Chpater 389 - The Bee-turn of the Blazing Berserker |
Chief Rohsuak stiffened, still facing away from Belissar. She spoke very carefully, slowly enunciating her words one at a time.
“Tower Keeper…what do you mean?”
Belissar hesitated at Chief Rohsuak’s tone but answered nonetheless.
“Back during Metsaitti’s Trial of Fire, I strengthened his bond with the Tower so that Niobee could save him. I…only noticed it now, I think because I was just relieved he survived back then, but he got a bit younger afterwards too. So…maybe you could get younger too if I strengthened your bond with the Tower?”
Chief Rohsuak went silent. Metsaitti and even Urubran quieted down as well, leaving the roar of the fires and volcanos in the room as the only sounds. Belissar started to grow uncomfortable. Was Chief Rohsuak upset it had taken this long for him to realize it?
After a long moment, Chief Rohsuak finally turned around to face Belissar, a small frown on her face.
“…I had come to terms with my own mortality years ago. I have already resolved to pass the fate of my people to the next generation. I cannot recommend you spend your resources on me, Tower Keeper. But…”
Her face softened into a small smile.
“…if you wish to strengthen my bond to your Tower, if you have found my service useful enough, then I would be honored to accept whatever you wish to give me, whether or not it has the effect you hope for.”
“Of course. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done, Chief Rohsuak.”
With that, Belissar focused on Chief Rohsuak. Niobee joined him without prompting, already directing the flow of the Tower’s mana towards the chief. Flames began to dance in her eyes, because they were in the Dragonvein Volcano most of the mana flowing towards her was Fire attribute.
Offer to improve dungeon bond with sworn defender Rohsuak?
Belissar confirmed without hesitation. Chief Rohsuak flinched, then took a deep breath.
Offer accepted, dungeon bond improved.
Sworn defender Rohsuak now has limited access to dungeon mana. Sworn defender will now be sustained by mana and restored to optimal condition where possible. Sworn defender gains increased resistance to hazardous dungeon features.
Sworn defender Rohsuak now requires 5 mana upkeep.
Chief Rohsuak let out a grunt as the Tower’s mana swirled around her. Fire burst into being and formed a cyclone as the Dragonvein Volcano’s mana concentrated. Chief Rohsuak disappeared behind the blaze. Belissar heard her grunt and groan, as well as a concerning cracking noise.
“Chief?! Are you ok?!”
She did not respond. Belissar was about to dive into the flames when they suddenly dispersed…and his jaw dropped.
Chief Rohsuak still stood but appeared unlike Belissar had ever seen her. She had always hunched over, but now she stood straight and tall, towering over Belissar and Urubran. She even stood taller than Metsaitti now. Her hair was still grey but was now longer and fuller and many of her wrinkles had vanished as her face filled out. Her face still bore the signs of age, but now appeared healthy and strong in spite of it.
Her body had changed even more dramatically. Her muscles now bulged out of her clothes, pushing and tearing at her sleeves. Her arms were thicker than Belissar’s thighs, her shoulders like a wall. Her legs looked like they could crack the stone ground if she stomped on it. Metsaitti looked thin in comparison, Urubran was like a twig she could snap in half.
Her mana burned bright as well, like a raging flame blazing around her. She exhaled smoke with every breath.
Chief Rohsuak looked down at her hand and blinked, slowly clenching and unclenching a fist. She then stirred up her mana, creating a ball of flame above her hand that condensed down and changed colors until it was blue.
But instead of throwing it, she then grabbed her fist around the fireball. Blue flames burst out from between her fingers and wrapped around her arm, coating the entire thing in fire. She then pulled herself back and swung her fist forward with all her might.
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The fire shot forward and sent a clone of flames ahead of her, like the breath of a dragon.
Chief Rohsuak then looked back down at her arm. Her sleeve had burnt off entirely and smoke rose from her fur…but her arm was unburnt. She stared with wide eyes…until her face curled into a big grin.
Then she threw her head back and laughed louder than Belissar had ever heard her.
“AHAHAHAHAHAHA! This…this is…”
She brought her head forward again and looked at Belissar, making a big smile. Her eyes began to tear up.
“In the words of your bees, this is amazing and incredible, Tower Keeper. I didn’t dare hope I would ever fight again…but once again, you’ve done the impossible. I can’t thank you enough…”
Belissar smiled and then shook his head.
“You don’t have to, you’ve earned it. If anything, I’m sorry it took me this long to realize I could do this.”
Chief Rohsuak bared her teeth.
“Oh no, Tower Keeper. I haven’t done anything yet. Only from now on will I earn this, by destroying your enemies as only the Blazing Berserker can. Just you wait.”
She laughed again and then turned to Metsaitti. Metsaitti had a massive grin on his face and tears in his eyes…until Chief Rohsuak turned towards him. Then he paled and began to sweat.
“Metsaitti! Get over here! It’s been years since I’ve been able to spar, help me warm up, will you?”
Metsaitti gulped, but there was no escape.
“Y-Yes, Chief…”
Metsaitti hesitantly took a stance, only for Chief Rohsuak to punch him in the face and send him rolling across the ground.
“Come on, Metsaitti, what was that?! Do I still look like a frail old woman? Stand up and take this seriously, I want to see the strength of the hunter that replaced me!”
Urubran, meanwhile, had stopped cackling at the scenery and instead was focused on Chief Rohsuak. Her arms had burst into flames, sending out blasts of fire with each punch. Metsaitti was forced to bring out his fire wings immediately to evade her barrage.
“Fascinating, she doesn’t just use fire, she takes it in and channels it through her body directly. More like a red elf or inferno pixie…but she’s mortal. Must’ve been painful to learn, that’s some serious dedication to Fire.”
Belissar, meanwhile, had stopped paying attention, for someone else had drawn his attention.
The God of Fire recognizes your achievements of restoring the Blazing Berserker and offers you rewards.
Reward: One Fire-type perk choice, Altar of Fire room feature
Apparently, the God of Fire was quite happy with this development. Happy enough to not only give Belissar a perk choice, but to give him a new room feature outright.Belissar would wait on the perk choice, but he brought up the new feature right away.
Altar of Fire
Type: Fire, Challenger, Holy
Mana Upkeep: N/A
Special Restrictions: May only be placed in locations designated by the God of Fire
Description: An altar dedicated to the God of Fire and filled with his power. Challengers that reach this altar shall receive special boons from the God of Fire. Offerings made at the altar are more effective and more likely to find the God of Fire’s favor.
By divine agreement, all altars shall be disabled while corruption is present in the dungeon.
Belissar blinked. Since the new feature apparently wouldn’t cost any mana, Belissar brought it up right away. This time, however, a spot lit up in his dungeon, glowing with bright red light. The altar couldn’t be place anywhere but there.
That spot was at the heart of the dragonvein volcano itself.
Belissar paused for a moment before he confirmed the placement. He wondered, first and foremost, if he should really place an altar for the God of Fire when the God of Bees didn’t have one of her own in his Tower. So, he decided to check with her first and reached out to Velebee.
“Hive-Builder Belissar! Queen of All Bees has message. She says ok to place altar of Fire, says made agreement with Queen of All Fire. Also says doesn’t need own altar, Hive-Builder Belissar already has oracle and sacred bees perk and altar would be too easy. Says sacred bees should give quests to challengers instead. Don’t know what quests should give, though.”
Belissar smiled.
“Thanks Velebee, and thanks God of Bees. I’ll try to help you think of some quests, then.”
Velebee proceeded into a happy dance.
“Hive-Builder Belissar best hive-builder!”
With that settled, Belissar went ahead and placed the altar. Within the volcano, a small island of black stone rose up right in the center of the lava. In the center of the island was a table formed of red metal adorned with metal candles. Braziers surrounded the table in a circle, all while the volcano raged. The altar did not seem to be protected, fire scorched the island while lava showered down on the table whenever it burst out of the volcano. Yet, the island, the table, and all its adornments remained unharmed.
Belissar realized what the God of Bees had meant about an altar being too easy for her now. Given that the immense amount of Fire mana in the room made the temperature too hot for even burning bees and Disciples of Fire way out at the entrance, there was likely no one in the Tower who could even reach the altar at the moment. Even blessings of Fire and fire immunity might not be enough, the Dragonvein Volcano’s mystic flames could apparently burn past any normal defenses and fireproofing. Just getting to the altar would be an achievement worth recognition.
The God of Fire wishes to offer you a quest, accept?
Velebee let Belissar know the God of Bees agreed before he even asked, so he accepted.
New mission received: Inform Rohsuak of the altar and its location.
Belissar cleared his throat, interrupting the karnuq just as Chief Rohsuak was about to hit Metsaitti in the face again.
“Yes, Tower Keeper?”
Belissar smiled at her.
“The God of Fire wants me to tell you I’ve placed an Altar of Fire in the dungeon. At the heart of that volcano over there.”
Chief Rohsuak, Metsaitti, and even Urubran all opened their eyes wide. Chief Rohsuak turned to face the volcano.
“An…Altar of Fire?”
She slowly narrowed her eyes and started to grin.
“Third of the Sixth, Metsaitti, prepare yourselves. It seems we have a lot of training to do.”