Heroes, Magic and Monsters

After resting the rest of the day and the night, I decided to visit the blacksmith quarter. I only remembered about the ore that I found, after waking up, and since we and Sword of Vigor party agreed only divide monster loot equally, I was free to do with that as I pleased. Well technically - probably.

I entered my familiar dwarf's weapon shop and he greeted me cheerfully.

- How's my favorite elf? Heard you took on a big pants job, and killed some lesser dragons. Proud dragon slayer, ha!

- Where did you hear that?

- Sword of Vigor, spend last day celebrating and buying ale to half of the town. They boasted with their success. Mentioned an elf, which killed two drakes, all by herself, and knocked down spider monsters by the dozens. Those pests are reason why rarely any solo adventurer goes to the dungeon, not even D rank ones.

Those god damned drunkards. I wanted to stay quit and unnoticed. Every time I went to the town I kept my hood on, to avoid other people seeing my face, but now thanks to those old geezers most of the town will be talking about me. Hope that soon something else will happen and everyone will forget about our raid.

- How come you not celebrating?

- Spend the day resting and sleeping. We spent whole day and most of the night in the dungeon, needed to rest.

- You elves with your weak constitution. Always said that elves can't drink. But what brings you here? Again arrows? Your my best arrow buyer in town, - dwarf laughed, holding his belly.

- I found something, and want you to appraise it, and tell me how much it's worth.

I took out stone and showed it to dwarf. Seeing it in daylight I was sure now, that it was some kind of metal. The sun's rays reflected off its surface, casting light spots on the walls.

Dwarf gulped and carefully took the ore. He looked at it with trembling hands and almost dropped it.

- That's a magic ore. Haven't seen one in years. You weren't kidding when promised to bring me some. Block this big can be used to forge several orichalcum dwarf axes. Could be worth somewhere between seventeen or twenty gold pieces. Would by it immediately if I knew it true worth and had coin on me. Perhaps I could borrow some, from loan shark or two?

I laughed: - Hold your horses old man. I'm not even sure that I want to sell it.

- Oh, wanna take it to alchemist, or trade it for an artifact? - dwarf sighed and his shoulders slumped down.

- No, not that, - I shook my head: - Was thinking about a deal with you.

- Sure, - dwarfs eyes brightened and he hugged the ore piece: - What have you in mind?

I thought for a moment. Orichalcum sword would be nice, but not as good as adamantium sword. Something else maybe.

- How good is orichalcum, comparing to steel?

- Hmm, - Ashurga finally put the magic ore on the table and stroked his bushy beard: - It's much lighter and more durable. Takes a lot of strength to pierce orichalcum armor, more than any low ranking adventurers have. Good protection against mid ranking monsters. As a weapon it rarely needs maintenance, hard to sharpen, but worth the trouble, since it's hard to dull it afterwards.

- I see, - I thought some more: - Can you make me a chainmail that I could wear beneath my vest?

He looked at me deep in thought. I was wearing my town shirt and pants, but dwarf saw my adventuring close several times before, and he remembered them well. Made a few comments about them, when I first started visiting his shop.

- A short one, ha? Something light that won't restrict your movements. And won't get in the way of using bow. Maybe without sleeves even. Hmmm. Tricky to make the armor for woman. Men chainmail usually the same size all length. As wide as men's chest. Easily to put on. But in your case that won't do. Not with your breasts and tiny waist. I'll think of something. But chainmail don't take much metal. What about the rest.

- You can keep it as payment for the work, - I smiled.

- Really?! Don't you worry laddy, make you best chainmail in town. Count on me, - he hit his chest with his fist.

I laughed and nodded at the dwarf: - Counting on you master blacksmith.

He smiled with satisfaction, and looked at magic ore block, probably impatient to get to work.

- How long will it take?

- Let me see. Have first melt it and add other metals to make orichalcum. Chainmail take long time, every piece will have to be perfect. Give me ten, no two weeks at least. Will be ready by then. Promise you that. Will have to take measurements first.

I nodded and took of my cloak. Dwarf stared at my almost waist long, thick hair, that previously was always hidden beneath my cloak. Then he shook his head and made professional face.

- Let's see now.

Dwarf measured my shoulders, chest width, and waist. I was curious about my breast size, but was embarrassed to ask him. He wrote down the numbers, but I could not see them. I sighed inwardly, guess it will stay a mystery for a while.

- All right then, come back in two weeks, and it will be ready by then. Count on Ashurga the weaponsmith.

I nodded and left the shop. Our scheduled meeting with my party was only tomorrow, and I had all day for myself. I sighed and went to Adventurers Guild. Training, training and training. As much as I hated it, I needed to train to become stronger.

* * *

When my party gathered I explained them how I find magic ore and gave each one two gold pieces as their part of the profits. Trevor wanted to refuse, but I insisted. After all we had an agreement to share all loot from the dungeon. After that I was almost broke again, but we gathered to find work, and I hoped to earn something, for my next expenses.

We checked quest board, but didn't find anything interesting. Lord Gilliazar posted a quest for peasant protection. He planned to proceed with his plans to build a village in the uninhabited lands.

I thought how we would manage such quest now, comparing our abilities to the ones that we had before. We were stronger now, but not by much. Evan and Godrick were better swordsman than Trevor or me. Could we do something about the lich now? Maybe using the Magic arrow, but there was no guarantee that lich could not protect himself from it. After all that was basic attack spell, and there were many spells to counter it. We were stronger physically, but not strong enough to make a difference, not against liche's black magic.

The day before I used the leveling crystal, but to my surprise killing two drakes was not enough to increase my level. And I was hoping that it will increase at least two levels. I will have to go dungeon diving several times to increase my levels. If every level increase got harder and harder, then it was clear why most adventurers who took jobs only around town rarely earned even rank D by leveling up.

We were discussing what we should do next. I was getting restless. I desired to get higher level and evolve into ever young and also more powerful high elf. In order to do that I needed to kill greater number or stronger monsters. Trevor like always was cautious. His goal was to save up enough money for learning swordsmanship skill. Now that he got it, thanks to his hard work, he was living a dream and saw no need for additional risk. Luara also wanted to increase her stats before going to more dangerous level four. She was not sure that we will be able to handle enemies at the level of giant ants. Myne was also hesitant.

Unlike me the rest of my party had spare cash. They earned more than ever before, and rank D was good enough for them. Finally I had to back down and agree to postpone our visit to floor four until Luara could increase her strength to five or higher.

We spend two days in dungeon, but recent dungeon cleaning quests diminished monster number. We encountered only four small monster packs, and only one level two monster - horned bear. Our hunt earned each of us less than a single gold coin. To my comrades that was a lot, but to me that was not nearly enough.

Myne decided to learn a level two spell and needed at least four days for learning and then practicing the spell until she could confidently use it. So our next dungeon dive was postponed for four days. I had just enough money to wait for that, with my usual training routine, but decided to take another more reckless path.

I visited Mage Guild and asked Sally about spells that could increase my strength or speed.

- There are several. You still can learn only level one elemental spells? - I nodded, and Sally continued: - There are two spells that can increase your strength. Fire school magic spell will greatly increase the damage that you inflict, but only if you deal in unarmed. Water magic spell will increase your strength, but at level one, just by a single strength stat. Air school magic will increase your speed.

That sounded impressive.

- Can you tell me about the spell that increases the speed of the caster?

- Certainly. It is called a Haste spell. At your level it will increase your or one of your party members speed stat by 1. At novice Air magic skill it will increase speed stat by 2. At basic by 3. At advance level you can increase single species stat by 4, and at master every species creature stats will increase by 5. How many party members speed you can increase depends on your mana, and the length of the spell depends on your spell power.

That sounded impressive.

- I would like to learn that spell.

- Very well. It will cost you one gold coin.

This time my master was wielder of advanced water magic skill master Ferguson. The fact that he only had advanced level skill did not surprise me. I already knew that in order to get master level skill, creatures needed to fill all their skill slots, and increase them to advanced level. That is why people with master level skills were so rare.

Master Ferguson reminded me of Luminos. Similar rob, just light blue, long beard and arrogant attitude. But he also turned out to be a patient teacher and I learned the spell in a day and a half.

I hoped to meet Nelly, but she was busy and another girl was taking care of her duties.

After learning the Haste spell I spent my remaining money on food supplies and three mana restoration potions. Second part of the day I practiced Haste spell, and after running out of mana restoration potions I went to the dungeon. I spend the night near the dungeons entrance and, after sunrise woke me up, entered the dungeon.

* * *

It was reckless, but I got too impatient with what to me was slow progress. Besides I decided that I was strong enough to handle dungeon monsters on my own, especially with my advanced Night vision skill. I already memorized the way to the fourth floor after traveling the same passages several times.

On the first floor I killed one spider monster and encountered six rats. Four of them I killed using my bow, and only two got close to me and forced me to use my sword. Traveling through second floor I only encountered a single horned bear. I attracted his attention with my arrows and when he got closer, finished him using my Magic arrow. Bear's horns, will bring me two silver coins, it made a good start for my hunt.

Third floor was "cleaned" by the adventurers more scrupulously, and I went through it without encountering any monsters.

Finally I reached my destination - floor four. I hesitated for a moment, but benefits were too tempting. I went down the stairs and looked past the corner. Thanks to the glowing moss I could see almost as good as in daylight. I was not familiar with this floor as good as with the first three, and planned to investigate nearest caverns. And run away to the third floor, in case of encountering something more than I could handle.

First caverns had two exits. I chose the left one and went through the corridor to the second cavern. It was empty and I decided to check one more and then go back and check the other passages. Third cavern was occupied. Near its ceiling was a huge wasp nest. Several monster insects were flying around the cavern, gathering something from the glowing moss that grew more richly in this cavern. Wasps were almost a meter long. They had sword like stingers and their color was much darker than their natural brethren possessed.

I went back to the corridor and casted Hast spell on myself. I felt magic power going through my body and felt much lighter. Then I returned to the cavern's entrance.

I took a deep breath and aimed my arrow at the wasp. I counted six of them, but there could be more in the nest. If I cannot kill the monster wasp with a single shot, I will have to run away as fast as I can. My arrow went deep inside wasp's body. Monster's wings quivered and then wasp fell on the ground. Even if my arrow did not kill her, the fall definitely did. I killed two more wasps, before they finally noticed me. Their bussing became louder and ten more wasps flew out of the nest. They flew several circles around the nest, before realizing what was happening. That gave me an opportunity to kill the rest of the wasps that were flying around the cavern. At least I did not see any queen monster. In a way that made sense, since these wasps were born from mana, so they did not exactly need the queen-mother. Ten wasps and I still had eighteen arrows in my quiver. My chances were quite good.

Wasp colony turned towards me and started their charge. I killed five of them and one more using my Magic arrow, which I used alongside my bow. Four left, but too close to use the bow. I threw my bow on the ground and unsheathed my sword. At the same time I jumped back, deeper into the corridor. It was too narrow for wasps to surround me. Even better two of them collided and fell on the ground. Remaining two slowed down and bended their bodies, so they could use their stingers. I jumped to the side and sliced of the wing of the closest monster. Wasp fell on the ground and rolled forward, breaking its remaining wing. The last wasp turned around, but I did not wait for it. I run towards the two wasps that started to take off the ground, and cut of wasp's head while running past it. Then I turned around and pierced the second wasp, just as it turned its side towards me.

Remaining wasp was flying towards me, and I did not have enough time to remove my sword from dead wasp's body. I jumped to the side and rolled on the ground until I crashed into the wall. Wasp flew past me into the cavern. I stood up and took my dagger. Wasp turned around and again aimed at me with her sting. I jumped towards the wasp, little on the left and managed to slice her wing. Wasp fell on the ground, and I run towards her and jumped on her back. Her working wing hit my face several times, while I was stabbing wasp's body. Luckily I was outside wasp sting's range, and her wing was not very strong. I stabbed her six times, until wasp stopped moving. I stood up breathing heavily.

My Haste spell was still working, which was good. Thanks to the spell, I moved little faster, and wasp movements looked slower to me, what allowed me to predict their movements.

Well, my gamble paid off. I gathered wasp magic stones and cut out their stingers. Wasp stingers were worth at least four copper coins. Blacksmiths could use them to make spears or daggers that were sharper than steel ones, and almost as durable. Five of my arrows were broken, but my income from these monster materials will be greater than my expenses.

After gathering my arrows, I looked at the wasps nest. It was around dozen meters above me, but in reach of my magic arrow. Haste spell used ten of my mana point, and even after using Magic arrow, I had plenty of my mana left. I relaxed and aimed my Magic arrow at the base of the nest. I used up four Magic arrows, when nest finally fell on the ground. I hoped that wasps were similar to crows and gathered some treasure in their nest.

The nest fell on the ground and broke into many small pieces. To my surprise, honey like substance leaked out of the nest. I carefully look and smelled it. It smelled like honey. I still had my anti-poison potion, so I carefully licked it. It was honey. This was my first sweets in this world. I used one vial before, collecting spider poison, but still had three empty bottles left. I quickly filled them with honey.

I had hard choice before me. To sell it or eat it myself. I was still imagining about how much I can sell honey for, when ground shook below me. I almost lost my balance, and stepped away from the honey. Falling into it and then washing it off my clothes and hair was not something I wanted to do.

Ground shook again and then it opened up. Stones flew around the cave and long, rock covered body appeared out of the hole in the floor.

Something leaned towards the honey and then a huge mouth opened. Monster gulped down honey and then shining mouth encircled by three horns turned towards me. I paled recognizing the monster.

It was floor guardian lava worm. A floor guardian that bestiary described as rookie adventurer party killer. Unlike the other floor guardians, who stayed on their floors, lava worm travelled between floors by borrowing through the ground. It was the only floor guardian who could appear on the upper floors, and was too strong to any low ranking adventurer party. That is why it was called rookie adventurer party killer.

Worm's body was covered by big, rock like scales, and even with only part of its body coming out of the floor it towered too meters high. Monster was rear, and Adventurer guild's bestiary noted that it appeared only during the special circumstances. I guess possible monster stampede, counted as special circumstances. It was likely attracted by the tremors caused by the falling nest, and then by the honey. My greed brought the monster right to me. Bestiary also said that monster sometimes swallowed still living adventurers and digested them in its stomach for a long while, until they finally died.

As a floor guardian it could survive injuries that would kill any ordinary monster, and continue to fight, thanks to higher life force that was reflected by the Health stat, which was numerical representation of human and monster life force.

I curse inwardly. Running away from it will be impossible. Worm will chase after me no matter what floor I am on, and it never stopped until it killed its prey. Monster leaned backwards and then spitted a lava ball at me. I tried to evade it, but was too slow. Several hot liquid rock drops fell on my back. It melted my clothe and burned hair before reached my skin. Pain was worse than anything I experienced before. I felt my skin burning, but continued running. My magic practice paid off. Fighting trough the pain I casted Cure spell. It eased the pain and I swallowed healing potion. I had no time to worry about the potions taste. Monster crawled out of the hole and followed me. It crawled like an earthworm, bending its body and then straightening it. Lava worm was slowly approaching me.

I casted Haste spell and it allowed me to keep the distance between us. At least the worm could not use its lava spit, while it was moving.

I used stamina potion on the run and counted the amount of mana that I still had. I should be able to use one more Haste spell and two Magic arrows, without running out of mana. Third Magic arrow will deplete my mana reserves, and without mana potion I will be completely defenseless.

I prepared Magic arrow spell and run into the second cavern. After reaching its middle I turned around and used Magic arrow spell. It reached the monster, but managed only to crack two of his scales. Worm did not even notice it. I run to the side and worm slowed down, he was not as fast when he needed to turn. Good to know. Suddenly my Hast spell expired and I had to cast it once more.

I considered running towards the stairs. They could slow the worm, but for how long? Without Haste spell it will catch me. Scholars who wrote bestiary theorized that lava worm could track its victims using land vibrations. Worm was relentless hunter, who enjoyed the hunt. Also as a creature that lived in darkness he had a great sense of smell. That honey smelled really good, and there was a lot of it. Dammit, dammit, dammit. Will my greed literally be the death of me?

I had a single chance to kill it, aim for its open mouth, the same why that I killed the drakes. I started to grow tired and swallowed my last potion. It restored some of my stamina, and I prepared Magic arrow spell. I slowed down and worm opened its mouth. The moment it happened, I used Magic arrow. It flew right into monsters mouth, but before it reached it, worm spat out another lava ball. It collided with my Magic arrow and they blew up. Most of the lava splashed worm's head. He screeched in pain and violently shook his head. One of the horns that covered worm's mouth was damaged, and several of his scales melted down. Monster turned its head towards me. He looked really angry. I stepped back, and tripped against the rock. I fell on my ass and worm towered over me. He opened his mouth and prepared to swallow me. Being digested in worms stomach, was a worth way to go. Worm lunged towards me and I used my last spell. This time Magic arrow went right inside worm's mouth. It blew up inside it and monster's attack changed trajectory. One of his mouth horns slashed my arm, and monster's head hit the ground. Small rocks flew around it, hitting my body. Worm shuddered, and I saw green blood, coming out of its mouth. The worm twitched in its death throes. Lava worm hit my defenseless body and I flew ten meters threw the air. I rolled on the ground and hit my head. My eyesight darkened and I lost conciseness.