Fhesiah snorted, What, didnt bother checking your notifications? Just what is it you were doing as we dragged you out of that volcano, anyway? Just enjoying the view as your won carried you?
Jake couldnt help but feel embarrassed. He had glanced at the notifications, but hadnt had ti to process them. But wait a minute, Jake had at least two retorts to that line of thought
Fhesiah laughed, Im just ssing with you, husband. I read mine while I waited for you to finish your fight, after all. Heres what I got.
Mythic Hestias Torch
Scaling Equipnt. Gains additional effects and strength with level.
Torch stores heavenly energy and mana to create flas, floats near the user and can be controlled with thought. Can store one healing charge. Gains effectiveness with users level.
It looks like we all got an item that we needed from completing Hestias Task, and then Racial Upgrade: Pending Tier Up for defeating our champions; even you, Jake. I think this torch will go well with my Sun and Moon Dance, and that it has so ergency healing makes feel a lot better.
Jake looked over the prompt and sighed in relief that for so odd reason, his reward was unavailable until he returned to the refuge. He had thought he saw that when he had glanced at the prompt, so he was glad that he wasnt mistaken and hadnt missed out on so life-saving item, too distressed to review it.
Well, looking over it now, even if it was available during the volcano erupting or caves collapsing, he wouldnt have had ti to put it on, anyway.
Mythic Hestias Champion Plated mail Vestnts
Scaling Equipnt. Gains additional effects and strength with level.
These plated vestnts mix plate armor over commonly targeted areas, and chain-mail over joints for maneuverability and weight. Includes core for additional energy storage. Includes greaves, gauntlets and helt. Grows with user level. Has space for enchantnts.
It was a complete set of armor. On each piece, Jake could see many hexagonal segnts that he thought the purpose was to hold his runes. This would keep Jake well-protected into the future as it grew with him. Jake would have to charge up the energy reservoir to see how significant a bonus it was, but any amount of maximum mana was welco. While he thought they were eventually going to produce sothing quite similar, Jake wasnt sure he could reproduce the energy core capability. Bloodberri had received a similar, yet completely different, reward.
Mythic Hestias Morphing Wicked Full-Plate Vestnts
Scaling Equipnt. Gains additional effects and strength with level.
These Full-Plate vestnts include coverage for an entire snake-woman, while allowing easy equipping, cleaning, and removal. Has space for enchantnts.
The full-plate suit was completely massive, and it was like it was one connected piece, but still had hexagonal segnts for Jakes enchantnts that he knew were crafted using supernatural ans. Going by the prompts, this was a major lifestyle improvent. Just putting on Bloodberris armor for an outing was a group effort that took over 10 minutes, and this was moving at supernatural speed with four sets of practiced hands. By herself, despite having two hands and an extra limb, it would take her well over an hour to put on. Removal was a little quicker, but it was a significant ti investnt any ti they needed to fight.
Bloodberri held it up in the air, finding it to be a dull almost jacket-like texture. He noticed that many of the blades and spikes were sort of covered when it was powered down as it was. She then infused so mana into a section of the armor, and it beca hard and full of energy, the blades and spikes turning outwards. She was both awed and filled with happiness, looking over the new armor. It was their family colors and despite being bladed, did not look or draw the sa feelings of fear and danger that the previous suit did. Yet they all could tell that this suit was more dangerous than the previous.
The group continued cleaning up and removing Bloodberris old armor, but she was crying tears of joy just thinking that this was the last ti they would need to spend this much effort on her.
Ophelia said, The goddess was really thinking of us when picking our rewards. Its a small thing being able to equip your armor quickly, but it ans a lot to Bloodberri.
She then shared her reward, a winged kite shield.
Mythic Hestias Winged Kite Shield
Scaling Equipnt. Gains additional effects and strength with level.
This shield floats near the user and is driven by their intent. It blocks using the sa amount of strength and leverage the user can bring about. Compatible with Hestias Hearth ability. Has room for enchantnts.
Ophelia let go of the shield, and it floated in place. Now she could use both hands with her spear. The shield spun around as she shifted her body, and it moved around as she imagined that it would. It could only float within a few feet of her body, though. That was until she added [Hestias Hearth].
The shield lit afla and the wings grew, and then it was like the shield was using her [Ride of the Valkyries] ability. It flew rapidly, and Jake imagined it could prove quite useful. Jakes copy of the ability wore off, but the shields copy persisted.
I guess it lasts longer when used this way. Very useful. Amazing how a defensive improvent will also help offense.
Jake couldnt help but agree. While one-handed spear and shield could be effective against nearly every weapon match-up, it was really best used in a line with other shield and spear users. Now that she had beco so mobile, Jake doubted the effectiveness of the combination. Sothing like a lance for more reach might have been better with her movents. This was like adding a third hand whose purpose was only to operate the shield, allowing the other two to focus on the spear. Jake grimaced before Ophelia voiced her thoughts, her having a vicious look on her face.
Well, looks like theres no way youre getting out of that spear practice now, Jake. We both have a lot to work on. I wonder if you might be able to do sothing similar to your shield?
The idea surprised Jake, and he thought about it. He examined her shield with [Arcane Eye] as best he could, and while he got so ideas and thought he understood so of it, it was well beyond his capabilities. If he could enchant sothing to make it [Mythic] level, then they would already have a full set of them and would steamroll everything, probably.
Still, he would look into imbuing his shield with a soul of sorts, and see what he could do there. Actually, didnt cultivators have weapon spirits and things like that?
Fhesiah snorted, Oh yeah, Jake. Sure, just shove a Tier 3 soul into your Tier 1 materials to be your shield floater bitch. Im sure theyll enjoy that and not try to erase our existence. Yes, they exist, but they are well beyond our capabilities for now.
Jakes eyebrows rose at that. Jake supposed that if they could get that kind of ally, shoving their spirit into a shield would be a trendous waste. Then again, once they reached that point, things would be on a completely different scale. Still, Jake thought he could probably find a way to imbue a sort of soul into a shield and he would look into it. There were magical creatures, like floating armors, besides.
Jake looked into the Racial Upgrade, and learned that many, when reaching Tier 2, would already receive sothing similar as part of the Fraworks general improvents. This was just like he received when he was initiated into the Frawork by Odin. In a way, part of why he needed a sponsor was because it was like his race was improved to Tier 1 at that ti, enabling his magic. He thought this was the reason he was knocked out, but he didnt know for sure. At any rate, it opened up the path for him to be able to reach Tier 1.
But this would be on top of the general improvents, so Jake and his party should have high expectations for what this might an. Jake was currently a human, which, while versatile, was pretty substandard compared to the rest of his party. At the sa ti, they would also be receiving improvents.
Jake just gave a wry smile at that. Of course, his girls all deserved to receive rewards for defeating their champions. At the sa ti, though, he couldnt help but wish that he could catch up to their capability in so way. Just thinking of when his girls heaved that boulder away from the exit, he could not help at all besides buffing them, and likely would have only gotten in the way if he got out of his basket and tried to help lift the rock. Jake was able to produce a lot of strength, but he didnt really have an effective ans of using it, like his girls that had wings, or his snake-girl that had her own sizable mass to leverage the boulder.
To Jakes surprise, it was Bloodberri, or rather Berri, that tried to cheer him out of his funk, and not a mont too soon before Fhesiah was about to tease him further.
She enveloped him in a hug, her armor now removed. Jake, you make us strong. When we feel your power inside us, we feel like we can beat anything.
Jake just knew with that phrasing
But Berri, I thought you havent had Jake inside you yet?
H-Huh? Im talking about [Divine Reinforcent] and the Bond. It makes us so powerful.
Jake could feel the ntal smirk Blood was giving, knowing that it was best to keep quiet here, but Fhesiah narrowed her eyes in thought. Just how does she tease and embarrass this girl without simply being outright an?
So, Jake doesnt need to feel weak. He is very strong, by making us strong.
Jake laughed at the thought that he needed to be reminded of this. This was his path from the beginning. Why feel down about it now? Still, it helped to know his efforts were both noticed and appreciated.
Jake coughed and said, Thank you for that, Berri. We should et with Hestia to discuss what our next actions should be so we can make it to our destination as quickly as possible. I have a lot of enchanting to do, both for [Sons of Ro] and for our new equipnt. We have a lot of training to do as well, but of course were going to celebrate.
We also have a lot of shopping to do, Jake. Did you look over the [Fortress Assault] reward itself?
Fortress Assault Victory
Difficulty: S
Rating: A
Reward: 25,000 CP, 58,000 T1 Credits, Party rit Earned. Battlegroup rewards based on individual contribution.
That was a lot of credits in one chunk for them at the mont, and many things that were out of their price range before, were within their range now. So enchanted jewelry was definitely within Jakes price range now. It was a bit of a let-down that two of their rewards were postponed until tier up for which they were not even halfway there yet.
The rit earned was regarding Jake, Ophelia, and Bloodberris potential class upgrade options. The more rit besides his skills, the better the possibilities. Jake already had a high rarity class, and it would likely take more than just this to get sothing higher than that, but maintaining the high requirents should allow him to at least upgrade his class to the next tier.
While Fhesiah wouldnt receive a class template where she would be handed new skills and attributes at level ups normally, she should receive additional guidance on upgrading her frawork skills to the next tier because of earning this rit.
Jake looked over their looted equipnt from the enemy Champions. There was a spear that was quite good from the champion they faced, but Ophelia declined it, opting to sell it. It did not have a magical focus, and she really wanted to make one tailored to her needs. The leather they wore was only marginally useful.
The plate armor from the drakan was almost completely destroyed. Looking over the energies, Jake was really interested in what caused the damage, as it was more than just being lted away, but rather that the armors very integrity itself was attacked. Was this Fhesiahs Kitsune fire? He looked over at her, and she was giving a mysterious smile. I want to see this Kitsune fire at so point
She began nonchalantly inspecting her fingernails. My, but husband, its nothing special compared to my dragon fire. I promise that I will show it to you, but Im still working on it. Dont worry: I will not let my surprise cause us danger. If using it will make us safer, I will use it in earnest.
Both Bloodberri and Jakes opponents wore robes and were useless for them. Jakes opponent had a Summoners staff, but only had a bonus to the necrotic magic he used. There was no interest in any of this, and thus everything went on auction. The damaged plate was more for salvage and next to worthless.
Jake had really been hoping for so jewelry, but it looked like the enemy Champions really spent their allotnt for traps and their primary equipnt pieces. The staff and spear would likely be worth a lot, potentially as much as the Fortress Assault reward itself.
They head to their shrine, and called upon Hestia.
Once again, a heavenly aura filled the statue, and Hestias voice spoke to them.
Im so glad everything worked out in the end, Jake and family. I dont think things could have gone any better than that. You all should be quite proud of yourselves, as you have proven that I have made an excellent choice when choosing my Champion. Im proud of all of you.
Jake was shocked at the effect Hestias words had on him. His heart swelled with pride, and he could feel the sa coming from the girls.
And Bloodberri, Im so glad that you have started to find your way. I know that Berri will find a lot of children to care for in your destination world: Highlands. Jake, you should set the course sooner rather than later. Every mont matters.
Jake went ahead and set the course in his nu, their Refuge beginning to head through subspace towards their destination. Jake was about to ask about his odd-summoned creature behavio
Whatever it was you were about to ask or think about, I think it is best you dont voice your question aloud. Lets just say that [Tartarus] likes to bend the rules to its advantage, and we do the sa when such efforts can go undetected.
Odins minor hint he was able to squeeze in, didnt prove useful in the end, but there was a chance that Berri here could have spoken up and let you know her secret, that Blood was with her and perhaps what Odins cryptic statent was referring to. Maybe you would have been able to piece together that she was not fully influenced by the Frawork, and could have attacked the enemy champion prior to entry.
Bloodberri looked guilty, and Blood said, Im sorry I told her not to tell you. I thought it was a trick
Hestia continued, With that said, this [Fortress Assault] was a major harvest. You defeated four champions, and that ans we have received four divine sparks. This is besides the one received from the first champion, which I keep in reserve in case Jake were to die against an enemy champion. You can have peace of mind knowing that should the worse occur, Jake is protected. Jake should be aware of so of the other uses.
Jake had read the book on champions Hestia provided, and he was aware of so of the uses. They could be used to make a champion, enhance a champion in several ways, enhance an item, and collecting divine sparks could eventually lead to the possibility of godhood. Jake hadnt thought of this much, as many of the uses simply wouldnt be available to Jake at his Tier. Jake already had God energy cramd into his weak T1 vessel, and Jake didnt think it could take any more until the next Tier.
Hestias voice held so mirth to it. Not so fast Jake, but well co back to that thought. Not all the uses are permanent, and we can use so of the benefits without consuming them. There are also so other gods interested in making your lovers champions, and I think they would pay the price if able.
Jake said, Who, Fhesiah? The other two are a priestess and valkyrie of Hestia, surely you dont an
Why not, Jake? Im pretty sure Odin and I have hamred into you that we are all a part of the sa team, havent we?
It was Fhesiah who spoke, her thoughts more or less mirroring Jakes, You dont expect us to believe that theres no contention among you, do you? No rivalries?
We try to keep our rivalries to friendly competition that pushes us all to do better against Tartarus, our one true enemy, but youre right. I dont expect you to believe that theres no bad blood among us gods. With that said, those interested are ones that are good friends of mine or are otherwise those that there is certainly no bad blood. They wouldnt require you to convert by giving your valkyrie oath in the case of Ophelia, or Bloodberri to follow a ritual to beco a priestess of them. In fact, I think youll agree that diversification of your powers would be quite a good thing.
Jake couldnt help but agree with that. [Tartarus] certainly liked to attack using their weaknesses, or at the very least, minimize their strengths. Jake was glad that Bloodberri had both light and dark powers and wasnt so much tied to the holy fire of Hestia-type attacks. But the idea that theyd all be champions of Hestia ant all four, potentially five, would summon holy fires of Hestia. Jake still hadnt had the good fortune of running into a dungeon just full of enemies weak to Hestias holy fire since his Trial, and he suspected this was by design. Each calling upon a different god with its own strengths and weaknesses was much more appealing to Jake.
Jake thought that this was a big deal, but he would have to learn more about the gods or goddesses and their offer before they could decide.
Reviews
All reviews (0)