《Salt in the Wound》 Chapter 1: Another Day You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Chapter 2: What the F*** Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Chapter 3: Sunshine Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Chapter 4: Forest Gate This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Chapter 5: The House of Ivory Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 6: More Food and A Comfy Chair This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Chapter 7: Systemologist You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Chapter 8: Elsewhere If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 9: Lunch and Magic Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Chapter 10: Circulation If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 11: Scary Bastard The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Chapter 12: Practice The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 13: Others Oren ¡°Ever since that boy showed up at our front door with Coron things have been crazy around the House.¡± The Protector of House Ivory thinks to himself as he walks through the halls of the manor, making sure all of his shadow tendrils are still in place. The tendrils allow him to spread his danger sense through the mansion and beyond. He thinks about the young man he has taken as his trainee; a lightning-fast learner and a fantastic fighter considering the peaceful nature of his home world. ¡°A starting Affinity score of High as well? Almost unheard of.¡± Oren thinks to himself, returning from his short patrol to his office, a small closet like space that is hidden by [Dark]. Oren sits behind his small wooden desk, grown for him by the previous Matriarch of House Ivory. A gift and a sign of respect as he was officially elevated to Protector of the House, he leans back in his chair, small wisps of [Dark] dancing around his body, some grabbing pens and paper, other whispering secrets in his ears. ¡°Magic changes when you start reaching for the pinnacle,¡± Oren remarks to himself smirking slightly at the monster he will make of the new Traveler, a monster that will protect Woodholme and all its inhabitants from the plagues of Undead. His wisps of [Dark] begin to write many different things; a training schedule for young Marco, a report of a new House rising in Woodholme, and a letter of summons to distant members of the House for their shift on the wall. He leans back in his chair casual while he does this, looking like a dozing elder. If you were to look at Oren closely however, using Mana senses you would be reminded of a spider sitting in its web, weaving threads of influence and death. Ben Ben sits in his own personal library and small research area, flipping quickly through a book he has read more times than he cares to count. Travelers and Their Quirks is emblazoned on the cover in black blocky letters, a thick book of maybe three hundred pages, it listens known Travelers within the Eldermyst Kingdom and what they accomplished during their time on Omnia. He flips through seeing the entries but not reading them this time, looking for one specific entry near the back, added within the last twenty years. He finally finds the person he is looking for and the entry reads: Oliver Taylor: Arrived in the Eldermyst year of 701. A young Traveler who appeared on the edge of the Eldermyst lands to the north, bordering the Kingdom of the Svarog Mountains. A few small skirmishes were fought over the young man, eventually the Dwarves of Svarog conceding and allowing Eldermyst to be the Travelers first destination. Approximately twenty-one years of age upon arrival. Progressed from an initial Affinity score of 35%, a low medium, to a score of 65% within a decade. Incredible healing magic paired with Traveler knowledge of medicine, biology, and anatomy made Oliver one of the most valuable Healers before his assassination by Cursed Lichdom forces. Known Affinities: Water and Light Origination World: London, United Kingdom, Earth. Ben snaps the book shut with a sigh, placing it onto one of the seemingly precarious stacks of books around his library. He knew Oliver had been killed a couple of years ago, the successful assassination of a Traveler was big news in Eldermyst, especially because Oliver was a resident of the Captial City, Mystholme. He summons his Mana, a small orb of light dancing between his fingers, as the light dances, casting strange shadows through the crowded library, Ben thinks of Marco and his incredible talent for Mana usage. When Ben heard about his strange ability of alter the Mana Circulation technique he nearly passed out from curiosity. The circulation technique had been in the Ivory family for generations, each learning it as early as they could manage so they would be more used to it when the time came for combat. The technique having been a common technique back in the elven home country of Pando, the Ivory family brought it with them when they left the secluded vales and towering trees of the ancestorial home behind to try and make a difference in the world. The family had moved to Eldermyst in the early days of the Kingdom, Ben¡¯s mother Violet being nearly as old as the Kingdom. They settled in Mystholme originally but found the petty politics and scheming to be a waste of time and energy, so when Woodholme was settled nearly two hundred years ago, the Ivory family helped build it from the ground up. Ben had always lived in the city of Woodholme, only being thirty years old, however the young elf possesses a mind for research and makes advances in his chosen field of Systemology more often than some of his colleagues many years his senior. He smiles as he lets the [Light] dance between his fingers and around his palm, the kind man that he taught about the world around him and coached out of a panic attack was going to change the world, either through combat or food, Ben has high hopes for the former resident of Earth. Coron Coron panics slightly as Marco is launched away from him during their spar. He completely forgot to disable his passive defensive measure, not expecting the other man to be fast enough to close the distance. He quickly moves to the other man to help him up but Marco regains his feet with little pause. ¡°I cannot believe he comes from a peaceful world and has been training for two days.¡± Coron thinks, ¡°He will be a force of nature if he can continue this pace of growth.¡± They finish their spar, having a hard conversation about growth and stagnation, Coron realizes he has much to think about and promises himself he will not just put the House¡¯s needs in front of his once again. Marco finishes giving him the advice that he could and they part ways, Coron aimlessly wandering the halls of the mansion, thinking about the conversation. ¡°I know I have pushed House and City needs before my own for many years, taking menial jobs that must be done in favor of positions that will allow me to growth.¡± He finds himself in front of the door to his mother¡¯s suites, pausing before knocking lightly, knowing she is already aware of his presence. Having The Forestsong for a parent has its benefits but also its drawbacks. Having a legendary fighter as a mother opens many doors but the feeling that they know everything that is happening to you before you are done experiencing it is a hard to shake. ¡°Come on in Coron.¡± Violet¡¯s voice drifts to him, the large wooden door opens itself, soundlessly swinging open to allow Coron entry. ¡°Hello Mother, I just had an interesting conversation with Marco and it has me thinking.¡± Coron says, wringing his hands in front of himself. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°The conversation about how you are pushing yourself into menial work that you feel others will not do if do not take it upon yourself?¡± Violet says, standing up from behind her desk, her silver-streaked hair pulled into a tight braid today, running down the back of her head before resting over her shoulder still falling to mid torso. ¡°Yes, that conversation.¡± Coron says, knowing she would know already. ¡°I just feel that the work I do is valuable, is there truly others that can do it?¡± ¡°Yes Coron, we have a younger generation of trainees that is able to filter air in a similar manner.¡± Violet says, ¡°They have all been inspected by Oren and any issues they had with their magic has been trained out them.¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t realize that I had been taking jobs from those younger, stealing valuable work experience from them.¡± Coron says, beginning to beat himself up again. ¡°Stop it.¡± The tone sharp and loud, instantly causing Coron to freeze and stop spiraling down the hole of self-deprecation. Violet walks toward her first born, embracing the taller elf in a warm hug. ¡°You have put the needs of your House before your personal wants and desires for years Son, it only got worse after the passing of your father.¡± Her stern facade breaks slightly at the mention of her husband and she continues the hug for a moment longer before pulling away. ¡°I know, I think I¡¯ve just been trying to bury myself in work so I don¡¯t have to think about that.¡± Coron says, wiping his eyes slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that I was stuck in a loop of ignoring the world around me before Marco showed up in the Deadwoods a few days ago.¡± Violet nods, ¡°I also apologize that I didn¡¯t do more to pull you from that state, I threw myself into working on the House so I didn¡¯t have to confront the feelings of loss that came with the passing of Xander.¡± ¡°I feel like I missed all of Benjamin¡¯s growth; it¡¯s like I blinked and he has aged twenty-five years and become a prodigal scholar.¡± Coron says, sniffling a little. ¡°Little Ben has become a force in his own right in the last few years, pushing System research ahead just like Xander did in his younger years.¡± Violet says, ¡°Enough about your siblings, I want you to take time away from House affairs. After our shift on the wall of course.¡± ¡°Truly? I don¡¯t know what I would do with all the free time.¡± Coron says, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about much other than House matters for the last few years.¡± ¡°Young Marco is going to need strong fighters and your current teammates are looking to begin a hiatus.¡± Violet says, waving her hand causing a branch to grow from her desk supplying Coron with a small bundle of documents. ¡°Join the Traveler¡¯s team, push back the blight of the Lichdoms and do something for yourself.¡± Coron, slightly dumbstruck that he didn¡¯t know his current adventurer team was seeking a break, nods and takes the bundle of papers. ¡°I will, perhaps I can push my Affinity to 61% in the next few years.¡± ¡°It is good to see you broken out of your thoughts. I must get back to work as there is much to do before our shift at the wall. I love you Coron.¡± ¡°I love you too Mother.¡± Coron says and walks out of the room, a slight smile on his face at the thought of the future. Alexandria ¡°Marco this, Marco that. It has been all I¡¯ve heard for the past few days.¡± Alexandria thinks to herself, exasperated. She walks briskly through the halls to the practice room and ballroom where Oren told her that Marco was sparing with her brother. She passes by a deep in thought Coron on the way, unsure if he even sees her. Reaching the ballroom where Marco is supposed to be, she is pleased to see the man seated in a lotus position in the center of the room. She watches him for a time, completely still other than he shoulders moving with his breath. She opens herself to the Mana around her, feeling the movements around the Traveler. Alexandria is nearly struck dumb at the sheer scale of Mana moving around the young man in the ballroom. A veritable tide of Mana ebbs and flows around Marco, flowing with his will and breath. Alexandria begins to sweat at the thought of having to move that much Mana, but doesn¡¯t see any signs of stress on the young man¡¯s face. ¡°He is quite handsome though.¡± The thought streaks through her head, a small blush splashing across her cheeks. ¡°What kind of training has this man done to be able to move that quantity of Mana with such ease.¡± Not knowing that Marco comes from a Manaless place and that he has had one training session with Oren thus far. The Mana in the ballroom shifts, snapping into a near solid state, beginning to weigh on the shoulders of the Heir of Ivory. Goosebumps and cold sweat covers Alexandria immediately, not having felt anything like this before. She has spent countless hours with her Mother and Oren both with higher Affinity scores than young Marco but never had she had to resist a pressure like this. Alexandria quickly musters her own Mana and pushes back against the pressure alleviating it just enough for her to make a quick escape. The Sisters Much later in the day, approaching the time to begin dinner prep, the two sister¡¯s sit in their room and think about the exciting young chef that has wandering into their home. Ethil and Doris, sitting in matching chairs and wearing matching outfits, basking lightly in the late afternoon sun. ¡°We should start making our way to the kitchens.¡± Doris says, seeing her sister already nodding before her statement was over. ¡°Yes, I wonder if Marco will help today and show up new food from Earth.¡± Ethil says, floating up her chair before quickly being joined by her sister. They leisurely hover to the wall of their rooms where a small staircase is inset into the wall. Floating down to their shared kitchen space the dance begins as it always does. They both wash up using [Water] before drying their hands with [Air] a frivolous use a magic and Mana but they have Mana to spare. Even though the pair didn¡¯t start growing their magic until a bit later in life than normal, waiting until they were nearly fifty and fifty-one years old before beginning their journey to their High Affinity scores with dual elements. It took them two hundred and fifty years to make it from their Low score to their current High, all while cooking delightful dishes and pastries for the family that welcomed them with open arms. The pair of sisters that match in almost all ways are called Broken Twins in their ancestorial home of Pando. They look nearly identical and act even more similar, along with their matching affinities. Elven culture three centuries ago thought Broken Twins a bad omen for the future, sending the pair away to Eldermyst where they could not bring negative energy to Pando. The House of Ivory, having been in human lands for centuries believed differently than the crotchety bastards in their mile high trees, immediately welcoming the young elf sisters with open arms. From that day forward the pair sore to do the best they could by their adopted family, learning to cook and bake to the best of their abilities to supply a delicious meal to their family members. Pushing Mana into all of their equipment; bowls, pots and utensils begin to float, some filling with water to do blanch or boil and other just placed over heat to stay warm until they are needed. The sisters make pasta bough, the rich yellow dough full of egg yolks and hearty flour. [Air] blades mix the eggs and flour together before a dome of [Air] allows the dough to rest without drying out. Milk is set to warm on the stove, reaching a temperature just shy of boiling before a small amount of strong vinegar is added and the heat is cut off. Small curds form in the milk, breaking into curds and whey, a couple minutes of setting before the curds and whey are separated and the cheese is placed in a strainer to lose just a bit more moisture. The ricotta is mixed with a hard parmesan-like cheese, a couple of egg yolks, salt and pepper forming a smooth speckled mixture. The pasta is rolled out into long thin sheets before being cut into four-inch circles. A small amount of filling is placed in the center before egg wash is spread around the rim, the pasta circle is folded in half over the filling and then folded around a finger to form tortellini. The sisters make short work of the pasta making, wondering if Marco would have any ideas for side dishes or anything to add to their food. Marco has told them stories of his career thus far, starting in a bakery before moving on to a casual restaurant as a dishwasher and working his way to line cook. He spent a few years as a line cook in various restaurants before discovering his love of fine dining and moving on to traditional French cuisine. The sisters were confused about what a French was before Marco explained that it was a country back on Earth that had a strong history of food and culture. Marco explained that fine dining was a type of restaurant experience where food usually comes in courses, sometimes up to thirty. Food is usually small portions with expensive ingredients and sophisticated plating. Doris makes a simple tomato sauce, sweating down onions and garlic before adding tomato paste, white wine, and peeled tomatoes. Blending the sauce with blades of [Air] and quickly boiling the tortellini for a few minutes Ethil combines the fresh pasta with the tomato sauce, a splash of pasta water and a couple of pads of butter. The extra fat makes the sauce extra smooth and luscious, placing the finished pasta dish into large bowls and topping it with grated cheese. They bring all of the dishes into the dining room and feed their family. Chapter 14: Adventurers Guild Marco returns to full consciousness after his deep meditation in the ballroom turned practice area. He stands, smoothing his clothes and stretching his aching muscles from long hours of sitting and trying to imitate the pressure that The Tree of Woodholme pressed on him in that extradimensional space. He follows his nose through the house toward his favorite room in the house. The dining room is full of excited chatter and people, Coron not present for the first time. He finds a seat, talking with those around him before the sisters appear and give their daily intonation and serve the meal. The meal is delicious as usual, delicious and tender tortellini coated in flavorful and acidic tomato sauce. The ricotta filling is light and fluffy but missing a touch of lemon zest in his opinion. ¡°Thank you for the meal, Ethil and Doris.¡± Marco says, standing and bowing to the pair. He finds Oren on the other side of the table, moving toward him, ¡°I am planning on going into town tomorrow and seeing the Guild with my own eyes for the first time. Is that alright?¡± ¡°Yes, that will be fine Marco but I want you back here for training at midafternoon.¡± Oren says, wiping the corners of his mouth. ¡°We will review your Mana techniques and then move on to simple weapons training.¡± Marco nods to the old elf, slightly scared at his idea of weapons training as his first training session was just him getting beat up. Marco returns to his room, very tired from the day of training and the emotional conversation with Coron earlier. He thinks back to the reason he used to throw himself into the hot confines of the bakery that first summer. Marco dreams of that very first act of defiance. Flashback Fifteen-year-old Marco Vito was going to get his first job even he had to beg for it, he had decided that he needed a way to get out of the house and away from his family. He loved his parents but they needed to know everything about everything in his life and he felt stifled. Marco walks into the small bakery in the center of town, the door emblazoned with the name: Giovanni¡¯s Italian Bakery. He pulls open the glass door and wipes his sweaty palms on his pants, walking up to the counter he asks the lady standing behind the counter for an application. ¡°Hello ma¡¯am, are you guys hiring right now?¡± Marco asks, trying his best to be polite and use proper language. ¡°Yes, we are. Would you like a resume?¡± The nice lady says, Alyssa according to her name tag. Marco nods and accepts the piece of paper and pen from the woman and fills out the application as well as he can. He passes the paper back to Alyssa, ¡°My parents told me to ask to speak to the manager when I turned my application in, is that possible?¡± Marco asks. ¡°Giovanni isn¡¯t in right now; he went home for the day already.¡± Alyssa explains, ¡°Giovanni is the owner, manager, and baker so there isn¡¯t really anyone for you to meet unfortunately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, is there a time frame for when I should hear back?¡± Marco asks while gazing slack jawed at the vast array of pastries and goodies behind the glass. ¡°Not generally, but we are in need of help really bad right now so it should be within the week.¡± Alyssa says, a small smile on her face watching Marco drool over the baked goods. ¡°Would you like something from the case? My treat.¡± ¡°Oh! Are you sure?¡± Marco says, at Alyssa¡¯s nod he asks for a traditional cannoli and bids the nice woman goodbye and leaves the bakery. ¡°She was so nice, it would probably nice to work with her.¡± Marco thinks to himself, ¡°I just need something for myself, a way to grow and learn about new things.¡± Marco makes his way home, having eaten the cannoli on the way home and made sure he didn¡¯t have any powdered sugar anywhere on his person. He pushes open the door and his mother immediately starts squealing at him. ¡°Where have you been?¡± The sharp tone and high pitch making Marco want to hide and clutch his ears. ¡°I just took the long way home Ma. I wanted to get some sun and fresh air.¡± Marco says in a small and slightly scared voice. His mother wasn¡¯t ever physically violent but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the words that poured from her at times. ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me boy! I know how long the walks to and from school take. You went somewhere else and you will tell me or so help me God, you will regret it forever Marco.¡± his mother Amelia yells at him. She stands up from her usual seat in the recliner and stalks toward Marco, pinning him between her and the wall with her presence alone. ¡°I just took my time, it is a lovely day outside Ma, I promise.¡± Marco says, shrinking back against the wooden front door. Amelia stares at her son, forcing him to make eye contact with her, a trick that he is long used to having to deal with. He stares into her eyes thinking about anything but his trip to the bakery, his boring school work, the test he had to take tomorrow, and the clubs he never plans on joining. She finally breaks eye contact and huffs out a breath before returning to her plush recliner. Marco scuttles upstairs away from his mother and her overbearing ways. Logging on to his computer, an old piece of equipment that ran slower than his Great Grandmother Sue. Ripping an official document from the school¡¯s website, he covers up all of the body texture with a solid textbox and makes a convincing looking club permission form. A form that would be required if he wished to join a club, something that he is willing to fake if it means he can work in that bakery. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Flashback Ends Marco wakes up with a start, having not thought of that day for many years, he rubs the sleep from his eyes and stretches. Rolling out of bed with a groan, he takes a quick shower and gets dressed in what he has been told is ¡®adventuring gear¡¯. An all-black outfit of tight-fitting clothes; long sleeves that cling to his skin and heavy denim-like material makes up the pants, cinched around the waist with a well-made leather belt. A small loop on the side of the belt is where weapons would hang if he was permitted to carry them, only Adventurers allowed to carry weapons in city limits. He grabs a small flatbread from the dining room table, filled with a warm mixture of scrambled eggs, vegetables sauteed with chilies, and cheese. A small waterskin was waiting by his normal seat, filled to the brim with black coffee, he smiles to himself moving toward the front door and makes a note to thank the pair of sisters. He exits the house, moving through vaguely familiar streets into the center of town where the towering spire of the Adventurer¡¯s Guildhall. A large amount of people mingle in front of the guildhall, every one of them dressed similarly to him, black clothes clinging to strong bodies. The occasional flash of metal is received to be small bits of jewelry; a ring here, and bracelet there, a few necklaces grace necks rarely. ¡°Why would people be wearing jewelry into a potential combat situation?¡± Marco having long been used to not wearing jewelry after years in various kitchens. ¡°Maybe its enchanted.¡± Marco thinks to himself, not knowing if Enchantments and Inscriptions are the same. He very carefully weaves through the crowd, having read enough wuxia novels to know a young master when he sees one. Not wanting to bump into someone and risk offending them, he avoids touching people as much as he can. Marco reaches the grand doors of the guildhall and enters the towering building, being greeted by even more noise. Crowds of people are gathered in line or in front of boards, seemingly empty of information. He walks to the nearest line, waiting patiently while gazing in order at building around him, ceiling somewhere around forty feet above him. Golden wood woven together with stone and decorated with ivy, similar to the outside decoration. Empty boards cover the rightmost walls, the top of each board having a small symbol of the rank that the board is designed for. A small orb of copper, a cube of tin, or thin sheet of bronze adorn the first three job boards. ¡°So, those boards must be sorted for the different ranks of Adventurers.¡± Marco slowly advances through the line, making to the desks that line the other wall of the guildhall within twenty minutes or so. ¡°Hello welcome to the Adventurer¡¯s Guildhall, what can I help you with today?¡± A short human girl who is sitting behind the desk asks in a peppy tone. ¡°I came to ask about my upcoming entry test. I don¡¯t need to know the specifics but just the broad strokes.¡± Marco asks, smiling nicely at the young girl. ¡°Ah, another newbie. Of course! You will need to report to your proctor at your assigned time and then the test has a couple of parts.¡± The young girl takes a breath and continues, ¡°In board stroke, the first part of the test is knowledge of Mana techniques, the second is the practical test of those techniques, followed by the combat test.¡± ¡°Thank you miss, my name is Marco and I appreciate the information.¡± he says, turning around and weaving his way out of the building. ¡°Not a problem, my name is Cassidy and I wish you the best of luck with your entry test.¡± Cassidy says and giving Marco a small wave as he departs. The guildhall suddenly quiets after a loud bang echoes from the far side of the room, Marco whips around ramping up his buffs in an instinctual flaring of Mana. His [Salt Skin] begins to form around him, chunky white crystals forming a suit of armor around his torso. The commotion quickly becomes revealed as a young elven man standing over a young human girl, outer forearms smoking slightly as flakes of some earthen material fall from his body. Another slightly older human, maybe nineteen to the girls seventeen stands with a palm outstretched, a small heat haze still pouring from around his hand. ¡°Why are you attacking people in the Guildhall?¡± yells the boy with the [Earth] Affinity. ¡°This little Healer declined our party''s invitation!¡± The [Fire] boy responds in an whining voice. ¡°So, they do have young masters here. I knew I wasn¡¯t being paranoid.¡± Marco grins to himself and lets his [Salt Skin] fall apart, becoming grains before disappearing into Mana all together. ¡°That isn¡¯t even close to enough of a reason to start flinging spell.¡± [Earth] boy yells once again. ¡°Do you know who my fath-¡± With a resounding thwack, almost every forehead in the Guildhall meets the floor. A pressure having billowed out of nothing and forcing nearly everybody prostrate in an instant. Marco manages to keep himself on his knees instead of face down, joining a small number of others. All of the other people that manage to kneel are much other than Marco, several decades to many time his age for the members of the other races. A small gnomish woman floats from a higher floor, a visible swirl of wind spirals around her body, holding her small body aloft without creating gusting swirls of [Air] around the room. A small high-pitched voice sounds from the space behind Marco¡¯s right ear, ¡°Very impressive for a man of not even thirty summers to resist our Mana Pressure.¡± The voice says, Marco assuming it is the gnome floating in the center of the room. ¡°Now, why have we caused a ruckus in my Guildhall?¡± She points to the teenager with the [Earth] Affinity first. ¡°Shen of House Lockheart, explain quickly your involvement in this altercation.¡± ¡°Yes Guildmistress. I was looking for a job that would allow me to test some newly gained skills and this man launched what appears to be a [Fireball] at the girl behind me. I managed to summon a partial version of [Earthen Armor] quickly enough to disperse the spell.¡± Shen says, bowing deeply to the flying woman. ¡°I see. Firebrand, I know your family and their reputation. Explain the situation I see before me.¡± The Guildmistress says with a steely tone. ¡°I invited the young girl over there to be our party¡¯s Healer, she declined saying that she was already in another party. We obviously have the better party so I tried again to convince her to join us as we needed a Healer.¡± The [Fire] mage says, ¡°She once again declined and told me to leave her alone in a very rude tone. I took offense and launched a low powered [Fireball] mostly to scare her into agreeing to being in our party.¡± The Guildmistress looks at the [Fire] Mage with the look most reserve for trash stuck to the bottom of their shoe. ¡°Elijah of Family Firebrand, that has to be the single dumbest thing I have heard in the last decade.¡± She says with a disgusted tone, ¡°By my power as Guildmistress of Woodholme, I EXPEL you from this Guild.¡± At the word ¡®expel¡¯ a ripple of power washes out from the gnome, affecting only Elijah and flinging him from where he was standing to the now opened doors of the Guildhall. Chapter 15: Guildmistress Samirah Following the forceful ejection of the Firebrand boy, the Guildmistress floats down to the floor, the pressure evaporates and the young human girl is helped to her feet by Shen. ¡°An amazing use of power, the fabric of the clothes around me not even rippling.¡± Marco thinks to himself as he pushes himself back to his feet, helping others to their feet as well. He makes eye contact with some of the others that managed to stay on their knees, nodding in acknowledgement of their shared feat. ¡°Please come to the second floor of the Guildhall.¡± A voice once again sounds close to his right ear. ¡°Past the job boards, just follow the right wall until you reach the back wall.¡± Marco follows the directions, walking around people and headed toward the stairs set into the back wall. He goes up the stairs and finds himself in front of the Guildmistress. He hurriedly bows to the diminutive woman and only stops when she gestures for him to do so. ¡°So, you are Oren¡¯s newest pupil, eh? I am Samirah Lon, Guildmistress of Woodholme.¡± Samirah introduces herself. ¡°Yes, Oren has trained me a little. You know him?¡± Marco asks, ¡°We got way back; I¡¯ve known that scary prick for years.¡± Samirah says, hovering a few feet off the ground, putting her height at near equal to Marco¡¯s six feet. Marco laughs at her comment about Oren, having had a similar nickname for the old elf himself. ¡°I saw that you resisted the Mana pressure that i used to lockdown the common room earlier. Most impressive.¡± ¡°Thank you, I have been practicing that technique on my own time as well.¡± Marco says but worries that he made a mistake when he sees Samirah freeze for a moment. ¡°And tell me, how did you come up with the idea for that young man.¡± A more serious attitude taking over her body in an instant. ¡°Meet a certain extradimensional tree?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. Woodholme pulled me in to its little grove between worlds on one of my first days here.¡± Marco says. ¡°That old tree loves meeting Travelers. I won¡¯t ask if it gave you any extra goodies but know that I am curious.¡± Samirah says, beginning to glide down the hallway, gesturing for Marco to follow her. Stolen novel; please report. They walk a minute or so down the corridor before turning right into a well-appointed office, dark wood furniture along with plush chairs and pictures on the wall dance with Mana and magic, swirling in patterns and flashing gently with color. ¡°Please sit, I wanted to speak to you about your goals regarding the Guild.¡± Samirah says, kicking her feet up on the desk. Marco sits, crossing his legs, marveling at how comfortable the chairs in this world are. ¡°I haven¡¯t been on Omnia for very long, so my goals are far from concrete.¡± Marco begins, ¡°I am enjoying magic, even for magics sake alone. Creating something from nothing is something that brings me great joy. I would say my short-term goals are to learn more about Omnia, Woodholme, and Magic.¡± ¡°Good goals at least in the short term. It is a good sign that those goals did not include combat, I know you have had some controlled combat experience, with Oren and Coron. Real combat with foes whose only goal is to kill you is very different than a spar.¡± ¡°Yes, I know at least in theory,¡± Marco says. ¡°Long term goals would include learning more about the local cuisine, maybe opening a restaurant of my own, and learning the most I can about my magic.¡± Samirah nods, ¡°Worthy goals, I enjoy eating and would love a chance to try Traveler food.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think its my place to invite you to House Ivory but I occasionally cook with Ethil and Doris, helping with breakfast or dinner usually.¡± Marco says, ¡°But if you¡¯re friends with Oren, I am sure you could snag an invitation somehow.¡± ¡°The Ivorys are wonderful and I¡¯m sure I could show up on the front door proclaiming that I am hungry and they would whisk me inside and stuff me full of delicious food.¡± Samirah chuckles, ¡°On to the meat of the matter. I want you for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Travelers always have a large influence on local battlefields and with Oren training you I¡¯m sure you will be a force to be reckoned with.¡± ¡°I always planned to swear the Oath, Guildmistress. I don¡¯t see myself just settling in one town when I have a brand-new world to explore.¡± Marco says, ¡°I want to make Woodholme a safer place, swear the Oath in a few days after passing my test and then join House Ivory on the wall for their shift.¡± ¡°You have a noble spirit Marco, not many would find themselves in a new world and be able to take it in stride so well.¡± Samirah smiles Marco, ¡°Now, I have kept you long enough. It is nearing midafternoon and I wouldn¡¯t want you to be late for your training with Oren.¡± She uses finger quotes around the world training, making Marco shiver in remembrance of the last session of training. ¡°I will take my leave then Guildmistress. Thank you for taking your time to speak with me.¡± Marco stands and turns to walk out of the office. ¡°Goodbye Marco, I¡¯m sure I will see you soon. Hopefully at dinner.¡± Samirah says, watching him walk out of the office, right as he is taking the final step through the doorway she calls. ¡°Marco, that armor spell you developed is very well formed. Excellent job, rarely have I seen such a well-crafted spell.¡± Chapter 16: Session Two Marco hustles through the streets of Woodholme, trying to ensure that he isn¡¯t late for the training session with Oren. From the main street on to the narrow side streets before finally arriving in front of the gate to House Ivory. Marco quickly navigates the large manor and exits through the back into the warm sun, he makes his way over to the grass ring walled with hedges. ¡°You made it on time. Good, I was worried Samirah would cause you to be late.¡± Oren says, stepping out of one of the shadows, one that was definitely too small to over the entire elf¡¯s body. ¡°Now, I know that your version of Circulation is constantly working at various degrees. I want to see how high and how low you can bring the level of Circulation please.¡± Marco nods and starts to follow Oren¡¯s instructions when he suddenly has to flare his physical buffs to dodge a kick at his sternum. As he moves backward, now dodging a combination of punches and kicks, he flares his Mana Circulation as high as he can and holds it. Mana surges through his body, pouring out of his channels and seeping into his muscles, bones, and ligaments. The infusion of strength isn¡¯t directed like the Mana Strengthening but feels to Marco like he is more solid, almost more real. He blocks the next kick with a forearm, not a great idea he quickly discovers and he bones bruise and muscles and skin bleed, forming a nasty purple bruise instantly. He shakes out his right forearm hoping that the increased Mana flow will speed his recovery. Moving inside of Oren¡¯s space to avoid the next sweeping kick, he brings his Circulation as low as he can possibly take it, the Mana fighting him the entire time. Sputtering and shaking in his channels as he spreads out the remaining Mana in his body, trying to make it as diffuse as possible. Marco kicks hard off the ground, pushing himself backward to avoid the next attack from Oren, stumbling slightly at the feeling of weakness that the lack of Mana brings. ¡°Very good, I can just barely detect your Mana at all. Now that we have discovered the baselines of your Circulation technique, we can move to improving them.¡± Oren says, stopping the fight and standing in his lecturing pose, arms clasped behind his back. ¡°It is also good that you have not slacked on your marital training in the day between our sessions.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Marco says, panting lightly and returning his Circulation level to normal, Mana rushing back through his channels and washing some of the fatigue away. ¡°I know that trying to the find the lowest your Circulation will reach seems unproductive but know that many monsters rely on their Mana senses to hunt.¡± Oren says, beginning his pace back and forth. ¡°Now flare your Mana once again and ramp up your buffs at the same time, the reflex and perception enhancements might allow you to reach a new height.¡± Marco does as he is told, flaring his Mana hard and pushing all that excess Mana into the buffs and enhancement he learned during the last training session. He does manage to reach a new height in Mana production, the extra Mana in the reflex and perception buff making time stretch enough that he manages to catch Oren striking toward his back. [Salt Skin] snaps into place as the fist connects with his shoulder, breaking the armor into small fragments in that area but leaving Marco unharmed. He smiles, rolling forward to dodge the follow up strike. The new power of his buffs makes the fight look similar to a quick slide show, strike and dodge, reposition and strike. New crystals form on his shoulder, slightly sharper this time. ¡°Hmm. That is new.¡± Marco thinks to himself. He gets caught between Oren and the hedge, unable to move out of the way of the next strike, covering his center mass with crossed forearms. The blow feels like his bones are bending, [Salt Skin] returning to magic, having been so damaged by the punch. Marco summons his old shield spell, allowing it to hide his movements for a second. [Salt Bolt] forms, hidden by the opaque shield so when Oren breaks through the shield he is greeted with a [Salt] projectile firing into his outstretched hand. A brief of nothingness vanishes his projectile into the abyss. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Having expected his attack to be deflected at least, Marco takes the moment of distraction to shoulder past Oren and quickly make some space. ¡°Very well done, I haven¡¯t had to use that spell against a new trainee before.¡± Oren says, returning to his lecturing posture. ¡°Now, I have a feeling the next conversation isn¡¯t one that will be enjoyable.¡± ¡°I am not one to beat around the bush. Please just tell me.¡± Marco says, slightly nervous about what Oren is going to say. ¡°Very well. I see tremendous talent in you as a Warrior, I have a feeling that you wish to follow a Mage¡¯s path however.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you, you are correct. All of this magic makes me want to follow that path to the end.¡± Marco says, worried that Oren will say he isn¡¯t good enough to be a Mage. ¡°Stop with the self-deprecation, I can see it on your face.¡± Oren snaps. ¡°You have plenty of talent for either position in a fight, it is just rare that someone has so much talent for the Warrior path right out of the gate.¡± ¡°Sorry. I want to know the differences between the two fighting styles, beyond the obvious. Warriors still use magic, correct?¡± ¡°Yes of course, you cannot kill a monster, let alone most undead without magic.¡± Oren declares. ¡°Warriors devote a majority of their Mana generation to an armor spell, usually of a physical element but occasionally an energy element manages it.¡± ¡°A physical element is like [Salt] or [Earth], right?¡± Marco asks. Oren nods, ¡°Yes an element summons a physical substance are better for Warrior roles. Other than the armor spell, Warriors use shields or weapon manifestations most commonly.¡± The elf explains, ¡°Their magic focuses on melee range, keeping the attention of the enemy. Not all Warriors are tanks, with the correct spells Warriors can dish out good damage. I myself am a [Dark] Warrior.¡± Marco, having felt the strength of Oren¡¯s blows personally, understands a little better. ¡°So a damage based Warrior would be like a spellsword? A Warrior who casts their damage spells in melee range and buffs themselves and their weapon damage?¡± ¡°An excellent description. Spellsword, I will be using that with other trainees. Yes, while a traditional Mage is a back line fighter, often neglecting their Mana strengthening and pouring a chunk of Mana into reflex enhancement.¡± Oren explains, ¡°Large area spells and high single target damage are the realm of a Mage. Often mixing high damage with light crowd control depending on the party composition.¡± Marco digests the new information, still wanting to go into a Mage role but seeing the benefits of Warrior. ¡°Is [Salt] an unsuitable element for Mage?¡± ¡°No, of course not. [Salt] Mages are much rarer; you would be making your own path if you chose Mage. That is not a bad thing, often the most powerful combatants have forged their own path.¡± Oren says. ¡°Often those with [Salt] Affinities that don¡¯t desire the Warrior path fall into a Ritual Mage role, a noncombat role.¡± ¡°I want to be a combatant.¡± The conviction of his own voice surprises Marco. The thought of sitting and letting others fight for him and letting his friends go into danger alone making him uncomfortable. A smile plasters itself on Oren¡¯s face. ¡°Then I will make you into a monster to your enemies and a hero to your friends.¡± Several hours later, Marco is gasping for breath and staring up at the darkening sky, a gorgeous orange glow from the west keeping the darkness at bay. Oren pushed Marco to his limit with spars and Mana exercises; springing at him with a punch the moment he was low on Mana or tired from an exercise. Oren seems to fade into the darkness surrounding their grass circle. ¡°Good job today, Marco. You are growing stronger at a staggering rate. Same time tomorrow.¡± Oren walks into a shadow and is nowhere to be found. Marco slowly pushes himself to his feet, smoothing his clothes and groaning at his sore battered muscles. He slowly makes his way to his room to shower off the sweat and grass stains, hoping that he can help the sisters with dinner tonight. The hot water washes the stress of the day away; meeting the Guildmistress, the fight between Firebrand and Lockheart, and the hellish training session with Oren. Standing under the hot rain of the showerhead, he lets the water run through his trimmed brown hair down his lightly tanned skin and down his muscled abs before draining away. The steam comforting to his battered body, he stretches before shutting the water off and toweling himself dry. He throws on some clothes, a comfortable set of gray slacks and black shirt, nearly the same cut as a t-shirt from home. Slipping on his Berkenstocks he heads for the kitchen hoping there is still tasks he can help with. Chapter 17: Dinner Marco enters the kitchen, seeing Ethil and Doris busy with the preparation of the main meal which appears to be eggplant parmesan. They slice eggplants the long way, making long planks of vegetable that they salt heavily before putting them to the side. A simple but flavorful red sauce is bubbling on one of the burners and it looks like a pile of salad fixing are ready to be prepped on a different table. Marco washes up and grabs a knife, beginning with carrots, peeling them and cutting them into very thin disks before cutting those disks into thin strips. Having finished the carrots in a timely manner; cucumbers are next long cuts on a bias result in an oval shape that will stand out nicely against the mixed greens. Red onions are cut julienne and added to the bowl, tomatoes are cored, chopped and salted before being placed to the side. A block of parmesan is peeled into thin flakes for garnish, Marco moves on to the dressing he finds honey in one of the cupboards along with a weaker vinegar, something close to apple cider vinegar. Mixing the honey to vinegar in a three to one ratio, he also adds minced garlic and onion before a dollop of whole grain mustard finishes the simple vinaigrette. He turns to the sisters, ¡°Ethil is there anything I can do?¡± He starts to clean up after himself. ¡°Yes! Marco, can you make the garlic bread that you spoke of the other day?¡± Ethil says. ¡°Of course I can, those eggplants are looking delightful Doris.¡± He says toward the sister frying breaded planks of eggplant. He grabs a loaf of long crusty bread from the cupboard, cutting it in half down the middle, ending up with two thinner pieces of the same length. Butter is warmed and garlic is minced, Marco fries the garlic in the butter and then dips the cut edge of bread into the garlic butter. Sprinkling the buttered bread with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan cheese he places them on a cooking sheet and bakes them until crispy and golden brown. He pulls the buttered bread and then cuts each half loaf into eight pieces. The smell wafting off of the garlic bread is making Marco droll, paired with the smells of frying eggplant and bubbling tomato sauce. ¡°We are all set with you Marco, wash up and mingle. We will be out shortly with all the food!¡± The sisters say together, swirls of [Air] picking plates and platters up. Marco washes his hands, makes sure he doesn¡¯t have any grease stains from the butter and walks out into the dining room full of people. Coron is in his usual seat and waves Marco over, he goes to chat with his friend. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°How has your day been?¡± Marco askes as he approaches his chair. ¡°Great, for the first time in a while, my day was great. Trained with some of the younger members of the House.¡± Coron says with a smile. ¡°How about you Marco?¡± ¡°Awesome! It started with a fight at the Guildhall and ended with me getting beaten by Oren.¡± Marco says. Coron flinches, having had some training from Oren himself. ¡°There was a fight at the Guildhall?¡± ¡°Yeah, some guy named Elijah Firebrand got offended that someone didn¡¯t want to adventurer with him and cast a spell at her. Shen Lockheart blocked it thankfully.¡± Marco says, pausing as the sisters enter the dining room. Floating trays clack gently land on tables and connect to the warming Inscriptions, the sisters intone their greeting and people begin their various means of grabbing food. Marco participates this time; small globs of salt vaguely resemble a humanoid shape grab spoons and carry his plate from platter to plate, filling it with fried eggplant, salad, and garlic bread. The stumpy little creatures make their grand voyage back to Marco and dissolve into magic. ¡°That is crazy, I assume someone high level got involved afterwards? Everyone knows that you don¡¯t fight in the Guildhall.¡± Coron says, small tornados picking up small amounts of food and placing it placing it on his plate. ¡°Yeah, the Guildmistress herself flattened the room with mana Pressure and then had me come upstairs for a chat. It was a strange day.¡± Marco laughs lightly before he focuses on the beautiful food in front of him. The crispy shell of golden breadcrumbs filled with salted Japanese eggplant and topped with rich acidic tomato sauce and melted cheese. Marco nearly moans in pleasure at the tastes and textures mixing on his palate, he wipes his mouth and sips the drink of the night, a sweet cider with a small amount of bubbles that pairs excellently with the rich fried food. Marco eats his food quickly, very hungry all of a sudden after the hard day of training. He eats his plate wipes up the sauce with his garlic bread and has to hold himself back from licking the plate clean. He finally looks up as he finishes eating, accidentally making eye contact with Alexandria, every time he has tried to make conversation with her lately, she seems scared, flinching at his gaze and words. She quickly looks away from Marco, looking down at her food like it the most interesting thing in the room. Marco shrugs to himself, ¡°Strange but not even the weirdest thing that has happened today. Maybe she is just shy or something.¡± He forms more stubby little [Salt] golems, they latch on to his plate and utensil and carry them to the growing stack on the far side of the time. He decides to head to bed, already having showered and the stress and physical toll of the day catching up with him quickly. Marco washes his face, brushes his teeth, and swaps his clothes to the more comfortable pajamas that he has taken to wearing. He climbs in to bed, snuggling over the covers and making himself as comfortable as he can with his aching and sore muscles, sighing as he thinks about all he has accomplished in his few days on Omnia. He quickly falls asleep, completing his fifth day on Omnia.