225 Allyce (Part 1)
Exile hummed as he studied the weapons on the table. One of the buildings in Himinbj?rg acted as a vault for the Pantheon. So he was currently studying a few different items gathered by Ragnarok. ‘We have many materials from the mortal realms, but it’s mostly materials dropped from wolves for our divine stuff.’
He sighed as he picked up some fur and claws. ‘It’ll do for the testing phase.’ Exile returned to the workshop after collecting several weapons. ‘I need to understand how to push the power of my runes higher.’ Although his new spells and runestones worked quite well, none of them reached a prowess he was happy with.
He even suspected that he could enchant his equipment with something other than stat boosts. As he reviewed the process of enchanting in his mind, he concluded that the process of creating equipment was responsible for the set stats and the number of enchanting slots available.
However, he was unable to test that theory since nobody had an authority they could use to find that out. Exile grimaced as he looked at the equipment meant for creating items. From blacksmithing to leatherworking. Wood carving to sewing. He understood the Pantheon would need players with those specialities in the future to make the most of their equipment.
His eyes glanced over the enchanting table as he searched for specific runes he had noticed before. ‘There you are.’ He found the rune that meant ‘material’ and placed the claw on it. The enchanting table only had two of those runes. Which made Exile suspect the workshop and probably all of the buildings could be upgraded.
Hours passed as he attempted to find a way to use the material together with the short staff he chose. However, every failure caused the claw to turn to dust, and he was forced to replace it to continue. ‘I feel like I’m missing something.’ Exile sighed as he stepped away from the table to review his experiments after his fourteenth failure.
He had tried to use his mental technique to force the claw to combine with several runes. ‘Even the rune that means claw doesn’t show any sign of using the power stored in the material.’ He stroked his beard as a deep-set frown invaded his expression. ‘There should be a way to do this.’
[You’re Oracle, Ania Eraldsen, is trying to contact you…]
Exile cocked an eyebrow as he went through the familiar process to talk with her. ‘I wonder what this is about.’
[Lord Exile?]
‘Yes, Ania. For what reason are you contacting me?’
[An unusual bird is flying toward Eraldsfen.]
‘And?’ Exile asked as confusion filled his mind. He could not understand why Ania would contact him over something like that.
[We can hear Skovi’s howls. We’re not sure if the bird is hunting him, or if he’s trying to warn us.]
Exile was taken aback by that statement. He could hear the concern in her tone. However, he wondered how big the bird had to be to hunt Skovi. ‘If he were in trouble he could just return to the divine realms.’ He scowled as he tried to figure out the meaning behind it. ‘I should go down there in case something is wrong.’
He quietly wondered if it were a problem that Skovi felt the people of Eraldsfen could handle on their own. ‘Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t contacted me. He may believe this issue is below me.’ Exile massaged his temples before he remembered he was still connected to Ania.
[I’m going to descend. Have the civilians take cover in case something is wrong and prepare the warriors. But nobody should act unless I say so.]
He abruptly cut their connection before storming towards his room. ‘It’s just one thing after another right now.’ He sighed as he wondered if he would get a period of peace to focus on his power without any worries.
Meanwhile, in the sky above the forest outside Eraldsfen, the eagle studied the fortress and town on its outskirts. She could see that much of that place had recently been rebuilt with stone. It looked far cleaner than other settlements they had flown over.
“It seems your god has brought prosperity to these people,” Allyce said as Skovi whimpered. She grimaced as she felt his claws dig into her back. “Can you please stop that? I’m not going to drop you!”
She sighed when she realised Skovi was barely paying attention to her as he let out another howl of fear. Her eyes caught sight of the movement in the streets. People were rushing into the nearest buildings as warriors rushed from the fortress to the walls.
As she saw that some doubts appeared in her mind. “I’m going to put you down outside the city. You can bring your god to me. If even one of those humans tries to approach me, I’ll leave and never return.”
Allyce tilted her wings as she began her descent. She could see the nervousness on the warriors as she glided in to land at some distance from the walls. Skovi’s legs felt shaky as he leapt from her back and rubbed his head on the solid ground. Ania stared from the walls with a surprised expression.
However, before she could make sense of what was happening, dark clouds gathered overhead. A flash lit up the sky as an oppressing divine aura washed over the area. Some of the warriors directly puked when they felt that pressure, as Exile’s glorious figure appeared before the eagle.
‘What the fuck?’ Exile thought, as surprise appeared on his face when he saw the eagle for the first time. ‘He had not expected its size, nor how majestic it looked with its pure white feathers! His gaze went to Skovi who was gladly rolling around in the dirt as if he were a puppy.
‘Skovi seems fine. So, what’s the deal with the bird?’ Exile thought as his gaze returned to that creature.
“You must be Exile,” Allyce said as she performed something similar to a curtsey, startling Exile in the process. “Your servant here has told me much about you during our journey.”
Exile did not know what to say. For one, the eagle should not even be able to sense his presence. For another, he was staring at a bird talking with human words! ‘Is it a divine beast belonging to another god?’ He wondered as he studied Allyce with a curious gaze.
“Master, allow me to introduce Lady Allyce. A Guardian of the Eagle tribe of Warbeasts.” Skovi managed to say as he finally recovered.
Exile’s curious gaze became more intense as he studied Allyce again. ‘A Warbeast?’ Many thoughts ran through Exile’s mind as he considered how he should act. After all, it would greatly improve his power if he could gain an Oracle among their tribe. ‘Aerial warfare would become a possibility. I have to make a good impression!’
“So predictable.” Allyce sighed as her golden eyes studied Exile. “You reek of thoughts on how to exploit my kind.”
“My apologies. Lady Allyce.” Exile replied as he bowed his head. “I’ve never heard of your tribe, and I momentarily lost myself. For what reason have you paid us a visit?”
Exile noticed that Allyce’s mood seemed to improve when he apologised. ‘I should set my thoughts aside for now and try to build a friendly relationship with them.’
“Curious…” Allyce said as her eyes narrowed. “Now you exude nothing but goodwill toward my kind. That is most unusual.”
Silence descended between them as Allyce continued to appraise Exile. The latter decided not to say anything, as he felt certain that if she disapproved of him, he would lose any chance to get closer to that tribe. Suddenly, Allyce let out a shrill screech before flapping her wings!
“You. You wield a fragment of the first flame!” Allyce screeched as she paced around Exile.
Exile could sense her excitement as she ruffled her feathers and murmured to herself. ‘How does she know?’ Exile wondered as his own gaze sharpened. He was feeling uncomfortable at the thought of being naked before her gaze. He was about to ask her how she could be certain of that when she surprised him yet again!
Her body rapidly shrunk to just under 6ft. She morphed into a human-like appearance of a stunning woman with shapely curves in all the right places as her feathers formed a dress. Long white hair that reached her waist flowed from her head as she draped her now smaller wings over her shoulders like a cloak.
Her golden eyes opened to stare at him intently as she approached him. Her delicate hands shot up to caress his cheeks as she stared into his eyes!
Exile did not know what to think in that situation. Too many things were happening too quickly, and he was still reeling from her sudden transformation. Before he could formulate something to say. Allyce suddenly kissed him!
All thoughts fled his mind at that interaction as she pulled away. The softness of her lips on his own made him forget he was in a game for a moment. However, Allyce started to speak as she still held his face.
“I, Allyce Brightwing, do vow myself to the service of Exile. Candidate to the Secret Flame. I vow to watch and guide his journey. From now until the end of eternity.”
Warm flames burst from Allyce’s body, and Exile stepped back in surprise. It was only then he sensed that something was wrong. He could feel a pair of eyes boring into his back. As he glanced toward the walls of Eraldsfen, the warriors pretended not to notice Ania’s distress.
[You have received Allyce Brightwing as an Oracle. You will now undergo the race customisation process…]
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