'Lightning Aura!'

As soon as I activate the ability, lightning surrounds my body and Blitz. The lightning courses up and down my body making all of my fur stand on end and tickling me like crazy. It is a really weird feeling and it is going to take some getting used to.

Before it can wear off I go around the door frame and start cutting my way into the corpse mound. Everywhere the lightning touches body parts explode, Blitz leads the way but as I push further into the mound more and more corpses explode. It is strange that the battle is so silent, the corpses don't make a sound as they die.

The only sounds are the crackle of the lightning and the occasional pop as something explodes. It may not be as effective as fire but it seems to be working just fine. Suddenly the corpse mound falls apart and all the zombies start getting to their feet.

Bones and I make fairly quick work of them now that they are just a bunch of zombies. A chattering sound makes me turn to look at Bones, he is staring at me and keeps chattering. After a minute I realize he is laughing at me and take a look at myself, with my fur still standing on end and covered in zombie gore, I guess I am a real sight.

It makes me glad Bones is the only one here with me, if the girls saw me like this I would never hear the end of it. As I walk back into the building I take out the cleaning stone and use it on myself. When I get back to the furnace I moved I find a trap door with a key hole was hidden beneath it.

Taking out the key I found in the commander's office I try it and succeed in unlocking the door. To my surprise when I open the door instead of stairs leading down I find just a small space with a single backpack. The backpack is big, on a human it would cover the entire back, but it is just a single bag.

After using the monocle to check for traps or other secrets I grab the backpack and lift it out. This small space really doesn't fit the description of a vault, but after opening the backpack I understand. Like my pouch the backpack is a bag of holding, just a much bigger version.

With my pouch if I look inside I will see nothing but black, but with the backpack when I look inside I see all sorts of things, they are just tiny. There are piles of what looks like ore but they are small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. When I try to take one out a virtual river of ore comes out of the backpack and forms a pile in front of me.

It looks to be about two tons or so of ore, and there are hundreds more piles in the backpack. If this place was a major mine that somewhat explains why there would be a fortress protecting it. Although a simple mine doesn't explain such a massive fortress, there must be something more to it.

After picking up a piece of ore to take a look I realize it is iron but there is something more to it. It is not only very high quality ore but there is a feeling of magic to it. If this is the source of the ore the empire used for their magical weapons then everything makes sense.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

If each pile is a couple of tons then this backpack contains several hundred tons, that's enough to supply a nation for years. Even just a quarter of what is in here would supply the rebellion completely. Not to mention this bag can easily hold that bed I found, and all the gear that's piled up upstairs.

When I think about putting the ore back into the bag it all gets sucked in by the bag without me having to lift a finger. I really like this bag! Several minutes pass as I check out the other things in the bag, but unfortunately while there is some nice gear there is nothing that will help with the heroes.

Guess it's time for plan B, so I take the backpack and head back upstairs with Bones following me. Once I get back to the dining hall I put the pile of gear into the backpack, then I go and get the bed as well. Once that is done I move into the middle of the heroes and kneel down.

'Create Soulscape!'

"Seronia, I invite you to my soulscape!"

While I wait for Seronia I sit back in a comfy chair and listen to some music. Just for fun I change the soulscape to a cityscape from the old world with traffic and everything. For a time it feels nostalgic, but after a bit it reminds me of everything I hated from my old life and I banish it.

Seronia says "Well, that was interesting!"

"Ah, sorry I didn't notice you arriving."

Seronia says "Was that a city from your old world?"

"Yes, I was feeling a bit nostalgic, but it's passed now."

Seronia says "You will still have the option to go back, once this is all over."

"No, that will never be my choice, I am done with that world, I will never go back."

Seronia says "Alright, well you still have two other choices."

"Yeah, I am aware. Anyway I called you to ask for your help with something."

Seronia says "What do you need?"

"I need a way to undo petrification."

Seronia says "Is Leyla with you? I will grant her the power."

"Unfortunately, no, I came here on my own."

Seronia says "Hm, that makes things more difficult."

"Can you grant me the power temporarily?"

Seronia says "I could, but as a demon channeling holy power would very likely kill you."

"Um, okay that doesn't sound pleasant."

Seronia says "Give me a minute to think."

"Sure. Tea?"

Seronia says "Yes, please."

"It doesn't have to be permanent, I just need to free five people and a wolf."

Seronia says "Hm, invite my sister, I think I remember her having an item that would do the trick."

"Krenocia, I invite you to my soulscape!"

Krenocia says "Hello Ash, sister. What's up?"

Seronia says "Ash needs to remove petrification from some people. I vaguely remember you had something that could do that?"

Krenocia says "Yes, I think I still have it."

"Have what?"

Krenocia says "It is an item from the old empire, it has charges of remove petrification."

Seronia says "Do you remember how many uses it has left?"

Krenocia says "Um, maybe five or six."

"What is going to happen if they all get used up?"

Krenocia says "The item will turn to ash, nothing major."

"Are you okay with that?"

Krenocia says "Yes, it has just sat collecting dust since the old days."

Seronia says "If it can help you, then it is fine. Ash, you are our hope and our responsibility."

Krenocia says "Although, I am curious, petrification is fairly rare, what have you been up to?"

"Some heroes ran into an undead basilisk, if I can save them I will gain allies for the battles to come."

Krenocia says "That is well worth the cost of one old item, I will send it to you as soon as I leave."

"Thank you. Thank you both."

Seronia says "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, not right now."

Seronia says "Okay, then I will take my leave. Good seeing you, Ash!"

"Good to see you too, Seronia."

Krenocia says "I will leave as well, as soon as the soulscape ends expect one of my servants to arrive with the item. Please don't kill it!"

"Alright, Krenocia, thank you!"

'End Soulscape!'