CHAPTER 10


    THE SUNSTONE ERA


    “Smack! Smack! Smack!” After raining a lot of punches on Dietrich’s mitt like hands, Hans realised he was holding this new power inside him. This was a temporary charge he could hold for a while, but sadly couldn’t store. However, he found an equilibrium, a sweet spot where the input and output equal. Making him run on solar power indefinitely while in battle.


    “This is nuts!” Hans exclaimed as he put his everything in his right hook.


    Dietrich defended as he was pushed back, “You are acting like a drunk, foolish descendant. ”


    “Don''t know how that feels. But this is awesome.” Hans clenched his both fist and, bathing in sunlight, he regained the solar energy he had lost. “Quick recovery too.” He laughed like a second-grade villain until his voice became coarse.


    Dietrich too was chuckling inside. The people of this era were fanatical for the sunstone, and the kid before him was making that very energy as easy as breathing. “You are a rolling ball of envy.” He commented, tousling his hair. He added, “You kind of have unlimited mana and now also the power that the whole world covets. ''Book of Power’ was an excellent name choice by your idiotic father.”


    Hans would’ve taken an offence if someone else said that about Samson, but Dietrich was different. He was the oldest person whom he and his father was related by blood. It was a different kind of bond. A type that can not be described by words, true to the old saying of Blood is thicker than wood.


    “Speaking of sunstones.” Hans asked him, “Do you know how to make one—”


    “No. I do not. Neither anyone else in this world. These little marvel of energy just appeared out of nowhere, specifically, when Osiris descended from the skies.”


    “So there is really no way one can make these?” Hans asked, curious. The information he gathered from torturing Kerym and Jonik was that Anfaleen, the node master of Clandor was conducting experiments to make one and Vanessa was victim of one of those.


    Whenever he thought of her, an indescribable pain clenched his heart. It was something from deep inside, it was craving revenge. He wanted to know if Dietrich knew about it, but his old ancestor was mumbling something else. So, he focussed and listen in.


    “Many senior mages are researching how to make one, yet none succeed till this point.” Dietrich explained, “The only living source of sunstones are Red demons, those stones naturally form it inside their bodies. Hence the reason why the superpowers are not keen in exterminating them.”


    “So we are keeping the ticking bombs even with many breaches in the barrier?” Hans asked puzzled.


    “Yes. In today’s era, having sunstones are proportional to having more strength. Just the two of them was enough to stop the former first rank. You’ve experience it by yourself, haven’t you?”


    Hans couldn’t deny the power he felt when he collided two sunstones. So he understood what Anfaleen was trying to accomplish. An artificial way of making that powerful resource would surely put him on top.


    Infuriating, Hans disclosed what Vanessa had gone through and how she was subjected as an experiment in forming Sunstones and Dietrich shared Hans’s sentiment but there was reluctance in his eyes.


    He suppressed his rage, saying, “I’m bound by oath to not interfere with worldly affairs, but touching one of mine is something I can''t let go. We’ve sent many to investigate, but none brought any meaningful news.”


    Hans wanted Dietrich to pummel Anfaleen. As he had already said to Dijkstra, he did not need to be on the same level to deal with the powerful foes; there were many ways to kill someone who was stronger than you. He could just use someone’s hand.


    While he was becoming happy inside, Dietrich continued, “These incorrigible bastards.” He fumed, giving Hans hope which soon turned false as his next words stunned him. “But I can’t get involved. If I break the oath, other Ancients wouldn’t stay still.”


    Hans clicked his tongue, annoyed, and thought, “Yeah, if it were this easy, I wouldn’t be the trouble magnet Hans Parv.” However, Dietrich wasn’t totally denying helping, “I can’t get directly involved, but I sure do want to see that elven prick’s demise. So what do you need?” He asked.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    “Money. A lot of it.” Hans gestured, stretching out his hand. That made Dietrich’s face contorted. “You are a prince,” He rebuked, “Have some dignity—”


    “I’m asking my elder for some money. Where does dignity play in this? And I’m aiming at a Warlock. It will take me a lot of time to grow my strength, and Anfaleen and his goons won’t stay still. What if they perfected their experiments? I can’t just ask the Parvian army for help. It will result in another bloody war.”


    Shaking his head, Dietrich responded, “I think you haven’t heard me clearly. YOU. ARE. PRINCE. OF. PARV. Your coffers have a lot of money waiting for you to use.”


    “Thats not mine.” Hans retorted, “It is hard earned sweat and blood of Parvians. It should be used for their benefits, not to satisfy my whims.”


    “If I didn’t knew you better, I’d said, I was proud of you thinking that way, but you are just trying to manipulate me coughing up some gold. But just as you’ve said, Its my hard earned blood and sweat, why do you think I’ll let your burn it.


    “You don’t even have a use for it.” Hans rebuked. “How am I suppose to hoard mana stones and gems. I can’t even sell those mana enhancing fruits and herbs that I make. My creations dies after a while.”


    Dietrich thought deep, “Yeah, its not like the olden times, when you could just raid a dungeon and take everything—”


    “Hold it right there,” Hans gestured him to stop and asked, “What is a dungeon?”


    Dietrich puzzled, realised he was talking about some forgotten history, so imitating a coughing sound, he explained by going around the bushes, “Before the mage towers, there was no unity among the mages. So they secretly lived in their own spaces, conducting research and experiments. Their laboratory or facility was prone to attacks by others seeking their knowledge and wealth. So they deployed a lot of security measures to prevent an invasion. Yet the reward was so enticing that people risked their lives to get it.


    “Now that is some idea, great grandfather.” Hans showed a wicked expression, and nodding, he continued, “It could work—”


    “You didn’t hear me. There are no dungeons to raid. Now, all mages belong to towers.” Dietrich explained, confused.


    “Oh, Im not planning to raid, but to make one.” Hans said as a sinister grin etched on his face. “Do you have any land that I can borrow, outside Concordia. I’ll even pay you rent.”


    Dietrich thought for a while and eventually spoke up, “There is a disputed land between Indu and Grimgar. I acquired it few years back. But how are you planning to use.”


    “I have a killing idea—”


    “So lets talk about how are you going to pay me.” Dietrich imitated Hans and pointed opening the map, “See this area.” He circled the place and said, “Its is significantly large piece—”


    “Where is your dignity,” Hans rebuked, he was stunned when Dietrich asked him to pay. He continued to whine, “You are asking your last descendant to pay you.”


    “You are the one who put that thought.”


    “And like a kind elder, you are supposed to say. Just take it.”


    “Fine, foolish descendant just take it. But I’m only giving you that. Don’t ask me anything else, understood?” Hans nodded politely and Dietrich added, “ One more thing, Don’t ever kill anyone there. Its a disputed place so any death there would spike tension between Indu and Grimgar and a lot for this man here.” He pointed at himself.


    Hans ignored his ramblings, and mumbled, “I need initial investment. Ooh! I just have the right person.” He turned to Dietrich and the chairman passed the unlock rune of the disputed land.“Its called Mystic Glades. Remember its location.”


    Hans’s didn’t have to memorise since the moment Dietrich showed it on the map, his new augmented display had recorded it. “Sweet.” Hans jumped in excitement, I’ll find you with a plan. So, lets earn some money, dear ancestor.”


    MIDLANDS, CONCORDIA


    “I just need a little.” Hans pleaded again.


    “You know no shit about investing, Hans. Stop bothering me.” Delmira rejected him again. She was supposed to meet with Allynna, but as Hans found her first, which resulted in the elven princess avoiding the group.


    “Oh come on, Deli. I’m not asking much—”


    “Asking much? You’ve lost your mind, aren’t you? 100,000 gold is not much! You dumb fool. I’m not giving you any.” It was the third time, and Chris was enjoying this show with Vanir.


    On the other hand, Hans didn’t see Delimira changing her thoughts so he used his last card. He declared, clenching his chest, “I’ll return you twice.”


    “Oh really. But what if you can’t?” She stared him like a vulture before a fresh kill.


    “Im gonna regret this…heck no! Why would I regret. I’ve a fool proofed plan.” He convinced himself and asked her, “What are your terms?”


    “All of your life, you’ll address me as someone above you.”


    “I’ll succeed anyway… I’ve to succeed.” He resolved and said, “I’m fine with it.”


    “Why don’t I fork some more. If I can become frugal for a while, I can spare 500,000 gold. But you’ve to return 1,000,000 back in one year. Take it or leave it.”


    Vanir and Chris almost jumped in to stop Hans, but Hans was already adamant on taking it. “Fine, Winters. You’ll have a million back same day, next year.”


    “Buddy, that is a 100% interest, even loan sharks won’t charge that much.” Chris frantically turned to Delimira, scolding her, “And what is wrong with you, who charges that much interest among friends. You could’ve just not give him any. What if he blows every last bit of it. You’ll looses all of your savings.”


    “Listen Chris, I’d never make a loosing deal, If Hans succeed in whatever shenanigans he is planning. I’ll received twice the money and if not, the next King of Parv will show me respect all of his life. Its worth it.”


    Hans felt a cold sweat, “Naah!, Even if it kills me. I’ll succeed.” He glanced at his glistening bank card. The value changed to whopping 500,000 G.


    “So what are you planning with it” She asked.


    “None of your damn business, Winters.”


    “You are quite rude to your creditor.”


    “I don''t feel the necessity to be polite to someone who is seeking to undermine me throughout her life.”


    <hr>