A Soldier's Life - 473 -

Chapter 473:

The juvenile fire drake’s hide was a dull crimson and pliable, not very useful from what I knew. The collector was already in my hand as Kyrenic hovered over me. I think Baelira was hoping to open the chest as Maveith looked to me for direction. I waved him to let him decide who opened it. “You choose, what about these hides?”

“It looks like they just shed, it would take too much to work them,” he yelled back and turned to the chest and the eager elf and girl.

“What is usually in this reward chest?” I asked Kyrenic as the essence was drawn from the drake with the crushed skull first. The heads of these drakes were not much bigger than a man's, but their long maws lined with sharp teeth were perfect for tearing flesh. Maveith’s strike had crushed the skull between the two stubby horns and destroyed the brain.

“Silver coins and a major essence are common. The essence is usually a mental aspect. Sometimes the essence is replaced with a small runic blade made from an adult fire drake fang. When the blade cuts, it emits intense heat, burning flesh, and cauterizing a wound. Very rarely, there are drake boots or other pieces of a complete armor set. The armor offers decent protection and is immune to magical fire. Unfortunately, the person wearing it isn’t extended those same protections,” Kyrenic replied. A major fire essence had formed on the collector, and I briefly turned over the sphere containing shifting flames before placing it in my pouch.

“Do the rewards change if you enter with four or fewer knights?” I asked Kyrenic.

The knight nodded as we moved to the second drake. “It does increase the appearance of pieces of the drake armor, and if we clear the dungeon with only two, sometimes the essence in this room will be an apex essence. We use the dungeon to train squires, so we typically always have the maximum of five. When we harvest the drakes, it is always a minor fire essence…” Kyrenic trailed off, implying a question about how my collector was so efficient.

Even though I found Kyrenic slightly annoying—genuinely being selfless all the time was a negative trait in my mind, I decided to explain why my collector was special. I tapped the disc, which had more scratches than I remembered. “This is a dungeon forged collector, much more efficient than a man-made collector like the one you had earlier. The runes inside the collector convert raw aether into convergence essence.” I paused before continuing. “I supply it with pure convergence essence, which increases the efficacy further.”

“Huh,” was all he said. Just a huh, after I told the knight two of my biggest secrets? Well, I didn’t tell him how strong my affinity for convergence was, but still, I expected more.

Maveith had opened the chest himself and shouted over to us. “It is a major intellect essence and twenty-three large silver coins.”

“Give the essence to Evie to fortify her intellect attribute,” I decided. “Divide up the silver amongst us.”

I moved over to the other drake and quickly gathered another major fire essence, adding it to my collection. It was giving me options for which affinity to unlock next. However, I was storing the fire essences for Raelia when we reunited. A suitable gift of fire essences might help her family like me more.

We all gathered in the middle of the room, sweat dripping from everyone except Kyrenic and Evie. It made sense that the reward from a previous room would be useful later in the dungeon, as that’s a common mechanism in dungeons. “What are we facing in the next room?” I asked Kyrenic.

“I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It is the room the dungeon is named after,” he grinned and moved toward the exit without explaining.

The corridor opened into a small, safe room with holes in the floor, through which cool, dry air from below gusted. I got goose bumps, and Baelira sneezed. The entire safe room was designed as a blow dryer.

“Are you ready to be amazed?” Kyrenic said, walking straight through the room. His perfect hair barely moved under the updraft.

The corridor to the next room was short, and we paused at the entrance to the dark room. In the ceiling, hundreds of tiny glowstones twinkled like stars across the ceiling. The innumerable stones cast a dull light in the room. It was another large chamber, and twilight shadows were cast from multiple trees. The air inside was still, with no hint of movement.

“It is amazing,” Baelira whispered. Maveith confirmed it with a nod, and Evie was awestruck as well. I, on the other hand, had a serious question.

“Are those glowstones harvestable? Flashing glowstones like that are rare,” I said thoughtfully.

Kyrenic chuckled. “I suppose. Not much of a market for sparkling glowstones.”

“It's all about marketing Kyrenic. You give a pair of glitzy glowstone earrings to the most popular and powerful woman in the court, then everyone needs a pair, and you can set your own price,” I explained.

“But the stones are small and difficult to reach, maybe worth a silver or two. Not really worth the effort,” Kyrenic said.

“Never underestimate the will of a woman to be part of a fashion trend,” I laughed to myself.

“Why would you want to match all the other women? Wouldn’t you want to be unique?” Baelira asked.

“That is why I like you, you are your own woman,” I said unthinkingly to Baelira, but Evie was already whispering to Baelira and explaining the intricacies of a woman’s psyche to belong.

“I don’t see anything,” Maveith grumbled from over my shoulder.

“And you won’t,” Kyrenic said. “The foe inside is invisible and can only be injured with runic weapons. It is called an invisible stalker. It hides among the trees and attacks when we cross the room.”

I recalled what I knew about such a creature. “It is a powerful air elemental, usually summoned by a mage to do his bidding. It attacks by compressing air and bludgeoning you. How big is the stalker?” I asked, turning to Kyrenic.

“We think it is slightly larger than a man, it hits hard and feels like being kicked by a horse. It takes only a few strikes with runic weapons to defeat it, but the challenge is landing the hits. It moves silently through the trees and attacks opportunistically,” Kyrenic explained.

“I should go in alone then,” I decided. “Everyone, wait here.”

“I don’t think that is a wise idea,” Kyrenic started to say, but I had already stepped forward.

With my aether sight active, I began searching among the trees. It was darker toward the center of the chamber, but to my aether sight, everything was in grayscale with sharp contrast. I found the stalker standing in the approximate middle of the room, and my aether sight revealed his true form. In feint bluish outlines, it was a man in ancient-looking armor. It almost reminded me of the specters from the Ruins of Caelora. Was this an air elemental, or an undead apparition? When it drew a spectral blade, I had serious doubts that I was facing an air elemental.

I switched Heartseeker for magebane and approached cautiously. Because of my direct path to it, I revealed that I could see it. It tilted its head, human body language that it was curious. Instead of confronting me, it dashed into the trees on my right, forcing me to follow. Elementals tended to have a primal intelligence and attacked aggressively. This creature was smart enough to know it was outmatched and sought an advantage.

“Everything alright?!” Maveith’s voice echoed through the trees as I ran.

“I got this! It is just a little skittish,” I yelled back. I quickly closed on the creature. As I saw it disappear around a thick trunk, I was only five steps behind it. I realized my mistake instantly and interposed an air shield. The creature I was chasing could change direction instantly as it had no mass. A powerful blow shattered the air shield and was muted as my aether shield flashed, but I was still knocked off my feet.

I rolled with the blow and came to my feet. My ego was more bruised than my body, but I healed myself anyway. The spectral blade came at me, and I blocked it with magebane, only to find his blade pass through mine and strike my chest. I was knocked off my feet again. Kyrenic was right, it was like getting kicked by a horse. The apparition's face showed no emotion, and my mind raced. That shouldn’t have been possible—magebane was a runic weapon and could touch the ethereal plane. Unless it wasn’t an aethereal creature—but then why did my aether sight reveal it. What type of creature was this?

I switched Magebane for Heartseeker, and the creature only tilted its head in curiosity. As I approached, it took a cautious, defensive stance. I recognized that stance from one of the sects I fought in Godok—The Path of the Still Blade. The warriors Konstantin and I fought in that tower had a way of having their blade appear not to be moving and not be where you thought it was. It was the only fight Konstantin had lost in our time there, and I only won because I cheated and used my spell forms. On impulse, I interlocked my hands and bowed to the apparition in the same manner they did in Godok. It tilted its head, but replied in kind. Then it rushed me.

I ignored the sword and, with my longer reach, focused on attacking the body. Heartseeker connected with something solid, but the creature disregarded it and tried to get closer. I used an air shield to hinder its approach, grateful it affected the apparition, and moved to the right. Swinging Heartseeker in an arc, I struck again, and the creature just vanished. That was it? I won?

There was nothing left behind. On impulse, I pulled out the kettle of souls and activated it, trying to solve the mystery. Nothing happened. The collector was on the ground where the creature had been a moment earlier. This time, specs of aether appeared in the air and were drawn in. I didn’t think anything would form from so little, but after a few seconds, a minor essence did take shape.

I stared at it, confused, as the others approached me. “Can I open the chest?” I heard Evie ask.

“It’s Baelira’s turn,” I said absentmindedly, holding the small glass-like sphere. It was aether tolerance essence, but nothing about the encounter made sense. If it was an apparition from a dead member of a sword sect, then why didn't the kettle of souls work on it? If it were an air elemental, then this should be an air essence. I leaned against a tree and slid down to a sitting position in deep thought.

“Do you get that from the stalker?” Kyrenic asked as I heard the jingling of coins in the chest.

“Yeah, I don’t think your creature was an invisible stalker,” I replied, pocketing the essence for later. “You said this was the room the dungeon was named after?” Kyrenic nodded. “I think your order might have been too hasty in hiding the existence of the dungeon.”

“What do you mean?” the knight asked, confused.

“Whatever this creature was, it had the memories of an ancient warrior—maybe its soul. It was not an air elemental.” I explained my thoughts for a few minutes to Kyrenic so he could rely them to his commander. The chest yielded an apex power essence, which I awarded to Baelira.

“Do you harvest these trees?” I asked Kyrenic as I tapped the one I rested against.

“Rarely. It is ironwood and takes too long to cut and mill. It is a dense wood and too heavy to drag to the entrance. If we get a cold winter, we will gather firewood from this room,” Kyrenic explained. “Shall we continue and watch you finish the dungeon?” he asked, bemused. I got to my feet slowly and indicated he could lead the way.

The final chamber was well lit and covered in a mossy field with red, violet, and white flowers. On a low hill in the center, a monstrous yet majestic beast stood. Its ivory horn sparkled with flecks of gold. The pristine white coat had a glossy appearance, and the only dark feature was its black muzzle. The white mane and tail appeared almost silver.

Evie was pushing forward to get a better look, but Maveith and I prevented her from entering the room. Since this was the last room in the dungeon, anyone who entered would be sealed inside. “So pretty! Can you tame a unicorn?” Evie asked wistfully.

“Unicorns may look pretty, but they are malicious beasts if you are not of their kind. They are omnivores, Evie,” Kyrenic explained.

“Omnivores?” Evie asked, unfamiliar with the word, or maybe the word in Latin.

“Never mind, Evie. You stay here with Baelira. Maveith, Kyrenic, and I will take down the My Little Pony,” I said. “My study of bestiaries doesn’t have much on unicorns. What can you tell us to help us prepare?”

Kyrenic’s eyes were locked on the mythical creature. “It has an ability similar to my celestial spell form. If you have a weak mind, you might be inclined to leave it alone, even protecting it, and to attack your allies.” Kyrenic looked away from the unicorn. “It can cast a weak aether shield around itself and teleport while maintaining its charge. It can also control vegetation over a wide area, bringing it to life and entangling your legs. Once it has you locked in place, you become an easy target for its horn. That horn can pierce almost anything. And if you're on the ground, those hooves will pound you into the earth.”

“Does it have any ability to counter magic?” I asked coming up with an interesting plan.

“No, none I am aware of,” Kyrenic replied, curious what I had in mind.

“Good, I will walk out there, and you two stay back to support me from behind. Once it entangles me and charges, be ready to save me with a healing potion if everything goes south.”

“South?” Maveith intoned questionably.

“South as in my plan fails and I am impaled on a horn,” I clarified.

“Maybe we should come up with a plan involving all of us,” Maveith said worriedly.

“I have a plan B,” I said, walking out onto the mossy ground. Maveith, in his armor, followed with Kyrenic. Kyrenic went right, while Maveith spread out to my left. The unicorn pawed the ground. I looked back at Evie and Baelira standing there; suddenly, they were gone, hidden behind a stone wall. Content they were safe, I enacted my plan.

I walked confidently toward the unicorn, magebane in hand. When I got within sixty feet, the moss beneath me stirred, and thick roots snaked out, encasing my boots and beginning to climb up my legs. Then the unicorn charged, mossy earth flung from its hooves as it barreled toward me and lowered its head.

I was focused on the hill where the unicorn had started, and just before it reached me, Heartseeker appeared in my hand as I angled it up. I teleported to the hill and let the unicorn impale itself instead of it impaling me. The creature neighed in surprise and pain as Heartseeker drove through its chest and out its back. It fell to its side and kicked its feet briefly before stilling. If I hadn’t been able to teleport, I would have removed the unicorn’s head, but that would have still resulted in a painful collision.

The magnificent beast was bleeding onto the mossy ground. The exit from the room had been restored, the solid rock disappearing in a blink. Evie and Baelira rushed in. “That was fast,” Baelira stated as they approached. Evie looked devastated that the unicorn was now dead.

A small silver reward chest was at my feet, I picked it up and headed toward the creature. I didn’t want to waste a second as I placed the collector over the heart, being careful not to get too much blood on the artifact. My affinity for horses had me feeling slightly guilty for killing the magnificent creature.

As the essence formed, I already knew what it would be: a celestial essence. It was a dark sphere with hundreds of twinkling lights. The fact that it was an apex essence only surprised Kyrenic. I tossed it to him, the agreed-upon fee for using the dungeon.

The knight studied it for a moment, some desire on his face to consume it, before he reluctantly stored it in his belt. Kyrenic took out a skinning knife and cut into the haunch of the equine. Evie’s jaw dropped in shock, “What are you doing?”

Kyrenic looked up at her innocently. “Harvesting the meat for the order’s kitchens.”

Evie’s eyes went saucer-sized in realization. “Do you mean we ate a unicorn last night?”

© Copyrighted 2024, 2025 by AlwaysRollsAOne

No permission is granted to translate, copy, or repost this original work of fiction. If you are reading this on a site other than my Patreon, it has been stolen without my permission and violates the DMCA. Remember, this work is the result of my creative effort and is protected by copyright law. Removing or altering this notification acknowledges that you are aware that you are violating the DMCA. No permission is granted for my original work to be used to train AI.