Chapter 577 - Good Natured - Is over half done, working on it. Put more suggestions for nature spell forms below. The way I am approaching the nature affinity is that it affects living cells - both plant and animal. Can befriend beasts by controlling their hormones, shapechange, plant growth, and other stuff...World Sphere writing/eiditng tomorrow.

Seraphim supporters dont forget if you are going to the Denver LITRPG Con, to let me know. I will be giving away a signed hardcover of Book 1 of A Soldier's Life to you there with a personal note you can decide on. I think I had 7 of you so far on the list. I will be in the author signing room on Friday from 1:30 to 2:30pm. If you dont make it, just PM me in Patreon and we can connect at the Con to get it to you.

Chapter 576:

The chest shattered into tiny fragments. My heart raced as there was a thick black shaft in the debris. A flicker of a few gold coins was also in the stone chips, and as Lexi pulled the shaft from the rubble, the chips cascaded down. The shaft was a deep ebony black and didn’t have the spiraling tree growth pattern that Heartseeker had.

“It’s heavy,” Lexi complained as she freed it. It was not a spear, but a staff. At one end, a glossy black sphere was gripped by black talons. Lexi got it upright, and the butt rested in the blood-soaked earth. The overall length of the staff looked to be exactly Lexi’s height. Was the reward then tailored to her? Most dungeons did size rewards for the person who claimed the chest, but Lexi had not assisted in defeating the drake.

Lepidus’s interest was piqued, and he was immediately eye level with the sphere. Without asking for permission, he tried to take the staff, but Lexi did not relinquish it. “I will return it,” he said, sounding annoyed. That caught my attention as the men rarely emitted any emotion. Was it the illusion he was wearing, or was he changing?

Lexi looked at me, and I nodded, so she let Lepidus take it to inspect. I had to collect my prize, an earth essence from the drake. Blood still oozed from the wounds I had inflicted on the beast. I settled the collector, and the thick aetheric smoke pulled from the creature. The apex earth essence formed rapidly, and an earthen-colored sphere was complete. I wanted to consume it immediately to get the maximum benefit.

“I don’t recognize the material it is made from. It is as heavy as steel, but appears like glass to my senses,” Lepidus said, drawing my attention. “It is definitely a magus staff. It will require the mage to form a bond with it. After that, it could enhance one or more affinities or even some magical attributes. The bond can only be broken by the death of the mage who formed it.”

“There are no more magus staves in existence,” Castile said eagerly. “Do you know what affinities it would enhance?” The body of Venere shook her head negatively, appearing sad as she handed the artifact back to Lexi as promised.

Castile took a step toward Lexi, “Don’t!” she said breathlessly, but it was too late. The sphere at the top of the staff flashed a brilliant white and then faded. In its place was a sphere of golden swirling colors. They emitted a faint light as well, and slowly silvery veins branched down the staff all the way to the butt end before fading.

While Castile was apologetic, Lepidus tilted his head, intrigued. “Interesting. It has apparently enhanced your strongest affinity. Can you confirm, child?”

Lexi was sweating, and her pupils were dilated. Concerned, I cupped her cheek, and she was cold and clammy. “Are you okay?” I asked, trying to get her to focus on me but she just stared into the distance.

“It is just the strain on her body and magic from forming a bond with the magus staff,” Lepidus said, unconcerned.

“Can I break the bond by putting the staff in my dimensional space?” I asked urgently.

“It might do more damage to the child than letting her acclimate,” Lepidus said. Lexi collapsed, and I caught her and scooped her up. Her hand was still tightly gripping the staff, only it was much lighter now.

Castile had her hand on Lexi’s forehead, looking extremely concerned. She looked at me accusingly, like my treatment of Lexi had caused her to be reckless. “I could have prepared her to bond with the artifact. Instead, she was impulsive and didn’t think.”

Castile and I locked eyes. “There should be a safe room at the bottom of the stairs; we can rest there while she recovers.”

“It is Queen Lysendrae’s staff,” Alhur said from the passage leading to the bear room.

“What are you doing here?” Konstantin snapped. The old man was probably angry at being snuck up on.

“I wanted to ask you the same question. I thought you were off looking for a way to find the World Gate. As for me, I go where I want, when I want,” Alhur said patiently, stepping into the room. He looked the same except his eyes appeared slightly sunken, like he hadn’t slept in days.

His attention fixated on Lexi. “The girl will be fine if she endured the bonding, but the mage commander is right: she should have been prepared first. That staff is probably too powerful for a child. Even an otherworlder child,” Alhur said.

Alhur turned his focus to Venere and studied her appreciatively, probably trying to figure out who she was. Maybe he found her attractive, and I wasn’t going to tell the elf what was underneath.

I was still cradling Lexi in my arms. “We can discuss things in the safe room.” I carried Lexi to the stairs and descended without looking back. I could hear the footsteps on the others following, and we were soon all in the safe room. After setting Lexi down on one of the stone beds, I questioned the elf, “Why are you in the dungeon? And no bullshit, Alhur.”

“Why would I be carrying around bullshit?” Alhur said, amused, but he clearly knew what I meant and was jerking me around. Seeing I was not in the mood for games, he answered. “Fine. I have been communing with the dungeon.”

“You can speak to dungeons? I thought the Emperor exterminated your bloodlines,” Lepidus said unfiltered.

Alhur focused on the ebony woman, anger evident by the tendons in his neck. “They tried, and the entire emperor’s line deserves to be blighted for it,” Alhur hissed at Venere. “Who are you anyway?”

“Not important,” I interrupted. I needed Lepidus alive and Alhur might just kill him when he found out who he really was. “We are here for mithril ore to forge an artifact to locate the World Gate. What has the dungeon told you?”

It took Alhur a moment to process that news, and he slowly nodded in understanding, his attention veering toward Lepidus. I hoped Lepidus picked up the warning and kept his mouth shut. “The dungeon has told me a fair amount. I have been exchanging information about what is happening in the world above to get answers. It speaks more clearly than most, but sometimes its responses take hours to come back, like time is meaningless to it.”

“And?” Konstantin asked. The ex-Hound, and Bartiradian Ranger locked eyes in silent challenge before Alhur spoke.

“I wanted to know what happened to my people,” Alhur said.

“The King of Caelora is trapped in the dungeon. One of its guardians,” I said.

Alhur’s shock was evident on his face before he could hide it. “Yes, among others of my people.” He gestured at the staff resting next to Lexi’s sleeping body. “His queen is among them.”

“Are you trying for a family reunion then?” Konstantin quipped.

Another staring session before he spoke. “Something like that,” Alhur said, steely at Konstantin.

“Did you learn anything that can help us find raw mithril?” I asked.

“The dungeon doesn’t like you,” Alhur replied, deadpan. “But I will ask about mithril ore after it answers my last question,” he conceded when he saw he was trying my patience.

“How did you find us?” Castile asked. She had sat on the stone bench and was cradling Lexi’s head in her lap and stroking her hair. It was the most maternal thing I had seen the mage commander do.

“The dungeon, of course. When it told me you were inside, I asked to be reunited with you. It told me to exit and reenter. I arrived in the last safe room you were in and just followed your carnage. I wanted to know why you were here and figured you would need my help,” Alhur replied pedantically.

“Probably not, but you are welcome to join us anyway,” I said, mimicking the assassin.

Lexi stirred and coughed. “Are you all right?” Castile whispered to her.

Lexi’s voice was a whisper, “I am so tired and hungry.”

“If she can talk, the bond is complete. She will be fine,” Lepidus said. Castile glared at him. I produced some food I knew she would like. Her hand never left the shaft of the staff as she ate and sat up, ate and drank.

Castile let her eat before questioning her. “Are you okay? How did the staff affect you?”

Lexi had lost some decorum. Talking with her mouth full as she ate. She also needed to think on it before answering. “It is like there are dense roots covering and invading my aether core. Don’t be alarmed. It feels like it is feeding me.”

“It is more symbiotic,” Lepidus volunteered. “Can you tell which aspects of your magic have been enhanced?”

Lexi closed her eyes but continued to eat the hot fried bun in her hand. “I…I…I think all of them? My aether core feels large, and my aether is easier to control. I think the tendrils might also protect me from aether burn…But I am not certain. Aether is also easier to pull from the environment.” I caught a flash of jealousy on Castile’s face, but there was also happiness for Lexi. I could tell she would give Lexi a lecture about doing dangerous shit later.

“What about your affinities?” Castile questioned.

Lexi focused inward again. I noted the golden sphere on the staff glowed brighter. “I think it is piercing my aether core on my healing facet. I don’t think it affected any others,” she said and yawned. “I am very sleepy,” and she lay down again to sleep. Castile stayed by her side.

I looked over the others. “I am going to get some rest, and I suggest the rest of you do as well.” I didn’t need the rest, but I wasn’t going to proceed further until I knew Lexi had recovered from whatever had happened to her. I assumed the process was like consuming a massive amount of essences at once, and she had stressed her physical body and aether core.

I settled in on the stone slab nearby and got as comfortable as possible. A slight grin formed on my face as I recalled placing Raelia into my dimensional space in this room. The animosity she held for me back then was washed away, possibly because of the griffin egg I had given her. How did I ever win her over? “Why are you grinning?” Konstantin asked nearby.

“It’s nothing. Can you watch over me, old man?” I asked, producing the dreamscape amulet. Recognition flashed in his eyes, and he nodded.

I channeled aether into the amulet and appeared in the entry room. With a thought, I was in the scorpion room. The scorpion was currently serving as a chandelier overhead, slowly spinning in the air with the snails gliding all over it and leaving glowing mucus behind. I had thought it was a fitting fate for the creature that fed on the snails in the dungeon.

Oscar rushed out, barking excitedly, and I gave the consortium of people nearby a nod of acknowledgment. I was not here for them, though. I collapsed into the overstuffed leather chair, Oscar jumping up and settling into my lap. He was not happy that we were not going to play, but he would at least get some attention.

The compiled book of nature spell forms appeared in my hand, and I opened it to the first page, which indexed all the nature spell forms. It was time to select would nature spell form I would imprint on my core…

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