Shadow Clone Sorcery
Chapter 41: Quest Coming (2)

Lukas hated flip-flopping on decisions. He worried about revealing too much to Penelope. At the same time, he didn’t want to lose her depth of knowledge, connections, and access to all the places only she could go. She had given him an opening, and he appreciated it. Lukas could travel with her wherever she was going, but that didn’t mean he needed to join her investigation. Not assisting her would likely mark the end of their journey together, but it wasn’t the worst of things.

For the time being, Lukas focused on preparing for the delve. Now that Lukas had Spellweaver, he felt significantly more comfortable running Silencing Shadows and Shadow Sight simultaneously. He intended to join the delve, but from afar, only joining in person whenever Penelope needed identification services. The chances of clones getting killed were high. Lukas needed to be present to revive them. He was sure that they’d die or need to be rescued multiple times during the mission.

It was risky, but Lukas considered it worth it. The rewards from the journal’s quests were currently far too valuable to his growth and survival. He eventually intended to sever his ties to Silverspinie, but for the time being, he saw no reason not to make the most of it. If the next journal upgrade allowed the clones to summon and use it or just helped Altered Mass to tier two, it would be enough for him.

Lukas took to the markets, hunting for the means to increase his chances of survival and minimize the chances of Shadow Clone being discovered. He didn’t worry about burning through all of his savings. He had confidence in his ability to make money and recoup any losses. Between Penelope’s pay and the clones’ smithing skills, the crowns would come easily. As long as he received Mister Grey’s promised shard, his Pillars of Self were also set for quite some time.

First, Lukas invested in armor upgrades. He didn’t just invest in a set for himself but also Magic Elvis. The arcane smithy refused to give him time off, so he quit. It was an annoying loss, but a new weapon hung from the clone’s belt, and he had the fundamentals down to create more like it. Little else currently mattered.

The clone’s new outfit included a steel breastplate, pauldrons, greaves, gauntlets, and tassets—upper thigh protection. He also picked up a half helmet that covered everything except his lower lip and chin. Lukas tried it on, and the eye slits were just about big enough not to be annoying. The set came with leather padding and didn’t limit flexibility. It was far heavier than what Lukas preferred, but didn’t seem to matter to the high-mass clone. The set lacked enchantments but had alchemical treatments, increasing durability and resistance to corrosives while reducing conductivity.

Lukas replaced a couple of his personal armor pieces, investing in better leather chest armor. It was slightly stiffer than the old on,e but covered him from neck to lower abdomen and also came with shoulder and upper arm guards. Testing proved it was far more resistant to slashes and stabs than the old version. It likely wouldn’t hold up against a mutated phaser’s swipe, but he hoped to reduce the damage of whatever came at him. Lukas just needed to survive long enough to activate his belt buckle’s enchantment.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Both of them got new shields. Magic Elvis picked out a kite shield big enough to protect him from head to hip. Meanwhile, Lukas picked a folding buckler that looked like something out of a science-fiction film. In its inert form, it looked like a long isosceles triangle strapped to the forearm with curved bits folded into the edges. A hidden switch caused the sides to expand, doubling the size. It was far bigger than an ordinary buckler, providing more protection, and carried a couple of enchantments, adding durability and stability. An ordinary buckler might’ve proved just as good, but Lukas liked it for the cool factor.

The previous good of Wyrmkin they faced favored fire spells. Lukas didn’t know if it was going to be the same for their upcoming opponents, but he wanted to be prepared. So, he invested in new outer clothing. The remainder of his savings went into a crimson cloak.

Firemane Cloak

The cloak is woven from the mane and spinal hair of the extremely rare Firemane. The beasts typically inhabit regions rich in geothermal activity and are known for their incredible resistance to fire and heat. Ancient settlements worship the creatures and claim to have seen them swimming in geyser pools and lava. There is only credible proof of the former.

Lukas also purchased a second-hand coat of the same material for Magic Elvis. It was patched with inferior materials in a couple of spots but good enough for the clone and fit comfortably over the light breastplate.

Finally, they visited the Shadow Seekers guild.

“The pair of you look ready for war,” Kwame commented. No one seemed to care that Elvis, a nonguild member, had walked in. Instead, many smiled and waved at the pair. “What is it?”

“I’m here to call in a promise,” Lukas said. “You said you’d help me out with an enchantment. Does that still stand?”

“Of course. If it is something simple, I can do it myself, but for anything more complicated, we’ll need a more dedicated enchanter.” Kwame grinned. “I’m but a humble collector and tinkerer. My knowledge and ability are limited.”

Magic Elvis passed his new weapon, a one-handed, clawed hammer, to Kwame.

“It’s already packed with magic,” Magic Elvis said.

“Impact magic?” Kwame frowned, closing his hands and running them over the hammerhead. “It's familiar. What did you do? Pull the magic out of a smith’s power hammer?”

“Yes.” Magic Elvis sounded and appeared pleased with himself. “That’s exactly what I did.”

“Unorthodox but impressive. What do you want me to do with it?”

“Hit harder,” Lukas answered. “It doesn’t have to be a consistent force multiplier, but maybe an occasional big blow. Find an opening and pour everything into a super strike.”

“Simple but effective. It’s easy enough.”

“When do you want it?” Kwame asked.

“Now,” Magic Elvis and Lukas answered in unison.

“Oh. I had a sparring session booked.”

“I can fill in for you if you’d allow it,” Magic Elvis said. “I haven’t fought in a while. It's best if we limber up before going down.”

“Snake might not like it, but go ahead.” Kwame caressed the hammer like it was a baby. “It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to play with something so crude and raw. It's going to be fun.”