Though Lord Sebastian was happy that his son had learned to move on, Ezra’s unusual request confused both Ramel and Aurelia. “You could have asked for anything, but you always make the stupidest of choices,” Ramel muttered under his breath. “What kind of a magic user needs a Gunsmithing workbench? It’s as if an idiot like you could ever craft anything useful.” Ramel knew that Gunsmithing was an incredibly difficult craft, and only a handful of people could manage to assemble a functioning firearm. In his mind, there was no way a cripple like Ezra could even repair a gun, let alone build one from scratch. Even Aurelia could not help but wonder what was going on in Ezra’s mind, but she was happy to support his decision even if wasn’t a conventional choice. *** After a light supper, Ezra went back to his room and immediately began treating his hands using the Eastern herbs the Arch Maester had prescribed. As Ezra dipped his hands into the sacred waters drawn from the fountain of E
Ezra was thrilled to level up so quickly. Not only had he advanced to a level E Gunsmith, but also acquired a new Gunsmithing skill. The enchanted six-shooter now looked a lot different from the one the Rodels had brought for him. The customized grip added a smoky white coloration to it and made it stand out from an ordinary revolver. Although the glyphs remained engraved on the revolver, they glowed much brighter than before. Even the mid-section of the gun looked different due to the addition of a new cylinder. “The notched ebony grip will make it easier for you to hold the weapon with trembling hands, and it will help you handle the recoil much better as well,” Marlin explained, while Ezra continued gazing at the modified revolver. “What about the cylinder?” he asked. “The swing-out cylinder will allow you to reload six bullets simultaneously into your revolver instead of restocking them one by one. This will cut down your reloading time in half,” Marlin replied. “These might
The town of Aranor was a melting pot of different cultures and traditions where non-humans existed peacefully with the humans. However, not everyone was happy to have dwarves and merfolk living alongside them. Most nobles and middle-class merchants were repulsed by the merfolk and viewed the dwarves as their inferiors. Due to this clash of mentalities, it was impossible to gather them at the same table for any kind of discussion. Lord Sebastian knew about these racial prejudices, and to avoid any kind of conflict, he had chosen to invite the dwarves to lunch while the merchants and adventurers were asked to join him for dinner. Since the Romanovs were one of the only families of nobles in Valaria to treat the dwarves as equals, it was easy for Lord Sebastian to win over the miners without any bargaining. Ivan readily agreed to support him in the next patriarchal election and even promised to cut all ties with the Rodels. The easy part was over, but the real challenge still lay ahea
Aurelia welcomed Yarpin with kind words and took him to the table where the maids and attendants had already laid the silverware and were waiting with towels and kerchiefs. The guild master of the adventurers’ guild walked up the stairs with a resolute air and greeted Lord Sebastian with a half-bow. “Welcome to our humble home, Black Viper,” Lord Sebastian said, greeting the adventurer with a firm handshake before pulling him into an embrace. “It’s good to see you haven’t let the years catch up to you, Lord Sebastian. And please, you may call me by my real name. Only the commoners and rookies call me Black Viper,” the man replied. “Very well, Lester,” Lord Sebastian replied with a polite smile. As Lester let go of Lord Sebastian’s hand, he immediately turned his gaze to Ezra. “I was there at the training arena. You tried well, boy. There’s no shame in failing.” Ezra did not understand whether Lester was trying to genuinely sympathize with him or further rub salt into his wounds.
Even Yarpin’s scheming mind had never expected such a proposal. Lord Sebastian already held the title of the Chief Patriarch of the Dragon Claw clan, and he had always seemed pleased to stay out of politics outside his own clan. “There is a chance that your cousin may be re-elected as mayor. Why would you want to nominate yourself in his stead?” the merchant asked. Lord Sebastian looked straight at him and replied, “Don’t get me wrong. I know my cousin has done a fine job as the mayor of Aranor. But he will be no match for Lord Wilhelm. If Lord Wilhelm decides to run for mayor, only I can hope to oppose him.” “Well, I can’t say that’s too far from the truth,” Lester pitched in, taking another swig from his cup. “Lord Sebastian is quite a popular figure in Aranor. But I can’t say the same about our current mayor, Lord Harwood. Most people only see him as a harmless puppet.” Yarpin ignored Lester’s remark and asked, “May I know why you are so averse to the idea of Lord Wilhelm becomi
The die that Yarpin had rolled to set his murderous plan into motion was now coming back to haunt him, and all he could do was ball his fingers and curse his oversight. Ezra had outwitted him and given him a taste of his own medicine. Seeing his guest so eager to leave, Lord Sebastian stood up from the table to accompany him to the front door, but Ezra stopped him before he could take another step. “I’ll accompany our guest to his carriage. You can complete your meal, father,” Ezra said, urging Yarpin to follow him. Though Yarpin was a cultured man and was known for his refined courtesy, he forgot all about his manners as Ezra’s words kept ringing in his ear. Without even taking Lord Sebastian’s leave, he followed in his son’s footsteps like a frail shadow. As they reached the front door, the clouds gathered overhead burst at their seams, ushering in the first rains of the season. “You are playing a dangerous game, young Lord,” Yarpin spoke in a hushed voice. A crooked bolt of l
The next day, one of Yarpin’s most trusted messengers arrived at the Romanov mansion, bearing two envelopes from the silk merchant. He handed the smaller one to Lord Sebastian but refused to deliver the second one to anyone other than Ezra. A maid was sent to call Ezra from his room, and he promptly arrived downstairs to collect the special package. “Mr. Yarpin wishes to tell you that he had to put in tremendous effort to acquire this gift for you. Please do not sell it to anyone else,” the messenger said, handing the sealed blue envelope to Ezra. “Tell him that I appreciate his effort and that his gift is safe in my possession,” Ezra replied, before shoving the envelope inside his jacket. It was clear that Ezra did not want anyone to know about the blueprint, not even his family. Fortunately, Lord Sebastian was too occupied with the letter he had just unfolded to think about anything else. He read it with keen interest, weighing every word carefully before turning the letter ov
In an unknown location, three robed figures were standing in front of a statue, inside what seemed like a ruined shrine overgrown with thorny vines and moss. The man on the right was bald and stout with a missing ear and smoky gray eyes. His dusty black robes were in tatters, and he walked with the help of a crooked pinewood staff. The one on the left was a middle-aged woman with hazel brown eyes and dirty black hair which cascaded along her shoulders, reaching all the way to her waist. Though she had an innocent face, her eyes revealed the malice stirring within. Standing between them was an elderly man with matted brown locks and a lean face that bore a jagged scar on the left cheek. He was blind in the left eye and his skin was covered in scaly gray patches, which made it appear like he was suffering from some incurable disease. All of them were facing the same direction, their eyes glued to the statue in front. It was the statue of a robed deity with a cowl on his head. In his
“Pull back! Retreat to the walls!” Marquis Sullivan shouted, turning his stallion around and ordering his men to scatter.While Marquis Sullivan managed the Paladins, Marquis Desmond took charge of the infantry.“Move your legs! Double time it!” he yelled, riding alongside the halberdiers and swordsmen.The three Behemoths behind them continued their march, lumbering through the sea of rotten corpses and shattered skeletons. Marquis Sullivan’s heavily armored paladins were extremely effective at countering foot soldiers and unguarded archers, but the weight of their plate armor and double-handed weapons slowed them down considerably, making it difficult for them to engage in sustained fights.Thus, the swordsmen had been sent alongside the cavalry to protect them from flankers and continue the fight once the enemy’s frontline had been broken.It was a common strategy to let the heavy cavalry trample the enemy’s defenses, allowing the foot soldiers to follow as a clean-up crew and fin
The time for planning was long over. Ezra didn’t bother waiting for Sir Galahar or Servius to make their next move. He knew the Infernal Lich had the power to sway the odds in favor of the undead, the longer he stayed on the battlefield, so he set his eyes on the spellcaster straightaway.Unfurling the legendary scroll, Ezra whispered in a cold voice, “Activate Scroll: Eternal Hourglass!”As Ezra spoke those words, the letters inked on the scroll slipped down the paper like grains of sand, unleashing a wave of magic that stopped the attackers in their tracks, pausing the flow of time.“I never thought I would live to see such a spell with my own eyes,” Marlin spoke in a trembling voice as he beheld the impossible sight.The ghouls lay frozen like stuffed cadavers, their jaws open and their claws lifted in the air. The skeletons marching behind now looked like statues and the Infernal Lich was still in the middle of a spell, his hands wrapped around a swirling vortex of dark energy.As
Spotting an Infernal Lich on the battlefield was one of the worst things anyone could imagine while fighting an army of undead. Marlin knew this wasn’t a horde of mindless zombies, but an organized group of attackers.“What is an Infernal Lich?” Ezra questioned as Sir Galahar flew past him and landed atop the Tower of Justice.“An Infernal Lich is an undead sorcerer who has mastery over dark magic and is adept at necromancy as well. Unlike the Elder Lich, the Infernal Lich can travel between realms and even command troops from the void,” Marlin replied.While Ezra was surveying the situation from high up in the sky, Sir Galahar was organizing the soldiers of the Imperial Army into a battle formation as they marched down the streets armed with muskets and hand cannons.Since the Imperial Army could only be mobilized by the Crown, Princess Aleena had given the orders to get them battle-ready. And with Duke Carrington deposed of his authority, the rest of the nobles supported her decisio
The tangled mass of crimson threads choked the city like corrupted blood vessels as they descended upon the guard towers and clogged their windows. They eventually spread across the streets, branching into root-like projections that suffocated the low-lying cottages and corner shops.Marlin’s cursed eye widened, and his chapped lips trembled as the bloody threads coiled around the children lying unconscious on the street and started wrapping them into cocoons.“We need to save them,” he urged. “That eye resists elemental damage. I have to get close,” Ezra replied before downing a healing potion and shooting up at full speed. He knew the only way he was going to destroy the eye was by using the divine scrolls, but for that, he needed to get within striking distance.While the demonic eye was engrossed in spreading its tainted roots across the city, Ezra soared through the skies and quickly closed the gap. But as he neared the eye, the dark clouds rumbled with thunder, and Spectral Wra
Sir Galahar and Servius had been preparing for this day ever since they heard about the Flame Demon sighting outside Avondale. The city’s guard towers had been repaired, and the walls fortified with magic. But the threat marching toward the capital was much greater than they had anticipated.What made things worse was the appearance of the Eye of Doom over the city, which caused widespread panic among the masses. People scurried out of the Arcadium like insects, and those out on the streets rushed homeward to seek shelter within the safety of their houses.Ten squads of City Guards were immediately dispatched to man the walls, and the sirens were sounded from the garrison, spurring the snipers into action.The Mech Defenders were ordered to clear the streets and reinforce the gates while the adventurers were tasked with protecting the guild houses.Servius surveyed the undead army through the magic windows and quickly understood their strategy.“This is not a skirmish. They are going
Shocked gasps escaped from the people in the crowd as Ezra revealed who he actually was. The news of the brutal massacre in Aranor had made its way to the capital many weeks ago, and it was common knowledge that the Romanov family had been wiped out.But seeing Ezra standing there as the living proof of his bloodline subverted all past notions.This white-haired boy had once been hailed as a prodigy across Valaria, but his name had quickly faded from their memory after his tragic accident. But it seemed fate still had one last die to throw, and with the final toss, it had restored his fortunes.The only ones in the Arcadium who knew about the masked devil’s identity beforehand were Tanya and her father. Ezra had revealed his secret to them just last night, but it was a complete shocker for everyone else.Even Queen Guinevere and Princess Aleena had been completely clueless about Ezra’s identity up until now, and this unexpected revelation left him speechless.“So…the dragon still lives
The Duke’s shocking confession turned the whole narrative on its head, spreading further panic among the crowd. Not even Ezra had suspected him to be allied with the necromancers.“Is this another trick of yours?” Tanya questioned, still struggling to make sense of the whole situation. It seemed absurd that a high and mighty noble like Duke Carrington would willingly worship Zepheroth and kneel before the necromancers.But the Duke was quick to clear her confusion. “There is no trick in what I say. I do not worship any Gods, but I understand Zepheroth’s powers cannot be matched by mere mortals. We must kneel before him if we are to survive his reign,” he replied.“So you lied to all of us?” Marquis Desmond’s voice boomed from the distance as he marched into the arena, ready to confront the Duke. “We thought you wanted to protect the king and help the people of Magaravia fight this darkness.”“Fight? How can anyone fight a God?” Duke Carrington retorted in a mocking tone. “Are you even
The spectators who had once eagerly supported Ezra now seemed to regard him as the greatest enemy of the kingdom. The sudden change in their behavior shocked him.“How did they believe him so easily?” Ezra asked, unable to believe what had just happened. “Something is not right.”While it was common for the gullible commoners to be duped by the cunning words of the influential nobles, the change seemed to be too drastic this time. The same crowd that had been cheering for Ezra had suddenly changed sides, almost on a whim, and even the other nobles seemed to be siding with the Duke.Marlin was also surprised by this twist. It was as if Duke Carrington had bought their allegiance with a snap of his fingers.Queen Guinevere stood up to reason with the spectators. “Listen to me, good people of Magaravia. Your beloved Duke is lying to you. King Reginald never intended to sell you to the Lord of Decay. While I agree he may not be the bravest, he is certainly not a traitor.”The Queen though
The Spectral Phoenix let out a piercing shriek that carried its voice across the city, dispersing the gray clouds and illuminating the sky with a brilliant golden radiance.Ezra channeled his magic energy outward and boosted his flying speed, breaking away from the phoenix as it surged toward him.“I have never seen a Spectral Phoenix before. These spirits are primal manifestations of the fire element and are regarded as the most challenging ones to tame. Their flames are undying, and if you get touched by its feathers, it will burn you to ash in the blink of an eye,” Marlin cautioned.Ezra continued flying backward, keeping the phoenix in his sights. But he was so focused on the spectral bird that he forgot all about its owner.Duke Carrington took advantage of this distraction and replenished his magic power with a couple of Superior Magic Restoration Potions before warming himself with the phoenix’s Thermal Radiance ability.Finally free from the numbing effects of the frost, Duke C