Chapter 8
Into the spider's web
When Crane returned, Owens was waiting for him with a package.
"You get promoted, you get a new uniform, here ya go kid."
Crane opened the package and said, "Identify"
Officer's Uniform
Durability 60/60
Defense 28
Steel half plate with quality leather. Printed with the insignia of the army of Yarsan.
Requirements:
Officer in the Yarsan Army
Officer's boots
Durability 30/30
Defense 7
Requirements:
Officer in the Yarsan Army
Crane's new equipment was as far above his old as the stars were above the earth. The only problem he had with it was that it would be harder to raise his endurance. Crane toyed with the idea of making time to fight while armorless to make up for it.
After he equipped it Owens said, "A couple more levels and you'll be able to become a fencer. You've already surpasses me in finesse mastery and will probably become the most powerful swordsman in Kallamore. After you get the class you'll be able create routines with effects as powerful as your own mind. I regret I can't do it but I'd bet you'll have no trouble creating routines that increase health and mana regeneration speed, add elemental attributes to your attacks, and more. I once heard that the greatest fencer on Versailles created a long and complex routine that summoned a god to fight at his side. Just don’t forget the little people like me when you're all the way at the top."
Crane couldn't help but laugh at the Owens calling himself a little person. He was obviously overstating the facts to make fun of him but it was still funny. "Sir I won’t be anywhere near your strength for a long time, and in the small chance I exceed it I will never forget you. Besides, no matter how powerful I become, I still could never take on a Kallamore Knight."
"Only while their on their high horse, take them off said horse and they'll be easy pickings, I'm sure you'll figure out a way to do it, anyways, your subbies are waiting for you outside. You've been assigned your first group quest by the higher ups to see what kind of Officer you'll turn out to be."
"What's the quest?"
"There is a canyon south of the plateau the is the source of rag spiders. Every once in awhile we send a group that needs experience there to kill everything."
"How difficult is it?"
"The spiders are level between 40 around the outskirts to 60 inside with the queen being about level 90. You could clear the whole place in a month on your own but you were assigned the quest as an opportunity to strengthen your troop."
Into the spider's canyon
Kill rag spiders in the canyon while strengthening you infantry
Difficulty: D
Reward:
Based on how much stronger your men become
Crane had read up on the local wildlife and knew that while some rag spiders had a poisonous bite, most had a paralyzing bite that would make you drop like a rag doll. That was the reason they were called rag spiders.
"Sir, will we be supplied?"
"Yup, you'll be given a stock of fifty all purpose antidotes."
"Then sign us up"
-You accepted the quest
-Received 50 All purpose antidotes
Crane let out a sigh of relief. Going into a spider nest without antidotes would make it a very short trip and Crane didn't want to spend his own money on them or on the ingredient to make them himself. Not that he didn't want to practice, it is just that he wanted to use his money to buy ingredients for health and mana potions.
Crane went outside to see a group of what he supposed were green recruits. They all looked like that had some basic training but had never left the fortress. Crane asked to see their credentials, and was relieved to see they had no idea what he was talking about. It seemed that Isse was indeed messing with him before.
Crane was a little surprised to see that even though all of his new minions were citizens of Kallamore, none of them were nobles. That didn't bother Crane at all, he didn't want anything to do with them. After checking each's stats and skill window Crane ordered them to be at the city gates in two hours.
The last battle exemplarated Crane's need for personal potions, so he went to the grocery and bought 25G worth of ingredients for health and mana potions. Crane had bought items there so often he got a discount when buying in bulk and receive 10% extra. Crane then went to the front gates to wait for his men and took out his cauldron and herbs. Being mindful of his stirring he made 40 health potions and 20 mana potions, increasing his alchemy skill to level 3. Although the potions were lower than the quality of those he could buy from a store, they were a fraction of the price. He had half a mind to open up shop and start selling potions for a living but that would attract the attention of the craft guilds who regulate potion prices and selling potions without being a member of the craft guild would bring untold trouble to his doorstep. At the appointed time his men showed up and he headed out for the Spider's canyon.
The trip took six days, and Crane used that time to get to know his people very well. He was especially grateful that one of the men knew how to cook. The meat gathered from side hunting along the trip went into a stew that although not the greatest thing Crane had ever eaten, was far above rye bread at least. Each man had his own story and Crane wanted to hear them all. After the second day of traveling them men no longer insisted on calling him Sir, as they all became more informal with each other.
Crane and company finally arrived at the spider's canyon and Crane went ahead to scout a bit. The weaker rag spiders were the size of a large suitcase, while the stronger ones were the size of a couch. Crane went back to the men and told them how to set up.
"The spiders can move well enough even if they only have three legs left. But cutting their bodies has little effect and their small heads are hard to attack. Here is how we are going to fight, we will divide into two teams of 5, and each person in the team with have a mission."
Crane took two people and gave them a large number of antidotes, health and mana potions. He then designated the teams into a potion divider, pinner, attacker, defender, and spotter. The potion divider gave out the potions needed, the pinner stuck his sword into the spider and keep it from moving, the attacker was the primary damage dealer, the defender pissed off the spider to get it's attention and was the primary damage taker, and the spotter was on the lookout to prevent the team from being attacked without warning.
Crande made the men go through two hours of practicing the rotation pattern before he let them fight the spiders. Crane then unleashed the two teams who slowly but surely killed spider by spider. Crane knew this was not the fastest way to kill the spiders but it was the safest and build teamwork.
Another point in rotating position teamwork was that everyone became familiar with what needed to be done, they knew that to kill the spiders they needed to stop its movement, attack it's weak points, defend against it's attacks, heal when necessary, and keep an eye out for more spiders. After a few hours of practice Crane called them back and divided them into two groups of three and one of four. Soldier took on multiple roles while being aware of what the others were doing. Crane supervised the whole time, making sure the groups only took on a reasonable number of spiders and killing extras while practicing his throw skill. At the point where each member was capable of all five positions at once, Crane ordered them to break up into pairs. It took a two straight days of tedious training to get them to that point but they could now take on spiders individually or in a few cases two at once. Crane speed up the pace by allowing more spiders through him and even dragged spiders from further in to them.
After two weeks they had all reached the upper 40s and Crane's Throw skill was reaching intermediate. Because of the earlier training they had not been bitten once and Crane believed them ready for the larger game. Back into pairs that Crane found compatible they overwhelmed one large spider after another, gaining levels at a much faster rate. When many spiders gathered around them Crane weakened them up with his knives and allowed his subordinates to finish them up. During the now three week campaign Crane had only leveled once but his me now reached level 50. With the exception of Crane who had been attacking from a distance, everyone in the party had been bitten and poisoned at least once and the antidotes started to get used up.
When the group had gotten to level 60 Crane pushed the group forward, eliminating spiders until Crane found the lair of the queen rag spider.
Crane addressed his men, "This is the last stop, you have all come far and become strong. You're are to defeat every spider that descends the walls as I kill the queen. Fight in pairs and help one another out if poisoned, paralyzed, or caught in a web. You managed well enough that we still have 22 antidotes left and everyone gets two a piece. Remember, no hero business, watch each other's back and we all make home alive." The men saluted and followed Crane into the web covered canyon. Crane felt a sense of deja vu, except he was Levi and there were no noblemen here. He walked into the center of the chasm and saw the giant movie theater screen sized spider descend upside down from an elevated web. It had a red name above it which Crane could only stare blankly at. "Seriously.... Charlotte? As in Charlotte's web?!"
Crane left the spiders that crawled down the web coated cliffs to his minions and began to dodge the poison shots Charlotte had been spitting at him. Crane wasn't going to let that fat bug attack him like that so Crane took out his knife set and threw several knives at the web above Charlotte while dodging the poison spit. Crane then threw a knife directly at Charlotte's upside down hanging head, prompting her to rise a few feet to avoid it. Crane repeated this twice more and when the spider was over 70 feet in the air, crane took out the burrower's knife and threw it at the main strand holding Charlotte in the air. With the other supporting lines cut by his previous knives, Charlotte fell onto the ground hard, not killing it outright but greatly stunning it at least.
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Crane ran over to the incapacitated spider and jumped on top of it and began to repeatedly stab it. The spider regained movement and tried to get Crane off it. It released a purple gas that spread over the chasm before dissipating.
-You have been poisoned!
Life is decreasing continuously.
Crane wanted to get it over with and decided to keep stabbing the spider and cure himself afterwards. He couldn't perform any routines while on a bucking spider but as long as he kept stabbing everything would be fine, or so he thought."
"Antidote! I need an Antidote!"
"We're poisoned too, did you already use both yours?"
"Yea, but it didn't work, no I think it made it worse!"
"Wait, I just used one too, my health is dropping faster!"
"What is going on?"
"Stay in formation!"
Crane's attack finally killed the queen, but he had new problems now.
"What's going on?!"
"Sir the antidotes are speeding up the poison!"
One of the men had died already and the others were crying in pain, "Sir! Help Us!" Crane didn't know what was wrong, so he took out one of the antidotes, and screamed, "IDENTIFY!”
Tampered All purpose antidotes
Durablity: 1/1
A toxin was added that accumulates when used and enhances the effect of powerful spider poison instead of negating.
Crane pulled out his recipe book and looked up antidotes as quickly as he could, but his men were dying around him and he could only watch there last moment of life, crying for him to save them. Crane gave them all his health potions while trying to find some way, any way to cure them. But there wasn't, they had accumulated too much of the toxin into their bodies. There wasn't a single antidote he could make with the ingredients he had on hand. There were no herbs in the area that Crane could use to make anything with. Crane was poisoned as well but he had not taken any antidotes and health health would take almost an hour to hit zero, enough time to watch helplessly as the people around him died but not enough to get to the closest town.
The spiders long since dead, the last four men and Crane sat in a circle, passing the last health potions back and forth.
The one who spoke first was the soldier who cooked meals for the team, "It is an honor to die on the battlefield."
"We're not dying of battle, we're dying of poison."
"Not all of us, Officer Crane is a foreigner, I hear after they die, they reappear four days later, so at least he'll tell our tale."
"Hey guys, I have a problem with going down without a fight, Sir, I have a favor to ask."
Crane and his men raised swords, they agreed to a duel format free for all, last man standing wins, no skills, no abilities, pure swordsman till the end.
Crane slowed his speed and strength to match the others, He took on two people while the other three fought each other. They swung their swords for Crane's weak spots, like he taught them to, and watched his attack patterns to predict his movements, just like he taught them too. Crane let their better strikes hit him while delivering weak strikes to their openings, he fought at a level just above them. He saw them smile as they fought hard against him and managed to attack him. Crane slew the first one, although Crane was gentle, the poison was not. Crane let himself get slashed in an opening by the other before he unwilling dealt another finishing blow.
Crane saw that the last person left standing was the cook. However he did not fight, he said, "Sir, you slayed the queen spider yes?"
"Yes."
"And the antidote reacted to the queen's poison?"
"Yes."
"Then that answer is simple, the queen should've dropped a poison sack, mix the poison sack with an antidote and the toxin will activate, boil the mixture and the poison with evaporate, leaving a single antidote."
Crane's eyes widened and he ran over to the queen. He found the poison sack and pulled out his couldron. "Why didn't you say anything?! I could have-"
"Because they queen only drops one poison sack, and even though the toxin is boiled out, if someone with the toxin drinks it, it only has a small chance of working. I wanted you to use it sir."
"But I will come back even if I die, if I can only make one, even if it only has a small chance to work, you should drink it."
"I thought you would feel that way, which is why I told you now, it will take a few minutes to boil, but I only have a few seconds left."
Crane's eyes stared at this soldier, as if he were trying to memorize every aspect of him.
The man said, "It is ok, I am ready to die for my kingdom, but you are not of Kallamore, you do not have to die for this country. It is funny, all I ever wanted to become a simple chief."
With those as his last words he collapsed and disappeared. Another few minutes passed and Crane boiled down the antidote and put it in a jar. "Identify"
All Purpose antidote
Durability 1/1
Cures Paralysis and Poison
May not works if consumed with with certain toxins
Crane used it and just as he said, it worked. Crane walked through through the items dropped by spiders and his team alike and left the canyon.
Quest Failed :Into the spider's canyon
Difficulty D
All the spiders were slain but all infantry died
--------------------------------------
When Crane returned he was called to a meeting by the head of the base to explain what had happened. Crane told them that the antidote had been poisoned, and that someone was too blame. The entire thing turned into a court hearing.
"We are here today to determine the events that occurred in the Spider's canyon."
An old man sat in the center of a half circle desk announcing what was going on.
"First speaker, Kalt Owens, tell us how it began."
Owens nervously started, "Well, I, ah, I told the kid he had a bright future ahead, just a bit longer to his class change. I told him about the quest, he asked me if he would get potions, I said yes, He accepted the quest, and I gave him the antidotes that were set aside for the quest. That was about, er, a month ago." Owens sat down, hoping he was helping Crane.
"Yes now the point of these altered antidotes. Crane provided the remaining one and gave a statement for what happened. The tests are still running and will be here shortly, is there anyone here who believes this record is false?"
A man stood up from the table. Crane recognized his former commander, Captain Dessen, and repressed his urge to hit him.
"Crane's commander told him before the mission that he could advance to his next class with only a few more level. It is not unheard of for an officer to hord experience for himself. I propose that this tale of tampered potions is just that, a tale. If he had died with his men it may have been believable, but his story about a would be chief knowing how to neutralize a toxin and sacrifice himself so that Crane alone could survive is so far fetched it should be laughed right out of this room. Crane must've let his own men die in battle so he could have more experience and quickly advance to his next class."
All the willpower in the world couldn't stopped Crane from throwing himself across the room and slamming his fist repeatedly into Dessen's face.
"Restrain him at once!"
Three soldier came to rip Crane off Dessen. Dessen had damage to his face giving his face a bloody appearance.
Just then a person came into the room and up to the judge. The judge read over the paper he had been handed. "These are the results of the tests on the All purpose Antidote Crane presented. The results show, nothing. The potion is completely normal, no alteration in any way."
Crane froze on the spot, he tested it himself and the Identifiers and alchemist of the base would not be inferior to him, something didn't make sense.
"Ah hem, In light of this evidence, Captain Dessen's testimonial, and Crane's outrageous behavior while in court, I use the power vested in me to strip Crane on his rank and discharge him from the Royal Kallamore Army. It seems evident that a foreigner has no place here."
You have been discharged
Kallamore Warrior's Helmet has been unequipped
Officer's Uniform has been unequipped
Officer's boots has been unequipped
As Crane was trying to figure out what happened, he saw the smile on Dessen's bloodied face. Then like an obvious afterthought, it all made perfect sense. Crane had been warned that plans were made to exterminate him, but Crane had been too arrogant to realize there were ways to do it that went around that fact that he couldn't be permanently killed. The potions were given to him by Owens so Crane did not suspect that the ones Owens received them from likely worked for Dessen. As for the potion test, someone could easily have been bribed to switch out the poisoned antidote for a normal one.
Crane was furious at Dessen, who ever helped him, and whoever he worked for, but most of all he was furious with himself. Earlier Crane had looked at the idea of death with a detached sense that could only be found in the video games he despised. The reason those men died and were not coming back was because Crane had become what he most hated, and because of that he lost everything.
Crane's class had a high stat percent buff when he was equipped with the Kallamore Warrior's Helmet, and a stat percent debuff when not equipped. The helmet had a requirement of membership in the Kallamore army so he could no longer equip it. His Officer's uniforms were also not equipable. Crane was trapped in a crippled class and incapable of changing from it. He had considered erasing his account and starting anew, but he would lose the library bonus stats and the twelve forms, traits he gained through practice and time. At that point a thought occurred, "There is more than one way."
Chapter 9 The Path to Strength part 1 viewtopic.php?f=91&t=580&p=2359#p2359
Chapter 7 Allies and Enemies viewtopic.php?f=91&t=578