When Zion woke up, he felt a lot better physically. He was able to feel his whole body again, and his chest didn’t feel like a house was sitting on it. That was good, great even. But he was still emotionally drained. The first thing he saw when he woke up was Jura.
Beth and Camila were still out, neither looking their peaceful selves in that slumber. He sighed but still got up because he had work to do. Stiffly, his muscles protesting his desire to move around, he headed for an empty part of the floor about fifty feet away. He took out his mini trowel from his belt, another common adventuring item, and started to dig.
It was a slow process as he was trying to keep it quiet, hoping the girls would sleep in. Add that to the fact that his body really was not ready for this kind of work right now, and you have the slowest dug hole ever. It wasn't talked about often, but everything natural in a sphere matched its tier. So this dirt was second-tier dirt, meaning he had to dig with the same effort that a normal person would in a tier-one sphere.
Even with all his internal moaning, he finally finished the grave. He made it larger than it needed to be, especially considering their fallen comrade was a dwarf, but he wanted him to have space. It was a stupid worry to have about someone who no longer cared about the comfort of their body, yet he still made it a priority. He felt it was important, though; while dwarfs no longer lived only in the earth, it was still a part of their heritage.
Both Camila and Beth awoke an hour or so later to the sight of a mud-covered Zion. He had taken the time to use one of his few packs of stew today, cooking it on a poorly built fire that Jura would have lectured him about. They all ate slowly, with no one rushing the next part of the day.
Eventually, even with all the stalling, it was time to take care of Jura. Zion led the way this time, giving both of them a squeeze on the hand as he passed. “Come on, friend, let's get you cleaned,” Zion whispered, sparks of emotion threatening to start already.
He pulled out two vibrantly blue gems that shined like the most crystal clear water. They were cleaning crystals, a luxury item that every adventurer wanted but most couldn't afford. These little things would clean dirt, grime, blood, and gore of all natures on a person's body. He used the first one on Jura, cleaning up all the blood that had caked his skin; it even removed the stuff on the ground. What remained was a sparklingly clean Jura, a frozen smile standing out among his wrinkles. Of course, he had died smiling; knowing him, it was one last kind gesture to his friends.
Zion used the final stone on him, removing all the nasties he should have had yesterday. He had just been too tired to care and knew he'd have to waste one on his bedroll, that or sleep on the floor. Beth and Camila had made it to him by then, and he tossed each one their own gem. Beth gave him a grateful smile, knowing she looked a mess, while Camila used hers without much thought.
He then brought Jura to the grave he dug, struggling under the weight somewhat. Camila and Beth were both there supporting him as he walked. Together, they lowered him into the grave, making sure not to let him hit its walls. Beth pulled Bonemeal from her storage and rested it on Jura’s center. She didn't even ask; she knew what his and Camila’s answer would be. The sword of a hero belonged to that hero.
“Jura, we didn't know each other long,” Zion began to speak, taking a shaky breath as he spoke. “Yet, I find myself so lost over your death. In such a short time, you taught me so much. You looked out for me when you had no reason to, and then you led us through death’s door. You didn’t flinch or look back because that's just who you were.” He grabbed a handful of dirt and slowly sprinkled it. “Thank you. I remember you always, friend.”
Camila went next, her face set in stone but her eyes betraying the emotions. “Jura, you saved my sister. I could talk about all the other things you did for us in this dungeon or what you taught me personally, but it would pale in comparison. You gave your life for Beth with no hesitation. Thank you, Jura. My friend and my hero.” Her words were determined, fierce in their proclamation. She, too, sprinkled dirt to rest on their friend.
“Jura, I am so sorry that I failed you,” Beth started, her throat raw with emotions. Camila tried to interrupt, but Beth held up a hand. “I failed you, but you didn't fail me. I wish I would have said thank you before you passed, but I'm doing it now. Thank you for giving me a chance at life. Thank you for giving me someone you hardly knew the protection to go on. Thank you for being so kind. I never would have believed one so grumpy could be so soft-hearted. When I tell your story, and I will tell your story, I will tell of the kind protector Jura Gruff.” She finished with conviction, and a shining golden light flashed as she uttered his name.
Zion's mouth dropped, and Camila’s raised to cover hers. Beth had just bestowed a last name onto Jura. That wasn’t something that you just did. To gain a last name, the Weave had to feel you left a lasting impact on Nifell, that your actions had just shaped history in some way. Seeing that golden light meant so much at that moment.
“How did you know?” Zion asked quietly, his eyes still wide at the scene.
“I'm not sure,” she responded, putting a hand over her heart, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. “I just felt it was right and said what appeared in my mind.” Her smile was so bright then, even tinged in sadness; it was the smile of hope.
“I really like that answer,” Zion told her, returning that smile with one of his own. He moved to the mound of unearthed dirt and looked at them both. “Will you all help me?” Together, they buried their friend, each saying a prayer to their patron.
They spent the next day resting. No one was physically or mentally prepared to descend to the next level. Zion still needed to refill his items, something he explained as a necessity, not a luxury. That excess mana had saved him during his fight, and he'd have easily lost without it.
As they waited, the trio found solace in reminiscing about their fallen comrade, sharing stories of Jura's bravery and wisdom. While the subject was somber, discussing their memories of him brought a sense of closure and healing.
In a lighter vein, they also discussed their aspirations for crafting skills, considering the various abilities they could develop to complement their adventuring endeavors. The conversation provided a welcome distraction from the weight of their recent loss, allowing them to focus on their future growth and potential. Eventually, the topic shifted to levels and loot, prompting Zion to open his notifications finally.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Congratulations! You have reached level 9!
Ability Upgraded:
Ability: Rending Slash has been upgraded to Sundering Slash
Upgrade Effect: Blades of air are now imbued with the essence of the wielder's weapon. Upon impact, this enhanced ability now inflicts armor reduction on the foe struck, rendering them more vulnerable to subsequent attacks. Mana cost increased by 10.
Ability: Arcane Edge has been upgraded to Arcane Blade
Upgrade Effect: Blade now absorbs 2% of its mana cost per hit from the target until the mana cost is refunded or the spell ends. Mana cost increased to 120.
Ability: Kinetic Dash has been upgraded to Kinetic Movement
Upgrade Effect: User can now use their charges to move in any direction, including vertically. Charges increased to 7, range increased to 30 yards.
Zion was stunned as he read the notifications on his screen. Two levels gained in a single battle wasn't entirely unexpected, given that he hadn't leveled up at all while clearing out the mobs from the floor. However, three upgrades were beyond his expectations. If he had been fighting for a month, perhaps it would have seemed feasible, but it had only been a week since his ceremony since his first monster kill. Yet here he sat, with all but three of his abilities receiving their first upgrade.
"Guys, I just got another three upgrades. Isn't that crazy?" he asked his companions, his hands raised in disbelief.
"I got four upgrades..." Camila began to respond before falling into stunned silence, her body shaking with uncertain emotion.
Beth chimed in as well, adding to the surprise, "I upgraded three. Three, Zion. And I don't even feel like I did much in that fight."
"It doesn't matter how much you did, Beth," Camila interjected before Beth could start doubting herself. "You fought a second-tier boss with only one other person. Do you guys realize that dungeons usually have parties of ten? We're doing the work of three people each, and without the normal dedicated roles parties have. We're doing something that shouldn't be possible, even with our true strength being higher than everyone else in this sphere."
The weight of Camila's words settled heavily on the group. Each of them silently contemplated the implications of their newfound strength. Zion took the opportunity to adjust his stats with the new points. He had six, and he decided to allocate one into affinity, bringing it up to twenty-three, while he used the remaining five to reach thirty in spirit. As he hit thirty, he felt his skin tighten as if another layer had been added to it. His heart raced as his veins seemed to expand, allowing more mana and blood to flow through his body. It was a peculiar sensation but one he welcomed in his pursuit of strength.
With his status taken care of, Zion decided it was time to get everyone up and moving. "Let's go open the chests," he declared, waiting for the others to join him. They had all seen the chests near the doorway to the next level. None of them had the heart to open them at first, feeling it was inappropriate to loot so soon after losing a party member. But they knew they needed to open them before they left. Gear was an important part of becoming more powerful.
The others eventually joined him with a shared look, silently agreeing that it was time to move forward. Each of them stood in front of a chest, their hands trembling with nervous anticipation. These chests felt important, more so than any looting they had done before. What if they found junk inside, tarnishing the memory of Jura's departure?
Camila was the first to open her chest, doing so with a burst of energy. Inside, she found a small silver chain with a symbol resembling the scythe-like arm of the mantis they had fought. "It allows me to magically extend my weapon's length at will, three times a day! That could prove amazing if I can get my timing right!" she exclaimed excitedly before her enthusiasm waned as the memory of their recent loss washed over her.
"Cut that out, Camila," Zion commanded firmly. "Jura wouldn't want us to mope and whine about what happened. We'll be sad for a long time, but we can't stop moving forward. Remember him as the one who helped you reach this point. Let Jura be with us for our entire journey as a guide, not a ghost."
He hadn't meant to go on a lecture, nor did he feel he had any right to. But witnessing Camila's joy diminish so quickly had bothered him, and he knew Jura wouldn't have approved either. Not wanting to dwell on his monologue, he decided to open his chest.
Inside, he found a beautiful black cloak. It was crafted from black silk that perfectly matched the color of the spider he had defeated. Despite being made from spider webs, it didn't feel sticky in the slightest; instead, it was incredibly smooth to the touch.
Spinneret Mantle (Uncommon): Crafted from the resilient black silk of ancient spiders, the Spinneret Mantle is a cloak of remarkable utility and danger. Effects: Grants wearer the ability to cling to surfaces at will. Highly susceptible to fire damage. Durability: 100/100
"I got a cloak, guys, a pretty beautiful one at that," he announced, holding up the cloak to display its shiny material reflecting the firelight. "It lets me cling to surfaces like some kind of Spider-Man."
"Nice, that should give you some extra damage avoidance. But I swear to Lanza, if you try to scare me by jumping from a ceiling, I will stab you," Camila warned, her head tilted slightly as if inviting him to argue.
He raised his arms in surrender and chuckled at her antics. Glancing over at Beth, he noticed a small smile tugging at her lips. "Don’t worry, Beth would be much more fun to scare. And less likely to stab my kidney," he joked, sticking his tongue out at her.
"Hey, that's not funny!" Beth replied, throwing a rock at him. "Scare me like that, and you will definitely cling to ceilings. As an icicle, of course." He playfully dodged the rock, relieved to see some color return to her pale cheeks. She'd be okay, he decided.
Beth, no longer throwing rocks, finally reached down and opened her chest. Unlike them, she didn't stand straight up; instead, she stayed bent over in absolute stillness. Concerned, they both moved to approach her when she finally stood, holding a glowing item between her hands. It was a thread of power, glowing with a light blue hue. A thread, not a string. She stared at it in wonderment.
"It's... an ice power," she began to explain, her words faltering as her frame straightened up. "It's an ultimate called Frostfall of Jura. The spell creates a cage of absolute cold, trapping enemies within. Then swords of ice descend upon the field to pierce my foes." Her words grew stronger after she named the spell, and then she absorbed it. There was no discussion or deliberation about the benefits; she simply made it one with her. This was huge because you only got ONE ultimate spell. It upgraded but was the only ability that couldn't be combined with another.
"Your goddess smiles upon you, Beth. She sees you and knows what Jura did," Zion broke the shock of the situation. Approaching her, he gave her a quick hug. "Let his name live on in your legend." She nodded then, and pushing her gently back, he saw tears flowing from her eyes. These tears were of joy, not sadness. A joy that Jura would never truly be dead.
"Let's finish this dungeon," her words were spoken with finality. They would defeat this dungeon; there was no doubt in any of them. Together, they broke camp, placing everything in their inventories. Standing in front of the gateway to floor three, they looked more powerful than they ever had.