In his days, Marlin had watched the veteran Gunners take on some of the toughest monsters and come out on top, but they usually relied on their customized enchanted firearms to crush their foes. Ezra, however, had managed to eliminate the Kakeron cluster without using any enchanted weapons.Impressed by his horse riding and the clever use of his newly acquired shooting skill, Marlin was all praises for him.“I have never seen someone wipe out a Kakeron cluster so fearlessly. Most would try to tackle these venomous flowers from a distance, but you are probably the only one who could have executed such a bold move,” he said. “Most high-level Gunners rely on their Magic Flight skill to outmaneuver their enemies, but you are a gifted horseman, my Lord. There is no doubt in my mind that you have what it takes to become the best Gunner in Valaria.”“That was a lot easier than fighting a Behemoth,” Ezra replied as he turned his horse around and joined Count Gressil’s motor wagon.The Count l
The two mechanical sentries stepped forward and blocked Ezra’s way as he headed for the gate. Seeing their blades drawn, Ezra realized it was best not to antagonize them so he pulled on the reins of his horse and brought it to a halt.“I am here from Magaravia, and I need to visit the town’s governor,” he said, greeting the robots.Ezra expected a robotic reply from the two sentries, but instead of talking they spread their arms and legs and blocked his path. “I guess you did not understand what I just said. I am here to meet the governor, and my need is urgent, so stand aside!” Ezra repeated, but this time in a slightly irritated voice.Still, the sentries did not bother to reply or greet him in any way.Ezra was starting to lose his cool when Count Gressil stepped out of his vehicle and walked up to the sentries. But instead of talking to them, he looked at the watch tower outside the gate and addressed the guard standing there.“You there, get these rust buckets out of our way. I a
Milton escorted Count Gressil and his companions to the governor’s office on the second floor of an ancient-looking building which seemed to be completely out of place in a town like this. The current governor of Silver Springs was a lean middle-aged man with back-brushed black locks and a scraggly beard that had not been shaved for weeks. Although he was dressed in a fine gray overcoat and spotless white shirt paired with a black bowtie, it looked like he was in desperate need of grooming.“Governor Creed. You have visitors,” Milton announced, interrupting the governor’s work.The governor was still sifting through official documents when he was distracted by the voice. He hurriedly stacked the papers and stuffed them inside a cabinet before turning around with a frustrated expression.“I already told you a million times not to—”“Good afternoon to you as well,” Count Gressil greeted, narrowing his eyes on the man.The governor was expecting some engineer or construction working show
The Crypt of Reilor was located under the town of Silver Springs and had a secret entrance through the Garden of Automatons. But only the members of the Creed family knew where the entrance was and how to open it. However, since the Garden of Automatons was a public space, they usually entered the crypt late at night or during the early hours of the morning.So far, Jonathan Creed had done his best to keep things under covers, and only a few town guards and priests knew about the undead infestation inside the Crypt of Reilor. He had taken great precautionary measures to seal the entrance and also limit access to the Garden of Automatons by raising the price of entry tickets.Still, these measures had done little to curb the enthusiasm of the new settlers who had moved into Silver Springs a few months back. So, to stop them from wandering in the garden for too long, the governor had instructed the guards to restrict the visiting hours from noon to evening.However, Jonathan Creed knew
When Ezra had entered the firearms store, he never expected to lay his eyes on such advanced weapons. He could tell that these guns had not been manufactured in Silver Springs and the store owner had most probably acquired them from a dubious source.However, Ezra was more than happy to pick a free weapon even though the guns inside the case looked out of place in this world. They were the kind of weapons one would expect to find in an era dominated by tanks and mortars, instead of trebuchets and battering rams.“You seem to be in two minds, brother. What bothers you?” Kerry asked. “I can teach you how to use them. There is no need to feel awkward. In fact, these weapons handle a lot better than the ones the Imperial Gunners use. Plus, they pack a lot more firepower as well.”Ezra took a good look at the weapons on offer and noticed there were no glyphs or runes engraved on them. It once again confirmed his doubts about the origin of these weapons.“These are all common weapons. Can yo
The look on the Elite Guard’s face was enough to convey the seriousness of the situation. The governor immediately sent for the Captain of the town guards to organize a defense.“We should help them out. Silver Springs will be reduced to rubble if the Elder Lich decides to cast his spells,” Count Gressil said, turning his Elite Guards. “Get to the gate and help the town guards reinforce the wall. Keep an eye on the horde, but do not engage unless I give the word.”The Elite Guards bowed to acknowledge the orders and rushed off to assist the town guards.“Count me in as well. The crypt can wait for now. We will come back for the atlas once the Elder Lich has been dealt with,” Ezra declared, ready to join the fight.But surprisingly enough, Tanya called them back, stopping them from walking away.“We need to retrieve the map right now!” she exclaimed in a frantic voice. “The undead are not attacking this town on a whim. They know the Atlas of Altamir is here and will do their worst to ca
While Count Gressil led the defense against the undead horde marching upon Silver Springs, Ezra and Tanya entered the Garden of Automatons, escorted by one of the town guards. The Garden of Automatons was a carefully curated labyrinth consisting of leafy green hedges and various kinds of exotic floral blossoms.It looked just like any other well-maintained garden, but the main highlights of this attraction weren’t the flowers and creepers. The Garden of Automatons showcased black and white marble statues of the most revolutionary mechanical contraptions designed in Silver Springs.Ezra and Tanya could see the towering sculptures peeping over the hedges as they walked down the leafy trail. There were statues of the first mechanical sentries, as well as the six-legged insectoids used for transport. And deeper inside the garden, they came across a statue of the legendary mechanical engineer Sir Adventus Halicomb, the man who had invented Valaria’s first aerial mode of transport: the Dra
As Ezra and Tanya entered the crypt, the doors slammed shut behind them, closing off their only exit.The Crypt of Reilor was the final resting place of the deceased from the Reeves bloodline and had been protected for generations. But now that Zepheroth had been freed from his eternal prison, his dark influence had cast an evil shadow on Valaria, corrupting the lands.It was still a mystery how the undead had managed to infiltrate the crypt and turn it into their territory, but Ezra was determined to wipe them all out.The Crypt of Reilor was built as a two-floor setup, with the first floor containing the ‘Chamber of Offerings’ and the bottom floor leading to ‘The Burial Chamber’ and ‘Chamber of Spirits’.As Ezra and Tanya took their first steps upon the cobbled floor, a foul stench wafted toward them, choking their nostrils. It smelled like something had recently died here and was left to rot for several days.Tanya retched but covered her mouth and nose with her hand to prevent hers