When Aveline appeared out of the red mist, she looked at the mess of fallen trees surrounding the lake and pursed her lips. “You really know how to find an opening in a fight. But you certainly don't care to be elegant about it,” she said.
Now Lyam pursed his lips too. “I almost died, if you didn't notice. Also, thanks for showing such deep concern for my well being.”
Aveline grinned at him. “Don't mention it.”
Lyam rolled his eyes. “I unlocked dust alchemy. Now what?” he asked.
“What do you see?” she asked him with a more serious demeanor.
Lyam frowned at the words in front of him.
[Dust alchemy] : allows the [wielder] to extract one of the “enemy's” [skills]
Extracting a [skill] allows the [wielder] to unlock a special [stat]
The [skills] the tier 7. "corpse eagle" has to offer are:
1. [Wings of fury]: allows “corpse eagle” to slice through impenetrable objects (Associated stat: ‘Strength’)
2. [Made of dust]: allows “corpse eagle” to manipulate its physical form with dust (Associated stat: ‘Durability’)
3. [Sight of the dead]: allows “corpse eagle” a heightened perception. (Associated stat: ‘Perception’)
4. [Killing blur]: allows “corpse eagle” to attain mobility at high velocity (Associated stat: ‘Agility’)
{Note: the [wielder] can only choose one of these [skills] to extract}
“Which one do I choose from these?” Lyam asked Aveline after reciting the list to her.
The shapecrafter scratched her chin. “You are going to be fighting in an arena,” she said. “And a marksman class is more valuable for long range attacks. We should choose something that goes well with that skill type.”
“Um, both the mutants that I slayed, I had to get up close to actually defeat them,” Lyam said.
Aveline nodded. “That's because you are a clumsy child.”
Lyam gave her a deadpan look. “If I am going to be fighting in an arena then shouldn't we choose a skill that goes well with my close range style of fighting?”
Aveline just frowned skeptically.
Lyam kept talking. “I don't think the structure of the arena favors long range attacks well. Also, if all I’m good at is long range and someone manages to corner me, I'm done for.”
“You can outrun them by using the killing blur skill,” Aveline said.
Now it was Lyam's turn to look skeptical. He remembered the fight he had seen in Norben's playground. He remembered how the small guy had kept running around, remembered how he died in the end. “I keep dancing around a lot with these creatures to dodge them. I'm assuming I'll have to fight other dust wielders in the crater. They’ll certainly be smarter than the mutants. I don't think running around will help much in that scenario. It will be even worse if I get matched up against someone whose core skills are speed based. Imagine trying to outrun someone whose entire class revolves around them being fast.”
Aveline gave a faint smile. The boy was really thinking this from every angle. She decided to test him a bit. “You can say that for any other skill.”
Lyam shook his head. “I want to be able to take a hit and keep standing. The ‘made of dust’ skill will let me modify my body with dust. I think it's the right skill for me.”
Aveline shrugged. “If you think it will enhance your abilities then I won't stop you. Go ahead.”
Lyam nodded and selected the [made of dust] skill from the list.
A message popped up in front of him.
The [skill] has been successfully extracted from tier 7. “corpse eagle”
The [system] will now make the [skill] available to the [wielder]
The procedure classifies as a stage 3 [modification]
Warning: The [modification] procedure enforces physical strain on the [wielder's] body
[Wielder] is advised to maintain composure for optimal results
Lyam groaned. “Not again.”
Stage 3 [modification] initiating in 3…2…1…
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
He screamed.
###
He could still feel the buzz of lightning in his veins even though the procedure had been concluded. He finally opened his eyes and looked up at the message hovering in his vision.
[Modification] status: complete
The wielder has unlocked the [durability] stat
The [wielder] has unlocked the skill [dust will]
[Dust will]: Allows the wielder to strengthen their physical [durability] for 3 minutes. Once the skill is enabled, the wielder becomes impenetrable to all physical attacks. The cooldown for [dust will] lasts for 60 minutes
New modified [stats] are as follows:
Prowess: 7
Focus: 5
Durability: 2
“Not bad.” Aveline nodded after Lyam told her what he saw.
He gazed at her with a grim, tired look and said, “Can we go home now? I'm hungry.”
She smiled and teleported them back to the cottage.
By the time she prepared the lunch for them, Lyam had already fallen asleep in the library where Emma was. Aveline gently draped a linen sheet over him and let him rest.
###
The boy woke up with his stomach grumbling and slight throbbing in his head. In his half-groggy state, he didn't notice the softness of the cover that had kept him warm. He rose to his feet and looked out the window. The forest was dark already.
He stumbled up to his feet and made his way over to the kitchen. Aveline was laying out the dinner for them. The sleep left Lyam's eyes the moment he saw the food.
Roasted rabbit, seasoned with thyme and garlic. A rich, creamy gravy on the side. Seasoned bread, glazed with butter and a cup of honeyed herbal tea to wash it all down.
“Wow,” he said as he felt himself drawn to the feast by its scent.
Aveline smiled. “Since you worked so hard, I thought, maybe we could have a bountiful meal tonight.”
The boy could barely speak as he took a seat at the table and dug into the meal. The very first bite almost brought tears to his eyes. After that he was scarfing down everything that had been served to him.
Aveline didn't restrict him from eating any of it. They ate in a comfortable silence. And when they were done, Lyam looked at her, eyes brimming with gratitude and admiration and said, “We only ever had such a feast on the Triumphant Day. Thank you so much.”
Aveline smiled. “I thought you would like this.”
“I did!”
“Good. Now do the dishes.”
###
After the dishes were done, Lyam went to Aveline's room. The door opened before he could knock. She was at her desk, perusing one of the black leather tomes she used to carry in her satchel. “Yes, Lyam?” she asked.
“I…I wanted to talk…”
“I assumed that's what you were here for.” She didn't look up from the book.
Lyam smiled sheepishly. “I'm not interrupting your studies, am I?”
Aveline sighed and leaned back in her chair. She finally looked at him. “Not really, what did you want to talk about?”
Lyam walked up and settled down on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling merrily. “While doing the dishes I started to think about something,” he said. “I thought of my village and, well, the thing that happened to it.”
Aveline's face remained neutral. “You want to visit it?”
Lyam's lips became a thin before he looked at her expectantly and said, “Can I?”
Aveline raised an eyebrow. “Now?”
The boy nodded shyly. “It seems like a good time…I don't think there would be anyone to catch me lurking around at this time in the night.”
“Fair enough.” She closed her book. “I had to go work on the wards again anyway.”
###
The red mist dissipated and Lyam and Aveline were at the edge of the forest. She left him after telling him that she'll be back in an hour at the same spot. The boy nodded and the two of them parted ways.
He made his way out of the forest and into what used to be Vermeil. His boots crunched the ashen ground as he walked. He wasn't surprised to find the scorched piece of land to be completely empty of all life.
Houses stood dilapidated and stained with soot. The ones that weren't standing anymore were turned to rubble. Fortunately, there were corpses lying around. Lyam wove his way through the debris and destruction. There was a broken anvil lying by the entrance of a building. A pair of broken tongs lay next to it. This would've been the smithy that Hugo's father owned. He wondered if Hugo made it out safe like him.
His heart sank at the thought. It had been a miracle that saved Lyam. A divine intervention that Aveline had found him. As far as he could remember, he hadn't waited for his friends as he ran through the burning village that night. For all he knew, he had hogged away all the miracles that were meant to save them all.
Lyam sighed and kept walking. He saw pieces of broken pottery scattered around. Julie's mother sold these. He passed by a ruin that used to be a weaving mill run by Ben's family. At last came to the crumbling carpenter's shop that Theo's father owned. And a few paces away from it was a small ruin. A meat cleaver caked with dried blood lay on the ground.
Lyam walked into the ruined building, cleared some ash off the floor and settled down, hugging his knees. He looked up and saw the stars through the big hole burnt in the roof. Then he teared up.
###
Aveline materialized out of the red mist next to the tall waterfall. She watched the water as it came down the mountain and met the river in front of her. She listened to its crashing sound for a minute before taking a deep breath. She reached into her leather vest and pulled a yellow sapphire. Gripping the stone tightly, she focused on the waterfall.
“Did you bring Norben with you?”
A heavy, grating voice rumbled in her head. She had to grit her teeth to avoid flinching at its sound. “Not yet,” she said. “I've changed tactics. I’ll bring him after two months.”
For a long moment, there was no answer. Then Aveline said, “I presume you don't mind me taking longer then.”
“I've waited a century. I can wait longer.”
“Two months is all I ask.”
“Just don't forget your promise, Aarna.”
Aveline glared at the waterfall. “I've told you to not call me by that name.”
“I thought you liked that name. I certainly do. Has a sweet ring to it.”
Aveline looked down at the sapphire she clutched in her hand. Her tattoos were still glowing. “I'm Aveline. Just Aveline!”