I spent the day hearing the stories of Hargo's many travels. He went everywhere. Every continent and Capital. Every city in search of things that could hold a soul to this world. He had never anticipated that they would be used to hold his own though. I found out that his body was made of something called demon metal.
The metal itself is a mystery but the reason for the name comes from the fact it comes from a rift that demons often appear from. Most demons actually have it partially fused to them for some reason. Hence why it's called demon metal. After studying it alot Hargo came up with a theory that it actually acted as a housing for the souls of demons. Unfortunately things couldn't be verified because no one has seen a demon in years. So he gathered the metal over the course of a few decades and made a giant out of it in hopes of figuring out its secret with a massive test. Turns out the test failed and led to him becoming depressed. Later he realized that the test was missing a crucial component. A soul to attach to the armor.
Much to his embarrassment the very thing he wanted to test it for he lacked having. After he woke in the armor he actually tested a few of its abilities. One of which [much to my amusement] was shapeshifting. Thankfully he was able to compress his giant form into the stout dwarf frame he now possessed. How? Don't ask me.
I ended getting up and informing everyone I had a few errands to run and excused myself. Thankfully Hargo followed not long after. I badgered him a little as to why he hasn't told me he was the kings brother and the other secrets he had kept.
He chuckled and said with a laugh. " What would life be without a few surprises?" I grumbled a little at that. He suddenly stopped and grabbed my left arm. I stopped and turned to see him staring at me. "I never got to truly thank you for what you've done for me. You became a selfish dwarfs disciple and after I died still managed to bring me home to my family. I could never thank you enough." He said before bowing deeply to me. I felt my heart soften as I looked at the dwarf. I gently grabbed his shoulders and raised him up so he stood straight. "My dear teacher. Think of this as the only way a foolish disciple could repay the kindness of his master." It was my turn to bow before he patted my shoulders.
" Alright. But at least let me join you on the way back to the castle." My eyebrows rose a little. "I thought you'd want to say hello to your little lady friend you left behind." His eyes opened wide and he looked at me with a shocked expression.
"I heard at the tavern." I said sheepishly. He laughed heartily at my expression before slapping my back. " Alright then! To Marion Tannersdaughter it is!" I raised a reptilian eyebrow. He was smiling from ear to ear. We walked a fair ways and had to go down a couple levels in the city before we found it.
A tannery at the beginning of the lowest level. It wasn't a shabby place but it also wasn't extravagant. The building like everything else was made of stone with a scene depicted of a hunter with a knife running toward what looked like an eight legged deer. (Ok... This should be interesting) I thought before we went in.
The inside smelled of iron and chemicals. I assumed the tannery was actually in the back of the building. Though the front was filled with shelves and tables filled with furs and skins. Hargo looked at me. "Wait here. She can be a bit of a handful after I've been gone a long time." I nodded.
He moved swiftly into the back and it wasn't long later that I heard things banging and being thrown about followed by a womans sobbing and wailing. ( What on earth is going on back there?) I started walking toward the door to the back only to be met there by Hargo and a beautiful dwarf lady.
She wore leather all over and had a leather apron made of some black material I hadn't seen before. Her hair was white from aging but her face looked like she could've been in her thirties. Hargo put his hands out around her in a loving fashion. "This is Marion. The woman who was supposed to be my bride before I got into my accident." My eyes went wide.
"I thought dwarves still cared about royal lineage?" I said quickly. Hargo waved a finger at me. "Only on the man's side. Don't matter who we marry otherwise." I bowed my head slightly to Marion and extended my hand. "Pleasure to meet you Marion. I'm Ignatius Soulsmith. Hargo's disciple and I like to think friend." She smiled politely before suddenly slapping the back of Hargos head. " You didn't mention he was you apprentice." She tried to whisper.
Unfortunately my hearing became a lot sharper over my evolutions. "He tends to miss a few details. Like how he was the king's brother." I chided Hargo slightly. Marion giggled a little at my comment. Hargo rubbed the back of his head a little and chuckled. "Thats a bad habit of mine it seems." He sent me a wink as he put his arm around Marions shoulders. "Now my dear. I do believe we have some catching up to do. I will see you later at the castle Ignis." I nodded as I started heading toward the spider-vator as I had come to call them.
The walk was good. My legs burned from the use. I had decided to make use of the distance and walked after realizing that there were stairs connecting the levels as well. Their size had slightly grown from the skinny things they were to being strong, sinuous, and musclebound. the earth energy I was absorbing was a great help.
My body was repairing as I was working out. It didn't help with the soreness though. I managed to pick up a few things on the way too. There was a man on the middle level who was selling weights that you could put on your wrists and ankles for 50 copper a piece. I pulled out 8 silver coins and handed them to him. And he handed me 8 metal rings that had a clasp to click on the wrists and ankles. I quickly fitted them to myself and started moving. They must've weighed 10 kgs a piece. Sweat started from my face as I continued up the stairs. Slowly I figured I should give myself a decent workout so I activated the elements around my body. I needed to learn how the light and air elements worked.
I started by summoning a small breeze which was barely a trickle when I first started. And slowly over the next hour of me going up the stairs I found my little whisp had become a decent breeze that was helping to keep me cool. Meanwhile I conjured little orbs of light one at a time till I got to 6. That was the limit of my concentration for the time being. I heard the system tell me my affinity had increased and that my abilities were stronger due to constant practice.
I finally reached the level where the stairs stopped and met Mar at the spider-vator to the castle level. I was breathing heavy as though I had run a couple miles with a fat man on my back. Mar pulled a towel out of somewhere and handed it to me. I nodded my thanks and took it. I wiped my face and that's when I noticed my anklets and wristbands had become strange.
"Whats the meaning of this?" I whispered. The bands had all melted and started floating and rotating around my wrists and ankles. Mar's face was one of shock. "I didn't know you were practicing the magnetic laws." (Magnetic laws?) I thought quizzically. "What do you mean?" I asked.
His face turned back to his normal informative demeanor as he started explaining. "Within nature is the existence of laws. I was certain you would have learned about them considering I heard you can use necromancy." I shook my head. "Necromancy was more of a gift than a lesson in the mechanics of nature. " Ahh." He said. "Well... Most understand that the basic elements are fire, water, earth, air, light, and darkness. While these are the most basic and powerful elements though they do hold unique higher forms. Fire can become electricity. Earth can become metal. When the two are combined you get the magnetic element. It's exceptionally rare. Very few have ever managed to attain it." He said with a look of wonder on his face.
"I knew you had the fire element and the earth element but to be able to comprehend them both to this degree is something. I also saw you using the air and light elements. How many elements can you use?" He had gotten up close to the point I was starting to back up. "Mar... You're getting a bit close." He quickly realised that he was making me rather uncomfortable and backed away.
" I don't fully know how many I can control proficiently. I have basic access to the original six. I dont know how I got access to metal but lightning came as natural as breathing." His eyes widened as he grabbed my shoulders. "Do you realize how rare you are?! You could reign over the court magicians with your afinities alone!" He shook me slightly as he said that till I grabbed his shoulders and sides with my arms and lifted him off the ground. "Enough of the shaking!" I said loudly as my vision had gone slightly dizzy.
I put Mar down and took a few steps back to look at the disks. As I looked I noticed that they all spun slowly as though they were supposed to naturally. I didn't feel any pull from my mana toward them. They seemed to just do it automatically by some force.
Mar finally walked onto the spider-vator and waved for me to get on. After I got on we had a quiet trip upward. I felt my body energy in my mind. I looked for whatever could be causing this. I finally noticed what it was.
My Immortal Dragon Body was a fusion of every element I had. Lightning and earth together formed a type of magnetic field throughout my body. And I felt the connection. Between me and the metal. It was like a sphere of influence surrounding my body. Except it came in waves like the sea. Large and then small. Like a heart beat. I continued searching with my eyes closed till Mar tapped my shoulder. "We're here." I opened my eyes and found we had indeed arrived at the top of the city without my notice. I sheepishly nodded, quickly got off, and made my way to the castle gate. The guards saw me and immediately opened the gate.
It didn't take long to get to the throne room after all a maid led me there. The king was seated at the throne as per usual. As soon as he saw me he stood and rushed towards me.
"Ignatious! I need to know something. Answer me honestly. Do you and the King of Weremar have a quarrel? Or any unsettled business with your companions?" The question startled me a little with it's abruptness but I answered without a trace of fear. "Indeed we do. He attempted to Blackmail my companion Samantha into being his bride. We feared for our lives and left Weremar to became adventurers. He has been hunting us ever since."
The king slowly returned to the throne and sat down with his head in his hands. "Hargo... Show him the letter." Hargo looked at his brother with the expression that said he was displeased with the decision. He held out a scroll for me to look at. I unrolled it and began to read out loud.
" To King Kylisius Verst in the accord of communication from his highness King Belrad Velestrad II. We have recieved word that a small group of brigands has escaped our custody and has managed to flee to your kingdom. We sincerely apologize for how this will inconvenience you and your people. They are murderers that have fled after slaying their own family. The name one of those involved is as we know a Samantha Von Carnac. She slaughtered her family with the aid of a dragon man who is currently keeping in her company. She boarded a ship from our coast and escaped custody. We are sending a force to apprehend her within your borders and will have her out of your country soon. Hoping to find you well."
I lowered the parchment to find Sam staring at me from a side door. Her face had gone deathly pale and her voice came out as a sob and then a shriek of horror and sorrow. "They murdered my family...THEY MURDERED MY FAMILY!!!! WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Her knees hit the ground as she sank down in despair. I lowered myself down and hugged her as she sobbed. I felt a great weight sink in my chest as a fury began to burn in my heart.
I raised my eyes to the king and he went slightly pale at the horrifying look that was on my face. I was furious. Bloodlust poured from me in every direction making everyone except Sam tremble. "This. Means. War." I growled and the ground trembled.