With the parasitic hitchhiker bulging out of my forehead, Darya started keeping distance. I could understand her unease, and at least she hadn’t run for the hills. Amelia was equally troubled by the new development when she came up to heal Bob. She didn’t say much about it, and gave me an orange headband that I could use to hide Bob, and he wasn’t happy about it. Not at all.
Come to think of it, people would assume it anyway, given the headband. Still, this was the better option until I could get a helmet. Which was the first item on the menu for this morning. Afterwards, I meant to make a few bronze wands.
The [t2] boss at the Mineral Springs had dropped an amazing relic ring for a wandslinger such as myself. Crafted from silver, the band was intricately engraved with glyphs I couldn’t recognize. They pulsed with a faint energy, hinting at great magic coursing through it. The ring magically resized at my touch so as to fit my thick fingers.
* [Ancient Relic] Loop of Vacillation
* Item type: Ring
* Worn on right: 50% Increased Wand Damage
* Worn on left: 50% Reduced Wand Power-up time
I would have loved to have two of this same ring. According to Gregor, one could only wear a single ring per hand, for a maximum of two rings total. This made the evolution upgrade to get an extra pair of arms an attractive option. Unfortunately it cost 250 evolution points, and it would also make me look ridiculous. Would it be worth the extra power? Aside from four rings, it would also allow me to wield four wands.
Now I had to decide which hand to wear it on. Both options were quite good. While more damage was always great, in the heat of a fight, getting a shot off in half the time could mean the difference between life and death. I decided to put it on my left hand for the time being -- my attributes did plenty to increase the damage so far, and especially with [Measured Savagery.]
Bob ignored my question, and I felt his eyeball moving around under the headband for a time, as if he was testing something out.
I wasn’t entirely sure what he did to his sight, but having someone with x-ray vision might come in handy. That’s if he would be nice enough to share such useful information with me. So far, we haven’t gotten off to a good start. I also had in mind to buy some larger items, and his Void Pocket may be exactly what I needed to transport them.
I left the chapel in a hurry without breakfast. Outside, a chill wind whistled down the street. I would have pulled the hood of my cloak over my head, if not for the damned horns.
I was eager to get a helmet instead of a headband. Wearing it made me incredibly self-conscious. It gave people another reason to gawk at me. But then I realized something -- with it being cold outside, most everyone was wearing a cap, hat, or a hood over their heads which included covering most of their forehead. So maybe wearing a headband wasn’t that big of a deal? The realization didn’t make me feel any better, and I was left feeling just as self-conscious as before.
Even at this early hour, the place was already bustling with activity. Children were out and about, running through the village, chasing each other. Unlike their parents who seemed more glum than ever. A few stopped and stared at me before moving on, whispering among themselves.
By the remains of the inn, Frank and his sons were loading a wagon. It looked like they were heading out to Kittrell to buy planting seed and other supplies. He smiled and waved. Trying to hide my face, I waved back and hurried on following the clatter of blacksmiths' hammers. Trying to make myself inconspicuous, I’d periodically stop and let Bob take in the sight.
I found out, when walking past a bakery that Bob could smell what I could, and he was absolutely delighted with this newfound experience. He was incredibly intelligent and curious, and yet at the same time, clueless about many things. He was a Keeper of the Void, and apparently, that’s all he knew. He bombarded me with endless questions, such as which ones tasted the best and how to capture the small ones.
At the blacksmith, Karl and his apprentices were busy making lots of nails. They were going to need them to rebuild the destroyed homes. I went straight to him to find out if he made any progress with the custom order I had placed with him for armor, and especially the helmet. To my luck, the helmet was ready. I would have thought that making plate armor would take a lot longer, but perhaps his [Blacksmith] profession gave him production speed bonuses.
The helm had beautiful flowing lines, and a grill at the front with vertical slats. My horns gave me trouble in putting it on, but the removable plate at the front made it possible. Otherwise there’d be no way of getting my two horns through the two holes. The fit was a little snug, but otherwise perfect.
“The rest of your order will be made tomorrow and the day after,” Karl said.
While I liked the spear, I needed something smaller that I could carry on my back so that my hands could be free at all times to use my wands when needed. I had a hatchet, but it didn’t have quite the reach, or the heft. I went through Karl’s assortment of swords and picked out a particularly large two-handed sword.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
It came with a scabbard and a shoulder sling so I could carry it just like a rifle, slung diagonally across my back. It was a comfortable carry, but I couldn’t grab it quickly if needed. This wasn’t wasn’t a problem because that’s where my wands came in handy. I could reach and draw them in an instant if needed. The only issue was the power-up time, but with my new ring, it slashed the Swift Ivory wand’s power-up time in half, from 1.47 down to 0.73 seconds.
With the new helmet on my head, my vision was somewhat restricted at the periphery. Before I could just move my eyes, but now I had to move my head to see at the far edges. My breathing was confined too, and made me sound a bit like Darth Vader. Overall, I was very happy with this piece of armor.
After thanking Karl for his fine work, and paying for the new sword, I went outside only to get even more looks from the villagers than before. I was standing out as the only one wearing a helmet. I groaned to myself -- it couldn’t be helped, people would stare at me no matter what.
After a short walk, I arrived at the leatherworker's workshop. I needed his help with the leather grip for the new bronze wand. I already had the silver wiring, and the jades. With some help, I quickly put the new wand together, eager to see its stats.
I wasn’t entirely sure which low grade component caused it, but the quality of the resulting wand came out to [Minor] instead of [Lesser]. This resulted in a ten percent penalty to damage.
* [t1][Minor] [Swift Bronze Wand] [100/100]
* Damage: 69 [Size: 55%, Quality: -10%, Wandcrafter: +15%]
* Power-up time: 0.47 sec [Size: 55%, Wandcrafter: -15%]
* Cooldown time: 5 sec
* Speed: 47 yd/s
* Duration: 1 sec
* Range: 47 yards
However, it gave me a good idea of the type of wand this was, and I was excited to make another, better one. This time, I picked out the best jade chunk of the lot that I had, took the time to attach it and the power crystal with extra care. For the bronze core, I used a thicker shaft, aiming to hit about the 100% mark in terms of size. I got the handle wrapped, and paid extra for better leather. The extra expense, and diligence paid off with an amazing wand.
* [t1][Greater] [Bolstered Bronze Wand] [Charge: 100/100]
* Damage: 162 [Size: 108%, Quality: +10%, Wandcrafter: +15%]
* Power-up time: 0.92 sec [Size: 108%, Wandcrafter: -15%]
* Cooldown time: 5 sec
* Speed: 55 yd/s
* Duration: 1 sec
* Range: 55 yards
Unlike the previous two types, this one had a shorter power-up time in contrast to the longer cooldown time. Added up, the time was longer for its size, but having a shorter power-up time was a lot more important in a fight to me. It also had a much faster projectile speed which would allow me to take down targets from twice the distance.
Needing a second wand of similar quality for my other hand, I went to the same lengths to make it. Except, for whatever reason, it came out at a [Lesser] quality which meant I didn’t get a damage bonus. Maybe the bronze material wasn’t as pure, or the silver binding wasn’t as carefully done, or perhaps the jade was foggy. Wanting a similar power-up time as the first wand, I had Karl file away the bottom of the wand until it reached a similar ‘Size.’
* [t1][Lesser] [Bolstered Bronze Wand] [100/100]
* Damage: 152 [Size: 110%, Wandcrafter: +15%]
* Power-up time: 0.94 sec [Size: 110%, Wandcrafter: -15%]
* Cooldown time: 5 sec
* Speed: 53 yd/s
* Duration: 1 sec
* Range: 53 yards
Having finished a third bronze wand, I was disappointed when I didn’t receive a new schematic. Turns out, as I later learned from Gregor, I still needed to craft the rare tier one version, the petrified wood one, before I could take Wandcrafting to the second tier.
I loaded up my wand holsters with my shiny new bronze wands at the top, one on each side. Next down the line were the two swift ivory, and the ardent oak wands. With the heavy ivory wands hanging from the belt, I had a total of eight wands at the ready, making me feel like a walking arsenal.
I stepped outside the shop and heard a commotion. A black carriage drawn by two horses was driving from the gate into the center of the village. Following close behind was a single horse rider.
***
Luther paced up and down the nave in a gloomy mood. The probing incursion into the catacombs was a success -- they had managed to slay a single vile creature. Yet, it also showed their capabilities were far from adequate for the mission at hand. Luther needed more soldiers.
Finally, after what had been a long morning, Lermin arrived with a grin on his face. The two went out of sight and huddled by the bunk beds.
“Did you get it?” Luther asked anxiously in a whisper.
“I most cert-certad- … I did.” Lermin said with a proud smile.
From the pocket of his badly-worn pants, he pulled out a handkerchief with stitched flowers around the edges. Less a sorcerer and more of a rogue, Lermin was proving to be a great asset at acquiring items. The calamity that destroyed half the village allowed treasure to be unearthed from rubble of the shop belonging to the seamstress.
“Good work soldier,” Luther said, inspecting the quality of the prize. “With this, we can put the next phase of my plan into motion.”
Taking the handkerchief, Luther hurried across the nave to find Yuliana. Finding her was a simple matter of following the sounds of sneezing. She was surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting. In his eyes, both were cute, but not as cute as Yuliana.
“I have come with a token of my appreciation, and in hopes of our continued cooperation for mutual gain,” Luther said, and extended the neatly wrapped handkerchief on the palm of his hand. “Your highness.”
Luther didn’t like adding the somewhat pompous honorific, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Mission came first, pride would come later. The tactic seemed to have had the desired effect. Yuliana seemed to nearly melt in delight at the sound of the word.
“How has the mission fared thus far, general?” Yuliana said in a formal voice, yet flirty voice.
“While we faced a formidable enemy, we managed to claw out a small victory. Its acrid blood has been shed, and more will come later.”
“And how far has the sacred ground been cleared?” Yuliana asked.
“We had managed to secure a beachhead at ground level. I implore for your further funding. We are in desperate need of fresh troops.”
“Will the conquest encompass the west crypt?”
“Is that-”
Yuliana nodded solemnly.
“But of course, my lady.”
Yuliana brightened up, looked from side to side for any watchful eyes before reaching under the bed. She pulled out a shoebox, and ever so carefully lifted the lid just a tad allowing Luther to take a peek. Even in the dim light, Luther can see a grand display of wealth -- worthy of her royal name. Inside were dozens upon dozens of neatly pressed stacks of candy wrappers.