Chapter 154 (2/2)

But the real problem was how to accomplish his second goal. Breaking back into the prison and freeing Shal, giving him a teacher once more. These desperate fights against the wandering spear users was useful, but it wasn’t what would give him the most power.

Although this confusion tortured him for a long time, Randidly stumbled across an answer, almost on accident. During some downtime, Randidly had finally managed to create the Tier V Shadow Rune, and it referenced some very interesting text.

Quality Leather Bracer Lvl 30: A piece of leather armor worked by a talented individual. End +2, Health +25.

Engraving of Shadow V 31% (U): Shadows seem to gather around the wearer of this armor, concealing him from the eyes of others. Effectiveness of surprise attacks increased. Reaction +1.

Randidly sat back on his heels. It had been an exhausting process to create this piece of armor. The fact that the percentage was already above 20 was a surprise to him, but a pleasant one. But it seemed that there was more possible here. It did not create shadows around it yet, but it might, if the quality increased.

And in that increased quality, there seemed to be a possibility for secrecy, perhaps at the level that it could allow Randidly to sneak back into the prison and free Shal. But with all of his effort only resulting in this…

Shaking his head, Randidly settled into the long haul. This wouldn’t be as simple a process as he thought.

****

Dart yawned, bored at his post. Although the position within the prison paid well, it was extremely boring. Tomkat’s criminals, those that possessed the requisite power that the First Spear chose not to just execute them, basically escaped within the first few weeks or died, and then fought each other to alleviate their boredom, rather than trying to fight through and gain their freedom back. Afterall, while the prisoners by and large didn’t trust each other, the guards lived and trained as a unit. They were not forces that could be compared.

Suddenly, Dart’s eyes sharpened, and he looked very closely at the badlands below. In the twilight after dusk, he had sworn that he had seen a strange movement. A shadow that detached itself from its position and approached the base of the prison. But as he continued to scan the ground, he could not find the culprit.

Sighing, Dart just shook his head. The boredom here was even getting to him, causing him to see things. He couldn’t wait until it was time for him to depart, and return to the real time. He had a rather serious girlfriend, and had been dubious about spending these 6 months away from her. But although it was 6 months from his perspective, he would seem only to take a 1 week vacation to her.

Dart’s face turned ugly. Which would be fine, if it wasn’t for Calln. Calln was a childhood friend of hers that always seemed to hang on her arm and point out Dart’s weak points and flaws. Not a talented Spear User himself, Calln worked in the administration of Tomkat, in an important, if without honor, position.

In fact, it was only due to Calln’s prodding that he had came here for the stint. Now that he was here, Dart wondered if that wasn’t exactly what Calln intended. It was just a week, but…

Feeling slightly dizzy, Dart leaned against a rock for support and took several deep breaths. It was hard, this guard duty. He found himself dwelling and brooding more and more. He couldn’t escape his disgust for Calln, and his fear that that sleazy man would use this opportunity to drive a further wedge between him and his girlfriend.

He must have been more upset than he realized, because Dart leaned forward and vomited. As he straightened, slightly concerned, the rations for the prison were bad, but not that bad, Dart found himself face to face with a shadow. A shadow with piercing green eyes and a cruel smile.

The shadow’s spear was silent, and as it entered Dart’s body, everything slowly began to fade to blackness. As he fell forward, Dart recognized that this…

This was the end. But to his surprise, his last thought wasn’t a curse on his killer. After all, Dart was a spear user himself. This was the life they lived. That shadow bore him no ill will, their paths simply crossed, and Dart’s destiny turned out to be the lesser of the two.

No, what filled Dart’s heart was a burning fist of resentment for Calln, for the weakling that dared to whisper in his girlfriend’s ear. He hoped that fucker died a torturous death due to illness, slowly wasting away.

To die by the spear…. It was the greatest honor. But to die, weak, and a burden on your loved ones…

Such a man would never appeal to a woman. Not in a thousand years.