《Dead Gods Tell No Tales (Working Title)》
1. Broken Menu
I clawed my way through the frozen waste, my abdomen packed with snow to staunch the bleeding, and a length of skin from the bear that had tried to kill me three days ago. My fingers were bloodied and cracked, and my skin was burned from the constant cold. ¡°Shit...keep going....I''m not fucking dying out in this god forsaken shit hole¡± I muttered on bated breath. It was fucking cold, and I had been struggling for three days since the plane crash. I woke up in the cabin of a plane with a six foot piece of steel rammed through my abdomen. It must have missed anything vital, not that I knew enough to really check. Everyone else was dead, and if I hadn''t gotten out before the flames reached me I would be too. I could still remember the smell of burning flesh. It should make me sick, but at this point it just made me hungry.
I had broken a rib on the metal pole pulling it out, and had to stitch myself up with thread I cut from a dead man''s silk lined coat, a broken fishing hook, and a shit ton of cheap vodka. Luckily the plane kept a lot of small alcohol bottles on board. My phone went dead yesterday...but I had to be getting close. The first thing I did after I got away from the plane was pull up a map. I wasn''t getting a signal anymore, and I guess whatever relay the plane was using was toast. It showed a small town a few hundred miles from the last recorded location. I had headed for the nearest river, and was following it south, hoping that I''d find someone along the water...people like river front properties after all.
Last night I spent wrapped in a dead bear, burning what little I could find of kindling. Maybe I should have waited with the plane...what the fuck made me...shut up. Stop it. Focus. Get your ass to civilization...I think my ankle was broken. Didn''t matter. I''d pack it with ice if I needed to. I wasn''t dying out in this shit hole. I refused to...
Fourth day and I was stumbling. I...maybe I should have hunted...god but the pain was unbearable. I couldn''t think straight anymore...It was a lot just to breath. As I stood upon the precipice of a hill, the snow cleared for a moment and I could see lights in the distance...Civilization...I was going to live. ''Just a few more steps'' I thought as I pushed myself forward, falling into the snow completely numb. I saw the blood then. My stitches had popped again...fuck. The cold worked against me this time. The snow got heavier, and the world went white...
Standing naked in an endless void of white, I looked around confused. ''Was I dead?'' I asked.
A window popped up in front of me.
PLEASE SELECT RESPAWN OPTION. NEW REINCARNATION, OR AVAILABLE SPAWN POINT?
I considered for a moment. ¡°Jesus, I must be going crazy.¡± I said glancing around. ¡°Seriously?¡± I asked looking back and forth in the endless white. ¡°Uh...Available Spawn Point I guess.¡± I said pushing the option button.
The screen disappeared and I floated in the white expanse for a long time...it was hard to tell how long, but eventually the window popped up again.
SPAWN POINT ACQUIRED. COMBINING TEMPLATES. PLEASE CUSTOMIZE AND DISTRIBUTE POINTS.
Class: NONE
Subclass: NONE
Profession: NONE
Abilities: 20 points
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 20
Endurance: 5 (Frail Health)
Intelligence: 50
Power: 10
Luck: 1 (Cursed Existence)
Health: 50 HP Regen: 0.5 HP/day
Mana: 500 MP Regen: 2 MP/day
Skills:
Athletics: 200/400
Climbing: 30/400
Engineering: 300/400
Manufacturing: 50/400
Mathematics: 200/400
Medicine: 10/400
Pain Tolerance: 170/400
Perception: 30/400
Persuasion: 10/400
Singing: 200/400
Survival: 30/400
Swimming: 30/400
Combat Skills:
Swordsmanship: 150/400
Aikido: 200/400
Tai Chi Chuan: 50/400
Wing Chun: 30/400
Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Enchanting Voice
Traits: Superior Magic Recovery, Intellectual Aptitude, Creative Aptitude, Heroic Strength, Heroic Perseverance
I laughed. The entire composition was ridiculous. First off the skill lists were laughable. I had screwed with martial arts since I was a child, but as a way to relax more than anything. I''d grown up doing gymnastics and an assortment of other sports, which had gotten me more injuries than I could count, but it looked like this system was rather generous. Sighing, I began fiddling with the screen, finding portions of it unresponsive. ¡°For fuck sake.¡± I grumbled. ¡°Who the hell designed this piece of shit?¡± I asked, before slamming my fist into the screen in frustration, causing a small explosion of light at contact, a ripple, and a crack.
The screen fizzled, went dark, and started to glitch. After a few moments a white static creeped across the screen from the lower corner. I could hear whispers in the noise..familiar voices. Not that it mattered. People heard and saw a lot in white noise. It was an open medium for the imagination...but fuck if it wasn''t creepy right now.
¡°Whatever, just let''s get this the fuck over.¡± I said, pressing on the class ''button'' again, causing it to glitch again, before a blank drop down menu appeared. I pushed the button a few more times, and a dashed line appeared in the space. ¡°Oh, Guess I get to...write in something?¡± I asked with blank look. ¡°No options...well, that''s fucking stupid. I could write anything? How about gobldygook? What class is that dipshit?¡± I asked the screen, which got no response. ¡°Well, what the hell.¡± I said, writing in God into the slot. ¡°How do you like that you piece of shit?¡± I asked. The screen cracked again, and the static spread. The screen errored out again, flickering in distortion of multicolored light.
RECOMPILING...
ERROR...
RECOVER...
ERROR...
¡.
¡
¡
OVERRIDE...
RECOMPILING
1%..
10%...
40%...
80%...
100%
SELECT DOMAINS:
The screen provided a number of options, but quite a few of them were grayed out. With the crack in the screen seeming to spread, I randomly punched Creation, Magic, and Knowledge. The screen flickered again.
Abilities: 2500 points
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 20
Endurance: 5 (Frail Health)
Intelligence: 50
Power: 10
Luck: 1 (Cursed Existence)
I considered for a few moments as the available points blew up, and shook my head. ¡°Whatever.¡± I said distributing the points. It was hard to tell what the scale was, but I knew I didn''t feel like facing a life of bad luck and poor health. As it was I had to guess at what a lot of things did, as the screen errored out when I tried to get information.
Cursed Existance removed. Luck Trait added: Divine Providence
Frail Health removed. Endurance Trait added: Divine Regeneration
Intelligence Trait Added: Knowledge Absorption, Mental Fortress, Perfect Memory
Power Trait Added: Divine Magic Regeneration, Divine Presence, Alter Reality (Limited)
Dexterity Trait Added: Improved Accuracy, Extreme Precision, Inhuman Reflexes, Divine Alacrity
Strength Trait Added: Heroic Strength
Endurance Trait Added: Heroic Perseverance, Divine Endurance, Divine Aegis, Divine Immunities, Divine Health
Class: God (Rank 1)
Subclass: NONE
Profession: NONE
Abilities: 2500 points
Abilities: 0 points available
Strength: 150
Dexterity: 400
Endurance: 241
Intelligence: 600
Power: 600
Luck: 600
Health: 2410 HP HP Regen: 24.1 HP/second
Mana: 6000 MP MP Regen: 120 MP/second
Skills:
Athletics: 200/400
Climbing: 30/400
Engineering: 300/400
Manufacturing: 50/400
Mathematics: 200/400
Medicine: 10/400
Pain Tolerance: 170/400
Perception: 30/400
Persuasion: 10/400
Singing: 200/400
Survival: 30/400
Swimming: 30/400
Combat Skills:
Swordsmanship: 150/400
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.Aikido: 200/400
Tai Chi Chuan: 50/400
Wing Chun: 30/400
Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Divine Beauty, Divine Presence, Enchanting Voice
Traits: Alter Reality (Limited), Creative Aptitude, Extreme Precision, Heroic Perseverance, Heroic Strength, Divine Abilities, Divine Aegis, Divine Alacrity, Divine Health, Divine Immunities, Divine Limits, Divine Magic Recovery, Divine Providence, Divine Regeneration, Divine Resistance, Domain Powers, Immortal, Improved Accuracy, Inhuman Reflexes, Intellectual Aptitude, Knowledge Absorption, Mental Fortress, Perfect Memory, Superior Magic Recovery,
Divine Abilities: Arcane Mastery, See Magic, Fabrication, Divine Identify
Domain Powers: Divine Senses, Remote Sensing, Create Magic Items, Communication, Remote Communication
Something was ''wrong'' with what I was looking at. I looked over the sheet, but I couldn''t get it to respond as the crack spread further. The color distortion was bleeding into the environment as the static spread. As a drop of multicolored static fell like a bead of water, it hit a ground I didn''t even know was there, causing ripples. The static spread outward, and the whispers grew louder, causing sharp pain right behind my eyes. ¡°GOD DAMN!¡± I screamed as the pain set my nerves on fire. My body was cold again, and my flesh felt numb as my brain was on fire. I gritted my teeth, before the pain reached insanity inducing levels. Anger boiled in my heart, rage consumed, to fight back against the pain of being gutted and split apart. ¡°BETRAYAL!¡± the whispers screamed to me from the void. I felt nothing but pain, and rage...and then nothing.
I wasn''t sure when the pain receded, but I heard a high pitched scream break the madness. There was a crack of thunder, as lightning burned in my flesh like it were a storm cloud incarnate. I opened his eyes into the darkness, and saw a crying woman hovering over me grasping at my numb body. ¡°Gods No! MY BABY!¡± a beautiful woman screamed into the night.
¡°Quiet you stupid elven whore!¡± a man reached out to grab the woman hovering over me, wrenching her away. The woman let out a scream, as three other men came into my peripheral view. Panic filled my brain as I watched the woman struggling against the group of men, but my body felt numb. It felt wrong somehow, everything felt wrong.
¡°Stop.¡± I said in a high pitched whisper. I knew pain, I could deal with pain, if only this damned body would fucking respond. I groaned softly as I crawled at a dirty cobbled stone street. The scent of human excrement was in the air, and god the air smelled horrible. ¡°Stop it. Get away from her!¡± I said, my voice strange in my own ears.
¡°Awe, looky here boys. The little bitch wants some too! She looks old enough to have a bit of fun with. Maybe she''ll survive before we finish with her.¡± one of the men said, approaching me. I was lifted into the air, and slammed into one of the walls of the alley. The man looked huge, and his breath smelled like stale beer and rotten fish.
¡°NO! LEAVE MY BABY ALONE!¡± the woman being accosted by the other three men screamed before one of them closed a hand over her mouth.
Strength slowly returned to my body, the numbness receding leaving only a dull pain as my limbs started to respond again. A calmness overcame me in that moment, while the large man in front of me starting tearing my clothes. With a jerk, my foot slammed into the man''s knee sideways, with a sickening CRACK. The brute let out a scream, and started to fall.
The moment my feet touched the ground, I brushed the wrist and elbow of the man, and twisted, spinning the other man''s body in a blur and slamming him into the ground. Without thinking my foot slammed into the man''s throat with a crunch, breaking something and causing the man to spit up blood as he struggled uselessly to get air.
The other three men turned toward me, getting only a moment to respond before I was on them. Accelerating in a flash, my foot slammed into one of their ankles as I used one arm to throw his suddenly crumbling form into the wall. There was a crack as the man''s neck snapped from the force of his head slamming into the wall. The next man attempted to grab me, but I ducked low and slammed my fist into his crotch. The man let out a high pitched scream and fell forward.
My leg hooked up behind me as I leaped backward, catching another man by the neck as I spun my body around him, using the force inertia to unbalance him and throw him into the man I had just crotch punched. The third man lurched at me, but I ducked down, my elbow coming up into his sternum with a CRACK, as I flipped him over. I reached down, and grabbed his head by the hair, and slammed him into the cobbled stone street. I heard a sickening crunch as a I did it again, pulling back to see a bloody mess of a face. Letting go, my body spun as my leg flipped, my foot coming down on the back of another man''s head, knocking him unconscious. The last man simply stayed down, grabbing his crotch and whimpering.
The beautiful woman in the tattered clothes stared at me with tears in her eyes, and suddenly pulled me up into a hug. ¡°Faith...Oh gods, faith...¡± she said before dragging me from the alleyway into the dark streets beyond. Her hand pulled at mine moving us at a desperate pace. I just followed mutely, confused as the adrenaline bleed from me. I could still feel the numbness fading slowly, as vitality returned to my body.
The streets were filled with people wearing odd clothing, most little more than tattered rags that looked like they were made out of sack cloth. The streets were dirty and dark, though there was an occasional lamp hanging at the street corners. Horses appeared occasionally, but the people riding them ignored everyone around them, giving spiteful sneers when they did look down upon the dirty masses around them. This place was a shit hole, and frankly it smelled like it.
Perhaps a dozen minutes later, we pulled into a three story wooden building with the words ''The Drunken Harlot'' carved into a wooden sign. A silhouette of what I assumed was a barmaid holding a pint of ale was under it. There were a dozen people outside, quite a few making lewd noises on the sidewalk...''Was this woman taking me to a whore house?'' I asked myself before we got inside.
¡°Jasmine, you stupid elven whore! Where the fuck have you been?¡± a tall muscular older man with a gruff looking beard, and broad shoulders called out from behind a bar. A few of the ''harlots'' working gasped as they saw us. Three of them crowded in to look at her, while I glanced around the room. It was mostly empty, strangely enough. I assumed that any of the clientele were either upstairs, or outside at this point in the night. There were a few sturdy looking tables around the entry hall, and small cushioned alcoves with curtains around them...I shuddered at the thought of someone actually ''sitting'' in those.
¡°Jasmine! What happened? Are you alright? Oh...Is...Is that Faith?¡± one of the woman asked looking slightly down at me. She seemed to have an amazed look on her face while she touched my arm. I felt lethargic as the man from behind the bar pulled the three harlots away from us, causing a few mutterings of disapproval from the women. He looked down at Jasmine wearily, then at me with a look of confusion, followed by a slowly twisting smile...was that Lust?
¡°Well...What have we here, Jasmine? Has your little Faith here blossomed a bit?¡± he asked, groping at me. If I didn''t feel overwhelming lethargy I would have broken his hands. As it is, I just felt a numbness in my body fading while the sound of static grew louder at the back of my mind. ¡°Shit.¡± I said as my legs gave out, falling back into Jasmine''s arms. ¡°Baby!¡± the elven woman said, pulling me close, and swatting the other man''s rough hands away. I felt confused, but oblivion was beckoning and it refused to wait.
2. Fabrication
Chapter 2
I woke up some time later lying down in a bed. It was still dark, but my body felt a bit more spry. The excruciating pain had faded and my body felt light, as if I were floating on a bed of clouds. The near electrical energy was still hovering beneath the surface, infusing my body with power. I felt it roiling through my flesh like eddies in a river. The low hum was almost intoxicating, but as the soft chatter of voices interrupted my reverie, I brought my attention back to the hear and now.
¡°She''d make quite an expensive whore, Jasmine. Give her to me, and I''ll make it worth your while...thirty...No, a hundred gold. You could be debt free in a year, and she with you. She could even make it as a courtesan of some rich noble!¡± the voice of the gruff looking man from the bar said just outside the room.
¡°Absolutely not! She''s has a gift. Abernathy said so. She''s smart, and has real potential to be a wizard herself.¡± Jasmine says angrily.
¡°Maybe, but you''ll still be turning tricks as a whore. And where will she be? Surrounded by a lot of hoity toity noblemen, and jealous noblewomen, while her mother is bedding whatever piece of shit walks in off the street with a bit of coin in his pocket. Who''ll protect the girl then?¡± the man responded.
There was a long pause, ¡°No..I''ll think of something. I''m...I''m not subjecting her to this life.¡± Jasmine responded, cracking the door to the room ajar, letting light bleed in from the hallway.
¡°Come on Jasmine. Faith has been around this her entire life. She can take it...and take it good.¡± the man says with a laugh. ¡°I bet she''ll be just like you!¡± he say, the laughter continuing. ¡°Besides, you''re her only family right? Not like the elves would take a half-breed bitch like her. You two turn tricks for a year or two, and leave here with enough money in your pocket to buy a small shop or something. You''d be able to support her while she went to school...I mean, all of her friends are here.¡± the gruff man said.
I couldn''t believe what I was hearing. What kind of twisted son a bitch tried was this guy? He was basically baiting a desperate and scared woman to sell her daughter into prostitution. If I wasn''t such a nice guy, I''d march right up and beat the living shit out of him. I paused, and considered while running a hand down the curve of my body. ¡°Hell.¡± I said confirming my suspicion. This body wasn''t mine. The idea of ''possession'' ran through my head, and the following line of thought was more and more disturbing.
Was the girl whose body I was inhabiting gone? Was I suppressing her somehow? Had I stolen a body from its rightful owner because I didn''t want to be reincarnated? My stomach turned, as stress built, causing me to curl into a ball. The headache from before started to come back, and I let out a soft moan, causing the conversation outside of the door to come to a stop.
¡°Faith! Faith honey, are you alright?¡± the beautiful women I now identified as an ''elf'' asked softly as she came into the room, walking over to the bed I was on, and pulling back the covers enough to lift me into a hug. It felt...soothing, and the sense of stress that was building inside of me faded instantly as this body''s mother pulled her into an embrace. ¡°You scared me...I thought you had died...and then you...¡± she said, just hugging me tighter.
¡°What in the abyss did happen to you two anyway?¡± the gruff looking man asked, glaring down from the doorway. ¡°You two get taken by some street toughs? That''s why you need me, Jasmine. Why all of you girls need me. I don''t charge much for the...support, and just the occasional free sample.¡± the man said with a grin. ¡°Quite generous if I do say so myself.¡± the glorified pimp said, causing my ''mother'' to stiffen.
¡°...I want to be alone with my daughter, Brax, if you please.¡± Jasmine said, with a note of annoyance. She ran her hand through my hair, brushing it softly, before kissing my forehead.
¡°Yea, whatever. Just remember you''re working in the morning. I need you fresh. No one likes a worn whore...well, most no one.¡± Brax said with a laugh, walking off, and closing the door behind him.
¡°I''m sorry darling. I didn''t...I didn''t mean for any of that to happen. I''m so sorry.¡± Jasmine said kissing my forehead again. ¡°I''ll find some way to take care of your education...just give me some time. And then we''ll both be free, and you''ll have a bright future.¡± she said brushing my hair, before she slid into the bed next to me, curling up with me in her arms. I felt...small, but not as tired as she obviously was.
After maybe half an hour Jasmine fell asleep, and I was able to separate myself from her warm embrace. I didn''t really want to, and doing so caused the stress to come back, though not as strong as it was before. As I gazed at her in the moonlight, her blonde hair was lit up with a soft silvery halo. She had a kind of otherworldly beauty to her. Her form was lean in many place, though she wasn''t without appealing curves. In another world she could have been a model. I stared at her in the moonlight for a while, wondering ''who is this woman?'' I peered at her before a window popped up.
Name: Princess Jasmine Lusatra
Race: Noble Sun Elf
Age: 264
Sex: Female
Class: Bard 30, Noble 15
Subclass: Sunsinger 15
Profession: Whore 32
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 90
Endurance: 60
Intelligence: 80
Power: 90
Luck: 5 (Abbot''s Cursed)
Health: 900 HP Health Regen: 6 HP/day
Mana: 800 MP Mana Regen: 9 MP/Day
Skills:
Athletics: 50/400
Climbing: 80/400
Herbalism: 75/400
Instruments:
-Harp: 150/400
-Ocarina: 80/400
Lore: 100/400
Persuasion: 120/400
Singing: 200/400
Survival: 100/400
Swimming: 40/400
Combat Skills:
Archery: 34/400
Longsword: 40/400
Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Noble Birthright
Curse: Abbot''s Curse
Traits: Sun-Kissed, Exiled-Noble
I stared at the window in front of me confused, my...I mean this girl''s mother was an exiled princess...working as a whore? I couldn''t imagine how that happened. I mean I could guess, but she seemed a strong fairly strong willed person, surely she could have made a life for herself without..doing that.
The skills and stats were fairly self explanatory, though the low luck and ''curse'' caused some concern. I had previously had ''cursed existence'' next to my...lower luck. While I wondered at the curse, another window popped up.
Abbot''s Curse: A powerful, and hidden, curse laid by the Abbot of the Dune Sea. An insidious curse ensures the target and her descendents for up to four generations are stricken miserable. ''Fate Conspires'' to produce the worst results at the worst possible time. This curse is also mind-affecting, nudging the victim into bad decisions, and preventing them from seeing better choices. Hopes are raised, only to be dashed in soul-crushing ways.
Sun-Kissed: The bearer enjoys increased vitality, speed, and health while in daylight. Speed, Health Regeneration, and Physical Resistance doubles in sunlight.
Exiled-Noble: Entering into the homelands results in a ''hunted'' status. Gives passive bonus to survival, and passive negative to resist persuasion from possible ''friends''.
Blessing of Aphrodite: Goddess of Beauty and Love, Aphrodite ensures the bearers of her blessing enjoy beauty, adoration, and fertility. Popular among the nobility, as it helps to ensure successful succession.
Noble-Birthright: One major blessing or trait is passed down to all direct descendents. Recognized as nobility for all magical and spiritual effects. Bonus to persuasion in leadership capacity.
¡°Holy shit...That poor woman. She..¡± I said in a whisper. Looking around the poor excuse for a whore house, things were starting to lock into place. She had gone from being a princess to a cheap whore. Her daughter is found to have magical talent, offering a small ray of hope for a way out for the both of them, only for her to watch her daughter murdered in front of her. A cold chill ran through me, and I was angry. That low rage that had been seething beneath the surface was screaming at me to take vengeance, to deliver death to the ''Betrayer''. I held my head in my hands for a minute until the feeling passed...and then another minute, and another.
Sometime later the feeling subsided, leaving my mind clear. Breathing in deeply, I glanced around the room, and shook my head. I don''t know why, but something told me that she would ''sell my services''. She was struggling with it now, but looking at that curse I knew she was only being presented with a lot of horrible options. Lucky for her I didn''t suffer from the same, and I was sure as hell not going to leave my mother...this girl''s mother turning tricks in a whore house. Besides, this entire town was a backwater shit hole. I could use my engineering skills to turn a profit...somehow.
Considering for a few moments I frowned. Business...I was never good at business. Still, it couldn''t be that hard to find a salesman or something to act as a partner. Shaking my head, I looked back out the window toward the moonlit night. I could think of a dozen major changes, but all of them required infrastructure. One thing I knew is that engineering takes time, from concept, to construction. Looking at my mother''s sleeping form I frowned...''Her mother...Her mother''s sleeping form'' I corrected myself.
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There was something on the sheet about fabrication and magic items I think, willing the screen up, hoping it''ll work. I takes a few moments, before I''m able to get the sheet up again.
Fabrication: Able to use Fabrication system to process and form available materials.
-Material Creation: Able to create up to 1 cubic foot of material a day
-Material Alteration: Able to modify up to 1 cubic foot of material into another material, ignoring conservation of energy. (Warning: Certain uses can be hazardous)
-Limit: Restricted to naturally occurring elements and materials.
A chill ran down my spine as I stared at the descriptions. ¡°It ignores conservation of energy..¡± I muttered. That''s just insane, you could make a cubic foot of anti-matter, and blow a planet up. I considered the option for less than a second and shook my head. ¡°Nope.¡± I said with a shiver. ¡°Still, I could make...gold I guess.¡± I said focusing on ''Fabrication System''. There''s a pause as a group of windows appeared. There''s a host of analysis, scaling, and design options. A panel provided a list of materials, with advanced settings for material and chemical compositions. Fiddling with the settings a bit, I decided to try simple shapes. There weren''t any templates to use, so I thought on it and decided to create some jewelry for my...Faith''s mother.
A cubic foot of material is a lot for something like this, so I created a tiara, a necklace, and a set of bracers. I found the interface simple to use, as the system responded to my thoughts. I was even able to store dimensions and details, which made creating a setting for jewels simple. I tried to rip off something I saw in one of the Lord of the Rings movies. In the end I make a poor jeweler, so I might have overdone it with the leaves and vines motif. It said in Jasmine''s description that she was a ''sun elf'', so I tried to work a sun burst pattern into them.
Selecting Sun Stone and yellow sapphire for the settings, I considered for a bit what to make the jewelry out of. Gold might attract a lot of attention, but I wanted something that a sun-elf might like. Flipping through lists of materials, I found a listing for Orichalcum. The name sounded familiar, and it looked to have a very radiant golden hue to it. More like sunlight I supposed, but it looked radiant with the jewels. Overly happy with my choice, I selected Orichalcum for the materials, and made a few last minute adjustments. When I had finished, the sunburst pattern had rays that turned into leafy vines. The bracers were padded with something called ''gold-weave silk'', which had the right coloring for the pieces, while the necklace was more like an amulet. Happy with the design I told it to ''Fabricate''.
EXOTIC MATERIALS USED, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE MAGIC ITEMS?
LIMIT: 3 MINOR MAGIC ITEMS PER DAY
YES/NO?
Looking at the window I considered for a few minutes, before selecting ''YES''. Another window popped up with a heading of ''Spells Known'', but there were no spells listed. The only available option was under a tab called ''Relics'' and just said ''Divine Blessing''...no description provided. Well, that''s helpful, but I wasn''t planning on making any more magic items today, so I thought ''what the hell'', and pressed create.
The effect was...severely draining, and as the jewelry manifested, I was suddenly overcome by lethargy. It was still late at night, and I had a lot to do. Glancing at Faith''s mother''s sleeping form, I stashed the jewelry in a wooden box I fabricated from cuts of wood next to an empty fireplace. After several minutes I wrote a note on the box that said ''For Mom: From Faith'', and headed downstairs.
I considered just creating gold out of thin air, but there were a lot of questions I had about that. First, I wasn''t sure how much attention that would bring. Or whether the gold I created could be identified from normal gold...was that illegal? Like counterfeiting money? Would someone show up to kidnap me? I saw a lot of ''traits'' listed on my sheet, but besides something about energy resistance and a ''Divine Aegis'', I didn''t see anything that made me think I could take on the world. Let''s be honest, taking down a handful of street thugs caught by surprise over a few seconds in a dark alley didn''t mean I or my...Faith''s mother was capable of protecting ourselves from whatever might come our way. Hell, apparently there was ''magic'', and who the fuck knew what kind of threat that was? I needed more information, I needed a plan...I needed to keep moving so I didn''t stop to think to hard on my current situation. ''Too much, too fast...Focus'' I thought.
Reaching the first floor I found a dozen or so ''working girls'' in various modes of undress, swilling what smelled like cheap booze, and chattering at each other. A few glanced up at me when I came down the stairs, and waved.
¡°Faith! Oh honey, are you alright? Is your mom? You passed out when you got back, and Jasmine just said you two were assaulted on the way home.¡± a twenty-something human woman wearing a red bodice and red leather boots said between shots.
¡°Um, we''re fine. I...manage to catch one of the thugs by surprise. It was dark, and after the first one went down, there was enough confusion for us to get away. It was over fast, just a few seconds, so I think we lucked out no one pulled a weapon.¡± I responded warmly. As I came into the brighter lamp light near the bar, some of the girls stopped to stare at me with slack jacks. I wasn''t sure what was causing the reaction, but then again I hadn''t exactly seen a mirror floating around. I thought there might be one behind the bar, but this place was probably too cheap to afford one. Or maybe it just wasn''t a ''thing'' wherever the fuck we were. I did notice that these women were mostly all taller than me. So I was either short, they were tall, or I was young. Thinking about it I brought up my sheet again, and it listed a few more particulars this time. Name: Faith, Age: 13, Race: Half-Elf (Immortal). I''d need to remember to create a measuring stick or something later.
¡°Oh, that''s so scary! Well, I''m happy to hear you two aren''t hurt...Still, the whole thing looks like it was good for you. You''re so pretty!¡± the woman in the red-bodice said, reaching over to get a closer look at me. She brushed strands of black hair out of her face, and I could smell the cheap booze on her breath. I smiled and nodded along, backing up slightly.
¡°Back off Lily, you''re making Faith uncomfortable.¡± a slightly older woman red haired woman wearing blue silk robes said, pushing her way in between us.
¡°Aw, she''s fine Aisha. Aren''t you sweetheart?¡± the woman identified as Lily asked, stumbling a bit. ''God, I had to get Jasmine out of this place.'' I thought somewhat distracted by the women gathering around me.
¡°Well...Ur, Mom is resting up for work. I was just going to pop out for...breakfast. Maybe go for a walk to clear my head.¡± I said separating myself from the gaggle of under-dressed women.
¡°Ah, honey, Be careful. If anything happened to you, your mother would be destroyed.¡± Aisha. said as I headed for the door. As I moved toward the foyer, a drunken man in one of the corners stumbled to the ground, spilling half a pint of whatever swill this place called ''ale'' onto the floor in front of me.
¡°Gah! Filthy low life adventurer.¡± one of the women said, as the drunk man tried to pull himself off the floor. The guy looked young, but wasted. I looked back at the woman who made the remark with confusion, which caused Aisha to elbow her, soliciting a squeak.
Aisha. wandered over, taking my arm. ¡°Don''t worry listen to Silla. Adventurer is a noble profession.¡± she said glancing around as she escorted me to the door. When we got out of view, Aisha. looked at me with a mischievous gleam in her green eyes. ¡°You didn''t think I forgot did you, sweetheart?¡± she asked, passing me a leather pouch. It had a small amount of weight to it, and jingled a bit. ¡°Happy Birthday Faith. I know you wanted to join the guild when you were old enough. It''s not...a lot, but...¡± Aisha. said leaning in to hug me. ¡°You''ll do big things honey, I know it.¡± she said with a wink, causing me to blush.
¡°Uh...thanks a lot Aisha.¡± I said, not quite sure how to respond. It appears the number of things I didn''t know about, and needed to, was growing rapidly. ¡°I''ll...Just go join I guess.¡± I said. Aisha. took my hands and held them up, giving them an encouraging squeeze, as I wandered out the door, onto the street.
3. New Attire
Chapter 3
Stepping out of the whore house let me breath easier, though the smell of the poorer sections of the city were...unpleasant. The first light of morning looked to be on the horizon, as the horizon was lightening somewhat. I felt uncomfortable on the streets, but I had a pocket full of spare change and a vague goal: to dispel the dark clouds that seemed to hang over Jasmine''s life, and to visit this Adventurer''s guild. There was no particular attraction for me to it, but Aisha seemed of the strong opinion that Faith had wanted to join. So my options were really to wander around in a stupor, or actively try to accomplish something. A bad plan was better than no plan after all, and I could always change goals as I went.
Which left me out on the street, without a clue as to where this ''Adventurer''s Guild'' was located. As a chill wind blew through the streets, I noticed for the first time that I was only sparsely clothed. The long skirt I was wearing was torn from last night''s altercation, a simple grey woolen piece to match a grey bodice and cream colored shirt. The thing was dirty, and had quite a few patches in it. I would have simply replaced it using the fabricate system, but...I had no idea how to make clothing, and I vaguely remember that ill fitting or poorly made clothes wouldn''t move right, or would pinch in strange places. So I could purchase a new clothes, though I was apparently only given enough money to ''join'' the guild, wherever the fuck it was.
With frustration, I opened the small bag, and found a few score coins, mostly copper with two or three silver. I had no idea what the conversion rate here was, nor what it could buy. Considering for a second, I thought about the ''Identify'' ability, which caused a small window to pop up into my view.
1 Copper Cinta:
89.75% Copper, 10% Tin, and 0.75% lead. The base currency of the Empire of Atarack, and the Mercantile Guild. Readily used for its mechanical properties, high fatigue-strength and spring qualities.
1 Silver Cinta:
92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper. Most common trade currency in the Mercantile Guild, worth 100 Copper Cinta.
The coins were roughly the same size, with the silver ones being the heavier of the two. Bringing up the fabrication system, I performed a material alteration, shifting the copper coins into silver ones, storing the coin designs in my ''library''. I hoped that this wouldn''t get me in trouble, but I didn''t feel like wandering around unarmed, with torn clothes, in the shitties part of town. The new weight was somewhat comforting as I looked for somewhere to put the purse...neither my skirt, nor bodice had pockets. Where the fuck did people keep their money?
Looking down I tucked the purse down the front of my bodice, causing an uncomfortable pressure on my chest. Well, at least I knew where my first stop was. Pockets, I was going to go buy pockets, and of course clothes to go with those pockets.
Putting one foot after another I found a road heading into town. Most of the shops were closed this early in the morning, though I found myself moving leisurely at a far faster pace than I was used to. Strange, considering that my height was shorter than my previous body. As I thought about it, a window opened up in front of me.
Divine Alacrity:
Deities can move much more quickly than mortals, with a base speed quadruple that of a base human. Every increase in Divine Rank 4x that of the previous rank (Warning, excessive speeds may have environmental effects).
Blinking, I did a bit of math in my head and swallowed deeply. So whatever the hell my normal walking speed was, times four to the power of my divine rank? I made a note of intentionally slowing down my walking speed in the future. God forbid I ran into someone. At the moment I just seemed to be...particularly fleet of foot, but if my divine rank went up I''d have real problems. I wondered if it slowed down my perception time at higher speeds. If not I''d find myself slamming into things constantly.
As the horizon turned warm shade of red and orange, I saw people starting to exit out onto the streets, which made finding a ''market'' easier. At this point I was getting closer to the center of the city, and I could make out a large structure that looked a lot like the colosseum, though in far better condition, and with more of a baroque style to it than a roman. I first caught sight of it over the buildings, when the sky illuminated.
Grand Amphitheatre of Kisk
Serving as both a gladiatorial arena for the entertainment of the city of Kisk, training grounds for the city''s special forces, and location of several seasonal ''plays'', the Grand Amphitheatre of Kisk was founded three hundred years ago, 7250 I.E. (Imperial Era). It Replaced the Stadium of Archons, after a battle between the Duke of Caprice and the Prince of Fillium resulted in the previous building''s destruction. The battle, over the hand of the Emperor''s daughter''s hand in marriage, resulted in a stalemate. Spectators who survived the duel tended to describe the affair as ¡°One Hell of a Fight¡±.
¡°What the fuck did I just read?¡± I asked out loud. Where these people fighting with artillery? Shaking my head, and ignoring it for the moment, I finally found a clother. The place seemed relatively nice, well nice compared to the shit hole in which my mother...Faith''s mother was living. I wasn''t sure for how much that counted. The window front had a few nice looking dresses and suits, mostly crafted from silk brocade. There was however a suit made mostly from leather and cotton that I liked.
As I headed toward the entrance, a small group of people wearing expensive attire. There were three women, and two men, though one of the men was dressed more practically, with a few pieces of plate appearing from beneath cloth coverings, and chainmail under leather. He had a thin sword with cupped hand guard on his hip, and a scattering of knives around his person...Perhaps he was a bodyguard? Not caring about the particulars I followed behind them.
When I entered the floor clerks were engaged with the rich looking clients, so no one much noticed me as I went looking for price tags, a commodity that the shop seemed to be lacking. There were dozens of displays, with example patterns, all done in expensive looking fabrics. It was occurring to me that this place might not have quite what I was looking for, and was likely priced outside of what I could currently afford anyway. I was vaguely reminded of the saying ''If you have to ask, you can''t afford it''. I still had the issue of needing clothes, and the lack of pockets on people''s clothing meant ''custom'' to me. So I''d need a tailor anyway, and I didn''t feel like wandering through the streets in what I was currently wearing all day. At the very least I wanted pants, with pockets...lots of pockets, and maybe a gun or two, and a sword to discourage attackers, in case people didn''t know what a gun was.
As I looked up toward the front counter, I saw one of the rich clientele, a lean middle aged man with greying brown hair and a goatee...he had a kind of Cardinal Richelieu vibe to him, not the historical Cardinal Richelieu, but more like Peter Capaldi''s Cardinal Richelieu. Like an esteemed actor, he carried himself with a self-assured presence. I''m not sure why, but I liked him on sight...the three young women with him not so much. He emptied a small purse of gold coins, and white bars about the size of a credit card but a quarter inch thick, onto the counter.
1 Gold Cinta:
91.67% Gold, 5% Silver, 2% Copper, 1.33% Zinc. Common trade currency within the Empire of Atarack and the Mercantile Guild. Valued at 100 Silver Cinta.
1 Platinum Bak:
0.995% Platinum, .005% Silver. Trade currency within the Empire of Atarack, and the Mercantile Guild. Accepted internationally at face value. Worth 1000 Gold Cinta.
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¡°Shit.¡± I muttered looking over at the money placed on the counter. It looked like I had underestimated the cost of things. As I thought about it, I realized that I had been making assumptions about rare metal values based on the world I had come from. For all I know, I was dealing with fractions of pennies with the copper, the silver might be equivalent to a dollar or something. I was in an upscale tailor''s shop, so thousands of dollars for a single suit wasn''t unheard of from what I remembered, and the rich guy was probably paying for all of them. Still, that means I was likely handed what was effectively lunch money, to go get a ''membership card''.
Pulling my purse from the front of my bodice, I looked at my money again, and frowned...I couldn''t do this all the time, but I needed equipment. Sighing, I brought up the fabrication system again. The system still had volume left over to work with for both creation and alteration. I quietly altered the purse, enlarging it, and creating a stack of forty Platinum Bak, and a hundred gold cinta. Hopefully that would take care of clothing, boots, armor, weapons, and whatever the hell else I needed to buy. If I had anything left over I might find a bank for it. At a guess, I was assuming that maybe had enough for a car, if those types of things existed here. I could feel the excess weight in the bag...I didn''t think it would fit down my front anymore.
As I looked the around, an older woman in simple garments approached me with a weary look on her face. She looked to have a sneer on her face, ¡°This isn''t a back alley. You need to leave before I call the city guard.¡± she said in a low voice, glancing back toward the other people in the store, probably making sure wasn''t ''disturbing'' them.
¡°Um..I have money. I just needed to buy some clothes.¡± I said, holding my pouch up, shaking it a bit so she could hear the jingling.
The woman didn''t look amused as she growled at me, ¡°You can take your copper elsewhere, guttersnipe. You smell like offal and I want you gone before you spread your filth.¡± the older woman said to me in harsher tones than before.
¡°It''s not copper...I have real money.¡± I said, trying to assure the bitch...ur, clerk. I frankly couldn''t blame her for concern given the state of my clothes. Opening the small bag, I showed the glimmer of gold and platinum to her, causing her to gasp.
¡°Thief!¡± she yelled, grabbing my arm, trying to wrench the bag from me. ¡°Call the guard, we have a thief!¡± she called back to the front counter. AS she pulled closer to me, she got a look at my face, which seemed to shift between awe, and contempt. ¡°What did you do, steal from a nobleman after bedding him, little whore?¡± she asked.
At this point, I was caught in a state of disbelief. On the one hand...her attitude was uncalled for, and I really wasn''t sure what was causing this level of hostility. I honestly would have attempted to keep a passive civility, as the woman probably had honest concerns about a young girl in rags walking in with a few thousand in cash on her. However, when she called me a ''little whore'', something in the back of my head ignited, and I started to see red. The rage boiled up from the depths of my mind, and before I even knew what happened, my free hand reached out and grabbed the from of her corset. I placed one of my feet on top of hers, and then kicked at her knee. There was a sickening crunch as the knee bent inward, and she started screaming. The limb fell to the side, but my hand guided her down in front of me, as I grab the one she was holding onto my arm with. I pressed my knee into her chest, supporting her weight, while I bent her fingers back, snapping ligament and bone.
As her screams grew louder, I grabbed her head and began slamming it into a display case beside me, cracking wood with every strike until she stopped screaming. Within moments a group of hands wrenched me away from the woman''s bleeding form. My body running on autopilot, my leg hooked out behind the body of the person behind me, and ducking down as quickly as my body allowed, I tipped the body forward with me, twisting at the arm, and throwing it over my shoulder. There was a blur of motion, and the world seemed to slow down as the body of the bodyguard from before, slammed into the wall, leaving a massive dent.
I moved to continue my assault on the woman who called me a ''little whore'', when a voice behind me called ¡°PLEASE STOP!¡±. Maybe it was the please, but the voice was soothing somehow. As time returned to normal, the rage faded and I stared down on a bleeding and broken body of a elderly sales clerk. The bodyguard leapt back to his feat, unphased, but with a grin on his face, as if a battle lust had been stoked in him. He halted as he noticed I wasn''t moving, while the other man came from behind me, pushing past me to reach the woman on the floor.
¡°Goddess of Purity and Mercy...let your grace fall upon those in need.¡± the man said kneeling down, a warm white and gold light washing over the injured woman''s form. As I watched, her broken body mended, crackling as bones reset and ligaments healed. Blood faded into her skin, and wounds closed. A sense of ''calmness'' washed over the area as the man continued to whisper ministrations.
¡°What in the seven sacred heavens?¡± the man healing the old woman asked, turning on me with anger on his face.
¡°...She called me a thief...she grabbed me!¡± I responded, feeling upset as the adrenaline left me. ¡°She accosted me!¡± I said, as the man stood up. As I got a better look at him, I could see the lean fame of the man had a good bit of muscle on it. His blue and white robes had gold stitching in woven patterns across the hem and breast. His presence seemed stronger, and in the corner of my vision I noticed subtle shift in the environment as I calmed down.
¡°So you decided to brutally beat her within an inch of her life? You threw a two hundred and twenty pound man across the room. Surely you didn''t need to do...that.¡± the man said at me. He glanced down at the half open bag of money in my hand. ¡°And can you blame her for thinking it strange that you carried that much money...I wouldn''t carry around that much, and I''m a bishop!¡± he said.
As I glanced at him, concentrating, my emotions were growing more volatile again, though the rage was gone.
Name: Bishop August Amon
Race: High Human
Age: 165
Sex: Male
Class: Priest 60, Noble 20, Knight 10
Subclass: Grand Healer 30
Profession: Doctor 30
Strength: 60
Dexterity: 100
Endurance: 75
Intelligence: 180
Power: 150
Luck: 90
Health: 850 HP Health Regen: 7.5 HP/day
Mana: 1800 MP Mana Regen: 30 MP/Day
Skills:
Athletics: 30/400
Climbing: 30/400
Herbalism: 150/400
Lore: 220/400
Medicine: 270/400
Oration: 170/400
Persuasion: 220/400
Sailing: 120/400
Survival: 80/400
Swimming: 30/400
Combat Skills:
Longsword: 160/400
Polearms: 60/400
Armor: 60/400
Blessings: Blessing of Tatiana, Holy Endowment
Traits: Healing Hands, Miracle Worker, Inquisitor''s Mind, Supernal Health, Superior Magic Regeneration, Mantle of the Church.
¡°..She called me a little whore!¡± I responded with the last vestiges of anger subsiding, and a hint of remorse rising.
¡°Her insult warranted such barbarism? Will any slight bring out such wrath? If so, who is safe?¡± the Bishop asked me, with a hint of indignation. I looked at him, though he seemed a bit blurry. I was stuck in a state of confusion. My behavior was...strange. I wouldn''t normally have done anything like that, but I just lost control. It was becoming hard to breath, as the implications of what I just did occurred to me. I had almost killed that woman...and I probably had killed at least one man last night. I felt horrible, and as I stood there looking at his blurred imagine, I let out a low murmur, my knees going weak again. I tried to wipe the blurring from my vision with my sleeve. The Bishop stared down at me, his anger fading to a look of concern and pity.
4. Pockets
Chapter 4
There were several minutes of silence while I attempted to catch my breath, and clear my vision. The armored man picked up the woman I had beaten to within an inch of her life, and carried her off into another room. The Bishop let me try and compose myself before saying anything, though I thought I caught the chattering of women''s voices behind me, all in hushed tones.
*Resisted* (Divine Immunity)
¡°So, why don''t we start with a few questions. Did you steal that money?¡± the Bishop asked me, his demeanor changing oddly. I could see a soft radiant blue aura billowing out from him, odd patterns and sigils in the aura brushing at the surface.
*Resisted* (Divine Immunity)
Spell Learned: Detect Lies (2nd Circle).
A common spell within the courts and church, it alerts the user to the ''sound of lies'', causing a subtle shift in perception. This spell can tell if someone is speaking a half-truth, but cannot tell which part of a statement is truth, and which is false. Only discerns statements a person speaking ''knows'' is a lie, and cannot act as a form of divination to impart knowledge unknown to the person being tested. Can only tell if the person ''thinks'' they''re lying. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Path of Light Learned: 10%
Spell Learned: Create Light (1st Circle)
The simplest spell on the path of light, it acts as an intuitive extension of the concept of the path of light.
Effect: It creates an orb of light, which illuminates up to fifteen feet per point of mana spent to activate it.
Spell Learned: Induce Calm (1st Circle)
Effect: Creates an Aura of calm in a radius thirty feet from the caster per twenty points of mana spent. This aura banishes fear, hatred, or terror even if it is of supernatural origin. It does not prevent violent actions deliberately done in cold blood. Can not be used to end a Berserker''s Rage.
Spell Learned: Shield of Light (1st Circle)
Effect: Creates a radiant shield of light around the user, which absorbs physical and/or energy damage directed at the user. This spell bleeds a point of mana from the user for every point of damage stopped by the shield.
I stared at the Bishop for a moment before responding, ¡°Um...No. I didn''t steal it. It''s all mine.¡± I said, as I looked over the ''spell effects'' that were popping up in front of me. The Bishop looked a bit surprised, but simply nodded. ¡°Very well, I believe you.¡± he said with a frown. He seemed to consider me before reaching out to brush my hair from my eyes. ¡°Oh My...¡± he said, staring into my eyes intently. I suddenly felt a pinch on my head as he pulled a hair from my head. ''What the fuck?'' I thought as I scratched at the spot the hair was pulled from.
¡°So child, that''s a lot of wealth to be carrying around.¡± he said with a bit of an endearing smile. I was back to liking him again, but I couldn''t tell you why. Sometimes you just meet people that you like, though usually they do something to ingratiate themselves to you...Well, I guessed that he had just prevented me from committing murder, so that was something. ¡°Which brings us to the question of why, if you don''t mind me being so forward.¡± he said twisting the piece of hair he stole from me around one finger. Ok, so that was kind of creepy...
¡°I was just going shopping for some clothes and equipment...I wanted to make sure I had enough.¡± I said weakly, not quite sure how to explain a complete lack of understanding on the value of the currency. As he looked down at me warmly, I felt like an idiot. ¡°Ahh. Well, that''s understandable then. So tell me child, are you the child of one of the nobility?¡± he asked, the questioning sounding a bit ''pointed''.
I considered for a few moments on how to respond, not sure what the best answer would be. I could lie to him, but he looked to have some spell going that detected lies...though it said I resisted...still, it seemed like a good cover story, and might make this whole thing go away quickly.
¡°Um...Yes.¡± I said, not wanting to divulge more. The Bishop seemed to pick up on my reticence, and let out a sigh. He held up the woven strand of my hair and began muttering something under his breath. The golden blond strand glowed brightly like a sliver of sunlight, before fading away.
Path of Blood Learned: 10%
Spell Learned: Discern Heritage (2nd circle)
Common use among the nobility, this spell is often used to identify nobility in diplomatic situations, as well as establish paternity or maternity (less often).
Effect: Requires a sample of blood, hair, flesh, or saliva. This spell identifies parentage back one generation per fifty mana spent on its activation.
Limit: 1 generation per 10% of path of blood learned.
The Bishop stared at the space the strand of hair had occupied for a moment, and the blood drained from his face. He looked down at me in absolute silence, before a smile broke out on his face. My danger sense was going off, as I realized that my mother''s..Faith''s mother''s status was exiled noble. The spell didn''t seem to provide locations, but that doesn''t mean that this city wouldn''t be hostile to her if they knew. I clutched at the bag of money in my hand, and was looking for directions to bolt.
¡°I see. Well, I won''t hold you any longer...though If you would permit...¡± The Bishop said, waving over to his bodyguard. ¡°You seem to be in need of assistance in your shopping, and protection...for others, if not for yourself.¡± he said as the dark-haired bodyguard approached.
¡°Yes, Bishop Amon?¡± the bodyguard asked looking down at me, with a sly grin on his face...it hadn''t really left him since I''d thrown him across the room.
¡°Yes Charles, this lovely young lady is in need of assistance in her daily errands. I would hate for another incident to occur. I want you to assist her for the day, and then escort her home safely.¡± the Bishop said. The three girls in the back started muttering to each other in disappointment...It seems Charles here was a favorite. As I looked toward the noblewomen, I was on the receiving end of a few angry looks.
¡°Yes Bishop.¡± Charles said looking down at me, while Bishop Amon moved back toward the counter. As he did, one of the clerks, an older looking human in his sixties or seventies brought out a wrapped set of robes. They burned brightly with an inner light, swirling patterns and colors, all just below the surface of the fabric.
Greater Robes of the Hierophant
A relic of the Emurian Old Kingdom, these robes were created by the High Priest Amaun to serve as his priestly attire. These robes provide major resistance to physical and energy damage, offer a 50% mana reduction on cost to all light path and life path spells, and double their numerical effects.
¡°Ohh...Arthur, you did a wonderful job on the repairs.¡± the Bishop said happily, looking down at the older man behind the counter. ¡°Worth every cintas.¡± he said as he tucked the package under his arms.
¡°My pleasure Bishop Amon. It was expensive to procure some of the more...esoteric materials, which is what took so long.¡± Arthur responded wearily, taking the gold Cintas and platinum Bak from the counter, and placing it into a lock box.
¡°Come now Shana, Alice, Ambrose. We don''t want to be late for the show.¡± the Bishop said to the three girls, causing responses of ¡°But Grandpa!¡± as one of them looked toward Charles and me. ¡°Why can''t she get her own bodyguard!¡± the girl said following her grandfather out the door. I stopped listening as they left, turning my attention to the large armored man who was towering above me, with a hand placed leisurely on his sword.
¡°So, what were you shopping for?¡± Charles asks looking down on me. I looked up into his eyes, and could swear I detected a hint of ''blood lust''. I had apparently roused some need in him to ''fight it out''. I glanced nervously around, eying one of the displays. I pointed to the leather pants and jacket combo that had brought me in to begin with.
¡°I wanted something like that...with pockets...a lot of pockets.¡± I said, causing Charles to raise an eyebrow.
¡°Somehow not quite what I was expecting, but alright...¡± Charles said waving one of the clerks over. The clerks looked our way, and seemed to whisper back and forth nervously, before Arthur, whom I guessed was the owner at this point, wandered over.
¡°Ahh...can I assist you?¡± Arthur asked Charles, glancing at me nervously.
¡°Yes, the young lady would like something like that.¡± Charles said motioning to the display I had pointed out. Arthur looked surprised, and then looked down at me. ¡°She also said she wanted a lot of..pockets¡± Charles said with a grin.
¡°I...suppose, though that is not generally the fashion for young ladies...and pockets tend to disturb the lines of the clothing.¡± Arthur explained, ¡°Did the lady have...funds?¡± he asked, apparently having missed out on the altercation I had with the saleswoman from before.
Charles reached out, and opened my money bag, pulling the cloth wide enough so Arthur could see the pile of gold cintas, and platinum bak inside. The tailor''s mouth went wide in surprise, before he swallowed deeply. ¡°I suppose I could include...folded space into the fabric...were you wanting enchantments?¡± Arthur asked.
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¡°I...guess? I was kind of hoping to get some armored plates or something...like his.¡± I said pointing to Charles''s gear. ¡°And...I wanted an entire wardrobe, if possible.¡± I said somewhat hopefully that I could ''avoid'' wandering around between shops all day. I really really hated shopping. I never understood people who liked it, it was boring.
¡°Well...you can certainly afford a wardrobe, though I''ll have to send for an armorer. Did you have a preference on enchantments?¡± Arthur asked, whiled Charles just kept grinning. Really, the entire scene was disconcerting, but at least the level of anxiety in the room seemed to have dropped a level or two, and no one was talking about calling the police on me after...what I did to that poor woman.
¡°I''m not sure? I..wanted some protective equipment...I was going to join the Adventurer''s Guild.¡± I said, trying to provide some helpful input, though when I got right down to it, I really just wanted pants, with pockets, and a jacket that might stop a knife. Charles¡¯s eyes went wide as I mentioned ''Adventurer''s Guild'', and Arthur cleared his throat. ¡°Well...I can of course provide you with something...suitable, though that hardly requires an entire wardrobe of armored gear.¡± Arthur said thoughtfully.
¡°Let me get your measurements, and I''ll design something. It''ll take me...um, three weeks for the adventuring ''gear'' I think, though I should have a set of casual wear and formal wear ready by this evening. In the meantime, I can provide a more suitable dress. I don''t have anything in pants to fit a lady''s cut, but if you wanted to wait an hour or so, I can have one of the other tailors in the back make something.¡± Arthur said wearily, as one of the saleswomen came over and started taking my measurements. Arthur whispered something to a younger man, who quickly dashed out the front.
¡°Three Weeks?¡± I blurted out with concern, before it occurred to me that this place must be backed up. I glanced toward Charles to see if he had any response to the timeline, but he just looked amused...that was going to get annoying, I could already tell.
¡°Ahh, Yes. Well, the enchantments can be done in a few days, but procuring adequate materials can take a while. I have a surplus myself, but the cloth and armored pieces will require alloys be constructed from certain exotic materials, mithril, orichalcum, adamantine, Astralite or the like. For my part, I''ll need to have the thread woven from the metal, using certain spells to maintain flexibility and durability, while Rawl...that''s the armor I work with, will need to fold the metal. These tasks aren''t amazingly time consuming, given the right equipment and expertise...but the issue is procuring the materials to begin with. It will require receiving a trade shipment, and it''ll be another two weeks before one arrives from Sharn Valley or Mont Blaise.¡± he said, before the clerk from before returned with a burly looking man covered in soot and sweat...That was fast.
¡°So...if I had some...um, Orichalcum, that would speed this up?¡± I asked curiously, as the Burly looking man whom I assumed was ''Rawl'', approached. Arthur nodded, ¡°Depending on the quantity, yes. At the very least a suitable amount would allow that phase of processing to begin before further shipments arrived.¡± he said while I looked at the people gathering around me. ¡°Um...Excuse me a second.¡± I said, backing away. I glanced around for a moment, before I caught sight of a small changing room. As I walked toward it, the three men eyed me curiously though they didn''t follow.
Stepping into the small room, I closed the door and considered the issue at hand. I needed equipment, but I couldn''t make clothing myself...I simply didn''t know enough about it, which was...something I would have to rectify soon, though once I had a single set of garments I could take measurements using the fabrication system, and save them as a template for later. Then there was the issue of ''enchantments'', which sounded a lot like that ''create magic items'' thing. The problem being I didn''t really have any spells to use, unless you counted the ones I just ''Learned'', and even then I had no idea how all of that worked anyway. Then I had the issue of the armor: Did I want to wait three weeks on ''nicer'' equipment, try to get something mundane, or produce some of that ''exotic'' material to speed things along.
There was a ''sense of urgency'' involved with my mother''s identity being known. Even if I ditched Charles so he didn''t find out where my mother lived, It didn''t mean someone didn''t have some screwy magic to find her. Most importantly, I really wanted Jasmine out of that whore house, and the idea of waiting on anything right now was pressing my buttons. So far I''d spent half my morning wandering the streets, and beating up an old lady. Best case scenario was I was going to need several hours to have something to wear, unless I wanted to go hunting for another shop...in which case I could end up with a similar experience. I still needed to find the Adventurer''s Guild, though perhaps Charles could help with that.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to follow my gut instinct. Bringing up the fabrication system, I created slender plates, something of a size that could conceivably be wrapped and bound under my skirt or bodice, and used up what was left of the volume of matter I could create today. It was...larger than I had expected. It looked like the jewelry from the night before didn''t count, and the money I made while significant, only took up a small portion of a cubic foot. Mostly I blame the fact that I have the body of a thirteen year old girl, and those are apparently small.
As I created the stacks of orichalcum plates, I got a similar request about the creation of magic items, but declined. I felt energy being sucked out of me as the plates formed, and I had to grab the side of the wall for support, my knees buckling. It felt worse than when I made the jewelry for my mother, even if I didn''t imbue them. I thought it was strange, since I didn''t really feel ''drained'' when I made the extra gold and platinum. Apparently ''exotic materials'' required mana?
I breathed deeply for a few seconds, before the feeling passed and within a minute I felt ''back at full''. ¡°Are you alright in there?¡± Charles asked from outside.
¡°I''m fine...I''m coming out.¡± I responded with a bit of a squeak as I wrapped the plates in a strip of cloth. Stepping back out into the shop, I got strange looks from Arthur, ''Rawl'', and Charles as I held up the bundle to Arthur. As the tailor unwrapped it, he frowned. Rawl let out a loud surprised whistle. ¡°Well..that should do it¡± the burly man said picking up one of the plates to exam.
¡°Ahh, I see. Well, this should far more than suffice in quantity for the alloying...Though I might suggest not wandering around with this much Orichalcum on your person, Miss...We have banks for a reason.¡± Arthur said wearily. Charles just kept staring at me with that stupid grin on his face...I really wanted to punch him.
¡°By the heavens, this isn''t alchemical formed Orichalcum! This is natural!¡± Rawl yelled, causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing. I looked at Arthur and Rawl confused, while the older tailor just quietly wrapped the plates back up. ¡°I need to sit down.¡± Rawl said, walking over to a bench, and sitting, staring at the plate in the sunlight streaming through the window. It seemed to glow as if on fire when the sunlight hit it, a glowing corona forming beneath the metal''s surface, putting on a pretty enough display...It kind of looked like a screen saver to me, to be honest.
¡°Um, is something wrong?¡± I asked confused, causing Arthur to shake his head. ¡°Um, no...it''s just that most orichalcum is created from gold, and certain rare materials, In a prolonged alchemical process. Naturally formed Orichalcum is far more rare, and is created over eons in mana rich environments. It''s far more potent than its alchemical counterpart...Are you sure?¡± Arthur asks, looking toward Rawl. The blacksmith nodded, holding up the small plate. ¡°Aye, I was allowed to handle a small sliver of it when I apprenticed in Mount Blaise with the dwarves. Master Garil had saved for a century to procure it. He was going to use it to make the alloy for a great sword.¡± Rawl said shaking his head.
¡°Hold on...How much of this stuff do you use in an alloy? What''re you mixing it with?¡± I asked confused.
¡°Well, with the alchemically formed Orichalcum, it''s about a twenty to one ratio. The material is more or less used change the mana pattern in the material...but with Natural Orichalcum...a thousand to one. The material is too mana rich to work with normally. Large blocks are formed during processing, out of only small pieces. As to what we use, it depends. Mostly living steel...that''s ash steel that''s infused with ''life'' energy.¡± Rawl explained, as he turned the plate over in his hands and nodded. ¡°Well, I think I can make something wonderful with this.¡± he said happily, as he stood up and wandered toward the exit.
¡°Uh, Rawl! How much?¡± Arthur asked confused, looking at the plates in his hand. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I''ll just keep the leftover.¡± Rawl said with a grin, slipping the small plate into his pocket.
Arthur cleared his throat, and handed me back to small stack, minus a single plate. ¡°Well, I suggest your next stop is Blackfield''s Bank...you''ll want a vault.¡± the tailor said in a bit of a daze. I stared forward and groaned, ''Well, shit.'' I thought. Charles just continued grinning, ¡°So, Should we have breakfast here while we wait for your clothes? Or head straight to the Adventurer''s Guild?¡± he asked.
5. Adventurers Guild
For those requesting I move to putting the pop ups and stat-sheets in tables...I''ve had some issues trying, and have so far declined to do so until I find a simple way. I can''t get the stat sheets to look right, as for some reason it won''t let me do things like td width=100% or whatever. If I figure out how to get it to work, I''ll punch it in later. Frankly if I *could* get it to work, I would have included more information.
Chapter 5
I decided to ''stay for breakfast''. Not that I was particularly hungry, but I needed something to occupy my mind, and damn it, I wanted pockets. Mostly I ate in silence, with Charles staring at me the entire time. My mind kept going back to the Orichalcum alloy...I mean five percent gold...less than five percent gold, in a steel alloy? Why? I knew that stainless steel could be gotten with a mixture of like ten percent chromium, but...gold? That''s not to say you couldn''t get a gold-iron mix. I vaguely remembered jewelers coloring gold blue with iron, but even that was at least seventy-five percent gold. It was probably similar to adding lead, which in extremely small quantities made it easier to machine form the material...though I vaguely remembered reading about super-hard gold surfaces being created using pyramid shaped carbon microstructures, that were supposedly harder than steel. He did say the orichalcum was used to change the ''pattern'' of the material...maybe he meant crystal structure. Though I wasn''t sure how ''mana'' applied. I needed to see this process in action, maybe take a few samples for testing...maybe use the fabrication system to make a TEM or X-ray diffraction microscope...
¡°So, are you going to clean up before putting on the new clothes?¡± Charles asked, disturbing my daydreaming. Snapping to attention, I looked around the room and saw a couple of clerks wandering toward me with a set of clothes. It had been almost two hours since the women took my measurements, though there had been some dissent, I demanded pants...with pockets. As I looked at the approaching saleswomen, I looked down at my dirty, patchwork clothes and realized...I hadn''t bathed. Hell, I don''t think I even had a clue what I looked like. I noticed my hands were dirty, marred with dirt. Given the altercation last night, my face probably wasn''t any better really.
¡°Oh...Um, I probably should.¡± I said, placing down a biscuit that I had been more or less nibbling on absently. ¡°I...don''t suppose they have a bathroom.¡± I said with a frown.
¡°Doubtfully, though I''m sure they have a water-closet, and probably a wash basin...¡± Charles said, looking up at one of the women meaningfully. The woman looked at me nervously, more like I was a rabid animal, but said nothing.
¡°Of course, Miss, this way.¡± the saleswoman said as I stood up, moving to follower her into a back room. The room had an odd looking toilet in it, and a desk with mirrors, and a small wash basin. I looked at the toilet curiously. I hadn''t really seen any sewer systems, and as I brought up the fabrication system, it let me let me peel away layers, making things transparent. The line emptied out into an alleyway out back, into the gutter...I thought I was going to be sick. That smell last night....Oh god.
I swallowed deeply and smiled at the saleswoman who closed the door behind me. It appeared someone had recently filled the wash basin, though the water wasn''t warm. As I looked into the mirror, I pause. The face of the girl staring back at me was covered dirt and..something, which I hoped wasn''t what I thought it was. Golden-blue eyes stared back through the mess, shimmering somewhat, the light reflecting off the gold much the way sunlight was reflected in the orichalcum earlier. An oval face tapered in a sharp jaw line, framed by almost glowing blonde hair, though even the hair was...marred with back-alley refuse.
Sighing, I began by poking my head out of the room, and asking the woman outside for...more water. When she returned, it was with two buckets full, which she set beside the door. I was honestly surprised she could lift them, but then again I suppose looks can be deceiving around here.
I locked the door as I stripped the clothing from my body, finding it altogether disconcerting. Faith was starting to show real signs of ''maturing'', weight at her hips and backside disturbing the otherwise slender athletic form. As I removed the bodice, I immediately felt like I could breath more easily. The straps in the back had been pulled tight, almost eliminating the developing bust, which was creeping into a C-cup even now. Thinking back on Jasmine''s form, I frowned. ¡°No...that''s not going to do at all.¡± I muttered to myself, imaging carrying too much excess weight around there. Maybe if I was lucky It''d stop growing...or I could do pushups or something. Since I had a mirror I was able to place my height, using the fabrication system to produce a ''ruler'', at around 5''6¡±, so not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I began scrubbing myself vigorously to remove whatever the fuck had gotten caked onto my skin. The soap wasn''t amazingly effective, and frankly felt a bit caustic. When I Identified it, it appeared to have a good amount of Lye in it. I didn''t feel comfortable in this body, but I knew that I wouldn''t feel comfortable in this skin until it was clean. God...the things people flushed into the gutters...¡±Oh god...¡± I said as I scrubbed harder. I ran through almost the entire bar of soap before I was happy that nothing was left in my hair or on my skin. I was still sopping wet, after rinsing myself clean of the last scrub when the saleswoman wandered into the ''water closet'' to check on me. I looked up to see her staring at me with a slack jaw and wide eyed stare. I suppose trying to ''clean up'' in their bathroom was perhaps a bit too far. I cleared my throat nervously, about to respond when my gaze caught the mirror.
The woman in the mirror was radiant, her milky white skin flawless and unblemished. A lean neck joined slender shoulder, and her stature was almost...regal in its bearing. Her damp hair glowed in the light, much like her eyes, and I stared at the almost otherworldly or fey-like form I remembered something I hadn''t quite paid attention to on my sheet...
| Divine Beauty |
| A trait of those beings, celestial and divine, which embody the concept of mortal or immortal beauty. Rarely found in some of the ''high-races'', but always those with divine or heavenly ancestors. The form of a being with this trait is objectively beautiful, as its form is formed based on the concept of beauty, and not just a subjective quality: For this reason different beings can experience the being in different ways. |
I glanced at the window and just frowned...''Alright, that''s just stupid. How the fuck is beauty objective? Are we talking golden ratios or something? Who the hell decides that?'' I asked myself as I stared at the window with irritation, distracting myself from the vision of beauty positively glowing in the mirror across from me. As I realized I was probably muttering to myself like a madwoman, I turned my attention to the saleswoman and realized I was still standing there stark naked. ¡°Sorry!¡± I said, reaching down to grab my clothes, causing the saleswoman to shriek.
¡°NO!¡± the saleswoman said, causing me to freeze, hunched over the basins. ¡°Don''t put those filthy things back on!¡± she said coming toward me, and trying to usher me out of the water-closet, away from the filthy remains of my bodice and skirt, and the two buckets of fouled sud-water. I tried to object as she pulled me away, but she was firm, and I didn''t want to risk hurting her. As we entered a small octagonal room with mirrored walls, she left me standing naked on a raised platform. ¡°Just stay here, I''ll get you some undergarments.¡± she said, disappearing back out the door. I was left staring at my own nude body in a room full of mirrors, though in reality I just kept looking into the reflection of my eyes, lost in the shifting golden luminance.
Before I noticed, two women had come into the room and were fitting me with slender wraps around my hips and waist, and a set of underwear that looked like short silk boxers. One of them ''re-measured'' my bust and chest, before disappearing back out of the room, returning a corset. Ten minutes later and I had managed to actually be fully dressed again. The attire looked like a blue-gold pant suit, with a tightly fitted blue long sleeve silk blouse, fitted snugly over the corset. It came with a fitted long coat, that looked to have places set aside to fit metal plates into for protection, though they were empty at the moment. A black leather belt slung off of my hips, matching a set of black knee high leather boots. ¡°I could put a holster there.¡± I said with a smile at the belt, the idea of adding spurs to the boots, and a six-shooter at my hip. A grinned stupidly, causing wry looks from the saleswomen.
Arthur wandered in with Charles, both of them stopping dead when they saw me. There was an awkward minute or two of silence, and as I glanced at my reflection in the mirror it occurred to me that this might become a ''thing''...Maybe I should wear a mask...''Ooh, the lone ranger!'' I thought happily.
¡°I need a mask!¡± I said with a smile, causing Charles to groan, and Arthur to clear his throat. ¡°I''m afraid we don''t carry those...I could provide a hat and veil.¡± the elderly tailor suggested weakly, before wandering over to check the fit of my clothing. Seemingly satisfied after I held out my arms, and moved around a bit, he ''allowed'' me to leave. When I asked about payment, he told me not to ''concern myself'', providing me with a with a blue cavalier hat and a thin veil.
I draped the precious metal laden bag over my shoulder, fitting a few gold coins and a couple of platinum back into my pockets. I wasn''t sure what to do with the Orichalcum plates, so after altering them slightly, I just slipped them into the plate holders of the jacket to act as ''armor''. The weight wasn''t that noticeable to me, though I got very strange looks from Charles who just shook his head in disbelief. ¡°So, shall we go get you your adventuring credentials? Or did you want to stir up more trouble?¡± Charles asked, once more inciting within me an urge to punch him in the face.
¡°Well, I thought I might need a sword or something...what types of equipment do Adventurer''s normally need?¡± I asked Charles curiously as we walked down the street, people pressing away from us as Charles walked in front, seeming to discourage approach.
¡°That would mostly depend on what types of quests they accepted, and their primary jobs. With mages, they tend to procure mana restoration potions, staves, wands, or other things to boost their offensive power. Warriors get armor, swords, shields, maces, and assorted combat options. If you intend to go very far, you''ll likely need a mount and barding. Camping equipment for when you''re between cities...I could go on.¡± Charles said, causing me to stare at him intently while we walked, realizing I didn''t actually know anything about this man.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Name: Charles Bastier
Race: High Human
Age: 55
Sex: Male
Class: Warrior 40, Noble 10, Knight 30
Subclass: Illuminant Knight 15
Profession: Body-Guard 20
Strength: 160
Dexterity: 110
Endurance: 120
Intelligence: 50
Power: 80
Luck: 60
Health: 1500 HP Health Regen: 24 HP/day
Mana: 500 MP Mana Regen: 8 MP/Day
Skills:
Athletics: 132/400
Climbing: 66/400
Lore: 80/400
Medicine: 70/400
Persuasion: 125/400
Sailing: 150/400
Singing: 82/400
Survival: 110/400
Swimming: 60/400
Woodworking 104/400
Combat Skills:
Longsword: 242/400
Polearms: 60/400
Armor: 221/400
Grappling: 190/400
Blessings: Battle Blessed, Holy Warrior
Traits: Born Leader, Heroic Strength, Superior Health Regeneration, Supernal Health
| Battle Blessed |
| Rising above the din of war, the Battle Blessed find peace within the conflict of battle. The larger the battle, the more potent the blessing, making these men and women potent resources in the field. The Battle Blessed receive an increase in base speed, endurance, and strength. Perception of time slows down for the Battle Blessed during fights, in proportion to those they''re directly engaged with. Lastly rate of health regeneration changes from HP per day, to HP per hour. |
| Heroic Strength |
| Gifted with the strength of the heroes of old and Capable of exceeding mortal limits on strength temporarily. This causes reduced endurance afterward at a cost of 4 strength to 1 endurance. Loss of Endurance lasts 1 hour per minute of increased strength. Amount added to strength cannot exceed more than half of endurance rating. |
| Superior Health Regeneration |
| This effect doubles the rate of healing, and reduces the length and severity of diseases. |
| Holy Warrior |
| A mark of those who had dedicated their lives to place their lives between the innocent, and the forces of evil. Wounds inflicted upon evil creatures are more severe, and heal more slowly than normal. This blessing also reduces the severity of wounds received from evil creatures, making them a bulwark against the machinations of the forces of the abyss. |
| Born Leader |
| A common trait of knights, those with Born Leader impart a measure of their personal strength to those they lead. In battle this can endow a fighting force with increased strength and resilience in proportion to the person leading them. Outside of battle, this trait helps to inspire confidence and competence in mundane tasks. |
| Supernal Health |
| This trait provides a passive resistance to illness and poison, as well as providing a bonus to Health from Endurance, this does not apply to health gained from class levels. |
I blinked as I looked at the sets of windows popping up in front of me. I had seen Heroic Strength on my own, and was curious what it did...but this man looked like he was a juggernaut in war. I had already found him somewhat intimidating, but now I found myself imagining him wading through battle, leaving a path of dead or broken bodies in his wake. I shivered as I realized that there was a lot about this world I had no idea about. I wasn''t even sure where I saw information about spells from, since I know that I had ''learned'' them. It seemed like the type of thing you''d see pop up on a screen full of stats, though maybe I just didn''t know how to ''request'' the information?
¡°Uh...Hello?¡± Charles asked as we came to a stop, the large man looking down at me quizzically. ¡°Oh...Um, sorry. I was just lost in thought.¡± I said feeling a bit sheepish, causing him to sigh.
¡°Well, you haven''t said a thing for three blocks.¡± Charles said, nodding toward a large building across the street. ¡°We''re here.¡± he said, folding his arms over his massive chest. Across a large crowded circular intersection, was a five story building that took up the entirety of a city block. The place looked like it could serve as a fortress if push came to shove, the walls being made of granite and iron. Though there were no ''guard towers'', the place had alcoves where armed and armored men sat leisurely chatting. The building seemed to act as a hub for the area, as large amounts of pedestrian traffic found its way through wide archways, with sturdy looking oak and iron doors.
I wasn''t quite sure what to expect when I wandered in, but the interior, aside from being decorated like an armory, felt more like a mall than anything else. Shops lined stone hallways, peddling everything from camping gear, to armor. I even found a handful of different clothiers, who looked to be selling more...functional attire. As I stared at one of the clothiers, Charles looked down at me, then at the shop, then back to me. Realizing what was going through my head, he just started laughing loudly, and headed toward a large reception area inside of a domed chamber central to the building.
Marble statues of assorted heroes lined open alcoves, each showing off the visage of some greater ''adventurer'' of old. A stained glass ceiling illuminated the floor below with images of Adventurers battling dragons, ogres, and other assorted monsters. Tapestries lined the walls, all with similar images of heroic daring-do, though a few had depictions of more menial tasks, such as foraging for plants, or pulling cats from trees. I found the entire d¨¦cor both mildly inspiring, and also terribly pompous. Pushing the thought from my mind, I worked my way up toward a short line behind a counter while Charles wandered off to chat with some large men in full plate armor.
It took several minutes before my ''turn'' came up, and as I stared down at a dark haired twenty-something women with tired violet eyes, she smiled up at me. ¡°Good morning, and Welcome to the Kisk Adventuring Guild. Would you like to join?¡± she asked warmly, pushing some papers away behind the desk.
¡°Oh...Um, yes please.¡± I said looking around my through the thin veil, seeing people filling out the odd paperwork. The woman nodded, and handed me a small clipboard, with a quill and ink pot. ¡°The registration cost is two silver and thirty copper.¡± she said warmly, as I started reaching into my pockets searching for change.
¡°Just a second.¡± I said trying to find which of the many pockets on my I had put the silver coins in. As I fumbled through my pockets, there was a glittering of metal hitting the floor. My grabbing a handful of gold coins, a number of them hit the floor along with two platinum Bak ¡°Shit! Sorry, hold on!¡± I said frustrated as I transferred the fist full of gold to my coat pocket and started picking up the gold and platinum off the floor. Standing up I smacked my head on the underside of the desk, causing me to grab my head and fall on my ass...Heels...I should have gotten flat soled boots, but I took what they gave me. It was screwing with my balance.
Noticing that more of the coins I''d stuffed my pockets with were piling up I, started forcing stuffing them back in, realizing I should have asked for zippers to go with my pockets. Still, I could make zippers later. Standing up with a few gold coins in my hand, I placed one down on the countertop breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Sorry, can you break a gold?¡± I asked, pausing as the woman behind the counter started at me wide eyed, with all signs of exhaustion gone from her face. As I looked around I noticed that most of the room was watching me for some reason, including Charles who just had that stupid grin on his face again.
¡°Yes...um, I''ll get that now...just fill out this...You should stay right here, I''ll go get the um...I''ll be right back.¡± the woman said as she got up with the gold coin in hand, rushing into a back room. ¡°Oh whatever.¡± I said with a sigh, as I began to try and fill out the document...at least I tried to. I was having some issues with getting the ink to deposit.
6. Testing
Chapter 6
As I tried to fill in the sheet I realized a few things. First off, the papers were all almost identical, meaning this world most likely had printing presses. The imprint wasn''t perfect, and I didn''t quite recognize the type font as I was reading it. In fact I had to stop and focus to realize I didn''t recognize the language. I could read it, but I had no idea how I recognized the words, which caused a sense of disorientation as I began looking around the desk at other stacks of paper in different writing styles, fonts, and languages...all of which I could easily read.
| Communication |
| A deity can understand, speak, and read any language, including nonverbal languages. A deity can speak directly to any being within one mile of itself per divine rank. |
| Remote Communication |
| A deity can send a communication to a remote location. The deity can speak to any of its worshipers, and to anyone within one mile per rank away from a site dedicated to the deity (shrines, sacred groves, temples), within one mile per rank away from a statue or other likeness of the deity.
Limits: Messages received by contacted being are telepathic, and can only be heard by the intended target. Material Plane only. | [tr]
A group of windows popped up in front of me, distracting me while I was trying to figure out what ''class'' to put on the sheet. Communication explained why I could read the assorted languages, though I wasn''t sure about ''remote communication''. I wasn''t sure what a material plane was, though I assume it was opposed to an immaterial one? As yet I had no worshipers that I was aware of, nor any shrines, sacred groves, temples, or likely any engraven images of myself...unless my mother...faith''s mother kept a picture or something; I somehow doubted it though.
I looked around at the assorted statuses of people around the room trying to get a feel for my options, and noticed a few oddities. For one there was the occasional moon elf or sun elf, but no ''noble'' sun or ''noble'' moon elves. There were plenty of humans, but only a small scattering of ''high humans'', and most of those looked to be nobility of some sort. While trying to focus on race, another window popped up.
[tr]| High Human |
| High Humans are a variant race of humanity that originated during the Dusk Wars. Akin to the Gold Dwarves, Noble Elves, or Greater Beastmen types, these variant races were forged by their race''s Gods to serve as the nobility. Gifted with greater stats, longevity, and blessings than their mundane or lower kin, they received bonuses to tasks involving leadership and ruling. They were unfortunately less fruitful than their lower kin, making breeding between lower and higher variants extremely difficult. Breeding between high, noble, or greater variants of these races enjoy a similar probability of success to breeding within those same races. |
I supposed that explained a bit about the ''racial variants'', though I found the idea of racial leaders...creepy. I didn''t see any ''high'' or noble half elves though, so I wasn''t sure how the interbreeding worked. The other thing that struck me as odd were the stat differences. I knew mine were a bit abnormal, but while many of the ''high humans'' had one or two stats over a hundred, the large majority of people''s abilities were below. In fact across the board the difference more than half. Where as a 30th level warrior who was a high human might have a strength and endurance or 120 or 130, a normal human had perhaps a forty to sixty in the same stats. They were also less likely to have multiple attributes over 30, where as the high humans had base stats that tended to start in the 40s or 50s. The lower races tended to have a broader range of skills though, with survival being fairly high among humans and usually over a hundred. I was also more likely to see multiple classes on the high-humans, and multiple professions on the low humans...maybe a trade off?
Dismissing the windows and focusing my attention on the sheet of paper in front of me, I thought about choosing Warrior, as it was one of the most common classes. I really had no idea what the class ranges were, but most of the younger looking people seemed to have levels between three and fifteen. When the young woman with the violet eyes came back, she had a stuffy looking man following her with a small stack of rolled coins. I raised an eyebrow, as he wrote a receipt, and had me ''sign'' it counting out the stacks in groups of five, ten, and twenty silver, and multiple stacks of copper rolls. ¡°If you would like, you can arrange to have large sums deposited with one of the local banks.¡± the stuffy looking man said, staring down meaningfully at me through thin rimmed glasses. ¡°Uh...¡± I responded a bit confused as he took the piece of paper I signed away with him, likely to file it.
The young woman behind the counter smiled uneasily as she looked down at the paper, noticing the missing information. ¡°Um...do you not have a class yet?¡± she asks carefully, causing me to shake my head. ¡°Oh...Not yet...¡± I said hesitantly, frowning.
She smiled and pulled a few folded pieces of paper out. ¡°Well, a lot of new adventurers tend to train as warriors, since it provides better bonuses to physical health and armor. It''s also the cheapest and quickest to learn initially from a trainer. If you have aptitude you could learn a magic using class, though those tend to be more expensive. We a few qualified trainers for hire in the guild, though they can''t really provide the same quality of education as one of the magic academies. Quite a few young people do learn magic at the adventuring guild first, getting experience before attending an academy. Would you like to take an aptitude test? It''s only twenty copper cintas.¡± she said warmly.
I glanced at her thoughtfully before nodding, trying to separate copper from the roll. ¡°I''ve got that...¡± she said taking one of the rolls and placing it behind the desk, handing me back a few loose coins. ¡°I''m Naomi, by the way.¡± she said as she wrote something down, and motioned to a side room. As I glanced toward Charles''s direction, I noticed that he had disappeared into the crowd. I also noticed that a large portion of the crowd was eying me closely as I headed into the side room. I wasn''t entirely sure why, as I wasn''t the only ''well dressed'' person in the hall...maybe it was the veil?
We entered a large room with stone floors and several glowing balls of light hovering inside of glass sconces on the walls. The room had a few training dummies, some odd copper and glass tools on a desk, and stacks of weights and weapons. ¡°We can use your mana print to generate your guild card, since I''m assuming you don''t have a military or government issued one. However, that only gives us a listing of stats, skills, and traits. And it will take a few hours to generate the card. These tests help establish different tendencies, relative ranking, and aptitudes, which helps trainers assess suitability for different classes. A few of the trainers have certain minimum requirements. So, why don''t you tell me what you''d like to test first.¡± she said with a warm smile.
I was probably most familiar with weapons, and as I looked at her I considered the types of tests presented. ¡°Um...so it doesn''t list blessings?¡± I asked picking up one of the swords, a dull looking longsword. I wasn''t entirely familiar with long swords specifically, since the few martial arts I had practices either had their own swords, or more or less used a wooden stick. I gave it a few swings, noticing that it felt extremely light.
¡°Oh...Um, I suppose...¡± Naomi said as she brought out a small glass orb, with a brass band around its center. ¡°That''s not something we see a lot though...¡± she said looking up at me. I cleared my throat and nodded. ¡°Ok...I guess the magic stuff? Then something with swords?¡± I asks kind of uncertain what kind of tests were possible. My statement must have been amusing, because Naomi giggled and nodded. ¡°all right, come here and place your hand on this.¡± she said as she turned the band around the glass globe, causing a ticking sound as it suddenly changed color.
I took the glass sphere with both hands and looked at her with a frown. ¡°Just focus on channeling your mana into the ball.¡± Naomi said while I just looked at her confused.
¡°Um...how do I do that?¡± I asked, turning the ball around in my hand, looking at the strange symbols engraved on the metal. The brass''s color changed with my touch, and I began to see strange images and symbols in the depths of the orb, flowing mists shifting as cracks of electricity rippled within like storm clouds.
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¡°Just...imagine there''s a light that fills your body. It moves with the beating of your heart, spreading through your flesh and bones. Feel it rippling as you breath, and wrapped around you like a mist. Then imagine a small void at your center.¡± Naomi said while I looked into the depths of the sphere, finding a small crack in the clouds, bleeding light into the clouds...I could hear static, and whispers. I nodded as I felt the energy in my body, like an electric current just beneath the surface of my skin.
¡°All right, now imagine the light around you was falling inward, filing in the void, being pulled in until it''s filled up.¡± Naomi said, though my mind was elsewhere, listening to the whispers, seeing silhouettes moving in the void. I felt the shifting of energy spreading out from me, and it began to fall towards the void, like a light being dragged into the pit of a black hole.
¡°When the light begins to fill up, imagine it being pushed into the glass, through your hands...¡± Naomi said with a strange echo in her voice. I couldn''t quite tell what she was saying at this point, as I stood upon the edge of the void. There was a dark abyss below me, and above me the light reflected upon the void, a dim and endless twilight stretching into eternity. I could feel the pulse of light at my center, and a spark in the depths. As I breathed, the spark touched the endless twilight, catching the ether alight. In a brilliant moment the fires of creation spread across the horizon, creating a torrent of energy. I could feel the power of a universe being born in a single moment of endless possibility. And then the void began to pull.
The light fell into the void, but it didn''t disappear. The torrent swirled, forming a single point of breathtaking illumination, a star in the void. The light was pulling me as into it, as I struggled to stand against the tide. When I thought I was about to fall, washed away by the sea of fire, the star in the void flickered and exploded.
Power surged forth from within, pouring into the small globe in my hands. The storm clouds within the glass ignited, and the light burned like the heart of a thousand suns. I could hear screaming distantly, but I couldn''t turn away from the light...and there at its heart was the crack...the static bleeding out. ¡°I RISE!¡± the voices whispered, flickering images of a the empyrean chaos striding the heavens. At its heart the figure of a woman carrying a fiery sword stood beckoning.
The vision ended and I was left holding thin air, the glass sphere evaporated within the fire. The entire room was tempest tossed, tables smashed into walls, while Naomi was huddled in a corner shivering in a corner. She looked up at me as the light faded, looking startled and confused. As for me, my hat and veil were sitting in a corner of the room. As Naomi looked over at me, she stared for a second in awe, before her eyes rolled up into her head and she fainted. ¡°...Shit.¡± I said with a sigh.
Looking at the mess around me, I decided that I needed to act quick. I didn''t see anyone rushing into the room yet, but I didn''t feel like explaining the mess...or whatever the fuck just happened with the globe. Bringing up the fabrication system, I gathered the damaged and strewn material in the room, quickly repairing and restoring the materials to the best of my ability. Most of the training dummies were close enough to each other in dimensions that I simply copied one that wasn''t damaged, and converted the broken ones into that. The table that the devices were on was oddly undamaged, and more or less required repositioning. Peering through the material of the assorted objects that were on the floor, I fixed cracks and fractures, but not knowing enough about their function I simply put them back. Lastly was the glass sphere I had been handling. Really not knowing how that worked, and not having something specifically to copy, I created a broken glass ball with melted brass fittings, more or less a piece of useless wreckage meant to look somewhat like had vaporized in my hands.
I grabbed my blue cavalier''s hat from the corner and reset the veil before walking over to check on Naomi. I shook her shoulder a few times before she came to again. ¡°Naomi...are you all right?¡± I asked looking at the young woman with concern. As her eyes opened, she looked around confused, before fixing her gaze on me. ¡°I...I think I might have screwed something up...¡± I said holding the broken piece of glass and metal in my hand. ¡°Um...I''m sorry, I''ll pay for it.¡± I said weakly, as I helped her to her feet.
¡°What..What happened?¡± Naomi asked looking around the room, and then down at the ball. ¡°Ahh!!¡± Naomi yelled, grabbing the hunk of scrap from my hands. She stared at it confused, then at the room, then at me, and then shook her head. ¡°Ahh...It...looks like it broke...are you all right?¡± She asked me suddenly focused on me. I cleared my throat ¡°Oh...It knocked me on my ass, but that isn''t really that hard.¡± I said reaching into one of my pockets. ¡°I don''t know how much that costs, but I''m sure I can pay for it...¡± is aid fishing out a handful of gold coins. Naomi cleared her throat, and smiled. ¡°It''s all right. It might have just gotten damaged before hand. I''m just glad neither of us got hurt.¡± she said sighing. ¡°In any case, I can''t perform the rest of the magical aptitude tests without it. I''ll go get a replacement later this afternoon when Karis, our Enchanter, returns from his errands. Why don''t you come back later. I can process your card in the meantime, and we''ll get one of our combat trainers gauge you.¡± she said, visible shaken. I nodded weakly, ¡°Very well, I suppose I should go grab lunch anyway. So did you need anything from me for the guild card?¡± I asked as I followed her toward the door.
¡°Oh, yes, just a few drops of blood to attune a blank to you. The pattern then has to set.¡± Naomi explained as she went back to a corner desk, pulling a small black metallic card from a pack. The card looked about the size of smartphone, though it was just a thick piece metal with odd runes etched on it. I could see wisps of light inside of it, and went ahead and made a ''copy'' to my files using the fabrication system. I wasn''t sure it''d actually recreate something like that, but at the very least I got the physical dimensions.
¡°Just put your finger here.¡± Naomi said pulling out a small, thin needle and putting the plate on the desk next to me. She pushed the needle into my finger...and nothing happened. Frowning, she tried again, bending the needle. Clearing her throat, she smiled confused, ¡°Um...hold on.¡± she said reaching into a desk for another needle. As she pulled back the bent needles, I looked at it with a frown, remembering a scene from a superman movie.
| Divine Aegis |
| Deities have increasing damage reduction to physical trauma based on their Divine Rank. This stacks with other damage reduction effects. |
| Divine Resistance |
| A deity is resistant to energy and hostile magic. Resistance increases with divine rank. These resistances stack with other similar effects. |
¡°Um, why don''t you let me try...My skin can be a bit tough I guess.¡± I said. Thinking for a second, I reached into my coat, grabbing onto one of the orichalcum plates. I was past my allowances for today for creating new material, so Instead I decided to form a piece of the orichalcum into a sharp blade using the fabrication system. Creating a thin curved, and single bladed dagger honed to a razor''s edge, I smiled weakly, holding the blade up to my finger. Taking a deep breath, I gently slid the blade across my finger drawing an immediate stream of blood. ¡°Shit!¡± I said wanting to kick myself for not trying something smaller, dropping the dagger onto the desk as I squeezed my finger to stop the bleeding. The knife fell down, sliding through the oak top to the hilt, like a hot knife through butter. My blood splattered onto the black plate, causing light to swirl across its surface ¡°Oh...wow...that''s...um, new.¡± Naomi said confused.
Pulling my hand away from my finger to check the damage, I found the cut completely healed, with only drying blood visible. ¡°Ahh...It wasn''t that bad.¡± I said, making an excuse as I pulled the dagger out of the table with a tug. Naomi just kept staring at the black metal card, while I slipped the dagger back into my coat, converting it back into a plate, and sliding it into its pocket. ¡°Hello...¡± I said, causing Naomi to shake her head, and stare at me for a moment. ¡°Sorry...I''ll go ahead and put that in for processing...come back in say three hours?¡± she suggested.
7. Back Alley Brawl
Sorry for the Delay. More coming soon.
*****
Chapter 7
I left Naomi, gazing around the far sparser guild hall. The place had been packed when I came in, and there were probably half as many people, if that. Charles seemed to have disappeared on me, which I supposed was a blessing as I wouldn''t have to try and ditch him before I went home. I had managed to accomplish something today, if that was only stirring up complications while ordering a wardrobe, and getting registered for the Adventurer''s Guild.
The inner mall of the guild was designed as a large cross, with five separate levels. Walkways stretched between the different levels, and from what I could tell they largely contained shops and other professional services for the members. The entrance hall contained a large billboard with all of the job postings, at least those that weren''t printed up in one sheets. Most were listings for subjugation of this, or retrieval of that. I saw some that looked like issuance for cold blooded murder, if they didn''t have ''Demon'' or ''Monster'' in the title. For all I knew, some of them might actually be assassination requests, though I found it hard to believe such a thing was openly advertised. Still, there seemed to be a lot of ''combat capable'' people floating around what was essentially a platform for mercenary work for the masses. When I signed up all I was asked for was a listing or testing of my capabilities. If there were limitations on the types of jobs allowed by this organization, I hadn''t seen anything so far. If there were, I couldn''t imagine it was that difficult to arrange ''jobs'' in dark corners or secluded rooms.
Taking another glance around me in search of Charles, I headed into the mall to look at the shops. Quite a few of the stall workers or shop owners gave me leery glances as I passed by. I wasn''t sure if my attire was inappropriate for the type of work I was going after, since I had seen at least a minor scattering of well dressed ''adventurers'' when I came in. I really had no idea what type of things I would be needing to purchase, but I thought that seeing what was available would give me a better idea.
I found a small shop tucked into a small corner of the guild mall on the third floor. The shop was relatively unassuming and contained a lot of ''sale'' or second hand items. A hodgepodge of weapons, armor, and gear, the shop seemed ideal to figure out what things I would be purchasing in the near future. There was a faint scent of incense in the air, something that might once have sent my sinuses into a fit...I supposed I wouldn''t have to deal with the same issues. There were shelves covered in knick knacks, from small statues to lamps and pots. There was a thin swirl of magic in the air, or at least what I was coming to associate with magic. Given the condition of the items, and the poor state of the store, there were probably a few minor magic items somewhere that had just sat here forever, or maybe this world''s version of an alarm system?
There was a soft shimmering of chimes somewhere as I turned an aisle. ¡°Can I help you?¡± a voice grumbled as I glanced around with a frown. Stepping between aisles I spotted a very old Asian looking man sitting behind a desk mahogany counter. His skin looked paper thin, and he had a long white beard, with a few wisps of grey in it. He wore a small, tattered black cloth hat on his head, and a set of simple grey robes. He was slowly grinding away something with a jade mortar and pestle. I assumed there was likely iron in the mix, as I caught an occasional spark flickering from the top of the mortar.
¡°Oh...Um, I wasn''t sure. I was just looking around to see what you had.¡± I said letting my attention wander around the long rows of stockpiled ''junk''. There was a pulse in the air, and a soft whispering as my mind wandered. Stepping along the aisle I could feel a strange distortion of the air around me. It became harder to breath as I put one foot in front of another, a sense of vertigo overcoming me as the length of the isles extended outward. ¡°Shit!¡± I whispered, my voice cracking as my heart raced. As my feet seemed to move of their own volition I found myself approaching a shadowed alcove, the rows of shelves parting, revealing harder stone floors and pillars. The stone had faint black lines running through it like cracks, or veins in marble, and as my footsteps fell the glimmered faintly with an orange hue.
A statue of a woman made from pitch black stone lay on the floor of the alcove, her features worn away with time. Her body was curled up, holding a sword through her center, the hands cupped around the blade leaving the hilt exposed. Her gaze was down turned, and her form was draped in stone robes. The blade was a dull ash grey with faint green veins in it, probably from oxidation meaning there was likely copper in the mix. The blade was double-bladed, without much in the way of a hand guard. As I came in close I could see odd symbols etched along the blade, only faintly visible. The thing looked large, and probably far too heavy for a woman the size of the statue holding it. As my hand closed around the hilt I could feel a soft, almost electric, vibration. The statue began to glow a soft amber as I pulled the blade free, pulling the dim light from the statue as it came. The blade was...large, probably more than four and a half feet long, but it felt almost weightless in my hands. The dull looking blade cut the air as I drew it, giving it a flick of my wrist to test the balance.
Standing with the blade in my hand, I turned my head to find the ancient looking man from behind the desk staring at me with clouded eyes. He was holding a long pipe in his hand, and as I stepped from the alcove he drew a greenish smoke from it, blowing a thin stream which curled around the hair of his beard. As I looked at him, I held up the blade in one hand and cleared my throat. ¡°So...how much for the sword?¡± I asked, feeling a weight to his gaze. He slowly turned around, and returned to the front of the store. Glancing back behind me, I found the alcove I had taken the sword from gone, and only a blank wall behind me. ¡°Uh...¡± I said confused, but shrugging it off as ''magic'', and probably a way of saving space.
The sword was awkward to carry, though amazingly easy to wield. I simply had no idea where the fuck I was going to put it, as if I tried to put it on my hip it would drag on the floor behind me. In response to my thoughts, the blade faded away leaving only the handle in my hand, causing me to blink. ¡°Well...that''s fucking cool.¡± I said, arriving at the counter, holding up the handle and placing it on the counter top. The old man just stared at me, grinding away with his mortar and pestle. As I watched he grabbed a handful of ingredients, mostly dried herbs and some powders, and put them into the mortar. The jade pestle ground with every twist of his wrist, kicking up the odd spark. ¡°Huh..¡± I said getting a bit perturbed by his lack of response.
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Clearing my throat I considered for a moment, ¡°Um, I don''t suppose you carry books on that stuff.¡± I asked, motioning to the array of herbs. It occurred to me that I had no idea what types of plants and materials were available in this world, or what they did. While I could depend on the Divine Identify to tell me about the things I encountered, it wouldn''t tell me about things I hadn''t encountered yet. The old man put the mortar and pestle down, slowly getting up without a word, and walking into a back room. I stood there confused, but patient for a few minutes, before he returned with a small stack of book and scrolls. He placed them on the counter, and sat down again, ¡°One gold, Twenty silver.¡± he said simply.
¡°Ok...¡± I said pulling out some coins, ¡°And how much for the sword?¡± I asked, but he just kept staring at me coldly. ¡°Right...will this do?¡± I asked fishing out one of the platinum bak, and placing it on the counter. The old man stared down at it for a second considering, while he took another puff on his pipe. He stood up again, walking into the back room again, leaving me once more confused. When he returned he had a jade scroll case in his hand, which he placed on the counter. I looked at it with a raised eyebrow, but shrugged, frankly growing tired of whatever the hell was going on. ¡°Thank you.¡± I said, taking the small collection of books, scrolls, sword handle, and scroll case awkwardly in my hand. I stepped out of the shop, deciding I needed to get a backpack or something to hold all of this crap, before it occurred to me that I could have asked for a bag. Turning around I found the shop gone, and only a blank wall.
¡°Ok, I think I''ve had enough of this crazy shit for today.¡± I said shaking my head as I headed back through the mall towards the entrance. On the way I picked up a satchel to hold the books and scrolls, a belt with an attachment to hold the sword hilt, and a couple of maps of the city and the surrounding area from rather pleasant woman who ran a cartographer''s shop near the entrance.
When I returned to the entrance I still didn''t see Charles anywhere, and the population of the guild hall had gotten more sparse if anything. I stepped from the Adventurer''s Guild feeling a bit lost all things considered. I had accomplished a good deal with my morning, but I was lacking anything like direction. I needed more information, but more than anything I needed to decide on some goals to work toward. I knew I needed to get Jasmine out of that whore house, and I probably had enough money to do that, but I still didn''t know why she was there. The Bishop''s reaction to my lineage didn''t instill feelings of comfort and trust. For all I knew I had put Jasmine at risk, though I might have just been over-reacting. Regardless I was going to bring up a change of venue with her when I got back.
I wandered through the streets and alleys near the Guild, looking for a restaurant to have lunch at, and otherwise lost in thought when I noticed a small group of people at the end of one of the alleys. They looked fairly well armed, with a scattering of armored plates among the bunch. They were staring at me with leering grins on their faces, causing me to take a step back. As I turned around I saw another dozen men approaching from the other side. As I turned around I saw more people appearing almost out of the woodwork.
¡°My my my, what have we here? I wonder why a sweet young thing like yourself is wandering alone through back alleys ...that''s not very safe you know.¡± one of the men said, with a grin on his face. A few others started laughing as they closed in. I glanced around at the dozens of men around me, my Divine Identify providing a list of stats and classes. Most were thieves or warriors, though there was the occasionally assassin packed into the bunch. Most of them were mundane humans, with physical stats in the mid fifties to low eighties, and levels from twenty to fifty. A couple of the higher level warriors had strengths at around a hundred, causing me to pause nervously. This could all go very bad, very fast. I knew I healed quickly, but...Christ, there had to be more than sixty people crowded in here. If a dozen at a time did even moderate amounts of damage...I could be dead before I had a chance to recover.
¡°I don''t want any trouble...¡± I said, my high pitched voice obviously signaling my nervousness. It caused round of laughing.
¡°Well darling, such a young girl carrying around so much gold. Now, it could be we have ourselves a young noblewoman. Might bring a tidy random.¡± a large muscular man with a scar down the right side of his face said with a grin. ¡°But see...I don''t think that''s the case. I think we have ourselves a pretty little thief, one trying to pass herself off as something she''s not.¡± he said his tone growing more vicious as he thumbed a blade at his hip.
¡°Did a scullery maid''s daughter steal from the treasury?¡± another man asked in a wheezing voice.
¡°Oy, she ain''t even human! Maybe ''er mother''s some noble''s slave, or his whore.¡± another man said with a chuckle as the groups of men were closing in.
My hand wandered over to the pocket of my longcoat, as I considered the situation. I could try and fight it out over a pile of gold and platinum, but...I could always make more. If dropping however many pounds of dead weight would get me a free pass here, It seemed like a good trade. ¡°If you just want the money, It''s yours. No problem, just let me go.¡± I said pulling out a handful of coins from one of my coat pockets.
¡°Aye girl. It''s ours alright, but I''m afraid you''ll not be walking free today.¡± the man with the scar said with a grin. ¡°I may not know where you got your money, but I can''t imagine someone won''t come looking for it, which would lead them out way. But don''t worry darling, we''re not going to kill you. A pretty little girl like yourself will sell well in the slave market, and you''ll be far enough gone by tomorrow that we won''t have to worry about whoever''s going to be on your trail.¡± he said with a wide smile.
¡°Hey, why don''t we break the bitch in first! Have a few rounds. I bet she''ll be moaning like a little whore before we''re done.¡± someone said behind me, causing my body to tense...my emotions shifted from nervousness to anger. My breathing grew quicker as I felt a dull rage building in my stomach. Someone''s hand grasped at my hip, and I felt a shock run through my body like I was touching a live wire.
8. Martial Artist
Alright, this chapter is a bit shorter than normal, but I''ll have another one coming shortly. Enjoy, and as always I enjoy feedback.
*************
Chapter 8
Grabbing the hand at my hip I slid backward as I pulled my attacker off balance, throwing him over my hip with a twist of my body. As he landed on the ground in front of me I slammed my foot down into his throat, causing a sickening crack as he struggled on the ground beneath me. Stepping back I slammed my foot into his chest as he turned over, sending him flying across the alleyway into the group in front of me. As the men stumbled over their injured companion, I pressed the rage down, struggling to clear my mind as I breathed deeply. ¡°Focus¡± I whispered to myself, as I shifted my stance, and took up a form. As the burning rage turned into a cold fury, I could feel something ''break'' in my center as warmth washed through my body.
| Class Unlocked: Martial Artist |
| Masters of ancient forms of martial mysticism, Martial Artists hone their bodies into living weapon. Martial Artists are capable of converting portions of their mana into a pool of Ki through meditation, which can be used to perform supernatural feats and powers. Martial Artists can learn and create new forms and styles at accelerated rates. |
| Class Ability: Ki Pool gained |
| Ki is mana which is refined within the body of the Martial Artist, into living essence. Regaining Ki requires meditation, and quantity is limited by the power and level of the Martial Artist. |
| Maximum Ki Pool: 660 |
| Class Ability: Meditation Gained |
| Allowing for the conversion of mana into Ki within the body of the Martial Artist, Meditation requires an hour of concentration per point of Ki generated. Levels in Martial Artist increase points generated per hour. |
| Ability Upgrade: Divine Meditation |
| Rate of Ki generation from Meditation increased from per hour to per second. |
| Tai Chi Form Ability Unlocked: Moving Meditation |
| Moving Meditation allows the practitioner to regain Ki while using Tai Chi forms, at the same rate of static meditation. Grants a passive bonus to endurance. |
| Class Ability Unlocked: Body Reinforcement |
| Use Ki to enhance physical stats, granting a 10% increase to Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance per point of Ki used. Effects last for one minute per use, and are limited by the level of the Martial Artist. |
| Limit: 1 point per Minute |
| Aikido Form Ability Unlocked: Improved Deflection |
| A passive ability which improves the Martial Artist''s ability to redirect attacks aimed at her. |
| Aikido Form Ability Unlocked: Greater Throw |
| Increases the distance, force, and accuracy of throws performed by the user. |
| Aikido Form Ability Unlocked: Ki Manipulation |
| Grants a passive bonus to Ki effects and powers. Allows the user to affect the internal energy of others. |
| Wing Chun Form Ability Unlocked: Heavy Hand |
| A passive ability which grants increased damage with bare hands: Can cause knockback. |
My body felt alive as I began moving through a Kata, the mana pooling and condensing at my center. As I breathed out I rolled my shoulders, forcing strength into my body as adrenaline rushed through my body.
Heroic Strength Activated: Strength 150 ¡ú 630
Body Reinforcement Activated: Strength 630 ¡ú 693, Dexterity 400 ¡ú 440, Endurance 241 ¡ú 265
Lifting one hand up, I beckoned the large scarred man at the front, who suddenly growled as his rage filled visage subtly shifted, his muscles bulging. ¡°GET HER!¡± he yelled as the hoard of men descended upon me. I leapt forward, as one of the men behind me came within arms reach, my foot flicking out as I spun in air. My foot connected with a thunderous CRACK, his body tumbling end over and into a brick wall, causing dust to kick up.
| Level Gained: Martial Artist |
I leapt forward as weapons were pulled, my foot deflecting the blade of a longsword upward, as I wrenched an arm back with a sickening SNAP; Someone screamed as I began throwing bodies left and right. The blades began slipping in closer as my attackers closed distance, trying to use the reach their weapons and height afforded them over me. I slammed a hand down into one man sending him tumbling backward like a rag doll.
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| Level Gained: Martial Artist |
Catching a stray arm, I flipped over someone''s head, wrenching the arm out of its socket, and tossing a body through the air. One of the berserking warriors slammed into me, ramming my body into the wall while I was in the air, unable to resist. My back cracked as I struck the wall, sending sharp pains through my body. A blade slipped through the throng, ramming into my side and drawing blood, as my foot slammed into someone''s face.
| Level Gained: Martial Artist |
| Level Gained: Martial Artist |
Forcing more Ki into my limbs as I struggled against the press of enraged warriors, I felt a dozen more blades pierce my legs and sides. Blood was running down my sides even as my increased regeneration was forcing my wounds closed. I could feel vitality returning to me, but the pain was excruciating.
Body Reinforcement Activated: Strength 630 ¡ú 945, Dexterity 400 ¡ú 600, Endurance 241 ¡ú 361
Letting out a scream, I slammed my back into the wall, cracking the brick, as my feet slammed into the press of men, sending them exploding outward. Two of them burst through the already damaged wall, into the building beside us. There was a yell from nearby as someone called for help, and more people began to rush into the alleyway. I rammed my first into someone''s sternum, cracking bone and cartilage as blood erupted from the man''s mouth, sending him flying through the air. Time slowed as a knife flew past where my head was a split second before, Divine Identify noting it as ''poisoned''.
| Class Ability Unlocked: Quick Sight |
| Reactive ability, it allows Martial Artists to perceive fast moving projectiles, and accelerated attacks, including the often inhuman speed of other Martial Artists. Degree of effect dependent on level of the Martial Artist |
I snapped the dagger out of the air, and rammed it into someone''s chest, causing their internal organs to explode out of their back in ''bullet time'', from the force. As blood and gore washed over crowd, I grabbed another attacker by the legs and began using him as a weapon. People were flying backward as I spun in the air, slamming someone''s broken body into the people around me. I slammed the human ''club'' into the wall with a loud crack, and tossed him away as I began delivering sharp blows to anyone that got close enough.
Time slowed again as my body accelerated, the world almost standing still. I forced a knee into someone''s center, sending them through the crowd like a cannon ball, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. The ''level gained'' alerts kept appearing as I began rending people apart. I leapt from the ground, causing a body to explode beneath me, the stone of the street shattering as I created small pit.
As I reached the rooftop I could see the trail of death that had erupted from the alleyway into the streets. Scores of bodies were strewn across shop fronts, and the crowd seemed to have dispersed. Distancing myself from the battle, I scurried along the rooftops at an incredible clip, coming to a stop as exhaustion washed over me. I dropped to my knees, covered in blood and gore, my clothing in tatters. My satchel had managed to survive the battle, and though it felt like I had lost most of my silver, the rest of the money was still secured in my inner coat pockets
¡°Have fun?¡± a familiar voice asked from nearby. I glanced up and saw Charles wandering the rooftop, coming to a stop next to me. He still had that damned grin on his face, and if I had the energy I would have rammed my fist into it.
¡°You saw that? And you didn''t help?¡± I asked with incredulity, my wide eyes obviously conveying my disbelief.
¡°Why would I do that? You looked to be having so much fun! And you worked so hard for it. You''re a girl after my own heart!¡± Charles said taking a seat on the ledge. ¡°I mean I''ll be honest, I didn''t think the bait would work, but you proved me wrong.¡± he said with a smile.
¡°...What the flying fuck are you talking about? I didn''t want that!¡± I yelled, angrily. ¡°Why the holy hell would you even think that?¡± I asked, my voice cracking.
¡°...What do you mean? I thought that''s why you kept all that money on you. Then you stuffed your clothing with Orichalcum ''just in case'' that wasn''t enough.¡± Charles said with laugh. ¡°Then you start stumbling and falling over yourself in the Adventurer''s guild in the middle of the day, during a festival to get the most foot traffic. I mean when you bumped your head on the counter, It was all I could do to keep from laughing. Platinum Bak strewn on the floor, and this little girl begging her pardon? Oh, Gods, that was beautiful.¡± Charles said, leaning back and glancing over the edge.
¡°I mean, If I didn''t know better I would have fallen for it. I do think you rushed things a bit though. You could have gotten a lot more use out of that ploy you pulled this morning. Wandering into noble''s shops, covered in dirt and shit, with a sack of gold. Probably would have kept escalating if the Bishop hadn''t stepped in. Shrewd man, that one. He seemed pretty determined that you be kept safe though. ¡° Charles said, turning his gaze back on me. ¡°Your father must be pretty important.¡± he said standing up. ¡°In any case, you might want to clean up before re-entering society. Also, you killed a few from the Assassin''s guild back there, and they don''t tend to take that kindly.¡± he said wandering over to me.
Pausing for a moment Charles glanced toward the Grand Amphitheater of Kisk, which was visible over the rooftops. I frowned as I watched lights bleed from within the Amphitheater, the sound of a crowd roaring at whatever spectacle was happening. ¡°Still, we can''t all spend our days tarrying and picking fights.¡± he said looking back at me. ¡°In any case, your shopping is almost over for the day, I assume. Why don''t we get you cleaned up, and then grab a bite to eat. After we pick up your guild card, we can get you home again, and call an end to a lovely day.¡± he said holding a hand out to help me up.
¡°Alright...Fine.¡± I said coming to my feet. I warily followed a man I was coming to consider a blood thirsty nutjob as he escorted me to find a place to get cleaned up.
9. Bath House
As always I appreciate feedback and input. It''s taking me some time to plan out future chapters, but issuing time should speed up as I clear setting details. I was going to run this a bit longer, but thought it better to break it up into two chapters.
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I received a large number of awkward looks as I moved through the streets with Charles at my side. At one point he provided me with a rag to wipe the blood off my face before it dried on, but I otherwise had to make my way through public soaked in the blood of my enemies. I don''t care what they say or show in the movies, it feels utterly gross. I might have gotten approached by the city guard, but Charles was keeping people at a distance from me. Not that many were approaching a veiled woman covered in bloody clothes...though it might have been the pants. I didn''t see any other women wearing pants, so it could have been a social faux pas.
We moved into a three story brick and wood building with a fountain out front. People were staring at me when I came in with Charles, and we moved into a plush looking entry hall. A couple of men approached wearing lean black suits, but Charles intercepted them. I found myself staring off into the distance, not quite hearing what was being said. There was an odd ringing in my ears, and every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing the men I was fighting in the alleyway. There was some chatter nearby, which distracted me from my contemplation, and caused me to look up.
¡°What?¡± I asked looking wearily to my side. Charles was staring at me strangely, though at least his stupid grin had faded at one point. Charles cleared his throat and pulled a few silver out and handed it to one of the men in black suits.
¡°We''re in a bath house.¡± Charles said, leaning in to look me in the eyes. ¡°I''ve sent for a friend a the Blackfield''s Bank, she should be here in a few minutes. In the meantime you need to go with this attendant to get cleaned up.¡± he said to me, snapping his fingers once to get my attention. I grumbled in irritation as a woman in a simple white dress approached me. She was muttering something to Charles, as I stood there looking around the room at the people who were eyeing us strangely. I smelled something strange, as I breathed in deeply, trying to catch my breath. Charles put his hand on my shoulder and said something, but I wasn''t paying attention. The smell was getting more pungent, and I could taste it. It was like old pennies and bile...
Charles had a metal bucket in front of me as I suddenly bent over, retching as I grabbed my center. Someone was holding my hair while I continued to vomit out the sparse contents of my stomach. My hat fell off, which I numbly grabbed at, but Charles had it in his hands before I could get it. Someone took the bucket away from my face, and I looked up to see the attendant staring at me strangely with the bucket in hand. She smiled weakly as she handed it to one of the men in black suits, and stared at me expectantly for some reason.
¡°...Oh, sorry.¡± I said fishing in my pockets for a moment, pulling a few gold coins out and numbly putting them in her hands. She gasped as I moved toward a hallway that Charles was pointing to, and started following behind me.
I wasn''t paying much attention over the next few minutes, but I was lead to small water closet with tiled walls and warmed wood floors. The attendant pulled the bloodied clothes off of my body, and as the layers were removed I noticed that some of the blood was still pooled next to my skin. There was blood in my boots...I had wondered why my feet felt squishy. As my long coat dropped, onto the floor it landed with a heavy thunk, the sound of metal shifting. A few coins spilled out onto the floor, but I didn''t feel like picking them up. It was just silver and gold after all.
The attendant bent over to gather the coins in any case, putting them on top of the bloody clothes while I sat naked on a small stool. She said something to me, but I closed my eyes, trying to focus...I just kept seeing the fight again, and someone''s arm being ripped off as I twisted it and kicked his chest. There had been a geyser of blood...a lot of them, but everything had moved so slow at times. It was probably that slow time ability. I pushed someone away sharply as they touched my bare skin, and cringed. My stomach turned and I bent over again, finding another bucket in front of me. As I stood up, Charles was standing in front of me with the bucket, while the attendant looked at me a bit frightened. One of the two doors to the water closet were opened, and there was a small group of attendants outside.
¡°Sorry...I guess I''m not feeling well.¡± I said, looking at Charles who stared down at my clothes and sighed. ¡°I''m assuming this was a first for you.¡± Charles said, causing me to nod wearily. ¡°Alright.¡± he said, snapping his fingers at someone. A woman came in with a small wood chest, and Charles started emptying the Cintas and Bak into the box, eliciting gasps from the attendants. I just stared forward numbly as one of them began scrubbing the blood off of my body, another getting it out of my hair. It occurred to me that I probably looked a lot like Carrie in the prom scene, causing me to laugh. Strangely, no one else thought it was funny...oh right, no Carrie here; Might have helped if I said why I was laughing.
A dark haired woman with a wide brimmed hat and a black and brown corseted dress came in and looked around at the scene. She said something to Charles, who held up the chest and looked like he explaining something to her. I wasn''t listening, just remembering the names of the men I had been fighting. I could see the stats of a lot of them during the fight. The youngest was sixteen or seventeen...I think he''d been one who had stabbed me while I was against the wall. The attendants continued to scrub my body while the woman in black and brown forced other people outside. I saw glimpses of armed and armored men in the hallway now, and two came forward as the woman talking to Charles was counting or something while rummaging through the chest of coins. The chest was closed and locked, as the woman brought out a small book and began writing something.
As I looked at the faces of the men in the hallway, I noticed they were leering at me, and I realized I was effectively sitting naked in front of a room full of people. I reached for one of the tattered articles of clothes on the floor, but Charles stopped me and handed me a towel, before ushering people out of view. Another attendant came into the room, and removed the blood soaked clothes from the floor, putting them into a box. I grasped at my leather satchel, and the sword handle that was hanging from my belt. The woman wearing the wide brimmed hat pulled up a chair adjacent from me and smiled.
¡°My name is Antoinette Bastier, and I will be serving as your liaison with the Blackfield Bank. My cousin Charles tells me that you''ve recently run into some violent altercations stemming from carrying rather large sums of money on your person. For your safety your assets will be stored in one of our high security vaults. By my tally that is thirty nine Platinum Bak, eighty-five gold Cintas, a hundred and forty silver Cintas, and... roughly five hundred pounds of naturally formed Orichalcum, with a market value of roughly forty four thousand platinum Bak, though you''ll have to accept that as a rough estimate. I''ve never seen that much naturally formed Orichalcum in one place, as only a few ounces have ever been held at one time in Blackfield''s walls. The mercantile guild tends to keep the bulk of their reserves in secure locations.¡± Antoinette said as she motioned to one of the attendants.
Antoinette undressed as the other women in the room finished getting me cleaned off and helped me to my feet. I stared at Antionette confused as I tried to process what I was hearing. The Orichalcum bricks weren''t that heavy to me, though now that I thought about it, each of those platinum Bak must have weighed three or four pounds. Everything felt so light really, even the people I was tearing apart.
I swallowed deeply as one of the attendants brought a fresh bucket out, but I didn''t feel like I had anything in my stomach. Instead the simply felt anxiety and nausea as I gasped for air. I felt someone supporting me as I looked up to see Antionette looking into my eyes. She had disrobed and it looked like her hair was wet. She had a towel wrapped around her chest, and looked to be waiting for me to respond. ¡°I''m sorry...what?¡± I asked confused, pulling my mind back to the present. There was something like a look of concern on her face as she took my hand.
The two of passed through the other door in the wash room, into a large steam filled room. There place looked like a roman baths, and there were perhaps a dozen other women in the room drinking and chatting in different groups, while half submerged in shallow pools. Antionette guided me toward a set of steps leading down into one of the baths. There was a narrow ledge in the pool to sit on, with cushions on the back and seat to rest. I took a seat opposite of three human women, two of which were in their late teens to early twenties, the third was perhaps in her mid thirties at the oldest. Antoinette requested drinks from one of the attendants, causing her to scurry off.
The warm water seemed to be helping as I stared at the ceiling, though all of the steam was causing my eyes to water. ¡°My cousin said you ran into some altercations...though I can''t imagine what would had to have happened for you to show up in such a state.¡± Antoinette said placing an arm on my shoulder. I wiped at my eyes trying to see clearly, pulling my legs up into my chest. Curling up seemed to help with the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
¡°...They wouldn''t stop...I kept fighting.¡± I said feeling drained. Antionette pulled up closer and gave me a hug. She didn''t press long, but backed away to give me some space. As the attendant returned she set down a small tray with a bottle of something, an ice bucket, and some glasses. The attendant poured out some drinks, one of which Antionette handed to me. ¡°Here, drink this. You''ll feel better.¡± she said, smiling. As I looked around I noticed I was being stared at again, though I couldn''t tell if it was me acting strangely, being new, or that damned Divine Beauty ''Blessing''.
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Whatever was in the glass went down smooth, and had her relaxed enough to breath easily. Antionette noticed my change in demeanor and slid back a bit so I could breath. ¡°Well, I suppose we should discuss a few things...Ms...?¡± Antionette asked, letting her voice trail questioningly. I considered my response for a moment, but I realized I didn''t know Faith''s last name. ¡°Faith Lusatra, though I prefer just to be called Faith.¡± I said, moving to take another sip but finding the glass empty.
Antionette smiled as she poured me another glass, the attendant hanging back and watching us from an alcove that looked to have more airflow than the rest of the baths. ¡°Thank you.¡± I said drinking again. ¡°Would you mind if I asked you why you were travelling with such a vast sum of wealth on you?¡± Antionette inquired, looking at me with a smile on her face. I took a moment to stare down at the curves of her body beneath the water, noting she seemed rather well endowed, and physically fit. I could see the dense muscle along her legs and arms. Something about her screamed swordswoman to me, though it was easy enough to simply check.
Name: Lady Antoinette Bastier
Race: High Human
Age: 58
Sex: Female
Classes: Wizard 20, Knight 15, Noble 25
Subclass: Arithmancer 20, Cyphermage 15
Profession: Banker 50, Alchemist 15
Strength: 50
Dexterity: 125
Endurance: 75
Intelligence: 220
Power: 75
Luck: 220
Health: 1200 HP Health Regen: 7.5 HP/day
Mana: 4200 MP Mana Regen: 15 MP/Day
Skills:
Alchemy: 185/400
Appraisal: 130/400
Athletics: 180/400
Climbing: 135/400
Commerce: 220/400
Lore: 212/400
Mathematics: 300/400
Occult: 255/400
Persuasion: 320/400
Survival: 20/400
Swimming: 35/400
Combat Skills:
Rapier: 250/400
Armor: 25/400
Blessings: Blessed of Plutus
Traits: Innate Numeracy, Numerologic Sight, Quick Mind, Superior Health, Superior Magic Regeneration
¡°Arithmancer?¡± I asked out loud confused, causing Antionette to cough as she tried to force down whatever she was drinking. She looked at me, clearing her throat. ¡°I beg your pardon...how did you...¡± Antionette asked and then paused. ¡°How did you know about Arithmancy?¡± she asked in a low voice, glancing toward the other women who seemed caught up in their own conversation, only glancing in our direction to stare at me. I think one of the daughters was gawking, or maybe leering. I got the impression that there was interest there.
¡°Sorry, I can...Um, read people I guess.¡± I said with a frown, causing her to lean back and look me up and down appraisingly. ¡°What a unique...skill.¡± Antoinette said with a sigh.
¡°So...what''s Arithmancy?¡± I asked curiously, taking another sip only to find the glass empty again; The attendant refilled it this time.
¡°Well, it''s a class that deals with divination through numerology. In this case it assists in predicting market changes, and identifying commodity price projections. Blackfield''s Bank has a few of us on staff, though we mostly deal with asset reinvestment, bonding, and liability assessment. All work quite valuable to our clients. The specific capabilities of the Arithmancers are among those kept a closely guarded secret by the Mercantile Guild and banking associations. There are few who are even familiar with the class''s existence.¡± Antoinette said with a shrug, ¡°And I would appreciate if you kept it to yourself.¡± she said, pouring herself another drink.
¡°So, Ms...Faith. I''m curious as to why you were wandering around with so much money on you. The sum you had on hand could have attracted every thief or mugger in the city. Those types of assets are normally transferred under heavily armed guards, and often through Gates.¡± Antoinette said, as I took another drink. The attendant arrived with another bottle, and took the old one away. ¡°I can assure you your assets will be safe within our walls, however.¡± she added as the cork was popped.
¡°Oh...I guess I wasn''t sure how much things would cost me. I might have overshot.¡± I explained a bit embarrassed. I noticed the sense of anxiety was fading slightly, though I still felt mentally exhausted. Antionette just stared at me like I had two heads. ¡°Well...I suppose that sounds reasonable.¡± she said, though her voice told me she didn''t find it ''reasonable'' at all. ¡°Though that just means you''re in dire need of our assistance. I''d ask if you had stolen your funds, but frankly I haven''t heard of any specific nation being robbed blind lately.¡± she said with a grin.
¡°Alright, well I''ve had to explain this type of thing before, usually to sheltered young nobles. I suppose the easiest way would be to describe things in terms of average earning power. The range of income for most of the populace is generally between six and twenty five gold per year, with a daily earning tending between two to seven silver cintas. Commodities fluctuate in value seasonally, if not monthly, though the most common measurement is based on salt, sugar, or grain abundance. The Mercantile Guild tends to act to ''balance'' things so that precious metals and currency values don''t fluctuate that drastically. Mostly it''s unnecessary, but when certain nations institute tariffs, or commodity specific taxes, it can affect distribution rates and lead to stockpiles going bad..or shortages....¡± Antoinette said then saw me gaze wandering.
¡°In any case, you were carrying around about eighty percent of Kisk''s annual operating budget in Platinum Bak. As for the Orichalcum...let''s just say that the gross domestic product of Kisk is about ten thousand platinum Bak per year, and Kisk is a major trade hub. That national gross is estimated to be around twenty times that...¡± Antionette said, before pausing again, as I gave her a blank look. ¡°For the near future, perhaps you should allow me to act as your agent in making purchases. That is if you wish for Blackfield''s Bank to represent you...¡± she said, her voice trailing off.
I took a deep breath and shrugged. Money was easy for me to create, so it really didn''t matter to me. At the moment I was just restless, and numb. ¡°Sure.¡± I said, getting a smile from Antionette. ¡°Well, I''ll draft up the paperwork when we finish here. Though I do want to ask, how you wish to deal with your Orichalcum. I would advise selling small quantities.¡± she said as she refilled my glass. I stared at her weakly, taking another drink.
¡°Whatever you feel is best. I''m not concerned with it.¡± I said with a shrug. Antionette looked at me for a moment, frowning. ¡°I''m sorry to ask, but how old are you?¡± she asked. I looked distantly, and shrugged. This was a difficult question to answer, but given that I''d at least provided Faith''s age to the Adventurer''s Guild, I imagined it wouldn''t be difficult for someone to find out. That is if there wasn''t some magic that could tell them. After all, I could ''divine'' what people''s stats were. There was no reason to think someone else couldn''t.
¡°Thirteen.¡± I responded, causing Antionette to cough as she gently took the glass from my hand. ¡°Well, that raises a few questions, and some issues, but the Empire recognizes property rights as of age twelve, mostly for inheritance issues. It might help to discuss certain contracts with your parents present, or major purchases...are your parents nearby? Do they own an estate in Kisk?¡± she asked.
¡°My mother is, though we don''t have an estate...Could you arrange to purchase one?¡± I asked after a moment. Antionette smiled and nodded, ¡°Blackfield can accommodate. I''ll arrange a tour of available estates. I don''t think cost will be an issue, so I''ll extend the range of my search. Did you have any preferences?¡± she asked as I sat up a bit more.
¡°I guess I''d like somewhere quiet. Maybe with some land.¡± I said, not quite sure how to specify, given I knew little about the city and surrounding territory. Antionette nodded, and stood up. ¡°Why don''t you rest in here for a while. Your replacement clothes haven''t arrived yet, I''m sure. And you look like you need to relax.¡± Antoinette said as she reached out, brushing the golden strands of my hair from my face. ¡°When I return, perhaps we can arrange to meet with your mother.¡± she said before wading out of the bath.
10. Countess
Alright, this one took me a while. I struggled with pacing a bit, but I think the end result was good. As always I welcome input, or any grammar/spelling problems I might have missed. Hope everyone is enjoying.
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Chapter 10
After Antoinette departed, the older woman that had been sitting with her daughters adjacent to us left as well. She looked to be trying to catch up to Antoinette for some reason, though I found myself distracted by the three daughters who took the opportunity to approach me. I looked away from the vaulted ceilings, its surface covered in tiled murals of sea nymphs and dolphins, to see the three girls surrounding me.
¡°Heavens! You''re so pretty!¡± one of the girls said, pressing into my personal space to look me in the eyes. Another one was pulling on my hair from the side while the last was grabbing the most recent replacement bottle of alcohol behind me. The girls were all at least slightly older than Faith at a glance, and as well endowed as their mother. As they pressed in close, it occurred to me that I would normally have found this enticing...but the press of naked flesh around me was just making me claustrophobic, and a bit nervous. The middle sister kept putting her hands on me as the eldest passed around glasses of what I was assuming was supposed to be a potent champagne. Divine Identify just named it ''Arcadian Ambrosia'' and said it was fermented for more than a century.
¡°Um, thank you.¡± I responded a bit nervously as someone''s hand slid past my knees. I looked to the attendant for help, but she just came in with another bottle, and a small tray of strawberries.
¡°Ooh, plush.¡± the Eldest said, taking a strawberry, and smiling as she bit into it. ¡°I''m Chalice Lebonne, by the way. That''s my younger sister Alice ¡°she said motioning to the girl who was sliding her hands along my thighs, ¡°And that¡¯s my youngest sister Marie.¡± she said, pointing to the girl who was messing with my hair. I cleared my throat as Alice pressed in close to me, our chests touching. Alice''s hand slid further up, eliciting a gasp from me, while Chalice took the opportunity to put a strawberry into my mouth. ¡°Try the strawberries, they really add to the flavor of the Ambrosia.¡± Chalice said with a grin.
¡°So you must be new to Kisk. I''m sure I would remember you from one of the parties. Mother makes sure we attend all the major affairs.¡± Chalice said leaning with her arm slung over the poolside. The girls were happily downing their glasses, Marie glancing at Chalice meaningfully as the youngest sipped on her drink. Chalice rolled her eyes, and began muttering something under her breath.
| Path of Water Learned: 10% |
Used to create a stream of water to blow away enemies, or as means of propulsion at sea. Larger amounts of mana generate more powerful water jets
The occult skills represent academic knowledge of the supernatural. It includes knowledge of rituals, magical creatures, and arcane methodology. This skill is required for any form of spell casting.
Masters of the Arcane, Wizards manipulate mana to affect the world around them. From enchanters, to elementalists, Wizards dedicate themselves to understanding and mastering magic. They specialize in the purest aspects of magic ¨C using spells that are capable of bending reality to their will, and controlling it with complete precision. As magic interacts heavily with a broad range of natural phenomena, Wizards often spend endless hours pouring over books and scrolls on an endless array of intellectual topics.
| Class Ability: Magic Accumulation Gained |
This ability allows magic users to gather mana from internal pools or from the environment, in order to be manipulated and formed into spells. Rate of Magic Accumulation is based on the base power and level of the wizard, with a 5% gain per level.
Accumulation Rate: 698 Mana/second
| Class Ability: Magic Manipulation Gained |
This ability allows wizards to manipulate the form and properties of magical constructs and mechanisms. Control is limited by the level of the wizard, their skill with the occult, and the path level of the magic being used. Higher levels allow the ability to form more potent spells, while greater skill with the occult allows for more fine manipulation.
As I watched the twisting of magical energies around me, my mind began piecing things together, synthesizing and making connections. The epiphany hit me like a truck, and the mana in my body began swirling beneath my skin. I gasped as my body jerked slightly, someone''s hand sliding up my thighs as my legs went loose from the sudden shock. As the windows popped up in my gaze, gets of water began swirling behind my lower back, kicking up bubbles along the surface of the water. Chalice leaned back into her own jet, smiling at me as Alice groped me.
¡°Alice is having her Debutante ball next month. It''s going to be a grand affair. The Emperor might even come.¡± Chalice said with a wry smile, while I pressed my back against the water jet behind my back, and Alice pressed herself against me. I cleared my throat while trying to figure out how to politely remove the hand that was...¡±Oh fuck.¡± I muttered as Alice hand moved somewhere uncomfortable. The girl was taking her liberties, and as I moved my free hand to pry Alice''s free, Chalice took it and began looking at my nails. ¡°Oh, Honey. You need to have your nails done. They look worn. Perhaps we should all get manicures.¡± she said looking to her sisters, while I reached to place the glass back down, to free up my other hand.
¡°Here, let me refill that for you.¡± Chalice said, pouring more ambrosia into my glass. As her she released my right hand, I reached down to pry Alice''s out from between my thighs. The girl didn''t pose much in the way of resistance, simply grinning at me. As her hands came back out of the water, Alice and Chalice began giggling. Marie was just kicking g her feet in the water, and sipping on Alcohol. ¡°Awe, she''s shy.¡± Alice said, causing Chalice to roll her eyes. ¡°You''re being mean sister. In any case, she hasn''t even introduced herself yet.¡± Chalice said meaningfully.
¡°Faith, Faith Lusatra¡± I said feeling more exhausted the longer I had to deal with these three. Chalice motioned to the attendant, before climbing out of the water, and walking off to talk with her. Marie took Chalice''s place beside me, taking the opportunity to refill her glass, and smiling mischievously at me. ¡°I''m Marie.¡± the girl said, plopping back down into the water, and drinking half her glass in one gulp. ¡°Thanks for the ambrosia Faith. Mother doesn''t usually let us indulge. It must be so great getting carte blanche to do whatever you want.¡± Marie said, before giggling, and sliding closer.
¡°You should come to my ball. I heard you say you were only thirteen. Marie is fourteen, so hers won''t be for almost two years. That means this will be the last debutante ball from our family until then, and the Lebonne family throws wonderful parties. Daddy often sends all sorts of expensive wines and libations from the border territories. He''s one of three generals in charge of the entire eastern front, and he''s posted in Cathris.¡± Alice said, leaning in to grab the bottle again, her breasts pressing into my face. I leaned away only to have Marie slump onto me, intoxicated.
¡°All right, we''ve got ourselves a private room. Kimberly arranged for a masseuse. She said Faith here is covered for whatever we want.¡± Chalice said as she arrived from another room, and stood with her hands on the curves of her hips. ¡°I got you Donny.¡± Chalice said with a wide grin, causing Alice to grumble. ¡°Aw, you''re so lucky.¡± Alice said as she separated from me.
I cleared my throat and started to climb to my feet. ¡°Um, I should really be going...¡± I said as Marie hopped up, and Chalice rolled her eyes. ¡°I already asked, and your clothing isn''t here. Lady Bastier said it was going to be at least two hours. Her and mother said you''re a special girl, and we''re to make sure you have a good time.¡± Chalice said, her eyes narrowing as she grinned. ¡°And we wouldn''t want to disappoint mother.¡± she said, while Alice grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the water. I followed the two not quite sure how to handle the situation. I could recreate my clothes, or something similar, using the measurements and details I had stored, but I''d need to get materials; I had used up my creation and alteration limits for fabrication today. Besides, I wanted to follow through with Antoinette''s purchase of a place for me to take Jasmine.
The girls dragged me along into another room with a two massage beds and a few reclining chairs. The attendant tried to scurry to us with towels, but Chalice just brushed them away. ¡°You and Marie can go first. I need my nails done.¡± Chalice said taking a seat in the recliner, and ordering more drinks from the attendant. I hopped up onto the table and laid on my back with a warm towel over my eyes, trying to relax. Chalice and her sisters began chattering in the background, obviously becoming more intoxicated as they drank the wine. I put in a non-committal word here or there, but decided to take the opportunity of relative silence to step back and reassess my situation. The first thing I did was to pull up my sheet.
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Name: Faith Lusatra
Race: Half-Elf (Immortal)
Age: 13
Sex: Female
Class: God (Rank 1), Martial Artist 12, Wizard 1
Subclass: NONE
Profession: NONE
Strength: 174
Dexterity: 424
Endurance: 265
Intelligence: 605
Power: 665
Luck: 600
Health: 2650 HP HP Regen: 26.5 HP/second
Mana: 6352 MP MP Regen: 140 MP/second
Ki: 1064 Ki Regen: 1/second
Skills:
Athletics: 203/400
Climbing: 30/400
Engineering: 300/400
Manufacturing: 53/400
Mathematics: 200/400
Medicine: 10/400
Occult: 25/400
Pain Tolerance: 170/400
Perception: 35/400
Persuasion: 12/400
Singing: 200/400
Survival: 30/400
Swimming: 30/400
Combat Skills:
Swordsmanship: 150/400
Aikido: 205/400
Tai Chi Chuan: 60/400
Wing Chun: 35/400
Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Divine Beauty, Divine Presence, Enchanting Voice
Traits: Alter Reality (Limited), Creative Aptitude, Extreme Precision, Heroic Perseverance, Heroic Strength, Divine Abilities, Divine Aegis, Divine Alacrity, Divine Health, Divine Immunities, Divine Limits, Divine Magic Recovery, Divine Providence, Divine Regeneration, Divine Resistance, Domain Powers, Immortal, Improved Accuracy, Inhuman Reflexes, Intellectual Aptitude, Knowledge Absorption, Mental Fortress, Perfect Memory, Superior Magic Recovery,
Divine Abilities: Arcane Mastery, See Magic, Fabrication, Divine Identify
Domain Powers: Divine Senses, Remote Sensing, Create Magic Items, Communication, Remote Communication
There looked to have been some improvements, and my classes were listed, but not the abilities I had gotten from my classes. At the very least I needed to figure out what everything on my ''sheet'' meant. Since I arrived here I had been in such a hurry that I had never actually stopped to decipher what all of the traits and blessings meant.
A blessing that improved the speaking and singing voice of the user. Enchanting voice extends the range, maximum volume, and clarity of the speaker''s voice. The user is able to attract crowds with a speech, or seduce lovers with a word.
Deities are immune to disease, poison, aging, stunning, sleep, paralysis, disintegration, and death.
Deities are Immune to Transmutation and supernatural mind-affecting effects, such as domination or psychic assaults. They are still open to having their emotions affected naturally.
Deities often act as fulcrums for what some would consider fate. The vagaries of chance tend to be influenced by the nature of the Gods, if not their actual intents. Where a deity is involved, their domains hold sway.
When I reached Divine Providence I gasped, half from existential crisis, and half from the firm hand oiling up my hips and sides. I realized as I was zoning out, that I probably should have started on my back. The hands continued to work at my muscles, and a warm tingling sensation began working its way across my skin as the oil was spread. By the time the hands reached my chest and shoulders, I could feel tension being pulled from me, as I gasped.
The rest of the traits were fairly mundane in comparison to the divine endowments. The creative and intellectual aptitudes just made it easier to learn corresponding skills, and Heroic Perseverance provided extreme resistance to fatigue...making me question how that would affect my sleep schedule. Inhuman Reflexes said it increased my response time, while Improved Accuracy and Extreme Precision apparently provided assisted targeting of some sort...which I might have noticed, had I tried to attack anything at range. The more interesting traits were Knowledge Absorption, Perfect Memory, and Mental Fortress. Knowledge Absorption allowed me to actually draw information directly from a recorded medium, and Perfect Memory gave me perfect recall and information retention. Mental Fortress was confusing, since it just said that it provided a mental space.
While puzzling over what it meant by ''mental space'', I found myself standing in a large library that seemed to stretch out beyond my sight. I was pressed into the back of the stacks, between rows of shelves and a large card catalog. I stepped into the nearest aisle, pulling one of the books from the shelves. It was a fluid mechanics text I had read years ago. The books seemed fairly sparse, but I recognized every text I passed as one I had read before. This place was huge, and something told me that I could quite easily become lost in its depths. As I worked my way through the stacks, searching for the exit, I suddenly felt a wave of pleasure wash over me. My body felt like jello as I fell to my knees, and a huge amount of tension in my back that I hadn''t even known existed, suddenly released.
Snapping awake, I let out a moan as I heard a CRACK and someone grunting. My towel had fallen away from my face as I laid on my back slightly twitching. I saw a large, tanned, and muscular young man sweating as he kneaded my flesh. ¡°FUCK!¡± I said as something cracked again, and my body slumped, leaving me drooling. Chalice started laughing as she got up from her chair, and poked me. ¡°See?¡± she asked with a grin. ¡°Now move over. I want my turn!¡± Chalice said poking me again. It took me a few moments to get my limbs to move, or maybe for me to work up the desire to move them. I slid off of the table, falling to my knees weakly as grabbed my towel. Wrapping the towel around me I made my way over to the chair to find Marie grinning at me. Alice was getting a massage from another man, and looked to have passed out. One of the attendants held out a glass of wine to me, before she started working on my feet.
As I began dozing again I glanced at the last overlooked trait...
Through force of will alone, gods may alter facets of reality around them. Though limited in scale, it allows gods to endow their mortal followers with blessings, or curse those that anger them. The blessings of a God are permanent, and though curses can be removed, they can only be removed by the God that placed them, or by a god of higher rank.
I bolted up, causing the women doing my nails to jump. Marie looked at me confused, while Chalice, and Alice just continued with their massages. ¡°I''m sorry...I need to go...¡± I said as I stumbled out of the room to the half-hearted objections of the drunk sisters. ¡°Your nails! They need to dry!¡± the attendant called as I stumbled out into the hallway, looking for my things. ¡°Shit...Um...clothes...¡± I said as I grabbed one of the attendants. ¡°My clothes, have they arrived? I need my things.¡± I said, trying to convey urgency.
¡°Is something wrong Ms. Lusatra?¡± Antoinette asked as she came around the corner, fully clothed once more. She looked somewhat surprised, and as I approached her I saw Mrs. Lebonne smiling at me.
¡°Ahh, Yes...I need my clothes. I just remembered I have an errand I need to run. Silly me.¡± I said holding the towel around myself. Antoinette nodded and stepped into a side room appearing with a wrapped package, a hat box, and my satchel. ¡°Of course. It came just a few minutes ago. Mr. Dromard was quite distraught when he found out the state of your new outfit. Luckily he had this one finished.¡± she said, handing me the bundles. Taking the packages I stepped into the side room, apparently my changing room from earlier, and began getting dressed.
Instead of the simpler attire from before, Arthur''s shop had provided a white ruffled blouse with lace cuffs and collar, a blue corset coat and what looked like riding pants. The hat was another cavalier style one, with a white feather in it. My boots looked like that had been cleaned and polished to a shine. As I was trying to get the straps done, Antoinette cleared her throat. ¡°I''m sorry to interrupt, but I thought you should know that I''ve found an estate that more than meets your requirements.¡± she said, walking over to help tighten my coat. ¡°It turns out that quite recently Marquis Roland Lebonne has decided to dispose of the assets of his late uncle. It contains a townhouse here in Kisk, a full twenty thousand acre estate just a day''s ride from the city, and a few other minor assets.¡± Antoinette said, glancing back toward Mrs. Lebonne.
Reaching back, Antoinette closed the door to the hallway, and stared at me as I started putting on my boots. ¡°So what''s wrong with it?¡± I ask, looking up at her. The silence was telling, as Antoinette stood there considering how to respond.
¡°With the townhouse? Nothing, it''s fully furnished. The country estate is mostly rural, with a few hundred acre of farm lands broken up between a handful of farmers. There''s was a copper mine on the property, but it''s long since abandoned. The most notable feature is the Chateau of Montevue, and the surrounding township. The township itself is in disrepair, though I think the villa only suffers from superficial damage. The estate has back taxes that have to be paid, in addition to purchase price. The late Count had failed to to provide adequate forces in the territory, and hostile monsters became a problem. As you have considerable assets, employing a small force to clear the area should be a simple matter.¡± Antoinette said, trying to reassure me. ¡°And of course the land come with the title of Count of Montevue...¡± she said the last with a wide smile
I stared at her for a moment trying to process what I was hearing, ¡°Hold on...That...They just allow nobles to sell titles to whomever comes along to buy it?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°And why wouldn''t the Marquis just handle all of this himself, or hand it to a family member?¡± I asked as I stood up, and put on my sword belt.
¡°Ahh...Well, that''s a bit complicated. You see the Marquis was ordered to relinquish the estates by the Emperor, due to concerns over him also holding large territories near Cathris, Ascir, and the blue river province. The assets he already had in and around Kisk were seen as creating a liability once he inherited his uncle''s properties. The Marquis''s forces are stretched thin in Cathris, and he''s looking to raise funds to expand his influence and forces there. As it is, most of the other nobility are waiting them out I believe. With the back taxes and other costs, Marquis Lebonne was probably looking at disposing of the assets at a loss..which would put him in an even worse position.¡± Antoinette said with a shrug. ¡°You have an abundance of funds, the current backing of Blackfield, and apparently the approval of Bishop Amon. You''ll pay a premium, but I''m told that the Lebonnes will support your ''appointment'', if you pay their asking price.¡± she said, pulling out a sheet of paper from her bag.
¡°How much is that exactly?¡± I asked, looking at the paper suspiciously. ¡°A hundred and fifty platinum Bak. Of course Blackfield''s Bank is willing to front the money, given your willingness to allow us to sell the natural Orichalcum you''ve placed with us.¡± Antoinette said, handing me the paper. I felt like I was being railroaded, and everything about this situation was sending alarms off in my head. ¡°So let''s say I pay the price. The Emperor has already forced the Marquis to sell the property, what''s to prevent it from being taken from me outright once I''ve dumped a king''s ransom on it?¡± I asked, looking at Antoinette coldly. She frowned, and nodded. ¡°I won''t lie, territories are held by suffrage of the Imperial court, and they could be taken from you. However, you''ll be purchasing the support of Marquis Lebonne and his family. Montevue isn''t a strategically important property beyond its proximity to Kisk. I can''t imagine anyone exerting more effort to separate you from the property, than the Marquis''s influence would prevent; Especially after you fund an additional ten thousand troops.¡± she said with a shrug.
Antoinette handed me a quill, and as I looked at it I could see a faint hue of magic on it. ¡°I believe this opportunity is fortuitous, and at the very least the risks to your assets are minimal.¡± she said as I looked at the paper, noticing three other signatures on it already. As I scratched my name into the paper it glowed gold before fading to black. ¡°Wonderful. Congratulations Countess of Montevue.¡± she said causing me to roll my eyes. At the very least I had apparently purchased a townhouse, and as of right now I had a method to free my mother of her curse. ¡°If you''ll excuse me, Ms. Bastier. ¡°I said as I rushed from the room. I heard Antoinette calling for me to wait for Charles, but I didn''t want anyone knowing who my mother was or her status at the moment.
11. Taken
So, this took me a bit to get written. I''ve been busy. I''m glad for all the new readers, and the next chapter should hopefully be up soon. As always, let me know if I you spot any mistakes, and thanks for reading.
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Chapter 11
I had taken too long in returning. The hours spent in the baths had gotten away from me, and the sun was setting as I flew over the rooftops. My footsteps as light as a feather, and my body was a flicker of light in the glare of the sun. The world blurred as I passed over the heads of the crowds below and I felt truly weightless, like I was flying. My hair swirled around me like a halo of golden fire in light of dusk, and the blue coat dragged against the wind, cracking like a whip as its edges caught the current of the wind. When I was a child I had dreamed of being superman, taking to the sky like a bird, and as I leapt to the top of a building I launched myself upward.
The city fell away beneath me as I found myself hurtling through the sky like a bullet. Dust had kicked up beneath me on my leap, and I felt the pressure of the air as it passed over my body, heating up. The pressure gave away to a feeling of weightlessness as the clouds enveloped my form, and I passed beyond them in a trail of vapor. My mind struggled to find purchase as I kept ascending, the slowed passage of time extending the sense of weightlessness...and terror.
My body kept hurtling upward, as the ground fell away: one thousand feet, two thousand feet, five thousand feet, ten thousand feet. I struggled to react to the motion, but I had no purchase on the air. With nothing to grasp or halt my movement, I reached an apex above the clouds, and started to fall to earth. The sense of weightlessness returned as time resumed its normal rate, and I screamed. ¡°MOTHER!¡± I yelled as I realized I lacked a way to slow my descent. I had used up my fabrication ability''s creation to its limit today, and though I had materials on hand, I didn''t have enough to alter to create anything like a parachute. As the cityscape moved closer toward me, I realized two things. One, I had overshot my destination by a good deal. Two, Kisk was apparently spread between a massive river leading to a distant sea. Both of these facts registered at roughly the same time, as I searched for the whore house my mother called a home, and simultaneously recognized I was headed for a watery grave.
I''m not sure exactly what was going through my head when I leapt, except ''Hey! I''m Superman!'' This was in stark contrast to the thought currently running through my head of ''Hey! I''m a Dead Man!'' Or I would be, if I were still a man...also, dying twice in so many days felt like pushing it to me.
My mind struggled at my options, as I realized I still had a tool in my chest; one fortuitously provided to me while a young ''noblewoman'' was groping me earlier. I had yet to actually cast a spell, but I was desperately hopeful in my ability to use one as the waters approached. Summoning the image of the arcane symbols I saw Chalice craft earlier, I focused a circle of glimmering light on my palms, which I held toward the water. I began pouring mana through them as quickly as possible, as an explosion of water erupted from my palms. Nothing happened at first, so I poured more and more mana into the spell, until I finally began to feel to descent slowing.
The jet of water hit the river below, spreading outward in a dense white foam, creating a large bowl in the water below me. I adjusted the direction of the jet as my velocity slowed to a stand still. I quickly found it difficult to accurately control my aim as the pressure against my body grew. As the angle shifted slightly, my body was launched forward wildly. As I tried to regain my composure, the spell broke, my mana draining low enough to cause mental exhaustion. Moments later I hit the water, though at least traveling at a less than fatal speed.
I reached shore a few minutes later, taking a more leisurely pace this time. I had found it simple enough cross unseen beneath the water, emerging at the entrance to a canal. Blocked from the view of others as I ducked into an alley, I washed away the river water with a small jet, and then quietly used the fabrication system to adjust the location of the water that had soaked my clothing away from me, and repaired the tares that had appeared along the way. I hoped that would serve to ''clean'' myself of whatever I might have picked up in the river...I really, really hoped, while trying not to think about what likely washed up into that river. Oddly the books and other articles I had in my satchel seemed untouched, leading me to notice an ambient magic that lined the inside of the bag.
It was a good twenty minutes before I finally managed to return to the Drunken Harlot, taking my sweet time. The street was quiet when I arrived, empty of the hustle and bustle that I expected during the late evening around this type of establishment. More than just the cheap bordello, the entire length of street was still. I looked around to catch a glimpse of movement in one of the buildings, as someone glanced through a window from behind a set of curtains, and then ducked back again. The sense of trepidation I felt was growing stronger by the second.
As I opened the door I felt my heart stop at the sight of blood pooled on the floor. A woman''s body was gutted, and left in a crumpled mess at the foot of the stairs. Furniture was upturned and broken in pieces, while the bar was shattered. I ran to look at the body and found it trembling slightly, the head tilted as it gasped. I was amazed she was alive, if only for the moment.
¡°Shit! Shit! Shit!¡± I kept repeating over and over again, as I approached the woman on the floor. Her red hair had a thin coating of her own blood, and the blue silks of her garments were shredded and marred. ¡°Aisha...¡± I said pushing against her stomach, where her organs were visible in the mesh. She twitched as I touched her, and her breathing was shallow and labored. ¡°I can handle this...Hold on...I''m...Oh God.¡± I said as she grasped at my arm weakly.
I brought up the fabrication system, hoping I could do something about the damage to her body, but suddenly faced with my own ignorance. I realized I was panicking as I stared at her. The body was a jumble of fluids, tissue, and organs, and I wasn''t sure where to start with the damage. Her bones were broken along her back, her ribs, her legs, and there were fractures in her skull. I breathed in deeply and tried to wrack my mind for information. Aisha was dying right in front of me, and I didn''t know how to stop it.
Time slowed, and the light glimmered around me growing brighter, and in a moment I was standing in that endless library once more. I needed medical information, and I hoped that I could find something in the these shelves. I ran with a vague sense of the direction, finding a scattering of books on biology and anatomy. I had never really read in that area, beyond skimming texts in college, or reading for the required science courses. I didn''t have any pure medical texts to pull from, but I grabbed the anatomy texts, absorbing their contents in a wash of light, or perhaps I was simply remembering what I had seen before. It didn''t really matter, because it was all suddenly at my fingertips.
The world was still moving in ''bullet time'' as I reentered reality. I started by taking a sample of Aisha''s blood and saved the makeup. I pulled the pooled blood from the floor, filtering contaminants from it, while trying to salvage what I could of it. I pulled from some of the materials around me, forming a needle from iron and lining the inside with gold. Lacking plastics, I grabbed glass nearby and used the alteration function of the fabrication system to create silicone rubber tubing. The system seemed to follow the conversion process using my memory, even without the catalysts usually necessary to alter the chemical state of the silicate. Once I had a material to use, I created tubing, and a seal, running between one of two needles. The other emptied into a sterilized one liter silicone bag.
Looking over Aisha''s damaged body, I quietly closed ruptured blood vessels, and tissue as her body was laid down on the floor. Her skin was pale, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Her heart was laboring and was likely to give out in the struggle any minute. The bones in her hips and limbs I repaired, as well as the fracture in her skull, but I decided to wait on her back until I had more time.
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Taking one of the needles I slid it into my arm, and blood began to pool into the bag. I formed a hook from the metal of a lantern, and set it into the wall beside us, before hanging the bag onto it. As I strung the bag of blood up, I compared Aisha''s blood to my own. According to Identify we were both O negative, so luck was with me...I hoped it would hold. I used another set of tubing fashioned the same as the first, and used the other needle to inject directly into Aisha.
The effect was almost immediate, as I could see the blood passing into her like liquid light. The tone of her skin changed in seconds as her breathing became easier. I looked into her body again, and found tissue I had missed repairing itself, much as the tissue in her back was knitting back together. She''d lost more than a liter of blood...but not much more, and I could see it was having a dramatic effect. Even her skin looked oddly softer. I had done what I could for her, and I hoped there weren''t others.
Stepping away from Aisha''s now sleeping form, I moved into the next room and found Lily huddled behind the bar. She looked up at me crying and trembling, and almost immediately latched onto me. I held the hysterical woman in my arms as she tried to speak.
¡°Jasmine...They took your mother. Aisha tried to stop them, and one of the men...Oh Gods!¡± Lily said between wails.
¡°Calm down...Aisha is fine...It was only a flesh wound, she''s all right.¡± I said patting Lily''s hair.
¡°That bastard Brax practically handed her over. He had some jewelry he''d taken from her. He claimed she''d stolen it. Jasmine denied it, but wouldn''t say where she got it from. Then some of those assholes Brax buys and sells black market goods from showed up. They were arguing, and then they said they wanted you. Jasmine tried to flee, but this large man in a black cloak grabbed her. Aisha tried to stop him, but...¡± Lily said, before stopping to wipe her eyes. ¡°Brax just wanted the damned jewelry!¡±Lily said, pulling away from me.
As Lily moved to look in on Aisha, I heard a grumbling noise as a large man in his late forties with a gruff beard stumbled down the stairs with a bottle of spirits in hand. He raised a thick arm at me and grinned. ¡°Well, if it isn''t my newest whore!¡± he said as he looked down at Aisha''s sleeping form and grumbled. ¡°Got the paperwork all drafted up by some friends. Your mother didn''t want to, but now it''s all legal like, or will be soon as I file it.¡± he said kicking Aisha as he stepped over her. ¡°I need to replace the dead bitch anyway.¡± he said, before taking another swig from his bottle. ¡°And you...I think I''ll break you in myself. A virgin''s first time pulls in a pretty cintas, but I have money now. I can afford the luxury of popping you.¡± he said reaching out to grasp at my hair.
When his hand touched my shoulder, I twisted it, and pulled him forward. I could feel something snap as I crushed the bones in his hand. I grabbed him by the head and dragged him back into the bar room, while he screamed and struggled. Pushing ki through my body I doubled my physical stats, before I began pummeling him with my fists. I could hear bones crack and tissue tear as I struck him over and over again, his legs flopping around as I broke them with sharp kicks. As his screams died down I tossed him down onto the floor, and stepped over him.
¡°Listen to me, you perverted fuck. If you don''t tell me where they took my mother, I will break you, and re-break you until you beg for death. I will expose you to pain the likes of which you cannot imagine, and I do so until your every waking thought is the hope that I might finally kill you.¡± I said, my mind numb with anger.
¡°STOP! STOP!¡± Brax bawled beneath me, flailing uselessly as he struggled in my grasp. ¡°It was Caern! The shadow''s enforcer! He took her!¡± he said coughing up blood.
¡°WHERE?¡± I yelled, my voice breaking as I glared at him.
¡°The slave pens! They run the southern market, near the docks. He''ll have taken her there!¡± Brax said shaking, his body in shock.
¡°And my mother''s jewelry?¡± I asked, staring down at him angrily as I released my hold.
He waved with his good hand at the stairs. ¡°In my room...¡± Brax said weakly, slumping back.
I stepped away from Brax, and headed up the stairs, taking a moment to look at Aisha and see that she was still recovering. I found the jewelry I had made for Jasmine in one of the bedrooms upstairs. They were on top of a desk, beside a bundle of papers. They looked to be slave papers and certificates of debt for the women in the Drunken Harlot. I could see a faint aura of magic about them, and Divine Identify told me the effect was a geas. The last one looked to have been filled out for me, though it hadn''t been enchanted yet. I took them all, and destroyed them. There was a moment of resistance, as if the magic in the paper made it resistant to normal damage...but I suppose being a God had its perks.
There was a thunderous crack like a gun going off as I sundered the documents, turning them to ash, and as I stowed the gifts I made for my mother in my satchel, women began peeking into the room. I could see a subtle shift in their demeanor from before, and a few of them looked to be crying joyfully as they saw the ash on the floor.
Stepping back into the hall, I reeled as the women began hugging and grasping at me. I realized that though I had freed them, they still had nowhere to go. ¡°Get your things, whatever you have. There''s a house...¡± I said thinking back to the documents I signed earlier, bringing their image to mind in perfect clarity. ¡°Estres Plaza and Brooks Way. Go there and wait for me, all of you. When you arrive, if anyone stops you, tell them the Countess sent you. I need to go...My mother...¡± I said, my voice trailing off. The women looked confused, but they nodded and agreed.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw Aisha beginning to stir, her eyes a bit brighter than before, and her appearance more youthful. I knelt down as Brax was screaming from the other room ¡°WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!¡± he was yelling at me, though I simply ignored him.
Aisha trembled as she rose to her feet, pulling the needle from her arm. She looked at it confused, and I took them, not wanting to risk people getting a hold of even a bit of my blood. I didn''t know if something could be done with it, but I didn''t want to find out. ¡°I''m...healed.¡± Aisha said, her voice weary. I leaned in and hugged her, ¡°Go with the others. Estres Paza and Brooks Way. It''s something I own now. ¡°I whispered to her. ¡°Go quickly...¡± I said looking at her for a moment and considered. ¡°Be careful...and bless you Aisha, you tried to protect my mother and I won''t forget that.¡± I said hugging her, a wash of warmth passing between us.
| Blessing of Faith Bestowed |
| A goddess whose domains are creation, knowledge, and magic, those endowed with her blessing receive a potent boost to magical strength. Enchantments or magic items require only half of the normal time to create, and the blessed of Faith have perfect memories. Finally path levels aren''t restricted based on elemental affinities. |
Beyond a faint look of ''relief'' from the blessing, Aisha didn''t seem to notice. I stepped away from her and brushed the strands of red hair from her eyes. ¡°I need to hurry...¡± I said stepping away from Aisha. She tried to stop me, calling behind me, but I was gone in an instant.
12. Rescue
Well, I hope everyone enjoys this one. If you see any problems, let me know.
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Chapter 12
It was lucky I got an aerial view of the city earlier, as I found the slave pens in the waning light quickly. The market itself was closing as night set, and ships near the docks were unloading people in batches of tens and twenties. The majority of the slaves were women and children; I saw only a scattering of men in the lot, and most of those injured in some way. The children looked distraught, and the women were mostly broken, in heart if not will.
The market was filthy, and I was inundated in the smell of human filth, sweat, and blood. I had rushed to the market to find my mother before she came to any harm...but I felt soul weary just looking at this place. It was a monument to man''s inhumanity to man, and I drew little attention as I worked my way through the sparse crowd. I didn''t see my mother anywhere, but I doubted they would keep her out in the open. Instead I saw bound women in chains, some grasping their small children close, at least until they were separated into different cages.
¡°We have good stock here people! Captured from the western front as Imperial forces destroyed the scattering of Valerian military, and local forces, they''re all in good condition. Each is bound to serve their contract holder! This is the last batch of the evening!¡± A large man in black robes called from a stage near the back of the market. He grabbed one of the young women, and stripped what little she had covering her, forcing her to her knees in front of the crowd. The display was infuriating, but killing their captors and freeing them wouldn''t solve anything. They would be stranded in hostile territory, and I would be a criminal. If I had money on me still, I could purchase them...but it would just fuel the trade. I intended to do something about this, and soon, but first I needed to retrieve my mother.
The voices of crying children were putting me on edge as I pushed my way toward the back of the market, to an iron and stone building decorated with cages and shackles. Every step I took was driving my sense of anger and outrage higher and higher. My heartbeat was like a drumbeat, and my heart felt like it wanted to break out of my chest. My fists were clenched in pure rage, and as I looked up to see one of slavers ''beating'' a child with a whip, I was a hair''s breadth from snapping.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, my body tensing up for a fight, as I glanced up and saw Charles staring down at me with a frown. ¡°Well, I know that look...and you might want to think on what you''re considering. I enjoy a good massacre as much as the next man, but you''ll have the city in arms in minutes...and a lot of dead women and children in the crossfire. No sane captain will send his men into fight you directly. There will be archers, and wizards burning the area in firestorms.¡± he said, taking his hand away from my shoulder.
¡°How did you find me?¡± I asked confused as I looked up at him, my arms crossed underneath my chest, trying to look far more intimidating that I probably was.
¡°With some difficulty, but you left a trail through the sky, and the loud explosive echoes in your wake gave a good direction. After that, I had to do some tracking, but you make a lovely figure, and a notable one at that.¡± Charles said with a grin on his face, ¡°So before you start trying to murder your way through half the city, perhaps you should allow me to assist?¡± he asked with more seriousness than normal. ¡°Now, why are you here? And what are you trying to accomplish?¡± he asked.
I stood there for a few moments, considering him, and then shook my head. ¡°I have no reason to trust you...But I don''t suppose you''ll just leave at this point.¡± I said, getting quiet stare in return. I considered a number of deceptions at this point, but frankly they all had a giant blind spot: Magic. My plan here had been to move in quickly, and destroy opposition before anyone could respond, since I had no real idea what could happen. Charles being here complicated things, in that I didn''t want my mother being exposed. All things being equal, I decided to be honest, but brief.
¡°A man named Caern, apparently an enforcer for a group called the Shadow, kidnapped my mother. I was told she was likely taken here. I intend to take her back, without delay, and by any measure of force necessary to do so.¡± I said simply. My voice was hard, and my gaze was cold, in spite of the fire burning inside of me, ready to consume reason.
Charles looked at the building, and swallowed. ¡°Ahh...The Assassin''s Guild. The Shadow is the Kisk guild master...¡± he said with a frown. He looked back toward the emptying market and then to the slave pens. ¡°If we call in the city forces, the Shadow will likely kill your mother in spite...¡± he said then looked down at me, ¡°It''s never a dull moment around you.¡± he said and then shook his head. ¡°We shouldn''t make a frontal assault. There are some tunnels that run along the riverfront, beneath the docks. They''re for flood surges, but off season the black market uses them. We can use them to come in from below. I can''t believe we''re raiding the Assassin''s Guild.¡± he said with a sigh, moving toward the docks quietly.
I followed behind Charles, not entirely trusting him, but willing to accept any plan at this point that could ensure Jasmine''s safety. Charles lead us down a set of stone stairs, into a small gathering of men wearing the same outfits the slavers were wearing. Before the men could do much more than register our presence, Charles had his sword out, decapitating two men in a single swing.
I leapt into the fray, pumping Ki into my limbs, once more doubling my physical stats, and slammed my hand down in an arc. The heavy hand slammed down onto one of the men''s chests, caving it in as it propelled him backward into a wall. As he lifted off the ground, the back of his shirt lifted backward with the force of energy ripping through his body. Two other men were blasted off their feet from the short explosion of Ki. Charles''s sword flicked out, taking the head off of one of the fallen men, while I grabbed the last, slamming him into the wall with my hand around his throat.
¡°How many men are ahead?¡± I ask, calmly choking his voice off as he tries to yell.
¡°...eighty or so..¡± he manages to say coughing, as I relaxed my grip.
¡°Have you seen an Elven woman?¡± I asked coldly, ¡°She would have come through in the last few hours.¡± I said, pressing him harder into the wall.
He looked between men and Charles and swallowed, ¡°Uhh...Yea...Pretty one. Caern took her into the pens where they keep the high end goods. Probably wanted to try her out...¡± he said, a bit nervously.
I nodded, looking down the dark tunnel, and then back at him with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± I said, snapping his neck, and tossing him away. Charles raised an eyebrow at me, but shrugged as he moved forward into the tunnels. The passageway along the riverfront had a few more ''drain rooms'' filled with slavers. We cut them down two and three at a time, leaving the bodies of broken men and women in our wake. As we exited the smaller tunnels, we found ourselves staring into a huge black cavern filled with pillars. The smaller tunnels all emptied out here, and a ways back from the stone walls was an island formed around a fifty foot wide stone pillar. There were wooden structures built along the outside of it, and a stairway extended into the world above. There were dozens of armed men sitting around the entrance, and behind them were merchant stalls. At one side of the pillar a stone building was formed, part of it carved into the pillar itself. I could see magic woven into the stones.
I glanced toward the back of the island, at the stone building, and noticed people moving into the interior. As a large iron door opened, my acute senses caught sight of my mother bound in chains within. A large man in a grey cloak was holding a chain connected to a collar around her neck. He was smiling at someone, and laughing while my mother just stared out numbly. As she turned her face, I saw where someone had struck her, turning half of it black and blue.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The stone cracked beneath me as I leapt forward, clearing the distance between the wall of the flood tunnel and the island in an instant. I could see the slavers look up moments before I rammed into one of them, my knee slamming into his chest and sending him flying through the air into the pillar at the center of the island. As an explosion of dust erupted from the stonework, I grabbed another slaver and spun around, knocking the others back in a whirlwind of motion.
Tossing the slaver away into the distance, I bolted toward the building in a flash. As I was about to reach the entrance fire erupted in front of me in a pillar of white and yellow. I was knocked backward, as fire washed over me, burning the flesh from my body. I focused through the pain, summoning a jet of water beneath me to wash away the fire on my body.
Ahead of me a woman in a red cloak held up her hand, fire burning white hot a few inches above her hand.
| Path of Fire Learned: 10% |
| Spell Learned: Fire Resistance |
| The first spell taught to new fire elementalists, this spell makes the user resistant to levels of heat dependent upon the level of the caster, and the amount of mana used. |
| Spell Learned: Fireball |
| A spell capable of generating an explosion of fire, the area and intensity of the spell is dependent on the amount of mana used. |
My mind grasped at the patterns of magic swirling around the woman, and being emitted from her hands. She leapt into the air on wings of fire, raising her hands upward, before releasing another stream of fire at me. One of my hands extended and I released a jet of water like a geyser, pouring mana into the simple spell. Steam exploded a the point of contact, the water vaporizing instantly, spreading steam in a thick cloud across the island. People screamed as the steam washed over them, and in the steam extended outward, sustained by the potent magics in the air. I looked into the dense fog, sensing motion in the mist.
My magic reacted before I recognized what was happening. The ground suddenly exploded in fire and ash, a pillar of lava swirling around me several feet thick. A shield of light appeared around my body, creating a bubble of protection, draining my mana was the pillar of lava burned it away. At the heart of the fire, I hovered within a geyser of molten rock. Focusing my mana just beyond the edge of the shield, I created a jet of water, which vaporized explosively. The force pressed against the shield and the geyser, creating a massive explosion, and launching me toward the enemy mage as a bubble of golden light.
Time slowed once more as I approached red-cloaked woman hovering on wings of fire, my shield dropping as I gathered Ki to strike. The bubble left a trail of light behind me as I released the spell, raising my resistance to the fire itself. My fist glowed in a blue-white energy as I screamed, throwing a powerful punch.
The mage evaporated into flames as I struck her, reforming below me, while my momentum carried me into the stone pillar. My Ki strike hit the structure like a freight train, the energy piercing the solid rock, and sending ripples through the stone in a wave of force which erupted out the other side. I had a moment to register the mage''s movement, before I was slammed from behind by another jet of fire.
I heard a high pitched scream, the intensity of the fire sounding like the call of a phoenix on the environment. The fire was hot enough to melt stone, and as I struggled to turn around the support pillar was melting over me. The force was pressing me into wall as the molten stone washed over me, blocking out the light. I could feel the weight of tonnes of stone solidifying around me, locking me in place as it cooled. My strength didn''t seem enough to budge the stone, and I was left immobile and trapped.
I couldn''t breath in the rock, but I slowly regenerated my mana, as my flesh mended from where the fire had melted it from my bones. My senses extended outward, and even through the stone I could hear my mother screaming. I began to summon mana into a dense fire around me, the rock once more becoming fluid. I heated it hotter and hotter, until the rock turned white hot, and then released another geyser of water. The wall of the pillar exploded as the water superheated within it, sending a wash of debris into the fog filled area. White hot magma fell in waves as I rushed into the fray once more.
The mage looked startled as I came at her again, her body turning into living flames as I struck at her. Her form shifted below me, and as I twisted my body in mid air, I released another geyser of water. Her body was slammed into the ground, the flames of her wings snuffed out as she struggled to dislocate again. As the water pressure began backing against me, time slowed once more. I pulled my hand back and released a single breath. My hand struck the pillar of water with a crack, sending a wave of ki through it. I poured my ki into the strike, and the pillar split in a wash of blue light. The mage at the bottom let out a scream as the ki energy rippled through her body, causing organs to rupture, as her body was smashed into the ground.
As time returned to normal speed, I fell to the ground, turning my attention toward Caern. The tall brute pulled back the hood of his gray cloak, and glared at me. A sword appeared in his hand, and he suddenly smiled. He turned at the hip, his blade flicking back, aimed at my mother''s neck.
¡°NOOOOOO!¡± I screamed, launching myself forward but realizing I was too far away, my hand extended uselessly.
The moment before Caern''s blade struck, a flying sword hit him in the chest, impaling him. His body lifted off of the ground, and crashed into the wall inside the building, where it dragged him through the wall...at least parts of him. His upper body separated at the chest, his lower body falling to the ground. I stared at Caern''s dead body confused, until Charles appeared in the doorway. He walked over to the enforcer''s dead body, and wrenched the longsword from the wall, and wiping it clean with the tattered remains of the dead man''s cloak. Jasmine started trembling, gazing around her as I approached. Upon seeing me emerging from the fog, she let out a shriek.
¡°BABY!¡± my mother yelled, running to wrap me in a hug. As her arms closed around me I realized that I was once more butt naked, the battle having destroyed the mundane cloth. Oddly the leather satchel and belt I got from the Adventurer''s guild was still intact. My magic senses extended outward, until I caught sight of a table at the back of the room, across from a stairway leading upward. On top of the table were piles of bound papers with the same glimmer of magic from before. At the top of the pile was a document with Jasmine''s name on it...Brax had sold my mother.
As I tore myself from my mother''s grasp, and approached the table, I heard the sound of armored men coming down the stairwell from the building above. I considered continuing my path of destruction through the building above, but discarded the thought. There were innocent people caged up there who could get caught in the crossfire, and I needed to get my mother to safety. I opened up the fabrication system, and closed the tunnel by fusing the walls together. Turning my attention to the papers began tearing them apart, the magics infusing them sundered in my grasp. Each document I tore released a sharp explosive crack. I couldn''t free those people up there right now, but I could end the control over their minds, and let the chips fall where they may.
As I turned around, Charles held out a thin brown robe. Not asking where he got it from, I pulled it over my head and followed him as he lead my mother and I back out of this hell hole.
13. Castle Caliburn
If anyone spots problems, let me know. I try to fix them as I find them. I struggled on pacing here, but came to certain decisions. I''m hoping to get to a point soon where I can progress the story. I''m just trying to finish laying groundwork for a specific arc. As always, enjoy.
****
It took us almost an hour to reach the townhouse. Charles took us down a different tunnel than which we took going in, which emptied out further up along the river bank. From there we managed to find a carriage to move us the rest of the way. The trip happened in silence, as my traumatized mother spent the trip with her arms wrapped around me.
In the quiet of the embrace, I was able to break the curse placed on her. There was a feeling of resistance as the warmth passed between us, and a psychic grinding. The pressure built up, before finally snapping, and falling away. The psychic rebound caused Jasmine to become tense for a moment, and then faint, though being curled up in the carriage at the time, she just slumped over onto me.
Name: Princess Jasmine Lusatra
Race: Noble Sun Elf
Age: 264
Sex: Female
Class: Bard 31, Noble 15
Subclass: Sunsinger 16
Profession: Whore 33
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 92
Endurance: 60
Intelligence: 82
Power: 95
Luck: 180
Health: 972 HP Health Regen: 6 HP/day
Mana: 820 MP Mana Regen: 9.5 MP/Day
Skills:
Athletics: 52/400
Climbing: 80/400
Herbalism: 75/400
Instruments:
-Harp: 150/400
-Ocarina: 80/400
Lore: 101/400
Persuasion: 127/400
Singing: 205/400
Survival: 102/400
Swimming: 40/400
Combat Skills:
Archery: 34/400
Longsword: 40/400
Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Noble Birthright, Blessing of Faith
Traits: Sun-Kissed, Exiled-Noble, Superior Magic Regeneration
Checking my mother''s status, I felt a sense of relief to see her curse gone. Her luck had changed, and quite dramatically at that. If that had been her luck before the curse, it was easy to imagine someone who had suffered little hardship or resistance in life, finding the world being destroyed around her. She had a new trait, which I thought might be associated with my blessing, but I wasn''t really sure how traits appeared. She had apparently suffered quite a bit of trauma today, as her levels had risen slightly.
The carriage finally reached its destination, and I was...surprised. The house took up an entire city block. Twelve foot stone walls surrounded the place, and a set of wrought iron gates blocked the entrance. As we reached the front gate, a more than a dozen familiar women approached looking haggard and tired. Aisha and Lily waved at us, eliciting a gasp from Jasmine who rushed forward to look at Aisha, wrapping her in a hug.
¡°How! That horrible man, he killed you! I saw it!¡± my mother said pulling Aisha close, ¡°But you look fine...and your face!¡± she said brushing Aisha''s cheek.
¡°Faith healed me! I don''t know how, but I was dying, and she arrived and the next thing I knew the pain receded, and my wounds healed...¡± Aisha said crying herself.
¡°But your face...You look so young!¡± mother said while the other women gathered around to check on her.
¡°I don''t know, it just happened! It''s a miracle!¡± Aisha said as I moved toward the gate, finding it bound with a rusted chain and lock. Not feeling like putting thought into it, I slammed my foot into the center, causing the gate to swing open as the chains and lock popped. The gate didn''t swing very far, having rusted at the hinges. The women jumped back startled, but I just walked past the gates exhausted.
Beyond the stone at the entrance was a large courtyard with gardens gone to seed. There were fountains and walkways covered in algae and dirt. Vines hung across eaves, and up the walls of the ''town house''. The gardens spread around the house, though the sections of the garden were separated by walls or overgrown hedges. The house itself was four stories along the outside, with tower at its center extending up two additional floors. The place had obviously once been a jewel in the rough architecture of the cityscape, but it had fallen into disrepair.
¡°They said the town house was in good condition.¡± I said with a frown, a sudden concern about structural integrity endangering someone. Turning back around I saw my mother and the others standing in the entrance nervously, while Charles wandered through. ¡°Ahh, The Castle Caliburn.¡± he said wandering over to me with a grin on his face.
¡°I thought this was a town house...not a castle.¡± I said looking back at him, the frown not leaving my face.
¡°Well, it is now. The Castle Caliburn was once the seat of the kingdom of Caerleon. Kisk itself was named Camlann, for the river. The Kingdom fell ages ago, but the castle held up as a relic and local bit of flavor, I suppose. When the Empire of Atarack spread across the continent, Camlann was absorbed and renamed Kisk for the High Priest of the goddess Alethea at that time.¡± Charles said wandering over to stand next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
¡°The walls were mostly dismantled, and the bulk of the lands surrounding the castle were absorbed into the city, but the castle was handed down in family for several centuries, until the Duke of Flavia''s heir became emperor something like three hundred years ago, at which point I think it was gifted to one of the branch families. They used to throw parties here during the winter. I attended one when I was seven...that was the last since. The count took ill or something, and moved out to his country estate. The gardens went to seed shortly after, though the interior was supposedly tended to until a few years ago. When the count died, I don''t think the Marquis had the funds to throw at it. A shame really.¡± Charles said with a sigh, ¡°In any case, it''s a sturdy old place.¡± he said walking forward, ahead of us.
As I began to follow, I stopped and turned back to see my mother and the other women still standing in the gateway looking confused. ¡°Well come on...This is home.¡± I said raising a hand and motioning to the overgrown building.
Mother looked between the other women and moved forward through the courtyard, the others following a small distance behind. ¡°...How did you get permission to stay here?¡± Mother asked with obvious confusion.
¡°I...came into some money today, and apparently bought it, along with a title. I''d be happy to explain everything, but I''m exhausted. Can we discuss it tomorrow? As it is, I''m sure finding a clean surface to sleep on in there is gong to be difficult...¡± I said, causing her to grimace. I took her hand in mine, and we walked together up the stone steps. Charles pulled out a wrought iron key and smiled at me, unlocking the door with some difficulty, before tossing it to me.
The doors groaned as they opened, the old hinges needing oil. The entrance hall was perhaps once a grand affair, though was now just dark, and covered in dust. Large pictures hung from the walls, draped with cloth. Tattered sheets were hung over the furniture, which I was frankly surprised to see. A brief scan of the furniture with the fabrication system showed me frayed and damaged surfaces in need of repair. The floors made of marble were in good condition, though the hard wood floors would need to be sanded, stained, and waxed. Luckily the stairs seemed in good condition, but I didn''t want to risk anyone getting hurt upstairs until I checked the floors. This place would take me days to get into order even using the fabrication system, and that''s assuming I didn''t need to create anything special.
¡°Let me go upstairs and check a few of the rooms, to make sure they''re safe...Charles, could you see if we can get the fireplace lit?¡± I asked as I headed for the stairs.
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¡°Which one? This place has numerous fireplaces.¡± Charles said looking around happily. He paused to look at the host of fifteen women standing in the entrance hall. Aisha and Lily were looking around at one of the sitting rooms, and had taken seats on a couch. ¡°We should probably see to food. After we put up some lights, I''ll go procure some.¡± Charles said before heading into one of the back rooms.
I ascended the stairs to the second floor and began scouting for bedrooms. There were a half dozen in immediate proximity to the stairs on the second floor, and half of them were usable. The beds were damaged, but a little repair work with the fabrication system restored them, and the floors, some of which were drooping slightly. I figured three women per room would work, given the size of the beds, and spent forty minutes doing some basic maintenance. When I finished I went back downstairs to find everyone chatting in the sitting room with Aisha and Lily, in front of a fire. There were four glass lanterns with candles in them, set on top of tables and mantle. Their spirits were far higher than mine, but that might just have been exhaustion speaking.
¡°I got some bedrooms on the second floor ready. The doors are open.¡± I said yawning, as I walked over to the couch my mother was on. I slipped next to her and curled up, her arms wrapping around me. I left my satchel and belt on the table in front of me, and just relaxed in her arms while the ladies bantered. Quite a few came up to hug me, or thank me, but I just dozed off.
*****
When I awoke the next morning I was curled up in a bed with my mother. I was still wearing the brown robe Charles handed me the night before. The light streamed through the windows illuminating the overgrown gardens outside, and the stone wall blocking out the cityscape beyond. There were a few people glancing at the busted entry gate from the sidewalk, but no one ventured inside.
Pulling myself from the window I descended downstairs and was hit by the scent of food being cooked. There was some commotion down one of the hallways, and I entered to find four men in the kitchen, two of them were cooking while the other two were scrubbing the room, and dishes, clean. I blinked confused, as Charles came into the kitchen through another door from outside. He smiled at me and raised a glass of something in my direction. ¡°Good Morning, Countess of Montevue.¡± Charles said heading toward me.
¡°...Who are these men, and what are they doing here?¡± I asked, though their actual activities were obvious.
¡°Ahh, sorry about that. I met with Antoinette last night, and she was arranging for a skeleton staff. That''s Henry, your chef, and Louise his sous-chef.¡± He said motioning to the two men who were cooking. ¡°Daniel is your butler, and that''s David, he''s a ''chef in training''.¡± Charles said, making introductions.
Daniel wiped his hands off on a towel, and approached with a smile. ¡°You''ll forgive the lack of staff. I''ll be handling hiring, but it could take weeks to have a full staff. I understand from the ladies in the house that they were interested in acting as maids, though I''ll still want to bring in a seasoned housekeeper. Ms. Bastier said you had a separate estate that would need to be seen to; if you wish to move anyone there, they could be trained here first.¡± he said warmly.
I cleared my throat and looked back at the hallway, ¡°Can I speak with you privately Charles?¡± I asked.
¡°Hrm? Of course.¡± Charles said looking at me confused.
¡°The dining room is cleaned and ready to be used whenever you''re ready. When breakfast is finished, I was going to go rouse the ladies.¡± Daniel said went back to cleaning.
Stepping into what looked like an office of some sort, I pulled Charles inside and closed the door. ¡°Do you think it''s wise to be bringing strangers into my home, immediately after an assassin''s guild tried to kidnap and kill my mother?¡± I asked coldly. ¡°What if one of them is an assassin? What if one of them tells them where we are!¡± I said, my voice getting more irritated.
¡°That bunch? Daniel''s an old friend of the family, while Henry and Louis have only arrived recently in Kisk, and worked for the Duke of Caprice until recently. Can''t really speak for David, but he''s a relative of Louise, who says he wants to be a chef.¡± Charles said trying to calm me down. ¡°Relax, I''ve arranged for guards. And besides, the Shadow couldn''t have had any clue who you are. He deals with underworld trade, not the politics of nobility. If it becomes an issue, we''ll just pass a complaint up the line. The Shadow won''t want a war with the nobility, Faith.¡± Charles said.
I looked at him and took a deep breath, before relaxing. ¡°I''m going to take some of my own precautions...just let me interview any of the applicants.¡± I said, mentally making a note to use my divine identify on everyone coming into this house.
Charles frowned and scratched his chin, ¡°I suppose so, though that might upset Daniel. Not that it isn''t your right, but it might be seen as distrusting his judgment and ability..¡± he said.
¡°I..I just need to meet them before hand. Besides, I''ll need to learn how to select staff for Chateau Montevue, right?¡± I asked, causing Charles to cough.
¡°Sorry...You''re a very active countess. I''ll let Daniel know. It''ll be a day or two before applicant interviews will start anyway, and then you have to check credentials.¡± Charles said and shrugged.
¡°That''s fine...I''m getting hungry. Let me go wake everyone up.¡± I said, moving past Charles, and heading back upstairs to wake the house.
Breakfast was a simple fare, mostly eggs, bread, and cheese. The ladies didn''t seem to mind, and there was a look of hope in their faces that I hadn''t seen before. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from them, or like they had been cured of a terminal illness. The way they chatted, I got the feeling that Faith had grown up around the majority of them, and they cared deeply about her and Jasmine.
Mother, for her part, got the other women to start cleaning. Daniel procured mops, buckets, and other accoutrements for the task. Watching them, I decided that I would make sure these women had a home here or whatever we went. Something told me that they all deserved one.
While everyone was cleaning, I went searching the ''town house'', looking for structural damage or wear in the floors, walls, or ceilings, using the fabrication system. There was quite a bit of wear where weight wasn''t perfectly distributed. It was also obvious that the place had seen numerous renovations over its long history. It was while searching the library near center, that I found odd structures beneath the floors and walls. The floors looked to have a honeycomb structure beneath the marble tile, and at one place I could make out interlocking mechanisms.
It took me several minutes to puzzle things out, but I eventually traced the levers and pulleys to a section of wall that had an ancient looking engraven ''mural''. Parts of it were rubbed away, but there looked to be massive creatures covering the sky, sea, and earth. At one side was a small figure of a woman standing atop a lake, which is also where one of the triggers for the mechanism were. Taking a few minutes to analyze, I pressed in small symbols, trying several ''orders'', before something clicked.
The floor at the center of the library began to shake and recess, a stairwell appearing leading down into the depths.
14. Throne and Crown
Ok, so this one took me a bit longer than usual, both to write and to get around to. The tables don''t look quite the way I wanted, but I''ll deal with that later. I''ll try to get the next chapter out today. As usual, if you see any problems, let me know.
**********
Light flickered in the depths as I descended ancient stone steps. The stairwell was subsumed in darkness, except for the spec of light guiding me just past the twisting bend. My magic sight could detect the energy suffusing the walls, and with each step I could feel it reacting to my presence. The walls themselves were chill, an aura of cold rolling off of them, all heat pulled into the cold earth. With every yard I descended, the temperature dropped further, until after a score of turns my feet touched the bottom.
The light in the depths was formed of dim blues, purples, and greens. Phosphorescent illumination lined ornate patterns that spiraled across white surfaces like vines. Florid symbols were embossed in the pure white stone, a strange glassy marble that lent a ''living'' quality to the shapes of leaves and flowers. The phosphorescent light bled into the stonework, at times giving it a feeling of blood circulating through marble veins. There was magic here, and though I couldn''t quite describe the sensation...it felt ancient, but also familiar.
The massive hall of white was supported by pillars that looked like trees, their limbs intertwining to create vaulted ceilings. The hall opened into a cavern that extended into the darkness below. I could make out platforms made from the same white material that lined the walls, and many tunnels and rooms in the depths. Stairs connected to the platforms, creating a simple web of walkways, and as I stepped into the cavern I realized that the place was built as if it were the inside of a tree, and the depths its roots.
Looking closely at one of the ''tree'' pillars, I ran a hand across the surface, feeling the intricate details along the surface. The material was almost like a highly polished wood, and as my hand pressed against the it fully, I could feel mana leeching from my body.
Almost immediately the tone of the material changed, the ambient phosphorescence growing brighter, and spreading from tree to tree. Warmth spread under my feet, and a comforting sensation of acceptance that was hard to describe filled the air. The light began to spread slowly down into the depths like water carried through the roots of a tree.
I pulled my hand away from the pillar, and the drain stopped, but I considered it for a few moments. On a hunch I pulled my boots off, and stepped barefoot on the warming floor. Mana began to seep from me, but still slower than my natural regeneration rate. With every footstep I took, a dim light illuminated beneath my path. The energy continued to spread downward illuminating the walls and stairways. The cold was slowly parting in the depths, and I could see ice further down encrusting the surfaces of walls and floors.
I followed the path downward and found myself before a small frozen lake, at its center was a small island with throne, and upon the throne a silvery crown that looked woven from leaves and vines. At one side of the frozen lake a statue rose from the ice. It was in the form of a familiar woman holding a familiar sword. She was holding the massive stone sword out as if in offering, and as the light poured down across the lake, it rose through the statue, and formed ghostly wings of light at her back.
¡°Well...this might cause structural problems.¡± I said out loud to myself. The castle above us was obviously built on top of this place, which meant hundreds of tons of force were being applied at the roof. There didn''t appear to be any drooping in the ceiling high above, which probably owed to ''magic''. If this place had been made out of wood the whole castle would have fallen through ages ago. On the upside, the mana I had been leaking into the place seemed to give more vibrancy to everything...though if it was heating up down here...would I need vapor barrier to prevent mold later?
I crossed the lake, my footsteps creating ripples of light through the ice. When I reached the throne I considered the crown. There was definitely magic in it. I brought up Divine Identify, getting an...interesting result.
| Crown of ¨¢ine |
| ¨¢ine is the goddess of sovereignty, wealth, and summer. Her crown marks the sovereign ruler of the Fae, and provides fertility for the land and its people. This crown was held by the rulers of the summer court until the mortal kingdom of Caerleon defeated the armies of King Olmucaid. King Arwen of Caerleon sealed the crown away after he was poisoned by his eldest son. |
| Effect: Major Illusion Resistance
Effect: Eternal Youth
Effect: Unmarred Beauty
Effect: Removal of limit rating for Path of Nature, and Path of Illusion
Effect: Major increase in fertility for the lands and people of any territory ruled by the wearer. |
I picked up the crown and smiled. It was strange that this place had gone undiscovered for so long. It created questions about how the castle was built without everyone knowing about this place, if it was a preexisting structure. Then again...magic I supposed. I picked up the crown and took a seat on the throne, looking upward and marveling at the architecture. It really was a beautiful place...I wondered if mother would like it...or if I should really show it to anyone yet. A hidden underground lair like this would be invaluable.
I placed the crown on my head, and felt a familiar sense of warmth spreading through me as something in the crown responded. If inanimate objects could have motions, I''d say it felt happy. Then again, that was probably just me attaching human characteristics to inanimate objects. Shaking my head, I left the small island, my footstep sending more ripples as I moved to explore the structure. At the very least I should know if there were any exits down here.
The place was larger than I had assumed, the tunnels like roots of the ''tree''. There were occasionally passages closed by woven illuminated vines, but they parted on my approach revealing ornate bed chambers, armories, storage areas, and even a library which seemed to be woven from a number of the ''tunnels''. The tunnels curled around in stairwells, emptying out onto the separate floors. There was a railed opening at the center of each floor that gave a view of the floors below, but each floor was otherwise just rows and rows of books. There were a few sections in blocked areas whose books glowed with magic, while the rest were more mundane. I opened books here or there, and found poetry, plays, stories, histories, and even writing on assorted crafts and nature.
I reached blocked off sections and it opened with a touch. The bound tomes within had titles like ''The Art of Illusion, Vol 1'', ''The Medicinal Applications of Life Magic'', and ''The Hierarchy of Primal Souls''. A little scouring even turned up a beginner¡¯s book on magic.
As I absorbed information from the books I handled, I felt my mind inundated by intricate patterns, chants, and dances. Skill windows started popping up as my occult rating rose by more than fifty points in a matter of minutes. Focusing through the information overload I grasped at one of the concepts. ¡°Path Display¡±
| Path | Affinity | Rating |
| Light: | 100% | 10% |
| Darkness: | 100% | 0% |
| Creation: | 100% | 10% |
| Destruction: | 100% | 0% |
| Illusion: | 100% | 0% |
| Nature: | 100% | 0% |
| Fire: | 100% | 10% |
| Water: | 100% | 10% |
| Earth: | 100% | 0% |
| Air: | 100% | 0% |
| Subpaths: | Affinity | Rating |
| Blood: | - | 10% |
According to the information in the books, path affinity provided a hard cap on how high a person''s path rating could actually reach. Most of those magically endowed had maybe one or two affinities higher than ten percent, with a normal upper range at fifty percent, though there were legendary ''arch mages'' with affinities up in the 80% for their primary. The upper levels of each path reached into ''high arcana'' at around 80% allowing for legendary spells. The book mentioned divine spells from the ''Age of Gods'' which supposedly required 90-100% affinity in a path to learn, but those were supposedly all lost, or known only by the god associated with that sphere.
The affinities also reduced the cost of spells from their associated paths, while rating was a measurement of mastery and comprehension on the fundamental aspects of the path. What was curious was the tenuous relation between affinity and rating, to the power of those spells. While most spell casters didn''t tend to have affinities higher than thirty to fifty percent, the actual classes provided abilities that improved power, versatility, and range of the spells at lower levels. However the book described an inherent, and compoundable, increase in those traits from natural affinity levels. That might explain why I was able to match the kind of magic output the fire mage I had fought the night before was putting out.
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Subpaths were more specialized fields of study, with limits associated with one of the primary paths. The specialized subpaths tended to be more limited at the higher levels though. As I thought about it I was I was also able to bring up spell lists for each path, using ''show path status''.
| Path of Light | Rating: 10% |
| Spells: | Create Light, Detect Lies, Induce Calm, Shield of Light |
| Path of Water | Rating: 10% |
| Spells: | Water Jet |
| Path of Fire | Rating: 10% |
| Spells: | Fire Resistance, Fireball |
| Path of Blood | Rating: 10% |
| Spells: | Discern Heritage |
The paths themselves became progressively more difficult to learn the higher their rating, with 5 to 10% generally taking a year or two, and going from twenty to thirty potentially taking a decade. The ''Arch Mages'' of legend were known to have lived centuries mastering the high arcana, some turning themselves into the first liches and vampires, were the blessings of gods not available. The ancient fae supposedly lived for millennia, much like the scions of gods, while elves tended to have life spans in the range of many centuries. This meant that aside from the ''high races'', most mortals needed artificial means to extend their lives just to master the upper limits of their affinities, at least where archmagi were concerned.
The basic books also described the types of abilities used by the magic using classes, such as abilities to control the shapes of spells, to delay them, or alter them to perform effects not generally associated with the paths in question. Supposedly that''s how many of the subpaths were created. I took a moment to use ''Show Abilities'' to review my ability listings for the first time.
| Class: | Abilities: |
| Martial Artist: | Ki Pool, Divine Meditation, Body Reinforcement, Quick Sight |
| Wizard: | Magic Accumulation, Magic Manipulation |
| Form: | Abilities: |
| Aikido | Improved Deflection, Greater Throw, Ki Manipulation |
| Tai Chi | Moving Meditation |
| Wing Chun | Heavy Hand |
Beyond pure spell casting, referred to the books as weaving or shaping, there were complex and time consuming rituals that allowed certain mages to produce spell effects normally beyond their natural affinities. Of course these rituals also tended to require often expensive material components, much like creating magic items. The theories in the books were simple enough to digest, and as I moved through the texts I realized that the fae here only really kept magic texts on nature and illusion magics, the last often referred to as ''seemings''.
Getting a better understanding of the basic concepts, I moved on to a couple of the practical magic tomes. Placing my hands on one of them I began to absorb the information in the books, my mind suddenly being hit with a sledgehammer of information.
| Path of Nature Learned: 20% | [tr]
[tr]| Spell Learned: Nature Bond |
| Effect: This spell alters the essence of a target, allowing the creation of a bond with natural beings so that they recognize the individual as ''one of their own''. |
| Cost: 40 mana/day |
| Spell Learned: Detect Essence |
| Effect: The spellcaster is able to detect any being''s life essence in a thirty foot radius. The caster is able to identify the race or elemental signature of the being. Radius increases with level of spellcaster. |
| Cost: 20 mana/minute |
| Spell Learned: Communication through Spirit |
| Effect: The spell establishes a connection between the caster and another living being. This spell allows the two to communicate spiritually, bypassing the need for language, allowing it to work between plants or animals. |
| Cost: 50 mana/day to maintain connection |
| Spell learned: Life Sight |
| Effect: Used to analyze natural entities, such as plants or animals, this spell allows a practiced user to assess properties such as health, status effects, or toxicity. |
| Cost: 20 mana/minute |
| Spell Learned: Healing |
| Effect: This spell boosts the natural healing qualities of a target, causing wounds to close and the target to regain 20% of its health, +5% per ten levels of the spellcaster. This spell doesn''t replace lost limbs, or heal what time would not. |
| Cost: 100 Mana |
¡°Owie owie owie owie!¡± I cried out as I fell to my knees, gripping my head as the pain receded, followed by mild nausea as my stomach turned. I gasped teary eyed as I tried to get a grasp on my senses again. The patterns and concepts were burning themselves into my brain as I shuddered. After a few minutes I wearily made my way to my feet, being a bit too careful not to touch any more of the magic tomes yet. My mind was still trying to grapple with the information, but I could feel my mind cycling through spells, adjusting my ''senses''. I looked at the other books, including the illusion books...and decided to save this for later. With my luck I''d put myself in a coma trying to assimilate all of those spells in one go.
Turning my back on the rest of the library I made the long walk back through the complex of passages, through the stairways of the ''tree cavern'', and finally up the stairwell back to the library I came in through. As I passed through the underground building I could feel the ambient magics in the walls growing stronger, as the lights became brighter and more vibrant. The pale white substance of the place had taken on a livelier hue, the blues and greens of the phosphorescent light showing yellows and whites which made the whole place look more ''alive'' than before. The small lake down at the depths had lit up, a thin fog appearing over surface filled with glimmering lights. The place felt more comfortable returning than it had coming down...and a lot less cold.
As I ascended the stairwell into the castle library I saw my mother stepping into the light from one of the hallways. She looked confused and concerned as she spotted me, and began moving toward me.
¡°Faith..Can we talk now?¡± my mother asked me, closing the door to the library behind her. She looked at the stairwell at the center of the library, as I pushed a button on the wall causing it to start closing.
¡°Sorry...there''s a sub-structure. I don''t want anyone getting hurt down there until I really get a chance to go over it. Especially with the castle up here still needing repairs...¡± I explained with a worn smile.
¡°Ahh..I see.¡± Jasmine said stepping toward me, and wrapping her arms around me. ¡°Baby, I''m worried about you...and I don''t know what''s going on with you...or this place. How did you get this all...And where did you get that crown from?¡± she asked looking at the Crown of ¨¢ine, and the glimmering lights flowing through the flowery mithril surface.
¡°Oh, um, it was laying around down below...¡± I said, looking up at woman hugging me. ¡°I''m sorry mommy, It''s just been a long couple of days.¡± I said placing my head on her shoulder.
¡°It''s alright baby. Come sit down and tell me about it.¡± my mother said, pulling me toward a small set of chairs next to one of the windows.
15. An Invitation
Meant to get this out yesterday, but I need a bit longer on the dialogue. Hope everyone enjoys, and if you spot any problems let me know. I will continue trying to get through the next few chapters quickly.
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I sat there for several minutes, sitting across from my ''mother''. She was looking at me pensively, while I tried to compose my thoughts. I wanted to explain everything, but what I needed to address the most was the thing that I was afraid would hurt her the most...the idea that her daughter was dead, and I was an imposter possessing her body. The idea of breaking this woman''s heart was filling me with a crippling sadness, but if I didn''t say anything...what kind of disrespect would I be showing Faith. My hands trembled as I wrestled with the decision, and again with the idea that I had somehow robbed a girl of her life, and that my own life had ended. I took a deep breath as my hands gripped the armrests on the chair, wrestling with existential questions. I didn''t want to face this. I wanted to run as fast as I could away from this.
¡°Faith, baby...what''s wrong?¡± Jasmine asked me, her gaze peering into me with concern.
I took another deep breath, and tried to focus, before looking up into her eyes. ¡°I''m...not Faith.¡± I said quietly, looking down for a moment to regain my composure.
Jasmine instantly tensed as if confused. She seemed to whisper something under her breath. ¡°What do you mean, baby?¡± she asked after a moment, confused.
¡°The other night...in the alleyway. We were being attacked...That''s the first memory I have in this world.¡± I said looking back up at her, noting her gaze had changed from ''loving'' to incredulous. I quickly described the events of my death, the stat window, and the ''re-spawn point''. I described the creation of my gifts, and the fabrication system. I told her about the day that followed, and what had led us here. At one point I had brought my legs up into my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I talked. She didn''t interrupt me, she just listened as I talked. When I finally finished I looked up, and she was just giving me looks of concern.
¡°...Wait here, please.¡± Jasmine said, standing up, and walking quietly from the library. Seeing her walk away was heartbreaking. The world was blurring as my eyes filled with tears, and I was trying to just breath. I was struggling in the moment, imagining her standing over me, protecting me as a child. I thousand imagined moments weighed on me, to the point I felt I was losing my mind. I dreaded this woman walking back into the room, and looking at me like I was a stranger, believing that in certain times, in certain places, looks could kill.
I was so caught up in my own internal struggles that I didn''t notice Jasmine return. She was holding a small box in her hands, and had knelt down in front of my chair. She opened the box and removed the jewelry I had made for her. She pulled my legs down and placed them on my lap. I suddenly felt crushed as I realized she was returning the only gift I had ever given her. I breathed harder, and swallowed. ¡°I''m sorry...¡± I said trembling, but she just smiled at me while I cried.
Reaching down into the box she pulled something else out. It was a roughly made wooden bracelet, with a symbol of sun and leaves painted onto it. The paint was flaked a bit, but looked to have been kept with great care. She placed the wooden bracelet in my lap, next to the ones I had made for her from orichalcum. As I looked down at them, I was confused...the patterns were the same.
¡°You made this for me when you were six years old. You spent a whole week on it, and when you didn''t know what ''elven'' decorations were supposed to look like, you made this. You said ''elves like leaves, and there''s a sun for sun-elf!''¡± Jasmine said, brushing one of my hands, while I tried to wipe away tears with the other.
¡°...But that wasn''t me...¡± I said trembling, confusion overwhelming me as I imagined hours spent carving a piece of wood. Jasmine just continued to watch me, before reaching up to brush a strand of hair from my eyes.
¡°Baby, I would know my own daughter.¡± Jasmine said, stroking my face, causing me to shake as I tried to bring my legs up again. She moved in closer, placing the box aside, and putting the jewelry back inside.
¡°That wasn''t me...It''s just her body, and you''re going to go away, and I''ll be alone.¡± I said my mind jumbled, my stomach clenched, while my heart was breaking in my chest. It felt worse than dying, and I thought I was losing my mind.
¡°Baby...No. I''m a bard sweetheart.¡± Jasmine said, reaching in to take my hands, and staring at my tear streaked face. ¡°We know nature magic baby, and I can analyze a soul.¡± she said reaching up to brush my cheek. ¡°I don''t know exactly what happened to you, but I do know that my baby''s soul is in here.¡± she said, placing a hand on my chest. ¡°I would know it even if I didn''t check before. Whatever else you are, you''re my baby, I love you, and I will never ever ever leave you.¡± she said leaning in and pulling me into a hug. I couldn''t respond, I just cried, torn between confusion and relief.
I flung myself forward, gripping my mother in hug. ¡°I''m sorry mommy.¡± I said trembling, but she kept holding me, stroking my hair.
After a long time I was finally able to calm down, and I reluctantly pulled myself from the hug. My mother kissed me on the cheek, and took my hands. ¡°Baby, everything will be all right. You''ve had a couple of bad days, and I understand. You''ve had to take lives to survive, and people have hurt you. I was so scared I would lose you when those men came to the inn, but I will never abandon you.¡± she said looking me in the eyes. ¡°And I know that nothing that''s happened in the past few days has hurt you as much as thinking I would, so don''t worry. Whatever happens Faith, I''ll be here for you. I''m your mother.¡± she said as I wiped my face with the sleeve of my arm.
¡°Also, next time come home sooner. You left before the sun came up, not a word of where you were going. Then you were out all day. I was worried.¡± Mother said, giving me another hug. ¡°Why don''t you go help Aisha and Daniel clean. It''ll make you feel better, and we need to get the house livable...Maybe you can take me down to look at that area beneath the library later.¡± She said squeezing my hand, and then releasing it. She turned with a smile, and me alone in the library to collect myself.
I spent several minutes sitting in the warmth streaming down from the window above. There was a small courtyard situated near the center of the castle interior, and it looked to have been an atrium. There were a few overgrown plant beds, and a few small trees that needed to be trimmed, but it was in otherwise good condition. There were small vents along the top of the atrium that I could see from my vantage point in the library. They were probably to provide fresh air to the rest of the castle, though it''s location above the tree-like structure below was interesting.
Finally rousing myself from the chair, I passed back out of the library, finding Daniel approaching me with a smile on his face. He looked at me for a moment with concern, ¡°Oh...Is something wrong Madam?¡± he asked, as I realized what I must look like.
¡°Oh...Yes, Sorry. I was cleaning a bit, and the dust irritated my eyes.¡± I said, clearing my throat. ¡°I was just coming to find you. I thought I might assist with the cleaning.¡± I said with a warm smile.
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Daniel shook his head, ¡°It''s quite all right, Madam. The other ladies have cleaning under control, though I would definitely appreciate assistance cataloging the assorted assets, as well as going over likely repair and maintenance costs with you. I''ve put out requests for staff, but it could take a few days before we start to receive applicants. Sir Bastier said you were interested in assisting with the interviews.¡± he said, giving me a wry smile.
¡°Oh, yes. I needed experience doing interviews...I have another estate I''m going to have to staff in the near future.¡± I said, remembering Charles''s concerns.
¡°Of course, Madam. In any case, I had just been looking for you. Lady Bastier has arrived with a small group of guards from the bank. They''re waiting in the foyer.¡± Daniel said.
¡°Right. Thank you Daniel. I''ll go see to our guests.¡± I said, making my way back to the entry way. The other ladies of the house gave me smiles and waves as I passed, making me feel better. When I reached the foyer, Antoinette was happily talking with Charles. She looked up and spotted me, giving a wave of her hand in greeting.
¡°Countess Montevue, good morning.¡± Antoinette said, turning from her cousin. ¡°I apologize for showing up unannounced, but Charles alerted me that you were commencing repairs on Caliburn. Blackfield realized that you would need assets on hand, and so we brought some petty cash. I thought four thousand gold cintas would serve for temporary funds.¡± she said, motioning to a large wooden chest that the four guards were standing around. ¡°I also wanted to discuss security for your household, and provide you an invitation from Governor Larousse. He''s sponsoring an event at the Grand Amphitheater for the third day of the spring festival, which is tomorrow.¡± she said, pulling a sealed envelope from her coat, and handing it to me.
I glanced at the gold symbol on the seal, and could see a hint of magic in it. The spell seemed to alert the person who made it, that it had been broken. Cracking the seal, I pulled out a vellum card. The card was a formal invitation ''requesting my attendance'' of a show of strength and skill in open arena. It appeared the Governor was providing a five hundred gold cintas reward to the champion, and was personally sponsored a foreign master of combat.
¡°I appreciate the invitation, but I couldn''t make time right now. There''s just so much to..¡± I said as Antoinette looked past my shoulder and smiled. ¡°Oh, goodness. You must be the Countess''s Mother!¡± she said, as I turned to see my mother walking into the room. She was wearing the wooden bracelet from before, and a simple white dress. As the sunlight lit up her hair, I thought about how young she looked, even for being more than two hundred years old. I wouldn''t have put her past her past her late twenties. She seemed younger than before...though perhaps It was just that she looked more carefree and hopeful.
¡°Please, call me Jasmine, And you must be Lady Bastier, Charles''s cousin. He told us so much about you.¡± Mother said moving over to take Antoinette''s hand. ¡°I appreciate all of the help you''ve given my daughter. You and Charles both. She''s everything in the world to me.¡± she said before glancing down at the chest, and the invitation in my hand. ¡°Oh! An invitation?¡± she asked me.
¡°Um...Yes. A Governor Larousse sent it. It''s for some tournament. I was just telling Antoinette that..¡± I said, before mother cut me off.
¡°That sounds lovely! Of course we''ll come. It will give everyone a chance to get work done without us under foot.¡± Mother said, looking at me with a smile.
¡°Wonderful!¡± Antoinette said happily, ¡°And as for security, Blackfield is leaving these guards at your disposal for the moment, but we were going to be referring a few people to your butler, Daniel. In fact, a Captain Eric Raoult had recently finished a term with the imperial guard, and was quite interested in serving in the Countess''s personal guard.¡± she said glancing at Charles.
¡°Eric leaving the guard? Ahh, his sister''s husband died last winter along the western front. He probably wants to stay closer to Kisk to help with her family.¡± Charles said thoughtfully. ¡°Anna had been bugging him to settle down too. Still, it''ll be nice to work with Eric again...if you decide to hire him of course.¡± Charles said, looking to me.
I cleared my throat and smiled, ¡°Well, if you''re speaking for him, the job is his if he desires it.¡± I said, getting the impression I was being railroaded, but also trusting Charles''s judgment on security. He''d saved my mother''s life, so he could select my entire guard if he liked. Looking back at my mother, I considered, and shrugged. ¡°I guess I''ll be attending with my mother. Will you and Charles be attending?¡± I asked Antoinette.
¡°Oh, I''ll be present at one point. The governor is a close friend of Marquis Lebonne, so I''ll be attending to settle some business with Mrs. Lebonne.¡± Antoinette said with a shrug. ¡°Bishop Amon will be there, so I assume Charles will be in attendance as well. You should take the opportunity to talk to some of the other nobility attending, I think a couple of those likely to be present have territories bordering Montevue. It might be a good chance to discuss trade.¡± she said before turning to take a scroll of paper from one of the guards. ¡°In any case, I hate to take up so much of your time. I just need you to sign for the delivery.¡± she said, holding out the scroll and a glimmering quill to me.
I took a glance at the chest, and brought up the fabrication system. Looking into the box, I saw a large stacks of coins in packed rolls, and after a moment assessing the quantity I nodded. Stepping over to the chest, I opened it, looked down at the gold, and then closed the chest. ¡°Of course. I''ll let Daniel find a place to store it. I''m sure one of the rooms here can work as a treasury.¡± I said taking the quill, and signing the invoice.
¡°Well, I''ll not interrupt you further. Have a wonderful day.¡± Antoinette said warmly, taking the quill and scroll, and sliding it into her coat.
As Charles escorted Antoinette out, and the guards went outside, I turned to my mother with a frown. ¡°Why did you accept the invitation?¡± I asked with mild confusion.
My mother looked at me and smiled, ¡°They''re playing politics with you baby, and you don''t know all of the players.¡± she said reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. ¡°I know I don''t look it, but I have a lot of experience with these things. You need to make a public appearance while you have the support, or you''ll make people nervous. It could make you a target if you spurned the invitation, and it would waste an opportunity to garner goodwill. Besides, when you accept these types of invitations, it gives weight to your own. And you will want to throw parties, if for no other reason that to pursue trade with merchants and nobility. Not to mention a show of wealth or power can do much to make others perceive you as legitimate, and you desperately need to establish legitimacy if we don''t want to be harassed by nobles looking to take your lands or title.¡± mother said before smiling brightly, ¡°Besides, when you make your public showing, you''ll want to ensure as many young noblemen as possible attend. I do want grandchildren after all.¡± she said, giving me a hug, while I just looked at her horrified.
16. Guild Card
Been a bit busy. So I wanted to go ahead and address a few things. A few people have questioned the behavior of the MC in certain situations, calling the behavior inconsistent. I always appreciate input, and readers taking the time and effort to become invested. I would like to assure the readers that I in fact have a reason for the behavior of the characters, even if neither the MC or the reader are aware of them yet. They will hopefully be answered in the fullness of time. As always, if you see any problems with the chapter, let me know, and thank you all for reading.
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My mother took one look at my face, and broke out into laughter, pulling me tighter into the hug. ¡°Oh baby, you''re precious.¡± she said before releasing me from the hug.
¡°...I''m not having children.¡± I said seriously, trying to get the look of horror off of my face.
Mother sighed, and shook her head, ¡°You''re still young baby. We can talk about it more when you''re older.¡± she said, grinning at me.
¡°I''m almost thirty.¡± I said deadpan, causing her to giggle.
¡°And you''ll always be my baby, but you''re still young sweetheart. It''ll be at least another sixty years before you finish maturing.¡± she said brushing my cheek. My eyes went wide as I looked at her, and my jaw dropped.
¡°Sixty years?¡± I asked confused. Mother looked at me and sighed, brushing a lock of hair off of my shoulder. Her grin turned into a loving smile, though I could still see mirth on her face.
¡°Your descended from a noble sun-elf and a high human, baby. Noble sun elves are closer to our fae heritage than even the sylvan elves, and the high humans have life spans close to the noble wood elves. I didn''t reach adulthood until I was a hundred and twenty. Based on past examples, you should finish maturing around eighty or ninety.¡± she said with a shrug.
¡°Wait...wait...Are you telling me I have another sixty years of puberty to look forward to?¡± I asked mildly horrified, ¡°I think I''m going to be sick.¡± I said.
Mother giggled, and shook her head. ¡°Even at thirty, you''re still a young girl Faith. Human nobility don''t actually start marrying until well into their forties and fifties at the youngest...well, except in certain rare cases...something to do with property inheritance as early as twelve.¡± she said looking at me closely, ¡°Which is why you were able to get your title I assume. In Silvermont you wouldn''t present yourself publicly until you were a hundred...Though you did say you were ''Immortal'', so who knows.¡± she said thoughtfully. Seeing the look on my face she laughed again.
¡°I''m confused...¡± I said with a frown, ¡°If they aren''t adults until their forties, why did the Lebonne girls say they were having a debutante ball at sixteen?¡± I asked.
¡°Ahh. The low humans are generally considered adults at sixteen. Though marriage for high humans start later, you sometimes have low humans from merchant families marrying into the aristocracy, or even famous adventurers. Though breeding between the high and low races is...difficult, it isn''t impossible, especially with certain fertility magics. The high humans, much like the noble elves, breed true between ''lesser'' bloodlines. Supposedly the gods desired for their leading class to not dilute with time. In any case, the humans do mate between classes regularly enough, and their children mature quickly enough during early puberty, that they do their little showings at sixteen.¡± Mother explained with a smile. ¡°It''s more an ''introduction to the game of politics'', than a show for potential suitors. The Empire doesn''t really care who their aristocracy marry, as long as they keep breeding more high humans, as difficult as that can be.¡± she explained.
¡°I''m more confused...¡± I said pinching the bridge of my nose.
Mother sighed and patted my head, ¡°It''s all right baby, I''ll help you. In the meantime I need to finish cleaning.¡± She said brushing my cheek, and walking away.
I stood there for a few minutes considering the entire situation, and suddenly felt exhausted. Looking toward the stairs to the second floor I thought about crawling back into bed, and willing the world away for a few years. Maybe then this building headache would finally recede.
Deciding to just carry on, I spent the rest of the morning completing assessments and repairs on the ''townhouse''. Some of the exterior walls need major repairs, but the structural fixes were quick enough using my fabrication system. From there I went ahead of the ladies cleaning the first floor, to repair furniture, walls, ceilings, and floors. The place was furnished, but some of it looked like it hadn''t been maintained in decades, or even centuries. By the time lunch rolled around I had most major concerns dealt with, but I had worn myself out on structural repairs.
Before I went down for lunch I decided I wanted to get out of the house, and I still needed to pick up that card from the adventurer guild...though that left the issue of being spotted. Regardless of Charles''s assurances, I didn''t feel like overtly tempting fate. This meant I needed some type of disguise, that wasn''t too conspicuous. Luckily when I was at the adventurer''s guild there were plenty of people wearing helmets, and other armor which concealed a good bit of their bodies. In the end I modified an old set of plate mail I found stuffed into a closet. I absconded with the breast plate, greaves, and bracers, and after ''adjusting'' them, I fitted them onto some cloth and leather garments I made from available materials. It took me a few minutes to get the fits right, but luckily I had the patterns stored from when I copied the outfits I had the day before.
I grabbed a hooded cloak, and fabricated a half-helmet that partially covered my face. When I arrived downstairs for lunch everyone was giving me strange looks.
¡°Faith, honey, what are you wearing?¡± Mother asked me as she passed some butter to Lily.
¡°Oh, I was going to head down to the Adventurer''s guild to pick up my card. With everything that happened yesterday, I didn''t have time.¡± I explained, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
¡°Are you sure that''s a good idea?¡± Mother asked concerned. She put down her fork and just looked at me.
¡°...I can go with her.¡± Aisha said, looking up from her lunch. ¡°I can get a card of my own, and we can make an afternoon of it.¡± she said with a smile. Mother smiled..
¡°Um...sure. Sounds like fun.¡± I said, looking over at Aisha, and noticing again how much younger she looked. As I took a seat next to my mother, I pulled off the Crown of ¨¢ine and handed it to her. ¡°Mom, could you hold onto that? It won''t fit in the helmet, and I haven''t decided on a spot to put it yet.
Mother took the crown, looking at it curiously, and then frowned. ¡°Alright sweetie.¡± she said, setting it beside her on the table.
¡°We should probably grab some gold, so you can get some equipment.¡± I suggested, looking over at Aisha as I took a slice of bread, some cheese, and some cold cuts. The kitchen still wasn''t really up and running yet apparently, but it was nice to have lunch with everyone.
Everyone chatted over lunch, and I explained how well the upper floors looked. Everyone looked surprised except Mother. After that the rest of the ladies discussed working in the gardens, and what types of flowers they were going to plant. Mother seemed taken with doing hanging gardens and trying to emulate some of the things they did in the elven lands. I just phased the entire conversation out until we finished lunch.
Afterward I grabbed a small satchel of gold coins from the box. The quantity was probably excessive, but I was curious to check out some of the ''magic equipment'' available. Besides, Aisha was less durable than me, and I saw no reason not to equip her well. Aisha, for her part seemed taken aback when I suggested it, but she didn''t put up too much of a fight over a few small ''gifts''. In any case, this time around I had a better idea of how much money to bring with me, and if I was pressed I could generate more money.
Aisha and I left Caliburn castle just before noon, and walked the mile through the crowded streets of Kisk. The redhead was acting like a schoolgirl as we walked hand in hand. Occasionally she would stop to point at things in store fronts, or drag me inside to try on something. I found out she liked hats, at least it seemed like it since she made us try on dozens of them in the mile between Caliburn and the Adventurer''s Guild. She didn''t just look younger than when I first met her in the Drunken Harlot, she acted as if decades of hard life had been magically wiped away. Her energy was invigorating, or perhaps even intoxicating. I found myself pulled into her wake, smiling, laughing, and just generally enjoying a few carefree hours. Her smiles were contagious, and I don''t think I''ve even acted so carefree and whimsical myself.
By the time we reached the guild, Aisha was giggling and hanging off of me with a small bag in one hand that contained the second hat she bought on the way. The first was a floppy velvet white and dark red, wide brimmed hat that matched the dark red of the dress she was wearing. We were laughing over nothing at all when we got in, in between her occasionally casting flirtatious glances at one or two of the pretty young men standing around the guild hall. She had spent half the trip trying to push me into ''catching'' a young man for myself. Every time she did I gave her a look that sent her into another fit of giggling.
The hall itself was emptier this time around, and for all the laughter and playing from Aisha, we seemed to attract less attention that I did on my own the day before. I mean I did get a few glances here or there, but mostly they were from appreciative men..though I think most of those were for Aisha. She seemed to draw the eyes as a matter of course, at least I thought so. There were probably twenty or thirty people in the guild''s main hall, and luckily Naomi was among them. The young violet eyed brunette smiled at me when I came up to the desk.
¡°Can I help you?¡± Naomi asked as I and Aisha crowded in close, Aisha looking around the guild hall excitedly. ¡°Never been to the guild hall?¡± Naomi asked, watching Aisha.
Aisha shook her head and smiled, ¡°No! But I always wanted to...I was never really able to get out and about, well, until recently anyway.¡± she said happily, hugging my arm and then looking back to Naomi. ¡°But I''d like to sign up for the adventurer''s guild, and my friend here came to pick up her card.¡± Aisha said before reaching into her pocket to fish out a few silver. I went to grab coins from my coin purse, but Aisha just waved my hand away. ¡°I can cover myself for this.¡± Aisha said and then stuck her tongue out at me, and started giggling.
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Naomi laughed and smiled, pulling out a sheet of paper and a clipboard, and handing it to Aisha. ¡°If you like we can do aptitude tests, if you''d like to be assessed for some class, or if you don''t have one yet.¡± Naomi said to Aisha while I looked around at the sparsely populated guild hall.
Aisha fished out a few more coins and gave them to Aisha, before turning over to me. ¡°Hey! I wonder if I could be a wizard or something.¡± she said with a giggle. She seemed to be on cloud nine and having the time of her life just being out and about in the middle of the day.
Taking a moment I glanced at Aisha, bringing up a status window for her.
Name: Aisha
Race: Human (Variant)
Age: 34
Sex: Female
Class: None
Subclass: None
Profession: Whore 22, Farmer 8
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 42
Endurance: 35
Intelligence: 65
Power: 60
Luck: 47
Health: 350 HP Health Regen: 3.5 HP/day
Mana: 600 MP Mana Regen: 12 MP/Day
Skills:
Agriculture: 30/400
Athletics: 162/400
Climbing: 37/400
Herbalism: 45/400
Instruments:
-Harp: 103/400
Lore: 20/400
Occult: 15/400
Pain Tolerance: 280/400
Perception: 110/400
Persuasion: 215/400
Singing: 102/400
Stealth: 75/400
Survival: 17/400
Swimming: 15/400
Combat Skills:
Knives: 60/400
Blessings: Blessing of Faith, Ageless
Traits: Blood of the Divine, Superior Health Regeneration, Superior Magic Regeneration
| Blood of the Divine |
| When the blood of gods flows through the bodies of mortals, it changes the nature of their being. These beings have an increased spiritual weight in ethereal or astral realms, similar to that of the gods themselves, letting them resist the pull of chaos, or the void even in the underworld. Their bodies are naturally more resistant to magics that try to mutate, or drain them, such as life drain. The specific god the being is attached to can have other effects based on the nature of the god. |
[table]
[table]| Ageless |
| Ageless beings never age past their prime, nor can they be artificially aged. They can still die if subjected to conditions or states that would kill a normal mortal, but will never die of old age. |
I suppose I should have been alarmed by the implications of what my blood had done to Aisha, but when I saw her stats I was more or less focused on her pain tolerance. The skill lists had seemed more or less...odd. The actual scope of human activities would seem to preclude such narrow definitions of ''skills'' as what I had been seeing, or else just mean there could be an endless supply of skills. If there were, how did those overlap? How were those assessments made? In the end those questions fell by the wayside as only one was left to me. What kind of hellish experiences had put her tolerance for pain so high?
I reached out and gave Aisha a hug. ¡°Of course you could! I bet you''d make an awesome wizard.¡± I said with a smile. Aisha returned the hug without really questioning the contact, and then turned her attention back to Naomi. Aisha finished writing her personal information on the signup sheet and handed it to Naomi expectantly
Naomi took the change off of the counter and grinned. ¡°Alright, let''s get you imprinted on a blank, and then I can setup the tests.¡± she said putting the coins Aisha gave her into a small lock box, and then pulling one of those blank metal cards from a drawer under the desk. ¡°Go ahead and put your hand out so I can get a blood sample.¡± she said, pulling a small needle from the desk. Naomi took what looked to be a small bottle of spirits out and wiped the needle down, before reaching out to take Aisha''s hand.
As Aisha''s blood hit the plate it glimmered, and I could see magic in the plate bonding with the blood, for lack of a better word. ¡°It should be ready in a couple of hours, if you want to go ahead and get affinity tests and such done.¡± Naomi said, before looking to me. ¡°And you wanted to pick up your card? What was the name?¡± she asked.
¡°Oh...um, Faith.¡± I said with a frown, ¡°I came in yesterday, and did a test, but...the device malfunctioned...¡± I said a bit nervously.
Naomi blinks, and looked at me carefully, before clearing her throat. ¡°Oh! Wow!¡± she said and smiled. ¡°Sorry about that, it never happens...I mean it happened that once, but it never happened before...Your card...came out a bit strange...um, it''s in the back.¡± she said, her smile not leaving her face.
I looked at Aisha, who just shrugged at me, before I followed Naomi back into a small office area. We passed a few people at desks, who looked to be clerks of some sort, copying information into large books. Naomi lead the two of us into a small room with a handful of shelves, and a wooden work table at the center. There was a silvery card with ornate swirling patterns over the surface on the table, and as I approached it seemed to glow faintly.
¡°Um, the card was behaving strangely, you see...¡± Naomi said with a frown.
¡°Behaving strangely? The unmitigated gall! Do you know who and what you''re speaking to!¡± a rather nasal man''s voice said, apparently coming from the table. Naomi looked embarrassed and nervous, when I looked at her.
¡°No...who and what are we speaking to?¡± I asked moving forward into the room.
¡°Oh! Heavens! Mistress, my apologies for appearing in such a state, but you wouldn''t believe what I''ve had to endure at the hands of these vile ruffians! Positively barbarous, I tell you! Not only have they been man handling me, but have incessantly pestered me to divulge mistress''s information. Of course I have maintained confidentiality, but their persistence has been unduly trying upon my peace of mind. And for all of my quite honorable conduct, they continued to levy accusations at me! They Implied that my maintaining discretion was in some way furtive!¡± the card said, causing me to look at Naomi who simply coughed.
¡°The guild keeps initial and periodic records of adventurer statuses. It''s used to assess performance, and sometimes placement when rank ups are requested.¡± Naomi said defensively. ¡°But your card refused to display anything, and it won''t change colors for the assigned rank.¡± she said.
¡°First they demand I divulge the private information of my mistress, and then make demands of my personal attire! The unmitigated gall, I tell you!¡± the card called out, seemingly distressed. ¡°Oh mistress, I beg you, ferry me away from these heathens! The endless hours of mistreatment I have been subjected to shall scar me, I tell you!¡± the card said.
¡°...Do they normally act like this?¡± I asked Naomi curiously.
Naomi stopped glaring at the card on the table, and turned back to me. ¡°Um...No. Guild I.D. cards tend to be far less...talkative.¡± she said. ¡°And as I was going to say, as a new member your rank is G, and you get a brown card. F is green, E is blue, D is Grey, C is black, B is Copper, A is silver, S is Gold, SS is Ruby, SSS is Sapphire, and X is Diamond. He''s supposed to be brown!¡± Naomi said, turning her gaze back on the card. ¡°And we don''t decorate them!¡± she said.
¡°Do you see? Do you see the conditions to which I have been subjected? Now listen here, you vile miscreant, I will not be told by some bumbling bureaucrat what form I should take. I answer only to my mistress, and certainly not to the likes of you!¡± the card said, obviously agitated.
Naomi seethed, ¡°Ooohh! Stupid Card!¡± she said, folding her arms under her chest, and turning back to look at me. ¡°On behalf of the adventurer''s guild I apologize for the condition of the obviously malfunctioning piece of scrap metal!¡± she said, turning to yell at it.
¡°SCRAP METAL! Why don''t you come over here and say that, you vile reprobate!¡± the card yelled.
Clearing my throat, I walked over to the table, and picked it up, stuffing it into my pocket as muffled comments faded away.
Naomi stomped her foot, and glared, before taking a moment to regain her composure. ¡°We are of course willing to supply you with a replacement card.¡± she said, glaring at my pocket, ¡°and melt the old one!¡± she said, eliciting another round of muffled comments from my pocket.
Clearing my throat I shook my head, ¡°I''ll...live with it for the moment.¡± I said with a sigh, not wanting to risk creating another one of those. ¡°In any case, why don''t you go test Aisha. I can do some shopping in the mean time.¡± I said, looking at Aisha who just looked amused by the entire argument.
¡°Oh...Of course.¡± Naomi said turning to Aisha. ¡°If you''ll just follow me.¡± she said.
As we walked back out of the offices, I looked down toward the different shops. ¡°Oh Naomi. I was curious. There was a strange shop on the third floor. It had this strange old man with a long beard...¡± I said causing Naomi to blink.
¡°Oh! Master Chou! The apothecary and alchemist. I think he moved his shop. He''s only in the mall certain days of the week.¡± Naomi said.
¡°...The shop just...moves?¡± I asked with a frown.
¡°Oh yes. I''m not sure of the details, but it''s tied to multiple locations. We keep the space empty, and he moves it in and out. You''d have to ask him how he does it. The only other person I''ve heard do something like that are certain high level wizards.¡± Naomi said.
¡°..Alright, well, when you finish up we can get you some equipment.¡± I said to Aisha as she smiled and waved before heading into the testing room...hopefully to get a less stressful experience than I had.
17. The Abyss
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*******
I grabbed a bite to eat from a small cart vendor selling fried foods near the guild entrance. The worn looking middle aged man who ran the cart was complaining that there was less traffic today than normal. Apparently a slave market in one of the southern districts of Kisk had a revolt the night before. The slavers guild had suffered major losses, and the city guard was called out to assist with hunting down escaped slaves. The slaver''s guild issued a request through the adventurer''s guild for slave retrievals, which had a lot of adventurer''s out hunting women and children fleeing from abusive slavery. The rest were mostly at the Grand Amphitheater trying out for the competition tomorrow.
The fact that the adventurer''s guild would even issue ''slave retrieval'' as an acceptable mission was nauseating. If I thought it would be accepted, I might have gone and issued a bounty for the heads of slavers. Slavery as a concept was vile, and as a product of the society I was from, I couldn''t understand how the populace just accepted such things. I was supposed to be a god, and yet I was unable to alleviate the moral travesty I was witnessing. Sure, I could have stalked the city, hunting slavers, but who knows when I''d be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. I could have purchased every slave in the market, but I would have just been supporting an institution I despised, and encouraging more. Still...What was needed was a policy change, and that was something that money could likely fix. I suppose I finally had a reason to attend the tournament tomorrow with my mother.
When I returned to the main hall I saw a couple of robed men making their way toward the testing area. They two men moved purposefully, and with a hint of excitement in their demeanor. The older of the two, an elderly elf with long silver hair, was dressed in formal purple robes and carried a wooden staff. The younger was a middle aged human with broad shoulders and dark short hair. His light blue and white robes had plates of armor worked into them, and at his hip was a longsword. The older man knocked, and after a few seconds Naomi opened the door letting the two inside.
I pulled up a chair to wait, sipping on a chilled bottle of water, when Aisha hugged me from behind. ¡°Gah! You won''t believe it!¡± Aisha said, after plopping herself down next to me. I handed her a second bottle I had gotten for her, both of which had mint leaves at the bottom. ¡°Thank you.¡± she said with a smile.
¡°So what happened?¡± I asked, ''expecting'' a positive result from her tests.
¡°You won''t believe it! They did an affinity measurement, and Naomi said I scored a ninety in illusion, and a seventy light! Not only that, but she said I had an exceptional mana regeneration rate! Isn''t that great? She said I could be a powerful wizard!¡± Aisha said, ecstatic. She yelled with excitement, and then started giggling. ¡°Did you hear that Faith? I''m gonna be a wizard!¡± she said with a laugh.
I paused for a moment as her statement registered, ¡°...Aisha...Did she tell you what those affinities mean?¡± I asked curiously. I looked up at the robed men who had went into the testing area, obviously after Aisha had already left.
¡°Um, not really. She just said anything over a forty was good, and I had like five over forty. But she said my illusion and light were the most impressive. She said I could even get a scholarship to the academy.¡± Aisha said, pulling out a piece of paper. She handed it to me, and I saw an affinity listing. She had a 70 in light, 35 in darkness, 62 in creation, 0 in destruction, 50 in life, 90 in illusion, 30 in fire, 55 in water, 15 in earth, and 20 in air. Based on the knowledge of affinities I got from the books beneath Caliburn, Aisha''s listings were beyond rare. There might be one or two like her born every dozen generations. There was even a story about such people being stolen by sorcerers as children, to either train...or sometimes sacrifice.
¡°Ahh...They really are...So, somewhat off topic. Have you picked up your guild card yet?¡± I asked a bit nervously, keeping an eye toward the door.
¡°Oh, no. They said it''d be a few hours to process.¡± Aisha said, leaning back and drinking her water, seemingly on cloud nine. ¡°Oooh! We can go get me some super impressive wizard gear. Maybe something sexy? What do you think?¡± she asked with a grin. ¡°Maybe a short skirt and a bodice, or one of those dresses that''s slit up to the hip!¡± she said excited again. Meanwhile I kept looking toward the testing area with concern.
On the one hand, it would likely be smart to get Aisha out of here to avoid too many questions, or risk attracting unwanted attention. On the other hand...Aisha was getting attention for her potential, and being told she was practically destined for greatness. To be honest, I was more concerned with certain blessings and traits she had popping up on her guild card.
''I do believe I can be of some assistance mistress.'' the nasal voice of my ID card said, causing me to look down at my pocket. ''Not to worry mistress, now that we''ve established contact, I''m quite capable of directing mental projections. I can, as you might perhaps notice, read mood and surface thoughts...at least as you allow mistress.'' the I.D. card ''thought'' at me.
''...That''s...Horrifying.'' I thought at the I.D. card, unamused. ''And what did you mean you can be of assistance?'' I asked mentally, looking back at Aisha as she continued to talk about clothing options.
''Well, as you might notice, being attached to your glorious personage, Mistress, I am capable of adjusting certain values when reporting on your status. Also, as Ms. Aisha is quite strongly linked with you, I could easily influence the actions of her card. Especially as the mental construct attached to hers is more..malleable. Or at the very least she seems easy enough to manipulate.'' my I.D. card thought at me.
''Wait..Did you say she? Do all I.D. cards have personalities like you?'' I thought at my card.
''Like me? Hardly! I am a supreme artificial construct. A grand reflection of mistress''s divine perfection! Within the hallowed confines of my personage lies a mind of..¡± the I.D. card said, beginning to rant again.
¡°Could you get to the point!¡± I said out loud, irritated.
¡°Well excuse me! My point is, we need to go shopping!¡± Aisha said with a sour glare, which quickly turned into a smile again.
''Of course mistress. My point is, that I am a divinely forged magical construct. A reflection in nature, if not purpose, of the goddess whose domains include both the primal aspects of magic, as well as the supernal grandeur of knowledge. I am formed from a network of...'' the I.D. card thought.
''Get to the point!'' I thought angrily, becoming annoyed at what was looking to be a very tiring and tedious relationship.
''Oh! Yes, my apologies mistress. My point was that I can influence and interact with other magical mental constructs, of which Ms. Aisha''s I.D. card qualifies. I have taken it upon myself to communicate with her, impressing upon her the need to conceal details related to divine blessings and divinely endowed traits.'' my I.D. card thought at me.
''She? Aisha''s card is a she?'' I asked mentally.
''Ahh. Yes. She wishes to be called Ava.'' my I.D. card thought at me.
''I see...Well thank you...um, what do I call you?'' I asked
''Oh...well, I hadn''t presumed Mistress. I thought you might provide your humble servant with a suitable appellation. Perhaps a epithetical moniker to denote my natural talents, or supreme value.'' the I.D. card thought his usual nasal tone.
''Right. I dub thee Alfred.'' I thought at ''Alfred''.
''Alfred...I see. Of course Mistress.'' Alfred responded hesitantly. Meanwhile Aisha had dragged me into a guild clothier that seemed to specialize in wizards robes. She was describing to the seamstress behind the counter her different ''ideas'' for what she thought an illusionist would be. Judging by her descriptions, it would seem to fall more or less in line with ''seductive enchantress''. The seamstress for her part was just smiling, and trying to keep up as the two worked out ideas for a wardrobe.
At Aisha''s insistence I found myself being forced into and out of articles of clothing for hours. No sooner did I put on one outfit, than she arrived with another stack. I tried to argue that we needed to get her actual ''equipment'', but Aisha waved away my concerns. ¡°We can pick that stuff up on the way out. This is important!¡± she said, pulling a light blue brocade gown with gold lacing up. ¡°And you would look so pretty in this!¡± she said. Rather than continue to argue with her, I simply groaned. Four hours, and a hundred outfits later, we emerged from the shop with a half dozen outfits for each of us and orders for half a dozen more. Before I could interject Aisha told the seamstress to have everything delivered to Castle Caliburn.
When the two of us arrived back at the counter in the entry hall, Naomi was standing with six robed men, two of which I had seen entering the testing area earlier. Naomi immediately started waving at us excitedly when she saw us. ¡°Over here!¡± she yelled. Aisha for her part just looked curious, though I think she was on some sort of ''high'' walking around in her new outfit, a tight velvet green bodice, with a black skirt. She had gotten the seamstress to put a slit all the way up to her hip, which was the point when I found out Aisha didn''t wear underwear.
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¡°Hello Naomi. I was just coming to grab my guild card.¡± Aisha said happily, flicking the length of her red hair over her shoulder. Aisha struck a pose and smiled at Naomi expectantly.
¡°Oh! How pretty! Did you get it from Charity? She does such wonderful work. I love the skirt!¡± Naomi said enthused. The two started talking about clothing, at which point I zoned out again. The chatter devolved into general ''girl talk'' after a few minutes, at which point the older elven wizard cleared his throat loudly. Naomi looked up at him and then blinks, ¡°Oh! Sorry Aisha, I forgot. These men are from the Kisk Magic Academy. They heard about your results, and wanted to talk with you.¡± she said.
¡°Faith?¡± a thirty something balding man with brown hair said staring at me. I looked over at him curiously, not sure who I was dealing with. He was dressed in simple brown robes, with brass buttons. He cleared his throat as he pushed his way forward through the group of men. ¡°Oh! My goodness. Dear me, so it is you..¡± he said, pausing to stare at me. ¡°Something''s different about you...¡± he said with a frown, ¡°Maybe you changed your hair?¡± he asked.
¡°Abernathy, you know these girls?¡± the older silver haired elf in purple robes asked as he stepped forward.
¡°Hrm? Oh...I recognize Ms. Lusatra here...but I''m not sure I recognize her companion.¡± Abernathy said looking from me to Aisha.
¡°You know me, I''m Aisha. A long time friend of Faith and Jasmine.¡± Aisha offered with a smile. I wanted to groan as I looked around the room. The entire point of going out with a change of attire, was to avoid attracting attention, or at least avoid leaving a trail that lead directly back to me. There didn''t seem to be any people watching our little group, which was bizarre in itself. You''d expect the gathering of strange robed men to attract quite a bit of attention, but I supposed it was getting late enough in the day that the few people who weren''t out hunting slaves had gone home. Regardless it would probably just be easier to pay more security guards at this point, and screw the charade.
¡°Ahh, Wonderful. Quite Wonderful.¡± Abernathy said motioning toward me and Aisha. ¡°Sorry. Yes Rowan, I tested Faith here. Quite a talented girl. Descent mana regeneration, and a future as a scholar I believe. The scored a sixty-five in creation affinity, and a fifty-seven in life. Mrs. Carlyle wanted her for a healer in training, though I said alchemy! Still, she''ll have plenty of time to decide such things, won''t you?¡± Abernathy said looking at me with a wink. ¡°Of course you''ll be attending the Academy in the fall, won''t you dear?¡± he asked curiously
¡°I..suppose, though I recently acquired certain obligations. It would be difficult to predict my future availability, you see.¡± I said apologetically.
¡°She''s a countess now! Owns Castle Caliburn and everything!¡± Aisha says happily, wrapping her arm over my shoulder and hugging me. I placed a hand up on my face and fought back a groan.
¡°Ahh. I see. Bishop Amon mentioned a new appointment this morning, at the amphitheater. They had some rather...exotic displays.¡± he said to the other men with a wink. Aisha giggled, and smiled.
¡°You really don''t remember me?¡± Aisha asked, moving toward him, folding her arms under her bust. ¡°I seem to remember you being very enthusiastic the last time we met, though maybe that was just the drink. You even said I was ''amazing''¡± she said with a smile. It suddenly occurred to me where I''d heard Abernathy''s name before, and also how Aisha and my mother were ''familiar'' with a wizard. Abernathy was a whore monger, which I suppose could be considered attractive if you were a whore. At least I was getting the impression that Aisha thought so..
Abernathy looked nervously between Aisha and the other ''wizards'', ¡°Um..I''m not sure...¡± he said weakly.
I cleared my throat and smiled, ¡°As I was saying, I have certain obligations.¡± I said, causing Abernathy and the others to refocus on me.
¡°Ahh, Yes! Of course. Well, that''s quite perfect isn''t it?¡± Abernathy said with a mischievous smile. ¡°The academy teaches many of the nobility, it''s a wonderful place to network, and education is of the utmost importance. Besides, you could attend with Ms. Aisha here, who I''m sure would be willing to look out for you. You two will have a bright future at the academy! Full scholarship for both of you of course.¡± he said, clasping his hands over his stomach.
¡°Did you hear that? We can go to Academy together! Isn''t that great? We could be roommates and everything!¡± Aisha said with a smile, giving me another hug. She looked like she was having the best day of her life, and was about jumping up and down in excitement.
¡°...Great...¡± I said weakly, just smiling at Aisha.
¡°Wonderful! Then it''s settled! Consider yourselves active students of the academy. We''ll send details to...Castle Caliburn was it?¡± Rowan asked, placing a hand on Abernathy''s shoulder. The robed men shook our hands each in turn, before marching off in high spirits. Meanwhile I just kept staring at Aisha who had resolved into dancing in place.
By the time we returned to the Castle, letters had already arrived. Mother smiled at us happily, holding them up, and then scooped me into a hug. ¡°Hey! What about me?¡± Aisha asked with a mocking frown.
Mother rolled her eyes, and hugged Aisha too. ¡°I''m so proud of you Faith. And you too Aisha. Everyone in the house has been talking about it since the letters were dropped off. Full scholarship to the Kisk Magic Academy! I know we aren''t hurting for money, but the prestige honey.¡± she said with a note of relief. ¡°This will make things a bit easier socially.¡± she said, before giving me another hug. ¡°Anyway, you two should go get dressed for dinner.¡± she said, before wandering off.
By the time I faded off to sleep for the night I was mentally, if not physically, exhausted. Mother had taken to curling up with me at night, which perhaps helped sleeping in what was still very much a strange place.
As the pull of sleep came over me, I found myself standing in a white room overlooking a dark abyss. The room was cold and bleak, like the inside of a tomb. Beyond large glass doors, was a long balcony. A young blonde girl dressed in flowing white silk was standing at the balcony edge, looking out over the abyss.
Pushing wide the doors, I wandered across the marble floors. The girl turned to stare back at me. ¡°Hello.¡± Faith said, her voice sad.
I wandered to the edge beside her and we gazed into the depths. ¡°I''m sorry.¡± I said in a whisper, leaning forward onto the stone banister.
¡°What for?¡± Faith asked, the sense of depression thick. A wind blew from the abyss, whipping the thin white silks of her gown around her form.
¡°What for? I''ve hijacked your life...Why are you here?¡± I asked, looking at her.
¡°Watching...besides, you''re better at it.¡± Faith said, leaning down to place her head on her arms.
¡°Better at what?¡±
¡°Everything. Before you came, I was dying in a gutter, watching my mother being raped and murdered. Before you came, everything was horrible. I always felt like life was a mistake...that I was a horrible mistake.¡± Faith said, before falling to her knees. She wrapped her arms around the pillars of the banister, pressing her breasts to the stone.
¡°You came along, and suddenly mom is free. She''s happy. We''re rich, and the world just keeps throwing itself at your feet. Before you came along, everything I ever cared about was broken in front of me...When I was dying, I just prayed I would die before I had to watch...¡± Faith said, wiping tears from her eyes, trying to hide her face from me. ¡°Mommy was all I had left, and I couldn''t watch.¡± she said in a hoarse whisper.
I sat down beside Faith, and pulled her gently into my arms. ¡°You were dealt a bad hand, Faith. But this is your life, and I''ve no right to take it from you. You were made for better things.¡± I said hugging her close.
¡°It''s not my life anymore. It''s ours. There''s no me without you, and no you with me.¡± Faith said, placing her head on my shoulder. ¡°I...I''m just afraid.¡± she said.
¡°Of what?¡± I asked confused.
Faith pointed her hand between the banister, out at the darkness. ¡°I''ve been watching...¡± she said. As I turned my gaze toward the abyss, something stirred in the depths. Green billowing lights crackled, and somewhere in the darkness a face turned to stare at us...into us. ¡°He''s been watching too.¡± Faith said as the wind howled.
18. The Tournament
Well, sorry for the wait. I''ll try to get this back onto it''s normal rate and schedule.
***********************
I jerked awake in bed in a cold sweat, a feeling of panic fading as I looked down to see my mother curled up in the bed next to me. I wiped a bead of sweat from my brow and laid back down to stare into the darkness, my breath calming. Stirred by my movement, my mother reached out to pull me back into a hug, curling up around me. A sense of warmth suffused me, and my body relaxed. As I laid there I could feel ''Faith'' being comforted as the stress drained from my body.
I was now left with questions. I wasn''t sure how it happened, but going by Faith''s comments, it seemed like she and I were effectively bound as one person...though why I had none of her memories if that was the case, was confusing. At the very least it explained some of the odd feelings I had been experiencing...Then again, who knows what effect Faith''s memories were having on me. Who knows what affect that thing in the abyss was having on us.
The vision of those eyes was chilling, like staring into eternity and having it stare back at you. Still, there was something familiar about the watcher...something cold, and angry. I had a feeling that whatever it was, it was somehow responsible for that glitch in the screen that let me input myself as a god in this world. I spent the next few minutes contemplating the meaning of it all, before my mind began to wander. I soon submerged into sleep again, cozy and warm, the sense of foreboding fading.
When I pulled myself back to a wakeful state once more, it was to the feeling of being groped by Aisha. ¡°Gah!¡± I yelled, as she went from grabbing my breasts, to tickling me. ¡°Gahhhhh!¡± I yelled before I broke out into laughter. The tickling went on for a full minute, before I fell to the floor with a Thump, gasping for air and curled up into a petite ball. ¡°Time to get up! We have breakfast before we go to the Grand Amphitheater for the tournament.¡± Aisha said, as I kicked at her feet from my spot on the floor. ¡°So rise and shine sleepy girl.¡± she said, causing me to give her a viscous pout. Aisha stuck her tongue out at me, and ducked back out of the room.
Groaning I got up out of bed, and began dressing in the cavalier outfit that Arthur had designed. It took me a minute to gather fabrics, but I was able to recreate the outfit using cream silks and blue satin cloth that was folded in one of the closets, probably sheets and a set of expensive drapes. The cloth didn''t feel right for pants, so after a few moments of consideration, I settled on a simple silk skirt. The blue satin more or less made up the bodice. I finished up the day wear with a set of silk wrapped sandals that wrapped up to my calves. The entire thing felt light and ''airy'', while the skirt swooshed around as I moved.
When I arrived downstairs everyone was already eating breakfast, which today was actually cooked instead of fruit and cold cuts. Mother beamed at me when I walked in, ¡°Good Morning Faith, you look lovely!¡± she said. A few of the other women began pawing at my clothes before I sat down, trying to get a better look.
¡°Oh, it''s just something I threw together.¡± I said as I got a portion of eggs and toast. The windows had been cleaned, revealing the garden outside. The garden was more or less gone to seed, but it had at least been trimmed back. Everyone was getting so much accomplished, so quickly, that I was frankly impressed. I imagined it was going to take months to just get the castle clean.
¡°Perhaps you can help me pick something out as well.¡± Mother said with a wink, giving me the impression that I was going to be playing seamstress.
The rest of the breakfast went quickly, and I found myself adjusting a gown similar to what I was wearing...for some reason she liked the idea of dressing to match. I thought it was a bit strange, but then again I''ve never been one for women''s fashion, or fashion in general. Afterward I was made to produce jewelry for us to wear, almost a dozen pieces each: Rings, bracelets, hairpins, hatpins, armlets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, anklets, and clasps. After that Mother required me to do more alterations to the clothes, before adding a cloak. Whenever I asked why were were bothering with all of this just to watch a fight, she looked at me like I was hopeless.
¡°Baby, you''ve been placed as a noble effectively in the dead of night.¡± Mother said, placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°It''s important that we make a strong first impression. You bought the title, and lands associated with it. If you show up in public dressed poorly, it will lend credence to those who might suggest the wealth you produced came from other factions. Arguments could be made to the imperial court that you were a puppet placed to circumvent a ruling meant to limit the personal domestic influence of one of his generals. It could be seen as collusion against the empire, and I''m sure if it came to it, suggestions of treason. Though you don''t hold any affiliation with any of the elven nations...your mother did. Please trust me baby, and follow my lead.¡± she said, brushing my chin with her finger.
¡°...Wait...Damn it.¡± I said placing a hand on the bridge of my nose. ¡°What''s to prevent them from saying that anyway?¡± I asked looking up at my her.
¡°Just be sociable today, while your mother does some polite investigation. Don''t make any more hasty agreements, but feel free to be inquisitive. You''re young, and that will look very natural. We''re more or less making an appearance to establish a social presence. I''ll let you know what I find out, but flaunting your wealth here or there will help establish some initial credibility.¡± Mother said before giving me a hug. ¡°Now come on, we don''t want to show up too late.¡± she said, moving toward the door.
A carriage carried the two of us through crowded streets. Watching the progression against pedestrian traffic, I began to appreciate the existence of crossing zones and street lights back home. Foot traffic was more or less pushed out of the way by horses and a driver with little apparent value in pedestrian safety. The shocks on the carriage left a lot to be desired, and I found the entire experience uncomfortable. When we arrived outside of the Grand Amphitheater, a couple of armored men opened the door and provided a pathway for the two of us to enter.
There were a number of interested glances as we walked into an expensively adorned lounge. The circular area was tiled in whites and blues, with a fountain at the center showing a golden gladiator brandishing a sword. Water poured forth in arches from what looked like sword hilts. There were narrow hallways with closed and guarded doors the likely lead to the rest of the Amphitheater, though this section was obviously for use by the wealthy.
Dozens of people lounged around dressed in colorful attire, and at a glance I could see my mother didn''t have us ''over dressed''. Men and women flaunted an assortment of jewelry and personal decorations that were likely worth a fortune. Suddenly all of the armed guards was starting to make sense.
¡°If it isn''t the Countess of Montevue!¡± a bright eyed middle aged woman with brown and blue silks approached with a flamboyant wave of her hand. ¡°I was told you would be attending. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Caroline Dumare, the Duchess of Elencia!¡± the woman said giving me a warm smile, before turning her gaze on Jasmine. ¡°And you must be her mother. My, what an interesting situation. You must be very proud of your daughter.¡± she said to my mother.
Mother gave a slight curtsey, dipping her head. ¡°None could be more proud. Greetings Duchess. I am Jasmine Lusatra, Faith''s mother, and It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± she said before straightening herself. I could see the Duchess eying he jewelry we were wearing. A few of the larger gems diamonds were probably expensive, but I more or less created them from a single giant diamond. I had taken a lot of coal, and fused it into one piece, then converted it to diamond. The diamonds were all made from the single piece, at mother''s instruction.
The bulk of the diamond was still at the castle, as it had been about one tenth of a cubic foot, or roughly 50,000 carats. I made them all as perfectly clear, though I had wanted to do like a yellow or orange color to match the gold, apparently mother preferred white. Except for a single two inch square diamond jewel on my necklace that was a deep blue to match my clothes. I''ve never been a fan of jewelry frankly, though I never minded a pair of cuff-links. All of the dangling golden crap hanging off of me was irritating.
¡°My...what beautiful jewelry you two have.¡± the Duchess said trailing off as she looked at my chest.
¡°Why thank you. They''re just a few pieces we keep laying around. They are nice though. Would you care to take a closer look?¡± my mother asked with a smile. She gently reached out to motion to the necklace.
¡°Well, if it isn''t a bother.¡± the Duchess said, leaning forward slightly, and turning the large jewel on the necklace over in the light. ¡°My, this really is quite beautiful Countess. I don''t think I''ve ever seen its like.¡± she said looking up at me while she released the necklace to fall back to my chest. I considered her words for a few moments, imagining that someone could have used magic to create similar gems, but the knowledge I absorbed the day before told me that natural gems were capable of holding enchantments, where as residual magics left over from artificial ''alterations'' to existing gems or alchemical creations, did not. For some reason there didn''t seem to be any residual magics in my stones...maybe if I used one of the ''magic items per day'' options...
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I could see a glimmer of magic around the Duchess''s finger as she brushed the stone, her gaze growing more concerned.
| Path of Earth Learned: 10% |
| Spell Learned: Detect Minerals |
| A boon to miners, jewelers, tradesmen, and alchemists, this spell assesses the quantity and purity of a mineral source. Used as an area effect it can detect minerals in an area of up to thirty feet. When used on a touched object, it can assess the purity and quality of the mineral. |
| Cost: 20 mana |
The Duchess smiled brightly before excusing herself. I glanced at my mother who just smiled like the Cheshire cat. The next hour we spent talking to assorted nobility and wealthy merchants. After the Duchess left us they seemed to swarm. It wasn''t until we had fully circulated the room that a large man that looked to be in his late forties appeared. He stood at the top of a set of stairs leading to the seating area for the amphitheater.
¡°Greetings one and all! I appreciate attendance today, for what is sure to be a stunning display of vigor and martial skill¡± the man said, placing his hands on a thick black leather belt which bound the velvet red of his robes. ¡°For those who I haven''t had the pleasure of meeting yet, ¡°he said looking toward me and mother, causing a chuckle from the room, ¡°I am Governor Armand Larousse, a humble servant of Kisk, and the Empire.¡± he said with a smile. ¡°And also a patron of the arts. Now, I apologize for the lateness of my arrival, but rest assured, today will be an event to remember!¡± he said lifting his hands to beckon everyone to follow.
Mother glanced at me, before the two of us followed the crowd up to a large pavilion overlooking the field. The area seemed different that the standard Colosseum style seating I was expecting, and was more or less like a VIP lounge at a football arena. There were numerous servants carrying trays of food or other refreshments.
I leaned over the side of a set of stone bannisters, glancing down at what appeared to be a trench full of armed men in gladiator gear. Most of them looked learn, muscular, and rough. Those settled near the front were calm, and collected, giving off a sense of being battle hardened. A glance at their stats revealed a number of ''low human'' warriors, with levels in the subclass ''gladiator''. But toward the back of the grouping the mood changed. Quite a few were less lean, and more starved, with a scattering of injuries. They sported slave collars, and at a guess they had been procured from the slave market to ''fill out'' the fights. One of them immediately caught my eye.
The boy had glimmering golden hair, and a set of elf ears. His physique was fragile and if I had to describe him it would be ''delicate''. If I hadn''t checked his status I wouldn''t have even believed he was male.
Name: Ethan
Race: Sylvan Elf
Age: 16
Sex: Male
Class: Thief 3, Warrior 1
Subclass: None
Profession: Whore 1
Strength: 12
Dexterity: 62
Endurance: 25
Intelligence: 35
Power: 50
Luck: 15
Health: 250 HP Health Regen: 2.5 HP/day
Mana: 350 MP Mana Regen: 5 MP/Day
Skills:
Agriculture: 45/400
Athletics: 63/400
Climbing: 50/400
Lore: 11/400
Occult: 5/400
Pain Tolerance: 65/400
Perception: 90/400
Persuasion: 25/400
Stealth: 48/400
Survival: 12/400
Swimming: 5/400
Combat Skills:
Short Sword: 15/400
Buckler: 20/400
Traits: Sylvan Beauty, Allure of the Fae
I found myself staring at him for a while. The boy looked like a nervous wreck, and as I watched him curiously I saw him grasping at something close to his chest.
¡°Gods...please...I don''t want to die.¡± the boy whispered, his hoarse voice reaching me easily. ¡°If any of you exist...save me.¡± he said, before someone slammed him in the shoulder, causing him to drop what he was holding. I couldn''t out what the object was, as a couple of men in the trench began stomping on it spitefully. When the dust cleared, Ethan picked up what looked like a broken wooden figure. ¡°I''m sorry mommy.¡± the boy said sorrowfully.
As I watched, the fighters nearest the gate moved to enter the arena. ¡°...Governor Larousse! I thought this was a tournament. Why are there slaves in participation?¡± I asked, looking over at the satin robed man who was currently drinking wine and entertaining a scantily dressed woman on his lap.
¡°Hrm? Oh! Well, most of the participants are freemen, but given the price a few slaves have been allowed to enter in order to purchase their freedom. If they come in the top five, it would pay well enough.¡± Governor Larousse said with a wave of his hand. ¡°Normally such things don''t involve slaves, true, but as a generous man, I prefer to provide an opportunity for the determined to shed their bonds.¡± he said smiling.
¡°...But, some of them are less than...capable.¡± I said frowning, ¡°I see numerous injured...and one of them is just a child.¡± I said, motioning to the sylvan boy.
¡°Hrm? Well, a few have deemed it worth risking their lives in pursuit of their freedom. As for the boy, he''s an elf. They''re older than they look.¡± the Governor said with a shrug.
I looked down at him again, trying to come to a decision. ¡°He is an attractive young man. Was perhaps the countess interested?¡± the Governor asked curiously, looking over the woman in his lap. ¡°Not that I could easily sell him. After all he was determined to enter this tournament himself, to win his freedom...¡± he said with a smile.
Looking down at the boy grasping his sword nervously, I bit at my lower lip. I couldn''t conceive what would make this boy want to commit suicide in the arena, but I did know he was desperate to survive. ¡°I''m sure I could provide an easier way for him to earn his freedom, than...this.¡± I said looking back at the governor.
As I was talking, an armored man came up and whispered something to the Governor. ¡°Ahh, I see.¡± he said before looking back at me. ¡°It seems the boy slighted the slave master. Quite severely it would appear. I''m told he had to enter the tournament and risk death, or be executed.¡± the Governor said before taking a sip of wine.
I glanced up at the governor, ¡°How much for him?¡± I asked. Off to the side to my mother was talking with a group of nobles around a wine cask.
¡°Hrm...well, that is a tricky question. On the one hand the poor boy is as good as dead. On the other hand, if I just up and sold him I would alienate Sannis...Still, I''m sure if the price was suitable, I could be forgiven indulging the realms newest Countess.¡± Governor Larousse said thoughtfully. ¡°Well, how about a hundred gold cintas?¡± he asked with a smile. I looked over at my mother and considered. If I tried I could probably haggle him down, but if I did it would mar the sense of opulence and wealth she was trying to have us project. So I was stuck either looking like a fool who wasted her money, or as if I was concerned about my assets. Then there was the question of whether he even expected me to have any assets. Looking around I could see almost half the attending nobility watching our exchange. My mother glanced at me, caught the mood of the room, and frowned.
''Fuck it'' I thought, before walking over to the governor, and dropping a platinum bak on the table. ¡°I''m afraid I don''t have any gold cintas on me. I don''t suppose you could break this, could you?¡± I asked with a smile. My mother''s eyes went wide for a moment, but she quickly recovered, and continued chatting. Most of the room, including the servants were watching us, and I could feel a thick tension in the air.
¡°...Of course, though I''m afraid I only have the tournament prize money on me at the moment. That''s only seven hundred gold cintas.¡± the governor said looking at the platinum plate.
¡°Well, that''s a two hundred cintas difference. I see six other slaves down there. Would you care to relinquish their contracts to me?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°If they approve of course. I mean I know they were looking forward to battling for their freedom. I just thought perhaps a term of service in exchange might serve in its stead.¡± I said glancing down at the arena.
¡°...I see. Well, I''ll have one of my men inquire.¡± the governor said, motioning to one of the guards. ¡°In the meantime, we can view a show of skill. I think you''ll find our first fight interesting. We have a martial artist from the Islands of Ioshan.¡± he said with a smile.
19. The Tournament Continued
Sorry for the delays. I hadn''t intended to take this long on this chapter, but things came up. Hopefully things should start speeding up again, and I can get back onto a chapter every 3 days or so. As always, if you spot any problems (grammar or otherwise) let me know so I can address it. Thanks for reading.
******
I took a seat once more, looking at the Governor who went from staring at the platinum bak, to looking intently at me. There was a burning desire in his eyes, and I knew he wouldn''t let the money in front of him slip away. People in the crowd nearby were chattering intently as I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs with a slow confidence. I smiled as he looked at me eagerly.
The show seemed to stall as people were running around down in the pits, and on the arena floor. After a few minutes two guards showed up escorting the young Ethan, who had been stripped out of his armor and was looking around nervously wearing nothing more than a loin cloth. I noticed that there wasn''t a blemish on his skin, and I frowned. If he had been training for the arena, I would have expected to see bruises at the very least, if not scars. His skin was pale, like it ha dn''t seen the light of day for months...The boy had been sent into the arena to die for some reason. I looked Ethan over, and then smiled.
Ethan stared at me like a deer caught in headlights. His body immediately tensed as he held his hands in front of him, grasping at the thin cloth covering him nervously. Something about it struck me as funny, and I barely suppressed a giggle. Biting my lip, and clearing my throat I motioned to the young elf. ¡°Come have a seat.¡± I said motioning to the spot beside me on the small bench.
The young man sat beside me, his hands staying in his lap, while his shoulders stayed tense. I wasn''t sure I could get a read on him. He seemed relieved, I was sure, for avoiding a death sentence, but something was making him nervous. I reached down and patted his thigh reassuringly, and glancing up at the Governor who was looking at me with a wide grin. ¡°I take it Mr. Sannis agreed to the sale?¡± I asked, causing him to blink.
He smiled and laughed, ¡°Ahh, yes. The sale was agreed to by the men, though I assume there will be questions about the period of service. Sannis said that he would meet with you after the tournament to work out the specifics, but it''s more or less a formality. Sannis most likely is just waiting until he can retrieve the contracts.¡± the Governor said
I nodded, and glanced up at the rest of the room. The constant stream of conversation had died down, and my mother was staring at me with a grin on her face that I couldn''t quite place. ¡°I look forward to the meeting.¡± I said with a smile. Pulling my hand from Ethan''s lap, I removed my cloak and handed it to him. The weather was warm enough, but I looked like he could use some cover, and it would have to do until we could shop for something. I stepped to the bannister overlooking the arena, and bent forward, the silk of my skirt whipping around my spread legs in the breeze.
As I leaned down further I could see an Asian looking man in his thirties or forties stepping onto the field. He was dressed in a set of black silk pants and shirt with a white sash wrapped around his waist. There looked to be a dragon stitched into the sash, and I could detect a hint of magic on it. At a guess from the construction it seemed to physically inhibit him...maybe this world''s version of a weight set?
Name: Shen Yu
Race: Human (Immortal)
Age: 755
Sex: Male
Class: Warrior 20, Martial Artist 280,
Subclass: Dragon-Warrior 170
Profession: Alchemist 80,
Strength: 2520
Dexterity: 4510
Endurance: 3830
Intelligence: 305
Power: 8080
Luck: 100
Health: 46500 HP Health Regen: 383 HP/day
Mana: 3050 MP Mana Regen: 808 MP/Day
Ki: 10880 Ki Recovery: 450/day
Skills:
Alchemy: 390/400
Athletics: 290/400
Calligraphy: 325/400
Climbing: 300/400
Gardening: 334/400
Herbalism: 274/400
Horsemanship: 267/400
Instrument:
-Guqin: 340/400
-Flute: 305/400
Lore: 284/400
Medicine: 365/400
Persuasion: 135/400
Sailing: 150/400
Survival: 299/400
Swimming: 264/400
Weiqi: 385/400
Woodworking 302/400
Combat Skills:
Kung Fu: 400/400
Tai Chi: 325/400
Xing Quan: 360/400
Heaven''s Emperor Form: 290/400
Lu Jiao Dao: 190/400
Sanjiegun: 244/400
Hu Die Dao: 305/400
Staff: 224/400
Blessings: Battle Blessed, Dragon''s Soul
Traits: Body of the Dragon, Limitless Form
¡°HOLY SHIT!¡± I yelled out immediately straightening as I looked at the man down on the field. I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. The martial artist down in the arena had managed to break whatever rules seemed to govern ''stats'' in this world...Not that I could say with assurance what exactly was possible, but I hadn''t seen anything like it so far. I wasn''t sure what it all meant, but I knew that the man down in the arena could have easily killed every other challenger down there. I knew from experience that martial artists could boost their stats, but nothing I was seeing made me thing he had actually activated that ability.
I looked back to see everyone staring at me again, though this time with looks of concern. I smiled sheepishly realizing my outburst, before clearing my throat. ¡°Sorry...I was just surprised...¡± I said looking back down at Shen Yu. As I watched the first challenger walked onto the field, a level 60 gladiator. The gladiator was wielding a longsword in one hand, and was dressed in studded leathers. He moved gracefully across the intervening distance between him and his opponent. Shen Yu just stood passively until the gladiator''s blade swung down on him, catching it between the fingers of one hand.
The gladiator growled, and began pulling at the blade as Shen Yu stood immobile, neither his hand nor the blade budging an inch. The gladiator released a palpable aura as his muscles bulged, repeating what I assumed was a warrior''s buff I had seen before. He pulled leaned back and tried to kick at Yu''s chest, but the martial artist just stood there. The entire crowd began roaring, quiet a few calling it a ''joke'' or an ''act''. The gladiator dropped his foot, and a knife appeared from somewhere, which he tried to slam into Yu''s sternum.
The blade bent with the force, but Shen Yu just stared down at the man assaulting him. Suddenly a pressure began to wash over the entire Amphitheater. Energy washed around me, causing my blood to boil and my body to tense. The stone bannister cracked in my grip as I forced myself to calm. Shen Yu''s attention suddenly shifted from the gladiator in front of him, as his gaze went directly to me. Everything seemed to slow down as I saw the flow of ki on his body become visceral in the air, like liquid light burning around him.
In a flash the air exploded outward with a crack, and the next thing anyone saw was the body of the gladiator being knocked more than a hundred yards across the arena. Stone exploded as he struck the inner wall of the arena caving it in and toppling a portion of the audience into the debris. I could see magic seals and wards, obviously meant to protect against the battles of wizards, buckling in an instant. The response in the crowd was immediate as the dust kicked up. Off to the side magic shields and wards began appearing, but they were being suppressed by Shen Yu''s battle aura.
The gladiators in the pit began fleeing and pushing their way past guards while people in the crowd screamed and rushed for the exit. I stared in shock, confused at the entire display. My attention was pulled from the destruction to see two guards pulling at my arm, trying to get me out of harms way. They were moving slowly as I watched them, the dust their feet had kicked up still hanging in the air. I hadn''t noticed at first, but my Ki had started exerting itself under the onslaught of Shen Yu''s battle aura. Much like Shen Yu, I was standing completely unmoved while armed men pulled at me with all of their strength. Down in the arena Shen Yu looked up at me, his eyes locking onto mine, and he smiled.
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¡°Now now! There''s no reason to be alarmed! It''s just a show of martial strength!¡± the Governor said, trying to calm the crowd of nobles who were rushing for the door. Apparently they had a strong sense of self preservation. Just the possibility of an assault put them into a panic. Or perhaps it was the battle aura. It wasn''t driving me to fear, but it had set my mind on edge, like I was in the middle of an adrenaline rush.
¡°Charles wouldn''t have panicked.¡± I muttered, looking down at Shen Yu. He flickered and disappeared from the arena for a moment, reappearing next in front of me. My quick sight barely caught the shift in position as he came up over the banister, my eyes more or less following his shadow. He stared at me for a few minutes with cold interest, while people around us rushed for the exit. Their bodies were twisting, as tables were knocked to the ground, glasses of wine clattering in slow motion. It took me a moment to realize that minutes weren''t passing, only fractions of a second. As I forced my senses back into the normal flow of time Shen Yu grinned.
¡°It appears I have no more challengers.¡± Shen Yu said with a bit of an odd accent, turning his attention on the Governor. ¡°Which means the prize is mine.¡± he said with a smile.
¡°Um...Yes...Of Course...¡± Governor Larousse said backing away, holding up his hands. ¡°My apologies...Ur, I mean there were more matches planned, you see...with the other fighters.¡± he said nervously.
¡°Ahh, but if none are willing to challenge me, then I win by default...regardless of the outcome.¡± Shen Yu said, taking a seat across from Ethan, who was frozen in either confusion or panic. Shen Yu glanced back in my direction and seemed to be appraising me. ¡°I can sense a good amount of Ki...but none of the other hallmarks of cultivation.¡± he said staring at me like the rest of the world didn''t matter. ¡°And...something of the divine. Do you walk the path of the heavens? Strange for one so young.¡± he said tapping a finger on the arm rest of his chair.
Shen Yu glanced again, seemed to realize something, and then as suddenly as it had appeared his battle aura faded. ¡°Sorry, you caught me by surprised.¡± he said, cracking a smile at me. The sense of panic in the grand amphitheater dissipated, the screaming dying down as confusion set in. The nobility gathered in the governor''s seating area had crowded the exit. Only a few stragglers were settled at the back. My mother was watching from nearby, holding a sword that had appeared out of nowhere...probably taken from one of the guards.
¡°It''s alright.¡± I said clearing my throat, ¡°I think everyone was.¡± I said forcing a smile, as I looked over at my mother. The tip of her blade came down, but her grip didn''t loosen any.
Shen Yu started laughing and shaking his head. ¡°Right. Of course.¡± he said looking at governor Larousse again. The governor began fishing out stacks of gold cintas from a box, trying to regain his composure. ¡°I had intended to prolong the fighting a bit, but their showing here is poor. I had thought you were going to be a challenger for a moment...¡± he said leaning back and considering.
¡°I hope you didn''t kill that man.¡± I said simply, glancing back at the wrecked wall across the arena. The arena guards were already in the process of pulling people from the debris as we spoke.
¡°Hrm?¡± Shen Yu asked confused, and then turned his gaze toward the broken wall. ¡°He looks like he''ll live. I wrapped him in ki when I threw him. Though I''m surprised you''d care. I thought the people of these lands enjoyed death matches.¡± he said raising an eyebrow.
I stared at him for a moment. ¡°I value life, Shen Yu. When I came I had assumed this would be a show of skill, not a crass display of brutality and blood.¡± I said coldly.
Shen Yu grinned as he stared at me. ¡°Well, no one''s called me that in a very long time.¡± he said, his gaze boring into me. As I realized my mistake I put a hand on my forehead and groaned. ¡°Interesting...Very interesting.¡± he said. I could feel a thin layer of his ki roll over me as he ''probed''. ¡°No...Not a master...a prodigy, and one with the divine spark...and something of the primal.¡± he said looking at me.
My mother rushed to my side, interposing herself between the two of us, causing Shen Yu to smile again. ¡°Ahh, I see. You must be her mother.¡± he said, looking my mother up and down. He looked at the sword in her hand, and held up one of his own. ¡°Please, relax. I am no threat to you or your daughter.¡± he said.
My mothers hand snaked out and grabbed my arm, pulling me forward. ¡°Come on Faith, we''re leaving.¡± she said as she tried to get me to the exit. I grasped Ethan and pulled him with me, causing the boy to stumble to the ground. Meanwhile Shen Yu just watched and smiled.
¡°Ahhh...Your winnings.¡± the Governor said, placing the stacks of gold beside Shen Yu, but he kept watching me intently.
¡°Wait!¡± Shen Yu said standing up, causing my mother to tense again. Ethan stumbled forward over my cloak, which had been sitting in his lap before I dragged him from his seat. The elven boy fell into me, and I gripped his lower back, pulling him close and out of the way between me and Shen Yu. The foreign martial artist looked at me and grinned again. ¡°Wait...don''t flee. Forgive my behavior.¡± he said placing his hands together in front of him. ¡°I have a proposal for you, if you would spare me a few moments.¡± he said.
My mother stepped between the two of us again, still suspicious, though his change in demeanor looked to be calming her. I looked around the room, and arena, thoughtfully. ¡°Come to the Castle Caliburn. Ask for the Countess of Montevue.¡± I said weakly. ¡°This would seem to be a bad time to discuss proposals.¡± I said, looking back at the Governor, who was staring at the emptying arena with mild horror. ¡°Thank you Governor Larousse. I appreciate the invitation today, and look forward to more in the future.¡± I said with a smile.
¡°Have a wonderful day Governor Larousse, and please feel free to visit us anytime.¡± my mother said after me, pushing me toward the exit. I pulled Ethan with me as we made our way back down the stairs, and out of the stadium. As we exited into the street, I saw Aisha and Lily running toward us. Mother started waving down the driver for our carriage, which was stuck behind a half dozen others. People were still ''escaping'' from the area, the dissipation of Shen Yu''s battle aura obviously not making the crowd any more eager to stick around.
¡°Faith! Jasmine! Are you two all right?¡± Aisha asked as mother began pushing us into the carriage. I made sure Ethan, Lily and Aisha got in before me, while mother shut the door behind us. The carriage was more densely packed than on our trip here, and I was pushed onto Ethan''s lap while Aisha dropped a backpack she was carrying onto the floor. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.
¡°Sorry Aisha...I was just so scared.¡± Mother said, leaning over to hug me, pressing me uncomfortably into Ethan.
¡°Ugh...¡± I said trying to readjust my seat, the thin silk fabric of my skirt riding up on something. ¡°Mom, I''m fine!¡± I said as she gripped me close.
Lily raised an eyebrow, and then looked at my seat cushion. ¡°Wow! Who''s the pretty boy?¡± she asked. Lily leaned over and stared at the boy behind me like a predator, grinning wildly.
¡°Faith bought him. Paid a pretty cintas for him too.¡± Mother said, leaning back, and releasing me from her grip.
¡°Oh! Well, I can''t blame her. He''s gorgeous.¡± Lily said, still smirking. ¡°Can I borrow him when you''re not playing with him?¡± she asked me.
I glared at Lily, ¡°He''s not a toy Lily.¡± I said irritated.
¡°If you say so.¡± Lily said looking down at his lap. ¡°Perhaps a bed warmer?¡± she asks with a grin.
Aisha started giggling, which caused my mother to start laughing. Ethan blushed and started squirming under me, while Aisha just reached out and hugged me. ¡°So, tell me what happened...¡± she said.
20. Return to the Library
So, I should probably apologize to my readers for the long delay. About a month ago a friend of mine passed away from cancer. I was in no mood to write. I won''t go into details, but I have been fairly busy otherwise. As always, let me know if you spot any problems, and enjoy. I will attempt to get back onto my normal schedule.
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I felt bones crack as I slammed into the side of a cliff. It wasn''t the first time in the last three hours that I questioned my judgment in ''sparring'' with Shen Yu. The man was an absolute monster in conflict, and it seemed like every movement he made sent my perception into bullet time...not that it helped. No matter how much speed I mustered, he always seemed to have a stronger position. No matter how much I tried to force him, he seemed to brush it aside. I managed to cause Shen Yu to pause quite a few times using Aikido, but when he returned my deflections with throws, I found myself planted in either the ground, or some other piece of the terrain.
My body was putting itself back together with painful and audible ''cracks''. Once Shen Yu found that I could ''heal'' quickly, he decided that kid gloves were unnecessary. I had suffered a number of full body breaks, before I learned not to let him close on my offside. Being sloppy with him equated to horrible pain, and probably fuel for upcoming nightmares.
¡°That Aikido of yours is garbage.¡± Shen Yu said with a frown. ¡°The joint locks are interesting, and you seem primed to disable your opponent, but it''s far too passive, and won''t hold up against the types of opponents you''ll be facing...at least not as you''re practicing it.¡± he said, balancing on the branch of a tree overlooking me.
I groaned and laid down while my body did it''s quick repair. Shen Yu had arrived almost as soon as I had arrived at Castle Caliburn with the others. Apparently I registered as more interesting than whatever gold governor Larousse had owed him. No one was really capable of keeping him out, and Shen Yu was extremely ''insistent'' that he test my strength against his.
¡°Hrm...¡± Shen Yu said as he glanced toward the city of Kisk in the distance. He had moved us out of town at least to spar...likely a blessing from the gods to the inhabitants of the city. I couldn''t imagine the type of damage that Shen Yu would have done with his antics...Oh wait, I could feel it in my aching back. CRACK. And another bone set itself. Oh happy day.
¡°I can sense...talent, but it''s untrained...And I still struggle to grasp that heavenly mark upon your ki. Something intuitive...Perhaps you absorbed a divine ki? Drank celestial wine?¡± Shen Yu asked dropping to the ground as light as a feather.
I groaned as I looked up at him, climbing to my feet. ¡°I''m a god, you ass.¡± I spat in annoyance. A second later I hit the cliff again, causing an explosion at contact, and causing a massive crack to run up the cliff side. ¡°Ow...¡± I squeaked as I fell down again.
¡°Manners are the mark of a learned mind.¡± Shen Yu said as my healing kicked in again. ¡°...Perhaps. You''re definitely an immortal...I do not believe you possess a fully divine corpus though. If I had to guess, I would say that your divinity is ''new''...your spirit is still evolving..though more than a ''heavenly'' nature, it feels more primal. I can feel a primal mana...perhaps the spark of creation.¡± he said as I clawed my way back to my feet. The series of cracks was like gunfire, and elicited a whimper.
¡°I just turned divine.¡± I said pulling myself up to a sitting position. As I stared at him, I could hear an angry whispering in the back of my head, an echo that reminded me of the green flames in the abyss.
¡°Well, then it is fortunate for you that I arrived when I did.¡± Shen Yu said with a smile, taking a sitting position in front of me, with one leg crossing while the other was bent to mimic the position of sitting in a chair. ¡°Your ki was like a beacon in the world. I cannot imagine your existence will have gone unnoticed for long, if it ever did.¡± he said, reaching into his pocket to pull out an apple.
Shen Yu took a bite of the apple, looking down at me thoughtfully. ¡°Still, your knowledge of the divine path is lacking, and it is the duty of any disciple of the divine way, to help others in their development.¡± he said between bites. ¡°Very fortunate indeed. You live in ignorant lands, full of the unenlightened and ignorant. Who knows how you might have been lead astray had I now arrived when I did.¡± he said, before taking another bite of his apple.
I looked down in time to notice something bent in the wrong direction, moments before it corrected itself. ¡°ASS!¡± I yelled as bones reset. As the pain subsided I climbed to my feet again, in time to see Shen Yu toss the remains of his apple away. He nodded thoughtfully and stood up again.
¡°I need to test your understanding of the greater ''arts'', Calligraphy, Weiqi, Guqin, and Painting...or whatever passes for it in these dark lands.¡± Shen Yu said as he glanced toward Kisk again. ¡°I have...tasks to complete along the boarders of these lands, but I shall return in a month''s time. You should prepare yourself and study, and then I can develop a plan for your ''higher education''.¡± Shen Yu said with a nod to himself.
¡°I never asked for you to educate me.¡± I said with growing annoyance at the martial arts master, while brushing dirt, rock dust, and plant matter off of my clothes.
¡°You didn''t need to. Now, go prepare.¡± Shen Yu said, before leaping into the air with a flicker, and disappearing. My fast sight only caught him clearing the tree line before he actually got up to speed.
I made a motion and mentally called up the fabrication system to repair my clothes, before I headed back toward Kisk, to update everyone else. My mother seemed nervous when I left, but I didn''t want to risk conflict with her in close proximity, and acquiesced to Shen Yu''s requests.
When I finally returned Mother, Aisha, and Lily were staring at small wooden table with a 19¡Á19 grid along the top, and two sets of bowls. Beside the knee high block of wood was a stack of scrolls and books. Off to the side of the room were what looked like some oriental stringed instrument, and a wooden box. ¡°...What''s that?¡± I asked wearily, more from the mental stress of the day than from physical exhaustion. My body seemed unable to actually become ''tired'', but that didn''t prevent headaches...for some reason.
¡°Oh, these appeared a little while ago. That Yu person dropped them off, and then disappeared.¡± Aisha said while opening one of the bowls to examine sets of black and white stones inside. ¡°I think it''s a game, but I''m not sure about the books. I can''t read them.¡± she said with a shrug.
¡°The boxes have brushes, and inks.¡± Mother said before walking up to me and pulling me into a hug. ¡°Are you all right baby? When you left with that man I was so scared.¡± she said clenching me tightly.
¡°I''m fine mother. I heal quickly.¡± I said with the same weary tone of voice, more or less just wanting to curl up in bed and wait for the day to end.
¡°Heal?¡± Mother asked confused, ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± she asked, holding me at arms length to look at me, before checking me over.
¡°We were...sparring, he was just enthusiastic when he realized breaking every bone in my body was more of a brief, and minor inconvenience.¡± I said causing Mother to look at me shocked. ¡°I''m fine. He just threw me into some cliffs outside of town.¡± I said.
¡°Was that what that was?¡± Lily asked confused.
¡°What?¡± I asked looking at Lily as my mother pulled me in for another hug.
¡°There were sounds of explosions or something north of Kisk. Apparently some local terrain collapse into debris. City forces were being sent to investigate, least that''s what we heard in the market.¡± Aisha said, taking a seat on the wooden table game board. ¡°People thought some wizards were experimenting or something.¡± she said.
¡°No...Just me being thrown into things.¡± I said, placing my hands on my temples. ¡°I really just want to go relax. I''ve had too much excitement for today.¡± I said, looking up to see Ethan coming down the stairs dressed as a maid. I stared for a few seconds quietly. ¡°What the hell?¡± I asked blinking.
¡°Oh, isn''t he pretty? We''re having him be a maid.¡± Lily said with a giggle. Mother bit her lip and smiled, while Aisha tilted her head and stared appreciatively. Ethan just looked nervous, fidgeting in place on the stairs, looking overly embarrassed.
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¡°I''m not sure if I should be upset that you''re teasing him, or concerned that he went along with it.¡± I said calmly. He looked like a very pretty young girl, but for the life of me I couldn''t figure out why women did this kind of stuff. They could have their fun teasing I supposed, but then so could I. ¡°Fine, then he can bathe and bed with you and the others.¡± I said, looking Lily with a smile. Lily returned my smile, and responded with ¡°All right!¡± Meanwhile Ethan just looked confused and even more nervous. Honestly I was expecting smiles from him, but I guess he was only fourteen. Though he did have the whore profession...
¡°Stop teasing the poor boy.¡± Mother said, poking me in the side. ¡°Ethan...he does look good in that.¡± she said and smiled, ¡°Ethan, go clean. We''ll bring you a chance of clothes in a few minutes.¡± she said, as Ethan began running back up the stairs, presumably to go do maid duties.
¡°...He''s very quiet.¡± I said after Ethan had left, causing Aisha and Lily to break out in laughter. ¡°What?¡± I asked, confused now. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± I asked, causing Mother to sigh.
¡°They''re just being silly, and we need to talk.¡± Mother said, taking my hand and pulling me out of the foyer.
After a few minutes of being pulled along I ended up back in the library. Mother closed the doors and locked them before motioning to the floor. ¡°Ahh...¡± I said blinking, ¡°Where''s the crown?¡± I asked concerned.
Mother reached into her a small bag hidden beneath a fold of her dress and pulled the crown out. ¡°Oh...wow. How''s that work?¡± I asked glancing at the bag, and the sleight magic aura I had missed before.
¡°It''s a spell called magic bag. I''ll teach it to you later.¡± Mother said with a sigh, holding the crown out to me.
¡°Ahh, the Crown of ¨¢ine.¡± I said taking the crown from Mother''s grasp, noting she looked startled. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I asked, placing the crown on my head. Not that I needed it, just that the crown had some questionable effects, and I was concerned about it getting lost.
¡°Did you say the Crown of ¨¢ine?¡± Mother asked as I walked over to the mural on the library wall, and began punching in the sequence of hidden buttons to open the hidden passage. The mechanism started shifting, and the portion of the floor leading down into the substructure opened revealing the stairwell.
¡°Yes, that''s what it''s called.¡± I said turning back to her, ¡°Why...have you heard of it?¡± I asked curiously.
¡°Yes...¡± Mother said clearing her throat, ¡°Sorry, baby, I forget you''re having memory problems. ¨¢ine was...is the sovereign goddess of summer. She was patron and protector of the sun elves.¡± she said looking concerned.
¡°Oh...did you want the crown then?¡± I asked, pulling it off of my head. Beyond the increase in fertility for my lands, it didn''t really have much benefit for me. If mother wanted it for some religious or sentimental value, she was welcome to it. ¡°Just don''t lose it.¡± I said handing it out to her.
Mother stepped back nervously, staring at the crown quietly. ¡°It has been lost for a very long time.¡± she said in hushed tones, her gaze stuck on the crown. ¡°We thought it was punishment from the goddess, for the betrayal of Olmucaid.¡± she said staring at the crown in reverence.
¡°Um...No, It was taken by an invading army, and later buried when the king''s son poisoned him.¡± I said, still holding out the crown to her. ¡°...Were you going to take it or what?¡± I asked, causing mother to lift her gaze from the crown to me. She cleared her throat again, and then delicately took the crown back, placing it on her head nervously. On the one hand I found the reverence for the crown understandable given mother''s explanation. On the other hand I found that I really didn''t care about it beyond wanting to avoid future headaches. ¡°Shall we?¡± I asked before heading down the passage.
The passage was oddly illuminated this time. The hard grey stone that made up the rest of the castle looked to be changing. Veins of white were creeping through the walls and steps and glowing warmly, as if the magic was somehow converting it. Given the fact that the stone had obviously been in its previous state for a very long time, I found the sudden change confusing, but not especially alarming. It might become a problem if it continued to spread through the rest of the castle though, if only because it was raise questions. As best I could tell the material in the substructure was immensely sturdy. When we reached the ''entrance'' area, the walls and steps had already been fully converted and I could see the shift from the pale white light to the mellow greens and golds that had appeared when I had started channeling mana into the place.
The ''tree-like'' pillars that had created the muted, but beautiful, architecture had taken on an inner life. Flowers of light bloomed and seemed to sway with a warm breeze that washed from the depths, a scent on the air the called to mind childhood summers, and warm lazy days. There was light everywhere now. The frozen cold from before had been completely banished, and the very walls seemed alive. As I moved to the edge of the entry hall and gazed down into the depths, I saw the network of platforms blooming with flowers and light. In the depths the frozen lake was warm with light, and the throne was...blooming. I could see the flicker of the green flames that the angelic figure holding the sword was bathed in. As I gazed at the walls of the ''tree'' with my magic sight I could see the life of this place pushing upward into the castle above, and outward into the land.
¡°By the Goddess!¡± Mother called, falling to her knees behind me. The light of the place was bleeding into her, and the crown on her began to wreath her brown in golden light.
¡°We haven''t even got to the interesting stuff.¡± I said, tilting my head to look at her curiously. ¡°Does this mean you''d prefer to move your room down here?¡± I asked, a smile creeping across my face. She took a few minutes to bask in the energies being radiated by the place, before finally managing to get back onto her feet.
¡°I''m sorry...It was just overwhelming.¡± Mother said coming up beside me to look down into the depths. The place seemed to be responding to our presence, though it felt as if the place was generating mana instead of sucking it away.
¡°Yea, when I first came down here the place wanted to drain me. But it seems like a bit of mana is all it took to bring it back to life.¡± I said with a shrug, moving down the stairs toward the network of platforms in the depths. Mother looked at me as if she was going to say something, but just bit her lip and followed.
The two of us moved through the open hallways as I took her toward the library. I was going to show her the throne, but thought that could wait...especially as I didn''t feel like trudging through water, however deep it happened to be, to the little island at the center of the lake that held the throne. When we entered the library, every surface seemed slightly illuminated. I could see some type of magic structures were rebuilding themselves around the library. They seemed to be growing like plants from seeds long buried. As I wandered across the open floor, I motioned upward. ¡°I found the magic books a few floors up, though I didn''t really search everywhere.¡± I said.
Mother walked over to one of the shelves and pulled off a crystal, which lit up at her touch. As I watched the image of an elven woman appeared in her hands, above the crystal. The illusionary woman sounded like she was beginning a lecture, which was cut short when mother put the crystal back. ¡°This place is a treasure Faith...So much that was lost...¡± she said, a look of reverence in her eyes.
¡°...If you say so.¡± I said, scratching my head. ¡°Well, I planned to spend some time in here reviewing the magic texts. If you want to use it, by all means.¡± I said causing her to glance my direction again. ¡°I think the wards on the different sections are down, so it should be safe to explore...I guess we could go see the throne.¡± I suggested.
Mother paused for a moment as she considered, ¡°The summer throne...¡± she said, taking a breath. ¡°All right, lets do that.¡± she said, reaching out and taking my hand.
When I took her hand I heard a muffled voice from my pocket. ¡°Oh my! What an expansive and superlative collection. I eagerly await mistress''s hours of study here. I had feared I would be forced to await her matriculation, but I see I was mistaken.¡± the voice of my guild card said, as I groaned.
Not a chapter
Ok, besides life and such keeping me away, I''ve had to spend time on mechanics and such. I currently have like 20ish new spells, and that''s not including other ''things'' coming up, involving just 2 of the paths (Nature, Illusion). I considered consolidating spell paths into more fluid expansions on a set of abilities, but so far I''m having concerns about spell, ability, and power listings becoming burdensome for the readers and detracting from the narrative content. I have a chapter ready to go and one half completed, but I need to be sure before posting. So I thought I would take a poll among the readers. This is my first time doing this, so here goes.
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Also just to add to, for those of you who are familiar with wuxia stuff and were wondering how the ''paths'' would work from their perspective, I''ll just say a ''path of'' and a ''dao of'' are similar conceptually. For my story different spells require different levels of understanding of the ''path of'' so and so. Wuxia adaptations and powers, esp from M.A. stuff, requires similar levels in ''dao of'', so this will also apply to later chapters involving the more wuxia flavored stuff.
21. Spellcraft
My thanks to everyone who has kept reading. My apologies on delays. Besides real life, I needed to make adjustments to my notes. In any case, I''ve decided to make some content changes. As for the story itself, not a whole lot has changed, but things should be picking up now as far as story pace goes. I feel like a good foundation has been set for the rest of the story I''ve planned out through the first book. So without further ado, and with much appreciation for all those who have given me their input, I present chapter 21
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Mother looked at me strangely as the guild card started going on about the library. Clearing my throat, I smiled. ¡°Um...Apparently my blood had interesting effects in the guild card creation processes, and thus we have Alfred.¡± I said. Glancing back down at my pocket and pulled out the decorated silver card from my pocket. It looked to have taken on the white veins of stone in the area, and I could see the glimmer of golds and blues. ¡°Whom I thought I told to speak with me telepathically...what''s going on with your material...is the magic here affecting you?¡± I asked a bit concerned.
¡°Oh, mistress, I apologize profusely. In my excitement and the plethora of knowledge around me, I lost momentary control over my faculties.¡± Alfred said apologetically. ¡°As for the...modifications, seem to be benign, and the magics are tied directly to you. Otherwise it would be impossible to affect me. At a guess it would seem to be an upgrade attached to the well of divine magics buried beneath this place.¡± Alfred said thoughtfully.
¡°I see...¡± Mother said curiously, moving in to look at the card. The ''veins'' of power on the card''s surface seemed to be spreading along the spiral designs that decorated it. ¡°He seems...pleasant.¡± she said, glancing toward the staircase.
¡°Oh, sorry mother. Um, if you head down the stairs to the bottom, the hallway empties out near the lake entrance. I''ll be right with you.¡± I said causing her to raise an eyebrow.
¡°...Alright baby, don''t be long.¡± Mother said leaning in to give me a hug, and then walking off down the stairs. As I watched her walk I mused over how regal she appeared, especially with the crown on. It made me smile.
¡°Now what was this about divine magics buried here?¡± I asked taking a seat at a long wooden table that looks to have been for people to study at. I placed the card on the tabletop, and watched a glimmer of magic light ripple out from it across the table.
¡°Well, I am of course able to tell the difference between divine magics, and mortal magics.¡± Alfred said defensively.
¡°...And how do you know about a buried magic here?¡± I asked with an intonation of annoyance.
¡°Well, Mistress''s magics resonate with the powers beneath this place. It calls to me, as a construct of her everlasting glory and divine perfection.¡± Alfred said happily. ¡°I believe she calls herself Sharada.¡± Alfred added.
¡°The magic is a she? What?¡± I asked confused.
¡°Um...I suppose, mistress. All I can say for sure is that she is a divine construct herself, with a nature reflecting some of your aspects, especially knowledge. I think that''s why the library has gone unmolested until your arrival, mistress. It was sealed by a divine source.¡± Alfred thought at me, as the colorful energies settled across his surface. The lines of light finished spreading and then settled beneath the surface of the metal once more, as the card returned to ''normal''. ¡°Ahh...I see. Sharada''s ''body'' was used to create the core of this place. This place was the tree of knowledge and life. She says that she has been sealed in the depths since ¨¢ine gifted it to her children. Your power broke the seals and restored her, and she once more is growing a divine corpus, though it will take time.¡± Alfred thought to me.
Pinching the bridge of my nose I tried to clear my confusion at the implications. ¡°Mistress, I know it is not for a humble servant, such as I, question the motives of his master...but what are your intentions? I have watched your actions for a while now, and must admit to being thoroughly confused.¡± Alfred said, hesitating to ''insult'' me.
¡°My intentions?¡± I asked, curiously. ¡°Ahh...You mean what are my goals?¡± I asked with a weary smile.
¡°Yes mistress. I am your eternal servant, but I find myself at a loss in how to assist you with your goals if I don''t know what those goals are.¡± Alfred said hesitantly. ¡°As a divine construct, I carry within myself a small spark of your essence...but without purpose, I can only watch in confusion.¡± he finished.
¡°...Alfred.¡± I said as I suddenly realized that I had effectively created a life, a life whose ''purpose'' depended on my will. ¡°My goal, I suppose, is to create a better world for others. But if you mean specifically, at the moment I''m not sure. I have been under...time pressure lately. I have a territory to see to, but accepting it was more or less a means to and ends, to secure safety for my Mother and the others. I wouldn''t mind attempting to end slavery, as well as the war ravaging the lands and destroying lives.¡± I said as I took a seat.
I scanned my view of the library, looking up the spiral shelves which wound along the walls, and considered. ¡°But I lack information right now, and honestly I lack power.¡± I said frowning, placing my chin in my hand as I leaned over the table.
¡°...if I might interject, mistress. You''re a goddess whose domains include knowledge, and magic...in a library filled with books...many of them on spells...¡± Alfred said as I became lost in thought.
¡°...Yes, Alfred...Yes I am.¡± I said as I looked up at the floor containing the magic tomes. ¡°Illusions and Nature.¡± I said thoughtfully, ¡°I should be able to absorb the information in the textbooks, but when I did so earlier it caused massive headaches.¡± I said as I stood up again.
¡°Ahh, yes mistress. I am happy to say that I can assist with that. Absorbing and sorting information is a specialty of mine, you see. If mistress desires, I could act as a buffer for the information, sort it, and then transmit the ''processed'' knowledge directly into your hippocampus. It would be a bit...slower than your direct absorption, but It would prevent unnecessary loss of study time due to psychic recovery.¡± Alfred said causing me to blink.
¡°Well, while mother is getting settled into the throne room, why don''t we go see about absorbing some knowledge.¡± I said with a smile.
The process of filtering the texts through Alfred required me to place the card against the covers of the spellbooks, and activate absorption. Instead of being hit by a massive explosion of information burning through my brain, I felt a slow trickle of insights, like one epiphany after another. While still dizzying at first, I wasn''t on the floor ready to retch.
| Path of Nature Learned: 30% |
| Spell Learned: Spiritual Shield |
| Effect: This spell creates a barrier to block spiritual attacks which inflict supernatural afflictions. The barrier doesn''t stop physical damage, only supernatural effects such as curses and supernatural diseases. |
| Base Cost: 10 mana/day |
| Spell Learned: Natural Adaptation |
| Effect: This spell allows the caster to acquire a natural ability or characteristic of a plant or animal. These abilities can not be supernatural in nature. Physical adaptations often come with visible changes in physical appearance. |
| Cost: 50 mana/day |
| Path of Nature Learned: 40% |
| Spell Learned: Regenerative Field |
| Effect: Calling upon the raw power of life energy, this spell creates a field around the caster where all living creatures are infused with the ambient essence. Wounds close, and scars wash away in minutes. The regenerative field can even allow severed limbs and destroyed organs to regrow over the course of a day. The field size and rate of regeneration are based upon the power of the caster, and the amount of mana used. |
| Base Cost: 100 mana/minute |
| Spell Learned: Create Nature Spirit |
| Effect: This spell creates one or more natural spirits under the spell caster''s control. These creatures emulate natural animals, but may be from any known species. The potency of these spirits is dependent on the power of the spell caster, and the amount of mana spent to fuel them. |
| Base Cost: 100 mana/minute |
I had actually expected far more spells given the amount of texts I was pouring through, but I slowly came to realize the sheer quantity of information involved in creating the spell structures. The spells I had learned previously were relatively simple compared to even a 4th tier spell. What''s more I had previously assumed a similarity in the different paths that just didn''t exist. Each of the major spell paths involved comprehension and alignment with a major aspect of the world. Nature, for instance, was more than simply the memorization of biology texts, though there were no few books on ''genetics'' involved in just the natural adaptation spell. A poorly conceived or executed adaptation could be fatal to the target of such a spell, and it didn''t take much in the way of medical knowledge to get an idea of ''why''.
With a wave of my hand a cloud of light wrapped around Alfred and began taking him from book to book while I moved from the stacks. The world around me seemed different with every passing step, as I could feel myself coming to grips with not just the physical structure of the things around me, but with the underlying energies. My vision shifted with new understanding, and what were simply fluttering lights within the inner walls of the building took on new meaning.
| Path of Nature Learned: 50% |
| Spell Learned: Spirit Essence Adaptation |
| Effect: This spell converts a target''s physical body temporarily into pure life essence, rendering her physically intangible and invisible to natural senses. The target exists without physical needs such as air, food, or water. As the target''s body is purely spiritual, they are capable of training in spiritual arts. Some primal sects have been known to use a variation of this spell to train as soul warriors. |
| Cost: 50 mana/minute |
¡°I see...¡± I said, the sudden shock of my world changing again becoming dizzying. I felt my senses expanding through the ether as I started to recognize the patterns of life underneath everything around me. I had to sit down by the time I reached the lower floor, the influx of information growing faster with every passing minute. I felt like my mind was trapped within an epiphany, one that brought an endless string of new revelations. I stared into the spaces between the world, seeing through the spirit energies that were woven together to create everything.
I suddenly understood something else...the walls, the tree, even the tables and shelves in this library. They were all alive. The elves had spent countless generations attuning themselves to the natural world, perhaps spurred along by their gods. The cracks I had seen spreading upward from the tree weren''t just roots, they were new life, absorbing and converting the lifeless stone built atop it. The shape was there, and the life of this place would use the structure above like stem cells growing into the shape of what surrounds it.
My mind drifted as I tried to bring my conscience back into the present, feeling that I was forgetting something important, but unable to break free.
¡°Faith...I thought you were coming.¡± a voice called distantly, causing my gaze to shift from the swirl of spirit energy, to the form approaching me. There was flesh draped upon a simple form, housing something I couldn''t quite make out. It was separate from spirit energies that fed it...or perhaps it was feeding the spirits. The focus of my vision shifted again, and I could begin to make out the ephemeral housed within.
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| Path of Nature Learned: 60% |
| Spell Learned: Soul Burn |
| Effect: The caster inflicts a supernatural attack on the soul of a target, washing them in primal essence. In its basic form it can rend soul matter, while some masters can use it to inflict curses and altered states such as emotional turmoil, blindness, hallucinations, sleep or even comas. Duration and severity depend on the power of the caster. |
| Cost: 120 mana |
| Spell Learned: Forbiddance |
| Effect: This spell can block spiritual and natural beings, such as elementals or ghosts from entering without the permission of the caster. The strength of this spell, and the area it can cover depends upon the power of the caster, and the mana used. |
| Base Cost: 200 mana |
¡°Faith? Are you all right, baby?¡± the approaching soul asked, its glow bathing the world around it. I could see the spiritual energies housed in this place responding to her movement. It was as if it was responding to the caress of a lover. The physical world seemed so ephemeral...so illusionary.
| Path of Illusion Learned: 10% |
| Spell Learned: Illusion |
| Effect: Among the Fae and Elves this spell is often referred to as a glamor. It allows the caster to create a combination of temporary sounds, smells, tactile sensations, or visual illusions. The illusion must be maintained and concentrated upon. The complexity and area covered by this spell is dependent upon the power and path rating of the caster. |
| Cost: 30 mana/minute |
| Spell Learned: Detect Illusion |
| Effect: Casting her senses slightly out of phase with reality, while this disconnection is maintained the caster can differentiate between objects or entities that are grounded in reality, and those illusions that are mere force impressions. |
| Cost: 50 mana/minute |
| Path of Illusion Learned: 20% |
| Spell Learned: Invisibility |
| Effect: With this spell the caster ''weakens'' the caster''s imprint upon reality in a minor way, causing light to ignore her. Larger objects or multiple people require more mana. |
| Cost: Target''s Power/10 per minute, and 10 mana per cubic meter of an inanimate object. |
The soul wrapped in the worn trappings of reality came to sit beside me, a look of concern etched deep in its face. My hand reached out to brush her hair, and watch as the golden strands swirled like streaks of sunlight. ¡°Faith...¡± the woman''s voice echoed, but my mind wanted to block it all out. I was enraptured by the soul in front of me. I could see the weak strands that connected the woman''s soul to her physical body...so many things binding a soul in place...but if you could only peal back the strands...
| Path of Nature Learned: 70% |
| Spell Learned: Soul Shift |
| Effect: With this spell the caster can transfer any soul in her presence to a new host, be that living being or inanimate object. A dead body, or empty vessel may also serve as a host to restore life to the dead. A soul shifted in this manner keeps all mental, spiritual, and magical capabilities, though physical capabilities and limitations of the new host apply. When two souls share the same vessel, they must struggle for dominion over the vessel and even their continued existence. At best such a contest results in suppression of the loser, at worst, complete absorption. |
| Cost: 400 mana |
| Spell Learned: Soul Form |
| Effect: Similar to Spirit Essence Adaptation, this spell permanently alters the essence of the target. At base, this spell separates the target from its host body, causing a spiritual ''transcendence''. In this state supernatural adaptations can be developed depending upon the nature of the target. This spell may also be used to convert a target into a specific type of supernatural entity or elemental, though the costs for such a transformation can be far greater, and require both a sample of the creature''s spirit body, as well as an amount of pure or primal elemental essence. |
| Base Cost: 1000 mana |
¡°I see so much.¡± I said in a whisper as light swirled around me. The physical world only needed to provide the right structure, and the spirit would fill in the rest...but if one understood the nature of the spiritual, and the needs of the physical, then it was possible to forge physical forms from spiritual structures. There was just so much...
| Path of Nature Learned: 80% |
| Spell Learned: Spirit Forge |
| Effect: This spell allows the caster to temporarily create a nature spirit or life spirit out of whole cloth. The exact nature of the being formed is up to the caster, however the creature in question lacks a permanent ''soul'', and therefor depends upon the continuous mana supply of the caster. Through this spell a caster can have produce powerful entity that exists solely under the will of its creator, should a soul be fused into such a being it would gain independent will, permanent life (without continued mana cost), and all of the powers and abilities with which it was created. The cost of t his spell is wholly dependent upon the innate power of the spiritual being created. |
¡°Faith, baby, snap out of it!¡± the voice was yelling now. I felt like my mind was grasping at the very fabric of reality around us now. My body seemed to be nothing more than a dream, housing the soul of the dreamer. With every twisting turn of my conscious mind, I could see the illusions taring away. I felt ready to break free.
| Path of Illusion Learned: 30% |
| Spell Learned: Illusionary World |
| Effect: More complex than a simple Illusion, this spell can create compressed illusionary worlds within confined spaces. The illusions can move and act out according to devised ''programs'', however they are bound to the area of the spell, except in the instance where the illusion has a ''life'' of its own. |
| Cost: 50 mana/minute |
As I forced my will against the fabric of the world my dream scape spread outward farther and farther. I could feel reality bending its shape to my will, as the spell structures I was absorbing wove themselves into my memory. A child''s fairytale hovered around me, her wildest dreams reflected upon the veil. As my inner world was impressed upon the outer world, it seemed so simple to tumble into the abyss of dreaming. Something at the back of my mind was trying to warn me, calling out to me...but I was already lost. The illusions had taken the shape of the spiritual world, using their reflections to grow...what was once a simple day dream was taking on a life of its own...
| Path of Illusion Learned: 40% |
| Spell Learned: Living Illusion |
| Effect: This spell creates an illusionary being with a sense of self and innate intelligence. The being created can mimic the abilities and powers of other supernatural entities, but is still illusionary and cannot affect the physical world. It can however affect other illusions, and illusionary worlds or environments based upon the laws created to govern them. |
| Cost: 100 mana base + 10 mana per day |
The illusions were spreading faster...or was it my sense of the world beyond. I could see an endless stream of people, reflections of reflections, wandering these great halls. My senses fluttered from person to person..
| Path of Illusion Learned: 50% |
| Spell Learned: Illusion Sense Link |
| Effect: This spell allows the caster to link one or more of his senses to an illusion he created. The caster can shift his perception between himself and the illusion at will, but can only maintain one at a time. |
| Cost: 50 mana/day |
Those eyes were hovering at the edge of my world staring in. The green eyes in the abyss glaring as the words it repeated tumbled through the abyss, a dead space where nothing escaped, but those words...''BETRAYAL''. I could feel it pressing down upon my soul with its gaze. There was something wrong, so very terribly wrong, and my mind was struggling to break free of it. My own reality was taring at the seems with every breath. Faith was screaming as a form awoke in the dark depths.
¡°MOMMY!¡± Faith''s voice erupted from my mouth in pure abject terror. It threatened to overwhelm my sanity, as I tried to hide. I tried to lie to the world.. ¡°HELP ME MOMMY!¡± I screamed again as the abyss crashed around me.
| Path of Illusion Learned: 60% |
| Spell Learned: False Life |
| Effect: This spell creates fake memories in the mind of an individual. The caster can include as much new information as desired, and while under the effects of the spell the target can not distinguish between the false life and his own real experiences. |
| Cost: 200 Mana + 20 mana/day |
A sudden explosion of light slammed into me, shocking my mind with power. The world suddenly went white, and then disappeared.
22. Spellcraft Aftermath
Thanks to everyone again for their patience. Next stop, Montevue! As always, if you see anything wrong, let me know.
******
¡°Shhhh...Can you keep a secret?¡± a voice whispered in my ear, causing my eyes to open. I was staring up at a familiar set of book stacks. The floor beneath me had repeating marble diamond patterns that spread off into the distance, while the ceiling appeared to be an endless string of vaulted arches. I could distantly make out sunlight streaming through a dome. Glancing toward the sound of the voice I saw an all too familiar face staring back at me.
¡°Enjoy your nap?¡± Faith asked me, laying on the floor of my inner ''mental'' library. She was wearing a white night gown and was laying on her stomach and propped on her elbows, facing me. As I glanced down I noticed I was still wearing Faith''s form.
¡°So this is what it''s like to have a twin.¡± I remarked with a groan, rolling over to face her. She looked at me concerned for a moment and then wrapped her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into an awkward hug. She held onto me for a few moments before pulling away.
¡°If you keep referring to yourself as twins, you''re going to go insane you know.¡± Faith said with a grin on her face. She stood up and brushed off her dress, striking a pose. ¡°What do you think? I found it in one of your memories.¡± she said with a smile.
It took me a moment, but my memory was photographic these days. ¡°Galadriel, lord of the rings. You''re doing cosplay now?¡± I asked curiously as I dragged myself to my feet and looked down. I was dressed some type of tightly knit golden chainmail that hugged me like leather.
¡°You''re one to talk. Who wears armor in her own mindscape? Or were you worried about running into combat in a library.¡± Faith said with a wide grin. I paused to look her over and just smiled. Her beauty was astounding as always...and the shock of it never seemed to fade. She was as startling to look at as when I first gazed at her in the mirror.
¡°You look lovely.¡± I said with a sigh, before turning my attention to the library around me.
¡°Aw, thank you. Careful though, or people will think you''re narcissistic.¡± Faith said before giggling.
¡°Well, I''m glad to see that you''re in a good mood.¡± I said as I looked around the stacks of unfamiliar books, paused, and realized how odd that was. ¡°Um...what''s going on?¡± I asked in confusion, pulling one of the books from the shelves and looking it over. The symbols on the page seemed to shift, giving an impression of being alive.
¡°You lost your grip on reality.¡± Faith said, taking a seat on a stack of large leather bound books on the floor. ¡°You did something you shouldn''t have, and were almost lost eternally within your own dreams.¡± Faith said. She crossed her legs and looked at me curiously, her head tilted to the side.
¡°...I don''t understand.¡± I said confused, putting the book back on the shelf. Breathing in deeply I let out a sigh and stepped from the aisles of shelves. Faith grumbled and hopped up from her seat of books. "Wait up." she said, following behind me as I walked down the aisles looking for something familiar. The shelves which had been more or less sparse and empty before, where now packed with books. ¡°Where did all of these books come from?¡± I asked.
Faith rolled her eyes at me. ¡°The training of mages is not something that is rushed. It''s not just memorizing chants or runes. It fundamentally changes her perception of the world around her. There is power in knowledge, but there is also danger. You opened your eyes, and accepted the idea that reality was mutable. You began to perceive the world of spirits, not just loose mana in the air. Then you looked beyond the spirit, and began to understand the soul. Did you imagine that was normal?¡± Faith asked, coming up from behind. She placed her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arms around my waist.
¡°Don''t all nature mages do that?¡± I asked with a frown. As I glanced up I could see other levels of the library. They extended up far into the distance, all beneath a sky of colored glass. Scenes of titans crafting the cosmos stretched off beyond my sight.
¡°You know better than that.¡± Faith said, still hugging me. ¡°There haven''t been mages capable of that in thousands of years, but you''re still missing the point. Even those mages capable of such things spent centuries building the foundation of their understanding, grounding themselves to the world around them over time. What you did was normally impossible. Even when you tried to absorb the knowledge from spellbooks before, you only gained a little, before your psyche revolted. Then you let Alfred start pouring all of that preprocessed information into the stream of your consciousness. Those books are a lot more dense than anything from your last world. The spell structures and information are woven back upon themselves over and over again. A mage likely spent the better part of a century crafting anyone of them.¡± Faith said with a sigh. ¡°There were spells mentioned within some of the texts you read, that allowed knowledge absorption. If they could just be used to learn magic, wouldn''t nations spit out an endless stream of new wizards daily?¡± she asked.
¡°...What about Alfred...he had to ''process'' everything.¡± I said, leaning my head to the side to rest it on Faith''s.
¡°He''s a magical construct, not a person. The only reason he could even do something like that was because you are a goddess of both magic and knowledge, and he was formed as a reflection of your divinity. He doesn''t ''understand'' what he transferred to you. He only processed it to fit into the format of your memories, and he put all of it into your brain. It was all I could do to hold back the tide...If mom hadn''t been there...¡± Faith said, her voice trailing off.
¡°What happened?¡± I asked, sensing something wrong from her tone. ¡°...I thought you were watching that thing in the abyss.¡± I said, trying to put my finger on what was troubling me.
¡°The abyss to which all life is consigned, and from which nothing returns.¡± Faith said, as she slipped around to my front and looked me in the eyes.
¡°...Death...what was in the abyss was dead?¡± I asked.
¡°That is not dead, which can eternal lie.¡± Faith said simply.
¡°What is this, H.P. Lovecraft? What aren''t you telling me, Faith?¡± I asked, my voice rising as I was getting upset.
¡°It was never meant to die, and thus could never pass beyond the gates of oblivion. It could only sleep inside the empty, endless night...¡± Faith said as she stepped back and turned to walk away. ¡°But we''re connected to it, and when you set your gaze beyond the veil, you stared into the heart of the beast. It is waking now...and it is so very angry.¡± she said, her voice trembling slightly.
I followed behind Faith as she approached a massive golden door that stretched upward into the distance. Upon the face of the door were millions of interlocking runes, woven into a met across the entrance. I could feel heat rolling off the door as magic boiled just beneath the surface. ¡°Time is running out, and Mommy is waiting.¡± Faith said with a sigh, turning back to look at me ¡°But at least you''re awake now.¡± she said.
¡°Oh, and don''t blame Alfred...he was terrified when you slipped away.¡± Faith said, her voice sounding a bit distant. As Faith spoke I could hear faint whispers, while the light reflecting off of the door was growing brighter.
*******
I awoke wrapped in a thin cloth covered in runes, lying in bed in my room. There were at least a hundred separate spell circles overlapping each other around me, and a set of glowing crystals hanging above me like a chandelier. Mother was sitting across from me, holding my hand, while two robed men stood to the side. One was a balding middle aged human in a set of brown robes adorned with brass buttons, whom I immediately recognized as my mother''s friend Abernathy. The other was an older elf dressed in purple robes, who was quietly muttering and finishing a spell.
¡°Baby! You''re awake!¡± Mother said pulling me into a hug, and clutching at me for dear life. ¡°You''ve been asleep for two weeks. I was afraid you''d never wake up.¡± she said, her voice filled with relief.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
¡°Magus Rowan has been working continuously for the last week to try and retrieve your mind from the dreaming...A task that has been more arduous than was expected...¡± Abernathy said with a smile, glancing at the silver haired elf.
¡°Perhaps if we had not had to spend a week traversing that nightmarish realm of illusions and spirits she called into being around herself, I could have reached her earlier. You should be astounded that I was even able to reach her torpid mind. I had to spend three days weaving 8th tier mentalist spells just to bypass whatever gods damned effect was brushing away my weaker spells.¡± Rowan said with a note of irritation and offense.
¡°And you, girl, what in the seven hells were you thinking?¡± Rowan asked angrily, as he began putting away assorted magical tools. ¡°Absorbing an entire library of spellbooks? You''re lucky that wretched magical construct of yours had the good sense to stop before you delved any further into the path of illusions, or you might have destroyed yourself.¡± he said glaring at me, though I could see a note of relief on his features as well. As he finished boxing up the tools he had been using, he took a seat in one of the chairs in my room.
¡°Now, Rowan...It''s not as if she had been properly educated in such things before hand. Frankly I''m amazed she even managed such a feat. Though I will say, perhaps Faith might now understand why wizards are so very careful with the protection of their spellbooks...especially among young apprentices.¡± Abernathy said, moments before the door to my room opened, revealing a disheveled looking Aisha. She was wearing a thin nightgown, and appeared to have just rolled out of bed. She looked around, and seeing me awake, immediately rushed to my bed and started hugging me. Being caught between Aisha and my mother in dueling bear hugs was somehow comforting.
¡°Ugh! Can''t breath!¡± I said, causing the two women to relax their grips.
¡°Ava...Ur, my I.D. card was contacted by Alfred. I couldn''t even get through the mists around your illusionary world though...I went to get Abernathy, and he brought the others.¡± Aisha explained as she slipped away from to sit up on the bed.
¡°Others?¡± I asked looking at Rowan and Abernathy with concern, realizing that multiple people had obviously been down into the depths of Caliburn.
Abernathy cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, Magus Rowan, Myself, Magus Ceras, Ceras''s Grand Knight Phillip, Magus Carmen, and Grand Magus Tithonus. It seems the spells you cast interacted with the font of magic buried beneath this castle.¡± he said pausing for a moment to consider. ¡°The illusionary world was likely hijacking other spell structures buried down there, and was creating spiritual entities in hoards. The illusionary world itself acted to compress space, creating a vast maze. Unfortunately a few of the entities escaped, which is why Magus Ceras and her knight are currently hunting them down in the city.¡± Abernathy said, before glancing back at Rowan hesitantly.
Rowan just continued to glare at me from his seat, tapping his fingers on the arm rest. ¡°Carmen suffered some injuries, and is receiving treatment. I''m frankly amazed no one has died yet, though with those spiritual entities on the loose...¡± Rowan said, his voice trailing off as he seemed to focus into the distance. After a few quiet moments his harsh gaze returned to me.
Abernathy frowned, looking at Rowan weakly before stepping forward. ¡°I''m afraid the last two weeks have been trying on everyone''s nerves. You are very lucky Countess...Most rash young magic students who attempt even a fraction of what you attempted, are usually destroyed by their own magic. Each path carries its own risks, and the two paths you pursued are among the most treacherous. While a scholar of the path of fire might be consumed by the primal flame, a scholar of illusions could be trapped with an unending nightmare...or rip themselves from reality. As for the path of nature...a misstep early on can mutate and destroy a practitioner¡¯s body. A misstep at the higher levels could consume her soul.¡± he said, looking at me seriously.
¡°Yes, and had your value not been deemed greater than the risk, we would have seal the doors and waited for that hell your insanity created to consume you.¡± Rowan said angrily.
There was another long silent pause, while mother pulled me closer. ¡°I would never have let you go, baby.¡± Mother said to me, glaring viciously at Rowan in turn.
Abernathy cleared his throat causing Rowan to stand up, grab his things, and exit abruptly from the room. ¡°I''m sorry...Faith. Try not to be put off by Magus Rowan''s attitude. He is simply exhausted from all of this, but I assure you that he exerted himself the most of all of us to save your life. Without his efforts we could never have unraveled the illusions barring our path, nor pulled your mind back from the abyss...¡± he said, causing me to shudder as I remembered looking out over the abyss with Faith, watching the creature in the depths.
¡°I''m sorry Abernathy. I didn''t realize the dangers involved in what I attempted. At most I had thought I''d suffer headaches or disorientation.¡± I said weakly, realizing how crazy that sounded under the circumstances.
¡°That''s understandable. The dangers involved in the study of magic are numerous. Normally a bright young student would be guided through the dangers inherent in the paths. General texts tend to discuss methodology, but in my mind are far too vague when discussing the dangers. Honestly, I''ve never heard of a neonate doing what you have. The first trials tend to be far less arduous, and are more than enough warning to any student with the aptitude to continue.¡± Abernathy said as Aisha slipped off the bed and moved to take his hand.
¡°Why don''t we let her rest...she''s been through a lot.¡± Aisha said, giving Abernathy a smile. I noticed her hand caressing Abernathy''s arm, causing the middle aged wizard to turn his attention her way for a moment.
¡°Right...Of course.¡± Abernathy said to Aisha, before looking back to me. ¡°I would be happy to discuss the events of the last two weeks with you in more detail later...Faith, I''m not sure what has changed in you, but...your talents are frightening...¡± he said before glancing down at Aisha with a smile. ¡°And Ms. Aisha here as well...Don''t worry about all of this too much. You two have an amazing future ahead of yourselves.¡± he said.
¡°Why don''t we go get a nightcap.¡± Aisha said to Abernathy, pulling the mage from the room. As the door closed, leaving me alone with my mother, the tension in the air melted away.
¡°Baby...I was so scared.¡± Mother said, kissing my forehead. We sat there quietly before she pulled away and wandered over to the fireplace. With a wave of her hand she lit a fire. ¡°It''s starting to get a bit chilly in here.¡± she said before moving to take a seat across from me.
¡°So...it''s been an exciting couple of weeks I take it?¡± I asked, leaning back into my pillow.
¡°That''s putting it mildly.¡± Mother said with a smile. ¡°Luckily the school agreed to keep what''s beneath the castle a secret, though they do want to wander the library later.¡± she said.
¡°I can imagine...I''m sorry mom. I had no idea anything like that...¡± I said before she cut me off, leaning forward to take my hand.
¡°It''s all right, baby. Everything is going to be fine now.¡± Mother said, clenching my hand firmly.
¡°Besides my screw ups, has anything happened? I can''t imagine everything has been quiet for two weeks while everyone saved me from my stupidity.¡± I said wryly.
¡°Ahh...¡± Mother said and then paused. ¡°Nothing that takes precedence over you getting some rest, but you received correspondence from the Duke''s court and an official request to attend to your lands in Montevue. I sent Sir Bastier ahead to see to things. When you''re feeling recovered we can take a trip to Chateau Montevue.¡± she said leaning in to give me another hug. Taking the runed cloth from around me, she folded it a few times and draped it across her arm. ¡°Get some sleep baby. We can talk more in the morning...I''m just happy you''re safe now.¡± she said, and then left the room quietly.
23. Hope
So...I would have gotten this out sooner, but after writing a bit, I decided that I didn''t like the direction things were taking. I had to do a rewrite, and am currently working on chapter 24, which should be out soon. I''ll note I''ve not been on the 1 chapter per 3 days thing I was hoping I''d make, but it can get harder the further in I go. I also have expanded content because I originally was intent on writing in a novel format, where a story arc needed to wrap up around the 100-120k word count range...but this is an online novel, and I realized I don''t really care about running long as long as what I''m writing adds to the plot. This is a bit hard for me since it''s my first novel, but here''s to the learning process. As always, if you spot problems let me know so I can fix things.
*********
Mother''s description of the previous two weeks was somewhat lacking. The correspondence from the Duke of Flavia''s court was to let me know that my territory had been expanded...significantly. Shortly after I tumbled into my magic coma, there had been a coup in one of the major territories to the north, bordering Cathris, and the Elven kingdoms. The coup had apparently turned into a clusterfuck, resulting in not only the death of one Duke Alamon Caprice and his family, but also the five groups of other noble families who had participated in the coup against the Duke. Rumors were that the entire debacle was orchestrated by the nation of Qual, with whom the Empire was currently at war.
Following the attack so called ''strategic assets'' had been damaged by enemy forces during a sudden invasion. Imperial troops then responded along the border, to retake ground. They succeeded, however the Duchy''s troops were almost eradicated in the coup leaving Caprice severely weakened. As troops were pulled from other fronts, the Imperial court issued orders to Duke Chevas of Flavia for the territories to be redistributed. According to my butler, none of that was surprising, because the Duke was a beloved great nephew of the Emperor.
Along with the orders from the duke''s court, I also received a map with the new territorial lines drawn. I had been eating breakfast when I saw the map, and had almost choked. It turned out that the entirety of the Empire was quite a bit larger than I had first imagined. The landmass was about the size of Africa, and shaped a bit like a horseshoe with an ocean below it. The size of my territory had gone from a few hundred square miles, to something the size and shape of California. To complicate matters further, part of my new northern borders were split between the south eastern border of Qual and the southern border of the Elven Kingdoms. This meant, among other things, that I was now responsible for fielding support troops and defenses along the border.
¡°HOW THE FUCK!¡± I yelled staring at the map, while everyone around the breakfast table just looked at me.
Mother flinched and cleared her throat. ¡°Language Faith.¡± she said staring at me. ¡°And I''m sure it had to do with your association with the Marquis Lebonne. You share a border with Cathis now...¡± she said.
I was a relative unknown, but I also didn''t have any real roots to cause complications for other factions. Mother was right. My association with the Marquis would ensure military forces could be fielded easily without further draining imperial coffers, and if they ever needed to reduce the territory they would be censoring a relative unknown, instead of the Marquis.
¡°Hold on...if my territories were enlarged this much, what about the Marquis?¡± I asked with a frown, glancing at the rest of the map.
¡°It appears they''ve only been slightly enlarged. If I had to make a bet, it would be because he''s likely in line to take the Duchy. Your territories are large, but they might be adjusted later as necessary. Don''t be too concerned right now Faith. We''re not exactly limited in funds.¡± Mother said to me with a grin. ¡°Realistically manpower is probably going to become a big concern soon.¡± she said, before continuing her breakfast.
¡°I know it takes time to train new soldiers, but I imagine with enough funds it''d only be a matter of months.¡± I said, glancing from the map back at my mother.
¡°Unfortunately, no. The last few years have been devastating along most of the empire. The war with Qual isn''t the only conflict with which the empire is engaged. Towns are picked clean of those capable of fighting. Boys as young as twelve have been pulled from their homes to fight. Girls as young as sixteen, though if towns lack funds to pay for new ''taxes'', they might find themselves sold into slavery¡± Mother said, causing my jaw to drop.
¡°How is that possible? You can''t conscript every man in a nation. Someone has to till the fields, and do other jobs to support infrastructure.¡± I saw glancing at the other women around the table.
¡°A few mages can assist in the production of large amounts of food. The issue isn''t every person in the nation, just those nearest the areas of conflict. The empire has been making heavy use of conscription. When battles involved even a handful of trained mages, the death tolls can be high. Beyond that, small towns and villages can easily have their fields and properties destroyed in an instant. Men can end up dead or conscripted, and those women not suitable for the use of the military, can easily end up enslaved shortly after. Hadn''t you noticed the endless parade of slaves coming into the city?¡± Mother asked.
¡°That''s insane...¡± I said, remembering the slave pins, populated largely by women.
¡°That''s war, baby. It could be far far worse.¡± Mother said, before pulling the map and folding it up. ¡°And that''s as much of that topic as I want to discuss for the moment. You should make arrangements for a trip to Montevue.¡± Mother said before standing up. She walked over to me, and proceeded to pull me into a tight hug. I got the impression she was still on edge from my comma...which was understandable.
¡°Alright mom. I need to get out for a bit though.¡± I said, getting up from the table.
When I returned to my room, I felt genuinely horrified. Facts were starting to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. I knew were in a capital, but I was suddenly realizing why I was seeing comparatively so many high humans as normal humans. The normal humans were probably drafted for the endless procession of wars. ¡°This has to stop.¡± I muttered to myself, as I glanced at a set of boxes that had been left in my room. They were the outfits I hard ordered weeks ago.
¡°So then stop it.¡± A voice said across from me, causing my gaze to shift.
Faith stood in the room with me, wearing a simple white dress. ¡°What''s the point of being a goddess, if you can''t change the world a little?¡± she asked with a smile.
¡°How...¡± I asked and then paused. ¡°An illusion.¡± I said, my vision adjusting slightly to perceive them.
¡°Well, you absorbed a bunch of new spells...I thought I could come out and play.¡± Faith said grinning.
¡°...It''s your body, Faith.¡± I said with a frown. ¡°Maybe we could move me into a different shell, or...¡± I said, feeling slightly comforted that the young girl had managed to dredge herself up from our subconscious.
Faith glared at me, and sighed. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you. We''re the same person.¡± she said.
¡°...We''re two different souls, Faith.¡± I responded, a bit confused.
¡°Yes, but we''re not independent of each other...¡± she said and then paused. ¡°Think of...like Chinese mythology. The thing with the hun and the po. Only we have a bunch of souls. Besides, we share the same pool of memories.¡± she said and then paused.
¡°What do you mean? I don''t have your memories...¡± I said suddenly concerned.
Faith lightly bit her lower lip and stared at me, he arms wrapped around her chest. ¡°I...guess I hid mine. ¡°she said with a shrug. ¡°I woke up staring into the abyss, and that think in the depths talked about it.¡± she said.
I sat down and took a deep breath. ¡°What aren''t you telling me?¡± I asked, glancing at the girl who walked over and took a seat on the bed adjacent from me.
¡°Sorry...The thing in the depths explained a bit. It said that when we died, parts of our soul were torn away. Neither of is a complete entity, it''s just that you can''t see the wholes if you don''t know what you''re looking for. ¡°Faith said with a shrug.
¡°What types of things, and how many souls do we have?¡± I asked, tapping my fingers on the arm rest.
¡°About how many souls we have...I don''t know. A lot? All I know is that we''re different from other people. Different from other gods even. It can be difficult to make out what the thing in the abyss is saying. Between the one of us, I think it''s crazy.¡± Faith said shrugging again. ¡°As for what types of things...¡± she said, looking me directly in the eyes. ¡°What''s your name?¡± she asked.
I paused for a moment wanting to reply, my mind drawing a blank as it reeled.
¡°We kind of fill in the blanks I guess, but the information isn''t there. You left a lot behind when you came back to this world.¡± she said, pulling her legs up to her chest. ¡°As for why I hid my memories...I was ashamed I guess.¡± she said twiddling her thumbs. ¡°You had such a wonderful life. Education, loving family, lots of friends. You got to travel a distant and amazing world, and I...I grew up in a whore house, the daughter of a prostitute.¡± she said. ¡°I never saw my stats...but do you remember what you saw before you ''changed'' them?¡± she asked.
¡°Yea..I remember frail health, and a cursed existence.¡± I said, my memory of those starting stats clear enough. ¡°But you had blessings too: Enchanting voice and a blessing from Aphrodite. You also had Heroic strength and perseverance. You also had some aptitudes, like increased magic recovery and heroic strength.¡± I said, watching Faith''s body language.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°No...the physical increases came with you. I had better than average intelligence and magic recovery...I was born and raised in a whore house, with a cursed existence and beauty gifted by Aphrodite. My health was frail because that asshole Brax took most of the money everyone earned, and I missed a lot of meals.¡± she said, pausing a while to let the silence hang. ¡°There are things...I don''t want to remember. Things I didn''t want you to remember...I don''t want people to see me that way, as someone who''s...had things happen to her.¡± she said, looking me in the eyes. ¡°Especially not you.¡± she said.
¡°You were raped.¡± I said, letting my words hang in the air. Faith looked uncomfortable, but didn''t say anything. ¡°You didn''t tell anyone?¡± I asked.
¡°I...I didn''t want Brax and the others to find out. Mom kept saying I was too young for that stuff...but if Brax found out I...¡± she said and paused. ¡°I didn''t want mom to see me like that either.¡± she said.
¡°Did you want me to find and kill the man who raped you?¡± I asked, looking at her calmly.
¡°I already did...it was why we were being attacked the night I died. He got drunk a few nights after that, and passed out in an alley outside. While no one was looking I slit his throat.¡± Faith said, a vague memory of a knife in my hand filling my mind. ¡°Afterward his friends kept hanging around...maybe he mentioned me or mom...but they were following us.¡± she said. ¡°I remember thinking it was all my fault...everything was all my fault.¡± she said.
¡°No, baby...You did nothing wrong.¡± Mother''s voice startled me, causing my gaze to shift. Faith looked up at the door, the two of us like twin deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Mother rushed to Faith''s side, and threw her arms around the illusion, her arms passing through as she fell forward onto the bed.
¡°Sorry! I...It was just a visual illusion.¡± Faith said, panicked as stepped to the side. I could feel her pulling mana from me..us, and weaving a spell. As Faith''s illusion of herself faded, a physical body generated by a the soul forge spell appeared beside her as a physical replica. I could sense a portion of myself connected to it, and could see a thread of Faith''s essence slipping into the body. As the eyes focused, Faith wrapped her arms around mom, clenching her tight. I watched the two hugging, a frown creeping onto my face.
I quietly stood up, intending to let the two have some privacy as I headed toward the door. I didn''t make it three feet before mother''s arms grabbed me, pulling me into a hug with Faith and her. The footing was precarious, so we ended up falling onto the bed, but mother kept pulling us tight...it felt warm.
The three of us just laid there for several minutes before mother released us. ¡°I''m so sorry Baby. I''ve made a lot of bad decisions, but I never meant for that kind of life for you.¡± she said, looking at Faith closely. ¡°Nothing in the world could ever make me love you less. You''ll always be my baby.¡± she said. I felt Faith relax some, though I could see tears in her eyes.
¡°And you, don''t even try to walk out on us.¡± Mother said to me, kissing my forehead. ¡°You''re my baby too...though, calling you both Faith could get confusing.¡± she said with a frown.
As I watched, Faith''s hair shimmered and turned Auburn. ¡°Hope...¡± my ''other-self'' said, burying her head in mother''s shoulder again. ¡°You can call me Hope, since it''s easier than her changing names.¡± Hope said calmly.
I sighed, ¡°Right. Tease the man who can''t remember his name.¡± I said, with a roll of my eyes.
''Hope'' looked me up and down, ¡°What man?¡± she asked, blinking. I glared at her, and Mother giggled.
¡°Alright...Faith, and Hope. But babies...I might not be the best mother in the world, but I will always be there for you. Don''t ever hesitate to come to me when something''s wrong. I don''t know if I can always help, but I will always be there for you, no matter what.¡± she said, stroking our heads as we sat up. ¡°This could take some explaining to the others.¡± Mother said with a frown.
Hope just gave us a wide grin, ¡°Why? I can just implant memories of us being twins.¡± she said sitting up. Mother looked worried, and I just frowned.
¡°That sounds...complicated. And doesn''t that spell require sustaining?¡± I asked causing Mother to look at me confused.
¡°No...¡± Mother said, shaking her head. ¡°We''ll just say you were separated at birth. No one would put it past Brax...especially if I said your blessings were checked at birth. The only one of the other girls who were even around when you were born was Aisha. I''ll just say when we got enough status and money, that I was able to finally track her down.¡± Mother said, pulling me and ''Hope'' close again.
¡°One look at her and no one will doubt it.¡± Mother said before standing up. ¡°Alright, I''m going to go inform everyone...¡± she said, before diving back in for another hug, and making for the door.
¡°That spirit body won''t register as a normal person.¡± I said after Mother left.
¡°I''ll just use some of our DNA and use the spirit body as a support structure. It might not be our ''goddess'' body, but It should at least get the same resistances Aisha did, and I can put in a few other features with soul forge.¡± Hope said, plopping down onto the bed. She looked like the weight of the world had left her shoulders, and I could see tears in her eyes still.
Crawling onto the bed beside her I snuggled up. ¡°So what do you want to do now?¡± I asked, giving her a hug.
¡°Adventure!¡± Hope said with a smile.
¡°...What?¡± I asked confused.
Hope turned to look me in the eyes, ¡°I finally got to join the adventurer''s guild, and I haven''t even gotten to do a dungeon delve, or anything.¡± Hope said, looking at me closely. ¡°Your kung fu master guy won''t be back for another couple of weeks, and we have to visit Montevue still...Maybe we can pick up some quests from the area.¡°she said.
¡°Is it normal for nobility to go trouncing around on guild missions?¡± I asked with a frown.
¡°Sure. Most nobility have guild cards. How else do you think such an organization could exist within the borders of a sovereign nation? The guild isn''t specifically part of the Empire, but any branch in Imperial territory owes allegiance to it. It''s used to help train public forces normally. At least it was before the wars with Qual and Arcadia started up.¡± Hope said before sitting up again, and staring at the boxes of clothes.
¡°Now you mostly only see people in the major cities joining. It can take months to move troops from the inner territories, to the war zones, so it''s easier to just conscript people as they moved by...at least it was. Not that the imperial courts seem to give a damn. The non-nobility are like ants to them. ¡°Hope said, a bit bitterly.
¡°Yea...Their stats start at two or three times higher, and they live for four to five times as long. The ''high'' variations of the races are like different species.¡± I said.
¡°Hey, lets try on the armor. If it fits well, we can make copies.¡± Hope said happily.
¡°Faith..ur, Hope. Don''t you want to spend time with your mother...after..¡± I said, my voice trailing off.
¡°Three weeks?¡± Hope asked curiously. ¡°It just seems like a long time because a lot has happened. And two weeks of it was you in a coma.¡°she said pulling open a metal case at the bottom of the stack. As she opened the case, I could make out golden plates fitted under. The box itself was larger on the inside than the outside, causing a bit of confusion. As I looked over the somewhat familiar magic structure...
| Spell Learned: Magic Bag |
| Effect: This spell creates an extra-dimensional space contained within the boundaries of some room or container. The area created depends on the power of the caster, and the amount of mana used. |
| Cost: Variable |
¡°If I could only move around in time, I could make a TARDIS.¡± I remarked with a smirk. There seemed to be five different suits inside. One of them was a set of ornate orichalcum plate. I was a bit startled by the additional armor, but I saw a note attached to the inside.
The natural orichalcum you gave me had some...interesting properties. The material seems to be pulling mana from the environment to replenish itself. It only took me a few ounces to make all of this. I''m not sure what distant unknown depths this was found, but I''m told by a knowledgeable friend that it wasn''t just natural orichalcum, but was in fact primal orichalcum. It probably has additional benefits where enchantments are concerned, but I''ve been told that primal magic materials are the stuff of legends. A deal''s a deal, so I won''t return the material, but you can consider all future armor needs on the house. I''ll let you know if I learn any more about the properties.
-Rawl
¡°Wonderful!¡± Hope said grinning, pulling out an armored suit that looked a bit form fitting. There was a thin glimmer of magic woven into a soft leather, that appeared intended to adjust to the user''s body.
¡°I''ll go with the plate mail. Two weeks...Alright, after mom introduces Hope, we''ll pop down to the adventurer''s guild to see if they have any missions in the Montevue area. I think we''re set for weapons, and since you seem to be able to cast the spells we''ve learned, we should be safe.¡± I said with a sigh.
24. A Bad Outing
So the story isn''t dropped or anything, but I recently moved and got a new job...so time and all that. I have another story I''m writing as well, but it''s to help me with conveying certain types of material, to help my writing. I''m hoping it''s working, so here you go, and as always, thanks for reading and let me know if there are any issues.
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The day hadn¡¯t turned out the way I was hoping it would. About half an hour after I left ¡®Hope¡¯ to bathe and get ready, not that I thought she needed a bath but she had been without real world contact for a while, I heard a high pitched scream coming from our bedroom upstairs. Moments later I saw a rather oddly built Ethan bolting across the second floor before reaching an empty bedroom, and slamming the door shut.
Concerned, I raced up to my bedroom to find Hope fuming. The girl was livid as apparently Ethan had barged in on her naked, and had been ¡®ogling¡¯ her. Hope had been so angry at the ¡®violation¡¯ she said she had ¡®punished¡¯ him. What that meant became clear after I managed to get Ethan to open the door to the bedroom into which he had stuffed himself.
My first impression, when I saw him fleeing our room, was that Ethan was oddly shaped. Ethan¡¯s hips and thighs had ballooned out some, and he was sporting a set of breasts that looked like cantaloupes. Ethan¡¯s frame was always fairly lithe, likely due to the fact that he was a sylvan elf. Between his height and build he now looked like a playboy centerfold. A quick scan of him showed that the changes were all superficial. Hope hadn¡¯t changed his sex, as I didn¡¯t imagine Sylvan elves were built like that, she had simply adjusted his outer characteristics some.
¡°Hope, you can¡¯t leave him like that. It was a mistake.¡± I said trying to calm Hope down. I could sense through our ¡®connection¡¯ that she was still very upset, but the anger seemed to be muddled with a lot of trauma from her childhood...and a hint of betrayal. I was starting to get the impression that Hope really liked Ethan, but opening the wrong door at the wrong time had set her off.
¡°NO! He barged in on me naked, and then just kept staring at me!¡± Hope yelled. ¡°Let him see how it feels with people leering at you all day.¡± she spat, wrapping her arms under her bust. She had thrown on one of the outfits I had ordered from the shop a couple of weeks back, resplendent in tight blue leather pants, white silk blouse, a black vest, blue jacket, and black hat that looked like it belonged to a musketeer. There were armored plates worked into the pants, vest, and jacket.
¡°HOPE! Your affect on the people who look at you has changed. He was probably stunned. If you hadn¡¯t noticed, it¡¯s taking effort for everyone to act normally around us, and they¡¯ve known you for years.¡± I said, trying to talk some sense into her. I had considered reversing her alterations myself, but something told me I should speak to hope first.
Hope glared at me for a while, and we stood there in silence. I couldn¡¯t tell if the silence was a good or bad thing. ¡°He can come shopping with us.¡± she said after a moment. ¡°He should have to see what that feels like...all of those stares.¡± she said looking down.
I looked at her for a second, before sighing and waving a hand. ¡°All right. One shopping trip, and then you turn him back...and don¡¯t do that again. You¡¯ve probably traumatized Ethan...more than he already was. Besides, I think Lily likes him the way he was before.¡± I said with a grin.
I felt a spark of jealousy from Hope¡¯s corner of my mind...something that I was only now able to differentiate since she had shifted parts of her consciousness to her current body. For my part I was trying to keep my emotions to myself, at the very least to leave her some space to work through her problems.
Ethan wasn¡¯t at all happy about being dragged out into public like that. Less so once Hope showed up with Ethan''s ¡®outfit¡¯. To call the clothes revealing would be putting it lightly. It looked like some of the ¡®lady of the night¡¯ clothes that the girls had been wearing before coming to Caliburn. I managed to talk her into letting Ethan wear a dress instead of stockings, though his breasts still looked like they were going to pop out of the satin corset. I honestly felt bad for Ethan, but it was a shopping trip...I¡¯d just make sure to get him something he¡¯d like to make it up to him.
Aisha joined me, Hope, and Ethan on our trip to the market shopping. Before we left, I decided to create a storage area using the magic bag spell, attached to pack pack I was carrying with me. Aisha and Hope apparently became conspiratorial and decided to ¡®do¡¯ something with Ethan¡¯s hair...which now hung down past his ass in braids. Why they would bother I have no idea, since I didn¡¯t think anyone would be looking at his hair. ¡°God, lets just get this over with.¡± I muttered as we left.
The first place we stopped was at a materials shop for blacksmiths and other crafters. I procured a large quantity of iron, copper, zinc, coal, charcoal and sulfur. Hope wasn¡¯t really alarmed until we hit up an alchemist shop for some more specific ingredients. I had decided, since I couldn¡¯t sit there and train Ethan in magic and he needed a legitimate way to protect himself, to build him a gun. Normally the potassium nitrate would be a pain in the ass to make, but my crafting system allowed me to perform the chemistry automatically. After which I produced potassium perchlorate, since it technically the simplest compound I knew how to make for a blasting cap, and then mixed up the gunpowder. The copper and zinc I used for brass, and then messed around with the steel composition. I went with the values I had for 4150 steel, since I knew it had a. .5 percent carbon content, and would be very durable. For the designs I went with an AK-103 since it was probably accurate enough for his needs, and a pistol that was more or less a .40 Glock I used to own.
After I finished with creating bulk ammo, and the guns for Ethan, I opened up the menu for adding magic effects, and saw my spells listed. Going with magic bag, I loaded each with about a hundred thousand rounds, and put a counter on the side of the magazine that would tick down as the ammunition was expelled. I had underestimated the effects of my intelligence boost, because I had managed to finish the design and fabrication of everything by the time we got three blocks from the stores. I was enthused because thought Ethan would like the guns.
Ethan had been in the back of our little group, and when I turned around to check on how he was doing, he was missing.
¡°...Where did Ethan go?¡± I asked concerned. We had only traveled a few blocks, and most of the time I was focused on my building, while Hope and Aisha were gossiping about the girls back at the castle. Hope looked upset, but Aisha started calling out for him. A minute later I heard a scream coming from down the street. ¡°Ethan.¡± I said, and bolted over the crowd, moving across walls at my enhanced speed.
There were three men surrounding him, and they seemed to be groping him. ¡°What the fuck is it with this city?¡± I asked amazed. This had been the second attempted rape I¡¯d seen in the streets in so many days.
One of the men was trying to get Ethan¡¯s dress up when I was arrived. ¡°Fuck off bitch!¡± one of the men said, glancing my direction for a moment. When I pulled the veil up I tend to wear in public, I got a round of gasps...I had to figure out how to turn that beauty thing off...should have stuck with masks.
¡°By the gods...what...¡± one of them said looking at me stunned.
¡°You should probably walk away now, before things get dangerous for you.¡± I said with a sweet smile. The wind caught up with me, kicking my hair around, as I considered how I was going to deal with these guys. I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to hold up my whole day for this stuff, and we still had errands to run.
¡°Come ¡®ere girl, why don¡¯t you join your friend here, and we can all have a good time.¡± a second man said leering at me as he moved toward the street from the alley.
Seriously...did people on the streets just not give a damn? Woman screaming in an alleyway, and the street cleared out. ¡°Last chance.¡± I said with a sigh.
¡°Nay girl, we¡¯ll have many chances...we¡¯ll make this last.¡± the second man said as he kept coming toward me.
¡°All right. If that¡¯s how you want to play it.¡± I said, looking at Ethan who was as white as a sheet, and being pressed against the wall. Pulling the AK103 out of my bag, I leveled it on the men, and opened fire. I had forgotten to turn it off of automatic.
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Time slowed as the bullets left the chamber, my eyes slipping to the vital spots of Ethan''s assailants. I had two interesting traits that came with my increased dexterity, increased accuracy and extreme precision. Normally letting loose with an automatic weapon tends to generate more of a scattering of fire, mostly due to recoil. I didn¡¯t seem to have that problem. The bullets flew through the air in tight patterns, though the rate they were being expelled was faster than I had intended. A second or so later there were three men riddled with holes, falling to the ground. A dozen had gone through one man¡¯s sternum, one went through the second one¡¯s head, and the third was on the ground gasping for air...I had put a few holes in his lungs. As for myself, I was grasping my ears and screaming profanities. ¡°MOTHER FUCKER!¡± I blurted out as I remembered my heightened senses.
The pain receded and my hearing returned a second later, Ethan had curled up onto the ground and was staring at the bodies of the dying men. Picking the gun back up, I switched the safety on and handed it to Ethan as I picked him up. About this time Hope and Aisha caught up with me to see the bodies in the alleyway. ¡°...what happened?¡± Aisha asked her eyes wide.
¡°Sorry...some men tried to rape Ethan, and didn¡¯t leave when I told them to.¡± I explained, dragging Ethan back toward Aisha and Hope. ¡°This is enough Hope.¡± I said, placing Ethan in front of her. Ethan was staring distantly still in shock, tears on his face. ¡°Aisha, escort Ethan back to the castle. We¡¯ll catch up when we finish shopping...and Hope will fix him.¡± I said, putting an edge on my words, staring at Hope who looked upset. She tried to reach out to comfort Ethan, but he stepped back. Hope looked hurt, and Ethan looked to be in shock. I really fucking hated this city.
¡°...but, the bodies...two of them are still alive.¡± Aisha said as she tried to move futilely to help. Seeing her reaction to the attack, I was struck with the sudden realization that...I had just executed three men I could have easily subdued. Hope was looking at me aghast as well...and I realized there was probably something very very wrong with me. The anger...it was there, burning at the back of my mind...and then there was Hope, no longer shielding me from it.
¡°Shit...¡± I muttered as I looked over the men. I pushed some mana through my senses and began to perceive the souls of the dying men. They still clung to their bodies, even the one whose head I put a bullet through, if tenuously. For the first time since I came to this world, I had the creeping sensation that I was turning into some type of monster...something driven by hate and apathy.
Aisha dragged Ethan away from the scene while Hope kept staring at me. I felt afraid that she would hate me for this...and I was also afraid that she wouldn¡¯t. If I saved these men, they¡¯d just do this again. Coming to a decision, I took my cue from Hope, probably not for the first time. Stepping to the dying bodies, I shifted my senses again, and began to perceive the nature energies flowing through them. With a wave of my hands I began to reweave their bodies. The ¡®adaptations¡¯ were more involved that what Hope had done, and I needed the assistance of the crafting system, which had proven itself adept at dealing with organic materials.
As I gripped at the magics, the dying men began to shrink in on themselves. Their wounds closed quickly, and their forms shifted. It took me a few minutes of tinkering, but when I was finished there were three young women in their early twenties. I decided to base their appearance on a few actresses I remembered, and had decent lookalikes for Angelina Jolie, Kate Hudson, and Keira Knightley. If I saw them again, it would be easy to pick them out of a crowd...for me at least. Magic alterations tended to adjust a natural state at the cost of sustained mana. As I finished the spells I altered reality to change the current state into the natural state. I would check up on them in a few months time to see if they were still alive, and if they had learned their lesson.
Hope had been watching Ethan leave, and looked at me somewhat torn. We walked in silence to the adventurer¡¯s guild, and took a seat at one of the cafe¡¯s outside. Hope still ¡®felt¡¯ hurt to me, and I could sense resentment...though toward what, or who, I wasn¡¯t sure.
¡°He should have known better. If he had stayed with us, and not run around alone, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten attacked.¡± Hope said after a cup of tea was sitting in front of her.
¡°Sure. He could have done a lot of things. Could have gouged at the eyes and ran. Could have stayed in a tight group¡if it¡¯d been ten minutes later he could have mowed them down with bullets.¡± I said, looking at Hope passively. ¡°Or he could have been raped in the alleyway, or worse once they found out he wasn¡¯t a woman, and hopefully lived through it.¡± I said, taking a sip of the chamomile I ordered.
¡°We would have gotten to him in time...¡± Hope said with a pause, ¡°I mean it¡¯s not like other women don¡¯t deal with the same thing...I¡¯ve...¡± she said trailing off.
¡°Did you want Ethan to experience that? Was that what you were hoping for?¡± I asked seriously, staring at her.
¡°Of course not! I just...I didn¡¯t want him to look at me like...a whore.¡± Hope said, holding the teacup in her hands, and staring down at it. She was silent again while I drank my tea. ¡°He...he hates me now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± she asked in a low voice.
¡°Would you hate you?¡± I asked, looking at Hope, her eyes staring down. I could feel the sadness building in her in waves. She was reliving traumas...a lot of them that I knew she was hiding away from me. I watched her in the quiet of the Cafe, simply sipping my tea. Hope was almost trembling when she finally answered.
¡°Yes...I hate me.¡± Hope said, putting the cup down on the table and leaning over to put her head in her hands. This was really not how I envisioned the day going.
As Hope cried in her chair, moved over to her and pulled her up into a hug. I could feel her trembling in my arms, a bundle of raw emotion being torn open. I wanted to tell her to let it go, but I wasn¡¯t sure she could just ¡®let it go¡¯. Some things only time heals. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t hate you Hope. I care about you deeply. No one else hates you either...Ethan will probably be upset, but he¡¯ll know this wasn¡¯t your fault...eventually.¡± I said hugging her tighter. ¡°Now...maybe someone can explain to me what¡¯s with all of these rapes, robberies, and assaults. It¡¯s like no one gives a damn about the laws in this city.¡± I said with a sigh.
¡°Why should they? There aren¡¯t really any police. The city guard might investigate if a noble or a city official is bothered, but they move around with guards...or hadn¡¯t you noticed?¡± Hope asked, wiping her eyes a few times. ¡°As long as they target men or women of low standing, like whores or street urchins, no one will say anything...If I hadn¡¯t had Ethan dress up like that, he wouldn¡¯t have been attacked.¡± She muttered, still crying.
¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± I said as something registered with me. ¡°Being alone or dressed provocatively isn¡¯t an invitation to be raped or murdered. You weren¡¯t responsible for being raped, because of how you were dressed...¡± I said staring at her, knowing where her mind was going.
¡°...Maybe...¡± Hope said, looking down. She took a few seconds to catch her breath before speaking again. ¡°Before...it happened...I...I had asked Aisha to give me makeup...I mean, Mother never let me wear any...but I was going to join the adventurer¡¯s guild...and I wanted to feel grown up...If I hadn¡¯t..¡± she said, before I pulled her into another hug.
¡°Listen very carefully Hope. You Are Not Responsible For The Actions of Others. You wearing makeup didn¡¯t give someone permission to do that, any more than what Ethan was wearing gave those men permission to assault him. I...I¡¯m going to do something about this, when we get back from Montevue...This is all insane.¡± I said, just hugging her.
¡°...You promise?¡± Hope asked, her voice growing weak as her throat tightened.
¡°With god as my witness.¡± I said, taking her hand.
25. Ballpoint Pen
Hey, Sorry for the length of wait, but I have no time to write during the week. This chapter is a bit shorter than I planned, but when I got to the end, I decided that some of what I was writing wasn''t appropriate to the story, so cut it. As always, I appreciate the readers, and welcome input. Hope you enjoy.
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It took a few minutes for Hope to calm back down, at which point the fact that I handed a loaded rifle to someone who had never heard of a gun before, was brought up. I assured her I had put the safety on...at which point Hope left to catch up with Aisha and Ethan.
The Adventurer¡¯s guild had a number of requests available for Montevue posted on their boards, and when I reached the desk to accept the assignments, the local guild head was there waiting for me.
¡°Countess.¡± A large man dark haired man dressed in black robes said with a smile. My identify showed him to be a High Human of around a hundred and twenty, so getting into middle age. He had a set of magic spectacles on his face, which I identified as something to pierce illusions.
Here I thought my veil was working. ¡°Sorry...do I know you?¡± I asked curiously as I placed the scripts of paper with the request notices down on the counter.
¡°Ahh, my apologies. My name is Lorian Greyson, and I¡¯m what you might call a district head.¡± he said as the violet eyed Naomi appeared from in back. She handed Lorian some papers, which he scanned for a few moments and then handed back to her. ¡°Go ahead and process the request. Let me know what the Abadern branch says though¡± he said before Naomi scurried off. Lorian turned his gaze back to me. ¡°Would you mind coming to my office for a few minutes?¡± he asked.
¡°I suppose...is there a problem?¡± I ask curiously as Lorian stepped from behind the front desk to guide me back into the area where the different book keepers were logging records.
¡°No, no problems.¡± Lorian responded with wave of his hand toward one of the book keepers. ¡°I just needed to cover some business related to your territories.¡± he said as we came to a small office. The place was very functional, almost spartan, lacking any real decoration, and a lot of filing cabinets. Lorian took a seat behind the desk, while I took one of the two chairs in front of it.
¡°I understand you recently acquired a large expanse of territory to the north.¡± Lorian said as he pulled out a folded map. There were folders under it, and what looked like copied segments of the map were bound to the folders with paperclips.
¡°...How did you hear about that? I just got the letter in the mail a day ago.¡± I said with wide eyes. I pulled my hat off, veil and all, and putting it in my lap. Lorian just stared dumbstruck at me, gasping sharply as he drew in a breath. ¡°Do they CC the Adventurer¡¯s guild or something?¡± I ask confused.
Lorian grasps at the edge of his desk, leering at me as I realize I shouldn¡¯t have taken the veil off. I had planned to start using illusions, once I crafted something suitable, but that wouldn¡¯t have really worked with Lorian to begin with, and wearing masks all the time would be uncomfortable. As I cleared my throat he managed to get control of his breath, and closed his eyes. ¡°I see the reputation of your beauty was understated.¡± he said after a moment, opening his eyes to stare at the paperwork in front of him.
Lorian spent another minute trying to clear his head, and organize his thoughts, before continuing ¡°...I¡¯m sorry..what¡¯s see see?¡± he asked confused.
¡°Oh...Um, it just means Carbon Copy.¡± I said a bit weakly, as it occurred to me that he¡¯d have no idea what I was talking about. ¡°You basically take a piece of paper and saturate it with ink, then sandwich it between tissue paper and a piece of regular paper. You place the paper you¡¯re writing on over the tissue paper, and it copies it through to the other side.¡± I said to explain, ¡°That¡¯s basically copy paper, the carbon paper uses some sort of chemi...alchemical wax mixture along with paper soaked in specially prepared soot.¡± I said, realizing this wasn¡¯t really making sense.
¡°...Wouldn¡¯t the quill edges drag on the tissue paper if you were pressing hard enough on the sheet above it, to make a mark?¡± Lorian asked seriously, a frown on his face.
¡°Yea. It¡¯s better to use a ball point than a quill or calligraphy pen.¡± I said with a shrug.
¡°Ball point pen?¡± Lorian asked, the look of confusion still on his face.
Grumbling internally, I used the crafting system to produce a silver cased ballpoint pen. Most of the mechanisms were simple to create, but the ink was turning out to be a pain in the ass. I started with coal to generate carbon black, then some of the dyes I got from the alchemist. I had to create Ethylene glycol to suffuse, and then getting viscosity right was difficult. Lorian must have thought I was nuts as I sat there muttering to myself, my hands moving between pocks, while my brain was skimming the ¡®database¡¯ for something to help with viscosity and drying. I know a bit of chemistry, but I was convinced when I finished the product, that ¡®Magic¡¯ was the way to go.
Finally ¡®finding¡¯ my ballpoint, I pulled it out and uncapped it. Reaching over I began writing on a blank section of paper on his desk. Lorian watched me write for a moment, before snatching the pen away. He stared at it as if it was a miracle made manifest. He began writing with it, and then stopped to press the pen down. He blinked a few times, then got up and left the office. He went over to some of the other scribes working with their quills and looked to be demonstrating it. Within a few minutes the entire room had stopped what they were doing and was watching him, or trying it out themselves.
¡°The ink¡¯s already dry!¡± someone said wide eyed.
¡°It isn¡¯t leaking, or blotching!¡± someone else exclaimed.
That went on for a few more minutes before Lorian came back into the office. The scribes were all staring inside. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Lorian asked seriously.
¡°Um...I made it.¡± I said with a wry expression. Maybe I should have just done a fountain pen.
¡°Can you make more? How many pages can this copy? Is it magic?¡± Lorian asked in quick succession.
¡°No...just some special mixtures for the ink. The internal mechanism is simple.¡± I said reaching up to take the pen. Lorian looked a little reluctant to let it go, as I began unscrewing it to show him the ink reservoir. I didn¡¯t have plastic so I used a metal tube. ¡°The ink goes in here, and you have to put some pressure behind it, but the ball at the end rolls and keeps the ink fresh as you write.¡± I explained showing him how the mechanism worked. I then put it back together and capped it, handing it to him. ¡°It¡¯s good for a while. You just have to inject more ink when it runs low.¡± I said.
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¡°Marvelous...Can you make more?¡± He asked, as people were whispering. I thought I heard something about ¡®secret hoarding alchemists¡¯ or something being bantered around with tones of irritation.
¡°I suppose...Didn¡¯t you need to speak to me about something?¡± I asked trying to get the topic back onto why I was in his office to begin with. I was somewhat surprised that no one was leering at me, though quite a lot of scribes were leering at my pen. I went ahead and put my hat and veil back on while everyone was distracted.
¡°Oh...Right...I¡¯m sorry, I was just a bit distracted.¡± Lorian said, going back to his door and shutting it on the people crowded in outside. When he took his seat again, he looked at me squarely, though he did make a point of holding tightly onto the pen. ¡°Since you recently gained territory, I wanted to speak to you as a guild representative, to cover requests, as well as a proposal for a few new guild houses.¡± he said as he placed the ballpoint pen in his desk, and locked it.
¡°Oh...I saw that map of the territory...how did you find out about that anyway?¡± I asked curiously.
¡°I have some friends with the Duke of Flavia¡¯s court. When the lines were redrawn, I received notice, and had been intending to meet with you in the next few days. The guild has to follow certain procedures when allowing requests to be posted, where they might pertain to the security or welfare of the territory in which they¡¯re made. Beyond that, in the past we have not been able to secure permission to place guild houses in certain cities, especially Fairwind, and Valis, which are about twenty miles from the boarder to the Elven lands.¡± Lorian explained.
¡°Ahh, well I wouldn¡¯t mind having people doing quests to clean up banditry and keeping those locations safe. It would save me on military forces...¡± I said warmly.
¡°Exactly what the Duke of Flavia suggested, which is why I felt confident you¡¯d agree. I went ahead and had papers drawn up.¡± Lorian said opening one of his drawers, and laying an 8 inch stack of paper on his desk. ¡°The top ones are for permission to place guild halls, and then the rest are for open requests, such as dealing with banditry. Missions issued by the territory in question, and covered by the territory in question. I thought you might wish to meet with those who keep your accounts, to agree on details of remuneration, such as rates.¡± Lorian said, pushing the stack toward me.
I glanced at the stack, took a moment, and absorbed the content. I pulled out a second pen and signed the permissions and then handed them back. ¡°The rates seem appropriate. I can cover the costs myself, but I expect the guild halls to pay a tax on goods and services sold in the territory. ¡° I said looking at Lorian squarely.
¡°What type of tax?¡± Lorian asked, his mood shifting toward suspicion.
¡°I¡¯m going to institute a three and a half percent tax on sales. They¡¯re all for local building.¡± I said pushing the rest of the papers back.
¡°Seven shares in two hundred...The guild normally makes payments based on land assessments, and tariffs into and out of their respective cities.¡± Lorian said, looking at the papers and then back to me.
¡°Five of those seven towns in which you wish to build, don¡¯t have walls to begin with. You¡¯ll agree to it, or I¡¯ll deny privilege to operate regardless of what you build. Land taxes will be based on cost of the city to maintain the area in which you place the hall.¡± I said as it occurred to my why he jumped me here to get my signature. If I just signed off on building, and let the locals decided on the other details, money would change hands out of sight, and the guild would simply avoid any costs.
Lorian cleared his throat, ¡°If you desire. I¡¯ll run it by the guild council so they can make a decision, but if you can agree to not elevate the percentage later, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be willing to settle on that.¡± he said.
¡°Well, let me know. I¡¯ll keep the requests for Montevue. Since I¡¯m paying myself, it being in my territory, you won¡¯t need to pay me.¡± I said before heading for the door.
******************
When I finally returned to Caliburn I found Hope upstairs secluded in our room, and Ethan surrounded by the women currently serving as maids. Aisha and Mother were talking quietly as Ethan was being comforted. Hope had managed to get into another argument, and then refused to turn Ethan back to normal. Ethan looked about as uncomfortable as I had ever seen him, as I could swear that two of the women were groping him, though they might just be overly friendly.
¡°I¡¯ll restore Ethan.¡± I said to Mother and Aisha as they were watching Ethan.
¡°It¡¯s unfortunate this all happened...and Hope isn¡¯t making the best of impressions on everyone right now.¡± Mother said, causing Aisha to frown.
¡°She got upset, and let things get out of hand. She didn¡¯t mean for anything to happen to Ethan, and shouldn¡¯t be blamed for what did happen. Everyone¡¯s just upset, even Hope...I think she likes Ethan too.¡± I said the last quietly to Mother.
Mother nodded knowingly, as I stepped in to break up the press of women on Ethan. With a wave of my hands his body shifted proportions, causing his current attire to appear a bit ridiculous. I walked up, and gave Ethan a hug, and then told him to go change into something more comfortable. After he left I got a few *knowing* grins from the other women.
¡°What happened after Hope caught up?¡± I asked, turning back to Mother and Aisha.
¡°Uhhh...well, Hope I think was trying to apologize, but Ethan had started screaming, and waving around the weapon you gave him. I took that away from him, by the way. Afterwards, Hope got defensive, and Ethan started crying. Hope tried to be comforting I think, and then Ethan snapped at her. Hope got upset, and they argued until we got home. After which Hope refused to change him back, and fled upstairs. Ethan broke down on the couch, and everyone came in to check on him. ¡° Aisha said, filing in the details.
¡°Well, after he bathes, and gets changed he should feel better.¡± I said hopefully.
Mother and Aisha just looked at me and then between each other, and sighed. ¡°Eventually, baby. Eventually.¡± Mother said giving me a hug, and then walking off. Aisha went back to her room to pack for the trip.
On the other side of my mind, I could feel Hope was upset, and trying to come to some type of decision. I didn¡¯t wan to intrude on her thoughts, so I decided to go find another room to sleep in for the night. Somewhere in the late afternoon I went to take a nap.
Side Chapter 1
I decided to explore the world a bit more, and setup some stuff for later. I''ve got the 2 side chapters, and am working on a new chapter in the main story. I''ll try to get it out tonight. So without further ado, here are the side chapters. Thanks for reading.
***********************
Lis and Abby had travelled for a week to reach Karn from their village of Lotus Field. Their horse was old, and he had a bit of trouble carrying the two of them, but they were light. Their village, like so many around them, was on the verge of dying out. The village once boasted a population of almost two hundred people, but when the military passed through they ¡®recruited¡¯ every able bodied man under imperial decree. The village had expected to lose most of the young men, but the captain of that unit wasn¡¯t very picky. Even old man Carlyle was taken, and he was in his fifties; Little Jeff and Edward were only twelve.
Some of the women were recruited, like Serva and Ellis, who had been adventurers at one point before settling down to raise a family. The military preferred to take just the men, but according to the Captain, if you were registered as an adventurer, you were considered ¡®combat capable¡¯. When the military left there were eighty women and five men left in the village, and a six year old boy named Bret.
Shortly after the military left, trouble came. A battle broke out to the north, near the village of Willow¡¯s Creek. Only five locals made it out alive, the Kilsey sisters, and were taken in by Lotus Field. The imperial military had been pushed back, and Quesh forces over ran the village gates. The few men, too old or feeble to ¡®serve¡¯ the military, tried to hold the gate, but a massive blast of fire from an enemy mage killed them. The imperial forces, including those people taken from the village, were wiped out.
After that, people started to get sick. Grandma Celia said it was magic disease, targeting imperial forces¡but it hit the village just the same. Twenty women fell sick and died, along with the Bret, before Grandma Celia managed to quarantine them. Celia had a bit of healing magic, but she couldn¡¯t save anyone. Even now she was sick herself, and getting worse.
Lotus Field still had a few farms with fallow fields, and mostly empty shops, but there was no traffic anymore. Grandma Celia had managed to put up some weak magical defenses to keep out monsters, and hopefully no more armies would be battling nearby, but the village had a long term problem to solve. Thus Grandma Celia had sent Lis and Abby out with one mission, to try and bring back some men to the village. Celia gave them all of the money she had saved over the years, which came up to almost fifteen gold Centas; It was more than either Lis or Abby had ever seen in their lives, though they were barely twenty.
¡°Wow, this place is huge!¡± Abby said in amazement as she glanced around at the shops filled with people. Abby and Lis were fairly pretty young women, which was probably why Grandma Celia had sent them. A few men glanced their way occasionally, but paid no more than a moment¡¯s notice, likely due to the threadbare appearance of their clothing.
¡°Focus Abby, Grandma Celia gave us a mission¡¡± Lis said holding up an old map that Grandma had given her for Kern.
¡°I know, but there are men everywhere. Can¡¯t we just ask some?¡± Abby asked with a wide smile on her face.
¡°Well, we can post an advertisement with the guild, at least that¡¯s what Grandma Celia said¡but few people will risk it.¡± Lis said with a frown, and scratched her head and thought, her nose wrinkling. When she glanced up she spotted a small contingent of soldiers leading a group of battered men in chains, barefoot through the streets.
¡°I wonder where they¡¯re taking them.¡± Abby said tilting her head in confusion, a not unusual look for her. Lis often thought Abby was dropped on her head as a child, but Abby was affable and sweet, so Lis was patient.
¡°They¡¯re prisoners I think¡Maybe to execution?¡± Lis said the last as a question.
¡°Slavery actually.¡± A man¡¯s voice interrupted them from behind, causing Lis and Abby to turn startled. The voice was attached to a man wearing an imperial military uniform, and holding a leather ledger in his hand. The man marked something down in the ledger, and motioned to the chained men.
¡°¡Why? What did they do?¡± Abby asked confused
The man in uniform slipped his ledger under his arm and looked the girls over. ¡°Deserters mostly. Those who aren¡¯t executed on the spot are sold to the slave markets. The military can turn a small profit on their cowardice at that point, which goes to fund better equipment for the troops.¡± He said explaining with a shrug. ¡°If they desert close enough to a city, they¡¯re usually sold. If it¡¯s nearer the fighting, or out at the fringes, they execute them to avoid having to waste personnel shipping them back. As it is, they¡¯ll probably end up in mines¡± He adds.
¡°So¡someone can just buy them?¡± Lis asked, a bit hopeful.
¡°For the right price¡why, are you young girls in need of a bunch of cowards?¡± the man asked with a smirk on his face.
¡°Yes! We need men!¡± Abby said as she caught on. ¡°Can we buy them?¡± she asked with a bit of excitement in her voice.
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The uniformed man frowned at Abby but seeing the hopeful look on her and Lis¡¯s faces, paused to consider, looking them over. ¡°Why don¡¯t you step into my office, and tell me what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m Lieutenant Nathaniel Simmens, by the way.¡± He said extending a hand to the girls.
****************
¡°Captain Shelly¡Why am I not surprised.¡± Lieutenant Simmens said after listening to a rather prolonged and difficult to decipher overlapping monologue from Lis and Abby. The girls kept interrupting each other for some vapid explanation or another, but Simmens got the drift. Captain Shelly had lost half his forces before being pushed south by the advancing Quesh. He immediately started pulling warm bodies from the local villages to act as mage fodder. Simmens had seen reports of similar events, but Shelly had gone overboard.
The girl¡¯s request to buy the captured deserters was a desperate bid to keep their village from dying out. Few enough villages in their area could support adding more than sixty mouths to feed, which would mean what remained of the families left decimated in the area, would have to scattered to the wind, else they end up on the streets in cities like Kern. The imperial military wasn¡¯t normally in the habit of selling their deserters to villages looking for breeding stock¡such things might set a bad precedent. Still¡
¡°We have some money.¡± Lis said, pulling out a small purse filled with mostly silver and a few gold coins. The girl showed it to the lieutenant, causing him to frown.
¡°That¡¯s a lot of money to be carrying around with you.¡± Lieutenant Simmens said considering.
He looked at the girl¡¯s faces for several moments, before he stood up. ¡°Give me a few minutes.¡± He said, walking out of his office, and closing the door behind him.
Moving over to the pile of recent file submissions, he started sifting through the files of the deserters they were selling. Pulling a pile to the side, he started sifting those records, discarding a couple here or there. When he was finished, he stared at the paperwork for twenty men. The men were mostly young, the oldest was thirty five, and their health had been ensured for the sale¡a common practice given they tended to be bought to work mines and heavy manual labor. Lieutenant Simmens considered the paperwork for a several more minutes, before taking itto be processed by his secretary.
Twenty minutes later, Lieutenant Simmens reentered his office to find the young women staring at him expectantly. He set some paperwork down on his desk, and took the bag of coins they had left. He quietly sorted the coins, took out about ten gold Centas worth and placed the rest back in front of the girls. ¡°I can¡¯t say I fully approve, but at the very least I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need field labor given your losses. What else you do with these men, is your business.¡± He said pulling out a set of contracts. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to sign, to take possession of their slavery contracts. It will give you control over them.¡± He said looking between Lis and Abby.
Lis and Abby smiled happily at each other, before splitting the pile in two. Simmens watched quietly as they used his pen to jot their names down, causing a small ripple of light in the pen¡¯s wake as the magic imbued in the paper took effect.
*********************
Arthur had been an adventurer since he was twelve, joined the Imperial military when he was twenty, and served almost eight years in the increasingly insane campaign the Empire called a ¡®defensive war¡¯. He¡¯d fought on several fronts, and climbed the ranks reaching first lieutenant before he was transferred to Red Brigade. Colonel Drake Lucien was a brutal son of a bitch. He spent his men¡¯s lives like they were water, and slaughtered everyone that got in his way. If the colonel hadn¡¯t been the son of a duke, Arthur imagined he would have been censured for it¡not that any of that mattered now.
After the last battle at Norn Peak, Arthur had finally had enough. He¡¯d put in three requests for a reassignment, every one of them turned down. When the Colonel had ordered them to make a frontal assault that Quesh fort, he ran. Drake had been told by his advisors to cut supply lines, and ¡®starve them out¡¯. The fort was cut off by the navy, which gave the same advice¡but Drake Lucien wanted the glory of the capture, regardless of the loss of life involved¡probably trying to elevate his name for an advancement; Arthur had heard that numerous territories were being allocated recently.
Arthur fled with a dozen other men, all tired of being under the command of someone who was intent on throwing their lives away. After the assault resulted in massive losses, and no actual victory, the remainder of the Colonel¡¯s forces tracked them down within two days. According to Colonel Drake Lucien, the loss of his critical personnel prior to the assault was a key reason for its failure. Five thousand soldiers, and thirteen fleeing his insane orders was apparently the cause of its failure. What a joke.
Arthur was lucky, he supposed, he could have been executed on the spot¡but the Colonel seemed to prefer the idea of him enslaved and working in a mine somewhere until he died of exhaustion, bereft of hope. When they marched him and some other deserters through Karn, a few people threw rocks at them, and berated them as cowards. Arthur didn¡¯t care anymore, the whole empire and everyone in it could burn for all he gave a damn.
Before they had even branded him, the entire block of twenty men was pulled back to the adjunct office near the slavers pens, and handed off to two young women, and told they were being sold for field labor. The women couldn¡¯t have been out of their teens, and though attractive, kept leering gleefully at them. If the military had sold them all for field slave labor, Arthur was betting it was going to be arduous, and possible dangerous. The girls were wearing worn cotton dresses, with a lot of road dust around the edges. If he had to guess, that meant they had travelled in from out of the city¡and probably a ways. They were headed north, which meant an outlying village or farming community, since all the farms around Karn tended to be to the south and east.
The blonde one, named Lis, bought a couple of rough looking wagons and horses, and loaded one up with supplies, and the other up with the men. The brunette, Abby, said she was going to send word. Arthur and the other men mostly kept quiet, like they¡¯d been told. The ¡®contracts¡¯ they had been bound to created compulsions to obey the orders of their owners. Some contracts weren¡¯t so severe, only requiring certain actions or behaviors, but Arthur and the rest were slaves now.
After telling them to sit in the carriage and wait quietly, Abby went up to them and started talking ¡®at¡¯ them. When they didn¡¯t respond at all, she seemed to get upset and wandered off in a huff¡they couldn¡¯t have responded if they¡¯d wanted to. They had been told to wait quietly, and without some other order, had to do just that.
It took them four days of hard riding, and crap for rations, before they arrived at what looked like a small village. Lis had run ahead on a horse that looked like it should have been put down by now. They waited for an hour on the edge of the village before being marched in, only to find more than sixty young women wandering out dressed in what passed for their ¡®best¡¯, with smiles on their faces. The men just looked between each other confused.
¡°All Right! Before we pare you off to households, it¡¯s been decided that we¡¯re going to have a dance!¡± Lis said coming back with a smile on her face.
Abby started clapping with excitement, ¡°Let¡¯s use the old chateau! It¡¯s been empty for years, and we could have a wonderful ball.¡± She said looking back at the slave men, before she bolted for one of the small thatch houses, to get dressed.
Lis watched Abby go and shrugged, ¡°Actually, that sounds like a great idea. Um¡all of you should go wash up¡I¡¯ll see if we can get you something to wear.¡± She said and ran off herself, leaving them standing in the middle of the road, being leered at by a town full of women.
¡°Um¡Lieutenant, what¡¯s going on here?¡± one of the men who fled with Arthur asked confused.
¡°I have no idea.¡± Arthur responded, shaking his head as he headed for a nearby water hole to ¡®wash up¡¯.
Side Chapter 2
Two days journey from the Northern border of the empire, south of the Elven territories, a large swath of land bubbled like molten lava, residual fire magic saturating the ground from the last battle. Minor elementals spawned in the streams of fire and earth, appearing for a few moments, before suffusing back into the magics that spawned them. Large craters dotted the hills, and the forests burned. Bodies littered the wastes and monsters began to rise from the depths, spawned or empowered by the wild energies left in the wake of the battle.
A silver haired woman wearing a grey robe and blue cloak stared down at the destruction and death with tears in her eyes, and a sense of horror as the nature magic she¡¯d cultivated over the years alerted her to movement in the distance. She glanced down at a young woman, whose body was still. The girl had long golden hair pressed into the dirt. The thin cloth of her blue wool dress was torn, revealing generous curves that still retained a lithe and youthful frame. The young woman¡¯s eyes stared up in confusion and fear...emotions she would never be burdened with again.
The silver haired woman considered for a moment, and began muttering a spell, energies washing over the body and jarring it to life¡alive, but empty. The magic that had killed the girl had targeted her soul, like the souls of many of the dead below, most of which now burned in the horrid fires. Luckily her empty shell was still breathing when she arrived, so the body was undamaged. With a wave of her hand, the girl began to rise into the air, staring upward with empty eyes. As the silver haired woman walked, the girl floated behind.
**********
A dark haired middle-aged woman looked over a runic circle carved into an ancient stone floor. The damp building was of simple design, and had served as a temple for many gods since its creation at a time out of memory. Few remnants were left behind, as each god or goddess¡¯s followers had it scoured clean of the last, but the floor, ceiling, and pillars remained¡and in them was power.
¡°Rachael.¡± The silver haired woman said, her voice carrying through the ancient stone building. A young woman¡¯s body was hovering behind her, breathing in and out as magic kept the body alive.
Rachael glanced from her notes, and stared at the silver haired woman, and the body floating behind her. Rachael¡¯s eyes went wide in horror, ¡°Tia!¡± she screamed, rushing toward the body, and grasping it in her arms.
¡°Sylvia, what happened?¡± Rachael yelled her voice breaking.
¡°The fool girl went out too close to the battle¡one of the spells caught her at the periphery.¡± Sylvia said, waving a hand, and causing the body to float from Rachael¡¯s grasp toward the circle.
¡°Oh gods¡her sister¡¡± Rachael said looking at the body with eyes wide, ¡°Tia was the only family she had left¡their parents.¡± She said suddenly feeling her age.
¡°Were fools, just like Tia. The girl had the mind of a titmouse. I imagine all of the blood went to her breasts.¡± Sylvia said poking at the massive globes on the girl¡¯s chest. ¡°Luckily her younger sister¡shelly was it, has a more agile mind.¡± Sylvia said coldly, her vision hardening as she squinted to keep tears at bay¡she wouldn¡¯t cry in front of Rachael, not now. ¡°Rachael¡the ritual you wanted to perform.¡± Sylvia added after a moment.
¡°You were right Sylvia¡we don¡¯t have enough power. It would take a circle of archmages, or high priests. The energy requirements to summon a physical body through the veil are too great.¡± Rachael said, taking a seat on an old wooden chair, her face falling. ¡°I thought¡maybe here, where the millennia of residue of the divine had seeped into the temple stones¡but it¡¯s not enough, not near enough. And besides that, it requires a god¡¯s blessing¡I fear few if any gods care for us now.¡± She said, glancing toward Tia¡¯s form. ¡°Why¡why do you prolong the life of her body? If others were to see her, if her sister were to see her¡it would break her.¡± She said quietly.
¡°I¡I think there¡¯s a way.¡± Sylvia said after a few moments of quiet.
¡°A way for what?¡± Rachael asked, defeat in her voice, and large amounts of exhaustion.
¡°Tia¡she had blessings¡two in fact.¡± Sylvia said calmly, squatting down to run her hand over the etched runes.
¡°Only one that matters, and that was a minor blessing from Danua¡though how she received a blessing from an elven goddess of magic, I¡¯ll never know.¡± Rachael said with a shrug.
¡°Danua¡¯s domains encompass more than magic¡and Tia¡¯s blessing could have been of benefit had she had a capable mind. But no, she also had a major blessing from Kades.¡± Sylvia said pausing for a moment.
¡°Kades? She¡¯s a minor fertility goddess. I know her parents went about it, thought she¡¯d be some great matriarch. They kept trying to arrange ¡®advantageous marriages¡¯. Her father was hoping to wed her to the miller in Bretbart, while her mother just wanted an endless stream of grandchildren.¡± Rachael said with a shrug.
¡°Well, Tes never had the large family she always wanted. Poor dear was lucky to have the two, and all of those miscarriages.¡± Sylvia said a bit sadly. ¡°Kalin spent six months adventuring trying to save for a sacrifice, before he found that tablet for Kades. Tes was an easy birth, but¡Shelly was rough on her.¡± Sylvia said shaking her head. ¡°In any case, Kades was also a goddess associated with magic, once.¡± She added.
Rachael let out a laugh, ¡°Tantric magic, from when humanity lived in the woods like animals. She was a whore goddess, and they prettied it up.¡± She said as the brief moment of laughter faded from her face.
¡°It¡¯s still magic, Rachael¡She had potential for magic.¡± Sylvia said looking down at the body.
¡°She had potential to be a breeder for her family. She was a nitwit, and frightened of her own shadow. Kalin kept trying to sell how ¡®obedient¡¯ she was, though that wasn¡¯t far from the truth, if she could understand the instructions.¡± Rachael said, before turning her attention back to Sylvia from the body. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you¡¯re keeping the body alive.¡± She said.
¡°Bear with me Rachael¡We don¡¯t have the power to summon a divine champion, because we lack the power to pull a physical body through the veil, and we don¡¯t have a patron god or goddess here to give their blessing...¡± Sylvia said looking at Tia¡¯s body intently.
¡°Right¡¡± Rachael said wearily.
¡°But what if we just brought the soul?¡± Sylvia asked with a pause. ¡°We have a blessed body, and a soul would take less power, but would receive the same power¡mostly.¡± She added.
¡°Rip a soul across the veil? Are you mad? Why would your summoned champion even help us? The gods are supposed provide the champion, and impart their mission.¡± Rachael said wearily.
¡°But she¡¯d have the power¡and, we could use a binding¡enslave her will.¡± Sylvia said hesitating at the end.
¡°¡Sylvia, that¡¯s horrible.¡± Rachael said, her eyes wide.
¡°Damn it Rachael, we¡¯re going to die! The war was a quarter mile from our front step, and I can smell the burning flesh from here! The magic energies have suffused the land for a hundred miles, and things are already starting to creep out of the shadows. How many days before we¡¯re beset by monsters, or wiped out by the next army?¡± Sylvia snapped, her voice trembling. ¡°I only have one child left¡those bastards stole everyone else for their damned war.¡± She said staring down at the body.
Rachael shook her head, ¡°How can they keep stripping the villages of people. Every man in a hundred miles was pulled into that battle¡they¡¯re trying to wipe us out.¡± She said sadly.
¡°Easy, they don¡¯t care. The small towns and villages may have a few dozen or a few hundred people in the outer reaches, but the cities have millions. It¡¯s an imbalance of power Rachael. Swarms of high human mages can produce every convenience and fulfill every need, if you can meet the price. The rest have to till the fields for a fraction of the yield. When we¡¯re dead and gone, in a few decades, another caravan of people will find a ghost town, and move in¡just like people kept moving into this temple.¡± Sylvia answered bitterly.
¡°She¡¯ll wear Tia¡¯s face¡If we succeeded. Gods¡it¡¯ll break people¡¯s hearts.¡± Rachael said as she stood up.
¡°Better a few broken hearts, then a swath of dead bodies¡I¡¯ll ready the ritual.¡± Sylvia said, taking a position across the circle from Rachael.
************The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Shigeru Nao had been sitting in class dozing off as usual. He wasn¡¯t a very good student, but then again he spent so much time playing games that he didn¡¯t really have time to study. His mother was hopeful of his future though, while his father thought he¡¯d end up being a NEET shut in. He had a dream though, to become a professional gamer. Though he was only sixteen, he had dedicated years of his life to developing his skills¡His father called it ¡®wasting his time¡¯. Mother just wanted him to meet a nice girl, though he was currently without a girlfriend. This year was going to be the year though, he just knew it!
While Nao was dozing off he suddenly felt a gut wrenching ¡®pulling¡¯, pain shooting throughout his body. Something was wrapping around him, and the more he struggled, the tighter it constrained. As his vision blacked out, he suddenly went cold and found himself standing in an empty white void. He looked around confused, before a blue screen popped up in front of him.
Class: None
Subclass: None
Profession: None
Available Points: 600
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 20
Endurance: 40
Intelligence: 3
Power: 55
Luck: 10
Health: 400 HP cRegen: 4 HP/day
Mana: 30 MP Regen: 5.5 MP/day
Skills (-/400):
Athletics: 25, Mathmatics: 18, Perception: 30
Combat Skills:
Blessings: Minor Blessing of Danua, Major Blessing of Kades
Traits:
Nao looked at the screen for a few moments, blinking, and then pumping his fist into the air. ¡°YES! It¡¯s real! Fantasy world, and super powers here I come!¡± he yelled, before letting out a sly laugh. ¡°He he he. This is what I¡¯ve been waiting for my whole life. Hrm¡it looks like I get some starting points to buy things with¡I need to be careful here¡and blessings¡¡± he said, poking at the blessings on the screen.
| Minor Blessing of Danua |
| Blessing of the Goddess Danua, who watches over the rivers and water ways of the elven lands. Patron goddess of magic, water, and spring for the Elves. |
| +50 to power, and +1 Bonus to power even 5 levels.
Increased mana regeneration while in water (Minor)
Minor water affinity increase +10% |
| Major Blessing of Kades |
| A blessing of the Ancient goddess Kades, who was once called concubine of the gods. Her domains include fertility, sexual pleasure, and magic. Once a goddess of note, in modern times she is mostly forgotten. |
| Major increase in fertility.
+20% power rating for every child born (stacking).
+20% endurance rating for every child born (stacking)
+20% increase in lifespan for every child born (stacking).
Major Affinity increase +60%, for any magic or ritual involving sex.
Major increased magic regeneration during sex.
Major increased health regeneration during sex.
+3 power per level
+10% power for 48 hours following sexual intercourse (stacking).
+10% Intelligence for 48 hours following sexual intercourse (stacking). |
Nao stared at the descriptions for a moment, before jumping in the air. ¡°YES! Harem Flag! Endless sex to ultimate power!¡± he said doing a little dance. ¡°Goodbye virginity!¡± he said with a laugh, making a gleeful and thankful prayer to Kades.
After a bit of investigating Nao found that he could spend points to upgrade blessings, but new blessings, buy traits, as well as increase his stats. Most of the classes didn¡¯t have a cost, but a few powerful ones cost as much as a hundred points.
¡°Have to be smart here¡get some synergy going, and try not to dilute my points. If I spread out too much I¡¯ll end up with a useless build.¡± Nao said thinking seriously. ¡°I have some free blessings, which would have cost me several hundred points, so it¡¯s best to build around those. Intelligence is low, so I¡¯ll need to raise that to increase my mana capacity¡but then I should have good mana regeneration, especially once I start my harem.¡± He said nodding sagely. ¡°So I should definitely go with a magic focused class, and get some traits or blessings to help with attracting my harem. Also the cost to upgrade my minor blessing from Danua is only fifty points¡not sure what the major blessing will do, but given how powerful the major blessing from Kades is, it¡¯ll probably be something great.¡± He said before skimming through the lists again, as he worked he thought he heard the sounds of laughter, but when he looked around there was nothing.
After a moment he choose:
| Class: Sublime Arcanist |
| A lost class of magical scholars, they focus impressing their will upon reality around them. Where a wizard might sift through ancient rituals and expand their collection of spells, a Sublime Arcanist develops an intuitive understanding of the fundamental underpinnings of magic, bending it to their will in ways often inconceivable to the uninitiated. |
| Bonus to mana capacity based on power rating (x5 power to mana capacity + power rating per 10 levels).
+5 power per level
+2 Intelligence per level
+3 luck per level
+1% magic affinity per 5 levels. |
| Cost: 100 |
| Enchantress/Enchanter |
| Often a master of illusions, the enchantress is able to bewilder the minds and hearts of others.
+5 power per level.
+3 endurance per level
+2 Luck per level.
Passive chance at seduction
Bonus 20% affinity to mind and illusion magic. |
| Cost: 50 points |
| Seduction (Passive) |
| The enchanter or enchantress is the embodiment of allure, their very presence can entrap the senses. Those with a sexual preferences for the Enchantress who view or interact with her, can develop sudden and lasting attraction. Effect dependent on difference of the enchantress¡¯s power and the power of the one affected. Chance increase of 5% per level. |
To wrap it up he upgraded his Blessing from Danua to major, getting him.
| Major Blessing of Danua |
| Blessing of the Goddess Danua, who watches over the rivers and water ways of the elven lands. Patron goddess of magic, water, and spring for the Elves. |
| +100 to power, and +10 Bonus to power even 5 levels.
Increased mana regeneration while in water (Major)
Increased health regeneration while in water (Major)
Double mana and health regeneration during Spring.
Major water affinity increase +30% |
After that he spent 20 points on Alluring Charisma, and 30 points on Supernatural Beauty, and 20 on Enchanting voice, for a total of 220 points, and 30 for advanced magic regeneration, leaving him 450 to put into his stats.
Class: Sublime Arcanist 1, Enchantress 1
Subclass: None
Profession: None
Available Points:
Strength: 21
Dexterity: 20
Endurance: 143
Intelligence: 100
Power: 250
Luck: 120
Health: 1430 HP Regen: 14.3 HP/hour
Mana: 2500 MP Regen: 50 MP/hour
Skills (-/400):
Athletics: 25, Mathmatics: 18, Perception: 30
Combat Skills:
Blessings: Major Blessing of Danua, Major Blessing of Kades
Traits: Enchanting Voice, Supernatural Beauty, Alluring Charisma, Advanced Mana Regeneration, Mnemonic Memory, Disease Resistance (STD Immunity), Aura of Power.
| Path: | Affinity: | Rating: |
| Light: | 35% | 0% |
| Darnkess: | 15% | 0% |
| Creation: | 17% | 0% |
| Destruction: | 5% | 0% |
| Illusion: | 65% | 0% |
| Nature: | 25% | 0% |
| Fire: | 12% | 0% |
| Water: | 80% | 0% |
| Earth: | 25% | 0% |
| Air: | 35% | 0% |
Nao let out a wicked laugh, ¡°Women shall fall under my sway at the sight of me!¡± he bellowed, excitement in his voice. His stat increases had gained him a few extra traits, with the disease resistance receiving an upgrade from his major blessing of Kades. Something even increased his health and mana regeneration rate from days to hours¡which was nice. As he finished spending his points to accept the build he suddenly felt like he was missing something, an alarm going off in his head¡but he ignored it, ready to go conquer and build his harem!
*******************
Sylvia and Rachael had spent hours preparing the spell, even as darkness descended over the lands. The miasma of death and magic was spreading through the ley lines, infecting the land, but the temple was protected. The simple stone edifice had weathered countless ages, and would not likely be affected now. Tia¡¯s body was hovering a few feet above the stone floor, at the center of the carved circle. Power had been building for hours, draining every holding vessel the two had, and every point of mana they contained.
Tia¡¯s body had been prepared to house the champion¡¯s soul, and around her neck and wrists were tattoos meant to bind her to Sylvia¡¯s will. She knew little of the powers that the champions and heroes of old were supposed to wield, but these were the strongest bindings she could make. If they worked, the soul would be unable to disobey her commands, and would submit fully¡still, Sylvia was nervous. If Tia shook them off somehow¡No, they would work¡they had to work. She knew little of the gods they were invoking, but gods had their own agendas. Sylvia, and the village, needed a protector¡for now.
As the magic built up in the runes, power began to be siphoned from the temple stonework. The residue of divine will wove with the framework of the ritual. The power rose in a cloud of light fog, spreading across the ceiling before the runes projected their image onto them. The room lit up as bright as day as the spell took effect, and the circle acted as a focusing point for the mist. Sylvia and Rachael could see something being pulled through the circle, and then the body of light and the white mist poured into Tia¡¯s body like water down a drain. When the spell finished, the light cracked and thundered, knocking the two women back, as the body floated to the ground.
As the two climbed to their feet the body began to stir, moaning softly. Her skin changed tone slightly, imperfections in her complexion fading away. Muscle definition adjusted, and certain hard lines softened while other portions became more toned. As Rachael and Sylvia watched Tia¡¯s body and features become more stunning, while a presence settled over her that called seductively. Nao/Tia stumbled as she tried to steady herself, groaning weakly. She looked down as she tried to straighten her back, and went stiff. Her hands ran up and down her body, grasping desperately, before she let out a blood curdling scream. She would occasionally try to speak, but just started screaming again incoherently, her eyes tearing.
Sylvia attempted to interrupt her a few times, before growing agitated. ¡°SHUT UP, you stupid girl!¡± she yelled, causing the tattoos on Nao¡¯s body to glimmer. Nao suddenly lost her voice. ¡°Stay still.¡± Sylvia said, and Nao stopped moving, confusion in her eyes.
Sylvia took a deep breath, while Rachael just looked at the girl she knew as Tia with concern. ¡°Sylvia¡maybe we should.¡± Rachael said slowly.
¡°I¡¯ll handle this, Rachael.¡± Sylvia said, moving across the floor, to look Nao in the eyes. ¡°Stand up straight when I¡¯m speaking to you.¡± She said, Nao obeying.
¡°I will ask you questions, and you will answer them directly, and then be quiet. Do you understand?¡± Sylvia asked, focusing her will on Nao.
¡°¡Yes.¡± Nao said, her musical voice squeaking with fear.
¡°We will start with the basics. You will tell me who you are, and what powers you have.¡± Sylvia said, staring Nao in the eyes.
Nao spent the next hour giving his name, details about his life, how his sheet was built, and why. When he started talking about his ¡®harem¡¯ concept, Sylvia started laughing while Rachael just looked mildly disgusted.
Sylvia listened the entire time, but came to the conclusion that Nao had a lot of ¡®potential¡¯ for power, but was still far too weak to protect the village. She and Rachael would have to train the girl, but at least she seemed to have a quicker mind that Tia had. ¡°Very well, girl, this is what we¡¯re going to do. From now on, you will go by the name of Tia. You will also stay mute in the presence of others besides Rachael and myself. Do you understand?¡± she asked, causing Nao to nod fearfully.
¡°As for your¡harem, well, I imagine we can arrange for that in time, though perhaps not the way you hoped.¡± Sylvia said with a wide grin, causing Nao¡¯s face to go pale as she cried. ¡°And you won¡¯t even need to use mind control like you were planning.¡± She said patting Nao¡¯s cheek, and motioning for her to go outside.
As Nao left the temple, stepping out in to the night fearfully, Rachael walked up to Sylvia. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rachael hissed at Sylvia. ¡°You¡¯re not going to have her impersonate Tia¡¡± she said.
¡°¡For the moment. We¡¯ll claim she got too near the battlefield and it damaged her mind, and took her voice. The girl was already a nitwit to begin with, she¡¯ll just be quiet now. The rest can be passed off as random ¡®changes¡¯ caused by magic. I doubt anyone will pay her any heed until we¡¯re ready¡at the very least Shelly won¡¯t have to deal with her sister¡¯s death¡yet.¡± Sylvia said with a note of regret.
¡°¡Did you hear what she was¡what Nao was planning to do?¡± Rachael asked wide eyed, staring out at Tia¡¯s silhouette outside.
¡°The addle-minded fantasies of a teenage boy, better ignored. Still, we were wise to bind her. Some of those powers could wreak havoc on those around her. Hopefully, given the consequences of such behavior, we¡¯ll have nothing to worry about. In the meantime¡we need to train her, and ready defenses for the village. I¡¯ll take her home to her sister. I¡¯m sure Shelly won¡¯t mind babysitting her.¡± Sylvia said, turning to leave.
¡°What did you mean by getting her a harem?¡± Rachael asked as Sylvia was walking away.
¡°You heard the girl; With every child she gives birth to, she¡¯ll grow in power¡something to keep in mind for the future. We¡¯re low on men now, but I¡¯m sure we could find one for such a quiet, pretty, and obedient young girl. Besides, blessings like that are usually inherited. It would tie her to the village, and keep her busy.¡± Sylvia said with some amusement.
Rachael just looked on and sighed. She had a sinking feeling that all of this would come back to haunt them, but they were facing tragedy from every direction.
26. Chateau Montevue
Sorry for the wait, been busy, and needed to do some story planning. As always, let me know what you think.
*****************
We arrived at Chateau Montevue in the early evening, about four days later. Before I left Karn I made a crate full of ballpoint pens and sent them to the Adventurer¡¯s guild. I figured you caught more flies with honey than vinegar, and a little bit of good will goes a long way. When our small contingent, including Mother, Lily, Ethan, Hope, Aisha and I, arrived we found activity inside Montevue, past the inner walls. The Chateau sat on a hill, and was surrounded by thirty foot high walls. Inside the walls were roads which gave me the impression that there was at least a small town here at one point, though the buildings were long vacant. There were lights hung up around the outside of the chateau and women wandering around enjoying the ambiance.
¡°¡Mother, I thought this place was vacant.¡± I said poking my head out the window of the carriage. Ethan was still curled up into a ball next to her, while Hope would occasionally stare at him sleeping from the seat opposite.
¡°It¡should be.¡± Mother said looking out at the gathering of women dressed in simple cotton gowns. ¡°It appears the locals are having a ball¡¡± she said curiously.
¡°And we weren¡¯t invited?¡± I ask with a grin. I didn¡¯t really care, but I was curious about the occasion. ¡°Shall we crash the ball?¡± I asked, glancing toward the others. Aisha rolled her eyes, and Lily smiled. Hope seemed to get excited about the concept of a ball, and¡Ethan kept sleeping soundly.
While the carriage pulled in, I adjusted our clothes as appropriate for a ball. Quite a few people stopped and stared at the carriage, concerned. When we stepped out, everyone outside stopped moving. Our group was comfortable in the ball attire, though Ethan woke up confused that his clothes had just ¡®changed¡¯. He stumbled around disoriented for a few minutes, giving Hope the opportunity to latch onto his arm and ¡®escort¡¯ him up the steps. Mother frowned, but Aisha and Lily just grinned at each other as he was dragged to a dance.
Hope and Ethan take the lead while I decided that a suitable entrance was in order. Using the fabrication system I began repairing the chateau¡¯s broken fa?ade, and faded interior. The place had been dusted, but I properly ¡®cleaned¡¯ it as we passed. I even repaired a broken chandelier that was laying in the corner, using a solidified illusion of light to lift it into place. As light began to shine from newly enchanted sconces, the decrepit ballroom the gathering of people had taken for use, was restored.
At first people seemed scared, and a few started scuttling toward the doors, but as the place was renewed around them, most gawked and laughed. With a final touch I went over the simple clothes of everyone present, and¡adjusted the materials and styles to something more opulent. Diamonds appeared from stored coal, woven in small quantities of gold. The men were more peculiar given the setting. They were outnumbered at least three to one by the ladies, and were dressed in rags, though the women present had still been hanging off of them¡probably work clothes. By the time I finished their clothing I was running low on reels of fabric in my magic bag¡I had planned to make uniforms.
Mother glanced my way with a smile on her face and nodded toward the front of the room. Taking her meaning, I walked slowly toward the front and faced everyone. ¡°Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am Faith Lusatra, Countess of Montevue. Welcome to my home.¡± I said warmly.
People slowly wandered up to greet us, including the small group of women who I guessed had been trying to provide music. Between them they had a couple of cheap looking violins, a flute, and a small drum.
¡°G¡greetings countess.¡± A young blonde woman said. She looked to be in her late teens, and was pressing in toward the front. The men were all hanging back, seemingly relieved as focus had shifted momentarily from them to me. ¡°I¡¯m Lis¡I..¡± Lis said and then did a hasty curtsey.
I glanced around at the room full of nervous people and sighed, thinking that I was obviously doing a horrible job at being a host. Mother still looked at me expectantly, but didn¡¯t say anything, while Hope carted Ethan around by the hand. She looked like she was showing him off, though Ethan just looked confused.
¡°Welcome to my home Lis. I recently acquired the title for Montevue¡among other territories.¡± I said the last as my mind went to the huge stretch of land I¡¯m supposed to now be responsible for. I tried not to think on it for too long, lest I get a headache. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that the chateau was being used though.¡± I said, looking around at the nervous crowd.
¡°Uh¡Well, it hasn¡¯t been used in a long time¡and we just got men, so we thought a dance was appropriate. We didn¡¯t mean to trespass.¡± Lis said as a few of the women around her backed away.
¡°I don¡¯t mind, as long as you clean¡Wait, did you say just got men?¡± I asked looking at the twenty or so men sitting at the back of the room.
¡°Uh¡Yes, your majesty¡ur, highnest¡ur¡Countess.¡± Lis said stumbling over her words. ¡°The armies¡they, um.¡± She said trying to organize her thoughts.
¡°Why don¡¯t you start at the beginning?¡± I asked with a sigh, ¡°And it¡¯d be Lady Montevue, or simply Countess. Highness would be my mom.¡± I said the last grinning at Mom, who suddenly glared at me.
After a round of confused looks, I managed to get something like a cohesive story out of the crowd. Quesh had apparently used a mass teleport or gate to move an army in within a week¡¯s journey from Karn. The Imperial military, after suffering heavy damages, had conscripted everyone they could get their hands on, clearing out almost all of the men in the town, along with any of the women who could be used as military assets. Afterwards the battle had leaked over into the town on the outskirts of Montevue, Lotus Field. The population was devastated, but managed to fend of what I could only assume was an auxiliary unit from Quesh.
Then magical diseases descended, and killed even more people. Then monsters started coming out of the woodworks, likely incited by the raw magic and blood soaked terrain. The last remaining town elder, named Grandmother Celia finally managed to put up wards against monsters, but with only a sixty or so women left in their population, they had to either truck it into Kern, giving up their homes, or try and attract men¡most of whom were fighting in a never ending war.
Lis and a young brunette girl named Abby apparently went into Karn, with a considerable sum of money, looking to entice men to come to the town, and pick up supplies. Even as I looked at the two girls I could see the remnants of defensive magics on their person¡probably put up by Grandmother Celia without their knowledge, though they were waning at this point, and seemed to more or less just be repellants. When they arrived in Karn, they were able to purchased deserters as magically bound slaves, and gather supplies before heading back here.
As the crowd of women managed to stammer out a horrific story of loss, I could see grief flicker on their faces. They had lost fathers, brothers, cousins, sons, sisters, and mothers. Here or there, I could see tears in their eyes, and the men at the back seemed to grow¡angry with every turn in the tale.
Stepping through the crowd of women, I approached one of the men. He seemed a type built for war, and the men behind him seemed to be glancing toward him looking for direction. ¡°You seem to have some feelings about this.¡± I said staring up at him, looking him in the eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name, soldier?¡± I asked
¡°Arthur, Countess. Former Lieutenant.¡± Arthur said grimly.
¡°No last name, Arthur?¡± I asked raising an eyebrow.
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¡°Could never afford one. I was raised in an orphanage, then became an adventurer before joining the military.¡± Arthur said with a shrug.
¡°Would you care to share your feelings on all of this?¡± I asked raising an eyebrow.
Arthur paused, and looked at the livid expressions from his men, and nodded, before turning back to look at me. ¡°What happened to Lotus Field was criminal. Procedure for enlistment limits how many people can be taken based on population, and it isn¡¯t every able bodied person. They also should have left a garrison here, or at the very least provided guarded passage out of a war zone.¡± Arthur said, his tone grave.
There was some muttering and confusion from the women in the room, but I simply stared at Arthur, ignoring the crowd. The men behind him were giving nods of agreement Arthur¡¯s way. ¡°A very adamant speech from a man who deserted.¡± I said, trying to gauge his response.
Arthur¡¯s gaze flickered and he frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t fear a battle, but I won¡¯t throw away my life or the lives of my men on pointless and suicidal battles fought purely to garner reputation for madmen.¡± He said, growing angry. ¡°I served for ten years, and have fought and bled for the empire, and I don¡¯t give a damn what you think. I made the only decision I could live or die by.¡± He said. The men behind him just stared, a few of them nervous, but most of them adamant.
People started muttering nervously around me as Arthur spoke. ¡°Well, you¡¯re all here now, and don¡¯t seem to be cowards. I suppose I could use some soldiers.¡± I said thoughtfully. With my declaration, the women in the room started to get desperate.
¡°No! We just got them! Please!¡± one woman called out.
¡°They¡¯re ours!¡± Another said, as a group of them started to pour in front of the men.
Mother cleared her throat, and began moving my direction. When she reached me she leaned down to whisper in my ear. ¡°Faith¡what are you doing?¡± she asked, her voice a bit tense. She looked at the women pressing in on the men in the crowd, apparently trying to put themselves between me and them. The men looked confused, and a bit nervous, but that was becoming par for the course.
I looked up at mother and smiled, ¡°Trust me.¡± I said giving her a wink. She frowned, and backed away, but didn¡¯t say anything else. Aisha and Lily were edging through the crowd toward me, and seemed concerned, but I gave them a warm smile, and then turned my gaze back to the former Lieutenant.
¡°Given that you¡¯re already staying in my territory anyway, how would you feel about providing that garrison you were suggesting?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°We¡¯re slaves.¡± Arthur said crossing his arms over his chest.
¡°Fixable, but only if you and your men agree to be stationed here permanently. It will save me on having to hire additional soldiers to protect a minor location.¡± I said, thoughtfully. ¡°I can of course provide generous financial compensation to the women here, given what they¡¯ve lost already, and pay you a premium given the¡arduous nature of the additional work required.¡± I said looking toward the woman of Lotus Field, grinning.
A few of them looked nervous, but most of them seemed to brighten when it looked like I wasn¡¯t dragging the men away to fight in some war.
Mother cleared her throat and leaned in to whisper in my ear again, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about these men, baby¡¡± she said glancing not just at Arthur, but the other men as well.
¡°Have a little faith.¡± I said, smiling at her. Aisha and Lily were obviously near enough to hear me, and snorted. Mother just sighed and shook her head, but appeared to put the matter out of mind as being of little actual importance.
¡°Do we have a deal?¡± I asked, glancing at them seriously, and then at the women. Lis and Abby came forward, and consented. Arthur seemed happy, as did about ten of the other men, whereas the rest grumbled, but seemed accepting. I supposed farm work was preferable to guard duty when you¡¯d seen one too many battlefields, but the area needed protection.
Lis was hesitant, but handed over the contracts she received from the imperial military. I looked the men in the eye, and then tore them apart. Magic cracked like a shotgun, more potent than the last time I destroyed these types of documents. Everyone stared at me with dropped jaws as I let the paperwork fall to dust on the floor, glimmers of light floating from the debris.
¡°I don¡¯t approve of slavery.¡± I said simply, not bothering to justify it further. ¡°As for honoring your service agreement, I wouldn¡¯t suggest trying to go back on your word to me¡I¡¯m not someone to be trifled with lightly.¡± I said, giving them my coldest stare. The men just looked at me with awkward smiles, while Hope, Mother, and Aisha laughed openly. Mother just bit back a smile¡ok, not what I was expecting. I decided I needed to work on being more fearsome in the future.
¡°As for you Arthur¡since you lack a last name, let it be Knight. I can¡¯t create imperial military units without approval, but I can appoint landed titles within my domain.¡± I said, remembering details from some of the documents that Antoinette had delivered to me shortly after I received my title. ¡°Your territory will be Lotus Field. Serve dutifully, Sir Arthur Knight.¡± I said, fairly happy with my solution to having to do hiring.
| Status Granted: Holy Knight of the Goddess Faith |
| When gods appoint knight protectors, they carry with them a shard of the divine will of their god or goddess. Knights so blessed, gain the status of a Holy Knight, and recognition within celestial courts as servitors of their patron. Additional powers are determined by the domains of their patron.
Bonus: +50% to all magic affinities
Increased Mana Regeneration Rate
Perfect Memory
Limited Access to Divine Library
+50% to Creation Affinity |
Arthur gasped, his jaw dropping, while Hope starting laughing uncontrollably. I cleared my throat and stared at Arthur, leaning in close to him. ¡°Not a word.¡± I said, staring him in the eyes. He seemed to take me seriously at this point, as his mouth shut tight. Everyone around me just stared at me. I really wish I would get a heads up before risking exposure like that. Hope was still laughing, while hanging off Ethan.
Clearing my throat, I started walking back out of the Chateau, heading for the courtyard. People were following me, confusion in their eyes, but I put it out of my mind. I couldn¡¯t *stay* in Montevue, and had no idea if there would be another military incursion. So I needed some way to ensure the health and wellbeing of the populace. Bringing up the fabrication system again, I began pulling a large quantity of coal from my magic bag. As I pieced it together, I started the process of heat and compression, energy pouring into the coal like a sponge. After a few minutes I placed a large diamond statue of myself at the center of the courtyard, atop a fountain.
As the statue appeared, I could feel my awareness of the surroundings expanding to encompass a full mile from its center. Lotus Field fit in just at the boundary, along with the small ¡®town¡¯ that Montevue¡¯s walls encompassed. ¡°Divine Awareness¡¡± I muttered, smiling to myself. As I poured more energy into the statue, I attached a regenerative field and a curative effect for poison and disease to the statue. The energy drain continued, and I felt weak briefly, but after several minutes the investiture stabilized and the spell effect began to roll across the area.
As the statue began to glow faintly, everyone in the courtyard started to gasp and mutter. I turned around to glance at everyone who turned their gaze from the statue to me, and stared. ¡°This should help with preventing another epidemic like before.¡± I said, as I decided to continue the party. Everyone was already dressed up after all.
¡°Let the celebration continue.¡± I said as I headed back toward the Chateau. Waving a hand, illusionary explosions erupted from the sky, as I summoned fireworks. The gardens sprang to life, and even in the outskirts near the distant farms, barren fields began to flourish as crops sprouted from the ground, though only I was aware of it given it was night.
Soft dance music filled the chateau, while people indulged in dance and mead. Hope managed to get Ethan to dance with her, and seemed like he was warming up a bit, though I sensed he was still nervous around Hope. I knew Hope had been trying to reconcile with him for the last week. Personally I would have just given him space, and apologized, but got the feeling Hope was too impatient for that. I made a mental note of talking with Ethan tonight, away from Hope¡just to make sure she wasn¡¯t upsetting him. I knew mother had talked with him before, but I kind of felt responsible for him.
As the party continued, I sensed something stirring at the edge of my awareness. A lithe woman who looked to be in her sixties was literally floating across the ground as she sped toward the Chateau. She was wearing a set of white robes and had a glowing staff in hand, and as she burst through the door to the Chateau, she screamed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± angrily. Her voice was strained as she rushed through the air toward the ballroom. When she arrived everyone stopped what they were doing.
¡°Grandmother Celia! What¡¯s wrong?¡± One of the townswomen asked.
¡°The magic! What are you doing?¡± Celia asked in a panic.
Stepping forward from the ball, I looked askance at the matron of Lotus Field. ¡°I placed a healing effect over the area, to protect the town, and threw up some fireworks.¡± I said looking at her with a frown.
¡°You have to stop! You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing! The magic will wake them! It¡¯s going to¡¡± Grandmother Celia said, as she stopped and began to stare into the distance through the open doors of the Chateau.
On the horizon I felt a disturbance, and lightning began to strike the earth distantly. Mana began to erupt in torrents, as the earth cracked. My awareness seeped into the earth, where it met seven tombs. I could sense something harmonizing with my statue¡¯s effect, and a mana surge struck it, causing the curative and regenerative powers to suddenly expand exponentially. I could sense¡a plague wind in the depths of the buried ruins burning away as they met divine magic.
Grandmother Celia stared outward, blood draining from her face as she projected her senses distantly through magic. ¡°By the Gods¡You didn¡¯t just wake them¡you cure them.¡± She said, her voice trembling as she clenched tight to her staff. In the distance I could sense power building.
¡°Oh¡what the fuck now?¡± I asked with a groan.
27. Crashing Wards and Navite Hoards.
¡°Cure who?¡± I asked as I sensed the magics in the distant tombs disperse. Something began to move, but something pushed back against my senses from the darkness.
¡°The seven fallen knights of Olmucaid.¡± Grandmother Celia said staring distantly. Her trembling grew worse as she fell into a chair in the entry hall. Her hands clenched at her staff to stop them from shaking. ¡°When the kingdom of Caerleon forced the ancient elves from this land, and broke the hold of the sidhe court...Seven of Olmucaid¡¯s greatest knights fell further than any in the long history of the elves. They embraced the power of Ard Namhaid in their desperation, and sought to purge humanity from the world.¡± she said.
Mother¡¯s eyes went wide and she gasped at the mention of Ard Namhaid. ¡°They...they were destroyed! King Heracaid destroyed them for their heresy tens of thousands of years ago.¡± she said stepping forward from the crowd.
¡°Hrm...An elf...¡± Celia said looking at mother closely. ¡°Aye, even the elves of old wouldn¡¯t stand for it; Ard Namhaid getting a foothold in our world would have spelled their ruin.¡± she said shaking her head, ¡°But Heracaid couldn¡¯t destroy them...they had taken too much from the dark tyrant, and had grown too strong for death to claim them. Heracaid¡¯s high priest cursed them for their treachery, and subsumed them within the veil of death. Their power sprang from the abyss, but they were still mortal. A plague wind was made as a great working, and their towers became their tombs, which Heracaid buried in the earth for all time.¡± she said.
¡°Would someone like to explain what exactly you¡¯re talking about?¡± I asked becoming irritated at the seemingly never ending parade of ¡®unfortunate coincidences¡¯. I was beginning to regret setting my luck rating so high, as I was starting to think it was behind most of my headaches of late.
Mother looked at me and winced, glancing back at Grandmother Celia. ¡°The seven fallen knights of Olmucaid were...boogiemen, Faith. Stories told to elven children as warnings against delving too deep into the darkness of our past.¡± she said, clenching her hands tightly.
¡°And they were little more than boogiemen...desiccated corpses left eternally on the edge of death, an evil sealed away for all time. The spells that sealed them should have been inviolate; only the power of a god should have been able to break their curse...alas, perhaps the ages have worn away the power of the great working.¡± Grandmother Celia said staring at the horizon as lightning began to crack from the earth, shooting toward the sky.
As Grandmother Celia mentioned the ¡®power of a god¡¯ I winced. I definitely needed to do something about my luck stat...I had thought it¡¯d just give me a better chance at lotteries or something. ¡°Well...is there anything we can do to deal with them now?¡± I asked wearily, ¡°These guys don¡¯t sound like they¡¯d make for great neighbors.¡± I added.
Grandmother Celia looked at me with wide eyes, and started laughing, ¡°Deal with them? They were sealed away at the height of the power of the ancient elven kingdom, when their magics bordered on the divine! Sealing them cost the lives of the greatest elven mages of the day! And I don¡¯t imagine they¡¯ll fall for the same trick twice.¡± she said the last wearily, almost hopelessly.
¡°Well...you said they got their power from this Ard person. Who¡¯s he?¡± I asked looking at Mother again, though she just stared at Celia.
¡°The dark tyrant...he sought to usurp the power of the ¨¢ine, by channeling the power of the fallen creators. For his arrogance, he was cast into oblivion...but he could not be destroyed. He sought to create an eternal reign of darkness.¡± Mother said with a frown, ¡°His acts led to a war that split the heavens of old. Since then the gods have been silent in the world.¡± she said.
The entire crowd was watching us, and listening to our conversation. The looks of dread and horror on the face of the crowd was matched only by the looks of confusion. I looked over at Hope, Ethan, Lily, and Aisha. I struggled with the decision for a moment, before sighing. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± I said shaking my head.
Mother¡¯s eyes went wide as she turned to look at me, ¡°Absolutely not!¡± she said.
¡°You take care of it? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve done enough already?¡± Grandmother Celia asks, her voice rising.
¡°Enough!¡± I shouted, anger building in my gut. ¡°It was my power that woke them, I¡¯ll be the one to seal them.¡± I said moving toward the chateau entrance.
Mother bolted toward me, wrapping her arms around me. ¡°What are you thinking? These aren¡¯t mortal thugs! These are immortal monsters, and I¡¯m not letting you get yourself killed! We¡¯ll call the magi from Karn.¡± she yelled, her voice breaking from near hysteria.
Hope and Aisha rushed to my side, grasping at me. ¡°You¡¯ll die!¡± Hope exclaimed, her voice cold. ¡°You¡¯re like level ten!¡± she hissed in my ear. ¡°You¡¯ll get us both killed.¡± she said in a whisper as I tried to shrug everyone off.
¡°...I¡¯m level twenty!¡± I hissed back at Hope indignantly.
Grandmother Celia looked at us and considered for a few quiet moments, before tapping her staff on the floor. ¡°Your magics...¡± she said, and then paused. ¡°The curative spell you cast...It shouldn¡¯t have been able to do this.¡± she said with a frown.
I wasn¡¯t stupid, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what had happened. My spell was divinely cast because I was a goddess, and the fallen knights had hijacked it to break their curse. I wasn¡¯t omnipotent...but I wasn¡¯t powerless either, and I couldn¡¯t stand by while whatever insane evils I had unwittingly unleashed on the world ran amok. Mother was right, walking into that fight with my current power was probably suicide, but I could feel the raw magics pouring out of the earth. There were monsters clawing up from the depths...things which, while powerful, weren¡¯t world ending. If I played it right, I could raise my level. Besides, if no one went to fight them, the monsters in the depths would overrun the area...maybe the world.
¡°I don¡¯t have to fight them right now...I can trap them in an illusion, or at the very least the hoard of monsters that are crawling their way out of the depths.¡± I said as Mother clenched me tight to her chest.
¡°You almost lost yourself in your illusionary world.¡± Mother said with a frown.
¡°I didn¡¯t have control over that before; I will this time.¡± I said reassuringly, ¡°They hijacked a magic item, it wasn¡¯t a spell I was actively controlling. If there¡¯s interference this time, I can end the spell.¡± I added.
¡°Fool girl, you think to trap ancient dark elves with illusions? The fae of old were the masters of illusions, whose glamours cast whole cities into raving madness. Only the relics once wielded by the ancient kings of man were capable of breaking them.¡± Grandmother Celia said glaring at me.
Celia¡¯s tone and derision was clawing at my nerves, and I thoughtlessly reached into my bag and pull out an ornate hilt. A glimmer of power ran down my arm as the sword I¡¯d claimed from the statue weeks ago came alive in a halo of green fire. The four and a half foot long over-sized broadsword radiated power, the ash grey metal crackling as the green veins in the metal began to shift in the metal, weaving patterns on the face of the blade. Mother and Aisha fell back, while Hope just looked at me conflicted.
¡°That sword...¡± Mother said, staring at the blade which so strongly resembled that wielded by the statue of ¨¢ine in the depths of Caliburn. I had pulled it from the grip of a different statue in a strange alchemist¡¯s shop, but hadn¡¯t cared to wield it yet, but something told me it would be necessary soon.
¡°Aye...that blade would do, but could you keep it from the hands of the fallen? If not, what power might they wield...¡± Grandmother Celia asked, startled at the sword¡¯s appearance. She glanced toward the horizon again and seemed torn. ¡°The village¡¯s wards won¡¯t hold long, but the seven are likely still waking. Ard Namhaid¡¯s blessings will aid them little during the light of day. We can push back their hoards until imperial forces can arrive. If you have magic¡¯s girl, come with me to strengthen the wards I placed on the Village, and help me reinforce the walls of Montevue. We will secure some measure of safety for the villagers.¡± she said pulling herself to her feet, her staff grinding into the marble floor.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
¡°Young lady, you are not to risk your life under any circumstances.¡± Mother said glaring at me, a look of worry in her eyes. As I looked up at her I could see the fear of losing her daughters written on her face. I loved her, and at times I thought it was just a reflection of Hope¡¯s love...but there really wasn¡¯t a Hope and a Faith...we were the same person, and we were her daughter, and she knew it even if I sometimes didn¡¯t.
¡°I¡¯ll be careful...For now I¡¯ll just help setup protections.¡± I said with a sigh, while the darkness was spreading at the edge of my divine perception.
*********
| Name: Faith Lusatra |
Age: 13 |
| Race: Half-Elf (Immortal) |
Sex: Female |
| Classes: |
God (Rank 1), Martial Artist 20, Wizard 12 |
| Subclass: |
NONE |
| Abilities: |
|
| Strength: 190, Dexterity: 440, Endurance: 265 |
Health: 2650 HP HP Regen: 26.5 HP/second |
| Intelligence: 660, Power: 760, Luck: 600 |
Mana: 6840 MP MP Regen: 152 MP/second |
|
Ki: 1160 Ki Regen: 5/second |
|
| Skills: -/400 |
Combat Skills: -/400 |
| Athletics 203, Climbing 30, Engineering 300, Manufacturing 153, Mathematics 200, Medicine 10, Occult 150, Pain Tolerance 170, Perception 90, Persuasion 67, Singing 200, Survival 53, Swimming 30 |
Swordsmanship 150, Aikido 220, Tai Chi Chuan 80, Wing Chun 70 |
| Blessings: Blessing of Aphrodite, Divine Beauty, Divine Presence, Enchanting Voice |
| Traits: Traits: Alter Reality (Limited), Creative Aptitude, Extreme Precision, Heroic Perseverance, Heroic Strength, Divine Abilities, Divine Aegis, Divine Alacrity, Divine Health, Divine Immunities, Divine Limits, Divine Magic Recovery, Divine Providence, Divine Regeneration, Divine Resistance, Domain Powers, Immortal, Improved Accuracy, Inhuman Reflexes, Intellectual Aptitude, Knowledge Absorption, Mental Fortress, Perfect Memory, Superior Magic Regeneration |
| Divine Abilities: Arcane Mastery, See Magic, Fabrication, Divine Identify [br]
Domain Powers: Divine Senses, Remote Sensing, Create Magic Items, Communication, Remote Communication |
I stared at my status sheet as I trudged through the night a short distance behind Grandmother Celia, trying to take stock of my assets. I knew everyone was scared about the risk, but I was a goddess. Not an impressive one, but supposedly a divine being none the less. It was true that my level was still low, but I had a large advantage against even large groups of mortals my same level. Not to mention that I had the amount, if not potency, of the magic I could throw around. While assessing the few increases to my stats, I closed distance with Grandmother Celia.
We were passing outside the walls of montevue, toward the wards she had placed near the border. I could see them glowing faintly in the air, the light in them weakening like fading embers.
¡°I don¡¯t think they have long.¡± I said gazing upward. The wards extended up like a dome, but one that seemed to grow translucent the further it extended from the ground.
¡°Of course not, you silly girl. These were meant to keep stray beasts at bay, or stall a small force of men. They were never meant to hold back the type of evil you¡¯ve released.¡± Grandmother Celia spat as she lifted a hand to brush the wards. As she touched them she chanted under her breath, releasing a stream of mana from her palm.
¡°For fuck sake, would you lay off? I just put a healing aura on the area to help the town, and you act like I intentionally started summoning demons.¡± I said growing irritated. I understood that Grandmother Celia was scared for her people, but I was in no mood to deal with her attitude.
¡°Watch your tone!¡± Grandmother Celia spat, turning toward me as she finished pouring energy into the ward. ¡°Girl, you use magic like it was a child¡¯s toy. Just put a healing aura on the town? Do you imagine such magics go unnoticed? Even the smallest of spells can have unintended consequences, and can tilt the balance of magics in the world around us. That you have somehow managed to learn such magics as your age is unimaginable. That you¡¯ve managed to learn such magics without the slightest concepts of their consequences and risks is horrifying beyond words. I¡¯m frankly surprised you haven¡¯t destroyed yourself and those around you.¡± she said, her tone only slightly more sociable than growling.
¡°It was a fucking healing spell!¡± I spat back, my nerves fraying as a distant voice whispered angrily in the back of my head.
Grandmother Celia looked at me, staring hard and unbelieving. ¡°You ignorant and foul little girl. Just a healing spell? The spell you¡¯re talking of required places of great elemental power to establish for longer than a few hours, and even then the area they affected was little more than a single room. No sane magi, were they powerful enough to do so, would have done such a thing. Had you surveyed the local geomancy to make sure there was no conflict? Had you considered the effects of establishing such a potent affect long term? The metaphysical distortions created? Had you even considered the consequences of placing a massive bubble of healing around an entire township? The mind boggles! Did you believe the magics came without cost? That they could not be depleted? That nature around it would survive such costs?¡± she asks her toneshiftingfrom irritated anger, to a disappointed lecturing.
¡°It¡¯s...magic.¡± I said a tad confused. She was making sense but...¡±The magic texts I read in the elven library didn¡¯t really cover conflicting magic in the environment...¡± I said, pausing to consider. I had assumed that being a deity gave my spells the power they needed, but that power had to come from somewhere. Was I creating magic pollution? When I wanted to cast a spell I learned, I knew ¡®how¡¯...but I suddenly got the feeling that there were implications that I simply hadn¡¯t learned from absorbing spellbooks.
¡°The mind boggles. Listen girl, the first lessons a mage teaches their students or apprentices are not spells, but observations. How to know when magics are safe, or what costs are involved...costs sometimes far greater than simple mana.¡± Grandmother Celia said before sighing wearily. ¡°This ward will hold for a while, but there are many others. Some will need to be strengthened, and others dispersed to prevent interference with the wards we¡¯ll be raising around Montevue.¡± she said motioning toward the ward. ¡°Do you recognize the spell?¡± she asked.
¡°It...looks like forbiddance, but that targets elementals and spirits...this looks different.¡± I said looking over the spell. It was similar, not so much a new spell, but like certain variables had been changed.
¡°Yes. In this case it targets spiritual and elemental energies. For physical beasts that have been tainted by magic, it will place extreme discomfort. For mages, it creates an inhibition of existing spells. Few mages willingly step wards that restrict or diminish their protective magics. Within that is a simple alarm, allowing me to know what and who is crossing.¡± Grandmother Celia said as she moved toward the next ward.
As I followed Grandmother Celia, I began to spot connections between the wards: Groves of energy etched into space. The wards appeared to form a kind of network, but one that was fraying at the edges. As Grandmother Celia and I poured power into them, the power spread into the network, but never far. The bleeding of power continued as if something were trying to leach it dry.
¡°This...isn¡¯t working. They¡¯re still draining.¡± I said looking at one of the connections closely.
¡°I know...¡± Grandmother Celia said nervously. ¡°It¡¯s the dark forces from the tombs, but if we can hold them until morning, the force of daylight will lessen their drain.¡± she said, reaching into her pocket to pull out a small glowing gem. She muttered to herself, and began to pull mana from it.
As I turned my gaze from Grandmother Celia and the wards, I saw something moving in the darkness. The shadows shuddered, and were suppressed from a mere dimming of night, to pitch black. A form stepped from the pitch black shadows, that looked like a small child. A girl of perhaps four or five walked calmly forward, black hair hanging down to her knees and obscuring her face, except for black eyes sharp white teeth. ¡°Come play with me.¡± the girl said, holding up clammy dead hands. As her hand extended the wards dimmed visibly. Behind her another shadow moved, and another child appeared, this one baring twisted and tortured features. ¡°Come play with us.¡± the second child said, its voice choked and harsh. As the shadows drew back more children appeared in the forests beyond town, and the skies above dimmed with the dissipating wards.
Clouds drew closed across the horizon as far as the eye could see. The moonlight illuminating the back of the clouds faded into perfect darkness as the moon itself turned black. With a crack the wards all shattered, and a backlash of energy snapped into Grandmother Celia causing her to drop like a puppet with its strings cut. In the distance a dark fog began to spread, flickers of purple light visible, and a scent of death.