Solar Blood Masters (178)

Chapter 178 - Gastaroid’s Forge

The courtyard was a disaster. Thousands of shattered wine gourd fragments glittered in the morning sunlight. A potent aroma of wine was mixed with the lingering scent of sulfur and ash from Gastaroid's presence.

Lu Jade was hanging from a low-lying branch of the Buddhi Papaya tree; his head stuck inside a wine bottle.

Raphael lay sprawled on the ground, snoring loudly.

Gastaroid was nowhere to be seen.

And Julian Ringtail slumbered peacefully inside the temple, nestled amongst a pile of sleeping women on a bed of clouds.

Raphael groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He was soaked in wine, his head throbbed, and his stomach churned. He sat up, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him. He stumbled towards the edge of the courtyard, ready to vomit, but it was a false alarm.

He wiped his eyes and looked around.

‘What happened last night?’ His memory was hazy.

He spotted Lu Jade hanging from the tree. Then, his gaze settled upon Sly Ringtail and his three minions. They were sprawled across the courtyard; empty wine bottles surrounded them.

‘When… did they get here?’

He noticed the Buddhist Pill Gourd on the table beside a large bowl. The Sonic Bowl. He remembered boasting about his treasures last night. He checked his Spatial Inventory.

“Where are they?”

Thienika’s star leaves and oval, the Ignitor Sun Cycle, and other valuable items… they were gone.

‘Did someone… steal them?’

He looked suspiciously at Sly Ringtail, who was clutching the Banana Scythe.

Raphael stomped over. The ground vibrated beneath his hooves.

Sly Ringtail’s eyes snapped open.

“What…?”

Before he could react, Raphael grabbed the scythe and lifted him into the air. Sly Ringtail dangled precariously while staring wide eyed at the bull.

“Where… are… my treasures?!” Raphael’s hot breath reeked of wine.

“I… I didn’t steal anything! What are you talking about?! Don’t you remember what happened last night?!”

Raphael shook his head. “I… My memory is a little… hazy…”

Hearing the commotion, Lu Jade woke up and removed his head from the wine bottle with a loud POP.

“What’s going on here, Big Brother?”

“This brat… He stole my treasures!”

“No, I didn’t!” Sly Ringtail protested. “I won this scythe back fair and square! In a drinking contest! You don’t remember?!”

“A drinking contest…?” Raphael’s brow furrowed.

“Yes! You challenged me to a drink off, to win back my Banana Scythe! I won. And you… You gave your other treasures to Gastaroid.”

“What?! Why would I do that?!”

“I don’t know! Ask him! Now, put me down! Before I wake my father and have him KILL you!”

Raphael cursed under his breath, then released Sly Ringtail. He landed with a thud.

Lu Jade slithered over to Raphael and touched his leg. “Big Brother, calm down. It’s true. You did give your treasures to Gastaroid… to make you a weapon.”

“I… I don’t remember doing that.” Raphael shook his head, baffled. ‘Did I really get THAT drunk?’

“What about the contest, Little Lu? Did I beat Julian Ringtail?”

Lu Jade shook his head. “No, Big Brother. You lost. You should have listen to me earlier. We expected as much, Julian has been an avid drinker for millions of years and you are a novice! It was an unfair contest!”

A wave of disappointment washed over Raphael. ‘So, I failed. I didn’t get the Divine Blueprint Forge. Now what?’

He was about to turn and stomp into the temple to wake Julian Ringtail and propose another bargain when Lu Jade stopped him.

“Big Brother, wait! Even though you lost… Julian still rewarded you.”

“Rewarded me? How?”

Lu Jade pointed to the Buddhist Pill Gourd on the table. “Look. He added a second blueprint strip.”

Raphael looked closer. It was true! A second strip of blueprint was wrapped around the gourd’s waist.

“He only took off a duplicate of the Super Human Constitution blueprint, Big Brother! It’s all you truly need. So that means you have all three items Sindoll requested!”

Raphael stared at the gourd, stunned. Then a wave of relief washed over him.

‘I have it! I have the blueprint! I can become human again!’

But then his thoughts returned to his missing treasures.

“Gastaroid… Sly Ringtail said he has them…”

“Yes, Big Brother. He said you gave them to him… to make you a weapon.”

“I’m going to confront him. Now.”

Raphael spread his wings. Lu Jade quickly coiled himself around his horns.

Raphael stored the Buddhist Pill Gourd and Sonic Bowl in his Abyss Nylon, then soared into the sky.

WHOOSH!

Sly Ringtail watched them go. He tightened his grip on his Banana Scythe and sneered.

‘That bull… and Gastaroid… What are they up to?’

His gaze shifted towards the temple entrance.

Inside, Julian Ringtail slept soundly amidst a pile of women on his cloud bed. His hands caressed a round butt cheek as his head nestled comfortably in a soft bosom.

…

Raphael landed roughly on a steaming patch of earth where the ground was steaming with toxic vapors.

“Ugh! It smells like rotten eggs and… blood?”

Fiery trees surrounded them. Their branches reached towards the sky like skeletal fingers.

Ahead stood a large, red torii gateway leading inside a mountain. Its wooden frame was warped and charred. Molten lava dripped from its edges, sizzling as it hit the ground.

“So, this is Gastaroid’s abode?” Raphael swept his gaze across the volcanic landscape. It’s certainly… fitting, he thought.

They entered the gateway, and were greeted by a blast of heat that had Lu Jade hissing in protest.

“This is worse than Father’s Scorching Veil Domain!”

The mountain's interior was a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers. Scraps of metal, discarded tools, and broken smelting equipment lay scattered about.

They came across a chamber where hundreds of weapons, each framed within tubes of liquid fire, lined the walls. Some were as small as daggers, others as large as trees, a collection that would make even the most seasoned Weapon Grafter envious.

They continued deeper, following the trail of heat and sulfur. The air grew hotter, the ground beneath their feet radiated warmth. The tunnel walls, now slick with lava, pulsed with an inner fire.

They reached a vast chamber.

Gastaroid’s forge.

At the chamber’s center, a massive Artificial Fire Pool bubbled and seethed. Intricate tubing channeled the liquid fire into advanced cauldrons. Raw materials, ores, and crystals, were being poured into the cauldrons by unseen forces. Gastaroid’s Solar Intent made this happen.

Gastaroid’s mountainous form moved around a larger cauldron. It bubbled furiously. He carefully tossed in raw materials while muttering to himself.

“Almost… almost… This masterpiece… it will be legendary…”

Raphael approached cautiously.

“Gastaroid?”

“Not now, bull. I’m busy.”

“Busy? With what?” Raphael’s gaze settled on the Ignitor Sun Cycle, he had recognized those engravings, lying beside the cauldron. His blood ran cold.

“NO!”

He rushed forward, but it was too late.

Gastaroid tossed the Sun Cycle into the cauldron.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?! That Sun Cycle! It’s…!”

Gastaroid looked up, startled. “Raphael? What are you doing here? We agreed to meet… at a later date.”

“Later date? What are you talking about?! My treasures! Thienika’s remains! Where are they?!”

Gastaroid stared at Raphael, puzzled. Then it hit him. ‘This bull… he must have forgotten. That Sunshine Wine… It’s potent.’

“Raphael you gave them to me. Remember? Last night? We agreed that I would use them to attempt crafting a divine weapon for you. One that could evolve.”

He produced a small, oval seed. “Here. You can have this back. I didn’t need it.”

Raphael recognized the seed instantly. It was Thienika’s Solar Seed.

“Thienika’s remains… they were enough. Her Draconic Star Lumber properties are potent. It’ll take a few years to break down the materials into something moldable, but don’t worry. A couple of years is nothing! You’ll have to wait until you see the masterpiece I create! It will be legendary!”

Raphael was taken aback by Gastaroid’s sudden enthusiasm. ‘This Weapon Grafter thing… It’s his true passion. It seems that he’s having so much fun I’m willing to put up with his craziness, just this once.’

“Thank you, Gastaroid. For not using the seed. It’s a precious piece of Grandma Thienika. I have to germinate it to carry on her lineage.”

He carefully secured the Solar Seed in his Abyss Nylon.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Gastaroid extended a hand.

“I need some of your Solar Essence. Just a sliver.”

A crystal ball materialized in his palm. He held it above Raphael’s head, and with a swift motion, extracted a portion of his Solar Essence.

He tossed the crystal into a complex mechanism at the side of the forge. It slotted into place. Gears whirred. Tubes hissed. And the Artificial Fire Pool’s flames intensified, burning hotter, brighter.

Raphael noticed Lu Jade sweating profusely.

“Gastaroid, we’ll come back later. You seem busy.”

“Come back anytime, bull. But be warned… interruptions… they’re costly!”

“Of course, now goodbye.”

“Fine.”

As they exited the forge, Raphael shook his head. “Gastaroid… he’s more intelligent and skilled than I gave him credit for.”

“I agree, Big Brother. It's almost scary. But Big Brother I’m thirsty! Can we find some water? Please?”

“Sure, Little Lu. There’s a spring nearby. Let’s go.”

They found a clear, cool spring flowing from a rocky outcrop. They drank deeply, washing away the forge’s heat and the lingering taste of sulfur. The water was refreshing and revitalizing.

“Ah… That’s better,” Lu Jade sighed contentedly.