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A Soldier's Life - 347 - I'm Not Crying, You Are Crying (Edited 2-18-25 +350 words)
🕑 Added 2025-02-18 05:38:08 +0000 UTCChapter 347: I'm Not Crying, You Are Crying
I placed the small brooch on the table. It depicted a majestic bird with spread wings made from tiny rubies and diamonds. “It is a dungeon artifact,” I said, and the seer’s interest flagged. She would have no past to delve into, making it harder to read the object. She picked it up and held it in her hands, closing her eyes.
She shook her head and placed it on the table. “Elves are normally highly resistant to spells with a charm affinity. This brooch negates their protections, making them susceptible.”
I had paid for my reading, and that was not enough of an explanation. “Just elves or everyone? What did you see?” I pressed.
Namao looked at me. Probably determining if she told me more, if it would change something she had seen. “Just one of the possible fates of this artifact. A tall, beautiful human woman with onyx hair and steely gray eyes. She used this in conjunction with her magic to control an elven general.” I wanted to ask further questions on the artifact, but her look told me she was done with this artifact. I only knew one mage that matched that description, Mage Ona of the Telhian Empire. She had been gifted Traeliorn’s amulet to greatly enhance her charm affinity—but why would I give her this?
She interrupted my musings, “If you’re done, I need some rest.”
I smirked. “No, I am not.” With some pettiness, I pulled magebane and placed it on the table, followed by the demon bowl, followed by the golden ring of influence, followed by the black jade chalice, followed by the dreamscape amulet, followed by a pathfinder axe, and finally, orc’s torment. Namao’s eyes had gone from amused to wide to shocked. “Didn’t you foresee this?” I waved my hand at the assembled artifacts a little smugly. I would get my value even though I already knew some of these artifacts' functions.
“No,” she said flatly. She looked at the collection and picked up the golden ring first. I had been told it was a merchant’s ring and helped you convince another of your point of view.
As Namoa played the ring in her hand, she smiled and then frowned. “A dungeon artifact, but it has a rich history. Worn by three different dark elves, once taken by force and once handed down to a child. This ring helped the Shriarvi House rise to immense prominence. It magnifies the wearer's charisma, making everything they say seem reasonable.” She handed me back the ring with a cryptic warning, “Be careful in using it. Most people do not like being tricked.”
She took the hand axe next and didn’t spend much time on it. “Another trophy from one of your enemies. It will never dull or rust.” She dropped it with a thud onto the table. Her hand hovered over the other artifacts, pausing at the demon bowl before touching the hilt of magebane. She narrowed her eyes at me after a brief moment. “You already know this weapon’s function?” I shrugged. She gave me an irritated look. “It poisons the aether in the victim, making it uncontrollable.”
It may have been a bad idea to place items whose effects and abilities I already knew. I reached for and grasped the black jade chalice that made elven ambrosia—a smooth, thick, strong whiskey. I gave a weak smile as it disappeared. Then I did the same with the dreamscape amulet. I wouldn’t learn anything new anyway since it was a dungeon artifact. That only left the demon bowl and Orc’s Torment. Although I knew what Orc’s Torment did, I wanted to learn about its past.
The seer nodded unemotionally and looked between the sword and the bowl. She finally reached for Orc’s Torment. I prefaced her reading, “I know what it does, but I want to know its past.” The seer nodded as she grasped the worn hilt.
Namao took a moment with her eyes closed. She looked far more fatigued than when I entered her hut. Her voice seemed to echo from the past, “Forged by a great smith and wielded by many over the centuries, it has slain countless foes, including a formidable orc warlord—a great leader among his people. Orc blood strengthens it and helps it endure through the ages. Its destruction was falsified for another similar-looking blade. But the man who salvaged it, soon perished, and its purpose was lost until you wielded it. It has many possible future fates, among them, ending your life.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So, I should destroy it?”
“That thread is just one of many I glimpsed. Do as you wish with it,” she waved dismissively. The seer might be deceiving me into destroying the blade, or perhaps hiding it away somewhere to not use it. I pulled the blade toward me, the sheath scraping across the table. “Is this the last one, then?” She indicated the black bowl.
I nodded and made the blade disappear. “It is a dungeon artifact,” I preempted her reading.
“I do not like the feel of it, or its appearance.” She reached tentatively for the bowl, brushing her finger along the porcelain rim. Runic writing abounded in the images of fighting demons on the surface. It appeared fragile, but I knew it was not. Tilting her head in puzzlement, she closed her eyes, her way of concentrating her gift. She began shaking her head. “Destroy it. It’s a foul device, not of this world.”
“What does it do, seer? I can make my own decisions,” I stated irritably. She glanced toward the door, and I wondered if she would call for help, but her gaze returned to me.
“Very well. It creates abominations. Fill it with the blood of a creature, feed it aether, and then anything that drinks all the blood will have its nature blended with it. Destroy it,” she said harder. “I do not see anything good coming from this device,” she said earnestly and pleadingly. She slammed the ornate bowl on the table, perhaps thinking it would shatter. It just left a dent in the wooden table. “Now go, I’m tired.” She glanced one last time at the bowl with hatred and used the table to help her stand. The old goliath seer turned her back to me and walked heavily toward what I assumed was her bedroom.
I took the bowl, and it felt ice cold to my touch. Why would the dungeon give such an artifact? It was only dangerous if it was used. I sent it to a corner of my dimensional space. I would consider Namao’s words, but there was no rush to destroy the artifact.
I walked back to the beach and toward the trail. I was half-expecting the seer to yell to the goliaths on the beach that I carried a cursed artifact and to stop me with force, but the seer never emerged. When I reached the walls of Eternis, nothing seemed different. No goliaths were celebrating in the street at the dungeon being found or Maveith’s return. I followed the docks to the inn we had stayed at before, and the proprietor, Lazarin, addressed me, “Your elf mistress and her griffin have paid for your prior room. She is in the baths below with the griffin. They have been rowdy, if I have to clean up a mess of feathers…” He let his words hang in the air. I tossed him a dungeon silver and went to join them.
Baldo had made quite a mess; water and feathers were scattered around the recessed tub. He preened himself, then ducked into the water, shaking before preening again. Raelia appeared to have finished her bath and was waiting for Baldo to be done. He chirped happily at seeing me, but I was not keen to join him in the filthy water. Raelia wore a contented smile as she watched the griffin while I sat beside her.
“How did it go with the Council?” I asked.
“They have locked Maveith down again. I snuck away after I determined he would be fine on his own,” Raelia said tiredly.
“Fine on his own?” I said cautiously.
“They are interrogating him about everything related to the dungeon. They sent golden figs and tea leaves to the alchemists, and Maveith gave them his shield, helm, and gauntlets for examination,” she said.
“Then they will keep the dungeon?” I asked.
Raelia turned, her robe intentionally opening slightly as she teased me. “No consensus was reached in the hour I was there. The options discussed before I slipped away were sealing the dungeon again, attempting to destroy it, delving into it themselves, or calling on the Adventurer’s Guild to manage it.”
“Goliaths hate the Adventurer’s Guild,” I snorted.
“Hate is too strong a word. They don’t respect adventurers, but the Guild has been around for two thousand years. They do acknowledge the good it has done over that time. Still, I agree that the goliath people wouldn’t welcome the Guild to their island lightly.” We got a spray of bird-scented water as Baldo shook again. I would have to give Lazarin another silver.
“Did Maveith mention anything about his plans?” I asked softly.
Raelia looked at me apologetically. “He plans to start a family with Myra. He is nervous and excited. He was hoping we would stay on Stone Mountain Island with them, but he knows better. You better not leave without saying goodbye to him.” She elbowed me harder than needed.
“We will start looking for a ship tomorrow. It should take a few weeks to secure passage.” I was happy for Maveith, but it felt empty because I was a selfish person. I had Raelia, but Maveith was my loyal anchor. Konstantin was an irritating mentor whom I would miss if he were gone, but I would not mourn his absence. I stood up abruptly. “I'm going to take Ginger for a run on the beach,” I announced.
“Why don’t you wait till morning?” Raelia smirked. “The bed would be cold without you.” I almost said she could snuggle with her griffin, but knew she would do just that to spite me. I returned to the room with Raelia and a wet griffin.
The next morning, I did take Ginger for a long run on the beach, rubbed her down, and let her rest. Although she was confused, she liked the sandy beach, surf, and warm weather. When she nudged me for an apple, I gave her a fig instead. She huffed in disappointment but sniffed it. After a test bite, she nearly took my hand while reaching for the rest. She seemed to like the figs even more than the apples. She pressed her muzzle into me, begging for another one until I scolded her. Once she calmed down, I gave her a second fig. After she finished it, I placed her back in my dimensional space and walked back to Eternis.
I was not surprised to find Konstantin was waiting for me at the gate. “Is Gilda okay?” I asked as I approached.
“She lives, and surprisingly has not gotten herself into any trouble,” he said, while spitting some seeds. “Your elf told me you went riding? I haven’t seen a single horse on the island.” He cocked his brow. That was a lie. We had seen a dozen horses pulling carts in the cities and on the trails.
I ignored his implication. “What do you want to discuss?” He clearly sought me out for a reason.
“If you plan to stay, I can take the essences back to Castile.” That caught me off-guard. Konstantin thought I might stay. The island could be described as paradise if you discounted the deadly manticores, predatory cats, and enormous snakes.
I grinned, “And let you take all the credit?”
“Good. I booked us passage on the Lucky Equilibrium. It sails in five days for Godok. From there, we can book passage across the ocean to Gramney.” He pushed off the wall he had been leaning against and walked through the gates.
Six days. It felt too soon—too immediate. Later that day, I found Maveith trapped in a room surrounded by servants and food. “Eryk! Have you come to rescue me?” he asked, amused. Then he chuckled, “I hope you are hungry.” He handed me a plate he had made for himself.
I picked at the meats, cheeses, and fruits. “Has the Eternis Council made a decision?” I delayed telling him we were leaving.
“No. They were debating the merits of each course of action and had asked all the clan heads to come to Eternis to deliberate. It may take weeks to come to a decision about the fate of the dungeon,” Maveith said with a deep sigh.
“Raelia and I are headed back to see Castile,” I said, ripping the Band-Aid off. He didn’t look surprised and nodded solemnly. He reached into his shirt, produced the amulet of insight, and unhesitantly extended it to me.
I took the large sapphire stone amulet slowly. “The ship leaves in six days. Maybe we can visit your father together, and he can show me the proper way to tan a hide?”
“Are you saying I was a terrible teacher?” Maveith replied, sounding offended. Before I could respond, he laughed loudly. “My father would love to meet you. Zorana would be upset if you didn’t also say farewell to her. I just need to escape my prison,” he winked conspiratorially.
Raelia, Baldo, and I joined Maveith the next morning as we traveled to the village where he grew up. Maveith’s father appeared much healthier and more lively during our visit. He also taught me the proper methods for skinning, rehydrating, dehairing, pickling, tanning, degreasing, stretching, and drying a hide. Although this information might be something I never use again, I cherished the time spent with Maveith and his father. Zorana was much happier and took pleasure in cooking large meals for all of us. Raelia had time to train Baldo and take short flights with him, building his endurance.
In the evenings, I helped Maveith build a house for Myra and him. My dimensional space created perfect blocks. Of course, Maveith didn’t want anything too massive. We laid a foundation of stone, built stone walls, and the second floor would be made of seasoned lumber. Overall, the house would be about 5 yards wide and 15 yards deep. The second floor would have three bedrooms—for his future family that he got more and more animated talking about as we worked on the house.
We even built a small single-room stone guest house for me for when I visited. I considered it more symbolic than anything, but I was happy to put in the effort. It all ended too soon, and Maveith walked back with us to Eternis.
Konstantin and Gilda waited for us at the stone docks. Even in common clothes, the citizens recognized Maveith and gave him gestures of respect. The Lucky Equilibrium was a schooner with both a fore and an aft mast. The merchant crew was dark-skinned and spoke a language I suspected was a derivative of Hindi.
I embraced my friend, my arms not able to encircle his torso. “Don’t weep, Eryk. Our friendship is forged in stone, and I am sure your goddess of fortune will have us cross paths again.”
“I’m not crying; you're crying,” I said, wiping my cheek. Then, I bounded up the ramp to the deck. It was only a small tear.
Maveith stood on the docks when the lines were cast off, and two members of the Eternis Council flanked him to bid us farewell as well. We had been rewarded with a large chest of gold in a private ceremony. No announcements regarding the dungeon’s discovery would be made until they decided on a course of action.
Maveith yelled as the ship drifted away from the dock, “If you need me, you know where to find me.”
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Comments
Scott Martin
Should have made a teasing jab at Maveith about helping him escape his prison, by Eryk hiding him in his dimensional space. See if Maveith would actually consider and be willing due to his current circumstances!
daniel dantas
It seems that everyone has accepted Eryk as the existence of the gods. All the characters firmly believe that there is a goddess in heaven watching over Eryk, and I find that very funny (could it be Fortune, the end girl?).
Andrew G.
Maveith is such a great character. Sad to see him go. But friends and lovers come and go, it’s a fact of life.
GucciG
Shame that Maveith is gone but I suspect this won’t be the last we see of him. Without him, I feel that Eryk will become more selfish and hard, especially if Konstantin sticks around after Castile. It would be nice to see him make new friends and companions in far off places.
Andrew Crews
I think adding a more heartfelt conversation between Maveith and Eryk before their farewell would strengthen the moment. Maveith could open up a bit more about why he’s staying, beyond just wanting to start a family. It’s clear his people don’t value gold or ambition the way others do—they cherish family, kindness, and a simple, fulfilling life. Maveith has already achieved more than most among his kind. He’s gained recognition, rescued his sister, and done everything he set out to do. Now, after so much change, he just wants to be home, to be with his family, and to embrace the life he nearly lost. There’s also room for an emotional conflict—Maveith could admit that, despite his nature, there is a part of him that longs for the loyalty and adventure he’s shared with Eryk. But in the end, it’s not what’s right for him. This would add a bittersweet weight to their parting, reinforcing how much their friendship means without over-dramatizing it. On the lighter side, I think it would be fitting for Maveith to play a prank on Eryk—something only really close friends would do. Maybe he secretly slips something into Eryk’s belt of holding while he’s distracted, like a little parting gift. It could be something hilarious, like a couple of freshly made Manticore sacks along with some of those grilled caterpillars Eryk hates. That way, Eryk only realizes it later, maybe while they’re already at sea, leading to a final laugh between them even as they part ways. As Eryk stood there, staring at the manticore sacks in his hands, Raelia sauntered up beside him, smirking. “Oh, so I see you found his gift.” Eryk exhaled through his nose. “Yeah. I did.” She grinned. “I, uh… I helped him slip those into your belt of holding when he asked me to.” Eryk slowly turned to glare at her. “Of course you did.” “Oh, and he wanted me to pass something along,” she added, her tone far too casual. “He says that when stored in a manticore sack, the caterpillars’ nutty flavor is… enhanced.” Before Eryk could respond, Raelia reached into the sack, plucked out a caterpillar, and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully, then smiled. “Huh. He’s right. These are extra nutty.” Konstantin walked up just in time to hear that, peered into the sack, and without hesitation, grabbed one for himself. “Eryk, wow. What a gift,” he said, tossing it into his mouth with a satisfied nod. Eryk’s eye twitched as he looked down at the sack, then back up at the two of them. Slowly, he muttered, “Perhaps Maveith has finally grasped humanity’s sense of humor.” Konstantin clapped him on the back, nearly making him drop the sack. Then, as if truly savoring the moment, he chewed, swallowed, and let out a deep breath. “By the gods,” he said, shaking his head. “That is extra nutty.” Eryk just stood there, utterly defeated, while the scent of freshly cured manticore leather musk lingered in the air.
Andrew Crews
Namao looked at me, probably determining [if → whether] she [told → should tell] me more, [if → and whether] it would change something she had seen. I wanted to ask further questions [on → about] the artifact, but her look told me she was done with this artifact. She handed me back the ring with a cryptic warning, “Be careful [in → when] using it. Most people do not like being tricked.” She had a [slight annoyed → slightly annoyed] look at being interrupted. Namao took a moment with her eyes closed. She looked far more fatigued than when I entered her hut. Her voice seemed to echo from the past, “Forged by a great smith and wielded by many over the centuries, it has slain countless foes, including a formidable orc warlord—a great leader among his people. Orc blood strengthens it and helps it endure through the ages. Its destruction was falsified for another [similar-looking blade → blade that looked similar]. But the man who salvaged it [soon → soon after] perished, and its purpose was lost until you wielded it. It has many possible future fates, among them, ending your life.” “Very well. It creates abominations. Fill it with the blood of a creature, feed it aether, and then anything that drinks [all the blood → the entire bloody contents] will have its nature blended with it. Destroy it,” she said [harder → firmly]. Konstantin and Gilda waited for us at the stone docks. Even in common clothes, the citizens recognized Maveith and [gave him gestures of respect → gestured to him in respect]. Maveith yelled as the ship drifted away from the dock, “If you need me, you know where to find me[.” → !]”
Cedric Petri
341
Shane clark
Here’s another thought, what if he drank the blood from another human? Would he gain some of their abilities?
Apophixas
Welp, just gonna come out and say it. Eryk is an idiot for not immediately deciding to destroy that bowl. Any normal person from modern Earth who has read a decent number of books or seen plenty of movies or TV shows, and isn't a greedy nincompoop, would immediately know that shit was bad news after hearing what it does and how adamant the Seer was for it's destruction. But of course, this is one of those lovely Eryk smooth brain moments, so it's definitely gonna come back to bite him in the ass later. 😅
Shane clark
Could Eryk breed creatures with certain essences? Feed bunnies manticore blood from the bowl and get bunnycores with channel essences? If so it’s time to set up a bunny farm after he fills some barrels in his space with manticore or hydra blood.
hrs
the MC "behold i have taken a regular goose and using this foul demon artifact created a canadian goose"
saber
I'm very pleased with how the side characters are treated. They all seem to get there time in the sun and aren't just forgotten. I just have an itch that this isn't the last of maveith!
John Donovan
What does the amount of years have to do with anything? My problem is who we are left with. You need to like characters to continue reading. Nearly every character I have liked has left. All I am left with is Eryk now unless Castile rejoins the group. I have disliked Realia since she joined. Konsta feels out of place without the company.
Ardeath
He should use it to gain the essence/powers of Titans or Dragons at the end of the series. He could be the new God-Emperor of Telhia.
Lemes
Someone said that Raelia would abandon the MC because half-breeds are almost impossible to give birth to and require special care. Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense. We've seen half-breeds before, and we've also heard stories about how they're despised by the elves, to the point that their own mothers abandoned them out of shame. This raises two questions: half-breeds aren't that rare, and because they're so despised, it's unlikely that anyone would spend rare resources to make their birth possible. If the author needs a reason for Raelia to abandon the MC, he'd be better off inventing a more plausible one.
Silver Beard
Thus the interlude where Eryk picks up a craft to take his mind off all his troubles. I would remind all that Eryk is going to live 15K years with his time spellform and affinity. Losing companions is going to be an ongoing issue even short of strife, etc.
Salvo
Read the edit, it’s better but it doesn’t need to be blatant. He does need all those glow stones shaped, maybe a checker board that glows? “When we dropped these stones in the cavern I realized having pieces that glow would be useful, maybe a monster would get distracted over a shiny toy as well!”
John Donovan
I would rather drop Realia over Maveith. The entire "romance" feels wooden and forced. I have zero interest in a pregnancy or what follows. I may be ending the story here. I may wait to see how the book ends. I loved the first 5 books but we are not really reading about a soldiers life anymore. The company is no more and now Maveith is gone.
Thomas Shaw
You could go a couple ways with this. Maveith has been Eric's conscience for a good portion of the story. With the parting, is this also a foreshadowing for Eric parting with his conscience in his future choices.
Crookie Gram
The question is how hard is he going to get if someone talk and they capture him for his essence.
Erick Thiemke
Konstantin believes is hard love. The MC is soft
Crookie Gram
I loved this chapter. The question I have is why is his views of konstintine so low? It was one of his mentors…
BubblyGhost
The only limit is your imagination. . . literally as you're the author lmao
Erick Thiemke
sure he could grow demon horns, dragon scales and mutate into the size of a Titan
Ladyhotcomb
Whoa. Is that possible? I didn't even think of that.
Erick Thiemke
added the house building. the were cat minded its own business...no need to go murder hobo on it
Alias
Appreciate it.
Erick Thiemke
I thought about it...maybe in the final edit if it feels right but it didnt feel right writing it
Erick Thiemke
I added a little bit
Erick Thiemke
that would make sense as it would fill in any deficiencies
Salvo
The sustenance ring was given to Maveith’s father. It seems to be improving his general health.
Thomas Shaw
Demonic mosquitos...
Silver Beard
Because she's going to bail on him and will never be seen again. Half breeds are rare and pregnancies require exceptional magic to reach birth. Recall from Author's notes- it's not malicious in any way, but to keep his child she needs resources that he can't give; and Eyrk will not appreciate being abandoned without a reason. She's going to leave to make the attempt, but because it's so unlikely to succeed she won't tell him why.
Silver Beard
A little disappointed he didn't get more Shaping Essences. I know the Mage series is years away; but even with his perks he needs 10's of them before he can even consider being trained. Wondering if Maveith returned the Sustenance ring? He enjoyed eating too much to actually wear it all that often.
Silver Beard
I wager she'll try to refuse and use them to fund her crusade against the Empire...at which point we'll get to see Eryk force feed her.
Justin Barnett
Why not?
Silver Beard
I'm all for collecting essence, but breeding an invasive species is something else entirely.
Ivan Kanewske
Who wouldn't need Maveith in the future, with a band of dungeon armored Goliaths to use as shock troops
Silver Beard
It's not the happy moment you think it will be Chachi. At least not this series
Justin Barnett
Seconded
Alias
In the final release of this book, can I petition for Mavieth and Eryk to have a good fleshed out conversation at the party? Reminiscing about the past? Looking toward the future? If this is the close of Mavieth’s story until the Mage series of books, then I think he deserves a longer goodbye.
Chachi
i too would like if eryk sired a kid with raelia lol
Jacob Garza
I love this idea
Erick Thiemke
It’s only been a week. She will be sick on the voyage
Doritoscrunch
Agree. We all knew Erik departing with Maveith staying was coming, but this feels too indifferent.
Salvo
Feels kinda anticlimactic to leave like they do. Maveith had been a sounding board for most of the series. I would have let maveith make a copy of himself in the dreamscape. “So I can look after you, and hear about your adventures.”
Silver Beard
I expected Raelea to leave about now too. Didn't you mention their dungeon frolic would result in a pregnancy? Surely there'd be some sign of it by now.
NovaZero
So you're saying we should definitely loose some within Telhia? Good idea!
BubblyGhost
Stopped reading just to comment on the bowl. DRINK THE DEMONS HEART, ABSORB THE DRAGONS POWER, SIP ON THE MIGHT OF TITANS. I know Eryk prolly won't ever use it and that makes me so sad
Erick Thiemke
It’s intended for creating demon hybrids 😂
Justin Barnett
I wonder what the bowl will be used for. I could see Eryk trying to augment himself with it.
Justin Barnett
I think we’ll see him again. It might be awhile though.
Joel
Farewell Maveith.
Andrew
Thank you!
Jamie Idle
He forgot to act as quarry man for Maveiths house. The werecat is also a loose end.
Nick Nicholson
I’m excited for the chapter when they give the essences to Castille
Erick Thiemke
2nd of 4 for cycle. I edited 2 chapters of book 4 earlier today as well. Tomorrow I will be editing one chapter and writing a chapter of World Sphere, but a chapter for Seraphim Soldier will be coming on Wednesday and another on Thursday. If you think I missed any artifact, let me know. The only thing I see is Aesop's dagger.
