Chronicles: Second Earth Online

Chapter Twelve

How does an Amber Crystal work? Its simple, it's like marking a certain location, and the crystal will take you there, easy as one two three.

---Second Earth Online Guide for Gaming, Questions

It was amazing to think that a human's abnormal conditions like the feeling of throwing up is also applicable inside the game. But for Nex who experienced this again, the feeling was not good. The scene revealed a red hot, busy street of Black Lava City which was unlocked more than a month ago by Claudius' Search-For-New-Town-Troupe. Throughout the whole continent, Black Lava City is renowned for its astonishing works of steel crafting. Some of the world's best items were made from the heat of this place. Also, Black Lava City is the city of Blacksmiths.

"These place never fails to make me hot." Jake muttered. It's true, Black Lava City is at the foot of Mont Kannoh, an active volcano that is emitting a huge amount of volcanic gas and lava freely roamed the place. It is on the other end of the continent and the farthest one from Ocean Deep City.

"Let's go, we are on the South West district of their territory and thankfully, this is where the main blacksmiths settle." Fawn started to wander off to the nearest store and the others followed. The price was too cheap for upgrading and Nex had second thoughts about doing it here so they decided to check on other craft shops and one in particular caught their attention.

The shop seems like detached from the clusters of buildings on the district, it is located almost at the cliff and just a few step could lead to a 200-foot drop down the spiky rocks, a nasty way to die. A rusty piece of metal is connected to a larger piece of rectangular sign with the letters S M Y T H engraved on it. The bricks look sturdy but old enough and full of dirt. Jet black smoke continues to come out from the only chimney that is connected to a large furnace inside.

"Surely, there is somebody inside, look the smoke's coming out." Jake seriously said.

"Huh? Something finally flew up to your mind? Or was is wind again?" the lady elf started provoking him... And he took the bait.

"You saying something? I'll use this wind to blow you out of here or just to shut your mouth."

"What's that? Did you just told me to shut up?"

"You're one annoying freak show there." Their trash talks are worsening as moments passed by.

"Get out of my sight, you stinking pot!"

"That's enough, let's go inside." Nex walked in between them as soon as he realized Jake throwing in another set of curses and trash talks towards his rival in terms of speaking. He led the others to a couple of wooden stairs and held out to knock.

Eerie silence met the sound of his fist colliding with the old rusty steel door. He tried knocking once again but to no avail, nobody from the inside responded. This made the other three curious and asked questions in their heads.

Impatiently, Nex tried knocking for one last time but with a slight force to be reckoned with. The last blow of his fist did not meet any solid surface for the door suddenly opened and the metallic smell of crafting metal spread outside like wildfire. The scent made Annie and Fawn's nose to cringe in disagreement. As the door opened, a faint sound of metal clashing against metal reverberated up to the outside street. Nex proceeded and gestured to be followed by the others.

They followed where the metallic sound is and as the sound grew louder, a light from the distance furnace starts to illuminate certain surroundings. There revealed clusters of weapons for melee combat or ranged combat starting from swords of different varieties, guns that hang above it, wands, staffs, bows and arrows, even the rumoured Power-Up Stones which are very rare in getting as a loot and takes a very long time crafting it.