Elaria reeled from the fierce stink, stopping herself from vomiting. The effect was far worse for Luna given her extraordinarily sensitive nose and the wolf’s fur bristled. Her reaction was far more aggressive however as she bared her fangs and growled menacingly at the newly appeared enemy. The troll was huge, though compared to the Lionsmane Hydra she’d just defeated it was like a child. Rolls of fat were slathered atop each other, though its powerful muscles could be seen beneath and it wielded a spiked club the size of a small tree.
It had demanded a toll to cross the bridge, however unlike those trolls in children's stories, you wouldn’t get away with just tossing a few coins at the beast and walking across. These fiercely territorial monsters sought just one thing as payment - the lives of those who dared enter their chosen homes. It smashed the club into the cobbled floor of the bridge, sending dust and debris flying into the air around and began to advance on the pair, slowly but with heavy killing intent seeping from it.
If Elaria had encountered such a fierce monster on her way to Cloudvale without entering the Farrowhill Caverns dungeon, she likely would’ve had a very tough time defeating it. However her recent experiences had shaped her into a lethally powerful mage and in combination with her loyal companion the troll shouldn’t pose too much of a threat. Unlike the ordinary merchants and villagers of the local area who had no means with which to defend themselves against the high levelled monster, she was blessed by the mana itself.
There was just one problem, which was that they would need to take down the troll without causing too much damage to the bridge’s foundations. If they took down the monster but decimated the only method of crossing the river it wouldn’t exactly be much help to the people who’d made the request to the adventurer’s guild. That ruled out a judicious application of Firestorm which had been her first thought when seeing the rather flammable looking monstrosity.
Some light terrain damage was to be expected, so Elaria began to channel some Earthen Spikes which would allow her to start wearing down the troll and slow its approach, giving her and Luna some time to get into position and figure out the most efficient strategy to win without injury. She launched a few of the spikes at the troll’s legs, seeking to pin it in place and give them a window of opportunity to prepare a finishing blow.
Unexpectedly though, the first of the Earthen Spikes tore straight through the troll’s shin and calf, splattering the bridge in blood and gore and leaving a gaping hole in the monster’s leg which caused it to teeter to the side and nearly collapse. The second spike did the same to its opposite thigh and the final spell of the barrage ripped a hole through its stomach, leaving guts hanging from its back, trailing along the floor as it stumbled forwards.
“Huh,” Elaria said, “Maybe I’m just a little stronger than I thought.”
Luna gave her an incredulous look, as if to say ‘no shit’, before charging at the incapacitated troll to finish it off. Somehow the tenacious monster had managed to keep itself upright, most likely due to the special characteristic of trolls - their ultra rapid regeneration. The holes in its legs had already started to repair at a visible rate and despite its entrails running across the ground it seemed unperturbed.
Seeing the approaching wolf, it weakly raised its club and swung at her, though it was able to muster little strength with the majority of the muscles in its lower body completely torn and useless. Luna smashed the weapon to the side with her front paws before jumping up and biting down on the troll’s throat, knocking it to the floor and savagely ripping into its neck in order to sever the monster’s head and end the battle.
After a short bout of vicious shaking as if the terrifying canine was playing with her favourite chew toy rather than viciously slaying a powerful monster, a notification from the Chain popped up informing Elaria that the troll had been defeated. Compared to the first guild mission, this one had been a breeze. She used her guild card to double check that they both registered as complete before heading over to collect the drops from the troll’s body.
Mission - A Slimy Infestation
Difficulty: Copper
Farrowhill, a small farming village located on the outskirts of the Grant Duchy has been experiencing a severe problem with slimes. The aggressive monsters have overrun the place, devouring crops and even killing a few of the locals. To prevent them from having to abandon their home, find the source of the infestation and destroy it, along with the hateful jellies.
Slimes defeated: 25/25
Source of the infestation destroyed: 1/1
Reward: 3 Silvers, 5 Coppers
Mission - The Troll of River Klarn
Difficulty: Copper
A troll has taken residence under a bridge over the River Klarn. This bridge is essential for local trade routes and the presence of the troll has prevented merchants and ordinary folk from journeying across the river. Defeat the foul monster and open up the path once more.
Troll defeated: 1/1
Reward: 6 Silvers, Copper Loot Chest
Despite the huge surge in her strength, the meagre rewards of the guild’s missions would actually be hugely beneficial. Unless she wanted to sell some of her gear, Elaria was strapped for cash and the almost 10 silver coins would go a long way to fixing that issue. Though she had no doubt that once she was settled in Cloudvale she would be able to take on plenty of missions and start grinding for money. The promotion to the next adventurer rank would also mean chances to take on far more profitable missions.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
Level 42 Bridge Troll has been slain!
+126 XP
Troll Toenails x1
Mana Core (Common) x1
The mana core was a nice bonus, though she no longer needed to instantly consume it thanks to the Resonant Mana Body. Perhaps it would be worth selling some of the drops she’d accumulated once she reached her destination - some extra funds wouldn’t hurt. Having finished all of her missions and with not much left on her agenda, Elaria only needed to mount Luna and make her way to the capital city. She had another activation of Lesser Call of the Treasury to use too.
~ ~ ~
Elaria was walking up a steep hill, the paved slabs of stone that formed the street were kept pristine despite the high volume of merchant wagons and the carriages of the rich and important that were trundling up and down constantly. Compared to the filthy streets and chaotic ramshackle mess of Felspire, the towering visage of Cloudvale and the radiant and uniform architecture were a marvellous breath of fresh air. The guards had stopped her on entry, but a flash of her adventurer’s guild identity and a silver coin, the entry fee, were enough to get her through without further hassle.
As she made her way to her destination, the Cloudvale adventurer’s guild which served as the main headquarters for the entire Erlich Kingdom, she spun a little ring made from a deep purple metal between her fingers. It was the item she’d received from her most recent use of Lesser Call of the Treasury and probably the single most useful of all the items that it had given her. The reasoning was obvious when you saw its effect.
Deepvoid Storage Ring (Unusual)
Equippable Item
This finely crafted ring, made from an alloy of void ore and deep iron, has dimensional properties that allow the wielder to store items within. All contents are effectively frozen in stasis, meaning fresh food will be preserved and perishable items will not degrade.
50 Cubic Metres of storage
+1 to Fortitude
Not only that, but the small bonus to her fortitude was a wonderful addition. More health points would never be a bad thing. Having finally obtained one of the few items that she’d desired since the outset of her journey, Elaria immediately stored all of her possessions within and promptly sold the overly large backpack she’d been lugging around to a merchant for a single copper coin.
Even though her strength stat allowed her to carry all her drops and weaponry around with ease, it still felt far less cumbersome to walk around without the addition of a bag three times her size. Before she knew it, Elaria had arrived at the gates of the adventurer’s guild. The sheer grandiosity of the place was unmatched by any of the guilds she’d seen thus far. The gates themselves were a towering, ornate affair crafted from what seemed to be gold, but shimmered with the glow of mana that made her think they were enchanted and far sturdier than the soft metal would be.
The building itself and the surrounding walls were made from pristine white bricks and within the masonry there flowed circuits of mana, defensive fortifications that had enough magical power flowing in them to hold off an entire nation, which made sense given that the Adventurer’s Guild was a freestanding authority unto themselves and were technically not a part of the Erlich Kingdom. It was wise to take precautions.
As she entered the thick wooden doors, the reception dazzled her with its aura of luxury and resplendent atmosphere. Everywhere she looked was fine velvet, ancient woods and adventurers of all kinds, ranging from terrifying veterans equipped in gear that looked sturdier than some of the monsters she’d battled all the way down to newbies of a similar calibre to her, though nonetheless equipped in sparkling gear that looked unused in most cases. It seemed the rumours that one needed wealth and connections to make it into the guild here were not unfounded.
A receptionist dressed in a pressed suit, with perfectly manicured nails and neatly kept hair and a beard trimmed to perfection greeted her at the front desk with a dazzling smile that flashed a uniform set of pearly whites.
“How can I help you, young lady? Are you perhaps lost?” He asked with a rather condescending tone of voice that immediately dampened her enthusiasm for the place.
“Yes, I have two missions to turn in as well as a letter of recommendation for promotion to copper rank from the guildmaster of Lockmire. If you’d be so kind,” she replied, not letting the chance to dig back at the smug bastard slip.
His face contorted into one of shock for a brief moment, but the man was a professional through and through, collecting his wits quickly and taking her guild card as well as the monster drops and some accounts Elaria had collected from the villagers regarding the infestation and the events surrounding the dungeon as proof. When he saw Marius’ seal on the letter, proving its authenticity he took a second look at her, reevaluating the girl he’d dismissed on principle just moments before.
After a few tense moments of fiddling around with her guild card and some magically enchanted tablets, the receptionist handed it back over along with a small leather pouch containing her monetary rewards.
“The loot chest will be brought to you promptly, feel free to relax in the lobby or enjoy the cuisine available here in the Cloudvale headquarters. Today’s chef’s special is a true delight, sure to reinvigorate you after the harrowing journey you must have endured. Congratulations on your promotion to copper ranked adventurer, Miss Highgrove. If you need any further help please do not hesitate to ask myself or the other members of staff here. Enjoy your stay,” he said with not a hint of the earlier derision.
She checked out her guild card, which had changed colours since her promotion to copper rank. It was a cool achievement but still far from what she knew was within her grasp. Once she’d eaten and received the chest Elaria would be heading straight out on some more missions. All those sub vocational desires on her to-do list had been forgotten.
[https://i.imgur.com/mO6TCXQ.png]
Right as she left the reception desk and began making her way to the canteen, a boisterous youth shouted from across the hall and she heard sprinting steps approaching.
“By the goddess! Is that you, Elaria? What a coincidence. I thought today was going to be dull and tedious but you’re a welcome surprise,” said a warm and familiar voice.