bullyxtreme Chapter 187: A Batch of Stones
Chapter 187: A Batch of Stones
Before explaining what the ether gate is, we need to explain what ether is and what the ether plane is.
Ether is the imaginary medium that constitutes the etheric plane.
The reason why it is called delusion is that the basis that distinguishes the transit plane and the inner plane from the material plane is this.
True and false, existence and nothingness.
For ordinary people who cannot use strength to protect themselves, all existence except the material plane is a storm of power that will disappear as soon as it arrives.
Therefore, the benchmark for other planes is - nothing.
For ordinary people in the material plane, the driving force behind the plane that was born based on "nothingness" can only be called "delusion."
In short, ether is such a medium, and thanks to some special spells, there are still many research results on transit planes such as the etheric plane and the astral plane.
For example, research has shown that the Etheric Plane is a foggy space that is sometimes likened to an ocean.
The coast of the ocean is called the etheric boundary. This boundary is not only the boundary of the etheric plane, but also the offset and overlapping boundary of the material plane and the inner plane.
Because of this special property, it means that every coordinate point of the coastline of this vast ocean corresponds to a coordinate point on the material plane.
The Phantom Step, which is highly praised by spellcasters, actually allows one to briefly enter the etheric plane and then return by stepping on the remaining coordinate points, thus achieving short-distance teleportation within line of sight.
In addition to Phantom Steps, there are many spells whose fields of effect can extend to the etheric plane.
For example, it is said that the ability to see through invisibility and true seeing depends on focusing the field of vision on the etheric coastline that corresponds to reality. Therefore, even if you hide in the corresponding etheric position, these spells can still capture you.
The force field wall can even anchor the target creatures, from the material plane to the etheric plane, within a limited range.
In addition to some spells of humanoid intelligent creatures, there are also many monsters that have the means to utilize ether.
For example, the Phase Spider's Ether Wandering ability is a spell ability similar to Phantom Step, which means that they may also be able to briefly enter the coastline of the etheric plane like the caster, find the target point, and protect themselves in the [Delusion] of the etheric plane.
In addition, there are the infamous hags, among which a special type called night hags seem to be able to etherify and enter dreams with the help of the "heart stone" they have refined.
Unfortunately, the many spells currently recorded by humanoid intelligent beings seem to be able to operate only on the coastline of the entire etheric plane, that is, to affect this part of the material plane.
However, few people know about the deep sea of the etheric plane, which is shrouded in mist and colorful smoke.
Just like in the days when navigation was not well developed, people had a deep sense of uncertainty and fear about the ocean.
The distant parts of the ocean are called the Far Ocean, and the unknown parts of the Ethereal Plane are called the Deep Ethereal.
After knowing what ether is and what the ether plane is, it becomes clear what the ether gate is... What the hell!
"I don't know." This was the answer from everyone when Abes picked up the letter and asked.
Therefore, the first question for Abes and his team was to understand what the Ether Gate was.
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Outside the Slime City, Abes met the Lord of the Slime City, Bad Genia, whom he hadn't seen for some time.
Accompanying Abes was Hiinagi, who happened to have less things to do and was particularly interested in the "Ether Gate" mentioned in the letter.
A pure, well-informed wizard, encountering a term he is completely unfamiliar with, would of course explore it.
Besides, she will also have a part in the surgery on the griffin, so when Lord Abes comes to get the manticore venom, how can he not bring her along?
The quality and quantity of the venom still needs to be judged by the mage.
Behind Lord Bard were the exploration team that had discovered the "Ether Gate".
Among them were officials and some accompanying knights.
Conceptually speaking, these officials were all the adopted sons and daughters of him, Bud, and several other nobles who helped Bud implement educational reforms, so they could also call each other brothers and sisters.
Before, the heavy burden had already made them extremely exhausted, so let alone the affection of brothers and sisters, if they had not seen that Lord Bard himself also got up early and went to bed late, they would probably have just quit and gone back to being civilians.
And now, as Abes sent the redundant minor nobles in the royal capital here, they got a respite.
Now they can even go out and do this kind of exploratory work that does not have any rigid requirements or indicators, so their favorable impression of Abes is at an extremely high level.
Although they had been conducting a thorough survey for some time, and had explored the management area from inside the city to outside the Mud City, the condition of each of them was surprisingly good.
It seemed that they regained their lost happiness from this more relaxing task.
Bud's face was also full of energy, and he came to greet him from a distance as soon as he saw Abes.
The two held hands together. "My Lord, I know you don't know about the [Ether Gate] I wrote in the letter, but I believe you won't be disappointed after reading this."
"Let's talk as we walk."
Soon, the whole team arrived at the destination.
It was a bare mountain wall in the wilderness outside the Mud City.
And this is where the exploration team heard the explosion.
At that time, after searching for a while, they saw this thing that looked like a door embedded in the mountain wall.
And now, Abes also saw this thing.
It was an oval ring embedded vertically in the stone mountain wall, emitting a metallic luster.
About a quarter to a fifth of it is buried underground. All in all, this elliptical metallic ring that protrudes from the ground and the mountain wall does look like a door.
A double door with a diameter of about five meters.
Originally, they only regarded this thing as a decoration embedded in the stone mountain wall.
But after getting closer, they found that these metal rings had a peculiar cutting shape and beauty, which did not look like the things that could be made in the ordinary eras that they were familiar with.
And this style, in Abes's opinion, is somewhat similar to the avant-garde aesthetic style.
If you look more closely, you can see densely packed magic patterns and "rune combinations" on this metal oval ring.
The reason why this rune combination is put in quotation marks is that Abes did not see any rune symbols in it that were consistent with his known knowledge.
"Following your and Kronos' research, although I don't fully understand it, I have witnessed it many times. I dare say that none of these things are existing rune groups, but a group of paintings and carvings with rune charm. I don't know if my description is appropriate."
Abes said this, and Hiiragi, who came along, nodded in agreement.
As a mage, she didn't even need to observe, but could determine through perception from a distance that there were no runes in those things.
However, after making his evaluation, Abes took a few steps back and stared at the oval ring in front of him suspiciously.
Those lines, carvings, and certain nodes on the outer layer that looked like welding or inlaying all made him feel somewhat familiar.
Looking along the circle toward the mountain wall, you can see some sharp mountain structures.
If you dig up the soil and vegetation, its true appearance may be...
A platform that is convenient for observation and operation, and there is an open space on the other side?
Finally, that strange sense of familiarity was found by Abes.
"That strange space where the main stele of the teleportation stele is located!"
Both places give Abes a peculiar, rigorous and mature feeling of industrial system.
But the difference between the two is that the main teleportation tablet can really be used by Abes. It was discovered by the bear goblin Kurgei by accident, and Kronos used it to save himself. Now it has become an important hub for communication between Sweet Leaf City and the royal capital.
But the things in front of me had no magical reaction at all, and I didn't see any magical aura.
Abes himself directly commented that these works were a group of depictions and paintings with a strong runic charm.
Seeing that Abes and Hiinagi were both standing there thinking, Bard didn't keep them in suspense and instead grabbed a handful of the stones around the ring.
"Lord Abes, and this lady wizard, we also know that this oval ring has no reaction no matter how we stimulate it, so we also classify it as an abandoned and useless discovery."
"But the great discovery we really want to report to the capital, the one that requires you to come and make the final decision, is actually these stones."
Stone?
Bard's words finally made Abes and Hiinagi's eyes focus on the right spot.
Some kind of ore?
Before Abes noticed anything, Hyogi took one in her hand with surprise.
"Hey! Be careful!"
Abes shouted. He had always been unsure about the teleportation stele. He was really worried that his talents would be gone in the next second if they rashly touched something he hadn't figured out yet.
But Hiinagi smiled at Abes and said, "Don't worry, I know my limits. It's just that the power fluctuations of this thing feel very... familiar."
"Are you familiar with it?" Abes was surprised. "Have you seen this kind of stone?"
It's not good-looking no matter how you look at it. It's not regular enough to be used as gravel for a small garden!
However, Bing Nagi simply raised her long ice-blue hair and then tightly grasped the stone in her hand.
Soon, she was briefly enveloped by silver-white mist, and then teleported to an open space 30 feet away.
At this time, Bud also clapped his hands approvingly.
"As expected of a great wizard, you discovered the use of this thing at first sight. We discovered it by accident."
At this time, Abes finally realized something.
"Ah? ...A stone naturally enchanted with the function of the Phantom Step spell?"
At this moment, Abes finally understood the meaning of the ecstasy that could not be hidden on Bud's face.
If this is a new type of mineral that can be obtained in large quantities, then this thing will probably instantly surpass the lava crystals required to make magic grenades and magic shells, and directly top the mineral demand list.
Phantom Step, a thirty-foot visual range teleportation that can be completed with just one bonus action!
Even now, Abes is often troubled by his lack of the ability to move flexibly when facing strong opponents.
There was no way. The giant that spit out black water, the lizard giant that spit out green water, and the aggregation of the corpses of crazy soldiers that were molded into the appearance of the one-eyed god Gruumsh, each of them was extremely huge.
In deep wells, in the wilderness, and even on city walls.
This huge size difference, coupled with the special battle scenes, made Abes's battles extremely difficult every time.
If we could obtain a means of teleportation, perhaps those battles would not be so difficult, and it would also be easier to recover some unnecessary losses.
For example, whether he could catch up with General Paddy at that time by using the Phantom Step;
Or, with the Phantom Steps, could they reach the other side of the city wall faster and save the victims who were torn to pieces by the crazy soldiers?
At this point, Abes finally understood why they named this strange oval ring, which looked like a scrap decoration, the Ether Gate.
Because the Phantom Steps rely on ether and the etheric plane.
There are so many small stones like this near a door-shaped decoration, which can help people use the maze step.
Why not call it the Ether Gate?
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"New ore?"
Abes confirmed with Bud, and the man in front of him nodded slightly, "Yes, it has not been named yet. I want to give this honor to you to name it and to witness it."
"Is that so..." Abes' gaze passed over Bard and looked at the officials of all ranks behind him, then at the knights further behind him, and further behind them, there was a group of large and small armed men in simple clothing.
Obviously, the officials and the knights behind them had different emotions about Abes' arrival.
These officials of the Slime City, who are adopted sons and daughters of the nobility and have half-noble status, know that the arrival of Abes himself represents a more powerful force and can help them achieve their ideal of an excellent ally.
In their hearts, Bud and Abes are at almost the same level, both of them are working towards great ideals.
The knights, on the other hand, have a different attitude. After years of practice, they understand Lord Bard's ambitions and have truly felt a certain degree of improvement in their lives, so they prefer Mud City.
But as for the Royal Capital, they felt nothing. After all, for them, they could not feel the direct changes after turning to the new force that controlled the Royal Capital, nor did they know that some indirect changes came from the help of Abes.
The only thing that could make them feel a little excited was probably the breaking news that the other party might really be the brave man from a thousand years ago.
Therefore, although there is admiration in her eyes, it is not because of the him in the present capital, but for the him in the past, who exists in culture, legends, and fairy tales.
And what about those people further behind?
What about the knights' squires, retainers, and attendants, those who were ignored and deafened by the nobles and were called soldiers?
Their emotions are even thinner and indifferent.
Bard, oh Bard, your propaganda is not thorough enough. Some people in the Slime City have not yet regarded the royal capital and other places as partners and compatriots. If this continues, won’t there be a risk of division?
Let me show you how.
"Which of you discovered it?"
"Your Excellency, this is our entire exploration team..."
"No, no, no," Abes shook his finger. "I mean, who was the first person to discover it and who was the first person to discover that it could help cast the Phantom Step spell?"
Finally, the officials, both big and small, stepped aside, and the knights looked around, and then in the end, an honest soldier standing at the back appeared.