Chapter 27.7: The Two Weeks Journey Home - Home
Personal System Calendar: Year 0009, Days 1-14 Month IX: The Imperium
Imperial Calendar: Year 6854, 9th month, 1st to 14th Day
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Uneventful Travel
The travel period following their departure from Fort Aulexus was uneventful at best. They had minimal encounters on the road and rested infrequently. With Head Master Kaizer Draconis at the helm, they encountered absolutely no interruptions or delays. All potential threats within a three-kilometer radius from their position were eliminated before they could even approach. The Dragonguards who accompanied them had been proactively hunting and killing anything remotely hostile along their route, creating a corridor of safety through otherwise dangerous territory.
Their stops included only the bare necessities: eating and sleeping. Any activity beyond these essentials was conducted within the comfortable confines of the Large Wagon Adrianne, which had proven itself an invaluable asset throughout their journey. The magical vehicle provided shelter, privacy, and a mobile base of operations that made the forced march tolerable.
This compressed travel schedule, while physically demanding, gave them unexpected time to decompress mentally and contemplate the things they had been offered by the empire. What would accepting imperial favor mean for their futures? For the younger members of Talon One, these prospects were undeniably exciting. The recognition, the rewards, the potential opportunities were exactly the kind of validation young warriors dreamed about.
But excitement came with complications. How would they navigate the necessity of potentially leaving Maya Village for extended periods? Living in the capital or other imperial centers would likely become necessary if they accepted deeper involvement with the empire. They would need to think thoroughly about their next steps, considering not just their own ambitions but their responsibilities to the community that they had built and in turn raised them to who they are now.
The gifts from the Emperor became a focal point of discussion during their downtime. Everyone was curious about what the magical item pouch contained. The imperial seal was one thing, a promise of a single wish to be carefully considered. But the pouch represented tangible, immediate rewards.
"Hey, Gus, can you open that gift from the Emperor already?" Adam finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "I'm dying to see what's inside it." Deep inside, he was praying the Emperor had included something for all of them, not just August.
Hiraya and Adarna immediately elbowed him from both sides, their expressions communicating exactly how rude they thought he was being. Adam's face fell into an exaggerated sorry expression for approximately three seconds before bouncing back to his usual eager puppy energy.
August smiled at his friend's enthusiasm and decided there was no reason to delay. He carefully opened the magical item pouch and began examining its contents.
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The Emperor's Gifts
The first thing August noticed was the pouch itself. It was a magical storage container similar to the one gifted to him by his Guardian Beast Aetherwing, but with its own unique characteristics. This imperial version had significant advantages in certain areas.
The storage capacity was impressive: 2,500 individual item slots within a dimensional subspace. However, unlike his personal system's inventory (magical item pouch), this pouch lacked the capacity to stack similar items together. That was potentially a downside for storing large quantities of identical objects, but the expanded slot count was incredibly useful for carrying diverse items of different types. Having a second storage system with different mechanics would prove handy in situations where variety mattered more than quantity.
His personal system provided information about the pouch's specifications:
IMPERIAL MAGICAL ITEM POUCH
CLASS V - MASTER GRADE
Capacity: 2,500 individual item slots
Type: Dimensional subspace storage
Special Properties: Preserves item condition indefinitely, accessible through mental command, bound to owner upon first use
August reached into the dimensional space and began withdrawing items. The first object he pulled out was a gemstone that immediately caught everyone's attention. It was roughly the size of a hen's egg, multifaceted, and seemed to contain swirling energies within its crystalline structure. His personal system analyzed it and provided detailed information.
MAGICAL GEMSTONE: ZIRICK
GRADE: SUPERIOR
TYPE: AMPLIFIER
Statistical effects when equipped or crafted into items:
+ 200,000 MP (Mana Points)
+ 1,000 MP Regeneration per second
+ 26-100% Increase in lightning element damage/damage negation
August's system also provided context about gemstone quality grades, explaining the hierarchy that determined a stone's value and power:
GEMSTONE QUALITY GRADES
Divine: After significant time has passed, a gemstone that has achieved mythical status may ascend to divine prominence through absorbing ambient mana over centuries or through daily use by powerful wielders. These stones develop their own rudimentary consciousness and can actively assist their bearers.
Mythical: Through age and accumulated power, a gemstone grows from legendary grade into mythical status. These stones are typically centuries old and have been part of significant historical events.
Legendary: Crafted by grandmaster artificers, these gemstones often contain multiple gem types fused together through advanced techniques. Provides 100-200% amplification to relevant attributes.
Superior: An exceptional gemstone that has been enhanced by a magical artificer specializing in gemstone augmentation. Provides 26-100% amplification to relevant attributes.
Unique: One-of-a-kind gemstones with distinctive properties, though not necessarily the most powerful. Provides 11-25% amplification to relevant attributes.
Rare: Limited quantity stones of above-average quality. Provides 5-10% amplification compared to good grades. These are what most professional adventurers aspire to own.
Good: Standard quality gemstones with minor amplification properties. Provides 1-5% amplification. These are the second most common type used by those who cannot afford better.
Normal: Basic accessory-type gemstones with no amplification properties. Purely decorative or used for minor utility functions.
The Zirick gemstone August held was Superior grade, meaning it provided somewhere between 26-100% amplification in his lightning element in addition to its massive flat bonuses to mana capacity and regeneration. This was an extraordinarily valuable gift, worth more than most adventurers would earn in several lifetimes.
But that wasn't all the pouch contained.
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Gifts for Everyone
August continued pulling items from the dimensional storage. There were additional accessories: amulets, rings, and earrings. The number of items corresponded exactly to the number of members in Talon One. Each piece was labeled with a name, making distribution straightforward.
The accessories were standard imperial military issue but had been significantly upgraded. Each piece contained gemstones, mostly Unique grade with a few Superior grade specimens mixed in. More importantly, the gemstones had been specifically selected to match each team member's elemental affinities and combat styles.
The gemstones represented various elements: fire, water, earth, lightning, wind, and even the rarer wood element. Each provided elemental amplification ranging from 11% to 100% increase in both damage output and defensive resistance for their corresponding element.
Additionally, the accessories themselves had been enchanted by master craftsmen. Each ring, amulet, and earring provided:
+ 1,000 to all primary stats and substats
+ Elemental damage amplification: 11-100% (varying by gemstone quality)
+ Elemental defense amplification: 11-100% (matching the damage bonus)
+ Minor health and mana regeneration
+ Durability enhancement to prevent damage or loss
August distributed the items, calling out names as he matched accessories to their intended recipients. Each member of Talon One received a complete set: one ring, one amulet, and one pair of earrings, all attuned to their specific combat style and elemental affinity.
Adam received earth-attuned accessories with brown and amber gemstones that would enhance their already formidable defensive capabilities. Milo got wind and lightning combinations for his speed-focused dual-wielding style. Erik's set featured earth tones to complement his mounted combat and his bond with Rexy.
Hiraya and Adarna received wind and water element accessories with pale green and white gemstones that would amplify their aerial coordination and archery, including their support skills. Isabel's set contained wood-element stones in deep green, perfect for her nature-based magic. Angeline received water and light combinations for her healing and support role. Betty got fire-element rubies that would work beautifully with her aggressive combat and healing style.
Bren, as Kirpy's bonded rider, received a set attuned to his own water element, but it also includes a mixture of wind elemental, perfect for aerial combat coordination.
"These are incredible," Hiraya breathed, examining her new amulet. The craftsmanship was exquisite, far beyond anything available in their village.
"These will be great heirlooms for your children," Marcus Fernando observed, having been invited to witness the distribution. "Your children's children will treasure these items. The Emperor has honored you greatly."
Adam was practically vibrating with excitement as he slipped on his new ring. "Can you feel it? The power? It's like my mana is flowing faster!"
"That's the mana regeneration enhancement working," Angeline explained, her healer's sensitivity to energy flow detecting the subtle changes. "And the stat boosts are significant. I feel stronger just wearing these."
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The Dragon's Fang
But August wasn't finished. There was one more item in the pouch, and it was clearly meant specifically for him. He pulled out a blade that was technically classified as a dagger but was closer in size to a short sword, the type August had favored in his younger days.
The weapon was magnificent. The blade had been crafted from what appeared to be a single tooth or fang, pale white with subtle iridescent qualities that made it seem to glow from within. The edge was impossibly sharp, the balance perfect. Just holding it, August could feel the power contained within the weapon.
His personal system provided detailed analysis:
DORGON'S FANG
CLASS V - MYTHICAL GRADE
Origin: Crafted from a shed fang of the ancient dragon called Dorgon, gifted to Emperor Janus and subsequently forged by a grandmaster artificer into this blade.
Unique Properties:
+ 1,000,000 base damage (applies to Attack, Magical Attack, Critical Strikes, and Ambush attacks)
+ Damage scales exponentially with user's level (×0.5 damage multiplier)
+ Leaves a trail of unquenchable fire for 5 seconds after each strike
+ Amplifies fire element abilities by 50%
+ Indestructible through normal means
+ Grows stronger alongside its wielder, evolving as user's power increases
+ Ignores 30% of target's physical and magical defense
+ 15% chance to apply Dragon Fear debuff to enemies
A/N: This weapon is soul-bound upon first use and cannot be wielded effectively by anyone other than its chosen bearer.
A note had been carefully folded and placed with the blade. August unfolded it and read the message written in precise, elegant script:
"To August Finn,
This is a blade of power and a greater responsibility. Use it well, and it will serve you well. The dragon who shed this fang did so knowing it would one day find a worthy bearer. Prove him right.
J.C."
The initials stood for Janus Cornwall, the Emperor's full name. This was a personal message, not a formal decree.
August held the blade reverently. The weight felt right in his hand, as though it had been made specifically for him. The dragon's fang hummed with latent energy, responding to his mana signature.
"An interesting gift you have there young man, that's a mythical-grade weapon, a one of a kind," Master Ben observed, having been quietly watching the distribution. His experienced eye recognized the blade's quality immediately. "There are perhaps two dozen such weapons in the entire empire. The Emperor has given you something of incalculable value."
"But why?" August asked the question that had been bothering him throughout this entire process. "Why go to such lengths for us master? We helped defend a fort, yes, but we were just doing what was right. Thousands of his own soldiers did the same."
Master Ben smiled knowingly. "Because the Emperor sees a great potential, my boy. He recognizes that there are only a few children in the world as unique as you and your friends. And more than that, he saw how you led, how your team fought together, how you made decisions under pressure." The old wizard's expression became more serious. "He's investing in your future, August. The question is: what will you do with that investment?"
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Homecoming
The rest of the journey passed in contemplation. Each member of Talon One wore their new accessories and pondered what accepting these gifts meant. They were now being drawn deeper into the empire's orbit, whether they intended it or not. Refusing such gifts would be insulting. While accepting them created obligations that are yet to be seen.
On the fourteenth day of the ninth month, as the sun rose over familiar territory, they finally arrived home. The Lonelywoods Forest stretched before them, ancient and welcoming. The scent of the ancient trees and earth was so different from the sulfur and blood of the battlefield that they had left behind, as it filled their lungs anew.
Maya Village, which had grown to nearly the size of a small town during their brief absence, slowly appeared through the trees as they flew over it (use of Kirpy's siblings who had been alerted beforehand of their arrival on the outskirts of the forest.) Smoke rose from chimneys. The sounds of daily life, peaceful and mundane, reached their ears. It was almost surreal after everything they had experienced.
Head Master Kaizer, who had maintained his stern demeanor throughout the entire journey, finally spoke as they approached the village outskirts. "Our role as your escort ends here. Although the Emperor's protection remains with you. May you use his gifts wisely." Without another word, he turned and signaled his Dragonguards to prepare for departure.
August and his companions dismounted from the Large Wagon Adrianne, stretching muscles grown stiff from travel. They were home. Actually home.
As they walked through the outer walls, people were already waiting at the gates. Some wore expressions of relief while others showed clear tension on their faces, suggesting worrying developments had occurred in their absence.
"Welcome home, kids!" Chief Red greeted them, pulling his son Adam and daughter Isabel into fierce embraces.
August didn't hesitate. "Tell us, Uncle, what has happened in our absence. Some of you look wrought with worry."
"Yes, quite a lot actually." Chief Red's expression sobered. "The good news is the empire has sent formal recognition of our village as an independent settlement under imperial protection. Official documents, seals, everything. We're now Maya Village with legal standing."
Several young warriors smiled, but Chief Red remained serious. "The bad news is there seems to be another major push from the Lonely Forest of Shadowfen coming soon. Your master Aetherwing informed us of this a few days ago. If you want the exact details, you'll have to speak with him directly."
August's hand moved instinctively to Dorgon's Fang at his side. They had barely finished one battle before being thrust into preparations for another.
With that, they were welcomed inside the village. While they had left one battlefield behind, another was about to begin on their home front.