After leaving the dungeon Caleb went directly towards the city of Bowgarth, the vampiric city for the Tutorial. Caleb should be able to make it there in under an hour with his current stats. He had decided to become a vampire as he believed that it could make the greatest use of his affinities. While increasing his learning speed towards runes would be nice, he already had an extremely fast capability to learn them so he wanted to diversify a little not to much as he would hate to be mediocre at a lot of things yet good at none but by choosing vampire he would be a genius in 2 fields rather than a super genius in a single field. Not to mention having the ability to drink enemies blood to regain resources was to op to give up on, especially with a double edged spell like Sacrificial Blood Slash that was almost as dangerous for the caster as it was for the enemy.
Roughly 3 quarters of an hour later he finally saw the city. It was a huge black stone castle nestled at the foot of a mountain. As Caleb got closer he noticed more and more details. There was large runic script on the walls but they were hard to notice as they were also black, the thing that gave them away was the setting sun shining off the runes yet the regular stone of the wall seemed to just devour the light. The walls were nearly 90 feet tall, which was far higher than castle walls from earth as they usually only reached about 39 feet. This made more sense though when you realized people had stats plus there being people over 2 times taller than humans. The wall had 6 towers, 2 were directly to either side of the gate while another 2 brought up the corners of the wall, the final 2 connected the wall to the mountain. The front wall was 4,000 yards long while each side while was 1,500 yards. Each tower on the wall was roughly 16 stories, yet there was another tower inside the castle walls standing over 25 stories tall. These sizes were in all honesty not that large and could be found in most human cities on Earth yet this for all intents and purposes looked like a medieval castle. After taking a deep breath Caleb walked through the gate, even seeing other humans he didn't talk to them to busy looking at the numerous holes above him. The wall was 40 feet thick giving plenty of time to kill anyone foolish enough to attack this place.This world continued to amaze him.
After walking inside he had half expected to receive a system notification about entering Bowgarth, yet when he didn't he chalked it up to the weird rules governing quests. Walking inside he spotted his first vampire or at least that what Caleb assumed was this person's race. She was 6'8" pale skin with red hair and eyes, her ears were also pointed but less so than an elves even though they were still very noticeable. For the most part she was what Caleb had imagined a vampire would look like, the biggest difference from his imagination was her height as he expected that to be roughly the same as a humans. Then again maybe she was just a tall outlier for her race. Anyways hopefully she could help him. "Hello miss I was wondering if you could help me" Caleb called out. The woman turned a smiled with joy seeing Caleb before saying something in a beautiful yet lilting language, the strangest part was while Caleb had zero idea what she had said the accent was unmistakably that of an Irish brogue.
Valikra Raedyon Phaltor
Issues you a Dueling Challenge
The wager is Leadership & Fealty
ACCEPT:
Y/N
WARNING: This Fealty is only valid for a 5 year rotation of the planet Asbalar, at which time the Duel shall begin anew under the same terms till one or both parties die.
The Duel can be permanently ended if both parties agree after a quarter century.
Seeing this prompt shocked the hell out of Caleb he didn't know what the fuck was going on but it made no sense to him. One minute he was going to ask for directions the next this batshit crazy woman was challenging to show kinda fucking duel for slavery or some shit. Now Caleb had never said he understood the mind of a woman in fact the only 3 women he actually got along with was his baby sister, Maddy and Mom. He'd never known his mothers mother but his other grandma while she did love him she hated that he "wasted his time that childish magic crap" as she put it. But even with his lack of understanding into the opposite sex it seemed a bit far fetched to have a woman challenge him to a duel in the middle of the street.
Caleb was about to select no before avoiding this psychotic woman when he heard a voice inside his mind from your friendly neighborhood war god. "Accept the Duel. I had to call in a favor to get you this chance. Your bloodline should have given you either 4 slots for Colonels or 2 slots for Generals if you are lucky, Either way give one of the slots to Velikra after you win. Having a Phaltor vampire on your side is a great boon even more so if she can get her families branch to follow you. On top of that she is the Champion of another god who is quite powerful in our Sector"
Towards the end Tyr's voice had begun to fade but the message was clear, this was an opportunity for Caleb and at least 2 gods were involved so it would be a good idea to not piss them off. Then again if it was something that crossed a line then fuck it he'd piss of an entire Pantheon. But apparently a Phaltor vampire was something special so giving up one General slot was ok especially since he had twice the number that Tyr thought he should. So without further hesitation Caleb selected yes.
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Valikra was beyond pissed. She a great and mighty Phaltor vampire had been asked to serve a weak nearly infantile human. By the great Sanguine the fucker was only 21 years old! Valikra's fucking boots were older than this bastard yet she was expected to serve him. She refused, even though it was ordered by her god The Lady of Blood herself there was no way she could serve under those weaker than her, a leader is one to look up to at a minimum they needed to be an equal with more experience or knowledge yet how could someone not even a fifth of her age have more experience or more knowledge? Even more so she was a viscount vampire of the Phaltor line! Finally the human's patreon god relented allowing her the chance to fight for Leadership.
The knowledge she could challenge for rule had at first calmed Valikra down, she was even planning to go a little easy on the human as he was just a infant after all. Yet that fucking asshole had already made her wait 2 FUCKING DAYS! As soon as he talked to her she new it was him thanks to her divine quest to find him being completed. Not even paying attention to what he had asked her in that barbaric common tongue she immediately called out for the Duel of Leadership & Fealty, planning to teach this child the importance of not keeping a vampire warrior waiting.
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Caleb stared in awe as space warped around him and Valikra forming an arena that was over a hundred yards in diameter on the inside yet he knew it only covered 10 feet on the outside. Before he had time to think further he saw Valikra draw twin blades and rush towards him. She was significantly faster than Caleb, yet the training robot had been slightly faster still. Summoning his quarterstaff Caleb intended to end this fight fast. Unfortunately he made 2 mistakes. First was that Valikra was quit a bit stronger than the robot, the second was almost deadly: she had magic.
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The first crossing of weapons knocked Caleb off balance as he was unprepared to receive such a heavy blow. Valikra while surprised at the infant's reaction speed immediately followed up on her advantage by using Blood Spikes aimed at Caleb's back. Only thanks to Caleb's instinct was he able to react in time, summoning his scales. The fact he had to use one of his trump cards pissed him off, if he had been more cautious this wouldn't have happened.
Caleb sent a fast strike in retaliation, which Valikra dodged though she nearly stumbled do to thinking she had already won the match. Caleb chose to not let up in his assault, sending blow after blow her way. as the fight continued Caleb had an idea appear and even though it was risky he decided to follow it. He started forming all the runes for the spell thunderbolt inside his body, hoping and believing it would act similar to the neurological impulses that are used to move and control the body. He believed he could increase both his speed and strength through doing this method similar to his Inferior Blood Amplification spell. It was a partial success at best. He moved nearly twice as fast and his strength also increased marginally, with the speed boost he was able to finish the fight in 5 more moves, it only taking to long do to Valikra's own battle instincts and reaction speed.
Yet the experiment was also a failure do too that his blood was flash fried causing veins arteries and capillaries bursting all over his body.luckily do to both his affinities in blood and lightning as well as his absurd toughness stat no damage was don to either his brain or heart. He still managed to lose 3 quarts of his health in a single second. He immediately pulled out his health potion downing it to get his health back up. Even after he was fully healed though he felt like he had done leg day 6 days in a row but instead of just his legs it was for his entire body and during that time he had had zero hours of sleep for those entire six days,
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Space twisted once again and the distance of the arena shrunk and connected to the outside space once more. Caleb stood grunting with pain before looking at his former foe turned new employee(?). Before Caleb could say anything she kneeled on her right kneel holding up one of her swords with both hands "I swear Fealty to my Liege, Take of my blood so you may be strengthened. " At this point she turned the blade and performed a seppuku before Caleb could stop her. She then swiftly pulled the blade out that was now gleaming with her crimson blood once more holding the sword up in offering. Caleb just stood there in shock, his brain had simply short circuited at the insanity before him.
"Child of humans, do you not except my Champion's fealty? Do you find her unworthy to follow you?" A voice asked in Caleb's mind, there was slight anger but more confusion. The other thing Caleb noticed was that this woman was strong. Like stronger than Tyr, and though Tyr had told Caleb that he had slaughtered many High gods while only being a mid god himself, Caleb had a very distinct feeling that Tyr would die 100 times out of a 100 if he fought this woman, The only way Tyr might be able to fight equally with her was if he became a High god though Caleb wasn't sure on that, not fully understanding the power dynamics of gods at al.
"No ma'am I just don't know what is going on." Caleb said in response using his mind in the hopes that would work, which thankfully it did.
"Ah well you are new to the multiverse and your original planet was devoid of the Children of Blood. If you accept the Fealty take her sword wiping the left side clean on your left arm the repeat the same on the other. Oncer the blade is clear make a cut on your right arm, the deeper it is shows how worthy you find your enemy, then with your blood on the blade present it to my Champion were she will lick a few drops completing the ceremony. Should you deny her Fealty simply imbue your mana into her blade and think the word (SHATTER) which will destroy her blade and discard her as a Outcast unworthy of the Blood." The voice responded.
After considering for a long moment, Caleb performed the rights of acceptance wiping her blood on his arms like he was told before going and cutting into his his right humerus about half way knowing it would heal and as a sign of the respect he had for her bravery even if he thought that this custom was barbaric and frankly insane. At the end of the ceremony after Valikra licked his blood the two streaks of blood on him arm transformed into 2 blood red cursive tattoos one saying Valikra the other being Phaltor. All Caleb could do was curse under his breath, with the runic tattoo he was already planning on getting he was now going to have to explain to his mother why he precious son was getting tattoos and looking like a gangster.
"I greet my Lord. I thank you for the deep honor you have shown me. " Valikra said when she stood up slinging the blade to the side to wipe off the blood. She was surprised at Caleb's show of affection as they had only just met. To offer even bone during the Ceremony Of Fealty was something only done by those who wished to show that the found the other as worthy for consideration as a mate. She appreciated his kind gesture but she refused to wed such a short lived race as a human no matter how awe inspiring or brave they may be. Bah maybe as a human he didn't understand the significance of giving the mother of blood? {1*}
"Thank you but none of that Lord crap just call me Caleb. Now can you lead me to the magistrates office so I can turn in my quest before I go do my race evolution." Caleb asked weary already from the ceremony and formality. Seriously why cant people just talk? After a moment he remembered something, " Hey what Class do you have?" He asked while pulling up the tab for his Generals.
" I have two Classes actually like all vampires of the Phaltor line. Our Profession slot is replaced with a second slot for a Class, that is why we are one of the 12 families on the Vampiric Council. My Classes are Blood Mage & Bloody Duelist." She said dropping a bomb on Caleb. He had been under the impression that a person could only have one Class & one Profesion no matter what.
"WHAAAT!?!? Are you saying that if I become a vampire I'll be able to have 2 freaking Classes?" Caleb practically screamed.
"Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!! No like I said my family is among the top 12 of the council. This is how it works each family bloodline(not the same as a unique bloodline) gives certain perks and/or abilities. There are 1,000 families with bloodlines capable of joining the council, yet only a bloodline that has a purity of Sanguine God can actually be on the council and no having that level of purity does not mean one is a god nor does being a god mean you have that level of purity. True vampire are born as fledglings and at adulthood reach full vampire. After becoming an adult they can try to purify their bloodline going through nine stages to reach Sanguine God. But back on point, there are millions of vampiric family bloodlines. If it helps you can think of each family being a different sub-race similar to how humans have different sub-races based on skin color, yet ours are based on more mystical abilities. " Valikra explained finding her new liege to be quite humorous in his naivety.
"Argh then I guess it'll be up to luck but I figure that at a minimum i will still get a bonus to the use of blood magic which was why I chose this race. " Caleb Mumbled under his breath before designating her as a Warrior General.
At this point they had reached the magistrates building so Caleb went in to turn in his quest. He was slightly upset when he learned that he had to pay a 10% handling fee as he turned it in at a different city than he got it from. Yet that disappointment faded like the mist before a sun when he saw what his rewards were for the massivley increased difficulty. One was that his credits reward increased all the way to 10 million, unfortunately the TB stayed the same. The storage ring was replaced with a chit he could use to get a master blacksmith add the resizing enchantment to all his gear without damaging it, he could also use the chit to buy a script stone that could add it to gear as well but that lowered the max durability by 100 for any item it was used on. He also received a Medallion of Favor that would allow him to test for the right to receive a special form of Profession from the Blood Formation Hall. Now it is time to get my Class, Race change, Race evolution, and my Profession.