Chapter 2024 2024. Useful Wood
Moving with undead on each side of them was unnerving. Walker was seeing more that he did not realize. They were just standing and waiting for further orders. But this was also how the immortal king was gaining his energy back. How his mana was being held for whatever he was about to do with the natural mana that had been paid in return for his information. Various undead with limbs missing were here and there. They appeared to be lost due to the fact that they had become too old. Yet, this just showed that there were many undead that had been raised from their graves. 'Ancient skeleton
While very badly damaged due to the time left in an open grave, this skeleton is one of the oldest within the runs. It suffered in life due to the experimentation on it and the skills it had. However, this just brought it more strength. It is able to wield strong earth magic that will allow it to become an ancient earth mage skeleton at some point. This will cause it to gain some intelligence if the master that summoned it allows. But it may also cause it to become a singular monster that can grow beyond being a monster…'
These were the sorts of all around appraisals that Walker had been seeing. Ones that spoke more to how old the undead were. The bodies had been there for more years than what Walker had realized. While he had found that the undead and many of the things within these ruins were not that old, it proved to be wrong. This was because he had been too young and not been able to truly grasp the wide spread effect of the immortal king's people once upon a time. The facts that they had even traveled over continents was too much to say that they were not a race that had been extinct and weak. They seemed to be a race that had their anchors in base cities first. From there, they had secretly spread throughout the world and gathered what they needed. A reclusive race but a powerful race. People that had gone to do evil things. So much so that they had made enemies with everyone that had been around them. It was something that was undeniable. But their history was longer than what everyone realized. Because of their secret experimentations, the history known and the city they had that had now fallen to ruins, might be older than what they knew. Especially since it was not considered that old of a city in the grand scheme. Therefore, there might be more that had been underneath the ground or hidden away. The proof was already all around the party right now. Undead that had not been seen or were made out of extinct species. This meant that the immortal king had hidden a great deal and might be even older than what he said. It was undeserving yet again. "That's the tree that we are brought to?" Remey looked at the gray and deteriorating tree. It was full of holes from insects burrowing in to it. Parts fallen off and rotting there. Even some marks from where some undead had bumped in to it over time. It was not the picture of what anyone would thing about a vampire slaying weapons would be. But Walker knew better than to believe what he was seeing here, many things would not be what they were at first glance. The all around appraisal had shown this. Especially when he had looked at materials. When he had gone to the markets within the demi-human kingdom, he had seen items that anyone would have bought normally. Yet, they had been cursed items that had allowed people to suffer there. If he did not look more carefully with the all around appraisal, then he would have missed a lot. 'Light ash tree
The light ash tree is a species of tree that is normally called the brilliant ash tree. Many different races or people will have different names for it based on their own cultural differences. However, one thing is clear, when alive, this tree is naturally able to collect light mana to grow. It allows it to have white leaves that when they fall off in the colder months, become nourishing ash for the earth around it. They purify the decaying negative aspects of the soil and lead to a better overall quality of earth and nature. Especially in the fact that it is a constantly working aspect of their ecosystem. This is seen in the fact that they will attract light affinity monsters to it to nest nearby or to live peacefully nearby. The wood will perish when the land around it becomes overwhelmed with darkness manas or other aspects close to decay and death. When this happens, it becomes a light ash tree or a dead ash tree. The wood will rot from the outside in and be eaten by many things. But the wood at the core will be able to be used to make many things. All related to light affinity, a wooden sword would be able to channel purifying light mana within. The same for wands or staves. Using it to make a stabbing spear would be ideal for fighting certain monsters that have a darkness and death affinity related to undeading, undeath, or even immortality. While it will be weak and easily break, it will be strong when reinforced with the proper manas…'
This all around appraisal was very in depth. Walker was amazed that this tree had survived and slowly rotted here. But he could clearly see that when he pushed in to the wood with his hands. There was a hard and tough core within the wood still. Enough to make at least five wooden spears. But when he pulled light aman toward him, he was equally amazed that the wooden core of the light ash tree drank it up. It was so efficient that he believed it would be the ideal weapon for many things. Especially for Alice if she were to carry another staff. One that would help her channel even more light manas. "Wait, before we dig in to this, we need to find the seed." Gil tried his best to search for seeds. If this tree was so valuable that they had both not heard of it and that it could slay an ancient monster race, they had to get it. "You are looking in the wrong place. I know where they might be. Many trees can put dormant seeds somewhere where they won't die. Where they can live for many years. The immortal king might not have taken them because they were not valuable to him, but they can be valuable to me." Remey smirked. She had a smug look on her face while she started to dig her hands in to the ground. Beating Gil out in something to do with plants was hard. He had been raised on a farm and learned a great deal of knowledge from his mother, and then themselves. But Remey focused on herbs. She knew well that when some unique plants were able to grow seeds on their roots before separating the root and leaving the seed to be dormant for the chance to grow at a later date. Her hands began to pull seeds from the ground. Some were broken, rotten, while others still had some tough shells around them. "We can bring these to the elves and grow a few. They might be good for some small arrows that can be used against the vampiric monsters." Remey beamed with pride at her win here. "Wise choice. I did not expect that. I was ignoring something of value right here. But I have other things to care for. Leave my lands." The immortal king's voice came from a nearby skeleton. It took away any of the positive atmosphere here. But the party had gotten what they came for. They already had everything that they needed. "We are leaving. We have a war to fight. And evil to protect the innocents from." Walker spoke with harsh tones but the undead did not move again. The immortal king went back to not caring about them. However, Midnight was focusing very much on the bodies of the lizard like undead. Some of them reminded her of the dragons. The wyvern and the dragon body parts that were not mixed together as a powerful undead corrupted by the demon king. They had to deal with it. Her pride as a dragon was being insulted. She just wanted to be sure that she was prepared and strong enough to take that step. Fighting the vampires would be that step. Challenge herself to be more as a true dragon champion. Walker could sense her feelings. He felt similar. The entire party did. …
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