Soulforge Legacy Series

I am happy to report that I managed to get eight of the sausages onto my plate before someone smacked the hand holding the tongs. Their accent was thick and hard to understand, but I think they told me something along the lines of “Eat what you have and come back.”

Honestly, I couldn’t say. One of the features the game had been the whole ‘every language is translated’ but was that because of the pods or a part of the system. Especially given how our bodies were no longer in said pods.

Then again, maybe the pods included some sort of upgrade or change that they had introduced to our bodies when we used our Soulstone. Sort of like how a mechanic might do multiple things while they had something disassembled.

My mind mulled over the concept and repercussions of such a change as I ate. Though, unfortunately for me, by the time I managed to finish my plate of sausages, the tray was completely empty. Not that I expected different.

Mostly full, I stuck to one of the corners to wait for everyone else to finish so I could do my part in cleaning up. All the while trying to come up with some more spells. Things I could use to deal with various situations, or to at least distract an opponent. Anything to keep from becoming a liability in a fight if our opponents turn out to be resistant to fire.

As the plates started to fly into the air, I joined in. Usually I worked in the pure fire section. Burning off every bit of food that I could. This time, however, I moved over to the wash sphere.

Multiple spells fought against each other as a few people tried to control the sphere. A fact that would have lead to a weaker attack, assuming we managed to launch it. That chaos, however, seemed to almost make the spell work better.

The agitation of the water as people fought for control. The sudden shifts in temperature and water composition. Every bit of chaos helped to increase the speed at which the grime vanished.

From everything I thought about, that chaos was the only thing to really push an idea for a spell into my head. A battlefield was just as chaotic. Mana tumbled and moved in ways that could disrupt spells. Or at least, I thought they could. Yet another thing I would have to test as it could provide a decent way to block spells or outright cancel them.

Something I would probably have to figure out before I tried to generate a disruption around a spell. Not for the purposes of disrupting said spell, but to catch my target by surprise. After all, who would expect a jumbled mess of mana to suddenly turn into a coherent spell.

The theory was sound. The issue would be in execution. Not only would I need to create a disruption, I would have to also build and control a spell centered in that maelstrom. I almost wondered if it was even possible. Though, depending on how easily a disruption could disrupt a spell, if it even could, I might not even have to worry about the inner spell.

Whatever the case, various spell combinations and processes came to my mind as we started to run. Around and around we went. Not stopping once.

It almost seemed like today would be a repeat of yesterday. Up until a small group stepped onto the field. The moment they did that, Dmitri let our a single, barked, order. “Line Up!”

With how everyone had been scattered across the perimeter of the field only to suddenly shift toward the Major and our guests, I was almost surprised the area didn’t tilt in that direction. Not that I really expected that to happen.

Not more than a minute later, everyone of the unit was lined up behind their squad leaders. And as before, I found myself a bit separated from the rest. A fact that I was getting used to.

“Unit 751.” Captain Obaseki yelled. “Two days ago we were called to help the city defense with a situation. At the time it was thought to be a natural phenomena.” She took a moment. Likely in an attempt to let the suspense build for whatever she was about to reveal.

“Chancellor Rasputin,” the Captain gestured at the man next to her. Just like the last time I had seen the man, my body shuddered and I wanted to leave. To get away from him. Far, far away. “Was kind enough to bring forth information that he wanted to share about what his department was able to find.”

Her words sparked a bit of curiosity. Not enough to disrupt my revulsion, not completely. But it was enough to allow me to ease my hold over my body.

“The cities investigation unit, my unit.” Even as the phlegm flew from his mouth, he sounded proud of his unit. Like he thought they wouldn’t be where they were without him. “Managed to uncover the true cause of the sudden shift in monster population.”

Unlike the Captain, he didn’t hesitate to continue. Didn’t play the crowd. He just kept talking. Almost as though he just liked to hear himself speak. “A cause that couldn’t be natural given how monsters converged on this very city. Yet if not for me pushing for an investigation, for my team to be sent out, we would never have learned the true cause.”

Fucking hell, get to the point already! “From one side, swarms of bugs ate their way through the forest like locusts. While Drone Diggers and other Earthen monsters tore their way through the hills.”

What was a Drone Digger? It sounded like a robot or something. Though something told me that wasn’t the case.

“Then there was the Mana Weavers that decided to poke their heads out of their nests in the canyons.” Was that what those spiders were called? Good to know. Speaking of which, I still needed to figure out what their silk could be used for. That is, assuming it had a use.

“And of course there was all the Ghasts of Ulvieric. Monsters, not born, but made from the fallen. Those who fought for their lives, only to refuse to move on when they were taken down. Those whom have found their very souls pulled into an ancient curse. Pushing them to fight anything they come across.”

All this information was nice and useless. Sure, if I ever came across such creatures I would know what they were called. But that was it. None of the information he was sharing was useful in any way.

“Each group is known to move around. To find a new hunting ground as soon as their previous one was used up.” My head didn’t move as I looked around. I needed to know if I was the only one annoyed by this man or if it was just me.

Every eye was riveted on him. Well, almost every eye. The maid looked a bit bored and seemed to be scanning the crowd. As for our illustrious Captain and the rest of the unit leadership, they had their eyes on him.

Given the looks on their faces, it was almost like they were entranced by his words. A fact that confused me. Nothing he was saying was useful.

But maybe it wasn’t what he was saying. Maybe it was the fact that he was saying it. Actually, scratch that as I highly doubted that was the case. Though, it could be the fact that we were standing here, listening to him instead of running.

That was a reason I could get behind. I mean, sure, it wouldn’t last all that long, but a break in the middle of our workout was always welcome.

“But every one of them passed through at least one region that was richer than here. Yes,” his eyes wandered over our group. The look he had in his eyes triggered a shiver of revulsion to race down my spine. “There was even evidence that the Mana Weavers had only just arrived there. Likely within the last week.”

It had only taken them a week to get so entrenched? Did their entire colony move or had only a small number made the trip? If it was a small number, just how fast did they reproduce? What would have happened if we didn’t find them?

“As I said before,” he continued. “Nothing about this attack was natural. My people found evidence of mental manipulation.” His words caused a stir to ripple across the unit.

His voice rose to overcome those that had started to talk to their neighbors. “And while there were traces of demonic magic. It was coupled with human magic.”

I wanted to groan. To run away. To get away from this place and the fucking demons. I knew what he was going to say next before he spoke the words. “Somewhere in the city, there is at least one human tainted by those monsters. Likely tempted by their dark promises of power. Tempted enough to willingly give up their humanity. To turn on everyone they know and love.”

An image of Linda and her team of humans popped unbidden into my mind. Of the people that she had managed to turn to her and her father’s side. Well, all except for Lance. Unlike the rest of that group, my mind’s eye didn’t flinch at the sight of him.

No, instead I wondered how he was doing. If he was still free. Did he and the rest of that group manage to get away? Or did the demon and his minions go after them?

Whatever the case, it didn’t matter now. All that mattered was that there was more people that had fallen for the same honeyed words. For the promises that the demons gave them.

“As a result, every group that has left the city in the last two weeks will be coming in for questioning.” That couldn’t be good. Nor would it be fast. Especially given how many people had likely left the city in that time.

And that was assuming they had left in a way that the city recorded it as I was sure there were ways to sneak in and out of this place. After all, even with modern technology humans had never managed to make a place that was perfectly impenetrable given enough time and resources.

“Seeing as your unit was the last to interact with these creatures, you will be the first to answer questions.” As if his words summoned them, a small unit of men appeared from behind one of the nearby buildings. Three of whom I recognized from when I had been questioned about Thomâs’s murder. But unlike before, they were not in uniform. Each was instead decked out in full armor. Weapons on their hips and everything.

“And while we would like to ask our questions here, I am afraid the council has made it clear that we must do so inside the facilities back at the tower.” For some reason, I didn’t think he was all that sorry. “So, please follow Captain Gregory here to the tower.”

One man turned and started toward the gate while the rest shifted to either side. Likely so they could flank the group and make sure no one tried to make a run for it. Not that anyone tried. In fact, everyone seemed a bit subdued as we followed the man to whatever tower we were being led to. There was too many in the city that it could be just about anywhere.