CHAPTER 293 – EQUALISER BOX CONTENTS

Thor plucked a piece of paper from the portal and waved it over his head.

“Don’t just wave it around.” Clare grumped at him. “Tell us what it says. What amazing weapons have we received to balance the scales.”

The big man stuck out his tongue.

“Thor!” Michael growled.

“Right, Right.” In an extravagant flourish, he unfolded the note. “Blah, blah, blah, just apologies for the delay,” he reported in a distracted manner as his eyes skimmed down to the important bits. “We were in the midst of a battle which took us a significant time to extract ourselves from.”

“As I speculated,” Everlyn said smugly.

“She’s saying the reward box is perplexing,” Thor stopped talking for a moment to scratch his head. A slightly confused expression on his face. He shook his head slightly. “Here, let me just read the text. It doesn’t contain anything like what we were expecting from the announcement. The full list of contents is as follows.”

Thor looked up and stared straight at Tom. “I’m not saying Vidja would lie, but you should direct a True Dream, so we can verify this.”

“Agreed.” Evelyn said immediately.

He thought about the crushing exhaustion that accompanied the directed dreams caused. He raised his hand in defeat. “Fine, I’ll do it under protest.”

“Good,” Thor’s eyes returned to the paper. “The full list is as follows. An estimated tonne of a metal that refuses to be identified and we have no idea how to use. A tree branch about the size of a quarterstaff, that, when magic is put through it, the wood expands to twenty times that size. A small twig broke off and that allowed us to prove that the magic is inherent to the wood so it can be cut and shaped. Thirty-two high quality reusable mana crystals that are set in a metal array that both passively charge the crystal and has room for an additional functional enchantment to be inserted. It’s a strange design and we’re working on seeing what types of spells can be engraved. Twelve attribute crystals to boost the tier two skill Spatial Instability by eight levels each. Four trait stones that grant plus five percent to the strength attribute. These can be stacked.”

Thor folded the note and offered it to anyone who wanted to read the knowledge themselves. Keikain plucked it out of his hands.

“Finally, she made a note that she’s not going to use any of it so we can work out whether there is an intended use or recipient for each object.”

Everyone apart from Keikain who was reading looked around at each other. Vidja’s editorial comments were fine it was just the contents that were troubling.

Finally, Michael grunted. “What rubbish. Crafting materials. I was hoping they’d give us something that we could directly kill the dragon with.”

“I was expecting a poison,” Clare said.

“Or a condemning curse.” Harry said. “A tonne of metal. What the hell are we supposed to do with that?”

“Forge it,” Keikain said. “Create a collar and then, in conjunction with those crystals we could create a suppression collar and…”

“What? She’ll just put it on and doom herself,” Thor interrupted and laughed. “We could turn it into a giant hammer.” Thor thrust his own smaller weapon into the air. “Um… maybe with some weight reduction runes.”

Tom recalled how casually the dragon had defeated those powerful natives and also when it fought its own kind. “That won’t work against the dragon. None of us will be able to hit her.”

“But a tonne of metal,” Harry repeated. “It has to have some purpose.”

“And strength trait stones,” Michael reminded him. “My guess is a single item and some sort of trick to let it hit.”

“I don’t think that will work,” Tom repeated. “Us, swinging weapons at the dragon is pointless. You guys don’t understand the gulf between us. She is ten times faster than us. Us hitting her is less likely than a sloth hitting us as we are.”

“Maybe the giant then,” Michael mused… “You know it was a champion.”

“Maybe,” Tom muttered, but he did not sound convinced. When the servants of their GOD had been trying to convince the giant to break custom and steal from the rest of the tribe, they had been confident that entering this trial was death. Tom very much doubted that the giant could defeat the dragon even if the metal in question was magical.

“It’s an unusual list.” Evelyn said finally. “I, too, don’t understand what we’re supposed to do with it.”

There was a crack of energy as Thor opened up a second portal. He pulled out two more pieces of paper a frown on his face. “Typical. Phil’s claiming the four trait stones for himself as the strongest. In his own words. He’ll get the most benefit from them. Whatever.” He scrunched up the piece of paper and threw it casually away, where it landed in one of the many cracks.

Then he began to read the second piece and looked far more thoughtful. “This one was from Selena’s squad. Vidja’s first note must have come through just as we started the fight so her team has had time to brainstorm a couple of ideas. She’s demanding that the mana crystals remain untouched. Her view is that with the right spells that’s the most valuable of the items supplied and we need to explore all options. She’s also hopeful that the alien that builds robots, the inventor, might have an idea of how best to put them to use. The metal and wood have to be related to the construction of a weapon or device to restrain or kill the dragon. Her team does not know what they might create, but that growing wood sounds like a perfect trap component.”

Thor looked up and met Tom’s eyes. “That’s another thing for you to explore with True Dreaming.”

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He shook his head. “I’m not sure the skill works like that.”

“Well, a trap idea is certainly worth exploring. Being able to grow something to twenty times its initial size could definitely create some interesting outcomes. She has no strong opinion on the trait stones apart from encouraging us to wait until we have a plan to survive. Finally, this is addressed to our group. She wants to know if humanity is the only one who got these equalising boxes.”

That made Tom metaphorically sit up and pay attention. There was an almost insurmountable gulf between them and the dragon and while the chosen were far stronger than humans they were not even close to being comparable to the dragon. If they got a reward to compensate for the gap, then wouldn’t the chosen have received the same?

All the humans as one turned to face the elder.

It trembled slightly and suspiciously lowered itself to be closer to the ground.

Tom attempted to ask it, but his throat constricted and choked off the words. He was surprised, but he guessed that his status as blessed by their GOD meant anything he said had a higher chance of being taken poorly.

Everlyn glanced at him with a curious then understanding look. “Largest,” she said formerly striding over to stand in front of the chosen that was only an inch from the ground. “What do you know?” She didn’t need to be polite or to inquire whether they too had got a reward box. Its body language told the complete story.

It moved to hover in front of her by rising up and inching forward a couple of centimetres. “Perceptive one. We received such a gift when we entered as well.”

Silence deadened.

Annoyance flickered over her face, but she held her composure. “And pray tell what was it?”

“Perceptive one. The contents were as perplexing as those your companions have just listed. They were; twenty tier four tendons, three enchantment skins to impart triple speed release onto a weapon, and four affinity stones to improve the skill Extraordinary Phase Slingshot.”

There were gasps from all around them, including from his own mouth. That list… his recent dreams and the chosen’s anatomy.

“You got what?” Michael asked dangerously.

“Healing one. Would you like me to list them again?”

“The trait stone.”

“It is an affinity stone for a tier five skill and is greyed out for my race.”

“Not what I mean, Largest! You heard us talking about Tom’s dreams over the last couple of days. He talked about using slingshots, and you didn’t feel the need to share.”

“Angry healer. It was not our place to interfere at that point in time. You were collectively trying to understand the dreams and us muddying the water with the contents of our equaliser box would have been counterproductive.”

“Sharing, then would have helped us understand what has to be done.”

“Angry healer…” the elder stop talking unable to work out what to say that could placate him. “There is a concept of poisoning a well.”

“No! that’s a stupid excuse.”

“Michael, stop being angry,” Keikain interrupted. “Their caution was not misplaced. I think if they had told us yesterday we would have gone down the wrong paths. The slingshots are clearly only part of the equation. It’s not all of it.”

“And Angry healer, there was a concern sharing the information might have impacted your negotiations with Selena. We’ve been juggling that possibility for some time.”

“True.” Michael kicked the stone under him. “I can’t believe I have more questions now that we know the contents of our equaliser reward.”

“There’s one other thing,” Clare interrupted. “The chosen’s equaliser box proves the items are not exclusively meant for the species that received it.”

“Because they can’t use slingshots.” Keikain agreed. “In actual fact, arguable none of their box was for them. I wonder if that applies to our one. But the chosen’s box is progress, and it confirms we have to create the slingshots and ammunition.”

“I still don’t understand how explosive bullets could hurt the dragon.” Tom said. “It doesn’t make sense, or feel right when I think it.”

“Maybe that is not the intention of the slingshot…” Keikain said carefully. “Perhaps, it’s for use against the monsters that inhabit the final zone.”

Tom privately doubted that. Why would they need a tool against the zone creatures, and wouldn’t the dragon have killed them all? If the ammunition was part of the purpose of the True Dream, then it wasn’t for hurting the dragon Tom was willing to put money on that.

“What’s our policy on sharing this information with the others?” Keikain asked.

“I’m for it,” Toni said after a moment of hesitation. “Like, how can it hurt.”

“Because,” Michael said quietly. “Knowledge is power, But I agree. I don’t think we’re going to survive this trial unless we work as a single unified team.”

“Let’s vote.” Keikain suggested. “The question is should we be honest with everyone else?”

Six hands went up. Tom’s wasn’t amongst them. His instincts were all over the place and he would have liked to have waited until he had a better idea of what needed to be done before sharing the extra information. That way, they could use it to shape the conversation.

“Rahmat?” Michael asked. “I know why Keikain’s voting no, but I expected you to be pro sharing.”

The spearman didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. “Tom’s voting no. his the one with precognition. I don’t have a good reason for voting against this.”

“Tom?”

He shrugged helplessly under the attention Michael’s question had focused on him. “I’d like to wait before sharing… the feeling is hard to explain. But if we know what we want, we can shape the conversation.”

The healer nodded.

“Tom,” Toni interrupted. “I’m not sure you’ve thought that through fully. The best way to control the narrative is to have people trust you.”

“Unless you’re a manipulative bastard,” Keikain said with a smirk.

“Which Tom isn’t.” Toni glared at the earth mage. “You won’t be able to control the situation that way. It’s not your skill set. You’re way better off with being honest and trusting that is sufficient to influence people.”

“I… that’s doesn’t feel right. I’m pretty sure life’s taught me that facts don’t necessarily matter.”

“You have to remember where we’ve all come from. We’ve survived because we’re practical and we don’t let bias’s or fear guide us. With general humans, you’re probably right, but with the survivors of the tutorial. No, we might hate it, but we’ll follow the facts. Look at Phil and Selena now. Ultimately, we’re pragmatic.”

“I agree with Toni,” Michael said quietly. “Are you changing your mind because if you’re certain it’s a bad idea I’ll switch my vote to support you and I won’t be the only one. Is your rejection of the idea just because of uncertainty, or is it more? If it’s from you precognition.”

“It’s not,” he admitted. “You guys are right. We should be honest with them.”

Michael clapped. “Great, let’s get going. Thor, would you like to convey everything we just learnt. Make it clear we think the contents of Vidja’s box probably isn’t intended for humans. A ton of metal. How’s that going to be useful to us. It’s not like crafters who can turn it into twenty sets of armour that are better suited to us than the various pieces we’ve already scrounged together. The metal is clearly there to create a single item, a trap, or possibly a weapon or shield for the giant.”

“And the strength boost traits as well.” Keikain suggested. “If Phil thinks he should get them because they’re worth to more him than the other humans… Then the giants are an ally as well and…”

“No!” Tom yelled before he could stop himself, not caring who he offended. “We’re not giving it to a…” he stopped talking as he realised his objection was probably misplaced. His gut said not to gift anything to a competitor, but the giant getting plus twenty percent to their strength was worth a hundred more attributes than Phil receiving it because of the giant’s higher base. “Well… maybe.” He massaged his head. “Let’s not raise that thought with the others. They’ll almost certainly react poorly to the idea that we’re arguing to strengthen the competitors.”

Tom met Keikain’s eyes and the earth mage nodded at him. “Suggesting it sickened me, too. But it had to be said. From everything you’ve said, we’re on a knife’s edge and my gut says giving them to Phil is a mistake.”

“Mine too.”