Mythran's Master Of All

Ren borrowed several pieces of wood from Donan and took out the small wooden box Donan had given him. He examined it and checked the hinges. Ren saw how the wood was cut to fit and after a few minutes, learned the wooden box plans and scaled it up in size to made a big version of it. Ren put in all the different saw blades he had made with Donan, then took the time to make an axe and a hatchet, and put those in the box as well. Ren made a smaller box and filled it with nails, adding in a hammer, too. He couldn't think of what else to take, so he closed the box and put it into inventory with the new hand saw.

“Donan, I'm heading out to get some wood for bows. I'll be back later.” Ren said. Teepo, are you coming?

“Sure! Be right there.” Teepo said and skittered across the ceiling. Ren waited until Teepo was right above and equipped his cloak. Teepo plopped right into the hood an Ren left the shop. Thanks to the book Rosie had let him read, Ren knew exactly where to find the best bow making trees. Ren walked down the street until he came to the main road and went towards the West Gate. As an extra precaution, Ren equipped his leather armor as well. Ren walked out through the West Gate and past the herb field. Ren saw there were still a lot of people 'farming' for XP. Ren stayed on the road and didn't venture into the forest. When Ren was 2 hours away from the city, the forest became dark and foreboding. Ren smiled because it didn't bother him in the least. Knowing that terror can easily be caused by runes, Ren continued walking.

About an hour later, the trees thinned out a little and Ren came to a small path. If the description in the book was right, then I need to follow this trail to the grove. Ren stepped off the road and onto the path. Ren followed the trail and didn't leave it to explore. Teepo had been tempted to do just that but Ren had convinced Teepo to stay with him.

Half an hour later, the path opened up and Ren entered a grove of trees. The trees were tall and seemed really flimsy. They swayed when the wind blew and Ren thought he cold hear some of them creak.

This is supposed to be the place. Ren thought and took out his powered hand saw and Book of Runes. Ren flipped to the Enhancement rune and concentrated on the quadruple glyph. Torque Ren thought as he touched the first wheel. Speed Ren thought and touched the second one. Razor Sharp Ren thought and touched the sawblade. Ren looked at the contraption he'd made and decided to add one more rune to it. Ren touched the main body. Hardy Each glyph gave a 20% bonus to those attributes. Ren smiled and picked it up.

“I hope this works.” Ren said out loud. “Cross your fingers, Teepo.”

Teepo looked down at his legs and crossed the front 2.

Ren held the thing steady and used Iron Grip to pump the handle's lever with his fingers, letting Iron Grip go when the lever hit the handle. Ren kept it going and the blade turned slowly at first. More pumps had the blade going faster. If Ren's control of Iron Grip hadn't been so skilled, this would never have worked. Ren turned the machine sideways and the pumping got easier. Ren pumped the handle's lever faster and faster with his fingers and lost all feeling in them. Ren edged the blade into the closest tree and the blade started to dig into the thin bark.

“It's working!” Ren said. “It's wor-”

*BANG*

The blade jammed itself into the tree about 2 inches in and Ren's Iron Grip bent the lever and the handle together. If Ren handn't had a hold of it, it would have flung right out of his hands.

“What the heck...” Ren said and let go. The blade hung there, suspended in the tree like it was a part of it. Ren walked over to the tree and looked at the cut. The blade was wedged into the tree and didn't look like it would be moving anytime soon.

Ren sighed. “Well... it was a good idea... but not for this.”

“That's half-true at least.” A voice said.

Ren looked around but didn't see anyone. Teepo.

“On it, Ren!” Teepo said and jumped out of the hood on Ren's cloak and skittered off into the grove.

“Why is that?” Ren asked the voice.

“These trees can't be cut like that.” The voice said and laughed. “It takes both care and finesse to bend them to your will.”

Ren placed a hand on the tree. Weaken. Ren pushed the tree away from where the saw was wedged and the saw fell out of the grove it had been stuck in. Ren held the tree where it was, the grove opened about an inch wide and absorbed the glyph, then placed another. Brittle Ren pushed the tree as hard as he could and a loud crack sounded from the tree. The tree broke apart from the stump and crashed to the ground, it's branches snapping off as it hit. Ren reached out and absorbed the glyph.

The voice had remained quiet during Ren's little display.

“I found him! Here's over here.” Teepo said.

Ren turned to where Teepo's voice was coming from. Down through the grove of trees Ren could see where Teepo was jumping up and down.

“And who might you be?” Ren asked while facing that direction.

“I was so easily caught.” The voice sighed and a man stepped out from behind a clump of similar trees to the one Ren had cut. “I'm Mitchell...” Mitchell wore light travelling clothes and wore boots that came up to the knee and had rounded leather pads over the knees. Mitchell also had a bow in his hand, but no arrow. “...and this is my grove.”

Ren heard the determination in the man's voice and smiled. Ren knew full well that no one owned this land. The book had said so. Anyone who knew of the place was free to come here.

“Is it?” Ren looked around. “I don't see your name on it anywhere.”

“I found it, so I claimed it.” Mitchell said and gripped the bow in his hand tighter.

“Well, I didn't have to find it. I knew it was here.” Ren said. “So... wouldn't that give me a better claim to it than you?”

Mitchell scowled at Ren and Ren smiled.

I'm calling your bluff. Ren thought. What are you going to do?

“He's reaching for an arrow, Ren!” Teepo said. “It's in his boot!”