《The Classless Sorcerer's Self-Stealing System [Magic LitRPG Fantasy] [BOOK 1 COMPLETE]》


 [P] Chapter 1: Class Selection Day

    Prologue: 519 Harvesttide DE


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    Chapter 1: Class Selection Day


    <hr>


    ¡°What class you think you¡¯re going to get anyway?¡± Irvin¡¯s sarcastic tone rung out over Blychert¡¯s shoulder, as the pair of them pushed their way through the crowded Guildhall, ¡°Or wait, let me guess¡­ you¡¯ve already seen your destiny, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Something like that. Bly thought with just the barest hints of a smile, otherwise unwilling to give his friend the satisfaction that came with being an unrepentant ass. He then replied, and perhaps more than a little arrogantly, ¡°You do know there¡¯s almost zero chance of me not getting a magic class, right?¡±


    Behind him, Irvin clicked his teeth with a snicker, a telltale sign that he was concocting some kind of retaliatory response. Lo and behold, Irvin retorted smugly, ¡°It¡¯d be pretty embarrassing if you didn¡¯t though. I mean, just think about how long you¡¯ve been Bartolo¡¯s apprentice. What a waste that would be! Personally? I hope you get fishmonger.¡±


    As if. Bly rolled his eyes.


    Irvin had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, so he didn¡¯t usually take his banter as anything more than that. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t give as good as he got. But Irvin certainly had an effective way of pushing his buttons to the absolute limits sometimes. And on today of all days? On class selection day? One more half-assed quip out of him, and Bly wasn¡¯t certain that he would be able to restrain himself from smacking Irvin across the back of the head, or better yet, summoning a swarm of bees to chase him back the way they¡¯d just come in.


    Putting the thought out of mind, however, Bly set himself to the tall task of finding a spot towards the front of the hall for them to stand, and so he led the way forward without any further delay. Together, they weaved in-and-out through the mass of other teenagers also gathered to receive their classes, not to mention all their doting families, and Bly couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his chances of getting a magic class for the millionth time that morning.


    It was probably stupid, but he couldn¡¯t help but recall that one rumor he¡¯d heard, about how being among the first to receive your class on selection day supposedly gave you slightly better odds of getting a good one, or maybe even the one you wanted. He supposed it had something to do with the Heavenly Principle stepping in on their behalf, but he couldn¡¯t say for certain.


    At any rate, he wasn¡¯t sure he even really believed the rumor, divine intervention or not.


    Classes had a lot to do with attributes, everyone knew that, and his magic score was among the highest in the holding. He¡¯d had to work a long time for that number, so maybe he was just starting to feel the pressure with such high expectations mounting? Practically everyone said that he was a shoo-in for the sorcerer class too, and that kind of confidence was enough to make even him nauseous.


    Either way, there couldn¡¯t be anything wrong with stacking the deck in his favor. Could there be? Class selection day was the start of everything¡ªthe beginning of their very lives¡ªand he wanted it to go exactly like he¡¯d dreamed it would.


    ¡°Bly! Irvin!¡± The bright, bubbly voice of their friend Annie called out suddenly, as the two boys finally reached the front of the hall, ¡°You guys, over here!¡±


    Cocking his head to the side somewhat, Bly regarded the short, brown-haired girl bobbing up and down through the crowd as she pushed her way towards them. Stumbling a bit on the boots of those around her, however, Annie fell forward abruptly.


    Before Bly could even react, Irvin had postured himself to Bly¡¯s righthand side, as quick as a fox. He reached across and grabbed Annie by the arm, before hoisting her upright, all in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Hell, Annie¡­ watch where you¡¯re going, would you?¡± Irvin scolded her, but his teasing smile told of a deeply unserious demeanor, ¡°Come to think of it, today¡¯s not really the day for your clumsiness. If by some miracle you get the priest class, the Church is doomed. Doomed!¡±


    ¡°Eh, sorry¡­¡± Annie sighed with a flushed face, offering an apologetic glance up at the middle-aged woman behind her, who simply nodded with the barest hint of acknowledgment. Annie then turned back around and assumed her usual, cheery expression, exhaling slightly before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that Irvin. And good morning, by the way. I was starting to wonder when you two would get here, seeing as how you¡¯re both late. We just heard a few minutes ago that Administrator Caelus was almost ready to begin.¡±


    ¡°Really? Nice, then we¡¯re right on time.¡± Irvin held out his arm, flicking one of his fists in Bly¡¯s direction, ¡°Even Bly will tell you that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°You got that right.¡± Bly nodded with a smile, bumping knuckles with his friend, before adding, ¡°Can¡¯t really say I¡¯d want to stand around here for any longer than we had to. Once we¡¯ve got our classes, it¡¯s go-time.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Irvin doubled down on Bly¡¯s reply, but suddenly his expression turned to one of troubled thoughts, ¡°Just thinking about how many abilities we¡¯re going to have to learn makes my head spin¡ªdamn, I¡¯m going to have a lot of decisions to make, and not a lot of time to do it. Sam promised to take me along on a quest tomorrow. If I get a good enough class, that is.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± Bly protested with an amused chuckle, ¡°Sam¡¯s not taking you anywhere. Except maybe the training circle. I¡¯ve seen your numbers, big guy. You¡¯re definitely not ready for a quest at his level.¡±


    ¡°Typical Bly,¡± Irvin squinted, shaking his head as if to say that Blychert was the crazy one. His lips pursed slightly, and Bly just knew Irvin was going to break out laughing if he didn¡¯t first, but Irvin added, ¡°Always the jealous type, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You wish.¡± Bly punched him on the arm softly.


    And he meant it too.


    Sure, he might have normally been a little bit jealous if what Irvin was saying was actually true. But he was going to be far too busy diving into his own class abilities to worry too much about whatever trouble Irvin and his good-for-nothing older brother were thinking of getting up to tomorrow.


    ¡°Guys¡­¡± Annie interjected despondently, ¡°Today¡¯s all about the celebration of our journeys. Can¡¯t you stop thinking about your classes for one second? We should be grateful to the Heavenly Principle that we get to stand here at all. If not for that, well¡­ who knows where we¡¯d be, or what we¡¯d be doing? Or even what our lives would look like?¡±


    ¡°Easy.¡± Irvin snapped his finger cooly, ¡°I¡¯d already be halfway to level ten as a Blood Dragon Knight.¡±


    Bly snorted, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡±


    Irvin¡¯s brow creased, ¡°Yeah? What of it?¡±


    ¡°You really need me to spell it out for you?¡± Bly mocked him, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s say Blood Dragon Knight really was on the table for you, that¡¯s still a tenth level specialization, bozo. Not a fifth. Didn¡¯t you even read through the Compendium? We¡¯ve had access to it for months¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, smart ass, I¡¯ve got a tenth level specialization for you, right here¡ª!¡±


    Blychert silently cursed Irvin and his high athleticism score, all from within the confines of his suddenly sprung headlock maneuver. But before Irvin even had the chance to drill his knuckles into Bly¡¯s skull, Blychert squeezed out a single phrase beneath his breath, ¡°Star light¡¯s splendor, hear my call and burst forth. Light¡ª¡±


    Feeling the mana surge, his hand suddenly rose to a small glow, to which he promptly shoved the flashing light directly into Irvin¡¯s prematurely victorious face.


    ¡°Gah¡ª!¡± Irvin winced, releasing his intense grasp at once.


    ¡°You¡¯re both idiots¡­¡± Annie sighed amidst the scuffle, before adding more irritably, ¡°And we even agreed to get here early? Remember?¡±


    The two boys stopped horsing around for a moment and glanced across at each other awkwardly, the smallest hints of recollection swirling between them. Bly realized straight away that his friend didn¡¯t know a thing about what she was saying. Which was all well and good, because neither did he. And so, without a single word uttered their differences were put aside, and their story was mostly straight¡­ or at least, Bly thought it was.


    ¡°Sorry, Annie.¡± Bly shrugged, ¡°Must have forgot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, uh¡­ that¡¯s right, I don¡¯t know either!¡± Irvin practically projectile vomited his response. Blychert couldn¡¯t help but think for a moment that for someone who was considered to have the strongest battle aura in their selection group, Irvin sure was a pitiful liar. Irvin then said, ¡°Anyway, uh¡­ that doesn¡¯t sound like something I¡¯d agree to. Right?¡±


    Annie shook her head with a devious grin, seeing right through his deception no doubt, ¡°I bet you¡¯re just scared, Irvin. Aren¡¯t you? Afraid you won¡¯t be a swordsman like your older brothers?¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Irvin stammered, and now it was his turn to blush, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s just not true! There are ten generations worth of classed warriors in the Rowe family. I¡¯ve trained my whole life for this. You seriously think I¡¯m scared about missing out now? Pftt please¡ªit¡¯s a guarantee, trust me.¡±


    What a hypocrite. Bly thought with an amused grin, seeing as how Irvin had called him out a few minutes ago for saying something not too dissimilar. In any case, and no matter how cool Irvin thought he was, Annie was better at riling him up than he ever was at getting under Bly¡¯s skin.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Annie said teasingly, giggling somewhat, ¡°Nobody really knows what class they¡¯ll get, after all. It¡¯s all in the hands of the Divine now. Although, you look more nervous than Bly, and that¡¯s saying something.¡±


    Her remark made Bly¡¯s skin crawl now.


    Was he really that easy to read? An anxious knot had definitely begun to form in the pit of his stomach this morning, but he was trying to play it cool.


    Uncomfortably, Bly glanced around the hall quickly, wondering if anyone else was feeling the same way he was. There was also this little voice in the back of his head that seemed way too comfortable telling him that all his years of hard work and dedication to magecraft were about to be rewarded with nothing short of a generic class, just like Irvin had teased about earlier.


    Farmer, roofer, painter, illuminator, manservant¡­ those kinds of jobs were obviously very important, but Bly wanted to be more than that. He wanted a magic class more than anything. He wanted to be a legitimate spellcaster, through-and-through, and not just someone who could perform cheap tricks and cast basic spells.


    Whatever the case, he couldn¡¯t help but wince slightly at the small possibility that by the end of the day, he could very well be stuck doing something he hated for the rest of his life.


    ¡°One day¡­¡±


    The familiar blaze of a migraine burned through Blychert¡¯s head all of a sudden.


    They always seemed to come at the worst times, especially when he was stressed out, and it had been that way ever since he was little. But even more than that, they were always accompanied by some strange sensation he couldn¡¯t explain. It was just flashes of colors and shapes most of the time, and occasionally the shadows of a face, or even a few words here or there. He didn¡¯t know if it was real or not, or if it was just a vivid dream he¡¯d once had, but somehow it always reminded him to simply take a breath.


    And so, he did.


    Today was going to be a good day.


    It had to be.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± a hoarse, even-toned voice spoke suddenly, snapping Bly back to reality. A shadowy figure then rose into view at the front of the hall, as the voice continued, ¡°If I might evoke your undivided attention, we shall proceed with the selection ceremony.¡±


    Blychert gulped, for the time had finally come for them to receive their classes.

 [P] Chapter 2: Dead on Arrival

    Chapter 2: Dead on Arrival


    <hr>


    Everyone quieted and looked to the front of the hall, where at the top of the two descending staircases stood Administrator Caelus peering out over the small balcony onto the floor with a narrow, expressionless gaze.


    Like all the guild administrators Bly had come to know, Caelus was perfectly hairless, abnormally tall, and bore an unusual shade of gray skin. Only the simplest stripe of a black tattoo gave depth to his androgynous face, which could be seen stretching around from his left ear and across his temple, encapsulating his left eye to a point on the upper bridge of his noise. He was dressed in fine robes, white in coloration with cerulean-blue sashes, which had denoted him as the leader of the guildhall in Darskaart holding for as long as Bly could remember.


    Caelus seemed to pause for a long time thereafter, as silence began to grow into anxiousness among the crowd. Before long, however, he finally said, ¡°Another season has come to pass, and thus the divine graces of the Heavenly Principle come to pass over you this autumntide as well; here to welcome our youth into the fold of its many colors. Today will no doubt be a special day¡­ for all of you. For today, we cast the shackles of a dark world¡ªa cruel world¡ªaside. Today, you assume your rightful place in a world that seeks only harmony and balance.¡±


    As the last of his words climbed into the stifling air, the door behind Caelus opened, and three more administrators entered the chamber. They wore black robes with emerald-green sashes¡ªthe colors of the attributors¡ªand they moved with crooked, eerily inhuman gaits. Their heavy footsteps brought them down the stairs with unnatural haste, until they stopped in front of the crowd, assuming stationary positions of utmost attention.


    ¡°Those youths approved for selection will now form three lines, one before each of my attributors. Begin.¡± Caelus instructed with a single clap, and immediately the entire hall rose to a flustered state of excitement.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Bly insisted, hardly intent or able to wait around for his friends.


    Squeezing his way into the leftmost line as quickly as he could, Bly managed to score a spot only three places off the front. Glancing behind him, he noticed Annie was two spots back from him, immediately followed-up by an irritated looking Irvin, who really did seem as if he¡¯d just had his heels stepped on. Bly nodded expectantly, a simple gesture of enthusiasm and good luck for each of his friends, before turning back to face the front.


    ¡°Bookbinder.¡±


    ¡°Shoemaker.¡±


    ¡°Woodcutter.¡±


    One by one, the monotone voices of the attributors lifted through the guildhall, as a slew of generic classes were called out. Bly could feel his heart beating faster in his chest the closer it came to being his turn, and a cold sweat began to form on the edges of his forehead. He could hardly believe that the day had finally come, and he was beyond ready¡ªso much so that he was certain an ugly smile was permanently plastered to his face.


    ¡°Step forward.¡± the attributor finally said to him, and Bly¡¯s heart nearly skipped a beat.


    All the administrators stood to well over six feet tall, but somehow the one talking to him directly only seemed to loom even larger than that, as Bly took several steps towards them.


    ¡°Hold out your right arm.¡±


    Blychert did as he was told.


    Without a single pause, the attributor grabbed his forearm with their cold, prolonged fingers.


    ¡°Please¡­ sorcerer. Please, anything with advanced magic.¡± Bly muttered under his breath, pleading to the Divine, to Administrator Caelus, to nature itself¡ªhell, to whomever would listen to him and make his dreams manifest right here and now.


    Bly steadied himself and glanced up at the attributor, and he swore he could see the dark, inky blood pumping through the veins in their hand, as they closed it tightly around his arm. Then, with their other hand, they extended a single finger and held it up to his forehead. He watched their cloudy-colored eyes for any signs of what was to come, but they were lifeless. A cool finger pressed down into the skin of Bly¡¯s brow, and suddenly the tattoo on the attributor¡¯s face¡ªthe same one as Administrator Caelus¡ªrose to a soft, pale glow.


    Any second now, Bly would finally have his class!


    But then, something unexpected happened.


    The attributor gawked slightly, and strange noises, much like gargling sounds, escaped their mouth. Their jaw contorted slightly thereafter, before they went completely slack.


    Something was visibly wrong, and even the others in line behind Bly murmured something similar. However, the attributor¡¯s tattoo suddenly shifted to a deep, crimson color, before they opened their mouth again and shouted at a thunderous volume.


    ¡°Error! Error! Error!¡±


    They repeated themselves. Over, and over, and over again.


    Everyone inside the guildhall went dead silent almost immediately, and Bly stood there practically trembling, not a clue in the world as to what was happening. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t get out of the attributor¡¯s grip, their hand was still locked around his forearm to the point where it was starting to go numb.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat¡¯s going on?¡± Bly asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Administrator?¡±


    He didn¡¯t get his answer.


    In fact, there wasn¡¯t a single sound in the hall besides the attributor continuing to shout ¡°Error!¡± on repeat. Bly¡¯s gaze shifted with wild confusion between the attributor, the crowd of people around him, and the other administrators. And then finally, his eyes settled on Caelus.


    For his part, the Administrator seemed unnervingly calm.


    After several long moments, he shifted his weight somewhat, leaning over the balcony in an almost exaggerated manner to get a better look at the situation, or perhaps at Bly more specifically. Turning towards the attributor, Administrator muttered something completely unintelligible at first¡ªjust noises and gibberish, as far as Bly could tell¡ªthen said in an alarmingly tranquil of voice, ¡°What is the nature of the error?¡±


    ¡°Err¡ª¡± The attributor stopped talking halfway through its next proclamation, and their head nearly snapped one-hundred-eighty degrees around as it glanced up at the Administrator. Then replying at twice the speed of their normal speaking voice, they said, ¡°Pi-seven¡ªsubset-five¡ªzero-zero-zero-two¡ªincongruous world article detected. The specimen is vacant of actionable class synthesis.¡±


    Administrator Caelus¡¯s brow furrowed momentarily, as if the answer greatly confused him, before his eyes began to swell like balloons to nearly twice their normal size. His neck craned even further out from his shoulders¡ªa good ten inches, at least¡ªas he said, ¡°Hm? My, what an unusual permutation¡­ and would you please be so kind as to define the vacancy parameters?¡±


    ¡°The specimen is subject to the conditions of an article-three forbidden status.¡± The attributor continued, ¡°Anchoring point is nonexistent. Designation value¡­ classless.¡±


    Classless? Bly thought confusedly, and other voices chimed in too.


    ¡°¡­Classless?¡±


    ¡°Did they say classes?¡±


    ¡°Not Blychert, surely? It can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Guild have noticed sooner? Wouldn¡¯t someone have?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­¡±


    That word ¡°Classless¡± echoed throughout the guildhall in hushed whispers, only seeming to grow louder and louder in Bly¡¯s ears as it spread.


    He¡¯d heard that word before.


    Master Bartolo had taught him about the classless once, but that was a long time ago. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t something people talked about regularly, if at all, and for good reason. People without a class were like phantoms, as far as he knew, lurking in the shadows for their sins against the Heavenly Principle. They weren¡¯t something you wanted to be associated with.


    They weren¡¯t something he wanted to be associated with.


    ¡°B-b¡ªbut how?¡± Bly stammered softly, unwilling to believe what he was hearing. His eyes searched around frantically for an answer. There had to be a mistake¡ªhad to be! He wasn¡¯t classless. He wasn¡¯t anything like that. He had the magic to prove it, and he gained pre-class experience too. He¡¯d never heard about the classless doing anything like that.


    He was just like everyone else. Right? He was here just like all of them for the same exact reason. Wasn¡¯t he?


    Desperately, Bly tried to get himself free from the attributor¡¯s grip so he could explain himself, but it was impossible. So, he pleaded right there instead, ¡°I have magic, experience, I¡­ I¡¯m supposed to be a sorcerer! I can¡¯t¡ª this can¡¯t be happening, please¡ª¡±


    ¡°There, there, do be silent.¡± Caelus interjected, as calmly and gently as one might speak to a child. His eyes were bloodshot, bulging sacks now as they seemed to inspect every inch of Bly¡¯s body for malignant intent, ¡°You¡¯ve done remarkably well to evade my sight all these years, most curiously¡­ But rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this transgression in due course.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Bly mumbled.


    ¡°Compliant or not, you have leeched in secret off the bounty that our Divine has so graciously provided to humanity; a most heinous and unforgivable act.¡± The Administrator shook his head, ¡°No, you are no sorcerer¡­ you are a classless thief¡ªvermin, in the eyes of our Divine. That makes you nothing; that makes you worth nothing, and worthy of nothing.¡±


    Classless. Classless? He was classless!


    It was utterly insane. To be classless meant¡­ well, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought. Everyone was afraid of those kinds of people, or maybe they were just afraid of becoming them? He didn¡¯t know, and he didn¡¯t care, but he was pretty sure it meant that he was as good as dead.


    Bly looked out into the crowd of faces, all of them now slowly beginning to sour, before settling on those of his friends. He hardly recognized Annie and Irvin either. They both stared at him in shock and disbelief. Their hideous looks of utter betrayal writhed around their expressions as they seemingly searched for something good about him to hold on to.


    But it seemed in vain.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡­ please believe me.¡± Bly shook his head with a whimper, barely able to speak.


    He tried desperately to tell them it wasn¡¯t true, but he couldn¡¯t get more than a few words in before the lump in his throat turned against him. In kind, Annie turned away, tears welling in her eyes as she disappeared into the crowd of people. Irvin simply shook his head, murmuring something under his breath that Bly couldn¡¯t hear, before chasing after her.


    ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t go.¡± Bly murmured, but it was too late. His friends were gone.


    ¡°Monster¡­¡± Someone in the crowd said, just loud enough for Bly to hear, before shouting, ¡°He¡¯s a damned monster!¡±


    The crowd erupted into a state of frenzy.


    ¡°You have some nerve coming here kid!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been hiding among us for all these years?¡±


    ¡°Someone ought to let Bartolo know.¡±


    ¡°To think we ever accepted him as one of our own¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened with a flash of fear.


    He couldn¡¯t believe how quickly they¡¯d turned against him. It spoke to the utter terror they must have felt at hearing the word ¡®classless¡¯ even though they¡¯d known him for years. He felt that same fear too, but what was he supposed to do? He wasn¡¯t what they said he was. He wasn¡¯t classless, and he wasn¡¯t a monster. He couldn¡¯t be. Could he?


    He had to do something.


    He had to do anything to get himself out of this situation. But his whole body was frozen in a state of shock, and what basic magic he did have at his disposal only seemed to pale in comparison to the sheer authority of the administrators before him.


    It was at that moment Bly felt completely helpless.


    ¡°Take heed, fair people.¡± Caelus held up his hands to quiet the masses, his form since returning to its usual appearance, ¡°The classless pestilence is diminished, yes, but they still walk among you. Let us remember that they will not hesitate to hide in your homes, and in your halls, enjoying the spoils of your labors whilst leaving you with scraps. But do not worry, your voices are scarcely lost on the Divine. Let today be an example of the Great Truth That Flows. The Heavenly Principle shall always be upheld. As was the Breath of Unmaking present in the forging of this beautiful world, so shall it be here today. I hereby sentence this boy¡­ to death.¡±


    Before it had even begun, Bly¡¯s life was already over.

 [P] Chapter 3: Silver Lining

    Chapter 3: Silver Lining


    <hr>


    Immediately following the verdict, Blychert was ushered through the guildhall and brought down into a subterranean area he¡¯d never seen before.


    The attributor still hadn¡¯t let go of his arm, as they dragged him through a maze of narrow, slate-colored corridors. Bly was petrified, though by the time the attributor shoved him into a small, square-shaped room, his nerves began to settle a little bit.


    ¡°Sit.¡± The attributor finally released him, gesturing towards a chair on the far side of a metallic table.


    Everything was a shade of gray inside, from the walls to the floor, illuminated by a single, blistering white light emanating from a tile along the ceiling. It evoked a sense of unease, but Blychert did as he was told, rubbing his reddened arm as he moved across the room.


    The attributor glared at him for a second longer, before saying, ¡°Archival synchronization process has now been initialized. Eighteen hours until upload completion. The specimen will remain seated for the duration of this process. Upon the extraction of essential data, all organic material will be purged. Goodbye.¡±


    The attributor turned and walked straight out the door again. A strange sound emanated from the locking mechanism as they departed, and a shimmering field covered the entire threshold, which Bly recognized immediately as an advanced magic ward of some kind.


    He sat in silence for what felt like an eternity thereafter.


    And then, almost out of nowhere, the fear of death bloomed so intensely within him that it sent a wave of emotions cascading over his body, and he could feel the hot tears welling in the corners of his eyes. He wanted to cry, or maybe scream, but nothing except for haggard, panicked breaths came out. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to break down completely just yet, as if it was still too surreal to believe. But as the terror subsided somewhat, it was slowly replaced by anger.


    Bly slammed his fists down on the table, letting the frustration seep out all at once. His head hung low as a few small droplets fell from his face and splashed against the metal surface, and he stared at the forming bruise on his arm.


    What did it even matter that he didn¡¯t have a class? He still had magic, didn¡¯t he? He hadn¡¯t committed any crimes? Any sins?


    This wasn¡¯t who he was.


    He was no different than any of the others. He worked just as hard, and he cared more about his magic than anything. Bartolo wasn¡¯t easy on him, and yet he¡¯d stuck it out as his apprentice for longer than any of his other prot¨¦g¨¦es.


    Blychert suddenly wondered if his master even knew what had happened yet. He was out-holding the last few days for an emergency, so probably not. Still, would he even come to save Bly when he found out what had happened? Would it be too late by then?


    Maybe Blychert would never know the answer.


    He was stuck in here, trapped in this room. And if he didn¡¯t do something about it soon, he wasn¡¯t just going to be as good as dead.


    But what could he possibly do against the Guild?


    Escape. His mind immediately pondered.


    Raising his arm, Blychert extended his right hand and tucked his ring and pinky fingers towards the center of his palm, leaving his remaining digits in a claw-like gesture. In the same action, he slowly twisted his hand in a circular motion, as if turning a doorknob, and released it.


    Immediately, a dull blue glow rose in front of his face amidst the dim interior of the room, revealing a long series of illegible hieroglyphs and numbers across a translucent panel, scrolling downward in a matter of seconds.


    Bly laughed out loud for a moment as he wiped his eyes free of tears, wondering how on earth his sage terminal was even active if what he¡¯d been told was true. If he really was classless, how did he have access to this thing at all?


    Who the hell knows. He shook his head, knowing he had to focus up now.


    <hr>


    [ SAGE ]


    [Name: Blychert]


    [Age: 15]


    [Class: Undefined]


    [Experience Points: 4,084]


    [Health: 100, Stamina: 480, Mana: 610]


    [Attributes] [Class Abilities] [Skills] [Magic] [Quest Log] [Party]


    <hr>


    Several lines of text revealed itself, before the rest of the screen phased in slowly, upon which a row of navigable tabs at the top became apparent. The entirety of his life¡¯s work thus far was chronicled here¡ªall the pre-class experience he¡¯d ever gained, all the attribute points he¡¯d ever earned, and all the basic spells and skills he¡¯d come to learn and cultivate thus far¡­ everything about him was here. Classless or not, he still had access to this vital resource, and so the solution to his dire situation had to be somewhere within.


    But where to start? How to start?


    It seemed obvious after a few moments; that damned door¡­


    ¡°I really wouldn¡¯t strain yourself too hard.¡± Said a curious, and somewhat playful voice all of a sudden.


    Blychert¡¯s eyes snapped away from the terminal in fear. With a simple mental gesture, the display disappeared, and his gaze settled across the table, where a woman sat cross-legged in the opposite chair.


    She had long, wavy red hair, and wore a style of white dress Bly had certainly never seen before. Several pieces of silver jewelry glistened around her body in the form of armlets, rings, or earrings, and she wore a tan-colored, pointed cap with a wide brim on her head. However, the strangest thing about her was surely the fact that the door was still shimmering behind her, meaning the ward was still active, and Bly hadn¡¯t seen or heard anyone come in. It was as if she simply appeared there, or was here the whole time¡­


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Bly replied with a stern tone, even though his voice cracked slightly. She looked nothing like an administrator, which calmed him a bit, but she still put him on edge with the way she was smiling ever so slightly.


    Unfolding her legs, and crossing them the other way, she responded, ¡°I said, I wouldn¡¯t work yourself up too much. A novice like you really doesn¡¯t stand much of a chance in a deathtrap like this.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Bly blinked several times, his heart racing, as he thought to just try and play dumb, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure what you mean, Miss.¡±


    ¡°Oh-oh, aren¡¯t you just a little cutie?¡± She chuckled to herself, before glancing at him with a momentarily cutting expression, as she murmured, ¡°You look just like him too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    What the hell does that mean? Bly wondered confusedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you?¡± He shook his head awkwardly, trying to remember if he¡¯d ever met someone like her. She looked like city folk, but Bartolo didn¡¯t entertain much company, and Bly didn¡¯t frequent the town¡¯s social spots often except to meet up with Irvin and Annie.


    ¡°Me? Not likely. But I know you.¡± She replied, leaning forward somewhat to settle her chin on her open palm, ¡°I¡¯m what you might refer to as¡­ the silver lining in this little mess. So, my apologies; both for prior exchanges, and for those yet to come.¡±


    Blychert was completely lost.


    ¡°Can you¡­ I mean, are you with the Guild?¡± He asked nervously, still uncertain about this woman¡¯s intentions, despite her pleasant demeanor.


    ¡°If I were, you¡¯d know it already.¡± She stated matter-of-factly, shaking her head slightly, ¡°Let¡¯s just call this a personal favor. Shall we?¡±


    A feeling came over Bly suddenly that this lady was much more dangerous than she appeared to be, and he didn¡¯t want to risk upsetting her by casting a simple detection spell to check if she had some kind of aura. His spellcasting was still only at the basic level, and he doubted someone like her wouldn¡¯t be able to pierce straight through his magic barrier, especially if she was a spellcaster herself.


    ¡°Are you ready to die, Blychert?¡±


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened.


    Why would she ask him that?


    He looked at her and gulped, but she simply offered the same, curious smile as before, almost as if this was some kind of a test.


    ¡°No.¡± Bly muttered belatedly, his breath quavering as he shook his head in unison with his response. As nervous as he was, it was still the truth.


    Squinting, the woman took a long, hard look at him, as if she could peer directly into his soul. He swore he saw the green in her eyes flash momentarily, and he had no doubt after that, that she was operating on a whole different level than he was. Because that look¡­ it was damned near petrifying.


    Bly sat unmoving, more certain now that he should try to at least prepare a spell as subtlety as he could and just take the risk head-on. But he couldn¡¯t get a good read on her, so he wasn¡¯t sure what she was capable of. Clearly, she knew how to get in here without being seen. Bly¡¯s magic wasn¡¯t exceptional by any means, but if he could just catch her off guard, he really only needed one opportunity to strike¡­


    However, the woman frowned unexpectedly, almost as if she understood his current headspace, and said, ¡°Poor thing. That leaves you with scarce few options here, doesn¡¯t it? So, I¡¯ll ask you this instead, are you ready to wake up and smell the ashes?¡±


    It was like a bolt of lightning had shot straight up through his body.


    ¡°One day¡­¡±


    His mind raced with a million thoughts and images, caught between a sense of familiarity and complete uncertainty. He¡¯d heard that phrase before, like someone had said it to him, but when? Where? Not for a long time, whenever it had been. In fact, it was as if the very act of hearing her say it compelled his mind to remember that it had even heard it in the first place. And why had it provoked his recurring dream too?


    ¡°What?¡± Bly asked dumbly.


    ¡°Pity. I had hoped¡­¡± The woman frowned somewhat, before standing up from the table. She glanced back down at Bly, saying, ¡°This certainly complicates things. Oh well¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwell, wait!¡± Bly shouted frantically, as she reached for the door handle.


    ¡°Oh?¡± She looked over her shoulder, ¡°Thought of something else?¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow and scratched his head, puzzled, ¡°Please, I think someone said that to me once¡ªthat same exact thing you just said. I can¡¯t remember who they were, but I think they were¡­ important? Look, it was a long time ago, but I remember. I remember. And the answer is yes, or¡ªI think it is? I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s all so confusing. What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°What a curious boy you have here¡­¡± She smiled genuinely, then said in a plainer tone, ¡°Look, get out of this place in one piece. Manage that, and you and I can talk about the meaning of life. Deal?¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Bly shook his head, a momentary sensation of fear, hope, and excitement pumping through in his mind. Just the thought of getting out of this place was enough to kick his emotions into high alert. However, he added more cautiously, ¡°My magic isn¡¯t powerful enough, and nobody goes against the Guild.¡±


    She cocked a bemused expression at him, ¡°Nobody? So, what were you thinking of doing before I came in? And probably what you¡¯re still thinking about right this very second?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Bly¡¯s jaw fell slack. He couldn¡¯t believe what she was saying. Or maybe he could. Everything today had happened so suddenly. Right now, he could barely keep his head above water at all.


    ¡°You¡¯re a spellcaster? Aren¡¯t you? Or you want to be.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Honestly, you have a much better chance of getting out of here than I do. Your master¡¯s no slouch, I¡¯m sure of that much, he must have taught you something worthwhile. Oh, alright¡­ skimming the pages a little bit here. Allow me to teach you the first thing about being classless.¡±


    Classless? Wait, was she¡­


    But before Bly could even protest, or ask her how she knew of his master, she simply poked the door once with her index finger. It shimmered like a pebble being tossed into a still pond, before going quiet. Her neck craned slightly, and she glanced back at him out of the corner of her eye with an almost solemn expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened to you, has happened. The rules of this world cannot be broken.¡± She murmured, a far more cryptic tone of voice than before. However, she smiled slightly, as if an amusing thought came to her, and she added, ¡°They can bend though, and a lot further than even the Administration is capable of reconciling with, if you¡¯ll believe it. That is to say, so long as you understand how to work with what you¡¯ve got. Bent rules are worth a lot more to you and me than any class we could ever possibly hope to have. Got it?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how do I do that?¡± Bly asked, still puzzled, ¡°Bend the rules, I mean?¡±


    She frowned, ¡°That¡¯s a bit harder to explain, I¡¯m afraid. Unlocking your true potential is complicated, and your case seems to be¡­ very different than to what I¡¯m used to dealing with. At any rate, these things take time, and we don¡¯t have that luxury right now.¡±


    Unlocking my potential¡­ Bly pondered, wondering if that didn¡¯t have something to do with what the Administrator had said earlier about him ¡°leeching¡± his powers off the bounty of the Divine.


    ¡°Improvising is your bread and butter now, understood? So, if you¡¯re really as starving as you look, we¡¯d best get to work.¡± She tipped the brim of her hat with a smile, ¡°No free meals in this profession, kiddo.¡±


    What the hell was she even talking about now? And how could not having a class be better than having one? Look what not having one gotten him? Could he even trust her? The classless were to be feared¡­ why did she seem to want to help him?


    ¡°Silver lining.¡±


    Those had been her words, and Bly was starting to wonder if there wasn¡¯t any truth behind them.


    ¡°By the way, the disruption spell I used on this door won¡¯t stay down for long, and the illusory ward I placed on the area should be about spent, assuming I did the math correctly¡­¡± She pondered aloud, finally admitting her own magical abilities, before looking back at Bly, ¡°If it¡¯s a prison break you¡¯re after, we really ought to use the window while it¡¯s open. No?¡±


    ¡°Is it safe?¡± Bly asked, probably a bit naively, as he rose to his feet with haste.


    ¡°Safe? Not on your life.¡± She chuckled, but said with a more reassuring look, ¡°All of this happened rather suddenly, which means things are going to be much more dangerous moving forward. This room was meant to kill you, you know¡ªto pick your soul clean of all the delicious bits stored within; a little snack for the Archive, if you will. I¡¯ll have to destroy it. The room, I mean. The guildhall too. All of it. That¡¯s the only sure way to wipe the record clean and prevent any latent synchronization.¡±


    Bly gulped nervously at what that could¡¯ve meant for him.


    ¡°Also, you¡­ may have to suffer a teeny bit before you can earn your freedom.¡± She added hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to redirect the Guild¡¯s attention, but I can¡¯t promise you won¡¯t run into any trouble on the way out the door. I can hide myself just fine, but this place has already started to latch itself on to you, which means there''s no point in trying to conceal you with magic either. If you think you can¡¯t handle this, please tell me now, and we¡¯ll try to find another solution before this room accomplishes what it was supposed to.¡±


    Moving across the room, Bly stopped in front of her, nodding in understanding, though a bit trepidatious, ¡°I think I can handle it. And I don¡¯t really see that I have any other choice, anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirt.¡± She smirked, but shook her head soberingly, ¡°Get out of here quickly, and make for your master¡¯s tower as soon as you¡¯re able. Understood?¡±


    Bly nodded, but felt the need to ask as well, ¡°Who are you anyway?¡±


    ¡°Me? Goodness, where are my manners, I suppose you might call me¡­ Miss Crane. Or, Alyse, if that suits you better.¡± She replied, before slowly raising her hand to brush the edge of Bly¡¯s cheek with her thumb. There was a look in her eyes that suggested she wanted to say more, but she simply retracted her hand in the same motion, saying softly, ¡°You know, if you¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll never meet again.¡±


    Bly didn¡¯t have more than a second to reply, before she winked and backstepped through the door as if it wasn¡¯t even there. Hesitating, he shook his head clear and followed her. But the moment he made it across into the corridor, Miss Crane was nowhere to be found.

 [P] Chapter 4: Potential

    Chapter 4: Potential


    <hr>


    Bly must have taken all of thirty steps before the explosions began.


    Tremors erupted through the corridor, and he could feel the weight of the guildhall above him as the stonework quaked. Stumbling to the ground somewhat, he caught himself before he could be laid out flat. Which was all for the better, because no sooner had he grasped at the wall for stability, did several various sized chunks of stone rip away from the ceiling and crash down around him.


    ¡°Swift shield!¡± Bly shouted in haste, raising his free hand above his head just in time.


    The verbal trigger jolted his mana pool into action, and before long the spell had siphoned its fill of magical energy. White-hot mana churned, before bursting from his fingertips as it took on the defensive shape of his mind¡¯s eye.


    Stone scattered across the barrier, causing him to stagger somewhat against the impact. However, the spell held firm. Bly was momentarily grateful for Bartolo¡¯s persistence that he adopted acceleration techniques into his defensive spellcraft, wondering if he¡¯d have been able to react in time otherwise. But the relief lasted only a moment, for a split-second later the next round of explosions started.


    Before Bly could even respond this time, his body was ejected twenty feet down the corridor.


    There was no spell in his repertoire that could have absorbed the pain he felt slamming into the wall. It hurt his ribs just trying to take a breath, but he forced himself to sit up straight, nonetheless.


    Directly ahead of him was nothing but fire, as well as collapsed stone and wood. Pieces of the guildhall¡¯s floorboards jutted down from above and were set ablaze, strewn across the narrow corridor. Bly wasn¡¯t oblivious to the fact that he¡¯d just been standing in that exact spot several seconds ago, but he was also more concerned about how he was supposed to make it out of here in one piece.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to kill me¡­¡± Bly panted, but shortly had to remind himself that he was already a dead man walking. If by some miracle he got out of here alive, Miss Crane would probably be the one to thank.


    Glancing to his right, Bly realized that his body had been hurled down the corridor in such a way that he had a good glimpse of the L-shape bend he remembered being led down all that time ago. The stairs leading up to the main hall were surely right there at the end of the corridor, he just needed to get up and start moving.


    But that¡¯s when Blychert saw him¡­ Administrator Caelus, stumbling out of a nearby room.


    It was unusual, but he¡¯d never seen an administrator look so grotesquely disoriented before. Then again, he¡¯d never seen an administrator bleed either. Administrator Caelus had a streak of black-colored blood running down his face and neck, seeping down into the collar of his robes. Bly could have sworn his expression was one of pure grief and anguish.


    That was, until his eyes turned and locked with Blychert¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± The Administrator punctuated distastefully among the sounds of mayhem, raising his right arm as he pointed one of his long, boney fingers at Bly. His face contorted into abject disgust, and Bly thought he might vomit, ¡°This heresy is your doing!¡±


    Bly shook his head slowly, then faster, and the fear that he¡¯d experienced before meeting Miss Crane suddenly filled him once again. The paralyzing terror from before began to lock his body up completely with each limping step that Administrator Caelus took towards him.


    ¡°Oh yes¡­¡± Caelus nodded frantically, ¡°I see it so clearly now. To be so different, but so utterly the same¡ªthe same wretched creature as the rest of them. I should have known better than to offer amenity in your final, miserable hours. Oh, blessed Divine, give me strength. Allow me to strike this heathen down in your name!¡±


    Administrator Caelus opened the palm of his hand slowly, and Bly could see a bright glow beginning to form the shape of an orb in his hand. His eyes grew wide, and Bly knew in that instant that his own life was balancing on a knife¡¯s edge.


    ¡°!#l[*q]¡ªa][p[t¡ª00[@!!1¡± Administrator Caelus hissed in a series of unintelligible noises, but the radiant energy that bloomed in his palm was unmistakably similar to the divine magic Bly had seen Annie practice time and time again, albeit much more potent by the looks of it.


    Bly¡¯s whole body ached, and his arms trembled, but he lifted them out in front of him all the same. He knew the risks of what he was about to do, that dual casting while amplifying was the surest way to deplete his mana pool in record time. But here he was about to squeeze everything he had for all its worth, there was simply no other choice.


    ¡°Swift shield, twofold lattice¡ª!¡±


    There was barely enough time to finish casting his spell before Bly felt the sheer impact of the Administrator¡¯s magic rain down upon him.


    Even at twofold strength, Bly¡¯s barrier spell was still only a couple of inches thick. It might have been enough to tackle an intermediate spell¡ªa less powerful advanced spell if he was lucky¡ªbut Bly was suddenly facing down the full might of a blinding sphere of pure, heavenly magic, blasting him from the ground at full force.


    The grinding sound between the two magics was immediately piercing, unlike anything Bly had ever heard before. It was as if a thousand metal blades had begun spinning and scraping, super-heating and whistling to such volumes that he could barely hear his own screams above the chaos.


    Gritting his teeth against the tumultuous force of magical energy now thrumming between him and the Administrator, Bly tried to hold his position and steady his mana flow. Smoke had quickly begun to fill the hallway from the burning debris of the guildhall above them, and Bly found himself choking on air somewhat. The smell of acrid, sulfurous mana burning around them was also growing to be too much to bear, but Bly persisted¡­ that was, until the first lattice shattered to pieces.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Time seemed to stand still in that moment, even though it had only been less than twenty seconds worth of casting. Once the first lattice went, the second wouldn¡¯t be too far behind. But more importantly, Blychert was teetering on the edge of mana exhaustion.


    It was worse than that, thanks to his dual casting and latticework combination, he had begun to push so far past his short-term mana limits and into the realm of total annihilation, that his body was beginning to reject him. The pain in his fingertips as the flesh burned away practically broke his mind with how excruciating it was, and yet all he could do was squeeze even more, clutching on for dear life as best he could.


    Was this the closest to real power he had ever gotten? Had it taken him practically killing himself to see the extent of his own magic? Well, it was over now anyway, forget about escape. Maybe he wouldn''t meet Miss Crane again. Did that make him lucky, after all? For some reason, that was the only thing he could think of in the moment, even as he was slipping down into the deep place where no spellcaster could ever return from.


    Reluctantly, Blychert closed his eyes.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Alert]


    - - - Threat Level exceeds minimum Authority Level; Progenitor credentials confirmed; SVAC auto-activation sequencer initialized - - -


    > Operator Status: dormant; null bind parameters detected - - - extract


    > Run bypass¡­ diagnostic scan []


    > Critical mana depletion detected


    > Critical physical trauma detected


    > GEM Structural Integrity: < 60%


    > Primary ability parameters detected¡­ engage


    > Ability unlock chain decoded¡­ ¡®XP Transmogrifier¡¯ initialized


    > Run bypass on ability synthesis


    > Run bypass on experience threshold limiter


    > System Command: activate ability, XP Transmogrifier; Spell [Shield, Basic] will consume [xp] to reinforce Spell [Shield, Basic] by [1000%] at a rate of [25 xp] per second, until Threat Level is normalized


    > Link to active resource [experience points]


    > [Experience Points: 4,084]


    > Execute


    <hr>


    Blychert''s eyes shot open.


    The rip-roar of his defense spell suddenly intensified in ways he¡¯d never experienced, the sheer power of which increased the collapsing lattice to over two feet in thickness. Blychert barely even noticed that his Sage terminal had begun to go completely haywire, coming to life in order to access screens and secret system menus of its own accord that he knew nothing about. What he was able to witness out of the corner of his eye, however, was the sudden and rapidly decreasing number in his experience point total.


    The last fifteen years of his life were quickly draining away, and he didn¡¯t care. He was still here, and he was still holding on.


    Seemingly bolstered by his strange new ability, Bly lifted himself up onto one foot, and then onto the other. Suddenly, he was standing again. The Administrator still towered over him, but Bly saw a look in his eyes now that he didn¡¯t think he would ever forget, at least, if he made it out of here.


    ¡°What is this¡­ abomination? You will die and be silent¡ª!¡± Caelus shouted, and his eyes twisted until they started spinning around in opposite directions. His entire face contorted like clay, exaggerated features and all, and he flung his radiating hand at Bly seemingly with everything he had.


    But the Administrator¡¯s magic simply ricocheted off Bly¡¯s reinforced shield, so much so that it shot into the air and punched a beam of radiant energy straight through the ceiling. The ensuing explosion erupted above them. And as if compelled by the sudden lapse in assault, Bly leapt past the Administrator and bolted down the corridor, the sound of stonework crashing down behind him in the blink of an eye.


    Glancing back, the Administrator was nowhere to be seen beneath the smoking rubble.


    But before Bly knew it, he was scrambling up the stairs and stumbling through the main portion of the guildhall. Gasping for air with streaks of tears on his face, he tried to yell for help but the pain in his ribs returned.


    Though it scarcely seemed to matter.


    The guildhall was in complete and utter ruin. Fire was everywhere, holes blasted through the walls, the roof, down through the floor until parts of the subterranean sections were completely exposed.


    Blychert dragged himself across the chamber, hardly receptive to the dead bodies of several of the attributors strewn about, whose black blood was smeared in small pools across the floorboards, as well as a dozen guild sentries. Whatever had happened here had been brutal and violent, though Bly didn¡¯t have much sympathy to spare.


    His mind was hanging on by a thread at this point, but he still couldn''t help but wonder how on earth Miss Crane had managed to do all of this. And why?


    It hadn¡¯t really been to save him, had it?


    Bly couldn¡¯t say, and he shook the thought out of his mind as he finally climbed over the toppled double-doors, feeling the outside air on his face at last.


    It was dark, later in the evening than he thought it would be, though he supposed that only spoke to the time he¡¯d lost down in that room.


    Bly could hear the fire bell tolling, but nobody seemed to be drawing too close to the guildhall just yet. There were scores of people standing much farther away, watching as the hall burned down around him. He could see their small faces through the heated haze, looking towards where he stumbled forward, all of them probably in as much shock as he was.


    There was no chance he could go towards them any more than he had already though. Even if they didn¡¯t mean to kill him themselves, he couldn¡¯t forget what had happened earlier. At any rate, he couldn¡¯t know if these people¡ª the one¡¯s he¡¯d grown up around¡ª really hated him, or if they would turn him over, but he wasn¡¯t going to take that risk.


    Bly was on his own, but at least his mind was thinking somewhat clearly again.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    - - - Threat Level normalized; critical resource [experience points] low; SVAC auto-activation sequencer terminated - - -


    > Operational conditions set to [normal]


    > [Experience Points: 1,034]


    <hr>


    Bly had almost forgotten that his shield spell was still active, until the terminal prompt issued an alert. Suddenly, the spell stopped firing, and he was immediately overwhelmed by the abrupt headache that came with having exhausted his entire mana pool.


    His fingers were raw and completely burned, but somehow the pain of that paled in comparison to what he¡¯d just experienced.


    What the hell was that? Bly thought anxiously, starting down into the palms of his hands. He was certain that whatever the system had just done to him, it had almost certainly saved his life. Even still, it had taken out three quarters of his experience points. Bly doubted he¡¯d need them though, seeing as how he would never have a class, which begged its own questions, but it was still shocking to see just how quickly it had all happened.


    Was this a piece of that divine intervention he was so skeptical about before the selection ceremony? Bly couldn¡¯t say, and it was impossible to think that the Heavenly Principle was looking out for him, given everything he knew about the classless, and everything Miss Crane had told him.


    It was at that moment that he remembered what she had told him to do, to get back to Bartolo''s tower, and right now he had to get out of town, and fast.


    Bly glanced up and took one last look at Darskaart, noticing all the people watching him, or maybe they were watching the burning mayhem behind him, it didn¡¯t matter. He looked at them for a long moment, wondering for a split second if his friends were standing in that crowd somewhere, before scrambling to his left towards the edge of the forest without another glance.

 [P] Chapter 5: Master and Apprentice

    Chapter 5: Master and Apprentice


    <hr>


    Bly didn¡¯t realize how much pain he was truly in until the adrenaline started to wear off.


    By the time he cleared the town perimeter, pushed through the tree line, and broke out onto the road, putting several hundred yards between him and the town heading west, he could barely walk at a fast enough pace to match his own ambition.


    He was certain that one of his ribs was broken by now. The sharp, stabbing sensation that came with movement and painful breathing made the goings difficult. His head pounded, and his fingers were so stricken with a fiery pain that he could barely even make the gesture required to open his sage terminal.


    It was half a mile of the most distress Bly had ever been through, but he was free. He had to keep telling himself that, and that he was out of the clutches of the Guild, for now. It didn¡¯t take much convincing to believe that anything was better than what could have awaited him back there, in that room.


    And yet, the thought occurred to him almost all at once that he couldn¡¯t go back to Bartolo like this. He didn¡¯t even know if his master was home from his trip out-holding yet. But even if he was, how could he possibly expect him to react any differently than the others did? Bly was certain that his master wouldn¡¯t hurt him, but would Bartolo tolerate someone like him? Would he want to help him at all?


    Staring down the narrow dirt path that led through the forest towards Master Bartolo¡¯s tower, Bly paused. The rickety mailbox with the carved owl on top stood idly next to the road, and shortly Bly found himself slumping down against it, unable to bring himself forward for some reason.


    He didn¡¯t want to face him. He didn¡¯t want to face any of this all of a sudden. That taunting voice in the back of his mind told him that he would have been better off dead, that he wouldn¡¯t have had to go through any of this had he just stayed in that chair and taken what he deserved.


    He was classless. How could he possibly live with that now?


    Unfurling his hands, Bly winced at the unsightly mess that was his fingers. He immediately thought of just how nice it would be to have Annie¡¯s healing invocations soothe the deep, thrumming burn right about now. She would tell him how much of an idiot he¡¯d been to push so hard, but that it was just who he was, and that she would always be there to get him out of a sticky situation. Irvin would say something rude or stupid to balance it all out, but they¡¯d all just laugh.


    Bly was never going to see them again.


    Or maybe, they¡¯d never see him the same way again. Both ideas ached his insides, maybe more than his physical pains ever could, and he suddenly felt adrift.


    The tears finally fell down his face, warm and bitter as they were. All the emotions he¡¯d tried so desperately to keep down simply flushed out, and he couldn¡¯t control it. It was only then that Bly realized it had started to rain, slow at first before picking up into a gradual downpour, but he stayed right where he was, sobbing.


    None of this seemed real.


    What was he supposed to do?


    Where was he supposed to go?


    What was he?


    ¡°One day¡­¡±


    The migraine flared, but Blychert couldn¡¯t even lift his hand to caress his own temples. He wanted to scream¡ªhe didn¡¯t understand what these visions meant, but they had tormented him all his life. Maybe today was that fateful day? Or maybe he had already missed it, he didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t care anymore, he just wanted things to go back to how they were¡ªhow they were supposed to be.


    Suddenly, a sloshing noise nearby caught him off guard, and he quickly thrust one of his hands out to where he thought the sound had come from, his eyes immediately wide with dread as he muttered, ¡°Star light¡¯s splendor, hear my call and burst forth. Light!¡±


    Even though a small amount of time had passed, Bly knew his short-term mana supply had filled partially, giving him the confidence to cast again, despite how much his hands ached. The meagerness of his illumination spell was obvious though, and the darkness around him grew to a white, but modest glow.


    However, Bly nearly dropped the spell entirely as he saw who was standing there.


    ¡°Blychert?¡± The low, raspy voice of Master Bartolo said, just there on the edge of the light. His graying beard, normally braided, lay unfurled across the front of his maroon and violet robes¡ªthe ones he all too commonly wore when traveling out-holding. Bags hung low beneath his hazel eyes, which looked at him from beneath his wide-brimmed, crimson-pointed cap as if they¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s me.¡± Was about the only thing Bly could murmur, loud enough to rise above the sound of the rain hitting the eaves of the forest. The smell of wet dirt began to coalesce in the air, as Bly looked up into the face of his master.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Good heavens, child.¡± Bartolo replied belatedly, after taking a long look at Bly.


    Hastily crossing to where Bly sat, Bartolo kneeled and removed his travel cloak, slinging it around Bly¡¯s shoulders like there wasn¡¯t any time to waste. His callused hands grabbed Bly¡¯s other wrist, and he studied the fingers for a long while. The surprisingly familiar fragrance of Bartolo¡¯s woody cologne sent a feeling of comfort over Bly, as if to say he was finally safe.


    Which was uncanny, because no sooner had the sensation of safety come over him, did Bly feel a small bit of magic around his body, knowing at once that it was the strange but highly recognizable masking spell. In his panic and weary state of mind, Bly hadn¡¯t even considered needing to conceal his own magic aura.


    Bartolo then said with as much reservation as Bly was sure he could willfully manage, ¡°I sensed your aura as soon I teleported home, it was frantic and messy. You¡¯ve not been concealing yourself. Blychert? Speak to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m¡ªI don¡¯t know. I mean, I guess I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m classless¡ª¡± Bly stammered, unable to form the words exactly the way he wanted to. He wanted to say that he was still himself, and that his master didn¡¯t have to worry about anything. Bly wasn¡¯t a danger to anyone, except maybe to himself, so he added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to apologize for.¡± The calm words were a relief to hear, though Bly couldn¡¯t help but notice his master¡¯s tone of voice was more forlorn than usual, ¡°I was still in Renthis when I¡­ when I received word of what had happened. It took me longer than I should have liked to get back home. Damn it all, Bly¡ªI should have trusted my instincts¡­¡±


    Bartolo looked away down the length of the road, and Bly saw a kind of anger flash in the man¡¯s face that he¡¯d rarely ever seen before.


    Blychert was a little suspicious by his master¡¯s words too, and it felt strange to hear him even say them. If he had still been in Renthis, it should have been impossible for anyone to send word to him. He was the only advanced spellcaster in their holding, after all, and Bly couldn¡¯t think of anyone else that might be able to get a message to him. And why would he need to have trusted his instincts?


    In any case, Bly was too tired to let the feelings linger, and he felt impelled to fill him in instead.


    ¡°There was this woman, she¡­ burned the whole guildhall down.¡± Bly said, equally amazed as he was terrified, ¡°She got me out of there, or at least she helped me get out. She¡¯s¡­ like me, somehow, but I don¡¯t really know why she was there. She killed almost all the administrators.¡±


    By the meager light of his spell overhead, Bly caught a glimpse of his master¡¯s expression, and it was worrying to say the least. It was distant, lost even, and Bly couldn¡¯t remember him ever seeming so troubled in all his life. But before Bly could ask what was wrong, Bartolo¡¯s gaze softened and turned back to face him.


    ¡°Your fingers.¡± He replied slowly, ignoring what Bly previously had to say, as he frowned somewhat, ¡°You must have fought for your very life. Come, let¡¯s get you home. My wards will keep the Guild away for some time yet.¡±


    ¡°Master Bartolo¡­¡± Bly paused, not knowing exactly how to say what he wanted to, so he simply said, ¡°What am I?¡±


    Bartolo stared blankly for several seconds. Then, a slow arm wrapped around Bly¡¯s shoulder as he was hoisted onto his feet. They trudged a few steps down the dirt road before Bartolo finally replied, ¡°You are my apprentice, Blychert. That will never change. Neither for anything nor for anyone.¡±


    Bly sighed steadily, then resigned himself to the task of telling his master everything else that had happened since he¡¯d left home earlier that morning. And Bartolo didn¡¯t say a word the entire time, he just listened.


    By the time Bly had finished his recounting of the day, they cleared the cluster of trees and entered the grassy glade where Bartolo¡¯s tower sat. Bly¡¯s light spell had faded, but Bartolo was quick to cast another, and Bly assured himself knowing that his master¡¯s would last for hours if he deemed it necessary. The luminosity was much greater than his, in any case, and a bright radiance filled the entire clearing to the point where Bly could make out the colors and details of the garden, the bench by the pond, and even all the little whirligigs stuck on pitons just along the base of the squat tower up ahead of the road.


    As they stepped inside the tower, Bly noticed that the candles had not yet been lit, which told him that his master really must have only just arrived home. But one by one, the rooms filled with a warm, orange glow. Bly never thought he could be so relieved to smell parchment and sageroot leaves, or feel the croaky wooden floorboards beneath his feet.


    They didn¡¯t stop for anything however, and Bly was directed straight to the bathroom. Before he knew it, a hot bath had been drawn, and he was soon slunk down in the warm, soapy waters.


    ¡°Wash, and soak.¡± Bartolo instructed, as he laid out a fresh pair of clothes for Bly by the sink, ¡°I should have some healing scrolls in the study for your injuries, as well as veilfly cream to ease the burning in your fingers. But Blychert¡­ those are mana burns. In all likeliness, they will never fully heal.¡±


    Bly nodded slowly, perhaps not really realizing the full extent of those words, or perhaps not caring in the moment. That felt like a problem for another day, and he was content to lay in the hot water for as long as he could.


    ¡°Blychert¡­¡± Bartolo hesitated, and he furrowed his brow as if heavily conflicted. He exhaled, and calmly looked at him, ¡°I do not know for how long we can stay here. The administration in Darskaart may be few at the moment, but they will replenish, and their stalkers will track down the trail of your aura soon enough. The magics I have laid here will not hold against them forever. Neither of us is safe.¡±


    Bly sat up in the bath, feeling more vulnerable than ever, as he frantically said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have helped me then! If I put you in danger¡ª¡±


    ¡°There are perhaps an infinite number of things I should and shouldn¡¯t have done in my life.¡± Bartolo interjected, and Bly felt his master¡¯s hand pat his own arm several times, ¡°With you, I will have no regrets. Now, rest. I will make all the necessary preparations for our departure.¡±


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened with a bit of intrigue, despite the awful reasons for their having to leave, as he asked, ¡°Where will we even go?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a big world.¡± Bartolo tapped his nose twice with a small smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t we find out together, shall we?¡±


    Blychert¡¯s heart lifted almost immediately.


    All the emotions that he¡¯d cycled through today, all the pain that he¡¯d endured, and it finally felt like something good was waiting for him on the other side. Yesterday he wouldn¡¯t have even conceived of a world without his friends, his home, or even a class, but now all he could think about was getting the hell away from this place. All he wanted now was to survive. No matter how meager, he still had his magic, so maybe something could still come of it?


    If Bartolo said there was a world out there for him, then Bly was ready to believe it.


    But then, as if reminded of the world itself, Bly¡¯s heart skipped a beat, for there was suddenly a loud knock at the front door of the tower.

 [P] Chapter 6: A Certain Memory

    Chapter 6: A Certain Memory


    <hr>


    Blychert waited for Master Bartolo to return for what felt like forever, motionless inside the bathroom, and fearing all but the worst.


    However, his fears were placated when he heard a knock at the bathroom door after roughly a few minutes, followed by the sound of master¡¯s voice, ¡°It¡¯s alright out here. You can come down when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Once Bly was fully dressed, he left the bathroom and hesitantly made his way down to the living room. Though he came to halt at the foot of the stairs, completely surprised by the sight of Alyse standing by the fireplace, warming her hands.


    ¡°We meet again.¡± She turned to face him, slowly removing her hat with a curious smile, ¡°You must be a very unlucky boy, indeed.¡±


    Bly offered a small smile back at her, and for some reason he was relieved to see that she was okay. Despite the inevitable chaos that she¡¯d tossed him into back at the guildhall, she had helped him escape, and he was glad to see her.


    Master Bartolo sighed as he entered the living room from the study, ¡°I told her a great deal of what you told me already, and she has corroborated as much. As difficult as it is to believe, there is no mistaking it now that you are classless.¡±


    Classless.


    The word sent a shiver down Bly¡¯s spine again.


    ¡°I must apologize, I¡­ gravely miscalculated the likelihood of this outcome.¡± Miss Crane said softly, her gaze drifting to the fireplace momentarily, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a classless gaining experience points before, it¡¯s¡­ well, we figured¡ªhoped, really¡ªthat all was as it seemed, and that you¡¯d receive your class as intended. Should that I have known what I know now, I would have done things much differently. I promise you that.¡±


    ¡°Miscalculated? You have some nerve suggesting that after what you put my apprentice through tonight.¡± Master Bartolo said, more than a little sternly, shaking his hand as he emphasized, ¡°How could you possibly have thought to leave him on his own? After everything we discussed. It would have been better to act swiftly.¡±


    ¡°I understand your frustration, Bartolo.¡± She replied calmly, ¡°But scorched earth was the only course of action here. You know that. I couldn¡¯t risk it too early with the hall filled with innocent people. And I did a fine job distracting them, just so you know. The fact that he ran into the hall leader at all was simply dumb luck. If they¡¯d have gotten the chance to synchronize his memory with the Archive¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with me.¡± Bartolo waived his hands furiously, ¡°You said you would protect him¡ªyou swore to me that you would shield him if anything went awry. Now look at what¡¯s become of him? This is not what I had in mind when you came to me, Alyse. We shouldn¡¯t have let him attend the ceremony at all. I should have been here¡­¡±


    ¡°They would have come looking for him. And you.¡± Miss Crane insisted, ¡°Is that what you wanted? There was no reason for us to doubt that he wouldn¡¯t receive a class, not one of the signs was there. And anyway, you didn¡¯t see what I did. Even the Administrator was just as confused. At least now we have some momentum, and considering how I dealt with things, a larger window of discretion to move about as we please.¡±


    ¡°Discretion¡­¡± Bartolo shook his head, ¡°Hardly your area of expertise. Hm? And what¡¯s this about we?¡±


    ¡°Wait, do you two know each other?¡± Blychert interjected confusedly.


    He¡¯d been wondering for a little while about just who his master could have received a message from. That and the fact that he said he should have trusted his instincts, Bly had a feeling something was up. Though he hadn¡¯t counted on them both being in on it.


    ¡°It has less to do with us knowing each other.¡± Miss Crane insisted plainly, ¡°More so to do with your¡­ well, your father.¡±


    ¡°I should never have agreed to any of this!¡± Master Bartolo exclaimed, ¡°Confound it all, I never should have let you get involved. He¡¯s classless, and maybe I should have always guessed that would be the case. Garin always knew more than he let on. I knew that, if nothing else. But he trusted me with his son¡¯s life, and I¡¯ve failed him completely¡­¡±


    Miss Crane chuckled, ¡°You haven¡¯t failed anyone. Look, Blychert is still alive. Isn¡¯t he? And if anything, now he¡¯s gotten a taste of the life that awaits him out there. If Garin truly wanted a particular life for his son, then he should have been here to deal with this himself. End of discussion.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ father?¡± Bly furrowed his brow, ¡°I have a father? What¡ªwell, is he alive?¡±


    Alyse offered a sympathetic look, while Bartolo simply groaned under his breath.


    This was the first time Bly had heard anything about the sorts. As long as he could remember, he¡¯d lived with Bartolo. He couldn¡¯t even think of a time when he didn¡¯t know the tower to be his home. But then, there was something else. There was something in his mind, a swirling memory that he could feel leaking out the more he tugged on it¡ªthe more he gave into it.


    Bly grasped at his temples, feeling a familiar pain surge through his head as those same blurry images and sounds he¡¯d experienced for what felt like all his life¡ªthe ones he¡¯d thought were just a dream¡ªrattled around in his skull, mixing in unpleasant ways.


    He could see the dream so clear in his mind; feel the salty breeze on his face, the grass on his feet, looking out over a cliff¡ªa body of water so vast it could have spanned the entire world. There was a person in his mind too, standing right there against the rising sun, a castle standing tall in the distance behind them. It was just a silhouette of a person, but it was tall, and the voice was so clear now.


    ¡°One day¡­ we¡¯ll wake up and smell the ashes. It¡¯ll be like a whole new world being born, and we¡¯ll get to see it. What do you say, Bly? That sound alright to you?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Bly felt like he¡¯d just been kicked in the chest, and that wasn¡¯t even because he still had a broken rib.


    That was his father¡¯s voice¡ªit had to be. He¡¯d said those words. It was him that Bly saw in his dreams. Or was it a memory? It was the voice that calmed him in all those stressful moments. But why? Did he really know what Bly was from the start? Did he know any of this would happen? And why did he leave Bly here? Why did Miss Crane say the same exact thing that he did? What did it all mean?


    ¡°Blychert?¡± Bartolo shook Bly¡¯s arm, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Bly murmured breathlessly, confused and foggy-minded, ¡°I¡ªI need to sit down.¡±


    The discussion ended there.


    Before long, Bly was laying back in Master Bartolo¡¯s armchair, who was soon reading from the healing scroll he¡¯d brought out from the study. The pain in Bly¡¯s ribs slowly began to subside as his master recited the words, and the bruise on his arm went away too, though he still felt completely drained.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Miss Crane?¡± Bly asked nervously after a time, as Bartolo worked diligently.


    For her part, Alyse perked up from across the living room, where she sat perfectly still on the couch, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When I was making my escape, there was this¡­ thing that happened. I didn¡¯t know how to explain it properly before, but when I was defending myself against the Administrator, my sage terminal went all weird and started doing things by itself. Is that¡­ normal?¡±


    Out of the corner of his eye, Bly saw Bartolo give a wide sidelong glance across to where Miss Crane was sitting, and he knew he was pulling on a peculiar thread.


    ¡°The defensive spell I was using to block his attack was just about broken, and I was completely out of mana, and¡­ I don¡¯t know, something happened to it.¡± Bly continued slowly, ¡°Like I explained to master, my experience points began to drain really fast, and I guess that somehow amplified my magic? I know you said it was something you¡¯d never heard of, but are these kinds of things normal for¡ªwell, people like us? Do we really steal our power from the Divine?¡±


    Miss Crane had since steepled her fingers over her lips, never turning her gaze from Bly¡¯s.


    Belatedly, she took a breath, and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing normal about it, Blychert. But we can only live in the world that created us. Can¡¯t we? If this Divine really meant for all of us to partake in its abundance, and yet cannot even reconcile with those that are born outside the periphery of such a blessed ideal, then what does that tell you about its nature? Can a world that condemns the hopeless to death truly be called a place of bounty¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alyse¡­¡± Master Bartolo interjected warily.


    ¡°Or¡­¡± She continued above him, ¡°Does it inform us of a much deeper deception at work? I suppose that¡¯s for each of us to decide, in the end. But one thing for certain is that the Guild will never let you live if they ever discover you again. Not now that they know what you really are. You¡¯ll have to forge a new identity for yourself, or several¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Master Bartolo set the healing scroll aside, ¡°We needn¡¯t speak of this now. Alyse, if you can talk, you can help me pack.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± Miss Crane saluted with two fingers, and winked at Bly once quickly before removing herself from the couch. Master Bartolo set the jar of veilfly cream and a bit of gauze on the table next to Bly. He then gave an encouraging nod and told Bly to shut his eyes for a bit, before setting off into the other room with haste.


    ¡°Do try to rest.¡± Miss Crane said as she passed by the armchair, ¡°There will be time for all your questions. I did promise you that much.¡±


    Bly supposed that was as good an answer as he could expect, given the circumstances, and anyway he was feeling completely exhausted. There were too many thoughts and too many uncertainties running around in his head for him to even want to hold a conversation now, so he let them be.


    The veilfly cream was instantly soothing on his fingers, and he wrapped them in the gauze shortly thereafter. Soon, he had drifted off to sleep, the image of his recurring dream, or memory, burned deeply in his mind, and Miss Crane¡¯s mysterious words not too far behind.


    ***


    The trio left the tower at some unknown hour in the night.


    Miss Crane and Bartolo went back and forth for ages, all about what they thought the best course of action would be. There were arguments about direction, about mode of transportation, about nations and cities Bly had only ever seen on maps or heard about in passing conversations, and a plethora of words he didn¡¯t normally hear on a daily basis, such as ¡°elves¡± and ¡°dragonkin¡± and a whole host of other things. The only thing that seemed a guarantee was that they couldn¡¯t stay in Greygarde, not with the Guild surely gearing up to hunt then down, which seemed to mean that they¡¯d be teleporting out-kingdom in no time.


    Bly felt a bit better as they hiked through the forest, though he was tired and still somewhat sore.


    Bartolo had set a mobile concealment spell around their proximity as they moved, and Miss Crane had seen to the casting of a seeing spell on each of them, which allowed Bly to see nearly perfectly in the dark. He quietly told himself that he¡¯d have to ask her to teach him that one, if she ever got the chance. Anyway, his ribs and fingers didn¡¯t hurt nearly as much as they did before his nap, but his head was still throbbing with pain.


    As they traveled, Bly¡¯s mind randomly wandered to Irvin and the supposed ¡°quest¡± he said he would be going on today. It felt a lot like Bly was going on his own quest all of a sudden, not that he expected to return anytime soon. He briefly wondered if the others were allowed to get their classes, or if he had screwed that up for them too. For a moment, he wished he could take it all back, or at least have the chance to say goodbye to everyone.


    In any case, Bartolo¡¯s teleportation circle at home was the only permanent one of its kind in their holding. Bly understood that if they used it, any half-decent diviner would easily be able to track down the mana signature. For that reason, they needed to put some distance between them and the tower, that way his master could draw up a new circle and, more importantly, make it untraceable.


    They must have walked for several hours at least, because the first light of morning began to give blue depth to the shadows of the forest. The smells of the autumntime just after a rainfall dominated the air, and the morning birdsongs echoed into the cold depths of the forest. Bly was only relieved when Bartolo finally motioned for them to stop. However, he realized then that not only was this the first time anyone had said anything since they left the tower, but they were also standing amid some heavily ruined, bygone structure.


    Blychert stared in awe, wondering if this wasn¡¯t one of the ruins that his master had been researching lately. It certainly looked the part, and Bly could even feel a small aura of magical energy about the entire place.


    Ley lines. Blychert thought instinctually, knowing now that his master must have brought them here intentionally. It wasn¡¯t as intense a ley line as the one that ran through Darskaart itself, but it certainly felt powerful in its own way.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop here.¡± Bartolo huffed, removing his packs as he began to clear the colorful leaves on the ground, revealing the withered stone of the weatherworn ruin, ¡°I¡¯ll get to work on the teleportation circle. Alyse, I¡¯m sure even you can manage a suppression field? Bly, you see to recovering more of your strength.¡±


    Bly nodded wordlessly, wanting to be more helpful than that but realizing he didn¡¯t have much energy to begin with. He then slumped his pack next to a ruined wall before leaning down to sit against it himself. He felt too weary to do much of anything else, and so he set himself to the simple task of watching Bartolo work.


    Slowly but surely, his master¡¯s chalk work began to take the shape of a highly complex series of magic symbols, shapes, and seals, all sprawled across the ancient stones. The sun crested into the canopy and down across the forest soon enough, and everything felt strangely calm. The light was warm on Bly¡¯s face where he¡¯d chosen to sit, and it was a momentary relief¡ªenough so that he closed his eyes for a moment.

 [P] Chapter 7: At Our Parting

    Chapter 7: At Our Parting


    <hr>


    Bly found the energy to open his eyes after a short while, deciding to have a go at his sage terminal. It was awkward navigating the system with his bandaged hands, but he soon shifted over to the Skills and Class Abilities tabs. All of his skills were still there, but he felt his heart lift at the sight of the one and only ability listed.


    [XP Transmogrifier]


    Studying magecraft under Master Bartolo, Bly had learned a fair few magic skills over the years. He had always expected that his first ability would reflect that fact, or at least have something to do with his class. But this? It was completely insane.


    ¡°Hard to believe, isn¡¯t it?¡± Miss Crane nudged Bly¡¯s arm, as she plopped down next to him. She leaned over slightly and took a glance at his terminal, ¡°Your first ability is never the one you imagine it to be. Just ask any classless about their own awakening.¡±


    Blychert creased his brow, a bit skeptical, ¡°What was yours?¡±


    Alyse snickered, ¡°It was a swordsman ability, if you¡¯ll believe it. I never did find much use for that thing, beyond a couple of gimmicks.¡±


    ¡°How does a classless gain new abilities anyway?¡± Bly asked, ¡°I mean, I have all my skills and basic magic, but without a class it seems impossible. Without gaining levels, how do you get stronger?¡±


    Miss Crane abruptly handed him an apple, before saying with a smile, ¡°Breakfast certainly helps.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Bly insisted. But his stomach grumbled anyway, so he gladly accepted the offer.


    ¡°When you start out, everything can seem to be a bit confusing.¡± She explained, ¡°But you¡¯ve just made a very good observation about the classless: contrary to what anyone tells you, we learn skills and experience attribute changes just like everyone else, that¡¯s simply a matter of living, breathing, and training. Repetition is the key to success.¡±


    Bly nodded, taking a bite out of the apple as he pondered over her words.


    ¡°Abilities, on the other hand, get a bit more confusing.¡± She continued, ¡°Auras, sword arts, spellcraft¡­ we have access to these things, it¡¯s just that we don¡¯t earn hard experience as a part of the process. We don''t have classes. Thus, sage doesn¡¯t formally recognize our progression pathways, which makes advancement in said areas much more of a hassle. We learn very quickly how to manage it for ourselves. Or rather, those who don¡¯t can¡¯t be expected to survive for very long. At least, not anywhere the Guild has jurisdiction.¡±


    Bly shuddered at the thought.


    ¡°That said, we classless have effectively mastered the art of system subterfuge¡ªhow to bend sage to our needs so that we can access said abilities. Yes, it will take time and effort to learn all the different techniques you need to know. But the good news is, I don¡¯t suspect it will be much different for you than it is for any other classless, apart from this particular abnormality you seem to have. You may have to work harder at it, but you can still be a sorcerer. At least, a certain kind of sorcerer. If that¡¯s what you still want.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bly¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope.


    Miss Crane laughed, ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. But even a classless spellcaster can learn advanced magic, just like any other. Your training in magic will have to go together with your training in system navigation though¡ªreal system navigation, not the surface-level crap you¡¯ve come to learn thus far. I¡¯m talking about the dangerous kind; the kind of tinkering that can get you killed, or worse. But, if this is what you really want, then I¡¯d say it¡¯s more than just a possibility. It must become your reality.¡±


    It felt like a weight had been lifted off Bly¡¯s shoulders hearing her say that. Was it really possible that he could still be a sorcerer? Even without a class? Forget the danger, his dream was far from over.


    ¡°Think of this like¡­ learning a language. The more you understand how it works, the easier it will be to express what you want to say in simpler, or even more complex terms. Eventually, you won¡¯t even notice the difference in the way you speak. If done well, you¡¯ll seamlessly blend in with the rest of the world around you, and hopefully no one will notice the difference either, as long as you take the right precautions. An alias, if you will. Of course, having a good mentor helps with all this.¡±


    Blychert took a bite out of the apple and glanced at Bartolo momentarily. He wondered if his master would even be able to teach him anything about being classless, let alone about how he was supposed to use it to his advantage. Bartolo had taught Bly so much about magic already, and he hoped his master would still be able to. But he couldn¡¯t help but think that they¡¯d run into some problems sooner or later.


    ¡°So, what do you do¡­ exactly?¡± Bly asked Miss Crane, changing the subject for now, ¡°Like, as your profession? Everyone who has a class pretty much already knows what they¡¯ll be doing.¡±


    ¡°And what did you think you¡¯d be doing?¡± She asked with a smile.


    Bly shrugged, ¡°Adventuring, I think? Or maybe research¡­ like Master?¡±


    ¡°A lofty goal.¡± Alyse chuckled, ¡°Adventurers certainly make a habit out of the grandiose, I¡¯m sure that would suit you just fine. Researchers less so, but not a bad profession.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Blychert asked.


    ¡°I collect favors, mostly.¡± She replied nonchalantly, ¡°Why? Interested in that sort of work?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°But you knew my father? And he¡­ collected ¡®favors¡¯ too?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking. If you¡¯re in the business of collecting, you¡¯re almost certainly in the business of owing.¡± She sighed, but paused thereafter. She stared into the tree line for a long moment, before saying, ¡°He asked me once on a whim, you know¡ªmany years ago, when you weren¡¯t much bigger than a melon¡ªif I would consider being your mentor one day. At the time, I thought it was because of your fledgling magical abilities.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Bly urged more of her response.


    ¡°Naturally, I turned him down.¡± She replied, ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested in being a teacher back then. I still had a lot to learn myself, you know. But he cared about your future enough to ask. Although, I still think our dear Bartolo here was a much more suitable choice.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Master Bartolo grumbled something unintelligible, and Bly couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Miss Crane continued, a more wistful tone in her voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he never came back for you, Bly, much less before your selection day, but¡­ he did ask me to do it for him. Should the need arise.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Bly perked up excitingly.


    ¡°He did?!¡± Bartolo mimicked, though much louder and perhaps much more disorderly.


    Considering Bly barely remembered his father, it was hard to imagine anything about him, other than maybe that one memory.


    ¡°Eh-heh¡­ maybe I made that last part up.¡± Alyse laughed awkwardly, scratching the bridge of her nose somewhat. Bly heard his master groan again, as she added soberingly, ¡°I knew your time was coming up, so I suppose my curiosity got the better of me. I didn¡¯t expect to find you here without him, truth be told. Anyway, you really made quite the mess back there, you know.¡±


    Bly raised an eyebrow, ¡°You did too.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± She pondered, though he saw her smile out of the corner of his eye. She merely shrugged, ¡°Just as well then.¡±


    It was then that something suddenly occurred to Blychert.


    ¡°So¡­ that ¡®personal favor¡¯ you mentioned yesterday was for him? Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Bly asked.


    Miss Crane glanced across at him curiously, ¡°I¡¯d like to believe so, no way of knowing for sure.¡±


    ¡°But why did it have to be so¡­ violent?¡± He asked, more than a little curious, ¡°I know you said you had to destroy everything, but¡­ why go through all of that in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Not my finest work.¡± She confessed, ¡°I could have tried to spare you the humiliation, as well as the fear of being put to the sword by a dream you once idolized. This was your entire life, wasn¡¯t it? Getting your class? And it was ripped out right from under you.¡±


    ¡°I mean, yeah, it was.¡± Bly nodded, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t really answer my question?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, I simply didn¡¯t believe you were classless.¡± She shook her head, ¡°I had my doubts, don¡¯t get me wrong, but all the evidence pointed to the contrary. Maybe I just wanted to believe that Garin couldn¡¯t be this foolish to leave you to your own devices, at least not without telling Bartolo anything. But even if we had known for certain, could I have truly saved you from that pain? Even if I went all out? Is that something anyone can alleviate? I don¡¯t know, I did what I could in the moment that presented itself. I destroyed it all so that you might live to see another day. I¡¯m just sorry that it wasn¡¯t enough to keep you from harm¡¯s way.¡±


    It''s not really your fault. Bly thought, but chose to keep it to myself.


    ¡°At the end of the day, you saved yourself really.¡± She continued, ¡°I¡¯d say that was at least worth something¡­¡±


    Bly perked up curiously, ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Now, you know that you can put up a fight when your back is against the wall.¡± She insisted, ¡°It may be harsh, but you¡¯ll never make it anywhere in this world without a spine. Otherwise, you¡¯d have simply been better off letting them kill you. Perhaps you¡¯ve turned out a lot different than everyone expected. But this experience isn¡¯t entirely without value. You¡¯re a survivor. In some respects, that¡¯s still a worthwhile result.¡±


    Blychert thought about that for a long while.


    So much had happened to him in the last twenty-four hours, he didn¡¯t even know what to think anymore. He sort of understood what she was saying, even if it was completely bizarre. But did he believe it? Did he have a choice anymore?


    He was classless.


    Somewhere out there, maybe his father knew this day would come. In fact, maybe he had counted on it. Bly just couldn¡¯t figure out why? Did he want Bly to die? Did he expect him to save himself? All Bly knew now was that they were leaving home, and damned if that didn¡¯t suddenly feel worse than any of the pain he endured last night.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard running away, you know.¡± Miss Crane said ominously, ¡°When all you have to do is pick yourself up and start walking, you might think otherwise. But it¡¯s very difficult to pull off. When you leave something behind, and when you can¡¯t possibly know if you¡¯ll ever return, that¡¯s a kind of strength nobody can teach you. You have to earn it for yourself. And the only way to do that is by taking the first step.¡±


    If he didn¡¯t believe it before, Bly was certain this woman could peer straight into his soul and see exactly what he was feeling.


    Blychert glanced up at her, a bit pessimistic, ¡°Let me guess, it¡¯s better this way?¡±


    ¡°Better is a strong word¡­¡± She smiled amusedly, but said, ¡°It won¡¯t be much fun, and it certainly won¡¯t be any simpler than staying put. But oh, I don¡¯t know, I did say we could discuss the meaning of life. Didn¡¯t I? You need a teacher, a different kind of teacher, and it seems like I owe you one anyway.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bly asked.


    ¡°Your master¡¯s going to need all the help he can get.¡± She seemed to say in a teasing tone of voice, ¡°Unless you¡¯d prefer otherwise, Bartolo?¡±


    ¡°Normally, I might tell a flagrant incendiary such as yourself to find your own way out of Greygarde.¡± He groaned, lifting himself up as it appeared to Bly that he had finished his work. Blychert wasn¡¯t sure, but he detected a bit of sarcasm in his master¡¯s voice, ¡°However, it only seems fitting that you should teach Garin¡¯s son something of use. Besides, if we¡¯re dealing in who owes whom what, then I suppose I have a debt to settle with you as well¡­ Now, everyone up and into the circle. We have our heading!¡±


    ¡°And the winds did stir¡­¡± Miss Crane waived her hand, and a flourish of sparkling energy cascaded through her fingers momentarily, before she rose to her feet. However, she frowned, ¡°This better not be to anywhere cold, Bartolo. I don¡¯t do well in the cold.¡±


    ¡°But what about my father?¡± Blychert asked her eagerly, ¡°Isn¡¯t he out there somewhere? Shouldn¡¯t we find him? Shouldn¡¯t he¡ªI don¡¯t know, be told what happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what sort of trouble your father¡¯s gotten himself into.¡± She sighed, looking back down at him, ¡°He was never one for this kind of carelessness. But I do know one thing: He¡¯s discreet. Wherever he is, or whatever he¡¯s doing, I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s a lot safer than you¡¯ll ever be. If not, well¡­ not to put too fine a point on it, but you have a lot to learn before you can even think about trying to track him down.¡±


    Blychert shook his head in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯d really be willing to teach me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming along either way, aren¡¯t I?¡± Miss Crane shrugged. She then turned fully and offered a curious grin, extending a hand down for Bly to take. She hoisted him up onto his feet, and said, ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather stay here, of course?¡±


    Not likely. Bly shivered at the thought. Despite how much he wanted to stay, he knew exactly how dangerous that was.


    ¡°It¡¯s your life now, kiddo. Remember that.¡± She said, hardly glancing back as she stepped into the teleportation circle. She was taller than Bartolo, though much younger by looks alone, and both stood side by side looking at Bly expectingly. She added, ¡°You go live it however you desire. Just¡­ remember that you¡¯re classless now, and that means something. It means the days catch up with you a lot sooner than you think.¡±


    How I desire, huh? Bly glanced over his shoulder, looking back the way they¡¯d just came, and silently telling himself that he¡¯d return home one day. He¡¯d show his home, his friends¡­ he¡¯d show everyone exactly the kind of person he wanted to be¡ªno, the kind of person he was.


    Sorcerers were supposed to help people, after all. They were supposed to travel the world and ply their craft in service to something more¡ªthe greater good. He wasn¡¯t sure he could manage all that, not anymore, but he was going to try anyway. He had to start somewhere, with something. This might as well be it.


    ¡°And that¡¯s a promise¡­¡± He murmured to himself.


    With a heavy exhale, Bly turned and stepped into the teleportation circle.


    ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Bartolo asked, and Bly nodded without a word. He then said, ¡°Splendid, off we go. To Calvergia!¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Miss Crane stammered ruefully, ¡°Damn it, you old coot, I said nowhere cold¡­!¡±


    But it was too late.


    The entire circle rose to a spectacular purple glow. Blychert felt uneasy for a moment, uneasy about whatever awaited them on the other side, but his master¡¯s hand on his shoulder gave him the courage to stand tall and to stand proud.


    Bly didn¡¯t know what his own journey would look like from here on out, and there was no way to know for certain what his classless life held in store for him anymore. But he knew this much, more than anything else, he was prepared to fight for that ember of a future with everything he had.


    He was going to be a sorcerer.


    He was going to live.


    To be continued...

 [A1] Chapter 1: Daily Grind

    Act One: 520 Deepsummer DE


    Volume One: Call to Adventure


    <hr>


    Chapter 1: Daily Grind


    <hr>


    Wisps of quickly cooling breath escaped Blychert¡¯s lips as he gasped for air, only hopeful for a momentary reprieve in the action.


    Though not that he¡¯d get it.


    The crackling sounds of his pursuers echoed farther down the cavern tunnel behind him, and he knew that he didn¡¯t have much time before they¡¯d be within striking distance yet again.


    It was at that moment Bly noticed the slight shimmer of his own conjured sword, itself hovering several feet in front of him, beginning to sputter, and so he immediately swung his right arm up into the air. Locking-in on the magical weapon, he squeezed a bit more mana into the spell that sustained it and watched as a rejuvenated vigor fell over the entire blade.


    Well, that was one problem sorted out.


    Expulsing an irritated grumble, however, Bly also realized that he had created another issue just as quickly: he was reaching his short-term mana limits, which meant that he was going to have to make do with alternative measures sooner rather than later.


    A flash of light flickered around the bend of the cavern tunnel at that moment, causing Bly¡¯s attention to shift, though he already knew what was coming for him long before it even revealed itself.


    Squeezing his right hand into a fist, Bly assumed telepathic control over the floating sword just in time to parry two of the incoming projectiles. The cold, icy dust of their remnants sprayed across his face as each one exploded upon impact with the magical blade. There was little time to relish the small victory though, as a third missile streaked past his summoned weapon in a flash.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Bly murmured instinctually, and before he knew it the frozen projectile had completely shattered against his defensive spell.


    He glanced up and regarded the three ice demons on the far side of the cavern.


    Their white, bird-like forms emanated long trails of frost as they scurried through the air. They were much quicker and much more elusive on the second floor of the dungeon, which made targeting them with spells somewhat more difficult than usual. Furthermore, his own reliance on ice spells for offensive magic fell to complete irrelevance against them too. Sure, he had a bit of fire magic up his sleeve, but he wasn¡¯t proficient enough in that element to warrant much confidence in any spectacular attack. If he was going to get any use out of that kind of magic, he knew he¡¯d need them to be a hell of a lot closer than they currently were, which presented its own issues.


    A small twinge of pain surged through the left side of his head abruptly, eliciting a wince as Bly reached up to caress his temple. There was no mistaking the onset of mana depletion now.


    Just a bit more. He stifled the pain with a thought.


    The three ice demons surged forward ahead of him, their maws opening wide as the blue glow of more projectiles bloomed from within rows upon rows of jagged teeth. They were fierce and highly territorial, unrelenting even after Bly had put a good amount of distance between them. Not that he had any plans to make it easy for his pursuers. He had one half decent idea forming in the back of his mind, but it was going to require speed, and removing at least one of the three first.


    Simple enough. Bly smirked slightly at the thought of his own ridiculous plans. But as his attackers approached, he quickly maneuvered himself back into a more sure-footed position and held out his left hand.


    ¡°System command: activate ability, x-p transmogrifier. Execute mana replenishment.¡± He issued the command hastily, and his sage terminal suddenly flashed in front of his outstretched arm, where upon lines of system hieroglyphs scrolled across the pane as his chosen ability ignited into action. Quickly, Bly followed up with, ¡°Input class code: parse fighter, parse dragon knight, fetch dragon leap, link to active resource, execute.¡±


    His experience pool took an immediate hit as the transmogrifier ability worked to replenish his mana supply. By converting raw experience into magical energy, Bly was fully able to engage the exploited class ability. The energy requirements for ¡®Dragon Leap¡¯ weren¡¯t high by any means, but he¡¯d still need a reserve of mana for the rest of his plan to work.


    At that moment, an instant surge of power and a lightness of step that wasn¡¯t there before filled Bly¡¯s body, and he was only miffed about the lost experience for a moment or two, knowing that it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t make up the point difference another time.


    ¡°Surging winds, cast unto earth and let my steps be many. Winds of time, swiften my shadow in boundless pace. Hasten.¡± Blychert cast the alteration spell at once, mentally gesturing for his sage terminal to close, before making ready to move in for his assault.


    Bending his knees slightly, Bly pressed off his back foot and bounded forward at roughly twice his normal running speed, thanks to the hasten spell. Racing onward, his conjured sword maintained the same speed as himself, but they were closing the gap to the ice demons rather quickly.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The next wave of attacks overshot Bly by a decent amount, as he continued to close the distance. When he finally found his opportune moment, Blychert released his fist and the summoned sword stopped mid-air. Within a second his hand was wrapped around the hilt, and with a single push off from his front foot, he was bounding up through the cavern.


    Even though he would have normally lacked the athleticism for such a feat, Bly¡¯s advanced spellcasting propelled him all the same, and with just a little help from the engaged martial ability, his magical blade sliced straight down the center of the foremost ice demon.


    Shards of cold, crystalized entrails scattered everywhere as Bly skittered back down across the cavern floor. But not a moment later, he heard the hissing cries and crackling rage of the other two above him.


    Just like that. He thought approvingly.


    Twisting around, Bly stepped to the right two paces, narrowly avoiding impalement from another icy spear. There was no questioning that he would have been hit if not for his heightened sense of mobility, but then that was the spell¡¯s primary function anyway.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Bly extended his hand, and not a moment too soon. The second icy projectile burst across the barrier with a thunderous crash, exploding into hundreds of pieces. Thereafter, Blychert immediately dropped both the defensive and conjuration spells in the same action, before moving directly into a secondary cast, just as he¡¯d envisioned it, ¡°Flickering ember, ignite my will, Fire bolt.¡±


    A tendril of flame leapt from his fingertips and blazed a path through the air, dissipating the latent energy still lingering from his shielding spell as it hurtled towards the ice demon nearest to him. With his arm still extended, however, he clenched his fingers together and made ready to play his final card.


    Scatter shot. Bly mentally gestured, and his sage terminal reciprocated the command.


    Halfway through its route, the fire spell split into two separate trajectories. Each fiery missile penetrated an ice demon at blistering speed, consuming their bodies in burning flames from the inside out. The whistle from their melting forms rose through the cavern as they floundered to the floor, until eventually nothing remained. Well, nothing but three small shards¡ªenergy crystals¡ªone where each of the slain ice demons had fallen.


    A stillness fell over the dungeon cavern thereafter, and the only sound to be heard were those of Bly¡¯s gasping breaths and the pounding in his ears.


    ¡°System command: disengage all abilities.¡± He managed to say, holding out his left hand somewhat as he tried to catch his breath, ¡°Clear all inputs.¡±


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    - - - Ability [XP Transmogrifier] deactivated; Class Ability [Dragon Leap] removed - - -


    > Operational conditions set to [normal]


    [Experience gained: +12 xp]


    [Experience total: 6,502 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 13,580 xp]


    <hr>


    All that for a measly twelve experience, huh? Bly exhaled wearily, grinning somewhat as he wiped the sweat from his face.


    He knew full well that it was his own fault for pushing so hard today, so he couldn¡¯t be too upset about it even if he wanted to be. It wasn¡¯t like anybody was there forcing him to delve all-day long. He just¡­ enjoyed it.


    It was another day¡¯s work, all things considered, and another one-hundred experience points in the bag. Subtracting what he¡¯d spent during the fighting, it was a mostly ¡°break even¡± sort of day. He didn¡¯t really mind though, he supposed. Considering the amount of kinks that he still had to work out of his new weapon summoning spell, the practice was somewhat worth the cost.


    At that moment, a faint sparkle suddenly caught Bly¡¯s attention as he pondered to himself.


    Eyeing the pale-colored energy crystals out of the corner of his eye, he slowly walked across the cavern and scooped them up, depositing them into his pack. They weren¡¯t highly valuable by any means, considering the lowly spawns they¡¯d dropped from, and they contained less than half of the mana required to cast a basic spell. But Alyse would surely be eager to get her hands on them before long, seeing that she had far more use for them than he did. Though Bly knew he was going to have to sell a few at least if he wanted to replenish his own supplies, at least enough to requisition more healing potions.


    Considering the rate at which he was delving, and considering his lack of healing magic, he¡¯d need all the help he could get.


    But that seemed like a problem for another time.


    Blychert then lumbered across to the near side of the cavern. Slumping down onto the first rock within range of his rearend, he set his back against the stone and slowly opened his sage terminal, flicking across to his attributes page.


    <hr>


    [Attributes]


    > Athleticism: 35


    > Endurance: 38


    > Intellect: 41


    > Charisma: 37


    > Willpower: 51


    > Magic: 53


    <hr>


    No changes. He sighed, more than a little irritated by the fact, but not ultimately surprised.


    Not one of his attributes had even budged in the last year, despite Alyse¡¯s assurance that it was bound to happen before long. But shouldn¡¯t he have expected to see some changes. He had at least hoped that his magic score would have gone up a little bit, but nothing.


    It was demoralizing, to say the least.


    Shoving the sour thought aside, Bly glanced up from the terminal and perked his ears out somewhat, then peered down the cavern towards one of the other tunnels on the far side. A faint blue light could be seen in the distance, and he quickly realized that if he wanted to get back to town with his experience pool still intact, he was going to have to make like a bandit.


    Though he couldn¡¯t help but grunt amusedly first.


    The dungeon sure gave as good as it took, there was no denying that.


    Monsters were plentiful, but that was because they seemed to always be respawning. Nobody in town could even guess how many floors there were beyond the first two, which was unusual considering that it was only a ¡®D¡¯ rated spawn zone. The Compendium described low-rated spawn zones as ¡°tame¡± and ¡°predictable¡±, but they weren¡¯t very friendly, and they most certainly weren¡¯t for fun.


    Which begged the question, what were the other dungeons like?


    Bly had obviously read about them, at least to an extent, but it seemed impossible to imagine what the higher rated spawn zones must have been like to delve. At the very least, partying up seemed like an absolute necessity, and the thought made Bly frown.


    He wasn¡¯t sure when, or if, he¡¯d ever get the chance to party up. At least, not like him and Irvin had always dreamed about, back when such things were normal to think about; weren¡¯t dangerous, that was. But this was the daily grind of a renegade sorcerer, what more could he really ask for?


    In any case, Bly mentally gestured for his terminal to close, and soon found himself rising to his feet, ready to move out at last.


    The sound of spawning ice demons wasn¡¯t too far behind, but by then he was already gone.

 [A1] Chapter 2: The White Horn

    Chapter 2: The White Horn


    <hr>


    The smells of musty ale and wood-burning fire hit Blychert¡¯s nose as he entered the White Horn.


    It was a modestly sized tavern, boasting a long wooden bar top and a handful of freestanding tables and chairs. The hearth was ablaze, though not overly so, but more importantly it was filling the hall with much needed warmth. There weren¡¯t too many patrons in this evening, less than ten, but Blychert wasn¡¯t complaining.


    Before even entertaining the idea of a meal, however, he beelined it across the tavern floor to where the dingy quest board was nailed into the mortar on the far wall. To his disappointment though, there wasn¡¯t a single piece of parchment in sight. The last posting had been over six weeks ago! And it had been a measly requisition for energy crystals. Still, he held out to hope most of the time, and was usually left disappointed.


    Figures¡­ Blychert rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Well, if it ain¡¯t young Trelen!¡± A hoarse voice thundered out through the tavern all of a sudden.


    Cocking his head towards the bar, Bly smiled at the large man standing behind it, ¡°Evening, mister Ralf.¡±


    Mister Ralf rubbed the end of his red-brown beard momentarily, a slightly confused expression on his face, ¡°A little late for you, ain¡¯t it? Your old lady knows you¡¯re here at this hour?¡±


    ¡°What? Old lady? Oh, about that¡­¡± Bly chuckled, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as he realized what the barkeep was asking, ¡°I sort of lost track of the time.¡±


    ¡°Guh¡­ you¡¯re working to get me in trouble again!¡± The innkeeper accused, picking up a long ladle to point at Bly as he snapped it back and forth in an exaggerated manner, ¡°Now, sit down and let me feed you¡ªsend you on your way home before that crazy woman comes storming through my front door again, barking up a tree after your whereabouts and what have you. As if I could possibly have that kind of information!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Bly agreed cheerily, more than happy to oblige as he took a seat at the end of the bar.


    Mister Ralf quickly got to work fixing him a meal thereafter, small talking all the while as he moved about the kitchen area.


    ¡°Good haul for you today then?¡± Ralf asked nonchalantly.


    Bly furrowed his brow at the question, and shrugged, ¡°It was okay, er¡­ it¡¯s always okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ralf dismissed, and grumbled something else under his breath, before adding, ¡°Sixteen years old and already clearing out entire dungeon floors by yourself? I¡¯d say you¡¯re doing a little better than okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as difficult as it looks.¡± Bly laughed, but sobered enough to say, ¡°Anyone could do it, you know.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but you go solo. That kind of effort alone ought to be for anyone with ten or more levels under their belt.¡± He argued, ¡°You¡¯re what, an eight?¡±


    Blychert felt the hairs on his neck stand tall momentarily.


    Thanks to Alyse¡¯s brilliant instruction, his sage terminal formally presented him as Trelen now, not Blychert, a level seven sorcerer hailing from the Kingdom of Loreley. The illusory exploit was supposed to be good enough to bypass most basic Guild detection systems, even some of the more advanced methods too. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t already know the Sorcerer class from top to bottom, though he still got nervous when anyone asked him about it. He could lie all he wanted; it was still a lie at the end of the day.


    ¡°Seventh level, actually.¡± Bly said, barely above a murmur.


    ¡°Seven?!¡± Ralf shouted, visibly flabbergasted, and a few of the other tavern patrons turned to glance at them.


    Bly flushed, rubbing his forehead anxiously somewhat, as he said, ¡°Keep it down, would you? It¡¯s not that serious.¡±


    ¡°You kids are getting more and more ambitious with your adventuring, that¡¯s for damned sure. We wouldn¡¯t have been caught dead going anywhere near that dungeon when I was your age. We were too busy getting up to no good around here, heh!¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ don¡¯t you have the innkeeper class?¡± Bly asked confusedly, wondering why Mister Ralf would even think of going near the dungeon in the first place.


    ¡°Not my point.¡± Ralf replied with slight frown. He seemed to think for a long moment, before saying, ¡°Remember to enjoy some of your youth, would you? Kelvalder isn¡¯t the kind of place a kid of your talents ought to waste away. I know you¡¯re here training and what not, but you really ought to get out into the wider world, find some friends that share your passions to go adventure with. Find a lovely young lady perhaps¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Bly cringed, waiving his hands in protest at the remark, ¡°I think I¡¯ll make do.¡±


    Before mister Ralf could reply, he was momentarily dragged away by another patron yelping for more ale, which gave Bly the chance to settle his nerves.


    It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t want any friends, or¡­ other things.


    Hell, he missed his own friends all the time. His best friends. There just weren¡¯t many people his age in Kelvalder, or at least any he could really relate to. But even with those he had managed to get along with, getting too close to people was still the surest way for a classless to wind up dead; he¡¯d learned that the hard way once already. The notion of having ¡®friends¡¯ seemed completely futile at times, not to mention selfish. Someone was bound to get hurt sooner or later, and he didn¡¯t want to be responsible for that ever again.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    And girls? Where did that nosy barkeep get off saying something as embarrassing as that!


    Bly felt his cheeks growing warmer at the thought, and so he shook his head clear, giving the sides of his face a few good slaps just for good measure.


    ¡°Suit yourself, kid.¡± Ralf acquiesced, as he rounded the wall of the kitchen to set a tray of piping-hot stew down in front of Bly, ¡°Now, eat up before I change my mind and kick you to the stoop.¡±


    Blychert¡¯s eyes widened with glee at the savory smell of beef stew. There were carrots, potato chunks, and the distinct aroma of onions that filled his nostrils most delightfully. He immediately grabbed for the hunk of bread, scooped it down into the bowl, and went to work.


    Forget the Divine, this was true heaven.


    After that, Ralf entertained some of his other patrons for a while, leaving Bly to enjoy his dinner without any more jabs at his social life. Which was fine by him, because he realized about halfway through eating his supper that he smelled horribly of body odor. Taking a spoonful of stew, Bly silently amused himself to the thought that if he brought Alyse food, maybe she¡¯d heat him up some bath water. Though chances were she¡¯d sooner freeze it over for how late he¡¯d stayed out tonight.


    Then again, he did have those energy crystals¡­


    Sipping from the tankard of water, Blychert belatedly wiped his face on his sleeve before using his left hand to open his sage terminal. With a small mental gesture, he issued a system command and watched as the entire terminal flickered momentarily. Before long, the entire thing had appropriately reconciled his gains from the day with a clever little concealment exploit, and so he confidently swiped over to his skills page without having to worry about someone getting a glance.


    <hr>


    [Skills]


    > Advanced Spellcasting (Class)


    > Alteration Magic (General)


    > Aura Magic (General)


    > Barrier Magic (General)


    > Basic Spellcasting (Attribute)


    > Creation Magic (General)


    > Curse Magic (General)


    > Divination Magic (General)


    > Elemental Magic (General)


    > Illusion Magic (General)


    > Intermediate Spellcasting (Attribute)


    > Mana Channeling (Attribute)


    > Ritual Magic (Class)


    > Spell Configuration (Class)


    > Summoning Magic (General)


    > Telepathy Magic (General)


    <hr>


    Bly scrolled down and gestured for his ''Summoning Magic'' skill to open.


    <hr>


    [Summoning Magic]


    > Skill Level: 13


    > Authority Level: 2


    > Control Level: 1


    > Accuracy Bonus: 15%


    > Damage Bonus: 8.5%


    > Penetration Bonus: 2%


    [Known Spells]


    > Basic: Summon Swarm


    > Intermediate: -


    > Advanced: Conjure Weapon


    <hr>


    His hopes for the ¡®Conjure Weapon¡¯ spell were high. It had only been a few short weeks since he¡¯d finally learned how to cast it without breaking focus, but he was already aiming to make it as strong as possible, considering how powerful it was.


    Even still, it was proving to be a bit tricky around the edges and more than a little intensive on his mana supply. Knowing that, he really had to be more careful in how he deployed it, or at least try to train it up to the point where he could get the overall mana cost down. His mana pool wasn¡¯t small, per se, but increasing his short-term limits and recovery rate were definitely on the ¡°to-do¡± list, though that took a lot of training to pull off. Eventually, his mana pool would get to somewhere he liked it. Though unless he learned how to circumnavigate that bottleneck using experience points, such a feat was surely years away.


    A higher willpower score would solve some of those issues. He thought ruefully, letting his mind be poisoned by the thought of attributes again, or rather the lack thereof.


    It was common knowledge that the classed earned attribute points every five levels. The classless, at least according to Alyse, only earned attribute points through intense training of the specific attribute in question. And while she said it was a slow process, he swore there wasn¡¯t more he could do apart from blowing himself to bits with raw mana to make his magic score go up, or any of his attributes for that matter.


    At that moment, his habitual migraine flared, causing Bly to wince.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± He grumbled, taking a slow and steady breath to calm himself.


    He had to remember that his experience points were what made him a special case.


    He didn¡¯t have a class, but he still had two exceptionally powerful resources at his disposal: mana and experience. As a classless spellcaster, his mana was the key to system exploitation, since an energy resource was required to fuel the system commands. But experience worked in a similar way, or at least it did once he converted it into mana. The thought hadn¡¯t been lost on him that maybe he could increase his attributes by spending the experience to do so. Though despite his best attempts at it, it was impossible to say for certain. Even Alyse couldn¡¯t seem to work out the right exploits to use for that sort of idea, and she was an expert on the classless craft.


    If nothing else, it did make him wonder about the full extent of his transmogrifier ability. Sooner or later, something would have to give in his findings. The last time they¡¯d figured anything out about how his transmogrifier ability worked, he¡¯d damned near collapsed from complete mana depletion. After all, that was the only time Sage, or rather the Raven subsystem, seemed interested in stepping in on his behalf at all. Which was a strange occurrence in and of itself, Alyse had been reluctant to admit it, but there wasn¡¯t really much that he could do about it.


    It was a part of him now, that much was certain.


    Whatever the case, he was never going to get stronger with that ability¡ªnot at his current pace and not without more information about how it worked, that much was clear.


    Blychert sighed and closed his sage terminal.


    Life in Kelvalder was too damned slow, and painfully quiet. He guessed that was the entire point when Bartolo brought them here almost a year ago. It had certainly provided a stable place for him to train and to learn about being classless, at least away from the ire of the Guild. Even still, the novelty was wearing off each day, and a small part of him couldn¡¯t help but think about all the plans he and Irvin had crafted; about how they would travel the world as adventurers. He certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten the promise he¡¯d made to himself back then, that he would show the world the kind of person he really was. But after all the time that had passed, he knew that was a lot more difficult to pull off than it seemed at first. And how could it not be? But it wasn¡¯t like he could spend the rest of his days hiding out and grinding away endlessly in the Gleaming Caves. Could he?


    Not likely. Bly thought with a grumble, but smiled at the image of what Bartolo and Alyse would have to say about his musings. His master would have a nervous breakdown, surely. She¡¯d simply tell him not to get himself killed¡­ or do, it was his choice in the matter either way.


    Yawning, Blychert realized all at once just how tired he was. He was already late getting home, but there was no point delaying the inevitable. And so, with a weary groan, Bly removed himself from the bar, scooped up the food mister Ralf had given him to give to the "old lady" and headed for the door. A couple "goodbyes" and "goodnights" later, and at least one quip from the innkeeper, and Bly was back on the snow-dusted street of Kelvalder, wandering home in the cold, dark of a late summer night.

 [A1] Chapter 3: Late

    Chapter 3: Late


    <hr>


    By the time Blychert wandered home, a sleepy haze had fallen over the town.


    The glow of several street lanterns illuminated his way through the dark, and before long he had lurched up the wooden steps and onto the porch of their dwelling, stomping his boots clean of snow before heading inside.


    The small, single-story cottage smelled distinctly of cardamom, and he guessed almost all at once that Alyse had likely not left her room for the entire day. Guessing that was the case and guessing that she was still probably hard at work, Bly didn¡¯t feel the need to be too sneaky about his return. And in any case, it wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t have a dozen wards placed around the entire place, so he figured she probably knew that he was home already.


    Blychert removed his boots and left them by the door, hanging up his cloak on the adjacent rack. He then settled his pack down into a nearby armchair, removing all the energy crystals he¡¯d harvested that day before placing them in a bowl. Between the crystals and the food, he was confident that he could finagle his way out of a reprimanding. So, he made his way down the narrow hall and stopped at the second room on the left.


    But before Bly could even reach up to knock on the door, it creaked open on its own.


    The entire room was filled by a series of lights¡ªreds, violets, blues, greens, and yellows¡ªand was cluttered from ceiling to floorboards with all manner of junk. Still awkwardly holding his hand up, Bly looked across to where Alyse was sitting behind her scrying table, her index finger still in the air with magical energy swirling around it.


    ¡°Late.¡± She accused him plainly, not even batting an eye in his direction.


    Bly nodded slowly, there was no need to deny the painfully obvious.


    Alyse eventually glanced up at him, and opened her mouth to say something else, but gasped abruptly. She then offered a bemused expression, gesturing towards the items he was carrying, before saying in annoyed tone of voice, ¡°Bribes? Really?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame me for trying. Can you?¡± Bly replied with a small shrug, stepping into the room somewhat, ¡°I¡¯m just implementing one of your tactics.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± She squinted, but sighed thereafter, conceding a frown, ¡°Oh, alright. You¡¯re lucky I haven¡¯t eaten anything today, otherwise I¡¯d have some very strong words for you.¡±


    Bly was glad to know that his prediction was correct, and so he crossed the room and handed her the food with a smile, ¡°Yeah¡­ I seriously doubt that.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± She smirked curiously, ¡°Care to enlighten me?¡±


    ¡°Easy, it¡¯s because you¡¯re not Bartolo, and I doubt you¡¯d care if I spent an entire decade in that dungeon, much less a few extra hours. And besides,¡± He paused. Then placing the bowl of energy crystals down on the table, he added teasingly, ¡°Who else in this town would be able to bring you all of these?¡±


    Alyse stopped digging into her food momentarily, glancing up at him with an exasperated look as if to say she was insulted by the insinuation. However, she sighed, and chuckled with a conceding smile, ¡°It seems I taught you well¡­ you little weasel. But just because your master¡¯s been gone for two months doesn¡¯t mean you ought to push yourself to your limits every single day. I can see it under your eyes, you know. And¡­ you stink.¡±


    Bly flushed, rolling his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡ª¡±


    ¡°I respect your commitment to that kind of training.¡± She interjected, ¡°As a fellow classless, I¡¯d be foolish not to encourage your endeavors. But it is that bad. Even you have to admit just how hard you¡¯ve been at it since the summer began. I mean, how much experience have you gained since then? It¡¯s already Deepsummer.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Blychert mumbled with a shrug.


    It wasn¡¯t an entirely false response; he didn¡¯t know the exact number. Although, he had a good idea that it was probably around the three-thousand mark. And for a solo delver at his presumed level, that was definitely teetering on the edge of exhaustive. But he needed the experience, both literally and for training purposes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± She questioned off-handedly, ¡°Have somewhere else to be in a hurry?¡±


    Maybe. Blychert thought to himself, but quickly pushed the thought down deep. If there was anything he¡¯d come to learn about Miss Crane, it was that she was a merciless empath, and that letting any surface thoughts slip out around her was the surest way to have them weaponized against him.


    ¡°You need more recovery days, Bly.¡± She added simply, mouth half-full, ¡°I won¡¯t insist you follow your master¡¯s rules, but I will act on my own instinct, especially if I think you¡¯re exhausting yourself to the point of self-harm. Honestly, the last thing I need is Bartolo breathing down my neck again.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard from him?¡± Bly felt impelled to ask, not exactly meaning to change the subject, but not unwelcome of the opportunity to do so either.


    All he really knew was that his master was on the other side of the world, or at least he might as well have been.


    The Seven Isles were supposedly a haven from the Guild, and Bartolo had connections to the Circle of Magi there. Beyond that, Bly couldn¡¯t say. His master had always talked about bringing him there one day, but never seemed able to tell him why they hadn¡¯t just gone there in the first place. Frankly, Bly would have preferred Bartolo to have stayed here and helped him with his magic training.


    Alyse was an exceptional spellcaster, no debating that, but her spellcasting philosophy was totally different to an out-and-out sorcerer like Bartolo. She preferred material components, discrete mana layering, and slow-burn rituals, hardly Blychert¡¯s style. The Alyse he¡¯d witnessed firsthand a year ago had yet to make even one appearance in his training. Besides, all of her classless abilities seemed to fall into the more niche areas of spellcraft, like divination and illusion. Plus, her elemental preference couldn¡¯t be any further from his, fire as opposed to ice.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    All of which was to say, Blychert missed his master¡¯s lessons, but then it wasn¡¯t really his place to tell someone like Bartolo what to do.


    Maybe he just missed their real home, or perhaps it was the feeling of having a real home that he missed, not some hideout on the edge of the world. Kelvalder was a cozy enough place, but it was harsh too, and it wasn¡¯t like they fit in here at all. They played the part, went about their own business, but it was just a mirage. After the year he¡¯d had, maybe Blychert just hated how disingenuous everything was around his new identity.


    And that seemed to make all the difference.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Alyse eventually replied, a small and thoughtful tone of voice, ¡°But you know how he gets with the details. It¡¯s not like he can travel or send word through Guild-affiliated nations, at least not easily, and the Seven Isles aren¡¯t exactly a hop and a skip away.¡±


    ¡°But no word?¡± Blychert insisted.


    Alyse frowned consolingly, ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back soon, Bly, try not to worry. That old coot can take care of himself just fine, you know.¡±


    Blychert simply nodded. He wasn¡¯t convinced by the response, and he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced she was either, but he wasn¡¯t going to press her on the subject.


    ¡°Bly?¡± Alyse said in a somber tone of voice.


    Blychert perked up and looked at her expectantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go to the dungeon tomorrow.¡± She spoke. It wasn¡¯t a command, per se. It was more of a wishful thought, if anything. Her tone wasn¡¯t reprimanding or whimsical, it was simply matter of fact.


    Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t like her asking him to do something like that, despite her earlier concerns, but the sincerity in her voice made it clear that maybe he ought to follow her advice, at least for now. So, Bly nodded wordlessly in agreement.


    She smiled, ¡°Thank you. Now, you go get some sleep. I still have work to do. No rest for the wicked, and all that nonsense.¡±


    Bly chuckled, but left her to her work and to her meal, quietly making his way towards his own bedroom. It was an exhausting day, and maybe an extended rest really was the best thing for him at the moment. He¡¯d already given her his word, anyway, so there wasn¡¯t much point in thinking about it.


    In any case, he was barely out of his clothes before Bly found himself lying flat on his face across the bed.


    There wasn¡¯t enough energy in his body to draw up a bath, and so he sleepily told himself that he would bathe first thing in the morning. Perhaps if he had enough strength, he¡¯d see to helping some of the folks around town tomorrow too. They were expecting at least one more good summer storm in the coming days, and there were probably people who could use the assistance in getting ready for it.


    For Deepsummer, the temperature outside sure didn¡¯t show it, at least Blychert thought. It was as cold as the winter in summer! He remembered Bartolo telling him that it was because of how far north they were, but Bly certainly preferred the local legend, which told of elemental spirits keeping the lands cold throughout the year. The Calvergians sure did love their legends, far-fetched or not, but they had definitely rubbed off on him in a good way.


    A small smile creased Bly¡¯s lip.


    Maybe it was just his nature, or maybe he hadn¡¯t let Alyse¡¯s dutiful pessimism get to him completely just yet, but he rather liked the people of Kelvalder. He wouldn¡¯t get too close to them, not on his life, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t at least try to be one of them while he was still here; didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t try to be someone¡ªsomeone dependable, anyway, in moments of uncertainty.


    In essence, that sort of captured the spirit of an adventurer. Right?


    There was no telling when or where Bly¡¯s next encounter with the Guild would occur, but he took some comfort knowing that as long as he was Trelen, he was mostly safe. Or at least, he was safe in Kelvalder. People liked him here, and he¡¯d grown to like them too.


    With that thought, Bly¡¯s eyes grew heavy, until sleep came to him all at once.


    ***


    Bly woke up well past sunrise.


    His body ached, no doubt from delving the Gleaming Caves all of yesterday, but he was used to it by now to the point where he was at least able to get out of bed and move around normally without too much grunting and groaning.


    Slowly pulling a simple tunic over his head, Bly then slipped into a pair of dark trousers and exited his bedroom with no great haste.


    It was completely silent throughout the house, all except for his bare feet creaking against the cold floorboards, as he continued into the dining area.


    The sky was overcast outside, and a pale-colored light flooded in through the windows to give the entire kitchen a dull but otherwise calming atmosphere. The smells of cardamom from the night prior were replaced entirely by the pungent scents of lavender and sageroot, which emanated from their enchanted pots along the nearby windowsills, and only the faintest hints of an ember or two remained in the fireplace now.


    Bly was hungry, but he didn¡¯t feel like going through the hassle of making himself breakfast. However, that¡¯s when he noticed something peculiar on the dining table. It was a piece of parchment atop which a small stack of silver coins sat to weigh it down. But more curiously than that, it hadn¡¯t been there the night prior, he was sure of that.


    Snatching up the coins, Bly reached for the unfurled piece of parchment, furrowing his brow somewhat as he read the note scribbled upon it.


    <hr>


    Heading out for the day. Please pick up some sealing wax from the general store if you have a moment to spare. Thanks! Oh, and if you¡¯ve woken up early enough to read this, you should know that I¡¯ve heated you a bath. Tick tock.


    - A


    <hr>


    ¡°Where in the hell is she going¡­¡± Bly grumbled, but shook his head, nonetheless, knowing better than to ask himself such a pointless question.


    Alyse was too mysterious for his liking sometimes.


    She kept mysterious time, ran mysterious errands, and possessed a rather mysterious style of magic, not really sorcery or wizardry, but not altogether theurgy either. Blychert seldom questioned her motives, not when she had helped him so much in the last year in learning how to function without a class, but he did sometimes wonder just what her ultimate goals were in all this. She came and went as she pleased, but otherwise hadn¡¯t shirked her promise to teach him the ways of the classless. More than that, she¡¯d even taken up his teaching of advanced magic in Bartolo¡¯s absence.


    There were few reasons to doubt her character, but to this day Bly still couldn¡¯t get a solid read on who she was or what she was really up to. Despite her claims of favors, she didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person to waste her own time. What good could come of a spellcaster of her level hiding out in Kelvalder? In any case, whatever she was doing certainly involved a great deal of magic, and a great deal of energy crystals at that.


    For better or worse, perhaps that was as far as Bly needed to know.


    It was then that his stomach grumbled again, and he knew immediately that if he didn¡¯t catch mister Ralf before he closed up prior to the lunchtime hours, he wouldn¡¯t get a bite to eat until well after noon. And so, he hurried himself through a lukewarm bath.


    Before long, Bly was stepping into his boots, yanking his blue cloak from the hook, stuffing the coins into his pocket, and heading out for the White Horn all at once.


    A curious thought occurred to him as he departed: He may have been barred from the dungeon today, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t find an excuse to practice magic. After all, even the smallest practice generated some experience points, and hell if he didn¡¯t need them!


    And so, Blychert¡¯s rest day began with an enlivened sense of optimism.

 [A1] Chapter 4: Not Your Average Rest Day

    Chapter 4: Not Your Average Rest Day


    <hr>


    Mid-morning was noisy and full of familiar faces as Bly stepped off the last step and turned onto the road heading west through town. Unlike the night prior, dozens upon dozens of folks walked the streets in pursuit of whatever their days had in store for them.


    Wooden homes were tightly clustered together on either side of the streets and alleys, most likely to fight against the winds, and only the most well-off in Kelvader had any semblance of a yard or gated entrance. The town boasted over four-thousand residents, nearly a thousand more than Darskaart, but was nowhere near as spread out. The central square wasn¡¯t much of a gathering place, the mustering hall held enough arms and armaments for perhaps thirty-five guards and soldiers, and there was no Guildhall at all, the nearest being in Synestra over one-hundred-fifty miles away.


    But there were convenient things too.


    The hunters were never lacking for game in the great forest of Calvergia, which meant a variety of meats and furs were readily available, much to Bly¡¯s relief given his training regimen and proclivity for ruining his cloaks and boots. The woodsmen were exceptional too. There wasn¡¯t a snowstorm Bly had witnessed yet in which repairs hadn¡¯t been made in record time, and firewood was almost as good a currency as copper in Deepwinter. Everyone from the weavers to the roofers, to the bakers and the blacksmiths, they all amazed Blychert in how resourceful and efficient they were, and a lot of them weren''t even all that high-leveled. But more than that, he enjoyed their seemingly effortless camaraderie. It was the one thing he loved most about this place.


    After stuffing his face with food from the White Horn, and as quickly as he could manage before mister Ralf had the chance to pelt him with more embarrassing propositions, Blychert was back on the road and heading for the general store.


    ¡°Good morning, Missus Stein.¡± Bly said loudly over the sounds of the little bell ringing above him, as he closed the shop door behind him.


    The entire store smelled of old parchment, worn leather, and hempen materials. Three narrow aisles ran deep, and were divided by shelves that reached the ceiling, each filled to the brim with all manner of assorted things, from the simplest of supplies to some more unusual gear. Non-perishable foodstuffs in jars, lanterns and oil, pitons and snowshoes, bedrolls, blankets, pots and pans, well-worn books and well-worn saddles, quivers, shovels, tinderboxes, flasks, and rope¡­ there was so much stuff in here it was practically an eyesore trying to remember what you needed, let alone where to find any of it.


    ¡°That you, dear boy?¡± Missus Stein¡¯s raspy croaked from the back, ¡°Trelen?¡±


    Shuffling down the middlemost aisle, Bly smiled, replying, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s only me.¡±


    Coming to the front, Bly greeted the elderly woman behind the stubby counter with a slight bow of his head. Of course, he had to pay the store tax before doing anything else, and so he gave the black and white-spotted tabby lounging in her bed on the counter a few good scratches under the chin.


    Lowering her spectacles, missus Stein squinted, ¡°You¡¯re here awfully early in the day. Aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re supposed to be my last customer.¡±


    ¡°House arrest.¡± Bly shrugged, letting Tilly lick his finger gleefully, who no doubt smelled the latent bacon grease, as he added, ¡°I did receive a peculiar quest though.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± missus Stein smirked amusedly.


    Bly fished the silvers out of his pocket, and stacked them atop the counter, ¡°Sealing wax for Miss Crane.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Missus Stein shook her head, as she pushed her spectacles back up the bridge of her boney nose, ¡°That woman goes through more wax in a fortnight than the whole township does in two. Whatever on earth does she use it for?¡±


    Bly frowned.


    He had absolutely no idea, truth be told. His best guess was material components for her scrying table, but even that seemed like a shot in the dark given how much of it she went through.


    ¡°Uh¡­ letters?¡± Bly said puzzlingly, but nodded thereafter to double down on his effort, ¡°Lots of letters. Extended family, personal friends, I¡­ oh! She also works for a large trading caravan, you know. Out of, uh¡ªRaustagar. But she likes the cold, so¡­ it¡¯s better for her up here. Think it¡¯s a condition she has, actually.¡±


    It was word vomit, as if he couldn¡¯t stop himself from spouting off utter nonsense, or at least the first thing that came to mind, though they were likely the same thing.


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Missus Stein echoed, unconvinced by the sound of it, but said with a sigh, ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t my business, and I don¡¯t want to know either. Oh! That reminds me, I have something for you.¡±


    Missus Stein ducked down beneath the counter and began to rummage around through her things. Soon enough though, she reappeared with a slender wooden box and placed it on the countertop.


    ¡°Go on.¡± She gestured with a wry smile, ¡°Open it.¡±


    Bly squinted at her curiously, but gave a little smile of his own, before doing as he was encouraged to do.


    Removing the lid, inside the box sat a perfectly rolled up piece of parchment, a silky-white color, tied off around the middle by a blue-colored, almost glistening kind of twine.


    ¡°Is this¡­¡± Bly started, but his answer fell away, and his eyes went wide.


    It was!


    A spell scroll¡ªno, not just a spell scroll, this was a Circle-scribed spell scroll. Bly had seen this exact kind of parchment and composition in Bartolo¡¯s effects. More than this, the blue coloration of the binding meant that there was an advanced spell contained within.


    ¡°Nicked it off a fellow in dire need of some arborvine and road supplies.¡± Missus Stein nodded, seemingly more than a little proud of herself, ¡°Seemed all too happy to part with it.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Arborvine?¡± Bly asked curiously, ¡°Was he burned that badly then?¡±


    ¡°Like a Calvergian abroad.¡± She snickered, ¡°Half his face was scorched, and most of his left arm. He must have been in some trouble too, because he was off in a hurry, didn¡¯t even ask after Ralf for an overnight room. Anyway, he traded me for some other things, but I doubt you¡¯d find much use for them. This though, I had you in mind the moment I laid eyes on it. Rare occurrence for me to come into a bit of magic, lucky for you.¡±


    Luky indeed. Bly thought with a giddy smile, but immediately his expression turned, ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t possibly afford this. Spell scrolls aren¡¯t cheap, let alone blue ones.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, it''s a good thing that it''s a gift.¡± She waived her hand, ¡°An early Summer¡¯s Parting gift. For all your hard work.¡±


    ¡°Hard work?¡± Bly asked confusedly.


    Missus Stein chuckled, ¡°People talk, and my eyes still work, you know. I see you going out of your way to help where you can. Before the storms, and after too, and the guard can only spread themselves out so far on the road, but you always seem to spend a lot of time outside of town. Don¡¯t you? It¡¯s been mysteriously peaceful around the outskirts of Kelvalder ever since you started going up to the mountains by your lonesome.¡±


    Bly felt his face flush.


    The occasional monster wandered too close to town from time to time, and sometimes he just happened to be in the right place at the right time mostly, that was all. Monsters that spawned on the edges of the forest were typically E ranked anyway, so it wasn¡¯t that serious. Honestly, he didn¡¯t even think about it, he just did it.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Bly stammered, but shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡­ I hope I¡¯m not offending anyone out of the barracks?¡±


    He was momentarily worried that he might have been moving in on other people¡¯s experience. The last thing he needed was for the guards in Kelvalder to turn against him. But nobody had said anything to him until now, so maybe they were afraid to confront him? He hoped not.


    ¡°Offend? Offend!¡± Missus Stein suddenly broke out into laughter, but sobered shortly to say, ¡°Dear boy, there are more than a fair-few number of folks around here feeling a lot better with you around. The guard included. We¡¯ve hardly had a single incident in how many months? It¡¯s quiet here, and we all know who¡¯s responsible. So, you take your gift, and I won¡¯t here another word of it.¡±


    Bly opened his mouth to insist otherwise but nodded wordlessly instead. Missus Stein wasn¡¯t one to be argued with, and turning down a piece of advanced magic wasn¡¯t exactly the wisest decision. Even still, he¡¯d make it up to her somehow.


    Departing the general store with more than he¡¯d imagined, Bly felt a small bit of pride blooming in the back of his mind. But it quickly turned into a confusing sense of self-doubt.


    Had he really had that much of an effect in Kelvalder? If so, was it drawing too much attention to himself? If that was the case, Alyse likely would have intervened by now. Was that why she told him not to go to the dungeon today? It seemed unlikely that one day off would have any long-lasting influence in that respect, unless what he was doing wasn¡¯t a problem at all?


    Well, it wasn¡¯t a problem for Trelen anyway, though perhaps that was for the best.


    For the remainder of the afternoon, Bly shelved his worries and instead did his part to help attend to the town. The hunters had all returned early, and with them grave news of the storm that was all but guaranteed to blow in tonight, the weather witch from Hustad had confirmed as much in their passings through.


    Working against the clock, Bly used his magic to help move loose items into more secure positions, and to hold up wooden boards for Durand as he applied his carpentry to reinforce windows and walls. He then helped Mister Malwin and his three sons move barrels of salt through the town, which they generously distributed along the roads for the purposes of dispatching ice should it build up during the night.


    Veryl and Kara returned from the forest with extra sleds full of firewood soon enough, and Bly was quickly able to start fires in the homes that still needed their hearths lit with only a small portion of magic. The White Horn and a few of the other social places were outfitted with extra bedrolls and blankets, thanks to missus Stein, and Ralf and his wife had seen to the starting of several large pots of stew which could simmer deep into the night, as well as mulled cider, for anyone who wished to stay in the comforts of the inn instead. Old farmer Cordell accepted the invitation, though he was all too happy to bring his thirteen chickens along, and Bly was certain there would be a roast on the menu for dinner before long.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    > Maximum daily [generic experience] acquired.


    [Experience gained: +10 xp]


    [Experience total: 6,512 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 13,590 xp]


    <hr>


    Blychert had taken only a small break to enjoy an early supper, and to confirm his generic experience gains for the day too. But by then clouds had already started to roll in overhead, and the first passage of snow had begun too. It wasn¡¯t long after that a haze of snowflakes and a flurry of wind settled over Kelvalder. The light of day went soon thereafter, and the storm grew in strength, battering the tightly clustered buildings, ripping off shingles here and there while the wind whistled through the air. Lanterns dangled wildly, though their light was little more than vague dots in the wall of snow that otherwise pelted town.


    Bly pulled up his face mask as he exited the White Horn and trudged back into the street, heading for the western entrance. As he approached, he saw the forms of guardsmen Colt and Aletta standing under the stone awning of the squat watchtower, sheltering as they tried to start a fire in the brazier.


    ¡°Let me.¡± Bly said above the sound of the wind, still somewhat conflicted about what missus Stein had told him earlier as he nodded at the two guards, though Colt stepped aside eagerly. Holding out his right hand, Bly murmured, ¡°Flickering ember, ignite my will. Fire bolt.¡±


    With a mental gesture, Bly pinched his mana flow so that only a small amount could fill his spell. The fire bloomed in his palm for a split second before the muted projectile leapt into the doldrums of the brazier. Not a moment later, the device was filled with warmth.


    ¡°Much obliged, Trelen.¡± Colt approved, his accent much thicker than most, ¡°Forgot to light it with all the running around this afternoon. By the time we made it out for our post, we¡¯d feared the worst for our fingers!¡±


    ¡°Least I could do.¡± Bly nodded. He had half a mind to cast ¡®Protection from Elements¡¯ on both of them, but was dissuaded with some reluctance. Each of them possessed the Guardsman class, which offered moderate boosts to their overall constitution. And besides, they were used to this kind of weather as native Calvergians. Furthermore, it was possible that he might have needed for his magic yet tonight, and that wasn''t exactly a cursory spell.


    ¡°Not been a storm like this in some weeks.¡± Aletta murmured grimly, her gaze shifting out across the land beyond the outskirts of town, ¡°We¡¯ll keep the vigil tonight, Trelen. You just leave any wandering beasties to us. No place for a Lorelic lad anyhow, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Bly grinned, about to protest her joke, but it was at that moment that something peculiar caught his attention far down the road away from town. It was a jolt of violet light lifting through the air, small but bright enough to clash against the darkness of night and the snowfall.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Colt furrowed his brow, seemingly spotting the flash as well, ¡°Ice demons?¡±


    There was another flash, then another, small and chaotic blips of light. Then a different light splashed against the darkness altogether, this one hot and fiery red. It couldn¡¯t have been ice demons. In fact, it was almost as if¡­


    Magic. Bly thought as the color flushed from his face.


    Was someone caught out in the storm? No one else in Kelvalder possessed anything beyond basic magic that he knew of, so they could have been from out of town. Whoever they were, the casting seemed too chaotic¡ªtoo frantic even to invoke a sense of composure.


    Were they in danger?


    Bly was too far away to make use of any kind of aura detection himself, which made determining the situation even more difficult. But then, he¡¯d already made up his mind on what to do next.


    ¡°Wait, Trelen¡ª!¡±


    Without giving a single thought more to it, Bly scrambled down from the watchtower and was darting westward through the wall of snow in a matter of seconds.

 [A1] Interlude 1 - Xander: A Leaders Burden

    Interlude 1 - Xander: A Leader''s Burden


    <hr>


    The sun hadn¡¯t quite set, but the eaves of the forest drooped low, casting long shadows over the hard, cold road ahead.


    Xander had already determined that they weren¡¯t likely to reach Kelvalder before the light of day had gone, but he¡¯d at least been hoping for favorable traveling conditions until then. Unfortunately, the rising winds and increasing rate of snowfall seemed to suggest otherwise, and it was starting to gnaw at his initial decision to keep the party moving, instead of resting for the night.


    ¡°Lisel?¡± He called out ahead of him, beckoning towards the lithe, hooded figure pacing ten yards ahead of the rest of the party. She turned to glance over her shoulder, squinting somewhat as the vapors of rapidly cooling breath escaped her face cover. Once he had her attention, Xander asked, ¡°Hate to ask you again, but how far do you reckon to town?¡±


    Lisel offered a look of remorse for a moment, before turning back the other way. In the same motion, she squatted down and slowly began to glide her hand across part of the snow-dusted path. Peering up, she seemed to peer down the road ahead of them, as if she could see something the rest of them never would, or perhaps she was scrutinizing every inch of every detail of their surroundings in those brief seconds of silence. It was hard to tell exactly, though Xander was content to watch with as much patience as he could afford himself.


    He¡¯d at least seen her do this dozens of times by now, so much to the point where he had rarely been given any reason to doubt her tracking abilities. She was a ranger after all, and even though she was two levels below their party average, seven as opposed to nine, they were only all too lucky to have someone like her out in the wilderness, especially at a time like this. But a small part of him couldn¡¯t help but feel like somehow, they were still way out of their depth on this one. They weren¡¯t inexperienced, not by a long shot, but then this was still their very first quest away from home.


    Was he in over his head? Had he doomed his friends on account of his own foolish hopes and ambitions? Or was he just overthinking things again?


    The answer seemed to be as clear to him as his own visibility, though even half-blinded by snow Xander was still confident that he could at least swing a sword if push came to shove. But getting his party to their destination in one piece? He might as well have simply prayed to the Divine for an answer at that point. After all, no answer had to be as good as any other.


    ¡°¡ªHere.¡± The loud, colorful, slightly sarcastic sound of Bredic¡¯s voice broke through Xander¡¯s innermost thoughts all of a sudden, and Xander nearly fumbled the waterskin that had just been shoved into his chest, ¡°Drink up while it¡¯s hot, you look pale. Can¡¯t have my party leader dropping dead before we even get to the damned place.¡±


    Xander flashed an irked expression at his fair-headed friend, who unlike the rest of them didn¡¯t opt to wear his face covering while they were traveling. Though even Bredic still traveled with his hood up in such low temperatures. He was certifiably deranged, but he wasn¡¯t stupid.


    For his part, Bredic offered something of an expecting grin in return, though it was hard to tell for sure those days on the road. Where once were stubbled chin hairs only a few short weeks ago, at least before they set off on their journey east, now formed the makings of a scraggly, but admittedly not as awful looking beard as Xander thought it would be by now. Though it certainly didn¡¯t help Bredic¡¯s guild reputation as being a bit of a slimeball; a reputation that, frankly, was never going to change.


    ¡°¡­Not thirsty.¡± Xander shook his head belatedly. It wasn''t exactly the truth, but he was really trying to stay focused here, though he still nodded in appreciation nonetheless, ¡°Thanks, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Vineta¡¯s devious tone of voice resounded over Xander¡¯s left shoulder, and before either of he or Bredic knew it, the enchanted waterskin had been lifted out of Xander¡¯s hands. It hovered through the air for several feet before falling straight into Vineta¡¯s sly embrace.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t you even¡ª¡± Bredic started, but it quickly fell to unintelligible noises thereafter. And at that point, it was too late to argue, and so he sighed, ¡°Are you for real? You already drank the entirety of the last one I made! That was supposed to be for the rest of us, you damned hag.¡±


    Removing her face cover, Vineta quickly wiped away the errant, dark-colored bangs from her pink-flushed face and drank generously from the enchanted waterskin. Steam slipped out of the spout as she drank, and Xander was momentarily annoyed with himself that he hadn¡¯t taken his sip while he had the chance. Vineta exhaled delightedly and corked the container tight, before walking up and handing it back to Bredic with a self-satisfactory nod.


    ¡°Sharing is caring, Bredic.¡± She insisted, but offered a concerned look momentarily, as duplicitous as it was, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want me to freeze to death, would you?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? And why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Bredic shrugged with an amused grin, flourishing one of his fingerless gloves across the tome strapped to his hip, before snapping his fingers once. The small pop resounded, and a short burst of flames suddenly leapt from his fingertips into the air, as he added, ¡°At least the look of abject horror on your face as you slowly realize that I, loving Bredic, would have to come save your ass would be well worth the effort of having to melt you.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Eyes on the prize, flames-for-brains.¡± She rolled her eyes, taking several steps past them towards Lisel, ¡°Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll get the chance if we ever make it to town. Lisel¡­ are you still with us girl?¡±


    Slowly, Lisel stood to her feet, turned, and held up three fingers, ¡°Three miles or so, that¡¯s as good as I can tell. The terrain¡¯s not too rough, a bit hilly, and a little icy, but not too bad. What do you think?¡±


    Xander nodded in affirmation.


    It wasn¡¯t too far, relatively speaking. Given their current pace, another hour or so wasn¡¯t out of the question. It would be fairly dark by then, and there were few places a person really ought to be caught out than in the middle of the Great Forest in the dead of night. Then again, there was no guarantee that they¡¯d find shelter or be able to withstand the elements with the current makeup of their camp supplies before then.


    Neither option was particularly easy to choose from, but then a choice had to be made just the same, and it was his responsibility to ensure that happened.


    ¡°My weather-sensing isn¡¯t strong enough to predict the severity of a large-scale storm like this, at least not completely¡­¡± Vineta replied more seriously, holding her hand up as a small flash of dark-green magic swirled through her fingers, ¡°But I¡¯d wager it¡¯ll be right on top of us before long. This doesn¡¯t feel like the worst of it. Curses¡­ you know, this wouldn¡¯t be such a problem if I hadn¡¯t been focusing on barrier magic the last few levels.¡±


    ¡°They were levels well spent, don¡¯t beat yourself up over it.¡± Xander offered a consoling remark, but Vineta''s gaze narrowed somberly, and she turned her face away for a moment. Xander wanted to say more, say something to encourage her, but now wasn''t exactly the right time. It just went to show that even after the surprisingly good year they''d all had together, Norm''s death still haunted each and every one of them. It wasn''t right for Vineta to blame herself. It was his responsibility¡ªhis call that had gotten Norm killed. Nobody else should have to bear that burden but him. Frowning somewhat, Xander added, ¡°Still, we are at a bit of a disadvantage now though.¡±


    ¡°Just my luck¡­¡± Bredic groaned somewhat, pulling down on a low-hanging tree branch as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to alarm anyone, but my mana pool isn¡¯t exactly in tip-top shape here. Been pumping out spells all day.¡±


    Xander¡¯s eyes drifted to the tree line momentarily, briefly distracted by something moving in the brush. The small mass of white fur darted here and there, and in a matter of seconds it was gone.


    Just a rabbit. He thought, but he still squinted in search of something else.


    The elements were a problem, but nothing was as dangerous right now as the potential for monsters creeping up on them using the cover of the storm. At least they¡¯d be able to see ice demons coming at them, but forest goblins? Dire wolves? Heaven forbid it, a frost troll or a crag wyvern. There were too many kinds of creatures capable of hunting in a snowstorm that made a home in the Great Forest. And while Lisel¡¯s beast-sense should in theory keep them alert to any oncoming danger, it wasn¡¯t a guarantee by any means, especially if the average rating of any creatures just so happened to be a little higher than their party¡¯s average.


    In other words, every second was an opening for something to go wrong, somewhere, and that made Xander¡¯s skin crawl more than anything.


    ¡°Between all the warming charms, I¡¯m pretty much at my short-term limits here.¡± Bredic continued, ¡°If were not breaking for camp, I have to at least hold off on the support spells. Right? I mean, just in case we run into anything after nightfall?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡± Vineta turned back, nodding in agreement, ¡°I¡¯ll need to keep some mana at-hand as well, if we¡¯re going to setup camp anytime soon that is. I won¡¯t be able to ward the perimeter otherwise. Xander? You okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­Right. Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± Xander directed his attention back towards the road, to where his party was standing, and looked at each of them individually for a few seconds. He knew what he had to do, for their sake, and so he exhaled a slow breath before saying, ¡°I think we should press on. If we keep a decent pace, we could make it to town fairly quickly. Vineta should focus on support spells, and Bredic, you hold what you have in case there¡¯s danger. I don¡¯t trust the road, or either side of it, not at a time like this. How much longer are your charms up?¡±


    ¡°Another candle-mark or so?¡± Bredic shrugged, somewhat indifferently, ¡°Probably around there, anyway.¡±


    Twenty minutes of magical warmth. Xander thought to himself. It was risky, but the odds of monsters spawning after nightfall were too high to have Bredic wasting all his magic on support as well, just as he said. He was their primary damage dealer when it came to magic-based attacks. And considering that the spawn rates of ice demons were increasingly higher in a snowstorm, Xander figured that their pyromancer might just as well be their ace, if it really came down to the details like that.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll make do.¡± Xander replied with a small shrug, ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the plan for now. Lisel, keep the pace high. Alright? Don¡¯t give us any slack, not even a little bit. Everyone keep their eyes and ears open. Alright? Are we ready?¡± There was a slow round of nods and shrugs from the group, and so Xander offered a smile, ¡°If that¡¯s as much energy as you can muster, then we¡¯re definitely doomed.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Xander? That means the first round¡¯s still on you when we get to town. Right?¡± Bredic teased, ¡°We did make it here inside a fortnight.¡±


    ¡°Did we?¡± Xander furrowed his brow, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I still like your odds of getting swiped by the Pale Lady before we even leave the forest.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t¡ª¡± Bredic stammered, but groaned woefully, hanging his head, ¡°Not cool, man, not funny at all. You know I¡¯m superstitious about that stuff! Gah¡ªwhy do you have to say things like that¡­ it¡¯s going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the night!¡±


    The party collected itself with a few laughs, and before long they were on the move once again.


    As the snow and wind raged on through the forest canopy, Xander''s smile faded. He took up his position in the marching order, allowing his hand to occasionally drift down to where the longsword swung on his hip. His other hand etched the pendant around his neck, before tucking it back inside his tunic.


    He could only hope that he had made the right decision, that instead of spending what remainder of daylight they had left searching for shelter, they proceeded onward towards Kelvalder instead. A part of him knew that his companions were tough enough to endure for a while, but he still felt the weight of uncertainty on his shoulders.


    Would they make it? Or would he regret everything by the time the sun came up tomorrow? He supposed that was the quandary of every party leader.


    Whatever the answer, he had made the call. All he could do now was try to be patient, hope for the best, and if not, then do everything within his power to make sure that his friends made it out with a fighting chance. It was never a guarantee, not in this world, but then he''d give everything of himself to make sure of it.


    For the sake of the promise he''d made that day, he had to.

 [A1] Chapter 5: Blood and Snow

    Chapter 5: Blood and Snow


    <hr>


    Blychert¡¯s boots trudged through the snow with hurried determination, one after the other, as he propelled himself down the road heading west. It was difficult to see through the storm, much less through the evening darkness, but he also doubted that an illumination spell would help his visibility much in that regard, given the sheer volume of snow being swept up through the area.


    With that thought, his mind settled on another idea.


    ¡°Oculus in twilight, etch gray onto darkness. Lift the veil of concealment, and abandon world¡¯s shadow.¡± Bly murmured, extending his arm as the raw mana surged, and no sooner had the spell taken its fill of magical energy, did he swipe his hand through the air, adding the trigger word of, ¡°Seeing.¡±


    The spell took immediate hold, and his eyes glossed over almost at once. Suddenly, the darkness of night became little more than shades of gray in his vision, allowing him to cast his gaze much more clearly, and much farther ahead too.


    Within a few seconds, Bly could make out the details of his surroundings, which was when he spotted the figures on the road a little ways ahead of him, four of them in total, spread out amongst themselves but only by a few paces each. More curious than that, however, was that they weren¡¯t moving towards town like he imagined someone caught out in the storm would have been trying to. Instead, they seemed to be holding their ground entirely.


    ¡°Closing in on the flank!¡± Somone among them shouted sternly, a masculine voice by tone alone, as Bly approached them from behind. It was a commanding tone of voice too, though edged by a certain weariness, bordering on desperation, ¡°Vineta, we need that ward up again. And¡ªBredic, can you get into position already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m on it!¡± Another masculine voice whooped in reply, much more enthusiastic by the sound of it, and immediately one of the figures peeled off the group to position themselves towards the back, nearest to where Bly was approaching on the road, ¡°Lisel? Give me something to shoot at, would you? You¡¯d think dire wolves would be easier to spot. Oh, and¡ªwait, hold on, who the hell¡¯s this kid?¡±


    Everyone stopped what they were doing at that moment, and for a split-second, Bly possessed the overwhelming dread of someone who was not entirely where he was supposed to be.


    ¡°Sorry to startle you¡­¡± Bly said apologetically, breathing somewhat heavily from the effort it took to get this far, though he shook his head stubbornly, ¡°I¡¯m from Kelvalder. We saw you from the watchtower¡ªI came out here to help. Did you say dire wolves?¡±


    The one who¡¯d been referred to as Bredic creased his brow from within the confines of a ruddy brown hood, saying, ¡°Yeah¡­? Wait, did they send a kid out to help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªI¡¯m a sorcerer.¡± Bly insisted, but before he could get in another word, one of the other figures stepped forward, placing a hand on Bredic¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter right now.¡± He interjected, and Bly recognized his voice immediately as the one he¡¯d heard originally giving out orders.


    ¡°You serious, Xander?¡± Bredic argued, ¡°You¡¯re the one who said we shouldn''t get the townspeople involved, no matter what. No wolves near the wall, that¡¯s what you said.¡±


    Shockingly, the one called Xander chuckled in response, ¡°He¡¯s not near the wall. And he just said it, he''s a sorcerer.¡± Turning towards Bly, he asked, "You can fight ?"


    Bly nodded, ¡°I can handle myself.¡±


    Xander was tall, certainly taller than Blychert was, and donned a series of leather armor pieces, as well as heavy winter furs. A longsword shimmering with blue energy¡ªthe kind that reminded Bly of the sword arts Irvin¡¯s brothers used to show off¡ªswung slack in his right hand, as he studied Bly for a moment.


    The cloth mask that covered the bottom half of his face obscured most of his features, but thanks to his seeing spell, Bly could clearly see the dark hairs of his short, nearly trimmed hair beneath his hood, and a weathered scar across the bridge of his narrow nose, which wrinkled once as he replied, ¡°Then we''ll take all the help all we can get. If you cast spells, you¡¯re in the back. Vineta? Plus one on that ward¡­ for the kid. And can we get a light spell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can¡­¡± Vineta shook her head, her voice drained and fatigued, ¡°It may not hold for very long though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can manage the light spell. If you want?¡± Bly volunteered.


    Vineta glanced across at him curiously, and she nodded with a small smile, ¡°Alright, that one¡¯s yours then.¡±


    Thrusting his hand upward, Blychert murmured immediately, ¡°Star light¡¯s splendor, hear my call and burst forth. Light.¡±


    In an instant, the pale orb lifted into the air some twenty feet above them, illuminating the snow and their surroundings in a brilliant stream of light.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming around.¡± The last figure in the group said, a feminine sounding voice. Bly glanced at the bow in her hand as she turned towards the group, saying, ¡°If we¡¯re going to take care of this, let¡¯s do it already.¡±


    ¡°Lisel¡¯s right.¡± Xander nodded, whipping around as he assumed the foremost position at the head of the group, ¡°Everyone get ready. Turtle formation. Sorcerer, that means you stay on my tail. If you see either of them move.¡± He gestured towards Bredic and Lisel, ¡°It¡¯s right or left, in a circular pattern. You move when they do. Alright, here they come!¡±


    Blychert¡¯s heart raced, and his vision wandered past the group momentarily, hastily tracing through the snow¡ªa path farther ahead to where he could just make out multiple large, quadrupedal creatures darting towards them, several making wide berths on either side of the road, while a few came head-on. Their white-gray fur didn¡¯t stand out in contrast too much, but there was no mistaking what they were from this range.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Everybody hold still¡­ warding now!¡± Vineta exclaimed.


    Pulling her hood down, she revealed long, dark braided hair, before rolling her sleeves partway up to her elbows. She then raised her arms out in front of her body, and her fingers began to gesticulate and interlock in almost unnatural ways¡ªbut so much so that magical energy began to weave between them. Soon, the energy emanating from her hands drifted to everyone around her, including Bly, until it formed a sturdy, protective barrier around the entire group.


    Without missing a beat, Lisel brandished her bow, notched an arrow, and released.


    However, the moment it left her bowstring, it exploded into a slender, purple-colored projectile, which streaked through the air and struck true against one of wolves farther out, which slumped into the snow in an instant. A split-second after the creature had fallen, the purple energy churned and leapt from the animal¡¯s corpse, bouncing across the field as it illuminated eight other wolves in a thin veil of violet light.


    Woah¡­ Bly thought. He¡¯d never seen a skill like that before. The arrow was clearly imbibed with void magic, its distinct violet aura told him that much, but she hadn¡¯t cast a spell. Had she?


    ¡°Marks are set!¡± Lisel replied, ¡°Bredic, your turn.¡±


    ¡°Still can¡¯t see shit¡­¡± Bredic groaned, but his hands moved to his side just the same, ¡°Okay, you asked for it!¡±


    Presenting a slender tome from a holster concealed beneath his cloak, Bredic threw back his own hood and began to skim the pages. As his fingers crossed the parchment, a red sigil began to form several feet above his head. The symbol gyrated in place and developed more intricate patterns within itself as the seconds passed, folding in on top of one another, and soon a flaming seed began to grow brightly in its core. Raising his hand thereafter, Bredic pointed his finger down the road, and the sigil immediately began to fire off in rapid succession, hurdling motes of fire down the path of presumably his choosing.


    From thereafter though, everything was a blur.


    Blychert watched as spells and arrowheads flung through the air, picking out targets and hitting them with relative ease. When the wolves drew too close, Bredic or Lisel, or both, used their abilities to create obstacles, pushing the wolves back or steering them on a path of more favorable odds. As they did this, Xander stepped forward and made his own opportune attacks, his blade flourishing with blue energy each time he struck one of the beasts.


    The wolves moved in a circular pattern around the group, but the group matched their movements blow for blow. And when the wolves lashed out, the group parried and snapped back with a counterattack of its own.


    All the while, Bredic and Lisel called out their movements to let the others know their positioning. This seemed to allow Xander more freedom of movement, but also meant that he was at the head of the attack more often than not, while the rest of them were supporting him from the rear. And when the formation broke down completely, Vineta¡¯s barrier spell rebuffed the beasts with just enough force to allow the group a moment for readjustment.


    Everything was almost entirely reactionary; complete defense from the entire group unless provoked.


    Like a turtle fighting for its life. Bly thought to himself, too awestruck by what he was seeing to be of any use himself, or so it seemed.


    This was what a real adventuring party looked like.


    It had to be.


    Suddenly, one of the wolves broke forward and lunged at Xander. But Blychert noticed that the barrier¡¯s magical energy was starting to stutter, no doubt as a result of the replenishment cycle for its recasting, or perhaps a lack of mana on Vineta¡¯s part.


    Without even thinking, Blychert lifted his arm to cast hastily, ¡°From frozen depths, I call on the element, ice, to pierce the air with frost¡¯s embrace. Icicle.¡±


    A crackling of blue magical energy sprawled out across his hand and forearm. The mana quickly began to channel through him towards the contact point. From the palm of his hand, a short, sharpened spear of ice took shape. And it wasn¡¯t a second later that the icicle had left his grasp, shooting across the gap.


    The impact was almost instantaneous, as the icicle punctured deep into the wolf¡¯s neck. It stumbled onto its hind leg, which seemed to give Xander just the momentum he needed to react.


    Xander lifted his blade through the air and performed a series of attacks in quick succession. One, two, three cuts, followed by two more swipes, another diagonal cross, and a heavy, overhanded slash. Each attack flourished with crackling energy as metal met thick hide. Stepping forward, he used his shield to parry the creature¡¯s massive maw as it tried to bite at him, before delivering a fatal blow to the side of its head, which sent the wolf tumbling to the snow in a spray of blood.


    ¡°Hey¡­ the kid¡¯s pretty quick on his toes.¡± Bredic said amusedly, even as his own fire spells continued to punch through the air, ¡°You better thank your ancestors, Xander. He just saved your skin.¡±


    ¡°Bredic! Focus!¡± Xander shouted, who brandished his weapon and shield as he repositioned himself within the group, ¡°Just a few more to go.¡±


    With his elemental spell still active, additional mana began to funnel through Bly¡¯s arm, feeding directly into a newly forming icicle. The icy projectile blasted from his right palm in a flash, but unlike the last, it shot over his target by a meter and exploded into the snowbank. Several more icicles escaped Blychert¡¯s grasp thereafter; right hand, right hand, left hand, right hand again¡­ ice combined with fire, fire with arrows, arrows with ice, and all of them with the guiding blade of Xander at the forefront.


    The snarling ceased, the heavy panting and running of beasts subsided, and before Bly knew it, there wasn¡¯t a single dire wolf left standing in that field.


    <hr>


    [SAGE --> Raven System Notification]


    --- [50%] overworld penalty applied; party detection triggered¡­ [0%] party bonus applied ---


    [Experience gained: +40 xp]


    [Experience total: 6,552 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 13,630 xp]


    <hr>


    ¡°Phew.¡± Bredic resounded through the post-battle silence, snapping his tome shut as he stowed it away, ¡°Been a little while since we went to the limits in a single day, huh gang? That was fun¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone alright?¡± Xander asked motheringly, his voice drowned out somewhat by the wind, ¡°Nobody¡¯s hurt, are they?¡±


    ¡°You kidding?¡± Bredic scoffed, ¡°Vineta¡¯s got the magic touch with that tethering barrier. Talk about having an ace theurgist on our side¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªWitch.¡± Vineta scolded, but muttered under breath, ¡°I won¡¯t be lopped in with those weirdos¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, Xander.¡± Lisel chimed in warmly, but turned unexpectedly towards Blychert, ¡°It¡¯d sure be nice to get out of this storm though. You¡­ said you were from town?¡±


    ¡°I second that notion.¡± Vineta groaned, and Bly wondered if she wasn¡¯t feeling well. Putting a hand up to her forehead, she confirmed it by saying, ¡°My mana is spent, capital S. Please tell me there¡¯s somewhere we can get a warm drink?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Blychert stammered for a moment.


    For some reason, he was completely at a loss for words with these people all of a sudden.


    Lisel frowned, ¡°Are¡­ you feeling okay?¡±


    ¡°Um¡ªyeah.¡± Bly shook his head clear, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Kelvalder¡¯s just up ahead, there¡¯s an inn and tavern there, I¡­ take it that was your destination. Originally? Kelvalder, I mean.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯d be right.¡± Xander affirmed, as he stepped up in front of Bly with an outstretched hand, ¡°I¡¯m Xander, by the way. That¡¯s Bredic, Vineta, and Lisel. How about you?¡±


    Blychert smiled awkwardly and accepted the gesture. ¡°Bly¡ªTrelen, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Trelen.¡±


    Too close! He clenched his fist irritably.


    ¡°Well, how about it, Trelen?¡± Xander smiled back, ¡°Looks like everyone is down for a drink, or least ready to get out of this cold, and¡­ I¡¯m thinking we owe you one for the help. As long as it¡¯s not an inconvenience to you?¡±


    ¡°Uhm, I mean¡­¡± Bly offered a confused glance, unable to figure out how any of them still had the energy left to be this enthusiastic. Nonetheless, he replied with an agreeable nod, ¡°Yeah, I know just the place. Follow me.¡±


    And just like that, Bly was leading an adventuring party of his own, if but only for a few hundred yards.

 [A1] Chapter 6: Bold Arrow

    Chapter 6: Bold Arrow


    <hr>


    The White Horn bustled with voices and softly played music as the evening toiled onward, and as the winter storm raged outside. Whistling noises rattled along the windows, and the old wooden boards groaned ever so slightly now and again. But then laughter and warmth coalesced within, all but drowning out the eerie, at least for a time. Hot stew and mulled cider were offered to anyone who wished it, and mister Ralf refused to take a single coin as compensation. The poor innkeeper was run ragged all night, though Blychert had long suspected mister Ralf didn¡¯t much mind when it came to matters of aiding the people of Kelvalder.


    For their part, the four newcomers to town had since warmed themselves up by the hearth, drying their damp clothes and cold bodies with the heat of the White Horn¡¯s flames as best they could manage. None of them were wounded, but Vineta¡¯s headache was attended to quickly by a remedy concocted by old farmer Cordell. Before long all of them were smiling and enjoying the comforts of the tavern together, Bly included.


    He couldn¡¯t help but notice that they were a motley bunch, certainly lively and a lot more interesting than the usual sorts that came through town. Frankly, Bly just couldn¡¯t believe that anyone with abilities like they had would ever bother coming out this way. But then, Bartolo had brought him here, hadn¡¯t he?


    As if spurred on by the idea, Bly thought to ask at the next break in conversation, ¡°Where are you all coming from, anyway? If¡­ you don¡¯t me asking.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªFrostwall, actually.¡± Xander said all at once, placing his mug of mulled cider down with one hand as he wiped his lips with the other. He stretched his arms out wide above his head with a yawn, before adding with a grin, ¡°The four of us are an adventuring party, if you couldn¡¯t tell. We¡¯re called Bold Arrow.¡±


    Bly offered a bemused look.


    They couldn¡¯t have been much older than he was, and they already had an established adventuring party? Furthermore, Frostwall was nearly two-hundred miles away! Had they really traveled that far? And on foot, no less?


    ¡°Xander likes to paint a pretty picture. But,¡± Bredic objected teasingly, rocking slightly on the hind legs of his chair as he continued, ¡°We barely qualify to be called an adventuring party. Hell, most of us only have a few marks on our guild emblems, and even Xander here¡¯s just a bronze¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t throw us under the cart, you moron.¡± Vineta interjected with an angry grumble, but frowned slightly, ¡°We¡¯re just as much a party as any other. You shouldn¡¯t say things like that either, you¡¯ll tempt the fates against us.¡±


    Bredic batted his eyes at her mockingly, ¡°Yeah? Try telling that to all the other parties who¡¯ve saved our collective asses in the Silver Vault over the last two years, some of them on multiple occasions!¡±


    ¡°You mean saved you, you brainless rodent.¡± She said smugly, but as she did she swiped her hand through the air, and a dull glow of magic flashed briefly. In a split second, a chunk of bread was hurdling across the table towards Bredic''s face. Though for his part, Bredic simply caught it in his mouth, and chewed deliciously with a wink in her direction.


    ¡°Brute¡­¡± She murmured, shaking her head all the while, much to the amusement of Xander.


    Bly chuckled.


    They reminded him so much of Irvin and Annie, and all the back-and-forth banter they used to get into together, it was almost like he was home again. It¡¯d been a long time since he¡¯d gotten to enjoy the company of people his age, or at least those who seemed to have any common interests that he did. For the first time in a long time, it felt nice to sit back and enjoy the moment with other people.


    ¡°I think what we¡¯re trying to say is, uhm¡­¡± Xander rubbed his forearm awkwardly, before smiling, ¡°We¡¯ve still got a lot to learn about being a real adventuring party. That¡¯s sort of the reason we came out all this way, actually.¡±


    Bly shook his head disbelievingly, ¡°You seem like a real party to me. I mean, your skills and coordination back there were incredible.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ so you liked our turtle formation, did you?¡± Xander smiled wryly, chuckling thereafter, ¡°We tend to rely on that gimmick a little more often than I would like. It¡¯s too constricting for delving dungeons, truth be told, but it works great in a pinch.¡±


    ¡°Did you come up with that?¡± Bly asked curiously.


    Though as soon as the words left his lips, he regretted it immediately, for the entire table seemed to go quiet all of a sudden. He glanced at everyone individually for a moment, wondering if he¡¯d said something wrong. But if anything, it just looked as if they all went into their own heads somewhere at the same time, lost in their cups with thousand-yard stares.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Bly stammered, turning towards Bredic as he tried to change the subject, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Silver Vault a pretty lucrative dungeon? I mean, I¡¯ve read about it, but I''ve never been. Seems like a waste not to train there.¡±


    But before Bredic could even answer, another voice spoke out.


    ¡°Sure, but then we wouldn¡¯t get to visit Kelvalder. Would we?¡± Lisel said over Bly¡¯s shoulders, and he turned slightly to see her coming back with another round of drinks and food. Setting down everything for the rest of them to enjoy, she looked at him and said with a smile, ¡°And we wouldn¡¯t get to meet an interesting person like you either.¡±


    Bly felt his cheeks flush with heat momentarily, as he cleared his throat, ¡°Well, uh¡ªI¡¯m sure there are lots of sorcerers in Frostwall. You must know some pretty powerful spellcasters, I bet. Like, uh¡­ Bredic.¡±


    Everyone at the table seemed to come out of their stupor, and stared at Blychert for a long pause, as if he had just said something completely unintelligible. Not a second later, all of them except for Bredic started laughing.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ it¡¯s not that funny, first of all.¡± Bredic grumbled, swiping up his own tankard to take a long sip, ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t kill the rest of you to throw a compliment my way once in a while either¡­ so thank you, kid.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Sorry, did I¡­ offend you?¡± Bly asked awkwardly, taking note of Bredic¡¯s frustrated demeanor.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t offend him.¡± Xander stifled his laughter enough to say, waiving his hand in protest, ¡°You might even be his best friend by the end of the night if you keep going. It¡¯s just¡­ Bredic is Bredic.¡±


    ¡°Our one-of-a-kind firecracker.¡± Lisel added with a grin, nudging Bredic¡¯s arm encouragingly as she did, much to his dismay.


    ¡°Sure, if you like your eyebrows singed.¡± Vineta added as well, a slight smile betraying her previous attitude, ¡°In other words, all the hallmarks of an out-and-out pyromancer.¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow and looked towards Bredic, but relaxed as he began to understand, ¡°Oh, I see, it¡¯s because of your style? As a wizard?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Bredic nodded assuredly, leaning forward over the table somewhat, ¡°And contrary to what my loving companions here might lead you to believe, I¡¯ve got fire spells that¡¯ll blow your mind; figuratively, and literally. Real premium spellcraft, kid, none of that amateur shit most people are forced to learn, or worse are duped into buying. Hah!¡±


    ¡°And the day he finds enough mana to cast one of them in combat, we just might believe him.¡± Xander raised his tankard in toast, ¡°To our vainglorious hero, Bredic.¡±


    ¡°To Bredic!¡± The table cheered, and somehow the rest of the tavern found the will to join in, including Blychert. A round of ¡®To Bredic!¡± resounded across the White Horn, both to the embarrassment and perhaps a little to the pride of the honorable wizard himself.


    ¡°So, Trelen.¡± Xander composed himself to ask, as things quieted a bit at the table, ¡°You¡¯re a sorcerer. Any specializations yet?¡±


    Goosebumps riddled Blychert¡¯s arms, as he sipped from his mug of cider. He wasn''t usually allowed to drink alcohol, but tonight seemed like an exception, and boy did he need it! Clearing his throat, Bly replied, ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m only seventh level, actually.¡±


    ¡°Seven? Still, you¡¯re getting pretty close to your first option.¡± Xander approved, but suddenly gestured towards Lisel, ¡°Lisel¡¯s also a level seven. Bredic''s a tenth-level wizard, and Vineta is¡­¡±


    ¡°Ninth level.¡± She supplied the answer herself, and continued off of it, ¡°Theurgist, but I¡¯ve been working towards the Witch specialization for a while now. Although, my last few levels have been a bit all over the place, considering our current party composition. Buffs, debuffs, general support, defense¡­ chances are, I¡¯ve got something for you in a fight. You need only but ask.¡±


    Bly chuckled at the thought, wondering what other kinds of magic she was capable of. However, he then looked at Lisel curiously. Recalling the strange bit of archery she was using, he decided to ask, ¡°And what about you? You''re pretty sharp with that bow, if you don''t mind my saying so.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uhm¡­¡± Lisel paused shyly, scratching her forehead somewhat, before saying, ¡°I''m a ranger. Void ranger, or¡ªat least, that¡¯s what I¡¯m aiming for.¡±


    So, it was void magic. Bly thought to himself suspiciously.


    He¡¯d never had the opportunity to try and produce void magic, Bartolo would never allow it. It was an inherently destructive kind of spellcraft, after all. Still, it did make him wonder why she would want to pursue a specialization like that? In any case, she didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person that would be wielding such power, but maybe that played to her advantage? He''d always heard that void mages were completely insane, feral to boot, but maybe it was different for a void ranger?


    ¡°And as for me,¡± Xander rounded out the conversation, ¡°If you couldn¡¯t guess¡­ swordsman. Seven-star specialization.¡±


    ¡°Seven-star?¡± Bly asked with a confused look.


    Truthfully, he''d never bothered reading up on the martial classes that much. Between Irvin spouting off utter nonsense and his own general disinterest in the subject matter, it wasn''t an area he had much experience in dealing with.


    Xander grinned, ¡°My sword art, the seven-star style. You might not have been able to see it clearly tonight. Here, I¡¯ll give you a demonstration tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Bredic spoke up, mouth half-full of food, ¡°We heading out to the dungeon tomorrow. Or what?¡±


    Blychert¡¯s eyes widened for a moment at the comment.


    Dungeon? So they were planning to delve the Gleaming Caves. That wasn''t exactly surprising, but it still seemed like a waste of their time. Nobody ever went to the Gleaming Caves. Well, nobody but Trelen.


    ¡°No adventuring hall here.¡± Lisel replied belatedly, shaking her head at the rest of the table, ¡°So we won¡¯t be able to gather any information beforehand.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t do our own scouting?¡± Vineta suggested, ¡°It¡¯s a lower rated dungeon for a reason, you know. We should be fine, at least for a few floors.¡±


    Floors? Blychert thought to himself. They couldn''t seriously think they would be delving multiple floors? The second floor boss chamber hadn''t even been discovered yet! Whoever these people were, they were certainly ambitious.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Trelen to take us there?¡± Xander posed the question to the table, and everyone looked at him strangely, including Blychert, ¡°He can be our guide.¡±


    ¡°¡­Me?¡± Blychert said bluntly.


    As much as he was enjoying this, there was no way he could go with an adventuring party to the dungeon. What if they discovered who he really was somehow? What then? Would they turn on him? Turn on him like everyone else had? The image of that alone could make him sick to his stomach.


    ¡°Why not you?¡± Xander shrugged, ¡°You know the area, presumably. I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t do your training outside the dungeon, do you? That wouldn¡¯t be very efficient for a seventh-level sorcerer. And if you know the layout inside, all the better for all of us.¡±


    He¡¯s not wrong. Blychert thought woefully, but shook his head in confusion, ¡°Wait. You want me to come with you inside the Gleaming Caves? Wouldn¡¯t I just get in your way?¡±


    Xander smiled, ¡°Not if we add you to our party, you won¡¯t. Any objections?¡±


    Bly looked confusedly at the others.


    ¡°Yeah, why not, let him come.¡± Bredic leaned over and wrapped his arm around Bly¡¯s shoulder vehemently, ¡°I¡¯m always happy to share my wisdom with the youth. You want to learn fire magic, kid?¡±


    Bly didn¡¯t even have the chance to respond with ¡®¡­maybe?¡¯ before Vineta grabbed his chin suddenly, turned his face towards her, and seemed to inspect his pupils. Her eyes flashed with magic for a moment, before she pursed her lips.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ your magic aura is fairly strong. Any support magic in that head of yours? Or is it all hot air, like Bredic''s?¡±


    "Hey, fire needs air, you hag!" Bredic argued.


    "Tssk." She shot him a glare with a hiss, but immediately turned back to face Bly, saying, ¡°You know, it takes a lot to ensure these idiots don¡¯t get into any trouble. I need to know I can rely on you, Trel Trel."


    Trel Trel? Bly furrowed his brow, wondering for half a second if she hadn''t had too much of that mulled cider mister Ralf was cooking up.


    "We spellcasters have to stand together. Don¡¯t you agree? Bredic is a demon, he can¡¯t be trusted. So, can I? Trust you, that is.¡±


    Bly nodded wordlessly, his lips somewhat smushed by her grasp.


    Vineta shrugged thereafter, releasing Bly all at once, ¡°Sure, let''s take him with us.¡±


    ¡°The more friendly faces, the better.¡± Lisel offered an encouraging smile from across the table, saying more ponderously, ¡°It would be nice not to be the lowest leveled member for a change. Oh¡ªsorry! I don''t know why I said that, that was really rude.¡±


    Bly shook his head with a laugh, rubbing his cheek somewhat where Vineta had just released him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind. I know I have a lot to learn still, but I know what my limits are too.¡±


    Do you? His inner voice felt obligated to point out, given the direction of the conversation, to which he thought, Shut up.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Xander pondered slowly, rubbing his chin somewhat slow and methodically, ¡°How about it? Want to join Bold Arrow? Er¡­ at least, for a day? We''ll split all the loot with you, of course.¡±


    Blychert gulped.


    Just the thought of joining a party sent a shiver of fear and excitement down his spine. But they seemed decent, didn¡¯t they? There was no telling when or if he¡¯d get another chance like this anytime soon. As long as he didn¡¯t do anything stupid, or careless, everything would be fine. Right? And if he got too uncomfortable, he could still back out after he showed them to the dungeon entrance.


    There was no harm in that.


    At least, he hoped there wasn¡¯t.


    "¡­Sure." Blychert said hesitantly, but steeled his resolve with a nod, "I''m in."

 [A1] Chapter 7: Party Up

    Chapter 7: Party Up


    <hr>


    The dawn gave rise with a gray and cloudy yawn, etched with a certain sluggishness that only came by way of passing storm. Both wind and snow had settled long before the first light of day, but the low temperature alone was surely enough to make a person think twice about stepping outside. Though true to its rugged nature, the sounds of Kelvalder grew into the morning seemingly without delay, stirring Blychert from a state of deep sleep he very rarely enjoyed.


    It was quiet throughout the house, not unnaturally so, but Bly was certain to fall back asleep if he didn¡¯t get up immediately. And so, with a dazed groan, he hoisted himself from the comforts and the warmth of his bed, before setting himself to the task of getting ready for the day. Though once he was up and mostly alert, it didn¡¯t take him very long to get into his usual routine.


    Of course, the big difference today was Bold Arrow.


    He still wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Xander¡¯s proposition, despite already agreeing to it.


    He would have been lying to himself if he said he wasn¡¯t nervous about it, even if it was just for the day. And yet the very same prospect made him antsy with excitement and anticipation. He''d always imagined what it would be like to adventure as part of a team. But now the gift horse was here, and damned if he didn''t know what to do with it. For all he knew, there was nothing to worry about at all. But the exploit he used to manage his system alias had never been tested against the scrutiny other adventurers, at least as far as he knew. He had no reason to doubt that Alyse had given him every possible advantage, and yet that didn''t do much to stem his anxious energy this morning.


    Besides, lying in perpetuity was easier said than done.


    Trelen could be anyone he wanted, but not Blychert. The memory of that experience back home in Darskaart was still burned so deeply in his mind, it somehow felt wrong to want this for himself; to want to be a part of something that wasn¡¯t just him on his own. And he could forget about asking for advice either. Bartolo was away, and Alyse was still gone¡ªwherever that might have been¡ªand all he had were his instincts. They were telling him this was a bad idea, that getting involved with a party was the surest way to wind up in trouble again, and yet his heart was saying otherwise.


    What was he supposed to do?


    Somewhat paranoid by his own musings, Blychert opened his sage terminal and inspected its elements for any issues.


    <hr>


    [ SAGE ]


    [Name: Trelen Veil]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Sorcerer]


    [Level: 7]


    [Experience Points: 13,630]


    [Health: 480, Stamina: 450, Mana: 610]


    [Inventory] * [Attributes] * [Class] * [Skills] * [Sovereign] * [Journal] * [Map] * [Party] * [Guild] * [Compendium]


    <hr>


    Everything was exactly as it was supposed to look, all the way down to the finest detail of how many experience points he was supposed to have, if not for his transmogrifier ability. Frankly, it was the same as it had been ever since he¡¯d first become Trelen in the first place.


    No need to stress. He reassured to himself. If you don''t use any system commands, then you won''t have any issues. I think...


    In any case, he¡¯d given his word already, and he wanted to be good for that, if nothing else. And so, it wasn¡¯t soon after that he was out the door and setting off down the road, moderately refreshed and hopeful for another successful day of dungeon delving.


    Keeping true to their word as well, Xander and the others were waiting for him at the northern gate. They all looked as groggy as he felt, if not worse, but it was at least nice to finally see some new faces heading for the dungeon for once. Even if what they admitted was true, that they were still a relatively inexperienced group, Bly was confident that they¡¯d be able to hold their own in the Gleaming Caves just fine, given their levels, and that gave him a slightly renewed sense of optimism.


    ¡°And that makes five.¡± Xander announced, as Bly rounded the corner of the last wooden post, stopping short of where they loitered by the stables.


    None of them were adorned in particularly flashy armor, though they were certainly better equipped than Blychert was. Both Xander and Lisel had armguards and shin-guards made of taut leather beneath their winter gear, and Xander wore a steel breastplate that gleamed under the pale light of day. Bly could see the faint shimmer of Lisel¡¯s chainmail, tucked just beneath the dark jerkin and cloak she wore. Bredic had a robe similar to Bly¡¯s, though ruddy in color, and his appeared to have padding around the elbows and shoulders. Vineta seemed similarly dressed to Bredic, though she now carried a quarterstaff in one hand, and all of them wore packs and belts filled and lined to the brim with all manner of adventuring gear.


    Suffice to say, they were all sufficiently dressed for cold weather and for delving, not that Bly should have expected anything less from an adventuring party from the Calvergian capital.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Blychert nodded at the group as he approached, shrugging his pack up a little as he added, ¡°Hope you were able to sleep alright?¡±


    ¡°It was cozy, and mister Ralf was more than accommodating.¡± Lisel reciprocated with a cheerful nod. She twiddled a bit with her bowstring from where she sat atop a wooden fencepole, her auburn bangs swaying a bit in the slight wind, before glancing across at the disgruntled wizard with a wry smile, ¡°Bredic was telling me the same thing a little earlier. Weren¡¯t you, Bredic?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Hardly¡­¡± Bredic groaned, snapping shut his spellbook as he looked up with a frown, ¡°Try laying on the floor next to thirty people, all grumbling and sniffling and snoring, and see if you get any shut eye. We should have crashed at the kid¡¯s house!¡±


    Xander shoved Bredic slightly, saying, ¡°What he means to say is, we slept just fine. Thanks for asking. We¡¯ve been on the road for two weeks, after all¡­ that was as good as it¡¯s been in a while for all of us.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that, Bredic.¡± Bly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, ¡°The inn fills up pretty quickly when there¡¯s a storm. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll have your own rooms tonight though. By the time we get back from the mountains, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be too tired to even notice anyway.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so, for all our sakes.¡± Vineta nodded, who seemed to be nursing another headache, ¡°And let¡¯s do try to get going already, can we? Any longer and I really might consider heading back to the inn to get some more sleep.¡±


    ¡°Which reminds me¡­¡± Xander started, and Bly watched as he began to pull up his sage terminal.


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> System Notification]


    > You¡¯ve been invited to join [Bold Arrow]


    > Do you accept?


    <hr>


    Blychert stared at the terminal message for what felt to him like an eternity. A million thoughts and questions raced through his mind as he poured over those words on the terminal screen. Was this a mistake? Alyse always told him that his alias exploit was good enough for this¡ªessential, even¡ªbut he was having a hard time believing that all of a sudden.


    If only she hadn¡¯t taken off yesterday morning, he could have sat down and talked through this with her like they so often did with all his other problems.


    Bly grumbled under his breath.


    Alyse Crane was going to be the death of him! There was no mistaking it at this point.


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> Party Notification]


    - - - Party invite accepted - - -


    > You have now joined [Bold Arrow]


    > Select party role [Damage, Damage Support, Support, Healer]


    > [Damage Support] selected


    > Party Leader: Xander Wolfe (Swordsman, Level 11, Damage)


    > Party Members: Bredic Meyr (Wizard, Level 10, Damage), Vineta Maurer (Theurgist, Level 9, Support), Lisel Kirk (Ranger, Level 7, Damage Support), Trelen Veil (Sorcerer, Level 7, Damage support)


    > Average Party Level: 9


    > Primary Dungeon: Silver Vault


    > Primary Guildhall: Frostwall


    > Party Experience Bonus: 5%


    <hr>


    Blychert scrutinized the screen for a moment. He was so used to filling out every role himself, he''d nearly forgotten how the party system actually worked. Guessing that he''d be taking more of a lesser role, at least compared to the likes of Bredic, he made up his mind before pressing his hand down on the second option.


    ¡°Guess that settles it.¡± Xander said, closing his terminal as he stepped up towards Bly, patting him on the shoulder twice, ¡°Welcome to the party, Trelen.¡±


    ***


    By the time they reached the Gleaming Caves, it was already well past mid-morning, and nearing noon quickly. The overcast had cleared in part, revealing a cloud-dappled blue sky above as the party came to the end of the mountain path. Thereupon, they were met by the two massive pillars hewn from white stone that signified the dungeon¡¯s entrance. The strange hieroglyphs that also populated the sage terminal were intricately etched across their stonework, and they loomed ever larger against the slate-colored rock of the mountains before which they stood guard. Beyond them, however, were the darkened depths of the tunnel, which winded down all the way to the first floor of dungeon itself.


    > Now entering the [Gleaming Caves]


    > Party Status: Activated


    > Core Volatility: 10%


    > Active Wayshrine(s): Entrance, Chamber of the Vanguard Golem


    > Daily Bonus Reward: Kill [5] Stone Golems


    ¡°So, Trelen.¡± Xander huffed, as he hoisted his pack from his back and onto a nearby rock, carefully readjusting a few items as he talked, ¡°What can we expect down there?¡±


    Blychert paused and thought for a few seconds, before saying, ¡°E-ranked ice demons and wolf spiders are pretty common on the first floor¡ªsecond floor too, but those ones are usually D-ranked. I¡¯ve seen a wyrmling before, but no luck catching it; too slippery. Golems tend to wander the second floor, at least from what I¡¯ve seen. Oh, and the first-floor boss spawn also happens to be a golem, if that matters to you at all. I''ve never fought it, but missus Stein told me once that she knew some other adventurers who had.¡±


    Xander furrowed his brow, ¡°No second-floor boss?¡±


    ¡°Nobody¡¯s found the boss room.¡± Bly shrugged, but frowned somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°Then again, I might be the only person who¡¯s even come here in the last year, so¡­ I guess I haven''t found the boss room, to be more specific.¡±


    ¡°Eh, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Xander smiled, ¡°You can¡¯t be expected to delve a dungeon on your own. Even D-rated dungeons are extremely dangerous, I''m honestly surprised you go at it alone at all. And anyway, dungeons only get tricker the farther down you go, especially trap rooms, so it''s not a surpirse you haven''t found it. But who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll be the ones to find that boss room. Together.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Bly stammered, but the words didn¡¯t come out.


    Honestly, he didn¡¯t want to get his hopes up for something like that. Putting aside whether that was even a battle he could handle or not, he still wasn¡¯t sure how this whole adventuring party thing was going to pan out, and it seemed irresponsible to commit to fighting a boss on a floor that hadn''t even been explored fully yet. Besides, what if he accidentally did something to out himself as a classless during such an encounter? What if something went wrong and he had to rely on his classless abilities to get himself out? He¡¯d be figured out immediately if he started using system commands. No question about it. As far as he knew, there were only two types of people that could use system commands: the classless and the administrators. But what if he had no other choice? What if came down to him saving someone''s life or not?


    What then?


    ¡°Would you two hurry the hell up? You can play ''ask me anything'' later!¡± Bredic shouted back from the entrance, ¡°Not getting any younger here! Let¡¯s move!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, shut up!¡± Xander called after him, but turned back to Bly with an awkward though cheery expression, ¡°Well, he¡¯s got us there. We are burning daylight. Come on, let¡¯s go have some fun. And hey, don''t hesitate to rely on us. We''re a team today, we''ve got your back down there. No sorcery heroics, got it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bly sighed anxiously, but started forward just the same.


    One by one, the members of Bold Arrow crossed the threshold of the dungeon''s entrance; stepping through the faintly shimmering field of energy that acted as a "safety" barrier, separating the monsters of the delve from the rest of the overworld. Together, they descended, and before long they had come to the first chamber. It was a vast cavern where huge chunks of ice and glittering rock illuminated everything. The silence bloomed throughout the chamber, as it often did, contrasted only by boots on rocky terrain or by the awing of the others.


    But Bly knew the serenity wouldn''t last long, not in a place like this. And as if on cue, several bluish lights were already beginning to spawn on the far side of the cavern.


    Bly grinned somewhat, despite his earlier reservations.


    They''d spawned sooner than expected. But they were expected, nonetheless.

 [A1] Chapter 8: Endeavor to Delve

    Chapter 8: Endeavor to Delve


    <hr>


    It came as little surprise to Blychert that a couple of E-ranked ice demons didn¡¯t really stand much of a chance against the likes of Bold Arrow. They had barely lasted more than twenty seconds, easily dispatched by a flurry of spells and attacks from the group. And while it was a little underwhelming, Bly had to remember that if he didn''t have much trouble fighting e-ranked spawns by himself, the same had to be true of a party of five.


    Before much longer, Bold Arrow was making its way through the tunnels of the first floor with relative ease, finding little challenge as they rolled through scores of low ranked ice demons and wolf spiders alike.


    Frankly, it was a world of difference having that many people around.


    Firstly, Bly noticed that his expenditure of mana was a mere fraction compared to what he normally spent on a day of grinding. Secondly, where he might have been able to manage only one or two fights by himself in a small window of time, the five of them together easily hit multiple encounters by the end of their first hour alone, and didn¡¯t seem to be dragging as a result of it.


    There was a sense of camaraderie and friendly competition too, that Bly found equally enjoyable. True to his word, Xander showed off his flashy sword skills, managing an entire outfit of wolf spiders on his own. Vineta offered a glimpse into terrain magic, twisting and shaping elements of the cavern floor in such a way as to control the battlefield, but it even helped them come across a few hidden dungeon chests, though their contents were more than a little underwhelming. Even Lisel chimed in with a clever use of her Tracking ability that helped them find a frost wyrmling, which was otherwise a rare find.


    Bly was reluctant to show off any of his own spellcraft just yet, but he constantly found himself looking towards the other spellcasters in the group with admiration. Vineta seemed to have great mana-to-spell conversion, given her support role in the party, and she was more than willing to show Blychert the mana channeling techniques she found to be the most useful when traveling with a group. Undoubtedly, Bredic was the star of the afternoon, immolating ice demons by the twos and threes for the fun of it. Though it seemed nobody expected any less from the incendiary wizard.


    Slowly but steadily, the group winded its way along towards the bottom-most area of the first floor, until they came upon the wayshrine sitting just outside the massive door leading into the first-floor boss room itself as well as the stairwell leading down to the second floor nearby.


    ¡°Stop for lunch?¡± Xander huffed, as the rest of the party came to a stop.


    There were a few nods and grunts of approval, and in no time the group was settling down by one side of the tunnel. Bly couldn¡¯t help but notice that Xander seemed a bit agitated as the rest of his companions ate, and he hadn¡¯t come over to sit down or take a rest. Instead, he wandered the length of the wayshrine chamber, before coming to a stop by the massive door leading into the boss room.


    ¡°Something to eat, Trel?¡± Vineta asked all of a sudden.


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Blychert lingered, his focus still on the other side of the chamber, before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll pass for now. Thanks.¡±


    And without another word, Bly lifted himself up and began to walk over to the where the Xander stood.


    ¡°Strange¡­¡± Xander murmured softly, as Bly approached on his righthand side. The older boy reached his hand up and touched the door, moving his fingers across the intricate linework and hieroglyphs etched into the stone. Glancing down at Bly, he added, ¡°For some reason, I thought this¡­ place, would be smaller. Back in Frostwall, you wouldn''t believe how big the dungeon is. But honestly? I could get lost in here just as easily.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I don¡¯t go so deep.¡± Bly agreed with a nod, ¡°That, and I guess the other obvious reason.¡±


    Xander grunted amusedly, but his expression went colder for a moment, ¡°You never wondered what was on the other side of this door? Not even just a peek?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that would go over well in my house.¡± Bly chuckled, but was quick to notice just how serious Xander seemed. He waited a minute, before asking, ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys could fight the boss on this floor. Not today, probably, but if you come in fresh? It¡¯s a golem, I know that. Attack patterns can¡¯t be too different from the stone golems wandering around here, if you find any to practice on. Though, I guess I wouldn¡¯t really know about fighting bosses.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Xander shrugged, removing his hand from the wall as he turned to face Blychert. He opened his sage terminal for a moment and inspected it, before saying, ¡°Anyway, the core volatility isn¡¯t high enough to spawn a boss that¡¯s been defeated once already. So, there''s that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bly asked with a curious frown. He hadn¡¯t known that. Then again, he didn¡¯t know much about the inner workings of dungeons in general to begin with. Dungeoneering lessons were reserved for those with trainee adventuring emblems, something Bly might have been able to receive if his life hadn''t turned out so differently. Everything he knew about the dungeons came from basic compendium information, Alyse¡¯s theoretical insights, and his own trial and error.


    ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed that¡¯s how it is, but I know some people with gold emblems, who I trust, that say so.¡± Xander nodded, ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe them. Not that I¡¯m certain anyone can really say with a straight face that they know how any of this works. Sage is nothing if not mysterious, you have to give it that.¡±


    Sure is. Bly thought to himself, though for a brief moment he found Xander¡¯s word choice to be somewhat interesting.


    Calvergians weren¡¯t especially supportive of the Church, at least they weren¡¯t in Kelvalder. But even in Kelvalder, people still referred to Sage as the Divine. Even Alyse referred to Sage as the Divine from time to time. It was a weird thing to hear someone say so casually. Not because he was wrong, it was just¡­ different.


    ¡°Well, hey, maybe it¡¯s just like you said.¡± Xander offered a smirk, ¡°Another day. By the way, does that lead down to the second floor?¡±


    Bly glanced over his shoulder towards the stair, and nodded, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Xander murmured, and there was a look in his eye that seemed so much heavier than usual. But before Bly could ask what the matter was, in an instant Xander''s demeanor had changed completely, and he was shouting across the chamber, ¡°Let¡¯s head down to the second floor, you guys!¡±


    ***If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The second floor opened up with a plethora of D and E-ranked ice demons, though it was nothing they couldn¡¯t handle after a brief rest.


    Blychert found himself in a position of mostly support duties, with the occasional need for a fire spell to stave off the more aggressive ice demon. He utilized his barrier magic to great effect, providing sustained shielding for Xander while the party leader implemented his own sort of crowd control tactics. This in turn allowed Vineta to engage her own spellcraft in the pursuit of field restriction, shaping the layout of the terrain in such a way as to redirect their targets into an area of her choosing. Meanwhile, Lisel and Bredic worked hand-in-hand to pick off targets as they became available.


    Everything was going well. However, not too soon after wandering down the second floor, did they run into their first stone golem.


    The hulking slab of stone vaguely resembled a humanoid creature, hewn from the same dark stone as the rest of the cavern, and inlayed with gems and ice so as to perfectly blend in with its surroundings. It lumbered up and forward onto its wide legs, and thrashed about with two hulking arms, growing into its attacks more and more with each step.


    ¡°We need to target the core!¡± Xander explained hurriedly, gesturing towards the glowing crystal embedded in a thick layer of stone around its chest, ¡°Magic damage should weaken the stone.¡±


    As the first few exchanges came to pass, the creature¡¯s amber eyes glowed with rage, but eerily it had no mouth, and so it attacked in utter silence. Orange and purple fired off through the cavern, intermingled with the brief blue flashes of Xander¡¯s sword which chipped away at the creature.


    But nothing seemed to be working.


    ¡°My spells aren¡¯t doing much to this thing!" Bredic shouted, as fire erupted from the sigil above his head, crashing into the stone golem one after the other, seemingly to no effect.


    ¡°I can''t crack it either.¡± Lisel added desperately, ¡°I don''t think I can damage it without the core exposed!¡±


    Exposed? Blychert thought to himself. Elements were finicky, Bartolo had always taught him as much. Some worked better against some creatures, while others had no effect. But if the old sorcerer had taught him anything, it was that elements did not have to work alone. Bredic was a powerful pyromancer. All the wizard really needed, was an opening¡ªa reaction.


    An elemental reaction, that Blychert could provide the conduit for.


    ¡°Bredic, wait for my mark.¡± Bly insisted, catching the wizard¡¯s attention for a moment, who looked confused at first. But a split second later, his eyes twinkled with possibility, and he gave an affirmative nod. Turning to Lisel, he added, ¡°Once that thing is exposed, take your shot.¡±


    Lisel notched another arrow, and gave him the signal of understanding.


    Setting his foot back, Bly paused.


    "Whatever you''ve got, I''m ready for it!" Xander spun, dodging and parrying heavy blow after heavy blow. A few attacks glanced off the shield spell Blychert was holding for him. But the second the stone golem turned, his massive arm swiping to the right, Bly dropped the spell entirely.


    Raising his right hand, Bly exhaled a nervous breath.


    Icicle wasn''t strong enough, and it didn''t provide the spread of ice he needed to give Bredic the best possible chance at success, which left him only left one option.


    ¡°Binding element, let the depths of frost take root. From the heart of winter¡¯s embrace, I summon with might, an icy bond, swift and merciless! Freezing chain.¡±


    Shooting forth, a magical chain wreathed in freezing cold streaked through the air and pierced the stone golem dead-on center of the chest. Without missing a step, Blychert whipped his arm once and sent a wave of further ice damage hurdling down the length of the chain. As the ice made contact, the stoney chest of the stone golem dimmed with blue as frost expanded around the impact site, to which Blychert shouted, ¡°Bredic, now!¡±


    A lance of flaming energy flew across the chamber a second later, hitting the stone golem square. The stonework covering its chest exploded on impact, sending chunks of rock flying in all directions. And without even needing confirmation, the sound of a bow¡¯s twang riddled the air thereafter, the violet color piercing the exposed amber with force.


    The golem stumbled backward, slowly swiping its arms through the air, and getting slower all the while. Soon, the amber in its eyes dimmed, and with a little help from Xander''s sword, it fell flat on its back in a plume of ice and rocky dust.


    Bly wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, the sounds of his victorious companions resounding throughout the cavern, and he smiled.


    It wasn''t bad, for his first stone golem.


    ***


    Bold Arrow spent the rest of its time on second floor that day searching for other stone golems. Though with the number of resources the group had already spent collectively, paired with their late arrival to the dungeon itself, mostly everyone was ready to head back to town before they¡¯d even managed to complete the daily bonus challenge. Only Xander seemed intent to push even deeper that day, which came as no surprise to Bly after their earlier conversation, though he was eventually convinced to call it day.


    <hr>


    [ SAGE ]


    > Now exiting the [Gleaming Caves]


    > Daily Bonus: incomplete


    [SAGE ---> Party Notification]


    > Generating dungeon report...


    > Party experience earned: +396 xp


    > E-spawn(s) cleared: 43


    > D-spawn(s) cleared: 24


    > Core volatility changes: -0.75%


    <hr>


    ¡°That was a good delve, today.¡± Xander addressed the group, as they all exited the dungeon and stepped off into the late afternoon sun, ¡°Trelen?¡±


    Blychert perked up at the beckon.


    ¡°You more than held up your end of the bargain. And, you were pretty clever with that stone golem.¡± Xander continued plainly, before handing over one of the energy crystals they¡¯d harvested from one of the golems, ¡°Here, this is yours. And¡­ if you wanted to come delving with us again, I think you more than earned a spot. If we work together the way we did today, maybe you''ll get to see the end of the second floor after all."


    End of the second floor, huh? Bly thought peculiarly. Xander sure did seem focused on pushing them as deep as he could in the Gleaming Caves. But maybe that was just the level of an established adventuring party? Always wanting to see how far they could push themselves? If that was the case, Bly sure had a lot to learn about that sort of mentality, though he respected the sentiment.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Bredic wrapped his arm around Bly¡¯s neck and tousled his hair fervently, ¡°You did good, kid. Not as good as me, granted, but you get points for setting me up with that golem combo. We¡¯re going to have to get fire into your repertoire though¡ªforget that ice magic. Total waste! Er... not really, but you get what I''m saying. Right? Right??¡±


    Blychert felt his cheeks flush as Bredic¡¯s palm was driven down into his skull. His gaze flicked across to where the others stood shouting at Bredic, before settling on Lisel. They locked eyes, and she couldn¡¯t seem to help herself but laugh too. And if Bly¡¯s face wasn¡¯t hot before, it certainly was now.


    ¡°Bredic, the party log says he''s the same age as Lisel. Would you stop calling him kid? Honestly, you¡¯re an idiot¡­¡± Vineta groaned embarrassingly, but looked at Bly with a curious smile, ¡°You make very good use of barrier magic, Trelen. Gave me a much-needed break to use some of my more interesting spells. so, thank you. We''ll have to exchange spell notes when we have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Sure, and you were all really incredible too.¡± Bly nodded at everyone, finally out of Bredic¡¯s surprisingly powerful grip. Bowing his head slightly with a clap of his hands, Bly added, ¡°Thanks for having me along.¡±


    ¡°Alright, with that sorted out, let¡¯s double-time it back to the¡­ White horn? Was it?¡± Xander furrowed his brow, but shook his head with a smile, ¡°Whatever, first round''s on me!¡±


    With a whoop of cheers, Bold Arrow picked up its things and was heading back down the path towards the forest.


    And as they did, a small smile betrayed Blychert¡¯s expression.


    Somehow, the hours had gone by in the blink of an eye, and for the first time in a long time, he had completely forgotten about everything else except for delving. There had been no need to think about anything else. Today, he had simply been Trelen, a level seven sorcerer in the company of Bold Arrow. Today, he¡¯d felt freer and more determined than he had since leaving home.


    Alyse was never shy to remind him that it was his life to do with as he pleased.


    But even still, was this a life that he wanted? That he could have? Did the risks outweigh his own ambitions? And could he trust the others?


    Could he even trust himself?


    He didn¡¯t know, but he¡¯d gotten a taste of what it was like to be a part of something. And for what it was worth, he wasn¡¯t sure yet that he was willing to give up on his dream so easily.

 [A1] Chapter 9: Down to Business

    Chapter 9: Down to Business


    <hr>


    The days began to roll in thick and fast; much faster than Bly had been anticipating.


    For the next several days, Bold Arrow set off for the dungeon in the early mornings, spent the middle portion of those days grinding against away, and in the evenings, they enjoyed each other¡¯s company at the White Horn. It wasn''t long before an entire week of delving had come and gone in the blink of an eye, not that Bly was complaining, and they settled down at the tavern to celebrate.


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Tankards clanked as salutes resounded all around the table, which was immediately followed up by the sounds of drinking and laughter. It wasn¡¯t quite dark outside yet, and so late afternoon sun beamed in through the west-facing windows of the tavern, stretching across the floor and tables alike, though the hearth was full of fire just the same.


    ¡°Alright, settle down.¡± Mister Ralf reigned them in, coming around with a tray filled to the brim. He set it down in the middle of the table, rubbing his callused hands before crossing his arms, as he said, ¡°Now you kids eat up, and do try to enjoy yourselves. Plenty of grub where that came from too, so just holler out if you need more, and old Ralf will come running. Best believe it, heh!¡±


    A round of ¡®thank you¡¯ rose through the tavern hall momentarily, but was soon replaced by the sounds of excitable fingers sifting through plates of hot food. Though Blychert couldn¡¯t help but notice that Ralf seemed to have more of a spring in his step recently, ever since Bold Arrow came to stay at his inn.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m thinking we rest up tomorrow and replenish our supplies.¡± Xander said plainly, after a few moments of silent eating among themselves. He then placed his elbows on the table, and interlaced his fingers, as he added, ¡°After that, I¡¯d like to propose we start trying to tackle this quest, for real.¡±


    Bly stopped chewing abruptly, his eyebrow raising, and he thought to himself, Quest? And why does he look so serious all of a sudden?


    ¡°If you think we can.¡± Vineta replied belatedly, ¡°I¡¯d like to point out that not only have we found zero traces thus far, but I personally haven¡¯t divined any indicators to suggest an item of that rarity is even in this dungeon. i know divination isn''t exact, but it should have given me something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here¡­¡± Xander shook his head in denial, ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    What are they talking about? Bly wondered.


    Talk of rare items meant they had to be referring to something out of the dungeon. Low rated dungeons didn¡¯t have unique treasure, per se, at least as far as he understood, so that left drops. But the only drops he¡¯d ever encountered were energy crystals? There was no point fantasizing about rare drops on the first floor, the boss''s first-time clear reward was claimed a long time ago, and the second floor didn¡¯t seem to have them either as far as its spawns were concerned.


    That meant they really were aiming for something dangerous. Was it the second-floor boss? Something deeper?


    It was beginning to make sense to Bly why Xander seemed to be so intent about everything. He¡¯d brushed it off on the first day as excitement. The reality was, they didn¡¯t even know where the boss room was, let alone what kinds of spawns were on the lowest level of the second floor. As Xander said, a D-rated dungeon was still very dangerous. And yet he didn¡¯t seem to be taking his own advice in this instance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so cryptic, man.¡± Bredic groaned, but said in a more serious tone, ¡°Just come out and say it already: you want us to find the boss on the second floor. Right?¡±


    There it was.


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Xander stammered, visibly flustered by the response.


    ¡°If the second floor is the last floor in this dungeon, then our odds of finding it as part of a clear reward are much higher.¡± Bredic continued, despite his party¡¯ leader¡¯s demeanor, ¡°And if it¡¯s not? We have a new active wayshrine; win-win. But you know something? We can¡¯t just assume we¡¯ll find the damned thing by fighting our way through every spawn we come across, including the ones that, by the way, not even Trelen here has information about. That¡¯s the surest way to end up in the dirt. Or the snow, whatever.¡±


    ¡°Bredic is right, Xander.¡± Vineta nodded, though it seemed to pain her to agree with the wizard. She adjusted the scarf around her neck for a moment, before adding, ¡°The Iridescent Blade has a rarity unlike anything we¡¯ve been able to claim as a group thus far. If it''s in this dungeon, and that¡¯s a generous if, there¡¯s no guarantee when or where we¡¯ll come across it. We need to be cautious about overextending ourselves in the dungeon.¡±


    Iridescent blade? Bly considered those words for a moment, but couldn¡¯t think of anything. He¡¯d never come across information about an item like that. Whatever it was, it had Xander in a spot of strangeness.


    For his part, Xander¡¯s eyes widened as Vineta concluded her statement, then narrowed. His expression was stark, solemn even, and he opened his mouth as if to say something in response, but suddenly his entire demeanor shifted in the same moment, and he smiled like he normally did, ¡°No, you¡¯re both right. Getting ahead of myself, I guess. Even still¡­ I was thinking, what if we did a camp out? Spent a couple of days in the dungeon? We could set up tents outside. Make it seem like a real adventure? Don¡¯t tell me you guys don¡¯t miss sleeping out in the cold?¡±


    There was laughter and banter all around the table for a little while thereafter, though they seemed to agree on camping out at the dungeon. Bly couldn¡¯t help but notice Lisel¡¯s expression from across the table however. She looked at Xander with an equally solemn glance, almost pitiful in nature.


    Whatever all that was about, it was obvious to Bly that there was more going on in this party than he thought.


    ¡°Trelen, what do you say?¡± Xander¡¯s attention turned on to him.


    ¡°¡ªHuh, me?¡± Bly flushed, adjusting himself slightly so as not to appear so suspicious, ¡°Say about what?¡±


    ¡°Camping, of course! You¡¯re coming with us, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xander pressed, but shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if you don¡¯t want to, I just figured it seemed only cordial to ask the resident dungeon delver. Since you leveled up, maybe you can even take point from time to time.¡±


    Level up? Bly thought confusedly.


    Oh, crap, that was right!


    He¡¯d nearly forgotten that Trelen leveled up the other day, and he hadn¡¯t had the chance to talk with Alyse about it yet. That was priority number one, no questions asked! But he was more than interested in going with them. Though the question was, how deep were they all willing to go? And would he have to keep an eye out on Bold Arrow¡¯s highly determined party leader at the same time? Well, for now, he supposed he could go along. There was something off-putting about this quest of theirs, and he wanted to learn more.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Right, uhm¡­ yeah.¡± Bly stammered, but said more confidently, ¡°Sounds like fun.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Xander clapped his hands once with a grin, ¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Blychert¡¯s eyes shifted to Lisel again, as the topic of conversation changed. She glanced back at him apologetically for a split second, as if she was trying to communicate something he couldn¡¯t parse, before averting her gaze entirely.


    Maybe she can tell me more about what all this is about. Bly thought.


    But for now, he needed to get home and speak with Alyse as soon as possible. It was high time she helped him decide on another ability to start progressing. If his imminent endeavors were anything to go by, he was going to need the help.


    ***


    ¡°Fifteen thousand cumulative¡­¡± Alyse started through a nasally sniffle, no doubt the onset of one of her usual colds. A look of momentary confusion crossed her face, as she glared at him from across the dining table, ¡°That much already?¡±


    Bly nodded, as he dug into his supper, ¡°Delving with a party sure helped; pushed me over fourteen on Seconday.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Alyse nodded, picking at a potato wedge on her plate, as she added, ¡°So, what does that put you at in terms of current total?¡±


    ¡°Just over eight thousand.¡± Bly furrowed his brow, ¡°Why?¡±


    Alyse shook her head, smiling somewhat, ¡°No reason. I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m impressed, that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be at this experience marker by now.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Blychert chuckled, ¡°It''s not like you track your progress with experience.¡±


    ¡°True, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not without value. Or intrigue.¡± She popped a potato into her mouth, ¡°What you have, has zero precedence in the world of the classless.¡±


    ¡°And you know that for certain? Do you?¡± Bly asked skeptically.


    They¡¯d talked a lot about his unique ability at length over the last year, but neither of them had any better idea on why he was the way he was than the other. Though Bly had grown into the idea that Alyse possessed more secrets and insights about the classless¡ªor maybe even sage itself¡ªthan she led him to believe, even she was stumped by his experience point conundrum, and how to get the most out of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I know a great many things.¡± She said with a sarcastic smile, but offered a forlorn expression momentarily, ¡°I just wish there was an easier way to understand you better¡ªer, you know what I mean. I¡¯ve¡­ been searching for answers when and where I can. No luck still, not yet."


    "Is that what you do at your scrying table all day long?" Bly teased.


    "Among other things." She replied with a wry grin, adding more thoughtfully, "But I¡¯m not giving up hope just yet. I''ll find something soon, I promise.¡±


    ¡°You? Hopeful?¡± Blychert snorted, letting the conversation simmer for a bit before turning his thoughts to other matters, ¡°Anyway, Xander and the others were thinking about doing a longer delve; camping out and stuff. They invited me along, and I guess I was wondering¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wondering if I¡¯d give you my blessing?¡± Alyse interjected, ¡°I would, and I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    For some reason, he had been certain she wouldn¡¯t, or at least wouldn''t agree so quickly.


    ¡°Friends look good on you.¡± She said, a somewhat teasing tone of voice, ¡°Those older boys seem decent, and that theurgist you told me about, Vineta? There''s good magic in that class, and she''s been helping you find the right rhythm with your mana channeling. Isn''t that what you said?"


    Bly nodded in agreement.


    "Good. I had been hoping to teach you a little about teamwide mana dynamics myself, though I suppose hadn''t expected to need to do so, so soon." Alyse''s eyes narrowed, her gaze drifting somewhat, before settling on the plate in front of her, "I think this has all been for the best. It''s good to learn things from people who actually engage in that lifestyle. And if it means I don¡¯t have to worry about you so much while I¡¯m working, then I encourage it even more.¡±


    Blychert rolled his eyes, ¡°Because you worry about me so much.¡±


    Her expression went stone cold for a moment, and she said softly, ¡°I do worry about you, Blychert. Not because I¡¯m afraid you spread yourself too thin¡ªalthough, I am¡ªbut because I know how hard the last year has been on you. You miss your friends, and your home, a sentiment I understand completely.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh¡± Bly murmured, not expecting that answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve felt stuck here¡ªtrapped, even¡ªand I¡¯m sorry that Bartolo hasn¡¯t been here in my stead to train you, it¡¯s¡­ well, I hope you know, I do want what¡¯s best for you. And I think that being part of a group of people, however brief it may be for, will help you learn to trust in others again. That¡¯s what you, Blychert, need. Trelen can be whoever you wish him to be, but there¡¯s only one of you. And I want him to do whatever his heart desires, as indeed I do for all those who endeavor to strain against the grain of this world. We deserve that, at the very least.¡±


    Blychert was too puzzled to speak.


    Putting aside that she¡¯d totally been using her empathic abilities on him again, it had been a while since he¡¯d heard her say something from the heart like that. When they trained, it was training, and a lot of it. Otherwise it was more like having an older sibling with her, than anything else. He had no idea why she cared so much about him, but maybe it was simply enough to know that someone did.


    ¡°Eh heh¡­¡± Alyse grunted with an embarrassed smile, ¡°Goodness, I¡¯ve only gone and said too much again. Haven¡¯t I? That''s what a lack of sleep gets you.¡±


    Bly shook his head earnestly, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Alyse expression warmed, and she smiled slightly, ¡°I suppose this means you¡¯ll be wanting to take on more power?¡±


    Always reading my mind. Blychert chuckled to himself, but nodded, ¡°Scatter shot is stable now, so¡­ yeah, I think I¡¯m ready."


    Sitting back in her chair, Alyse sipped from her herbal tea for a long while, closing her eyes as she appeared to be thinking to herself. Suddenly, her eyes wrenched opened, and she furrowed her brow, ¡°Bartolo has trained your barrier magic to within an inch of your life. It¡¯s solid¡ªforgive the pun¡ªbut there¡¯s much more to spellcraft than perfect defense.¡±


    Blychert nodded.


    He agreed, anyway. His barrier magic was some of the strongest and most reliable spellcraft at his disposal. He always wondered why Bartolo held barrier magic in such high regard, but then maybe he was lucky that he had.


    ¡°We should continue to develop your summoning magic, it''s more than useful." Alyse continued, "Bounding Field would be an appropriate ability for you, but¡­¡±


    Bly smirked somewhat, ¡°But I thought we agreed that it¡¯d be smarter to take on another passive ability. Bounding Field is way too active, it¡¯ll limit my options. I was thinking of something with a little more kick.¡±


    Alyse glanced into the kitchen for a moment, before offering him the slightest of sidelong glances, ¡°Kick? Hmm, you are gearing up for something serious. Aren''t you? And that does change things. Call me old-fashioned, but I think what you''re looking for, is an ace.¡±


    ¡°An ace?¡± Bly echoed confusedly.


    ¡°An ace.¡± She nodded. Alyse then placed the teacup down, and leaned forward over of the table somewhat, ¡°Every spellcaster should have at least one to start out with; an ultimate strategy for that make-or-break moment, like those you''ll encounter in a dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I have my transmogrifier.¡± Bly shook his head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that count? And besides, if I take on another active ability now, it¡¯ll just be at the cost of my mana in battle."


    "Everything is at the cost of one resource or another, that''s simply a fact of the world we live in." Alyse explained, "But don''t forget, being in a party changes your mana output."


    Oh, that''s right. Bly thought, remembering how much less mana he''d been using as a result of delving with the others. Shaking his head, he still said, "But a spell cost passive would still be more useful long term. Wouldn''t it?"


    "That depends on you." She insisted, "On what kind of sorcerer you want to be. What role will Trelen fill? What will he provide to his team? Step outside this party for a moment and look at your goals more clearly. If you want to be in a party, then you have to start thinking like a party member. What''s good for you, must be good for all. It''s about being part of a team, and leaving your solo theatrics at the door."


    Part of a team. So, damage support? Bly pondered, reminding himself of the role he''d selected.


    He had plenty of support magic. What he needed was an ability that could help alleviate the pressure of his party members having to deal damage, while also increasing his own ability to output damage. But if their goals were to go deeper into the dungeon, then he also needed to be able to cover for his party mates if things went south, or if someone like Bredic needed a swap or was incapacitated for whatever reason. The line between damage and support had to be as fluid as possible. Luckily, imitating a sorcerer was good for just that.


    "In other words, make or break." Bly murmured to himself, glancing up at a curious looking Alyse, as he nodded, "I think I have an idea."

 [A1] Chapter 10: Regret

    Chapter 10: Regret


    <hr>


    [Mana Surge]


    Draw on your mana pool to gain the [brutal] trait, increasing your spell damage by [20%] for [60] seconds. While active, dealing critical damage applies the trait [resistant, stackable] for [6] seconds, increasing your physical and magical resistance by [5%] for each instance. This effect can trigger once every [1] second.


    > Mana Cost: 50


    > Ability Level: 1


    > Ability Upgrades: NA


    > Ability Synergies: Scatter Shot, Spells [damaging]


    <hr>


    Bly narrowed his lips somewhat, hardly having touched his breakfast as he stared into the sage terminal with painstaking contemplation.


    Mana Surge hadn''t been at the top of his list, at least in terms of abilities he¡¯d been considering, but then that was before he¡¯d met Bold Arrow.


    After all, where the classed gained and upgraded their abilities through the system level up process, the classless could only achieve something similar through incredible amounts of patience and practice. By utilizing the ability they wanted via virtual system access, a classless could eventually make that temporary ability a permanent one. It was because of this reality that Bly had been operating under the assumption that his next ability ought to be geared towards dealing with spawns in a more mana efficient manner, given his proclivity for delving alone.


    But Alyse¡¯s observations had made him question things about his own approach to magic that up until last night he¡¯d thought were invariable, and he couldn¡¯t really ignore it.


    His eyes had been opened to the possibilities of what being part of a team could be, ever since meeting Bold Arrow, while at the same time his fears about his true nature being discovered were being alleviated each day. He still kept his guard up, that much would never change, but it was nice to finally know that this was something he could do, or even that it was somewhere he might belong. And for some reason, that sensation of belonging made him want to strive for nothing less than his best.


    And for a sorcerer, damage really was best.


    Besides, he couldn¡¯t get the idea of fighting a boss out of his head.


    More than anything, if push came to shove, he wanted to be right there among the others doing as much damage as possible before he ran out of mana. Was it foolish to think that he could stand toe-to-toe with someone like Bredic or Vineta? Like Xander? Probably, but that didn¡¯t change how he felt about it.


    Whatever the case, he was in this now. For better or worse, that meant he had to give it his all, regardless of nerves.


    It was then that a sudden knock on the door pulled Bly out from within his own musings, and he stood up from the dining table all at once. Perhaps it was best not to dwell on things he couldn¡¯t control, and so he resigned himself to say, ¡°Coming!¡±


    A burst of cold air sent a shiver down Bly¡¯s neck as he opened the front door.


    The mid-morning sun glistened across the snow-covered streets and gabled rooves of town, forcing a narrow gaze as Bly attempted to reconcile with the immediate brightness. As his sight adjusted, he saw a lone, hooded figure standing daintily by the porch fence, picking haphazardly at a prickly twig growing on a slender conifer tree, which leaned slightly over the banister. Though he instantly recognized the dark brown bow slung over the figure¡¯s shoulder, and frowned somewhat.


    ¡°Lisel?¡± He asked puzzled.


    She turned and looked at him through the opening of her hood, her blue eyes and auburn hair somewhat darkened by the shade of the awning overhead. Their eyes locked, her expression was pale and inscrutable for a moment, before an awkward half-smile betrayed her, as she said, ¡°Good morning, Trelen. I¡­ I know it¡¯s our rest day, so I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you. Mister Ralf was kind enough to tell me where you lived.¡±


    ¡°No¡ª¡± Bly shook his head at once, ¡°Not bothering me at all.¡±


    An awkward silence filled the air momentarily, cut only by the sounds of other townsfolk going about their business. Several seconds passed by as Bly watched Lisel idle in place, which was when it occurred to him that he was probably supposed to invite her inside. Feeling the warmth of embarrassment on his face, Bly stepped to the side slightly and opened the door a little wider.


    ¡°I was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did you¡ªsorry, did you want to come in?¡± Bly asked through a blushing wince, mildly irritated by his poor sense of timing. He could fight a dozen ice demons with perfect coordination, and yet couldn¡¯t even navigate the simple task of having a guest over.


    Lisel stared for a moment, then chuckled, offering a simple nod in reply, ¡°Sure. Thank you.¡±


    Stepping back inside, Bly turned and grumbled for a moment as he realized the ungodly sight of the living room.


    The once sparsely furnished cottage was overflowing with clutter. Bartolo¡¯s magical instruments were mostly stored away in giant crates and containers. Some of them were still set up in a corner here or there, including his telescope, though most of his effects were piled up along the wall near the fireplace. Alyse¡¯s assortment of unusual flora lined the windowsills and shelves. They broken up from time to time by an odd knick-knack or two; the worst of which was a creepy nesting doll in the shape of a fox sitting front and center on the rearmost shelf, glaring at anyone who dared step any closer to the couch. Blychert wasn¡¯t blameless in all of this either thoough, as many of his spell journals and tattered robes¡ªwhich he¡¯d been meaning to learn how to sew¡ªas well scattered pieces of chalk from his ritual magic training, lie everywhere.


    ¡°Sorry about the mess¡­¡± Bly groaned, rubbing the back of his head with a telling smile, ¡°We don¡¯t usually have guests.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m used to it, you know. Lots of siblings will do that.¡± Lisel reciprocated the friendly expression, stepping into the living room a bit farther as she studied its contents curiously. Removing her hood, she asked, ¡°What is all of this?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Junk, mostly. Half of it belongs to my master.¡± Bly explained, thinking better than to use Bartolo¡¯s names for now, ¡°The rest of it¡¯s Alyse¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Alyse?¡± Lisel tilted her head towards him, as her finger softly caressed a stem of sageroot by the window, ¡°Is she your sister?¡±


    Divine only knows it feels like that sometimes. Bly amused himself with the idea, but shook his head in response, saying, ¡°Nah, just a¡ªfriend of my master¡¯s. She¡¯s actually been helping me train while he¡¯s away on business.¡±


    Lisel didn¡¯t respond this time.


    Instead, she silently circled around the length of the living room, stopping at the nesting doll for a moment. She reached up, and her finger traced the outline of its well-worn features for a time, almost as if she recognized it, or had thought of something fondly as a result of seeing it. In any case, the silence was a bit confusing to Bly.


    ¡°Did you want something to eat? Or¡­ to drink?¡± He thought to ask. They didn¡¯t keep much food in the house, he realized, but Alyse did have quite an assortment of tea leaves. If nothing else, he could at least brew a pot of tea, otherwise she''d have killed him a long time ago.


    Snapping back to reality, Lisel looked across the room and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m alright, thanks. Though¡­ it looks like maybe I¡¯ve caught you at a bad time.¡± She gestured towards the dining table, or rather towards the untouched breakfast, with a slight smirk,


    ¡°Eh.¡± Bly shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s been sitting there cold for at least a few candle-marks. You can have it if you want, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. Alyse¡¯s cooking goes down better if it¡¯s scorching hot; masks the flavor, or lack thereof.¡±


    Lisel giggled, and Bly couldn¡¯t help but think that it was a stark contrast to the demeanor she¡¯d displayed yesterday afternoon while they¡¯d all been dining at the White Horn. That look she¡¯d given Xander was an off-putting one. Was now a good time to ask her about all that? Well, he supposed there was only one way to find out for sure.


    But the second Bly opened his mouth, Lisel spoke instead.


    ¡°You want to know about Xander, don¡¯t you?¡± She asked plainly, taking several steps forward towards the dining table, ¡°I saw the way you looked yesterday. You want to know why we¡¯re really here? In Kelvalder, I mean.¡±


    Blychert¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Sorry to put you on the spot.¡± Her mouth scrunched slightly, ¡°I¡¯m good at reading terrain, but I can read body language too. It¡¯s¡­ sort of part of being a ranger.¡±


    To that, Bly offered a slow nod in response.


    ¡°You¡¯re a member of our party right now, so¡­¡± She sat down at the dining table, removing her bow and setting it next to her on the bench. Slowly, she looked up at him with a serious expression, ¡°I think you have the right to know.¡±


    Without another word, Bly slowly took his seat on the opposite bench at the table, and looked at her expectingly.


    Seemingly lost in a thought for a moment, Lisel¡¯s gaze eventually met his, and she said, ¡°Bold Arrow was Xander¡¯s idea, you know. Or I guess it¡¯s more accurate to say that it was Xander¡¯s and Norman¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°¡­Norman?¡±


    A small frown creased her lips, ¡°He was our healer. And¡­ he was Xander¡¯s best friend.¡±


    A hard lump formed in the back of Bly¡¯s throat. He didn¡¯t want to say it, but he did anyway, ¡°Was?¡±


    Lisel nodded, ¡°It was three months ago. We were exploring the Silver Vault, and¡­ we shouldn¡¯t have been on the second floor¡ªnever should have been there. I guess maybe we were lured into a sense of comfort, because everyone was doing really well, and we were holding our own even against higher ranked monsters. But¡­ there was a trap room.¡±


    ¡°Trap room¡­¡± Bly murmured to himself. He''d never encounter something like that himself, but he''d heard about them from Irvin''s older brother; heard about how they could be as deadly as the monsters inside the dungeons themselves, if not more so.


    ¡°There was nothing anyone could do.¡± She shook her head. A minute passed in silence, Bly not knowing what he was supposed to say, and so he said nothing. Before long, she added, ¡°Anyway, it was Norm¡¯s idea for us to come out here. He¡¯s the one that found the quest, you see. Bold Arrow¡¯s never been assigned one before, if you can believe it This would have been our first quest together.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bly asked skeptically. Even he¡¯d managed to get a couple of quests, measly as they were.


    ¡°Most quests in Frostwall go pretty quickly, and they¡¯re mostly reserved for parties with high reputation.¡± Lisel smiled softly, but said in a more wistful tone of voice, ¡°Norm really must have pulled off a miracle to get one.¡±


    ¡°And so, this quest was to find a rare drop in the Gleaming Caves?¡± Bly asked, still a bit confused, but starting to think he understood the situation.


    Lisel nodded, ¡°I guess someone in Frostwall really wanted it, and they were paying good money too. We were going to surprise Xander for his birthday, but, well¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it. You don¡¯t need to explain.¡± Bly interjected, seeing the discomfort on her face. However, a thought occurred to him then, and so he asked, ¡°I guess that¡¯s why he wants to find it so badly? It¡¯s because of Norman?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, at least at first.¡± She said confusedly, looking away towards the nearest window as she added, ¡°But now I¡¯m not so certain. Ever since we got here, it feels like all he wants to do is go to the dungeon¡ªlike he needs to. It''s not like him at all. I¡¯m starting to think he wants to do this for himself more than anything. And¡­ it scares me a little.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯ll do something stupid?¡± Bly put it to question, putting his arms up on the table as he leaned forward somewhat, ¡°Because he blames himself?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he does.¡± She replied, and her gaze turned back to meet his, ¡°But we all carry regret for what happened. I think he thinks that he has to carry it alone, but I can see how it affects him, and I think the others can too. Though¡­ I¡¯m not so sure that he can.¡±


    Silence filled the house for what felt like an eternity thereafter, as Bly lost himself in her words.


    Was Xander really that desperate? He seemed so levelheaded most of the time, it was hard to believe. And yet, there were tiny moments where it felt like Xander became someone other than himself. Was that person the real Xander? Well, Bly could at least understand what it felt like to have to act like someone else; to feel obligated to wear a face that wasn¡¯t your own. He couldn¡¯t blame Xander for that, but Bold Arrow deserved to know if he had a death wish for himself.


    ¡°Your fingers¡­¡± Lisel gestured towards Bly¡¯s right hand all of a sudden, causing Bly to shift his attention back on her, ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Are they¡ªthose are magic burns, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯ve seen something similar on adventurers back home.¡±


    The daylight filtering through the blinds colored his pale hand, drawing attention to the extremities of shocked-white skin that bloomed like tiny bolts of lightning across his fingers, standing out against the pinkish-beige of the rest of his hand. The wounds had healed long ago, but the scars remained. He didn¡¯t think about them, most of the time. But for some reason, Lisel drawing attention to them made him uneasy for a moment.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied, not exactly eager to talk about it, and he instinctually drew his hand from the table, laying it flat across his lap, as he figured to add more cheerfully, ¡°Just an accident when I was younger."


    Though Lisel seemed to pick up on his reluctance straight away, because she changed the subject immediately, ¡°Trelen? I know I don¡¯t have the right you this, but can I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡± Bly gave a warry nod.


    ¡°Whatever happens tomorrow, or even over the next few days, can you promise me one thing?¡± She started, glancing at him with a deadly serious look in her eye, ¡°I think there will come a moment when Xander has to choose between being our leader, and being his own hero. So, I¡¯m asking you¡­ please don¡¯t let him make that choice.¡±


    ¡°Lisel¡­¡± Bly murmured worriedly.


    Standing to her feet, Lisel adjusted her cloak for a moment. She smiled, despite her sullen words, as she said, ¡°It¡¯s funny, none of us really know if that item is truly in your dungeon or not. And yet, despite the odds, it inspired such an amazing journey, one that we all got to take together.¡±


    It was at that moment that sunlight slipped in through the window at the back of the living room, casting the entire dining table in a spot of warmth and brightness.


    As if drawn to the warmth, Lisel turned to glance towards the window with a pensive smile, her hair a burning orange color. Though it wasn¡¯t a few seconds later that the light disappeared behind a cloud once more. And that smile faltered, as she said softly, ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, I hope we never find it.¡±

 [A1] Chapter 11: Pushing the Limit

    Chapter 11: Pushing the Limit


    <hr>


    ¡°Trelen, swap!¡±


    Blychert spun around on his heels. Immediately he took several steps forward and filled in the vacant spot where Bredic had just been standing. Without any time to waste, he thrust his arm into the air and pointed his hand in the direction of the oncoming wolf spiders.


    White-hot mana had been pooling at the center of his palm for exactly this moment, and so with a simple mental gesture, the newly formed icicle left his grasp at full speed, blistering across the empty space in front of him.


    Impact was instantaneous, and the foremost wolf spider plummeted to the ground as a jagged spear of ice pierced straight through its body, leaving it a shriveling mass on the rocky floor. Though the rest of its ilk scurried into the gap, leaving little time to relish the small victory.


    Steadying his arm, Bly issued three more icicles into the cluster of spiders. The first two missed ever-so slightly between the gaps in their gangly bodies, though with a mental gesture he issued a scatter shot, allowing the third to break off and make up for the missed attacks. However, the icicles merely seemed to graze the spiders this time, and by then it was too late to muster a fourth attack.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Blychert muttered, just in time to parry a long-legged, leaping pair of teeth.


    As the burst of defensive magic dissipated, Bly aimed his hand down directly at the spider¡¯s discombobulated face and fired off his fourth attack point-blank. The creature burst in a spray of dark ichor, falling limp against the cavern floor.


    At that moment, the terrain beneath Blychert¡¯s feet shifted. Before the rest of the spider cluster could even get to within biting range, the rocky floor had been erected to form a solid wall in front of him.


    ¡°Swap!¡± Bly shouted, noticing Bredic out of the corner of his eye.


    The two of them traded places, and as Vineta released her terrain spell, a brilliant mote of blazing flame erupted from the familiar sigil glowing above Bredic¡¯s head. The remaining cluster hissed with fury as each spider tried desperately to escape the funnel of burning flames, though to no avail.


    ¡°Nicely done, boys.¡± Vineta said in a hurried tone of voice, though her usual impishness still seemed to poke through, ¡°Let¡¯s help them finish that golem.¡±


    Blychert nodded wordlessly.


    He was sweating too much and breathing too hard to offer anything more than that. But as he turned his attention towards the other side of the cavern, where Xander and Lisel were fighting, the sounds of metal grinding on stone became immediately present. Blue flash after blue flash lit up the darkened chamber, as Xander¡¯s longsword streaked through the air with fervor, intermittently broken up by the deep violet energy radiating off Lisel¡¯s usual volley of arrows.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Bredic said abruptly, ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me! Already?¡±


    Snapping his neck in the wizard¡¯s direction, Bly followed Bredic¡¯s gaze for a moment until it settled on the area they¡¯d just cleared of wolf spiders. Lo and behold, a secondary stone golem was already stomping its way towards them.


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened.


    This was only the second day of their delving trip, and they were already making good progress through the second floor. But this? This didn¡¯t seem normal. He¡¯d never fought so many monsters at one time before. Was this how many spawns they could expect moving deeper inside?


    ¡°Hey.¡± Vineta was the one to snap him back to reality, and Blychert shook his head clear at her in understanding. She looked at him with a consoling but deeply serious expression, and said, ¡°Go. You help them take that one out. Bredic and I can handle this one ourselves. Or, we¡¯ll stall for time if we must.¡±


    And just like that, Vineta and Bredic were back into the fray, hardly receptive to just how chaotic everything was around them.


    Blychert exhaled, steadying his breath somewhat.


    She was right, he had to focus.


    Back the other way, Xander ducked, narrowly avoiding a massive, rocky arm swiping through the air. He flourished his blade, two diagonal cuts across the golem¡¯s midsection, causing the core to spark momentarily. Lisel was at more of a disadvantage by the looks of it, given the narrow layout of the cavern tunnel. She fired off normal arrows here and there, but ultimately was resigned to navigating around the golem¡¯s path of attack.


    Alright, just like we''ve been doing. Bly reassured himself, as he worked to close the distance.


    ¡°Binding element, let the depths of frost take root.¡± He began muttering, extending his hand as he aimed for the golem¡¯s core, ¡°From the heart of winter¡¯s embrace, I summon with might, an icy bond, swift and merciless! Freezing chain.¡±


    In an instant, the elemental energy coalesced and burst forth. However, unlike his last success, the end of this chain did not reach its intended target. Instead, it sunk deep into the golem¡¯s forearm just as it began to swing its arm around for an attack.


    The golem paused for half a second, grabbed ahold of the chain in its other hand, and pulled as hard as it could.


    Before Bly even had the chance to react, his body was suddenly propelling through the air, dangling from the end of his magical chain as he whipped across the cavern towards the golem.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Hyah¡ª!¡± Xander heaved, his sword arm reacting quickly as he stepped forward, cutting the spell free in an instant. The chain shattered in two, and Blychert tumbled to the hard ground, rolling and tumbling somewhat before he came to a painful stop.


    ¡°Guh¡­¡± He winced, suddenly very aware of the rock that had just grazed his leg.


    ¡°Up you get¡ª¡± Xander said sternly, hastily reaching a hand down to help Bly up to his feet.


    Bly nodded, though as he reached his own arm up to meet Xander¡¯s, a hulking shadow suddenly loomed large over the both of them.


    ¡°Swift shield, threefold lattice¡ª!¡±


    Giving little more than a reactionary thought to his casting, he reached up and yanked on Xander¡¯s arm with his free hand. In the same instant, a swell of magic burst from his other fingertips and formed a several inches thick barrier in front of them. As Xander hit the ground next to him, an incredible crashing sound echoed throughout the tunnel. The impact of the golem¡¯s fist on his shield spell completely shattered the first lattice and inevitably cracked the bottom two, sending small tremors throughout the rock beneath where they lie.


    But as the barrier magic began to dissipate, Bly regarded the core of the golem above him with a renewed sense of optimism, realizing that he had a clear shot all of a sudden. And by the looks of it, the protective stone was already worn down.


    ¡°From frozen depths, I call on the element, ice, to pierce the air with frost¡¯s embrace. Icicle.¡±


    The frozen projectile soared upwards¡ªsoaring straight up through the stone golem¡¯s chest. What remained of the core¡¯s protective barrier all but shattered to pieces, leaving the energy crystal completely exposed.


    Xander was quick to scramble to his feet, which was just as well because no sooner ad Blychert broken the core¡¯s barrier, did the golem¡¯s other arm come swinging around for another attack.


    A burst of blue energy erupted from where Xander stood, engulfed almost immediately by a deep green color thereafter. Bly¡¯s eyes adjusted against the sparking brilliance as he crawled backwards slightly. He realized that Xander had fully parried the stone golem¡¯s attack, and was holding it at bay with nothing but the flat edge of his longsword.


    ¡°Lisel!¡± Xander shouted over his shoulder, ¡°Now!¡±


    ¡°Hold it there!¡± She shouted back, and not a second later, the twang of her bow had snapped loudly.


    Time stood still for a moment, all before violet pierced the auburn innards of the golem¡¯s core with a bang. A swirling, purple orb formed on the core, twisting and bending light all around, before collapsing in on itself. In a small explosion, the creature had broken down completely, tumbling to the ground at their feet soon after.


    Xander turned, acknowledging both Bly and Lisel with a brief but steeled expression, before looking past them. He then set off towards the other end of the tunnel, saying as he moved, ¡°Come on. Looks like they¡¯ve got the other one handled We need to keep moving, or there will just end up being more.¡±


    ¡°You alright?¡± Bly turned towards Lisel quickly, ¡°Not hurt, are you?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You?¡±


    Bly ignored the pain radiating from his leg for the time being, and nodded, ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m short on mana though.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Lisel resounded, a slight look of worry on her face as she gnawed at her lower lip. She opened her sage terminal for a moment, and narrowed her gaze, adding, ¡°My stamina is getting low too.¡±


    Bly simply nodded, looking farther down the cavern tunnel as he did.


    This was the furthest he¡¯d pushed himself in a long time, at least without having to resort to using his transmogrifier in order to replenish his mana. Realistically, none of them should have much left. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good sign of their progress or not, but it would almost certainly become a problem sooner rather than later.


    Crossing to the other side of the chamber, the sole remaining stone golem tumbled to the ground in a burst of fire. Tendrils of mud seeped back into the ground and hardened all around it¡¯s body, no doubt Vineta¡¯s work. Bly was at least glad to see that their slight adaptations with combining elements to take out the stone golems was working somewhat well. It wasn¡¯t foolproof, but the combined magic damage was effective against the creature¡¯s protective layer, if nothing else.


    <hr>


    [SAGE --> Raven System Notification]


    [Experience gained: +92 xp]


    [Experience total: 8,639 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 15,717 xp]


    <hr>


    ¡°Bredic, grab that crystal.¡± Xander said without a moment to waste. He turned towards Vineta, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the layout looking like?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Vineta resounded ponderingly. A sparkle of gray coated her eye for a moment¡ªdivination magic¡ªcausing them to become cloudy, as she gesticulated with her fingers, ¡°The tunnel ahead splits off in three places. I¡¯m getting a strong magical reading from one of them, but it could just be a high density of spawns.¡±


    Xander nodded slowly, and shifted his attention towards Bly and Lisel, ¡°How are you two holding up?¡±


    ¡°Not where I¡¯d like to be.¡± Bly admitted, fully aware of how much mana he¡¯d spent over the last few hours.


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Lisel seconded, ¡°I won¡¯t be able keep my sensing active for very long if we keep going.¡±


    Vineta frowned, as her eyes returned to normal, ¡°Which means no trap detection. Xander, that¡¯s not a risk we should take lightly. Not with these mana signatures I¡¯m reading.¡±


    ¡°If we turn back, we¡¯ll be losing all the ground we covered today.¡± Xander replied, a slightly despondent tone of voice, ¡°In other words, back where we started.¡±


    ¡°We have more mapping data.¡± Vineta insisted, ¡°And I¡¯m not so great on mana either, by the way. What about you, Bredic?¡±


    ¡°I could go a little longer, but¡­¡± Bredic tarried for a second, as he worked the energy crystal out of the stone golem¡¯s chest. It plopped out a second later, and he looked towards the group with flushed features, ¡°If the rest of you are tapped out, then it doesn¡¯t really matter. Does it?¡±


    Blychert studied Xander¡¯s expression as the rest of them chatted.


    He couldn¡¯t help but notice that the party leader¡¯s gaze shifted towards the tunnel on the far side every few seconds. It was as if part of him was looking for something, maybe some excuse, or maybe he was thinking about running headlong into further danger. Whatever the case, Bly thought about his private conversation with Lisel for a moment, and stepped forward.


    ¡°Hey?¡± He said, tapping Xander on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sure we can go even farther tomorrow. If the first floor layout is anything to go by, we have to be getting close.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± Xander stared down at him blankly for a split-second. Bly was certain that in that moment he saw a flash of something. But whatever it was, Xander simply nodded his ahead with a small sigh, ¡°Alright, Trelen. Fair point. Let¡¯s head back to the wayshrine. We¡¯re done for today. Good work, everyone¡­¡±


    Blychert sighed in relief under his breath.


    It had been a tough day, tougher than their last weeks'' worth of delving combined. Frankly, it seemed like they were only testing their boundaries as a group more and more with each passing day. Bly figured that was probably a good thing, but then he couldn''t seem to stop himself from keeping one eye on Xander all the while. He hadn''t shown too many signs of recklessness, but then they were making too good a pace each day to really know for certain.


    If one thing was clear, it was that tomorrow wouldn''t be any easier. And sooner or later, they''d have to reach the boss room. It was inevitable at this point, surely. But then, so was uncertainty. In a place like this, it really seemed as if peril and glory were two sides of the same coin.


    Neither was a safe bet.

 [A1] Interlude 2 - Xander: A Leaders Betrayal

    Interlude 2 - Xander: A Leader''s Betrayal


    <hr>


    A yawn betrayed Xander¡¯s composure all of a sudden. As he reined himself in, he let his gaze fall across the chamber in front of him with mild scrutiny. Satisfied, he continued to lead the party forward, until they crossed the chamber and entered a winding tunnel.


    He wasn¡¯t oblivious to how little he¡¯d slept the last few nights.


    Perhaps the only reason he found any sleep at all was because of the quiet¡ªof how still and empty the Calvergian tundra was in the dead of night. Frostwall was too big for its own good, noisy beyond compare, and it was easy to forget just how quiet the outside world could be. Otherwise, he might have really laid awake until dawn, staring at the brown, splotched material of the tent for what must have been the hundredth time, ever trapped in the machinations of his own planning.


    Should he try turning left at the fourth tunnel fork this time? Or should he stick to the right? Were his tactics too rigid, or should he encourage more individual maneuvers? It was getting harder to protect everyone whilst simultaneously putting in his own maximum effort. Was he expecting too much from them? Were they simply too low level for even a D-rated dungeon?


    Xander rubbed his left eye free of an itch. He paused again, taking in his surroundings once more, before gesturing for the others to continue through a separate tunnel that deviated on their left.


    He was tired.


    He was more than tired, but that only seemed to add fuel to the already growing fire within him; the one thing that kept him going all this time. His appetite for closure, for retribution, for¡­ something, it was somehow stronger than ever. Every fiber of his being was screaming that what he wanted, what he desperately needed, was right here; it was down in this dungeon. If he could go farther, just push himself a little more, then he could reach it.


    It was just that sometimes he wished he didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone else but himself in a place like this.


    Peering over his shoulder, Xander regarded a bout of chatter that permeated the group behind him with a sidelong glance. Bredic must have said something stupid, because Vineta was chastising him, and the other two were chuckling between themselves. Xander smiled at the image, but it soon fell away to quiet contemplation as he turned his head back forward.


    In his heart, he knew it was a mistake to bring them here.


    He should have turned them down the second it was brought up, despite having known about it for weeks in advance. Norman could never keep a secret, especially not one like this. But even still, how could he say no to them after what had happened? How could he tell them that he¡¯d meant to leave them behind, their own party leader, and that he didn¡¯t want them here at all.


    How could he tell them that he didn¡¯t care if this place killed him or not? That maybe, some deep, dark part of him had been counting on it all along?


    Whatever they saw in him and the things he saw in himself were two realities that were simply unreconcilable anymore. This quest was supposed to be his trial, his alone, and if not then the dungeon could damned well be his tomb for all he cared. He¡¯d accepted that¡ªmade peace with it¡ªbut then they had to come along, didn¡¯t they? A real quest for a real adventuring party.


    Was that what they were?


    The dungeon was only going to get more dangerous from here on out, just like it had been on that day¡­ he could handle himself just fine, always had. But he couldn¡¯t be in two, or even three places at once. That much was painfully obvious. If he wanted any shot at achieving his ambition, it seemed likely that he¡¯d have to go at it solo, just like he used to.


    Xander clenched his teeth, and tightened his fingers around the hilt of his longsword, so much so that his knuckles began to hurt.


    It was a complete betrayal, but he could always take the late watch at camp and slip into the dungeon undetected if he really wanted to. He knew how to bypass Vineta¡¯s detection spell. She was crafty, but he¡¯d figured that out a long time ago, and anyway he¡¯d be long gone by the time they figured out that he¡¯d left. If they could just find that second floor boss room, then everything he originally set out to do by himself was still on the table.


    In other words, he could keep his promise, even if it was at the expense of his friends¡¯ trust. Let them hate him. He¡¯d either be dead or sorry, but at least he¡¯d finally have the answer he¡¯d been looking for all this time. He knew they¡¯d come with him if he asked them to¡ªhell only knew they would¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want them to go anywhere near where he was going, and he didn¡¯t want them to see what he was willing to become just to get there.


    This was the end of his road; they would never be able to accept that. But then, he wasn''t asking them to.


    Just as selfish as ever. Huh? Xander thought with a smile, not for the first time, though not that he expected Norman could even hear his thoughts. Norm had always been the more superstitious of the two of them. But then, he had always believed in the redeeming power of the Heavenly Principle too. Whichever one of them was right, in the end, he supposed he was destined to find out.


    Xander¡¯s ears perked suddenly.


    ¡°Stop¡ª!¡± He shouted.


    But it was too late.


    By the time he had his longsword halfway drawn from its sheath, the rock beneath his feet had already split into several sections. Rumbling and quaking of stone resounded ferociously, as the walls of the cavern shook. Losing his footing somewhat, Xander rolled forward and repositioned himself, turning to face as the split in the ground continued to swell and break apart.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He scowled, disappointed for letting his own thoughts cloud his senses, but he had to shake that off for the time being.


    As glistening light sparkled off the ice veins and rocks throughout the cavern, Xander¡¯s eyes widened as he watched with shock, a large creature beginning to crawl out of the cracked earth. Its insectoid-like body was covered in thick, rocky chitin, and it propped its weight up onto eight, massive legs as it fully found its footing inside the tunnel.


    Griping his longsword, Xander swung his blade forward, just in time to parry the long, twisting horn on the creature¡¯s mashed, gray-colored face. Blue energy sparkled from the blade, revealing a hideous face filled with eight, cloudy-grey eyes. Its maw gaped slightly, and several rows of jagged teeth became instantly visible. The creature snarled, its breath hot and acrid, before it lurched back. In the follow-up motion, it twisted itself around and bellowed out a thunderous cry.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Winter System Notification]


    > New spawn type [Rock Thrasher] detected.


    > Spawn Type: Beast


    > Threat Level: Intermediate


    > Spawn Rank: C


    > Spawn Zone: D


    <hr>


    Rock thrasher? C rank? Xander thought with a frightened glance at his sage terminal, disbelieving if not for what he was seeing. His heart was beginning to race, but there was no mistaking what this creature was. Never mind what a C-ranked spawn that wasn''t the floor boss was even doing on only the second floor of a D-rated dungeon. This thing was dangerous, way more dangerous than anything they¡¯d fought together as a group. Right now, he only had one plan: fight.


    A barrage of fire pelted the thrasher suddenly, quickly followed up by a cascade of flashing ice, all of which caused the hulking creature to flail. Its barbed tail flicked every which as it attempted to land a hit, though the yellow flash of Vineta¡¯s barrier magic filled the cavern each time it came to close.


    High magic resistance. Xander groaned, realizing what that meant for the kind of energy he was going to have to spend dealing with this thing.


    Ducking beneath the swing of the thrasher¡¯s tail, Xander quickly reoirnted himself so that he was now situated between where Bredic and Trelen were standing. Lisel had already found a better vantage point from atop an outcropping of rock, which meant all he needed to worry about was keeping the thrasher in front of him. Since the others had no reliable way to quickly counter a heavy attack beyond the use of barrier magic, there seemed to be little choice but for him to go all-out on the attack.


    Easier said than done. Xander thought to himself, a momentary fear that the tunnel was too narrow to achieve that goal. However, he realized that the thrasher wasn¡¯t quick. If anything, it was slower than the stone golems were. What it boasted in strength, it clearly lacked for in speed. That, at least, was something he could work with.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xander exhaled, ¡°We go again¡­¡±


    Flourishing his blade, he closed his eyes for a moment and invoked the power of his sword art, willing the weapon to shine brighter. Dark blue folded into forest green, amplifying the blade¡¯s luminosity. As the light settled, he took hold of the grip in both hands and adjusted his footing.


    Inhaling a long breath, and then exhaling two quick ones, Xander¡¯s eyes shot open.


    The thrasher¡¯s foreleg stomped down, but he was already on the move.


    Swiping his blade against the creature several times, he was able to confirm his suspicions that the thrasher¡¯s chitinous layer was resistant to head-on attacks. At the revelation, Xander quickly set himself to weaving in and out between the creature¡¯s legs, carefully examining its underside for any points of weakness. Sure enough, soft tissue was exposed on the back sides of its legs, and along the joints, as well as up near the plating around its neck.


    Just a front, huh? Xander smirked, despite himself, conceding to the point that it was something they had in common, if nothing else.


    The length of Xander¡¯s blade cut through the taut skin along the back of one of the thrasher¡¯s middling legs. At this, the thrasher produced a coarse, wailing sound in the back of its throat, as it buckled for an instant. Its foreleg kicked back and knocked Xander over, though he was back upright in the same motion.


    Producing two more slashes, Xander¡¯s blade crossed the chitinous plating between the thrasher¡¯s knee, causing it once again to kick its leg. Though this time, Xander swung his blade through the air and parried. The blueish-green glint of his sword art sparked for a second, giving him enough time to backstep three paces and gather his bearings.


    ¡°Weak spots!¡± Xander shouted, jutting left and just narrowly avoiding being crushed by yet another massive foot. Setting himself around and to the front of the creature, he added, ¡°Between the shell plating and on the back of its legs. On each of my attacks, you follow-up!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take too much longer for the others to fall into a pattern of attack that suited requirements.


    Using his own speed, Xander cut at the thrasher in opportune places, which lured the creature after him. This in turn exposed its flank, allowing the others to attack precisely where he marked with sword. Little by little, the dark ichor of its blood began to spill across the cavern floor from its open wounds. And sure enough, the rock thrasher was slowing.


    But so was Xander.


    His stamina was getting lower, and a small lapse in concentration caused him to miscalculate his movements. In the blink of an eye, he felt the weight of the thrasher¡¯s barbed tail strike him head-on in the chest.


    Weightless, Xander hurtled through the air. He hit the wall of the tunnel with force, dropping his sword in the process. Clambering across the stone, Xander shuttered, but there wasn¡¯t much time to think about his pain, because the thrasher was right on top of him now.


    The thrasher¡¯s maw opened wide, and with a croaky snarl it wrenched its neck downward.


    Without even thinking, Xander thrust his arm out in front of him. But before he even had the chance to act on his instincts, a yellow flash of light bloomed in front of him.


    The thrasher¡¯s head ricocheted off the familiar sight of a barrier spell, and without second guessing himself, Xander reached for the blade by his side. Grasping it in one hand, he leaned forward. As the barrier magic dissipated, he reached across and took hold of one of the thrasher¡¯s teeth, using it to propel his body. In the same motion, his sword thrust upward too, up through the soft palate of the creature¡¯s mouth.


    It wailed, hissing and croaking. Xander ripped the sword from its mouth, and the thrasher stumbled backward, until it fell to the cavern floor, dead.


    The dungeon fell quiet momentarily, before the sounds of his companions¡¯ voices filled the area once again.


    But they were muffled, lost in his wandering mind. Xander stretched his arm and worked his way back up onto his feet. His arm and face were covered in saliva and monstrous blood, but he slowly walked over to the thrasher¡¯s body and began to work the energy crystal out of it. It came loose in a matter of seconds, and he took the dark green shard into his hand.


    Xander¡¯s brow wrinkled curiously.


    This was proof that things were changing for the worse, and if that was the case then they could expect even more resistance moving forward. Core volatility was higher than it had been lately, which meant they had to be getting close to the end of the second floor¡ªhad to be. With that thought in mind, Xander shifted his attention and looked towards the others.


    ¡°Come on.¡± He said sternly, gesturing ahead, ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    He needed sleep. But the sooner they found that boss lair, the sooner he could get on with his plan, and the sooner all this would be over.


    At least, he was counting on it.

 [A1] Chapter 12: Disputing Heads

    Chapter 12: Disputing Heads


    <hr>


    Blychert had always figured that the lower level of the second floor would pose a challenge.


    He was mostly used to fighting ice demons, rock slimes, and wolf spiders on the upper levels, after all. And on top of that, before Bold Arrow came to town, he¡¯d only ever experienced delving on his own. But even still, he was confident enough in his arcane abilities to the point where he knew beyond a doubt that his skillset was still useful this deep in. And if not, well, the others were more than capable themselves. They might have insisted that they were an inexperienced group of adventurers, but the reality was that they were more synergized than Bly had been expecting them to be.


    Or, they had up until this point.


    The fight against the rock thrasher yesterday hadn¡¯t necessarily been out of the ordinary, nor had it been the most dangerous. It was an intermediate level spawn, with a typing that fit the biome of the Gleaming Caves, but there was just one problem that even he understood, despite his inexperience: a C-ranked monster should not have been able to spawn outside of a boss room at all. At least, not inside a D-rated dungeon; it should have been an impossibility. Regardless, they¡¯d been forced to fight it. And if the difference between an E-ranked and a D-ranked monster was noticeable, then the difference between a D-ranked and a C-ranked monster was profound.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Xander, Bly wasn¡¯t sure they would have been able to even touch it, let alone kill it. That thought alone had been gnawing at him since they returned to camp last night, and it was partly because he had already been feeling that something was off in the dungeon, ever since arriving the day before last.


    There were more monsters spawning than usual, almost hampering their ability to make substantial progress. Xander had explained that it was probably due to the dungeon¡¯s core volatility being higher than normal, and yet Bly had very rarely seen that volatility rating fluctuate so much in his entire time coming here. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he was getting the sense that the dungeon itself was reacting to certain parameters. What those things were, and whether it was because of Bold Arrow or not, he couldn¡¯t even begin to say. No one had probably even been this far down on the second floor, so maybe that was the reason?


    All he knew was that there was an uneasy feeling in the back of his mind. And the deeper they pushed, the more he could feel it tugging at him.


    In any case, Bold Arrow was more than capable of dealing with a greater volume of monsters regardless, especially after so many days of acclimating to the dungeon, as well as being able to come up with newer and more efficient delving strategies as each day passed.


    Despite their banter, Bredic and Vineta made a good team, coming up with different spell combinations and attack patterns for the three of them to use whilst they camped. Between Lisel¡¯s tracking abilities and Vineta''s divination magic, they were able to compile more and more mapping data so that they left no area unexplored on the second floor, all in the effort of finding that item. And when they ran into monsters that were perhaps a bit punchier than usual, Xander was there at the front to deal with it himself. Even for something as deadly as the rock thrasher, Bold Arrow¡¯s skilled party leader seemed more than willing to put himself out there.


    They were making good progress, despite Bly¡¯s worries about the dungeon itself, for some reason he got it in his head that maybe there was a chance they could really go all the way to the end of the second floor. After all, Bold Arrow was really operating in full form now, and even Xander seemed to have put aside whatever issues he¡¯d been having earlier in the week. So much so that Bly wondered if what Lisel had told him the other day was something they even had to worry about anymore.


    However, that notion was quelled soon enough.


    By the time the fourth day of their delving trip came and went, and as the end of their fifth day was steadily approaching, it became readily apparent to Blychert that Xander was acting less like himself; or rather, less like the person he¡¯d first met a week ago.


    There were dark bags under his eyes, for starters, and even though Vineta urged him to get more sleep, Xander was always the last one left awake by the campfire whenever they all went to bed. He was more reckless in battle too. Unlike the first night Bly had met Bold Arrow, Xander seemed more and more interested in rushing ahead and taking battles head-on by himself, rather than working as a part of a formation like they usually did. When Bredic confronted him about it, Xander simply shrugged with one of his offhanded smiles, and insisted that it was more efficient for him to do it this way, while they supported him from the back.


    But Blychert couldn¡¯t really complain. None of those changes in behavior had really put them in any sort of danger yet. They were still clearing out spawns with relative ease, despite the difficulty changes. But then, maybe it was worth trying to confront him anyway? Although, if his own friends had little success, Bly couldn¡¯t imagine what good it would do coming from him?


    He just couldn¡¯t understand what had Xander in such a spot of determination. Did he think that by finding some random rare item that it would absolve him of whatever guilt he seemed to be holding onto? Fat chance of that. Bly knew a thing or two about holding onto guilt, and shaking it wasn¡¯t that easy.


    ¡°Hold on a moment¡­¡± Lisel¡¯s voice suddenly breached the stillness of the tunnel ahead of them.


    The sound of boots coming to a halt reverberated across the cavern a moment later, as the rest of the party stopped in its tracks.


    Blychert blinked several times quickly, coming to a halt himself, if only belatedly, as he picked his head up and out of his own musings.


    Surprisingly, they hadn¡¯t run into any monsters for a little while now. A quick scan of his sage terminal told Bly that he was still hovering at about half his maximum mana, though his short-term supply had fully replenished by now. Good enough, if there was trouble ahead.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xander asked, turning to face the rest of the party from the front of the pack, ¡°Sense something?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Lisel pondered aloud for a moment. She stopped midsentence and moved across to the side of the tunnel. Raising her hand, she edged her finger along the wall, before lifting it up towards her nose. ¡°The terrain is different now. It¡ªsmells different.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Vineta sniffed twice, ¡°Smell? I don¡¯t smell anything unusual.¡±


    ¡°No shit, her nose is better than yours.¡± Bredic insisted, as he joined Lisel on that side of the tunnel, ¡°Look at this, the stone is totally different here. Not so natural looking anymore, almost like¡­¡±


    ¡°Like we¡¯ve found a new part of the dungeon.¡± Xander supplied the answer himself. He dropped his pack and immediately joined the other two. Blychert followed as well, and watched as Xander lifted his own hand to the stonework.


    ¡°This is it¡­¡± Xander murmured with a nod. He turned towards Bredic momentarily, ¡°You and Lisel pace back the way we just came and inspect both sides of the tunnel carefully. Make sure we didn¡¯t miss any obscured passages. And Lisel, keep looking out for traps. Vineta, you do your thing and see what''s ahead. Trelen, you¡¯re with me. We¡¯ll take the first look.¡±


    Bly nodded, and followed suite as the rest of the party broke away into its various roles.


    Unlike the rough, uneven, and winding stonework of the caves behind them, this looked like uniform stonework. It was the same dark color, but smooth and flush, like layers of brick. Bly followed in Xander¡¯s footsteps as he quickly ran his hand along the finished wall, making his way down the tunnel. Soon, there was no more tunnel at all, instead giving way to a hallway. It was a perfectly squared corridor with smooth stone on all sides; dark and running deep into some unknown area of the dungeon.


    ¡°Huh¡ª¡± Xander chuckled once, as if he himself couldn¡¯t believe it. By the light of Vineta¡¯s illumination spell behind them, Xander turned and looked at Bly with an expecting grin, ¡°Complete terrain change. I wasn¡¯t expecting something like this in a D zone.¡±


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Bly asked, not fullly sure what he''d meant.


    ¡°Hard to say¡­¡± Xander murmured, turning back towards the hallway. He lifted his arm and pointed his hand down the hall, pointing several times in quick succession, ¡°I¡¯ll bet you that lair is on the other side of this passage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Bly shrugged. He bit his upper lip for a moment, biting at the dead skin thereof as he and Xander glared down the hallway. This was out of Bly¡¯s depth, to be certain, but he doubted Xander felt the same. At any rate, he felt compelled to say, ¡°Hey, Xander? I don¡¯t know how else to say this, but¡­ I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this place.¡±


    ¡°What¡ª?¡± Xander shot a dismissive look in his direction, ¡°What do you mean? Bad feeling?¡±


    ¡°That rock thrasher yesterday? The amount of spawns¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you already,¡± Xander interjected, shaking his head in consolation, ¡°High core volatility makes things unpredictable. You don''t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°That was a C-ranked monster on the floor.¡± Blychert argued, ¡°I don''t have anywhere near the experience you do, but I thought that wasn''t possible. The compendium says¡ª¡±


    ¡°The compendium is bullshit.¡± Xander hissed, but resigned an apologetic glance, ¡°Look, I don''t know, maybe it wandered in from the outside? Or something.¡±


    Not with the entrance pillars. Ward is way too powerful. But you know that already. Don¡¯t you? Bly wondered, realizing all at once that Xander wasn¡¯t interested in entertaining this conversation. He¡¯d found what he wanted, and that was likely that.


    ¡°I think maybe we should go back to camp.¡± Bly changed the subject, as they continued to walk down the quickly darkening hallway, ¡°We¡¯ve been down here a while, and I wouldn¡¯t mind having the chance to go back to Kelvalder. I could ask my teacher about all of this. She knows a lot, and might be able to help¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, yeah¡­¡± Xander nodded, though it seemed like he was only half listening, ¡°You guys should do that. I¡¯ll press on though¡­ try to find that wayshrine. It¡¯s close, I can feel it. You know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Bly furrowed his brow. Xander didn¡¯t respond, and so Bly shook his shoulder, ¡°Hey? Xander?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He craned his neck, a look of annoyance on his face now, ¡°What? What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Do you even hear yourself?¡± Bly forced himself to whisper, not necessarily wanting any of the others to hear their conversation, ¡°You¡¯ve been acting real strange the last few days. And I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s noticed, by the way. But we¡¯re not friends, so I guess I¡¯m stuck having to tell you this. You¡¯ve been acting way too reckless.¡±


    Xander scoffed, ¡°Reckless? Give me a break, Trelen. This dungeon isn¡¯t anything special¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don''t bullshit me.¡± Bly argued straight way, ¡°You said it yourself, even a D-rated dungeon is extremely dangerous. You have a death wish or something? You need to step back and start focusing on your team. You know? As its leader?¡±


    The immediate look on Xander¡¯s face startled Blychert, it was as if the swordsman had seen a ghost, or that he was about to vomit. Suddenly, Xander had thrust Bly into the stonework with force, scrunching the front of his robes as he glared.


    ¡°What''s your problem?¡± Xander grinded out, ¡°Telling me what I have to do? Don¡¯t be so quick to write me off. What the hell do you know about being a leader, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Enough to know you¡¯re not acting like one.¡± Bly murmured, not deterred by the aggressive look in Xander¡¯s eye.


    Xander snarled somewhat, ¡°What the hell did I even bring you along for?¡±


    Bly shook his head slightly, ¡°You tell me?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± But that seemed to stun Xander right then and there.


    As if immediately aware of what he was doing, Xander offered a sympathetic, remorseful expression and released Blychert all at once. He stepped back and leaned against the opposite wall. Softly, he said, ¡°Sorry, Trelen. I didn¡¯t mean that. It''s this damned dungeon¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think maybe you need to get some sleep?¡± Bly figured he might as well ask.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ probably¡± Xander sighed, throwing his head in the direction of farther down the tunnel.


    Several moments of silence passed, before Bly said, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    Xander nodded wordlessly.


    ¡°Why is this quest so important to you? I mean, can¡¯t you honor Norman some other way?¡±


    Xander furrowed his brow as he glanced back at Bly, before smiling somewhat, ¡°Let me guess¡­ Vineta told you? Wait¡ªno, Lisel?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Bly flushed.


    Xander shifted his bodyweight and rested his left foot on the stone behind him, propping his back forward slightly. Plainly, he started, ¡°He planned the whole thing. The quest, the travel days, the delve. I guess he wanted it to be a surprise.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Bly asked.


    Xander remained silent for a moment, before shrugging with a small smile, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you. But he wasn¡¯t any good at it. Hell, he told me a few weeks before he¡­ passed. The others knew, I just didn¡¯t have the heart to tell them that he¡¯d already told me. By the time they asked me if we could still do it, I guess¡­ I don¡¯t know. I just couldn¡¯t say no to them.¡±


    There was a coldness in his last sentence, which made Bly wonder for a moment if he even wanted to be here at all. Maybe the reason he was trying to get through it so quickly was because he was trying to move on? Perhaps everything he was doing was just a front to keep everyone else excited.


    ¡°Item¡¯s not on this level.¡± Xander switched the conversation¡¯s direction, ¡°We¡¯ve effectively mapped the whole thing. Which means its deeper. And if it¡¯s not deeper, then there¡¯s only one place it can be.¡±


    ¡°¡­Boss.¡± Bly shuttered at the thought.


    Were they seriously going to try it?


    Xander turned his head and offered a deeply serious expression, and opened his mouth. He closed it again, as if he couldn''t find the words, before saying, ¡°I need to ask you some¡ª¡±


    ¡°Xander!¡± Vineta shouted.


    Both of them snapped their heads back in the other direction as the sound of footsteps running across the cavern floor became audible.


    ¡°Found something?¡± Xander called out, his tone shifting back to his usual one.


    ¡°I divined a massive energy reading down this passage.¡± She pointed her quarterstaff in the direction they''d been heading, ¡°It¡¯s the densest I''ve divined since we first stepped foot in this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± Xander mumbled, and his eyes widened with renewed energy, ¡°So that means¡­¡±


    ¡°You were right.¡± She smiled, ¡°We made it to the second-floor lair. The boss on this floor is directly on the other side of this hallway; has to be.¡±


    Blychert peered down the hallway with a queasy feeling in his stomach.


    This delve was far from over.

 [A1] Chapter 13: The Lair

    Chapter 13: The Lair


    <hr>


    The wayshrine chamber was nothing like the one found on the first floor.


    It was hexagonal shaped, and no more than thirty feet across from where the entry corridor began to where the wayshrine was situated in the middle. Each vertices along the wall possessed a sharp, triangular-shaped column that stretched all the way up to the far, vaulted ceiling, giving the sensation of great depth, but also constriction. A single source of light near the ceiling offered pale color to the dark bricks that comprised the chamber, washing everything in a dim glow


    As Blychert stepped farther in, he noticed that the wayshrine itself was of a similar white, stone style as those that came before. It perfectly mirrored the pillars that stood guard outside the dungeon entrance, if only but a third of the size. As the party continued to scatter throughout the chamber, the wayshrine¡¯s linework and various hieroglyphs illuminated slowly, as if in greeting, to cut the shadows with bright, teal blue.


    Blychert approached the wayshrine carefully, taking quick regard of the empty, throne-like chair that sat directly behind it. His eyes followed the direction in which the chair was facing, until he saw the massive door on the other side of the chamber. It was a heavy, wooden thing, of a deep purple color, affixed with a dark metal ring in its center that looked like a knocker, if only it was built for a giant to make use of.


    ¡°This¡­ is the farthest anyone¡¯s been in this dungeon.¡± Vineta cut the silence. Bly looked across at her, where her softer complexion was illuminated by the light of the wayshrine as she too studied it. She looked up towards the ceiling, and sighed, ¡°So much for the gleaming caves. This might as well be a fortress.¡±


    ¡°¡ªScared, V.¡± Bredic snuck up behind her and poked the side of her ribs all of a sudden.


    ¡°Damn it, Bredic!¡± She screeched, her body fully leaving the ground as she jumped backward. Her face turned red, and she grumbled, ¡°Would it kill you to act serious for once?¡±


    Bredic meandered towards the door, where Xander was already standing, but looked back with a devious grin, ¡°Yep. As a matter of fact, it would.¡±


    Bly stifled an amused grin, instead turning towards Vineta to ask, ¡°Is the dungeon in Frostwall like this?¡±


    ¡°You mean, does it change from floor to floor?¡± She replied curiously, ¡°It does have structural variety, yes. We¡¯ve only ever been to the second floor on one occasion, and¡­¡± Vineta paused, a forlorn look sprouting on her face, but she shook her head with a furious groan, ¡°Nothing as drastic as a cave changing into a thing like this. Your dungeon would appear to more impressive than it seems at face value, Trelen. I would never have expected to find something like this at all.¡±


    Bly wasn''t sure whether he was supposed to be excited or worried by her admission.


    ¡°Vineta, you have a reading on this room?¡± Xander asked, an impatient tone of voice as he paced around the door.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± She followed up proudly, but her expression sobered a second later. Closing her eyes, she mumbled softly to herself for a moment, before saying, ¡°It¡¯s intense in there, Xander. Whatever kind of boss were dealing with here, it¡¯s not like anything we¡¯ve come up against. We should be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Xander?¡± Lisel¡¯s voice interjected, and everyone turned to look at her expectingly, ¡°There¡¯s traces of poison here. Spiders, most likely.¡±


    Bredic shrugged, ¡°Dungeon¡¯s full of them. So what?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wolf spiders are venomous. Not poisonous.¡± Xander shook his head, his tone highly contemplative. He gave a hard look across to Lisel, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Lisel offered a nod in reply.


    ¡°Great¡­¡± Vineta groaned again, ¡°So we¡¯re looking at spiders in there, are we?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Xander murmured, his hand passing over part of the door for few seconds. He glanced back over his shoulder, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be out of the question though, given what we know about this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªhold on.¡± Bly felt the need to interject. He was mostly fine with everything up until now, but this seemed way too hurried, ¡°We¡¯re not seriously thinking about going in there right now, are we?¡±


    An awkward silence filled the chamber, as everyone looked to everyone else for an answer.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to look.¡± Xander eventually shrugged, ¡°Get a good reading for what we¡¯d be up against... theoretically.¡±


    Bly scoffed, ¡°Is that really smart?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but if we''re just collecting information, then it''s more than reasonable.¡± Xander insisted, ¡°We don¡¯t even have to step more than a few feet away from the door, if we don¡¯t want to. Well, one of us will have to, to initiate the lair protocols. But you already know that¡¯ll be me, so there''s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°This is what we came here to do.¡± Vineta offered Bly a consoling expression, though her voice was edged by slight uncertainty, ¡°I won¡¯t lie by telling you this sounds easy. We¡¯ve never fought a boss before.¡±


    ¡°And we never will if we don¡¯t start somewhere.¡± Bredic argued, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but I¡¯m with Xander on this one. Either we do what we came here to do, or we forget about it and go the hell home. I¡¯m itching to fight something big, anyway.¡±


    ¡°But, Bredic¡ª¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± He raised his voice at Lisel, ¡°All we¡¯ve talked about these last few months is how great this trip was going to be. How we¡¯ll finally get to do some epic shit in a dungeon of reasonable level. Well? Here we are! Nothing stopping us.¡±


    ¡°And what if the boss is something like that rock thrasher?¡± Lisel asked, ¡°What if magic is no good against it? What then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, or what happens if Vineta and I have to focus on defensive spells?¡± Bly suggested, ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll be able to handle a boss with just your own magic.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get so cocky kid¡ª¡± Bredic snapped, but he was cut short.


    ¡°Guys, please¡ª¡± Xander shushed the quarrelling, ¡°I already told you, we can back out whenever we want. Lairs aren''t trap rooms.¡± He paused, as everyone collected themselves, ¡°Look, I¡¯ll go all the way inside to initiate, but otherwise we can come straight back out again after we see what we¡¯re up against... if we want. I¡¯m not putting the party at risk for no good reason. We have the wayshrine active now. I can keep its attention on me, whatever it ends up being. Because that¡¯s what I¡¯m good at. Yeah? If I give the signal, we book it. Just like always.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Bredic and Vineta both nodded, and Lisel simply shrugged one of her shoulders.


    Bly supposed he was okay with that plan. Honestly, he had expected Xander to take a completely different stance, and want to actually fight the damned thing. For what it was worth, at least he still seemed to acknowledge that there were other people here with him, and that they needed to be careful.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­ rest for a little while.¡± Xander added after a long minute¡¯s silence, ¡°Regain some of our strength. I need to prep in the terminal anyway. But after that, we head inside.¡±


    ***


    A putrid stench filled the air as Xander pushed the door to the boss''s lair open.


    The slow, creaking hinges echoed, making it clear that whatever chamber lay within was a vast interior. But it was dark, and not even Vineta¡¯s illumination spell offered much help in terms of visibility to any great extent.


    A small shiver ran down Blychert¡¯s spine as the soft echo of their footsteps filled out the silence. It was freezing in here, as cold if not colder than the overworld. He had a nervous lump growing in the back of his throat, and a sense of unease in the pit of his stomach. But he had to keep his nerves, for the party¡¯s sake. They were just going to look, but what if it wasn''t as easy as Xander made it out to be?


    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep going.¡± Xander murmured, ¡°Linger back here for now. If I give the word, then all of you get out immediately.¡±


    Nobody offered a response. Bly wanted to ask if that wouldn''t just isolate him and make it worse for his own escape, but the words didn''t come. He wondered if everyone else was just as nervous as he was, but now wasn¡¯t the time to be second guessing themselves.


    Xander¡¯s silhouette disappeared into the darkness a moment later, but his footsteps remained; constant, firm, always moving forward. But suddenly, they stopped. Everything went silent, completely devoid of every sound but perhaps the faint echo of a draft of some kind.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    Blazing blue flames filled a brazier on the far side of the chamber. A second later, another was filled to the first brazier''s right, and then another, and another¡­ in rapid succession blue flames encirled them, giving light to the vast chamber in which they now found themselves.


    As Bly''s gaze'' adjusted, he saw a narrow bridge leading across to a wide, hexagonal shaped arena of smooth stone in front of him. There were no barriers along its edge, and instead it seemed to simply fall away into the darkened, unknowing depths of some chasm below. Along its walls, alcoves filled with small, blue-flamed candles began to flicker away, and yet those were nothing compared to the bulbous mass of webbing which clung to everything above them. Though even those seemed to disappear into an unnatural fog of black way up where the ceiling might have been, though Blychert couldn''t be certain.


    Xander, now situated towards the center of the chamber, turned back and looked at all of them, expressionless but poised. Nodding, he said, ¡°I think that we¡ª¡±


    The ground began to rumble before he could even finish his sentence.


    Blychert caught Lisel¡¯s arm and grabbed ahold of the doorframe to stabilize both of them, which was when another sound caught his attention too. Flashing in the periphery of his vision, two shadows leapt down from the unnaturally darkened ceiling. Each one landed in the center of the chamber with heavy a thud, and the unmistakable chittering sound, though much deeper in tone, of the wolf spiders they¡¯d fought many times before this began to fill the entire lair.


    Was this the boss? Or, bosses? Bly thought, confused for a moment.


    Releasing Lisel, however, Bly staggered forward to the edge of the arena and looked on with equal parts fascination and worry. They were wolf spiders alright, the matted gray coloration and striped white patches confirmed it. But unlike the smaller, dog-sized creatures common in the dungeon, these were the size of wagons by all accounts. But more than that, they were already lashing out in attack.


    Suddenly, the shimmer of Xander¡¯s longsword caught Bly¡¯s eye under the blue flames, and within a split-second he was already countering the leggy strikes against him. But there was no way he was going to be able to hold out on his own against two creatures of that size. And so, without a second to reconsider, Bly rushed in.


    "Xander!" Bredic''s voice bellowed out.


    A ray of fire beamed over Bly''s head momentarily, hurdling towards the spiders as he dashed forward. It struck clean and exploded in a burst of reddish orange, contrasted sharply by the blueish-green hue that Bly had come to recognize as the aura of Xander¡¯s sword art.


    ¡°Surging winds, cast unto earth and let my steps be many. Winds of time, swiften my shadow in boundless pace. Hasten.¡± The spell left Bylchert¡¯s lips, and within a few steps his alteration magic had taken full effect. If he was going to offer Xander support, he''d need the extra bit of speed on his side.


    Stepping forward, Bly dodged a wild spider leg as it shot in his direction, just narrowly skimming the top of his head. He ducked, and easily made it across to the other side. At the same time, he prepped Icicle and took several shots at the spider¡¯s underside. Blue shards of ice peppered it from below, bursting across its thorax.


    The spider jerked around, twisting with a guttural chitter as it scrambled to bite at Bly, but Xander was quick to react. He immediately interposed himself between the creature and Blychert.


    ¡°Xander, break left!¡± Vineta¡¯s voice surged across the arena.


    Reactionarily, Xander pressed his blade from the leftmost spider¡¯s pedipalp and stepped backward, pushing Bly with him. In the same motion, the ground at the spider¡¯s feet shifted, and a ball of stone was suddenly shaped around its entire body. Just as Bly thought Xander might pull back and urge everyone to leave the chamber, their party leader''s eyes widened.


    "Burst down the other one. Quickly!" Xander shouted, his voice passionate, "We can do this!"


    Bly wasn''t sure, but he was willing to give it everything he had.


    With one spider temporarily trapped and incapacitated, a combination of spells, arrows, and sword strikes quickly worked to whittle the other one down. As Xander moved across the lair, the singled-out creature left itself open to all kinds of attacks, of which Bly and the others gladly acted upon. Though unlike its smaller counterparts, he noticed that this wolf spider appeared to have both higher physical and magical resistances, as many of their attacks glanced from its body, like they hadn¡¯t even been made at all.


    Raising his hand, Blychert prepared himself to cast another ice spell.


    ¡°Trelen¡ª¡± Xander huffed, dodging a piercing attack suddenly, which forced him to come within a few feet of where Bly was standing. Bly paused, looking to Xander, who said, ¡°That''s enough. I need you to get back there on focus on support. Vineta¡¯s stone shaping won''t last forever, and we need her terrain magic if we''re going to get anywhere.¡±


    ¡°I can do more.¡± Blychert insisted, finally feeling that now was the perfect time to break out his mana surge ability. By the looks of it, they¡¯d need all the damage they could afford. Sure, Vineta had significant crowd controlling magic, and it was probably draining her mana, but that wouldn''t matter if they couldn''t damage the damned things.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do what I tell you.¡± Xander groaned, as his sword parried a wild maw. He stepped right and began pacing the other way, but turned back to look at Bly, saying ¡°Get back towards the door. I mean it¡ª¡±


    But before Blychert could even argue his case, the sound of cracking stone rushed into the chamber. Vineta¡¯s shaped sphere burst a moment later, sending chunks of stone and dust in every which way.


    As the giant wolf spider stumbled out from its rocky prison, it flailed forward. It crashed into the other spider, which skittered off the edge and tumbled over. But Xander, also caught in a pinched spot along the edge of the arena, lifted his sword in an attempt to parry, but he wasn''t quick enough. The blade flashed blue-green, as it had so many times before, but the spider''s leg hit him hard, and his body was flung from the lair floor. The sword clambered to the stone, while the rest of him went tumbling towards the darkened depths of the chasm below alongside the body of the other wolf spider.


    Time seemed to stand still in that moment, and a single thought rushed through Blychert''s mind. They should never have come here, should never have been foolish enough to think they could challenge a boss without any preparation. But they had, and so now it felt to Bly to fulfill his promise as a would-be sorcerer. These were not his friends, not like they were to each other. But they were his party companions, and that had to mean something. He was going to fight with them, for them, whether it was in his best interest or not.


    "System command."

 [A1] Chapter 14: Phase Shift

    Chapter 14: Phase Shift


    <hr>


    ¡°Activate ability, x-p transmogrifier.¡± Bly muttered. He darted ahead at speed, the alteration magic already propelling him towards the other side of the lair in rapid time, as he added, ¡°Execute mana replenishment¡ª¡±


    Ushering himself forward at doubled his normal pace, one of the giant wolf spiders turned and lashed out at him. He fell, tucking just beneath its massive leg, which came crashing down behind him. Quicker still, he propped himself back up into a full sprint towards the edge of the lair.


    Xander was out of sight, already falling into the darkness below. There was no time to think, only to act. In that instance, only a kernel of idea came to mind, a single spell combination that might just save his life. There was no guarantee it would work, but it was all he had. He just hoped the others would be able to provide cover, despite how quick everything had happened.


    But as if acutely aware of the time-restrained situation, a cascade of fire scorched a path in front of Bly as he ran, blistering across the other spider¡¯s face in front of him, which was followed up by a burst of purple energy.


    ¡°Trelen, go!¡± Was all Bly could hear of Bredic¡¯s voice amidst the chaos, but that was enough.


    Thanks. Bly thought with the barest acknowledgement, before closing in on his target.


    Thrusting his hand outward, he muttered, ¡°By the roots of the ancients, I call forth the binds of the earth. Grasp and let halt, confine and take hold. Ensnare.¡± A billowing sprawl of brown-green energy sprung from his hands and splayed across the stonework in front him. It was the only piece of terrain altering magic he had at his disposal, meant to slow and halt oncoming enemies. Though it had fallen by the wayside in recent months, replaced with purely damaging spells, right now? He was going to squeeze it for all its worth.


    As the spell set and sustained, Bly leapt forward cross the ground, slowed immediately by the clutching energies of the newly affected terrain. However, the spell stopped his momentum completely, and as he fell towards the edge of the lair, his upper body slipped over. But just as he''d hoped, the ensnare anchored the lower portion of his body in place, which allowed him to maintain full use of his hands. Exactly what he needed.


    Blychert squinted.


    Xander was right there, slipping into shadow, he needed to act now. There was no point worrying about experience loses at a time like this, all that mattered was sustaining enough mana to ensure survival. And so, reaching out, Bly gladly said, ¡°Input spell override, execute freezing chain.¡±


    The tendril of ice shot straight from his hand and blistered through the darkness, bypassing any and all verbal requirements entirely.


    Come on. come on! Please let this work. Was the only thought racing in Blychert''s mind. Forget the spiders behind him for a moment, he¡¯d only ever used this spell to grapple other monsters before, and he knew that by attempting to do so with Xander, it would undoubtedly cause him harm. But what other choice was there?


    The chain hurtled down through the shadows, reaching its target in an instant, it began wrapping hastily around Xander¡¯s freefalling body. But as it did, Blychert remembered what he trying to do. He quickly released his own hold over the spell and commanded the other end downward directly into the ensnared terrain beneath him so that it was anchored on one side. Tension pulled the chain taut, snapping it tight, but it was holding. And more importantly, Xander was no longer falling.


    Suddenly, the chittering of spiders filled the air, but as Trelen glanced up and over his shoulder, making ready to defend himself, he saw the yellow aura of Vienta''s own defensive magic shielding him. Bredic¡¯s flames followed suit, which created a wall of fire in front of the barrier. As the spiders reeled, bursts of purple swirled around them, causing them to reroute towards the other side of the chamber. It was a moment. But it was that gave Bly the exact chance he needed to focus on getting Xander back into the fight.


    But unsurprisingly, by the time Bly looked back down to the end of his chain, Xander was already halfway back up himself. And before long, he was reaching his hands up onto the edge of the stonework.


    Panting heavily, his face flush, Xander looked at Bly with an expression bordering on fear and frustration, ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet.¡± Bly grunted, helping Xander back up and over the edge, and both of them glanced back to where the rest of their party was fighting for its life trying to keep the spiders off of them.


    Bly quickly turned and channeled the mana from his active ensnare spell, dropping it all at once so that they could move again. As he did, Xander skittered across to where his sword was lying. He scooped it up into his hand and began his assault at once.


    ¡°System command: disengage all abilities.¡± Bly murmured under his breath, before chasing after the party leader himself.


    Rage seemed to pour from Xander¡¯s blade now, each strike laying into their target with ferocity and force. Each cut that he made flashed in brilliant blue-green, and he was even successful in severing one of the spider¡¯s forelegs.


    As it scrambled, Bly joined the others in assaulting it full-on with everything they could. Xander seemed to expend everything he had too, just to keep them at bay, taking attack after attack on the chin but locking them into his pull. Drops of blood splattered to the floor as Xander danced around them, but always in his seven-strike pattern. And yet it was through his sustained effort that allowed Bly and the others to focus on damage fully.


    ¡°It¡¯s down!¡± Xander shouted, the tides of the battle turning in their favor like that, as one of the spiders shriveled and curled into a dying mass across the stone, ¡°Everything we¡¯ve got now! Don''t hold back!¡±


    The last of the two wolf spiders pounced, gashing Xander across the face. But in turn, his sword flared and streaked through the air in equal effort. It cut the creature deeply, but the wolf spider lashed out with its maw in retaliation.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Bly cast, rushing up and immediately negating the spider¡¯s gnashing teeth. However, as the defensive spell dissipated, the spider lifted its other foreleg and hit him straight on, sending Bly flying across the floor.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Tumbling across the stone, Bly recognized the tremors beneath him. In a spit-second, the terrain at the spider¡¯s feet was shifting, causing the ground to buckle. The stone where the spider stood dropped to a lower elevation, as the ground bottomed out below it, and without needing any extra motivation, Xander used the change in height to leap up onto the spider¡¯s thorax.


    His blade twisted through its hairy midsection, carving downwards as his seventh strike cleaved it cleanly. The spider screeched, dark ichor spraying everywhere, as it desperately tried to get away, but to no avail. Turning, Xander shouted, ¡°Now!¡±


    A volley of fire and arrows hit their mark. Then, a burst of terrain magic lifted over the wolf spider as it attempted to regain its own footing, slamming it back down into the ground and holding it in place. From the ground, Blychert cast as many icicles as he was capable of. His hasten spell had long since fallen away, but he focused on speed in his spellcasting as much as he could. With one final flourish of his sword, a dazzling light flashed across the chamber, and Xander pushed his sword in for the kill. It punctured the top of the wolf spider''s head, pressing straight through its face until Xander¡¯s entire elbow was inside of it. The creature writhed, twitching and flailing, throwing Xander from its body, before curling up like the other had before it, falling still.


    Bly''s heart was pounding in his chest, his ears ringing from the sheer sound of their effort. But it was over.


    The spiders were dead?


    They were really dead.


    A deafening silence filled the air thereafter, the echo of their battle slowly fading away. But despite it all, the sounds of laughter suddenly betrayed that silence entirely. In his weary state of mind, Bly looked across to where Vineta and Bredic were standing, their forms jumping up and down with glee, despite their usual banter. Lisel shot a smile in Bly¡¯s direction, and he could only nod back in kind before he simply laid down flat on the ground.


    What a day. He thought, wondering if Alyse, let alone mister Ralf would even believe him when he told her what had happened.


    But a relieved grin washed over him nonetheless, and he too couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself. Somehow, they¡¯d managed it. They were all still alive, and they¡¯d defeated the boss on the second-floor of the dungeon. Glancing over to the center of the chamber, Bly watched everyone hugging and exchanging words of encouragement, letting the raw emotions flow. It was smiles all around, and they were well-deserved. Xander was covered in blood and spider guts, but then Bly supposed that Bold Arrow''s vainglorious party leader had gotten what he wanted in the end.


    Had this been his plan the whole time? Did he somehow know that they would be able to handle this? If so, he was a far better party leader than Bly had been giving him credit for the last few days. Maybe he owed Xander an apology.


    ¡°So, did it drop anything or what?¡± Bredic asked all of a sudden, ¡°I swear, it better have something good¡­¡±


    Blychert perked his head up and looked across to where Xander was standing. He didn¡¯t know what the protocols were for killing a boss, but he did understand that there was supposed to be a treasure drop of some kind. It was one of the incentives of killing a boss, after all.


    ¡°Keep your eyes open.¡± Xander said plainly, looking around the chamber. Bly could''ve sworn for a second that he looked almost worried about something. Whatever it was, he turned, and added, ¡°I don''t think we should get too comfortable just yet. V, can you divine the area again?¡±


    Bly suddenly noticed Lisel walking towards him, and so he shifted his bodyweight to look at her fully, tuning out the others for a moment. Let them deal with the treasure. As far as he cared, they''d earned it, and he was too tired to think about energy crystals.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lisel asked, reaching a hand down to help him up.


    But before he could answer, Blychert¡¯s sage terminal blipped several times quickly, and a series of familiar readings displayed. Sure enough, and right on schedule, the experience gains and the adjustments in his exploit appeared.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    [Experience gained: +100 xp]


    [Experience total: 9,342 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 16,420 xp]


    <hr>


    ¡°One-hundred¡­?¡± Bly thought confusedly, furrowing his brow at what he was seeing.


    They¡¯d only gotten one-hundred points worth of experience for that fight? That meant each spider was the same amount as the rock thrasher. That couldn¡¯t be right? Bosses were supposed to be serious experience gains. And while that might not be the case in a D-rated dungeon, it had to be more than the usual run of spawns.


    There had to be a mistake. Didn¡¯t there? Was that even possible?


    Unless¡­ Bly thought, his face washing of color, and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand tall all of a sudden. He looked up from his sage terminal quickly, and saw the same confused look on the faces of his companions as they too studied their own sage terminals. His eyes darted across to Xander, who didn¡¯t seem nearly as concerned about the experience discrepancy. But then, he wasn¡¯t even looking at his sage terminal. He was looking at the ceiling.


    In fact, his expression was completely vacant of any emotion at all, and his hand was now grasped tightly around his longsword.


    Bly didn''t understand, but at that moment his sage terminal blipped once more.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Winter System Alert]


    --- Lair phase has ended. Lair phase shift in progress. Standby. ---


    > Lair phase [1] removed.


    > Lair phase [2] added.


    > Commencing [Lair Boss] protocols.


    > Execute.


    <hr>


    The moment the sage terminal finished its messaging, a blood-curdling chitter resounded throughout the chamber; deep, resonant, terrifying.


    Bly stood to his feet, his gaze immediately darted up to where Xander was looking now, towards the far blackened ceiling above. That was where something much, much larger than the two creatures they¡¯d just slain was beginning to crawl out of the black smog. It reached through the shadows like some twisted nightmare. A long, pale leg unfurled across the walls, and then the other ones, as a dozen dark orbs lining a monstrous face slowly began to reflect the blue flames of the lair beneath it.


    It was another spider. No¡ªnot just another spider. It was the biggest monster Bly had ever laid eyes on! And it was coming¡ªhowever slowly¡ªstraight towards them.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Winter System Notification]


    > New spawn type [Phantom Spider] detected.


    > New threat level [Floor Boss] detected.


    > [Glemberfang, the Light Devourer] set to active; hostile.


    > Spawn Type: Beast


    > Spawn Rank: B


    > Spawn Zone: D


    > Abandon parameters [disabled].


    <hr>


    As the sage terminal concluded its alert, there on the far side of the chamber, the door¡ªtheir only means of escape¡ªbegan to close. The blue flames flickered from the draft, casting a shadow across the floor, before coming still once more.


    ¡°Oh fuck¡ª¡± Bredic gasped sheepishly, and he began sprinting towards the door. He slammed into it just as it closed, and tried to pull it back open, before resorting to simply hitting it with his fists. But it wouldn''t budge, ¡°Fuck. Fuck¡ªfuck!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± Vineta was visibly trembling, her eyes widening with abject horror. She tried to follow Bredic, but didn¡¯t seem able to move a muscle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªI should have¡­¡± Xander tried to say, but his voice fell to nothing.


    ¡°Trelen?¡± Lisel murmured, but he couldn¡¯t speak either.


    They weren¡¯t it. Those spiders weren¡¯t the boss! But how?! Bly¡¯s mind raced. This was nothing like he¡¯d read about, nothing like he''d ever seen before. This massive, pale-white spider was coming towards them, and he doubted the others had any experience like this either. They couldn¡¯t fight this thing! He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to stand up. But what else could they do now?


    This was the boss on this floor. The real boss. And now, as it descended to kill them, they were trapped inside its lair like helpless flies in a perfectly laid web.


    Trapped.


    And all but surely dead.

 [A1] Chapter 15: Glemberfang, the Light Devourer

    Chapter 15: Glemberfang, the Light Devourer


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> Winter System Notification]


    [Glemberfang, the Light Devourer]


    [Creature Type: Phantom Spider]


    [Health: 6738, Stamina: NA, Mana: NA]


    [Skills & Abilities: NA]


    [Vulnerabilities: NA]


    [Resistances & Immunities: Poison (Immune)]


    [Unique Drop(s): NA]


    <hr>


    Blue light refracted from the dark eyes of Glemberfang, as the rest of its pale, shock white body lurched out of the murky shadows of the faraway ceiling. Two legs by two, it pressed down the length of the chamber, shifting its massive body across the darkened stonework, before coming to an abrupt halt.


    A low-frequency chittering noise filled the air suddenly, contrasted by the sounds of Bredic¡¯s desperate attempt at escape. The deeply resonant tones made Bly¡¯s skin crawl, though he was too stunned to move otherwise.


    All at once, Glemberfang reeled back, its face wrinkled, and a stream of green material spewed from its mouth.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Blychert cast.


    Scrambling somewhat, he grabbed ahold of Lisel in his other arm and pushed her down. Stooping low himself, he thrust his spellcasting hand upwards above their heads. It wasn¡¯t a moment too soon, for as the barrier spell took effect, a deluge came pouring over top of it. The yellow energy sputtered, and acidic substance splattered across the ground all around them.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Lisel winced, quickly pulling her leg closer to her body. Sizzling resounded momentarily, and Bly looked at where the substance had burned a hole straight through her pantleg, leaving a blotchy red mark on her skin.


    ¡°Okay?¡± He asked.


    Lisel grimaced with a nod, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Turning quickly, Bly managed to catch sight of the latent shimmering of Vineta¡¯s own barrier magic, as it began to dissipate where she and Xander were standing. Bredic was still on the far side of the chamber, his back pressed tightly against the door, though at least he seemed to have been outside the radius of the spider¡¯s attack.


    Movement stirred overheadsuddenly, as Glemberfang began crawling down towards the chamber floor.


    ¡°Formation!¡± Xander shouted, ¡°Now!¡±


    Bly and Lisel rushed forward. Nearly tripping over himself just to get into position, Blychert took up his normal spot towards the rear of the party, situating himself just in front of Vineta. Just by proximity, he could feel the pull of her magic aura, which was growing in power; a telltale sign that she was preparing herself to expend as much magical energy as they needed, prompting Blychert to do the same.


    Glemberfang was drawing even closer now, and Bly had no idea what they were even going to attempt this time. There was no way their normal tactics were going to hold out against something this powerful. And yet, everyone was focused. Lisel had an arrow notched, Vineta had her mana flowing, and even where Xander stood an unusal clunking sound could be heard all of a sudden. Something round and metallic had taken shape on his right arm. It was a shield, the first time Bly had seen the swordsman don such a thing.


    ¡°Bredic!¡± Xander shouted, his neck craning. Amidst the chaos, Bly hadn¡¯t even noticed the pyromancer was still glued to the door, his face flushed and terrified, ¡°Bredic, damn it¡ªget in formation!¡±


    Bredic¡¯s head shook petulantly, no words in response, but his fingers dug into the stone behind him as if he were trying to simply seep through it.


    If his own survival instinct hadn''t been running rampant, Bly might have been able to empathize with Bredic. Blychert was beyond scared too¡ªcouldn¡¯t move an inch but a few moments ago¡ªand yet he¡¯d acted just the same, to do what had to be done. Bredic needed to find that same will to fight as the rest of them seemed to have, and he needed to find it now.


    The wizard¡¯s feet trembled, but he peeled himself from the wall, nonetheless. Step by step, he slowly began to work his way across the bridge towards tthem.


    Come on. Bly thought hopefully.


    ¡°Brace!¡± Xander¡¯s voice exclaimed suddenly, snapping Blychert¡¯s attention back to the front.


    Above them, the spider¡¯s forelegs dangled for a moment, all before the creature detached itself, freefalling the remaining thirty feet downward. However, and as its body adjusted slightly through the air, it landed on the chamber floor in such a way that it had cut off Bredic from closing the distance any farther than he already had.


    ¡°Bredic¡ª!¡± Xander leapt forward.


    At the exact moment he did, Lisel let loose an arrow. The familiar twang resounded, and the purple glow of her void-imbued arrowhead sparked violet through the air momentarily, before bursting across the creature¡¯s abdomen. Blychert immediately followed up with an icicle spell of his own, mentally gesturing for a scatter shot to hit Glemberfang at the abdomen joint on each of its hindlegs.


    Glemberfang hissed, twisting around feverishly as one of its forelegs snapped in Xander¡¯s direction. Brandishing his shield, Xander thrust his right arm outward in an attempt to parry the oncoming attack. Though in an unexpected turn, he was instantly blown back in the direction of the rest of them. He hit the ground hard, clambering across the stone for several feet before coming to a halt. Lisel kneeled down to help him, but Glemberfang wasn¡¯t done there.


    It skittered forward and thrust its maw towards where Xander lay defenseless. But Vineta seemed to have been holding steady for this exact moment, because her barrier spell shimmered around the party in an instant. The wall of yellow energy boomed against the force of the phantom spider, cracking in several places as the creature reeled backwards.


    Lifting both his hands, Blychert initiated several more icicles, shooting them forward from his grasp to strike at Glemberfang head-on. Little by little, they dug in, leaving a trace of cold magical energy in their wake as the creature skittered left. It didn''t seem too affected by Bly''s attacks, but at least they''d negated its advance.


    As the spider moved in again, Bly noticed Vineta¡¯s barrier was just about spent, and so he dropped his icicle in favor of readying a shielding spell of his own. He¡¯d have to dig deep for this one, but what other choice did he have?


    ¡°We need to get to him¡­¡± Xander groaned, clutching his armaments as Lisel helped him up to his feet, ¡°I need to¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, a burst of fire blasted across the Glemberfang''s abdomen, causing it to hiss and maneuver around. Vineta dropped her barrier spell the moment the lull presented itself, and that¡¯s when Blychert noticed Bredic standing opposite Glemberfang, with a familiar red sigil above his head.


    ¡°Come on, you shit-eating spider!¡± Bredic shouted, his voice cracking somewhat above the sound of his spellcasting, ¡°Have some of this!¡±


    Glemberfang cried out, buckling under the rate of fire. But just as it seemed Bredic had found them an opening, Glemberfang twisted, leaping in to close the distance between itself and Bredic completely.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°No¡ª!¡± Xander dashed forward again.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª¡± Bly flung his arm outward frantically.


    But the simple barrier was nothing compared to the Glemberfang''s overwhelming size. Yellow energy burst into dust, and in a matter of seconds Bredic was locked up in its maw.


    A helpless shriek of pain echoed through the chamber as Glemberfang clamped down. Xander¡¯s shimmering blue sword split through the air a moment later, slicing down across the spider¡¯s front in a series of strikes. Lisel fired off arrow after arrow, Bly combined icicle with firebolt in attempt to maximize his elemental damage, and Vineta began working the terrain, desperately trying to ply rock between Bredic and Glemberfang''s mouth.


    Though if it had any affect, it wasn¡¯t showing.


    Glemberfang simply leapt upward, catching itself on the wall but keeping Bredic close at hand. Suddenly, a pale, stringy material began wrapping around Bredic¡¯s entire body. The wizard had fallen silent, and completely still, and in a matter of moments, he was fully encased in spider silk. Climbing upward, the Glemberfang easily stuck Bredic to the wall with more silk, before turning back into the volley of arrows and spells as if they weren''t even there.


    ¡°Regroup¡­¡± Xander huffed, rushing over to join the rest of them, ¡°I need to¡ªwe need a new strategy. We need a strategy.¡±


    ¡°Xander. Venom.¡± Lisel pointed out, her voice uneven, ¡°We have to get him down.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªI know!¡± Xander insisted, ¡°But we can¡¯t do anything about that right now.¡±


    Blychert paused from his own spellcasting.


    His heart pounded, and his breath was heavy too. Bredic had been incapacitated within barely a few minutes of the spider showing up, and they¡¯d barely managed to hurt it at all.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s coming down.¡± Xander swung his sword and shield back into position, ¡°We hit it just like we hit the rock thrasher; take its legs out right from underneath it. I''m on point; Lisel hits my marks. Vineta, you run interference, keep that terrain moving, and keep it guessing. Trelen, max effort on barriers. Once it¡¯s weakened, we hit it fast. We do that as many times as it takes. But one way or the other, we¡¯re taking this bastard down¡­ for Bredic.¡±


    ¡°For Bredic.¡± Vineta agreed, and Lisel simply nodded.


    ¡°¡­For Bredic.¡± Bly murmured.


    Glemberfang reached the chamber floor a moment later, and the ground trembled slightly as it did. It shifted across the stonework slowly, seemingly content to study its opponents¡ªits future prey¡ªfor a time.


    Blychert gulped, swallowing his fear as he began to prepare for his allotted role. He wasn¡¯t certain about any of this. But he was willing to trust Xander. At the moment, that was all he could do.


    Glemberfang sprung.


    Blue-green light flashed as Xander parried and countered, strike after strike. Despite its overwhelming size, Glemberfang was agile and more than clever. Within only a few exchanges, it began side-stepping Xander entirely to strike from the sides of the group. But Bly was more than ready for the assault, expending mana to maintain a barrier at all times. The earth at their feet shifted too, causing Glemberfang some difficulty as it tried to reconcile with Vineta¡¯s terrain magic. Where it pushed, she pushed back. Where it shifted its attack, she blocked the path, all the while giving free opportunity of attack to both Xander and Lisel, who were able to successfully open a few wounds, even drawing blood.


    But just like before, Glemberfang adjusted its tactics.


    Its speed seemed to increase, as it began to shift around the party, almost as if it were simply phasing in-and-out of corporeal space. Xander was hit several times, Lisel once, and even Bly was caught on the hip by a wayward leg. When the front or the sides didn¡¯t seem to work, Glemberfang simply lurched up and over them entirely, crashing down with force as it tried to pry another member of the party from their ranks.


    And yet, they were holding. Some of them were injured, but they were holding their own. Blychert couldn¡¯t help but notice out of the corner of his eye that his short-term mana was dropping fast. He didn¡¯t have many more barriers of the caliber he¡¯d been casting at his disposal, but he might be able to squeeze by if they kept this pace up.


    After a long series of exchanges, Glemberfang simply leapt up and flung itself away from the fight, hissing and chittering as it looked back down upon them.


    Blychert dropped his barrier, gasping for air as he said, ¡°Vineta, swap. I need a moment.¡±


    ¡°On it.¡± She agreed, her face flushed with sweat and heat as she worked her magic. Panting, she added, ¡°We need to keep this momentum. Xander, you''re hurt. You should take the healing pot¡ª¡±


    It happened in the blink of an eye.


    One moment Vineta was standing in the middle of them, preparing her barrier spell, and the next she was gone.


    Bloodcurdling screams echoed across the chamber as her body flung through the air. Blychert barely had enough time to tun and look, before he saw her¡ªtethered to thick strands of silk¡ªin Glemberfang''s clutches. It had used its webbing from afar to pluck one of them out? Her screams turned into sputtered groans and gasps, before she went silent. Soon, she too was spun into the spider¡¯s webs, far up and placed on the opposite wall of where Bredic was.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Xander stammered, his sword arm falling slack, ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    ¡°Xander.¡± Bly rushed up, hitting him on the shoulder, ¡°What¡¯s the plan? Xander!¡±


    ¡°Give me a second to think¡ª¡± He growled, ¡°Just¡ªgive me a second.¡±


    ¡°I can get to them.¡± Lisel replied, ¡°I can mask my sound, and I can climb the walls. Won¡¯t be able to stop the venom, but I can slow it.¡±


    Xander didn¡¯t reply, and so Bly took it upon himself, nodding, ¡°Go.¡±


    Like that, Lisel turned and made for the edge of the chamber floor.


    A heavy thud resounded, as Glemberfang dropped down once again. Bly stepped up, side by side with Xander now, and glanced at the party leader out of the corner of his eye.


    His expression was stone-cold, his fingers now gripped so tightly around the hilt of his longsword that they were turning white. The faint blue of his blade paled in comparison to the burning flames of the lights around them, but still it shone. He wasn¡¯t done fighting yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± Bly said sternly, turning to look up at the swordsman, ¡°Whatever it takes.¡±


    ¡°Trelen, I¡­¡± Xander stammered, glancing down to meet Bly¡¯s gaze. He paused, and his expression shifted, as he nodded, ¡°Whatever it takes.¡±


    Glemberfang rushed them.


    Everything happened so quickly and in such a blur that Blychert wasn¡¯t even certain what he was doing, let alone what he was looking at. Xander¡¯s shield parried, his sword flashed from blue to deep green, ice and fire escaped Blychert¡¯s hands at rates he seldom ever cast before, and in-between them spots of instantaneous shielding but only when he needed them. They were both hit more than once, and it took every ounce of willpower for Bly to work through the pain. And yet each time one went down, they managed to help each other back up, or at least stall long enough to give the other just enough time to get back to their feet on their own.


    One exchange after the other, the two of them flung themselves haphazardly around the lair just in an attempt to fight for their very lives. They couldn¡¯t hold out like this forever, but it was having an impact. Finally.


    Glemberfang was visibly injured, and at least one of its hindlegs and one of its forelegs were in rough shape.


    It was progress, but it was too slow.


    ¡°Trelen¡ª¡± Xander huffed, his voice edged by an uncertain tone. A break in the spider¡¯s movements as it skittered backwards gave them a few seconds reprieve, and so he added, ¡°I¡¯m going to do something now¡ªtry something, I mean. I should have done it before, but¡ªI don¡¯t know what will come of it. But we don¡¯t have any other choice. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    What are you saying¡ª? Bly thought, but his eyes widened as Xander forced him back a few paces.


    As Blychert stumbled onto the ground, Xander started forward at the same time, mumbling something under his breath, but to faint to make out. Though as the swordsman took up his fighting stance, wielding his sword and shield once more, Glemberfang lurched in a flash. A red light rose from Xander¡¯s weapon, but it was too late.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª!¡± Bly thrust his hand up from the ground


    However, the shield didn¡¯t make it in time. Before Xander could even do what he was trying to accomplish, Glemberfang''s foreleg hit him at full force. He flung through the air for a few seconds, until his body rag dolled against the door on the far side of the chamber, unmoving.


    A low, resonant chitter filled the chamber¡ªlike laughter¡ªtaunting Bly as he watched on in horror. Glemberfang turned to face him, looming large above him. Despite himself, Bly rose to his feet as quickly as he could, his hands open and ready to cast. He was exhausted, but he wasn¡¯t giving up yet. He still had one trick up his sleeve; one trick that this damned spider surely wasn¡¯t counting on.


    If this was going to be the end, then let him squeeze his experience pool for all its worth.


    As if acknowledging Bly¡¯s resistance, Glemberfang offered a slow hiss. The pale hairs on its body quivered, and suddenly, a cool draft whipped up through the area. Before long, a vortex of wind had grown into the lair, circulating around the phantom spider itself, and causing Bly to squint as the gale struck him.


    One by one, the blue flames of the candles went out, as if sucked into the vortex, or even into the spider itself. And where once was a bright, blue chamber, was now dim and getting darker by the second. Blychert watched Glemberfang grow darker too, its body disappearing into the shadows. The black orbs of its eyes¡ªand the light gleaming off them¡ªwere all Bly could see now.


    Blue flame had gone, light was devoured, and total blackout had eclipsed the chamber. In an instant, Glemberfang had cut its noise, and everything was silent.


    Could it have done this from the beginning? Had this creature just been toying with them the whole time?


    <hr>


    > [Magical Darkness] detected.


    > Visibility reduced to [0].


    <hr>


    ¡°An ace. Every spellcaster should have at least one... for that make-or-break moment.¡±


    For some reason, Alyse¡¯s words hit him like a whisper in the dark all of a sudden, a guiding light. The hairs on the back of Bly¡¯s neck stood tall, and he raised his arm, trembling somewhat as he muttered, ¡°System command, input spell override: execute light¡ªdouble illuminate.¡±


    The light billowed out in a small radius centered on himself, just barely able to fight the darkness back. But it was enough.


    The spider was out of sight. But Bly was here. He was alive. And while he still drew breath, this wasn''t over.

 [A1] Chapter 16: All Out!

    Chapter 16: All Out!


    <hr>


    An orb of light¡ªa brilliant sphere of pale radiance hovering just above Bly''s head was all he had to guide him through the magical darkness that had suddenly engulfed Glemberfang¡¯s lair.


    But even at double brightness, the light of his spell didn¡¯t allow him to see for more than a few feet past the ten-foot radius glow of his spell, beyond which everything was immediately consumed by complete and utter black. Half a thought had urged him to consider whether a seeing spell would have been more effective but now wasn¡¯t exactly the time to start second guessing himself. In any case, he could still hear the faint sounds of Glemberfang¡¯s movements¡ªcould still hear those massive legs shifting across the stonework, regardless of how hard it tried to conceal itself.


    ¡°System command, activate ability, x-p transmogrifier. Execute mana replenishment.¡± Bly murmured. In a flash, he could feel the resurgence of his magic aura, as the transmogrifier fashioned experience into mana. Satisfied, he glanced up into the darkness beyond the light.


    Glemberfang might have had the edge in terms of size and visibility, but Bly had his magic, and more importantly, he had the resources to supplement it. And that had to count for something. If he was going to find any success in this battle, he had to at least try to put himself on the front foot; he had to find some level of proactiveness¡ªcleverness that could gain him an advantage. If he could just find the right spell combination¡­


    But before Bly could think about it any longer than the few seconds he had already, a deep, looming shriek resounded across the chamber, prompting him into action all at once.


    ¡°Input spell override, execute shield¡ªtwofold lattice.¡±


    The barrier spell fired off, and it wasn¡¯t a moment too soon, because Glemberfang breached the edge of the light no more than a few seconds later.


    Two forelegs came crashing down upon the shield with force, followed up by a voracious maw that ripped violently into the barrier. Jagged teeth crunched into magical energy, cracking it in two places where the spider¡¯s mouth clamped down hard.


    His heart beating rapidly, Bly shrugged off the momentary shock and flicked his wrist towards the damaged barrier. With a mental gesture, mana began to siphon into the spell, replenishing its structure to as close to maximum integrity as he could get it.


    Glemberfang stepped back with a chitter, before launching itself at the barrier once more. The damage was even more severe this time. But again, the shield held on by a thread, and was repaired straight away by mana in a matter of moments, as Bly maintained focus on the replenishment effort.


    As if suddenly aware of its immediate shortcomings, Glemberfang gave up its frontal assault entirely and retreated into the darkness. Blychert could hear it shifting in circles around him, using the zero visibility to its own advantage. It lashed out suddenly, and again, and several more times in a circular attack pattern, seemingly more distraught with each failed attempt.


    That¡¯s it, wear you down. Bly heaved, beginning to feel the effects of spell fatigue on his body, but otherwise hopeful. Glemberfang couldn''t breach the interior of his defensive spell; not while he channeled every bit of mana in order to reinforce it. Although, it dawned on him as Glemberfang attacked, that he himself couldn¡¯t stay on the defensive forever. At best, this was just stalling the inevitable. Pretty soon, he was going to have to layer in an offensive strategy.


    And that was going to compromise his position.


    Blychert exhaled, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. One thing at a time. Lisel¡¯s still out there helping the others. If I can just keep its focus on me¡ªright, Xander¡¯s plan. It¡¯s the best one I¡¯ve got. Take its legs out from under it¡­ or die trying, I guess.


    Diverging some of his mana away from the sustained barrier spell, Bly thrust his hand outward, saying softly, ¡°System command, input spell override, conjure weapon.¡±


    Instantly, the shimmering blue-violet of his summoning magic cut through the darkness just on the other side of his light spell, swirling to life in front of him as he pumped mana through it. Soon enough, the vague shape of a slender sword from his mind¡¯s eye flourished through the air, ready for action. A moment''s pause, Bly wasn''t foolish enough to think that just because the sword he''d summoned was the one he drew on from his memoires of home¡ªof watching Irvin make a fool of himself as he swung his sword at a tree for the millionth time¡ªthat it would somehow prove more effective than usual.


    Alright, time for the real gambit. He thought nervously, gesturing for both his barrier spell to drop and for his sage terminal to activate simultaneously.


    <hr>


    > [Mana Surge] activated.


    > [Brutal] trait added.


    <hr>


    The sudden flash of his pale-white scars caught Bly¡¯s attention beneath the light spell briefly, as he glanced down at his fingers.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think that this must have been the most mana he¡¯d expended in a single day since trying to flee the Guild, or at least close to it. And while it might have been true that he was a more proficient sorcerer, and that he still had his transmogrifier to fall back, spell fatigue wasn¡¯t a joke.


    Right now, this was do or die; all out, and nothing less.


    Glemberfang approached from behind, ushering through the darkness towards the light once more.


    ¡°Input spell override, shield.¡± Bly cast, thrusting his hand up and swiping it across his body. He twisted around, as he moved directly into assuming control of the conjured weapon.


    The giant spider lashed out, swiping its foreleg past the blade and straight towards Blychert. Its leg glanced off the shield for a split-second, but the reduced strength of the barrier was no match for Glemberfang. The shield broke, and the spider''s foreleg sliced Bly across his left arm.


    Blychert winced through the pain, momentarily regretting his decision to lessen the strength of his barrier spell. But he commanded the blade to attack, nonetheless.


    One, two, three, four strikes, and a heavy follow-up to finish the combination. Flashes of light along the backside of Glemberfang¡¯s already damaged left foreleg shone, and the splatters of dark ichor on the ground beneath the light gave Bly a split-second reaction to lift his uninjured arm.


    ¡°Input spell override, execute icicle, execute firebolt.¡±


    A flash of icy blue, a flash of burning red, spells struck one after the other in a dazzling explosion of elemental energy.


    <hr>


    > [Resistant] trait stack: +1


    > [Resistant] trait stack: +1


    <hr>


    Glemberfang shifted right, dragging its bloodied foreleg across with it, as it moved in for another attack.


    ¡°Swift shield¡ª!¡± Bly shouted, and new defensive energy burst forward.


    The spider¡¯s maw crushed its way straight through the barrier spell, dissipating it entirely. However, the reactionary cast lessened its momentum somewhat and proved just enough to prevent it from fully biting down through Bly¡¯s shoulder. Though it still managed to tear away a layer of cloth and flesh.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He couldn¡¯t help but cry out this time, the searing pain of the spider¡¯s jagged tooth running down the length of his already injured arm. Glemberfang hissed and squirmed, opening its mouth again, which suddenly began to drip with a familiar viscous substance.


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Input spell override¡ªexecute freezing chain¡ª¡± Blychert groaned, no time to think, ¡°Execute ensnare!¡±


    The tendril of ice magic instantly streaked from his right hand and punched its way straight through one of Glemberfang¡¯s teeth, cracking it entirely, and catching hold of something fleshy at the back of its mouth. The phantom spider quivered; its spitting attack brought to an abrupt halt as it tried to maneuver backward.


    Blychert could barely lift his other arm, itself numb and bloody, but then he didn¡¯t need to. The ensnare spell streamed from his open palm and covered the ground where both he and the spider stood in an instant. As it did, he thrust the chain away from his grasp and directed it to settle into the ensnare, just like he''d managed to do before.


    In the blink of an eye, Glemberfang was fully chained in place. Using this lull, however, Bly channeled his sword and as much damaging magic as he could muster into the spider as it floundered. Icicle, firebolt, icicle again, summoned sword, attack after attack, scatter shot upon scatter shot, all of it pummeling Glemberfang into the ground. When mana surge ran out, he simply re-up¡¯d without even thinking twice about it.


    Dark ichor sprayed across Bly''s face and clothes, but he didn¡¯t care, and what was more, his resistant stacks were keeping him in the fight. He was in this to the end.


    However, just as Bly thought he had finally gained the upper hand in this fight, Glemberfang snapped the freezing chain. Its maw chittered several times fast, before it lurched up onto its hind legs, pushing through the ensnare completely! Blychert raised his hand, readying to cast a hastened shield, but not certain he''d timed it well enough.


    Suddenly, a brilliant flash of red energy streaked into Blychert¡¯s light spell, carving through the glowing sphere as Glemberfang dropped its legs for a heavy attack. In a flash, Xander''s figure appeared in an instant, a streak of blood running down the side of his face, but he caught the spider¡¯s leg with a determined groan just as it was about to make contact with Bly. There, above both of their heads, his longsword remained steadfast against the phantom spider''s assault.


    ¡°Xander¡­¡± Bly exhaled, a momentary feeling of relief washing over him.


    Glemberfang peeled away with an almost frustrated sounding cry, pulling away into the darkness with a limp, shrieking as it went. The red-orange light glistening from Xander¡¯s sword subsided, and that¡¯s when Bly began to notice the small specks of blue light beyond his light spell, seemingly returning to the lair around them. One by one, blue flames bloomed, edging out the darkness, if but only gradually.


    ¡°It¡¯s bloodied¡­¡± Xander huffed, drawing his longsword down and swiping it to his side, ¡°We can take it down¡ªTrelen, I don¡¯t know what you''ve got left, but we have to try.¡±


    ¡°I have an¡­ idea.¡± Bly stammered with a nod. He was badly injured, completely lightheaded, and he felt like he could drop to the floor at any moment. Frankly, it didn¡¯t matter how much experience he had to draw on still. His rate of spellcasting and mana channeling would fry his brain before he ran out of experience. Their plan of taking its legs out wasn''t working. What they needed, was one sweeping attack to put it out completely. Shaking his head, Bly added, ¡°I have a spell, but¡­ its dangerous. I''ve only cast it once before."


    "Spell, huh¡­." Xander murmured, his attention turning to where the silhouette of Glemberfang was beginning to become more and more visible by the second.


    "Xander, you have to keep it from moving." Bly insisted, "I¡¯ve already expended a lot¡ªtoo much. If you don¡¯t, I don''t think I can do it again. Focus on weakening its midsection, I''ll keep my summons on it for a moment too. If I can target that area, I think this might work.¡±


    ¡°Midsection¡­ got it.¡± Xander approved, as he turned to move forward without any hesitation, ¡°On my mark then. Trelen, I''m counting on you.¡±


    Let¡¯s see if I can count on myself. Bly thought, but let the swordsman leap forward into action without another word.


    Gesturing for his sage terminal to open, Bly quickly channeled more mana into his summoned blade and issued it to assume its own agency, always targeting Glemberfang. He then turned his gaze on the screen, hardly caring to take stock experience expenditure, and shifted across to his skills tab. Upon doing so, he carefully flicked down to where his Elemental Magic was listed, and opened it.


    <hr>


    [Elemental Magic]


    > Skill Level: 16


    > Authority Level: 2


    > Control Level: 2


    > Accuracy Bonus: 20%


    > Damage Bonus: 12%


    > Penetration Bonus: 4%


    > Proficiency Level (Ice): 3


    > Proficiency Critical Bonus (Ice): 10%


    [Known Spells]


    > Basic: Firebolt, Icicle, Blade of Frost


    > Intermediate: Freezing Chain


    > Advanced: Wall of Ice


    <hr>


    Wall of Ice¡­ the strongest elemental spell he had. For maximum damaging effect, he needed to stack it with mana surge. There was no way he had enough willpower to chain cast it, but a dual casting? That was risky¡ªbeyond risky, it was stupid.


    It was going to work.


    Glancing up, intense streaks of Xander''s blade shifting from red to blue, accompanied by brief flashes of Bly''s summoned blade, sparked through the chamber as the blue flames of the surrounding candles began to grow even brighter. Glemberfang wasn''t moving nearly as quickly, but its attacks were fiercer¡ªdesperate, like a wild animal, as it tried to turn the tide back in its favor. Suddenly, several flashes of purple burst across the back of the phantom spider from above, and Bly peered up to see the silhouette of Lisel wielding her bow from an alcove far up the chamber wall.


    They¡¯re doing the best that they can. Bly thought to himself, shaking his head. Just hang on a little longer.


    ¡°System command, disengage all abilities.¡± He exhaled steadily, ¡°Clear all inputs.¡±


    In an instant, the light spell faded, the hasten spell dropped, and Bly¡¯s summoned sword dissipated completely. He raised both his hands, thereafter, preparing to cast. Despite the agonizing pain radiating out from his left arm, he gritted his teeth and focused all his mana into the spell of his mind''s eye.


    ¡°Shards of winter''s night, craft your bulwark and arise.¡± Bly murmured, feeling the pull of his magic aura as it reciprocated his command. His mana channeling was so much weaker than it normally was. But thanks to his transmogrifier, he was sure to pull through, if for but only one more spell, ¡°Upon the frostbite that whispers, may this biting cold reign, and let stir your design. Let these bitter winds blow, weaving frozen calamity unto itself¡ªwall of ice!¡±


    Elemental energy swept up through the air in a blistering vortex. Ice and freezing cold radiated from Bly¡¯s hands as he pushed the spell forward with all his remaining energy. It ushered through the lair, pulling itself apart at the seams as the mana folded and stretched into a dazzling line of blue energy. But it held¡ªheld above Glemberfang''s body as Bly waited for Xander to call out his mark.


    Bly grimaced in pain.


    Any second now, he just had to hold on!


    ¡°Trelen!¡± Xander finally shouted, ¡°Now!¡±


    Glemberfang paused, and Blychert thrust his hands down as fast as he could.


    A brilliant sheen of pale blue energy suddenly erupted across the ground, and in its wake a twenty-foot-tall wall of glistening ice sprouted forth. Glemberfang shrieked. Its forelegs scrambled in desperation, its maw mashing every which way, but the spell was already complete.


    Chilling wind erupted out across the chamber, and as it settled, Glemberfang''s body was cleaved in two; two halves situated on either side of the frozen bulwark.


    Sound seemed to fade at that moment, and Blychert''s vision became blurry. Spell fatigue had completely taken a hold of his body. He coughed, keeling over somewhat as he tried to catch his breath. Unable to do so, he simply fell down across the floor. As his eyes rolled, his face stirred, and he could see swirls of blue light dancing across the chamber, separated by a silhouette here or there. He turned his face again, slow and lethargically, and saw a pale, almost ethereal set of legs walking towards him.


    It was just a vision; his head was too foggy to think straight.


    Bly closed his eyes, and opened them again slowly.


    Someone was kneeling beside him. Was it¡­ Lisel? Xander?


    Closing his eyes for a third time, Bly felt the headache pour over him, and the complete and utter exhaustion riddling his body. Something was shaking him, stirring him awake, And so, Bly opened his eyes again.


    A face¡ªa woman¡¯s face, pale and ghostly¡ªstared at him with a longing smile. There was a cold sensation too, running across the length of his cheek.


    Bly blinked.


    There were no words, but in the back of his mind, it felt as if this apparition was trying to speak to him, trying to communicate but unable to do so. It pulled away, and Bly tried to tell it not to go, but he couldn''t find the energy to speak. As the face faded, a silhouette hung over him. The shadow adjusted, and it was Xander''s face looking down on him.


    What was that? A daydream? Whatever it was, it was gone now, and Bly could feel his senses coming back to him now.


    ¡°¡­Is it dead?¡± Bly croaked, but his sage terminal suddenly made a blipping sound.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    [Experience removed: -994 xp]


    [Experience gained: +3,990 xp]


    [Experience total: 12,338 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 19,382 xp]


    <hr>


    Xander gestured towards the sound emanating from his own sage terminal, "That answer your question?"


    ¡­One of them. Bly thought.


    Despite his overwhelming exhaustion and brain fog, he could still remember Xander''s words in the middle of that fight.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do something now¡­ I don¡¯t know what will come of it. But we don¡¯t have any other choice. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    What the hell did that even mean? He wondered.


    But before Bly could even think to ask about it, another system blip caught his attention. And this one¡­ this one made his eyes widen.


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> System Notification]


    > You¡¯ve received a unique drop [Devouring Threads].


    > Do you accept?

 [A1] Chapter 17: As the Dust Settles

    Chapter 17: As the Dust Settles


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> System Notification]


    > You¡¯ve received a unique drop [Devouring Threads].


    > Do you accept?


    <hr>


    Blychert stared at the system message blankly, not entirely sure if he could even believe what he was seeing. If it was real, and if he wasn¡¯t just hallucinating on account of how much mana he¡¯d burned through, then it was the first unique item drop he¡¯d ever received.


    ¡°Xander!¡± Lisel shouted from across the chamber suddenly, and Bly¡¯s look of delight turned into worry, remembering all at once that they weren¡¯t out of this yet, and that they still had party mates in critical need of help.


    Slow to his feet, Bly groaned as the pain flared through his body.


    He hastily clicked [yes] on his system prompt, allowing the item to be stored away in his system inventory for the time being. It warranted future investigation when he was able, to be sure. But for now, there were more important matters to attend to.


    As he crossed the chamber towards the bridge however, Bly couldn¡¯t help but pause, taking an awestruck glance at Glemberfang. Its severed body was already glowing, beginning to decompose in a stream of embers within just a few minutes of its demise. It was common for dead spawns throughout the dungeon to deteriorate quickly. But seeing it happen to a boss rated enemy? That was mildly off-putting.


    Bly winced, clutching at his side as he continued to move forward. His left arm was a numb, bloody mess, and his headache was more severe than it had been in a long time. But he felt a cautious sense of pride as he walked past that dead phantom spider. And just seeing it cleaved in two by the giant wall of ice, that he¡¯d created no less, was just a bit of added encouragement.


    All the excitement, the anxiety, and all the nerves from the last few weeks had come to a roiling head at one time¡ªin this final moment of desperation¡ªand it was more than a little exhilarating. It was strange too, to look back and consider that a nearly a year ago, he¡¯d stared death in the eyes with the na?ve hopes that none of it was real, that everything in his life would go back to the way it was supposed to be. But this? This was real, and he¡¯d been a part of every second of it.


    But more importantly, he¡¯d wanted to be.


    ¡°They¡¯re stable, but we need to get them back to camp.¡± Lisel¡¯s worried voice broke through Bly¡¯s innermost thoughts suddenly, and he quickly tuned out his own musings. Those were best left for when they were all safe, and so he continued through the chamber posthaste. As he drew closer to the other two, Lisel added, ¡°I can do a little bit here, Xander, but I don¡¯t have a full range of skills for this kind of reaction.¡±


    Bly¡¯s brow creased, noticing that she had somehow managed to pull both Bredic and Vineta down from the walls of the lair by herself. On a quick glance, Bredic appeared the worst of the two, heavily injured and wholly incapacitated. Vineta at least seemed to be grumbling and tossing somewhat, though all but certainly out of it.


    Frowning, Bly realized that he didn¡¯t have any experience dealing with spider venom either, and ultimately wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to be of any help in this situation.


    ¡°You already gave Bredic one of our healing potions, right? That should be enough for now.¡± Xander replied reassuringly. His face was still caked in a good layer of dirt and blood, as he paced back and forth, ¡°We¡¯ll think of something else when we get out of here. Trelen, you be sure to take a potion as well. That arm looks nasty.¡±


    Bly nodded groggily.


    He might not have been able to help the other two out much, but he quickly realized that his own health was hovering way below half. Better to be safe than sorry, he imagined, and so he procured one of the small vials from out of his pack, and guzzled the sour, brackish liquid without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    At that moment, however, an important detail suddenly occurred to him, elicited by Xander mentioning the use of healing potions, and so he said, ¡°Hey, we have a healer in town. Er¡ªKara, she¡¯s more of an herbalist, but she has healing capabilities too. If we can get there¡­¡±


    ¡°We can get there. Good thinking.¡± Xander interjected with a nod, his eyes flaring up with instantaneous hope. By the time he¡¯d said it, Xander was already moving to pick up the limp body of their fallen wizard without delay, as he asked, ¡°Can you two help her up?¡±


    Bly agreed wordlessly, and together with Lisel they helped a dazed, somewhat feverish Vineta onto her feet, and made their way towards the now open chamber door.


    Without even stopping, Xander pushed straight through the antechamber and activated the wayshrine. Its brilliant pale glow washed over the room for a brief second, and Bly caught one more look at their surroundings, before they were back outside the dungeon in the blink of an eye.


    A stark gust of cold air washed over them, and despite the condition of the other two, Bly couldn¡¯t help but let a brief smile cross his face. He didn¡¯t think he could ever be so happy to feel the freezing evening air of Calvergia on his face, but there he was soaking it all in.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to settle Bredic and Vineta down into their respective tents thereafter.


    Lisel was able to manage a fire in no time at all, and soon the camp was filled with a roaring warmth that had been sorely lacking down in the dungeon all day. As Bly finished attending to the others, he took a moment to warm his fingers, shivering somewhat as the fire bloomed.


    He wanted to take out his unique drop and look it over¡ªdown to every painstaking detail. But he figured it would be better to wait. It wasn¡¯t like he was in any rush. And anyway, he thought it was probably better to bring it up to the party first, since they¡¯d earned it together, but that could wait.


    ¡°Lisel, how¡¯s she looking?¡± Xander asked abruptly, grabbing for his pack and sword again as he stepped out of the other tent.


    ¡°Coming around.¡± Lisel poked her head out from her own tent to say, ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t start for town until we have some daylight. I can keep Bredic stable until morning with a salve. Though¡­ if there¡¯s a healer in Kelvalder, it would be best to get them to her straight away.¡±


    Bly nodded, ¡°Kara can handle just about anything. Trust me. They¡¯ll be in good hands once we get back.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Xander tarried, his gaze glancing back towards the dungeon. Then turning to look at Bly, he said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m going back down there. That thing probably dropped a prtty good-sized energy crystal, not to mention we¡¯ll have the treasure horde to sift through. Even if it can¡¯t respawn straight away, better to do it now while the lair is still cold. You mind coming with?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Bly shrugged approvingly, feeling much better now after the healing potion had taken full effect. He''d still need treatment, but he felt fine enough to cast magic again, and that was really the most important thing. Quickly shuffling up from the where he¡¯d been sitting around the campfire, Bly grabbed his pack without delay, before starting in the direction of where Xander waited by the exterior wayshrine.


    Lisel waived at the two of them, and in another flash of light, they were back in the doldrums of the dungeon.


    The wayshrine glistened blue for a moment, before settling its light altogether. As it did, Bly murmured under his breath for a light spell to go off, and soon they were walking back towards the boss¡¯s lair with a pale orb of radiance to guide their way.


    However, before they made it to the door, Xander came to a slow and steady halt. The echo of his last foot resounded for a few more seconds, and he stood still for a long while. The light above cast his silhouette in a strange way, drawing sharp attention to his dark hair and armor.


    Xander turned slightly, looking over his shoulder, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    Bly stared for a moment, having been put off-guard by the shift in his tone, before nodding, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°When you killed it¡­ Glemberfang,¡± He started softly, ¡°Did you¡­ did sage offer you a drop?¡±


    So that¡¯s what he wants to know? Bly thought curiously, having completely forgotten about their quest in the heat of the moment. Regardless, he nodded, ¡°Yeah, it did.¡±


    From Xander¡¯s side profile, his left eye widened.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re after.¡± Blychert insisted, ¡°I can show it to you, if you want? I¡­ was going to bring it out for everyone to see, I just¡ªI didn¡¯t think now was the best time, is all. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Xander¡¯s eye narrowed, and a small grin etched his face, ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s that then. Come on, let¡¯s keep moving.¡±


    Bly frowned.


    For some reason, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Xander. If he didn¡¯t want to be here, it must have been doubly discouraging to find out that the item they were looking for was nowhere to be found. The swordsman was a tough one to read, but Blychert knew disappointment when he saw it, and Xander had it all over his face.


    A tendril of anxious energy still lingered in Glemberfang¡¯s chamber, as they made their way inside. The blue flames had all but died out, but the darkness itself was not magical like had been under Glemberfang¡¯s authority. It was the simple, familiar kind of darkness one might expect in a dungeon, and nothing more than that.


    As they approached the center of the lair, Bly could clearly see by the light of his spell that not only was Glemberfang¡¯s body completely gone, but so too was the ice wall within which it had met its timely demise. All that remained now was a huge chunk of crystal¡ªthe size of Bly¡¯s fist, surely¡ªwhich was a deep shade of blue, sitting square in the center of a dark stain of ichor. However, as they stepped even closer, something else became visible under the light. A flow of faint energy was cascading around the spot in which Glemberfang had fallen.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Bly asked worriedly.


    ¡°¡­Essence. Or, at least, that¡¯s what I think it is.¡± Xander murmured, though even at low volume his pondering voice echoed throughout the chamber, ¡°Dungeon bosses are supposed to leave this stuff behind when there¡¯s something left to interact with on their floor. Essentially, it¡¯s sort of like a key.¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow, ¡°A key to what?


    Xander sighed, ¡°Well, seeing as how I don¡¯t see much of a treasure horde in this chamber, I¡¯d wager it¡¯s for the route leading down to the next floor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Bly stated, too surprised to say anything else.


    If that was true, if they¡¯d not only defeated the second-floor boss, but also found the third floor? Bly was certain Bold Arrow was about to become more famous than perhaps any of them had even thought possible.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Xander seemed to chuckle under his breath, and suddenly he laughed like Bly had never heard him do so before. His head leaned back and he looked towards the ceiling for a moment. Quieting again, he then stepped up to the spot in which the essence flowed, and surrounded himself in it, ¡°You know something, Trelen? Dungeons really are a pain in the ass¡­¡±


    The light of the raw essence shone bright for a moment, as Xander reached his hand up to touch it. Slowly, and as if encouraged by his presence, the essence began to swirl around his hand and into his open palm. Xander¡¯s eyes flashed with light for a an instant, as the essence flowed through him, before everything went still once more.


    ¡°Worked?¡± Bly asked anxiously, biting his lower lip.


    Xander nodded, ¡°If it¡¯s anything like other dungeons, I think there''s supposed to be a receptacle back in the wayshrine chamber. Come on, let¡¯s go find our reward.¡±


    Back in the wayshrine chamber, it didn¡¯t take Xander very long to find what he was looking for. In fact, the chamber seemed to respond to his very presence. Raw essence flowed from his fingertips and intertwined with the stonework along one of the walls, and within a matter of seconds an archway was revealed, and a series of stairs leading down into even further darkness.


    However, along the wall next to the newly opened path, another door suddenly became visible too. Approaching it, Xander slowly turned its handle, and opened it.


    By the light of Bly¡¯s spell, a small cupboard-like room became apparent. Mounds of coins in both gold and silver lined the stonework, and other precious gemstones could be seen scattered throughout. The ends of several small vials poked out here and there, and even a funny looking metal helmet with wing-like ornaments on its sides sat right on top of the pile.


    ¡°I¡­ think maybe we ought to come back for this.¡± Xander rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, seeing as how neither of them was in any condition to haul a horde of treasure out by themselves. He only wished for a moment that their personal system inventories could handle more than individual items, but wasn''t going to complain about getting out of any more labor for the day.


    At that moment, Bly couldn¡¯t help but notice out of the corner of his eye, that Xander seemed to be holding something in his hand, rubbing it ever so slightly. It was connected to a silver chain, wrapped around his neck, and Bly realized it was an amulet of some kind. Curiously, Bly hadn¡¯t noticed it until now for whatever reason. But then, he hadn¡¯t seen Xander take it out before this moment either.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Bly pointed out.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Xander looked down. He quickly stuffed the object back into his tunic, and turned towards Bly with a smirk, ¡°All this gold and you¡¯re worried about the piece of jewelry hanging around my neck? Honestly, I think you might cut it as an adventurer after all, you know.¡±


    Bly shrugged with a small grin, ¡°I worry about a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve noticed¡­¡± Xander rolled his eyes, closing the door behind him as he turned his attention back on the stairwell leading down.


    Bly followed him, and together they stood side by side peering into the darkness.


    After a long moment¡¯s pause between them, Bly said, "Sorry you didn¡¯t find your sword.¡±


    "Sorry I almost got you killed." Xander shifted a little, and shook his head, "If I''d have known we couldn''t get out, there''s no way I would have let any of you in there.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± the words lingered on Bly¡¯s tongue for a while, before he eventually said, ¡°What did you mean? When we were fighting Glemberfang, you said you were going to try something? That we didn¡¯t have a choice. But¡­ I don¡¯t understand. Was that why your sword turned all red? What were you going to do?¡±


    Xander¡¯s eyes narrowed ever-so slightly, as he took a small breath, and said, ¡°We agreed, didn¡¯t we? You and I? Whatever it takes? It may not be obvious to you, but not every skill I have is cut out for the team. Hell, most of what I can do is completely selfish. But back there, I saw no other choice but to put it all on the line. Even for your sake. Because the truth is¡­¡± Xander turned away from the stairwell, and started back in the direction of the wayshrine, saying over his shoulder, ¡°If you can¡¯t be the one to fall on your sword, then you shouldn''t call yourself a leader.¡±


    ¡°You sure are confusing¡­¡± Bly mumbled under his breath, slow to realize that Xander hadn''t even answered the question at all. At this point, he wasn''t sure he even knew what Xander wanted out of all this. Maybe, he never would.


    ¡°Trelen?¡± Xander asked, his tone plain but serious, as they stepped forward to the wayshrine, ¡°How did you keep yourself alive in there? I thought by the time I¡¯d gotten up, well¡­ I¡¯d feared the worst, to be honest. But then there you were? How¡¯d you do it?¡±


    Now it was Bly¡¯s turn to sidestep the question.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± He stammered, shrugging offhandedly, ¡°Luck, I guess? I limited myself to mostly shields and ice spells, and I have fairly strong proficiency in both.¡± Smirking somewhat, Bly added, ¡°Sorcery is a top magic class. Besides, what kind of a guide would I be if I couldn¡¯t bring you in, and back out again? I¡¯m only as good as my word, you know.¡±


    ¡°Trelen¡­¡± Xander sighed, clasping a hard but weary hand on Bly¡¯s shoulder. Bly jumped somewhat at the contact, looking towards the swordsman unexpectedly. An amused grin betrayed Xander''s otherwise heavily confused expression, as he said, ¡°You really are full of surprises, you know that?¡±


    More than you need to know. Bly pondered ominously, wondering if he wasn''t being somewhat hypocritical, but offered an awkward glance nonetheless, saying, "¡­Thanks."


    Xander reached his other hand out, a sudden spark bloomed throughout the chamber, and the light of the wayshrine flashed before their very eyes.

 [A1] Chapter 18: The Sweet Taste of Victory

    Chapter 18: The Sweet Taste of Victory


    <hr>


    In the wake of Glemberfang, everything in Kelvalder seemed just a little bit crazier.


    By the time they¡¯d gotten Bredic and Vineta back to the White Horn, settling them down under the attentive care of Kara, the town was running amuck with rumor. Mister Ralf did his best to shoo away the more bothersome sort, but Bly imagined it wouldn''t last long.


    And lo and behold, Bredic was the one who took it upon himself to spearhead that effort. Despite Kara¡¯s insistence that he remained in bed, the self-gratifying wizard would not be restrained. By the time their second evening back in town rolled around, he was already regaling everyone in the tavern with stories of how they¡¯d defeated Glemberfang, the most monstrous monster of them all. More than a little conveniently, however, he left out the part where he¡¯d been scared half to death, to the point of paralysis, and the fact that he¡¯d been the first to go down. But then, even Bredic had shown a bit of courage in the end, and that alone earned him a white lie.


    And as it happened, the whole of Kelvalder lapped it all up.


    Bly figured it was because the discovery of a third floor would surely bring at least a few new adventuring parties to the dungeon, despite its low rating. But he also got the impression that Kelvalder was a lot prouder of its dungeon than he¡¯d originally thought. Sure, none of them went anywhere near it, and rightly so. But somehow, that didn¡¯t seem to stop their encouragement of others from doing so¡ªof him, more than anyone. Mister Ralf, Missus Stein, even old farmer Cordell¡­ there were a lot of people who¡¯d helped Bly on his journey thus far, and it sort of felt nice to give something back, even if it was just a boost in local pride.


    At any rate, word of Bold Arrow¡¯s triumphs had blown into town like a cold storm out of the Great Forest. And if he doubted it before, Bly was certain now that the story of their exploits would reach as far as Frostwall in no time.


    And yet, Blychert¡¯s days thereafter were nothing if not painstakingly slow.


    For the most part, he found himself at Alyse¡¯s mercy, who was up in arms about the whole Glemberfang ordeal, not that he could blame her. But hell if she didn¡¯t take it out on him in the only way she knew how: training. When he wasn¡¯t spending the day practicing spell configurations, mana channeling techniques, or transcribing ritual circles, he was just plain being put to work around the house doing chores. Alyse didn¡¯t even seem to care that his arm was injured, though Bly still had a sneaking suspicion that she was taking it easy on him.


    Barred from returning to the dungeon, or at least until his arm was fully healed, Blychert spent the remainder of what free time he had with Vineta and Bredic.


    Vineta was quick to recover, but she begrudgingly chose to stay behind while Lisel and Xander journeyed back to the dungeon. There was still the matter of hauling back their treasure horde, though Xander insisted they could handle it just fine on their own, since there was no real time limit to collect. Besides, Bredic was far worse off than the rest if them, and he needed someone to keep him company, lest he burned down poor Mister Ralf¡¯s inn at the first whiff of boredom.


    Regardless, Bly enjoyed learning more about Vineta¡¯s theurgist abilities during their downtime, many of which were purely non-combat oriented. Her divination abilities seemed to be acutely potent, though she insisted she was behind in that regard, ever since she¡¯d had to take on even more defensive responsibilities for the party. Even Bredic tried to teach Bly some new fire magic. However, it was evident almost straight away that their spellcasting methods were so completely incompatible, that a few days¡¯ worth of practice wasn¡¯t nearly enough time to make anything out of it. Though Bly appreciated the attempt, nonetheless.


    It wasn¡¯t nearly a day and a half later that Xander and Lisel returned, treasure in tow. By then, it had been wholly agreed upon by Kelvalder that they would be holding a feast in Bold Arrow¡¯s honor, and so sorting out the treasure was to be left until afterwards. To Xander¡¯s good nature though, he gladly handed over more than enough gold to ensure that everyone could enjoy the evening.


    Before long, the town speaker, Durand, had declared that the market square ought to be turned into a festival area.


    A motley array of vaguely, similar-sized tables and chairs were soon brought out from various homes and establishments, forming three long rows leading up from the makeshift hearth, to where a main table sat with five chairs equally distributed on one side. Edging the dining area were a series of tents and stalls, where festive assortments, treats, and odd little games to play would be situated. Thanks to Missus Stein, a string of mage lights she kept for special occasions were strung up on wooden poles, giving a warm, multicolored glow to the entire area.


    And so, as evening settled in overhead, Kelvalder held its breath in waiting for celebration.


    ¡°Trelen¡ªdamn it, you¡¯re always working to get me in trouble!¡± Mister Ralf grabbed Bly by the scruff, the moment he stepped through the White Horn¡¯s front door. Dragging him inside, the innkeeper added, ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, we can finally get this thing going.¡±


    Rounding the dark interior, Bly found himself pleasantly surprised as he came into the tavern proper, seeing the rest of Bold Arrow in their celebration attire. None of them had brought any particularly fashionable clothing, but there wasn¡¯t a seamster or tailor in town that wasn¡¯t happy to oblige on such short notice.


    Instead of Bredic¡¯s ruddy robe or Xander¡¯s well-worn armor, they were adorned in similarly formal tunics and pants as Bly was. Bredic¡¯s long hair had been washed and tied back, and even his scraggly beard was neatly trimmed. Xander was clean shaven, his jet-black hair slick with some kind of oil. Vineta and Lisel looked incredible too, at least Bly thought. Each wore a pair of long, wool skirts with several layers of overgarments, accompanied by capes, gloves, and a hood to match.


    ¡°Sheesh, Trelen, they couldn''t find anything else for you to wear or what?¡± Bredic teased Bly, even though his own getup looked equally as awkward as Bly¡¯s did, considering both of them were nursing bandaged injuries.


    Shaking his non-bandaged arm, Bly said with an amused grin, ¡°Hey, at least I don¡¯t have to wonder what your face looks like anymore, without that forest growing over it. Though I am starting to miss the mystery¡­ the real thing doesn¡¯t quite live up to expectations.¡±


    Bredic¡¯s mocking expression soured instantly, and Vineta snorted.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Xander clapped the irritable wizard on the back, who glared back at him, ¡°What? Don¡¯t look at me like that! Your foul mouth has been a bad influence on him these last few weeks.¡±


    Bredic gritted his teeth, but simply rolled his eyes in resignation, grumbling, ¡°I officially recognize your status, Trelen, as the little shit that you are.¡±


    ¡°High honors, coming from the grandest little shit of them all.¡± Vineta chimed in, brushing her blonde bangs to one side, as she looked at Trelen, ¡°You¡¯d better take advantage of that compliment while you have the chance, Trel. Coming from him, it¡¯ll expire quickly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you know what, hag?¡± Bredic started, a flash of anger across his face, and Bly was certain this was about to devolve into another one of their infamous arguments. But Bredic simply sighed, and offered a modest grin, ¡°For a below average spellcaster¡­ you''re still a pretty great friend, so I¡¯ll let you off easy.¡±


    Vineta gaped, her face turned red, and then one of their infamous arguments broke out. Bly laughed, and looked over at Xander, who was smiling from ear to ear, but curiously playing with that pendant around his neck again.


    ¡°Hey, Trelen.¡± Lisel¡¯s voice broke through, and Bly glanced across at her suddenly.


    ¡°Hey¡ª¡± he said, somewhat clumsily. A confusing moment of silence between them was all but drowned out by Vineta and Bredic¡¯s bickering, before Bly thought to say, ¡°You look¡­ nice?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Are you asking me?¡± Lisel turned her head to the side confusedly. Bly froze, and Lisel simply giggled, ¡°That was a joke. I think you look rather handsome yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uhm¡­ thanks.¡± Bly stammered, but offered a smile, nonetheless. He was far too embarrassed to say anything else anyway. Glancing back across the room towards Xander for a moment, Lisel walked up and stood next to him silently. And that¡¯s when it occurred to him to ask, ¡°Does that pendant he wears mean anything? I don''t remember seeing it before.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Lisel perked up, looking across to where Xander was standing too, before saying, ¡°Oh, I think¡­ it belonged to his father? Or something like that. I''m sure you''ve noticed, but he tends to keep his personal life to himself. Although, Norman did tell me once that Xander''s originally from Trave.¡±


    ¡°Trave?¡± Bly questioned, ¡°He¡¯s not Calvergian?¡±


    ¡°Not in the least, I guess.¡± Lisel chuckled, ¡°You might think that, because of how close we all are. It was Norman that brought us all together, actually. I know we don''t talk about him much, but Norman, Vineta, and Bredic were all really good friends before they met Xander. Since I¡¯m a year younger than Vineta and Bredic, I didn¡¯t really get to know Xander all that well when Norman was still alive. But¡­ I don¡¯t think he has any family. Not alive, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Bly nodded, slowly digesting her words, as he said, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why he was so weird about all this. Maybe Bold Arrow is his family. People do crazy things for the ones they love."


    Lisel looked at him curiously, ¡°Know that from experience?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sort of¡­¡± Bly said smiling, thinking fondly of Bartolo for a second, and everything he¡¯d given up just to give Bly a chance. At that moment, he missed the old sorcerer more than anything. He hoped that wherever he was, Bly was at least making him proud.


    ¡°Come on, then!¡± Mister Ralf shouted, ¡°Hungry mouths to feed, so hop to it¡ªlet¡¯s get you out there in front of all those people!¡±


    Exchanging a lightly nervous glance with Lisel, the two them joined the others, and together they stepped out into Kelvalder, towards the direction of their celebration feast.


    ***


    Kelvalder was alive¡ªall of the delightful sights, sounds, and smells of home cooking and festivity permeated the air deep into the hour¡¯s past sundown.


    Blychert found himself stuffing his face with all manner of food¡ªso much better than Alyse¡¯s cooking too! He even drank quite a bit of mead, which was far more alcohol than he¡¯d been allowed to consume at any festival in Darskaart, ever. After that, round and about he and the rest of Bold Arrow went chatting and conversing with all manner of folks curious about their recent endeavors. Soon enough, Vineta found her match in wit amongst a group of determined children at one of the game stalls, and poor, dashing Xander couldn¡¯t seem to escape the wandering eye of multiple old women, though all of whom he more than happily offered a dance. Bredic was as drunk as Durand was within a few hours, and somehow, he managed to convince the poor town speaker to let him set off a few ¡°experimental¡± fire spells he¡¯d been working on, for presentation purposes. Though not without the full supervision of none other than Alyse Crane herself, who had once again made an appearance at precisely the right time.


    The night sky danced with the loud booms and deep echoes of awesome, multicolored bursts of fire soon thereafter, much to the delight and spectacle of everyone around. This in turn seemed to bolster the musicians into a fast-paced jig, and before long the dining tables were pushed out of the way so that the real dancing could begin; Calvergian style.


    Bly found himself suddenly scooped up into the center by an overly confident Lisel, and he was only somewhat agitated by all the mead and roasted meats he¡¯d consumed before doing so. Nevertheless, she awkwardly taught him the strange circle dance that seemed to be common in this country, on the fly no less, and shortly they had danced alongside the rest of Kelvalder for what felt like hours under the colorful burst of Bredic¡¯s mad designs.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Bly groaned, fully out of breath as he threw himself onto a bench haphazardly. Lisel had disappeared into the crowd, and he could only hope she¡¯d be back soon with that tankard of water she¡¯d promised to find him.


    ¡°Having a good time, dear boy?¡± Missus Stein¡¯s cheery, albeit somewhat drunken voice said above the noise.


    Bly turned, and at the nearby table she was sitting with old farmer Cordell and Mister Malwin.


    ¡°Reckon so¡ª¡± Bly smiled, ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen a stomping like this in ages¡­¡± She shook her head, ¡°A stark reminder of what this town used to be back in my day, heh.¡±


    ¡°Too true.¡± Cordell¡¯s wobbly, old man voice agreed, ¡°Been a time that we ne¡¯er did hold right, a proper festival. Dungeon grown cold as the winters were long, and I say, what a delight it has been.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you the reason that we haven''t but seen any adventures for some years.¡± Missus Stein raised her voice, a touch slurred from the spirits she¡¯d been sipping, ¡°The real reason. It¡¯d be the Pale Lady, it¡¯d be. Always has been, even my father said so.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Mister Malwin chuckled heartily. The gruff, burly man smiled wide, and added, ¡°You and your superstitions, Waltraud¡­ you sound like my youngest.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s real!¡± Missus Stein argued, ¡°I''ve seen her too on occasion, I have, out the window on a moonless night, wandering the fields. Just because you don¡¯t believe it, and neither did your grump of a father either, doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not out there.¡±


    ¡°Pale Lady?¡± Bly asked confusedly. This was one local legend he somehow hadn¡¯t heard about.


    ¡°Scorned lover, spurned adventurer, demon of the forest¡­ take your pick, I suppose.¡± Missus Stein shrugged, but snapped, pointing a finger at Bly with an ominous stare, ¡°But she¡¯s real. And she haunts both the forest and the dungeons, accosting adventurers at every turn; a truly vile spirit of a woman.¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow.


    ¡°They say when she speaks, nothing but chilling cold escapes her mouth, as if the very act of speaking to the living is a curse in and of itself.¡± Missus Stein continued, ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯ve got no adventurers in this town anymore. She''s cursed them all away.¡± She concluded, more than a little satisfied wither her statement. However, she frowned suddenly, and looked at Bly with an awkward smile, ¡°Well, none except for you, dear boy. Of course¡­¡±


    Despite his mild stupor, Blychert felt the hairs on the back of his skin crawl.


    Hadn¡¯t he also seen someone like that¡ªsomething matching that exact description in Glemberfang¡¯s lair? He¡¯d been exhausted, but he could never forget that pale, ghostly face, or that feeling of trying to be spoken to, but unable. At the time, he thought he might be dreaming, but it couldn¡¯t be the same thing. Could it?


    ¡°We¡¯ve got no adventurers because it¡¯s a long haul from Frostwall and our dungeon is a bust.¡± Mister Malwin insisted, ¡°And everyone knows, including His Highness, the Guild has its hands all over that city. You want proper a dungeon? You go to Frostwall. There is no Pale Lady, never has been. Now, if you¡¯re done scaring off our only adventurer, pass that damned horn of ale¡­¡±


    Bly looked down at his feet for a moment, his mind wandering.


    Annie had talked about ghosts a few times in the past, even though she was afraid of them, much to Irvin¡¯s delight. But the ghosts she talked about weren¡¯t really human spirits, they were monstrous things. Furthermore, the Church said that all souls returned to the heavens upon death, regardless of the lives they led. Bly wasn¡¯t certain he much believed in what the Church said anymore, but it did make him wonder about the nature of death, and what it really meant to die in this world.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t so long ago that he¡¯d been sentenced to death. But then, hadn¡¯t the Guild tried to ¡°synchronize¡± his memories beforehand? Alyse still hadn''t explained what that meant. Come to think of it, in all this time, Alyse hadn''t really explained much of anything beyond the bare minimum he needed to endure the dungeon and social interactions. He''d been content with that until now, training and growing stronger had been his only priority for a long time. But now? Questions were beginning to resurface that he''d brushed aside for the sake of his training.


    Perhaps it was finally time to force her hand, especially with the weird things going on in the dungeon.


    ¡°¡ªHere you go.¡± Lisel¡¯s voice said abruptly.


    Bly jumped somewhat, flicking his gaze towards her. She looked down at him worriedly, the tankard of water held out in front of her, ¡°Sorry¡­ did I startle you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Bly said meekly, accepting the tankard after the fact, as he said, ¡°Just¡­ tired, for some reason. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she pondered, perhaps not entirely convinced, as she sat down next to him, ¡°It was a long day getting ready, and I bet all that dancing didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Or the eating.¡± Bly confessed, nudging her shoulder as he said, ¡°Or the drinking, just ask Bredic.¡±


    Lisel giggled, ¡°That too. You''re both going to regret it tomorrow.¡±


    Bly smiled, turning to look out into the crowd. Bredic and Xander were doing some weird, not altogether flattering dance, as if trying to one-up the other, in the center of the circle, and Vineta seemed to have just lost a game of stone tossing because she was reluctantly handing over coins to one of the Hansen boys. Glancing about, Mister Ralf was dancing with his wife with more energy that Bly even knew the innkeeper had in him, and he could have sworn he''d just seen Alyse¡¯s pointy hat dipping out of the celebration on the far side entirely; her work done, or so it seemed.


    A warm, fluttery feeling filled Bly¡¯s stomach.


    Unlike the mead, this was a good feeling.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve spent my whole life training, and wondering what it would be like to be an adventurer.¡± He said out of nowhere, ¡°I can¡¯t honestly say it¡¯s exactly how I thought it¡¯d be.¡±


    ¡°I felt the same way when I joined Bold Arrow.¡± Lisel nodded, ¡°It was a lot at first.¡±


    ¡°The dungeon was tough, but the whole party thing¡­¡± Bly trailed off for a moment, ¡°Definitely takes some getting used to.¡±


    ¡°Well, for what¡¯s it worth,¡± She turned, and Bly glanced over to meet her gaze. She smiled faintly, and a flustered sensation filled Bly''s stomach momentarily, as she said, ¡°We got to meet an interesting person like you. I¡¯d say that wasn¡¯t a waste at all.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Bly smirked, suddenly recalling what he¡¯d said on the very first night they''d all met, all those weeks ago, and her response to it.


    He looked back into the crowd of Kelvalder, the light and sounds completely mesmerizing now as his buzz began to wear off. All of it coalesced in a strange, somewhat unfamiliar way all around him, as just a few, gentle snowflakes began to fall from the sky.


    In all his time in this world, Bly couldn¡¯t remember victory ever tasting so sweet.

 [A1] Interlude 3 - Alyse: Vermillion Method

    Interlude 3 - Alyse: Vermillion Method


    <hr>


    ¡°Wrong¡ª¡± Alyse swiped her hand through the air casually, casting a mote of inoffensive, sympathetic magic in Blychert¡¯s direction. However, it was more than enough to put him off balance, given the ostensible severity of his hangover, and he stumbled backward somewhat.


    Alyse pursed her lips into a smile, almost proud of her student as he offered her one of the most irritable, downright obstinate scowls she¡¯d ever seen from him. However, he simply took up his stance once again, and grumbled, ¡°What was wrong? I did it exactly like you showed me¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me a liar?¡± She tiled her head curiously, toying with him for fun at this point.


    Blychert sighed softly, resigning his will to argue, ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Alyse frowned somewhat.


    She was being too hard on him, of course she knew that. But for the life of her, she just couldn¡¯t understand his unabashed persistence. He knew the dangers of the dungeon, she¡¯d beaten it into his skull however many times, and yet he¡¯d gone out of his way to make every mistake imaginable, and to deliberately ignore the things she asked of him when it came to delving.


    No intelligence on the second-floor boss? Check. Not going in fully rested or recovered? Check. No suitable healer or supplemental tinctures to cover a wider array of ailments and conditions? Double check! Just because they¡¯d gotten trapped inside, which she was reluctant to admit wasn¡¯t their fault¡ªit wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible at all¡ªit was still foolish to go inside given their inexperience. It was more than foolish, it was irresponsible.


    Honestly, what were they all thinking?


    Alyse cast a scrutinizing glance across the backyard to where Xander was leaning up against the house, watching Bly take his lesson with a look of deep curiosity etched across his brow. That boy was a handful too much for her liking. But¡­ he had gotten Bly to come out of his shell in recent weeks. She supposed she should ought to be grateful for that, but it was hard to do when nearly all of them were wounded to some degree or another after their latest "triumph" in the dungeon.


    Bartolo was going to kill her when he found out about this, there was simply no denying it.


    ¡°Again, then.¡± Alyse instructed, taking several steps towards Blychert as she recommitted herself to the task at hand. She nudged his back so that he made himself stand straighter, and added, ¡°You want to be flashy like your wizard friend? Then you need to master the fundamental techniques of advanced spellcasting first. Otherwise, Xander here will have to peel you off the ground again, after you''ve gone and only cast a single instance of Wall of Ice.¡±


    ¡°What? You can¡¯t be serious! That¡¯s not even how it went¡ª¡±


    ¡°Focus on your breathing.¡± Alyse flicked Bly softly on the back of the head, and he immediately dropped his argument to concentrate. ¡°Channeling mana isn¡¯t about volume, it¡¯s about pressure. Draw as much mana as you want, if the channel is too wide then your flow will meander, and you''ll find yourself wasting energy. My guess is that you drew as much mana into your aura as was physically possible down in that dungeon, which is why you ended up on the floor.¡±


    Blychert grumbled something under his breath, but didn¡¯t seem to deny the accusation.


    Stubborn, but smart enough to realize when you''re in the wrong, however much you hate it. Alyse amused herself to the thought with a small grin. You really are your father¡¯s son.


    ¡°Hey-hey!¡± Someone shouted, and she recognized the voice immediately as that of the scruffy, mischievous wizard¡¯s, ¡°Looking good, kid!¡±


    Alyse furrowed her brow, cocking her head to the side as the rest of the members of Bold Arrow came into view. They walked around the side of the house and joined Xander in watching her torment Bly under the sunlight of a cloud-dappled blue sky above.


    ¡°Concentrate the channel into as fine a point as you can, and you¡¯ll build pressure in your flow.¡± Alyse said, but offered the others a small wave of her hand as she spoke. Turning, she added, ¡°This is much better for advanced offensive spells, given their proclivity to soak up any amount of mana, regardless of requirements. Understood?¡±


    ¡°¡­Got it.¡± Bly replied, his cheeks slightly flushed with heat as he adjusted his feet to get better hold of his mana flow. Breathing in deeply, and out again, he closed his eyes and focused. If Bly was affected at all by the latest distraction, then it wasn¡¯t showing in the least.


    Good, he remembers that external forces play a much larger role in mana channeling than we might otherwise prefer. Alyse inspected him closely, Distractions at his age might as well be their own form of currency. Footwork looks good, posture is decent now, and breathing¡­ that¡¯s it, very good Bly.


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, and only when you¡¯re ready, I want to see your aura at full capacity.¡± Alyse continued, bracing herself for what was to come, ¡°I want maximum channeling from you.¡±


    Without needing any more encouragement than that, Alyse felt the immediate impact of his aura as it expanded rapidly. The invisible wall of force¡ªof magical energy¡ªhit her full on, and she didn¡¯t even extend her own aura to negate it. After all, she needed to feel it, in order to properly critique it.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Incredible. Alyse closed her eyes, letting herself absorb every lick of the aura as she worked to discern its power. It was strong¡ªso much stronger than she could have ever hoped for in a spellcaster of his age. With an aura like that, and with a little more persistence, he¡¯d be engaging advanced magic with ease in no time at all.


    Suddenly, Alyse felt the lousy weight of hypocrisy fall over her. Was he so persistent because she pushed him to be? Despite her best efforts not to? Was she to blame to for what happened in the dungeon? Or was this simply his nature?


    She groaned, supposing she had to be content with whichever for now, and said, ¡°Alright, rein it back in¡ªslowly, please. I think you¡¯ve suffered enough for one morning.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bly¡¯s face lit up, as if she¡¯d just given him the freedom to do whatever he pleased, or had told him that he¡¯d never have to eat her cooking again.


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Alyse shook her head with a smile. Tossing her head in the direction of the house, she added, ¡°Go on, they¡¯re waiting for you. And while you¡¯re out, if you could please grab me some¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sealing wax.¡± Bly interjected, already rushing past her towards where the others waited for him, ¡°I''m on it. And don¡¯t worry, teacher. It¡¯s on me this time.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Alyse mumbled with an amused grin. She folded her hands over her arms thereafter, now well and truly alone behind the house, and looked up towards the sky. The shadow of a bird passed in front of the sun, and she murmured belatedly, as she tugged on the ends of her heavy winter coat, ¡°Well then, I''ll leave the rest to you."


    ***


    The house was filled by a familiar silence as Alyse dragged herself out of the bath and into her bedroom. She dressed sparsely, a long tunic and some socks, and thrust the window curtains open so that natural light could wash over the entire room. Her long, wavy red hair caught in the sunshine, turning a shade of fiery orange as she took up a seat at her scrying table. Leaning back, she caressed the little cactus plant sitting on the windowsill and channeled a modicum of magic into it¡ªjust enough to check its livelihood. Satisfied, she turned her attention to other matters.


    The trouble with Blychert was that he was becoming far too inquisitive for his own good, which meant that she had to work equally as hard to keep him at arm¡¯s length, always. However, that was growing more and more difficult to sustain, especially when her wildest idea, that he was somehow one of the missing pieces in a puzzle she had yet to fully realize, continued to haunt her.


    But why else would she have divined him that day? It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that brought her to Bartolo¡¯s doorstep in the days leading up to his selection day, and it certainly wasn¡¯t her remembering anything about him.


    Alyse¡¯s hand edged the surface of the dark, scrying table for a moment, deep in thought. Soft ripples of energy coursed through the table, as if encouraged by her touch, as she sat there pondering to herself.


    Blychert¡¯s ability to transmute experience into mana was simply unimaginable. And yet, it was now the marker she needed to present her findings. It had to be a clear indication that the classless could evolve, that Dark Raven could in fact affect change in their world. Didn''t it? There were no signs in the Codex of such permutations, but that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t there¡ªweren''t hiding beneath layer upon layer of buried information.


    She¡¯d made up her mind, Bly was living proof of that change.


    The only question was, could he be an asset? Would he even want to be? Or was he destined to be the albatross in all her years of diligent work?


    ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way, kiddo.¡± Alyse murmured to herself, gently reaching out across her scrying table to one of the wards she held over Kelvalder; it was a mere drop of mana that she expended, and yet it told her everything she needed to know, just to be sure that there were no unwanted guests within its perimeter.


    A caravan of traders was in town, and who knew what strange things they had brought with them. It was better to be safe than sorry, and it was Bold Arrow¡¯s last day in town anyway. Bly deserved to enjoy their company for one last time.


    ¡°I wish you were here to see him, Garin.¡± She smiled, feeling the tendril of energy in the heart of Kelvalder that represented Blychert¡¯s subtly masked aura, ¡°He¡¯s a handful, just like you. Although, he¡¯s much smarter than his father ever was. Well, perhaps you¡¯ll be able to see for yourself, one day.¡±


    In a small flash, the energy across the scrying table spiraled into itself, and her message was sent across the ethereal boundaries of time and space in an instant. If Garin was alive, if he was out there somewhere, then she was confident that he¡¯d received it. It wasn''t like he''d ever answered her back before, but she hoped he at least knew about his son.


    Suddenly, the scrying table flashed a deep, violet color, putting a mild strain on Alyse''s brow. This wasn''t what she had been expecting today, but certainly she had been expecting something, sometime soon.


    Giving herself pause, Alyse was reluctant to open the message all of a sudden. Deep violet was never good. Lavender was alright, lilac was best. Lilac was safe, it was peaceful. Deep violet was a mess, and she did not want to deal with a mess in the least.


    Closing her eyes, Alyse simply waived her hand over the scrying table and channeled her mana in such a way so that it formed a complex layer of seals across the face of the table. The runes glowed for a moment and dimmed again. With her password input, the encrypted message sprawled out across the surface for her to read in an instant.


    <hr>


    ¡ªTime circles¡ªCardinal sings¡ªCrown whispers¡ªby Moonlight¡ª


    - L


    <hr>


    Alyse groaned, wishing she hadn¡¯t just read that at all.


    Now was not a good time for things to start unraveling elsewhere in Sulren. She still had so much work to do here, so much left to teach Blychert about the world in which they lived, about the classless, and she¡¯d barely even begun to scratch the surface of any of it! With Bartolo gone, Blychert¡¯s magical training was even more crucial than ever before. He needed to master advanced spellcasting as soon as possible; it was simply imperative to her timetable.


    ¡°Ugh, I need a holiday¡­¡± Alyse grumbled, leaning back in her chair so that the front legs stuck up into the air. She glanced towards the scrying table after a long moment, biting her upper lip worriedly, and murmuring, ¡°Just what the hell have you all gotten yourselves into out there?¡±


    Well, at least she had a heading to work with now.


    Tomorrow, she¡¯d teleport Bold Arrow back to Frostwall, bringing herself along with them. If she had any luck left at all, she could squeeze by relatively undetected and get some work done in the city for a few days, then jump back to Kelvalder before anyone suspected a thing. And after that¡­ well, she¡¯d continue her work here, with Bly.


    The gap between the classless and the classed was now smaller than ever before. If Trelen were to become a hero? The kind that defied Their logic? Then the tides would shift in their favor, surely. Step by step, inch by inch, those who lurked in the shadows might just stand in the light for themselves one day, if but only to discover how harmless its rays could truly be.


    But that¡­ that was getting ahead of herself.


    Let him enjoy his life while he could. After all, few such tender moments would be spared, if any at all, when the paradigm broke at last.

 [A1] Chapter 19: Until We Meet Again

    Chapter 19: Until We Meet Again


    <hr>


    ¡°So, you guys are really leaving, huh?¡± Bly asked, not overly concerned with hiding his discontent.


    He was already nursing one of the worst headaches he¡¯d ever had, and that was including the ones he¡¯d gotten from spell fatigue or mana depletion, and Alyse had really pushed him hard in their morning lesson. A bead of sweat was still clinging on for dear life around the edge of his face, as he and the rest of Bold Arrow made their way down the street towards the west gate. Mid-morning sun bleached the road ahead of them, casting stubby shadows from the shingled roofs of adjacent homes in odd, angular ways. It was cold, and growing colder by the day as autumn drew nearer, but Blychert was used to that by now. Looking up slightly, he noticed that the blue sky above was unblemished by clouds; a damned near perfect morning, if not for other factors.


    ¡°Not soon enough, if you asked me¡­¡± Bredic groaned, whose headache was undoubtedly far worse between the two of them, as he mumbled thereafter, ¡°Count my blessings that your teacher offered to teleport us back to Frostwall. Otherwise, you could forget about it! I¡¯d rather die than walk another mile.¡±


    Vineta scoffed at him from the back of the marching order, ¡°Maybe someone shouldn¡¯t have drunk so much last night. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault that you refuse to drink water.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± Bredic glanced over his shoulder somewhat, waving his hand at her in a sarcastic fashion, ¡°Pyromancer, here. What¡¯s that? Oh, water? For me? Forget it!¡±


    ¡°Idiot¡­¡± Vineta grumbled, but that was the end of that.


    The sounds of their motley collection of boots crunching atop a layer of snow stood out on its own for a few moments, as the sounds of the trading caravan drew close. Bly glanced across to his left, where Lisel walked in lockstep with him, seemingly content to enjoy the day on its own merits.


    Before long, the five of them came face to face with the caravan of traders. Makeshift stalls dangling out of carts lined the tiny square just on the inside of the west gate. Seeing as how the market square was still cluttered from the evening¡¯s celebration, there really weren¡¯t many other options. As a result, dozens and dozens of people perusing wares ended up looking much more crowded than perhaps it would have been elsewhere. Haggling, trading, buying, selling, shouting, screaming, laughing, crying¡­ it was a nightmare of noise that Bold Arrow was now standing on the precipice of.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can¡¯t find something for Mahan.¡± Vineta said eagerly, already pushing her way up to the front, ¡°Bredic, didn¡¯t you say your mother needed a new tea set?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Bredic whined, rubbing the side of his head irritably.


    ¡°Tea set, you dullard.¡± Vineta scolded him, ¡°Oh whatever, let¡¯s see if we can''t find her one. Come along¡ª¡±


    ¡°Gah¡ªI said that six months ago! How do you even remember that?!¡± Bredic shouted, even as he was being dragged away by his sleeve into the masses. In the blink of an eye, he and Vineta were out of sight.


    ¡°Well, I guess we might as well see what they have.¡± Bly turned towards Lisel and Xander, shrugging somewhat, ¡°You want to look around?¡±


    ¡°I want to get an appraisal for the items we got from Glemberfang¡¯s horde.¡± Xander pondered aloud, ¡°But I think I might wait until we get back to Frostwall. Although¡­ I see an auspicious fellow selling weapons over there, and I intend to go see what he''s got.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk with you.¡± Lisel answered Bly, and gestured for them to follow Vineta¡¯s example and simply go headlong into the crowd.


    Bly chuckled, but shook his head in approval, beginning to make their way in that hellish direction.


    ¡°Hey, Trelen¡ª¡± Xander pulled Bly back suddenly, ¡°Can I talk to you for a second?¡±


    Blychert looked to Lisel confusedly, who merely gave him a nod to let him know that she¡¯d be waiting for him up ahead, and soon it was just Bly and Xander left standing back.


    ¡°I wanted to answer your question, because I think you deserve an answer.¡± Xander offered belatedly, fidgeting somewhat as he said, ¡°About why we¡¯re leaving, I mean¡ªabout why I made the choice to call it here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Bly nodded slowly, not expecting that.


    ¡°Look, I could stand here and tell you that we aren¡¯t done yet, that our quest remains incomplete, or whatever, but¡­ we''re talking about a third floor. At best, you¡¯re looking at multiple scores of intermediate spawns at a time, constantly.¡± Xander reasoned, ¡°We don¡¯t have a healer, and our average party level is too low to make any significant inroads in a timely fashion. I doubt I need to tell you what things are like in the autumn. It''ll get real cold around here soon, and the kind of supplies we''d need to a make a third floor run possible just aren''t exactly at our disposal.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°But listen to me,¡± Xander interjected, collecting himself as he said, ¡°At the end of the day, we¡¯re just a group of friends, Trelen. We came out here for a good reason. But we¡¯re not a full-time party. Vineta? She transcribes texts at the library in Frostwall¡ªpractices magic in the morning before she works. And Bredic? He¡¯s a spellwright¡¯s apprentice. Lisel¡¯s family doesn¡¯t even live in the city, she just joins up when she can afford the time. They¡­ they did this for me. Okay? I shouldn¡¯t have let them talk me into it, but I did. That¡¯s on me. What happened down there¡­ if things had gone another way, I¡ªI don¡¯t want that to happen ever again, not for my sake. So, that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ what? You think they did this for your sake.¡± Bly felt the scowl sprawl across his face. He refused to believe that after everything, Xander of all people would hide behind such a lousy excuse. This wasn¡¯t the leader of Bold Arrow he¡¯d come to know, and he refused to accept it. Angrily, he added, ¡°They came here because it was something they wanted all of you to do together, for fun, and for the memory of your friend. It was you who wanted to keep pushing farther in, like that was the only important thing to you. But guess what? Because of your ambition, everyone else actually started to believe that it was possible. Hell, you made me believe it, and I doubted your intentions for a while there.¡±


    Xander¡¯s eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, completely stunned by the looks.


    ¡°We made a bad decision, but we made it together.¡± Bly reasoned, calming his nerves somewhat with a deep exhale, ¡°And so what? We had to fight for our lives because of that, that¡¯s the risk you take when you step inside the dungeon. I did it every day by myself until you came along. But the difference between then and now is that we did it together, so¡­ sorry if my inexperience as a party member is showing, but I don¡¯t think you have the right to take that away from anyone; not me, and certainly not them. They had every right to risk their lives for you, same as you did for them. Because you¡¯re a party.¡±


    A small gust of wind blew a spray of snow down the street momentarily, and a slow, humbled smile creased Xander¡¯s face, as his dark hair tousled. He exhaled once, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry.¡± Bly shook his head, ¡°Just, don¡¯t be so stupid. Although, maybe I should take my own advice too.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Xander snickered, ¡°You know? I had a feeling you were going to cause me trouble. The first night at the White Horn, I guessed it.¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow, ¡°And you let me come along anyway?¡±


    ¡°¡­Call it hunch.¡± Xander shrugged. Stepping forward, he patted Bly on the shoulder twice, ¡°And hey, by your own admission, I¡¯m a pretty terrible party leader anyway. Although, as it turns out, I was right to trust you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re not friends.¡± Bly smiled glibly, ¡°I¡¯m allowed to call you out on your bullshit. But, we did alright.¡±


    ¡°If all we leave here with is a bunch of treasure and a valuable lesson? Then I¡¯ll take an alright. But look, I do hope we¡¯re friends.¡± Xander said plainly, extending a hand for Bly to shake. Grinning somewhat, he added, ¡°And you can keep calling out my bullshit, if that sweetens the deal.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Bly smirked, slapping his hand into Xander¡¯s, ¡°Count on it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot¡ª¡± Xander said, who then began fiddling around in his sage terminal for a few moments. A second later, Bly¡¯s own sage terminal blipped once, and a message came into view, as Xander added, ¡°You¡¯re a free man, Trelen. And¡­ thanks for everything. I won''t forget it.¡±


    <hr>


    > Party status [Bold Arrow] removed.


    > Party status [-] added.


    <hr>


    Blychert couldn¡¯t help but wince.


    Somehow, it stung even more than he already anticipated it would.


    ***


    The evening of Bold Arrow¡¯s departure came later than everyone had anticipated, but sooner than Bly had been ready for.


    Slowly but surely, the party collected all of its belongings and all of the miscellaneous items it had amassed in their rooms at the White Horn over the last few weeks, and piled them into the center of the sprawling teleportation circle drawn on Bly¡¯s living room floor. All of the furniture had been pushed out of the way, and Alyse was already hard at work channeling mana into the linework, as the darkness of night fell across Kelvalder. The low thrum of resonating magic soon filled the air in the house, and Bly knew at that moment it was about time for them to leave.


    ¡°What kind of magic is this?¡± Vineta asked curiously, pointing out the other linework, which was darker in coloration and formed a hexagon shape around the teleportation circle in its entirety.


    ¡°That, my dear, is a suppression field.¡± Alyse explained, and Bly couldn¡¯t help but notice she sounded a little too slick, ¡°To keep prying eyes away when we choose to come and go via teleportation. It masks the energy signature of any spell cast within its bounds. And since it¡¯s a permanent fixture, it will remain long after the energy signature of teleportation magic has completely diffused back into the air. In other words¡ª¡±


    ¡°Brilliant!¡± Vineta awed, kneeling to inspect the magic for herself. Bly couldn¡¯t remember her ever sounding nearly as excited by anything he could do, though he conceded to himself that his magic was far inferior to Alyse¡¯s. Vineta sighed, ¡°If only I had a teacher like you¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a book on ritual magic you might fight interesting.¡± Alyse replied plainly, as she set the chalk aside, ¡°If you wanted it?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Vineta gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯d offer something like that to me?¡±


    ¡°She has dozens of them.¡± Bly insisted, his mouth half-stuffed with a baked good Mister Ralf¡¯s wife had brought over, ¡°Good luck understanding any of it, half of them are covered in her own illegible handwriting.¡±


    ¡°I seem to recall that your own ritual magic has been taking on a shape most similar to mine in recent weeks.¡± Alyse replied teasingly, ¡°I¡¯m sure that has nothing to do with those books or my terrible handwriting.¡±


    Bly grumbled, but resigned to eating his tasty treat. That was a battle he was destined to lose.


    ¡°Here, Trelen.¡± Lisel said, handing something to him from the other side of the dining room table, which had since been pushed into the kitchen, ¡°I got this for you earlier¡­ when we were with the traders.¡±


    Bly furrowed his brow, wiping crumbs away from his mouth and fingers as he held out his hand. Carefully, Lisel dropped something cold into his palm. It had a bit of weight to it, but was perfectly smooth on all sides. As Bly held it up to the light, it was a slightly opaque, cloudy white colored stone of some kind.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked confusedly.


    But before Lisel could reply, Alyse had walked up behind where Bly was sitting, and said, ¡°Ah¡­ a resonance stone. Young lady, you have excellent taste.¡±


    Lisel blushed somewhat, ¡°Um¡ªthank you.¡±


    ¡°Resonance stone?¡± Bly pondered aloud, ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing crazy on its own. Just a pretty rock to look at.¡± Alyse gestured for Bly to hand it over, which he did, ¡°However, with the right channeling of mana¡­¡±


    A flash of energy flickered across Alyse¡¯s fingertips, and suddenly the interior of the stone was glowing with white-hot mana, emitting a somewhat bright radiance into the kitchen as it did.


    ¡°It holds a magical charge for an extended period of time.¡± Alyse concluded, handing the stone back to Blychert all at once, the light already beginning to fade, ¡°And that, can be very fun under the right circumstances. That¡¯s a very thoughtful gift, Lisel.¡±


    ¡°I''ve seen them used in Frostwall, so I thought it might come in handy." Lisel shrugged unsurely, "It''s okay if you don''t like it."


    Bly looked across the table dismissively, ¡°No, thank you. But¡­ you didn¡¯t have to get me anything. I didn¡¯t get you¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Lisel shooed, quelling Bly¡¯s insistence, ¡°I wanted to¡­ for keeping your promise.¡±


    Promise? Bly thought. Had he kept his promise? Hell, if he knew.


    ¡°Too damned cold out there¡ª" Bredic grunted, as he stumbled in the front door, completely covered in snow, "I''m all set now though."


    ¡°Excellent, we''re just about ready then.¡± Alyse raised her voice, returning from her bedroom to say. At that, everyone got up and began moving themselves in the direction of the teleportation circle. Turning towards Bly, Alyse said in a small but mothering tone, ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for three days. Think you¡¯ll be alright without me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay¡­¡± Bly replied softly, a twang of unease in the pit of his stomach, as he watched the final few moments he had with his friends begin to slip away.


    ¡°Hey, chin up.¡± Alyse nudged him, ¡°This isn¡¯t goodbye. Not forever, At least, I don¡¯t think so. I think you will see them again. When you''re ready.¡±


    Bly looked up at her with a small frown, ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not the one stuck here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not stuck here.¡± Alyse smiled, but it faltered slightly, as she added, ¡°I challenge you to be better¡­ Trelen. So that when the time comes for you to go out on your own, the hard lessons you¡¯ve learned here will actually mean something. You¡¯re not here against your will, even Bartolo will tell you that.¡±


    ¡°Then why does it feel like it?¡± Bly insisted, ¡°Why does it feel like¡ªlike, I don¡¯t know, like you want me to be in the dark¡­ about everything. Ever since we got here, it¡¯s like you¡¯d rather I just did what you asked and not said another word about it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a very good teacher.¡± Alyse sighed, barely above a whisper, as her gaze met his, ¡°And¡­ because maybe I don¡¯t know how to say the things I want to say to you yet. But, I¡¯m trying. I hope you trust me enough to believe that.¡±


    Bly frowned even further, glancing back across at the others, before sighing, ¡°I guess I can use this time to think about what ability I''ll take on next. You know, since I''ll be ninth level soon?"


    "Mhmm." Alyse rolled her eyes.


    Bly smirked suddenly, "Well, I won¡¯t miss your cooking anyway.¡±


    ¡°Please¡ª¡± She snorted, ¡°What would you do without my Cube of Perpetual Warming?¡±


    "Starve!¡± Bly shuddered at the thought, but said confidently, ¡°I think Mister Ralf will take pity on me though.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Alyse resounded warmly, ¡°Do me a favor and stay away from the dungeon until I get back? Xander told me that the core volatility was at sixty percent when they left the other day?¡±


    ¡°Sixty?¡± Bly echoed, alarmed by the revelation, ¡°Have you ever seen it that high?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, which is why I need you to keep a low profile on that.¡± Alyse replied, stepping forward to join the others. However, she stopped in her tracks, and spun around the room slowly, as if looking for something. Turning again, she frowned, and looked at Bly, ¡°Speaking of which, where is that young man, anyway? Bredic, was he not supposed to be with you?¡±


    Bly didn¡¯t even realize Xander wasn¡¯t with them, there¡¯d been too much going on tonight to worry about that. But then, when was the last time he¡¯d seen Xander? Shortly after midday? When they had finished up with the caravan? He was probably still at the White Horn getting ready, at any rate.


    "Huh? I thought he was with you guys this whole time." Bredic grumbled, but snapped his finger once in remembrance, "He''s probably still chatting it up with that innkeeper, they were at it all afternoon."


    ¡°Always something with him¡­¡± Bly grumbled, as he quickly moved towards the front door. Grabbing his winter cloak off the hook, he said on his way out, ¡°I got him. Be back in a bit."


    Snow and cold wind pierced Bly''s face as he stepped down onto the road. Pulling his face mask up, he then started in the direction of the White Horn. However, a lone figure coming down the street in the other direction prompted him to stop. The figure might have been wrapped up in several layers, but there was no mistaking that red-brown beard sticking out the ends of his face mask.


    "Mister Ralf?" Bly asked confusedly.


    "Ho there, Trelen!" Mister Ralf shouted, coming to within a few feet of Bly. He lowered his mask, and said, "Was just coming by to say farewell. Hope I didn''t miss them, did I?"


    "No¡­" Bly started, "We were waiting on Xander. Bredic thought he was still with you?"


    "Me?" Mister Ralf scratched his nose, "No, hasn''t been with me since before the sun went down. Left the White Horn a couple of hours ago to come help you lot out. Least, that''s what he said."


    The color started to drain from Bly''s face.


    Where in the hell was Xander?

 [A1] Chapter 20: Against the Grain

    Chapter 20: Against the Grain


    <hr>


    Blychert winced.


    He¡¯d been gnawing at his lower lip with such determination over the last candle mark that a long, thin strip had finally come free in his teeth, and the pain was instantaneous. But he couldn''t help his anxious nerves, and it was just about everything he could do to keep himself calm.


    Though, it was Xander''s fault.


    It hadn''t taken very long for them to figure out that he wasn''t in Kelvalder. And once that had been established, the rest fell into place on its own.


    He''d been spotted walking towards the north gate several hours prior, right around the time when the rest of Bold Arrow were getting their own things in order for travel. Guardsman Alain, who was posted at the north tower at the time, confirmed this by detailing his brief encounter with the swordsman, who¡¯d simply said he needed to go to the dungeon. With no reason to doubt his intentions, Alain had simply watched Xander disappear down the northern trail. And by the time the guardsman finished his recounting, Lisel had already found his tracks, all but verifying that he had set off alone. And anyway, once the pieces had started to come together, none of them really needed much of a reason to doubt what Xander had done, or rather what he intended to do.


    After everything, it made Bly''s blood boil that Xander could still find the nerve to do something like this, and with the dungeon volatility being what it was, it was putting all of their own lives in danger. Because now? It fell to them to go after him.


    Blychert stole a glance around his cluttered bedroom, momentarily settling his gaze on the small pile of treasure that constituted his cut of Glemberfang¡¯s horde. It seemed like forever ago that he¡¯d been all too happy with bringing home a handful of energy crystals. But that might as well have been a lifetime ago, and he might as well have been a completely different person too.


    Swiping his fingers through the air, Bly opened his sage terminal and slowly flicked across to his system inventory. He didn¡¯t possess many items capable of being stored here, which made pulling up the one he wanted to inspect all the easier.


    <hr>


    [Devouring Threads]


    Devour: Increases maximum mana by [50]. While equipped, [5%] of received [magical] damage is negated and converted into mana, applied to short term mana [STM].


    Lightsilk Recovery: +2.5 mana per second (STM), +1.5 per minute (LTM).


    > Item Rarity: Rare


    > Item Level: 1/50


    > Item Class: Armor - Arm (bracer)


    > Item Set: Canticle of the Devouring Lord


    - Set total: 1/4


    - Set bonus (2 items): NA


    - Set bonus (3 items): NA


    - Set bonus (4 items): NA


    <hr>


    Bly''s forhead creased.


    It was certainly powerful. Either one of Bredic or Vineta could have just as easily benefited from such an item, and yet he''d neglected to even mention it to anyone except for Xander. Part of him wanted to believe that it wasn¡¯t on purpose, that it was because of how hectic the last several days had been and that he¡¯d simply forgotten about it, but was that really the truth? If Xander hadn¡¯t gone off on his own, then it was entirely possible that Bly would have simply let them all leave without ever bringing it up. It had been offered to him, sure. But then if that was how he truly felt about it, then everything he accused Xander of yesterday must have been equally true of himself.


    He was just as selfish, and being classless was as lousy an excuse as Xander¡¯s had been.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Alyse''s voice asked all of a sudden from the threshold of his bedroom door, her tone of voice neither here nor there, ¡°Everyone else is just about, and it¡¯s not going to get any better for him up there if we wait much longer.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± Bly murmured in a fluster, gesturing for his terminal to close as he said, ¡°Just a minute.¡±


    Alyse''s gaze narrowed, ¡°Is¡­ everything alright?¡±


    Blychert thought about what to say for a long few moments, before a small sigh came out, and he said, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure what we¡¯re even supposed to do for him.¡±


    Alyse stepped into the bedroom slowly, ¡°Not much than can be done, except to go after him; hope for the best, plan for the worst.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you would do?¡± Bly asked skeptically, not sure why she even cared to go after Xander, not after Glemberfang.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m doing.¡± Alyse insisted, as she took a seat on the end of his bed, ¡°I may not agree with all the things you¡¯ve gotten up together, but they were your party mates. And they¡¯ve done more for you in a span of three weeks than I would have been able to accomplish in three years. So no, I won''t sit back and let that young man throw his life away.¡±


    Bly rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Alyse urged, ¡°You''ve grown rather fond of them. I can see it in the way you act when you''re with them. They trust you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel very trustworthy.¡± Bly shrugged, slumping down on the bed himself as he frowned, ¡°My whole life is a lie, Alyse, and the only way I can fit in is by lying even more? And I''m supposed to go out there and find Xander, and pretend like I''m the righteous one? How does that make any sense?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re so concerned about? Seriously, come on¡ª¡± Alyse grabbed his arm, and Bly immediately gasped as he was suddenly pulled along through the hallway and back into the living room.


    ¡°Right,¡± Alyse started, letting go of Bly as she stepped into the center of the room, ¡°The four of you¡ªand myself, to an extent¡ªhave a dire task tonight. To find Xander, yes, but to quell the chaos that''s growing in our dungeon. Truthfully, I had been going to handle this myself upon my return from Frostwall, but now it seems I have little choice but to requisition your aid."


    A look of fear and confusion crossed the faces of the others, and Bly felt those same things too. Was it really that serious?


    "Your party leader seems to think that he doesn¡¯t need you, or perhaps he simply does not wish to be a burden on you." Alyse continued, "Maybe he¡¯s right, maybe he doesn¡¯t need you. Or maybe you don¡¯t need him. In any case, he''s picked a terrible time to test that theory. And regardless, it is very clear to me that trust has been broken in this party. And that, well¡­ I suspect this is merely the consequence of a prolonged failure from all of you to be trustworthy, both to yourselves and to one another.¡±


    Bly''s eyes widened. It was at that moment that he had no doubt Alyse had been using her empathic abilities on all of them. For how long? He couldn''t say. But his eyes darted around the room to where the faces of the other three seemed equally caught off-guard by her statement, and it all but verified his thoughts.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°You¡¯re young, so I won¡¯t hold it against you,¡± Alyse said. She walked across the room, brandishing her winter cloak as she made towards the front door, saying over her shoulder, ¡°Though it¡¯s not me you need to answer to. So, I ask you, Bold Arrow¡­ are you ready to wake up and smell the ashes? Because your party is burning from the inside out, and you¡¯re almost out of time to save it.¡±


    ***


    The entrance to the dungeon somehow loomed even taller than Blychert remembered, as they approached the top of the winding path.


    Snow and wind whipped up through the evening mountains, churning cold into misery that settled in Blychert¡¯s bones. It was gearing up to be a brutal storm, and he was simply relieved to not be the only one caught out in it for a change. Though the silence was unbearable. The last couple hours of hiking up the trail had been completely devoid of conversation of any kind, which somehow seemed worse than the cold itself.


    ¡°Core volatility is greater than sixty percent.¡± Alyse said, her voice breaking above the sound of the raging snowstorm, ¡°Once you''re down there, you¡¯re going to have to pay closer attention to your surroundings. Floor changes, cave-ins, dead ends¡­ these kinds of things are more likely with changes to the core.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not coming with us?¡± Bly asked confusedly.


    ¡°¡­No, it''s not safe.¡± Was her response, a slightly unsure tone of voice, as she added more confidently, ¡°We have two objectives tonight: Find Xander and lower the core''s volatility. The four of you will head down to the first floor wayshrine and begin your descent from there. It is possible that Xander could have gotten turned around or moved across floors entirely, so it''s important to clear those areas first. I''ll head down to the second floor wayshrine and do the same on the third floor, and we''ll both do our best to clear out as many spawns as we can along the way. That''s the key to lowering the volatility. Now, if you reach the third floor, follow my markers. If I haven''t found Xander by then, well¡­ let''s just focus on our tasks for now."


    "But¡ªthat means you''re going down to the third floor alone." Bly argued, "You just said it yourself, it''s not safe."


    "It''s not safe¡­ not for you." Alyse shook her head, smiling somewhat under the light of her illumination spell, "But seeing as how I''m the adult here, this is simply what must be done now. I need your help, all of you. So please, do as I ask."


    Bly wanted to say more, but there was no point. Her mind was already made up.


    "I know all of you will stop at nothing to find your friend, and to bring him to his senses." Alyse continued, "Work together, trust in one another, and leave nothing to chance. Vineta, it¡¯s your shot to call.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Vineta exhaled nervously, gesturing for the others to join her by the wayshrine.


    ¡°Trelen, wait¡ª¡± Alyse grabbed his arm, and he turned to face her with a small scowl.


    He couldn''t help but feel angry that after all her talk about him being foolish, she was about to go down there and chase after Xander alone. Of course, she was probably more powerful than all of them combined, but that somehow made it feel even worse; like she knew they weren''t good enough to stand toe-to-toe with what needed to be done.


    Alyse reached into her cloak momentarily, and pulled something out. Bly¡¯s brow creased unexpectedly, as Alyse placed the spell scroll Missus Stein had given him all those weeks ago into his open hand. As he clutched it confusedly, she said, ¡°I¡¯d hoped to give this back to you sooner, but¡­well, the translation is complete. It¡¯s an invisibility spell, might be useful down there if you land in a spot of trouble. I¡¯ve written the incantation on the back of the scroll for you. I know how much you hate my handwriting, but you¡¯ll just have to make do¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Bly forced his voice above hers. For a split second, he regretted even being angry at her at all. She was willing to do whatever it took, same as him, and despite how she probably felt about Xander, Bly knew there was nothing she wouldn''t do to try and bring him back too. Shrugging, Bly clutched the spell scroll, ¡°I guess I''ll try not to let you down again.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± Alyse stammered; her face riddled with momentary bewilderment. However, a small smile etched her face thereafter, ¡°I know you won''t. Now, go. I''m counting on you.¡±


    With a nod, Bly stepped backwards, and in the blink of an eye he was engulfed in a flash of white light.


    Blinking several times, the sounds of footsteps echoing against stonework immediately filled his ears. As his eyes adjusted to Vineta¡¯s newly formed light spell, the rest of the party slowly began to spread out across the wayshrine chamber on the first floor.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Vineta sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s take stock one last time before we head down.¡±


    Suddenly, a message blipped across Blychert¡¯s vision.


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> System Notification]


    > You¡¯ve been invited to join [Bold Arrow]


    > Do you accept?


    <hr>


    Bly glanced up at Vineta, whose steely features remained resolute by what little light they had, as she studied her own sage terminal. Pressing to accept the invitation, he glanced down a bit further, selecting his role of damage support as he did, when he noticed something peculiar. Not only was Vineta now listed as the party leader, but Xander wasn¡¯t even listed as being in the party at all.


    ¡°Hey? When did Xander¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Vineta shook her head, meeting Bly¡¯s gaze with a woeful expression. She muttered, ¡°But it had to be today, because I was working in my terminal just last night, and everything was normal¡ªhe was normal. Wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Bly shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe¡­ he just couldn¡¯t leave after all, not without finishing what he came out here for. Or maybe this was his plan the whole time?¡±


    ¡°The whole time¡­?¡± Vineta echoed, as if Bly had just said something completely horrifying.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright,¡± Bredic walked up behind her, patting her shoulder twice as if to comfort her, ¡°We¡¯re going to find that bastard. Believe it¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you think that will change anything?!¡± Vineta shouted, as if all the emotions she''d been holding back finally broke her. She jerked forward, saying, ¡°Bredic, I know you didn¡¯t want to be here in the first place, and I know you still blame him for Norman¡¯s death, so you can just drop the act already. I doubt you care if we even find him at all!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t need to be so¡ª¡±


    ¡°I knew, but I didn¡¯t say anything, and that¡¯s my fault.¡± She interjected, her face falling low and her voice trembling, ¡°I could see this party falling apart at the seams, but¡­ I just wanted this trip to bring us all back together. Like we used to be. But that¡¯s what Miss Crane was trying to say, wasn¡¯t it? We haven¡¯t changed. We just keep lying. We haven¡¯t solved any of our problems. We¡¯ve only made them worse! And now Xander''s probably¡ªprobably¡ª¡±


    Bur she couldn''t seem to bring herself to say it¡­ dead, and the chamber fell silent except for her quiet sobs.


    Blychert remained silent too, unable to imagine what he was supposed to say in a situation like this. He didn¡¯t have any right to step into this conversation, no matter how much he wanted to. However, it was at that moment, that a long, furious rumbling shook the entirety of the wayshrine chamber. Several pieces of stone fell to the floor, as Bly caught hold of a nearby wall to stabilize himself. The rumbling ceased a few moments later, and the quiet returned.


    ¡°We need to move.¡± Vineta composed herself enough to say, wiping her eyes as she added, ¡°We had six healing potions, minus the two that Xander likely had on him, so four. We have two tinctures from the treasure horde, one poison resistance and one physical resistance, as well as a potion of alertness. The helmet¡ªLisel, tell me you still have it?¡±


    Lisel nodded wordlessly.


    ¡°Good¡­ that¡¯s one thing he didn¡¯t take.¡± Vineta murmured to herself, before looking back across to Lisel, ¡°You put that on, we''ll need your sensing at maximum. Everyone gets a healing potion, I''ll hold onto the tinctures. Otherwise¡ªlook, our strategy is the same as it¡¯s always been. Okay? Trelen, do you think you can focus on damage? I¡¯ll take on full defensive duties, if so.¡±


    ¡°I can, I¡ª¡± He stammered, gulping once before he could bring himself to say, ¡°I got a drop from Glemberfang, when I¡­ killed it. I meant to tell you guys, but I didn''t. I''m sorry."


    ¡°Hm.¡± Vineta simply shrugged, as if unaffected by the revelation, ¡°Then please do. We¡¯re going to need every bit of help that we can get. And anyway, you earned it. Pleased don''t apologize for that, it doesn''t matter now anyway.¡±


    Bly felt his insides turn upside down, his lips parted slightly in exasperation. So much for all that guilt he¡¯d been holding onto, she hadn¡¯t even paused to think about what he¡¯d just said! Let alone that he¡¯d been holding out on them. Well, he had been, in more ways than just one. And that was the truth, but one he''d surely have to take to his grave.


    Turning, Vineta started in the direction of the stairs leading down to the second floor without another word. There was an air of composure about her all of a sudden, as if she''d finally come to some understanding with herself. Bredic gave Bly a simple look of understanding too, before shrugging, and heading off after her, his spellbook already in hand.


    ¡°Thanks for being here, Trelen. You and your teacher¡± Lisel said gingerly, stepping up next to Blychert for a moment, ¡°I know none of this is your problem, but¡­ I''m glad you''re here.¡±


    Bly shook his head, ¡°You were wrong. I haven¡¯t kept my promise. Not yet. But¡­ I will.¡±


    Lisel nodded slowly, and gestured for them to follow after the others.


    As they walked, Blychert stuck his fingers into his pocket momentarily, feeling around for the resonance stone. The cold, smooth rock felt strange but comforting in his hand, like a little piece of good luck, and he wondered if he wouldn¡¯t need a bit of luck tonight. But as he started forward, reaching the edge of the steps leading down, he knew in his gut that beyond a shadow of a doubt he was ready to risk his life for Bold Arrow once again.


    That was the kind of sorcerer he wished to be, because¡­ this was his party.


    This was were he belonged.

 [A1] Chapter 21: Beyond the Pale

    Chapter 21: Beyond the Pale


    <hr>


    The layout of the second floor was all wrong.


    Tunnels meandered and twisted in strange ways. And wide-open, cavernous spaces now existed in places where he couldn¡¯t recall them being before. Furthermore, uniform stonework¡ªlike the dark brick material they¡¯d encountered around Glemberfang¡¯s lair¡ªnow riddled the second floor here and there, in tandem with the usual, rocky surfaces. Rumbling and quaking continued intermittently too, as Bold Arrow fought its way down through scores of E and D-rated spawns. Rock and ice collapsed over top of them with growing frequency, and in some parts the ground even bottomed out, falling away into complete and utter darkness below. Tunnels disappeared in the blink of an eye, chambers rearranged, and just keeping track of their position was proving more difficult by the second.


    It was madness.


    It was nothing like Bly had ever encountered in the Gleaming Caves before.


    Quietly and to himself, he took some comfort in the fact that Alyse had taken the responsibility of heading down to the third floor herself. He should never have doubted her, or have been so upset to have not been asked to come with her. but that was Alyse Crane, after all. She worked best alone, and Bly had no doubt she was giving it her all, same as them.


    ¡°Trelen, left!¡± Vineta shouted.


    Snapping his attention in that direction, Bly quickly produced an icicle and sent it hurdling on a trajectory towards the wolf spider ahead of him. In the same motion, he flung his other arm through the air, sending instead a firebolt down the same path. With a simple mental gesture, a scatter shot was issued, and the firebolt peeled away until it had struck down two ice demons in a burst of flames.


    A shimmering yellow field suddenly bloomed across Bly¡¯s vision, followed by a thundering noise, as Vineta¡¯s defensive barrier buckled slightly. Standing tall over the party, a stone golem reeled back and slammed its fist down across the shield spell yet again.


    ¡°Trel, take the shot.¡± Bredic gritted his teeth, his voice filled with certain strain as a stream of fire spewed from his sigil and pummeled the stone golem¡¯s core.


    Bly¡¯s arm snapped to the right, and a barrage of icicles streaked across the gap. Five successive hits allowed fire and ice to fuse, exploding on impact, and causing the stone around the golem¡¯s core to burst and break apart. No sooner had the last of Bly¡¯s ice spells left his grasp, a violet arrowhead plunged deep into the golem¡¯s core as well. The small, gyrating orb of Lisel''s primary ability collapsed in on itself, and a burst of purple energy sent the golem tumbling backwards onto the ground, unmoving.


    With the last of the golems dispatched, at least for now, the remaining ice demons and wolf spiders were easy pickings. Before much longer, the final spawn had hit the ground, and soon only the sounds of the party¡¯s collective panting remained. As they collected themselves, another quake throughout the cavern made them pause, forcing them to maintain their balance. But once they were certain the floor wouldn''t bottom out beneath them, Vineta spoke.


    ¡°How are we on resources?¡± She asked almost at once, her voice plain but a bit shaky. The shimmer of her barrier spell finally faded, she added, ¡°My short-term mana is decent, but I¡­ I could use a breather for a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Lisel chimed in, quickly moving across the cavern to collect her stray arrows.


    Gesturing for his sage terminal to open, Blychert glanced at his own short-term mana for a moment. Thanks to Devouring Threads, his mana supply was in good shape. As long as the party kept its synergy up, and as long as he didn¡¯t have to dip too deep into his higher leveled spells, he wouldn¡¯t run into any problems until later.


    ¡°Take it easy, V.¡± Bly heard Bredic murmuring to Vineta nearby, and he paused for a moment to listen, ¡°We¡¯re not doing half bad. Alright? I bet that psycho lady has already found Xander, and his giving him a whooping as we speak.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I know us.¡± Bredic shrugged, ¡°I know what we¡¯ve got to do. And you heard what she said, if we don¡¯t keep this up, then all of this might as well have been for nothing! And look... you were right, you know? I don¡¯t want to be here. I really hate dungeons¡ªsick to death of this. But I¡¯m here now, aren¡¯t I? So come on, what are we waiting for? That son of a bitch can¡¯t do this on his own, and I¡¯ll go out of my way just to prove it to him. Believe it.¡±


    Blychert couldn¡¯t help but grin somewhat, as he swiped across to the party menu. He studied its contents for a few seconds, before scrolling down to their delving data. However, that¡¯s when something strange became readily apparent, and a confused look took over.


    <hr>


    [Party]


    > Now delving the [Gleaming Caves], floor [Error]


    > Core Volatility: 66%


    > Active Wayshrine(s): [Error]


    > Daily Bonus Reward: [Error]


    <hr>


    The core volatility had¡­ increased?


    And what was going on with the rest of the dungeon data? Everything was completely out of the ordinary¡ªlike it was broken somehow. It wasn''t uncommon knowledge that volatility spikes occurred most often when bosses were defeated, or under special circumstances like ley line overflows. But then, that didn¡¯t explain why the rating had jumped nearly fifty percent since Glemberfang¡¯s demise, and it didn¡¯t explain why the rating was continuing to rise despite their efforts to purge every spawn they came across.


    It was like something else entirely was affecting this dungeon.


    Was it a boss? Was there something wrong with the core? Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t make any sense. But maybe, that''s what had Alyse so on edge?


    ¡°Hey, guys¡­¡± Bly started worriedly, glancing up at the rest of the party, ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with¡ª¡±


    A shadow suddenly lurched overhead of where Blychert stood. But before he could even bring his hands up to cast a reactionary barrier spell, his entire body was hoisted off the ground and enveloped within the large, toothy maw of none other than a rock thrasher.


    Had it spawned right on top of him?!


    ¡°Swift shield¡ªenvelop!¡± The spell ignited, Blychert groaning through severe pain as the thrasher¡¯s jaw clamped down.


    Fortunately, he was only halfway inside its mouth at that point, but everything around him was a complete blur of sound and light. Bly could hear the others shouting, their attacks firing off as the creature shook him around violently. Suddenly, he wasn¡¯t sure how to get himself out of this situation. But the shield was about spent, and he had to think fast.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A deep rumbling caught Bly¡¯s attention abruptly, as he maneuvered his head around, flicking his gaze down towards the ground. The terrain at the thrasher¡¯s feet was unstable, buckling as its weight fell upon it. Small chunks of rock were already beginning to fall away into deeper darkness, followed by bigger pieces. The ground would give, if only with a little more push.


    That''s it.. Bly thought desperately.


    Spinning around, the energy of his shield spell all but dissipated, he reached up and aimed at the roof of the rock thrasher¡¯s mouth, and began to cast as quickly as he could muster, ¡°Binding element, let the depths of frost take root. From the heart of winter¡¯s embrace, I summon with might, an icy bond¡ªgah!¡±


    The shield broke, and the thrasher¡¯s teeth punctured his leg.


    ¡°Guh¡ªswift and merciless¡ªfreezing chain!¡±


    As the monster¡¯s mouth opened wide once again, Bly let loose his spell. It struck through the soft palate of the rock thrasher¡¯s upper mouth, and the creature reared up onto its hindlegs. But without a second to spare, Bly clung to one of the thrasher¡¯s large teeth and turned, looking down as he aimed for one of the exposed holes in the ground. He released, shooting the other end of his freezing chain at blistering speed. It shot through the ground, and began to hurtle into some unknown depths below.


    And then, everything happened too suddenly for Bly to reconcile.


    The thrasher came crashing down upon the cavern floor with force, as the chain applied tension, causing the ground to give and completely cave in. As Bly fell to the ground himself, he scrambled, but there was no stopping the chain reaction now.


    He fell.


    Terrain shifted, the thunderous sound of rock crumbling around them, and darkness¡­ so much darkness as Blychert fell¡ªfreefalling into the depths, the thrasher bellowing out just below him. The hole above him grew smaller and smaller, and his leg clipped a piece of jagged stone as his entire body shifted with the impact; rock struck abdomen, then arm, then abdomen again, then the side of his head¡­


    ¡°Swift¡­ shield¡­¡± Bly groaned, his vision blurry and distorted as he continued to fall.


    The yellow light sputtered to life, but it didn¡¯t last long. For within a few seconds, the barrier impacted something hard, dissipating almost at once. Bly¡¯s velocity terminated, he tumbled several times, and went face first plugging into ice-cold water.


    ***


    When Blychert opened his eyes, he saw an ocean¡ªa body of water that could have spanned the entire world if it wanted, it was so vast.


    Peering down slowly, his bare feet wrinkled through a patch of grass, but beyond them he found that he was standing at the edge of a cliff. Down below the marbled cliff face, huge boulders were set in the water, though they were little more than specks, and the waves that lapped upon them were as thin as lines on piece of parchment.


    ¡°Blychert¡­?¡±


    A voice echoed in the wind, reverberating for what felt like a timeless moment captured.


    Blychert turned, glancing over his shoulder in the opposite direction. There was something, a¡­ person, standing right up against the backdrop of a rising sun. Their features were dark, poorly defined, but a mere silhouette against the dawn¡¯s early light. Beyond their left shoulder, sunlight broke against the vine-riddled, weatherworn walls of a distant castle, perched high atop the tallest mountain thereof.


    ¡°Blychert¡­?¡±


    The voice echoed again, eerily inhuman but not altogether unfamiliar.


    As if beckoned to do so, Bly started forward. He took one step, and then another, and several more thereafter. But no matter how many steps he took, nothing seemed to grow any closer. The sun remained at its only height, the castle remained in the distance, and the silhouette stood unmoving.


    ¡°Trelen¡ª¡±


    He jumped, the voice practically ringing up close and in his ears. He turned, startled, but determined to understand.


    Suddenly, the cliff was gone, and the ocean with it. Instead, he was standing in a familiar glade, the squat tower of Bartolo''s abode beyond the natural pool. There was no wind, and all the whirligigs wrapping around the base perimeter of the tower were painfully still.


    ¡°Where did you go¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Bly muttered confusedly, turning around once more to address the voice as it echoed all around him. His mind was glossy, clouded by some wisp of a memory. But he could see ahead of him. And where once stood a figure set before the rising sun, another silhouette stood on the path leading away from the glade, just there on the edge of the forest.


    Once again, Bly tried to move closer. But this time, as he stepped forward, his left foot sunk into the dirt. Scrambling and fighting, Bly¡¯s other foot began to sink as well. Before he knew it, his entire lower body was sinking through the ground.


    ¡°Where are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Help¡ª¡± Bly stammered, his neck and lips already dropping below the earth. But it was too late, he closed his eyes, and sunk.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    Bly¡¯s eyes shot open, startled again but beyond relieved to hear the familiar tone of Alyse¡¯s voice.


    He was now standing in the field just at the back of their cottage in Kelvalder. He could feel the chilling cold of morning on his skin, and the scrutinizing gaze of his teacher just ahead of him. But something was wrong about this scene too. The perimeter of his vision was completely distorted and unfocused, as if nothing else in this space could withstand being materialized without his line of sight falling upon it.


    ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± Bly mumbled, suddenly feeling the weight of a foggy mind.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re safe now.¡± Alyse replied, but even her voice seemed wrong too; like it was hers, but it wasn¡¯t her speaking. It was as if¡­ a memory? A dream?


    ¡°You¡­ you said it wasn¡¯t safe.¡± Bly shook his head, and even his own words were slow and stifled. For some reason, pain was beginning to flare in his leg, and in his arm, and across his abdomen, but he persisted, ¡°Why did you¡­ say that?¡±


    A wide, grotesquely inhuman smile stretched across Alyse¡¯s face, and her voice began to speak in a different tone. This one wasn''t hers, it was cold but tender, and Alyse¡¯s smile remained unaltered as the voice said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not time to lie down yet, little brother. He is waiting. Come, I will show you...¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡±


    Alyse raised her hand, and a cone of flames rip roared across the distance between them, consuming Bly¡¯s body in a wreath of fire all at once.


    Blychert¡¯s eyes shot open again, and he gasped for air, choking up a bit of water as he did. He felt his body being dragged across stone, and there was some source of blue light casting shadows above him in strange ways.


    How long had he been out of it?


    ¡°Trelen!¡± Xander¡¯s voice huffed out of nowhere, ¡°Damn it, get up¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwhere¡ª¡± Bly gasped again, completely disoriented. His entire body was riddled in pain all of a sudden, but he managed to find his footing as Xander hoisted him up, ¡°Where¡ªare we?¡±


    Adjusting his eyes to the light, Bly realized the source was emanating from Xander¡¯s longsword, a pale but dim luminosity. But Xander¡­ his eyes were wide, desperate and wild looking. His armor was covered in dark ichor, as if he''d been fighting, and his face was flush with heat.


    ¡°Did you see her?¡± He insisted. When Blychert didn¡¯t respond, Xander shoved him up against the wall of the narrow tunnel, looking to his left as he murmured, ¡°Where are you...?¡±


    ¡°What¡ª? Who?¡± Bly stammered, wondering if Xander hadn¡¯t fully lost his mind.


    ¡°She was right here¡­¡± Xander mumbled, letting go of Bly as he rubbed the side of his head, ¡°I had her. She was just here. Damn it!¡±


    Xander stumbled backward, scratching his chin fervently as he looked around. Bly took the opportunity to peel himself from the wall and to look around for himself, but winced as he was forced to clutch the side of his bloody leg.


    The tunnel here was small, jagged, and barely walkable. Glancing back, Bly saw the pool of water by the light of Xander¡¯s sword, and stepped forward somewhat to look up. The rock thrasher¡¯s body was lying there completely still. But to his surprise, there was no hole above the chamber, just solid rock.


    ¡°Xander¡­¡± Bly turned again, more worried now than before, ¡°Where are we? What are you talking about?¡±


    Xander shot an ominous glance at him, shushing him somewhat, as he said, ¡°She''s still here, I''m sure of it. I heard her speak to me.¡±


    A chill ran down Blychert¡¯s spine, but replied, "Who?"


    ¡°We have to find her again¡ª¡± Xander urged, before starting off down the tunnel in the opposite direction, "She''ll show us the way."


    ¡°Wait, Xander¡ª!¡± Bly hurried up to catch him, though it was difficult just moving.


    There was no sign of Alyse, or any of the others. He had no idea what floor they were even on at this point, and he was badly injured. But¡­ Xander had found him, and if one thing stood out in Bly¡¯s mind, it was that whatever Xander had been ¡°following¡± had led him straight to Bly. The strange vision of Alyse suddenly flashed in Bly''s mind; that weird voice, what it had said to him just before he came to...


    That couldn''t be a coincidence.


    It made him pause to think that maybe that ¡°thing¡± wasn¡¯t also responsible for all the mayhem in the dungeon. If there really was some strange entity at large down here, maybe even the kind Missus Stein had described, what did that mean for their chances of getting out alive? But, hadn''t she said something about the Pale Lady not being able to speak? That it was some kind of a curse? And he''d clearly heard a voice talk to him. And Xander had said the same thing.


    "Trelen, let''s go." Xander looked back, a stern but surprisingly committed tone of voice.


    Whatever was going on down here, Blychert couldn''t say. But for now, he''d follow the swordsman. That was what they''d set out to do, anyway. Whether or not this entity was leading Xander into a trap, well...


    Right now, he simply had no other choice.

 [A1] Chapter 22: Adversarial

    Chapter 22: Adversarial


    <hr>


    The bitter taste of sageroot and slime condensate lingered on Blychert¡¯s tongue, as he threw the empty healing potion vial aside, otherwise trailing Xander through the winding, narrow tunnels ahead.


    He paced a just a few feet behind the swordsman, licking his lips free of latent solution with no great enjoyment. It didn¡¯t do much to alleviate the pain to any great extent. But the injuries he¡¯d sustained against the rock thrasher, and subsequently on his fall, were more or less taken care of to such a degree that he could at least continue on unperturbed. Although, it meant that including the potion Vineta had given him earlier, he was now down to his last two.


    Up ahead, the light of Xander¡¯s blade illuminated their surroundings in a shade of deep blue, casting the already strange and unfamiliar pathway in ominous light. Though even more unsettling than that was the fact that everything was so eerily quiet, it was like they weren¡¯t in the dungeon at all, but some random cave beneath the mountains instead.


    There were no roaming monsters, there were no new spawns, there was simply¡­ nothing.


    ¡°What¡ªfloor are we on?¡± Blychert grimaced, clutching at his side again, as he followed Xander up a steeper section of rock. The descended again on the other side, stepping into a slightly larger chamber upon doing so. Small pools of water scattered throughout the area immediately began to reflect blue light, as the two of them stepped farther inside.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Xander murmured. He paused, seeming to take note of the two other tunnel entrances up ahead of them, on the other side of the chamber, before saying, ¡°I wound up here, same as you. Got turned around on the third floor somewhere, lost my footing, and¡­ here we are.¡±


    ¡°You know something?¡± Bly felt impelled to reply, as he limped over to a nearby rock. He sat down for a moment, and looked at the swordsman with an angry scowl, ¡°You couldn¡¯t have picked a worse time to pull this off. I mean, what the hell were you even thinking? You know how much danger you¡¯ve put everyone in?¡±


    Xander shot a hard glance at Bly, but it softened almost immediately, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ I didn¡¯t ask you to come after me. The second any of them saw that I wasn¡¯t in the party, that should have been obvious.¡±


    Blychert couldn¡¯t help but to gasp at the audacity, saying thereafter, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve¡­ does this stupid blade really mean that much to you? That you¡¯d throw your life away trying to get it?¡±


    Xander nodded slowly, opening his mouth to speak, perhaps to defend his ridiculous behavior. But just before he had the chance to do so, a low rumbling coursed through the dungeon. It lasted for nearly ten seconds this time, before slowly dissipating into quiet once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting worse. We need to keep moving¡ªfind a way forward.¡± Xander said instead, already moving towards one of the other tunnels, ¡°If we can route back up to something familiar, there¡¯s a chance you might be able to find a wayshrine.¡±


    Bly rose to his feet, proceeding after the swordsman, ¡°What about you? I¡¯m not leaving you down here, even though I really should.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Xander argued, ¡°Take it or leave it, I don¡¯t care. Besides, none of it matters if we can¡¯t figure out where we are.¡±


    Stifling his frustration with Xander for now, Bly resigned to trying to be helpful, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think the wayshrines are working. At least, not for getting out. In the terminal, they¡¯re all¡ªweird looking. But look, Alyse is down here somewhere, and the others too. We¡¯d be better off trying to regroup¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll help.¡± Xander murmured. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, looking at Bly strangely, ¡°Hasn¡¯t something¡¯s been off about this dungeon to you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, look where we are?¡± Bly glowered, throwing his hands up in frustration, ¡°I¡¯d say something¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about since before we fought Glemberfang, smart ass.¡± Xander maintained, ¡°I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it before, but now¡­ I don¡¯t know a lot about how dungeons work, but I know something¡¯s not right. You can feel it; feel that presence, like it¡¯s not supposed to be here. And yet, it¡¯s like it¡¯s drawing me deeper? Don''t you feel that too?¡±


    ¡°Pale lady¡­¡± Bly murmured ominously, a tingle running down the back of his neck. Shaking his head stubbornly, he added, ¡°Look, I mean¡­ that thing you were talking about? Maybe I might have felt something similar after we killed Glemberfang, but¡ªI was probably just disoriented. And you are too, clearly. What reason do we have to believe that this isn¡¯t just some accident of the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not disoriented!¡± Xander snapped. But he reeled himself in quickly, saying in a softer tone of voice, ¡°I know what I saw. And if you saw her too, then you know what I¡¯m talking about. Besides, just look at the volatility numbers. Trelen, that isn¡¯t normal. That¡¯s almost enough to form a full-blown rift out of nothing! Ask anyone in Frostwall, you don¡¯t see things like this¡ªyou just don¡¯t. And whatever that thing is? I don¡¯t know, I just get this feeling that it¡¯s been trying to lead me to where I¡¯m trying to get to. So, I just¡ªI have to try, okay?¡±


    Blychert bit his tongue for a moment, and nodded slowly.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± He sighed, trying to collect his bearings with the proposed anomaly, ¡°Let¡¯s say there really is some entity like that down here, affecting the dungeon to some degree, how are we going to deal with that if it ends up being a trap? I want to help you, but you''re not making it easy. How can I even trust you after everything?¡±


    Xander looked back, offering an expression that was equals parts surprised as it was angered. His eyes narrowed shamefully a moment later, as he said, ¡°You can¡¯t, and¡­ you shouldn¡¯t. Maybe if I¡¯d have been honest from the very start, none of this would have happened. But¡­ I wanted this from the beginning. So, trust me on that, or don¡¯t, it won¡¯t change anything.¡±


    ¡°You really are a stubborn son of a bitch, you know that?¡± Bly grumbled, wondering what that made him for willing to go along with it, before saying louder, ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, but I won¡¯t leave you here alone. Still, you know the others would want to help¡ª¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Know how to find them?¡± Xander side eyed him, but shrugged consolingly, ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. Besides, you seem powerful enough; a lot more powerful than you look, if you asked me.¡±


    Bly flushed, completely caught off-guard by the comment ¡°What¡ªnow you¡¯re just saying nonsense. You sure you''re not delirious?¡±


    ¡°Hey, suit yourself,¡± Xander brushed it off with a small chuckle, but sobered to say, ¡°All I know is, I¡¯m going after that blade. If you¡¯re coming with me, then let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    Blychert couldn¡¯t be certain how long into their journey that their surroundings started to change, only that it was almost instantaneous when it¡¯d happened.


    Narrow, jagged tunnels gave way to tall, smooth halls of dark stone, like that of the second floor wayshrine. There was no light beyond Blychert¡¯s illumination spell, having taken over those duties for Xander, which gave everything around them the impression of a long-forgotten castle. The rumbling and quaking of the dungeon persisted, but at least instead of wandering aimlessly through endless burrows, it felt like they were starting to get somewhere.


    As they came upon a junction of corridors, Xander halted.


    ¡°Still no data on this floor¡­¡± He murmured, closing his sage terminal as he spoke, ¡°Could be the third floor, architecture looks familiar, but this whole damned place is too unstable to say for certain. Still¡­ I think we¡¯re making progress, but we''re going to need a route. Any ideas?¡±


    Blychert shook his head, shifting his attention to the three corridors at hand, ¡°¡­Not really.¡±


    Any one of these hallways could have been better than the other two, and frankly neither of them looked all that agreeable. Despite himself, Bly haphazardly stuffed his hand into his pocket and rubbed the resonance stone a few times. He was suddenly very aware of how alone they were down here, and how nice it would have the others with them. At a time like this, what they wouldn¡¯t do to have someone like Vineta around, or better yet Alyse.


    ¡°Divination magic¡­¡± Bly murmured, his eyes widening with a slight bit of hope as a sudden idea occurred to him. Quickly, he started forward into the center of the junction.


    ¡°Thought of something?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Something.¡± Blychert echoed, a bit unsure of himself, as he added, ¡°Can¡¯t say if it¡¯ll really help that much. Just¡ªgive a minute here, would you?¡±


    He only had one divination spell. For some reason, he couldn''t help but think about all the fuss Alyse had made about him learning it back then. He¡¯d insisted he wouldn¡¯t need it, and she¡¯d demanded otherwise. Well, she was always good for a last laugh.


    ¡°From beast to spirit, show me near, and make your presence known. Detect creature...¡±


    Blychert¡¯s vision flashed. A second later, gray-colored energy scattered across every surface within his line of sight, shooting away from him down each of the corridors for a few moments thereafter. Within a matter of seconds, everything had returned to its previous, darkened appearance.


    Nothing. Bly murmured, a small frown creasing his lips. There still weren¡¯t any spawns? Given the activity of the dungeon, it just didn¡¯t seem right¡ª


    A single ping of gray energy suddenly flashed in his periphery, and Bly turned his attention down the hallway on his righthand side at once. The light was small, distant, but there was no mistaking it, his spell had picked something up farther down that corridor.


    ¡°That way¡ª¡± Bly pointed, somewhat excitedly, Picked something up, looks like one creature.¡±


    ¡°Friendly?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± He shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s only a basic spell. Could be any number of things.¡±


    As if needing little more convincing than that, Xander stepped past Bly and began walking down the corridor, his sword low by his side, and he said over his shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Blychert followed, maintaining his divination spell as he did. The small tendril of gray light continued to pulse intermittently, but so far hadn¡¯t changed too drastically apart from growing larger as they moved closer. However, all of that changed before long.


    A second light, then a third, then a few more¡­ dozens of lights soon filled Blychert¡¯s vision, pulsing at varying elevations all around him for up to as far as his detection spell would reach. It was only a few hundred feet, but there was no mistaking what he was seeing. The dungeon was filled with spawns after all. And yet more importantly, Bly realized suddenly that the direction they were walking down did not just contain one of these one lights, as he had seen before, but now many.


    ¡°Xander¡ª¡± Bly muttered, motioning for the swordsman to stop. As he did, Bly reached him, and whispered worriedly, ¡°I can sense a lot more now¡ªthey¡¯re all around us. Especially up ahead.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Xander murmured back, ¡°Looks like we won¡¯t have much of a surprise element after all.¡±


    ¡°Not if I drop my light spell.¡± Bly insisted, ¡°I can cast a seeing spell on both of us, and we can get closer¡ªsee what we¡¯re up against.¡±


    Xander nodded for him to do so, and Blychert immediately snuffed his light spell. In the ensuing darkness, Bly then murmured another incantation beneath his breath, and the abrupt shades of gray that filled his sight, replacing the complete and utter black, was indication enough that the spell had worked.


    "Can you see?" Bly asked.


    Xander again nodded wordlessly.


    Moving forward slowly, they soon came upon a massive archway, on the other side of which a huge, sprawling chamber was revealed, like a great hall of sorts. Massive columns running in parallel stretched up to a far ceiling, and on either sides of the chamber expansive balconies overlooked the area below. Long rows of destroyed, stone pews ran the length up to the back of the chamber, where a tattered light gray carpet stopped at the base of a circular altar. And on the very far side of the room, a heavy door appeared closed; not dissimilar to those of boss lairs on other floors, Bly thought curiously, though not entirely the same either.


    However, it was the sheer volume of creatures moving about the chamber that stole Blychert¡¯s attention the most, and a blip on his sage terminal caused him to look down.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Winter System Notification]


    > New spawn type [Vanguard Ice Demon] detected.


    > Spawn Type: Elemental


    > Threat Level: Intermediate


    > Spawn Rank: D


    > Spawn Zone: D


    <hr>


    ¡°Vanguard Ice demons¡­?¡± Bly murmured, casting his gaze from his sage terminal into the massive chamber in which the spawns roamed.


    These creatures were nothing like the serpentine variants on the higher floors. They were bipedal, hulking humanoid shapes of ice, though completely devoid of facial features. Furthermore, long melee weapons and shields made of solid ice were exactly where their hands and forearms ought to have been.


    ¡°You see that door on the other side?¡± Xander whispered after a long while, gesturing for Bly to look, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen anything like that outside the boss chambers. But this isn¡¯t a wayshrine chamber, because these spawns wouldn¡¯t be in here otherwise. I¡¯ve got a good feeling about it.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Bly furrowed his brow, ¡°There¡¯s like¡ªthirty ice demons in here, all at the same level of a stone golem. We should double back and try another way.¡±


    Xander shook his head, ¡°We go back, and we¡¯re just running into all those spawns you saw, right?¡±


    ¡°Or...¡± Blychert urged, ¡°We find Alyse, and we find the others.¡±


    Xander scoffed, ¡°Guarantee that? Otherwise, we''re just wasting resources.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªno.¡± Bly stammered, ¡°We''re wasting resources either way, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re right either.¡± Xander shifted, pointing in the direction of the great hall, ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, that¡¯s where I¡¯m headed. Look, Trelen... I think you should go back. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    ¡°Like hell you will¡ª¡± Bly scowled, pulling the swordsman back by the arm before he could move in and get himself killed, ¡°Hold still.¡±


    Producing the invisibility scroll from his pack, Bly unfurled it and studied the incantation on the back for a moment. It was going to be mana-intensive, especially for two people. But then, that¡¯s what he was here for.


    Glancing up at Xander, he grumbled, ¡°You really want to keep going this badly?¡±


    Xander nodded, ¡°More than anything.¡±


    ¡°Guh¡­¡± Bly groaned, raising his right hand to begin casting, ¡°Fine, but you owe me one.¡±


    At this rate, he was going to owe himself.

 [A1] Chapter 23: Cold Quest

    Chapter 23: Cold Quest


    <hr>


    Time seemed to stand still.


    Or maybe¡­ the opposite was true?


    Wandering the dungeon, what might have been hours, could have just as easily have been minutes. And the gap between minute and minute might as well have been hours. Excruciating seconds churned into mind-numbing minutes, folded into unreconciled hours, until all of it was lost in the unknown oblivion within which the Gleaming Caves now existed¡­ for them.


    It was safe to say that Blychert was losing his mind.


    But for whatever reason, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that they were lost out loud. It was as if the act of simply feeding that fire would only serve to exacerbate his already shaky nerves about the whole situation to new and uncharted levels.


    Where was Alyse? Where was the rest of Bold Arrow? How had he and Xander made it this far without getting themselves killed?


    He didn¡¯t have as little as a whiff of an answer to any of those questions, beyond generic dungeon irregularity, and he was starting to doubt he¡¯d get much in the way of answers anytime soon.


    ¡°You should try to get some rest.¡± Xander murmured, huddling over the enclosed fire that they had built a little while ago. His face was covered in dirt, grime, and a little blood from their latest ice demon encounter, but still he offered, ¡°I can take watch.¡±


    Bly glanced around their makeshift campsite for a moment, which was more of a barricade now that he thought about it.


    The small, inoffensive chamber within which they¡¯d taken refuge was no larger than his kitchen back in Kelvalder. However, they had stacked the entrance threshold with huge chunks of stone and dilapidated dungeon debris, so much so that it made a decent defensive vantage point. The fire was meager, just enough to keep the cold of the dungeon at bay, though it made Bly feel a small pang of longing for the White Horn¡¯s roaring hearth.


    Taking note of his concealment spell, itself set on the doorway with its miniscule mana signature still fully charged, Bly turned towards the swordsman, saying, ¡°We should have rested a while ago, before we fought all those spawns. It¡¯s going to take all night for my mana pool to regenerate¡­ if it even is still night.¡±


    Xander frowned somewhat, his expression ponderous, as he replied, ¡°I take it your invisibility spell has something to do with that?¡±


    Bly nodded wearily, ¡°Not to mention all the ice demons we¡¯ve fought between that first casting of invisibility too. If I¡¯d have known we were just going to get into it again on the other side of that door, I would¡¯ve saved the mana.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill thirty of those things. Not without injury.¡± Xander pointed out, ¡°You did pretty good. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Bly mumbled, almost too tired to say anything more. Instead, he tried to find a more comfortable position to lie down in. He hadn¡¯t brought his bedroll, so unfortunately he had to make do with his cloak. Furthermore, he was beyond hungry. All his dungeon rations were with Vineta, and Xander didn¡¯t bring all that many himself. Quietly chewing on the end of a piece of dried meat, Bly turned onto his side to face the wall, and he decided to add, ¡°You didn¡¯t give me much of a choice.¡±


    ¡°¡­But I did give you one.¡± Xander insisted quietly, belated as it was. Blychert heard the swordsman shift around a little, who then said, ¡°The problem is, you chose poorly. You seem to think that I didn¡¯t know what I was walking into by coming down here. But I already told you, I wanted this. For me. Not for anyone else. I¡¯m not looking to justify my actions, it¡¯s just¡­ this is how it is. If it¡¯s how it ends too, so be it.¡±


    Blychert didn¡¯t respond this time.


    He wasn¡¯t really sure how to respond.


    Xander was so frustrating, and yet maybe he was right. Why did Blychert care what happened to him, if Xander didn¡¯t even care what happened to himself? What point was there trying to change the mind of a madman! Blychert understood that he was wide-eyed when it came to adventuring and dungeon diving, but there came a point when even he had to call a lost cause out for what it was.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s your life now, kiddo. Remember that. You go live it however you desire¡­¡±


    This was the kind of person he was.


    Alyse¡¯s words on that fateful day rang truer now in Bly¡¯s mind than ever before. He wanted to help, he had to, and hell if he wasn¡¯t going to try.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let that happen.¡± Blychert replied at last, turning around the other way to face the swordsman, ¡°So, why don¡¯t you just come clean with me already, and tell me why this one item means so damned much to you?¡±


    Xander furrowed his brow confusedly.


    ¡°By your own admission, I¡¯m allowed to call out your bullshit.¡± Blychert urged. Despite his drowsiness, or maybe because of it, he felt a little empowered to challenge Xander, ¡°Almost everything you¡¯ve told me since I met you has been a half-truth, if not a downright lie. Hasn¡¯t it? But I got one thing right this morning. Remember? I said it was you who wanted to keep pushing farther into the dungeon, like that was the only important thing to you. But now¡­ now I know that it is. And this quest? I call bullshit on that too. I bet there never really was¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is.¡± Xander interjected, his tone of voice neither here nor there. He looked at Bly as if in acceptance of the insinuations that had been slung at him, though his expression was fully sober, ¡°Or¡­ there was.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Bly hoisted himself up from the ground, scrunching his brow and saying, ¡°What do you mean, there was? How could there have been a quest? Wouldn¡¯t that defeat the point of you coming here?¡±


    Xander shrugged, ¡°Shows how little you know about the Guild.¡±


    Bly flushed somewhat, nonverbally conceding that was true.


    ¡°Look,¡± Xander sighed after a moment¡¯s pause, ¡°The quest went cold a long time ago, but it was never closed. Cold quests are backlogged in guild archives for future use, if at all. Norman spent a lot of time at the adventuring hall, that¡¯s how he got access to those records. This quest. It¡¯s not explicitly active, even though it still exists. Meaning, there¡¯s no reward. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Bly shook his head, ¡°That doesn¡¯t really explain why you went out of your way just to do it.¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ of this.¡± Xander said softly, if not reluctantly as he pulled the pendant out from within his tunic. The silvered emblem glistened in the soft light of the campfire, as he dangled it there for Bly to see. Slowly, he said, ¡°My father left when I was a boy. I¡­ I didn¡¯t know him very well, but he and my grandfather hated each other. He wasted his time adventuring, I guess. Or that¡¯s what I was always told. But¡­ by the time I was curious enough to wander out and search for him, it was too late. He¡¯d gone out on a quest with his party, you see, and they never came back.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Bly mumbled, unsure of what else to say.


    ¡°In all honesty, I¡¯d given up hope of finding out anything about him, or¡­ how he died. Guild doesn¡¯t disclose the terms of privately issued quests.¡± Xander continued, chuckling somewhat, ¡°But then Norman came along. And Norman being Norman, he stuck his nose into the thick of it. He¡¯d chew me out if he could see me now, I bet¡­¡±


    A long pause followed suit, as Blychert simply watched the swordsman¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t sad or angry, it was simply¡­ present. Every time Bly thought he had a good read on Xander, it always seemed to shift at just the wrong moment.


    ¡°Ah well,¡± Xander sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not like I expected to find him down here. I don¡¯t love him, and I don¡¯t hate him. I don¡¯t owe him anything either, but¡­ I can¡¯t move on now, not without that blade. Maybe it¡¯s in my blood. Maybe it¡¯s just me. But there¡¯s your bullshit. Nobody else knows, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering, because I didn¡¯t want to tell them. Because¡­¡± Xander grunted amusedly, ¡°Because once again, Trelen, you were right. I¡¯m a terrible party leader. Now, get some rest.¡±


    The conversation ended there, leaving Blychert with more mixed feelings than he had before.


    Lying down and turning the other way, Bly furrowed his brow in contemplation, slowly drifting off to sleep.


    Perhaps Xander really was a madman after all, or¡­ perhaps him and Bly had a lot more in common than he would have otherwise liked. They were both haunted by the ghosts of their pasts. And now¡­ they were seemingly being haunted by something else entirely, though a part of Bly was starting to wonder if it was really all that different. After all, those visions he¡¯d had earlier hit very close to home.


    Just maybe Xander had been shown something similar.


    ***


    Blychert jolted awake.


    Shooting up onto his feet, and by what little light remained in the dying embers of their campfire, he saw Xander by the edge of their makeshift barrier, fighting against the onslaught of ice demons situated just on the other side.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep them out¡ª!¡± Xander shouted, his body pinned up against the barrier as he tried to keep the spawns at bay.


    At that moment, a large, icy hand burst through a portion of the stone, pushing Xander back.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Blychert channeled mana into both of his hands, and quickly muttered a firebolt spell under his breath. He pointed, and released, just as the ice demons were beginning to swarm into the small chamber. Two scatter shots triggered, and four bursts of fire in total riddled the bodies of the vanguard ice demons. But they were much more durable against fire than the lesser kind, and so they kept coming.


    Xander scrambled forward, his sword and shield in hand, bracing for whatever came next. Blychert held his ground too, readying his next bout of fire spells, fully aware of the danger in front of them, and ready to fight.


    But the ice demons never came.


    All at once, they retracted and fled down both sides of the corridor. Just as the sounds of their heavy footsteps dissipated into quiet once more, a low rumbling filled the dungeon, and something else took the place of the ice demons there at the threshold of their ruined barrier.


    A spectral humanoid form, ghostly and pale, hovered a few inches above the ground. Her expression was plain, but her mouth was opened wide¡ªwider than what should have been normal of any face. Hair swayed and billowed out behind her, as if the creature were under water, and it simply looked at them.


    Small gasping, near gurgling sounds escaped the creature¡¯s mouth. But only after a few short moments, it turned and began to float away just as quickly as it had arrived.


    ¡°Come on¡ª!¡± was all Xander could say, and he darted after the creature, leaving everything but what he had on him behind.


    Blychert quickly scooped his pack up off the ground, and chased after the swordsman.


    The floating specter was fast, keeping a decent pace ahead of Xander, who in turn kept a good distance ahead of Bly. They twisted and turned through chambers, corridor after corridor, all the while other spawns seemed to flee at the mere sight of that spectral woman. Whatever it was doing, it was leading them somewhere. However, Blychert hastily cast a seeing spell over himself, before thrusting his hand forward to do the same for Xander. He didn¡¯t know where they were being taken, but it was better to have vision than not.


    ¡°Where is it?!¡±¡± Xander shouted ahead, his voice echoing through the dungeon.


    ¡°Xander!¡± Bly called after him, though he was unable to draw the swordsman¡¯s attention at all.


    They continued running, Blychert very nearly out of breath, before suddenly they came into an isolated chamber. However, the second they crossed the threshold into the chamber, the pale lady was gone.


    ¡°No, no¡ª!¡± Xander turned, rushing back out into corridor. But she wasn''t there, and they were all alone once more.


    However, as Blychert tried to gather his bearings, still somewhat dazed and groggy, a chilling cold ran down the back of his neck, and his head snapped to face the rest of the chamber.


    Lights began to illuminate within small braziers lining either side of the room. One by one they flickered to life, until the far back of the chamber was illuminated. A single stone throne, much like the one they''d found in the second floor wayshrine chamber, became visible. It was placed upon a dais at a slightly more elevated position than the floor, but there was one glaring difference: there was someone sitting in it.


    ¡°Xander¡­¡± Bly murmured, gesturing for the swordsman to turn.


    Ahead of them, a pale, gangly figure began to stand from the throne. Its features were vaguely humanoid, but it appeared decrepit, adorned in tattered armor and gaunt beyond recognition. However, a longsword hung down by its side, gripped tightly in its hand, and the blade itself shimmered with a strange, unusually bright energy.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡± Xander gasped, taking one step forward, as he said, ¡°The iridescent blade.¡±


    Suddenly, a terminal blip caught Blychert¡¯s attention.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Winter System Notification]


    > Unique item [Iridescent Blade] detected.


    > Unique enemy type [Tethered Wight] detected.


    > Spawn Type: Undead


    > Threat Level: -


    > Spawn Rank: -


    > Spawn Zone: -


    <hr>


    That thing had led them right to it?


    But why? After all they''d gone through, why now?


    Was this some sort of a game? Some sort of a test?


    Had it even been leading them at all?


    Either way, this was what they¡¯d been searching for. And now, spent and weary from delving the dungeon, it was staring them in the face. If but only from within the grasp of perhaps their toughest challenge yet.

 [A1] Chapter 24: The Iridescent Blade

    Chapter 24: The Iridescent Blade


    <hr>


    The wight lurched forward at speed.


    Brilliant strands of shimmering light cascaded from the edge of its blade as it moved into the middle of the chamber. Quickly, Xander stepped off and met the creature''s blade with a parry of his own, causing a burst of coalescing energy to rip roar throughout the entire area. As their weapons echoed, a wave of sweltering heat instantly brushed past Blychert¡¯s face, forcing him to wince somewhat at both the temperature and the intensity of light on display. However, it didn''t last long. And as the glow subsided, it became readily apparent that the undead was much stronger than perhaps it appeared to be at first glance, easily shirking Xander aside with a single flick of its arm.


    Skittering backward, Xander stumbled to catch himself, and the wight made its advance in equal stride. But thrusting his own arm outward, Bly immediately cast a swiftened shield to block the incoming attack.


    The iridescent blade arced through the air from overhead, easily ripping through Bly''s defensive spell as if it wasn¡¯t even there. Even still, it had given Xander just enough time to find his footing.


    A hard clang resounded; with Xander¡¯s shield firmly set in front of him now, he just narrowly avoided the attack head-on. A split-second later, Bly muttered an incantation, sending three icicles hurdling towards the wight in rapid succession. Reeling a few steps backward, the wight lifted its blade with speed, cutting all three elemental projectiles down to a fine dust.


    It¡¯s fast. Bly thought to himself worriedly.


    Without Vineta present, he was going to have to focus largely on keeping the wight''s attacks off of Xander. However, were he to go all out on defense now, Xander wouldn¡¯t have any support in attack. Bly''s mana pool wasn¡¯t maximized, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily a problem at this current juncture. Seemingly, the biggest issue would be staying alive long enough to make a difference.


    Maneuvering himself into a new position, Blychert steadied his groggy state of mind and compelled himself to focus even more.


    As Xander launched himself back into a series of blows, his seven-strike attack pattern flourishing with blue energy, Bly began to channel his mana in such a way as to maintain a defensive cluster around Xander¡¯s form. Sure enough, this allowed him to readily resupply the defensive spell with more mana once it was broken or wearing thin, whilst mitigating the downtime between effects. And where Bly¡¯s barrier spell failed, the swordsman¡¯s physical shield covered the gap.


    They were holding steady.


    Blow for blow, Xander and the wight swept across the chamber with their blades. Streaks of blue energy and iridescent light sparked to life each time their blades met, filling the entire area with brief bursts of illumination. Xander¡¯s face was etched with singular determination, his attacks growing more and more ferocious as time went on. For its part, the undead creature¡¯s beady red eyes met the swordsman¡¯s challenge, though offered no sign of emotion whatsoever.


    It didn¡¯t even make a single sound, it simply fought. And furthermore, second by second it seemed to be gaining the upper hand.


    Controlling his breathing, Bly took a brief mental note of just how much mana he¡¯d burned through in the last few minutes, quietly contemplating their tactics. Xander was visibly weaker and wearier by comparison, all but confirmed by how easily the wight parried and ran the swordsman ragged. Bly''s defensive spells were keeping Xander in the fight, but it was evident that both of them were struggling. Meanwhile, the wight didn¡¯t seem to have even suffered much, if at all. Xander had gotten a few good licks in himself, strikes that would have been fatal to almost any other spawn they¡¯d come across outside the boss¡¯s lair, but it still wasn''t enough.


    If we can get that blade out of its hand, maybe there''s a shot. the thought crossed Bly''s mind all of a sudden, and he quickly pivoted into it.


    ¡°Binding element, let the depths of frost take root.¡± He began to mutter, lifting his right hand to aim at the wight, ¡°From the heart of winter¡¯s embrace, I summon with might, an icy bond, swift and merciless. Freezing chain.¡±


    The elemental energy ushered across the chamber, puncturing the wight¡¯s blade-wielding hand. In the same motion, Bly extended his arm again and anchored the chain in place on the wall behind him. Turning back to face the other two, the wight''s entire assault was immediately stifled by the binding chain around its arm, hindering it from attacking Xander any further. And seemingly needing little more of an opportunity than that, Xander dropped his shield and lunged in.


    The swordsman and the undead creature wrestled over control of the blade for a short time, as Bly pumped it full of elemental spells from a flanking position. And just as it seemed that Xander might finally have the leverage he needed to pry it away, the wight twisted its arm completely. A sickening crunch of bone and flesh resounded, and the blade shimmered unlike it had before. And in the blink of an eye, a crackle of light filled the chamber.


    ¡°Xander, get down¡ª!¡± Bly shouted, darting forward as he prepared to cast a shield over both of them.


    But he was too slow.


    A billowing surge of light exploded, sending him flying back in the opposite direction. He tumbled to the ground, rolling for several feet before coming to an abrupt halt.


    ¡°Guh¡­¡± Bly groaned, feeling the punchy weight of the stone he¡¯d just slammed into all at once.


    Glancing up, he realized that he had been blown out of the chamber completely, and was now slumped against the opposite wall of the exterior corridor. Ahead of him, a smoldering path of smoke and sundered stone stood between him and where the wight now stood. The blade in its hand was dim again, but within its silhouette, those red eyes turned and stared across at Blychert. Slowly, it turned, grabbed hold of the chain in its other hand, and yanked the entire thing out of the wall in one pull.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Stumbling up to his feet, Bly tried to steady his breath as the wight advanced towards him. But he was lightheaded, and he was out of ideas.


    A small frown creased his lips.


    For a sliver of a moment, Bly couldn¡¯t help but indulge the idea of simply casting invisibility on himself and running away. It would have been a cowardly thing to do, but then it would have been easy, and he might just survive if he did.


    Glancing past the wight, he could see the dazed form of Xander now slowly rising to his feet.


    This was what Xander had wanted, but what did Blychert want?


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He muttered under his breath, ¡°¡ªDamn it. Damn it!¡±


    The wight was drawing nearer, the iridescent blade firmly in its grasp, sparkling with latent light. There wasn¡¯t any more time to think, only to do.


    ¡°System command. Activate ability, x-p transmogrifier. Execute mana replenishment.¡± Bly murmured wearily, his hand somewhat unsteady as he issued the order, ¡°Input spell override. Execute hasten. Execute conjure weapon. Swift shield¡ª¡±


    The wight¡¯s blade crashed through the yellow energy of Bly¡¯s defensive spell in a flash, but the immediate hit of speed he¡¯d just received from his alteration spell allowed him to dodge out of the way before the blade could reach him. Rolling forward, Bly turned and thrust his hand outward, commanding the shimmering form of his own conjured weapon to engage the wight. Within only a few exchanges though, the undead¡¯s blade had cut down the summoned weapon like it was nothing. However, Blychert simply issued another spell override, another weapon, and started the whole process all over again.


    One by one, his summoned swords took on the wight as best they could, intermittently broken up by several elemental spells just to draw its attention outward. Another freezing chain restrained it for only a few seconds, and even a wild casting of ensnare slowed it just long enough for Bly to keep his strategy alive. And yet, he could feel himself slipping, his focus stretched thin. The wight was fast, unrelenting in its attacks, and always seeming to adapt to whichever spells Bly threw at it. Exhausted, Bly tripped over a cluster of rubble in the dungeon behind him, and within a matter of seconds the undead warrior was standing over him.


    The iridescent blade rose through the air, a light now beginning to grow along its sharpened edge. Two red eyes glared down at Bly, lifeless beyond compare, and the blade descended.


    All at once, a flash of that fated day in the guildhall of Darskaart coursed through Bly¡¯s mind; a memory of the administrator towering over him just as this spawn was now. His heart raced, sweat poured down his face, and his arms trembled. But even still, Blychert lifted his hands, surer of himself now than he had been back then, and forced himself to fight.


    If not now, then never.


    ¡°Swift shield, threefold lattice¡ª!¡±


    The iridescent blade pressed down into the blooming shield with tremendous force, sputtering hot wind and reverberations down the corridor. Bly gritted his teeth, doing everything he could just to repel the wight¡¯s attack, but gaining little ground. He channeled more mana¡ªpractically pushing it through his skin as he urged his barrier spell to hold fast. A quarter of a foot of magical energy was all that stood between him and his own annihilation.


    He had to hold this time, no matter what.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± the sound of Xander''s voice echoed amidst the colliding noises, whose shadowed form sprung into light from behind the wight.


    The attack was immediately thwarted, as the undead pulled away. Blychert dropped his barrier spell the second he felt safe to do so, gasping for air as the hold of spell fatigue gripped his entire body.


    ¡°Come on¡ª¡± Xander huffed, pulling Bly to his feet in a flash, and quickly ushering both of them down the corridor ahead.


    Bly glanced over his shoulder, taking note of the wight as it steadied itself. Those red eyes turned and stared down the corridor, as if directly into Bly''s soul, before the rest of the body began to move forward slowly. Which was just the same, because Xander carried a limp, and Bly could barely keep his own feet.


    Swiftly they continued forward, turning down one corridor, and then another, until they came upon a large but vacant chamber thereafter.


    "I need to put you down¡ª" Xander groaned, helping Bly towards a piece of stone, before reeling back to catch his own breath.


    ¡°Here¡ª¡± Bly gasped, removing the pack from his shoulders as he begun to dig through it. His fingers were shaking, but he quickly produced what he was looking for and shoved the healing potion in the swordsman¡¯s face, ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡±


    Xander paused, seeming to consider the action for a moment, before nodding. He chugged the whole thing in one gulp, before tossing the glass vial aside. The cut on his arm looked bad, but the potion would have to do for now. Taking a step back, the swordsman craned his neck for a stretch, and looked towards the chamber entrance.


    ¡°System command. Clear all inputs. Disengage all abilities.¡± Bly held out his hand, hardly concerned at this point that Xander could hear what he was saying,¡± ¡°Input spell override. Execute conjure weapon. Execute hasten, single target. Execute summon swarm, jackalwings. System command. Activate ability, radial ward, single target.¡±


    One after the other, spells and abilities began to fire off¡ªsome familiar, some having gone unused for a long time. Whatever came to mind, Bly was willing to expend right here, right now. The shimmering of a conjured sword, the hastened state of being, the buzz of summoned jackalwings, and the radial glow of a protection ward surrounding Xander''s entire body... all of it sprung to life in a matter of seconds.


    Xander''s expression suddenly shifted, as he looked back towards Bly with a look of both confusion and curiosity, ¡°What was all of that?¡±


    Bly closed his eyes, his heart racing at the question.


    For the longest time, he''d been so afraid to be seen as anyone other than Trelen, that it was Blychert who had become exactly what he accused Xander of. And yet, all he could think of right now was standing his ground next to the swordsman. Because despite everything, there was still some semblance of a party between them. And if Xander couldn''t look past a classless renegade, then so be it, maybe Bly didn''t deserve such clemency. But even still, that changed nothing in this moment.


    Taking a deep breath, Bly glanced at Xander, and said with confidence, "I lied, and I''m sorry. I''m not really Trelen, and... I don''t have a class. But I am a sorcerer, that was the truth. So, if that''s good enough for you, then I''ll give you everything I''ve got."


    The swordsman¡¯s eyes widened, but before he could respond, a noise beyond him caught their attention. Bly glanced past the swordsman and gestured towards the archway, to where the wight¡¯s silhouette was now standing there at the threshold of the chamber.


    "Always full of surprises, not Trelen." Xander grunted, almost as if amused by the sudden turn of events. Exhaling slowly as he turned, he added, ¡°Okay. If that¡¯s how we''re playing it, then you''ll just have to accept this as my confession too."


    Firmly grasping the pommel of his own sword in both hands, Bly watched as something unusual, and yet strangely familiar begin to take shape. The entirety of Xander¡¯s blade began to glow. But instead of the deep blue, or even green energy that Bly had grown accustomed to from the swordsman''s battle aura, it was a completely pale and radiant form of energy. In fact, it''s energy signature was more akin to the magic of clerics, like that of Annie, purely divine energy. However, it began to shift beyond even that.


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s martyr, beyond oblivion,¡± Xander murmured, the entirety of his blade rising to a burning, amber glow, as energy twisted around him, ¡°Witness my pact, unbroken. By thine own accursed blood, heed this call. Breathe dark into light, rend light from illusion, and cleave the fallacy of this world in two!¡±


    Blychert¡¯s eyes squinted at the pulse of strange, radiant light, in full witness to either a miracle or a heresy. Whichever the case, it was self-evident that both their cards were now firmly on the table.


    Come heaven or hell, this was their final gambit.

 [A1] Chapter 25: One and the Same

    Chapter 25: One and the Same


    <hr>


    A beam of red, divine energy crackled from Xander¡¯s blade, searing through the air as it arced across the chamber. Before the wight even had a chance to block the first burst, a second arc, then a third¡­ each strike exploded with massive force upon impact, sending waves of heat and sound rippling through the entire area.


    ¡°Now!¡± Xander shouted over his shoulder, before rushing forward without any hesitation.


    Mentally gesturing for his mana surge ability to activate, Bly quickly doubled into issuing his summons to move forward. The arcane blade sliced as it approached, and the cluster of jackalwings buzzed around in attacking formation, until the wight was surrounded on all sides.


    Stepping off his front foot, Bly rushed ahead to maneuver himself into a better casting position. With his joint summons sufficiently aiding Xander, he immediately pivoted and began pumping out elemental spells one after the other in quick succession. Fire and ice battered the undead, synergized by the erratic red flurry of Xander¡¯s sword strikes, as well as the attacks of his own summons.


    The wight stepped right suddenly, taking a direct attack from the swordsman, before leaning to the other side and cutting the summoned sword straight out of the air. But Bly wasn¡¯t letting it off that easy, quickly overriding a spell to allow for yet another conjured weapon to form as to keep the pressure on.


    However, the wight broke left, extending a combination of attacks at Xander. Within a few hefty sword strokes, the swordsman was now forced onto his backfoot, despite the radial ward and the hasten spell buffing him, prompting Bly to pivot into defensive spellcasting. Xander dodged left, parried one¡ªno, two strikes. The wight pulled back in the lull, raising its blade in front of it.


    ¡°Trelen, shield yourself!¡± Xander shouted hurriedly, against the imminent glow of the iridescent blade.


    Hardly blinking, Bly muttered to himself, ¡°Swift shield.¡±


    The expulsion of burning light from the weapon erupted throughout the chamber.


    Blychert winced, casting his gaze through the illuminated veil as it began to dim once more. His summoned swarm and conjured weapon were sundered in a flash, but more gravely, the wight had bypassed Xander, and was now on top of him!


    Shields burst, icicles and firebolts collided, and Blychert was only thankful for the small advantage of his active buffs, though he was otherwise put on the backfoot against such a powerful flurry of attacks. Mana surge suddenly expired, but Bly merely gestured for it to reactivate, further turning the wight¡¯s successful hits into an even greater advantage for himself.


    Abruptly, a single sword stroke ripped his latest barrier spell to shreds, and a second strike cut him deep, from shoulder to rib, causing his spellcasting to sputter out.


    Blychert fell backward, glancing up in fear to where the wight now stood looming over him, the iridescent blade already beginning to bloom with familiar devastating light.


    The wight¡¯s burning red eyes narrowed, as it thrust its arm downward in complete defiance.


    ¡°Trelen!¡± Xander shouted, thrusting himself at the wight from behind all at once.


    The swordsman¡¯s blade wrapped around the wight¡¯s neck, and he pulled with all his weight, forcing both of them backwards into a grappled stalemate.


    Bly gritted through the pain radiating in his side, and rose to his feet. But he paused for a moment, considering his options in the small window of time that had been presented to him. Exhaling a slow breath, he adjusted his left arm beneath his right arm to give himself more stability, and winced, aiming ahead of him with only one play in mind.


    ¡°Binding element, let the depths of frost take root.¡± He muttered, fully drained but focused. Xander had given him an opening, and hell if he wasn¡¯t going to take it. At the last moment, Bly raised his other hand, choosing to swap into a dual cast instead for maximum power, saying, ¡°From the heart of winter¡¯s embrace, I summon with might, an icy bond, swift and merciless. Freezing chain!¡±


    The supercharged elemental energy streaked across the gap at speed, wrapping around the wight¡¯s blade-wielding arm head-on, just as he had tried to do before. But in this motion, Bly instead thrust the end of the chain in the far opposite direction of the chamber, which forced the undead out from within Xander¡¯s grasp immediately, and it stumbled towards Bly.


    ¡°Swift shield, threefold lattice.¡± Bly muttered.


    A split-second later, yellow energy coalesced into a defense shield. And just as he¡¯d hoped, the wight impacted his barrier with a punch. The spell terminated the creature¡¯s velocity then and there, causing its arm to rip off the rest of its body, as the magical chain continued to pull. The defensive energy dissipated in a singular instance, and the wight¡¯s body ricocheted back the way it had just come¡ªback into the swordsman¡¯s path, and without a weapon to defend itself.


    A burst of red light suddenly filled the chamber, as Xander stepped forward, his expression stalwart, swinging his blade with every bit of strength he had. As the swordsman swung, an arc of searing energy forced its way through the base of the wight¡¯s neck. And for a moment, time stood still.


    The wight¡¯s severed head tumbled from the rest of its body a second later, and all of it collapsed to the ground, unmoving.


    Blychert stood still, staring ahead of him.


    A quiet suddenly fell over the chamber, or perhaps it was the dungeon in which the silence grew. The light of Xander¡¯s blade dimmed shortly thereafter, and all else fell to a darkened, gray-shaded state once more.


    Bly¡¯s heart pounded in his ears, and before he knew it, he¡¯d simply fallen to his knees, desperate to catch his breath. He was beyond exhausted¡ªcompletely spent, and the wound on his side was beginning to hurt even more now that the adrenaline was beginning to wear thin.


    Slowly, he raised his hands up to feel around on his face, a sigh of relief washing over him as he smiled.


    He was still alive.


    But more importantly, so was that damned swordsman.


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    [Experience removed: -933 xp]


    [Experience gained: +630 xp]


    [Experience total: 13,087 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 20,131 xp]


    <hr>


    Blychert glanced at the terminal prompt, and couldn''t help but grunt amusedly.


    In the last week alone, he¡¯d spent more experience than he should have. But even still, that didn¡¯t seem to matter much to him all of a sudden. Putting everything he had to work in service of some semblance of a good thing seemed like an okay use of such a forbidden skillset to him. If he could just find a way to be more subtle about it, or perhaps even find a way to trust others with his secret¡ªthen maybe he didn¡¯t have to be so alone after all.


    Just maybe, that distant dream of adventure wasn''t so daunting.


    A low rumbling coursed through the dungeon all of a sudden, causing Bly to curiously shift his attention.


    <hr>


    [Party]


    > Now delving the [Gleaming Caves], floor [3]


    > Core Volatility: 35%


    > Active Wayshrine(s): Entrance, Chamber of the Vanguard Golem, Chamber of the Light Devourer


    > Daily Bonus Reward: Kill [20] Ice Demons [Complete]


    <hr>


    Bly chuckled


    Had the others been fighting all this time just to do their part? Well, whatever it was, it seemed to be working. And that was good enough for him.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Xander asked softly, a certain weariness in his voice.


    Glancing up, Bly hadn¡¯t even noticed that the swordsman had walked across the chamber, and was now holding the iridescent blade in his hand. By the dimming light of both blades, Xander stood over the inanimate body of the wight, looking back towards where Bly sat. with a look of concern.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Bly gave a worried nod in response, not entirely sure what to do now that it was over. He had just exposed himself to the swordsman, after all. So, all he could do now was await the dreaded reaction. But strangely enough, the one he''d been expecting never came.


    ¡°¡­Glad to hear it.¡± Xander sighed. Slowly, he worked his way down onto the ground himself, and took a seat. He paused, groaning somewhat as he found a more comfortable position, before looking up at Bly, saying, ¡°I guess this means you were holding out on us after all, huh?¡±


    Bly¡¯s brow creased apologetically, and he conceded, ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Powerful class, my ass¡­¡± Xander smirked, arbitrarily kicking the disintegrating wight head a little farther away from he sat. He then brandished the iridescent blade in his hand, which made a whistling sound through the air, ¡°You know, I can understand why you didn¡¯t trust me with a secret like that. Hell, I don¡¯t blame you for one second. But classless? That¡¯s a bit like the pot calling kettle black, don¡¯t you think? Not to excuse my behavior these last few weeks, but¡­ for someone in your position, you really kind of chewed me out, you know that? I deserved it, I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m glad we can finally see eye to eye, is all.¡±


    Blychert frowned, his gaze sinking low.


    This whole time, he¡¯d lied about everything¡ªabout what he was, about what his reasons for delving were, about everything there was to know about him. And yet, he¡¯d been perfectly fine casting his judging gaze at the swordsman for his contradictions and deceptions. Alyse was right, trust had been broken, if it had even been established at all. and Bly was every bit to blame too. Xander had every right to be furious with him, but he wasn''t.


    Xander''s heart really was in the right place, even if his priorities weren''t. That alone was deserving of an apology.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bly murmured coldly, and he could feel the lump beginning to form in the back of this throat, ¡°I¡ªI shouldn¡¯t have been so hard on you, not when I was never the person I said I was either.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Xander grunted with a small smirk. Weighty footsteps resounded through the chamber momentarily, until the swordsman was standing directly in front of where Blychert sat. Looking up, Bly saw Xander extend a hand down to him, smirking behind a layer of dirt and blood, ¡°Hey, forget about it. As far as I''m concerned, I know exactly who you are. You just showed me. Now, come on, let¡¯s at least try to pretend we know the way out of here.¡±


    Bly grinned awkwardly, not entirely sure he was deserving of clemency, but relieved to accept the swordsman¡¯s gesture, nonetheless.


    ***


    By the time they began backtracking, it was readily apparent that despite their current situation, the dungeon itself had taken on an eerily docile, almost abandoned atmosphere. As such, it didn''t take them long to locate their camping spot, and Xander was quick to divvy up the last of his rations, allowing both of them to rest a bit. Almost immediately, Bly reached into his own supplies and pulled out the last of his healing potions, but Xander stopped him.


    ¡°Let me.¡± He insisted, placing a hand on Bly¡¯s shoulder.


    A warm glow filled Xander¡¯s palm, and Bly immediately felt a soothing balm trickle throughout the entirety of his wound. It sustained for a few seconds, but was gone again just as quickly. Xander pulled his hand away, and gestured for them to get going.


    Only after it seemed like neither of them could go on walking any longer, they found a new area to stop and rest. They didn¡¯t have much in the way of supplies left, and so they simply found a defensible corner to lie low in. The dungeon had gone quiet, but that didn¡¯t mean it would stay that way forever.


    ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you think we¡¯ll make it out of here?¡± Bly asked randomly in the silence.


    ¡°¡­Nope.¡± Xander said belatedly, and he too seemed just about spent of all physical energy, lying down completely at that point. With whatever strength he could draw on, he raised the iridescent blade above his head, and wiggled it a little, ¡°But, at least I¡¯ve got this. I can die a happy man now.¡±


    Bly rolled his eyes, ¡°Are you really even a swordsman?¡±


    It had been gnawing at him, after all. Especially after that healing he''d received. If Xander wasn¡¯t really the class he said he was, wouldn¡¯t that have made him just like Bly? Or at least, similar?


    ¡°I am.¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s complicated. Honestly? I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡±


    Bly shrugged, ¡°The beginning never hurt.¡±


    ¡°Smart ass¡­¡± Xander groaned, sitting up straight after a while. He looked at Bly with a serious expression, ¡°Okay, try this. I wasn¡¯t always a swordsman.¡±


    ¡°How¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me talk.¡± Xander interjected, shooing at Bly to keep quiet, before restarting, ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we don¡¯t have the Guild. Try that it might, and for whatever reason, it just hasn¡¯t really been able to break into Trave like it has in Calvergia.¡±


    ¡°So, how do you get a class?¡± Bly was confused.


    ¡°Same way you do.¡± Xander shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just, those weird-looking administrators aren''t involved. People are. Our clerics help facilitate classes for those who are ready to receive them. But you have to understand, not everyone in Trave worships the Divine as some singular, all-powerful entity, like they do in say, Greygarde or Loreley. And my family? My family never worshipped it at all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Bly stammered, completely lost.


    What else was there but the Divine?


    Xander chuckled, ¡°I know. It¡¯s probably hard to understand. It¡¯s the same for a lot of people in Frostwall too. Anyway, that¡¯s not really the point.¡± Xander tarried for a moment, as if searching for the right words, before saying, ¡°My grandfather is a cleric¡ªwas, a cleric. I already told you, I didn¡¯t really know my father. He was never around. But my grandfather? Growing up, I thought he was a saint. Hell, I can¡¯t even tell you how many people I¡¯ve watched him help, or how many classes he¡¯s facilitated. And when I was little, I always dreamed about the day he¡¯d help me unlock my class too.¡±


    ¡°And did he?¡± Bly asked, filling the long pause of silence.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Xander nodded, his tone cold, and he narrowed his eyes somewhat, ¡°I displayed all the markers for receiving a martial class. High athleticism and endurance, a strong battle aura, good sword skills¡­¡±


    Bly nodded, remembering how it was growing up with Irvin, for whom it was just the same as Xander described it.


    ¡°On that day, nothing went like I¡¯d hoped.¡± Xander continued, gritting his teeth, ¡°He did something¡ªmanipulated my class selection, without me knowing, so that I wouldn¡¯t get what I wanted, but what he wanted for me. And so, instead of swordsman, or anything like that, I was left with the cleric class. And the divine power I was tethered to that day¡­ well, it''s not like your Divine. It¡¯s something else. Something¡­ older, I think. It was something my grandfather worshipped in secret. I¡ªI didn¡¯t want it. I hated it. And I hated him too.¡±


    Bly¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°But¡­ how did he change it? Your class?¡±


    Xander frowned, and pulled up his sage terminal for a moment. A second later, he was holding a long, cylindrical item in his hand.


    ¡°With this.¡± He replied, unfurling the material until it was splayed across the stonework.


    A sudden chill ran up the entire length of Bly¡¯s body, and he nearly gasped, startled somewhat as he moved forward to look at it. It was a thin piece of strange leathery material, no wider than a large map, but that wasn¡¯t what made the alarm bells go off in Bly¡¯s head. The surface of the material, a deep purple color with swirling bits of energy sprawled across it, was so familiar to him that he thought he was hallucinating.


    It was Alyse¡¯s scrying table. Or at least, it looked the exact same.


    ¡°Where did you¡ª¡± Bly stammered, glaring at Xander, ¡°How did you get this? What¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather died about a year after I got my class.¡± Xander sat back, his tone of voice more stark than before, ¡°He was sick for most of my life. Anyway, I had already been training as a cleric, learned skills and everything. I didn''t have much of a choice. But when I found this¡­ found his life''s work, when I learned what he did, I became completely obsessed with it. It broke me, and I tried everything to change it back.¡±


    ¡°Tried to change¡­ what, your class?¡± Bly asked wildly, unable to contain his curiosity or his concern.


    Xander nodded, ¡°I was a fighter. At least, for a fraction of a second." Xander put his hand down on the material, and said curiously, "I don''t know what this is, or how he even got it, but he used this to swap our classes in that moment. He became the fighter, and I became the cleric. I think... that''s why he died so quickly after I got my class. I think he was using his own abilities to sustain his lifeforce."


    "But why¡ª"


    "I don''t know." Xander shook his head, "And... he never told me."


    Suddenly realizing the implications of what Xander was saying, he asked, "So, that means you must have swapped with someone else?"


    "Grandfather." Xander replied, his voice riddled with guilt, "I was only fifteen, but if I learned anything from pouring over his work, it was that your class isn''t tied to your body, it''s tied to your soul. So, I dug him up, and with magic I stole from the temple where we served, I used his own rituals against him¡ªcast his soul back into its body, if only for a brief moment. But that''s all I really needed."


    Bly couldn¡¯t believe it, and simply murmured, ¡°You... brought him back from the dead, and swapped classes with him? Again?"


    So many questions ran through Bly¡¯s head, it hurt just to think about them. But most of all, he wondered if Alyse didn¡¯t use her item in some kind of similar way. Though without a doubt, he was going to have to tell her about this, it was simply impossible to avoid.


    ¡°It was mine to begin with.¡± Xander insisted, ¡°I just... stole it back. But I couldn''t stay after that. The clergy would find out what I did, and I couldn''t risk them not understanding. So, I left¡ªleft Trave, left it all behind. I still had the cleric skills I''d learned, but I was new to the swordsman class, couldn''t risk getting caught. Fled for Frostwall, and that¡­ I had nothing when I got to that city. But that''s when I met Norman. He took me in, helped me get back my feet, let me stay at his little church, since I had nowhere else to go. The rest is history, I suppose. I was free.¡±


    "But... haven''t they tried to find you?" Bly asked.


    Xander paused, and looked down at the blade in his hand, ¡°They''ve tried. But they have no standing with the Guild, so they never will. All they think is that I''m a cleric somewhere. I¡¯ve tried to be the best swordsman I can be, tried to be a better leader. But I guess the past has a way of catching up to you."


    Bly paused, unsure what to say.


    He¡¯d never seen Xander this emotional. But, the whole situation was messy. It wasn''t like he''d stolen someone else''s class, but he had brought someone back from the dead just to do it. Maybe someone like that deserved to feel pressure. Even still, that didn¡¯t mean Bly was the one to apply it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± Bly said, ¡°It seems like you''ve already paid the price, anyway."


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Xander nodded, holding out the blade for him to see, ¡°For what it''s worth, your secret''s safe with me. And whenever you need a sword, I¡¯m there. No questions asked.¡±


    ¡°I think this dungeon has gotten to your head.¡± Bly smirked. Lying down on the ground, and using his cloak as a pillow, he closed his eyes, and said, ¡°But I¡¯ll take a friend, if you¡¯re still offering.¡±


    ¡°¡­You''ve got a deal.¡± Xander said belatedly, ¡°Speaking of which, you said you weren¡¯t Trelen earlier. So, who are you really?¡±


    ¡°Bly, it¡¯s¡­¡± He replied anxiously, but smiled thereafter, realizing old habits weren¡¯t necessary at the moment, ¡°It¡¯s Blychert.¡±


    Bly didn¡¯t know if they were about to die down here, but that wasn¡¯t going to stop him from finally getting some sleep. And as it happened, it didn¡¯t take too long for him to get his wish either.

 [A1] Chapter 26: A Familiar Feeling

    Chapter 26: A Familiar Feeling


    <hr>


    Blychert jolted awake to a chill on the back of his neck.


    He wasn¡¯t in the dungeon, at least he didn''t think so.


    As he sat upright, the dark and dank stone was nowhere to be seen. Instead, and as he slowly stood to his feet, he found himself in the middle of a wide-open field; an undisturbed blanket of snow at his feet all around him. Glancing upward, there was nothing but a white mirage for as far as the eye could see. There were no trees, no mountains, and the sky was completely gray, casting few snowflakes to the ground below.


    It was silent.


    It was... timeless, even.


    But there was something else here too, something familiar.


    Bly squinted, now noticing a shimmering pattern of golden lines that stretched far away from where he stood. They were barely visible, reaching high into the clouds, and perhaps beyond even that. His vision shifted, following the strange, golden light until he had completed a full rotation without any more of an idea as to what he was looking at.


    Was it¡­ some kind of a ward?


    Before he even had the chance to cast some kind of an aura detection, the hairs on Bly''s arms stood tall, and he was alerted to a presence behind him all at once, and he turned to greet it.


    Ten yards away, a pale woman stood staring back at him. Her tall, regal figure was adorned in a light-blue material that vaguely resembled silk, and yet it billowed and swayed like there was some semblance of wind, though Bly was certain there wasn''t. An inquisitive smile stretched across her face, as if to say, however silently, that she was on the verge of a most fortitudinous moment. It wasn''t lost on Bly that this was probably the same visage of the woman that he¡¯d seen several times in the dungeon by now, though she did not appear as ghastly as she seemed to have at their last encounter.


    She simply stood there, watching, her barren feet resting atop the snow, leaving no indent.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Bly asked, a mild worry creeping into his voice. She hadn''t spoken before, but a strange feeling in the back of his mind told him that they were somewhere in which such boundaries might not exist, and that she was about the respond.


    ¡°I am Winter.¡± She did say, as softly and as daintily as a breeze. She spoke, but her mouth did not move, just like in the vision he''d had of Alyse. However, her smile faltered a moment later, turning into a frown, and her ice-blue eyes narrowed, ¡°I am ruin. But you¡­¡±


    Without moving, she was suddenly standing inches away from Bly, staring down directly into his eyes. Blychert''s body froze, he was unable to move or to speak, as his creature put two fingers beneath his chin, pushing ever so gently.


    ¡°You are a robin.¡± She finally murmured, smiling again, ¡°And the light that shines upon this gilded cage, will be the most beautiful song yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bly stammered, unable to discern her meaning, but willing to try, as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is. Please, help me?¡±


    The woman removed her hand and frowned again. As she did, a dazzling light began to fill the vastness of that area. Slowly, she stepped back, as if pulled into that light but some unknown force, unable to resist. Turning slightly, she said, ¡°We will meet again¡­ little brother; again, and again, and again. Until all the world is wrought with abundance, laid bare for the seeds of spring. What beautiful flowers that will bring. Until then, I pray for your journey¡¯s beginning. And await your journey¡¯s end.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± Bly shouted, his voice echoing and collapsing in on itself, as the devouring light consumed him too.


    ***


    ¡°Blychert? Blychert!"


    Someone''s voice said, but it was too fuzzy. to make out.


    "Confound it all¡ª!" The voice continued, more and more familiar by the second, "Alyse? Alyse! He¡¯s awake!¡±


    ¡°Bartolo¡­?¡± Bly murmured wearily, his eyes slowly blinking open.


    His entire body felt like a heaping sack of refuse and was soaked in sweat beneath a mound of blankets. But of all the places he expected to wake up, his own bed wasn¡¯t terribly high-up on that list. Hadn¡¯t he just been in the dungeon? With Xander?


    ¡°Xander¡ª!¡± Bly shouted, instantly alert with energy as he remembered what had happened. However, a robbed arm immediately stopped him from moving anywhere but back down onto the pillow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about it.¡± Bartolo chastised, and that¡¯s when Bly realized it really was his master sitting in a chair next to him. The curtains were drawn, and warm, natural sun was seeping in through the window, casting the old sorcerer in quite fashionable light. His hair was braided, a bit grayer, and the bags beneath his hazel eyes were the same as they ever were. But his maroon and violet robes at least told Bly one thing¡ªhe¡¯d had to have arrived very recently.


    ¡°How are you¡ªwhy am I¡ªwhere is¡ª¡± Bly stammered, hardly able to contain his surging emotions, as he winced, ¡°What happened? Where''s Xander? We were just¡ª¡±


    ¡°I ought to be asking you the same question, truthfully.¡± Bartolo clicked his teeth, a slight bewilderment in his tone, ¡°That older boy simply refused to say anything to me, or anyone, until you woke up! Said it was a matter in which he was sworn to utmost secrecy. Though I told him that I was sure my well-behaved apprentice knew nothing about that?¡±


    Bly simply laughed at the confession, wondering what on earth could have possessed Xander to be so bold. Even still, it was more than enough to hear that he was alright¡ªthat they were both alive. Suddenly, Bly was very aware of all of his injuries. His arm was back in a sling, his upper body was fully bandaged, and he could accurately tell wear all of the smaller cuts and bruises were.


    Looking at his master confusedly, he asked, ¡°How did¡­?¡±


    ¡°You make it out?¡± Bartolo finished his question. Wrinkling his nose, he said, ¡°You have miss Crane to thank for that, I suppose, and those friends of yours. Truthfully, the whole of Kelvalder joined in your rescue. You ought to be very thankful, young man.¡±


    ¡°Really, they all did that¡­?¡± Bly smiled, turning to glance out the window where he could see bits of the town.


    He was suddenly overcome with so much emotion that he could feel the tears of relief welling up around the edges of his eyes.


    ¡°She tells me they didn¡¯t stop looking for you. Not even for a single second.¡± Bartolo added softly, as Bly turned back to face him. The older sorcerer extended an arm and put a consoling hand on Bly¡¯s uninjured shoulder, saying with a wry smile, ¡°One of these days, I might trust you not to be so foolish with your wellbeing. But then, I suppose I''ll be waiting awhile. Until then, well, I¡¯m proud of you for putting your best foot forward. A foolish foot, but a brave one all the same.¡±


    Blychert offered a small smile in response.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what there was to be proud of, but he appreciated the sentiment all the same.


    Furrowing his brow, however, Bly asked, ¡°Wait, when did you get here? I thought you were in Tielun?¡±


    Bartolo opened his mouth to reply, but someone else responded instead.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°I asked him to come home.¡± Alyse¡¯s voice echoed through the bedroom, and there she was leaning against the threshold of his door. Bly¡¯s eyebrow creased confusedly, as she said, ¡°Shortly after your victory against Glemberfang. I figured I¡¯d have to deal with the dungeon anomaly myself and wanted him to be here for you in case anything went wrong. Of course, it would have been nicer if he¡¯d have shown up a bit earlier, save me the headache.¡±


    ¡°Meh¡ª¡± Bartolo grumbled, shooing her off as he shook his head, ¡°I was on my way out of Tielun anyway." His own brow creased worriedly for a moment, as he said, "War looms in the south. Raustagar and Greygarde simply cannot reconcile with one another. It''ll be war within the year, or so my betters think. Still, as soon Alyse reached out to me, well, I simply had to come and see just what mischief my apprentice has been up getting up to.¡±


    ¡°Trelen is a local legend.¡± Alyse said with a smug grin, ¡°Selflessly thrusting himself into the jowls of the dungeon to save Bold Arrow¡¯s party leader. Mapping a good portion of the third floor, and capturing a rare item. There will be stories of Trelen across Calvergia, to be sure. And you''ve claimed devouring threads for yourself, yet another accolade. Your apprentice, Bartolo, is doing admirably.¡±


    ¡°How is any of that a good thing?!¡± Bartolo thrust his hands up into the air, and Bly couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Blychert is no one.¡± Alyse insisted, stepping into the bedroom. She walked across to the window and looked out for a moment. Looking over her shoulder, she continued, ¡°Trelen is a hero. He can be someone in this world, and I¡¯d say this has all been a very lucrative first step in securing an identity worth holding onto. The greater his notoriety is built up, the harder it will be for anyone to tear him down again.¡±


    ¡°A double-edged sword, Alyse¡­¡± Bartolo replied warily.


    Alyse looked at the old sorcerer, and then down at Bly. She winked, and smiled, saying, ¡°But not the worst outcome. And what more can a classless really hope for, in the end, than just a teeny bit of middle ground?¡±


    ***


    An air of calm hung over Kelvalder, and it was quite unlike anything Bly had felt in all his time being here.


    There had always been quiet, even quaint, but never calm. However, as Bly walked down the street that brisk but sunny morning, it dawned on him all at once that the reason for that had absolutely nothing to do with the town itself whatsoever. Because for this entire time, he¡¯d been the problem. The endless, daily grind of a would-be sorcerer had somehow jaded his perceptions of the peaceable life he had in Kelvalder. He¡¯d spent so many days and nights looking ahead, that he forgot to look within and realize what he¡¯d had here the whole time.


    Why had he even done that?


    Just like Alyse had said, what was the rush?


    ¡°Trelen!¡± Lisel¡¯s voice broke above Bly¡¯s innermost thoughts, and he turned to greet her as she approached from the opposite side of the road.


    Thanks to Xander¡¯s little stunt, Bold Arrow had been forced to spend an entire extra week in Kelvalder, as their ignoble party leader recovered. It was just as well for Blychert, because he thoroughly enjoyed the extra days he got to spend with his friends.


    For her part, Lisel had spent the most time with him, even whilst he was bedridden.


    She told him all about their battle through the second floor of the dungeon that night, but how Vineta had regrettably been forced to make the hard choice to turn back and regroup. In the end, it had been the right call, because by the time they all made it out, including Alyse, the wayshrines had stopped working entirely. But once everyone in town had heard the news, it was a full-blown rally.


    Everyone who was willing and able hiked it up the mountain path and set up camp just outside the dungeon entrance. Hot food and drink, a medical station, all sorts of camping gear and supplies¡­ everything they needed to perform a rescue operation was assembled in record time.


    Bly was shocked to hear that Alain mustered the entire guard rotation, seemingly because he felt responsible, and all of them descended to the first floor of the dungeon to help make a dent in the volatility. It was an entire town¡¯s effort, and thanks to everyone¡¯s help, Alyse and the rest of Bold Arrow were able to breach even farther down to the third floor. But lo and behold, they found Xander carrying an unconscious Bly over one shoulder, the iridescent blade bloodied in his other hand, shouting deliriously for immediate medical attention.


    By the time they¡¯d made it back to Kelvalder, nearly two days had passed since their initial delve to locate Xander.


    Bly couldn¡¯t believe they''d been down there that long, but then he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else he would rather have been stuck in the dungeon with. As far as Bly was concerned, the swordsman had earned his trust. Which was just as well, because neither of them was able to avoid Alyse¡¯s tyrannical scolding of them. Though true to his willingness to be better, Xander turned over the strange item to Alyse without any complaints.


    She couldn''t take away the latent cleric skills lingering from his time spent with that class, but Xander insisted it was better this way; a reminder of where he came from, and the debts he still owed. Bly tried to pry some information out of Alyse about what the mysterious item even was, but she merely gave him one of her half-answers and said that it was probably better the two of them simply forgot it even existed.


    ¡°Hey, Lisel.¡± Bly waved, waiting for her to get a little closer, before he said, ¡°Just get back?¡±


    ¡°Final check complete, your dungeon¡¯s good to go." She nodded, ¡°Back below ten percent volatility, right where it belongs.¡±


    Bly groaned irritably, ¡°Sucks I couldn¡¯t come with you guys this whole time. What a waste, lying in bed all day!¡±


    Lisel smirked, and nudged him on the arm, ¡°Come on, everyone¡¯s waiting for us.¡±


    Bly felt his stomach flutter for a moment., and he sighed, ¡°¡­Lead the way.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take them long to reach his cottage. But once they did, however, Lisel stopped at the foot of the stairs all of a sudden.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Bly asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Lisel murmured. She turned, her cheeks a touch redder than normal, ¡°I guess this is goodbye for real this time. Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Bly frowned, feeling the same exact way.


    It really did feel like a lifetime ago that he¡¯d run out into that snowstorm, that they¡¯d all sat around the table, swapping stories and eating delicious food for the first time at the White Horn. Bold Arrow had been a blessing in disguise, and at worst a real test of his abilities as a sorcerer. He¡¯d learned a lot these last few weeks, not just about himself, but what it meant to be part of a team.


    These were his friends, and it was hard to say goodbye after it felt like he¡¯d only just gotten to really know them.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Bly muttered, ¡°But you know¡ª¡±


    Before he even knew what was happening, Lisel¡¯s arms were wrapped around his neck. Bly¡¯s face felt way too hot all of a sudden, despite how cold it was outside.


    Pulling back slowly, she said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s for keeping your promise.¡±


    Bly grinned, wondering if she would ever find out just what that promise really entailed. However, he merely offered her nod in understanding, before gesturing for both of them to head inside.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re back. That¡¯s everyone!¡± Alyse said hurriedly. She paused, however, furrowing her brow with some mild concern, ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Xander¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ready and willing.¡± Xander interjected casually, stepping into the living room from the hallway. Alyse stared at him suspiciously, and he simply laughed, ¡°What? It''s not like I ran off again.¡±


    Alyse rolled her eyes, ¡°Very funny. Now, butt in the circle. Before I change my mind and make you walk home.¡±


    Xander saluted, "Yes ma''am."


    Bly stepped up next to where Bartolo was standing, and together they watched as the rest of Bold Arrow gathered their things, placing them into the teleportation circle, if only a bit haphazardly. Bly couldn¡¯t help but smile. Seeing the iridescent blade at Xander¡¯s hip gave him a small bit of pride, but more importantly he was curious to see that the swordsman''s family pendant was displayed over his tunic. Whether that was pride too, Bly couldn''t say, but it suited him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Vineta sniffled, and Bly turned to face her as she approached. Her eyes were puffy, and it was clear that she¡¯d been crying. Sniffling again, she said, ¡°Oh Trel, just¡ªdon¡¯t be a stranger! Okay?¡±


    Before Bly could even respond, she pulled him into a hug and squeezed as hard as she could. For the second time today, he was beyond stunned. However, he was able to say, though muffled, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to be.¡±


    ¡°Spare him, would you?¡± Bredic groaned, peeling Blychert out of Vineta¡¯s grasp himself. Patting Bly on the shoulder several times, he said, ¡°Trelen here¡¯s got more to look forward to than your waterworks. Once news gets to Frostwall, there¡¯s going to be women from all over Calvergia flocking to this town, just to see the kid in action¡ª¡±


    Blychert flushed, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lisel was wide-eyed and staring at the ground too. Which just was as well, because before the wizard could even finish his sentence, Vineta had cast a basic spell in his general direction. The magical energy hit Bredic dead in the chest, and he was sent flying backward, skittering face first into the teleportation circle in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°On your feet, Bredic.¡± Alyse rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re really giving us fire specialists a bad name, you know.¡±


    ¡°Ow¡­¡± Bredic moaned, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡±


    ¡°Think you¡¯ll stay out of trouble, without us?¡± Xander asked all of a sudden, stepping forward to speak with Bly more directly.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Bly lied, not trying to conceal it though.


    The swordsman smirked, raising his arm to offer a fist bump, ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like a certain swordsman I know.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Bly shrugged, smiling with smug satisfaction as he returned the gesture, ¡°I wouldn''t know anything about that.¡±


    "Thanks for keeping me on my toes¡­ Trelen."  I owe you a life debt, you know.¡±


    And I¡¯ll hold you to it, you dumb bastard. Bly thought to himself, otherwise content to leave it there.


    The teleportation circle began to slowly rise to a spectacular, purple glow. Magical energy whipped up through the living room, tossing a few items here and there, but nothing that couldn¡¯t be picked up later. Blychert squinted somewhat anxiously, but Bartolo put a steady hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Be back in a tick!¡± Alyse said above the sound of the magic firing off, ¡°Everyone hold onto your hats! No? Just me? Suite yourselves¡­¡±


    Blychert¡¯s gaze caught Lisel¡¯s amidst the magical flashes of violet.


    She smiled and waved gingerly.


    He reciprocated with a smile of his own, but before he could lift his arm to return the farewell gesture, a flash of light filled the room.


    Just like that, on the thirtieth of Deepsummer, the day of Summer¡¯s Parting, Bold Arrow was gone in the blink of an eye.

 [A1] Chapter 27: Omens Stir Like Autumn Leaves

    Chapter 27: Omens Stir Like Autumn Leaves


    <hr>


    [SAGE ---> Raven System Notification]


    > Weekly [General] experience allotted.


    [Experience gained: +7 xp]


    [Experience total: 13,357 xp]


    [Cumulative total: 20,401 xp]


    {exploit_alias_advancement-message transmitted}


    > Level up added.


    > Level [8] removed.


    > Level [9] added.


    ***


    [Attributes]


    > Attribute increased [Endurance +1, 38 --> 39].


    > Attribute increased [Willpower +1, 51 --> 52].


    > Attribute increased [Magic +2, 53 --> 55].


    ***


    [Skills & Abilities]


    > General Skill increased [Spell Configuration, 18 --> 19].


    > Magic Skill increased [Barrier Magic, 19 --> 20]


    > Magic Skill increased [Elemental Magic, 16 --> 17]


    > New Magic Subskill [Elemental Proficiency (Fire), Proficiency 1] added.


    > Magic Skill increased [Illusion Magic, 9 --> 10]


    > Magic Skill increased [Summoning Magic, 13 --> 14]


    > Class Ability [Mana Surge] synthesized.


    ***


    [Spells]


    > Spell [Alter Appearance, Illusion, Basic] synthesized.


    > Spell [Fire Lance, Elemental, Intermediate] synthesized.


    > Spell [Armor of Frost, Elemental, Intermediate] synthesized.


    > Spell [Invisibility, Illusion, Advanced] synthesized.


    <hr>


    Blychert¡¯s jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he read back the abrupt system message to himself, nearly spilling his breakfast all over himself.


    After well over a year since his last one, his attributes had finally increased! And given the stats in question, he knew that it meant his overall health, mana, as well as his overall magic resistances and critical components had all been increased. At long last, it seemed like he was finally making some progress. He only wished Bold Arrow was here to see it.


    Before Bly knew it, nearly four weeks had come and gone since their departure.


    A deep feeling of somber longing had hung on Bly¡¯s mind in those few days afterwards. Somehow, it felt like a part of him was now missing, and he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to think about the going to the dungeon by himself. Every now and again, especially when he was lying awake at night, he opened his sage terminal and flicked across to the party page, hoping for a second that he might somehow see everyone still listed there.


    But it was just a fantasy, and he knew better than to dwell on it.


    For his part, master Bartolo seemed to have taken it upon himself to remind Blychert that not all was hopeless, and that there was more in life to look forward to. So, true to his fastidious nature, the old sorcerer did a fairly good job of keeping Bly¡¯s mind occupied on other matters thereafter. Alyse too, once she¡¯d returned from her business in Frostwall. It wasn''t long after that, that Bly was mostly healed from his injuries and getting back into the swing of things. Between the two senior spellcasters, he¡¯d managed to integrate several new spells into his system repertoire, including the finnicky fire spell that Bredic had tried to teach him, as well as to fully synthesize mana surge as a permanent class ability. He¡¯d also been able to expand upon his mana channeling lessons from the last few months, which helped him gain a new magic subskill in the process.


    Thus, the proceeding days weren''t so bad after all. And at the very least, it was nice to have both Alyse and Bartolo around again.


    Blychert grew less and less concerned about the dungeon, as days turned into weeks. It was stable again, quiet as usual, and that strange apparition of the Pale Lady didn''t make itself known again either. Whatever it was, Alyse was convinced that it had left, and that was good enough for Bly, for now. After all, the things that it had said in his strange, dream-like vision still lingered on his mind. What any of it meant, he couldn''t be sure. But more than anything, it had called him "little brother" and what was that about a gilded cage? Was she talking about that strange, golden ward that he''d seen? It troubled him, and yet for some reason, he couldn''t bring himself to ask either Alyse or Bartolo about it. At best, they wouldn''t understand anyway. At worst, it would only make them worry about him even more.


    In any event, and before his trials and tribulations with Bold Arrow, Bly wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about skipping consecutive days of delving. He''d blown through a lot of experience with them and would certainly need to think about replenishing what he''d spent. But for now, he was simply content to enjoy life in Kelvalder.


    And as it happened, at least when he wasn¡¯t training, Bly found himself spending time in town.


    He helped Missus¡¯s Stein with reorganizing her entire store layout, a belated thanks for the invisibility spell scroll. Once Kara gave him the medical okay to really stretch his legs, and with speaker Durand¡¯s express permission, Bly was more than happy to help Colt, Alain, Aletta, and all the other guards with their daily routes. It was autumn now after all, and overworld spawns only seemed to get worse with the changing of the seasons. Otherwise, he was perfectly suited to kickback at the White Horn, somehow finding Mister Ralf¡¯s arguments with old farmer Cordell, Mister Malwin, any of his sons, or really anyone for that matter, much more aggregable than he used to.


    He couldn¡¯t say for certain when it had happened, but somehow, someway, Kelvalder really was starting to feel like home.


    ¡°Well, would you look at this?¡± Alyse said mysteriously, as she walked in the front door, a gust of wind and show chasing after her. Dusting off her snowy boots, Alyse removed her hood and cloak, hanging them up on the hook by the door to dry, before turning towards the dining table and revealing a small stack of various parchments and letters in her hands.


    Bly looked up from his sage terminal confusedly, trying otherwise to enjoy the bliss of Bartolo¡¯s delicious breakfast in peace and quiet, not to mention pouring over his attributes.


    ¡°Look at what¡ª?¡± he said, mouth half-stuffed full of eggs and pork sausage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking that one.¡± Bartolo said, who then flicked his left hand from where he sat in his recliner within the living room. Suddenly, a small, spectral hand reached around Alyse¡¯s shoulder and plucked the small, silver-ribboned letter off the top of the pile. It floated towards Bartolo and dropped it in his lap. Setting his tea aside, he nodded at Alyse saying, ¡°Thank you, kindly.¡±


    ¡°You old coot¡­¡± Alyse mumbled, narrowing her gaze for a moment, before shifting her attention on to Bly. Slowly, she picked up another letter and tapped it twice before handing it down to him, ¡°This one¡¯s for you. From a friend, I believe. If seals are to be believed.¡±


    Blychert¡¯s expression softened, and he took the parchment in both hands. As Alyse walked away into the kitchen, he turned the letter over and saw the red seal of her mention. It was hard to make out at first, but as soon as he realized that it depicted a taut, diagonal arrow, he smiled.


    ***


    Dear Trelen,


    I hope this letter finds you well.


    It seems like only yesterday that our paths crossed. If I could have only known then what I know now, would that have changed the outcome of our journey together? I often find myself thinking upon it, and about what we both experienced down in the depths of that dungeon. I can¡¯t help but wonder if wasn¡¯t more than what it seemed at first glance? I don¡¯t know the answer, and perhaps I never will. All I know is that it led us to an end for which I am eternally grateful.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    You¡¯ll be happy to know that since our return to Frostwall, Bold Arrow has received more than its fair share of accolades. For some inexplicable reason, everyone keeps asking about some sorcerer named Trelen, to which I find myself constantly amused by the plethora of answers the rest of the gang offers in response. That''s my way of saying that the party¡¯s exploits have reached quite a few ears, and an honorific plaque has even been posted in the Adventuring Hall. Not as high up as most of the others, but Bredic won¡¯t shut up about it, so that¡¯s something. Frankly, I don¡¯t know what Norman would think of all this, least of all my actions in recent months. But I know he would be proud of everyone, and he¡¯d be thankful to you too.


    Unfortunately, Bold Arrow lost its first member in Bredic. He realized shortly after our return home that the adventuring life wasn¡¯t for him. I¡¯m proud of him though, you know? He stepped outside his comfort zone to support his friends. That takes a lot of courage. Anyway, he¡¯s intent to focus on a career as a spellwright. He loves magic, and I should never have asked him to try and be a hero. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but he¡¯s actually been accepted into the Loreley School of Magic. He''ll be heading there first thing in the spring.


    As for the others, I know they miss you.


    I tried to relinquish my position as party leader to Vineta, just so you know. She deserves it, but she yelled at me for even trying. That said, we have a lot of requests coming in to join the party, and we¡¯ve even been consulting with some of the big shots around here about establishing ourselves as a full-time gig. I have unfinished personal business to take care of, and I don¡¯t know where that will take me, but I''m ready to keep leading Bold Arrow wherever it goes. Lisel talks about you all the time, by the way. She seems to think I¡¯m withholding information about the details of those two days in the dungeon. Careful with her, she''s sharp. Though if it¡¯s of any consequence to you, I just keep telling her the same thing I always do: Ask him yourself.


    All of this was a very long way of saying, Trelen, and if it¡¯s not too much to ask, I would like to formally request that you join Bold Arrow. For real, this time. And before you get all antsy about you know what, just know that I¡¯ve got your back, no matter what. I know a thing or two about keeping a low profile in a crowd. And if you decide you don¡¯t want to, tough but no hard feelings. And hey, you¡¯ll at least have friends whenever you need them.


    Should you decide to make the journey out to Frostwall, I¡¯ve included some simple instructions on how to get a hold of me once you arrive. It¡¯s a big city, and an even bigger dungeon. I know you¡¯ll ace it.


    With regards,


    Xander A. Wolfe


    [White Horse Courier Service - 22 Harvesttide, 520 DE]


    ***


    ¡°Is he serious¡­?¡± Bly murmured to himself, hardly knowing where to begin unpacking all of that.


    They wanted him to join Bold Arrow? Like, actually? And there were new members? And Bredic was going to school?! What in the hell was going on? A lot of time had passed, sure, but not that much time! Did things really move that fast in Frostwall? If so, Blychert wasn¡¯t sure he was prepared for that level.


    Even still¡­


    The second he read those words, one foot was already out the door, ready to be in the big city by tomorrow. If they really wanted him to come, then damned it all he was going. He didn¡¯t care what it took, or how hard he would have to work just to keep himself safe, this was everything he wanted¡ªeverything, and maybe so much more. Besides, how could he say no to an opportunity like this?


    Blychert frowned momentarily.


    Was any of this possible? Or was it just more wishful thinking.


    ¡°Anything good?¡± Alyse asked, stepping back out from the kitchen. She meandered around the table and took a seat in one of the chair¡¯s opposite Bly, and looked at him expectantly, popping a few candied hazelnuts into her mouth before saying, ¡°¡­Well?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Bly scratched his head for a moment, ¡°Xander sort of asked me to¡­ join Bold Arrow. And, uh, go to Frostwall. I guess?¡±


    He was expecting a full tirade from one, the other, or both his mentors. But funnily enough, it never came.


    ¡°That¡¯s exciting.¡± Bartolo was the first to say, as casually as one might talk about the weather, ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Blychert furrowed his brow, ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°¡­You do?¡± Alyse immediately echoed Bly, her tone just as confused as his was.


    Bartolo looked up from whatever he was reading, and removed his glasses, simply shrugging, ¡°Why not? This is exactly what you''ve been aiming for, isn¡¯t it, Bly? What you''ve been training for? If I thought I could hide you forever, I would have constructed a padded room! So, this is was you want. Right?"


    Blychert paused, a bit perplexed by his master¡¯s reaction, which was normally highly dismissive of such ideas, before nodding more confidently, ¡°More than anything."


    ¡°Eh¡ª¡± Bartolo resounded at a higher pitch, flinging one of his hands into the air, as if to insist the matter was settled, ¡°Then I take it back, it¡¯s an excellent idea. I won''t have any apprentice of mine saying that I was a stick in the mud.¡±


    ¡°Bartolo¡­¡± Alyse said worriedly, ¡°This is poor timing, especially if you plan on returning to Tielun. I received an update from a very important contact of mine, about some matters that I¡¯d hoped would resolve themselves by now. I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not been the case. I¡¯ll be leaving here myself, as soon as I¡¯m able. I can''t stay with Trelen.¡±


    Blychert¡¯s heart skipped, his gaze darting over to her, ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re leaving? When did this happen?¡±


    Alyse offered a consoling wince, as Bartolo replied, ¡°You¡¯ve done more than your part, Alyse. More than I should have asked you too, frankly. No, I will accompany Blychert to Frostwall, if that is his wish, and I will remain with him until such a time that he is able to settle in. You''re free of your duties, as they say.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Alyse murmured, ¡°I thought your work was¡ª"


    ¡°Unfinished, yes, but that¡¯s not important.¡± Bartolo interjected. A slight grin betrayed his features, as he teased, ¡°Besides, unlike you, I have friends in that city who still owe me a favor. And it¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve given the boy far too much flexibility in his training. We¡¯ll be rectifying that, posthaste!¡±


    Blychert groaned, realizing all at once what kind of torture that meant for him.


    But a small smile creased his lips, as his two mentors devolved into yet another argument, light-hearted as it was.


    Nothing was going to dampen the mood.


    He was going to Frostwall.


    ***


    The day of Alyse¡¯s departure was a bleary autumn morning.


    What very few leaves there were on the trees of Kelvalder had all but flung themselves to the four winds, leaving a small trail of red, orange, and yellow scattered across the roads. It was just as well, because the day itself felt scattered, and Bly wasn''t sure he was prepared for it.


    Despite their awkward relationship in all this time, Bly couldn¡¯t help but feel sad to see Alyse go all of a sudden. She''d disappeared plenty of times, but she always came back. He wasn¡¯t just losing a mentor anymore; he was losing a friend too. She was hard on him at times, extremely lenient at others, but more than any of that, she listened. He didn¡¯t presume to think that she cared for him, and it wasn¡¯t like he fully understood what it was she even hoped to get out of all of this, and still none of that seemed to matter at the moment.


    He still had so many questions about the classless, about Sage, about that strange item she now seemed to have two of, that she refused to elaborate on. Every time he asked about his father, it was shrugged off, and when he asked about her deal with the Guild, she gave mere half-answers. Why had she really come to save him that day? Just what was her actual role in all of this? It was too hard to say, and she was always scant with the details.


    But despite all of that, Alyse Crane had been here for him. He''d depended on her, and he was grateful.


    She had to care, in her own strange way, didn''t she? He wasn¡¯t ready to say goodbye, not yet. If joining Bold Arrow meant losing her, what was it all for? If gaining back Bartolo meant losing her, what was it all for? He hoped to be someone that she could rely on, not the other way around, because she''d already done so much to help him grow stronger and more confident in his abilities. And now, she was leaving before he even had the chance to repay her for that debt.


    ¡°Hey? Chin up, kiddo.¡± Alyse startled him out of his deep state of thought. She nudged his chin with her index finder and narrowed her eyes in quiet contemplation. Blychert tried to avert her gaze, but it was futile, as she said, ¡°You know better than to get emotional around me. I¡¯ll always sniff you out. Always.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Bly mumbled embarrassingly, ¡°You always get what you want.¡±


    Alyse¡¯s eyes flashed, and for a split-second, a frown etched her lips, ¡°¡­Not always.¡±


    ¡°Well, you better get going then.¡± Bly insisted, not sure how much more of this he could take.


    Releasing his chin, Alyse stepped back into the teleportation circle, and said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Blychert. You are someone I can rely on. You have been for quite some time¡ªmore than you know.¡±


    Blychert gasped somewhat, but stole back his composure in the same moment, and nodded.


    Turning towards Bartolo, she said teasingly, ¡°I suppose I must wish you well, sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°I endeavor to do the same¡­ witch.¡± Bartolo bowed his head slightly, a smile hidden beneath his beard.


    ¡°Well, I guess¡­ this is goodbye.¡± Alyse looked back at Bly. Raising her eyebrow, she said, ¡°You know, if you¡¯re lucky¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re meeting again.¡± Bly interjected, shaking his head in disapproval of her teasing remarks. Despite himself, he flicked her a smirk of his own, saying, ¡°Count on it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Alyse closed her eyes with a warm smile, the warmest perhaps Bly had ever seen her give, as she softly placed her hand over her heart. Opening her eyes, she replied softly, ¡°That''s the spirit.¡±


    In a flash of purple light, Alyse Crane was gone.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you two got along well.¡± Bartolo confessed, ¡°I was worried about that before I left, you know. It¡¯s nice to see that the two of you worked well together. That said¡­ I simply cannot accept the fact that she didn¡¯t bother to train your barrier magic at all!¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Bly turned his face, his sadness replaced by complete flabbergasted confusion.


    ¡°That woman has no love for defensive magic, I¡¯ll tell you that right now. A complete and utter incendiary.¡± Bartolo grunted irritably, ¡°I¡¯ve always said, the best offense is a good defense. She has no love for the crafting of barriers! Starting tomorrow, we¡¯re getting back to basics. And what¡¯s more, since it will take another month at least to get everything in order for our travels to Frostwall, that means no distractions! We¡¯re getting back to basics, young man, just like we used to. Best believe it.¡±


    Blychert groaned audibly, remembering not so fondly his master¡¯s grueling barrier magic training when he was younger. However, he furrowed his brow all of sudden, asking, ¡°Wait, what do you mean¡­ no distractions?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be coy.¡± Bartolo argued, ¡°I¡¯ve been a way awhile, but I was your age once just so you know. Distractions are plenty! Lisel was her name, right?¡±


    Blychert¡¯s face flushed, and he was certain that he was burning bright red, as he muttered in response, ¡°Master, where¡ªwhat the hell are you even talking about?!¡±


    Bartolo shrugged, as he waved his hand through the air. In a flash, everything in the living room was back to the way it was supposed to be. As he settled into his recliner, the old sorcerer said, ¡°Alyse told me all about you two, so don''t try to hide it. She even said that she told the young lady that you were very fond of her. So, I don¡¯t see what you¡¯re making such a fuss about. It¡¯s perfectly natural for a young man to¡­¡±


    Bly¡¯s mind tuned everything else out after that. And how couldn¡¯t it? After hearing such flagrant lies, there was no way he could show his face in Frostwall now! He didn¡¯t want to¡ªwell, give anyone the wrong impression. Did he? And how the hell did Alyse know what he was thinking. She was an empath, not a psychic.


    Wait, she had read his mind just a few minutes ago. Hadn''t she? How else would she have known exactly what he was thinking...


    Blychert gulped.


    Once again, Alyse Crane was going to be the death of him!

 [A1] Chapter 28: Farewell, Kelvalder

    Chapter 28: Farewell, Kelvalder


    <hr>


    Dawn broke on the thirtieth of Redleaf with a strange sensation and an auspiciously clear sky.


    Before the light of morning even graced Kelvalder, Blychert found himself pacing back and forth across the cluttered interior of his cluttered bedroom, all but regretting the fact that he¡¯d put off his packing until the day of their departure. He hadn''t been able to sleep a wink, his mind racing too far ahead of itself. But what did he really expect? This wasn''t like the last time he''d left home, after all.


    This time, it was on his term, and he was beyond excited.


    Shifting his attention momentarily, Bly''s gaze settled on the makeshift calendar he''d stitched together over the summer, itself hanging inoffensively on the wall next to his door.


    It had been a month and a day since Alyse had left them, double that for Bold Arrow. Frankly, it had come and gone so quickly that it really did feel like only yesterday. He''d filled his time with training and busy work, true enough, but it wasn''t so bad. Goodbye wasn''t some infinite shackle of time. But perhaps it was a social contract, forged in good faith or ill, between people across space. Whether by given word or by simple sheer will, maybe that distance was only forever if you chose to believe it.


    At any rate, he could scarcely believe that within the hour, they¡¯d be on their way too. He liked to imagine that wherever Alyse was, that her journey was much more exciting than his was about to be. The thought elicited a small frown, and Bly quietly wondered to himself for a moment if the distance between him, Irvin, and Annie was a bridge too far for even his ambitions. However, he shook his head clear of that thought almost as quickly as it had come.


    It wasn''t, he''d make sure of that.


    With his mind inevitably turning back onto the dire task at hand, Blychert¡¯s frown turned into a self-sabotaging scowl.


    Why he hadn¡¯t found the energy to pack at all in the days and weeks leading up to their journey across Calvergia, he couldn''t fathom. It wasn''t like he didn''t have the time of day. Although, he was somewhat saved by the fact that he had a veteran sorcerer as his guardian. After all, Bartolo had set an enchantment on all of his bags, which allowed him to put as many items as he wished into the small storage spaces without ever having to worry about weight or running out of room.


    If it had been Alyse coming to Frostwall with him instead, he would have certainly been in serious trouble, if not made to walk to the city altogether. Thus, Bly gratefully put himself to work, and it didn¡¯t take very long for him to shove all the rest of his things into the enchanted bags without much consideration at all. If nothing else, he could go through it all once they got to Frostwall.


    Dressing in his favorite blue robes and accompanying winter gear, Bly quickly doubled-checked his bedroom for any missed items. Rolling his eyes, however, he cussed himself out under his breath, before walking around the bed. Stopping at the nightstand, he collected the cloudy-white resonance stone of the wooden surface, and shoved it into his cloak pocket, mentally noting to himself not to take it out ever again. And only then did he step towards the door, now confident that he had everything.


    But Bly paused for a moment, turning to glance inward one last time.


    A frown creased his lips momentarily, as he thought fondly back to all the time he¡¯d spent in here. He realized that this was probably the last time he¡¯d ever step out of this bedroom; not sure when the next time he¡¯d be in Kelvalder. He¡¯d spent more than enough restless nights in that bed to make the sentiment much more digestible, and yet it was still a somewhat somber feeling.


    ¡°Bly? Are you coming?¡± Bartolo¡¯s voice echoed down the hall from the living room, a sense of urgency in his tone.


    ¡°¡­Yeah. All set.¡± Bly smiled, content to close the door behind him for the final time.


    Heading into the living room, Bly had to stop for a double take momentarily, barely recognizing any of what he was now seeing. Everything was all so neat, tidy, and downright empty all of a sudden. All of Alyse''s plants were gone, all of the books and spell tomes were packed away, and even Bartolo¡¯s magical recliner was nowhere to be seen. One could scarcely believe that a trio of spellcasters had even been living there at all.


    Maybe that''s for the best. Bly thought to himself. It was only a house, after all. So long as they remembered, that was all that mattered in the end.


    ¡°Good, there you are.¡± Bartolo nodded from the front door, adorned in a brightly orange robe, his winter gear, and of course his crimson pointed cap, ¡°Sleigh¡¯s waiting for us just outside. Best we got going, if we wanted to cover a good distance today. It¡¯s going to be a long trip, my boy! Now, come along.¡±


    Bly nodded wordlessly, not sure anything else needed to be said, and began to head for the door in pursuit of his master.


    However, as he began to step outside, feeling the chilled autumn air on his face, his sage terminal blipped several times.


    <hr>


    [Sage ---> System Notification]


    > You¡¯ve received a gift from identification tag [Vermillion].


    > Do you accept?


    <hr>


    His eyes widening with sudden curiosity, Blychert quickly clicked ¡®yes¡¯ to receive not one, but three items. Hastily scrolling across into his inventory, he parsed the short list, muttering back the item names under his breath, until he found the oddities he was looking for.


    <hr>


    [Ring of Comprehension]


    Comprehension. Understand all languages [Verbal, Written].


    > Item Rarity: Uncommon


    > Item Level: -


    > Item Class: Jewelry - Finger (ring)


    > Item Set: -


    ***


    [Cloak of Instant Vanishing]


    Cunning. Willpower +1


    Instant Vanishing. Gain the condition [Invisible] for a number of seconds equal to [Willpower]. While invisible, all items [Carriable, Wearable] gain the [Invisible] condition. This condition may be terminated at will.


    > Item Rarity: Rare


    > Item Level: -


    > Item Class: Clothing ¨C Neck (cloak)


    > Item Set: -


    ***


    [Encoded Message Capsule]This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Perceive what''s around you, and blend in where you can. And when all else fails, always go with your gut. Improvising is our bread and butter, after all.


    A.


    P.S. Please kindly ask your master to disable my perimeter wards. I <u>may</u> have forgotten to do that before I left. Oops. Safe travels, kiddo, and well wishes.


    <hr>


    Blychert rolled his eyes, though couldn¡¯t help himself but to grin, nonetheless. And so, with one last glance into the cottage, he closed the door behind him and set off down the steps.


    ¡°Ready to go, good ser?¡± The driver of the sleigh asked readily, his two horses standing idly in waiting. The sun had since begun to rise over the town, casting it in much needed warm light.


    ¡°Indeed, we are.¡± Bartolo said excitedly, climbing up into the cabin of the sleigh himself, though only after he''d taken care of Alyse''s little "forgotten" wards issue. With Bly right behind him, all their belongings tucked away, it was time to get going. As they settled into the cabin, Bartolo turned towards him.


    ¡°That¡¯s a new cloak¡­?¡± he said curiously, mumbling to himself somewhat, before saying, ¡°Buy that with your hard-earned treasure, did you?¡±


    Turning to face the old sorcerer with an amused chuckle, Bly glanced down at the brilliant, dark blue cloak he was now wearing, and said, ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°And a ring as well?¡± Bartolo scoffed, nudging Blychert somewhat, ¡°You''re moving up in the world. Both look quite discreet, but very nice on you. A fashionable sorcerer, heh, who would have thought it of you!¡±


    ¡°I had some help¡­¡± Bly smiled quietly, turning to get one more look at the cottage.


    It was completely barren now, given over to the whims of the town for whomever needed it next. The rickety porch, the drafty windows, the creaky floorboards¡­ it was so empty all of a sudden. Any of the glum or disappointed evenings he''d spent in those rooms, countless days staring out the window and daydreaming, or any of the rough arguments he¡¯d had with either of his mentors, none of it seemed to stick. He could only remember the good things now. The long talks with Alyse by the hearth, dinner with just the three of them, practicing endless amounts of magic in the yard, hoping one day for his attributes to finally increase.


    It was only a house. The memories were his.


    Suddenly, the sleigh lurched, sweeping up a flurry of snow behind them as they set off down the road most hastily. Countless faces passed them by too, all bidding safe passage and fond farewell. Blychert did his best to return the gesture to as many faces as he could, familiar or not, but it was surprisingly difficult for someone so used to minding his own business.


    ¡°Trelen?!¡± Missus Stein shouted from her stoop, flailing her arms around. As she caught Bly¡¯s attention, she immediately chucked something into the air. Helping it along with a bit of magic, Bly quickly looked down at the bundle as he caught it, which he discovered to be a cozy, wool blanket. And wrapped inside was a small hempen bag, where several bricks of sealing wax and a small, painted wooden figurine of her cat, Tilly, resided.


    Looking back over his shoulder with an amused smile, Miss Stein added loudly, ¡°I¡¯m officially out of sealing wax, so don¡¯t you even think about coming back here for more!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t count on it!¡± Bly waved, ¡°Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, dear boy!¡± She waved back, ¡°Goodbye! And farewell...¡±


    Before Bly even had the chance to process one goodbye, they had come upon the White Horn in a flash. He hadn¡¯t really expected to see Mister Ralf waiting there, and yet there he was, sure enough.


    ¡°Well, if it ain''t Trelen.¡± Mister Ralf said sarcastically, ¡°You still owe me for all those times your old lady came knocking down my door about your whereabouts. Don¡¯t you dare forget it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better.¡± Bly chuckled. Quickly, he emptied the hempen bag of sealing wax and cat figurines, before opening another one of his bags. From his share of Glemberfang¡¯s treasure, he gave thought to some of the gold and a precious gem or two, which was magically in his hand a moment later. He placed them into the empty bag, tied it off, and chucked it over the side of sleigh at the innkeeper, ¡°Consider my debts to the White Horn officially paid off, would you?¡±


    Mister Ralf fumbled with the bag for a moment, his face visibly pink as he looked inside, yelling back, ¡°All high and mighty. You''re what? Level eight? Thinks he''s a fancy magic man now!¡±


    ¡°Level nine!¡± Bly stuck out his tongue, but grinned wide, ¡°Take care, mister Ralf. And thank you for everything!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Ralf grumbled, though small smile betrayed even his cranky expression, ¡°Remember to eat, would you? A twig like you won¡¯t stand a chance with those big city adventurers, and you won¡¯t have me there to feed you either. You hear me! Hey?! Don''t ignore me, kid!¡±


    Blychert simply waved goodbye in response.


    In a matter of minutes, the sleigh came upon the western gate, where all the guards had come to bid farewell. Colt, Alain, Aletta¡­ everyone waved, and whistled, and cheered. There was one boo, which Bly suspected came from Colt, but he took it in good stride. And before he knew it, Kelvalder was behind them.


    Bly turned his head and rested it on the back of the sleigh, glancing back towards the outer wall of town, which grew smaller and smaller across the field of snow as they hurried onward. The sun was cresting in the east, shining the first of a beautiful morning¡¯s light across the entire tow, giving it a strange and somewhat surreal silhouette from where he sat.


    A small smile etched Bly¡¯s expression, as the sleigh pulled up the road, drawing closer and closer to the edge of the western forest. His gaze shifted northward, to the mountains. The entrance to the Gleaming Caves was a speck in the distance, but he swore he could see the sparkle of the white pillars catching beneath the sun. He thought of the ice demons, of Glemberfang, of the wight, of the Pale Lady... the dungeon really did give as good as it took, it was simply undeniable.


    Closing his eyes somewhat, Bly murmured to himself, ¡°I guess, I''ll see you around¡­¡±


    In the blink of an eye, the visage of Kelvalder disappeared behind tree trunks and dangling branches, consumed by the forest as the sleigh pulled farther down the road. By all accounts, this was the end of one surprising adventure. And yet, Blychert couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder building in the pit of his stomach.


    After all, this was the start of something new. What he desired was right around the corner, he could feel it in his bones.


    If what Alyse had told him once was true, that somehow the days would catch up with him a lot sooner than he thought? Then so be it. He was classless, and that did mean something. It was just, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean what he thought it had meant back when she had said it.


    Let bygones be bygones, time was too precarious for people like them. The life of a classless wasn''t just about surviving, was it? How couldn''t it be? It had to be about something more. It had to be about living life too.


    For that reason, he wasn¡¯t going to wait around to find out how big the world was anymore, not a chance, and he wasn''t going to wait for someone else to tell him where he belonged in it. He was going to go out there and find out for himself. His father, Sage, those strange visions he''d had, well... he''d figure those out too, in time. And the choices he made to that end might not turn out the way he wanted, but that was okay. Because if everything simply came down to the choices that he made, classless or not, then at least they were still his.


    He chose to be a sorcerer.


    He chose to live.


    The End


    <hr>


    The Classless Sorcerer''s Self-Stealing System


    <hr>


    <div>


    [Afterword]


    Hello there,


    As this is the conclusion of this book/writing challenge, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of my many readers for your support throughout the duration of my writing of the Classless Sorcerer. What started as a hastily put together writathon challenge eventually led to me finishing my first ever book manuscript! It will certainly require a lot of editing and polishing to bring up to the standard I hope for it, but I am otherwise happy and more than a little relieved to have written it all the way through. I am also very grateful to everyone who''s reached out to me with kind words, motivational wisdom, and just general help in fixing various elements or errors; it''s helped me a great deal in getting this book over the line. Thank you!


    So, what''s next for me and for the Classless Sorcerer?


    Well, I suppose that''s up to you, my readers.


    In my mind, this first book was sort of like a proof of concept/pilot episode, and a hastily written one at that due to writathon. I have a lot of plans and ideas for the future of this series, where it could go and what it could be, particularly where the next few books are concerned. But I''m not exactly certain what the interest in my continuation of this series is at the moment. If I am to continue this series, I would be taking a couple of months off from uploading on Royal Road so that I can fully finish my first draft of book 2, with the intention of making it much more polished and more consistent throughout than book 1 was. Otherwise, if there isn''t really any interest in seeing this series continued, I suppose I can leave it here for now. But you''re my readers! You let me know what you want to see from me and this series, either in the comments below or as a PM.


    Anyway, that''s all I have to say. Thank you so so much for taking the time to read my story. If you''ve enjoyed the Classless Sorcerer, please kindly consider leaving a rating or a review, or tell your non-guild affiliated friends, if you haven''t done so already. Otherwise, I''ll see you around for what comes next from me, whether that''s book 2 of this series, or something else entirely. Make sure to follow my RR account and this story for updates!


    Until then, all the best :]


    PrismaFox


    P.S. If you would like to see the Classless Sorcerer continue but would rather enjoy some bonus content during my downtime, as I prepare for book 2, please kindly see the post-chapter author note for a special quest.