Survival Quest (The Way of the Shaman: Book #1) (15 page)

Up - down.

Up - down.

Up - down.

After I tossed it up one more time the stone felt unusual. Or rather, wrong. I stopped tossing it up and down and looked at it in surprise. It was the same stone, but I could feel that there was something wrong, out of place or false about it. It was strange, but I sensed that the stone was uncomfortable in its current form, that is felt imprisoned. And this feeling was so strong that I involuntarily took out my Jeweler's burr and began to remove excess mass in order to free my stone. I understood this stone - we were both inside a prison, but the stone has a chance to escape, a chance that I could grant it. Somewhere at the back of my head a thought flashed: 'So you're talking to stones now?', but I brushed it aside. The stone was unwell and needed help, which I was able to provide. I'd deal with my mental state later.

First I needed to clean up here and file a little just here. And in this bit I had to be very careful or I would damage the stone. And in this place all the excess should be removed. This piece is all wrong as well, but this other one belongs here, but at a different angle. Now we're talking! And what do we have over here?

I don't know how long this went on for, but when I suddenly realized that the stone I habitually played with took on its correct shape I came to myself. I had to nearly shut my eyes, because the light that shone from the stone in my hand was so bright and so rich that it was impossible to look at. Gradually the glow faded and I was able to open my eyes. Several prisoners stood around me and their faces, usually covered by masks of fake amiability, were full of extreme surprise.

I felt a warmth in my chest, like that when levelling up in your main profession, and I turned into light, there was an explosion and the whole world changed color. No, it didn't change in hue, it just completely changed. Before this, levelling up in Jewelcraft happened inside the smithy and the world could only be glimpsed through the gap of the door, but this time the walls could not hide the beautiful world of the Pryke Mine. Why on earth was anyone so eager to leave this place? It is so beautiful! The colors faded, the mine returned to its usual drab state and I was pounded with a torrent of messages.

You have acquired a class ability 'Essence of things': you can now feel the essence of a thing irrespective of its appearance. Attention! This ability does not enable you to feel the essence of things concealed by spells of 'Hidden Essence' level and higher. Ability level is determined by character level.

Skill increase:

+1 to primary profession of Jewelcraft. Total: 7.

New Jewelcraft recipe created. Precious Stone: Stone Rose. Total recipes: 4.

Precious Stone created: Stone Rose. Intellect +3. Minimum level: 5.

Attention, a new stat has been unlocked for the character: Crafting. Crafting influences all professions, determines the ability to independently learn the finer points of a profession and permits the creation of unusual items. There is a percentage chance that you will be able to independently discover and learn a unique recipe.

Do you accept? Attention, you will not be able to remove an accepted stat!

I struggled to read the flashing messages and was quietly reeling. A nice little session I just had with that piece of stone! After reading over the description of Crafting one more time, I accepted this stat. I thought it might come in rather useful.

A new stat has been unlocked for the character: Crafting. Total: 1

I now turned my attention to the stone in my hand. It was a stone no longer: I was holding a small (about half the size of my palm) beautiful stone Rose, made with such a degree of detail that one could see drops of dew on the petals. Did I really make this? Incredible! And now I have a recipe for making such Roses, which means that I can make as many of them as I like.

But there was more! More importantly, the Rose increased Intellect by three points. This meant that if it is combined with a +2 ring, I would complete the quest given by the governor. Also, if she’s crazy about stones, Rine's granddaughter should find the Rose to her liking, which means that I have this quest sorted too.

"Mahan, you woke up!" Kart's happy shout put a stop to my train of thought.

"What do you mean 'woke up'? I was simply sitting here, doing some work," I said, surprised.

"Doing some work, eh?" grinned Kart, taking a seat beside me. "If you call sitting down in one position for two days while cutting something out of a stone oblivious to your surroundings 'doing some work', then yes. What's there to worry about? We brought you food, but you took no notice of it. So we had to feed you like a baby!"

Two days? I had been cutting out the Rose for two days? While being spoon-fed all the while? Must have been quite a sight! Stop! Two days?! Today was the deadline for completing the quest from Rine! What was the time?

"Kart, where is Rine?"

"He's here somewhere, taking his granddaughter for a walk in the grounds. We have a visitor's day today, so he's showing her the sights. Kept asking how you were doing. He even came up to you a couple of times, shook his head and walked away muttering something to himself. Will you tell us what's going on?"

"Later Kart, no time now. I must find him as soon as possible!"

"You don't have to go far for that - there he is," Kart gestured somewhere behind me, I turned around and saw Rine with a little dwarven lass, who was running around our mine like a supersonic jet. She looked about ten, her black hair stuck out in two pony tails and the image was completed by a long polka dot dress. An endless torrent of questions reached my ears:

"Grandpa, when granite is found, it's handed over to you, yes? Grandpa, does granite have a soul of its own or not? Grandpa, can you show me what can be made from it? Grandpa..."

That's some granddaughter Rine had there. Suddenly they were standing right next to me and I saw a questioning look in Rine's eyes. It was actually more pleading than questioning. I nodded.

"Stay right here a minute, don't run off anywhere," Rine told his granddaughter in a strict tone and then walked over to me and whispered. "Well? Did you manage it?"

I handed the Rose over to him. Rine took a few seconds to look it over and then his face broke into a smile. He shouted:

"Where are you running off to, lass? Come here, grandpa's got a present for you!"

In the flash of an eye the little girl was at Rine's side. A fresh trail of dust indicated that she got here using her feet rather than a scroll of teleportation.

"Here, take this. I found just the present for a fidget like you," said Rine and handed the Rose to his granddaughter.

The little girl quickly snatched the present and started to examine it. She looked at the Rose for a few seconds and then looked up, her huge eyes filled with tears, and shouted: "My grandpa is the best dwarf in the whole world!" and jumped up to embrace Rine.

Quest "Present for Rine's granddaughter" completed. Reward: +100 Experience, +100 reputation with Pryke Mine Guards, 70-slot Bag and permanent discount of 20% when buying items from Rine. To receive the bag contact Rine.

"Mahan, drop by in the evening," said Rine in a happy whisper as he hugged his granddaughter. When he put her back down, she began running around the mine, screaming: "I have a Rose! Grandpa gave me a Rose! My grandpa is the best dwarf in the world!" I could see that her parents had their work cut out for them!

In the evening I visited a very pleased Rine, took the new bag off him and headed for the smithy - the governor's quest wasn’t going anywhere and I only had ten days left to complete it.

I had barely touched my work when three men walked into the smithy. Two I did not know and the third was Kart, who at this time was usually busy making Copper Ingots. Come to think of it, I did remember one of them - he was among the five to whom we sold our surplus ore after they failed to meet their daily quota. Had they come to offer their thanks once again? Of course, that's nothing to turn your nose up at, I'd even enjoy it. But this felt rather strange. When they saw me they glanced at each other hesitantly and headed in my direction.

"Mahan, we need to have a chat," started Kart.

"All right, let's talk then," I responded, in full incomprehension.

"Let's go outside, since it's a bit crowded here," Kart went on, glancing around the smithy. In the evenings the smithy, which was divided in two parts, was full. Rine was working on one end and the other was full of prisoners. Here Kart made Copper Ingots, Sakas was always carving something from wood, Alt painted his pictures and another couple of dozen people got on with various jobs. On the whole it was full of normal work activity.

"Let's go out then, if we must," I responded and followed the three outside. Kart seemed to have some unfathomable plan in the works.

We walked a few meters away from the smithy, then they all stopped and turned towards me.

"Mahan, this man's name is Bohn and he can tell you all about it himself. Should have done it a while back, really, but you were too busy all the time so we never got around to it. Go on, Bohn."

"When you rubbed out Bat, his group was thrown into turmoil; some of the people started to leave for other gangs, while others decided to go it alone. One of the latter even decided to play that joke with the plates. Rick and I," he nodded in the direction of the third guy, who had remained silent all this time, "also decided to join Grom's gang. But we would only be accepted if we sent you off for a respawn. I'm sorry, but we prepared ourselves pretty well - bought stones off Rine and crushed them to put them in your plate later. But the idiot who stole the plates messed it all up for us. I did not manage to mine my quota and if not for you I'd be the one taking the respawn trip. You helped me, even though you didn't have to. So, instead of you we put the crushed stone into that idiot's plate. As a result Grom didn't take us in, since we failed our job, and we decided to join you, because it's very dangerous to remain alone in the mine. People are wary of you here and are reluctant to cross you directly. Even Grom wanted to get to you by using someone else. That's why we went to Kart, as your right-hand-man, and asked for an audience. Kart agreed on the condition that we would watch your back. So for the last two weeks we made sure that no-one touched you and helped Kart feed you when you got stuck with that stone of yours. We only failed with your items, since we didn't know you left stuff just like that in the smithy. The probation period set by Kart had ended, so we now come to you with the question - will you take us into your gang?"

I had to take a seat. Right there and then, since I didn't expect this at all. Me, have a gang? But why am I the last one to find out about this?

"Kart, what the hell is going on here?" I forced a question out of myself.

"You still don't get it? Then I'll explain. Although I'm very surprised at how slow you are. Really, knowing you, I thought you'd be quicker on the uptake. From the moment that you sent Bat off the mine, you became a central figure for those focused on levelling up in their professions. Haven't you noticed how people have been coming to you for advice? Remember how a Leatherworker and a Sculptor had an argument over a work station in the smithy? What happened? You said that the Sculptor came first, so the place was his. And that was it, the matter had been settled, no-one said anything, your word was the law. Didn't you yourself notice how you've taken the place of the boss of the craftsmen in the mine? You may be an unofficial one, but you're still a boss."

"What the friggin' hell do you mean by a 'boss', Kart? What are you talking about? Would anyone dare to nick a boss's stash of items? I can tell you that no, they wouldn't. But ours did get nicked, the whole load of it and afterwards we were told to get lost quite emphatically."

"Mahan, you're such a naive clod," smiled Kart. "Although, truth be told, quite a few things happened while you sat there oblivious to the world around you. Remember: as long as you're making the rings you'll remain untouchable in the mine - the benefits received by the people using them are just too high. So no-one would want to get on your bad side just for a small amount of experience in Meanness. While you were 'off-line' creating, not only was all the stolen stuff returned to you, in the form of money at least, since those idiots immediately sold everything to Rine, but it was even topped up with 30 gold as compensation. And the oafs who took our things will be working for us for free in the mine, while other prisoners personally make sure they’re not slacking. Official apologies and assurances of peace were relayed to you, although I believe that none of that really mattered to you at the time. And these two chaps didn't just feed you for two days in a row, but also prevented three attempts to drop some crushed rock into your food. So, I congratulate you, Mahan, you are now the leader of those who took the path of levelling up in professions."

"And what do I do with all this?" I uttered reluctantly.

"Obtain the official status of a supervisor from the orc," replied Kart and gave me a list of some kind, "here you go, this is the list of people who signed confirming that they want to be under your supervision. And that's without us asking everyone, but only those whom we were sure of. Fifty seven people in total.”