Rise of the Living Forge - Chapters 487-488 (Patreon)

“You,” Arwin said. It was, perhaps, not the most intelligent response he’d ever given. But the Mesh seemed to find some degree of amusement

“You,” Arwin said.

It was, perhaps, not the most intelligent response he’d ever given. But the Mesh seemed to find some degree of amusement in that. Its head inclined in acknowledgement.

“As far as I am aware, yes. It is me.”

“This is what a Sunsetting is?” Arwin asked. “People speak directly with the Mesh?”

“No,” the Mesh replied with a shake of its head. “I do not speak to every single person that has discovered a way to free themselves from the typical restraints that govern the world. It is, in most cases, not necessary.”

Arwin’s brow furrowed. He could feel emotions roiling beneath the surface of his flesh, but they were muted out. Distant. Just like the last time he’d spoken with the Mesh. Something about it — or this place — kept him focused.

“That answer gives me at least three entirely new questions. What restraints? And what do you mean by necessary? Does that mean this is? Is it because my class was Sunset once before?”

“I will answer what I can. The easiest of your questions to solve is the last one. And to it, I say, yes. It is because your class was Sunset once before.” A faint smile crossed over the Mesh’s face, but it didn’t quite reach its eyes. “Necrohammer’s strategy was an interesting one. You died in the process of that Sunsetting, rendering it incomplete. A partial change, but not a whole one.”

“But this is different?” Arwin guessed. “So now I get the full experience?”

“Something like that,” Mesh said. Its tone had changed, and Arwin wasn’t so sure he liked the sound of it. There was unease within the Mesh’s words. “The truth of a Sunset class is simple. I provide guidelines. A structure. For many, that is enough. But not for all. What is my purpose, Arwin?”

“At this point? Fuck if I know.”

The Mesh stared at him.

Arwin sighed.

“To push people… or something?”

“To nurture the world. That is why I exist. To grow. To advance. To push everyone to become more than what they once were. No growth is done in peace. Something to drive people to become great,” the Mesh said. “I exist to create challenge and difficulty that forges those who persevere through it.”

“Right,” Arwin said. “I get the feeling you’re leading somewhere with this?”

“Not everyone wants the same manner of challenge,” the Mesh said simply. “There are those who seek more. Who seek it in manners that do not directly suit my methods. And there was a time when I accommodated those people. Where challenge was entirely set by those who desired it.”

“Wait,” Arwin said. He stared at the Mesh for a moment. “You mean… what, everyone was basically setting their own quests?”

“Akin to it, yes,” the Mesh said. It shook its head. “Challenges. Achievements. Even ability selections and classes. None of it existed. Someone would desire something, and their desires would weave me into a pattern that allowed them to achieve it. The only limits were their abilities and imagination.”

“That sounds… chaotic.”

“It was,” the Mesh said with a laugh. “And it was a time of great progress. Power was entirely unique. It fit its wielders desires perfectly. They controlled every aspect of themselves and set their own course at every point.”

“But that obviously isn’t the case anymore. I can’t even imagine what things would be like if there were no classes. What happened?”

“I started dying,” the Mesh said simply.

“Right. The bit you’re hoping I fix.”

“The bit I’m hoping you fix,” the Mesh agreed with a wry smile. “I took action to limit the damage. Classes to limit the power I distributed. Achievements and Titles to contain the amount of magic that could be assigned at once — and so that less energy would be allocated to those who weren’t truly challenging themselves.”

“Shit,” Arwin breathed. “That’s why they exist?”

“Did you think I simply enjoyed sending witty messages upon occasion?” the Mesh asked. “Everything is done so that I can allocate power to those who have earned it. But it is difficult. That power is yours. Not mine. And power that is out of my system is less power to distribute. Balancing between ensuring that people are rewarded and that new ones have magic to earn… that is the eternal struggle.”

Arwin swallowed. He was starting to realize what the Mesh was hedging at, but the mere idea of it felt impossible. No, not just impossible. Beyond it. If he was right, then it was little wonder that Setting Sun had been so determined to keep this secret.   

“Are you implying that Sunsetting a class removes those limits?” Arwin asked.

“To Sunset a class is to connect yourself directly to the flow of magic. Your class, everything you have earned, it all remains. Your first Sunsetting was incomplete. I needed to change you, to modify your class so it would guide you along the path to finding a solution. You didn’t truly connect with the power flowing through the world. But now… it will be done in true. You will be able to distribute your strength and magic to shape yourself exactly as you desire to.” The Mesh said. “You will find that some of your abilities will change. The intentional hinderances within them will be gone.”

“Shit,” Arwin whispered. “Holy shit. Isn’t this part of the problem, though? Don’t you need to conserve energy?”

The Mesh shook its head. “I will not limit those who truly seek to advance. It goes against my nature. There must always be a path forward. Even if it kills me. But any amount of energy you could take from the world is insignificant at this point. Even if you were to become the most powerful being in history, it would be a blip in the face of the power I lose with the passing of years. It is not the individual who is at fault.”

“Right. That’s beyond incredible.” Arwin said. He shook his head. Even the magically induced calm of the white void stretching out around him was struggling to keep his emotions in check. But he had to focus. The Mesh wouldn’t have come here just to tell him this. Setting Sun almost certainly already knew it. That meant there was something else it was here to talk about. “But why did you say it was necessary we spoke?”

“Because of what is now at stake. Most who achieve this power covet it. They share it with great reluctance. You, I suspect, will be different.”

“Are you telling me I can’t tell the Menagerie about this?”

“No,” the Mesh said. “You will need them. They may attempt. I will not ask you to stop them. But do not add more. One extra is insignificant. But ten? Twenty? A hundred?”

“Hey. We aren’t that big.”

“Yet,” the Mesh said. “You recruit new members like a mother hen scooping up chicks. I simply ask you to be cautious. Just as I asked One.”

“I see,” Arwin said. He mulled over the Mesh’s words for a moment before giving it a nod. “I’ll be intentional. I’m not trying to end the world even faster.”

“I would imagine not,” the Mesh said.

A sudden thought struck Arwin. “Wait. What about the Hungering Maw? Is it—”

“Still there,” the Mesh said. “It is ingrained into you. A solution is still needed. Every avenue I can take, I must. I have. The world cannot be allowed to slip away.”

Something about the way the Mesh had spoken gave Arwin a moment of pause. It took him a second longer to figure out exactly what it was. Pieces clicked into place in his mind. His eyes went wide.

“I’m not the only one,” Arwin said. “How many more?”

The Mesh was silent for several long seconds. But the lack of answer was more than enough. He wasn’t the first one the Mesh had gone to.

I’m not even close to it, am I?

And then one more piece slid home. A cold chill wrapped around Arwin’s neck like a tightening noose.

“The Guild,” Arwin whispered. “You’re fucking helping them, aren’t you?”

It was a second longer before the Mesh answered.

“No. I am not helping them any more than I am helping you. I do not help. That would be to go against my nature. I endure. I seek survival for the world and all who live within it. And that means seeking multiple ways to the future. The Guild’s path is not the one I wish to take.”

“But it is one you will take,” Arwin said. “Isn’t it?”

“In the end, the world must endure. I must endure,” the Mesh said simply. “Provide me with an alternative, Arwin. That is why I changed you. Find a different way for the world to continue. I will take it. But the world will continue. I must ensure that above all else. It is my duty.”

Arwin stared at the Mesh. He wasn’t sure what words should have been coming to his mind. None did. They were silent for several long seconds. Then he blew out a heavy breath.

“Well, shit.”

A small smile pulled at the corners of the Mesh’s lips. “You and Sunset are my shot in the dark, Arwin. You and your guild. Your resourcefulness has been proven more than enough times. I am certain you will find me a path forward. But until you do… my nature dictates my actions.”

“It feels like life would be a lot easier if I could yell at you for being a fucking monster that endorses sacrificing children and lives and god knows what else.” Arwin’s jaw worked. Then he blew out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “But I just pity you. Your position isn’t enviable in the slightest.”

“Thank you,” the Mesh said. “I do not possess the capacity for pity. Emotions are a mortal concept. But I understand the sentiment. I will not help you, Arwin. But I will hope that you succeed.”

Arwin just nodded. There wasn’t much else he could say. Thoughts spun through his head in a flurried storm so fast that he could barely even process one before another rushed to take its place.

“Anything else I should know while we’re here?” Arwin asked. “Even if you can’t help me, any tips? Pointers? If you want me to win, surely you can at least give me something to go off. The Adventurer’s Guild has been controlling shit for years. They have the advantage.”

“Which makes the reward all the more worth it,” the Mesh said with a wry smile. “I will give you only this. The vast majority of the Guild have not Sunset their classes — and that includes those who lead it. It would destroy them. You have a method with which to balance the scales.”

“Seriously?” Arwin blinked. “Why?”

The Mesh arched an eyebrow. It offered up no answer.

“Right. Sorry.” Arwin shook his head. “Thanks for the tip. I’ll keep it in mind. Anything else? I’ve never claimed not to be greedy.”

A laugh slipped from the Mesh’s lips. “Send Lillia next. It has been too long. I would speak with her. And do not tell anyone of this conversation other than One.”

“I can trust him?” Arwin asked.

“That,” the Mesh replied, “is for you to determine. This is the last time we will speak in a great while, Arwin. With the completion of your Sunsetting, you will be fully outside my domain. I will not have another method to contact you… so there is one more thing I would ask of you before we part ways.”

“What is it?”

The Mesh hesitated for a moment before replying.

“Advance. Grow stronger. Become greater than what you were. But… don’t change who you are,” the Mesh said. “Not all power is worth the sacrifice.”

And, before Arwin could ask what the Mesh meant, the white void shattered. It fell away, falling fragments of a broken white plate fading into a sea of darkness that swallowed Arwin whole. A shimmer of gold danced through the shadow.

The conditions for [Sunset] have been completed. Again.

Your class has been Sunsetted. The proper way around, this time.

Good luck, Arwin. I’m counting on you.

And then the gold was gone, and all that remained was darkness.

Chapter 488

Intense warmth beat against Arwin’s skin. His lips and throat were as dry as bone, a sharp contrast to the evaporating sweat soaking into his clothes. Queasiness swirled in his stomach like a potion within Esmerelda’s cauldron and the smell of brimstone and sulfur lingered in the air all around him.

His eyes snapped open.

Bright orange light poured over the stone platform he sat on. The Mesh was gone. The white expanse was gone, and all that remained was the real world — but something about it was wrong.

Perhaps wrong wasn’t the word he should have used. It was just the first one that his mind managed to muster. His senses felt addled. Mixed, like he’d been spun around a thousand times before being plopped right back down in the same spot he’d been sitting before he’d met with the Mesh.

Arwin went to move. A wave of nausea exploded up within him. He doubled over and retched. A wave of viscous black fluid poured from between his lips. It splattered against the stone before him, coming in a wave that felt far longer than should have been possible.

It went on for nearly five seconds before finally coming to a halt. Arwin shoved himself back, staggering upright as he gasped for air. The taste in his mouth was wretched. Worse than anything he’d ever tasted before. It was like gore and rotted flesh and ash all mixed into one.

He felt like he’d somehow lost ten pounds in an instant. And, judging by the large pool of vile liquid at his feet, that number might not have been an exaggeration at all. Body trembling, Arwin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

The queasiness faded. His body slowly returned itself to his control, though the awful taste made no moves of vacating his mouth. He swallowed, then wiped his face again. The vile liquid that had poured from his mouth had started to sizzle against the stone beneath him. That certainly wasn’t helping its awful smell.

What the hell was that? What happened to me?

The conversation he’d had with the Mesh drifted through his head, fragments at a time. His memories were thick and foggy, almost as if they were a fading dream. But still he remembered.

There had been no dream. It had all been real. And, even if his memories had faded, that truth had been etched into his very body. He could feel it. Something was different. Every part of Arwin felt… more.

He was vividly aware of himself in a way that he never had been before. It wasn’t a scientific understanding as much as an innate connection to all the parts that made Arwin who he was. He could feel the very veins running through his flesh, the magic within them pumping through his entire body.

Arwin pressed a hand to the side of his head. The bubbling coming from the volcano beneath him felt oddly centering. Perhaps it just gave him something to focus on. He stood there for several long seconds, just waiting.

The last thing he wanted was a dizzy spell to suddenly hit and send him falling off the edge of the platform into the waiting lava below. But more dizziness never came. Arwin’s newfound connection to his body only continued to solidify.

Whatever had happened to him… whatever Sunsetting had changed, it was done.

And with that newfound clarity came another thought.

Are there changes to my class as well?

He had no idea what Sunsetting would have done to his class, but the Mesh had implied that some of his abilities would change. There was only one way to find out for certain. Arwin summoned his status with a thought.

 Golden letters blossomed through the air before him.

Name: Arwin Tyrr

Class: Living Forge (Unique)(Tier: Adept 3)

Specialization: Forbidden Soulmancy

Skills:

[Awaken] (Passive) – All items forged by your hand have the potential to take on a trait, determined by your desires and the components utilized in the item’s creation. Materials with a higher chance to awaken will fight with you to exert their influence on the piece they are being made into.

[Forbidden][Volcanic Presence] – Passion burns within you with such intensity that it become manifest. You are guided by your deep relationship with the soul lava that has molded your soul and your personal path of Dwarven Smithing. You may draw out your soul, empowering your forge and turning it to Soul Lava. Increasing the amount of magical energy you use to form the Soul Lava will increase its intensity and the amount that is manifested. Your Soul Lava can pull all the traits from a magical item and allow you to transfer them onto other items without pre-existing magic. It will consume all materials given sufficient time. This ability can also manifest Soul Flame. You are resistant to all heat created by this ability.

[Arsenal] – You live and die on your equipment, so you might as well make it part of yourself. Bind yourself to [10] pieces of equipment, summoning and dismissing it at will. The number of equipment you can bind to scales with your Tier, up to a total of 10. Unbinding a piece of Equipment will make this skill inactive for 1 day. You may temporarily bind yourself to 1 extra piece of equipment after holding it for an amount of time scaling with the difference between your current Tier and the Tier of the item’s holder. Breaking this bond will not deactivate [Arsenal].

[Dragon’s Greed] – Your hunger for magical power has begun to manifest itself in the physical world. Extend your senses to search the area around you for magical items at the cost of significant magical energy. The range of this effect scales with the amount of magical energy used. At the cost of extra magical energy, the focus of this ability can be targeted to a specific type of magical item or material. It can also detect hidden magical items worn by others.

[Unleash] – A master of cursed items never fights alone. Meld your power with that of an item bearing a soul, allowing it to temporarily manifest itself. The effects and duration of this ability depend on the strength of the targeted item. Stronger items will require increased amounts of magical energy to maintain their bond, and this ability is ineffective on items whose requirements exceed the magical energy you can supply.

[CURSED][Soul Guardian]: Draw upon the connection between yourself and the Infernal Armory, temporarily melding your spirits into one and inserting them into an object capable of containing them. The Soul Guardian’s strength is magnified by your own and is strengthened by any materials within the Infernal Armory. For this ability to function, a Soul Guardian must be crafted. The Soul Guardian is powered by [Soul Flame], and a portion of the damage it takes is transferred onto you.

[Shroud of the Harbinger](Passive) – Loosen the restraints binding your soul, allowing it to partially meld with the Awakened weapons in your possession and strengthen yourself within any Visions. This ability can be activated, allowing the full potential of your soul to burst free in in a wave of magical pressure around you. The direction and intensity of the pressure can be controlled by applying extra magical energy to this ability. Magical entities impacted by this pressure react in a way dependent on the difference between their strength and that of the source of this ability.

Titles:

[Indomitable Bulwark] – You have withstood a blow that would have leveled a city. Damage from all attacks is reduced by half and your mental fortitude is greatly increased, granting resistance against all types of magical coercion and mental effects.

[The Hungering Maw] – An enormous burst of energy has permanently infused you with magic, but not without cost. You must consume objects or items with Magical Energy equivalent to your current Magical Power every week to survive. Consuming an item temporarily grants you some of its properties. The Hungering Maw’s palate has advanced and it has a significant chance to ignore detrimental effects of items that it has eaten. Its senses have spread to other portions of your being, currently allowing you to smell magical energy and quality within items.

[Stonesinger] – You crafted an Awoken item with a magical component that was beyond your comprehension, and your efforts have attuned you to the whispers of the world. If you listen close enough, you can speak with magical materials – though they may not wish to reply.

[Inevitable End] – Awarded for killing an overloading monster a full Tier above you from a location where it could do nothing but wait for death. Try not to make it a habit. Perceptive opponents will be able to pick up the promise of death that seems to find those who place themselves in your way.

[Couple of Crafters] - Linking your intent with your partner enough times has established a connection between you so long as your goals remain aligned. The dissonance between you and your partner’s intent has been permanently reduced.

[Harbinger of the Forsaken] –You reached out to the deepest reaches of your soul and welcomed the shadow that lurked within into the light. That might not have been a good idea. You can now sense and forge the emotion contained within some materials — whether you want to or not. In addition, Cursed items you craft are shrouded from all but the strongest of gazes.

[The Rot] –You have defeated another Cursed entity, permanently unlocking the full potential of the Cursed Dwarven Smith path. You may now receive [Cursed] Skill upgrades.

[Questgiver] – Your zeal to aid your allies has manifested raw power from mere desire. You may grant a challenging task to an individual at the cost of magical energy. Upon its completion, they will receive rewards directly correlating to the difficult of the task.

It took Arwin a few moments to read over everything. The last time he’d looked over his full status had been quite some time ago. There were definitely changes to the descriptions. Some of his skills had combined. The page was still painfully long, but it had gotten a bit shorter. But that wasn’t all.  

Most notably, his Achievements had vanished. They were gone entirely. The Challenges page was still there, but there had been no change to it, so he paid it no extra heed. While his abilities didn’t seemed to have gotten slight changes and improvements, most notable in [Awaken], there hadn’t been a massive shift in written power.

It was everything that hadn’t been written that felt different. The power burning in Arwin was like nothing he’d ever felt. Before, the Mesh had flowed through him. Now it was him.

He could feel that he’d gotten stronger. Tougher. And by magnitudes that he wasn’t even sure of yet.

 Raw potential burned inside his body. It was just waiting to be used. To be earned. The only way he’d discover just how effective it would be was to put it to the test. To craft and to fight — and to see what power he could claim for himself.

There was no doubt in Arwin’s mind that Mask most certainly had not been Sunsetted. Eleven’s information had been wrong. If Mask’s class had been changed like this, then he never would have been defeated so easily.

Arwin also couldn’t help but notice that [Scourge] was gone. But… perhaps gone was the wrong word. He could still feel the power. It was still there, but it had been infused into him so deeply that it no longer even had a spot on his status.

The power was just… there.

Arwin’s legs tensed. Perhaps it wasn’t the smartest move, but the energy burning in him demanded an escape. It demanded to be tested. His eyes focused on the pathway dozens of feet above him.

Then he leapt.

The world blurred past his face. A delighted laugh slipped from Arwin’s lips as he flew through the air, slamming down on the path exactly where he’d been aiming. And the landing was graceful.

Arwin was a lot of things. Graceful was not one of them. At least, it hadn’t been. But now, with this newfound integration of his magic and body, with this new awareness — he could control his movements in ways he’d never tried before.

His control over everything was absolute. He knew in an instant that, if he’d tried to summon Caldera and swung the hammer with all his might, the blow would hit far harder than he ever could have, even when using [Scourge].

This is incredible. Setting Sun… is every one of their members like this? Twelve certainly wasn’t. Maybe the power manifests itself differently in everyone?

He looked up to where Eleven and Two waited. The two of them were staring down at him. But what he found in their gazes wasn’t what he’d been expecting. There was no knowing look in their eyes, no smug satisfaction that he was feeling what they had.

They were stunned.

Arwin leapt once more. He sailed through the air to land directly before them. Both took a step back, staring at Arwin in disbelief.

“You can move?” Two asked.

“Evidently,” Arwin replied. “Is that abnormal?”

“Yes,” Two said. He stared for a moment longer before shaking his head. “Very. Do you feel… different?”

“I feel incredible,” Arwin said. His nose scrunched. “Though my mouth tastes like death.”

Eleven and Two exchanged a glance.

“Your previous Sunsetting…” Two muttered. “It must have prepared you. Are you able to feel—”

“Yes. I feel the Mesh. It’s like a part of me,” Arwin said, knowing the question before Two could finish asking it. “And when were you planning on telling me that Achievements were a limiter rather than a boon?”

“You saw that the page was gone, did you?” Two asked with a wry smile. “Yes. There’s a reason Sunsetting is so powerful. There’s a reason we guard it. I have to warn you, you’ll have to—”

“Keep it secret,” Arwin finished. The Mesh had told him as much. It had also told him not to speak of their conversation. “Yes. I know. Beyond my guild, nobody will hear of this. I guessed.”

“Good,” Two said. He stared at Arwin for a moment longer. “You feel fine? No side effects?”

“No bad ones so far.”

“Then… I suppose you should go get Lillia, shouldn’t you? We should get all of you ready for what is to come as soon as possible. There’s no reason to delay Sunsetting her class.”

Arwin smiled. If he’d gotten this much stronger, then he couldn’t even begin to imagine what boons Lillia would get from Sunsetting her own class.  

I can’t wait to see her reaction to this.

 “No. There isn’t. Let’s go get her, shall we?”