“You mentioned that you knew I forged my own core. How did you know?” Kal asked as he took a seat.
Fyborh smiled, “Well you’re still alive and I know you had a normal mana core before coming here. So the only way you could have survived is if in a moment of desperation, as your core shattered under the assault of the abyssal mana, you mistakenly created a new core out of the very mana that was trying to kill you.”
Well, that confirmed whether or not Fyborh could see him back home. If he could have he would have none his core was broken for several days before coming here, “Close, it was already broken before coming here and I had already gained the Soul Forge skill. I had already figured everything out other than needing mana.”
“Really? Let me guess, you could find the mana to use?” Fyborh asked.
Kal nodded, “It was only when I fell through the tear that I could actually see the energy or abyssal mana around me.”
“That is understandable considering your unique mana affinities, or lack thereof until you arrived.”
“Wait but what about the stones of mana acuity? I could sense those,” Kal asked, excited that he was getting more information on a new topic.
“That’s what is interesting, Kal. When I was last with you, you had no affinities. None. It is part of the reason your ascension never came to be naturally. The demon told you of the source of mortal man, correct?” Kal nodded, “Since this is information you already know I can clarify some of what you have already heard. He was correct, all mortals receive their mana from the gods but only to an extent. The mana they receive is used only for the progression between each tier. More details will come when your memories return but when the mana was fed down to you for your ascension your lack of affinity did not allow you to integrate the mana.”
Fyborh frowned, “It was a sad fate that I struggled to find a solution for during your youth but even tier-five beings can’t alter affinities. But clearly, you have found your own path.”
“So how did I get my affinities then? I could see all of the affinities the butcher showed me?” Kal asked.
Fyborh shrugged, “I have a few ideas. But I think you know better than I about that.”
He was right Kal already had suspicions but he hadn’t realized he hadn’t had any affinities originally he thought it was just a lack of skill. When had fallen into the tear, his soul, or what he called it at the time his birthright had done something to the abyssal mana as it tried to tear him apart.
The only reason he had been able to sense the mana was because it was being forcibly pierced into his core space in an attempt to kill him. Is that why he could also sense Dhinir’s mana? Only because it was in his core space? Did that mean he could have tried to use that mana? Possible but he doubted it would have gone well for him if he tried.
“My soul?”
The whole structure began to shudder as a clear warning to Fyborh who simply smiled before changing the topic, “Now let's move on. We don’t have much time and I want to see you soul forge before I fade.”
“How much time is there left? I normally take several hours at least depending on the guidance,” Kal asked, before catching himself. He hadn’t meant to let the guidance part slip.
“Ah, I had wondered how you had forged such interesting skills so early. Simple but well-made for your tier. As for time we have around nine hours here before twenty-four hours have passed in Fallen Kartha. Besides, here you will find that your forging will be easier than before.”
“Ok but let me get this straight first. You have Soul Forge too? I figured considering you made that core but you never said outright.”
“Yes. It was once a common skill,” Fyborh frowned,” You will learn why that changed when you are ready. Now let's begin.”
Sensing he was going to get any more Kal opened his status and checked his class description.
Slayer of Fate [Epic] [Anomalous]
Something deep within you cries out for blood but through force of will you remain in control. You are a Slayer of Fate, though your power may stem from darker sources you do not lust for the kill but see it as a necessity despite your inner ferocity to break the chains that bind. Wade through your enemies as a bulwark of death, your will unyielding, your might indomitable. The Slayer of Fate is not bound by the archetypes of the lesser classes. Forge your own path through the blood of your enemies and stand apart from all as a paragon of man, your potential as vast as your will.
Level benefits: +5 Strength, Endurance, Will, +2 Vitality, +6 Free points.
Anomalous: Your path is of your own making. From this point forward you will no longer be offered a skill selection every 10 levels, instead, you will be offered guidance in the creation of one of three skills that you have witnessed used, have sufficient knowledge of, or are judged to be predisposed to based on previously forged skills. Whether the inquired skill is forged is up to you. Additionally, your self-forged core allows such skills to be forged to a rarity up to the rarity of your Soul Forge skill. The amount of skills possible to incorporate into one’s core is dependent on the quality of your core and the efficiency of the skill created.
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Future Class Evolutions: All future evolutions will be directly associated with the quality of the newly forged core and the skill incorporated at that time.
Skill Capacity: 6/8
Available Skill Selections: 2
Reading the whole description again Kal wondered if when he broke his current core and completed his next he would get additional skill slots. Possibly but he wasn’t going to rush trying it anytime soon.
He focused on the available skill selection and another display appeared.
Select One:
Farsight [Uncommon]
Focus your eyes beyond what is natural and find your prey no matter how far they run. Scales with Perception.
Flesh of Iron [Rare]
Harden your flesh and let your foes break upon you. Increases resistance to nonmagical attacks by a moderate amount. Scales with Endurance.
Sunder [Rare]
Shatter the defenses of your enemy, may their shields be dust upon the wind. Greatly increases the effect of your attacks against armor and unattended objects. Scales with Strength.
Kal dismissed the Farsight immediately, not really seeing the use for it. Maybe if he used a bow he would want it but right now he only had his bare hands and the occasional thrown rib, which he was probably out of by now.
The next two were fairly basic honestly they were both rare and sounded useful but neither of them really stuck out to him. He wanted to ask Fyborh but knew he couldn’t tell him which to pick so he would have to pick on his own. What would be important coming up?
It was unlikely the Bestial Lord would have armor but did scales count? Flesh of Iron sounded good too but he might not need it if he can find some armor to steal from Fyborh but then again Fyborh didn’t really look like the armor type.
“Do scales count as armor?” Kal asked, figuring that it was a generic enough question to not cause problems.
“No annoyingly, unless they are conjured or somehow artificial they count as a part of their body like our hair and are therefore subject to its attributes,” Fyborh replied, knowing Kal’s meaning immediately.
“Well, that settles it then.”
Kal selected Flesh of Iron and closed his eyes as the vision came.
Illian stood at the mouth of his family's cave staring out across the wasteland they called home. A burning pit of despair as the fires of chaos burned across its plains. Above clouds of molten death formed and pummeled the land with a constant bombardment of death.
What fell were small things. Simple spheres of iron formed in whirling chaos. But they were always moving fast enough to kill. The Lords of Iron, the enemy, sought to destroy his home. They had already succeeded in that but for now, the people remained. Hidden in caves deep enough to not be pierced by the piercing falls.
If only they could withstand the rain, if only they could stand steadfast against the enemy.
“You can’t do this Illian, Who will join you? You are the only forger.” Naomi said, trying to hold back tears.
Illian frowned, “I will do it alone…”
He watched his hand as he worked the threads of his physical energy moving and converging to his will.
“Dad! Please don’t go!” Claire cried out, having followed her mother out.
Illian frowned but paused in his work to kneel down and hold her. Her face was dirty and her clothes were torn and threadbare, “I must.”
“Why?! Why does it have to be you?!” Claire started crying and Naomi had already started.
He hugged both of them, “Take care of each other until I return,” Illian stood and walked towards the edge of the cave.
“You didn’t answer me!” Claire cried, trying to break away from Naomi to get to him.
“Because I am the only one who can…”, he stepped out into the piercing falls and willed his skill to activate.
The first sphere struck his shoulder, the next dozen coming almost instantly. All flattened and shattered on his flesh as he walked across the fields. The storm overhead exploded into chaos and the maw of the first Lord of Iron appeared.
Illian grinned as his other skills activated, a sword appeared in one hand and a shield in the other as the first lord came for him.
Today it will end.
Kal exited the vision much easier this time and immediately started following the flow of inspiration.
Fyborh had been right, every motion and subtle gesture of his will weaved and forged the threads into constructs and channels much faster than ever before. It felt almost too easy but he didn’t let it distract him from the forging and followed the system’s guidance exactly.
Luckily this skill didn’t appear to use his wrath at all, instead, it used stamina. This had both pros and cons. It meant he finally had an active skill that didn’t rely on his wrath but it also meant he would run out of stamina faster, which was often one of his limiters when it came to long-duration fights because he had to recover it naturally.
Kal couldn’t judge time well when he was soul forging but he could still tell he was making record time and by the time he had finished the inspiration had only ended just as he finished the linking construct.
He opened the description of his new skill and smiled.
Flesh of Iron [Rare]
Harden your flesh and let your foes break upon you. Increases resistance to nonmagical attacks by a moderate amount. Scales with Endurance.
This time he had replicated the same rarity as the one he was offered with ease. All the others he had struggled to get the same effect since he had to account for using his wrath. But it had felt far easier than it normally did either way.
He looked at Fyborh who was still sitting opposite him and smiling, ”Told you it would be easier. Sorry, it's not something you can have. It's all about location, I have spent centuries in this place for the same reason. It is a focal point,” Fyborh waved his hand around the room, “Use your mana sight and take a look.”
Kal did so and was nearly blinded by the sudden explosion of light all around him. But before he could examine them he couldn’t help but notice the pale flickering light in front of him.