Flowers and weapons

Thank you for the support, extra chapter today.

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As i journeyed back to my kingdom, i carefully studied my map, marking locations where i could collect metal flowers. These rare and intricate artifacts had always fascinated me and the poems were not so bad. One of them would be a gift for Albedo, i thought it would be fitting to 'plant' it in our home, a symbol of our love. The others were destined for the farm, where our Utaru farmers believed the flowers could enhance the vitality of their crops.

The machines i encountered along the way posed little challenge, their movements predictable and their attacks easily countered. Their remains offered nothing of real value, scraps and minor components at best. What i truly needed were Ravagers, Stalkers, or, if fate allowed, a Thunderjaw. Their formidable weaponry would be a significant upgrade to our defenses, but these powerful machines had yet to venture into our lands.

"Perhaps i should organize a raiding party into Carja territory for the parts we need?" I murmured to myself, the thought already branching into a dozen possibilities as i walked.

The peaceful trek was interrupted when i spotted movement ahead, a pack of four Scrappers prowling around the remains of a broken-down machine. Their glowing eyes locked onto me the moment i stepped into view.

"Well, this will at least break the monotony." I muttered, unslinging my bow and nocking a fire arrow.

The first Scrapper lunged, its metal jaws snapping as it charged. I sidestepped smoothly releasing my arrow into its exposed power core. Sparks erupted as the machine collapsed mid-stride. No time to celebrate, the others were already circling.

The second one leapt claws outstretched but i was faster. A quick shot with a tearblast arrow ripped off its protective plating leaving it vulnerable. A follow-up spear strike to its core sent it crashing to the ground in a heap of scrap.

Using the terrain to my advantage as i paused to reposition i rolled out and fired a tripwire ahead of its third path. The machine ran straight into the trap triggering an explosion that shattered its legs. It whined pitifully before i silenced it with a final shot.

The last Scrapper hesitated scanning the area as if reconsidering its odds. I didn't give it the chance to retreat. A charged shot from my sharpshot bow pierced its eye sensor, and it collapsed in a twitching heap.

Breathing heavily, i approached the remains, salvaging what i could. Predictably the loot was unimpressive, basic metal shards, a few machine lenses and some minor components.

"What a waste, just more trash." I sighed. 

The looming silhouette of the Mother Forge soon came into view, smoke from the great furnace curled lazily into the sky a symbol of the kingdom's industrious heart. 

Albedo was waiting near the forge, her black hair catching the light from the forge fires. She turned as i approached, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"You're back." she said, her voice carrying a mixture of relief and affection.

I held up the metal flower i had chosen for her. "I thought this might suit our home." I said stepping closer. "Something enduring, like us."

She took the heavy flower. "It's beautiful." She murmured, her gaze lingering on the intricate design. "Though i think you give us too much credit. Flowers may endure, but they don't face what we do every day."

I chuckled. "True, but this one doesn't need water or sunlight. It'll last as long as we do, maybe longer."

Her smile softened, and she reached up to touch my cheek. "You always know how to say don't you?"

"Only when it's the truth." I replied.

For a moment the weight of my journey and the worries of the kingdom faded. It was just the two of us, standing together in the heart of the forge the world beyond temporarily forgotten.

"We'll plant it together." she said, her tone decisive. "And it'll be a reminder that no matter what happens, we keep growing, we keep fighting."

The next day filled with renewed determination i returned to the forge to dive into my next project. I set my sights on crafting a new rattle bow, one designed not only for increased precision but also for superior power. This weapon was meant to be a primitive version of a machine gun, capable of unleashing a hailstorm of elemental fire arrows. I also had plans for a Banuk Stormslinger, a formidable tool that would harness the volatile power of blaze canisters and spark containers we had carefully collected during our recent hunting expeditions.

Our hunting parties had been highly successful taking down several scrapers, fire belowbecks and grazers securing a plentiful supply of blaze and spark for our consumption and experiments.

With this surplus i had the freedom to experiment and push the boundaries of our technology.

In addition to the new weapons i crafted more grenades and fire traps to bolster our arsenal. These tools had proven invaluable in both defense and offense, and i wanted to ensure we had a sufficient stockpile.

The work on the new guns was both challenging and exhilarating. Utilizing every resource available and drawing on all my knowledge and experience, i meticulously refined the designs to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness. The guns would not only excel at firing elemental fire arrows but also incorporate a clever mechanism for rapid reloading, thus allowing for a continuous barrage of firepower. Additionally, the Stormslinger could draw on blaze if needed, providing versatility in combat.

The forge was alive with the heat of the flames and the clanging of metal each strike bringing me closer to completing my vision. By the end of the day i had made significant progress and the anticipation of testing these new creations filled me with excitement, with these weapons even the not so skilled warriors could do insane damage to our enemy's, they were user friendly compared to traditional bows or spears and capable of sowing chaos in the enemy's lines with ease.

At the end of the night i received a call from Orlok who was patrolling our lands as usual. His voice carried a rare edge of urgency

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"Chieftain we may have a problem." he said gravely.

"Go ahead." I urged.

"I just found a huge camp, more than a hundred Carja and a large number of prisoners locked in cages." he reported, his tone laced with restrained anger.

"A hundred?" I echoed, the sheer number making my stomach knot. 'That's not a small force.'

For a moment, silence stretched between us as i calculated the implications. Then i made my decision. "Understood. Map their positions, mark the guards' patterns and get back here. We'll plan a strike. Do not engage such numbers on your own."

Orlok hesitated, and i could almost see the conflict on his face, even through the focus. He hated leaving people behind. "Fine." he replied at last, though his voice betrayed his frustration.

"Good. We'll save them Orlok." I promised. "But we do it right, or we risk losing everyone."

The line went quiet, and i stared out into the dark horizon, already planning how to rally the others. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Well, its a good time to test our new weapons at least." I murmured to myself while making plans for the attack.

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Every 50 power stones a new chapter. Thank you for reading.