Without pausing, Leylo strode through the boisterous crowds toward the edge of the market. Those two self-important swindlers were likely still gloating over their "brilliant" scam.
Leylo looked up and let out a sharp whistle. A piercing cry split the sky, and a massive shadow swept over the ground. Tempest, the Griffin King, dove down like a streak of amber lightning, the air currents from his wings kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Let's go, Tempest."
Leylo, still holding Moonlight, vaulted onto the griffin's broad, warm back. With a low roar and a powerful beat of his wings, Tempest propelled them away from the earth, soaring straight into the clouds. Below, the colorful market rapidly shrunk into a messy palette before vanishing.
They streaked across the sky like a meteor, crossing rolling hills, dense forests, and endless emerald plains. The wind howled in Leylo's ears, but Moonlight merely squinted in comfort, her silver fur rippling in the gale. This time, there was no halfway rest.
By the next morning, the majestic outline of the Blackstone Mountains loomed on the horizon like a sleeping titan. Blackstone Castle soon came into view. Tempest let out a cheerful cry, gliding down to a smooth landing.
"Look after Tempest and prepare food," Leylo said to the guards as he hopped down. "Tell Marlene to roast two hundred pounds of the best magical beast meat and send it to my room." He and his companions hadn't eaten on the journey, and their stomachs were already growling.
The Alchemist's Appraisal
Leylo headed straight for the alchemy workshop. Before he even reached the door, he could smell the unique mixture of ores, herbs, and strange reagents.
"Karl! Come out for a second. I've got something for you to look at."
A moment later, Karl came jogging out. "My Lord! What kind of treasure is so urgent?"
Leylo smiled and placed the "Grasp of the Giant" onto a heavy stone workbench. Moonlight leaped down from Leylo's arms and trotted over with an elegant feline gait, peering curiously at the table. Karl was instantly captivated. After a long examination, he straightened up with a look of excitement and gravity.
"My Lord, this gauntlet—it is definitely a masterpiece! Based on the complexity of the mana circuits, it's an ancient alchemical creation of extraordinary craftsmanship!" He pointed to the dull, lifeless crystal embedded in the center of the back of the hand.
"This energy core... based on the residual fluctuations, I suspect it was once a 'Giant's Heart.' Such a treasure contains the natural, tectonic power of the Giant race. Unfortunately," Karl's tone shifted to regret, "this Heart is completely shattered. It's beyond repair."
Leylo wasn't surprised. "As expected."
"And look here," Karl pointed to five small grooves around the core. "These are standard high-tier mana stone sockets for auxiliary power. They are all empty."
Leylo pondered. "A Giant's Heart is too rare to find quickly. Let's see how much function we can restore using only mana stones."
A Ton of Power
Soon, Karl returned with a box containing five Tier 2 mana stones. Under Karl's nimble fingers, the stones were carefully slotted into the gauntlet. As the final stone clicked into place, the dull mana lines suddenly pulsed with life. Deep blue light surged through the grooves, and tiny arcs of electricity flickered with a faint sizzle.
"My Lord, the basic circuits are reactivated!"
Leylo slowly slid the "Grasp of the Giant" onto his left hand. Funneling his combat qi into the gauntlet, he heard a low vibration—HUM!
The blue light intensified manifold. Leylo felt a torrential surge of strength pour into his arm; his muscles seemed to swell instantly. He walked over to a five-hundred-pound bluestone weight. Usually, lifting this with one hand required significant effort. Now, his left hand simply gripped and lifted—the stone felt light as a feather.
"Whoa!" Karl gasped in awe.
Leylo hefted the stone and set it down. As he increased the flow of qi, the sensation of power rose higher and higher. "Driven by my qi and these five Tier 2 stones, the 'Grasp' adds approximately one ton of strength to my strike."
One ton—a staggering advantage for a knight. He threw a few punches into the air; the wind whistled with a dull thump of displaced air.
"However—" Leylo frowned as he felt the energy vanish. The brilliant light faded back into a dim glimmer. The five mana stones had lost their luster, turning into grey, lifeless rocks.
"That... that wasn't even five minutes!" Karl clicked his tongue, looking pained. "Without the 'Giant's Heart' as a core, mana stones just can't sustain it. The consumption is too high."
Leylo removed the gauntlet, looking at the spent stones thoughtfully.