Frontier Online

Lesson on Restraint Part 34

Lynn's hostility startled Rydr before the giant remembered that the inhabitants of this world could see the "messages from the gods" as well. Which meant the elf was fully aware that his village was now a Dungeon thanks to the young Titan.

As Lynn stomped toward the giant, even the unworked metal around the pair began to drag itself out of bins and off workbenches. 

"Why? Why would you do this?" Lynn demanded.

"I didn't," Rydr refuted, "I don't know why I received the feat, but the majority of the chamber I was fighting in was destroyed by the Hobgoblin Warlord." After a moment of thought, Rydr also added, "But, the Warlord isn't the same anymore. It's down in the Wellspring, and it's called the Mana-Scarred Warlord now."

Lynn's eyes narrowed as he listened to the young man's explanation. Rydr went on to detail the hopeless battle against the Warlord, where he was mostly dodging. 

In Rydr's opinion, he should never have received the Legendary feat. 

Unfortunately, the giant underestimated the havoc he himself wreaked on the cavern. The stalactite the diver dropped to the cavern floor, and beating the Warlord into the ground, weakened the chamber far more than anything the Warlord accomplished.

With an A.I. as advanced as Eve looking after the game world, little details like that wouldn't escape the system's notice. Therefore, the system awarded the appropriate rewards to Rydr, regardless of how he felt about it. 

It was to Rydr's benefit that the Titan was accustomed to answering questions while under pressure. As the full tale unfolded, the various weapons and other metal pieces on the walls began to settle. 

"Furthermore, if it weren't for your quest, and Izor's, I would never have been down in the mines for all this to happen. If it weren't me, it would have been someone else." Rydr finally finished his lengthy tale and crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Izor's quest? What does Izor have you doing in the mines?" Lynn frowned, wondering how the eccentric cook came up. By this point, the elf walked around the room, righting everything his brief tantrum pulled off of tables.

"Apparently, the reason everything was going crazy before we travelers arrived was the Mana Wellspring's doing. Izor said he was sent here to find and neutralize it. He outsourced the task to me, claiming that he had to remain in town to maintain a barrier, restricting the plants." 

Rydr took a deep breath after his long answer. The giant decided to omit any mention of his teammate's convincing him to accept the quest.

Lynn was nodding before Rydr finished speaking, "That sounds just like Izor. The crook is always putting off doing his duties to the town and somehow tricks anyone asking for help into doing it themselves."

The blond elf shook his head, "Even when the solution can only be magical, the quack pontificates on 'never use magic for common deeds, lest the folk take it for granted.'" Lynn threw his hands in the air as he ranted about the town's mage.

It was Rydr's turn to frown because he had seen the crazy mage use magic at the drop of a hat. In fact, Rydr couldn't recall Izor doing a single thing without the use of magic.

"Are you sure about that? He can't seem to stop using magic around me. He even shoved three spells into my head." Rydr grimaced as he recalled the unpleasant event once more.

"So...you're saying he's been holding out on us?" 

Rydr opened his mouth to respond before he closed it, shrugged, and nodded.

Lynn stood in place for a while, his ears twitching as he angrily digested the news. As much as the smith wanted to charge out of his shop and confront the kooky mage, he still had a bone to pick with the young giant.