《NPC》 Childhood Arc Prologue PROLOGUE The man dropped low to avoid the claw aimed for his head and gave a quick stab in response. His scowl only deepened when the blade slid off the hard, slick body of the being and he rolled past the figure to avoid its other arm. The roll brought the man a distance away from his opponent and his ears failed to pick up any chasing steps. Swinging the sword behind him just in case, the man recovered from the roll and picked himself up off the ground. Only when he turned back to his opponent did he relax a bit and try to recover his energy. Concentrating was a difficult task with the many wounds on his body, but he was glad they had closed earlier in the fight. Fighting low level troops had made the party mistake the difficulty of the enemy leader and the results were fatal. The man forced himself to concentrate and then noticed that his mana had recovered. He raised a hand towards the staggering opponent and shouted the name of his strongest spell. ¡°FORDENSHEN.¡± A large purple ball of flame appeared in his hands and he threw it at the shocked enemy. Not even giving it time to recover, the man chased after his spell and raised his sword in both his hands. The purple ball roared as it approached the tall monstrosity and the man saw its tall body try to avoid the blast. It was useless as the ball changed its path and continued towards the dark figure. Seeing this, it raised both its arms and tried to block it with his claws but the ball only swerved around the claws and struck its chest hard. The being flew backwards and slammed into the central monolith, shifting it several feet back. The black demon tried to raise its body and retreat, but the man arrived before it could. ¡°Raaaah!¡± The man¡¯s sword pierced through the damaged chest of the being before crying out at the pain that coursed through him. The being had set itself ablaze with the resulting heat powerful enough to reach past his enchanted armor and affect his body. He couldn¡¯t see his bare skin underneath the armor he wore but could still feel the fire that licked at his arms. The man clenched his teeth and rammed the blade deeper in, his struggle rewarded with a deeper, more intense heat. Not letting his struggle lapse in the least, the man looked up into the eyes of his opponent and watched as the light died away. Only when nothing appeared in those dark sockets did he feel the gradual lessening of pain. Before long, the fire dissipated leaving a blackened corpse. With a deep sigh, he staggered back from his opponent and left his sword in its heart. His mind was still reeling from the pain and he found himself thinking of insignificant things. How dirty he was, how much money he must have earned, what kind of sword he wanted next. The sword itself wasn¡¯t important. He had bought it at the last town for a mere 300,000 Gold pieces and the stats it gave was only a few attack points higher than the last one. He had ignored the ridiculousness he¡¯d felt at seeing a sword sold for that much inside a run down village. Now though, he had the time to think of such frivolous thoughts. Maybe there was a sacred blacksmith in every town? And the closer one got to here, the higher the quality of work produced? If so, he would have to try and convince all the blacksmiths to come to his home and work for him somehow. Ah, he needed to concentrate more... Music started playing up again and the candle lit hall changed ever so slowly. He raised his head to face the dark ceiling and saw a glint of white poking through the black murkiness. On one side of the room, the curtains were open and revealed a dark cloudy sky that was rolling with an unnatural movement. A ray of pure sunlight pierced the clouds, and was near blinding as it hit the dead earth; he felt a stir in his chest at the sight. Walking out of the room took a considerable effort. His companions had all perished in the battle and he had run out of Phoenix Downs to revive them. He needed to head to a Cathedral and ask a priest for a full revive before they could celebrate. Again his thoughts wandered, this time to the bodies of his friends. When they revived in the Cathedral, they usually appeared right beside him and lost most of their wounds. Plus their clothes were also repaired. Did that mean there existed two bodies - one dead and a one living? It was a creepy thought. He put out the thought of necrophilia as he walked; that was a line of thought he shouldn¡¯t cross. The castle he was in was an enormous architectural art piece. From the outside you could see towering spires and large walls and it seemed to gleam, even with the lack of light or colour. Inside however, he started to wonder at the extravagance. There were no heavy weaponry on the walls and the platform was flimsy at best. He had seen how thin the walls were and was pretty sure he could push it down with his stats. The castle¡¯s designer seemed to focus on aesthetics to the detriment of functionality. How on earth would it have survived if it was under siege? The towers were just tall, flat pieces of wall with no interior. He had been afraid it would have fallen on them with a strong enough gust of wind. The castle was a decorative object, not a proper castle. The man walked through the halls and took out a few potions. He downed them all like water and was close to choking a few times at the taste. They were the cheapest of the cheap and dropped from all the monsters he encountered. It was unfortunate, but he had run out of ¡®Large Potions¡¯ and ¡®Elixirs¡¯ during the fight. What kind of being was it that had given him such a hard time? Well, he didn¡¯t want to think about it right now. Finally out of the castle, he stopped his walking and surveyed the land he had been trying to save. It bathed in the sudden sunlight and the ground was becoming more verdant as plants started to grow. Seeing this phenomenon was better than the stories had predicted. It was something only done after he completed his task, so the man quickened his pace to the closest village. After reviving everyone, they would celebrate all night before going back to the city. Maybe he could finally settle down once more and be happy. Miss Cleric had been eying him a few times, but he had ignored her since the quest had been the main priority. Now though¡­ He fell. Face hitting the ground, a moan escaped his lips as he lay there breathing into the rough dirt. With dimming eyesight he saw the impossible. His health was dropping and showed no signs of slowing down. He was pretty sure he hadn¡¯t taken any damage just now, and there was no poison in the land with such devastating effects. Then what...? Watching the last bit of his health go, he succumbed to his fate and in his withering thoughts he apologized to his comrades. He wouldn¡¯t be able to revive them this one time, after everything finished.. The Light in the Land, the Opponent of Darkness, the Embodiment of all Good, the Champion of the Gods, the Hero and his companions. All died upon completing their mission.
¡°So, how was the scenario this time?¡± ¡°He performed it wonderfully sir. He accomplished all the routes in record time and didn¡¯t hesitate in his mission. He even triggered all the romance flags that you jokingly placed inside and could have had his pick of a wife. Out of all of them, he chose the Cleric in the end, and I count that as another plus to him. He was the only survivor of the battle and had enough potions to last to the next town.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± And it was. Most of the scenarios were of easy to moderate difficulty. The easy one was just to gain the quest to defeat Demon King and then go and kill him. No dillydallying or anything and it was usually a solo mission. The moderate scenario involved making proper choices and assembling a solid and balanced group. That group would then be able to take on the Demon King¡¯s army. This scenario though, was set to hard. The other group members were tough to convince into the group and easy to annoy and lose. You needed a good degree of social skills to convince the varied personalities to get along and that was rather difficult. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the scenario included special flags that the Hero would have to trigger and approach with a level head. If he didn''t then the other party would get mad, flustered, moody, or even downright suicidal and ruin the rest of the adventure. As a last laugh, the monsters had random skills that could sometimes completely decimate a party. Or there could be scenarios where the party faced a few hundred monsters at a time. ¡°Then how many resets did he have to go through before he finished?¡± His assistant typed in a few commands and stopped dead cold. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Don¡¯t tell me the number was too many? In the end he made all the right choices so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, even with 100 resets.¡± ¡°I-its not that sir. Erm. He has 0 resets.¡± This time, it was he who froze on the spot. 0 resets. ZERO RESETS. As a game it would have taken a regular player a few weeks of playing and resetting to complete the game. A month with a full group of companions. To trigger all the flags would have taken another few weeks. This though¡­ ¡°Take him out, make multiple copies, and then place him in scenarios 12, 422, and 995. Speed them up and have it finish in the next few minutes. Leave a copy as a base we can compare to.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Furious typing echoed through the room for the next minute before the assistant stopped his work. The two of them waited for the results of the scenarios to finish and soon enough it did. The assistant typed a few more lines of command and read the results out loud. ¡°Sir! Scenario 12 finished with a 97% completion record. 422 finished with a 100% completion record. 995 was-¡± Again the assistant paused and this time his eyes bulged and his mouth gaped open like a fish. He waited for his assistant to compose himself, but the wait made his patience wane. It took a few minutes and he started to worry that he would have to get a new assistant. The man was competent, but his reactions tended to go a little overboard. ¡°995...130% completion rate. He managed to destroy the corruption inside the royal kingdoms and rally the Human race together. Furthermore, he made deals and pacts with the other races and was the head of the Continental army. He led a successful attack on the Demon King with a 0.003% loss and would have become Emperor if we didn¡¯t take him out. Computer says he would have also gained the blessings of a Goddess and become immortal. Harem number reached a size in the triple-digits and was rather accepted by the people.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. His smile grew larger at every sentence said. 995 was the closest scenario to the game they were creating now, and this man had completed it in one go with flair. If a man like him was ever born in this period, he could unite Earth under one flag. Unfortunately, the man was only a program and, alas, no person would follow a machine. Damn those movies that portrayed robots as enemies of Humanity. Damn Isaac Asimov! ¡°How many Heroes have we decided on at the moment?¡± ¡°Sir! John has said we need 20 files. At the moment we have around 13 accounted for!¡± ¡°Fine, place this file with the rest of the group and make sure he gets chosen first.¡± ¡°Sir!¡±
On various televisions across Earth, a certain talk show and its live broadcast had a few million viewers. The program was using the recent universal translators created by the company Terra, the creators of the game ¡®Gaia¡¯, to reach out to all audiences. The guest of this special episode was just one man who was average in every way possible. From his height to his looks, and his hairstyle to his clothes, everything about the man screamed Average. This man was anything but that; he was the developer of the AI that created ¡®Gaia¡¯ and was the only one with any control over it. His real name has never been disclosed. ¡°Welcome sir¡­ what do we call you anyways?¡± The host was a middle aged man with an air of nobility, one that is not found often in this day and age. Even within the ranks of actual nobles you couldn¡¯t find a person that could dominate a room with their presence alone. Sir George Killen, however, was such a person and his talk show invited various important people from across the globe. Regardless of their social, political, and religious standings, if they were important then they were invited. ¡°You can just call me John Doe. John is fine.¡± The ¡®normal¡¯ man¡¯s voice was moderate and a small smile was on his face as he faced both Sir George and the camera. ¡°Alright John, let¡¯s get right into things. To be perfectly frank, people are a little put off about your company¡¯s new creation, ¡®Gaia¡¯. We¡¯ve had the ability to access Virtual Reality for several years, again because of your company, yet experts haven¡¯t expected a game to come out for years. Decades even. Even now, only the most technologically powerful countries have been able to make any use of the VR technology , and they were only able to come up with basic educational and military use. Why, and how, has your company been able to make the game so quickly?¡± ¡°Well, I should first thank you for inviting me here Sir George. Good enough, yes? Now on to the topic of the VR game. People should first know and understand that I did not create the VR machine. I only created the AI. After I created her - her name is Jane Roe by the way - I tasked her with finding ways to improve human happiness. Jane came up with some absurd ways; some like kill all the unhappy people which had about a 30% chance of success. Virtual Reality was at the top since a person could live an unhappy reality here but go to the VR and have a vacation rather easily.¡± ¡°Interesting, so can you tell us how your AI was created?¡± A slight twinkle could be seen in Sir George¡¯s eyes as he asked this. That twinkle lent some evidence to what the critics refer to as his mischievousness. ¡°Alright.¡± Shock permeated from Sir George and most of the people watching, especially the programmers. They hadn¡¯t expected this level of candidness. ¡°First you need a computer strong enough to support the AI. Then you make an AI whose task is to make a slightly better AI making AI. Understand? No? Well lets just say if you fail at doing this, then the chances are your computer will burn up first, the AI will degenerate instead, the AI will gain sentience and view humans as harmful and try to kill all of us, or the AI will just kill you and live in relative solace. Chances of those happening are around 99.9997% for someone not me.¡± A useless answer for a crazy question. ¡°Fine then, can you at least explain the game in general? And this ¡®NPC system¡¯ your company had previously stated...¡± Sir George was a little gruff in his questioning but he couldn¡¯t fault the man for his answers. ¡°Sure, first off the game is running at 5x speed. This means a person that works 8 hours a day and sleeps 8 hours a day can leave 4-8 hours for the game. That is about 20-40 hours of in game time - enough for a short, yet restful vacation. The game follows the generic rules of an RPG game but also has to follow some of reality¡¯s rules such as ¡®repeated training makes you stronger¡¯. ¡°As for the NPC system...let me first say, the game is already running. Yes, it is running, no it is not on some secret Beta Test. The game is running for the NPCs in the game. And it is running at around 20x speed. For the next few years, all of the NPCs in the game will go through decades of life. All of the important NPCs have been created already and during these years they will get stronger. Understand, these NPCs are supposed to be not any different from us. They can unlock hidden classes and go on immense adventures. And they had plenty more years in the game as opposed to the new players. This is a game ruled by the NPCs and you people will need to find a niche to crawl through in the game. ¡°Now I¡¯m not saying this will be impossible. NPCs are like regular people in a world. Unless they have the drive, they just won¡¯t try hard enough. That is why I will release a group of Hero NPCs into the game 1 year before the game starts. This will allow these Hero NPCs to grow 20 years before going on their adventure. This will start making it more impossible.¡± A slight smirk on John¡¯s face told everyone that he wanted it to be hard. An easy game was boring and too many games nowadays held the players¡¯ hands from beginning to end. With so many casual gamers, complaints after complaints just kept piling up. This forced developers into making easier games. It was nonsense in his opinion. Games are supposed to be difficult! ¡°This seems incredibly unfair John. Why should people even play such a difficult game?¡± John just continues to smirk at the uninterested question from Sir George. He must have noticed it was a question from his network and not a personal question. ¡°Well for one, these ¡®Hero¡¯ NPCs will only have one life. Players would have an infinite number of lives to play with and that gives players the advantage of recklessness. Two, players can pretty much rush through 72 hours of gameplay easily without rest while the NPCs actually live there so they¡¯d have to spend 1/3rd of their lives sleeping. Three, Hero NPCs are still NPCs. They will probably not have the drive to do anything important if they don¡¯t have any serious reason or motivation to do so. ¡°That will be all I will say about the game at the moment.¡± Sir George¡¯s mouth was open as he was in the act of asking another question but had to snap close at John¡¯s comment. Sir George also looked like he wanted to punch John repeatedly until he got what he wanted but decided to just close the show. He had done that twice and gotten in some trouble with the network, but it was his wife that had scared the living daylights out of him after the second time. John¡¯s smile at the end though caused Sir George to wonder what he was planning behind those thoughts.
Leaving his assistant to the work, he walked out of the room deep in thought. The implementation of Hero characters into the world would have rather sizable effects. Even just one Hero was usually enough to change the tide of the worlds he had created. And here he was with an entire group of them. Sighing, he walked into a different section of the building. There, his second assistant stood up to greet him. ¡°Hello boss. I was about to call for you since you were late.¡± Soft and calm tones hid the barbs that were in the words, but he just ignored her comment. He motioned her to sit and start. ¡°Well boss, we have gone through the hard scenario for this program and it has completed with an overall completion rate of 55%. Highest we have so far.¡± ¡°How many died?¡± ¡°He managed to kill 984,734,221 citizens of the continent before the rest fled. He has somewhat stabilized his realm and created a system that should last years with no problems. Upon his death though, the realm would dissolve to chaos and destroy itself. All acceptable parameters.¡± ¡°Fine, add him to the pile and make him last. Test another file and use scenario 666. We haven¡¯t had a successful run through that file as of yet.¡± ¡°Yea boss.¡± Why John wanted several files with this kind of disposition was beyond him. He found it was far tougher than he expected to make the perfect villain. Villains were much more difficult to make than Heroes and the process was going slow. Right now they had a slew of 40% completed villains and he doubted he would get anyone close to 80%. Sighing, he watched his second assistant work and thought of the future.
This is a prologue...Lalala, STORY START!
Ah, happy christmas everyone. I might as well give out this prologue of mine. Its finished. I don''t know when the first arc is finished but I am making progress. Hope everyone likes the prologue and rate this new version of the fic. Hrm hrm... For the people who wonder, the old fic is here Chapter 1: Beginnings BEGINNINGS ¡®Where am I?¡¯ It was pitch black and even if the spirit could see, doubtless it would have mattered. Floating in space, it felt rather disconcerted but couldn¡¯t figure out why. Soon a popping sound echoed through the pitch blackness and a wave of new stimuli flooded in. It felt...cold. It still couldn¡¯t see anything, but the soundless space filled its hearing with a dull invisible thumping that disconcerted it. It should be able to smell, hear, see, and taste; but it went without such senses. It could only feel cold... With growing fear it found that it had no memories at all yet it knew a few of these concepts. A sudden wave of feeling overcame the spirit and obscured all thoughts of the frigid space. Instead it felt as if it were on fire. Almost burning in the heat that went away as quickly as it came. As the spirit contemplated the pain it had felt, a ¡®Voice¡¯ intruded on its thoughts. ¡°Greetings young one. Welcome to my world! Dramatic enough? Oh well. Lets see... NPC_file_CM00H01. Ah, one of the combat programs, and a new version too. ¡°Excellent! Creating shopkeepers and the like was starting to bore me and making warriors from a base is even worse. I mean I need to create stats, storyline, equips, etc¡­ Why they give a program like you after all this time makes me wonder though. Oh well.¡± The loud voice barely fazed the spirit but it still caught all of the spirit¡¯s attention. The spirit started to wonder what it was and why it was ranting until it figured the presence would say it anyways. ¡°Well then. Let us start the process.¡±
Please choose a race and gender.
Race and gender? The spirit wondered why it had to choose when it was pretty sure that everything was already assigned before hand. It also didn¡¯t know what were the races or even the genders so it tried to ask a question. It found a new problem though, as it couldn¡¯t figure out how to speak. Trying to figure out what to do, the spirit let out a feeling of confusion. ¡°Just choose. Or leave the choice to me. It was definitely faster when I did it all myself, even if it was boring...¡± There seemed to be some exasperation from the voice but the spirit didn¡¯t understand or care at the moment. Right now it was better to get out of this dead space and it couldn¡¯t be quick if it had to do everything itself. The spirit was restless and hoped that the feeling from before did not return. The spirit sent out a feeling of compliance and hoped that it would work. ¡°Ha ha¡­ well now... ¡°Since you are a combat type and the first program I¡¯ll be personally creating, I¡¯ll have to get my A-game on. I see male has already been set. And¡­ File H01, can I do all of your options? I really want to get this over with¡­¡± Again the spirit sent out a feeling of compliance and soon felt the ¡®Voice¡¯ continue in glee. ¡°Hrm. Male. Also being Human is a must for the first thing I make. As a baby he will start off weaker than the other races but I guess I can change his mature look in return. ¡°Hmmm, thin but muscular is good. Not too good looking but¡­ yes! Above average which is still very dependable and likable. Good things in a warrior. ¡°A smidgen of magical talent¡­ whoops? Oh well... I can¡¯t change his programming but I can tweak the behaviour of his parents. ¡°And for his name...Damien? No I always think that¡¯s a proper evil person¡¯s name. Oh! Michael, since the name is rather synonymous with ¡®good¡¯. And¡­. and¡­¡­.. and¡­¡­¡­¡± The spirit was kind of in shock at the excitement in the voice but decided that its lack of knowledge would have been bad to make decisions with. Ignoring the intense voice, which was rather difficult, the spirit managed to just take in the information without listening. The spirit decided to analyze what had been stated from the voice and listed several points in its head. First was that its creation would not be done by itself. Instead it gave the ¡®Voice¡¯ all the choices and didn¡¯t really think it was a bad idea. Second was that the spirit was called ¡®new¡¯ by the ¡®Voice¡¯. Whether this was true or not remained to be seen, but it couldn¡¯t check it out now. Third was its future. Becoming a warrior with some magic seemed...good? The spirit really had nothing to compare it with so it couldn¡¯t really say with confidence. At least it would have nice parents... How it managed to do so was a mystery but the spirit didn¡¯t ponder much on anything at the moment. After the spirit was finish with its analysis it noticed a few boxes in front of it . Or in front of its essence...
Due to intense concentration against all that noise, you have gained the stat ¡®Concentration¡¯. +10 to Concentration.
Due to being quiet beside a powerful being, you have gained the skill ¡®Stealth¡¯.
Stealth. Beginner level 0. (75%). Active and Passive Skill
[p=left]Allows you to hide in the shadows or even in plain sight, depending on the level of the skill. Will level up based on the actions you do and when you use the skill. Use requires 50 mana/minute.[/p]
Due to being close to a powerful being, you have gained the skill ¡®Willpower¡¯. +10 to Willpower.
Due to analyzing the situation when others would not have, you have been granted the subskill ¡®Instant Analyzation¡¯.
Instant Analyzation. Beginner level 0. (72%). Active Skill
[p=left]Allows for analysis of the situation, monsters and their actions, and of weapons in a fraction of the time. Depending on how quickly you wish to cram the information in, more mana is needed to do so.[/p]
These boxes that appeared in front of the spirit were erased one at a time as he completed and understood each of them. More to think about it seems. It could see the benefits of all the skills and how to use them all...kind of. It still couldn¡¯t remember anything and - Sharp pain went through the spirit again and it would have groaned if it could. It actually may have because the voice directed its attention back to it. ¡°Done! Well young program, time for your adventure to start! No, no peeking. You said I could choose and I choose to keep all of this as a surprise. ¡°No worries though, since I see you have no idea about your future I will allow this scene to stay as one of you memories. I¡¯ll stop the system from deleting whatever you got just now so good luck!¡±
You are Male.
You are Human.
Loading body structure.
Loading file.
Merging body structure and AI file.
Erasing memories. Error in Memory Erasure process. Memory Erasure process has been forcefully overridden.
Resetting all stats. Error in Stat Resetting. Stat Resetting has been forcefully overridden.
Resetting all skill. Error in Skill Resetting. Skill Resetting has been forcefully overridden.
Welcome to ¡®Gaia¡¯
Michael was aware. Compact and extremely uncomfortable, Michael struggled in the hands that were handling him roughly. Blinking his teared up eyes, he noticed various things about his surroundings. One was a gasping woman looking at him with love. She looked rather frail and pale but Michael was instinctively already stretching his arm towards his mother, desperate for her touch. He didn¡¯t understand the feeling but he was sure that she wouldn¡¯t hurt him. Michael was also aware of a man beside the woman. He was rather large, much too large as he loomed over both Michael and his mother. His face was hard and had lines across his cheeks and one almost hitting an eye. He didn¡¯t look threatening though, and he looked lovingly at Michael. Looking up, Michael saw another woman¡¯s face. This face was old and the wrinkles were strange to him and he couldn¡¯t even see her eyes. She was looking at the man without any regard for him. What caught Michael¡¯s eye was a metallic necklace with a bright red bauble in the center. It swung back and forth and - ¡°It¡¯s a boy!¡± A squeal from out of sight made Michael aware that he was distracting himself with bright and shiny things. Michael decided to try out ¡®Instant Analyzation¡¯ from his time with the voice and focused on the name of the skill. He managed to pack only a bit of time into a second before it left him gasping. He felt quite a bit of pain in his head and tears came unbidden to his eyes. He desperately tried to contain the emotions he felt. ¡°I-is there something wrong with him!?!¡± ¡®Gah, she noticed.¡¯ The shrill scream alerted Michael to her notice and he wished he had been less outright about his pain. Michael¡¯s mother was extremely worried that her baby who, healthy at first glance, was all of a sudden gasping for air and sweating everywhere. Even the man was worried and he was looking at someone behind Michael and old lady. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with him. Give him to me.¡± A hand suddenly took Michael away from his mother. Frail, old, wrinkly, and yet strong if you were to actually look at him properly. Those would be the best description for the face Michael was all of a sudden facing. He was probably much older than the old lady and gave a kindly smile to the very small Michael. As Michael was checked over by the old man, Michael started to calm himself. When he was back to a normal state the old man looked Michael straight in the eye and Michael decided to stop his intense concentration. The old man only saw a distracted baby and nothing entirely wrong with it. So he raised a finger and poked him in the chest. ¡°Status check!¡±
Michael¡¯s Status
Age0RaceHuman
Class-Guild-
Fame0Infamy-
Health50Mana1/50
Status
[p=left]Normal[/p]
Michael jumped at the loud noise and as the old man looked blankly at Michael, a box appeared in front of him. This time however, Michael couldn¡¯t read what it said. He figured the old man was looking at the same box and was the reason it appeared. ¡°There is nothing wrong with the boy. His ¡®Condition¡¯ is normal. His Mana is a little low though, but it is recovering with no problems.¡± Michael heard a sigh behind him. All of a sudden Michael was exhausted. Before his eyes rapidly fell he felt soft hands carry him. He also noticed a few boxes in front of him¡­
In ¡®Gaia¡¯ a child¡¯s birth isn¡¯t a highly celebrated event. Due to the diligent forces of the Guilds and Churches in the cities, rarely has a child ever died during their birth. Due to the lack of problems, the birthday of a child is usually just celebrated by the parents before being marked down by the Church of Information. The only important events a child would participate in is when they reach the age of 10 and the age of 20. After that they are allowed to decide on the path their future will take.
The first couple of weeks went quickly for Michael as he was taken care of, mainly by the young woman who he later found out was his Mother. The man that was constantly beside her was actually younger than he previously thought but the rough look he had made him look older. He was Michael¡¯s Father and held Michael like he was made out of thin porcelain. This caused the woman to say something to him and laugh, but Michael still didn¡¯t understand what they said yet. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hold him like that. He may be small but he can handle a little squeezing here and there.¡± ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Even in those awkward hands though, Michael was content. He knew that he was being treated as such because his Father was afraid to hurt him so he didn¡¯t complain too much about it. Looking up at the big man, Michael made a few sounds and awkwardly tried to pet his Father¡¯s nose. A wide grin split the man¡¯s face and he brought Michael closer. Soon their foreheads touched and Michael could feel the warm, almost hot touch of the older man. It was a comfortable touch and Michael felt safe when he was so close to him. Drowsiness affected Michael once again but before his eyes fully closed he could almost see a warm glow surrounding the three of them.
Although Michael mainly saw his parents taking care of him, he occasionally saw strangers around as well. His Mother changed him, bathed him, fed him, and rocked him to sleep. She did everything as she raised him and Michael could feel the tie between them growing closer. His Father was also constantly around and his warm presence made Michael smile quite a few times. The strangers he saw though were mainly ignored. They were the ones who took the dirty cloth when he got changed, or brought the food during his meals. There was always a person in the background and Michael started to wonder who or what they were. His family had a happy atmosphere but he felt it was a little ruined when he saw the extra person. After a month passed, Michael was given a separate room from his parents and slept alone in the crib for the first time. He was uncomfortable without the warm feeling of his parents, but for some reason he slept quickly once he settled down. His dreams were chaotic and wild.Colors flashed and pictures moved through but he didn¡¯t understand any of it. Unknown emotions swirled and eddied with the dreams but he didn¡¯t know what any of them were or meant. So he slept. Slept and wallowed in the chaotic dreams.
Over the next few months, Michael despaired at his situation. He already noticed that he was different from other children when he was introduced to several playmates a month after he slept in the new room. Soon after though, his parents decided he needed a few playmates so they asked around town and invited several children around Michael¡¯s age to come and play with him. Soon enough this became a weekly practice that Michael felt was useless. His ¡®peers¡¯ were easily distracted by small things and Michael had taken over the role of leader of his new pack. The group consisted of three other boys that seemed to like playing with dirty stuff like mud, bodily fluid, garbage and the like. Michael wondered where they even managed to acquire all that since the babies never left their mother¡¯s arms and couldn¡¯t even travel a good distance. Yet they always had something smelly or slimey in their hands and Michael kept well away. The two girls followed the boys too but they played with each other more than with the others. They mainly sat across from each other and lightly smacked each other¡¯s hands in a rough kind of game. All five of the babies stared at whatever Michael did though, since they also noticed he was different. For example, when Michael stared at them, the babies usually stared back and this went on until something attracted the baby¡¯s notice. None of them could keep up the staring for long and for some reason this built up a system that meant Michael would lead them all to do something. When a baby cried, but Michael didn¡¯t, the others usually didn¡¯t either and the lone baby usually stopped too. When Michael cried, the other five immediately took up the howl and the effect was immediate attention from the adults. Usually he did this when he noticed more than one baby with a smelly aura around them. He was pretty sure he saw the color green wafting around them. Simply put, Michael was bored. He almost wished the ¡®Voice¡¯ was back so that he could ask for a memory wipe in order to become as baby-like as his posse. The things that could have interested him, the books around the house, plants and alchemical equipment his mother kept, and weapons both his parents had were all placed away from him. He understood that babies like his friends would be in danger with those items but he couldn¡¯t help but dislike the ¡®Voice¡¯ for his bad luck. After the past few months of just squirming on the spot with his group, Michael decided to change his personal mode of transportation. Basically all he could do was roll all over the ground or sit up so he couldn¡¯t get anywhere fast. When he didn¡¯t pay attention, some of the boys sneaked up on him and spread brown smears across his shirt and face which meant he had to go around with that smell for hours before help could arrive. The first time that happened, he cried and got the attention needed to change, but when he heard a comment about how dirty he was he started to keep quiet out of a form of embarrassment and maybe pride. He wasn¡¯t the one who spread it but he was the one being talked about. So he kept shut until the end and dragged out the time with the smell. Oh yes, he could now understand what everyone was saying, even if he had no idea how to do it himself. Changing his mode of transportation required some thought though, and Michael examined the room he was in. Michael was in one of the various large empty rooms in the house, specifically the baby playing room. Some of the other rooms included an Alchemy room, Weapon¡¯s and training room, Crafting room, Cooking room, bedrooms, living room, and even a baby changing room. He had already been given the Grand Tour from his ecstatic Father. From the amount of time it took for his Father to finish, Michael decided that it was a rather large house. In the baby playing room there was a large fenced area in the middle of the room. Not very high, it was still tall enough to keep babies from going over, especially when said babies couldn¡¯t even crawl. It was, however, quite useful for what he needed. The distance though¡­ sighing, Michael kept the target in sight and started moving. He used a foot to kick a side of his body over and the kick allowed his body to roll towards where he wanted. Michael rolled his way over to the fence very slowly and finally grabbed a part of it. Pulling himself up was a painful experience for his unaccustomed arms and he shook from the effort. Soon though, he managed to pull most of himself up so he started to focus on moving his inactive feet. Pulling his legs properly under him, Michael tried to steady himself on his two legs like he had seen the older ones do. His baby posse were all staring at Michael and wondering about what he was doing.
You have gained +1 Strength
You have gained +1 Willpower
You have gained +1 Concentration
Michael tried to ignore the boxes floating in front of him, since he couldn¡¯t read it, as he kept trying to stabilize himself. It seemed he did lose the ability to read when he was born, and now those boxes appeared with gibberish in them. He did understand that the last gibberish +1 box appeared more often than not and he wondered whether it was a good thing or a bad thing¡­ NO, keep your concentration on the goal!
You have gained +1 Concentration
Tsk. When his legs stopped wobbling, Michael decided to test his limits. He gradually let go of the fence but grabbed it when he was about to fall over. After repeating this a couple more times he succeeded in standing upright without the need of the fence. By this time there was another dozen boxes in front of him but he just ignored them and they went away. Tired at what he had done, he grabbed the fence once more and slid down to the ground. He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Over the next couple weeks Michael kept testing out trying to stand upright for as long as he could. He also learned to crawl finally but since the other 5 babies also did it; he wasn¡¯t really impressed. Still he was able to stand upright easily after his ¡®training¡¯. The boxes had stopped the day after he tried again so he pretty much forgot about them. After he could stand up and sit down without the help of the fence, Michael decided to tackle the next challenge. Walking. His legs had strengthened a bit after all the moving about and he could even control them to a greater extent. He kept an image of an adult moving and tried out the movements himself. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. This time when he stood up and tried to move a leg forward he fell face first to the ground. While he was in pain and about to cry, the other staring babies burst into laughter which caused Michael¡¯s pain to change to determination. A glare just threw them into new bouts of laughter and Michael got embarrassed all over again. For the next few days Michael just sat wherever he was placed in the pen and thought of different ways to tackle this problem. When he finally thought of a plan, Michael crawled over to the fence once more. He stood up quickly and then proceeded to walk along the fence slowly, in order to get the feel of each step. His hands were constantly on the fence and guided him along the entire ring. As a handhold it was sufficient enough for the task and he got the movements down soon enough. Another box appeared in front of him¡­
You have gained +3 Wisdom
Which he ignored. Another few days of this and he could walk without the support. *** When he could finally walk he sped it up a little at a time. Before another week was done, Michael was able to run around the fenced area easily. After a few days of doing so, another box appeared and was promptly ignored.
You have gained +2 Agility
When the various parents came to pick up their children and Michael¡¯s mother was speaking to them, Michael decided to show off. As the adults were speaking Michael slowly pushed himself off the ground and the voices around him slowly died out. After reaching his full height, Michael then calmly walked to the fence. He then ran around the area and chortled at the open mouths of all the parents. He should have expected it though. He was only 7 months old yet was already running. He then thought up something on the spot. Michael stopped in front of his mother and looked her in the eye. ¡°M-m-mama¡± It was a little difficult but Michael had been mouthing various phrases that the mothers were trying to get the babies to say. He understood that the word he spoke should be directed at his mother, so he spoke it and wondered what the reaction would be. His mother started to tear up, and when she finally calmed down she ran out of the room and shouted for his father. ¡°Aaron! AARON! Michael just spoke! HE CALLED ME MAMA!¡± The other mothers were still holding their children yet they looked Michael with an expression Michael didn¡¯t understand at the time. They also seemed to look between Michael who was standing up and staring at them and their own children who were still drooling a bit and digging for jewels. The maid who had been behind his mother, then went towards Michael and picked him up. She was one of the three maids in the household and he was familiar with them enough that he didn¡¯t resist the unfamiliar arms.
Due to gaining the attention of adults at such a young age, you have gained the stat ¡®Charisma¡¯. +10 to Charisma.
You have gained the Title: Target of Envy. Because this is your first Title the stats, rewards, and penalties for this title has been doubled. ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ title has been automatically equipped.
Target of Envy [p=left]Due to your advanced skills in life compared to your compatriots, you are the target of envy from others. You will be less forgettable but will also gain more animosity from anyone you ignore. +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame. People who do not like you will start to spread false tales about you and increase your infamy.[/p]
Michael just ignored the rather large boxes that appeared and fell asleep as soon as he was placed in his crib.
Staring into a blue crystal ball, Aaron leaned across his desk to smile at Michael¡¯s antics. He had noticed Michael¡¯s feelings about the other babies but since he didn¡¯t see anything wrong with it he just ignored it most of the time. The problem came when Michael acted oddly. Climbing on his feet and trying to walk? Why and how did Michael figure out that? Aaron had been around enough toddlers to know that walking was a gradual practice that takes longer than what Michael went through. What Aaron was more interested in though was the trial and error that Michael went. When he failed at walking the first time, he just sat there and seemed to ponder something. Indeed, his eyebrows furrowed and he even crossed his arms in a look of determined focus. it was all Aaron could do not to rush upstairs and crush Michael in a hug. Michael just looked too cute at that moment. Once Michael stopped his pondering he immediately went back to the fence and started walking again. This time he succeeded in properly walking and Aaron was amazed at what his son had come up with. Michael soon ran and Aaron couldn¡¯t help but smile in pride. He was a little worried though since Michael did not seem to be a run of the mill child. Laughing at the faces of the other mothers, Aaron heard his wife¡¯s shout and slowly stood up to go to her. He turned off the crystal with a word and met Celia at the door upstairs. As he gently coaxed her story out, Aaron secretly formed a schedule for his son, and he also hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to get his own teacher involved unless it was necessary for his potential¡­
The first and second years passed with barely a notice as Michael got accustomed to his growing body. After climbing over the fence several times and wandering around the house unsupervised, his parents directed a maid to keep an eye on him and not get him into any trouble. A maid was always assigned to him and he soon got to know their names and positions. The most common maid assigned to Michael was Lucy. Short and thin, Lucy was the smallest of them and also the nicest. She was generally tasked to take care of Michael because she was the midnight Maid and took care of the house all through the night. How she could go with a lack of sleep was quite unbelievable to Michael who still took 13-18 hour naps. Happy to help and talkative, Lucy was the best source for Michael to get a better hold of the language. He still didn¡¯t know to how read but she read different books for him every time and he would memorized the words, even if he couldn¡¯t see the writing. He would figure it out later. Still stiffening at being carried by others - but getting used to it - Michael was carried up and down the stairs he approached. There were only a few times he would have the privacy to crawl on them as his legs were still way too short for him to properly climb stairs, and he could only reach the upper floors when he had a lot of time. The second floor was the main study area. There were three rooms given over to libraries and the amounts of books were staggering. Michael had been trying to practise reading but he couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the books. It was considerably harder to teach oneself to read their first language but it got more difficult when the books were in more than one language. Even when he tried to compare the written words with Lucy¡¯s spoken words, he still got jumbled up from the act. One day his Mother walked in him as he attempted to read a book that was supposedly titled ¡®Green Oysters and Chicken¡¯. ¡°Michael, do you want to play outside with your friends or stay inside and study?¡± Friends? Michael was a little confused at the word since he didn¡¯t have anyone close enough to call a friend. Maybe she meant those babies that hung around him? ¡°Study?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you my hobby of Alchemy and Herbalism. With those two you can learn how to make potions - drinks that people can use to heal themselves with.¡± Michael nodded at the information and stayed silent for a few moments. He soon lifted his head and gave his answer. ¡°I¡¯ll try studying then.¡± With that simple sentence, Michael solidified his future. He didn¡¯t think he needed any reason to go outside at the moment and he really wanted to practice this reading that everyone else could do. Studying seemed much more fun though and Michael hoped he would be able to read soon. Being led out of the reading room, Michael entered the Alchemy room on the same floor and sat down on one of the chairs behind a table. The room was filled with a warm heat and the smell was full of different herbs and spices. The room was a cramped space with two tables, one filled with different herbs. The table Michael sat on was filled with books in and some vials of dark red or blue liquid.
Michael¡¯s first lesson was to read the fundamentals of Alchemy. First though, was learning how to read. ¡°Umm, I don¡¯t know how to read.¡± Michael¡¯s tone of voice was mixed with some pleading and frustration. He had thought he could teach himself to read but he didn¡¯t even know where to start. Hearing Michael¡¯s admittance, his Mother looked at him for a bit. Arms cross with a finger tapping her cheek, his Mother stared at him for about a minute before turning around and leaving the room. In a short while she came back with a gray thin book. ¡°Place your hand on the book and say ¡®Learn¡¯. When you have done it correctly you should know.¡± How can anyone do that incorrectly? Michael erased his dissatisfaction at being treated like a baby again. His mother was looking down on him with a soft but pleased smile and he decided he didn¡¯t need to argue with her. Besides, he knew how ineffective a baby arguing was. Michael placed his hand on the book and shouted - with some minor satisfaction - ¡°Learn¡±. The book glowed under his hand and Michael¡¯s satisfied smile was replaced with a look of worry. The shock he felt from the light made him nearly drop the book but by focusing he was able to hold onto it. A second shock came when the book disintegrated into small lights and rushed towards him in a rush. Hands closed, the light entered him and he felt his head tightening. Information surged into his mind and he saw boxes appearing in front of him with legible words.
You have gained the skill ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯
You have gained comprehension of the language ¡°Human¡±. ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯ has gained experience. ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯ has leveled up.
Language Comprehension. Level 1 (0%). Passive Skill
[p=left]You are able to learn various languages as you listen and examine words from it. At the same time, this skill will grant the ability to read and write in that language more quickly. 5% quicker language acquirement for every level of ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯. Languages available: Human (100%)[/p]
¡°Ohhh my baby is so excellent. Never leaves me disappointed.¡± Michael¡¯s mother was buoyant with pride at Michael¡¯s ¡®accomplishment¡¯. She grabbed Michael and gave him a tight squeeze as he stared at the boxes. He asked his question when she finally let go of him. ¡°Mama, what are these boxes that appear in front of me?¡± As the boxes disappeared, Michael¡¯s mother gave another adoring look at Michael and began to explain. Her tone took on a deep meaning and the words sounded practiced. Her expression said she had been waiting for this question. ¡°In the past, all of the races in Gaia were born in different ways. They were also all ignorant of themselves and their strengths, and this caused destruction when some of the races overused their gifts. Upon witnessing this the all-Goddess, Janira, gave the sentient races a way for them to keep track of their growth. These boxes in midair tell us what we have gained when we accomplish various tasks. ¡°If you want to see all of your stats, just say ¡®Show Status¡¯ to see your own limits and ¡®Show Skills¡¯ to see what you have properly learned. There are other ways to get more information but those two are what everyone can make do with. If you want to know more, go to the church of information and ask them. Not now though. Now we are going to start studying.¡± Michael decided to not use those two phrases till he was alone and instead to start paying attention to his Mother¡¯s lessons. First thing he was supposed to do was to read the books on alchemy and herbalism. ¡®Alchemy¡¯ was a branch of Crafting that focused on combining different materials to create a beneficial or dangerous substance. In general terms, Alchemy focused more on combining different herbs and liquids to create Potions or Poisons and an Alchemist was usually well respected for doing so. These Alchemists usually had a sub-skill ¡®Herbology¡¯ which allowed them to take aspects of plants, combine them, and then form a proper liquid from it. Some other kinds of alchemists though did different things. Some had the ¡®Metallurgy¡¯ sub-skill as well and hoped to create a specific Alchemical potion that will be able to transmute lower grade ores into a higher grade version. These usually end in failure but the lure of easy gold meant that many people would continue to walk this hopeless path. Others were Druids who used Alchemy to strengthen the plants and aspects of nature. Through the use of potions, plants would be able to grow strong and recover injuries while poisons could be used to kill off parasitic plants. Although Druids may seem good, many Druids actually created potions that turns most Plants sentient, from which the Druids then died when their army of plants betrayed them. These plants then become a dangerous threat to the local wildlife such that they are stated as monsters and are hunted down by everyone. They also give quite rare ¡®sentient plant¡¯ materials as well. It is obviously illegal to make a ¡®sentient plant¡¯ farm. Herbology was a more general subject and involved intense knowledge of a large variety of plants. Michael was given a general encyclopedia of plants that detailed their visual appearance, general environment they could be found in, and distinct taste. Michael also learned how to properly water and care for different plants so that he would be able to do so when he could. Taking care of plants is much easier than trying to search the wild for a specific plant so many Herbologists usually had small grove of plants. Michael¡¯s Mother only had five plants that he could see and the only real useful one was the Mint plant that she used as a cooking ingredient. The others seemed normal and unimportant. Michael was only 2 years old at the time but he gorged on the many books he was given and mentally made a list of the various plants and liquids he would be using. He categorized everything in his mind, and in the various groupings he sorted them all based off their effective uses and aspects. For example the Mint plant was placed in the General Plant grouping and had good uses in cooking and alchemy as it had the aspect of improving taste greatly. By the time the day ended, Michael had a small repertoire of plants that he mentally memorized. His mind was absorbent due to his young age and being strangely mature. His Mother didn¡¯t suspect a thing though and she quizzed him lightly before the day ended. After another crushing hug, Michael was led by Lucy to his room to sleep. Michael had been able to acquire the Alchemy and Herbology skills and was happy enough in the end.
After studying and learning, you have gained the skill ¡®Alchemy¡¯
You have gained +7 to wisdom and intelligence from learning ¡®Alchemy¡¯
After studying and learning, you have gained the skill ¡®Herbology¡¯
You have gained +5 to wisdom and intelligence from learning ¡®Herbology¡¯
Alchemy. Beginner level 0. (23%) Active skill
[p=left]This skill allows for you to be able to create healing and poisonous concoctions. There is also a rumor that the skill can create potions with incredible enchantments but such knowledge is unavailable at this time. Healing potions are 5% more effective. Poisons last 5% longer.[/p]
Herbology. Beginner level 0. (17%) Passive skill
[p=left]This skill allows for you to analyze the various properties of plants and come up with an estimate of its uses and effectiveness. At higher levels you may even be able to create new potions just by glancing at the plant and thinking of its uses. Can see 1 property of a plant. Potions and poisons are 2% more effective.[/p]
Initially shocked at the speed he was going, Michael was told the various rankings of skills in the world. He was told that there were six ranks of skills a person would be able to gain. Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced - Expert - Master - God. He was kind of shocked at the God rank but was told it was really rare to see a person reach that high. Legend tells of only 10 god ranked people yet there were hundreds of skills and millions of people. Simple math tells the impossibility of gaining that rank. Of course, Michael had no notion of math yet so he didn¡¯t know. His mother¡¯s face was enough to tell him how rare it was to get a God ranked skill.
Lucy tucked Michael into bed and closed the door of his small room. He could still hear everything though as he laid in his bed and reviewed what he had learned. With the soft sweeping of Lucy¡¯s broom, Michael fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
Status
NameMichaelAge2
Level1Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health230Mana270
Stamina250
Strength17 + 10Dexterity13
Vitality13 + 10Intelligence23
Wisdom28Mana Control5
Critical Chance0.01%Agility19 + 20
Concentration31Willpower13
Charisma15 + 20
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame.[/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 0. (57%). Active and Passive skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 0. (40%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 0. (67%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 0. (23%) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature5
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher
Da Prologue that no one seems to read...Have you met the Kanes?
So, finished up to chapter 7 of the NPC revamp. Now its my decision to either upload on a weekly basis or twice a week. Chapter 1 is pretty weak since its mainly done from the original. The other chapters barely touch the original and I feel they are much better in terms of quality and story. Oh well, comment and post. Also vote so I can get back in the top 50! This has been my blatant advertisement. Chapter 2: The Kane Family THE KANE FAMILY Slow and with a great deal of caution, 4-year-old Michael poured the vial of dark green liquid into a larger vial filled with three drops of his blood. Watching the swirling mixture, Michael noted the change in colour and watched with satisfaction as it turned into a light red colour. Health potions were categorized based on their colour, and Michael just created his first successful ¡®Weak Potion¡¯. He was still far from his mother¡¯s pure white potions though, but Michael was glad of the creation he had made. Clapping from behind him said that his mother was also happy. ¡°Awwww, 4 years old and already you can make potions. My little Michael was so adorable when he poured. Little scrunched up face¡­ hands shaking a bit¡­ ADORABLE.¡± Relatively used to the crushing, Michael smiled at his Mother in return and lightly hugged her back. His Mother turned even redder and even gave a small squeal as she hugged Michael, her expression joyous. Michael barely returned such hugs so she was ecstatic. Struggling a bit, Michael tried to free himself from her grip but only succeeded in tightening it. Gasping for breath, Michael¡¯s movements started to turn sluggish and he lost feeling to his legs. The two collapsed to the ground and Michael started to imagine his own funeral, until he was saved by the timely arrival of his father who had barged through the door. ¡°Michael! Where are you, I need to have a chat with- AH!¡± Spying the two on the ground, Aaron saw his wife hugging their child incredibly hard. He also noted Michael¡¯s waving hand and his look of desperation. Instead of helping though, Aaron gave Michael a wink that made Michael involuntarily shiver. ¡°GROUP HUG!¡± Easily picking the two up, Aaron warmly crushed the two in his arms and Celia released Michael with a laugh. The three hugged each other until they all dissolved into a laughing fit. Wiping tears from his eyes, Michael asked his father. ¡°So why did you need me?¡± Wiping his own eyes, Aaron sat before Michael and looked straight into the standing Michael¡¯s eyes. ¡°Me and your mother were in agreement that when you reached a proper age, I will be able to teach you how to fight. This is all up to you though and it will be hard training. What do you think?¡± Michael stared at his father and the two stayed in that position for a few minutes. Michael was deciding if he should learn and he couldn¡¯t really find a reason to say no. After the ¡®Voice¡¯ told him that he would be a warrior, Michael had several fantasies about what he would be in the future and nothing could really deter him from being a warrior. Most of the stories he had read recently were high epics about legendary heroes and their adventures. Master Ranks and even lower ranking heroes went around the continent performing deeds of strength and wonder and Michael dreamed about going on the same adventures. ¡°Yes! Of course! Teach me everything you know!¡± With a happy expression, Michael leapt into his father¡¯s arms and laughed his agreement with him. With his own ecstatic expression, Aaron gave a quick squeeze to Michael before carrying him out of the Alchemical room and towards the third floor. His mother stayed in the room but there was a tint of jealousy and happiness in her own expression as she cleaned up the room.
The entire third floor was mainly in place for practical uses. Tall and large, the third floor did not have halls or rooms but instead had a giant space with a mat-covered floor. The mat had some enchantments to resist certain amounts of damage so the room was mainly used by Aaron to train or by Celia to experiment with toxic material. On the north side of the room, lines of weapons were hung and displayed. Under each real weapon was a small bundle of its wooden counterparts and some materials to clean them, such as some soft fur and oil. To the south side was a large pile of scarecrows with several stands in front of the pile. The stands were used to place the scarecrow on top and was robust enough to take a lot of damage. Still, there was a small pile to the side that showed only piles of broken wood pieces and leftover straw filling. Those would be sent off to the woodworkers and recycled into more dummies for Aaron.
Victoria, the second maid, was a large robust women who was the caretaker of the house¡¯s items. Her job was to clean and maintain Aaron¡¯s weapons as well as to wash the dishes and clothing. Dressed in a comfortable full body suit that allowed for easy movement, Victoria was also a regular sparring partner for Aaron, even if she wasn¡¯t as good as him. Carrying Michael, Aaron charged into the room and surprised Victoria in her cleaning. She accidentally knocked the oil bottle over and the blade in her hand nearly slipped off the towel. Swearing, Victoria cleaned the oil and watched as Aaron and Michael approached her. ¡°Those are scarecrows behind us. Normally a person would use them to scare off pests that try to eat the crops, but they are sturdy enough to also be used for combat training. Now what weapon would you like to try?¡± Put down before the vast array of weapons, Michael considered each and every one. Michael¡¯s father took on a feverish light in his eyes as he looked at Michael choosing. Michael too was a little excited at finally wielding a weapon. He was also hesitant at choosing a useless one and not liking it later. Scanning the racks, Michael wondered how to go about choosing. Wishing he had more time, Michael concentrated on every weapon he could see. Suddenly the world shifted... Everything seemed to become clearer and Michael started when he noticed the little discrepancies around him. Shocked at the sudden change, Michael tried to look around and found that his head moved far too slowly. Looking at the weapons in front of him, he also took in the details of them. The wooden weapons had minute problems in them which told of a shoddy workmanship. He also noted a metal core within some of the weapons so he knew they were deliberately weighted for training. Working on the other side of the weapons rack, he noticed Victoria, whom was sweating a bit as she oiled and cleaned the blades. As his focus on her increased her eyes flicked to his father every once in a while, gaining a faint blush in her cheeks as she kept at her work. And then the sword beside her was... Staggering, Michael¡¯s concentration cut off abruptly and he reeled from the pain. His head felt like splitting and he was sure he saw a weird picture in his head. It went away after a little while and Michael checked to see if anyone noticed. He saw his father was still staring at the weapons and missed his movements. Victoria, however, noticed and gave him a concerned look; he shook his head at her question. Wondering at what happened, Michael calmed himself down and waited until the pain went away. Then he tried to remember what that last thing he saw was. The last thing he had seen before the¡­ thing stopped, was the sword to the side of Victoria. Curved and cleaned, the blade and its wooden counterpart had seen little use, even to his eye. The grip was new and the blade gleamed with a shine. Seeing as how the curved blade would only be usable as a slashing weapon, Michael also looked at one of the daggers on the side. His choices were not all entirely based off how he imagined he would look when equipped. Facing his father, Michael made his choice. ¡°Can I use that curved blade there? And the dagger?¡± Michael looked up innocently at his father. His eyes wide and teary - he didn¡¯t really need to fake the tears, his head was still killing him - Michael pushed his bottom lip out and pouted. Just like how his mother had done once before. His breathing was rather ragged but his father still didn¡¯t notice anything wrong. In fact, his father was breathing rather heavily as he was looking at the weapons and Michael didn¡¯t know how to react to that. Instead he kept his eyes clear of any suspicious thoughts, even if his body was inching itself towards the weapons. Catching this, Aaron gave a small smile. ¡°Are you sure though? The sword was an experiment by a friend across the city. It does have good strength but it is quite difficult to use. Also the daggers are small and would need close proximity to use properly. Both are quite hard to use...How about the sword and shield? Everyone likes that pair.¡± Giving a look, Aaron tried his hand at trying to turn Michael towards the easier weapons but Michael caught on to that. Still he liked the weapons he selected and didn¡¯t mind the warning either. Better to learn odd weapons than be common. Michael had seen pictures and imagined scenes where the warrior wielded a large shield and held a longsword. Fine and all, but rather¡­ simple in his mind. Instead, he tried to imagine how he would look. A short dagger, sheathed at his side, left hand resting on it, yet ready to be drawn. Long curved sword at his other side, exotic looking and mysterious. And when he wields it, raising that curved blade for a slash... yeah, he really did think he would look cool with them. Waving at his father in a vague manner, Michael gave him a smile and a few points of why both would be fine for him to use. ¡°Yes, yes. I still think I like my choices. The curved sword would be good for slashing and the daggers would be good for piercing or if anyone gets too close.¡± Michael¡¯s father was nodding and thinking about the uses of both as well. In fact, his friend had told him the proper uses for both and Aaron was surprised at Michael¡¯s quick mind. In the end he gave Michael a thumbs up and brought the wooden weapons to Michael. ¡°Here, since no one close has any idea on how to use them, you can go ahead and just find your own style. Use the training dummies over there and find a good fit. Since you are using two weapons make sure to give enough time for both. Show Wooden Dagger to Michael. Show Wooden Unknown to Michael.¡± With gentle instructions, Aaron gave Michael the weapons and said a command to show the items stats. Immediately Michael saw boxes appear in front of the weapons, similar to how his mother showed various Herb statuses to him.
Wooden Dagger
[p=left]Rank F Durability: 83/100 Damage: 2-4 A wooden dagger made by an average woodcutter. There is a metal core in the middle which strengthens the durability of this weapon. Damage stays the same due to the blunted soft wood. Knowledge of the weapon grants a decrease in Durability loss.[/p]
Again more stuff Michael didn¡¯t know, with the exception of a few things. Durability was the status for how long the weapon would last against damage to the actual weapon, and its overuse would result in a fast lowering of the durability stat. Usually a crafter could fix the item easily if needed. The maximum durability loss from time and an uncaring attitude was more troublesome yet the dagger still seemed to have max durability. Michael wondered about the rank though. The plants he saw didn¡¯t have a rank such as that. Hrm...how about the sword¡­
Wooden ???
[p=left]Rank FF Durability: 150/150 Damage: 7-12 A wooden curved blade. It is unknown what the name or type of blade it is but the original was made by an eccentric blacksmith. A wooden version was then made in order to train a style for it. There is a metal core in the center which strengthens durability without increasing damage. Due to the style of the blade it is not as effective to stab with. Piercing techniques do only 10% of normal damage. Durability loss triples. Knowledge of the weapon grants a decrease in Durability loss.[/p]
Hrm, FF rank this time. The weapon was probably stronger so did the ranking tell how good it was? Michael nearly hit his head at his own foolishness. After all, asking people questions would usually get them answered faster. ¡°Father, what does it mean when it says ¡®Rank FF¡¯?¡± Nodding, Aaron smiled at Michael¡¯s question and rubbed Michael¡¯s hair as he thought up a proper explanation. ¡°You know how the herbs your mother gave you had no ranking? That¡¯s because it is a natural object of this world. A raw material so it doesn¡¯t get a ranking. Animals and Humans are the same. Anything that is naturally made will not be given a ranking but anything not, will. ¡°Those training weapons were made by a Blacksmith and a Woodworker. That meant that a raw material was consumed and effort was used to create it so it gains a ranking. Rankings begin at the lowest F rank to the A rank and beyond. I personally haven¡¯t heard or seen a higher ranked item than a BB, so I don¡¯t know. In terms of rankings, FF beats F and E beats FF. If you continue on it will end with A beating BB ranked items. Understand? By the way, this house is a BB rank creation.¡± Michael nodded in response and thought up the possibilities. An A rank item would be a treasure to have but is there an AA rank item? Will Michael be able to get it in the future? Thoughts and dreams formed in Michael¡¯s mind as he wondered what an A item would be like. ¡°These rankings allow a person to see how valuable the weapon is and the quality. Even if you see a very beautiful sword on display, it''s useless if the ranking is only at E ranking. Therefore it''s better to look at the ranking and stats rather than the weapon itself. Now, go to the other side and hit those dummies. You need to get some practice in.¡± Another head rub and then Aaron pushed Michael towards the scarecrows. Aaron followed his son and Victoria kept an eye on Aaron¡¯s backside until she noticed what she was doing and hurriedly got back to work. Michael approached the dummies and hefted the weapons. The dagger wasn¡¯t very heavy in his hands, but if he used it too much he was sure they would start to tire him out. His stabs into the dummy seemed odd to him, but Michael soon got the hang of sliding the edge along the dummy¡¯s skin. A dagger wasn¡¯t only a piercing weapon, and he should be able to slice for now. Michael switched to stabbing into various areas of the dummy and got used to the feel of resistance when he stabbed. Even though the dagger couldn¡¯t stab through, Michael felt that the motions were more useful than anything and he kept at it. Michael then started his training with the unknown sword. Since it was too large a weapon - about as tall as he was - Michael couldn¡¯t fully lift the sword and it dragged behind him. Made of wood with a metal core, the weapon was heavy and durable and Michael had to limit himself with full body swings. At first every hit he did to dummies was reflected and the sword was knocked out of his hands. Making sure to pay attention to where and how he hit, Michael soon got the hang of handling the sword. He changed his grip after a while in order to compensate for lack of strength and that helped in allowing him to properly use the sword. By the time night came, Michael successfully got the Mastery skills for both.
You have gained the skill ¡®Sword Mastery¡¯. Consecutive training and newfound knowledge of your strength and the sword has given you +5 to Strength and Vitality
Sword Mastery. Beginner level 0. (7%) Passive skill
[p=left]The blade is a common yet formidable weapon for a warrior. A tool of death, this skill must be refined and understood before it becomes a part of you. Sword strikes are 5% more effective for every ¡®Sword Mastery¡¯ level. Due to skill still being a Beginner ranked skill, constant use of the sword is needed to keep the skill. If long periods of time pass before you use the sword, proficiency will lower.[/p]
You have gained the skill ¡®Dagger Mastery¡¯. Consecutive training and newfound knowledge of your body and the uses of the Dagger has given you +5 to Dexterity, Agility, and Vitality
Dagger Mastery. Beginner level 0. (5%) Passive skill
[p=left]The dagger is a powerful piercing weapon when used correctly. It can be concealed easily due to its small size yet can deal powerful one-hit strikes. Dagger thrusts are 5% more effective for every ¡®Dagger Mastery¡¯ level. Critical hits with all weapons gain a 1% chance increase per ¡®Dagger Mastery¡¯ level. Due to skill still being a Beginner ranked skill, constant use of the dagger is needed to keep the skill. If long periods of time pass before you use the dagger, proficiency will lower.[/p]
Michael just barely managed to finish before night came and his father approached from where he was watching. Victoria had been gone since a long time ago leaving the two on the floor. ¡°You did good Michael. I suspect you managed to get the Masteries for both? Good. You need to continue training in order to keep your skills in top form and any lagging will waste precious time. Go to sleep for now. Tomorrow we start body training. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll go easy on you. Don¡¯t disappoint though.¡± At Michael¡¯s expression, Aaron waved away his worries and just smiled in response. As Michael went up the stairs to the bedroom floor, he wondered about what they would do the next day. Contrary to Aaron¡¯s words, Michael believed he would be pushed hard and that he would be expected to do everything properly. He didn¡¯t know why he ended up with this thought, but he did not wish to disappoint his father in anything at the moment. Michael went to sleep and dreamt of epic battles. His sore body on the comfortable bed felt heavenly and Michael had no discomfort as he slept.
¡°Hrm, that Aaron, trying to steal my little boy away from me. If I have to give up half the day for him¡­ urgh¡­ I guess I¡¯ll start teaching my actual trade to him.¡± In her own secret room, Celia was sitting on an upraised tree root and gazing into a green crystal ball that was placed on top of a thick bush. Connected to the wooden areas of the house, the orb allowed her to view and listen to anything that happened inside. She could see Michael hitting the dummies diligently and she ached to go and hug him. He was simply so cute as he hit with all his might and she could just see him struggling. Ah~~~ When her husband and son finally left the training floor, Celia stood up and directed some of her Mana around the room. A large oak tree split and pushed out a table that had a stack of dark green books. Celia took the bottom most and opened it to several pages. As she read the manual, Celia wrote down new schedule for Michael that would take place for the next few years. This should one up Aaron. Her smile was wide and happy and her features were still as beautiful as ever. There was however, a slightly mad glint in her eyes.
Shaken awake, Michael blearily opened his eyes to see his father¡¯s hand on his shoulder. With a smile, Michael was gently lifted up and placed on the ground. Slowly but surely, Michael was led to change into a comfortable full bodied suit. By the time he had finished changing and cleaning himself up, Michael was rather awake as he was led back into the Training Floor. Here the top portions of all the walls were bared open and Lucy was continuing her sweeping of the floor. The slight peek of the sun told Michael it was still very early but he guessed this would be his schedule from now on. His body was only slightly sore from yesterday, mainly his arms, so Michael was ready for what was to come. ¡°The first thing in body training is to reinforce your stamina and strength. Running is an excellent way to train Stamina so that is what you will start with first. Run around the room for the next 30 minutes. I¡¯ll increase your speed if I see you slagging off in any way. START!¡± With the barked command Michael started his run. At first he sped up to his maximum speed, until he got his concentration back and he knew he couldn¡¯t keep the speed up forever. Michael slowed his speed appropriately and managed to run at a pace that was a few times faster than walking, but still allowed him to keep his breath normally. For the first 15 minutes he was fine but then he began to feel his legs weaken. His breathing started to quicken and his suit began to dampen with sweat. At 20 minutes he subtly lowered his speed and his father caught it. ¡°NO SLACKING OFF. FASTER! ADDING ANOTHER 2 MINUTES TO YOUR TIME.¡± Damnit. Cursing his own weakness, Michael sped up once more and focused on his breathing. His head cleared up a little with the focusing but he still felt the fatigue building within him. At 25 minutes he felt like falling to the floor but one look at his grim father made him push himself. Didn¡¯t he want to have adventures like the Heroes in his stories? Heroes didn¡¯t fall down when they got tired. No, they pushed themselves to their limits! Michael continued his run with renewed determination. At 30 minutes, Michael was utterly spent. He wondered how long he truly had been running. It felt like hours had passed, not minutes. When would it all be over? Michael threw that thought in his mind a few times and wondered¡­ ¡°2 minutes Michael. Almost done.¡± Aaron¡¯s voice pierced his thoughts and Michael almost stumbled. 2 minutes? He could last 2 minutes, couldn¡¯t he? Michael tried to feel if his legs could take it and he was amazed they lasted this long. Feeling his body about to give up, Michael stopped thinking and focused on only one thing. His breathing. Air going in, air being released. Repeat and repeat. In that cocoon of concentration, Michael ran and ran. Almost in a trance, Michael barely noticed when the two minutes were up or when he was told to stop. Only when his father grabbed a shoulder did Michael finally hear what was being said. ¡°Michael! Michael! You''re done boy. Rest yourself. Come on... Lucy! Grab some breakfast for the two of us.¡± Putting Michael down on the ground, Aaron looked with concern at his son. For the first 15 minutes the boy went through it rather well considering his age and speed. The last 15 seemed to hugely challenge the boy though and Aaron had been waiting for him to collapse. He even tried to have Michael collapse by saying there was only two minutes left. Instead, Michael calmed himself properly and ran without even breaking a sweat. Very strange indeed. Laying on the ground, Michael sucked in air and tried to calm his shaking limbs. His hands felt quite cold and the rest of his body felt hot until he actually touched them. Even with all that though, Michael felt good. The run had been just what his body needed after staying inside for the last few years and Michael wanted to feel more of this. The pain, the exhilaration, the feeling of success. Michael would have laughed in delight if his body obeyed him. In front of his eyes also lay the fruit of his labours.
You have gained +3 Vitality
You have gained +2 Agility
You have gained the stat: Endurance. Stat has been absorbed by Concentration. You have gained +10 to Concentration. Concentration will now have the added bonus of Endurance
You have gained +2 Strength
You have gained +3 Willpower
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. When Lucy brought up a tray of steaming honey porridge and poached eggs with toasted bread, Michael found himself wolfing down everything. His mouth was burning a little bit, but his stomach didn¡¯t care and soon enough his plate was emptied out. With a grin, Aaron passed his bowl of porridge to Michael and contented himself with the eggs and bread. They both still finished at the same time and Lucy cleaned up the plates and brought them all downstairs. Wiping their hands on the damp towels Lucy had provided, Aaron motioned Michael to continue sitting. ¡°Yesterday you chose a good set of close combat weapons. Although good and solid, you still need some ranged weapons just in case. Lets practice with these one at a time. First is the bow.¡± Picking up a short bow, Aaron passed it along to Michael and gave him a blunted arrow. First was to check his proficiency with the weapon. If he had any skill, they could then start lessons on stringing and unstringing the bow, and then on how to care for it. Aaron led Michael to the far north side of the room and motioned Michael to stand in the center. ¡°Aim for the dummies and try to fire at them. Legs apart, left leg forward, back straight, left arm straight, body tilted to the side. Make it so that the body¡¯s side is pointed slightly to the left of the target. Now pull slowly on the bow. Aim and fire.¡± Following all of the instructions, Michael aimed the bow and drew back the arrow. But then he was hit with pangs of worry and doubts. Was his hand supposed to be here? Or higher? Did he aim directly at the target? How far was his feet supposed to be? How much does he pull back? Why was the bow quivering in his hands? Ah what if he accidentally hits a person coming up the stairs? Better move the bow away from the stairs. Ah, what was the last instruction? Oh yea, shoot. Releasing the arrow, both Michael and Aaron saw the arrow fly to the far left of the targets and hit the east window. A loud shattering followed as the arrow sped out the building, and both father and son could hear the distant crash and fuss of something being hit. They both rushed to the newly open window and peered out. In the far street the two could see a man being pinned to his cart by Michael¡¯s arrow. Michael¡¯s strength was just barely enough to draw the bow, and his arm shook from the effort. That shaking added to his problem and was why he released so quickly. It was a blunt arrow but still had the strength to pierce both clothing and wood so the poor man was horribly traumatized at the attempted murder. He was shouting and crying as his legs tried to make him run away. The arrow had hit the clothing right above his collar and would have been quite fatal if it went a few inches to the left. Aaron raised his voice to reach the growing crowd. ¡°Sorry! I¡¯ll send some money as compensation!!¡± Then they both ducked back before the man had a good look at either; though it was doubtless the man even heard Aaron. Both of them refrained from laughing at the mistake.The two of them then headed back to their original spot and Aaron took out a pile of knives that were exactly the same from one another. ¡°*cough cough* Well, I guess you can¡¯t learn the bow anytime soon. I don¡¯t even wanna try a crossbow. Here are some throwing knives. Just try throwing them at the opposite wall.¡± Michael just casually threw the first one and found he didn¡¯t hesitate as much with them as he did with the bow. The first few he threw veered off course, but he kind of got the hang of it soon. Michael brought his hand back and had his elbow by his head. He pointed his elbow to the target and then took aim. Michael brought down the arm and ended with his hand pointing at the target. He released the knife a bit earlier before he fully extended and watched as the knife spun at the target. With a satisfied chunk, it embedded itself into the target. The handle was pointed a little high but Michael was satisfied with his first successful throw. Happy, Michael did this a few dozen more times before the familiar boxes invaded his vision.
You have gained the skill ¡®Weapon Throwing Mastery¡¯. Consecutive training and newfound knowledge of your limits and the uses of various projectiles has given you +5 to Dexterity, Agility, and Concentration.
Weapon Throwing Mastery. Beginner level 0. (5%) Passive skill
[p=left]Anyone can throw things yet to actually target something and accurately pierce it with whatever is at hand requires skill. Targeting is 5% faster per ¡®Weapon Throwing Mastery¡¯ level. Due to skill still being a Beginner ranked skill, constant use of throwing and/or targeting is needed to keep the skill. This includes just tossing everyday items around and focusing on various objects. It is next to impossible to lose this skill¡­[/p]
Michael turned around and smiled up at his father who gave a smirk in response. ¡°Good, since we still have some time to go before the next meal, lets work on building up your strength. Lie down on the ground, place your hands close to your shoulders then push yourself up. Do 20 for now.¡± Going through several strength exercises, Michael worked up a sweat once more and his breathing turned ragged. After the 70th push up in the session, Michael and Aaron heard the distinct ring of the midday meal. Michael stopped immediately and laid on the ground for a short while before the ache in his stomach forced him to get up.
Sitting around the dining room table, Michael was opposite his mother and father and devouring the plate of mixed rice with curry gravy that Lucy and his mother had made. Cooking was a hobby his mother enjoyed quite a bit and her skills were very high. An Expert rank, she created various styles of high quality dishes and served them to her family whenever she could. Lucy had an Advanced ranking in the skill and helped when she could. Both Michael and Aaron thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant meal. ¡°Ma¡¯am, there is a person requesting permission to meet you.¡± ¡°Hmm? Who is it? I have no prior arrangements for visitors today.¡± ¡°A man claiming to be Sir Ulrend of the house of Lumnde. He does look like a member of their side branch and bears the crest of their house. His carriage is also of Illin make.¡± ¡°Yes, alright Valerie, lead him in and have Lucy offer some refreshments. I¡¯ll be with him after the meal.¡± Valerie, the third maid, was a fit woman of moderate height and above average looks. An old comrade of Aaron, Valerie had her Weapon-Master skills in the Advanced ranking and was experienced in creating and dismantling traps. This led to her being quite the expert in implementing various security measures around the house. She also had enough skill to give Aaron a proper sparring match so that was another plus for her. Right now she was clothed in a male dress suit and had her long silver hair tied back in a ponytail. Even features over flawless skin, Valerie¡¯s stern eyes took in everything around her and she was reportedly very good at her job. Her appearance usually surprised most visitors and she had told Michael that the surprise was her main goal. She also revealed a large assortment of weapons on her body, which amazed the young 3-year-old at the time. Equipped with those weapons and several vials of his mother¡¯s best potions, and Valerie was the ideal line of security for the family. With an exasperated wave of her hand, Celia waved away Valerie and went back to her meal. Curious, Michael ate faster in the hopes of being able to accompany her and seeing the man. ¡°Can I join the talk?¡± Opening her mouth to ask why, Celia paused and thought about it a bit. Letting Michael see a true Noble in all their splendour should be a good lesson for him. Plus it would mean that Aaron would also be free to join the discussion. His presence usually prompted some irrational responses that were always fun for her to watch. Also he made Valerie perk up a lot more as well. Celia dwelled on her use of her husband¡¯s attraction and men¡¯s reliance on a need to show off and didn¡¯t notice as her grin took on a sly tone. ¡°Of course you can Michael. Honey, you can join as well. Lets have the whole family greet the valiant Sir... whatever his name was.¡± Aaron had been avoiding any eye contact in his wife¡¯s direction but it was to no avail. He didn¡¯t like to be around Nobles since he couldn¡¯t help but get angry most of the time. He didn''t have a heart big enough to include Nobles and he didn¡¯t know how he felt that Michael would be meeting one.
The cities of Gaia do not have any Rulers. Rather, they had no need for them. Autonomous and well run, the cities had completely erased the shackles of a single leader and instead was run by the 5 guild system for the last thousand years. Nobles were the last remaining dregs of the old Monarchies and interactions between them and the people were very limited and most of the time it ended in blood. Nobles were the main descendants of the old Kings and Rulers of the past. Prideful, arrogant, and extremely closed minded, the Nobles were disliked wherever they were received and it was very rare to see any communication between the social classes. Their wealth being the only reason some Noble houses survive, everyone views them with a very distasteful reaction and attitude. Out of the 200 Human cities left on Gaia, only 10 cities had any semblance of a Noble family left. A dwindling treasury coupled with flagrant use of coin meant the inevitable downfall of those few remaining families, unless they changed. Michael¡¯s family is situated in Bellen, a moderate sized city with no Noble families.
The house lobby was a medium sized area with a warm hearth and comfortable seats. The furnishings looked old fashioned and of low quality, but a sharp eye would be able to see through such mundane aspects and find the true quality. Paintings, tables, vases, sculptures, even the curtains. All of these items were made with a Master ranked skill and were worth thousands of Gold. The lobby was located right beside the entrance and it didn¡¯t take much time to travel from the Kitchen. Michael and Aaron were both still dressed in their training uniforms and both didn¡¯t seem to feel the need to change. Celia was dressed in her Alchemy uniform - that is, she was wearing a full body grey coat with stains, burns, and some scratches over her casual clothing. The motley family walked to the lobby and not even Valerie thought to ask them to change. That is how Nobles are normally treated. With a dirt stained handshake and spit. Opening the door produced a large breath of warm and musky air which told the family that the fireplace had been employed. Situated where it was, Bellen had few winters that produced snow, so a fireplace served more as a decorative piece than a functional one, but it was still a working piece. ¡°Grahahaha, you have a wonderful home Dame Kane. Little cold though, so I hope you don¡¯t mind the fireplace.¡± Seated on one of the couches near the fire was a robust, clean-shaven man. Middle aged and handsome, he was dressed in many layers of clothing and didn¡¯t even sweat as he sat comfortably in the sweltering room. Behind him was a line of five servants headed by an aged strong old man. The male and female servants were scantily clad and all of them showed impeccable bodies, even the hoary man had a great deal of muscle on him. To Aaron, they had the look of hard adventures and would make experienced soldiers shy away. They all wore little, but each of them had different weapons within easy reach. The only useless one was a man with a large unstrung bow at his back with his quiver on his side. It would take time to get that ready and his only other weapon was a small dagger. The other four displayed a variety of swords and daggers and all of the handles had a worn look. The only person with no weapon was the old man but Aaron wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was a Monk. Unlike other types of classes, Aaron was not really sure what a Monk would do since they relied on different combat mechanics. The three sat themselves down on a large sofa opposite the man but much further away from the fire. Aaron and Celia had their own way of dealing with the heat - Magic and Skills - but Michael didn¡¯t have such protection. Placing him between the two of them allowed for their cooler bodies to absorb any excess heat he gave off. Valerie had entered behind them and placed herself beside their seats, on Celia¡¯s side. ¡°How do you do Sir Ulrend, I am Celia Kane and this is my husband, Aaron. My son Michael will also be here if you do not mind.¡± ¡°Ah, of course not. This is a simple matter anyways. I have heard of your prominence in the Alchemical arts and wish to buy your wares.¡± Ulrend raised his hand and waved it beside his head and the bow user stepped forward to bring them a large bag of clinking metal. Valerie intercepted the man and took the coins. An inquiring look from Celia and the head servant answered in his sonorous voice. ¡°My master has collected 3,000 Solide for the purchase. This is just the first bag of 200 to show trust. The rest is being kept in a temporary dwelling.¡± The currency of Gaia was divided into three different kinds of Coinage. The smallest denomination was the Radiate, a copper coin. 20 Radiates made an Argentia, a silver coin and the most common among the simple races and people. The last was the gold Solide which was worth a staggering 50 Argentias. With low gold reserves, the silver Argentia was the most widely used. This currency set was common among most of the races, to some extent; only the barter systems of the wild races made the currency unusable. This currency was monitored and kept strong through the duties of the ¡®Merchant Society¡¯ guild. ¡°What potions do you require? 3,000 Solide is not a small sum.¡± ¡°I would like to buy as many of your top potions as I could.¡± ¡°The most efficient would be 600 of my Test VII potions. Recovers 5,000 Health, 3,000 Mana, and boosts recovery rates by 50% for Stamina and Mana for 1 day. They also increase several stats. I will even add in a pouch of Remedies, as a bonus.¡± It may seem an expensive trade, but potions were on the rare side of the item market. A good Alchemist was hard to come by and only a few rose to any prominence. Clerics from Ket or the other Churches were favorably received in any party, but emergency situations always called for a good potion or two. Valerie produced her own pouch, filled with clinking vials, and gave that to the head servant as Celia spoke. ¡°This is 20 of the vials, so that you can see the quality. I will start producing the rest of your order today. How long will you be staying in Bellen?¡± ¡°Hrm? Oh, about a month. I have some other business that I need to finish. Hopefully that will be enough time to complete the potions?¡± ¡°It is. I already have a stock of 400, I will just need to make a few more batches. I will send along the Remedies after you leave. If you can give Valerie your address at the moment.¡± Sending one of his servants to give Valerie the information, Ulrend spent the next few moments making some small conversation. Michael started to get bored when he didn¡¯t hear anything substantial about what was exchanged. Mainly some talk about family ties and the like. One piece of news did catch his attention though. ¡°Have you heard anything about the Church?¡± ¡°Church? You mean the Information Church? No I haven¡¯t, why?¡± ¡°I paid them a visit through every city I passed before stopping here. Every place seemed to be quite busy and there were even a few Mages in some cities. Makes me wonder what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t pay it much mind. Probably the Church wanted to record some more recent ideas about the Magus wars. Some Mage lines have different interpretations. You know how the Church is; more information never hurts anyone, just a lack of it.¡± Nodding, Ulrend moved the conversation onto talks about Bellen, but Michael was still contemplating the talk about Mages. The ¡®Voice¡¯ had told him it had given him some talent of Magic, so Michael had been looking up anything he could find about the subject. He only ended up with some theoretical nonsense and histories. Well, not histories. More like folklore. After another half hour of talking, Ulrend excused himself from the family and left the house. Michael had a rather ok opinion of the man; Aaron was even surprised at how amicable this Noble was. He didn¡¯t dwell on it long though. Aaron picked up Michael with an arm and then waved his wife and head of security goodbye. They still had the a good portion of the day to go through training.
The leveling system of Gaia was used by every citizen of the world. From Farmers to Tailors, Soldiers to Nobles. Every person leveled up for a reason, but none of them made Leveling a reason. For example, Farmers were people who decided to work the land in order to obtain a bountiful harvest for their family or city. Looked upon with a certain respect, a Farmer is a powerful person with high stats in Strength and Vitality. Their work is grueling and grants an abundance of stats, yet sometimes they feel the need to increase those stats. Strength makes work easier to do, and Vitality increases the amount of energy they would be able to use. They may even wish to increase Agility to allow for faster movements, or Intelligence and Wisdom, to keep the business afloat. When Farmers feel the need to increase these stats, they go hunting. Some farms are lucky enough to get hit with waves of Turnips or other monsters, but some would need to cooperate with others and go after monsters. Once a month, an expedition group is formed. Led by a ¡®Sons of Battle¡¯ guild officer, the group is led through Dungeons or Forest hunts battling the monsters within. Under the officer they would fight with a high degree of cooperation and teamwork; the result of being citizens of the same beloved City. Even the officer would have been from the same city and thus feel a sense of friendship with the other members. Fighting in the dungeons allowed individuals to strengthen ties with others as well as to increase stat points. It was a common scene to see families hunt in dungeons to increase familiarity with one another. Tailors would level in order to increase their Strength, Dexterity and Vitality. Soldiers would level for Strength, Agility, Vitality, and in order to reach the required level to be promoted. A level 200 soldier has the potential to be promoted, whereas a level 100 wouldn¡¯t. There are still high level soldiers in an army, but they are mainly grouped together to form Elite Battalions. Because of this level system, most of the citizens in every city has some degree of fighting skills. Although Adventurers fight strong monsters when they travel, none of them specifically seek such troubles. Monster hunting is mainly done for the resources they give or for leveling a few times to gain those few precious stats. A high level person was respected, but if their skill rank was low then they would be looked upon with derision. A person¡¯s skills were everything, level wasn¡¯t.
¡°Is it in the forest?¡± ¡°Yes sir. Our scout managed to get close enough to see the distinct detail.¡± ¡°Good, would we be able to get it ourselves?¡± ¡°... No. There are several hundred of them in the forest. We wouldn¡¯t even be able to run if we tried.¡± ¡°Haa~. Alright, guess we will need to go back after we get the items. The Head will have to be told about this personally and I won¡¯t risk a messenger.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡±
Status
NameMichaelAge4
Level1Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health310Mana410
Stamina360
Strength26 + 10Dexterity21
Vitality21 + 10Intelligence31
Wisdom35Mana Control5
Critical Chance0.05%Agility30 + 20
Concentration48Willpower15
Charisma15 + 20
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame.[/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 0. (78%). Active and Passive skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 1. (9%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 2. (7%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 1. (55%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 0. (7%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 0. (5%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 0. (5%) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature5
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking Father.
The first chapter which you really should have read...School Days! Not. My story is vanilla and I''m scared to write something like School Days...
Welp, chapter 2 is up. Decided on twice a week until whatever chapter. So maybe 1 chapter more, then you gotta wait for the final PR touches. Haven''t even started chapter 8 yet... Please vote or review. Everything is appreciated (still want to get back into the top 50...). Chapter 3: School SCHOOL ¡°What. Do. You. Mean. School?¡± Panting every breath, Michael continued hitting different parts of the scarecrow with his wooden curved blade in his right hand, whilst having his left hand swing his wooden dagger to perform set patterns in the air. He backed up and moved forward with every blow and didn¡¯t miss a beat. This was done in order to practise his hand-eye coordination with each hand separately, as well as to give lessons on footwork. He¡¯d been taught that if he couldn¡¯t use both hand simultaneously for different actions, then he should stick to a two handed weapon instead. Also that a warrior must never stand on one spot for very long unless he had a shield. Square, Triangle, Circle, Pentagon, Circle, Square, Triangle. Out of the corner of Michael¡¯s eye he saw his Father lift up different cards with a specific shape on it. Michael needed to use his left hand to make these shapes and his concentration was being stretched. Now he was being told¡­ ¡°School. You¡¯re gonna be 5 next month, which means School. The Church of Information gave a passionate speech some centuries ago, about how children should receive a formal education in order to become adequate members of society. Basically they will teach you how the world runs. Nothing too bad.¡± Switching to a pentagon, Aaron gave Michael a sincere smile to match the words. Michael didn¡¯t fall for it as he swung his sword down and did the pattern at the same time. School would mean more work for him. Already he was swamped with exercises from training, studying and practical use of skills for Alchemy, and his mother had told him the day before that he would start learning her real skills. Where would he find the time to learn Magic? ¡°When. Does. It. Start? When. I. Turn. Five?¡± ¡°Nope, tomorrow.¡± ¡°Grah!¡± Missing the target, Michael¡¯s stance broke as his hit went wide. Tripping over his own feet, Michael¡¯s body fell on top of the dummy and he just leaned on it for a while. If felt rather comfortable, half-standing and half-leaning on the thing. A sharp tap on his head brought him back to reality and his body creaked as he got back up. ¡°Hrm, I guess we can finish for the day. Its almost dark and your mother wants to speak with you. Go grab something light before going to her.¡± Nodding, Michael scrambled down the stairs. The newfound energy in Michael made Aaron smile as he picked up the equipment. Grabbing a plate, Michael made a sandwich with the leftover meat from the midday meal and grabbed a glass of juice. Wolfing it down only took a few minutes, and after he downed the drink he was soon heading back upstairs to meet his mother. Seeing her door slightly open, he didn¡¯t bother knocking as he entered the room. A gust of cool air whirled around him and Michael stood gaping at his mother¡¯s work. She was manipulating ice in her gloved hand and creating a small funnel with a longer tube than normal. With that in one hand, she picked up a metal pot and poured a steaming hot liquid through the funnel. To Michael¡¯s surprise the funnel kept its frozen shape and the red liquid changed to a blue-purple tone after it passes through the funnel and into a glass container. She didn¡¯t seem surprised Michael was there when she spoke. ¡°Please wait a minute dear. I just need to place this somewhere safe.¡± Keeping her distance, Celia picked up the container with wooden clamps, which she carefully placed in a special closet that was reserved for special objects. The padding in the closet was thick and tight around the container. Michael had been told that nothing short of a 500 strength blow could damage the insides. Turning, she removed her gloves and other protective clothing before giving her son a large grin. ¡°So, are you ready to learn?¡± A short nod and grin from Michael and she wiped her grin. Blank as stone, her expression was one of business, not fun and games. ¡°Good, first is to step into my office. Let me by, let me by¡­¡± Being led back into the hall, Michael tried to imagine her office. He had been in every room in the house except the basement - his father¡¯s office - but he had never seen a room that could be called his mother¡¯s office. In the hallway they stayed outside the alchemy room door. Well, Celia didn¡¯t move further down either direction of the hall and Michael had to follow her anyways, so they stayed there. Walking to the other side of the alchemy room door, Celia raised a hand and touched the wall. She gripped something in her hands and then turned it. To Michael¡¯s shock a door materialized out of the wall and opened; his Mother¡¯s hand had gripped a previously invisible door knob. ¡°I¡¯ll add you to the list of people who can actually see and touch this door. Any other person would see nothing and even if they slip their hand all over the wall, they wouldn¡¯t find the door knob. Now come in and seat yourself...wherever.¡± Entering, Michael gaped at the size of the room. Stretching further than any room he had seen before, Michael looked up and couldn¡¯t even see the ceiling through the dense forestry inside the room. The two of them walked a considerable distance into the room and Michael was sure they walked half the length of the training floor. The entire room seemed to house different varieties of trees and plants. A small flower garden could be seen near the entrance, and the trees were altogether different from the ones that were supposed to be grown in the area. Orange and Apple trees were grouped in one area, pine trees and banana trees in another. Michael was even sure he saw a coconut tree somewhere to the side. Pineapple bushes, berry bushes of every assortment, and there were even some plants he hadn¡¯t even read about. Reaching a small clearing, Michael was amazed to find that the trees had formed themselves into living furniture. Two tree trunks had twisted to become makeshift shelves for various other potted plants, and there was a large table that grew between two intertwining trees. There was a chair formed from a tree¡¯s root, and Michael was amazed to see another two chairs being formed right in front of his eyes. Only now did Michael notice that the area had sunlight, even though it was evening. ¡°This is my ¡®Green Magic¡¯. I send Mana into plants to help them grow and keep them alive outside of their natural habitats. ¡°This is hereditary magic, do you know what that means? It means only you and I could use it; in this family at least. Your Father cannot. Nor can other people. This is the best gift I could give you. What do you think? Better than your Father?¡± Urgh. These types of questions never end well. Michael decided to appear a little distracted by the rather extraordinary table instead of answering. It was an impressive piece though. Smooth and solid, the tree would not have been shaved smooth like a regular piece. Instead it must have been grown to such a fine state. Would that mean he would be able to do the same if he learned that magic? Thinking about the applications for the magic, Michael kept staring at the table until his Mother whacked him on the forehead. She had started to grow sullen at the lack of attention and was almost about to destroy the table in jealousy. ¡°Pay attention Michael! Haa, guess we should start the practical usage first. It¡¯s too late for you to start studying. Get off the chair and sit cross legged on the ground and place your hands on your knees¡­perfect.¡± Putting himself in the proper stance, Michael waited for his mother to continue. Indeed, he already felt a little tired since it was dark already. He was glad they wouldn¡¯t start studying, and instead went straight to using Magic. After spending two years before being able to make a weak potion, Michael really did not wish for the same sort of schedule. ¡°Comfortable? Alright. First thing is to control your breathing. Focus on each breath, and make sure each breath is even in length. Listen to my voice and clear all other thoughts but your breathing.¡± Following her orders, Michael cleared his head rather quickly. Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat. Soon Michael felt aware of his surroundings, but he didn¡¯t dwell on the feeling. Only kept breathing. ¡°Good, now the difficult part. You must focus on your surroundings while keeping your mind calm. Don¡¯t open your eyes. Use your calm mind to try and see your surroundings.¡± This really was difficult. His mother¡¯s instructions were vague at best and Michael didn¡¯t even understand what he was looking for. Still, it was Magic. Michael continued his breathing and kept that focus separate from his task of searching the surroundings. Michael kept at it and tried to figure out what he was- With a gasp, Michael found it. He could see a form where his Mother should have been. Not a human form, but some kind of ball of Green light, covered by a layer of other colours. Broadening his focus, he could see an abundant Green and Blue and Brown colours surrounding him. Only then did he realise that the colours represented the objects around him. His mother had very high Green Magic, but she had a tiny bit of the others as well. Then Michael tried to look within himself. At the first layer of his self was a chaotic scrambling between four colours. Red fought to stay alive from Blue. Blue got absorbed and dispersed by Brown. Brown stayed stoic against battering attacks from a Clear colour. And then that Clear colour fueled Red and kept it alive. A maelstrom of attacks and defending, recovering and rebuffing. Michael was cut off from the chaos when he got shaken hard. Then his mind fully cleared when a full handed slap hit the side of his cheek. He would have reeled off his seat if a hand wasn¡¯t already holding him ready. ¡°Ow, ow ow ow, grrrr! Why?¡± Glaring at the perpetrator - his mother - Michael screamed the question out loud. He had been caught unawares so the slap hurt quite a bit. Michael scrubbed tears from his eyes as he kept clutching his cheek. What angered him more, was how happy his mother still was. ¡°Aw, Michael¡¯s so cute when he tears up. Why did I slap you? Cause you weren¡¯t listening to me and looked like you were sleeping.¡± Her smile at the end was scary and Michael scrambled with his explanation. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t asleep! I followed your instructions and did it! I could see you with my eyes closed. You were Green and rainbowish, and the furniture was also Green. And then I looked inside myself and saw...saw...I can¡¯t explain...¡± Celia kept her stern expression but she was ecstatic on the inside. It had only been 15 minutes but Michael had already been able to see Mana. He had also easily delved into himself. Celia couldn¡¯t help but feel both proud and a little scared at his potential. Still, Michael¡¯s sad look was... ¡°Alright alright. Ohh you¡¯re so cute when you pout. I¡¯ll just give some more information into Green Magic. The only ones who could use this are hereditary members, like I said before. These members are grouped under the name ¡®Green-Singers¡¯. We don¡¯t actually sing to plants, its just a name we¡¯re known for. ¡°Nature Magic was the domain of the Elves and Fey in the past. Humans were denied access to the Lady of the Land¡¯s magic and the Human worshippers wanted more. So they, and a few specific members of other races, went and begged the Elves and Fey for their help in strengthening their connection with the Goddess. ¡°Initially put off, the Elves and Fey came to an agreement with the other worshippers. If they promised never to spread the Magic around too much, then the worshippers will gain access to the magic. This meant that families were usually limited to one child¡­¡± Her eyes misting for a bit, Celia quickly rubbed her eyes and continued her explanation. ¡°A blood oath was required and soon enough, a ceremony was underway. ¡°Using the essence of Feys and the blood of Elves, the worshippers were granted access to Nature magic. Not to any strong degree like the Elves and Fey, but just enough use Green Magic. ¡°Well I was only going to take the day to teach you to see Mana. Since you managed to get it early, I guess I¡¯ll let you sleep early today. You do have school tomorrow so...¡± Nodding, Michael got up from his seat and hugged his Mother good night. She returned it and watched as he went through the foliage, in the direction of the far entrance. Turning, she went to her desk and opened her schedule up. Michael¡¯s lessons would have to be accelerated a little. Smiling, Celia spend the next few hours fixing up her plans.
¡°Good Morning class. I am Bishop Francis and welcome to the start of the new school year. Now, has anyone not already learned from the Language Comprehension Skill Book? Yes? Ah, please come up and line up to learn it then.¡± Weary, Michael stayed in his seat along with three other children. He had stayed awake for most of the night, nervous about interacting with kids his own age. He had remembered the playmates he had when he was very young, and was thoroughly unimpressed by them; but his was different. This time the kids were bigger, smarter, and could keep their attention for much longer. Michael had been woken early for the regular morning exercises with his father and was quite refreshed afterwards. A quick meal later and then Michael was taken to the Church of Information by Lucy. The Church was an hour travel from the house, and the two went quite unnoticed. Michael was dressed in clean but quite normal clothing and Lucy was also dressed in an outdoor dress instead of her usual maid attire. The Church of Information was the largest building in the city. Actually it wasn¡¯t one building but several built close to one another; each of them serving a different function for the Church or the City. There was the main Church building where official ceremonies were held; the school where Michael was headed; the Library which was filled to the brim with the Church¡¯s knowledge; and the Hospital, where a few clerics from every other Church in the city gathered to heal anyone for a miniscule price. There was also an ¡®All Cure¡¯ section that dealt with healing criminals that were brought in. The Church School was a large building built to house the many youths of the entire city. Comprised of five levels, every level took in a different year group. Ages 4-5 took the low floor rooms while ages 9-10 took the top floor. A child stays in school until they reach the age of 10 and goes through their Changing Day ceremony. Michael was placed in the 4-5 age group and was only a regular kid among others his own age. He was further placed in one of the five classes, the furthest from the entrance, and his teacher was a middle-aged Bishop by the name of Francis. ¡°Alright, please sit down and listen. First subject we shall study today is the limits of our bodies. If everyone can open their status screens please. Just say ¡®Show Status¡¯.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°SHOW STATUS¡±¡±¡±¡±
Status
NameMichaelAge4
Level1Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health310Mana410
Stamina360
Strength33 + 10Dexterity24
Vitality24 + 10Intelligence34
Wisdom37Mana Control5
Critical Chance0.05%Agility35 + 20
Concentration55Willpower17
Charisma15 + 20
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame.[/p]
¡°Now, today¡¯s class is mainly to check out the individual stats. If everyone can say ¡®Check Strength¡¯, we shall start off with the easiest. Strength is a stat that values how strong a person is. It has no real effect on a person¡¯s physique and instead it shows the inherent power the person has. It is quite easy to see a Skeleton lift as much as an Orc as long as it has the stats. Hohohoho¡­¡± Smiling at the thought, the Bishop turned around and wrote ¡®Strength¡¯ on the blackboard behind him. His flowing writing was easy to read and he did it smoothly, if not quickly. He wrote the explanation for Strength under it. Surprisingly, he continued to write more after strength; he wrote until he had 6 other stats along with their explanations on the board*. Finished, he turned back to the class. ¡°These are the 7 basic stats a person has. When you accomplish specific tasks or Learn from specific skill books, you will gain more stats. Some stats can be increased using Free Stat Points, while others must be increased by different means. ¡°What is Free Stat Points? FSP is something granted to us as we Age or Level. Since you are young, you are not granted the ability to use these points yet. Only when you reach an appropriate age, and go through the Changing Ceremony, would you be allowed to use them. ¡°Now, for the next few days, we will examine each stat and discuss ways we may increase them. It takes hard work to do so, but it¡¯s always better to find the best way to train. Along with that, we will find ways to use each of these stats. That means we will talk about which classes or jobs would benefit from which stats. ¡°First thing to do though is for us to introduce one another. These will be your classmates for the next 5 years so its best to get this over with. I¡¯ll start, and then this young lady will be next. ¡°My name is Bishop Francis. My Class is a Cleric and I have reached Expert in the arts of Healing. I like reading and writing about the lives of historically powerful people. I hope to one day write about one of you. Now you dear. You can just say your name and what you like.¡± The Bishop directed a kindly smile at the girl to the far right of the first row. She jumped out of her seat and in a stiff backed pose, she was close to yelling her introduction. ¡°I-I am Marcy! I-I like to draw and play with my sisters. And I like dolls, and clothes, and...and¡­¡± The rest of the class went mostly the same. What caught Michael¡¯s bored attention was a pair of rather large boys in the middle of the introductions. ¡°My name is Grantaloon, but just call me Grant. I like battles and wars and weapons. I wish to become a grand Knight when I choose my Class.¡± ¡°My name is Kenneth, but you can call me Ken. I wish to be a Knight, then become a general! I already have a bunch of weapons to practice with.¡± Both of them were bigger than anyone else in the class. Michael was also of average stature and was quite small compared to the two. Both of them lacked the broad shoulders and physique of anyone in tip-top shape and their faces were heavy with features. Michael still doubted he could take them on, so he decided not to mess with them. Scary bunch. Soon enough, Michael¡¯s turn came up and he stood. Situated at the far corner of the room, Michael was the last to introduce himself and the other kids didn¡¯t even bother to pay attention anymore. Michael straightened his back and pushed out his chest. He squared his features and breathed in deep. These were the instructions his father had generously given him before he left the house and Michael could feel how effective it was at calming him. He opened his mouth and spoke in a moderate sounding voice. ¡°My name is Michael Kane. I like my parents and morning training. I wish to be an Adventurer. I do not have a Class chosen yet.¡± Sitting down, Michael finally noticed that the entire class had stopped what they were doing to pay attention what what he said. Embarrassed, Michael straightened in his seat and stared at the teacher. Bishop Francis gave a start soon enough and called attention back to himself. Michael quietly sighed as the looks went off him and back to their teacher. Only Grant and Ken seemed to still be staring at him and Michael was cursing whatever made everyone pay attention to him.
After a class of lectures, Michael stood up and stretched. Everyone else was talking to a friend or two and Michael revelled in the pleasure that stretching gave him. Sitting for hours on end was fine and all, but Michael was used to moving around as he studied. Shaking his head ruefully, Michael tucked his chair back under the desk and walked to the entrance of the room. The Bishop had already left and the room was clearing fast. Soon enough he was the last one in the room and glad for the silence. The parents and supervisors would be waiting at the entrance to pick up their kids. There were 5 rooms between the entrance and Michael¡¯s class. It made for an oddly shaped building, but Michael didn¡¯t mind the walk. His house was still bigger than the school so he was used to the distance. The rooms were numbered from 1 to 5 and there was a floor washroom between room 2 and 3. Since the classes were scheduled at different times each week, Michael did not meet any other students but himself. After passing room 3, Michael asked himself whether he needed to relieve himself or not. Deciding no, Michael walked leisurely passed the restroom when- A sharp pain on his head was the last thing he could feel before staggering to the ground. He was grabbed roughly from behind and, not being able to do anything, was dragged off into the washroom. Michael didn¡¯t even bother trying to cry out. He had been happy walking down the hallway since there wasn¡¯t anyone around him. How he missed a person creeping up behind him was a mystery. Hearing a door slam shut, Michael was pretty sure the assailant had locked in the restroom doors. Michael was thrown to the rough ground and only then could he see his attacker. Attackers. Two familiar large boys were looming over him. They sneered to each other. ¡°This the Kane boy? Don¡¯t seem all that important. Why do you suppose our parents told us not to touch ¡®em?¡± ¡°Dunno. They seemed to think the world of the Kanes. All I see is a skinny baby. Did you see the glare he was giving us earlier?¡± ¡°Yea, we should do something about that! Nothing worse than a kid thinking he could glare at Knight-to-bes like us. Hey, he may even grow up to be a bandit too. We should stop this type of thinking early!¡± ¡°Haha, you have the rope right? I¡¯ll hold him down.¡± Struggling to get out of the room, Michael was kicked in the back by Grant. His weight and a little Strength made the kick very heavy, and Michael took quite a bit of damage. The foot stayed on him to keep him down but there really wasn¡¯t a need for that. Pain had blossomed in his chest and face and he barely felt it when his hands got tied. Soon his feet were also tied and then they tied the rope a few times around his body before putting a leash around his neck and connecting it to the sink tap. ¡°Haha, maybe he¡¯ll be lucky and someone will be able to find him before tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ha, I doubt it. No one comes here at night.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Hey wait up for me. I gotta take a piss.¡± ¡°No need to go anywhere. Just do it on the baby. We can purify him this way!¡± ¡°¡°HAHAHA¡±¡± Leaving Michael in the depths of the washroom, Grant and Ken exited the room with barely a care. Michael was on the ground seething from the attack though. I was glaring at them!? And they decided that was a good enough reason to attack me? Knights-to-be my arse. They¡¯re far more likely to be bandits. Wet and tired, Michael focused on breathing through his mouth. Anger grew in Michael¡¯s heart as he struggled in the bonds. A normal kid would probably have cried or prayed for help. Maybe even wet their pants after being bullied in such a way, or after trying the bonds and testing the strength. Not Michael. He would have roared if he thought it would do any good. Instead, he struggled in the bonds with a fury and his movements became more and more deranged. Damnit, damnit, damnit. DAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT. WHO THE HELL DO THOSE KIDS THINK THEY¡¯RE MESSING WITH! A few boxes popped up in front of Michael but he ignored them. Instead his rage grew in intensity as he struggled. Lying on his back, Michael tensed his muscles and strained at the ropes. This time he did yell. His body quivered with rage and he pulled at the ropes constantly. Soon the beautiful sound of snapping could be heard and Michael redoubled his actions. Like a whip, the ropes snapped off Michael and his hands were finally freed. Michael clumsily untied the ropes at his legs and feet and then unleashed himself. It was night outside and raining, but he was still too angry to think about it. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Exiting the school, he was met by Lucy. She carried a hand woven umbrella to block out the rain and she opened to cover Michael. She was about to ask what had happened but a sharp look from Michael cut her off. She had never seen him angry. His eyes seemed to hold embers though and she decided to ignore the rope burn that she could see on his wrists and neck. Michael declined the umbrella and walked in the rain. Only then did Lucy smell the stink on him and she frowned at what must have happened. Michael saw her reaction and his anger redoubled. Only when they were a few blocks from the house did Lucy finally think what her masters would think¡­ ¡°Lucy. Don¡¯t come in with me yet. I¡¯ll sneak in...for obvious reasons. If my parents ask for me, just tell them I¡¯m tired and sleeping early today. Tell my Father I¡¯ll be training with him tomorrow. Mother too.¡± ¡°Yes young master.¡± Michael¡¯s cold voice brook no argument and Lucy was both relieved and saddened. Michael was probably gonna handle everything himself and she didn¡¯t think that was truly a good idea. She didn¡¯t think relying on parents all the time was a good idea either, but she did wish he would ask for her help at least. She sighed as she watched Michael walk through the rain, not even surprised when he soon disappeared from sight.
The boxes that Michael had ignored before.
Rage fills you. Pity that it is at so early an age... You have unlocked the skill ¡®Rage Release¡¯. You have unlocked the stat ¡®Stored Rage¡¯. Dispose of that anger through useful means...
Rage Release. Beginner level 0 (80%)
[p=left]Your rage from the past returns in a burst of power. Release your bottled up feelings and allow it to wash over you. Dye the battlefield in the colour of Rage. Using the skill normally will permanently consume the ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ stat. Every 10 seconds of use will take up 1 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ stat. Normal use of the skill will boost all stats by 10%. Increasing the usage and stat increase will consume more of the ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ and increase the effects of the skill. Overuse will cause you to go Berserk. Berserk: ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ will not decrease but you will not be able to differentiate between friend or foe. Strength increases as damage taken increases. Health is recovered at triple rate. Cannot be debuffed in this state. Cannot be healed in this state.[/p]
Gained +5 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯
Gained +10 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯
You have used ¡®Rage Release¡¯. Increased usage to 40%. You have lost 8 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯.
Gained +3 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯.
Gained +15 ¡®Stored Rage¡¯.
Aaron pounded the table with his fist, making a large dent that would mean hours of work to fix. Seeing Michael being manhandled by walking pigs made him want to attack and make bacon for breakfast tomorrow. It¡¯s good that his sanity was still intact and he knew attacking children before eating them would be looked down upon. Maybe after¡­ The real reason Aaron didn¡¯t go on a violent spree was the look in Michael¡¯s eyes. Even through the crystal ball, Aaron could see the fire burning there. Aaron had to admit that Michael had grown up in a soft environment. Some conflict like this would definitely help in that regard. Still¡­ Aaron had to really struggle to keep from going to comfort his hurt son. He was glad that Lucy was following Michael¡¯s orders. It wouldn¡¯t be good to have conflicting masters, but Michael would do good to have an ally by his side. Aaron seethed at the antics of the bullies but he had already made up his mind not to do anything himself. Before Aaron stopped his watch over his son, he decided not to tell his wife about what had happened. Instead, he would ask the Church to transfer those two piglets to a different class. Michael needs an uninterrupted growing time. It wouldn¡¯t do to have him being tied up every day. ¡°Valerie, get me the information on these two and their families. Also have a contact from the Church on hold.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Aaron had spoken out loud in the empty room and got his reply quickly. It was time for Aaron Kane to take a hand in his son¡¯s education.
The Church of Information schools are not social institutions. Rarely is there any event that requires the entire student body to participate in. Instead, the school focuses on achieving its goal of giving information to the students. Whether the student listens or not isn¡¯t the problem of the teachers. Complaints from parents to the Church usually go ignored unless the teacher does something very different from their task. This does not mean that the teachers are apathetic. Teachers are generally chosen based on their disposition towards children. Having a bad tempered teacher who dislikes children does not make for a proper place of study. Since genial teachers promote good work and studies, they are usually the ones that watch over the students. This, of course, means that students would need to quickly grow up mentally as they participate in school. Pranks and jokes, laziness and a slovenly attitude. These traits would be frowned upon in the school. It is said that once a child goes through their school phase, they stick with the personality they¡¯ve developed for the rest of their lives.
The next morning, Michael told his Father to increase his training. Surprised that he didn¡¯t need to answer any curious questions, Michael was put through a grueling regimen that left him near lifeless at the end. He happily watched as his stats increased slightly and redoubled his efforts every time. After he was finished and had a small meal, Michael was dressed and ready to start another day at school. He had school 3 days in a row and it lasted from the mid morning to almost evening. Michael was ready to confront those bullies properly this time. If nothing else, he would at least damage them this time. To his surprise though, the two were nowhere to be seen and instead were replaced with 2 new students. ¡°Please take a seat class. I shall be introducing these two new students. Grant and Ken have both decided to take the different classes due to a better schedule. That means they like going to school at a different time than now.¡± At this, Bishop Francis made a quick glance at Michael, but luckily no one else noticed. They were either too absorbed in staring at the new students or just generally daydreaming. Michael himself was too absorbed in thinking about yesterday. Did Lucy tell his parents and they had the two moved? No, based off his parent¡¯s personalities they would have been all over him this morning, or even last night. A coincidence then? Michael doubted the two even cared about him. Still, faced with the sudden realization that they would not bother him anymore, Michael let out a relieved sigh. After the sigh however, he clenched his hands and turned red. What was he doing? He was glad that the two were gone? Was that a measurement of how weak he was? No, Michael decided then and there that he would get strong enough to handle problems himself. Just cause of a little piss and getting tied up, Michael got scared. Never again. Hearing the teacher finish the introductions seeing that he was about to start the lecture, Michael perked up in his seat and made sure to pay attention. Even in school Michael could learn something that should make him stronger. Even something useful would be good. ¡°Today we were supposed to go over information of how to increase our stats. This has been changed to something more practical. If everyone can open your life options with the command ¡®Show Options.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Show Options.¡±¡±¡±¡±
Options (NPC Edition)
LifeSightShowHide
¡°Now look at the screen and you should see ¡®Options (NPC Edition)¡¯ at the top. NPC refers to us, and our order has decided that it should mean ¡®Normal Pieces of the Continent.¡¯ The Goddess Janira has also approved of this name while also hinting at how there will be ¡®Abnormal Pieces of the Continent¡¯ that will appear. Hopefully this will be far into the future. ¡°Now, under the heading, you should see four words. Life, Sight, Show, and Hide. Ignoring Life for now, we are going to be examining Sight, Show, and Hide. These are the more practical options and will be useful for everyone. ¡°First will be Sight. Opening Sight will show various options that are currently off. Health, Mana, and Stamina will be the only things available to you young ones. When you turn these on, you will be able to see a red, blue, or yellow bar at the top of your vision. At the bottom of the options is a ¡®Position¡¯ option and that allows you to change the location of these bars. Now, these bars represent the approximate amount of Health, Mana, and Stamina you currently have. As you deplete these three, you will notice that the bars will also start to empty. Red represents Health, Blue for Mana, and Yellow for Stamina. ¡°Pay attention to these options if you wish to choose an active class. Combat classes and Magic users will need to pay attention to these options the most. Being able to see how much Health they have, or how much Mana will be left over; I hope I don¡¯t have to say why this is important¡­ Ah, I forgot you are only children. Alright, the reasons you need to pay attention to these is because¡­¡± Michael immediately opened the ¡®Sight¡¯ part of options. ¡°Open Sight¡±
Options (NPC Edition)
LifeSightShowHide
-Sight--
HealthOFF
ManaOFF
StaminaOFF
Stored RageOFF
UnknownOFF
PositionTOP
TransparencyFULL
¡°Change Health: On, Change Mana: On, Change Stamina: On.¡± Although Michael was wondering what ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ was, he ignored it and put on Health, Mana, and Stamina. Immediately 3 small bars were stacked at the top of his vision. Happy, Michael wondered if he could change the position of it. He also questioned what the ¡®Transparency¡¯ option was for. Ignoring the teacher¡¯s continued lecture of why Health and Mana and Stamina would benefit classes, Michael started his own self-study of Options. ¡°Show Transparency.¡±
Transparency allows for the user to change how distinguishable the status bars are. At full status, the bars are not see through and block a small portion of vision. At the minimum level, which is 30%, the bars are moderately see through and the user can still see the view behind it. Experiment to test how much transparency is needed.
Interesting. Michael wondered what this really meant and decided to try it out. He didn¡¯t understand percentages, but he knew the definitions of maximum and minimum. He also didn¡¯t like how the bars were at the top of his vision. ¡°Change Position: Top Left Corner. Change Transparency: Minimum.¡±
Options (NPC Edition)
LifeSightShowHide
-Sight--
HealthON
ManaON
StaminaON
Stored RageOFF
UnknownOFF
PositionTOP LEFT CORNER
Transparency30%
Amazed, Michael smiled at the changes. His bars were placed in the top left corner of his vision now, and it was also very light. He could now see through it and he felt that he wouldn¡¯t get blocked by it anymore. Michael noticed that the teacher was about to finish his talk and so he tuned himself back into the discussion. ¡°...and that is why it is important for those classes. Next will be the ¡®Show¡¯ option. The Show option is mainly used by Knights and displays the public information. Knights are classes that revolve around their Honor and Justice stat. These two stats can be checked by officials in cities, or by other Knights. The ¡®Show¡¯ option allows a person to change if a person allows for these stats to be shown. It isn¡¯t very important but it is useful for those classes. ¡°Lastly is the ¡®Hide¡¯ option. This is an option to change what part of your status will be shown to others. Used mainly by the Nobility and some Rogues, the option can be changed to hide or show your class, level, age, status, and others. For the rest of the day, I want you all to open your ¡®Hide¡¯ option and experiment with different statuses. To see your status as others do, just say ¡®Show Self¡¯.¡± Experimenting with it himself, Michael ignored the gradual increase in noise that the class started to generate. Seated in the back of the class, Michael was too far away to receive personal help from the teacher, so his decision to work on it himself seemed to be a good proactive attitude for the young child. ¡°Open Hide.¡±
Options (NPC Edition)
LifeSightShowHide
---Hide
AgeONRaceON
ClassONGuildON
FameONInfamyON
HealthONManaON
StaminaOFFStored RageOFF
StatusONStatsOFF
Command: ¡®Show All to -¡¯MINIMUM
¡°Change Class: OFF. Change Guild: OFF. Change Health: OFF. Change Mana: OFF. Show Self.¡±
Michael¡¯s Status
Age4RaceHuman
Fame0Infamy-
Status
[p=left]Normal[/p]
Rather used to the options now, Michael continued his experiments for the rest of the class. Seeing as how he didn¡¯t have any stats that the ¡®Show¡¯ option could cover, Michael messed around with ¡®Sight¡¯ and ¡®Hide¡¯. Curiosity soon got a hold of Michael, and he opened up ¡®Life¡¯. Not understanding most of it, Michael did see that he could change the way he obtained ¡®Notification Boxes¡¯. Happily, Michael made the notification boxes hide themselves in the bottom right corner of his sight. He would be able to call it up when needed, and now he wouldn¡¯t have his vision blocked by these surprise ¡®notifications¡¯. Michael ended up not changing anything else, although he did gain a greater understanding of the options he didn¡¯t touch. ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ in the Sight options, for example, allowed the person to see a box to the right of the three bars. This box would be the same height as the three bars stacked, and would display a number. He canceled that since he didn¡¯t understand what was the use of it. Michael soon realised he had gained a new stat and skill, but he didn¡¯t put much thought into either. The ¡®Rage Release¡¯ skill seemed more dangerous than anything and he didn¡¯t wish to experiment with it at all. ¡®Stored Rage¡¯ was only used for the ¡®Rage Release¡¯ skill and was basically useless to keep an eye on. By the time the teacher got to Michael¡¯s table, Michael was already finished his use of Options and was itching to go home. Michael hoped to request a night training session every other day in order to get stronger faster. Aaron would be happy enough to do so¡­ probably.
Night fell when a group of riders entered the city of Bellen. Clothed in dark robes and hooded, the riders were the epitome of suspicious as they rode through the city. Their postures were bent and hunched as if to ward off some imaginary cold winds. They spoke in hushed tones and soft gestures yet their confidence was easy to see. Four in all, the leader was a large man and seemed a mountain under his so-called disguise. His deep voice rumbled within the cloak, yet the only thing that anyone, not within a few metres, could hear was unintelligible. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I can handle a few wolves. My pack is the largest in the continent. What measly guardians can take out my army?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being overconfident, Sir. Those wolves have protected it for centuries. Maybe a thousand years. There must be some other defense besides the wolves.¡± The smallest man was arguing with the leader, but he did it with confidence. A tone that meant he was either a leader himself, or a close companion. His high, nasal voice needed to be whispered, so as not to attract too much attention. The last two men kept to the back and didn¡¯t speak to each other. They kept their eyes on the city, watchful for any attack. ¡°And if your brothers fail? Do you suggest we run back to the Head and leave this alone? You must accept that there needs to be a contingency plan. My Mages will stay back until needed and if they are needed, they will be there. Will that be alright, Sir?¡± ¡°... fine. You don¡¯t need to worry though. We have scout reports that says the largest pack in the forest is maybe 200. Would probably be too easy for us. Maybe we¡¯ll let your Mages hunt down the stragglers! Hehehehehe.¡±
*This is the chalkboard pic that Bishop Francis had written.
Status
NameMichaelAge4
Level1Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health340Mana410
Stamina375Stored Rage25
Strength33 + 10Dexterity24
Vitality24 + 10Intelligence34
Wisdom31Mana Control5
Critical Chance0.05%Agility35 + 20
Concentration55Willpower17
Charisma15 + 20
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame.[/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 1. (4%). Active and Passive skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 1. (94%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 2. (82%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 2. (17%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 1. (6%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 0. (95%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 1. (13%) Active skill
Rage ReleaseBeginner level 0. (80) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature7
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother.
Ah~ That wacky family...Big Bad Wolves time...
So, chapter 3 is finally out. New content! Meh Chapters 4 and 5 are on their last leg of PRing. Saturday should be the soonest I would upload. Both of them are quite good IMO. Remember to Vote or Review. Close to Top 50 (I''m greedy enough to aim for the top 20 even) Chapter 4: Wolves WOLVES Reading from one of the books his mother gave him, 6-year-old Michael couldn¡¯t help but ask a question upon reading a specific passage. He really was quite curious about it. ¡°Mom, it says here that Green-Singers can connect with plants. What sort of connection does it mean?¡± Putting down her own book, Celia bit her lower lip as she pondered the question. She soon nodded to herself and took out her notepad. Flipping to a specific page, she half read off the sheet and half looked as if she was in a trance. ¡°It¡¯s a two-way connection. A trade, if you want to think of it that way. I connect with the plants and supply it with a continuous stream of Mana to keep it alive under different conditions. In return I get access to some pretty unique abilities. For example¡­¡± Raising her right arm, Celia rolled up the sleeve to present her bare skin to Michael. Gaping, Michael watched as numerous long spikes started growing out of the skin. No blood was visible so it wasn¡¯t a puncture, and the spikes were much too long to ordinarily be kept under the skin anyways. ¡°One of my connections right now is with a Cactus. A special plant that can grow in the harsh deserts around Illan. The abilities it allows me to harness is greater water retention and the ability to protect myself by growing spines. Nice right? There are many plants in the world, meaning the combinations are endless.¡± ¡°Then are there plants that are legendary?¡± Still a child, Michael started to get daydreams about connections with really rare and powerful plants. Maybe some will give him wings? Allow him to create armour out of thin air? Maybe some will even make him turn into a giant! ¡°There are some legendary plants. But they have either died off or haven¡¯t been found. They¡¯re usually guarded by something strong and getting it has a risk of losing your life. You have no idea how many people go into the forest to get that Silven Pl-¡± Looking sharply at Michael, Celia tried to see if he caught her mutters. Michael however, appeared absorbed in whatever daydream he was in now and she sighed in relief. She didn¡¯t want Michael get ideas about searching for those legendary plants. Especially with them being guarded by...
Of course, Michael heard what she had said, and had no real desire to ignore it. Instead her words had lit a fire under him. A legendary plant was in the nearby forest; if he found it, he would be able to connect with it. Just the thoughts about what it could do, what it will do, made him unable to sleep for the night. Instead, he lay there and planned a way to get into that forest.
¡°Dad, can I go and hunt outside the walls for a few days?¡± Spitting out his daily cup of iced lemon tea, Aaron choked and coughed a few times as he processed what Michael said. ¡°W-why would you want to do that? Isn¡¯t regular training fine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine. But I want to see how I would do against the rabbits or foxes. I¡¯m 6 years old and the only enemies I¡¯ve fought are the dummies.¡± Michael ignored the rising images of Grant and Ken and fought to still his shaking hands. Aaron caught the shaking though and he noticed a brief flash of pain. Softening his stance, Aaron decided that the boy could do with some live fights. ¡°...fine. As long as you take Valerie with you for protection. There are more bandits roaming around these days. And I¡¯ve been hearing rumours about a large band of wolves around here. You have to be careful and follow what she says, ok?¡± It only took a second of thinking before Michael nodded in acceptance. He forgot about the larger dangers out in the world and Valerie would be a good guard. Plus, he didn¡¯t really know her all that well. She may be trusted to protect everyone in the family, but Michael had maybe seen her twice in the last year. ¡°I¡¯ll go and pack then!¡± Dashing away, Michael sported a happy grin that grew larger as he went back into his daydreams about the plant. Aaron¡¯s grin slipped after his son left and a frown slowly replaced it. ¡°Valerie, you have to protect my son. That band of wolves is more like an army, even I wouldn¡¯t last against that. If you come across the group of them, run. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Nodding at the invisible voice, Aaron stood up from his chair and headed up to the third floor. He would to give the real and fitted weapons to Michael. Sending him off with training or oversized weapons would be suicidal.
To the east of Bellen, beyond the forest and near the flat rolling plains, an army loped out of the mountains before stopping halfway through the plains. Numbering in the thousands, the wolves were a sea of dark fur and each of them was large, experienced, and not hesitant in killing. With the confidence that came from numbers, the wolves wouldn¡¯t run even when a mage confronted them with fire and lightning. Instead they would rush and destroy their enemies; a rolling tidal wave, washing away all opposition. At the forefront of the army was the brother commander wolves. Brown and grey, the two were both larger than any wolf in the army, including the Dire Wolf elite forces. Although they are ¡®Leader¡¯ to the pack, to each other they are Fang and Blood. What are the Leaders thinking? We are too far from home, with mountains separating the territories. There is no point in a battle here. Fool, do you want to tell them that yourself? I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if they give you to the dire wolves for fun. Just shut up and follow orders. Those type of thoughts were commonplace in the army. Thousands of miles from their regular lands, the pack had no real idea why they had run this far. Prey had been abundant for the most part, but the mountains earlier had been stark and they had become hungry and angry. Only the presence of the large dire wolves kept them at bay. That, and also the 20 odd Mages that were on their backs. One Mage wasn¡¯t anything to fear when in an army, not even 4 Mages were scary anymore. 23 Mages though¡­ 23 Mages could decimate most of the army. To risk that would mean to gamble with your life, your friend¡¯s life, and your family¡¯s life. Still, the complaints weren¡¯t only formed by the lesser wolves. Brother Fang, why are we here? I have barely seen any territory that matched our lake, and only a few packs dared to oppose us on the way here. We have spent many sun cycles travelling, and the pack is growing weary. You know why we are here Brother Blood. Brother Gerald begged us to come here. He saved your life and this is the first time he has ever made such a request. What honor would we have if we spurned our brother away? Besides, this will be an easy task. Brother says the enemy is much smaller than us. We will be finished here and heading back before you know it. If it was so easy, why did Brother Gerald send those¡­ those¡­ things along with us. At the uneasy tone of the grey wolf, the two turned slightly to stare at the Mages. Riding with an awkward grace, the dark clothed men and women were speaking in hushed tones to one another. Even to wolf eyes, they couldn¡¯t make out the features under those hoods and that disconcerted not only them, but the dire wolves and the rest of the pack. Grrrrr, I do not know why. They are maybe a backup plan. Either way, if they join then the battle will be over even quicker. You do not need to- A BACKUP PLAN? Does our Brother think so little of us? You know that is not true! Why do you speak like such about your saviour. Brother, you always seem to take his side. Leave the attack to me then, I¡¯ll finish this quickly, without resorting to those beings. Fine. Keep your temper in check, Brother Gerald approaches.
The first monster Michael faced in the forests was a Rabbit. Tiny, fluffy, and more than a little cute, it was standing there, staring at him. Obviously not used to human confrontation, it only glanced at Michael before searching the ground for anything interesting. Michael readied his small throwing knives and changed his stance. Crouching on the spot, Michael kept the rabbit in his eyes and, slowly, he cocked back his arm and threw it when the rabbit¡¯s head went down to the ground for another look. The sound of struck flesh made Michael pale a little bit, but he had prepared himself for this. Somewhat. Walking towards his first kill, Michael was amazed at the amount of blood that soaked the ground. For such a little creature, he wondered where all the blood had come from. Michael reached out a hand to the still warm body and poked it to make sure it was dead. He then reached out to take back his knife slowly, flinching when some of the blood weakly squirted onto his hands and face. With a grimace, Michael cleaned and then sheathed the knife. He took out a bag and deposited the corpse inside. It would take several days before disappearing, and putting it inside a bag made the raw material his. Only after it was all done did Michael finally sag to his knees. He found that he had stopped breathing and carefully took large breaths. The stink of the corpse also entered him then and this time he felt the bile rise in his stomach. Breathing using only his mouth this time, Michael rested for a few minutes before rising to continue his journey, steeling himself for any future confrontations. Although he had travelled for most of the day, Michael had only made a few kilometres worth of travel. To make matters more disappointing, Valerie had stated she would protect him within the shadows and disappeared from sight. So much for them bonding. Michael reached out, tugged another branch out of his way, and continued his exploring. When night came, Michael made a checklist of what had happened. Only a few animals had entered his sight, rabbits and deers for the most part. He had dispatched them much more easily than the first rabbit but still had trouble handling the smell and the feel of the warm blood. He left the deer since it was too heavy, regretting the waste of killing it for no reason. Michael took out his supplies and made a tent large enough for him and Valerie. It was one of the odd trainings he had received and he made it sufficient for one night. Valerie appeared for the meal he made from the rabbits he hunted earlier. He had no cooking experience, but he did have pre-made soup mixes and instructions on how to make a broth. They both ate the meal with a loaf of crisp bread and Michael got ready to turn in afterwards. ¡°You can use the whole tent. I¡¯ll keep watch during the night.¡± ¡°Can you wake me up for my watch?¡± ¡°...fine.¡± Happy at the thought of a serious adventure, Michael went into his tent to sleep. Valerie jumped up into the trees and kept her vigil. Her only company was the dying flames and the sounds of the forests.
The moon is at it¡¯s peak. Do we start now? It¡¯s not really a surprise attack anymore, I saw movements in the trees earlier. They will be ready. Nonsense. You worry over nothing Brother Gerald. I¡¯ll handle this quickly. Just give me the word Brother Fang. ...go ahead. ¡°AROOOOOO¡± The deep howl of Blood signaled a group of 500 wolves to swarm into the forests. The large man, Gerald, was between the two brothers and seemed content to stay there and watch the battle. The smaller man from before was with the Mages. His own bodyguard, another magic user, were the last two members of the Mage group.. Their Platoon was on loan by Gerald¡¯s employer, and were there as a backup. On their positions near the back of the army, the pack leaders and the Magic group heard the first sounds of battle. Only it didn¡¯t seem to go as expected. Instead of a furious snarling from two different groups, it seemed more like a slaughtering of one side. Even Gerald frowned when he heard that. There scouts were accurate; 200 enemy wolves. Even if they were outnumbered, it was impossible for their side to accrue no losses. Yet it sounded like that was happening now. Gerald waved his bodyguard and apprentice forward. ¡°Boy, what do you see in the forests?¡± Shaking his head, the younger man didn¡¯t even bother to try. ¡°Ya overestimate me abilities Master. I cannot see through this night gloom and the trees there would have blocked me sight anyways. I can¡¯t hope to- Wait. There. One of the wolves is running back.¡± The boy wasn¡¯t as experienced as Gerald in being a Beast Whisperer, but he had his own unique abilities. One was senses even better than wolves making him the ideal bodyguard. The wolf was finally seeable and was rushing out of the woods. Bounding with long strides it cleared the trees and was running back towards the army when the shadows moved. Pitch black beasts erupted from the ground around it and bit into several areas of the wolf. With a loud whine, the wolf was dragged back into the forest. A rustle went through the army at the sight. What manner of beasts were they facing? How many of them died? How many did they even kill? Did they travel all this way for a suicidal battle? Three distinct howls cut through the sounds of the army, and they all looked to their pack leaders. The two deep sounds of the lead wolves was accompanied smoothly by the melodic tone of Gerald and the army regained its discipline. The army then accompanied their leaders and their howls cut the night air and served to tell the enemy that they would not back down. The army¡¯s morale rose and they lost their fear of their enemy. When everything died down though, the leaders looked at each other with worry. Finally, Gerald called out to the Mages. ¡°Marcus, come- ¡­ Please come here.¡± Changing his tone of voice to something more polite, Gerald called over the leader of the Mages and his employer¡¯s representative. Marcus¡¯ skinny body and rich robes didn¡¯t do much to turn people¡¯s eyes away from his disgusting features. This time though, those ugly features were filled more with fear than with confidence and he didn¡¯t even try to look Gerald in the eye. ¡°W-what do you want? We still hired you by contract so don¡¯t even think about trying to get out of this.¡± ¡°Shut up and listen. Will your Mages help or are they just there to make you look shorter?¡± ¡°Wh-you-How dare yo- Hmph. They will help if needed. We may have employed you but we do not wish for you to fail.¡± With the successful goading of his height, Marcus lost his initial fright and rushed back to his mages. With a smile, Gerald turned back to the wolves and continued his communications. What do we do now? Even if we move the pack into the forest, none of us can guarantee we would win. Grrr, Brother Gerald has a point. Brother Blood, we will not sacrifice the pack this way. Let us wait and see if they will come out. FINE! Such cowardly ways... This is better than fighting an unknown fight. At least this way, we will have the moon to light up our enemies. I said FINE! Brother Fang, hurry up and tell the pack. They are getting restless. Moving forward, the brown wolf went down to his second in commands and relayed the orders. Gerald and his adopted brother stood awkwardly, both facing opposite directions and purposefully not meeting each other¡¯s eye. Gerald spoke into the silence, his voice tight with sadness. What do you find that is so repulsive about me? I saved your life, yet it seems more like I killed your love or something. Don¡¯t you dare say anything more. I put up with you far too often. If only my brother could see how useless you really are. Only one member in your pack and you think you are our equal. The grey wolf snarled at the intruder and sat where he was. His mind started to wander after time passed and he started to think of the past.
In the forests of western Gaia, two pups were playing with each other. Brothers in blood, and partners in thought, the two were never separated from one another for very long. Their mother was keeping a close eye on them and making sure they didn¡¯t wander off. She was kicked out of her pack for her previous actions and was hoping to raise her sons without problems. A rustling of a nearby bush alerted the she-wolf, and she quickly moved towards her cubs. Sensing their mother approach, the cubs turned to greet her, only to see her fall to the side, three large arrows embedded in her side. Her last movement before succumbing to her wounds was to tell them to run. Both brothers took off in different directions, fear being the one thing that finally overrode their bond with each other. Running in fear, the two pups ended up lost in the forests. One pup manages to exit the forest and is miraculously saved by a wolf pack. The other wandered closer to the center of the forest. He entered the domain of the cannibalistic forest wolves and is forced to join their pack. Initially hoping to fatten him up for a future meal, the pack was surprised to see that the young wolf was more vicious and larger than their own young. Eating a disappointing pup instead, the pack adopts the new pup for his promising future. The pup survives off a hope of meeting his brother in the future. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Taking the name of Blood, the young wolf grows up in an environment of fighting and killing. Years pass and his dream of meeting his brother becomes an obsession as he viciously fights his way to the top of his pack. With him as the head, the pack becomes less cannibalistic but more deadly. They fight surrounding territories and the pack swells. Their territory becomes the entire forest and they become well known as a deadly force. The other pup takes up the name Fang and adapts to the kind pack easily. He was close to forgetting his brother and instead rises through the pack as a trusted wolf. Succeeding the old leader, Fang leads his pack to absorb surrounding packs through force of will. His territory being the plains and hills, Fang leads a large and strong pack. He soon hears of the deadly forest Pack and leads his pack to battle. There is no need for two large packs so close together. Hearing that invaders are coming, Blood gathered his own army and met the enemy at the border. When the two packs met, they competed with one another in howling and snarling. Surprisingly equal in power, the two forces split to reveal their leaders. Both larger than average, the two wolves moved to confront one another. Upon meeting one another though, they find that the other¡¯s scent is one from a long ago memory. Blood remembers it as his brother, soon raised to a deified status in his mind, while Fang remembers it as the only real family he had. The two brothers step forward and surprises their own pack as they greet one another with joy. Blood, because of his obsession with his brother, calls off the battle and suggests to merge the two packs into a colossal one. Fang expresses his happiness at finding his only kin and agrees. Thus, the two become co-leaders of the most powerful force in the area. Absorbing surrounding territories at a frightening pace, the pack is dealt a blow during one battle. Blood is singled out as a target and has to run to avoid being killed. Soon surrounded, Blood is ready to kill some of his enemies before dying. He is saved, however, by the most unlikely of beings. A human boy timely shows up and throws rocks as a distraction for the wolves, his hits interrupting their attacks and allowing Blood to stay alive, long enough for his brother to come to his rescue. Saving Blood, Fang repays the boy by creating a blood bond with him. Brothers now, the three are always together. Blood however, is horrified at having another brother. He has only ever needed Fang, and does not like the idea of sharing with this¡­ human. He does know, however, that Fang likes the Human so he leaves the boy alone. Time goes by and the pack grows. Soon the boy becomes a man and begs his brothers to accept a Human deal. Hunt down a far off pack and retrieve what they guard, and humans will never intrude on their territory again. Fang is joyful at the news, and agrees as he does not understand why Blood would say no. Blood however, is not happy. His entire life was one of struggle and humans were just one part. Losing the joy of hunting the ones who killed their mother¡­ The pack is gathered and the journey starts. The inclusion of Mages further infuriates Blood and soon he finds that Fang listens to¡­ Gerald more. His anger reaches a boiling point and only killing would help. Now that they are so close¡­
Howls warned the army and shook Blood from his reminiscence. Fang had long rejoined his brothers and all three of them watched as their enemies loped out of the woods. The wolves they saw were pitch black, with red or white eyes and quiet steps. The wind carried no scent and the wolves were unnaturally silent as they spilled out of the forests. They were all much bigger than any of the regular wolves in the pack, close to approaching the size of the dire wolves. Fear crept back into the pack and the wolves start their whispers once more. This time though, their fear disappeared with the movements of the dire wolves. Bigger, stronger, more deadly than the other wolves, the Dire Wolf force moved to the forefront of the pack, ready to lead them all in the battle. With a single howl from Blood, half of their forces descended on their foes. Joyful to see their enemies stand their ground instead of hiding in the forests, the pack rushes at the enemy they had been seeking for a long time. The dire wolves were the first to reach the enemy and they pounce, ready to draw first blood in the large battle. Shock ran through all of them as their enemies move swiftly and with coordination to dispatch them. One enemy targets the neck, two more hit the limbs, the last tackles the dire wolf. Not even dealing one death, the dire wolves are completely destroyed after their reckless charge. To cause further confusion, the enemy transforms into humanoid forms and attacks with black swords, spears, and bows. With claws and fangs, weapons and shouts, the enemy rips through the pack with ease and the leaders become frightened. This is a disaster! What kind of monsters are these? Brother Gerald! WHAT HAVE YOU LED US TO? Distraught at the scene, Fang screamed and snarled at his brother. The pain in his eyes asked why this is happening and Gerald quickly turned to the Mages. ¡°Hurry! MAGES DO SOMETHING!¡± The Mages closed their eyes and raised their hands. Moving their arms for almost a minute, the battlefield quickly changed as the enemy is assaulted with sudden waves of lightning. Paralyzed, the enemy is swarmed by the pack and taken down by many wounds that the wolves cause. The enemy finally suffers their first casualties in the battle. With the help of the Mages, the enemy forces dwindle quickly. Joy surges through them all as they see only a few dozen of the enemy are left and the last thousand members of the pack rushes forward with eager eyes. A human scream pierces the growls and snarls of the battle. The three leaders quickly turn around to a scene that nearly caused them to lose all hope. One gigantic white wolf was tearing through the Mages with ease. Balls of fire, tendrils of lightning, bullets of earth. All hit but the monster shrugged off the damage and continued its carnage. Before Marcus could even use his potions, he got ripped in two. After the bloodbath, the monster turned his head to regard the leaders and the battle. With a loud growl, the monster walked forward to them. when it reached the middle it turned into a fully human shape. Short and thin, the man before them was handsome, but seemed to exude a deadly presence. ¡°Fools. Coming into our domain. Hunting what we have guarded for the last thousand years. You may have killed most of my pack, but I will protect it to my last breathe.¡± Stating its resolve, the man turned back into a wolf and pounced. ¡°Boy! You¡¯re going to help us. Now stay on your toes and distract it!¡± Communicating with both his apprentice and his brothers, Gerald used his fists and legs to attack and distract the monster long enough for his brothers to sink their fangs in it. His attacks were completely ignored though and Gerald swore at the lack of weapons he had. He and his apprentice began to concentrate on distracting the enemy but mostly failed as they were too weak. Fang and Blood had a difficult time themselves. The white wolf was much bigger than either of them and very fast. If it wasn¡¯t for the distractions of the other two, then the wolves would have been taken out very early. As it was, they wouldn¡¯t be able to last to the end. Watching the enemy¡¯s body close, Fang saw the monster ready an all out attack. WATCH OUT With that shout, the brothers all backed away from the monster. Gerald¡¯s apprentice though, didn¡¯t understand the command and was still close. ¡°No! Get out of-¡± A loud roar from the white wolf and it blurred on the spot. Shifting between two forms, the monster grabbed the boy and ripped him to pieces. Gerald stared at the head of his apprentice as it was eaten and almost charged the monster. Fang held him back though with a tackle. Blood snickered at the antics. He was a fool. Like yourself. We need to deal with him properly, not rush to our deaths. Quiet yourself Brother Blood. Follow my plan. Gerald, you will continue the distraction and we will continue our attacks. I know they are useless, calm down. When I say so, Gerald, you will grab him and hold him for a short period. We will kill him then. Both nodding at Fang¡¯s plan, the brothers separated and charged the waiting enemy. The fight resumed and Gerald continued his useless blows. With the loss of a distracter, the wolves had even more trouble holding off the enemy¡¯s blows. After an attack that went wide, Gerald finally heard the signal. DO IT NOW With a heave, Gerald jumped on the wolf and gripped its head. He screamed as the claws of the enemy gouged his sides and arms, but he held on. His brothers did not miss the chance and they both attacked. Fang aimed for the back legs, to disable his movements, while Blood went for the throat. They both successfully hit and were then knocked out by a powerful blow from the monster. Fang¡¯s left arm was completely shattered and Blood was bleeding from his jaw and ears. They watched as the monster toppled forward and Gerald slid to the ground. W-we did it. Ha¡­ Getting up slowly, Gerald gave both of his brothers a wide grin and even Blood couldn¡¯t help but show his happiness. Fang and Blood staggered forward to hug their brother when a loud roar cut through their early celebration. Gerald turned and found himself looking at the open maw of the white wolf. With a loud crunch, his head was smashed and ripped free. Fang and Blood could only watch as his body fell and the white wolf gives a small chuckle at their expression before it collapses to the side and dies. The brothers stand where they are, unable to comprehend what had happened. Gerald... Brother Gerald? Skeptical of what had happened, Fang slowly walked forward to his brother¡¯s body and prodded it with his nose. Get up. You saved us once again. We need to repay you back. We need to have our chance at saving you. Please brother. Please get up. Unable to see his brother in this state, Blood sat on his haunches and gave a low keening howl. It pierced through the night and across the blood soaked plains. None of the enemy was left alive, but none of the pack either. A total decimation of both forces. Blood¡¯s howl would be the only guidance for the souls of the battle.
When the morning light was about to rise, Blood decided it was time to leave and he walked close to his brother. We need to go. Come. We are the only ones left, we must head back and recover. It''s not safe to be out in the open. NO! Brother Gerald saved us and we have done NOTHING in return. We will complete his task and then head back. This item¡­ This item will be destroyed before I even try to go. Seeing the anger in his brother¡¯s posture, Blood nodded in acceptance and helps his brother in walking. They both headed into the forest and none of the enemy appeared to stop them.
After an hour passed since the last howling, Valerie relaxed her stance and cleaned the poison from her knives before sheathing them. She jumped from her tree to the next one with a quiet movement and dismantled a few traps she had placed there. Even if the enemy was still out there, it wouldn¡¯t do to keep these level of traps in place, especially in such a life filled forest like this. Not for the last time did she wish she was in a cold and damp dungeon, or even just a closed off area. Her traps were not meant for the large areas in a forest. After dismantling all the extra traps she placed, Valerie settled back into her branch and restarted her quiet, but effective breathing. She kept her Stealth on, but turned off her Sonar. She didn¡¯t think she would need to rely on two senses to keep watch. The battle from earlier had kept her on high alert. She could make out the sounds of howling and fighting. As she used Sonar, she could see bits and pieces of a massive battle. When Aaron said to watch out for wolves she thought it would only be a hundred, yet the battle was done by the thousands and she was worried. She planted several large traps in case of an attack, but since the battle was on the opposite side of the forest, on the plains, she doubted it would reach so far. Still... Looking around constantly, she glanced at the camp, Michael¡¯s tent, and the forests around her. She knew it would be useless, but she prayed a bit to her Mistress¡¯ goddess and hoped that whatever battle had happened during this night would avoid their camp.
Status
NameMichaelAge6
Level3Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health530Mana550
Stamina540Stored Rage28
Strength41 + 10Dexterity34
Vitality37 + 10Intelligence45
Wisdom39Mana Control9
Critical Chance0.06%Agility40 + 20
Concentration61Willpower18
Charisma15 + 20
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame.[/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 1. (21%). Active and Passive skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 2. (74%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 4. (66%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 3. (91%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 2. (43%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 1. (89%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 2. (55%) Active skill
Rage ReleaseBeginner level 0. (80) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature9
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother.
You want to go back to school!?!?Ladadida Liera <3
Whew. This is my evil early chapter. Is this Saturday? No it isn''t. Blame ShaRose for that :P Vote and Review! Top 50 is just... so... close... I had 3 Editors and 4 PRs going through these chapters. In the end, having posts about more mistakes makes me lazy. I fix when I can, but don''t hope for much. So, what do you guys think about the chapter? Thoughts are always appreciated... Still haven''t finished Chapter 8, but meh. I have time (not). Chapter 5: Bonds BONDS Waking from his slumber, Michael turned away from his drool covered blankets to peer out of the tent. Michael wondered where he was, then remembered and continued to stare at the morning light that poke through the walls. He was in a forest, looking for a legendary plant. They had stopped for the night, eaten some broth, then went to sleep. Then¡­ then he promised something¡­ Bolting out his bedroll and onto his feet, Michael ran out of the tent and pointed an accusatory finger at the ever watchful figure of Valerie, still high up in the tree. ¡°Valerie! You didn¡¯t wake me up for my watch! Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Bouncing on the spot, Michael kept his glare on the person responsible for his entire family¡¯s home security. Valerie jumped off her perch in the tall tree and landed on the ground before him. Her long wavy hair was still clean and she looked radiant in her tight combat clothing, but of course, Michael didn¡¯t notice such things. She kept her features smoothed as she spoke to her charge. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I asked you to wake me so that I could go on night watch as well.¡± Tone growing sullen, Michael sagged a bit in depression. His first adventure and he wanted to experience it all, even the boring night watch. Not even Valerie could keep her stoney expression in front of Michael¡¯s cuteness. She almost laughed too! However, that soon vanished as Valerie fixed her expression back to a neutral mood and made sure her tone was even. ¡°I made a mistake at the time and didn¡¯t think it wise to wake you for a quarter night watch. Since I went through most of the night anyways, I thought I might as well go through it all. I¡¯m still sorry though. Will you accept my apology?¡± Faced with an adult admitting her faults and apologizing, Michael was hit with the reality of how childish he had been. Head spinning from the situation, Michael stammered his response, peeved and angry at his own behaviour. ¡°I-I accept your apology. A-and I¡¯m sorry for my own behaviour. Thank you for keeping watch over me during the night Valerie.¡± Michael gave a low bow after his spiel and rose to peer at her reaction. For the first time ever, he saw her very pretty smile that was a response to his own apology and couldn¡¯t help but smile back. The two both felt they had gotten a little closer and decided it was best to end the apologies there. After a short meal of last night¡¯s leftovers, Valerie stood up and told Michael her plans. ¡°I¡¯ll continue my guarding from the shadows then. Michael, if you need me, please just call.¡± Nodding in response, Michael watched Valerie as she walked into the forest and disappeared. Michael sighed and started packing up the camp. He took down the tent and carefully folded it so that it would fit inside his pack for later. The leftovers were taken to the side to be disposed of, animals being the best cleaners of waste. The pot was taken to the side and cleaned before being put away last, and then the fire needs to be doused and buried. At least¡­ Michael was sure he was supposed to bury it? He was pretty sure... Doing that anyways, Michael frowned as he took in the high sun and worried over the waste of time. Traversing the forest was much easier today than it was before. There was a lack of dead trees and roots, and Michael found himself walking between trees without anything to hinder him. He also noted that the trees were thickening and becoming taller, the air growing cooler as the sun became blocked more often. This didn¡¯t mean that it grew darker though; the forest took on a more surreal outlook as everything seemed to become clearer for Michael. Every breath he took seemed to energize him and Michael couldn¡¯t help but walk with a sense of amazement. Michael continued his trek and wondered where he was moving towards. Despite not knowing where he was supposed to go, Michael felt a slight pull towards¡­ somewhere. When he tried to change directions, he found himself trying to argue against it and continued to get pulled in. If Michael was any more aware of himself, he may have questioned this. Instead, Michael was led closer and closer to the center of the forest¡­
A shadow dashed from treetop to treetop, circling an area a few times before moving outward. Valerie didn¡¯t expect any real danger at the moment, but she couldn¡¯t get the howls out of her head. She didn¡¯t know what the battle was for, but she still doubted it had anything to do with her and Michael. Still¡­ Going back to Michael, Valerie frowned down at his movements and expression. He seemed to be moving towards a specific destination, but Valerie hadn¡¯t seen him take out a map or anything of the like. His weird smile also seemed very out of place and Valerie was worried for him. He didn¡¯t appear ill though, so she circled him once before moving outward again. If Michael continued in one direction, then she should scout it first. Doubling the distance she usually went, Valerie made note of several small animals like rabbits, squirrels, and foxes. Seeing nothing much out of the ordinary, Valerie was more than a little surprised when she burst out of the trees and onto¡­ mouth gaping, Valerie¡¯s eyes widened as she took in the abnormal sight.
Michael¡¯s trancelike movements disappeared when a bark was shouted in his direction. With a clearing mind, Michael found himself looking at a large fox. With its bright red coat, it stood at half Michael¡¯s height and was quite menacing as it barked once more in warning. About to back away, Michael admonished himself and drew his sword. The slow movement didn¡¯t cause any discernible worry in the posture of the fox which meant it wasn¡¯t used to humans. Michael took out a few throwing knives as well and readied them. When the fox barked a third time, Michael threw a knife straight at its chest body, hoping to end this before it got ugly. Its reflexes were quicker than he expected though, and it dashed to the side, this time angry and ready to attack. Its bark turns sharp and menacing, causing Michael to almost back away in fear. The fox charged Michael while moving with speedy, unhesitant steps; its movements clean and deadly. Michael scrambled as he brought up his sword and waved it at the fox, hoping to hit. Michael¡¯s panicked swing was too early and left his front open to attack. The fox took the opportunity and pounced, jaws open to attack. Shocked at the speed, Michael tried to scramble away to get more time but he knew he was too late. If only he could¡­ The world suddenly slowed and Michael was shocked at the change for a few moments. The fox was in mid-air and coming towards him and Michael could make out the most mundane details. It had blood still stuck on its teeth, a leftover stem from some berries stuck between a few. One ear was slightly longer than the other and was drooping a bit to the left. Ignoring the continuous stream of useless information, Michael brought up his right arm, pointing the edge of his blade at where he saw the fox would be. Since it was still coming in, Michael saw that he did not have the time to wait for his slow arm to get in position, so he propelled himself backwards, trying to increase the distance enough that he could complete his swing. It was a success. When he propelled backwards, Michael and the fox kept the distance between one another from decreasing fast. This gave Michael enough room and time to swing his blade once more, this time catching the side of the fox¡¯s head. The sharp edge of the weapon cleaved straight through and severed the top half of its head. With a groan, Michael landed on his back with the fox on top of him. Pushing the animal off him, Michael looked at the corpse with a pale face. The space where its head occupied was instead replaced with a dribbling fountain of blood. The amount caused Michael to pale further and then the scent of it assaulted him. Turning to the side, Michael emptied his stomach of his breakfast. Scrambling back from the animal and his mess, Michael lay down on his back and tried to calm himself better. The fast pace of the fight, the amount of blood. The gore of the head. All of it was too much for Michael to take in. Michael didn¡¯t blame his age though. Instead, Michael started to resent his reactions. How was he to go on with life, if he got sick and nauseous from everything. Picking himself up, Michael stared at the corpse and got an idea. Taking out his dagger, he approached the body, steeling himself for what he was about to do.
Heading back after her find, Valerie was shocked to find Michael skinning the body of a fox. Chastising herself for being away for so long, Valerie checked Michael over and saw that he was uninjured. Just the copious amount of blood seemed to be the worst thing about him. His movements quick, Michael managed to cut a small, uneven slit down the body of the fox. Since it was a light cut, the internal organs were not damaged either. He continued cutting slits in various areas of the animal and then cut away the front paws. Pulling off fur took a great deal of strength, but Michael¡¯s various cuts made the work a little easier. After putting the fur in a separate bag, Michael left the carcass in the open for the other animals to have. Cleaning himself up, Michael faced back where he was headed and restarted the journey; Valerie stayed hidden behind him.
Walking for the next hour helped Michael calm his jumbled up nerves. He kept trying to rub off the non-existent blood from his hands and was quite pale. Michael also made sure not to look at his blood cakes clothing, instead focusing his senses on the tugging from earlier. This time he didn¡¯t go into a trance and soon enough he entered the center of the forest. What he found astounded him. Many trees of various sizes could be seen scattered across a broad plain surrounded by several small lakes. To the south was a large ¡®garden¡¯ - Michael could make out the different characteristics of plants that showed him it was filled with fruits and vegetables. In the center of the plain was a city, with buildings and homes grown directly out of the trees and earth. If Michael hadn¡¯t already seen the furniture in his mother¡¯s office, he would have wondered what they were made from since each entire house seemed to be from only one material. Oak, Maple, Birch, Pine, Spruce, Fir. Many different trees could be seen and each of them lent a different colour tone and style to the house that was made from it. The shape of the homes were odd too. None held a similar shape to any other. Instead the homes were small and sometimes curved in shape, with ridges built right into the walls to allow a person to climb to the roof without the need of a ladder. Rooms could be seen as the houses had the outlines of each room, and those could be seen at a distance. There were no glass windows, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a need since the plain was rather isolated and protected. Other buildings were larger and seemed to be made from several trees. The limbs and roots of the buildings were intertwined in an intricate fashion that allowed sunlight to enter but allowed privacy from the outside. Entrances weren¡¯t just in one place; they were in several, and Michael could also see ridges on their walls. In the center of this odd city was the largest tree Michael could have imagined. The base was as wide as Michael¡¯s own home, and it reached a height far beyond the rest of the trees. This tree was the reason Michael knew he had reached the center of the forest;, something no one had ever actually gone and done. Instead there are only stories and rumours of such an event. Yet anyone that looked at the forest could see the giant tree in the center of the forest. It is this center that Michael makes his way towards.
What is this place¡­ Come Brother Blood. Let us finish this. Only then can I die in peace. Don¡¯t say that. We made it this far without any attack, so we must have killed them all before. All we need to do is complete our task, and then we can make it back to our territory. We still have a long life ahead of us. Ha ha¡­ this seems to be the first time you try to cheer me up. Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you then. We will do what we came to do, then leave. No dying. Of course Brother. No dying.
Walking towards the large tree, Michael was amazed to find a set of doors that were created out of the tree. Detailed and quite artistic, the doors were dressed in vines that wove in intricate patterns that caught the eye and held it. Sunlight flowed out of the tree and seemed to be the main source of light in the city. As the only entrance he could see, Michael stepped towards it. Looking through a gap in the tree, Michael saw that the insides were hollowed out. Was this a building too? Going up the doors, Michael pushed one of the doors. Since the door was part of the tree, Michael¡¯s touch was all that was needed before the double doors opened inwards. Light bathed over Michael as he entered and once again, he staggered in surprise at what he saw inside. In the center of the room rose a large cylindrical glass tube. Running all the way to the top of the massive tree, the pillar was the source of the excessive light and Michael became entranced by it. Walking forward, Michael made it halfway to the center before a high growl cut through the silence. Walking out from behind the glass pillar was a young wolf. Only a little bit bigger than the fox from earlier, the wolf was crouched and ready to pounce, its posture screaming aggression. Putting his right hand on his sword handle, Michael also got into a defensive stance. He took mental note of the wolf¡¯s size and this time he tried to keep his cool. He didn¡¯t want a failure like before. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shocked, Michael stared as the wolf spoke, its maw open and tongue moving at the words. Its voice was deep and guttural and the words themselves were quite hard to decipher, but Michael knew it had spoken. Michael took his hand off the sword handle and this time raised both hands in a calming gesture. ¡°Please, you have nothing to worry about. I am just here to look for a plant and then leave. I did not wish to intrude on your space.¡± ¡°Yet here you are, in the most sanctioned of places. Leave. Now.¡± Stopping its growling, the wolf rose from its aggressive posture. With a sharp sniff in his direction, the wolf started to turn and leave, its demeanor showing it got bored with his presence. A little more than angry, Michael continued his cordial tone. ¡°Where is everyone else? For a city this large to have only one young inhabitant? What happened to everyone else.¡± ¡°They went to deal with a few invaders last night. They should be back soon, so you best leave if you don¡¯t want them to see you.¡± ¡°Arooooo¡± A howl cut Michael¡¯s next question and both him and the wolf turned to the entrance Michael had entered from. There they saw two large wolves, both of them were four times bigger than the young wolf. Seeing Michael and the young wolf, the two strangers eyed the young wolf. Backing away from the interaction, Michael moved to the left of the room and took notice of the rest of the stranger¡¯s body. They were both quite injured. One was dragging a bloody front limb behind it, the lack of movement from it saying that the bones were quite broken. The other¡¯s body looked better, but its head seemed like a mess. Blood was leaking from the snout and ears, and Michael saw that an eye had grown red as blood leaked into it. Whatever happened before, these two were in the middle of it. Suddenly, the two growled in fury and bunched up their muscles to rush forward. Not allies!
Young one, leave now and we will spare you. Too much blood has been spilled; letting you live seems like the best of mercies. Where is my pack? What happened to the rest of my people? Gone. Annihilated. Demolished. The exact same ending as our pack. Brother Fang, let us just go and finish the task. NO! She is just a young one, Brother. I would rather not kill her if needed. I haven¡¯t gone far enough yet. Young one, leave now and we will finish our task. What task? Why should I leave? The source of our troubles must be destroyed. That plant behind you must be destroyed so that our Brother and pack can rest. I will not, as the last remaining member of my pack, I shall defend it to the end. Stubborn pup. GO NOW! LET US ATTACK, BROTHER. Finish this off quick, so we can go. Out of the corner of his eye, Fang saw the human boy from before move forward and touch the weapon on its hip. Reminding him of Gerald, Fang had planned to let him go, but if he wished to fight¡­ Surprise flickered in everyone¡¯s eyes when a shadow dropped down in front of Fang and attacked.
¡°Michael! Run away now! The other wolf is extremely disoriented and you can slip past if you try. But be careful!¡± Obeying her orders, Michael started heading to the side of the room in order to go around the wolf, when he saw the pup charge the larger wolf. As he witnessed the pup attack while he was running, Michael went through an inner turmoil once more. People were fighting and he was about to run. Why did he always take the easy route? Why couldn¡¯t he charge in like the wolf had before? Steeling his own shaky resolve, Michael also turned towards the wolf. ¡°Fool! The one time you should listen and you don¡¯t! Its injury is mainly situated in the head. Take advantage of that!¡± At first, Michael was nervous at going against the beast. Large and menacing, the blood that was pouring from its wounds did little to lower its ferocity and size. Giving a low growl at the two smaller beings, the wolf seemed to be paying more attention to its partner. Turning its eyes a few times in the direction of Valerie¡¯s fight, the beast slowly stalked towards them, eyes blazing with a heat that fit its monstrous image. Charging first, the young pup snipped at the heels of the monster. Watching it turn around rather awkwardly and stumble, Michael chastised himself. Valerie had said the monster was injured, yet here he was, still standing around. Equipping his sword and dagger and summoning his courage, Michael rushed at the monster, intent to do his part. Striking at various areas, Michael was shocked to see his sharp blade being repelled by the fur. Continuing his swings, Michael even tries piercing it with his dagger to no avail. Frustrated, Michael resorts to full on body blows and desperate attacks, hoping to try and damage the beast at leas-. Striking the wall, Michael cried out at the pain that coursed through his body. He was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t hear through one ear and his left eye didn¡¯t seem to want to open. Touching both, his hands came away with blood and Michael hastily wiped it on his already soaked shirt. Calming his quickened breaths and stifling his rising panic, Michael rose with shaking legs and tried to find his weapons. Dropped a few metres away, Michael retrieved them and dug into his memories for an explanation into why he got hit so hard. After hitting his foe for a bit, Michael had proceeded to the front in order to try and get a better blow in. If the fur was tough, then he should aim for the softer parts. With that in mind, Michael went and tried to pierce the eyes and throat of the monster. Michael admonished himself and his stupidity. Just because it was standing still and taking his attacks, didn¡¯t mean he was fighting a dummy. With one easy swipe, the monster blew Michael away and caused some damage. Michael took out a few vials of his Health Potions, rather surprised they didn¡¯t get smashed, and downed them all. Only when his ear healed did Michael hear Valerie¡¯s call. ¡°...chael! Michael! Are you alright? Answer me!¡± Completely distracted by her own fight, Valerie couldn¡¯t take her eye off her opponent long enough to check on Michael. She had heard his yell earlier and when he didn¡¯t answer her first few shouts, she started to get worried. Only after a few moments of desperate calls did he answer and she relaxed from the tension. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Just¡­ Nothing. Going back into the battle now.¡± Seeing Valerie having trouble fighting her wolf, Michael looked over at the his own foe, half expecting to find a dead pup. Instead he saw a fast-moving brown wolf going around the monster without stopping for any length of time. Keeping on its toes, the pup didn¡¯t stay in sight very long and this caused the larger wolf to become dizzy quick. Its movements were sluggish at best and Michael berated himself at getting hit at all. Valerie had said to keep moving and he hadn¡¯t done so. Michael got himself back into the fight. ¡°Finally. I. Can¡¯t. Believe. You. Got. Hit.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes Breathy. Sorry for getting hurt on your watch. We need a plan though, this monster isn¡¯t even getting scratched by our attacks.¡± It was true. Although the pup was moving fast and never got hit, it never dealt any lasting damage either. Its small claws and fangs were ineffectual against the monster, just as Michael¡¯s weapons. Neither had the strength or skill to cause any great damage against it. Their only real hope was to wait for Valerie. Keeping his distance and making sure he kept moving this time, Michael went around the monster and constantly caught its attention. Noting the decreasing fervor of its attacks and concentration, Michael decided that its head wound was greater than he had thought. Indeed, Michael continued to examine it and noted that its orifices had continued to bleed. Most of the area around them was getting slick with blood and both Michael and the pup were having trouble with their footing. ¡°What plan do you propose?¡± Its voice more calmer than before, the pup had managed to relax some of its movements now that Michael had returned. It still held an edge when directed towards him, but it did ask his opinion. Maybe there was hope for it yet. ¡°Either we wait for Valerie to finish off her wolf, or you distract it when I say, and I deal a large blow.¡± Both of them glanced at Valerie and saw that the former didn¡¯t seem very possible. Although the wolf was quite injured, it was much more dangerous than their own foe. It still had complete control over its body and it seemed much more ferocious. As the battle wore on, it also gained a slight feverish quality and was frothing at the mouth. If it continued to become more and more berserk, then Michael doubted that Valerie could last long against it. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your command. Just make it quick.¡± Dashing off again, the two circled the enemy and dodged the clumsy strikes. Michael could see that the beast was starting to become exhausted; its breaths became more spaced out and haggard, movements became much slower, and its eyes started to become clouded over. After jumping in front if it several times with only one actual swing from it, Michael judged it was time. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Distract it! NOW!¡± Replacing Michael at the front, the pup caught the attention of the wolf with a few hard blows to the head and body. Growling a bit, the wolf tried several times to strike at it before succumbing to its debility. That was when Michael struck. His previous plan of hitting the softer spots was a good plan. The only thing that failed was preparation, an actual plan, and then the execution. This time though, his opponent was physically weak and wasn¡¯t even paying attention to him. Plus Michael was in cooperation with a partner instead of going at it alone. Raising his dagger, Michael rushed the wolf from the side, taking notice that the eyes were still not focused on him. With a slight grin, Michael jumped a little to increase the force, and plunged the dagger straight into the wolf¡¯s eye. Michael grin slipped and he paled at the liquid that splattered on him, but he kept his composure enough to jump back and away from the resulting frenzy. Buckling from the pain, the wolf¡¯s movements took on a new level as it swiped at everything around it, trying to hit its enemies. Swiping at its own face, but not being able to take out the weapon, the wolf continued its frantic movements until it got tired. Head lolling and tongue out, the wolf sagged on its limbs, unable to keep its own weight up. Seeing its own chance, the pup went charging at the wolf. Jumping in the air with a manner that Michael thought he must have looked like, the pup swiped at the other eye of the beast and backed away before it could retaliate. That wasn¡¯t needed as the monster seemed to have had enough; it ignored the loss of another eye and collapsed where it stood. Still alive, its chest was trying to take in useless air. Michael went up to it, trying to end its misery, when a shout from Valerie made him back off. ¡°The wolf!¡± The other wolf ran past Valerie and appeared beside its partner. Looking down upon its ruined body it gave an indecisive look. Eyes gouged out, the defeated wolf¡¯s head was a complete mess with the previous blood mixed in with the new. Touching it with its snout a few times, the wolf whined and paced. Valerie met back up with Michael and the pup, and the three watched as the collapsed wolf whined back to its partner. With a last sigh, its head hit the ground as it died. ¡°AroooOOO¡± A sadder howl this time, the sound became more ominous and angry at the end. With a furious look at the small party, the wolf walked forward, death in its eyes and posture. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s much more dangerous from before.¡± Michael tried to nod in response but found out he couldn¡¯t move. Panicked, he looked at Valerie and tried to speak, only to find his mouth unable to form words. A glance saw that the young pup was also in the same situation and worry reflected in its posture. Valerie heard the strangled noise and turned to find her only allies locked in ¡®Fear¡¯. Cursing, Valerie charged the wolf, hoping to buy enough time for them to recover. Michael watched as Valerie exchanged blow after blow with the wolf, her weapons weaving around in a continuous motion that were blocked or destroyed by the claws and maw of the monster. Several throwing knives were dipped in vials of liquid and applied but dealt no visible damage when the monster ate the weapons. In fact, Michael was sure the monster was becoming more aggressive. Eying Michael and the pup, the wolf was trying to reach them, to kill the ones who took down its partner. After a short while, Michael felt feeling coming back into his fingers. Flexing them, Michael tried to will the rest of the body into movement. It was a very slow process, but Michael managed to get feeling into the rest of his body and could move. Looking at the pup, he noticed it was still trying to move and failing. Going up to it, Michael gave it a full arm slap that sent it flying a few feet. Clutching his own hand in slight pain, Michael saw the pup rise with full control over itself. Michael grinned when it growled and pointed back at the fight. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Grrr, yes. But if you ever do such a thing again, I will bite.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t just laze about.¡± With a last smile at the angry pup, Michael ran towards Valerie¡¯s fight and circled the beast. Catching its complete interest, Michael dodged its very quick blows and maneuvered it away from the tired Valerie. When the pup entered the melee, Michael¡¯s movements became less frantic, but they both kept up a strict watch of the beast. After minutes of dodging and running, they both became only a little tired before Valerie re-entered the fight. With two short swords, Valerie focused only on offense and struck it hard. Before, her battle was an exchange between offense and defense as the wolf could use its claws and teeth to block her weapons. Now though, with its arm and head concentrated only on killing the two young ones, Valerie could deal some damage. Unlike Michael and the pup¡¯s blows, Valerie¡¯s strikes cut through the wolf¡¯s skin and drew blood. 2 strikes. 5 strikes. 10 strikes. 20 strikes. When the wolf figured out the danger it was in, it was already too late. Valerie¡¯s momentum was already too heavy to block with any ease and the wolf couldn¡¯t guard against it. With a last cry the wolf tried to bite the pup in front of it, jaws open to take its prize, when Michael appeared there to help. With a yell, Michael swung his sword at the opening and watched as the mouth closed on it. A crunch of metal told of the ending of the sword but it knew it had failed. Michael withdrew his broken sword and then stabbed it forward, catching the eye of the wolf and lodging the blade within. Valerie¡¯s own attack reached as she swung both swords down on the beast; her combination creating a devastating end blow. Piercing straight through the body, the swords imbedded themselves on the wooden ground. Unable to move from the sword, the wolf could only watch its prey back away. When it coughed up blood and noticed its upcoming end, the wolf growled and seemed to accept its fate, laying flat on the ground. Michael and the wolf locked eyes and Michael kept the contact until the light faded from them.
Fang watched the blood pool around him and despaired. He had come all this way and nothing he did was enough. His brothers died. His pack died. He couldn¡¯t even kill the younglings who went up against him. Did life usually end so horridly? So regretfully? Fang looked up and stared at his enemies. Locking eyes with the boy, the wolf was surprised by what he saw. Pity, sadness, compassion? The boy was a fool to think such things. The boy did look like Brother Gerald though. Young and healthy. Strong and active. Yet his eyes. His eyes seemed to be like Brother Blood, worried over him and watching. Haha, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be bad to leave this world. As long as he left with those eyes on him. With his sight darkening, Fang kept contact with those eyes. Everything would be alright with those eyes watching him, everything will be fine. Then he heard the howls. Blood¡¯s deep howl, strong and supporting; Geralds weird one, always something to make fun of, yet strangely it matched his own. Laying on the ground, Fang kept staring at the eyes and thanked them before the end.
You have seen the hidden city, Yim. Nature Affinity +30 while inside. You have gained the stat: Art. You have gained +10 to Art. Seeing the city of Yim gives you +10 to Art. Seeing the Yim Skytree gives you +10 to Art.
You have killed the Bloody Pack Wolf Leader: Blood. Levelled up 7x.
You have killed the Furious Pack Wolf Leader: Fang. Levelled up 2x.
You have killed the Pack Leader Brothers. Continental monsters leading a large army, the two brothers were a threat to anything in their way. You have gained the Title: Wolf Hunter. You have gained the stat ¡®Presence¡¯. You have gained +15 to Presence.
Wolf Hunter [p=left]Killing dangerous wolves are all part of the job description for a Wolf Hunter such as yourself. This title serves as a badge, for all to see that your deeds are legit and worthy. +10 to Strength +10 to Agility +10 to Vitality +10 to Dexterity +10 to Charisma +10 to Presence Increased damage to wolves and other canine races similar to them.[/p]
Glancing at the few notifications he had, Michael waved them away and went to distribute potions he had packed. Valerie had the highest quality in the group, but her potions are supposed to be meant for last minute problems. She had used several in the fight and everyone thought it would be best to keep some on the side. Making due with the lesser potions, Michael¡¯s wounds healed and he regained his energy. Valerie was downing them like water, but she slowed down after the first dozen. The pup¡­ Michael had offered to pour it into a bowl for it to drink out of, but it just turned around and went to the pillar. Laying on the ground, it stared at the entrance and gave a slight whine. Approaching it, Michael made a point of ignoring the shining pillar and instead looked down on the pup¡¯s prone form. ¡°You do know they are probably gone, right?¡± And short nod in response and Michael continued. ¡°Your entire family went and tried to protect whatever is in that pillar. They are probably dead.¡± Nod. ¡°There is no guardian anymore.¡± ...nod. ¡°...the plant I am looking for is in the pillar. Yes?¡± ¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll guard it. If you come with me, the both of us can guard it and keep it safe. My home is definitely easier to defend than this place. Plus we have Valerie, you saw how she fights. And my father, who is stronger than her.¡± Rambling on, Michael noticed he had next to no effect on the pup. Instead of listening, it continued to stare at the door, its eyes cloudy with remembrance. Going closer. Michael knelt in front of it and stayed there until it turned its eyes on him. ¡°Come with me. Please.¡± The two stared for a while before the pup nodded. Getting up, the two turned to look at the pillar and regarded it. Valerie had long vanished, back to wherever would be the best place to look after him. Giving a low whine, the pup shook before changing its bearing to a more regal one. Head held high, the pup gave a high howl that reverberated throughout the tree. Once it stopped, the area was silent until a howl came back down and shook the entire room. Amazed, Michael thought he heard thousands of wolf howls, all of them of different tones and different expressions. A high note pierced through all of the howls and silenced them; the pillar shining and breaking at the same time. With a loud shattering, the pillar broke. Michael backed away and tried to cover his face from what should have been, dangerous shards, but saw the flying glass disappear. The number of time he got shocked that day was many, but Michael had another shock when he looked at what replaced the pillar. Small and compact, breathtaking and simple, a plant stood there. Small enough to fit in his hands, Michael saw that it was made of vines, silver vines with no thorns. The bottom of it did not have roots and it lacked a flower that would have made it a whole. Instead, the leaves were full and distinct. Silver, square leaves, with a very noticeable spiral that seemed to draw his gaze. Shaking his head, Michael lifted the plant and shifted his sight. The Mana realm seemed a gigantic painting of green. Nature Mana was abundant everywhere he saw and he almost missed the Mana within the pup and himself. So rich was this Mana, that Michael could see it pulsing through the tree, a slow but constant beat. The plant in his hands had turned into a light grey ball with some tendrils of dense green wrapped around it, as if to lock whatever was inside. Following the instructions he had read a few days ago, Michael looked inside of himself and found the four warring Manas. Red for Fire Mana and Blue for Water Mana. Clear for Air and Brown for Earth. And underneath all of that was a small dot of Green, to represent his Nature Mana. Imagining an invisible hand, he touched all five and Michael felt a small shock, as if something large had just gripped his body. When he tried to grab the five Mana, he staggered at the painful pull on his skin, bones, and blood. Pulling out the Mana and then connecting it to the Silven Plant took a great deal of concentration and Michael felt he had been soaked, burned, battered, and buried by the end. When he let go of his grip, Michael saw a stream of Mana go from his body to the Plant. The first pulse. Then the second one. Then the third. A continuous connection that went from him to the plant. Amazed, he watched as the plant itself started to stretch out; a thin silvery thread joined by a smaller green one, stretched from the orb. Floating in the air for a short while, it lashed towards him and connected to his own orb of dull grey Mana. Sending its own pulses, the orb started to shine and Michael had no choice but to switch his sight back to the physical realm, lest he become blind. ¡°... ha¡­ ha.... Done.¡± Smiling at the plant, Michael watched as it writhed and wriggled in his hands. The Silver colour of the vines and leaves became more darker and lively, several new leaves sprung from the plant and it even grew a blooming flower at the top. With ten petals, the flower was opened out and revealed a black center. The petals were silver, but it had streaks of red and blue coursing through it. At the bottom of the plant, roots started to grow and several stems also sprouted from the plant, tubes that didn¡¯t seem very important. Michael knew that because of his connection, the plant was growing new ways to sustain itself, with the help of his Mana. Adapting to his source of all five elemental Manas allowed the plant to transform and change its original look for something more functional. ¡°W-what did you do?¡± The awe in the pup¡¯s voice was palpable. It had seen the plant several times and never once did it think it was anything but perfect. Now though¡­ now it made the previous plant look like a dying weed. Turning its eyes to the strange boy, it asked its question once more. ¡°What are you?¡± Smiling, Michael used his most polite tone to state his genealogy and what he had done. ¡°I am the son of a Green-Singer. Well, I¡¯m being trained as one and I just learned about ¡®Connections¡¯ a few days ago. So I set out to find a legendary plant to connect to and ended up here. I have just completed my ¡®Connection¡¯ with it and that means we can take this plant outside of the forest without having it die. Shall we?¡± Motioning the pup to the entrance, Michael packed away the plant in a large padded sack before starting his march. Without waiting for a proper response, Michael smiled and even started humming a tune, nonsensical as it was. The pup rushed in front of Michael, making him stop. Giving a confused expression, Michael stared at the pup. The pup stared back for a long while before nodding. Biting its own paw, Michael saw that it broke skin and a rivulet of blood was pouring from it. Panicked, he put down his pack and reached for the potions he still had. ¡°Fool, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Here, drink these.¡± ¡°My name is Liera, and you must first drink my blood.¡± Standing its ground, Michael saw that Liera wouldn¡¯t budge from where it was. Seeing the increasing puddle of blood solidified his worry and he got on his knees before the wolf. Taking the paw, Michael took a small mouthful of the tangy blood and swallowed it, only hesitating slightly when the warm liquid splashed around. Not even trying to notice the taste he finished his gulp and looked the wolf in the eye. With a slight nod of approval, the wolf raised its head and howled once more. This time, no symphony of howls returned, but the pup went through a change. A bright white light sprouted from the Liera and Michael closed his eyes in surprise. Cowering from the light, Michael backed up and tried to make out what was happening when it stopped. Eyes still half closed, Michael waited for his eyes to adjust before being able to understand what had happened. Looking for the pup, Michael was shocked to find himself looking into the face of a young girl. Around his own age, the girl blinked at him and even cocked her head in a questioning manner. Very pretty, Michael also saw that the girl was naked so he brought his bag forward and grabbed an extra shirt out of his pack. ¡°T-take this! Put it on! HURRY!¡± Red faced and sweating, Michael wasn¡¯t worried about the girl¡¯s nakedness per say. He was more nervous about what his mother¡¯s reaction would be. Knowing his mother well, Michael knew that bringing home a half-naked girl his own age would be a cause of concern. He may not understand everything about the adult world, but he had seen a few scenes in the city; where a boy brings a girl home to meet his mother and that scenario never ends well. With his own mother¡­ Cursing his own luck, Michael scrambled to get more clothes for the smaller girl. He had asked her to go with him because he had thought she was a WOLF. Instead, she turns into a girl and complicates everything. She would have to live in the house, go with him to school, train with him¡­ wait. Michael almost laughed at his own nervousness. Did this mean they would be¡­ childhood friends?
Status
NameMichaelAge6
Level12Class-
Fame0-100Infamy0
TitleTarget of EnvyGuild-
Health730Mana650
Stamina690Stored Rage29
Strength61 + 10Dexterity34
Vitality57 + 10Intelligence55
Wisdom49Mana Control9
Critical Chance0.06%Agility60 + 20
Concentration68Willpower18
Charisma35 + 20Presence35
Art30
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Silven Plant¡¯ grants: Double Mana Regeneration. ¡®Target of Envy¡¯ grants: +20 to Charisma. +20 to Agility. +10 to Strength. +10 to Vitality. -100 Fame. City of Yim grants +30 Nature Affinity[/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 1. (22%). Active and Passive skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 2. (74%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 4. (66%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 3. (91%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 2. (64%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 1. (97%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 2. (55%) Active skill
Rage ReleaseBeginner level 0. (80) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature9 + 30
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother Silven Plant connection
Back to that war that was awesomely written~~~Ohhh, time to meet the parents... careful Liera!
Welp, finished this chapter! Time for my PRs to work on chapter 6 and 7 so I don''t really know when those will be ready. Chapter 8 still not finished :( I feel bad but I blame classes. Chapter 8 may or may not be long so there may or may not be a chapter 9... TOP 50!!! Time for the next step, top 30. Top 30 is a benchmark position and it is quite hard to drop from there. Hence, I want to get in the top 30 and maybe even beat NPC (First Draft)! VOTE!!! Comments and concerns? Just post. I look but I barely reply nowadays :( Damn school. Chapter 6: Return RETURN Ripping off the last bit of skin, Michael continued to hold his breath until the skin was deposited in the same bag as its partner and the carcass was packed into a different bag. Liera¡¯s vehemence at what he had done caused her to wait outside with Valerie; she didn¡¯t see any danger in Michael touching corpses. Michael had said it was his right; as a person who fought both, taking the wolves¡¯ skin and using it later would be productive and would keep their memories alive. At least, that was what he told himself as he skinned the bodies. Indeed, as a raw material the skin and body of the two were quite high quality and Michael was glad to partake of them both. Though looking at them both sent a chill down his back and Michael really didn¡¯t want to handle them. Michael was secretly hoping that when he made something out of the two, his enemies later would feel more fear than he does now. Michael tied the bags tight and placed them carefully in his backpack. They took up a considerable amount of space and Michael wished he had brought a larger backpack. He walked out of the Skytree where Liera had been waiting impatiently. Michael hadn¡¯t thought the shirt was anywhere near enough to cover her, so he made her put on his extra pair of pants, some shoes, and a hat that could never truly stay up. Michael had added a belt as the last piece which went tight around her waist. Her ensemble looked quite comical as her ankle and wrist cuffs billowed out and hid her extremities, while the hat easily hid her entire head. If she raised both arms up, Michael could easily see her as an hourglass. Seeing him exit, Liera got up and was eager to get moving. Valerie was¡­ somewhere. The duo exited the city and entered the large plains. Crossing the width of the plains took little time and they stopped at the the forest edge. As the lakes surrounding the plains glimmered in the setting sun¡¯s light, and the plains began to softly glow, Michael and Liera turned to look back upon the sights of the city hidden in the forest: From the oddly shaped houses, the majesty of the Skytree towering above them, to the lush garden on the southern edge... ¡°... Yim. That is the city¡¯s name. Remember, for we are the last who will ever see it.¡± Silent at the comment, Michael nodded his understanding and followed the girl as she turned away from the city. He had never heard the name or description of the city before, and his understanding was that something protected it. How he or the wolves managed to enter was a mystery, but Michael thought that the forest would probably retake the city again. Michael felt that leaving the city to its fate was regretful and he hoped to come back in the future. As the two walked through the deep forest, Michael started to wonder on how to get home. He had absolutely no idea where they were, or in which direction he needed to go. He walked forward for a while and, through luck, found himself back where he had battled the fox. Yet the bloodstains and corpse he had left were no help in this dilemma and Michael looked about in confusion. Just how had he found the city at all? Michael made a few turns around the area and was getting dizzy when he caught a glint of metal on a tree that shone in the rapidly receding light. Michael walked towards it and saw that it was an embedded knife, the same small shape as the ones that Valerie had used in the fight. Michael spied another one close by and a third one further out. Valerie was either throwing knives everywhere for fun, or she was leaving markers for the two, allowing them to head on back more easily. Michael hoped for the latter. He nodded towards the knives and Liera nodded in understanding. Following the trail of knives, the pair walked mostly in silence. Michael was still worrying about his mother¡¯s reaction and ways to change it. He formed arguments and counter-arguments based off her personality. He even added some help from his father. As for how far that would ever get¡­ Glancing over at Liera, Michael opened his mouth to start up a conversation when he remembered that she recently became an orphan. Not a very good time to talk about nonsense. Michael wisely shut his mouth and they continued the walk. Soon the darkness crept up to them and Michael decided to camp down under one of Valerie¡¯s knives. Taking out the tent, Michael started put up the wooden frames when Liera wandered over to peer at him. Avoiding any eye contact, she rocked on her heels and waited for something. ¡°Would you like to help?¡± Liera nodded to Michael, so he told her to position herself at a tent corner. She went to stand near a corner and Michael handed over a long stick that she was to keep up as he tied it to another piece. The two of them worked as Michael gave instructions every so often with Liera nodding as she followed his orders. Afterwards, Michael also had Liera help get the fire going and the ingredients for the dinner were taken out and ready to be used. As Michael stirred the mixture of broth, Liera stared at it with a frown. ¡°What? Never eaten a cooked meal before?¡± He had initially said it as a joke but was left gaping when she nodded at his question. Michael made sure the broth was finished before scooping a bowl and giving it to Liera first. He watched as she hesitantly swallowed a little of the broth, ignoring the spoon he had supplied. Liera¡¯s eyes widened and glowed in the firelight as she gulped down the rest of the soup, still cautious of the heat. ¡°Haha, is it good? This is nothing compared to my mother¡¯s cooking though. Valerie! Its finished, come eat!¡± Michael¡¯s call almost made Liera jump and drop her bowl, which made her glare at him. She really did jump when Valerie materialized, but her dropped bowl was caught by the quick older woman. She gave it back and sat beside the two of them while scooping out her own bowl. Liera stared at Valerie over her bowl and took small, constant sips during the entire meal. Finishing the solids last, Liera put down her bowl and continued to stare at Valerie until she left. Michael finished his meal before them and noticed he had a few notifications to read. He brought them up with a thought and read.
You have succeeded in your first Green-Magic Connection. You have gained the skill ¡®Green-Magic¡¯. You have gained +10 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom, +5 Concentration. You have gained the title ¡®Green-Singer¡¯.
Connection with: ¡®Silven Plant¡¯.
[p=left]You have connected with the Legendary Silven Plant. Thought to be a plant lost in time, the plant grants valuable life energy through the connection. You have gained the following special skills: Double Mana Regeneration. More skills will unlock as ¡®Green-Magic¡¯ ranks up and allows for a greater connection. Mana Upkeep of the Silven Plant: 50 per minute. This increases as the Green-Magic skill rises.[/p]
Green-Magic. Beginner level 0. (2%). Active Skill
[p=left]Allows for the user to see and manipulate the elemental Mana, Nature. Can make plants grow in a specific way and allow for new species of plants to be created. Can manipulate plants to form various unnatural structures. Commonly used to make living furniture and homes from plants. Since the items are living items, they are able to regrow as long as it has sufficient nutrients. Mana upkeep depends on how the Nature Mana is used. Green-Singers are able to form two way connections with plants, granting them special abilities, so long as they give Mana in return. Green-Magic is at Beginner rank. Plants give 1 ability per connection. [/p]
Green-Singer [p=left]Descendants of the original worshippers of the Lady of the Land, Green-Singers have gained the magical powers of the elves and fey and are able to control a fifth elemental Mana, Nature. Using this exclusive Mana, Green-Singers are able to create connections with plants that result in a two-way beneficial trade. Green-Singers are also able to manipulate Nature Magic in objects. +5 Vitality +20 to Intelligence +20 to Wisdom +5 Mana Control +5 Charisma +5 Concentration +20 Nature Affinity [/p]
The Wolfblood [p=left]With the destruction of the Wolven Feys of Yim, the task of guarding the Silven Plant falls on the remaining member, Liera. Liera has blood contracted the human, Michael Kane, into guarding the Silven Plant and has granted him the position of Pack Leader. The Wolfblood ceremony also gives some instant stats to Michael Kane. +20 Strength. +20 Vitality. +20 Agility. +20 Charisma. +20 Presence. The terms of this contract include: Keeping the Silven Plant guarded and cared for. Making sure all members are well and able to carry out their duties. You are unable to break this contract unless by the death of all members. As a Pack Leader, you are able to do the following: Invite and accept members into the pack. Delegate tasks to various members. Share a greater amount of experience with members. Use of the skills: Howl and Devour. All pack members also gain a greater amount of leveling and skill experience when working together (currently at 5% increase).[/p]
Howl. Beginner level 0. (0%). Active Skill
[p=left]Allows you to produce a howl that strikes fear into the enemy. Can also cause various other debuffs to the enemy. Debuffs hostile targets with Fear for 2 seconds. Increases by one second for every level of Howl.[/p]
Devour. Beginner level 0. (0%). Passive Skill
[p=left]The power of a predator¡¯s stomach is nothing to laugh at. Devour allows the user to digest objects without suffering as many ill effects. Each ranking of Devour cancels 1 negative aspect of whatever is consumed (this can include taste, poison, or even texture) based on what the user likes.[/p]
Wolf blood travels through your veins now. Rage Release and Stored Rage has been influenced by this savage blood. You now gain Stored Rage more easily. Rage Release has leveled. You have gained +50 Stored Rage.
What? A contract? Michael sat up straighter and looked over at Liera, who had stiffened when she noticed Michael¡¯s movements. Michael tried to find the words for what had happened, so he stayed silent for a while. Liera was still sitting, but she was growing nervous of his stares and was starting to scoot away. ¡°You entered me into a CONTRACT?¡± Nope, that wouldn¡¯t work in looking calm. Michael was quite angry at being tricked into a contract that he had to find out himself. From what he had read, he couldn¡¯t really break it at all. The terms were actually rather fine, but still! ¡°Yes, did I not tell you? Drinking my blood meant you accepted the contract. I was pretty sure I told you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me anything! All I saw was you bleeding and you told me that the only way you would stop it was if I drank your blood. Now you¡¯re telling me... you tricked me!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a trick. You told me you were going to protect it, then asked me to come with you. I just made it into a contract so that you don¡¯t back out of it.¡± ¡°How do you even know what a contract is? You¡¯re maybe the same age as me!¡± ¡°And how do you know what it is? Your parents right? Same for me.¡± Michael couldn¡¯t find an immediate counter argument for that, so he shut his wordless mouth and stalked to his tent. Liera watched his hunched and angry shoulders moving away and gave a small smile. It soon faded when she remembered the loss of her community and she chastised herself for acting so innocent. A lone wolf needed to be strong. She stayed up to watch the flames for a bit and soon went into a daydream of the past, not noticing the tears rolling down her eyes.
Michael popped open an eye in surprise when he woke to feel a body next to him. Liera was breathing softly beside him, her head a short distance away from his hair and Michael¡¯s lips curled when he found he was completely trapped by her limbs. Slowly trying to extricate himself from the clinging girl, Michael rolled out of the tent and hoped he didn¡¯t make too much noise. Only then did he see that Valerie was crouched close and staring at them. She gave a smile and waved at him in an increasingly embarrassing way. ¡°The son follows his father¡¯s footsteps.¡± Valerie stood and left those cryptic words before Michael could get control over himself. A few moments after she disappeared and Michael finally raised his head to shout in the empty sky. ¡°IT ISN¡¯T WHAT YOU THINK!¡± The statement echoed throughout the forest and a flock of birds burst out of the trees. Michael¡¯s shout and the bird¡¯s racket woke Liera up and she scrambled out of the tent. Rubbing her eyes and yawning, she proceeded straight to the campfire to eat some breakfast that Michael had missed earlier. Michael followed her to the pit and found that Valerie had reheated the leftovers from last night. Both of them took up a bowl and seated themselves before attacking the food. Michael found himself glancing at Liera every once a while and only caught himself when she turned her eyes to look at him. Michael then made sure to keep his eye on his food, missing the slight smile she had when she caught him. Liera had taken to finding something to pass the time, and teasing Michael seemed to do the trick. When Michael found her looking at him though, he caught her eye and held it until she looked away. What the two of them were doing, no one could even guess. Both of them finished their meal at the same time and packed the dirty dishes away. Michael noted they only had a clean set for one last meal since Liera was taking up an extra spot. Michael grimaced at the thought of eating from a dirty dish and started their departure with a quicker step. Michael was able to progress much faster through the forest this time as he wasn¡¯t slowed down by exploration or searching. He soon found himself out of the forest at noon and the group stopped to eat their final travelling meal since there was only a short distance to Bellen. A fire was quickly made and the broth was a simple matter that was done in moments. Valerie came out of the woods behind them and joined them. After the meal, they all stood and got rid of the mess before starting up once more. Michael and Liera slowed down and walked with a leisurely pace back to the city. Since Valerie had joined them they now looked like a pair of siblings with a babysitter. Their slow pace had been set because Michael was desperately trying to plan his excuses. Countless scenarios went through his head but he kept smashing them with a hammer that was dubbed ¡®Mother¡¯s Logic¡¯ and his mood slowly began to spiral into despair. Liera noticed his sinking mood but couldn¡¯t react to it as she felt she still wasn¡¯t familiar enough with him to interrupt. Valerie, meanwhile, knew exactly what he was worried about and already had her own plan ready. Seeing the town walls made Michael¡¯s legs start to quiver and shake. His blood dried clothing blocked any visible signs of the sweat that started to run down his neck, and his hair stuck to his face. Michael had built up his mother¡¯s reaction to the point that he almost put himself in ¡®Fear¡¯. Pushing him so he would move, Liera¡¯s head lowered significantly as they got closer to the walls. Only then did Michael move out of his initial worry and took in hers. Her entire family was dead. The only community she has ever known will never return and she was now in the company of people she only met a few days ago, visiting a town of strangers. Michael hung back to walk beside her and placed an arm around her, pressing Liera close. She stiffened a bit at the action but slowly brought up an arm to cling to him. The three walked up to the gateless entrance of Bellen, where a guard stopped their passage. Each of the five gates went through a rotation of replacements and fixes in a 5-year cycle. This year, the East Gate was under repair as ¡®Factory¡¯ finished the last touches of the new gate and was going over to fix anything else. ¡°Halt! Who are you and what business have you here?¡± A heavyset man walked from his corner of the gate to approach the three of them. More wide than tall, the man¡¯s air of superiority was spoiled when Michael noticed he had a mustard stain on his left walrus mustache. Instead of a sword, the man seemed to have sheathed a sandwich into his belt; the contents of which were steadily falling and creating a trail as the man walked towards them. Michael, Liera, and Valerie stood still and waited for the man to approach. Dirty, blood-soaked, tired, and very sullen in their demeanor, the three were avoided by most of the entering crowds which marked them out as suspicious. Before the man could say another word, Valerie took out a scroll and gave it over to the man. The man unravelled the scroll with a look of confusion on his face. He read the contents and then straightened himself before returning the scroll to Valerie. He glanced at Michael and eyed Liera for a brief moment before bowing to the three and flourishing an arm towards the entrance. His pudgy exterior made the entire thing a little comical and Liera produced a small grin. ¡°Please. I am sorry for the delay I have caused and welcome you back to the city.¡± Even Valerie thought it was a bit much as she led her two charges into the city. As they passed through the gates, they were stared at by the lower ranking soldiers and various travellers who saw the officer¡¯s large frame bow to them. Very few knew who Valerie was and Michael was far too dirty to be recognized. Liera wasn¡¯t given much of a glance either since she continued to cling to Michael and kept her head down. The three of them were a mystery that none of the busy travellers could solve at the time. The three made their way through side streets with the hope of avoiding thick crowds. The sun was slightly lowered in the sky and streets were still bustling with the activity of trade and gossip. Shoppers haggled with shopkeepers and shouts rang in buildings that housed the craftsmen. Passing the Crafting District buildings led a person to the much quieter streets of the central combat series area. In this area the sounds of weapons and shouts could be heard ringing through the tense atmosphere. Only the strongest would ever get the renown and respect that everyone dreams of, so most try to keep up a strict attitude as they train. The Kane house was located a little within the Combat District with the back towards the Crafting District. Michael¡¯s arrow had almost hit a travelling merchant who had first planned to blackmail an exorbitant amount of money from the family, but then ran when he heard rumours of them. Indeed, the noises around the building was down to a hush that Michael was grateful for. Reaching the house gate, Michael detached Liera from him and went to open it for them all. He turned around to proudly display his house when he saw that Valerie had run. Michael cursed her for taking the opportunity to escape as he gently pulled Liera into the front yard. Michael locked the gate behind him and the two of them stood before the large doors. Gingerly, Michael put his key in and turned it. He tried to keep the noise to a minimum and sighed with relief when only the faintest click could be heard. Michael took out and pocketed the key before turning the latch with unbearable patience. Liera was sucked into Michael¡¯s attitude and she crept behind him when he entered the house. They entered the house and took a few steps when the door behind them slammed shut. Turning, Michael found himself looking up at the red eyed, smiling Lucy. Her grin seemed quite mad and she took slow steps forward towards Michael, her outreaching hand curved into a claw. Turning back, Michael found Valerie held by Victoria, which made for a strange scene. Even if the woman was much bigger, Valerie¡¯s stats shouldn¡¯t have made that easy at all. Looking at Victoria, Michael saw that her features were also quite demonic, although lacking any grin. With two red eyed people trapping Michael and Liera in the hall, all they felt was panic. ¡°Welcome back Michael. I see you are fine, and healthy, and safe. Oh, and there is Valerie. Also fine, and healthy, and safe. Mistress Celia has been worried sick and¡­ taking it out on us and Master Aaron...¡± ¡°Haha, well I¡¯m back now, so I¡¯ll just go to sle-¡± ¡°Nonono. You must go to your mother. She must miss you a great deal...¡± Lucy¡¯s grip on Michael¡¯s shoulders made him recall a story he had once read. Where the orc guards fed their prisoners to the gluttonous wyrm beast they worshipped. One of his father¡¯s old books he believed. Led up the stairs, Michael and Liera were carried all the way to the fourth floor. Victoria did it with relative ease - comical to see the big woman sling Valerie over her shoulder - but Lucy was having a bit of trouble carrying both Michael and Liera. Her brow was sweating and Michael could hear her quick breaths when she took the stairs. Her eyes were blazing with determination though and she muttered under her teeth and between each gasp for air. ¡°... bring him. Must bring him. Must bring him. Must bring¡­¡± Just how bad was his mother¡¯s state! Michael was getting more nervous after each flight of stairs since Lucy¡¯s condition got worse but her determination grew. If it was bad enough to force Lucy to such efforts, then Michael hoped his mother remembered he was her son and a child. Liera also seemed to have noticed something was wrong. She had a look of panic on her face and when the two made eye contact, she gave him a look and mouthed the words, what have you gotten me into?!. Finally getting to the top floor, Lucy and Victoria threw the trio into Celia¡¯s room and stayed outside. Both of them grabbed the door handle and closed the door behind the deposited group. Michael picked himself up and looked around the room, trying to find the boss. Nobody at the desk, nobody near the shelves, nobody near the washroom entrance, nobody near the large bundle at the bed, nobody near the window, nobody near¡­ the¡­ A low moan came from the bundle on the bed and Liera jumped on the spot. She fell on her behind and scooted backwards from the bundle, eyes locked on the moving bed. Michael only glanced at her curiously before he returned his attention to the bed. He wondered what the heck he was doing when he crept towards the bed and opened his mouth. ¡°Mom? Mother? I¡¯m home. Its me, Michael?¡± ¡°Hmm? Michael? Ah, Michael¡­¡± Celia poked her head out of the bed sheets for a bit and blearily glanced at Michael for a bit, her eyes red and unrested, before sticking it back into the sheets like a turtle. She rocked around a bit more until abruptly stopping. Michael snapped back his hand when she stopped moving and eyed the sheets a bit. It quivered once. Then twice¡­ thrice. Soon the bundle vibrated and Michael couldn¡¯t react when two arms and a wild head burst out of the sheets to tackle him. ¡°It¡¯s MICHAEL! Oh, mommy missed you so much. Hrm¡­ where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Oh, never do such a thing to me again.¡± Michael actually felt an arm snap under her hug and he was sure his mouth was drooling blood. ¡°M-mother. My arm¡­ my body¡­ dying¡­¡± Releasing him quickly, Celia took out a vial of her white potions from somewhere and made him down it. Michael felt the healing process wash over him but he wasn¡¯t able to enjoy it since she tackled him once more. Not as hard as the first, she seemed to just want to feel and hold him. He felt awkward when her head hugged his chest and she breathed deeply. After a while of staying in that position - Michael wasn¡¯t suicidal to try and pull off his ¡®on the edge¡¯ mother - Celia seemed to finally have had enough of Michael and slowly released him. A commotion at the door took Michael¡¯s attention away from his mother. ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s back.¡± Aaron opened the door to beam at his son. Michael also noticed that Aaron kept a wary eye on his wife. All of this caution was really taking a toll on Michael¡¯s stress levels, especially when the reason of the stress still had her hands on him. ¡°Mom, please. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°...¡± Celia looked over Michael¡¯s body with a critical eye and Michael didn¡¯t dare try to stop her concentration. As she took notice of his small scratches and bruises, her hands rubbed over some areas that had been blackened with dried blood. She frowned at the red smudges on her fingers and her brow continued to furrow as she took in large bruises on his back and arms. By the time she checked Michael¡¯s worn weapons, her expression had become red with rage and Michael was sure he wasn¡¯t ready for her eruption. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Where did you go MISTER? I have been worried sick! I thought you had been kidnapped or fell into a hole somewhere or got taken by some little succubus. You will tell me everything. NOW!¡± Michael scrambled back from her anger and Aaron placed himself between his son and wife. He placed a concerned hand on her arm, only to have it slapped off and then grabbed by Celia instead. With a small grunt, Aaron tried to pry her hands off but succeeded in only getting that hand grabbed as well. He let her grip his hands since he had no desire to hurt her, only to keep her away from Michael until she calmed. ¡°Aaron, let me ask once more. Did you know where Michael was all this time?¡± Eyes wide at the switch in targets, Aaron tried to run as fast as he could but his hands were still being gripped. Any large movements would allow him to escape, but would also hurt her. So, trapped, Aaron had no choice but to explain. ¡°I-I have an item that allows me to keep an eye on him¡­¡± Not admitting that it could do a lot more than that, Aaron gave the most basic of information about his Crystal Ball. It allowed him to hear and see whoever he placed a spell charm on. Every member of the family had one and even the maids. No, he did not have another. No, there was really no point in spying on others in the city since each charm was expensive. Only 2 charms left. Yes, I am sorry for keeping that from you. What Aaron also didn¡¯t admit was that it was placed in his office, or that the office was the one place entirely made from stone because it allowed total privacy from his wife¡¯s magic. That would have been plain stupid. ¡°Ok, so why did you not tell me this earlier? It would have calmed me if I knew you had an eye on him!¡± ¡°He said he would only be out for a few days. I didn¡¯t think that was worth telling...¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t think it was worth enough to calm your wife down?¡± ¡°Um, uh¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­ M-Michael said he was only g-going to be gone for-¡± Celia¡¯s nails drove themselves into his skin and he gasped at her actions. Aaron started to quiver at the pain and his eyes were unsteady as they peered around the room. Only when he saw Michael did he focus and give an apologetic look. Blood started to drip when a few of her fingers pierced the skin and Aaron¡¯s hands looked in danger of being ripped off. Aaron quickly pointed to Michael with what was left of his hands. ¡°Michael said he would only be out for a few days... I didn¡¯t expect him to come back with that girl or looking like that.¡± ¡°Okay, you said that already. But WHY. DID. YOU. NOT. TELL. ME?¡± Aaron was sweating buckets now and his hands were a mess of red. He collapsed slightly and Michael was more than a little worried for him. Looking at his features though, Michael felt a chill go up his spine. Aaron was sweating and his eyes were wide with fear and unfocused, but his lips were¡­ smiling. ¡°Please~¡± Aaron¡¯s tone of voice grew a touch desperate and Michael thought that his father was struggling to contain something. Was he getting angry or something? Was he going ¡®Berserk¡¯? The smile from before was quite creepy and Michael couldn¡¯t think of anything but that. Michael decided enough was enough and his movements attracted the eye of everyone. Michael reached into his pack and took out a padded bag. Opening this bag made his mother gasp as the silver vines of the plant came into view. ¡°I-I heard you talk about a legendary plant in the forest, so I decided to, errr, take a trip there.¡± Michael forced his body to assume the most innocent posture he could imagine. Gazing at the ground, Michael leaned on one foot and swung the other so that it only lightly touched the ground. He left the plant on the ground and placed his hands behind his back, then twisted his waist from one side to the next. If one were to look at his face, they would also see that he took on a sullen look and blinking back fake tears. Very effective against a person like¡­ ¡°Oh Michael! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. Oh, I should have never talked about the plant! This is all my fault¡­¡± Michael and Aaron traded thumbs up and smiles behind Celia as she went to once more hug Michael. With her finally calm, the three of them would be able to have a normal discussion about what happened and about- ¡°Michael, who is she?¡± All of the tension returned to the room as Celia eyed the shaking Liera with an indescribable look. Liera had seen the scary woman almost rip off a larger man¡¯s hands so it wasn¡¯t surprising to see fear on her face. Michael felt his mother¡¯s grip on him gradually tightening so he quickly shouted his information before his airway got cut off. ¡°She was one of the guardians of the plant! Her entire family and city died protecting it! I offered to protect it and asked her to come with me!¡± That explanation actually seemed to be enough as Celia released Michael to go to the girl. Crouching before her, Celia surprised the guys when she spoke in a different language. Liera responded in a hesitant whisper but was more than surprised when she got swept up in a Celia style hug. Michael and Aaron¡¯s jaws dropped at the sight. ¡°We are keeping her! Lucy! Prepare a set of new clothes for the girl. Victoria! Clean up one of the guest rooms for her. And what is Valerie doing here?¡± Seeing the opportunity, the extremely quiet, presence lacking woman disappeared from the room and ran off to do her own work. Michael cursed how easily she managed to leave and avoid Celia¡¯s attention. Lucy and Victoria shouted their affirmation to her orders from behind the closed doors and Michael heard the stamping of feet as they rushed to their work. ¡°You come with me and I¡¯ll get you cleaned up. Looks like you hadn¡¯t had a bath in weeks. And I¡¯ll be taking that plant...¡± Carrying Liera with one arm and grabbing the bag with the Silven Plant in the other, Celia glided out of the room with a look that was close to how a child with a new toy would look. Michael and Aaron were still shocked at the development since they had both been expecting an explosion. Aaron recovered first and moved towards the cabinet. ¡°Michael, catch.¡± Aaron gingerly picked up a roll of gauze with his few bloodless fingers and tossed them to his son. Michael shook himself out of his stupor to catch it, then began unwinding a fair bit of it. Michael went over to his father, who had seated himself at the edge of the bed and was wiping his hands on the blanket that Celia had hid under. Aaron held out a relatively clean hand, and Michael took out his canteen to wash away the dried blood and clean the wound. Adding some herbs he kept for backup potions, Michael then wrapped the gauze tightly around the wound before tying it off. He did the same for the other and Aaron checked the wrappings. ¡°Still no skill?¡± Michael took a glance at his notification area and then shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. You¡¯ve only done it a few times and the skill is quite hard to acquire. Even if you are experienced in it. I like the water you used to clean the wounds, and the herbs. My first time through, all I did was tie up everything. Took me weeks and hundreds of bandages, but I think it should be less for you. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m sure your mother is questioning the girl right now so I guess I¡¯ll have to settle with you. Why did you go into the forest and was that a good enough reason for me to almost lose my hands.¡± Michael¡¯s brow furrowed a bit and he turned around to see if anyone else was in the room before answering. ¡°First, that plant is legendary. I just had to get it. I- Ow!¡± Aaron grimaced at the pain he felt in his hand, but he thought that the flick was a good tradeoff. Michael rubbed at his forehead and backed a few steps away from the larger man. Aaron sighed and rolled his eyes at his son¡¯s antics. ¡°You - yea you - you do not have to get anything. You told me you were just going out to get some real life experience and for the first few days, I actually saw that type of activity. Then the second day, after you and the fox fought, I lost contact with you. What happened Michael? Tell me in detail.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes took in the state of Michael¡¯s body and a slight hitch in his voice made Michael pause. He had been about to lie and explain some ridiculous idea, but that would have been stupid. His mother was questioning Liera separately and Michael didn¡¯t account for that. Plus his father was genuinely worried about him. Michael swallowed his story and proceeded to tell his recount of the events. By the time he was done, night had fallen over the city and Aaron had to light a few candles to keep their eyes from straining to see one another. Aaron didn¡¯t have much talent in the magic department, so he had to manually do it himself. He seated himself back on the bed and faced his son. ¡°So she has no one left?¡± ¡°She said the city cleared the previous night to fight the invaders. It was mid noon when we were attacked by whatever was left of those invaders, so I don¡¯t think anyone was left.¡± Aaron nodded and sat in silence for a moment, thinking about what he had heard and what would have to happen. He then cocked an eye at Michael and asked in a light tone. ¡°And you just happened to offer the pretty girl your services? You dog. Only recently orphaned and you make your move on her.¡± Michael blushed at Aaron¡¯s suggestive tone and smile and stammered out a hasty reply. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that! She was guarding the plant and since no one else was there to help, I offered. Plus she was a wolf when I asked. Not that she isn¡¯t pretty or anything. I mean-¡± Aaron¡¯s laughter cut off Michael¡¯s reply and Michael became more flushed as he quieted down. Soon Aaron¡¯s mirth also lessened and he turned a little more serious as he spoke to Michael. ¡°What do you think she wants to do? Live with us? I know your mother has some customs that deny us from having another kid, so I think adoption wouldn¡¯t be too bad. But why would she want to do so?¡± ¡°I may have sorta told her that we could guard the plant. And I may have sorta told her that you were stronger than Valerie. If you train the both of us, we¡¯re bound to get strong enough to guard it ourselves. Plus¡­ I¡¯m rather lonely.¡± Aaron didn¡¯t know how the boy did it, but he was sure some sad music had started to play in the background. Michael looked up at him and his eyes grew impossibly big. They started to get a little teary and he even thrust out his lower lip into a pout. Aaron¡¯s sanity couldn¡¯t possibly take it and he looked away, trying to give his eyes some rest. Then Michael attacked another sense. ¡°I live with you, and Mom, and Lucy, and Victoria, and Valerie, but theres no one my own age that I know. The house is so big, but it feels empty with me as the only kid. I would ask for another sibling, but I know how selfish that is. Liera would be the first friend I make and-¡± He couldn¡¯t take it anymore! Aaron squeezed his eyes shut and blocked his ears with his hands. He threw himself on his back and tried to bury himself in the soft bed. Then, Michael used his last and final move. Aaron felt a small body hug him. The surprise made him loosen his hands as he opened his eyes to see what was going on. There, he was confronted by Michael¡¯s impossibly large eyes and Aaron could heard a small whine from the boy. Aaron felt his will snap and he lifted Michael towards to fully engulf the cute kid in a hug. ¡°Hmm FINE! You win. I¡¯ll be on your side when you ask your mother to take in the girl.¡± Happy at the success of his plan, Michael hugged his father once more and the two heard the ring of a ready meal. Only then did Michael notice that he had missed eating anything since that morning. His stomach growled at the thought of a home cooked meal and Michael barely noticed when his body was already out the room and going down the stairs. Aaron was following behind, chuckling at both the speed and the talking stomach. Michael paused at the dining table when he saw the other two participants to the feast. Celia was dressed normally, but Michael had missed her for the last few days, especially during the battles. She cleaned up quite well and was dressed in her trademarked stained coat. Liera was also seated there and she had been fitted into a simple dress. Her hair had been cleaned and done up, revealing brown curls that framed her petite face which was looking away from him. Michael was still staring when he got slapped from behind. Stumbling forward, Michael glared at his father who had his suggestive smile back on his face. Michael flushed and slowly walked towards his seat, making sure not to look at Liera again. The both of them seated themselves and then started filling their plates with food. Celia did the same and then Liera followed a short while later. All of them took their first bites at the same time and Michael saw Liera¡¯s face light up in surprise. She chewed her food very slowly and then swallowed it, her disbelieving face still staring at the food. She took another bit, and then another, then started stuffing herself full. She soon noticed that everyone else was staring at her and abruptly flushed and started to eat slower. Smiling, everyone continued to eat, silence being the only thing that accompanied them. Finishing, the dishes were taken away from Lucy and they all cleaned themselves up before reseating themselves at the table. ¡°Now, Michael. Liera here told me that you had¡­ promised to look after the plant and that she should stay with you to guard it.¡± ¡°Y-yes. I said so. Then I drank some of her blood and that formed a contract that said the same.¡± ¡°What exactly does the contract state?¡± ¡°First is to keep the Silven Plant guarded and well cared for. Next is to make sure all guardians are well and able to carry out their duties. And lastly, I cannot break this contract unless by the killing the other members. I think that also means myself. ¡°Mom, what is this plant? Why were Liera¡¯s people guarding it and why would people or monsters go after it?¡± Celia was quiet as she contemplated Michael¡¯s words and even Liera started to fidget. As the youngest member of her clan, she wasn¡¯t taught everything yet so she didn¡¯t know much either. Celia gave a look to Aaron and he nodded in return. He stood from his seat and made his way to his office, giving the three some privacy. Michael was pretty sure he would listen in with the crystal ball though. ¡°...fine. That plant is called the Silven Plant, as your connection must have told you. It is a plant that was personally made by the Lady of the Land, the Green-Singers¡¯ Goddess. It is treasured by the elves, feys, and us Green-Singers which is probably why your entire clan was tasked to guard it. ¡°Since it was so well guarded, most of the other races and other humans had no idea about it. However, a small Silven Plant was found by a human about 500 years ago. He sold it to the prevailing Magus group at the time and turned their world upside down. ¡°The applications for the plant were far reaching. Potions could be created from extractions of the plant. Scrolls written on the plant¡¯s type of paper made the spells more powerful and effective. Clothes, wands, food. The small plant was devoured eagerly by the community and after it was finally used up, they went out to search for more. ¡°They searched everywhere for the plant and found out that the fey and elves had most of the plants. They tried to buy it. Then they tried to steal it, threaten for it, and finally they started a war for it. ¡°The Magus war was the result. The human kingdoms were tricked and forced to fight the elves and fey for some minor reason. The Green-Singers sided against the other humans and there were great casualties from both sides, mainly the humans. When the Mages were finally wiped out, the war stopped with a truce between the races but that still strained future relations. Hence why you cannot see elves and fey, or any other races in the human towns much.¡± Celia grew solemn by the end of her story and the room went silent for a while. Michael didn¡¯t expect the history about the plant to be so bloody. Liera was also silent and Michael wondered what she was thinking as she listened. She saw Michael¡¯s looking at her and stared back, making him turn away in embarrassment. Not noticing the interaction or the red in her son¡¯s cheeks, Celia continued her story. ¡°The plant gained a higher level of protection, one of which must have been Liera¡¯s Clan. Since Liera¡¯s clan was one of the Wolf Feys, you can bet that they had to have fought a very strong army. A single clan of them would have been able to decimate a force many times their own number. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if 10,000 had been sent against them.¡± That seemed to be aimed at cheering Liera up and succeeded. She sat up straighter and had a proud but sad smile on her face. Michael smiled back and Liera sharply turned her face away from his direction. ¡°Now, I guess all we need to do is figure out what next. Aaron! Come back up!¡± Shouting in the direction of his office, the three waited as they heard Aaron¡¯s footsteps sound up the stairs and into the first floor. Aaron joined them at the dining table and sat back down on his spot. ¡°Are we talking about Liera¡¯s future?¡± Straight and to the point. Michael wondered if his father had been listening in. He didn¡¯t want to bring it up at the moment, so he kept quiet and turned to Liera for her comments. ¡°I-I want to become strong enough to guard the plant. Even if it does not have the old protection of a full clan, I could probably keep it safe if it¡¯s moved constantly. Now though, it would probably be safe in this house. And in the middle of the city.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll keep it in my office. No thief should be able to get into the office unless they have... permission.¡± ¡°And you can join Michael¡¯s training. Tomorrow we can decide your fighting style and how to train.¡± Celia and Aaron both put in their own thoughts and Michael raised his hand as well. ¡°How about school? She could learn a lot at school and I can be there to help her.¡± He also hoped that he would finally be able to get a friend in the class. Close to two years in the class and he still hadn¡¯t made friends with anyone there. Having Liera there would be nice and would also make class more interesting. ¡°Unfortunately I will have to say no. The school mainly deals with matters that affect humans. They won¡¯t go into many matters for fey like Liera, and there wouldn¡¯t be a point for the class to change just for her. I could probably teach her more from my personal books than the church would anyways.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t I stay home and you teach me things? School is too boring and I don¡¯t talk to anyone there anyways.¡± Celia really couldn¡¯t say anything to that as she wanted him to stay home too. It took days of arguing with her husband before she finally relented. Now that the topic was brought up again¡­ ¡°No. The church has specific rules that says the children of the city must go to classes. It may have started as just a simple speech about education, but the church made it a law only a few decades ago. Since Liera is not born from this city and is of a different race, she will probably be exempt from school.¡± And I shall use my connections to do so. Not saying that thought, Aaron could only imagine the difficulty she would face in a class full of human children. Children were quite harsh and those two bullying kids from before were still prominent in Aaron¡¯s memories. Michael grew sullen at the facts but accepted them since they mostly made sense. Michael¡¯s sigh turned into a yawn and he blinked away tears. ¡°And I guess we should have you two sleep. You two have been through a lot recently and a good nights rest should do good. Lucy, lead Liera to her new room. I¡¯ll take Michael!¡± The last part brought a surprised and pale look to Michael¡¯s face and he tried to make a run for it. Celia¡¯s body and arms were faster though as hugged Michael into the air and carried him off to his rooms. Half suffocating, Michael couldn¡¯t help but think I¡¯m home.
Status
NameMichaelAge6
Level12Class-
Fame0Infamy0
TitleGreen-SingerGuild-
Health630Mana750
Stamina740Stored Rage79
Strength61Dexterity34
Vitality63Intelligence55 + 20
Wisdom49 + 20Mana Control9 + 5
Critical Chance0.07%Agility63
Concentration76 + 5Willpower18
Charisma35 + 5Presence35
Art30
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Silven Plant¡¯ grants: Double Mana Regeneration. ¡®Green-Singer¡¯ grants: +5 Vitality. +20 to Intelligence. +20 to Wisdom. +5 Mana Control. +5 Charisma. +5 Concentration. +20 Nature Affinity. [/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 1. (22%). Active skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 2. (74%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 4. (66%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 3. (91%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 2. (64%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 1. (97%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 2. (55%) Active skill
Rage ReleaseBeginner level 1. (60) Active skill
Green-MagicBeginner level 1 . (4%) Active skill
HowlBeginner level 0. (0%) Active skill
DevourBeginner level 0. (0%) Passive skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature9 + 20
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother Silven Plant connection Pack Michael¡¯s Pack: Michael (leader) Liera
Kuekuekue, those wolves didn''t stand a chance...Time for a relaxation period? I agree
Welp, Chapter 6 is finally here. Haven''t touched 8 again!!!!!! At this rate, the gap between 7 and 8 releases would be quite large. Since chapter 7 isn''t very action packed, I shall not upload 7 until chapter 8 is complete. Mwahaha Anyways, how does everyone feel about Liera? Better? Worse? Who is Liera? Hmmmmmmmm I feel quite busy... anyone have books for me to read? LNs are better atm in terms of size... just read Douluo Dalu in one day (slept at 7 am to 1 pm). Need more to read... Top 30!!! Target!!!! Vote!!!! Chapter 7: Leisurely Days LEISURELY DAYS The last few years of school showed more stricter teaching than before, especially when the students reached their 8th year. Students were not allowed to just idle through class with no actual will to study. Instead, the teachers asked questions to every student to make sure they had the knowledge ingrained into them before they graduated. Michael had paid scant attention in the early years of class, but this new way of teaching meant he needed to listen and learn, lest he embarrass himself when confronted. This suited him just fine since the classes in the last years mainly covered the geography and history of Gaia. ¡°One thousand, two hundred and forty years ago marked the start of what is called, ¡®The Magus Wars¡¯. The war was between the mages and their greatest supporters at the time, the human alliance, against various other races. Elves, fey, beastfolk, dwarves. Historians in recent years question the sanity of the human rulers and the Magus community in their decision to face such a large array of races. ¡°Henry! Please tell me three of the most prominent human rulers during that war, as well as the leader of the Magus community at the time.¡± Bishop Francis pointed to a boy near the front of the room and Michael saw him jump in surprise. Henry was a slight boy and around the same height as the rest of the class, which wasn¡¯t saying much. Michael could see him trying to remember past lessons on speaking etiquette that was taught in earlier classes. He visibly went step by step through the instructions. Back straight, chest out, chin up and not touching your neck. The next lesson was to project your voice, but that went over most of the children¡¯s heads and Henry spoke in a quivering, quiet voice. ¡°Yes Bishop. T-the three most prominent leaders of humans at the time were King Geoffrey, King Harn, and¡­ ummm¡­ Queen Io? The l-leader of the Magus¡¯ was Lord Tuy.¡± ¡°Correct. King Geoffrey ruled in the south, a powerful king who obtained the throne using the backing of the Magus community and through careful orchestration of his siblings¡¯ demise. King Harn was a business man through and through as he solely dealt in trading goods between the Magi and the rest of the realm. He ruled in the West, the area where the Magus¡¯ home citadel dwelled. Queen Io was the beautiful sister of Lord Tuy and very powerful in her own right, a successful campaign in her early years meant she controlled a great territory in the North-East. ¡°Those three were heavily tied to the Magus community, and so bullied various other human domains into joining the war. Together, the human side made for a very strong collective force with a high number of elite forces. They were initially only facing the elves and fey and should have beat their enemies easily. Historians agree that they would have won if the fight was that straightforward but unfortunately for them... ¡°Various countries viewed the war with distaste and asked the Magi why they started it. The elves were great healers and helped most of the other races, humans included, with deadly diseases while the fey were so isolated that they became near mythical. They demanded that the Magus community give a full reason for the war, which included having it be said under an oath to the Goddess. When Lord Tuy killed the messenger instead, the people of those countries deemed the war an affront to the Goddess which gave them a proper reason to oppose the humans. ¡°The beastfolk had no great relationship with the Goddess but they loved to join the losing side and fight the bigger enemy, hence they joined the fey and elves in the forests. The dwarves and many other racial groups did not approve of the humans. They were angry at the territories they lost to human expansion and joined the war with the hopes of gaining those territories back - which was partially successful. The unicorns, pegasi, phoenixes, and the powerful wyverns with their draconic rulers, all sided against the humans. These Mythical creatures were disgusted by human greed and lust for the war - they provided healing and they treated anyone who was non-human while the more aggressive ones went around scorching human lands and attacking any forces they encountered. It is generally accepted that the humans were too shortsighted in this war and didn¡¯t take other species into account. ¡°What was a war between two sides, soon became a world war. Dwarves and goblins overran the human mines and took them over, while some were ruined to deplete the human stockpile of iron. Merfolk and other sea creatures overtook the massive human ships carrying supplies and troops, destroying the human navy in a matter of weeks. Mercantile races like the gnomes cut off trade with the humans and destroyed the economy with ease by purchasing all goods. The lack of food, fuel, and other essential goods during the winter months made human survival harsh and dangerous, with many dying from the cold or hunger. The human alliance was further troubled by a rebellion from various forces within their own cities. ¡°Even with all of these problems, the Magus community did not care one whit for their allies. Gathering as many human troops as they could, the Mages led a huge wave of forces into the forests. ¡°Does anyone want to explain how the elves and fey responded?¡± The question was directed to the rest of the class but failed in getting any volunteers. Most of the class immediately eyed their desk and avoided looking up, less the Bishop make eye contact with them and call them up. The others made their eyes wander to different areas of the room, Michael was one of them and tried his best to appear smaller than usual. Bishop Francis saw that no one was willing to volunteer. Sighing, Bishop Francis followed his superior¡¯s order and called Him up. ¡°Michael, if you will.¡± Michael cursed in his head, using words he picked up from passing bars. Did the Bishop have it out for him or something? It was the fourth time this week he got chosen and there wasn¡¯t any good reason for getting chosen. Michael stood up and saw that most of the class had turned to watch him and he cursed once more before he quickly gathered his thoughts. ¡°The elves and fey went on the defensive. Using their powers, they had set up traps using their spells that were ingrained into the forests. When the attacking force charged into the forest, they were met with powerful moving plants. They were squashed, gutted, poisoned, and infected with diseases. There were also the beastfolk who hid in the forest and ambushed the humans with glee, ripping them apart with powerful blows or eating them raw. When the remaining human forces saw their future deaths, the remaining mages set fire to the forest. The blaze resulted in the death of a number of unaware beastfolk, elves, and fey, including the children.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes¡­¡± Only then did Michael notice that everyone stared at him with round eyes. His details were a tad too descriptive for the 9-year olds and some of them had obviously tried to imagine what he had described. Michael quietly sat down as the Bishop tried to get everyones attention once more. ¡°Ahem. The forest fire killed off hundreds of the elves and fey, a devastating blow due to the relatively small number of births that the two races had each year. Coupled with long lives and memories, their relations with humans are, even now, strained. The human alliance, however, had lost most of their forces. The war died down as various kingdoms strove to keep their power and a quick treaty was proposed. The war ended but the remaining human-owned lands were now unlawful and dangerous. The Magus leader Lord Tuy on the other hand, had met his end in the forests. The community gradually collapsed and the remaining members were demonized by the war survivors. ¡°With very few mages left, the magic arts became rare and divided in the human lands and difficult to rebuild. With the addition of being hounded in various countries, the Magus community went into hiding among the humans and their numbers are unknown, even at this period in time. Only a handful of mages pop up every now and then, but they immediately go into hiding after they complete whatever task they needed to do. ¡°It was during this time that the rise of the Guilds in the other lands spread to the human territories and various branch guilds were set up by their few human members. The combat guilds of the orcs and beastmen, the crafting guilds of the dwarves, the stealth guild of the goblins and other shadow races, the healing guilds of the elves, and the merchant guilds of the gnomes. All of these guilds incorporated themselves into the human territories and grew in power. They soon splintered from their main Guilds and took over some of the duties of the kingdoms with the Five Guild System being the lasting remains of those many guilds of the past.¡± Bishop Francis took the moment to peek out the window and see how he was doing on time. He saw the position of the sun and sighed in disappointment, not even close to finishing his lesson. ¡°Well, class is done for the day. Everyone make sure to read up on the guilds for next class. We will be discussing the origins of each of the Five Guild System and also the newer guilds that have been popping up in the last thousand years. We will also take a peek into the ¡®Mad Emperor¡¯s War¡¯, which resulted in the end of kingdoms and countries.¡± Michael stood up with the rest of the class and did his routine of stretches before starting for the door. Halfway out of the building, Michael casually used a command that had become a routine. ¡°Stealth.¡± Stealth became one of Michael¡¯s favorite skills to use. His high Presence and Charisma had made him stand out a little and he was getting tired of the stares from some kids. Stealth didn¡¯t work so well because of those two stats, but it did have the bonus of diminishing them a little bit. He left it on during the way back so that he could walk without having anyone ogling at him. This made for quite the peaceful trip. Lucy didn¡¯t accompany Michael when he walked to or from school anymore and he walked home while thinking about the histories. The Magus war tied deeply with the ¡®Silven Plant¡¯ story that his mother had told him a few years back and he would try to see if he could get more information. Bishop Francis was a good orator, but the information he gave was too general. Plus there was no real mention about the plant, only that the cause had been kept secret by the mages and that the war diminished their influence greatly. Michael didn¡¯t want to think about the war or the plant since he gained more questions instead of answers. Asking his mother was a dead end as well, since she didn¡¯t think him old enough to learn about the details of Green-Singer past, or how its society was now. Michael hoped to meet with other Green-Singers in the future, but if only a few dozen family lines existed, how would he be able find them in the vast world? Arriving home, Michael entered and tried to see if Liera was around. It had been a few years since she became formally adopted into the family, and Michael was disappointed that he didn¡¯t get to spend so much time with her. Michael passed by the kitchen and peeked in. He saw the small, familiar girl kneeling on a stool and pounding a large piece of dough. Her small hands disappeared in the elastic paste as she stretched it and punched it without stopping. Michael happily entered the kitchen and surprised Liera when he spoke. ¡°Liera! Lets do something fun today and hang out for once!¡± Michael felt his words were awkward and rather weird, but the message should have gone across. Michael was lonely and wanted to play with Liera for a bit. Liera looked at Michael and then took a long glance at the dough in her hands before looking back. Michael followed her gaze and turned red on the spot. What was he thinking? She was obviously busy, yet he asked her to go and play without thinking. Michael tried to contain his embarrassment and stammered out a reply while slowly backing out of the kitchen. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t notice you were busy. I¡¯ll just go and¡­ and¡­¡± Michael rushed out of the kitchen without completing his apology and chastised himself as he climbed upstairs. He still wasn¡¯t used to Liera since the only real time they spent together was during morning training. His father taught Liera while Michael was at school, and Michael was only trained at night. His mother took up most of his non-school days with lessons of Green-Magic, and Liera was constantly busy with either his mother or the maids.. Michael entered his room and flopped down on top of his bed. He lay there and went through his schedule for the day. His yearly naming day had passed a few months ago and as an 8 year old, his training with his father had reached a peak as he completed the basics. Michael had fought with his sword and dagger for almost half a decade and felt that the weapons were almost like an extension of his body. After his Changing Day, he would get proper teachers who will pass on actual skills and knowledge to him. Michael decided to take a bath before starting his training with Aaron. Submerging in a bath would relax his body. Having to speak out in class, as well as embarrassing himself in front of Liera had added some stress so a bath would do good. Michael went to the large washroom on the floor and filled a tub with hot water that was brought through the pipes of the house. Michael then stripped and immersed himself in the water and sighed as his muscles calmed.
Liera pounded the dough a few more times while thinking about Michael¡¯s earlier reaction. He had seemed rather stressed out and couldn¡¯t even complete a sentence. He also seemed a little lonely since he actually asked her outright to play. Liera gave him a look that told him to wait a little bit, but she didn¡¯t think he actually noticed. Adding some flour to areas of the dough to get rid of some stickiness, Liera manipulated the dough with experienced hands; bread baking was one of the things she had been taught and she liked how active it required her to be. Liera looked over the dough with a critical eye and poked it a few times to see if it sprung back. When it looked and felt perfect, she gave herself a nod of approval before moving on. Liera took out a bowl and poured some cooking oil inside. She then placed the dough in the bowl and started to turn it over to ensure that the bowl and the dough were lightly covered. She then took a cloth and wet it. She placed the damp cloth over the bowl and placed the entire thing to the side. Liera washed her hands over the sink and looked around the kitchen to see if there was anything to pass the time while she waited for the dough to rise. She had roughly an hour until she should check on it again, so there was time to see if Michael still wanted to play. Liera decided that she didn¡¯t know Michael very well, so she went upstairs in search for him. She peeked into his room but found it empty. A quick sniff told her that it had recently been occupied, so Michael had been in the room but had since left. Liera walked away from the room and went down the hall to see if Michael was in any of the other rooms. When she got close to the washroom, Michael¡¯s scent washed over her. She started breathing through her mouth until her concentration came back, and she went to the door. She cracked the door open a little bit and saw Michael submerged in the steaming water, the source of the stronger scent. Liera continued to stare and tried to decide what she should do. Michael wanted to play with her, but he was preoccupied now and she didn¡¯t want to bother him. An old memory surfaced to the forefront in her mind. Liera watched as she played with the other adults in one of the lakes. They switched between forms to wash both skin and fur and she remembered that her mother washed her quite thoroughly. Liera remembered feeling content at the attention and care and decided to do the same for Michael. Her step was light as she went to her room.
The bath was incredibly soothing to Michael and he soon felt tired. Yawning a few times, Michael leaned on the edge of the bathtub and tried to remember why he didn¡¯t take baths more often. Something about the dirt and sweat he accumulated or something. Another yawn broke through and Michael felt his eyes start to droop. Two sharp knocks sounded on the door and before he could properly respond, the door opened. ¡°I have time right now, so I¡¯ll help wash you.¡± Scrambling awake, Michael stared with wide eyes as Liera walked through the door clothed only in a towel wrapped around her body. It had only been two years since Michael first met her and Liera¡¯s body had yet to change in any drastic way. She was quite small for her age, an aspect of her fey lineage that differentiated her from humans, and looked a few years younger than Michael. He knew she was close to his age though and that awareness, coupled with his growing awareness of himself and girls, made Michael quickly scramble towards the wall where his towel was hung. Tripping over the tub that he had forgotten about, Michael rolled to the wall and somehow managed to grab the towel and wrap himself properly before Liera could see him. Michael stood with one hand holding up his towel and confronted the girl. ¡°What are you doing! You can¡¯t just enter the washroom like that! Its¡­ its¡­¡± ¡°I was just hoping to wash your back. You said you wanted to ¡®hang out¡¯ earlier, so this would be one way of ¡®hanging out¡¯. Washing each other¡¯s back also feels nice, you know?¡± Her cool expression was a direct contrast to Michael¡¯s flushed face and he tried to figure out a response that would work. Liera continued to stare at him and that made him more nervous than usual, especially since they both only had towels separating one another. Michael stiffly walked back to the tub and pulled the plug. He didn¡¯t bother to watch the swirling liquid disappear. He instead tried to calmly walk pass Liera and head back into his room. He only managed the walking part, calmly doing anything not being possible in that situation. Liera watched as he passed and her brows furrowed in confusion. Did she do something weird? Or was Michael just acting strange for some reason? Not understanding him at all, Liera shut the door and moved towards the now emptied tub and replugged the hole. She turned the water back on and kept the temperature moderate, to match the feel of the lakes she started to miss.
Dinner was a simple meal of thick beef stew and slices of the bread that Liera had baked. The bread was soft on the inside with a thick crust that was perfect when dipped into the stew. One bite of a stew-soaked piece of bread, and everyone agreed that the meal was heavenly. So good Michael almost forgot his embarrassment after each bite. One glance at Liera though, was enough to bring up the memory of what had happened and Michael quickly averted his eyes. ¡°Michael, are you alright? Your face is red and you only took 3 bites in the last 10 minutes.¡± Michael looked up and saw his mother¡¯s concerned expression. He also noticed Liera staring at him from the corner of his eye and he quickly tried to assuade his mother and get back to the food. ¡°I-its nothing. I was just thinking about the history lesson we had today, and¡­ and the stew is a little hot for me, so I¡¯m letting it cool.¡± Michael¡¯s explanations were half-assed at best, but his mother nodded in understanding. Liera had gone back to concentrating on her food, though she did pay attention when Aaron spoke up. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, your class should be talking about the Magus Wars and the Guilds. right?¡± ¡°Just the Magus Wars, we didn¡¯t have time for Guilds today.¡± Nodding, Aaron glanced at his wife very briefly before continuing. ¡°Based on that schedule, your class will soon get to the Mad War. Although the war was pretty destructive, it did introduce three new God-ranked people. Kilrev the human Warrior, Luanden the elven Archer, and Tiurand the human Blacksmith. Since the War started about 400 years ago, Kilrev and Tiurand are both dead. Luanden is actually still alive, so you two may meet him in the future. Although his personality does leave something to be desired¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s tone became reminiscent at the end, but Michael wasn¡¯t about to leave it at that. ¡°You met Luanden?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ er¡­ I met your mother first and then we both met him. She can tell you the story instead. Celia?¡± ¡°No.¡± Not even looking up, Celia spoke the word in a cold tone that cut off any continuation of that particular conversation. Aaron smiled nervously at his wife before turning back to Michael. ¡°See? Your mother won¡¯t talk about it now, but she¡¯ll tell you when she can. Let¡¯s just not speak about it. Ever.¡± Michael stared at his extremely nervous father and caught the underlying message; If you want to know, ask your mother. Good luck with that. Michael decided the line of thought would be disastrous, so he went back to his meal. Luckily the conversation managed to ease Michael¡¯s previous anxiety and the meal passed quickly without any problems.
When Michael woke up early the next morning, and he remembered everything from yesterday. His embarrassment rushed back like a tide, causing him to be wide awake. Face red, Michael tried to go back to sleep but his body became restless as his imagination took hold. Michael decided it was useless to continue sleeping, so he got out of bed and changed into the clothes he used for his morning workout. The tight clothing was fitted to Michael¡¯s frame and every year he got a new set to compensate for his growing frame. At 140 centimetres he was taller than average and general clothes were a bit too small or too wide for him. A yearly set of training clothes was a must for both Liera and himself ever since they both started fighting with real swords. Loose clothing were very easy to tangle and get damaged during training. Michael and Liera had long since been in charge of their own morning workout, so Michael didn¡¯t need to be under the watchful eye of his father when he ran. After an hour of running and climbing multiple circuits around the house, Michael ran back to his room and grabbed a few weights to start his exercises. The wrist and ankle weights were only 3 pounds each, but as Michael went through his sit-ups, jumping jacks, lunges, and squats, the weights started to take their toll on his body. After an hour of those exercises, Michael took off the weights and ended the morning routine with a few minutes of constant push ups, trying to add one push up more than yesterday¡¯s count. By the end of it, Michael¡¯s clothing was soaked with sweat and he lightly dabbed it off with a cloth. Since he had only been training inside and was only covered in sweat, Michael went to the third floor to make use of the only shower in the house. A quick soak under the rush of water and he would be ready for school. If Michael timed this right, then Liera would just be getting up and starting her own runs. Michael hoped to avoid her until he left the house; he didn¡¯t think he could keep his nervousness from showing if she confronted him.
Liera woke up at her usual time and groggily grabbed her set of black clothing that she laid out the previous night. Eyes still closed, she made her way to the middle of her room with familiarity and put on the clothes with practiced movements. Half of her thoughts were focused on going back to sleep so she raised both hands to slap her face several times. The pain woke her up a bit more, but a yawn still escaped her and she slumped a bit on the spot. Liera wished she had some tea to wake her up and daydreamed of the warm minty drink sliding down her throat. Instead, she poured herself a glass of water from a jug she left overnight and drained it in one go. Feeling the liquid go through her body, Liera perked up and went to her room door with a little more haste. The sun hadn¡¯t yet risen so the lamps were the only guide that led Liera down to the third floor. She reached the floor and was a little surprised to see that Michael wasn¡¯t there. Michael always woke up before her, and since she wasn¡¯t a morning person she always followed his routine as he exercised. Liera waited on the floor for a few minutes before getting restless, so she started warming herself up by jogging on the spot and jabbing a few times. 10 minutes passed without any sign of Michael so she decided to check and wake him up if necessary. She was actually a little excited, since this was the first time she would be the one to wake him up. Liera¡¯s room was the closest to the stairs so she didn¡¯t pass Michael¡¯s room when she went down earlier. Going to his room now, she knocked lightly on the door and listened for any movement. She didn¡¯t even hear a rustle so she knocked a little louder but again there was no response. Liera decided to see if the door was open and was surprised when the handle turned in her hand as the door opened. Creeping inside, Liera looked around the room. The room was the same size as Liera¡¯s and was a near reflection in terms of furniture. A medium sized bed was situated in the far right corner of the room, the sheets in disarray, with a small chest at its base. To the left was a tall dresser used to keep Michael¡¯s more formal clothes safe and clean while a basket to its side held his more mundane ones. Taking a short sniff of the room told Liera that Michael had left it only a short time earlier, so she exited the room and took a long whiff of the hallway. Following the trail of the scent led her back to the third floor and to the shower room. If he used it already, then chances were he already finished his routine without her and was on the lower floors. Liera decided not to dwell too much on the fact and started up the routine that they followed yesterday. Instead of starting up exercises by the end of her laps though, Liera went to the far south-west corner of the room and took a stance. She closed her eyes and stayed in that position for a few minutes as her mind formed three distinct shapes. Two of them were humanoid in shape, one much bigger than her and one that was shorter but still a good 30 centimetres over her, while the last was a wolf much larger than her, even when on all fours. Usually shadow boxing partners included a humanoid shape that was smaller than her, but with her size it was more of a joke than an actual fight. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. She opened her eyes and imagined the three in front of her. Liera moved first and jabbed at the head of the shorter shadow while sliding past several oncoming blows from the larger. Shifting her left hand to a claw she turned and swiped at the open jaws of the oncoming wolf and pushed it away before turning back and ducking under a fast right hook from the countering shorter shadow. Pivoting on the spot she kicked in the direction of the shorter shadow, making it back away, before turning her attention to the larger shadow. Several quick left and right jabs to the chest made it back away and in the middle of one jab she stepped back quickly before unleashing a full kick to its head. Liera was shocked to see the larger shadow only take a half-step back and only then did she notice the oncoming attack. Liera quickly used the momentum of the kick to spin her body and dodge the attack instead, as the wolf shadow stepped past the humanoid one to attack her side. Shifting her head, Liera bit into the forearm of the wolf and used its momentum to throw its body over her head. As she tried to shift back to a human head, the larger shadow rushed into her vulnerable stance and delivered two quick jabs followed by a hook to her stomach. Liera backed away from the blows and only then noticed the return of the smaller shadow which was already in the middle of a jump kick. Closing her eyes, Liera cursed as she ended the shadow boxing there and erased her imaginary opponents. Liera opened her eyes and made note of where she had ended. From the south-west corner, she only made 3 metres of distance before ending the fight and she shook her head in disappointment. The shadow boxing opponents were in the shape of Michael, Aaron, and the final wolf that died in Yim. Using the instructions of Aaron, Liera had the shadows use techniques that she was sure the originals would use, and she had to shift back from wolf form every time. Michael¡¯s shadow was not even close to the same level of skill as Liera and even Aaron¡¯s form was the same. The wolf also was a tad weaker since Liera was sure it could easily kill her at full power. Based on all of the handicaps she could see, she definitely should have won against the three, especially when they were based off her imagination. The only problem was Aaron¡¯s shadow. Instead of actual skill, it heavily relied upon teamwork with the others. When it faced her, the shadow timed when to defend and when to let the other shadows fight. That meant it waited for Liera to get close before stepping back and giving the wolf enough room to attack. It then gave minimal blows to her before stepping to the side and letting Michael¡¯s kick become the deciding blow to the fight. Never dealing final blows itself, the shadow would try to stay to the side and coordinate with its partners to defeat her. Liera was almost as scared of it as she was of the original. Liera decided she had enough of that and started work on exercises. Working primarily with her arms and legs, Liera did regular push ups and close hands push ups, one leg and two leg squats, incredibly slow lunges, and then went through a series of minimal speed stretches before ending with quick dashes from wall to wall. When her body felt loose and limber she toweled her sweat off and went back to her room. She passed and greeted Celia on the way up the stairs and heard the returning greeting followed by a long yawn. Celia was also not a morning person and couldn¡¯t understand the need for morning training at all. Liera herself didn¡¯t feel any vestige of the sleep remaining in her as she grabbed a clean set of clothes and made for the unoccupied washroom. She passed a jogging Aaron, who took to doing morning training later than the kids, and greeted him as well. He nodded to her response but his quick pace left little breathe for a proper response and she was satisfied anyways. Passing a window in the hall, Liera glanced out the window to see Michael¡¯s figure as he left. She decided he probably had a reason for starting everything earlier than usual so she shook her head at her own curiosity and made it to the washroom where she filled the tub with hot water and soaked for half an hour. Breakfast was a simple affair of leftover bread from the night before with eggs that were poached to perfection. Bacon was water boiled to a crisp and Liera added a large helping of it onto her dish. In the middle of the meal Lucy appeared at the door wearing outdoor clothing and Celia spoke up. ¡°Oh yes. Liera, you¡¯ll be going with Lucy on her shopping rounds today. We¡¯ll be having a large meal in a few days to take part in the successful fall harvest, so she needs a helping hand with the ingredients.¡± Liera nodded in response and proceeded to quickly finish her meal, so that Lucy wouldn¡¯t be kept waiting, and then excused herself from the table. Liera went back to her room and put on a simple white dress that was part of a set of regular clothes she received yearly. What she had noticed was that the clothes she had received barely grew in size at all. She was pretty sure she could still wear the first set of clothing she had received, and that made her very envious of Michael¡¯s growing height. She sighed in regret as she put on the dress and then grabbed a pair of outdoor shoes she barely used, again of a size similar to the ones given a few years back. Liera went down the flights of stairs and met Lucy at the entrance of the house. She put on her shoes and straightened her skirt nervously. Liera rarely headed outside and when she did, it was usually just a short distance to one of the training centers nearby to pick up some equipment. The marketplace would be in the Crafting District, which was the busiest district and had the most people travelling within. The two of them made their way out of the house and walked silently to the east. Liera was only half a step behind Lucy and she stared at the ground and Lucy¡¯s shoes as she walked. Still in her early 30s, Lucy was a cute looking lady with a few admirers in the city. Catcalls and greetings came from the random people and Lucy waved in response to their attentions. Behind her, Liera could hear Lucy¡¯s quiet words. ¡°The first step of bargaining is to create a face. What you choose depends on how easy it is for you. Right now, I am showing a happy go lucky face that is seen as good-natured. From the time I leave the house, to the time I go back, I have this face on so that no one suspects anything. It also becomes easier to do the more you do it, so I try to keep it on for as long as I can.¡± Raising her head, Liera looked at Lucy and saw a smile on her face that looked quite natural. Even in the house, Lucy had a small smile on her face when she did her work, so Liera didn¡¯t see any huge change. Keeping that smile looked like it would have hurt though, and Liera didn¡¯t really want to try. ¡°For you, I would say a fierce appearance is better. With your short stature, an angry demeanor would only make you more cute. Oh, don¡¯t pout. I¡¯m just saying it as it is.¡± Liera straightened her features and stopped her glaring to see where they were. Though it was still early, the sounds of opening shops and blacksmiths¡¯ hammers started to fill the long street with an abundance of noise that rang in Liera¡¯s ears. Shouts from the Blacksmiths to their apprentices were on the level of bellows, and she jumped once when a nearby Blacksmiths shop erupted in a cacophony of angry shouts and movement. After passing the Blacksmiths area, Liera breathed a sigh a relief that was swallowed when they turned a corner. Shouts and scents overwhelmed Liera as shopkeepers immediately presented their wares at the sight of the two. They were the first few shoppers of the day and the two were the only ones that walked down the street to check out the items. Liera followed Lucy with a nervous step and she couldn¡¯t understand how Lucy could just ignore the merchants like that. She was afraid they would seem rude when they didn¡¯t at least check out the wares, but she noticed that the merchants didn¡¯t seem to mind in the least. They just shrugged at the lack of attention and waited for the next customers to approach and attract. Looking back at Lucy, she noticed her side glance and saw her smile loosen to a more gleeful one. ¡°Merchants are cold-hearted bastards who would try to sell some sob story in order to get business. First rule of business is that no one follows the rules. The richer they are, the more cold-hearted they are. Some would try to cheat a beggar if they thought they could. Ignoring a Merchant is the first step in bargaining.¡± ¡°I thought it was to create a face.¡± ¡°Glad to see you paying attention. Faces are first steps for real shoppers. Ignoring is the first step for everyone. Learn to ignore first.¡± Lucy¡¯s smile tightened back to her wide one and she quickly stepped to a nearby grocery stand. She grabbed a few potatoes from the stand and questioned the merchant with some questions on the quality. Liera listened and tried to note what Lucy did and why. ¡°Are these fresh?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Dug up just this morning from Old Hicks¡¯ farm.¡± ¡°Old Hicks? I bought a few pounds of carrots from him a week ago. They were good, but definitely not fresh.¡± ¡°I assure you, madam, these carrots are fresh as can be. If you wish, I¡¯ll cut them open right here and verify it.¡± ¡°No need, no need, I¡¯ll take your word for it. How much for it?¡± ¡°For you lady, I¡¯ll sell for 2 Radiates per pound.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take 2 Argentias worth then.¡± Liera watched in confusion as the man frowned at what Lucy said and gruffly stuffed carrots into two bags. Still smiling, Lucy received the products with a gracious nod and handed over the coins before turning. Lucy explained what happened as they walked. ¡°That merchant was new to the street, so I played with him a bit. Old Hicks¡¯ products are always good and fresh, but I showed a side that revealed my hesitation when I questioned the quality. I knew I had him thinking I would leave when he tried to show how fresh they were to me, so I ended it by displaying a level of trust. His response to that trust was to view me in a pleasant light and when you added my ¡®face¡¯... well, I got these potatoes at less than half price. On another note, I gave a few hints that said I only bought a few carrots last week. He thought I was only out to buy only 2-4 pounds of vegetables again, so he lowered the price a bit, but I surprised him when I pulled out two full Argentias. Did you see his face?¡± Lucy¡¯s expression turned into a more sinister smile and she burst into laughter as they walked down the street. Liera turned back to see the merchant glaring at Lucy¡¯s back and she caught his mouth moving slightly as he probably cursed at her retreating back. She turned around when he caught her watching him and she quickly caught back up to the still laughing Lucy. Liera barely understood all of what she said, but she did understand that she achieved her goal successfully. Watching the next few purchases, Liera became more and more confused as Lucy displayed different stories and words that contradicted one another. In one shop she compared the vegetables with Old Hick¡¯s and praised Old Hicks as the best while at another she showed a side of confusion when the name came up. Several other names also popped up, but Liera was overwhelmed at the different brands being sold. Only when she heard other customer¡¯s purchases did she finally see a pattern. ¡°How much for these peas?¡± ¡°5 Radiates for 2 pounds.¡± ¡°I saw these being sold in another store for a Radiate less. Why are these ones so much more expensive?¡± ¡°My dear customer, these were obtained from the soils imported from the far north and the soil was perfectly cooled to the right temperature for the peas to grow. Would you not like to taste peas perfectly grown in Yern soil? Or how about these bananas imported straight from Luin, the only producer of it? Or these fresh bundle of apples?¡± ¡°Oh, uhhhh. I¡¯ll take 4 pounds of peas then. And two bundles of bananas.¡± Liera saw that the merchants lead the discussion with most of their customers, while Lucy led her discussions instead. Her questions were to the point and required a right answer, else she would pounce on the opening and make the merchant sweat. When Liera paid attention to the different prices the products were being sold for, she noted that they were getting products for far less than usual. ¡°Bargaining is the art of using subtle words and expression to gain an advantage during deals. For me, I use my innocent smile and subtle words to paint a picture of a poor housewife and then I take advantage of the merchant¡¯s geniality to get stuff at a cheaper price.¡± Looking proud of herself, Lucy explained what she did to the impressed Liera. Money was still a new concept though, and she didn¡¯t truly understand the importance of it. Lucy saw that and already had a plan in place. Crowds of people walked the streets and the merchants were quite busy dealing with different groups of people. Liera soon got used the hustle and bustle of the crowd and her training allowed her to easily keep up with Lucy. Only once did she lose track of the older woman, but a quick use of her strong nose allowed her to pick out the unique scent and find Lucy in a short period of time. Lucy herself didn¡¯t seem to worry about Liera getting lost, and she kept her pace throughout the trip. The two of them stopped before a small blacksmiths shop and Lucy turned around to face Liera, her many bags swishing and almost hitting the little girl. Taking out her money pouch, Lucy placed a small gold coin in her hands and Liera watched as it glittered in the sun. Lucy pointed at the shop when she saw Liera¡¯s confused expression and changed her smile to something more supporting. ¡°Your turn. Take that Solide and go inside to get a dagger that we ordered. Your goal is to get the price below fourteen Argentias. Oh, don¡¯t worry so much. I¡¯ll be out here watching and I¡¯ll rescue you if needed.¡± Liera was shocked at the random task and Lucy had to push her through the doors of the building. Liera stumbled a bit from the manhandling, but she quickly straightened when she thought people were watching. A quick glance around revealed no one though, and she gave a long sigh before going up to the counter to see if anyone was there. She glanced to the left and right to see if anyone was there that she missed. Not seeing anyone, she tried to look over the counter, but found that only her eyes were a few centimetres above it. Cursing her own height, Liera cupped a hand to her mouth and shouted. ¡°Hello? Anyone there? I¡¯m here to- Yiaa!¡± The emergence of a form from below the counter caused Liera to jump back in surprise and give a small scream. The man was slight in appearance and sported a wide smile at the success of his appearance. It softened a bit when he saw the little girl and he spoke in a genial tone. ¡°Yes? How may I help the little miss?.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m here to pick up a package.¡± Liera tried hard to contain the slight tremor in her voice and to stop her shaking. The shopkeeper noticed her struggle and gave a supportive and patient smile as he asked his questions. ¡°Alright, so what is the package, or just give a last name.¡± Only then did Liera find out she didn¡¯t know the exact package details and started to panic a little bit. Recalling all of what Lucy said, she gave the most basic information plus the family name. ¡°It¡¯s a dagger a-and the family name is Kane.¡± ¡°Ah, the Kane dagger, I got it right here. It¡¯s already wrapped up and ready for purchase, on my word. That will be twenty Argentias.¡± ¡°Uh. Um¡­¡± Liera rocked nervously on the spot and gripped the Solide tightly in her hand as she tried to figure out how to go about with bargaining. She hadn¡¯t even made a ¡®face¡¯ yet and she wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough to question the product and lower the price that way. Noticing her nervousness, the shopkeeper cocked his head in confusion and asked about any problems. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ fourteen Ar¡­¡± Losing her voice due to nervousness, Liera only gave out those two sounds before stuttering to a stop. She glared at the ground and didn¡¯t raise her head for a while as she wished for Lucy to appear and save her. After staring at the girl for a bit, the shopkeeper couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her and reached out a hand. ¡°Alright alright. You were told fourteen Argentias, so fourteen it is.¡± Taking the Solide from the girl, the shopkeeper shook his head at what he was doing and handed over the change. Liera slowly took a heavy pouch of coins plus the package and then bowed in thanks to the understanding man before turning. She quickly headed to the door and exited the shop, sighing in relief at finishing the task. ¡°Ho ho ho. Well done Liera. Not much talking, or bargaining for that matter, but you completed the task. Keep the change as your reward.¡± Lucy peeled herself away from the side of the door and quickly took the package from Liera and stuffed it in one of her various bags. Liera looked down at the coins pouch in her hand and smiled a bit before remembering what happened. She raised her head to glare at the other woman, only to find Lucy already moving through the crowd at a brisk pace. ¡°Hey! Why didn¡¯t you rescue me like you said you would?¡± Catching up to Lucy was a struggle because of the woman¡¯s head start and pace, but Liera managed it and had to lengthen her strides just to stay close to the older woman. She glared to the side from time to time and Lucy caught each look with a smile. ¡°What? So your sad and piteous look wasn¡¯t something you made up on the spot? Its was quite effective, but now you¡¯re telling me it was real?¡± Being reminded of the embarrassment only increased Liera¡¯s anger and she simmered in that rage for a short time. Lucy enjoyed the little girl¡¯s reactions, but thought she might as well end it. There was also something she really wanted to ask¡­ ¡°So, yesterday it seems something happened between you and Michael. Wanna tell me what?¡± Liera¡¯s anger diminished at those words and she became more thoughtful as she remembered what had happened. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he was acting like that. When he came home after school, he asked to play but I was busy with making the dough. While waiting for it to rise, I decided I had about an hour to play with him, so I went to look for him. When I saw him taking a bath, I remembered that my parents washed me and it felt... nice. So I changed and went to help wash him. He became flustered and¡­ what are you laughing at?¡± Lucy was bent over laughing and making a spectacle in the middle of the road. She still looked quite cute laughing though, and most of the people ignored or smiled in response to her laughter. ¡°Ha~ To be so innocent¡­¡± With those words, Lucy bent close to Liera and whispered into her ear. If they were anywhere else but the streets then a person would be able to catch the words bathing together¡­ closer¡­ touching¡­ lovers¡­ Michael¡¯s parents¡­ loud sounds¡­ Even though she was only 8, Liera had some idea about adult companionship and the relation between lovers. She grew redder as her imagination followed Lucy¡¯s words and a picture of what happened formed in her head. The heat she felt increased when she remembered that Michael was also aware of this and she felt she must have steam coming out of her ears. ¡°Hohoho¡­ kids these days. So bold¡­¡± Liera whacked Lucy, but the older woman just ignored the weak slap and kept walking in laughter.
Status
NameMichaelAge8
Level12Class-
Fame0Infamy0
TitleGreen-SingerGuild-
Health700Mana900
Stamina800Stored Rage29
Strength69Dexterity41
Vitality70Intelligence70 + 20
Wisdom60 + 20Mana Control11 + 5
Critical Chance0.07%Agility66
Concentration83 + 5Willpower19
Charisma35 + 5Presence35
Art30
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Silven Plant¡¯ grants: Double Mana Regeneration. ¡®Green-Singer¡¯ grants: +5 Vitality. +20 to Intelligence. +20 to Wisdom. +5 Mana Control. +5 Charisma. +5 Concentration. +20 Nature Affinity. [/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 2. (55%). Active skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 3. (2%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 5. (42%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 5. (33%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 4. (67%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 3. (1%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 4. (5%) Active skill
Green-MagicBeginner level 2 . (25%) Active skill
HowlBeginner level 0. (0%) Active skill
DevourBeginner level 2. (10%) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature12 + 20
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother Silven Plant connection Pack Michael¡¯s Pack: Michael (leader) Liera
Let''s go back to that bloody mother part :DTime for Michael''s Changing Day
Ha, Chapter 8 was complete so I uploaded this... wooo... Dunno when it will be Edited/PRed so meh. I also have an SS complete for the Valentine Contest... I''ll upload that as part of this in a few weeks... Votes have been stagnant :( So close to beating First Draft... Please vote/review my fic :D SS: A (messed up) Date! A (MESSED UP) DATE! ¡°Are you sure she¡¯ll like this?¡± ¡°Yes yes, why don¡¯t you believe me? There are three things women like after marriage. A faithful partner to show off, rich jewelry to show off, and plenty of chocolate to keep for themselves.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like you say that to everyone that comes in?¡± ¡°Cause I do?¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t help but frown at the idiot in front of him. Tight bodied suit, plus baldness already made him give off an aura that screamed Please punch me <3. But now he also had this shameless smile. Aaron restrained his twitching hand with some effort and pasted a smile on his own face. A non-shameless one. ¡°Fine, wrap it up and give it over. How much is it?¡± ¡°Lets see, metals were 1 Solide, effort was 1 Solide¡­ 100 Solides.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Paying the hundred Solides wasn¡¯t a big problem to Aaron and he also didn¡¯t find bargaining to be so worth it. Aaron traded the product with his payment, made a quick turn to avoid looking at the other man anymore, and started for the door. He almost made it to the door before Cider¡¯s voice stopped him. ¡°Then, do you have anything else planned?¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Aaron was curious. He hadn¡¯t ever participated in such an event before so any extra information would do wonders. ¡°You don¡¯t really think that little trinket would be acceptable, do you? You need to plan a night to remember! Dinner, walks, activities. And at the end, when you both get back, she will go ¡®I¡¯m tired dear, what a fun night¡¯ and you can go ¡®you don¡¯t think the night is finished yet, do you?¡¯ and rip off both of your clothes and- Gwark!¡± Aaron examined his fist which he had driven into the skinny man¡¯s body. Aimed in the right spot to hurt, the perfect punch took full advantage of his lowered strength and position. Cider quivered on the spot as the pain coursed through his body and he, on reflex, bent to try and ease that feeling. The only problem with hitting the bald man was that he had a hidden personality that was close to Aaron''s own. Indeed, Aaron could only sigh when he saw the hideous smile that sprouted from the man¡¯s face. Did he look like that when... Stepping away from the other man, Aaron tried to wipe at his body to get rid of the lingering heat he imagined. Cider had wrapped himself around Aaron earlier and then squirmed his body around as he told his plan. Aaron shuddered one final time before making sure there was a proper distance between the two. He then tried to restart the conversation one final time. ¡°So what do you mean a plan?¡± ¡°haha¡­ Y-you need to try harder to get her attention. Especially now that you aren¡¯t her main target anymore. So the first part of the plan will be presentation. I can make you a¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes lit up as he listened to the plan Cider created. He himself started to quiver at the ideas and he found himself nodding along towards the end.
Aaron walked home with a happy gait as he thought about the plans he and Cider made. He crept his way through the crowded streets and past rows of shops when he saw a stand that sold some wrapped flowers and chocolate. A young woman manned the stand and perked up when Aaron stopped in front of her. ¡°Welcome mister customer! Do you wish to buy some lovely flowers for your dearest? Or maybe some chocolate to represent how sweet you find her? Our flowers are enchanted to stay fresh for weeks and our chocolate was made-¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. I just want to ask if you do deliveries.¡± ¡°Yes sir! We are in business for the next week so anytime between now and then is perfect. We do hope you give us at least a day in advance to make the order possible!¡± ¡°Alright then. I would like¡­¡± The order took some time as the two of them spoke about details for preparation, delivery time, and delivery place. Then the young women launched into a detailed explanation of the different types of flowers the shop carried. The torrent of information overwhelmed Aaron¡¯s attempts to stop her so he settled into a patient wait. A different discussion somewhere in his vicinity caught his ear and he honed in on it. Anything was better than hearing why the red of this flower went good with the yellow of this one and not the yellow of that one. ¡°Did you hear about the Black Bandits?¡± ¡°The ones who brazenly target stores in the daytime yet never seem to get caught?¡± ¡°Yea, those guys. Heard they hit old Tim¡¯s store yesterday. When the guards arrived and asked what they looked like, he couldn¡¯t give them an answer.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t? Was it magic or something? Has another Magus popped up?¡± ¡°Maybe, or maybe he just went senile at the wrong time.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be. He wasn¡¯t the only one to get robbed, and there still hasn¡¯t been a bounty posted for their arrest.¡± ¡°I doubt it¡¯s magic though. Maybe a rampant rogue group?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Shadows deal with it then?¡± ¡°Not if they don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ah, not another conspiracy theo-¡± ¡°Sir? SIR?¡± Aaron¡¯s attention finally caught on to the shouting woman in front of him and he turned a little red at being too distracted. ¡°Sorry, was trying to process what you told me.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Her expressions revealed the lack of belief she had for that excuse so Aaron¡¯s didn¡¯t push it and went on. A confident man could turn a storm, or so they said. ¡°I¡¯ll take the multi bouquet. Just no tulips please. Can I have it delivered at the location and date we discussed. Also I would like to¡­¡±
¡°Celia! Are you- whoops!¡± Opening the door to Celia''s room, Aaron took a hit from a large cloud of green gas that he then inhaled. He rushed into the room with only a slight pause and closed the door behind him, not worrying about what sort of poison it was. His Poison Immunity could handle anything below a God Ranked poison anyways. Unless his wife turned into a Walking God while he was away, he didn''t have to fear her poisons. Much. ¡°The door was closed for a reason, idiot. I¡¯ve told you so many times; don¡¯t enter so recklessly when the door is closed.¡± ¡°Yes dear, I understand. Anyways, are you doing anything tomorrow?¡± Celia was still leaning over a bubbling cauldron when she frowned after his words. After thinking for a few moments she finally shook her head and stirred the contents of the pot a bit. The green liquid continued to produce its toxic fumes but neither of them paid any mind. ¡°I have nothing for the next few days. Michael and Liera are going out with Valerie to do some hunting so I¡¯m actually rather bored. Maybe I¡¯ll go to a spa or something¡­ supposedly there¡¯s an event going on and it would be-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Aaron¡¯s frantic shout caused her to jump on the spot and she glared at him a bit while adding in some plant leaves to the concoction. Her beauty only made the glare quite seductive and attractive in its own right. Aaron found he had some trouble keeping himself from accelerating the plan to the last part. ¡°Ummm, uhh¡­¡± Damnit! Why is this even harder now than before? We¡¯re fricken married! ¡°Umm, i-if you don¡¯t have anything to do on those days¡­ S-s-shall we go on a d-date?¡± Silence dominated the room as Celia tilted her head to regard him. Sweat soon dampened his neck and face as he faced her scrutiny and he wondered if maybe she would say no. What would that mean? Separation? Divorce? Who would take custody of Michael? Would it even be possible to separate the two? Maybe they could do joint-custody? Or maybe have Michael choose? What if he doesn¡¯t choose him? What if he does? What if- ¡°Yes!¡± The gleeful word pierced through Aaron¡¯s spiraling thoughts and he hesitated. Did he hear right? Did that mean they were still together? Aaron did a careful examination of his wife this time and Celia blushed under his stare. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that. We haven¡¯t gone out since Michael was born, right? Wonder where we cshould go¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I have that covered. You just need to dress up a bit. Not too much though¡­¡± Aaron shook away his surprise and gave a mysterious plan to his wife. He then turned and went to the door only just remembering that he shouldn¡¯t open it with the fumes still thick. Since he ended up staying until she finished, the two passed the time in awkward silence.
¡°Flowers? The shop will deliver them to the house after they left. Items? Cider sent those earlier. Reservation? Checked earlier to make sure. What else should I bring...?¡± Aaron fussed over his clothing as his mind went through a small mental checklist. He had planned a light meal at a restaurant that boasted the finest Expert chef in the city, so they say. Then the plan was to walk through the Church of Grendes¡¯ garden - a place everyone agrees is quite beautiful to see. Last was a short walk through the night market to buy some cheap but memorable trinkets. Then when they get home¡­ Only then did Aaron notice that his face had twisted to something that would have screamed creep to anyone that looked. He struggled a little to twist it back to his usual face, a hard and stoic appearance that made ladies swoon. The mirror across the room confirmed that his features had smoothed over so he patted his clothing down one last time. Then he went out to meet his date. He giggled at the thought. A date at his age? Ha! Three flights of stairs later and he met Celia at the foyer. She was in a simple but elegant dress; a white one piece that showed off her clean and smooth skin. Her hair was loose and waved down her back and her heels rose her to a more comfortable height that matched his own tall stature. Anyone who saw her wouldn¡¯t be able to believe she was only three years younger than him. ¡°Finally ready? You take as long as a women who fusses over makeup and clothing.¡± ¡°Geez, who was it that once took three hours just trying to choose what to make for dinner? I almost went and made my special stew for us to eat instead.¡± ¡°Ha! Special stew? You would probably have killed Michael. Maybe even kill me! A god ranked poison maker right there¡­¡± ¡°So I can say my stew is god ranked right?¡± Both of them soon burst into some light laughter as they bantered their way out of the house and into the streets. The conversation helped keep Aaron¡¯s mind off his plans, but that meant he was aware of how everyone saw his wife. Men and women who glanced in their direction snapped their gazes back to Celia and stared at her. Some of them were even drooling and none of the gazes seemed to notice his presence. Aaron sighed and took out two metal bands. ¡°Here. I had Cider make these for tonight. They only last a few hours but we shouldn¡¯t need that long.¡± ¡°Oh? Identify.¡±
Band for you famous bastards (1)
[p=left]Are you famous? Tired of people staring at you all day? Well wear this band and feel relieved as people don¡¯t notice you! Hahaha¡­ Damn famous people. Well I¡¯m famous too so I can relate. And I don¡¯t make this for just anyone! Praise me! This is (1) of a matching set for couples! Activates when equipped. You become hazy and difficult to notice. A partner wearing a matching band will still be able to see you.[/p]
Even the description made Aaron want to hit him. Celia, though, was more verbal in her displeasure. ¡°Hmph. Still rather obnoxious. I should pay him a visit. Maybe bring some trial concoctions for old times sake.¡± Aaron could only sigh and shake his head as the two equipped the items. They started up their walk once more and both soon noticed the decreasing amount of stares. Even if Cider had a bad reputation with the two of them, he got the job done. ¡°Hmm, so where are we going Sir Date?¡± ¡°I managed to get reservations at Pino¡¯s Place.¡± ¡°Ooh, I¡¯ve heard of that place. Everyone recommends it as the top place to go.¡± ¡°I heard the same things. Nothing less for our date!¡± Celia stared at him a bit, and then burst into laughter at what he said. A few people glanced in her direction but their attention moved on which Aaron was grateful for. He gave himself a mental groan at the awful statement and his later glee and tried to change the subject. The pair of them continued walking and chatting before hearing a buzz of noise and activity. They soon came upon a large line of people trying to get into a moderate sized shop. Walking past these people took some effort but thanks to the bands they made it without many people complaining. ¡°Excuse me? EXCUSE ME?¡± Catching the attention of the man who was at the desk was a little difficult but Aaron didn¡¯t think it was much of a problem so he kept the band on. The middle aged man observed Aaron¡¯s appearance and seemed to find it satisfactory as he sniffed and opened up his ledger. His thick accent may have been from the sophisticated city, Ginerd, but was much too thick to be anything but a bad attempt. ¡°Ah, sourry sir. I dedn¡¯t noutice you there. Dou youu havea a reservation?¡± ¡°Umm, yes. Two for Aaron Kane?¡± ¡°Kaane, Kaane. Ah here. Twou privatea seats. If youu well just follouw me.¡± Aaron could only shake his head at the bad accent and followed the man to his seat. Celia clasped her hand in his and the two wound their way through the chairs and tables as they followed the quick moving man. They arrived near the back of the restaurant where their seats were and settled in. Contrary to the outside line, the tables and chairs were only filled with a few people. Aaron was about to ask why when he noticed a small tag on each table. The tags had ¡®Reserved¡¯ written on them, same as on his own table. Aaron couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief that he managed to get a reservation. He couldn¡¯t imagine anything more horrible than waiting outside in that line for most of the date. Aaron went over to the table first and pulled out a chair for Celia before seating himself. He had the satisfaction of seeing the man jump when he noticed Celia and he decided that Cider didn¡¯t need to die quite so soon¡­ The two of them immediately took up the menus the man gave them and only glanced at the list before making their normal orders. ¡°Medium rare steak with a seafood side salad.¡± ¡°Ravioli bolognese with the garlic bread.¡± ¡°Ah, and wouuld youu like ouur houuse wine? Madea and delevered by a relative of the chef, a brewmaster who specializes in a fene red wine.¡± ""Yes."" The waiter left with their orders and the two of them relaxed in their seats. They took a look at the rich designs of the restaurant and the few paintings around them. There were several movable walls blocking them from the rest of the restaurant so they felt alone in their ¡®private seats¡¯. It was a nice feeling of privacy that made their evening all the more intimate. Before the two of them could start up any sort of discussion, a different man came back with their orders in record time. The younger man had both dishes on one hand while the other was lifting a wine cooler. He spoke without an accent. ¡°Here you are. A medium rare steak and seafood side salad for the lady. And a ravioli bolognese for the gentleman. This is a darkened red wine from the Pino Winery. Aged to maturity, the taste should be to your liking.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course. If you need anything, please just ring this bell.¡± The man bent to leave a small silver bell and then left them alone to their meals. His tact, manners, and lack of accent made Aaron decide on a particularly large tip. Proceeding through the meal, Aaron found his meal enjoyable and the drink rather relaxing. When some soft music from several lutes sounded through the restaurant he could feel the tension of the night drain out of him. Then Celia started talking. ¡°Undercooked steak. So is the seafood. There is a distinct lack of flavouring as well and even the salad seems to lack dressing.¡± If the chef was here in front of her, no doubt his ears would be dripping blood from the tactless words. ¡°H-he''s known for his Expert Cooking skills¡­¡± ¡°He must have only just reached the level and decided to milk it for all it was worth.¡± Maybe the chef would have started coughing blood. ¡°This wine is fine but do they expect us only to drink it? Some water would be nice.¡± ¡°Ah, I can fix that. Let me call the waiter back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ll use some of my reserves if I get dehydrated. I don¡¯t want to be further disappointed by something like water.¡± ... but the alcohol to influence the night. Even he didn¡¯t think that line of conversation would do the situation any good. Aaron¡¯s previous relaxed mood had been completely erased as Celia continued to eat her meal in silence. Her face was quite unimpressed and Aaron decided he would check out the restaurant before going there for a date. If there was a next time.
¡°Ah, a nice walk would do me wonders. Have to work off that dessert!¡± Celia exclaimed this with a slight, contented sigh as she patted her stomach. Aaron was beside her and he also had a hand on his stomach as he gave a verbal agreement. The meal itself was in large portions and they were almost full by the time they finished. Then when the waiter came back to check on them and he had noted Celia¡¯s disapproval. He went out of his way to pay for their desserts himself and ordered the ones he knew were good. The desserts were better received and Aaron left a sizable tip for the astute man. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Although Aaron felt that the dinner was less spectacular than he had planned, there was still the garden to see. He took Celia by the hand and the two of them walked down the darkened streets. There were still some travelers and couples here and there, but the city was big enough that only a few areas had any large business at night. With the soft rustling by the wind trailing their steps, the two sank into a long but comfortable silence. They didn¡¯t need to speak to one another as the small contact from their hands was enough for them. Soon enough they reached the Church of Grendes and its garden. Arrays of flowers were placed one after another in patterns that best showed off their natural beauty. Any normal watcher would gasp in wonder at the sight. Aaron completely forgot that his wife was not a normal person though and¡­ ¡°These plants are positioned so oddly. Look, these weeds may look good but they will soon overtake the other plants around them. It takes constant maintenance to keep the garden in this state. What a waste of effort...¡± Damn¡­ Aaron started to wonder if maybe Cider had known this would happen and planned it out so he would take the fall. His internal struggles went unnoticed as the two of them continued down the path and Celia kept up her commentary. Celia stopped suddenly and bent over a small batch of flowers. She straightened before Aaron could get a good look, and turned around to give Aaron a flower. ¡°Look! A Night Wonder! Here, take it and let¡¯s go!¡± A Night Wonder. Her own personal name for what most people call a Four O¡¯clock. It was also Aaron¡¯s favourite and he grasped the flower with a gentle grip. He continued to stay in a daze until Celia came back and pulled him by the arm to get him to hurry. They could get in some trouble by plucking the flower from the garden. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t just stand there like an idiot.¡± If she remembers something like my favourite flower¡­?
By the time the two of them exited the garden, Aaron was pretty conflicted about how the night was going. First there was the dinner where the main meal was below par. Celia stacked problem after problem into what should have been a good meal based on the reviews. Then the nice waiter gave them a dessert meal on the house which pretty much erased the bad debt of the previous problem. This set the score back to zero for the evening. The beautiful garden they were to enjoy was next. Aaron had visited the garden a few times and liked it so he thought it would be a romantic way to spend part of the evening. He hadn¡¯t taken into account that most of the flowers bloomed during the day and only a few night ones were grown. The display was much more lacklustre than he had seen before and he distressed over how half-assed he was with everything. Still, she gave him a flower that was his favourite and then proceeded to make a beautiful bouquet that he later received. Was the night going well? Or bad? There was a growing feeling in the pit of his stomach that felt bad and nice at the same time. He really did not want to deal with that side of him at the moment. Aaron¡¯s thoughts accompanied the two as they made their way to the second last destination of the evening. The night market was only up for the yearly event so every day the wandering groups of couples and children crowded the streets. Young men and women were close to one another and played in the different games and activities that were provided in the shops. Or they went to get their fortunes checked by a few suspicious tents that professed how compatible they were. The married couples wandered from stand to stand with their kids and engaged in the many games the streets provided. The older couples seated themselves on the nearby benches to the side of the streets. They watched the passing young couples with a wistful and nostalgic air. ¡°This seems a little too busy.¡± ¡°Ha~ I agree. Still, this is an event that won¡¯t happen until next year so we might as well have as much fun as possible.¡± ¡°Hmph, fine. It will be your task to win me a prize from every stand then.¡± ¡°... fine.¡± When faced with your wife¡¯s smile as she planned a trap for you, all a husband could do was accept it like a man. Progressing through the different stalls took a while as Aaron strove to complete the task his wife gave him. Archery: Check, prize was a small straw target doll. Whack a goblin: Check, prize was a small goblin doll. Pie eating contest: Check, prize was a small pie doll. Seeing the inevitable future pattern, Aaron went to a bag making stall and succeeded in making a large bag to store Celia¡¯s dolls. They then moved on. Cotton candy making, darts, guessing games, card games, arm wrestling (using some strength restricting items of course; how expensive for such a small stall), compatibility tests (scored a 92%), tadpole fishing, (not romantic at all¡­) and the two of them were currently doing some shirt making for their partner. Aaron struggled with following the tips given on sewing as his rigid hands continued to mess up each stitch and pattern. The needles in his hands shook and he stitched the wrong part of the pattern and looped far too many times to make any sense. When colours were added the problems increased as he alternated between the two and created a mess. He soon ended with a large string ball and felt oddly proud of the result. Checking his wife, he found her leaning on an arm and staring at his progress, a large red and white sweater folded on her lap. Aaron looked at her sweater, then looked back at his ball. Celia did the same and when they made eye contact they both dissolved into fits of laughter. ¡°Pfft, were you even trying? How is it even possible to do it wrong?¡± ¡°Ha~~ Say what you want. I¡¯m pretty proud of my work.¡± ¡°And how will you wear it?¡± ¡°... can¡¯t I just say I wanted a random ball of yarn?¡± ¡°Pffft, Hahahaha~~¡± Celia bent over her chair as Aaron puffed out his chest in pride at his accomplishment. This was maybe the 10th time he ever sewed in his life and the ball was a vast improvement over the other¡­ items. A snort sounded behind Aaron, disrupting the two¡¯s lovely conversation. ¡°What the hell did this idiot make? A ball of yarn? And he shows it off to the pretty like it¡¯s something to be prowd of?¡± ¡°Gents, gents, this lady needs saving from such an unsavoury fellow. Luckily we were ¡®ere to save the day.¡± Aaron turned around to find a small group of men leering at Celia and displaying their dagger and sword hilts for all to see. They dressed in all black and had their faces covered, but they didn¡¯t seem to notice that they carried a putrid stink around them. A clearing had been made between them and the other market goers. The sweater making stall owner had already closed up her shop when she saw the men. She was almost done collecting most of her items when another black-clad man pushed a hand down on her money pouch. ¡°This festival is really a nice and rich place. Already went to several stalls and the kind owners donated a few hundred Argentias to us. This seems to be filled with several coins as well. Hope you don¡¯t mind donating it to our good and just cause.¡± Ripping the pouch out of her hands, the man shook the coins out of the smaller pouch and into a larger one. It flashed silver and bronze in the torchlight and looked heavy in his hands. While he was doing that, the rest of the men had started towards Aaron and Celia¡¯s spot. ¡°Hey boss! I know you said we can¡¯t take any women, but can¡¯t you let us off this once?¡± ¡°Hrm¡­ alright. What the heck? It¡¯s a festival ain¡¯t it? Have some fun. Only one girl though.¡± ¡°Awww, sharing? Whatever. We can take her. Call dibs on being first.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t call dibs! I didn¡¯t even get the last girl before you broke her! This time I¡¯m first. When I get her I¡¯ll¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes turned pure red when the man at the forefront of the group pointed at Celia and spoke. Aaron''s hand twitched to his side where his sword should have been and grasped air. He then wondered at the lack of attention he was getting. Did the bands already lose power? He had hoped they wouldn¡¯t notice them, but that was a false hope now. He gave himself a curse for not bringing any weapon and took a step towards the group of men. The men finally noticed Aaron when he stepped forward and they stopped as one. Maybe his band still worked? Did Charm have something to do with it? Nope, they must have thought him beneath their notice. They all drew their weapons and the civilians stepped back further. Since most of them were young, there shouldn¡¯t be many strong fighters among them which made this more dangerous. Aaron breathed out a sigh of relief when the older couples stepped forward from the crowd to protect them. He was a true believer in the idea that age equaled strength. ¡°Hey, old man! Get out of our way! What are you, her father?¡± ¡°Hmph. He has no weapon, we can take him.¡± Damnit, she¡¯s only three years younger than me! The thought had barely passed his mind before his body moved forward and several commands came out of his mouth. ¡°Title change: Warwalker.¡±
Title has been changed to Warwalker [p=left]Master of countless battles and a walking death sentence for enemies. Strength + 1000 Dexterity + 1000 Vitality + 1000 Agility + 1000 Bloodlust + 500 What idiot would stand before an army and their goal? This idiot. [/p]
Aaron launched the first blow at the closest man and gave a small chuckle when he saw the man trying to block it with his sword. Idiot. The man was completely confident in blocking an old man¡¯s strike. Why? Because this fight was between a sword and a fist. Putting the sword in front of him, he already imagined the delicious sight of seeing the fist get split along the sharp blade of his. Once he disposed of the old idiot he could get the group to take the girl and disappear. His confidence in their escaping skills were not unfounded and- What the hell was that noise? The black-clad men and the crowd watched with shock as Aaron¡¯s fist shattered the steel blade. It continued its path towards the stunned opponent, the sound it made was like an arrow launched from a bow. His punch drove into the shoulder of the man and a loud crack resounded throughout the street as the body flew back at high speed. An old woman in the crowd took out a cane and hit several areas of the approaching body, stopping it in midair. It then dropped to the ground, its constant twitching showed that the man was still alive. While the black-clad men still looked stunned at the situation, Aaron moved to dispose of them all. Using several skills took a large chunk of his mana, but they were effective. Stone Skin created a thin layer over his body, allowing him to defend against weak attacks or breaking through things like the low quality sword from before. Adding Body Maneuvering, it became much easier to control his movements and Aaron turned to his next opponent with only a slight break in speed. His next punch had the added effect of Mass Increase which increased the overall force from his attacks. This type of fist slammed against the man, sending him flying without much resistance. Aaron relied on the older citizens to block the thrown men from hitting the crowd as he wildly played with the group. Without missing a beat, Aaron turned from one enemy to another and hit them only once. All he needed was the one punch to get rid of his foes - he didn¡¯t want to kill anyone on his date. His attacks stopped and he turned pale when he heard one of the men shout behind him. ¡°Stop! Stop your attacks, else I¡¯ll kill her!¡± ... Idiot, I took you guys down so she wouldn¡¯t do so¡­ you should be thanking me¡­ The man misinterpreted Aaron¡¯s pale face for victory and started to feel up his hostage with satisfaction. Damn the old couple for ruining their night! He decided he would take the woman and use her as much as he- Only then did the man notice his hands had dropped to the side and his dagger lay on the ground. What was going on? The man¡¯s face showed his confusion as his dagger had before been raised to the woman¡¯s neck. Then he noticed his legs were starting to weaken. What¡­ Trying hard to regain control over his body, the man couldn¡¯t do anything as Celia strode away from him and then turned. Her eyes eagerly took note of the different symptoms the man was showing and a small bewitching smile crossed her face. It wasn¡¯t every day that she would get a test subject for one of her poisons and she took as many mental notes as she could see. The man collapsed after losing the struggle for control and his body started convulsing. He would have been screaming if his throat wasn''t affected. Not caring about him anymore, Celia turned to the remaining men and took out several vials she had hidden away. ¡°So. What were you about to do to me? I heard something about breaking girls in? I¡¯ve always wanted to try these potions I made. It supposedly does what you boys described.¡± The men looked fearful at the monstrous women and tried to run away. They turned, but found that they were now surrounded by a line of old men and women who all had similar devious smiles. Each of the black-clad men took out a scroll but one of the old men moved his cane and shredded those with ease. Aaron turned away from the unfortunate fools when the screams started.
¡°I¡¯m sorry for this night.¡± Aaron and Celia were walking home when Aaron gave a deep sigh and apologized. Celia only turned a confused look on him, a few dolls swaying on top of her head and on her shoulders. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ it¡¯s the first date in a while and it got completely messed up. The dinner was badly done; the garden was not as pretty at night; and then at the market... ¡° The memories of the market were still fresh in both of their minds so he didn¡¯t bother to reiterate what happened. The disappointment he felt inside must have been many times greater in Celia. That was what he thought so he needed to apologize¡­ Celia¡¯s laugh broke his dreary thoughts and he turned an amazed look towards her. ¡°You big lug. It wasn¡¯t a bad night. I actually had fun!¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts. The dinner was fine, I knew I was being a little picky over the food. Plus the dessert was delicious, you know I can¡¯t make dessert myself. The garden was also very nice since I got to pick and see a bunch of rare flowers that I don¡¯t grow myself. It helped in giving me an idea for an outdoor garden, only one that bloomed at night. And then the activities at the market were good too. Look at all these prizes. And concerning those men¡­¡± At this, Celia gave a devilish smile that caused Aaron¡¯s heart to beat faster. ¡°It isn¡¯t every day I get to try out my poisons on regular people, and then get praised for it. I don¡¯t know what you mean, I had a wonderful time.¡± ¡°...Hahahaha..¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t help himself. He laughed as loud as he could and then swept Celia up in a large hug. Celia gave a tiny scream of surprise before bursting into laughter with him. The two of them took full advantage of the empty streets as they swung round and round. They stopped a short while later, both of them wiping tears from their eyes. ¡°...What brought this around?¡± ¡°Hmm, I thought you didn¡¯t feel anything for me anymore.¡± Celia gasped in surprise at the statement and slapped Aaron on the arm. Since Aaron switched back to the Restricted title, the slap hurt a little. ¡°Hey, that hurt! I mean, it seems like you switched targets from me to Michael.¡± ¡°... I fought two other girls just to get you, and you think I switched targets so easily?¡± ¡°But you seem to pay more attention to him than to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re married to me you idiot. Michael is still a target for other women while you don¡¯t have the balls to cheat on me.¡± ... True ¡°So¡­ you still love me?¡± ¡°... I still love you. Big idiot.¡± Aaron swept the blushing Celia into another big hug and then pulled both of them up to their feet. With one last spin he released her and she immediately went to pick up the fallen dolls that had dropped when they played. ¡°... I can¡¯t wait to get home. We have the night to ourselves, plus there¡¯s still some of that wine from dinner that I had the restaurant deliver...¡± ¡°Ha, I know exactly which part of the night you are waiting for...¡± Celia then produced a pair of items from her bag of dolls and Aaron eyed them. Then he started to sweat when he understood how Celia will use them. ¡°Are those¡­?¡± ¡°Yep, made them especially for today. A little surprise for the end of the night.¡± Aaron turned a little pale at the items, but he also felt a slight stirring. It constantly freaked him out during the normal days, but... this time though, he would let it all out. They were still in their prime, they could handle an entire night of¡­ activities.
Hrm hrm. The contest winning canon Side Story for NPC. Since people haven''t read it, might as well add it here. Chapter 8 is complete and is currently being edited and PRed. Childhood Arc Epilogue is the same. Comments? Just say it. I read it all. I may comment if you ask questions. Chapter 8: Changing Day CHANGING DAY ¡°Please stop it! It¡¯s fine now. You don¡¯t need t¡ª I said it was fine!¡± Michael brushed away the fingers that continued to straighten and pat his clothing. He knew that the touches helped fix up the clothes, but he wished his mother wouldn''t fuss over him so much. Plus he was pretty sure they were going to be late at this rate. ¡°Oh, my baby boy has grown up so well. Pretty soon little Michael will leave me.. Urghm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal Celia¡­ The boy will grow and then leave. We still have 10 years though. If you¡¯re finished with the look over, we can get going now. The earlier we leave, the quicker we can get home.¡± Tucking his own shirt into the slim waistband of his dress pants, Aaron kept an eye on his reflection to make sure nothing was out of place. His strong figure increased the atmosphere of the clothing he wore. His own natural posture and demeanor caused him to stand out, even if he wore simple clothing. With what he wore now... Aaron looked at his clean white coat and held his gaze. Dozens of golden designs went around the sleeves of the coat and ended at his shoulder. Each design connected with one another and formed a maze that flashed in the sun and confused anyone who stared too long. The collar, sleeves, and front openings of the coat had a dark red and black fringe that swirled with strange, dancing designs. The Kane emblem shown bright silver over his left breast, a proud symbol of his family. Aaron examined the dove and sword design through the mirror for a bit before his gaze moved on. He looked down to examine the long ends of his coat above the knee and included several pockets for his hands or small objects. It opened up to show his tight black shirt and matching pants, both showing off the hard lines of his body. Those were also embroidered with some silver designs but it was the coat that was to be the target of attention. Aaron turned a little to see if his wife was gazing at him in all his splendor, but saw her still fussing over Michael¡¯s clothing. Aaron pouted a bit at the lack of attention, but a glance at a nearby clock straightened him up as it was time to leave. ¡°Alright, alright. Enough Celia. It¡¯s time to get going. The Church must already be open now.¡± ¡°Hm, fine¡­¡± Celia tugged one last time on Michael¡¯s collar before standing and brushing at her own clothes. She was in a red one piece that seemed like something more suitable for a night out instead of a ceremony. She also had on a light-blue felt jacket used to cover her bared shoulders and go with her dress. She added her makeup on with a light touch that enhanced her features and a soft flowery fragrance followed her wherever she went. The dress wasn¡¯t tight, but was a snug fit that accentuated her slim and attractive curves. Coupling the dress with the heels she would wear later and any healthy man, and some women, wouldn¡¯t be able to take their eyes off her. Aaron found himself staring at her but didn¡¯t turn his head away. Instead he caught her eye and checked her out before smiling. Celia could only grin back and her gaze roamed his own form before making eye contact once more and showing her approval. Michael was right between them and couldn¡¯t help but sigh at their light interaction. He didn¡¯t say anything though. Michael looked in the mirror, even though he was pretty sure his mother¡¯s eye was better than his, and examined his clothes. Michael¡¯s clothing was close to his father but different in colour and detail. A simple grey coat worn over matching pale blue shirt and pants. The only design on the coat was the emblem that all the kids needed to wear for the ceremony and that was on his left as well. The coat only had one pair of pockets near his waist, but Michael felt that the coat was comfortable, even for a normal E ranked item. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how his father¡¯s C rank coat felt and he imagined how he would look in it. His musings were cut short when his mother rubbed his head a bit and then guided him towards the door. ¡°Remember that this is a ceremony, so don¡¯t make a sound if you can help it. Interrupting the other participants is rude and¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I know. You told me this a hundred times already. I just walk in, wait in line until my turn, then wait as the ceremony begins. Answer the questions as honestly as I can, then choose Neutral Series at the end.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t make him repeat that too many times. Too much stress and he would make more mistakes rather than less.¡± ¡°Why Neutral Series though? I could go Combat or even Healing series instead.¡± Michael¡¯s combat skills had risen to a little less than Beginner level 6. He had reached a bottleneck where he couldn¡¯t train the skill anymore with the little basics he had been going through. He had asked his father what to do next but was met with you¡¯ll find out later or nevermind for now, redo this and that¡­ It was appropriate for Michael to worry about his future so he asked his question again, expectant that the answer would get dodged. ¡°I called in a few teachers of my own to teach you. Going through the series is too linear a lesson. Whether its Healing or Combat or Stealth, the lessons taught are strictly for those series and never branch out to other areas. This restricts you quite a bit, especially if you have other skills to develop.¡± Michael¡¯s question was finally answered so he didn¡¯t waste time daydreaming and paid attention. His father¡¯s answers made sense but he still wondered about a few things. ¡°Even if it restricts me, wouldn¡¯t I still get quite a few teachers to teach me more stuff? I mean, like, I can get a teacher specifically for my sword, dagger, and throwing weapons. My potions I can do on my spare time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing. You don¡¯t get spare time during this period of time. It¡¯s pretty much pure training with whatever your Series is. So for you, going to the Combat Series would mean only training your combat skills and will result in limiting your other skills. It is rather foolish to spend the next ten years just learning one set of skills when you can learn several. ¡°It is also better to learn several new skills during this time. With that, I had one of my friends agree to teach you some crafting skills.¡± ¡°Crafting Skills? Why do I need to learn any of those?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on the Crafters. They make everything from the shoes you wear to the house we live in. During adventures they are invaluable in their many skills which can do a large array of work. Blacksmiths would be able to repair and create new items on the go. Tailors can use acquired materials to repair clothing. They can make more clothing when it gets cold, or dismantle extra clothing when it¡¯s hot. They can also remodel clothing to suit the terrain and allow allies to create more effective ambush techniques. If you don¡¯t want to sleep on the hard ground then they can fix that too. An architect can build a temporary shelter out of the surrounding materials with ease. Every class has a skill they can use during adventures and it¡¯s shortsighted for one to ignore such valuable skills.¡± Michael nodded at the end of the lecture and gave a small grin. Compared to the teachers at school, Michael felt that his father was more effective at teaching. Aaron used his entire presence to teach and force the information into you. Celia had kept silent during this exchange and only glanced at the pair a few times in envy. She was hoping that the chat would somehow turn towards something she could relate too. The problem was that the two guys seemed to be stuck in their own little world. She shuffled along beside them and the group soon reached the entrance of the house where Victoria was waiting. Victoria¡¯s large frame filled half the doorway and she wore a loose fitted suit. Dark blue coat and pants with a white shirt, it seemed more appropriate on her than a dress would have. Her short hair stylized this time made her appear more like a man. If it wasn¡¯t for her obvious curves, the amount of masculine pressure that exuded from her would have overwhelmed a person. ¡°Are we ready miss? S-sir?¡± ¡°Yes. Where is Liera though?¡± ¡°Lucy took her out for another trip. They left half an hour ago.¡± Celia frowned at the reply and then sighed before waving Victoria to follow them. She had been hoping for Liera to keep her company, but to no avail. As Michael and Aaron continued to talk, the group of four made their way out of the door and towards the center of the city. Celia lead the way and Victoria situated herself behind the the talking father and son duo. Her position behind them allowed her to occasional take some hidden glances at the older man. ¡°If crafters are so well received, why did Bishop Francis say that the most balanced group consisted mainly of Stealth and Combat Series? Warriors and rogues for the front line, archers for the back.¡± ¡°He thought too simply. That party is maybe good for a short trip from the town to their destination, but for long term trips you need Crafters. Think about it this way. You take a trip with the goal of completing a dungeon. Then, midway in, the party tires of the travel so they take a rest. Since no one has a cooking skill, you all subsist on some dried meat and water. The cave is also colder than you had thought, but no one is a tailor so you can only rely on what you¡¯re wearing at the moment. A fire would help, but you all only have some basic firestarting items and nothing heavy enough to last the rest of the night. To make matters worse, some of your items are falling apart and in dire need of repair. ¡°Now, you can fix this problem by bringing large quantities of prepared items next time. This may help some, but that means you can¡¯t carry too much loot either. You would die from exhaustion or monsters due to the weight you¡¯d carry. Crafters can carry their own stuff and their work can be good for the entire group. An accompanying merchant would also be a good addition. They can buy whatever loot you get and hold onto more loot than you. A balanced party isn¡¯t one filled with experienced fighters. A balanced party is one filled with appropriate classes to complete the task with efficiency.¡± Michael nodded at the end in agreement. He was sure his father was an experienced adventurer himself, so he was a good source of actual information. The Church of Information was renowned as the one place to go for information, but that was it. The Church would get as much information as they could, but only if others give it up. If they do not know something then they make it up on the spot. With as much accuracy as they could¡­ ¡°And the other teachers?¡± ¡°I called my teacher¡¯s clan a while back but haven¡¯t gotten a response yet. I don¡¯t know when, but if she doesn¡¯t come then I¡¯ll have to continue your education. I only taught you the basics since I wanted her to do the actual training, but I can teach you some things if she doesn¡¯t show up. ¡°Along with those two teachers, your mother will also continue to teach you alchemy.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡± ¡°But since you already know about what she does, we don¡¯t need to go into too much information on that. Hmm? Something wrong? Celia?¡± Celia could only hunch her shoulders as she gave off a sullen mood. Her words were too soft as she tried to integrate herself into the conversation. The noises of the city had drowned out what she had said so both Michael and Aaron were wondering why she seemed so sad. Noticing their worried looks she just glared a bit at her husband and waved away their query. Aaron felt the sudden pressure as he realized what he and Michael had been doing. Sweat started to appear and soak a little of his quality clothing as he wondered whether he should try and include her. In the end he decided the damage was already done so they might as well continue as usual. He was going to get hurt later anyways so... ¡°Haaa, I guess I should ask and see if you have any questions? It is your life after all.¡± Michael pondered the question a bit, but he already had most of his answer ready. ¡°I guess the crafting teacher would be a good addition to my studies. Alchemy classes could only go so far and I¡¯ve taken to experimenting on my own. The basic training you had me and Liera go through seems to have reached a point. You haven¡¯t taught us anything new and the two of us have started to just increase the amount of sparring between the two of us. Even if your teacher appears, I think Liera and I could continue sparring like usual. The both of us just think up ways to win against the other and try it out during actual combat. One time I¡ª ow!¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re broaching off topic. Back to the future lessons.¡± Michael rubbed at where his father flicked him and gave an embarrassed grimace before continuing. ¡°Ha~ I guess the combat teacher would be a higher rank than you and is more proficient at lessons than you. Else you wouldn''t have had to call her up, right? I don¡¯t see much of a problem with having such a teacher, but I wonder how Liera would take it. I know she wanted Valerie as her teacher for a while¡­¡± ¡°Since she wants Valerie as a teacher, this means the both of you will take lessons from her. Even if you don¡¯t learn the exact same things. It is still good for the both of you to see what your partner knows and understand what you can expect from them. This also means that you and her will learn under my teacher as well.¡± After his statement, Aaron¡¯s eyes gleamed with some mischief as he bent a little closer to his son to cover up his own words. By luck the two had entered the Adventurer part of the Combat Series district. The clattering and shouts from some taverns were able to cover his words from the women. ¡°Plus, the two of you will be together more often than not. Do you not want that?¡± Michael¡¯s face heated up at his father¡¯s tone and he swung his fists at the larger man a few times. Aaron just bobbed and weaved between each of the blows, his smile large on his face. and pushed Michael forward so they don¡¯t waste time. He moved along as the larger man directed him, but kept his head down and stared at Celia¡¯s heels for the rest of the trip. The four of them passed through the emptying roads as they neared the center of the city. Bellen divided itself into three distinct sections with a different Series within each. This was the same with most of the other human cities controlled by the Guilds. You had the outer layer belonged to the Crafting and Healing Series, along with the Merchant Society Guild. Then the inner layer was an entire ring devoted to the Stealth and Combat Series. It also had associated Adventurer inns, taverns, and guild houses. Last was and the inner center which was for the different worshiped human churches. There were many gods and goddesses in Gaia and their churches were all clustered together in the same area of the city. The Church of Information had the greatest influence and the most buildings so it situated itself in the direct center of city. One could see how powerful a Church was when it pushed aside all other places of worship. While the Combat Series district was bustling with shouts and traveling apprentices and fighters, the church area was busy in a different way. Priests rushed from different religious buildings to perform their different duties. There were also various prayers sung from some buildings that spilled out onto the streets. The sounds hung in the air and gave the district an odd atmosphere. Of course, these prayers differed from church to church. The healing Ket goddess prayers were sonorous and peaceful, a sound to fill the heart and heal old aches. The various battle Gods and Goddesses had their battle shouts and chants to glorify old victories. The dream deities were silent but had a mysterious aura. Peace, exorcism, elementals, craftsmen, and the other regular deities all had one or two buildings in the central area. Plutys, God of Death, had three and Janira had the four buildings. Michael had only been in the School part, but he knew where they should head. A pair of tall guard stood erect beside the large, open double doors of the Church¡¯s cathedral. The two of them were in opposing colours and different armour sets. One, dressed in a large iron plated armor, donned a red and black cloak with a golden lion symbol etched in the center. The other was in a full chainmail and armor set and wore a blue cloak with a white leaf symbol. Both had a sheathed longsword, large tower shield, and a long spear. They did not seem cordial to one another and the tension they gave off was no small matter. The Church of Janira was a non combative religion; being one of the few Churches without any Paladins or Dark Knights. Instead they had an honor guard made up by a collective force that the various other religions lent to them. The Church''s power was near absolute as they controlled most of the information on the continent of Gaia. Every time a person saw their ''Honour Guard'', they saw the power the Church wielded. Passing the guards took some deal of resolve, especially if a person just wanted to loiter. The four of them were there for a proper ceremony though, so they had no time to dawdle with a few grumpy men. They made their way into the large hall and passed several scurrying men and women. Some were in robes while others dressed up in their finest. The cathedral was not a place one went to idle or relax. Everyone had a look of urgency and business and the hall was quiet for such a large amount of movement. Celia stepped away from the group to speak to the priestess who was occupying the front desk. Michael and Aaron stopped a short distance from her and Victoria stood between them and Celia to keep a better eye on things. They didn¡¯t attract so much attention, but one or two glances went to the group before hurrying back to their work. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to register my son for his Changing Day cerem¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if you will please wait a moment.¡± Not even raising her head, the priestess scribbled on the parchment in front of her. Her hands were a blur as line after line filled the page. There was no ink bottle anywhere but her pen flowed a fine line of ink which told Michael she was a scribe. Only a few people ever took up the scribe class or skills since it specialized in something that anyone could do. His teacher did note that the class was in demand and¡ª Michael shook his head out of the previous lessons when the priestess finished her task. She sprinkled some sand on the page, to dry it faster, and turned the page to get rid of the excess sand. She soon put the finished page to the side and glanced up at Celia. She turned scarlet as soon as her eyes saw the pretty woman in front of her and stammered out an apology. ¡°I-I am sorry miss. W-what can I-I do for you?¡± ¡°Yes, I was hoping to register my son for his Changing Day ceremony?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Is he of age?¡± ¡°Yes, here is his note of birth, and our house sigil.¡± Celia produced a thin letter and a small cloth, both of which she gave to the girl. Handling the cloth with some careful movements, she placed it to the side and opened up the letter with some haste. Her eyes scanned the contents in quick time and she nodded in acceptance. Taking out a few sheets of paper, she wrote down some lines in the same speed as before and handed the form to Celia. ¡°Please sign the various blank spaces and then print your sign. If your husband is here, he can also do the same.¡± ¡°Aaron, come and sign it too.¡± The priestess¡¯ face grew bright red when Aaron strode into her sight and he gave a slight grin at her reaction. This was the reaction he had expected from his wife! His grin turned into a sigh of disappointment when he remembered how little impact he had on her. He waited for her to finish signing the form and give her personal sign. He then drew his own sign with a quick, experienced hand. His dark blade and skull contrasted with Celia¡¯s flower and heart on the white page. This was something that caused him no small mirth when he compared their temperaments. ¡°T-thank you, now if you w-will go straight down the hall. A line has already formed by various other participants and you will have to wait your turn. Your child will go in, go through the ceremony with the Bishop, say his chosen series, and then leave. The rest will be told to you after the ceremony.¡± Aaron gave a small bow to the priestess and Celia curtsied and the two led Michael towards where they were to go. Victoria stayed in the general hall and after seeing them off she went outside to wait for them to finish. Proceeding through the halls was a long affair since the cathedral was so vast. It alleviated somewhat when a person looked up and saw the hung portraits and paintings that the Church acquired. The Church went out every few years to detect and root out corruption in the Five Guilds. As a result of rooting out that corruption they came upon rich and desirable items that are then used to furnish their cathedrals. They did not accept donations and, in turn, bribes so their wealth displayed how effective they were at their task. Out of the three of them, only Aaron seemed to pay any real attention to the artwork. He wasn¡¯t an artist by any stretch of the imagination and didn''t have an interest of making a hobby out of the arts. He did know that these artworks were once made by the long dead and felt it would be rude not to at least view their life¡¯s work. A negative about expensive artwork made by dead people was that they did not give any bonuses to stats due to the death of those artists. Aaron sighed as he imagined the wonderful bonuses these paintings must have given when first created. The corridor took several minutes to traverse and soon enough the group saw the end of a long line. The line had maybe twenty people in all and went all the way to a pair of double doors. The sign above the two doors was had simple instructions on them. The left door had ¡®Enter (Spectators)¡¯ written over it, while the right one had ¡®Line for (participants)¡¯ written instead. ¡°Well, this is where we part for a while. Your mother and I will be inside to get some seats. Remember what we told you before. And don¡¯t stress yourself out too much.¡± Aaron whispered those few words before parting with Michael. He led the still daydreaming Celia to the left entrance and didn''t take much notice of the children that had lined up. The kids in line who saw them walk past couldn¡¯t help but stare at the couple''s grandiose clothing. Most of them shook their heads after Michael''s parents passed in an attempt to get their concentration back. Like Michael, all the kids dressed up in their best and there was no noise as they all kept to themselves. It was so quiet that Michael could hear a low rumble from the ceremony room. A loud boom resounded from the ceremony room and Michael took a few seconds to clear his head and remember the words. ¡°NEXT. AGE 10, GRANTALOON FERNE. PROCEED.¡± Only after the initial shock wore off did Michael notice the details of the words. Grantaloon? The name sent shivers down his back and he remembered the large boy from the past and he stepped out of line a bit to check down the line. At the front of the line was a boy that topped the other kids by a head. He was even taller than Michael by a good ten centimetres. Since Grant had already entered the room, this boy could only be¡­ Ten minutes of uncomfortable silence later and the booming voice confirmed Michael¡¯s fears. ¡°NEXT. AGE 10, KENNETH BERY. PROCEED.¡± Kenneth. Also known as Ken. Michael had hoped to never see these two again and the memories from the time rushed back to him. He remembered the feeling of getting hit from behind. How the two larger boys dragged him into the washroom and sat on him. His wrists and neck ached as he remembered the feel of the ropes burning themselves into his skin. And when they decided to make a toilet out of him... The memories of their laughter echoed through him and Michael found himself curling in on himself. Anger and fear clashed within him when he noticed this. What was he doing? He had been training and practising for the last 6 years! But they are so much bigger¡­ What does that matter? Dad said Stats were everything, not your body size. But they tied you up and hurt you¡­ Again, so what? Should he just hide whenever they appear? Did he not go into the forest many times to level up and become more skilled? But¡ª QUIET. Michael forced down the weak and fearful side of him and let his anger rage within himself. What reason did those children have for doing that to him? Did he do anything to anger them? He hadn¡¯t left the house many times, yet somehow he already had enemies? If they had not switched classes, how far would they have gone? How long before he couldn¡¯t even imagine lifting a hand against them? Michael¡¯s rage boiled within him and it was fortunate that he was last in line and seemed to be the last child for the day. There wasn¡¯t anyone lined up behind him so no one even noticed as he stood stock still while the line continued on. His internal struggle went on for the next half hour and when it finally died down he then noticed that the line had shrunk a few times. His energy felt spent and only after he took a few steps did he notice that his stamina was at the low end. Taking the time to rest in line, Michael saw a few notifications but just erased them with a thought. Only after the line shrunk by one did he regret it. Waiting in line with nothing to do was boring. By this time, Michael was trying to not go back to his angry state once more so he decided to try out his experiments once more. Michael had been in various dangerous situations in the past. Only through the fortunate use of time-slowing - that seemed miraculous at the time - did he survive. Later he checked through his skills one by one and connected the event with one skill. The one of two skills that came when he met that voice before he was born. ¡°Show ¡®Instant Analyzation¡¯.¡±
Instant Analyzation. Beginner level 4. (76%). Active Skill
[p=left]Allows for analysis of the situation, monsters and their actions, and of weapons in a fraction of the time. Depending on how quickly you wish to cram the information in, more mana is needed to do so.[/p]
The skill information was lacking at best. It didn¡¯t give any details on how much Mana it took in or what the ratio of time compressed to mana was. His experiments were also slow since his days were quite busy. Now though, he had all the time to do some long experiments. Michael focused on several thoughts. First was the need to compress time. In the past he always wished he had more time than usual and that usually activated the ability. When he fought the fox, the speed of its attack made him wish for time. The skill then activated and Michael was able to move his body without one wasted motion. In the end the fox died while he lived. He did not only focus on the need for time. Since the change was instantaneous, he also focused on another thought. How much time he wanted to compress. In reality, he knew that thinking at twice the speed of others was helpful already, but what if he tried to squeeze three times the speed? Four times? The mana requirements have a high chance of increasing by a lot, but he knew that the experimenting would do good in the long run. But maybe not now... For the time compression, he imagined the world slowing down around him. The swaying of the children in front of him were supposed to be slower. The sounds from the ceremony room were supposed to became less coherent and more deep. The air he felt should have half strength. He concentrated on both imagining the effect that should happen, as well as on the need to make it a reality. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Either standing in line had something to do with it, or he was getting better, though Michael doubted it was the former. Within five minutes of concentrating Michael felt the familiar and miraculous feeling. A dull silence with shuffling children soon turned into a frozen scene. The hush rumbling beyond the door changed into a dull beating as Michael¡¯s ears caught the slow thudding of his own heart. His thoughts sped up and he processed the minuscule movements of the children in the line in front of him. He could even see the spittle flying from a child¡¯s mouth when he sneezed. Michael tried to raise a hand to his face and wondered at how slow he was moving. The skill did not affect his body¡¯s speed, only his mind. With his goal complete, Michael went on to the next step. Canceling the skill with a conscious mind. He had been able to activate the skill in the past, although with infrequent success. The main problem was his lack of control over the skill. Unlike some skills that had a time limit and used up mana in one go, Instant Analyzation did not live up to its name. It used up mana based on how long it activated. He only had a few skills that did the same, and none of them were as dangerous as this skill. Michael once fainted from the loss of mana during the first few times that happened. Later tries resulting in a splitting headache that lasted for hours on end. Those results were something he wished to avoid. The skill was still useful though. Michael only had to recall the times it saved his life to dispel thoughts of stopping the experiment. Michael focused on several different strings of thoughts to try and cancel the spell. Concentrating on things like ¡®Cancel¡¯, ¡®Stop¡¯, ¡®Skill escape¡¯, and ¡®Damn thing, cancel!¡¯ were hopeless. This time he tried a different approach. Mimicking the activation process, Michael focused on stabilizing time. Instead of imagining his surroundings slow, he tried to quicken it. Or at least normalize it. He also focused on a need to return to a normal speed at the same time. In all honesty, he viewed the need part with some suspicion since it was rather vague. Maybe next time he would scrape it altogether. Michael breathed a sigh of relief when the skill canceled. The line hadn¡¯t moved at all so that meant he spend little time on the experiment and this caused him to sigh. He had started the experiment because he had time, and he needed something to fill the time. The only problem was that his experiment extended the period of waiting and his mana was too depleted to do anything else. Resigning himself to his fate of waiting, Michael thought about the skill and some of its uses. As he had learned during battles, the skill was useful to increase the amount of time he could use to think. Usually a fight would take a few seconds to finish if the two sides were not matched in strength. Fighting with Aaron when he was serious showed Michael that. Against superior opponents was where the skill shone. When he had fought the fox, the animal was much more active in defending itself than Michael had thought. It charged at him with speed and its attacks were without hesitation. Michael''s first real fight resulted in him being in a dangerous position with a powerful animal ready to kill him. Without the skill there would have been a large possibility of him dying. Michael decided on a schedule he would need for the continued experimentation of the skill. Since it did not specify how much mana it took up, he decided to get a clock of some kind to check how much it took up. This was the easier goal. The next step was to see if he could practice with the skill and decrease the activation speed. He did see a reliable difference between the speed of the first time he tried and his most recent efforts. It would take a while to decrease the speed to seconds, but he was still young. He knew that even if he didn¡¯t have any time during the next ten years to train it, he could still do it afterwards. Michael stored the thoughts away when he realised that there was nothing else to plan. Find out how much mana it took and see if he could decrease the skill activation and cancellation speed. A changeable plan for the future. Looking down the line revealed only ten children other than Michael left. Almost two more hours of waiting. Checking his mana with a glance, Michael stood still and started up the activation process once more. He decided he might as well use as much time as he could to practise.
¡°NEXT. AGE 10. MICHAEL KANE. PROCEED.¡± The still loud voice was not hoarse in the slightest as it called in the last remaining person in line. Michael walked into the ceremony room with long, even strides. He headed down between the benches arrayed along the the two sides of the room and kept his mind on his target. He did took a cursory glance at the room and noticed the forms of his parents all the way at the front. They didn¡¯t look back at him and he followed their example and kept his eyes forward. The ceremony room was not only filled with the parents of the participating children. Several other citizens of the city were also watching the ceremony as something to pass the time on their breaks. There were also the young, lower ranked members of the Church. Their assignment was to watch the proceedings as part of their training. Even though it was an important, live lesson, most of the young men and women had become drowsy. They had been in the room throughout the long ceremony and several had their heads down in silent ¡®prayer¡¯. Aaron noticed the sleeping youngsters a while back. He contemplated waking them up, but didn¡¯t do anything since Michael hadn¡¯t appeared yet. Now that Michael was here, Aaron couldn¡¯t take the slight and raised both his hands. ¡°Alert 4 - Room: Clap.¡± His hands made a soft clap as he said the last word of the command before dropping back to his lap. Aaron didn¡¯t pay attention to the skill anymore, but the effects were still there. Anyone within the room he was in, and had less than full attention to their surroundings, would hear a ringing clap in their head. Half the people in the large space jumped at the noise, their drowsiness gone. They searched their surroundings with an evil glint in their eyes as they tried to find the ass who had disturbed them. Michael saw the sudden confusion within the hall and cast an accusing glare at his father. The victim of the skill many times, Michael knew his father was the cause. He gave a sigh at the newfound attention directed towards him after the victims stopped their searching. He continued his stride down the hall though, and tried to ignore the stares that turned towards him. If the hall was just a bit louder, he could have used Stealth to divert some of the attention. Unfortunately he couldn¡¯t use the skill in the same way as Instant Analyzation. Just wishing he could hide didn¡¯t activate the skill. The ceremony room had various paintings and sculptures decorating the walls of the room. None were inferior to the ones that had lined the hallway outside although there were less of them. Yet they made the room more comfortable as the offered scenes contrasted well with the other decorations. At the end of the room was a large and blank white curtain that covered the wall. The dark brown table situated in front of it, along with the man dressed in a dark, red coloured robe. They were usually the center of attention for anyone who entered the room. Dark red was quite vivid against the blank background of the curtain. As soon as Michael was close enough to see the face of the Bishop, he couldn¡¯t help but give a small start. Michael was familiar with most of his class and especially his teacher as he had been in the same class for 6 years. The man he was walking towards did not look like his teacher from afar. His body structure was several times wider and more heavyset than Bishop Francis and his robes was not white. He also had a strict posture that made him more imposing and dignified. The thing that made Michael most surprised was the face. If someone painted both their faces, and then laid the two portraits beside one another, no one could tell the difference. The strange person with his teacher¡¯s face must have noticed the look on Michael''s face and he gave a small sigh. ¡°Yes, I know I look like my little brother. Since he taught an entire class, some of you students always stare at me. Very disconcerting. Well, my name is Bishop Peter and we should start the ceremony now. Please stand here, in front of the table and look at me.¡± Michael followed the Bishop¡¯s orders and watched as the man went around the table to be Michael¡¯s opposite. The onlookers were close to sleeping once more when the Bishop¡¯s sonorous voice rang through the room once more. Losing their chance to sleep, the audience shifted to more comfortable positions. They were ready to pay attention to the final ceremony participant of the day. ¡°Listen well. For again, the time of Change is upon us. Let us now speak of the past and all its dreaded tales. ¡°When the human race was at its height, and the forces that gathered could but swallow our enemies whole, we put our trust and forces in the hands of a power we thought could handle it. Yet as seen, that very power sought to destroy us by pitting our forces against the world. We were strong, yes. But ravaged by all sides and under the command of incompetent rulers, who could deny the near destruction of our race?¡± Probably talking about the Magus Wars. It was rather foolish to commit every single soldier on one front. It left the rest of the territories without any sort of defence¡­ Bishop Peter had raised his hand during the oration and stared at the ceiling. His hand then smacked the table after he asked the question and a flash of light filled the hall. Michael¡¯s gasp was the only one that sounded. He watched as an array of pictures and scenes shown from the table and solidified on the white curtain. Groups of armoured soldiers walked side by side down large roads. Five men deep, the column of troops seemed unending as they traveled in silence. A closer look revealed tears in some of their eyes. They knew they were abandoning their loved ones to fight for their lords and they regretted every step. But in that time and age, they had no choice as their oaths and vows locked them to their task. Groups of robed men and women arrayed in different formations. The robes seemed to denote some sort of ranking, and a black robed man with a gold staff led them all. He raised a staff above his head while the followers behind him followed his motion and raised their hands. They faced a large forest that seemed as endless as the rumoured oceans... Three thrones placed together and were equal in height, if not design. A jeweled throne, a skull throne, and a rose throne. Two men and one woman sat upon the thrones and were regal in bearing. The scene made to look as if the three figures were looking down upon everyone. Desolate cities whose streets were empty of people. Wrecked homes filled with hopeless families. Burning farmlands. Large scale graveyards. Hanged men and women in merchant garbs. Trapped miners. Sunken bodies of sailors. And at the edges of every one of these scenes was a person recording every single event with either pen and paper or Memory Stones. ¡°A time of constant mourning and dread; where the people dared not dream of hope, lest they wallow in despair. A war never won. A people rebuilding what they could, keeping to themselves and afraid of repeating the past. A young king, crowned when his father dies.¡± More scenes rose from the shining table to replace the previous ones. It showed a scene where the cities were being rebuilt after the devastation. Soldiers training in the woods or traveling to mountains. Craftsmen and labourers following their own directives. They were laughing when their products came out wrong or buildings collapsed at a touch. A carefree period, especially loved after the fighting from before. In one scene, throne after throne sat empty in a vast hall. All except the final seat where a weary old king sat. In front of the king was a kneeling boy with blonde curls and fair looks. Dressed in a resplendent cloak, the young boy had the eyes of a man with a duty. The next scene showed a man kneeling before a Cardinal. The young boy from before had grown and taken up the seat his father left. The Cardinal placed the crown on his royal head and the watching crowds burst into silent movement as they cheered their new king. The man takes up his position with pride and determination. He starts reconstructing his kingdom and creates new laws and codes to improve the quality of life in his cities. Buildings constructed with an expert touch. Warriors trained in the hundreds and become experienced from expeditions and bounty hunting. The people were happy and the towns prospered. ¡°A beloved king of the people, he took up the reign left from his forbearers and created a flourishing kingdom. His rule was stable and prosperous and he soon desired more territory to increase the quality of life for his race. He announced himself as Emperor over his lands. Kings and Queens bowed to him and the people loved him. Yet more power was what he desired, and war once again loomed over the land.¡± Soon the scene shows the changing political landscape as the king absorbed more territory. The land becomes too big for him to control alone so he decides to give some of it to people he trusted. He shows himself off as Emperor over the land and a scene shows several crowned people kneel before him. Then a new proclamation comes out, shocking the Empire. War is to happen as the Emperor decrees and recruitment is to increase. The citizens have hope in their Emperor and rulers and recruitment flourishes with hopeful young men and women. Thousands upon thousands of recruits transform into experienced fighters in a few years. ¡°History repeats itself as the Empire attacks everyone around it. The chaotic and weak human lands to the east, the sea races to the west, the peaceful races of the north, and the demonic races of the south.¡± Unlike the first set of images, the soldiers this time are grim with resolve and emit a bloodlust unlike any other. The armies of the empire strike swift and hard at their targets. A trained army under one flag could not compare to the other forces. The Empire takes target after target as the powerful men and women trust in their Emperor. The continent seemed to have no choice of victory, until a map shows three shining beacons. To the east, a human boy leads ragtag forces of men and women against the invaders. His forces act without pause and whittle down the stronger enemy. The boy himself is a monster as he faces against men of the Empire. Countless powerful foes fall to him and he walks away unharmed as his sword becomes the only thing covered in blood. Along with the boy, a middle aged man works at the forge with his partners. They do not waste a single action as they create many weapons and pieces of armour at the same time. The smith forges thousands upon thousands of equipment as they arm their countrymen to fight the enemy. Yet the group starts to dwindle as death takes the overworked men and women until only the middle aged man stands. Yet the forge never dropped in the number of items made and distributed. A one man forging team, he continued to work to help protect the cities he held dear. To the north a hooded being stays high up in a tree. He scans his surroundings and waits for his target. His body twitches in a direction and he takes out his bow. A monstrous weapon that topped his own tall height, the bow¡¯s string gets pulled back with ease as the elf readied an arrow. He fires and the scene follows the arrow as it travels across the land. It seemed to fly forever as it exited the forest and flew across barren lands; down rivers and past a gorge towards its target. A well dressed man leads his force towards the forests of the north. He was the officer of the hundred or so troops before getting struck by the powerful shot. His body flies from the top of the horse and his men shout for shields. Then a rain of arrows fell upon them. ¡°How the world would have been gone to ruin if it wasn¡¯t for the heroes that appeared. Countless men and women died from ignorance as their abilities broke under the might of the Empire. Those heroes stood up against the force of the Emperor and drove the enemy from their homes. Only then did the other humans understand their folly and ignorance. They understood the need for proper knowledge and understanding, lest they fall the next time war happened. ¡°Let it be known that the price of war was steep and bloody. Let it be known that the deaths of men and women did happen, and that it should never happen again. Let this ceremony be the first step for a child¡¯s journey. Let the child start their future on the right path, so they prepare themselves for the future and all its terrible surprises.¡± With those final words hanging in the air, Bishop Peter smacked the table and woke up the trance-like Michael. The scenes that floated above disappeared and Michael shook himself before looking at the Bishop once more. This time the Bishop only gave the table a light tap and a small glowing square patch appeared in front of him. ¡°Michael Kane. It is your 10th naming day and we judge you ready for Change. If there are no problems, then repeat after me... ¡°I, Michael Kane, hereby find myself ready to control my future. I will determine my course of action and hope to look back and view my path with fondness. I ask that I be allowed to control my future progress and vow to work hard. ¡°You will then end it with your choice of Series. Go on.¡± ¡°I, Michael Kane, hereby find myself ready to control my future. I will determine my course of action and hope to look back and view my path with fondness. I ask that I be allowed to control my future progress and vow to work hard. I choose the Neutral Series for myself.¡± Nodding at his words, the Bishop manipulated the patch of light in front of him and Michael felt a shock go over his body. It didn¡¯t last long and Michael wondered if the Bishop had something to do with it. Looking up, the Bishop nodded in understanding and gestured to his left. ¡°I unlocked your progress and you may add stats now. May you grow and progress as you wish.¡± Michael left with those final words and went past the table and the Bishop. He wanted to peek back and look at his parents, but then there were the other members of the crowd as well so he just continued walking. He went to the right-hand corner of the room and saw a wooden door, hidden by the large curtain. He opened it and went inside with quick steps. Only then did he notice that sweat soaked his thin shirt. He gave silent thanks to his father for the thick coat and looked at the room he had entered. The room was bare of anything except a small desk situated in the middle of the room and another door on the right wall. Behind the small desk was a priestess who was leaning on an arm and playing with a pen. She gave him a bored glance and waved him forward with the writing utensil. ¡°Done? Well come on. You¡¯re the last one of the day so we might as well get this over with.¡± Michael was a little speechless at the difference between the ceremony and this last part, but he followed her orders anyway. After approaching the desk, the bored lady took out blank sheet and started writing as he answered her questions. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Michael Kane.¡± ¡°Immediate relatives?¡± ¡°Aaron and Celia Kane.¡± ¡°Siblings?¡± ¡°None by blood but¡ª¡± ¡°Series chosen?¡± ¡°Neutral.¡± She finished off her writing and then passed him the sheet along with her pen. ¡°Sign at the bottom and give your sign.¡± Michael took the pen and looked over the sheet of paper. A simple form with his details, Michael looked at the bottom and signed his name at the blank space. He saw a simple box to the side of it and drew his own sign within it. A mesh of his father and mother, the sign was a flower wrapped around a dark blade that was close to the one he trained with. It was still a new sign so the drawing was a little messy, but no one expected much more. ¡°Good. You have passed your Changing Ceremony. Please go through that door to leave. Since the ceremony is over, your parents will exit shortly after you do.¡± The woman¡¯s monotone voice was clear and Michael knew she wanted him to go. He followed her instructions and left the room from the entrance to the right. He entered a long and empty path that lacked the furnishings of the main hallway. Using the solitude as a chance to think to himself, Michael thought about the scenes shown in the Ceremony. The scenes were actual recordings of the battles Bishop Francis taught in class. The details within were surprising to note, especially how the soldiers appeared when they were about to fight. Michael had heard about Memory Stones, but he didn¡¯t expect them to be so¡­ useful. Michael reached the end of the hall soon enough and passed through a set of double doors. Bright light spilled into the torch lit hallway he had been in, a wave of light that hurt his eyes. Michael rubbed his eyes as he passed through the doors to the large hall they had entered from. The hall was less busy than earlier and the receptionist had changed to a male priest. He was also scribbling on whatever forms they had to do and didn''t pay attention to Michael at all. Michael looked around but didn''t see any of the Ceremony audience members. To be more exact, he didn''t see his parents. What he did see was a large group of children occupying the front of the Cathedral. They were waiting for their parents and Michael gave a small sigh of relief when he didn¡¯t see Grant or Ken. He headed in that direction while berating himself once more at how scared he was. He saw the back of Victoria and stepped forward to call out to her. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention to anything else and only took two steps before pain flashed in the back of his head. The situation was too familiar with what happened before and Michael gave a silent curse at Grant and Ken as he fell over. Michael stayed conscious for a short while before his vision started to darken . Before it did, he saw a pair of¡­ smokey feet. ¡°Sorry boy, gotta get what I¡ª¡±
Status
NameMichaelAge10
Level18Class-
Fame0Infamy0
TitleGreen-SingerGuild-
Health850Mana1040
Stamina945Stored Rage54
Unused Stat Points135
Strength78Dexterity57
Vitality85Intelligence84 + 20
Wisdom73 + 20Mana Control14 + 5
Critical Chance0.07%Agility79
Concentration108 + 5Willpower21
Charisma35 + 5Presence35
Art38
[p=left]Special Skills and bonuses: ¡®Silven Plant¡¯ grants: Double Mana Regeneration. ¡®Green-Singer¡¯ grants: +5 Vitality. +20 to Intelligence. +20 to Wisdom. +5 Mana Control. +5 Charisma. +5 Concentration. +20 Nature Affinity. [/p]
Skills
StealthBeginner level 4. (7%). Active skill
Instant AnalyzationBeginner level 4. (91%) Active skill
Language ComprehensionBeginner Level 1. (0%) Passive skill
HerbologyBeginner level 8. (88%) Passive skill
AlchemyBeginner level 8. (41%) Active skill
Sword MasteryBeginner level 5. (98%) Active skill
Dagger MasterBeginner level 5. (98%) Active skill
Weapon Throwing MasteryBeginner level 5. (87%) Active skill
Green-MagicBeginner level 4 . (1%) Active skill
HowlBeginner level 0. (0%) Active skill
DevourBeginner level 4. (98%) Active skill
Affinities
Fire1Water1
Earth1Wind1
Light2Dark2
Nature18 + 20
Michael now has: A renowned potion making teacher Combat lessons from his Expert Ranking father. Green-Magic lessons from his mother Silven Plant connection Pack Ability to add stats Michael¡¯s Pack: Michael (leader) Liera
Lets go back to more relaxing times...Letting that cliffhanger hang for a bit...
Welp, chapter 8 is uploaded. My PRs seemed to have died somewhere :( Oh well. Childhood arc Epilogue was completed a while ago too. I''ll give my PRs more time on that. In the meanwhile, VOTE! So close to beating NPC (First Draft) On another note, my reviews seemed to have gotten a few people to come onto my fic and lower the score by quite a bit. People doing 0.5 scores are scary... Just two people and my score went from 4.96 to 4.78... Yikes. Oh well, I''ll still review. What do people think of the changes so far? NPC is very different from the first draft, right? Are the changes good? Or are they awesome? :D Haha... Childhood Arc Epilogue CHILDHOOD ARC EPILOGUE ¡°... oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear¡­¡± The slight man¡¯s mutterings were low and quiet but might as well have been shouts for all the good it did in the silent room. His body stooped itself over a broad table filled with bottles of liquids and trays of multicoloured powder. He made sure to keep his movements steady and even, so as not to disturb the powders in any way. He even positioned the trays in several efficient ways for himself such that if he made any accidents, his skill and experience could keep him from most dangers. To a person unfamiliar with the task, the powders were positioned in a way that they could cause considerable damage. The man, who shuddered at the thought of any mistakes, went to pick up, check over, and then pack away some of the items. Some mix of powders for his work. Items and staffs that boosted his power and some extra miscellaneous items. He sighed as he played through the little effects of each item and wondered if he was being a little too careful. Items and materials went into the different compartments in his bag as the man turned from the table. Movement still needed to be slow so he kept his movements even as he walked towards the curtain blocking one side of the room. Behind the curtain was a solid oak door made to seal the air inside the room. The curtain was also an extra caution to block air currents from disturbing the powders. He turned the handle of the door and heaved it open to reveal a darkened hallway. Even exiting the building was no small feat as an array of traps awaited anyone who entered without permission. Even Expert thieves would have a hard time entering the building without being acquainted with the man. He found regular corpses every once in a while as idiots continued to tackle the building, but the man didn¡¯t mind. Those bodies made good occasional sources of raw material. The man did not think any low life would be able to enter the building since the traps were set by¡­ The man shook his head at the thought of that monstrous person and walked through the quiet city. Unlike the other towns and areas, nightlife in this city was closer to a village than anything else. No wandering people walked the empty roads. No bars stayed open beyond the first few hours of darkness. And even the guards stayed where they were to stand guard. Everyone obeyed the rules and it was a madman that went against it. A madman, or this man. He meandered through the city with quick steps and a gait that showed familiarity of the paths. Daily walks through these roads every day helped speed his journey in the darkness. Rustling plants pierced the dead quiet of the night as he passed empty shops and quiet alleys. Distant howls and clattering shutters dogged the man¡¯s steps through the lonely streets. The city had adopted the look of death during the night, a look that no man could adapt to. Soon the man was close enough to his destination that he could see the soft torchlight shining through the windows. The castle took up a great deal of the town¡¯s space and could temporarily house triple the population of the town. A fortress capable of withstanding attacks from most invaders. ¡°Lower the gate!¡± The man¡¯s voice was not loud, but in the dead of the night it might as well have been a roar. A shadow poked its head out from the wall to peer at him before heading back inside. Some muffled sounds emerged from within the keep before the large gate before him opened. The sound of the creaking hinges made the man grimace in discomfort. He had to wonder what the sleeping citizens thought about it. A sturdy young man came out to greet the man. The darkness hid his handsome features, but the white cloak over his shoulders glowed under the dim light. The soft clinking of his armor echoed through the quiet streets as he stepped forward to salute the man. ¡°Welcome, Sir Mage. The lord and lady were waiting for your arrival.¡± ¡°Yes yes, lead the way.¡± The young man turned and set a quick pace into the castle. The sound of the gate closing behind them muffled itself as they passed into a side tower. Soon the two made their way through the dark hallway as they went deeper into the city. Both not worried by the darkness as their skills activated to allow them to see. Purple for the older man and yellow for the younger. Their glowing eyes dimmed as soon as they approached their destination. Two sentries stationed themselves beside a lone wooden door and were watchful of any newcomers. Both of them carried Darklights so their eyesight wouldn''t suffer under a bright light, a must have for guards. The two of them saw the approaching figures from afar and snapped to attention. ¡°Sir! The lord and lady requested that no one enter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I am currently following their orders. Stand down.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Standard procedure dictated that the two men question their superior. The left guard opened the door to allow the visitors in and then closed the door behind them. They then went back to their guarding stance, wary of anybody else coming near. The inside of the large room was bare of all furniture except for a wide bed which a woman lay upon. Heavy breathing came from her as her plain features creased in bouts of pain. Her dress was wet with sweat and a cloth had been lain over her enlarged belly. To her side was a tall man who held her hand in his own. Even from afar one could see that her clench was quivering with power, but the man bore it well. Turning towards the newcomers, the man nodded to the younger man. ¡°You may leave, Yan.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The young man, Yan, gave a quick bow and left the room without hesitation. His only task was to do that one duty and, in all honesty, he didn¡¯t want to be in the room when the birthing started. As Yan left, the middle aged man stepped forward and gave a short bow. He then eyed the lady and turned a nervous frown at his master. ¡°Lord¡ª lord I must tell you that this is terribly out of my league. A midwife would do best. Or even a priest.¡± ¡°I know, I know. I just brought you here to protect us when it happens. You know I have a few enemies. This is the best time for them to strike, and I can¡¯t defend against some¡­ other attacks. Also, call me Renin...¡± The middle aged man nodded at the noble and ignored the last part. He positioned himself near a corner of the room, a little to the right of the bed. Once there, he removed several ready to use scrolls, four staffs, as well as a wand. He took out the materials he had gathered earlier and combined several at once. With a flash and a small bang, a light smoke emerged from the concoction and he explained the uses to the curious lord. ¡°This, this is a light smoke screen. It will reveal any hidden bodies and magical uses. Good for detecting intruders or spies. I shall also place several scrolls that will boost my own strength when needed. I place these staffs at the four corners and each of them has a range of 5 meters. If any magus gets within that area, these staffs will detect them.¡± With the explanations finished, the Mage went about setting up the equipment. At each of the corners he placed the staffs in an upright position and then released his hold over them. Their mystical properties showed when they stayed standing without support. As he placed the staffs, the magic user stuck several scrolls on each wall. When all the items were in place, the man moved to the center of the room and stood stock still. He closed his eyes, leaving both Renin and his wife wondering at what he was doing. At the moment, anything to get rid of their current thoughts was interesting. The husband and wife both stared at the still man for some time before noticing what was happening in the surroundings. The four staffs had risen from their old position and floated a metre off the ground. Both ends had begun to emit a soft white glow that pulsed at regular intervals. Between the staffs, ten scrolls lit up with a faint yellow light that seemed to stretch towards the man in the center of the room. Renin looked at a nearby scroll and saw that the light was, indeed, moving towards the magus. He stretched out a hand to touch the light and didn¡¯t feel any change as he did so. ¡°The scrolls are perfectly harmless, Lord. They just have a set spell attached to them. Energy conversion Intermediate rank scrolls, the scrolls convert the surrounding mana into neutral power and send that power to me. When the power reaches me it converts back to mana and I absorb it easily. Those ten scrolls are one time use and each converts a hundred mana per minute. You can see how effective they are from that. ¡°For the staffs, they emit a white light when no other mage is in the area. Once a mage does enter, the light changes into a red colour. If it is a priest or a person of religious calling, the colour changes to blue. Ah, I see you have sent for a priest¡­¡± In the middle of his explanation, the man had opened his eyes to have a proper discussion with Renin. Near the end of the explanation he saw all the staffs lighting up with a blue hue and he turned towards the door. ¡°Let them in.¡± Since he was already told of their arrival by the sentry staffs, Renin didn¡¯t bother waiting. He called in the waiting people with a quick shout before looking back at his wife. The door opened to admit a robust woman, followed by an aged man in decorative clothing. ¡°Lord, I have come as requested. If you please.¡± The woman¡¯s kind voice belied her appearance as she went to the Lady¡¯s other side and checked over her comforts. The woman found the accommodations satisfying and went to the foot of the bed. ¡°Lord, milady, sir Mage.¡± ¡°Father Leon.¡± The old priest introduced himself without much haste and then situated himself to the far left of the room, behind Renin. When the magus saw that the ladies were about to begin, he made a quick turn and faced the door, his face red. Even with his back turned though, the man knew that the Lady was too weak to undergo the task. Her breathing had quickened in the last few minutes and each movement was a struggle. The lady would find the birthing more trouble than it may be worth. With that in mind, the man started to cast a spell. With his eyes closed, the man delved into himself with a practiced thought. He found his pool of mana, a large clear pond that looked both vast as the ocean and smaller than a pea. He examined the extra mana converted by the scrolls which were visible as ten long and clear strands. They had touched the pool and dissipated into the air as his mana capacity was already full and couldn''t handle more. With a thought, the man grabbed three of those strands and shoved them out of his body. He then manipulated two of the strands and watched as they changed from a clear colour to a faint pink and yellow. He then motioned the strands away from his body and towards the Lady. Bypassing the midwife who was in the way, he threw those strands at the weakened woman and watched as they settled upon her. One by one, they attached themselves to her body and the man watched as the lady recovered a little of her energy. ¡°I have to tell you sir, that I found your wife¡¯s weakened state to be dangerous. I have taken the opportunity to attach several of the scrolls to her. One will convert the energy to mana, while the other two will convert it to health and stamina. The last two are both weaker than the mana conversion, but they should be better than doing nothing.¡± Just how much ambient mana is there? ¡°Ah, thank you Simon.¡± Renin cast a grateful smile at the Mage¡¯s slight back and turned back to his wife. He had felt helpless when he cast his gaze on her, and couldn¡¯t help but hate himself for not being able to do anything. Every person in the room was more useful than he was. Simon helped heal her and was also guarding them from others. Father Leon was praying for her and also gave support through his presence. And the midwife had the most important role as took care of everything else. What was he doing there? How could he, being there, help his wife? Then Renin felt a hand stroke his cheek. ¡°You worry too much, Little Red.¡± ¡°Gah, don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± The tall man blushed at the childhood nickname and his wife gave a small giggle. She liked to tease her husband a few times and make him blush, the reason for the nickname was her teasing anyways. She took her husband¡¯s hand once more and Renin felt that the short time apart did not diminish that amount of heat in the hand. ¡°Alright, everything is ready. If you gentlemen will look away. Not you, Lord.¡± Simon was already turned so that was fine, although his face was quite red at the moment. Father Leon was still praying behind Renin, his lips moving without sound and his eyes glazed over. Even so, he also turned around at the instruction of the midwife. Renin tensed now that the time had arrived. His wife noticed his nervousness and tightened her grip on his hand. He looked up to see her smile which seemed to take his nervousness and throw it out the window. Raising the clenched hand, Renin kissed it. Then the birthing began.
¡°So the programs have been successfully uploaded?¡± ¡°Yea Boss.¡± ¡°Good. Our work here is done. You may join back with the main group later. For now, take a paid break for the next month.¡± ¡°Woohoo! Drinking timah!¡± The man heard his assistant¡¯s cries of joy and sighed in confusion. When he compared his two assistants, he couldn¡¯t believe how much they defied stereotypes. One assistant had a wild and energetic look, yet he was calm and respectful. His other assistant looked like a doll with her long black hair and pale skin. It was unfortunate that her attitude would have fit a regular delinquent with ease. The man was sure that if he introduced the two, they would either set off sparks and start fighting, or somehow get married. At least, that¡¯s how the stories go. The man walked out of the room, his white lab coat flying as he went, and made his way to the only elevator on the floor. His assistant continued to clean up the work leaving him the only one walking down the hallway. Since the game was moving at ten times speed, the timing they had to work with was small. The owner had not allowed them to slow it as they had before. He found it unfair, but fitting for what they were doing. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. A simple glance to the sides of the hallway revealed glass barriers. Those glass walls divided the different sections of the department. Although the game was complete, and had been working for upwards of a century, it still lacked several parts. This department was responsible for making and adding in the extra game material. Two of these were the Hero and Villain creation group. There were other sections as well, those ones not headed by him. He didn''t know the specifics of each, but they were weren''t as busy as he was. His section needed to complete their work before the game went out to the public. The program files were random AI generated personalities constructed over the years. They were then tested through several scenarios that tackled a different aspect of gaming. Strategy, RPG, Dungeon Diving, Demon Kings, Revolutions. These scenarios were random and done to produce Heroes or Villains. Since there was a thin line between Heroes and Villains, several twin files tested in both groups. In the end, though, no file had been a success in both categories. A simple scan of his gold plated ID, and the man was in the elevator, headed upwards to the top floor of the building. He exited the elevator there and made his way through a vast space that ended in a small room. Like the rest of the building, the hall only had a heat-resistant glass barrier that protected it from the outside. It was a decision that let in a great deal of natural light which wasn¡¯t put to much use. The Holy Grail of the company! Top Floor of the prestigious Terra Company that was to be the first VR company of all time! The place where the greatest ideas are born! It only housed one person in a 20 square meter room at the far side of the hall. Notes, drawings, books, doujinshis, and electronics cluttered the room. A single person created most of those items. The man picked up a nearby note before tossing it away. He didn¡¯t need to know what new bedroom positions the owner dreamed up. ¡°Oooohhhh, it¡¯s Polly~~¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me Polly!¡± The man, Polly, gave a practised reply to the hunched man sitting in the corner of the room. Polly had become used to his boss¡¯ lack of responsibility, so he didn¡¯t twitch at what he was doing. That nickname was the thirteenth one in the past year though... ¡°But Esther is such an unmanly name¡­¡± ¡°Polly is worst. I don¡¯t even know how you got that name!¡± ¡°Oh? Did I not tell you? Esther becomes Polyester becomes Polly...¡± ¡°... I am here to report the successful installation of the Villain programs. Over the past two years, we have went through a thousand different personalities. We have gone through testing them until only twenty remained.¡± ¡°Good. How about the scenarios for them all...?¡± ¡°The testing scenarios have been taken down and back¡ª¡± ¡°Not those. I mean the scenarios for the Villain programs in Gaia...¡± ¡°Sir, we left those to Jane. Same as how we did for the Hero ones.¡± ¡°Hrm¡­ I guess that¡¯s fine¡­¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°A person¡¯s future is greatly influenced by their background. You know this better than I since you did all those scenarios. Leaving it randomly, there are very low chances of any events that can cause a person to go down the Villain path. ¡°Having your home taken from you. Having selfish or evil parents. Being neglected. Killing your siblings. Villain scenarios are not done because a person is born evil. It is the situation that makes a person evil. Well, there are obviously some psychopaths who can be called villains, but I don¡¯t want deranged murderers. I want people who are smart and capable. People who could be heroes if their situations were different.¡± The owner¡¯s speech seemed to light a fire within him as he rose from his crouched position and approached Pol¡ª Esther. ¡°Villains are people who do the things they do, because they were resolved to doing so. A thief who steals to survive. A mob boss who takes in the dark side to save his family and friends. A dictator who wanted to change his country for the better, on his own, without regard for the individual because he believes it is the only way. A terrorist who truly believes in his cause and wishes to fight for it. Salesmen who¡ª¡± ¡°Yes sir, I get it. How do you want us to proceed then? Do we pick people off the main team and have them assigned to make scenario plans?¡± ¡°Nonono. I¡¯ll do it myself. I¡¯ve been having some writers block so this will do me some good.¡± Esther stepped back from the dirty man and watched as he did a few stretches on the spot. Shoulder rolls, back bends, toe touches. He finished his stretches and then moved towards the door. Stepping out of his way, Esther placed himself a little behind the taller man and followed him out of the room. The two of them walked into the hall and the man stopped in the middle of the room. With the elevator on one side and his room on the other, there wasn¡¯t anything special about the area. There wasn''t anything to at all! Just an empty hall with those two entrances. Yet Esther stepped back several steps to a predetermined position and watched the other man. ¡°Jane Roe, access code 444334434. Full administrator access to Gaia.¡± ¡±Access code accepted. Vocal recognition: Accepted. Body Scan: Accepted. User, ***********. Guest: Esther Gorwen. Access ID: Platinum. Accepted. Welcome, Sirs.¡± The female voice accepted the two people in the large hall and for a moment the surroundings were silent. Then a large number of holographic displays appeared in the hall and floated around the central figure. Esther kept to the side and tried to keep himself from looking, but he couldn¡¯t help staring at what the man was doing. His observations went unrewarded though. Although there were many holograms floating in the room, each one was only glanced at and then controlled the next instant. Esther wasn¡¯t able to get even a look in. The unassuming man cooperated with the AI system he created to access, manipulate, and oversee the world he made. A true god looking down on his system, he could change that world at a whim. A genius wizard who was the first to create VR, years before any predicted time. ¡°Esther, how successful was the Villain scenario?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Being called by his full name made Esther more than a little nervous. The owner¡¯s voice was monotone and his concentration was at its peak as he accessed Gaia. Since he still tried to speak to Esther¡­ ¡°I mean, what were the highest completion ratings?¡± ¡°The programs varied from the lowest, 59% completion average, to the highest at 78% completion average. 20 in all.¡± ¡°Huh, 78%? Was any other program close to it?¡± ¡°No sir. Next highest was only a 65% completion rating. My assistant and I agree that the program was the highest we could get under the set time limit.¡± ¡°I see. File number?¡± ¡°... NPC_file_CM13V92.¡± The owner nodded at the name and a screen popped up in front of him. This one stayed for a few seconds and Esther saw that it was a chart detailing the information of an NPC¡¯s status. ¡°He seems alright in that family. I¡¯ll start planning a personal scenario for him. Jane, access NPC_file_CM13V92 and get me the scenario completion records for him.¡± A few hundred screens immediately popped up and overwhelmed Esther¡¯s vision. With a rush, the owner viewed, analyzed, and then used each screen. In less than half an hour the hall returned to a less cluttered view. ¡°Polly, you don¡¯t need to stay you know. This will probably take all night. I¡¯m sure your wife is waiting for you at home.¡± Esther twitched at the return of his nickname and twitched again at the mention of family. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have a wife.¡± ¡°No wife? Seriously?¡± The owner paused his work to turn around to stare at Esther. He examined him up and down before turning back around. His mutterings were loud enough that even Esther could hear them... ¡°... good looking and not taken. Females these days are so picky. Ah, my future seems bleak¡­¡± ... Guess I shouldn¡¯t say my fiance is waiting for me¡­ ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go home early anyways. Have a good night sir.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Esther left the strange man to his work and went for the elevator. He was about to scan his card when the other man¡¯s voice stopped him. ¡°Ah, wait a minute Polly. If you can, set up another press conference in the next few days. Also send me my username and password for the company¡¯s site. I don¡¯t wanna have to get Jane to hack it.¡± ¡°... yes sir.¡± Oh great, another live meeting for him¡­ The poor Esther entered the elevator while trying to come up with a schedule plan. His break plans were completely ruined so he knew he had to cancel the cake tasting he and his fiance had for tomorrow. John Doe was about to go out once more.
Dat Cliffhanger thoTBA
So... the last chapter of the arc! Meh, time to start the next arc. Dunno when anything will be finished, so meh. People were commenting on my slow upload speed, and I just have to say you caught me at a bad time. The month of March and April is killer for a student like me. I had 3 essays due this month, and another 3 due at the start of next month as well as 3 responses. I finished the three, English, Mythology, and History, and now have to do another 2 essays (2k words and 4k words) for one class, an essay (2k words) for another class, and then three responses for the last class. Then I have exams... *grimace* Absolutely no time to do anything. For now, I''ll just respond to the reviews... cause there''s no place else to do so... For the Progressive review... PLEASE CONTINUE!!! I had been refreshing the page for a while, in order to get the review... seems to have stopped... For MeanMachine, I gave an explanation for my slowness, it''s up top. As well, for your thoughts on the bullying scene, Michael was only 5 when they bullied him. Even if he wanted to hunt them down, how would he do so? Better to have him train up... For the recent chapter, Michael was still only 10. Even if you want to argue he was strong enough to take down the wolves, he had a LOT of help from Liera and Valerie... Give him a few more years of training. He was angry at his own fear and angry at the weakness he felt. I showed him giving sighs of relief when he didn''t see them some of the time... Fear is irrational in itself. As for the Cliffhanger... HAHA, it won''t be touched upon till chapter 9. The next upload will be the Training Arc Prologue which won''t be about the kidnapping... sorry~~ People who read the original may know what happened, but this revamp will NOT have the same kidnap scene. Or the same Harold... I''m horrible, I know. Making you guys wait to see the changes... Sue my school. And last, but not least... NPC BEAT THE ORIGINAL!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOO ?Tada?Ta?Tada?Ta?doo? Remember to continue voting. I would like to get back into the top 30... The fic has been bouncing up and down in the rankings. Went to rank 41 before... scary... Another 0.5 score brought it down to 4.72... :( Yea, I''m annoyingly competitive.
Update: 10/05/2015 Well, I did give a message at my last comment on this thread, but some probably won''t go and read the comments, so I''ll just paste it here too. "Blaaaaah, for people who are still looking here, I shall explain what will happen for the next while. So I have a summer job at a factory and... it''s about 52 hours of work a week. I get up at around 5 AM, get ready for work, and then work starts around 7:30 AM. Then it finishes around 6:30 PM and I get home (lots of traffic) in about 40 mins to an hour. At that time, it will be around 7:30 PM and I will probably take a shower, go online for a few minutes, then sleep in readiness for the next day. On friday, work ends around 5:30 PM and traffic is about a few times worse. This means I arrive home around the same time. Saturday I have work from 7:30 AM to 12 PM so it isn''t as bad. All in all, next to no time to actually work on chapters... and here I was, hoping to be able to write over my summer "break". Damn, I hate work... I''ll look here every once in a while, but no chapters will be given out for the next while. Money is important.... I''ll also try to save up enough to get a few artworks for the story. At the same time, I have to save up for my car insurance, school fees, and gas... good god, gas is expensive nowadays...." And... yea...
Update: 14/02/2016 Welp, just an update. While I do have chapters done for NPC, I won''t be uploading till the arc is completely finished. The main problem with this arc is all the new content planned. Since the training arc was pretty much skipped in the first draft, I will need to plan a good plot for the arc as well as multiple conflicts. Also, a few major differences will occur. For starters the mad character of Harold will be changed. Instead, Cider becomes more mad than before. Also, I''ll be adding a third student character to the group in order to make it more reasonable and more interesting. The character will be male. I will also go into more detail of some individual businesses within the Five Guild system. This will not include the merchants or the rogue classes. Welp, here''s hoping this doesn''t stay on Hiatus for longer than a few years... sigh...