Chapter 22: Chapter 22 – No Wonder You’re Pissed

Since I received no response from 41 followers, I'll ask here. Should I set up a Patreon, or are there other programs that work just as well?

 

"How will a scale show me?"

"Simple. Watch." Baris set up the same scale he used to measure out the ore.

"The world is in balance. Nature on one side, sentient or reasoning species on the other." He placed two medium sized stones.

"Makes sense."  Alea said quietly.

"Yes, but when there are half a dozen races, nature has to be heavier in order to balance out the actions of the other side. Nature exists, and follows their instincts as they were meant to. Reasoning species take actions that are considered, but are not part of their instincts." He explained.

"Dwarves that live in the forests will harvest the forest, but if some were greedy, they would do what I've seen in my homeland. Entire forests harvested, with nothing left. Without strong beasts to push them back, the forest would be out of balance." Baris said and watched Jarbuk.

"I can't disagree with that, as there are some dwarves who think like this." He said regretfully.

"Now, mountain elves like fresh meat, and so do forest elves. What happens if they are too populous, and all they do is hunt?" He asked.

"We fight for territory. We do tend to only enjoy freshly hunted meat." Alea said softly.

"Have you tried preservation methods outside of magic? Like pickling, salting, or honey?" Baris asked. She frowned. "Or aging. Something in my homeland. Cattle are hung for up to thirty days to allow the meat to age, but in cold rooms. Not with magic, but the room itself emanates cold. The meat starts to age, and the fibers begin to lose their hold. The meat is bled out, and it does rot a little, but not turn. Humans can't eat turned meat."

"We've never tried, as the natural world is abundant, and we have magic." Alea said truthfully.

"Which means you need stronger beasts that can resist. You don't farm, which means no poultry, no cows, no milk, and no domestic animals that can be raised and slaughtered for food." Baris watched their faces.

"All that is on the scale. So nature has to be heavier in order to compensate. What happens when it get too heavy for a region? Repulsion stones, right?" Alea stood up.

"And what happens if someone tampers with the repulsion stones in an area, and it becomes unbalanced?" She said in alarm.

"We get stronger wolves, stronger bears, less prey species, but still just as many predators, and people." He smiled. "I can't be certain, but it feels like it is a strategy I've read about before. To kill using another person's knife." Alea groaned.

"I understand this reference. Some of our slicker brethren can incite others to do their dirty work by whispering in the ears of the easily influenced." Alea thought for a moment, and looked at Jarbuk.

"Yeah, I have the same thoughts. I'll go to Steepbell, and make a report. Baris, did you have anything you wanted to sell?" Jarbuk asked, and watched Baris roll his eyes.

"I currently have fifty six hundred wasted experience points." Baris said and heard two people laugh lightly.

"Now I understand why you rolled your eyes, and why you looked so cranky when we came in. The battle never finishes until there are no more hostile presences within range." Jarbuk said with a grin.

"Which means your wasted XP can pile up." Alea nodded. "For someone like you, who easily kills blue wolves at...holy. You're only a level five?! Fuck, no wonder you're pissed!"

 

* * *

 

Alea was a level twenty two warrior mage, much like her sister, Aleda, who was a level fifty. They had spent so much time in the low lands, they hadn't risen that much in the last century. Even Shaala, who was only fifty years old, and considered a teenager by her people, was only a level sixteen warrior.

The repulsion stones were powered by the land itself, and only needed a minor cleansing spell to revitalize it. That was the beauty of the stone. However, if the land was strained to feed it for a long period of time, the land would be drained of its manna, and no longer able to do the job it was supposed to do.

There weren't any well known ways to do that, but there were a few. One was to have high level beasts enter the area again and again. It would respond and repulse them, but if the beast returned after healing each day, the stone would drain the land.

Another method was for a group to cage a high level beast, and bring it into range of the stone to stress the land itself. Once there wasn't enough power to keep the stone active, it would weaken over time.

You are reading story A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance at novel35.com

If it was noticed, dungeon manna crystals could be used to power the stone until the land recovered. However, that is only if it was noticed.

Alea scanned the first stone they found, and immediately grew concerned. When they got to the second stone, she returned to the wagon.

"We have to send word to Steepbell, Jarbuk." She said quietly. "Those stones are not damaged. They are weakened due to a lack of manna."

"But if they are lacking in manna, doesn't that mean that stronger beasts can get close to this lower tiered area?" he asked in alarm. The people of this region had one thing in common.

They had little ambition to grow strong. It was the perfect opportunity for those who were strong to take advantage of those who spent most of their time fucking instead of fighting.

"Yes, close, but not enter. Something is straining their power to the limit. Either something comes to test their power each and every day, or something really strong is here, forcing the stones to be active more then they should." Jarbuk's face closed in, and he looked fierce.

"Higher leveled beasts don't come into lower tiered ones. Not from fear. There is no benefit. Beasts want to level up, eat, and fight just as much as some elves." he said quietly.

"More." Alea said in a tired tone. "I am over two hundred years old, and I'm only a level twenty two warrior mage. I've gotten lazy since I turned a hundred and became an adult." She sighed.

"Maybe it is time for a replacement to come and take over."

 

* * *

 

"Better. Getting stronger is good." Baris said as he examined his attributes. "Don't have a lot of hit points yet, but I am tougher, and stronger."

"This world is a little bit chaotic right now." He sighed a bit, but continued to work on his skills, and magical abilities.

"Let the city dwellers handle the things in the city, as long as it doesn't affect the forest. If it affects the forest, I'm not going to be happy."

 

* * *

 

"They have taken note of the repulsion stones." Ethys said, but she shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Nuella asked, though she knew the answer.

"They haven't fixed the problem! The mortality rate is still climbing the longer those stones are weakened! Why haven't they powered the stones?" She asked.

"You would have to ask them that." Nuella said with a bit of a smile. "Nature isn't affected, but something is pushing things out of balance for the races." She pursed her lips.

"But what is doing that?" Ethys kept scrolling through warnings, details, but eventually she had to give up. She didn't have the mind for such mind boggling details. She was only concerned with the overall picture, but the devil is in the details when it comes to reasoning beings.

What may seem like an unconnected detail could actually be a clue as to the intent. Since Ethys didn't like to look at the details, unless she witnessed the act itself, she would never figure it out.

The only being present that could help her is the one she cursed, and is unable to help. The curse remains intact, and Ethys continues to lack understanding of her foolishness.

And so the lesson continues.

 

You can find story with these keywords: A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance, Read A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance, A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance novel, A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance book, A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance story, A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance full, A Gamer and the Goddess of Karma and Balance Latest Chapter