章 10: Preparations
The scene was like a picture, completely still. Both King Theocrus and Leo were staring at Kaye like he had gone insane.
"Are you crazy Kaye? Tell me, why do you want to go there?" King Theocrus broke the silence with his questions.
Though, in Leo's eyes Kaye had completely proven to be a mad man. He isn't able to use magic and wants to go to Luckard Mountain. What was he even doing listening to this foolish talk?
"No Your Highness, I believe that on the mountain, there's something which can help me achieve my goal," Kaye replied.
"And what is that goal of your's exactly?" King Theocrus asked.
"My goal is to use magic. I need more wealth to buy Nreeti books," Kaye explained.
It's too soon, isn't it? This was bound to happen but I thought I would have more time. King Theocrus thought.
He gave a wry smile and spoke, "So you seek Nreeti's understanding. Why don't you just sell your forging technique then? That would get you the wealth you are hoping for."
Theocrus was an artful King, he would never waste the wealth earned by his fellowship and brethren for someone he just met. He enchanted Kaye's katana because he was his grandson's apprentice, and besides, using his own enchantment skill didn't subtract anything from Magkrin. Instead he had done a favor to Kaye, hoping he would consider it as such and pay it back someday. Kaye was a great smith after all.
A true King never west their resources for nothing. This was the common thinking of every single dwarf kings and hence their Kingdoms' maintained the status of the seven mighty brothers among all other countries.
"No! Your Highness, I can't do that as Master once told me that a true heritage is held by its dynasty only," Kaye said, "and after going to Luckard Mountain, I might find something that will open new avenues of creation for dwarfs. That would be my trade for the bargain."
New creations are an enticing offer, but he'll surely die there. But I am also not some kind of maniac who would send him there just because he refused to sell his sword's forging technique. The King debated.
"I can't let you do this, because you'll be dead before you even reach halfway up. Even a magician with a lightning affinity couldn't survive in that environment. So what makes you think you're better than them?" King Theocrus wouldn't want Kaye to die just because of his own hubris.
"Your Highness, what do you suggest I do to convince you?"
King theocrus shook his head disapprovingly, as if he had the image of Kaye as a stubborn person who doesn't listen to reason.
I have to tell King Theocrus what I plan, otherwise he won't give me permission.
"Your Majesty, are there any lightning mages or wizards here? I will be making an armor with the ability to protect me from the lightning. For your satisfaction I would be willing to test it against the spells of a mage." Kaye revealed.
"It is decided. If you are able to defend yourself against Leo's spell, I will permit you to do your business on Luckard Mountain. Tell me, how are you going to afford the rental fee for forgeries here? They aren't cheap." King Theocrus replied, with a dismissive tone.
I have three of these... Yup, it won't find better hands than King Theocrus'. Unlike the King, Kaye was about to be straightforward.
"About that, I would like to sell one of my swords to your highness. Now that I have three of them and more importantly" he removed the Katana on his back and continued "This one is forged by Master, It will be an honor for master if you would use it in battles." Kaye tried to show his non-existent salesman skills.
Did I say battle and what that was about master being honored? He was barely holding his embarrassment. King theocrus gave a serious look to him without even moving his head towards Kaye.
"What would be its price?" King theocrus asked.
Kaye looked towards the sword and started to contemplate. It took me two days to forge one Katana, while the master took seven days for the first time. It would be very hard to speculate the right amount to cast. I don't know the pricing here, I should better handle it like I always do.
"I don't need gold or silver for the sword, instead I would like to use the resources as I did for the weapon binding ritual test." And with saying that Kaye put the sword in front of King thoecurs, on the pedestal.
He played the safe card. King theocrus lifted the sword up, and while adoring its beauty he said "From this day forward this sword will be mine, and you will be able to use any resources and forgeries within Magkrin for making your armor. Leo will send the message to the forgeries."
Molten metals were boiling in a big container. The concoction made by Kaye was heating the forgery, making the walls brown-red in the radiance of heat. It was a typical scene for a forgery, but the look on the owner's face was uncommon.
He was sweating and standing there in full confusion. The fact that the mixture in the container will be used for forging armor was the cause of his confusion. Metals like copper and silver which generally used in making utensils were the components of the boiling concoction.
Kaye was glaring at the molten metal, he was determined about what to do. I just need to ascend the top of Luckard. I am sure I will find magnetite there, more specifically lodestone.
When Kaye saw all those lightning bolts crackling on Luckard's top the only thing that came to his mind was Lodestone, naturally occurring magnets. There are different Kinds of tools that can be formed by magnets, and in this world where magic tools are considered as the luxury of a tool. A tool that doesn't require mana stone or user's mana could be a leap.
He just needed to let the dwarfs know, how to cultivate Lodestone, and how it can be utilized to make tools that could do miracles. Like a compass to show the direction.
Of course there existed magic tools to navigate in this world too, but they were way expensive to be used by any normal people. The enchantment's price of such navigational tools cost way above what they could pay for.
Theo, prince of a Kingdom said he had only one mana stone, even if the magic stone he was talking about was pure mana stone, but his statement could be used to speculate the rarity of mana stone of any kind. Then again there was still not a clear reason why a prince of a Kingdom as Mighty as Magkrin living such a life.
In the end, it became clear to him that somehow if he were to teach the dwarfs how to make magnetic tools, He will be pretty rich.
"I think it's time now, we will be making full body chainmail armor, with shoes as well as helmet. Do you think we can do it?" Kaye shrugged his solder and picked up the ladle to get the things started.
Copper and silver are the two metals which have the highest conductivity for electricity. He was planning to bypass the lightning bolts' brunt to the ground, by letting the charge flow through his armor and keeping himself safe. For that to happen he had to make an armor which must be fully connected through its each part, such that the charge don't get the blocking of air and have to flow through his body which has low resistivity then the air.
He was just looking here and there wasn't able to understand, finally confused to his bones, the owner asked Kaye reluctantly "Why are we making the armor from a soft metal? It won't hold for one minute in front of a B ranked adventurer."
"It is not for melee combat like sword-play, I have something different in mind." Kaye while answering his question started to make wires by pouring the thin stream of molten concoction in the cold, nonflammable oil. "And can you please make these chains for me? I will be making the helmet and the shoes."
After all these shoes need to be spiky below the base, such that it connects me to the ground well enough. Otherwise I will be toast.
"Yeah! No problem, I will do it." The owner said and nodded his head in disappointment, as if everything going there was of no use.
In the middle of forging the armor, the owner noticed different things like the helmet and shoes Kaye was making, that appeared to him way too big for Kaye's size which was out of his understanding, therefore he had given upon asking anything, and just did as instructed. As a dwarf he was way more efficient then Kaye, before Kaye could complete his base and top the owner completed his work. Both worked hard for knitting the chainmail together completing the armor, it took them four days. The result they made an armor which was too loose for Kaye's body, exactly as he wanted to make it.
Next day he went to Korin's place and as usual he was sitting at his shop selling fruits.
"Did you get what I asked for?" Kaye asked, while looking here and there around Korin's shop, searching for something.
Korin stood up from his place and walked in front of Kaye, making a mischievous grin on his face he said "I found it and lots of it. Follow me, it's laying in the stable."
Kaye looked at the shop front which was left open by Korin, but he didn't ask him anything about it.
It was a small stable for horses themselves, but the pile of dry leather laid down between the two horses almost kicked them out of their own house.
"Poor guys" Kaye looked at the pitiful horses and said "why would you do this to your horses, you just left open your shop, but couldn't put that pile out here."
Korin shrugged his shoulders and said "You are being naïve now, if I had put that thing out here in the night it would have been wiped out by some crawling creature. As for my shop nobody is going to steal anything from it."
Kaye shrugged his shoulders too. Oops I forgot all the brotherhood things Sir Rityal said about the dwarfs, and creatures of this world I better not think about them.
"Okay here are your 10 silver coins. I will be taking it now." Kaye said and sucked up the whole pile of leather in his space ring.
It was the dry leather he will be using as insulation to keep him apart from the armor, in case if it gets heated too much.
This time it was a massive coliseum not an underground chamber, soldiers were located throughout the coliseum guarding it. Theocurs was sitting at bisellium, the seat of honor, just like his courtroom the bisellium was too forged with the Black iron. Once again Kaye was reminded of Theocrus's majesty. The only thing ruining the image was the size of the soldiers, when Kaye looked at them from where he was, they were looking like small scarecrow dolls.
Both Kaye and Leo were standing at the same entrance. Leo was holding his small twig like wand, not that he couldn't use magic without it, but it was to modulate his magical powers since he didn't want to kill Kaye. He was an old guy, pushing fifty. A perfect image of a typical magician.
"CaN I Ask yOu one queStIon?" due to his insulation from the suite Kaye's voice reverberated.
Leo was constantly staring at his armor. Wondering about how the hell Kaye can move in that thing.
"What? Do you want to back down now?" Leo said.
"No! I just want to ask. Why are we not doing this in the underground chamber?" Kaye fired his query.
"Oh that! The lightning spells tend to misfire when used in close spaces." Leo said.
That is a good thing, at least lightning exhibiting the properties it is supposed to be showing. But due to this insulation around my head I am barely able to hear anything.
"Would you like to start now?" Once again King theocrus resounded his stentorian voice loud in the coliseum.
Kaye nodded his head in unison with Leo and both walked to the middle, 10 meters apart from each other. Kaye held both of his swords upwards in his hands like antennas. Wide eyes, hands trembling from amusement and mouth holding his laughter to its best capacity, it was the state of Leo when he saw Kaye making that pose.
King theocrus quickly leaned himself out towards his seat to see Kaye. What is he doing?
"You must be wondering, what those lightning spells can do, that your sword has been enchanted with? So I will use them to get you a better understanding of them." Leo said. I truly hope that you will survive.
"Let them rain." Kaye said and stomped his feet in the ground to let the spikes get into the ground.
Leo held his wand up and waved it towards Kaye " [ARENIYASH] " he shouted.
A blinding flash from a contorted beam of light with no sound shot at Kaye's sword tip from Leo's wand, without a delay of milliseconds.
What? He didn't even flinch. King theocrus shot up from his seat.
Hmm… this could be interesting. A smile appeared on Leo's face.
What! Was that flash the spell? Kaye was amazed at the spell because it didn't do anything, nothing at all. But that spell could have left someone paralyzed if fired at normal people.
"Here take this one." Once again he waved his wand and shouted " [VERNOLIA] "
The same flash appeared with a deafening sound added with it.
Kaye shrugged at it. Leo clenched his wand this time and waved it vigorously " [KINASHI-VIRASTIA] "
Three different lightning bolts appeared this time each assaulted him simultaneously. Kaye was just standing and holding his hand up, occasionally checking around him if there were any fire or burn marks.
" [TERINELA-MIRIUM] " without giving him time Leo once again shot another three deafening bolts at him. No changes appeared in Kaye's posture.
What's going on here? Why is it not working? Uhdh… Let's see how you handle this. Leo threw the wand on the ground and showed his right hand palm to the sky. At his gesture King theocrus put his hands on his ears. The sky became full of black clouds and began to rumble. Clenching his fist close he quickly showed it towards Kaye while yelling " [NIYUSTI-TERINO-INCINELA] " he literally pulled a bolt from the sky to Kaye's sword, and after the flash whole atmosphere crackled for a few seconds.
Kaye's ears were ringing, he felt like somebody just shaken him wildly. If it weren't for his superhuman strength he would have been thrown in the coliseum's wall. Around his shoes the ground was scorched black, smoking, but his hands were still up.
King thoecrus was standing, his hands hanging. He was staring at Kaye with his mouth open.
Then, Leo lifted both hands up, showing palms to the sky. After seeing Kaye was still standing strong he prepared for his next spell.
" [PRECKARI-RE-"
"That's enough" King theocrus stopped Leo and said "I am convinced now, you will be able to survive till the top. When do you like to leave?"
Kaye removed his helmet while looking inside it and he replied "I will be leaving today, I don't want to waste time." I have to do something about that deafening sound.
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