The tunnel rumbled as the earth shook. Jewels shook to the point they fell from the walls or desks they sat on. "Run. Run!" I yelled. The mine was too small for me to shape shift and seeing how everything was shaking I didn't want to stick around to see what was coming up. We ran for the mine entrance. We ran like our lives depended on it. My heart was thumping in my ears when we finally stopped outside the cave and hid in a rocky outcropping close by. Whatever was coming out of the cave I didn't want to be in it's way when it came out.
We waited as the ground rumbled. It only took a couple minutes before we finally got to see what made that noise. It was a massive serpentine creature covered in jewels and metal scales. It was 10 feet wide and had a snakes head with a strangly pointed mouth covered in tiny 4 inch horns.Its eyes were coated by metal eye lids which were strange to see on a snake. Perhaps it's to protect them when digging.Everything about this creature screamed that it belonged in the earth. That it ruled under the ground in these parts. It exuded strength and beauty in its apearance alone. But what it did next startled me. I rose up in the air like a tower while its body slithered to keep it upright. Soon it was as tall as a skyscraper from my previous life.
I stared at it in shock. (How big is this thing?) I thought nervously. Once it stopped raising itself up it opened its mouth and let out a loud hiss. The hiss wasn't normal in the slightest. I felt my body suddenly pressed down by an overbearing force and my mind was muddled.
/ Host is currently being suppressed by a Calamity Class Roaring Skill. Reccomend host retreat and gain strength of a Calamity class before facing./
(This thing is a Calamity Class!?) I thought in horror. (How is this possible. What would it have to do to get to this point?) I grunted against the pressure and started pushing myself up. (If I can't fight this, the least I can do is get the others out of here.) I thought. I grabbed Sam who had fallen to the ground and passed out and Legion who was just lying dormant on the ground and started dragging them. I didn't have the strength to lift my arms and could hardly walk. But I would get them out of here if it was the last thing I did.
It was a couple minutes since the beast came up and hissed out suppression and dominance. But to me it felt like hours. I hauled my charges further from the snake and down the slope till I finally felt the feeling ebb. It was at the base of the slope that I made camp for us again. After I set up a tent and cot for Sam, I put her inside. I needed a fire and got one burning. I sat by the flames and shivered in fear. That thing isn't something the current me can handle. I would die. Even with the ghost fire. Every class has a reason for it being labeled what it is. I can level a city if I wanted. With my skills it would be easy. But if that thing could make it difficult for me to walk let alone get Sam and legion away.... Theres not a chance I can fight it right now. One roar and I'd be done.
Sam woke a while later wondering what happened while legion had to be fed a monster core to awaken. During this time we set up a plan. The mountain was the beasts domain. If we wanted to venture further we had to pass through it. But if we entered any mines or tunnels it might be alerted by my presence.
"So we have to stay above ground is what you're saying?" Sam inquired.
"Yes. Unless we all want to die painful and meaningless deaths then by all means piss off the big snake." I said. " With you as the exception Legion. You lot are already dead and just inhabiting a form." I said slightly saddened by that fact.
We set up camp for the night. We had tents prepared and packed. One for Sam and one for myself. Legion as undead creatures go dont sleep, so they kept watch for the night. The fire kept the beasts away for the most part. If any did wander to close Legion tore them apart. I woke up the next morning to a small pile of monster carcasses and a sack of beast cores sitting next to legion.
( Must've been a fairly fun night.) I thought as I exited my tent. Sam woke up a bit later and started her routine for training. After she was finished we went back up the path toward the mine we had found. The snake was gone.
(Probably went back underground) I thought as I watched the surroundings. I noticed a couple scales laying on the ground. ( Either these were shed or they got scraped off by something.) I quickly picked up a few. They were diamond shaped and had no jewels on them oddly enough. They were even a blackened color like they had been cooked. I sniffed and found a char smell reached my nose. But it was old... it might've happened yesterday when after we left.
( But why didn't we hear the sounds of fighting or struggling?) I thought nervously. I sighed and pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I put the scale in my mouth curious as to what the thing I saw yesterday was.
I chewed and found the texture wasn't what I thought it would be. It was like eating a chip instead of charcoal. / Host has consumed the scale of a Calamity Class Blood Diamond Wyrm. Very rare species due to low breeding ability and conception rate. Host has gained night vision and tunnel vision. Combined into the new skill Shadow Sight. Allows for host to see in every condition of darkness with exception to smoke, mist, or fog. Recommending host not seek for the wyrm./
I found my vision blurred and I put my hand on a rock to stabilize myself. After a moment it passed and my vision turned to normal. I could see alot better into the darkness even though I was standing in the daylight. ( This is nice.) I thought. I found 7 more big pieces of scales. I didnt manage to get anymore skills due to not having enough materials to eat, but I still got to know more about this beast.
It likes to dig miles into the ground and it can hold it's breath for incredible lengths of time. The Beasts name of course is Blood Diamond Wyrm but they are an evolved version of the commonly found Blood Wyrm. Small creatures that are normally found in graves, battlefields, and around corpses. The more blood they consume the stronger they get. Unfortunately they rarely evolve and when they evolve they lose their vampiric abilities. After evolution they also require a ridiculous amount of earth and iron to continue growing.
It didnt take me long to realize how bad the situation could have been. It was a snake shaped tank with ridiculous abilities if it was Calamity Class. I quickly found Sam and got out of there. We soon found ourselves at the peak of the mountain and able to see a good chunk of the continent. As we stood there I noticed a large sparkling thing in the distance.
I pointed towards it. "What's that?" I asked Legion. Legion looked into the distance.
"That my friends is The Great City of Smithing. That is Verst. Our Capital. The hub of all our trade and commerce. It's been many years since any of us has been to verst. Hargo was there once to make a crown for the new king when he had his coronation. King Kylisus Jantic Verst if memory serves."
My gauntlets warmed on my hands as though they remembered a fond memory. I raised them and pondered the markings and carvings. It was like holding someone's memory but not knowing which memories were good to see. Or knowing where to start.
"We should get moving then. Is there anything we need in order to get in?" I asked Legion. They looked at me and tapped their chin.
" You both have adventurers licenses and are able to use those as identification. I have none but you could tell them that I am a automaton that you are bringing along and that might do the trick."
" I guess we'll figure it out when we get there." I said as I shrugged. Not much I can do besides that I figured. We made our way down the mountain side. On the way I talked with Sam. "You seem weaker than when we were bonded. Why?" She didnt look at me. Instead she kept facing forward while speaking. "Breaking the bond means losing all the strength I gained while we were bound together. The strength I gained on my own I kept. But anything else is gone. I used to be able to nearly kick a tree in half. Now I have trouble leaving a dent in one."
I thought as we walked. " Is there any way to regain that strength?" I asked.
She shook her head. " No. Not unless I make you my familiar again. But that's risky enough considering how much stronger you've become. But just so you know there are dark methods to keep the strength you gain from a familiar." She glanced at me slightly. I felt a chill pass down my spine. " What are they?" I asked a little reserved as to whether I actually wanted to know or if I should have left it alone. " You kill the familiar." She said.