Elven Artificers

After three days of training, Will and Elizabeth were both exhausted. But both received the direction they needed to advance in their class.

After a bath and a night's rest, both were excited to stroll around the town today.

At noon, Prince Vaal arrived to escort Will and Elizabeth around town. As Elizabeth and Will strolled down the main city street, Vaal explained how the districts were laid out.

'Street may be a misleading term,' Will thought. After all, they were high in the trees, crossing a long diagonal rope bridge, which spanned the entire kingdom.

'District may also be considered a misleading term," Will thought. Districts were based on the location of the building on a tree.

Important buildings were near the canopy, less important buildings were near the ground.

Thanks to Vaal's serving as a tour guide, Will surmised Elves were socialist. Artifice goods were owned by the state. While housing was privately owned, it had more to do with ancestry.

If a couple was blessed to have two children, a rare occurrence, the state would build a new home for the child when he or she came of age. Elves had the flexibility to accept any class, but most Elves were farmers.

There were no tailors, butchers, farmers, or merchants.

Elves were generalists, families were responsible for making their own clothes.

Will had brought lots of coins but found no shops to purchase or trade.

However, the worst offense for Will was the currency exchange. Their currency was called Silver Leaf, it was a petrified leg that crystal leaf with a silver hue. What Will found offensive was the artificial value. One Silver Leaf equaled 200 gold. That was robbery!

But elves had no use for money. The farmers were communal. Elves were like unemployed high nobles back in Fermion. Except for farming, Elves sat around, eating, drinking, and playing instruments. The biggest source of entertainment for the Elves was Elizabeth and Will.

Vaal led Will and Elizabeth to an Herbalist's house. The Herbalist, a Mrs. Cellica Quizumin, had all manner of herbs. She had herbs that increased a person's mana cultivation, cured illnesses, flower extract, as well as hallucinogenic weeds and mushrooms.

"Madam Cellica Quizumin may I purchase some mana herbs and flower extract," Will asked.

"Here take these items for free, I do not need money. You humans too concerned about such things," she lectured Will.

Will could not imagine living in a civilization that doesn't trade using currency.

"Thank you, madam," Will said.

The next shop they visited was Alchemist.

"Good afternoon," Elizabeth greeted the shop owner.

"Greeting humans! I've been Alchemist for almost 2,000 years. Tell me are you looking for something?" he said asked.

"I'd like something for our children," Elizabeth asked.

"In a culture life is precious, not just our own but the animals, plants, and insects around us. All life is important.

Unlike you prolific humans, elvish couples are fortunate to give birth to one child in their lifetime.

Here take this superior novice [Bone Marrow Pills] it shall help strengthen your children's mana pool. A child with strong mana is more attuned to the elements," the alchemist said.

"I've never heard of that before, is it rare?" Elizabeth asked.

"I've heard the alchemy guild master talk about [Bone Marrow Pills], but never a superior one. How did you come by such pills to give them away for free?" Will asked cautiously.

"I can promise you that is the real thing. The alchemist you spoke to is right, it is rare in the human kingdom, but not here. Mind you there is not much of it, but there is enough for what we elves need," he said.

"Is it true it can reawaken a dormant mana pool?" Will asked.

"No, that's misleading. All [Bone Marrow Pills] do is expand a preexisting mana pool. For children, this shall expand not only their mana pool," the alchemist said.

"Can you tell me what I need?" Will asked.

"You said it disappeared, eh? The only thing capable of that is a god…

But, if you wish to thumb your nose at a god, you are a braver man than me. The caster that lost his mana pool, what was his elemental alignment?" the alchemist asked.

"Fire," Will replied.

"Hmm, let's see?" he said looking through a pile of books until he pulled out a small worn green book.

"According to this book, he would need a dragon core, [Fire Dragon Grass], and bathe in [Spirit Calming Herbs]. Oh, the dragon core needs to come from an old fire dragon. That is the only way, and according to this book it's not likely to work," he said.

"A dragon core?" Will said shocked.

"I'm afraid so, there's nothing else as powerful enough to serve as a catalyst. See you need to overfill his body with mana, and the poor man would need to channel the mana into his mana pool before he died," the alchemist said.

"Why overfill?" Will asked.

"Because the poor person didn't just lose the mana in their pool, but also their body. Only by overflowing the body would infuse mana back into his bones, muscle, and finally mana pool," he said.

"Thank you," Will bowed graciously. Hearing the alchemist brought Will comfort. He finally, knew the ingredients needed to heal Master Thaddeus.

Elizabeth hugged the man, holding the superior novice [Bone Marrow Pills] tightly in her hands.

The last place they visited was a shop whose sign read, [Enchanting, Inscription, and Artificer].

As Elizabeth and Will walked in, they were greeted by a quirky elf named Nubian Miasalor sitting behind a counter wearing what Will could only describe as a monocle with a zoom feature.

From the main lens, a metal apparatus stuck out that held three more lenses. As you got farther out from the monocle, the lenses got smaller.

'He was using two of the three, so it must have been some detailed work,' Will thought to himself.

As Will got closer he realized it was a toy airship, of all things.

Vaal cleared his throat, to let the Nuvian Miasalor they had arrived. The Elf looked up confused, then disappointed when he finally lifted away from the toy airship.

"I was expecting you later. I made this as a gift for your children," he said pushing a button, soon a toy airship flew into the air and made circles around his head. After the fifth circle, the airship landed smoothly back on the counter.

"How lovely," Elizabeth smiled and clapped.

"Here please take it, it's for you," he said handing the toy airship to Elizabeth.

"How did you know, I had an airship?" Will asked.

"The first day you two trained, Vaal reported to the entire kingdom, and then we discussed what to do about you?" Nuvian said.

"Nuvian Miasalor, you were forbidden from telling them that information," Vaal said frustratedly.

"We'll now that we know, what was the decision?" Will answered.

"Tomorrow, you'll be called to the throne room and choose your reward, after that, you'll be expected to leave," Vaal said.

"So, this tour, is supposed to help me figuring what I should ask as a request?" Will asked.

"Yes, and no," Vaal said.

"No?" Will asked surprised.

"You'll be given three choices," Nuvian Miasalor said excitedly.

"Nuvian Miasalor that was a secret! Do you plan on telling them all our kingdom's secrets? " Vaal asked angrily.

"Call you tell us the three choices?" Will asked.

"The three choices are —"

"Nuvian Miasalor keep quiet!" Vaal interrupted.

"I apologize Prince Vaal. Then how may I help you, humans?" Nuvian with a grin that reached his eyes.

"I'm curious how you the toy ship to fly?" Will asked.

"Enchanted gears and an inscribed gem. How did you get an airship to fly," Nuvian Miasalor asked his eyes studying Will intently.

"Rune-inscribed wyvern cores," Will answered truthfully.

"You speak the truth. I would have thought you lied," Nuvian said.

"How can you tell a lie from the truth?" Elizabeth asked.

"This monocle does more than help me look closely at small gears. It serves another purpose as well," said Nuvian Miasalor coyly.

"Truthfully, I'm curious about the Willow Leaf Spear, space storage bags, and other useful tools," Will said.

"Curiosity is always a good thing. The Willow Leaf Spear is enchanted to be lighter and faster in combat and allows the weapon to be thrown further.

Additionally, the Short Leaf Spear has a rune inscribed gem, that imbues spear air magic. When the soldiers thrust, it uses a little of the soldier's mana to send a jet stream into the enemy's body. When the soldiers flip the spear up, it sends a wind slash at the enemy.

But the jet stream and wind slash do not travel far, only about 175 meters," Nuvian said.

Will was excited. Wasn't that the same distance as a musket? If Will could import these spears, there would be no need to create guns.

Nothing against guns, it was just that Will did not want to be the person to introduce them to this new world.

The only reason Will was concerned about creating guns was to create a combat advantage but if he could import these spears, would not they provide the same combat advantage. The only problem would be the costs.

"I have different types of enchanted magic pouches and bags in varied sizes and square meters," Nuvian said.

"Wow, that's impressive. We have magic bags in Fermion, but they are few and much more expensive," Will said pointing to the small space pouch he purchased, after his casino, cafe, and theatre financial success.

Let us trade, I'll give you this bag for your pouch. This bag holds about 1,000 square meters and has over one hundred separate spatial slots.

Will checked out the bag, it looked like his messenger bag from his college days. The bag looked like was made of handcrafted leather. Inside was a soft canvas.

The outside the bad had two separate latches that required two different spells. The bag looked elegant, and the artisanship was first-rate.

"I thought elves didn't use leather. And why commit to such an unbalanced trade?" Will asked looking at his shabby used spatial pouch.

"First, Elves don't kill animals for meat or game like you humans. But if an animal dies due to natural reasons, there's not a thing wrong to use the hide for leather.

To your second reason, want to see how far human artificers have come," Nuvian said like an adult asking to look at a child's painting.

Will did not hesitate; he quickly made the uneven trade.

"Hmm, based on what I see it looks like humans have regressed in the last 2,000 years," Nuvian said disappointedly.

"Do you sell books on enchanting, inscribing, and runes? I have a friend who would love to learn what the Elves know," Will said thinking of Rupert.

"Is this the same friend who did the runic inscription on the airship?"

"Yes."

"Very well, if the king and queen allow, I'll give you some books for your travel home."

"Thank you."

"And your young lady, would you like a gift as well? Tell me and I'll happily make something for you," Nuvian smiled.

"I…if I had to choose…I'd like a grandfather clock," Elizabeth thought carefully.

"A grandfather clock?"

"Yes, we need one for our house."

"Why did you bring this up earlier?" Will asked.

"I thought my parents might buy us one, but they didn't," said Elizabeth.

"How fascinating, I haven't built a pendulum clock in ages," Nuvian chucked.

"Now that I think about it, I have not heard a single clock. How do you know the time?" Elizabeth asked.

"We use a sundial or sun clock. It tells time based on the position of the sun in the sky."

"I've never thought of using the sun to tell time, but it makes perfect sense. But what happens when the sunset, how does it tell time then?"

"When the sunsets, we use the stars to tell time and the seasons. We look to the moon, stars, and planets for signs from our Goddess Selene."

"How lovely."

"I won't keep you, but please explain how you'd like the clock to look?" requested Nuvian.

It was fascinating watching the Elvish Artificer at work. Elizabeth and Will watched as he used his plant magic to form the outside of the clock.

They watched as he forged gears and meticulously placed them inside with precision.

Watching Nuvian work was like watching an artist sculpt. Nuvian was a master at work.

After leaving Nuvian's shop, Vaal led them to other shops and to meet other people. In the evening, Will, Elizabeth, and Nisha attended a farewell dinner party and socialized until well in the evening.