520: Going Against Tradition

Going Against Tradition

Dave hadn't fully understood what Nick wanted to tell him so he asked again, "What do you mean by a proper tool to kill the Nian?"0

"It's a calamity, most of them are immortal, the nastier ones. A god slaying weapon would usually do the trick, but in some cases, they are not as effective. Because in the Nian's case, you won't be slaying a monster, you'll be slaying a tradition."

"Huh, I still have no clue what the heck are you talking about," Dave replied.

"When did you ever? Now let me explain in terms you'll find it easier, kid. You'll have to kill the monster but not slay its flesh, you'll have to make his…legacy for a lack of an appropriate word, be destroyed."

"Huh, I guess I understand now a bit. Right, so when this thing is gonna show?" Dave asked.

"Usually, the festivities start at midnight," one of the soldiers said.

"Right then, I'll have to take care of that by then. For now, I have a few orders to rally.�� Dave said.

"We'll be leaving you to handle the Calamity, Childe," the Undead king said. "But if you wish for our assistance, just ask."

"No worries, I think I'm good enough on my own. You should probably still be busy doing the inventory for the Ash King's loot."

"We have not forgotten you, but most of the Ash King's possessions were those of knowledge, and anything worthy of you has yet to show. Nothing but corrupt stones and treasures. We have yet to find something clean out of the lair of one most unclean."

"Yeah, good luck with that then,"

"Halt, Childe, you have probably forgotten, but don't you feel a breeze going right through you?" the Undead King chuckled, it was a first for Dave. 

He was too surprised at the King's snickering that he didn't understand that the king was hinting at his chest.

Once he looked down and noticed the massive hole in his armor, "Ah damn, Andre, where is he?"

"Here," the giant smith said, he was already summoned by his majesty.

Once Dave turned, a frowning, definitely angry blacksmith was behind him. Yet, he didn't dare utter a word against a prince.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Blame that dude." Dave pointed at the Heavenly General.

"Humph, what are armors if not to take damage, do your work and repair it, slave."

"Emm, Ouki, I don't know how you used to do it in your old days. But see the damage on your armor?" Dave pointed at Ouki.

"Yes, I'll have one of Qin's smiths fix it. It is but armor."

"Yeah, that's where you're wrong, this is Undead Armor. It's seethed in the undead curse, any living that touches it will die." Andre said.

"What he said," Dave shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"Only I can fix it, also even without the curse. Once you became an Undead, your armor was fused to Oprenieum, there are no smiths-men on this world capable of hammering that material."

"The dwarves of the high mountains of the west could hammer the skies and the earth."

"Still they'll not touch that thing, they hammer at what belongs to life. The Oprenieum has been created in the depths of the earth. Where life was snuffed out, where only a demon could strive and survive under that suffocating temperature. Just the heat needed to remold that metal is so high that a man would have their arms melted off with every strike. Only our undead nature could help us forge it, we do not care if we lose an arm, we'll use the other, we'll die hammering the metal, and come back to hammer it some more. Lord Kis'Shtiengbrah's armor had killed me more than a hundred times before I could finish it. Do you think a man can suffer through a hundred deaths to make your armor anew?"

The general was left speechless even Dave himself was not privy to the fact that Andre literally died time and time again to make his armor. That made him feel guilty for having ruined the armor.

"I apologize for my ignorance oh great smith. Then can I count on you to fix this armor of mine? My battle with the prince was…rather exciting."

"I will, but his majesty's armor first. Lord, hand it over, I should have it done before nightfall. It's not damaged much, at least not the limits it was in when you first gave it to me."

"Yeah Andre, and thank man. Hey, if I get something good from the Ash King's armory, I'll make sure you have first dibs on anything you want."

"Thank you, Lord, but just the Corrupted Weapons of the Dogaron were more than enough a reward for me. Just, try not to get the War King's Armor in such a bad shape in the future."

"I'll be more careful," Dave smiled at the smith and handed him his armor. He switched back to his spare set, his older Doom Knight set. It wouldn't be a fun sight to have Dave be seen in all his Undeathly naked glory.

The Abyssal Knights dispersed, they all went their ways so did the Undead King. 

Dave turned to Singund, who was with him from the beginning, and said. "We'll have to go around town."

"To do what?" the orc questioned.

"Well, we'll need to make sure that no citizen is gonna be hanging any red signs. We need the Nian to come, to us, and not be afraid."

"I feel like tonight's gonna be red anyway."

"Yep blood red, let me call the boyz," Dave said and stomped a foot on the ground.

Bud, Dog, Spark, Tengu, and even Kalel.

The group appeared in front of him.

"Good to see you all here guys."

"As the Lord commands, summon us and we're at your service," Kalel spoke.

"Hey, weren't you beating that Stalwart's ass in the sea? What's happened to it."

"It's still alive, the thing's health is too massive."

"How many times have you killed it so far?"

"Eight times."

"Damn. Even with the Ash King's death, that thing is still alive. I should probably lend you guys a hand, but I need some help for now."

"Yes sir. But worry not, a lot of good men are keeping him busy, now with the Death Heart nearby, they can die underwater, be revived, and then jump back into the sea to fight. I could ask one of the Abyssal knights for aid if you wish, it would make this far faster."

"No, they have their own things to do, and I don't really wanna bother them with something we can do ourselves. Also, we get the credit for it if we do it our way."

"As you command lord. So, what is it that you need us for?"

"I need you guys to spread across the city, stop anyone from hanging red signs or lanterns. There will be a Calamity that will come down to the city, we'll need to beat it."

Kalel drew his sword, "As you wish."

"Hey, hold your horses! I said to stop them, not terrorize them, tell them the Undead King had denied the hanging of the lanterns and festivity."

"I haven't spent a great deal of time with them, but these are people who are highly attached to their traditions it will be difficult to stop them without using force."

"I know you'll find a way. But this is for their own good, if they do hang the lanterns it will throw a stick into the wheels of my plan."

"You got the idiom wrong," The Tengu said.

Dave shrugged, "Anyway, we have until midnight, let's go!"

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