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A Soldier's Life - 322 - Eternis
🕑 Added 2025-01-02 02:48:45 +0000 UTCChapter 322: Sailing to Eternis
The investment in the Wind Chaser had been worth it. Captain Taegen had gotten us halfway across the world in just 48 days. He professed that favorable winds and luck expedited the journey. Even though I had paid his crew for 62 days and provisioned them for such, I doubted I would be getting a refund.
Raelia had been the one to barter for passage using the jewelry I had collected in my travels, mainly from the werewolf cache. She, of course, kept the best pieces for herself. I still had a fair amount of gold from the reward from the Supreme, but my mundane jewelry collection was spent on this worthwhile venture.
We only had one encounter crossing the vast ocean to the other continent. A pair of modest pirate ships tried to intercept us. It was their folly, as the elven mages summoned a terrifying storm off our stern. The skies darkened within minutes, and I could feel the aether manipulating the environment. The gusts of wind created white caps off the stern before turning into rolling waves.
The pirates couldn’t fight the crosswinds to escape and were soon swallowed by the concentrated typhoon. One of the mages dispassionately told the captain, “One ship capsized and the other escaped, but the main mast was shattered.”
There was one personal incident during the voyage that showed me Raelia was the jealous type. I was talking to a female elven sailor on the stern deck while going through some stretches. I was preparing to go through sword forms, and spar with Konstantin. I was shirtless but didn’t think much of it at the time.
The sailor may have initiated the conversation, curious about my travels. Still, I was interested in the other continent and her mercantile Elven Kingdom of Galanoris, so I was engaged in heavy discourse with her. It was a long conversation, and I didn't even realize Raelia was watching.
Raelia was angry with me for most of the next three days, even going so far as to sleep in a different cabin. I had to ask Maveith why she was upset with me. I think she wanted me to engage her in an argument so she could yell at me, but I had never been confrontational in past relationships. Since I didn’t think I had done anything wrong, I didn’t apologize. Raelia eventually came back on her own, and we didn’t mention my friendliness with the sailor.
I thought her decision to return might have been influenced more by her desire to use the dreamscape amulet to study spells. Baldo was also glad to be back in my cabin so I could spoil him behind Raelia’s back. Raelia and I resumed our nightly wrestling for dominance as if nothing had happened.
Konstantin was very amused that I had won the argument without any effort, but who was keeping score?
I was looking forward to making landfall. I had consumed or shared almost all the essences I had collected in my dimensional space. With so many mages on board the trade galleon, I was worried about being spied on, so I hadn’t removed anything of substantial size from my space even though I was itching to use the Elven assessment table.
The apex water essence was unpleasant when I consumed it, but I felt confident my aether core had now settled enough. I wouldn’t dare to open a new affinity, but enhancing the magical affinities I already unlocked felt safe, with just the newest one, water, giving me indigestion.
I was also ready to learn a new spell for the charm/mind affinity. I had consumed all 25 minor charm essences I had gathered in the demonic dungeon during the voyage. I once owned a copy of charm spell forms, but it was one of the books I left on the floor of Khrusos’ throne room. I had never flipped through it, so it was impossible to replicate in the dreamscape.
The only two essences I had left were the minor abyssal and the minor fire. I held the minor fire essence in case I needed an apology gift for Raelia. Although I doubted it would ever be my fault, it was best to keep it in case such an emergency arose.
I knew I was faster as my daily practices with Konstantin frustrated him, and Maveith had become too easy an opponent even without my spell forms.
It was irritating how Maveith always drew a cheering section when we practiced. Because of this, I let him win once in a while. He was courting Myra, so I did my best to make him look good while still getting a workout and challenging him. Konstantin knew what I was doing, and I was surprised he never reprimanded me. He never went soft on me or Maveith when we practiced.
During the voyage, I spent most of my time with Raelia and Baldo, but I did manage to pick up the basics of the goliath language. From Maveith, I knew it was derived from the language of the stone giants, one of the dialects of the Titans. I was perfectly fine with letting Maveith take all the accolades for freeing his kin, and managing their attentions.
The goliaths crowded the decks as we finally approached Stone Mountain Island's western shores. The sea air couldn’t take away the smell of unwashed bodies quite fast enough for me. I moved to the bow to see the dot in the distance grow.
Over the next hours, it grew to an impossibly large mountain range jutting out of the ocean that would put Olympia to shame. Maveith was at my shoulder, so I inquired, “Has anyone ever climbed to the top?” I asked him in awe as it seemed to pierce the sky.
“No one has lived who tried. The air is stolen from your lungs as you approach the peak. Even those with magical means cannot breathe,” Maveith said while staring at the growing mountain in the distance. Lesser mountains fell away to the right, completing the range. The maps that I had of the island chain did not do it justice.
The looming mountain towered over us when we were close, causing us to crane our necks. The lower slopes were covered in lush vegetation, but halfway up, they gave way to barren rocks, and higher still, ice and snow formed a peak that pierced the sky. Surprisingly, the air was humid and warm as we sailed along the shoreline, the tropical climate contrasting with the ice-capped mountains so close by.
The crystal-clear waters under the rushing ship were filled with sea life roaming among the reef: schools of fish, sharks, colorful fish, turtles, and the occasional jellyfish were easily spotted from the railing. It felt like I was in paradise, with the sandy shores shadowed by tropical trees.
“A reef surrounds the islands, and there are numerous deep hot water vents that keep the water warm. Our people don’t fish this far from shore for fear of angering the mermen,” Zorana, Maveith’s sister, said from behind us wistfully.
I nodded to her in acknowledgment of her offered information. She had been fairly quiet during the voyage, but there finally was some sparkle in her emerald eyes when she saw her home. Maveith had spoken with her every day, but he was also busy with a clingy Myra. Raelia spent a lot of time with Zorana as well, often talking alone on the stern deck. I was not a therapist and thought it best just to be friendly when she initiated a conversation.
On the other side of the coin, I thought Myra was experiencing hero worship for Maveith. She saw him as her rescuer and maybe felt she needed to repay him. I could see Maveith slowly being wrapped around her finger, but didn’t intervene.
As we paralleled the shore, we saw large gray men fishing with nets in the shallow waters near the coast. They paused to watch our ship pass by. Our deck, crowded with giants, was probably a curiosity. A few younger ones ran inland to announce our arrival. Maveith tightly gripped the railing as the ship parted the waters. He was about to face his father soon, and I could feel his uncertainty. His village was only a few miles away from where we were docking.
The Captain approached and sat down beside us. “Beautiful place. We will dock at Eternis, the largest of the goliath cities, and stay for a month to fill our holds with glowstones and pelts. You can continue to use the cabin while we are here.” He nodded at me, and I think that over the two months, he had become a bit more accepting of a human and an elf relationship. I just wished that Raelia was quieter at night, as the crew’s comments the following day made me blush.
“How far to your family’s house?” I asked Maveith after the captain left us.
Maveith exhaled heavily. “The Stoneskin Clan village is about a day’s walk from Eternis. We can leave in the morning if Zorana doesn’t head straight there.” He turned, searching for his sister, who was engaged in an animated conversation with three other goliath women.
The excitement was palpable on deck as the goliaths were almost home. I believe only a handful of the goliaths on the ship were not descendants of or citizens of Stone Mountain Island. Very few goliaths were born in the Caliphate, as it was not considered honorable to enslave a child. To my knowledge, there was only one other city that goliaths ruled. That city had no affiliation with Stone Mountain Island, according to Maveith.
Eteris was in a picturesque aquamarine-colored bay with blocky stone buildings. Intricate statues adorned the plain-looking buildings. Most of the statues were of goliaths, but some were of other, more fantastic creatures. Two goliaths in black, hardened leather armor stood on towers at the entrance to the harbor. One blew a horn that was repeated further into the bay in a quick chain. “That horn is a call for the Council,” Maveith said nervously.
“Well, you can explain this to the Council,” I waved my hand at the deck of excited goliaths. “I just want to get on some solid ground and lie in a real bed,” I patted him on the shoulder. I was being slightly devious in trying to give Maveith credit for rescuing the seventy-one goliaths. These were his people, not mine. My people were somewhere far, far, far away.
Our arrival caused a commotion throughout the city as goliaths lined up along the stone pier. The bay was large, over three-square miles, and dozens of ships flying foreign flags were anchored or docked. It made sense, as Maveith had told me that glowstones were mined on the island and shipped out as a commodity. I wondered if a ley line was responsible for the glowstone mines and the incomprehensible mountain towering over us as we approached the crowded docks.
Maveith had already told me there were no dungeons he knew of on the island, but the island was over a hundred miles long and half as wide. I had large blocks of colored glowstones in my dimensional space, and I planned to have Maveith shape them into smaller stones to sell.
The crowd on the dock parted as the sails lowered, and the elven mages brought the Wind Chaser along a stone pier they were directed to. Five aging goliaths in blue robes with manticore cloaks stood ready to receive us. Once we were tied off, Maveith stood at the top on the plank and spoke in his language. I understand about half of what was spoken as questions and responses flew back and forth. The goliaths on deck were pressing behind Maveith, and I was worried they were going to stampede him if they were not allowed to disembark soon.
I believed Maveith was doing well as a cheer suddenly erupted along the pier. It appeared that over three thousand goliaths had gathered, along with a few other curious races. Raelia tapped my shoulder as the cheers and some shouting threatened to disrupt the diplomatic exchange. I leaned closer to hear her say, “Aren't you going to take credit for any of this?”
Konstantin gave me a start, as I hadn’t realized he had been so close. “No, Eryk prefers to keep his accomplishments and abilities to himself.”
“Yeah, what the old man said. I am sure if there is any reward, Maveith will make sure we get a share. But in the meantime, I would prefer not to be smelling goliath stink for at least one night,” I replied. The goliaths were already funneling off the ship, following Maveith and being swallowed by the crowd. I waited for them to clear the ship and docks before walking down myself.
Raelia, Konstantin, Gilda, and Baldo followed. Baldo received some curious stares, but the influx of returned people captured most of the crowd's attention. I moved away from the migrating crowd of goliaths, wishing Maveith well, and found the sign with a carving of a bed. Even though I couldn’t read the name of the inn, I knew its purpose.
I turned to ask Konstantin if he would be joining us, but Konstantin and Gilda had vanished into the city. I was sure he would lecture me for not exploring the unfamiliar city before securing a room, but I would simply retort that was why I let him come along.
Raelia negotiated with the goliath innkeeper, and we were soon in a large room. The woodwork in the inn was a rich yellow, almost golden. I frowned when I saw the wooden platform bed had only a thin mattress. It would be much less comfortable than the ship's hammock, and I almost decided to take Captain Taegen up on his offer to use the cabin while he was docked, but this was only for one night. My griffin pillow appeared in my hand, and I dropped it on the bed.
Baldo sniffed the air and started moving toward it. “Don’t even think about it,” I warned him. I had caught him snuggling the pillow during the sea voyage, and after that, I stored it when I woke up. Raelia rubbed the griffin behind the ear holes.
“You should just give it to him. It was made from his parents, after all.” I just grunted a rejection. It was my pillow, and that was that. Raelia rolled her eyes at my attachment to the griffin-down pillow.
“Come on, Baldo, let’s go flying,” she said. Baldo understood the words and got excited. During the crossing, he had gained a lot of weight and was about the size of a pony now. He was getting close to being able to hold Raelia.
She was strapping weights to a mock saddle and training his strength and endurance. Once the weight exceeded her body weight by half again, she would take her first flight on his back. The two noisily left the room. I closed and secured the door and windows. I had other things to do, and she would be safe in a goliath city.
The assessment table appeared in the corner of the room, and I stood over it. It felt like ages had passed since I last checked my progress. I gripped the corners, and it wobbled slightly. One of the legs had cracked, likely when it was forcibly removed from my space. I would need to get it fixed eventually. I gripped the table again and channeled aether into it. I was most curious about my magic, and my eyes focused on that half of the tablet first.
Elemental Magics (Common)
Fire0
Air0
Water (+3)7
Earth (+4)46
Lightning (Energy)8
Spirit (Healing) (+1)24
Nature (Plant)0
Unaffiliated Magics (Uncommon)
Charm (Mind) (+18)23
Illusion (check last should be +2)15
Clairvoyance0
Protection (Guardian)30
Necromancy0
Celestial (buff)0
Abyssal (debuff)0
Rare Magics
Space101
Time90
Displacement80
Materialism9
Worlds88
Void22
Convergence74
The apex essence of water had improved my water affinity to seven. It was still not enough for a spell form. Charm/Mind, on the other hand, had massively improved from 5 to 23. Eighteen points for twenty-five minor essences were very respectable gains. I also noted slight improvements in my healing and earth affinities.
I shook my head, chastising myself. A slight improvement to me would be a massive gain to any true mage. If I couldn’t learn a charm spell, I might return to studying the displacement spell form for blink or dimensional door. My aether stores had improved some, but not quite enough for either spell form to be helpful without limiting the use of my other spell forms.
I looked on the other side of the table at my attributes.
Physical
Strength (+2/+4)69/86
Power (+6/+1)68/89
Quickness (+14/+13)68/75
Dexterity (+3/+0)67/75
Endurance (+3/+0)82/98
Constitution (+3/+0)64/73
Coordination (+2/+0)59/69
Mental
Intellect (+1/+0)39/58
Reasoning (+3/+0)55/62
Perception (+1/+0)58/64
Insight (+4/+2)41/54
Resilience (+0/+0)56/71
Empathy (+2/+0)24/26
Fortitude (+5/+0)68/90
Magical
Aether Pool (+0/+0)24/26
Channeling (+3/+0)42/61
Aether Shaping (+1/+1)10/10
Aether Tolerance (+1/+0)51/56
Aether Resistance (+2/+3)18/22
Prime Aether AffinitySpace
Minor Aether AffinityTime
My magic growth was very poor, but my physical attributes were well above average for legionnaires. From what I understood, most veteran legionnaires had physical attributes ranging from the mid 30s to mid 50s, with maybe one or two attributes slightly higher. Fortunately, I had consumed essences for all my physical attributes and didn’t need to train like a madman to maintain my physical body.
I erased the table and sent it back to my dimensional space. Then I realized how eerily quiet it was. No water rushing past the hull. No sailors yelling across the rigging. Raelia wasn’t talking my ear off or trying to remove my clothes. Baldo wasn’t nudging me constantly for a treat. And there was the absence of anxiety of Konstantin barging in at any moment. The stone walls and woodwork blocked all sound from the common room below. I smiled, lay on the bed with the griffin pillow under my head, and closed my eyes.
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Comments
Erick Thiemke
it is a note for me to confrim the attribute number is correct
Erik Zimmerman
"Illusion (check last should be +2)15" Seems like the words shouldn't be in there
Brianna Stormcloud
Eteris>Eternis was in a picturesque aquamarine-colored bay with blocky stone buildings. Great chapter, thank you. I kinda feel like it's in Mavieth's personality to share the accolades, so looking forward to seeing if that happens. I also hope Eryk's not going to let Raelia walk all over him...
Justin Barnett
Since Konstantin is a history buff, it might be fun to have Eryk tell Konstantin a bit about the Roman Empire at some point.
Erick Thiemke
the goliaths speak orcish, and Raelia speaks orchis. if you are tlking about the innkeeper, elvish is the "universal" tongue
Yany HD
When did Raelia learn the stone giants language?
Trevayne
Thanks for the chapter. Eryk finally gets a chance to just relax and breath.
Erick Thiemke
he had the book in his space. he just never paged through it. he didnt expect to lose it. as for why he didnt look through it when he had free time....just writers preference for when I want to introduce a new spell form
Erick Thiemke
think i edited this
Adam V
Edit: I leaned down to hear her, “You are not going to +[take] credit for any of this?”
Erick Thiemke
it would fit in the world mechanics, but I am going to keep it simple
Nozzy
Sorry new here. But when he cracked his core so the water affinity had room wouldn’t that increase his pool since his core is bigger now?
Aspiring Sage
No, he picked it up. Last item before he physically picked up the bear pelts. Speaking of which, did he get his fire bear pelts back?
Chris
I think he said with his affinity it would end up being a blink of 140 ft and something along the lines of only being good for running away
caeven
maybe I'm misunderstanding something but the blink spell seems massively underrated. short range teleportation is incredibly powerful in combat. its not even like it would be that short with his high affinity.
Erick Thiemke
corrected to +0/+0, it shold be 56
Story Seeker
Shouldn’t resilience be 58?
Erick Thiemke
They are listed now when I post tablet reader updates. But there are no passive spell forms. The slow aging is the closest as it is constantly on unless he bottoms out his aether and then he needs to reset it
johnathan reese
ARAO, is there a active and passive abilities lists? I ask because by this point I cannot remember what spell forms are on his core. For example aether sight is a illusion spell form, what spell form gives him bonuses to essences consumption?
Kevin
Eryk would have learned some Goliath tongue in a two month boat trip, especially given how fast he has learned Elvish and Orcish. Maybe a line about how it is hard to say without a deep voice, or how Maevith and the others taught him the common version, and a special occasion version Maevith slipped into during the speech is different. Maybe simplified and poetic versions depending on the topic, mostly unused off island.
Andrew Crews
The investment in the Wind Chaser had been worth it. Captain Taegen had gotten us halfway across the world in just 48 days. He professed [that] favorable winds and luck [had] expedited the journey. Even though I had paid his crew for 62 days and provisioned them for such, I doubted I would be getting a refund. Raelia had been the one to barter for passage using the jewelry I had collected in my travels. She, of course, kept the best pieces for herself. I still had a fair amount of coin, but my mundane jewelry collection was spent on a worthwhile venture. There had been one other notable incident on the voyage that told me Raelia was the jealous type. I had been talking to one of the female elven sailors on the stern deck while going through stretches, shirtless, before doing my sword forms. The sailor may have initiated the conversation, but I was interested in the other continent and her mercantile Elven Kingdom of Galanoris. It had been a lengthy conversation, and I hadn’t even been aware [that] Raelia was watching. Raelia was angry with me for most of the next three days, even going as far as to sleep in a different cabin. Since I didn’t think I had done anything wrong, I didn’t apologize. Raelia eventually returned on her own, and we didn’t speak of the incident again. [Her decision to return might have had more to do with her wanting to use the dreamscape amulet to study spells.] Baldo was happy to be back [close to me] so I could spoil him. Raelia and I resumed our nightly activities like nothing had happened. Konstantin was vastly amused that I had won the argument without doing anything. The goliaths crowded the decks as we approached Stone Mountain Island’s western reaches. The sea air couldn’t take away the smell of unwashed bodies quite fast enough for me. I moved to the bow to see the dot in the distance grow. Over the next [few] hours, it grew to an impossibly large mountain range jutting out of the ocean that would put Olympia to shame. Maveith was at my shoulder, so I inquired, “Has anyone ever climbed to the top?” I asked him in awe as it seemed to pierce the sky. Our arrival caused a commotion throughout the city as people lined up along the stone pier. The bay was large, over [three square miles], and dozens of ships flying foreign flags were anchored or docked. [It made sense, as] Maveith had told me that glowstones were mined on the island and shipped out as a commodity. I wondered if a ley line was responsible for the glowstone mines and the incomprehensible mountain towering over us as we approached the crowded docks. Raelia handled the goliath innkeeper, and we were soon in a large room. The woodwork in the inn was a rich yellow, almost golden. I frowned as the wooden platform bed had only a thin mattress. [It] would be much less comfortable than the ship’s hammock, and I almost decided to take Captain Taegen up on his offer to use his cabin while he was docked, but this was only for one night. My griffin pillow appeared in my hand, and I dropped it on the bed. The assessment table appeared in the corner of the room, and I stood over it. It felt like ages had passed since I last checked my progress. I gripped the corners, and it wobbled slightly. One of the legs had cracked, likely when it was forcibly removed from my space. [I would need to get it fixed eventually.] I gripped the table again and channeled aether into it. I was most curious about my magic, and my eyes focused on that half of the tablet first. My magic growth was very poor, but my physical attributes were well above average for legionnaires. From what I understood, most veteran legionnaires had physical attributes ranging from the mid-30s to mid-50s, with maybe one or two attributes slightly higher. Fortunately, I had consumed essences for all my physical attributes and didn’t need to train like a madman to maintain my scores. I eased the table and sent it back to my dimensional space. Then I realized how eerily quiet it was. No water rushing past the hull. No sailors yelling across the rigging. Raelia wasn’t talking my ear off. Baldo wasn’t nudging me constantly for a treat. And there was the absence of [the] anxiety [that] Konstantin [might barge] in at any moment. The stone walls and woodwork blocked all sound from the common room below. I lay on the bed, the griffin pillow under my head, and closed my eyes.
Erick Thiemke
he took the chest from the werewolves - it was mentioned that he stored some loose jewelry and items in that same chest
Karnnie
Can you explain how he had a fair bit of coin left after he emptied his dimensional space for the giants and did not pick any gold up before leaving?
Apophixas
It absolutely should have been a POV chapter, to be honest. All that work, and no pay off for the readers.
Faa Diallo
I would have liked to hear more about Maveith and his sister's reunion at this point. This has been the goal of the entire arc and now that they achieved their goal there prob shwould be more info on it
Salvo
I’m really hoping there is some kinda essence brew to maybe boost the effect of healing channels, rather than a mountain of treasure.
John Donovan
I am never a fan of romance in this genre. It's hard to balance 2 different genres and appease everyone. Most authors just use flings/friends with benefits relationships. This feels like it's going in that direction.
Justin Barnett
I think it’s roughly 12 apex essences to gain a point for a normal person and Castile lost three points. So she needs about 36 apex channeling essences.
John Donovan
How many apex essence will it take to cure Castile?
Mark Corwin
"You are not going to credit for any of this?” > to get credit for any of this?
Lemes
I got that impression too. As if the abrupt way their romance started wasn't enough, the author made no effort to show the couple's dynamics or how their relationship develops. The impression you get is that the author is just setting the stage to end their relationship without creating too much of a fuss.
Scientist Valci
As someone mentioned already Realia doesn't seem like the best person nor is she loving towards Eryk. You skipping their intimate moments might have caused this or it might be your intention. So far she doesn't seem to have many good qualities. And seemed to only get worse since the relationship. Them not talking about their problems is also very bad from both sides, a bit expected from Eryk, but still a bad thing from Realia.
Josh
I mean it's been a while so it's easy to forget, but from how she's characterised in her PoV chapters she might be older than him but she has the maturity of a teenager. She mentioned it was decades till she'd be expected to get married, and it's possible she has little to no experience in a relationship. Unless she matures a lot or Eryk comes into a bunch of empathy essences, this probably won't end well right now, but hey, they'll both live for a long time.
BubblyGhost
It does feel odd, honestly the last few chapters the characterization has felt a wee bit off or at the very least streamlined in trying to get to the next book/arc
CherMi
It isn't just me who thinks Raelia is being described as a bitch and their relationship as toxic and destined to fail? Before, they had somewhat tense relationship and rivalry, but these last two chapters it evolved into toxicity.
Andrew
Thank you!
shabbybook
He didnt look at his options for mind magic when he had the mind amulet?? Or when he was planning for the future in all his time in the dream amulet. It just seems stupid
Erick Thiemke
yes, he got one from Traeliorn
Erick Thiemke
you are correct, it is corrected. thanks
1536539
Is there an essence that would increase his aether pool?
Justin Barnett
In 314 he got a minor essence of aether shaping from a quasit
Erick Thiemke
his channeling is already "mage" level. he just needs to train it to potential. but yes it couldnt hurt to get more if he is on a mage path. he can open more affinities but his core needs time to heal
Ivan Kanewske
If he raises his aether affinity stats, could he open more magics? Also he is collecting aether stuff for the captain, but he needs them as well
Erick Thiemke
i see one minor one from the necromancer that he killed, that took his shaping from 8 to 9. that is all I am seeing
Erick Thiemke
let me check the excel spreadsheet
Brett
Not to be nitpicky, but didn’t Eryk get some Aether Shaping essences since the last time he used the assessment table? I get that he is saving the channeling essences for Castille, but I figured he would have used the other magical ones that he could absorb (and give away the physical/elemental).
BubblyGhost
He picked up the tablet reader
Silver Beard
Going to have to come up with some other venue to register his stats. Hey, you made it happen author, now live write up something else.
Silver Beard
was itching to use the Elven assessment table. He lost that when he visited the Titans!!!!
Erick Thiemke
1st of 4, next is Saturday
