Master Of None

”You are making better progress than what we expected from you right away. I can feel the changes.” The voice was hard to grasp but Walker could sense what it was, or who it was.

”I had to do a lot of things differently to make this work better. The first bridge didn’t work as smoothly as this one.” He looked at the area where the choice had come from and found nothing but an inky splotch on the ground.

Now he knew who he was actually speaking with. An unexpected guest, but someone that he should have realized would make it here at some point, especially since there was a lot going on. ”And it’s good to see you true dark sage of the dark elemental plane.” Walker made a point to say this since he knew that the inky splotch on the ground was actually condensed dark mana from the dark elemental plane.

The even denser core of dark mana was keeping the shadow darkness together, it was like a slimy looking spider web of mana trying to fight the sun, shadows were cast all around it. Everything that Walker had understood about these elemental golems that the true sages made for temporary control was being altered.

It was the very skill’s base that he had misunderstood. Instead of the entire golem being something that they created it seemed that the only thing they made was the core. From there the core would bring mana to make the body and it could be altered in different ways to make the golem available to them.

Meaning that they could send multiple golems out to look around since they just needed to control and build the core and let some of the functions they might have to focus on be handled by magic they created within the core.

”You can learn from this golem body I made, I will leave it soon.” The true dark sage wasn’t one to speak out or even wish to be seen, therefore, he was going to make his point quickly. ”You will feel a flow of mana from my plane. Be prepared since it will overwhelm the area unless you are prepared.”

He’d come just to warn Walker of the change in mana flow. A swap of pressure as the dark elemental plane gained another elemental plane’s worth of strength and shift to be able to balance that. The higher dark mana would flow in to the world and more mana of the world will be pulled in to the elemental planes to balance everything as it flowed. That was just how things would work now.

”Thank you for the warning, I know how to strengthen The bridges again and making them more in tune with the world as a whole is important. I won’t be stopping work on this.” He didn’t want to seem like he was going to ignore the issues that were going on but he had to focus on the overall solution.

”Just be warned of the shadow worms that come over in that time. They like to burrow in to shadows and spread decaying dark mana so they can feed on the remains of what they devay.” The dark blob melted away and Walker clearly saw and sensed the core of the golem.

He had already taken the warning to his mental archives but seeing and feeling how complicated the little dark golem core was he could not imagine how many spells he’d need to build it for only a temporary usage.

He’d figured out to some degree how to do this but now he realized the depths he lacked in making it happen. He’d need layers upon layers of guided dark mana to make sure each function he’d just seemed worked. Being able to control it, push language through it, keep shape, move, absorb mana from the surrounding to make a body, and that was just the start of it.

Walker didn’t need to see these dark worms or whatever they were, he could warn those living on the island that there will be more defenses needed. He could also have some light affinity guards come to hold the area. They would be able to counter the decaying mana.

It also seemed like this wasn’t a massive threat and more of a nuisance monster. Unable to harm larger beings and would not openly attack anything. More of a pest that slowly decayed things so it could eat that decay, nothing more.

The fact that they lived in shadows also made them easier to find and handle. The best way to push them out of an area would simply be just to use light mana to make the shadows they hide in disappear. Simple and quick for anyone handling the dangers. Even a child could use a lantern to do this.

The higher amount of dark mana was where Walker understood he needed to send some warnings. He was mentally exhausted already but stopping his work would be tantamount to abandoning his cause. And now he had two bridges handled and only eight more to handle.

He could go and work on the other known bridges and hope that someone would have the next location for the bridges still out there.

”No way!” Gil was arguing at a small camp. He’d found two merchant caravans making deals on a small camping area attached to a few merchant trade routes. They were between the human kingdom and Genesis in a rocky area.

While the land was a little rough the road was being built to make it easier to travel. That wasn’t the issue though, the issue was that Gil had found them having a full conversation about how they and another caravan will make temporary markets in an area where some adventurers had already gathered.

An area that apparently had a lot of potential since there was a bridge to the elemental planes there already.

As logical as that sounded, it meant that some adventurers had broken the rules and not reported such a place. That the merchants were more than willing to ignore that and focus just on their business. It was also against the rules of the merchant guild they were attached to since it was a danger they should report so that other merchants could be safe.

They both knew the risks and were willing to ignore them. The adventurers there wanted to take Advantage. To gain strength from the potential materials and monsters they could encounter. The merchants wanted rare goods to boost them forward in the world of trading goods. It all sounded well and good until a monster they couldn’t handle appeared or a group of a different race became offended by people entering their territory without permission.

That was all aside from the true sages or elemental rulers who might be pretty angry that they were not consulted about people entering their elemental plane. It was a recipe for disaster.

This wasn’t even considering the general safety issues that would come with everything. All the dangers that could enter the world were risks that should not be taken unless absolutely necessary.

”Every single one of you will be reported to your guild. There will be sanctions.” One of the merchants was about to argue when an older merchant held them back. They recognized Gil immediately. They knew just how much trouble they had just gotten themselves in.

”Line up and report yourselves to me now, if anyone runs you will be apprehended as if you are an active criminal.” The tone was matched by Gil’s actions. He prepared an arrow so that he could take down anyone that might pose a risk of running.

It was rare to hear of Gil this serious, people knew him as aloof and always helping the elves. They also knew that he was Walker’s main support. The arcane archer who was better considered an endless ranged fighter who could sneak and scout with higher prowess than some specialized in it.

”You will then show me exactly where this small village market you are setting up and we will be logging every violator there properly. If you can not comply with this I will handle it appropriately.” There was no turning away. The youngest and least knowledgeable merchants felt the pressure from Gil’s orders. They couldn’t even consider speaking out now.

When Walker found the communication crystal message from Gil, his face darkened slightly since this wasn’t what he hoped for. People would always want to work for their own gain, no race was exempt from it. Regardless, he now had a lead on another bridge to the elemental planes.

The others could handle paperwork to make the area a small base of operations or a properly built village. Otherwise, he would leave Gil’s orders to handle those who broke the proper safety measures and rules in place.

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Please say no to piracy! Don’t take part in crime! Don’t patronize thieves!

Drop those golden tickets!