“Okay, I like it, Tejón it is,” I replied as I watched Pachi bait the creature with a series of well-placed nips. The bear swiped and pursued her up a hill, disturbing a bush every now and then, nearly uprooting the poor plants when he did. “Has he grown? He looks bigger than last night.”
“He has, and he will continue to do so,” Tumsely said from behind us. He’d just emerged, his belly tight and protruding from his leather vest. “He’ll grow like a storm in the peaks, that one.”
“How can he grow so fast?” Madi asked.
“When a creature of this world bonds with a traveler, they will grow to match the strength of their companion. You have become powerful, warrior Madi, and so will your bear. When you take it into battle, the growth will be explosive.” Tumsley explained all this as he leaned against the building.
We watched our two magnificent pets as they continued to tear up and down the slope, Pachi always a step ahead. It was amazing to think of Tejón growing to be the size of his mother. How Madi would manage to feed him was beyond me.
Suddenly, people began to pour out of the building, chairs, benches and table in their hands. They were carrying them away to all parts of the town, many straight back to the church, which was just a hundred feet or so away down the main corridor through town. When a bit of room had cleared, I peeked inside and saw the people of Benham were clearing the dance floor. I made my exit just as quickly. Dancing was not for me.
Music began just as abruptly—two men with guitars, a boy pounding away on a set of hand drums, and three beautiful women singing. The music was what people IRL might call folk. It was catchy, springy, and despite myself, I found my toe tapping along merrily.
Alysand came out, quite ruffled. “If you will accept my company, I had better stay away from such an arrangement. I’ve been asked three times already for a dance, and I am not inclined.”
Madi laughed at his discomfort, and I couldn’t help but giggle myself. It seemed none of us were up to it. Tumsley surprised everyone by heading in, saying as he left, “If I’m ever to find myself a wife, it will be tonight.”
Before anyone of us could effectively tease the man, he’d gone inside, already adopting the bouncing step of a dancer.
I caught Madi peering at me, and my heart fluttered a moment. What was that look for? Thankfully, I didn’t have the time to find out, as two men came up to Madi holding a burlap sack. Judging by the way they were straining, it seemed heavy as stone.
“Here you are,” the larger man said. “My name is Corinth and this is my son, Micah. We are the town armorers.” They set down their burden and shook our hands one at a time.
“I remember,” Madi said. “Wish I had taken care of that axe a bit better, though. It cost me enough. Did you get a new handle on it?” Madi was obviously disturbed by the destruction of her new favorite toy.
Corinth grinned like a boy and held up a finger. “I can do you one better, my friend. We have all gained much since the bear was brought down. I have enough bone and Legendary leather to make a fortune in crafting weapons, and I only took a small share for our labors. This is what we managed to do for you last night.”
His son lifted out the battle-axe that Madi had purchased from them, the edges newly sharped and polished, but otherwise unchanged. The new handle, though, was made of bone. It gleamed a dark gray, almost like river stone. On the end of its handle was affixed an even larger spike than before, to balance the longer and thicker handle. I inspected the beautiful weapon and my expectations were not let down.
God’s Rib Axe
Quality: Epic
Durability 300/300
250-500 damage
+10 Stamina, +10 Strength, +5% XP gained
Special Ability: Locked. Must meet all conditions.
“Holy crap-stacked pancakes!” Madi bellowed. She jumped up and down, looking like nothing more than a little girl on Christmas morning despite her rippling muscles and huge frame. “Ahhh! The base damage increased by 50 points—and the max! 500 is crazy. Wow, thank you so much Corinth, and thank you Micah.” She crushed the men one at a time, stirring up good-natured laughs.
Corinth continued as he drew something else out of the bag, “We’re not done here. This is for you, gunsinger.” He lifted out just a handful of items. When I looked closer, I saw they were bullets. The same dark gray bone had been sunk into shiny new shells, ten in total. “We have a hunter in town who is a gunsmith. He knew the right size for those cannons you carry, and we think they’ll do well in a pinch. Hope you like them Alysand, sir.”
The man seemed embarrassed by this gift. It was obvious that they revered Alysand. The gunsinger stepped forward and took them in his palm. He gasped as he lifted one up to his eye for inspection. I couldn’t resist a look myself.
God Bone Bullets
Quality: Legendary: +100% max damage of gun, +100% Accuracy.
Additional effect unlocked if requirements are met. Single use item.
“Thank you, Corinth,” said Alysand. “These will serve me well.” He shook each man’s hand again and bowed his head slightly as he did so. He seemed much less surprised by the events, and I figured that a man like Alysand might simply be used to gaining the favor of those he helped.
Corinth turned to me and said with finality, “And for you, young lady.” To my discomfort, he was looking right at me. Micah handed him something I could not
