The days passed fairly quickly. I fell into step with the bombastic tailor and discussed the art of cloth with him, enjoying his insight. Even just listening to the man for nearly a week allowed my [Runeweaving] to gain several levels. The man was a wealth of knowledge. After the fourth level gain it stagnated, I think theory can only go so far in understanding the skill. I would soon have to put all of that theory into action.
In the evenings I had started to gather a small crowd while training in my sword. Adrien had started to call out some tips here and there, likely out of boredom. During this time I’d dance out the full rune circles for my two higher leveled spells. When I moved my fastest I was able to make the circle in around twenty five seconds, my unfamiliarity with the individual runes delaying me. I needed it down to maybe ten before I could effectively use them in combat, and even then ten seconds was an eternity in combat.
I didn’t talk much with the others on our journey, aside from Haraldo. The man had a different brightly colored outfit every day. He didn’t always wear a kurta, sometimes donning garish robes that seemed brighter than they were due to his dark skin. Some days, when it was especially hot, he wore baggy breathable silk pants and an open vest, baring his chest for the world. I didn’t disparage him, though I was jealous as I continued to walk in my sweltering armor.
On the sixth day after joining the merchant group Liana guessed how
I was casting my spells.
“Is it... Are you writing them with your feet? The runes I mean?” She tilted her head, her eyes flashing a faint green, as she activated her [Manasight]. “You are! Wow that is pretty impressive.”
The woman clapped as she figured it out and I rolled my eyes. “Why not use [Manasight] from the start, Miss Liana?” I asked pausing my current sword dance and dismissing the runes.
“Do you perceive me as a cheater Lios?” She smirked at me as I came over to sit by the fire, joining the rest of the group. The guards who had been watching dispersed back to the merchants camp. We weren’t fully separated, but were a dozen or so feet apart.
“Not at all, Miss Liana, was simply curious.” I shrugged and pet my foxes as I took a seat with the others around the fire. Despite Liana guessing every day I hadn’t offered one for Amelia since our time on watch together. I hadn’t taken watch again since, but was planning to going forward. I wouldn’t always be surrounded by much much stronger allies.
“Lios, c’n I talk ta ya fer a momen’, in priva’e?” Adrien called over from the other side of the fire, he was shuffling a bit nervously. I sighed, having just sat down. I nodded reluctantly, while my relationships with the others had rebuilt a bit over the past few days, Adrien and I still had a bit of tension around us.
I stood and walked with him into the woods, curious what he wanted to say. We walked in silence for a few moments, he was taking time to curate his words, I could tell. After we were fairly far from the group he led me to a log that had fallen and I sat. He started pacing for a few moments before I grew impatient. “What is it?”
“Its... ah. Ah don’ know how’ ta do this...” His accent was back in full force and I wanted to call him out on it but he resumed speaking before I could. “It weren’ a’right fer me ta force ye ta spill yer secrets. Ah’m sorry.” He looked me in the eyes and nodded solemnly.
“Is... Is that why you dragged me out here?” I waited until he nodded. He was fidgeting slightly. “You’re right, it wasn’t fair. I was more than pissed that you held a sword to my chest instead of accepting my ignorance of the situation. Anything else?”
Truthfully, I was still angry at him. Them, actually. They were all a part of it but I could tell that Liana and Amelia felt truly bad for their complicity. Elric, well he didn’t seem to care one way or the other if I forgave them. Honestly, his reaction was most refreshing. The gruff man didn’t feel the need to apologize as he felt right in what he was doing. He might have felt bad for making me feel ostracized but he wasn’t the type to apologize for his actions, if they were worth apologizing for he simply wouldn't do it.
“Aah wanna make it up ta ya. If tha’s a’right wit ya?” I felt he was trying to make up for slipping on his accent a few times by pushing it deeper.
“Hmmm. Look. I’m still frustrated but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand why you were concerned. How about if you teach me?” I thumbed the pommel of my sword, the indigo Lumite gem emitting a soft glow. It was a different color to the one in my pendant, given to me by Maya. Even though it had only been a few days, I found myself missing the folks from home. In my last life I had frequently traveled for work in my twenties, and had grown used to being away from the people I cared about. In contrast, the last five years especially had kept me close to everyone. Thinking of the gems brought flashes of them into my mind and I smiled softly.
“I tell you what, lets forget about it. I don't know that I would have reacted any differently than you if I saw some young guy assailed by world mana for a first level class.” In my head I assured myself I would have, but I didn’t want there to be so much tension in the group I was traveling with.
“Ye’d do that? An’ yeah, Ah c’n train ya!” Adrien's eyes lit up. He glanced down at my sword and tapped his chin as he thought. “Ya wan’ sword trainin? Good, ya aren’t as good as ya think.”
There was a teasing tone in his voice, relief was clear on his face at my forgiveness. I smiled myself and walked with him back to the camp. “I need it, I’m afraid. The only people I trained with only know the basics if we’re honest.”
“Tis true, ya lack perspective an’ skills. Ev’n so, tha basics are tha foundation of any ‘spirin swordsman.” It was interesting, listening to Adrien speak while trying to force an accent. I wondered if he had a skill for it, or if it was simply practice. “Yer father, from wha’ I coul’ tell, were a decent fighter bu’ lacked in technique. I c’n help ya build up yer foundation inta sometin more respect’ble. More... Well juust more.”
I nodded along, glancing at the fire as we arrived. I looked over to where Elric was play wrestling with Luka, who seemed to launch dirt onto the older man. Wait. Luka actually did launch dirt at him. Since when could he... Perhaps he can use magic now? Is that what happened when the seed pushed me into tribulations? They absorbed a portion of the world energy and were able to evolve? I started to ponder it, getting lost in thought as I sat cross legged in the dirt. After a few moments of thinking about it, considering what Sky may have gained from the experience, I looked back towards Adrien.
“So, tomorrow evening wanna spar?” That instantly perked Elric up and even Amelia and Liana seemed shocked.
“Spar? Wait kid are you asking the boss man to train you?” Elric read between the lines, pushing Luka away. The playful scamp yipped with glee and lightly nipped at his hands. Elric was laying on his side, leisurely “Wrestling” with the fox.
“Tha’ Ah am. Gonna train ‘im Ah mean.” Adrien blushed, turning away from his friends reactions. “Yer welcome ta join us so long as Lios is ‘kay with it.”
“I am, definitely. Actually I was going to ask anyway. And Miss Liana, I was wondering if you could help further my understanding of magic if it isn’t too much of a hassle. I know you're more of a verbal-”
“Yes yes absolutely. Though I don’t know much about runes.” She excitedly interrupted me as I was going to say the same thing. “We can go over theory while we walk, possibly enhance your understanding of mana. Do you have [Mana sense] or [Mana Manipulation]?” She waited only long enough for me to nod before muttering to herself about lesson plans. “Hmm good good. Okay first step improve his ability to manipulate mana. Then we need him to...”
“What about me? Don’t want my tutelage?” Amelia’s arms were crossed over top of Sky, who was sleeping in her lap.
“Actually I had a few ideas I wanted to ask you about but... I wasn’t sure how accurate my latest guess was.” I smirked at her, I hadn't guessed in several days but I felt pretty certain. After she had all but acknowledged that she was using a passive charm ability I observed her, and whatever feelings arose, with and without [Meditation] active. While it wasnt active I felt strangely drawn to her, and unable to take my mind off her. When it was active she felt more like a predator. “Are you a, uhm I don't actually know if they exist here but, a vampire?”
She was quiet for a few minutes before glaring at me. “Yes, but, why wouldn’t we exist and what do you mean here?”
“Ah, just read a story from Arwin and wasn't sure if vampires were present in Jorial or if they went by a different name.” I beamed at her innocently, beating myself up for the minor blunder. “Okay then. I’ve been inadvertently using you to train my [Meditation] but have some ideas for other things. I just wasn’t sure if it would be... offensive or rude to ask.”
She waved at me to continue.
“Well. I was wondering if you would uh...” I felt extremely awkward at what I was asking but took a deep, deep breath to steel myself. “If you could take some of my blood during some of the sparring sessions so I could get used to the feeling of fighting with less blood?”
Everyone stared at me for a few moments before she giggled. “I thought for sure you were going to ask me to take your virginity! Thank the pantheon it wasn’t that, you are faaaar tooo young for me.”
The others started to chuckle. Elric cackled slightly like a demented warlock. “You were so nervous I coulda sworn...” Even Adrien laughed for a few seconds as Liana resumed coming up with a lesson plan for me.
My face was hot, warm. I shook my head aa I realized how it sounded. I laughed with them for a moment before Amelia turned towards me again. “So you want me to, what, feed on you so you're used to fighting at low blood levels? Hmm. I could probably do that. I must warn you though, two things. First, if you perish within forty eight hours of receiving my venom you'll be turned into a vampire, so long as the death isn't related to my feeding on you. Second, my venom is a painful paralytic. Its going to hurt a lot. I mean a lot a lot.”
“Oh, good, so I’ll be able to build up a natural resistance to paralytics and increase my pain resistance skill? Deal.” I shuddered at the thought, I wasn’t a masochist by any means and despite my casual attitude I knew this would suck. But I also knew it was better to learn to fight in rough conditions in a controlled environment than outside of it. “So, uhm, how much of my combat class do you guys need to know in order to train me?”
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Elric was the first to speak up. “Truthfully, the more we know the better, but we wont force you to share any more. We understand having secrets, especially as a class and the skills that it encapsulates can outline the weaknesses of a combatant and highlight ways to more efficiently kill them. If you like I’m willing to take another oath regarding your class information.”
Adrien nodded along, and I was quiet for a few moments before I nodded. I mentally showed the four of them the details for [Bladedancer] a touch nervously. The fact that it was considered a “lost class” had always made me wary of sharing it with others. Despite the previous interactions with them, I felt that if I was able to grow it was worth taking this minor risk. Besides, despite my reluctance I knew that all four of them were so much more powerful than I was that this information would only be relevant in several years, if I was ever able to catch up. It had taken the past several days of thinking to rationalize this choice.
[Bladedancer]
Be it by circumstance, luck, intuition, or fate you have discovered a lost combat art. Faded away in centuries past, a tribe of nomads invented the Runedance, a series of movements that, when completed, allowed swordsmen, warriors, and entertainers alike to cast spells of unforeseen magnitude.
Following the tempo, the rhythm of battle, a [Bladedancer] will call to the world and the world will answer. They will altar battlefields, rend the landscape, and slaughter their foes. With their magic and martial technique a [Bladedancer] is often considered a menace, a threat beyond that of either wizard or martial artist.
They are unpredictable and ingenious, dangerous and powerful. Be wary of those whom you tell the truth to, for kings and gods do not always look kindly on those who have the potential to topple nations.
[Bladedancer]’s seek to further their technique, to understand the flow of the world's mana, and to witness the vastness of the world and its people.
[Class]
[Bladedancer] lvl 51
[Class Skills]
[Bladed Weapon Mastery] LVL:51
[Runedancing] LVL: 51
[Dodging] LVL:48
[Intuition] LVL:31
[Mana Sense] LVL:35
[Mana Manipulation] LVL:47
[Rune Compendium] LVL:49
[He Who Wanders] LVL:3
[Runesight] LVL:39
[Compendium Actualization] LVL:1
I watched Elric's face especially, he was typically more stoic than the others. I felt he hadn't read the classes description until the end, instead focusing on the skills. “Hells, kid, how’d you get a mastery skill like that so young? Also, a blasted lost class? Makes me wonder what the stat distribution looks like. You ever get evaluated?” I shook my head, a small smirk playing at my lips as I turned to the others.
“The potential to... topple nations, huh?” Liana looked from the invisible screen and regarded me. Then seemed to think about my skills as a whole. “I can see now why you cast your spells as you do. This is a very interesting class, there are other spellblade type classes out there but I can think of none that have such a stringent casting method. How long does it take to cast your spells on average? How many of these runes does each spell take?”
“Right, so, the lowest level takes five runes, and each level above it is an exponent of five. The spell that backfired on me was the second level. From my understanding first level spells can only have a single purpose, and they effect both enemies and allies alike. As you noticed, even I am not exempt from the effects. It takes a bit more than half a second per rune at the moment, but with [Compendium Actualization] I will eventually, and relatively quickly, be able to complete a low level spell instantly. So, around three seconds currently, without the use of that skill, to create a low level spell, and around sixteen seconds to create the next level if I’m proficient in that particular spell.” I smiled wide as she nodded along. Up until now I had been practicing on my own, for the most part, and I was looking forward to the growth I could foresee with having four high level individuals helping me out. I didn’t fully know what skills they had either, during the bandit attack they didn’t use any skills until the end when Liana cast a healing spell that drained her as it had the day I bolted myself.
“Kid, ye di’nt make us swerr an oath?” Adrien piped up after a few moments of consideration. “This class is... well Ah c’n see why ye’d wanna keep i’ a secret. How’d ye even fin’ it?”
I observed him for a moment as he finally looked up and seemingly closed the screen. “I uhm. Well truthfully I made it. I started with swordplay at six and convinced my parents to get me a tome on runes when I was eight. From there I studied for about a year and worked on creating a working model for a rune circle, and tried to integrate it into my footwork techniques. The first few weeks of trying to figure it out without [Mana Manipulation] and [Mana sense] were extremely difficult but before I turned ten I started to notice mana and could even feel it in my body. Once I turned ten, before selecting my class, I cast a couple spells and unfortunately the first was a catastrophic failure, but once it was fixed I guess I had enough qualifications for this class. Not sure which specific actions I took that led to it but... I think it was a combination of my blade mastery and ability to dance a spell into the world that led to it.” I shrugged a little, I wanted to make it seem a bit accidental even though I had very intentionally learned the skills with the intent of creating a spellsword class.
“Lios, I’d like to be able to read through some of your rune circles even though I’m a specialist in chants, if that’d be okay?” Liana asked and smiled at me. I could tell she was thrilled to be able to talk wizardry with someone else. “Do you have one of those rune tomes with you? Or is it all in your compendium?”
“Ah, all of them are in my compendium but I can write down the ones I know if you have spare paper. As for the actual spells I have made, I have a total of six first circle spells and two higher level ones that I have designed but not cast yet.” I held up a hand to belay any further questions as I went to my tent to pull out my journal with the rune circles written in it. It also contained some rune notes, but did not encapsulate all of the Lexico or Frith runes in it. I had left the front half for notes on first circle spells and runic languages and the back half for the next level. I remembered then the book my parents had gotten me as a going away present. I decided to leave it for now as they wouldn’t be relevant to my current spells, but after studying it I’d hand it to Liana for her own study. After retrieving the journal I handed it over to Liana. “Actually, I have a book on ‘advanced frith runes’ but I haven't been able to read it yet as well.”
“Lios, this class is very interesting. I’ve lived a long time but never have I heard of this class. Have you considered the magic academy in the capital?” Amelia spoke for the first time since seeing the class. I could practically see her mind spinning like the rest of them. “They’d be your best bet at learning runes and enchanting at the very least.”
I hadn’t known there was a magic academy, but I already knew unless I absolutely had to, I’d avoid it like a plague. In my last life I had been a terrible student, and while I was significantly more diligent here I wasn’t interested in repeating that experience. I shook my head. “No, I’d rather have my self study than be constrained to a single place for any amount of time.”
“I guess it makes sense, especially with your wandering skill. Can you show us the description of it?” Elric responded instead of Amelia. I nodded and quickly showed it to them. The description made a small smirk shine through the mans stoic demeanor.
[He Who Wanders]: A [Bladedancer] is one who adventures, one who seeks new knowledge, one who wanders. This skill will pull the user to points of interest, reward them for their adventures, and guide them towards their goals over time. This skill levels only by discovering new places or peoples. Discover, learn, absorb new techniques. Wander and adventure and be one with the world you inhabit. Perceive that which makes the world unique, meet its people, see its sights and you shall further your connection to it.
“You haven't had much chance to use this one? We should figure out this skill, it seems like something a treasure hunter would have.” Elric read the description and checked the level from when I shared my class.
“It’s only leveled a couple times, the first when I was hunting and found myself in a clearing with several bucks. The second, I was looking for some herbs for my mom and found them really quickly. I hadn’t known where to get them, but somehow ended up in the right place after only a short while. The skill doesn’t tell me where to go, and if I’m actively thinking about where I need to go it doesn't seem to help. It’s more like... from those two instances, I feel like it gently guides me to whatever I’m looking for. I’m willing to bet that in order for it to guide me to treasure or artifacts, I’d have to raise the level. Mundane things, theres no issues. Unsure what happens if I don’t have a set goal.”
“We should definitely test this one when we’re on a quest sometime. I’m sure it’s got a fair amount of restrictions. Do you have any open general skill slots?” Luka rushed the large man and took a nip at his pinky before being pushed away again, and bowled over. He yipped defiantly and sprang back up, panting as sand shot towards Elric from his front paw.
Well that confirms Luka can use earth magic. Nobody seems surprised, I guess its pretty normal? I thought to myself, eyes flickering over to where Sky was laying beside the fire. “Yeah, I’d like to test the limits of my skills. As it stands, there’s a bunch I’m not fully understanding between my combat class and my new crafting one. And I have three open general skill slots.”
“Did yer pa e’er talk te ye abou’ mergin skills?” Adrien asked, rubbing his scruffy chin.
“Merging skills? A little bit. Although most of my skill changes have been upgrades.” I shrugged, I knew that merging skills was a thing we could do, but I wasn’t sure what skills would merge or even be beneficial so I hadn’t worked on it too much.
“Do you have any perception skills?” Elric finally sat up and brushed himself off, much to the playful fox’s consternation.
“No, unfortunately I don't.” I did not like the terrifying grin that spread on the greatsword wielders face. In the firelight he looked like a devil.
“Okay, three slots open. We can probably get you a perception skill, a blind fighting skill, and-”
“Elric, I need the last slot open for my own training with him.” Liana interjected. “You can have the other two but I want to help the boy with his magic.”
“Hmmm. Fine. I was hoping to get him some sort of lucid dreaming skill so he could merge it with [Meditation] but I suppose that would have to wait. A perception skill, [Blind Fighting], [Intuition], and [Dodging] may be able to merge into a singular skill. It depends on the perception skill you’re able to use.”
“Ah’ll help ya’s with developin yer mastery skil. Why’d ya go with [Bladed Weapon Mastery] over [Sword Mastery]?” Adrien had pulled out a sheet of paper and was making some notes, similar to Liana who was muttering to herself and going over my journal with my current spells.
“I wanted to be able to use spears and glaives on occasion, the limitation is that the blade itself has to be at least a foot long. So it’s still mostly limited to swords, but I wanted a little bit of extra reach. Unfortunately my sword isn’t capable of changing to a polearm at the moment but, it’s okay for the time being.”
“Are you adamant at wanting polearm skills? [Sword Mastery] would level significantly faster that [Bladed Weapon Mastery].”
“I suppose I’m not opposed to forgoing the polearms. But keep in mind my class is, at least from what I can tell, based on versatility. That’s part of the reason I chose to learn the basics for several different types of swords, and made on that can change shape.”
“Plus, ye got yer runes that can do wha’ever ye deign to create. Def’nitely a class based o’ vers’tilly.”
“Exactly, so if possible, even though it’ll be more difficult, I’d like to keep the harder skill. Besides, who ever heard of a powerful someone who didn’t have to struggle a bit?” The groups eyes flashed towards Adrien before refocusing.
“Fair enough. Okay Lios, I got a pretty good idea worked out, what say we hit the pillows and get up bright and early to get started? Sorry to say, but the trip from Kinnesville to
Edderton is likely not gonna be pleasant for ya. You know, cuz strong folks gotta do tough things like you said.” Elric shot me a sadistic, toothy grin.
“That’s not ominous at all. Okay, lets do it.” As I got up both foxes, even the sleepy Sky, followed me to the tent. Thankfully it sounded like Elric wouldn’t torment me until after we left Kinnesville, but I didn’t expect tomorrow to be easy either.
My head hit the pillow and I had to push away the images of the men who I had directly killed. I sighed, trying to push past thinking about them, what had lead to them living a life of brigands? Had they been soldiers abandoned by their lords after a war? Were they orphans who found no other way out? Stop it Lios, stop it. It matters not who they were, only that they were attacking innocents. Only that they preyed on the weak. After an hour or more of this back and forth I finally fell asleep, Luka laying on my chest and snoring loudly.