Master of Dominion-Chapter 48: Day 10
TEN DAYS FROM THE WITHERED NIGHTS
Iyvre sat by the burning fire alongside Yasmin and Ayobe, both of whom glanced at her from time to time.
"What is it?" Iyvre finally asked.
"Well, you haven’t really said much since yesterday," Ayobe replied.
"There’s not much to say," Iyvre answered calmly.
"Okay, see, your blade was already weak. It was going to break anyway. That jerk just took advantage of that. So to me, you already won that duel," Yasmin retorted indignantly. She firmly believed the duel had been Iyvre’s. After all, Iyvre had almost crippled Rael’s shoulder. Come to think of it, Yasmin had noticed something strange about that jerk. When she had volunteered to heal him, thanks to Iyvre’s very, very persuasive eyes, she realized the injury seemed to be healing on its own, even though it had looked fatal at first.
"I was disarmed, so I lost. I accept that already. Maybe you should too," Iyvre replied, using a band to adjust her pale white hair.
"Whatever," Yasmin scoffed.
"Besides, what has he even been doing in there for hours now?" Ayobe wondered, gazing at the central longhouse with its door still shut.
"And how would I know?" Yasmin said, then turned her gaze toward a figure a few meters away clearly trying to hide his presence. "Maybe he’d know. What’s his name again... huh..."
"Xaphxan," Ayobe replied.
"A weird name," Yasmin huffed.
"It’s not weird, just native," Ayobe chuckled.
Iyvre ignored her sisters as she began to assess the duel from a few hours ago. Something had felt different about Rael’s fighting style. The circumstances were different, yes, since he had been fighting for his life in their last encounter, but she noticed he no longer seemed to have that all-knowing sense that pinpointed exactly where and when an attack would land. She could only attribute that to his "artifact". Overall, he wasn’t a bad swordsman, but he was a good fighter. More importantly, their little duel seemed to have triggered and stimulated her aether. She could feel it converging toward her heart, a clear indication of rank ascension, but she needed a safer environment for that.
She turned her pale eyes toward the locked door of the longhouse, knowing that only once the boundary ward sigil was activated and running could she peacefully undergo her ascension to the Bronze Rank.
...
Rael squinted as he gazed down at a rune he had managed to draw, though not perfectly. Still, it wasn’t that difficult. The rune was called Uruz, shaped like an n. It was the reward for the Tier 2 quest.
It was an aether rune symbolizing strength, pure primal strength. Essentially, it was an inscription.
The Uruz Rune
[Classification: Strength Runic Inscription]
[Description : Draws on the primal physical strength of Aether beasts. So long as a beast’s blood is used to inscribe the symbol and it’s words are spoken on bone, flesh, stone, or metal, the inscribed object, living or not, shall contain the raw strength of the beast.]
[Origin: Pre-Godsfall Era, Warriors of the Pantheon]
Rael couldn’t help but feel a slight pity for the aether beasts likely still lurking nearby. They would be thoroughly sacrificed for his survival. He studied the rune again, seeing it as useful for the Withered Nights. At the very least, it increased their chances. With ten days left, he decided he would share this rune with them.
He was still in a dilemma about what to do first go hunting or start blacksmithing. The former seemed logical, but even if he and Iyvre, the two most suited to face beasts head-on, went hunting, neither had a proper weapon. That left him choosing the latter option.
Could he forge a good weapon? A proper sword or blade? Probably not, but he could try. He already had the basics, and far more knowledge than he needed for now, lodged in his mind.
So he gave himself a mental timer. Five days. Five days for forging, then the rest for capturing beasts and preparing for the Withered Nights. With that decision made, he wiped the rune from the ground. It would have to wait until after they caught some aether beasts.
Rising to his feet, he stepped outside the longhouse. The sisters were seated around the fire,while Xaphxan sat in a far corner.
Rael frown seeing that there was still more wood to chop,a watchtowers to build, and eventually houses for the ladies. The latter could wait, but the watchtower was necessary, as Iyvre had suggested. Yasmin and Xaphxan could cast spells from above while he, Iyvre, and Ayobe defended below.
As for Xaphxan, Rael planned to give him the Thunder Circuit manuscript. Xaphxan’s original manuscript was nearly useless, capable only of a low-tier fireball and a tracking spell. This was the only way Rael saw to make him more useful.
"Xaphxan," Rael called, drawing the attention of both the sisters and Xaphxan, who silently thanked the heavens that his boss had finally stepped out.
"Yes, boss," Xaphxan rushed over with a pleased smile.
"I’m going to need your help. We’ll be busy for a while," Rael said, walking toward the sisters. Xaphxan’s smile faltered at the possibility of another mining job.
Rael reached the fire and sat down under the trio’s gazes.
"Oh, look who’s out," Yasmin hissed.
Rael ignored her and turned to Ayobe. "I have something for you, actually." Then he faced Yasmin and Iyvre. "For all of us. It’ll definitely come in handy."
"Oh? And what would that be?" Ayobe asked, curious.
"This," Rael said, etching the Uruz rune onto the ground beside the fire.
"What’s this?" Iyvre asked, turning to Ayobe. She could tell it was a rune knowing full well that Ayobe should definitely have a clue.
"I don’t know. It looks familiar, though," Ayobe replied, already on her feet as she examined it. "You sure you drew it properly?" she added, glancing at Rael.
Rael frowned. "Just because you don’t know it doesn’t mean I didn’t draw it properly," he groaned, then continued, "It’s a strength rune."
