Riftside 2 - Chapter 57

I smiled as Pa slapped a hand on the giant carcass’ chest. It echoed with a resounding thud against the giant chest.

“Let’s start with this, because it has several sets of heavy plate written all over it,” he said, his voice brimming with excitement. “How tough was the crystal, son?”

“Our weapons barely chipped away at it,” I said. “Though it suppressed our passives. Only Rowan’s blades did any before… well, before the end.”

He nodded, then drew Stormcutter and smiled down on the blade. It looked like a sliver of captured lightning that snaked along the length of the tool. Pa inspected an area with overlapping crystal plates, running his fingers along the surface. He found a gap between two of the chest plates, each of which was the size of a dining room table, and then cut. The blade slid through the crystalline connections with a soft, grating sound.

“See here, Torsten,” Pa said, taking on his usual carving voice. “You don’t fight the material, you find its weakness. Every beast, every crystal, has a seam, a fault line. Our job is to find and exploit it.” He worked Stormcutter around the edge of one plate, the muscles in his arm bunching. “Alright, lad, give me a hand with this.”

Together, Pa and Torsten heaved the enormous plate free, sending it thudding to the ground. 

A pang, sharp and unexpected, went through me. Seeing Pa work with Torsten, sharing his knowledge, his craft… it used to be me there standing by his side. Just as it had come, the pang disappeared and I knew it felt right. I had my new place, and Torsten needed this as much as Pa needed the full-time help. We had brought the man and his family here to give them a place to call home, and to have a purpose. 

I’d get my time helping out with the forging later, I was sure. But for now, this was their show.

Pa let out a low whistle as the inner structure was revealed. 

“Well, now. This is quite something! Gather around, everyone. Take a look at this beauty.”.”

We crowded closer. Beneath the heavy plate was no ordinary flesh and bone. It was… something else. A substance like wet sand, yet it held its form, firm and resilient. Running through it, like a circulatory system, were vein-like channels of a darker, almost black crystal.

“Those must be the filaments that glowed with its magic,” Ming said. 

Corwin tapped his lip. 

“Its lifeblood was literal magic. How fascinating.”

Pa grunted as he clambered onto the giant’s chest, fighting his leg. Once in the right position, he made a gentle incision in the center of the strange, sandy flesh. 

“Alright, stand back, folks. Need some elbow room here,” he said, and began peeling back the crystal-flesh, careful not to tear it. Torsten was holding the flap to one side. 

Then his breath hitched. 

“By the Rift’s bountiful booty!” he said, tapping Stormcutter against something beneath the flesh, and the object sang with a clear, resonant note. “The ribs on this bastard… they’re… perfect.” He made a cutting motion, then grunted. “Resists even Stormcutter! Never seen anything this strong.”

“Just because it’s strong doesn’t mean it isn’t brittle, Thomas,” Vos cautioned. 

I glanced at him. He was looking right at me, another not-so-subtle lesson being delivered. I rolled my eyes. Did he ever switch off?

Pa mumbled, more to himself than anyone., 

“Even if it is brittle, wrap it in cured Shardfang leather or a lattice cage of Steel Scuttler shell, I’d like to see what would be able to crack this--”” 

He grunted and straightened, careful not to go tumbling on his butt in front of the huge audience. 

“You alright, Pa?” I said, half worried he might keel over.

“All good, son. Torsten, fetch the hand crank. We’re going to need it to get through one of these.”

As Torsten hurried off, Eryn walked over to stand next to me, and tilted her head. 

“You’re checking for a gem already, Pa? Not going to enjoy making us wait?”

“He doesn’t usually check for gems?” Corwen asked.

“Pa likes to build up anticipation,” Eryn explained with a smile. “Makes the prize sweeter, he says.”

“It’s not about making you wait, girl, though that is a nice bonus,” Pa interrupted, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He looked at me. “What is it about, Ash?”

I smiled, a warmth spreading through me at being included in the familiar ritual. 

“It’s to remind ourselves that the gem is a bonus. The real treasures of monster carcasses are their materials.”

Pa nodded. 

“That’s my boy. Like these ribs. Once properly crafted, these might fetch a Mind Gem on their own. Most likely perfect for crafting staves, though that’s not my area of expertise.” He eyed a particularly thick rib. “I’ll definitely forge a sword from one of these. Or a rapier, if the grain allows.”

Lysander stepped forward and held his hands up as if surrendering. 

“Permission to approach, old friend?”

Pa laughed and shook his head. 

“Get up here, Willow! Don’t be shy. It’s not the first time we’re sharing a carcass.”

The bowyer, slender and serene, hopped up with the grace Pa lacked, and walked the giant’s flank as Pa and Torsten, now returned with the hand crank, began the laborious process of getting through a rib.

“Examining the tendons of this creature would be a treat most worthy of my travel,” Lysander said. “That, and perhaps… a casing or channel may be forged for a bow, one in which we can set the second lightning globule.”

Pa’s head snapped up. 

“Ohh! No you don’t! You already got to play with one of Arclight’s globules, Lysander. The other has only one person’s name written on it, and that name is Thomas Tharen!”

We laughed as Lysander waved a placid hand. 

“The bear shows his claws. But the willow knows patience.”

“You can be as patient as a bloody glacier, you wavy tree you,” Pa retorted, though he was smiling too. “That lightning globule is going into a weapon, forged by me. But!” He held up a finger. “I will be gracious enough to potentially use your idea. If what Ming mentioned is true, and lightning magic works exceptionally well with this crystal material, forging a weapon, or a piece of armour, with the lightning globule embedded might yield an interesting creation.”

Vos leaned over to Ma, who was watching her husband with an indulgent smile. 

“Is he always like this?”

Ma nodded, her pride evident. 

“This is what he lives for, Official Vos. It’s why Steel & Scale makes the best armour and weapons this side of the capital,” she said with a wink. “And if we were in the capital, we’d be making the finest weapons there too. But nothing ever makes it that far. It all gets snapped up before we can even think about exporting.”

Vos nodded slowly to himself. 

“We will see about that.”

With a final, grating screech of metal on crystal, Pa and Torsten cracked loose one rib. I helped them lower it to the ground, marvelling at the thickness and length. For all of Pa’s talk of forging a weapon, I’d love to see what protection this could give any of us. 

Pa then carefully made an incision into the strange, sandy flesh deeper in the chest cavity, beneath the ribs. He paused, a showman to the core, and then theatrically, slowly, inserted his hand inside, pushing up to his elbow, eyes half closed as he rooted around. 

Then he froze, his eyes went wide.

“Mister Tharen? What is it?” Alex asked, voicing the question on everyone’s lips.

A slow grin spread across Pa’s face as he pulled out his hand. Resting in his gloved palm was a perfect, multifaceted red Class Gem.

Knut let out a whoop that could have woken the dead. 

“Warrior’s gem! By first shield I ever broke, what beauty!”

I pulled Eryn close and grinned up at Pa. This was a massive find, one that would secure our success in paying back the loan if we couldn’t gather the money in another way. We would still have to find a buyer, but class gems were rare and very much sought after. 

Corwin turned to Knut. 

“What level are you, adventurer?”

“Nineteen,” Knut rumbled. “Ready for my breakthrough.”

Rowan stepped forward, extending his hand to Knut. 

“Congratulations, friend. I relinquish my claim to the gem to you.” Isaac, Ming, and Alex followed suit, each offering their congratulations and, more importantly, giving up any claim to the gem.

“Why?” Corwin asked as he took each of them in, looking puzzled.

Alex crossed his arms. 

“We’re all in our twenties and we’ve got a strong team that is doing good. We plan to stay here a while longer. Keep Dawnwatch safe without drawing bigger threats.” 

It was a sound strategy, one that benefited the settlement by keeping the monster threat level manageable.

“Go for it, Knut,” I said, clapping him on the back. “We’ll see if we can gather the money for the smithy without selling it, so you can use it for the breakthrough. You deserve it.” 

Knut grinned. It was a rare, full-toothed expression as he hurried to accept the gem from Pa with a gruff “Thank you.”

“This is the type of thinking I expect from top adventuring parties,” Vos said. “When you are all ready to break through, contact me. I will work to help find a replacement party for Dawnwatch and the necessary class gems you need, if they are not available here.”

“With a discount, right?” Isaac asked.

Vos actually laughed, a short, barking sound, and looked at Corwin.

Corwin scoffed. 

“No, of course not. But we will make them available at market rate and not force you to hunt for them indefinitely.”

Isaac chuckled. 

“Sounded too good to be true.”

“Official Vos,” I said. “Could we, my party, get the same deal for class gems? Happy to pay market value, but not being forced to wait and hunt with no end in sight would be… beneficial.”

Vos looked at me, his gaze sharp, pausing for a long moment.

“I understand you might be wondering if this will push us to be more or less reckless,” I continued before he could make up his mind, meeting his gaze. “This will only be positive. Without this, we’ll be forced to take on the toughest fights we can find to increase the chance of getting a drop. But if we can take on smaller fights to farm Mind Gems and materials…” I raised an eyebrow. “Less risk, yes?”

Vos nodded slowly to himself, then turned to Corwin. 

“I leave it to you.”

Corwin looked from the giant’s carcass to me, tapping his lips thoughtfully. 

“You truly got the killing blow on this creature, Aldrich?”

“Yes, sir, I did,” I confirmed, deciding it wouldn’t be too bad to show some extra respect. “Though Rowan and Edwin, together with Eryn and Isaac, were the ones who made it possible, and only after Ming, Knut, Nabeeh, and Alex had helped us knock it down to size.”

“A solid answer,” Corwin said. “Very well. I will make class gems available to your party at a ten percent price increase over market rate.” He held up a finger. “This is a privilege usually reserved for those who work directly for Central Command or are special flagged parties. You buying a class gem means another party, somewhere, might go without. Consider this the trust and honour it is.”

“Thank you, Official Corwin,” I said, squeezing Eryn’s hand. This was huge. We could farm mind gems with relative ease, but class gems? Not a chance.

“If you’re all done chatting politics,” Pa said, gesturing with Stormcutter. “Shall we get back to the crafting? Or are we just going to stand around admiring this beast all day?”

I grinned. 

“Yes, Pa. Please go ahead.” I slapped Knut on the back again. “Though I am looking forward to seeing your break through, brother.”

Pa walked to different spots on the giant, Stormcutter flashing as he pointed. 

“Because there are three other things I want to point out while I’ve got you all here. First, the plates on its back. From what I can see, I can forge a series of tower shields from those, strong enough to stop a charging Brambleback. Second, these thicker leg segments…” He tapped one. “A series of warhammers, unless the core material turns out to be too brittle. And third…” He paused for effect, a slow smile. “I’m going to make an axe. And not just any axe, but one for cutting steelhusk.” He held up his hands, Stormcutter still in one. “It might not work, mind you. But this crystal… it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

Harold let out a low whistle. 

“That would be outstanding, Thomas. If you could make an axe capable of cutting through steelhusk efficiently, it might speed up the production ten, even twenty percent.”

Corwin nodded, his expression serious. 

“This is an admirable goal, Master Tharen. Go ahead and work on this idea. But tell nobody. I do not want the Crown to know the economic output from Dawnwatch may be about to increase.”

“Why not?” I asked. “This is the second thing you’ve told us not to talk about today, and I’d like to know why. It feels like we’re stuck in the middle of a battle, but blindfolded and not told who our enemies are or what they want. At least with the monsters, we know they want to kill and eat us before invading our world. It’s not easy to deal with, but it’s damn simple. Kill them before they kill us. Now, would you please tell us what’s going on here?”

Vos and Corwin exchanged a heavy glance, after which the latter gave a minute shrug. “This is not something you should need to concern yourselves with, Aldrich,” Vos said with a sigh. ”But I understand that you have been dragged into it nonetheless, due to your… conflict with House Domitius,” he continued, but then suddenly paused and seemed to be searching for words. “To keep it short, the Crown is no longer satisfied with merely taxing resources harvested Riftside and brought through to Noros. They see the Guild, and settlements like Dawnwatch, as growing too powerful, too fast. Dawnwatch has been chosen as a battlefield between the Guild and the Crown. Not because you have done anything wrong, but simply because you are one of the newest Rifts, the economic value of this Rift is significant, especially thanks to the steelhusk harvested, and thirdly, you are far out on the frontier. If things go wrong here…” Vos let out another sigh, this one laden with a grim sort of pragmatism. “It is possible to move on and agree it didn’t happen. Or if it happened, it was nobody’s fault. And if it was anyone’s fault, they would already be dead.”

A cold anger began to simmer in my gut. 

“What does the Crown expect to be able to do without the Guild, exactly?”

“Aye,” Knut growled. He had swiped the gem into his Spatial Storage, and stood with his arms crossed. To my surprise, Isaac, Ming, Alex, and Rowan remained silent, their faces carefully neutral. They had all known. This wasn’t news to them. But of course they had. They were Edwin’s party.

“It is the Crown’s opinion,” Vos continued, as if discussing cloudy weather, “That the original agreement between the Guild and the Crown was for monster carcasses only, not other materials or resources. The Guild, naturally, does not agree. But we know we cannot afford to fight a battle on two fronts. We are as dependent on the kingdoms as they are on us, even if they try to fool themselves into thinking otherwise. The good thing is that the more carcasses you bring in, and the more economic value generated in that way, the better it is. It shows this Rift isn’t primarily an access point to a resource area, but still a portal into enemy territory, one which we are raiding for what resources we can, one that will require adventurers to conquer and hold, also in the future.” His gaze hardened. “House Domitius, and every single other noble house, have aligned with the Crown. They are looking to secure… let’s just say they want a larger slice of the pie. Similar to what I hear of that hammer of yours, Ash.”

Pa suddenly cut in. 

“They can forget about it. There’s not a chance in the deepest Rift we’ll let those nobles take our smithy. And if the Crown is trying to mess with the Guild…” He stalked across Quarris’ chest to the giant’s head, and with a few deft movements of Stormcutter, he pried loose the circlet of black crystal that had adorned the giant’s brow. He scrambled down before walking over and handing it to me. 

“This will look good on your trophy wall, won’t it, son?”

The circlet was large enough I could have used it as a belt, and the weight was substantial, the crystal cold and unyielding in my hands.

“Yes, Pa,” I said. “This will do well on our wall.” 

Neither Eryn nor Nabeeh complained this time.

Vos cleared his throat, a dry, warning sound. 

“I hope we are not entertaining rebellious thoughts here, Master Tharen, Adventurer Aldrich. A civil war, or even widespread unrest, will serve nobody but the monsters.”

I looked back up to Vos and his gaze. 

“Agreed, Official Vos. It is simply a clear message to those who have the privilege of rule, that ruling is a privilege, not a given.”