Chương 29: 28. Black Dagger

Tavian rose slowly, breathing through the pain. He crossed the Core Courtyard, walking over to the Core. The pain in his ankle was overwhelmed by the pain in his side, and both were becoming harder to ignore. Everyone must know by now that he'd been injured—all he could do was keep fighting through. Four men lifted the heavy throne, and carried it into the center of the courtyard, placing beside the kingdom core. For a moment, Tavian was tempted to climb onto the throne, and experience it.

He recalled stealing into the empty throne room as a child, and pretending to issue royal edicts.

"Are you sure about this?" Calli asked him.

"We don't have any other choice," Tavian said.

"We need the essence." Calli nodded slowly. He could tell that she disagreed.

"Calli, Vanal, I'm likely going to need you to help," he said. He placed his hands on the back of the throne, feeling the coolness of the engraved griffin beneath his fingers. Calli and Vanal placed their hands on the arms of the seat.

"Ready?" Tavian asked. The others nodded. They [Extracted]. The throne resisted. Some items held onto their Essence more powerfully. Size, density, and craftsman ship all Influenced how easy it was to sift something. The throne fought against the power of the magic, seeking to tear it down into component elements. Tavian wasn't putting his full effort into it. Like he wasn't quite ready to let go of his dream. He stepped back from the throne.

"We're going to need more help," Calli said.

"The throne's Essence is too tightly woven," Vanal agreed. Tavian selected two women; gardeners who'd been with him since the night of the coup. He granted them the [Extractor] class. It cost two Essence each, since it was a Tier I class with a Tier I Perk. They joined in the effort, shoulder to shoulder around the seat. Together, the five of them used [Extract] on the throne. This time, Tavian pushed with all his strength. Rulers didn't need thrones to rule, though.

The woven fibers of Essence that comprised all matter twisted beneath his fingers. They shifted and frayed, and then, in a flare of color and light, unwound. The throne glowed, steaming with Essence. The beautifully sculpted marble, the inlayed gold and silver, the glittering set gemstones, and even the expertly crafted silk padded seat, all dissolved into a swirling mist of Essence, which began concentrating in the hands of the mages.

Tavian cupped his hands together, clinging to an overflowing heap of Essence spheres. He brought them to the core, which hungrily sucked them from his hands. The others did likewise, and for a long moment they stood in a glittering rainbow of light. The core consumed the Essence, and Tavian felt the difference. ⬣ Kingdom Status ⬣ Core Essence Tiles Claimed Influence 348 23 15. 1 Tavian smiled. He hoped Anarvia's men were struggling beneath his feet. At 15 Influence, a weak man might find it hard to stand.

Vanal breathed out a sigh.

"That… was beautiful," he said. He took a small leap, feeling the new Influence.

"The throne was lovely, but now… it bears up your entire kingdom." Tavian couldn't help but laugh at the man's exuberance. It wasn't enough, though. With 326 tiles in the fortress; if he claimed the whole thing he'd have little more than 1. 1 Essence per tile. It wouldn't take much effort on Anarvia's part to push him below the critical threshold of one Influence, when his kingdom would start to dissolve. Not to mention the effects of turbulent miasma.

"We're going to need more," Tavian said.

"Always more."

"There is more food in the kitchen larders," Braun suggested, eyes shining.

"We can do this."

"Yes," Tavian said, a plan forming.

"I think so. But we're going to have to back into the dungeon." Jarden was not happy with being forced to lead them through the dungeons again.

"It is too dangerous," he complained.

"You have stirred up darkness and evil. I was always so careful to not bother the dark, to make sure it stayed quiet. It may even be that the corridors I know are gone now."

"Gone how?" Tavian demanded.

"I told you, they can move. The miasma, it can change things."

"Well, you'd better hope not," Tavian said.

"Because you're coming with us. If something goes wrong down there, it goes wrong for you too." Jarden nodded. His new class with enhanced constitution had helped with the swollen spider bites, but they were still red and raw on his face and neck. Tavian's oath prevented him from killing Jarden, since the man had been honest in answering Tavian's questions. But they still bound the man's hands behind his back, and secured those to a spear.

"You can't kill me," Jarden reminded them. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Yes," Tavian agreed.

"But there's no rule against a little spear poke or two." If Jarden tried to trick them, the consequences would be immediate and painful. As they prepared to leave, Tavian selected his forces. They would need as many men as possible, out on the walls. Tavian would bring Braun and Cormath. He would bring Shona and her mages. Erond might not be up for much fighting, but he could lead the defense of the courtyard.

"There's a risk that Mandros understands what we're trying to do," Tavian said. The Karath Amon seemed to be in charge of Anarvia's forces still holding the walls of the Fortress. Tavian placed his hands on his hips as he looked down at his uncle.

"He'll be able to do the math and realize that we've left the courtyard unguarded. I'm putting you in command. Hold this at all costs." Erond surveyed his forces: Boys, girls, old women, and wounded men. He nodded grimly, with the confidence of a seasoned soldier who'd been outnumbered before.

"Are you taking the battlemages too?" he asked.

"Yes," Tavian said.

"But I can bestow some more classes on these before I leave you." Tavian wanted to do more for the man, but he couldn't spare the Essence. He assigned [Battlemage] to a dozen of Eronds's fighters. ⬣ Kingdom Status ⬣ Core Essence Tiles Claimed Influence 336 23 14. 6 That only left him ten Essence to spare, if he didn't get any more before trying to claim the 326 tiles of the fortress. It wasn't anywhere near enough. They marched out, Tavian leading nearly a hundred men.

The incredibly high Influence level helped Tavian along, despite his injuries. A tendril of ice wrapped around his spine. Would he be paralyzed if the miasma reached there? They reached the larders. If any Anarvians had come to investigate the commotion there, they'd abandoned the area since. Nobody would want to spend long intruding on fourteen Influence. Braun effectively organized small groups to raid anything of value they could find in the kitchens.

Another group was sent down into the wreckage of the larders to extract any surviving goods, while a third group was tasked with reopening access to the dungeon. When Shona saw the mess, she wailed.

"What have ye done with the larders!"

"You're a [Battlemage] now marm," one of the soldiers said to her.

"Not a cook anymore!" She still seemed distraught. After the effort they'd just but into blocking it off, the move felt counterproductive, but that was the nature of warfare. New information informed new decisions, as the battlefield changed. Tavian would normally have thrown himself into the work, alongside his men. But right now, it was taking everything in him simply to stay upright. They needed to hurry. He needed to find the black dagger that had cut him.

The small trickle of goods that was returned to the courtyard and sifted by the mages there slowly increased the reserve of core Essence. Tavian checked his bandage. It didn't seem to be necessary, as the wound wasn't bleeding. He slipped his fingers underneath it, probing the stiff, miasmic flesh. Maybe he could extract it. He focused on the dead, miasmic flesh. The life in his body seemed to be creating a barrier around the wound, containing the disease.

He focused his energy to the space just alongside his fingers, and used [Extract]. A wave of vertigo nearly knocked him down; and he was rewarded with the slightest puff of miasmic essence. He'd also managed to sift part of his bandage and tunic. He would need to practice this when he had time to focus on it. Or maybe Calli would figure something else out for him. Soldiers working under more than fifteen Influence made light work of the blockage, and Tavian descended through the rubble to examine the dungeon.

Ghoul bodies and limbs littered the ground. Jarden looked at them with disgust.

"See what you're stirring up?" he snarled. Tavian wanted to slap the man across the face, but he held back.

"This was your doing, not mine," Tavian said.

"You let Anarvia into the dungeons!" The guard holding Jarden's spear tugged on the haft, forcing Jarden back. Jarden continued glaring at Tavian, like he really believed that Tavian was responsible for all this. Tavian turned away from the man in disgust. He searched through the muck and rubble, pushing aside the bodies of ghouls. Partially hidden beneath the body of a ghoul, something black glinted. Tavian stooped and picked up a midnight colored dagger.

The moment his fingers closed around the hilt, the pounding pain in his torso subsided. Something whispered at the edges of his mind. ⬣ New UNCLASSIFIED Item Acquired: Miasmic Dagger ⬣ ⬣ Traits: Hardened Structure, Keen Edge, Sovereign Movement, Trait Unknown: Unknown Trait ⬣ ⬣ Abilities: Miasmic Infusion ⬣ Tavian read more information presented to him by his kingdom core. The traits Hardened Structure and Keen Edge made the blade harder and sharper than would be possible for a regular blade.

Sovereign Movement exempted a wielder from being slowed by oppositional Influence. Miasmic Infusion was an ability that could be triggered by the wielder, and didn't surprise Tavian. The unknown trait worried him. He couldn't find any reason why any of the other traits would make his side stop aching. He didn't like the idea of holding a possibly cursed dagger, but if it let him keep moving…" This is strange, Lea," Tavian sent to his Core Administrator." The dagger seems like it's connected to the world hexgrid.

Can you see anything about this 'unknown trait?'" Lea did not respond. She was probably busy, and he was about to get an earful about how he kept on messing things up.

"Is this one of yours?" Tavian asked sarcastically, waving the blade under Jarden's nose. Jarden looked at the blade critically, for a long moment, drawing Tavian's attention to the weapon. It was a simple affair, an 18 inch long tapered blade, with a simple cross piece and a leather wrapped wooden handle. It might have once been elegant, but the blackness of the miasma had sunk into every inch of it, like oily stains.

"Not mine," Jarden said.

"It has too high a concentration of miasma." So, someone else had found the relic, then. Tavian hoped it wasn't Anarvia. So far as Tavian's lookouts could tell, the man hadn't extracted anything through the crypts yet. Tavian set the dagger down and the pain in his side immediately returned. He gritted his teeth, wiping sweat from his brow. His heart pulsated, like it was struggling to pump blood, and the ground began swaying beneath his feet.

"What was that?" Lea asked, appearing. She looked around, marveling at the destruction.

"I lost connection with you for a— Tavian felt like death. He picked the blade back up. Lea vanished, and his body relaxed. Tavian kept the blade tightly gripped in his hand, as he ordered the bodies moved. The pain in his side was replaced by an icy numbness." Lea?" Tavian asked, searching for his core administrator. Something whispered in his mind. It was most certainly not Lea. You are dying, little one. I can feel it. Tavian flinched, looking around to see if anyone else had heard the voice.

Come visit me, young [Ruler]. He looked at the dagger he held, and felt it pulsate softly as the voice spoke. You don't need more constitution. You need me. Tavian nearly threw the dagger away from himself. It was interfering with his connection to Lea and his core. It was connecting him to something… else. Every fiber of his being wanted to abandon this cursed blade, destroy it, hide it in the depths of the dungeon that produced it. But… The dagger was invigorating him.

It was enhancing him, somehow, draining the pain from his injuries. He needed the advantage the blade would bring him. He would put it down when his kingdom reached Tier III and he gained more constitution.

"Tavian," said a voice beside him. He looked and saw Cormath, carrying another black dagger. Tavian flinched away, falling into a defensive stance.

"Sir?" the sword master seemed confused.

"We found three more of these," he said.

"They men say they appeared to advantage the ghouls. Should we bring them with us?" Tavian looked at the blade in his hand, then back to Cormath.

"They seem to be well made," he said.

"And sharper than any sword I've ever held. They may also provide us an advantage, if we fight on enemy claimed tiles." Everything was a resource to be used.

"Keep them."