“He’s awake. Again.”

I quickly checked to make sure I was dressed.

Vyrania saw this and grinned at me.

I sat up and looked around. “What happened?”

“You broke another barrier. It’s becoming a habit.”

“Indeed it is,” Koren said, suddenly appearing beside Vyrania. “And an odd way to go about things.”

I shook my head, getting to my feet. “You are disturbingly fast.”

“You’ll be too if you keep it up,” Vyrania said. She was still grinning at me.

“I have a card,” Koren countered. “But you will get faster. Disturbingly so may be a stretch, but at least disquietingly.”

I checked myself over, studying my condition and how I felt.

And how I felt was great.

Amazing even. Rested. Rejuvenated.

I stared at Vyrania, who was smiling even wider now.

Koren looked like his face was about to split open.

“Wait. Am I… did I…”

Vyrania burst out laughing. “Welcome to Copper!”

Koren slammed into both of us, lifting us up in a bear hug. “My boy is all grown up!” he shouted.

He set us down and wiped a tear—an actual tear—from his eye. “Now then, it’s time to really put you in danger.”

‌

∎ ∎ ∎

I looked at my record document to confirm I really was Copper. I was having a hard time believing it and needed to see for myself, even though I could already feel for myself.

Noah Whitehall

Rank: Copper

Level: 1

Profession: Merchant

Hobby: Fodder

Affinity: Subjugation

I wasn’t sure how I felt about learning the subjugation in my mana wasn’t due to my card, but to my affinity, which I could now see. But I was liking everything else.

“Now you’re durable enough to slowly begin replacing your organs,” Vyrania told me happily.

“What do I replace them with? Flesh? Bone?”

“Nothing. Well, technically mana.”

“But… then I’ll be hollow and like, way lighter.”

“Yes.”

I frowned. “You’re both Iron.”

They nodded.

“So you have no organs.”

Koren tapped his head. “Only up here.”

“Your organs are all in your head?” I frowned. “I guess that makes sense, your skull protecting them, and your bones are stronger. Kinda gross. How did you shrink them all down?”

Vyrania laughed. “No silly boy, our organs are not in our heads. Think about what your organs do. What’s their purpose? To create energy. Everything else they do is secondary to that purpose. Maybe they digest food, maybe they filter out toxins, or produce substances your body needs. Your lungs breathe in air so you can ignite fire within yourself to power your movements.”

I frowned. “I don’t think that’s how that works.”

“But we don’t need any of that,” she went on. “Not anymore.”

“Because mana has taken on those roles.”

“Yes.”

“So you replace everything? Because, there’s another reason for certain organs besides energy that immediately comes to mind.”

Koren grinned at Vyrania.

“Well, mana is very adaptable,” she said diplomatically.

“Uh-huh. And what about bones and nervous system? Do you know what a nervous system is?” If they’d had magic thousands of years ago, they might never have needed to develop medicine or technology. “Didn’t you mention something about it?”

“Yes. You broke through the barrier to it before reaching Copper, allowing mana to be transported throughout your body more easily since your mind has direct control over your nervous system. It as well as your blood and bones stay. Mana makes your bones stronger as you rank up until eventually fully replacing them around Steel.”

“Huh. So you both are basically hollow bags of flesh, bone, blood, and wire?”

Koren frowned. “Wire?”

“Your nerves or whatever.”

“Basically,” Vyrania confirmed. “Depends on where one believes the circuit is stored.”

I considered this. “I guess that does eliminate a lot of vulnerabilities. If I get cut, will I bleed blue now?”

“Why would you bleed blue?” she asked in confusion.

“Because my blood is mana now. Wait, is mana blue?”

“No. And no, you’ll bleed red like you did.”

“Will I lose mana if I bleed then?”

She tilted her hand back and forth. “That depends on what caused the bleeding. Usually not enough to notice.”

“I know you’ve only just reached Copper,” Koren said, “but are you ready to grow even more powerful?”

“Uh, give me a little while. I feel a little tender inside.”

He shook his head. “I mean with your hobby. Although we should work on your Copper awakening as soon as possible. But that can wait for a bit. You should have new specializations.”

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My eyes widened. “That’s right!” I’d once again forgotten about it.

I pulled up the options to see if there were any new ones from reaching Copper.

Koren had been right, there were, and they seemed like they might be better than the original three.

Guardian

Specialist in taking damage and protecting others. Gain increased armor durability and wards that can be used on yourself and others.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Burning Blade] and [Obsidian Shield]

• [Fodder Armor] gains greatly increased durability and damage reduction

• Ability: Ward of Defense

Ward that reduces all forms of damage on target.

Slayer

Specialist in slaying enemies as quickly as possible. Gain special attacks that grow more powerful as hobby increases in rank.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Flying Scimitars of Wrath]

• [Fodder Armor] becomes [Garb of the Unburdened]

Consort

Specialist in aiding others through any means necessary. Gain special abilities to use on yourself and allies that grow more powerful as hobby increases in rank.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Pathos]

• [Fodder Armor] becomes [Garb of the Unburdened]

Fiend

Specialist in dealing damage and wreaking destruction at all costs. Gain ability to heal as you inflict damage upon your enemies.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Horde, Armament of Endless Slaughter]

• [Fodder Armor] becomes [Garb of the Unburdened]

• Ability: Devour

All attacks steal a commensurate but reduced amount of mana to heal your own wounds.

• Ability: Fiend’s Rage

Damage output increases as your lifeforce dwindles.

Legion

You work best with others. Together, there is nothing you can’t raze. Gain ability to share resources with other Legions.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Bond of the Legion]

Loreist

You are the keepers of knowledge and history, and must be protected at all costs.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Scryer, Scepter of Acumen]

• Ability: Undying

Gain additional resurrection token upon entering a subzone of any broadcast area.

• Ability: Sagacity

Gain knowledge of objects based on all existing knowledge. Effect limited by hobby rank.

Infiltrator

You eschew rules and conflict in favor of secrecy and subterfuge.

• [Firestaff] becomes [Guile, Vagary of the Saboteur]

• [Fodder Armor] becomes [Aspect of Deception]

• Ability: Ephemeral Emissary

Gain ability to mask yourself to the senses of others and transmit information across short distances.

“Wow,” I said after reading through the choices, “four new ones. And it changed the old ones too, I think. I’m pretty sure the armor of the unburdened part is new.”

“Yes,” Koren agreed. “It adapted to you after seeing you fight. You must have gotten good viewership numbers.”

“But not great?”

He chuckled. “Exactly. It’s still impressive for a new tower. Though you are number one on the Hero Board.” He paused. “Yes, still number one.” He looked at Vyrania. “You’re still behind my dear.”

“I love it when you gloat,” she replied sardonically.

I looked around. “So they can watch us from any angle through magical cameras?”

“The sponsored broadcast is controlled and shows only specific things. If you have the money, then everything and anything can be seen, so long as the system allows it. People can look around the floor, but generally aren’t allowed to look places no one has yet been.”

“Unless it would build suspense or intrigue,” Vyrania added.

Koren pointed at the hobby choices arrayed in front of us. “If you never want to die, Fiend is a good choice. A Loreist may get resurrection tokens on each floor, but Fiend can court death over and over again.”

“I’m jealous of those resurrection tokens,” Vyrania said.

“What’s the difference between a broadcast area and a subzone? I’m confused how Loreist is different from Fodder itself in that regard.”

“A broadcast area can contain multiple zones, or might be contained within only one,” she answered. “Subzones are designated areas within zones within a broadcast area. Floors in a tower, for example. Fodder gives you tokens whenever you enter new broadcast areas, whereas Loreist gives them when you enter any subzone, even if it’s not a new broadcast. Say for example someone buys access to the premium broadcast, but then inside of that broadcast area is a separate broadcast—”

“Like an event in a tower,” Koren interrupted.

“Yes, like that. Then the viewer would have to purchase another premium broadcast, or else be stuck watching the sponsored one.”

“So basically a way for The Corporation to make more money,” I summarized.

“It’s a little more complicated than that, but it’s certainly one benefit.”

“So you’d suggest Loreist over Fiend?”

She shrugged. “I wouldn’t suggest it. It is what I would choose, though.”

“Devour and Fiend’s Rage do seem like they’d negate one another,” I agreed.

“On the contrary,” Koren said, “they synergize. It allows you to stay near death so long as you’re in battle, to stay at maximum damage output.”

I nodded slowly. “Maybe. What about Legion?”

“You don’t want to take Legion,” Vyrania answered quickly.

Koren nodded in agreement. “Never known anyone with Fodder as a hobby, but it’s a common-enough profession. Legions will swarm towers and run through them leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” I said.

He shook his head. “It’s like they’re not there, you know? Not when they’re inside.”

“What do you mean?”

“They seem less like people,” Vyrania explained, “more like drones.”

Koren shrugged. “But, don’t let us dissuade you. Once they’re out of the towers, they seem normal enough.”

“If they make it out,” Vyrania added.

Koren nodded. “They do have a high mortality rate.”

“Okay so I’m not choosing Legion, I decided.”

Koren patted my shoulder. “Good choice.”

“So that leaves Fiend, Loreist, and Infiltrator. I’m leaning toward Infiltrator or Fiend.”

“In one you stay alive by avoiding trouble,” Vyrania said, “in the other you do so by seeking it out.”

“I know which I’d choose,” Koren said.

I nodded. “Fiend.”

He gasped. “I am offended, I’m sure. I would pick Infiltrator. I never seek out trouble.”

“He’s lying,” Vyrania told me.

“That is a thing I can do now,” he said. “I’m free.” He looked upon me fondly.

I grunted. “Please stop showing me gratitude, it’s making me uncomfortable.”

“Are you sure?” Vyrania asked. “In that case, I guess I’ll just keep this.” A card appeared in her hand.

“What is it?” I asked.

She held it out to me. “Take it and see. I’ve been saving it for when you reached Copper.”

“Technically,” Koren said, “you didn’t kill that worg, but we thought you earned it.”

Vyrania gave him a look. “We?”

He gave her the look right back. “Yes, we. I certainly did not imply we should sell it, that it would be worth a good portion of the fragments we’ve earned, as fiduciarily responsible as that would have been. I am a sharer.”

“And a hugger,” I muttered.