After leaving the chamber and seeking servants out, Luke stood in front of one of the two red portals in the Defier’s main hall with Sooty on his shoulder. According to a polite elf lady servant, High Defier Musai entered here.
Holding the dossier Musai gave him earlier, he placed it back in his pocket. He stepped in, and the faint chatter behind him faded as changing space morphed around him.
As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Sooty picking at a red-black flower growing near a pond. Birdsong traveled in the air. Sword scars desecrated an otherwise picturesque scene.
Clouds covered the peak of a jagged mountain. Out of the cloud cover, a waterfall with clear blue water and fish swimming up its stream crashed into the pond Sooty entertained herself by. Despite the shallow volume, the body of water never overfilled before the water was a structure representing a red-white two-story pagoda with a green roof.
Add in a bit of jade, and you’ve got the whole thing. Neat.
High Defier Musai sat in meditation near the edge of the structure, wearing blue robes and woven sandals. Both his swords were stabbed into the grassland before him. Behind Musai were three additional portals, one blue, another green, and the last, red.
Luke surmised the red portal to be the exit, as when he peaked behind himself, all he saw was a dark gray mist wall. The air brushed his face, wet with the dew from the grass. The Reaver slapped the doubt out of himself. The measure, however, felt like a feather attempted to tickle him. He’d put in too little power again.
“I’ve practically got an entirely new body after the ritual. Give me my fine-tuned control back. I feel foreign, even to myself. How strange.” Luke observed his hand; the scars and calluses from his time in the military or recent experiences had vanished after the ritual.
Sooty started to pick apart the flower, overly interested in the plant. She hopped around it, observing the flora.
“Sooty, that’s not ours, you know? What if Musai considers it important?”
The corvid shook her head and looked up in thought. After she scraped the grass with her talons, she stopped. Next, she zoomed over to High Defier Musai and rattled at him loudly. Sooty turned her head back to Luke and began to tap her nails.
Musai abruptly opened his eyes, “Your companion lacks patience. She’s a suitable foil for you, Defier Luke.”
Luke scratched the back of his head, and half laughed, “Sooty’s always done things her way. You don’t mind, do you? She only means well.”
Not answering, the grandmaster swordsman rose to his feet. He let down the top half of the robe, tying the sleeves against his waist. The elderly Defier had a chiseled body, wiry muscle stacked over his arms, and his chest betrayed not an ounce of body fat.
He retrieved two wooden swords from his Inventory and threw them both into the ground; they sunk handle deep into the soil.
“You’ll need those for later. Now, Defier Luke, have you reviewed the dossier?”
“I have not, High Defier Musai.”
Grasping his groomed, short beard, Musai said, “Unable to settle with calling me Old Blade? Very well, Defier Luke. Come, sit with me. I’ll complete my ruminations with my two swords, and you may review the dossier.”
Luke strode up, feeling the wet grass push against his boots. There was no clear-cut way to the pagoda except for a rough footpath. The Reaver accepted the crunch underneath his feet as he stopped in front of the structure. Stamping his boots against the brownstone placed in the pagoda’s forefront, he went up the three steps.
Plopping against red wooden pillars at the front right corner, Luke retrieved the dossier. He read the title silently, trying not to disturb Musai. On the other hand, Sooty pecked the aged swordsman’s knee, then jumped back before doing it again. Luke thought to stop her but let it go.
Blinking, Luke scanned the dossier.
Title: Selected Professions for Defier Luke
Based on eye-witness accounts from several hunters who came into contact with Defier Luke, the intelligence branch of the Defier’s guild has come to believe Defier Luke and the guild shall benefit most from the following four professions:
1. Interface Node Linker - Connects the Interface to suitable materials or structures, such as the platforms one finds before the mission board. This often leads to a better understanding of the Interface’s desires, preferences, and goals, assisting in maximizing the possible benefits from the structure that defines Ludus.
2. Herbalist - Gathers useful herbs across various terrains. Combat classes significantly benefit from reduced competition in gathering plants in dungeons, towers, or highly monsterized zones, therefore gaining materials for higher-quality products or potions. Due to Defier Luke’s mention of being offered this class, it is believed he has an innate aptitude for it.
3. Runic Enchanter - The enchanter type for those who use essence. Would enable the ability to enhance the original enchantments on gear, or create your own, often in high demand. Requires learning the runic language, will help practitioners in usage of essence. Becoming more efficient and effective with the resource.
4. Poison Alchemists- The alchemist responsible for poison production. Especially effective for those who are assassins, or physical ranged. Based on accounts of Defier Luke’s experiences, he would benefit from the poison resistance professional poison alchemists build up.
Luke read further; the dossier included information sources, listed his experiences, and an uncomfortable amount of detail about his feats since he left the Night Moon Forest. To the point, they knew about him nearly killing the bath boy who wanted to steal Xera. Due to Gelden, the druid who insisted on calling Luke a lord, they learned Luke possessed an Exalted Heart, although not the particular kind. The dossier appeared to be compiled by several dozen individuals, as all still believed him to be a spell sword.
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He thought to himself, I’ll pass on the poison alchemist. While poison resistance over time would certainly hedge against assassinations or poison users, it’s not enough of a benefit to me. Also, let me check something….
“Xera.”
“Yeah, what’s up?” Xera said.
“Would you mind if I put corrosive poison on you? Thinking of picking Poison Alchemists as my profession.”
“Only if you have to, that stuff feels terrible, constantly stings. It’s like someone is spitting in your face all the time, and you can’t wipe it off. Yuck.”
Wayfinder spoke up, “Poison rarely fits your style lad. Not that it’d be useless, but I bet me needle and casing, there’s a better path for you.
Yep. That brings it down to three. Can’t say I’m not partial to picking Herbalist. Feels like a great second chance and yet…
Luke, frankly, would be lying if he said he was a fan of the Interface or runes. The Interface had gotten under his skin more than once, and he treated it as a necessary evil. As for runes, he began to develop a distaste for them due to his experience with them around the Frost Gorge.
But, even if I would like to be a herbalist, is that the best choice? He tapped his finger on his chin.
Getting up to walk around in circles, he sunk further into contemplation. His eyes settled on Runic Enchanter several times despite his internal friction against the idea.
I hate to admit it, but I’m only here breathing due to the resource technique, elementalization. If Runic Enchanter would help me with essence control, would that not be the most beneficial thing for me? Rather than cover a weakness, why not further a strength?
Luke stopped moving; he observed the two moons out in the sky. The sight caught him off guard, considering it was daylight outside, yet there was no presence of the sun. The typical bright silver and gold moon hung there.
Preferences aside, I already know which I’ll benefit most from. Elementalization is why I passed the test to be a Defier. Using the mental habit to talk about himself in third person to create the distance needed for logical thinking, Luke gathered one last thought. Move forward, Luke, stop doubting yourself. Say it already. You know the answer.
He came before Musai and crouched down, his hands on his knees, pointing down, “I’ll choose to become a Runic Enchanter. What’s the process?”
High Defier Musai opened his eyes; Sooty hid behind Luke, thinking she’d gone too far in annoying the grandmaster swordsman. Suppressing a grin, Musai brought out a dark grey and light blue book from his spatial bag, “We prepared four of these, one for each profession. What I’m about to hand you is a profession book. It’ll teach you the fundamentals over the course of a day. By the time you wake up again tomorrow, the process will be completed.” Musai lightly threw the book at Luke, who grabbed it, “They’re costly to produce, taking the experiences a master of the profession writes down themselves and is recognized by the Interface. A limited amount are made each year, but in return, you’ll shortcut through the typical way of learning a profession, which often requires weeks or months of dedication.”
Luke inspected the tome; a rainbow-bordered screen zoomed into his sight.
[Master Liothri’s Thesis of Runic Enchanting]
Quality: Unique
Effect: Imprints the fundamental understanding of runic language and application of runes to the user. Requires a whole day to implement and one resting period to impart the full breadth of knowledge. Must have available profession slot open to enable use. May not consume if recipient already has acquired a profession.
Etched to the bottom of the book, written in the regular language, Luke read: To the young whippersnapper who uses this, know the magnanimity, genius, illustrious ability, dedication, and greatness of Master Liothori!
Rolling his eyes, Luke mustered his will to the Interface; another line sprang up.
[Consume skill book to become a Runic Enchanter? Y/N] (Warning: This decision is irreversible)
The Reaver had already discarded his doubt about this. He pressed yes casually. The skill book lit up, it opened, and the pages continually turned. Once the last page settled, the runes around the book leather lit up, and the book clamped onto Luke’s face.
Once Luke touched the leather-bound tome, trying to take it off, it turned into dust. Two runes floated and then attached themselves to his eyes. They seared onto him and burned with intensity. He closed his eyes in pain; he covered them with both palms.
Out of useless pride, Luke stayed standing, refusing to roll around from the pulsing pain reaching toward his brain. Luke grunted from it all and placed his attention elsewhere, attempting a distraction. It didn’t work. The pain from the imprint grew sharp, like glass stabbed into his brain. Breathing heavily, Luke repeatedly gripped his hands and bit his lip.
Sooty cooed in worry. The bird began taking water from the pond in the area to her spatial feather, filling it up considerably. Luke retained enough focus to tell her through Reaver’s Link that water wouldn’t help.
“It’ll pass, young leaf. Once the process is done, the Interface shall assign you the profession menu. In it, you’ll see the two abilities assigned to you. Ask a servant for an enchanters forge when you’re ready to test yourself in the realm of crafting and control.”
Smashing his fist into a red wooden pillar, Luke gripped it harshly. The material was deceptive in quality, as Luke constricted with all his strength, yet the pillar withstood the excessive force. Heaving for a while, the pain recessed. That, or his pain receptors partially fried.
A persistent sting remained within the Reaver. Luke accepted he’d be ‘enjoying’ this pain until the process ended tomorrow.
Huffing, he said, “W-what next?” Sweat perspired down his forehead; Luke managed to flutter open his eyes with effort.
Musai slowly shook his head, “You’ll return here tomorrow. The knowledge imprint has put you in no condition for training. Rest near the pond for half an hour. Then you may go, explore as you desire, Defier Luke. Defier Iona, however, will be coming with you.”
Luke felt no need for a babysitter, but perhaps having someone with years in Sylen could be useful; he said, “Understood.” Pain dissuaded him from complex thoughts or sentences.
He laid down on the grass, off the platform, and beside the pond. Sooty touched him with a wing once but stopped once she noticed Luke’s lack of reaction. She settled down next to Luke and displayed her talent for instant naps.
Listening to his chest rising, Luke began to form thoughts again. After a few attempts, he pierced the hazy veil pain kept over him.
Could be a decent time to visit Celen. Or if Iona has any suggestions, I’ll consider it. I can’t forget to sort out my tab with Samara for the room at her Inn. Might explore the Defier’s guild some more too.
He clutched at the grass, Definitely not leaving the city. Not until I’m sure of something.
Paying with ample time, the pain from the profession book calmed down to a dull ache. With most of his faculties returned, Luke got up. Sooty snapped to and landed on his shoulder.
“Ready to go exploring a bit, pal?”
Caw!
“To make it clear, Xera, you can speak while out in the city, don’t go overboard. Overly needless chatter, and I’ll leave you in the room. Clear?”
“Crystal. Gosh, I’m so excited. Do you think I can scare little kids? If I get the chance, I’ll simply have to try.” Xera shook in her sheath.
Luke shrugged, but Xera’s energy infected him positively. He walked by High Defier Musai, waving as he stepped to the red portal; he said, “I’ll go look for Iona. See you soon, High Defier.”
“Off you go, young leaf. Enjoy the day’s reprieve. I’ve molded this realm to help fix your foundation. Tomorrow, the process shall begin; arrive here after the sun rises.”
Keeping back his curiosity, Luke tapped his temple and said, “After the sun rises, got it.”
Luke stepped through the red portal, pain pulsing in the back of his brain all the while.
After Luke had left, Musai opened his eyes and stood up. He took out his right blade stabbed in the ground. He slashed out once, and the waterfall parted. The blade energy carved out a cave in the stone behind the waterfall, leaving a yards-deep hole with a smooth stone surface. An instant later, fresh water surged back to the pond, covering the entrance of the newly formed cave.
“The Legacy of Greed.” Musai looked down at the red-black flowers near the pond’s edge with a forlorn expression before steeling his eyes, “This Duchy’s corruption will not claim another one of my Defiers.”