The Winds of the Past [Rune Factory 4]

Chapter 18

The next morning, Avani came by my room after her customary bath. “Has Dylas come to see you yet? He said he wanted to talk about some things with you after we had our discussion yesterday.”

“Yes,” I replied, “he came around last night. His syntax was a little crude, but he made his point.” She gave me a puzzled look, and I smiled at her, saying, “Don’t fret. I think it’s okay. Now it’s up to you to manage not one but two lovers.”

She blushed furiously—ye gods, she was adorable when she blushed—and changed the subject. “So… during all that time when I was trying to sort things out in my head and avoiding both you and Dylas, I also got a lot of work done at my forge. Do you want to come around and see what I have for you?”

“I’d love to come to your room and see what you have in store for me there,” I replied with a wicked grin. Avani rewarded me with another blush, and off we went.

She had indeed made substantial progress with her blacksmithing skills—she must have been at work night and day at her forge, hammering out metal while she likewise hammered out her feelings. She had forged a new spear for me—a sturdy, improved style of corseque that she said was imbued with both poison and with Light magic. She had also crafted some higher-quality armor, boots, and a shield.

As I tried on the gear to check the fit—which was perfect—Dylas walked in. He strolled up, giving me a not-altogether-unfriendly nod and smiling at Avani. “Hey, perfect timing!” Avani exclaimed. She turned back to the shelves where she kept her projects and materials, and after a moment, pulled out some massive, weighted gloves and tossed them to him.

He turned them over in his hand, complimenting her improved skill, and then tried them on. “They’re imbued with Earth magic and made using some special stones that increase your chances of landing a critically damaging blow.” She had new boots and armor for him, too—the same as mine, only sized differently. Dylas was taller than me by a few inches, and he had a bulkier build.

“Now,” she said, lifting a scale vest over her head and fastening a feathered talisman around her neck, tucking it down between her shirt and the armor, “if you’re both free, why don’t we go take our new gear for a trial run? I want to check out where this Maya Road is located, for one thing, and for another, I need to restock my supplies after doing so much smithing.” She fastened scabbards for her new long sword and her dual swords to her belt and looked up at us.

“I’m game,” I said with a grin, gripping my new spear.

“Yeah, sure. It’s a slow day at the restaurant anyway, so I’m sure Porcoline won’t miss me,” Dylas replied, putting his new gloves back on. Soon we were in the airship, heading for the Delirium Lava Ruins. Avani hoped to find some ore there in the volcanic caverns, and there were plenty of monsters there to test our new equipment on, too.

This was my first trip through the Ruins, and I was amazed that Avani was able to keep such a good pace through the rough terrain and the oppressive heat. Some caverns contained no more than stone bridges surrounded by pools of molten rock, and the heat was so intense in these that it was injurious to just be in the cavern. In some places, bursts of flame shot out of small cracks or holes in the ground. The denizens of these caverns ranged from buffaloos and palm cats on the upper levels near the opening, where it was coolest, to trolls and the malicious fire spirits known as ignes in the deeper, hotter caverns.

In one of the lowest, deepest caverns resided a type of large monster known as a rafflesia. It was a plant monster—sort of a mother of all plant monsters—huge, vicious, and capable of spewing toxins that could sicken, paralyze, seal magic abilities, or put to sleep anyone who received a dose of it. Long, slender vines snaked out from its base, whipping its opponents, while thick roots coiled around its opponents’ feet. Its head was a single massive bloom consisting of two huge petals, both edged with tooth-like serrations.