Denizens of the Labyrinth

Jazmel had been staying with the dwarves for a month now. But he was unsure what that was like outside the locked gate. What he did know, was that the continued hunting allowed him to get stronger. He helped with the mining and built his stats even more.

They had been planning their first task and they had decided to release the dam, something that Frae determined was the easiest of the three tasks. Right now, they did not have a plan for the others and the troll ogre was too strong for now.

“What is a troll ogre?” Jazmel asked Frae one day while they worked in the mines.

“It is a hybrid between both. We think it was breaking through on evolution and ended up stuck when the gate locked itself.” Jazmel nodded, he figured it was during a tier tribulation and stopped. Jazmel wondered how strong it must be.

“Sounds like it was going through a tier tribulation.” Jazmel explained and Frae looked at him.

“What is that?” Frae asked, resting his pick on his shoulder.

“A tier tribulation is when you break through your limits to another level. It is hard to explain, but when you link with the system. It will tell you how to break through your limits.” Jazmel explained and felt a little shy as he knew he had not explained it well.

“I wonder what the feeling of the system must feel like.” Frae almost whispered but caught himself and begun to strike the rock with his pick, rhythmically.

“I imagine when you all link with the system, it will give you all many rewards and bonuses for all you have done without it. I cannot imagine what your stats and skills will be.” Jazmel offered and Frae huffed as he continued to knock chunks out of the wall of the mine.

EXP EARNED

+1 STR

He had been growing since he entered the lost gate, immensely. He had add real weight to his stats and he felt the difference from before. Each morning, he cleaned and maintained his sword, he then went through a sword kata he had formulated in his mind to master his blade better and he had gained 2 intelligence points for it.

“We have done enough in this vein. Let us get ready, we need to get to the dam before noon.” Frae said, dropping his pickaxe and cleaning his hands on a rag that hung at his belt. Jazmel did the same and they made to leave, heading for the mining cart to take them down; deeper into the mountain where the living quarters were.

Jazmel had been apprehensive about living below ground, but as soon as Frae showed him to his room. He grew accustomed to the state of play.

His room was a grand suite, a large four poster bed placed in the middle of the room, etched out of the stone floor. but the mattress had been filled with so many feathers, that Jazmel barely felt the stone of the bed. His room was always heated, the dwarves had figured out a way to pump steam, water, and warmth around the mountain in pipes that ran along the corners and ceilings of most of the rooms. It was sophisticated and complicated; Jazmel truly knew nothing about the creation, but he was amazed by it none the less.

He stepped into the shower room that was an ensuite for his room. It was literally a closet where water pooled from a funnel in the ceiling and the person could heat the water to their comfort with a nozzle on the wall. It was fascinating for him, and Jazmel had made sure to use it as often as possible.

He got dressed, he wore his jerkin that Melle had made him, a blue one this time. The colour of topaz and he wore his jacket atop it. She had repaired this too and it looked as good as when he first got it. His boots were buffed and shined and when he tried to pay her for this, she waved him away. Most of them did, they would not accept any money from him. They thought he was a saviour of some sort and thanked him with unlocking the chance to reconnect with the system again.

He hooked both swords into his belt, Hajime was his favoured sword. But he had been training with Nozarashi too, it had a different weight to it and the blade was much sharper. But it felt unruly in his hand, like it was not his as yet. He had been trying to learn it increasingly.

He left his room and headed back to the station on the living quarters. Frae stood off to the side e with other dwarves wearing their thick and sturdy armour. They were armed to the teeth and Jazmel could tell they were anxious; the air was thick with it.

“You guys go up first, prepare for the march.” Frae told the dwarves and they got into the carts filling them one by one, until five carts; hooked together all ascended. Heading for the open air.

“Are you ready? Do you want to check the armoury for anything?” Frae asked him when he nodded at the swords at Jazmel's waist. “I have everything I need here.” Jazmel patted his katanas and smiled.

“I have seen you training in the mornings, it would be interesting to see you in action.” He said as he led Jazmel to their own cart. Inside the cart, Frae had placed his own weapons in. A thick bulbous headed mace that glinted in the dark. Jazmel switched his sight and the Mana wafted off the head of the mace like a cold chill. The other weapon was a short handle axe, and the blade head carried the same chill and Jazmel could not help but study it more.

“I have seen your eyes do that before, what are you doing?” Frae said, locking the cart he sat down and prepared for the cart to begin its climb out of the mountain.

“My eyes are an item; I can see Mana. The weapons you use have Mana in it, or the metal is Mana. I can’t fully tell.” Jazmel admitted and Frae smiled through his beard.

“Ahhh, you are looking at orichalcum ore. It conducts Mana very well; I cannot use Mana but the little that is in me. The ore seems to be able to pull it from me.” Frae explained and Jazmel nodded, curious but also impressed.

“What sort of monsters will there be at the dam?” Jazmel asked.

“The dam isn’t of our making.” Frae began.

“The dam is due to a plant monster rotting the forest around the waterway and it took root. It is there that stopped the flow.” Frae explained and Jazmel nodded. Preparing for an arduous fight.

“If we kill the monster, the water flows and I think it will bring life back to that side of the valley. After some time.” Frae informed him.

After that Jazmel sat back and closed his eyes, preparing for this task. The labyrinth never gave impossible tasks. But that did not mean this would not be difficult. He was the only person here who had skills and stats. He would be the vanguard of this battle and he was steeling himself for it. He could see movements with the sword, and he envisioned it, settling into a meditative state.

SWORD PROFICIENCY INCREASED!

YOUR BLADE WILL BE SHARPER

EXP EARNED!!

He smiled but continued to meditate.