Six left that place with almost all the knowledge he wanted, another level in trade and far less coin than he would have liked but he tried to play it off in his mind. He was down to 126 gold, 35 silver and 592 copper. He was pretty sure that was still an obscene amount but it was still less than half of what he started with. He had asked for a quick inspect of the plant growth grimoire and she deemed it safe and had done it for free. He almost had everything he needed to figure out this new life, he just needed to find a survivalist guide and he could do that tomorrow. He headed back to the inn. He was hungry and was looking forward to a real bed.

The sun was setting and the streets were beginning to empty. He had walked all day in that armor and it paid off. Except for the stink.

Skill Increase: Heavy Armor has increased to level 5 - Initiate

Even though it made almost any heavy exertion cost prohibitively more endurance, simple things like walking and eating were easily handled by his high endurance regen. He would bathe in this armor if it was feasible. He had an additional 2.5% maneuverability from the skill but he couldn’t see the difference.

Hiking back into the forest would be difficult. Could he get a horse? Would he want a horse? Nah. He would have to plot his route. He definitely had enough food to survive for atleast two months so he wasn’t too worried about how long it would take. Could probably just get back to the river and follow that.

Six entered a far more lively Prancing Stallion than the noonday version he experienced earlier. He hailed the innkeep” Hello, busy place you got here.”

The innkeep smiled with the recognition. “I love the bustle, this is yours.” She slapped a key down in front of Six who promptly took it. “You need anything else?” she asked.

“A big ol meal please and thank you.”

“Right away.” She bossed some helpers about and a few minutes later Six had food.

It was a bowl of the same soup he had earlier, which he had enjoyed at the time so he was looking forward to it somewhat. There was a hunk of slightly stale bread but the soup was a perfect match with it. Some salted dried fish on the side completed the meal. Not as much as Six usually ate but it was pretty good. He paid the four copper and went to go find his room.

It was a small thing on the second floor. Just enough room for a lumpy bed, nightstand with lamp and a small window. He lit the lamp, locked the door and sat on the bed. Deep breaths. He wanted to sleep in the armor but he had tried that on the boat and Jeffums had warned him about sleeping in heavy armor specifically, it wouldn’t give you any sort of real rest until you achieved journeyman. Miss too much sleep and an exhaustion debuff would set in. He grudgingly began to peel the armor off, he would be able to put it back on but getting it properly set would be very difficult. He checked the bed for bugs and found nothing, so he climbed in and took a deep breath, trying to relax into a deep sleep.

He had managed to get a few blinks of shut eye on copperback’s boat but nothing substantial. He was finding it even harder now, being alone in a cramped room. Or maybe it was just the muffled raucous noise coming through the floor. He pondered that for what seemed like hours until he was finally fed up and decided to try that shitty weed. Six got out of bed, dressed and donned his armor again. It actually wasn’t that hard to cinch it up right. He pulled the smokeweed out from his inventory and looked at it under the lamplight. Busting a little onto the nightstand he separated the few seeds out and placed the rest in his pipe. Smoking inside was rude so he left his room and went downstairs. It had emptied significantly, and the innkeeper eyed Six as he came down.

“Doors are closing soon, if you’re going out you ain't coming back in.”

“‘I’m just having a smoke. I wont be more than ten minutes.”

“Make sure of that or you’ll be spending the night outside. Go out back, I don't want people seeing you coming back in.”

Six nodded and went to the door on the other side of the room and slipped out to the back alley. The lamps were spaced out farther and left vast tracts of darkness between the small islands of light. Six wasn’t about to wander off and set about to striking a cloth.

The draw on the pipe hit harder than Six expected and he suppressed a sputtering cough before exhaling. He felt a large impulse to go pack another bowl but that should be enough. He wasn’t even sure if smokeweed was marijuana despite appearing basically identical to his senses. All he knew was he was feeling something. He looked at the stars.

Skill gained Herbalism - Initiate - 1

Allows users to identify herbs and their uses and properties. Each level will provide more information and insight into rarer and more esoteric herbs.

There was a little left and he wasn't uncomfortable so he went to finish it but some movement in the darkness caught his attention and he pulled a shovel out of a ring, brandishing it at the dark menacingly.

That was until a small creature walked into his light, stood on its hindlegs and looked at his with hopeful puppydog eyes.

“Hey! A raccoon,” Six said with a smile. This was a nice dose of reality and gave Six a warm feeling of normalcy. “Hey little guy.” Six pulled out a loaf of bread from storage and waved it gently at the creature who stepped a bit closer.

It looked pretty big, probably fully grown. Six tore off a chunk of bread and tossed it in front of the raccoon who flinched at the offering, stepping back.

Six took a bite of his bread and watched, slowly but surely the raccoon mustered up the courage to come forward, grab the bread, then quickly waddle off into the darkness.

Six smiled and finished the bowl before heading back inside and to his room.

He locked the door, stripped down and layed back down on his bed. Took a deep breath and tried to relax into sleep.

I am way too high to fall asleep. Was it really that strong or had Six’s tolerance just completely reset?

He couldn’t fall asleep like this so he pulled out his grimoires. He giggled as he looked at them arrayed before him. Made of fine materials and emanating a weighty aura they spoke of power yet unclaimed. Stone Spear, Stone Wall, and Plant Growth. He kept his expectations contained and opened the first one he obtained.

You have activated a magical grimoire for the Minor Earth Spell: Plant Growth.

Using this tome will impart the spell knowledge and consume the item. Continue?

Six willed his assent and the book flashed in a bright light as he felt knowledge flood his brain.

He froze as his mind was suppressed under the pressure of all the data but the paralysis lasted for only a few minutes. He felt like Neo. I know magic.

That's not right, he knew Plant Growth, not magic. He could tell the knowledge in his mind was more rote memorization rather than true understanding, equations and functions he could input mana into and receive an output but he didn’t understand why any of it worked. But he was pretty high, he might be missing something.

Spell: Plant Growth

Rank: Minor

Cooldown: N/A

Range: 2km

Casting Time: Instant

Duration: Channeled

Mana Cost: Variable

Effect: Channel the spell to affect the growth of plants in a chosen area of effect, speed of growth depends on size of area, mana expended and the level of the Earth Magic skill. If channeled uninterrupted for half a day, the area’s vegetation will benefit from a temporary 200% growth buff.

Skill gained Earth Magic - Initiate - 1

Allows users to form minor earth magic constructs. Each level provides a 0.5% increase in spell effectiveness and a 0.25% reduction in mana costs. Current increase 0.5%, reduction 0.25%

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A feeling of wonderment settled in for a second and Six just took a moment to flex the new muscles that controlled mana in his body. Now that the instructions were there it was simple to let something that now felt natural, flow freely. Still, he did not cast the spell here, it was illegal to be a wizard so he would wait until he left Olisrosa to try and practice magic. He chuckled to himself, “yer a wizard, Six.” His head had the makings of a headache but the thrill was too much to resist, he absorbed the other two books.

Spell: Stone Spike

Rank: Minor

Cooldown: 20s

Range: 80m

Casting Time: Instant

Duration: Instant

Mana Cost: 30+ mana

Effect: Transmutes earth into a thrusting spike of stone at target location. Mana usage may increase depending on initial material used for transmutation.

Spell: Stone Wall

Rank: Minor

Cooldown: 40s

Range: 120m

Casting Time: Instant

Duration: Instant

Mana Cost: 50+ mana

Effect: Transmutes earth into a thrusting wall of stone at target location. Mana usage may increase depending on initial material used for transmutation.

His head hurt and he wiped a drip of blood away from his nose but he knew. He smiled and it took all of his discipline to not test the spells right then and there. Now he felt tired, so crawled into the lumpy bed and fell asleep.

The next morning brought about more soup, Six looked at the innkeep, “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”

“Olga,” the woman stated flatly.

“Do you know where I can find a guide or ranging trainer?”

“Yes.”

A pause extended between them before Six slid a silver over. “Can you tell me?”

Olga smiled and took the coin before providing directions to Six. He nodded and thanked her before heading off to the ‘job boards.’ A place in the middle class part of the city that featured a series of scattered boards that held scrolls that detailed jobs or services. It was mostly humans doing business but Six saw a spekling of Muldstanii, dwarves and other humanoids. Six looked for an ad that featured a forest guide or a survivalist trainer, something that would help him out in the bush.

He ended up finding a man named Denny, he was advertised as a ranger and located in an inn nearby. Six had checked out a few before and Denny’s expertise and demeanor is what did it. He was a old man with white hair and a gristled jerky look. A well groomed and well behaved husky sat at his side. Six introduced himself and began to inquire.

“So yer wantin training is it?” The old man seemed to chew his words out.

“Basically.” Six nodded. “If you could do it while escorting me to my destination that would be swell. Maybe stay a bit and show me how to survive off the land. Defend myself and forage. I would like to live on the mountain so what level of skill would you recommend I train to?”

Denny smiled. “Anyone can survive up there with the right attitude. I can teach you enough to live and subsist there. The monsters will probably getcha though, still, if that’s what yer set on it’ll be 100 gold for the ten days I’ll escort you and act as mentor. Half now, half later.“

That much gold would devastate Six and nearly clean him out. “Wow, that’s expensive.”

“I’m almost level 20, ranger class and I’ll be teaching you multiple skills, bushcraft, trapping, tracking, foraging, I’ll teach you to smoke and preserve food. It’s up to you.” Denny scratched his dog’s ears.

“I’m a quick study and I’m eager to learn. I don’t want to waste either of our time so I'll follow your lead. You’re the expert. Teach me as if I’m a child though, start with the absolute basics and work up from there.”

“If you want, Shouldn’t be a big deal. Sounds good?”

Six mustered up some social courage and let out a tension filled breath. “Sir, would you be able to come down at all? I understand you are extremely skilled, I don’t wish to downplay all you can offer me. I am fully prepared to pay you 100 gold but I would really appreciate it if you could lower it. I don’t plan to make much money out there and I may need to come back to society. I do not mean to take advantage of you, I’m just asking.” Six stated with curt honesty.

Denny shook his head in disbelief. “Well, I can’t fault you for that. You seem like a nice young man, don’t push it though. I can do 90 for the ten days.”

Skill Increase: Trade has increased to level 3 - Initiate

“Thank you, I really appreciate it, I do.”

Denny made a dismissive gesture. “Ahhh don’t worry about it. Pass it on. It's not everyday I get to train someone so insane.”

“What?”

“The mountains are dangerous,” chuckled Denny.

“Yes but there are people already living on the mountains. Why can’t I?”

“Those people are dangerous.”

“… Well… teach me to be dangerous.”

Denny looked at him as if measuring Six and then he nodded. “I’ll teach you. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Is the money not enough?” Six asked.

The old man looked off in the distance. “No, when do we leave for the mountain? Do you have an idea of where you want to go?”

“Tomorrow I guess? And yes, I know where I want to go, bought a map for that. I have everything I need. Pretty sure.”

Denny began to list a large number of items most of which Six had. The few he didn’t he would pick up later today.

“I’m at the Prancing Stallion. Where should I meet you?

“I’ll meet you there and we will leave in the morning.” Denny said with decisiveness.

Six sighed in relief. “Great.” He smiled and stood. “Half now half later or?”

“That’s fine, yes.”

“Perfect.” Six pulled out 45 gold from his storage ring and handed it over with a series of clinks. The gold was heavy and 45 coins was a bit much to handle easily. Six felt a pang of anxiety as he checked his gold. 81 gold coins left, that was a good amount. He would be fine if any emergency expense came up.

“See you tomorrow,” Denny said, pulling out what looked to be a cigar.

“Thank you again. See you tomorrow.” He bowed and left to head back to the general store for the last few items he forgot.

On the way he stopped for a delicious meat bun. Salt, pepper and sugar. Some kind of beef-like animal. Delicious.

After picking up lots of string and needles he began to take a roundabout way back to the Prancing Stallion. Exploring the city of Olisrosa eventually led him to the city square and more food. This world's versions of wraps, kebabs and doughnuts. A large crowd caught his attention and he moved to see what was going on.

A large temple-like building was where the crowd congregated. A raised dais was before an entrance and two stood upon it, one knelt. The two that stood were a Muldstanii and a human, woman and a man. They wore robes of black cinched with white sashes. Gold embroidery was threaded into the hems and cuffs. They held some sort of long hafted spiked mace. These people were worth something.

The one who knelt was a man, his long black tousled hair covered his face. He was collared and shirtless, his chest rippled and tanned. His hands were locked by manacles. He kneeled relaxed and with acceptance in his posture.

The crowd murmured in anticipation of something and the Muldstanii gestured for attention before speaking, her voice projecting out across the entire square. “People of Olisrosa. We have caught a heretic, a defier. This man practices magic skills, proscribed by the Church of Kynarios. More still, he practices one of the worst types of magic. Blood.”

The crowd gasped.

“Oh noooo,” said Six, trying to fit in.

“The sentence for such a crime is execution by plow. Praise be Kynairos!”

“Praise be Kynairos!” Echoed the crowd.

Well shit.

“Such forbidden skills only exist to sow discord and destruction. It is unforgivable! As such I Low Ember Lirael Phydan sentence you, blood mage, to death.” She raised the weapon, a plow mounted on a polearm. The weapon came down on the man’s head and he jerked down with the blow. Six had expected it to explode with the blow but instead a small line of blood appeared. The man lifted his plow and brought it down. They alternated in a quick rhythm, beating this man in the head, slowly covering him in more and more blood. The plows began to glow a dull red and the glow slowly increased to a bright red hot light. The blows seemed endless.

The crowd was silent at first but soon grew loud, shouting and spitting curses at the man. Six watched it with a sick interest, slightly horrified. How had this man survived this brutal punishment thus far? He should have been dead with the first blow. Unless… His health pool must be gargantuan. Still, it's over.

That was until the man made his move. Six could not see what he did but the effect was apparent as his collar and manacles fell off. A sick smile spread on the man’s face as he stood and began to make gestures. The blows continued to rain off of him but he ignored them and began to incant. Six could see the blood that drenched the man evaporate and turn into a mist, one that formed into floating runes that surrounded the blood mage.

The priests of Kynairos increased the tempo of their weapons. Six could see the fear leak onto their faces and he began to step back.

The red mists condensed and the blood mage exploded.

A huge flash of white and red enveloped the three upon the dias and would have vaporized part of the crowd were it not for a greenish gold translucent shield that contained it within the temple.

Six searched for the source of the shield but it wasn’t clear until a figure in a black hooded robe moved forward from the crowd and stepped through the glowing barrier.

They threw back their hood revealing a dark skinned woman. Tall and imperious.

Her allies were dead, destroyed in the blast. Their charred corpses lay at the man’s feet. She stood alone.

“You know nothing of me, nor of blood magic, simpleton.” The man growled, taking a step forward and reaching back, drawing forth blood from the corpses and weaving it into new spell runes that condensed into a dark red needle and shot towards the woman.

She made no motion yet a blinding green light erupted around her and in an instant she was clad in gold full plate and armed with a shining blade and shield. The needle impacted the shield and shattered scattering harmlessly away. “Kynairos protects me heathen and Kynairos will smite you down.” She began to leap up the dias, cutting another blood dart in half and then she was next to him.

The blood mage exploded again. A flash and thunder disorientated Six for a moment as the entire crowd flinched behind the shield that still stood to protect them as they saw the reply.

The unharmed woman brought her blade down and uttered a word that echoed throughout the entire square. “Begone.” It shone bright and emanated a godly presence that was anathema to the blood mage.

The man exploded, his torso cleaved from shoulder to belly. It was absolute devastation. Yet, the man survived. His health pool must be unimaginable. Six could see the man’s body reach for itself, tendrils of blood and flesh trying to knit the man back together. The man wove the floating runes again but this time it was different, there were tiny strings of blood linking the man to the runes. There was a connection between blood and mana. A relationship between the two concepts that allowed one to fuel another.

Mana could be expended to provide life, that concept was shown within the plant growth functions. This bloodmage was demonstrating the transfer of life to energy. Six could see the blood burn away, it was not destroyed, it was transformed.

Skill gained Blood Casting - Initiate - Level 1

Can exchange 2 hp for 1 mana. Can be immediately used in spells and rituals. Can only exchange your own health pool.

Each level provides an additional return of 0.04 mana. Current mana trade 1.04

Skill gained Blood Magic - Initiate - 1

Allows users to form minor blood magic constructs. Each level provides a 0.5% increase in spell effectiveness and a 0.25% reduction in mana costs. Current increase 0.5%, reduction 0.25%

Oh no. I don’t want this.

The man sent out a barrage of needles and slashed a rending blood talon at the woman but her golden armor flashed green and it easily shattered the blood attack.

She brought her blade down on the regenerating man and whispered the thunderous word. “Begone.

He melted under the radiant blaze. The protective shield, still holding back the backblast of the attack. Six breathed a sigh of relief as the smoke cleared and a pair of legs were all that remained of the man. The woman was clean of imperfections and raised her arms in salute to the sun. “Praise be Kynairos,” she intoned.

The crowd cheered. “Praise be Kynairos.”

Six joined them on the second cheer. He lingered for a bit, processing and grabbing more streetfood before heading straight to the Prancing Stallion. On the way he internalized what just happened. The magnitude of destruction that took place. It was insane. He needed to get out of here and find somewhere safe.

Six walked into the Prancing Stallion and headed to the bar for some more food but a shout drew his attention. “Hey, asshole.”