The magma chamber was larger than Justin had expected. Its molten rivers carved glowing paths of destruction through jagged black cliffs. The air was thick with heat, beating at Justin's face like an oven.
On either side of them, lava hissed and popped. Justin's eyes scanned the treacherous terrain ahead. He was starting to regret his decision to come in here, even given the cold weather outside.
And of course, it wasn't only the harsh environment. Fire elementals flickered along the edges of the molten rivers. The heat around those entities was even more intense, evident from the warping of the air. Worse, poison elementals drifted along the thin, snake-like paths in eerie silence. After their encounter in the Tower of Skaldarn, Justin definitely didn't want to face one again. Earth elementals also blocked various pathways, making it impossible to navigate around.
"This is a mess," Lila said.
"We're better off taking the earth elementals, where possible," Justin said. "My cane should make short work of them. Whatever we do, we need to avoid the fire and poison ones."
"Agreed," Lila said. "What's the plan if we run across either of those?"
"Run, if possible. In the case of the poison elementals, I can switch to Lathalon's Grace. But I'd rather keep my Air Affinity active so I can keep trying Eldrin and the others."
"Makes sense. After you."
"Actually, maybe you should take the lead. If we run into trouble, you can use your Escape Artist skill to fall back. If it comes to a fight, I'll lead."
"Sounds like a plan."
Lila chose a snaking switchback that a lumbering earth elemental guarded. Justin approached, raising his cane and activating its Drake's Breath spell. The cold blast shot forward from the drake's head, perfectly covering the elemental's rocky form with ice and slowing it down.
As Lila tossed her knives, Justin unleashed a flurry of quick strikes. He dodged a body slam with a swift Gentleman's Sidestep. Then he pirouetted and slashed with the bone blade extension, freezing the elemental. After a few more hits and another round of knife throwing, the elemental shuddered and disintegrated, leaving a pile of glowing dust.
"Like clockwork," Lila said.
"Good work. Let's keep it moving. The poison ones move around a lot."
Justin followed as Lila picked their path carefully, weaving through the chamber over the next few hours. Dodging the poison ones was simple as long as they scouted from the heights and didn't enter a narrow path unless they were sure it was clear. They faced earth elementals as long as they stood alone. It became clear that the exit to the magma chamber was high above from the way the paths snaked up there in a veritable maze.
The heat lessened as they ascended, but even so, it was stifling. They shed their parkas during combat to keep from overheating, carrying them by hand. Between battles, Justin activated Elea’s Whisper to reach out to Eldrin and the others, but each attempt was met with the same silence. It gnawed at him, though he tried not to let it show.
They were rounding one of the switchbacks when, not thirty feet ahead of them, a poison elemental drifted in their direction. Justin dove behind a rock just as a blinding light issued forth. Justin watched as Lila's form became a shadow; visible to Justin, but completely indiscernible to the elemental. She joined him behind the rock, becoming visible after ten seconds.
They waited, breathless, as the poison elemental drew closer. It hung for a moment before going down the switchback.
They waited another couple of minutes to make sure they were in the clear.
"Clutch move," Justin said. "It seems that skill makes them forget about you completely."
"Almost to the top," Lila said. "Don't lose focus now."
As they ascended, the air became more tolerable. They reached a broad ledge where the path ended at a large stone archway. Beyond it lay the main cavern.
Justin let out a sigh of relief. “Looks like we’re back.”
Lila leaned against the cool rock, her cheeks flushed from exertion. “I never thought I’d be happy to see this place again.”
The sweat on Justin's skin was already starting to cool him, combined with the frigid air. They once again donned their parkas. The cavern was dimmer than Justin remembered. But he supposed anything would seem dim after the brightness of the magma chamber. Justin was certain it was well past midnight. He was beyond exhausted.
He once again reached out with Elea's Whisper, but detected nothing. “No sign of the others. We need to find shelter for the night.”
Lila nodded, too tired to even respond.
They searched, not daring to go too far from the main path, given the cavern's dangers. Eventually, they found a shallow alcove carved into a rock face. It wasn’t perfect—the entrance was wide, and there was little natural cover—but there was nothing else. Justin ran his hand along the cold stone wall, scanning the ground for signs of recent activity.
“Doesn’t look like anything has been through here,” he said.
"It'll have to do," Lila said.
They ate dinner. Justin willed his cane's light to turn off. They were in near darkness, lit only by some distant ether crystals glowing on a stalagmite.
Lila set her pack down and crouched near the entrance. “I’ll take the first watch if you want.”
Justin shook his head. “No, you rest. I plan to reach out every thirty minutes or so. Maybe they'll come closer."
"Whatever the case, we can't be far from the barrier now. Tomorrow we'll be in a better position with a new level."
"I agree," Justin said. "Moving on up, as they say."
"Wake me if anything changes," she said. "Good night."
She settled into a corner, pulling her parka tightly around her. Justin could hardly see her in the nook she had chosen.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Justin positioned himself near the entrance of the alcove, remaining hidden behind a boulder.
The cavern was quiet. Every faint sound—dripping water, a distant shuffle—seemed amplified in the stillness. The cold seeped through his boots. At least he would get access to Vorthak's Flame again tomorrow morning. Looking at the cooldown timer in his interface, the Affinity had about ten hours left.
His thoughts drifted to the others. He was starting to wonder. What if they had been given the same option to leave the Vault? That would mean he and Lila were on their own to deal with Vorthyrn. If that was the case, they were as good as dead, though he supposed they would give it their best shot.
Every half hour or so, he reached out once again to no effect while trying to fight the onset of sleep. A few hours later, Lila stirred on her own, waking up.
"Level 12," she said. "My Harmonic Amplification boon now boosts an Attribute by +8."
"Damn," Justin said. "That's powerful."
"Descant Defense upgraded, too. Whenever I sing, I'll reduce all incoming damage by 7.5%. And when I start a new song, it now casts Lesser Regeneration on the party instead of Minor Regeneration."
Justin had to assume "Lesser" was a tier of spell above "Minor." He wanted to make a comment about it, but his body betrayed him with a jaw-cracking yawn.
"Get some sleep," Lila said. "Whatever skill you get, make sure it's a good one. We'll need it."
Justin took the place Lila had once occupied and fell into a deep sleep.
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[You have reached Level 13. Life is always a matter of choices, isn't it? But as we make them, each choice also makes us.]
Justin stirred, feeling strangely rested. He had noticed that about leveling up. It was as if he'd had a full night's rest.
[As a Level 13 Gentleman, you have unlocked your next skill. Choose wisely!]
Justin perused his options, his heart missing a beat. He had three to choose from, but that wasn't even the surprising part.
Two of the skills had the Rare signifier, while one had Mythic.
He had the feeling this might be one of the most important decisions he had made thus far.
He perused his options carefully.
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Gentleman's Gauntlet (Rare)
Once a day, you can issue a formal duel, either social or martial. When you do, you will need to stake an item of Silver Tier or higher. Your opponent must match with an item of equal tier. The winner gets both items and a +2 Charisma buff for 24 hours. The loser gets a -2 Charisma malus for 24 hours. If your opponent refuses the duel, they suffer a -2 Charisma malus for 24 hours. You will see a gauntlet icon over eligible opponents. You cannot issue another duel for 24 hours.
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Justin was already familiar with this skill. Lord Harrington had used it on him, after all, though he hadn’t realized that the skill had also boosted his Charisma after winning. It offered tangible gains and clear risks, making it a calculated gambler’s tool.
But Justin wasn’t much of a gambler.
He scanned the next skill, which was also Rare.
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Grace Under Pressure (Rare)
A true gentleman shines brightest when the odds are against him. Gain +1 to all Attributes when faced with an enemy of a higher level for the duration of combat. Gain an extra +1 to all Attributes for every 6 levels of difference. In the case of more than one enemy, this skill considers the opponent with the highest level. When you sustain a critical injury, this bonus doubles. Cooldown: 4 hours.
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Now, this was interesting. Justin's struggle thus far was surviving against enemies that were his superiors. This was a Level 36 Vault, and assuming Vorthyrn was the same level, that was a level difference of 23. That meant the Attribute boost while facing her would be immense: +4 to every Attribute, since it rounded up.
What was more, if he was critically injured—a likely outcome, if not outright death—the bonus would skyrocket to +8 to all Attributes. It was unclear how effective that +8 would be due to a critical injury. But he could not discount +4 against Vorthyrn and against future foes like the Baron.
This was a skill that would always be useful, at least until he hit the level cap. And Justin didn't see that happening at all.
He exhaled, rubbing his temples. It took everything in him not to choose it immediately. It was hard to imagine Grace Under Pressure being topped, even if the next skill was Mythic.
Justin closed his eyes for a moment, collecting himself before reading on.
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Upon My Word as a Gentleman (Mythic)
The word of a gentleman is his bond. Once per day, invoke a magical contract with another party. Both parties must willingly agree to the terms, sealed by a visible act such as a handshake or a word of affirmation. Both are magically compelled to honor the agreement. Violations of the contract will result in immediate execution of consequences set forth in the agreement. Consequences must be possible to enforce under the auspices of the Creator and his Creation, or the deal cannot be made. Deception or coercion by either party nullifies the deal. Cooldown: 24 hours.
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Justin’s eyes lingered on the Mythic signifier. Certainly, this wasn’t a skill to dismiss lightly. Its flexibility was immense, and it promised an advantage far beyond combat. The idea of forcing Baron Valdrik into an agreement made him almost giddy. It was exactly what they needed right now.
The skill wasn’t foolproof—the Baron would have to willingly agree. That was the first hitch. Valdrik wasn’t a fool; he would demand favorable terms and be on the lookout for traps. Still, the potential leverage was undeniable.
The second hitch was the clause: “under the auspices of the Creator and his Creation.” Justin mulled over what that meant. It likely imposed limits on the consequences the contract could enforce. It also wouldn’t allow for absurdities or apocalyptic punishments, like summoning a mile-wide meteor to obliterate the violator. If Justin were to demand such a thing, the System would likely redirect him to ask for something else.
But within reason, he could set severe penalties that aligned with the natural order of the world. For instance, a death clause—if Valdrik violated the terms, the contract might inflict a fatal wound that only affected him.
And that was the heart of its value: it wasn’t about guarantees—it was about leverage, making the cost of betrayal costlier than compliance. A contract forged with Upon My Word as a Gentleman would be ironclad.
Even more than that, the skill could expose Valdrik’s intentions before any deal was struck. If the Baron refused to agree to terms that seemed reasonable or beneficial, it would confirm his duplicity. The refusal alone could serve as a warning, giving Justin a chance to prepare for the inevitable betrayal. In a way, the skill was as much a test as it was a safeguard—a way to force bad actors to tip their hand.
And if Valdrik did agree? Well, that was when the skill’s true power would shine.
And yet...for something that said Mythic, it still felt underwhelming compared to Grace Under Pressure.
Or was it?
He thought about bringing Lila into this conversation. He had no doubt about what she would choose: Grace Under Pressure.
He discarded Gentleman’s Gauntlet almost immediately. It could be a powerful skill and would outshine most other choices in normal circumstances. But next to the other two, it was only situationally useful and carried a great deal of risk besides. Gambling wasn’t Justin's style. Not yet, anyway.
The real decision came down to Grace Under Pressure versus Upon My Word as a Gentleman. The benefits of the former were glaringly obvious, while the latter was far more subtle.
Justin told himself he wouldn't let the Mythic signifier influence him. And yet, he couldn't help himself. Why was it considered Mythic when Grace Under Pressure seemed better? Was it a fluke of the System, or was he missing something?
The benefits of Grace Under Pressure were immediate, practical, and could be the difference between life and death. It was the epitome of the mantra that had been guiding him ever since Drakendir: survive to kill. It was everything he needed to survive battles he wasn't ready for.
Justin clenched his jaw. But what about after the battle? How would he escape Valdrik? Would Grace Under Pressure be enough against the likes of him?
He could already hear Lila’s voice in his head: "Pick the one that keeps us alive. If you die, magical contracts mean nothing."
For the first time, something appeared in the corner of his vision: a timer counting down from one minute. This was certainly the longest he had ever spent to make a decision, so maybe the System was forcing the issue. He had probably been agonizing for an hour or more. What happened if he let the timer run out? Would it select something randomly? It was a question for another day.
Life is always a matter of choices, isn't it? But as we make them, each choice also makes us.
“Damn it,” he muttered.
Justin locked in his decision.