Novel Bin
Chapter 34 - Stonefall and Stares
The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 34 - Stonefall and Stares
The remainder of the journey to Stonefall Outpost was completed under a cloud of weary tension and unspoken questions. Kael was treated with a mixture of cautious respect and wary distance by the rest of the team. He was the unpredictable element, the 'artifact kid' whose unstable power had saved them but could just as easily cause unforeseen problems. He kept to himself mostly, focusing on projecting weakness and recovery from his 'ordeal', while secretly his body hummed with newfound power from his recent level gains.
Stonefall Outpost wasn't a town, barely even a village. It was a fortified cluster of buildings clinging to a mountainside, built around the entrance to a series of deep mines that still produced iron and rare earth minerals. Its walls were thick, its guards vigilant, accustomed to the dangers of the Dragon's Tooth foothills.
The arrival of the caravan, intact despite rumors of the Sky Tyrant, caused a significant stir. The outpost commander, a grizzled veteran named Captain Eva ([Sentinel Lv. 38 - Tier 2]), listened intently to Torvin's report, her eyes widening at the mention of the Sky Tyrant and lingering on Kael when his role in its demise was recounted (using the 'unstable artifact' explanation).
The harvested Tyrant parts caused even more excitement, confirming the creature's existence and providing valuable materials for study and crafting. The merchant consortium representative was ecstatic the cargo had arrived safely, paying the adventurers generous bonuses on top of their hazard pay. Kael suddenly found himself significantly wealthier, though the silver felt less important than the soaring numbers on his hidden status screen.
While the caravan unloaded and prepared for its return journey (requesting an even larger, higher-ranked escort), Kael and his team were given quarters within the outpost barracks to rest and recover. Here, away from the immediate pressures of the road, the questions about Kael resurfaced, albeit subtly.
Adventurers and guards stationed at the outpost, having heard the story, would stare at him in the mess hall or training yard. Some were curious, others envious, a few openly skeptical.
"Heard you killed the Sky Tyrant," one tough-looking miner ([Prospector Lv. 25]) commented gruffly over dinner. "Story sounds like dragon-dung, if you ask me. An Iron Ranker? With two artifact classes?"
Kael just shrugged noncommittally, focusing on his stew. "Things got complicated."
Lysandra, sitting nearby, intervened coolly. "I was there. It happened. The artifact is... potent." Her defense helped, but also highlighted his abnormality.
He tried spending time in the outpost's meager library, hoping to find local legends or records about the Dragon's Tooth area, the Wyrms, or Crystalline Magic, but found little beyond basic geological surveys and warnings about territorial beasts.
He sought out Captain Eva, using the excuse of needing to file a supplementary report on his 'artifact's instability' during the fight. Eva, a no-nonsense woman with sharp eyes, listened patiently.
"Artifacts act up under pressure, kid," she said gruffly. "Especially powerful ones. Consider yourself lucky it manifested useful classes like [Duelist] and [Nightblade] instead of, say, [Exploding Chicken Summoner]." She paused. "But control is key. Uncontrolled power is a liability, no matter how strong. The Guild values reliability. Get it sorted."
Kael assured her he was working on it, using meditation and 'focusing exercises'. It was clear that while his actions were appreciated, his 'condition' made him an unknown quantity, someone senior Guild members would watch closely.
The return journey to Riverbend was thankfully uneventful, though the atmosphere within the team remained strained. Kael felt profoundly isolated, separated from his companions by the secret only he knew. He had survived, gained immense power, and even advanced his cover story, but the cost was an ever-deepening solitude. Arriving back in Riverbend felt less like a homecoming and more like returning to a larger, more complex cage.
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Publishment Date: 12/4/2025
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