Chapter 16: Duality
In an experimental effort, Vina tentatively invoked the power of Bloodletting once more, sighing in relief when she experienced no further trace of blood escaping her lips. Yet, a persistent shadow of doubt haunted her—had she genuinely rid herself of the affliction? With deliberate motions, she concealed her earlier expulsion beneath the soil and shifted her position discreetly to observe Seassa and her proteges as they braced for another onslaught.
Pondering deeply, Vina questioned the method of The Shaper's intervention. The distinct signatures of Siany's and Kaliq's lifeblood were unmistakable, each glowing with its own unique vibrancy. Despite their differences, both had somehow appeased Langternem. To Vina, their forms seemed marred, almost grotesque—yet discerning the extent of Langternem's influence over their body from the repercussions of Kaliq's experiments proved impossible even with many of Kaliq’s memories. The absence of a global epidemic led her to reconsider; perhaps their deformities were not solely the work of Langternem.
“If they were sharing a circulatory system, then was Kaliq just circulating his blood through her body and converting her blood to his own? Would that prevent Langternem from ever feeding on her blood?” Vina speculated. Memories of their confrontation resurfaced—Kaliq's immediate remediation of the injury she inflicted on Siany, his meticulous displacement of any spilled blood. “Why didn’t he just convert it using Ichoric Conversion?” she wondered. Why didn’t that trigger Langternem to spread its disease if it could consume Siany’s blood or his converted blood?” Perplexed, Vina grappled with understanding how The Shaper maintained equilibrium, staving off Langternem's corruption while safeguarding Siany. “Maybe that’s why they wanted to escape it so badly.”
Her attention turned inward to her Ichoric Conversion skill, now her pinnacle ability at level 62. Yet, it presented an enigma—lacking any assignable skill points she had expected. "The knowledge transfer was incomplete," she deduced, a realization dawning upon her. The Shaper retained five crucial enhancements, leaving her at a disadvantage. Her gaze settled on the lone, pulsating Infusion ability node within her Class Ability window, and a wave of trepidation washed over her as she absorbed the description again:
Infuse: Gain the ability to force your blood into the bodies of others. Infusions may be passed to allies or enemies through this ability. You may learn one additional infusion.
Emerging from the dilapidated structure, Caja's face was alight with a newfound joy, a transformation Vina perceived instantly. Springing to her feet, Vina approached her, extending a guiding hand. "Come with me, Caja," she urged, leading her to solitude.
“I can feel my vibrance. Like… all the time now”, she exclaimed, her voice tinged with awe. "Is there no way to turn it off?" she queried, suddenly perplexed by the new perpetual experience.
Vina offered a gentle shake of her head. “No. It’s on permanently. Were you able to toggle it when you used your disguise skill abilities?”
Caja gazed around, her eyes wide with fascination. “Yes. I could only feel it for a short time when I switched my vibrance. I didn’t know you meant you could feel it all the time. This is exhilarating. she marveled, trying to articulate the distinctness of Vina's vibrance. "It's so Shamsar… I mean bright! Unlike mine, which feels... fizzy?"
A smile graced Vina's lips at the description. “Thank you. And yes, it is fizzy. I was having trouble describing it before. Has this world discovered carbonation yet?”
Caja's expression shifted to one of puzzlement. “Do you know another language too? That’s a weird word. Car..bo...” She suddenly got a concerned look in her eyes, “How do I sleep like this?”
“You’ll find your way, in time. For now, just experience it and accept it for what it is. When it gets to be too much you should be on your own. Distance helps, and I can give you room”, Vina said. “When you’re ready, let me know, and we’ll attempt to recreate The Shaper’s vibrance.”
With a nod, albeit distracted, Caja expressed her readiness. “I want to try now. I don’t want to lose any more of myself.”
Vina reached out with her hand once more and it filled with blood. She converted it and waited. She felt Caja’s vibrance wobble as it started to hone in on the correct pattern. A few minutes later she was done, and Vina eyed her. She didn’t say anything as Caja got a far off look in her eyes, no doubt inspecting her own screens. “It stopped. It’s not going down anymore”, she said with a smile on her face. “Thank you, Asharaina.”
“It’s all you, Caja. Well done. It seems you have cured yourself”, she said, truly impressed with Caja’s success at learning Blood Sense. A nagging part of her wondered if Caja had also managed to rid herself of the disease. The reputation of Langternem disease was haunting and yet both of them had seemingly managed what Trina had struggled with. She simply had no way to test other than to watch her vibrance change as well as her own experience points.
Caja's concern then turned outward. “What about you? Are you infected now?” she inquired, her worry palpable.
Vina nodded, “It just started. I may have a way to cure myself. We’ll see.” Settling down, she looked earnestly up at Caja, “Do you know where we are?”
"Yes," Caja responded, her tone laced with a hint of intrigue. "We find ourselves at the edge of a very large island, one that was believed to be deserted."
Vina's curiosity deepened as she inquired, “Why is there a portal ring on this one? It’s so far away from the other portal rings. How did Stine’s shadows get here? Can they use the portal rings?”
With a contemplative shrug, Caja admitted, “I have been told The Darkness can not use portal rings. I know some creatures can fly. Maybe one of the shadow creatures flew here? Zel'alor set up a recall system using its own methods. You saw the gold liquid that was poured onto the diagram. You’ll have to it ask why it chose this island.” Caja sat down next to her and changed the subject, “Hey I saw your painting. We have something in common. We both came from another world.”
Vina, slightly unsettled by the change in topic, confirmed, “I haven’t been here long. How long have you been here?”
With a light-hearted laugh, Caja shared, “I’m going on my seventh year now. What’s your impression of Palitern and Trina’s system so far?”
Vina's expression turned contemplative. “There’s a lot I still don’t understand. When you pledged allegiance as my Asharaina, embracing my cause, what did that mean? Is such a dedication formally recognized by the system, or is it more of a personal choice?"
Caja struggled to keep a straight face, “Sorry Vina. I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the circumstance I’ve placed myself into. It means I’ve promised to change my class to a blood class through your masterpiece, and I have to follow the same rules as your Asharaina title. If I break my promise, I lose both my class and all blood skills. I’ll become classless.”
Vina absorbed the gravity of Caja's commitment, her voice laced with newfound respect, “Those are some serious consequences.”
Still with a smile on her face, Caja shrugged, “It was a serious promise. It’s not every day you catch a world ending disease and find an Asharaina at the same time. There’s only three of you in the world, you know,” she said and leaned a shoulder into Vina.
As the conversation deepened, Vina found herself becoming increasingly more comfortable with her newly dedicated over the next hour, sharing stories of their adventures. Her gaze drawn back to her new class abilities, Vina found herself ready to share her concerns to her first Dedicated, “I hope you know I have no idea what I am doing as Asharaina. Somehow though, I killed The Shaper. Before that happened, they did something to me. Now I’m afraid if I embrace these things they did. I feel I might lose myself.”
Caja threw an arm around Vina’s shoulders unexpectedly, “You did this world a favor by killing that monster. I know you’ve just met me, but I’ve known you for a long time from your masterpiece. You’ve grown, become harder. But you’re not much different from what I saw on that canvas.” Caja shook her a little bit, “Clearly you’re capable of more than you think. Maybe you should trust yourself. It’s about time you tried that out, don’t you think?”
Vina felt Caja’s warmth not only in her vibrance, but also her half hug. The last hug she received was from Etana, but that hug felt numb now and devoid of all meaning despite the clarity of the memory. Vina still felt cautious of Caja’s intentions, but she decided to not shake her off. She couldn’t tell if Caja’s hug was authentic or not, but she wouldn’t push people away who were trying. In this moment, she needed allies and even if Caja was just acting like one, Vina was willing to take advantage of it.
With a hesitant resolve, Vina allocated a point into the Infuse ability, feeling a surge of complex emotions as the essence of the skill melded with her consciousness. The infusion brought a blend of revulsion and recognition, as if the very fibers of her being intertwined with the newfound knowledge.
You have 4 class ability points remaining.
Caja didn’t let go, but she grunted in surprise, “Your vibrance got brighter. Why did it do that?”
“I used a class ability point. If you stay here, it will change some more before I’m done,” Vina said.
Before activating the first ability, Vina had wondered what an infusement meant. Now, with the ability integrated into her awareness, a clear understanding dawned upon her. A window appeared in her vision and listed five blood infusion options for her.
Select your Blood Infusion Specialization 1 Activation - Forceful Muscles 1 1 Activation - Immunity 1 1 Activation - Convalescence 1
Vina paused when this window popped up. “Kaliq probably chose Immunity.” she muttered to herself. Caja tried talking to her, but Vina encouraged her to just focus on adjusting to Blood Sense. In response, Caja abruptly excused herself saying she needed to take a break. “So… I can cure myself”, Vina muttered to herself now that she was alone, the last hour proving she had not lost any further experience. She selected Forceful Muscles and saw two class branches shoot off from the left and right of Infuse. The tree was completely different from her Blood Weaver class.
Embodiment: Your blood can now maintain the cost of one additional Infusion Activation.
Infliction: Your blood may inflict one additional infusion of your choice on a target
Vina placed a single point into embodiment and turned on her first blood infusion. She felt a slight change in her body and noticed a small icon appear in the lower right of her vision.
Forceful Muscles Infusion 1: Your strength has increased by 3
You have 3 class ability points remaining.
She saw some more nodes extend off of the Embodiment tree, but they were still black. Most interestingly to her, she noticed this class did not seem to have a contribution limit to the embodiment node. She had just three class ability points remaining now, so she started to be more selective. “I don’t think this can help anyone. Can it?” she said softly. Hesitatingly, she placed a single point into Infliction, wondering what would happen. She immediately felt the change in her Infusion ability.
Infuse: Gain the ability to force your blood into the bodies of others. Your blood increases the strength of your allies by 1 for 10 minutes and reduces the strength of your enemies by 1. You may learn one additional infusion each time you invest a point here.
You have 2 class ability points remaining.
Vina considered that for a moment, “If I had selected Immunity, could I have given everyone here a resistance to disease? Would it have been enough?” she thought to herself. She shook her head. “No. It wouldn’t be enough”, she concluded after some consideration. With her own vitality, she already had seventy-two percent more resistance to disease, but it wasn’t enough to stop Langternem disease. Seassa had admitted to having more vitality than her, and it still wasn’t sufficient to protect her. If the Forceful Muscles infusement gave her allies only 1 strength, she could only imagine that the Immunity Infusement wouldn’t have been much better. “It’s okay.” she said. “I need to help myself.”
Select your Blood Infusion Specialization 1 Activation - Lung Capacity 1 2 Activations - Forceful Muscles 2 1 Activation - Hemogenesis 1
“Lung capacity? Hemogenesis? What?” she whispered. “Maybe… Stamina and Hemo is blood… Genesis is creation. Blood recovery?” She just never had enough blood despite what Norimor had told her from so long ago. “Maybe stamina was a limiting factor for Norimor, but it is less so for me now,” Vina thought. “It has to be blood,” she muttered. She selected Hemogenesis and watched as the class ability node changed.
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You have 1 class ability points remaining.
As Vina deciphered the escalating cost within the Infusion node, realization dawned upon her: the next tier of infusion would demand a heftier investment—two points for any further advancement. A deep sigh escaped her lips when the reality set in; her number of points had dwindled to just one. She toyed with the idea of exploring the Blood Weaver Skill tree yet decided against it, choosing instead to deepen her commitment to the Embodiment path. "Leveraging Hemogenesis might prove invaluable," she reasoned, channeling her last point into this ability.
When the second layer of Hemogenesis ignited within her, a sharp intake of breath was her immediate response. "Holy shit…" she murmured under her breath, a wave of warmth cascading through her as if her very essence was being invigorated, cell by cell. The profound effect wasn't merely physiological; it was the revelation that followed which truly astounded her. "I can amplify the effects..." she articulated, a note of wonder in her voice.
With deliberate intent, Vina allocated both activation slots to blood regeneration, observing the resultant boost in recuperative pace, despite the trade-off in her strength. Her gaze fixated on the indicator in her vision's corner:
Hemogenesis 1 (x2 Activations): You regenerate blood 20% faster.
A surge of exhilaration washed over her as she grasped the flexibility at her fingertips. "I can change them as needed!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with the thrill of discovery. Without hesitation, she experimented with the switching mechanism, eager to experience the dynamic nature of her newfound abilities firsthand.
Forceful Muscles 1 (x2 Activations): Your strength is increased by 6.
Kaliq’s memories started to surface and she struggled to not remember moments she had used infusions in her past life, but the more she thought about the possibilities, the more she began to understand. Kaliq’s incredible durability, massive strength, and seemingly endless supply of blood weren’t active all at the same time. He was switching between blood infusions to fit the need he had at the time.
“That’s how I was able to protect my sister,” she whispered in realization as memories flooded her mind. “We shared a body. The Embodiment tree was affecting her as well. I switched to disease control, regeneration, and offense as needed.” She sat captivated in memories of infusions, battle, and pride for protecting Siany when a notification suddenly popped up.
System: Trina Ticket Timeout. Trina has not addressed your system error ticket in a reasonable amount of time. Starting auto resolution process.
The rapid succession of messages scrolling through her vision was reminiscent of her discovery of Vibrance Tracking, an experience now echoed in this unexpected procedural intrusion. Though tempted to dissect each line for a better grasp, Vina's attention was captured by the succinct summary at the end.
Attempting to remove second primary class
Error: Unable to remove second primary class due to class assimilation
Error: Second primary class is level one, but has utilized class ability points.
Fix: Second primary class has been brought to level 5. Attribute Points are forfeit.
Warning: Second primary class has more class ability points allocated than has been earned. Searching for class ability point source.
Warning: First primary class ability points were used in second primary class ability tree.
Fix: Primary Class rules updated: Appendix HHZ - Separation of Primary Dual Class Ability Points has been written.
Error Resolved. Ticket is now closed.
Before she could fully process this cascade of technical jargon and its implications for her dual-class system, another window materialized adjacent to the original, stirring a sense of déjà vu.
You have slain Kaliq Suchir - Seventh of the Twelve of The Watch, Level 178 Blood Infusionist You have earned 412,800 experience points. Due to level gain limitation, you are limited to gaining only three levels from a single kill. Reducing experience points earned. You have earned 27,000 experience points.
Vina Blood Infusionist Level Up: You reached levels 6, 7, and 8 and have 6 more attribute points to allocate. Your strength has increased by 3, your endurance has increased by 6 and your vitality has increased by 6. You have gained 30 health and 15 stamina. You have earned three Blood Infusionist ability points.
With the unexpected boon of additional class ability points, Vina's resolve hardened; her journey was, first and foremost, a quest for self-preservation until she could reunite with her family. The possibility of acquiring another infusion tantalized her, yet the increased cost for the Embodiment ability necessitated a moment of strategic contemplation. Ultimately, the decision to invest further into her own resilience prevailed as she allocated the points to enhance her embodiment capability, unlocking a third activation slot.
Vina had slowly resigned herself to the realization that she couldn’t help Seassa or her students. “I need to help myself”, she muttered.
“Skill specializations now I guess”, she thought. She knew they wouldn’t help anyone now, but she figured she might as well get through all of her points.
Turning her attention to skill specializations, Vina contemplated her combat strategy. The thrusting sword, a weapon she had grown increasingly familiar and proficient with, beckoned as the natural choice for further enhancement. Her past experiences, combined with the knowledge imparted by Seassa, steered her decisively toward honing this skill. Committing her Skill Specialization Point, she awaited the augmentation, eager to discern the new benefit her choice would provide.
Skill specialization: Thrusting Sword - Deceptive Reach. Your Thrusting sword is actually 5% longer than an opponent will perceive.
You have 2 Skill Specialization points remaining.
“Not bad…” Vina whispered. “Not quite save your life from falling though.” She sighed and considered where to place her second point. After she had seen Caja turn disguise into a blood skill, Vina reconsidered every single one of her skills in a new context. The one that she kept returning to was painting. “I already turned it into a blood skill when I chose my painting medium to be blood. If I specialize the skill, will I get a blood based benefit?” she wondered. She dumped a point in and checked the notification.
Skill specialization: Painting - True to Life. Your art is almost lifelike.
You have 1 Skill Specialization points remaining.
“Wha..?” Vina intonated. “What does that mean?” she wondered, but there wasn’t any further information to be gathered from the description. After a moment she shrugged. “I’ll have to wait for a canvas I guess”, she thought to herself. She knew where to place her last point and immediately did so, hoping for something special.
Skill specialization: Ichoric Conversion: Selective Extraction. You may selectively extract the components that make up your blood from your body.
Vina stared at the notification with more confusion. “Does this mean I can take out white blood cells, plasma, or platelets?” she questioned.
“VINA!” Seassa yelled, and Vina jolted from her absorption, startled by the sudden intrusion. Her Blood Sense had failed to alert her, or perhaps she was too engrossed to notice, as Seassa’s vibrance materialized mere steps away.
“What?” Vina retorted, her tone brimming with annoyance, eyes still fixed on her screens.
In Seassa's voice concern was evident, cutting through her usual composure. “Are you alright? Is the disease advancing? I called out to you several times.”
Shaking her head, Vina dismissed her with a terse, “Please go away. Just leave me alone.”
Seassa exhaled deeply. “I am deeply troubled about your demeanor, Vina. You’re speaking to yourself, uttering unsettling things. On Palitern, such behavior is considered alarming.”
Vina’s eyes flitted up to Seassa’s. Her memory ran through everything she had said to herself, but she did not recall the point in time that Seassa had shown up. As she reanalyzed her thoughts and words, she saw that she had, at times, lost herself in memories. “Maybe I am going crazy,” she whispered softly. “I can’t trust anyone around me anymore. Even Hakim lies to me now.”
Seassa’s response came with a knowing chuckle. “Ah, Hakim. His actions, though often cloaked in the guise of peace, are not devoid of questionable motives. Your wariness is not unfounded. You have been an unwitting companion in his endeavors. Did you really think there would be no repercussions in asserting your own will?”
Vina’s gaze intensified, searching Seassa’s feline-like eyes. “I believed in Hakim’s commitment to finding and saving Trina, in his desire to help me in that effort. I once thought the same of you.”
Seassa’s tone held a trace of resignation. “You misunderstand our intentions. Our hope has always been for you to aid us, not the other way around. My goal is to see you overcome this affliction, to lead Zel'alor to Everlasting, to vanquish The Darkness once and for all. But it’s clear you have no intention of aligning with my plans. I suspect Hakim Halos harbors a similar disappointment. He, too, must be grappling with the realization that his once unchallenged influence is now being resisted,” she said, her sigh heavy with implication.
“What do you mean?” Vina queried, her expression a blend of confusion and skepticism.
Seassa, her tone infused with a mix of earnestness and desperation, implored, “I have been a part of this world since birth, Vina. Is it so implausible to consider that I might hold a key to its salvation? Let’s set aside our differences and unite in our effort to save this world.”
Vina shook her head. “I don’t know if there is a path forward, but saving Palitern doesn’t involve letting Zel'alor stand victorious over both Stine and Trina. That’s not victory; it’s defeat.” As she said that, memories of Trina’s cruelty to her sister surfaced in her mind. She had trouble feeling the same as her words stated. Her heart felt Trina was not in fact a good person either. “Is she even from Palitern?” whispered a voice in her mind. “Is she an outworlder…?” Vina whispered to herself. Her mind spun away out of control as she recalled the memories of when she had examined Trina. The description had not told Vina that she was Paliternian.
“Vina…?” Seassa began, sensing her internal turmoil.
Vina’s eyes snapped back to Seassa. “I’ve found my own path to fixing this world. We already have too many evils. I’m starting with eliminating Langternem. Then I’m moving on to restoring Trina,” Vina said with finality. “You can help me by finding true aspects and bringing them to me.”
Seassa, though, expressed her doubts. “Such a task is monumental and time-consuming. The Darkness is already mobilizing, reshaping the landscape of our world. Since the first aspect reached Trina, the glooms have started emptying. The creatures are converging on major cities. The Watch and adventurers are overwhelmed. Convincing anyone to part with their aspects amidst this crisis is nearly impossible. This island alone stands as testimony to the breadth of The Darkness's influence.”
Vina's surprise was evident as she processed Seassa's revelations. “Hakim didn’t mention any of this.”
Seassa's response came with a slight shrug, implying a deeper understanding of the situation. “It's probable that he's unaware. The City of Halos, distant from the war and with its portal rings disabled, remains in relative isolation.”
Vina's curiosity piqued. “And you, working for Zel'alor – was Hakim aware of that?”
A smirk played on Seassa’s lips. “I suspect Hakim realized something was amiss in his city following the unveiling of your masterpiece. The Adventurer’s Guild hadn’t shown much interest in the City of Halos before then. My activities changed as the city swelled with newcomers. It's likely Hakim didn’t connect me to the Guild's local operations until the incident with Ulesi impersonating Eilin. And currently, one can only speculate on the fate of Caja’s accomplice at the hands of Hakim’s brother.”
Vina cringed at the mention of Haldo. “Hakim said I’m part of the family, but I’ve never met any other family members,” Vina admitted reluctantly.
Seassa's expression shifted to one of disbelief. “You’re part of a trio, including yourself. Eilin never briefed you on this?”
Vina shook her head. “I was informed by Riza.” She began to examine her memories. “Why didn’t they tell me?”
Seassa mused, more to herself than to Vina, “The extent of what Hakim conceals from you is intriguing. If he chose to keep even this detail secret, what else might he be hiding?”
Launching into a historical exposition, Seassa furrowed her brows. “The Halos Family has a storied lineage, steeped in power struggles and internal conflicts. Their history, especially in the private archives you've had access to, is rich with details beyond common knowledge. The family was once rife with infighting, leading to a tragic culling of its members through the use of the Aspects of Peace and Retribution. Following The Severing, only The Halos Family survived the infighting, eventually consolidating complete power in the city. The family laws, particularly regarding the appointment of new members, are stringent. You managed to fulfill one of those requirements.”
“My masterpiece.” Vina muttered. Her memories reminded her that Hakim had said her invitation to The Family was a gift, but if Seassa was to be believed, he was obligated to do so.
“Yes,” Seassa confirmed, “Art holds a revered place within The Family’s history. Even achieving Asharaina status doesn't guarantee family inclusion.” She chuckled, “Can you imagine the irony for them? Their efforts to continue the family line are fruitless, yet here you are – an artist capable of swaying the populace, possessing untapped potential for a new family they can’t control.”
Seassa sighed, her gestures open and expressive. “I wonder if they fear history repeating itself. Someone with your talents and influence, ignorant to the intricacies of their past, poses an interesting dilemma.”
Vina was quiet for a long time while she considered Seassa’s words. She had no idea what was the truth and what was a lie. She was entirely cognizant of the fact Seassa could be planting false knowledge to create a divide between her and Hakim. But Vina hardly needed more reason to be upset with him at the moment. She keenly felt how his earlier lie connected her with the circumstance she was now trapped in. If Hakim had given her the truth, she may have been more careful and Langternem Disease wouldn’t be threatening the world once more.
Noticing Vina's introspection, Seassa shifted the conversation. “Your class abilities seem to have evolved. Have you found a cure for yourself? Is there hope for the rest of us?”
Vina shook her head, her response definitive. “Caja and I can manage our own afflictions, but our abilities don’t extend to others.”
Seassa's vibrance dimmed, a tangible wave of sorrow enveloping her. “I understand. Rest well, Vina.”