The woods north of the ruins of Eldareth were much kinder than the Darkwood. Gently rolling hills met them, with tall pines and spruce, as they headed north under the guidance of Eldrin and his Pathfinder’s Pace. The Umber Range remained to their left, and any streams they came across were shallow. Justin had no issue keeping his feet dry with his new Ilvari boots.
All in all, things were looking up.
Shadowflight returned with news around midmorning. Eldrin related the bird’s message.
“Gareth and the rest have figured out the ruse. They are heading northeast, toward Darkstream Crossing. They should make it in a day. From there, they’ll probably travel northeast on the Plainsway. After that, only the gods know.”
“How long will it take them to get to Windfall?” Lila asked.
“Five days from now at the earliest,” Eldrin answered. “Thankfully, they don’t know that’s where we’re headed. On the Plainsway, they’ll have no opportunity to turn west until they come to the Northway. We should be two days ahead of them by the time we arrive.”
“Enough time for a well-earned rest and resupply,” Justin said.
“And maybe some shopping,” Lila said.
“I’ll allow one night at most, to be on the safe side,” Eldrin said. “Unfortunately, we can’t go east on the Northway without risking running into them.”
“So, we need to head off the trail again,” Lila said. “Well, we’re used to that by now.”
Eldrin nodded. “There are back roads we can take north of Windfall, but that would take us into the foothills of the Seraphim Range. It’ll be cold, of course, and there will be some nasty creatures up there.”
“Nasty creatures,” Kargan said. “Glad I’ll be gone by then.”
“Might put our coin to work and fill out some missing gear,” Eldrin continued. “Windfall is a grand city, famed for its markets. I suspect we can’t find much better except in Belmora or Eribar.”
“Eribar?” Justin asked.
“The capital of Daeloria,” Lila answered. Then, to Kargan, she said, “Careful what you say. I was hired on as a guard, and I still haven’t found a way for me to gracefully extricate myself from this situation.”
Kargan grunted. “Well, I’ll admit. That Vault was quite profitable. But I’m going to need to earn a lot more to make this worth it.”
“So,” Justin said, trying to get the conversation back on track, “I guess the plan is to cut east using these back roads before coming back down to the Northway?”
“That’s the idea,” Eldrin said. “We’ll have to go at least two solid weeks before risking the Northway. It’s hard to say what Gareth’s next move will be. Either he spreads his men out to find us, or he simply heads toward Mont Elea, setting up somewhere on the Gulfway to intercept us. The latter would be simpler but require more patience on his part.”
“It would make more sense to head straight there, then,” Kargan said. “Avoid Windfall and keep our lead.”
“Yes, that’s an option. But that would bring us quite close to him, since he’s already farther east. I’d rather not run the risk. His skills are far beyond any of us can deal with.”
“Why not head to Draegor’s Keep?” Lila asked. “It’s a port, and we have the money to hire someone to ferry us down to Mont Elea. That would keep us off the Gulfway.”
“Not a bad idea,” Eldrin said, “but we’re risking the foul weather of the Seraphic Sea. The wind blowing down from the mountains can be treacherous as the season turns cold.”
“We can play it by ear, too,” Justin said. “No need to decide right now.”
He remembered Lila saying she was going to stop at Draegor’s Keep. From there, it would just be him and Eldrin. But that was still a while away, so he wasn’t too worried.
What he was worried about was what happened after Mont Elea. It was still weeks away, months even. Once he got the Death Mark removed, then what? Would the Baron really leave him alone then?
Somehow, he doubted it.
Justin tried not to think about things too much, but it was impossible for questions not to form in his mind. They ate a light lunch, since they were getting low on food, before continuing north.
Around early afternoon, Eldrin motioned them down at the top of a hill. At first, Justin thought there was something wrong, until at the bottom of the incline, he spied a large wild boar rooting around in the underbrush. The creature was sizable.
Eldrin took his time, his movements deliberate and quiet as he nocked an arrow. It wasn’t an easy shot, but Justin was confident he would get it, especially when Shadowflight fluttered down in a nearby tree. The Ranger would certainly use his new skill, Falcon’s Mark, to ensure a perfect hit.
With a steady hand and keen eye, Eldrin released the arrow, striking the boar cleanly behind the shoulder, piercing its heart. The animal fell swiftly, ensuring it didn’t suffer too much.
“Nice shot,” Lila said, impressed.
“We’ll set up camp near our kill,” Eldrin said. “It’ll take the better part of the day to prepare the meat.”
It took them fifteen minutes to actually reach the fallen boar and another two hours to butcher and prepare the meat. First, Eldrin used his knife to bleed the boar, ensuring the meat would not spoil quickly. Next, he carefully skinned the animal, removing the hide in one piece to sell in town later. He then gutted the boar, removing the entrails and setting aside the liver and heart for cooking. Once the boar was fully dressed, they cut the meat into manageable pieces, separating the loins, ribs, and haunches.
The task was laborious, but the reward was worth it; they were down to some stale bread and perhaps one meal of oatmeal, so the meat would be welcome sustenance, providing enough to feed their party for a week if not more, with extra to smoke and preserve for later.
They set up a makeshift fire pit using stones they found nearby and gathered dry wood and kindling from the forest floor. Eldrin had a steady flame going within minutes.
They crafted a spit from sturdy branches, skewering the larger pieces of meat and positioning them over the fire. As the meat cooked, they turned the spit slowly, ensuring even roasting. The sizzle of the pork and the aroma of roasting meat were tantalizing. For the smaller cuts, they fashioned a grill from green branches, placing it over the fire and laying the ribs and loins on top. The meat cooked to a golden brown, the fat dripping into the flames and creating bursts of savory smoke.
Eldrin seasoned the liver and heart with salt and herbs from his pack, then wrapped them in large leaves and placed them directly in the embers to cook. The liver and heart would be ready first, providing a quick, nutritious meal while the rest of the meat roasted to perfection.
By twilight, Kargan had cast his Ward of Aegis and everyone had a full belly. They wrapped the remaining meat, about twenty-five pounds worth per person, in cloth and secured it with rope, using Eldrin’s salt to preserve it. The weather was also quite cool, which would ensure the meat stayed fresh.
As Kargan and Lila settled down to sleep, Justin and Eldrin stayed awake. It was his first real reprieve in a while. The Ranger was smoking a pipe thoughtfully, staring into the flames. Justin would have slept, but too many questions were bouncing around his mind. Questions for which only Eldrin had the answer.
“Eldrin, can we talk a bit? Away from the camp.”
The Ranger looked up. “Sure thing, lad.”
They stepped away from the fire, a suitable distance away but still in sight.
“What’s on your mind?” Eldrin asked.
Justin gathered his thoughts. “I have questions. I know I wasn’t supposed to be listening at the door at the inn, but the point is, I did, and I heard some things. Things I’d like an answer to.”
Eldrin nodded. “You’re wanting to know what the Baron saw in you, no doubt.”
Justin nodded. “Yes. It seems extreme to go through all this trouble over a low-level Socialite. Why did he set the Death Mark on me in the first place? Did Alistair tell you anything?”
“He told me what he cared to tell me,” Eldrin said. “I’ve deduced a fair bit on my own. We were going to tell you when the time was right.”
“The time is right now, Eldrin. I deserve to know.”
The Ranger let out a smoke ring, watching it dissipate into the frigid night. “I expect you do.”
Justin waited patiently. He knew Eldrin wasn’t hesitating. He was just trying to figure out the best way to deliver the information.
“As for why he placed that Death Mark on you, Alistair and I agreed that he probably didn’t know what he had,” Eldrin said carefully. “He saw you were isolated and alone, and no one would go looking for you. Plus, you have something of a rare class. That can be useful to a man like Valdrik. You told me he was a Socialite himself before taking on the Lexicant class.”
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Justin frowned in thought. “He assumed I was nobility. I made up some name.”
“He’s probably heard of every major and minor house in Aranthia,” Eldrin said. “If he didn’t recognize yours, he saw through the fabrication. He simply saw an opportunity and jumped on it.”
“Why didn’t he just keep me in his mansion, then?”
“That’s simple enough. You were turning in a job for the post office. The office would see the parcel was accepted, but the courier never came for payment, and that wouldn’t be updated in the Universal Ledger. That’d be suspicious.”
“Makes sense,” Justin said. “You said he didn’t know what I had. But I had nothing. I was Level 1 at the time with just a few silvers in my pocket.”
“You had something,” Eldrin said darkly. “From the moment you left his mansion, he was keeping a close watch on you. One of his men was certainly there that night at the Moonlit Alehouse, listening to every word we said. My greatest failure was not noticing it; I was too deep into my drinks. No doubt, that spy was learning everything he could, and when the Mark was mature, he was probably going to be your murderer.”
Justin’s eyes widened. Of course, that made sense. It was simply chilling to think about.
“The Baron was forced to move faster when Alistair got involved,” Eldrin continued.
“That’s another thing,” Justin said. “When Gareth saw Alistair in the inn, it seemed he knew him. You know anything about that?”
“They trained together at Mont Elea, two decades past,” Eldrin said. “They were friends, once. Gareth, as you can tell, took a different path. I can’t speak to the reasons.”
“Huh,” Justin said. “That sounds like a story.”
“Aye, it does. But you were asking about what you had. Well, you said it yourself at the Alehouse, loud enough for half the tables to hear.”
“The Prismatic Core,” Justin said in realization.
The Ranger nodded. “That’s right. They’re rare—beyond rare. You don’t know what a person will do to get their hands on one. You see, unlike other class cores, which disappear when someone dies, Prismatic Cores simply become unbound, available for anyone to use again. At some point, after changing hands a few times, they run out of power and disappear. Even so, if people figure out you have one, you’re going to be hunted down if you the wrong types find out.”
Justin felt the blood drain from his face. “I was an idiot.”
“Maybe,” Eldrin said. “You were also a little drunk, and you didn’t know better. Then Alistair got involved. That’s why the Baron made his move despite the risk to himself. Of course, if he kills you, you’ll be enthralled by him. But my thinking is he’d rather destroy you entirely to get access to your Prismatic Core.”
Justin suppressed a shudder. “How much is a Prismatic Core worth? From what little I understand, it gives you a Core Attribute and a class. How does it work, exactly?”
“Well, I’ll answer the easy one first. There’s no way to quantify how much a Prismatic Core is worth. For one, most people don’t think they even exist. Such a thing is beyond price. It might be worth more than the entire Queendom of Aranthia to some.”
“Surely it can’t be that valuable?”
“It can be,” Eldrin said. “It gives anyone an extra Core Attribute and class. Try to think of the implications of that, lad.”
Justin thought about it. He didn’t think he was stupid, but he was coming up short.
“I can only think of what it did for me. I had no Core Attribute or class to begin with. The Prismatic Core gave me both.”
“Yours is a special case. I assume you’ll get a second Core Attribute upon reaching Level 20, same as others. Or you might get nothing at all. You’re not from here, so I can’t say. What I can say is, every human on Eyrth is born with One of the Six.”
“I have to admit, I’m still lost. I don’t understand why the Baron would want my Prismatic Core. After all, he already has his advanced class, a Lexicant.” Justin thought it over a bit. “Unless my Prismatic Core would give him another Core Attribute and class on top of what he already has.”
From Eldrin’s grim expression, Justin realized he’d hit the mark. “That’s what we’re trying to prevent. Normally, such a thing isn’t possible. You get two Core Attributes, one at birth and one at Level 20. That’s it. A Prismatic Core bypasses all that. It would allow Valdrik to take on a third Core Attribute and unlock a class even more powerful than the one he already possesses. An Ascendant Class.”
“Ascendant Class? What’s that?”
“The most powerful possible tier of classes,” Eldrin said. “Only possible with a Prismatic Core and an Advanced Class. As for what they can do, I can’t rightly say. That stuff isn’t general knowledge and is the purview of Scholars, and I would imagine even their information is spotty. Four Prismatic Cores are said to pop up a year, and most go undiscovered. They only appear in Eyrth’s most dangerous Vaults on either a solstice or an equinox. Only several people in all of history have actually been documented to have an Ascendant Class. One of them was the Shadow Emperor of the Shadow Empire, Belshar the Nightbringer. His Ascendant Class combined the Core of a Wizard, a Diplomat, and a Prismatic Core to create something called the Eternal Sovereign class.”
“Eternal Sovereign. Sounds powerful. And…evil.”
“Powerful enough for him to rule his empire for centuries, never gaining, until he was finally overthrown and destroyed.”
“What happened to his Prismatic Core?” Justin asked.
Eldrin shrugged. “It’s changed hands multiple times, from what I’ve read about it, until its power was spent. But none of his successors could match what he did. As far as I know, there's no living being with an Ascendant Class, and if they do, they’re keeping quiet about it. High-level people will try to hunt for Prismatic Cores at the appointed times every year. Almost all of them will come away empty-handed or die trying.”
“But I found mine right in the middle of a field in the Wildwood Forest, right after coming to Eyrth,” Justin said, marveling. “That’s definitely not a high level Vault…”
“It’s beyond belief, lad,” Eldrin said. “Alistair said the gods had their hands in this, and now I believe it. I don’t think you’d be fibbing about this. Not with Baron Valdrik after you.”
Justin sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I won’t be safe for the rest of my life, will I?”
“Well, your secret is safe with me and Lila. I have a keen eye for character, and she’s a good one.” He paused thoughtfully. “If I were you, though, I wouldn’t tell anyone else. I doubt Valdrik is telling anyone, either. He’ll want the prize for himself.”
“There’s the one who overheard the conversation in the tavern.”
Eldrin gave an ironic smile. “That man is dead. I guarantee it.”
Justin swallowed. The cold logic made sense. “Do you think Gareth knows?”
“I can’t say. My guess would be no, but anything’s possible.”
“So, that leaves the Baron and possibly Gareth,” Justin said. “But there’s no way we can bring either of them down. I’m just a Level 6 Socialite right now.”
“Well, we’ll get there when we get there,” Eldrin said. “The goal right now is getting to Mont Elea and getting the High Priest of Arion to remove the Death Mark. From there…well, we’ll just have to see. Maybe the Paladins can be convinced to go after Valdrik to avenge Alistair. Still, they’re going to want to know what’s so special about you. By the time we make it, we’re going to need to have a story that can cut it. It’s safe to say, never mention you have that core to anyone. I guarantee you’ll regret it.”
“What would happen if I found another class core?” Justin said. “Would it let me take an Advanced Class before Level 20?”
“It’s possible,” Eldrin admitted. “But I’m not an expert. Legends and stories around Prismatic Cores say those who hold them carry the blessing of the Creator himself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Eldrin shrugged. “I can’t say if it’s true, of course. What I can say is we’ve run across three Vaults and I don’t think that’s just a coincidence. Some might say it’s the Creator’s luck.”
“That’s not luck!” Justin protested. “We almost died every single time.”
“Think of it this way. Normally, the only person who’d even have access to a Prismatic Core would be someone who wants access to advanced Vaults and treasures. The Prismatic Core would be a way of getting that. It’s also said to influence the rarity and power of items you receive from Vaults, and even in the presentation of rare skills at level ups.”
Justin thought it over. Yes, it would make sense. They had run across three Vaults, and even Alistair had mentioned that wasn’t common. Then there had been the enchantment on his Cane of Valoria that had given him an ultra-rare one-time boost to his base Charisma. Gribble the Snow Goblin had mentioned the extreme rarity of that enchantment, to the point where he had sent some goons after him. Even Alistair mentioned that the Cane of Valoria, a Silver-Level weapon, had the properties of a Gold.
None on its own was definitive proof in isolation, but altogether, it painted a picture.
For the moment at least, Justin was more worried about Baron Valdrik. He was already incredibly powerful. It wasn’t just his class, but the power and soldiers at his command. What was his game, anyway?
“What does Valdrik want?” Justin asked. “Alistair mentioned he was a Necromancer. That’s not a class, is it?”
“It’s not,” Eldrin confirmed. “It’s a Focus. You get one at Level 10.”
“Ah. Lila already explained that to me.”
“From what you told me, Valdrik started as a Socialite, then became a Lexicant later. The Necromancy Focus would not have been available to him as a Level 10 Socialite. But upon adopting the Advanced Class of Lexicant, he likely reset his Focus and took on Necromancy, which he would have been able to do.”
“I see,” Justin said.
“As for what Valdrik wants, I only know what Alistair has said. Of course, he isn’t just the Baron of Silverton. He has bigger plans, but right now, we don’t know what those plans are. Alistair came to Silverton to find out where the bodies were going, and it all pointed back to the Baron. The Baron getting his hands on your Prismatic Core is just about the worst thing that could happen. The last thing we want is to face a tyrant with that kind of power.”
“So that’s what he wants? Power?”
“What else could it be? The more thralls he has, the more experience he gets. That was how the Shadow Emperor got his start back in the day, and it’s why all power mad fools are drawn to Necromancy. The trouble with budding Necromancers is getting caught too early. That’s what we have the Templars of Arion for, and they are quite effective at rooting out Death Magic practitioners. But if you don’t catch the Necromancer in time, it can get bad, really fast.”
“How bad?”
“Well, the strongest Necromancer of all time started the Shadow Empire. Turns out, it’s easy to conquer all your neighbors and create an empire spanning two continents when you have access to an Ascendant Class and can easily recycle dead soldiers, even if they don’t fight as effectively as the living. Not to say Valdrik will be like that, but with Alistair dead, me, you, and Lila who can deliver the news to people who matter. That’s why I’m risking my neck for no guaranteed payout.”
At last, Justin felt as if he understood Eldrin’s motivations better. He was a good man, but helping Justin was also in his best interest. It seemed he truly believed every word he’d spoken.
That terrified Justin, but there was nothing else he could do. He was stuck in this world with no way out. So there was nothing left but to see it through.
“Thanks for everything,” Justin managed. “It’s…a lot.”
“Aye, that it is. But for all the doom and gloom, remember that not everything is about levels, skills, and classes. There are the choices you make. You become those choices. Every day, we face decisions, and those decisions shape us. Always do the right thing so long as it’s in your power. Attribute boosts aren’t everything; your own strengths do matter, and Attributes only work as a modifier to what’s already within. If you work hard, you can punch above your weight.”
“You say do the right thing. But what if there is no right answer?”
“That’s a possibility. In cases like that, all you have to do is one thing.”
Justin waited.
“Don’t pick the wrong answer.”
Justin nodded, the weight of their situation settling heavily on his shoulders. “Thanks for telling me, Eldrin. I needed to know.”
The Ranger clapped him on the shoulder. “We’re in this together, lad. Now, let’s get some rest. Tomorrow’s another long day.”
As they returned to the fire, Justin’s mind buzzed with the new information. The road ahead was dangerous, but at least now he better understood the stakes. And he understood why Alistair and Eldrin had hidden it for so long. It was a lot to absorb.
He felt motivated, as he never had before. It was a reason to get stronger. Maybe he was a Socialite, but tomorrow was a new dawn and a new level up.
Level 7 might not be much, and Socialite might be a maligned class. But all the same, Justin resolved to become as strong as possible.
As he settled down on his bedroll, the fire at his back, he reached for the Amulet of Equilibrium. Assuming he could keep boosting his Charisma and get the Baron’s Death Mark removed, the Amulet would do a lot of work on its own, boosting his other Attributes far beyond what they had a right to be.
So far, it had only been about survival. And it was going to continue being about that for a long time.
But one day, with luck, he’d be strong enough to fight back.
And he looked forward to seeing Baron Valdrik’s face when that happened.