Bab 48: Into the Obsidian Death Forest
After Viel finished checking his new creations, Randolph entered the workshop.
"Sniff…What is this bloody smell?" Randolph's nose wrinkled in distaste.
"It must be because I used monster blood to refine the weapons," Viel explained.
"So, are you finished? Let me see what my disciple has made."
Viel presented Blood Guardian and Blood Beast for his master to inspect.
"Ok…What?!?!" Randolph's disbelief was evident. "How can it be Unique-Rank? You started practising blacksmithing not long ago."
Although Viel had been using a Mythical-Rank sword made by his master and employing high-ranking skills recently, it was far beyond what a newbie in Elysium should have or use.
"I indeed saw talent in you, but this exceed by far my expectations." Randolph acknowledged.
"Thanks, Master. I am honoured," Viel said.
"I can sense a lot of bloodlust emanating from these swords," Randolph mentioned. "You must be cautious; it can control its user."
"Ok, Master, I will remember it."
Randolph returned the sword and shield set to Viel, who stored it in his storage ring.
"What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't reward my apprentice after achieving such a feat!" Randolph exclaimed out of nowhere.
He took a small chest from his pocket and handed it to Viel.
"Aside from this, you can keep Blood Moon with you for a while. With your current abilities, I don't doubt you will be able to make Mythical-Rank weapons in no time. What use will it have if I stop you from using that type of weapon when you can make them?" Randolph said.
"Master, I am deeply grateful for your gifts," Viel said, though he wasn't sure if Randolph heard him as he ran out of the workshop, heading to the tavern.
"I don't care what people say or if he is an old dwarf, but Randolph is and will always be a tsundere," Viel said.
—---------------
"Lux, are you ready to go?" Viel asked.
"Yes," Lux replied as he came out of his room in the inn.
"Ok, we will set out towards the Savage Lands, the Obsidian Death Forest is located in there. And although it is a public hunting ground, with you being a necromancer no one will doubt us visiting it." Viel explained.
Lux just nodded and followed his Big Brother.
They didn't say goodbye to anyone because it was nighttime. They decided to leave at night so they wouldn't meet with a lot of people and to arrive at their destination when the sun started to come out.
Viel summoned Flasty, which was ridden by him and Lux and started to run.
Flasty was the fattest of Viel and Lux summons, so they reached the entrance to the Savage Lands in no time. There, two people were guarding the entrance.
"Stop! Prove your identity and state your purpose of coming here!" The guard shouted.
Viel took out the knighthood emblem that proved his identity as an honorary knight. Meanwhile, Lux took out his Adventurer's Guild Card.
"We need to verify your identity as an Honorary Knight." One of the guards stated as he headed to a small cabin.
"Ok, it's no problem," Viel answered.
"Can you tell me what your objective is in coming here?" The other guard asked.
"We have come here to go to the Obsidian Death Forest," Viel explained. "My little brother is a necromancer, so I thought it might be good for him."
"Ok. Although it's rare to see necromancers around here, he's not the first one to come with that objective." The guard replied.
As he finished speaking, the guard who went to check Viel's identity came back.
"Your identity has been confirmed. We are sorry for making you wait. Please understand it's our duty." The guard said as he excused himself and his partner.
"There is no problem," Viel said. "You were just doing your job."
Viel and Lux walked by feet until they were far enough from the guards. Then, Viel summoned Brolin's soul.
"What do you need?" Brolin's asked.
"We are in the Savage Lands, guide us to the Obsidian Death Forest."
"And what if I don't want to? Maybe if you gave me some Beast Cores I would feel like doing it."
Just as Brolin stopped talking Viel summoned Bael and Ferto, who were more than willing to make Brolin want to guide them.
…
"This is the entrance to the Obsidian Death Forest." Brolins, bruised and full of wounds, said.
"Thank you, I will call you later if I need your help again," Viel said as he unsummoned Brolin's soul.
"Your summons are very scary, not even Diablo or Ishtar are so intimidating and aggressive," Lux said.
"They just know what to do when they need to."
Viel and Lux started walking into a "forest" full of dead trees.
The trees were all black and leafless, and as the first rays of the sun began to reach them, a metallic glow reflected off the trees.
"I can feel a strong death energy coming from these trees," Lux stated.
"Not only death," Viel said. "I can also feel much more…Like they are alive and at the same time are dead. How strange!"
Viel put his hand over the trunk of one of the trees. When he touched it and started channelling his soul energy into it, his consciousness was suddenly transported into an unknown space.
"What has happened? Where am I?" Viel asked in confusion.
A gigantic whale appeared before him. Compared to it, Viel was like a tiny ant.
"CLICK, CLICK."
A very loud sound propagated around the unknown space.
When Viel heard it, his very being started to hurt.
"VI…! VIE…! VIEL!!" Lux shouted.
Viel wasn't anymore in the unknown space. He was again in the forest with Lux, he was sweating buckets and breathing
"Big Brother! What happened?" Lux asked.
"I don't know. I tried to circulate my soul energy in the tree to check it, and suddenly I was in front of what seemed to be Zephyrion."
When Lux heard Viel, he got a frightened look on his face.
"I think that when Zhepyrion was killed, his soul was scattered along the forest and is still "alive" here. After all, there were no reports of a Beast Core being found." Viel explained.
"That would explain why Ereban came here to study about necromancy, it is a great place to research about the soul and the dead," Lux mentioned.
After this small event, both of them rode Flasty and headed to the centre of the forest.
When they reached what seemed to be the beginning of a lake, the sun was already setting and the moon was starting to appear in the black sky; that had no stars at all.
As they approached the lake, the temperature began to drop. They could even see their breath forming a mist.
They decided to camp near the lake because the poem said that it was the key to the lab.
Next to the lake, there was a gigantic tree. That, unlike the rest, it wasn't 'dead'. And something bout it seemed strange, like it wasn't supposed to be here.
Viel and Lux summoned their companions to watch for dangers and to search for any clue to enter the lab.
Both of them entered the tent and got ready to sleep, but suddenly Jör appeared and started to get Viel attention.
"What happens? Did something occur?" Viel asked the agitated Jör.
Although not a word was spoken, Viel could understand everything Jör was trying to say.
"Lux, wake up and prepare," Viel said as he nudged his little brother. "They have found something."
Viel and Lux followed Jör, who guided them towards the base of the gigantic tree.
There was nothing. But when you get under the shadow of the tree made by the moonlight, instead of a tree being reflected into the lake, an old building can be seen.
"Big Brother look! It's the lab of Ereban!" Lux said excitedly.
"Yes, it is. Now the question is how do we enter? The poem said that you needed to be a necromancer, but how do we prove it."
"I think I have an idea," Lux said.
He submerged his hand in the water and started channelling his necrotic energy.
After a long time, just when Lux was on the verge of depleting his reserves, something occurred.
The water of the lake began trembling and the leaves of the giant tree started to fall. The water that was reflecting the lab disappeared and was replaced by the leaves, forming some sort of tunnel.
"Should we get inside?" Lux asked.
"Do we have another option?" Viel replied.
Both of them recalled their summons and headed into the tunnel.
-------
Check the character's images I have uploaded in an auxiliary chapter.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Kolill
Kolill I hope you are enjoying it. If you want to contribute, please consider supporting me.
k0-f1.com/kolill
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone