Spell 06 : The Embarkation

As I stepped away from the Enchantium, I realised I had no direction as to where to go next. There were still 2 days before my confinement would be up.

But first, I should equip Ghanda's ring and see what it has.

[p=center]You have equipped : Mark of Ghanda!

A ring that has a little of Ghanda's power in it. You will be recognised as an accomplished mage by those who have heard of Ghanda. Which is pretty much everybody who practises magic.

Stats : + 20 Intelligence, + 25 Wisdom, +10% Mana Regeneration, + 250 Mana, + 500 Fame (Double Fame increment when talking to NPCs that are mages by class)[/p]

Holy shit! This ring's stats were beyond incredible! The boost in Mana Regeneration will also help a lot now that Invoked spells actually cost quite a lot of mana. Speaking of which, I definitely need some new gear. Being at level 18, and without a proper set of gear, I probably would not be able to join any parties at all, even with my bonus attributes and spell damage. However, decent sets of gear from shops would cost a lot, and therefore the cheaper alternative would be to tag onto groups raiding dungeons. So it was kind of a dead end on both sides. I can't afford gear, and neither will parties readily accept me into their groups. Such was the dilemma of so many budding players!

Maybe it's time I ask the gang and see how they're doing...

[p=center]You are about to turn on Whispers from other players.

Proceed?

Yes | No[/p]

'Yes.'

[p=center]You are invited to a group chat named 'Kings4Lyfe'.

Do you wish to join?

Yes | No[/p]

Sighing, I chose 'Yes'.

[p=center]Welcome! You are now part of : Kings4Lyfe. You may begin chatting in the group![/p]

[p=left]Crow : Seriously, guys, Kings4Lyfe? That's the dumbest name I have ever heard.

Saber : Woah, hey, you've finally turned on your Whisper! Can't blame us, Bene- I mean, Bambsie came up with it. I mean, look at his own in-game name (IGN). Do you seriously think anything good can come out from Bambsie?

Cluck : 'Cos not.

Bambsie : Hey! I was making a statement, alright? I can see it now, our future guild will be called Kings4Lyfe too! It will be the strongest guild ever!

Cluck : Like shit it would. Who in their right minds will join a guild by the name of Kings4Lyfe? Anyway, speaking of guilds, Crow, did you receive the e-mail from the school? The school's guild is hosting the anniversary at the Gloucest Castle. Sounds like some major-ass event. We're thinking of going. You coming?

Crow : Yeah, definitely! Everyone will be there.

Cluck : Duh, you horny little shit. I know what you're thinking. Anyway, what have you been doing so far? What class are you anyway?

Crow : Nothing much, just training myself that's all. I'm a mage by the way.

Cluck : Typical. Anyway, you'll probably be taking the offensive part of our party, along with Bambs. I'm a Legionnaire. Basically, I ride around on a horse and aggro creeps. So I'm gonna be the tank probably.

Bambsie : Yup! Anyway, I'm a Demolisher. Cool eh? I gave up being a swordsman after I found this job! I'll just go around and blow things up!

Saber : And naturally, healing will be done by me. Cluck told me to specialise in my restorative abilities as a druid. We've been hunting around for quite a bit now. Our levels are around the 25-28 range. What about you?

Crow : I'm level 18 now.

Saber : Woah, serious? That's a shock. We kinda thought you'll probably be ahead of us. You, with your no-life policy, shouldn't have a problem getting to 50 by now even!

Saber : Anyway, it doesn't matter. Look, you have to find some way to get to Serabourg. I heard there's probably portals around that you can use. Ask around town and see what you can find.

Crow : Yeah, sure. I'll ask around. See ya in 2 days.[/p]

So the gang's pretty much ahead of me in levels, but no matter. I'm sure my offensive abilities are in no way lacking behind them. The way this game works, as I have pretty much deduced from my experiences so far, is that stats and skill levels matter much more than levels when dealing with opponents. Sure, more levels probably mean more abilities and bonus stats, but they are pretty much useless if the player isn't able to use his skills effectively.

I thought I should probably head to Veldrassil, since it's the most vibrant part of the forest. I'll probably be able to find my way out of this place there. I reached the tree after 10 minutes of walking.

'Level 145 Venom looking for a group! Preferably one heading to the Vile Swamps!'

'Anyone looking for a Medal of Sunglost? It's a quest item! I'm selling it!'

'New guild recruiting! Come join us, the Crazed Doges, for a whopping good time in RoyalRoad!'

The usual market chatter greeted me as I entered the tree. Veldrassil seemed even busier today. With more and more players starting to play RoyalRoad, there was a sudden influx of many new players running around. Also, ever since some arcanist managed to create portal gates that facilitated instant travel, like the one that Saber mentioned, there have been a lot of users just touring around places connected by these gates.

But, I have to first find someone who would probably be able to grant me one free passage. There is probably a high toll imposed for using these gates. Who could that someone be...

Bingo! I should probably visit Lithus!

I was just about to go find his stall when I realised something. Lithus would probably want to know how much I have progressed in Jewel-crafting, since he imparted it to me in goodwill. If he finds out that my skill level had not progressed at all, he'll probably be livid!

I should probably level up my Jewel-crafting first before I go find him.

So, I found a nearby table and sat down. I took out one of the Medium Glass he gave me and looked at it. Lithus taught me the ability to reshape glass with the power of Enchanting. It saves me the hassle of cutting the object, and it also allows me to correct any mistakes if I were to make it a little out of shape.

'Enchant!'

And so I began molding the glass. Even with the use of magic, it was still a little difficult. That was because all objects, whether living or not, have an innate form that they are used to. The laws of nature have dictated that whenever one tries to alter the characteristics of an object, there will always be a natural resistance put up to resist that change. Sounds complicated, but basically, Mother Nature's being a bitch by making it harder for other people to screw around with her works.

For close to an hour or so, I was slowly molding out a shape of the glass. I guessed, for my first project, I should probably start with something simple, like a round crystal ball.

*DING*

[p=center]You have created : Round Glass Orb!

Artistic Value : 2

Effects : None

You can probably sell this to some old gypsy.

Jewel-crafting leveled up! Jewel-crafting is now Beginner Level 2.

-You can now make earrings![/p]

I took out another Medium Glass, and began reshaping it. Since I can now make earrings, I should probably make one that I can wear myself. I could also enchant it to give it some bonus stats too, though at my Enchanting level now, that was impossible.

*DING*

[p=center]You have created : Chipped Glass Earrings!

A pair of earrings that were made by a novice Jewel-crafter. It is a little chipped. Not really very pretty.

Stats : + 1 Agility, + 1 Intelligence.[/p]

It turned out chipped, huh. Well, guess I have to try and make another. I kept making earrings until I got to making the 5th one.

[p=center]You have created : Flawless Glass Earrings!

A pair of earrings that were made by a novice Jewel-crafter. It is a absolutely flawless. Pleasing to the eye.

Stats : + 8 Agility, + 6 Intelligence, + 7 Charisma

Jewel-crafting leveled up! Jewel-crafting is now Beginner Level 4.

-You can now work with basic gems![/p]

I equipped the earrings on. Well, off to find Lithus then!

Lithus was at his stall, and greeted me warmly when he saw me.

'Ah, Magi Crow. News of your graduation from apprenticeship under Ghanda the Really Old has spread far and wide into the forest! I could not have guessed you were his apprentice the day I saw you! I see you have managed to fashion your own earrings. A very good job, I must say. Now, you must have something for me today. What is it you need?

Since I was going to need materials for crafting anyway, I reckon I should probably buy some from him. I bought a few ruby gemstones from Lithus and proceeded on to inquire about the portal gates.

'The portal gates, you say? Indeed, they do charge you a toll of 250 gold to use it, and a greater fee is imposed if you are travelling further. For the Citadel of Serabourg, it will definitely cost you a fair bit. But, all is definitely not lost! My cousin works for the Council. I am sure he can get you to someone in the Council itself who could help you. You'll find my cousin where the Council holds its meetings, Yggdrasil.'

*DING*

[p=center]Quest Received!

You are to meet up with Lithus' cousin and see if he can help you with getting free passage through the portal gates.

Quest Difficulty : F[/p]

'I accept.'

With that, I bid him farewell, and proceeded to Yggdrasil based on the directions he gave. It was not that difficult, seeing that Yggdrasil was easily the biggest tree in the forest. As I neared the tree, I could see security was getting tighter. The elves made use of arcane magic to animate stone golems that act as sentries. These golems were highly useful as they could see invisible units. Not only that, they are able to detect magical disturbances even from long range. This allows them to immediately react against any large-scale teleportation spells capable of bringing large units into the forest to commence invasions.

I arrived at the tree, and was immediately blocked by two guards, one Night Elf and the other High Elf.

'State your purpose of visit please.'

'I wish to visit...' It was then I realised I forgot to ask for Lithus' cousin's name!

'Until you have stated your purpose of visit, I am afraid we are unable to let you pass.'

I was in a dilemma. I could go all the way back and ask Lithus, but that would be really inconvenient. Just as I was scratching my head, something unexpected happened.

'Wait, is that the Mark of Ghanda? Could it be that you are Magi Crow?' The High Elf asked.

'Yes, I am.'

'Well, it is an honour to meet you, Magi. Are you here to visit someone?'

'Yes, but unfortunately, I did not manage to acquire his name. He is Lithus' cousin. Lithus the jewel vendor.'

'Ah yes, I believe his cousin's name was Gerdel. Right this way, please.'

The guard turned and walked into the tree. I nodded to the other guard, and walked in. Yggdrasil was unlike any other of the trees in the Forest of No Return. The Night Elves respected the trees and believed in living in harmony with the trees. They are strongly against doing anything to the trees that could cause harm to them. But ever since High Elves were inducted to the Council, it seemed they brought their own sense of architecture to Yggdrasil itself. Many stone tables were placed along the sides of the tree, and paintings of all sorts were hung on the walls. As usual, harp music was playing in the background. Along with the Night Elves' own 'home-grown' furniture, it was actually quite a nice amalgamation of cultures.

The guard brought me to a stone table where a rather lanky High Elf sat, with papers strewn all over the table.

'Gerdel! You have someone here to see you. Says he was sent here by your cousin. Good day to you, Magi Crow.'

The guard turned and walked back to his post. Gerdel looked up with a thick pair of spectacles, revealing a slight glint. The familiarity of it all gave me goosebumps...

I should probably introduce him to Leyla one day...

'Hello there, Magi Crow. To what do I owe the pleasure?'

'Lithus mentioned to me that you might be able to help me out a little with a problem I'm facing. See, I have to get to the Citadel of Serabourg in the next 3 days or so. But the only way to get there within such a short amount of time would be the portal gates. However, I do not have the gold required. Lithus thought that you might be able to get me to talk to someone in the Council who could perhaps waiver my fee.'

'Introducing you to someone in the Council is not difficult, but what you are asking out of them is a huge favour. It is a favour that they would usually only grant to their own. Still it is not too difficult, I suppose I could help you find someone to talk to. Wait here for me.'

Gerdel stood up, and walked into one of the rooms. Moments later, he came out.

'Proceed into this room. I have managed to secure an audience for you with one of the Council members. Her name is Aeyssrya. She was one of the amazon rangers that fought back the Undead forces 7 years ago when they came to invade the forest. She is a fair and just person. Just plead your case. I'm sure she can help.'

I gave my thanks, and walked into the room. It resembled an audience chamber of some sort. There was a marble desk, with two stools facing each other. Potted plants were placed around the room and there was an abundant flowery scent that filled the room rather pleasingly. I sat down on the stool and waited for her to come. After about 5 minutes, she walked in.

Calling her gorgeous was an understatement. She had purple hair that she kept braided neatly and her skin was a slight hue of lavender. Her eyes were the shape of perfect gemstones and soft light played with the reflections of her eyes, seemingly making them sparkle. She had a small nose, also perfectly shaped, and her lips gave her a mischievous smile. Her amazon robes fitted her figure well and her curves were voluptuous to say the least. She gracefully walked to the stool opposite mine, and sat down.

'Magi Crow, it is nice to meet you. How is Ghanda by the way? I have not seen him in Council meetings for a while.'

Master was a Council member?!

'He is well. Thank you for asking. I suppose he was busy the past few days.'

'Always mysterious, that man. Always up to his secretive gestures. T'was no wonder my sister was so captivated by him.'

As she said that, her face fell. It was a perfect visage even when she was sad. I never could have guessed Liesa, Master's sweetheart, could be Aeyssrya's sister!

'Liesa was your sister? I am sorry, then. There was a beautiful statue of her in Master's chamber. Everyday, he spends time looking at the statue as I trained. Pardon me for asking this though, but why is it that Ghanda looks so old, while you are yet still so... Young?'

To this, she chuckled, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth.

'We Night Elves are said to be immortal. This is the gift the Spirit of Nature has bestowed upon us in return of our continuing respect we have for nature. We will never age. However, we can still perish. Murder, or suicide, causes the deaths of Night Elves. So you say Ghanda still misses my sister... That is good to hear.'

'Now, I must apologise. I have digressed. I have heard your plea from young Gerdel just now. I must say, this is quite a bold favour to ask, though not one impossible to grant. To be granted this favour, you must repay one in turn, even with your standing with Master Ghanda by wearing his Mark. Do you accept these terms?'

*DING*

[p=center]Quest Completed!

You have managed to see Gerdel, and have now met with Aeyssrya![/p]

[p=center]Quest Received!

In return for getting a free passage through the portal, you must accomplish a task. A rather difficult one, from the sounds of it. Do you accept?

Quest Difficult : Unknown

Yes | No[/p]

'I accept.'

'Very well then. Now, I understand you are an accomplished mage. You must have some fighting ability in you. This task you're given is to lead an elite squad of the Moondori up to a troll encampment near the outskirts of the forest, and exterminate these trolls. These trolls are warlocks, and their devious magic have caused a lot of pollution to the trees there. Not only that, their demonspawn sometimes wander into our trees and attack innocent civilians. You will not be alone, of course. There are some other adventurers who will be joining you as well, though they desire different rewards.'

'Very well. I do have a question though. I thought the Wood Elves have sworn themselves to protect the base of our trees? Shouldn't this be something they would take care of?'

'You are not wrong in saying that. However, the Wood Elves are bound by ancestral vows. It seemed their ancestors had made a pact with the trolls, vowing that they would never cross swords with the troll race. Naturally, they cannot help us this time. It therefore falls on us to eliminate these trolls.'

'Come back in about 3 hours. Prepare whatever you need for this task. I will have the party of adventurers as well as the Moondori rounded up by then. Nice earrings by the way.'

*DING*

[p=center]Quest Updated!

You are to lead a party of Moondori rangers as well as some other adventurers into a troll encampment and destroy all the trolls there.

Quest Difficulty : D

If you fail this quest, the Council will find it very hard for them to grant you any favours at all.[/p]

Alright! Time to start on a real adventure!

Author's Note : Hi readers! Thanks for your support all this while! I really appreciate the comments and feedback. Anyway, I will be uploading maybe 2-3 chapters over the next few days, to sort of make up for the fact that I'm going overseas for close to a month. So there won't be a chapter from next Friday all the way to after mid-November! Thanks guys!