Frostbound [LitRPG Apocalypse]-Chapter 199 - Grandstanding

Gabriel

Gabriel wasn't sure what he was walking out into. He didn't want to be away from his brother for too long but something was obviously going down inside the camp and he needed to figure out what it was.

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It wasn't often that people raised their voices and started yelling at each other and he needed to find out the reason why. People were usually more amenable than this.

Walking out of Chris's tent, he picked up on a distinct lack of people. It surprised him as he expected to see a crowd, but all of them were gone now. A quick survey pointed out the reason.

They were all leaving and streaming into the valley.

He could see a much larger group that was assembled down where they fought the Demons and even from here, he could feel the tension rising in the air around them. The auras flared either intentionally, or unintentionally as people gestured at one another.

A distinct fiery one was beginning to rise above the rest, smothering those around it almost unintentionally. The aura was just that much stronger it couldn't help but starve the others out from oxygen.

Even Rachel can't stop it? What the hell is going on?

He looked back at the tent conflicted. He wanted to find out what was happening quickly before going back but this was gearing up to take longer than he thought.

Both Mom and Ashley are in there. They can both power the Rune and my Ice won't melt that fast.

With that thought, his decision was made and his feet carried him toward the commotion.

It wasn't long after that he picked up on the odd mana levels. He had been so distracted he hadn't noticed. Mana levels like these usually indicated a natural treasure of some kind.

Knowing that, the scene that was playing out was beginning to fall into place. Getting closer to hear what was being said only confirmed what he already knew.

"We all fought for it so a share belongs to all of us!"

"You barely did anything, why should you get a share!"

"Pull up your notifications! How many Demons did you kill?!"

Gabriel forced his way through the gathered crowd to see what it was everyone was fighting about. What he saw after breaking through the bodies made him stop and stare.

There was a whole cave full of mana crystals and he could see more were leading deeper into the earth. Depending on how large a vein this was, this was a mountain of wealth. Mana crystals could be used in nearly anything. Crushing them into a fine powder could be used in almost any craft: Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, and even Carpentry.

It was an easy way to increase the mana saturation of the materials you were working with. It was like using [Mana Infusion] but with the powdered version of mana instead of using a skill and that was only the most widely known application. Gabriel knew their uses in Enchanting the most, as he had experience using them before. Part of the Wards he and Chris had set up used them in some fashion. They could use to bind Wards or used as Catalysts.

Not only could they be used in creating enchantments, but used to power them as well. Enchantments and Runes ran on mana and having it in nice solid form was perfect for power sources.

The best example he could think of was plugging a crystal into his Healing Rune on the encasement. That would power it for hours instead of him having to feed it mana continuously.

Those were all good uses of Mana Crystals, but the use that was most beneficial to them right now was different.

They were among some of the few resources that could help grow a Dungeon. Feeding a Dungeon mana crystals would accelerate its growth and increase how fast it made new floors.

It was the thing they needed most right now.

While they would also use them for all the other crafts, the Dungeons were their power base, and having deeper ones would let them grow even faster.

And it seemed the other City Lord knew that.

"Now, now. Why don't we all calm down a bit? Everyone here risked their lives and will naturally get a share. We won't take it all and leave you with nothing." The opposing City Lord placated.

His words were fine, it was what he implied that was the problem. Ownership of the mine hadn't been discussed and he was setting himself up for it. Giving away what wasn't yet his.

Gabriel didn't doubt that Chris would do the same, giving away a portion, but that didn't matter. If everyone here perceived the other City Lord as the one in charge, then they would be snubbed.

"And who are you to decide anything." Rachel spat and the it felt like the temperature spiked even though it hadn't. Auras were weird on how they influenced the world and Gabriel was only scratching the surface of what they could do.

They grew naturally and unless they were contained, spread out without conscious thought. He'd already found a few creative uses for them that promised more. Gabriel was sure they were more than simple indications of strength.

He wasn't sure why she was so angry but her tone and flaring aura were crystal clear indicators of her mood, let alone her mocking words. Auras portraying emotions was one of the simpler applications he had found.

Gabriel had been near the meeting to discuss tactics before the battle and he had thought their relationship with the other city was fine. If not fine, then at least decent.

But Rachel was acting like they were the enemy.

Something was off.

Rachel wouldn't be this antagonistic if there wasn't a reason for it.

The part of the crowd that was from Frostheim was behind her as well. They started their own jeers after what was said. Even outnumbered as they were.

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As their side began jeering, the other side did as well. The placating effect of Ashton's words was lost. From what Gabriel could glimpse, he wasn't happy about being rebuffed. It didn't show on his face, as he schooled it quick enough not to openly scowl.

He also seemed a little shocked about it.

Ashton turned to see the crowd behind him and Gabriel knew he couldn't back down. He was their Leader and giving in would be a sign of weakness. Especially when he had the majority of the crowd behind him.

So if he backed down, not only would he be seen as differential to Frostheim, but extremely so.

"I am sure we can come to an agreement that leaves everyone happy." he said. "We fielded most of the army to fight the Demons, and who lost the most, but it couldn't have been done without your help."

A hot weight pressed down harder in the area in response to those words as Rachel bristled. His meaning was clear. He wanted ownership and indicated he would give them something for our help.

He didn't say it with any malice but his wording made it seem that way.

To counteract Rachel, Ashton let out his own aura. It settled over his side of the crowd and alleviated the weight pressing down on them. It felt like a steadying light, propping up those around him. His aura had sides to it that Gabriel found interesting. Most he'd seen were one dimensional. Rachel's carried searing heat and the weight of her levels and strength behind it.

It was the crude application wielded like a blunt instrument that everyone seemed to be able to do. Letting it billow out without restraint took little in the way of skill.

Ashton's, though, had two sides. A protective side, that settled on his followers and shielded them from the pressure Rachel was applying, and an offensive side, the more normal application that Gabriel had expected to see. It worked like anyone else's. Pushing down on anyone weaker.

Gabriel had only seen one other person with a defensive aura but that wasn't the part he was fascinated by. It was the fact Ashton's could do both. That was something he hadn't seen before.

It didn't have the sheer presence that Rachel brought to bear, but it easily worked to keep her from dominating the crowd. Both were using them crudely, almost instinctually rather than intentionally. As the 'presences', as Austin liked to call them, collided in the air, it was no master battle or skillful display. It was like watching boxers with extremely fluffy pillows strapped to their hands trying to knock the other out.

They were trying, but they weren't really getting anywhere.

Rachel was mad and letting it show and Ashton was trying to deflect it. If this were a different time, Gabriel would have scoffed at how they were going about it.

This isn't going the way I thought it would.

He thought that with both 'leaders' of the two cities here, they would be able to calm the crowd and at least agree to speak of this later, behind closed doors, but that wasn't the case. Everyone was still running hot from the fight and heads hadn't had enough time to cool.

Rachel especially seemed unnaturally fiery and that wasn't a joke about her affinity.

The crowd rallied behind their respective leaders. They couldn't bring any presence to bear individually, but as a group, they could. If the scene were visible, it would be like two opposing mana types vying for control.

Just when Rachel was about to respond, he felt it.

His heart leaped and he whipped his head around.

The pressure from Rachel was nothing compared to what was moving in now and not even Ashton could keep it from settling on everyone. It wasn't even being applied like Gabriel had taught him, only let free to settle around the area naturally and that was enough.

It felt like a hand from the sky was pressing down on everyone and some struggled against it. Sweat built up as they realized who was coming.

The familiar chill Gabriel had come to love settled in next. One that made a shiver run through the crowd but he felt like a warm blanket had settled over him.

For more reasons than one, Gabriel was ecstatic.

His brother was back and he was pissed.

Anger was rolling off him and waves and it integrated into his aura, exciting it almost and causing it to be even more overbearing. It didn't take Gabriel's aura sensing skills to tell he was mad. Everyone could tell.

Feeling it the worst, the crowd closest to where Gabriel had come from began to split. They, wisely, chose to leave the path he was on.

As they split, Christopher was revealed.

His lower body was encased in ice while his top half was bare. They had removed his armor and shirt while healing him and he hadn't put anything back on.

Through the ice on his lower half, his armor could be seen. More specifically, the state of what was left of his armor could be seen. The massive hole through the thigh was most notable but the other rents weren't far off.

If the broken and torn metal wasn't enough to show how tough a battle he fought, the injuries covering his bare upper half were. One more than any other.

Chris hadn't cared to create a prosthetic of ice and left the wound how Gabriel had seen it last. The stub where the arm stopped capped with a thin layer of ice to keep the wound closed.

Even under the scrutiny of the weight and anger, people gasped at the sheer state of him.

Unphased with their stares, Chris marched in like nothing was different. He moved through the gap left for him and didn't stop until he was face-to-face with Ashton in the middle of the crowd.

With his right arm gone, he carried his hammer in his left. Not the one he usually wielded, but another made completely of Ice. Most wouldn't be able to tell its condition, but Gabriel could.

It was quickly made and only had a brief coating of his brother's Law.

While it looked fine, it wasn't anywhere close to the same quality as his old one. Not that anyone knew that.

"I'm disappointed." The words carried to everyone's ears. "I thought for a man requesting our aid, you would have more honor than this."

A slap to the face if Gabriel had ever heard one.

"We will discuss what lies down there," Hammer pointed at the glittering mana crystals, "another time. Now is not the time for it."

"If anyone has a problem with that," the weight-bearing down got worse as Chris went from letting his aura weigh on everyone naturally, to actively pushing down on everyone with it. He was better with it than Rachel and Ashton, and Gabriel hid his smile. His lessons were bearing fruit.

His pressure was quick, and everyone felt it increase instantly. Chris pushed down on both sides and everyone present was hit with the full effect.

"Fight me over it."

Hammer settled into the ground with his one hand resting on it like a sentinel waiting for the first to take up the challenge. Even the sight of the missing arm didn't take away from the sight before him as it really looked like he would take any challengers until there were no more.

Not a sound could be heard.

Where the crowd was once shouting over each other and ever-rising, a pin drop could be heard now.

Seeing as no one wished to say anything, Chris turned toward where those from his City stood, "Go back to camp."

As one, they obeyed.

Chris

Motherfucker this hurts!

Why couldn't people, for once in their life, not be raging assholes. I was more broken than whole and a massive brawl was on the verge of breaking out!

As soon as I got back inside my tent, I collapsed.

[Righteous Fury] fled me and all the heat was ripped out of me as I couldn't support myself any longer. Even pulling on the last dregs of my Anchor couldn't keep me up, and that was a first. If it was specifically good at one thing, it was that.

It was a miracle I was able to get up in the first place, the boosting skill and the last bits of energy I had the only thing that made it possible. Both my legs were broken and the only thing that supported me was the ice surrounding them. My connection to it was tentative at best.

My head was still reeling at everything that happened and using it to move the ice was harder than ever and nearly caused me to stumble. Let alone having to walk with it. Without my legs there for the support they provided, it would have been impossible.

I dropped back into bed exhausted, the backlash of using [Righteous Fury] making it even worse.

I was fully prepared to take anyone on if they wished but I was so glad they decided not to. I was far from being fine and a fight would have only exacerbated, well... everything.

The grandstanding alone caused enough pain, let alone a fight.

Still, to believe that man had the gall to lay claim to the mine. After what he did, not a chance.

That crystal mine was won in battle and was my spoil of war.

He didn't do shit.