Paragon of Weaponmasters [Stubbed Book 1] - 58 - Restoring Citadelle Gobéliard

“Who are Hope's End and Night's Fall?” I ask The Black Blade.

“They are the forge-masters. Allow me to show you to them.” The giant turns and begins walking away.

“Hey.” Elrinnore says in a quiet voice.

When I turn to look at her, she flashes me. It happens so fast I’m more surprised than aroused, and her cackling does nothing to push the scale in the right direction.

“What are you doing after this?” She asks like nothing happened, her top back in place.

“Going to rescue my child’s mother, and more than a dozen of them as well.” I tell her.

“Ah, Talindra and the half-orcs. Some of them came out cute.” She shares her opinion.

“How do you know about her?” I ask.

“Well, you know how one of your besties is a streamer?” she points out.

“Right.” I respond.

“I’ve seen all of Helga’s streams, even that one.” she tells me. “I’m impressed, by the way.”

“Thanks?” I say, not knowing what else I could.

I hear her hoof-beats stop, and I turn to see why.

“Am I coming on too strong? Here, let me try this.” In front of my eyes, her proportions blow up to the rough size and shape of a female minotaur, then her features transform to an exact replica of Lovelymoose. “I only want you if I can know your name. I’m very prudish, except near bodies of water.”

“I don’t find that funny.” I tell her, frowning.

“Oh, let me try this then. A happy medium." She morphs again, this time into Helga. “I’m trying to re-imagine myself, and the only thing I’m not changing is how much I want you.”

“That’s not any better.” I turn to walk away.

“Then what do you want? Moon elf? Cat girl? Cat Girls? I can do that, too.” she asks, using her wings to catch up to me.

“How about you just be yourself and see how far that gets you.” I say.

This time she stops without saying anything, and I don’t wait for her. Eventually she rushes to catch up, but doesn’t say a word.

“Here we are. I’ll be outside.” the old giant tells us, standing aside the entrance to a smithy.

I open the door and walk inside. It’s painfully hot in here, I don’t blame The Black Blade for waiting out in the cold.

“I’m telling you it doesn’t need to be any hotter!” one giant yells at another.

“And I’m telling you that the metal has to boil for it to be receptive!” the other giant responds in kind.

“Hey guys.” I use my indoor voice, not trying to be rude.

They continue arguing about who-knows-what, until Elrinnore whistles so sharply my ears ring.

“We already told you we’re not forging handcuffs for you.” one of them tells her.

“Not here for that, we’re here to help!” She puts both fists on her hips like a superhero.

“Right.” the other giant responds, clearly skeptical.

“Really, we are. How can we help?” I insist.

“Our master died before he could pass down the method for forging swords that are receptive to possession. We need either a knowledgeable smith, or a sample.” one giant explains.

“And before we get too ahead of ourselves, who is who?” I ask. “My name’s Earl, and this is Elrinnore.”

“Oh we know her. I’m Hope’s End.” The giant with a golden sword tells me.

“Night’s Fall, pleasure.” the giant with a silver sword says.

“So what do you mean by a sample?” I question.

“We would need a sentient weapon to experiment with. It’s very unlikely to survive the process.” Night tells us hesitantly.

“Oh, is that all?” Elrinnore draws one of her axes and hands it to Night.

“Are you certain?” the silver-wielder asks.

“Oh yeah. I’ve got four of them.” she responds.

It takes me far too long to realize she’s been lugging around four identical copies of Vigdolg. From what Helga told me, that axe messes with peoples heads so much, most choose not to use one, despite how powerful it is. Either her mind is an impenetrable fortress, or the chaos is too difficult for any of them to navigate. I’m leaning towards the latter.

Assist Hope's End and Night's Fall 1/1

“Easy peasy!” She gives me a thumbs up.

“Thanks. I don’t know how I would have completed that part of the quest, I don’t have spare weapons.” I say.

“What are friends for?” she throws an arm around my shoulder, making sure to press her chest into my arm aggressively.

“Listen, I’m flattered, really, and your character is…” I try to think of something more elegant than ‘the sexiest thing on hooves’, but come up empty. “Attractive.” I end up saying.

“But?” she looks up at me, batting her eyelashes.

“I’m pretty emotionally committed to Talindra, and we have an open relationship, but I only have…” I check, “nine days, eight hours to reach max level or randomly stumble upon a shitload of gold.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“I mean, we don’t need to go at it for nine days straight.” she slaps my chest.

“Also, I just got done with this dragon, and she really took it out of me. Not to kiss and tell.” Whoops.

“Oh I know, how lucky is she to get ten whole feet of you?” She bites her lip.

“How do you know about that?” I ask, stepping away from her.

“I see everything, Earl.” she tells me.

I wait for her eyes to glow red, or her skin to melt off and reveal a sexy terminator, or something, but nothing happens. She’s just standing there, hands on her wide hips.

“I guess what I’m saying is, maybe next time?” I try.

“Aww.” she pouts. “I wore lingerie and everything.”

“You’re not wearing underwear.” I point out.

“I know!” she leans over, demonstrating. I look away slower than I should have.

“Where’s Seethe?” I poke my head out of the door, avoiding her gyrations.

“Follow me.” The Black Blade takes off again, not particularly, fast, but clearly eager.

I follow him, and let Elrinnore decide if she’s coming along. She does, hopping lightly on her hooves as her wings keep her aloft.

“I think something’s changed about you.” She says when she catches up.

“What’s that?” I ask, trying not to sound annoyed.

“If I were an orc, elf, or any manner of beastwoman, you’d have jumped my bones by now.” she states. “At least the old you would have.”

“Well, something did happen. If I’m different, good.” I say a little sharply.

“Good for you maybe. The rest of us will just have to entertain ourselves. Or each other. Do you think the commune takes succubi?” she wonders.

“I think they’re most concerned with keeping the population up.” I explain.

“Oh, I can help with that.” she tells me eagerly.

“I meant making more elves or beastwomen.” I correct.

“Yeah, I can help with that I said.” She repeats herself.

“...right.” I don’t ask for further explanation.

“Good afternoon, Seethe. I’ve found new students for you.” BB talks to a red-sword wielding giant.

“Excellent.” he responds. “I wonder what I have to teach you?”

I walk up to him and interact with his training menu.

Bestow added to spellbook.

Bestow - Extremely long cooldown - very short duration - Allow another to borrow your spell Thunder God.

Neat, another spell I was already using given a name.

Assist Seethe 1/1

“That was all you needed?” I ask, surprised.

“It is terribly lonely having no one to teach. Everyone here knows all I have to pass on.” he explains to me.

“Alright, well, thank you for teaching me.” I bow.

“Thank you for learning.” he returns my bow.

…And now it’s time for Facelifter.

“The last one sounds kinky.” Elrinnore shares her opinion.

I shiver. Whatever he’s into, I’m not interested.

“He’s all yours.” I say, following The old giant as he moves along without being asked.

“So who was your favorite?” she asks.

I’m tempted to ask what she means just to delay the inevitable, but I know.

“I don’t have one.” I lie.

“I bet it was Talindra.” she flies around me to catch my expression. “Oooh, she was, wasn't she!”

I ignore her, walking in silence.

“The way she comforted you after your eldest killed you was so sweet.” she squeaks.

That stops me in my tracks. Nobody saw that.

“I’m being serious now, lady. How do you know about that?” I turn to her.

“Ooh, serious voice. Are you going to call me a bad girl?” she pats her butt with the flat end of her tail.

I just stare at her.

“With the right technical know-how, you can watch a stream from anyone’s POV. Even if they’re not broadcasting.” she explains, suddenly just as serious.

“What?” Is all I say.

“Everyone’s characters are constantly broadcasting to the game itself. It’s always watching you experience it. Learning from what it sees.” She explains further.

A thousand times I thought I was alone, safe from the monitor, flash in my mind.

“There’s no way to turn it off?” I ask.

“Oh sure, I turned mine off.” she shrugs.

“Could you please turn mine off?” I request.

She stands there, ram-rod stiff, and her eyes go gray.

“Done.” she says after a moment.

“That quickly?” I’m amazed.

“I’m very good at what I do, Luke.” She name drops me.

A short little breath, almost a gasp, escapes my lips.

“I’m starting to get really uncomfortable.” I admit to her.

“My name is Nova, if that helps.” she says.

“Not really, but thanks.” I sigh. “Where did The Black Blade go?”

“He’s over there, near the ominous glowing stuff.” she points.

I move on from our exhausting conversation and find our giant conversing with the most far-gone, nasty, freaky-looking giant of the bunch. He looks like if a Home Depot skeleton came alive Chucky style, became human, died, then rotted for a few years.

“Ew.” Nova comments.

“Greetings sir, what can we help you with?” I try to pull attention away from her rudeness.

The zombiefied giant swivels its head to me, I hear the stretching and cracking of whatever is holding his neck together.

“The souls are uncooperative.” he moans, gesturing to a line of swords on a bench. “Their Will is strong. Soulbind one of them.”

“Where are the souls?” I ask, stepping up to the bench.

“You will feel them.” he responds.

“Alright, how do I soulbind?” I question.

“You will feel it.” he says, almost repeating himself.

“Right.” I just move on.

Closing my eyes, I reach out with my Will as I've done in the past. I can feel the Will of both the nearby people and the weapons bumping up against mine, and there’s something else there… detached souls, wandering in an adjacent realm to ours. It could be the void, but pulling anything out of there has been regarded as impossible by the smartest guy in the world. He did it himself, naturally, but it’s beyond us plebeians.

I try anyways, surprisingly, I feel a tug, like I’m fishing with my mind. I reel it in, and guide it into the empty blade before me. Like a puzzle piece, it snaps into place, and flares in my third-eye’s vision.

Assist The Facelifter 1/1

Assist The Black Blade 1/1

Restoring Citadelle Gobéliard completed! Experience gained.

Reward: [Silverlight, Etcher of Night] added to inventory.

Silverlight, Etcher of the Night - Rare one-handed Sword - medium will - medium slash damage - medium piece damage

I open my eyes, the new addition to my collection waits on the bench. I lift it, and listen.

Well met, champion.

Well met Silverlight. My name’s Earl, I’ll let my other companions introduce themselves.

It is an honor, Silverlight. Thorzur goes first.

Nice to meet you! Earthsatter follows up.

This world will drown in blood and agony. Vigdolg adds.

終わり

夏の間ずっと青い卵が一つ

もうない

Jellyfish goes last.

“Maybe we were supposed to come here first so we’d have a weapon to sacrifice to the forge.” Nova shares her observation.

“Maybe.” I agree. That would be pretty fucked up, but that’s par for the course.

“So now that you’re all done here, you're off to save the queen?” she asks.

“Yep.” I say, hoping will all that I have she’s not going to ask to tag along.

“Guess I’ll go to bed, then. It was nice to finally meet you, Paragon, and don’t forget - you owe me a lay.” her lustful smile returns.

“I won’t” I tell her, unsure if I’m committed to it.