Bones summoned an orc skeleton from the Bone Collector Inventory tab and laid it on the bed. He pulled up a chair and sat next to it. The skeleton was too big for the small bed meant for dwarves. Even Bones had his feet dangling off the bed when sleeping over. It didn’t matter as the orc couldn’t voice any complaints. Bones summoned his used engraving tools and got to work.
He was tempted to try and give more freedom to his lines, doing complex intersecting patterns instead of simple straight lines, but decided not to push it. Complex engraving patterns were of a higher skill level and beyond what Bones was capable of at the moment. Simple engraving lines increased his golem's capabilities, mostly speed and attack power to a certain extent. Pattern engravings would make his golem a lot stronger at the cost of increased mana consumption from the mana core.
Simple worked on Skully and it would work on the yet-to-be-named golem too. Should I start thinking of a name already? Bones shook his head. Mana Core first, then everything else!
Before starting this session, he was already halfway done engraving the orc skeleton and he hoped he would finish within the next three days. Once he started though, he was pleasantly surprised at the ease with which he was making incisions in the bone. Controlling mana output and the sharpness of his lines was a notch higher than it was before the transformation.
While he was staying in the cavern, he struggled engraving his arms and then struggled some more after he started working on the new golem as the bones of the orc skeleton proved to be too resilient to cut into.
All that was a thing of the past now and Bones made great progress throughout the night until he heard the dwarves waking up from outside his room. He stopped working and joined them in the kitchen downstairs shortly after.
Both dwarfs showed great interest in the transformation Bones went through and while he was sharing his experience during the breakfast, the capital was busy with preparations for the festival.
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There was a rumor spreading through the city that the festival might be postponed or even canceled due to the ongoing conflict at the border. Given the state of affairs, it seemed plausible, but just a week before the festival, the prince reassured his people that the celebration would proceed as planned.
The festival held deep historical significance, commemorating the kingdom's founding and marking the culmination of the year. It was a time when people proudly celebrated their achievements and looked forward to the promise of a new and prosperous year ahead.
The festivities were set to begin with an elaborate opening ceremony, where thousands of participants, including dancers, acrobats, and magicians, would parade through Hagos's main street, each showcasing their most dazzling skills. Following the opening parade, the prince himself would deliver a stirring speech, addressing the gathered crowds and emphasizing the significance of the festival in commemorating the kingdom's founding and celebrating its achievements.
As the day progressed, the city would come alive with a lively music festival, spanning various corners of a central area. Musicians and performers from far and wide would entertain the crowds, their music and talents weaving through the festive air. This musical celebration would continue over the course of two days, filling the city with joyous melodies and lively rhythms.
On the third and final day of the festival, the excitement would peak with a tournament featuring silver and gold rankers from different tiers. Competitors would showcase their prowess in various disciplines, vying for honor and glory in front of a captivated audience. The tournament would culminate in a grand closing ceremony, where the achievements of the participants would be celebrated and marked with awe-inspiring fireworks lighting up the night sky.
Already, the city streets were adorned with decorative lights, vibrant paper flowers, and fluttering flags. A grand stage had been erected in the park, ready to host numerous bands throughout the festival. In front of the park, a bustling square hummed with activity, filled with food stalls and throngs of people joyously partaking in the pre-festival revelry.
Below the vibrant city of Hagos, hidden in its depths, a different kind of activity unfolded in secrecy. The Hounds, an elusive group with ambitions veiled in shadows, orchestrated their clandestine preparations. Giant spherical containers, meticulously moved through the sewers, were destined for strategic points beneath the city squares and festival stages. Silva, their leader, orchestrated a synchronized assault on these sites, timed to disrupt and sow chaos during the grand festival celebrations.
Silva's recent ventures into the Underground had been dedicated to forming alliances, greasing palms with bribes, and recruiting local muscle. Months of careful planning and intelligence gathering culminated in this audacious scheme—a bold strike intended to leave a lasting mark on the Wezar Kingdom's history.
For Silva, this mission wasn't fueled by personal vendetta but by calculated strategy. It marked one of his longest-running operations, a collaboration spanning borders with allies in Aphiton Kingdom. Their plans evolved gradually, shaped by opportunities and vulnerabilities uncovered along the way. The discovery of operational mana bombs beneath Westbrook months ago had provided the final catalyst for their meticulously crafted scheme.
Varia, the group's Alpha and a longstanding presence in Hagos, had laid the groundwork seventeen years ago. Silva and Tivaara joined the effort later, followed by others who had become integral to their operations. Despite losses along the way, including figures like Pavlov the necromancer, whom Varia had once mentored, The Hounds remained resilient and adaptable.
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Solin, the newest recruit, had caught Silva's attention four years ago, his potential and determination apparent after a personal tragedy. In the impending chaos of the festival, Solin's loyalty to The Hounds would be tested, a crucial step towards solidifying his place among them. His role would be pivotal alongside seasoned members like Clover, adept in formations and barriers, ensuring their plans unfolded with precision.
As Hagos prepared for its annual celebration of history and hope, unbeknownst to its joyful citizens, the shadows beneath the city harbored a threat that sought to challenge the kingdom's peace and stability.
Three days before the operation began, Tivaara found Silva agitated and drinking alone in their private booth. Sliding into a seat opposite him, she teased him about Bones.
"It's rare to see you break your 'I'm not bothered by anything' character," she remarked, adding fuel to the fire. "The clock is ticking, old man, tic toc tic toc, and your time is slipping away." She chuckled, then asked if he preferred her to go fetch Bones for him. Silva wasn't amused. He waved her off, insisting he would track down that mouse himself after the festival. Tiv laughed, narrowing her eyes, and said teasingly, "A hound chasing a bone, how amusing..."
The irony wasn't lost on Silva, adding to his already foul mood. "You would do well to keep that mouth shut!" he threatened, practically snarling at her.
"Oh? Or what?" she replied, her interest piqued. Leaning closer, she made eye contact and waited for him to make a move. Silva scoffed, turning his head away, muttering, "Battle maniac," as he stood up to leave.
Tivaara was now level fifty-nine. Over the last six months, she had pushed herself toward gold rank, and her battle prowess was already considered on par with an average gold ranker. Silva didn't know where she disappeared to, but he knew she was a member of the Assassin's Order for a reason.
Unlike the Assassin Guild, where anyone could join by paying an entrance fee and leave without consequences, the Order was far less accessible and forgiving. They selected members by invitation only, after passing a grueling trial that truly tested one's limits; once inducted, one remained a member for life. The Assassin's Order boasted only elite members, and Tivaara was among those elites, with decades of experience behind her.
Hired by the Order to collaborate with the Hounds on this mission, Tivaara knew their partnership would end once the mission concluded. As their final days together approached, Tiv grew impatient and began acting out, eager for action. Silva chose to ignore Tiv's provocations, but the situation with Bones unsettled him.
Initially, Silva had wanted Bones to feel free and unrestricted while with them, avoiding suspicion and leveling at his own pace with the Hounds' support. Eventually, Bones would join them and depend on their assistance. In two to three years, when Silva's current body expired, he planned to inhabit Bones's body as an undead, reaping its benefits. Now, however, doubts gnawed at him; he feared his opportunity might be slipping away, just as Tivaara had bluntly pointed out.
"No matter. I have more pressing matters to focus on right now!"
Tivaara watched as Silva departed, returning to the Underground via the manavator.
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On the other side of the city, in the private office of the Adventurer Guild's leader, Rayne sat across from his master, Fluvis Frose, and the vice-guild leader, Glem Rokniz.
Rayne had requested a formal meeting because he possessed crucial information about a potential threat to the upcoming festival.
"Rayne, how reliable is this information? How did you come by it?" Glem inquired.
"It comes from someone connected to the Hounds. My contact wishes to distance himself from Silva, for personal reasons," Rayne explained.
"Who is this contact?" Fluvis pressed, determined not to leave any detail undisclosed.
Rayne hesitated. Initially sworn to keep Bones' involvement confidential due to concerns about a traitor within the guild, he now saw no choice but to reveal the truth.
"Bones is my contact. He's the one I interrogated months ago regarding the Westbrook assault and his ties to Silva."
"Who?" Both Fluvis and Glem asked simultaneously.
"Come now, surely you haven't forgotten? Bones is undead; not an easy detail to overlook!" Rayne retorted, sensing something amiss.
Fluvis and Glem exchanged a glance. Glem then asked why there was no report following Bones' interrogation and who had authorized it.
"I did submit a report! And the authorization came from Gustav..." Rayne paused, realizing the implications. "Gustav, it seems, has been a contact for the Hounds within our guild all along!"
Glem swiftly stood, declaring his intent to dispatch guards to apprehend Gustav, and left the office.
"Master, that's not all. Bones revealed the location of Silva's hideout!" Rayne continued urgently.
"I formally request a small team, led by myself," Rayne insisted. Fluvis sighed, hesitant due to Rayne's personal ties to Silva but ultimately conceded.
"Very well, you'll have your team. But no action until I give the order. Understood? Have you informed the prince of any of this?"
Rayne expressed gratitude and admitted he had not seen the prince recently, choosing to confide in his master first.
"This matter exceeds the guild's jurisdiction. We're limited in our actions. I'll contact the palace to take appropriate steps," Fluvis decided, pacing the room. "I'll also request a postponement of the festival until the threat is neutralized, though convincing the prince won't be easy."
Within an hour, word of the threat reached the palace, but the prince refused to cancel the festival solely on the word of an informant without solid proof. Instead, he bolstered security by increasing guard patrols and intensifying sweeps for anything suspicious.
Despite these efforts, the mana bombs Varia had enhanced went undetected. Clover had meticulously concealed their mana signatures with a formation barrier, ensuring they evaded detection. Over the next three days, the upper echelon and key members of the Hounds covertly covered their tracks and slipped away from the tavern unnoticed. Those left behind were local recruits, unaware of the unfolding situation and deemed expendable by Silva, who had cultivated connections with them over the years.