“You make it sound like I reached some new threshold more unbelievable than before. How can things get more threatening than they are now?”
Wayfinder shook from his chain, “You’ve only stepped into the pond, lad. There's leviathans in the zones outside the Edgelands. None could shield you if they force themselves into these ‘waters.’"
Luke suffered through the backlash while Sooty flew over, brushing her body up against him. She thanked him for the help.
“That’s what partners are for. Can’t call you my companion if I don’t watch your back.” Luke treated it as something to be expected of him.
Scanning the area, Luke saw the mists receding, the marshes revealed themselves. The effect ended after roughly a half-mile radius. Authoria’s grave land was no longer under attack. The radiant barrier reformed, encircling the golden area.
Nelth’s red and white wind spear lay nearby. Luke rocked his body up and steadily approached. He grasped the spear and put it into the Inventory. He’d go over the item’s quality later, during this event, that was the only piece of loot to drop.
Viewing all the other gains, Luke could only feel inner elation. The quest issued by Authoria hadn’t completed, but the experience started to distribute. Giving him confirmation that the endless monsters had ceased. This quest proved incredibly taxing, but he pulled through after a brush or two with death.
The first Interface notices poured in, and Luke sorted down the stat steal notices, leaving them for last. He brought up the level gain notice.
[You have gained eight levels, reaching level 39. Acquired 16 skill points]
[Your companion, Sooty, has gained eight levels, reaching level 39. Acquired 8 skill points]
[Through repeated use, your companion, Sooty, has upgraded Reaver Beak to Tier 1, Rank 2, and Talon Strike to Tier 1, Rank 2]
Luke attempted to rationalize to himself, That sounds like this was a sort of ‘training’ in the Interface’s eyes. Didn’t Wayfinder mention that repeated use could level up an ability every once in a blue moon? We did rotate for hours against who knows how many monsters.
[Through repeated use, you have upgraded Essence Lance to Tier 1, Rank 2, and Essence Bond to Tier 1, Rank 2]
While happy about it, the notice befuddled Luke; he had used Infusion far more in the past five hours than probably since he ever learned the ability. Yet, it remained stagnant while the other two more rotationally used abilities grew. Grasping on strings, he thought it had something to do with the fact Infusion would upgrade to tier 2 if it went up once more. Perhaps going to the next threshold with training or repeated use alone was infinitely more challenging than with skill points.
The Reaver did a double take when he happened to glance where Nelth had died. A sphere of blood floated up and down in a small range. Luke felt desire come from his heart; greed suppressed rationality. He audibly gulped, and his eyes dilated.
An irresistible allure dragged him in, and Luke’s sense of danger remained silent. He slowly came up to the floating blood ball. The inexplicable phenomena bubbled furiously once Luke came within an arm’s length.
It zipped right into his chest, and a harsh Ba-dump vibrated his body. Sanguine veins spread throughout Luke’s skin, his eyes no exception, thin blood vessels cracked out. His breathing accelerated as he felt his hands spread out against the hallowed ground to support his upper body.
Luke retched out vomit, pure black, and the vibrations around his body intensified. Sooty flew up, squawking around. Xera, misreading the situation, said, “I know blood can be tasty, master, but you need to make sure it’s safe for consumption first. Now you’re making a mess on someone’s grave. Shame on you.”
Wayfinder sighed through his clasp, “Lass, our blockhead didn’t develop a sudden penchant for blood. That reaction is his body purging out anything preventing his heart from imbibing superior blood.”
Xera’s voice tinged with embarrassment, “Oh, um, so it’s only me who likes the taste of monster blood on my blade. Got it. Sorry for the misunderstanding, master. I’m a little slow sometimes, but even if you become a blood-eating maniac, I’ll always be your sword wand!”
Busy expelling from his mouth, Luke passed on giving a response. Bits of blood mixed in with the bile, his nose bled, and he sweat heavily, escalating the reactionary respiration.
Luke’s leg item started to suck in ambient essence for him, cooling the heating body. As a sick joke, Luke lost control over elementalization and developed a fever. Spikes of pain began to torture his internal organs like a hot poker sinking into exposed skin.
Heaving for dozens of minutes, if not longer, the symptoms gradually recessed, and Luke’s heart calmed down. Sooty came down to pat him with her wing, with a sort of there, there, it’s all better now connotation in her actions. Luke formed a thin layer of ice around his body and armor and shed it, stripping away most of the unfortunate fluids from the violent reaction.
Just as he was about to scold himself for doing something incredibly stupid, Luke heard his heart beat powerfully. A sense of accomplishment settled over him naturally. Put off the inexplicable feeling. He said, “I’ll take a look at the Interface, the log could have recorded what happened.”
A line in the log explained the general direction of what Luke had done to himself, specifically, his heart.
[Congratulations, you have Imbibed the blood of a sealed Tier 2, Level 75 Boss Creature. Your heart has strengthened and taken a step toward the next evolution]
The Reaver waved his hand and pulled up the [Heart] tab within the Interface. He gleaned out the changes within the Spectral Heart. The description remained exactly the same, except for one area.
Spectral Adaptation: The exalted heart adapts the body, imbibed by the blood of the most ascended foe the Reaver has slain. Permanently increases the Reaver’s limit of stat steal—current expanded limit 7%.
Imbibed blood of a tier 2 level 75 boss creature. Modifier increases based on tier of imbibed blood.
What’s the meaning of this? The Interface said the boss was tier 1, level 40 when we fought. While it felt about as strong as that assassin, I’d have no way to know for sure. Why is it saying the blood is for tier 2 and level 75 to top it off?
The blood within almost felt too powerful for Luke’s body, the lifeblood chafed against his veins. To strike home a solemn point, this was after he’d strengthened up from breaking three thresholds. Did that mean if the Spectral Heart imbibed blood that was too powerful for him to handle, it’d kill him rather than nourish the heart?
As Luke tended to do when faced with the unknown, he sought guidance from someone hanging around his neck.
“Wayfinder, do you happen to know much about exalted hearts?”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Wayfinder’s gears audibly groaned, “One wielder of mine before you found me was a Heartened. I can’t give you too specific guidance, outside of a property or two, the hearts interact differently per class.”
Sitting up, Luke brought Wayfinder to his face. “The log says that creature was a Tier 2, level 75 boss, and its blood is nearly at my maximum capacity to handle. But that can’t be right, when I inspected him, it said Tier 1, level 40.”
The compass theorized, “That glow ball ghost implied anything that invades will wither and erode. But blood can only be suppressed, like weeds in a cobblestone road. It pops up again, no matter your trimming. The ‘root’ remains. You,” Wayfinder pointed his needle at Luke, “absorbed the root of that wind ghost’s blood. Without your new ghost lady friend, that knight would’ve made a short meal of you.”
“Blood can only be suppressed. What if you steal it, does that get rid of the root?”
“Let me ask me friend Odin the — ah, you inquisitive rascal, going off to steal the type of blood that you’d want to absorb will put you in right hot water. Take it as the time comes.”
Xera butted in, “Whenever you need help taking blood, let me know, I can join in on the fun. I can lead you to see the light, master.”
“We’re going off-topic, let’s get this quest fulfilled and leave with a recall scroll. I’m finished for the day, no more fighting. I’ll recall any other questions later if it matters enough.”
Dusting himself off, Luke stepped further into the sanctified area. Authoria was a brilliant glimmering spectacle, appearing to glow in radiance rather than the dim gold of before. Luke’s eyes squinted slightly to adjust to the ambient light she let off naturally.
Authoria smiled at him, her arms splayed out, and a leg kicked out like she was trying to balance.
Lightened up by her levity, Luke said, “I held up my end. Why’s the quest not fulfilled? Is there something else you need?”
The ghost stood straight, lifted the hems of her dress slightly, and bowed. Afterward, she put a finger to one cheek and looked up to the Red Moon before slowly nodding.
A screen in opulent gold announced itself into Luke’s Vision.
[Authoria has given you a hidden chain quest. She entreats you to crusade against the mists for her so that she may begin an eternal rest in peace]
Luke made an ‘X’ with both hands, “No. Give me the agreed upon reward, and enjoy your peace for however many years I bought you.”
Baffled by the refusal, Authoria stamped her feet and pointed in betrayal. When Luke stared back emotionlessly, the ghost changed tactics. She fell to her knees, clasping both hands together while begging. The Reaver remained unswayed but a little flabbergasted at how easily Authoria could form crocodile tears.
To drive it home, the Interface log spammed Luke with the same two messages, scrolling down his vision like binary code he’d see from a computer on Earth.
[Authoria has insisted on the request. The reward has been adjusted to the maximum allowed by the World Law of Exchange]
[Authoria begs you]
[Authoria has insisted on the request—]
[Authoria begs you]
[Authoria has insisted—]
[Authoria begs—]
Pitching the ridge of his nose, Luke shook his head. Authoria lost all poise and refinement, rolling around while continuing to clasp her hands. Waves of radiant gold pulsed out the ghost.
“...”
“Stop trying to get me to do something I want no part in. It’s beneath you, former lady of Sylen. Seeing her predecessor doing this, I wonder how the current City Lord would react.”
This was only false bait Luke had created based on conjecture and the grave stone’s hints, but when Authoria froze up. Luke realized he struck gold.
Authoria slowly rose from her embarrassing position. She floated over and sat on her gravestone. Tapping her fingers through something invisible to Luke, another communication screen plastered itself into Luke’s mind.
[Authoria has entreated you to return and listen to her plea once you reach level 50 before reaching the second tier. The reward offered will be the maximum within her power to grant. Should you accept, the rewards from the previous quest shall be distributed, and one reward shall be upgraded upon your choosing. Y/N?]
Luke thought things through. She wised up. I’m in a terrible state to negotiate with her further and too exhausted to have a sob story work on me. Level fifty is going to be quite the journey, and it doesn’t say I have to do it the second I reach level 50. She added an incentive at the end. Authoria drives a hard bargain. I’ll give her that.
Impressed by Authoria’s willingness to step back temporarily, Luke decided to give her hope. In return for an additional reward, he only had to agree to come again and listen, not accept the hidden chain quest. Reasoning he had nothing to lose and everything to gain, Luke accepted the proposal.
Luke fetched a recall scroll from the Inventory, ready to leave this graveyard. Authoria rushed up and hugged him. The cheeky ghost snuck in an ethereal kiss on his neck before vanishing. Luke tried to track her down, but Authoria left to a place he could not peer.
Luke felt a substance left on his neck and attempted to rub it off. He had no luck, and whatever Authoria implanted stayed there stubbornly. Luke insisted on gathering an understanding of what new mark appeared.
The Interface intruded, occupying his immediate attention.
[The Untouched Grave Hidden Quest has been completed. Rewards have been issued]
Another message barged its way up, written in red.
[Detected one party member’s parameters for experience above the allowable limit. Wayfinder has been granted one level instead of three. All other rewards have remained unaffected]
Wayfinder sure does get the short end of the stick often, doesn’t he?
[You and your companion have received three levels, reaching level 40]
[Including leveling and rewards, you have received 21 skill points. Your companion, Sooty, has acquired 12 skill points]
[You and your companion have acquired five additional mental resistance points]
Luke rubbed his eyes. He anticipated multiple levels from the event, but the experience gained by killing a near-endless wave of monsters and a hidden boss was above his expectations.
“Thirty-nine? I was level 31 less than ten hours ago.”
“Aye, but you killed more monsters in those hours than most of those hunters do in half a year. Shame those scourges didn’t drop a thing, not even a rusty copper.”
Luke stretchered as he answered, “Nelth dropped a spear, and whatever that blood ball was.”
“Me needle senses are tellin’ me the second one wouldn’t appear unless the one to kill them was a Heartened. For your everyday bloke, he’d get a spear and be done with it.”
“Do you think you could learn to do wind like that too, master? If you had that speed, we’d be an unstoppable slaughterhouse! Imagine all the fun we’d have then.”
“Only my insane sword would think it’s fun to fight to the death. I’m happy to have you on my team, Xera, but I’m not as enthusiastic to fight constantly.” Luke’s eyes trailed up to one corner, “As for having the wind element, that test from a little while ago said I had no affinity. Your thoughts of being an ice wind sword wand will have to stop here.”
Sooty began to settle down on Xera’s hilt, using her beak to play.
“I like other things, like…bright places, and outside of stinky chests, and meeting nice people who don’t get afraid when talking to me. I’m not scary, am I?”
“Lass, we artifacts will always face this. Our race is hard for the other sentients to accept. Most are surprised, you won’t find many who would feel fear instead of greed toward us.”
“Why is that? I’m a normal everyday Sword-Wand.”
“Sword wands ain’t normal—”
“You take that back, compass! Sword wands are perfectly fine and normal as can be. I thought we were supposed to play nice and not insult each other anymore. Wasn’t that the thing we had a family feud over in the kidnapper’s tomb?”
Wayfinder’s needle spun in a circle multiple times before replying, letting off steam, “Swore to the lad I’d not argue over the little things with you. Fine, lass, Sword-wands are normal; talking ones are not.”
“That just means I’m special, a special normal Sword-Wand.”
Luke interjected, “Alright Xera, I see your point. The world should be more accepting of Sword-Wands.” Patting Xera on her sheath, he added, “They are quite useful. But Wayfinder’s meant to say people will try to steal an artifact for power or sell it for an ungodly amount of gold.”
“I’m not for sale, only you are allowed to use me, master. I have my standards.” Xera scoffed at the idea.
“Few sentient artifacts are willingly up for auction. No better way to humiliate one of our kind or make us feel betrayed if our previous owner put us up. The lad may let you speak freely, but that’s only because he believes he can handle anyone coming to take you.” Wayfinder educated.
“What about you? I think the elf-lady said something about it, but I couldn’t understand.”
Luke walked the edge of the radiant lands, keeping the recall scroll in a free hand, “People think you’re a Spell Sword artifact, Xera. The only people interested in stealing you are other Spell Swords and anyone who believes they could sell you to a rich enough buyer. Wayfinder—everyone not affiliated with me would want to own him.”
The Reaver clutched the scroll, unfurling it, and purple energy began to consume him and the party. Readying their transport back to the dungeon’s entrance, he slipped on the mask as an afterthought.
“But since you and him are Soul Bound to me, unless I willfully give you up, they have to kill me to take him or you. I can fight a greedy Spell Sword. I can’t fight the whole world.”
Two final words echoed around the mists as Rune vanished from the hallowed grounds.
“Not yet.”