Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

--- The Unclaimed Mountains---

They had been left standing there, while Ceres took off. There was an awkward silence between the massive Questing Beast and the couple. One couldn't talk, and the others didn't feel like making conversation in front of the creature.

They had been sharing evasive glances, even Blotches seemed to feel weird in the situation. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the silence was broken by sudden storm winds racing through the valley, followed by torrential rain, that quickly turned the almost tropical forest into a massive swamp.

At this point, Mike and Lydia couldn't help that their first reaction was to cling to the Questing beast, which was resisting the massive flood with relative ease, unlike the trees that were swept away by the dozens.

Before they had realized it, dark clouds had covered the sky and seemed intent on drowning the world. Seth had once told them that he had experienced something similar, but it was during the early period of the apocalypse, when sudden weather changes happened so often, that they were technically common.

However, they couldn't help but think, that this had something to do with Ceres leaving so quickly. Ear-shattering thunder cracks and lightning strikes illuminating the dark clouds made it even more likely that the Parrot of Doom had picked some kind of fight.

They could only watch the sky and endure the freezing water drenching their gear and rapidly cooling them down. Blotches managed to swing to an exposed cliff, where they could hold on to solid rock for dear life, while the horrifying floods took land and forests with them down the valleys.

Mike and Lydia watched on in horror. Despite experiencing a lot since Urth became a chaotic mess, this was something nobody could get used to. The only thing comparable to this, was when Mike watched the giant field boss in Y-City lift it's head, or when they found that Al'Zalsar had lifted the mountain peaks surrounding Delta into the skies. They were literally in the middle of a storm washing a whole mountainscape clean as massive floods of mud barreled down the mountains.

The thunderstorm grew so strong that the two had to transform, to keep their grip on the rock, and not be blown away. Their claws dug into the stone, as they hoped for the calamity to go by.

Flashes of lightning painted giant shadows across the clouds. The three leftovers, drenched like wet dogs, could only look to the sky and follow the fight in dissonant snapshots of shadows, accompanied by deafening thunder.

“Shit, Ceres is really fighting...” Lydia cursed, a shudder going through her anthropomorphic wolf body in an attempt to shake out the water, only to get soaked by the heavy rain again.

“Yeah, but I think things are slowly coming to a conclusion,” Mike answered, prompting Lydia to laugh a little. Mike had transformed into the shape of the giant anthropomorphic lion he could become as the Chosen of Maahes, but his fur was thoroughly drenched and clung to his body, making his look a little dilapidated.

“Haha, sorry. Why do you think it's coming to a conclusion?” Lydia asked, still with a wolfish grin.

“I'm the chosen of a god of storms, I can kinda feel what is going on. Also, the number and strength of lightning strikes have increased since earlier. Ceres seems to be on the attack,” Mike explained it, deliberately staying calm at the teasing of his girlfriend.

Just the moment he said it, maybe a little later, a figure broke through the cover of clouds, spiraling towards the ground. It was a massive, one-legged crane with bright, crystal blue feathers. It limply crashed into the mountainside, only to be chased by a pack of lightning strikes that kept mercilessly striking down.

Ceres followed close after. The was shining brightly, covered in a layer of white plasma. Its beak opened wide and he breathed a massive ray of white plasma that descended onto the dilapidated opponent like an orbital laser cannon.

“Urgh, I think I'm gonna die..” Mike groaned. A massive shock wave followed by a wave of heat washed over the mountains, instantly drying the clean rock faces and the party, almost roasting the latter.

Lydia and Mike went from being drenched wet and cold, to almost dying from a heatstroke. Even the resilient Questing Beast had suffered a little.

“Was it incinerated?” Lydia gasped, looking at the area where it had fallen. The stone was still glowing almost white. In the middle of the crater that was melted into the mountainside, only a single, blackened leg bore witness to the existence of the crane they had seen falling earlier.

The parrot of doom, his plasma coat having receded after discharging this massive attack, gracefully swooped down and elegantly perched on the leg of its victim which was several times its size when it was still alive.

“Caw.” with an arrogant squawk, the mechanic eagle declared its victory to the world. Right afterward, Ceres was enveloped in a gentle halo Starting from the automaton's forehead, two long, crystal blue feathers materialized, looking like an ethereal crown, or two very long bird eyebrows.

The party stared in shock, unable to understand what was happening.

...

---Minas Mar, Delta---

<Ding! One of your creations has slain a Young Rain Bird! Your Water Resistance had been raised by 10%>

<Ding! One of your creations has assimilated the legend of the Rain Bird. Your level of existence has slightly increased.>

<Ding! One of your creations has ascended to become a legend! Your level of existence has slightly increased. All stats +1>

“What in the world is going on...?” the blacksmith exclaimed bewildered, listening to the notifications suddenly ringing in his ears. This time, he was away to understand what he was notified of. He also understood what had woken him during the night, when he wasn't able to comprehend the messages.

<Ding! Your Creation “Ceres” has become a legendary beast of calamity and gained the Moniker, Ruler of the Storm.>

Last time, it could have been a relic-rated item, he had made at some point in the past, but this said loud and clear that Ceres had defeated a creature and ascended to become a legend by assimilating the legend of its opponent.

The assimilation of someone else's legend.

This was another way for legends to grow. People on the path to legend, especially those based around combat ability, could fight each other and the loser's deeds on the path would become a footnote to grow the story of someone else.

It was probably the easiest way to grow as a legend, similar to the journey of Herakles and his 12 Labors. The greater the deeds under one's belt, the bigger the legend could become. Almost nobody spoke about the teacher Herakles almost beat to death, but everyone knew about the Hydra.

It was a shame that this option was not open to Seth unless he bested other blacksmiths on the path to legend in a contest of skill. Ceres was very powerful, but Seth was rather sure that it was still some distance away from becoming a legend. Just what rank was this Rain Bird, for its power of existence to allow Ceres to directly rank up?

Also the moniker “Ruler of the Storm” sounded very imposing. Judging by the name of the opponent, Seth guessed that this moniker came about, because Ceres now also learned the aspect of Water, in addition to the lightning, wind, and clouds the former elemental already reigned over.

There was a small hope that his intuition had him send Ceres to help Mike, so the parrot of doom could get this opportunity. Even if it was a danger to Mike that made him act, it was very calming to know he had a legend on his side, now.

In general, it was good that they had another legend among their ranks. Considering that they might get into the crosshairs of the big shots of the pathworks since they were going to announce Seth's skill tomorrow.