Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 602: A New Member

Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 602: A New Member

"Bah! Those kids worry too much. If they knew half the things you've gone through, they wouldn't be so worried over one arm. It's enough to be alive." Hector worked by the anvil and held a pair of long tongs, keeping a long plate of heated metal in place. He swung his hammer on the hot teal metal, which flared brighter on each strike, hot flakes of impurities spewing out and fizzling on the ground. The steely plate was drowned in a bath of high-quality quenching oil, releasing vast amounts of smoke that wafted to the vents above.

Hector attached the curved, thick plate to an incomplete assembly of other parts. After a quick tempering in the roaring furnace, the new artificial arm was doused in another bath. Hector held the completed arm, removing his fabricator helmet to let his beady eyes scrutinize the craftsmanship as if judging his own skills. He presented the arm to Demon and watched as Demon put the new arm on. The needles pierced into his shoulder and clicked into place, tightening and linking to his nerves.

"Not bad. Your Reis-forging has improved." Demon played around with a gold coin, rotating it along his fingers to test the responsiveness of the new arm. Nothing seemed off about it.

Hector smiled bitterly at his compliment and clasped Demon on his back. He sat beside him and patted him like an endearing elder. "I advised against walking into that hell, didn't I? The moment I met you, I knew....You've changed. Will your wife even recognize you now?"

"I'm not the same man you met years ago. That man is long gone." Demon wore his clothes and clad himself in armor, covering his face with the helmet and hood. He left for the exit and gestured for Hector to accompany him outside, but Hector waved his hand in farewell and started to work on forging something else. The flames overflowed as the heat intensified, reddening the floor while his feet climbed the crooked stairs up and out. Hector's hammer rang clearly in the quiet night.

Outside, Demon covered the entrance to the hidden workshop, bringing a carpet over the sealed door. A month ago, he built the workshop for Hector to forge armaments and replacement arms if needed. As it turned out, Demon had no talent as a fabricator, unable to form a proper formation like Oscar had done. He simply couldn't create. In a way, it was good fortune to have encountered Hector and Helen many years ago while he raided a New Dawn base in a swamp. He couldn't pass on Reis-forging to any simple person, and Hector proved his worth long ago in Convecia City.R/ê/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at nô(v)e(l)bin/.c/o//m Only

Down the ragged, broken streets, clearly needing paving and reconstruction, a wide crack, large enough for a man to enter, didn't stick out on the street full of similar damages. Demon waited by the crack as Erden trotted over, swaying to the side where a lone antler stuck out. With a good shake, his fur sprayed seawater everywhere. His wings unfurled, showing several bright cores taken from dead Lower Marshal Exalt beasts.

"Hard fight?" Demon swept his hand over the cores and stored them away.

"Hardly. But it's annoying that there are so many swarming every time I try to dive." Erden complained. The oceans and seas encompassed most of the surface and the abundant beasts that dwelled underneath the waves bred in staggering numbers. Demon would have gone if not for having to wait for the reforging of his arm. Erden transformed into his small form and hid inside Demon's clothes, remaining a secret even to the others except for Helen and Hector.

The sky continued to darken, and while the sunlight faded away, Demon leaped into the crack and fell straight down for ten seconds. Before his feet could touch the ground, he slowed and floated toward the clamoring fools in the next chamber. Metal pillars supported the newly dug-out spaces and tunnels, attached together by beams that stabilized the ceiling. Oldeye Island contained a vast underground network, which he gladly took control of.

"Is everything prepared?" Upon his arrival, everyone turned around and knelt. He entered the spacious room and noticed the wintery air filling the room, frost building on the pillars and ground. A few icicles hung from above, straight and large. In the center was a pool of water surrounded by a formation of ataerstones that he found in Draven's greater space pocket.

"Sorry." Marcus smiled and extended his hand. "Welcome. But don't expect to live long."

"Thank you." Astrid grinned and shook his hand. "I heard a few things while I was asleep. So you are the First? Is that a ranking based on strength?"

"No. It's the order in which we were freed."

"Then, as the Seventh, I greet the First, but I wonder if you are the foremost in strength. May I ask for a spar?" A gale of frost swirled from Astrid, her light-blue hair swaying to the cold chills. Her gaze narrowed and gleamed with deadly intent.

Demon stomped on the ground, quaking the foundations of the chamber. "Kneel." When everyone bowed, lowering their heads in shame, he moved over to Auren. "Did you finish the other formation?"

"Yes! The flame Ein is gathering well in another chamber, fit for Sister Eve to use." Auren answered quickly. He led him into the next room, where a blazing column of fire resembled a tree on fire. It used his supply of primordial flame, thanks to Ignyres, and supplied a stable stream of fiery Ein.

Nodding in approval, Demon said, "Make another for the earth element. As for the material, this is suitable." Before Auren could ask, he held out his palm. A pulsating orb of yellow light condensed in mid-air and fell on his hand. It was an extracted piece of primordial earth from Tectones's gem, which had dimmed slightly and needed to recharge. Auren received the concentration of earthly Ein, currently speechless at the power.

"Don't ask. Finish the job, and when you're done, you will accompany me outside in a week." Demon also gave him more ataerstones to work with.

"Accompany you, my Lord?" Auren exclaimed before calming down. "To where?"

"To spend the money."