Caster grinned, thinking about a certain scroll he'd made. It wasn't great for attacking, but it could be used as a bomb."You came prepared," Felix observed, a mix of relief and frustration in his voice. He was glad to have Caster around, but also bummed about his own lack of usefulness. Maybe after this, he'd take a safer approach to adventuring and prepare more supplies next time.Samuel gave Caster a rough pat on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over. "Heh, not bad for a shrimp," he said with a grin. Caster, despite being the youngest, had become their temporary leader thanks to his powerful magic."I've got some mana back," Caster announced. "We should get going. If Mark's right, no rescue party is coming anytime soon."The trip from Winterfell took about two days. Even if they blew open the entrance now, and factoring in the time to gather adventurers, help wouldn't arrive for at least three days, maybe even a week.Everyone was tired, and Caster was running low on scrolls.
A young man in a black robe suddenly moved forward, screaming loudly and alerting the people around him."Hey, calm down," one of his companions said.Caster's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't sure what was going on. His first instinct was to check his right arm. He remembered using a scroll he had made, which was unreliable and dangerous. Caster had used an entire monster sheep pelt and high-quality magic ink to create the magic spell by combining as many fire arrow magic box as possible. He put it together using magical pathways and fixed it with his debugging skill. The result was a messy spell scroll that overloaded when activated, nearly causing his arm to explode.At least, that's what he thought had happened. But his arm looked mostly fine now. His fingers weren't damaged or missing, and the burn scars were faint. He looked around and realized he was in a moving carriage with his party members sitting nearby."Quite the crazy yelling you've got there, man," Michael the dwarf l
Caster wasn’t the only one who benefited from the expedition. Everyone in the party had collected many mana stones and gained lots of experience from killing monsters. Felix had the biggest level jump, going from tier 1 level 10 to level 23. In only a short while, he could gain another tier 1 class and be in the steel adventurer ranks.Caster gained two levels during the encounter. He may have reached the top of his class if it wasn’t a crafting profession. The magic mastery skill he had was unusual for his class. He hoped it would unlock better job options in the future, maybe not just other tier 1 classes.“Thanks for pulling me out,” Caster said to his party members, who were arguing about women’s busts again. He needed to thank them for getting him out of there; he wouldn’t have survived otherwise. The guys laughed a bit. The elf stayed quiet, looking outside the carriage. Felix blushed slightly, not used to being thanked.They returned to Winterfell safely. The journey back
Winterfell was a big and prosperous city known for its crafting professions. Many of the country’s magical items were made here, and anything with Winterfell's quality seal usually sold well.The city’s money flow was regulated by the merchant council and the local noble house. Nobles mostly stayed out of business matters, focusing on parties, gaining merits, and currying favor with higher-ranking nobles or the royal family.In a brightly lit room, six people sat around a round table, though two chairs were empty. These were some of the richest merchants in the city. One of them was the demon manager Caster worked for.“What the fuck. That mine you blew up cost me a lot of cash, how did a Gorgonite infestation spread there? It makes no sense!”A large dwarf with a bit of a tummy slammed his hand on the table. His hand and beard were adorned with golden rings.“Just some bad luck?” An elven man with dark skin smoking from a cigarette holder said. He wore a black suit that revealed a
The profits from the magic scrolls were good, but at most, Caster worked like five regular mana scribes. He wasn’t a magicsmith yet, and the real money was in making reusable gear for adventurers or soldiers. Getting a good commission from the noble lords to outfit their armies could make more money than selling to adventurers.“Aye, the brat is working hard. He even asked me for smithing books…”The demon said while the elf man smiled.“He’s going to change classes again already…”The two were surprised by Caster's progress. They figured he couldn’t be an ordinary person since he already had his second class at eleven. There were ways to increase experience besides killing monsters and crafting.“Do you think he used blood crystals, manager? He doesn’t seem like the type.”“He didn’t show any signs of using them, probably not.”The demon replied while lighting his pipe. The elven man cringed, not being a fan of smokers.“We have him for another two years, so we can watch him closely
Caster got to his usual place, which was just at the bottom of the house. The outside looked as dead as always. He turned around and walked slowly upstairs. His room had no difference from how it was, and he went straight to the computer. He heard the fans turn on, and the system asked for his password as usual.“I said it. There are a lot of them this time.He went straight to the event that made him aware of the possible classes and started looking through them. As usual, there still was the usual tier 1 classes like archer, warrior, and scout, but now there were some tier 2 classes available.‘Advanced Mana Scribe… Advanced Magic Mana Scribe are there…’He had maxed out both of his scribing skills and some mage class skills. He understood that what he had was sufficient to allow him to change to these classes. Going with the tier 2 Advanced Magic Mana Scribe class seemed like a good idea.He looked at the magical classes side but frowned. There weren’t any tier 2 mage classes
Caster put the crafting instructions aside. He had learned how to make a magesmith’s ladle used in forging. He didn't expect this to be his first project. He also needed to inscribe magic on the metal tool before it could be considered finished.He looked at the tool rack and started picking out the tools and resources needed for the task. He didn't come unprepared; he had studied many crafting textbooks. He had also watched other smiths in the city.He even tried to pay a few for lessons, but they weren’t willing to share their secrets, thinking he was a spy from another smithy. Not wanting to ask the Manager for help, he settled for watching from afar, but was soon removed after being spotted a few days later.Nodding to himself, he began placing the items and tools needed to forge the ladle. First came the magesmith's hammers, essential for the craft. Next were shears for cutting thinner pieces of metal, a punch to make holes for attaching the round ladle end with rivets, and so
Caster began bending the end of the handle’s taper over the rounded far edge of the anvil.Then he started shaping it, a process called scrolling. He did this by holding the rod flat on the anvil and hammering back towards himself.This would give the handle a nice curved shape, which was needed for this type of ladle.His hand grew tired, and his stamina points dropped. He kept bending the handle until it formed a proper scroll. He then bent the end further, about 45 degrees to one side over the far side of the anvil, to create a ring at the end. He placed the little loop in the anvil’s spike and finished shaping the handle with more hammer strikes before quenching it.With the handle now done, he moved on to the other end where the oval ladle would attach. The sounds of hammering metal continued while Caster sweated. After some time, he shaped the other end well enough and then needed to punch holes through it.The tool for this was a punch, which looked like a large nail but was
Caster was mature enough to see the world as it was. He understood that most younger folk saw it through a lens of hope and ambition, their dreams of treasure and fame setting them apart from his more grounded approach. Some were from humble beginnings: sons and daughters of farmers; young people from families that were better off but that had fallen on hard times and now were boy or girl determined to claw back some of that perceived lost respect, no matter the price."My jaw twisted into a small smirk as I imagined their wide eyes and wide, baseless plans and all they think is, ‘Get some gold, a shiny sword, you’ll be a hero.’" It was the same story, time and again: things that were often only dreams, rarely aligning with reality.Lowfield had been a deliberate choice despite what she had become. Knowing full well it wouldn’t be clear, he took the fast route but he took the fast route. The road taught him about its steep hills, its rocky passages and on occasion, the unfriendly tra
The early morning breeze bit into the cloak and the underdress at Caster’s shoulders as he walked the narrow cobblestone path into Lowfield. Today he had gotten rid of his imposing helmet and heavy armor. Dawn's fresh smell of its own earth together mingling with the familiar taste of his workshop on his clothes. He wasn’t hiding his identity, or painful silence had been left behind, today. Today was about remembering the life that kept breathing after his magesmith-tools stopped.The caravan had added liveliness to the town which reminded me of festival time, the town was waking up. Some of the faces settling onboard Caster recognised—newcomers amongst the adventurers. With fresh ambitions and none of the resolve yet tested, they walked on their own journey wide eyed and reminded him of the person he used to be. He watched the newcomers with a kind of quiet amusement, catching snippets of eager chatter about dungeons and imagined battles, bravado thick in the air.A young man, prob
Casting his small treaty of provisions, a load of stale bread crusts, some wrinkled fruits, and a hard wedge of cheese that once lived on a more hospitable broke surviving clunk to clunk. He made a gagging noise as he peered at the dried meat again and poked it with distaste. "Wouldn't it kill the fates to give me a real meal?" Just once. Something hot, even." He sneaked a look over at where a stove should be, the ones that made his mouth water when a hearty stew bubbled away. For a moment he smirked, "No stove yet … maybe I could conjure a magical pan up." "Oil might be asking for a miracle."Peering out the window he squinted at the city in the early light. Carts creaked along cobbled paths and vendors hawked fresh fish and newly baked bread in the place I had walked into, even now. He’d done a lot with the house in the week that he’d been there, turning it into something livable, barely. "What the hell?' he murmured, 'Doors actually close now' he concluded feeling a bit more proud
Caster adjusted his grip and took a close look at his work, scrutinizing every line and angle of the newly crafted weapon handle. The wood was tough but carefully sanded, bearing faint, meticulous patterns he had engraved over hours of work. "Alright," he muttered, almost to himself. "Let's see if this holds up."He lowered his gaze to the small, rough-edged mana stone beside him. Its surface shimmered faintly, a testament to the raw energy that pulsed within it. With precision, he made a tiny opening at the base of the handle, using one of his tools to keep the gap just wide enough for the stone to fit snugly. Holding his breath, Caster slid the stone into place, his hand steady even as he felt the twinge of nervousness in his gut. One wrong move, one crack, and the handle would split, and the entire effort would be wasted. He exhaled, the pressure off his shoulders as the stone was secure. He picked up a little hammer and taps the opening closed, sealing the stone.Caster was co
Caster’s gaze shifted between his rough tools and the iron-cast walls around him. The dim, flickering light from a lone torch cast dancing shadows on his workbench, where the worn mace lay, waiting. Each scuff and nick in the wood handle held a tale of its own; it wasn’t just a tool but a companion, a weapon that had been through as much as he had. And here he was, weighing its life and usefulness like a weary healer judging the last pulse of an old patient.He ran his hand over the handle one last time, tracing the grains and grooves with a practiced eye. “Adding a stone’s one thing,” he muttered. “But what it needs is stability.” His fingers slid to a small crack, an old fracture that hadn’t yet spread but threatened to. “If that widens… this thing’s done.”His hands worked without thought, reaching into the assortment of stones, metals, and powders he had scavenged over time. His fingers found a small, rough mana stone, and he rolled it between his fingers, feeling its faint warm
Caster knocked metal hard on metal, the sound reverberating in the almost pitch black workshop. With every hook an aura of magical energy was discharged providing brief glimpses of light on the roughly completed stone walls. It smelled of hot metal and a low, tense buzz, which seemed to say that the room itself had tensed to watch him.Caster, still young but hardened by the trials of his craft, stood poised over his latest project: a shield, its shape still raw but which is already starting to look graceful. Though not tall and still somewhat thin, he seemed to possess good illating strength, every punch he landed being calculated. Each movement was accompanied by complex magical ripples, which Indragni had seen on the surface of the shield before a layer of runes he more or less sketched with great detail. In addition to a frown a look of intense concentration took over his face only to be interrupted the occasional lean back to examine the painting.After several more strikes, he
Caster climbed the winding stone stairs leading upward from the basement of Lamba fortress as the red rays of the morning sun spread across Lowfield. He sighed as he breathed in the crisp morning air and hours spent wading through dim and damp caverns had taken a toll on him. The bustle outside was a stark contrast to the quiet gloom below. Merchants, hawkers, and small-time dealers filled the open area, all eager to cater to the steady stream of adventurers drawn to the dungeon.“Potion for mana, sir?” called a nearby merchant, brandishing a small flask that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Clearly, the man wasn’t going to miss any opportunity to sell.He gave her the distinct pleasure of a faint smile and a polite shake of his head. “Not today, but thanks.” The merchant glanced up as he passed saying “As he passed his gaze fell on a young boy standing beside the merchant with his hands outstretched each palm held small stones of different colors.”“Lucky charms,” the boy put out
Caster climbed the winding stairs stone leading upward from the basement of Lamba fortress as the red rays of the morning sun spread across Lowfield. He sighed as he breathed in the crisp morning air and hours spent wading through dim and damp caverns has taken a toll on him. The bustle outside was a stark contrast to the quiet gloom below. Merchants, hawkers, and small-time dealers filled the open area, all eager to cater to the steady stream of adventurers drawn to the dungeon.“Potion for mana, sir?” called a nearby merchant, brandishing a small flask that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Clearly, the man wasn’t going to miss any opportunity to sell.He gave her the distinct pleasure of a faint smile and a polite shake of his head. “Not today, but thanks.” The merchant glanced up as he passed saying “As he passed his gaze fell on a young boy standing beside the merchant with his hands outstretched each palm held small stones of different colors.”“Lucky charms,” the boy put out
Caster met them along the way quite often, which slowed down his progress. As he fought, he had to wait for them to finish before he could move on. “Hey, Caster! Need a hand?” one adventurer called out, swinging a sword at a monster.“No thanks! I’m good,” Caster replied, keeping his eyes on the battle ahead. He knew he could be accused of stealing if he forced his way through. Caster wished to avoid conflict with others, at least for now. He didn’t want to risk incurring their wrath or losing potential allies. “Once I get a silver-grade card, things will be different,” he thought. With higher levels, prestige wouldn’t be far behind, and the dynamics of encounters would shift dramatically.The level wasn’t that large; if someone knew the way, they could stroll past most dangers and quickly descend to the second level. Caster recalled hearing about hidden paths that only seasoned adventurers were aware of. These shortcuts could be the difference between life and death, especially dee