As I watched Aiden work, I couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Aiden had prepared 5 batches of the ingredients required for the potion, however after 3 attempts, they had failed. I watched Aiden set aside the vial as Thalia prepared another batch of ingredients. They had been working for almost 6 hours straight at this point. Each time they had simply cleaned their tools and started again.
It was slightly infuriating as this wasn't a problem I could help with, and the others couldn't either. Jax, Beatrice, and Liora were currently working on helping Liora finish her invention thing while I was sitting here, ready to take the potion when it's done. So I could only sit as I watched them try again.
It was excruciating to just sit there, but We weren't sure of the shelf life of the potion, so Aiden wanted me there in case this potion was a supplemental thing and I needed to describe the recipe, or if it had a short shelf life and I needed to drink it right away. Either way I could feel just how nervous he was about the whole process as he worked. His hand occasionally shook as Thalia took ingredients and added them in after measuring.
"I-I'm going to the bathroom, be right b-back."
I lied, my words stumbling more than usual as I quickly stood and made my way over to the door. As I stepped out into the hall I let out a sigh and just sat next to the door for a moment. My nerves were shot just about, as on one hand I felt like a kid waiting for a gift they had been wanting for years, while on the other hand there was a tangible fear that this may not work and we would be back to searching around endlessly.
As I sat to rest I saw two figures make their way into the inn, both would have seemed normal except for the strangeness that seemed to follow them.
The one on the left is a small human girl completely engulfed in their black cloak. It's difficult to make out any further details, but at a closer glance, they appear to have long, light-blond hair that falls in soft, slightly messy layers, with loose strands slipping across their face and partially obscuring one eye. Their eyes are a soft, pale green, framed by thin, rectangular glasses that rest lightly on the bridge of their nose.
On the right was someone that appeared to be a taller Light-blood scorpion beastfolk adorning with multiple piercings on his ears. His hair was curly, slightly long and black, yet splattered with specks of white resembling the stars at night. He wasn't overly muscular, more so like a runner than anything. His tail, long and segmented, protruding from his back tapers into a sharp yet curved barb. His clothing looks like that of fall nearing into winter.
I watched as the two entered and turned back towards the door where a large figure seemed to loom before walking away. As they turned back they began to make their way towards the stairs as they whispered. Their conversation was hard to overhear, however as I focused my mutation into my ears I could make it out better
You have used skill Mutate(C)
Your condition flares up
The flare up was settled by the aether in your body
You have traded Strike Muscles mutation for Acute Hearing
As they walked, I could hear the scorpion man first
"Why a spear of all things?"
He asked, shifting his body a little to try and avoid bumping into people
"Was there anything else that you wanted to get for the others or yourself while we were there?"
The girl who was walking with him said
"Because I."
She seemed to pause and stop walking as the two stood there for a moment, the girl seeming deep in thought as the scorpion man seemed more worried.
"I just… feel like you'd be the type of person to use a spear! That's why!"
She chirped, flashing a grin that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
"Now come on, the alchemist fella is that way!"
Hearing that I felt a pulse of cold go up my spine as I realized exactly what they were after. The man seemed a little surprised, but continued walking with a confused look.
"An alchemist... is selling spears? They must have needed to expand their production for business."
For a moment I watched, hoping that their intention was just to ask about the spear, however as the girl turned to continue towards the stairs, and the scorpion man's face seemed to harden as if realizing something, that hope died. Normally I would be getting ready to fight, however the thing that held me back was the fact that they power they seemed to have was unnatural. The girl gave off a strange wrongness, like the world warped around her while the man gave off a feeling of feral power, like he could call on animalistic strength. What made it more concerning was the fact that they were so young. Both couldn't have been older than 16, but they gave off the feeling of seasoned fighters, not to mention the strange brimstone and sulfur smell that seemed to cling to them as if they had decided to make a pitstop in the hells before coming to watch the games.
The two began to climb the stairs as I realized this wasn't a moment I could hesitate on. I ducked down, steadying myself as I drank the extra aether potion Aiden had made me for emergencies, energy surging in my body as I took a sprinters stance. I could not win, I could at least hold my own against them long enough for people to notice. I focused my breathing as I stared ahead, and began to channel as many buffing skills as I could.
You have used skill 3 X Mutate(C)
Your condition flares up
The flare up was settled by the aether in your body
You have traded Acute Hearing mutation for Enhanced Musculature
You have traded Armor Plating mutation for Enhanced Musculature
You have traded Healing Factor mutation for Enhanced Musculature
Your strength surges by 150 points
You have used Soulskill Chimeric Surge(C)
Your strength will be increased by 50 for a time
You have used skill Chimeric Cowl(C)
Your Soulskill is greatly enhanced, your stats soar
As the two were almost at the top of the stairs I could hear the scorpion man say.
"You don't plan to do what I think you are, right?"
A part of me wanted to hesitate, but as my muscles coiled like taught adamant wire, I couldn't take that chance. As they both rounded the corner I exploded fourth. The wood behind my feet splintering into dust from the newfound force in my legs. The two seemed surprised as the girl yelled
"Mr Fero HELPPP—"
A strange silver liquid shot out from her cloak, coating her in a metallic armor. As I collide the armor caught my impact, saving the two of them from any damage. It stopped the damage, but not the momentum as We rocketed towards the front wall and outside where in an attempt to do some kind of damage I slammed the now armored girl and partially armored scorpion man down, however even as they cratered into the cobblestones of the street, neither seemed harmed, the metal liquid saving them. I went flying past, skidding to a stop, as I opened my mouth to yell they were planning a robbery, however my voice died on my lungs as I saw two things. The first was the system screen
Verdena has used item #347 Ferosword (EX)
Verdena has taken zero damage
Salvos has taken zero damage
Your damage was unable to get past the Feroswords innate resistance, no damage done
Your soul stirs
An EX rank Item, what does that mean, and whats with the number?
I thought as my eyes looked up to where a figure was now standing in front of me.
He stood a good 12 foot tall at least and almost equally as stockily wide. I didn't recognize what he was, but he almost seemed like a massive, overgrown crab. His carapace was opal white with pigmentation of deep, amber red covering major potions of his body. It thick and sturdy like blast proof plating, with his left extremity looks like a proportional sided articulate arm but his right extremity is titanic, wickedly brutal crab's claw with its pincers tinted black with a constant coat of a strange substance leaking from it. 4 other smaller crab like extremities less pronounced but still has viscous and sharp hold close to his body. He has a stern, monstrous looking face that seems in a constant state of offended unamusement twisted in a hateful scowl. Moreover, throughout his carapace there are small vents that gush out constant jets of steam, and within that steam, there seems to emit some semblance of an essence of extreme danger like he could rip out entire forests with an overzealous movement.
I wanted my legs to move, I could feel the power in them, but as much force as I tried to put into stepping forward, an equal force held me back, my body refusing to move on an instinctual level that was not impossible to break, but also not easy either.
What happened next happened before I could react. From standing almost 20ft away to suddenly vanishing, I turned to look around as suddenly I felt strength leave my legs.
Jeriko has used Anti-magic swordsmanship
Your active skills have been disabled for 3 rounds
Your passive skills have been disabled for 3 rounds
Your soul Stirs
I turned as I felt the mutated armor formed from chimeric cowl shatter off of me as the large crab was behind me, their large clawed right hand being covered in a strange darkness. From behind I heard the trumpeting of elephants as I saw a massive war mammoth, adorned in armor standing next to the scorpion man. My legs were weak, whatever power to push through the fear I had held before was gone as I could only hope that the noise would draw the attention of someone strong enough to handle this. As I waited I saw the girl in the cloak, who I now knew was named Verdena stood and brush herself off, the liquid metal armor retracting into her cloak.
"I'm okay! Not even a scratch."
She said, quickly shooting a quick glance over to where I stood.
"And it looks like Mr Jericho has it handled! But uh… I think he may have it a bit too handled."
She said as she began to walk over towards where I stood. As she walked over I tried to feel for anything I still had, and as I did I felt something call back. So I began to mumble under my breath as the scorpion guy who I now new was named Salvos, with a vein bulging on his head roared.
"If the situation calls for it, but unlikely if you don't attack us out of NOWHERE like you had just done."
He twisted his head and cracking the knot in his neck from the fall, he turns to the mammoth and signaled them to stay a little ways back to protect Verdena. He seemed to take a centering breath as if trying to calm himself before turning to me and asking.
"What is the problem that made you attack us out of nowhere? Did you lose control over yourself? If not, then why... why attack us?"
For a moment doubt flashed in my mind, but as I thought back to the scene, I chuckled, looking down as I muttered to myself.
"Lost within the mist, I resist what the world cannot see. Molded by mutation, my shape will hold as will my will."
I saw both Jeriko and Salvos's eyes widen as if they realized what I was doing, but it was too late. If I tried to continue to the third stage they would stop me, so two would have to hold out for now as I roared.
"WORLD WILL - MISTY WANDERER!"