Chapter 110: Progress On The Home Front |
More notifications awaited Lukas when he returned home. He dispelled the clones still in the city and resummoned them straight away.
Arcane Smithing has progressed to Tier 5!
Strength and toughness have increased.
Minor ability upgrade available.
Arcane Smithing has progressed to Tier 6!
Magic metal creation abilities have improved.
Arcane Smithing has progressed to Tier 7!
Magic metal creation abilities have improved.
Lukas expected to return to a rank of Arcane Smithing at most. But when he dispelled Eins the journal vibrated more than half a dozen times. The clone hadn’t just finished a glaive but a couple of other projects. More unfinished projects littered the workshop. It seemed that without distractions or commitments, he and Zwei hadn’t stopped working.
- Creator’s Touch: Eins will develop a special connection to all of his creations. His connection to their magic and any enchantments will deepen, improving efficiency, arcane potency, and intent-related manipulation.
- Material Instinct: Eins will gain improved instincts related to metal, essences, and all materials associated with arcane smithing, whether arcane or otherwise.
- Tireless Workmanship: Eins will tire considerably slower while pursuing artisanal pursuits. His natural healing and stamina recovery will also improve substantially.
The clones with unique shards had proven too potent to be left out of fights. He preferred it if Eins stuck to crafting around the clock, but Arcane Smithing was bound to spawn potent conjunction abilities with its neighbors. As a result, Lukas opted for Creator’s Touch so that Eins could get the most out of his creations, wielding Shaker’s Beard and the now-complete Phoenix Glave with unmatched mastery.
The other two mid-tier abilities didn’t interest Lukas in the slightest. Inspector’s Compendium made Material Instinct redundant, doubly so now that the clones could summon and use the journal. The clones were already slow to tire and had the willpower to push themselves to great lengths. Unless he was out in the field, Lukas intended to dispel and resummon the artisan clones twice a day, keeping them refreshed and working around the clock. As a result, he saw no use in Tireless Worksmanship.
Lukas flipped through all of the journal pages dedicated to the individual shard abilities. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them all so populated.
Shadow Clone: Tier 3 | Rank 0Mid-Tier Ability: Empowered Clone IITier 2 Ability: Shade’s Mantle II | Domineering DarknessBody-conjunction ability: Shadow SteelMind-conjunction ability: Shadow Illusion
Altered Metal Mass: Tier 2 | Rank 6Mid-Tier Ability: Cover Weaknesses, Emergency AlterationTier 2 Ability: Steel WeaveSoul-conjunction ability: Shadow Steel
Thunderstorm’s Eye: Tier 1 | Rank 9Mid-Tier Ability: The Calm Before
Spellweaver: Tier 2 | Rank 0Mid-Tier Ability: Mage’s InstinctSoul-conjunction ability: Shadow Illusion
Arcane Smithing: Tier 1 | Arcane 7Mid-Tier Ability: Creator’s Touch
Biomancy: Tier 2 | Rank 0Mid-Tier Ability: MimicrySoul-Conjunction Ability: Shadow Mimic
Intricate runes covered the glaive’s blade and shaft. “Why is there a metal inlay all the way down here?” Lukas asked, running his finger down the shiny line from the spine. “Wouldn’t heat conducted down it get annoying?”
Eins tapped the enchantment just below the glaivehead. “This keeps the conduction just going one way. You can send lightning up, but the heat won’t come back down.” He nodded at the metal wall they used for testing. “Feed the glaive magic, point it there, and think ‘Shoot.’”
The weapon’s edge now only glowed the same orange as a phoenix’s feather when Lukas fed it magic. It wasn’t so bright that the light would stand out like a beacon in the dark, which Lukas appreciated.
Shoot.
Energy pulsed up the spine and coalesced in the head. It focused on the blade’s edge and point before a hook-shaped projectile burst forth. The bit after the tip flared outwards, resembling wings. Much to Lukas’s surprise, he felt no heat radiating from the weapon’s head or the spawned projectile. The phoenix exploded on impact, leaving a watermelon-sized dent and scorchmarks. This time, he felt the heat, and the metal emitted a soft red glow. When Lukas inspected it closely, he found a fingertip-sized hole at the impact point.
“I tested it on the other side of the river,” Zwei said. “The projectile can fly a hundred feet, but it's going to cost you accuracy. A couple of times, it strayed way off course to chase a rabbit, and I think it might be the phoenix essence mixed in. The magic has got a mind of its own.” He pointed at a part of the script still glowing bright. “The blade will burn as hot as a forge following the projectile’s release for a couple of minutes.”
“You left a good deal of flexibility,” Lukas commented, studying the inscriptions. “Instead of a projectile, could I focus the energy around the blade and release a close-ranged blast?”
“I planned on leaving that to you or a Spellweaver clone,” the clone replied. He pointed at two eyeball-sized holes on the shaft just where it made the glaive head. “I left room for essences and arcane crystals. The surrounding script is a copy of the Spell Sniper’s enchantment. I’m not good enough to replicate it, but I got close. It will extend the spell range by about half as much.”
“What do you think, boss?” Eins asked, anxiously tapping his left foot. “Did we do good?”
“You went above and beyond. I expected a flame-enchanted glaive for a Shock Trooper or Stalker, but you made something more.” Lukas gripped the weapon tightly. “You made a bladed mage staff, and it's incredible. I’m going to have Flukas wield it. Wish it weren’t so big, though.”
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The smithing clone grinned. He reached over and twisted a banded section of the staff just below the glaive head. Runes glowed along the length, and the bottom half retracted into the top. “It’s why the weapon is so light. There are hollow sections to facilitate size-changing, much like the Three-Stage Spear. The size is just about right to fit the weapon diagonally across the Hidden Compartment.”
Lukas tested Ein’s claims and was delighted with the results. In its current state, the glaive looked more like a Chinese Guandao. He retrieved the warbeasts’ heart crystals from the storage. They were far denser and purer than anything available in the markets or guild shops they could access.
“Look into refining these and turning them into socketable stones,” Lukas ordered, passing the crystals to Eins. “I don’t know if Arcane Smithing covers anything of the sort, but these are too perfect for us not to use.” His eyes moved to the other seemingly complete weapons and tools on the nearby workbench. “What else do you have?”
Eins and Zwei had a good time with show and tell. There was a dagger that radiated sound energy. It had a hollow handle. The enchantment sucked air through the pommel, compressed it, and then sent it up a channel in the blade. Zwei had enchanted it such that the sound magic wrapped the air around the blade to extend its reach or released it as an explosive blast. It was a devastating tool that would likely make quick work of most foes.
Next was a storm gauntlet. The clones had developed it using locally sourced and refined metals. They pumped it full of Storm Energy before Eins forged and shaped it. Then, Zwei had enchanted the creation. The second Lukas saw it, he wrote it off as a candidate for sale to the Shadow Seekers, but then the demonstration made his jaw drop.
Eins wore the gauntlet and fed it magic. Lightning danced off the surface, and air rippled in a disc in front of it. Zwei fired Shadowsteel needles and a Stormfire sphere. The first changed course and ineffectively bounced off the gauntlet while the latter exploded against the rippling air.
“Sound barrier?” Lukas asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Sound barrier.” Zwei nodded, grinning. “The last electrified shield only protected against metal projectiles. The sound barrier should theoretically help with all others while also slowing anything that can get through and might trigger the electromagnetic defence. There’s again flexibility to bend the spell scroll—sonic explosions, lightning blasts, whatever we manage.”
“We wanted an effective companion for Shaker’s Beard,” Eins added, beaming with pride. “I think we got it.”
“I’ll need to save journal upgrade charges for expanding the Hidden Compartment if you guys keep this up.” Lukas took a moment to admire the clones’ creation. Individually, their skills were barely those of journeymen in their respective crafts. Eins was marginally ahead of Zwei because of their time in Iskander. However, their skill together was that of a journeyman if not higher. “Well, I was going to sell this piece and pretty much everything besides the glaive. Now, I’m going to have to ask you to make more like this. Probably more armor.”
“Are we finally going to field frontliners besides Morph?” Eins raised an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Lukas answered. “It’s going to be you. We need to get the most out of the midtier ability.”
The clone’s shoulders sagged. “I thought you wanted me to craft around the clock.”
“I did, and you will until Arcane Smithing reaches tier two and you get conjunction abilities. If we’re lucky, it combined with Thunderstorm’s Eye will turn you into Thor.”
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“You did what?!” Penelope’s eyes widened. “You had the opportunity to turn Morph into a golemancer and passed up on the opportunity? For what? More biomass storage and changing the appearance of shadows?”
“And flesh,” Lukas added.
“That’s still not enough.” The sorcerer shook her head. “Flesh golems could’ve turned him into a one-man army. Why would you give that up? What’s your issue with minions?”
“Control,” Lukas answered matter-of-factly. “It would be great if I were sending Morph out into the world to do things on his own. But I value him first and foremost as an infiltrator who’ll enter spaces as a fresh face. Then, as someone fighting on the frontlines of combat with me. And I don’t want to command a bunch of clones, and the clones have a bunch of mini minions.” Lukas sighed. “A one-man army is great if you want it. My reasoning probably doesn’t make sense, but I prefer the subtle touch and control from the background.”
“I think the issue is Lukas trusts himself first and foremost, and giving so much power and command to a clone concerns him,” Shae said.
Lukas struggled to conceal his surprise. “Very articulate and insightful of you, Shae.” He caught himself. “I apologize if that was condescending or patronizing. That wasn’t my intention. Your vocabulary and language skills have improved so much since I last saw you… It just caught me off guard, is all.” He returned his attention to Penelope. “Shae is correct to some extent.”
The last thing Lukas wanted was a repeat of what happened two decades prior in the Realm of Greater Beings. Despite endless investigations, he had failed to get to the bottom of what happened. Now that he understood that his clones housed a fragment of his soul, he suspected a witch or necromancer was to be blamed. In fact, the clone that he lost control of and had to put down was seeking out a lich’s journal and phylactery for Lady Silverspine when it occurred.
Lukas didn’t just lose control of one of his minions, but El-Sixty-Eight also found a way to prevent dispelment. The clone created an army of bone minions and zombies and took over a Lesser Being’s city. The opposing entity was far from the nicest being and deserved what happened to him, but the loss of control terrified Lukas. When he finally put the clone down, personally, the memories and experiences disappeared into the ether. Lukas never discovered what had happened.
Biomancy was all about self-alteration. It was unlikely it would allow Morph to break free of control. But if he ever did, a clone who refused to listen, had a sense of justice twisted over eighty decades, and equipped with the power to build an army using his corpses, concerned Lukas. Worst of all, the errant clone had become paranoid of being tracked down and eliminated, which made him extra hostile and terrifying. The last thing Lukas wanted was a repeat.
To be fair, any clone that breaks free could do the same. Minions with magic beast organs, and whose flesh can be molded to disguise and change appearances, just make things more difficult.
“I don’t want minions running around that I can’t personally put down,” Lukas stated.
“You confound me.” Penelope sighed. “The clones are supposed to be a part of you. Does that mean you don’t even trust yourself?”
“I know what I’m like.” Lukas shrugged. “Power corrupts. I get urges. I feel tempted to do things that go against my code and morals. The clones lack my inhibitions. When they see a right that needs to be wronged, they don’t think of the consequences or look at the bigger picture; only their perspective matters. Not self-preservation. Not what’s good for me or the other clones. Only their goal.”
“When you put it that way, it’s a terrifying possibility,” Penelope said. “Now, tell me about your mission. Tell me about Mira.”
“I had to take things into my own hands. Promise not to be mad.”
“What did you do?”
“Are you going to promise?” Lukas asked.
“I’ll do no such thing. When people ask for such promises, it means they did something stupid, bad, and they weren’t supposed to.”
Lukas told her the story he had concocted about the black dragon’s flame almost consuming and killing Mira, and how he sensed a second dragonfire within her and copied the ritual to save the woman’s life. Penelope was mad. She called him an idiot who didn’t just risk Mira’s life and his own. She questioned how he identified the second fire and the correct ingredients. When Lukas claimed he guessed and deduced, Penelope got even madder. However, she believed him.
Guilt followed.
