Heroes, Magic and Monsters

Our second dungeon visit with Nelly we decided to spend on the second floor, to help her get more accustom to the dungeon and work on our mutual cooperation. We found only five monster packs and experimented with our strategies. Beginning of a battle always started with me warning my comrades about the attack and killing some monsters with my arrows, if there were more than ten monsters. Then Myne and Nelly casted Slow spell. Luara and Trevor fought on the first line while our mages supported them with Magic arrows and me using my bow. At first Nelly aim was lacking and she almost hit Trevor and Luara with it, but after the second day, her aim improved, just as our team work. We successfully finished our second dungeon dive.

After we brought Nelly back to the Mage Guild and received payment from Sally, we decided to take two days rest and then continue with our dungeon monster hunt.

Next day after breakfast I went to the apothecary, and bought myself bunch of high level potions and several elixirs. Finally I could afford buying stuff, and potions were something that saved my life more than once. I also bought from the mage Guild book "All spells and they uses". I wanted to learn more about the spells and their abilities. That will give me more choices and help me to decide which spells to learn to increase my battle potential.

Then I visited Ashurga and paid him for the sword and bow that I bought from him. Next place, on my today's visit list, was Adventurers guild. I waited till Leone finished her business with some adventurer and then approached her.

- Miss Avone. How can I help you?

- Sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to ask you something. I heard about the sage who supposedly lives near Grimsburg, and is skilled in creating Elixirs?

- Yes, his name is Tanot. Guild sometimes hires him to create potions or elixirs. So, you want to visit him and ask for his help in creating some specific magic potion?

- Yes. Is that possible?

- Guild master mentioned, that you may decide to visit him. I have his permission to permit you the visit with guild's assistance. Please wait here.

Leone soon returned and gave me the map and an amulet.

- Sage's house is surrounded by a powerful barrier that hides his location. You will need this amulet, to find his house. Sage gave such amulets only to Adventures guild and Mage Guild. We lend it to the adventurers who visit the Sage, when someone posts such a quest, to by potions from him. Please make sure you do not lose it.I nodded and put the crystal shaped amulet that reminded me of magic stone, on my neck and hid it beneath my shirt.

- Thank you.

- Do not mention it that is my job. Good luck with your request.

I thanked Leone and took the map. According to the map, sage lived near Grimsburg around an hour walk north from the town.

The weather was good, and I enjoyed my walk through the forest. When, according to the map, I approached Sages house, a fog appeared and covered the forest. The fog was so thick, that I only saw little of the area around me. I continued going north and after several hundred steps fog disappeared. In the distance I saw smoke, and went towards it.

Soon I found the Sages house, at least I hope that it is the Sages house. It was simple wooden house with stone chimney above it. Smoke was coming from the chimney. So at least someone was home. I knocked at the door, and someone told me to enter. I opened the door and froze for a moment. Sage was near the fireplace stirring the soup. He was tall, well build man with blue skin color.

He was a djinn. Genies were one of the races that lived in this world. According to Adventurers guilds information they lived in a northern kingdom. All genies were powerful mages, born with air of water magic skill. Like the high elves, their lifespan was endless unless it was prematurely ended by violent means. He turned around and looked at me.

- Oh, an elf adventurer, that's rear in Grimsburg. Did Adventurers guild send you?

- No, but they allowed me to come here. I shoved him the amulet.

- I see, that's interesting. Guild master must find you special, if he allowed you to visit me. Well don't be shy, come in and sit down. Soup will be ready soon.

I did as told and took a seat at the table. I looked around. The house was filled with bouquets of dried flowers that hung from the ceiling. The smell was nice. Two doors led to other rooms, probably the bedroom and Sages alchemy lab.

Tanot took two bowls and filled them with soup. He got two spoons and also put a bread on the table.

- My name is Tanot, please share a lunch with me and we can discuss your business while we eat.

- My name is Avone. Thank you great Sage, you honor me, - I bowed my head.

Tanot laughed: - There is no need to be so formal. Please eat.

I tried the soup. It missed the meat, but was tasty. I took piece of bread and eat it along with bread. Bread was warm, and I got a feeling that it was freshly baked.

- So what brings you here elf Avone?

- I want to buy elixir - Gods mead. I was told that if anyone can make it, then it's you.

- Oh, how interesting. Your guild master, just made an order for the same elixir. I am making four vials of it for him, but all of it is promised to the Adventurers guild. I can't sell you any.

- Can't you make more?

- It's not that I cannot. I don't mind making Gods mead. It is a horrible fait for the adventurer to lose an arm or a leg, and I do not wish it on anyone. The problem is, that I don't have the main ingredient.

- Main ingredient? What is it, if it is not a secret?

- No, it's not. At least I don't see it as one. Main ingredient for Gods mead is dungeon wasp honey. It is gathered by wasps that live in the dungeon. They are similar to bee monsters that also gather the honey, but have darker color. And unlike bees, they gather honey from glowing moss. Such monsters are very rear, and only if they appear on the floors that have glowing moss, can such honey be gathered. Which must also be lucky coincidence.

Monster wasps will fight till death to protect their honey. It is also coveted by other monsters as well. Legends say that if a dungeon monster regularly eats this honey, his magic power and life force will increase and he will be able to evolve. Humans also greatly desire it, because it allows them even in very old age to sire a child. Ones a king who was approaching the end of his life, lost his heirs an promised ten thousand gold coins to anyone who will bring him this honey. Most times adventurers deliver bee honey that also can be used as an aphrodisiac, but cannot be used to make Gods mead.

But if you decide to look for it there could be one more problem. First you need to get incredibly lucky and found the wasp nest, and that is an easy part. It is a little known fact, that is still discussed among dungeon researchers to be truth or not. Whenever someone tries to steel wasp mead dungeon creates a powerful monster to protect it. Not many adventurers have ever got it and left the dungeon alive. In most cases several party members die distracting monsters, to allow their comrades to escape.

So my reasoning why lava appeared could be completely wrong. But still it was my greed that summoned it, just in a different way.

I took out my last vial of honey and showed it to Tanot. He took the vial, opened it and smelled the honey.

- So you're the adventurer who was able to get the wasp honey, - he laughed: - No wonder that old fox allowed you to come here.

So, guild master assumed that I have more wasp honey. I will have to be more careful with him in the future. But it seemed that guild master overestimated me. After all, I had no idea that wasp honey can be used to make Gods mead.

- This amount can be used to make two Gods mead elixirs. Usually single vial costs two orichalcum coins, half of it for you, since you provided me with main ingredient. But why don't I offer you a deal. I'll make the elixir for you for free, in exchange for little promise.

- What kind of promise?

- If you can get your hands on Magic gem then consider selling it to me, instead of Adventurers guild.

- What makes you think, that I can ever get it?

- Well, when your guild master receives an item that he can't identify or appraise properly, he comes to me. I have an Appraisal skill. Recently he visited me and brought to me the Magic gem, he also asked me about the honey. He remembered the adventurer mentioning that insect monster looked more like wasps, than bees, and just to be safe, asked me to appraise the honey. Putting two and two together was really easy.

- Why do you need a Magic gem anyway and why can't you buy it from the guild?

- When adventurers guild receives a rare item of great value, like Magic gem they must first offer the item to the king's court. And only if they decide not to buy it, can they sell it to someone else. Usually they use an auction house to sell such items, where their price could greatly increase. To the reason why. Such items can be used to create powerful artifacts, as well as they have other uses. I have master level Potion brewing skill. It is a requirement for someone to brew Gods mead. I cannot create an artifact, but I would like to experiment with it. I became a Sage because my dream is to create an immortality potion. And Magic gem could help me with my research.

Immortality potion - that sounded interesting. And I wanted to receive Gods mead elixirs for free. There were still many things that I wanted to buy, and there were no guarantee that I will ever get a small fortune again.

- You do understand, that I may never get it. And if I get it while hunting as a member of my party, then decision to sell or not and to whom, won't be mine.

- I am ready to take such a risk.

What? Did he sought that saying immortality elixir will peak my interest so much? Well he was right. It did.

- Very well. I promise to you, that if I ever get a Magic gem, and if it will be possible I will try to sell it to you first. Will that be enough?

- Yes, that will suffice, - nodded Tanot: - Come back in seven days. Elixir will be ready by then.

- I may be few days late. Will that be a problem?

- Not at all. I understand how busy can adventurers be. Before you leave, - he opened the chest, that was standing in the corner of the room, and searched for something: - Here, - he gave me an amulet, that looked exactly like the one that Leone gave me: - This way you won't need to borrow guild's amulet, when you decide to visit me.

- Thank you, - I took the amulet an bowed: - I am very grateful to you.

- Don't be shy and visit me if you find something interesting.

- Very well.

My visit to the great Sage went even better than I expected, and answered me some questions about guild master's behavior.

I returned to Grimsburg before midday. That meant that I still had more than a day and a half before our next dungeon dive. I spent my remaining time in the Mage Guild learning Slow spell. In the game it was my favorite strategy to cast a Slow spell on opponents army, and Haste spell on my own. I still planned to dungeon diving by myself, during our rest days, but I wanted to be better prepared. Having an armor and powerful sword were preparations that I will have to wait for. And some more spells will also increase my chances to survive my half mad dungeon visits.

I hoped that my spell learning time will be shorter, but I barely managed to cast successful Slow spell by the end of second day. My master this time was a wielder of advanced earth magic skill, master Bovinus.

All mages started to look the same to me. Old, bearded, but surprisingly patient, when it came to the practice part of the lesson and sharing their mana, which allowed me to successfully learn a Slow spell in just two days.

* * *

Our third dungeon monster hunt with Nelly we spent in the third floor. We again encountered only small amount of monsters.

While fighting monsters we used our usual strategies. Except now, we had two mages casting Slow spell. We allowed Nelly to kill monster who hunted alone using her Lightning spell. Monster packs we handled together, with Nelly and Myne assisting us with Magic arrow spells. That allowed us also slowly gather monster life force, while Nelly benefited the most. In rear cases when we encountered monster pack with dozen or more monsters Myne and Nelly used Death wave spell. Monster is such big packs were usually weaker than the rest and were killed by the spell life force draining effect. That lowered the risk of Nelly getting hurt, by random monster who could slip through us.

By the end of the hunt we decided that with Nelly's help dungeon four monsters won't be much of a threat for us. After returning we informed Sally about our plans and she agreed that two days later we will take Nelly to Dungeons fourth floor.

During my rest days I resumed my routine sword and physical training in the first part of the day and magic and archery practice during second part of the day.

Next day after my morning practice I visited Ashurga. Two weeks have already passed and I was curious about my orichalcum chainmail.

- Your just in time laddy. Finished your armor last night, - proudly announced dwarf when I entered his shop: - Worked day and night, but managed to finish it in two weeks, just as I promised.

- That's great. Knew that I can count on you.

Dwarf nodded satisfied and took out my newest chainmail. I imagined that it will resemble T-Shirt, but it had different design. It reminded me a suit vest. In the open muddle it had a placket made of leather with stylized orichalcum buttons. I was afraid, that the placket will leave a weak point, but dwarf explained to me that they had orichalcum rings placed inside them, and additional orichalcum bottoms will even provide more reliable defense, than the main part of chainmail. Chainmail was silver plated to disguise the orichalcum.

I tried it on. Chainmail fit me like a glove. It did not have sleeves, that granted me more movement freedom. It was also lighter than I thought. Iron sleeveless chainmail weight was around eight kilos, but orichalcum chainmail weight was around five kilos. With my increased strength I could move around as fast as I could without it before. I tried to imitate my moves when I used a bow. Chainmail did not interfere with my movements, which was just what I wanted.

- It's perfect, - I said honestly.

Dwarf happily laughed: - I'm glad you like it. Hope it serves you well. Make sure that if you need to fix it, then use only blacksmith that has orichalcum or adamantium.

But since you wanted it to fit under your vest it used much less orichalcum than I anticipated. Especially since your waist is so small. Usually make armor for men that are far bigger. I had left more orichalcum, so to compensate the difference, take these with you. Been gathering dust on my shelf anyway, - he gave a quiver with dozen arrows inside it.

I took out one arrow. It's tip was made from the same golden-yellow metal. Orichalcum arrows.

- Are you sure? They cost a fortune, I can't just take them.

- Don't think about it. Can make myself more, now that I have orichalcum. Besides I would feel like cheating you, if I don't give them to you.

- Thank you, master dwarf. I will use them well.

- About your sword. My apprentice is running few experiments with monster material that you gave me for the sword, but I run into a problem. I tried to melt it down, but couldn't do it. In order to melt it and then fuse if with orichalcum I will need fire source that's made using alchemy that can create fire, hotter than dragon's fire. But things like that are expensive. It will cost much more than we agreed. Maybe you should consider selling that horn to the adventurers guild?

I remembered lava spits that the worm used. No wonder that ordinary fire could not melt that thing. I took out one of my orichalcum coins and put it on the table. I already received my payment for the Magic gem, so I could afford it.

- I trust in your skill. Use the best materials that you can get in Grimsburg, and forge me adventurers sword that can last an elven lifetime. Let me know if that won't be enough.Surprised Ashurga took the coin and nodded.

- I'll do my best. I'll need time to gather the materials, but I am confident that I will finish it within ten days. Even if I'll need to work every night.

- Don't overdo it. I can wait longer if you can't finish it by then.

- Can't hold back myself, - chuckled Ashurga: - Job like that makes my blood boil. Can't make myself to leave my smithy until I finish it.

- Thank you. I'm sure it will be even better than I imagine it.

- Hearing such things makes me want to work even harder.

I thanked the dwarf, and went to adventurers guild. Rest of the day I used training and practicing with the sword, to get used to wearing chainmail during the battle. I even considered sleeping in it, but decided that I will have enough opportunities for that in dungeon.

* * *

Our hunt in the dungeons fourth floor went as planned. We did not encountered any problems or monsters, that we could not defeat using our strategy. We continued exploring dungeon's fourth floor, spending two days in dungeon with two rest days in between. During rest days I continued my sword training with Gord, and my magic practice. I also learned Dispel magic spell, to increase my battle potential against enemy mages.

We continued exploring dungeon's fourth floor and Sally informed us that Nelly's leveling goes well. After every dungeon visit she managed to raise a level. Her skills improved as well and her earth and water magic skills were already at basic level. Luara complained about that, since her level did not increase at all.

Finally after our third hunt in the fourth floor, ten days were passed and my sword was ready. Ashurga chuckled and said that for the scabbard he used drake's leather that some adventurers managed to kill.

Then he handed me over a sword inside black leather scabbard. The hilt of the sword was made from orichalcum and bound with leather. Thanks to its golden-yellow color it could be easily mistaken as golden plated.

- Not to brag, but this is the best sword that I ever made, - admitted blacksmith: - Never before used such monster material. Was hard working with it, but worth it. It's as good as adamantium sword, maybe even better. Sorry to say, but it will cost you sixty more gold coins. I can wait as long as you need. After all it's not what we agreed upon. But you told me to use only the best materials and I overdid it a little, - dwarf scratched his cheek and lowered his gaze.

- That's fine, - I counted the coins and handed then to Ashurga: - You were right to do so. I unsheathed the sword and looked at its blade. I thought that it will be same golden-yellow color that orichalcum had, but it was much darker, nearly black in color.

- Sword like that deserves a name. Do you wish for me to name it?

I thought for a moment, but shook my head: - No, let's leave it nameless. Named swords are something that heroes should have. I am just an adventurer.

- As you wish, just an adventurer who hunts drakes in the dungeon.

Blade was sharp, sharper than steel blades that I used before.

- Doubt that you will need to sharpen it. Maybe once in a century. And its resistant to fire and acid. No ordinary fire spell will be able to melt if, doubt that even mid ranking fire spell could damage it.

I nodded. Excellent. I tried a few slashes. Sword was lighter than steel ones, and felt like an extension of my hand.

- It's said that weapons made from monster that you slain personally serve you just as good as artifacts that choose their users.

- Yes, it feels like part of me. Can't wait to test it in real battle.

- As usually adventurers do. But try not to overdo it.

- Thank you for everything Ashurga.

- Visit me again, if you get anything interesting again.

- I will definitely do that, - I smiled and again thanked the dwarf. I considered going to the dungeon to test my sword, but decided to practice using it first. I still was a little traumatized by my first solo dungeon visit, and hesitated to do it again. So I spend my rest days practicing my swordsmanship. I had to be patient and wait two more days before I could finally use my new sword.