Robert looked at the corpse of the goblin woman, Making sure of that she was finally dead, and looked around the room. The corpses of the goblin cubs and the pile of artifacts piled in the corner caught his attention. The mage ran over to the unconscious Klein, inspecting his wounds.
- Anya! A healing potion for him! Quickly!
- But it's expensive, I don't think he'll pull it off..
- Anya, damn it, save the man!
- What's in it for me? - The girl began to argue defiantly.
- Anya, - Vasily intervened, - this is your comrade. Help him, please. We are all one team here,
- Okay. - The assassiness said, taking out a vial of a thick, blood-like potion and pouring it into the paladin's mouth. - But only because Uncle Vasya asked me to. And because all of Klein's share of this task will go to me in payment for the valuable potion!
The adventurers watched anxiously as the potion slowly healed the young man’s wounds. But there were too many of them, and they were too deep, so the pation's effect only partially stabilized Klein's condition, not saved him, and some of his wounds were still bleeding,
- Anya, another potion!
- There's no point. You can't drink several cure potions in a row, the body simply can’t handle them and it can only do harm. And this was the second one he'd drunk in a short period of time.
- All right, then let's split up: some of us will take the wounded back to the city for emergency treatment, and some of us will collect everything of value here,” Robert suggested, turning to the pile of
artifacts.
- Oh, go on, keep doing what you've been doing, don’t mind me! - turned to the mage a creature that hadn't been here before.
A black figure that seemed to be made up of concentrated shadows stood calmly in the middle of the room. It looked at people peacefully while dozens of its shadowy tentacles were busily collecting gold and artifacts. Upon seeing it, Robert immediately realized who he was dealing with: it was a demon. It was hard to think of a scarier opponent. Especially for @ group without a priest. The squad instantly bristled, preparing for a new battle. And the monster spoke soothingly:
- Oh, don’t worry, 'm not here to kill you, 'm actually at work, I can't be distracted by entertainment.
- On the job? - Robert asked cautiously, preparing himself to react to any action of the demon, and remembering how many skills anyone in the group had left, and how best to use them in this situation,
- Yeah, I'm actually officially employed. i'm a courier! - The creature said proudly, - And the girl you killed earlier sold her belongings in exchange for that scroll, and I've come to collect them. Oh, I
almost forgot! I have to clean her up too.
The demon swam up to the goblin girl's corpse, just extending the size of its body, inspected it businesslike, applied some kind of spell, and a transparent figure appeared in the air, which the shadow grabbed, crumpled into a ball for easy storage, and spoke again:
- This girl's soul also belongs to my employer! So you don't have to worry specifically, I'm just here for her soul, money and treasure items! And I'm not allowed to attack you. But... - then a hole appeared in the mass of shadows in the form of a happily smiling mouth, and the aura of demonic power pressed down on the adventurers, causing them to break out in a cold sweat. - But if you attack me first - I have the right to defend myself. So, come on!
- Lia, take us away! - Robert shouted in fear, trying to keep his composure.
The elven woman instantly used an ancient elven mystery, a magic that only elves can control, and the entire group was suddenly enveloped on all sides by huge tree roots, tightly wrapping the people into a cocoon, and carried through the thickness of the earth to an unknown destination.
- Oh... - the demon muttered disappointedly. - They ran away... And I was so hopeful... Maybe I shouldn't have pushed them so hard. Well, anyway, the lord has already marked their souls, and will be
able to find them at any time. I should get back to work!
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Klein woke up in the ward for the badly wounded in the Temple of Aronis. He wiped his eyes, slowly regaining consciousness, and inspected his wounded areas. There was almost no trace of that powerful attack, not even a scar. A powerful healing miracle had been applied, perhaps even the Master Superior himself had tried. The paladin wanted to get up, but because of the tremendous weakness, he felt dizzy, and he dismissed the idea, lying back down on the bed.
What happened after Klein was wounded, he didn't know, but he could guess. Since he was lying here, the adventurers had clearly won. Perhaps the fact that he was still able to rip the artifact off that goblin woman had helped his companions. And since Klein hadn't noticed any other wounded people, either they weren't that bad, or they were already dead. Of course, the paladin hoped that everyone had survived and he was the only one suffering for everyone else. Though if you thought about it that way, it sounded lame. But such was his role as vanguard.
The door opened and the rector of the temple entered the chamber.
- Oh, you're awake. I'm good. How are you feeling?
- Disgusting.
- I've been treating you here with all my might, and you little-" The old priest began to get irritated, but Klein interrupted him:
~Thank you. Without your help with those wounds, I would have died. I heard how much Blind Master rolled the dice while I was unconscious. So many saving throw checks from death... Thank you.
- Klein... - The Superior's voice trembled, it melted instantly, and a tear appeared in his eyes. - Please. You're my apprentice and pupil. Ill do anything to save you. Ehhh, scaring the poor weak old man... Alright, your comrades are waiting there, I'll let them in. They're all alive, don't worry. Though Mr. Dwarf wasn't in much better condition than you. But the tenacity of these halflings is amazing... Alll right, all right, I'm coming, I'm coming, take the guests.
The abbot left, and the six adventurers took his place, and the room became crowded and noisy at once. They asked Klein how he was feeling, and he answered, glad of the attention. Some time later, when the young man had been told all that had happened since his wounding, he said:
- You know, this is all really great, but I've been thinking. We've been going on missions together for three months now, but I still don't know what you can do. And Anya and Vasily would probably be interested to know and tell me about yourselves. Of course, everyone has the right to their secrets, but I would like to avoid such surprises in the future, as with Lia's level, and know who is capable of what. So, can I inspect you and you show me your magical things?
- Well, you've already inspected me a bunch of times, so I don't care. - Anya replied, and Robert supported Klein:
- Yes indeed, there should be no such secrets between squad members. I think we can all agree on that. You may begin.
- Okay, thank you. [Inspection].
The paladin got information about all the party members, making a kind of table of strength level, noting some important abilities or titles. If everyone was divided by level, the weakest was Anya with her twentieth. However, she was growing incredibly fast, having only been raising her level for the last year or so, before that she had been living as an ordinary girl, the daughter of alchemists. Moreover, the day before yesterday, she was still two levels weaker... Her growth was stressing Klein out. Next was the thirtieth level Vasily. Apparently, he had gained a lot of experience during his time as a hunter in the village. Third was Klein himself, now thirty-three. Though he was sixteen years old, the servants of Aronis are trained in real battles from the age of ten. On top of that, Klein's characteristics were very high for his level, all thanks to his title [Chosen of Aronis]. Next was Robert. He was level fifty-one, which wasn't surprising considering that he had previously been a soldier and had participated in combat. Moreover, based on his title [Captain], the man was clearly not a simple common soldier. And the list of forces was led by non-humans.
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Name: Glen Stonebrook (34 years old).
Level: 24 Dwarf: 28 Stonecutters: 40
Vitality: 41
Strength: 28
Dexterity: 15
Intelligence: 20
Wisdom: 24
Charisma: 7
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Name: Liavangareil. Enchantress (762)
Level: 57 Elf: 63.
Vitality: 6
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 12
Intelligence: 49
Wisdom: 150
Charisma: 21
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Neither dwarves nor elves were considered human, and just like monsters, had two level bars. That was something Klein could still put up with, but not the dwarves. They were just plain dishonest. The fact was that their patron, Dimoth, the Steel Flame, granted his favorites another, third experience bar!
At least there is some justice in this world, so along with the third level scale, dwarves have an important disadvantage: they are completely devoid of magic. No member of their race can be a mage, sorcerer, wizard, shaman, or any other magical class. In addition, all dwarves are highly vulnerable to magic directed against them, as well as having no racial skills. This is believed to have influenced the dwarves by the Gate Counting Souls, causing this deity to have some conflict with the Steel Flame, which brings out the conflict of their followers here on earth.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
However, the dwarves were able to get away with it even here. Ignoring magic, they created runes - a mixture of science, charms and blacksmithing. The rune masters implant metal into the bodies
of the dwarves, giving them the desired shape. This is an incredibly painful procedure, and one can only have one rune for every ten class levels. However, later the owner of such a rune, can at any time submit from one to five units of mana on his rune, and that already, acting as a kind of conductor, will form the desired effect with a force depending on how much mana was spent. True, one rune means only one effect, and you can not remove it. Also, using runes is a real pain. At least that's what Klein had heard about. So Glen owned the following runes embossed all over his body:
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Runes:
1) Fury (+10% strength and dexterity per unit of mana. Time of action - ten minutes)
2) Charolom (increased resistance to magic. Time of action - ten minutes)
3) Jump (extended range jump with a powerful force wave at the landing point)
4) Scream of Hate (provocation skill, area and effectiveness depend on the amount of mana)
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As for Isabella ...
- You're... You're a werewolf? - Klein asked the girl in astonishment, seeing her features.
- Y-yes... I used to live in a... city, and I was the daughter of aristocrats. But during a carriage ride, a werewolf attacked us and turned me... Since then, sometimes I can turn into a wolfhound, and I can't control myself... It's especially bad at night, and on full moons. - The girl's face paled at the newly lived memories, but she continued: - That's why I became a druid. I knew they had the skills to transform into animals, and I train to learn them, and to control myself during the transformation.
- And how did it work out? - Vasily asked me sympathetically.
- N-not really... 'm too small a level to learn such magic... But thanks to hard training, I can control myself a bit in the form of a wolfhound, but it also affects me, so I sometimes lose control in the usual forms of a dog and a bear, which I turn into myself. So please excuse me again, please, please, Mr. Dwarf! - Isabella diligently began to bow many times in front of Glenn. - I really didn't mean to bite you there in the dungeon! Please forgive me!
- Why should I forgive you? - the dwarf asked, stroking his beard slyly. - You attacked me. And you need to apologize. Not with words, but with actions.
Glen's gaze traveled predatorily over Isabella's entire body, assessing the girl, making her reflexively clench in fear.
- Glen, don't scare Isabella. - Robert stopped the dwarf, and turned to Klein: - Go on, what's next?
- Well... If you look at the levels, Isabella has a tenth normal level, and a fortieth werewolf level. From the former, she possesses [Calm] and [Entangle], and from the werewolf scale, she possesses bear, dog, eagle forms and regeneration. Also... - Klein's eyes met the girl’s pleading, frightened gaze. He realized what she was afraid of, so he didn’t divulge her secret. - No, thats it, there's nothing else of interest.
The druldess sighed quietly in relief, smiling gratefully at the young man, and he nodded back, casting one last glance at her stats:
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Tiles:
1) Beast of Zhevodan (all stats +5)
2) Parentkiler (+10 Charisma when dealing with creatures with a chaotic worldview)
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- ...Well in that case, with a combined level fifty, Isabella ranks between me and Robert. As for titles and important abilities... I won't divulge personal information that isn't too important to us. But I can highlight the following: Rober's title of [Captain] gives him a brief summary of the health of his subordinates, that is, us. Vasily has two titles that raise questions for me. The first is [Master Archer],
gives +6 dexterity, +3 strength, and two pluses to accuracy. What does that mean?
- Oh, well, at frst was just a [Archer], and it gave me enhanced accuracy, but ater years of training, I developed it into a [Master Archer], and now there's two pluses. At least that's what my village
priest told me.
- I see, interesting. And the second one is [Father]. Increases charisma level by 75% when interacting with children under 20. What the hells this!? Where did you get that?! I know a lot of men, and many of them have children, but this is the frst time I've seen such a title!
- Oh - the archer smiled. - maybe, it's just that apparently I'm cool. The kids have always loved me.
- Yeah, no wonder, with a tite like that... Okay, I already told you about Anya, she's a [Genius] and a [Chosen One of Saivas], which I don't approve of, but let's say. Glen and Isabella have nothing interesting, and I'm [Chosen of Aronis] and [Savior]. The latter increases my healing sil by 33%, and the former gives me 15% more experience, +5% vitality, and +5% to additional character growth as I level up. So I'm cool and strong. As for Lia... - Klein took breath of air, and began to list her merits: - [Archmage] -+1 to maximum spell circle, [Ancient Sage] - plus 15 intelligence, wisdom, and 15% magic damage, [Bad Apprentice] - -15% experience, fallure of attention checks, [Magical Storm] - 10% chance not to spend a spell cell to cast a spell until the fourth circle, and...
Here the young man blushed, averting his gaze from the elfess, while she rested her chin on her hands and looked at him happily, glad to learn something new about herself. She encouraged the boy:
- What else is there?
- Well. How to put it... Ahem... [Eternal Virgin]... +7 Charisma and another +25% when dealing with creatures witha law-abiding worldview...
Lia listened to him with a smile, sat for afew seconds, and when the meaning of the title reached her, blushed thickly and turned away from her companions.
- What? With those figures, you didn't lie under anyone? - Glen was surprise. - I would have had you the frst night...
- Glen, don't.- Robert stopped the dwarf, embarrassed. - You're obviously embarrassing her, let's not discuss it.
- What are you, not a man? Can't you see what a gorgeous woman is standing here?! And no one's touched her in all.. Hey, how old are you, sweetheart?
Lia turned to the dwarf, and rambled on:
- Hey, it's actually a conscious choice! I was doing magic, by the way, and exploring, and adventuring, and everything! I didn't have time for love hehe and haha! I'm actually a serious girl, an archmage, and in general! And I'm still very young, by the way! I'm not even eight hundred yet! And it's all because I decided so myself, not because I'm considered a flighty fool who has the wind in her head, and I don't interest anyone! And anyway, I have so many suitors, woohoo! You don't know the numbers. I just turn them all down. Yes! Got it!
- Eight hundred no. - Glen repeated, looking the girl in the eye. - So you're about seven hundred years old. How long do elves live?
- I don't know! I've never heard of one that died of old age!
- Cool. - The dwarf muttered. - I think I'm beginning to understand why a lot of people hate elves.
- All right, all right, enough of this, - Robert began to calm everyone down, - let's get this over with and inspection our artifacts after all.
- I'l go first, - Anya shrugged, - I only have one. I don't need more, the rest are potions. Medicinal, poisons, paralytics, antimagic, smoke and light bombs, and so on. Well, here's my dagger.
- [Inspectin]
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Artifact: Shadow in the light.
Rarity: Rare
Atrue assassin's dagger that allows you to kill an enemy with a single strike. All stealth attacks deal
+100% damage
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- Wow, it suits you.
- Yeah, go to hell, - Anya snapped at Klein's innocuous comment, but he ignored her and continued:
- Vassili, why don't you go ahead?
- Yeah, look.
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Artifact: The Infinite Quiver of Caldeus
Rarity: Rare
A quiver that has a teleportation spell embedded in it, linked to the arrow store of the mage Caldeus. Allows you to retrieve arrows from there while they are in stock.
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- You're saying you'll have to pay for every arrow you pull out like that? And what if you don't?
- Uh, then he won't give me arrows in the future. Also, he could just teleport some hot mixture or poison or a toad into my quiver. I don't like toads. Anyway, don't mess with magicians, kid.
- That makes sense. Robert next?
The mage had six artifacts, including the [Ring of Eternal Mana], which allows one additional spell per day, the [Ring of Stone], which gives an additional three charges of [Stone Projectile], the [Flint Staff], which increases earth damage, the [Boots of Misty Step], which allows one to teleport within twenty meters once a day, as well as the very rare [Potion of Renewal], which fully restores a person's health and mana, and the [Pocket Golem]
- I made this baby myself. - Robert explained, holding a glass jar with a tiny golem inside. - It took a lot of time and reagents, so I doubt I'll be making another one of these in the next five years. Plus I
never learned how to recharge them. I mean, if I release this golem by activating it, it'll move as long as it has energy, and later it'll just be a regular statue that I can't restart.
~ And here's my thing. I only have one... - Isabella murmured quietly, holding out to Klein the wreath of thorns she had never removed from her head.
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Artifact: Crown of Thorns
Rarity: Unusual
A standard magical item worn by hermits and violent prisoners. It allows to keep calm and clear mind.
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- Thanks to it, I can conjure even in beast form... And thus use [Calm] on myself, not letting my wild part get the upper hand over me...
As for Glenn, he possessed three things: [Blood Axe], a small one-handed axe that the dwarf usually used in narrow corridors and dungeons, paired with a shield. This axe left wounds that were harder to heal with magic, and longer to heal with natural means. The [Hammer of Power], a two-handed huge warhammer that increases strength by 20%, and the [Belt of Energy], which gives the already tireless dwarf 25% more energy, allowing him to be awake most of the time.
- Here! Look!
Lia boastfully dumped a pile of items on Klein's bed. Among them were a staff, a necklace, a ring, a wristband, an earring, shoes, and, what amazed the paladin, a scroll. This girl, in addition to all her skills, also had a scroll. Of course she did.
- And then there's the robe I'm wearing right now! It increases wisdom and intelligence, and it's also a stylish blue color! - Lia spun around to prove it, showing herself from every angle.
- That's all great, but... I don't have that much mana to recognize everything here. - Klein said. He was dizzy at the thought of how much this stuff could cost, and how hard it was to get. The elves are amazing. They have a lot of ancient powerful things. - I think I'll look at just these three things.
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Artifact: Staff of the Gate
Rarity: Mythical
An ancient staff of incredible power, created directly through the Soul-Counting Gate. Granted only to the chosen servants of magic. Gives +5 intelligence, +20% chance to triple spell damage.
----------------------------------------
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Artifact: Necklace of the Magical Storm.
Rarity: Legendary
Anecklace passed down in the elven family of Cryogalai since time immemorial. Allows you to use an incredible number of spells with little mana expenditure. 15% chance of not spending a spell cell when using magic
----------------------------------------
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Artifact: Scroll of Separation
Rarity: Scroll
A scroll containing the ninth circle spell [Separation]. Creates a complete copy of the user for an hour, duplicating all of their artifacts, enhancements, statuses, and abilities
----------------------------------------
"Two Lias." Klein thought about it, and wrinkled his nose. It sounded like something to run from without looking back. It might only work once, but Klein wouldn't want to be near the elfess when she used the scroll.
And Klein finished with his own stuff:
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Artifact: Necklace of Clarity.
Rarity: Rare
A necklace that protects the wearer's consciousness from illusions and mental magic up to and including the fifth circle
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Artifact: Gloves of Salvation
Rarity: Uncommon
Gloves infused with healing magic. Allows you to use one [Medium Healing] spell of the third circle once per day
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Artifact: d6-1
Rarity: Rare
Cube on a string. Worn as a necklace. A single dot is depicted on each face of the cube. Symbol of the priests of the Blind Lord Aronis, who specialize in survivability. Vitality +3. Increases with user level
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- Well, that's the end of it. - Klein said tiredly, laying back on the bed.
- It's good to have that taken care of," Robert confirmed. - Well, let's get out of here and let the wounded man rest. He obviously needs it.
With these words, the adventurers left the chamber, leaving the paladin alone. The squad found the master rector of the temple, and the mage addressed the priest with a question:
- Father, tell me, when will Klein recover and be able to return to normal?
- Hmm, in fact, right now, my son. The young man's wounds have been treated and he's in no danger. But I would advise that he rest and drink plenty of water. Magic can heal wounds, but not the blood spilled and the shock of memories. Let him rest for a few days, and after that I would advise you not to go on difficult quests, and hunt some giant rats, wild beasts, or nests of low level monsters where there will definitely be no bosses.
- Thank you, Father, that's what we'll do.