NOVEL NEXT Chapter Twenty-Two: Treasure and Trash
Treasure and Trash
I won't go into too much detail of the pain that I was in for the five minutes until the healing started except to say that, first of all, I had to remove the molten plastic from inside my skin by hand, and, second, I was never comfortable with heat again. When twenty-five minutes later I emerged from the cabinet I took a deep breath and tried not to think about it. I mostly succeeded, but flashes of remembered pain would come over me for the next several days. The two women with me hadn't opened the chest, and the room looked like the aftermath of a firefighter training exercise. Every wooden surface was entirely charred and everything else was covered in soot, except for the blackboard that said 47:30:03. It had been only a half an hour since we started moving towards the original guild.
"I guess we're not making there in time for a heroic rescue," I said.
"They might be trapped in a room and waiting for help. We still have to go," Artemis said.
"You check your journals?" I said.
"Just experience for us. No levels," Hannah said.
"What about the chest?" I said.
"Didn't feel right opening it without you," Artemis said.
"Well let's check it out," I said.
"Hey, Alex, you looked cooked to death. Are you doing alright?" Artemis said.
"If not for my healing skill I'd be dead, so I'm much better than could be expected," I said.
"Skin grafts and months of healing for burns like that. At best. Some skill," Hannah said.
"I'm beat up, but I want to see what we got more," I said, and went over to the chest.
It had a ridiculously sized key-hole on it, and I feared that this meant that we would need to find a key and come back here, which we just wouldn't do, but when I tried to open it, it just opened up, as if by some spring-loaded mechanism, and then fell apart, the sides of the chest falling away in their directions. Inside there was a pile of gold, a scroll, a rolled up piece of fabric and a heavy looking mace. It was not as ridiculous as the giant greataxe that the orc had been wielding, still clearly one-handed, but its head looked very heavy. It was beautifully crafted with a flame design on its head in steel and copper colored patterns.
"Chum gets 10% of my gold," I said.
"Monetary value of loot too, boss. Though I'm guessing you're not picking that mace," Chum said.
"This one's yours, Artemis," Hannah said. It made sense, she was the only one unarmed among us.
I looked at the spell scroll while Chum counted the gold.
Flame Ward: Tier 1, Rank 1
Below is the sigil for the Flame Ward spell of the Abjuration school. This spell conjures a shield around you that both blocks and radiates heat. Once cast it will completely cover your body and any clothing you wear. The shield will absorb any natural fire, and any fire magic of a rank equal or lower than the ward. Any creature other than you in direct contact with the shield will also take minor fire damage. The shield will last for 1xArcana minutes. This spell is cast with the standard casting procedure. The incantation is Cha-ko-aur.
Requirements to upgrade the spell to Rank 2:
Spend 0/60 minutes encased in flame while under the effects of this spell
The sigil was a basic flame pictogram inside of a diamond shape. Pretty simple as far as spell sigils went, I could easily cast it in combat. Which would have been very useful about twenty five minutes ago.
I then checked my journal. The updates in the log were quite lenghty:
Log
You have gained experience by doing nothing useful. Exp to level 7 22/750
You have defeated Dire Boar x2, Exp to level 7 77/750
You have defeated Lesser Cinder Elemental Exp to level 7 187/750
You have cleared a Classroom, unlocking the treasure chest within
There were also several skill upgrades- my Spellcraft skill was now level 4. I had gained some experience in my bartending skill, as well as athletics, but no levels there. There was also some progression that I hadn't seen before.
Your spell Conjure Icicle has reached Rank 2. Choose an upgrade path.
Your spell Invisible Wall has reached Rank 2. Choose an upgrade path.
I flipped over to the page in my journal that said Spells, which was entirely distinct from my spellbook- the Journal would tell me what the level of my spells was and the details of their function, while the spellbook allowed me to cast said spells. And just as the log had indicated there were new options to pick when I looked at my two most used spells. It wasn't clear to me why one of them got to be specialized earlier than the other, but I wasn't complaining.
Conjure Icicle Tier 1, Rank 2
This conjuration spell is most often used in combat. Focus on a point and direction with the incantation ho-alo-nix and a pseudo-portal to the Elemental Frost will briefly open, expelling a large icicle at terminal velocity from the point and in the direction that you designate. Levels increase the size of icicles you can conjure. Current size 200 cubic inches. Choose upgrade:
Shaped Icicle: You can shape the form of the ice you summon in one of three following forms: shard- a sharp, dense shard of ice, block- a heavy block of ice, sheet- a 3ft by 3ft 1 inch thick sheet of ice. The sheet version may be conjured in a stationary form. Increasing the level further will increase the sharpness and density of the shard and add new shapes. Note that levels in the Conjure Icicle spell increases the maximum size of the conjured ice regardless of your choice.
Requirements to upgrade the spell to Rank 3:
Exploit enemy damage type weakness using this spell 0/120 times
Twin Icicle: You can summon two icicles at the same time. You may designate multiple points of origin and directions for these icicles. Increasing the level further will add additional icicles. Note that levels in the Conjure Icicle spell increases the maximum size of the conjured ice regardless of your choice.
Requirements to upgrade the spell to Rank 3:
Cast the spell to strike living enemies 0/60 times in 60 seconds
Really nice options and I couldn't tell which one was better. I had the feeling that adding more and more icicles would eventually out-damage even a really sharp single shard, but the utility of the first choice couldn't be overstated. Then there were the different types of damage. I had a feeling that bludgeoning wouldn't be effective as often as cutting damage, but I couldn't know that, and Chum was pretty confused about the whole situation. In the end I went for shaped icicles. If nothing else, having a variety of options seemed more important than sheer damage right now.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Invisible Wall, Abjuration, Tier 2, Rank 2
This abjuration conjures an invisible wall of force that lasts for 14 x Arcana seconds. This 7ft by 7ft wall is impenetrable by physical force or objects, but may be dispelled by dispelling magic of equal or higher rank. The effective rank of the spell increases by 1 every ten levels only for the purposes of dispel resistance. Physical attacks against the wall deal 10% of the damage to the caster. The incantation is Ban-Aval-Krom-Nefor-Tyn-Vol. Choose upgrade:
Impenetrable Barrier: Removes the damage transference portion of the spell. Allows you to slowly move the spell at the speed of 1 mile per hour by focusing on a direction. Increasing the level further will allow you to move the wall faster. Note that the Invisible Wall spell increases in size and duration based on level regardless of your choice.
Requirements to upgrade the spell to Rank 3:
Survive 0/1000 health damage from one instance of damage blocked by this spell
Invisible Construction: Separates the wall into 7 1ft by 1ft squares. The squares have an outline visible only to the caster. You may arrange these squares into any sequence, so long as they are all touching at least one other square. Increasing the level further will allow you to separate the wall into even smaller pieces. Note that the Invisible Wall spell increases in size and duration based on level regardless of your choice.
Requirements to upgrade the spell to Rank 3:
Trap 0/20 enemies in an inescapable configuration of the Invisible Construction
Another difficult choice. I had a feeling that as time went on the damage of the enemies would increase, and even 10% of a strike could be lethal. On the other hand, an invisible construction power had almost literally infinite utility- I could make stairs, bridges, invisible arrowslits in the wall. I had so far made decisions based on what would be most useful right now and the construction won out hands down in that sense, but I was really tired of getting hurt. Well, Hell, maybe I'd get used to it, the Invisible Construction power was way cooler if nothing else, so I picked it in the end.
"Okay," I said.
"Just good enough to make it seem worth it?" Hannah said. I snorted.
"Yeah. We're starting to figure this shit out, ain't we," I said.
And realized I wasn't really wearing any clothes above my waist. I was standing there in my sandals and socks, cargo pants and wizard hat and my pale and flabby chest out.
"Hey, what was that piece of rolled up cloth you got there?" I said.
"It's pretty cool looking, catch," Artemis said and threw it at me.
I began to doubt her taste. This elfin Guy Fieri abomination was not a piece of clothing in any Earth style I recognized. It most resembled a silk shirt in the Hawaiian style, with the pattern being flames going from red to blue through the stages of heat. There were a few notable differences, however. First of all, it was long enough to reach down to my knees. Second off, it didn't have any visible buttons or a belt to tie it with, just leaving the chest open. Third, it ended in two tails in the back, like a butler's tuxedo. It was, in a word, the most ridiculous item of clothing I had ever seen. It did look like it would fit me, however. I put it on, just to check the details in my inventory list.
Inventory
Silk Robe-shirt of the Ruby Court
This magical shirt is imbued with magic of the Ruby Court of Fae. While there is a fire between you and an observer, your Stealth and Charm skills increase by 5. Your Mind-Altering spells are more likely to succeed.
"I guess neither of you will want to wear this?" I said.
"I'm good," Hannah said.
"If I ever want to run around the Tower with my tits out, you'll be the man I call about a shirt," Artemis said.
So I sighed and put it on. The shirt wasn't particularly well suited for my abilities, but it was something. It felt sort of better than running around topless.
"I got some pretty big buffs to my spells. Let's try to get past a few more doors this time if at all possible," I said.
"Always been the plan," Hannah said, and we went on to check out the hallway.
At first I thought it was full of smoke or steam again and nearly despaired, but as I saw electric charge gather and a miniature lightning strike sideways through the storm-cloud in front of the door I realized what I was looking at. A moment later there was a flash of light and the cloud was gone. I had no clue what had happened, but the hallway looked clear, and so Hannah lead the charge out the door once more. I took a breath and followed her, Artemis right behind me. We set out back into that conservative jog, and for a full minute nothing stood in our way. Then we heard mad laughter and screeching and joyous calls for violence in no language, and within a few more steps we saw a pack of short, hairy creatures.
What must have been thirty of these things stood no more than two feet tall, had ears nearly as wide as they were tall and were entirely covered in hair. Their little faces were taut in wicked grins revealing sharp teeth and their eyes were yellow and red. They wore no clothing, but carried simple stone clubs, except for a few that were wielding chair-legs and beer bottles. When they saw as they charged screeching.
"These don't look strong, don't let them swarm us," Hannah said, as we moved in a defensive position. As was becoming my main strategy I began casting the invisible wall spell. The panels came into my view as dark purple lines in the air, and with a thought I could move them however I wanted. I had a plan- completely blocking them off might be good, but I thought that in this situation a funnel would be better, so I arranged the invisible wall in such a way that it covered most of the hallway, leaving only a narrow 'door' in front of Hannah.
The first of the creatures charging was actually charging into the invisible wall, but could, of course, not see it, so it ran into it and I think I heard it break its nose. But two more were right behind it, now advancing more cautiously, which allowed Hannah to lash out and skewer one through the 'door'. The rest of the pack was upon us now, and with their bodies, they figured out where the opening was, and began to push through. Hannah swung and stabbed, but the little bastards were tougher than they looked. Twice in five seconds Hannah severed an arm or a leg, but the little freaks just picked up their limbs to use as weapons as they advanced.
It was time to try my other new and improved spell. I cast the icicle in shard form and it was, uh, gross. I had become accustomed to launching the icicles directly at the weak-points of my opponents, because it seemed to do so little, that I needed to cause as much damage as possible for it to have any effect. So the first ice shard hit a creature that was going for Hannah from a blind spot directly in the bridge of the nose between the eyes. And instead of shattering and maybe breaking its nose like my old spell would have, the ice shard went through. In a spray of gore and bone, the top of the monster's head fell off. I was horrified, but only for a second.
A downside of the choke-point use of my barrier spell was that Artemis couldn't join in effectively until the wall went down, so she was keeping watch behind us. She said 'huh,' and I spared a glance behind. A horde of skeleton warriors wielding scimitars and bucklers was advancing at us. Very slowly. Well, whatever, killing is ugly work.
I started casting the ice shard spell as quickly as I could, over and over again and the hallway quickly began looking like the inside of a blender where strawberry daiquiri is made. If a particularly hairy cat had fallen in too. Artemis and Hannah took care of the few remaining stragglers, and we kept on jogging, keeping the distance between us and the skeletons. We managed to go all the way to the first crossing before we needed to start looking for classrooms- one of the hallways was clear, but from both of the other two terrible monsters were coming. From the south, a skittering pack of giant spiders and a two-headed Ogre from the West. We had to go either West or North, so we went North and kept running, but as the three packs of monsters got together, they started competing with one another in speed and ferocity.
"Any safe-ish classroom, we take it," Artemis said.
"Agreed," I said, and started looking into doors. The first one we passed looked like a charnel house with the love-child of Pyramid Head and a chainsaw waiting for us, so I told them to keep running. The next was just razor blades. We kept going, as the monsters were encroaching behind us. Finally, the third classroom looked like it was pretty normal. Too much white, and some sort of a water feature, but since there was no obvious threat, and since the monsters behind us were within a dozen feet and numbered in the hundreds, we went into the room.