(Zack)
My team stares at the gear with wide eyes. When we returned home after their kill yesterday, I told them to make sure they rested. All of them need to rest the last few days before the battle, or they'll risk permanently crippling themselves.
They wanted to replace their equipment made with the Primordial Essences I supplied, as the hellish training and final fight actually managed to cause damage to their superior gear, but I forbid them from leaving the property, so they spent it just relaxing and playing games. In the case of Max, it was also spent harassing Kit and being scolded by Luca for starting to roughhouse.
I kind of feel bad for that, but it's necessary to keep them from crippling themselves.
While they were occupied with resting, I checked on all of the equipment I'd had made while they were gone. Stronger swords, stronger armor, stronger vests. All made with Primordial Essence and high-quality materials. Each one of my teammates is now equipped with gear worth at least ten thousand platinum.
Max has a proper set of Primordial Dark Armor, with a bit of Spook Ore for a little extra effect. It's fashioned in a similar style to mine, to give him a high range of motion and not weigh him down. Gavin's new armor now covers more of him, though he's still going without a helmet. Luca still wears his brother's cloak, but he has a new pair of pants, boots, and vest, all made out of leather and fabric. Braden has those, plus bracers and a mantle, all made out of high-quality leather and fabric.
For weapons, Max has a new Primordial Dark Sword, with a bit of Spook Ore for a little extra effect, and a matching knife. Gavin has a Mystic Sword, forged of Magic Ore, Magic Crystals, Primordial Ore, and Primordial Essence, and a matching knife. Luca has a new staff of pale Fallswood, wood harvested from a special type of tree growing in a waterfall. The staff augments his healing and water magics when used through it. Braden has a new bow, one made of a much more durable wood than his previous so that it will hold up against attacks better. The string is a higher-quality one that's less likely to snap when he starts rapid-firing arrows.
I had stuff made for Gold, too, and I'm sure he's staring at it in shock, but he's not here – I had Theodore give it to him so that I could present my team with their gear. I would have had Nik do it, but Nik was mysteriously missing. By that, I mean he was in Jackson's forge with some of the Master Blacksmiths, including Jackson, and I decided not to eavesdrop with my Sight after finding him.
"You had this made for us?" Gavin asks. "How expensive was it? I know you're rich, Zack, but after what you said… could you even afford that?"
"I didn't pay for it alone," I say. "And I did supply some of the materials. Peter contributed to yours, Brandon to Braden's, Travis to Luca's, and Nik to Max's. Most of the cost came from the crafting itself rather than the materials, which was cheaper."
I did have to collect a few Bounties and rewards from killing Fallen Adventurers to keep from actually dropping in money, but I'm not going to tell them that. This is stuff that's been getting worked on for weeks already, it's the gear Nik promised back when we issued them the challenge.
We didn't have a doubt in our minds that the team would succeed in their task, especially after the Candy Beast. They probably know that winning against it didn't actually make them qualified to fight in the battle – it took them hours to slay it. But the Goblin Chieftain, they managed to fell in under ten minutes.
And now, they have even better equipment.
"We have just a few days until the battle," I tell my team. "Rest until then, though we're going to head down to Central Plaza. There's a final war meeting taking place soon, and I want you four at a specific table. Every Adventurer who is going to be fighting in the battle will be present, except one."
The ghost, because we still want his presence and continued existence to be a secret.
"What about the Shadow of Life's third lieutenant?" Gavin asks as Max starts trying on his armor. "Max, that's my armor, it's going to be a little big on you."
Max giggles, then takes off Gavin's armor and starts trying on his own.
"Already taken care of," I answer, and Gavin frowns. "He wasn't as difficult as I thought he was, though he did manage to cut me on the arm. The only one of the three who actually gave me trouble, and according to Big S, the Shadow of Life's really pissed I managed to kill all three of them."
The warrior of the three did give me a little trouble, but with Eidolon Form, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
"You can try on your gear," I say. "Then we're heading down."
Everyone nods, then changes into their new gear. In their eagerness, Braden and Luca both do that here, rather than going inside. Thankfully, no one is observing us outside of Kit and Aurum, so it's not much of an issue. Those two servants will be staying here. Even if Aurum has a few Levels, he's still far too weak to participate in the battle.
There might be a few things for him to kill, but sheer numbers will overwhelm him, and he'd be facing stronger things at the same time.
Once my team is geared up in their new equipment and clothes, we make our way down to the plaza, the largest one in Maelnor. Dozens of tables are set up, with benches lining them. They came from the Dark Temple, which I know because I helped move them. That, and the tables and benches from the Dark Temples are pretty distinct. We had these ones in storage.
Gold tried convincing me to do my thieving while we were in the storage rooms, but I ignored it. The stuff in the bedrooms are guaranteed to be clean, and I want the fresh stuff.
The tables are arranged with a single platform facing all of them, where the people leading this will be seated. There's a table up there, with a single bench for seating. I get my team seated, noting a few Adventurers already arriving. The meeting starts in around an hour.
A few of the servant beastborn are moving about, putting out drinks and refreshments, Gold overseeing them, wearing the beastborn beanie he received from the present a few months ago. I still haven't opened the others yet, and had meant to do that with my team. One day, maybe.
"Zack," Nik approaches me, and I look at him. "Come here."
Tempted to look into his mind to find out what he wants, I don't and follow. He takes me to Jackson's forge, through the back door. He takes me to a room with all of the Master Blacksmiths gathered, making the room quite cramped.
Sitting on the table is a set of armor, fashioned in my style. There's a sword, spear, and pair of knives as well. Normally, I'd say it's Dark Armor, like what we Dark Knights wear, but this is different. Rather than simply having red and black, the parts which would ordinarily be red are red and orange. I use Appraisal on the sword.
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Hell Dragon Sword Forged of eight different high-quality ores and three different essences by eleven different Master Blacksmiths, this sword can cut through nigh anything while taking nigh any blow and never needing sharpened again. It possesses a high resonance for any fire, blood, and shadow. Resonance: 500%
"Resonance?" I look at Jackson.
"It's a damage multiplier," he tells me. "Any fire, blood, or shadow Skills used with the sword will have five times as much damage as normal. Any fire, blood, or shadow attacks which strike the armor will be absorbed entirely."
A Strike of Darkness with this sword, while in Eidolon Form… this is powerful.
"Why?" I ask. "Shouldn't you guys have focused on making gear for the battle?"
"We can get more out in the next few days," Jackson tells me. "But this was a priority, much like your Armor and Sword of the End."
"But-"
"The Dragon," Nik says. "Is the key part of this battle. Without it being distracted or driven off, we cannot truly win this fight, even if we deal with everything else. If the Dragon destroys the City Barrier, then we will lose Maelnor. This gear is intended to ensure you're at your best."
I knew Jackson was planning on something like a hell armor for me, based off what he'd said before, but when all of the Master Blacksmiths got together, I thought they were making Nik something. I glance at my mentor. He's Level 257, which means he Ascended.
"Thanks," I say.
"You're welcome," he says. "Did you restore the City Barrier in Talorn yet?"
"No," I answer. "I thought you might want to be there for it, and you were busy when my team finished up their training. They killed almost all the monsters in Talorn anyway, so it won't take long to clean it up after I turn the City Barrier back on."
"Okay," he says. "And you said you're going to do the same to Praevar after?"
"Yes," I nod.
"Okay," he says. "Take the equipment, Zack. It's time to return to the plaza."
I nod, then begin putting the equipment into my Inventory. This stuff is so powerful…
"How much does it cost?" I look at Jackson. "I know I paid for the expeditions to acquire some of the materials for it, but the eleven of you had to work hard to craft this."
"You either paid for or supplied," Jackson says. "All of the materials for the equipment. In addition, you've been selling Primordial Essence to me at a lower cost than its worth to ensure that the qualified Adventurers fighting in the upcoming battle will have better gear. That's more than paid for this."
"Jackson-"
"When people realized," Nik says. "That a special set of armor was being forged for you for the fight against the Dragon, they began putting money up to help decrease the cost. You've helped a lot of people by supplying the Primordial Essence as cheap as you have, and a lot of people want to ensure your victory in your mission during the battle."
"Okay," I say, then finish putting everything away. "Thanks."
Nik nods, then the thirteen of us make our way to the plaza, which is even more full now. A few people are arguing with my team about seating, which is strange. They should see my teams' Levels, why do they think they shouldn't be here? Well, the looks those who've been out here are giving the team aren't enough of a message, so I suppose they're just idiots.
"Problems?" Nik asks as we approach.
"Yes," the knight in charge of the team says. "We want to sit close up, but these children won't move."
"Because they deserve to sit there," I say. "They're my team, and teammates of those sitting up there," I point at the high table. "Sit up close."
The knight and his team give me an appraising look, then an unamused one, and I can sense the wariness of everyone around who knows me.
"You don't even have a Level," he says, then looks at Nik. "Are you seriously going to let him-"
"Nik isn't the one you're talking to," I say. "Now find a different spot to sit, my team is sitting here. Gold! Make sure he gets something watered-down rather than quality."
Gold sighs, and I walk past the man and up to the platform, jumping onto it. Nik does the same, sitting in the middle, and I sit to his right. The team looks at us uncertainly.
"Just be grateful he didn't cut off your hand," Samantha appears from nowhere, smiling at the team. "He has a tendency to do that to thieves – or would-be thieves. Be grateful this happened after the purge, too, or he might have suspected you of working for the Shadow of Life and simply took your life."
The knight and his team find somewhere else to sit, and Samantha takes a seat near my team. Her apprentices aren't participating, they're too weak to join. Technically, my team is too low in Level, but their abilities aren't average. Three demigods and a beastborn are anything but average.
Blaine joins us up here, as does Jesse, dressed in his real attire rather than his usual attire. That draws a few stares from people who don't know any better. Travis, Mama Bear, Nathan, and a few others join us up here, including Joseph, the prince.
Once everyone has gathered, Nik stands. There are more than a thousand Adventurers here, but it's still fewer than we'd like. Sadly, anyone weaker would be lost in the fighting. Fast. They simply wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Everyone," Nik says, his voice echoing out through the plaza. According to him, it's an effect of this place, once the Crystals turn it on. Seems like it's on. "In a few days, the battle for the valley will begin. Some of you have fought for Cities' defenses before, but most of you have not. For this reason, we are holding this final war council to discuss how things will be done.
"There is a notion," Nik continues. "That the battle takes place over a single day. This is false. The Dungeon Barrier of Kaelmar will become disabled by the Shadow of Life for ten days. Then, the first wave begins. Some monsters will come out. A few of you will be at the Crater to intercept them. The servants of the Dark Order are handing out the assignments now."
Beastborn begin to move through the tables, putting down papers. Gold is overseeing all of this, and I can tell he's directing some of them, while some of the older and more mature beastborn are as well.
"The first few waves," Nik says. "Won't be high in number, but there will be enough that some will pass through those at the Crater. After the first day or so, those of you there will be retreating back to Maelnor. For the last week, we have been rigging the forest with traps and large-scale spells. Those will be effective for the second set of waves, as the monsters, greater in number than the first few waves, begin to pass through the forest.
"When they finally reach Maelnor," Nik continues. "We will meet them here. There won't be many at first, but over the next few days of the battle, they will grow in number. By the fifth day of the battle, it will be one endless wave of monsters. They will target the West Gate, and possibly the North Gate and South Gate as well. We will have Adventurers stationed at each.
"For those of you worried about the Dragon," he places a hand on my shoulder, and I stand. "This is Zack Noruva. Some of you have met him, more of you have likely seen him around, and all of you have heard of him. The Dragon will arrive on either the sixth or seventh day. When it arrives, the King Monsters will not be far behind. Hours, at most.
"Zack," Nik continues. "Will deal with the Dragon. For the first time in history, we may be able to drive it off. To everyone who wanted something from the Master Blacksmiths the last week, preparing his equipment to face the Dragon was the reason they were unavailable."
My anxiety over the Dragon starts to rise again as he talks about it. For some reason, it feels even more real now than it did before.
"To those of you who have only heard the rumors," Nik gives my shoulder a firm, reassuring squeeze. "Of a child of unheard-of abilities, Zack is the child of the vision – what most of you know as a prophecy. He is the one whose presence heralds the changing of the tides. He has Ascended, forged a new Class, and after this meeting, will restore the City Barriers for both Talorn and Praevar. His sole mission during the battle for the valley is to deal with the Dragon. As such, he will not be participating in any other fighting, to ensure that even if the Dragon arrives early, he is ready for it.
"Do not be mistaken by his young appearance," Nik says. "He might be thirteen and a half, but he's both a demigod and the highest-Leveled Adventurer in the entire Boundary. He regularly communicates with the Crystals, and has assisted us in several purges of followers of the Shadow of Life. It is his own visions – his own power to foresee possible futures – which has alerted us to the time of the battle's beginning and the presence of a third King Monster for this battle, something which was confirmed several days after his forewarning of it by our scouts."