, but somehow I have a feeling that these undead are linked to Drigor.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I think it would be easier to ask members of the Fiora Army for information than trying to figure things out by yourself. Every day that we waste trying to figure things out ourselves is a day that Drigor gets stronger.¡± Isana urged impatiently. She had been worried that they had been spending too much time going at this in a round-about way and was eager to clash with Drigor head on. Kiefer however, had a different approach and wanted to know as much about Drigor as possible before confronting the titan. He keeps reminding Isana that ¡°Knowing is half the battle won¡±, but with it being a phrase from Earth, Isana didn¡¯t know what to think of it. ¡°hmmm, maybe it¡¯ll be faster if we went to see the titan Fiora directly. She¡¯s spent millenniums longer fighting Drigor than the inhabitants of the province, and I doubt they have even seen Drigor himself.¡± (Kiefer) ¡° !!! NO! I mean ¨C umm... you know what, actually, lets study the undead for a little more. The fox tribe should be quite knowledgeable so why don¡¯t we continue with your research? What do you say Kii? Drigor can wait, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s going anywhere right? Right Kii?¡± Isana yelled out unknowingly, seemingly startled by Kiefer¡¯s suggestion. Kiefer was just as surprised at Isana¡¯s sudden change of mind. Suspecting something was up, he questioned her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sana? Is there something you don¡¯t like about my plan?¡± ¡°N- no! O-of course not! It¡¯s - it¡¯s just I think that studying the undead might lead us to knowing more about Drigor.¡± Isana tried to reason her way out. ¡°Yes, but like you said, we shouldn¡¯t waste too much time on something that might be a dead-end. So I think the wiser choice is still to go find Titan Fiora and maybe get her to help us. After all, having one more titan by our side fighting Drigor will be greatly beneficial to us.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Nonononononono.. I still think the undead is the way to go. Besides, we don¡¯t even know if Fiora will help us, maybe she¡¯ll even attack you. We can be certain that the fox tribe will be more than willing in helping us study and get rid of the undead. So can we please just forget about Fiora just this time? Please?¡± Isana was adamant about studying the undead, but Kiefer still could not figure out why. ¡°Heeheeheee¡­ master, it¡¯s fun to see Sana sis so flustered.¡± Sher spoke to him telepathically, not letting Isana in on the conversation. ¡°You know, actually Isana has some history with Fiora. All of us titans know that. It¡¯s so funny. But I can¡¯t tell you, or else Sana sis will freeze me and then feed me to her pet wyverns.¡± Somewhat getting an unclear picture of the situation, Kiefer decided to respect Isana¡¯s decision and chose not to pry any further into the topic. In the end, they decided to go with the plan of approaching the Fiora Army for assistance in studying the undead legion, hoping that it will shed some light on Drigor¡¯s and Diante¡¯s actions. [[Fiora Eastern Border Defensive Perimeter]] ¡°Have ANY of you found out how the 2 humans who managed to get behind our front lines?!? If they came by sea, where is their vessel!!??!¡± Feni was yelling at the cat-men scout team. ¡°Sorry Commander Feni! My men claimed that the 2 humans flew in from the horizon over the ocean! They did not come by ship. As our scouts were instructed to lookout for possible diversions by sea, they were concentrating on the ocean looking for sails rather than the skies. As such, they only noticed the 2 humans when it was too late.¡± (Scout Leader) ¡°They claim!?! Did they confirm it or was it just their assumption!??! It¡¯s impossible for any human to possess enough mana to get them to fly over such long distances! Get your man to double confirm their sources! Comb the cliff edges for anything that could be used as a means to get across the water! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a boat or a piece of driftwood! I want to know everything!¡± Feni bellowed, clearly still angry that the scouts had failed their jobs and almost cost the entire defensive army their lives. ¡°Yes Commander! Right away!¡± The catman replied, then melded into the darkness of the forest and disappeared to do his job. Feni was still pacing around her tent. The base was concealed deep within the mountain forests, just a kilometer south from the barren land that the Chasm had cut across starting from the mountains and ending in the ocean cliffs. The battle field was littered with the broken bones of former comrade turned skeletal warriors. Rotting flesh and brain were plastered along the far side of the chasm. The fox tribe, along with the help of the strong lamias, had constructed pillars anchored on their side of the chasm. These pillars had a pulley attached at the top, with chains running down one side and the other side attached to a wide wooden beam. These were the bridges Feni had instructed the army to build and place to make full use of the chasm. After retreating every night, lamias would pull on the chains to lift the draw bridges up, and then surround the anchored pillars to protect the bridges. Over the years, the necromancers had begun changing their techniques, originally just tossing their undead over the chasm, but now, using the undead as projectiles to take down the bridges. The Lamias would have batting practice every night, sending the flying skeletons back across the chasm to protect the anchor pillars. They could not afford to even allow one bridge to be lowered due to the anchor pillar falling. Still trying to find a way to counter the 2 mages that were still at large near their base camp, Feni swung her hammers in frustration, crushing the trunk of a large fir tree in one blow. A cat man leapt down from the falling tree, glanced at Feni and moved to another tree top to continue with his surveillance. ¡°Commander! I have news to report! One of my scouts found a tent hanging from the side of one of the overhanging cliff walls! It is about 60m up the mossy cliff side and we have no way of getting up to it to confirm the interiors! However, he reported that he had yet to see movement and that the 3 captured zombies are nowhere to be found!¡± (Scout leader) ¡°That was fast! It¡¯s only been 5 minutes since I gave the order. These cat people work fast.¡± Feni thought to herself. ¡°I DON¡¯T care about the undead! I want to know where the 2 mages are!! And if you can¡¯t get up to the tent, shoot it down! I want to know what they brought with them! And keep looking for their boat!¡± (Feni) [[Somewhere high in the sky above Fiora]] ¡°Hmm, its looks like Buffon gave me a map that is incomplete.¡± Kiefer muttered, just loud enough for Sana and Sher to hear. He was currently standing just below the clouds, overlooking the landscape. They had taken a good 3 hours to climb up to that altitude in order to do some scouting. It was just after midday, about 8 more hours before sun set. Kiefer could clearly see the mountains, the 2 cities of Fiora, and the cratered plateau surrounded by a moat. He observed the shadows of the clouds moving atop the thick canopy of the forest, some shadows so large they completely envelope the city. ¡°Buffon?¡± Isana asked. This was the first time she heard the name. ¡°It¡¯s a dwarf that helped master a long time ago. He gave master the mithril for his armour!¡± Sher answered her enthusiastically, proudly showing that she knew more about Kiefer than Isana. She was alright at first when Isana approached Kiefer. But seeing Kiefer¡¯s attitude towards Isana change and seeing the 2 of them becoming closer gave Sher an itching feeling in her chest, a feeling that she didn¡¯t understand, but definitely hated. Kiefer ignored the 2 quibbling titans and kept thinking to himself. ¡°I could always go to the city and look for books on the undead, but I¡¯m more attracted to the live versions of the undeads at the frontlines.¡± Kiefer pondered. ¡°However, going there would mean I might come into conflict with the demi-humans since they hate humans so much.¡± ¡°For now, I guess I have until nightfall to make my decision. That¡¯s when I can get my hands on them zombies. Even if I chose to go to the city, it will be safer to enter under the darkness of the night.¡± (Kiefer) Dissolving his foothold, Kiefer began plummeting to the ground at freefall velocities. However, before going splat on the ground, Kiefer deployed a gravitational field above him that was stronger than that of Aioa, causing him to decelerate and finally come to a floating stop just centimeters above the ground. Isana and Sher on the other hand, were not fans of the freefall part of his descent, so they chose to casually fly down, catching up with Kiefer moments later. Sher stuffed herself back inside Kiefer¡¯s breastplate just before Kiefer and Isana started their sprint back to their camp. Within a few minutes, they were staring at their tent sprawled on the rocks soaking up sea water as the waves lapped in and smashed against the cliff side. Their blankets, water canteens, and cooked fishes had been taken. The ropes they used to hang the tent from the underside of the overhanging cliff had been cut, with parts still dangling from the ceiling nailed in by the orihalcom nails Kiefer used. Retrieving the orihalcom nails and returning them to his shields, Kiefer looked at Isana and smiled, saying, ¡°looks like we have a rat problem. Why don¡¯t we go find the source?¡± before heading towards the forest along the chasm, teleporting a few hundred meters each time. Confused, Isana chased after him yelling over the howling wind in their ears, ¡°They are cats you know? Not Rats. The rat-tribe are found on Grandu!¡± [[Back at defensive perimeter]] Feni was staring at the mess of things the catman had brought her. Some half eaten fish, 2 thick high quality blankets, a red metal water canteen and some pots of varying sizes. This was puzzling her. It was almost as if the mages did not have base of operations to attend to and were sent here with a minimum amount of support and resources. Mages are known to be physically weak and are normally accompanied by several knights. Without any news of ships along the shore, it almost seemed like the mages had been abandoned here. Abruptly, another catman appeared bside the leader and without waiting to catch his breath, he started yammering,¡± Boss! The- the mage! We saw him in the woods! But he disappeared! We lost sight of him in an instant! We think he is invisi-¡° Cutting off mid-word, the cat-man was now staring into the sky and backing away while sliding his bum on the forest ground backwards. Standing above the small forest clearing were Kiefer and Isana. Feni only saw for a brief moment Isana pointing in her direction before a dreadful feeling overcome her. Quickly grabbing her hammers, she lit them up and faced the 2 hovering mages. Before she could do anything else, the red metal shot forth from the masked mage¡¯s shield and had caged her like a wild animal. Without hesitating, the soldier upon seeing their commander being kidnapped, started throwing their lances and shot their crossbows at Kiefer, only to watch as the projectiles bounce off. ¡°DON¡¯T engage you fools!!!¡± Feni yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°RUN!! ALL OF YOU RUN NOW!!¡± she ordered as she began smashing her hammers against the bars of the red cage. While she could barely make a small dent on the bars while using her full strength, the bars would reform within seconds. Soon, with the sound of metals clashing ringing throughout the forest, Kiefer extended one of his mana whips and confiscated both her weapons. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Observing the weapons and the fleeing soldiers, Kiefer simply tossed the 2 large hammers aside, seeing that they had already started to crack under the abuse that the fox-woman had put them through. Raising the red cage into the air, Kiefer dragged Feni high up into the air behind him, just as he did with the undead samples. The soldiers could only watch as the terrifying realization that their commander had been captured by the enemy set in. The cat scout leader immediately took charge, organizing the disarray and preparing for retreat back towards the city. He had already sent for a messenger to inform the royal family of Feni¡¯s capture. Feni was watching the view get higher as higher and soon, the air felt cold. With every step that the masked mage and his lady took, the higher up into the air they got. Feni had kept quiet, trying to compose herself and look for any chance of escape. She had been trained on what to do when captured, but never before was she prepared for a situation such as this. Within minutes, the red cage stopped rising and the 2 mages approached the cage, still high up in the air. ¡°Taking his mask off, Kiefer revealed his face to Feni and then spoke ¡°Hi there. My name is Kiefer. And what might yours be?¡± Kiefer asked politely. Feni however, kept her mouth shut. She knew the enemy was trying to get her to open up and trying to pry information out of her. She dreaded what kind of tortures the handsome black haired mage would use. Even worse, was her fear of the unknown, seeing as she absolutely knew nothing of the lady counterpart of her captors. Feni had not seen her use any skill, or speak anything, only that an icy aura seemed to surround her. Instantly, the red cage disappeared and Feni dropped through the skies. But having dropped not even a metre, a silver rope caught one of her ankles and hung her upside down like some meat about to be butchered. Rising back up into the air, the young man repeated his question. ¡°Now let¡¯s try this again shall we? My name is Kiefer, what is yours?¡± as the scariest smile formed slowly on the man¡¯s face. ¡°F-Feni.. Commander of the forward defensive perimeter¡± Feni replied while stammering, trying to suppress the blood rushing to her head as she hung upside down by her ankles. Seeing her pale face turn a shade of deep red, Kiefer immediately set her down gently on a mana platform and released her ankle. After waiting for Feni to stand up, Kiefer immediately reduced the size of the mana platform so that it barely covered the feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the commotion, but If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t move an inch from where you were standing Feni.¡± (Kiefer) Feni looked at her feet, and could barely see the translucent shimmering silver platform under her feet. Immediately coming to an understanding on her situation, Feni just nodded fervently. She was a dead woman anyway; the least she could do was to ensure this mage doesn¡¯t harm her country. ¡°Now then let¡¯s get on with business shall we? You want your life, and I want information. If you tell me what I want, maybe you¡¯ll get to hold those 2 precious hammers of yours again.¡± (Kiefer) Feni was trembling on the spot, afraid that if she trembled even just a little more, she would fall off. Keeping her body rigid and her 5 tails tucked between her legs, she looked like she was about to cry. Seeing this, Isana stepped in and interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We are not your enemies. In fact we have a personal grudge against Drigor and if you cooperate, we might just help you out.¡± Isana reassured her in a gentle soothing voice, green emerald eyes piercing her. ¡°Now, how long have you been fighting the undead army and what have you learnt from them?¡± (Kiefer) Misunderstanding that they were also enemies of Diantes instead of the titan drigor, Feni let up. ¡°I¡­ I was assigned my post¡­ 20 years ago¡­ I¡¯ve been fighting them ever since. I know that the spell the necromancers use has a maximum range of 4km, and is dispelled by day time. We¡­ we only know that the bodies are resurrected through the spell and that¡­ that they are weak against fire and blunt weapons. The bones crushed cannot reform into skeletal warriors and muscles stop working when cooked, so it stops the movements of zombies.¡± Feni paused, trying to catch her composure that seemed to be on the edge of falling off. ¡°There are more information back at base¡­ but I think they¡¯ve retreated back towards the 2nd defensive perimeter by now. Most of the information is classified and only I can get them for you.¡± Feni explained, hoping to give Kiefer a reason to spare her life. ¡°There are even records from the interrogation of necromancers we¡¯ve caught, but I have yet to read those files in details.¡± Weighing out his options for a while, Kiefer kept Feni in a dreadful suspense, enjoying the scared stature of the fox. He was happiest when everything was within his control and manipulating people seemed to bring him the most calm. Seeing this and having come to understand Kiefer over the time they¡¯ve spent, Isana moved next to Kiefer and smacked him on the back of his head. Kiefer snapped out of his thought process and looked at Isana quizzically. ¡°Don¡¯t bully the girl Kii. You are always like that, controlling people. Let her down and maybe we can get what we want without going through all this nonsense of interrogation.¡± (Isana) ¡°Right right. Sorry ¡®bout that.¡± Saying so, Kiefer wrapped his mana threads gently around Feni¡¯s waist and shoulders, and then lowered himself and Feni to the ground as Isana followed behind. ¡°Lead the way to your base will you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one thing I need to ask of you though.¡± Kiefer interrupted while following behind Feni to the 2nd defensive perimeter base. ¡°Tonight and possibly a few more nights from now on, can I request that you do not fight the undead? I want to study them personally. It is crucial that none of them die. Of course I will make sure not a single one reaches your first base.¡± Feni hesitated for a while, still having no proof that the 2 mages are her allies as they say they are. She did not want to risk not putting up a defence by trusting him and then have the entire Fiora burned down and turned into Diante¡¯s undead army. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t let you do that. I will still put up a defensive formation behind the chasm tonight, but anything on the other side of the chasm, you can have. If any of the zombies makes it past the chasm though, I will have my forces kill it without a thought.¡± Feni replied, knowing it would be bad to reject Kiefer outright but at the same time refusing to forsake her country by trusting a human. As they approached the 2nd base, reports were already streaming in that Feni was leading the 2 humans to base and the soldiers were already cheering. They had misunderstood and thought that Feni had managed to subdue 2 high ranking human mages and was bringing them back for interrogation. Unofrtunately for them, as Feni got closer, the scouts confirmed that the mages following her were not chained or restrained in any form and the commander of the 2nd base immediately assembled the soldiers and stopped Feni at the gates. ¡°FENI you TRAITOR! How could you lead these 2 humans to our base!?! Men! Arrest her for treason!¡± (Lamia leader) Upon receiving their orders, 6 lamias slithered forth with polearms in hand and surrounded Feni. However, almost instantly, the polearms were snatched out of their arms and pointed pack at them while being held by 6 silvery ropes extending from the masked mage¡¯s hands. ¡°Let us through Arte.¡± Feni spoke calmly. ¡°They are not our enemies. They have come to help us in our quest against Drigor. Their demands are that we let them take as many undead as they can as study materials.¡± ¡°And how can you trust them so easily Feni? How can I be sure you are not being manipulated by them right now?¡± Arte retaliated, still stunned by the 6 polearms that held his 6 men hostage. Lamias are by no means a weak race, and to be able to snatch the weapons out of their arms required tremendous strength. ¡°Well we don¡¯t really have a choice do we? My life was forfeited the moment he caught me. Now that he¡¯s offering to help me defeat the undead, I can¡¯t really complain much can I?¡± (Feni) ¡°Even then, I cannot allow 2 human mages to just walk into my camp without some form of restraints on them. Men cuff them!¡± (Arte) Just as 4 more Lamias came forth, Isana stepped forwards in front of Feni and interrupted. ¡°You do not wish to do that. First, there is nothing in this world that can restraint me and my husband. Second, if you are worried about us being humans, and being your enemies, you can stop now.¡± Saying that, Isana instantly transformed into her dragon form, causing the entire area to drop to near freezing temperatures. The Lamias, weak against the cold and terrified by the dragon that took her place froze where they stood (Figuratively), unable to comprehend the situation. Finally coming to his senses, Arte let the trio into the base and they began to prepare for the night that was due in 3 hours. [[Chasm after sunset]] Staring out onto the barren land that has become a battlefield every night, Kiefer finally witnessed with his own 2 eyes what he has only seen on the screens on earth. Out of the ground, Skeletons and zombies crawled their way out, having been summoned underground. The ground cracked like eggshells that gave birth to innumerous undeads, with moans filling the night sky. The horrible stench of rotting meat drifted across the land, into Kiefer and Isana¡¯s nose. Arte and Feni, along with their army were prepared behind the chasm while Kiefer and isana stood floating above. ¡°It would seem that their movement is limited to walking and dragging. Even though there¡¯s no obstruction and it¡¯s a free road to the chasm, the undead legion is progressing slowly. Looks like it will be a while before they reach here.¡± (Kiefer) Waiting for the undead to come closer, Kiefer wanted to make sure the Fiora army saw his might in hopes that they would cooperate with him with more ease in the future. He spotted several skeletons and zombies not in human forms within the mess of walking dead. Some were lamias and werewolves. There were even animals such as foxes and horses included in the mix. ¡°It would seem the spell isn¡¯t restricted to intelligent species. But there¡¯s way too many to choose from, I better weed out the weaker ones and only experiment on the stronger more durable ones.¡± (Kiefer) Kiefer extended his mana as the undead approached the Chasm. The lamias and foxmen shifted nervously, clutching their weapons while Feni had already lit her twin hammers. Then, almost all the zombies and skeletons collapsed on the spot, being crushed by their own weight as Kiefer increased the intensity of his supergravity field that enveloped the entire undead legion. Having just been shown the spectacle in front of them, Feni and Arte could only let their jaws drop in shock. They had never seen such magic before and nothing so powerful. They watched as Kiefer flew forward, picking up the stronger wolfman zombies and Lamia skeletons that were still able to stand in the supergravity field. And then, something huge caught Feni¡¯s eye ¨C a zombie giant. This was the first time zombie giants had been deployed in this area. ¡°If Kiefer hadn¡¯t been here tonight, we might all have been dead thanks to the giant¡± Feni thought, as she watched Kiefer pick up the giant with ease.
I decided against posting my pictures up this time round because i was just so damn embarrassed by my own art. I am a researcher, not an artist. I can draw things I see from under the microscope no problem, but nothing from my imagination. As such, due to my immense embarrassment, they will only be uploaded tomorrow night as part of the bonus chapter this week. Next chapter: The documents and the Interrogation Chapter 2.02 - The Documents and The Interrogation I am going to try someting new starting this chapter. anything that the characters think but not say out loud will be yellow in colour." this way i can avoid repeating the usage of " He thought" or "She thought".
¡°Ahhhh¡­¡­ souls¡­ so many souls¡­ hahaha¡­ stupid Drigor. He made a mistake and sent his legion too far¡­ now that they have died in my territory, their souls go to me¡­ Today really is my lucky day. First, Isana steps into my territory on her own will for the very first time in history, next I get such an abundance of souls to replenish myself. My inhabitants sure did a good job luring the undead in and killing so many so fast¡­¡± (???) [[Chasm Battlefield]] Kiefer had spent the last 4 hours poking and prodding at the various zombie and skeleton types on the battlefield, leaving none for the Fiora Army to touch. Right now, the army was relaxed and were simply watching the magus perform several brutal and inhumane tests on their former comrade turned undead. Opening his red orihalcom prison, Kiefer notices that the zombie inside had disappeared, similar to the ones he captured the morning before. Intrigued, he beckoned Isana over from beyond the chasm. ¡°Sana, can you do something for me? Encase this fella completely in ice will you? I have a hypothesis I want to test out and maybe it will help the Avian Alliance deal with the undead menace.¡± (Kiefer) Isana for some reason had been feeling unwell since stepping foot in Fiora and would constantly be looking back over her shoulder and shudder. Kiefer had told her to stay back so that she did not hinder him, but being by his side now made her feel more secure than ever. She watched as the zombie wolfman Kiefer picked up was encased in ice and the moment the last bit of ice covered him completely, the wolfman disappeared, leaving a hollow pocket of vacuum in the shape of the wolfman inside the block of ice. ¡°Ahahaha. Thank you Isana! This just confirmed my hypothesis on the summoning requirments for the undead legion. Now then, to test out what I just learnt¡­¡± (Kiefer) Kiefer had a malicious look on his face. Considering that these were not living things, he did not need to hold back on his experimental methods. Just within the 4 hours he had up till now to study them, Kiefer had gathered almost as much information as the Avian Alliance had on the undead. He had been ruthless and even bone-cringing in some of his methods, but they all produced results. Crushing the skull of a skeleton did not stop it from moving, indicating that skeletal warriors did not have any weak points in regards to their anatomy. Completely crushing each bone was the way to go. The zombies had no perception of pain even as their limbs are torn off, but they required a head to function. Torn arms did not crawl forwards on their own like in some of the zombie movies he¡¯s seen. Burning limbs worked against the zombies and surprisingly, they do not bite. Instead, the zombies and skeletal monsters alike all carried the same weapon they carried while they were alive. Seeing as none of the surviving members of the Fiora army, injured or otherwise, have turned on their own crew, it could be said that the zombies did not spread an infectious agent either through the air or through physical injuries. The undead were strictly limited to being summoned from the dead through the use of necromancy spells. The most important point though, Kiefer thought was that if mana from the spell was cut off from the undead by completely enveloping it with your own mana, they get transported back to where they came from, presumably the netherworld as Feni had explained during the day. With the night still young, Kiefer was not used to staying up this long without rest and decided to head back to the base to hit the sack. He instantly poured his mana out into the battlefield and increased the gravity field several folds crushing all the remaining undead that had yet to surface under their own weight. With that done, along with Isana, he headed back to the base and passed the job of defense to Feni and her army. As morning approached, Kiefer had woken from his rest and decided to oversee the situation at the chasm. The army was currently fighting off the undead that were hurled over the chasm. It would seem that more had been summoned after he had left. Seeing that the moons had set and the sun had yet to rise, Kiefer estimated an hour or 2 before the battle ended, but that was when he had a brilliant idea. With not much time left, he worked fast, rushing across the chasm and crushing all the undead using his gravity field. Manipulating the red metal on his shields, Kiefer stretched it out into a 100m wide plough and proceeded to crush and mix the soil with the flesh and bones. Finally gathering the top soil all into a single mound, Kiefer transformed the red plough into a drum with numerous small spheres inside it. He had made a ball mill out of his orihalcom ore and proceeded to finely mix and grind the mixture of soil and flesh and bones, while rotating and carrying the ball mill back towards Feni. ¡°Since the undead that you¡¯ve killed do not disappear, it would be a waste to leave them there on the battlefield. Bring me some carts and load this fertilizer into the carts. You can distribute them to your farms and help increase your crop yield.¡± Kiefer said to Feni. ¡°Fertilizer? Whats that? It can increase crop yield? Like manure?¡± (Feni) ¡°Yes it¡¯s like manure, but its better. This bonemeal will provide more calcium, protein and phosphorus for the crops than ordinary manure. And I¡¯ve ground it in a way that it¡¯s not too fine, making it a slow release fertilizer. So you don¡¯t have to keep supplementing it to your crops. Of course, in exchange for this, you will acquire for me every piece of document regarding the undead.¡± (Kiefer) Feni did not quite understand what Kiefer had just said. Slow release fertilizer was still a concept that is unknown to this world. But saying it will do a better job than manure, Feni somewhat got the gist of it and started yelling out orders to the Lamias and foxmen. She knew Kiefer was doing them a service and that he had helped them a great deal last night, all in exchange for some measly documents they had kept on the undead. She had no idea information was so important to Kiefer that he would do so much for it. It was close to lunch time and Kiefer was still inside his tent browsing through the stack of parchments that Feni had procured for him. It would seem that she got into a little bit of trouble with her superiors when she handed the classified information to Kiefer and was now being given a lecture outside in the sweltering heat. This was despite Kiefer having cleared up the misunderstanding with her General. Isana had been clinging onto Kiefer ever since they had actually set foot on the ground in Fiora. Previously, they never had the chance to actually touch the ground and had spent most of their time in the air or on Kiefer¡¯s mana footholds. Sher on the other hand had found another cooling resting spot as it had become unbearably hot and humid inside Kiefer¡¯s breastplate. She was clinging onto the top of Isana¡¯s head, ruffling Isana¡¯s silver hair with her tiny talons. Sprawled out and wings spread on the top of Isana, Sher had buried the rest of her body inside Isana¡¯s hair, making it look like Isana was wearing a pair of white wing shaped hairpins. Kiefer did not mind as much, with Isana clinging to him. Isana¡¯s mana always brought with her a chilling aura, and with this heat in late spring, the cooling aura was welcomed. He had been comparing the documents on the table with his knowledge and confirmed that most of it was what he already knew. With the exception of a few uninteresting interrogation reports, Kiefer could only learn one new thing. He confirmed that cutting off the spell from the necromancers will teleport the undead back to the netherworld, and the reason the spell doesn¡¯t work in the day was because mana from the sun would envelope the surface, cutting off the mana from the spell. It would seem that the more undead soldiers each necromancer controls, the weaker the intensity of the spell is on each individual undead soldier. As such, with such high numbers of undead pouring out every night, it was no wonder even the weak mana signature from the sun could cancel the spell. ¡°I wonder if the necromancers thought of simply controlling only one unit, then maybe they could operate in the day too.¡±(Kiefer) Standing up from his chair, Kiefer sauntered out of the tent into the humid forest. He observed lamias and foxmen maintaining their weapons. Gnolls were feeding and brushing their cindertails while Feni was looking dejected, facing the ground as her General walked away from her back to his tarsus. Still holding his arm, Isana followed behind Kiefer, wondering what his next move would be and dreading that he would once again suggest meeting Fiora. Letting go of Isana¡¯s hand, Kiefer turned to her, grabbed her by her shoulders and lookedher deep in her emerald eyes. ¡°Sana, I need more information and I will be heading to the drigor army to get it. You and Sher need to stay here, I cannot risk Drigor sensing another Titan¡¯s presence in his territory. Will you be alright?¡± Isana kept silent for a while, hesitating and pondering, before finally parting her lips with one word. ¡°OK¡± she said, with a forced smile on her face. Kiefer could see that she was still unsure, but he couldn¡¯t help it. Isana would be safer in Fiora than in Drigor. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Sher.¡± Kiefer called out as he observed a tiny blue snake head pop out from Isana¡¯s silver hair. ¡°Take care of your sister ok. You two need to watch out for each other. I won¡¯t be long. A day, maybe 2 at most. Do not take part in the battles. I do not want to risk alerting Drigor of your presence if u spend too much mana. Just leave it to Feni.¡± Finally letting go of Isana, Kiefer briskly strode over to the now recovered Feni and informed her of his departure. ¡°Feni, I will be going now. I need answers that only Drigor¡¯s army can provide. You will have to defend the perimeter yourself. My companions will stay behind, but they will not be able to help you.¡± Having said that, Kiefer put on his mask and raced out of sight from the base above the canopy. ¡°Comrades?¡± Feni thought to herself as she stared at Isana. ¡°I thought there were only the 2 of them?¡± Sprinting through the skies, Kiefer chose to move through the clouds to mask his arrival, only occasionally going below the cloud lines to orientate himself. He could see several human bases with watch towers scattered in a circle radiating out from the city of Diantes. The forward bases were scattered sparsely, with roads paved between them to facilitate transport of supplies. Only the 1st and 2nd lines of defense were out in the open on the dry barren ground, the rest were inside small clearings with a sparse forest that surrounded the major city. Standing just below the clouds, right above one of the 1st forward bases, Kiefer tried to figure out the best way to sneak in. It was the middle of the day and even if he way human, with his enhanced eyes, he could easily identify that his armour was greatly different from the standard issue armour that the human soldiers wore. He couldn¡¯t claim to be a random traveler as that would be even more suspicious. Looking around for any ideas, he decided to mask his approach using the weather, though it may get messy, it will certainly get the job done. Chanting an improvised and impromptu spell with no idea if it would work, Kiefer tried to make it rain, remembering that it is not the language that determines the spell. ¡°By my will, clouds condense and precipitate, gather around me and pour forth onto the ground.¡± Kiefer chanted monotonously as he poured his mana out as wide as he could. Immediately after chanting, he rose above the cloud line to admire his handiwork, all the while willing his mana to coat himself and destroy them to release energy, keeping himself warm. The air was thin but with his enhanced lungs, the effect was not as drastic. [[26th regiment forward base camp]] ¡°Sir! We are in for wet weather!¡± one of the lookouts on the watch tower yelled, pointing at the sky. ¡°Looks like the rains are coming in early this year boys! Prepare your wet gear! Get the horses into their stables and secure them! We do not want them running away due to thunder. Secure your tents, the ground will get muddy and soft, use the long spikes and hammer them deep! Make the covers taut; do not let rain water collect! MOVE IT MEN! We don¡¯t have much time!¡± The captain barked out orders one after another as the base became lively with soldiers scurrying around frantically. Within minutes, the once bright midday sky turned dark and the first pitter patter of the rain could be heard on the roof of the tents. Thick leather cloths had been draped over the supplied and weapons racks to prevent them from getting wet. Solders were all rushing back to their quarters to avoid getting wet, leaving only those on patrol duty to stand out in the rain with grimaces on their faces. The soldiers wore capes imbued with water resistant runes over their armour with hoods over their helmets. The rain had progressed into a full-on torrent and vision was limited to barely a few metres ahead. With everyone looking down on the ground to avoid rain in their eyes, no one noticed a lone figure teleporting behind the stables and grabbing a spare cloak on the racks inside the stable. Blended in with everybody minding their own business, mud splattered on his shiny boots as the hooded figure began combing through the living quarters of the soldiers. They were temporary shelters, large spacious tents almost as wide as a school gym and 2 levels tall. It housed 30 bunk beds in 3 rows of 10. There were almost 20 such tents that the sneaky figure had to look through. Releasing a mana pulse, Kiefer could feel that most of the soldiers were ordinary humans, with a few exceptions that registered a feedback to Kiefer from the 2nd farthest tent. ¡°There they are.¡± Kiefer thought as he made haste through the rain. With his vision limited by the rain, he could not teleport around as he wished, but instead had to tread through the wet thick mud. Sending his mana pulse again, he registered one mage and 2 regular soldiers inside the tent. They were gathered in a circle around a bed near the middle of the tent. Whether or not the mage was a necromancer, Kiefer had no way to know. The only way was to confront them. ¡°Ah! Scott! You¡¯re back! Did you get the alcohol? We are deprived over here!¡± The mage called out over the sound of the rain, seeing the tent flaps open and a hooded figure in armour step in. removing his hood, Kiefer revealed the silver and red mask and stared at the 3 people. Alarmed, they stood up immediately and the soldiers drew their swords. ¡°Who are yo-mmmhmmfff¡± (Mage) Without letting them raise their volumes, Kiefer muffled and restrained the 3 people with his threads and walked to them slowly and threateningly. ¡°I will ask the questions and you will answer them. If you choose to do anything unwise,¡± Kiefer looked over at one of the metal bunk beds, lifted it up and crunched it into a ball of scrap metal and cloth, then looked back into the frightened eyes of the mage and continued, ¡°that will happen to you. Understand?¡± Feeling the bindings on his neck and mouth loosen, the mage nodded silently. ¡°First, are you a necromancer?¡± (Kiefer) The mage shook his head vigorously, afraid that if he spoke and the masked mage didn¡¯t like it, he would lose his life. ¡°Where can I find one?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°The- the officer¡¯s barracks, near the northern gate at the back of ¨C¡° (Mage) ¡°Oi Johan you Fuckwit! The capt¡¯ns hording all the alcohol fer himself! He gave me an extra shift in night duty fer asking fer some! An¡¯ He told¡¯ya to Fuckoff! You owe me ¨C WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HE¡ªmmmpppffffmm¡± (Scott) As Scott came back to the tent yelling and cursing, he stepped in on a strange scene where a masked stranger had held 3 of his bunk mates hostage. Before he could yell for help, he himself had been constricted and muffled. The look in his buddy¡¯s eyes told him to behave as they too were at the mercy of this mage, with them throwing glances to the side to warn him. Looking at the side of the tent, he saw a ball of metal at where his bed used to be, and immediately understood. Bringing the 4 people in front of him, Kiefer whispered in a low but threatening voice. ¡°Now, I have no use for you. Just know that I am not you enemy but I could wipe out your entire base of operations with my thumb like squishing an ant if I wanted to. I just want more information on Necromancy and I am here to get it. I will release you, and you will not tell anyone about this. You will not leave your tent and you will act like none of this happened.¡± ¡°B-but sir.. my bed¡­ what will I say if someone asks. How will I explain it to my commander?¡± (Scott) ¡°That is for me to know and for you to find out.¡± Kiefer replied, uninterested, as he released them and walked out of the tent again, making a break for the officer¡¯s barracks at the north. Scott and the 3 other people just stared at the ball of scrap metal, trying to come up with a legitimate excuse for the bed. The officer¡¯s barracks was a tall stone building 3 levels tall. It was one of 2 identical buildings and Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse pinged 2 mages on the second floor, along with 11 regular people, presumably knights or officers. Kiefer avoided the front door that was guarded by 2 soldiers and decided to use the cover of the rain. Climbing up the back wall to the second floor, he peeked into the window and then teleported into the open corridor. The mana pulse pinged again and all the men were in the next room, door closed but not locked. With his enhanced hearing, he could hear them discussing the events that transpired last night, with the undead legion being wiped out almost instantly near the beginning and ending of the night. Throwing his stolen cloak on the ground, Kiefer knocked thrice on the wooden door to the conference and then entered, revealing his intimidating red and silver armour. All eyes were on him, unsure what was going on, or how a stranger even managed to get into the building. Closing the door behind him, Kiefer glanced across the room and identified the 2 mages seated at the back of the room in their robes. Before any of them could speak up to question the stranger, Kiefer spoke up. ¡°Now then Gentlemen, you may be wondering who I am. Unfortunately, you will never find out. So let the interrogations begin shall we?¡± Kiefer declared, extending his mana threads to cover the entire room.
Do tell me what you thought of the new colour scheme for the thought system in the comments. ty. Next chapter: The truth and only the truth Chapter 2.03 - The Truth and only the Truth once again, with the new colour scheme, I just wanted to remind you that yellow dialogues are thoughts not actual speech.
¡°You! Who are you?! And what do you want!?¡± one of the highly decorated officers tried to stand up and point at Kiefer, but failed to do so. Looking down, he was horrified to see that his arms and legs have been tied down to the chair , as was everyone else. ¡°Aslan! Dukar! Do something!¡± He then turned to look at the 2 mages, hoping they could undo this unknown magic somehow. ¡°Mmmmffpp¡­.¡± (both mages) ¡°Now now, don¡¯t be rash. You didn¡¯t think I would be so dumb as to let the mages open their mouths do you? As for who I am¡­ Well let¡¯s just say you don¡¯t need to know, and you will never know.¡± Kiefer replied calmly, feeling a sense of dejavu. ¡°Guards! Someone! Come here no- AAAARRRGGGHHH!!¡± Another officer tried to call the guards but ended up screaming in agony as Kiefer tightened the threads binding his wrists and ankles to his chair. Lifting the chair along with the man up to the middle of the room, in clear view of the others, Kiefer showed the dislocated and awkwardly bent hands and feet of the last officer while muffling his cries with more mana threads over his mouth. ¡°You will all listen to me carefully and give me what I want, unless you want to end up in a worse situation than this guy already is in.¡± Kiefer warned. Bringing the 2 mages forward above the conference table after returning the crying man back to his position, Kiefer proceeded to question them. ¡°Now then, who should I use first?¡± He asked, looking at the 2 mages. One was staring daggers at him while the other seemed like she was about cry, desperately holding back her tears. Bringing the one who was calmer forward, Kiefer gleefully said, ¡°I guess you¡¯ll be the first huh?¡± ¡°I am going to untie the bindings around your mouth so you can speak ok?¡± Kiefer asked first, then watched as he nodded firmly. ¡°All you need to do is answer my questions.¡± And once again, he nodded. Releasing the mana threads around his mouth, Kiefer saw him muttering something under his breath. Enhancing his sense of hearing, Kiefer found that the man was actually chanting a rather impressively long spell without anyone hearing it. With a thought, Kiefer willed his red orihalcom metal into 2 spikes and lodged it deep within the man¡¯s shoulders, protruding out from the back. The man stopped his chant mid-way and yelled in agony, only to be shut up by Kiefer again. ¡°Why is it that most of my interrogations always seem to start out this way? No one seems to want to cooperate with me. The guys back at the tent were about the only exceptions.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Really now? I trust you and you try to execute a darkness spell against me? Not the wisest decision I might say. Guess I¡¯ll come back to you later.¡± Kiefer said out loud, making sure everyone in the room saw and heard what the mage had tried to do. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. Aslan was it?¡± Kiefer asked the female mage, and she nodded fervently, already visibly crying. ¡°Are you a necromancer?¡± Kiefer asked again, to which she nodded once more. ¡°Great. See now wasn¡¯t that easy and painless?¡± Untying the mana threads, Aslan started to sob, sniffling and tilting her head to wipe her tears on her shoulders. She had auburn hair with freckles on her cheeks. Bright blue eyes and a neat set of pearly whites gave her an innocent childish looks, especially with tears rolling down her cheeks. No one would be able to guess at first glance that she would be a necromancer. Towing her chair along in the air behind him like he was dragging a helium balloon, he shut all the other people in the room up with his mana threads and brought Aslan to the next room, shutting the door behind him. Aslan had been quiet this whole time, worrying about her life and expecting it to end within the next 10 minutes or so, once the masked man had no more use for her. ¡°Now first off, I only wish to ask you questions, and then you can go. I do not wish to harm anyone for I already have too much blood on my hands. I may be ruthless and cruel, but only to my enemies, and anyone who stands in my way, is my enemy. Are you my enemy?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°N-no¡­I¡¯m not¡± Aslan replied meekly, still sorely afraid. ¡°Good. My name is Kii. But it¡¯d be best you don¡¯t reveal it to anyone else. I just need you to teach me about necromancy.¡± Kiefer declared his intentions, while removing his mask to reveal his face in an attempt to calm her down. ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll be more open and forthcoming with information if I give her a face to talk to. Knowing I am also human should calm her down.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°So let me begin. It shouldn¡¯t take too long, and then you can go. Where did you learn necromancy?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°There¡¯s a large academy within the palace in Diantes. There is only one teacher there, but he is a very powerful mage. He teaches all the students the art of necromancy solely for the purpose of supplementing the war.¡± (Aslan) ¡°I see. And what do you know about this ¡®teacher¡¯ of yours?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I don¡¯t have any concrete proof, but that¡¯s only because we never see him outside of class. There are rumours floating inside the student populace. Some say he is the direct pupil of Titan Drigor. Others even say he is secretly controlling the King and the country from behind the shadows. No one has actually seen him use magic, but the theories he taught us are always true and works all the time.¡± (Aslan) ¡°Does he teach you anything other than necromancy?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°No he doesn¡¯t. But we are already accomplished mages in our own elements before being selected to join his academy. He only chooses mages with a large pool of mana because it is necessary for summoning the undead.¡± (Aslan) ¡°And just how big is your mana pool?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I¡¯m still new, just graduated from the academy and posted here last here last week. I probably have the smallest mana pool compared to other necromancers from the other bases who have been fighting for decades. I can summon maybe about 200 to 250 undead units depending on the type and strength.¡± (Aslan) ¡°You say that like you have no control over what you summon. Is that true?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes that¡¯s true. The spell master taught us only involves opening a portal into the nether world and sending a random contract sequence into the portal to control the souls of the recently dead. Who or what comes out the portal is beyond our control. For example, last night, I only managed to summon one unit, which was the soul of a Giant that died near Luna.¡± (Aslan) ¡°I see¡­ so it¡¯s like throwing your money into a jackpot machine and praying you win something, only difference is how much you win id directly proportional to how much you put in.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°There were at least thousands of undead last night alone. How many necromancers take part in battle each night?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°No more than 20. We have about 10 necromancers on each base, and 4 bases that are in direct combat with Fiora. We need at least a full day and night to recover our mana. Practicing necromancy come with a downside that our mana recovers very slowly, and given our huge capacities, its take quite a while to be full.¡± (Aslan) ¡°Thank you very much Aslan. I just have a few more questions. What is the name of your teacher?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I don¡¯t know. No one does actually. Rumours say even the King is kept in the dark. Everyone just calls him master.¡± (Aslan) ¡°And where in the city of Diantes is the academy located?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°It¡¯s in the palace. We call it an academy, but it¡¯s really just one room being used within the palace. The palace is in the northern quadrant of the city where the nobles live. If you are going to look for him for more answers, I suggest you don¡¯t though.¡± (Aslan) ¡°And why is that?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Because it is known that he chooses his own students. There isn¡¯t even an application process to get selected. The first time we see him would be in our own respective mage academies where he comes to pick us out. No one knows where or how to find him.¡± (Aslan) ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s an enigma. Ok that should be all. Just be warned, if I have any more questions, I will come and find you again and I do hope that in the future, you would be just as accommodating.¡± Kiefer finally ended his Q&A session with Aslan, returning to the conference room while dragging Aslan behind him. Opening the door, he could see that the male mage was on the verge of fainting while the others were visibly terrified of him. They did not even know if he was going to return to free them, but seeing him return only made them more terrified. ¡°Well gentlemen, and lady, I have already acquired what I came here to get. I will release you now. I assure you that I am a human and not your enemy. I will leave this camp alone until the need arises again. You will do nothing to stop me. Understood?¡± (Kiefer) At that everyone simply nodded as Kiefer retrieved his orihalcom spikes still embedded in the mage¡¯s shoulders. Before leaving, Kiefer turned around again and spoke. ¡°Oh before I forget, do any of you know a soldier named Scott?¡± One of the officers nodded slowly, unsure if Scott had offended this mage and if he was going to have to pay the price for it. ¡°Well, I apologise for any inconveniences cause, but I may have accidentally crushed his bed, so you might want to get it replaced.¡± Kiefer fetched a single gold coin and tossed it on the table as recompense for the bed, before leaving the building. Once he was out the window, Kiefer undid the bindings on all the people in the conference room and could immediately hear the agonising screams of the mage. Looking up at the dark sky and clearing drizzle, he teleported into the air multiple times before he started sprinting back to Feni¡¯s base, eager to relay what he has learnt to Isana. As he was soaring trough the skies back towards the mountains, Kiefer could sense Isana and Sher waiting for him high up in the air. It would seem that she had been eagerly awaiting his return ever since he left and the moment she saw him, she began flying towards him. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°You know, I did say I was going to be away for a day or 2. Even though it took me less than half a day, were you actually planning on waiting for me for the whole duration?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes of course. I had nothing to do and it felt disgusting standing on the ground, so what else to do but wait for you?¡± (Isana) ¡°Well, I learnt a lot of things from this trip and I may have some leads on Drigor, but you are probably not going to like my plan.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ok. But are we going to stay up here and discuss it, or head back down to camp and then discuss with Feni?¡± (Isana) Thinking it through, Kiefer decided to have the discussion in the air accounting for the fact that isana might just have a fit of rage hearing his idea. He still had no idea why Isana felt so uncomfortable in Fiora alone, but his plan included them separating for a long time. ¡°Sana, do you trust my judgement?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yes of course.¡± (Sana) ¡°Even if my plans will involve you doing something you will not like?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I think as long as it does not kill me, I will be fine¡­ I think¡­ probably¡­ why?¡± (Isana) ¡°That¡¯s because I need you to visit the 3 avian titans and possibly form an alliance with them in preparation of the battle with Drigor.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Why only me? Where are you going? Why can¡¯t we do this together?¡± Isana starts panicking at his idea. Just having been left alone for half a day was already enough to make her impatient, if its for longer, she didn¡¯t know what she would do. ¡°I have to follow the lead on Drigor and its in Diantes. It will take some time, maybe even a few months, but that will be enough time for you to go around and convince the avian titans. After that, we can meet back up in Arigan when the frigate returns to possibly get the high elves¡¯ help also. Maybe if you told me what was bugging you, I could solve it for you and you will be more comfortable with the separation.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like your plan at all¡­ If you accompany me to meet Fiora, then I am willing to follow your plan the rest of the way. I won¡¯t tell you the reason, but you will find out when you meet her. She¡¯s annoying and relentless and I have no way of dealing with her. But maybe you can, so I need you to follow me.¡± Isana proposed a counter plan, forcing Kiefer to compromise. Agreeing to the plan, Kiefer began making preparations for the his grand plan to defeat Drigor. His first step was to ensure that the battle along Fiora¡¯s borders attracted the most attention from the Diantes army. As such he began working on a special set of runes. Going to Feni, he had an outrageous request for her. ¡°Feni, I have a proposal that will protect your province from the undead, at least until they find out the problem, which will take a few months at least. If you can hold them back, then the undead will pose no threats to you for an even longer period of time. However, I¡¯m going to need resources.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ok, let me hear the plan first, and then the request and I will have to discuss it with the general.¡± (Feni) ¡°The undead get sent back to the nether world if their spell is cut off with an overload of foreign mana enveloping them. So I¡¯m going to lay an array of unique runes along the chasm that will trigger and flood the ground above them with mana, hence preventing the undead from ever reaching the chasm. However, im going to need at least 100kg of raw un processed orihalcom metals. I know that your province is the only one in Aioa that produces that metal, so it should be a problem, even if its 100kg.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s a lot of capital going into this venture. 100kg of orihalcom is basically 5 years¡¯ worth of our annual income for the country¡¯s treasury. Do you know for sure if your plan will work?¡± (Feni) ¡°I can show you a display of what the rune will do with my own orihalcom, but the rest will have to be provided by your country. Get your general and any other superiors who you might think would be necessary in the approval process to meet me at the chasm just before dusk tonight. I will show you a demonstration of my plan and hopefully, if they see how effective it is, the plan will be produced.¡± (Kiefer) With that, an agreement was struck and Feni immediately called one of the catmen scouts to relay the message. Kiefer then began drawing a runic design on a piece of parchment. The rune circle involved multiple steps. The first and largest circle was transcribed with a rune that gathers and converts mana at an enhanced rate. The next smaller circle inside, took up most of the space of the circle¡¯s interior, and was designed to store the converted mana within the rune. The thried smaller circle was transcribed with a rune that forces a fixed amount of mana in a flooded pulse directly above the rune when triggered. Finally, right at the center of the rune circle was the trigger sequence and activated the rune when movement was detected above it. Kiefer took the rest of the day tweaking the balance of the rune he had drawn and was finally satisfied with his work, proceeding to the chasm to meet Feni¡¯s superiors. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late gentlemen. I will now demonstrate for you what I intend to do to protect this province.¡± Kiefer loudly announced as he took out the parchment with the rune to show the 6 highly decorated foxmen and lamias standing before him. ¡°This is a rune that I have designed myself. As you must have already heard from Feni, I am an accomplished mage and I have a personal issue to settle with Drigor, hence I¡¯m here to help you win the battles and save manpower.¡± Kiefer said as he passed the parchment around the 6 demihumans. ¡°The rune inscribed on that piece of parchment will be made out of orihalcom as it is necessary to use a metal that can conduct and store mana. The rune will gather and store mana throughout the day, and will release a pulse to flood the ground and air above it with mana it has gathered when an undead steps above it. The flood will cut off the spell controlling the undead and send it back to the nether realm. Your men will not even need to lift a finger to defend this chasm once I have lined the entire stretch with an array of such runes buried underground.¡± (Kiefer) As he poured out his mana into his shield, Kiefer slowly threaded the orihalcom and shaped it into the rune he had drawn on the paper, following which, he buried it under ground on the other side of the chasm. The rune circle itself was almost 10m wide, meaning it would be able to remove multiple undead at once. ¡°For this demonstration, I have used my own orihalcom, but it is not enough to cover the chasm, so you will have to provide the rest once you¡¯ve seen its effectiveness.¡± (Kiefer) Night came sooner than later and as expected, zombies started to flood towards the chasm. With soldiers in defensive formations around their respective bridge pillars, the 6 demihumans watched as zombies stepped over the ground where Kiefer had buried his orihalcom rune, only to be surrounded by a burst of silver light from the ground and disappear. ¡°Imagine! The entire chasm lined with this. No zombies will ever make it through and you will have peace of heart and your civilians will be able to live their lives without worry, not only for their homes, but also for their loved ones in the army. If you accept my proposal right now, I can begin work immediately and have the chasm lined with these runes within 2 days.¡± Kiefer paused to inspect the expressions of the generals. They seemed to be interested and were discussing amongst themselves. ¡°There is however, one small problem.¡± At this, the generals all looked back up at Kiefer, eyes frowning. ¡°This is only effective for as long as the runes are there. Should the enemies discover your tactics and manage to dig up the runes, it will be your loss. So it is necessary to move your defensive lines forward and protect the runes during the day. You may want to do this discreetly with small tactical forces to prevent arousing the suspicion of the humans.¡± (Kiefer) Looking at the general¡¯s faces, Kiefer smiled, knowing hes got them right where he needed. ¡°Ahh.. hook line and sinker. It feels best after all when I can manipulate everything around me. And I get a profit of 100kg of orihalcom all fixed with my mana. How lucrative.¡± (Kiefer) By morning, the ingots were delivered to the camp, emptying out half the country¡¯s supply of orihalcom for the year. Kiefer got to work immediately, stacking the completed red orihalcom runes at the side in neat piles of 20s. He estimated that he would need at least 100 such runes to line the chasm twice to cover up any loopholes. Working for one and a half days straight, Kiefer finally completed 100 sets of runes, with 4 hours to spare before nightfall. He immediately flew over to the chasm, carrying with him the runes and began burying them underground in 2 neat rows of circles. With the last rune buried, Kiefer watched as the sun finally set and went back across the other side of the chasm to admire his work with Isana, Sher, Feni and the generals. As expected, the undead came pouring in, but never reaching the chasm as the far side of the chasm was lit up with a wall of beautiful sparkling silver light. The generals and soldiers looked pleased, just waiting the entire night out to make sure that none of the undead manage to squeeze past the runes. It helped that the undead moved in a straight line, allowing Kiefer to place each rune far apart, only overlapping with the rune from the adjacent layer by 20cm. With the first step of his revenge plan done, he took Isana¡¯s hand and bid farewell to Feni and the soldiers as they began their trip towards the smouldering volcano in the south.
I managed to pump out one more chapter for today. hope you enjoy. Next Chapter : The Spiders and the Shorties Chapter 2.04 - The Spiders and The Shorties [[Somewhere on Grandu]] *BAM!!* ¡°What do you mean you need more time!??! Do you know much money you are costing me!?! If you don¡¯t do your job right, I run out of business!! You lost the Frigate I smuggled, I supply you with more ships and yet! You still fail to keep up with your payments! What am I hiring you to do? Just sit around and drink booze!?¡± (???) ¡°N-no sir! It¡¯s just¡­ just that¡­¡± (???) ¡°Speak up you blabbering imbecile!¡± (???) ¡°After we lost the frigate, we spotted it on its way to Grandu last week again, only it¡¯s been painted all red and gold. At the speed they were travelling, I knew that their cargo would be almost empty and maybe even the cannons gone. So we decided to attack the frigate to get it back with the fleet you provided. No captain ever hires guards for an empty ship so I thought it would be an easy pillage.¡± (Pirate Captain) ¡°And? What happened? You get my ship back?¡± (???) ¡°Well¡­ no sir¡­ it¡¯s that, the entire crew were mages! And they were skilled in swordfighting too. I lost most of the men I hired and they sent me back here on a small attack boat¡­ They took command of the 6 ships you gave me¡­¡± (Pirate Captain) ¡°You FUCKWIT! Do you understand the dynamics of our relationship!?!? I run a support guard service for merchant travelling through these waters between the main continent and Grandu. If there are no Pirates, what merchant would spend money on hiring guards!?!? The word out there is that the waters are safer than ever now! Get your Shit together and start pillaging or I swear to god I will hang you by your intestines!¡± (???) ¡°Sir¡­ but¡­ We don¡¯t have any ships left¡­¡± (Pirate Captain) ¡°FUCK! Do I have to do everything by myself?!!? Nevermind! Just follow my guard captain! He will give you a set of uniforms and you will join my guards services. Once someone hires you and your men, make sure, by any means necessary, kill the merchants in the sea and bring their boat back here! We¡¯ll have to start over from scratch again.¡± (???) ¡°Th-thank you sir¡­¡± (Pirate Captain) [[Out in the sea]] ¡°General Alwin! We have transported all the supplies from the 6 pirate brigs onto the Change sir. Our cargo bay is now almost 50% full, but we do not have enough men to commandeer all 7 ships at once. How shall we proceed sir?¡± (1st mate of The Change) ¡°Have 14 men stay on The Change with me, assign 10 men to 3 of the brigs, we will make headway for Grandu port first. The remaining 5 men will split 2, 2 and 1 on the last 3 brigs and remain here in sea, set the anchors down. We are only a week away from Grandu and this is a busy trade route. The mages on the 3 brigs will signal using an explosion spell high up in the air to attract the attention of passing merchants, then get their help to bring the brig into port, offering protection services and if need be, reward money when we dock. I will secure docking space for our fleet in Grandu before the last 3 brigs arrive.¡± (General Alwin) Immediately, the high elves on board the frigate started scurrying around in their individual teams, assigning roles and positions while moving to their respective brigs. What started out as a lone frigate has now increased into a small fleet thanks to a sudden windfall when the pirates attacked. If not for Kiefer¡¯s teachings, the high elves might not have made it through with zero casualties. New magic spells and understanding of their surroundings gave them the edge over the pirates. ¡°When we get to port, I will need to get these brigs painted in the same design too. Man, are pirates wealthy these days. They saved us quite a bit of money on living expenses and had quite the deep pocket too, increasing our funds by 2 fold. With these brigs, I should be able to haul more metals and materials back to Arigan.¡± (Alwin) With the help of a constant tailwind thanks to the wind mages, General Alwin arrived at Grandu port with his frigate and 3 brigs within 5 days. The port was the biggest¡¯s he¡¯s seen soo far, at least 20 times as wide as the one they had left from. His fleet was not the only one, with some fleets going up to 15 vessels. However, though his ship count may be small, his ship sizes are definitely the biggest around, catching the attention of everyone in the docks. He was given a shopping list by Kiefer beforehand, but that was only to serve as a guideline. He knew that Arigan needed not only resources, but talented individuals and craftsmen as well. Including the fact that his fleet had increased to 7 vessels, he would also need to hire sailors and carpenters for the journey home. Walking around the port with his crew, leaving 2 men behind on each vessel as guards, Alwin soon began to realise that the port itself was almost as big as Arigan, but even without rulers or leadership, the port city seemed to be running smoothly. Everyone in the port had something to offer, be it food, products, entertainment or skills, everyone had a purpose and they knew how to accommodate for each other to make transactions and daily life proceed as smoothly as possible. Delegating jobs to his men to spread out and search for the relevant goods, Alwin was now back alone, looking through a bookshop. He was trying to get a gauge on how much the world had changed since the high elves secluded themselves, as well as determine the level of magic that the world was standing on. He flipped through several books titled as advance magic, but had yet to see anything he did not already know. Secretly elated that the world could not progress in magic without the help of the high elves¡¯ knowledge, Alwin returned the book to the shelf and left the store, only to see a creature he had no knowledge of. She had dark black hair that rested on her shoulders. Skin comparably pale to the Elder titan Isana, and yet, with 8 red glowing eyes on her face, going up along her forehead. Upper body of a human and lower body of a grotesque insect with 8 long pointed legs and an enormous black shiny abdomen, the creature was tending to an armor and clothing¡¯s stall opposite the street. Catching him staring at her, the creature lifted herself up on her legs, rising to 3m tall and tiptoed her way to Alwin. ¡°You¡¯re not from around here are you? But then again, who is, in this large a port city, almost everyone is from the main continent. Never seen an Arachne before?¡± (Arachne) ¡°As a matter of fact, I haven¡¯t. I¡¯m new in town, just arrived this morning. Name¡¯s Alwin. I¡¯m an elf.¡± Alwin introduced himself politely. ¡°Well dear me now. If you arrived this morning, you must have arrived with that big ass Frigate. And I¡¯ve seen many elves around here, just never one with¡­ hmmm¡­ you physique and aura. What are you really now?¡± (Arachne) ¡°Aura? How can you see my aura Miss¡­.???¡± Alwin trailed off, hinting for a name. ¡°Oh my, how rude of me, My name is Rina. Our 8 eyes aren¡¯t just for show you now. They allow us to see the aura of things, and even thermal signatures, so we can hunt even at night. You won¡¯t find my species anywhere else on Aioa. We originated here and because of our deathly fear of being out at sea, none of us have ever made it more than 100m out before jumping ship and swimming back.¡± (Rina) ¡°Ok, that¡¯s interesting. You definitely aren¡¯t afraid of drowning if you can swim your way back, so what are you afraid of? Getting lost in sea? Being shipwrecked?¡± (Alwin) ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s actually something very simple. We Arachne are sensitive to movement as we have a very keen sense of balance. The swaying of the boat throws us off and we feel like throwing up once the rocking starts.¡± (Rina) ¡°Hmm¡­ I think there¡¯s actually a simple solution for that. It should work as long as there aren¡¯t any rough storms. Do you want to try it out? It will take maybe a day or 2 to construct the equipment, but it will help reduce the inertia from the boat by dampering the movement, thus reducing the movement.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Inersha? Dampering? I¡¯ve never heard those terms before. Where are you from and where did you learn those?¡± (Rina) ¡°Our leader Lord Kiefer taught us these foreign techniques he¡¯s learnt from his home. I¡¯ll have one of my brigs outfitted with a special room and let¡¯s see if you like it. Would like to be the first to try out our new methods? ¡° (Alwin) ¡°Sure why not? I¡¯ve got nothing to lose as long as the ship doesn¡¯t capsize. How many people do you have working for you right now?¡± (Rina) ¡°I¡¯ve got 50 of my own, but I intend to hire more to head back to the main continent. Would you know where I can hire some carpenters and trustworthy sailors? Also, I need large amounts of red, gold and black paint for my brigs¡¯ hulls.¡± (Alwin) ¡°If you need craftsmen, you¡¯ll be best off hiring dwarves. I know dwarves and elves have a bad history, but there¡¯s no one who can patch up a hole as quickly or completely as a dwarf. I wouldn¡¯t know where you can find sailors, but you could ask around the inns they might know someone. As for paint, there¡¯s a ship repair station down the eastern end of the docks. It¡¯s a huge warehouse out in the sea connected by wooden bridges where ships can be held securely for repairs. They should have sufficient paints and also man power to help you paint them brigs. And also, if your device really works, I wouldn¡¯t mind calling some of my sisters to help you out. We specialise in clothing, threads and ropes. We can repair any holes in your sails or replace any rigging that might be worn out, as long as we stay on the docks.¡± (Rina) ¡°That¡¯s good to know. I¡¯ll keep that in mind and come find you again once I have the room prepared. Well then I better get to loading my ships up. The other 3 brigs should be docking anytime now.¡± (Alwin) With the conversation done, Alwin made his way towards the repair station and approached the owner. They soon struck up a deal for the paint job and in no time, the first brig was painted and leaving the warehouse. They would trade the cannons and munitions on one of the brigs for the paint job on all the brigs. Alwin had the intention of turning that brig into a merchant brig, changing the munitions bay into a cargo hold, similar to the frigate, while the other brigs will play the role of support guards. Assigning one of the royal mages to oversee the painting process for the remaining 5 brigs, making sure the workers did not steal anything from the ships, General Alwin gathered all the high elf carpenters on the Frigate to start a major remodelling session. After acquiring sufficient lumber, the crafters began to work through the night under General Alwin¡¯s supervision. Taking turns to rest, there were at least 5 carpenters on the job at any time while General Alwin himself did not rest. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Finally, by evening the next day, as the 4th Brig was leaving the warehouse with her new paint job, General Alwin finally took a break, after finishing the contraption he designed to stop the swaying of the ship. Being the number 1 student of Kiefer, General Alwin picked up some of Kiefer¡¯s ingenuity in designing and problem solving. On the deck, in the middle of the ship was a gyroscopic circle about 3m wide. The wooden circle plate had a rune carved on it, and was surrounded by a wooden circular frame. The circle plate was joined to the next ring at the front and back, while that ring is joined to the main deck floor at the sides, allowing the circle plate to rotate freely in any direction. The rune carved onto the wooden circular plate made it so that the plate is in a perfect horizontal position regardless of the position or tilt of the ship. Finally, around the gyroscope were 6 more rune circles of the same size carved directly onto the deck floor. The purpose of these 6 connected runes was to make the deck floor, along with the entire frigate, re-align with the center piece in a controlled and slow speed in case it was tilted drastically by waves. There was a similar set of 6 runes carves directly below each other on all 6 levels of the frigate, each linked to the one above it. This made sure the suspension system did not have the force acting on only one point of the ship (the deck) but instead was throughout the ship, minimizing torque damage which risks the deck being torn off violently by the rune in cases of drastic tilts. Finally, was one more row of suspension runes running from the front to the back of the lower most level, acting as the vertical suspension instead of angular suspension like the others. This prevented the ship from rising or falling too fast while in the sea. Having taken a short break, Alwin entered a local tavern with 6 other mages while the carpenters took a long well deserved rest in the ships. Seeing the lively mood in the tavern with lots of drinking and merry making going on, Alwin seated himself and ordered a decent meal while the others ordered some drinks and kept watch for any trouble. And as if anticipating it, trouble really did come entering the door mere minutes after they sat down. Nudging his side discreetly, one of the mages signaled for Alwin to look up at the door. With his hood still on and head down, Alwin spied the person that just entered through the corner of his eye. Surprised, Alwin smiled. It was the pirate captain, only this time dressed in a smart and crisp uniform of one of the companies providing security escort services for merchant. As if noticing the cloaks of the high elves from his nightmare, the pirate captain immediately yelled and kicked up a fuss within the tavern, calling all attention to him. ¡°OI! You bloody elves! Return my brigs at once you thieves! And that Frig was once stolen from me too, no doubt by one of your kind! Everyone! That group over there are pirates and thieves! They stole my fleet and left me to die in sea!¡± (Pirate Captain) Standing up abruptly and banging his palms on the table, the chair General Alwin was sitting on tumbled and fell backwards onto the stone floor. Turning to face the man, General Alwin removed his hood to reveal his long ears, blonde hair and handsome face, causing all the females in the room to skip a heartbeat. ¡°And what proof do you have for these slanderous accusations you are throwing at me? How can you show that the brigs and the Frigate belong to you? Do you hold the deeds of entitlement to them? Can you show me the crew you used to commandeer the fleet?¡± (General Alwin) ¡°Y- you took the deed from me when you attacked us with that Frigate. You attacked my fleet with no warning and killed off my crew, leaving only me!¡± (Pirate Captain) ¡°Your excuses are just so convenient aren¡¯t they? If I were to kill your entire crew, why would I leave just you alive so you can cause trouble for me later? And you are free to inspect my Frigate. If we went according to your claims, my Frigate attacked your fleet first. But I can assure you that my Frigate has no weapons of any sort on it, and I have an alibi to prove that I did not sell the weapons to somebody else.¡± (General Alwin) ¡°Grrr. Y-you used Magic to attack us first!¡± (Pirate captain) By now the pirate was yelling at the top of his lungs to attract the attentions of everyone. However, most people have seen through this farce and stopped being interested, just assuming that the security escort that came in was drunk and unhappy and made a misunderstanding. ¡°Magic you say. How many of you here have ever seen an elf use destructive magic? We can only use nature and healing magic which would be less than useless out at sea.¡± It was Alwin¡¯s turn to yell and at his statement, majority of the customers in the tavern were nodding their heads, some even laughing. Just as the pirate was about to retaliate, 2 burly men came out from the kitchen in aprons, presumably cooks, and lifted the man up and threw the pirate out of the tavern. As Alwin sat down to resume his dinner, a short figure came up to him, half-drunk with a mug of frothing cold beer still in his hands. It was a dwarf, but with a clean shaven look unlike his messy dirty counterparts that spent their entire lives in a dingy workshop. He was even dressed neatly, except for the spilled alcohol on his shirt. ¡°So, was what he said really true? You took the ships from him?¡± (Dwarf) General Alwin just kept quiet, eating his dinner while the 6 mages stared at the dwarf. However, the dwarf was either too intoxicated to notice, or was unafraid of the 6 elves staring at him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know that guy. He''s a no good crook that tried to rob me too. I¡¯m a merchant see, unlike my brothers who are all craftsmen; I specialize in money so I travel these waters quite a bit. So, did you really take those ships from him?¡± (Dwarf) Looking down on the dwarf who would not leave him alone, Alwin finally turned around and spoke. ¡°Yes those were his ships, but it was he who attacked first. We just retaliated and commandeered his fleet as a reward for removing pirates. I chose to leave him with his life out of pity but now it seems that was a wrong decision.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Ohoho. Wonderful indeed. There¡¯s actually a request I would like for you to do. If it¡¯s alright, do you mind if I tagged along with your fleet? The way I¡¯ve seen you stocking up your ships with metals and wood and provisions, it can only mean that you are heading back to the main continent. That¡¯s where I¡¯m headed too. If you could fend off that guy¡¯s fleet with a single frigate with no weapons, I¡¯d say I will feel pretty safe around you. What do you say? I will pay a nice sum on completion.¡± (Dwarf) ¡°Actually, rather than paying us, I would prefer if you could refer me to some trustworthy sailors and craftsmen willing to work in another country. I come from a small city that is still growing and we sorely need talented individuals.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Oh that¡¯s even better for me! I can probably round up a group of my brothers and old buddies from around this area within the next few days. They are all dwarves but they are excellent craftsmen. Unfortunately though, I do not know of any sailors and dwarves are unable to fit that role because of our height. So you¡¯ll have to find someone else on your own.¡± (Dwarf) ¡°Ok then, at least that¡¯s one problem off my back. I guess we¡¯ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Glad to do business with you. I am General Alwin, Captain of The Change.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Oh nice doing business with you too. My name is Buffon, just a simple merchant. I¡¯ll meet you at your Frig when I¡¯ve found all the people I can.¡± (Buffon) After the meal, Alwin retired for the night back at his Frigate¡¯s quarters, then went back to the clothes shop in the morning after a light breakfast. Inviting Rina on board the frigate, Alwin issued the order for the frigate to depart for a test run around the cove. ¡°Oh wow¡­ This is truly astonishing. It¡¯s almost as if I was walking on land itself. I can feel the occasional swing, but it¡¯s not enough to throw us off our senses. This is really revolutionary. Do you mind if you take me out on the tour again in the evening? I would like to gather my sisters and show this to them. We¡¯ve all been craving to explore new lands but this problem has kept us on Grandu for centuries.¡± (Rina) As evening came around and the sun began to set, everyone¡¯s eyes were on the docks as an entire string of Arachne boarded the Red and Gold Frigate, expecting them to come swimming back within minutes. However, the frigate stayed out in the cove and dropped its anchor for the night, only returning to the docks in the morning with a group of gleaming Arachne slowly making their way back on the port. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it at length last night on your ship and was wondering if we could come with you. Some of us have spent our entire lives not seeing other lands and we really want to grab this opportunity. Like I¡¯ve told you on our first meeting, we can handle any rope, thread or fabric. We can spin threads that are stronger than steel and some of us have even extensively studied sailing from books to because we never thought we would ever be leaving Grandu. So what do you say? We can provide maintenance services for free if you will help get us off this continent.¡± (Rina) General Alwin just smiled and nodded, having acquired sailors. With the last brig repainted, Alwin gave the order to remodel all the brigs with a similar suspension system, while still loading the Frigate up with the materials and provisions. [[ 10 days later ]] Assembled early in the morning on the docks was an impressive sight. There were elves, dwarves and Arachne all lined up and boarding various red and Gold vessels. In total, as General Alwin counted, he had his original 50 high elves, 40 dwarves and 60 Arachne ladies. The Frigate had 20 high elves, 4 dwarves and 18 Arachne. The brigs each had 5, 6, and 7 of each race respectively. General Alwin had made it clear that aside from the captain and 1st mate of each vessel, all other members on board were of equal standing. As midday came around, the entire fleet left the port city, the Frigate leading the way and a small merchant boat following amongst the giants. The high elves had begun their journey back home.
Sorry no Kiefer this Chapter. Also, I changed the order of the chapters around so it makes more sense chronologically. So, I''ve changed the title in the previous chapter. Next Chapter: The Fire and The Ice Chapter 2.05 - The Fire and The Ice Tracing along the top of the forest canopy were 2 figures running at incredible speeds towards the billowing pillar of volcanic smoke. It seemed like the closer they got, the more the volcano seemed to rumble, spewing more smoke out of its summit. The temperature steadily rose until they were a day¡¯s run from the volcano. Unable to bear the heat and Isana¡¯s aura not having as much of a cooling effect, Kiefer cast his permafrost spell, causing the temperature within 10m of him to drop and stabilise at a cooling crisp 19 Celsius. ¡°Just how hot is this place? Even with my permafrost spell that could freeze things below zero, I only managed to bring it down to 19¡­¡° (Kiefer) The tree line had been gradually dropping in height until finally, the trees stopped growing altogether, giving them a full view of the majestic smoking volcano surrounded by a thick moat. The air was humid and visibility was low with steam clouds obscuring their sight. As Kiefer poured more mana into his permafrost spell, he extended his range and intensity of the spell, causing the steam clouds to condense and crystalize into tiny snow particles that¡¯s drifted down and melted on the floor. Visibility was now limited to within 100m where the spell was active. They could no longer proceed at the breakneck speeds they used to arrive here as the spell took some time to completely get rid of the steam clouds. Isana was now grabbing Kiefer¡¯s arm more tightly than before, her grip almost crushing Kiefer¡¯s mithril gauntlets. Sher on the other hand, was floating around in circles chasing and eating the snowflakes as they appeared, without a care in the world. ¡°Sher, how come you are not afraid of Fiora like Isana is?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That is because Fiora doesn¡¯t like me.¡± (Sher) ¡°Huh? Explain more please Sher.¡± Kiefer was perplexed. Usually you would be afraid if someone stronger than you did not like you, but Sher still seemed relaxed. ¡°If- if I told you the reason, will you let me stay outside here? I really don¡¯t want to go in.¡± Isana interrupted, still trying to wriggle her way out of meeting the fiery titan. ¡°Isana, I can¡¯t promise you anything until you explain things clearly to me. I don¡¯t even know what the problem is here so I have absolutely no idea what I''m trying to fix¡­¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Y-you see. Fiora is a kind-hearted woman. But, she is different. Because she burns almost everything she touches, she stays away from others to avoid injuring them or losing them.¡± Isana paused, trying to find the correct words to describe Fiora. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ weird. I am the titan of ice, so I am about the only person she can get close to, and given her fetish for women, I try to actively avoid her, but it only makes her more excited and eager. And that makes me even more afraid to go near her.¡± (Isana) ¡°I see¡­ so a lesbian titan whose only source of physical intimacy comes from Isana that she can¡¯t burn. But not being able to get what she wants only serves to make her want it more. Hahaha this is hilarious like Sher said¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Well that¡¯s not a problem the way I see it. At least she¡¯s on our side and not Drigor¡¯s. But she might have a problem with me seeing as you are with me and she cannot get you until she gets rid of me. Why don¡¯t we just meet her and try to talk things over?¡± (Kiefer) As reluctant as Isana was, pulling back on Kiefer¡¯s arm, Kiefer kept dragging her forward step by step towards the moat. Sher stuck around close to Kiefer as the heat was unbearable at some distance from him. Observing the moat and trying to figure out a way to cross it safely without becoming a well-done piece of meat, Kiefer kept staring at the perpetually boiling water in the moat. He could not cross over above it since the moat was too wide and he would be steamed by the time he reached across. The only way seemed to be from the clouds above, but he did not know how hot it actually was in the volcano¡¯s mouth and without any heat resistant clothing on, he did not want to act rashly. All his armour had already been stashed away inside his PD to remove the risk of them melting. Standing barefooted above the ground on his mna foothold, Kiefer suddenly hear the volcano erupt with a thunderous boom, and instantly set up his dome shield around his group, releasing a single mana pulse to check the surroundings for other living things. The feedback that returned shocked him. Looking up through the smoke and steam, he could barely make out a fiery creature plummeting from the sky towards their group. ¡°ISSSSAAAAAAANNAAAAAAAA!!!! You¡¯ve finally come for me my baby!!¡± the flaming bird creamed as she came soaring towards Kiefer and Isana, only to hit the dome shield and bounce off it, tumbling several times in the air and landing in the moat, causing a large explosion of steam. ¡°Huh.. so she¡¯s a phoenix. I wonder if she can re-incarnate after death just a like a real fantasy phoenix¡­¡± (Kiefer) What dropped into the water was a flaming bird, but a humanoid figure came climbing out of the water, steam rolling off her body. Her hair was made of red and orange fire, human arms covered in yellow feathers from elbows to the wrists, and she had scaly bird¡¯s legs from the knee downwards with 4 sharp talons on each feet, 3 forwards, one backwards. Looking at her, Kiefer estimated her to be slightly shorter than Isana, at about 160cm, and a juvenile body with no womanly curves. She walked over to the group, smiling ear to ear and staring only at Isana, not even registering Kiefer in her sights. ¡°Hello Isana! And baby Sher too. Oh how much you¡¯ve grown Sher, I¡¯m sure you will become a fine lady when you grow some more.¡± Fiora looked at the tiny Sher and licked her ruby lips, causing Sher to shiver and instantly hide behind Isana. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you decided to visit me. Finally! You have no idea how long I¡¯ve dreamt of this day. Oh! And you brought me a sacrifice too!¡± Fiora kept going, not letting anyone speak as her gaze landed on Kiefer. ¡°Ugghh¡­ It¡¯s a male¡­ You know I¡¯d rather eat a rotting undead worm than eat a male. You can go now sacrifice. Consider yourself lucky. Now get going! Shoo! Get out of my sight.¡± Fiora rambled on, not noticing the changing expression of the trio in front of her. ¡°Hehehehe.. ¡° Kiefer started giggling as Sher and Isana stared at him. They had never seen him laugh out aloud like that. He would at most smile, but never laugh, taking everything seriously. Then Kiefer continued. ¡°Hahaha... No wonder you didn¡¯t like her Sana¡­ She¡¯s such a bimbo. Arrogant and ignorant, but that¡¯s easy to deal with.¡± Kiefer said with a smile. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Bimbo?¡± (3 titans) ¡°Hahah¡­ sorry that¡¯s a term we used where I come from to describe people like her¡± Kiefer said pointing at Fiora. ¡°HOW DARE YOU POINT YOUR DISGUSTING FINGER AT ME?!?! LET ME BURN YOUR HAND OFF AND WE¡¯LL SEE IF YOU STILL DARE TO LAUGH!¡± Fiora immediately raged, taking a 180 degree turn in her attitude as she approached Kiefer. Kiefer however, just stood there unafraid. In an instant, a severe cold wave enveloped the area, extinguishing Fior¡¯s fiery hair and freezing a portion of the boiling moat. ¡°YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY HUSBAND!¡± Isana bellowed at the shocked Fiora, as her mana poured out into her surroundings. ¡°Hu- husband??? AAAAHHHH!!! And my hair!!! My beautiful hair!!! Nooo.. don¡¯t look at me when I''m like this!!¡± Fiora stunned at the word, and then shocked that her fire hair now gone, left only a pale bald head as she tried to desperately cover it with her feathered arms. ¡°Ahaha¡­ well now that that¡¯s over, shall we get down to business?¡± Kiefer asked as he stepped forwards to the Titan squatting on the ground with her arms over her head. Extending a mana rope from his outstretched hand, he took Fiora¡¯s hand and helped her onto her feet, while signalling to Isana to cancel her freezing field. The moment Isana stopped her skill, the area started to heat up again tremendously and within moments Fiora¡¯s head was now alit, with a small growing red flame. It took a while until the flame was back to its former glory and only then did Fiora start talking. ¡°So? What did you come here to talk about with me?¡± Fiora asked, holding her non-existent chest out, her arrogant attitude back along with her fiery hair. ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. We have a problem with Drigor and need your help in killing him.¡± (Kiefer) ¡° And why should I help a disgusting human like you? You may be Isana¡¯s husband for now, but you won¡¯t live as long as she will and once you are gone, she¡¯ll be mine again.¡± (Fiora) ¡°You are not helping him. You are helping me. And I need your help to convince Luna and Rashael too.¡± (Isana) ¡°And what do I get for helping you? Just so you know, there¡¯s nothing that you can offer me that will replace Isana. If you agree to give Isana to me, then maybe I will consider helping you guys.¡± (Fiora) Isana shuddered at that request, and then looked worryingly at Kiefer. She knew what kind of man Kiefer was, but still couldn¡¯t settle her beating heart at the possibility that Kiefer might just offer her up to accomplish his goal. It was after all the most effective and efficient way to go about. ¡°No sorry that is the one thing you cannot have.¡± Kiefer clarified, calming Isana down greatly before continuing. ¡°However, I do have something I believe you might like. What if I gave you something that will never burn in your hands?¡± Her eyes wide open and clearly intrigued, Fiora stared at Kiefer and nodded in silence, awaiting what he would bring out. ¡°I¡¯ll decide after I see it and hold it.¡± She said eagerly. ¡°Might I ask first, what animal do you like?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Fox-women. Why?¡± Fiora asked, still unsure of Kiefer¡¯s intentions. Kiefer then opened his PD and took out a mithril ingot and an orihalcom ingot, shocking Fiora as she had not expected a human to be able to open a PD. Looking over to Isana and Sher, the 2 titans just smiled smugly and nodded, confirming what she had just saw. Kiefer used his mana threads to break off a small lump of raw mithril and proceeded to infuse his mana into the grey metal, turning it soft and silver. He molded it into a rune circle and allowed it to harden. He then poured his mana into the dull orihalcom ingot and watched as it changed into red putty. Molding the red metal over the silver rune, Kiefer shaped the orihalcom into a familiar shape. Soon, in his hands was a small statue about 30cm tall in the shape of a fox-woman. Looking at the familiar face, Sher and Isana giggled, clearly knowing that Kiefer had based the statue off Feni. As Kiefer activated the rune buried within the statue, it started to turn cold and ice started to collect and encase it. Using his mana threads to pass it to Fiora, she grasped the statue of Feni in her hands, melting the ice away, but leaving the statue intact. In her hands was a cold feeling, something she had felt when she first held Isana¡¯s hands. The rune was designed to stop all molecular movements around it, essentially bringing its surroundings down to absolute zero. That¡¯s why the cold statue nullified Fiora¡¯s tremendous heat and did not burn or melt in her hands. Smiling gleefully and hugging the Feni statue like a little kid with a new soft toy, Fiora looked at Kiefer and agreed to work with him. ¡°All you have to do is simple. I will be leaving Isana and Sher with you. You are to protect them with your life and help them to convince Luna and Rashael to join our cause. I have something that needs to be done alone so you will be travelling together for a few months. What do you say? Can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes of course, husband of Isana. I will protect them at all costs. When do we start our journey?¡± (Fiora) ¡°You start right now. Isana, remember the plan. We wait for the each other at Arigan once we are done with our respective sides. Do not, under any circumstances engage Drigor without me. Understand?¡± (Kiefer) Nodding her head, Kiefer hugged Sana and Sher one last time before heading back the way they came from, leaving the 3 titans on their own journey. ¡°Master, how long will you take?¡± Sher asked Kiefer secretly in his head. Kiefer however, did not reply, knowing full well that even he could not give any sort of estimate on the time it will take. Not wanting to get Sher¡¯s hopes up, he just took to the skies and disappeared out of her sight.
Hello folks. This is a short chapter. If I have the the time, hopefully there will be one more tonight. enjoy. Next Chapter : The size and the Infiltration Chapter 2.06 - The Size and the Infiltration It took Kiefer some time to make his way to the walls of Diantes city. From high up in the air, he could clearly make out the general layout of the city. There were 3 major roads in the city. The city itself was circular, like most of the other cities he''s been to. The major roads were criss-crossed to form 8 districts. 2 roads split the city into 4 quadrants, and the 3rd road was a circular loop that split each quadrant into an inner and outer district. The inner districts seemed dirty and dilapidated, with many run-down buildings and dirty streets. It gradually turned much better beyond the circular road, with the west, south and east outer districts being focused on military, agriculture, and manufacturing respectively. Finally, from what Kiefer observed, the northern outer district was reserved for nobles with extravagant mansions and expensive looking entertainment facilities. The Palace was located in the northern outer district. Kiefer could not see any water bodies or rivers near the city, and assumed that the agriculture district had a natural source of underground water running beneath it. Going down for a closer look, he could see multiple deep wells constructed at regular intervals. The manufacturing district seemed to have a major road going out on the west, a highway of sorts leading straight to the Drigor west port. There were also tunnels dug into the ground all around that highway and Kiefer assumed they were underground mines. Considering his options, Kiefer decided his best chance to be selected by the mysterious ¡®master¡¯ was in the northern quadrant. However, having some unknown noble show up out of nowhere with no background information whatsoever, and proving him to be a genius mage seemed suspicious. Therefore Kiefer changed his plans a little. He decided to go with the ¡°Undiscovered genius orphan beggar from the slums¡± template. Still in midair at a height no one would spot him, Kiefer removed his armour, ripped up his nice clothes a little and then teleported to the northern inner district in an alleyway closest to the circle road. Kiefer rubbed some dirt from the walls onto his arms and walked barefooted past the circle road. It was just past sunrise and the streets were starting to get busy. Kiefer sat down on the road and stuck both his hands out while his eyes darted around the streets observing all the people of Diantes. He watched as horse drawn carriages filled the streets and noble ladies gathered around the corners to gossip and flaunt their wealth. Some nobles were even escorted by soldiers they hired for guards. No one payed any attention to the beggar that was eyeing them. Some simply ignored him, but others looked at him with a hint of disgust. Kiefer was no stranger to this scene, but there had been something that was bugging him since the day started. He had noticed it in the forward base camp he visited, but only assumed the situation was as such because they were soldiers. However, after coming to the city, he realised that it was not just the soldiers, but almost everyone was the same. They were huge, some towering at over 2m tall. Even the kids he thought to be young adults were playing with a ball on the road were the same height as him. He didn¡¯t they were kids until an even taller woman came and lectured one of the boys for running off and he started bawling his eyes out. ¡°Could be their diet, or maybe just a genetic drift since each population is located so far away from the next. I really should try to understand the biology on this planet.¡± (Kiefer) Kiefer spent the rest of the day just sitting at his spot on the side of the road and observed his surroundings. His mana pulse was essentially useless in such a densely populated city since every person the pulse went through would register a feedback and it was too much of a hassle to identify each feedback response individually. Finally the sun set and he could see off in the distance along the main road, some buildings remain lit. Enhanced hearing let him know that those were bars and taverns and there were many who were busy drinking and enjoying their lives. Night came around and soon, Kiefer spotted a group of drunk young men coming his way. Expecting trouble, Kiefer was already prepared. ¡°oi. Look at that beggar! I¡¯ve seen him sit there all day! Funny how some people try to get money just sitting on their arses all day and not even trying to work!¡± (drunk man #1) ¡°Ahahaha mate! You can¡¯t possibly be saying that can ya!? You don¡¯t work either and you just spend your father¡¯s money like it was yours!¡± (Not so drunk man #2) ¡°Bah! So what! He¡¯s gonna offit soon anyways. His money is going to become my money. What¡¯s wrong with spendin it a lil early?¡± (Drunk man #1) ¡°Oii.. waaake uuupp ya twat!¡± the first drunk man said as he kicked Kiefer¡¯s outstretched arms, only to feel like he kicked full force into a brick wall, falling to the ground and yelling. ¡°What the fucks his deal?!? Hes like a fuken statue!¡± the man yelled, as his buddies all laughed at him. ¡°Ahahahahaha you¡¯re pathetic Ben! Can¡¯t even get a single kick right. Here! Let me show you how it¡¯s done!¡± (Drunk man # 3) Picking up a brick on the side of the road, the man proceeded to fling it at full force against Kiefer only to have the brick rebound off Kiefer¡¯s head and smash into the 1st man¡¯s thigh, making him scream even louder. ¡°You imbecile! Aim properly will ya! You¡¯re supposed hit him! Not me!¡± (Drunk #1) The rest of the group was now roaring with laughter. ¡°Here let me have a go!¡± the 4th and last member of the group aimed a kick at Kiefer¡¯s face only to be shocked that Kiefer caught his ankle and he could not even budge an inch. Stunned by the sudden development, the rest stopped laughing and stared at the young man they were trying to abuse just moments earlier. With a single swift motion, Kiefer flung the man by his ankles high up into the air as watched as he flew several streets away, landing with a satisfying crunch down the main road not far from the taverns. ¡°You bunch are useless to the society and it will only serve the city good if you stopped existing.¡± Kiefer muttered in a low menacing voice, just loud enough for the remaining 3 to hear. Saying that, Kiefer grabbed the 3 men with his mana ropes and flung them like ragdolls in the same direction as the first man. It was the dead of the night and they were the last to leave the taverns. With the establishments closed for the night, no one discovered the 4 dead men on the main street until the morning came. Aside from the hustle and bustle in the morning over the death of 4 prominent heirs to major establishments, the day went on as per usual, with no one suspecting that the child beggar on the corner of the street was responsible for the deaths of the 4 men. As lunch time came around, the streets began to be packed once again with people out for lunch. Kiefer had moved to a new street further away from the inner district, but still close enough that no one would question why he ventured so far away. The new street was lined with food carts and dessert stalls. It was packed with what seemed to be noble girls from a nearby school. It would seem that even in this world, girls are just as attracted to sweets and desserts as with girls on earth. Time flew by and lunch was soon ending. Kiefer then spotted 2 girls in uniform approaching him. They seemed to be arguing about something, with one girl dragging the other more reluctant girl towards him. Enhancing his ears once again, Kiefer eavesdropped on their conversation. ¡°Come on Chrisse! Look at him! He¡¯s only a young child! What are you afraid of?¡± (Girl #1) ¡°No! Dad said that they are dirty and can carry diseases! We really shouldn¡¯t be doing this! Lets just go back to school Nic! Lessons are about to start.¡± (Chrisse) ¡°It¡¯ll be quick! Come on, I¡¯m just going to drop some coppers in his hand! Just come with me! We don¡¯t even have to touch him¡± (Nic) Reluctantly, Chrisse followed behind Nicole and finally stopped in front of Kiefer. As she dropped a few copper coins in his outstretched hands, Kiefer looked up at the girls and flashed them a charming smile, before thanking them for their generosity. Suddenly, Nicole dragged Chrisse close and started whispering to her. ¡°OMG. Look at him Chrisse! He¡¯s so handsome! And such a young boy too! Imagine when he grows up, how hot he¡¯ll be!¡± (Nicole) Chrisse was silent, only nodding at Nicole¡¯s comment. She could believe it herself, how such a young man could display such a mature and manly face. ¡°Hey¡­ How old are you boy?¡± (Nicole) ¡°21¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Ahahaha. You hear him Chrisse? He says he¡¯s 21¡­ he knows how to tell a joke!¡± Nicoel burst out laughing, before turning back to Kiefer. ¡°No really how old are you? I¡¯m 15 this year. You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 13,¡± Kiefer lied. ¡°Only 15 and already 1.8m tall?? Holy fuck do they grow big out here.¡± ¡°Oh? Where are your parents? Where do you live?¡± (Chrisse) ¡°My parents were killed by some men a few days ago and they burnt our house down. I¡¯ve been out here trying to survive ever since.¡± Kiefer replied, trying his hardest to sound sad and childish. ¡°Aww, that¡¯s so sad. I¡¯m so sorry. How would you like a place to stay? You can live with me as a butler servant in my house!¡± (Nicole) ¡°NIC! What are you saying?! You can¡¯t just go around deciding things like that!¡± (Chrisse) This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Of course I can. It¡¯s my birthday in 2 days and Daddy said I can have whatever I want. I want this poor boy. Think about it, I¡¯m happy, I get a new butler, and this boy gets a new home! It¡¯s a win for everybody!¡± (Nicole) ¡°Fine. But we really need to get going. Our classes are starting soon!¡± (Chrisse) ¡°Ok. Boy! You stay here alright, don¡¯t move. Once my classes end, I¡¯ll get Chenov to come by here to pick you up. I¡¯m Nicole Varradon, of the Varradon family. My family owns half the mines out along the port road. You¡¯ll be coming home with me tonight.¡± (Nicole) The girls then spun around and ran into the street towards their school. Kiefer just sat there quietly, still trying to register what had happened. Everything was decided by the girl and he had no say in it. This had caused him to make a major detour in his plans. He had wanted to attract the attention of a mage professor within the district, carefully scanning the place with his pulse for a large feedback. And yet now, he was being picked up and brought back to a home by a young girl like an abandoned puppy. ¡°This is why I hate people. So many variables and everything is beyond my control. Now I have to revise my plan again. Given her personality, I doubt she¡¯ll give up if I simply changed locations, and given her family¡¯s standing, it is highly likely that she has the resources to hunt me down. Guess I have no choice but to wait and play my cards right.¡± (Kiefer) Roughly 6 hours and 7 copper coins later, a lavishly decorated carriage pulled up in front of Kiefer. The doors swung open and Nicole was sitting there grinning ear to ear extending her hands and inviting Kiefer in. Without hesitation, Kiefer climbed on board and they slowly made their way to the Varradon household. The family seemed very wealthy; having gone past the entrance gates half an hour ago, the main mansion was finally coming into view. The path was flanked by a very expansive garden on both sides, with fruit trees growing in neat rows along the side of the path. Upon entering the stupidly huge mansion, Kiefer was introduced to the lord of the family, Nicole¡¯s father ¨C Revil Varradon. With simple introductions out of the way and a little bit of Nicole¡¯s whining, Kiefer was chauffeured into yet another stupidly huge room to take a shower and clean up. He was given a nice tuxedo suit with a tailcoat to put on once he was out of the shower. Next was the briefing by the head maid and then he was put straight to work. The rules were simple. He was to be Nicole¡¯s personal butler, but had to take part in household chores. He would sleep after everyone else, and wake up before everyone else. Dust and mop the corridors and windows along the corridors before breakfast, and then have breakfast with the rest of the servants after the main family was done. Then he was to accompany the miss to school and back, staying within 10m of her at all times, keeping her within his sight and following all her orders. Finally, he was to clean the corridors again after school before retiring for the night. When questioned about the miss, Kiefer smiled unknowingly. He was told that he only needed to accompany her as her security will be handled by Nicole herself. She was a mage and was capable of protecting herself. She attends the only mage class in her academy and is one of the 15 mage students within the academy. He would be given a trial period of 1 week and if he is deemed unsuitable, he would be sent off to the mines to work alongside the dwarves and other servants. Waking up early in the morning, Kiefer began his work, retrieving the broom, mop and dustpan and working his way through the abnormally large mansion. Along the way, he met with several other maids and butlers but he never spoke to them, trying to keep his profile as low as possible. Of course, when nobody was looking, he would use his mana threads to clean the surfaces, dusting the walls, ceilings and windows, while using his gravity field to attract the airborne dust to the floor before sweeping them all up. Sooner than he realised it, Kiefer was already standing at the back of the classroom along with servants of other students, listening in on the magic lesson which was being taught. It was unbelievably mundane, and he felt that the professor¡¯s teaching methods were not only boring, but also ineffective. Within the school, he observed that Nicole and Chrisse were quite popular, as was the other 13 students in the magic class. They could be considered the upper echelon of the school solely because they could use magic. He also noticed that aside from Chrisse, Nicole did not really have any other friends, with everyone in the magic class being competitive, it almost seemed like the other students would do anything to get ahead of each other. ¡°Hey Nic! Its practical class next. Are you up for another round of grovelling? Ahahhaha¡± (jerk) ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him Nic, it doesn¡¯t matter if you can beat him or not, as long as you work hard you won¡¯t lose in the long run.¡± (Chrisse) ¡°I know Chrisse, but it¡¯s just so unfair. He¡¯s paying the professor to teach him privately at home. There¡¯s no way any of us can catch up to him. I just don¡¯t understand what he has against me¡± (Nic) ¡°Well¡­ you are about the only one who can match up to him at times, the rest of us are still weaker than you y¡¯know. We are still young, I don¡¯t see why we need to rush things.¡± (Chrisse) Kiefer had overheard this conversation as he followed behind the class towards the field for their practical lesson. Most of the students were just taking part in the class in their usual uniform, with the exception of the condescending boy earlier, he had on a pair of dull green metal gauntlets that in Kiefer¡¯s view, was poorly made. The class was chattering, talking about how envious they were of the Trigent boy with his mithril gauntlets. It would seem that the Trigent fellow was a nature affinity mage and his father had hired a magic black smith at a fortune to craft that pair of gauntlets. Looking at the poorly made mithril metal, Kiefer could only stifle a mocking laugh, and smirk at the boy. Unfortunately, the boy had caught the smirk and was already approaching Kiefer. Even though he was younger than Kiefer, the boy was already almost 1.9m tall, and had by far the most intimidating aura amongst the students, while his mithril gauntlets only added to the intensity. ¡°Ey you there you stupid child. What were you smirking at? You think I didn¡¯t see it? Why don¡¯t you explain yourself in words you nimwit?¡± The boy yelled at Kiefer, while shoving Kiefer in the shoulders. Kiefer pretended to be pushed back and almost stumble, before Nicole came running in. ¡°Dominick Trigent! You leave my butler alone! He¡¯s still new so he doesn¡¯t know how to act. And he¡¯s only a child! What are you going to do? Fight him? You a mage against a mere child?¡± (Nicole) ¡°Ha! No wonder he rubbed me the wrong way the moment I saw him. Like master like servant I guess. Only a crappy master would choose a crappy servant. You know what, what you said makes sense. Oi teach! It¡¯s alright if I show off a little of my power isn¡¯t it? This boy needs to be taught a lesson and we might as well show these commoners what a mage is capable of!¡± (Dom) The professor just kept silent. He was being paid by the Trigent family and there was no way he was going to offend the young master of the family he served. As if turning a blind eye, the professor simply looked away, and then distanced himself from the conflict. ¡°Nicole! Don¡¯t get in my way. The professor has approved of this so just count yourself unlucky that you get to lose a servant today. But it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have any more to replace him.¡± Dom barked at Nicole, and then turned to face Kiefer. ¡°Come on then boy. I¡¯ll let you have the first move. If you can¡¯t knock me out, don¡¯t blame me for killing you. You need to know your place and know that your life is worthless to us.¡± ¡°Wrong move boy.¡± Kiefer thought, as he smirked at the boy. With a quick chant, The Trigent boy was suddenly enveloped in a shell of earth and dirt. Following which, Kiefer chanted a water spell to soak the earthen shell, turning it into mud and encasing the stunned boy in mud. Finally, a spell for fire wall was chanted and baked the mud around the boy¡¯s body into hardened clay, essentially trapping him in a clay prison up to his neck. This all happened in under a minute and by the time the show was over, everyone was staring at Kiefer. Nicole, Chrisse, the professor and the rest of the student body that had gathered to watch the magic practice lesson were still in shock, unsure of what happened. Nicole turned to face Kiefer, and only saw him nod and then wink, causing her jaws to drop. ¡°Since there are too many variables to control, I¡¯ll just try a blitzkrieg approach and see where this takes me. Hopefully this will eventually present me with the opportunity to infiltrate the necromancer academy.¡± (Kiefer)
Agghh.. I''m so full.. still in a food coma after the buffet when I wrote this. Please do point out any mistakes and I will fix them when I come out of my coma. Next Chapter: The Deception and The Deal Chapter 2.07 - The Deception and The Deal ¡°Ki- Kiefer? D-did you do all that?¡± (Nicole) ¡°Yes Milady. Is something wrong? Should I not have done so?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Nononono... The problem isn¡¯t if you should have done that. The problem is how did you do that?¡±(Nicole) ¡°Holy hell Nic! You picked up one hell of a kid!¡± (Chrisse) ¡°Eh? You mean I¡¯m not supposed to be able to do that? I was just repeating what the teacher had taught earlier in the class.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Nono no... that¡¯s not right. Even then, it is still intermediate magic you know! How can you just cast the spell like that? And from 3 elements even!¡± (Nicole) ¡°Is it weird that I can use 3 elements?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Of course it¡¯s weird! It¡¯s super weird! That¡¯s not normal at all!¡±(Nicole) ¡°OI! Will someone get me out of here!?!? KID! You are so dead! I am going to make sure you never live to see another ¨Coof¡± Dominick was just about to threaten Kiefer again when a mud ball went flying towards his face, giving him a mouthful of mud. ¡°Leave the kid alone!¡± ¡°YEA Don¡¯t bully the poor kid!¡± ¡°You lost to him fair and square so shut it!¡± The crowd that had gathered was now jeering at Dominick as they watched him try to spit out the mud in his mouth and shake it off his face, still encased in a clay prison. ¡°Son! Come with me, I want to try something out.¡± The professor had already approached Kiefer, as the 2 girls stared at him, still furious that he had allowed the match to begin with. ¡°Boy, repeat after me.¡± The professor then chanted a simple intermediate spell for a fire arrow. Kiefer followed, repeating after the professor but putting in more mana, resulting in a searing hot arrow that was twice as large as the professor¡¯s landing 50m away and burning the grass around it, releasing a heat wave as it impacted the ground. The professor was stunned, and he turned to ask Kiefer one question. ¡°Boy did you learn any magic before this?¡± ¡°No sir, only what I heard in your class just now. This is my first time seeing magic.¡± Kiefer lied through his teeth, tilting his head and trying to look confused, as if he didn¡¯t know what was wrong with being able to use magic. ¡°Milady, is there something wrong with me? Is it bad that I can use magic?¡± Kiefer asked Nicole, keeping up with his role playing gig and pretending to be afraid that he had done something bad and was about to be punished. ¡°No Kiefer. It¡¯s the opposite! It¡¯s great that you can use magic! Now I can make Daddy keep you! Having a magician servant is a first for any noble family in Diantes. I¡¯m sure daddy will be happy with it.¡± (Nicole) ¡°OI! Someone get me out of here already!¡± (Dominick) Hearing Dominick¡¯s yelling, Kiefer walked over promptly and looked Dominick in the eye, before bowing deeply and apologizing. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry young master. I had no idea I would win so easily.¡± Kiefer said, rubbing salt into his wounds while trying to sound apologetic. ¡°Please do not take this out on Milady, as she had nothing to do with this. I apologise for my rude behavior. I will now release you.¡± Saying that, Kiefer proceeded to humiliate the young boy further, by dousing him in a wall of water from the same spell he had used earlier. After about 3 minutes of almost drowning, the clay had softened enough for Dominick to finally wriggle his way out. Kiefer then once again bowed and returned to Nicole¡¯s side. Nicole was beaming. She was so proud of her magus butler. Even Chrisse was a little jealous of Nicole, thinking it could have been her who had taken Kiefer home. Nonetheless, Chrisse was still happy for Nicole, she had not seen Nicole smile this much after a magic practical lesson. As they were preparing to leave for lunch, someone from the crowd yelled out in surprise. ¡°Watch Out!!!¡± Turning around, everyone saw a single water arrow fly towards Kiefer while Dominick was grinning, having just been released from his prison. Without batting an eyelash, Kiefer quickly chanted a spell and shot forth the same fire arrow he had shown earlier, and intercepted the incoming attack. When the 2 arrows impacted each other in the air, they exploded in a burst of steam and heat. Everyone was now glaring at Dom, but before anyone could say anything, Kiefer had already summoned multiple fire arrows and shot them towards Dom, all landing close enough to him that he could feel the heat. Shocked, Dom fell back onto his bottom and glared at Kiefer as he took slow steps in his direction. ¡°I will let that earlier transgression go, but anymore advances on Milady, will not go unpunished.¡± Kiefer kneeled down and silently whispered into Dom¡¯s ear. Nicole, Chrisse and Kiefer left the training field, with everyone casting mocking glances at Dominick while at the same time, dying of envy at Nicole¡¯s awesome new butler. Nicole decided to ditch the rest of the class before lunch in order to know more about her new butler that she picked up on a whim. Finding a secluded and unused classroom in an old wing of the academy, Nicole finally turned to face Kiefer. Kiefer in turn looked up at her and put on a confused look. ¡°Kiefer. How can you use magic so easily?¡± Nicole finally blurted the question out after a moment of awkward silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know. When the professor was reading the spell lines, I just understood what they meant and when I read them back out, the spell just forms.¡± Kiefer lied, trying to leave as much ambiguity as possible. ¡°Ok first, they are not spell lines. They are rune incantations. And secondly, understanding the runes is the hardest part of magic theory. How do you do it?¡± (Nicole) Kiefer thought long and hard, and finally decided to do what Sher had done to him countless times. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just can. When I hear the spell, I can understand it automatically.¡± Kiefer replied, being as unhelpful as a certain Titan when explaining things about magic. ¡°Ok, how about this, can you explain this incantation to me? I¡¯ve been having trouble understanding, picturing and invoking it. It goes ¡®Asviran, hidra condeen no frazia, shak IshA¡¯¡± (Nicole) ¡°Umm.. it means to collect and freeze water around you, and then shoot forward as an ice arrow. Like this see?¡± Kiefer explained, as he recited the spell, forming an ice arrow out of thin air and smashing one of the wooden tables. ¡°But where does the water come from? If I don¡¯t know where to collect the water from, the spell doesn¡¯t work for me.¡± (Nicole) ¡°I see. They don¡¯t even have the basic knowledge that water can exist as a gas in the air as well. Just how far back is this world on its knowledge on science?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Umm.. the water comes from the air. There¡¯s plenty of water in the air, you just can¡¯t see it.¡± (Kiefer) Thinking about it, Nicole just decided to trust Kiefer and envisioned herself collecting countless water droplets from the air around her. Finally, she chanted the incantation and to her surprise, she managed to shoot an ice arrow, albeit smaller and slower than Kiefer¡¯s, at the black board. Excited that she finally managed to cast a spell that had taken her almost 2 months to figure out, Nicole whipped out an advance runes and spells book from her bag and started flipping through the pages. With each spell she showed Kiefer, Kiefer explained the mechanism behind it and Nicole would proceed to cast the spell. About an hour and 15 spells later, Nicole suddenly slumped forward after casting her spell, almost collapsing to the ground had Kiefer not caught her. Looking at her expression, Kiefer deduced that she probably fainted from mana exhaustion, having been over excited at casting new spells without keeping track of her mana. Not knowing where her next class was, Kiefer decided that the best course of action would be to bring her home to rest. Lifting her up in a princess cradle, Kiefer took to the skies, unsure if he could teleport with the girl in his arms. However, he managed to go high enough fast enough so that no one caught a sight of a 13 year old boy carrying and flying with a girl half a head taller than him. As he descended in the backyard of the mansion, his mana pulse registered a mage approaching him from the front of the house, along with 2 other people. It would seem that they had detected his arrival and had assumed him to be an intruder. Slowly and carefully, he walked towards the approaching mage and as they came around the corner, he discovered that he was in as bad a situation as he could get. Facing the head of security, the head maid, and Nicole¡¯s father, there he was, in the back of the house with an unconscious Nicole in his arms. ¡°You! You¡¯re the new butler! What have you done to my daughter!?¡± (Revil) ¡°Sir! It would seem that he is not an ordinary boy! If I read my spell correctly, according to the disturbance in my wind, he dropped from directly above sir! From the sky.¡± (Wind mage) Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I know how it looks sir. But I assure you, it is more important to get Nicole to bed. She¡¯s passed out from mana exhaustion in school and I¡¯ve brought her back to rest.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Dorianne! Get her to bed. You! Kiefer! You stay here and explain yourself.¡± (Revil) ¡°Right away sir.¡± Dorianne the head maid retrieved Nicole from Kiefer¡¯s arms and carried her into the house. ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain yourself then ¡®Kiefer¡¯, if that is your real name. What are you? A spy? I can tell you are no ordinary boy.¡± (Revil) ¡°How observant sir, I assure you my name is Kiefer and that I am no spy. At least not spying on you.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Then who are you and what is your true purpose for infiltrating my home?¡± (Revil) ¡°Infiltrating your home? You are sorely mistaken Revil. Had your daughter not picked me up, I wouldn¡¯t have had to change my plans so drastically. She brought me here against my will, causing me to revise my plans for the future.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°And what would your plans be, Mister Kiefer?¡± (Revil) ¡°It¡¯s simple really. I intend to end the war once and for all.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°That¡¯s all noble and well Kiefer, but in the end, you still deceived me and trespassed on my home. I¡¯m sorry but I will have to remove you. Amestin, do your job, remove this intruder from my home at once.¡± (Revil) ¡°At once sir!¡± (Amestin) Chanting a spell quickly, Amestin conjured up a small tempest that approached Kiefer, ripping the grass from the floor in its path. However, just before the tempest reached Kiefer, a flame tornado took its place, expanding in size and roasting anything it touched. The flame tornado eventually dissipated, and standing behind it, was Kiefer in full mithril and orihalcom armour. ¡°Unfortunately for you, Revil, I have already altered my plans and have no intention of leaving. As such, to make things simpler, I am going to have you help me in achieving my goals. Of course, all this is to be kept a secret from Nicole.¡± Kiefer threatened, while walking slowly towards the lord of the house and his head of security. ¡°AMESTIN!! DO YOUR JOB! PROTECT MY FAMILY!¡± Revil yelled, clearly intimidated by Kiefer and panicking. ¡°Asviran, torres pro¡ªmmmmffpppff¡± (Amestin) ¡°Ah ah ah¡­ now there there. I can¡¯t have you creating a ruckus and waking up the young lady now can I. As I¡¯ve mentioned before, I want her to be kept in the dark.¡± Kiefer explained calmly as he wrapped his mana threads around Amestin¡¯s mouth and Revil¡¯s body. ¡°What do you want?! I swear if you harm my family, I will hunt you down even if I die and come back as an undead!¡± (Revil) ¡°Harm? Oh Mr Revil, its quite the contrary. I can offer you my services to protect you and your family. As you can see,¡± Kiefer said, teleporting behind the 2 grown man, ¡°I am quite the capable mage, more so than any human mage on Aioa if I must say so myself.¡± Kiefer continued, spinning the 2 men around. I offer you my abilities and time, and in return, you will offer me a place of lodging and help pull some strings using whatever authority you may have. I need to get into the necromancer academy in the palace at all costs if I am to join the army and end this war.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°And what do you expect me to do? I am merely the head of a mining conglomerate. I have no connections with famous mages nor do I have any pull with the royal palace.¡± (Revil) Seeing the men calm down, Kiefer released them and set them back down on the ground. Then he continued. ¡°That is simple. As the head of such a large scale mining operation, I¡¯m sure you have plenty of enemies trying to sabotage your operations. All you have to do is let me loose on the problems and I will solve them. At the same time, I need you to aggravate your enemies by spreading rumours that you have acquired a genius child mage and that nothing can ever harm your operations again.¡± Kiefer paused, letting Revil consider his options. To stamp the deal, Kiefer continued, without letting Revil finish thinking through. ¡°The way I see it, it¡¯s a win-win for all of us. I get to achieve my goal, while you not only get protection for your family, but also improve your business. In case you are still worried about my abilities, I¡¯ll just let you know, that this armour I¡¯m wearing, is not steel. It is pure mithril. All of it. The red metal is orihalcom. That should give you an idea of my status.¡± Amestin couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He had only seen parts of an armour made of mithril, maybe gauntlets or boots, but never a full body plate armour made of mithril. Revil as well was scrutinizing Kiefer¡¯s armour from head to toe. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to actually see so much mithril in one place, much less on one person¡¯s body. As if to break the tension. At that moment, a cry rang out through the mansion. ¡°Daaaaadd!! Kiefer!!!¡± Nicole had awoken after recovering some mana and heard from Dorianne who was tending to her that Kiefer had carried her home and that he may be in trouble with her father. Trying to save the young child, Nicole was racing through the mansion while yelling, hoping she would not lose her new awesome butler. Kiefer immediately unequipped his armour with haste and put it away in his PD, but to Revil and Amestin, it only looked like Kiefer made them invisible. No sooner had he done that, Nicole came racing around the corner to the back of the mansion and saw Kiefer standing there with her father and the head security uncle. Seeing the ripped grass and burnt ground, She immediately knew a magic battle had gone on and immediately rushed in front of Kiefer, raising her arms up and shielding him from her father and Amestin. ¡°Daddy! Uncle Amestin! Don¡¯t bully my Kiefer! He just learnt his first magic today! He even protected me from Dominick!¡± (Nicole) Kiefer cast a glance at Revil, and saw him make a small nod, relieved that Revil had accepted his proposal. If his calculations were correct, assuming no more variables arise, it would take him no more than 2 months to catch the attention of the ¡®master¡¯. From there on, he could not really see where he would go, since he did not know how long it took to actually enter and graduate from necromancy academy, and if at all the mysterious ¡®master¡¯ was connected to Drigor somehow. Everything was a wild guess once he gets noticed by the ¡®master¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s alright darling. I was just asking Amestin to test out Kiefer here. You¡¯ll be glad to know that from now on, he is officially your personal butler and security escort. Don¡¯t let me down young Kiefer.¡± (Revil) ¡°Really!??! You hear that kiefer? You can stay with us from now on! Don¡¯t worry we will treat you like a real family!¡± Nicole exclaimed, completely ecstatic, while hugging kiefer tightly like a sister would hug a younger brother. Kiefer just smiled and nodded firmly at Revil, reassuring him that his family would be kept safe.
[[Elsewhere in the northern quadrant that night]] ¡°Father! That Varradon girl is getting out of hand! Today she humiliated me infront of the class with her new butler! She got lucky and hired a butler with magical affinity! Can¡¯t you do something about it?¡± (Dom) ¡°Yes. I must agree with you son. That Varradon Family is getting on my nerves too. Just because their grandfather made a few wise decisions, they managed to climb their way up from the slums to where they are now, even buying over other mines in the area. If they are trying to establish a monopoly on the mines, we cannot allow that to happen. I just happened to have a shipment of fientrals caught in Wanda coming this way. Maybe if there was an ¡®accident¡¯ in one of the Varradon¡¯s mines, people would be more hesitant about working for them.¡± (Dom¡¯s father) ¡°No, but how will that affect the girl?! She still has that annoying brat around her.¡± (Dom) ¡°No need to worry my son. All in due time. Once their business takes a hit, the girl would have to withdraw from the academy. And we can always hire a few assasins or even kidnap the girl. There¡¯s no rush. I believe the professionals should be able to handle a 13 year old boy who¡¯s just learnt magic recently.¡± (Doms Father) ¡°Alright Father, but make it quick. The girl is pissing me off to no end.¡± (Dom) From 3 blocks away, a hooded figure who had been listening in on the conversation, turned around and disappeared into thin air, reappearing on the roof of the Varradon estate mansion. He took off his hood and silently entered the mansion though one of the open windows on the 3rd floor before silently walking along the corridor into a room, shutting the door behind him.
There ya go folks, today''s Chappy. Next Chapter: The Fear and The Famous Chapter 2.08 - The Fear and the Famous It is now 3 days since Kiefer¡¯s debut as Nicole¡¯s magus butler. Right now, it was the free period before between magic practical lesson and lunch, and having just ended the lesson, almost everyone in the class was now crowding around the genius child butler, barely giving him and space to breathe. ¡°All of you get away from my Kiefer! He¡¯s my butler! I get priority to monopolise him first!¡± Nicole was desperately shouting, trying to wriggle her way through the crowd that was bombarding Kiefer with questions regarding magic. The fact that he was handsome did not make things easier as even girls from non-magic classes were beginning to gather. Finally making her way next to Kiefer after an exhausting effort to squeeze through the crowd, Nicole cast an ice wall that she had just learnt earlier around herself and Kiefer, forcing the crowd away. ¡°No fair! Nicole! Don¡¯t hog him all to yourself!¡± (Crowd) ¡°Yes! Share him with us a little!¡± (Crowd again) ¡°Nic! I¡¯m your best friend! At least lend him to me once in a while!¡± (Chrisse) ¡°NO! He¡¯s mine! If you want to ask him questions, find some other time!¡± Nicole yelled back through the ice wall. Kiefer just shook his head silently and sighed. He was being fought over like a piece of meat that was just thrown into the middle of a pack of dogs. The past 3 days had been rather uneventful for him, aside from Dom¡¯s attempts at sneak attacks on him during practical classes, and being pestered by the rest of the class to teach them magic after seeing Nicole¡¯s drastic improvement. Kiefer had been keeping his eye on Dom all this while, knowing full well that he wasn¡¯t the type of person to just let things go. True enough, on multiple occasions, Kiefer spotted Dom attempting to hurl spells at him or Nicole, and each time, Kiefer would interrupt him before he could finish chanting. At times, Kiefer would trip the boy over by suddenly binding one of his ankles for just an instant, other times, Kiefer would give him a sharp whip in the back of the knee with his mana whips. When things got repetitive, Kiefer mixed things up by increasing the gravity around the boy, making him buckle under his own weight, lying face flat in the dirt. Keeping vigilant at all times, Kiefer made sure no one noticed his mana threads or ropes, making it seem like the Dom boy had suddenly become a klutz. Meanwhile, as per Kiefer¡¯s instructions, Revil had begun hiring more workers for a few new mines he had just acquired. He advertised boldly on recruitments boards all over the city that he could assure the safety of any worker at working at any mine at any time owing to the fact that had had just acquired a talented new mage within his household. Working in the mines was not an ideal job. The mines were far away from the city, and working conditions were harsh. Despite the relatively high pay, many people avoided working in the mines because in cases of accidents it was unlikely that any help would arrive for days and their chances of survival were slim. However, with the reassurance from the employer, Revil witnessed for the first time, record breaking numbers of applications to work in his mines. When asked about the new magus under his hire, Revil would just say that he had met an exceptionally talented young magus who had proven to him his skills. In addition, Revil also mentioned that the magus was in possession of a set of mithril armour and assured the employees that the mage had pledged allegiance to him. With the new security reassurance, the new mines Revil had bought started operations faster than any other mines he had opened before. The first cart loads of res were being carried out of the mines by the end of the week with no incidences. While Revil had his hands full with the new operations, Kiefer had his hands full with the new attention he¡¯s garnered at the academy. It would seem that he was not only talented in magic, but also exceptional in arithmetic as well. Apart from school, Kiefer also had to make sure things ran smoothly in the mines, occasionally popping by the 26 mines along the port road. While it didn¡¯t take Kiefer more than an hour to get to the furthest mine from the city walls, it would have taken any form of rescue operation at least 3 days by horse to arrive there. Kiefer began to understand why working in the mines was a job everyone avoided despite the high salary. Over the course of the next week, Kiefer would repeat his daily routine of escorting the young Nicole to and from school, and once she was within the safety of her home, he would then make his way around the mines, teleporting just as one of the workers catch a glimpse of him. With this method, rumors spread like wildfire within the mines. Some speculate specter or a ghost, others were more optimistic, claiming the mysterious armored man to be the new magus their employer claimed to have hired. Back in the school, Dominick had been avoiding the magical practical lessons, although he still attended the theory lessons. The professor was more entranced by the new prodigy child and his ever improving Mistress Nicole. It seemed like there was no spell this kid couldn¡¯t invoke, and with each spell he learnt, so did Nicole and Chrisse. All seemed to be proceeding smoothly according to Kiefer¡¯s plans and much to Revil¡¯s delight. And then, accidents started to happen. Though not all at once, but with increasing frequencies, Varradon¡¯s mines were no longer safe. Cave walls collapsed where they should not, toxic fumes from deep within the mines stopped all and any operations. There were even reports of Fientral attacks. Fientrals were not native to Drigor, hence everybody could guess that one of Varradon¡¯s competitors or enemies must have sabotaged his operations. However, nobody voiced out their suspicions for fear they would be the ones targeted. Then, as if straight out of the fairytales of heroes and demon lords told to young children, a savior appeared within the Varradon mines. As advertised, the masked man moved rubble with a mere wave of his hands. He siphoned the toxic gases out of the mines and located the source of it, and eliminated the sources. The most intriguing event though, was the incident with the Fientrals. A group of 10 Fientrals had trapped the miners in a mine 2 days away from the city. Then out of nowhere, the masked man appeared between them and the animals. However, without doing anything, the once aggressive and growling crystalline wolves were now on the ground, whimpering, as if afraid of the very existence that appeared before them. Then one by one, they turned around and ran off into the woods. The masked man then vanished without a trace, leaving zero casualties. Revil could only be described with one word ¨C relieved. He was afraid Kiefer would not be any to uphold his end of the deal. After-all, no wonder how talented he was, Revil did not believe Kiefer would be able handle all the trouble that had occurred. His life could not get any better ¨C business was booming, daughter was safe and secure, and all of this was brought about by a windfall that his daughter had picked up. Although he was still unclear on Kiefer¡¯s true intentions, he could not feel anything but gratitude for the young man now. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. [[A certain Fientral¡¯s POV]] We were the strongest in the forest, my brother and I. We could conjure up to 5 images each, making our pair look like a menacing pack of 12. Within our small forest, even the demon bears stayed away from us and the Seraplors kept their disguise on, hoping we would not spot them. But we always did. With our keen sense of smell, we could identify prey and rivals from far away. Then it happened. One day, the both of us felt a bloodlust so strong it held us in our place. The power emanating from this creature could only be considered monstrous. It was in a human shape, but we knew from the smell that that was no human. It was a dragon. We wanted to run, but our legs betrayed us. The dragon then picked the both of us up, and brought us out of the forest, towards the ocean. There, we saw another human. This time, a real human. He smelled odd, but weak. We appealed to him, hoping he would save us from the dragoness, but we did not pin much hopes on it. If even we, the mighty pair of the jungle could do nothing to this dragoness, what use would a human be. Then, our hopes were shattered as we were thrown back into the nightmare. The dragoness smiled back at the human boy, as they started conversing. The human promptly set up a fire, and within moments, my brother was slain right before my eyes and consumed. I knew my life was now over. I would be their next meal, however soon that came. Without warning, the dragoness threw me into a weird space. It was all white and cold. I was floating, and could sense my surroundings, yet could not even bat an eyelash. It was an eternity, unable to breathe yet not dying, as if time had stopped around me. Then I saw a window, and through the window in the white space, I saw the beach. A hand reached in from the window and grabbed me by my scruff, and pulled me out. Finally, able to breathe, and free from my prison, I was led by a leash made out of vines like some domesticated dog. Me, a proud Fientral, was treated as nothing more than a pet. And yet, I didn¡¯t dare disobey the dragoness. For whatever reason, the dragoness seemed afraid of the weak human, as if trying to placate the human male any chance she had. Then, I finally understood why. After some time had passed, the dragoness suddenly grabbed me roughly, and pulled me away from the human, retreating to a faraway place, the look of confusion and curiosity plastered on her face. I stared at the direction she was looking at, and saw the human male doing something. Within moments, a pitch black sphere appeared in front of him, pulling everything around it into it, never to appear again. Sand, water, trees and snow, all sucked into oblivion. When it finally stopped, in the middle of all the destruction was the human male, laughing loudly. For some reason, it scared me, and I¡¯m sure it did the same to the dragoness. Valuing my life, I followed the pair obediently, until we reached a human establishment. I was sure I would finally be able to part with them, hoping they would sell me to a merchant or even a butcher. If it was any ordinary human, they would not stand a chance against me. I would just need to bid for time and plan my escape right. But surprisingly, after a night sleep, the dragoness released me into the forest behind the settlement. I was free at last, and ran with all my might away from the town, as far away from the frightful human again, hoping we would never cross paths again. This forest was larger than the one I ruled over, and yet, the creatures seemed sparse and weak, probably due to human hunting. Sure that I was finally safe, I recalled my instincts as a hunter, a predator and made my way through the forest southwards. I might have crossed though a mountain path or forest at one point, but I did not remember. I conquered over others of my race, being the only one who could summon 5 images and control them individually, I easily became the leader of a pack. Oh how I wish my brother could¡¯ve been here to see this. We began dominating the forest as a pack, taking out human travelers along secluded paths at first. Gradually, I became confident enough and we ventured close to the human cities, where food was always present in abundance. Every night, we would have a fresh kill in our stomach to sleep on, and my pack grew stronger with each passing day. That was until we got careless one day. Spotting an injured horse tied to a tree near a human path, I used my images to scout for human presences nearby, but they all turned up empty. It would seem that a human traveler abandoned his horse after it got injured so that it would not be a burden. Poor animal, used and thrown away by the humans like this, but I was nonetheless thankful for the free meal. All 10 of us pounced towards the tied horse, only to fall into a pit we could not get out of. Within a few hours, humans had come to the trap, shut a cage celing over us, and hauled us out of the pit, in a cage they had laid down the in the pit. We were caught, and it was all because I was careless. The humans fed us and gave us plenty of water to drink. Aside from the lack of freedom, we did not need anything else. We were transported by carriages for days on end, eating the same food over and over again. Finally, one evening, the humans who caught us let us go near a human mine. If there was food to be caught, we would work together to catch our meal. With our images and combined teamwork, the 10 of us managed to gather and corner all the human workers inside the mine. Just as we were about to fill our stomachs with a fresh kill, a man appeared before us. No. no no no no no. this can¡¯t be right. It¡¯s the exact same aura as the human male on the beach. This unmistakable fear. I did not even need to see his face to know it was him. The dragoness was not with him, but that only made things worse. With no one to hold him back, I would once again lose this life that I so miserably wriggled back from the clutches of death. I wondered what happened to the dragoness. Did he finally get sick of her? Did she leave him or was she too afraid of him? Regardless, I needed to save myself, and my pack. With a single bark, I orderedthe rest to follow me, as I lay my head low and whimpered, hoping for compassion. The man just stood there, expressionless and as my pack turned tail and ran, he just stayed motionless. Once again, I thanked my lucky stars as I ran back towards the forest. [[End of Fientral POV]]
Sorry for late post guys. RL stuff kept me away from my beloved computer. its only a short chapter but nonetheless, hope you enjoy. BTW, FYI, 2000 - 2999 words = short, 3000-3999 words = normal, 4000+ words = decent. thats the way I determine if a chapter is short or not. Next Chapter: The attempts and the recruitment Chapter 2.09 - The attempts and The Recruitment ¡°Dad! What is going on?!?! It¡¯s been more than 2 week! You said you will handle it, but the Varradon mines are still working as always. What happened to all your plans?¡± (Dominick Trigent) ¡°It¡¯s the new mage they¡¯ve hired. He¡¯s much better than I¡¯ve anticipated. I¡¯ve sent earth mages to collapse the tunnels to trap the workers, I¡¯ve placed venomous toxic gas spewing Heinfrils in the deep end of the mines, and I¡¯ve even set a pack of Fientrals that were notorious in Wanda on the mines. And yet, each and every time, the mage would interfere. He cleared the rubble and released the trapped miners. He eliminated the snakes, and the Fientral, according to my information network, just ran away at the sight of him. I have no idea what is going on anymore.¡± (Victor Trigent) ¡°That¡¯s not what I was talking about! Didn¡¯t you say if you hit the mines, the girl will withdraw from school? And yet, now she has taken my spot as the top mage student in the academy, and she and her butler are still healthy and well. Can¡¯t you do something about it? We need to teach these commoners that just because they climbed their way up to nobility doesn¡¯t change the fact that they are from a commoner¡¯s bloodline.¡± (Dominick) ¡°Hmm. You are right son. Maybe I¡¯ve been going about this all wrong. Maybe the way to get to Revil Varradon is not through his business, but instead, through his daughter. We could use her to bring the family¡¯s business down, while at the same time crippling their finances so deeply that they will never recover anytime in the future. I just have the perfect person in mind for that, though it will be costly.¡± (Victor)
[[Later that night]] ¡°How nice to be doing business with you again Victor. What will it be this time?¡± (???) ¡°Thank you for agreeing to meet me at my home on such short notice. I wasn¡¯t sure if you had any other assignments you were working on. However, this is quite urgent you see, and I believe it will be rather profitable for you too.¡± (Victor) ¡°Why don¡¯t you say it, and I shall consider my odds. If the rewards are good enough, I¡¯m sure I will be more than happy to help out a regular client.¡± (???) ¡°I want ¨C no I NEED you to kidnap Nicole Varradon, the sole daughter of Revil Varradon. I will pay you 2 platinum coins for this assignment if it is successful. Hold the ransom at whatever price you see fit, just make sure to scar the girl for life. We will split the ransom money 50:50. However, if you manage to kill the mysterious mage that is under the employment of the Varradon family, I am willing to split the ransom at 80:20 in your favor. How¡¯s that sound?¡± (Victor) ¡°There must be something you are not telling me. For a simple kidnapping job, you are willing to fork out more money than you have ever offered me? What¡¯s the catch?¡± (???) ¡°How about 3 platinum coins instead of 2 and I don¡¯t answer that question? I just really need this job done. And of course, it must not be traced back to me. Varradon has many enemies; you can mislead the authorities to one of them for all I care.¡± (Victor) With a swift motion, the cloaked figure swung his arm and threw out a dart. The dart flew straight and true, piercing Dominick¡¯s neck, and within moments, Dominick fell to the ground, unconscious. ¡°You! What have you done?! Were you hired by Varradon already?!?¡± Victor yelled, panicking as he propped his son up on his bent knee. He did not bring any guards along because this was supposed to be a secret meeting. And even if he did, knowing this man, the guards would be no match for him. ¡°I don¡¯t need your paltry gold! I value my life over your rewards. Since you won¡¯t tell me what I am up against, I will be holding your son as collateral. The poison that coated the dart is a slow acting agent. It will slowly shut down vital organs in the body after 7 days. If I die on this mission, so will your son. If I deemed it too dangerous for myself, of course, I will abandon it, but I expect a payment for my efforts, or else your son dies too. If everything goes according to plan, I will be back within 5 days, long before the poison has any detrimental effects on the boy. Well whatever the case, I will be seeing you again soon.¡± (???) Without waiting for a response from Victor, the cloaked figure melded into the darkness and disappeared, with no trace of the meeting ever happening, except for the unconscious boy in Victor¡¯s arms. Victor brought his son home by himself that night, refused to explain what had happened to either his family or the servants. Laying his son on the bed, he just prayed that the man would be back, slowly regretting the decision he had made. Over the next 3 days, Kiefer constantly felt a presence hanging around Nicole and the Varradon household. The figure was obviously experienced in such espionage activities, only ever acting when there was no one around. He always kept a safe distance away from his target, and always out of sight, but never losing track. Kiefer, however, was not the least bit worried. Be it a frontal assault, or a sneak attack, magical or physical, he was confident in his ability to protect the family. He did, however have a glaring loophole which he had discovered inside one of the mines. He was highly susceptible to poisons. It was neither a magical nor physical attack, and he had very limited knowledge on poisons, of the world or even earth¡¯s. When handling the poison gas incident at the mines, Kiefer accidentally inhaled some and could instantly feel his muscles shutting down as paralysis took effect. He took countermeasures instantly, relying on his limited knowledge on poisons, and extensive knowledge on human biology. First using his orihalcom to form a wall to separate him from the poisonous gas diffusing from the inside of the mine, he then concentrated on purging the poison in his systems. Using his mana, he constricted blood flow to all muscles, while dilating the arteries leading to the liver and kidneys. Enhancing his heart, he quickly pumped the blood to the 2 organs, as they quickly and efficiently broke down the poison and removed the by products from the blood. Finally, when he was feeling better, he remodeled the orihalcom wall to add a large diameter tube leading out and above the mines, with fan blades in the tube that he rotated to siphon the gas out. He had already identified the cluster of animals inside the cave responsible for the poison gas and once the gasses were fumed out, he teleported in and enclosed the cluster of snakes inside a sealed orihalcom container. ¡°This job is more complicated than I predicted. My huge oversight is to blame though. I don¡¯t know if the enemy will use any form of poison to knock me or any of the family members out. I will just have to limit the food Nicole takes to sources that I can trust. I also need to come up with counter measures against gaseous agents.¡± (Kiefer) Wrecking through his brain, Kiefer kept trying to come up with wind spells that could possibly counteract gaseous deployment of poisonous agents. Thinking through it, he realized how little he knew about the anatomy and physiology of the creature that roamed this planet. Even if he could devise a way that doesn¡¯t affect him as a human from earth, it might not work for the humans from Aioa since they could be genetically different from him, as proven by the ridiculous heights of the people in this city. Finally, he decided to resort to the simplest method which would be able to at least buy him enough time to get them out of the dangerous situation with minimal damage. With the possibility of ingested poisons out of the way through careful inspection of food and drinks, Kiefer told Revil to assemble everyone in the family and key servants while blindfolded. It was late at night and the head of the household had gathered his family and some servants in the dining room. They were all wearing blindfolds, unsure of what was going on. Using his mana pulse, Kiefer confirmed that the stalker was not there before he proceeded with his duties. Moving along each member, Revil reassured them that nothing bad was happening and just told them to be very still. Kiefer proceeded to mold his red orihalcom metal into a frame that traced along each member¡¯s face, going above the nose bridge, below the eyes and the chin while covering the mouth entirely. From the frame, he made a small dome skeleton using the red metal, and sewn on a piece of highly absorbent fabric he had acquired beforehand from Revil. He had made a mask. Having done one for each member present and one for Revil, he brought Revil to the other room and taught him how to use it. ¡°Here, these bottles contain water¡± Kiefer said, handing over some small red bottles with a waterproof waxed parchments sealing the mouth. ¡°The mask and the water are for use in case of a poison gas attack. Anytime you suspect there¡¯s poison or smell something weird, puncture the parchment and soak the fabric of the mask with the water. Hold the mask firmly against your face and breathe through it. It may be difficult to breathe through it, but it will keep you alive long enough for me to save you. Now, explain it to your family while I join them and pretend to be part of the group.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Thank you Kiefer. This is ingenious; maybe I can mass produce something like this for my workers down in the mines. There¡¯s been quite a few Heinfrils reported in the area around the mines lately.¡± Revil replied with gratitude, and proceeded to explain to his family and Kiefer, how to use the masks. Ever since the precautions had been put into place, Kiefer could finally relax a little bit more. He was now in the carriage with Nicole on his way home from school. Kiefer was already prepared, sensing the presence on the roof of the building 3 blocks from where they were headed. The carriage was moving quite fast, the horses galloping through the empty street. Suddenly, the horses slumped over mid-trot and collapsed, as the carriage continued to roll over their lifeless bodies due to inertia. The reins still attached to the horses tugged on the carriage, causing it to fall over and abruptly come to a stop. The driver was flung forwards onto the stone pavement which Kiefer softened the landing with his mana threads coiled like soft springs. Similarly, he shielded Nicole within the carriage to prevent any external injuries, but she had passed out from the shock and concussion. The 2 unconscious bodies of a noble girl and her child butler came crashing through the carriage that was wrecked in the accident. The out of nowhere a man appeared from the shadows of a building and carried the 2 children away, back into the darkness of the alleyway.
[[Somewhere in the slums of Diantes]] Kiefer had been pretending to be unconscious this whole time, confirming Nicole¡¯s presence using his mana pulse. He waited for the man to stop moving them, and allowed the man to tie them both up to chairs, while securing a gag over his mouth. ¡°This man is thorough. He knew I was a mage from the observations in the school the past 3 days. Too bad he¡¯s in for a surprise.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Send a messenger to the Varradon family, tell them I¡¯ve kidnaped their daughter and I expect a ransom of 50 platinum coins in the next 2 days or I cut off one limb for everyday they are late.¡± Kiefer heard the assassin telling a messenger. Peeking through his eyelashes Kiefer saw that the man was busy preparing some tools, with his back facing the 2 unconscious children. Kiefer slowly undid the ropes tying him down to the chair using his mana threads, and then removed the gag from his mouth, trying not to think of how many other people¡¯s mouths that gag has been in without being washed. ¡°I better get this over before Nicole wakes up.¡± (Kiefer) Swiftly binding the kidnapper in silvery webs while muffling him, Kiefer turned the surprised kidnapper around, only to see his eyes widen even more. He quickly brought the kidnapper along with him into the silent streets, and took to the skies. He kept going until he was sure that he was high enough that no one could hear the man scream. ¡°Now then,¡± Kiefer said, looking at the terrified kidnapper. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what will happen if I even lose concentration for a moment, don¡¯t you?¡± Kiefer asked, suddenly dropping the man a meter or so, scaring him to his wits end. ¡°Which do you like better? Money or your life?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°You! How can you cast magic without chanting?!?¡± (Kidnapper) ¡°That¡¯s easy. I¡¯m special. Now, who hired you?¡± Kiefer simply replied, not intending to withhold any information since the man¡¯s fate was already decided. ¡°Just so you know, there is no use hiding anything from me. I can easily read your thoughts. I¡¯m just giving you a chance to redeem yourself.¡± Kiefer lied, knowing that he could say anything he wanted now. ¡°Shit¡­ can he really read my thoughts? What should I do now? I doubt he will let me keep my life.¡± The kidnapper thought, unknowingly showing the vivid expression of fear and uncertainty on his face. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Having spent quite some time growing up with his psychologist mother, Kiefer picked up quite a few tricks, such as cold reading and predicting expected outcomes. He did not miss out on the expression of the terrified man in front of him and smiled, knowing he¡¯s got the man right where he wanted, and can probably guess what he was thinking. ¡°Like I said, I can read your thoughts, so just answer my question. Maybe I will let you live.¡± Kiefer reiterated his point, making sure to keep it ambiguous so that the man did not know of his true inability. ¡°The- the Demico family head hired me. He was not happy with some business transactions that went down with the Varradon head.¡± The kidnapper lied while looking away from the intense stare of Kiefer. ¡°How stupid. I¡¯ve been staking out all of Varradon¡¯s enemies and clearly only Victor Trigent had an issue with Varradon as of recently. Looks like he doesn¡¯t value his life afterall.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Well, I guess you really didn¡¯t believe me after all. No use talking to you anymore, I¡¯ll just go find Victor myself.¡± (Kiefer) The man¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of Victor¡¯s name, confirming Kiefer¡¯s suggestion. He knew he had chosen wrongly, now thinking long and hard how to save his own skin. ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry! P-please! Let me go.. I¡ªhave money! I can pay you!¡± (Kidnapper) ¡°Typical. When they come to a dead end, they always try to wriggle out using money. Guess, I might as well get paid for my efforts.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Fine. How much do you offer in exchange for your life? If I find it satisfactory, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I- I have a pouch in my pocket. It¡ªit has all the gold I have earned. At- at least 50 platinum coins! Please take it all!¡± (Kidnapper) Using his mana rope, Kiefer fished out a leather pouch and inspected the contents. Indeed, there were quite a bit of platinum coins in it. Happy, Kiefer smiled, and pocketed the puch, and returned his gaze to the man. ¡°That¡¯s good. As promised, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Kiefer said, as he released his binding on the man, watching him scream as he plummeted to his death, crashing into one of the dirty streets in the slums. Kiefer then teleported back to the house Nicole was tied up in and brought her back home.
It was late at night when there was a knock on the door. The head of security had escorted a messenger to the main house where Revil had come to see what the commotion was. Receiving a letter, Revil broke the wax seal and read the contents. ¡°To the head of the Varradon household, I have in my captive your only daughter and her child butler. I expect a ransom amount of 50 platinum coins delivered to the first mine entrance on port road in 2 days, or I will sever one limb from your daughter for every day you are late. If you wish to have your daughter return in one piece, deliver the money alone and do not inform the authorities.¡± Seeing the house mana lamps turned on outside her door, Nicole made her way down the stairs, yawning and rubbing her eyes, still dressed in her pajamas. ¡°Daddy? Whats going on? Why is everybody still up?¡± She asked in a sleepy voice, not remembering what had transpired earlier that evening. ¡°It¡¯s nothing dear. Why don¡¯t you go back to sleep? You still have school tomorrow.¡± Revil replied, smiling and relieved. Meanwhile, Kiefer was standing in front of the Trigent household, in full armor. He had teleported there under the guise of the night, and bypassed the security at the gates. Kicking the door with his full strength, He sent one side of the twin doors flying to the back of the entrance lobby, with it landing between 2 spiral stairs. The commotion woke the entire family up, as Victor came rushing down, only to be greeted by the horror that is his worst nightmare. The masked mage that Varradon had hired. As he yelled for his guards, Kiefer blocked the entrance with his Orihalcom metal, and strolled towards Victor who was now shaking in his knees and at the verge of pissing himself. ¡°Your little game is up. I have killed the one you hired to kidnap the young lady. Just so you know, I¡¯ve been stalking him while he was out stalking the young girl and her butler. I know of the ¡®secret¡¯ meeting you had with him and so I also know the condition your son is in. Too bad for you, I have destroyed the antidote the man was carrying. Let your son¡¯s life be the price you pay for all the evil you¡¯ve commited thus far.¡± Kiefer paused, to let it sink in, watching as Victor collapsed to the floor in tears. ¡°I assure you, even if you manage to find a cure for your son with however much money you have at your disposal, I will continue to haunt you, and if Dominick survives, you won¡¯t. It¡¯s either your life or his. The number of lives you¡¯ve taken and ruined can only be paid back with a life of your own. Remember this for the rest of your life and know that you have to live, or die, by the decisions you made.¡± With that, Kiefer recalled his orihalcom metal that blocked the entrance and blew away the guards that were futilely hacking away at the red metal with their swords. He then teleported away, disappearing into thin air right in front of Victor. Life returned as usual for Nicole, and Kiefer continued to protect her, her family and their business from the shadows. Dominick had withdrawn from the school abruptly, leaving Nicole as the top magic student in the academy. The war outside the walls of the city waged on, with little to no repercussions in the city. Then one day, almost a week after the kidnapping incident, Kiefer suddenly ran out the classroom halfway through the class, making Nicole chase him. However, as she left the classroom, Kiefer was already nowhere to be found. Perplexed, Nicole apologized for the disruption and simply returned to her seat, still wondering what¡¯s gotten into the young boy. Kiefer was crouching behind one of the stables in the academy, looking intently into the sky while limiting his mana leakage to match a regular person¡¯s. His mana pulse during the class had detected a powerful being, approaching the city from the skies. The feedback was enormous, even greter than Sher or Isana. ¡°A titan.¡± Kiefer thought. ¡°must be Drigor, or maybe one of the avian titans decided to make a move?¡± Kiefer tried to conjecture the identity of the powerful being. He had stopped releasing his mana pulse and simply enhanced his eyesight as hard as he could, staring into the space that had sent the feedback. There, he saw a man, hooded in a khaki colored torn up cloak, descending from the skies while standing on what looked like a small sandstorm below his feet. The cloak barely fluttered as he moved at breakneck speeds towards the ground, in the direction of the Diantes palace. Taking a risk, praying he wouldn¡¯t be detected, Kiefer let loose a controlled pulse that barely covered the palace, and confirmed the location of the man. ¡°He¡¯s here. What is Drigor doing here in Diantes?¡± Kiefer questioned himself. The appearance of Drigor himself was one of his calculated possibilities, even though he pegged it as highly unlikely. He acted according to his predicated scenario, returning to class and apologizing to Nicole for his abrupt behavior. ¡°Now that Drigor is here, I don¡¯t need to keep up the farce anymore. There is no need to find this mysterious ¡®master¡¯ to get him to lead me to Drigor. Looks like I have 3 options now. Return to Arigan and wait for Isana, Sher and the 3 avian titans, stay here and keep observing Drigor, or go and find Isana and the rest on my own.¡± (Kiefer) Thinking long and hard, Kiefer decided to stay in Diantes, and maybe observe Drigor from afar. Isana mentioned that Drigor knows the location of every being that steps on his territory, so he was sure to know of Kiefer spying on him, even if he could not detect Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse. Kiefer concluded that the best action would be to just continue with this little butler play of his, and wait for another month or so till Isana and the rest returned to Arigan. It would be plain stupid to go search for the wandering titans on his own now, and since he had to wait for them to return to Arigan anyway, he would attempt to keep track of Drigor, maybe scout out his abilities. This way, there would be at least some useful information on the enemy he could share with the titans.
[[Somewhere in the palace]] ¡°The battle in the south against Fiora is yielding very little souls recently. They seemed to have come up with a way to hold off my undead army. I require more necromancers to overwhelm them. The more souls they slay in battle, the stronger I get. Are there any potential candidates for the necromancer academy this batch?¡± (Drigor) ¡°Yes Master. There are quite a few. There is a girl who has been garnering quite a lot of attention recently with her sudden rise in magical prowess. She and her butler both, are adept in 4 elements, and from the professor¡¯s report, they seemed to have larger mana pools than anyone in the academy. Their professor personally witnessed her casting up to 20 intermediate spells without breaking a sweat.¡± (Informant) ¡°Hmm, interesting, but girls are harder to convert into necromancers. It takes exponentially more effort if the magus is unwilling. Any other candidates?¡± (Drigor) ¡°A prominent family seemed to have recruited the services of a very talented mage. My reports show that he was able to fend off multiple sabotages on their family¡¯s business, even removing the threat of a pack of 10 Fientrals without a scratch on him or the victims.¡± (Informant) ¡°Keep going. I need more. I intend to send at least 10 more necromancers south. The more undead they call upon, and the more undead fall, the greater the souls I gain.¡± (Drigor) ¡°The military institute reports they have a knight who is skilled in swordsmanship and can use magic to enhance his body. His mana capacity is quite large as they say they¡¯ve seen him in enhancement mode for at least 20 hours in a stretch.¡± (informant) ¡°That¡¯s good. He¡¯s already a warrior and willing to serve his country. He would be the prime candidate so far.¡± (Drigor) The informant continued listing names and their potentials for the next 2 hours, with Drigor carefully screening and evaluating them. Finally, Drigor had heard the last of the candidates and planned his visits to the respective candidates over the next few days. Training a new batch of necromancers would only help in drawing the war out even longer, giving him more strength. Wanda was an unexpected windfall of power for him, and now he was even closer to his goal. He estimated another decade or 2 of collecting and he would finally be strong enough. Kiefer was still worried in the meantime, worried if his cover had been blown, or what he would do if Drigor decided to initiate an attack on him. He kept reasoning with himself that Drigor did not know of his existence and that the titan had no reason to attack him. Trying to reassure himself, Kiefer started to make plans for the future, accounting for the new changes he was facing. The next day, while he was in the middle of magic theory, Kiefer froze in his spot. Drigor had found him. Out of all the academies in all the districts in Diantes, Drigor was now standing within the academy that Nicole attended and making his way towards the classroom. He released a small mana pulse again to make sure he wasn¡¯t hallucinating, only to reconfirm his suspicions and fears. If a fight was to break out here, he was certain that collateral damage would destroy the entire city. Even then, he wasn¡¯t sure he could defeat Drigor on his own. That was the whole reason they had split up to recruit the other avian titans for help. As he stepped into the class, Kiefer saw the man he had seen in the sky the other day, except this time, he was clean shaven, and neatly dressed. The aura he emanated was terrifying, and only Kiefer seemed to have sensed it. Unknowingly, his fear was shown on his face and as he locked eyes with Drigor, Drigor smiled at him, taking confident strides towards him amongst all the other servants standing at the back of the room. ¡°Young man, you are quite something aren¡¯t you. None of the other students here are afraid of me, and yet, you seem terrified. Why is that so?¡± (Drigor) Kiefer swallowed a lump in his throat, visibly sweating as he did not dare break eye contact with the titan. Then, he timidly looked down, and then parted his lips, ready to give an answer.
Well, just a kind reminder, once again, on the 27th and 28th of october, I may not be releasing chapters for those days. I''m sorry guys, but Halo 5 takes priority. Next Chapter: The Return and the Development Chapter 2.10 - The Return and the Development While trip from Wanda¡¯s northern port took almost 3 months to complete, the return from Grandu was no more than a month. As per Kiefer¡¯s instructions, General Alwin led his ships to a new key location where Kiefer had hoped would be the perfect place to set up a new city. The city would be focused on trade and security, lying right along the coast at the southern Shearwood-Wanda borders. It shores were relatively safe, protected in a large deep water cove, perfect for anchoring down big transport ships. It lay right in between 2 major cities and was by the shore, only a month¡¯s travel by boat to 3 other major port towns including Grandu. Furthermore, the Border Mountains were just north of the city, making it easy for mining operations to be carried out. Throughout the past 4 months, King Ryul of Arigan had not been sitting back and doing nothing. He had already mentioned the intention of moving and starting up another country that would expose his people to interaction with many new races around Aioa. They had already begun transporting lumber, stone and metals from Arigan to the cove to get the port town started, with the intention of expanding it slowly into a full-fledged city. On board The Change, many things seemed different. The original white sails were gone, now replaced by the lightweight silver Arachne silk sails. The silk was stronger than steel, and yet, soft and flexible like real cotton fabric. Even the ropes on the frigate had been changed into Arachne silk ropes. Looking at the silver threads, it reminded General Alwin of Kiefer¡¯s mana threads. The Arachne were tired from the recent major overhaul, all suffering headaches from the recent large drain in their mana from creating the silk. As they rested in their quarters, the dwarves and high-elves kept the fleet going, some high elves tending to the exhausted Arachne. With the lack of manpower, Alwin decided it was best they slowed down and took it leisurely. The shore was already in sight and there was no real need to rush. The cove itself was almost 10km across, with cliffs overlooking the each side of the shoreline. The rest of the shore was lined with a white sandy beach for a few metres from the water line, and then it progressed into a lush green meadow atop a small hill. Over the months, the high elves had been constructing a port, awaiting the arrival of the Frigate. There was a stone bridge that extended from the meadows, over the beach and far out into the water. Several docking points were made as the bridge spread out in the water to form multiple jetties. As general Alwin approached the shoreline, he could see stone watch towers being constructed on both sides of the cove entrance. Bringing his fleet along, they entered the cove and docked in the port. He was finally almost home after a long 4 month trip. High elves that had been working on the construction of the watch tower had already spotted the 7 ships approaching the cove and had rushed to inform King Ryul. As the Ships dropped anchor, a crowd had already gathered on the edge of the meadow. Everybody was scrutinising the strange red and gold ships that had found their secret port and were worried about how to interact with the crew. However, their worries were alleviated when they saw their commanding officer General Alwin alight from the ship and step up to the stone jetty. Cheers immediately exploded in the crowd and it rang through the entire port town like a wave. News of Alwin¡¯s return spread so fast it would put epidemic spreads to shame. And within minutes, King Ryul was already walking down the stone bridge to welcome his General back. Rina was the first of the non-elves to step off the boat onto the jetty. Soon, everybody¡¯s eyes were glued to the horrifying beauty of a half goddess half spider creature that followed behind the elves. She towered over them at twice their height, crawling down the vertical side of the ship and then onto the jetty. Soon, with a wave of her hands, many more of her kind followed, carrying with them glittering silver sacks. What followed the Arachne were the short dwarves. The contrast in height was so drastic, some dwarves could be seen carrying cargo off the ship and walking below the tall Arachne¡¯s black bodies. General Alwin wasted no time at all, coordinating the transport of the cargo from the ship to the temporary stockpile that they had constructed swiftly on the beach. The high elves watched as more and more cargo from the 7 ships were unloaded and arranged neatly along the beach, covering a large area. King Ryul smiled as he watched the high elves at work, instructing the elves in the port to go help unload the ships. He was overwhelmed at the success of this mission. Not only did Alwin fulfil his quota, he even brought back extra ships and enough materials to complete the town. The King¡¯s secretary and advisor recorded all the materials brought in, and quickly did a rough estimate. He then informed the king that with the added manpower from the non-elves, and the surplus of materials, there would be enough to erect temporary lodgings and amenities for all 8000+ high elves in Arigan to move in by the end of the season. General Alwin approached the King at the far end of the stone bridge, just beyond the meadow. Seeing the king beaming at his own son¡¯s triumphant return, Alwin instructed his first mate, the prince of Arigan to greet his father, as he knelt down in front of his king. ¡°My king, your loyal subject has returned, and the prince is safe. We have had a rather eventful journey and have formed friendly relationships with a few non-human races. They offer us their skills and services to build up our new country, and in return, we shall provide them with a home and security.¡± (Alwin) ¡°That¡¯s very well done General. Please, rise from your feet. Are we not old friends? There¡¯s no need to stand to formalities with me, not after how much you¡¯ve given me and done for me. This is by far your greatest achievement and an even greater contribution to our new country. Tell me though; did you not leave with one ship? How did you have enough funds to purchase 6 more and enough cargo to fill them all?¡± (Ryul) ¡°We met with some kind ¡®Donors¡¯ who easily surrendered over their fleet to us in exchange for their lives. We would have to thank Lord Kiefer for this. Had it not been for his teachings, we might not have fared so well against the pirate fleet.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Kiefer? Lord Kiefer? Hey! How do you know that boy?!¡± Buffon interjected as he overheard the mention of Kiefer¡¯s name while passing by the General while moving his own cargo on a cart. However, seeing General Alwin kneeling before an extravagantly dressed high elf, he immediately realised the situation he was in and immediately knelt down himself. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry your highness. It¡¯s just I overheard the name of an acquaintance of mine in your previous conversation. Might I ask how you are related to Kiefer?¡± (Buffon) ¡°Please stand dwarf. Any friend of Kiefer¡¯s is a friend of the high elves. And you too Alwin, how long are you going to keep kneeling? What is your name Dwarf?¡± (Ryul) ¡°His name is Buffon. He is a leader of sorts for the dwarves. He introduced them to me when we met by chance in Grandu. His friends helped quite significantly when we were remodelling the ships. Were it not for the dwarves¡¯ help and skills, we would not have been able to get the Arachne girls off Grandu to come help us build our city.¡± (Alwin) ¡°Well done Alwin. Right now we need all the manpower we could get. And Mister Buffon, Lord Kiefer is the husband of elder titan Isana and master of titan Shearwood. He approached us and promised to restore the high elves to their former glory. As you can see, this trip was planned by Kiefer himself. Unfortunately though, he is now away on a personal trip and have yet to inform as to when he is expected to arrive.¡± (Ryul) ¡°Wait what? I¡¯m sorry. Could you repeat that? I might have heard wrongly. Kiefer is married to the titan Isana? And he is titan Shearwood¡¯s master? I think we may be thinking of different people here. The Kiefer I knew was a young man with black hair and he uses voiceless incantations and some sort of weird magic. And also, high elves!?! They are supposed to have gone extinct at the hands of the humans centuries ago. How is it that there are so many of you left?¡± (Buffon) ¡°Yes that is in fact our lord Kiefer. I believe we are referring to the same person. He is human and he uses a weird magic not even us high elves have seen before. As for the issue with our existence, it was hidden from the world by a powerful barrier that Elder titan Isana had erected to hide us. However, with Lord Kiefer¡¯s help, we are now ready to re-emerge and face the world.¡± (Ryul) Buffon was now still trying to recover from the overload of information that King Ryul had just provided. He had not expected Kiefer to become so powerful so quickly. The last news he heard was that Kiefer had died on a highly dangerous mission sent by the Alluviate royal academy. Never in his life would he think that Kiefer would actually be acquainted to multiple titans, and even be responsible for the rise of the high elves. With the conversation quickly coming to an end and with loads of work still needing to be done, Buffon excused himself and made haste to load his carriage with his small cargo load. As much as he wanted to stay with the high elves and wait for Kiefer, he unfortunately had to make his way to Rashael as quickly as possible. Bidding the elves and his brother dwarves farewell, Buffon hurriedly made his way across the eastern Alluviate plains where he remembered being attacked by a large scale magic spell. The red and gold fleet had docked at the cove close to sunset, and the men and women in the port town worked through the night, excited by the arrival of their commanding general. By morning, all 7 ships of the frigate were floating peacefully in the water, with their cargo holds completely empty. The residents of the port town all took the chance after work to rest, while General Alwin remained vigilant, finally walking around the port and having a good look at it in the daylight. Most buildings were made of lumber, only serving as temporary structures until the real materials are brought in from Grandu and processed. It had been decided that the king, along with most of the royal family will be staying in Arigan, hidden by the barrier and safe, while this new city will be run by the first prince, guided by General Alwin. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. According to Kiefer, the world he came from had glass buildings that extended several hundred metres into the sky. It seemed impossible, but from the schematics that Kiefer had described, it started to seem plausible. After all, even without this other worldly knowledge, the high elves had developed buildings up to 7 floors high with the help of magic. As he flipped through the guide book that Kiefer had instructed him to write, the first step would be to crush stones and sand to make something called concrete, which Kiefer described as rock walls with no fixed forms. And to do that, they needed to establish blacksmiths to create steel grinders and crushers, along with something called steel I-beams. As he walked to the entrance of the port town leading to Arigan, he saw more high elves streaming in, and he thought about the future of his city and his race. Kiefer had refused to use his knowledge to teach them weapons from his world, and instead had been adamant on improving their infrastructure and agriculture. It would seem that the defence of his new city would still be left to him, his soldiers and their advantage in magical knowledge.
[[Elsewhere on the far west coast of the main continent]] ¡°Heeeyy¡­. Sanaaa¡­. Are we there yet???¡± (Fiora) ¡°Almost. Why can¡¯t you be quiet like Sher? You¡¯ve been asking me that every 30 minutes for the past 2 days.¡± (Isana) Floating through the air, barely a few metres above the sea water was 2 figures. One flaming hot while the other was ice cold. They had been making their way over the sea towards Luna province, to the special magic zone on the island off the coast of Luna. Sher was tucked away in Isana¡¯s hair snoozing and on the verge of hibernating from the cold aura Isana was putting out to counteract Fiora¡¯s heat. Fiora was floating in the air with flames licking her feet as she had conjured up her phoenix flames on her soles to help her fly. She was still hugging the cold Feni statue that Kiefer had made, at times looking at it with feverish eyes. Everytime Isana saw that, she would shake in her boots because those were the very same eyes that Fiora used to look at her with. Glad that the attention was now on the statue, Isana decided to ignore Fiora, silently glad that the inappropriate advances on her were finally over. The island was almost as wide as Fiora¡¯s Volcano and Shearwood¡¯s lake. Similar to the volcano and the lake water, due to the presence of a titan, the entire surroundings had been saturated with the titan¡¯s mana. The demi humans had built an academy here that could be accessed through a small port located on the west of the island. Here, humans and demi humans alike could train their magic skills, with an academy set up solely for that purpose. Of course, the course fees for humans or anyone not native to Luna were exorbitantly high. The academy was after all the major source of income for Luna¡¯s national treasury. The enhanced mana surroundings allowed for mages practicing magic here to recover their mana at a much higher rate, and it was even higher when Luna was up and about at night. In the middle of the academy that was surrounded by thick forests, was the highest tower. On the highest tower was the resting room for the Avian titan Luna. Luna was one that did not care much about the conflict amongst the lesser beings of Aioa. She had no issues with the demi humans and humans alike using her mana to replenish their own. ¡°We might as well take our time to get there Fiora. Luna doesn¡¯t come out till night and there is no way you will be able to walk on her island without burning anything. So I¡¯d say we just slowly make our way there and at sunset, we will fly up to her room to meet her.¡± (Isana) ¡°Ok fine..¡± Fiora pouted like a teenage girl. ¡°I¡¯m so bored.¡± ¡°Well if you are so bored, why don¡¯t you try learning how to control your own temperature. Its such a hassle to bring you around. I¡¯m only doing this because Kii asked me to. If it were not for him, I would have frozen your whole mountain into a block of ice with you inside it.¡± (Isana) ¡°Ehhh.. but that¡¯s boring. Besides, ever since the power upgrade from Wanda, I¡¯ve been able to control my flames so I don¡¯t burn anyone, but then that would be no fun. And I wouldn¡¯t have gotten this Fox girl statue if Kiefer had known that I could control it.¡± (Fiora) At that statement, Isana came to a stop and glared at Fiora. Fiora too stopped, wondering why Isana seemed so mad. Sher, sensing the intensity between the 2 titans growing, shot out of Isana¡¯s hair, floating a distance away and observing the fire and ice duo. ¡°YOU SELFISH BRAT!¡± Isana roared as she suddenly froze Fiora up to the next, encasing her body in a block of ice that despite Fiora¡¯s heat did not melt. Fiora had not been expecting the attack, so did not put up any sort of real defence beforehand. Isana then stopped right in front Fiora and swung her arms, as a loud smack ran through ocean. ¡°Listen up you stupid bird. I¡¯ve been tolerant of your little antics up till now but let me remind you that you stand no chance against me.¡± Isana growled at the shocked Fiora that was just slapped. ¡°I am trying to avenge my sister here and even my husband is giving it his all, risking his life for my motives. If you EVER, hide any of your abilities from us again, and in doing so endanger my mission, so help me god, I will pluck every little burning feather on your body and encase you in an everlasting ice to showcase for the entire of Aioa to see. Do you understand me?!?!! (Isana) Fiora gulped, and furiously nodded. She had never seen Isana so mad before. She just looked deeply into Isana¡¯s shining green eyes and started tearing up, taking her all just to hold back the tears. ¡°Now stop making things difficult for all of us and control your flames! We will get to the island as quickly as possible and set up a small camp there to rest. Dammit girl, if you had just controlled your flames earlier, we could¡¯ve arrived so much earlier and I wouldn¡¯t have to spend so much mana counteracting your fire. Now give me that toy!¡± Isana bellowed, snatching the Feni statue out of Fiora¡¯s hands as she undid the ice, and threw the statue into her PD, before racing across the ocean surface towards the island on the horizon. Sher and Fiora chase after her, and Sher could barely make out a word that Fiora muttered, while sobbing and sniffing. Telepathically, Sher reached out to Isana. ¡°Sana sis. Slow down. Isn¡¯t our speed already sufficiently fast? Besides, Fiora is crying right now, she said she¡¯s sorry.¡± Responding to her telepathic message, Isana reduced her speed, allowing the 2 titans to catch up, one still visibly crying. Isana could see that Fiora was now controlling her heat as her tears were not evaporating, simply rolling down her cheeks into the sea. Isana just looked and Fiora with eyes that spelt anger, still not having forgiven Fiora. Fiora took one look at Isana¡¯s eyes and shirked away, trying to avoid eye contact. Looking down at the sea, eyes clouded by her own tears, she managed to mutter an apology, barely loud enough for Isana to hear. After that commotion, there was an awkward silence hanging around the trio for the rest of the day. They could hear spells going off in the distance from the middle of the island as mages from all over the world who were rich enough to attend the academy were practicing their skills. Flying past the lesser beings, the 3 titans arrived at the top of the tower just after nightfall, and floated outside Luna¡¯s window, waiting for her to let them in. As soon as the pale blue crescent moon rose and showed itself from behind the cream white moon, Luna arose from her slumber. A young girl, who looked no older than Fiora came out to the window and greeted the 3 titans. ¡°Ah... welcome to my home, big sister Isana and Fiora, and little Sher. Please, come in and sit down.¡± Luna said calmly and quietly, opening the large windows for the 3 titans to enter her room. Isana and Fiora were seated on 2 chairs, with Sher hanging on Isana¡¯s head as usual. They were facing the titan of darkness. The young girl had jet black hair that seemed to absorb light from the surroundings, making the whole place look dim. Like the other female titans, she had pale skin, flawless like Isana, and had black fathers growing on her forearms. Her body features were similar to Fiora¡¯s except the chest which was large enough to almost match Isana¡¯s. Dressed in shroud of smoky darkness, the apparel did not seem to have any fixed form, and yet at times, seemed to line her body and trace an elegant figure of a young voluptuous girl. As Fiora kept staring at her sister¡¯s chest in jealousy, and looked up in response to Luna¡¯s words. ¡°Well my dear sisters. What have you travelled such a long distance for and how may I help you?¡± (Luna)
Sorry folks, I know this is rather late and I now owe you guys an extra chapter. Not gonna make any excuses, I had kind of been lazing around the whole day not doing anything. just didn''t get the motivation to get this out. It''s rare, but it does happen. one of my off days. Hope you''ll forgive me. But anyways, since we are still on the topic about it, in the future, if I do end up not delivering the chapter for the day, it means I will be releasing 2 on the next day. so regardless of my speed, it will still average out to be about 1 per day on weekdays and 2 per day on weekends. Next Chapter: The Student and The Reunion Chapter 2.11 - The Student and the Reunion This took longer than I expected to complete. I tried changing my style of writing, adding a little more description as requested by some of you. had difficulty switching styles but its finally done. please enjoy and do let me know how you feel about my new writing style.
¡°Old man! What are you doing to my Kiefer!?!¡± Nicole exclaimed as she turned Kiefer around and hugged him, shielding him from Drigor. When she had seen the young child shaking in his shoes when confronted by the strange man that just entered the classroom, she immediately ran over to protect him, pouting her lips while glaring at him. ¡°Hmm? And who might you be, young lady?¡± Drigor asked, amused at the child¡¯s over-protectiveness, smiling sweetly at Nicole. ¡°I¡¯m Nicole Varradon, and this is my butler! He¡¯s only 13 years old; of course he will be afraid when some strange old man just suddenly approaches him!¡± Nicole reprimanded him, having no trouble at all rebutting the Titan, even if she did not know his identity. Her father was a prominent figure in the city and she was by far the top student in the academy. She was sure many people would support her back. ¡°I see.¡± Drigor muttered, while stroking his chin where his now non-existent beard used to be. ¡°You are the little genius my informant has been singing praises about. Indeed, you do seem to have a greater aptitude for magic than most people, and your little butler is not far behind you too.¡± ¡°So what? What do you want old man? And who are you anyway?¡± Nicole kept interrogating Drigor, still unafraid of him. She was too preoccupied with protecting Kiefer that she had failed to notice her professor fretting and breaking out in cold sweat, for he knew exactly who the man was. He was the only teacher in the necromancy academy in the palace, the one and only mysterious ¡°Master¡±. ¡°Well now now. Calm down young lady, you are quite a feisty one aren¡¯t you? I have a name, but for now, you may call me Master. I am here to cordially invite you and your butler to attend the necromancy academy in the royal palace. You do not need to give me and answer now, but if you do end up deciding that you want to become my student, meet me at the south gate of the palace at sunrise 5 days from now. It¡¯s perfectly fine not to come too.¡± Drigor smiled kindly, approaching the 2 children to pat their heads, but only to have Nicole move away from him while still hugging Kiefer. Seeing that the children are still wary of him, he simply gave up on the notion of sensing their mana levels through physical contact and turned to leave the classroom. At that, the professor hurried chased after him, and could be seen frantically bowing his head repeatedly, apologising for Nicole¡¯s behavior. Drigor laughed heartily and wave his hands, indicating that he did not feel insulted, but instead mentioned how impressed he was at the girl¡¯s bravery. News of Master¡¯s invitation spread by word of mouth through the school, and soon the whole school was talking about it, discussing whether Nicole should join the necromancer academy or not. Personally, Chrisse was against the idea, knowing full well that not only would she lose her only friend in school, but also afraid that her dear friend would be throwing her life away when she eventually joins the war. That evening, as Nicole and Kiefer returned to their home, they were greeted by Revil at their doorstep. However, Revil seemed to have a frown plastered on his face, brows knitted and the edges of his mouth curves slightly downwards. And yet, it did not seem like he was mad, but instead a tired and worried look. It would seem that the news of Master¡¯s approach had reached his ears and he had been tormented by a decision he could not come to. Sitting the 2 children down on a lofty sofa in the lounge, Revil pulled up two more chairs in front of the children. He seated himself nervously in one of them as they awaited the arrival of his wife. Kiefer had only seen the wife once in all his time working in for the family. He had gathered that the Wife held a position even higher than Revil Varradon himself and that it was Revil that had married into the Varradon family, choosing to adopt their last name. While Revil was the face of the Varradon mining conglomerate, it was his wife that would be shut behind closed doors, making important judgement calls and business transactions. Revil was simply the messenger and poster boy of the whole operation. It had been Charlene¡¯s grandfather that made the important life changing decision to switch from manufacturing to mining operations many decades back that had carried the Varradon family to this day. Kiefer heard a door creak open in the upper floors of the mansion, and slowly but surely, footsteps rang through the empty building and it came down the stairs, heading for the lounge. Kiefer watched, as a woman, only a little taller than Nicole made her way across the lounge and seat herself on the only empty chair in their circle. Charlene Varradon, the key decision maker of the house had short blonde shiny hair, ending just above her shoulders. Her skin contrasted her hair, tan and matt, and yet smooth without any flaws on her face. Her long eyelashes seemed to steal the limelight away from her blue eyes and pale pink lips. There was almost no emotion on her face, so much so that even Kiefer who had studied his mother¡¯s psychologist skills had a difficult time reading her. ¡°What a good poker face,¡± Kiefer thought as he grimaced, still trying to read the lady. ¡°She must have had so many years of practice, it¡¯ll be best not to try to read her.¡± Kiefer watched intently, as her pale lips parted, and she initiated the conversation, still without an ounce of emotion on her face, deeply contrasting the troubled look Revil had. ¡°So Nicole,¡± she paused, and waited for Nicole to give her full attention. ¡°What do you plan to do with your life?¡± ¡°Honey, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too far ahead? She¡¯s only a child, I don¡¯t think she knows where she¡¯ll be headed¡± Revil interjected, not waiting for Nicole to answer. Kiefer, just kept silent, watching the family discussion going on. ¡°Shush Revil. Let the girl talk. We can decide if she¡¯s ready or not later.¡± Charlene quipped back at Revil, and then turning back to face Nicole, giving a small nod to signal that it¡¯s ok to answer. ¡°I¡¯m not sure mum. But I think I want to help you run the mines. I can use magic to protect our workers and help the business grow.¡± Nicole replied enthusiastically, excited that she could finally have a chance to be involved in the family business. ¡°And what if you had the chance to help your city? What if you were presented with an opportunity to end the war and make it safe for all the families living in Diantes. Would you take it?¡± Charlene asked, now with a serious expression on her face, her brows twitching a little as if it was difficult for her to ask that question. ¡°NO-¡° Revil interrupted, but quickly shut his mouth and stared at the floor between his feet. Kiefer on the other hand, was laughing internally. He was amused at the sight of how powerless Revil was and how he had absolutely no say in this conversation. ¡°War? No I don¡¯t like that. I don¡¯t want to kill people. I don¡¯t like to make enemies. I don¡¯t want to be away from you and daddy.¡± Nicole answered, at which Revil immediately let out a huge audible sigh. ¡°But you will also make enemies when running our family business. And if you are going to take an active role in protecting our workers, you may even have to kill people who threaten our business.¡± (Charlene) ¡°Yes but at that time, I¡¯ll have you and Daddy and Kiefer and Uncle Amestin by my side. So I think I¡¯ll be ok.¡± Nicole replied without hesitation, smiling widely. ¡°That¡¯s good enough honey. You must be tired. Why don¡¯t you head on to your room? I¡¯ll have Dorianne bring some refreshments to your room.¡± Charlene chimed back to Nicole, also beaming at her daughter¡¯s decision. As soon as Nicole left the lounge and the doors shut behind her, Charlene turned her head sharply from the door to Kiefer, her attitude turning a full round. ¡°Now your turn, Kiefer. I¡¯ll say this now, I do not appreciate you lying and deceiving my daughter. But you still have my thanks for keeping her safe and keeping my business running. I may not be a mage, but I know full well how powerful you are. Now that you have been invited to the necromancer academy, which was your goal, what would you do? Leave my daughter and break her heart, making her watch you leave and go out to war?¡± Charlene asked in a low voice, without showing the slightest hint of wariness in front of Kiefer. ¡°Unfortunately, I will have to take up the master on his offer, of course, as Kiefer the butler. I assume he would be coming around the house soon to ask about the prodigy magus you¡¯ve hired to protect your mines, but you only need to inform him that you do not know of a way to contact the mage.¡± Kiefer replied firmly, smiling widely, showing that he was glad they were finally able to have a serious discussion. ¡°And what if he refuses to give up? Then what?¡± Charlene pursued Kiefer with follow-up questions, frowning visibly as she did not like his plan at all. ¡°Then he would just have to wait for as long as he can. I can already tell you outright, from his personality I¡¯ve observed today, he likes to get up and personal when handling things. So if you persist long enough, he is most certainly going to attack one of your mines to draw the mage out. When that happens, I will simply turn down his offer and hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t get overzealous in his attempt to recruit me.¡± Kiefer reassured the Varradon couple. ¡°Very well then. Putting that aside, how are you going to break the news to Nicole? She¡¯s grown quite attached to you. You are like a little brother she never had and I must admit you¡¯ve played your role pretty convincingly. If you move to the royal academy, I¡¯m almost certain she would follow you to protect you.¡± (Charlene) ¡°That, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m no stranger to breaking off relationships abruptly, but I¡¯ll be sure to break it to Nicole as smoothly and gently as possible.¡± Kiefer once again reassured Charlene, while showing no form of concrete evidence or even a basic plan for the future. Seeing Kiefer being ambiguous and not being truthful, Charlene just gave up and decided to trust Kiefer. After all, he had kept up his end of the bargain thus far and he has yet to show them any definitive reason for distrust. With that, the meeting was adjourned and Kiefer left the mansion once more to tour the mines. Almost as if Kiefer could see into the future, there was a visit from Drigor to their mansion the next day while Kiefer and Nicole were out at school. Drigor was till there by the time evening came around and only left long after nightfall. He kept visiting the household for the next few days, finally, once more just like Kiefer had predicted, caused trouble at one of the Varradon mines. Moving the ground like it was one of his limbs, Drigor caused a simple cave-in in one of the more sparsely populated mines and sensed a powerful being approaching the mines at astonishing speeds. Within seconds from the cave in, Kiefer approached the mine entrance in full armour and chanted a spell for multiple water-balls, launching it at the earthen wall that Drigor had conjured up to trap the miners inside. Drigor watched from high up in the air as the masked mage continuously kept up a mana intense water spell to soften the earthen wall into mud and continued with the spell to eventually wash the mud away, freeing the miners. He then watched as the miners came running out of the mine, the masked mage turn to him and fire off multiple ice arrows in his direction. Kiefer kept firing the ice shards at Drigor as he watched the titan zig zag his way through the air towards him, occasionally swatting the incoming shards back at Kiefer. Kiefer had trouble keeping his eyes on the ever elusive titan, observing the man dodge all his attacks nimbly and easily, before finally appearing on the ground in front of him. Kiefer felt the ground move and allowed himself to be captured by the titan. The ground had risen and swallowed Kiefer up to the neck. It was not as if Kiefer could not break out, it was just that he had to keep his abilities limited and within human realms. He did not wish to reveal his true strength to his enemy, nor did he want to raise the suspicion of the titan by easily breaking out of a spell that the titan had used. Kiefer saw Drigor smile, as if satisfied with his abilities. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Boy, I congratulate you for even spotting me in the first place. Not many humans are able to pin point me so quickly. I can see that you do not wish to converse, so I¡¯ll make this very simple. If you wish to learn from me and train to become a necromancer in one of the most prestigious schools in the City, meet me 2 days from now at sunrise in front of the south gate of the palace. And also, congratulations on that wonderful set of armor. I can¡¯t even begin to fathom how much you must have spent to have that set crafted for you. Nonetheless, it will be useful in the future when you serve the country and help take part in the war.¡± Drigor explained calmly, before burrowing into the ground and disappearing. Kiefer was relieved he did not need to speak, afraid his voice could give his identity away, even if Drigor had not directly heard him speak before. Sending out a mana pulse, he could sense Drigor travelling quickly underground, as if he was swimming in the ground, away from the mine. Relieved that his cover had not been blown, Kiefer ran back to the Varradon mansion on foot, still certain that Drigor was tracking his movement. As such, he could not afford to take to the skies until he was sure Drigor¡¯s attention was elsewhere. He sprinted along the port road so quickly that most ordinary merchant and miners on the path only felt the wind rushing in behind him, and yet could not see that phantom that had sped past them. That night, just after the family was done with dinner, Kiefer escorted Nicole back to her room as Revil made a beeline for his study and Dorianne started assigning jobs to the remainder of the servant. He watched as Nicole plopped herself down on the soft bed preparing to revise the magic theory lesson that she had learnt today. On normal occasions, Kiefer would shut the door behind him as he left, but tonight, he remained in her room and fidgeted uneasily while casting slight glances at Nicole, waiting for her to notice him. ¡°Hmm? Kiefer? What¡¯s wrong? Why haven¡¯t you gone to report to Dorianne?¡± Nicole asked quietly, afraid the other servants would know Kiefer was slacking off. ¡°Actually, milady¡­ there¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you.¡± Kiefer paused briefly to raise the suspense. ¡°I¡¯ve actually made plans to move to Shearwood. I¡¯ll be moving tomorrow morning. My uncle is waiting for me there and Master Revil has kindly arranged for a transport with a merchant group. I am to meet the group at the mines tomorrow.¡± Kiefer watched as Nicole dropped the book that was in her hands. She was already on the verge of crying, tears barely hanging on the edge of her eyes. As she opened her mouth to speak, Kiefer interjected, not allowing her to say anything that would disallow him from leaving. ¡°My uncle is my only family left. I know it is sudden, but I did not know how to tell you. You have been like a big sister to me. You taught me so many things and I really enjoyed learning magic with you. But I can protect myself now, just as you can yourself. I really hope you will allow me to leave.¡± Kiefer spoke calmly but firmly, unfitting of a 13 year old boy. Nicole, let her tears roll down her cheeks, but after a moment of contemplation, she simply nodded. She know she had taken him in on a whim, she had grown attached to him, but knew that he probably didn¡¯t feel at home here with her being the only one that pays attention to him. Taking a deep gulp, and sniffing loudly, she managed to ask one final question. ¡°But, can I at least see you off? I know I will be late for school, but you are more important.¡± Nicole managed to squeeze the question out in between her sobs. ¡°Kiefer smiled softly, went up to her and gave her a tight hug, and softly whispered into her ear, ¡°Of course. That would make me really happy.¡± Finally releasing Kiefer from her embrace, Nicole no longer had any mood to study and instead lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, reminiscing the moment she met the young boy, how he had protected her from Dominick, how they had learnt magic together and finally the moment when he told her he would be leaving. The images and memories kept replaying inside her head as she continued to sob silently, eventually crying herself to sleep. The next morning, Kiefer packed a small luggage he had received from Revil and together with Nicole and her father walked to the city gate leading to the port road. They chose to walk instead of taking a carriage to spend more time together, but the trip remained silent as the 3 people took slow steps under the moonlight. Finally reaching the gates, the sun had begun to rise as Kiefer turned to father and daughter pair and prepared to say his final farewells. Nicole¡¯s eyes were red, having cried herself to sleep and continued crying when she woke. Walking up to her hand hugging her again, Nicole embraced the warmth of the little boy whom she had grown so attached to. He finally whispered into her ear, ¡°I will miss you, but I¡¯ll be with you¡± before letting go. Kiefer pulled out a small red circular token with numerous tiny patterns on it. It was smaller than his palm, but looked even smaller in Nicole¡¯s. Strung through the red metallic token, was a single silver strand that glimmered in the sun. It was so thin it was almost invisible except for tiny flashes as it reflected the sun¡¯s rays. Kiefer had spent the entire night formulating the rune and finally moulding it using orihalcom. He used a thin strand of mithril thread, thinner than his hair and yet stronger than any rope of thread to make it into a necklace. The rune was designed to project a single layer of mana armour around Nicole¡¯s body, similar to his own mana armour. It was strong enough to protect her from most projectiles such as arrows or thrown weaponry. It would dampen the damage from melee weapons striking her body significantly enough that she would escape from grievous injury. Handing it to her, he spoke softly, ¡°Keep this on you at all time. This is a token to remember me by and you will find that when you need me the most, I will be there to protect you.¡± Finished with his farewell, he gave Revil a firm handshake and left the city gates, leaving behind his temporary family at his back. He walked briskly along the port road, with the sun shining from his back as if to highlight his departure. Before long he was out of sight from the 2 in the city, and yet the girl kept looking into the distant road, rooted to the spot the young boy had left her. Strung around her neck and hidden beneath her shirt was the scarlet token that reminded her of the boy and the enjoyable time she had with him.
Kiefer made sure he was a fair distance from the city before checking his surroundings for anybody using his mana pulse. Confirming that Drigor was sticking around, Kiefer equipped his armour and headed to the mines to make his rounds for the day. As always, he checked each and every mine swiftly but thoroughly, making sure to teleport away just as anyone spotted him. By midday, Kiefer had finished his rounds and decided to take a breather in the woods. He took off his armour and sat down on a fallen log deep inside the forest away from the main road. This forest separated the city from the port and had many mines dug around in it all nearby the main port road. It was crawling with wildlife as ascertained by his mana pulse, most of which choose to steer clear of human activities. And then, unexpectedly, Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse picked up 10 familiar life forms. All of them were stationary, and following the feedback from the pulse, Kiefer was led to a small cave further south inside the forest. The cave was dimly lit, and without any ventilation, it was humid. Kiefer approached the 10 animals still snoozing away. Then as one of them picked up his scent, it alerted the rest and they came rushing out to fend off their cave from the human intruder. Unfortunately for them, when they reached the entrance, their worst nightmare was standing in front of them, blocking their only escape route. As Kiefer scrutinised each of them under the poor lighting, he noticed that the leader of the pack seemed to have the crystals on the back of its neck crushed and somehow regrown. Seeing how obedient they were, Kiefer finally remembered one certain Fientral that escaped his stomach as he boarded a buff blonde lady man¡¯s merchant ship in Shearwood. It crystals at the back of its neck was similarly crushed when Isana held and carried them by the scruffs. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Kiefer questioned menacingly, staring straight at the leaders eyes. The Fientral nodded obediently, still afraid to lock eyes with Kiefer for anything longer than a few seconds. It was constantly breaking eye contact and returning to gaze at Kiefer. ¡°Good. Since you understand me, I need you to do something for me, or else I will do to you what I did to your brother.¡± Kiefer threatened, and waited for the Fientral to nod its head once more. ¡°Go back to the mines you attacked a few days back. I want you to guard the mines and obey the humans working there. Protect them in my stead and when we meet again, I will give you something that will make you stronger than you ever could be.¡± Kiefer ordered, smiling at the Fientral. Instantly, the leader barked out orders to the group and they rushed out of the cave, brushing past Kiefer¡¯s legs. Kiefer followed them to the mines and then calmed down the miners who had thought the Fientrals were back to attack again. After a quick explanation and a lengthy session of hand shaking, Kiefer departed from the mines back to the cave the pack was occupying. Casting a wind spell, Kiefer quickly made the cave more comfortable and spent the rest of the day and night in the cave, waking up early the next morning to depart for the south gate of the palace. Once again, he flew through the air after confirming Drigor¡¯s position inside the palace, landing within the slums and then walking the rest of his way to the palace gates. As Kiefer approached the palace gates, he slowed down to a halt and observed the one other person waiting at the gates. The man was dressed in a familiar full plate armour, a head taller than he was and was standing at attention facing the gates away from him. As the man slowly turned around to inspect his surroundings for the elusive ¡®master¡¯, Kiefer¡¯s mind stopped working. It was Varn. He seemed more haggard, with an unshaven look, but always vigilant as ever. Eyes were sharp and chest out proudly. Kiefer had to reconsider his plans now. Varn would instantly recognise him if he went as the butler, so his only option now was to equip his armour and hide his face and voice. Fortunately, his armour now looked completely different from when he went on the mission with Varn, with the added orihalcom. However, just to play it safe, Kiefer decided to change the shape of his mask, adding 2 horns that grew from each side of his mask that went backwards, made a complete U-turn downwards and ended with the tips of the devil¡¯s horns facing the front, slightly pointing up. Confident in his disguise, he walked up to the old veteran and waited next to him for more candidates and of course, the ¡®Master¡¯. Varn looked at the devil look alike and did not interact with him, choosing to keep to himself. They waited until the sun rose, and finally Drigor showed himself, slightly frowning that there weren¡¯t more students. As the guards made way for Drigor, Kiefer and Varn both faced the approaching ¡®master¡¯ and stood still. Standing just beyond the palace gates, Drigor stretched his arms out wide and loudly welcomed them. ¡°Well what are you waiting for? Welcome! To the royal palace of Diantes! Come on step inside my students. I shall guide you personally on the path to being a great mage, and an even greater necromancer.¡±
BEE-TEE DUBS, I still owe you guys 3 chapters so keep an eye out for them. Chapter 2.12 - The recollection and the Remorse I feel i keep doing this recently. But fret not, I''ve finally gotten my head back into gear. Hence, sorry for the delay. there shouldn''t be any more delays anytime soon.
He was still a child. I did not know him for long, but it was almost as if I¡¯ve had known him all my life. Only a young man and his life already forfeited. Despite the short amount of time we¡¯ve spent, I¡¯ve come to think of him as my son. They say a parent shouldn¡¯t have to watch their children die, and yet, I watched helplessly as he disappeared right in front of my eyes. In the end, our elite task force failed the mission, even though the rampages stopped. We could not find the perpetrators for the mass murders of the border villages and even then, we still lost one of our most valued members. A promising young mage, talented in multiple aspects of magic, lost on this mission that we failed thoroughly. My superiors deemed this mistake fatal, and condemned me to exile for the loss of a valuable future asset. As if it wasn¡¯t enough to watch my own student die, I lost all that I once had. Then again, I could blame no one but myself. It was I who saw the potential in him and trained him. It was I who suggested bringing him along to the defence committee, and it was I who invited him personally to accompany me on this mission. It was my own inadequacies and lack of proper judgement that ultimately led to his death. We never saw the monster again. The rest of my team tried to fight for my cause, but to no avail. I stopped them in time to prevent them from suffering the same fate I did. Accepting my punishment, I surrendered my proof of citizenship and was cast beyond the borders of my home with nothing more than the clothes on my back and the sword hanging by my waist. It was his sword, the only thing that was left of him to remind me of my mistake. As if the forests along the border were not dangerous enough when I was with my team, now I face the dangers alone. Lucky for me, I got by with barely a few scratches and some bumps. Then I stumbled upon one of the villages, or at least what used to be a village. Where there weren¡¯t any buildings standing, the ground was smooth and reflected anything above it. I scavenged what I could, or what was left after bandits picked the place clean. A few rags here, some tools there, I made the best of what I could find. I counted my lucky stars, I found a basement concealed so well the bandits missed it. It took a few good hits with my enhanced strength to break through the stone ceiling of the basement. There, I found the necessities for my survival. A warm blanket, some dried meat and pickled vegetables and of all the good luck, a bottle of alcohol. That night, I sat on the tiled roof of a crumbling stone building, watched the twin moons and their reflections on the smooth ground and drank my heart out. I was angry at my country, at the monster, and most of all at myself. If I hadn¡¯t chosen to bring him along, none of this would¡¯ve happened. The attacks on the villages had already stopped since before we were deployed and there was no real need to bring the kid along. I looked at his sword and remorse filled my chest as I kept trying to drown the feeling in more alcohol. Soon, the bottle was empty and I woke up the next day with a splitting headache. I decided it was time to move on. It does me no good to dwell on the past. Best to learn from it and move on. Within a week from the drunken rage filled night, I found myself facing a group of hostile demihumans in the Rashael province. They were a group of smugglers involved in smuggling human children into Rashael as slaves. They seemed to be experts in negotiations, and yet when it came to actual combat, most of them were only sub-par. Then again, almost everybody seemed sub-par when compared to that boy. He had a natural talent to pick up things fast, and the tenacity to see things through no matter how difficult it may be. After a quick ¡®persuasion¡¯, the demi humans agreed to smuggle me to the Drigor Province in exchange for their lives. Disguising me as one of them with fake ears, they escorted me through the capital city of Rashael and to the borders of Drigor. Once again, throughout the journey, I am constantly amazed at how sharp their tongues and minds are, and with a little help from me in difficult situations, we managed to weave our way through most troubles. I knew I had no place in a demi-human province, especially with this war against humans going on. My best bet would be to go to Diantes and from there decide on my future path. I¡¯ve only ever known combat, be it magic or the sword, my whole life, I¡¯m sure my skill set would be in demand in a country in the midst of war. The smugglers were smart, avoiding battlefields like the plague. After their ¡®transaction¡¯ in the capital city of Rashael, they led me straight south and once past the border left me alone to my own fate. Their only directions were to keep heading south till I hit a big road or land up in one of the mines. Once there, I should be able to offer my skills to the humans as I have to them, and find my way to Diantes. And so, for some reason, I trusted their words and headed due south, hoping they have not given me false directions and left me to die. True enough, within days, I wound up at the entrance of a mine shaft and from there I followed a dwarven merchant to Diantes. I wondered how small the dwarves must have looked, considering I look like a dwarf to the native humans of Diantes. They must¡¯ve been half-giant or something, and despite my skills in swordsmanship, I was easily outmatched in strength by any of the mercenaries hired to guard the merchant. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The port road was mostly safe once we were out of the forest. I found out once we entered the city that the merchant had hired not mercenaries, but knight students from one of the many academies all throughout the city. My first impression of the city though, was that it was huge. At least 10 times that of Alluviate and very well organised too. Whoever thought of this layout must¡¯ve planned for the city to thrive for centuries. It is not easy to plan that many years ahead of what you see currently. Obviously, I needed a way to survive. Somewhere to get cheap food and accommodation and maybe even a job to get paid with. Only 1 thing came to mind ¨C join the army. Combat was my life in Alluviate, no reason it shouldn¡¯t be here in Diantes too. I followed the knight students, and after a quick test, I was granted entry to a moderately wealth academy in the military district. No doubt they let me in because I could use magic to enhance my body. When enhanced, I could even overpower some of the senior students whom I¡¯m seriously thinking them to be children of giants. Student life was easy, although I never thought that I would return to being a student at the age of 48. Training was mostly similar to the royal academy in Alluviate. Physical training, then practicing sword forms, and finally sparring sessions with either the instructors or other students. The odd thing though is that the students are allowed to take on a qualifying test, that when passed, gives them permission to do jobs from quest boards. To pass out from the academy and be deployed in the battle and get paid, one needs to complete 50 missions from the quest board regardless of difficulty. Of course, your position in the battle is determined by the type of quests you¡¯ve taken on during your time in the academy. You can take on easy quests such as fetching or finding lost items, or take on difficult ones such as hunting magical beasts, or escort missions for merchant hirers. Similarly, you can be deployed as a supply wagon guard/driver in the army, or a commander in the frontlines. It all depends on your performance record for the 50 missions taken in the academy. Even then, many students choose not to graduate from the academy and continue doing missions even after the mandated minimum 50 by the academy. After-all, it is much safer, with free lodging and food, with the added bonus of earning money doing quests. I on the other hand, think otherwise. My life is short, with only maybe 50-60 years to go. I want to make an impact in this world, leave behind a legacy before I go out with a bang. And so, I chose the hardest missions, and squeezed out of them barely with my life intact in some. My efforts did not go unnoticed. Soon, I became known as the short old man by most of the students. With lengthy practice, I almost tripled my enhanced mode time frame and doubled the strength of my enhancements. Sometimes, the students would gather to play a simple game of king of the hill with no weapons. In a match of strength and technique, I lost to no one and would always be the last one left standing on the mound of dirt in the practice field. I earned enough money doing missions and acquired a set of brand new steel plate armour, similar in design to the one I wore in Alluviate. My time in the academy was almost over. I had completed my 50th mission just 2 days ago. Sadly, no one in the academy gave me as much thrill as the boy did. As I was about to head to the administrative building to receive my posting, a man approached me, offering me a place in his academy of necromancers. When I clarified that I had limited talent as a magician, he assured me that it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Apparently his aim was to have me fight alongside my undead in the frontlines. Naturally, I agreed. If there was one thing im good at, it was fighting, and if this guy knew how to make full use of my magical aptitude, it would be even better. His directions were sketchy at best, and his personality, even more so. Nonetheless, this was a great opportunity for me and I wasn¡¯t going to miss it. As I waited at the palace entrance, I watched as a man not much taller than me approach the gates as well. He must be one of the other candidates chosen. His armour looked oddly familiar, and yet, it was vastly different. Red shields and horns, pure silver armour, it was unreal, almost as if he came from the demon continent. Unsure of his motives or his outlook on being friends, I chose to keep to myself. From the looks of it, even after the warm welcome by ¡®master¡¯, this other student of his is a quiet one.
Halo5 ending was a disappointment. but somehow i was kinda expecting it from 343 studios. I finished the game earlier than usual so even though i said there won''t be any chapters today, here it is. with this, im still 2 chapters behind. I''ll finish writing them soon. FYI spoiler alert, I''ve gotten alot better at drawing thanks to a good friend of mine, so I''ll be uploading another drawings ''chapter'' maybe next week. And in case it wasn''t clear, this short chapter was Varn''s POV since the mission Kiefer got eaten. Chapter 2.13 - The Pretext and The Theory ¡°Well then, if you would follow me, I¡¯ll get the 2 of you enrolled into the academy.¡± Drigor said, turning around while keeping his hands behind his back and walking towards the palace. Varn and Kiefer looked at each other and then shrugged, a little surprised at the drastic change in the master¡¯s attitude from a warm welcome of sorts to a sudden cold uncaring attitude. They simply followed behind the master, walking for a good 15 minutes before finally coming to a stop outside a large study room in the palace. The 2 of them noticed something peculiar along the way. It was almost as if the servants in the palace were actively avoiding the master. Kiefer was sure he even saw what he assumed to be the princess of the royal family suddenly come to halt at the far end of the corridor and abruptly turned around in the opposite direction upon seeing the master. The master said nothing along the way, just silently walking through the long hallways without as much as a footstep. Finally, when they arrived at the study room, he entered the room and signaled for the 2 to follow suit. In the room, he turned around, and from within his cloak, procured 2 medallions. Passing one to each of his students, the medallion shimmered in the sunlight that flooded the room through the oversized windows. It was the size of Kiefer¡¯s palm, shaped like a kite shield. Made out of gold rimmed platinum, the medallion must have cost quite a bit of money. On the silver platinum surface, embossed in gold and black steel was a picture of the front of a dragon¡¯s head with its mouth wide open. Within the dragon¡¯s maw, was a human skull and what looked like misty orbs orbiting it. The dragon¡¯s head was black, contrasting with the silver background, while the skull and orbs were gold. While Varn looked disinterested and quickly stowed the medallion away in his pocket, Kiefer kept inspecting it. Sending out a tiny mana wave into the medallion, Kiefer felt a mana link between the medallion and the titan standing in front of him. He immediately understood the true purpose of the medallion. It was not just a proof of enrollment within the academy as Drigor had described, but instead it also doubled as a tracking device, informing the titan of the medallion¡¯s position at all times. While Kiefer was still busy inspecting the medallion, Drigor had motioned for them to get seated which Kiefer did not catch. Nudging him in the side, Varn silently gestured for Kiefer to pay attention as he sat on the wooden chairs provided. Both the chairs for Varn and Kiefer creaked loudly as they sat down, threatening to break under the weight of all the armour. Looking at both his students paying attention to him, Drigor finally began his speech. ¡°Now you will listen while I talk. Any questions should be reserved till after I finish. First, you may call me ¡®master¡¯. Since you are the only 2 students this time around, I will be able to give you individual attention unlike my previous batches. The sole purpose of this academy is to train new necromancers to be deployed out in battle. As you know, humans have had the edge over the demihumans recently due to the inclusion of necromancers. The undead provide a free expendable and reliable army. There are several phases to this training regime before you are deemed suitable to be deployed. As to when you are able to proceed through the phases, that will be determined by me.¡± Kiefer and Varn just sat silently, nodding their heads. They had many questions regarding the training and contents of the phases, but they were sure they would know in due time. Then, Drigor continued speaking. ¡°The first phase of training usually takes the longest, ranging anywhere from a week to half a year. In this phase, you will focus on expanding your mana capacity. To do so, you will spar with each other or against me until the point of mana exhaustion. Then you will rest overnight and repeat the process daily.¡± Drigor paused and looked at Varn closely. Then, addressing Varn specifically, he continued. ¡°It looks like your armor is not designed to help you improve in my academy. As such, I will have a piece of armour of your choice crafted out of mithril. It is mandatory as that will help you recover mana so much fast and shorten your time in phase 1. Of course, it will not be free and will be deducted from your pay when you are deployed. Naturally, you have no say in this as it is crucial you possess the mitril armor tailored specifically to you. Your fellow classmate is undoubtedly rich, he already possess a full set of mithril armour so there is no need for me to craft one for him.¡± Varn looked like he was about to voice out a complaint, opening his mouth, but then decisively shutting it again, making sure he did not offend his instructor. His face on the other hand showed clearly how he felt about it and Kiefer could tell that there was a hint of envy and jealousy coming from Varn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Now once I¡¯ve determined that you are prepared to move on, you will be taught the spell in phase 2, along with the mechanisms behind the spell. It will take you some time to successfully invoke the spell since it is quite complex, but once you do, you will have permanent access to the netherworld. However, this comes with a price as your mana recovery rate will be diminished greatly, hence the need for the mithril armor.¡± (Drigor) At this point, Kiefer was already bursting with questions, not for the master, but for Drigor. ¡°Why do you need to train necromancer? What do you stand to gain out of the war? Why not do it yourself? How are you going to determine if we are ready? What will you do if I refuse to go to war? What is the netherworld?¡± These were just some of the questions racing through his head. However, as Drigor had instructed at the beginning, Kiefer kept the questions to himself, still troubled that the titan was keeping secrets and withholding information from him. ¡°Finally, once you are able to establish and stabilize the link with the netherworld, we will practice summoning the undead from the netherworld. This is the last phase and if the quantity you are able to summon is sufficient, you will then graduate and be deployed into the field where you will make a difference in this war.¡± Drigor concluded. Without waiting for Kiefer or Varn to ask any questions, Drigor had called in 2 servants and led the students to their various rooms, but not before showing them the training grounds where they would be sparring. They rested in their individual rooms that night, Kiefer mostly glad to be alone because he could finally take off his armour that had been starting to feel very suffocating. He arranged them neatly in one corner of the room, not using his PD in case someone walked into his room and found it suspicious that his armour was nowhere to be found. Kiefer did not sleep that night, trying to come up with excuses and reasons to explain his own existence to his only classmate. While he was glad that they did not have to introduce themselves, he felt that interaction between him and Varn would be unavoidable in the future, so the best course of action would be to just get it over with. The longer he dragged it out, the harder it would be. So the next day, he turned up for breakfast without his usual intimidating armour. Varn¡¯s face was indescribable, while Drigor showed a face full of interest. Even as the breakfast was being placed on the table in front of them, the 3 people remained silent, all their eyes locked on Kiefer, none touching their food. Drigor was the first to speak. ¡°So young man, when were you going to tell me that you were the butler of that noble lady? I really did not expect you and the mysterious mage to be one and the same, though that would explain why you seemed wary and terrified when we first met in the classroom.¡± (Drigor) ¡°I am sorry, but I had no intention of revealing myself to a complete stranger. However, that is partly because even I don¡¯t have an inkling of who I am. Milady calls me Kiefer, but I¡¯m not even sure that is my name. She says I was carrying with me a card with my name on it when her guards found me in the woods.¡± Kiefer lied, keeping a poker face so surreal it was almost like a mask. ¡°I am inclined to believe you, but how did you wind up with your armour then? And how is it that your employer and the young lady seem to think you and the armoured mage were 2 different persons?¡± Drigor kept pressing on, convinced that like him, Kiefer was hiding secrets. Kiefer had already expected that question, having prepared an untraceable answer beforehand. Looking Drigor straight in the eye, he replied calmly, ¡°The armour was a present that I gifted myself from one of the rival families that targeted the life of milday. It must have been a family heirloom of sorts that I acquired as a payment for my efforts to go the extra mile to pull the problem from the roots.¡± ¡°AHAHAHA!! You surprise me boy! Your cold unforgiving attitude and your skills as a mage truly make you the prime candidate to be my top student. Very well then, I won¡¯t question you anymore.¡± Drigor laughed heartily, then looked over at Varn and continued. ¡°What about you? From the look on your face, you must have some questions too don¡¯t you? Its written all over your face that you have some history with this boy. Go on then, take your time to sort things out over breakfast. I¡¯ll be waiting in the training grounds for your first lesson.¡± Drigor then left the dining room, quickly disappearing behind the door. ¡°Kiefer. Do you remember me?¡± Varn asked, fear gripping his heart that his best student might be lost after all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, I don¡¯t even know your name. I can¡¯t really remember anything past the last few weeks, since Milady¡¯s guards picked me up in the forest near one of her mines.¡± Kiefer lied once again, his heart audibly cracking that he had to resort to deceit to get through. ¡°I- I see¡­ Never mind then. I may be a stranger to you now, but I hope to get along with you for the duration of this course. I¡¯ll just tell you outright now. You used to be my student in Shearwood, and your name is indeed Kiefer. An unfortunate accident separated us and we did not even know you were alive until today.¡± Varn managed to push out an explanation even with the lump stuck in his dry throat. ¡°I see. Thank you for the information. However, I doubt who I am now will be the same as who I was then. Right now, I only serve to end the war and bring peace of mind to my savior and her family.¡± Kiefer returned a cold reply, and started to work on his breakfast that was fast turning cold. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. After a quick warm up session in the training grounds, the master¡¯s orders were to train individually instead of sparing like they had expected. His conditions though were that their mana must be almost completely spend by the end of the day, regardless of what methods they used. Varn enhanced his body and started doing some physical training, jumping and running through the entire palace, up and down the walls and around the perimeter. Kiefer on the other hand showed off a few simple spells and then disappeared after an hour. Drigor tracked his medallion and found that Kiefer had returned to his room. Thinking that Kiefer either had a smaller mana capacity than he first anticipated, or that he had a lazier attitude towards training, Drigor was determined to lecture Kiefer about it at the end of the day. He was convinced that Kiefer would not be able to spend his mana entirely without casting more spells. What he found however was that Kiefer laid sprawled on the floor of his room when he had failed to show up for dinner. Without Kiefer¡¯s permission, Drigor stretched his hands out and placed it on Kiefer¡¯s head, measuring his mana levels. Surprised by the reaction Drigor thought to himself, confused and surprised, ¡°only 3% mana left? He really did spend it all. He must be really tired from the mana exhaustion.¡± Drigor carried Kiefer onto the bed, and equipped Kiefer with the armour laying on the corner of the room. What he did not know was that Kiefer had spent the whole day teleporting within the confines of his room. If anyone had seen it, it would have seemed like Kiefer was blinking in and out of their vision like a flickering candle flame. Kiefer was practicing his speed of teleportation, having achieved his goal of instantaneous teleportation. His mana pool was actually so large that that was the only way to efficiently and quickly spend his mana. Kiefer awoke the next morning long after Varn and the master had started sparing. Still wondering how he had managed to equip his mithril armor, Kiefer quickly replenished his mana, but even with the aid of the mithril, it took him a whole hour of active conversion to return to full capacity. He could feel the significant change in his mana pool. The silver solid sphere had grown larger over the days he spent in the Varradon household, and finally after yesterday, he felt that his chest was once again empty and light. Right where his heart would be, was a sparkling silver crystal. It was in the shape of a triangular bipyramid, floating vertically and rotating along its vertical axis slowly. Thinking that he could make full use of this time to slowly improve himself and study Drigor¡¯s patterns at the same time, he spent the rest of the day watching Drigor spar with Varn from his window. Once the spar was over, he would once again blink on the spot rapidly until he was almost out of mana. This time, he stopped just before the onset of the headache, before heading to the training field to pretend to practice. Again, out in the field, Kiefer performed several consecutive spells that would leave a normal magus out of breath. Repeating a fixed set of spells like a burpee, he would summon an earth spike, slice it into tiny pieces with wind blades, soak them in a water spell, and bake the mud into hard clay with fire. Finally, he would enhance his body and crush the hard clay mound with his barehands, before repeating the cycle. A single cycle would usually require more mana than a normal magus, but after repeating it for 20 times, Kiefer still did not feel any change in his mana, still feeling it hover around the 10% mark. Without expecting it, Drigor popped up from below the ground in front of him and touched his head. Within the short moment before kiefer leapt back and pulled away, Drigor had already read his mana bank and opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Very good Kiefer. I could feel that after those 20 repeats, your mana is finally around 10% left of your maximum capacity. I suggest you take a break now before you collapse like you did earlier yesterday. Go wash up and you can come see me in my study.¡± Drigor instructed, beaming that his star pupil was growing magnificently. ¡°Crap!¡± Kiefer thought in anguish, ¡°I wanted to pull this as long as possible before phase 2, but it would seem that Drigor has noticed my mana capacity. Lucky he could only tell the percentage of mana I had left and not the actual amount. If he thinks that 20 reps depleted 90% of my mana, he must be thinking that I have at least 20 times more mana than a normal person. It would only make sense he would want to move to phase 2.¡± While Varn was still wheezing and trying to catch his breath from sparing with the master, Kiefer had already changed out of his training gear and was now entering Drigor¡¯s study. He watched as Drigor pulled out a roll of parchment from thin air and opened it out on the table. Trying to act surprised, Kiefer let his jaws hang, and as expected, Drigor took the bait. Looking pleased that his little trick had a desired effect, Drigor explained the theory behind the spell and how it worked. Kiefer however, paid no attention to him and studied the rune laid out in front of him intently. He quickly worked out the way the rune worked and actually have multiple questions regarding it. ¡°And so, this spell first sets up a portal link between this world and the netherworld, using your mana pool as a sort of bridge. Therefore, the larger your mana pool, --¡° Drigor had not finished his explanation when Kiefer cut in mid-sentence. ¡°The larger your mana pool, the more souls you can ferry across from the netherworld into ours since the bridge would be bigger, allowing it to support more load from the spell. The bridge is kept open at all times, consuming mana constantly which is why our mana recovery will be reduced once the spell is successful. That¡¯s about it isn¡¯t it Master?¡± Kiefer asked complacently. ¡°Hmm¡­ so it would seem that you do know quite a lot about runes and spell invocations. Yes that¡¯s true to the last word. Is there anything else you don¡¯t understand?¡± Drigor was impressed. ¡°Why not just shut off the link completely instead of keeping it open? That should allow our mana to replenish much more quickly. I understand that the spell to establish the link itself will take quite a bit of mana, but for someone with enough mana, such a thing is insignificant. If you focused more on increasing the mana pool of the necromancers, they should possess enough mana to maintain the link even during the day. So maybe recall the necromancers you already deployed and train them again but focusing on increasing their mana pools.¡± Kiefer suggested. Without letting Drigor time to consider it, Kiefer kept bombarding the master with a barrage of questions. ¡°What I want to know is where do the souls in the netherworld come from? Are they limited to existences from Aioa or could they also perhaps come from other worlds that exist alongside ours? If so, is there any way to confirm it, or maybe even establish a link between the worlds aside from the netherworld? Could this be the explanation for the oddly misshapen undead bodies that frequently get mixed into the legion? Do the souls need an already existing dead body here to be able to surface as the undead? If they do not get killed, do they bring the body back with them to the netherworld? If it is possible to transport souls from there to here, is it possible for me to visit the Netherworld?¡± The string of questions kept flowing out and as they came out, Drigor tried to answer them as fully as he could, astounded by the young man¡¯s thirst for knowledge. He now understood why Kiefer was such an extraordinary mage, possibly the very best he had seen in all his years teaching. And so, the Q and A session dragged on till the next day, where there was no training for both Varn and Kiefer. Kiefer spent the whole day asking more questions while Varn was stuck walking around hugging a blacksmith¡¯s hammer. Eventually, Kiefer got a better picture of the workings of necromancy while Varn finally received his mithril breastplates. From what he understood, the start-up mana cost for the spell was huge, similar to opening his PD. And spell in itself was also similar to opening a PD, in the sense that he was creating a link to an alternate dimension that shared the same space. Drigor explained that the netherworld was considered a ¡®lower world¡¯ where material beings could not exist and only souls and essences roamed the endless void. Establishing a link was like shining light on a bridge in a world of darkness and nearby souls would flood to the light. As they passed through the portal, the souls would automatically achieve a physical body similar to what they were before the souls actually departed for the netherworld when they died. If transported back without their physical body being destroyed, the netherworld absorbs the physical body and returns the soul to its former state. This is the way the netherworld accumulates physical matter and would slowly eventually become a physical existence. Undead that are destroyed on Aioa do not return to the netherworld and are instead absorbed by ¡®Aioa¡± which was an obvious lie by Drigor. Drigor was unable to verify the theory that multiple higher material worlds fed souls to the netherworld, but he did seem interested in the prospect of finding other such material planes and exploring them. Kiefer on the other hand, had already confirmed that it is indeed possible for interdimensional travel, not only through his transportation here, but also through his skill of blinking. He was determined to dig to the bottom of this subject, finding a way back home to earth. However, that remained a secondary goal as right now, he was out to get revenge for Isana. With multiple theories in his head, Kiefer retired for the night. It had been a week since he started at the necromancer academy. He was confident in summoning the undead, given the spell, but had been purposely messing up part of the initial establishment to drag things out and have a reason to ask more question to Drigor. With this, he quickly approached his first undead legion.
in case you guys are wondering what shape Kiefer''s mana pool had taken, it changed from a solid sphere to this. Chapter 2.14 - The Stall and The Forth Phase ¡°So my sisters, to what do I owe this pleasantly surprising visit?¡± Luna asked, sitting down on a small chair while preparing some aromatic tea. Fiora and Isana were sitting on her bed facing Luna while Sher was hovering and circling above the teapot, taking in the fragrance as it rose with the steam. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll cut straight to the point then,¡± Isana replied. ¡°I am here to request your aid in fighting Drigor. He has become considerably stronger recently and I suspect he will soon come after the other titans in search for more power. So, I want to propose an alliance between me and the 3 of you. We will go meet Rashael after and group up in Arigan while we wait for my husband.¡± ¡°Ho... that¡¯s interesting. To think you found someone suitable for you. I pity Fiora though,¡± Luna said, smiling coyly while glancing at Fiora who was now fidgeting with an embarrassment. ¡°And just how is it that you are fine with this Fiora? Haven¡¯t you been after big sister Isana for a few millennia now?¡± ¡°Oh you don¡¯t have to worry about that. This brat is quite clear on where she stands and I''m sure she fully understands my husband¡¯s power by now.¡± Isana reassured Luna. The whole room was now staring at Fiora¡¯s reaction to the conversation. She was twiddling her thumbs while staring straight at the floor between her feet. Suddenly, Luna burst out laughing. ¡°Ahahaha! Fine then. I have long thought that Drigor had to be put into place. He¡¯s been harassing my citizens for several centuries now and I¡¯ve been meaning to have a word with him. It seems Wanda might have had the same idea but sadly, the outcome was¡­ unfavorable.¡± Luna expressed her thoughts out loud. Bringing over 2 cups of tea for Fiora and Isana, Luna dragged the chair closer to her bed, away from the table and reseated herself. Sher had also joined the group, coiling her little body on Isana¡¯s lap while her head tilted up, listening intently on the conversation. ¡°So Fiora, I¡¯m asking you this as your sister. Have you really decided to ally yourself with Isana? Are you sure you will not regret your choice?¡± Luna asked, trying to reconfirm her sister¡¯s resolution. At that, Fiora finally raised her head and looked straight into Luna¡¯s eyes and nodded firmly, solidifying her unwavering decision. ¡°Very well, big sister Isana, I will gladly aid you in your quest against Drigor. I already know this is not as simple as preventing him from growing stronger, and that you actually want revenge for Wanda, but nonetheless, if Fiora is willing, so am I. Just be warned though, if things get dicey, I will prioritize my sister and brother¡¯s lives over yours or your husband¡¯s.¡± Luna declared her intentions loud and clear. She raised her arm and summoned a jet black raven that flew in through the window. Right in front of their eyes, the raven morphed while being cloaked in black shadowy mists and finally took the form of Luna. ¡°My doppelganger shall stay here until I engage in the fight with Drigor. It is the perfect replica of me and will exist as long as I do not require my full attention and power to focus on another matter.¡± Luna explained. ¡°Now on to the next topic,¡± Luna continued, ¡°I would love to hear more about this husband of yours. Last I heard there were no males that could compare to your strength other than Drigor and Grandu. What race is he?¡± Smiling at the thought of Kiefer, Isana made Luna wonder what kind of powerful entity could make Isana so happy just thinking about him. Just as Isana was about to speak, Sher enthusiastically cried out, ¡°My master is a human! He is very kind and powerful and weird! He beat both me and Sana sis in a straight up battle!¡± Isana threw Sher a piercing glare, clearly not happy that she had been robbed of her opportunity to introduce her own husband. Luna ignored it and smiled at the juicy development between the 2 of them. Intrigued, Luna also couldn¡¯t wait and interjected, ¡°Oh? Shearwood, you too found someone worthy to be called master? I¡¯ll get to that later, for now, I want to hear more about Isana¡¯s husband, so could you wait for a while?¡± Isana then cleared up the misunderstanding, calming down after seeing Sher¡¯s wagging tail that whipped back and forth so quickly it looked like there were 2 tails. She understood that Sher was simply too excited when the topic came to Kiefer and could not control herself as well as she did. ¡°Hehe, my dear Luna. My husband¡¯s name is Kiefer. He is a human, but he is not of this world. He possesses skills unlike anything I¡¯ve seen before. And before he was my husband, he was Sher¡¯s master, having beaten her down thoroughly. I¡¯ll tell you now, you will never stop being surprised at every turn if you choose to follow him. On the 2nd day after I met him and was beaten down just as Sher was, he mastered opening a PD just by observing me. I¡¯m sure even you can¡¯t open a PD yet can you?¡± Isana bragged out loud, clearly proud that she had landed herself a worthy male. ¡°Ha! This is more interesting than I thought! A mere human, able to open a PD? I would really love to meet him. I¡¯m sure Rashael would too, even if it is just to study him.¡± Luna exclaimed. ¡°Now that you mention it, Kiefer is indeed somewhat like Rashael. He has a never ending thirst for knowledge and seems to be really good at putting that knowledge to good use. Did u know, he has this weird mana armour, as he calls it, with its structure based on knowledge from his world? It is so strong, it could withstand any physical attacks that I threw at him. Even my ice meteor barely managed to pierce his armour.¡± Isana kept bragging about Kiefer. Fiora was silent but whispered to Isana to show Luna the Feni statue. Taking out the ice cold statue that froze everything around it, Fiora held it in her hands and heated her hands up to counter the chilling aura. She then proceeded to brag about how Kiefer had made the statue just for her. However, the moment she said that, Isana and Sher jumped in and started competing on what Kiefer had done for them and how much they¡¯ve been through. Naturally, Sher won out in the end, having spent the most time with Kiefer. She even exaggerated some facts, saying that Kiefer could not bear to be apart from her, so he had specifically designed his armor to hold her close to his heart. ¡°Hahaa Shearwood. Are you sure you are not lying? If he can¡¯t bear to be apart from you, where is he now and why are you not with him?¡± Luna asked, clearly amused at the competition between Isana and Shearwood. At that, the group went silent, before Isana finally spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s alone in Drigor province. He¡¯s tasked us with forming the alliance with the 3 of you, while he spies on Drigor to learn as much as he could.¡± Isana spoke softly and solemnly, clearly not happy with how the plan had gone. She continued after a short pause, ¡°We don¡¯t even know how he is now. There hasn¡¯t been any contact since we parted, but his instructions were clear ¨C to wait for each other in Arigan once we were done with our respective tasks.¡± Now looking at Luna with pleading eyes, Isana made her request, ¡°So Luna, we need to make haste and meet up with Rashael. I would love to leave as soon as possible. Will that be alright with you?¡± ¡°Your husband sure is a brave man, to spy on Drigor on his own. How sure are you that he will be able to escape if Drigor discovers him?¡± Luna avoided her question, but instead replied with another question. ¡°He will definitely escape!¡± Sher yelled, refusing to accept that her master could lose to Drigor. ¡°He is even more elusive that my brother Desir, so I¡¯m sure Drigor will not be able to catch him or even trace him!¡± ¡°I see. Since you trust him so much, shall we depart then? My doppelganger is already in place so we can leave right now. We do not want to keep him waiting in Arigan do we?¡± Luna replied enthusiastically as she stood up and faced the window. That night, from the island, 4 titans left the tallest tower in the middle of the island and flew straight for Rashael. This was the greatest gathering of titans since the great mana calamity and yet, no one noticed it.
¡°Master, I still can¡¯t seem to establish the link. I think it¡¯s because I don¡¯t know how to actually visualize what the netherworld looks like or how to connect to it. Isn¡¯t there any toher way you can make it clearer? There is no way the netherworld and our world exists together in the same space like you described.¡± Kiefer questioned Drigor, still stalling for time as long as he could. ¡°Hmm that¡¯s really difficult to explain. Seriously Kiefer, you are unlike all my other students I¡¯ve taught before. No one ever dared to question me as much as you do. Why don¡¯t you go spar with Varn while I find a way to describe the netherworld and its existence to you?¡± Drigor tried to reason with Kiefer to give him more time to find a way to explain it. Kiefer then nodded his head silently, and excused himself from the room, putting on his gauntlets and heading to the training ground. They would continue their usual routine, sparring until evening, and then washing up before heading to the entertainment district to watch some skits and enjoy a home cooked meal in a reserved little restaurant tucked away in an alley. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. It was Varn who first proposed the idea to spend more time outside the palace and Kiefer went along with the flow. The medallion came in useful, with it, most amenities and services were free for the 2 of them and the charges would be handled by the royal palace. Midnight arrived quickly and Kiefer could be seen carrying a dead drunk Varn back to his room in his palace. Drigor kept track of them at all times, knowing that they would not be able to return to the palace without the medallion. Sensing both medallions back within the palace, Drigor finally went to rest in his room. Kiefer however, was a light sleeper and teleported out of the palace, leaving his medallion in the room. He did not need it to move freely in and out of the palace. That night, he flew to the forward base camp of the Diantes army and arrived in under an hour. He saw Aslan the necromancer barely holding up her spell and summoning countless undead in the field before her. Similarly, next to her, were Ducar and 3 other necromancers all doing their job. It would seem that the army had focused their attention on this camp since his runes had been making it difficult for their undead to reach across the chasm. Certain that no one could spot him, Kiefer proceeded to open the portal to the netherworld, and sent his contract spell through it, suddenly causing the grounds in front of him to rise and tumble. The strain on his mana was barely noticeable as Kiefer summoned forth hundreds of undead giants and werewolf commanders, along with thousands upon thousands of other undead. They just kept pouring forth until the entire stretch of barren land between the base camp and the chasm was filled with undead. As more were being summoned, Kiefer could see the visible silver wall just before the canyon, glad that his runes were still working. Meanwhile, the 5 necromancers were looking around confused. ¡°Hey¡­ who¡¯s doing that? That¡¯s got to be at least the work of 40 or more necromancers. Did they send reinforcements here?¡± Dukar checked with the other necromancers. They all shook their head and expressed their concern as well. There had been no schedule for any reinforcements that night, and yet the undead seem to be on their side, which means the necromancer would be too. Dukar and Aslan simply gave up finding the mysterious helper but were glad to have more help on their side. Soon, the undead legion that belonged to the other 5 necromancers had been pushed into the layer of runic circles lining the chasm and disappeared, as Kiefer¡¯s undead filled up the barren land. Since the link to the undead was now made of Kiefer¡¯s mana, the orihalcom runic rings did not work to cut off the mana link but instead strengthened it. Within moments, the chasm was lined with more werewolf and foxmen undead than Feni had ever seen in her life. And yet, more kept coming in and Feni could still see countless undead giants that had yet to arrive at the canyon. ¡°Shit shit shit shit shit! Why aren¡¯t the runes working?!? And we aren¡¯t even remotely prepared to handle so much powerful undead! How did they find a way to overcome Kiefer¡¯s runes?!¡± Feni was panicking internally as she barked out orders to the catmen and Lamia to reinforce the canyon. The defensive perimeter had relaxed ever since the runes were installed and Feni had reallocated the soldiers to concentrate on domestic affairs rather than guarding the perimeter. As such, the far side of the chasm had far fewer soldiers than required to handle a normal undead legion, much less a powerful unending one that Kiefer had summoned. Feni and her small handful of soldiers she had managed to scrounge up prepared for battle as they watched the undead encroach on the edge of the chasm, just standing there without doing anything. It felt as if the undead were all intelligent and silently awaiting Feni to make a move first, their blank rotting eyes slowly turning and following Feni as she paced around the far side of the chasm. Finally, something unexpected happened. Something that has never happened in the history of the war happened. One of the Giants picked up an undead wolf commander and placed him on his hand like it was a podium, outstretched it over the chasm and just stopped, before the wolf howled to attract the attention. Everyone stared intently, unsure of what was happening or what was to come. None of the undead they have encountered before had any deliberate movements such as that, and none had ever displayed vocal abilities. And yet, they watched as the wolf commander opened its jaws and started speaking loudly right in front of their eyes. ¡°Feni. You sure have placed too much confidence in the runes. You barely have any manpower left to handle a normal outbreak. That is way too careless. Make sure next time I come, there are enough soldiers on the borders. The humans might suspect something if their spies send reports on your soldier force deployed on the perimeter.¡± The wolf commander yelled out loud, loud enough for all the soldiers and for Feni to hear. Having said that, the wolfman hopped off the giant¡¯s hands and returned to its place amongst the undead, before finally, all the undead disappeared en-masse, leaving behind sparkling silver lights that were unique to Kiefer¡¯s magic. Feni understood instantly what just happened while her soldiers were still confused but elated that the threat had disappeared. She knew Kiefer had been the one to summon the undead and come give her a warning. She knew she would have to reinstate the soldiers at their original posts after tonight and train them to remain vigilant even with the runes still in place. However, the one thing she knew best was that Kiefer was an even more terrifying magus that she gave him credit for, being able to summon so many high leveled undead by himself. Relieved that it was merely a friendly reminder, Feni extinguished the flames on her twin hammers and head back to her camp, making preparations to reinforce the chasm with more soldiers. At the same time, she was wondering whose side Kiefer really was on and also finding ways to counter such a fearful force in the future in the event that the runes failed again.
Kiefer cut off his mana supply to the portal to the netherworld and watched as the dark battlefield in the middle of the night was set alit with a sea of silver particles as his undead legion returned to the netherworld. He inspected his own mana capacity and realized that the whole charade had only drawn out 20% of his maximum capacity and within minutes of active conversion, he was back to full mana. The aim for the night to was to gauge how mana intensive being a necromancer was and it had convinced Kiefer that the Netherworld did not lack souls to be summoned. If it were any other mage, Kiefer was sure it would have been difficult to just establish the link. However, with his expansive mana pool, he found that he could probably summon countless undead without any end as he could actively recover the mana lost faster than it could be spent. Kiefer quickly teleported back to the palace without being seen by anyone and returned to his room, just before reports started flooding the palace interior about an unexpected help from an unknown powerful necromancer. As he prepared to turn in for the night, with barely 6 hours of rest before sunrise, Kiefer started to become worried about phase 3 when he could actually summon the legion. Drigor would know from there that his mana pool was actually exponentially larger than he had actually shown it to be. Morning came around as Kiefer finalized his plans for the future after breakfast before finally approaching the study room of the master. As he opened the door, he saw Varn standing there in his mithril breastplate smiling widely at him. ¡°Hey Kiefer.¡± He greeted nonchalantly. ¡°Guess what? I¡¯m finally able to move to phase 2. I¡¯ve caught up to you little buddy.¡± Kiefer smiled back in return, and walked straight in front of Drigor and announced loudly, ¡°Master, I was finally able to establish the link to the Netherworld this morning. How should I proceed in phase 3?¡±
Hoped you enjoyed this chapter, I changed the format again since some people have sent me messages that their readers don''t show colour. so now the thoughts of characters will be yellow AND Italicized. There will be one more chapter coming up tonight so look forward to it. Side Chapter - Halloween Special Please note that this chapter has nothing to do with the main storyline. it is a stand alone chapter using characters from the Fiction. Enjoy.
Kiefer had just returned home from a tiring day at the lab. The night was young and the sun just set over the water¡¯s edge. He stared out of the window of his room, located right near the Cliffside of the cove¡¯s wing. It was a magnificent view overlooking the ocean on one side, and the port city on the other. The city was still bustling despite the onset of nightfall. Street lamps kept the paved roads and sidewalks lit through the night, houses still had little yellow lights peeking out the closed windows. The port city had grown considerably since he was last here and with the incoming winter, the air was chilly. It has been 3 years since he first found himself in the cave behind the waterfall. Kiefer chuckled to himself as he remembered all that he went through to get to where he was. All the people he¡¯s met, challenges he¡¯s faced and decisions he¡¯s made. They all led him to this point in his life time and he wouldn¡¯t have had it any other way. Wanting to get a better view, he climbed up a drop-down ladder and opened an overhead hatch that led to the roof of his moderately small house. From up there, Kiefer did not need to move to the other side of the house to get a change of view. It was a full 360 view of his surroundings and the sky. A chilling autumn breeze caressed his face as he draped a warm blanket over his shoulders, a warm cup of coffee in his hand. The twin moons were reflected off the uneven ocean surface and celebrations could still be heard from the nearest inn just at the edge of the port city. Then he heard a knock on his door just as he was about to sit down and get comfortable. Peering over the edge of the roof, he saw some little children gathering outside his door. They were all dressed up in adorable little costumes, holding pumpkin bags in their hands. ¡°TRICK or TREAT!!¡± They all yelled in unison. Kiefer made his way down to his front door, and took out a huge sack of candies from his PD. As he opened the door, he saw all the children gathered on his front porch with a couple of light orbs floating around above their heads. The first child to step up looked to be around 10 to 11 years old. She had shining silver hair and striking green eyes that stood out on her pale face. Her costume was a pure white onesie with tiny claws for fingers. From her back sprouted 4 floppy wings and her costume had a tail with a fanned tip. Bending his waist, Kiefer placed his hands on his knees and asked the little girl, ¡°And what are you supposed to be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Isana! And I¡¯m a Dwagon!¡± She replied enthusiastically. Kiefer chuckled and grabbed a handful of candy from his sack and placed them in Isana¡¯s pumpkin carrier. ¡°And what about you young lady?¡± Kiefer now squat down to face a little girl at eye level. She had shoulder length black hair that turned light blue at the tips. She had on her back a pair of large fluffy white wings. The little girl was around 5 or 6 years old, and she hid shyly behind her big sister. She peeked out from behind Isana¡¯s back and quickly hid again when she saw that Kiefer was looking at her. ¡°Her name is Shearwood! I call her Sher. She¡¯s a little shy but once you get to know her, she is really cute!¡± Isana introduced her little sister, as she received more candy from Kiefer¡¯s outstretched hands and placed them in Sher¡¯s basket. As Kiefer stepped forward to pat Sher on her head, he suddenly felt a stinging pain in his arm, only to find a young boy about the same age as Sher biting onto him. Staring Kiefer in his eyes, the boy finally let go and huffed, before pointing his finger at Kiefer and yelling. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister you paedophile! She¡¯s scared of strangers! And give me my candy!¡± The boy yelled, trying to snatch the candy out of Kiefer¡¯s hands. However, Kiefer was faster, withdrawing his hand and glaring at the rude boy. He was dressed in a black cloak with red flames detailed on the rims of the cloak near his feet and around his hood. The boy had almost no presence at all and Kiefer did not notice him until he was bitten. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for his rude behaviour!¡± Isana quickly apologised, ¡°His name is Desir, and he is Sher¡¯s older twin. He was just trying to protect his sister, so please forgive him¡± ¡°I see, well then that¡¯s not a problem.¡± Kiefer replied, still rubbing the bite mark on his arm. Kiefer then reached into his sack and handed Desir his share of candy. Standing back up to his full height, he looked as the 3 children left his porch, only to have his front door flooded with more children. This time, a girl in a bright red and orange chicken suit came up to him, pulling along an unwilling girl with a fox mask and a costume with 5 tails that dragged on the floor as she walked. ¡°Mister! Please help me sister and brother! There¡¯s a bully who is trying to take their candy!¡± The red chicken girl pleaded. Behind the 2 girls, there seemed to be a fight going on between the other children over their place in the queue. There was an older boy with dirty brown hair that was arguing loudly with a younger girl and boy just a few steps away from the door. Bringing his sack of candies along, Kiefer headed over to see what was wrong. ¡°NO! I¡¯m older! So you should let me go first!¡± The older boy yelled, pushing the younger 6 year old boy back. He would have almost fallen over were it not for another girl in a pitch black chicken suit that caught him. It would seem that these 3 children in chicken suits were all siblings while the older boy without any costumes on was bullying them. ¡°What is going on here?!¡± Kiefer demanded in a loud voice as he glared at the group of noisy children. ¡°Mister! Drigor tried to cut the line in front of us! And he isn¡¯t even wearing any costume! He shouldn¡¯t be allowed to take any candy!¡± The black chicken girl yelled. ¡°Wha--! No! I came together with you guys! I¡¯m older so I should go first! And I Already said I need to go home soon so why can¡¯t you just let me go first!?¡± Drigor yelled back, trying to argue his case. ¡°Ok children. All of you stop fighting or no one gets their candy!¡± Kiefer yelled back, trying to drown out the sounds of the children. ¡°Mister! Can you please quickly give out the candies? I need to go home quickly or my Big brother will not be happy. He is so disgusting, always making other people do things for him. I really hate him! Can you give me a little more? Because my big brother will surely take my candy from me.¡± Drigor turned to Kiefer and pleaded. ¡°Fine.¡± Kiefer conceded, ¡°But just this once. Next year I want to see a costume from you.¡± Kiefer demanded, placing a fistful of candies in Drigor¡¯s basket before watching him race back down the street. ¡°And for you lot, here, gather around so you can get your sweets.¡± Kiefer motioned for the 4 children remaining to gather around him. He then placed some sweets in each of their baskets and watched their faces light up with smiles. They thanked him hurriedly and went back to the town. Kiefer¡¯s house was the last one they visited and now all their baskets were filled to the brim with chocolates and candies. As Kiefer returned to his house and shut the front door behind him, he suddenly remembered something and muttered to himself, ¡°Oh. I forgot to tell them to eat in moderation. Wouldn¡¯t want diabetes to run around in my city.¡± Chapter 2.15 - The Spy and The World Traveler ¡°Very well done boy!¡± Drigor exclaimed. ¡°Come over here let me measure your mana capacity.¡± Kiefer obediently walked over and let Drigor measure his mana levels. He was confident that Drigor could only measure relative amounts and not the actual value of mana he had left, so Kiefer made sure to leave about 90% left before meeting Drigor. ¡°Hmmm. This is intriguing.¡± Drigor muttered to himself. ¡°Do you want to try summoning some undead now? I¡¯m sure you already deciphered and understood the secondary incantation that I showed you to form contracts with souls in the netherworld.¡± ¡°Is that possible? It is still a long time before nightfall.¡± Kiefer asked, knowing full well what Drigor¡¯s intentions were. It was still early in the morning, but the sun had already rosen. Drigor had wanted to see if Kiefer could raise the undead in daytime considering how large Kiefer¡¯s mana pool is. ¡°Why it most likely will be possible if it¡¯s you my boy!¡± Drigor replied proudly. ¡°You have already established the portal link and yet, you¡¯ve spent only 10% of your mana. This means that your contract invocation will probably be strong enough to maintain link even in the sunlight. If it works, you will be the first ever necromancer, aside from me of course, to be able to raise the dead in the day.¡± Drigor looked over to Varn¡¯s frowning face, and understood what Varn must have been feeling. Trying to comfort Varn, Drigor faced him and smiled, comforting him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to compare yourself to him you know. Besides Kiefer, you are probably the next best student I¡¯ve taught. Kiefer is abnormal if I may say so myself so you won¡¯t be able to match up to him. I¡¯m sure you already knew that when you taught him in Alluviate, didn¡¯t you?¡± Varn finally stopped frowning, as if having forgotten how abnormal Kiefer was and laughed at his own stupidity. Of course he wouldn¡¯t be able to match up against Kiefer, nobody probably ever could. Drigor then gave out orders to Varn to keep training his mana for today, and that he will move to phase 2 the next day. Turning to Kiefer, Drigor ordered Kiefer to follow him. As they approached the middle of the training ground, the earth suddenly rose up and swallowed Kiefer whole. Kiefer then felt himself being moved in the earthen shell through the air. The palace guards watched as the master flew through the skies and over the palace walls with a large spherical earthen ball in tow. They had seen this countless times and were used to it by now. It was the method the master used to transport students that were ready to proceed to phase 3 to the battle grounds to test their abilities. This, however, was the first time they¡¯ve seen it happen in the morning, as all other times were when the sun was just about to set. As Drigor landed in one of the base camps closest to the city, the necromancers all came out to greet him, as they bowed and showed their respects for their teacher. During the day, to protect the necromancers, they would be moved to one of the inner bases to avoid being caught in potential conflicts in the forward bases. ¡°Hey hey. Looks like master bringing in a student for phase 3.¡± (Necro 1) ¡°Really? So early in the morning? Does that mean we will be stuck taking care of a brat for the whole day?¡± (necro 2) ¡°Just be glad we are getting reinforcements this early. I heard that just last night, there was some unexpected reinforcement in the south. They say it was a very powerful necromancer that summoned hundreds of giants.¡± (Necro 3) ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I don¡¯t think even master can do that. It¡¯s just those idiots exaggerating their stories.¡± (Necro 2) ¡°Either way, I¡¯ll gladly accept more help, though it will be some time before the new guy is useful to us.¡± (Necro 1) The necromancers hushly discussed the unexpected circumstance that is occurring before them as the master finally landed softly on the ground along with the earthen sphere. ¡°Hello again my students. I¡¯ve brought with me a talented young mage. He is going to proceed to phase 3 today and I want you all to watch him carefully.¡± Drigor announced as he undid the earth spell. However, all that awaited him inside was a sole medallion lying at the bottom of the earthen shell. Drigor as well as his students all stared blankly at the medallion wondering what was going on. Then a sudden realisation dawned upon Drigor. His face contorted with anger, his mind racing through options on what his next move would be. ¡°Dammit I was careless. I should have doubted such a sketchy character with an ambiguous background! His abilities, and his attitude, all this time he was deceiving me. I had no idea Gondor had a human general under his arm. I need to find him quick.¡± Drigor thought as he rapidly sank into the ground, feeling for the presence of the runaway mage. And yet, try as he might, he could not find anything. Perplexed, he kept wondering who the young man was and what his real motive was. Sure Drigor had figured that Kiefer was a spy, but he did not know what sort of information Kiefer gathered or if gathering intel was even his true goal at all. Thinking back, Drigor began listing down possibilities. Kiefer had learnt necromancy from him, so his mana recovery would be severely limited, that is unless he was lying about having successfully invoked the portal spell. Even then, even if Gondor had an undead army to face him, Drigor was sure a mere human mage, no matter how talented, would be no threat to him, undead or not. His mind led him back to 2 people ¨C Varn and Nicole. Varn would be the easiest to track, so he went back to the palace first, hoping Varn had also not been in on it. Relieved to see Varn still training, his thought that Varn might also be working with Kiefer riled him up. In a rage, he dashed towards Varn, held him up by the neck and pinned him against a wall. ¡°TELL ME NOW! WHO IS KIEFER!?!?¡± Drigor demanded, his voice echoing through the palace. ¡°uggkkk ¡­ choke- king¡­ help- stop¡­ please¡± Varn struggled, stunned and shocked at the master¡¯s sudden outburst of rage. He had no idea what was going on, only barely hearing Kiefer¡¯s name before being choked against the wall. Drigor released him and cast and earth prison, shackling his legs and arms in place. Then he continued. ¡°Tell me what you know about Kiefer now! That brat betrayed me and ran away with some unknown methods. I can¡¯t track him, but maybe you do.¡± ¡°Kiefer what?!? He ran away? What happened? How did he run away?¡± Varn asked in return, still not fully comprehending the situation. ¡°That what I want to know! You¡¯ve known him since before, so tell me what went on and what his abilities are!¡± Drigor demanded again. Varn spent the next 20 minutes explaining his own past and his relationship with Kiefer to Drigor. Drigor interrogated him thoroughly, and only after making sure that Varn was not part of the whole deceit then did he let Varn go from the earthen shackles. Drigor proceeded with his next plan. If he could not find Kiefer, he was going to lure him out. With that in mind, he returned to the school where he first met Kiefer. There, he silently observed Nicole, checking if Kiefer had made any attempts to contact her. Seeing that she has only been around her other female friend, Drigor chose to go with the more drastic measure. Desperate to find Kiefer at all costs to find out his motives, Drigor launched an earth spike at Nicole. While it was only a basic spell, with his power level, Drigor easily made it seem like an advanced level spell, with the spike actually being the size of a spear and travelling faster than most magical projectiles. He watched in amazement as Nicole barely even flinched as his spike hit her body and shattered without leaving as much as a scratch on her pristine clothes. Drigor hid underground just before Nicole could turn her head to look in his direction, finding the source of the unknown attack. She seemed unfazed by what just happened, having gotten used to the surprise attempts on her life by her family¡¯s rivals. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. She trusted in Kiefer¡¯s protection necklace that she received as a parting gift. Clutching something hidden beneath her shirt just above her chest, she smiled sweetly, as if reminiscing something dear to her and then continued with her school life. Drigor on the other hand, was perplexed by the weird phenomenon and decided to try again, this time with a more powerful spell while looking out for Kiefer at the same time. He suspected that Kiefer might be hiding close by protecting his lady from the shadows. This time, he encased the girl, completely up to the neck, startling her friend that was next to her. As her friend started to panic, Drigor began crushing the girl, but there seemed to be a sort of barrier around the girl, preventing the earth around her from moving any closer. Then with a sudden outburst of silver light, the earthen shell cracked and crumbled into dust. The girl smiled at the failed attempt and caught up with her friend that had run off to get help from the professors. Relieved that her life was not in danger, the 2 girls quickly ran to their next class, out of sight from Drigor who had risen back up from underground. Drigor was left standing alone in the school field, dumbfounded by what just happened and unsure of his next move.
Kiefer sat above the clouds on his mana platform, pondering about the things he¡¯s learnt. Drigor had shown him a crucial aspect in travelling between worlds and dimensions. This was his key to returning to earth, although he was sure it would not be so easy. At the very least, the balancer would not make it as easy as he would have like it, not until he¡¯s finished his task here on Aoia. The spell to open the portal to the nether world worked very differently from Kiefer¡¯s PD. Through careful and detailed analysis of the runic incantation, Kiefer deduced that the huge amount of mana that it takes from the caster was used as a sort of drill to make a pinhole link between this world¡¯s mana and the netherworld¡¯s mana, before constructing a larger more stable portal link from both sides of the link. Imagine 2 dimensions side by side like pieces of paper and a tiny string thread through both pieces. Then when the string has pierced through the adjacent paper, it would rotate and swing in a circular motion, tearing the hole bigger and bigger before finally, on both pieces of paper are large gaping holes to form a bridge for souls to cross. Kiefer was stuck at this point because this meant that the other world that he¡¯s trying to link to needs to have its own mana source too. Hence, returning to earth was not an option at this point since there is no mana on earth to form the portal. However, Kiefer was intent on researching how to cross different dimensions, particularly between dimensions and worlds with a physical manifestation unlike the nether world. The presence of non-Aioa origin undead creatures meant that the netherworld was a destination for souls not only from Aioa, but also from other physical worlds where there is life, be it intelligent or not. And if those worlds could support life, it would not be too difficult to survive there since he is able to manipulate mana to support himself. Kiefer made mental notes on his plans for discovering new worlds and possibly returning to earth. Step 1: Develop a way to establish a portal to the netherworld without the use of runes. (Compulsory) Step 2: Through the netherworld as a bridging world, create a portal back to Aioa to see if portals can be opened from the netherworld using mana from this world. Step 3: Study the arrival of souls within the Netherworld and their origin and see if their origin planes of existence could be pin-pointed. Step 4: Open a portal within the netherworld leading to the foreign mana-rich world. Step 5: See if the same can be done using his PD space instead of the netherworld. Step 6: Create a runic device that acts as a visible landmark from far away to be planted in the foreign world. Step 7: Eliminate all other variables to study the movement of foreign world in relation to Aioa. Open the portal from the same location and the same time using the same amount of mana here on Aoia. Step 8: Look for the landmark device after eliminating variables to see if it has moved and if so by how much. Step 9: If it is considered safe to do so, enter the new world while maintaining the portal open, and then try to open a new portal from the new world back to Aioa. Step 10: Name the new world. With the 10 step plan in mind, he put it on the back burner and focused on the task at hand ¨C Killing Drigor. He could not get much information on Drigor¡¯s abilities, but he could tell Drigor was skilled in combat from watching him fight with Varn. His spells are also top of the line, but he was lacking in one thing- detection. Kiefer noticed that Drigor could not tell the location of people once they are not touching the ground and his only way of tracking people would be using the medallion. He could not even sense Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse used to track him. Kiefer noted down Drigor¡¯s weakness and came to the conclusion that a surprise attack from the air would be the best option, if they could find a way to prevent him from escaping underground. As Kiefer was thinking of strategies, there was a somewhat itching feeling at the back of his head. Somewhere deep inside, Kiefer almost felt like Drigor was not a bad person, looking at the way he treated his students and his general attitude. People only avoided him because he was mysterious, but once you knew him, he seemed almost unnaturally normal. However, with a quick shake of his head, Kiefer re-focused on the fact that Drigor had indeed killed Wanda and that he was doing this for Isana. Doing some quick calculations in his head, Kiefer estimated that Isana¡¯s group would have met up with Luna by now and if he made haste, he might be able to catch them at Rashael¡¯s place, which he could not be certain of its location. ¡°Meh! That¡¯s not much of a problem though. I have the perfect titan tracking system on Aioa anyway, maybe the ONLY titan tracking system.¡± Kiefer thought to himself as he started sprinting north bound, towards the Rashael Province. The further he travelled, the thicker the clouds became and soon, Kiefer had to resort to travelling above the cloud line to avoid the torrential mid-autumn rain. The difference between the top and bottom of the cloud lines was drastic. Above, it was cooling, dry and bright, while below, the thick clouds covered most of the sunlight streaming through, making it dark and cold. The water soaking onto his clothes made the cold even worse and it was extremely uncomfortable moving at high speeds while the rain water smashed into his face. However, Kiefer found a way around it. He first thought of using his orihalcom to form a rain shield, but there was so much air resistance he could not move fast while carrying it. Finally, Kiefer laughed at his own stupidity for not thinking of the simplest solution. He immediately set up his dome shield and dried himself using a thermal pulse. As the heavy rain bounced off the top of the dome shield and flowed down the sides, it looked like a huge waterball flying through the air. Kiefer had solved the cold and wet problem, but visibility was still severely limited. Naturally, solving that was also a cinch, with a simple (in Kiefer¡¯s point of view) Permafrost spell, the rain drops froze and shattered against his dome and the ground all around him for 100m. With the water cleared up, Kiefer headed straight for the capital city of Rashael. Chapter 2.16 - The Stalker and The Batcave As Kiefer came closer and closer to Latiase, the rain gradually subsided. He could not proceed as fast as he had wanted and by the time he had arrived above the city, night had already fallen. Ever since Kiefer had entered the Rashael province, he had been regularly releasing mana pulses to look for the titan, but he could find none, even after passing through one city and arriving at the second northern one. Though not as bright as Luminas, the first city, Latiase was still relatively well lit, even during the night. Luminas however, was like a shining beacon that tore through the dark torrential rain as Kiefer passed through it. Kiefer chose to move on from Luminas since his mana pulse did not register anything significant. As he descended onto one of the streets in Latiase, he observed his surroundings carefully, realising that this city was almost as advance as Arigan. He walked down the empty brightly lit street, he feet splashing water around as he stepped into the puddles of rain water that littered the cobbled street. There were lamp posts stationed at regular intervals. It was just a simple steel pole protruding from the ground about 2m tall with a flat top, looking kind of like a huge golf tee. Floating above each of the metal posts was an orb of bright white light that lit up the surroundings like daylight. On closer observation, there was a runic circle engraved into the top of each pole for the light orb spell. Windows were made out of wooden shutters unlike other cities where they were made out of glass plane. Kiefer suspected that this was to keep out the never ending light that flooded into the houses from these street lamps. The streets were clean and well organised, houses arranged neatly in rows like in Diantes. Kiefer already knew that Rashael was not in the cities, he had sent his mana pulse countless times to check and double check. Walking around, the streets were lined with stone and wooden buildings, all no more than 3 floors high. Most were shop houses from the looks of it, with the families running businesses on the ground floor and sleeping in their homes upstairs. He even saw a shop that sold draeries as domesticated pets. Naturally, it was dead at night and with nobody around to ask questions, Kiefer decided to rest on one of the clay tiled roofs nearby, waiting for day time. He could go to the battlefields but being a human, he would most likely be taken for an enemy and would have no progress in his search for Rashael. He took out a thick blanket from his PD and laid it on the sloping roof, sat on it and stared at the moons.
[[Deep down below Latiase]] ¡°Oh? It would seem that someone is in my city. Weird that he/she only seems like a normal human, but to be able to open a PD within my airspace? This is a first in history.¡± Rashael looked up from his deep underground library. ¡°I suppose Drigor wouldn¡¯t be coming here from underground any time soon, so might as well go up and take a look. No point holing myself down here anticipating Drigor¡¯s approach any longer than I need to.¡± Rashael thought to himself as he got up from his chair and left the library. He walked through the corridors of his underground castle and finally came to a small room with a floating platform. As Rashael stepped onto the platform, white light glowed brighter from is convex bottom and rose up through the narrow tunnel, ferrying the Titan up towards the surface. It was a long ride, with his hideout built more than 5km underground. A soft hum echoed up the tunnel and through a small room behind a door in a run-down shack just at the edge of the city. Finally, after watching the brown and grey earthen walls of the tunnel speed past down below his feet, the Titan with pure white feathers on his forearms finally stepped out of the dilapidated little shack. There were still a few hours before morning and he sensed the human had not moved from its spot. Silently taking his time a strolling down the empty streets, Rashael finally came up to the building where Kiefer was sleeping on the roof. With a light jump, he landed gracefully and silently on the same roof, only to find a young man fast asleep on a thick blanket. Rashael walked towards the sleeping man and suddenly hit face first into an invisible wall. Feeling around the wall with his hands, Rashael realised that this talented individual had actually set up a physical barrier around him while he slept, so there was nothing Rashael could do. Sure there were methods he could use but he wanted to avoid conflict with this man, and if he allowed it, even study him. Hence, Rashael sat down on the boundary just outside of the barrier and stared at the sleeping man¡¯s face. Kiefer awoke as soon as the first rays of the rising sun hit his face. Stretching his body out like a cat, Kiefer relieved his joints of the ache from the weird sleeping position he had been in the night before. As he turned around, Kiefer discovered that right at the tip of the roof, was a young boy about Fiora¡¯s age what was staring intently at him and smiling. ¡°Umm¡­ Hello?¡± Kiefer asked, still confused and a little startled by the unwelcomed stalker. From the looks of it, Kiefer already guessed that this was the Titan Rashael, the Avian titan of light. ¡°Good Morning!¡± Rashael replied enthusiastically. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, please, do your own stuff! I just want to observe.¡± Rashael reassured Kiefer, not moving at all from his position. He was still sitting down with elbows on his knees and head resting on his hands. ¡°Uhh¡­ ok¡­ Nice to meet you too?¡± Kiefer was unsure how to proceed since the titan had actualy come out to look for him and unlike with Drigor, Kiefer actually wanted to make a good impression to form an alliance. ¡°My name is Kiefer, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you Rashael¡± ¡°Hahaha. This is fun. You already know who I am without even asking. I¡¯m getting more interested in you, human. So tell me, how is it that you are able to open a PD? You did it last night didn¡¯t you?¡± Rashael asked, seemingly amused, but still not moving from his spot. Kiefer¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the titan. Then, he managed to mutter out a single word. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy! I can sense all the mana within my territory and how they are being used. U used a considerably large amount of mana opening the PD last night, so do you not have enough to open another to store your items away? Also, are you working with Drigor? Because I can sense a little of his mana lingering around you.¡± Rashael explained, still trying to figure out the full extent of Kiefer¡¯s abilities. ¡°Wow this is new, a titan with mana sensing capabilities that exceeds mine.¡± Kiefer muttered under his breath, but was heard by Rashael who burst out in laughter. ¡°AHAHAHAHA! This guy! You are the first human ever to be surprised that a titan¡¯s ability exceeds your own! You surely are interesting. Why don¡¯t you tell me more about yourself? I am so tempted to cut you open and study you before healing you back up!¡± Rashael exclaimed excitedly, accidentally showing his psychopathic tendencies. Opening his PD to store his items away and take out a small metal flask of water, Kiefer took a sip and looked at the titan who was still barely able to keep his laughter stifled and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point, I intend to kill Drigor and just came from his academy for necromancers after spying on him. I am here to form an alliance with the 3 avian Titans.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Hahaha. You really do say some interesting things! You know that is going to be easier said than done? My sister Fiora hates men on a pathological level so I highly doubt you will be able to bring her to your side for whatever reason you may have to want to kill Drigor.¡± Rashael rebuked, still smiling at Kiefer¡¯s childish dreams. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. You, Rashael, should be the last of the avian titans to join my cause. I¡¯ve already helped Isana and Shearwood to bring Fiora over to our side long ago and now they should have done the same with Luna too. From what I¡¯ve heard about you, you specialise in healing magic and from what you¡¯ve said earlier, I¡¯m assuming sensing magic too? I would really like to see the extent of your powers if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Kiefer requested politely, explaining his current situation. ¡°Ha! So this isn¡¯t for your personal reasons after all. Since you seem to be related to Isana, it must be to help her take revenge over Wanda. Isn¡¯t that right Kiefer?¡± Rashael deduced the reason with pinpoint accuracy. ¡°Yes that is indeed true. However, you were wrong on one thing. It is a personal reason. Anything that is personal to my companions is personal to me. I trust them and will gladly share any responsibility from their actions and will support their actions as if it were my own.¡± Kiefer now stood up proudly, reassuring that he was as committed into this revenge as Isana was. ¡°I see. That¡¯s good then, for Isana to have found such a reliable follower. But I still do not trust you completely, so I will not show you my abilities until you show me some of yours.¡± Rashael bargained. Kiefer smile, relieved that Rashael was mature and sensible, unlike a certain hot headed lesbian bird. He agreed to Rashael¡¯s condition and immediately teleported behind Rashael. Then he quietly whispered into the startled titan¡¯s ear, ¡°This place is too crowded, so shall we take this to somewhere where there won¡¯t be any collateral damage?¡± before teleporting to a spot higher up in the sky and standing on his mana platform. Rashael¡¯s eyes widened at the previously unknown magic. He could sense Kiefer opening and closing a PD really quickly, but he did not know how Kiefer was moving in and out of this world so quickly. He also sensed that Kiefer did not cast a flying type spell, if one really did exist, but instead was using mana in a way he had never seen before. Excited to have found a new toy, Rashael finally got up on his feet and floated into the sky, chasing after Kiefer. Rashael did not want to be outdone by the human, so he too, showed off some of his skills. While standing in front of Kiefer in mid-air, Rashael started to disappear right in front of Kiefer¡¯s eyes. Sending out a mana wave, Kiefer could sense that Rashael was closing in on him while invisible and he immediately set up a dome shield, just in time before Rashael once again hit the dome face first like the night before. ¡°You know this thing is really annoying! Do you keep it up even when you sleep?¡± Rashael complained, still invisible, but rubbing his nose. ¡°Haha yes of course, how else will I protect myself while I sleep? But your illusion really is interesting. I never thought to use magic in that way but I will be good for espionage activities. Let me see if I can do it.¡± Kiefer remarks jovially, excited that Rashael had already taught him a new way to manipulate mana. Concentrating his mana around him, Kiefer used his mana particles to guide the photons hitting his body to circle around, making light swerve around his body instead of hitting and bouncing off. Rashael watched in amazement as the human he had just met a night ago perfectly copied one of his skills without being taught how. Not willing to be out done, Rashael shouted excitedly, ¡°You know, I can¡¯t see you, but I can still sense your mana usage! So it really doesn¡¯t work for me. But you can¡¯t see me so I have the upper hand since you can¡¯t tell me locate¡ªWhat!¡± Kiefer had already bound the invisible Rashael in his mana threads, showing that he knew full well where Rashael was. Then, while reappearing, Kiefer shut off his mana completely and then yelled back to Rashael smugly, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I could not sense you, did you? Why don¡¯t you try sensing me now?¡± Rashael activated his mana sensing skill and could only detect the tiniest amount of mana emanating from the platform below Kiefer¡¯s feet. Kiefer himself, however was completely undetected by his ability. ¡°Boy! We have so much to discuss!¡± Rashael yelled out gleefully. ¡°You can manipulate pure mana can¡¯t you!? This opens up so many avenues into learning about mana. Why don¡¯t you come down with me to my lab? I have so many things to ask you!¡± Rashael requested, his face beaming, but his mouth visibly drooling. Imagine Jibril ¡°Gladly!¡± Kiefer accepted his offer, while backing away slightly from the weird drooling bird. They then descended back down, to the abandoned broken down shack that Rashael had come up from. As he opened the door, Kiefer was greeted with a familiar sight ¨C one of those elevator mechanisms that he used in the library in Arigan. The 2 of them stepped onto the platform and descended slowly down the never ending tunnel. Seeing the tunnel travel so deep down, Kiefer finally understood why his mana pulse did not detect Rashael. Rashael had been so deep underground that Kiefer did not even think to extend his range from the usual 2km radius. Hence, being almost 5km underground, Rashael escaped his detection easily, proving that his detection ability was superior to Kiefer¡¯s mana pulse in certain aspects. After a long time, the platform finally slowed to a stop and as Rashael opened the door, a huge lobby greeted Kiefer. It was as if there was a mansion build underground, with even a large garden outside the building with artificial lighting on the tell ceiling of the cavern. The whole cavity underground was so large, the ceiling was at least 200m tall and the area was comparable to the Varradon household. If he had not just gone down the elevator for the past hour or so, he could have believed that he was actually still on the surface. There was even a light refreshing breeze flowing about, which was unexpected as Kiefer had thought being underground would be stuffy and dim. Looking closely with his enhanced eyesight, he could see Ventilation shafts dug into the cavern walls at regular intervals. Kiefer would spot the occasional elven maid bustling about in the mansion doing chores and tending to the garden. Still amazed by what he was seeing, Kiefer followed Rashael through several doors and finally came to large empty room with many metallic mechanisms lying around and tools sprawled over the floor. It looked like a workshop of some kind, and with just a simple glance, Kiefer could tell that Rashael was experimenting on some new runes. Rashael turned around and finally welcomed Kiefer in a warm angelic voice, ¡°Welcome to my abode, Kiefer!¡±
A little late, but this is the bonus chapter for Sunday. Chapter 2.17 - The Engineer and The Aperture Science Technology *BOOOM!!!* ¡­ ¡­ *BOOOM!!!* The whole mansion shook again as it had been shaking for the past 3 hours, with loud explosive sounds resounding through the underground cavern. The elven maids were all hustling around, busy cleaning up dust and debris that kept falling with each quake. Even high above the mansion, on the surface city of Latiase, tremors could be felt and everyone within the city had been worried. Guards had been scrambled to search the entire city for the cause but no results had turned up yet. It has only been 4 days since Kiefer had arrived at Rashael¡¯s place and he¡¯s been immensely enjoying the company of, in his opinion, the only other intelligent life form on Aioa. Rashael soaked up all of Kiefer¡¯s knowledge like a dry sponge and within hours of meeting and discussing, they were already planning major changes to the mansion to accommodate their future experiments. Rashael showed Kiefer around the mansion in its entirety, from the plumbing system, to the elevator systems for not only him, but his servants as well. Apparently, the servants each had their own elevator leading up to the basement of their residences on the surface, within the city and close to necessary amenities. Rashael¡¯s personal elevator that he and Kiefer took led up to an abandoned shack that had a barrier placed around it to prevent inquisitive intruders. There was a fresh supply of water from an underground water stream that flowed constantly and most drainage leads into the end of the river. Kiefer had identified several problems during his trip and recommended changes to the infrastructure to make life easier and more comfortable in the future. After a quick brainstorming session with Rashael, Kiefer decided his first step would be to remove the elevator systems altogether. With the help of Rashael, Keifer designed a large rune circle abut 2m in diameter and constructed the physical body of the rune out of orihalcom he procured from Rashael¡¯s treasury. The runes came in pairs, with one on the surface and the other leading to the respective servant¡¯s rooms. The runes would be installed on the walls and have the final key activation sequence missing. Each servant was then given a red circular rune activation sequence that hung around their neck by a string. When the small activation sequence is inserted into the middle of the rune on the wall, the entire rune, along with its twin on the surface turns into portals that are linked to each toher. With this new system installed by the 2nd day of Kiefer¡¯s arrival, movement between the surface and the mansion was already reduced from an hour long trip to an instant, making shopping trips to stock up on materials much easier. In the past, the elevators had a weight and size limit, so the servants had to make several trip if they had a lot to transport. And if the item was too big such as beds and other furniture, they had to transport the raw materials down and construct the bed underground. However, with this new system, as long as it fit within 2m, and the servants can carry it, anything can be moved with ease between the surface and the mansion. Kiefer¡¯s next job, was to give Rashael some form of offensive power. Currently as Rashael had explained to Kiefer, he only specialized in healing and holy type magic, along with mana detection which he had learnt from Wanda¡¯s demise. He could only play a support role in the upcoming battle against Drigor. Kiefer was thinking about how to deal with this problem when he realized that he had lost track of time. Being underground and the ceiling constantly lit, there was no way to tell time unlike at the surface, so Kiefer decided to make something which he felt was long overdue. Not wanting to waste precious mana conductive metals for such a menial item, Kiefer resorted to manually crafting the components out of steel and wood. Luckily for him, Rashael had hired a master blacksmith and carpenter within his plethora of servants and Kiefer learnt the skills of the trade from them. Kiefer first made a large basin out of wood to hold a water reservoir. Hanging the Reservoir up high on a metal frame in the courtyard, He drilled a tiny hole near the edge on the bottom of the wooden basin. He designed a miniature water wheel out of wood and fixed it onto the metal frame below the basin. Having given out the designs for the cogs and gears to the blacksmith earlier that day(?), Kiefer went to retrieve the items from the blacksmith once he was done with the water wheel. With the axles and gears in place, Kiefer finally mounted a huge circular clock-face with numbers running up to 24 on the face. To end it all, after he attached the hour and minute hands, Kiefer placed a small portal rune below the water wheel and its twin on the underside of the basin cover. Kiefer proceeded to fill up the basin with water with a water spell and soon, water was flowing out of the hole into the bottom, spinning the wheel, entering the bottom portal and refilling the basin. As the wheel spun, the clock started getting into gear and the minute hand ticked. Letting the Clock tower in the courtyard run for a while to make sure there were no problems, Kiefer returned to the surface to check on the actual time of the day. He needed to calibrate the clock to match the proper time by using the sun¡¯s position. Using one of the servant¡¯s portals instead of Rashael¡¯s since it was more convenient, Kiefer left the house and was immediately blinded by the bright sunlight. It was almost midday and the streets were busy. Filled with elves walking around in civilian clothes, the appearance of a human male set off a chain reaction and within moments, Kiefer was confronted by a Wolfman, a catgirl, and 2 foxmen. With swords drawn and spears pointed in his face, Kiefer could only chuckle at his carelessness as he raised his hands to show a form of submission. Quickly, his hands and feet were chained up and forced to walk to the nearest guard house. Kiefer simply obediently followed their orders like a submissive human, walking slowly to drag time out. As he carefully observed the shadows of the buildings, Kiefer waited and dragged the walk out as long as possible until 20 minutes later, he was standing in front of the guard house. Watching the shadows become almost gone as the sun hit its peak in the sky, Kiefer disappeared, with only the sound of the chains hitting the ground resounding through the group of guards. Within moments, Kiefer had teleported back to the closest portal he had set up recently and was soon back in front of the clock tower adjusting the clock¡¯s hands. He set mid-day to be exactly at 24, with both the short hour hand and long minute hand pointing to the number situated at the top. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Satisfied that his new clock was working properly, kiefer finally returned to his original objective ¨C to develop a method for Rashael to take an offensive role. As a titan, Rashael was extremely weak physically, barely being able to overpower Kiefer in his non-enhanced mode. Not only did he not have strength, he was slow to boot, so running away would be a major problem with him dragging the team down. It was as if this titan was created for the sole purpose of having a non-combative stance. His supportive capabilities though, were incredible. Kiefer had not actually seen it first hand, but Rashael claimed to be able to heal any injury no matter how serious in an instant. The only side effect though, is the patient will have to go through the agony he experienced getting the injury again. With his ultimate skill, Rashael can even bring the dead back to life, not as an undead, but actually back to normal. This skill worked only if the deceased had offed it within 5 minutes. His healing abilities aside, Rashael is capable of detecting any mana usage and the actual spell that is being used within a 50km spherical radius. Kiefer planned to use this to his advantage, with plans to develop mana dependent coms devices for everyone on the team. With this, Rashael could stay back and pinpoint any magical attacks and relay information swiftly. Rashael¡¯s abilities aside, his strongest suit is by far his intelligence. It would seem that all the technology within Latiase and Luminas originated from him, and boy was he rich. Rashael was smart, rich and hopelessly useless without his magical devices. It kind of reminded Kiefer of a certain man in a flying iron suit. With all the riches at hand, Kiefer went unhindered in his schemes for development. Just by looking at his armor, Rashael immediately pointed out one fatal flaw. ¡°That¡¯s a full mithril armor isn¡¯t it? And to think you are capable of doing a 100% mana infusion. Reminds me of a children¡¯s fairy tale I read a long time ago. I¡¯m assuming you thought of it after reading about the armor that Grandu gave the hero, amiright?¡± Rashael asked cheekily, amused that Kiefer actually tried to imitate a children¡¯s book. ¡°And so what if I did? No harm in chasing dreams is there?¡± Kiefer rebutted, holding his breastplate in front of him to inspect. ¡°Well, you know the story is somewhat true, except the hero died in the battle and the armor was destroyed. But obviously since they couldn¡¯t put that in a children¡¯s book, they changed the outcome of the battle. There is one critical flaw with that armor.¡± Rashael said calmly, knowing it would tempt Kiefer to ask more. ¡°Oh, and what might that be?¡± Kiefer asked back, trying to sound like it did not bother him, not willing to give in to Rashael¡¯s attempts to see his flustered side. ¡°Tell me something brother, do you know what Mana overload is?¡± Rashael asked again, trying to guide Kiefer to an revelation. ¡°Yes I do, and that¡¯s why I make sure to not have full mana when I fight.¡± Kiefer answered back, clearly already knowing what Rashael was hinting at. ¡°Well, why not include something that can store mana? That way you can fight at full mana capacity without having to worry about the overload. The storage unit will handle any excess mana and you can even draw mana from it.¡± Rashael kept tempting Kiefer. ¡°That would be ideal, but there¡¯s just 2 problems. Firstly, I¡¯ve researched all known metals and rocks and crystals I¡¯ve come across and so far, none have the capability to store mana. Second, even if such a convenient thing were to exist, I would have to remake my armour from scratch to accommodate such an item and I barely have enough mithril left. I doubt you will be willing to provide me with the mithril for my own personal use would you?¡± (Kiefer) Kiefer stared at Rashael, awaiting in the stone cold silence as he watched Rashael¡¯s face smirk. A smirk that only meant Rashael was right and Kiefer was mistaken. Rashael still remained silent, watching Kiefer intently. ¡°You.. ... ... don¡¯t tell me you really?¡± Kiefer asked in a low voice in disbelief, to which Rashael kept grinning and nodded his head. ¡°Fine then where am I going to get more mithril? I¡¯m sure as hell not going to buy it from you. You are definitely going to overcharge me for it.¡± Kiefer sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t really have to get more mithril you know? Just melt your armor down to ingots. The heat will destroy the mana infusion and turn it back into a raw mithril form. You mean you didn¡¯t know this?¡± Rashael asked in amazement. Kiefer shook his head furiously, surprised that such a simple solution was in front of his face all along. ¡°Haha! Good good!¡± Rashael was clearly happy. He was able to prove that there are things he knows that Kiefer did not. After all, such trivial things were important to him when it came to a competition on knowledge. ¡°However! I just provided you information for free, so I expect that favor to be returned.¡± ¡°And upgrading your elevator systems and constructing the clocktower wasn¡¯t enough?¡± Kiefer returned the question. ¡°I¡¯ll take the information you have provided me with along with whatever that mysterious material that can store mana in exchange for the remodeling and information from my world.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Rashael pouted, ¡°I want to know everything you know, and also I want to see your abilities, plus I want you to remodel the backyard and extend the cavern, plus develop some way for me to be useful in a battle. In exchange, I¡¯ll give you my most prized possession, a moon crystal. Most moon stones are the size of a bean and they can already store plenty of mana and cost upwards of a few hundred platinum coins. I¡¯m sure you can guess how much mana a moon crystal this size can store.¡± Rashael proudly claimed, as her took out a large clear white diamond crystal from a locked chest. The crystal was the size of Kiefer¡¯s head, and it was a flat kite shape. Equipping his full armour, Kiefer replenished his mana to full, and held the large crystal in his hands as he started pouring mana into the crystal. It turned a silver shade, before Kiefer ran out of mana. Repeating the process over 20 times, Kiefer stored more than 20 times his maximum capacity inside the crystal and it turned a navy blue colour. Rashael explained that it will eventually turn black when full. Satisfied, Kiefer began formulating plans to create weapons for Rashael that will be effective in long range, as well as a way for him to move swiftly through the battle field, his primary idea based on using the portal runes. Chapter 2.18 - The Inspiration and the Intuition Given Rashael¡¯s physical attributes, Kiefer had wanted a weapon for him that would ideally put him far from the battle, and yet give him the choice to move up close effortlessly and quickly to save people if needed. The first thought Kiefer had was to give Rashael a sniper rifle, but then he had no idea how to construct a gun or any of its components for that matter. Explaining to Rashael a brief version of the workings of a gun, Rashael seemed impressed at Kiefer¡¯s society, being able to develop such devastating weapons without the use of magic. However, at the mention of magic, Kiefer¡¯s mind lit up like a Christmas tree. If he did not know how to build a gun, he will just design one with what he has, and right now, he has plenty of magical resources at hand. After a quick brainstorming session, Kiefer decided to take inspiration from a popular video game back on earth, as well as one of the abilities of his titan companions. The first part included designing a mana reserve as well as a charging system for reservoir. Since Rashael¡¯s part was done, Kiefer decided to make things easier for the future and gave Rashael instructions to return to his moon. The trip would take a little over 10 days and the purpose was to acquisition more moonstones and moon crystals. Equipped with one twin of a portal rune 1m in diameter, Rashael teleported to the surface and transformed into a cream white bird the size of a house. As he flew, white luminous mist trailed after his feathers and wings, forming cloud swirls with each flap of his wings. Carrying the rune on his back, Rashael was to install the rune on his moon, and then return directly to the mansion using the portal. Kiefer was given full authority to use anything within the mansion and with glee, Kiefer took the treasury into his PD. Taking out an irregularly shaped moonstone from the stash, Kiefer shaved it down into a long rod, 30cm long and 2cm wide. The cream white rock powder was collected and Kiefer had intended to save it for later use. With this, the main mana reservoir for the rifle was completed. Next, taking out a single ingot of raw mithril, Kiefer fashioned numerous identical runes out of them. The silver runes were designed to collect, convert and store mana into the moonstone rod that will be in the middle of the runes. Threading the moonstone rock through the center of 50 or so mithril runes, the silver cylindrical block was now 8cm wide. As soon as the moonstone rod came in contact with the middle of the first rune, it¡¯s cream colour had started to change, and by the time Kiefer was done with the last rune, the core of the block was already pure white and starting to turn a slight blueish tint. Next in line was the amplification chamber and the barrel of the gun. A cap was attached to each end of the block with a rune on one end that directed mana from the moonstone to the amplification chamber. There, the mana was directly converted into energy to excite the atoms in a fientral crystal to produce high intensity, photons. The photons cascaded and stimulate more atoms in the crystal to release photons. The amplification chamber that housed the Fientral crystal was made out of smooth silver that was cast over a cylinder made out of Kiefer¡¯s mana. The result was a mirrored interior to perfectly reflect the photons and direct them through a small gap in the chamber that led to the barrel. The barrel itself was short, and made of Carbon steel coated with silver on the interior. Kiefer then made the outer casing out of honeycombed steel engraved with runes lowered the temperature of the weapon. Adding a simple hand-grip at the front, lining up 2 ironsights on the side for aiming and padding the bottom and back of the stock with a generous amount of thick cloth leather, Kiefer finished the weapon by installing a trigger that separated the moonstone reservoir from the amplification chamber. The finished product looked somewhat like a primitive and cheap version of a Spartan laser from a very popular video game franchise on earth. Kiefer poured his mana into the moonstone and soon, it turned pitch black. Going to the backyard of the underground mansion, Kiefer aimed the shoulder mounted laser at the back wall of the cavern where he had intended to expand and squeezed the trigger. An intense and bright red beam shot forth, similar to the one Sher used, but smaller in size. The beam stayed on for as long as Kiefer squeezed the trigger and it melted through the stone walls, creating a river of magma that flowed out of the tunnel made by the beam. Though not as strong as Sher¡¯s upgraded attack which literally atomized everything in its path, Kiefer deemed it enough for a powerless titan to become useful. With the weapon done, Kiefer continued on with the prototype for aiding in Rashael¡¯s movements in the field. Unlike the other titans, Rashael would be fighting in his humanoid form, so Kiefer chose to construct a lightweight steel Breastplate for Rashael with the help of the blacksmiths in the mansion. Along with the breastplate was a pair of metal greaves with spiked soles to improve traction, which would be dearly needed with what Kiefer had planned. The molten steel used to craft the breastplate had the moonstone dust from earlier mixed in, and thus had a decent mana storage capability. On the back, Kiefer engraved multiple small 5cm wide runes in the shape of an X. The runes would use mana stored within the armour and release a compressed blast out from the back, propelling the wearer forward instantly by about 50 meters. Kiefer estimated that at full charge, Rashael should be able to use the dash about 20 times consecutively. Only problem would be that Rashael would need to be able to endure the tremendous G-force from the sudden acceleration. However, that could only be tested out when Rashael was actually there, so Kiefer move on. Finally, the last thing on Kiefer¡¯s agenda was the expansion requested by Rashael. Kiefer found that using the laser was slow and counterproductive since the molten rocks just flowed out and became even more difficult to remove. As such, Kiefer resorted to smashing the cavern walls with his ballistic silver bullets. Hence, we arrive back to present time where Kiefer had been going at it for 3 hours, causing tremors in the otherwise peaceful city above. [[Above the north western border of Rashael]] ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯ve feeling this tremor since some time ago. Could Drigor have taken the initiative to attack Rashael?¡± Isana thought quietly. Right now, she was the only one making decisions. Being weak during the day, Luna was fast asleep as Isana carried her on a piggyback. Sher too, was resting peacefully on Isana¡¯s head, buried in her silver hair. Fiora had been distracted constantly by the presence of the catgirls hidden throughout the jungle as scouts and Isana have had a hard time keeping her on track. It was as if Isana alone was carrying the other 3 titans on their journey and she silently wished Kiefer was here to help her. The tremors became more intense the closer they got to Latiase and Isana could begin to hear faint explosion sounds ringing through the ground, as if cannons were going off underground. Without any way to confirm or even investigate what was going on, Isana kept trudging on, unable to fly because of the extra weight. It took her half a day to traverse the forest, finally reaching an open grassland. Setting down the still slumbering Luna, Isana looked towards the city walls just on the horizon, dwarfed by the huge white moon rising in the back. Within minutes, the blue crescent moon followed and with it, Luna finally slurred from her sleep, rubbing her eyes and looking around her. Fiora had taken this chance to take a quick nap, still hugging the freezing Feni statue. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°This is too weird.¡± Isana muttered to Luna in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s been more than a day since we entered his province. Rashael should have sensed us by now and at least come out to greet us. No matter how engrossed he is in his work, there is no way he would ignore the arrival of 4 titans within his territory.¡± ¡°What if something has happened to him, Isana?¡± Luna asked cautiously. ¡°I did feel the ground shaking earlier as I slept. Maybe Drigor got to him already?¡± Luna looked at Isana with worried and fearful eyes. ¡°Right. Then we better make haste. The shaking has stopped, but that could only mean that Drigor has stopped his attacks. At least we know Rashael is still alive since we have yet to gain any of his powers. Maybe we can make it in time to save him.¡± Isana reassure Luna, still worried about Kiefer¡¯s instruction to absolutely avoid conflict with Drigor. ¡°But if Drigor is here, then that must mean something has happened to master!¡± Sher cut in, on the verge of crying. ¡°Quick! We need to find master first!¡± Sher urged the group, clearly worried more for Kiefer than for Rashael. ¡°Wake up you stupid bird!¡± Isana yelled as she kicked Fiora¡¯s shin. ¡°We need to move NOW! Drigor might be here in this province already.¡± With the sudden jolt to her leg, Fiora quickly stood up, wiped the drool off her face and took to the skies along with the other 3 titans. They knew if Drigor was here, he would be able to tell their location if they stayed in contact with the ground, so the 4 titans flew the rest of the way to Latiase, arriving within a short hour. Luna immediately pinpointed Rashael¡¯s personal elevator entrance, and the 4 of them descended quickly to the shack on the outskirts. However, what greeted them was not the usual platform that had been there, but instead was a large rune with the design and instructions of the rune carved in English, a language none of them were familiar with. ¡°FUCK!¡± Isana cursed.¡± What the hell is this rune?! I¡¯ve never seen language like this before! Did Drigor some up with a new runic language!?!¡± Isana yelled, letting the rage take over her and completely forgetting that there was one person she knew that would fit the role of knowing a foreign language. ¡°Sana¡­ what is this rune?? I¡¯ve never seen this before...¡± Luna cried helplessly, tracing the rune with her finsgers, finally stopping at the empty middle slot. ¡°Did Drigor lock my brother up underground?¡± Sher on the other hand, was fluttering around with her fluffy white wings and finally realised something. Without warning anyone else, she excitedly vaporised the floor beneath them with her beam attack and revealed a tunnel leading deep underground. She dove straight down the tunnel without any precaution and the other 3 did not even get a chance to stop her. ¡°I¡¯ve seen those characters before! It was in master¡¯s book that he wrote in a weird language! Master must be here!¡± Sher thought happily, as she raced down the never ending tunnel. Meanwhile, Isana and the rest were panicking above ground, unsure of what Sher was up to. Finally, not wanting to leave Sher alone, they descended down the tunnel, slower than Sher had just to be on the cautious side. ¡°MASTER! MASTER! Where are you?!?¡± Sher reached out telepathically as she continued the downward dive. Without realising it, Sher crashed into the bottom of the tunnel due to the limited visibility deep underground. Nevertheless, she was unhurt, climbing out of the Sher-shaped hole in the rock with the talons on the tips of her fluffy, and now a little dirty, wings. Stuck in a dead end, Sher blasted her way out of the tunnel, revealing a brightly lit and smouldering room with a large gaping hole in the wall across the room. There Sher instantly dove through the mansion, following Kiefer¡¯s scent and slammed head first into Kiefer¡¯s chest in the backyard. Kiefer had turned around just in time to see the little winged serpent shooting straight for him, having sensed Sher¡¯s presence with his mana pulse. The collision threw both him and the tiny titan against the back wall that Kiefer had just finished excavating, causing the whole cavern to shake once more. Kiefer stood up, embracing Sher while stroking her tiny head and dusting off her feathered wings. Dust and tiny debris continued to fall from the ceiling as Sher returned the favour by climbing up to his head and dusting it off, before securing herself firmly on Kiefer¡¯s head. ¡°Sher, where are the rest?¡± Kiefer asked, tilting his head up while trying to catch a glimpse of his favourite titan. ¡°They still don¡¯t know you are here, so they think Drigor has trapped Rashael down here. Isana is slowly making her way down as we speak master.¡± Sher replied enthusiastically, finally able to talk to Kiefer after having been separated for so long. ¡°Hahaha! Is that so? Well, let¡¯s just leave them be. It¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve spent some time with you alone. So tell me what you girls did after I left?¡± Kiefer laughed, enjoying his time with Sher. Kiefer and Sher spent the next hour updating each other on their journey while waiting for the other 3 girls to make their way down. Finally tired of waiting for them, Kiefer brought Sher back to the room with Rashael¡¯s personal entrance and sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall and took a nap. He had been tired from all the work expanding the cavern and did not want to miss Isana and the rest when they finally came through the hole. Kiefer had not slept for long before he was rudely awakened by Isana¡¯s vigorous shaking. Opening his weary eyes once more, Kiefer saw Isana holding him by his shoulders and wildly shaking him, with a worried look on her face. ¡°Well, took you long enough to get down. Sher was already here ages ago.¡± Kiefer chirped, standing back up on his feet and yawning. It was after all, night time and well past dinner. Looking at the relieved faces of Isana and Fiora, Kiefer spied a confused look on the newcomer¡¯s face, as if she was frantically looking for someone. ¡°He¡¯s gone back to his moon to set up a portal.¡± Kiefer announced loudly, directing it at the new girl. ¡°He should be back in about 5 days. Here, before I forget.¡± Kiefer said, as he handed out portal key necklaces to everyone except Sher. ¡°Well, not too sure about you girls, but I know I¡¯m tired as hell, so I¡¯m going to wash up and hit the sack. You girls should do the same.¡± Kiefer suggested, before stepping up to Isana and lightly pecking her on the cheeks and whispering into her ear, ¡°Welcome back Sana. I missed you.¡± Smiling warmly at Sana and watching her go red up to the ears, Kiefer turned around and left the room through the gaping hole that Sher burnt through. Luna then led the rest of the party to the guest rooms like it was her own mansion and they retired for the night.
This chapter is a little technical so some of you might not enjoy it as much since it lacks development in the storyline. However, I just feel it makes the world more descriptive and I like it that way better. Hope you dont mind. Chapter 2.19 - The Breakfast and The Equipment Hi, sorry this is half a day late. Wanted to make sure it did not leave out any detail, and also partly because I had trouble creating tables but gave up in the end. Enjoy. Also, I''ve been getting several messages from various people about the inclusion of R18+ content in my FF. So I''ll just put this out there now. I have no intention of including any Fap material in my FF, not now, not ever. I''m sorry if it does not suit your tastes, but i strictly feel that reading should be for the imagination and if u are just looking for Fap materials, there are plenty of other websites or even FFs on this website for that. In the future, if there is any need for me to include sexual scenes, they will be kept short and ambiguous without going into any explicit detail.
Kiefer sat at the end of the large dining table, with Isana seated right next to him. The large clock outside showed 1400hrs, just 2 hours after sunrise on the surface. The elven maids laid out several dished in front of Kiefer and Isana. The breakfast was bought from a restaurant on the surface and brought down to the mansion while it was still hot. Cooking was not a skill that Rashael paid any mind when he recruited the elven servants as Titans had no real need to eat for sustenance. As such, the mansion did not have a kitchen and the servants were all given meal breaks on the surface. Isana and Sher however, chose to eat despite not needing to just so they could have something in common with Kiefer. Meal times gave them opportunities to spend time with Kiefer without having to worry about other things. The 2 Avian titans were seated along the table as well, but wthout any food in front of them. They did not understand the need nor the purpose of spending time to eat. The 2 girls watched intently as Sher wrapped herself around Kiefer¡¯s wrist, making it seem like Kiefer was wearing a winged bracelet. She would snap a bite out of Kiefer¡¯s plate every time he reached down to get a spoonful for himself. Watching the scene, Luna and Fiora just glanced at each other and shrugged, then waited in silence for the meal to be finished. Finally, after a leisurely breakfast, Kiefer finally put his spoon down, and awaited for the elven maids to clear away the dishes. Then, addressing the group, he started off the reunion discussion about Drigor, his capabilities, motives and the plan moving ahead. ¡°Well, Let¡¯s start this shall we? First off, hi Luna, It¡¯s nice to finally meet you. My name is Kiefer. I¡¯m Shearwood¡¯s master and Isana¡¯s compa¡ªooff!¡± Kiefer chipped, as Isana delivered a sharp kick to his shin under the table. ¡°Husband. He¡¯s my husband¡± Isana cut in quickly, glaring at Kiefer before quickly turning and smiling at Luna. ¡°Why yes, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Shearwood and Isana. It¡¯s nice to meet you too, Isana¡¯s compa¡ªoof!¡± Luna winced too, as now it was her turn to be kicked by Isana. Kiefer chuckled silently at the scene of Isana being bullied. Her face was now construed into a frown and she was pouting. ¡°Since I¡¯m sure Isana must have filled you in on the details about me and my plans, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Do you know what Drigor is truly after? He seems to be gathering power from the souls of the undead and warriors that perish in battle. However, I¡¯m concerned that he has yet to make a move. If he was simply power hungry, he would have come after the other titans individually after he defeated Wanda. And yet he remains closed off, still gathering more power.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have a clue on Drigor¡¯s plans as well. If he is gathering power, he must have some goal in sight for the power that he needs, like maybe to defeat someone or simply to control over the world. However, right now, the only one more powerful than Drigor would be Grandu, and I¡¯m certain there is no way Drigor would go against Grandu, even if he had the power to.¡± (Luna) ¡°And why is that?¡± Kiefer asked, now sitting upright in his chair, placing his elbows on the table and cupping his hands in front of him. ¡°That¡¯s because Grandu is like a father to him, just as he was a father to me too.¡± Isana supplemented the reasoning. ¡°After Grandu and Gondor, Drigor, me and Wanda were born to the world. Drigor proposed raising us and teaching us the ways of a titan, but Gondor was against the idea of sharing the world with more titans. So Grandu defended the 3 of us and raised us like his children.¡± ¡°You say that like Drigor wouldn¡¯t kill his own family. Have you forgotten the sole reason we are gathered here in the first place? You wanted revenge of Drigor for killing your sister. Maybe he has gone mad and is out to kill all other titans?¡± (Luna) ¡°Maybe he wants to gather enough power to be able to defeat all of us, at the same time without having to hunt us one by one?¡± (Fiora) ¡°No¡­ that can¡¯t be it. The way I see it, from the time I¡¯ve spent with Drigor in the necromancer academy, Drigor is smart enough to plan at least 3 steps ahead. There is no way he would risk everything he¡¯s worked for the past few centuries just to gamble it all on an all or nothing fight against every other titan at the same time.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°The other problem is, why did Wanda actively seek him out and attack him?¡± If Drigor was the one to initiate an attack, it wouldn¡¯t have happened on his territory and He would definitely not have started out with Wanda first. He would have gone for Rashael first since he is one of the weakest Titans.¡± (Luna) ¡°Maybe Wanda knew of Drigor¡¯s plans and decided to stop him before he got out of hand, but failed and made him stronger instead?¡± (Sher) ¡°No, it still doesn¡¯t make sense. Wanda is the type to actively stop conflict, not start one. She would often break up fights between me and Drigor since long before we decided on our territories.¡± (Isana) ¡°So you are saying that Drigor wanted power and Wanda just happened to be the closest thing that was convenient for him and got lucky in a fight? That still brings us back to square one ¨C Why does Drigor need the power?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Maybe like you said, there was someone he needed to defeat? Since he had no problem killing his own blood sister, I¡¯m sure he would be mad enough to kill his foster father. Maybe that¡¯s his goal, to be the sole ruling titan of Aioa.¡± (Luna) ¡°Then I guess I don¡¯t really have a choice anymore do I? I don¡¯t want to lose Sher or Isana or anyone close to me in this world. I¡¯m not from this world so they are pretty much my only family here. Regardless of Drigor¡¯s aims, the result is still the same isn¡¯t it? Drigor still needs to die. So shall we discuss our abilities and how we can make the best use of them?¡± (Kiefer) Isana - Ice meteor ¨C summons a giant Ice meteor from a rune circle - Speed flight ¨C greatest speed in air - Freezing aura ¨C Chills and slows everything within a 200m radius - Ice doppelgangers ¨C create numerous copies of herself in human form - Ice shards ¨C fires quick shards of ice from her mouth - Ice breath ¨C freezes anything the breath touches. - Mini tempest ¨C kick up small hurricanes behind her as she flies. - Rune manipulation ¨C able create runes in mid-air instantly. - Mist replacement ¨C create a perfect body replica out of mist to replace an injured or compromised one. Shearwood - Lighting charge ¨C coats and filles her immediate surrounding in lightning, paralyzing anything caught by the sparks. - Titan beam ¨C incinerates and atomizes everything in its path. - Hexagram Shield ¨C summons 6 feathers that forms a strong nearly indestructible shield - Hexagram Prison ¨C modified version of the shield that traps and imprisons a target - Speed flight ¨C increased speed in aerial movements - Impenetrable Scales ¨C Physically impenetrable Adamantium Scales - Telepathy - Beam control ¨C Bends her beam attack according to her will Luna - Blinding Gaze ¨C turns off the lights in target¡¯s eyes, drowning them in a world of darkness - Shadow meld ¨C Able to move between connected shadows at will. - Shadow doppelgangers ¨C create numerous physical forms of her humanoid form from shadows - Shadow control ¨C Control the target¡¯s physical movements at the cost of one¡¯s own mobility. - Instant darkness ¨C Plunges her immediate surroundings and anyone in it into a world void of light for an instant. - Bane of the night ¨C physical and magical capabilities doubled during the night, but halfed during the day. Fiora - Flame breathe - Oxygen deprivation ¨C Burns the oxygen out of the target¡¯s immediate surrounding, suffocating him for as long as the spell remains active. - Absolute melting point ¨C Flames will melt anything into liquid regardless of material or its normal melting point. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.- Phoenix regeneration ¨C enhanced healing capabilities, able to regrow limbs - Phoenix rebirth ¨C turns into a phoenix core at the moment of death and will be resuurected in a violent explosion in 5 minutes, unless core is destroyed. Rashael - Healing - Ressurection - Mana detection - Holy smite ¨C calls down a beam of holy light that cleanses the land of anything unholy. - Illumination ¨C Cannot be blinded - Optical camouflage ¨C bends light around the body to turn invisible - Quick study ¨C Learns new things and information with ease Making a note of all the titan¡¯s current combat capabilities, Kiefer now had a starting point for how to organize a coordinated attack on Drigor. The only request by Isana though, was that she would deliver the final blow. Kiefer decided the best course of action now, would be to wait for Rashael to return, then he would have another set of brains to work on it together. Ending the discussion momentarily, Kiefer reminded the girls that they would be departing for Arigan once Rashael returns from his trip. He informed them that there are some history books in Arigan¡¯s library that might shed some light on Drigor¡¯s madness. He¡¯s been through Rashael¡¯s personal library but they were mostly books on magic theories and weaponry. The girls then decided to take a tour of the city while waiting for Rashael while Kiefer stayed in the mansion, working on his new armour design. Sher chose to stay behind to make sure that the new set of armour still had her hiding spot. The old armour was stiff, with the breastplate digging into his abdomen when he bent down, and also revealed weak spots when he moved his body in different ways. To make up for that, Kiefer melted down all the mithril parts of his pauldrons, breastplate and waist guards after removing the orihalcom. Using his mana to form a casting mold, Kiefer, with the help of the blacksmiths, poured the molten mithril into the large rectangular mold. Kiefer ended up with a large oversized raw mithril ingot. The new design was vastly different from the initial one. After pouring his mana into the ingot, Kiefer mixed in a fair amount of crushed moonstone powder into molten metal. He had already experimented with this earlier and he found that at a metal to powder ratio of 70:30, the metal almost felt soft, like a hard rubber texture. This discovery was made when he designed Rashael¡¯s armor as he tried to maximize mana storage capacity with optimal hardness. At 70:30, the metal when pulled into thin threads had an elastic consistency, being able to be stretched even after it had hardened. The more mana is absorbed and stored the more elastic it became. Kiefer spent the rest of the day just pulling more and more of the mixed mithril thread. The girls had come back, only to find poor Sher sleeping outside the workshop door. Kiefer had requested to be left alone while he worked, so once again used to his antics, Isana took the role of bring food to Kiefer. Kiefer worked through the night on his new idea. It was extravagant and far-fetched, but would be extraordinary in terms of performance and comfortability. By sunrise the next morning, Kiefer had worked for another 24 hours, finally finishing the first part of the armour. Kiefer had manually woven a tight full body training suit out of the mixed mithril threads. It covered the entirety of his body, with the pants going all the way down to his ankles and shirt covered his wrists and neck. The mixed mithril fabric had a stiff and cold texture to it as it shined in the artificial light. The silver suit was rather stiff, until Kiefer filled it with his mana. Letting his mana pour forth, the silver suit gradually turned into a grey coloration, a mix between the shiny silver metal and the matt black moonstone powder. Once the mana was poured in, the suit was comfortable and flexible. The mixed mithril fabric had a texture like Lycra and it clung to Kiefer¡¯s body like a second skin. This suit was what Kiefer was going to attach armour onto. With more raw mithril metal, Kiefer began working on the back of his armor. There were 8 major components which he was going to make in this order ¨C spine hinge, abdomen plates, chest piece, pauldrons, upper arm guards, waist and thigh guards, shin guard and knee guard. Each piece was going to be woven directly onto the mithril skin with the exception of the armor for the limbs which would have the option of being removed individually. The Spine guard was made by stringing together 15 U-shaped metal cups to form a sort of flexible silver trough that ran down from the bottom of his neck to his coccyx. It could bend flexibly as Kiefer did, trying it out by arching his back forwards and back. To each side of the Spine guard, Kiefer attached plates of mithril that were 5 cm wide and curved around his body from the back to the front, bending downwards as the 2 plates from each side met in the front to form a V shape. The 2 plates were then sewn to the mithril skin on the front. Kiefer started with the bottom plates, just above his waist, and stacked more above, overlapping the layer below just by 1cm. He stopped just as the plates reached the height of his chest. Finally, Kiefer moved on to the chest piece. Kiefer made 2 thick loops of mithril that intersected each other to form X shapes in the front and the back. Then, he positioned another piece of mithril over the front that had a chamber in the shape of a flat-top diamond to house mini-Sher. The large moon crystal he received from Rashael was positioned in the front of the chest piece, protruding out a little. He smoothed out the edges and sewed it onto his mithril skin, securing the X harness to his mithril spine guard. The pauldrons extended from the main chest piece, looking like oversized mithril sleeves to an oversized shirt. They were fixed to the X harness and did not move according to his shoulder like in his previous scale mail design. He designed it to make him look like an extravagant general in a battlefield. From the bottom of each pauldron were 2 latches in the front and back, meant to secure the front and back pieces of the upper arm guards that would clip on and secure to each other, wrapping the upper arm while hanging from the pauldron to allow freedom of movement. The waist guard was like a V frame that extended up both his sides while being secured loosely to the last V plate of his abdomen. The allowed it to swivel in any direction while hanging off the last plate. From the V frame, Kiefer molded a metal cup to protect his jewels that ran between his legs and up the back like underwear worn on the outside. Hanging from the sides of the V frame were latches for Kiefer to clip on his thigh guards from the front and back piece for both legs. Attached to the side of the thigh guards were 2 loops meant to hold weapons Kiefer had intended to make later. Shi guards were simple oval plates that were rounded to wrap the front of his legs and sewn on to the mithril skin as a permanent attachment to the mithril skin pants. As with the Shin guards, the knee guards were made of overlapping mithril plates that were also sewn onto the mithril skin. Finally completed, Kiefer realized he had lost track of time, only remembering Isana having come to force feed him several times. With this, he was almost done. He had one final idea to make weapons for himself. It would be 2 long swords, at least 1.5m in length each. One would focus on magical penetration while the other would focus on physical destruction. A pair of twin swords, one pure silver while the other pure black. Naturally, the silver one was easy to craft, making it out of an alloy of mithril and orihalcom, with a final coating of mithril only. It was a one sided sword with no guard, the blade extending elegantly from the 40cm hilt. The hilt has finger grips and was wrapped with leather strips to increase the grip on the sword. The black sword though, was not as easy to make. Barely managing to finish it before Rashael came through the portal, Kiefer spent almost 4 days making the black sword. It was the heaviest thing on Aioa, literally, and without Kiefer constantly maintaining a mana barrier around it, would warp spacetime around it. Kiefer had spent plenty of time researching the effects of his mana particles on the physics of this world and this sword was the culmination of all his effort, his research coming to fruition. The first idea came about when Kiefer used his mana particles to control photons to turn invisible, then it dawned on him that he could control things other than photons, like quarks and electrons. Concentrating on the space and the air around him, Kiefer began ripping electrons from the atoms, creating sparks all around him, he then tore through the nucleus of every atom individually and rearranged the up and down quarks, creating a mass of neutrons only. Particle by particle, he stacked the neutrons quickly, eventually speeding up as he got used to the process. Gathering layer after layer of neutrons, the mass of neutrons began to take shape, being held up by Kiefer¡¯s mana ropes. Once he had the hilt done, Kiefer decided to take a break, placing the lump of neutrons on the floor, only to see it sink through the ground rapidly from its weight, crushing everything beneath it. Kiefer frantically picked it back up using his mana ropes and decided to just keep going with his neutron sword. In the end, the sword was so dense that it came close to becoming a singularity itself, had Kiefer not blocked its gravitational field with his mana. Absorbing photons to sustain the enrgy required to maintain the mana barrier around the sword, the sword turned void black since no light escaped from it. Looking at Rashael stepping through the portal and watching the air and things light enough to be picked up get sucked into the portal to the vacuum on the other side, Kiefer grinned evilly, knowing his equipment have finally been completed.
Please tell me how the description for the armour was. If it is still unclear, I''ll try to work on updating it. Besides, you guys can just wait for the illustration coming up this weekend. Chapter 2.20 - The Battle and The Legs (1/2) Hello my dear readers. Sorry im releasing this very late and making this an incomplete chapter. I''ve been sick since Wednesday and my fever''s just hit its peak at 39.2 degrees Celsius last night, so i barely managed to complete this half a chapter. There are probably heaps of mistakes in this chapter but i promise i''ll return later when im feeling better to update it.
Rashael slung the Titan laser over his shoulders, letting hang from the leather belt that was clipped onto it. Taking one last look back at the mansion, he stepped through the portal, following Kiefer and the rest into the cramped roofless shack on the surface. There, Kiefer and the female Titans were waiting for him, staring at the portal. It was an odd sight to see in Latiase, a masked figure in an extravagant yet complicated armour leading the way in front of 3 demi-human birds and a single beautiful human female. The residents were all charmed by the female¡¯s beauty that no one made a move to even consider arresting the human. On the back of the leading man was a single long sword, shaped unlike anything this world has ever seen. It was pure mithril, and just a single piece of long metal without any guard for the hilt. The most catching feature though, was the deep blue jewel embedded into the chest piece. It glimmered and swirled constantly, sometimes changing colour to a light turquoise in some placed and others turning deep purple, almost like the crystal housed a living fluid. Walking just a little behind the masked man, was a demi-human bird with white feathers on his forearms. He seemed to be carrying a weapon on his back, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any way to hold this weapon to swing it efficiently, with weird protrusions coming out the sides and no regular shape to the design. It looks like a warped piece of metal and wood and yet, somehow, the guards were terrified of it, even knowing it was not an efficient melee weapon. As the group approached the city guards, the guards observed a weird scene. Even though it was still early in the morning, the black haired demi human just fell to the ground after slurring a few steps. There, the white haired female acted as if nothing was out of place and simply picked her up on her back. This was Kiefer¡¯s first time back on the surface ever since he got caught while trying to calibrate the clock. He had been informed by the girls who were touring the city that there had been wanted posters of a human put up on the streets and even though Kiefer knew it was him, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the poor drawing done of his mug shot. As they approached the raised bar gate, wolfman guards were inspecting each person passing through the gates, comparing them against a picture of Kiefer¡¯s mugshot. While they could have simply flown over the gates, Kiefer chose this meddlesome method because he had wanted to try something. As the group approached the gates, they vanished from sight. Such a large group disappearing raised an alarm and the guards dropped the gates immediately, the spiked bottom of the barred gates dug into the soft earthen ground. While the wolfman and lamia guards were still busy scouring the place for the group, Kiefer and the others were already flying through the skies heading east. Kiefer had wanted to see how fast he could set up the optical illusion around the entire group and if he could even do it at all. Glad that it was a success, Kiefer kept sprinting through the air, this time with Isana by his side and Sher snoozing away behind the crystal in his chest piece. As the group passed over Shearwood¡¯s lake, they did not notice that Rashael had started falling behind, being the slowest of the group, he was now trailing behind the rest while Kiefer was far ahead of them. Then, as he saw Kiefer¡¯s right arm arch towards the back to grab his mithril sword, Rashael smiled. *zzzzzziiiiiiiiii!* The sound of a laser beam cutting through the air rang out through the skies as suddenly, as a red beam shot forth from the back of the group and instantly melted off Fiora¡¯s right leg. Howling in agony, Fiora instantly transformed into a giant flaming bird as searing flames licked the stumpof her right leg in phoenix form. Within seconds, the leg grew back, but not before Fiora managed to identify the culprit. Without even demanding a reason, the flaming bird charged towards the lightly armoured man standing a fair distance from the group with a thick weapon mounted on his right shoulder. Then suddenly, as if she lost her ability to fly, Fiora plummeted from the skies, towards the forest canopy. Looking back up, she discovered that Kiefer was standing where she used to be, right next to her 2 red wings that were going up in flames. In his hand, was a gleaming silver sword. Sher and Isana immediately knew what was going on and without any delay, they chose their sides as the entire space around them was engulfed in darkness. Sher shot straight upwards as she changed into her giant Quetzalcoatl form, attempting to fly out of the darkness caused by Luna. It was still day time so her powers would be severely limited. Isana on the other hand, sped down towards the ground in her dragon form. With her speed being the greatest in the group, she caught the falling Fiora before she hit the ground. The burning trees were instantly extinguished by her freezing aura as the large flaming bird in the talons of the pure white freezing dragon began to regenerate her wings. Rashael who had not been affected by the blinding darkness surged forth with the help of his new armour, his titan laser now slung over his back. Within 2 bursts, he was already in front of his younger sister, swinging his arms and throwing a jab towards her thorax. As the jab was heading towards the Luna, there was a sudden burst from the back of the elbow, hitting Luna at even greater speeds in her arms as she managed to raise them in defence in the last moment. As Luna was thrown towards the mountain from the force of Rashael¡¯s jab, the sphere of darkness around her followed, finally allowing Kiefer to see the light of day again. However, his vision was blinded almost instantly again as he was sandwiched between a combined flame attack and ice shards that converged on his location from below. As the flames and ice met, the shards exploded into a burst of steam, limiting Kiefer¡¯s vision while baking him from Below. However, with a blink of an eye, Kiefer was now below the steam cloud and in between a fire and Ice titan. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Rashael chased after Luna, his titan laser back on his shoulder. Kiefer caught a glance of him and realised that Rashael had made some modifications without his knowledge. As the black sphere approached the humanoid titan with the unknown weapon, Rashael fitted something onto the end of the barrel and fired the laser once again. Kiefer kept blinking around in the air, closely observing Rashael. He watched as Rashael aimed the laser at the incoming darkness and fire the weapon. However, instead of a focused beam that Kiefer had designed, with Rashael¡¯s attachment, the laser shot forth in a cone shape, targeting somewhat the middle area of Luna¡¯s darkness. The black sphere dissolved, as Luna¡¯s skin started burning, plummeting to the bottom of the forest and landing with a big BOOM. Kiefer decided to help Rashael first, and then he could continue to handle both Fiora and Isana. With both him and Rashael approaching Luna¡¯s crash site, Rashael healed Luna up like the injury was never there while Kiefer bound her up with his mana ropes, imprisoning her. As the 2 of them turned around, they saw an oncoming barrage of ice shards shooting straight for them, only to have them melted by a large red beam that tore through the skies from above. Isana glared at the culprit, the winged serpent in the sky that was currently engaged in battle with a phoenix. Looking at each other, the 2 guys nodded and dashed into the sky to help their ally. Once they have taken down the phoenix, the three of them could then focus on the biggest threat ¨C Isana. Watching the 2 of them go after Fiora, Isana smiled as she began pouring out a freezing mist of ice crystals around her. Ignoring what Isana was doing, Kiefer blinked behind Fiora once again, managing to slice one of her wings off before being slapped by the flaming bird¡¯s other wing. He could feel his skin boiling from the intensity of the flame, only to have it cooled and returned to normal by Rashael. Sher had begun using her purple hexagram skill that had Fiora imprisoned, as Kiefer went ahead and blinked in front of the trapped and surprised Fiora, lopping her head off in one swift swing of the mithril long sword. Fiora¡¯s flaming body started burning even more intensely, with flames rolling from the outside inwards, the ball of fire getting smaller. The 3 of them watched the ball of fire intently, oblivious to the icy mist that had now covered most of the area besides where Fiora was. The finally, from the ball of fire, emerged a large orange crystal, floating in mid-air where Fiora used to be. Relieved that one more titan was down, Kiefer and the rest stared around them, only to be surprised by the icy field that Isana had created. Then, right in front of their eyes, the mist started gathering in different spots around them, finally forming 8 white dragons. ¡°Rashael! Which is the real one!? I can¡¯t tell with my pulse!¡± Kiefer yelled out, trying to distract the 8 dragons that started circling and targeting them with ice shards. ¡°I can¡¯t either! They are all her real body! That¡¯s her skill! We need to destroy all of them down to the last one!¡± Rashael yelled back, unhappy that his mana detection had failed him too. With the 8 speeding dragons fighting them, Kiefer could not focus on taking down one only, since the others would soon come replace it once he wore it down. Releasing his supergravity field did not help either, slowing the dragons down by only a fraction. At one point, there were multiple ice meteors being conjured while the other dragons were doing their job of herding the Kiefer and the 2 titans together. Sher released her prison around Fiora¡¯s crystal and changed the hexagram¡¯s structure. Firing her beam into the hexagram, her 6 individual beams bent and chased Isana while they kept conjuring tornados as they flew by. The 6 beams meet their mark, burning off limbs or wings on 6 separate Isana. Kiefer only watched in awe as the 6 injured Isanas took in the ice crystals around them and replaced the lost body parts, becoming fully functional again within moments. Still preoccupied with fending off attacks coming from all sides, the trio was suddenly thrown to the ground by a devastating heat blast that came from Fiora¡¯s crystal. With a loud shriek, Fiora rose once more from her demise and glared at the 3 of them that was sprawled on the ground. Isana conjured up a tornada, trapping the 3 of them in the eye of the storm as Fiora began spewing flames and turning the tornado into a spinning fire pit. From the flaming spinning pillar, red beams could be seen shooting out and barely missing the dragons and the phoenix. After a while, the beams stopped coming out and only then, did the tornado dispel, revealing an unconscious Rashael and Sher, along with Kiefer who was down on one knee, struggling to breathe from the lack of oxygen. Fiora was enraged, diving straight for the human male trying to finish him off, only to be stopped by her ally as the 7 other dragons shattered into billions of ice crystals that gently floated down. Smiling smugly, Isana slowly made her way to Kiefer, chest held out proudly.. Finally, standing in front of him, she spoke out. ¡°With this, I won, so you have to listen to what I say for 1 whole day.¡± She said while beaming clearly elated at her victory. Kiefer simply smiled while nodding his head, as he proceeded to carry the unconscious Luna back to where Sher and Rashael were snoozing.
Also, i managed to complete the initial sketch of the front of Kiefer''s new armour, i''ll be adding the other parts as i get better. so for now, enjoy and please do tell me what you think. Chapter 2.21 - The Battle and The Legs (2/2) ¡°YOU! How could you betray us!??! Why did u attack us!?!¡± Fiora vociferated, still unclear of what had just gone down. Kiefer ignored her, turned to face Isana and calmly asked, ¡°Soo... 8 dragons huh? Why didn¡¯t you use that last time we fought?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was necessary, and by the time I decided to use it, you¡¯ve already knocked me down. Besides, that spell requires a long casting time and there¡¯s no way I could use it without Fiora stalling time for me.¡± Isana shrugged, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°uuuu¡­¡± Rashael slurred from his sleep. ¡°Damn bro, how did u manage to stay conscious in that fire pit? And why didn¡¯t you use your black sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s cos I held my breath and slowed my heartbeat using my mana. Plus it helped that I could hold some oxygen around me using my mana. And you know perfectly well why I did not use Blacky. I¡¯ll take blacky out if I ever feel like cleaving Aioa in half. And besides, it¡¯s not exactly easy wielding a fragment of a neutron star and waving it around like a bat.¡± Kiefer rebuked, while staring at Rashael. ¡°And you! You changed the equipment I made for you didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course I did. You really didn¡¯t think I was just going to sit back and let you have all the fun tweaking with MY equipment did you?¡± Rashael asked back, smiling wryly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand back after seeing the methods you¡¯ve implemented into MY armour without trying something out myself. Rashael emphasized the word ¡®MY¡¯ again. Then a blast of heat wave reverberated through the jungle floor, setting the canopies on fire. ¡°WILL SOME TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!¡± Fiora yelled again, clearly upset that she was being ignored. With a wave of her arm, Isana put out the fire, leaving smouldering branches in the tree tops. ¡°That was practice, Fiora.¡± ¡°How is that even practice?! They almost killed Luna, they burned and chopped my limbs off several times, and he even killed me! How the fuck is that practice?¡± Fiora rorared while pointing at Kiefer and Rashael. ¡°Wow¡­ She really cannot handle her rage properly can she?¡± Kiefer whispered to Rashael, using the back of his hand to cover one side of his mouth without breaking eye contact with the fuming Fiora. Fiora saw Kiefer and Rashael secretly whispering things to each other while smiling and she blew her top. Starting to bawl her eye out she started waving her arms madly in the air while stomping on the ground with her legs, yelling the words loudly and clearly, ¡°STOP! IGNORING! ME!¡± Seeing her act like this, Kiefer and Rashael burst out in laughter only to have their heads punched by Isana. Isana walked over and consoled the crying Fiora, explaining the situation to her. ¡°It¡¯s alright Fiora,¡± Isana spoke gently, while hugging Fiora. ¡°They were just practicing, seeing the extent of our abilities.¡± She kept explaining, watching as Fiora nodded and wipe her tears away. Glaring at Kiefer, Isana for the first time, spoke coldly to him. ¡°Get over here and apologise now! Explain yourself!¡± ¡°Hahahaha¡­ sorry Fiora, it¡¯s just, your reactions are too funny and predictable that Rashael and I could not help but laughing. But it¡¯s as Isana said, I was testing how you would react in a surprise attack and when in a state of confusion. And I must say, aside from your rage issues, you performed admirably.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°And what¡¯s even better, is that we won! So Kiefer has to follow whatever we say for a whole day!¡± Isana added, trying to cheer Fiora up with a reward based system. ¡°Really? I can ask him to do anything?¡± Fiora asked again, double checking with Isana, to which isana smiled widely and nodded her head. ¡°Then I want Kiefer to stay away from Isana for one whole day!¡± Isana¡¯s smile turned into a gaping maw, as she was stunned by the unexpected request. ¡°Wai- wait Fiora. You can ask him for anything you know. Why not get him to make you one more of those statues that you love huh?¡± Isana started to jitter about frantically, hoping that Fiora would change her mind, already regretting taking sides with Fiora. ¡°NO!¡± Fiora pouted like a little child despite her age. ¡°Isana always sticks way too close to Kiefer and I don¡¯t like it. So Kiefer you must stay away from Isana.¡± Kiefer was now literally laughing on the floor, clutching his stomach. He had not seen the situation turning out this way and was dreading what Isana would have him do. But now, everything seemed to be fixed with the one immature request from Fiora. He quickly collected himself before Fiora changed her mind and replied her firmly, ¡°Deal!¡± And so the group of titans and human continued on their journey to Arigan, with Isana constantly sulking and Kiefer too engrossed in his discussion with Rashael to care. Sher had returned to her miniature form and was recuperating within Kiefer¡¯s armour. Fiora was skipping in a jolly mood behind Isana who had Luna on her back. The day passed quickly, although it seemed like an eternity for Isana. Right as the sun rose the next day and Luna went back to sleep, Isana clung to Kiefer tightly as they entered the special barrier around Arigan. As if they had been expecting the arrival of their lords, the high elves were already prepared with a carriage and escort party the moment the titans entered the city barrier. Kiefer chose to walk alongside the convoy, letting the titans rest within the carriages. His devilish horns and new armour design garnered numerous second takes from both male and female high elves alike. Kiefer did notice something different about the city as they entered the main street. It seemed quite a bit less populated as before. Where there used to be numerous elves crowding popular junctions and restaurants, now, the place barely even had a handful of elves. He noticed that most of the shops were closed or empty, with shelves devoid of any products. Only the basic backbone of any society was present. A few grocery shops here, some blacksmiths there. The only part that might not have changed would be the farms and the agricultural fields. Even then, Kiefer noticed that the warehouses of the farms were almost empty; barely having any food stock in them to sustain what little population was left of this city. As he was busy scrutinizing the now deserted city, Kiefer was led away from the convoy. While he was guided towards the palace, the carriages carried on towards the southern end of the city. When asked about it, the guards only replied that they were instructed to bring only him to the palace while the others were to head straight for the new city. Within minutes, Kiefer was now standing in front of a giant wolf-like creature, chained and caged by adamantium bars. King Ryul was standing next to him admiring the huge capture. As explained by King Ryul, this was a creature that was thought to be an evolved version of a Fientral. The high elves managed to capture it alive but have since failed at taming it, so they just kept it locked up. The creature was responsible for wreaking havoc in the supply route between Arigan and the port city. Kiefer stared in awe at the majestic creature. There was no wonder why it couldn¡¯t be tamed. Standing at almost 3m tall, this wolf was larger than a fully grown Tarsus. Instead of having large crystals coat its body like its smaller cousin the fientrals, this wolf had hair that glimmered the same colour as the Fientral¡¯s crystals. Each strand of hair on its body was made of crystalline bristles and unlike the fientrals who had an almost non-existent tail, this wolf had a long flowing tail almost half its body length. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The most prominent feature though, was the jagged horn on its head. It was cream white and occasionally, it would have slight flashes of turquoise in it. Kiefer immediately recognised the material. It was something he had been introduced to quite recently ¨C moon stone. As Kiefer approached the cage, the beast snarled at Kiefer, revealing 2 sharp rows of teeth and 4 abnormally large canines that stuck out of its mouth even when closed. The beast then got up to its full height within the cage, causing the surrounding guards to raise their weapons in high alert and making Ryul take a few steps back. The beast snarled and growled at first, but the closer Kiefer got, the softer the growl became. Finally, it was silent, as if it already knew who was the stronger one. ¡°Heh. So you do seem a little smart after all.¡± Kiefer thought as he extended his arm into the cage. Then without warning, the beast snapped at Kiefer¡¯s arm, gnawing at it like a chew toy but failing to cause Kiefer any sort of damage. Kiefer though, was slightly impressed the beast actually managed to penetrate 5 layers of his mana armour with the bite alone. With the beast firmly biting onto his forearm, kifer pulled its head close to the bars and with his other free hand, grasped the horn on its head and started pouring his mana into it. The beast immediately released its grip, trying to pull free from Kiefer while howling in pain as the horn quickly changed colours from cream white to deep oxford blue colour, going onto black. Kiefer Finally let go of the horn as the beast quickly retreated to the far corner of the cage, its body writhing in agony. Kiefer knew exactly what was happening to it. It was the exact same thing that happened to Kiefer when he first came to Aioa ¨C Mana overload. Pain was, after all in Kiefer¡¯s opinion, the best way to subjugate wild animals, just like how he subjugated Shearwood. The crystalline fur that used to flash magenta and yellow now turned a dull grey colour, with silver sparkles coming off its tips. The tail was now white at the very end while its blood red eyes turned jet black. The transformation was surprisingly quick and soon the beast was breathing calmly again. ¡°Master¡­¡± (???) Kiefer was surprised at the voice he had heard. Unlike Sher¡¯s, the voice had a deep gravitas feeling to it. Looking at the caged beast he heard it call him master once more. Confident in his capabilities to control the wolf, Kiefer unlocked the cage, much to the horror of the guards as the wolf stepped out of the cage. ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡± Kiefer commanded the beast. Through telepathy, the beast responded. ¡°Master¡­ I do not know what I am now, but I know I used to be a Fientral. Do you not recognise me anymore master? You instructed me to defend the caves with my pack.¡± ¡°You¡¯re THAT Fientral? What happened to you? Why are you like this now?¡± Kiefer asked, eyes wide open in disbelief. ¡°I did as you asked me, and I protected the caves from attackers. Not long after you left, a group of humans attacked the caves and the people inside it. I lost my entire pack to those humans. They were well armed and one of them was a mage. He carried with him a cane with a white stone attached on its end. I managed to injure the mage, and grasped his cane to stop him from casting spells. However, in the process, I accidentally swallowed the white stone. The humans did not stop attacking and I managed to get away from the caves with only my life. I suffered so much that night and when I woke up in the morning, I was already in my previous form.¡± (Fientral) ¡°And so why were you attacking the supply route around this city? I¡¯m sure I instructed you to protect humans, not attack them.¡± Kiefer interrogated. ¡°But ever since I changed, and the white horn appeared on my head, I was always hungry no matter what I ate. Until I found these tasty elves. Their mana satiated my hunger when I ate them and that¡¯s the only way I could avoid hunger.¡± The Fientral reasoned. ¡°Ok, from now on, you are not to attack anybody else unless I specifically order you to. If you need mana, just come to me and I will feed you. Understood?¡± (Kiefer) The wolf nodded, and sat down on its hind legs. To King Ryul and his guards, it only seemed like Kiefer and the wolf were growling to each other, unable to understand the conversation. It was only thanks to Kiefer mana that was infused into the Fientral¡¯s body that they were able to establish a mental link with each other and understand each other. Having tamed the beast, Kiefer mounted it and rode it towards the port city, a much more comfortable way to travel than running on his own 2 legs. King Ryul and his guards followed after Kiefer on their Tarsuses, only barely able to keep up with Kiefer¡¯s new pet. Within an hour of high speed running, Kiefer caught up to Isana and the rest. Sher immediately sensed a competitor nearby and shot out of the carriage from the comfort of Isana¡¯s head, only to be greeted by a snarling wolf. Obviously unhappy that her position was in jeopardy, Sher snarled back at the wolf, before speaking out loud. ¡°Know your place you stupid dog.¡± Sher reprimanded while floating in front of the wolf¡¯s face. ¡°Kiefer is only master to me. You are nothing more than a pet, a ride, an extra set of feet for my master. Understand that you will never be able to fulfil the role of my master¡¯s servant, even in another thousand years.¡± Kiefer was astounded. The last time Sher spoke in that manner and tone was when she sorely underestimated him before their first duel. Ever since, Sher had been docile and almost like a child to him. The ex-Fientral instantly understood, and nodded its head. Then in a clear and crisp voice, he answered back, much to the astonishment of everyone on the scene. ¡°Yes boss. I understand.¡± Kiefer and the rest of the convoy just stared, slack jawed at the scene, as the small winged serpent smiled and dove straight for Kiefer¡¯s chest piece. The giant wolf then rose up and began to saunter next to the carriage. With the shock of the large wolf talking dying down, the convoy slowly made its way to the port city, where Kiefer would execute the final stage of his revenge plan. Having forgotten his initial intention to visit the libraries, Kiefer focused on how he could apply the new pet to his arsenal in his war against Drigor. To complete his final phase,, he was going to need more ships, at least a small fleet to bring supplies and back up firepower to Drigor.
Here''s the second part to the previous Chapter. Hope you enjoy. BTW, still running a slight fever but feeling much better. thank you all for your concern. Also, What do you think would be a better name for Kiefer''s new ride? Beowulf (Nicknamed Bey) or Rendall (Nicknamed Ren) Not a Chapter: update on my status Hello all. Im sorry for this false alarm but unfortunately, this is not a chapter. My internet''s been down for 2 days already and i can''t upload anything from my computer. As such im writing this on my phone to inform you that i am still writing 1 chapter a day and once my internet is back up, I''ll be uploading the chapters consecutively. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Also, this is just a heads up, this 2nd arc is going to end soon, possibly by the end of this week. As you all know already, this is the revenge arc. I will not be revealing the theme of the next arc since it will be major spoilers. Anyways, stay tuned some time this week for the streams of chapters Chapter 2.22 - The committee and The Home Hello everyone I''m back. Internet is still down at home so i couldn''t wait any longer and am uploading this from an internet cafe near my home. Hope you enjoy.
Being able to move individually, Kiefer and Sher shot off ahead of the carriage on Feir. While Isana, Rashael and Luna were having a casual ride in the carriage surrounded by the redundant high elven knight escorts, Fier had already stepped onto the nicely paved road that extended from the Port city. Part of the road was still under construction, but it was already finished for the most part for a distance of about 5km from the port¡¯s gates. The road was about as wide as a 4 lane highway on earth, accounting for the prospect of high traffic in the future. It cut through the dense forest leading to Arigan and was the only artificial structure in the plains that separated the forest and the meadow that the port city resided on. Looking at how much the infrastructure had been built up, Kiefer could not help but be impressed at the speed of construction. Even as they ran past, Kiefer could see cart loads of stone, gravel and sand being transported to the construction site in the forest, coming from the port city. Feir just kept running, at speeds comparable to when Kiefer sprinted in the air. Within moments, Kiefer was already striding through the main street of the port city on his fearful ride. At the town, he was greeted with a strange and unexpected sight. There were not only high elves wandering the streets, but also dwarves and spider ladies. The city itself was more populated than Arigan and it would seem that about 80% of Arigan¡¯s residents had moved to this new city. Strolling down the street on Feir, Kiefer took in the sights and the salty air of the sea. He could see the port situated within the cove and 2 tall watch towers flanking each wing of the cove. Ignoring the stares he attracted along the way, he made his way down to the white sandy beach which was riddled with stone bridges running all the way into the water. There were numerous ships docked in the port, but a particular group caught his attention. 7 ships in total, docked side by side right in the middle of the cove as if they were pieces of art on exhibition. They all had the same Red/gold paint job done on them as the Frigate he left to Alwin to commandeer. They just floated in the water like rocks placed in position, not even swaying with the waves. At first glance, most people would think the ships were just statues or even stationary buildings designed to look like ships, but on closer observation, Kiefer saw sailors loading the ships¡¯ cargo holds with supplies. Just as Kiefer was about to go down to inspect his Frigate, he was greeted by General Alwin on a Tarsus. It would seem that Alwin had made haste to the docks after hearing of a strange person in full clad armour riding on a monster. With a description as ambiguous and yet specific as that, only one person came to Alwin¡¯s mind ¨C Lord Kiefer. And so he rushed down to the docks to meet with the returning lord. ¡°Milord, I humbly welcome your arrival to this city. I¡¯ve tried to build it as closely as possible to the schematics you have given us. I hope what you see here pleases you.¡± Alwin started the conversation while kneeling on one knee and his right hand balled up into a fist placed over his heart. ¡°Rise Alwin. Yes you have done a good job here. However, there are some issues I want to address and I hope you will implement these changes as soon as possible.¡± Kiefer replied while getting down from Feir. Now standing face to face, Kiefer looked behind Alwin and carefully scruitnised the 2 new races that were standing at attention. One of them was a tall female spider lady while the other was a familiar faced dwarf. Recognising that dwarf, Kiefer smiled, and took off his horned helmet to reveal a handsome if a bit unshaven face. ¡°Hello Buffon. Nice to finally see you again after so long, my old friend.¡± Kiefer greeted his old friend heartily, smiling widely. Buffon was the first person to ever be nice to him, without threatening to attack him at first sight. Buffon smiled equally wide, walked up in between Alwin and kiefer and shook Kiefer¡¯s hand furiously. ¡°Glad to see you made it so far, young man. We¡¯ve got plenty to catch up on m¡¯boy, but for now, I hear you want to make some changes to this city? Whatever it is, tell¡¯em to my boys and I¡¯m sure they will make it happen.¡± As Kiefer was about to get lost in discussing city layout plans with Buffon, he noticed the spider lady looking at him curiously and taking a step forward. Not wanting to be rude, Kiefer briefly excused himself from Buffon and face the spider lady, while conjurings several mana platforms and stepping up so that he was eye level with her. Extending his hand as a gesture of goodwill, Kiefer introduced himself first. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Kiefer, the lord of this new city. I¡¯ve never seen your kind around anywhere on this continent before. Might I ask for your name?¡± Kiefer asked politely while putting up a business smile. ¡°Oh my¡­ Handsome, powerful and polite. My name is Rina. I¡¯m a representative of sorts for the Arachne girls. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Lord Kiefer.¡± Rina replied, gently grasping his extended hand with her sharp carapaced fingers while slightly curtsying. ¡°My girls and I were unique to the Grandu continent, until General Alwin¡¯s boats arrived. We never had the chance to leave the continent because of our extreme sense of balance that leads to severe seasickness on boats.¡± ¡°I see. Well I thank you for the hard work your people have put into developing this beautiful port city. I would love to see more of your works but I have more serious matter to address.¡± Kiefer paused, taking a step back and addressing all 3 people who came to meet him. ¡°I would like to hold a council meeting as soon as possible with regards to the city¡¯s infrastructure, financial system and political system. I will be on the Eastern wing of the cove for now. Once Isana arrives along with King Ryul, please come quickly decide on a meeting and I will meet you all there. There is no need to come inform me as I will know where you will all be.¡± ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I would like to get going. Please make the preparations as soon as possible as time is of the essence.¡± Kiefer once again reminded while mounting Feir, before dashing off to the eastern wing¡¯s Cliffside. He estimated the others would arrive in a few hours, so he had plenty of time to do what he had planned. The eastern wing of the cove was covered in lush green meadow grass that abruptly stopped and fell off to a Cliffside that ended in the frothing sea waves bellows. Right at the tip of the wing was the watch tower, almost 5 storeys tall and made of grey stone that was starting to turn mossy at the bottom. It was late summer, and the meadow was blooming with wild flowers. Feir seemed to have some sort of reaction to the flowers, sniffing and rolling in the grass like a cute enormous overgrown monstrous puppy. Kiefer hypothesised that the pollens or maybe the scent had a catnip-like effect on Feir and left Feir to its own while he worked on his project. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Easily removing piles of earth, dirt and grass from a location close to the cliff, Kiefer began digging into the cliff to make room for a foundation and a basement. He was modelling it after his parent¡¯s home on earth, the one place he truly felt at home. Going down deep enough, Kiefer began breaking down the earth he dug out into their subatomic particles and rearranging them into iron and carbon atoms. It was a lengthy and slow process, but he managed to finish the minimum amount of steel wire mesh to lay down in the foundation just as Isana and the rest arrived 3 hours after he started. With his mana pulse, he felt them gathering at the merchant guild building in the middle of the town and made his way across promptly, leaving Feir behind to guard his now unfinished home. With She flying alongside him, they took no more than 20 seconds to arrive at the entrance of the short 3 storey building located in the centre of the city. As Kiefer opened the door, everyone gathered in the lobby turned to look at the new guy. Kiefer could see Isana smiling at him, her arms twitching constantly, fighting the urge to just rush over and cling to him like a little girl. After going cold turkey for 1 day thanks to Fiora, Isana was on the verge of attacking Kiefer and was barely holding herself back due to the presence of others and the need to keep up her image. And, so the discussions for remodelling the city started as soon as the last cup of sweet smelling tea was set on the round table for the committee. Seated around the table were Kiefer, Isana, Rashael, King Ryul, General Alwin, Guildmaster Buffon, and Rina. The discussion went on for quite some time, almost seeming like an eternity for Sher who was bored out of her mind inside Kiefer¡¯s Chestpiece, and an even longer time for Isana who kept glancing at Kiefer feverishly throughout the discussion. The discussion covered a variety of topic, ranging from implementing Street lamps using Rashael¡¯s technology, to changing the political system from one centred around royalty to a democratic party. All the changes suggested were revolutionary and yet so drastic it took Kiefer quite some time to convince the table. The finalised plans included the construction of a brick making factory with the help of magic runes provided by a brief brainstorming session between Alwin, Kiefer and Rashael. This world already had the basics of cementing grasped since their stone buildings were made of large rocks of similar sizes held in place by an adhesive plaster type material that resembled cement. Kiefer simply gave the idea of grinding rocks, sand and limestone into powder in a series of progressively finer mills and then mixing with water before cutting and baking the slugs in a magic based kiln. This way, the houses would be standardised and easier to build with bricks, making the construction of infrastructure go much faster. Roads and lamp posts were also upgraded and a basic city layout was planned to avoid mixing sectors of the country. Unlike all other countries in Aioa, This port city would be the first of its kind, run on a democratic system with no notion of nobility. Everybody is rewarded based on their contributions and skill set. The current mayor of the city was decided to be General Alwin while King Ryul would be the minister mentor. Kiefer chose to remain as an honorary guest. The titan would still be, well, Titans and their social standing would still outrank everyone. The talks eventually led to defensive capabilities and their army, where Kiefer offered to personally train them once the war with Drigor was over. For now, it would comprise only of the original army from Arigan, but Kiefer promised to provide them with military knowledge from his world such as tactics and strategies. This then led to preparations required for the fight against Drigor and Kiefer made a list of materials he would need to outfit himself, his new pet, and the ships before heading out via sea to Drigor province. The final discussion though, lasted the longest. It seemed Trivial and yet was the most important topic of the meeting ¨C the name of this new city. Visitors had already started streaming in from Wanda and Shearwood provinces and the topic has come up many times since before Kiefer¡¯s return. After a heated discussion, Kiefer finally decided on ¡°Mutatis¡± which was a latin variation for ¡®Change¡¯, similar to the frigate. Having concluded the meeting and assigned tasks to each member to carry out, Kiefer went straight back to his construction project. There was still a few hours till dusk and even then, he could still work with some illumination from Rashael¡¯s absurdly bright lights posts. He went to the closest lumber mill and tossed 20 huge logs into his own PD, and left after paying for it. He did the same thing acquiring a small amount of large stone boulders from a quarry next to the lumber mill outside the city. Working through the night, Kiefer envisioned his old home and kept building it, improvising where he could not achieve his desired effect. For example, his old home had a tiled kitchen floor and tiled bathroom walls. However, here, he made do with polished wooden planks that he shaved and shaped from the logs he bought. In his mind was a clear picture of his ideal home. One that was not too big like the various noble¡¯s houses he¡¯s been to on this world. It had a basement, the lounge, dining room and kitchen on the ground floor and 3 rooms on the 2nd floor. On top of that, there would be the attic which had a hatch that opened to give access to the reddish brown tiled roof. The floors were carpeted except the kitchen, basement and the attic. The walls were concrete walls, but he made do with brick walls lined with polished mahogany wood on the interior. The corners of the walls were lined with light coloured maple wood to contrast the dark mahogany that was the main body of the wall. The stairs were made of levelled and polished stones steps that were supported by wooden beams, guarded by an intricately designed metal railing with a floral pattern. The house was completed by day break the next morning, with only the furnishing left to do and setting up a back yard. Kiefer ate a quick breakfast alone in the nearby inn and then rested till midday in his new home. After he woke, Kiefer made a waist high fence around the cliff¡¯s perimeter to mark the boundary of his back yard. His front door faced the city down below the meadow while it¡¯s back faced out into the open ocean. Excluding the watch towers, his new home was at the highest point in the cove, overlooking everything from the city to the port. Admiring his handiwork, Kiefer sighed. ¡°Finally, after almost a year stranded on this planet without warning, I have a place to call home. A place to look forward to return after the upcoming battle.¡± Chapter 2.23 - The remodeling and the tenth Titan Please note, there is another chapter before this one that i uploaded, so please do not miss it by only clicking on the latest update. im uploading a series of chapters for the past week.
Buffon, Rashael, Rina and a few other dwarves were all staring at the pile of schematics strewn over the large table. There were so many plans for changes they did not know where to start. Aside from the obvious request to construct more titan laser type weapons which were to take priority along with other war- oriented schematics, the rest were meant for improving the city and they were what made up 90% of the parchment on the table. As they sifted through the stacks of parchment, Rashael¡¯s face turned from a confused frown into a grimace, and then quickly changed into a smug. Picking out one of the parchments, Rashael held it high up in the air and announced that they should start with that particular project. It was regarding lighting the streets with his light posts, but with certain modifications done to his design. There seemed to have been an ongoing secret war between Kiefer and Rashael, both besting and improving on the other¡¯s creations and innovations without permission. Rashael looked at the modifications Kiefer had done to his light posts and smirked, planning his revenge on Kiefer¡¯s next innovation. Right now, the score was tied at 2 ¨C 2 and Rashael was determined not to let it stay there for long. Rummaging through the stack of parchments furiously, Rashael quickly found what he was looking for and began striking out parts of the schematics and writing in new directions over them, all while laughing maniacally to himself. It creeped the others out so much they decided to leave him alone and just started planning the collection of materials for the new laser weapons. Kiefer began working quickly after picking up the materials. Back at his home¡¯s courtyard, Kiefer started molding the metals and shaving the crystals to form the laser. Meanwhile, Isana and Sher were busy directing some Arachne girls and dwarves as they moved furniture into their new home. Feir sat motionless, with only his tail wagging slowly from side to side as he watched Kiefer work. Long silver threads extended from Kiefer¡¯s body as they shaped and cut the materials to make the lasers. Intrigued, Feir kept studying Keifer¡¯s motions and without warning, the cerulean blue horn on his head flashed silver for a moment, stunning both him and Kiefer. Seeing that no harm was done, Kiefer returned to his work, ignoring Feir once more. However, his attention was once again diverted when he saw silver threads not unlike his own extending from Feir¡¯s feet. Feir was too engrossed in his own world that he did not notice Kiefer had stopped working. Instead, he picked the other Fientral crystal that was laying on the ground with his mana threads and copied Kiefer, shaving it down to cylinder to make the amplification chamber. ¡°Feir.¡± Kiefer called out audibly, only to be ignored. ¡°FEIR!¡± Kiefer called out again, this time yelling loud enough for Sher to come flying out the window on the 2nd floor to see what the commotion was about. Startled, Feir dropped the crystal, almost smashing it on the ground had Kiefer not caught it with his own threads. ¡°Ye- Yes master? I¡¯m sorry!¡± Feir apologised immediately, head bowing down dejectedly and tail now motionless. ¡°What were you doing just now?¡± Kiefer asked calmly, trying to show that he was not mad. ¡°J-just following and copying you master. I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t do that again.¡± Feir stammered an apology again, still not sure what he did wrong to make Kiefer yell at him. ¡°Feir come here and copy what I¡¯m doing.¡± Kiefer ordered, waiting for Feir to take slow deliberate and frightful steps towards his master. Kiefer then intertwined and wove his threads into a mana rope, and watched in amazement as Feir copied his exact skill. ¡°How is it that you can do that?¡± Kiefer asked, now going into full-on curiosity mode. ¡°I- I don¡¯t know master. It just comes to me naturally.¡± Feir replied, unsure of what Kiefer was looking for. Luckily for him, Kiefer already understood most of the situation from the all too familiar answer. ¡°That¡¯s ok. Feir, I want you to show me everything you know how to do. Every single skill you have.¡± Kiefer ordered, to which Feir nodded excitedly. Feir first transformed into a smaller wolf, about the size of a fox. Next he transformed back to his original towering form after which he swung his tail and shot out multiple grey bristles that stuck into the ground. The grass in the area where the needles struck immediately withered and started rotting, after which the needles disintegrated into powder. Feir then released a black mist around himself, and when the mist cleared, what stood there was an exact replica of Kiefer in his armour, except with a blue horn on his forehead. He then shot his palm forwards, launching several of the same grey needles into the ground again. With one arm, Feir in Kiefer form picked up a huge log laying outside the courtyard and tossed it far out into the sea. When that happened, purely on instinct only, Sher blasted the flying log with her laser, atomising everything and boiling the sea water beneath it. Watching Sher, the silver mana threads that extended mindlessly from Feir¡¯s body disappeared. After transforming back to his huge wolf form, Feir opened his mouth and shot a red laser forward just like Sher did moments ago, hitting where Sher had in the water. Finally, without waiting for Kiefer or Sher¡¯s astonished reactions to set in, Feir conjured up numerous images of Isana, Kiefer and Mini Sher. The images moved like they were real and it seemed like they had a mind on their own, being controlled individually by Feir who stood motionless. Walking up to one of the images, Kiefer reached his hand out to touch Isana¡¯s face and was surprised when his hand physically made contact with her face. Rubbing his hand along her cheek and chin, he observed the image Isana close her emerald eyes and enjoy the moment, then placed her own hand on his, before moving in to hug him. In the spirit of experimenting, Kiefer hugged her back, trying to feel for himself if the image had a physical form throughout the whole body. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. As his hand caressed her back and made its way down towards her butt, Kiefer suddenly heard the image Isana moan, as if it had a mind of its own and had feelings. ¡°Oh my¡­ How bold of you. You have no idea how long I¡¯ve waited for you to do this, Kii.¡± Isana moaned softly into his ear, still tightly embracing him. Quickly separating from Isana, Kiefer looked around and noticed that all the images were gone, with only Sher and Feir watching the intimate scene. Then Feir opened his jaw and spoke out, ¡°Master. That is not one of the images.¡± ¡°Watch your tongue, mongrel. You shall use ¡®She¡¯ to refer to me, not ¡®That¡¯. One more mistake and I freeze you into an icicle and shatter you into dust.¡± Isana barked back, unhappy that Feir interrupted her intimacy session with Kiefer. ¡°That enough Feir. Next time don¡¯t touch my things without asking me first. Some of these things are extremely hard to come by and I don¡¯t want to risk destroying them. From now on, you are to stay in your small form until I instruct you otherwise. Follow Sher into th city and listen for anything interesting. You are to listen to Sher¡¯s instructions at all times and not leave her sight. Go now.¡± Kiefer ordered, trying to make room to think. With that, Sher led the dog into the port city and left Kiefer alone with Isana. Kiefer returned to work on completing his lasers while Isana sat quietly on the bench nearby and observed her man at work. Finishing the 2 extra lasers quickly, Kiefer finally stored them inside his PD and then walked over to Isana, who had stood up and shifted a little to the side to make space on the small bench. Kiefer sat on the side of the bench, bumping shoulders with Isana. Enjoying the warm sensation on her left arm, Isana savoured the moment, before finally turning to face Kiefer. ¡°So what¡¯s wrong Kii? I can tell something has been bothering you for a while since that dog left.¡± ¡°Isana, do you remember how you were born? Do you remember what you used to be before you were a titan?¡± Kiefer asked, still deep in thought and staring up into the dimming red sky and watching the sun slowly set over the horizon. ¡°What are you on about Kii? I was born a titan. I was never anything else before I was a titan. And I wasn¡¯t born. I was hatched from an egg. When I hatched, I only saw Drigor burrowing deep into the ground, never to see him again for another 6000 years. I watched Wanda¡¯s egg roll around in the wind as if it were light as a feather while my own egg shell melted into a small lake. Wanda hatched soon after and was carried away into the clouds the moment she spread her wings. I was left all alone on the top of a snowy mountain that overlooked an entire landscape of ice and snow.¡± (Isana) ¡°And who laid those eggs?¡± Kiefer asked, trying to get to the bottom of his quagmire of unanswered questions. ¡°Grandu then gathered us together 6000 years later, just as Drigor started rampaging and testing his abilities on the lands. He taught us about our origins and taught us the languages of the lesser beings that populated the planet. He said our eggs were born from the core of the planet, a special phenomenon where mana took a physical form unique to its origin and its surroundings.¡± ¡°I see. Then have there been cases where one of the lesser creatures evolved somehow into a titan?¡± Kiefer kept drilling, still trying to keep his suspicions hidden. ¡°No. I would say Feir is the first of his kind, if that¡¯s what this is all about.¡± Isana replied, reading Kiefer¡¯s questions and intentions like a book. ¡°Magical beasts like seraplors and wyverns have come surprisingly close to becoming titans in the past, but none have ever succeeded, often failing to sustain a large enough mana source in their body before they disintegrated. The key characteristic of a Titan of Aioa origin is its ability to generate its own mana like the planet¡¯s core.¡± ¡°So Feir is definitely a Titan then? His birth is much more¡­ disappointing than I expected.¡± Kiefer sighed, secretly hoping that the birth of the 10th Titan as the prophecies in Arigan¡¯s library dictated would come with a huge bang. ¡°Yes, his body and his skills would suggest so. I can detect a faint hint of mana emanating from his body, but you should consult Rashael to be certain. But it is almost certain the Feir is the 10th Titan. His skill do make me a little jealous, being able to copy anybody¡¯s ability, kind of reminds me of a certain someone who defies all logic.¡± Isana winked at Kiefer and nudged his shoulder while smiling. ¡°Ahaha¡­ well since I¡¯ve got that cleared up, how about we go have dinner, then head back to our room for the night? Sher and Feir should be back soon too so I¡¯ll go wash up and wait for the kids to return, then we can head to a restaurant. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, loading the fleet up and moving out for Drigor.¡± Kiefer said, while standing up from the bench and extending his hand to help Isana up. Sher and Feir came back to the house just as Kiefer stepped out of the bath and got dressed. They had dinner in one of the more homely inns, enjoying home style cooked food in a private room. There Sher reported all that they had heard from the townsfolk while Feir stood silently by the door, his ears jerking up every time he hears someone open the door from the other side to bring more food in. Most of the news he heard was about the town¡¯s infrastructure, like how they were going to build this new building here, or what new business was going to open there. Other interesting things he heard were also the uses of Arachne silk. It would seem that most of the high quality fabrics being produced here were thanks to the Arachne girls who spearheaded the fabric production business in Mutare. Even the sails of the Red/gold fleet were made purely out of Arachne silk. The threads were stronger than steel and yet flexible and smoother than cotton. All in all, Kiefer made mental notes on the best place to buy commodities to supply his fleet in preparation to go to Drigor. Meanwhile, he hatched a plan to confuse and trick Rashael as an avenue to alleviate his boredom on the month long journey to the shores of Fiora right next to the Drigor province border. Chapter 2.24 - The prank and the Comms This is the 3rd chapter for today. another 3 more to go.
Kiefer watched from the back of the brig as the cove, the port and the rest of his fleet drew further away by the second. There was a change in plans and instead of risking the entire fleet, Kiefer chose to only bring along 2 of the smaller brigs to make more time. The preparations were completed much faster and crew selection was done by midday. After lunch in the city, Kiefer and his entourage boarded the 2 brigs and set off towards the sea. The crew on both ships comprised of high elves, Arachne girls and dwarves. The titans were all on the leading brig while 15 crew members sailed the 2nd brig not far behind. Only Feir remained behind to protect Mutatis from any possible threats while they were gone. A constant tail wind kept the sails bloated as both vessels tore through the waves and accelerated towards the cliff-side shores of Fiora. Kiefer was quiet most of the trip, keeping to himself in his room and barely coming out to eat. Isana had seen this behaviour before and knew that he was up to something, so she informed the rest of the crew not to bother him while he was working. Rashael would try to strike up conversations from the other side of the door and would only receive silence as a reply. Meanwhile, on the 2nd brig, a single human male out of all the demi-humans was hard at work, twiddling with some small curved pieces of metal. 4 days into the voyage and he was finally done. Laid out in a neat row in front of him were 7 curved circular mithril and orihalcom pieces, rounded and smoothed on one end. The man picked up one of them and placed the rounded end in his right ear while the circular body wrapped around the back of his ear. There was a thin mana thread connecting the pieces together and it stayed connected no matter how far apart those pieces were. Giving one piece to an Arachne girl and another to a dwarf, the man shut his door and instructed the 2 of them to put the devices on, and go to the ends of the ship. Speaking softly, the human started up a conversation with the other 2 recipients, testing out the communication device. After 4 days of boredom, Sher was the first to figure out what was really happening and disappeared from the first brig soon after. Naturally, Isana noticed Sher¡¯s disappearance and followed suit, only to come back later and continue as if nothing changed. In her head, one sentence kept running through on a loop, ¡°If you go back and help me, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± Rashael tried all sorts of things to annoy Kiefer, attempting to draw him out of his room. He could feel from his mana sense that Kiefer had finally left his room and was on the bow of the brig. Pulling out his armour, Rashael showcased the modifications he did to it while on the boat. There were small crystals embedded around the collar and down each side. More runes were carved on the inside to reduce the weight of the armour. He had also added the burst runes to the front of the armour to enable him to dash backwards without having to turn around. Rashael knew how much it would annoy Kiefer to have him watch his own creations meddled with. However, Kiefer showed no visible reaction, just staring at the armour as if it was some strange object, then ignoring Rashael and returning to gaze out into the ocean. ¡°He¡¯s only pretending to not be pissed. I know he¡¯s burning on the inside. I won¡¯t let his lack of reaction get to me. He¡¯s just trying to annoy me like we also do to each other.¡± Rashael thought to himself as he returned to his room scowling, trying to reason with himself. Spying on him from around the cabin, Isana chuckled, and then quickly returned to her room. ¡°You know, doing this kind of reminds me of when we used to fight with each other to stave our boredom. If we had known how fun it would be to pick on each other, Luna¡¯s moon would still probably be full.¡± Isana spoke softly, a red and silver device hanging from her ear. ¡°Yes well it has its downsides. Eventually someone blows up, so you gotta know when to stop and apologise. I doubt you titans have ever apologised for anything. Your pride would not allow it. Putting that aside, tell me his reactions. I want to know if my prank is working.¡± Kiefer¡¯s voice rang out in Isana¡¯s ear from the coms device he had given her. ¡°He¡¯s pissed alright. He may be trying to hide it, but I can see the scowl on his face that says he¡¯s bothered by Feir¡¯s lack of reaction. He still hasn¡¯t figured out that he¡¯s being pranked. I¡¯m quite surprised Feir is even able to mimic his target¡¯s mana signature.¡± Isana whispered back, covering part of her mouth with her smooth hands as she hunched over on her bed. ¡°Okay, now give Feir one of those coms devices that I passed to you. I want to make sure Ras sees it. When Feir refuses to give it to Ras to investigate, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be even more annoyed. I¡¯ve also instructed Sher to return to Feir¡¯s side and pretend he is me. If not for her, you would not have known either, so I want to keep this a secret.¡± Kiefer spoke back, like a true troll. Just as he said, Sher returned within minutes and hung out on Isana¡¯s head, occasionally flitting between Isana and Feir. Isana passed Sher one of the coms devices and had her deliver it to Feir, who put it on immediately. Almost instantly, Feir began to be bombarded with questions by Rashael the moment he saw the metallic piece. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s that on your ear? Is that what you¡¯ve been working on?¡± Rashael asked, only to be greeted with an empty stare. Kiefer ignored him and started to walk towards the dining room. ¡°Can I see it? Why won¡¯t you tell me what it does? Does it enhance your hearing? Why would you need to put it on?¡± Rashael did not rest, following Kiefer, and clearly annoyed at being ignored. Seeing that he could not get a response from Kiefer, Rashael returned to his room, devising a plan like a thief, unfitting of a titan. Later that night, Rashael slowly crept to the front of Kiefer¡¯s door and took out a silver knife from inside his long white sleeve. With the knife, He silently carved a rune on the wooden door frame to was meant to eliminate all sounds that came from the door. With the rune completed in 10 minutes, he then took out a chisel and hammer and began chipping away at the wood around the door handle. With each hit on the chisel, the door shook, and made a muffled ¡®whoomp¡¯ sound, which was masked by the sound of the waves hitting the ship¡¯s hull. Rashael worked tirelessly, determined to get his hands on Kiefer¡¯s new toy and investigate it, hopefully giving him ideas on how to modify it and give him the one-up on Kiefer in their little competition. He did not care if others knew he was thieving around, all that mattered was he found was he was looking for. After a great deal of effort and time, Rashael finally marved away the wooden handle of the door which remained attached to the door frame as he swung the rest of the door open. There, he saw Kiefer sleeping in his bed, covered up with a blanket and facing away from the door. With a quick glance, Rashael located what he wanted on the bedside table and quickly snatched the piece of circular metal before bolting back to his own room. The moment he left the room, Feir turned around and smiled, speaking into the coms device still attached to his ear. ¡°Master, Rashael took the fake you gave me. Now he should be back in his room.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Good work Feir. Isana and Sher, I want you all to carefully watch his reaction next morning. Feir, be ready to be confronted in the morning by Rashael, make sure you take off your device. You can still communicate with me via telepathy.¡± Kiefer replied from the other ship, already smiling happily. True enough, as Kiefer predicted, Rashael came storming through his already broken door in the morning, black bags under his eyes after spending an entire night studying a useless piece of metal. Feir got out of his bed and looked blankly at Rashael as he started rambling loudly. ¡°Can you just tell me what this is already!??!¡± Rashael yelled, holding up the fake coms device in his hand. ¡°I spent the entire night trying to study it but after all that effort, it just seems like another piece of contorted metal for this. I know you won¡¯t waste 4 days precious mithril being locked up just to produce thi-this stupid thing!¡± Before Feir could speak, Isana appeared behind Rashael and shifted her long silver hair behind her ears, revealing an identical metallic device on her right ear. ¡°This Rashael, is just an accessory. Kiefer made it for us so we would have a couple¡¯s look.¡± Isana claimed, smiling at Feir. Rashael slumped onto the ground, exhausted. ¡°So¡­ so you mean I¡¯ve wasted all this time and energy, investigating something that is just a form of jewellery? Ha.. haha¡­ I feel so stupid¡­¡± Rashael seemed dejected, with an empty look in his eyes as he slowly dragged his feet back out the room. Kiefer watched the whole scene play out from the other boat, enhancing his eyesight to make sure he did not miss a single thing. He smiled and called Sher back to his boat, with the intention of moving on to the next stage of his prank. Moments later Sher returned to Feir with 2 more coms devices for him to pass to Luna and Fiora. With instructions streaming in from his coms, Feir gave Luna and Fiora each a coms device and specifically instructed them not to reveal it Rashael. Luna and Fiora were confused, but did as Kiefer told them, still not realising that Feir was impersonating Kiefer. Whenever Kiefer spoke through the coms, they would think it was Feir who was talking to them from the same boat and saw no need to use the device if they were on the same vessel. Nevertheless, they listened to Kiefer instructions and kept quiet about it. Just as Rashael recovered from his set back in the morning, he was greeted with yet another surprise. He saw his sisters Luna and Fiora walking around with the same metallic accessory around their ears. It did not make sense to him since Isana clearly said that it was a personal item only for Kiefer and her. Using his mana sensing skill, he finally discovered the true purpose of the little circular metal. He sensed and thin miniscule thread of mana linking all the devices together and figured it must be a way to communicate with each other. Even more surprising was that there was one thread that led to the other boat. Determined to investigate this to the bottom, Rashael flew over to the 2nd brig, following the mana thread and finally found the man responsible behind all this chaos in his recent life. There he was, laughing his guts out on the floor as he saw Rashael¡¯s stunned face. ¡°Wait. How long have you been here? And if you are here, who¡¯s that I sense on the other ship?¡± Rashael asked, confused that his mana sense clearly indicated Kiefer¡¯s presence on the leading brig. ¡°Ahahahaha¡­ haha¡­ haaa¡­ ¡° Kiefer finally stopped laughing, catching his breath before continuing. ¡°That¡¯s Feir. It¡¯s his skill to mimic anybody perfectly. He even fooled you didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s going to be so useful in the battle against Drigor.¡± Kiefer explained while propping himself up against the table. ¡°So what is this ¡­ thing¡­ that you¡¯ve been tormenting me with the past few days?¡± Rashael dove straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m sure you already figured it out without me telling you. If not, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here in front of me.¡± Kiefer replied wryly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one, if you promise not to meddle with it.¡± Kiefer said while handing an actual working coms device to Rashael. ¡°No promises. Your work could always use improvements. I¡¯m sure you will get a surprise when you return to Mutatis.¡± Rashael replied, snatching the device quickly from Kiefer¡¯s hands while smiling, thinking about the schematics he changed back at the city. Hooking the coms up to his ear, Rashael spoke out loud to the rest who were wearing the coms. ¡°Hello sisters. I finally got my hands on one of these things too.¡± (Rashael) ¡°Oh finally. Where are you now? Did Kiefer give one to you?¡± (Luna) ¡°Yes I finally tracked him down and received one. I¡¯m on the other boat with him right now. I¡¯ll be returning soon.¡± (Rashael) ¡°Huh? What do you mean you¡¯re with Kiefer? He¡¯s standing right in front of me now, still staring into the ocean.¡± (Fiora) ¡°Feir that¡¯s enough. The whole prank is over. I¡¯ll be returning soon.¡± (Kiefer) At that, the Kiefer in front of Luna and Fiora was covered in a black mist, making them take a step back each. As the mist cleared, what stood in Kiefer¡¯s place was a dog with grey fur and a silver tipped tail. The coms device still in its ear, the dog spoke out. ¡°Hello. My name is Feir. I¡¯m sorry for tricking you but I was just following my master¡¯s orders.¡± Feir said out loud, bowing his head in front of Luna and Fiora. ¡°And that, girls, is the 10th titan of Aioa.¡± Kiefer replied loudly, as Luna and Fiora both looked up to see a young man standing in the air next to Rashael. With the whole Fiasco of the prank gone, Kiefer returned to the first brig and explained the use of the coms and the battle plans. Feir would be the main attraction in the battle and the distraction as well. The girls will be responsible for dragging the fight out long enough for Kiefer to figure out all or most of Drigor¡¯s abilities. Rashael is to focus on recovery and rescue from the edge of the battlefield. A portal will be set up from the land to the boats where Rashael is to retreat with any injured teammates before healing them in the safety of the boat. Kiefer would be high up in the sky and he will appear on land only when Drigor is distracted of Feir gets tired. He would not use his magic until he knew Drigor¡¯s limits and until then, him, Rashael and Kiefer form Feir would be running around with the lasers.They will communicate with each other at all times and with the support crew on the boat as well to coordinate their attacks. Fiora and Feir were to be the only ones engaging Drigor directly while Isana was to slow down and attack Drigor from the sky. Luna was responsible for blinding Drigor and restricting his movements while Sher was to trap and redirect Drigor¡¯s attacks. Feir would copy everybody¡¯s skills one at a time and cast them in succession to confuse Drigor and the Kiefer would join the fight. Drigor would focus on Kiefer and Feir first for their betrayal and that¡¯s what Kiefer was counting on to keep the girls safe. With that in mind Kiefer watched the approaching storm over the horizon and retired for the night, revising the battle plan in his head over and over again. Chapter 2.25 - The retreat and the attack Hello, and welcome to the beginning of the end. This is going to be one of the last few chapters of this arc. i may choose to take a break before the next arc, I may not. All i can say for sure is releases will not be regular anymore as work is starting to swamp me with everyone else in my lab taking holiday leaves for december, leaving me all alone in my lab.
¡°Commander! Team 6 reports seeing sails over the horizon! What are your orders?¡± one of the cat girls dropped own next to Feni without so much as creating a splash in the mud. Thunder clapped in the night sky as rain poured down constantly onto the roof of the tents. ¡°How much time do we have till they are close enough to the shore?¡± Feni asked the catgirl for clarification. ¡°Maybe half a day at most. They are coming through the storm and are considerably slow. They should arrive by day break.¡± The scout replied, still on one knee on the muddy forest floor. ¡°Okay. The runes seem to be holding up and there aren¡¯t any giants tonight. Reposition half the ballistae and trebuchets along the cliffs facing the ocean. I want to be able to hit them before we get in range of their cannons. Keep a close eye on them. I know it¡¯s difficult in this rain, but I want to know their fighting capabilities as well as their strength as soon as possible.¡± Feni ordered calmly, heading back into the tent and throwing her hood off. It was considerably dryer within the commander¡¯s tent, with a warm pot of tea awaiting her. She took off her greaves and placed her furry fox feet over a warm pillow after drying them with a towel. The warm pillow had hot charcoal wrapped in chainmail and then leather as its core, then covered in several layers of soft cotton fabric. She hung her wet metal greaves over a pole to let the water drip out as much as possible before she would need to put them on again. It was closing to winter and the torrential rain was not letting up. As if the cold air was not enough, the cold rain water soaking almost everything and making everything dripping wet was simply adding insult to injury. Campfires could not be lit to stay warm and soldier¡¯s morales are dropping drastically. It always happens around this time of the year but it was especially worse this year. The men have gotten soft from not being in combat due to the runes and have started taking things for granted. Hence a little setback such as the rain was affecting them more than they should be. She had thought about installing warming runes in the tents to help, but decided against the idea, hoping it will teach her soldiers to man up and endure. Besides, most of the national treasury was already emptied into the runes and asking for more would be preposterous. As soon as her steel boots were dry and her feet were warm, Feni put them back on and donned her cloak to head to the cliff. The lamia and fox tribe soldiers were busy moving the heavy armaments from the chasm to the cliffs. Dragging the large wooden structures were not easy, especially in the muddy terrain with low visibility but the soldiers ploughed through nonetheless. As the last of the armaments were arriving at the cliff, the cats with their enhanced vision at night approached Feni with the final report. Squinting her eyes, Feni could not even see past the diminishing rain, still wondering how the cats were even able to spot the ship in the first place. ¡°Commander! We have confirmed 2 ships, possibly holding no more than 20 people each judging by their size. There are no cannon port holes in the side of their hulls which may suggest they are merchant ships but we can¡¯t be too sure. What should we do?¡± (Cat) ¡°The rain should be stopping soon. As sson as they come into range and you get a clear shot, fire a warning shot into the water near them. We will see how they react. If they really are merchants, they would either send a small boat to make diplomatic contact with us or simply turn around to flee.¡± Feni instructed. The rain cleared up in the next hour and Feni could see the large silver sails that reflected the moon light. The 2 brigs were painted red and gold and were steadily approaching the shore. As ordered, one of the squads let loose a large flaming bolt from the ballistae. Feni watched in anticipation as the bolt streaked across the dark night sky in a parabolic arc towards the ships when suddenly, a huge red beam shot forth from the leading ship, disintegrating the bolt mid-air. ¡°Shit! They are NOT merchants! Fire at will! Bring more ballistae over! They have some kind of magical weapon. Do not let them get to us!¡± Feni roared, as the soldiers kicked into overdrive, firing non-stop at the silver sails. Much to their surprise, and Feni¡¯s horror, the projectiles all seemed to stop mid-air, and slowly make their way back to the shore. There, in the middle of the chaos, was a man who was holding all the projectiles in his silvery mana ropes, descending upon them like an angel with silver wings. Feni recognised that magic anywhere and quickly let loose a sigh of relief before ordering the men to stop firing. ¡°Do you have to be so hostile every time we meet?¡± Kiefer asked jokingly, as he laid down all the bolts and boulders neatly on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but being cautious is my job after all. You can¡¯t blame me if I¡¯m suspicious of 2 strange vessels that show up on our shores in the middle of the night and destroy our warning shot like it was some bug flying around.¡± Feni rebutted, signalling the men to move the heavy armaments back to the chasm. ¡°So to what do I owe this pleasant visit from you?¡± ¡°Haha.. well about that¡­ remember how I told you I have a personal grudge against Drigor?¡± Kiefer asked jovially. ¡°Yes. And what of it? Are you here to help us end this war?¡± Feni questioned, suspicious of Kiefer¡¯s intentions. ¡°Well, yes¡­ and no. See, I think you may have misunderstood me the first time around when I said I wanted to fight Drigor. When I said Drigor, I literally meant the elder titan Drigor, not the province. But, as it turns out, he is the main cause behind this war so in a way, after defeating him, it should lead to the end of the war.¡± Kiefer explained, still floating in the air. ¡°AAHAHAHAAHAH¡­ You want to fight the elder titan Drigor?!? Kiefer I didn¡¯t know you could tell a joke so ridiculous.¡± Feni laughed out. ¡°¡­¡± (Kiefer) ¡°haha¡­ ha?¡± (Feni) ¡°¡­¡± (Kiefer) ¡°¡­¡± (Feni) ¡°Oh god¡­ you are serious aren¡¯t you?¡± Feni asked, her eyes widening in disbelief. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m not? You haven¡¯t even seen a fraction of what I¡¯m capable of and I have 6 other titans behind me on the brigs. Like I said, Drigor rubbed me the wrong way and I¡¯m here to settle things with him.¡± Kiefer explained with a solemn look on his face. ¡°And you¡¯ve come to me for what exactly? I hope you don¡¯t expect me and my men to lay down our lives to help you fight the elder titan do you? We are mere mortals and we know our limits.¡± Feni asked in fear that Kiefer would force her into a tight corner. ¡°No, quite the contrary, I¡¯m here to ask you to withdraw your forces as far south as possible. I intend to fight Drigor just beyond the chasm and I don¡¯t know how far wide the collateral damage will be. Considering that I alone am enough to destroy a mountain with ease, I can¡¯t begin to imagine what the destruction a battle of 7 titans would be.¡± (Kiefer) Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°And what of the undead? Are we to just sit back and let them raid our villages?¡± (Feni) ¡°You really think you have time to worry about a few mindless undead when there are 7 titans about to destroy half this continent? I doubt the necromancers from Diantes will want to stick around once the battle starts. If there are going to be any undead roaming around, it would be because of me.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Fine, that¡¯s all good and well, but I still can¡¯t simply order a full scale retreat just based on the verbal suggestions of some guy, even if it¡¯s you Kiefer. What am I going to tell my superiors? That I am retreating because ¡®Kiefer¡¯ told me to?¡± Feni argued, unwilling to leave her post for fear of repercussions from her generals. All of a sudden, every single soldier on the cliff busy moving the heavy armaments collapsed to the ground, while Feni was brought to her knees by the extreme gravity. Then she watched in horror as one of the wooden trebuchets broke and splintered into hundreds of sharp wooden spikes, all levitating pointed at the throats of all the soldiers and Feni, threatening to pierce their respective targets. ¡°If my friendly advice will not get through to you, how about a threat then?¡± Kiefer bellowed at the ignorant little fox. ¡°I will say this only one more time, move all your soldiers from the border and as far south as you can. Anyone left by sun down tomorrow will not live to see the moons again. Take what you can, leave what you cannot.¡± Kiefer threatened, before releasing the hundreds of hostages. Feni hesitated for a while, blood rushing out of her already pale face. Then she picked up her hammers and turned around to bark out orders. The soldiers left the ballistae and Trebuchet where they were and rushed back towards the camp. Kiefer released a mana pulse and detected some more cat tribe spies lingering around within the small caverns in the side of the cliff. Teleporting to the entrance of one of the caverns, Kiefer pulled out a struggling cat girl by her waist and brought her to Feni. ¡°These cats obviously do not understand the meaning of ¡®everyone¡¯. If you think you can hide from me and continue your spy activities, you are terribly wrong, so why don¡¯t the other 17 cats hiding about come out too, before I make sure you are stuck in your little caves till the end of time?¡± Kiefer threatened as his voice rang out through the shore, still holding onto the tearing cat girl. Instantly, the other cats all came dashing out and disappearing into the shadows of the forest in the distance. Kiefer let the cat girl go and she disappeared the instant she touched the ground, melding into the darkness with her black garb, hood and fur. Feni took one last look at Kiefer and bowed respectfully before heading towards the forest herself. That morning, Fiora province witnessed the first ever large scale retreat of the army, followed by the immediate evacuation of the eastern capital city. Feni had a difficult time explaining her actions to the top brass but with countless eye witness accounts of being held hostage and made powerless by a strange power, the generals had no choice but to trust in Feni as they always had and order the immediate evacuation of the citizens. The once flourishing city was now a ghost town, with barely a hundred citizens left, either too old or too sick to move. They huddled together in a church near the south walls with a few volunteers, hoping that the destruction would not reach them. Since the citizens left in a hurry, there were plenty of food and water left behind to last them a long time. Kiefer prepared himself as he commanded with his mana for all the orihalcom runes to return, forming a large block which he stood on. At this moment, he had already set up the escape portal to the coast and from the coast to the ships. All the titans were on standby behind him and they awaited the nightfall, when Luna would be at her strongest. As soon as the sun set and darkness engulfed the vast barren land that is to be the battle ground, Feir stepped forth to face the undead legion that started pouring forth. Kiefer took to the skies just below the cloud line and beyond Drigor¡¯s sensory reach, as he watched the titans step into Drigor¡¯s territory. ¡°KIEFER!!!!¡± the ground shook as the roar rang out through the barren land. ¡°YOU TRAITOR!!¡± The group watched as multiple duplicates of the bearded human form of Drigor rose from the ground and decimate the annoying undead around them. Feir and Rashael wasted no time, taking out the lasers and melting the bodies into magma that flowed and covered the earth. Bright red flashes accompanied by silver and blue flashes could be seen as Rashael, Feir and Sher tore through the uncountable bodies of Drigor while Fiora and Isana changed into their titan forms and crushed the earthen fakes with their talons. ¡°His real body is deep underground. I can feel his mana emanating from there. We need to draw him out!¡± Rashael spoke into the comms as he dashed through the battlefield firing his laser at critical positions to ensure he skewered as many duplicates as possible with each hit. ¡°Can you pin point his location?!?¡± Isana yelled back over the comms. ¡°NO! He keeps moving. He¡¯s like a fish underwater, except the entire ground is his ocean. We can¡¯t keep wasting our energy like this. Kiefer can¡¯t you think of something?¡± Rashael asked, as he chucked the spent moon crystal core of his laser into his backpack and replace a new fully charged one. The number of fake Drigors kept piling up worse than the undead ever could. The molten magma that cooled would eventually reform into more copies. ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan! Feir stay still. The rest, keep the fakes off of him. Luna I want you to cast your darkness spell around Feir and into the ground as well. Drigor will be able to sense that Feir stopped moving due to blindness and come for him.¡± Kiefer said as he transformed the spare orihalcom into spinning blades that circled Feir and sliced any approaching Drigors. ¡°Rashael, stay close to him. The moment you feel Drigor coming close to the surface, pull Feir out of there. He will be blinded. Only you and Luna can see inside that black sphere.¡± Immediately, a large black sphere enveloped Feir and Rashael as the other girls took care of the remaining fakes. The dark sphere grew bigger until it was almost 300m in diameter when suddenly Kiefer saw from up in the sky Rashael dragging Feir out of the sphere. Moments later, a huge earthen jaw in the shape of a dragon¡¯s snout shot up from the barren wasteland and engulfed the black sphere, breaking Luna¡¯s spell. The jaw alone was already 500m wide. Kiefer caught a glimpse of the eyes as the head of Drigor¡¯s true form returned to the ground vertically, the same way it come out. ¡°Holy fuck¡­ if his head is already more than 500m wide, just how frikkin huge is his body?¡± Kiefer muttered subconsciously into the comms. ¡°And how am I supposed to drag him out of there. Even if I did manage to drag him out, how are we going to fight something that huge? Even Sher¡¯s full body length is only 200m. He could swallow any of us in one bite.¡± This time, Kiefer thought silently, contemplating his options. Chapter 2.26 - The Battle and The Final blow The entire continent literally shook as the battle raged on in the southern Diantes Wastelands. Tremors could be felt from the refugee camps in the southern shores of Fiora province as Feni dreaded what would have happened if a mere mortal such as her took part in the battle. However, some part of her longed to view the battle from afar, burn this legendary battle into her memory. Thousands upon thousands of stone wingless dragons dug their way up the ground as Kiefer and Feir kept crushing them with their combined gravitational field. Rashael had taken Luna back to the safety of the ship to recharge his armour and laser cores, while allowing luna some time to recuperate. Drigor smashing her spell midway brought her to the brink of mental exhaustion and she would have fallen to the first of the stone dragons had it not been for Rashael who kept a constant close eye on everyone, monitoring their status. Isana was now high above the clouds, filling the stratosphere with her icy mist. Snow began to fall on the wasteland as Fiora helped keep the stone dragons at bay by crushing them. Feir¡¯s gravitational field was not enough to crush the stone dragons that kept rising, but it was enough to immobilise them for Fiora to act. Kiefer on the other hand kept piling up more and more gravel and dust from constantly crushing the dragons. Drigor had yet to resurface a second time and switched from sending clones of himself to clones of these dragons. Despite being made of stone, these dragons behaved almost like living things and were quite agile for their weight and size. They were about the size of a tarsus, some with 4 limbs and others with 6. Kiefer had experimented on them, trying to cleave them with his mithril sword. It was quite effective, however, it meant wearing down his sword and only being able to handle them one at a time, which was impractical. Sher was by far the most useful after kiefer, basically atomising everything in her path as she flew by, well clear of the ground so the sharp vice like jaws of the dragons could not reach her. Kiefer had no luck locating Drigor thus far, since Rashael had left. His mana pulse was basically sending a huge feedback just from touching the ground and there was no way to pinpoint the location of the underground dragon anywhere. Finally sick and tired of the endless waves of dragons, Kiefer sent out a signal through the comms for everyone to take to the skies as far as possible. Feir copied Kiefer mana platform skill and rose up to the clouds in his giant wolf form. Throwing his and Feir¡¯s lasers into his PD, Kiefer told everyone to be ready to attack. He summoned a blackhole and directed it straight into the ground, devouring everything in its path. The blackhole itself was tiny, with an event horizon of only 10cm, and yet its destruction was devastating. Earth, rock and dragon alike were absorbed into the singularity as anything within a 400m radius around it swirled in a mass of confusion, feeding the hungry mass of entropy. Kiefer¡¯s intention was to flush out Drigor by removing as much of his environment as possible. Sure enough, Drigor once again surfaced for the second time, his huge maw trying to engulf Kiefer to stop the destruction of his trump card. Kiefer reacted quickly, annihilating the blackhole and instantly crafting an enormous mana rune in the air. From the mere inertia of coming up to the surface, Drigor¡¯s rocky snout broke the activation sequence for the acceleration rune and his jaw was accelerated up into the air, pulling his head out. Kiefer watched in horror at the sheer size of the titan, laying out increasing numbers of consecutive acceleration runes in Drigor¡¯s upward path, finally pulling the last bit of his tail out. By the time the whole body was out, Drigor¡¯s eye fixed onto the other titans awaiting him in the clouds as they bombarded him with all their attacks. From snout to tail, the dragon was at least 5km long as it continued its flight into the night sky. The scene would have looked like several mosquitos trying to attack a large lizard in mid-air. Kiefer immediately spread out all the orihalcom he could collect into as thin a sheet as possible, laying it onto the ground where Drigor was about to land. The metal sheet was a fraction of a millimetre thick, covering an expanse of 10km in diameter, barely enough to separate the titanic dragon from its resource. Drigor started falling to the ground just as Kiefer finished laying out the welcome mat for him, eyeing the young magus and his capabilities carefully. Drigor barely caught a glimpse when he was blinded and enveloped in perpetual darkness. From the edge of the battlefield, Rashael was sprinting forward, with Luna following closely behind. Luna had cast the blinding spell on Drigor¡¯s eyes to disorientate him during the spinning fall to the ground. The 8 Isanas and other titans wasted no time, attacking the right forelimb at its shoulder after a quick direction from Kiefer. Drigor scrambled about wildly in the air as the titans chipped away at his shoulder, finally breaking off one of his limbs just before he hit the red metallic mat below with a loud ¡®Kathunk¡¯. Sher rushed to form her hexagram prison and imprisoned the dismembered arm, carrying the prison at great speeds and tossing the limb into the sea where it turned to mud, beyond the reaches of Drigor¡¯s control. As Sher had gone out to dispose of the limb, the rest of the titan began attacking the other limbs only to be set back again when they witnessed dirt, earth and stone rising from the ground around the red metal plate and being suctioned into the dismembered shoulder stump, quickly reforming what was lost within seconds. With his arm almost formed, Drigor curled his body up and wrapped his tail around him, before transforming the surface of his gigantic body to reveal billions upon billions of rocky spikes, like a hedgehog. Anticipating his next move, Kiefer tripled his mana armour, setting up a mana dome for Rashael and Luna. Sher had returned just in time to receive the shocking news that the arm had grown back. Informing everyone to take defensive measures, Kiefer backed away from Drigor¡¯s body, making as much distance as he could. Feir copied Kiefer¡¯s mana armour while Sher set up her hexagram barrier. Just as he expected, the spikes all shot out of Drigor¡¯s body, new spikes replacing the old ones and then shooting out moments later. Drigor kept up the barrage for some time, still in his defensive position as he fully reformed his arm and returned it to its original functionality. The earth spikes bounced of Kiefer and Feir¡¯s mana armour, while they embedded themselves in the dome Shield and Sher¡¯s hexagram barrier. Isana and Fiora on the other hand skilfully manipulated her clones and dodged the rain of spikes that radiated from Drigor¡¯s hunched body. With no signs of the attack letting up, Kiefer pulled out his black neutron sword, carefully coating it with his mana to eliminate the gravitons and radiation that the neutrons emitted. Dashing forwards without any regard for the spikes that kept pinging off his armour, Kiefer once again lopped of the arm that Drigor so painstakingly regenerated. Just before impact, Kiefer released the mana shielding on the sword, letting it literally eat and sink its way through the limb, while the radiation cauterized and boiled the earthen stump that remained. Drigor howled as he attempted to swat Kiefer away like a fly with his tail. Kiefer however, dodged it with no problem, blinking in and out of Drigor¡¯s range. Watching the arm regenerate again, Kiefer immediately willed part of the orihalcom mat to coat the shoulder stump, digging and anchoring a red metallic barrier into the rocky dragon¡¯s shoulder. With no place for the dirt and earth to attach to, Drigor quickly scrambled his way off the red mat, with the shoulder barrier still attached and sunk into the ground. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. As Drigor attempted to flee from the battlefield, Rashael picked up on his general location and directed Kiefer and the other titans towards Drigor. Without his forearm, he was moving considerable slower underground. Kiefer blindly dug his mana ropes into the ground, longer and thicker than he has ever made them. He eventually found the red orihalcom still sttached to Drigor¡¯s shoulder moving through the ground and he grabbed the metal plate. Exerting so much force that he depleted the mana crystal in his chest piece, Kiefer slowly dragged the dragon out of the ground by his shoulders. ¡°AAAARRRGGGHH!!! WHY!?!?¡± Drigor roared as he desperately tried to claw his way back into the earth. ¡°WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING ME!?!?!¡± ¡°BECAUSE YOU KILLED OUR SISTER!!¡± Isana yelled back in synchronisation with her 8 clones as they circled the other front limb and froze the thinner elbow joint. With 8 consecutive Ice meteors raining and shattering on the same exact point in the frozen elbow of Drigor¡¯s right arm, The elbow finally shattered, and Kiefer quickly covered it in orihalcom again to prevent regeneration. Meanwhile Rashael, Fiora and Sher were working on the tail of the titan, slowly melting and chipping away at the base of its tail. In a moment of agony and desperation, Drigor¡¯s neck elongated as rocks and earth from the ground rose to join his body. Swinging his head wildly, the huge gaping dragon¡¯s jaw snapped blindly in the air catching a careless phoenix. ¡°NOOOO!!! Fiora!!¡± Rashael yelled out loudly as he dashed forth towards the jaw of the dragon, only to be stopped by Luna. ¡°Ow!! Don¡¯t yell into the comms!¡± Fiora complained as she came flying by around the back of Drigor¡¯s tail, burning brightly as ever, still trying to melt the tail off with her flames. ¡°Fuck! He got Feir!¡± Kiefer responded desperately as he blinked forwards, trying to pry open the jaws with his mana ropes. But it was an almost impossible task trying to open the 500m jaw that was lined in a zig zag pattern with rocky teeth. ¡°ANNOYING PESTS! TELL GONDOR TO COME FIGHT ME HIMSELF!¡± Drigor roared in the midst of the chaos without opening his jaws, but nobody registered it, everyone still desperately trying to save their companion. Drigor stood up on his hind legs, with his elongated neck extending up to the clouds and head snapping at the annoying Isana¡¯s buzzing around his face while blowing cold mists into his eyes. His tail was partially buried into the ground, siphoning more of his element to replace what was being shaved off from his neck and the base of his tail. As the team finally regrouped and worked together to go straight for the long twisting earthen neck of the titan, there was a sudden shockwave coming from within Drigor¡¯s belly, and with the shockwave, came an explosion that scattered part of his underbelly outwards. An excruciating heatwave followed, melting the edges of the gaping hole in his stomach as a flaming wolf quickly jumped out of the cavity before it refilled. Kiefer did not miss this chance that Feir had created for him, ordering everyone to quickly attack the neck while Drigor was concentrating on refilling the huge cavity in his belly. As everyone slowly chipped away at the thick undulating neck of the dragon, Kiefer rushed in with his neutron sward and dealt the final blow, cleanly severing the neck of the dragon. As the rest of the dragon¡¯s body crumbled away like a biscuit, Kiefer observed the head and the neck try to regenerate the rest of the body. Drigor looked like a rocky snake now, with only a head and an extending neck. Kiefer quickly sealed the neck stump only to watch tiny limbs appear from the side of the long neck. Drigor seemed to be regrowing his body from the neck itself. Seeing this, Fiora quickly dove forwards, imitating what Feir had done moments ago. With a single snap, Drigor swallowed Fiora whole and surely enough, within the next few seconds, a similar but more violent explosion rang out from the base of his head, completely severing the head from the neck. Rashael quickly went to retrieve the falling Fiora and retreated with her and Feir back to the ships. Having just reincarnated from a phoenix¡¯s rebirth, both Feir and Fiora were quite powerless, especially in front of a dragon that could smudge the entire city of Diantes off the map with his tail. Watching the head fall through the sky and crumble away, Isana wasted no time conjuring up multiple tempests that tore the crumbling earthen head asunder. ¡°Hurry! Find the real body! His core is still intact and he will regenerate once he touches the ground!¡± Isana warned through the comms. Kiefer dove through the chaos of clumps of dirt and stone, blinking here and there none-stop looking for anything that might resemble a core. There, with his enhanced eyesight, he saw a man falling; the same man that taught him the art of necromancy. Kiefer quickly grappled him by his neck and slammed him down onto the ground where his orihalcom plate was laid out. Drigor was visibly weakened, bleeding from all his facial orifices, both his arms missing and in their place a bleeding stump. Tilting his head slightly, Drigor opened his eyes and stared at Kiefer who was on one knee, holding him down to the ground with a vice like grip on his neck. ¡°You¡­ traitor¡­¡± Drigor mumbled as a stone jaw abruptly burst through the orihalcom plating and instantly took a bite out of Kiefer like a land shark before retreating into the ground. ¡°AAAARRGGGHHH!!!¡± Kiefer screamed, not expecting the jaw to penetrate not only his orihalcom floor plate, but also his mana armour and his mithril armour. He fell to the ground, releasing his grip on Drigor¡¯s neck, dragging his bleeding waist and upper body with his arms. ¡°You asshole!¡± Kiefer yelled as propped what was left of his body up with his mana ropes and beheaded the dying man that laid before him with his mithril sword. Kiefer lay there on the red metal plate, intestines sprawled out on the ground below him, with only his torso intact. He was bleeding out profusely, barely able to keep his consciousness from fading thanks to the excruciating pain from his waist. He could not concentrate to put up a mana armour to keep his innards within his abdominal cavity. Looking at the corpse of Drigor slowly turn to dust, a brown crystal fell to the ground and shattered, as white wisps shot out of the shattered crystal, towards the other titans. His eyes followed the wisps, and saw them merge with the titans still in the air. Hearing them howl in pain as they dropped out of the sky, Kiefer knew that his hopes of recovery just dropped to zero, since Rashael too would be affected. His eyelids felt heavy, slowly drooping as a surging pain filled his head, putting the pain from his waist to shame. He shut his eyes tightly, enduring the pain, knowing full well that he would most likely not open them again. The last time the titans suffered this skill transfer, Isana and Sher were out for 3 full days. He knew he had no hope of staying alive that long and that it would be too late for Rashael to use his resurrection skill. Finally yielding to the pain, Kiefer recalled his parents, his research, Sher and Isana, before succumbing to the piercing agony and fainting. There he laid, his blood matching the colour of the orihalcom mat that he was on, not moving an inch.
Getting real close to the end of this arc. Hope you all enjoyed reading this thus far. please do give me some constructive reviews so i know what and how to improve on the next arc. Chapter 2.27 - The Memories and The Awakening Okay, so I added the cliffhanger bit to the previous chapter and started this after where I left off. There are quite a few things that will be revealed this chapter to please enjoy.
[[Kiefer''s POV]] I last remember the splitting headache that ripped my mind into shards. Then darkness followed for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, against my will, my eyes were forced open and a scene of a quarrel greeted me. It felt so real, looking at the twin adults verbally lash at each other, while I stood there in complete silence, not even able to hear the argument. It was as if I had seen this before, and was actually there in the moment, and yet it felt forced and uncomfortable, not being able to do anything except look at the vision granted to me. I could not choose where to look, where to move, what to feel. Everything I saw was in grayscale, as if I was riding in the backseat of someone else¡¯s eyes staring into an old television. With nothing to do, I surrendered to the visions, letting it take me wherever it wished. After all, I was a dead man. There was no point in struggling against the inevitable, and trying against the impossible. My host was overcome with a flurry of mixed emotions. A warm caring respect for the twin on the right, and a surging rage and detest for the other on the left. My lip reading skills were virtually non-existent, so I could not figure out what they were saying. It was the same as always, just muffled buzzing in my ears. My vision then changed to one where I was facing 2 tortoises battling it out while I was scurrying around below their feet. Once again, I was overcome with the feeling of rage and suicidal focus to kill one of the targets. I felt everything my host did, the pain, the sorrow and the anger. The tortoise I was targeting had put up a hexagram shield as he regenerated the leg that I tore off. He looked at me with great sorrow and empathy, while I only felt a piercing urge to tear his throat from his neck. The visions became fuzzy again, changing to a scene where I was lying face up, slowly sinking down into the water as my target wept over my weak body. I could tell that my host was close to dying, losing all will to live, the rage having dissipated. Then, in a flash, a huge red beam tore through the space where my target¡¯s head used to be. The huge tortoise fell, as the victor of the twins collapsed into the sea, exhausted from the battle. A burning sensation started building up where my heart would have been, as knowledge foreign to me started flooding my host¡¯s brain. I felt its agony, watched its vision as it thrashed about in the sea before finally sinking to the bottom and merging with the sea floor. The visions went dark, and once again returned to a view of a barren land, devoid of any fauna. There, I felt my host¡¯s rage, targeted at himself and at the detested twin. I saw him create a den out of the earth, manipulating it as if it were his fingers. Then something happened that had never happened before. I heard my host roar out clear again. ¡°I will never be controlled again!¡± as he slammed the ground in anguish, tears dropping to the dry parched earth. Regret and sorrow filled my heart as it did to my host, the feeling of having lost someone dear. Then it was back to an eternity of darkness. Everything was quiet and dark, so much so that I was beginning to lose the mind which I did not have. I was merely a consciousness floating in the void. I wondered if I would ever meet the Balancer again, or if I would get a chance to see my foster parents in the netherworld after they die. A blinding white light filled the black void, as I was once again thrust into yet another vision. This time, my host was soaring through the clouds, looking down at the ocean waves racing past. I watched as my host glided freely in the sky, feeling the euphoria and sense of freedom that my host did. Everything was silent, with the exception of a slight buzzing and muffled hums. Then, the visions went black, and when my host opened its eyes again, I saw it flying over a large continent. This time, I felt its fear, its panic as it quickly tried to turn around and fly away. The last scene for this vision I saw was the continent rising out of the waters, and 2 red gleaming eyes shining as they stared straight into me. The most striking feature was that everything else was in black and white, except the red eyes, making them stand out even more. Rage, anger and greed flooded my mind as my host flew without rest towards another destination. I could feel the drastic change in my host where before, it was carefree and aimless, but now, it had purpose, a target. It flew straight and true, its mind being eaten from the inside and filled with increasing amounts of rage, all targeted at a single thought. It was as if its sole purpose now was to eliminate its target. Finally, I understood what I was watching. It was the memories of Wanda, in the last moments of her life, her insanity and her rage. Overcome by a sudden desire to attack and kill Drigor after visiting the continental creature, she lost her mind and will, throwing her life away as she swooped down from the sky and pulled Drigor out from the earth. Tornados swirled around her as they crushed and mashed Drigor¡¯s huge body. The memory was now really hazy, with large portions of it missing and skipping ahead in time at random points. The last memory of Wanda showed Drigor taking a bite out of her, as I felt the intense pain in my abdomen as Wanda did. A sense of regret and sorrow overcame me, as I watched Drigor stand over my lifeless body, bloodied by the battle, but with tears rolling down his face. His mouth muttered something incomprehensible, eyes full of sorrow as he swallowed Wanda¡¯s body up in earth and crushed it. Once again, all alone in the darkness without body or form, my consciousness drifted. It was an eternity, and yet I was wide awake, never growing tired no matter how long I waited. I had all the time in the world and I pieced together the memories that were shown to me. Memories of the 2 elder titans that have come to an end. The twins were obviously Grandu and Gondor. Gondor somehow manipulated Drigor¡¯s mind and will to help in attacking his father. Gondor succeeded in killing Grandu, having been worn out from the battle failed to ascertain Drigor¡¯s death. Drigor survived against luck with the new abilities he gained from Grandu and made his way to the main continent, plotting his revenge. Then, Wanda stumbled upon Gondor a few millennia later while on one of her carefree trips. Gondor had already assumed the identity of Grandu and recovered enough to control Wanda¡¯s mind to tie up the loose ends. Wanda failed to kill Drigor and in the end, died at Drigor¡¯s hands.
[BOY¡­] A familiar voice rang out from the void. [I hope you will finish what my son had failed.] Kiefer kept quiet, knowing it¡¯s his fault for not investigating the matter further and causing Drigor¡¯s death. [I¡¯m sorry I lied to you about why I brought you here.] The voice continued in a solemn tone. [I hope you will take good care of my daughter, and finish what my son had failed to do. My dear Isana is now all alone in this world, please do not leave her side. Protect her for me, like you have done so far.] Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The voice paused once again, waiting for Kiefer to acknowledge. [You need to wake up now boy. My daughter worries. You do not have much time left. The destruction of Aioa is imminent. You need to grow strong enough to protect this world. Develop it so it can protect itself. Go now, return to your body.] With that last instruction, Kiefer¡¯s consciousness took form and came as an immense blast into his mind. His eyes still closed, refusing to open at his will, Kiefer felt his surroundings. He was pleasantly surprised he could feel his feet, wiggle his toes, and yet, he could not feel his arms. He had difficulty breathing, as if his chest was being pressed down by a huge weight. He should have been dead, without his legs, and yet now, Kiefer was perplexed that instead of feet, he could not feel his arms. Finally able to open his heavy eyelids with some effort, Kiefer stared into the darkness, allowing his eyes to adjust. Completely forgetting to enhance his senses and body, Kiefer absentmindedly tilted his head. He was in a tent, on a soft bed. To his left was Isana, sleeping while using his arm as a pillow. To his right was an unknown girl around Fiora¡¯s age, using his right arm as a pillow. She had a round face, with feminine features starting to form, reminiscent of a pre-pubescent teen. She had black hair that turned a light sky blue at the tips and scales covering half her face on each side, stating from behind the eyes to the ears. Finally, Kiefer looked down on his chest and saw a familiar dog curled up and snoozing directly on top of him. His arms were numb from having the blood supply cut off. His lower body seemed to be fully functional as he twisted his ankles side to side under the blanket and wriggled his toes. Kiefer took a deep breath, allowing the chilly air to pierce his lungs. He spied his armour in the corner of the tent and the twin moons high up in the sky through a gap in the tent flaps. Smiling happily, Kiefer rested his head back on the pillow, before frowning at the remembrance of his hasty actions and premature decisions. He had killed the wrong titan. He should have gone for a diplomatic route first. There were so many ways he could have gone about to discover the truth, with so many opportunities presenting itself, and yet he was blinded by greed for power and thirst for vengeance. As he dreaded the moment he had to reveal the truth to Isana, Grandu¡¯s voice rang out in his head once more. [Do not blame yourself. I am happy to be with my son and daughter once again after so many millenniums. Trust in Isana that she will understand and forgive. I did not raise my daughter to be so close minded. Once again, please take care of her in my stead.] Somehow, Kiefer always hated that voice, but now, it felt soothing instead, reminding him of his own foster parents. Looking around once again to observe his new family, Kiefer cleared his throat and tried to raise his arms. It was in the middle of the night but he was sure they would not mind the rude awakening for a reunion. ¡°Nnnn¡­ Kii?¡± Sana slurred as she was the first to wake. ¡°Kii!!! You¡¯re awake!!¡± Sana yelled, pushing Feir off Kiefer¡¯s chest and hugging him, burying him in her bosom. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re ¡­ *sniff* alright¡­¡± Isana started sobbing as she kept hugging him. ¡°Master?¡± The girl on Kiefer¡¯s right side asked as she propped herself up with her thin arms. ¡°Sher?¡± Kiefer asked as he stared at the girl. ¡°Nnn.¡± She nodded, as she began sobbing too, hugging Kiefer¡¯s outstretched arm. ¡°Master you¡¯re awake!!!¡± Feir exclaimed excitedly, as he stood up wagging his tail. ¡°Please wait here master! Rashael tasked me to go inform him when you wake.¡± Feir said as he bolted out the tent. Kiefer sat up right with both his girls still hugging him tightly. He could finally scrutinise his surroundings properly. The tent was pitched onto soft ground, with the makeshift bed made of layers of thick cloth laid out on the ground. Then, as if he was surfacing from a swimming pool and hanging onto the ledge, Rashael popped up from the ground, crossing his arms and resting them on the ground while the rest of his body was still buried underneath. ¡°Well you seem just fine don¡¯t you? Even after being eaten in half.¡± Rashael sneered, looking at the heartwarming scene. ¡°Just how?¡± Kiefer started, before being cut off by Rashael. ¡°How did you survive? Well luckily for you, when Feir, Fiora and I fell from the agony of the skill transfer in the ship, the high elves knew one of the titans had died and rushed out to procure the body in case it was one of us, hoping I would still be able to resurrect the fallen body. There, they found you, or at least half of you, and stabilised your condition with their puny healing magic. I recovered first after 2 days and managed to heal you back to full health, literally.¡± Rashael explained. Kiefer just stared at Rashael, then hugged the 2 sobbing titans closer, and muttered one word, ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Rashael then left the family alone while Feir kept vigilant watch outside the tent in the cold winter night. Kiefer fell back to sleep soon after the girls stopped crying. In the morning, Kiefer found out he had passed out for 10 days and after a quick breakfast session with everyone, he discovered that Drigor¡¯s powers had been divided equally since a non-titan had slain him. Unfortunately, Kiefer had not obtained any of Drigor¡¯s skills. Sher gained the ability to transform into a humanoid form. Rashael could move underground freely. Fiora inherited Drigor¡¯s enormouse size, her phoenix form now at least over 10 times what it used to be. Her humanoid form had also grown and matured into that of a woman in her early 20s, but still with the mind of a child. She now looked tom boyish, emanating a cool playboy-ish feeling as she constantly hit on the blushing elven ladies. Isana inherited Drigor¡¯s spike barrage skill and also his regenerative powers, able to replace any injury as long as there is water in the vicinity. Feir could now conjure up countless stone duplicates of himself, and when mixed with his images, became a terrifying skill. Luna on the other hand gained the ability to sense any presence on the ground within a 10km radius and cast her spells directly to the target she could sense. And so, the battle with Drigor was over and the party made preparations to return to Mutatis. Kiefer made one last trip around the province, looking at the battlefield. What was once a flat barren land was now a range of mountains and valleys, made from Drigor¡¯s enormous body that crumbled and fell as he died. The entire landscape had changed within the course of one night. Kiefer had only 2 things left to do before he returned to his home ¨C check on Nicole Varradon and her family, and inform Feni of the conclusion of the battle.
There ya go, the last chapter of this arc. I will upload the epilogue tomorrow and then the prologue of the third arc will be on Sunday. Chapter 1 of arc 3 will be either on Sunday or Monday depending on my work schedule so please look forward to it. Arc 2 Epilogue ¡°Fiora, stop flirting and come here.¡± Kiefer ordered the titan, watching her pout before stroking the hair and cheek of one of the elven girls and then trotting over. ¡°I take it you are going to return to your volcano after this? I need you to go inform Feni that the battle is over and the war will be too in no time.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Feni? Who¡¯s that?¡± Fiora asked, tilting her head trying to remember anyone that might have been named Feni. ¡°She¡¯s a fox girl. I modelled your little statue after her, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to locate her. She is quite famous so just keep heading south until you find some soldiers, show them the statue and have them guide you to her.¡± Kiefer explained, pointing at the Feni statue that was in the knapsack slung over Fiora¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ok!¡± Fiora exclaimed excitedly, unable to hide her intention of meeting the fox girl. She walked briskly over to Luna and invited her to come along for the trip. Luna seemed to agree, nodding her head before coming over to talk to Kiefer. ¡°Kiefer, I can¡¯t thank you enough for what you have done for us titans. I also thank you on behalf of my province¡¯s residents for ending their unending turmoil against Diantes.¡± She said, bowing her head before taking to the skies after Fiora. Kiefer¡¯s heart cringed at Luna¡¯s gratitude, knowing that he had killed the wrong titan and yet had chosen to hide the truth about the whole matter from them. He then decided in his mind that he would first tell Sher and Sana and act based on their reaction. If anyone was going to forgive him, it would be the two of them who had been closest to him. Calling Feir over, Kiefer informed Isana that he would be gone for a while to tie up loose ends in Diantes, and then ran at breakneck speeds atop of the giant wolf towards the city of Diantes. Feir bolted through the mountainous terrain that had formed after the battle, heading north to where he had met Kiefer for the second time. Kiefer passed by several squads of Diantes army scouts that have come to check out the new seismic change, ignoring their warnings to stop as they spotted him racing towards them from afar. Most of the soldiers were too slow to react to Feir¡¯s speed, and those that were fast enough, had their attacks repelled as the arrows and bolts just bounced off Feir¡¯s grey fur. With a great leap, Feir bypassed the security check at the city walls and landed heavily in the middle of one of the major streets, leaving footprints in the stone paved roads where he landed. Kiefer paid no mind to the small fry guards who were making their way to surround him and the giant wolf, as his vicinity was suddenly shrouded in thick black smoke, obscuring any vision. Kiefer blinked away in the confusion while Feir, according to Kiefer¡¯s prior instructions, transformed and mimicked Drigor¡¯s human appearance and snuck off into the alleyway. The dense smoke cleared within seconds and the wolf and his rider were gone, as if never having been there. The only evidence left behind, were the arm-length footprints where the wolf had landed. ¡°Hello again, Revil.¡± Kiefer spoke out abruptly, causing the man to jump out of his seat in his study. Kiefer had blinked silently behind him from outside the house. ¡°Wha- Kiefer?¡± Revil stuttered, trying to process the situation that was unfolding in front of him. ¡°Yes it¡¯s me again. How¡¯s Nicole? And how¡¯s the business doing?¡± Kiefer asked, worried about the state of the mines ever since Feir told him that his pack was killed and chased off. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Nicole still thinks about you every day, clinging onto the pendant you gave her. Business has started to dwindle. My competitors are ramping up their sabotages and without you around, I¡¯ve already lost 30% of my mines. My workers are afraid to even show up for work.¡± Revil complained, rubbing his temple as the problem with work hacked away at his concentration. ¡°Yes well, I apologise for that. But security at the mines should be taken care of soon, latest by the end of today. My companion will make sure of that. For now, tell Nicole I dropped by to say hi. I have a home in a newly founded city along the southern shores of Shearwood, so you should come visit sometime. This here is a present from me to Nicole. Make sure she gets it.¡± Kiefer explained as he pulled out 5 raw mithril ingots from his PD and laid them on the study table. Meanwhile, Feir had appeared within the royal palace and demanded an audience with the king as instructed by Kiefer. Through the comms in his ear, Kiefer guided him along the conversation. ¡°Human. I have now accomplished my goals. I am shutting down the necromancer school effective immediately and you should withdraw your troops from the battle. I have negotiated for a diplomatic conference with the leaders of the other provinces and you should be expecting a cessation of all conflicts within the week. Recall all the necromancers and tell them to meet outside the gate of the eastern port road tomorrow night. That is all.¡± Feir repeated what Kiefer said, and then excused himself from the palace before the King could even return a response. Feir then made his way to the varradon mines where he was once stationed to guard. With his new ability from Drigor, Feir summoned large doppelgangers of his true form out of the ground at each mine entrance. The copies all had a mind of their own, obeying Feir¡¯s commands as if their lives depended on it. The workers returned the next morning only to be shocked by the appearance of the friendly monster that seemed to stand watch over them as they worked the mines. Kiefer had one last objective in mind before heading back to Isana and then back home, where he would reveal the truth to his family. Watching the necromancers from the bases all return and gathered outside the port road, Kiefer made Feir appear before them as Drigor while he hid atop the walls out of sight. Sending his mana out to trace the necromancers¡¯ mana, Kiefer located the connection between their mana and the netherworld portal, and severed it by overloading the connection with his own mana. Feir then acted his part, informing the necromancers that the war is now over and that he had cut their link to the netherworld, allowing them to return to their former dreams and giving them back their original mana recovery rate. With this, the last objective was completed and Kiefer returned to the shore with Feir, meeting up with Rashael, Sher and Isana. For reasons only known to him, Rashael had personally requested to stay in Mutatis, to which Kiefer agreed on the condition that he found his own place instead of crashing in his home. Taking one last look at the cliffs and the waves washing onto the shore, Kiefer set foot onto the Brig, and ordered for the vessels to set sail back towards Mutatis, his home. Chapter 3.00 - Prologue Hello all. This is a bonus to show that i really appreciate all of you guys reading and commenting. and also to celebrate 5k views along with 1k followers. Enjoy.
[beep¡­ beep] [¡­] [¡­] [beep¡­ beep] [Hospitable planet detected. Running scans.] [beep¡­ beep] [yellow dwarf star. Class G2V. 4 planetary bodies in orbit. 2nd body within goldilocks zone.] [beep. Beep] [Calculating size and distance.] [beep. Beep. Beep] [Distance: 2.5 lightyears. Size: 0.87 earth. At current velocity, ETA 5 years. Running planetary terraform scans.] [¡­] [¡­] [¡­] [Reflected radiation indicates abundant liquid water. Atmosphere able to sustain life. Traces of methane and hydrogen sulphide detected. Toxicity below threshold levels. Planet deemed safe for colonisation.] [Initiating start-up protocol. Thawing crew cryostasis chambers. Awaiting further instructions from Captain Palmer. Requesting alterations in colony ship projector.] Within the decks some levels below the cockpit, large metallic chambers with glass panels that revealed the faces of their inhabitants began to vibrate. Red warning lights were flashing above each cryostasis chamber as the pipes connecting down the back of each chamber began unhooking, leaking a freezing white mist as each one retracted back into the room¡¯s walls. The top hood with the glass panel lifted upwards, while the main body of the chambers split vertically down the middle into 2 halves that pivoted and swung open to the sides. Inside each chamber was a single human dressed in skin tight suits. The first to open their eyes was the captain, as he fell to the ground on his elbows and knees, coughing up a white translucent serum from his mouth and nose. Slowly, the other 14 crew members followed suit, each one crumbling onto the floor and shivering in foetal positions as the floor of the room began heating up. The room soon reached a sweltering 30 degrees Celsius as the crew members began to rise up to their feet. ¡°Again? Rowanda, how long since we entered cryostasis?¡± Captain asked, facing no one in particular. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. [Welcome back Captain. This is the 6th time you have awaken. It has been 32 earth years since your last awakening. Time since departure from earth: 721.56 earth years. Would you like to look through the ship¡¯s logs on the activity during your sleep?] ¡°No need. It¡¯ll be the same again anyways. How far is the planet this time?¡± Palmer asked, as he made his way towards the blast door while propping himself up against the walls for support. [2.5 lightyears Sir. I¡¯ll have all the relevant data up on your screen in the cockpit. Shall I begin the thawing protocol for the colony?] ¡°No. Hold up on that. This might just be another false alarm like the last 5 times. No point wasting 2 years of their life readjusting from cryostasis each time they wake. We¡¯ll confirm the planet¡¯s ability to sustain life first, then begin the thawing procedures.¡± Palmer was now opening the locker in the next room after opening the blast doors. His fellow crew members are also following suit, putting on their uniforms over the skin suit they were frozen in. [Roger that Sir.] ¡°Iman, check the ship¡¯s logs and do a quick stocktake. Wellin, do a systems check, make sure software¡¯s running smoothly. Vladlena get the drones ready, do a hull check and start maintenance procedures. Decker, do a weapons check. Rena, update me on the colony¡¯s health status.¡± Palmer began barking out orders as they rose up through the decks, being pulled by handles that ran on a belt along the walls. As everyone got into their positions, Captain Palmer adjusted himself into his seat, in the middle of the cockpit, situated above everyone else in the back, overlooking all the various stations. He flipped open a glass cover and pulled the lever down. With a loud hum, the blast shields that covered the entirety of the cockpit began retracting, stacking layer upon layer before finally, they came to rest as a large hunk of multiple plate layers along the bridge that connected the cockpit to the colony section of the spacecraft. The crew were already used to the sight, staring into complete blackness, sprinkled with miniscule spots of lights from stars that shone from billions upon billions of kilometres away. Sitting upright and pulling the holographic screen in front of him, Captain Palmer interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on his hands, studying the data of the new planet. ¡°Now let¡¯s see what you have to offer us, planet number 6.¡± He muttered as his eyes scrolled through the flood of information presented to him by the ship¡¯s AI.
Chapter 1 will be release on Sunday, maybe earlier if all goes well, but please don''t get your hopes up. Chapter 3.01 - The Meal and The Quest ¡°Isana, do you have a minute?¡± Kiefer asked nervously as he sat on his bed at home, watching Isana let loose her hair that was tied up in a bun. ¡°Hmm? What is it Kii? Do you finally want to cross the line with me tonight?¡± Isana asked coyly, striking an inviting pose that was so alluring even Kiefer could not take his eyes off. ¡°No¡­ this is serious Isana. It¡¯s about Drigor, Wanda and Grandu.¡± Kiefer replied, finally looking away and down at the sleeping Sher, stroking her soft hair. Isana¡¯s expression changed immediately at the mention of her family members, quickly pulling a chair over from the table and sitting down facing Kiefer. ¡°And what of them?¡± Kiefer hesitated while Isana stared intently at him through the long silent pause. Finally mustering his courage, Kiefer opened his mouth to reveal the truth. ¡°Back then¡­ After I killed Drigor, something happened to me. Something that might make you hate me and in turn want to leave me. I ¨C I won¡¯t blame you if you do, but I just think it¡¯s only fair that you knew the truth.¡± Kiefer paused again, carefully studying Isana¡¯s face to read her thoughts and emotions. ¡°After I killed Drigor, his memories, along with Wanda¡¯s memories before he killed her were passed to me, just like how Wanda¡¯s memories were passed to him. And from there, I saw things. Things that would explain his actions.¡± Kiefer watched Isana gulp visibly, then nervously open her lips to speak ¡°You know I love you Kii. You¡¯ve done so much for me, there is no way I will leave you. You killed Drigor because I wanted it. So if there was any fault, it lies with me. Please just tell me what you saw. I want to know the truth.¡± ¡°Wanda, she went to attack Drigor first, and he simply retaliated. She was under some kind of mind control by Gondor. Gondor was trying to end Drigor¡¯s life because he was the only living witness to Grandu¡¯s death. He knew Drigor was plotting for revenge and wanted to clear the last obstacle in his way. Drigor ended Wanda¡¯s life out of mercy, not wanting to watch her suffer from Gondor¡¯s mind games.¡± Kiefer summarized the entire train of events. ¡°How¡­ how is that possible? Gondor was killed long ago. His death gave birth to Sher and Desir who inherited some of his powers. And you are saying my father is dead?¡± Isana exclaimed in disbelief, still shocked by the new information she had just heard. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I killed your brother by mistake. I should have investigated this more, there were so many opportunities to find the truth and yet somehow I chose the worst possible path. I¡¯m really sorry Isana.¡± Kiefer apologized again, his heart breaking at the sight of Isana¡¯s tears. ¡°So¡­ you mean to say¡­ Gondor killed my father and has been impersonating him eversince? And he tried to kill my brother by controlling my sister against her will?¡± Isana asked again just to clarify, to which Kiefer just nodded slowly. A long deadly silence followed, as Isana tried to piece together and accept the new facts that came to light. Kiefer sat there, his throat dry and blocked by a huge lump. His shoulders were stiff and knees were weak, all the while carefully observing Isana¡¯s reaction. Her eye brows were knitted in a frown while tears were constantly streaming out of her vacant green eyes, rolling down her rosy cheeks. Then after holding his breath in for as long as he could, Kiefer saw the light return to Isana¡¯s eyes as she stood up from her chair and sat down gently next to him. With a swift movement, Isana turned and hugged Kiefer tightly from the side, placing her head on his shoulders as she whispered, ¡°Thank you for telling me this. I know it must have been difficult just holding it in since you woke up from the battle, but rest assured I do not blame you for killing Drigor. I was blinded by rage at the vision when Wanda died. I jumped to conclusions and requested your help in slaying Drigor. Even though you were the one to kill him, I helped in the battle as well. I hold as much of the blame as you do, if not even more.¡± Releasing the breath he had held in for so long as a sigh of relief, Kiefer twisted his body and hugged Isana. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this war has not yet ended. I assure you I will help avenge you family. Gondor manipulated Wanda, as he manipulated Drigor to help kill Grandu. I swear I will find a way to render this ability useless, and the moment I do, we shall plan our revenge to rid this world of its disease.¡± ¡°Thank you Kii.¡± Isana replied softly. The 2 bodies stayed stuck to each other through the night, each falling asleep in the other¡¯s embrace. Sometime through the night, they had somehow repositioned themselves under the blanket with Sher tucked snuggly in between them. Waking up at about the same time in the morning, Kiefer and Isana smiled sheepishly at each other before getting out of bed to start their new day. Kiefer did not have a chance to walk around the town since he got back from the voyage last night, so he spent a good few hours slowly pacing himself through the busy streets of Mutatis. He could see multiple wooden buildings in the process of being torn down to be replaced by bricks. Streetlamps have been installed surprisingly quickly, only lacking in secluded alleyways which were last on the waiting list for the streetlamps. General Alwin had been really busy getting the new city up to scratch. With more outsiders streaming in daily, security had become an issue and patrol squads were now deployed more frequently. While screens were conducted at the entrances to determine the purpose of visiting the city, some of the vulgar kind were still bound to slip in, causing trouble until they were caught. With no jailhouse at the moment, the crooks were just barred from the city, but they always manage to sneak their way in again. Kiefer walked past the middle of the city, where there was a huge building still in the midst of construction. It was the biggest of its kind yet, towering over any other building once completed. It was a clock tower that Kiefer had designed for his city, which Rashael had tempered with without his knowledge. The city was still growing and in the early stages of its birth. Kiefer had so many ideas and he would slowly change it so that the city could make a name for itself. Mutatis had grown to a decent size and with its basic amenities already set up, started seeing more people from outside moving in and settling in the new city. Kiefer¡¯s first objective was to understand where the city stood, as he made his way past several shops and inns to Buffon¡¯s merchant guild building, which right now still held its place as the largest building in the city. Sifting through the stacks of parchment, Kiefer made some quick calculations an predicted that with the current exponential growth in population size the city was experiencing, there would be problems with jobs, security and most importantly, food. There was currently not enough capital injected into the agricultural sector to sustain the city for more than 2 to 3 years, including the fact that they had to rely on import from other cities. Meanwhile, Isana and Sher were perusing through the shops and inns, looking for anything interesting. Sher was more excited than Isana since the matter with Kiefer was still weighing on her mind. Then, without any reason, Sher pulled on Isana¡¯s hand and dragged her into an inn. ¡°Hello!¡± Sher greeted the receptionist cheerfully, still holding Isana¡¯s hands. ¡°Why hello there little girl. What can I do for you today?¡± The Arachne lady replied, clearly amused by the child¡¯s enthusiastic nature, not realizing Sher¡¯s true identity. ¡°I smell something nice from your kitchen! Can you teach me how to cook it? I want to cook to cheer up my master.¡± Sher then named her request. ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry miss, but that¡¯s a house recipe. I¡¯m afraid only the Chef can decide whether he wants to reveal or not. Why don¡¯t you ask your mommy to teach you?¡± The receptionist asked, smiling at the girl¡¯s eagerness. ¡°She¡¯s not my mommy! She¡¯s my sister! And she doesn¡¯t know how to cook either.¡± Sher rebutted, now pouting at the refusal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, but could you possibly make an exception this time?¡± Isana spoke this turn, an idea coming to her mind. ¡°If I learnt how to cook, maybe it¡¯ll bring me closer to Kii, and it might cheer him up too.¡± She thought in secret, glad that she had brought Sher along. Seeing that the two ladies were adamant on learning how to cook, the Arachne lady gave in, sighing and softly replying, ¡°Why don¡¯t you head down the kitchen and ask the Chef? There¡¯s still time before the lunch hour rush, so maybe he¡¯ll be willing to teach.¡± ¡°Thank you very much¡± Isana bowed slightly, then allowed herself to be dragged by the overeager Sher into the Kitchen. ¡°El- elder Titan Isana!¡± The high elf chef exclaimed, immediately dropping onto one knee. ¡°Ho- how may I be of service to you?¡± He stuttered, letting the pot he was attending to simmer. ¡°Please rise Chef. I want you to teach us how to cook.¡± Isana calmly requested, as Sher was poking around the kitchen sniffing various ingredients. Sher¡¯s facial expression were varied, drooling over the meat with sparkling eyes, a quizzical confused look while inspecting a potato, and pinching her nose and squinting her eyes in disgust at an open bottle of cooking wine. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. And so, Isana and Sher¡¯s first cooking lesson began as the Chef timidly tasked them with the preparation of the ingredients, slicing the vegetables and seasoning the meat. The chef hurried rushed to stop them as he observed Isana about to slice carrots with her half transformed talons. He then handed each of them a knife and watched them fumble clumsily at their first attempt to use a blade. Kiefer on the other hand had begun to make his way to the northern outskirts of the city along the main road that connected Mutatis to Alluviate in the west. The paving was done about 30% of the way to Alluviate, cutting through the forests and then straight across the eastern Alluviate plains. Even though it can be said that the road cuts through the forest, it was more like cutting through the farm fields that were made after clearing the forest. The farms were quite small, each with its own warehouse to store the produce. The size were limited to the space available and recent diplomatic interactions with Alluviate had not gone well, with the king of Alluviate refusing to release the wide expanse of the Alluviate plains for farm development. As such, the farms were expanding slowly, their rate determined by how fast the citizens of Mutatis could clear the forest. Even then, they would be hindered by the mountains in the north. As such, Kiefer decided to give them a hand. His first actual physical contribution to the city would be to help clear the forests for more farmland, and improve irrigation. With his skills, it was not difficult, only tedious and mind numbingly boring. Stepping up to the first tree, Kiefer began his project, twirling sharp circular blades made of orihalcom around him like drones orbiting him, Kiefer slowly walked through the forest, mowing down the trees and thick undergrowth like a tractor in a wheat field. Occasionally, Kiefer would stop to relocate any wildlife he came across to the forest north of Shearwood lake. He would ferry across entire packs of Fientrals, Seraplors and Shadow foxes through the sky, caging them in his red orihalcom that he now possessed in abundant excess thanks to the runes from the fox tribe. Slowly but surely, with the help of the residents of Mutatis, stumps were cleared and ground was leveled to make room for development. The process was long and arduous, but it was progress nonetheless. It gave Kiefer time to think about his future plans and his desire to study the netherworld in greater detail. The monotonous work also meant that he had a way to spend his mana to keep increasing its size. Overtime, his mana had taken shape internally from a triangular bipyramid into an Icosahedron. He could still clearly feel the dense triangular bipyramid crystal embedded within the not so dense newly formed icosahedron, which was in turn coated with a sea of silvery liquid mana. Taking a break from the boring repetitive work, Kiefer returned home, to be greeted by a table full of omelets. It would seem that that was the only dish the 2 girls had learnt today, but it still surprised Kiefer, much to the glee of the 2 girls. That night, Kiefer slept on a stomach full of egg, wondering how the girls had spent their first peaceful day back at mutatis.
Kiefer watched as the farmers were harvesting the last of their crops just as Winter began to set in. He currently had his hands full herding a group of Trenitts that had wandered out of the forest onto the cleared land, nibbling at any remaining weeds from the farms. The three eyed rabbits were a delicacy on Aioa, and are often hunted for their sweet meat. However, Kiefer was not going to kill them since he did owe his first meal on Aioa to them. Finally, gathering all 20 of them into his red cage, Kiefer lifted them up and transported the herbivours through the air towards Arigan, away from all the other predators that he had relocated to the west. The farmers were already used to the sight of Kiefer flying around and simply carried on with their work, ignoring the mouth gaping stares of the travelers using the road. It has been almost a week since Kiefer started working on expanding the farmlands. He had cleared most of the forest north of Mutatis and was only left with developing the land towards the west, where he would be able to dig an irrigation canal from Shearwood lake through the farms. However, the area was within the domains of Alluviate and he had no right to take and use the land as he saw fit. Figuring that there was nothing he could except maybe meet and discuss the details in person with the royal family of Alluviate, Kiefer directed his attention to feeding the lands, allowing it to fallow over winter and get it ready by spring. To do that, he had a cheat code of sorts, which had proven to work back in Fiora province. However, he was going to need a lot more help this time. Dressed in simple but warm peasant clothes woven by one of the Arachne girls while on the boat trip back from the battle, Kiefer entered the adventurer¡¯s guild. Swinging open the large wooden door which creaked loudly, desperately in need of oiling, he attracted the attentions of numerous stares from humans and demi humans alike, all dressed in battle gear ready to take to the roads. Most had partial plate armour accompanied by leather clothing, while those holding bows and crossbows were dressed lightly in hooded clothes, the colours either green or black to blend into a dark forest background. The notice board in the lounge of the adventurer¡¯s guild was free for anyone to use. Most people choose to put up their requests and wait for adventurers to choose their quest over the 50 others also up on the board. There was no regulation whatsoever in this uncivilized place and anyone could choose a quest as long as they think they are up for it. Kiefer was dressed lightly, and being the only one without a weapon in the crowd, he stood out like a sore thumb. He did not look rich enough to offer rewards and so nobody thought him to be one to put a request on the board. As such, the muscle heads simply assumed he was a newbie adventurer trying his hand out at one of the simpler quests on the board. ¡°Oy kid. This ain¡¯t a place for a scrawny brat like you to be looking for work. Why don¡¯t ya just go look to be someone¡¯s apprentice in one of them crafting guilds?¡± A tall muscular man that looked to be from Diantes yelled out from his seat, putting his mug of beer down and making his way towards Kiefer. ¡°Bunch of morons.¡± Kiefer thought, and smiled, making sure the burly man saw it before he turned and ignored the man. People started clearing out, away from the man and Kiefer. Fights often broke out within the guild building and everyone already learnt to predict when one would occur. Considering that the man who just yelled at Kiefer was notorious for heckling newbies and ¡®educating¡¯ them, people were already leaving the building, silently praying for Kiefer¡¯s well-being. The man¡¯s entourage remained quiet, seemingly afraid of angering him. It would seem even they could not stop this man if he got serious, so they just let him do whatever he pleased. ¡°Boy, if I were you, I¡¯d just apologise and quickly leave. He¡¯s Tigre Trigent. He was the captain of a guard squad in Diantes until he was dismissed for violent behavior.¡± A passing shadow quickly muttered, brushing past Kiefer on the pretext that he was going to leave. While many left, most chose to stay and watch the predictable outcome. These uncivilized people were afraid of the man, but still could not resist the urge to watch a fight, even if it was an unfair one. ¡°Trigent huh! Looks like the whole family¡¯s no good. I wonder if Victor managed to save his son from that assassin¡¯s poison? Seeing as there was no sign of Dominick in Nicole¡¯s school, I¡¯d say he failed.¡± Kiefer kept quiet, thinking to himself while his smile slowly turned into a grin. The man towering at over 2.3m tall stalked his way across the room, each footstep making people back away even more. Kiefer kept his enhanced senses on Tigre, while he slowly scrutinized the quests posted on the board, trying to get an idea of how to put up a request. Finally, the man overshadowed Kiefer, standing directly behind the small Kiefer, a great axe slung on his back. ¡°LOOK AT ME WHEN I¡¯M TALKING TO YOU, YOU IMBECILE!¡± Tigre roared, his voice booming though the building and causing people to cover their ears and shirk away in fear. Tigre shot his arm out, going straight for the back of Kiefer¡¯s neck and head, attempting to slam his head into the notice board.
I know its a big jump from Epilogue to prologue and then to part 1 of chapter 3, but It is indeed as I planned it. I''m just surprised nobody thought that maybe i uploaded a wrong chapter from another novel. I''m going to try my best to smoothly merge the 2 vastly contrasting themes to the best of my abilities, but as always, if you find anything that makes you cringe, please point it out so i can make amends and improve. Chapter 3.02 - The Blacksmiths Buffet and The unknown weapon With a huge slam, Tigre¡¯s gauntlets smashed into the wooden notice board, crumbling some of the parchment notices and hammering the nails straight into the wood. The small man had somehow wriggled his way past the towering bully, appearing behind him and yanking downwards on his orange pony tail. With the combined force of Kiefer¡¯s pull and the ridiculous weight of the great axe on his back, Tigre fell backwards with a crash, cracking some of the wooden floorboards as he landed, dazed and confused. Kiefer gave him no time to react, immediately stepping on the man¡¯s thick throat, bending down and placing his arm on his bent knee. ¡°Do not disturb me when I¡¯m busy.¡± Kiefer reprimanded, glaring straight into the eyes of the fallen man. Not letting go of his foothold, Kiefer continued studying the now messier than ever notice board, looking at the structure of requests put up there. Trying to break free and redeem his shattered pride, Tigre tried to lift his head, only to realize he could not budge even a little. He then wrapped his overly large hand around Kiefer¡¯s ankle, attempting to crush it with his inhuman strength, at the same time trying to move it off his throat. The result though, was unexpected. Not only did he feel like he was squeezing an adamantium bar, he felt the pressure on his neck increase the more he tried to remove the foot. Had his muscles and skin not been enhanced by magic, he knew his throat would have been crushed long ago. ¡°I see. So you just list the task required, the criteria for accepting the task, and then the rewards for completion. Finally, you just include a time and place to meet. It seems most people leave the request up for a week, arranging to meet with prospective employees every day at a fixed time.¡± Kiefer thought to himself, as he retrieved a piece of parchment, quill and ink bottle from his PD, all while putting his hand inside his back pack to make it seem like he took them out from the bag. Tigre was finally relieved when Kiefer stepped off his throat and headed towards an empty table, watching from the corners of his eyes as the spectators cleared the path for him. Thinking that this was his opportunity to get back at the impudent weasel, Tigre tried to stand up, only to feel the pressure around his neck increase. A thick silvery rope extended from the floorboards and constricted his neck, fixing it to the floor. However, that was not all. Tigre realized not only could he not move his head, his whole body seemed to be weighed down by an invisible force, making even breathing difficult. Kiefer ignored the struggling giant¡¯s inaudible mummers as he began inking down his request on a brand new piece of parchment. He took some time writing the request since it was not in English but instead in Aian, the most common language on the planet. It was relatively easy to pick up, since it was similar to English in that it had symbols that represented letters, and the grammatical structure was identical. All it took was for Kiefer to relate each symbol to its corresponding letter in English. His final request form read as such:
Request: Clearing junk and moving heavy loads. You will be required to bring your own carts, horses and manpower. Ideal professions: Blacksmiths, farmers, merchants, anyone with physical strength and stamina. Details: Assemble along the western road leading to Alluviate just beyond the last farm at sunrise 5 days from now. No limit to the number of spots available. The more the merrier. Your reward is based on how much you work. The job entails removing junk weapons and armor from a field, along with nutrient supplements for crops. You keep what you move. The event will last for 2 full days. The first day will be specifically for those going after the metals, while the second day will be for those after the nutrient supplements. Note: depending on how well received this event is, more may be held in the future.
Reading over it a second time to check that he did not miss out anything, Kiefer increased his supergravity field around Tigre just to torment him more as he returned to the notice board and pinned his request up. Finally, he left the building the same time he undid the gravity field on the now unconscious Tigre. Everybody on the scene rushed forwards to the notice board to catch a glimpse of the new request this stranger had just put up. As more and more people swarmed in, Tigre¡¯s party could not do anything but wait for the crowd to dissipate before finally ferrying him out of the building back to the inn they were staying at. For the next few days after Kiefer put up the notice, merchants and blacksmiths alike were scouring the area to the west of Mutatis, searching for this hidden treasure cove of weapons and armors that the notice supposedly spoke of. News quickly spread that no such place was found and soon, everyone was saying that the notice was a hoax, maybe a scam of some kind meant to rob gullible people who chose to show up. However, one thing was still stuck in everybody¡¯s head ¨C the scene of the young man who singlehandedly manhandled the newbie crusher within the time it took him to put up the notice. Kiefer sat up straight on Feir who was lazily yawning, letting his tongue hang out like a domesticated dog. It was the day of the event and Kiefer watched as some carts started rolling along the road. Waiting until the sun had fully risen, Kiefer looked at the meager turn up of people. In total, there were only 15 groups of people who turned up, each group only bringing a small cart or 2. Most of them were blacksmiths who had chosen to take the risk in attending the event, but not before hiring some adventurers as guards for their own safety first. Kiefer couldn¡¯t help but sigh, before alighting from Feir to greet the participants. After a quick introduction, He climbed up into the air and told them to wait while he prepared the field. Facing the large empty field that used to be a forest teeming with life, Kiefer began to link his mana to the netherworld, opening the portal and establishing contracts with the souls wandering in that ethereal domain. Within seconds, the participants watched in horror as entire undead legions crawled their way out of the ground. Seeing as they were not equipped to battle the incoming onslaught of rotting flesh and clacking bones, the adventurer guards turned tail and fled towards Mutatis to warn the residents of the events that were unfolding while the blacksmiths cursed their own luck, following a suspicious request on the notice board. As the carts began to turn to leave, Feir summoned stone wolves along the road to cut the blacksmiths off. Doing as Kiefer instructed, Feir kept the blacksmiths on site, not letting them leave with empty carts. The participants had no choice to turn towards the man who led them here, hoping to bargain their measly lives. However, they observed an unnatural sight, as the undead kept crawling out of the ground, but never moving ahead in any sort of attack. Instead, once the field was teeming with undead life, they all instantly fell to the ground, crushed by their own weight, the armour and weapons they held now dented and wrangled beyond recognition. Kiefer now stopped the summoning procedure and descended from the skies, directing his voice to the blacksmiths who were trapped by Feir. ¡°Now please do what you have come here to do. It may smell pungent and look gross, but any and all equipment you pick up here will be yours to keep. You are welcome to return after transporting your carts but please take note that this offer stands only till sunrise next morning.¡± Kiefer announced loudly, projecting his voice to the participants present. Right at this moment, he looked like some kind of saint, floating in the air with the golden rays of the morning sun outlining his facial features from the side. ¡°Well at least the undead has its uses.¡± Kiefer thought to himself, as he watched the blacksmiths and their apprentices scurry though the field of rotting flesh and salvage anything they could. ¡°To think that the netherworld siphons life essences in the form of souls from multiple worlds while I can convert those immaterial essences into physical forms with a simple summoning spell. It¡¯s like I have an unlimited reserve of metals to tap into in the palm of my hands.¡± The blacksmiths worked quickly, filling up their small carts in no time and transporting it back to their workshops. Soon, they were returning with an entire train of carts and possibly every single employee in their shops to come have a go at the bountiful harvest. Word spread quickly as more blacksmiths and merchants came along, following their competitors after being suspicious of their closed shops in the middle of the day. The first round of summoning took nearly 3 hours to clear out, but subsequent summoning had exponentially more participants rushing to grab for the free loot that littered the field of dead undead corpses. As such, even with part of the workforce focusing on moving and clearing out the dead bodies, each summoning took only a little over an hour to be completely picked clean. Eventually, as the day drew on and nightfall came, the speed gradually dropped as the workshops began filling up with junk metals. Blacksmiths were now busy making their employees smelt down the metals into ingots to make more room as cartloads of swords, axes, hammers and lances kept streaming in along the busy road. Kiefer knew that this sudden influx of metals would severely upset the economy in neighboring citiesm especially Alluviate, but that was exactly his intention. With the cheap, almost free, supply f metals in Mutatis, equipment and tools could be sold at drastically cheaper prices in Mutatis, attracting business away from Alluviate. Therefore, he would have a bargaining chip in the negotiation for the eastern Alluviate plains¡¯ territory, offering to impose taxes on metals within his city to deter merchants from buying in mutatis, hence returning the bulk of the demand for metals back to Alluviate. Even then, this was still beneficial to his city since they could now use the metals for themselves, improving infrastructure and amenities for its residents. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The night went by slowly, as the participants grew weary in the cold winter night. The reward was free, but tiring and repulsive. As Kiefer watched the men load up their carts, he began working on the pile of flesh and bones that had started to collect. Turning his orihalcom metal into giant mincers and grinders, he processed the pile into a coarse and moist mixture. He then heated them up in a huge pan with a flame spell to dry and sear the meat, before passing them through a ball mill also made out of his orihalcom. He worked slowly and leisurely, eventually making his way through half the pile by sunrise. The next morning, Kiefer was greeted with an armada of farmers, with their carts and horses, having already heard the news of yesterday¡¯s events. Kiefer had barely had any sleep last night, so he was tired. He briefly explained to the farmers and merchants the use of the bone meal fertilizer and instructed them to plough the lands while mixing the fertilizer in before winter set in. Quickly returning to work on the remaining pile of corpses, Kiefer had some help from grateful blacksmiths who offered to help collect and pile up corpses from around the field as thanks for the metals. While waiting for the men to collect the corpses into a pile, Kiefer decided to take a quick nap, pulling out a thick blanket from his PD and laying it on the cold ground next the Feir. Using his mana ropes, he pulled Feir¡¯s warm tail over his body and quickly dozed off. The farmers worked quickly, loading their carts up with the fertilizer and quickly transporting it to their farmhouses where their employees were waiting to bag them up into large hemp sacks. They worked quietly, not wanting wake Kiefer up from his tired slumber, shoveling the tall mound of fertilizer granules one shovel at a time. When Kiefer woke from his rest, it was already midday and the farmers were all huddles around in groups eating lunch. The mound of fertilizer was already almost gone and in front of him, was a basket with its top covered by a piece of cloth. Opening it, Kiefer was delighted to see Sandwiches packed inside, along with a note from Sher and Isana to eat up. Looking again at the sandwiches, Kiefer couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, amused at what he saw. They were ALL egg based sandwiches, some with an omelet filling, others with mashed boiled eggs. Without much thought but filled with gratefulness, Kiefer finished his lunch in a flash and returned to work. Seeing as there was still some time left, Kiefer decided to summon the undead legion once more, this time, picking the weapons and armour up by himself and crushing them into a scrap metal cube with his orihalcom crushers. The farmers watched as the pungent smell wafted through the air into their nostrils, already used to its weaker version while packing the fertilizer all morning. Then, something caught Kiefer¡¯s eyes. It was something foreign, but still unnaturally familiar. Moving to the ground to take a closer look and prying it out from the mangled corpse¡¯s hands, Kiefer stared at the weapon in disbelief. He knew that the undead were reanimated in the same equipment they were wearing during their time of death. It was their last memory that was etched into their souls as they travelled into the netherworld. However, this item was the first of its kind to appear. Looking at the dented barrel, crushed stock and heavily scratched body and magazine, Kiefer stood there in silence, contemplating while the farmers looked at each other quizzically, wondering what it was that Kiefer held in his hands. The appearance of such an item was an unprecedented breakthrough in his research into the netherworld, and he did not even have to spend time to focus on the research as it fell into his hands like a god given gift. The rifle was a heavily damaged M16A1 that had materialized with the corpse. While the corpse was too disfigured to be identified if he was a soldier, Kiefer was sure it had come from earth. This meant that the earth he came from, was one of the worlds that fed souls to the netherworld. If he could study where the specific soul came from within the netherworld, he just might be able to trace it back to earth, where there¡¯s a chance of opening a portal though his PD leading back to his original planet. Intrigued, Kiefer decided he was going to hold more of these events in the future, hoping that more such souls would appear here on Aioa. Kiefer quickly threw the damaged rifle into his PD and continued picking up the equipment, before processing the bones and flesh to form more fertilizer. Naturally, soon after he finished the batch, it had already disappeared into the carts of the overeager and greedy farmers. Moving on, Kiefer ended the day early, taking the rest of the day to help some of the more short-handed farms in ploughing their fields and feeding the fields with bone marrow. The sun soon began to set just beyond the horizon as the first snow flake of the winter season began to fall. Kiefer went straight back home, anticipating yet another egg filled dinner waiting for him. Surprisingly, the dinner he received was instead a warm pot of shredded Trenitt soup with diced potatoes and carrots. Gladly emptying the warm bowl of soup down his stomach, warming up his shilling back, Kiefer smiled at his 2 girls that just stared at him intensely, hoping to get a feedback on their food from his face. Looking at the 2 girls, a thought came across Kiefer¡¯s mind, and he started to speak. ¡°Sana, Sher. Hypothetically, if I found a way to go back home, would you be willing to come with me?¡± Kiefer asked the 2 titans who were still trying to figure out what he thought of their soup. ¡°Haipotetikally?¡± Sher asked, tilting her head at the unknown word. ¡°What are you talking about Kii? Isn¡¯t this your home now? Didn¡¯t you say that when we first moved in here?¡± Isana questioned with a worried face, fretting that Kiefer might leave her. ¡°Yes I did. I¡¯m just saying. IF, I find a way back to my original world, would you be willing to follow me? I want to show you where I came from, a world without mana, a world where people could soar through the skies faster than you can fly. Of course, I will be returning here. This is my home after all.¡± Kiefer reassured her with a warm smile, to which he saw Isana¡¯s stiff shoulders relax and droop. ¡°Of course I¡¯d love that. That is of course, only if you make sure we can return.¡± Isana replied, to which Sher also nodded her head vigorously. ¡°Ok. That¡¯s all I wanted to know, because today, I found something that once belonged to my world. It came here through the netherworld, so I was thinking I might be able to find a way to my world through the netherworld.¡± Kiefer said, pulling out the damaged rifle from his PD. ¡°OH What is that master!??¡± Sher exclaimed excitedly, rushing to grab the rifle from the table. Isana was intrigued as well at the oddly shaped item. ¡°Well, if you want to go through the netherworld, you know you are going to have to die first right?¡± Isana commented casually, half joking as she inspected the rifle that was now in Sher¡¯s arms. ¡°Maybe, maybe not.¡± Kiefer replied, hinting that there might just be another way around. ¡° This is a weapon from my world. It¡¯s called a rifle.¡± Kiefer continued to explain. ¡°Oh? A weapon? Such an odd shape. Do you use it like a club?¡± Isana asked, holding the rifle by its barrel and swinging the body and stock around. ¡°No, well you can use it that way, but that¡¯s not what it was designed for. Do you guys remember this?¡± Kiefer asked, conjuring up a single mana bullet that spun rapidly in his palm. ¡°Yes! Scary arrow!¡± Sher exclaimed, still remembering Kiefer¡¯s first misfire in the Alluvian plains. ¡°Well, imagine something like this made completely out of metal, and being shot out of the weapon faster and further than an arrow could ever reach.¡± Kiefer explained, dissolving the bullet and holding the rifle¡¯s stock up against his shoulder, aiming the muzzle at Isana. ¡°And your world can do that without magic? That is interesting, to say the least. Now I really want to see the world you came from Kii.¡± Isana replied, immensely curious and intrigued by the rifle, unable to imagine how something would work as Kiefer described without mana. ¡°Yes absolutely, and this is only one of the many things that will surprise you. We have vehicles that run on 2 wheels, faster than any horse could run, ships even larger than our brig made completely out of metal, and even ships designed to travel underwater undetected for long periods of time.¡± Kiefer proudly listed a few inventions from earth. ¡°Really? Now I really want to go take a look for myself. Of course the no mana thing would be annoying, but if I could see all those for myself, with my very 2 eyes, it would be worth it.¡± (Isana) ¡°Good. Because I think I will be able to transport us there in due time, at least before we face Gondor, so that we will have help from my world¡¯s technology before the battle.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Yay! We are going on a trip with Master!¡± Sher yelled out jubilantly, raising her arms in the air and trotting over to hug Kiefer.
Well, here''s today''s Chapter. i know i said I will resume arc 3 on sunday but i just had so much ideas flooding my head i needed to get some out to make space for more. Chapter 3.03 - The Trip and the Trap Hello my dear readers. sorry this took so long and is essentially 4 days late. I''ve been busy with work and i did not want to release the chapter prematurely before i could make certain of its quality. I''ve proof read it once, but im sure you will still be able to point out mistakes, so please do so and i will change them as and when i get the chance.
¡°Hahahah!¡± Kiefer laughed heartily at Sher¡¯s excitement. ¡°We¡¯re not going right now Sher. I still have to figure out how to get there. It won¡¯t be for at least another year at the very least.¡± Sher did not seem fazed by what Kiefer had said; instead, she seemed more excited. ¡°So you¡¯ll stay with Sher some more? YAY!!¡± She exclaimed, before running to hug Kiefer. Kiefer slept well that night, relieved and thankful for the supportive family that he had. They may not share the same blood as he did, but they are very much his family, as were his foster parents. He was sure they would be happy for him, if they knew that even after his death, he had found somewhere he could call home, and companions he could consider his family. It had been 2 weeks since the metal requisition event from the undead at the outskirts of Mutatis. Word had spread around the continent and adventurers and merchants alike were swarming in to take a bite out of the cheap sale of equipment that was present in every corner of Mutatis. The clock tower was almost completed, with only another week of construction left in its schedule. Kiefer was now at Buffon¡¯s guild building at the request of Mayor Alwin. ¡°Alluviate has sent a messenger over expressing their concern of the drop in demand for metals and equipment in their city. What do you want me to do? I know it is good and all that you can help the city acquire cheap materials but I¡¯m against the idea of entering a detrimental relationship with our closest neighbour. Even if we are equipped for war, and I highly doubt it will come to that, our city is still new and it could use the peace for as long as it lasts.¡± Alwin expressed his concern, watching Kiefer slowly sip his tea, carefully embracing its aroma. ¡°It¡¯s about time they raised their concerns with us. Would have been better about a week ago though. I was getting bored waiting for them.¡± Kiefer nonchalantly replied, putting his tea down and gazing out the window, watching the snow fall and wondering what the girls were going to cook him tonight. Their nightly meals were about the only thing Kiefer looked forward to each day, having no luck with exploring the possible avenues of connecting to the netherworld. Alwin on the other hand, was stunned at Kiefer¡¯s reply. ¡°Wait. You mean you did that knowing that it would raise possible cause of conflicts with Alluviate? Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Well, I needed a bargaining chip. If they were going to be greedy and hog all the land that they were not using to themselves, I would hog all the merchants and patrons from them in return, which was surprisingly easy to do thanks to Buffon¡¯s influence. Call it a childish tantrum on my part, but I will do whatever it takes to get what I need. Without the land, Mutatis would starve in a few years.¡± Kiefer explained, secretly glad that everything was going according to plan. Now all he needed was to find a way to go meet with the representative of Alluviate without anyone recognising him. Alwin just sighed, and massaged his temple, hoping silently that Kiefer would inform him of his plans beforehand in the future, relieving him of any worries. He calmed the headache that had been bothering him since the letter arrived from Alluviate and then look to Kiefer before replying, ¡°I take it you want to do the negotiations yourself? Should I prepare a convoy to send you to Alluviate on official business, or do you wish to do it incognito?¡± ¡°No need for any of that. Just give me the letter from the messenger. I¡¯ll hitch a ride with one of the merchants moving towards Alluviate. There¡¯s some other side business I want to take care of.¡± Kiefer sipped his tea again, thinking about the 5 hidden presences that had been loitering around him for the past 2 weeks. They were so bad that even Sher and Isana noticed them right off the bat, but just couldn¡¯t be bothered to take any action. Taking the letter from Alwin¡¯s hands, Kiefer thanked him for keeping the city in check, and then made his way to the inn where Isana and Sher were busy cooking to meet them for lunch. ¡°Hello again Mister!¡± The Arachne receptionist greeted Kiefer cheerfully. ¡°The girls are down the back as usual. Today¡¯s special is Trenitt stuffed with mashed potatoes with creamy mushroom soup for sides.¡± ¡°Thank you once again.¡± Kiefer nodded as he made his way past the busy counter and the crowded restaurant, entering the Kitchen where there were chefs running around serving the lunch hour rush. No sooner had he stepped in, Isana rushed forwards and stuffed a spoonful of mushroom soup into his mouth. ¡°How¡¯s this Kii? Chef said today will be the first time I¡¯m allowed to cook something for the customers.¡± Isana asked, watching Kiefer choke on the spoon with puppy eyes, waiting for his feedback. ¡°cough cough¡­ Next time, warn me first Sana. I couldn¡¯t even taste it. Bring me some more.¡± Kiefer regained his posture and looked at Isana, rubbing his throat where the spoon was lodged in just moments earlier. At that, Sher came up from behind Isana with a bowl full of a creamy white soup with specks of black chunks in it. Kiefer spent the rest of lunch inside the kitchen, tasting various versions of the same soup over and over again. He had come to realise that once Sher and Isana learnt a new dish, they would only cook that dish until they perfected it, which meant he would probably be having mushroom soup for the foreseeable future. As the lunch hour rush calmed down, Kiefer collected his family from the kitchen and left, holding hands with Sher who was in between Isana and Kiefer. To anyone who didn¡¯t know better, they seemed like a family with the daughter holding the hands of the parents. As they turned into a secluded alleyway, the family seemed to vanish into thin air, not leaving a single trace of them having ever been there.
[[Somewhere in the adventurer¡¯s guild building, 10 minutes later]] ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve lost track of them again. It the same as always, they seem to just vanish. I can¡¯t even trace their mana signature with my wind spell.¡± (Lackey#1) ¡°Fuck. That brat humiliated me the other day. It¡¯s already been almost 20 days and we still can¡¯t find out anything about him. All we know is that he is most likely a merchant. You said he visits the merchant¡¯s guild often?¡± Tigre asked, clenching his fists in frustration. ¡°Yes. And we also know he has a family. The wife and daughter work in a restaurant near the docks. Shall we keep monitoring them?¡± (lackey #2) ¡°Yes, but keep your distance for the time being. At least they don¡¯t know we are tracking them. I don¡¯t want to cause too much of a ruckus in this city that it gets me thrown out. Once we are sure we won¡¯t be traced, we can move in to kidnap them. The wife¡¯s a beauty and the child seems innocent. They would go for quite a bit on the slave market.¡± Tigre continued, sneering at the thought of having his way with the 2 girls.
[[Back at home]] Kiefer left the 2 girls at home after soaring back through the skies, and teleported his way to the outskirts once more. He had been spending his days repeating what he was about to do, and so far, he¡¯s had no significant results. He sat on a tall tree branch, and began summoning the undead, one zombie at a time. Each time the zombie materialised in Aioa, Kiefer could feel the link to the netherworld, but it was never long enough to trace and connect the 2 worlds together. The spell that Drigor taught him simply makes it possible for the soul to cross the barrier from the netherworld to Aioa, a one way trip. It was sort of like fishing, where the spell pulls the soul out in a one directional motion. The spell did not mention anything about putting the soul back into the netherworld, which meant so far, Kiefer only had one method of travelling to the netherworld ¨C dying. ¡°AAArrgghh¡­ this is so frustrating!¡± Kiefer complained, scratching his head furiously, trying to shake any ideas out. ¡°This is exactly Einstein¡¯s definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. I¡¯ve summoned at least a few thousand undead over the last 2 weeks, but so far I still can¡¯t maintain the connection long enough to form a link as the soul crosses over.¡± Kiefer stopped once again, killing the zombie like the countless times he had done so far to think and examine his mistakes. The difficult thing was that he knew he was doing something wrong, and yet, he did not know what he was doing wrong, so he did not know how to change it. He opened his PD and took out a bowl of soup that he had pocketed while at the restaurant like a petty thief. Sipping on the steaming soup and letting out a warm breath of satisfaction, his breath formed a mist and dispersed into the cold winter air. ¡°FUCK! Why did I have to and kill Drigor off so quickly!?! I should¡¯ve asked him more about the spell first. Guess I¡¯m stuck breaking the spell into its components by myself.¡± Kiefer lamented, getting off the tree and heading back to Mutatis after burying the dead zombies. Having no progress on the front of the netherworld research, Kiefer moved on, aiming to tackle the problem with Alluviate. As he stepped into the adventurer guild hall once again, he could hear the entire lounge area grow deadly silent, before being filled with mummers as people spied at him from the corners of their eye. He had grown famous overnight as the man who utterly defeated the newbie crusher. Looking through the notice board once more, Kiefer instantly picked out one request that seemed the most appealing. It was a simple escort mission for a merchant moving a weapons cart from Mutatis to Alluviate. Such trips were often the primary target of bandit attacks since it would provide them with weapons and a small amount of daily necessities. Trying to kill 2 birds with one stone, Kiefer read through the request thoroughly, and proceeded to the inn across the guild building as instructed by the quest, ignoring the presence hiding amongst the wooden beams of the ceiling and tailing him. The request form instructed the adventurer to meet the merchant at the bar in the inn across the road every evening before sun down. Kiefer instantly located the client. She was an Arachne lady dress smartly in a brown formal attire with a small red bow below her neck. She was the only one sitting at the bar drinking beer while everyone else was sitting at the tables, since there was no space left at the bar given her huge spider body. ¡°Hello. Are you the one who put up the request for an escort team to move a weapons cart from here to Alluviate?¡± Kiefer asked, looking up towards the 2.5m tall lady. She was shorter than usual, but only because she was sitting down with her 8 legs bent below her body. ¡°Yes. My name is Listin. Are you applying for the position?¡± Listin asked, turning around and inspecting the human male who approached her. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here to apply to be part of the escort team. I was wondering if my family and I could tag along with you for the trip to Alluviate. We are on our way to meet some friends in Alluviate and could use some security. Of course, we will make it worth your time.¡± Kiefer explained, taking out a single platinum coin from the drawstring pouch around his waist. ¡°Done!¡± Listin agreed almost instantly after she saw the coin, snatching it straight from Kiefer¡¯s hands and stashing it away in a pocket hidden under her jacket. She could earn maybe 10 or 15 gold coins per trip and having been shown one platinum coin, it was worth 9 to 10 trips in total, which would take her up to a year to earn. Even if she splurges a little more on security this trip, she would still walk away with quite the hefty profit. ¡°Thank you. When and where should we meet to head out?¡± Kiefer asked, thanking her for allowing him to join her. ¡°Meet me 3 days from now outside the adventurer¡¯s guild. With this influx of capital, I can raise the price I¡¯m paying for the escort and we should be able to find a decent team by the end of the week. Otherwise, I¡¯ll just extend the request by another week, but I¡¯ll keep you informed. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Kiefer was satisfied with his plan, and headed home where he informed Sher and Sana about the trip to Alluviate. Eager to have an adventure once in a while, the 2 girls agreed almost instantly, all while forcing more soup down Kiefer¡¯s throat. The Trio arrived outside the guild building at the appointed time while Feir was left guarding the house. They each carried on their backs a large sack filled with daily necessities such as blankets, towels and extra clothing. It was to be a 10 day trip to Alluviate and another 10 back by carriage. While they could have used their PD, Kiefer chose instead to carry his load manually to avoid raising suspicion. ¡°Hello again Listin. Meet my wife Sana, and my adopted daughter Sher.¡± Kiefer greeted, introducing his family to the weapons merchant. He had to say that Sher was adopted since she was clearly a demi human from a reptilian family while Kiefer and Isana looked like normal humans. ¡°My my¡­ Kiefer you are one lucky guy. To have such a beautiful wife and such a cute daughter.¡± Listin praised, making Isana blush a little. ¡°Why don¡¯t you load up your stuff into the back of my carriage and then I¡¯ll introduce you to the escort crew. I assure you I only hired the most skilled one so you can rest assured you will be safe for the journey.¡± Listin continued, lifting up the canvas that draped down the back of the carriage. Kiefer arranged all their bags neatly along the back and turned to face the adventurer crew, only to be greeted by a familiar face, making him sneer in an ugly grin. Clearly pissed off by Kiefer¡¯s sneer but trying to control himself, Tigre stepped up in front of his crew of 15 adventurers and extended his hand. ¡°We meet again young man.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kiefer replied, shaking Tigre¡¯s extended hand, smiling at Tigre¡¯s failed attempt to crush his hand in the handshake. ¡°Have you gotten better at fighting yet?¡± Kiefer continued to provoke the giant man that seemed like he could squish Kiefer under his thumb. ¡°OH! Do you 2 know each other already?¡± Listin asked in surprise, watching the exchange between Kiefer and the leader of her guard escort. ¡°Not really.¡± Kiefer interjected before Tigre could speak. ¡°I only watched him get his ass handed to him in a sparring match not long ago.¡± Tigre ignored Kiefer and turned his attention to the woman and child standing behind Kiefer. Isana stared at Tigre in disgust as he licked her all over with his eyes, not hiding his lust and perverseness even a little. This led to an awkward silence which Listin immediately broke up. ¡°Well then! Shall we start heading out? Kiefer, you and your family can ride in the front carriage with me. The guards will spread out to protect our carriage and the cargo carts that will be following behind. The guard¡¯s own carriage will be the last in our convoy. We will head out now and set up for camp just within the forest belt.¡± Listin announced, climbing on top of her specially made carriage on her 8 spiny legs. Holding the reins that were attached to 6 horses, she started the convoy moving, with the guards and the drivers for her cargo carts following closely behind. ¡°Hey boss. That woman is a real piece of work. Mind if I enjoyed her before we sell her to the slave company?¡± One of the guards whispered quietly to Tigre in the back of the guards carriage. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty Gary. The attack isn¡¯t until we enter the Agrean forest. You can do whatever you like, but I get first dibs. Leave the child though. She will fetch a higher price if she remains a virgin.¡± Tigre whispered back, an evil smile growing on his face. ¡°That can I at least do her in the back? She¡¯ll still have her virginity and it¡¯s not like the slavers can tell.¡± Another more perverse guard chimed in, tearing a piece of meat jerky and chewing on it. ¡°No. Like I said, leave the child alone. We can¡¯t have her breaking before we sell her. It is crucial that the slavers do the breaking, so they can train her the right way. The woman though, she¡¯ll be sturdier so we can do whatever we like.¡± Tigre barked back again, shutting the lolicon down. The convoy soon slowed to a stop not long after entering a sparse forest. The forest belt around Mutatis was relatively thin thanks to Kiefer clearing the lands out to make way for farmland. They reached the outskirts of Mutatis and were now at their first stop, letting the horses graze and rehydrate while the guards set up a rotational shift to keep watch. Kiefer and Isana were enjoying a warm sip of fragrant tea that Kiefer had brought along inside his PD. They sat on the back of their carriage, Isana leaning against Kiefer, and letting their legs dangle while they took slow sips from the red orihalcom thermos that Kiefer had made to bring the tea in. While they garnered the envious stares of all the guards and even Listin, Sher was running around the clearing chasing some snow white draeries that had come from within the forest to investigate the convoy. The guards had become considerably relaxed, since they had yet to meet a single wild animal since the start of their journey. Even though the forests around Alluviate and Mutatis were notorious for Fientral and Seraplor attacks, they had yet see even a shadow that might belong to a wild animal. Of course, no one knew that all the animals were instinctively avoiding the 2 fearsome titans that were tagging along with the convoy. Only the draeries who were confident in their speed dared come close to the convoy. After an hour¡¯s rest, Listin ordered the convoy to start moving again, finally reaching the edges of the Eastern Alluvian plains by nightfall. Kiefer and his family laid out their thick warm sleeping bags and slept peacefully inside their carriage while Listin chose a tall tree to hang from as she wove a cocoon around herself and fell asleep while dangling from a sturdy branch. The guards took turns to watch the perimeter, changing shifts every 2 hours. With 16 guards, and 4 guards per shift, each person got about 6 hours of sleep, doing a total of 2 shifts per person. Kiefer and his family slept soundly, without any worries. While they may seem to be too relaxed to any other outsider, Kiefer knew that there was literally nothing on this continent that could even come close to giving him or his family even a scratch. This however, only raised the hopes of Tigre, seeing how defenceless the snobby man and his delicious family were. He endured with all his might to not crush the man¡¯s windpipe, knowing that his planned trap would spring in just a few more hours. Naturally, morning came around and the convoy started moving quickly across the still pockmarked plains. Sher was weak against the cold and was still snoozing under 4 layers of blankets while Isana and Kiefer were already up and about. Kiefer looked across the endless plans and smiled, remembering how he was the cause of all these craters within the field. It had taken a full year and finally, grass had started to cover the plains once again. Over the uneven landscape covered in a thin blanket of snow, Kiefer could see specks of green poking out of the whiteness, reaching for the sun. There were places where the snow formed deep pits, as if marking out the plains at points where Kiefer had used as a target board. The convoy did not stop for lunch this time, since they were vulnerable out in the open. Choosing to rush ahead after only a 5 minute break for the horses to regain their stamina, Listin pushed the convoy forwards once again, quickly reaching the Agrean forest just before the last speck of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon. Moving for another good hour into the Agrean forest, Listin came upon a widely used road with a clearing large enough for the party. Finally settling down and heaving a sigh of relief and exhaustion, Listin began making preparations for dinner, getting a camp fire going and setting a pot over the fire, collecting snow to melt and boil within the pot. ¡°Sana, Sher. Remember the plan. It¡¯s about to go down soon.¡± Kiefer whispered into the comms device attached to their ears as he heard the unnatural rustling of the forest floor around them.
[[elsewhere, deep in space]] ¡°Captain Palmer. There is an asteroid belt coming up. I suggest we alter our trajectory to stop for a mining operation. We could use the metals and ice.¡± Vladlena reported, swiping her hand across her holographic screen to send the map onto Palmer¡¯s terminal. ¡°No. we are travelling at 0.5 times the speed of light. It will take too long to get back up to such speeds and we will waste more resources than we can get.¡± Palmer replied while he twirled the holographic image of the asteroid belt in his hands. ¡°Rowanda, see if you can alter the trajectory of the colony craft to run alongside the asteroid belt, parallel to the direction of the asteroid¡¯s travel. We will eject our carbon nanotube grapples and reel in as much as we can into our cargo hold and then we will return to our original course towards the target.¡± Palmer calmly ordered, awaiting the Ship¡¯s AI to show him the new trajectory and information on his screen. [Sir, I calculated that it will throw us off by about a year if we take this detour. Scans show the asteroids are rich in iron, carbon and ice. Estimated possible harvest currently stands at 20kiloton of iron, 5 kilotons of carbon and 15 kilotons of ice. Shall I proceed with the course alteration?] ¡°Vladlena, didn¡¯t you say the ship¡¯s hull needed repairs and drones need maintenance?¡± Plamer asked his head mechanic who was seated a level below him and about 5 metres diagonally left of him. ¡°Yes, but sir, iron? It would be better if it was titanium or tungsten. Even lead would be better, at least I could repair the radiation shields. We might as well just carry on our course and save a year of our lives.¡± Vladlena gave her assessment of the situation. ¡°Iman, how much water and oxygen does the ship have left?¡± Palmer asked another crew member. ¡°Sir, we still have 78% full capacity for water and 46% oxygen stores. I¡¯ve been electrolysing water to replenish our oxygen stocks. We will be at 75% oxygen capacity in another 300 hours, with a final water level of 65%.¡± Iman gave his report, similarly swiping his hand across the screen to show the data to Palmer. ¡°Very well then, we will not be stopping to mine the asteroids. Rowanda, continue with the original course. Deviate a little to avoid as much physical collisions with space debris. How much nukes do we have left in store?¡± Palmer made his decision, choosing to ignore the asteroid belt altogether. [My analysis shows we still have 8 cargo bays full of nukes. Calculations indicate using the rest of the nukes will bring us up to 70% the speed of light. Shall I begin the acceleration process?] ¡°Use 3 bays of nukes. Leave the rest for a later date. We should try to arrive as early as we can. Even if the planet turns out to be inhospitable, we can still mine the planet dry and replenish our stocks for the next trip.¡± Palmer explained, ordering the AI to accelerate the ship forwards. [Beginning acceleration protocols. Radiation shields at 88%. Prioritising key instruments and equipment for radiation protection. Predicted final velocity, 0.575c. Releasing timed nuclear fission device.] At the far rear end of the colony ship, a small spherical device was released from the middle of a huge concave plate spanning over 10km in diameter. The nuclear charge then detonated within seconds, sending out a blast of thermal radiation and a kinetic shockwave that hit the concaved plate at full force. The plate took the brunt of the force, as titanic springs on its back creaked. The plate was pushed away by the blast, compressing the huge springs like a wheel would to a suspension system. The springs in turn dampered the force from the explosion, slowly accelerating the ship forwards. More nuclear charges were detonated in a chain as the entire colony ship slowly began picking up speed. Chapter 3.04 - The Real Trap and The First City [[Listin POV]] ¡°Quick! Retreat!!! Grab whatever you can and run!¡± Tigre yelled out in the chaos and confusion, with a struggling Sher under his arm. ¡°You two! Grab the woman! We are leaving!¡± In the dead of the night, I watched in horror as my guest stood on top of the carriage firing off magic spells like a madman at the group of 50 odd bandits who were scrambling to flee after kidnapping his wife and daughter, along with some of my cargo. No sooner had the ambush started, it was all over and quiet once again, with only Kiefer and I left standing in the middle of charred and smoking ground that was splattered with the occasional fresh blood. I did not lose much, compared to Kiefer who lost his family to the bandits. It was my fault for not investigating further. How was I to know that Tigre had planned this ambush all the way from Mutatis. ¡°Kiefer¡­ I- I¡¯m sorry.¡± I tried to apologise, not sure how to even begin to make up for his loss. I not only cost him his family, he even saved my life and my cargo. I owe him more than anything I own in my entire life. Had he not been an accomplished mage, maybe even I would have been taken away by the bandits, probably used and then sold to a slave house. Looking at him, he seemed to be muttering something to himself quietly. Had he gone insane at the loss of his family? Who could blame him? They looked so happy together, and to have all that shattered in an instant due to my mistake¡­ Oh lord, what have I done¡­? Then, as I looked at him still facing the direction that the bandits fled to, I tried apologising once more, this time louder and firmer so he would hear me. However, he turned to face me, all smiles as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and calmly spoke. ¡°Well then, shall we get going Listin? Or do you want to rest here for the night and continue in the morning?¡± [[End of Listin POV]]
¡°How¡­ How are you acting so calm?! Kiefer! Your wife and child were just abducted! Don¡¯t you want to chase them? You are a proficient magus! You could easily tear their base apart if you give chase now!¡± Listin yelled, trying to knock some sense into Kiefer. ¡°Nah. Don¡¯t worry about them. They can handle themselves. More importantly, I need to get to Alluviate, so do you mind if we set off tonight? I can carry the cargo the rest of the way, seeing as your drivers were scared off in the ambush.¡± Kiefer replied, offering his help. ¡°Nononono.. This isn¡¯t right. Going to Alluviate is more important to you?! What kind of a man are you!? Leaving your wife and child to fend for themselves.¡± Listin yelled angrily. ¡°Even if they are mages as powerful as you, they are against 50 bandits, maybe even more in the base!¡± ¡°Like I said, they can handle themselves. Besides, my wife should be joining us in the morning. So whether you want to move or not, it¡¯s entirely up to you.¡± Kiefer nonchalantly replied, taking out the thermos from his sack inside the carriage and then sipping the still warm tea inside. ¡°Fine then.¡± Listin gave up trying to talk sense into the mad man. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for tonight. The bandits killed the horses that were pulling the cargo so I can¡¯t move them anyways. I¡¯ll lend you a horse in the morning and I want you to contact an associate of mine back in Alluviate to bring help while I set up camp here and wait for you to return.¡±
[[Elsewhere in the Agrean forest]] ¡°Haah.. haah.. haah..¡± Tigre panted, still holding onto Sher in his arms. ¡°Stop struggling dammit!¡± Tigre yelled at Sher glaring at her. Sher immediately stopped resisting, letting Tigre chain her arms and feet before passing her to a group of his men. ¡°Bring the woman to me! I¡¯m gonna teach her a lesson for all the trouble her husband¡¯s caused me.¡± Tigre barked, watching Isana thrust forward from amongst a group of unshaven, burly men. They were all already undressing her in their minds, watching every single nook and cranny of her luscious body. Isana was chained up similar to Sher and dragged by Tigre and thrown to the floor. The entire group started mumbling and chuckling, excited to see and experience the spectacle that was about to unfold. ¡°You lot! Take the kid straight to the slave house and sell her there. Make sure you get no less than 50 gold for her. We need to keep the 2 of them separate in case he comes chasing after one of them. At least we can use the other as leverage.¡± Tigre ordered, as he knelt down next to Isana. ¡°Thanks to your husband, I am going to enjoy myself tonight. I will make it as long and as painful as possible for you. I will make you suffer for the humiliation your husband had brought me.¡± Tigre whispered into Isana ears as he pulled her up from the ground and ushered her while blindfolded into a carriage that took off in the opposite direction from Sher. The carriage moved non-stop for 2 hours, with Isana keeping calm and silent, her sense of smell telling her that there were at least 30 bandits escorting her carriage and 50 more in the cave that was coming up ahead shortly. The carriage finally stopped and Isana was dragged out and once again shoved from the back to force her to move. However, this time, the shove was met with resistance as Isana did not budge a single inch. ¡°Hey~¡± Isana beckoned to her kidnappers. ¡°Is this your base?¡± She asked. ¡°Yea. And what of it? You will be so broken by sunrise that you won¡¯t remember anything.¡± Tigre barked back, annoyed that Isana was still resisting after being so obedient throughout the journey. ¡°You better move it or I¡¯m going to do you here out in the open.¡± Tigre warned as he once again tried to push Isana, only to be reminded of how strong Kiefer was when he first met him. Without any effort, Isana stretched her arms above her head and yawned, pulling on the chains and ripping the shackles into bits of scrap metal. Seeing this action, all the bandits kicked into high alert, drawing their weapons and carefully observing Isana while waiting for Tigre¡¯s orders. Tigre on the other hand was too shocked by what he just saw to think rationally. ¡°Well now, let¡¯s have some fun shall we?¡± Isana said cheerfully as she breathed out a thick white mist in front of her, instantly freezing the group of bandits that were in the way. Then, from the snow, uncountable numbers of her humanoid clones rose like the undead, engaging in a pointless battle with the bandits. As swords and hammers smashed into the clones, the ice shattered, only to be replaced within seconds by the drifting snow that gently fell from the sky. This battle reminded Isana of her first meeting with Kiefer, where it had just started to snow too and she used a similar method to engage Kiefer. Naturally, Isana made short work of the entire base. No matter how coordinated or skilled the bandits were, they were in the end, still human. In the face of an elder titan, possibly the strongest after Gondor, they might as well have been bugs, waiting to be splattered on the floor. Isana investigated the bandit¡¯s hideout, stashing whatever she thought might be useful for Kiefer inside her PD. Finally, she filled the entire cavern with ice, entombing the bodies of all the bandits in a magical ice that would remain frozen for years to come. ¡°Kii, I¡¯m done on my side. I¡¯ve taken care of what seems to be their base. But I don¡¯t know if there are others in the area. Do you want me to go search for them?¡± Isana spoke, flying above the forest canopy back to where the ambush was laid. ¡°No. leave them be. If they are in any way connected, this would serve as a reminder and a warning. Hopefully it turns them back to the right track. If not, we can always deal with them on a later date when we are bored. Sher what about you?¡± Kiefer replied in a hushed voice, not wanting to attract any more attention from the confused Listin. ¡°Master. My carriage is still moving, but I hear waves so we must be by the sea. Do you still want me to follow them? I can just eat them all up now.¡± Sher replied through telepathy, not wanting to speak into the comms with the bandits still around. ¡°No. Follow them until you reach their base. Then, I want you to free any other slaves being held there. Do with the slavers and bandits what you want, but make sure the captives stay alive. When that¡¯s done, fire a beam into the sky. Isana will take over from there.¡± Kiefer spoke back after deliberating his options. Getting out of his carriage and sitting on the snow covered roof, Kiefer observed the frantic Listin, still pacing around the campsite. She had put out the fire to avoid attracting more attention so Kiefer could see her shivering from the cold in the moonlight. With a quick chant, Kiefer reignited the campfire once more, before throwing in a couple more logs of firewood to feed the flames. ¡°Listin calm down. Come here and warm yourself up.¡± Kiefer called out to the poor Arachne girl. ¡°The bandits won¡¯t be returning anytime soon. Here have a warm bowl of soup.¡± Kiefer offered, taking out a pot full of creamy mushroom soup from his PD and placing it over the fire. ¡°What¡­ how¡­ where did you get the soup from?¡± Listin stared at Kiefer wide eyed. ¡°And what do you mean the bandits won¡¯t be coming back? They just left an hour ago. They could still be lurking around. Quickly put out the fire!¡± ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t worry about them. My wife has handled the bandits and my daughter is on her way to decimate the slave house that they sell the captives to. It is all going according to plan so just come here, drink up and calm your nerves.¡± Kiefer reassured her, this time holding a bowl of soup up, signalling for her to drink it. Listin was dumbfounded by what Kiefer had just said. She could not believe that Kiefer had sent his child to destroy an underground organisation by herself. To make matters worse, he seemed so confident without even a shred of worry that it made her feel stupid for even panicking in the first place. As she took the bowl from Kiefer¡¯s hand, her body warmed up next to the fire as she savoured the delectable taste of the warm soup flowing down her throat. The night passed slowly for Listin while Kiefer slept defencelessly in the carriage, as if the ambush had never happened. Even with Kiefer reassuring her, she still could not shake off the fear of the attack and stayed vigilant the whole night, finally greeting Kiefer in the morning with dark rings around her 8 eyes. ¡°Good morning Listin!¡± Isana greeted as she emerged from amongst the trees. Listin could not believe her eyes when she saw Isana completely unharmed. Unable to reply Isana, partly because she could not register what had happened and partly because she half believed she was hallucinating from the fatigue of staying up, Listin just stared at Isana with a gaping mouth. ¡°Listin?¡± Isana called out again, cocking her head to the side, confused at Listin¡¯s reaction. ¡°Is my husband still sleeping?¡± ¡°No¡­ not anymore¡­¡± Kiefer replied in a drawn out voice as he yawned and stretched his body before appearing from the back of the carriage. ¡°Good morning Sana.¡±
[[Near the southern shores of Shearwood]] ¡°Get in there kid! And Keep quiet!¡± one of the slavers yelled as he threw a little reptilian demihuman into a dingy cage, locking the cage and climbing up the stairs. Sher was now 3 levels below ground in a hidden slave house along the shores. This was the headquarters and holding cell for new slaves before they were transported to underground auction houses in the various cities. Human slaves would be sold to demi human cities while demi human slaves would be sold to human cities. The basement was poorly lit, but warm from the winter¡¯s chill. It reeked of piss and manure with barred cells lining each side of the room, with only a single corridor down the middle. Sher could hear the constant sobbing coming from different parts of the long basement room while groans of pain reverberated from other parts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry little girl. They won¡¯t hit you as long as you listen to what they say and do as they asked.¡± An older human girl from the neighbouring cell spoke softly trying to calm the newcomer. That was a task she took upon herself as the oldest of the slaves. All the slaves on their level were females while the males were kept separate on at higher level. ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± Sher replied curtly. ¡°My master told me to come here to finish a job.¡± Sher replied, causing the older girl to give a confused look. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Did your master sell you back to the slave house?¡± the girl asked, pitying the little lizard girl who seemed calm and used to the situation. ¡°No. My master sent me here to save all of you, and destroy the slave house.¡± Sher clarified, at which the ears of all the slaves in the basement perked up. Soon they started bombarding Sher with questions of who her master was or how she was going to save them. Hearing the ruckus down below, one of the guards came down with a large metal pipe in his hand as he scrapped it past the bars of the cells, making loud clanging noises. ¡°SHUT IT! ALL OF YOU!¡± He bellowed, making the slaves cower back into the dirty corners of their piss covered cells. ¡°Hey mister!¡± Sher called out jubilantly, looking at her first meal while clinging to the bars on the front of her cage. The older girl looked away in pain, shutting her eyes tight and covering her ears, already sure of the brutal beating that the poor demi human girl was going to receive. ¡°GET TO THE BACK!¡± The guard yelled as he thrust the metal pipe in full force towards the thigh of the new girl through the bars. However, he had a strange ominous premonition as the pipe descended and dove for the girl¡¯s leg. Almost in slow motion, he saw the young girl smile, not even attempting to dodge or flinch. With a loud clang, the pipe bent and warped as it struck the girl¡¯s leg, the impact causing the guard to lose his grip on the metal pipe and letting it drop to the floor. There was not even a mark on the girl¡¯s leg as the man switched his gaze from the girl to the pipe. Instantly, knowing he was not facing a mere demi-human child, the guard drew his sword that was hanging around his waist, holding the hilt with both hands, pointing the blade at the girl and stuttered, his hands shaking unsteadily, ¡°you¡ªyou¡­ wha-- what are you!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one that is going to eat you for breakfast.¡± Sher replied, her pearly white glinting from the faint light of the torch hung on the wall of the stairwell. Saying that, she gripped 2 adjacent bars of her cell and pulled them apart, bending the bars to make enough space for her to step through. Seeing the horror unfolding in front of him, the guard dropped his drawn sword and fumbled around the whistle that was slung around his neck. With a deep breath, a sharp piercing whistle rang through the entire basement complex, but was cut short abruptly as his head was ripped from his neck in one swift tug from the little girl. Sher turned around to see the rest of the girls all cowering, covering their faces with their hands and peeking at the scene from between their fingers. She smiled at the girls and said one sentence before slowly walking up the stairs towards the rumbling ruckus that started at the sound of the whistle, ¡°Stay here. You¡¯ll be safe.¡± ¡°Quickly! Kill her!¡± a lavishly dressed noble howled at the crew of slavers as he promptly made his way towards the exit. The guards and bandits alike rushed in past him from outside the building, heading towards the stairs where the young girl was now standing, her face bloodied by the victims that now lie strewn over the stairs. In a flash, Sher charged out of the exit, grasping 2 of the bandits by the collars of their plate armour and flinging them up into the air with the momentum of her charge. Once outside, the guards and bandits formed a circle around her, keeping a distance of roughly 10 steps from her. The ring leader¡¯s personal guards formed an arc between him and the monstrous little girl as he scurried to climb aboard his carriage. Sher licked her lips, her gaze following the ring leader closely, not even putting the bandits in her sight. Then, she gradually floated a few inches off the ground, and her long silky hair now standing on ends as the static charge built up around her. With a single burst, a dome of electric pulse expanded from Sher¡¯s body rapidly, charring the ground and searing the flesh of the bandits that had surrounded her. The metal armour and weapons glowed white hot from the heat of the electromagnetic pulse as anyone who got caught in the path was either fried directly or baked in their armour. The short range pulse ended abruptly, stopping short of the ring leader who was now on the ground in a puddle of his own piss, desperately dragging his bum on the floor as he backed away as far as he could from the monster. Sher turned her head to the sky and opened her mouth, letting loose a huge red beam that tore through the clouds, lasting only a second before it became thinner and gradually disappeared. Now facing the poor noble that was crying in fear, Sher repeated the same action, opening her mouth wide and revealing her teeth. The man had seen what happened earlier, and immediately put his arms up to shield his face, hoping against all odd that maybe he could survive the blast. However, what came next was a deafening roar that shook him from the inside, knocking him unconscious. Meanwhile, the slaves underground were all unusually quiet, only listening in on the commotion and the huge fight that was happening above ground. Then it all ended with a loud roar. After that, there were no more screams, no more yelling, no more groaning, only silence. Before long, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Straining their eyes in the darkness, facing the faint light coming from the stairs, they saw the silhouette of a well-proportioned lady dressed in a beautiful one-piece gown make her way down the steps. She stopped at the entrance of the basement, and waved her arm. The bars and locks immediately froze over and cracked, shattering and dropping to the ground. ¡°Come.¡± She said. With one word, the slaves all felt the faint hint of hope reignite in their hearts, all willing their weak legs to stand even though they were originally unable to. They followed the lady back up to the surface, like sheep led by a shepherd. The slaves had been kept in the dingy basement for as long as they could remember, only ever being moved to the auction house¡¯s basement during the night. They did not know they could feel so much joy from just feeling the sun¡¯s rays hitting their bleached skin and teary faces. Dragging themselves out of the building and onto the frsh snow, they all started weeping with joy. ¡°Why hello there Isana, Shearwood.¡± Rashael greeted, poking his head out of the ground like a mole. ¡°Wha- Rashael?! What are you doing here?!?¡± Isana exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected visitor. ¡°Well, I was tweaking with Kiefer¡¯s communication device, trying to extend its range when guess what? I overheard you guys discussing your plans to raid the slave house and bandit base. There no way I was going to stay out of such a juicy and interesting event now was I?¡± Rashael smirked, finally coming out of the ground and setting foot on the soft loosely packed snow. He took one glance at all the slaves and started glowing, as a blinding yet warm light enveloped all the slaves. As the light subsided, the slaves found that their injuries had all been healed by this mysterious saint, rubbing their wrists and ankles where the shackles had chaffed them for too long. ¡°So where is Kiefer anyway? I¡¯d thought he would be here to help facilitate the movement of the freed slaves.¡± Rashael asked, looking around for any signs of the man. ¡°He¡¯s still on his way to Alluviate to discuss the issue with the land ownership. Sher was going bring them back to Mutatis on her back while I return to my husband¡¯s side to aid in the negotiations.¡± Isana explained, helping one of the captives onto his feet. ¡°Bah! What do YOU know about negotiations? You barely even know how to cook a decent meal, let alone run a city. Yea that¡¯s right, I know ALL about your little cooking sessions.¡± Rashael sneered, watching Sher round up the captives all the while dragging the ring leader¡¯s unconscious body around. ¡°Tell you what. You help Shearwood escort these slaves back to Alwin, and also tell him to lock up that no good bastard. I¡¯ll find Kiefer and help him with the negotiations. I might be able to offer my expertise in designing runes and technology as a trade-up for the lands.¡± Rashael suggested, hinting that he was not going to take no for an answer by shoving one of the slaves into Isana¡¯s arms and sinking back into the ground, not waiting for Isana¡¯s reply.
Kiefer was sitting comfortably at the back of the carriage as Listin urged the horses to sprint forwards. In order to save time, Kiefer had picked up all the cargo and thrown them into his PD. He then wrapped Listin, the carriage and the horses in his mana ropes, ferrying all of them straight towards Alluviate through the skies above the Agrean forest. When he arrived at the forest clearing, he set the entire load down softly on the main road that cut through the snow covered meadow that separated the city walls from the forest. Listin was too shocked to even bother asking Kiefer how he did what he had just done, knowing full well that she would not even begin to understand a fraction of the man¡¯s true abilities. She simply accepted the fact that he did not mean her any harm and thanked her lucky stars he chose her convoy to follow. Listin made it past the gates with ease by flashing her merchant¡¯s pass, registering Kiefer as her helper. There, once within the city walls, Listin made a beeline for her warehouse where Kiefer unloaded all her cargo from his PD, before bidding a quick farewell and going on their own ways. Listin stayed behind to do a stock take while Kiefer already knew where he was going. Walking slowly down the familiar roads of the first city he set foot in, Kiefer looked around, reminiscing his time in the academy and in the inn with Marley and her bear-like dad. He walked slowly towards the palace grounds, waiting for Isana to return before he actually moved into the palace for an audience with the King. Loitering around the front gates of the palace, camouflaged by the optical spell he stole from Rashael¡¯s small repertoire of Titan skills, he kept looking at the sky, expecting isana to come floating down any minute. However, what greeted him was not isana¡¯s sweet voice, but that of an annoying comrade. ¡°Hello you bastard.¡± Rashael greeted as he appeared from behind an alleyway. ¡°Thought you could leave me out of the fun did you? Well too bad. I have more bad news for you. Isana isn¡¯t coming and I¡¯ve found a way to improve your comms device.¡± Rashael gloated, raising his chin up with pride as he delivered the new change in plans. ¡°Hmph. I should have known. Well then, let¡¯s stop wasting time.¡± Kiefer said, turning to ignore Rashael while dispelling his camouflage. The 2 men walked steadily towards the gates of the palace, scrutinising and sensing everything living thing that was beyond the gates with their own unique sensory methods. ¡°HALT! What business do you have here?¡± One of the guards asked audibly, holding his armoured arm up to signal for the 2 men to stop. Before Kiefer could respond, Rashael cut in, hoping to watch a fun scene. ¡°Make way for us. He¡¯s the representative of Mutatis, and he is here to threaten your King.¡± He said, sneering at Kiefer. Kiefer literally face-palmed as he saw the guards get into an attack stance, while another one just beyond the gate blew a horn to rally more troops to the gate. Rashael on the other hand was chuckling and trying to stifle his laughter.
I am going to be doing a major proof reading session for all my previous chapters and touching up on the typos. Also, there was one particular chapter that i wanted to change drastically since i realised it did not match well with Kiefer''s character design. It will not affect the major storyline but after reading it again, i felt disgusted at the inconsistency, hence the major change. In particular, i will be removing the whole burn the villages to get out of the academy part in the first arc. I finally realised it was way too sadistic for even kiefer and that i only put it in at that time because i had planned for Kiefer to go the extreme route, which did not happen. You can choose to re-read it, or not, since it doesn''t really affect anything other than the lives of a few thousand fictional villagers. The chapter in question here is Chapter 1.17 - The Failure and The Goal Chapter 3.05 - The Contract and The Exploit ¡°So explain to me again how this is all part of your plan?¡± Kiefer asked in a hushed voice, his chin kept down as he trudged through the hallways in shackles. ¡°Well you didn¡¯t think they would just grant you an audience with the king just because you asked it did you?¡± Rashael whispered back, walking next to Kiefer in cuffs and shackles as well. There were 8 guards escorting them, all fully armed and seemingly pissed. ¡°I had a letter from their emissary requesting for a meet up, you stupid bird.¡± Kiefer rebutted, annoyed that once again, his plans were all thrown to the wind. ¡°Oh.. OH¡­ hahaha, well sorry I did not know that. Oh well, whatever comes will come right?¡± Rashael chuckled. ¡°Shut up and WALK!¡± One of the guards ordered, prodding the laughing Rashael from the back with his polearm. He was clearly irritated at how jovial the captives were. Within minutes, they were brought into a lounge with an extravagantly large door that was decorated along the rims with gems and jewels. Kiefer assumed that the door led to the throne room where the King would be waiting. However, first, he had to get past the menacing looking man standing before him as he was ¡®forced¡¯ to his knees. ¡°Sir! We have captured 2 suspicious males attempting to enter the compounds without authorisation. One of them said he was going to threaten the King!¡± The guard reported. ¡°And you thought bringing these 2 people in here, whose intentions were to enter the palace, was a good decision?!¡± the captain bellowed. ¡°I want them thrown into the dungeons right away. And you! Soldier, you will be on cleaning duty for the next month for your stupidity.¡± ¡°Umm.. can you just hear me out?¡± Kiefer interjected, as he was brought to his feet once again, about to be led to the dungeons. ¡°Shut up and move. I have no need to hear the requests of prisoners.¡± The captain replied sternly, glaring at Kiefer. ¡°Fine, then don¡¯t blame me if you go to war with Mutatis.¡± Kiefer scoffed, as he turned around to follow the guards. ¡°Wait! Hold it. What do you mean by war?¡± The captain stopped the guards, worried by what Kiefer had just mentioned. ¡°Oh? I thought you didn¡¯t want to hear me out? It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll just wait in the dungeon until my city comes and decimates this dingy little place that you call a city.¡± Kiefer replied, smiling evily like he always did when ¡®negotiating¡¯. ¡°Watch your mouth! Know your place you imbecile, you are my prisoner now and you will follow my orders. Now speak before I cut you down.¡± The captain ordered, not the least bit pleased at Kiefer''s attitude. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m your prisoner you say? Well how about now?¡± Kiefer asked, crushing his cuffs and shackles with his mana ropes like they were made of paper. Surprisingly, the captain merely scoffed at Kiefer¡¯s measly display to strength. ¡°Hmpf. Just because you can enhance yourself a little you think you are powerful?¡± He said, pointing his polearm at Kiefer while getting into a half-crouched stance, ready to dash forwards. ¡°That¡¯s not really the point here is it? I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯m an ambassador from Mutatis representing the government on the newly founded city. You guys just assumed I was a threat without really giving me a chance to talk.¡± Kiefer explained, sighing at the hot headed men that were rampant in the combat force. ¡°What? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that.¡± The captain cautiously lowered his weapon, still guarded against Kiefer. ¡°Oi Stupid! What¡¯s he on about?¡± He yelled at the guard he previously sentenced to cleaning duty. ¡°Bu-but he said he¡¯s here to threaten the king. I just assumed he was an assassin of sorts.¡± The guard stammered, trying to explain his actions. ¡°No I did not say anything of that sort. It was this idiot companion of mine that was merely joking around when you took him seriously.¡± Kiefer replied, pointing at the now visibly shaking Rashael. He was having a tough time just trying to stifle his laughter. He was bending over and clutching his stomach while chuckling. ¡°Here is the letter from your emissary that was delivered to my city¡¯s leader a couple days ago. I¡¯m here to discuss the terms and conditions.¡± Kiefer continued while pulling out the letter he had taken from Alwin. The captain quickly apologised, extending the poor soldier¡¯s punishment by yet another month. Soon, Kiefer and Rashael were standing face to face with the King of Alluviate ¨C King Arthur Reyzwald the Third. He was quite young to be a king, only looking to be in his early 40s, already with a son and a daughter next to him and his wife. The prince looked to be just a tad below 20 while the daughter was no more than 10. His wife was a beauty by the standards of this world, but nowhere close to Isana¡¯s charm. Kiefer did a quick scan, and then faced the King directly, with Rashael standing by his side. Kiefer made a curt bow and greeted the royal family, while Rashael simply stood there admiring the grand hall. The ceilings were at least 3 floors high with green and black drapes hanging from the cylindrical marble pillars. The red velvet carpet extended like a central walkway from the throne to the large doors. There was a gold lined trimming along the edges of the drapes and carpets that accentuated the respective colours. ¡°This is preposterous! Dad! They should be kneeling in front of you! Not standing idly around! Why haven¡¯t you thrown them into the dungeons already!?¡± The hot-blooded prince complained to the king, pointing at Rashael in particular. ¡°Calm down son. They are ambassadors from our new neighbour, so watch your behaviour.¡± He reprimanded his son, before turning to Kiefer and Rashael. ¡°I apologise for my son¡¯s rudeness, but it is as he said. You are in the presence of a King and Queen, so it is only appropriate that you show the proper etiquette by kneeling¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case I¡¯ll just tell you outright since our 2 countries are going to be dealing with each other for a long time to come. You may be the king, but my companion here is a Titan. This is Rashael, the Avian Titan of light. Right now, there are 3 more Titans living in Mutatis. They are Isana, Shearwood, and a newly born Titan , Feir.¡± Kiefer stated outright, carefully inspecting Reyzwald¡¯s reaction. Befitting a King, Reyzwald kept a poker face, not the least bit faltering. Kiefer could tell he was surprised from the slight dilation of his pupils and flaring of nostrils. But aside from that, not a single muscle on his face twitched. ¡°It may be a little farfetched, but whether you believe me or not is up to you. All I¡¯m here for today is to discuss the issue with the Eastern Alluviate plains.¡± Kiefer kept going, seeing as the King was reluctant to acknowledge the presence of a Titan. Rashael on the other hand had meandered off towards one of the pillars, studying the intricately carved patterns on the marble pillar and inspecting the fabric of the drapes with his hands. The Queen kept quiet, with a serene look on her face while she slowly combed the golden hair of her daughter. The princess was currently seated on the queen¡¯s lap swinging her legs and enjoying the sensation of her hair being handled. The prince though, had a tightly knit frown which twitched occasionally while keeping his sight glued on Rashael. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s put the matter of titans to a side for now and discuss a more pressing issue.¡± Reyzwald reacted, starting the conversation once again. ¡°Right now, it would seem that Mutatis has been able to acquire a rather absurd amount of metals. This has caused the prices to drop so low that its choking the blacksmiths in Alluviate. I would love to address that issue before we move on to the rights to the plains if that is alright with you.¡± ¡°Sure that is fine with me. So how would you suggest we go about handling this situation? I¡¯ll tell you straight up that we do not intend to limit the amount of metal being produced in our country.¡± Kiefer warned beforehand. ¡°Firstly, I wish to know how and where you managed to acquire so much metals. I¡¯m sure my best earth mages prospected the area throughout Shearwood and yet, they couldn¡¯t find any rich metal veins worth mining.¡± Reyzwald asked. ¡°Well, let me put it this way. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you, but even if I did, you wouldn¡¯t be able to copy my methods. You would be risking your soldier¡¯s lives to acquire the metals through my methods and it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. Therefore, I will not even tell you, in case you decide against my advice to attempt my method.¡± Kiefer straight out denied to divulge the information, which seemed to piss the prince off even more. ¡°You! How dare you!?¡± The prince yelled once again, unable to control his outburst of anger. ¡°When a King requests it, you give it to him. There is no room for refusals! Now answer my Father¡¯s question!¡± Kiefer looked at Reyzwald with detest, showing his displeasure at the disruption caused by the prince. ¡°Tell me, ARTHUR, will you remove that idiot from this room or should I? Kiefer threatened, this time addressing the King by his first name to show that he no longer held any respect for the man. ¡°Kiefer.¡± Reyzwald replied, now standing from his throne. ¡°You may be an important person in your country, but here, you are just another person standing on MY land. I will not tolerate any rude remarks directed at my family.¡± Reyzwald now threatened Kiefer in return. ¡°I see, since you will not remove the fool, I will do it in your stead.¡± Kiefer retorted emotionlessly, constricting the prince in his silvery mana ropes. With a fling, he tossed the prince out the hall and shut the doors, sealing the doors shut with a wall of his mana. The royal family watched in shock all this time, unable to muster up the courage to even speak. Within moments, they heard the banging and yelling of the prince from outside the grand hall. This was accompanied by the sound of the guards bashing against the door trying to get in to protect their king. However, the door seemed to have become part of the wall, not budging even a little, sealing Kiefer, Rashael and the rest of the Royal family within. ¡°Believe me when I say this. You are nothing more than pebbles on the side of a road, a mere stepping stone for the plans I have for this world. If you do not cooperate, I could smudge this city right off the map of Aioa forever. It¡¯s as easy squishing a bug under your thumb. I was kind enough to come meet you in person to discuss plans for cooperation, so do not push your luck.¡± Kiefer warned, this time his voice booming through the entire hall. The princess was cowering in her mother¡¯s lap, on the verge of tears while the King and Queen had broken out of their poker faces, showing distinct signs of fear. Rashael had returned to Kiefer¡¯s side, sneering at the measly humans. The king slumped back into his throne, falling deep into thought as he just witnessed the unique voiceless magic that Kiefer had used. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Ok then.¡± The King broke the silence after regaining his composure. ¡°What would you like me to do?¡± he asked with great humility. ¡°I¡¯ll state my terms and offer right now, and if you find anything unsatisfactory, we will discuss it further at length after. I want to be given the right and ownership of the entire Alluvian plains, starting from the Agrean forest up to my city. ¡¤ Mutatis will be responsible for the development and infrastructure of the newly acquired lands, turning it into an intensive agricultural ground. ¡¤ There will be a main road connecting Mutatis to alleviate, cutting through the plains and the Agrean forest. In return for 20% of produce being harvested from the plains, Alluviate will provide security details for merchants travelling along the road through the forest. ¡¤ The plains would be officially under Mutatis jurisdiction and any criminals persecuted within the plains will be handled as per Mutatis laws. Only citizens of Mutatis may be allowed to own the lands and cultivate them for crops. ¡¤ As this will bring the borders of our 2 cities extremely close, there is a need to distinguish between when a person crosses into the territory of the other, so a defensive perimeter wall will be built around the farmlands. There will be fees for anyone not from Mutatis entering to be paid at the gates. Of course, the toll fees paid at the gate will be kept at a minimum and it will be split equally between the treasury of Alluviate and Mutatis.¡± (Kiefer) Reyzwald pondered for a length of time, keeping silent while carefully going over the terms mentally. The princess had stopped crying in the meantime thanks to the queen¡¯s soothing. Outside,the prince and the guards had given up on trying to break through the doors. Finally, The king looked up at Kiefer once more, with a concerned look on his face. ¡°And what of the issue with the metal economy? I noticed you have failed to address that in your terms. Surely you wouldn¡¯t want to stifle our own metal trade?¡± The king asked, worried that bringing up the topic again might result in him or his family being manhandled. ¡°I had intended on including that in the terms originally, but after the rudeness your son had displayed, I decided against it. After all, what I do in my country is of no concern to yours. However, I am willing to impose a tax on merchants exporting metals from Mutatis to reduce the demand for metallic items from Mutatis. That is of course, in exchange for the 20% share from the harvests in the plains.¡± Kiefer offered, hoping the King would bite at this bait. ¡°That sounds reasonable enough. Alluviate has no need for more crops and farms since we have enough space in the west to cultivate our own. I agree to the terms and conditions you have mentioned. Would you mind waiting for my subject to draw up a written contract?¡± Reyzwald answered, standing up and shaking Kiefer¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Go on ahead then, I¡¯ll be waiting here for you.¡± Kiefer agreed, removing the mana wall on the doors, causing the prince and the captain to fall through as the doors swung open abruptly. ¡°Dad! What is going on here!?¡± the prince yelled in surprise as he got up to his feet before laying eyes on Kiefer and Rashael. ¡°Captain! Arrest those 2 for violence against the royal family!¡± He proceeded to yell, pointing at both Kiefer and Rashael. ¡°Captain Maller. Kindly escort my son back to his room. I¡¯ve got everything handled here.¡± Reyzwald calmy issued the order, watching as his son¡¯s face contort in surprise. The captain did not know what to do, but simply pulled on the boy¡¯s hands out of the room. The contract was drawn up quickly. Soon, Kiefer and Rashael were already stepping out the gates of the palace. They were back on the same street they were cuffed and shackled earlier that day. Kiefer instructed Rashael to head back to Mutatis first, while he sauntered towards the direction of the Balazaar workshop. Kiefer stepped into the dirty workshop and observed his surroundings. Loud hammering was sounding through the entire place that was littered with tools without any sort of organisational order. ¡°Hello Celena.¡± Kiefer greeted softly, readying his ears for the loud yelling that was about to ensue. The girl simply stared at him for a while, wiping the sweat off her brow with her sooty glove and leaving a long black strike across her forehead. ¡°OH! Mr Adamantium!¡± She exclaimed as her memory came back. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Kiefer by the way. I thought you already knew my name.¡± Kiefer replied with a sulk, hoping that she would remember him by something other than the adamantium he had peeled off Sher¡¯s tail. ¡°Oh yea! That¡¯s right. Sorry Kiefer, but I meet so many customers who want me to remember their names that soon, my memory just muddles up everybody¡¯s names. What are you here for today? I haven¡¯t seen you in more than a year!¡± She explained, putting down the pliers and removing her thick gloves. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing well. I came here to invite your family to Mutatis to set up a workshop there. Of course everything will be provided for. Its thanks for back then, you guys did me a huge favour buying that Adamantium from me.¡± Kiefer drove straight to the point. ¡°Hmm¡­ Mutatis eh¡­ there might be a problem though, My dad is kind of pissed at that place for ruining our business. See, for some reason the blacksmiths there are selling their wares so much cheaper than here in Alluviate, so our business has been affected severely. If not for your adamantium that we managed to make a decent profit, we would have been shut down long ago.¡± (Celena) ¡°I see. That is why I want you to move to Mutatis with me. It would be good to have a proficient blacksmith there to help with building the city. Why don¡¯t you think about it? I¡¯ll be visiting from time to time so maybe next time you will have made up your mind? Besides, I don¡¯t think the issue with the metal prices will be a problem for much longer. I¡¯ve already planned to impose a tax on merchants exporting metal products from Mutatis so your business should be returning soon. Even then, I hope for you and your family to move to Mutatis.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°Wait. What do you mean YOU¡¯VE imposed a tax? Are you like the leader of the city?¡± Celena asked, bewildered by what she had just heard. ¡°Sort of. You could say I am an important person in Mutatis and I can make things change within the city. So I really hope you will come work in my city.¡± Kiefer reiterated, before turning to leave. ¡°Well, I sincerely hope you have a good talk with your father about this and will be able to give me an answer the next time I come round.¡± Kiefer then returned to Mutatis overnight, making stops in the sky while looking over the landscape once more. Looking down, he made plans to arrange several crop fields and farms in his newly acquired land inside his head. Kiefer enjoyed the moonlight and the drifting snow every once in a while before finally reaching home in the middle of the night. The next morning, Kiefer was dragged by Sher to the holding cell where the young noble man was kept locked up. This man was the ringleader of the slave smuggling operations and he seemed to be furious for the treatment he had been given. The cell had no bed or chair, and he was not given dinner either, according to Sher. ¡°Let me out! Do you know who I am?!? I can have all you hanged! Hanged for mistreating a member of the royal family!¡± The young noble yelled, gripping the bars with both his hands. He seemed to have had a rough night, not used to sleeping on the cold floor or going without a single meal. ¡°So how does it feel? Tell me? How does it feel to be treated like one of your slaves?¡± Kiefer asked, a look of disdain showing on his face. ¡°Why does it even matter what they feel!? They forfeited their lives when they were caught. Their lives are mine to play with. I am the first nephew of the great King Reyzwald! One word from me and my uncle will have your heads rolling on the floor! Release me at once!¡± He barked, giving out orders like he was still in charge. Sticking his arm through the bars and grabbing the shirt of the young nephew, Kiefer yanked and pulled him against the bars of the cell. ¡°Guess what. I don¡¯t care if you are the nephew or the first prince. I will still treat you the way you deserved to be treated. Kidnapping and turning young children into slaves? Well that goes against the ethics of Mutatis. Since the land you were operating on is technically Mutatis soil, I get to prosecute you according to my laws.¡± Kiefer grinned, releasing the man from his grip. ¡°That¡¯s bull! The slave house was clearly within the lands of Alluviate! Alluviate¡¯s territory extends all the way to the eastern plains. There is no way you can fight this case since I was technically operating under the laws of Alluviate and there was no law that specifically condones punishment for involvement in slavery.¡± The noble rebutted, still not willing to admit his acts of atrocity. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Kiefer paused, taking out the signed contract agreement between Alluviate and Mutatis. ¡°This contract was signed yesterday, indicating that the eastern Alluvian plains is now officially the territory of Mutatis, and since you were committing crimes in mutatis, the contract also specifically states that you will be punished according to our laws.¡± ¡°Wha ¨C what¡­ no¡­ that can¡¯t be! Take me to see my uncle at once! I don¡¯t believe you!¡± He stammered. ¡°Alright then, as you wish. I did not think I will be returning to Alluviate so soon, but I might as well get things over and done with.¡± Kiefer sighed, grabbing the noble using his mana ropes and throwing him in a red orihalcom cage that he carried through the skies. Making the return trip to Alluviate through the skies, the nephew seemed completely petrified, never having been at such a high altitude, nor had he travelled at such speed. Kiefer arrived at Alluviate by midday, bypassing the security at the gate completely and entering the palace interiors. Behind him was a red cage with a man imprisoned that was floating like a helium balloon. Chasing after him were a squad of guards that had spotted the intruder who had held one of their royal family members captive. Slamming the doors to the throne room open, Kiefer interrupted the King who was in a discussion with another guest. This time, it was just the King, with the family somewhere else in the palace. Reyzwald looked at Kiefer, his face construed in confusion. Seeing his nephew trapped in a red prison only made his eye widen in shock. ¡°Hello again Reyzwald. Guess what? I caught this rat sneaking around in Mutatis territory.¡± Kiefer announced gleefully, plopping the prison down in front of the King and the surprised but annoyed guest.
Ok, so I''ve been told that i have quite a few sentences that are on the verge of becoming run-on. hence i''ve tried to keep the sentences in this chapter short, limiting them to convey 1 or at most 2 points each. tell me how the flow goes and if its smoother to read. Chapter 3.06 - The Mark IV armour and The War talks [[Quite some time back, Kiefer¡¯s POV]] Man¡­ it¡¯s been almost a week since I¡¯ve returned. Rashael and Alwin seem to be handling things within the city just fine. I¡¯m turning into a useless member of the society, just laying here on my roof and watching the sky and clouds. I¡¯ve been putting it off for quite some time but I might as well get to it since there is nothing better to do. I highly doubt I will need it again until I fight Gondor, but it¡¯s better to be prepared. Let¡¯s see here¡­ Wah¡­ I was really eaten in half by that dragon. To be able to heal me completely even from that state¡­ As usual, Rashael is quite impressive, not that I¡¯ll ever admit it out loud. My mithril skin is completely ripped at the waist. My armour is missing from waist down too. What the¡­ is this Drigor¡¯s bite mark? He really took a bite out of me like an apple didn¡¯t he? I might as well scrap these, make new one from scratch, maybe tweak the properties a little. First, let me remove the moon crystal from the chest. Don¡¯t want it being damaged when I melt the metal. Next up, making a furnace. [2 hours later] Finally done. All back to these ingots. I wonder how much the mana conversion is affected when I mix in moon dust with the mithril. I guess there is only one way to find out. Let¡¯s start with this then, firstly, a negative control made of 1kg of pure mithril, then I¡¯ll create similar 1kg mithril plates with increasing weight of moon dust. I¡¯ve got enough to make a little over 30 plates, so maybe I¡¯ll set the increment at 25g. Arghh¡­ I really need a timer of sorts. I guess I¡¯ll just make do with an improvised one. I¡¯ll just place a set of portal runes above each other and drop an orihalcom ball down. I¡¯ll use that as a fixed measurement of time, counting how many times the ball drops from the top portal to the bottom. This Spartan laser, ooops its titan laser now, should do the trick. I¡¯ll fire the titan laser at the plates and see how it goes. I¡¯ll start with the one with 800g moon dust. Checking the timer ball, in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Fire! Well that¡¯s a dud. The laser basically melted the plate from the heat instantly. It could not even withstand the attack long enough to store the mana. Maybe I¡¯ll skip the plates from 500g onwards, see how it goes. [A few hours later] Right. So plates with 650g moon dust and above get destroyed instantly. They start taking damage once the moon dust hits 550g. The charging rate should be the same in all the plates since I used equal amounts of mithril. The mithril plate with 500g of moon dust took the longest to become completely black, and there was no visible damage from the titan laser. I guess there is one last test to do. I need to see how fast the plates can convert mana. I¡¯ll start with a plate with 33% moon dust, no wait let¡¯s make it 35%, which is basically the best contender from the previous test, decrease the percentage by 2.5% per plate. First I gotta recycle the failures. [Another few hours later] Well that settles it. Holy fuck it¡¯s gotten late. I didn¡¯t even notice Sana and Sher returning and going to bed. It would be best to make my new armour out of 27.5% moon dust then. Any higher and the charging rate becomes too slow, any lower gives me insufficient storage capacity. Seeing as I¡¯m already at it, I might as well recycle all these experimental plates and start working on my new armour. I have to make my pure mithril skin first though. [[End of Kiefer''s POV]]
[[Present time]] ¡°Dad! Uncle!! Help me! This man just attacked me out of nowhere and kept me prisoner!¡± The noble man yelled from within the orihalcom cage. ¡°Kiefer! What are you doing!? Release my nephew at once!¡± Reyzwald exclaimed, still unsure of the sudden development that was unveiling before his eyes. His guest had a look of horror and fear in his eye. Kiefer ignored the king¡¯s request, instead, taking the contract out of his breast pocket and showing it to the king. ¡°Arthur. We signed this contract yesterday did we not?¡± Kiefer asked while using his mana threads to gag his prisoner. ¡°Ye- yes, but what has that got to do with my nephew? Just release him and we can discuss things.¡± Reyzwald pleaded, though with his tone, it sounded more like an order. ¡°There you have it. Proof, like you wanted, that this contract is legit.¡± Kiefer turned to his prisoner, ignoring Reyzwald. He watched the nephew¡¯s eyes widen, struggling to remove the gag by clawing at it with his hands. Kiefer then turned to the Reyzwald and continued, ¡°It has everything to do with this slimeball. That¡¯s all I need from you, so until next time.¡± Kiefer bowed slightly and prepared to leave with his prisoner. ¡°The King ordered you to release him! LET GO OF MY SON!¡± The guest yelled, chasing after Kiefer who was already walking towards the door, the prison floating behind him. Receiving no response from his son¡¯s Captor whatsoever, the king¡¯s brother began chanting a spell, firing numerous earth spikes that embedded themselves in the door, nailing the doors shut. With the most convenient escape route being cut off, Kiefer turned around to face the man. On closer observation, the man was wearing a mild green mantle with 2 red stripes outlining the edge of the hood and down the middle slit. The material seemed lustrous, almost comparable to the seraplor mantle the Kiefer owned. It had a series of knots along one side of the robe that here hooked by small cloth hoops on the other side, keeping both sides of the mantle firmly secured to each other. ¡°I am Gale Reyzwald, the royal Archmage of Alluviate! My brother, the King, just ordered you to release my son! Do it now or be prepared to face my wrath!¡± The man monologue, glaring at Kiefer so hard it could almost bored 2 holes through him. ¡°What do you want, GALE? Are you trying to interfere with the persecution of a criminal of Mutatis?¡± Kiefer asked, unafraid and unimpressed by the mage¡¯s display. ¡°Criminal!? What did my nephew do? Please, Kiefer, can¡¯t we just talk this over?¡± Arthur asked, briskly walking from his throne to where his brother was standing. ¡°My associates trailed a few bandits and they were led to a slave house, run by none other than your nephew here.¡± Kiefer explained, setting the cage back down onto the ground. ¡°That¡¯s not true! Father believe me! He just attacked me while I was on my hunting trip with my guards! He¡¯s the real bandit! He killed off my guards and looted my carriage!¡± The young man argued, not making any sense in his reasoning. Kiefer could not be bothered to offer his side of his story since it will simply be his word against the crook¡¯s. ¡°I am bringing him back to Mutatis to deal with him according to the laws of my city. Now if you will excuse me.¡± He explained, not wanting to keep going at this pointless discussion any longer. Gale did not look pleased, immediately chanting an intermediate fire spell, summoning a wall of fire that encircled Kiefer. The spell torched the surrounding drapes and carpet, sending an unbearable heat blast outwards as it continued to swirl mercilessly around its target. Arthur used his forearm to shield his face, bending his body back a little as the flaming tornado blew cinders and hot wind in his direction. As the spell died down, leaving a black charred circle on the stone floor and burning drapes on nearby pillars, the 3 men of the Reyzwald family opened their squinted eyes slowly to look at the aftermath. In the middle of the chaos, was a man in a completely black armour, with a large shimmering blue gem embedded in his chest. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The armour had red details that caressed the edges of each piece. The red lines formed a sinister smile on the matte black helmet, extending to form 2 red slanted trapezoid slits that represented the eyes. Along the sides of the helmet were horns that grew towards the back, making a downward U-turn and pointing forwards, the tips curving upwards a little. Only one thought came to the minds of the 3 men standing in horror ¨C A demon. In an instant, the demon disappeared, and reappeared behind Gale, wrapping his black gauntlets around the back of Gale¡¯s neck and forcing him down into a kneel with such force that it shattered his kneecaps. As Gale screamed in agony, trying to pry apart the vice like grip around his neck, Kiefer tightened his grip, choking the voice out of Gale. Removing his helmet with his other free hand, Kiefer faced Arthur, and spoke. He spoke the words that every ruler had hoped not to hear. ¡°I take that attack as a sign of aggression. Since I¡¯m the ambassador of Mutatis, by attacking me, you have started a conflict with Mutatis. Prepare your troops, King. Not for war but for evacuation because Mutatis will come in full force, and she will turn Alluviate into a barren land. Blame your rash brother and the waste-of-a-life-nephew. Had they been rational and civilised, this would not have happened. I will give you 20 days to completely evacuate the city. That¡¯s about as long as any of the slaves in his slave house would have lived anyway given the state they were in. Where you go is of no concern to me, but I will not be merciful should we cross paths.¡± With that, Kiefer put on his helmet once more, summoning a singularity above the palace. The singularity tore the roof off the grand hall, consuming it before disappearing as per Kiefer¡¯s will. Kiefer released the petrified noble man from his prison and stashed the orihalcom away in his PD, before taking off into the skies and disappearing. Within a few hours, Kiefer had returned to the merchant guild in Mutatis, still dressed in his new intimidating armour. Alwin and the guards were on guard at first, but heaved a tremendous sigh of relief when Kiefer removed his helmet. ¡°Seeing as you have your armour on, I¡¯m afraid to ask, but how did the negotiation for the Alluvian plains go? And what happened to the slave house leader we captured? My guards reported you transporting him away in a cage.¡± Alwin asked, watching Kiefer store the armour away in his PD. ¡°Good. It went better than I expected. There were some minor hiccups but I managed to not just negotiate for the plains, but pretty much any piece of land we wanted.¡± Kiefer replied, smiling wickedly. ¡°Really!? How did you do that? Did you threaten them?¡± Alwin asked, hoping that Kiefer had not taken a drastic route. ¡°Well, sort of. But there was no helping it. I had to do this in order for Mutatis to grow beyond what it could achieve in this little port. We are at war with Alluviate now by the way. That¡¯s how I did it. Once I remodel that tiny little city into a bare ground, their lands will be ours for the taking.¡± Kiefer answered, dropping a bomb on Alwin. ¡°What!!!??! I just told you specifically that war was the last thing we wanted! Right before you left!!! We have to send another messenger straight away! We need to settle this diplomatically!¡± Alwin panicked, quickly retrieving a quill and parchment, scribbling an apology letter hurriedly. ¡°No need for that.¡± Kiefer said, yanking the parchment out from under Alwin¡¯s quill. ¡°I¡¯ve given them 20 days to evacuate the entire city, and shown them a little of what I can do. If my calculations are correct, it will be them who will be sending a messenger over to talk things through. By then, we will be able to make any demands we want in exchange for me not levelling their city to the ground. Just be patient for a few days. You will see.¡± Alwin slumped back into his chair, still not believing the sudden turn of events. He knew Kiefer wanted this city to thrive and expand, but he did not know to what extent Kiefer would go for the future of Mutatis. Silently, he feared the day that Kiefer would turn up at his office and suddenly declare his desire for world domination. True to his words, a carriage from Alluviate entered the city of Mutatis a few days later. Anyone could tell at first glance that it belonged to someone important. The carriage itself was pulled by 4 Tarsuses, with an entire platoon of guards and magus accompanying the single carriage. Sliding the cloth curtain inside the carriage aside, the man within looked outside to take a good look at the new city of Mutatis. Showing the city guards an emblem and a royal decree, the city guards immediately sent a messenger to the merchant guild building while ushering the convoy in. Word arrived at Alwin¡¯s ear soon enough, as he hurried to tidy the place up to receive Alluviate¡¯s King and Queen. Having sensed their arrival, Kiefer picked up Isana, Sher and Feir and brought them to the guild building to await the arrival of the royal family. Within minutes of arrival, the carriage pulled up in front of the building and the doors swung open. The guards lined up in 2 rows on each side of the walkway as the driver opened the carriage doors for King Arthur and Queen Aria. Mayor Alwin¡¯s secretary walked forwards to receive the royal couple while Kiefer and the Titans just stood by the far end of the lounge, next to the long marble table. The maids brought out warm tea just as greetings ended and everybody was seated. ¡°To start things off, I would love to formally welcome you to the temporary capital building of Mutatis. My name is Alwin Kreias. I am the current acting mayor of this city. I believe you have already been acquainted with Kiefer, the honorary founding member of Mutatis.¡± Alwin started, gesturing to Kiefer. Isana followed up, standing from her seat and introducing herself. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you King and Queen of Alluviate. I am Elder Titan Isana, wife of Kiefer. This here is Shearwood and Feir. They are also both titans.¡± ¡°Hello King and Queen. I thank you for the sacrifice you sent to my lake last year. The boy¡¯s mana was especially rich. The guards and mages were quite delectable too.¡± Sher spoke up, licking her lips. Arthur and Aria simply stared in silence at the group gathered before them. They had been warned beforehand by scouts that Mutatis was a city run by high elves, a race long thought to be extinct. Then they come here half believing the reports only to be made certain that the reports were indeed true. Furthermore, the council they were supposed to be holding war negotiations with was comprised of a group of fearful individuals, regardless of whether they really are who they say they are. There was an awkward silence at the table after Sher spoke, the pressure so great it seemed like it would crush everyone. The atmosphere was heavy and ominous, with the aura being put out by the group of supposed titans overwhelming not only the royal couple, but the guards as well. Finally, Arthur mustered up the courage to speak, standing up firmly and looking Kiefer in the eye. ¡°Can we discuss the current relationship between our 2 cities? Especially the issue with the war?¡±
Quite a few time skips here in this chapter, hope it doesn''t annoy the crap out of you. enjoy. Chapter 3.07 - The Compromise and the Entrance ¡°So how goes the evacuation, Arthur?¡± Kiefer asked, smiling cynically. Arthur simply kept quiet at Kiefer¡¯s question, not knowing how to go about answering him. ¡°My husband and I have decided that it¡¯s best that we not panic our citizens with the threat of imminent war. Partly because we do not wish for war and partly because we do not want to throw our people into more distress so quickly after the war with the demi humans have just ended not too long ago. As such, we have come here with another proposition.¡± Queen Aria spoke up in her husband¡¯s stead. ¡°However, there is something we would like to clarify first.¡± Arthur picked up where his wife left off. ¡°I would like to know the reason why you imprisoned my nephew, which enraged my brother to attack you. Somehow, I feel like there has been a misunderstanding and that there is no reason for this war to even take place.¡± ¡°Your nephew was involved in kidnapping, smuggling and torturing innocent people as slaves. Slavery might be shunned upon in your city, but it is by no means illegal. However, in Mutatis, selling, buying or owning humans or demi humans as slaves is illegal and is punishable by law. I brought your nephew over after catching him in the act to prove to him that he was operating within Mutatis territory and that he will be punished as per Mutatis laws.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I find that really hard to believe. My nephew claims that you attacked him while he was out on a hunting trip. Considering that there was no evidence to support your claims, I find myself leaning towards my family¡¯s side.¡± Arthur rebutted unconvincingly. ¡°That is why I couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain it to you in the palace. It would be my word against his, and since we were in your palace, you would naturally be biased towards your nephew, making any arguments on my side pointless. This still doesn¡¯t change the fact that your brother attacked me and you did nothing to stop him.¡± Kiefer blatantly pointed out the facts, not allowing Alwin to cut in. ¡°Arthur. You best make a decision quick. It is either the life of your nephew, or the lives and homes of your soldiers and citizens.¡± Isana added on, trying to sway the minds of the royal couple. ¡°And assuming I believe your words, if I hand my nephew over to you for punishment, would you be willing to concede and stop this incoming war?¡± Arthur asked after a long deliberation, weighing the cost and benefits of his decision. Just as Alwin was about to agree to the conditions, Kiefer shut him up with his mana ropes before speaking. ¡°No Arthur. What your nephew did and why we are waging war against you are 2 completely separate matters now. My new terms for peace are as follows. You WILL hand your nephew over to Mutatis for his just punishment. You will also publicly execute Gale Reyzwald on the charges of treason and attempted assassination of a key member of the political ally of Alluviate. Only after these 2 conditions have been met, will we be willing to resume our prior arrangement as stated in the contract.¡± At this point, Arthur and Aria¡¯s faces were contorted in agony, appalled by the new conditions set by Kiefer. Alwin was glaring at Kiefer, unable to say a word while his secretary was fidgeting nervously behind Alwin. Kiefer chuckled as he saw the maid about to bring in refills for the tea but instantly turned around and head back into the kitchen after feeling the heavy atmosphere. ¡°This is really putting me in a difficult spot.¡± Arthur lamented, massaging his forehead, wondering how he even landed in such a situation in the first place. He had promised his people peace and prosperity when he took the throne after his father. And yet almost immediately after he started his reign, skirmishes arose from Diantes and Rashael along the borders, shaking his already unsteady foundation of leadership. If a full blown war were to break out now, merely weeks after the first war ended, there would be so much civil unrest it wouldn¡¯t take the enemy soldiers to destroy his city. His citizens would probably enter a cycle of self-destruction and implode. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anyway to compromise? I feel it is a little too much to ask my husband to kill his own blood brother, in front of his citizens no less. Not only would it tarnish his image of a trustworthy and kind King, It will also weigh heavily on him as an emotional burden.¡± Aria pleaded, placing an arm on her husband¡¯s back. ¡°So war it is then.¡± Kiefer announced loudly, pushing the royal couple to make a decision. ¡°NO! Wait!¡± Arthur screamed, pausing as he watched Kiefer turn his attention towards him. ¡°I- I have another¡­ proposal¡­¡± He muttered, finally making up his mind. Steeling himself, Arthur stood up and looked Kiefer in the eye, spying a displeased Alwin still trying to remove the binding on his mouth. ¡°Wha- what if¡­ I hand over my nephew, and announce that my brother has tried to kill you. But instead of me executing him in public, you do it instead? However, it will be in the form of a duel. In place of the war, we will hold a duel between my brother and you in an arena within Alluviate. He will be fighting for his life while you will be fighting for the spoils of war. If he wins, you will let him live, but I will be sure to exile him from Alluviate personally. Then, our 2 cities will continue to co-exist as it has thus far. If you win, my brother dies by your hand, which is only appropriate since he attacked you. Alluviate will be a sub-city, pledging its loyalty to Mutatis, and will be ruled according to Mutatis laws. You will have full control of current Alluviate territory, but I request that I still be able to manage the city and decide on changes within. This way, we avoid the loss of innocent lives and you will be able to obtain what you would have if you had won the war.¡± (Arthur) Kiefer smiled. This was the outcome he had hoped to achieve. Complete control over the lands within Shearwood province. This would grant Mutatis with the resources it needs to sustain the city¡¯s growth and development. Alwin had stopped struggling, unable to believe the outcome of this counsel. Arthur had a worried look on his face, knowing full well that he was now playing right into the palms of Kiefer¡¯s plans, and watching Kiefer smile only served to unnerve him even more. He was afraid Kiefer might demand more now, knowing that he had to concede to any demands the fearsome man in black armour had. ¡°That sound just about right. Now, shall we conclude and adjourn from this meeting? I¡¯m getting quite hungry.¡± Kiefer said, standing up and undoing the mana ropes around Alwin¡¯s mouth. [[Several days later]] ¡°Tch! That useless brother of mine¡­ I wonder why father ever made him King. I¡¯m older than him, more tenacious and daring, and yet he chose the meek one to be king. Why the fuck is he so afraid to go to war with the new city? To think he will put me up for display like some kind of caged beast.¡± Gale murmured, chugging down an entire pitcher of beer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry boss. We will be there to assist you in the stadium. There have been plans to poison their meal to weaken him just before the match. The poison is untraceable and will only weaken him enough so you can win. Then as long as you are alive, we will work from within the shadows and find a way to make you king.¡± One of Gale¡¯s subordinate mages assured him, taking a sip from his own mug. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can easily beat him. If not for the constraint of space and the surprise factor, I would not have lost last time, even if he does use some weird magic. I was merely testing him and did not expect him to be able to withstand my attack. However, if things look bad in the duel, I want you to interfere. As long as I stay alive, I can make sure you and your family will be well off for the rest of your lives.¡± Gale replied, facing his squad of royal court mages. ¡°Of course Sir. The royal court mages will stand behind the archmage anytime. There was nothing wrong with you attacking that intruder after seeing him cage up your son and disobey the king¡¯s orders. I just don¡¯t understand why the King is so desperate to please the leaders of this new city. Given our military might, we could easily crush a new city like that. Furthermore, we have been at war from the skirmishes of Rashael and Drigor for almost a decade now. Our soldiers are already used to war and their skills can be considered top notch.¡± Another member of the royal mages spoke up, siding with Gale on his opinion of the King. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think. What matters is I come out alive after this duel. I already know he can enhance his body with some magic, but judging by his armour, I would say that¡¯s the limit of his magical capabilities and he relies more on physical combat. The black orb was probably a spell from another magus he hired that was lying in wait. The way I see it, if I¡¯m prepared beforehand, and you guys are alert and ready to interfere, there is no way I could lose.¡± (Gale) ¡°But then what about what the King said? That he had titans and high elves backing him up? If you do win the duel and kill him, will his companions be able to hold themselves back? What is to say they won¡¯t interfere to keep him alive either?¡± One of the more worried mages asked, hoping he had not chosen the wrong side. ¡°Hah! You really believe in his lies? My brother described the titans to be a human female, a reptilian demi-human girl, and a small dog. Who¡¯s ever heard of titans looking so weak and useless? And Titans are a myth anyway. We may send tributes to Shearwood Lake every 10 years but our reports show they always end up dying on the way there within the Agrean forest anyway. We only keep up the custom to appease the citizens and keep their hearts at peace.¡± Gale scoffed, not believing for even a second that titans existed. ¡°Send some more spies to the road leading to Mutatis. The duel is in a week and I want to know everything there is to know. Make sure the spies intercept them on their way to Alluviate and get a general idea of the force they are bringing with them.¡± Gale ordered, as someone hiding in the shadow nodded and shot out the window of the house. [[Day of the Duel]] ¡°Fuck! What are the spies doing!?! They have yet to return with any reports! I¡¯m going in blind here. Fucking useless cowards, only hiding in the shadows.¡± Gale grumbled, pacing nervously in his ward, preparing to get out into the arena. The arena was large, about 4 soccer fields put together. There was a special runic barrier placed along the interior walls of the Arena, shielding the 20 thousand audiences seated to watch this fight. They had all been shocked at the announcement throughout the city, about their head magus attacking a political leader of the neighbouring country. The audience comprised mostly of Alluviate citizens, with Mutatis residents making up no more than 10% of the total head count. Soon, Gale¡¯s name was called out using a unique wind magic that carried the announcer¡¯s voice through the audience¡¯s seats. Gale stepped out confidently in his archmage robe. The audience was silent, no one cheering or jeering at the man. They all knew what he had done, but they were not informed of the reason. No one in the audience knew what to feel, or who to root for, only that they knew someone would die today. ¡°KIEFER OF MUTATIS CITY! STEP UP ONTO THE ARENA!¡± The announcer yelled, calling for Kiefer to enter. Silence ensued as all eyes focused on the gate located at the far end of the arena. They stared at the gaping hole in the wall, straining their eyes to catch a glimpse of the man who was representing Mutatis, their neighbour. ¡°That little shit. Did he run away? I knew he was no good, only relying on surprise attacks. When it comes to a straight up fight, he just turns tail and runs.¡± Gale muttered, smiling a little at the absence of his opponent. *GGGRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH* Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the entire arena, causing everyone to instinctively cover their ears and crouch down in their seats in fear. The once brightly lit arena from the midday sun was now plunged into darkness as a huge shadow was cast over them. Everyone looked up into the sky in horror, staring at the huge magical beast they have only heard of in myths and storybooks. ¡°Shearwood¡­¡± Gale muttered, staring at the giant winged serpent in floating in the sky. Next to the serpent was a pure white dragon with 4 wings, causing the air to get colder than it already was with each flap of its wings. Her bright emerald eyes glimmered, contrasting with her white body and attracting the attention of any onlookers. Everyone was scared stiff at the appearance of the 2 legendary titans, unable to even leave their seats to flee. They watched as the 2 titans flew towards the middle of the arena, covering it in a blizzard of ice and snow, obscuring vision for a brief few second. As the snowstorm cleared, standing in the middle were a gorgeous beauty, and a small adorable girl with scales covering the side of her face. The 2 ladies turned their heads to the side of the arena, causing everyone to divert their stares in the same direction. Then, a smaller shadow shot through the skies, jumping over the arena walls and all the audiences, landing next to the 2 girls. There, seated atop a giant grey wolf that towered at over 3m tall, was a man with black hair and a cleanly shaven face. He alighted from the wolf as it stepped forwards and growled at Gale menacingly. Kiefer walked over to Isana and gave her a peck on the cheeks, before turning to face Gale, who was now shaking in his shoes. The entire audience watched in silence as snow continued to fall to the ground, painting the arena floor white. Kiefer took slow deliberate steps towards Gale, leaving behind footprints in the soft snow. He stopped 10 steps away from gale, took a long glance around the arena at all the people gathered to watch this mercy killing. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. Shall we get this started?¡±
Now i know what you all are thinking but i''d like to read it in the comments anyways. always a pleasure to read your thoughts. I have a favour to ask all of you though, please leave a review of my fiction if you have the time. Donn''t be afraid to point out any flaws or be critical in your reviews. i really want to improve this as I will be writing this for the long run. Chapter 3.08 - The Entertainment and the Preparation [[POV of a certain genius mage]] I could be considered a genius, mastering my first element at the age of 8. I was invited to attend the royal academy on a scholarship, with my tuition fees completely covered by the royal palace. There, I spent 4 years studying and improving and another 5 years perfecting my new specialisation. I was a rare variant of human mages, one of only a handful who mastered the art of healing magic. Even though I was considered a genius, I was nothing compared to Gale Reyzwald. Not only was he the first prince, he was also the only on in this continent to master 3 elements by the age of 20. He was 3 years older than me and he had already achieved the title of Archmage by 25. Out of all the students from the royal academy, I was selected to be one of the members of the royal mage platoon, valued for my mastery over healing magic. Our platoon consisted of only genius mages, all personally handpicked by the Archmage himself. Through the years, we went through numerous missions together, surviving through life and death situations in skirmishes against our enemies. I had personally saved Gale¡¯s life countless times, healing broken bones, torn limbs and shattered organs. Over the course of 5 years in the platoon, I achieved the rank of number 1 healer within Alluviate, granting me a spot on Gale¡¯s personal team of high-end mages. Gale had never lost a magical battle before. He came close several times, but risked his life to complete missions, relying on me to patch him up after. However, that all changed one afternoon. I heard an ear-piercing scream from within the palace and rushed into the grand hall to find out what had happened. What greeted me was a scene of utter destruction, the pillars and floor burnt with cinders still floating in the air. The roof of the grand hall had been ripped open, with no traces of debris anywhere. There, in the middle of the grand hall, surrounded by his brother and his son, was Gale, weeping on his knees. I hurried over and mended the broken kneecaps in a moment. However, I could not seem to mend his shattered pride. For the first time ever, Gale seemed to have lost a magic battle, and had his enemy not been merciful, he would have lost his life too. Further investigation revealed that it was the ambassador of the new Neighbouring city that had done the deed, severely injuring Gale in the fight. This new city has been nothing but trouble recently, disrupting our economy and now hurting a member of the royal family. However, the real shocker came a few days later, when the King announced the real reason why Gale was injured. It would seem that Gale initiated the fight in a fit of rage and was now sentenced to exile by his own brother. The conditions were that he duel the same man that had injured him, and if he won, he would keep his life. But what of the rumours of Titans and high elves? That would explain why the man was so powerful in magic. I asked Gale and consulted with him regarding my worries, but he seemed to be confident in himself and sure that the rumours were lies and were merely what they were - rumours. Unable to quench my worries, I head to the library to do some research on the titans. It would seem that some took the form of dragons, while others were tortoises and winged serpents. However, those were merely eye-witness accounts with no solid proof or official report. With this uneasy feeling in my chest, the day of the duel drew close. The man¡¯s name was Kiefer. This was the first time I learnt his name. The announcer loudly called out for Kiefer to come up to the arena, but only silence ensued. Finally, after a nerve wrecking wait, a loud roar reverberated through the arena as the entire place was plunged into the shadow of a giant magical beast. It was a giant serpent, with angelic white wings. Next to the serpent, was an equally large dragon with 4 wings and green eyes that seem to stare right into your soul. Damn! I need to get Gale out of there as soon as possible! The rumours of Titans were true after all! As I was about to rush out to grab Gale, the titans transformed into a lady and a child. This was followed by the arrival of a black haired man on a giant wolf. That¡¯s weird. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone with black hair on Aioa. [[End of mage POV]]
¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. Shall we get this started?¡± Kiefer asked, smiling as he faced off against Gale. Gale kept silent, keeping his guard up against Kiefer. He watched as Kiefer turned around and walk a few more steps away from him, only to stop and turn back. ¡°Oh, before we start, I have a favour to ask of you.¡± Kiefer asked, smiling innocently. ¡°And what would that be? I have no intention of going easy on you.¡± Gale warned, his face still frowning at Kiefer¡¯s jovial attitude. ¡°Oh, it might be a little difficult, but please try not to die too quickly okay? The audience gathered here to watch a fight, not an execution, so try to resist a little.¡± Kiefer¡¯s innocent smile now turning into an evil grin. As Kiefer finally took up his position on his end of the Arena, The MC finally started speaking again. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen! Feast your eyes on today¡¯s legendary fight! You will not get to see this any other time in your life! A fight between our Archmage Gale Reyzwald and the founder of mutatis city, Kiefer!!¡± The MC roared, as the audience began to cheer and applaud. ¡°Representing Alluviate! We have the only mage to ever master 3 elements, the genius who mastered his field before reaching 20 years of age, the one who has never lost a magical battle before! GALE REYZWALD! And! Representing Mutatis! He is the founder of the new city, friend of the titans, user of unknown magic! KIEFER!!¡± ¡°And now! Everybody rise for our glorious and benevolent King! King Arthur!¡± The Mc continued, as the audience cheered louder, all rising from their seats. ¡°Duelists! The fight will begin at the sound of the gong. Ready yourselves! King Arthur! If you will have the honor, please strike the gong at your own convenience.¡± The king waltzed up to the giant copper gong, a wooden drumstick in his hand. With a huge swing, the sound of the gong resounded through the arena, causing the entire audience to cheer once again. Gale wasted no time, chanting a quick succession of spells while Kiefer just stood still, observing the man. With his specialised advanced incantations, Gale summoned a flame atronarch, a rock golem and an ice wraith in under a minute. The flame atronarch took the shape of a fiery demon with 2 large flaming horns growing out and up the sides of its head. It was the same height at the grey- brown rock golem, standing at 3m tall. Floating in the air seamlessly was a serpent made out of ice, with 2 rows of long sharp fangs adorning each of the open jaws. It seemed to shimmer in the sunlight as it slithered in the air. The 3 summons stood between Gale and Kiefer, facing their enemy while releasing bloodlust. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s interesting. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever come across a summoning spell other than the necromancer summoning. And it is true, what they say about him mastering 3 elements.¡± Kiefer thought, as he chuckled lightly. The flaming demon moved first, bolting through the air towards Kiefer, melting the snow in the air and on the ground in its path. As it waved its arms, a wall of fire encircled Kiefer, preventing him from escaping. The red flames turned blue, and the white as the atronarch grew hotter with each passing second, zooming around Kiefer while firing fireballs towards the middle of the flame wall around Kiefer. ¡°Hey that looks interesting. What are you hitting there?¡± Kiefer asked snidely, tapping on Gale¡¯s shoulder from behind. Gale spun around quickly, terrified that Kiefer might crush his knees again. Not even trying to figure out how Kiefer had managed to get behind him, Gale sent the ice wraith to attack Kiefer while the rock golem slammed the ground, creating a stone wall between Kiefer and Gale. With the wall in place, Gale quickly made some distance as the ice wraith circled around the wall, releasing an icy aura that caused water crystals to form on the rock wall. The flame atronarch had stopped its attacks and was zooming back towards Kiefer¡¯s last seen location. ¡°Like I said, what are you trying to hit?¡± Kiefer asked again, this time sitting atop the stone golem¡¯s shoulder. Kiefer continued playing with Gale in this manner for some time, eliciting laughter from the audience. ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything aside from run?!¡± Gale roared as he desperately tried to catch Kiefer. ¡°Fine then. I¡¯ll let you see just how small you are compared to the scale of things around here.¡± Kiefer muttered, stopping dead in his tracks as the flame atronarch chased after him. Quickly chanting the spell, Kiefer activated Permafrost, causing everything around him to drop to nearly absolute zero. The white hot atronarch that was chasing after him slowly grew smaller, its flame turning back to blue then orange and finally, with a sizzle, its last light sputtered away within Kiefer¡¯s Permafrost zone. Stretching his hand out, Kiefer kept the Permafrost spell active while chanting another spell that send an intense blast of heat wave towards the rock golem. Upon contact, the golem¡¯s body began to slow, its surface temperature melting and fusing with the ground in a small pool of magma. Kiefer quickly closed in the distance, rapidly cooling the rock golem with his permafrost aura. The golem cracked under the drastic change in temperature and Kiefer easily smashed through the immobile golem with one punch, sending rocks flying everywhere. The debris simply bounced off the barrier set up to protect the audience. Then, without warning, the Ice wraith clamped down on Kiefer¡¯s left should from the back. Looking at Gale, Kiefer spotted a small smile as the ice wraith attempted to separate Kiefer¡¯s arm from his body. However, it could not penetrate his mana armour and was gnawing on a chew toy that was hard as a rock. Seeing that the attack had no effect, Gale recalled the ice wraith to his side. Looking for Kiefer after it returned, Gale saw Kiefer disappear for a brief moment, before reappearing at his initial position on the other side of the arena. This time however, Kiefer was completely dressed in the same black and red armour, with a bright blue gem on the chest. In his left hand, he held his devilish helmet, which he put on slowly. Kiefer had perfected equipping his armour directly from his PD during his stay in Mutatis. He could now equip himself completely after just entering his PD for a brief moment, before appearing again. Hence, he could do it in the middle of a teleportation, giving him that much more of an impact factor when surprising the enemies. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen in the Arena today! What a spectacular fight we have witnessed! To think young Kiefer is able to go toe to toe with our Archmage! Tell me, ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?!?¡± The announcer yelled, as the audience all roared with cheers and applause. ¡°How about we end this?¡± Kiefer announced, causing the ground around him to rise and form numerous small spheres that floated around Kiefer. The spheres gradually elongated into spikes that swirled to form a spiral shape, similar to a screw¡¯s body. The spike began spinning and then shot forwards abruptly, puncturing the ice wraith and causing it to shatter into a puff of crystalline dust. As he willed the mana into the rune in his gauntlet, 4 red lines appeared around Gale, who was now in the middle of the arena preparing another spell. The red lines simmered as it boiled the snow on the ground, staying motionless with Gale right in the middle of the crosshair. Isana then stood up, took a deep breath, and exhaled, forming a clear ice shield that separated the audience from the arena in anticipation of Kiefer¡¯s attack. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Take this and learn your place. Know that you are nothing more than a bug waiting to be quashed.¡± Kiefer yelled as his suddenly black armour turned white, pouring the entirety of the stored mana into the rune in his gauntlet.
[[A few days back, just after the War talks]] ¡°Come out Rashael, I know you were eavesdropping on the counsel earlier.¡± Kiefer spoke in a loud voice, facing the ground. Within moments, Rashael popped up from the ground like a mole rat, grinning ear to ear. ¡°I need your help Rashael. I¡¯m going to be working on something big. You probably move faster than me, so could you find Feir and tell him to meet me near the shores below the cliff where my house is? I¡¯m going to need lots of space and privacy for this.¡± Kiefer explained, watching Rashael¡¯s eyes sparkle at the mention of a secret project. Kiefer arrived shortly after, almost seeing the imaginary tail on Rashael wag as fast as Feir¡¯s as they waited eagerly to be let in on the project. Seeing the team assembled, Kiefer began handing out tasks. ¡°Rashael, I want you to return to your moon and get me a piece of moon stone as large as you can find. The larger the better. Feir, I want you to copy my mana ropes skill. I need an extra set of hands here.¡± Kiefer ordered. Rashael didn¡¯t ask any questions, but simply nodded and sank into the ground, returning to his underground lair where the portal to his moon was installed. Kiefer on the other hand, began pulling out mithril and orihalcom ingots from within his PD. Copying Kiefer, Feir picked out a raw orihalcom ingot with his mana threads and infused it with his own mana, causing the orihalcom to turn lime green and soft. Together, Kiefer and Feir molded the orihalcom to form Large rectangular frames measuring 50m by 30m, with an internal skeletal support frame located every 5m apart. By the evening, Feir and Kiefer took a break, looking at the finished beginnings of their project. A total of 6 rectangular frames, each one made of 60 squares measuring 5m by 5m for a total of 50m by 30m. 3 frames were lime green in colour while the other 3 were crimson red. The frame was very thick and sturdy, as closer investigation revealed that they were not made of solid orihalcom, but instead, a honeycombed lattice layered one upon another like graphite layers. Kiefer knew that Rashael would only be back the next day at the fastest, so he decided to rest for the night, stashing the huge frames away in his PD before heading home to sleep. Feir followed suit, not mentioning this new project to anyone else. The next morning, Kiefer and Feir disappeared from the house before dawn, leaving Isana wondering where the 2 of them had gone. This time, Kiefer and Feir continued working on the frames, filling each of the 5m squares with a thin sheet of honeycombed orihalcom for further support, and finally filling up each hexagonal hole in the squares with a sheet of mithril. The hexagons were about the size of Kiefer¡¯s palm, tessellated throughout the entire metal frame. The process was slow as the design was intricate to ensure the durability and sturdiness of the frame that was only 20cm thick. Appearing at just the right time, a very tired Rashael came soaring through the air, carrying what seemed to be a cream white tree trunk on his shoulders. With a loud thud, Rashael planted the uneven log of moonstone in the sand, as he sat on the ground, legs stretched out and his back supported by his arms. ¡°Huff.. huff¡­ there¡­ is this big enough?¡± Rashael asked, grinning at Kiefer as Kiefer inspected the giant moonstone in awe. It was at least 3m wide and almost 15m long. ¡°Nice.¡± Kiefer smiled, giving Rashael a thumbs up as he begun shaving the sides to smoothen the large rock into a cylinder. ¡°You¡¯re making a huge ass laser aren¡¯t you?¡± Rashael asked, already predicting Kiefer¡¯s intentions. ¡°Yes. Since you are already familiar with the schematics of your own laser, I want you to help in building this. These panels are meant to recharge this core using mana from the sun. Help me design the runes to direct the flow of mana from the panels into the core, as well as a way to control this laser from afar.¡± Kiefer replied, handing Rashael a stack of parchments and a quill. Rashael got to work immediately, scribbling and striking out multiple designs of runes on the parchments. Kiefer and Feir began creating the runes that would charge the core out of mithril, following the same design as per the titan laser, encapsulating the core in a series of mithril runes and finally coating the entire cylinder with a layer of orihalcom. Kiefer then stored the now 6m thick cylinder in his PD along with the completed panels. Sitting atop the giant wolf, Kiefer and Feir took to the skies, slowly climbing on their mana footholds until the clouds marked the halfway point between their current location and the ground. The air was thin and cold within the upper stratosphere. If Kiefer had not used his mana to keep the air pressure and oxygen level around him stabilised, he would have suffocated long ago. Even then, he was nowhere near his intended altitude, but that would suffice for now. Taking out adamantium ingots, Kiefer used his mana to form molds, melting the adamantium from the destruction of his mana particles to form thermal energy. The adamantium formed 3 thick rods that soon melded together to form a sort of 6 sided spoke wheel. Attaching it to the back of the moonstone core cylinder, Kiefer connected the 6 panels to the ends of the spokes, coating the adamntium spokes with orihalcom to strengthen it. The panels were attached in a windmill fashion, all tilted at an angle to make sure they all fit in place. Feir copied Kiefer¡¯s mana foot hold skill, providing Kiefer a large platform to work on high up in the sky. This allowed him to focus on the construction instead of having to divert his attention on keeping himself from plunging downwards. Creating the amplification chamber, Kiefer chose a different material instead of Fientral crystal to fill the chamber. Taking out a huge quantity of sand from the beach and limestone from the quarries, Kiefer heated them until they were molten and white hot, filling the mirrored chamber with the molten glass. Runes were placed outside the orihalcom chamber casing to constantly heat the amplification chamber, making sure the glass remained molten. Finally, Kiefer attached the adamantium muzzle to the gigantic laser. Rashael caught up by this time, soaring through the sky and presenting Kiefer with several sets of runes. One set was designed to direct converted mana from the panels into the charging runes. Another set, which Rashael was especially proud of, was designed as a set of twin runes like the portal rune. They would allow the user send a directed stream of mana from one rune to the other, regardless of distance. It was getting late, but the trio were at a critical juncture and they could not stop. Stopping would mean having to return to the ground and make the long trip up again. Lazy to make the round trip, and eager to finish, Rashael and Kiefer brainstormed for a completely new set of control runes through the night. The massive weapon was finally completed late evening the next day. During this period of time, they had made multiple changes to the laser¡¯s design, primarily allowing it to move and change direction as controlled by Kiefer with the mana link rune that Rashael designed. Kiefer came up with a design that released mana from the core to disrupt the activity of gravitons around the weapon, making it essentially float where it stood, completely unaffected by gravity. Combined with a series of runes that would draw mana from the core and expel it in a forceful thrust, the weapon could now move in any direction laterally. Its height though, could not be changed, but Kiefer chose to keep it that way to simplify things. The weapon could be tilted to aim the muzzle with controlled bursts of thrust from the runes. Finally, right around the muzzle were 4 smaller lasers that drew mana from the core as well. However, these lasers were not as powerful, only emitting a beam of red light heated the contact point slightly, serving more as a pointer than as a weapon. With this, Kiefer grinned at Rashael, who returned a thumbs up sign. With the combined effort of Kiefer and Feir, they lifted the now weightless weapon as high as their mana ropes could go, before finally letting go and returning to the ground. ¡°So, you wanna give it a test run?¡± Kiefer asked, to which Rashael nodded eagerly. Kiefer held the mana link rune in his hand and poured his mana in. He could instantly feel the presence of his mana high up in low orbit, as he turned the 4 small laser lights on. Instantly, on the ground appeared 4 red lines in the shape of a crosshair. Kiefer practiced moving the weapon around and aiming it, watching the crosshair move across the beach onto the water. ¡°You guys ready?¡± Kiefer asked excitedly, facing Rashael and Feir. They were intently staring at the crosshair that was boiling the seawater slowly. ¡°3... 2¡­ 1... Fire!¡± Kiefer yelled, as he activated the firing sequence on the weapon. There was a deafening roar as the air vibrated and sizzled, the giant beam measuring 10m in diameter ionising the air and burning everything in its path. The bright orange beam caused an explosive burst of steam from the water surface, boring its way through the water and into the ground. It lasted only 3 seconds, but the damage it did was quite visible, steam clouds filling the entire coastal range, seawater still boiling from the molten ground underwater. ¡°Looks like the core ran out of mana. Well we didn¡¯t even let it charge for long, so that¡¯s to be expected.¡± Rashael spoke up, waving the steam away from his face. ¡°I wonder how long it will take to be fully charged.¡± Kiefer asked, staring up into the sky as a quick wind spell carried the steam out into the ocean. ¡°Master. I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll head back to sleep first.¡± Feir informed Kiefer, his ears and tail drooping as he changed back into his small dog form. ¡°So, what will you name it?¡± Rashael asked Kiefer, also staring into the sky trying to find that weapon. ¡°Icarus. And the attack will be called Thermal Lance.¡± Kiefer announced, as he began fiddling with his gauntlet that he took out from his PD. With some quick tweaking, Kiefer fused the mana-link rune with the palm of his gauntlet. ¡°The people of Alluviate need to be shown what true power is, if I am to be able to rule this province. I need to show them that I have the strength and ability to back up my decisions, while at the same time, show them that I can protect them when the time comes. What better place to show that, other than the arena where I will destroy the useless human they call an archmage?¡± Kiefer asked, facing Rashael while squeezing his palm to test out the new modified gauntlet. ¡°Icarus shall burn everything that stands in my way. It will leave behind a reminder that I am not to be trifled with.¡± Kiefer muttered to himself, almost like an evil dictator.
This chapter is a little longer than usual, but there are quite a few time jumps as well. hope its not too confusing. As always please comment and rate my fiction. I thought i''d try something new in this arc with the fragmented timeline to give a more drastic impact when shit goes down. please tell me what you think. if you prefer that i return to my previous style of writing, this will be the last of these time skips. Chapter 3.09 - The Finale and The new purpose The crowd¡¯s cheering died down quickly. They saw Kiefer¡¯s armour turn instantly from black to white. However, both of the contestants were just standing still. Gale was muttering a really long spell incantation while Kiefer just stood motionless, staring at Gale. It was as if time was frozen itself, as everyone stopped to carefully watch what was about to go down on the other side of the ice barrier. Then, there was a minute movement within the audience. Isana and Sher took out what looked to be a blacksmith¡¯s shield mask to protect their eyes from blinding lights during work. The 2 ladies casually put it on their head and swung the face shield down, still looking at the arena. *BBBZZZZZZZNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!* A deafening roar blasted through the arena as a blinding yellow/orange beam tore through the clouds from the heavens, landing dead center in the arena where Gale once stood. The beam bore through the ground, creating a small lake of magma. However, no one could see it as everyone had shut their eyes and shielded their faces from the beam¡¯s descent. The blinding light which came to be known as ¡®heaven¡¯s smite¡¯ lasted for 2 whole minutes, melting all the snow within the arena. The audience could feel the heat, even behind Isana¡¯s ice barrier. The beam cleared away as quickly as it arrived, leaving a pool of molten magma deep below ground inside the 100m deep hole that now took the place of the beam. The once cloudy sky was clear blue, without a single speck of snow within the air while the heat from the beam lingered around the arena. As everybody reopened their eyes to find out what they missed, they saw only one man standing in the arena ¨C the victor of the duel and culprit behind this massive destruction on a scale never seen before. Gale¡¯s squad of genius mages did not even have time to react, much less respond to the incredible attack spell that the enemy had just cast. As everyone stared at the hole in shocked silence, Kiefer removed his helmet and faced the MC of the arena. ¡°Hey shouldn¡¯t you be announcing the results?¡± he yelled, waving his hand in front of his nose to fan away the pungent smell of molten and vaporised magma. ¡°Ah¡­ AH! Yes of course!¡± The MC replied, having been brought back to reality after the shocking scene. ¡°T- the winner of this duel! Kiefer from Mutatis city!¡± He announced, his voice sounding throughout the arena. Unexpectedly, everyone simply stared at the monster in front of them, not a single member of the audience applauding or cheering. The fight started interesting, but ended so abruptly they did not know how to feel. What¡¯s worse was that none of them caught the finishing move, closing their eyes from the blinding light that descended upon the arena. ¡°Arthur!¡± Kiefer yelled facing the special seats reserved for Arthur and Aria. ¡°With this, I presume you will stay true to our agreement and grant me authority over all the lands that Alluviate once owned?¡± he yelled out. King Arthur looked at the gaping hole in the ground where his brother was standing just moments ago, then turned his gaze to the monster responsible for the destruction. He never had the intention to go back on his word, but seeing this monster, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to even if he wanted. The might that this man possessed was simply too great. It was no wonder the titans were gathered around him. Only someone who could rival the titans in power would be able to gain their approval. Looking back at Kiefer, he nodded firmly, before standing and announcing out loudly. ¡°From this day forth, as per our prior agreement and under my authority as King of Alluviate, Lord Kiefer of Mutatis city shall be granted ownership of all land territory within Shearwood province! Alluviate shall be ruled as per Mutatis laws and she shall be a subordinate city to Mutatis! However, I am still the leader of Alluviate and I assure you I will make sure your lives will be pleasant and unaffected to the best of my abilities.¡± Kiefer smiled, looking at all the stunned faces of the audience. Then, he took out a small red and silver device from his PD and attached it to his ear. ¡°Rashael, move to phase 2¡± he whispered. Immediately, as if there had not been enough surprised for one day, a giant hawk made of pure white light shot up through the ground from below the arena. The hawk was slightly smaller than Isana¡¯s dragon form, and had an aura that looked both intimidating and soothing. The sharp beak and pointed talons made it look like an apex predator, while the soft feathers and the warm soothing pulsating glow from the body seemed to calm the mind and soul of anyone who looked at it. Rashael flew high up above the arena, made a loop around the sky and descended back towards the arena, stopping and hovering above the audience without flapping his wings. Then soft white mists extended from the tip of his wings, swirling and approaching the gaping hole that Kiefer had left in the ground. The mists slowly combined from both wing tips, forming a small orb of light that grew in size. The orb eventually grew larger and changed shape, forming what looked like a man in foetal position on the ground. Finally, the warm light shattered, revealing a certain Gale Reyzwald awakening from his slumber. Arthur¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of his once dead brother, quickly rushing down to the arena to confirm what he was seeing. Gale was struggling to stand, but managed to prop himself up on his feet with the help of his mage squad. Rahsael meanwhile, had shrunk down from his bird form into his human form, winking as Arthur rushed past him. He then joined Isana, Sher and Feir amongst the audience to let everyone know that he too was a titan that was part of Kiefer¡¯s party. ¡°What happened¡­ I ¨C I thought I died¡­?¡± Gale asked, still groggy and unclear of his own condition. ¡°Yes you died. That¡¯s for sure. I killed you, a little too quickly if I might add. I told you to try to last a little longer.¡± Kiefer replied, walking up to his opponent. ¡°Gale! Is it really you?!?¡± Arthur cried, rushing forwards, brushing past Kiefer and hugging his brother. ¡°Yes Arthur. It¡¯s me. Though I don¡¯t understand what is going on.¡± Gale replied, turning to face Kiefer now. At this point, Kiefer was grinning, ecstatic that his plan was executed flawlessly. ¡°Well, I said I would kill you didn¡¯t I?¡± Kiefer asked, pausing unnecessarily before speaking again. ¡°But I did not mention anything about making sure you remained dead.¡± ¡°Wha ¨C what have you done!? Are you telling me u summoned me as an undead? That I am your puppet to control?!!¡± Gale yelled, pushing his brother aside and striding up to Kiefer¡¯s face. ¡°Show a little more gratitude won¡¯t you?¡± Kiefer scoffed, ¡°I asked my Rashael to resurrect you from the dead. You are alive and well, not a mere zombie. After I interrogated your son, it would seem that I had a somewhat misguided conception of your character. You were merely defending your son back in the palace when you attacked me, like any father would. You obviously knew nothing of his untowardly activities involving slave trading. However, the duel was already issued and set so I thought I might as well make full use of this opportunity to showcase a little of my might.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°So.. so he¡¯s really ok then?¡± Arthur asked, stuttering in his speech quite unlike a King. ¡°Yes I assure you your brother is fine and healthy. You can get your healer to confirm his condition. And also, you¡¯ll be glad to know that I decided against killing your nephew, Arthur. Though I might have done so without batting an eye in the past, I reconsidered it, on the account that he is tied to the royal family after all. However, I assure you his punishment is not light and you won¡¯t be seeing him for a long time.¡± Kiefer added. By now, the titans were all on the arena walking towards Kiefer. The Mc had announced in the midst of the reunion of the 2 brothers that Gale was resurrected by Rashael. The audience was now cheering at the display of magical prowess by the team from Mutatis. After advising that Gale rest his body, Kiefer assured Arthur that he will be back soon to discuss further changes to the lands around Alluviate. Having said that, Kiefer took to the skies with the titans amidst the loud cheering and screams of the audience.
¡°So what now?¡± Rashael asked. ¡°I know you did not create Icarus solely for this measly duel did you?¡± ¡°No of course not.¡± Kiefer replied, sprinting through the air next to the flying titans. Feir copied Kiefer, creating mana footholds as he sprinted alongside. ¡°Now we move on to phase 3.¡± Kiefer declared, changing directions abruptly towards to sky and beyond the cloud line. Following Kiefer, the titans were unsure of what phase 3 was. He had yet to tell anyone about it. They had all assumed it the entire plan ended at phase 2. Kiefer opened his PD and took out a huge cylindrical object with one end covered in screw threads. ¡°That!¡± Rashael exclaimed, recognising the object instantly. ¡°You sneaky bastard. I never showed you the designs, how did you manage to create it?¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯t really need your design now did I? I just copied the idea from your titan laser model and came up with this myself. Besides, it does not serve the same purpose. It has a similar effect to your muzzle attachment, but it is much more effective. Watch.¡± Kiefer replied gleefully, pulling Icarus down from the skies using his mana ropes. Within the new muzzle attachment for Icarus was a dispersal unit lined with numerous misted glass mirrors. The attachment was modelled like a wide open cone, with a small ball mirror supported by prongs down the middle, a distance away from the cone. Diffused light exiting the dispersion unit leaves the middle of the cone and reflects off the ball, hitting the mirrored cone which then spreads the light out over a wide area. Kiefer tweaked the power settings on the amplifier module and returned Icarus to the skies. Finally, descending down onto the snow covered Alluvian plains, Kiefer activated Icarus. Instantly, a warm shower of light rained down upon the entirety of the plains, captivating all that were in the plains within its warm embrace. The snow began to melt and soon, the temperature in the plains was hovering around 25 degrees celcius. With the snow melted, Icarus revealed a crater filled ground that was moist from the freshly melted snow, forming small puddles in some of the bigger craters. ¡°This is phase 3 of my plans for Mutatis. With the heat from Icarus, This wide expanse of land will be able to support a lush meadow all year round. I intend to relocate some of the farmers from Alluviate to here so that they can let their animals graze freely. With the supplement of fertilizer and development of infrastructure, this should serve as a center for the agricultural sector that will feed both Mutatis and Alluviate.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°Now to hold a second metals acquisition event. I will get the participants to help level out this field and process it for growing crops and grass.¡± Kiefer thought internally as he switched Icarus back off. Snow soon began to fall again as temperature dropped steadily back to below zero. ¡°Hey Kii?¡± Isana asked, pulling on his sleeve while he was deep in thought. ¡°can I ask a favour of you?¡± ¡°Sure of course Sana. You know you don¡¯t have to ask me that. Just tell me what you want.¡± Kiefer replied, snapping back to reality after thinking too hard about plans for Mutatis. ¡°Can you build another one of those? Maybe even 2 more? My province is in the far north and it is perpetually winter there. There are a few demi human tribes living there but they have resorted to living underground to avoid the cold. I¡¯ve come to enjoy the hustle and bustle of people and I want to liven up my frozen province too.¡± Isana asked, hoping it would give her an opportunity to bring Kiefer to her province. ¡°Hmm.. I can try but it is going to be difficult. I¡¯m running short on orihalcom and mithril after building it. I don¡¯t think I have enough to make even one more. Unless we can find a rich vein to mine, and the manpower to mine them, I think it is not possible. I¡¯m sorry Sana. I can however, move Icarus to the north during other seasons of the year.¡± Kiefer answered, apologising for his inability to fulfil her wish. ¡°My province has plenty of metal veins, it¡¯s just too cold to work the mines there. Maybe if we could prospect the ground and mine them, we could get you the materials you need?¡± Isana suggested, not giving up on the idea. ¡°That sounds reasonable. I will have to look into that. Rashael can help too. You will, won¡¯t you?¡± Kiefer threatened, glaring at Rashael who was trying to sneak away underground, not wanting to be caught up in this. ¡°Haaah¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Fine. But that¡¯s only if you show me the designs for your new muzzle attachment.¡± Rashael bargained. ¡°Sure. Why don¡¯t you get started now? Go underground and see what you can find in Isana¡¯s province.¡± Kiefer ordered, to which Rashael merely grumbled and sank into the ground. ¡°Thank you Kii!¡± Isana yelled excitedly, to which Kiefer smiled, dragged her close and kissed her passionately. Sher and Feir looked away in embarrassment as the 2 were embraced by each other. ¡°Anything for my wife, and my family.¡± Kiefer replied after pulling his lips away from a madly reddening Isana. ¡°Why don¡¯t we return home first? I¡¯m sure you and Sher have learnt some new dishes, haven¡¯t you?¡±
Well, this is a short chapter, and no cliffhanger this time. I''ve had many people ask me where this arc is going since there doesn''t seem to be a specific goal, but i assure you this arc is actually heading towards the conclusion and will be longer than the 2 previous ones. You just have to stick with me and wait it out. Chapter 3.10 - The Set-back and The Honeymoon Hello all. Before you start reading this chapter, I would ike to clarify something. Being smart does not equate to knowing everything. Kiefer may be smart and pick up things really quickly, able to innovate and create novel concepts and ideas on his own, but he is by no means a know-it-all. He may be knowledgeable in his area of expertise which if you recall is particle astro physics, but he is just about the same as an average individual when it comes to other topics such as biology or environmental studies. Hence, i hope you do not misunderstand Kiefer''s decision to alter the climate with Icarus as a stupid move which he should not have done. He is only using what limited knowledge he has to run and improve a city, which I''m pretty sure is not a usual thing that physicists do on a daily basis.
*Bzzt¡­ bzz bzz zzttt* The holographic screen in front Palmer flickered as he was scrolling through the map of the nearby star systems. Lightly tapping the side of his terminal interface, Palmer frowned and looked around the rest of the cockpit to see his crew looking around in a confused state. Their terminal screens seemed to be acting up too. ¡°Rowanda. What¡¯s happening?¡± Palmer called out, looking over to a circular lens that was laid out horizontally next to his arm rest. A fuzzy orange coloured hologram of a lady appeared, the image flickering and breaking up in the middle of her body. [C-c-c-a-a-ap-aptain. The- ere¡ª corrupt¡ªsys¡ªstem] The AI responded in a broken sentence, barely audible and sensible for Palmer to make out what¡¯s wrong. Palmer hit the side of his terminal a few more time, causing his screen to go completely blank while the lights in the cockpit slowly dimmed. [Di-diverting po-po-power¡­ Complete.] As the AI responded, all the screens and lights turn off. The entire crew within the cockpit turned to look at Palmer, awaiting instructions except a young man with auburn hair who immediately began opening up the floorboards to reveal a mess of wires. [Lieutenant Wellin, there seems to be corruption in some parts of my system. I¡¯ve run an analysis and there is no problem with my software. It might be a hardware problem.] Rowanda¡¯s voice echoed through the cockpit. She had diverted the ship¡¯s energy from the failing light systems to maintain a fully functional audio system. ¡°What is going on Rowanda? Are any other systems compromised? What about the colony¡¯s cryo chambers? Wellin, go find Vladlena in the Engineering bay and work together to find out where the problem is.¡± Palmer stood up and spoke, directing the crew to their respective jobs. [Report. Nuclear propulsion release chamber stalled. Cause: insufficient power. Threat level: green. Ship control and navigation system offline. Cause: unknown. Probability of short circuit: high. Threat level: red. Colony cryostasis function: Normal. Ship oxygen generator function: Normal. Ship sensors function: Normal. Ship Shields: offline. Cause: unknown. Threat level: Red. Current ship velocity: 0.52c. ETA to target planet: 4.7 years. End of Report. Would you like to clarify anything?] ¡°Sir! What is happening? The lights went off and my drones just started going haywire!¡± Vladlena¡¯s panicking voice echoed over the PA system. ¡°Vladlena hang on for a moment. Wellin is coming down to meet you. Shut the drones down before they sustain damage or worse, damage the hull. Rowanda was corrupted and we are trying to fix it.¡± Palmer reassured her through the mic on his headset. ¡°I can¡¯t sir! The remote signal is not working. Oh my poor babies! They are smoking! I think something is frying their circuit boards!¡± Vladlena cried out over the PA, not the least bit calm. ¡°THEN DO A MANUAL SHUT DOWN!¡± Palmer screamed into the mic, causing some of the crew to hurriedly cover their ears. Palmer was not pleased with Vladlena¡¯s less than professional reaction to the problem and worried her panic might spread to the rest of the crew. ¡°Bu-but Sir! They are 7m tall! The manual shut down lever in located at the top! How am I going to catch one and then climb up 7m before one of their mechanical parts chew and grind my limbs off?!¡± Vladlena yelled back, her voice booming over the PA system. ¡°Rowanda! Do you still have control over the artificial gravity?¡± Palmer asked, waiting for the Ai to reply. [Yes sir. Turning off the gravity simulation rotation engine now. The engineering section should stop rotating in 15 minutes.] ¡°Vladlena, your section will reach zero G in 15 minutes. You should be able to jump to the top of one of your drones in about 10. For now, stay clear of the drones. How many in total have lost control?¡± (Palmer) ¡°I¡¯ve got 3 drones still active and rogue sir! Their magnetic tracks are still working. Thank god for that. I¡¯m going to climb to the ceiling and drop down on one of them once the gravity is low enough for me to aim my drop accurately. Wellin, where are you?¡± (Vladlena) ¡°Lena, I¡¯m outside your engineering bay now. The blast doors are not opening. I¡¯ll wait for you to shut the drones down while I find the cause!¡± Wellin replied as he began tearing into the wall panels next to the blast doors. He dug his way through a sea of wires in the darkness, the torches on each of his shoulders being the only source of light. After 2 hours of searching and investigating, Vladlena and Wellin finally returned to the cockpit. In their hands were a bunch of light green circuit boards that were splattered with charred burn marks. ¡°Well, we have good news, the not so good news and the bad news. Which do you want first?¡± Wellin asked, throwing a circuit board towards palmer. The board floated slowly across the cockpit, spinning in the air as it made its way towards Palmer. Palmer unbuckled his seat belt, stood up and reached for the floating circuit board, catching it and carefully inspecting the charred marks. ¡°Just get on with your report. I need to know if this will be a problem for the rest of our journey.¡± Palmer quipped back, not appreciating Wellin¡¯s nonchalant tone. ¡°Well, the good news is we found the problem and we can fix it. The not so good news is that it probably affected most of the circuit boards on the ship and we will take some time to fix them all. The bad news though, is that this is radiation damage. Something is causing the circuit boards to overload with electricity which fries the voltage sensitive gates in the chips. The one in your hands came from within the drones. They are supposed to have radiation shielding since they do their work outside the ship, but it would seem that their circuits were screwed over too, which means our current radiation shields are about as helpful as a mitten in a cryopod.¡± (Wellin) ¡°Rowanda, your assessment?¡± Palmer asked, tracing his fingers along the burn marks on the circuit board. [Sir, what lieutenant Wellin said is true. It would seem that my sensors picked up an unknown radiation signature being emitted from the supermassive blackhole in the center of this galaxy. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the planet we are about to visit will also emit this new radiation. The radiation permeates through our lead shields and energizes the electrons in the circuits, increasing their voltage and burning out the chips.] Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Ok. This is indeed bad news. If it can penetrate our radiation shields, then we, along with the rest of humanity, will be exposed to this new radiation. Rowanda, thaw out the rest of the mechanical and electrical engineering crew and the medical team. Wellin, Vladlena, go meet your teams as they thaw out and brief them on the current status. I want all crew to work on repairing the circuit boards in the ship. Start with the ones in this cockpit first, I need my nav systems online and my screens back. Once that¡¯s done, Rowanda, I want you to scan the entire colony ship and make a list of all the circuit boards that are burnt. Finally, I want you to find out how much the radiation is affecting the voltage in our systems and lower the voltage as you see fit. Take into consideration and calculation the intensity of the radiation as we move through this galaxy and change the voltage accordingly.¡± Palmer barked out his usual stings of instructions to the crew as they all nodded their heads and return to their respective stations.
[[Back on Aioa]] ¡°Alright everyone! Thank you for your hard work! That¡¯s it for today. We will do this again next autumn after the last harvest!¡± Kiefer yelled as everybody heaved a sigh of exhaustion and fell to the ground, wiping the sweat off their brows. After a quick rest, cartloads of worn out rusty weapons and armour were being towed away by the blacksmiths. The farmers on the other hand, were still shoveling the bone meal into their own respective carts. Kiefer took one look at the now seamlessly level ground of the Alluvian plains, before turning and heading back towards Mutatis. The sun was still hanging in the sky, with a few more hours before nightfall. It had been 2 weeks since the duel and the weather was gradually becoming warmer. While it still cold enough to snow, the worst of winter had already come and gone. There had been much progress in this past 2 weeks. The clocktower and official government building had been completed while Kiefer had finished digging out the irrigation canal from Shearwood lake, leading through the plains and ending in the farmlands. He was not worried about the water supply to the farms as a simple spell could always work wonders in conjuring the rain. However, he was still quite displeased with his own progress, still unable to make any headway with the netherworld portal. There was no one to teach him anything new and he had no way of gaining any new insights. Deciding that he had plenty of time to work on it, Kiefer focused on his next objective which was to begin the very next day. Isana had spent that day running around Mutatis gathering and preparing for the trip. They had decided to take the leisurely trip towards the north instead of flying there through the skies. Having been through so much troubles and excitement during his time in Aioa, Kiefer desired a change of pace in his life and Isana agreed with him. There was no way she was going to pass up the chance to spend some quality time in peace and quiet with her chosen one. The trip would be a honeymoon of sorts, except that Sher and Feir would be tagging along too. For the first time since their return from Drigor, Mutatis would go without a titan. Kiefer trusted Alwin and the high elf mages with the security within Mutatis. Rashael would return to Mutatis once they met up in the north and he¡¯s relayed the information regarding the metal veins. Isana had gone around buying all sorts of ingredients, pots and pans, and feed for the horses during the day. She packed at least 3 months¡¯ worth of foodstuff in her PD, along with a small carriage and 2 horses. The horses and carriage were already parked outside their house by the time Kiefer returned. Kiefer spent the night studying the map that Buffon had given him a year ago, carefully plotting a path. They would have to cut through Rashael Province and then make their way around a short mountain range before they could be considered to be within Isana¡¯s province. Considering the pace they were going to be travelling at, he estimated a few month¡¯s duration for the round trip to and from Mutatis. The night was long and slow, but Kiefer did not sleep. He took a last look at Mutatis from the air, looking at the city he built. Rashael had made some unexpected changes, but they were beneficial to the city so he just let it go. Rashael had linked all the street lamps to the clock tower and they dimmed considerably after night fell for some hours. This made it easier for the residents to sleep unlike in Latiase where the lamps were bright all day and night. The carriage had 4 wooden wheels, the front 2 being slightly smaller than the back 2. It had a roof over the top and openings in the front and back. Unlike the more luxurious carriages used by the Varradon household in Diantes, Kiefer¡¯s did not have doors on the side that swung open. Instead, there were steps hanging from the back that allowed them to step inside from the rear. The driver had a seat of his own located between the horses and the passenger carriage, but without a roof. With a few tweaks, Kiefer molded what was left of his orihalcom into spiked metal plates that coated the wheels to allow for more traction within the snow. Runes were carved on the underside of the carriage to make it weightless, hence easing the load on the horses. Taking a look at the horses, Kiefer could not help but pity them as they trembled non-stop, not from the cold but from the fear of the 3 titans so close to their vicinity. Giving them a pat on their heads, Kiefer carved small repulsion runes between the axle and the center of the wheels where they came in contact with the axle. This was his temporary solution for a makeshift suspension system, at least until he could redesign the wheels altogether. Finally, he replaced the single driver¡¯s seat with an extended cushion that could seat 2 adults. Removing the seats from within the carriage, he added a small roof over the driver¡¯s cushion and padded the entire carriage with thick, soft blankets. With the remodeling done, Kiefer looked at the clock tower with his enhanced vision to check the time. Only 3 hours left till sunrise, he chose to take 40 winks before starting his journey. Unexpectedly, He was awoken with Sher straddling him on his back and shaking him awake. Normally, given the cold weather and Sher¡¯s cold blooded nature, she would be asleep for a few more hours, at least until the sun¡¯s rays hit the bed. But now, Isana was facing the mirror tying her long white hair into a ponytail while Sher was wide awake, even before the sun had come up. Kiefer got up, took a quick bath and got dressed, swinging the Seraplor mantle around over his shoulder and clipping the metal pins together to secure both sides. Isana already had her Seraplor mantle on while Sher was dressed in a warm winter coat. Stepping outside into the lightly snowing backyard, Kiefer rubbed his hands and breathed into it, his breath forming a thick white mist. He looked into the grey dawn sky, covered with clouds and took in the moment. Feir was already in dog mode, staring intently at the horses as if they were slabs of meat waiting to be served for dinner. With Sher seated on his lap and Isana leaning against him from his right side, Kiefer whipped the reins, urging the petrified horses to start moving. The horses broke into a trot from their slow walking pace just as they exited the city gates. Feir followed next to the carriage, running at speeds that didn¡¯t seem possible for his short legs, each step covering a few metres. With this, Kiefer took one last look at his city as Isana¡¯s grip around his arm tightened. The reassurance of his family made leaving his home all that much easier, knowing that home is wherever his family was. The morning sun finally rose over the horizon, the first rays of light hitting a Titanless Mutatis. Chapter 3.11 - The homesickness and The Way home Even though the sun rose quite some time ago, it was still dark out within the forest. There was no clear path through the undergrowth in this part of the Agrean forest since it was seldom traversed by merchants or patrol squads. Nevertheless, Kiefer had easily levelled the ground and cleared a small path wide enough for the carriage to pass through the last 4 days of their journey. It was quite evident the way they came through, with a trail of smooth earthen ground behind the carriage and dense untouched forest ground in front. Right at this moment though, they were in a small clearing that Kiefer had prepared where they had spent the night. The campfire was smouldering and on its last breath, cinders barely staying alive in this cold. Dirty pots were strewn on the ground next to the campfire as snow was falling into the clearing where there were no trees to shelter the family. Kiefer climbed out the rear of the carriage where they had slept for the night, his feet sinking into the fresh snow. There, Isana was packing up the pots and pans after washing them in a basin of water that Kiefer had prepared and kept warm last night. The water was meant for morning tea but now it was dirty and greasy. Kiefer smiled, and pulled out another steel jug from hi PD as he cast a mall flame to heat up the snow he gathered within. Within minutes Feir started waking up from the aroma of the tea that Isana and Kiefer were enjoying. Stretching and yawning while letting his tongue hang from his jaws, Feir hopped off from the roof of the carriage where he slept and shook off the snow that had gathered on his grey fur. On the wooden roof of the carriage was a circular spot that was not covered in snow. Having stashed everything away in their PD, Kiefer climbed up onto the driver¡¯s seat and started the carriage moving once more, simultaneously ripping trees out of the ground in front of them and packing the uneven ground into a smooth path with his mana ropes. Isana was in the carriage looking out the back where they left footprints and wheel tracks in the snow. Finally arriving at a familiar location a few hours later, Kiefer stopped to let the horses rehydrate. There he was, standing next to a river that led to a sheer vertical drop some distance away. There was a thin layer of ice hugging the banks where the water flow was quite slow, while the middle of the river was rushing past rapidly. The distant roar of the waterfall could be heard and just being there woke Sher up from her slumber. Below the waterfall was Sher¡¯s lake and the irrigation canal that Kiefer had dug out. Kiefer stood over the waterfall, remembering his arduous first week after Grandu transported him here. Right below, was the tiny cave where he had hit the ground after a botched skydiving experience. He remembered his first shelter, the mana poisoning, the trenitt that ate his shelter and the fight with Sher. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Isana questioned, sticking her head out the carriage, watching Kiefer deliberate over the waterfall. ¡°Master is feeling homesick.¡± Sher chimed in. ¡°This is where he first arrived in Aioa after he died in his world. I think he is remembering what happened before he arrived here.¡± Isana turned back to look at Kiefer, carefully observing his facial expressions. Kiefer had a longing look in his eye, staring at the waterfall like it was something that he could not reach. He smiled slightly, a solemn sad smile that pierced Isana¡¯s heart. Then, as his eyes met Isana¡¯s, the smile turned brighter and he made his way back to the carriage. ¡°Do you miss your home?¡± Isana asked, the conversation about returning to Kiefer¡¯s world re-emerging in her head, the worries resurfacing. ¡°Yes.¡± Kiefer replied, looking back at the waterfall. ¡°But if I had the choice to stay here with you, or go back to earth alone, I¡¯d choose you.¡± He continued, quelling Isana¡¯s worries. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break here? You can tell me more about your world.¡± Isana suggested, to which Sher and Feir immediately perked up. They were eager to learn more about their master, to understand the man that came to overpower them and care for them. ¡°Sure why not?¡± Kiefer smiled back sweetly, taking out a trough filled with horse feed and placing it in front of the horses. He returned into the carriage and sat cross legged on the soft blanket across from Isana. Sher was leaning next to Isana while Feir was on her lap. ¡°My world used to be like Aioa, except without titans, mana and mages. However, that was probably several hundred years before I was born. The only intelligent species were humans. We did not have elfs, dwarves or demi-humans. Instead of magic, we had science. It helped us understand ourselves, others and our surroundings. We developed tools to help us advance and to make our lives more comfortable. Great machines capable to mining what would take a hundred miners a month within a day. Special equipment that helped us look into the stars and study not just what was limited to our planet, but many other planets beyond our galaxy.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Galacksy?¡± Isana asked? Never having heard that term before. ¡°Yes galaxy. It is what our planet and probably this planet too belongs too. We each have our own galaxies. Imagine if Aioa were a grain of sand, then the galaxy it is in would probably be bigger than this whole planet.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Wow, soo big!!¡± Sher exclaimed, excited by the new knowledge. ¡°Yes it is. It is a constant reminder to my race that no matter our achievements, we are merely insignificant beings carrying out our lives in a grand universe that is beyond our understanding. It serves to humble us as we learn more. My job was to learn and discover things previously unknown to the world. There is a saying that goes like this ¨C the more we know, the more we know just how much we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°The more we know the more we don¡¯t know?¡± Sher chimed in, trying to make sense of what Kiefer said. Kiefer simply ignored her and kept going. ¡°Then we studied the really small, to try to understand how and why things work the way they do. Why we exist, how it all began, what affects us and how we can use the knowledge to help humanity. Everything was an effort to improve our lives and extend our influence.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Hmm.. sounds like a great place to be living in. it sounds so civilised and peaceful.¡± Isana commented, imagining a perfect world without any conflicts. ¡°It is, in some parts of the world. Conflict and war has always been a key part of my planet¡¯s history. There will always be people with different ideologies and goals. It is not as peaceful as you think. To make matters worse, because we are so advanced, we put our knowledge to use in the worst possible ways, making massive weapons that could wipe out the earth of all life several times over.¡± Kiefer corrected Isana, who seemed shocked at the thought of global destruction in an instance. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your home like Isana?¡± Kiefer asked in return. ¡°Well, there is nothing much to say really. It¡¯s just a cave where I usually sleep in. Everything is white there, except the sky where sometimes, there are pretty lights that I can watch. There are no humans in the north, just dwarves that live underground. There are plenty of wyverns though, and they all listen to me.¡± Isana described, thinking back of the mountain that she had left more than a year ago. ¡°And what about plants? Are there any animals other than wyverns?¡± Kiefer asked, now interested in the place he was about to visit. ¡°There are a few trees here and there but not enough to form a forest. We have snow berries that grow in thorny bushes. Other than that, it¡¯s mostly just sparsely spread bushes and small plants that can resist the cold. There is one animal that most of the others feed on. They are called Pingest, and they look like trenitts, but only with 2 eyes and no tail. They are pure white and their teeth could bite through rock if need be. Their skin is tough but their flesh is delicious. Most wyverns and seraplors choose to hunt these little creatures. But these buggers don¡¯t go down without a fight. They will often bite their attackers so hard their predator ends up howling in pain and releasing their jaws.¡± Isana mused, thinking back on a memory that Kiefer had no knowledge on. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll understand when you get there. It¡¯s not as desolate as you might think, and once you go underground, you will be able to meet the geniuses who actually built small towns and villages underground.¡± Isana continued. *grrooowwlll¡­¡­* Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the deep menacing growl that interrupted their conversation. There they saw Feir sitting up with his tail tucked between his hind legs. His chin was down and he looked up at Kiefer and Isana with puppy eyes. ¡°Sorry master¡­ I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ I¡¯m a little hungry.¡± Feir apologised, making Isana chuckle while Kiefer just smiled. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s almost lunch time anyway. How about I catch some fresh fish and Isana and Sher can whip something up fast?¡± Kiefer addressed the group, to which Feir nodded vigorously while Isana got up to climb out the carriage. Hovering above the lake where Sher used to call her home, Kiefer sent out a wave of mana to sense for any large fish within the water. However, something seemed off and he kept sending out wave after wave to confirm that he had not imagined it. Confused and curious, Kiefer lowered himself and stepped into the cavern behind the waterfall once more. This was the first time he had re-entered the cave ever since he left it. There, coming from within the depths of the cave, was a mana signature that seemed to completely cancel out his mana wave. It felt like the time he stumbled across the spatial barrier around Arigan. Kiefer cautiously made his way into the dimly lit cavern, the only light coming from what was reflected off the water surface outside. There was a familiar feel of gravel and rocks below his feet, the constant dripping of cold river water from the roof. A steady chilly winter breeze blowing in puffs of water mist from the waterfall enveloped the cavern¡¯s airspace. The last time he was here, Kiefer was completely naked, just torn away from his family. And yet now, he was lavishly dressed, and together with his new family. Kiefer readied himself for battle, wondering if it was another magical beast that that taken up residence in this cave. His mana wave could only distinguish between living and non-living things based on the amount of his mana particles that were converted away. He did not know what to expect, feeling exactly like he did when he first landed here. As Kiefer made a final corner, there he saw on the ledge where he had fallen, the cause of the feedback from his mana wave. There was absolutely nothing but air. He sent out yet another pulse and sure enough, the very spot on the stone ledge completely annihilated the mana particles in his pulse, as if it was a void that sucked all mana in. Waving his hand over the ledge, sitting on it and standing up to look at it again, Kiefer could find nothing wrong with the particular spot. There was absolutely nothing wrong except for the mana disappearance. ¡°No frikkin way¡­ it couldn¡¯t be¡± Kiefer thought, a sudden idea developing in his head. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been this simple.¡± Pausing and considering his options, he decided to just go for it and see what happens. Not even considering returning to inform Isana, Kiefer was overwhelmed by his new discovery and urge to test out his new hypothesis. He opened a PD above the ledge, in the space where the feedback from his pulse came from. However, only a familiar white space greeted him. It was still just his PD and nothing more. Rethinking his methods, Kiefer began spreading out his mana to coat the entirety of the cave. With what he was about to do, he did not like the idea of the cave collapsing down on him and bringing the torrential force of the cold river and waterfall down along with the cave. Once the mana barrier was laid out, Kiefer concentrated on the same spot above the ledge and took a deep breath. Concentrating his mana particles in a point, he compressed and crushed them, opening a small singularity. Immediately, air within the cavern started being sucked in, bringing in a rain of cold water from the entrance. He extended the black point into a vertical line and opened it from the middle like undoing a zip. Eventually, there, above the ledge, was a black circle that had the markings of what resembled a PD. ¡°No way. I can¡¯t believe it worked.¡± Kiefer muttered out loud, staring into the new portal he had ripped in spacetime. Instead of the pure white canvas that greeted him every time he opened the PD, this time, he was staring at a dark ocean surface, with slow rippling waves from about 50m in the air. However, the surprising thing though was not the ocean surface. It was the single crescent moon that was reflected off the water surface. Chapter 3.12 - The choice and the Natives please note that from this chapter onwards, things might get a little confusing with the difference in time due to time dilation and distortion in spacetime. If any of these physics is a turn off for you, please let me know so i can tune it down to a level that pleases most of you. however, if you really cannot take it with the explanations and stuff, please just ignoe them, keeping in mind that time does not travel at the same speed. it is not really a crucial part of the story, but it adds a little finesse to the plot. hope you enjoy this chapter, though it may be a disappointment for some of you.
¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Isana mumbled, staring at the ocean surface.¡± It seems quite a bit more¡­ desolate¡­ than what I imagined. Right now, there were 3 titans and one abnormal human cramped into the tiny cave, all staring at the vertical portal on the stone ledge. While the portal took quite some mana to open, it was self-sustaining and did not need any mana to be held open. Hence Kiefer had gone to bring his family into the cave to inspect the portal. ¡°So? What do you think we should do?¡± Kiefer asked, looking at his family for their opinions. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to return home? Why are you hesitating now? The solution is right before your eyes.¡± Isana urged him, encouraging him to enter the portal. ¡°No, I did say that, but now that the way home has appeared quite ahead of time, I¡¯m not entirely sure what my next step is now. There are so many questions. Since there is no mana on earth, will I still be able to return here after I go back to earth? Will the portal close behind me once I fall through? What will I do if I¡¯m stuck on the other side?¡± Kiefer bombarded Isana with these questions. Picking up a fist sized rock from the cave floor, Sher threw the rock into the portal to see if the rock will really go through. She did this while Kiefer was still conversing with Isana, and they did not catch her movements. ¡°Master look!¡± Sher exclaimed, pointing at the portal. As Kiefer and Isana turned their attention to the portal, they saw a rock floating in the airspace on the other side of the portal. However, upon closer observation, Kiefer realised that the rock was not floating stationary, but instead falling really slowly. The portal seemed to have opened horizontally from a height of about 50m above the ocean surface in earth. What should have taken the rock no more than 9 to 10 seconds to fall was now taking it almost a minute. Finally hitting the ocean surface and making a small splash in the slowly moving ocean waves, Kiefer estimated that the rock took a little more than 6 times longer than usual to fall. This could mean 1 of 2 things. 1, the earth¡¯s gravitational field was now much smaller than what it used to be. Or 2, there is a time dilation effect on earth compared to Aioa as earth might be caught in a far more distorted spacetime than Aioa. Kiefer immediately eliminated the first option, owing to the fact that with a diminished gravitational field, Earth would not be able to sustain a moon in orbit which he could clearly see in the reflection off the water surface. Kiefer and Isana quickly moved to the side of the cave to discuss their future plans while Sher and Feir continued chucking rocks into the portal in some sort of competition. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should go to earth right now.¡± Kiefer whispered to Isana, continuing to raise his concerns. ¡°The time on earth runs slower than here on Aioa. By my estimates, 1 week there would be almost 7 weeks here on Aioa. I¡¯m not sure how long our tri on earth would last, so I suggest coming back only after we have settled everything we could here.¡± ¡°True. It would be unwise to leave Mutatis unattended for too long. A few months is not a problem but if like you said, we do get stuck on the other side, it may be years before we get back. I also think its best if we come back here at a later date.¡± Isana agreed to Kiefer¡¯s argument. Having made a decision quickly, Kiefer called over Sher and Feir to inform them of the plan. ¡°Ok, right now, we are not sure what will happen on the other side of the portal, so I will seal this cave up so no one else finds the portal. We will proceed as planned to Isana¡¯s home after lunch and then return to Mutatis.¡± Kiefer announce. The entire party nodded at his instructions and started heading out the cave. ¡°Hang on for a moment. There is one last thing I want to test out.¡± Kiefer said, as he opened his PD. From within the PD, Kiefer fished out a small cream coloured moonstone rock. He channelled his mana into the rock and after a short while, the small cream rock had turned pitch black, indicating that it is now filled to the brim with mana. Next, Kiefer pulled out the ropes he would use to secure the horses at night and tied one end to the black moonstone. He threw the moonstone into the portal and waited to observe any change. Sher, Isana and Feir got tired of waiting, so they chose to cook from the ingredients stored in Isana¡¯s PD. Kiefer alone stayed inside the cave, his hands holding onto the rope that suspended the moonstone on earth. After 2 hours, Isana returned to see Kiefer still staring intently at the rock. Tapping on his shoulder to break his concentration, Isana held out a bowl of warm soup for Kiefer. Kiefer finally fished the moonstone back through the portal and inspected it with one hand. The black moonstone had turned a navy blue shade, showing that it had lost some mana. Judging by the time he spent hanging the rock, Kiefer estimated that the rock took about 20 earth minutes to lose that mana, which meant that there was a considerable rate of mana loss once they reached the other side of the portal. ¡°Hmmm.. this will be troublesome.¡± Kiefer thought, while feeding himself a spoonful of soup. ¡°The titans can generate their own mana so I doubt it will be a problem for them, but it will only mean I don¡¯t have a way to restore my mana once I spend it. Even if I sealed of my mana leakage, things like my armour and the moon crystal will still lose its stored mana. I guess I¡¯ll have to work on that during the time before we decide to return here.¡± Finally sealing the portion of the cave with the portal in it with his orihalcom, Kiefer piled rocks on the orihalcom wall, making the cave look quite a bit shorter and smaller than what it actually was. The portal was completely encased in his orihalcom metal, so wind mages would not be able to detect the mana void caused by the portal. With lunch out of the way, the horses broke into a light trot as they crossed the river on Kiefer¡¯s mana bridge, heading north towards the shoreline. The trip was rather uneventful afterwards, but that was only because the animals stayed away from the titans and bandits steered clear of the man in complete black armour standing on the roof of the carriage. Kiefer¡¯s performance at the arena made him quite famous in the Shearwood province and he was notorious as the black demon mage. Of course, the man standing on the roof was merely an image that Feir conjured up while Kiefer held the reins to the horses.
The Isana province was separated from the rest of the main continent by a mountain range. The mountains spanned across the lands from the east coast to the west, forming a natural fortress out of the northern province. The temperature dropped steadily the further up north Kiefer and his family travelled. Just crossing Rashael province to reach the base of the first mountain took nearly 2 months, with spring swinging around and temperatures picking up in the rest of Aioa. The lush dense forest had slowly become sparse and made way for mounds of snow and thick thorny bushes. There were a few fir trees here and there but even they were draped in a white coat of snow. The carriage had undergone quite a severe makeover since they were last at Shearwood lake. Kiefer had bought some paint in a village that he stopped by on the way and redesigned his carriage/ Painting it white with grey shades and a few black jagged stripes, Kiefer¡¯s new artwork was meant to help the carriage blend in with the surroundings. However, this, and the Titan¡¯s aura did not keep a starving Seraplor from trying to make a meal out of one of the horses. The feline master of camouflage shot out from nowhere and barely grazed one of the horses with its claws before it was taught how to fly by Kiefer. Kiefer took out some steel ingots and molded them using his mana furnace and molds to craft some sturdy armour for the horses. After he was done, the timid horses now looked like veteran war horses with plate armour that covered their backs, necks and the top of their snout. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. That attack happened about a week ago and right now, Kiefer was guiding the carriage up the side of a mountain on a winding and precarious path that threatened to break off into a steep fall at any moment. Kiefer was dressed in a light short sleeved cotton shirt and leather pants over his mithril skin. Seated on the driver¡¯s cushion, Kiefer carefully pulled on the reins to slow the horses down as they made yet another hairpin turn up the mountain side. The family was snuggled inside the carriage while the horses were starting to run out of breath from the thin air. Even then, they were lucky that Kiefer could shield them from the cold and blistering winds that accompanied a trip up the mountains. Within a 10m radius from where Kiefer was seated, snow and ice were melting as the temperature hovered around a comfortable 25 degrees. Kiefer had tweaked his dome shield a little so that the mana particles destroy themselves to release a wave of thermal energy into the dome. The exterior of the dome kept out the wind and any incoming ice and snow that were blowing wildly around them. ¡°mmmmnn..¡± Kiefer stretched his tired arms and legs as he looked around him. ¡°I really hope this snow storm clears up soon. I chose to take the slow route to the north for the view. I can¡¯t see anything in this weather.¡± He muttered under his breath. Trudging through the snowstorm, Kiefer eventually made it down the mountain back onto a short valley range. The snow covered landscape was bright and glaring. The storm was only present above the halfway point of the mountain, but still blew some snow down onto the valleys. The sun¡¯s rays reflected off the white snow pierced his eyes as the snow around him melted the moment it entered his dome. *pting! Pting pting!* Without warning, 3 silvery arrows deflected off the dome shield and embedded themselves within the snow some distance away. Kiefer had not been paying attention, only looking around to find the source of the attack once the arrows had fallen. What followed seemed like a wall of arrows that closed in from the sides, all bouncing off the dome shield and colliding with more incoming arrows. ¡°Whats going on?¡± Isana asked, lifting the front tarp to the side and poking her head out of the carriage. ¡°It seems we are under attack. Any idea who they might be? It IS your province you know.¡± Kiefer replied, not the least bit concerned with the futile attack. The carriage had stopped moving in the middle of an open field that was littered with snow berry bushes. ¡°CHAAARGGEEE!!! If we catch them, we get meat for our dinner tonight!!¡± A single yell rang out through the snow. Following which, there was a thunderous roar of at least several hundred men that shook the ground and threatened avalanches in the nearby mountains. Then, from under the thick blanket of snow and from behind the thorny bushes, dwarves came dashing out on their short legs, looking like human toddlers that are trying to run. ¡°MEEEAAATTTT!!!!¡± They all roared, eyes locked onto the horses as they charged towards the carriage with axes, picks and hammers held in their arms. Kiefer couldn¡¯t help but chuckle out loud at the comedic scene unfolding before his eyes as the first dwarf collides with the dome shield chin first. He was knocked back, only to be pushed forwards again by his brothers, who also collided into the dome shield in succession. Soon, there was a pile-up of confused, disarrayed dwarves with their short legs entangled in the mess of bodies. Kiefer stepped down from the driver¡¯s seat and stood at the border of his dome shield, watching the dwarves re-establish their ranks in neat rows surrounding the carriage. They didn¡¯t seem to see him, with only the horses in their sight. Then, someone in the corner yelled out a single word, ¡°PINGS!!!¡± The dwarves all turned their heads in the direction of the yell like a school of fish, their eyes now locked onto a family of Pingest that were petrified by the roar. With a flurry of motion, arrows were once again fired that did not penetrate the skin of the Pingest. However, they managed to knock the animals off balance. This gave the rushing dwarves enough time to surround the group of 10 Pingests huddled and trembling in fear. Within moments, the little herbivores were caught and bound by ropes. They were then thrown into an iron basket with the top shut and locked. With the Pingest distraction over, they once again turned their hungry eyes to the horses, to which Kiefer finally stepped out of his dome and yelled. ¡°STOOOP!!¡± Kiefer bellowed, but to no avail as the dwarves slowly began taking steps towards the carriage. Finally, they stopped about 10 steps away from Kiefer, inspecting him as if he was some strange creature. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Is that thing an animal?¡± ¡°But im sure he spoke our language.¡± ¡°Can we eat him?¡± ¡°Is that more meat?¡± ¡°What should we do? The horses look tasty.¡± ¡°Call the boss?¡± ¡°Yea let¡¯s call the boss.¡± The swarm of dwarves all whispered amongst themselves in a hushed voice, all looking at Kiefer with great interest. ¡°I can hear all of you, y¡¯know¡± Kiefer answered back aloud. They were blatantly discussing whether or not they should eat him, right in front of him. ¡°Who are you? What are you?¡± a single dwarf stepped out from the masses, addressing Kiefer. This dwarf was no taller than Buffon, but was far more ripped, with broader shoulders and thicker arms. If need be, he could be likened to Buffon on steroids. ¡°My name is Kiefer. I¡¯m a human who¡¯ve come from the south to visit these lands. Might I ask who you are and why you are so hell bent on eating me and my horses for dinner?¡± Kiefer asked politely, bowing a little as he introduced himself. However, just at that time, Feir jumped out of the back of the carriage in his small dog form, which garnered the drooling stares of all the other dwarves on site. Whispers could be heard within the mass of dwarves, with the words ¡®food¡¯ and ¡®meat¡¯ being repeated constantly. ¡°We are the Nemean Tribe. We are dwarves that live underground. I have never heard of any humans making it past the mountains. Seeing as you have made it past safely, I¡¯m going to assume that you are either considerably lucky, or have some way of making it past the treacherous slopes and snowstorms. Either way, you are not welcome here, so please return to whence you came before one of my men decide to take a bite out of your horses.¡± The leader instructed Kiefer, not even bothering to introduce himself. ¡°Aha! So you are the guy I¡¯m looking for. Looks like I found you quicker than I expected.¡± Kiefer replied, not backing down and instead, walking up to the dwarves. As he approached them, they all raised their weapons in precaution, ready to attack at their leader¡¯s orders. ¡°Oh? And why might you be looking for the Nemean tribe?¡± The leader turned around once more to ask, amused by Kiefer¡¯s attempt to continue talking. ¡°I¡¯m here to help you. I might just have a way for you to live on the surface. I¡¯m sure then you will not be so desperate to hunt for meat like you are doing right now, since you will be able to grow and raise your own animals.¡± Kiefer explained. At Kiefer¡¯s words, all the eyes of the dwarves began to luster with a sparkle that seemed fit only for princesses. It was like they had just met their saviour, and thinking about all the meat they could eat made their gaping mouth¡¯s drool. ¡°You¡¯ve got my attention now, Kiefer. Tell me exactly how you are going to raise animals in this cold desolate land?¡± the leader asked once more, though a sparkle could also be seen in his eyes. ¡°Like this,¡± Kiefer replied, as a warm light bathed down on the valley that they were currently in. Chapter 3.13 - The Dome and The Progress Hello all. Once again, I apologise for my late upload. been a really busy week for me. I''ve been swamped with work, christmas decorations and holiday planning it''s so hectic. But nonetheless, I managed to squeeze a chapter out during my spare free time, so hooray me! A few things to note for my fiction going forward from now. (Spoiler alert) 1- the colony ship is going through time at the same speed as Aioa because they are within the same system, while earth''s time is moving slower than the ship and Aioa''s. 2 - i''ve had many questions of whether Sher is going to become a love interest of Kiefer. Since i did not put a ''harem'' tag on my fiction, im going to destroy all your hopes right now and say no. 3 - in case some of you do not read the comments, I will explain it again here. Kiefer chose not to close the portal to earth because he was not confident in re-opening it again. the time he managed to open it was pure luck and he did not know how it worked, so he chose to seal it instead of closing it in fear that he might not be able to open it again. 4- Do you guys find my plots very predictable? because i read the comments and i see some of you predict what is going to happen and i''m like, noooo... why did you have to spoil it for other people.. but obviously i cannot say that since replying to said comments would be onfirming or denying your predictions, like for example, the whole eco-dome thingy. Anyways, thats all for me until a little later. Enjoy the read.
¡°Hoooh¡­ That is impressive. But regardless, I still don¡¯t know you and you me. Why are you offering to help my tribe?¡± The Dwarf leader asked. ¡°That¡¯s easy. Because I can, and I want to. And also, my wife wants me to help you, so what better reason is there?¡± Kiefer replied. ¡°Your wife? And who would that be?¡± The leader asked. ¡°That would be me.¡± Isana cut in, climbing out of the rear of the carriage. She then changed into her titan dragon form, staring down on the swarm of dwarves who seem to become even shorter in contrast to the titanic dragon. Immediately, all the dwarves knelt down on one knee, chins down and facing the ground. ¡°Elder Titan Isana! We are humbled to be in your presence!¡± The leader spoke on behalf of all the dwarves. ¡°Good. Now lead me and my husband to your village so we can start making preparations to change this province for the better.¡± Isana ordered, changing back into her human form. Moments later, Kiefer found himself descending a ridiculously long ladder down underground. The dwarves had built a system of ladders and tunnels underground, the hatches on the surface camouflaged by snow and fake snowberry bushes. It was not a straight climb down though, with resting stops every 50m or so. After 4 resting stops, the family of titans now found themselves walking down a dimly lit tunnel that seemed to bend and split into multiple other tunnels. ¡°Welcome to my Village¡± the leader dwarf announced, stretching his arms out to showcase the underground village. The village comprised of 20 odd small wooden huts in a low ceiling cavern. The walls were lit with glowing rocks and it was quite warm down in the ground. The ceiling was only 2m high, but for dwarves, it was enough. The overall atmosphere was a dark and gloomy one, had it not been for the jovial singing of dwarves from what seemed to be a tavern bar in one of the bigger wooden huts. ¡°Why hello there!¡± Rashael greeted, his head sticking down from the ceiling, surprising the group. ¡°Stop messing around Rashael. I¡¯ve got important things to do, and I¡¯m sure you will want to be in on it too, so let¡¯s get to work.¡± Kiefer replied, to which Rashael frowned, but dropped down from the Ceiling next to Kiefer all the same. ¡°There are quite a few rich mithril veins in this mountain range, but I have yet to find any orihalcom. Are you really going to build Icarus 2.0? I don¡¯t think I can find another mana stone that big again.¡± Rashael reported, dusting his cream coloured robe. ¡°What about iron?¡± Kiefer asked, weighing out his options due to the limited materials he had to work with. ¡°We have plenty of iron ores ready to go if you want them. We just have yet to smelt them into ingots due to the severe lack of firewood to run the furnaces.¡± The dwarf leader replied. ¡°That¡¯ll do. I can smelt them myself mister¡­?¡± Kiefer trailed off, only realising now that he had failed to get the name of the leader. ¡°Name¡¯s Birune. Why don¡¯t you follow me, the iron store is in another village, not too far from here.¡± Birune replied, changing directions abruptly to head towards an exit to the left. Kiefer¡¯s party followed him through yet another series of tunnels and finally arrived at a sweltering opening some 15 minutes¡¯ walk away. ¡°Here¡¯s where we do most of our metal works. We usually use the geothermal vent supplemented by firewood to burn our furnaces but this time of year, the vent itself isn¡¯t very hot, so we would be wasting wood trying to do any work here. There¡¯s our storage house for iron, feel free to take what you need.¡± Birune pointed. Kiefer could see a warm red glow between cracks in the ground. Where there were potholes in the ground, the dwarves had set up a furnace with a casting pot to melt the ores in. Right now, only the furnace right in the west corner was functional since it was the biggest. The smaller ones were simply not hot enough to melt metals. Kiefer lifted the warehouse containing the iron ores and stored it away within his PD, slightly surprised that the dwarves were being so cooperative without even questioning him much. The next few days were spent rallying the entire dwarven tribe to the deposits of rich mithril veins and mining it out. There were 3 that were closest to the valley according to Rashael, and with the help of Kiefer, the Dwarf rehabilitation project was well underway. They worked in shifts under Icarus¡¯s warm light, supplemented by Isana and Sher¡¯s cooking. Soon, Kiefer had laid out an uncountable number of iron ingots and barely enough mithril ingots to make a smaller version of Icarus. Feir and Kiefer got to work on the mithril, making short work of the limited supply of the precious metal. The new Icarus was designed slightly different from the first model. It had only 2 wings spanning 20m by 10m, compared to the 6 huge wings of the original. There was no moonstone core but instead, a cylindrical steel fixture that secured the 2 wings together. Engraved all arounf the steel core were runes to aid with the movement and positioning of the device. Of those runes, one was an anti-gravity rune similar to what was keeping Icarus afloat, and another was a mana-link rune. The next step of the plan was to level out the uneven valley to make space for the new settlement. The valley itself was sandwiched between mountains on all 4 sides, measuring only 10 km on its short side and 15 km on its long side. Kiefer only flattened out what was required, which was a 5km radial circle. Then, began the most tedious and mind-numbing step of the entire plan. For this, Kiefer had to do it alone as no one other than him could manipulate the metal like he did. Not even Feir had the level of control and the smarts to design the runes like he did. Heating, pulling and molding the steel ingots, Kiefer drew the ingots into long thick cables that he laid out along the circumference of the cleared land. Then, he created a 2km long steel triangulated frame that he painted in a waterproof paint to minimise rusting in the future. It took Kiefer 3 days to complete the massive structure, along with the help of at least 20 dwarves Sher and Feir to do quite a bit of the heavy lifting. Kiefer propped it upright in the middle of the circle, hammering it deep into the ground for anchorage and securing it with steel cables anchored to the ground at regular intervals. Finally, to support to radio-tower-esque steel frame, Kiefer made a small 5m umbrella on the top made of mithril with runes carved into it to form a small barrier around the top end of the tower to protect it against strong winds. With the tower erected, and the 10km wide rune on the ground completed, Kiefer launched the mini-Icarus into the stratosphere. Within moments, the new satellite began working and the mana link channelled mana from the satellite onto the umbrella at the top of the tower. A thin film of silvery mana could be seen slowly extending outwards from the umbrella. At the same time, from the ground, the same film was working its way up from the edges of the rune. Shutting off Icarus, Snow began falling again soon, but stopped the instant the silvery films from the ground and the umbrella met in midair. The slight sheen of silver was almost invisible, but began emitting heat into the large dome ¡°There, it¡¯s done Isana.¡± Kiefer said, putting his arm around her waist as they both watched the dome flicker at certain angles in the sunlight. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly like Icarus, but it should work for now. I adapted the idea from my dome shield that I was using to warm ourselves during the trip. They have plenty of space to expand and if need be, I can always make another trip down to construct another dome elsewhere. We can start with one and soon your province will be bustling with these geodomes.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.¡°Thank you Kiefer. Really. Thank you so much.¡± Isana spoke softly, smiling sweetly at the sight of the dwarves enjoying the warmth and marvelling at the ingenuity of the tower and dome. ¡°Birune. I suggest you build a perimeter wall outside the dome, just to keep the rune safe. I¡¯ve placed it underground for now, but you can dig around it and build an underground chamber to hold the rune at a later date. I¡¯m sure a master craftsman race like the dwarves will be able to whip up something like that quickly.¡± Kiefer suggested, speaking to Birune. ¡°Oh and also, here take this.¡± Kiefer continued, pulling out what looked to be a huge metal furnace covered in runic engravings. The furnace was at least 4m tall and could easily hold all the ore that he had just used to build the dome. There was a lever on the wall at the bottom that opened a hole in the wall to drain the molten slag and metals down. The runic markings were designed to activate once the huge lid on the top was shut, pumping out thermal energy straight into the cavity. The entire furnace was picked up using his mana ropes and placed in a spot not too far from the tower. ¡°I foresee a rise in demand for metal works in the near future. I don¡¯t expect the Grandu continent to be continuing its trade for very much longer, so you dwarves would be the sole provider of metals and ores. This is just to help you get started since there is a lack of fuel in this cold weather. Until then, use it to build your city.¡± Kiefer smiled wryly to which Birune only shrugged and Sher chuckled. ¡°Thank you once again, for this new chance in a life above ground you have provided us.¡± Birune bowed, his head almost touching the ground. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. However, I really should be going now. There is an urgent matter that I have to attend to. Come Rashael, I drove the whole way here. I need a substitute driver so I can spend some time with Sher and Isana.¡± Kiefer beckoned, holding Sher¡¯s hands and Isana¡¯s waist. ¡°Whaaaat.. No matter what, isn¡¯t this going a little overboard? I helped you scout out the metal veins and came all this way alone too. Now you want me to be your driver? No way man. I ain¡¯t going to sit there and hold the reins while you enjoy your time with your family.¡± Rashael refused outright, not pleased at how Kiefer was treating him. ¡°Well, you agreed to do the scouting in exchange for the plans for the new Icarus attachment. Plus, you got to witness my new creation which is the geodome. What I¡¯m offering you now will only make you more interested. After all, if you don¡¯t follow us, you won¡¯t be able to find this secret wormhole.¡± Kiefer rebutted, grinning from ear to ear. He knew he had Rashael right where he wanted and could control this knowledge-thirsty titan however he wanted. ¡°Ha! Worm hole? Did you forget? I can move through the ground as if it were air. I can find as many worm holes as I want. What is so interesting about yours?¡± Rashael argued back, misunderstanding Kiefer¡¯s words. ¡°Just so you know, a worm hole is not a hole made by a worm you numbskull. A wormhole is a term used on my world to refer to a tunnel through space that acts as a shortcut between 2 points in space and time, essentially warping reality to create a channel for something to pass through. And this wormhole I found, leads back to my home world. You interested yet?¡± Kiefer teased Rashael. At the point where Kiefer mentioned returning to his world, Rashael¡¯s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. He kept silent immediately and climbed up onto the driver seat, turning to look at the family and asked, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Didn¡¯t you say that you were in a hurry?¡±
[Captain Palmer, reporting current ship status. 43% of circuit boards affected by the radiation fixed. Current ship voltage lowered to 85% original voltage. Estimated increase in radiation intensity will lead to further decrease in voltage. Postulated final voltage at 65% upon arrival within the solar system of target planet. Propulsion systems online. Current velocity: 0.57c.] ¡°Good. Thank you Rowanda. Put me through to the materials science team and then the medical team.¡± Palmer spoke into the terminal attached to his arm like a wristband. He got up from his seat, picked up his food tray and deposited it into the wastes chute while he waited for a reply from his terminal. ¡°Sir! We have collaborated with the particle physicists on board and they are still unable to identify the nature of the radiation. They are requesting permission to thaw out their respective teams to fire up the collider. There has been an interesting progress on our side, but I doubt it will satisfy your demands since we are lacking the relevant resources. Bismuth, thorium or lead seem to be unable to block out the radiation. Instead, the radiation seems to be speeding up the decay rate of any unstable isotopes we have tested so far. However, there are promising results from an artificially created isotope of silver, Ag-110. We noticed that it seems to be able to collect and store the radiation in an energised state within its atoms. We are still carrying out more tests with other isotopes. I will send you the full report in a few hours.¡± A very enthusiastic scientist reported from his lab, his voice projected through the terminal attached to Palmer¡¯s arm. ¡°Good job. Keep working on it. Tell the physicists that they have the green light to work with the collider. I¡¯ll get Rowanda to start the thawing process for the rest of the science team.¡± Palmer replied through the terminal, this time heading out the canteen doors. He looked out the side window, staring at the distant stars shoot past the window repeatedly as the section of the colony ship rotated non-stop to simulate artificial gravity using the centripetal force of the rotation. [Sir, I¡¯ve begun the thawing process for all 211 science crew. The medical team has some urgent news and is requesting that I begin preparations for thawing out the rest of the colony civilians. Patching you through to them now.] ¡°Captain. We have urgent news. It doesn¡¯t look good on our side. While the radiation had no visible effect on the plant life samples, our mice colony is suffering from an unknown disease, most likely due to radiation poisoning. Most of the mice have begun falling unconscious in the past 24 hours ever since the radiation intensity hit past 10% saturation. If we are to proceed further into this galaxy where the radiation concentrations will be higher, I suggest thawing the civilians out so that we can monitor their health accurately. If not, the shock from the intense radiation will most likely have lethal effects on a human fresh out of cryostasis without any time to adjust to the increasing radiation.¡± ¡°Ok. Wait for my decision. Meanwhile, figure out a way to counter the symptoms of the radiation poisoning. Even if it is a temporary relief, it will work fine. At least it will give us more time to develop a cure or find a suitable radiation shield.¡± Palmer replied through his terminal. ¡°Vladlena. How are things on your end?¡± Palmer asked after tweaking with the dial on his terminal a little. However, only silence greeted him as he walked briskly down the corridor towards the gravity transition chamber. The chamber acts as a middle man between rotating sections and non-rotating sections. It serves to ease the transition between zones with gravity and zones without. It works by first rotating together with the gravity enabled section. When a person enters it and locks the door, the chamber slows down its rotation slowly until it comes to a complete stop where the person within will experience zero gravity. ¡°Vladlena?¡± Palmer asked again, standing within the chamber and waiting the 15 minutes it will take to stop rotating. ¡°Vladlena! REPORT!¡± he yelled, this time ditching his casual tone and giving out an order. ¡°Huff. Huff.. haah.. ye- yess captain¡­ huff..¡± Vladlena replied in an exhausted voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on down there? How are the drones?¡± Palmer asked, worried that there might yet be more trouble. ¡°No- nothing¡¯s wrong.. haaah¡­ sir¡­ Hey who¡¯s that? Shh!! It¡¯s the captain! Ahh.. AH! Sorry Sir! The drones are functional again sir! 2 of them are outside fixing the hull from asteroid impact damage.¡± Vladlena replied. ¡°Is that Wellin with you?!? What is he doing in the engineering bay?¡± Palmer asked, hearing the mixed voices coming through his terminal. ¡°See! I told you to keep quiet! He heard you! Ahh sorry captain! umm.. we are.. well.. we were just umm... uhh¡­¡± Vladlena stuttered through the comms. Facepalming, Captain Palmer simply raised the terminal in front of his mouth and spoke once more. ¡°Enough. Whatever. I don¡¯t need to know. Just make sure it doesn¡¯t affect your work, and try to keep your amorous activities to a minimum.¡± With that, Palmer¡¯s chamber eventually came to a stop as he floated off the floorboard. Yanking a lever down to open the blast doors, he made his way back to the cockpit.
It''s a little colourful, but i didn''t know how to differentiate the voices otherwise. so i apologise for that. The next chapter should be out soon, most likely tomorrow. Chapter 3.14159265 - The Evolution and The Statue Just some random banter before i begin the chapter. for those of you who also upload your own fictions, is it just me or do you also constantly refresh the new chapter page after you upload to see how many people are reading it? And also, i find myself doing this other thing quite often. I would see my follower count one morning at 1171. then i check again at lunch and it becomes 1170, and then my heart breaks for a second. then i refresh the page a couple minutes later and see it''s become 1173 and im happy again. Do you also experience these mood swings?
¡°Ohhh.. so that¡¯s what that was..¡± Rashael remarked, staring at the red orihalcom wall within the cave. ¡°I¡¯d thought there was something strange here, with the void in mana and all. Just didn¡¯t get the opportunity to check it out for myself.¡± Kiefer swiftly undid the wall, revealing the floating portal on the stone ledge. Isana, Sher and Feir were behind Rashael, watching his cautious and curious movements, carefully inspecting the edges of the portal. It had been a month since they reached back to Mutatis and Kiefer decided it was about time he explored the portal. They had taken a direct route back to Mutatis from the snow caped lands in the north, with Kiefer drilling a large tunnel straight through the mountain range. Rashael lit the way through the dark tunnel while the dwarves hurried behind them, securing the tunnel entrance and putting up support beams at parts of the tunnel that seemed likely to cave in. They would use this opportunity to develop a straight road through the treacherous mountains and secure a stable trading route for the future. ¡°Seriously man, you never fail to surprise me at every turn. Even that dome you built for the dwarves was a masterpiece. I¡¯ve never seen runic markings like the ones you inscribed. To think that the dome was only warm inside, not even radiating the heat out to the surroundings, it really intrigues me how you think up such things. Although it is weird seeing a clear distinct line where the dome ends, marked with the snow that remained frozen right outside the border of the dome. And now this portal, without runes? I¡¯d always thought the netherworld and the Picket dimensions are the only places that portals could lead to. Now you¡¯ve proven me wrong once again.¡± Rashael revered in awe, making rounds around the portal. ¡°So how do you think we should proceed? And we need a plan once we are on the other side because every minute we waste there is 7 minutes lost here on Aioa.¡± Kiefer implored, hoping to get Rashael¡¯s opinion. ¡°Well, we are in uncharted waters here, so it¡¯s not like we have any choice but to test things out step by step. It¡¯s better than many of the other horrifying scenarios that you described to me earlier, about being stuck there and what not.¡± Rashael replied, justifying that Kiefer¡¯s worries were unavoidable. ¡°So you wanna go in first?¡± Kiefer asked. ¡°Haha. Nice try, but it¡¯s your world, you lead. I don¡¯t want to risk being stuck in a foreign world all by myself.¡± Rashael laughed back. ¡°Ya hear that? Grandu? Not even a Titan wants to wind up alone in a strange new world.¡± Kiefer mumbled, before approaching the portal. Within his PD, he had stored a plentiful amount of fully charged moonstones and his completely charged armour, in case he is unable to replenish his mana on earth. ¡°Wait Kii, I¡¯m coming with you too. I don¡¯t want to risk being separated from you if the portal closes behind you.¡± Isana cautioned, stepping up and grabbing his arm. Sher also stepped up and grabbed his other arm, only looking at him with uncertain eyes and nodding, not saying a single word. ¡°Well then, see you on the other side Rashael.¡± Kiefer bid Rashael a temporary farewell as he held onto Sher and Isana¡¯s hands tightly before stepping into the portal. Immediately, the 3 of them began falling face first towards the ocean. Kiefer struggled to realign himself vertically before managing to eke out a mana platform beneath his feet, just short of the water surface. The three of them looked at each other in a silly daze, smiling that they had one of their worries lessened. They could use mana on earth. Kiefer looked down at his feet and double-checked that the mana foothold was steady. He saw the same silvery platform, only it was disappearing from the edges really quickly. Without any choice, Kiefer quickly reinforced the foothold by supplying more mana into it. While he could control the mana within his body to prevent it from leaking out, there was nothing he could do once it left his body and was rapidly absorbed by the surrounding. ¡°AHHHHH!!!! WHATHEHELLLLLLLL!!!¡± Rashael screamed as he plummeted towards the trio from the portal above. Kiefer quickly shot out one of his mana ropes, only to realise that his range of control was now reduced back to approximately 30m. Anything further, the mana rope simply dissipated too quickly to maintain a physical form. Kiefer managed to catch Rashael as he fell within the 30m range, bringing him onto the mana foothold. ¡°Umm, Kii, I think we have a problem¡­¡± Isana muttered, tugging on his sleeve. ¡°It would seem that we titans can¡¯t use our skills. I can¡¯t even transform or fly. The surrounding is quickly eating away at my mana no matter how much I produce. And Since our skills come naturally to us and they involve manipulating the mana around us, we are unable to do even the simplest things, such as fly.¡± ¡°So this is what it feels like to be a human¡­¡± Rashael croaked, readjusting his robe and massaging his waist where Kiefer had caught him in a tight grip. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t worry though. Another one of my worries has just been blown away.¡± Kiefer reassured Isana, his hand rapidly converting Isana¡¯s mana into his own. ¡°I seem to be able to replenish my mana from yours, so I don¡¯t need to worry about running out of mana since I have 3 of you with me. I just hope Feir does his job and protect Mutatis while we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°So, what do we do now? Find civilisation?¡± Rashael asked, looking into the distant horizon, seeing nothing but sea. ¡°Well there¡¯s been something bugging me for a while now. I¡¯d had thought the wormhole would have linked me back to where I was taken on earth, which would be over land, but seeing as we are floating over the ocean now, it seems that something is off. Why don¡¯t we get a better vantage point to orientate ourselves, then we¡¯ll set up a sort of beacon to mark out the location of this portal.¡± Kiefer suggested, looking up into the clear sky. There it was, hanging high up, the crescent shaped moon that he was so used to seeing for the majority of his life. Extending his mana ropes, Kiefer gently lifted Isana and Rashael, while Sher chose to cling to his back tightly in a piggyback ride position. Then, he set up mana footholds and sprinted upwards, against the slightly higher gravity that he wasn¡¯t used to. With his enhanced legs muscles and circulatory system, Kiefer soon reached the bottom of the cloud line, able to get a good view of the immediate surroundings. There, in the very farthest edges of the horizon, Kiefer saw what looked to be land. But for now, everything else was just water, with white foamy waves flickering in and out of the surface. Descending back down and opening his PD, Kiefer pulled out Icarus and set it floating right next to the portal where there was mana flooding in from Aioa. The modified Icarus was inlaid with a new set of runes that bent photons around it, mimicking Rashael¡¯s optical camouflage skill and rendering it invisible to the naked eye. He positioned it to point towards the sky and checked that it was in normal operating conditions before setting off towards the land that he spotted earlier. 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¡°haah¡­ That was further than I thought.. so tired..¡± Kiefer huffed, as he set foot on the sandy beach a few hours later. The sun was rising and it gave Kiefer a sense of direction, allowing him to orientate himself. When he tried using the moon earlier, it was in the middle of the sky so he had no clue which way was east. Then he was too busy traveling to the land to re-orientate himself again. At least now, he knew which was east. ¡°Sorry Kii.. I didn¡¯t think we would be such a burden. If only we could fly on our own.¡± Isana apologise. ¡°Sorry master¡­¡± Sher followed after Isana, climbing down from Kiefer¡¯s back and standing on the sand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You are my family. This much is only natural. And besides, without you 2, I probably won¡¯t last that long myself considering I can¡¯t recharge my mana any other way. The only burden would be that guy over there.¡± Kiefer consoled them, pointing at Rashael who was now busy trying to climb a coconut tree. ¡°What!? Don¡¯t blame me, I didn¡¯t know we wouldn¡¯t be able to use our skills. Heck! Even you didn¡¯t know.¡± Rashael yelled back from halfway up the tree, looking like a cat stuck high up and unable to climb down. ¡°Wait here, let me get some refreshments.¡± Kiefer said, as he extended his mana ropes to pluck some young coconuts from the nearby trees. He went on to crack them open and offered each of the titans a coconut each. They savoured the taste as the refreshing water touched their throats, giving them a brief reprieve from the salty sea air. ¡°So, do you know where we are?¡± Rashael asked, putting the coconut down and wiping his chin of the excess water that dribbled down. ¡°I can¡¯t tell for sure. I don¡¯t see any landmarks that will give me an idea. You guys wait here while I get some altitude to reorganise our bearings.¡± Kiefer instructed, as he took to the skies once more.
¡°This is weird¡­ I don¡¯t recall earth having any landmass in this shape or size¡­ This looks too big to be an island, but it¡¯s too small to be a continent. Maybe I¡¯ll go and check out some of those smaller islands and rocks further up north.¡± Kiefer thought as he descended again only to find the 3 titans fleeing into the waters. As Kiefer came closer to the ground, he could make out what was chasing the helpless titans. It was dark green colour and around the size of a wolf. The creature stopped about 1 metre away from the titans, its legs submerged in the water. Isana was hugging Sher while Rashael was peeking out from behind Isana, looking at the creature with great interest and fear. Kiefer came down from the sky like a comet, causing a large splash in the water and quickly wrapping his mana ropes around the struggling creature. What he saw stunned him beyond words. Right in front of him was a dark green praying mantis with its razor arms wildly thrashing about trying to cut at the ropes. ¡°Ki-Kiefer! What is that?!¡± Rashael exclaimed from behind Isana, the titans keeping a safe distance from the giant praying mantis. Its bulging orange eyes seem to rotate about carefully scrutinising its surroundings as the mandibles constantly moved about, like it was chewing on something. ¡°Umm.. honestly¡­ I¡¯m not too sure. They are insects, but not like the kinds I remember. They were the size of the palm of my hands at most. This is the first time I¡¯m seeing something this big.¡± Kiefer replied, flinging the mantis back into the jungle that was a short distance from the beach. ¡°Why¡¯d you throw it back!? What if it returns with more of its kind?¡± Isana asked, concerned for their safety. ¡°Well, Mantises usually hunt alone so I don¡¯t think we need to worry about more showing up, even if they have grown a little. They are also highly intelligent so I doubt it will come after us again. Finally, I don¡¯t want to risk attracting other scavengers if I kill the mantis, since I¡¯m not sure what kind of new chemical defences these insects have developed. They seem to have evolved quite a bit from last time, so I don¡¯t want to recklessly engage them without being absolutely sure.¡± Kiefer explained, as he guided the titans back onto dry land. ¡°So? What did you find out when you were up there?¡± Isana asked, relieved that kiefer was calm as ever. ¡°Bad news.¡± Kiefer replied, pausing and considering whether to tell them or not. Finally making up his mind, Kiefer quickly continued. ¡°I don¡¯t recognise this land that we are on right now. It doesn¡¯t look like any of the islands or continents that used to be on earth. I think something might have happened to cause this geographical change while I was gone, so I intend to look around and try to see if I can find any landmarks that will give me a clue.¡± ¡°So where are we going now, master?¡± Sher asked, separating from Isana and now holding Kiefer¡¯s hands, looking up at him with her adorable child eyes. ¡°There were some islands higher up north that I saw earlier. Why don¡¯t we head there for now?¡± Kiefer asked, loking at the group for their opinion. ¡°¡±Anything is fine I guess. It is your home planet after all, and we are quite powerless, so we can only follow you.¡± Rashael sighed, as he squeezed the seawater out the ends of his robes. The 4 people travelled along the coast quickly through the air, sticking close to the ground I case they see anything interesting. Kiefer¡¯s objective was the group of small islands and rocks just off the coast about 30 km north. They arrived in a little over an hour, and began trasversing across the water away from the coast line towards the rocks. ¡°No way¡­ what the hell happened after I left?¡± Kiefer muttered in disbelief. He was standing in a mana platform high above the supposed ¡®rocks¡¯ and ¡®Islands¡¯ ¡°What is this Kiefer? They look different from normal islands and rocks that we have seen on Aioa or on earth¡± Rashael questioned, unable to make out what Kiefer was thinking. ¡°That is because they are not natural rocks Rashael. These were man-made. That there, is supposed to be a crown and next to it, is a torch. It used to be a very famous landmark on earth. What¡¯s intriguing though it that the ¡®island¡¯ is actually a massive pile up of concrete, steel and glass that probably came from hundreds of buildings. I wonder what really went down while I was gone¡­¡± Kiefer replied, thoughts of apocalypse running through his head.
Sorry this was late again. teehee. was busy as usual, but i will try my best. Chapter 3.15 - The Rifles and the Food *rumble¡­.* Kiefer looked up into the distant sky. Thick clouds were curdling over from the open sea, the sky gradually turning grey and wind speeds picking up. The group was standing on the island made of building debris deciding what their next step was. They had found civilisation quickly, or at least what used to be a civilisation. With the storm rolling in rapidly, Kiefer decided that their immediate next step would be to find shelter first. While he could easily outrun the storm while carrying the 3 titans, he still needed a destination plan which he did not have. Meeting more mutated predators while on the run from the storm might prove to be a challenge, so he decided to wait the storm out. There were many iconic buildings on the island, but the most prominent one other than the statue of Liberty was the Empire state building, which had its top sticking out of the rubble similar to Lady Liberty. Kiefer easily found a broken window and descended into the surprisingly steady building. The majority of the building was buried underground, but had yet to collapse from the apparent years of wear and tear. The tilted angle did make things uncomfortable for Kiefer to adapt to but it was not that big an issue. Kiefer carried the 3 titans from the surface after a brief scouting trip down the building and proceeded to climb down the emergency stairs that ran through the entire length of the building. Most of the surface was rusty, crumbling or mossy. The salty sea air and water had made quick work of anything iron or steel, with the exception of the reinforcement bars buried in the concrete walls. Door knobs, handles, railings and support beams alike were on the verge of structural failure, with flakes of rust gathering on the slanted floor. However, as luck would have it, Kiefer found a locked air tight security room and opened it with ease. Most of the items were strewn over the floor, with the chairs and tables leaning against the wall that was slanted. There was however, an almost completely bare skeleton in a ripped uniform lying in the midst of the furniture. ¡°Well, that must be where the smell is coming from.¡± Rashael joked as he prodded the skull with the tip of his foot. ¡°Hey. Show the dead some respect.¡± Kiefer scolded Rashael, as he picked up the skeleton and laid it several rooms over. It was pitch black within the building with the exception of the 3 small orbs of light floating around Kiefer. Thunder was cracking on the surface as winds howled and rain smashed against the glass roof. It was cold outside but deep underground where the titans were, it was plenty warm. ¡°Master, I found the thing that you showed us back at home!¡± Sher exclaimed, staring into a grill door of a cabinet. Kiefer walked briskly over to where Sher was and carefully observed the cabinet. The gun cabinet was mounted onto the wall while the rifles were clipped onto the back of the cabinet. With a quick tug using his mana rope, the door flew open easily, revealing an airtight glass door that separated the rifles from Kiefer. Kiefer smiled and smashed the tough glass easily. Even though spider webs formed on the surface of the glass, it remained intact, bt instead dislodged from the edges, coming off as an entire pane of shattered glass. ¡°Wow. It would seem they increased the gun regulation controls after I left. Something drastic must have happened for the government to increase security measures to this extent. I never thought the empire state building would host a security detail armed with assault rifles.¡± Kiefer spoke absent-mindedly, forgetting that the Titans knew nothing of what was unusual or normal on earth. As Kiefer flipped a switch on the inner wall of the metal cabinet, the LED lamps lit up on the top, and an interface came to life on the blank screen next to the cabinet. [¡­.] [¡­.] [memory corrupted. Unable to initiate start up procedure] [System reboot initiated. Please begin registration process. Input Rank and full name, followed by desired password.] ¡°Haha, it seems so much time has passed the computer¡¯s memory data was gradually corrupted and wiped. Let me see¡­ Captain Kiefer Trishen¡­ password¡­ let¡¯s put it as P@55w0rd.¡± Kiefer chuckled, as he registered himself as a captain into the surprisingly still functional computer system. It all seemed like second nature to Kiefer while the Titans were all staring intently at the screen, impressed by what was happening. ¡°Kiefer what are you doing? Why did it suddenly light up?¡± Isana asked, as if reading Rashael¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh this is called a computer. It runs on electricity and is able to perform multiple tasks and functions at really fast speeds. The back-up power supply must have kicked in, in case of emergency, when I flipped the switch, turning the computer on. I¡¯m just registering myself with the computer so that I will be given access to the weapons.¡± Kiefer explained as he tapped away with his fingers on the touch screen panel. After a few moments, the first rifle lock dislodged and the light above the released rifle lit up while the others dimmed. With a loud monotonous voice, the speakers next to the touch screen began vibrating. ¡°Captain Kiefer, please pick up the rifle as indicated by the light to register your palm print.¡± The AI spoke emotionlessly. Kiefer picked up the hefty Rifle and held it in his right hand, with his left supporting the bottom of the body casing that enveloped the barrel. It was not a model he had seen before so Kiefer was unsure if he even knew how to operate the weapon. But figuring it out would not be a problem. The hand grip had a thin blue line along the edges glowing and felt warm to touch, but instantly cooled down again. ¡°Palm print registered. Next squad member, Sargent Isana please step up and grab your rifle¡± The Ai spoke once again, releasing the lock on the next rifle and lighting it up from above. However, Isana had not understood what the computer had said, only hearing a jumbled language she had no knowledge of. However she did understand that the wall mentioned her name. She looked at Kiefer nervously but calmed down once she saw Kiefer¡¯s warm smile and instruction to follow his actions. She held the rifle in her arms similar to Kiefer and it registered her palm print the same way it did with Kiefer. The process repeated for Rashael as well. With the rifle looking too big for Sher to carry, Kiefer registered a small side arm for Sher and the same process was repeated. Next in line was to equip themselves fully, so Kiefer procured a few load bearing vests and handed them out to Rashael and Isana, while he modified a clip belt to hand around Sher¡¯s waist where she could attach her side arm and spare magazines. By the time Kiefer had organised everybody and loaded the clips with the spare rounds within the cabinet, the storm outside had passed and it was quiet once more. ¡°Looks like the storm¡¯s over up top. Why don¡¯t we head back up and learn how to use these weapons?¡± Kiefer suggested, opening the door and staring up towards the faint light streaming in through the windows above ground. There was a straight hole through the upper floors where the structural integrity of the floors had failed and crumbled, leaving a gaping 2m hole down to the current level. Kiefer would have gone straight down that hole if he was not carrying 3 titans with him. As they climbed the stairs and eventually made it to the top, a cooling breeze lapped their cheeks as Kiefer saw the storm clouds rolling away over the main landmass. Kiefer scavenged some bricks lying around and held them up 30m away. Then he imitated what he had seen in movies, and documentaries, placing the stock against his shoulder and trying his best to line up the holographic scope sights with the target brick. Flipping the switch from safety to semi, Kiefer squeezed the trigger slowly until he felt it stop. However no rounds were fired. He kept squeezing harder and the trigger gave way, depressing a little more, but this time with a deafening bang as the rifle jerked upwards. The titans studied Kiefer¡¯s movements carefully, watching him load the magazine, aim and fire, only to see him completely miss the target. Kiefer kept trying, and eventually, on his fourth shot, the brick held 30m away shattered and crumbled into dust. Soon, loud bangs were sounding through the small island as Isana and Rashael began their target practice session. They used stationary bricks placed on top of ledges and walls as their targets while Kiefer helped Sher with her side arm. 2 hours of slow firing and 3 magazines of 30 rounds later, the group was rather proficient with aiming and hitting a slow moving target from up to 50m away. The sky was turning dark as the sun turned big and red, setting over the horizon. Kiefer pulled out some cooking tools and ingredients from his PD and laid them on the ground, starting a camp fire going with firewood he had packed from Aioa. While Isana and Sher prepared dinner, Kiefer returned to the depths of the Empire state building once more, surfacing again an hour later. He had swapped out the cotton clothing from Aioa for a set of navy blue uniforms that happened to fit his size. As he sat down next to the blazing fire, Kiefer began laying out more magazines filled with the same rounds for the assault rifles. They were all looted from several security rooms and stored within his PD. Pulling out thick blankets after dinner, Kiefer laid them out on the stairwell after he did some quick cleaning up. The empire state building was to be their home for that night. Isana, Sher and Rashael all fell asleep quickly, tired from the day on unexpected events and firearms practice. Kiefer tucked Sher away last and watched her doze off before he joined in next to Isana and fell asleep quickly. This was his first rest ever since returning to Earth. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Kiefer was rudely awakened by the loud annoying caws of seagulls above ground. As he stretched out, he looked around and saw that the titans also starting to wake. Taking this opportunity, Kiefer folded his blanket neatly and trudged up the stairs slowly, allowing the first rays of sun to hit his face as he opened the emergency exit door on the upper levels. ¡°Might as well try out these new rounds that I got last night. I wonder what these blue and orange tipped rounds do.¡± Kiefer thought, as he clicked the magazine loaded with blue tipped rounds into his rifle. He stared intently at the seagulls picking off the moss and seaweed that coated the edges of the island. They seemed to have evolved as well. While they were only a little larger, no more than twice the size of what Kiefer remembered, the most distinguishing change would be the 2m wing span. Only one of the seagull/albatross things had landed and was awkwardly waddling about with its huge folded wings. The other 7 or 8 were circling above, just beyond the reach of any natural predators that might swipe them from mid-air. Kiefer stealthily locked his holo-sights on the bird that had landed. He steadied his breath and squeezed the trigger until the first stop, where he took the time to adjust his aim again. Then, with one swift squeeze, the rifle rang out, scattering the flying birds in all directions. Kiefer had expected the bird to explode or at least die instantly, but instead, it was rolling on the ground struggling against something. As Kiefer went forwards to look at his target, he found that the bird had been encased in a web of hard gel that expanded from the impact point. He quickly broke the neck of the seagull and with a quick freezing spell, hardened the gel and shattered it. Isana had fully awoken by now, thanks partially to the gunshot and happily received the bird from Kiefer. She quickly began stripping the feathers and preparing breakfast. Kiefer took out a few more magazines of the blue tipped restraining rounds and placed them inside the pouches on his Load Bearing Vest (LBV). After a quick breakfast, Kiefer packed up everything into his PD and departed from the debris island, together with 2 Titans in tow and one on his back. With the titans armed and capable of defending themselves, Kiefer could now venture towards the middle of the mainland with ease. They set foot once more onto the sandy beach and double checked their gear. ¡°Hold on for a minute. I can¡¯t believe I forgot to test this out.¡± Kiefer halted the group as he took up the rifle and aimed it at a distance. The titans were not sure what his plans were and simply watched him with a hint of slight curiosity. At this point, they couldn¡¯t be bothered to be surprised or shocked at every single one of Kiefer¡¯s actions. Kiefer fired a normal round, aiming at the top of a dome shield he put up a distance away. The bullet ricocheted off the surface, making a ¡®ping¡¯ as it flew high into the air and landed in the water seconds later. Knowing that his dome could withstand the shot, Kiefer fire another round, this time straight into the side of the dome. Instead of ricocheting off, the bullet embedded itself halfway into the dome, and fell to the sand when Kiefer undid the dome. Satisfied, Kiefer mentally noted that he would have to increase the thickness of his dome, considering that the bullet managed to penetrate halfway. With that, Kiefer slung the rifle back over his back and reloaded his magazine with more rounds he pulled out from his PD. ¡°Master! I think I found an entrance to something!¡± Sher yelled in excitement just as Kiefer finished adjusting his LBV. The group turned to see Sher poking her head into a pipe about 1m high. There was water leaking out of the pipe into the sea, which was indication that this was a wastes disposal pipe. Kiefer smiled at Sher¡¯s discovery, knowing that this would be the key to finding actual functional civilisation. ¡°Good job Sher¡± Kiefer praised her, rubbing her head. ¡°Kiefer, I¡¯m not even going to ask you what that is. We are never going to make it back to Aioa if we keep asking you what everything is each time we see something new.¡± Rashael spoke, examining the large pipe that was spewing some kind of clear liquid out. ¡°Let¡¯s go shall we?¡± Kiefer asked as he picked up Sher onto his back. ¡°I¡¯ve got our next destination in mind.¡± The titans nodded in symphony and Kiefer picked them up, following the pipe from the air deep into the jungle. Eventually, they arrived at a tall sturdy metal fence that ran across a wide clearing within the jungle. Kiefer spied a gate with some security measures not too far away but instead chose to fly over the 5m fence anyway, being careful not to touch the electrified fence. There were warning signs for high voltage pinned up along the fence at fixed intervals and burnt corpses of various giant insects to prove it. Kiefer scanned the wide compound briefly and finally realised what this was. It was about the size of an airport, with numerous tall glass buildings lined in neat rows. Within the glass buildings were stacks upon stacks of metal racks with saplings and plants in them. While about 60% of the buildings were collapsed and non-functional, 30% were running smoothly with sprinklers setting off and a generator humming softly next to each building. The others seemed fine, but were still in the process of being repaired or maintained. Kiefer landed within the compound of automated hydroponics farms and looked around curiously. This was the first time he was seeing such advanced technology, with solar panels for roads and reverse osmosis desalination plants that drew water in from the sea to feed the plants. There was a main road leading out the compound which Kiefer presumed would lead to a city. However, even though it seemed like people had been here to fix and repair broken machinery, not a single live person could be seen. Kiefer managed to pick up an ID badge of a skeleton lying under the rubble of a collapsed farm. With that, he gained access into one of the functioning farms and led the titans inside. ¡°Wow. This is an interesting way to farm. To think your world was so advanced. They don¡¯t need farmers to grow crops at all, and to make use of space so efficiently. I need to find a way to design this when we return to Mutatis.¡± Rashael uttered, his jaw still slack and open from the marvel that he was seeing. Suddenly, they heard a loud rumble coming from outside the building. When the group focused their attention to the source of the noise, they saw the ground just outside the farm opening up and collecting the dead corpses as they fell into the ground. A grinding noise could be heard and within minutes, a robotic dispenser was rolling down each rack on every level and injecting a fixed amount of fertiliser onto each crop. ¡°We should stock up on our food while we still can.¡± Kiefer said as he moved to another farm building where the machines were harvesting fully grown potatoes, turnips and carrots. After the respective plants were pulled out, the soil was churned with some fertiliser and recycled, dumped into a reserve tank while new fresh soil was filled in their place. The produce that were picked were oddly identical to other samples of the same type and they were being transported via a conveyor belt into a grinder that was located in a central building. Kiefer watched the grinder chew up and mash the different vegetables and compress them into pellets that are then baked and then frozen before being packaged, all within the automated farm compound. Not wanting to eat the processed pellets, Kiefer quickly picked off the vegetables while they were still on the conveyor belt. The titans followed suit and soon, nothing was arriving at the processing building even though the conveyor belt was still running. After the sensor reported the lack of produce entering the processing unit, alarms began ringing and sirens blaring. The 4 thieves immediately packed all the food away within Kiefer¡¯s PD and took to the skies just as small drones came out of the back of the building to scan the area.
[[Elsewhere in the sea]] ¡°Ma¡¯m! The sirens just went off in one of our farms. I think some bugs managed to get in. Should we change our course and head for New Manhattan now?¡± A panicked sailor asked. The ship was swaying slowly in the waters as a mature woman in her late 40s looked at the report on the screen. ¡°Yes. We cannot afford to lose our food supply. If we lose this too, our rations will be cut by 20%. Stop all fishing expeditions and recall all ships at once. Change course and set sail for New Manhattan. How fast can the fleet arrive at our new location?¡± The woman asked her navigator. ¡°We can arrive in under a week. At full throttle, this ship will be able to arrive alone within 3 days, but the rest of the fleet will arrive only in 5.¡± The navigator replied, staring at the screen and plotting various paths to the farm, making use of tidal currents. ¡°Fine we shall do that then. Send a message to the captains of the destroyers. They are to remain fully armed in combat mode and protect the civilian ships while on this trip. We will not be able to support them. This Flag ship will depart first and make haste alone. Load all missiles and ready the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon (MAC). I want to be fully prepared to engage any possible pirates. Those that attacked our farm might be pirates and not bugs.¡± The woman barked out orders. ¡°Yes commander! Right away!¡± The entire crew yelled back in a stoic and firm reply before scrambling to their respective posts. Chapter 3.16 - The Palmers and The Encounter [[Palmer POV]] My name is Commander Sandra Palmer. I command the Flagship of my colony fleet ¨C Savior. Under my control are 7 Destroyers, 2 aircraft carriers, 4 subs and 15 other civilian ships comprised of large fishing tugs and oil tankers. I was born on one of the fishing tugs, raised by my wonderful parents who were both fishermen. My fellow captains and I were part of the 7th generation of humans to be born and raised aboard the fleet. I never really knew much about my ancestry, only that one of my great great great great great great..etc.. grandfathers was also a commander of a large ship like me. But that was before the cataclysm that brought humanity to the brink of extinction, or at least that¡¯s what the history books on board one of the carriers say. My parents used to tell me a story that was passed down from their parents who in turn heard it from their parents. They say that Humans used to be the dominant species on the planet, but we destroyed our home with irresponsible and selfish actions. Then, to ensure the survival of the human race, the world¡¯s leaders came together to start a project that aimed to preserve human life as we expanded out into the stars. They build a colony space ship capable of supporting human life and selected ¡®prime candidates¡¯ for a wide gene pool. My ancestor was one of them and he was chosen to be the leader of the new human race that left earth for a new home. The rest of us, were left to die on this planet. As harsh as the conditions were, with the raging storms, earthquakes, sinkholes, tsunamis and floods and whatnot, it would seem that those left behind refused to be left to fate, and instead trudged on in an effort to survive. With most of the resources from earth having been taken by the colony ship that left, lawlessness became the new law. They say that it is in times of crisis that you see the worst and the best in people. I was fortunate enough to be born into a community of good natured people. Being the 7th generation, my ancestry was long forgotten and my parents were simple fishermen whose job was to provide the people of the fleet with sufficient food. They always took me out on their fishing trips since I was old enough to walk. They would teach me how to read the scanner for schools of fish and how to deploy and control the UW (UnderWater) drones to herd the fish into our nets. Our carriers were refurbished to house civilians whose jobs comprised mostly of mechanics, scientists, and crewmen. Most of us fishing folk lived on our tugs. The oil tankers were by far the largest of our ships and they were the most heavily guarded. Even though they were called oil tankers, what they housed was our sole supply of freshwater, with desalination plants installed within their hulls. The tankers were at the heart of our fleet, the hardest to reach. My first accomplishment came when I was 8 years old, and we were out on a fishing trip, straying not too far from the fleet to follow a school of blue fins. That¡¯s when I realized the odd behavior of another school of blue fins that swam right into our nets. When I alerted my parents, who in turn reported it to the destroyer in charge of our circle of tugs, alarms were raised immediately and we were recalled back. True enough, within 3 hours, we came across another fleet of pirates who had chased that school of blue fins in our direction. Thanks to my report, the fleet was prepared for an engagement and we chased the pirates away with ease. The commander at that time took me in to teach me fleet maneuvers and made use of my pattern recognition skills to avoid pirates and storms. By the time I was 25, my parents had retired from their line of work and passed the tug on to another family of fishermen, while I was able to support them with my income of rations tickets thanks to my rank within the fleet command. I gradually climbed the ranks and became the commander¡¯s Right hand woman at the age of 35, and was promoted to commander at 42. During my time in command, from when I became first mate of the Savior, I¡¯ve seen many new changes. We¡¯ve repaired and taken over more farms on land. We¡¯ve upgraded their defence system to prevent bugs from stealing our produce. Our scientists and engineers even came up with ingenious ways to improve the farm¡¯s output. By the time I took command, it was as if everything had already been placed nicely and served up on a silver platter for me. We had 5 strategic farms located on different continents with different harvest times. Our travel route between each farm is fixed according to studies done the past few generations, studying and recording the tidal patterns, fish migration routes, and common pirate attack paths. We would simply travel from one farm to another on a predetermined route and arrive in time for the harvest. Our survival was ensured. However, now, 6 years after I took over command and multiple expected pirate encounters later, I am met with my first anomaly ever. One of our automated farms had sent an alert signal to the Savior, indicating the presence of intruders. I thought it might have been the bugs from the forest initially, but I changed my opinion when I took a look at the surveillance feed sent to the Savior. Whoever stole our food, did it on the conveyor belt feeding into the processing unit. That was the only blind spot in our visual surveillance. The fence and gates did not register a breach so they must have found a way over the electrified fence safely and avoided the gates since the security feed did not show anything out of the usual. ¡°Commander Palmer! We¡¯ve just received more footage from the farm. And a 3d reconfiguration of the scene! I¡¯m sending it over to you now.¡± One of my officers reported, as a new video footage showed up on my screen. What I saw was a 3D rendering of the suspects stealing food. What was odd though was that the vegetables seemed to be flying off the belt on their own and then disappearing into thin air. The grey and black models on my screen did not have much detail, but one thing was for sure, they were humans. There were 4 of them, possibly 3 adults and 1 child. ¡°The 3D rending is corrupted. See if you can clear it up. Send the report and the rendering to our IT specialists, inform them that the Scanners need to be fixed and updated.¡± I ordered my lieutenant. I immediately opened the footage from the surveillance camera at the main gate. There was no way they could carry all that food they took without a vehicle of some kind. And with a vehicle, they would have to go through the main gate. Looking through all the footage from various cameras, I could only determine one thing, they had some method of disabling the cameras, and somehow, they knew where every camera was, even the hidden ones. The video feed would always cut off, halfway through the video, not revealing even their faces. The thought that this could be an inside job scared me stiff. Only the gatherers from our fleet would know the locations of all the cameras, and yet to be able to disable even the hidden ones would mean that the perpetrators either had help from one of our crew, or is actually one of our crew members. Sieving through even more camera feeds, I finally stopped at one particular video. It was only a single man, about 175cm tall, short black hair, in a blue military uniform. He had a really outdated rifle slung over his back and he was staring intently at the plants in one of our automated farms. He did not seem to notice the camera, but seemed intrigued by the machinery in the farm. Then, he turned around and smiled, I¡¯m assuming at his companions before the video feed cut off once again. I immediately rewound the video and sent a picture of the man to all of my captains. Ordering them to disseminate that information, I wanted to make sure everyone was familiar with the face and would be able to identify the man once we land. It will be only another 2 hours before my Flagship drops anchor at New Manhattan, and soon, I will be able to capture the culprit. [[End of Palmer POV]]
Over the past few days, Kiefer had ventured through the forest and found that the ecology on earth had pretty much changed from when he last knew. Dragonflies had a wingspan of 50cm while spiders were even bigger, as if they weren¡¯t scary enough when they were small and venomous. Kiefer made a mental note of all the wildlife he came across. Most of the animals had evolved to have bigger frames, but were still just as adept at maneuvering through the jungle. He did not know how tall trees use to grow but here, the shortest fully grown trees were still taller than the tallest on Aioa. Birds had extended wingspans while reptiles seemed to have developed multiple rows of teeth, probably to aid them in holding down the now giant insects. However, even with these new physiques, the wildlife posed no threat to Kiefer and the titans, with eagles the size of cars smashing into his dome shield in an attempt to carry one of the humans off as dinner. Besides the vegetable farm, Kiefer had not come across any other signs of civilization. Following the main road only seemed to lead them back to the debris island where he assumed might have had a bridge at some point in time. The group would occasionally stumble across a broken brick or a metal pipe sticking out of the forest floor, but aside from that, they didn¡¯t really find anything that might suggest intelligent life still existed. Deciding that the search was fruitless and that they should move further north the next day, Kiefer directed the group back towards the debris island. While they had the option of staying at the farm and eventually waiting for the owners to show up, Kiefer was sure they wouldn¡¯t be too delighted to find their food stolen. Not sure how advanced the world has gotten, considering the new technology in the weapons he found, Kiefer was hesitant about finding himself in a conflict with any humans he met, if there were any left. The group had cleared out a sizable portion of land on the debris island and turned one of the conference rooms in the empire state building into their temporary lodging. Kiefer had packed what he thought he would need on earth into his PD back on Aioa, and among those, included 3 King size beds. 2 of them were laid out in the conference room right now while the other was still inside the PD. It was still about 4pm and the sun was still a long way from setting. Kiefer and the titans were just starting a pot of water boiling and about to have an early dinner. With nothing better to do, they lazed around the rest of the afternoon while Kiefer made target practice out of some seagulls with his mana bullets. Kiefer watched the sunset with Isana seated on his lap and Sher staring enviously at her sister before deciding to retire for the night. In the middle of the night, Sher suddenly rose from her slumber and sniffed the air. With her extraordinary sense of smell, she felt alarmed and quickly stood up on the bed, glaring at the doorway to the conference room. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Master! I smell some humans. They are close, most like on this island.¡± Sher informed Kiefer who was rousing from his sleep due to Sher¡¯s sudden movement. ¡°Everyone stay here.¡± Kiefer ordered after waking everyone up. ¡°Rashael, take this, keep it by your side.¡± Kiefer whispered as he pulled out a fully charged titan laser from his PD. ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll make contact with them. We might not speak the language but it¡¯s safer for me to communicate with them rather than you guys.¡± Kiefer explained as he fully recharged his mana with Isana and Sher¡¯s mana. Deploying his mana armour and enhancing his senses, Kiefer crept his way up the stairs and out the broken glass roof. ¡°HALT!!¡± one of the intruders bellowed as he aimed the long rifle with a floating sight at Kiefer. Following his yell, 6 more men formed an arc quickly and all aimed their rifles at Kiefer. ¡°At least they speak English¡­¡± Kiefer sighed with relief internally, raising his hands into the air with his palms wide open. ¡°Drop your weapon and kick it over to me!¡± The leader of the intruders ordered. He watched Kiefer intently as Kiefer slowly lowered his arms, slung the weapon over his shoulders and place it on the ground, before kicking a good 5 feet away towards the group. Just like how the intruders were studying Kiefer¡¯s movements, Kiefer scrutinized each and every one of the men in the darkness. With his enhanced eyes, the dim moonlight lit up the intruders like daylight. They had some kind of exosuit on that hugged their body tightly, reminding Kiefer of a game that he used to play a long time ago. Similar to Cr*sis 3, then men¡¯s suits covered hem head to toe with what looked like night vision goggles on their heads. The 6 men slowly stepped forwards towards Kiefer as the leader seemed to radio back to their base. ¡°Commander Palmer, we¡¯ve found the suspect from the videos you sent us. He is now unarmed and seems to be alone. How shall we proceed?¡± He said as he deliberately bent down to pick up Kiefer¡¯s Rifle and tossed it even further away. ¡°Umm... Can I help you?¡± Kiefer asked, hoping that he would not have to kill them like the first humans he met on Aioa. ¡°Good. You speak English. What is your name? Where are you from? And what are you doing here? How many of you are there?¡± The leader of the group asked, still pointing his rifle at Kiefer. ¡°My name is Kiefer. I would like to talk to your commander is possible. There is a long story behind how I got here and it would be simpler to just explain it to him directly.¡± Kiefer replied, not answering the most important questions. ¡°Ok. Wait for a moment.¡± The leader said as he spoke back into his radio once more to make contact with his commander. Then after a seemingly quick chat, the leader pressed a series of buttons on the terminal on his wrist. Then, the suit seemed to respond to his input and from the side of his tight, a pocket opened and ejected a small flat triangular device. He took the device, laid it on the ground and typed something into this wrist terminal again. The triangular device lit up and after a few fuzzy blurs, a holographic image of a woman dressed in a neat uniform appeared. She seemed to stare right through him as if it was just a video recording. Kiefer waved his hands a few times in front of her face and did not get a respond from her, but instead seemed to jerk the men into high alert at his sudden movement. ¡°She only has audio input. She can¡¯t see you. Just speak and explain your circumstances before one of my trigger happy boys put a bullet through you accidentally.¡± The leader of the squad of men informed Kiefer. ¡°Ah ok. Alright then. Hello there Commander Palmer. My name is Kiefer. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Kiefer started, trying to sound as polite as he could. ¡°Hello Kiefer.¡± The woman spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point, please return the food you stole from us. Tell us where you have hidden them and my men will escort you to our fleet. That is the best offer I can give you right now, with the other options ending with a bullet through your head.¡± ¡°Before anything, I actually have a few questions for you.¡± Kiefer spoke back, ignoring her threats. ¡°What year is this?¡± ¡°Is that a real question or are you just messing with me?¡± The woman replied with a question. ¡°No, I¡¯m being dead serious here, and I will just warn you, threats don¡¯t work against me.¡± Kiefer answered back with a serious tone, glaring at the squad. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll humor you then. I don¡¯t know what year it is. None of us do. Do you have any more questions or am I going to have to deploy every men I have to secure the food that you stole from us.¡± (Palmer) ¡°Thank you for your answer. I do have many questions, and once again threats do not work against me. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have anything to lose, it¡¯s just that I seriously don¡¯t think you have enough firepower to take me down. Next question. What happened here? What happened to the world? Why is everything in ruins?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are, or why you are asking these nonsensical questions, but as long as you show me the food, I will gladly answer any of your questions.¡± (Palmer) ¡°How about this? You invite me and my family onboard your fleet as you have mentioned earlier and I will show you where all the food is. Of course, I expect to be treated with respect. You can have my weapon for all I care, I don¡¯t need to be armed to defend my family.¡± Kiefer bargained. ¡°Fine. Sargent, escort them onto your boat and bring them directly to me. I will warn you though, if I deem you to be a threat to my fleet or any of its passengers, I will use everything in my power to eradicate you.¡± Palmer warned, before cutting off the feed. ¡°Gather your family and follow me.¡± The squad leader ordered. Kiefer quickly retreated to the conference room where the titans were waiting eagerly and nervously for his return. Sher was the first to respond, jumping and hugging Kiefer the moment he stepped through the door. ¡°Good news and bad news guys. I found some form of civilization, and they are on board a ship, I think. Bad news, though, they are not happy that we stole their food from the farm. I think the alarms must have tipped them off. Quickly gather all your things. I¡¯ll chuck them into my PD and we will head up where their men will take us to their ship.¡± Kiefer explained to the worried titans. Storing away all their weapons and bed into his PD, Kiefer led the titans up onto the surface where they were then escorted by the men onto their boat. After a brief boat ride, the small attack boat docked into the side of a large ship about 3 times as big as his Frigate on Aioa. ¡°Nice to finally meet you, Commander.¡± Kiefer greeted. ¡°This is my family. My brother Rashael, my wife Isana, and my daughter Sher. They don¡¯t speak English, so I will be doing the negotiations. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve put up my end of the bargain, how about you put up yours? Where is the food you took from the farm?¡± Palmer interrogated, not the least bit interested in wasting time. ¡°Right right. Your precious food. I brought it with me right here.¡± Kiefer replied as he stretched his hand and took out a single turnip from his PD. Everyone on the deck who was watching the young man had a shocked expression on their face. They had just seen the man stretch his hands out and watched half his arm disappear into thin air, only to reappear again as he pulled out a turnip out of nowhere. ¡°Everything I took is right here with me, but it will be a hassle to bring it all out here in your control room. So I presume you would like me to do that in your storage room maybe?¡± Kiefer asked, as he looked at the titans grinning from ear to ear at the expression of the sailors. The commander was the fastest to recover, quickly clearing her throat and replying Kiefer. ¡°Ok, I don¡¯t know how you did that, but as long as you are willing to cooperate, I won¡¯t pry into your matters. However, if you are going to be staying with us, then I will need to know your entire background. More importantly, I don¡¯t want the food here on this ship. It is actually better if you return to the farm¡¯s processing units and return the food into the hopper where they will be processed and preserved.¡± Paler explained. The moment Palmer said that, Kiefer disappeared from her sight instantly. Palmer looked at the titans quizzically, as if to ask them what happened. She tried asking them but they did not seem to understand. Or rather, it was more like they understood what she was asking and was replying, but she just could not make out what language they were speaking in. ¡°Trenton, see if you can run a scan through the database to match what they are saying with any known language on earth.¡± Palmer ordered one of her crew members. Trenton promptly starting hitting the keys on the screen, running voice match through the system before the screen died out in front of him. ¡°Captain, there seems to be a problem with the onboard computers!¡± Trenton complained as he tried turning the terminal on and off. Following him, other complaints began streaming through the comms about short circuits and electrical failures until finally, even the communications system was compromised. Just then Kiefer reappeared at the spot he was standing at earlier, except now he was surprised by the chaos that ensued around him. ¡°Where¡¯d you go?! And what did you do to our computers!?¡± Palmer yelled as she ripped open a wall panel door to reveal a smoking mess of wires. ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t know anything about your computers,, but I was just returning the vegetables into the hopper in the processing unit like you said to.¡± Kiefer nonchalantly replied. Unbeknownst to him, because he had been constantly converting the 3 titan¡¯s mana into his own, he had been limiting the mana that leaked out from them significantly. Only after he left did the mana mess around with the electronics and fry the circuit boards within range. ¡°What? How is that possible? You were here just 3 minutes ago!¡± Palmer asked, baffled at the nonsense this man was spewing. ¡°Well, if you just let me explain, everything will be clear. Since it looks like your ship won¡¯t be going anywhere, why don¡¯t we have a nice long chat back on mainland? There are so many question I need to ask, I¡¯m just glad I did not have to kill anybody to get the answers.¡± ¡°On land?! No that¡¯s too dangerous. The insects alone could kill us a few times over, not to mention the lizards and wolves. I¡¯d very much rather stay here- AAAAAHHHHHHH!¡± Palmer screamed as Kiefer grabbed her and the titans by his mana ropes and shot out into the night sky, not waiting for Palmer to finish her sentence.
Finally some explanation to what happened on earth. there will be more on the Q and A session between Kiefer and Palmer next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one. Chapter 3.17 - The Questions and The Answers This is a boring chapter but still a chapter nonetheless. I hope you read through it without blaming me for the non-stop back and forth between Kiefer and Palmer, because that''s all this chapter is.
¡°MnnnMMM!!!!¡± Palmer struggled and squirmed as Kiefer set foot on a silvery translucent platform. Right as of now, she was experiencing fear like she had never before, staring at the mysterious man who seemed to be able to use magic, or at least some form of technology that is sufficiently advanced beyond her knowledge. Looking down at her body, she was encased in uncountable silvery threads that extended from the man, her limbs and her mouth bound to restrict her. The most terrifying though, was the sheer 300m drop that seemed imminent the moment the man released her binding. ¡°Calm down.¡± Kiefer spoke softly as he drew her closer. The titans were already released from their respective mana ropes and were standing next to Kiefer. ¡°I¡¯m going to release you now. Stay still so you don¡¯t fall to your death. Ok?¡± Kiefer asked, to which Palmer seemed to stop struggling and just nod obediently. Kiefer slowly released her binding and set her on the glass-like platform that shimmered in the moonlight. Palmer nervously looked at her feet, as if worried that the fragile platform might break under their combined weight. However, all of Kiefer¡¯s actions seemed to suggest that not only was that not going to happen, but that they would be up here for quite some time. A second shimmering film slowly enveloped the group, forming a perfect sphere. The cold high altitude air seemed to warm up considerably as Kiefer began pulling furniture out from his PD, which only suggested to the already petrified Palmer that they are going to be here long enough to use them. Within moments, a table and 5 chairs were set and Kiefer already had a pot of tea brewing. ¡°Here, Commander Palmer, enjoy. This is one of the best teas from my world.¡± Kiefer started the conversation with a bombshell as he sipped on a cup of tea like an English gentleman. The titans were already seated and reaching for their cups as Palmer finally regained her composure. She tiptoed her way to one of the simple wooden chairs and sat down, watching the titans curiously before reaching for one of the teas and sipping it. ¡°Well look at you, adapting to the situation so quickly. You sure are relaxed, not even checking if the tea was poisoned.¡± Kiefer jested, putting his cup down to reveal that his tea had not been touched at all. This alarmed Palmer and she hastily spat whatever tea was in her mouth out onto the silver platform. ¡°Wha.. What do you want!?¡± Palmer stammered loudly, trying her best to sound authoritative. ¡°It¡¯s not what I want, but what you want, isn¡¯t it Commander? The poison you drank came from my world, so I assure you, you will not find an antidote here on Earth. That being said, you want the antidote to save your life, and I happened to have one with me. All I ask is your cooperation.¡± Kiefer explained calmly. ¡°Kii, what are you saying? Translate it so I can understand too.¡± Isana pestered. ¡°Oh, nothing much. I just informed her that the tea was poisoned and that I have the antidote. Don¡¯t worry though, it wasn¡¯t actually poisoned. People like her are used to giving out commands from the top with plenty of authority. I just need her to know that I¡¯m the one in charge here.¡± Kiefer explained before turning back to face Palmer. ¡°Sorry about that. My wife just wanted to know what we were saying. So, then I guess I¡¯ll start first. My name is Kiefer, but you already know that. I used to be from Earth, but I died and was transported to another planet called Aioa way back in 2015. I spent over a year on Aioa and finally found a way back to earth. Hence I am here right now. What I want to know is what happened since 2015 after I died. For now, why don¡¯t you call off the search party from your ship? Tell them that you are fine.¡± Kiefer explained, looking down at the ship with tis alarms blaring and search lights swinging about dizzily. Patrol boats could be seen leaving the ship through the side heading towards the shore. ¡°This is Palmer to Savior. Call off the search party. I am safe, for now. I am currently located approximately 300m above the Savior.¡± Palmer reported into the mic on her ear. The moment she cut off the transmission, the searchlights from the Savior seemed to be pointed into the night sky, lighting up the clouds and eventually landing on Kiefer¡¯s platform. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you start answering my questions soon? You have maybe 2 to 3 hours before you feel the effects of the poison, depending on your metabolic rate.¡± Kiefer rushed her. ¡°Right, so assuming I believe what you said about you being sent to another world, where should I start? 2015 was a long time ago. There are files on the Savior that hold more accurate records, but the gist of it is that somewhere in the mid-23rd century, despite combined efforts to reverse climate change, the earth experienced a runaway climate change that quickly escalated into irreversible global destruction.¡± Palmer paused, watching Kiefer¡¯s reaction. ¡°It started with just flooding of coastal cities as global temperature continued to rise. It was at this time that officials began the project to expand into space ¨C the ¡°Hope¡±. However, the project was kept a hush from the majority of the civilian population to avoid raising unrest and chaos. The colony ship itself was built in space, with nearly a hundred rocket launches a week globally under the pretext that NASA might have found a habitable planet and they were pumping resources into studying the planet. Hope took almost a century to build, sucking resources from everywhere.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, the climate runaway was snowballing into an avalanche. The melting of the polar ice caps not only raised the sea level, but changed the deep-sea tidal patterns due to the difference in salinity of the water. The reverberation from the new water flow triggered tectonic shifts on the continental scale. Europe was the first to experience the wrath of Mother Nature, with a sinkhole that swallowed the UK overnight and earthquakes that split the continental plate in 2. The mixture of warm tropical waters and cold polar waters led to hurricanes that would wipe a line of destruction across countries, like someone clearing a line of dust with their finger.¡± ¡°With coastal cities flooded, people thought that inland homes would be safe, only to be proven wrong by tsunamis that made the Eiffel tower seem like a toy keychain. All in all, global destruction ensued as the last of the chosen humans boarded the space shuttles that took them up to Hope.¡± (Palmer) ¡°Hmm.. so we did end up destroying our planet after all. How many people did the colony craft take with it and what were the selection criteria?¡± Kiefer asked, probing for more details. ¡°The key criteria were just the usual. Resistance to diseases, no genetic disposition for social, mental or psychological problems, and most importantly, the chosen humans must not be allergic to the chemical they inject for cyrostasis. It was to prevent the formation of water crystals in the subzero temperatures of a cryopod. They also made sure to have enough genetic variety within the chosen population of almost 8 million. Basically, they chose who they thought would best ensure humanity¡¯s continued existence within the stars.¡± Palmer explained. ¡°I see.¡± Kiefer muttered, watching the 6 rotor drone fly past, circling the discussion table just on the borders of the dome shield. Kiefer spied the first rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon behind the drone that was buzzing noisily. ¡°So how did you come about commanding this ship? And are there other humans living elsewhere? What of the giant wildlife that seems so intent on eating humans?¡± ¡°I was born on the fleet, out in the sea. I am the 7th generation to be born in sea. There are other pockets of humans around the world, but I¡¯m unsure of where. They are all living on ships like we are. After the cataclysm that lasted almost 5 years, people decided that living in the sea was the safest since sinkholes and earthquakes became unpredictable and unavoidable. But that was many centuries ago. The world seemed to have stabilized now, but the wildlife has evolved to be vicious on land. It is rumored that since the tectonic shifts, there is more landmass now than before the cataclysm. Oxygen levels have been rising steadily due to the overgrowth of plant life in the now abandoned lands and with no natural selection pressure on humans, we remain the only ones unevolved and unable to adapt as quickly to the new environment. Hence, most humans remain in the sea since it¡¯s safer.¡± (Palmer) If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Then what about fuel? Don¡¯t your ships run out of fuel if you are constantly living and moving in the sea?¡± Kiefer questioned. ¡°Fuel? Our ships are mostly powered by a combination of solar, tidal and nuclear power. As if we wouldn¡¯t learn our lesson with burning fossil fuels after being brought to the brink of extinction.¡± Palmer scoffed, laughing at the primitive idea of using oil for energy. ¡°Nuclear power? Aren¡¯t you afraid of a meltdown?¡± Kiefer asked, wondering how advanced the field of energy research had gotten. ¡°Meltdown? What are you? Living in the 21st century? Oh wait¡­ yea, well there had been some major improvements in nuclear power and there had been no reported meltdowns since the early 22nd century. The chances of a nuclear meltdown are about 0.00001%. by the 22nd century, almost everything is nuclear powered, with scientists developing new solar cells that derive energy from the radiation byproduct of nuclear power plants to aid in providing ¡®clean energy¡¯, not that it worked out great for humanity in the end.¡± ¡°I see. Well thank you very much. That was a rather quick discussion wasn¡¯t it?¡± Kiefer concluded the meeting jovially, clapping his hands together once and standing up, preparing to leave and storing the chair away. ¡°W-Wait! What about the antidote?!¡± Palmer asked frantically, half expecting already that Kiefer would leave her to die. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry about that. I didn¡¯t actually poison you. I just get a kick out of threatening people with no real threat to support me. It was just to make you more cooperative.¡± Kiefer chuckled, while Palmer heaved a humungous sigh of relief. ¡°Then, can I ask you some questions?¡± Palmer asked in return, this time trying to learn as much as she could of this mysterious man. Kiefer paused for a while to consider, before taking the Chair back out and sitting down. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± He replied, smiling gently. The drone had returned back to the Savior while the sun had already fully risen. ¡°First off, what are you?¡± palmer asked with great interest. ¡°I am a human. From Earth. I died in 2015 and was transported to a different planet by an entity I have yet to meet.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°You mean there really is a god out there?¡± Palmer asked, misunderstanding Kiefer¡¯s explanation. ¡°No not a god apparently. I¡¯ve spoken to him quite a few times. If anything, he is a tortoise. He is what we would call a Titan, back on Aioa.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Aioa? Is that the name of that planet you were transported to? And what are titans?¡± ¡°Yes. The planet I was moved to is called Aioa. Titans are these powerful entities that supposedly were born when the planet was in its early stages of its birth. You could say they are the first sentient beings to walk, or fly on Aioa. There are 9 titans, or rather there were 9 titans, only 8 left now. 3 of whom are sitting right next to me. Isana, Sher and Rashael are all titans.¡± Kiefer introduced the titans once again, looking at the surprised face of Palmer. ¡°What of this¡­ ability¡­ that you can perform? Is it really magic?¡± Palmer kept prodding, to which Kiefer was delighted to satiate her thirst for answers. ¡°Yes. Aioa is a world that is stuck in the medieval times because of their over-reliance on magic. There is this ¡®thing¡¯ called mana, which I¡¯m assuming is a new type of subatomic particle that is used by people who have the affinity for mana. Granted I¡¯m the only one who can use mana in the way you are seeing now, most of the residents of Aioa chant spells or use runes to control and manipulate mana. As you can see, due to their over-reliance on mana, even Titans are useless when there is no mana, like for example, here and now on Earth. They are essentially reduced to normal humans here, unable to control their mana.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°And what about you? How come you can still use mana even on earth?¡± (Palmer) ¡°That¡¯s because I can store the mana within my body and command the mana particles as I wish. They can have a physical manifestation like the platform and the dome you are in. As I have said before, I am unique.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Actually, Kiefer, can we continue this discussion back on the Savior? I feel uncomfortable being so high up. And that pack of hawks circling us only makes things worse.¡± Palmer commented nervously, her eyes tracking the 5 eagles¡¯ movements carefully. ¡°Nah, you don¡¯t have to worry about those hawks. I don¡¯t know since when, but the hawks seem to hunt in flocks now. They have some kind of pack mentality like wolves used to. They won¡¯t attack us as long as I have their alpha hostage.¡± Kiefer relieved her worries, only to raise even more questions. ¡°What do you mean their alpha? Do you have their leader locked up somewhere?¡± Palmer asked, unsure of what Kiefer actually meant. ¡°This is what I mean.¡± Kiefer replied, briskly standing up and pulling a Hawk almost as large as he is out of the PD. The hawk had a terrified look in its eyes, similar to how Feir looked when Isana had first caught him and his brother. The wide gleaming brown eyes that were begging Palmer to save it from the monster that was holding it by its neck. It was too terrified to even move, aside from the constant shivering out of pure fear. The circling hawks began squawking loudly at the sight of their leader, seemingly becoming more excited. ¡°You know, you really break all common sense like it was second nature to you. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, but where do you keep all these things? Do you just materialize them out of thin air? And please let the poor thing go already, it¡¯s so pitiful.¡± (Palmer) Kiefer sighed, stood up and walked to the edge of the platform, opening a hole in the dome shield. He dragged the immobile hawk by his mana ropes and tossed it out of the dome, where it dropped for a short distance before spreading its wings and swooping back up to its flock. Within seconds after reuniting, the flock dove straight for the forest canopy, trying to get as far away from Kiefer as possible. ¡°To answer your question, no I do not materialize them. I mean I could, but it takes way too long and it is very cumbersome. What I¡¯m doing is ripping a hole in spacetime using a singularity, then forming a bridge in the ripped hole to another dimension where I can store things indefinitely. Essentially, I¡¯m opening a wormhole to another dimension. That is how I found my way back to Earth too, through a wormhole that I opened by pure luck.¡± (Kiefer) ¡°And just how much can you store within this other dimension?¡± (Palmer) ¡°It is different for everybody and depends on how much mana you actually have. Right now, I can store about a small mountain.¡± Kiefer replied, shocking Palmer even more than she already was. ¡°Wow¡­ okay, now I don¡¯t even know what to ask you next. Like I said, common sense really flies out the window when I talk to you. For now, I¡¯m done asking questions. Would you like to join me for breakfast on the Savior? I will explain to my crew about your circumstances. I take it you will be staying with us for the foreseeable future?¡± Palmer asked just as her stomach growled at her, beckoning her to put some food into her system. ¡°Sure. Breakfast sounds nice for now.¡± Kiefer agreed and dispelled the dome, securing everyone with his mana ropes before descending back to the Savior before he was held at Gunpoint once again by the soldiers onboard. Not a Chapter, just some clarification and explanations First of all, sorry to mislead all of you with this update. This is not a chapter. I''m busy today and won''t be uploading a full sized chapter, so i thought i''d make use of what little free time to explain the whole time dilation thing. What you need to know is that time does not move at the same speed for everyone. If you move faster, time slows down for you. Imagine the flash running around and doing things in his superspeed. to him, everything will be like a standstill, where time seems to move so slowly. everybody''s 1 second might be an hour for him. so an object''s velocity decides how fast it experiences time. another factor is gravity, where the greater the gravity well you are in, the slower time passes as well. like with the Flash, 1 second in a greater gravity well might be an hour in deep space without the influence of gravity. The 24 hour and 48 hour days of earth and Aioa are not dependent on the time dilation. it just means that Aioa rotates about its axis twice as slow as earth, hence each day is longer. However, Aioa experiences time at 7 times the speed of earth, due to the difference in locations within the universe and the difference in gravity they experience from their respective suns and supermassive blackholes in their galaxy. Hence, 1 hour on earth is 7 hours on Aioa. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The colony ship though is travelling at a 0.57 the speed of light, so in a way, the 700+ years it had been travelling would only amount to a fraction of that on earth, since the instruments use to measure it''s own time is also travelling at the same speed. Finally, I know you all are confused about why centuries had passed on earth when Kiefer had only spent over a year on Aioa. I had intended to explain it in the end of Arc4, but that is still a long way to go, so I''ll just do it now. When Kiefer died, he was sent to the netherworld, where Grandu extracted his soul and summoned it on Aioa much like an undead, but instead, Kiefer was reconstructed as a fully functional human being. The time he spent in the netherworld though, might have only been a few seconds. But because of time dilation between the netherworld and the other planes of existence, centuries had passed on earth and decades on Aioa. Hence, he now arrives at the post apocalyptic world of Earth and the medieval ages in Aioa. I might be wrong on some of the physics with the time dilation, im not too sure. this is basically what i understood from reading books. If it is indeed wrong, please point it out and i will correct it to the best of my abilities. Chapter 3.18 - The Artifact user and The Mole ¡°bzzzt.. zzzt¡­ mayday mayday mayday! This is patrol boat O-five-niner of destroyer Dauntless requesting immediate assistance! Savior do you read!? We are under heavy fire, requesting immediate assistance. Our current location is 220 klicks northeast of new Manhattan Island!¡± All eyes in the cabin turned to the source of the transmission as the soldiers pointing their guns at Kiefer lowered their guard. The tension in the air sky rocketed as Palmer sprang into action, brushing past the titans and lunging for the radio. Isana and Sher seemed unfazed by the tension while Rashael was simply too distracted by the new technology to even notice anyone else. ¡°This Commander Palmer of the Savior! O-five-niner do you read? What¡¯s the situation!?¡± Palmer yelled into the mic unknowingly, revealing her panic to the crew. First someone steals food from her farm, then she was abducted and all her common sense was thrown out the window. Without even time to catch a break, a distress call now comes in from the rest of the fleet that she had separated from. ¡°Thank god! We weren¡¯t sure we were out of the range of the jammer! It seems some pirates spotted the Savior heading off alone and ambushed us on our way to new Manhattan. They¡¯ve deployed radio jammers and we couldn¡¯t get a distress call out. Our destroyers and subs are engaging in battle now and we won¡¯t last more than an hour, 2 at most. We decided to speed a patrol boat out of the jammer¡¯s range and we need your help commanding the battlefield! I¡¯ll send a sitrep over right now.¡± The crew on the other end of the radio replied back as quickly as he could. ¡°Shit! Fuck! Our holoprojector is still shorted out! I can¡¯t see what is going on.¡± Palmer yelled in frustration, banging on the benchtop with her fists so hard it made a small dent in the aluminum plate. ¡°Umm.. if I may interrupt..¡± Kiefer spoke out softly, causing the soldiers to return to high alert, raising their weapons back at him. ¡°What!? We are in this mess because of you! Innocent people are going to die! Good people!¡± Palmer bellowed, seemingly forgetting just how powerful Kiefer is. ¡°I was just about to say, that I might be able to help you. As long as they don¡¯t drop a nuke, I think I can handle the situation. Take it as me repaying you for all the troubles I caused. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t mind a little reward. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already seen what I can do.¡± Kiefer replied calmly, an evil grin appearing on his face. ¡°Nee¡­ Sana sis¡­ I don¡¯t like it when master smiles like that¡­¡± Sher whispered to Isana, clutching Isana¡¯s shirt from behind. Isana, just smiled softly and kept looking at the situation, not saying a word. ¡°Hurry. Every second you waste is increasing the number of lives lost. You just have to let me loose on those pirates. I¡¯m dying to find out how much of my full strength I can use on earth.¡± Kiefer urged Palmer. Palmer shut her eyes tightly, her brows knitted into a frown as she pinched her forehead. Finally after a quick deliberation, she looked straight into Kiefer¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Please help us.¡± Without even waiting for Palmer to finish her request, Kiefer disappeared from the cabin along with the titan. He was not going to risk having the titans held hostage against him. He quickly brought them back to their hideout and refilled his mana to the brim. Handing them their weapons and kissing Isana lightly, Kiefer turned around and left the hideout, only saying, ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Within minutes, Kiefer was standing over the battlefield, atop his mana platform. He had blinked his way through the skies, barely using any mana at all. The battle field seemed like a mess, but had some sort of organization to it. The destroyers were surrounding the rest of the fleet along the cirucumference, with turret fires going off constantly. The pirate fleet had caught them in a nice concave shape, surrounding them from all sides except a small opening near the south where Kiefer presumed the patrol boat squeezed out of. The pirate fleet comprised of almost 10 large ships, all seemingly outfitted for combat while Palmer¡¯s fleet only had 7 destroyers capable of combat. Kiefer knew there were subs underwater but he could not tell if the pirates had subs of their own. His first step would just have to be neutralizing the target above water. Drones were whizzing around firing a barrage of rockets at both pirate and colony ships alike. Turret fires caused large explosions in the water and on ship. The occasional explosion from underwater would cause the water surface to swell and bulge before releasing a huge wave. This only indicated that the subs were also engaged in battle underwater. ¡°Defence is key I guess. If none of the projectiles hit the destroyers, it would cause less panic and give them time to reorganize themselves.¡± Kiefer thought as he dropped from the sky in free fall, stopping short of the water surface. What he did next seemed to capture the attention of the sailors and soldier from both fleets. Enhancing his body and brain, Kiefer¡¯s heightened senses and improved reflexes allowed him to blink within range of any ballistic projectiles approaching the destroyers and open a PD in the flight path of the projectile, essentially storing any and all bullets, shells, mortars, rails and missiles fired by the pirates. The sailors and soldiers of the destroyers stared at the man moving in and out of existence in awe, dazed and confused by the change in circumstances. Kiefer saw the situation and turned to them and yelled loudly, making sure every destroyer heard him. ¡°I¡¯m here under Palmer¡¯s request! I¡¯ll handle defense, so go wipe the pirates out!¡± With that single order, the soldiers all yelled in unison, cheering for the miracle that their commander had sent them. In one fell swoop, the pirate¡¯s attack had been cut to zero, allowing for the destroyers to counter attack. The pirates seemed undeterred, pressing on with their attacks and pouring on more barrages in an attempt to overwhelm the fleet¡¯s new defensive capability. At first, Kiefer was fully occupied with teleporting all over the battlefield and storing any projectiles aimed at the fleet. But as the battle progressed and the pirate ships either sank or ran, he could divert his attention to attacking. With 2 pirate ships sunk and 1 already fleeing, Kiefer began changing his tactics. He would open twin portals instead of his usual PD, allowing a missile to pass through one portal and appear from the other portal and fly straight back at the pirates. Basically, he was doing his teleportation thing, but only with the missiles and not himself. Another 3 more pirate ships sank after 30 minutes and by then, all attacks on the fleet had stopped while the rest of the pirates were in full reverse, fleeing from the battle. The explosions from underwater had stopped as well, indicating that the enemy subs were also retreating. The sailors, soldiers and civilians alike all cheered in unison at the unlikely victory, and quickly returned to treating the wounded. At this time, a metaphorical light bulb shone over Kiefer¡¯s head as he sprinted through the air to chase after the remaining pirate fleet. As small as he was, Kiefer was not picked up by the radar of the pirate fleet and he tailed them from the sky, well beyond the vision of any human eye.
¡°This is the Dauntless reporting to the Savior! The battle is over. We won. I repeat, the battle is over. We won. Thank you for sending in the reinforcement, Commander. We would have been wiped out if not for him. Casualties are few, no fatalities reported thus far. We will continue on our course after everything has been reorganized.¡± A report streamed in from the radio, causing everyone in the cabin of the Savior to heave a sigh of relief. ¡°Captain Armstrong, where is the man I sent to help you?¡± Palmer asked through the radio. ¡°No idea Ma¡¯m, he disappeared from our sights as soon as the pirates fled. We thought he was returning to the Savior. He really saved us back there. Is he a new breed of soldier? There¡¯s some weird tech he used that we¡¯ve never seen before, could be some lost artifact from before the cataclysm.¡± Armstrong replied, answering Palmer¡¯s question but only raising more queries in Palmer¡¯s mind. ¡°That¡¯s classified information, even for you Armstrong.¡± Palmer barked back, a sudden realization coming to her. Her intuitions were right after all. She did not know who, or where, but there was a mole within her ranks. It might¡¯ve been Kiefer, but so far his story checked out, as absurd as it may have sounded. The likelihood of an ambush occurring right after they left the fleet was almost none. From past observations, there shouldn¡¯t have been any pirate fleet big enough to take on the destroyers anywhere nearby. They most like had already planned the attack beforehand, and was dealt the golden hand when Kiefer stirred up trouble in the farms by total coincidence. ¡°I wonder where Kiefer is now. The reports from O-five-niner definitely mentioned the reinforcement appearing within 10 minutes from when Kiefer disappeared. And yet, it¡¯s been almost 20 minutes since the battle ended.¡± Palmer thought, trapped in her own world of analysis. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Send out the Spectres again. Locate Kiefer¡¯s family and report their location once you find them. I want to know what happened to Kiefer.¡± Palmer passed the order down to her lietenant. The short freckled and bespectacled male saluted her, quickly dashing out of the cabin and down a flight of stairs towards to barracks. A speed boat departed from the side of the Savior within 3 minutes, with the 7 man team in titanium woven carbon nanotube suits on board. Accompanying them were 3 drones that took off into the sky, heading towards the island ahead of them. Visual feed started streaming within seconds and a thermal scan revealed the 3 targets within the old empire state building. However, the drone that was first to discover the titans shut down and crashed abruptly, causing the Spectres to increase their speed. ¡°Ma¡¯m we¡¯ve found them. I¡¯ll contact you once again when I make contact.¡± Sargent Everns reported as he set foot on the debris island they now call new Manhattan. They made quick work of the distance from the shore to the empire state building, knocking on the door where the thermal image of the drone last showed them. One of the Spectres found the crashed drone and took it back to the boat, while the other 2 drones returned and nestled back into their respective docking stations. ¡°Hello again. I¡¯ve come at the request of Commander Palmer. She would like to invite you back onto the Savior.¡± Everns greeted the Titans politely, clipping his rifle to the side of his thigh. Hitting a few buttons on his wrist terminal to contact the Savior once more, the sergeant ended up giving up and tossing it to the ground as the terminal began malfunctioning and smoking. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, but please wait here for a moment.¡± Everns apologized hastily and rushed back out to the boat where his corporal was inspecting the crashed drone in the boat. ¡°Micky, radio in to the Savior. My terminal is broken.¡± Everns ordered as he prepared to give his report. ¡°Commander. I think I know the cause of the electrical malfunctions. It would seem that one of the tangos is emitting some sort of EMP that fries our circuit board. I don¡¯t know if they are doing it on purpose or not, but that is what caused the cameras on the farm, the computers on the Savior, the drone and my terminal to malfunction. I highly recommend not bringing them back on board the Savior.¡± Everns reported curtly. ¡°Roger that Sergeant. I will send a team to set up a temporary lodging for them on the island, away from our equipment. Then I will come down to meet them personally. Return to the savior. There is something I need to brief you about.¡± Palmer¡¯s voice sounded through the speakers. Returning to the room where the titans were located, Everns smiled nicely at them once again, explaining that his commander would be coming down to discuss some issues with them and that a team will be setting up accommodation much more suited for living than a run-down conference room in an almost buried pre-apocalypse monument. The soldiers and ship crew alike carried out their orders swiftly, with an instant concrete tent blown up like a bouncy sandcastle within 15 minutes. They furnished the insides with 2 bunk beds, a table, some basic cooking appliances such as a kettle and an electric stove. Meanwhile, palmer was locked inside a small transfer cabin between the barracks and the ship¡¯s corridor with Everns. ¡°Listen up Everns. This is highly classified and you are not to speak about it to anyone, not even your team. Understood?¡± Palmer whispered in a serious tone. Everns nodded firmly to her question, allowing her to continue. ¡°I am dealing with an issue right now and once I have enough concrete evidence, I will reveal it, but for now, I want you to keep a close eye on those 3 on the island. Kiefer told me they were from a different world and that they are very powerful beings. I don¡¯t want to risk the lives of my ship¡¯s personal by being less vigilant than we could be. Their origin, purpose, and identities are too ambiguous and I don¡¯t believe that the attack on the fleet was just a coincidence. Keep your eye on them while I do my research.¡± Palmer ordered, before unlocking the blast door and trotting down the corridor to board a boat. Meanwhile, Rashael was repeatedly pressing the button on the kettle, wondering what its function was while Sher kept looking at the door of the tent expectantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You know he can handle himself. He said he will be back, so just trust in him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just doing something to sate his curiosity now.¡± Isana consoled Sher, unable to divert her sight that was glued on the tent¡¯s exit.
[[Elsewhere, in the midst of a convoluted archipelago]] ¡°Tch! Dammit! How the hell did that attack fail?!?¡± A bearded man lamented to himself, pacing around within his quarters. ¡°The flagship was separated and we cut off their signal to the commander. We outnumbered their ships and they were in a disarray thanks to the lack of a leader, and yet how did we end up losing most of the fleet!?¡± He continued to mutter angrily, his frustration boiling over his head. *knock knock* ¡°Come in.¡± The man vociferated, calming himself down and making himself presentable as another gentleman dressed in a neat white and blue uniform entered the room. ¡°Sir, there is a message from your client, and the new recruits are ready to be inspected and broken into.¡± The gentleman informed him, before bowing and backing out of the quarters and shutting the door behind him. The bearded man inspected the familiar triangular device and hit a slider on the edge. Immediately, the device began whirring and lit up with a single blue light that kept running along the edges of the device. A deep, encrypted voice came through the device the moment the blue light come on. ¡°Your attack failed, and quite miserably. What use is the leader of the Pirates of the French Archipelago if he can¡¯t even complete a job commissioned by his client? I paid you a hefty sum for the job, and yet, I am here without a fleet of my own, still bowing my head and answering to every beck and call of the ill-deserved commander.¡± The voice spoke emotionlessly. Beads of sweat came pouring down the side of the man¡¯s head as he spoke back aloud into the device. ¡°Your information was inaccurate and costed me more than half my attack fleet. You never mentioned anything about a pre-apocalypse artifact that your commander possessed. My reports tell me that their attacks were completely nullified and even returned by the artifact user. How do you expect me to proceed with that man still within your midst?¡± ¡°You do not have to worry about that.¡± The encrypted voice echoed through the room. ¡°The flagship is immobilized by some sort of EMP that fried their onboard computers. Half the destroyers are not fit for combat and they will be sitting ducks at the New Manhattan Island for a while. The artifact user is MIA and my sources tell me that his family is on the island as well. Even if he returns, you will have some leverage over the user. Make sure you succeed this time and that you leave me with enough ships to form my own fleet.¡± The voice answered, before the device stopped whirring and the blue light dimmed and finally turned off. ¡°Fuck! Who does he think he is, ordering me around.¡± The bearded man complained as he tossed the device out the window into the seawater. He promptly left his room and went above deck looking at the new lineup of eager recruits wanting to join his private army of pirates. Some were forced onto the ship, others joined on their own volition, either way, they will have to endure hellish years on the ship doing menial tasks before any of them will be given any significant jobs. ¡°Listen up you maggots!¡± The man yelled as the line of young men and women looked up at their new tyrannical leader. ¡°I am your leader, commodore Valares. From today on, you will be in charge of any task that any of my men ordered you to do. If they ask you to blow them, you blow them, if they ask you to swallow, you swallow. You are nothing more than cannon fodder until you have proven yourselves!¡± He yelled. The line of new recruits looked terrified, cursing their fate that led them to this juncture. They all had grim looks on their faces, some on the verge of sobbing while others having blank eyes that seem to be void of life. All except one, knew they did not wish to be here. A particular man with jet black hair and a handsome face stared down at the floorboards of the worn out destroyer they were standing on, and smiled. He was exactly where he needed to be.
So I posted some ideas on how to tweak my story for those nerds who helped me a great deal by pointing out the major flaws that was literally staring me in my face. Please respond within the comments in the previous chapter and i really appreciate you all taking your time to type out those long paragraphs and explaining the physics behind my story. Anyways, feel free to guess who the mole is/are. Chapter 3.19 - The Pirates and The Presents ¡°Soo.. ummm¡­ hello again?¡± commander Palmer waved her hands and greeted the titans. Isana smiled and waved back, keeping quiet. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can understand me, but do you know where he went?¡± Palmer asked, hoping that somehow she might be able to get her message across the language barrier. However, all she got was empty stares from all 3 of her guests now sitting in the tent with her. ¡°hmmm¡­¡± Palmer pondered for a while, then tried one more time, this time with more exaggerated hand gestures. ¡°Palmer¡­¡± She said pointing to herself, like teaching a new baby words. ¡°Isana¡±, she continued, pointing at Isana. ¡°Kiefer?¡± She asked, this time raising both her hands with the palms facing upwards and looking around with a confused look on her face. Rashael seemed to understand what the human female was asking, and stepped forwards and pinted at the exit. He snatched the note pad that Palmer was using to transmit messages back to the boat via her secretary and began drawing images. He drew a picture of a clock with 24 dials with the dial pointing at 12 noon, and then drew 4 people underneath it to represent the titans and Kiefer. He drew the door and a line that extended from Kiefer¡¯s stick figure that led out the door. ¡°I see, so they only know that he left.¡± Palmer interpreted the drawings that Rashael passed to her. Well, I¡¯m sure he will come back for them sooner or later. I just have to take care of them while he¡¯s not here. I have yet to thank him for saving my fleet.¡± Palmer muttered to herself. Then she looked curiously at the little girl who had snatched the notepad and pen from the young man and began scribbling something on it. On closer observation, she realized that the young girl named Sher was actually wrting sentences in English. ¡°By your help, upon activation, the twins shall become one through space and time without moving. They shall form a bridge that joins their separate locations, and allow all movement between each other.¡± Palmer read the verse out loud, confused at why the girl had chosen to write such a cryptic and confusing poem. What she did not realize was that Sher was simply copying down in her untidy handwriting, the rune markings she had seen on the portal runes back at Rashael¡¯s underground Mansion. Palmer was intrigued, but she did not know what to do with the writing, so she simply folded the paper 3 times and stashed it away in her breast pocket. Then, she suddenly heard cheers erupt from outside the tent and tried to leave the tent to investigate, only to realize that her way out was blocked by none other than Kiefer himself. ¡°Why hello there Palmer. Nice to see you again.¡± Kiefer greeted, to which Palmer reciprocated and made way for Kiefer to enter. ¡°Kii! You¡¯re back! The lady here was just asking about your whereabouts. I don¡¯t know if she understood Rashael¡¯s drawings or Sher¡¯s writing, but it doesn¡¯t matter now. Where did you go?¡± Isana asked excitedly, jumping from her seat and pushing Palmer aside before hugging Kiefer. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. I had to tie up some loose ends, and I brought back a present for the commander as well as souvenirs to take back to Mutatis.¡± Kiefer replied with a grin that could only mean that he thoroughly enjoyed his time.
[[A few hours back]] ¡°Now line up and face forwards! My men are now going to choose their sandbags now. You have no say in this and you will follow whoever picks you!¡± Valares screamed at the top of his lungs, his piercing voice almost causing deafness in the closest recruit. Following his announcement, a stream of men and women came streaming in to take a look at the 50 or so candidates lined up. The crew was widely varied, with some being burly, barbaric and unkempt, while others looked like gentlemen dressed in a crisp freshly pressed uniform. The women were mostly dressed similarly in pants and uniform top, with the occasional dress fluttering in the foggy sea wind. A beautiful woman looking to be in her early thirties strolled past the line gracefully, her jeans and shirt carefully outlining her curvaceous body. A sleeveless, unbuttoned leather jacket was covering her chest, but it only served to accentuate her charms even more. With waist long flaming orange hair that flowed in the wind, she stopped in front of Kiefer and carefully inspected the man before a grin sprouted on her face. ¡°You. I like you. You have a handsome face and a well-built body. You could serve as more than a sex toy for me. Come with me.¡± She ordered, turning crisply and heading towards the edge of the destroyer, descending a set of stairs that led to the floating platform where the destroyer was docked. Kiefer followed her silently, staying no more than 5 paces behind her. They traversed several platforms laid out in a maze, Kiefer mentally mapping the docks in his mind. He could not see past the thick fog that had descended and limited vision to within 20 metres. Finally, after 30 minutes of twisting and turning on and off uncountable numbers of platforms, Kiefer arrived on an aircraft carrier that seemed to have been kept in a pristine condition. There were numerous crews on board scrubbing the decks and repainting the walls. Others were busy loading supplied such as food and water on board. ¡°Welcome to my ship. It is the newest in the fleet and the only one capable of providing actual air support. From today onwards, you are going to be my bitch. You do what I tell you, when I tell you, not that you are going to hate it. I am Captain Selena, first mate to Commodore Valares. My orders are absolute and can only be rescinded or over-ridden by orders from Valares himself. Any questions?¡± She asked, turning to face Kiefer. ¡°Yes I have some questions.¡± Kiefer replied calmly, which shocked Selena since most recruits were usually too terrified to even speak back to their superiors on their first day. ¡°What is yo ¨C¡° (Selena) ¡°What do I do to rise up in ranks?¡± Kiefer cut her off, which seemed to irritate her. But it was not as annoying as seeing the recruit not showing even the slightest hint of fear or respect. ¡°You have to show your strength. You either prove your worth to the fleet in a position other than what you are currently given, or you can simply kill a superior and take their place.¡± Selena answered, studying her new recruit¡¯s poker face. ¡°I see. So if I kill you, then I get to be the first mate to Valares?¡± Kiefer asked, a hint of a deadly smile showing at the corners of his lips. Selena¡¯s expression turned solemn instantly, realizing that she had picked up an ambitious recruit who looked like he would be able to deliver his threats. ¡°Sure, but it is very difficult to kill me. Trust me, I know. The only reason I¡¯m stuck in first mate is because Valares was Commodore first, and we are both stuck in a stalemate in trying to murder each other.¡± ¡°And if I kill Valares, I will be the leader of the pirate fleet?¡± Kiefer asked again, trying to confirm what he had just heard. ¡°Yes. But for now, I want you to strip. I need to inspect the goods before I bring you any further. You know, check for weapons and all.¡± Selena ordered, a vulgar smile showing itself on her face. Kiefer could already see her mentally stripping him and it kind of creeped him out. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Damn this woman is nothing but a whore. Who knows how many men she¡¯s done it with and what kind of new diseases she¡¯s carrying. To think that earth had advanced for centuries and still not find a cure for vulgar people.¡± Kiefer thought internally, ignoring her and walking around the ship on his own. The ship was larger than any of the other carriers he had seen, both from the 21st century, and from Palmer¡¯s fleet. A simple wind spell from Kiefer dispelled the fog temporarily to reveal the behemoth that was hiding within. By Kiefer¡¯s estimates, this monster had to be close to a kilometer in length, and 2 to 300 hundred metres in width. Staring down the edge, Kiefer knew he was about 12 to 13 floors up and above sea level, which only goes to show how much more is hidden below the water surface. The deck was parked with small planes with jet propulsion systems on each wing that looked like they could hinge and turn, enabling a harrier-like lift off. This meant that more planes could be packed onto the already large supercarrier since there was no need for a runway. ¡°Are those automated planes? I don¡¯t see a pilot¡¯s cabin in any of them.¡± Kiefer asked curiously, turning back around to find a handgun pointed right at his forehead. ¡°Yes, and just do what I tell you to do, it would be a shame to ruin such a pretty face and such an awesome body. Though I don¡¯t particularly mind Necrophilia, I¡¯d rather do it with a live sample.¡± Selena growled, displeased at Kiefer¡¯s carefree attitude and disobedience. ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it. There is no way you can hurt me. Try firing for all I care. I have a separate purpose for coming here so I have no intentions of following you around. But if you insist on standing in my way though, I might have to remove you from the equation.¡± Kiefer threatened. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I guess I¡¯ll just have to make do with your body.¡± Selena grumbled, and pulled the trigger. With a loud bang that attracted the attentions of everyone on deck, Selena shot Kiefer right in the head, only to see Kiefer¡¯s head tilt back a little from the impact with the bullet that ricocheted off into the sky. ¡°You ¨C you¡­ you have an artifact too?!¡± Selena stammered in shock, seeing Kiefer unharmed as he had predicted. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a new term I¡¯ve never heard of. What¡¯s an artifact?¡± Kiefer asked, now more curious than ever. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around with me! Just so you know I have the same artifact that you have, so bullets don¡¯t work on me too.¡± Selena warned, taking a few steps back from Kiefer. ¡°Just tell me what an artifact is. I¡¯m not the slightest bit interested in killing you, not that I won¡¯t if I have to.¡± Kiefer sighed, looking at the overcautious woman. ¡°How the hell can you not know when you are clearly using one? Artifacts are technology from before the cataclysm when mankind was at its peak in technological advancements. Most were destroyed by the natural disasters, but some of us manage to dig up well preserved devices that still work. For example, the one that you and I both have is called an energy shield. See? It¡¯s mounted on my back.¡± Selena replied, taking off her leather jacket to reveal a bulky looking piece of equipment on her back below her shirt. ¡°It covers the user in an electromagnetic field that deflects all incoming metallic projectiles.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for that piece of information. For that, I will let you go with your life, however, I will be taking this ship so kindly please order all your crew to leave this ship.¡± Kiefer replied in a mocking tone as he reached into his PD and pulled out a titan laser. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your shield will block this, but this is also an artifact that I collected, so if I were you, I would do as I say.¡± Kiefer lied and threatened once more. ¡°Tch! What do you want!? You are one of those Artifact hunters aren¡¯t you!? Why do you need this ship in the first place!? What is your true goal? You already have the same artifact I do, so I know my artifact is not what you are after.¡± Selena queried once more, backing up a little more from Kiefer. ¡°What I want, is for you to tell your crew to vacate this ship or they all lose their lives.¡± Kiefer repeated his demands. ¡°Dammit!¡± Selena cursed, before pulling out a handheld device from her jeans pocket and speaking into it. ¡°This is your captain speaking. I want everyone to leave the carrier now. I repeat. Leave the carrier or risk losing your lives.¡± With the announcement echoing through the many decks of the ship, many crew member began briskly disembarking the carrier, all with confused looks on their faces. Within 10 minutes, Kiefer saw that most if not all the crew were on the docks and no one else was coming out. With that, he grabbed Selena by the waist with his mana ropes and ascended a few steps into the air on his mana platform. Selena had a bewildered face as she watched her entire supercarrier along with its entire fleet fo automated harrier jets disappear into nothingness. She tried to scream as Kiefer muffled her mouth with silvery threads and sped through the fog back to the destroyer where he had first met him. ¡°Selena! What are you doing here!? Trying to kill me again?¡± Valares roared when Kiefer kicked the door to his room down with Selena next to him. Selena had a look of terror in her eyes as she vehemently shook her head, trying to deny the accusation with her mouth still muffled. Next to her was one of the young men that Valares had seen form part of the new recruit line-up. Still bewildered and shocked by the sudden intrusion, Valares quickly drew his weapon from the top of his table and fired off a burst of 3 rounds in Kiefer¡¯s direction. Selena¡¯s eyes widened as the bullets bounced off a silvery dome and embedded themselves in the furniture that was around the room. Then, something even more horrifying happened as Valares began disappearing the same way her supercarrier did, starting from one end and finishing when the entire person was seemingly deleted from all existence, all within the timeframe of a second. ¡°There you go Selena, you are now the leader of the pirate fleet. The carrier is compensation for the rudeness and disrespect you showed me earlier. This favor I¡¯m doing you by making you the leader of the pirate fleet, I expect to be repaid in the future.¡± Kiefer reminded her, before disappearing into the sky once more. It would seem that the fleet had already made it to New Manhattan island by the time Kiefer returned and most of the crew members recognized their savior instantly as he descended from the skies. They all roared and cheered as Kiefer approached the newly constructed concrete tent on the island just mere paces from the buried empire state building. ¡°Why hello there Palmer. Nice to see you again.¡± Kiefer greeted. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. I had to tie up some loose ends, and I brought back a present for the commander as well as souvenirs to take back to Mutatis.¡± Kiefer answered Isana who had rushed to the door to hug him. Chapter 3.20 - The Devil and The Christmas Spirit I apologise for this chapter. You will find that it is abit rushed, but i wanted to move on with the plot. There are also a bit more location skips than normal and i hope you enjoy this.
¡°Kiefer, where did you go after the battle? My men said that you disappeared soon after the pirates fled.¡± Palmer asked, worried that Kiefer might somehow be involved in the conspiracy. Should he really be the culprit behind the attack, she knew that there was pretty much nothing she could do, considering the reports that came in from the 7 destroyers and countless civilians about Kiefer¡¯s spectacular display of abilities. ¡°Oh, nothing much. I followed the pirates back to their base and picked out some new toys for myself. Did you know that they have an entire base near a foggy mess of islands near the north? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s their only base, but if they wanted to, they probably could overwhelm you with the ship¡¯s I¡¯ve seen. My guess is they were just biding their while tracking your movements to ensure a 100% chance of success.¡± Kiefer enquired, wondering if Palmer knew just how tiny her ¡®magnificent¡¯ fleet was. Kiefer genuine surprise at the presence of a pirate¡¯s cove seem to put Palmer at ease. She knew for certain now that Kiefer was not actually a spy for the pirates. However, that still did not quell her suspicions of a mole within her ranks and she was determined to find out. All she needed was a plan to leak fake information out to her subordinates while keeping the actual plan only to her most trusted captains. ¡°Kiefer.¡± Palmer called him as he was busy talking to his family. ¡°There is something else I need your help with. Of course I haven¡¯t forgotten that you just saved my entire fleet, but I feel that I need your help to root out the main cause of the problem. I am quite certain that there is a mole in my fleet who alerted the pirates of my ship¡¯s departure. Is there any way that you can act like one of my soldiers while I carry out a plan to lure the mole out? You just need to make yourself known as a secret soldier that I¡¯ve been keeping hidden as a trump card.¡± Palmer asked sincerely, praying that her plan works. ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t particularly mind, but what is your plan exactly? From the way you are telling me to act, I¡¯m assuming that your plan lies somewhere along the lines of attacking the pirate base with your destroyers and Me staying behind to protect the rest of the civilian fleets? Then when the pirates actually retaliate knowing that I will not be there, you will use the ooportunity to decimate them and capture their leader to interrogate him?¡± Kiefer speculated smugly, as if mocking Palmer¡¯s predictable and almost childish plan. ¡°Wha¡­ just who are you Kiefer? Yes that was the gist of my plans. What do you think?¡± Palmer was astounded by Kiefer¡¯s foresight and intelligence. Of course, this came naturally to Kiefer, given the amount of scheming and planning he had to do during his stay on Aioa. ¡°I think it¡¯s pointless. There is no need to waste so much resource on something that you can get for so much cheaper. If you think about it, fighting with the pirates in a full scale marine battle will probably lead to you losing a few destroyers and maybe even subs. So this is what I¡¯m proposing. I will find out who the mole is, and then you will give me a destroyer and a Sub for my services. Of course, for helping you in the battle, I want access to all your ship¡¯s schematics, logs and any data about the world and its former technology that you have. Do we have a deal?¡± Kiefer struck up a bargain that seemed reasonable but was clearly hidden under a veil of deceit. He knew that Palmer would not agree to such expensive terms in exchange for something as ambiguous as a promise. ¡°Sorry Kiefer, but I cannot provide you with any of my ships. If that is what it¡¯s going to cost me, I¡¯d rather go with my plan. With careful control of the battlefield, I¡¯m sure I can escape with less collateral damage than a destroyer and a sub. However, you can have any data and information stored on the Savior. That is, of course after the computers are fully functional again, considering your titans fried our circuit boards.¡± (Palmer) ¡°The titans fried the circuit boards? How is that even possible? They don¡¯t have any sort of equipment on them¡­¡± Kiefer thought silently to himself, before an idea struck him. ¡°Palmer, is there any disposable electronics that you can lend me? I have a vague idea on what might have caused the electrical failures.¡± Kiefer spoke up, a rough idea forming in his head. Palmer reached into her side pocket on her pants and pulled out a familiar triangular device that was used to display a holographic image. She handed it to Kiefer who held it in his hands and inspected the thing before turning it on the same way Everns did when they first met. As the blue LED light began racing along the edges, Kiefer released a thin mist of mana around the hand that held the display device. Almost instantly, sparks began flying out of small gaps in the plastic casing and they were followed quickly by a wisp of smoke and a smell of charred plastic. ¡°I know what is causing the problem Palmer. It is the mana that is being released by the titans that is interfering with the electronics. Do you have a voltmeter or a multimeter I could use? I intend to bring some of these technology home so I need to tweak the systems to withstand the mana on Aioa. I need to study the effects of mana on electricity.¡± Kiefer requested. ¡°Sure, but can we address the more important issue first? Are you willing to partake in my plan to flush out the mole?¡± Palmer asked once again, irritated that Kiefer did not seem to care for her fleet in the slightest bit. However, deep inside, she knew that he had no reason to do that, considering how they were treated and that he had no intentions of staying with the fleet. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Kiefer sighed audibly. ¡°Here, take this scumbag and interrogate him. There is no need to sustain collateral damage. He is the leader of the pirate fleet that attacked us. You can torture him for the information, or I can too, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Kiefer continued, pulling out Valares from his PD. ¡°VALARES!¡± Palmer exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°You are the one that led the pirates!?¡± ¡°Oh you know him?¡± Kiefer asked, impressed by the unbelievable yet undeniable coincidence. ¡°Yes, unfortunately. This asshole was exiled from our fleet when he attempted to start a mutiny against our former commander for being ¡®too passive¡¯. He was the first mate back then until he was exiled and I took over.¡± Palmer explained, keeping her eyes locked on the traitor. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t blame him. He does have an aggressive attitude and from what I¡¯ve seen, your fleet is comprised mostly of people who are too good to the point of being a little disgusting. They actually let the pirates go without chasing or killing anyone during the battle earlier. Which is also why your threats don¡¯t really work on me, or on anyone for that matter since we know you won¡¯t pull the trigger in the end.¡± Kiefer complained. The goody-two-shoes attitudes of everyone he¡¯s met so far had been bugging him to no end, and seeing the fleet let pirates who just attacked them swim back to their ships without shooting them dead was just a little over the top. ¡°I¡¯ll pry the information out of him for now. But when I get back, I expect a your team of engineers and scientists to be ready to work with me to deal with this electrical hiccup.¡± Kiefer ordered, yanking Valares into the air as he took off once more. Returning when the sun began to rise the next morning, Kiefer tossed the broken Valares onto the deck of the Savior. The moment he stopped bouncing on the cold metal floor, Valares quickly scrambled on all fours and cowered behind palmer, shaking so hard that he seemed like he would crumble like wet sand from the intense shaking. Palmer inpected Valares, but could find no scars or bruises, and yet Valares was obviously tortured somehow, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, all the while muttering one word ¨C Armstrong. As Kiefer stepped into the cabin, Valares shrieked in terror and clutched Palmer¡¯s pants even tighter, shaking his head and staring at the floor, as if Kiefer was the demon himself. ¡°Well, the good news is, I got a name out of him. The bad news is he is too broken to respond to anything else, so I¡¯m going to find this Armstrong guy to try and squeeze more information out.¡± Kiefer announced, smiling as if he had an enjoyable night. ¡°WAIT!!¡± Palmer yelled as Kiefer began to turn around. Kiefer turned back to face her, only to cause Valares to shriek once more and scamper to the farthest corner of the cabin and curl up into a defensive ball. ¡°Yes? What else do you need?¡± Kiefer asked nonchalantly. ¡°Did you just say Armstrong?! He is the captain of one of the destroyers! Kiefer, I¡¯ll handle this. To think that bastard would betray me.¡± Palmer cursed as she gave out orders to Everns. Thus began the manhunt for the captain of the destroyer Dauntless and his crew. The Spectres were the first to arrive on the particular destroyer and what followed the tip of the spear was an entire raid party from the Savior. However, the efforts were fruitless as Armstrong could not be found anywhere near his destroyer. While the records show that he had been injured in the battle and was in the medical ward, they could not find him anywhere. Eventually, the search expanded to all the ships within the colony by the end of the day. Kiefer however, could not be bothered by the fleet¡¯s internal affairs and proceeded to test out the effects of varying concentrations of mana on electronic equipment. The experiment was fairly easy, testing the voltage across junctions in a circuit board as he flooded the air with his mana. One thing he noticed was that the concentration of mana did not seem to affect the current of the electrical system. Instead, it energised the electrons to raise their voltage. Furthermore, the mana seemed to raise the voltage by a fixed percentage, with higher mana concentrations only leading to more electrons being energised instead of individual electrons being energised to a higher voltage. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The man hunt lasted over a week, with most of the crew from the Dauntless detained and questioned. It would seem that only Armstrong and his first mate were responsible for the pirate ambush, but both were nowhere to be found. In the end, Palmer decided that it was in the best interest of the fleet to appoint a new captain of the Dauntless. Kiefer on the other hand was enjoying his time perusing through Exabytes of information all stored on board the Savior¡¯s quantum computer. Things ranging from human genetic modifications of futuristic super soldiers to discovering methods of manipulating the higgs field and detecting Attoscopic wormholes. The treasure trove of knowledge did not seem to end and Kiefer was eager to soak it all up. Of course, he was not the only one. It started with Rashael begging Kiefer to teach him how to read English. What followed was daily English lessons for all 3 titans to fill in the gaps between meals and reading the data on the screens. Kiefer had also developed a way to neutralise the Titans¡¯ leaking mana to enable them to access the computers. With Rashael¡¯s help and a little ingenuity from the science crew of the Savior, Kiefer remodelled parts of his armour with an activation triggered mana link. Sher received brand new wrist guards while Isana acquired Kiefer¡¯s greaves. Rashael equipped Kiefer¡¯s armour while Kiefer himself wore the gauntlets to siphon the mana from the armour pieces the titans were wearing. Kiefer would drain his own mana almost entirely and then siphon mana that is stored within the armor pieces that the titans were wearing every morning. It was enough to store the mana leakage from the titans for a full day before the armour turned black from full capacity the next morning. With this, the Titans ceased being walking EMP bombs and it came as a great relief to the mechanics and electrical engineers of the fleet. With this, the daily life of the Titans started on earth as the fleet began to depart from new Manhattan, with the titans staying on the Savior. They spent most of their time learning how things worked on earth without mana and customs and cultures of earth. Rashael especially, was eagerly coming up with designs on improving the current machinery based on the schematics of advanced ship architecture from the data banks in the Savior.
[[Back on Hope]] [Sir, we are approaching the outer reaches of the target solar system. As per my previous reports, it is conclusive that this planet is able to sustain life. There are no observable detriments to human health due to short-term exposure to the radiation. Shall I launch the probes to investigate the surface of the planet?] Captain Palmer watched the drones outside the colony ship complete the installation of the new radiation shields made from the newly synthesized Ag-110. While the isotope was naturally unstable, in the presence of the unknown radiation, it seemed to be able to stabilise its nuclei while storing minute amounts of the radiation. However, a dissipation system was still required to extract the radiation to enable the shield to keep working. Wellin and Vladlena¡¯s teams had designed an ingenius way to adapt the new radiation shields. While the new silver isotope could store and block off the radiation completely, it could only do so for a short amount of time. The best way to ensure the continued function of the isotope was to run an electric current through it that led to a heating coil. The electrons would be excited to a high voltage from the radiation stored within the new isotope and they would dissipate the energy from the radiation in the heating coils. ¡°Launch the probes Rowanda. We need to determine if there is already life on the planet. That would be the final indicator that the planet is able to sustain our species. Run the protocols on the probes for detecting intelligent lifeforms as well. If there are indeed extra-terrestrial life on this planet, we need to determine how advanced their world is and decide if we can get along.¡± Captain Palmer ordered the Ship¡¯s AI. Instantly, a series of explosions reverberated from the side of the ship, with 20 large projectiles flying off towards the planet ahead of the already colony ship. ¡°Rowanda, also begin preparations to put us into orbit above the planet. Make is a geostationary orbit if possible. If not, calculate a path that would be easiest to retrieve the probes from the surface. Give me an overview of the colony status whenever you are done.¡± Palmer continued, admiring the rest of the ship that was the culmination of the last of humankind¡¯s technology and knowledge. The massive ship that housed millions of souls was carrying the last hope for humankind¡¯s survival as a species. This was the ark that fled from a dying planet in order to find a new rock to call home. After multiple failed planets and uncountable random wormhole jumps later, they have finally found another habitable planet in the far reaches of the universe in an unknown galaxy not even registered in the maps of the known universe when they first left Earth. As Palmer yanked a lever down to open the blast doors to the airlock, he took one last look at the ship from outside, his pressurised suit keeping him safe from the vacuum of space. Praying that the planet this time would be what he was looking for, Palmer closed the blast doors behind him, allowing the ship to re-pressurise the airlock before removing his helmet. ¡°I hope I did not wake up the civilians for nothing this time.¡± Palmer muttered as he undressed his spacewalk suit and began making preparations to arrive at the planet. It would be more than a year before they settle into orbit, but it was still safer to make preparations earlier.
[[Back on Earth]] Numerous weeks passed with this lifestyle and soon, Kiefer felt that he had learnt as much as he could. Amongst the sea of information were key studies on dark matter expansion, antimatter weaponry, as well as higgs field manipulation which caught Kiefer¡¯s attention. More so than that was the attoscopic wormhole detection, stabilisation and expansion theory that seemed the most useful to Kiefer. Naturally, Kiefer did not spend the entire time holed up inside the Savior. At one point, Kiefer stunned the crew with his supercarrier, which only impressed Palmer who was used to Kiefer¡¯s nonsensical antics that was beyond normal human comprehension. They worked to fix the systems on the Supercarrier to adapt to mana, with every single computer and harrier jets altered as per Kiefer¡¯s instructions and the engineering team¡¯s calculations. That, together with a couple more shopping trips to various Pirate coves made it feel like an early Christmas. Everyone received presents. The fleet obtained new parts to upgrade and maintain their ships; Kiefer himself acquired a sub and 2 pristine condition stealth destroyers which Palmer gladly traded with him for 2 of her own normal destroyers. Kiefer agreed to the trade since he had no use for stealth technology on a world where radar was a concept still centuries away. Rashael received the supercarrier from Kiefer while Isana received a priceless Diamond studded necklace that one of the pirates salvaged from a deep sea trench. For Sher, Kiefer promised to take her anywhere he went from now on. Finally, Kiefer presented Isana with a single ring that was part of a pair. It signified their bond of marriage. The ring was of a simple design, with the main body made out of platinum encased on the edges in mithril silver that shined brightly in contrast to the greyish platinum body. On the inside of Isana¡¯s ring, was a rune carved to act as a communication device dedicated to Kiefer¡¯s ring. Having copied and transferred as much information from the Savior onto the super carrier, Kiefer stored his own fleet away into his ever growing PD and thanked Palmer for all her assistance. Armstrong was never found despite the numerous raids on multiple pirate bases and Palmer decided to let it go. After a final farewell, Kiefer fired up Icarus, who lit up the evening sky like a second sun with a beam that tore through the heavens deep into the void of space. Kiefer easily spotted the beam and picked up the titans before sprinting into the clouds in the direction of the beam. ¡°Well, are you ready to go back home?¡± Kiefer asked Isana and Sher as they stood below the portal. ¡°Yes!¡± (Isana) ¡°Nnn!¡± (Sher nodding) ¡°Noooooo¡­¡± (Rashael) Ignoring the reluctant titan who was unwilling to leave behind such an interesting world, Kiefer dragged the 3 of them back through the portal, into the same humid cavern. The familiar sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance. Kiefer smiled at his family, and started heading out towards the exit of the cave, excited to see the changes in Mutatis as well as glad to finally be back home. Kiefer closed the portal and felt the refreshing mana in the air as he rapidly began refilling his own mana. Holding a girl in each hand, Kiefer set foot on the banks of Shearwood Lake with a reluctant Rashael still trying to claw his way back to the cave.
It might be a little confusing because i did not know how to organise it. but the part about Hope lauching the probes actually happens during Kiefer''s stay on earth, roughly a few weeks before Kiefer returned. The organisation of my segments might have made it seem like a lot of time passed from when Hope reached the outer regions of Aioa''s solar system, but in actual fact, it happened not long before Kiefer left Earth to return for Aioa. Chapter 3.21 - The Pocket Dimension and The Homecoming [[Valares POV]] The Devil. The Devil has come for me. And Selena brought him here herself. I had always envisioned hell to be much, hotter. With intense flames licking your feet and screams of sinners flooding your ears. The reality though, was much crueller. It was just an endless void of white, with no sense of time or space. And yet, the famous quote came to mind. ¡°I think, so I am.¡± I think, so I definitely exist, and yet nothing else seems to prove my justification. Then, came the reprieve. The shining hope from an endless extension of nothingness. They say that people see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that it serves as their guide to salvation. Light is all I see right now, and that window of darkness seemed to shake my mind, telling me that, that is the way out of this madness. I was pulled from the void by invisible forces. I was not even sure if it was merely my consciousness, or my body that was moving. So much time had passed without being able to feel, hear, see, smell or move anything that I was on the verge of assuming I was without form. As I was pulled through the window, I saw the moon, and the stars and the dark night sky. I wept instantly, knowing that I had been saved. I could hear the sound of waves, I could feel the wind on my skin, smell the salt in the air. I could breathe again. I had almost forgotten what breathing felt like for it was not a privilege I had within the white void. Then, I heard a voice. It took me some time to register where I was, or even what I was. The voice kept rambling on, but I was too focused on orientating myself to care. I was floating in mid-air, in the middle of the night, high above the sea. Sea. That right, I was a pirate, and the Devil sent me to hell. Now I¡¯m back. I escaped the Devil¡¯s clutches. The voice kept rambling on, and it started to sound aggressive. Abruptly without any indication of what was to come, I was suddenly thrust back into the white void. No. This cannot be happening. My paradise. It was too short. Why am I back here again. Nononono¡­ LET ME OUT!! I wanted to scream, but I couldn¡¯t. I did not even know if my mouth worked, or my lungs. My head was fixed and I could not even blink, forced to stare into the blinding white light once again. Seconds turned to minutes, then into hours, days and what I thought might be weeks before I saw a glimpse of my paradise once again. Yes. It¡¯s finally here once again. This time, I will grasp it to my best ability and never let it go. My nirvana approaches as once more, I was pulled through the dark window, to be granted the view that I so longed for. The dark night sky and the bright white moon lifted my spirits to heights I never knew possible. ¡°¡­. Ole?? ¡­ ¡­ the mole!??¡± (voice) ¡°Wha.. what?¡± I spoke, ecstatic that I could finally hear my voice in my ears and not my head. ¡°WHO IS THE MOLE!?!¡± (Devil) I focused my sight from the sky to the man who was floating at eye level. It¡¯s the Devil. What is he doing here? As I open my mouth to scream, I was once more thrust back into the white hell. I now knew what was happening. I was being toyed. The Devil is using me as his entertainment, watching me suffer. Watching my mind break in the hellish prison that he¡¯s cast me into. 3 times, he¡¯s sent me here. 3 times he¡¯s watched me suffer, torturing me. What does he want from me? What should I do to end this, to appease the Devil? What was he asking me again? Something about a mole. Who is the mole? What mole? Mole. Mole mole mole mole mole. The word kept repeating in my head in an endless cycle. What the hell is the devil talking about? I did not have any moles with me. Why did he want a mole? Wait.. He said WHO is the mole. He is looking for a person. But who is so daring to betray this devil? I had no idea what he was talking about, and I had an eternity to think it through once more. Almost losing my mind, I saw the dark window open again. This time, I¡¯m prepared. I failed the last 2 times, but now, I am sure I can escape this prison for good. I embraced the invisible force once more as it pulled me through the void and out into the same night sky. ¡°Are you ready to talk yet?¡± The devil asked, yawning as if this was boring him. ¡°Yes.¡± I replied succinctly, afraid anything more will anger him. It would be best to keep him relaxed as he is now. I saw him smile, which could be a good sign. ¡°Tell me, who ordered you to attack the fleet? Who is the mole within Palmer¡¯s fleet?¡± The man asked. The seriousness in his tone was deafening. ¡°What fleet? I don¡¯t kno ¨C noooo wait wait wait!! Nooooo¡± I screamed as I was shoved into the white prison once more. As soon as my mouth entered the prison, my voice ceased to exist, as I caught one last glimpse of the devil¡¯s smile before the dark window shut in my face, for the fourth time. I cannot take this anymore. I will die of insanity if he pulls the reaches of paradise from me again. If he throws me back in here once more. This void. It toys with my mind. Breaking me slowly from inside. I will not let the next chance go. Who is the mole? I need to answer the devil¡¯s question. This is but a game for him, but for me, it is a torturous hell unlike anything. Once again, I¡¯m back outside, staring at the devil. I¡¯m pleading him to let me go, not to push me back inside that eternity of torturous silence. ¡°I will give you one last chance.¡± The devil reminded me. I smiled! He¡¯s giving me a chance. A chance to keep my mind, a chance to keep my sanity intact. ¡°Aa.. any- anything.¡± I stammered, trying my best not to incur his wrath. ¡°I only want to hear a name. The name of the mole. Anything else, and you will go back to suffer in your mind.¡± He threatened. ¡°Wha- what mole¡­? I- I need more informa ¨C NOOOOOO!!!! PLEASE!!!¡± My scream was cut off once more as I plunge into the depths of my mind, losing my sense of reality and self. I think, so I am? No. I don¡¯t think I exist anymore. Traces of words barely float into my mind as the silence grappled my consciousness for the 5th time. Mole? What is a mole? Who is a mole? Mole of what? Of Who? Fleet? Attack fleet? Mole.. mole¡­ Armstrong. He hired me. He attacked his own fleet. He is the mole. Armstrong. The devil wants Armstrong. If I give him Armstrong he will let me go. I will carve this name into my mind, overwrite this silence. Armstrong.. Armstrong¡­ Night sky¡­ moon¡­ Devil¡­ Speaking¡­ mole? Name the mole? ¡°Armstrong¡­¡± I whispered, barely collecting my mind from the shambles it¡¯s crumbled into from the time spent in the prison. ¡°ARMSTRONG!!!¡± I screamed. He is the one responsible for my suffering! I will give him up to end my suffering. Surrender him to the Devil! Free myself!! ¡°It¡¯s Armstrong! He hired me! He¡¯s the mole!¡± I yelled, making sure everyone in the world knew who was the one responsible for making me suffer. The devil smiled. He carried and pulled me through the air and landed on a cold metallic ship. I never thought feeling something physical could be so calming and exciting at the same time. I can feel my mind piecing back together. Ship. That¡¯s right this is a ship. And that is a human. Then, I looked up and saw the Devil once more. Stolen novel; please report. Is he not done with me!? I gave him what he needed! I need to hide! I quickly grasped the pants of the human who seemed to be facing the devil, trying with all my might to hold onto him, hoping that he will not let me be taken again. I know! Armstrong. He wants Armstrong. Armstrong. If I say Armstrong, he will not put me back inside his prison. Armstrong. ¡°Armstrong. Armstrong. Armstrong¡­¡± I kept mumbling, trying to repeat the word that saved me the last time. The devil seems to be distracted; talking to the human I¡¯m cowering behind. Is this human on the same side as the devil!? I need to get away. I shrieked as the devil took a step towards me. Scrambling on all fours, having forgotten the sensation of using my limbs, I backed away into the furthest corner from the devil, bracing myself to return to the void once more just for his entertainment. Thankfully, he left soon after. Armstrong kept him away. I¡¯m never going back again if I keep saying that name. Armstrong. Armstrong. Armstrong. [[End of Valares POV]]
[[Armstrong POV]] Tch!! Who the hell was that guy!? He completely ruined my plans! And that Valares! He sold me out so quickly. To think I even got myself shot on purpose during the battle to romve any suspicions of me being the mole. Now there is a whole manhunt for me. I already shot my first mate and dumped his body into the depths. There is no way he is going to take the fall for this. He is definitely going to sell me out the second he gets the chance. My only chance is to bide my time in this wall space until the heat dies down. Then I can easily commandeer one of the speedboats and get away. I¡¯ve been stuck here for almost a day now. It looks like the heart of the hunt has moved from the Dauntless to the other destroyers. I guess now is as good a time as any to make my getaway. I might as well go and see Selena. From what I¡¯ve heard, she has a new megacarrier that can control a formidable number of harrier jets. I guess I¡¯ll just have to offer her more than what I did for Valares to attack the fleet once more. Good. Everything is prepared. The boat is fully charged and I have spare reactor cores to last me till the French archipelago. It shouldn¡¯t take long, but at least I have something I can trade with if I do end up not using the spare reactor core. It is the dead of the night, the search party is a minimal at this time. If I can mingle in with the civilian boats, I will be able to get far enough before anyone notices. I start my engine and hear it come to life with a soft hum, sending ripples into the water. With a sudden acceleration, I shoot out of the side of the Dauntless, into the ¡­ day¡­ light? No, it was night time just moments ago. How is everything so bright? Is it searchlights? I look around. Huh? I can¡¯t look around. I can¡¯t move anything. Am I dead? Did I get shot the moment I left the dauntless? Where is my boat? Where is everything? The sea, the moon, the sky, the air! All gone! If I¡¯m dead, then what am I now? A Spirit? Is this what the afterlife is? So quiet, so serene, so void of¡­ everything. I can still think, I can hear my own voice in my head. My head¡­ do I still have a head? ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Moving¡­ I am moving¡­ It¡¯s been so long. I wanted to sleep, but I couldn¡¯t. I have stared at this blinding white light for all of my spiritual life. Now, I can feel myself moving. I see some greenery, in a small window far away. I know I¡¯m moving towards the window, not the window to me. I can feel the motion, oddly though since I can¡¯t move. I can now see the lush greenery of a forest canopy. The air is warm and my head is filled with the sounds of the forest, which is a refreshing relief from my own voice. I can move my neck, but strangely, not my body. Am I paralysed? Looking down, I can see my body, finally after an eternity. It is however, wrapped in silver threads, restricting my movements. I follow the threads with my eyes and see a man, floating in the air, next to a young girl and a beautiful lady. I see his mouth move, and the young girl smile, before she transformed right before my eyes into a monstrosity that resembled a huge winged serpent. This is it. I thought I was dead, but now I really am. I can see the mouth of the serpent slowly creak open as the huge gaping maw came straight for me. Darkness. That¡¯s all I see. I feel the slimy fluids around my body as I feel my body being crushed. I scream, in agony and frustration. That is all I can do before I accept my fate. My last memory will be off the foul stench of corroding flesh and the ear piercing scream of my own voice. [[End of Armstrong¡¯s POV]]
¡°Master, Thank you for the meal. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve eaten a proper meal.¡± Sher licked her giant serpent lips with her forked tongue as she gulped the traitor in a single bite. ¡°Ahhh... It feels so great to finally be able to use our skills again.¡± Isana breathed, taking in the well missed feeling of mana infused air. She transformed into her titan dragon form and soared through the skies in circles, Sher following closely on her tail. ¡°Well, I better get going now.¡± Rashael chimed in as he waved to Kiefer. ¡°I want to try implementing what I¡¯ve learnt to my home. So, if you want to find me, you know where to look.¡± He said, as he leapt off Kiefer¡¯s mana platform and sank straight into the ground. ¡°Lets¡¯ get going shall we?¡± Kiefer asked as he rose through the air and sprinted alongside the 2 titans who were enjoying their freedom of movement. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± With that the 3 of them shot through the sky, homeward bound, half excited to finally be back home, and half curious as to how much it has changed. Meanwhile, a small dog that was trailing behind a patrol group of adventurers looked up into the sky. He was not certain, but he had a feeling that finally, after 5 years of loneliness, his master had returned.
Hello y''all. Sorry for the missing update yesterday, but it was my BIRTHDAY!!! YIPPEE I am now one year closer to the grim reaper. anyways, i took the day off to enjoy and had a wonderful cake with my family. So here is today''s chapter. It was a little grim, but i feel it adds colour to my story if i tell it from another person''s POV. Hope you enjoyed it. PS.. please if it is not too much trouble, give me a rating and review, an advanced one if possible so more people know about my fiction. I am such an attention whore. haha. I would say that I write to bring my characters to life and whatnot, but i know that is not true. I know that all your comments and reviews are actually what keeps me writing and not bottled up inside my head so i would feel very alone if you stopped reading my fiction. [RRCS] Chapter 3.22 - The Winter Festival merry christmas my dear readers. I know this chapter is 3 days late, which is why i''ve made it 4 times as long. This is a christmas special, so i hope you enjoy reading it as much as i had writing it. P.S. Sorry for the ending.
Kiefer took a good look around, studying the landscape from up high as he made his way to his little home on the cliff. The once empty grasslands were now teeming with activity. Uncountable rows of neatly planted trees filled up half the field. Unlike the Agrean forest where the temperature never dropped low enough, the fields were already covered in a soft sprinkle of snow that signified the start of winter. His little port city of Mutatis had in itself grown beyond the cove, with docks lining both sides of the cove beyond the cliffs. The biggest building at the time he left felt so insignificant now compared to the sheer size of the city. By his rough estimates, Kiefer approximated mutatis to be no smaller than Diantes, except with greater organisation and uniformity. 90% of the buildings had been built or rebuilt out of bricks, and Kiefer could only assume them to have steel skeletons considering that some rose to above 5 storeys tall. The cove is relatively empty, with the exception of Alwin¡¯s red/gold fleet and a handful of other smaller lavishly decorated boats. Most of the merchant cargo vessels and small transport boats were docked outside the cove, which could only mean that the security of the cove was for special privileged members only. Despite the dropping temperatures and the light snowfall that melts ever so tenderly upon contact with skin, the streets were bustling with life as Kiefer, Isana and Sher walked through the gates. Thick black smoke rose from chimneys all over the city while peddlers sold their wares under thin cloth tarps hung over their heads to keep out the snow. The city had developed nicely, and Alwin had done a magnificent job following Kiefer¡¯s instructions. There were no distinct districts that separated the nobles from the peasants. There were, however, bigger mansions with extensive courtyards in prime locations that overlooked the cove or out into the sea. Kiefer saw a lot more variety of races, with even some wolf, cat and fox tribe members strolling down the streets and mingle with humans. A utopia without discrimination of race and social standing, where everyone had an equal shot at life and earned for what they worked. That was a city that Kiefer dreamed Mutatis would become. Unrealistic as it was, and Kiefer knew it to be impossible, Alwin had developed Mutatis along the path to such a dream. Where there are differences, there will be discrimination, and where there are a variety of people, there will always be the greedy, the cunning, and the despicable. It was a matter of fact and Kiefer had accepted such things long ago. Nevertheless, it was heart-warming to see the human and lamia guard stationed at the gates welcome Kiefer, Isana and Sher to through the gates despite their suspicious getup. To almost any guard in any city, a family of 3 dressed in weird clothes walking through a gate from a road that is supposedly at least 3 weeks travel time from the nearest settlement is sufficient reason to be suspicious. And yet, the well-mannered guards offered the family some warm drinks to soothe their throat while they prepared the required documents to get the family registered within the city. This was no doubt a new process of inviting new residents while keeping track of their identities and whereabouts that Alwin and his team had come up with. It would seem that he had also drilled into the guards the mentality of ¡®innocent until proven guilty¡¯, which only made the registration process all that much smoother. By the time Kiefer sat himself down on his bed in his room, the sun was already starting its descent from the middle of the sky. While the rest of the city grew and changed over the past 5 years, only Kiefer¡¯s home and the area of the cliff around had remained unchanged. The path leading up to his home was already overgrown with grass that had withered from the cold. Weeds littered the back and front yard and dust had collected on the roof and on any flat surface within the house. ¡°I wonder where Feir is¡­¡± Kiefer thought silently as he undressed from his urban earth attire of a T-shirt and jeans into one more appropriate for Aioa. Isana was also doing the same only without removing the resplendent necklace around her neck. Putting on a nice thick coat to stay toasty, Kiefer left the house once again, hand in hand with Isana. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet Alwin and the rest of his committee shall we? Inform them of our return. I hope Sher manages to find Feir.¡± Kiefer hushly whispered as the cold air dug into his throat with every breath. Walking down the streets, Kiefer seemed to have become invisible, with everyone¡¯s eyes stuck on the goddess that had descended to walk amongst them, and a piece of jewellery that seemed so intricately designed that it must have been crafted by other worldly gods. The goddess herself seemed unabashed, proudly lifting her chin to showcase the treasure that laid on her ample bosom for all to see. Finally arriving at the clocktower, Kiefer was stopped by the guards stationed at the door and asked to state his purpose of visit. Kiefer smiled and decided to test them on a whim, seeing if they were indeed fit for their jobs. Ignoring the guards, Kiefer walked right past them, with Isana in hand and stepping into the warm lobby of the government building. The guards were astonished at first, but promptly entered after the 2, still requesting that they stop. ¡°Sir, madam, please stop. This is a restricted area. There are important personal and documents here and we have been instructed not to let any strangers in without prior notification. Acting as you wish is making our jobs difficult and we would like to refrain from using force.¡± The first guard politely informed them. ¡°I see. Then bring me Alwin. I shall wait right here. Tell him Kiefer is back.¡± Kiefer replied, honestly impressed by the courteous attitude he is witnessing for the first time on Aioa. Most guards would have threatened him on the spot without any sort of explanation had he been in another city 5 years ago. Much has changed, and for the better it would seem. The guards are more civilised, and hopefully not any less skilful than what they were 5 years ago. ¡°Thank you sir. Please wait here while we contact the relevant authorities.¡± The first guard bowed, before turning and barking out orders to his subordinates. They began rushing around hecticly and before long, a familiar sight appeared through the doors on the second floor above the flight of stairs. ¡°Lord Kiefer, Elder Titan Isana, please follow me. General alwin is a little preoccupied in his study and is unable to leave at the moment. I shall guide you to him.¡± Alwin¡¯s secretary bowed. The mention of Elder titan Isana seem to have struck some fear and relief into the guards at the door, glad that they had followed instructions to be polite and had thrown away their slightly more barbaric and rash attitudes from a while back. Strolling up the stairs and through a long stretch of corridor, Alwin¡¯s secretary knocked on a door thrice before opening it and allowing Kiefer and Isana to step in. He then promptly shut the door gently from the outside to allow the mayor and the founders of Mutatis some privacy. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Alwin. You don¡¯t look that much different.¡± Kiefer commented, looking at the smiling man seated behind a mountain of paperwork. He still looked as young as always, except with a haggard and unkempt look that probably was a result of overwork. ¡°Well, we elves live for a few hundred years on average, some even growing past a thousand. 5 years is nothing to us. I can say the same to you too, you might have grown a stubble but you haven¡¯t aged a bit. Time has been kind to you.¡± Alwin returned the compliment as he put down the quill and stood up to greet Kiefer. ¡°So how have you been?¡± ¡°Not bad. Not bad at all. I¡¯ve had quite a fruitful time at my destination. We met a few bumps along the way, but there was nothing a little force couldn¡¯t fix.¡± Kiefer grinned. ¡°I see you are the same as always, enforcing your logic onto other people. Well, what do you think of the city? It¡¯s changed quite a bit when you were gone. I was actually hoping you¡¯d have left Icarus for us to use but seeing as you said u needed it just before you left, I¡¯ve left the Alluvian plains to the farmers to use at their own discretion.¡± Alwin asked, hoping he had scratched even the surface of the grand plan that is Kiefer¡¯s vision for Mutatis. ¡°You¡¯ve done a magnificent job Alwin. Much better than I could have, given the short time span. Have you had any problems with the city?¡± Kiefer asked, while praising Alwin. It seemed to put a pleasing smile on his face, as if all the troubles he had up till now were worth it. ¡°Yes there are a few problems actually. The most glaring one would be the lack of a proper army. While we do have an army and a general, unlike the other countries, they do not serve under a king, and hence lack leadership. It is currently very generalised as we do not know the specific route with which to train the army in. While cities such as Diantes focus on physical might and military strategy, others such as Rashael¡¯s Latiase focus on magic abilities to defend their city. Right now, Mutatis has a little of everything, but nothing that we can really call our own style that sets us aside from others.¡± General Alwin reported, rummaging through a stack of parchment on his desk and pulling out a few relevant pieces on the army¡¯s structure. ¡°I see. I just might have a solution for your problem. I was actually thinking of discussing this with you. My intention was for Mutatis to have a small but efficient army that is able to deploy anywhere in almost an instant and be capable of neutralising any threats to the city. I just happen to have the resources to make that happen but I need to be able to choose the soldiers individually. They have to be able to fend off an army on their own with the limited resources they have at hand, while being able to work well as a team or alone. Of course this doesn¡¯t mean you have to retrench the rest of the current army. They will serve as the people¡¯s army, serving the civilians instead of the city. You can keep the guards and patrol groups as such, but we will have a rapid response team that is deadly and fast enough to respond to emergencies and powerful enough to act as a deterrent to outside threats.¡± Kiefer explained his suggestion. ¡°So you are saying that the current army will remain as they are while you select an elite few for your special program to train them to react to any threats to the city?¡± Alwin asked, trying to clarify what Kiefer had just said. ¡°Yes, and I will provide the elite forces with the resources necessary to make them formidable. Are there any other problems with the city development?¡± Kiefer continued. ¡°The next issue isn¡¯t so much a problem as it is a worry. While Mutatis had been growing well, I¡¯ve noticed a decrease in its population growth rate the past year. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s going to be just this year, or if it will continue. If it¡¯s the latter, that will indeed be a problem since the lack of a workforce will seriously hinder the growth and development of the city.¡± Alwin reported once more. ¡°I see. So you are saying that we need something to either improve birth rates or attract more people from other cities to move here. Have you considered giving out incentive packages for people moving and settling in Mutatis from other cities?¡± Kiefer asked, pointing at one of the instructions in the plan for increasing Mutatis¡¯s population. ¡°Yes, but sadly, that is not where our main problem lies. Even if people do move in and receive the incentives package, word does not get out easily to encourage more people to move to Mutatis. I think what we need is an attraction of sorts to lure outsiders in and give them a proper view of what living in Mutatis is like. For example, Alluviate has held regular tournaments in her Arena and that alone attracts thousands from other cities to go and either to watch or participate in the tournament. I feel that it is something like this that Mutatis is lacking in.¡± Alwin described. ¡°I think I just might have an idea to tackle that problem too, although I¡¯m going to have to move quite a bit of manpower to achieve the results I want. Let¡¯s move on. Anything else?¡± Kiefer pondered and gave a slight reassurance to Alwin. ¡°No nothing else really. Other smaller issues I will be able to fix on my own. I do have to thank you though. As you instructed, titan Feir had been keeping the outskirts of the city safe. We are quite famous amongst merchants for being the safest city to travel to. It would seem that somehow, Titan Feir is capable of conjuring a duplicate of himself and guard any and all merchant caravan within the outskirts of Mutatis.¡± Alwin thanked. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but I feel it should be directed towards Feir rather than me. I suppose he interpreted my instructions a little differently than what I expected but it worked out fine too. So since there are no other pressing issues, I¡¯m going to get going now. I will begin preparations to select the elite force as well as design an attraction for the city. For now, I need you to issue an order to clear out the city square though. I am going to need that space for my plans.¡± Kiefer waved his hand as he left the room and returned to the lobby with Isana. ¡°So where are we going now Kiefer? What plans do you have in mind?¡± Isana asked as she strolled along side Kiefer, his right arm tucked away snuggly between her two mountains. ¡°For now, I want you to help me put up several notices in the adventurer¡¯s guild. Seeing how pretty you are and that necklace you are wearing, that attention that you attract will be much needed if we are to act quickly. I will return home and make some minor renovations to improve our home.¡± Kiefer then proceeded to explain to Isana what notices to put up in the adventurer¡¯s guild. The first notice was to gather as many glassblowers and metalworkers as possible for an event never before celebrated on Aioa. Of course, the reward for their work would be substantial and would scale according to how much each participant contributed. Kiefer¡¯s aim with this request was to create a variety of ornaments ranging from glass balls to intricately designed animals. The most significant being a large star that would be placed atop a tree. Kiefer¡¯s next request though, was targeted at the city guards as well as any adventurer parties interested in partaking in the event. The criteria being that the participants must form squads of 5 to 10 people and they will have to work together in a mock battle. The request though, was divided into sub-categories where the other casual non-competitive category was targeted towards the general audience. Naturally, there would be an unknown reward for the top 5 teams in the competitive section while participation gifts would be handed out to everyone else in the casual category. Leaving out the key details to entice the masses with a sense of mystery, Isana made sure that word of her requests spread quickly. Registration for the squads would be conducted on the day of the event itself. The final request though, Isana chose not to pin it up on the board since she felt that she had a much faster avenue of recruiting the required members of the society to help arrange matters. While Isana was out and about running errands, Kiefer had already dug up a 2nd basement level in their home, where he pulled out a generator from his PD. He had stripped the electrical generator from one of the smaller pirate ships that he happened by while raiding the numerous pirate bases on earth. Finally, he would have a home run not solely on mana but combined with electricity as well. The generator was remodified so that Kiefer did not need to supply it with the required plutonium or uranium cores for nuclear fission. Instead, Kiefer made short work of the pistons and their respective cylinders, carving a small Repulsion rune that causes each piston head to automatically blast away from the end of the cylinder once it comes within close proximity. Bypassing the fuel input altogether, the piston sprung to life and started churning away at an axle which spun a series of magnets in coils of wires. The Generator pumped out AC supply like there was no tomorrow and after some time, the power fluctuations stabilised enough for Kiefer to start installing the computer and lighting systems within his home. Having proven that the generator works while running on rune controlled mana, Kiefer immediately got to work on his main project. He sprinted towards the northern forest that separated Mutatis from the mountains. Picking the biggest fir tree he could find, he uprooted the entire tree and carried it back to the city square where he planted it right in the middle. Pulling out a second generator, Kiefer¡¯s work at modifying the generator and stringing the lengthy LED bulbs on the tree attracted quite a bit of attention. Most of the attention though, came from disgruntled shop owners who were asked to vacate the lot without any prior notice or explanation. As the generator hummed to life, everybody left out audible gasps of admiration as the towering Fir tree lit up in bright lights that changed colours in an organised pattern every few seconds. Kiefer admired his work from afar, watching various people gather to inspect and observe the new attraction. However, thanks to a simple barrier rune, none could approach the tree close enough to touch and mess with the electrical circuitry. It helped greatly that the electricals were all water-proof, evidence that humanity had been living in the seas for generations long enough to adapt their technology. This made contact with snowfall harmless and Kiefer had no need to worry about leaving the lights and generator on in his absence. Very quickly, the next 2 weeks passed by in a flash, with a sudden increase in imports within the city of Mutatis. The neighbouring cities were of course delighted with the business while at the same time intrigued by the sudden change. Mutatis had always been self-sufficient and focused on export. But to suddenly switch to import of food stuff and building materials such as sand and metals only meant that there was a sudden and big change going on in Mutatis. Feir and Sher had returned shortly after the Christmas tree went up and they helped Kiefer in organising the different parties involved in hosting the event. Several families of blacksmiths, jewellers, glass craftsmen and merchants were deeply involved in the event preparation and guards were employed in the troves to ensure the safety of the people and merchandise. Finally, it was the morning of the first day of the event. Kiefer had already set up everything and the brightly lit Christmas tree had already become a local attraction and a landmark of sorts or outsiders. Humans and Demi-humans alike swarmed in from other cities to see the spectacle of lights dancing around on a tree. Wooden stalls had been set-up along the perimeter of the square, surrounding the tree. It was barely a few hours after sunrise and yet, people had started packing the place and streets so densely that guards had to stop carriages from 10 streets away for the safety of the passers-by. Kiefer was calm as ever, prepared to announce the start of the event and the itinerary for the days to follow. The titans however could not keep their excitement in as they had already been briefed on what was about to happen. Stepping up to the podium, Kiefer spoke into the mic that he had installed, with his voice booming through the speakers installed on the corners of the square. Taking a look around, he estimated that at least 90% of the population of Mutatis had gathered in the streets and a fraction more from various other cities at least. *tap tap tap* Kiefer tested the mic as the tapping sound resounded from the speakers. People huddled next and close to the speakers covered their ears and desperately tried to move away. Quickly, a small circle formed around each speaker as people refrained from going near the unusual equipment. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, dear valued citizens of Mutatis and other cities alike. I formally welcome all of you to the first ever Winter Games festival on Aioa. While it may have a different meaning from where it originated from, the purpose behind this event, which will be held annually from this day forth, is for everyone to have fun and to embrace the spirit of giving and generosity. I know times are hard and resources are scarce at times, but we must always remember to help each other in dire times. My father used to say this to me when I was younger. ¡®The only time you should look into your neighbour¡¯s bowl, is to make sure that he has enough. You don¡¯t look into your neighbour¡¯s bowl to see if you have as much as he does.¡¯ I feel that this should apply to us not only in times of need, but in times of happiness as well. So go forth and spread your warmth and happiness, for sharing is caring.¡± Kiefer paused as the crowd exploded into applause. Waiting for the applause to die down, secretly glad that he had such a great turn out, Kiefer continued his speech. ¡°Our first event today is a combination of a few smaller events that will occur simultaneously. Over the past 2 weeks, I have employed and paid for several of our finest craftsmen to come up with ornaments that you can purchase for a small fee. The ornaments¡¯ price range from 1 copper coin for the smallest to 5 copper coins for the largest and most intricately designed. As you all know, 5 copper coins can get you a simple meal at a small inn, or 2 loaves of bread at a bakery. This is but a small price to pay to have your own unique ornament hung up on this giant tree for the rest of winter. All proceedings will go towards the construction of the first ever public school in Mutatis that allows anyone to join, regardless of social standing.¡± Having said that, Kiefer willed his mana into a large red metal block which transformed quickly and magnificently into a scaffolding that surrounded the giant tree on 5 levels. This stunned and awed the entire crowd and they went up into cheers again at the delightful spectacle. ¡°You can also have a warm meal served at any of the food stalls for 5 coppers throughout the duration of this event. My beautiful wife has arranged for the best chefs in the city to band together to cook you meals deserving of a King. Of course, that is not all. Our main event is still the tournament which I¡¯m sure most if not all of you have been waiting for. For the whole of today, and tomorrow morning, the tournament will be open for public and anyone can join anytime they wished to. It will be a massive snowball fight on 4 arenas and every and all participants will receive a small token of appreciation from us, the hosts. The key thing though, is to make sure you do not injure other people intentionally or accidentally, and also to have fun while you are at it.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Kiefer paused once again as the crowd stirred into a mummur about the tournament. It seemed simple enough, but they had no idea why there was a competitive section for professionals at all. ¡°Now, you must all be wondering where this event will be happening. You can¡¯t possibly play in the streets and risk damaging properties. Hence, we shall be playing on¡­ THIS!¡± Kiefer announce wildly, as he extended his mana to the furthest reaches he could. It had been a while since he could manipulate his mana like this and it felt strangely satisfying to be able to finally expend his mana without limits. With a thought, the ground shook as people began looking around. All their feet had been secured firmly to something by silvery threads as the tree, the city square, the stalls, the generator and everybody present began rising up through the air. With the exception of the town square where even the ground was dug up and lifted up, everybody soon realised they were standing on a massive floating silver platform that was shaped in a circle. There was a silvery wall that circumvented the platform to prevent anyone from dropping off the platform to their deaths. Snow had begun gathering at their feet and people began rousing up in cheers at the performance. Throughout the floating platform, red streaks began snaking their way between the crowd¡¯s now free legs and formed numerous vertical doors with runes inscribed on the edges. ¡°Should anyone want to leave the platform, you only need to walk through the door and it will take you back to the surface. Similarly, if you want to come back to the platform, you only need to enter through the doors on the surface, however, only after a security check by the city guards to ensure you have not brought any weapons with you.¡± Kiefer stressed the importance of safety. ¡°With this, I announce the beginning of the winter festival and I hope all of you have fun! OH and one last thing! Make sure you do not miss out the dance party at the end of the day after sunset. Everybody is welcome to join in.¡± Kiefer concluded his speech as the crowd roared once again with enthusiasm, all of them scurrying about with their own agendas. Almost immediately, a snowball whizzed past Kiefer¡¯s ear as he saw a small child grinning widely at him. This sparked the start of the snowball fight as white puffs exploded all over the place, with uncountable balls exploding and dispersing off the barriers erected to protect the tree, stalls and equipment. People began bending down and packing fist-sized snowballs and hurling at each other. The crowd slowly spread out from the original packed street layout into a uniform is not a little messy flood of hands, feet, claws, and tails. As Sher and Feir joined in the fray to play with the children and adults alike, a snowball landed cleanly on the back of Kiefer¡¯s head. Turning around, Kiefer spotted a grinning Isana who was already in a stance to lob another one in his direction. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Kiefer chased Isana into the skies, conjuring and shooting snowballs like a machine gun at the fleeing Isana. Isana also occasionally switched to attack and did the same, creating snowballs from thin air and firing them in Kiefer¡¯s direction. With the heated battle going on in the air, snowballs began raining down on the participants down below as most of Kiefer¡¯s and Isana¡¯s attacks were dodged by the opposing party. Many people stopped dead in their tracks and watched the close intense battle between their hosts before once again, someone reignited the fight with a snowball into another¡¯s face. The snowball fight persisted through the day, dying down during lunch and teatime. The civilians meanwhile also took intermittent breaks from the fun to have their chance at decorating the brightly lit tree, with many children bugging their parents to buy them the cute glass tarsus and wooden fientrals. As evening came around, the snowball fights finally died down and people were huddling together in the cold to get their meals. As a token, Kiefer and the guards began distributing simple yet warm cloaks to everyone present. The cloaks were made of wool and leather; with a Christmas tree design sewn onto the back to indicate that this was the present from the first ever winter festival. Children received smaller versions of the cloaks that were nonetheless, still warm. Seeing as everybody had gathered around the brightly lit tree, Kiefer pulled out a small black hexagon shaped device from his pocket. Staring intently at the thumbnail sized device, Kiefer smiled and thought silently to himself, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this actually can hold 4 petabyte of information.¡± Slotting the little thumbdrive into the side of the primary speaker, the touchscreen lit up on the side and Kiefer began doodling on it for quite some time. After a while, a soft hum began filling the platform as the speakers came to life once again. The soft hum eventually turned into the sound of bells clinking and soon, an instrumental melody of Jingle bells came on. As if they had not seen enough things to shock their senses, there was this catchy melody that filled their heads from instruments they only knew not to exist on Aioa. Everybody soon got the gist of the song and were humming along to various Christmas melodies as they enjoyed their slow dance and dinner. As the night drew on, the Christmas tree remain lit while the stall owners all began packing up. Residents were streaming out of the platform through the doors and by midnight, the guards finally had a break for the night. Kiefer and the titans also retreated back home as they had another busy day ahead of them. The next day came around and saw less fighting that the day before. Nevertheless, less fighting did not mean no fighting and there were still plenty of snowballs flying through the air. A new stall had been set up this time and guards were busy jotting down names of all the participants for the competitive side. The morning flew by and soon, the square was filled with men and women who had registered for the competitive section. All snowball fights had been stopped since before lunch time and the entire platform had been re-lowered into the ground. The men and women gathered were now crowding the streets, all dressed heavily with axes and swords strapped to their backs. There were even a few mages mixed in with the lot and tension was growing higher by the second as rivals began eyeing each other in a challenging stare. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen! If I can have your attention please! Right now, we currently have 47 teams signed up for the competition, with a total of 451 people. Now that the registration period is over, Will all of you kindly gather your equipment and walk through the red metal doors that are now being formed? It will take you to the venue for the battle. For those of you not taking part, I would advise you to stay here. There will be a large screen that will broadcast the entire battlefield to you from the safety of the city.¡± Kiefer¡¯s voice boomed through the city square and captured the attention of everyone. As the red doors formed, the eager participants began trudging through the portals and finding themselves floating above a vast expanse of empty land on a platform maybe 1 or 2 building height above the ground. The endless field of white seemed to pierce their eyes as many squinted from the sun¡¯s rays reflected into their pupils from the white snow. They were now standing on a piece of land cleared specifically for this battle northeast of Mutatis. ¡°Now if you will all gather into your groups and assemble at the flag where your group¡¯s number is seen, we can start the war games.¡± Kiefer instructed, and soon, all 47 teams were spread farm and equally wide apart from each other in strategically placed flags. ¡°Now that everyone is in position, I will explain the rules of the game.¡± Kiefer¡¯s magically enhanced voice was carried through the field to the 46 teams in a cold chilly wind. ¡°The aim of the game is to protect your own flag while capturing the other team¡¯s flag. The last 5 teams remaining will qualify for the grand prize. The rules are that you cannot injure other players with whatever weapons you are carrying. You can use whatever resources you have brought with you, however you like, but you cannot hurt or injure other people with those weapons and equipment. The only way you can kick another player out of the game is by hitting them with a snowball. As you can see, you are all a fair bit of distance from each other, and it will be difficult to tread through the 1m thick soft snow that has piled up on the ground. You can choose to move out to attack or stay back around your flag to defend. Work as a team to persevere and you will be rewarded greatly.¡± Kiefer explained as everyone was shocked by the rules. Most had assumed this would be a simple match of weapons and strength, and yet now that using the weapons to harm others were forbidden, their heavy war axes and large cumbering broadswords were useless. The teams immediately began discussing plans before they heard Kiefer¡¯s voice again. ¡°I will now lower all of you and your flags back down to the surface. Feel free to discuss your strategies in the meantime. The game will begin the moment the meteor shatters and you can start moving away from your flag then.¡± Kiefer explained. Soon, the platform began its descent back down to the ground as the teams started eyeing each other and discussing plans. Isana flew across the battlefield in her dragon form, the air screaming and howling as she zipped past them in great speeds. This caught all their attention as the giant white dragon summoned a runic circle in mid-air, causing a gigantic Ice shard to slowly form out of the runic circle. Within moments, the ice meteor was rushing down towards the land as 4 drones circled the battlefield to broadcast the event back onto the screens in the city square. The moment the very lowest tip of the meteor touched the first layer of soft snow on the ground, the meteor shattered in a large sparkle of miniscule ice crystals that gradually floated down into the snow. Roars of excitement erupted from the participants and the viewers alike as the start of the war games began. Several teams with mages cleared the land of snow around their flag while others were busy hacking away at the thick soft snow with their weapons-made-tools.one particularly large built man packed a tight snowball and lobbed it high into the air in the direction of another team, only to watch the snowball disintegrate in the air from the speed of the launch. Long distance artillery seemed like a good idea, if only the integrity of the hand-packed snowballs could hold up. The players worked swiftly, with some groups choosing to build a fortress out of the snow around their flag and play a defensive game. Others with the advantage of a mage in their team started moving out, leaving behind a few members of their team to guard their flag. Kiefer observed a rather curious team who had broken their own flag and carried it with them as they moved out to attack, essentially removing the need to split their team into attack and defence sub-groups. Naturally, 45 minutes into the game, most of the other teams had caught wind of this technique and began copying it, save for those that had chosen to abandon attack altogether and reinforce their now formidable looking fortress of ice walls and domes. The battle heated up 50 minutes into the game when the first snowball flew through the air and claimed the ¡®life¡¯ of an unguarded swordsman who had difficulty manoeuvring in the soft snow. However, even with the fierce battle that ensued, ¡®deaths¡¯ were far and few between. The really professional began showing their skills as they sliced and diced through the hail storm of snowballs while their teammates returned the attack. There was even a fire mage who matched each incoming snowball with a fire arrow that landed on their target snowballs with pinpoint accuracy. The vanguards sliced through as much of the snowballs, some using their tower shields to block the majority of the attacks. Other notable achievements that caught Kiefer¡¯s eyes were a particular sharpshooter with his longbow. The wood elves were a team that had fortified themselves behind layers of walls and they were easily shooting down snowballs mid-trajectory. They were conservative enough to only target the snowballs that would otherwise hit their team mates. Part of their attacking force was responsible for firing snowballs to keep the approach of enemy teams at bay. Teamwork and cooperation was key as many of the teams began falling apart the moment a few of their members fell to the onslaught of mercilessly thrown snowballs. While some teams remained barely functional, others crumbled outright once a key member of their team was taken out. A rare few managed to maintain their performance even with the loss of a few members, with the remaining members automatically stepping up to fill in the duties of those that had fallen. Very quickly, only 10 teams were left after 2 hours and an interesting but expected thing was happening. Alliances began forming between the remaining teams as half killed squads merged to fill in each other¡¯s weaknesses. By the time there were only 8 flags left, it comprised of 3 alliances working against each other. Each alliance comprised of a defensive fortress where all the team¡¯s flags were held, and one to two attacking squads. The battles were drawn out as each player showcased their persistence and explosive battle capabilities, unleashing skill after skill against an endless barrage of snowballs. The crucial moment where one more team fell, Kiefer had noticed a small but clear signal between the would-be winners of the competition. It would seem that 5 teams had actually already formed an alliance mid-way and they were secretly working with the remaining three to bring them down in one crucial moment. The battle seemed evenly spread but was actually carefully orchestrated by the leader of team 31 to overwhelm the one team out of 8 in the heat of the battle. What happened next was quick and decisive. The members of 2 of the defensive fortress teams suddenly turned on their attacking counterparts within their fake ¡®alliance¡¯ and backstabbed the players, quickly eliminating 2 more squads and bringing the war games to an abrupt and unexpected end. Loud cheers and jeers went up within the city square as countless civilians witnessed the clever manipulation of the battle and betrayal of the winning teams. However, their anger were quelled upon a short interview with the captains of the winning teams after the battle. A familiar sight greeted Kiefer as he stepped up onto the stage in the city square after all the participants and the winners had returned via the portal doors. ¡°Hello again Varn. Nice to see you again, my old teacher.¡± Kiefer spoke softly as he shook the hands of his old instructor. ¡°Same here Kiefer.¡± Varn smiled back, his hair turning grey from old age and wrinkles forming on his face. ¡°You left the necromancer school so abruptly I did not get a chance to really talk with you back in Diantes.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry about that, but we will have to catch up another time. For now, please explain what happened during the war games.¡± Kiefer replied, smiling warmly back, a quick glance revealing that amongst the winners were a few of Varn¡¯s old team and some familiar recruits from the Alluvan knight¡¯s academy. ¡°The truth is, we already formed this 5 team alliance even before the games started. We had no idea what the games would be like, so we decided it would be best if we acted like we did not know each other and infiltrated other teams in our ¡®fake alliance¡¯ to spread thin their forces. It worked out well in the end but it was mainly thanks to the abilities of our individual members.¡± Varn explained to the crowd as all 50 members of the 5 winning teams bowed courteously on the stage. ¡°I see. Well there you have it Ladies and gentlemen. It would seem that all the other participants played right into the hands of this brilliant strategist. Their team had skilful infiltrators who managed to keep their covers during the battle and won out in the end. How about a round of applause for this brilliant 50 man team for their unbelievable coordination and skill shown in the war games?¡± Kiefer announced loudly as the crowd went wild with cheers. ¡°And now, for the prize for the 5 winning teams. This is the first instalment of the full prize, 10 platinum coins per team for a total of 1 platinum coin per person.¡± Kiefer yelled as he took out 5 brown leather sacks of coins and presented one to the leader of each team. The crowd cheered even louder at the realisation that the prize was such a significant amount. ¡°Unfortunately, the 2nd part of your rewards will come later and we will be giving it out in secret. However, feel free to enjoy the rest of the festival and please keep the snowball fights to a minimum. The stalls will be open in the city square for another 3 more days, so be sure to grab a bite and buy some souvenirs to commemorate this wonderful event. I will now conclude the end of the Winter festival event!¡± Kiefer yelled as the festival drew to a close. The winning teams were led back to the clock tower and they formed up 5 neat rows of 10 men and women in the lobby. Kiefer stood in front of them and finally, announced their true rewards. ¡°Now, as im sure all of you already know, the coin you received earlier was merely a gesture of goodwill on my part. The true motive of the winter war games was to find and recruit an elite team of soldiers who can handle any situation with any resources they have on hand. If you so choose to accept this one time job offer, you will become the first generation of a new type of soldiers on Aioa ¨C the Spartans. Each of you will be equipped with weapons beyond anything this world has ever seen, trained to utilise those new equipment and essentially, turning every one of you into a one man army. You will be sent on missions either alone, or in a team and you will return alive each and every time. You will be able to resolve any crisis or threats to this city at the drop of a hat while minimising civilian and collateral damage. You are the tip of the spear.¡± Kiefer explained, watching each and every one of their reactions. ¡°Who here, is not willing to put their lives on the line to serve this city and its people? If you are unwillingly, you will be presented with a sizeable reward and you can choose to leave now. But remember, this is a onetime only offer and once you leave, there is no chance for you to join this elite force again.¡± Kiefer warned, watching if anyone makes a move. And yet, all 50 people under Varn¡¯s command stood strict and still, with determined looks in their eyes. Varn only nodded firmly at Kiefer, signalling him to continue. ¡°Very well then. Go home, pack your things. I know most of you do not live in Mutatis, so I will allow you 2 months to get your affairs together. I will see you all back here on the first weekend of spring, ready to start your training. That is all. You are dismissed.¡± Kiefer concluded, satisfied with the result. Varn had already rushed off, seemingly having forgotten about their agreement to catch up with each other. Kiefer shrugged it off and returned home to find Isana and Sher had cooked him a nice meal to warm his belly. Dinner was over quickly and Sher was already snoozing in her own room. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Kiefer yawned, stretching his arms out like a lazy cat in his warm bedroom. ¡°Sana, thanks for all your help coordinating the people. It¡¯s great that people listen to you so easily. Most of them seem to be intimidated by me though.¡± Kiefer sighed as he watched Isana crawl under the sheets next to him. ¡°Of course. That because I¡¯m so beautiful.¡± Isana joked back shamelessly, grinning at Kiefer. ¡°Mmmhmm. Yes you are beautiful.¡± Kiefer replied to Isana¡¯s joke, causing her to blush. He then proceeded to plant a long and passionate kiss on her lips, which Isana returned just as passionately. The kissing eventually grew more intense, with a battle of tongues and mind going on furiously. Each side was not willing to back down and by them time they parted, both were out of breath, panting from the excitement. Kiefer looked Isana gently in the eyes, stroking the side of her face before resuming the kiss that he had ended abruptly to catch a breath. Slowly but firmly, he undressed the dragoness who seemed just as willing to pull his pants down. A hot and passionate night followed the couple and Kiefer barely managed to keep up with his enhanced body. The night ended on a sweet lull as both were exhausted and snuggled up to each other. Isana laid her head on Kiefer¡¯s chest, listening for his reassuring heartbeat as Kiefer tightly embraced her entire being. ¡°We are going to have to clean up this mess before Sher wakes up.¡± Isana whispered as she began dozing off. She could make out Kiefer¡¯s chuckle before she drifted off into her dreams. As quickly as she fell asleep, Isana was rudely awakened by Kiefer¡¯s violent thrashing. His whole body was convulsing as he started foaming from his mouth, his face contorted into an agonising frown. Kiefer¡¯s violent rocking seemed to have alarmed Sher and Feir as well who came rushing through the door. Isana was panicking visibly, tears rolling down her cheek as she tried desperately to restrain Kiefer¡¯s body. ¡°Quick¡­¡± Isana sobbed, as she turned to Sher. ¡°Quickly go get Rashael! I don¡¯t know what is happening to Kii... quickly before it¡¯s too late..¡± Isana cried pitifully as Sher immediately shot through the roof and transformed into her serpent form, bolting through the sky so fast she left a blurry white streak with her wings. Chapter 3.23 - The Catastrophe and the New Beginning ¡°Haah.. haaa¡­ argghh.. gggrr¡­ haaa¡­ haa¡­¡± Kiefer kept panting heavily and moaning in distress all while unconscious, his head gently laid on Isana¡¯s lap. Isana had started to calm down as soon as Kiefer¡¯s convulsions stopped, but his body was heating up rapidly. She could tell that mana was pouring out of Kiefer as if the floodgates had just been broken, and with the mana came the intense heat that brought the room to a sweltering temperature. Even her own chilling aura as an ice dragon could do little to abate the rising temperatures. ¡°Dammit what¡¯s taking Rashael so long!? I knew I should have just brought Kii to him instead of asking him to come here.¡± Isana cursed as Kiefer continued to struggle in his state of slumber. Kiefer¡¯s mana was still flooding out with no signs of slowing down. Isana¡¯s state of mind was slowly deteriorating as time went on, watching her loved one suffer while being unable to do anything to help. His body was so hot that even her magic imbued ice melted upon contact. It had been 3 hours since Kiefer first started convulsing and while he was considerably calmer now, anyone could tell his condition was far from stable. There were still random uncontrolled jerks of his limbs and the constant groaning and turning of his head from side to side, as if he was experiencing a horrifying nightmare. Finally, just as Isana was about to start weeping again, Rashael burst through the door and immediately sprinted over to Kiefer¡¯s side. The whole room was so hot that he had already begun sweating beads as he concentrated his senses on Kiefer¡¯s mana signature. ¡°It¡¯s no good. There is nothing I can do. I can heal wounds, cure diseases and stabilise panicked states of mind, but this is something else altogether. I have absolutely no idea what is happening to him and I don¡¯t think I can figure a way to stop whatever is going on in his body.¡± Rashael spat, angry that he was so helplessly useless in a dire situation such as this. ¡°What is happening? I can only tell that his mana is leaking out to no end. What happens when he runs out of mana?¡± Isana asked, worried about Kiefer¡¯s future. ¡°It¡¯s not just that his mana is leaking out. It seems to be in some sort of turmoil within his body, as if there were 2 conflicting sources of mana and the losing one was being forced out. I honestly don¡¯t know what is going to happen when he runs out of mana, that is if he ever does. I can¡¯t sense the decrease in his overall mana pool despite all that is gushing out. For a human, his mana pool is unusually large, I would say even comparable to ours. Kiefer is an enigma for all I know and there are so many things about him that defies common logic. I don¡¯t think this is a problem we can solve using normal means.¡± Rashael replied, his hands still moving around on Kiefer¡¯s body and checking for his vitals. About 15 minutes after Rashael arrived, Sher returned alone through the window and similarly stayed by her master¡¯s side. Finally, moments after Sher¡¯s return, Feir came trotting back with Alwin and a high elf healer on his back. Even after taking a look and casting several high level healing spells, the high elf simply shook his head and apologised, before being ordered to leave the room by Alwin. As if sensing that his family and friends had gathered around him, Kiefer finally opened his eyes to reveal a pair of piercing bright golden pupils with a single black vertical slit down the middle. Opening and closing his mouth slowly, Kiefer gasped for air as his throat made wheezing noises that signalled just how dry it was. Then, without allowing Isana to pour a glass of ice cold water down his throat to quench his thirst, Kiefer uttered one word painstakingly. ¡°Run¡­¡± Having said that, he shut his eyes once more as his body resumed its original convolutions, twisting and cracking in awkward positions. The mana pouring forth was even greater than ealier and Rashael having sensed it quickly tried to warn everyone. ¡°Everyone quick! Get out of this house! The mana in Kiefer¡¯s body is starting to become unstable! I¡¯ve seen this before! It happened on my sister¡¯s moon! The mana catastrophe caused by high concentrations of conflicting mana. Isana! Hurry! Let go of him! He told us to run!¡± Rashael urged as Isana and Sher clung onto Kiefer even more tightly, unwilling to let go of him. ¡°Stop stopping and RUN!¡± Rashael bellowed at the 2 stubborn titans, having pushed Feir and the 2 high elves out the house. ¡°If he dies, I can always revive him again! You 2 need to get out now!¡± He yelled, yanking on the girls¡¯ arms and trying his best to pry them away from the twisting body of Kiefer. Finally, Isana let go and grabbed Sher, jumping out the window with Rashael. One last look at Kiefer made her regret her decision immediately as the moment his body left her chilling aura, it burst into flames and Kiefer began screaming in agony. However, not even giving her a chance to turn back around to her beloved husband¡¯s side, the room, together with the rest of the house exploded into splinters and dust, leaving a deep crater that exposed the basement levels. The explosion sent out a physical shockwave, followed closely by a mana wave. The combination of the 2 sent the falling snow blasting away from the epicentre, the mana wave devouring any mana in its path, leaving an entire space devoid of mana behind it. As the shockwave passed through the city, lights in every house came on to inspect what had happened. This was followed by an intense sense of nausea coupled with unconsciousness of every living thing as they succumbed to mana exhaustion. Even the Titans were not spared from the mana devouring wave, though they managed to stay conscious thanks to their innate ability to generate mana. As the 4 titans were kocked far away from the epicentre by the sheer force of explosion, they struggled to stagger back on their feet, the lack of mana eating away at their minds. The mana wave seem to increase in intensity and speed as it propels itself further from Kiefer¡¯s house with each and every mana particle it devoured in its path. Within seconds from the explosion, it had already left the physical shockwave in its dust and had covered half the continent. Sentient beings in Alluviate, Arigan, Latiase, Luminas, and even as far as Diantes were not spared from the mana wave that knocked each and everyone¡¯s lights out. Then, as abruptly as it began, the mana wave stopped expanding, as if it had hit an immovable wall that prevented it from proceeding any further. Immediately, it contracted backwards, falling rapidly back towards its origin. As it returned on its original path, the density of the wave increased exponentially, all while pulling and stretching existing mana outside its area of influence along with it. As if the natural mana on Aioa were a drop of food dye dropped in a tank of water, the wave of mana washed past it like a hand that was pulled through the metaphorical water tank, pulling the dye along with it and stretching it thin to fill the void left by the wave. Without giving the titans any time to rest or recover, the mana wave came speeding back through the lands and the sea at astonishing speeds. Rashael only managed to utter a single command to tell the titans to run before they saw the silvery pulse returning from across the horizon, heading straight for Kiefer¡¯s home. Mustering all their strength, the titans all transformed into their true forms and scattered as far as they could from the house while carrying the 2 unconscious high elves, praying that they would escape the wrath of the mana catastrophe by the skin of their teeth. Surely and truly, as predicted by Rashael, the moment the mana wave returned to the source of the explosion, a blinding light lit up the entire city. A sphere of swirling silver and blue light began expanding rapidly from Kiefer¡¯s house, first devouring the remains of the house, then the surrounding land. Eventually, it stopped expanding when the sphere of light ate away at the wall of the first brick house that was the start of the city. The sphere was so blinding the titans could barely open the tiniest slit in their eyes to stare at the sun that had been born on the coast. A whirling storm of mana that is the sphere of light emanated a gentle blanket of heat that melted all the snow within the same radius that the mana wave had extended earlier, bringing a short temporary reprieve from the cold chilling winds of winter. The odd thing though, was that the temperature was uniform throughout, unlike what one would expect where it was supposed to be the hottest at a position closest to the source. The titans stared at the shimmering ball of silver and blue streaks from afar, with Alwin and the high elf healer hanging by their clothes from Feir¡¯s maw. Isana¡¯s face was ashen, dreading that after just one night with her loved one, he perishes from right within her grasps. Secretly and unknowingly, she feared that she might have been the direct cause of this catastrophe. As fresh tears began to roll down her cheek once more, the ball of light dissipated in the most unusual way. Random parts of the massive ball seem to dive towards its centre, creating deep cuts on the surface. Within moments, the once completely spherical ball now looked like a sea urchin, with spikes of light extending from the middle. Slowly, the spikes began withdrawing as well until finally, as the last spike dove back towards the centre, one final shockwave was released. This shockwave was significantly smaller and less powerful, but the titans felt the force nonetheless. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Sher and Isana rushed towards to middle of the gaping hole left in the coast after the ball of light ate away all things physical. There, they saw a shimmering black dragon a little bit bigger than Isana¡¯s true form snoozing away peacefully. There were horns protruding from each side of the eyebrows and 2 rows of spikes that ran down the entire length of the body. 2 giant scaly wings were folded neatly and wrapped by a long powerful tail. With each breath the dragon took, a silver flame shimmered from its nostrils. ¡°Wha.. who is that?¡± Rashael stammered at the sight of the dragon. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Kiefer¡­ I don¡¯t know how, but I just know it¡­ deep within me, something is telling me that that dragon is my Kiefer.¡± Isana muttered back softly. ¡°Are you sure? I thought he¡¯s human¡­ are you sure it¡¯s not something else and that you are just forcing yourself to believe that he is Kiefer?¡± Rashael questioned suspiciously, afraid that the loss of her beloved might be causing her to have delusions. ¡°nn¡­ no¡­ that is master.¡± Sher joined in. ¡°He smells just like master.¡± Isana gently landed next to the slumbering beast and carefully inspected him. The dragon¡¯s body was pitch black, blending in perfectly with the darkness of the night, and yet there were shimmering silver runes that ran in 2 neat lines down the back, next to the 2 rows of spikes. The silver words were small compared to the size of the giant dragon, making it seem like 2 silver lines instead. As Isana stretched her hands out fearfully, she hesitated just before her fingertips made contact with the scales on the dragon¡¯s face. ¡°What if this is not Kiefer? What if he is just a new Titan born in place of Kiefer? What if he doesn¡¯t remember me?¡± she thought, as doubt and fear filled her mind. Deciding to cast aside her hesitation, she gently caressed the dragon¡¯s face. The instant her fingers touched the dragon, his eyes snapped open to reveal bright golden iris with a vertical black slit for pupils. The Within the Golden iris were streaks of blue and red that extended radially from the pupil, creating a deep contrast while giving the eyes a sensation of being on fire. As their minds connected like their bodies had mere hours ago, Isana was pulled into a dream like world where she caught glimpses of Kiefer¡¯s past. As quickly as she lost her mind to Kiefer¡¯s, she was back, realising that everything she saw, all his memories, all his thoughts and feelings, were all transmitted in an instant. Then a loud familiar voice echoed inside her head. ¡°Sana¡­¡± (Kiefer) Immediately, Isana started weeping and hugged Kiefer¡¯s giant head, her tears falling and bouncing off his black scales. Sher rushed in to hug Kiefer as well. She seemed to have heard Kiefer calling out to her as well and soon, the 2 girls were crying with joy, embracing the giant dragon that was still curled up in his wings and tail. Kiefer began to rouse as he slowly lifted his thick neck, looking up at the stars and then at Rashael who looked like he had just passed his driver¡¯s exam after an uncountable number of time. As he spread his wings and extended his tail, Kiefer looked at his body by turning his head around, carefully lifting his arm and checking the underside of his dragon form. Finally, with a single thought, the runes along his back began to shine immensely bright as a sea of silvery threads extended and wrapped his body, slowly compressing it and changing its shape. After a few seconds, the threads unwound and what stood in the middle of the crater was a nake man with golden eyes and jet black hair. He looked up at the stars once more, just in time to see multiple shooting stars streak across the darkness. Paying them no mind, Kiefer promptly opened his PD and got dressed, not wanting to expose his little brother to the cold air that was beginning to set in again. ¡°Sorry to have worried all of you. And also sorry for the apparent destruction. I guess I¡¯ll have to rebuild our home from scratch again huh?¡± Kiefer chuckled as he pulled Isana and Sher into a tight embrace. Feir brushed his small furry head against Kiefer¡¯s leg as the family was once again reunited. ¡°Well, seeing as you are alright, I¡¯m just going to go and check on the residents, see if they are fine. Then I have to get back to work at home. I¡¯m still in the middle of installing the generator you gave me.¡± Rashael commented as he took off, leaving the family to their own privacy. They remained silent for a long time, without the need for words. Kiefer was soul bound to Isana, who had given him a fragment of her dragon soul. He could easily read her mind as well as Sher¡¯s. Being able to communicate with their minds seemed to make words useless as they could feel what each other were feeling though their unique connection.
[[On Hope]] [Captain. My sensors picked up a large radiation outburst from the target planet. Should I redirect the probes to investigate?] ¡°No need for that Rowanda. Just prepare to put us into orbit around the planet. Maintain the probe¡¯s trajectory. Make sure they are spread evenly across the surface of the planet. I don¡¯t want to miss out on anything.¡± Captain palmer instructed the ship¡¯s AI as he stared off into the small blue dot in the distance. It was gradually growing bigger owing to the ship¡¯s current trajectory towards the planet. Switching on a button, Palmer finally spoke into the mic as his voice echoed through every nook and cranny of the ship, his face appearing on every display device. ¡°Dear residents of the Hope, colonists of the human kind. We are now approaching what is most likely to be our new home world. There are still many mysteries about it, but I¡¯m sure we will discover them as we go along. There may or may not be intelligent life on this planet, but our scans have confirmed it to be able to sustain human life. Should we make contact with intelligent or even sub-intelligent life forms, please remember that we are their visitors, ambassadors from the great beyond. Please behave appropriately for we will be landing on THEIR home, trying to make a home for ourselves. Our estimated time of arrival is 170 hours. The probes have landed safely and are now beginning their operation. We should have their first reports within 24 hours. That is all. I hope you are looking forward to this as much as I am. We¡¯ve had a long trip with a few minor setbacks, but this is where all our decisions have ultimately brought us. Please enjoy the rest of your short stay on Hope.¡±
[[Back on Aioa]] As the first of the pods deployed their parachutes and crash through the thick forest canopy, the undergrowth caught fire from the sheer heat of the pod that had plummeted from space. The fires did not last long in the cold winter air and when the sensors on the pod¡¯s body indicated that it was safe, the pod split open into 4 pieces from the top. A white robot with the roman numeral III started whirring into life as it unfolded and assembled itself. 4 rotor blades unfolded and connected to the top of the robot as the blades slowly begun spinning, kicking up a strong wind to lift the streamlined body of the probe up. [¡­] [¡­] [All systems functional. Mobility 100%. Oxygen levels, 32%. Toxic gases, NIL. Atmospheric pressure, 0.96 atm. Wind speed, 2kph. Scanning immediate landing site. Plant life detected. Sending report to Hope.] [¡­] [Beginning protocol 1.1.0. Searching for animal life.] The blades kicked into full gear as the probe rose through the canopy along its descent pathway, finally hovering above the jungle. It then made a decisive turn towards the south and began flying in the direction.
I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas special. Here is today''s release. Please tell me in the comments what you thought about the way i included the christmas special. It was vastly different from the Halloween special in that the holdiay event was integrated into the story, unlike the Halloween on which was a stand-alone chapter. I have plans to include more of these special chapters for upcoming major days like valentines day. So do tell me if u prefer and integrated chapter or a stand alone one. Here is what Kiefer''s dragon form looks like, with a size comparison. I did not draw this, but instead found it online on google. All credits go to the artist on deviantart for his amazing work. Chapter 3.24 - The Skills and The First Contact The morning was a quiet one all throughout the continent. All matter of lifeform that were innately sensitive to mana had passed out from mana exhaustion. Mutatis was no different, being the city closest to the mana catastrophe, she suffered the brunt of the destruction that resulted in the birth of a terrifying being. Mana exhaustion aside, the shockwave from Kiefer¡¯s transformation left chaos in its wake. Buildings were crumbling, windows shattered and cobbled stone paths were turned over. To make matters worse, being the port city that she is, multiple ships capsized and many others were left in shambles, hanging onto their dear life on nothing but twigs and splinters. There were even masts stuck in the Cliffside like darts on a board. Kiefer looked at the destruction and mess that was once his beautiful city. To think just yesterday, they were having so much fun, enjoying innocent snowball fights and decorating the tree. Looking about, Kiefer noticed that the city square was about the only iconic landmark that was left unscathed; probably thanks to his runic barriers he had placed. The most distinguishing evidence of his transformation though, is the gaping 1km hole that was centred around where his home used to be. Nothing was left, not even the ground, trees, or buildings. The protection of the cove was no more, since he had obliterated the eastern wing completely. The waves were lapping up against wet soil, dragging mud from what used to be the meadow on the cliff down into the sea. ¡°Nehh.. Kii?¡± Isana called out gently. ¡°What are we going to do about our home?¡± She asked in a concerned voice. ¡°Hmm.. how about a change in location? A change in view.¡± Kiefer replied with a question. ¡°What do you mean? Where are we going? I thought you wanted to stay close to your city so that you can manage it?¡± Isana asked again, unsure of what Kiefer¡¯s plans were. ¡°Yes. But that was before last night. You know, after transforming, I finally understand what you girls meant when u say you don¡¯t know how your skill works. My previous skills were all upgraded, but it seems, they¡¯ve reached their limit. I can sense the knowledge on how to use the skills, but it seems I can¡¯t find a logical explanation to their inner workings. For example, I used to be able to teleport from one place to another as long as I can see it. But now, I can teleport anywhere as long as I¡¯ve been there once. I don¡¯t know how it works or why it works, but it just does. So I can now live anywhere and be everywhere at the same time.¡± Kiefer explained, half focused on trying to understand his new abilities. ¡°Feir, take these 2 back to the clock tower. I¡¯ll come back in a while to get you.¡± Kiefer instructed, pointing at the 2 passed out elves. He then promptly held Sher¡¯s hand and grabbed Isana by her waist before disappearing into thin air. Not knowing exactly what was going on, Feir simply obeyed his master¡¯s orders and grabbed the 2 unconscious elves and teleported to the clock tower, copying Kiefer¡¯s new skill for himself. Almost 100km north of ground zero, Kiefer appeared in the skies above a rocky and ice-capped mountain range. As they plummeted downwards through the freezing winds, with snow hitting their faces, Kiefer teleported again, bringing the 2 titans onto a ledge that was hanging precariously over the side of a steep cliff. Right now, he was on the south side of the border mountains that separated Wanda¡¯s province from Sher¡¯s. They were located at an altitude where the city and coast could be seen clearly and entirely from over the tree tops of the forest north of Mutatis. ¡°How about here? During other seasons, it¡¯s quite cooling, and it should be just below the ice-lione of the mountain¡¯s peak. We shouldn¡¯t get a lot of visitors but that¡¯s the point of having a nice home in a desolate place. Gives us some peace and quiet, a place to retreat to relax.¡± Kiefer commented, looking at the girls to study their expressions. ¡°Mnn. This is quite the location you¡¯ve chosen. It¡¯s very centralised, not too far from Mutatis and also a short distance from Alluviate, Arigan, and Sher¡¯s lake. I like it Kii.¡± Isana agreed, relieving Kiefer¡¯s worries. ¡°Fine. Sher? What do you think?¡± Kiefer asked the little girl. ¡°Anywhere is fine master. As long as I get to be with you. Remember the promise you made me when we were on your planet?¡± Sher asked innocently, hoping that Kiefer had not forgotten his promise to stay by her side. ¡°Of course. Since we all like this place, Sher can you help me carve a nice platform into the side of this mountain so I can start working on the new house? Then we can test out my new abilities. Personally, I¡¯m quite interested in mana flare and void space. I can only infer what they do, but I won¡¯t know for sure until I test them out. Isana, prepare yourself, we are going to have one of our sparring sessions again.¡± Kiefer grinned. As Sher got to work on the mountain side, Isana merely shrugged at Kiefer¡¯s proposal for a sparring match. She had already gotten what she wanted from Kiefer, and she knew she could get anything she wanted, so there really was no point in fighting against him anymore. Not unless he comes up with another enticing incentive, she didn¡¯t feel like going all out. Sher¡¯s fiery red beam cut a large groove into the side of the mountain, the laser firing off into the distance. Unbeknownst to her or the other titans, the tiniest explosion rang out quite a distance away just before the beam dissipated.
[[On Hope]] [Sir, I¡¯ve just lost contact with one of the probes. Shall I play back the last report from probe 3?] ¡°We lost contact? How is that possible? What about the distress beacon?¡± Palmer asked, concerned about the dangers that might be present on the new planet. For something to destroy the probe, it had to tear through the titanium plating so quickly that the probe¡¯s AI would not have time to react and get away from the danger. [No signal received Sir. I believe the beacon was destroyed along with the probe.] ¡°I didn¡¯t know Wellin programmed you with a sense of humour Rowanda. Do you know how absurd your theory is? The distress beacon is designed to be microscopic in size, heat and cold resistant, water proof and can withstand pressures of up to 10 MPa. Even if it fell into a volcano, it would survive long enough to transmit a signal back before melting. How can there be no signal from the distress beacon?¡± Palmer argued, starting to doubt his decision to land on this new planet. By his assumptions, malfunction was the only logical explanation. But checks prior to launching the probes indicated otherwise. So whatever attacked or destroyed the probe couldn¡¯t possibly by a living thing. The probes were programmed to fire off a distress signal the moment it came under physical duress or met with something that impeded its progress. [Sir, I¡¯ve checked the conditions of the other probes. Probes 13 through 18 have their distress signal on. The others are still sending in regular reports. I have the last video feed from probe 3. Shall I display it for you?] ¡°Yes, please do immediately Rowanda. Also, could you tell me what is wrong with probes 13 to 18?¡± Palmer replied, quickly turning his display screen on to look at the reports and the video feed. [I¡¯m transferring the video feed to your terminal screen now. 13, 14 and 18 have suffered physical impacts and attacks, but have since escaped safely. 15 and 16 have shut down due to extreme cold temperatures in the location they crash landed in. Analysis shows that 13 and 14 have detected animal life and were subsequently attacked when executing protocol 2.1.8 to determine the intelligence of said animals. 18 was attacked by an animal with almost perfect camouflage, only barely detecting it through the thermal scans. The video transfer is complete. Please take a look at it.] Palmer stared at his screen, watching the 15 second video recording. It showed the probe flying over a light green forest canopy to reveal a snowy landcape and a deep blue ocean. And then just before the video feed cut off, he saw something that he was looking for. Replaying the video over and over again, he focused on the last split second before the screen went black. There, just beyond the horizon, sticking out against the white cloud laden sky like a sore thumb, was a tiny figure, maybe only 5 pixels tall. Nonetheless, it had a very distinct shape. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°A ship¡­ hahaha¡­ there is actual intelligent life on this planet. And they are technologically advanced enough to build ships and traverse the oceans!¡± Palmer laughed out loud. ¡°Rowanda! I want you to change the trajectory of any probes near the last reported location of 3. Send as many as you can to scout the shores of the continent that 3 landed on. I have definitive proof that there is intelligent life on this planet. Go find them now. I want you to convey a message in any way possible that we pose no threats to their society.¡± [Yes Sir. Currently, Probes 2, 4, 5, and 8 are within a 100km radius from 3¡¯s last reported location. Shall I redirect them to the coordinates and set that as top priority?] ¡°Yes do that at once. Then have them move in pairs along the coast in both directions. Should one meet with any impediment, have the other turn back around to join the other 2 that went in the opposite direction.¡± Palmer ordered, setting up a system that best ensured the survivability of the probes. [Done Sir. I¡¯ve changed the settings on the 4 probes so that they prioritise mobility over scanning. The last one should arrive at the coordinates in 70 minutes. One more thing sir. I have begun decelerating the ship¡¯s velocity using our fusion generators. We will be in orbit in 100 hours.]
[[Back on Aioa]] Feir was loitering around the city square, circling the giant Christmas tree. Kiefer was supposed to come pick him up shortly after they left, but it¡¯s been 2 hours since then. Not knowing where Kiefer was, Feir maintained his position close to the clocktower. The residents of Mutatis were beginning to stir from their knock out after Rashael had healed most of them. As humans and demi¡¯s started trickling into the streets, everybody was eerily silent, still nauseous and unsteady from the mana exhaustion. They all had the same question on their mind, but nobody seemed to be open enough to ask about it ¨C What happened last night? They noticed the destruction of their homes and many other buildings. Windows were shattered, doors blasted open, and yet all these signs of destruction did not seem to point to a manmade act of violence. It was as if a natural disaster had happened overnight and no one was awake to know what happened. Then, someone noticed it first. The most observant of the residents stood and stared in horror as the eastern cliff of the cove had literally disappeared overnight. The moment he pointed it out, people of all shapes and sizes began streaming towards the missing cliff, only to find a steep drop into a bowl crater once they reached the last house. As an increasing number of people swarmed around the edge of the bowl, some daring adventurers brought some ropes and started making their way down the crater cautiously, their companions holding on tightly to the other end to make sure they don¡¯t tumble and fall to the bottom. The ground was not dug out. It was almost as if it just disappeared into thin air. There were even spots of blood on the sides of the crater wall where underground animals had been sliced cleanly in half. With the commotion going on around the crater, nobody noticed the 2 silent machines tracing down the other side of the city. The probes had already begun scanning the buildings and roads, mapping the entire path they had travelled into their data banks. ¡°Hey.. what is that?¡± an Arachne lady asked as she pointed out at a grey thing hovering around the Christmas tree in the city square. She was amongst the first few who had decided there was nothing more worth looking into about the crater and chose to return to the city. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s another one of the founder¡¯s creations? Could it be another winter festival event?¡± a Diantes man half a head shorter than her answered. ¡°Why don¡¯t we check it out? Look there is another one near that building.¡± As the 2 approached the probe, it suddenly spun around while hovering with its 4 rotors. The rotors themselves did not move, but the elongated egg shaped body that hung from them rotated to reveal multiple instruments embedded around the front half of the probe. The probe immediately began hovering its way over to the 2 new lifeforms it¡¯s scanned, sending the report back to Rowanda. As it got within an arm¡¯s length from the man and the spider, the screen on its front lit up, while a horizontal board extended from just below the screen, eventually pivoting itself to form a second vertical screen. The top screen displayed information using light while the bottom screen was made up an uncountable number of grey pins standing perpendicular to the screen. There, the probe began changing the displays on the screen and on the tactile board. First, a circle showed up on both the visual and tactile screens as the probe made a single audible beep. Next, the circle changed into a line on both screens and the probe now made 2 loud beeps. This began attracting more attention as people began swarming around both probes, the second one also performing similar actions to its own audience. The line eventually turned into a triangle accompanied by 3 beeps, then a square with 4 beeps. Finally, the shapes disappeared and revealed a blank white screen, as the probe inched forwards to the man. ¡°Huh? What is this? Some kind of a game?¡± The Arachne lady asked, puzzled by the odd entity¡¯s actions. ¡°Don¡¯t know. What happens if you touch it?¡± the man asked, taking a step forwards and slowly extending his hands. He did not know if this was an animal or some weird contraption like the humming thing that lit up the tree. The probe did not seem to move away from the man¡¯s approach, giving him a confidence boost as he touched the display screen. The moment his finger made contact, the probe let out a familiar beep. As he retracted his finger, the borders of the screen lit up with a flashing red line, with the probe making 2 loud buzzing noises. Following that, the probe back away, turned ever so slightly to face the spider and repeated the same sequence of pictures and beeps, stopping at the square and 4 beeps once again. Seeing that it¡¯s safe to touch it, the Arachne extended one of her pointed claws on her hand and scratched the surface of the tactile screen. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s like this?¡± She asked as her claw sunk into the board, compressing the pins underneath while the others remained protruded. The display screen displayed a single dot, which extended into a line as the Arachne lady pulled her finger along the tactile board. With each turn, the probe made a reassuring beep and finally, the Arachne completed a rough, lopsided pentagon. The probe¡¯s visual display lit up with a flashing green border and it started to turn down the blades that kept it afloat. 6 spiky legs unfolded from the bottom of the probe as they made contact with the ground. Finally, the 4 rotors stopped spinning and started folding upwards. 4 rotors became 2 stacks of rotors that then folded down flat against the body. ¡°Hey Feir. Sorry I¡¯m late. I got caught up building the new house. What is going on in the city square?¡± Kiefer asked as he suddenly popped into existence next to a slightly startled Feir. ¡°Master, these things seemed to have snuck into the city while everyone was investigating the crater. They did not seem hostile so I just let them wonder around. They just flew around and sniffed stuff, so I decided to just keep my eye on them while you returned.¡± Feir replied, like a vigilant guard dog. Kiefer quickly brushed past the crowd and saw 2 grey hexapod machines sitting on the cobbled floor with flashing images on their display screens. They had rotors folded against their body while they hummed softly and the distinct sound of a camera click kept resounding every few seconds. On top of the screen of the closest machine, Kiefer saw something carved into the metallic body of the machine ¨C Planetary Probe VIII.
And there you have it. the moment everyone has been waiting for. First contact has been made, albeit not with kiefer, but he''s still there nonetheless. Anybody care to guess what his new abilities are? It''s rather cliche, and very close to a fantasy template, so it shouldn''t be hard. Sorry i have limited imagination. haha Chapter 3.25 - The Conversation and The Greeting Hello once again. I apologise for the string of cliffhanger chapters that has been going for a while. I assure you this chapter will be the last of these cliff hangers. Starting from the next chapter, I will try my best to conclide each upload on a conclusive note. Anyways, on a side note, conversations held by Kiefer in English will be brown and Italicised. Everything else spoken by Kiefer in Aioan will be the normal white colour. That''s all from me, enjoy this chapter.
Kiefer studied the series of simplified pictures that were being played on a loop on both the visual and tactile screens. It was quite easy to discern what the probe was attempting to convey. The pictures showed man and a woman, then zooms out to show the earth and the moon, then a rocket ship leaving the earth and travelling away from the sun. Then it shows several objects launching from the side of the rocket and falling onto another planet. Finally the objects opened up like a flower bud to reveal the probe flying out and examining the surroundings. ¡°Ah¡­! Lord Kiefer!¡± One of the residents working for Alwin immediately recognised Kiefer. ¡°Do you know what these are? Is this part of the winter festival too?¡± He asked, curious more about the probes than the missing eastern wing of the cove. ¡°Ah. Actually, I don¡¯t know what this is.¡± Kiefer lied. ¡°I¡¯ll take them back home to analyse it.¡± He said, placing his hand on the probe before disappearing into thin air together with Feir. Moments later, Feir reappeared once more within the city square and disappeared in a similar fashion with the second probe. Back at the mountain side, Sher had been working diligently, having blasted a nice smooth platform into the side of the mountain. With the rocky floor and inner wall, the groove did not have a roof as the inner wall descended directly from the mountain surface above as a steep drop. To one side, Kiefer had already piled a stack of logs that he had stripped from the forest at the base. Right next to the logs though, were a large stack of bricks and bags of cement that he acquired from the main brick factory in Mutatis. Of course, he had left a couple of gold coins in their place and a note stating what he had taken. Even if he was the founder and could literally take what he wanted, it wouldn¡¯t be good for the owners or the economy if he stole willy nilly from them. ¡°Sana, Sher. We might have a problem. The space craft that left earth carrying enough humans to colonise a planet is now near Aioa.¡± Kiefer informed them, placing the Probe down on the rocky floor. ¡°This is probably one of their probes that they sent to check the conditions on this planet.¡± ¡°And why is that a problem? Can¡¯t we just welcome them? If I¡¯m not wrong, their leader is the ancestor of the lady who runs the fleet of ship on earth. Don¡¯t you think they would be nice mannered too? Like her?¡± Isana asked, unsure of what point Kiefer was trying to make. ¡°Sure, but it would be na?ve to think that they are all good people. You¡¯ve seen what they did to my planet. You¡¯ve seen the betrayal of the person that she most trusted. What is to say there won¡¯t be selfish, greedy or corrupt people among the several million souls on board that ship?¡± Kiefer questioned her. ¡°I still don¡¯t see why you are so worried. It¡¯s not like they can just march their way onto our planet and take over by force. In case you forgot, you are now a titan too, and the way I see it, a very powerful one at that.¡± Isana rebutted, starting to understand Kiefer¡¯s worries. ¡°People change over time Isana. But one thing has always been true for my people. That is war will always follow them wherever they go. You have yet to see what kind of destructive weapons they hold. Considering how advanced they have gotten, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they have weapons that could basically destroy Aioa in an instant, allowing them to pick off whatever resources remains to support their own ship. I¡¯m worried that their goal is not colonisation, but instead has changed to resources acquisition. With several million lives on board, resources run dry quickly.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°Master, can¡¯t you just ask them to check? You can speak English better than all of us, and that thing has been beeping for some time now, so can¡¯t you use it to contact them?¡± Sher asked, pointing at the probes who now have a flashing red light on their roof. ¡°Sher has a point Kii, why don¡¯t you tamper around with one of them? If you do end up wrecking it, you can always use the second one.¡± Isana added on, reassuring that the worst case scenario was not upon them yet. ¡°And besides, if what you say about their weapons is true, then befriending them might not be such a bad idea. We could use some help in our upcoming fight with Gondor.¡± ¡°Master. Something is happening. I think they are trying to run away.¡± Feir chimed in, revealing that he had already restricted one of the probes that were trying to fly away with his mana ropes. ¡°Hold it still while I try to see what I can do with this one.¡± Kiefer instructed as he also restricted the 1st probe with his mana ropes, preventing it from deploying its quad rotors. The visual screen had already gone blank after the probe was transported to the mountain. Kiefer tapped the screen a couple of times but failed to illicit a response from the probe that was now determined to get away from what it had determined to be threat. As Kiefer slapped the side of the metallic body, a small circular opening slid open in the front, from which something promptly shot forth. Kiefer felt a pinching pain below his neck, and pulled out a tranquilizer dart from just below his collarbone. As he started getting drowsy, he felt his heartbeat quicken. With several loud thumps, his body heated up and soon, silvery particles were evaporating from his hand in wisps. The drowsiness was gone and Kiefer felt more alert than ever. ¡°Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t think my regenerative abilities worked on external sources of poison as well. At least that¡¯s reassuring to know.¡± Kiefer muttered as he tossed the dark to the side. Turning the drone around, Kiefer found a rectangular hatch on the back that with a little prying, popped open. There inside, was a handle welded onto a circular base. Grabbing the handle and turning it 90 degrees counter-clockwise, the drone immediately powered down. Even with the drone powered down, the little red light kept flashing on its roof. Kiefer figured it must be a sort of distress beacon, so turning the probe back on wouldn¡¯t do much since it will just revert back to its original distress protocol. Deciding to try something else on the 2nd probe, he walked over to where Feir was holding it. Same as the other probe, the screen was blank as it placed escaping as its top priority. Kiefer scrutinised the surface of the probe, along with any and all of the instruments it came with. The most prominent would still be the camera that was protected under a sturdy clear plastic dome, making it resemble a security camera he remembered seeing in malls. Inspecting the probe thoroughly and not finding anything useful, Kiefer decided to give up. None of the screens work and it was simply locked in distress mode. Just as he decided to turn the 2nd probe off too, Sher excitedly pointed out that the red blinking light had stopped. Kiefer was just about to turn the power switch when the probe started making beeping noises. Shortly after, the visual screen lit up once more, this time, with the face of an elderly man in a crisp white uniform displayed. The elderly gentleman looked to be in his 50s, possibly going on to 60 soon. He had a gentle smile on his face, looking through the screen like he was watching his grandchildren play. Then, the screen with the man¡¯s face shrunk in size and filled a quarter of the display down at the bottom right corner while another series of pictures started playing on a white background. ¡°Hello there. I know you cannot understand me, but I will try my best to tell you that we have come seeking your help. If you will look at the rest of the screen, it will explain to you who we are and our origin.¡± The man spoke kindly while gesturing to the rest of the screen. ¡°We are humans. We have escaped from earth in a time of crisis to find a new world we can call home. Our vessel is now high up in the skies, among the stars. I sincerely hope that when we meet in person, you will not be alarmed. From what this unit has shown me, your people are very diverse and have a thriving society. While we do not wish to impede on ¨C¡° The man was cut off halfway as Kiefer began to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll just stop you right there Mr Palmer. I think I have a rough idea on what your current situation is.¡± Kiefer blatantly spoke out, as if he had been expecting the message and could read the man¡¯s mind. Palmer¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as his mouth was left agape, being cut off mid-sentence. Then he seemed to back up a few steps and muttered inaudibly into a terminal on his wrist. Kiefer watched as 2 more people in uniforms came up next to palmer and they discussed something. Hands were moving wildly as Palmer kept gesturing towards what Kiefer assumed was the camera or screen where he would be displayed on their side. Unknown to Kiefer, Palmer was merely questioning his lieutenants if there had been some sort of translation program already installed on the probes, and if so, what language Kiefer was speaking in. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Umm... hello? I know it¡¯s a little surprising, and it may come to you as an even bigger shock, but I am a human just like you, or rather, used to be a human. I was from earth and I know that your ship, Hope, escaped earth because you believed it to be doomed.¡± Kiefer spoke to the screen. Palmer and his officers stopped their discussion abruptly at Kiefer¡¯s words, and just stared into the screen in shock. The man on the other side of the screen was speaking English, as confirmed by his lieutenant that there has been no translation module installed on the probes. What was being heard by them were the exact words spoken by the man down on the planet. He slowly made his way back to the screen while his officers hung around the back. Clearing his throat, the elderly gentleman spoke again. ¡°Pardon my rudeness. I had not expected to hear English from a native of a foreign planet. As much as I would like to hear your story, I would greatly prefer to hear it in person. For now, I just want to let you know that we have intentions of landing on your planet and possibly develop a city for us to stay in. Colonisation has always been the primary goal of the mission, but I would prefer to avoid conflict if possible. Please tell the leader of your country or society or world that we come in peace and are just looking for a new home to settle down in.¡± Palmer explained, the gentle smile reappearing on his face. ¡°If you want to meet face to face, that won¡¯t be a problem. Where are you located right now?¡± Kiefer asked, making it sound like meeting another person in space was an everyday task that he performed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that will be a little difficult right now. We are still about quite some time away from entering a stable geostationary orbit around your world. Did you say you were from earth? If so, then you should probably understand the concept of an hour. Our vessel is currently 100 hours away from your planet. When we have everything prepared, our expedition scouts will be the first to land on your planet. You can meet with them then.¡± Palmer replied, still not able to believe that Kiefer was from earth. Even if he spoke English, and he knew about earth and the space ship, even though the evidence points conclusively to the fact that Kiefer was an earthling, Palmer seemed unable to believe it. ¡°No that¡¯s fine. I will meet you up there in 2 days then. Just a heads up, this planet has approximately 48 hour days, so you might want to inform your civilians that they should get ready to adjust their biological clocks.¡± Kiefer replied, smiling back as he cut off the transmission by turning the handle with his mana rope. ¡°Looks like we will get to meet some of my space travelling friends in 2 days. Do you guys want to follow me?¡± Kiefer asked, as if taking his family out on a road trip. ¡°You know we can¡¯t go up that high. Only the avian titans can survive without air. Even if we are titans, we still need to breathe you know.¡± Isana chirped, almost as if blaming kiefer for not understanding Titan biology. ¡°No that shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Just trust me. Sher you are coming along aren¡¯t you?¡± Kiefer asked the excited Sher who seemed already set to go. She nodded her head enthusiastically, happy that she will be going on a trip with Kiefer again so soon after their last adventure. With that done, Kiefer tossed the 2 probes into his PD and promptly began working on his house. The next 2 days flew by quickly, with the entirety of Mutatis busy with repairs and the winter festival cut short by the Mana catastrophe. Kiefer finished his brick and wood house. From the exterior, it looked like a simple 2 storey log cabin with a balcony hanging off the side of the mountain, giving a picturesque view of the forest, the city and the sea. Just behind the logs, was a sturdy brick wall that was walled up on the interior with wooden planks for aesthetic purposes. The house was almost an exact replica of what they had, with 2 basement levels going deep into the mountain. There was even a simple table and 2 chairs laid out on the balcony, where currently Kiefer and Isana were enjoying a nice tea session while watching the sun rise. Sher finally roused from her sleep and joined Kiefer and Isana for a quick breakfast before getting dressed to meet the people on the spaceship. This would be the titans¡¯ first trip into outer space. As all 4 titans fly up into the sky, Kiefer began the first step of his plans. With Isana, Sher and Feir huddled up next to Kiefer, he deployed a dome shield. Unlike any of the tiny dome shields he had before his transformation, this one was a whopping 1km wide translucent silver sphere. Securing the titans with his mana ropes, Kiefer shot up towards the heavens, the clouds making way for his giant sphere. Kiefer no longer needed to use his mana platforms. With the transformation, came the ability to move through mana imbued fluids. There was no physics involved, no requirement for lift or the need to obey the laws of gravity. As long as there was mana, he could use it to propel himself through the air, or space in this case. Within minutes, the round ball of rock, dirt and water was far below their feet and the titans watched in awe as they took in the sights of space. The moons seemed so much closer as the planet grew ever slightly smaller with the passage of time. For Kiefer, there was no sense of weightlessness in space. He was simply moving through a mana field emanating from Aioa, the sun and the moons. His first step was a success, as he had predicted. The dome kept the air trapped within and with such a large size, there was sufficient air to last them a long time in space. This gave them plenty of time to leisurely look for the spacecraft. That, was step 2. Locating the Hope. Aside from the sun, moons and Aioa, space was just a canvas of blackness, with a very stingy sprinkle of stars. Finding as spaceship of unknown size and shape was going to be a chore, even if there wasn¡¯t any space junk floating in orbit. The toughest part was that Kiefer knew he had to look in the dark areas, where the planetary bodies faced away from the sun. If a spaceship was to approach a planet, he was absolutely certain it would not take a trip past the sun while risking the sweltering temperatures of the plasma ball and the horrendous gravitational pull of it. It took some time of aimlessly moving through the darkness, only being able to see their own body thanks to the orbs of light conjured by Kiefer. Then, Isana¡¯s emerald eyes gleamed as she pointed into the distance, as a massive structure that was speeding towards them from around the moon. Kiefer understood immediately that the space craft was using the moon¡¯s gravitational pull to align a trajectory in the shape of the number 8 and swing itself into orbit around Aioa. Judging by the sheer velocity of the vessel and the mass of the vessel, Kiefer knew there was no way he could stop or even grab a hold of the space craft until it slowed down in orbit. Deciding that the best course of action was to wait near Aioa, Kiefer turned around and started moving back towards Aioa. The vessel was enormous, with absolutely zero aerodynamics. This only meant that it was built in space and did not have the capability to descend onto the planet surface. At the rear was a giant dish, attached to 4 massive pistons which Kiefer guessed to be the suspension system. By his estimates, what followed were 3 large cylinders about 10km long and 3km in diameter each. They were all spinning on their own axis, while being attached from both ends to a fourth column that ran in between them. The central column extended from the suspension and propulsion systems, past the rotating cylinders, and into the bulky head of the ship. After waiting for almost another 2 hours, everyone was already over the initial excitement of being in space. Hope had already started to decelerate into a geostationary orbit, rotating along with the planet¡¯s equator. Kiefer finally decided to make his move, approaching the front end of the ship quickly. *Thump!* ¡°What was that?¡± Palmer asked, looking up from his screen. His first thoughts were that one of Vladlena¡¯s drones had dropped something onto the exterior of the cockpit while working outside. Looking around the room, Palmer noticed that everyone¡¯s attention was focused on something else entirely. They were all staring at the glass panels that separated the cockpit from the void of space. Palmer¡¯s eyes traced his subordinates¡¯ sight, and locked onto an impossibility. There, standing outside in the vacuum of space, was a young couple, their daughter, and what looked like their pet dog with a lightning shaped horn on its forehead. The man was smiling and waving at Palmer from outside the cockpit. Palmer continued to watch in disbelief as the man bent down and blew onto the glass, causing it to mist over and scribble the English word ¡®HELLO¡¯ on the misty glass. What was even more unbelievable was that the man, was the same one he had seen on his screen not too long ago, speaking to him in English through the probe with which he had lost contact momentarily after their conversation ended.
Hello once again. I''m just gonna give you a heads up. There will be no chapter tomorrow or the day after since i will be super packed with work. After that, I will resume on Wednesday with hopefully a longer chapter with a proper conclusion. Chapter 3.26 - The Hope and The Stirring Hello my dear readers, did you miss me?!? Ngaaww... I missed you too, but sadly I''ve been swamped with work, covering shifts for my colleagues who had gone on holiday in this holiday season. Anyways, I made this chapter twice as long as an apology and as a new years present. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! IT''S 2016!! Anyways, enough rambling from me, enjoy.
Everybody¡¯s gazes were locked on the paranormal occurrence that was standing in front of them. There were so many things wrong with what they were seeing, and each one just gets more ineffable than the next. For starters, the family was standing on the glass panel as if there was gravity while every officer in the bridge of Hope was either secured to their seats or floating in mid-air. Even assuming that they were floating on a spot that made it seem like they were standing there, how is it that they were breathing in the vacuum of space? To be able to mist the glass panels up with his breath would mean that there is air where there shouldn¡¯t be. Their still intact and functional body seem to suggest an atmosphere acting to keep their blood from boiling out of every orifice. And talking about misting the glass over, this meant that his breath was warm enough for the vapour to condense on the glass. Temperature wise, space is almost at absolute zero, hovering a mere 2 Kelvin above that. There was just no way that the water did not freeze over, or for that matter, the family standing outside were yet to be frozen. Last but not least. How the eff did they get from the planet to up here in orbit with the spacecraft? The pictures and videos from the probes seem to suggest that the technology of the planet was far from aerial flight, much less space flight. As the minds of everyone on the bridge stopped working, their attention was once again re-alerted when the young male with golden eyes seemed to have noticed something. He started to literally jog on the exterior of the ship towards the engineering section. His family followed closely behind with the little dog taking one last look before trotting after them. With a thin layer of gravitational field applied to the exterior of the spaceship, Kiefer was now heading towards what looked like an automated robot towering at 7m high. The titans followed suit finally catching up to the robot that was returning to a hangar bay. It was a little tricky following the robot since it suddenly transitioned from a stationary section of the ship onto one that was rotating fairly quickly. Standing on a circular platform that was spinning and giving the titans a dizzy spell, Kiefer tried to pry open the blast doors that the robot had entered through. Not wanting to damage the ship and risk endangering the lives of anyone that might be on the other side, Kiefer stopped quickly and chose to knock really hard instead. Loud banging noises echoes through the drone bay as Kiefer hammered relentlessly, using only enough force to avoid denting or damaging the hull. Sher was suggesting melting through the doors with her beam but Kiefer cut her off mid-sentence, afraid of anymore weird ideas that might pop into her little head. As if responding to his knocks, about 3 minutes later the blast doors started to rumble once again as Kiefer could feel the mechanism within the doors hinging and turning, unclicking to let the 2 toothed halves split. Peeking through the slit created by the slowly opening door, Kiefer could see a flurry of movement. Standing on the walls of the hangar was an entire team of what he presumed to be medical and scientific staff dressed in teletubby suits. This was of course a precaution against the supposed natives of this new planet that had come to greet them. The team of scientists and medical examiners approached the titans dressed in biohazard suits and equipped with all sorts of scanners. ¡°Just relax and stand still.¡± Kiefer instructed the titans as he allowed the inspection team to draw closer. ¡°They are just checking for any harmful substances that we may have brought with us. Once we are in the clear, they will let us move as we wish.¡± Kiefer explained, to which all 3 other titans nodded. *Dit. Dit dit. Ditditdit. Ddtdddtdtdtdtdtdttdtdtdtd* The Geiger counter went off the scales as one of the radiation control team members stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to his team leader to signal for help and the rest of the team seemed to back away from Kiefer and the titans. Very quickly and swiftly, all the personal began filing out of the hangar and shut the blast doors behind them, leaving Kiefer and the Titans standing and confused. As Kiefer was about to walk towards the door and open it by force, the lights in the hangar dimmed and a single circular stand lit up, directing his attention to it. As the lights flickered on the stand a warm orange coloured hologram of a woman appeared standing on the top of it. She was only about 30cm tall, but with the height of the projector stand, she was meeting Kiefer eye to eye. [Hello. My name is Rowanda. I am the primary Artificial Intelligence construct of this ship. I¡¯m terribly sorry for the rude welcoming but we are all acting under our Captain¡¯s instruction. His top priority is to protect the residents on board this space craft and by no means intended to shut you out. Unfortunately, it would seem that as residents living in this galaxy, your bodies seem to be emitting an unknown radiation that our technicians have been busy dealing with. As a result we cannot allow you to move any further into the ship since our medical staff are still unsure of the effects of said radiation.] ¡°Wow. This is really advanced.¡± Kiefer muttered as he swung his hand through the holographic body of Rowanda. ¡°Kii, what is she saying? I only understood some of it. Is she saying that we are dangerous?¡± Isana asked, amused by the little lady that seemed so lifelike. ¡°Essentially yes, but I know how to solve the problem.¡± Kiefer replied to Isana. The feeling of being avoided because she is dangerous is no stranger to Sher and Isana. They were, after all, titans on Aioa, the strongest beings to exist. Many feared and revered them. ¡°You guys may feel a little queasy and weak, but the effects should wear off after a while. Just steady yourself.¡± Kiefer cautioned them as he dispelled his dome and casted another of his wide repertoire of spells. Activating ¡®void space¡¯, Kiefer adjusted the power so that it enveloped the entirety of the ship. In an instant, all throughout the ship, lights began going off and computers shut down. The ship that had been adapted to function in mana was now operating in a space without mana. This left all their instruments essentially with insufficient power due to the reduced voltage that was used to accommodate for the presence of mana. The titans could feel their mana being siphoned away, not knowing where their mana went. As soon as their body generated the mana, it seemed to disappear the moment it left their bodies. Kiefer smiled, and turned to face the now flickering and unstable Rowanda. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Is she dying?¡± Sher asked, looking at the hologram of Rowanda that seemed to break and distort rapidly. ¡°No, I think she will be fine in a few moments.¡± Kiefer replied, waiting for the connection to stabilise. Through the instances where Rowanda was connected, he could hear fragments of her speech, barely making out what she was saying. [Radiation sensors offline¡­] [pri¡­ry power fai¡­re] (Primary power failure) [re..jus..ng ship p¡­wer core] (Readjusting ship power core) [incr..sing vol¡­ge in elec¡­al cir¡­its] (Increasing Voltage in electrical circuits) [power stable. Rebooting core ship systems. Running checks on all software. 98% synchronicity with original program. Detecting errors. Fixing errors. Rerunning checks. 100% synchronicity. Reverting to primary objective.] ¡°You all done Rowanda?¡± Kiefer asked nonchalantly, chuckling at her software checking procedure. [Yes. I apologise for that brief intermission. It would seem that the ship¡¯s power failed momentarily, but I¡¯ve found a temporary fix for the problem. Or rather, I¡¯ve removed the temporary fix for a problem that now no longer exists.] ¡°Can you call the biohazard team back for a second examination? They should find that there is no more radiation anymore. Oh, and also, where should I put these probes?¡± Kiefer asked politely, pulling the 2 probes out from his PD. [Please wait a moment while I contact Captain Palmer. For now, please leave the probes where they are. I will redirect one of the drones to check for any malfunctions and extract the data from their memory banks.] ¡°Master, what did you do? I can feel my mana being suppressed.¡± Sher asked worriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Sher, it¡¯s only for a while. While my ¡®void space¡¯ is active, there will be no mana in the surroundings. Only I will be able to execute any skills or spells within void space.¡± Kiefer explained, hoping it would alleviate her worries. ¡°I see. That¡¯s quite an unfair skill you have Kii, especially since almost everything and everyone is reliant on mana on Aioa.¡± Isana laughed, unimaginably glad that Kiefer was on her side. Within the next few minutes, the teletubby team was back in the hangar scanning the titans for any abnormalities. With the preliminary checks cleared, Palmer instructed the teams to guide the family through a more thorough medical scanning pod where they were checked for any and all unknown microbial and viral infectious agents that they might have brought on bought. Finally, after the titans have been cleared of the regulatory checks, the team of scientists and medical personal took off their helmets and revealed their sweaty but excited looks. This was their first meeting with extra-terrestrials, and intelligent ones at that. As an awkward silence ensued between the 2 parties, the one who broke the silence with his first question released a flood of inquiries by all the others. Not knowing who to answer first, Kiefer and the titans were flustered by the bombardment, finally being saved when someone yelled, ¡°Captain on Deck!¡± All the teams quickly shut up and stood where they were, straight as flagpoles. Soldiers they may not be, but Palmer was still in charge in the end, and a certain degree of order, hierarchy and respect was still present. ¡°Greetings. My name is Alexander Palmer. I am the captain of this space craft. I don¡¯t believe I caught your name in our previous brief conversation.¡± Palmer greeted, extending his hand. ¡°My name is Kiefer.¡± Kiefer replied, shaking the man¡¯s hands firmly. ¡°This is my family. Isana, Shearwood, and Feir. They have a limited understanding of English, but it should be enough for them to get around on the ship.¡± What followed that simple and quick greeting was in Sher¡¯s opinion, the longest and most boring 2 hours ever. Kiefer spent that time explaining in detail the key characteristics of Aioa, starting from the geographical layout and the locations of major cities, to its wildlife, inhabitants and their society. Finally, he moved on to the most interesting topic of mana, magic and of course, the titans. ¡°So you are saying that for some reason, this dead titan transported you here from 2015 earth in order to prevent us from finding this planet through intergalactic travel, help improve this world¡¯s level of technology and to take care of his children who are now your family?¡± Palmer asked in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s about the gist of it, yes.¡± Kiefer replied. ¡°So, if a human like you could, as you say ¡®use magic¡¯, does that mean eventually, I, along with the rest of humanity on this ship, will be able to as well?¡± Palmer asked, wondering if he should assign a dedicated research team to studying this ¡®magic¡¯. ¡°That, I can¡¯t be certain, but I suggest you try out a different method from what I did. Experiencing mana for the first time was the most painful thing I had to endure up till that point in my life. I can¡¯t say for sure that it will be everyone¡¯s cup of tea.¡± Kiefer continued to chat. ¡°That¡¯s a little inconsistent with what we are experiencing though. Most if not all of the people and plants on the ship have been exposed to a small amount of this radiation since we entered this galaxy, and yet no one¡¯s had any signs of change or suffering as you described.¡± Palmer continued, gulping down the rest of the water that was in his cup. Conversing for so long had made him a thirsty man. ¡°Well then I guess we will find out in a few minutes won¡¯t we?¡± Kiefer replied smugly. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Palmer asked, now worried of what Kiefer might be intending to do. ¡°I poured quite a bit of my mana and saturated the water that you just so unsuspectingly gulped down. It should have the same effect as the water I drank from Shearwood¡¯s lake. If it does indeed have an effect on humans, you will probably be writhing on the floor in pain in about 5 minutes.¡± Kiefer smiled, leaning back into his chair and carefully observing his first test subject in a long time. [Sir, the medical team is on their way now.] Rowanda replied, having been in on the conversation the whole time. Within 2 minutes, doctors were barging into the lounge room that they had been situated in and began hooking Palmer up to all sorts of monitoring devices, drawing a sample of his blood to do a toxicology test. A squad of impressively armoured soldiers streamed in and formed a barrier between Kiefer and Palmer, pointing their rifles at the entire family. ¡°DO NOT MOVE!¡± The squad leader bellowed as he took a step forward and trained his sights on Kiefer¡¯s temple. Kiefer yawned, looking lazily at the soldiers, and then tip-toeing to try to look over their shoulders and see Palmer¡¯s condition. Sher was still reaching for the cakes that were laid out on their separate table, gleefully stuffing her mouth with the delicious cakes. Isana looked over at the high alert situation and decided to ignore it altogether, picking up a cookie and dropping it on the floor for Feir to crunch into. The squad did not know what to make of this situation. Did the family not believe the soldiers were going to pull the trigger, or were they that confident in their own abilities to totally disregard the weapons aimed at their heads? Some of the soldiers shifted nervously, looking to their leader for affirmation. Seeing their leader still aiming his gauss rifle at Kiefer¡¯s head, they stopped faltering and took aim once more. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I SAID! STOP MOVING! ALL OF YOU!¡± The leader bellowed once more. As Kiefer turned around to join cake party that was going on at the other table, a single loud burst rang out. Before anyone could react to turn and see what happened, Kiefer¡¯s golden eyes flashed and a thick silvery rope extended from the ground like a growing vine. The rope was woven from countless individual threads and the frayed end met the metallic projectile head on. As the projectile travelled forwards unwinding the rope from the middle, it slowed down considerably. As the threads unravelled, they rewove to form the rope again behind the projectile, making the rope seem like a snake that just devoured a small animal, with a small bulge in the middle where the projectile was caught. All that happened before the projectile even came close to Kiefer, who merely scoffed and turned back around to face the squad leader, whose rifle muzzle was a searing red colour from the heat of the electromagnet pulse. ¡°You can fire all you want. You will not even come close to scratching me. I could have simply deflected your bullet, but that would put others at risk, so think twice before you fire again in an enclosed space where the bullet might ricochet.¡± Kiefer warned, bring the small grey bullet closer and letting it fall onto his open palms. Without warning, he infused the bullet with mana and set it on fire with his mana flare ability. A blue-silver flame engulfed the bullet and it disappeared without a trace, not even a wisp of smoke. Peeking through the gaps between the squad, Kiefer spied on the now shocked Captain Palmer. He seemed alright, breathing as normal, with a steady heartrate of 57bpm. Smiling, he made his way towards the captain as the squad opened up a path for him. ¡°Well captain, I don¡¯t know if this is good news or bad news for you, but it would seem that normal humans are not capable of retaining or even utilising mana. Seeing as how you are not passed out from the pain, I can say for certain that mana has no adverse effects on you, even in large doses. Aren¡¯t you glad that little experiment panned out nicely?¡± Kiefer asked the dumbfounded Captain. ¡°Well, like you said, I don¡¯t know if this is good or bad news.¡± Palmer replied, quickly recovering from the shock. ¡°I¡¯m just worried how we will fare against your so called magicians if we do indeed come to some form of conflict with the residents of this world. As you¡¯ve said before, there are a variety of species of intelligent life down there and I¡¯m sure those so called ¡®demi-humans¡¯ you spoke of wouldn¡¯t be too happy about another 8 million humans joining the fray.¡± After pausing to unhook the monitoring devices on him, much to the disapproval of all the doctors on the scene, Palmer dismissed the squad and returned to the table once more. He sat down across from Kiefer while the other titans continued with their snacks on the adjacent table. After a short moment of silence, thinking deeply to himself, he finally continued the conversation. ¡°Going back to what we were talking about before you revealed that you spiked my water, how is it that you can perform magic while I can¡¯t even be affected by mana? You claimed you were from earth and all evidence seems to point towards the fact as well. So why the difference?¡± Palmer asked curiously. ¡°That, I¡¯m not too sure myself. Personally, I wouldn¡¯t mind going through some detailed medical exams myself. It¡¯s been a while since I last got myself checked and I too am wondering what makes me so different.¡± Kiefer replied. ¡°So that¡¯s it? Do you want to follow my doctors to the med bay for a detailed analysis? I¡¯m sure it will provide us with much needed information on the biology of the lifeform down there.¡± Palmer agreed to his idea. ¡°Of course. But in exchange, I want to be given the authority to use the particle accelerator I saw just now from outside to study mana. I have my own hypothesis, but I¡¯d prefer to keep them to myself before understanding anything concrete. And also, my family and I want a tour around your ship. Impressive as it seems, I won¡¯t know what to expect until I actually see the interiors of every section.¡± Kiefer bargained. He had been itching to have a go at a proper laboratory to study the mana particles using the proper equipment. The collider he had seen encircling the ship at its waist was like a godsend, making him undeniably happy to finally be able to resume his career. ¡°Of course. Rowanda can handle the tour with the other AI constructs. As for your usage of the accelerator, would you like me to assign a team of researchers to help?¡± Palmer asked, surprising Kiefer with his cooperativeness. ¡°Yes please, that will be much appreciated. Also, I know you are worried about your own people¡¯s safety when they land on Aioa. Given my earlier performance, I assure you that I am about the only one who is able to do that. Most magic on the planet is still in the early stages of development. No one has gotten further than throwing around some fire or mud, nothing that your soldiers can¡¯t handle. Wildlife wise, I¡¯d suggest infrared or thermal vision to be extra sure. Your weapons should be able to penetrate most of their hides or scales. Anytime you are prepared to send a landing party, inform me so I can send Feir along to guide them.¡± (Kiefer) [Hello again Mr Kiefer. If you would follow the lights, I shall guide you on a tour around Hope. Rosalind will take over in the civilian section, Rosana on military, Romanov on Science and engineering, and finally Rodana on Support and Propulsion systems.] Kiefer was not one to miss the hints. The AI¡¯s names all started with the same 2 letters, which could only mean they were acronyms for something. Seeing Kiefer¡¯s brows frown as he fell into deep guesswork, palmer easily understood what he was trying to figure out. ¡°The RO stands for Regulatory Operanda. And as for the all female names, there is no reason other than ¨C why not?¡± Palmer smiled smugly. As Kiefer and the titans left the lounge, he turned around and caught a glimpse of Palmer¡¯s solemn face as he began barking out orders like a pain-in-the-ass Commander. The next 24 hours were spent on Hope, exploring the space craft¡¯s interior. Kiefer never would have imagined that each of the 3 rotating cylinders that made up the bulk of the ship¡¯s main body would actually house entire ecosystems with artificial weather simulation. There were rivers, grasslands and even farms next to the residential district in each civilian cylinder. Through the centripetal force of the rotation, they created artificial gravity. The River was running smoothly above head on the other side of the cylinder¡¯s wall as he saw children playing soccer in a field nearby. As high-tech as the ship was, the residential district was constructed to look like it was at most in the early 21st century, not too long from when he departed earth. Being bored with exploring the technical side of the ship, Sher and Feir stayed behind in the residential cylinder and instantly merged into the group of kids playing. Kiefer and Isana smiled as they left the 2 titans to their own antics and continued with the tour, ending with Kiefer¡¯s medical exam. The scans and multiple probing finally revealed what was really the difference between Kiefer and the other humans. Not sure if it was because he was a titan, or because he was ¡®reborn¡¯ that way, Kiefer could only conclude that he needed more samples of humans from Aioa to understand fully. Looking at the Composite scans of his head from different angles, Kiefer sighed and felt around the back of his head, just above his neck. He could not feel the difference, but there was definitely an extra, unknown mass attached to his brainstem. The livestream scans revealed high activity in the unknown brain mass whenever Kiefer released his mana, only to have the machine burn out quickly. When Grandu (The balancer) had said he tweaked with his head a little, Kiefer had not expected it to mean literally adding an entirely new section of the brain. With most of his objectives completed, Kiefer decided to take a break before proceeding to start working with the particle accelerator. As Isana returned to their assigned quarters with Sher and Feir, Kiefer and the titans quickly fell asleep in the beds provided. It¡¯s been a long day, but an eventful and worthwhile one.
[[Meanwhile, back on Aioa]] The grounds of Grandu continent began to rumble as everyone began scrambling to get onto a boat. Dwarves, humans, ratmen, and Arachne girls alike were all frantically diving into the waters as the tremours turned into full scale earthquakes. The ground split under their feet, only to convulse and spit out molten lava from within the cracks. The boats tried to leave the docks and the continent as quickly as they could, but seemed to be impeded by the winds and the tides. The heartless sped off on their own while the noble and selfless stayed on their boats, rescuing any that had attempted to flee the disaster by swimming. They watched from their helms as the continent¡¯s morphology changed rapidly, Mountains crumbling and new ones taking their place, taller and sharper than ever. They could only pray for any of the poor souls destined to be trapped within the mines or anywhere too far inland to make it to the shore. ¡°Finally¡­ Only 5 Titans left to obliterate¡­ I¡¯ve rested long enough. The mana catastrophe must have been a result of the others fighting amongst themselves. I can¡¯t sense anyone else other than the birds.¡± The colossal titan thought to himself in a deep grumbling voice. He had been lying in wait for the prime opportunity to return, to dominate over the others, to finally claim this world for himself. ¡°I have strength enough, but more is always welcome.¡± He thought to himself as the seafloor split open and swallowed incredible amounts of seawater, along with anyone and anything unfortunate enough to be caught in the tidal pools that formed. The continent was void of life within 30minutes of the first tremor, all either having fled or consumed by the colossal titan. ¡°DESIR!¡± A telepathic message blasted out from the convulsing continent. ¡°Answer the call of your master.¡± The continent began drifting towards the south, creating massive tsunamis that were comparable to the mountains that now carpeted the entirety of the continent. A few souls barely made it out of the calamity alive, leaving in the darkness of the night, guided only by the light of the twin moons. The lucky few were those that chose to stay and help. Though small in numbers, that was what actually saved them since the concentration of mana and souls were not high enough to attract the attention of the Titan. He had instead chosen to sink and swallow up the majority that ran with their own lives, only to inevitable forsake it in a moment of their selfishness. They watched in silence as the Continent moved away from them, not because they were sailing, but because it was actually moving on its own. Nobody knew what to think. Nobody knew what had happened, only to know they are glad to have kept their tiny insignificant lives in the face of nature¡¯s worst. With darkness as his cover, a snake no smaller than Shearwood was flying through the clouds towards the moving continent. Unlike his sister, he did not have wings, but instead had spikes covering the entirety of his back, looking like an elongated porcupine. He was pitch black in colour, with very hardly discernible black eyes which blended in with the rest of the body. An occasional green puff of smoke would rise from its nostrils, trailing along the face as it flew through the clouds. ¡°DESIR¡­ Heed your master¡¯s call. It is time to act. The other titans are weak from their fight. We shall strike while the iron is hot. Find your sister. Pull her out of her hiding and bring her over to our side.¡± Gondor ordered telepathically, as the giant black snake suddenly swerved and changed direction, heading for the main continent now.
[[On Hope]] ¡°Sir! I¡¯ve detected massive tectonic shifts on the planet sir. Should we investigate further before preparing a landing party?¡± One of palmer¡¯s officers reported as he watched the scanners on his screen feed him information in real time. ¡°Rowanda. See if you can contact Kiefer. I could use some input on this.¡± Palmer requested, staring into the screen so hard he could bore a whole through it. Any entire continent was moving on it¡¯s own right before his eyes. Secretly, he began wondering if this planet was at all safe to live on and wondered how the inhabitants had managed to even survive this long. Within minutes, Kiefer had woken up, freshened up and race through the zero gravity corridors and onto the bridge of Hope. He looked at all the unsure and confused faces of the officers and saw from the corner of his eye what the issue was. Without Palmer even explaining the situation, Kiefer spoke first, breaking the deathly silence in the room. ¡°Palmer. What is the biggest weapon you have on this ship? We are going to war soon.¡±
Welp, as many of you might have guessed it, The end of the arc is coming soon. The final battle with Gondor looms overhead. Since this is as good a timing as ever, I am just going to make the tinsiest announcement that im sure many if not most of you are going to hate. Starting from the next arc, I will be switching to weekly or twice weekly releases. That is of course after i take a short break to plan out the details of my arc. I have the rough sketches done already, with the plot in mind, but i just need to iron out some details. Chapter 3.27 - The planetary weapons and The death. Please don''t hate me. I just know you are all going to hate me for the way i wrote this chapter. Feel free to rage though, it''s always welcome on the comments section. This is the last chapter for this arc, with only the epilogue left. I will take a short break, then decide whether to continue writing, or start a new fiction.
¡°War? What war? What is going on down there Kiefer?¡± Palmer queried worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but all you need to know is that what is happening is not some mere earthquake. The entire continent is moving because that whole continent is part of a colossal Titan named Gondor. All in all, I didn¡¯t expect him to start moving so quickly, but if we don¡¯t destroy him fast, you can forget about landing on the planet, much less survive long enough to prevent the extinction of the human race.¡± Kiefer explained it as quickly as he could. Palmer hesitated. He had just arrived at this planet and now he is already going to war with one of its inhabitants? Can he even trust what Kiefer was saying in the first place? While ¡°Kiefer had seemed trustworthy, he had just met the man a day ago. People can be sly and crafty, pretending to be your friend until they got what they wanted from you. ¡°You don¡¯t have to join the fight if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s ok to say no. I¡¯m just asking for your help since it¡¯ll be easier with some support.¡± Kiefer shrugged, not wanting to put Palmer in a difficult position. Seeing Kiefer¡¯s attitude helped Palmer make up his mind faster. Determined to help Kiefer and grab a hold of the future of humanity, Palmer looked Kiefer straight in the eyes with a determined look and asked,¡± What do you need?¡± Kiefer smiled appreciatively, glad that he had Palmer¡¯s support on this matter that totally, completely did not concern the man. Thinking quickly, Kiefer weighed his options, between what he needed Palmer to do and what he thought Palmer would be willing to do, or sacrifice to help him. Making up his mind, he decided that it¡¯s best not to put Palmer¡¯s men at risk by requesting they provide humanitarian support on the ground. Instead, he would ask for any sort of artillery support from space that the space craft could put out. ¡°What kind of planetary bombardment weaponry do you have? I need 2 different kinds for different purposes. Ideally, one should be a rapid fire type that you don¡¯t need to conserve ammunition for. It doesn¡¯t need to do much damage, just as along as it can serve as a distraction, that¡¯ll be fine. As for the second, I want something powerful. Possibly a weapon of mass destruction. It will serve as a backup in case I fail to kill Gondor.¡± Kiefer explained. ¡°Rowanda, make a stocklist of all our weapons and ammunitions now.¡± Palmer ordered the AI. Within moments, an entire list of ship weaponry was displayed on the screen for everyone on the bridge to see. Palmer quickly glanced through the long list, scrolling through as fast as he could until he finally came to a stop. ¡°This. We still have 5 bays of nukes left. Although we use it for propulsion, I¡¯m sure our engineers can re-equip it into missile warheads. I¡¯m not sure which of the 2 categories this falls under, but it is the only type of weapon we have plenty of ammunition to spare.¡± Palmer said, pointing at the screen. Kiefer considered it for a while, then decided against it. ¡°No. I can¡¯t risk exposing this world to the effects of a nuclear fallout. I have no idea how the radiation from the nukes will interact with mana, but I don¡¯t want to find out under non-controlled conditions. What about these?¡± Kiefer asked, pointing at the Magnetic accelerator Cannon. ¡°We only have 25 rounds left, and at the speed the projectiles travel, they will burn up in the atmosphere before reaching the ground. Plus, with our current charging capacity, we can only fire the MAC once every 30 minutes.¡± Palmer explained, setting Kiefer into deep thoughts again. ¡°What are the projectiles made of?¡± Kiefer asked curiously, wondering if he could solve the issues with this weapon. If he could, it would make the perfect form of distraction. ¡°They are 3m long and 50cm diameter steel cores encased in 3cm thick titanium. This is only used to divert incoming comets that we cannot outmanoeuvre in space. They will melt from the heat created by air resistance if fired into the atmosphere.¡± Palmer described in details so that Kiefer would understand. ¡°And what kind of charging mechanism are you using to power the electromagnetic rails?¡± (Kiefer) ¡°Solar power.¡± Palmer answered crisply. ¡°What? Why?! I saw you have an antimatter generator in your propulsions engine room. Why not use antimatter instead?¡± Kiefer asked, bewildered that their weapons were being powered by something as unreliable as Solar power. [The anti mater generator itself is powered by solar power. Using solar power to run the generator, it creates individual ¡®cells¡¯ of charged antimatter housed in powerful electromagnetic fields. We only use that generator as a means to store excess solar energy that we harness. To use the cells to power the MAC would be more inefficient than using solar power directly since there is energy loss in the conversion from solar to antimatter.] ¡°Thank you Rowanda.¡± Palmer expressed his gratitude, to which Rowanda had no reaction. ¡°I see. What would you say if I could adjust some parameters and from there, enable you to make full use of the MAC for atmospheric assault? I can coat the steel cores in tungsten carbide, followed by Orihalcom which has an incredibly high melting point. I can also utilise the mana around to enhance the charging speed of the cannons, essentially bringing the charging time down to maybe a little over 5 minutes.¡± Kiefer suggested. ¡°Well, that would be fine and all in teory, but the reality is, we don¡¯t have enough tungsten carbide, and I¡¯m not exactly willing to burn through my entire stock of MAC rounds in 2 hours.¡± Palmer argued. ¡°Just leave those problems to me. Besides, you won¡¯t need the MAC rounds in space anymore since you have already decided to settle on this planet,¡± Kiefer rebutted, pausing before continuing. ¡°And even if you need them later on, I can just get you the raw materials from the surface.¡± ¡°Ok, so what will you be using for the 1st type of weapon? The one to annoy your opponent with?¡± Palmer asked, as I accepting Kiefer¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Oh, no. You misunderstand. The MAC will be taking that role. You can fire continuously to keep Gondor distracted for 2 hours. As for the weapon of mass destruction, I want to re-wire your missile warheads wit Antimatter cells. How much antimatter is in each cell?¡± Kiefer asked, surprising Palmer with his greed and audacity. To think he would actually request for their most precious energy source to be used as disposable bombs. [That will be 10kg of anti-proton per cell, yielding a total energy output of 9 x 10^17 J per cell. Each cell is a composite structure with all the required mechanisms to harness the energy produced by reacting with the 10kg of protons that is included in each cell. The energy is slowly consumed to power the electromagnetic coils that are used to hold the anti-protons in vacuum.] Palmer sighed in defeat. There was just no remorse in Kiefer¡¯s heart, asking for anything and everything he wanted as if he owned the place. The worst thing is that in his heart, Palmer knew that there was no point in refusing since the man could just take anything he wanted without even asking. Therefore, he resigned himself to merely going along with Kiefer¡¯s antics, knowing that it¡¯s better for him to agree to Kiefer¡¯s demands than refuse and make an enemy out of Kiefer. ¡°Thank you Rowanda.¡± Kiefer smiled, looking at the defeated Palmer who was slumped back into the chair after his relentless demands. ¡°Rowanda, could you please reset the voltages in the ship back to the previous setting where you took into consideration the effects of the radiation?¡± kiefer asked the orange coloured lady. [Sorry. You do not have the authorisation to make any changes within this vessel. Please request for permission from Captain Palmer.] ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Palmer let out yet another big sigh. Now Kiefer has moved from making demands to making changes to his ship. It¡¯s as if he had just lost all dignity as the captain. ¡°Rowanda, from now on, Kiefer has clearance to make any and all changes until I say otherwise. Effective immediately, Kiefer¡¯s authority is second only to mine. Also, return the power levels to previous setting.¡± Palmer ordered not sure what Kiefer had in mind. [Yes sir. Changes to the personal clearance levels have been made. Returning power levels to radiation exposure setting.] The lights quickly dimmed and then shut off. As Kiefer undid the void space spell, the power quickly returned and once again a flickering Rowanda appeared on her holographic projector stand. ¡°Rowanda, set Kiefer¡¯s clearance level to the highest. At the same time, drop the clearance level for everyone else on board to the lowest.¡± (Feir) [Yes Sir. Changes to the personal clearance levels have been made.] Everybody¡¯s eyes turned to the voice that gave out that last command. There standing at the table with the other titans was another Captain Palmer, with his exact looks, uniform and voice. As everyone stared at the doppelganger, the original Palmer¡¯s eyes were the widest, as if he was trying to discern any differences between the fake and him. Quickly, he recovered and realised what had been done. Turning frantically to the holographic image of Rowanda, he blurted out in panic. ¡°Rowanda! Belay the previous order! Return all clearance levels to previous levels!¡± [Sorry. You do not have the authorisation to make any changes within this vessel. Please request for permission from Kiefer.] Watching everyone¡¯s faces filled with shock, the realisation that their ship had just been hijacked dawning upon them, Kiefer decided to take action. But first, he sauntered over the other table where Feir was still in Palmer form and smacked him really hard on the back of the head. ¡°Stop messing around Feir!¡± Kiefer scolded as Feir returned to his small dog form. ¡°And since when did you learn to speak English!?¡± ¡°Just now master. When I copied the man, I learnt all his abilities while in his physical form. I can¡¯t use his abilities once I transform back.¡± Feir replied with a little whine when Kiefer hit him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. He¡¯s just curious and a little mischievous that¡¯s all.¡± Kiefer explained to the deck. ¡°Rowanda, belay that last order from Palmer, Return all clearance levels to before that order.¡± Kiefer ordered the AI. [Yes Sir. Changes to the personal clearance levels have been made.] Everybody heaved a sigh of relief, some even chuckled a little as the serious mood in the bridge lightened considerably. Captain Palmer sighed the loudest of them all, glad to have control of his ship back, but at the same time worrying when the little dog might pull the same trick again. ¡°Well then, as thanks for letting me use your resources, I have a little present for you that you might have mixed feelings about.¡± Kiefer announced, getting ready to make preparations for battle. ¡°Right here, there is a lake and a waterfall. Behind the waterfall is a cavern. And within the cavern happens to be the wormhole through which I came here from earth. After the battle is over, I¡¯ll be happy to open it up for anyone interested in returning to Earth. Humans managed to live on after the cataclysm, and they are living on fleets spread within the vast oceans.¡± Yet another bombshell dropped on all the crew within the bridge. They¡¯d think they had gotten used to Kiefer¡¯s surprises and tendency to show complete disregard for common sense, but once again, they have been dumbfounded. ¡°Thank you for that information Kiefer. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do with that, but we can discuss it in more detail after the battle. For now, you can have my engineers to help you with the remodelling of the weaponry on this ship.¡± Palmer replied calmly, shaking Kiefer¡¯s hands. Kiefer spent the next 2 hours designing the charging system for the MAC. It was convenient that the ship¡¯s radiation shield had already been integrated with mithril or as Palmer and his team calls it, Ag-110. Redirecting the mana absorbed by the radiation shield through means of a simple rune carved onto each piece of shield that has mithril in it, Kiefer easily converted the mana into electrical energy which then supplemented the charging station in parallel to the solar panels. While the teams and drones worked on transporting and refitting the missiles with Antimatter warheads, Kiefer proceeded to pull out orihalcom from his PD to coat the MAC ammunition. He first had to borrow a large amount of tungsten carbide which was stored in the drone repair bays. The tungsten carbide was used primarily to make tools for the drones, but with all 25 MAC rounds coated, there was but dust left. Kiefer laid out an attack plan that uses only those present since he could not afford to go and get the Avians to help. His best bet would be a surprise attack on Gondor followed by constant assault in an attempt to wear down the titan. There was no way of confirming it, but from his fight with Drigor, he knew that there had to be a core somewhere within the chunk of dirt which had to be destroyed to kill Gondor off entirely. With preparations done and all weapons loaded, Kiefer bid farewell to Palmer, who saluted Kiefer as he left through the airlock. Teleporting straight to Rashael''s mansion, Kiefer surprised the avian titan with his abrupt arrival. After a quick exchange of words, Kiefer, together with Rashael, Isana, Sher and Feir were on the coastline near Mutatis, preparing for their assault. Opening his PD, Kiefer smiled at Rashael as he pulled out the mega-carrier he had acquired from Earth, along with all of his harrier jets. "So, I guess i''ll be running support and distraction then?" Rashael commented, his eyes sparkling at his new toy that he had gotten accustomed to while on earth. His hands were rubbing each other greedily while he had the tiniest hint of drool collecting the the edges of his wide grin. "You think you can handle it? I''ve got some help from other friends too, so you wont be alone." Kiefer asked, chasing after the bird who was already flying towards his present. "Yea! just leave it to me!" Rashael yelled back as the harriers began to take off one after another, forming an arrowhead formation in the sky. Residents of mutatis stared into the phenomenon with awe as one odd thing after another kept happening to them this week. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Transforming into his dragon form, Kiefer departed from the bay, with Isana, Sher and Feir following closely behind, followed by the fleet of jets equipped with titan lasers. Taking out a tansponder from his pocket, Kiefer looked up to the sky, then to the moving continent just at the edge of the horizon and muttered a single word into the device. "GO!" And so the battle began, with the initial strike on the moving continent hammering down onto Gondor''s back at Mach40. The impact blew out a shockwave that instantly ripped the back of Gondor of any plant life that still stubbornly clung onto for their dear life. The seawater was blown away to reveal a massive body with no signs of the legs, only proving to Kiefer just how massive this titan was. Entire mountains were leveled and a giant crater of hot molten lava was left at impact point. This caught Gondor¡¯s attention as Kiefer saw the familiar giant head with red gleaming eyes rise out of the water. It was like dejavu, seeing a repeat of the memories from Drigor and Wanda. Without warning, Isana suddenly turned her neck and bit Kiefer on his shoulder, her icy teeth creaking as they tried desperately to pierce his tough black scales. Having already expected the mind control attack, Kiefer cast void space around himself, enveloping Isana for a moment and instantly breaking the mind control. Isana shook her head in confusion, trying to rid herself of the intruder inside her mind. With a quick sorry, her nostrils flared up and quickly breathed out a thick blanket of snow and ice crystals, melding into the chilling mist. Kiefer and Feir¡¯s job now was to buy time for Isana to finish her spell to split into 6 dragons. They were also counting on Rashael and Sher to distract the colossal titan with the continuous streams of red beams that tickled the surface of Gondor''s massive body. Not wasting time, Gondor¡¯s back swelled up and regenerated the crater caused by the first strike, his neck extending and firing a red beam from his mouth at Kiefer. As the red beam entered Kiefer¡¯s void space, it dissipated quickly, turning into a small and bright light show of red sparkles. Gondor roared with fury as his magical attacks did not work on Kiefer, only to have his back assaulted once again by another projectile slamming down from the heavens. His regenerative powers were frightening, even more so that Fiora¡¯s or Drigor¡¯s. The crater seemed to regenerate without the need for supplement from the ground like Drigor. It seemed like he was materialising dirt and rock from magic, healing the wound within a second. Feir meanwhile had left Kiefer¡¯s void space and began firing red beams of his own, trying to chip in as much damage as he could. He only served to distract the titan and have Gondor divide his attention to healing himself. As he tried copying Gondor¡¯s mind control skill, he realised something and yelled out to Kiefer. ¡°Master! The mind control only works once on each target. After that it has no more effect on the same target!¡± Feir exclaimed as he barely dodged yet another Rail shot from Hope¡¯s MAC. They were barely doing any damage at all, with Gondor¡¯s regenerative ability far outstripping their combined damage output. Kiefer decided to just go all out, revealing his first trump card. A single black dot the size of a grain of sand appeared near the middle of Gondor¡¯s body, and it grew rapidly to the size of a pea as it ripped away at Gondor¡¯s body. What followed was a searing hot orange/yellow beam that burned away at Gondors body, the beam originating from Icarus. The blackhole was doing its job, absorbing anything and everything around it, only to be matched by Gondor¡¯s regeneration. Any new soil that Gondor replaced was instantly lost beyond the event horizon, the singularity shearing away layer after layer of newly formed rocks and soil. The noticeably slowed down his regeneration at other parts of his body as 6 Isana¡¯s were now swarming around his body and neck, freezing the entire ocean to limit his movement. Burns from Feir, Sher and Icarus were taking longer to heal as yet another blast exploded right on the back of Gondor¡¯s outstretched neck. The molten lava slowly dripped onto the ice, melting it briefly before solidifying into a glass like surface. The crumbling rocks on his neck were regenerating, albeit a little slower than earlier. Nonetheless, their attack was still insufficient. Gondor¡¯s physical body was relentlessly stubborn, refusing to stay damaged. For as long as he had mana, he could continue regenerating his body indefinitely, making Kiefer¡¯s job to search for the titan core ever so much harder. Moving the blackhole around the continent didn¡¯t yield any results since the body was so immensely large, they didn¡¯t know how deep it goes. With yet another deafening roar, numerous mountains on Gondor¡¯s back erupted, spewing not molten lava or smoky sulphur ridden gasses, but entire pillars of green smoke. The plumes of green smoke very quickly dispersed and covered the battlefield, engulfing all the titans in the poisonous neurotoxin. While it was deadly to normal living things, for titans, the toxic fumes merely had a slowing effect, which was lethal nonetheless in an intense situation. Another projectile cut through the green smoke, striking into one of the erupted mountains and eliciting a howl from Gondor. What Kiefer found weird was that no matter how much they injured him, Gondor never spoke a single word. Casting his mana flare ability seemed to help deal with the regeneration issue as the blue silver flame torched away everything that had mana. With a quick sudden jerk of the neck, Gondor broke the ice near the base and quickly devoured one of Isana¡¯s clones. Just 5 left and Isana was getting annoyed by the low visibility caused by the toxic fumes. With the 5 ice dragons working in symphony, Isana riddled the ocean with tornados that ravaged the seas while swirling the green fumes into numerous twisting and convoluting pillars. Kiefer manipulated his mana flare, eating away at Gondor¡¯s body as well as the mana infused toxic smoke, clearing the entire battlefield of the fumes. Trying out a random idea he got, Kiefer expanded his void space after telepathically instructing Isana to leave, hoping that the lack of mana would stop the regeneration of Gondor¡¯s body. Unfortunately, Kiefer found out that the ability only worked with mana that was outside of titan¡¯s bodies, which meant that it had no effect whatsoever on the regenerative ability of Gondor. Another explosion rang out as yet another crater the size of a city formed from the MAC projectile fired from Hope. ¡°FUCK!!¡± Kiefer exclaimed as a red beam shot past him from afar. Had he not dodged in the last second, he could have lost a limb or a wing, having just removed his void space spell. As a precaution, Kiefer quickly cast his void space around himself once again, before turning to see Sher charging at him, her 6 white feathers already in place to start the hexagram spell. Behind her was a wingless black snake following, grinning as similar green plumes of smoke trailed from the corners of his mouth. ¡°Feir! Handle Sher! She¡¯s being controlled by the Serpent behind her! Copy my void space and use it on both of them. If the other serpent is still not on our side after that, you and Sher will be in charge of holding him at off while I handle Gondor with Isana.¡± Kiefer yelled as Feir quickly surrounded the 2 snakes with 10 copies of himself, casting void space to trap the 2 of them within. ¡°Kii! There is too much to look for in the body! Start with the head first, then we will slowly expand our search for the crystal from there!¡± Isana suggested telepathically as 5 giant ice meteors started shooting towards the head. Kiefer agreed instantly, creating acceleration runes in front of the meteors, causing them to crash into Gondor¡¯s tortoise head at even greater velocities. The consecutive impact from 5 accelerated meteors chipped away a considerable size of Gondor¡¯s head as Kiefer moved his blackhole and mana flare to the head and neck regions to stop the regeneration. As another shriek approached from beyond the clouds, Kiefer took the opportunity to redirect the MAC round aimed at the body to hit the head instead. Opening his PD in the path of the speeding rail and another PD right above the impact crater caused by the ice meteors, Kiefer laid additional acceleration runes at the exit portal. The Projectile descending from the clouds instantly disappeared mid-air and came out faster than ever, slamming into Gondor¡¯s head and breaking the snout off completely, revealing one side of a shimmering rust brown crystal the size of a football field. As Kiefer was about to direct everyone¡¯s attention to the crystal¡¯s location, Gondor suddenly shot up towards the sky, the neck, half a head and the rest of the continental body lifting out of the water on 4 thick sturdy legs. With a single word, he froze everyone in their places momentarily. No one had heard him speak since the beginning and his first word had that much more of an impact. ¡°DIE.¡± Gondor spoke. It was not a yell of anguish or complacency. It was deathly monotonous, as if all that Kiefer and the titans had been doing up to this point was merely annoying him. The deep baritone voice echoed through the clouds, as mountains from his back shot into the sky and exploded, creating compound shockwaves and a hail of Adamantium shrapnel. As the first of the adamantium shards pierced holes in his wings, and tore through his scales, Kiefer quickly set up his dome shield to protect himself, proceeding to teleport constantly to avoid the shrapnels. The Isanas were scooting around, using their tempests to fling the shrapnel off target while dodging them nimbly. Countless explosions rang out as miniature nuclear detonations occurred from the nuclear powered jets that were destroyed by the hail of adamantium. The swarm of jets was dwindling quickly, but Kiefer was relieved that at least Rashael was at a safe distance. Feir and Sher were still engaged in a battle against Desir, ignoring the shrapnel as Sher¡¯s hexagram blocked most of it. Kiefer cursed at their current stalemate situation. It was 4 against 2, but Gondor himself was powerful enough to handle Kiefer, Isana and Hope on his own. Kiefer knew that while Gondor would refrain from killing one of the titans when he is outmatched and fighting an unknown force, they could still get nowhere with whittling down his body mass to get to the core crystal. ¡°Found you. I¡¯ll deal with you first, and then use you to get rid of the annoying pests once you are under my control.¡± Gondor thought as his body rose beyond the cloud line. His head was still slowly regenerating despite the relentless attacks from Kiefer and Isana. He finally detected what had been attacking him all this time. thought to be invisible, Gondor detected the faintest signs of life from a great deal of distance up in the sky. they were really far away, but their numbers were so huge, he could sense them without much problem. Abandoning his attempts to attack the group of titans, Gondor reached his mind out high above him. ¡°Rowanda, fire the antimatter missile now at these coordinates.¡± Palmer ordered as he spoke with a blank expression on his face, his eyes dull and muddy. [Initiating launch sequence. Missile fired Sir.] As the missile accelerated towards the surface of Aioa, a second projectile sped past it, heading straight for Kiefer. Blinking to random spots in space to distract Gondor, Kiefer¡¯s blackhole was gradually increasing in size as its mass increased and ate away at the head with an increasing pace. Finally, within the next minute, Kiefer noticed that his rate of destruction finally balanced out Gondor¡¯s regeneration, giving him the smallest sliver of hope that he might turn the tide around. Screeching through the air, the MAC round landing in the open water, far from Gondor¡¯s main body. Kiefer had been too distracted to redirect the round, making hi wonder why Palmer and Rowanda had missed such a big target. The sea exploded in a torrent of steam and water upon contact with the MAC round, which Isana hurriedly froze with her breath to clear up the visibility. ¡°Kii! Watch out!¡± Isana screamed in fear as another red beam extended from Gondor¡¯s half eaten head, radiating from the core crystal. Kiefer paid her no mind as his void space nullified the magical attack, only to realise that Isana was not warning him about the beam attack, but the antimatter cell that was hurtling towards his direction. ¡°FUCK! What is he doing!?¡± Kiefer bellowed as he saw one of Isana¡¯s clones rushing towards him while the others were shooting straight for the missile in an attempt to slam it off course, away from her beloved. A giant fireball appeared in the sky as the vacuum housing of the antimatter cell cracked, letting air in to reach with the anti-protons. Given its proximity, Kiefer knew there was almost no chance to avoid it. Isana¡¯s clones were already caught up in the rapidly expanding fireball, leaving only her true body that was now heading straight for Kiefer, hoping to push him out of range. ¡°Sorry Isana.¡± Kiefer solemnly spoke to her through their minds. ¡°I love you.¡± Isana¡¯s fear stricken dragon face and here tearing beautiful emerald eye were burned into his memory as he opened a PD in her path and another back in the snowy lands of her own province. Then he did the same with Desir, Sher and Feir, transporting them to Fiora¡¯s volcano, hoping that after the agonising skill transfer ends, Sher and Feir would be able to defeat Desir with the help of Fiora. While he could simply teleport away to the north where he sent Isana, Kiefer made the split second decision to use this opportunity to end Gondor. The runes on his back lit up instantly and momentarily, with mana ropes extending and restricting Gondor¡¯s neck. He knew Gondor had underestimated the power of the Hope¡¯s weaponry, seeing as he was frantically trying to get away from the fireball that was now half the size of the continent on his back.
[[In the northern region of the main continent.]] ¡°Kii!? Oh no¡­ nonononono¡­ What have you done Kii.. Why did you send me here!?¡± Isana sscreamed in agony, her heart shattering into millions of ice shards. ¡°Nnggg.. NNNGGGGG!!! Kii¡­ AAAHHHH!!¡± Isana yelled out as the skill transfer began, memories of her time with Kiefer flashing in her head as the excruciating pain overtook her, with the image of Kiefer¡¯s face being the only thing keeping her from going insane. Meanwhile all other 6 titans collapsed as well, writhing in pain at the phenomenon that was unique to the death of a Titan. ¡°Master¡­¡± Sher and Feir cried out pitifully, having guessed what just happened. No one could verify which of the 2 titans perished. They were preoccupied with coping with the feeling of their flesh being torn apart, their bones being crushed and their minds being burnt.
Chapter 3.28 - Epilogue [[On Hope]] [Sir. The tectonic shifts have stopped. My scans reveal no more lving things within the area of the battlefield. Should I keep firing the MAC?] Shaking his head violently, knocking the headache off, Palmer half-collapsed, supporting himself against the wall. He knew what he had just done. He knew it was him that ended the fight with the unplanned Antimatter missile. He was being controlled, and yet he couldn¡¯t find anything to prove it. It seemed like he was the only one put under the spell as his officers were cheering at the success of the operation. But was it really a success? He wondered as he decided to make preparations for the landing party. The threat was now over and they could land safely on the planet. Within a few hours, large bay doors opened on the underside of the belly, as 2 rows of 5 destroyer ships dropped from Hope and quickly entered into orbit next to hope. After quick calculations, the AI on board each destroyer began planning the descent through the atmosphere, carrying almost 2 million lives on board each ship.
[[Northern Isana province]] The first round of Skill Transfer lasted over 10 days, with every titan passed out without knowing the outcome of the battle. When Isana awoke, she only had time to observe changes in her physical appearance before a second wave of agonising pain hit her. Why had Kiefer not trandported her to the same location as Sher and Feir? Was he trying to protect her, or was he confident in Sher and Feir handling Desir on their own? Her 4 medium sized Wings were replaced with 2 large sturdy wings with talons on each end. He original coat of pure white scales showed a small hint of grey in them. She estimated her size to be larger than a mountain, probably inheriting the size attribute from Gondor. The most heartbreaking and tear wrenching features that crushed her heart, were the 2 rows of golden runes that ran along the length of her back. With that, she knew that her significant other was no more. She had inherited one of his traits. As the mountainous Dragoness changed into her human form, tears rolled out the corners of her eyes and froze before they hit the ground. Her emerald eyes depicted such sorrow, pain and helplessness. The most powerful being in the world, and there she was wishing she could trade all her powers just to meet her loved one again. As the second wave of skill transfer beset her, she hardly winced, enduring the pain while directing her hatred to the skies. She knew who was to blame for the death of her one and only. Those puny non-magic wielding hairless apes in their metallic container high above the world¡¯s sky. Had they not disregarded Kiefer¡¯s plans and fire the antimatter missile without warning, Kiefer might have been able to get away in time. She could have easily sacrificed her clones to temporarily trap Gondor in ice while she escaped with Kii to a safe zone. ¡°Humans. They are untrustworthy, and selfish. Cunning, crafty and greedy. Once they land on Aioa, I shall obliterate them.¡± Isana thought as she finally succumbed to the increasing pain that changed her body once more. What she did not know was that the majority of the civilians and crew from hope had already landed on the carcass of Gondor during the time she was passed out. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Another week flew by during their conscious state before Sher awoke, weary from the battle with her brother and aching from the skill transfer. She was now jet black like her brother, with the drastically contrasting white wings. She instantly melded into the shadows of the night, racing through the forest to the north, hoping to find her sister. Feir copied her, also blending into the darkness and following Sher to regroup. They both knew Kiefer was no more. Their master died, sacrificing himself to protect them. Never before as anyone given up their lives to defend a titan, after all, why would a titan need protection? Nonetheless, it happened and Kiefer is dead. Sher knew it in her heart, for her hexagram skill had transformed. She knew she could summon multiple hexagram runes to form a dome similar to Kiefer¡¯s dome shield. That was the parting gift her master left her. Isana studied her own skills. She cried, mourning the loss of her partner. Every new skill she inherited reminded her of him and his sacrifice. Her father had sent this man to her, and he delivered on his promise, protecting her to the end, and eliminating Gondor, ultimately seeking revenge for her sister. The runes on her back glowed as billions of tiny golden threads extended. The colour of his eyes, it was so beautifully sad, yet brilliantly shining under the weak moonlight. Due to her soul link with Kiefer, she inherited all of his skills, finally understanding what he felt when manipulating mana. It was unlike any skill she had, being able move, feel and control every single mana particle that radiated from her body. The lonesome dragon looked towards the moons and watched them in envy. Even they had a partner while she was left alone once again, to endure the eternity of time alone. She could sense Sher and Feir heading her way, the mana pulse telling her the exact location of every living thing with mana. Letting out a long mournful howl, Isana curled up into a ball, crying and reminiscing about Kiefer. It would never be the same again. The time she spent with him was but a blink compared to her lifespan, but he had changed her life forever with his appearance, and now, his disappearance. ¡°I love you.¡± Those were his last words to her. She kept repeating it in her head, praying, hoping that his voice would stay with her forever.
So my brother whom i just found out reads my fiction come to me and says. "Game of Thrones much?" I finished this epilogue as a thank you for hitting 60 reviews and 7k views. Hope you enjoyed this arc. please look forward to the next. End of book 1 Hello all, as I''ve mentioned in the chapter a few days back, this book ends here. As i''ve promised, I''ve delivered. The ending for this book has been tweaked a little, but i doesnt really affect the story at all. The new arc has been moved to this new fiction, please do check it out. the prologue and first chapter are still the same, with an additional chapter which i have uploaded to the new fiction. Hope you guys enjoy and continue to stick with me. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. PS. I''ve learnt my lesson. Next time, i wont let the haters get their way. =P New Fic --> Journey Through The Worlds EPub and PDF Hello everyone. I would like to announce that this fiction is available for download in EPub and PDF formats on this website. Armaell''s Library A very big thank you for all my supporters and especially to Armaell for putting in the time and effort to take on this project. Please continue to follow me on the journey with my next fiction Journey Through the Worlds as the story continues with the focus changing to a new MC. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Yours sincerely, Mr Sound