Spear of Destiny by James Baldwin (room on the broom read aloud txt) 📗

to Solnetsi’s Dragon Gate. The last time I saw it, it was stuck in Baldr’s stupid fat face.”

Karalti’s eyes widened. “OH.”

I swallowed nervously. There was a decent risk some trojan virus would leap out and assimilate me into the Borg... but when I steeled myself and grasped the haft, nothing happened. The weapon felt like an old friend, resting comfortably in my hands. If anything, the Spear was somehow stronger, keener, more aware. More powerful than it had been before. The Spear of Destiny

Soul-bound Light/Dark/Fire Elemental Weapon

Slot: Two-handed

Item Class: Relic

Item Quality: Mastercrafted

Damage: 415—528 Slashing or Piercing

Durability: 28%

Weight: 1lb

Special: Soulbound, Elemental Triad (see description). +350 Damage to Undead, +700 HP, +12 Strength, +25 Will, +10 Wisdom. +25% Evasion, 3% chance to instantly kill an enemy, Mark of Justice (see description). Special Abilities

Elemental Triad: At will, you can change the elemental polarity of the Spear of Destiny between Light, Dark, and Fire damage, potentially dealing bonus damage to susceptible enemies.

Maker’s Blessing: Learn crafting skills 8% faster.

Nightfather’s Blessing: 9% of inflicted weapon damage heals the wielder.

Mark of Justice: During combat, you may designate one opponent as a marked target. Your attacks against that target increase in priority and deal 10% more base damage for 5 minutes. This damage stacks with ability damage and combos.

The weapon vibrated with power against my palms. I felt stronger just holding it, and not only because of the stat bumps. I moved away from Karalti and spun it over the back of my arm, around my hand, and then back into a solid combat grip. I tested out the elemental polarity shift: by tuning into the weapon, I could mentally change the color of the mana that crawled through the metal. Molten orange for Fire, deep indigo for Darkness, a pure blue-white for Light. All up, that was pretty fucking great.

“We’re gonna be okay.” I turned and gave Karalti a curt nod. “Are you ready to take this place on?”

“Yeah.” Karalti yawned and stretched. “I wish there was something to eat, though. I’m hungry.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ll find some food in there somewhere.” I turned to peer into the darkness of the cavern ahead. “Let’s find our way through this and get back to Kalla Sahasi before everyone completely flips their shit.”

“I’m pretty sure all the shit is being flipped right now,” Karalti said, wincing as she clambered to her feet and stretched her back. “Like... all of it.”

“Yeah. Suri is probably in the hookwing stables with Cutthroat, flipping them like pancakes.” I nodded, somberly. “Let’s roll. The sooner we’re out of this place, the better.”

Chapter 4

My first stop was the sacrificial well in the middle of the big cathedral hall. Karalti hung back while I hopped up onto the altar, then sprung onto the edge of the pit and held a torch out. Like the well I’d used to get into Lahati’s Tomb a month or so ago, it looked to be bottomless.

“Jumping into one of these worked last time,” I said aloud. “Maybe you can polymorph, and we can try it again?”

“Uhh...” But before Karalti could meaningfully reply, we felt the room exhale around us.

“Herald, no. Do not jump. You cannot reach me this way.” A sweet, sad voice slithered on the breeze, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere. “This sacred well was corrupted a long time ago, contaminated by creatures of the Void, and Matir holds no sway over it. You must come to me through the gauntlet my handmaidens built... and for that, I am sorry.”

Karalti shivered. “Matriarch?”

“Yes, child.” Lahati replied. “I wish I could convey your birthright here, but I cannot. You must overcome the traps that protect my tomb. And you must hurry. The Caul of Souls grows louder with every passing day. Reach my resting place, and I will give you the last of my power before I move on.”

“I understand, Matriarch.” Karalti bowed her head.

“Beware, both of you. The protections and magic laid into my resting place have begun to decay with time. As the Caul’s magic has waned, so has my own. They are tied together,” Lahati said. “I will see you soon... I hope.”

The breeze withdrew back into the fathomless darkness ahead, taking Lahati’s unseen presence with it. I dropped from the edge of the well to the floor, frowning. Karalti was breathing hard, her pupils so wide her eyes looked black. I went to her, and lay a hand on her wrist.

“You okay?” I asked.

Her crests lifted at my touch, and then she shuddered, shaking out her wings. “Yeah. It’s just...”

“Just what?”

Karalti arched her neck and looked down. “That’s... the first time I’ve spoken to any of my blood kin. Lahati is the closest thing to a mother I have.”

I nodded, letting the silence hang for a moment.

“We have to go to her burial chamber, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Is she...” she trailed off again. “Does she... look really super dead?”

“No,” I replied. “She looks... well, to borrow a cliché, it’s kind of like she’s sleeping. Why?”

Karalti let out a tense breath, snorting through her nostrils.

“It’s hard enough knowing she’s gone. I don’t really want to see her covered in flies or anything, you know?” My dragon crouched down, extending a wing for me to climb. “That hole at the end of the room looks big enough to fly through.”

“Let’s walk first,” I said. “Tomb traps are no joke. If this place has traps meant to take down dragons, or Drachan, they’re going to be brutal.”

Karalti rumbled as she paced forward into the cave, her wings flicking impatiently along her flanks. I held the torch up, but the rippling flame barely even pierced the darkness. I stubbed it out on a passing stalagmite, then folded it back into my inventory and equipped one