Chapter 48: Guild Stronghold

Chapter 48: Guild Stronghold

Malfurion and Elyse stood frozen, wide-eyed, watching as the ghostly figure of the ethereal great mage faded into Odin's chest, his spectral handsome form melding into him completely. 

A faint light shimmered around Odin for a moment before dimming, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. 

The room felt heavy, almost charged with a magical presence that neither Elyse nor Malfurion could fully comprehend.

Elyse's amber-colored eyes darted between Odin and Malfurion, seeking some explanation. "Did that... did that ghost just... enter Odin? Don't tell me we're going to be fighting against, Master?" she asked, her voice low and uncertain.

Malfurion, usually composed and calm, was just as perplexed. His brow furrowed as he ran a hand through his silvery hair. "I—I've seen strange things before IRL, even ghosts in abandoned buildings," he began, trying to rationalize the situation, "but this... what was that?"

Both of them watched Odin, who remained silent, unmoving, and with his eyes closed. After a couple of minutes of eerie silence, they heard their leader talking to himself. 

Malfurion circled Odin cautiously, his instincts on high alert in case Odin turned into a Boss encounter after being possessed by the ghost. 

"He's just... standing there," Malfurion muttered, his voice a low whisper to Elyse. "Talking to himself."

Elyse's eyes flicked back to Odin, widening as she noticed the slight movement of his lips. But no words were coming out that she could hear. "He's whispering something... but to who?" she murmured.

Then, out of nowhere, Odin's clear and abrupt voice broke the silence, spooking Elyse, who got a jumpscare. 

"All four gods?"

Both Elyse and Malfurion jumped slightly at their leader's voice. Elyse instinctively took a step back. Malfurion froze mid-step, his gaze sharpening.

"What gods? What is he talking about?" Elyse whispered urgently, her voice betraying her confusion and unease.

"I don't know," Malfurion whispered back, his eyes never leaving Odin. "But this is... strange, even for him."

Odin let out a small laugh that chilled Elyse's spine. His eyes, now glowing with a faint crimson hue, slowly opened. He glanced around the lab as if he were seeing it for the first time, but his focus was distant, almost as if he was having a conversation with someone unseen.

"Doable. The first three are on easy mode," Odin said, his voice confident, but the words made no sense to either Elyse or Malfurion. "As for the Yatan Church… While they are insane folks, I'll think of something."

Elyse's heart pounded. She had seen Odin talk to himself before when planning strategies, but this was different. This wasn't the voice of someone thinking aloud. It was like he was speaking to someone, someone only he could hear.

Before Elyse could respond, Odin spoke again, this time with amusement. "Honestly, I feel the same. You've made a 'Sagely' choice, Mister Braham."

Odin, seemingly oblivious to their mounting confusion and concern, scanned the room, his eyes sharp and calculating. "Now, hmm… Do you have any treasures stashed somewhere in this laboratory apart from the treasure chests?"

Elyse's breath hitched as she watched Odin nod to himself, his face lighting up with a mischievous grin. "Huhu, marvelous," he muttered as if responding to some unseen presence.

"I don't like this," Elyse said under her breath. Her body was tense, ready for anything. "We don't even know if it's him anymore."

Odin remained still for a moment, his eyes closed as if concentrating. Given what had just occurred, his breathing was calm, almost too quiet. Then, with a slow exhale, he opened his eyes, which now seemed to carry a subtle, deeper glow.

"Don't worry," Odin said with a casual wave of his hand as if he had merely brushed off a gust of wind. "I'm fine. Better than fine, actually." He smiled, his expression confident, almost serene.

Elyse took a step forward, cautious but unable to hold back her curiosity. "Are you sure? That thing looked like it was trying to take over your body." Her voice was laced with concern, as though she feared Odin had lost control.

[What is this woman blabbering about? I've not tried taking over your body. I'm not some Wraith to pray on others' bodies. My goal is far greater than linger around in my Soul form.]

'Relax, Braham. It seems I made a mistake by speaking out loud.'

'The protagonist treatment for those Japanese anime fucks or Chinese 'Young Masters' who talked with their ghostly partners out loud while their partners and companions acted as if nothing happened is such bullcrap.'

'Just look at them, thinking it might be you, Braham.'

[Japanese anime? Chinese 'Young Masters'? What are those?]

'Something from my world, Braham. If you want, I can tell you more about these subjects to fill your boredom.'

'Ah, also, wouldn't you mind if I think to myself and ignore you sometimes? I'm that type of guy who likes dissecting certain events from multiple angles.'

[I have no problem. I also want to be left alone sometimes, so when I don't respond, know that I'm also busy with my research.]

'You do you.'

Odin's smile grew wider. "As you might have heard from my conversation with the ghost. That was the Great Magician Braham, whose key we were trying to farm by killing the Golems."

Malfurion blinked, stunned. "You're saying that it was him who got inside your body?"

Odin nodded, his tone matter-of-fact. "That's right. He'll tag along with us for a while. More like he's part of me now."

He stretched his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. "I've gained more than I could ever wish for." 

Then, out of nowhere, Odin cast one of the spells he gained from Braham: the Arcane Intellect (Enhanced). He didn't have much experience with magic spells, but he spent a lot of time analyzing Eve's and Ellyssaria's gameplay when both ladies asked him to give them pointers of parts they weren't as efficient in.

He knew the basic theory of spell casting. Focus your mind, channel mana, speak the incantation, and release the energy in a controlled form. Every apprentice mage learned this on the first day they joined the Magic Towers, but those basics became irrelevant thanks to Braham's Knowledge Fragment. 

It turned into a second instinct, and without needing to speak the incantation, only using his mind, the spell activated in seconds.

'Arcane Intellect.'

[User has consumed 250 MP]

[The user's intelligence has been increased by 20% for the duration of the spell (10 minutes). The user's maximum mana is increased by 30%. The mana regeneration is sped up by 5% of the user's max mana per second. The user's critical chance hit with spells increases by 10% during the spell's duration.]

The air around Odin shifted, a subtle shimmer of magical energy radiating outward. 

A soft, bluish light began to surround him, growing brighter each second. Tendrils of arcane energy swirled around his form, coiling like ethereal serpents. His body was momentarily bathed in an aura of pure mana, each tendril reflecting the power coursing through him. 

Odin's eyes flickered with an even deeper glow as the arcane energy soaked into him. He could feel the magic surging within him, while outside, his presence felt stronger, far more imposing.

'I got mana for days with this Spell. No longer need to be aware of my expenditure like before or fearing of spamming Tempest Sword.'

Elyse's skepticism began to fade, replaced by curiosity, as she saw Odin use a Magic Spell. "You—Odin. You can now use magic?"

Odin grinned, relishing the moment. "Pretty much. I must practice my spell control when we get outside the Labyrinth. Or, maybe hunting down some Iron Golems as practice runs."

Malfurion's eyes widened further. "That's... crazy. Does this make your class a Magic Swordsman or something? Shouldn't it overwhelm you?"

Odin's expression softened slightly, and he patted Malfurion on the shoulder. "It's thanks to you, Mal." His voice was sincere. "You're the reason my lucky stars aligned today."

Malfurion looked at Odin, confused but flattered. "Me? What do you mean?"

"If you hadn't been here, doing your Hidden Quest, I wouldn't even bother searching around those low-level zones since, in hindsight, they seem pointless, a waste of time. If you hadn't gone deeper into the cavern, you, I wouldn't have found this place. I wouldn't have met Braham. So, yeah, you played a huge role in this."

Malfurion didn't know how to take the compliment. He remained calm and respectful but offered a slight nod. "I... I guess I'm glad I could help then."

Still processing what had happened, Elyse shook her head with a small laugh. "I think only you, Guildmaster, would be the only one casually absorbing the soul of a Legendary Magician and act as if no big deal happened."

"Huhu, don't flatter me. You know I'm not giving up free loot so easily."

Then, swiftly, he gestured toward the hallway leading out. "But come on, we've got more to do. Let's not waste time standing around."

The trio returned to the Laboratory, its somber atmosphere with the remnants of the Guardian still lingering on the central position of the large chamber. 

Odin moved around, kicking some of the debris rocks out of his path, while entering the Guild Interface, sending new directives to some Aesirs who could handle the job of fortifying their position over Braham's Labyrinth.

For this, he decided to drag them into a video call instead of the basic voice chats they were having, signaling to those summoned in the call that Odin was serious about this matter.

Odin flicked his hand, summoning a glowing orb that linked him directly with those he called.

As Odin summoned the glowing orb that linked him to the Aesir, the Crystal Queen, Ellyssaria, was the first to appear in the shimmering spectral form. 

Her long white hair cascaded down her back, contrasting sharply with the icy blue and silver tones of her Frost Mage robes. The dress clung elegantly to her form, intricate frost patterns etched across the fabric, giving off a faint shimmer as if snowflakes were forever caught in motion. 

Her amber eyes were piercing and thoughtful, starkly contrasting against her milky skin, like flames trapped in a sea of winter."You're looking fresh, but you also look tired, Mat," Ellyssaria's voice had a soft chill, almost matching her frosty appearance.

It wasn't cold, however, it had a gentleness to it that only came out when she spoke to people she cared for. There was a familiarity in her tone, the way she called him by his real name, an intimacy reserved for a few close friends.

"It is rare for you to make video calls. Everything went okay with the Labyrinth?"

Odin smiled faintly, brushing some stray dust from his Lycanthrope Armor as he leaned back against one of the ancient pillars of the Labyrinth. "It's alright, Elly. Let's wait for the others before I dive into it."

Ellyssaria tilted her head slightly, a teasing smirk playing on her lips as she crossed her arms. "You've got me intrigued. Did something go wrong, or is it that you found something worth the rare Odin-level emergency?"

"Emergency is too strong a word," Odin replied with a small laugh, running a hand through his hair as he looked up at her. "Let's just say it was more of an unexpected… bonus. But yeah, I've got a lot to share. I hope you've got your Portal money ready."

Ellyssaria's eyes narrowed, amusement dancing in their amber depths. "I'm always ready. If I have to freeze a whole continent to get the job done, you know I will."

Odin nodded, appreciating her resolve, but couldn't hold himself back. He chuckled, reminded of a past time when he encountered Ellyssaria in the forests of Frostbark. "That's my newbie Mage for you. Hah, I still remember the days when you had no idea how to cast properly and had me search the forums."

Ellyssaria's confident demeanor cracked just a bit, and she shot him a mock glare, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly. "Oh, you just had to bring that up, didn't you?" 

She huffed, waving her hand in Odin's direction as if casting a half-hearted frost-bolt, though it dissipated before reaching him. Her cheeks held a rosy blush despite her mild irritation, and she couldn't entirely suppress a smile.

"Don't worry. It's not like I tell everyone about how you got lost in a level 10 zone and begged me to take you to the Tower of Dawn. Huhu. Not even capable of using the World Map or Mini-Map." Odin teased, leaning back with a grin.

Her voice dropped a bit lower, laced with embarrassment. "You better not," she muttered, though there was no real threat behind it. She was too composed for that, plus her laugh betrayed her. 

Odin grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. It helped relax him from all the fighting he had done that day. "This is why I like you, Elly. You're stubborn and committed to growing but also fun to mess with."

"Oh, hush," she said, trying to maintain her dignity, but her rosy cheeks gave her away. "But I will get you back for that one."

Odin raised his hands defensively, still grinning. "Okay, okay. Just don't tell Eve. You know how she gets when she's stressed."

Ellyssaria rolled her eyes with a playful smile. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me... for now. But you better make it worth my while."

Ellyssaria leaned against the spectral projection of an ice pillar she conjured for herself, her eyes never leaving Odin's. Despite her calm exterior, she was eager to hear what he had discovered.

As they waited, the spectral forms of the others began to shimmer into existence one by one.

Next came Rogue, the Hex Witch, her mischievous half-smirk in place as she leaned casually against her spectral broom, exuding her deadly aura.

LaunchBox, the Reaper, materialized beside her, his twin long daggers strapped to his back. His presence was calm and collected. The cold aura of death surrounding him gave off a silent but lethal vibe.

Xoroth's towering figure appeared next in the call, his dark armor gleaming with an eerie sheen. His long black hair cascaded over his pauldrons, framing his sharp, handsome features, starkly contrasting the grim aura he exuded. His eyes, cold and calculating, looked like they had seen more battlefields than peaceful days.

Behind him, his undead warhorse pawed the ground, a hauntingly silent figure. 

Despite the creature's menacing presence, Xoroth stood calmly, his posture regal yet relaxed, as though the deathly aura surrounding him was nothing more than a light breeze.

Veradin's spectral form materialized next, his presence marked by a dark, swirling aura. His short silver-white hair contrasted with the shadows that danced around him, giving him an otherworldly appearance. 

While not as strikingly handsome as Odin or Xoroth, Veradin's quiet confidence made him stand out. His features were sharp but softened by a calm demeanor, and his slim frame was draped in a black robe that shimmered faintly with runes of necromantic power.

A levitating skull floated at his side, its hollow eyes glowing with a soft green light, casting flickering shadows on his pale skin. 

Despite his profession as a Necromancer that had him involved in this Deadly Magic Art, Veradin had a calm, collected aura about him, a trait that reflected his real-world profession as a psychologist. 

Baldur, the Blacksmith, appeared next, arms crossed over his broad chest, his no-nonsense expression making it clear that he was ready to get to work.

Finally, Kebab4Life, the middle-aged Magic Spearman, spun his glaive with ease as he appeared. He had a lighthearted grin on his face, and his full beard made him look like a jovial warrior fresh from battle. 

From his background, it was clear that he was inside some mountainous region, and the creature he was seated on was a dead gryphon.

"Kardesim, why the call? You might not believe it, Odin, but you're big inside the Fullbaz Marquisate. All the players and NPC only talk about the 'Red-Eyed Knight'. Even the Marquis is interested in summoning you to his Court to discuss business."

Odin raised an eyebrow, trying to hide a smirk. "Is that so? When you return to the city and visit him, tell him to prepare a banquet for me."

Kebab chuckled, leaning back as if to imagine the lavish affair. "Oh, you'd charm them all, no doubt! Though, I hope they prepare some halal food. Right, Xoro, question since you're a Muslim brother, is gryphon meat halal?"

"..." The Death Knight glanced at the middle-aged man with an expressionless look before responding casually. "Should be safe to eat."

Kebab's grin widened, and he leaned in as if about to share a great secret. "You hear that, Odin? Next time you're in Fullbaz, you can feast on Gryphon! Just imagine tender meat seasoned to perfection. It will make for the perfect kebab. Ahh, I need to buy some seasonings from Titan."

Odin chuckled, shaking his head. "I think I'll stick to something a little more traditional. Perhaps a nice roast instead of whatever exotic dish Kebab's cooking up in his imagination."

"Ahem, stop there, Umar. Let's put the Marquis on the back burner for now. You are trying to hunt the Gryphon Patriarch to gain some favors from the Nobleman." Odin interjected, his tone turning serious. 

"Tsk, you kill joy…. Can't a man talk about his meat?" murmured the middle-aged man as he got himself comfortable resting his body on the dead gryphon.

"You're all here. Good," Odin said, his tone filled with authority. The orb above him glowed brighter as it linked them all together.

Ellyssaria spoke first, her voice crisp and to the point. "What's the urgency, Odin? I can tell this isn't just another guild mission."

Odin nodded. "We've uncovered something huge—Braham's Labyrinth. I've been through its depths, slain the Boss Monster, and come out with a deal that gives us access to this place. It's perfect for our next Guild Stronghold, which has been uncontested by other guilds since it has been a hidden content, as far as I know."

"But we need to move fast before anyone catches wind of it."

Kebab4Life raised an eyebrow, twirling his glaive. "A stronghold in a labyrinth? Sounds like a lot of heavy lifting. You sure it's worth it?"

"More than worth it," Odin responded. "There are resources here that will boost our guild finances. Baldur, assign one of your Miner RP corps to get to the location I shared in the guild chat. There is an abundance of rare ores and also an abundance of Magic Stones."

Baldur scratched his beard thoughtfully, a hint of a smile creeping onto his face. "Alright, you've sold me. But I want my best miners sent to assess the area. If we're talking about rare ores, I want to ensure we extract the finest quality."

Ellyssaria's eyes widened ever so slightly at the mention of Magic Stones, and she crossed her arms, clearly more invested now. "Magic Stones? If there's a steady supply, that alone could finance us for months. We'd be fools not to claim it."

"Exactly," Odin said, "which is why I need all of you to pull your weight. We're setting up a defensive perimeter, mining operations, and, most importantly, a Portal Array to connect this place with our existing assets."

Baldur grunted, stepping forward. "You know I hate moving from Talima when I'm working on my projects. I'll need to see the resources myself. No point in wasting time if the ores are subpar."

"Trust me, Baldur," Odin said with a knowing grin. "The ores here can reach the Deluxe grading. We might also have some Orichalcum inside, but I can't be certain. Once you see them, you'll be in heaven."

Baldur nodded a determined glint in his eyes. "You can count on me, Odin. Just make sure those ores live up to the hype. I don't want to return empty-handed or with junk."

Rogue chuckled, adjusting her broom. "So, what do you want me to do? Hex some poor fools who come sniffing around?"

"Rogue, I need you and Veradin to curse the deeper passages leading into the core. We want anyone who dares to come snooping to feel like they're walking into a death trap. Plague it up, but don't overdo it yet. We don't want to attract too much attention early on."

"Gotcha, boss. But I will take at least one week to get to Fullbaz. I hope you understand. You shouldn't blame me when the RP folks complain that they are dying en masse."

LaunchBox, the Reaper, chimed in next. "What about me, Guildmaster? Need any mobs cleared out, or is this more of a construction project?"

Odin smirked. "I need you to handle the exploration of this Labyrinth tunnel because this location was an Ancient Underground Fortress. I didn't have the chance of digging too deep, but I got confirmation that there's more to this place."

"And Kebab? Make sure any stragglers around the Wyrnwoods don't last long. You can PK them for all I care. Just make sure no one finds the Labyrinth."

Kebab4Life's attitude shifted after receiving Odin's orders. It felt as if his Sultan was giving his decrees, and thus, he responded by getting up from the gryphon and striking a position with his magic spear as if he transformed into a Janissary of the old.

"I'll keep the labyrinth secure. No one's getting through me."

Xoroth, his dark voice resonating from within his armor, nodded solemnly. "I'll rally the undead to guard the key points. We'll be fools to let go of the Mana Stone Mine."

Veradin's eerie grin widened as he played with the floating skull. "I'll raise some additional defenses after casting the Curses. Maybe a few restless spirits to keep the atmosphere... welcoming."

"Good. Ellyssaria," Odin said, turning to the Frost Mage, "I need your magic squad to start setting up the Portal Array. The faster we get it up, the quicker we can move people and supplies."

Ellyssaria nodded sharply. "Consider it done. I'll start organizing the mages as soon as we're done here."

Kebab4Life laughed, feeling excited about this new project. "Count me in for whatever crazy plan you've cooked up."

Odin gave a final nod, his voice confident. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, my friends. There's not an imminent rush, but as fast as we strengthen our positions here, the better it will be in the long run against Seuron."

***

A/N: I started introducing the Aesir's as we move from the beginner content to the more mid-level, elite stuff.