Sebas rolled the Skill orb against the wooden table, softly tapping against the glass-like smoothness as he directed it back and forth along the grooves in the table. Gorbin watched with widened eyes as Sebas played with the small artifact, treating it as much less than a toy.
“Can you not… what are you doing?” Gorbin asked between spastic grasps of his hair.
Sebas looked up at the gnome, “Hmm?”
“Why do you have a skill orb!” He hissed.
“Found it,” Sebas shrugged.
“Gods and Spirits…” Gorbin muttered to himself, finally speaking aloud again a moment later after sliding a small card to Sebas, “Here, if you manage to get six to seven pounds of mithril, you can visit me and I’ll introduce you to someone who can help in this little project of ours.”
Sebas nodded, holding the small orb in his hand. He took the small card, dragging it across the surface with his claw and placing it flush with the table’s edge.
“Thanks for the treats I suppose, and your business if you decide to go through with this.”
Sebas nodded again, still keeping an awkward silence in the room as he held the Skill orb in his palm, softly peering within the surface of the reflective sphere.
Gorbin shook his head and hopped off the chair, his boots hitting the ground with a loud thunk as he fell out of the tall-man chair.
“It’s polite to say goodbye, so, goodbye, kid.”
Sebas waved goodbye to the gnome, acknowledging him with a gesture that felt more like a "shoo" than a true farewell. He sat with the small orb in hand as the door slammed shut, leaving him alone once again.
----------------------------------------
[Skill Orb]
{Rankless Artifact}
Effect: Grants the user access to a new skill, enhances existing skills, or pushes a skill past its natural progression limits.
----------------------------------------
Sebas tapped the sphere against the table and sat his head down on the wooden surface. Soft clinks sounded throughout the meeting room as he pondered quietly to himself. Moments passed as he sat in a silence accented by latent taps.
He sat upright in the wooden chair and looked to the ceiling trying to peer through the grained surface. He searched for something invisible with his enhanced- his nonhuman eyes, atypically powerful eyes; yet nothing came out from the surface of the wood.
[The Goddess of Mercy asks if you are okay.]
Sebas laid against the chair, a wooden beam dug into his back as he thought about it. The past… few weeks had been agony, he’d been electrocuted, incarcerated, transformed, stranded to sea, starved, caged, burned, and poisoned.
“I’m alive.”
His voice was soft and held no lofty sarcastic grandeurs. Sebas sat against the chair, he let his body conform to the shape of the smooth wooden seat, lest a single wrong move would send him into a violent rage or a pathetic explosion.
“…I don’t know if I’m myself anymore…”
[The Goddess of Mercy tells you that if it ever becomes too much, she will take on all of your burdens.]
Sebas kept his eyes forward as he thought it over, body motionless as he contemplated. His only movement after his leisure was his hand raising the skill orb to his mouth, his jaws parted to let the sizable object in his maw.
Sebas sat with his mouth closed, not wanting to immediately crush and swallow the object. He felt the pulsing energy underneath its glossy surface against his tongue, soft thrummings vibrated against his tongue. He tapped a claw against his knee, breaking the silence with a soft anticipation.
Sebas tilted his head back, throat muscle working with his
A very small moment came when Sebas’ eyes flashed a bright gold, swiftly overtaken by its black sclera for another, only for it to go back to normal suddenly. A soft hum raised until it reached its crescendo, fading into obscured silence after.
Sebas carefully removed his claws from where they had dug into his knee, softly wiping his blood-tinted finger knives against his pants as he exhaled.
[Notice: Player has successfully used “Skill Orb”]
[Processing Player’s Character Sheet]
[[Bite] (Common, LV MAX) -> {Evolveable to Uncommon}]
[[Parkour] (Common, LV MAX) -> {Evolveable to Uncommon}]
[You currently have “1” Skill Point(s)]
[Would you like to use Skill Point to “Evolve” a skill?]
[Yes] [No]
Sebas raised his clawed finger to the [Yes].
[Notice: You have chosen to evolve a selected skill.]
[Please choose a skill to evolve:
* Bite (Common, LV MAX)
* Parkour (Common, LV MAX)]
Sebas tapped the “Bite” option floating above him.
[You have chosen “Bite” to evolve.]
[Please select one of the following options:
* Vampiric Bite (Uncommon) - {ingest over 1000 ml of human blood (Complete)}
* Venomous Bite (Uncommon) - {ingest multiple poisons to incorporate them into your body OR create a venom gland (Incomplete)}
* Disrupting Fangs (Rare) - {requires the corresponding Skill: [Mana Shatter] (Incomplete)}
* Infernal Bite (Uncommon) - {Flame Affinity required (Incomplete)}
* Frost Bite (Uncommon) - {Ice Affinity required (Incomplete)}
* Heritor’s Bite (Unique) - {null (Complete)}]
[Please make your selection.]
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Sebas’ claw hung over the skill [Heritor’s Bite]. He gently slid his hand forward, tapping the skill.
[You have selected [Heritor’s Bite], is this correct?]
[Yes] [No]
Sebas’ hand sat atop his head, lightly brushing over the crown of feather and scale that sat atop his head. A mixture of anguish and foreboding filled him, yet he couldn’t place why he felt such a strong pang of dread throughout his body.
“...Mercy?”
[The Goddess of Mercy listens.]
Sebas watched as the light blue window in front of him flickered softly, gradually transitioning into a lighter shade until it became a gentle, neutral white. He felt the air shudder as the world around him grew dull. The energy in the atmosphere was both imposing and warm, wrapping around his body like a gentle hug resting on his shoulders.
Sebas raised a bloody claw to his mouth and began to chew on it, the loud silence around him broke occasionally as soft cracks sounded from his breaking nail.
[The Goddess of Mercy tells you to talk to her.]
Sebas paused at the command. It felt like an order rather than a comfort, and he sat upright, claw still hanging out of his mouth.
“Talk…?” he muttered softly, barely audible. He had been still for too long, away from tragedy for too long; he didn’t know how to talk anymore. He knew how to fight, but talking was difficult.
The white light, divinity, softly pulsed around him, as if squeezing him in a hug, he didn’t know if it was urging him to speak or asking him to take his time; he wished he could shrug it off.
“I… don’t know why I called out to you,” his voice was hoarse, breaking, and on the verge of shattering, “I don’t know a lot of things, like this… class, or this skill, but they feel like… a path, a path I don’t know anything about… I don’t know what I’m inheriting… I don’t understand what- I feel like… I’ve been climbing down a hill, a very, very steep hill, and the angle at which it descends downward is getting increasingly steeper.” Sebas’ hand shot to his face, and he bit against his palm. Softly thinking over his words.
The soft glow stayed around him, steady, and comforting.
“Am I losing myself?” He asked, his torn open hand tossed to his side, now looking up at the ceiling, “I’ve been told so many times that I would have to keep my Humanity intact if I wasn’t… If I wasn’t careful, I would lose something, but I don’t know what this thing I want is.”
Sebas waited for encouragement or dismissal, but neither came from the soft light holding him. Nothing came for him, his feelings sat looming above him, waiting to crash down atop him as the soft blanket of light protected him from every feeling, except dread.
Sebas inhaled sharply through gritted teeth and spoke softly, “Get off of me.”
The light around him hesitantly retreated, and he watched as the god window before him turned a shade of blue again, and he stabbed his finger into the [Yes] box.
The warmth withdrew, leaving the dull room to slowly regain light while a cold hollow energy resonated within his body. His body re-tensed, filling the void within his chest and stopping slight trembling as he breathed in and out softly, looking at the god window before him.
[Skill: [Heritor’s Bite LV 0] has been created.]
[Skill: [Heritor’s Bite] LV 0 -> LV 1]
He raised his hand, and flicked his wrist, watching the god window disappear as it left the periphery of his vision.
He looked up, staring forward as he heard- he felt footsteps walking towards the conference room. Inalos popped his head through the doorway.
“You have a visitor.”
“Do I know them?”
“Yes, I-”
Inalos was shoved over by a small infernal human girl, interrupting him with a loud and demanding “MOVE BALDY.”
Sebas widened his eyes as he watched Echo bound over the table and launch across the room, slamming directly into his arms with a squealing warcry.
Sebas huffed out a silent laugh as he caught her, patting the back of her head as she hugged him.
“Hello, Pet.”
Echo punched him in the chest, then a second time for good measure, and Sebas just sighed, lightly patting her head softly as she clung to him.
Inalos walked in with a raised eyebrow, watching Sebas hold onto the young demonkin.
“I didn’t know you were capable of being anything other than prickly and crass.”
Sebas shrugged, “I have my moments, I’m a monster of several talents.”
“So, I’m not just here to bring friends and food,” Inalos said, tossing another bag of cookies against the table, letting them slide to Sebas, “We have seven to eight envoys and representatives on their way in, not all of them are here to just hear out your gallant tales of chivalry,” Inalos said halfheartedly as he sat next to Sebas.
“And you are part of “my team?”
“Kid, you saved who knows how many children from some potentially rough circumstances… if I was against you, I’d probably be the bad guy- Is that bourbon?” he asked, curious about the bone chalice.
Sebas popped a cookie into the top of the chalice, letting the alcohol seep into the cookie before pushing the cup towards Inalos.
“You’re horrible, it's hardly noon,” Inalos scoffed as he lightly sipped from the goblet.
“I’m a very skilled individual,” Sebas said, eating the soaked cookie and placing his right leg against the table, “Echo,” he said looking down at her.
She looked up and smiled at him, he peered at her long scar that ran over the length of her face. “Get off me, you’re really heavy.”
Echo rolled her eyes and sat upright, “You know, I wasn’t sure it was you Mr. Monster- Mr. Sebas, but you’re so mean I don’t think it can be anyone else.”
“Mean keeps people alive, Pet. Now get off of me before I revoke your cookie privileges.” He said, flicking the small pastry up with his thumb.
Echo caught the cookie with a swift hand and perched on his knee, her legs swinging freely as she pointed the cookie at him like an accusatory weapon. “Being mean also gets you punched! And next time, I’m aiming higher!” she declared, dramatically pulling her fist back as if to land a blow on his head before sliding off his knee and settling into the chair beside him at the head of the wooden table.
Inalos chuckled softly, “She's fiery, despite her stature.”
“She's got a sharp tongue, it’s very true. It might be enough to keep her alive.”
Sebas grabbed another cookie, placing it between his teeth as he began to interrogate Inalos.
“You mentioned eight representatives on the way. Anyone I should be... concerned about?”
Inalos drained the rest of the bourbon cookie chalice before setting it down with a faint clink. “You mean aside from the ones who might want you dead or in chains? Not particularly.”
Echo perked up, her gaze darting between the two men. “Wait, wait, who’s trying to kill you? I thought you were supposed to be the scary one!”
“I am,” Sebas replied casually, gesturing dismissively with his cookie, “They just haven’t figured that out yet.”
Inalos raised a brow at him. “You might want to let them know sooner rather than later. From what I hear, the Prison Owners’ rep is someone you really don’t want at your back.”
Sebas nodded slowly, his expression growing serious. “They’re the kind of people who smile while they decide whether to stab or strangle you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Echo tilted her head, her fiery eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Do I get to help with the stabbing part?”
Sebas let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Not this time, Pet. But stick around, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”
“Ugh, fine,” Echo groaned, slumping back against the table. “But if things get boring, I’m totally going to find my own trouble.”
“You’re already trouble,” Sebas muttered, earning himself another sharp punch to the arm.
Inalos leaned back, watching the two with a bemused smile. “I can’t tell if you’re the worst influence or the best one. Either way, this meeting’s going to be... entertaining.”
Sebas stretched, slouching against the chair and grabbing the bone chalice with his taloned foot. “Entertaining’s one way to put it. Let’s see how many of them walk out alive.”
Echo gave a delighted laugh, “Now you’re talking my language!”
Sebas and Inalos both turned to her, while Inalos only raised an eyebrow.
“What?” She asked, “Am I not allowed to be the violent one because I’m thirteen?”