Chapter 19: Chapter 19 – No Water? Then What Did I Drink?

 

During the time it took Baris to move around Noobville, find the edges of the mountain range, Jarbuk had traveled back to Noobville. Baris had collected several samples of copper and tin ore, along with a piece of iron ore, and used his map to mark them. He also drove a stake on the area so that when he pointed Jarbuk to the area, he could find it more easily.

"I'm finally back, and ready to try smelting that bronze and tin into one ingot." He rolled his eyes. "I should have made a scale. I mean, what really is a scale? It's a balanced lever. That's all. Put a flat piece of wood on a stone, make it perfectly balanced, then weigh out each piece of copper to a single piece of tin. When I have nine pieces of copper the same weight, break one, and weigh the two against each other. That will make half of one piece, and do the same for the tin. It should be perfectly weighed."

It sounded easy, but it was tedious. It would make more sense to make a container, like a hollowed out stone, and smelt the copper into it. Do that nine times. No need to weigh as they are all the same size. What sticks out can be cut, or chipped away. Or, he could use his analysis magic, and weigh the copper against a set of weights he could make, and his magic would tell him from that point on. Baris just hadn't advanced his magic, or his sense of what he could do on this world yet.

He piled up each ugly piece of copper, and put one piece of tin, along with half a piece, into the same pile. Jarbuk found him in his camp when he was ready to try, so he stayed silent, and waited.

"Smelt bronze." With a firm image in mind, of molten copper and molten tin mixing completely, and forming an oval shaped bar about the size of his palm, Baris cast the magic. "Holy shit. Three bars?" Jarbuk laughed, which made him turn quickly.

"It made three bars because there was three bars worth of metal. Congratulations, Baris. You've done something that only a Mastersmith Dwarf has ever been capable of. Metal manipulation magic. Never thought I would see the day." Jarbuk was quite happy as he had never liked the attitudes of those so called 'High Dwarf' Mastersmiths.

"Well, it's magic, Jarbuk. Didn't you form the wind shear magic, something that others don't even know exist?" Jarbuk blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're a Forest Dwarf, right? So why don't you have wood manipulation magic?" Baris asked. "Did anyone teach you to do it?"

"Wood manipulation?" he asked quietly. It was considered a legendary magic, something only their elders could do.

"Magic forms because of will, and intent. Come here. I've never done it, but isn't that because I've never tried?" He picked up a long pole, held his palm towards it and closed his eyes. With a picture in mind, he spoke firmly. "Shape Spear." The wood immediately began to shave itself down into the shape of a spear without a head. While Jarbuk was startled, he could feel the flow of magic within himself, which was a signal that he could perform that magic too. He was close enough to be affected by the movement of manna, however, he wasn't close enough when Baris used 'Smelt Bronze'. He also watched as Baris picked up a spearhead, and inserted it into the side.

"Not bad. A decent quality spear." He turned and saw Jarbuk's pale face.

"Do you know what you've done?" He asked.

"Performed magic?" Baris asked with a smile.

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"No, you've turned our common sense on its ear! No wonder the elders made sure all the young ones were far away!" He growled. "All these years, I thought it was because they were so wise, they were given the gifts!"

"Jarbuk, don't get me wrong, this is a handy magic to have." Jarbuk nodded quickly. "But if I didn't know how to make a spear, do you think my magic could make a good one?" That stopped the dwarf cold.

"No. If you don't know how it was formed, or shaped, the magic would fail. Is that why Mastersmith Dwarves only teach their kin their magic?" He asked quietly.

"Maybe. Maybe only their kin work with metal enough to be able to use the magic. I am a bit of a cheat, as I've read lots of books on this. So many books on blacksmithing and woodwork, as well as construction, architecture, I could understand how something is built. Like the main gate of Noobville. I couldn't do it myself, but I could tell you how it should look, and how it shouldn't." Baris explained what he felt, and suddenly Jarbuk had a bit of an epiphany.

"Why would the elders not teach their youngest these magics? They would never develop their craft, and only use magic. That would make crap, and the apprentices wouldn't be able to make a living if the journeymen flooded the market with low quality gear." He said in awe.

"Yep, its a balance thing. Just because we don't understand, doesn't mean it's wrong. As to metal manipulation, I'm sure that if you knew how to operate a forge, smelt tin and copper, or iron, you could take some coal and make steel, or make bronze easily." Baris said, and watched Jarbuk stop suddenly.

"You know how to make steel too?"

"It is only iron, processed further, Jarbuk. All your blacksmiths know that. Oh, I found a few more deposits of copper, tin, two iron, and one more salt deposit when I walked around Noobville. If you can get a map, I can mark it down for you." Baris chuckled a bit, and looked a bit embarrassed. "Now that I have the bronze, I might have to sell it. You see, I know how to make things with a forge, but how to translate that into magic? Well, that might be something I'll figure out in a few years." Jarbuk started to laugh.

"Damn, I'm glad there is something you can't do, Baris!" Jarbuk started to relax. "I was starting to get worried that you might be a god come down to us, to punish us on Nuella's behalf!" Baris grinned.

"Believe me, if I was, you better believe that shit would hit the fan. Those lazy adventurers would be tossed out into the wilds so they can see what they've done." He snarled. "No wildlife around Noobville at all. Only a few rabbits, and some birds. No farms, no houses, no life other then plants. There are large meadows perfect for cattle, or sheep. If the adventurers went out, those higher leveled wolves could be thinned, lower leveled ones would be born, deer could outrun them. They couldn't take on bears. Dwarves, elves, fairies, or even humans could build outside the city walls and survive. This is a bowl! Surrounded by mountains! It's the perfect fortress city, to keep people safe, and help them to grow up! What a waste." Jarbuk smiled a bit, and nodded.

"Yeah, it is a waste. But what about water? There were survey teams that went out and said there wasn't any water." Jarbuk watched Baris frown.

"No water? Then what was all that spring water I drank? It's rich in magical elements, and there are several springs that run off the mountains, and into a brook. In fact, I think that brook is the one with the bridge over it." He watched Jarbuk's face turn cold.

"There is plenty of water, Jarbuk. You have falsified reports."

 

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