Alix spent the next day naming the skeletons, but none of them remembered having crafted the forgehammers. As he named each one, he crafted a new set of clothes to suit them. He managed to assign each a job better suited to their talents, and made note of those he would have to learn from later. He was beginning to feel like he was back in school, having to set aside each hour of the day for a different subject.
When he suddenly noticed Evory had appeared back on his map, he decided to take a break.
Evory, can I have a word with you? he called when he noticed she was back in her tower.
She took longer to reply than she usually did, keeping Alix waiting a few moments in the entrance chamber before making an appearance.
“I haven’t seen you around for a few days,” Alix said.
“You told me I could do whatever I want, so I got a job,” Evory replied with a bit of a pout.
“You got a job? How? When? Where?” Alix asked incredulously.
Evory’s attitude changed, averting her gaze as if she suddenly realised she shouldn’t have said anything.
Alix took a breath and calmed himself. It wasn’t his place to demand anything of Evory, even after what she had done in the crypt. She was ten times older than him, old enough to be able to think for herself and do what she wished. He had already been forced to learn many skills he otherwise wouldn’t have bothered with if the castle hadn’t fallen into such disrepair, so he should have been thanking her instead of chastising her.
“I’m sorry Evory, I shouldn’t be mad. I guess I should congratulate you.”
“It’s alright. I know it was foolish and dangerous of me to go out like that, but I was so angry. You would have learned soon enough anyway. I was planning on coming to you soon with some things I heard.”
“What do you mean? Where have you been?” Alix asked, suddenly worried again.
“I found a job in Galdea. Before you get too mad, listen to what I have to say. I’m not going to say where I am working, but I hear a lot of gossip. The Church sent the Imperator to warn you to stay away from the Solknight, but I heard rumour that it was the King that wanted a message sent. Azuran can’t prove that you were the one that sold all the antidotes, but he suspects it. The market is in disarray and the Guilds are appealing to the king to punish you somehow.”
“How can Azuran be pissed off about that? I saved who knows how many lives. The Venbrills should have left Galdea by now anyway and returned to their swamp. The market should have sorted itself already.”
“That took me a bit of persuading to find out. There is a rumour that the king ordered one of the antidotes brought to him, to see what all the commotion was about. The Solknight was by his side at the time, and apparently he remarked that he recognised the vial. The Solknight produced an identical vial, and said that you were the one that gave it to him, a miraculous tonic. Word has spread that the Darknight saved Galdea from the plague, but it is whispered in hushed voices. No one wants to get caught speaking your name, but the king is worried the people might begin to think differently about you if you can provide better care than the kings own guilds. The people are already demanding cheaper access to potions, in case something similar happens again. Many died because they couldn’t afford the antidotes. It has made the guilds look very bad.”
Evory paused for a breath, giving Alix a chance to think on what she had said.
“Surely I’m not the only one using vials. I got the design from Practical Potions after all,” Alix said.
“That is exactly why he cannot pin it on you, but the design is outdated, the creation immaculate, and it is an unfortunate coincidence. I think it would be a good idea not to sell any more potions in Galdea for now.”
“I was hoping that could become a decent source of income, but I guess there must be others out there that we can still sell to. Thanks Evory. Good luck with the job, just don’t do anything too risky. Let me know if you hear anything else.”
For the next few days, Alix enjoyed the relative peace and quiet. There were no threats on his doorstep, no rush to do anything. The dark elves slowly moved into the castle as rooms were completed, starting with the one Tifayn had been speaking with, who she commanded got a room of her own. Before Vindel got to work, he set his men to fixing up the forge to their standards. By the time they finally got to work, the forge was probably the nicest looking room in the castle.
Alix kept an eye on Evory and noticed she spent most of her days away, leaving early and arriving back late. Some days she would stay in her tower all day and leave all night. He asked Tifayn if she knew anything of the vampires new job but she claimed she didn’t, she was just glad to have Evory kept busy elsewhere. Alix noticed Evory was no longer feeding off of his mana, which concerned him, but as long as she brought him no further trouble, he was content to let her be.
Brant finally began his training in earnest, once he decided that the dark elves posed no threat. Still he carried the claymore with him everywhere, and kept the Ringtails away from the grounds while they still camped there. Alix expected the dark elves to be housed in the castle within a few days, but he soon noticed that the skeletons were working on many more rooms than necessary, so that their guests could each have a room of their own. Vindel assured Alix that they didn’t mind sharing, but Alix thought it was a good idea to show the dark elves the greatest hospitality. He still hadn’t found a way to craft their forgehammers, so he wanted to hold on to their help for as long as possible.
The Dark Elves that had little to do in the grounds took to guarding the walls, and dismantling the rusted gate within it. It was doing no purpose other than showing Alix’s weaknesses. He didn’t have enough metal to replace it yet. What metal the forge produced quickly went towards the castle’s construction. Nails and bolts were more important for now. He only took a little to craft two basic swords with dull blades for him and Brant to train with. Until there was enough for proper armour, they used tough leather protection, but Alix soon grew confident enough in his movements that their protection never had to be tested.
Alix checked up with Astrid several times a day, but she still hadn’t found anything on the forgehammers. Many of the Darknights had taken an interest in weapon craft, and it was taking a while to research them all thoroughly. She was able to question some of the skeletons now that they had their names, but none of them could give her the answers she was seeking.
Just as Vindel was beginning to question him again, Astrid called to him. Alix had just woken up, and was marvelling at how quickly Tifayn’s belly was growing. He wished he had been wearing a watch when he had been summoned, but he had always found it annoying to wear anything like that when he was playing guitar. He could have checked his phone but he was loathe to waste the battery, so he was left to guess the date and time.
Already he was losing track of how long he had been in Babyl, but it had to only have been a few months at most. It was almost scary thinking about. It felt like he had done more in those few weeks than in his entire lifetime back on earth. What was everyone thinking back home? Had anyone noticed he was gone yet? Had his music already been stolen and released without him? He was sure previous Darknights must have longed to return home as well. Maybe it would be a good idea to look into what they had found out, if anything, on how to do so.
Alix, I have found reference to the forgehammers. I will need your assistance to investigate it any further, Astrid words came.
I will be along in a moment, Alix replied, taking the time to spend a few moments more with Tifayn. He was finding it harder and harder to leave her side, as if she would vanish in a puff of smoke at any second and the whole dream would come crashing down on him. He was beginning to feel like he didn’t want it to end. Was his life here really any worse than it had been before?
“Here is the book,” Astrid said when he reached the library a short time later, handing him the volume as soon as he stepped through the door.
Alix took the book and then a seat to examine it. It appeared to be one of the more recent books. The style of writing and the hand in which it was written helped him to imagine what time the author had come from. The ones that came from his time or later seemed to have created the coolest stuff.
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The book was bound in black leather and emblazoned with a hammer that almost made it look like a Warhammer rulebook. Inside was the authors name, one Mr Bones hadn’t given him the day before. From a quick skim of the book, it had definitely been written by a Darknight. Alix began to read the pages thoroughly, until he reached the mention of the forgehammers. Astrid had marked the page, but Alix wanted to learn more about the writer.
Alix called on Mr Bones when he finished the volume. It wasn’t particularly long, as the Darknight spent the majority of his time trying to craft the perfect hammer, one that might be able to shatter the ring. He thought this the key to returning him home. The book never said if he was successful or not. The forgehammers he mentioned as failed attempts, but ones the Dark Elves seemed to treat as relics. The book only mentioned the hammers, but not the exact method of their creation.
“Mr Bones, I think this is the Darknight we are looking for. Do you remember this guy Harumlir?”
“I am afraid not,” Mr Bones replied.
“If you are the first Darknight, then how come there are Darknight’s that you never met?” Alix asked, more curious than accusatory.
“Some of them weren’t comfortable around the undead, and put us to rest while they were here. The Demons took care of the castle in our absence, and sometimes it took them a while to convince the next Darknight of the benefits of our services again. Also, after so many years, it becomes easier to forget things. Some of the Darknights left very little impression,” Mr Bones replied.
Once again Alix wondered why the Summoning summoned those that it did, but he felt like that was a much deeper conversation for another time.
Alix decided there was only way to find out if Harumlir was in the castle. He would have to ask them all directly. Instead of calling them all from their tasks and wasting a day’s productivity, he would have to travel around the castle and find the as yet unnamed skeletons. Alix got to it, glad at least that he had risen fairly early and should be able to complete the task before nightfall. He just hoped Harumlir wasn’t among the few still lying in the crypt that he hadn’t been able to resurrect.
As he walked along the corridors, crossing the skeletons off his list, he thought on the Inventor Skill he had unlocked. He was desperate to try it out, although apparently he already had. He wanted to see if he could create an amplifier with it. Otherwise he would have to find some way to get hold of an acoustic guitar. He thought on all the other things he could try making as he searched out each skeleton. None of them responded to the name.
Eventually he came to a group of skeletons working in a high tower on a leak in the roof, one of many. This one was over the core of the castle though, so it needed greater attention. With a new roofbeam in place they were just resecuring the last of the slates.
“Are any of you here named Harumlir?” Alix asked the group, almost turning to leave instantly as he expected the same reply as before.
“Harumlir…” one of the skeletons said in a weak voice. The text beside him changed from Skeleton to read Harumlir. His level was fairly low, which probably had to do with him spending his whole time in Babyl at a single task.
“Great,” Alix said with surprise. “Come with me, I am hoping you can help me with something.”
Harumlir followed in silence. Alix almost turned towards the library before deciding it was probably best to go straight to the forge.
Mr Bones, I think I found Harumlir. We are on our way to the forge now. Could you meet us there? Alix realised he had a question he needed answered, but he was sure he would find out the answer one way or another.
I am on my way, Mr Bones replied.
By the time Alix led Harumlir to the forge, Mr Bones was already there. The Dark Elves continued to work around them, already used to the skeletons.
Alix turned to Harumlir and began his questioning.
“Harumlir, I read the book you wrote during your time as Darknight. I am very interested in learning how you made the forgehammers that you gave to the Dark Elves. Could you tell me how?”
“Forgehammers…just a mistake,” Harumlir replied.
“He must be an old one to have lost his voice so much,” Mr Bones said to Alix. The Dark Elves had perked up at word of the forgehammers and had turned to keep an eye on the conversation.
“Hopefully it returns to him soon. I should have asked this before, but how much of their old Darknight powers do the undead possess?” Alix asked.
“We lose access to much once the ring is gone, but we still remember some of what we learned.”
Alix guessed that had to mean that the skeletons didn’t have access to Infinite Storage or skills that relied on the rings powers, such as crafting. His stomach sank at the thought that Harumlir wouldn’t be able to show him how he had made the forgehammers if their creation had been guided by the ring. Magic was still a real thing in this world though, so it wasn’t too wild to think that it existed in other worlds as well. Some that came here probably knew how to wield it already, so he hoped there was a chance that some of the skeletons could teach him some cool magic.
Harumlir looked down at his empty hands as if he longed to see the ring on them again. He stepped over to a workbench and picked up a spare hammer, holding it like an old friend.
“Can’t make again…can tell you.” Harumlir made his way past Alix and back into the corridor. Alix followed, confused at what was happening. As Harumlir held the hammer, he seemed to move quicker, stand straighter.
Alix became even more confused when they arrived back at the library. Harumlir motioned with the hammer for him to take a seat. Then he motioned to the pen and paper and Alix realised Harumlir meant for him to write the method down. He hoped that would provide him with a blueprint that would unlock the option to craft it.
“It is a shame you do not have time to read more books on the subject,” Harmulir’s voice came clearer and stronger before. Grabbing hold of a hammer again seemed to do more for him than naming him had. Alix was just glad that he no longer sounded like he was on his deathbed, again. Now he sounded like a weary teacher. “Much of it probably won’t make sense to you, but the ring should be able to cope.”
“I have read books on metalworking and unlocked the blacksmith title already-“
“Those are only the beginning, the very standard basics. The ring can unlock skills you cannot even imagine. Let’s begin,” Harumlir said, cutting Alix off.
Harumlir began to tell Alix of the forgehammers, but he seemed to start a pointlessly long time back, and he went off on tangents as if he was writing a second volume instead of crafting a blueprint. Alix recorded it all, and slowly Harumlir got to the point, after listing off his impressive list of Titles, with those relating to hammers alone counting in the dozens. The Title he was proud of most was Hammergod.
Alix’s notification bell went before the ink was even dry.
* Unlocked Blacksmithing Blueprint: Forgehammer
Harumlir cut off mid-sentence when he noticed Alix had stopped writing.
“There is much more for me to tell you,” Harumlir, staring at the motionless pen as if trying to will it back into motion.
“I just unlocked the blueprint. I should be able to make the forgehammers now. You have been a great help.”
“If you are so easily able to craft them, then you might be able to finish the last project I was working on. I am sure it will come in handier than the forgehammers.”
“You can write it down for me if you would like. This pen doesn’t run out of ink and there are plenty blank pages. I promise I will read it later. I am just in a bit of a rush to get the hammers finished, before the Dark Elves decide to run off.”
Alix stood and Harumlir awkwardly took his seat, and just as awkwardly lifted the pen. Slowly he began to write, quickly ignoring them completely as he got to filling up the page after page.
Alix headed back to the forge to gather the materials he would need. Harumlir had told him what physical items he needed, and the ring told him what the cost in mana would be. Without the skills Harumlir himself possessed at the forge and the properties he had imbued it with from his Titles, he had to pay the cost in mana, and the cost was high. He only had enough mana for one, but he had plenty of Mana Potions on hand.
There was iron ready for him to use in the forge so he absorbed just enough, leaving the rest to fill the mountain of other orders. Then he opened his Menu and found the option to craft the hammer.
The iron disappeared from his inventory, along with a few other materials, and then his mana dropped to single digits. Alix suddenly felt hollow, an annoying new sense he found himself burdened with. The loss of mana made him feel like he hadn’t eaten in days.
* Crafted Forgehammer.
Before examining his creation, he pulled out a strong mana potion and downed it. The feeling of starvation instantly faded. He replaced the empty vial in his hand with the Forgehammer, the weight of it suddenly filling his hand. It was larger than he had expected it to be, covered in etched spell lines. Harumlir had given the Dark Elves the Forgehammers, but it looked like they had been created for them especially. It looked like it would fit in a Dark Elf hand better than his own.
Looking at the stats, he couldn’t see how Harumlir thought of it as a mistake. The Forgehammer had several benefits that would make it invaluable to any blacksmith or forge worker, or anyone else that didn’t have Crafting available to them like Alix did. It helped to remove impurities from any piece of ore or metal worked with it, it produced stronger alloys, and generally carried out any job in a fraction of the time. Even someone without any blacksmithing skills at all could pick up the Forgehammer and craft a piece to match a master.
Alix could see the dark elves staring at the Forgehammer with wide eyed reverence. He held it out for them to take, but it took them a few moments before they reached out for it, as if it was too holy for them to touch. Then they ran off outside with it to show off to the others once the awe wore off. Alix quickly downed a mana potion, crafted a second Forgehammer, and followed them out. His notification bell went again.
* Title Unlocked: Hammer Enthusiast.
Outside Alix found Vindel examining the Forgehammer, with the other dark elves crowding around for a look.
“I believe I owed you two Forgehammers,” Alix said, handing over the second one. It was quickly grabbed from his hand and passed around.
“If the Revenant hadn’t said it, I wouldn’t have thought it
possible. The Forgehammers have been lost for longer than anyone can remember. Many of us thought them to be myth,” Vindel said, as the forge workers took the hammers and headed back inside to test them out.
Alix was glad he didn’t have to spend years chasing after an old legend. He just hoped the they didn’t disappear in the night, now that they had what they wanted.