The morning sun beat down on the desert landscape as Tyler, Marcus, Elric, Livia, and Darius made their way west toward the mithril vein they had scouted earlier. The heat was intense, but the group was determined to gather the rare metal that would help them craft the weapons and tools necessary for their survival and advancement up the tower.
"We should be there soon," Livia said, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Just over that ridge."
The team crested the ridge, and the sight of the gleaming mithril vein embedded in the cliff face took their breath away—the silvery metal glinted in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the surrounding rock.
Darius's eyes widened, a look of pure, unadulterated excitement spreading across his face. "There it is," he breathed, his voice filled with awe and reverence. "It's even more impressive up close."
He moved closer, practically vibrating with excitement as he reached out to touch the vein. He breathed in short, soft bursts, finding it hard to exhale as the anticipation gripped his chest. This was more than just a rare find for Darius; it was the culmination of a lifelong dream.
Growing up in a small town, Darius had always been captivated by the stories of mythical metals and legendary blacksmiths. His father, a blacksmith himself, had instilled in him a deep respect for the craft. When Darius was old enough, he had apprenticed under one of the greatest blacksmiths of their time, Master Thalor, who often spoke of mithril, a metal so rare and powerful that it was almost a myth. The tales of its unparalleled strength and lightness had fuelled Darius's passion and determination to one day work with it.
Darius never married and after years of working hard in the small town he had saved up enough with a reputation as a skilled blacksmith, Darius left his small town to open his own shop in the capital. It had been a hard journey, filled with long hours and tireless dedication as he worked practically for free to build a reputation.
One day, a particularly arrogant noble, Lord Varon, entered his shop. Varon's reputation for cruelty and entitlement preceded him, and his presence made the other patrons uneasy. The noble surveyed the shop with disdain, his gaze finally settling on Darius.
"I've heard you're the best," Varon sneered. "I need two hundred swords of the highest quality. You have one month."
Darius, unaccustomed to such a large order, saw this as a golden opportunity. "It will be done, my lord," he replied, bowing slightly.
Creating the swords ended up costing Darius all his savings and more. The materials were expensive, and he poured everything he had into making them perfect. He hired extra help, pushing himself and his team to their limits to meet the deadline. A month later, Varon returned, and Darius presented the swords—masterpieces of craftsmanship, balanced perfectly and adorned with intricate designs. But instead of praise, Varon's eyes narrowed in contempt.
"This is not what I asked for," Varon hissed, though the swords were flawless. "Are you trying to insult me?"
Darius kept his composure. "My lord, these swords are crafted to the highest standards. If there is something specific you wish to change, I can—"
Varon interrupted, his face twisting in anger. "You think you can lecture me? You're nothing but a lowly blacksmith. I should have you whipped for your insolence."
Varon accused Darius of fraud, claiming the swords were substandard and that he had overcharged for them. The accusation, combined with Darius having spent all his savings on materials, left him with no money to keep his shop running. His reputation was tarnished and his livelihood was destroyed.
Darius found himself in the market one day, and when he saw Varon gloating over his ruined life, he snapped. Months of anger and vengeance boiled over as he walked up to the man, tapped him on the shoulder and punched the pompous lord with everything he had, an act that sealed his fate.
For assaulting a noble, Darius was thrown into the slave camp where he met Tyler.
Elric inspected the cliff face, noting Darius's enthusiasm. "We'll need to be careful extracting it. This kind of metal is incredibly valuable, which means the tower may be protecting it in some way."
Darius nodded, his eyes still fixed on the mithril. "We'll take every precaution. But I can't wait to get started. This is going to be legendary."
Tyler nodded. "Let's set up a perimeter and keep watch. Livia, and Marcus, you two keep an eye out for any threats. Darius, Elric, and I will start mining."
As they began to set up, Tyler used his dimensional inventory to prepare for extracting the mithril. He placed his hands on the cliff face and closed his eyes, focusing his energy on the task at hand. Slowly, plus or minus ten cubic meters of the cliff face began to shimmer and then, in an instant, it disappeared, leaving behind a perfectly cut-out section of stone.
Livia watched in amazement. "How much can you carry in that inventory of yours?" she asked.
"It's not a matter of how much I can carry," Tyler replied, his voice steady. "The inventory can store an infinite amount, but I can only store around ten cubic meters at a time. The only exception is creatures with mana cores—they can resist being stored."
"Good to know," Livia said, nodding.
Tyler waited a moment for his mana to replenish before repeating the process. Each time, another ten cubic meters of stone vanished, revealing more of the mithril vein. The team watched in awe as Tyler systematically cleared away the rock, exposing the precious metal.
As they continued to work, a deep rumbling sound echoed through the area. The ground beneath them shook violently, causing them to stumble.
"What the hell was that?" Marcus shouted, looking around frantically.
Elric's eyes widened in realization. "We've triggered something. Everyone, get ready!"
From the sand around them, large fissures opened up, and swarms of giant scorpions began to emerge. Their chitinous bodies glistened in the sunlight, and their pincers snapped menacingly as they closed in on the group.
"Defensive positions!" Tyler yelled, drawing his scavenged sword. "Livia, Marcus, cover us!"
The group quickly formed a defensive circle, weapons at the ready. The scorpions moved with surprising speed, their stingers poised to strike. Tyler activated the shield runes he had inscribed on his friends, watching his mana bar as the translucent barriers flared to life around each of them.
"Keep them at bay!" Tyler commanded, slashing at the nearest scorpion deciding this was a great time to test something he hadn’t been able to before. Focusing on his dimensional inventory he pulled the scorpion in Infront of him. It started to shimmer and then it started to resist, he doubled his efforts and with a battle of wills he managed to overpower the scorpion sealing it inside.
Tyler and the team kept fighting off the swarm, the battle was intense. The scorpions attacked relentlessly, their pincers and stingers clashing against the shields as the group kept moving, shields flickered and flared, absorbing the attacks.
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Tyler focused on maintaining the shields that were steadily draining his already low mana. His mana bar dipped lower and lower, now nearing the twenty-five per cent mark.
"Now run!" Tyler ordered, covering their retreat. "Head for the ridge!"
The team moved quickly, fighting off the remaining scorpions as they made their way back to the ridge. Once they reached the top, Tyler pulled out a stone he had prepared earlier. He placed it on the ground, activating the runes inscribed on it. A four-meter-high, forty-meter-wide shield wall sprang to life, holding back the scorpions.
"That should buy us some time," Tyler said, panting. "We have maybe 10 minutes. We need to move!"
They ran as fast as they could, the sound of the scorpions' pincers clashing against the shield wall echoing behind them. Tyler watched his mana bar deplete steadily with each hit on the shield, urging his friends to move faster as he started to feel the drain on his entire body.
As they neared the safety of their base, Tyler cut off the mana drain from the shield wall. His mana reserves were nearly exhausted.
"We're almost there!" he shouted. "Keep going!"
With one final push, they reached the base and scrambled inside. His friends quickly sealed the entrance in the outer wall, ensuring the scorpions couldn't follow them.
Panting and covered in sweat, the team took a moment to catch their breath. Tyler managed a weak smile. "Well, that was... eventful."
Livia nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. "We got the mithril, though. That's what matters."
Tyler laid out the block of mithril he had extracted, their faces a mix of exhaustion and triumph.
As they settled back into the safety of their base, Tyler leaned against the cool stone wall, catching his breath. The frantic rush of their escape and the constant drain on his mana had taken its toll, but he was still standing.
"Alright," Tyler said, pushing himself upright. "Let's see what we've got here." He opened his dimensional inventory and carefully removed the scorpions he'd stored earlier. It appeared before them, lifeless and still.
Livia, Marcus, Elric, and Darius gathered around, inspecting the massive creature. Its chitinous armour glinted in the light, and its stinger now harmless rested against the stone floor.
"Dead as a doornail," Marcus muttered, prodding the scorpion with the tip of his sword.
Tyler nodded, a frown creasing his forehead. "Well, that answers one question. Anything stored in my inventory doesn't survive. That means if any of you were injured or in danger, I couldn't just store you to save you."
Elric sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's a shame, but at least we know now. It's better to find out this way than in a critical moment."
Darius, still catching his breath, looked thoughtful. "It means we need to be even more careful. No last-second saves by stashing someone away. We have to rely on our own strength and the protection runes."
Tyler agreed, "Exactly. And speaking of which, we need to start refining this mithril. We can't afford to be caught off guard again."
After a short break to recover Mana Tyler shouted "Que the training montage!," and the Walkman started playing Europe - Rock the Night. He used his dimensional inventory to slice the large block of mithril into smaller, more manageable blocks. The process required precision and control, but Tyler's focus remained steady. He realised he could make a dimensional blade that would slice through basically anything. He would simply focus on removing a millimetre thick sheet of stone from the block and it would split in two using very little mana. One by one, the large pieces of mithril ore were sliced up, leaving neatly cut blocks in their place.
Marcus and Elric stepped forward, taking the mithril blocks and breaking them into smaller gravel-sized pieces. The two worked efficiently, using makeshift stone hammers to crush the ore. Sweat poured down their faces, but they kept at it, determined to make the most of their valuable find.
Meanwhile, Livia set to work on the scorpion. Using a sharp knife, she carefully dissected the creature, extracting its mana core with practised precision. The core glowed faintly in the dim light, a testament to the power it holds. Livia gave the core to Elric who examined it carefully, “It's just a minor core but it should be enough to power a few things now that we have a way to network runes, I’ll give it to Tyler to add to his inventory”.
Together Daris and Tyler began to design the perfect forge as Tyler slowly carved into the cliffside using his dimensional inventory. He focused on slicing through the rock, removing large blocks while Darius gave precise instruction as Tyler moved the blocks in place, constructing the foundation of the forge.
The two worked tirelessly, the rhythmic sound of stone against stone echoing through the base. Tyler's mana bar flickered occasionally as he pushed his limits, but he remained steadfast, determined to complete the task.
Slowly but surely, the forge began to take shape. They built a large hearth, complete with an elemental rune to control the flames. Elemental fire is the only heat source strong enough to melt mithril. The forge's design allowed for maximum heat retention, ensuring that they could work the mithril efficiently. They made sure the room would naturally exchange hot air for cold air to keep the room comfortable for the blacksmith.
As the day wore on, the team continued their tasks, each member focused on their respective roles. The base hummed with activity, a testament to their collective effort and determination.
By evening, the forge was complete. Tyler stepped back, admiring their handiwork. "Great job, everyone," Tyler said, a note of pride in his voice. "We've made significant progress today. Let's take a break and get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll start refining the mithril and crafting new weapons."
After everyone had settled down for the night, Elric quietly got up and made his way to the bathroom. As he reached for a towel, a dimensional tear opened in the air before him, and a scroll dropped out. His heart pounded as he picked it up, unrolling it to read the message:
“The time has come. Open the door tonight. Do not interfere. Ensure no one sees you. – Watcher”
Elric's hands trembled as he read the words. He knew disobeying would have dire consequences, but he couldn't shake the loyalty he had begun to feel for Tyler and the group. With a heavy heart, he burned the scroll, watching the flames consume the parchment.
He returned to his bunk, waiting until he was sure everyone was asleep. The cave was silent, save for the occasional sound of shifting bodies and quiet breaths. Tyler and Livia, sharing a bed as they had become accustomed to, lay closest to the entrance, their forms intertwined under the thin blanket.
Elric's heart pounded as he quietly retrieved the scorpion's mana core from his belongings. The core glowed faintly in the dim light, a stark reminder of the betrayal he was about to commit. He made his way to the base's entrance, each step feeling heavier than the last. His mind raced with doubt and fear, but he knew he couldn't turn back now.
With a deep breath, Elric used the core to disrupt the shield, feeling a cold sweat break out across his forehead as the magical barrier flickered and fell. He opened the door just enough to let whatever the Watcher sent come in, his hands trembling with guilt.
A dark, amorphous figure slipped through the opening, moving with an eerie, silent grace. It seemed to flow like smoke, its form constantly shifting and changing. Elric's breath caught in his throat as he watched the shadow glide toward the sleeping forms of his companions.
The creature paused over Tyler and Livia's bed, its dark tendrils reaching out as if to touch them. Elric's heart raced, his stomach knotting with horror. He was terrified that the shadow would harm them, that he had just unleashed a force he couldn't control. He wanted to scream, to warn them, but he remained frozen, his body betraying him in the face of his fear.
The shadow hovered over Tyler for a long, agonizing moment before it moved on, leaving the couple untouched. Elric exhaled shakily, a small measure of relief washing over him. But that relief was short-lived as the shadow continued its silent journey.
It moved over Elric, and for a second, he thought it might turn on him, punishing him for his betrayal. But the shadow merely passed by, its dark form undulating like a living nightmare.
It then stopped over Marcus, who was sleeping soundly, his face relaxed and peaceful. Elric's horror deepened as the shadow seemed to study Marcus, its presence almost palpable in the dim light. Slowly, it began to merge with him, sinking into his body and disappearing from sight.
Elric felt a surge of nausea as he watched Marcus's form convulse slightly, then go still again. He had no idea what the shadow's true purpose was, but he knew it couldn't be anything good. His heart pounded in his chest as he quickly closed the door and reactivated the shield, the familiar hum of the magical barrier doing little to calm his nerves.
He returned to his bunk, his mind racing with guilt and fear. Every creak of the cave walls, every rustle of movement, set his nerves on edge. Elric lay down, but sleep was impossible. His eyes remained open, staring into the darkness, haunted by the image of the shadow creature and the knowledge of what he had done.
Hoping no one had noticed his absence, he tried to steady his breathing, to calm the tumultuous storm of emotions swirling within him. He had followed the Watcher's orders, but at what cost? The weight of his actions pressed down on him, threatening to crush him under its oppressive force. He sat up, his concern for Markus getting the better of him. As he looked over to where Markus lay all he could see was Markus's wide-open eyes staring right back at him in the dark. Elric climbed back into his bunk, tears streaming down his face “What have I done”. Elric knew he had crossed a line from which there was no return.
As dawn broke, Tyler awoke with a sense of unease. Something felt off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. “Guess I’m not used to waking up in another world just yet.”