161. Part Puia: Wiremu.

Cats and dogs generally don’t get on. I wanted to be there when the wolves met the Catkin and lions. I also wanted to talk to Tabitha about Elemental bonds. All of that will have to wait, as I can’t leave Modrica and Astrid out here on their own. I suppose I could, but it didn’t seem right. I also wanted to work with Puia, and I am sure that whatever Inn Tabitha bought, she wouldn’t appreciate me burning it to the ground. It will be a nice Inn. Tabitha doesn’t buy rubbish.

The Canine Queens took all the materials to sell. Their name is even more appropriate now, with three canines in the team. I think originally. The Canine was a play on words referring to their orc tusks as well as Kryddor. Tāoke and I are the odd ones out. We are full team members, but we are also more independent than the others. That is going to increase, I think.

We planned to stay here for another three or four nights before moving and finding a new camp closer to the road South so we could join the caravan on the road. Tāoke and I went back to trapping. I was using more Granite in my traps now. With Granite Manipulation at the Journeyman Level, it was a lot easier. It was even easier as Puia could soften it for me.

We also hunted. Puia super heating my knives and spears made some things really easy. We also started several small forest fires. Fortunately, Modrica was with us when we accidentally started the largest one. Her earth affinity was really good at smothering fires. This pushed our bond to the Apprentice level, and things became much clearer between us, especially the sharing of Skills and affinities.

Tāoke and I picked up the Lava Affinity. This opened a whole new area for us, as Lava is not just molten Granite. Lava can be all sorts of mixtures of minerals, including metals. We also picked up Molten Rock at the Apprentice Level and Thermal Manipulation (Mineral) at Level 1.

Puia gained the Granite Affinity, making Granite much easier for all of us. He also picked up Tāoke’s Venom Spit, which became Lava Spit. He also got Granite Manipulation, allowing him to manipulate the rock without liquifying it first. We would continue to work on Skills. I levelled my Petrification Skill as I now made all my Spears this way. I wasn’t limited to Granite any more and found a more robust combination of minerals.

I lined up my shot. I needed to put more effort into the bow due to the stone arrow being heavy, even though it was thinner than a normal arrow. I aimed higher, anticipating more drop. I had tested it on targets at various distances, and I was reasonably confident. Instead of heating the arrow and burning through the bowstring, I only heated the stone arrowhead this time. I let the arrow fly and watched it. I had aimed for the body of the goat as I was still testing things. It pierced the shoulder close to where I was aiming. A little high. The goat went down and didn't get back up. I jogged over to have a look, picking up the smell of burned meat before it came into view. Good, the arrowhead had melted through the bone and lodged deep in the goat. Last time I had over-heated the arrow, and it had splashed on impact. I harvested what I could, but there was a burnt hole in the hide, and the meat around it was burned. That was still an improvement.

Time for a new experiment. Puia could split himself into parts, similar to what he did to inhabit both Tāoke and me. He could move through the ground, but it was slow. Walking pace only. I found another goat, and before I lined up a shot, I touched my stone finger to the arrowhead. Puia transferred part of himself to the arrowhead. The arrow was heating fast, so I took a quick shot and hit the goat in the hind legs. Puia went to work on the goat, and the rear legs collapsed. By the time I got there, the goat was nothing more than a charred corpse. There was nothing to harvest. I put my stone finger on the ground, and Puia, or Part Puia, returned and remerged. Lesson learned, only use Part Puia if I want nothing left. Puia used my stone finger to move in and out. He could use other ways, but that meant burning flesh and skin for me.

Time to watch Tāoke at work. The Bighorn Sheep moved close to his hiding place, and he struck. He was so fast now I almost missed it, and I was looking for it. He was in his small form and sunk his fangs into the leg, but this time he didn’t wait for the venom to inject. He wasn’t injecting venom. He was injecting Part Puia. He dropped away quickly and slithered into the grass. The leg started smoking as the wool superheated, and then the sheep collapsed, and smoke rose from the area. The results were consistent with my experiment with part Puia. Total destruction. Puia only has one setting, which is good to know. Tāoke gently put his fangs around a rock, and I sensed Puia rejoining himself through a fang.

Next experiment. My Granite Sand was very good at cutting through things, but then I superheated the sand it was amazing. It would also get everywhere and burn. Yes, we had to put out another fire. I could see it being devastating against troops. This is the reason no one must know of this. Everyone will want to use us or be scared we will be used against them. I want to keep the full information limited to Tabitha, Modrica and myself. The Canine Queens will know something, and I am not really worried about them knowing to be honest, but the fewer, the better. The longer it takes for the powerful people to find out, the more difficult I will be to kill. Hopefully, they will think I just have a lava affinity when they do find out, like lavaman. A Lava Elemental like Puia is much more versatile. I am also much more versatile, which is why I think he only ever had a lava affinity, not rock or fire and definitely not an elemental.

Thermal Manipulation (Mineral) quickly went to Apprentice Level.

I was interested in how we would go against Ruku and his Water Affinity. I know there are underwater volcanoes, so I am theorising it will come down to who has the largest capacity. If it were just Tāoke and me, then Ruku would win. With Puia added in, I think the scales will heavily tip in our direction.

Modrica and Težka were doing well. She picked up Earth Manipulation in time to put out our fires. She copied my Granite Spike and Granite Wall to create Earth Spike and Earth Wall. They will take a while to level, but I wish I’d had someone to learn from. My Tutor Skill levelled. She also managed to teach Težka her Armoured Skin, so they were on the path to being invincible. I don’t think there is any such thing as invincible, but they were going to be very tough. They will need it as they will be targeted in Kirghiz.

Astrid and Trassig were quiet. They would come out in the morning and help me clear the traps, but I was doing a lot of testing that I didn’t want an audience for, so they were left alone a lot. Trassig was a good hunter, often catching rodents, rabbits and birds. He even brought back a Pukeko, and they can be large and vicious. Astrid had taught him some self-heal skills, I think. I don’t know what went on the other way, but I am sure I saw Astrid with claws at one point. She seemed more agile than before, as well. That is how a bond should work. She was a smart dwarf, so I am sure she had things working. She didn’t ask for help anyway. I am also sure Trassig comforted her at night when her memories got the best of her.

We relocated after four days and found a spot where we could keep an eye on the road. Five days later, we spotted the caravan. We packed up the camp, loaded everything onto Težka, and moved to an intercept course. This will be their second day on the road.

Modrica and Težka caused quite a stir when we joined them. That was going to happen everywhere she went. The problem is Modrica is a city girl like Tabitha. I think she is going to have to get used to being in the wild.

Tāoke was watching the back of the caravan, and that night somebody did try to make a run back to Duhovno. We don’t know who or why because Part Puia just left a burned husk. Maybe they were reporting to the Duchess. Maybe it was the Duke. Maybe they left their favourite toothbrush behind.

That night Tabitha, Modrica and I commandeered Mayakku’s enchanted wagon and had a frank discussion. I thought we would have trouble with the Duke of Kirghiz, otherwise known as Terry, because of Modrica. Then I find out Tabitha has purposefully antagonised him further by swiping his luxury Inn out from under him, not to mention that it earned him a significant amount of coin. And the premier luxury accommodation and Spa in the whole city. Here I was, camping rough, and Tabitha lived in the absolute lap of luxury. I felt like I was owed something here.

Kirghiz was three to four months away, depending on how long we stopped in the other provincial centres. The word about Modrica and Težka will travel, even if she doesn’t enter the other cities, so we might as well stay in some luxury. None of the other two main centres had anything like the Steam Lands, so I would prefer shorter rather than longer. The first provincial City had ties back to the Duchess, but the other was more dependent on the capital. We can expect trouble to start then. I was in favour of skipping it entirely, but that won’t go down well with the other traders in the caravan.

That is trouble for the future. For now, I have an open country and two aspiring hunters and their lion cubs to train. I also have a new class to try to achieve. My training for the Warrior Class has been delayed too long, and I think I will need it.

Wiremu Hunter

Class

Hunt

QW

Spy

Pros

MHunt

Scout

Assn

Total

Type

Attribute

Level

12

11

8

3

6

7

1

Constitution

Physical

Strength (PS)

9

11

2

22

1 6

51

139.0

Agility (PA)

12

5

12 4 6

1

40

Perception (PP)

11

2

24

1

3 7 48

Mental

Strength (MS)

9

12

5 6

32

91.0

Agility (MA)

12

3

2

8

1

7

1

34

Perception (MP)

11

1

10

1

2

25

Spiritual

Strength (SS)

10

3

6

11

3

7

40

120.0

Agility (SA)

8

2

5

8

1

5

11 40

Perception (SP)

10

5

4

8

4 9 40 Totals

92

44

60

33

40

12

30

35

4

346 Free Points

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Resistances: Poison +19, Crushing +22, Cold +29, Pain +32, Heat +34, Fire +13, Disease 1, Acid 1

Skills:

Novice:

Lock Pick 4, Disarm Traps 4, Disarm Spiritual Trap1,

Detect Spiritual Trap 3, Detect Traps 4, Spiritual Trapping 4,

Monster Lore 4, Sapient Lore 4

Roleplay 4,

Apprentice:

Fishing 8, Sewing 9, Cooking 8, Elemental Bond 5

Truth Sensing 9, Sense Treasure 6, Hunters Mark 5

Butchering 7, Weapon Repair 7, Repair Leather Armour 8

Plant Lore 8, Mineral Lore 6, Thermal Sensing (Mineral) 6

Granite Quake 7, Granite Wall 6, Petrification 6,

Animal Care 7, Venom Arrow 8, Veneer 7,

Map Making 9, Dwarvish 9,

Triple Shot 7, Longbow 7, Granite Sand 6

Sudden Strike 6, Molten Rock 5, Thermal Manipulation (Mineral) 5

Journeyman:

Hearing Aid 14, Hammer 13, Mapping 11, Tutor 11,

Identify 14, Deceive 12, Manipulate Status 11,

Granite Spike 13, Granite Sense 13, Granite Bones 12,

Granite Shield 12, Granite Manipulation 11

Trapping 12, Tracking 11, Skinning 11,

Bow 12, Small Blades 13, Unarmed Combat 11, Throw Weapons 12, Spear 13,

Quick Strike 11, Power Strike 11

Darksight 12, Far Sight 12, Bond Senses 11,

Orcish 12, Camouflage 11, Animal Lore 10

Imbue Venom 11, Snakeskin 11, Regeneration 12

Hide Armourer 12, Riding 10, Sense Spiritual 11

Master:

Stealth 16, Animal Bond 16

Affinity: Granite, Lava

Monster Kills: 9

Bond: Tāoke, Venom Serpent.

Resistances: Crushing +22, Cold +29, Heat +34, Fire +13, Pain +20, Acid 1

Skills:

Novice: Granite Sand 2, Sudden Strike 3, Hunters Mark 2, Thermal Manipulation (Mineral) 1

Apprentice: Granite Spike 7, Venom Spit 9, Granite Shield 7, Grow 9, Regeneration 9, Granite Sense 7, Granite Manipulation 8, Molten Rock 5

Journeyman: Strength Boost 10, Camouflage 13, Power Strike 11,

Master: Venom Bite 16, Quick Strike 17

Affinity: Granite, Lava

Bond: Puia, Lava Elemental

Resistances: Cold +29,

Skills:

Novice: Lava Spit 1, Granite Manipulation 1

Apprentice: Thermal Manipulation (Mineral) 5

Journeyman:

Master: Molten Rock 10

Affinity: Lava, Granite