“Cedric, why is your master fast asleep in my bed?” Luke arched back to check the signage, “Yep, room 103. Any explanations?”
The staff-spear spoke softly while resting against a nightstand, “Lady Annika, I believe, stated that ‘cheaters should sleep on the couch,’ Master Luke.
Xera defended Luke, “Master was a gentleman with Lilly and played fair. There was no cheating involved.”
“That’s not what she means, Xera. Annika has taken a very one-sided view of our working relationship.” He tapped a foot against the hardwood, “No point in dragging this out.”
Luke rolled up his sleeves, “What room does Annika normally stay in, Cedric?”
Annika slept like a log, not twitching a muscle during their entrance and conversation. Either she was the perfect actor or a heavy sleeper.
“Lady Annika’s normal place of rest is in her research station or the less used dormitory room number 112.”
“Not too far down the hall, would you care if I brought her out? Actually, why am I asking? It’s my room. A man shouldn’t have to ask permission to sleep in his own damn bed.”
“If I may, a word of advice, Master Luke?”
“You may, Cedric.”
“For your personal safety, it would be best not to touch Lady Annika or me. Lady Xera has yet to unlock the function, but anyone who touched an evolved enough two-form species experiences immediate recoil if not permitted by the owner.”
“Yikes, touching you is not in the cards. Well, what about Annika?” Luke stepped closer to the bed, getting ready to toss this touchy intruder outside to the hall and be done with it.
She could pick up her much more polite weapon after he slept for the day. He’d be puzzled about how she got in, but the wide open window was the apparent tell. Not that the result would be any different if he closed it except for glass shards on the oakwood floor.
“Lady Annika would assuredly use the act as leverage against you, Master Luke. Unfair as it may be, your best course of action would be to find another place to lay your head for the night. If you are unwilling to take the other side of the bed.”
Flustered, Luke’s voice spiked for a second, “It’s my bed, damn it. Never mind, Cedric, how long have you been with Annika?”
“Without revealing Lady Annika’s age, to which she is afraid you shall learn, I’ve been with her for many years. Why do you inquire, Master Luke?”
Luke set Xera down next to Cedric and put Whispering Edge up in the Inventory, weapons would be useless here. He said, “Because if you’ve been around her this long, could you explain to me why she acts this way? She’s a beautiful woman, but her personality is unsettling.”
Cedric became quiet for some time. Feeling he had overstepped, Luke covered, “Sorry, digging into people’s past is probably a low blow. Forget I said anything.”
“Master Luke, how would you describe yourself?”
“A plain, taciturn man who wants his dad back.”
The spear-staff chortled, “You are much more than that, but you are also isolated greed. As you may have noticed, none of those affiliated to be a Defier are normal. Lady Annika has suffered much to reach her current power, which has warped her. On her behalf, let me apologize to you.”
Luke laid his back against a wall across from Cedric, “I can understand it, but it’s hard to sympathize without specifics. But then again, who likes talking about the unpleasant past? Iona seems normal to me.”
“Yeah, the elf-lady is sweet and well, except for that one time, otherwise friendly to everyone. Nothing is odd about her. I wonder how far she can throw me.” Xera agreed.
“Do you perhaps not know Lady Iona’s tower team, Master Luke?”
“I do not.”
“She has required anyone on it to be a companion class. No exceptions, not even the other Defiers. You, of course, would meet her requirements. It is to my belief she will be friendlier to you and those around you. Her typical demeanor is very transactional to those who are not companion classes, Defiers, or children.”
Iona did act dismissive about lower-class ‘hunters’ in general. Maybe I’ve never seen that side of her due to Sooty? Would make sense.
Speaking of Sooty, the bird had perched on the nightstand next to Cedric. She eyed him curiously but never touched him. Luke noticed her eyes closing slowly, revealing his fatigue to him.
“That’s not a bad thing, is it? Much like a businesswoman in a sense, or a certain type of one.”
“Perhaps I’ve been too lenient with my words. She is distrustful of all but a select group, one you happen to be a part of now, in not one but two categories. She especially hates young men.”
“I would imagine that has something to do with the suitors she mentions from time to time. You do realize I’m a young man, Cedric, don’t you? Iona has shown me a lot of goodwill. Except for during the meadow.”
Cedric rolled on his free will, coming closer to Annika, “To her, you are seen as another Defier with a companion. And someone far more ‘suitable’ compared to those who chase after her skirt. It is your blessing that one of her more ardent admirers has yet to take an issue with you.”
Luke could already see where this was going and did not like it.
“Another possible headache? One of the guys might get the wrong idea since I’ve spent a good chunk of time with her lately?”
“That is the case, Master Luke.”
“I’ll handle it when it comes, if it does. But we started this on about Annika, and not Iona. Can you give me a hint on why she acts that way?”
“I can best relay it as her belief on how to best fight the gods with research and knowledge. She deeply desires it, and anyone who has the potential to truly stand against them. Such as you. She…witnessed the consumption of her family as a teenager. Her intellectual lust heightens around the Tides.”
Consumption? This is something she should tell me, not her weapon. I’ll stop this conversation.
Luke stood up, too tired to continue, “I’ve enjoyed the chat, Cedric, but it’s time I go to bed.” The Reaver nonchalantly ripped Annika's blanket off to prepare to take her off the bed, only to reveal that the woman was in undergarments. He immediately put the blanket back on.
He sighed at Cedric, “You’re going to tell her what I saw, aren’t you?”
“I do believe that was Lady Annika’s intention when placing me here, Master Luke.”
The Reaver gathered Xera and snapped to Sooty, who forced aside her grogginess and landed on his head, “I’ll see you in the morning, Cedric, try to put in a good word for me.”
“I shall remain fair to your image, Master Luke.”
As he closed the door behind him, Luke whispered, “Best I can hope for, I can’t win against that lady.”
Luke tiredly flagged down an elf woman servant and asked for another lodging for the night. When asked why, he merely replied that his room was ‘occupied.’ The elf was visibly confused but left to fetch a key to rooms generally reserved for visiting Defiers or people of vast importance.
She opened the door to another dorm, and Luke shuffled inside, not bothering to close the door. He slapped onto the bed and fell asleep while a final thought popped up.
Fighting against women is unfair. They can just waltz in and take your bed, and what can you do about it? Nothing, that’s what. I demand equality.
----------------------------------------
Crashing water colder than ice-soaked Luke’s skin. He was back in the waterfall training, and Musai had Sooty continue to meditate next to him.
He noticed himself adapting better to the pressurized, nonsensically frigid water than before. Luke cataloged his gains yesterday while connecting his hands to a meditative pose.
I’ve gotten two rares, the first from one of the healers in the Purple Emperors, the other must be from those three packs I cleared in the Ruined Realm. There’s also the exceptional two-handed axe the Purple Emperor leader had on him.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Luke also had acquired a small mountain of uncommon items and common items he looted from the same sources. He tidied them up to sell at this point, except for three ‘practice target’ common items. Luke believe he wouldn’t need anymore for that purpose.
Among his fairly acquired compensation for cleaning the filth from Sylen’s streets, enchanting dust and shards piled up in his inventory.
The dust was called Elasary dust, and the shards were scream shards. Both were tier-one materials, while he only looted two scream shards, Luke had over twenty of the Elasary Dust. Truthfully, he saw a mix of other crafting materials, but they were best looked at as delayed gold. Only the enchanting materials mattered unless he wanted to do another crafting request.
To Luke, that only seemed like an inviting idea if it were with rare materials or better, of which he had none. Off to the gallows or vendors they go. In the way of potions and bandages, gracefully ‘donated’ to him by Yelaris’ party, Luke had 20 of them both. He pulled up the tooltip to check in on their details.
[Second Stage Healing Potion]
Heals 10% of health upon consumption, or 500 HP, whichever is greater.
Cooldown: 30 min
Requires baseline of 1500 HP or more to use.
[Double Stitched Dryad Bandages]
Applies a moderate healing over time effect to any bandage area. Can help suppress burns, curses, bleeding, and poison. Effect weakens over time. No more than two may be applied to the same location.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Requires level 25 or above.
Concentrating too much on loot let Luke’s focus slip, and the waterfall felt like it was freezing his blood again. He breathed out white misted breath.
The mind limits the body. Keep my mind intact, and the body follows. I’ll try to sort things out in spurts to maintain the detached mental state as much as possible.
Red-black flowers ebbed with the gentle wind, feeding upon the pond water. Musai had both his swords on his lap, eyes closed while seated. Sooty sat a foot away from the High Defier. She shivered occasionally. Through their connection, Luke could sense her growing and, in another perspective, returning. She would be ready soon. He thought it would be more effective to track down Iona today and see if she could tell him how to train Sooty better and the more optimal route.
After a quick skim of the over a dozen uncommon items, Luke ensured none of them were a proper upgrade. He perused the two rare items next. The first, a ring, the other, a healing mace.
[Patchwork Ring]
Quality: Rare
Stats: +10 Strength
Active - Patchwork: When a bodily area is severely wounded, patches it back together, good as new. May only activate once a day.
Should the item theme means anything, the Abominations must’ve dropped this. I’m not too comfortable with losing the 1% life steal from damage with my other ring. But this ability could turn things around when it counts. I’ll try it out while keeping the other ring with me.
Luke kept it aside at the moment, as Musai made clear no gear was allowed while he underwent this training. The Reaver felt like he was in a gray area when it came to sorting out loot while under the crashing water, but he was used to living in the gray area of life. That was where the fun was.
As if responding to his negligence, the water crashed harder onto Luke, and he needed a minute to adjust. Luke straightened his spine and allowed the water to be split by his body. He’d shiver less but felt bruised by the constant impact.
He overheard Xera and Wayfinder speaking.
“Do you think master will go out to that dungeon again today, compass?”
“The lad doesn’t have much a choice. A blade hangs over his neck, in nine days, that Yuirel will come knockin’ on all the Defier’s doors. The lad is one if you can remember.”
“I know that, but isn’t it too early for him?”
“You heard what the sword master said earlier, they won’t allow something to be sent his way he can’t handle. But the lad owes it to his position to be as ready as possible.”
“What can we do to help him? I’ll listen to that spear’s lectures more attentively if it helps somehow. But all this talk of morals, sense of self, and suppressing the urges makes my wand hurt.”
“Wand-sword lassie, you’re not only an item or weapon but a being of sentience. If you don’t hone that part of you, you’ll always remain half of what you could be for the lad. Not that I’m one to point my needle elsewhere. Sometimes, me grubby mouth draws too much ire.”
The Reaver refocused on himself, and his sense of hearing deafened. Wayfinder appeared to be salting the road for Cedric’s future ‘educational’ sessions. While Luke hadn’t a clue if they’d help or not, it couldn’t hurt to try.
He examined the other rare item, the healer’s mace.
[Helenic Soothing Mace]
Quality: Rare
Stats: 10+ Melee Damage +35 Magic Power to healing and defensive spells
Active: Helenic Response - Injects the user with their needed resource, recovering 20% of their pool for mana or 100% for Essence.
Passive: Helenic Resonance - Your direct one-time heals leave a small healing over time effect. Healing the target for 20% of the direct heal over the span of six seconds. Cannot stack.
Passive: Helenic Barrier - Your direct one-time barrier spells will be strengthened by 20% to the target.
Required: Level 35, Healer Class
If I knew any healers, they’d fight fiercely for this item. I do know Elnora, but the staff she had seemed at least rare quality. If I see her, I’ll ask if she’s interested. It also seems like the sort of thing Lilly would want. But is she going to be level thirty-five anytime soon? Should check my level.
[Your companion, Sooty, has reached level 31. Acquired 3 skill points]
[You have reached level 31. Acquired 6 skill points]
Experience requirements to level began to skyrocket, Yelaris had been telling the truth. With him slaughtering two gangs and that pull from the Spectral Wing earlier gaining only three levels from that was like a punch in the gut.
[You have stolen 495 HP, 45 Strength, 35 Intellect, 30 Agility]
[You have stolen 5 resilience]
[Through training, you have gain 20 HP and three water resistance]
[Through training, your companion, Sooty, has upgraded Iron Feather to rank IV]
Connected to the Interface notices, a question floated into Luke’s mind.
If I detonate frost for damage, does that have any chance of stealing stats? Does it matter if it’s my frost or ambient, or even the amount that comes from Essence Lance or attributed Essence Fissure? Things get more complicated the further I go.
Luke left the last real spoil, the exceptional quality axe, for later. He was afraid the excitement would interfere with the training. Instead, he ran through the plans.
Can’t immediately go to the Ruined Realm due to the twenty-four-hour cooldown, which starts the moment you leave the dungeon, not when you enter it. If Iona’s around, I’ll talk to her about Sooty. Probably should have breakfast first. I’m starving.
Musai seemed intent on having him stay under the waterfall for longer than yesterday. Luke pushed away material worries and tried his best to enter a trance. Time flew by, and a whisper penetrated his ears.
“Green branch, leave the waterfall. You’ve expanded your vessel to its limit today. Dry your body and listen.”
Glad to be away from this dreadful waterfall, Luke hopped up, slipped, and crash landed in the pond. Haste makes waste. Or, in this case, a big splash. Ignoring Xera’s chuckles, Luke stepped into the grassland around the Pagoda.
A rough towel landed on his face, and he used it to dry as Musai spoke to him.
“You’ve come upon close to your thresholds; be aware of them. Once your baselines have all reached the three-hundred and thirty-third number, you will shed the first coil.”
While taking off the white robes for practice, Luke said, “Master Musai, how much longer am I going to do this waterfall training? What’s the point of it, anyway? The stats gain is nice, but—”
Musai rose from his position, putting both swords aside to one of the pagoda pillars, “That will come in time. The more immediate matter is the coming Tide, and you’re shedding the thresholds. Luke, how many techniques do you believe one can hold?”
“Dozens? Hundreds? I take that back; I only know one, and most people seem to know none. Five is my guess.”
Rather than answer, Musai picked up his shorter sword, still within its scabbard. He closed his eyes and put his hand on its hilt. In one refined motion, Musai swept out the sword and returned it to the scabbard.
Luke noticed nothing, but his senses or more so the sixth sense, could feel something. Behind, he heard a loud shudder and, finally, a crack. Luke turned to investigate the source. The mountain and waterfall had split. Luke couldn’t discern how far, as cloud cover interfered. Musai clapped his hands, and the mountain slowly regenerated back to its previous glory.
Trusting not all was done, Luke beheld Musai again. The grand sword master tapped his foot three times, expanded his calve muscle, and teleported an inch away from Luke. Teleport may be the incorrect descriptor, but Luke failed to track the movement. It was the same as teleportation to him, for all intents and purposes.
Finally, Musai stepped back, took out his sword, and liquid flame torched the blade. He sliced once and doused the fire out. A flame arc danced and extinguished the pond and most the waterfall.
“These three are the techniques I’ve acquired sufficient mastery in, young leaf. There are more, but in the most heated combat, only these three and one other will help more than harm.” Musai walked back and forth next to the red-black flowers, “The further your strength develops, the more techniques must be refined to support it. Otherwise, integrating them within the heat of conflict will stiffen the will and threaten your ability, they will become a hindrance.”
Luke got the gist of it after examining and trying to store Musai’s teachings. Techniques were vital, but barely understood techniques would not help once you grow past a certain point. If you knew dozens but mastered none, your strength would only be marginally increased.
A master of one would be on a different plane of existence compared to a jack of all trades, master of none.
“I think I understand. You mean to say I should only worry about the next step with elementalization. Other techniques would get in the way. What about this whole threshold thing?”
Musai nodded slowly, “Thresholds allow a spike, to loosen the coil keeping you back. Have you not noticed that it takes dozens of strength attributes to barely actualize an increase in physical capability?”
“Now that you mention it, it does roughly feel that way. Each point counts, but the difference is marginal.”
“Thresholds will allow your mind or body to adapt to the next stage. They also lower the difficultly of learning any technique that requires an individual stat. My movement technique, for example, is impossible to begin to learn without the first agility threshold being broken.” Musai gently picked up a red-black flower, admiring it, “This contributes to why techniques are abnormal to see at beginner levels such as yours. Only a minority can be learned before the first thresholds break, and fewer still can be honed to expert understanding.”
Only a man like this would call level thirty-one a ‘beginner level.’ Most of this city isn’t above level twenty, and the majority will never go higher than twenty-five for their entire life.
Luke equipped his hunter gear, walked over to Xera, and holstered her as a wand while hanging Wayfinder over his neck. Sooty settled on his shoulder.
“Is elementalization the most common technique?”
“That it is, but also a complex technique to master. Hunters all over the Edgelands struggle endlessly to overcome the barrier you shattered during our test. Remember that if you ever doubt you belong here.”
Encouraged and grateful, Luke slightly bowed to Musai, walking toward the red portal exit, “Thank you for your time, Master Musai. Until the next morning.”
“Compete with yourself, young leaf. Push when others stop, the day you are to be called is rapidly closing in. If you do not become complacent, you will survive.”
That settled the fear of the coming Tide somewhat. Luke adopted the mentality he had nine days. If he used them effectively, miracles could happen.
The Reaver stepped into the Red Portal, his next goal in mind.
To get Iona to help him train Sooty.