Ethan stormed to his feet and began pacing around the room. He didn’t know how to react to the revelation that his Soul Rune represented. An Assassin, he thought. “I was always judgemental toward my brothers,” he told his demon Familiar, needing someone to rant to. “But even if they killed, it was for a purpose, for a cause. But an Assassin? They’re literally killers with no other purpose!”
“You are mistaken,” Tomo said simply, and Ethan wheeled on him.
“What do you mean?” he asked, a touch of desperation in the demand.
“It is a role. An archetype. It represents how you fight, how you behave. It is not everything you are. Are you so convinced it doesn’t fit?”
“This whole time I’ve been worried my soul would make me into even more of a healer, so no, I don’t think ‘mysterious murderer’ fits!”
“Think back to what we spoke of, when we first met,” Tomo insisted. “Do you not maneuver yourself and others to be where you desire? Do you not lay traps for your enemies to walk into? Do you not strike when they least expect it?”
Ethan let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m the youngest of four brothers. I couldn’t exactly push them around, so I had to learn to do things differently. Trick them, confuse them, put them on the back foot. It’s possible I took those concepts and started using them in other aspects of my life.”
Ethan felt his anger rising again. “But I’m also a healer!” He quickly checked that the door was closed, and lowered his voice slightly. “I spent a third of my life learning how to be a doctor. To help people. To cure them, to undo the harm, and pull them back from death’s door!”
Tomo let out his hissing chuckle. “It sounds like you’ve danced with death more than you’d like to admit. But allow me to ask you something else. I can see your memories, and your world, at least when you think of them. Are there not ways to prevent harm, to prevent disease?”
Ethan looked at the little demon suspiciously, hovering in the air, kimono rippling in an unseen wind. “I can tell you’re pulling a me, but fine. Of course there are. Preventative medicine exists. Vaccines, various procedures, removing pre-cancerous moles, exercise for that matter.”
“And those who invent and perform such procedures, are they no longer healers on your world?”
Ethan glared, knowing where this was going…but also needing to hear it. “Of course they are.”
“Then may I suggest that your perspective is simply skewed? Why are you so convinced of the nobility of repairing something broken, as opposed to ensuring that it does not break? In your mind, is it truly better to stand by and watch someone be harmed, hoping you can help them in the aftermath, rather than prevent that harm?”
Ethan flopped back into the chair. “Apparently my soul doesn’t think so. But Assassin? Even the word…”
“You are fixated on a foolish detail. The word isn’t even in your language. Your system translates it. You ascribe meaning that does not exist in this world. The next time you fight a giant turtle monster, you will strike from the shadows and lure it into traps. Whether you decide to also accept payment to murder people on the side, is a separate–but interesting–conversation.”
Ethan turned back to the little demon, and couldn’t help but grin. “Were you this sarcastic with your former master?”
“You are not my former master. He knew himself long before his Soul Rune formed. Your life has been less…linear. May I suggest though, that you continue to examine the changes Dawn rank brings? It is doubtful that any conversation will settle the troubles that eat at you.”
“I guess you’re right. Ironically–and somewhat disturbingly–all this makes me want to go and take out my anger in a Hunt. Dean would tell me to focus on what I have for now, and let the rest come in time. So let’s see what I have.”
----------------------------------------
Congratulations! Your familiars may now begin increasing in rank!
Your physiology has evolved! Each of your Familiars has bonded to an optimal aspect of your being!
You’ve unlocked: [Mind of the Devourer]
Mental acuity and proprioception will increase along with [Deevee]’s rank!
You’ve unlocked: [Body of the Guardian]
Strength, endurance, speed, and agility will increase along with [Revan]’s rank!
You’ve unlocked: [Soul of the Mystic]
Your Spirit and senses will grow in power along with [Onitomo]’s rank!
----------------------------------------
“Okay, I think I remember this. It’s what you warned me about, that my Familiars would Bond to different parts of me. This is how I nearly ended up with a fulven guarding my soul, right?” he asked.
“Possibly. At Dawn rank, a Bonded’s Familiars will try to protect their master as effectively as possible. I cannot say how a fulven would have compared to your other Familiar, perhaps it would have been better suited to your mind? All I could promise was that it was far less suited to protect you in the Astral than I,” Tomo said.
“What’s the difference with the other elements then?” Ethan asked. “Would you make my body weaker than Revan somehow?”
The demon shook his head. “No, you will find that your being grows more powerful in generally the same manner as any other Dawn rank. There are two distinctions: which Familiar joins you in the Astral, and the gifts that each Familiar is able to provide.”
“Gifts?” Ethan said eagerly, then returned to his System.
----------------------------------------
Deevee had gifted you: [Hydra’s Focus]
You may split your awareness between multiple focuses simultaneously.
Revan has gifted you: [Guardian’s Bound]
You may jump higher, and land from greater heights unharmed.
Onitomo has gifted you: [Demon’s Soul]
Your Astral presence is more difficult for others to perceive, and can be manipulated by your Familiar.
----------------------------------------
“Okay,” Ethan said, “it’s going to take a lot to understand what all this means. Bottom line is that you and the rest of Team Ethan go stronger now, and my being gets stronger with you. Plus I can do some cool shit apparently. Except in the Astral…where apparently you can do some cool shit.”
Tomo sighed. “You will find that there is much you will be capable of in the Astral, although, I would suggest we explore the individual benefits of your Bonds somewhere more practical than a library,” Tomo said, gesturing around them. “But the simple answer is yes. Mind, body, and spirit define us all. Bonded will exceed the limits of each of those as they, and their Familiars grow more powerful together.”
Ethan stretched and moved his freshly healed body experimentally. “You’re right, I really want to check this out. After so long in bed, I need to be moving. Doing something…fighting something.” Ethan paused. “I have to get used to that feeling. Accept it, don’t I? Alright, let’s see what Glenn wants, then head to the Hunter’s Guild.”
“Might I suggest one final diversion? Your weapon is an embarrassment. We can remedy that more permanently soon, but for now, you should take up Last Resort.”
Ethan grinned at that. “Oh, now that I’m on board with.” He quickly retrieved the bundle of white cloth from his inventory and unrolled it to reveal the sword. Surprisingly the cloth turned out to be a thin white coat, with a matching hood. It was sleeveless, but flared out slightly at the shoulders.
“This is different,” he said, lifting it up to examine it. There appeared to be countless faded runes all over the garment, but whatever power they might have possessed seemed to have been lost to time. The only exceptions were a few remaining on an inner seam.
“My former master wore that for many years. It was not from his home, but it reminded him of it. The defensive runes are gone, but it still repairs and cleans itself. You would honor him by wearing it.”
Ethan considered the coat, it was an unusual style, but with such a familiar color. It looked very different, obviously, but there was something about putting on a white coat that made him feel like a doctor again. It was an even greater comfort given what he’d just learned about the nature of his Soul Rune.
With a flourish he threw it on, noticing that it was tailored so that it fell backward behind his hips, clearly leaving room for a sword to be worn. “Definitely different, but still feels a little bit Japanese,” he said, while straightening the coat. “If this world has some kind of magic twitter, I’m screwed.”
Feeling like he’d just regained a small piece of his identity, Ethan happily moved back to the sword. The katana’s scabbard shone like new, and it had stylized patterns of red–reminiscent of dragons–running along its black lacquered length. The hilt was likewise black, but with ten, dull red runes running up its side. Ethan reverently drew the weapon, which immediately prompted a system message.
----------------------------------------
Attention! System upgrade [Dawn Rank] complete!
Unknown items and objects may now be identified for magical properties!
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
New Item!
Last Resort [Master Rank, Sealed] Legendary Rarity
(Attention: Much of the item's power is inaccessible when wielded by someone of less than Master Rank)
Special Effect: [Draw]
This Katana is designed to accumulate and store magical power during combat. Runes will begin to glow in sequence as energy is stored, providing more power for each active rune. Using [Draw] will unleash all stored power into a single attack.
----------------------------------------
“Damn,” Ethan said, looking at the polished, pristine blade in his hand before resheathing it. “It’s awesome, but I don’t think it’ll solve my weapon problem. It seems more like an end-the-fight kind of thing.”
“Correct. Its power is styled after the philosophy of the blade it’s designed to imitate. Such weapons were only meant to be used when there was no other choice.”
“Right. Last Resort.” Ethan summoned his armor, then secured the blade at his left side, before quick-swapping out every but the coat. “Okay, I’m ready to jump out of my skin. I need to get out of this place and feel the sun. Let’s go find out what life is like at Dawn rank.”
***
It turned out that life was pretty damn good at Dawn rank. When Ethan stepped out of the Runic Guild, it was almost like beginning his life again. The sun did indeed shine brightly in a cloudless sky, and the entire city felt different when he didn’t have a constant feeling of his soul being burned up inside of him.
It was hard to truly appreciate the world when you had a ticking clock counting down your remaining moments. True, he only had a year to prove himself to the royal family, but that was a challenge, not an affliction. Ethan loved challenges. Stretching his arms above him, feeling his white coat and hair blowing in the wind, he took a moment to just enjoy his relative freedom.
Also, Glenn was there. “Nice coat,” the curly haired man said as he moved away from where he’d been relaxing against the nearby wall.
Ethan smiled back at him. “Nice leg. I was worried you’d still be limping.”
“Nah, never more than a week for broken bones. Didn’t help that Valanor kicked us out of the wagon and made us walk here, though.”
“Ouch, sorry about that Glenn. That’s my fault, not his. We barely made it back in time as is,” Ethan said.
Glenn waved a dismissive hand. “Hardly the worst I’ve been through, and for a good cause. Glad to see you healthy. I expect you’ve got a lot on your mind now, but I’m afraid I’ll have to add a bit to your worries.”
“I figured I wouldn’t be left to just go about my business. Lay it on me.”
“First off, you’ll still be required to have a knight with you. Apparently there’s some slight concern of you taking a certain Familiar and strolling off to meet the neighbors. Not such a bad thing though, for a new Hunter to have some backup.”
“Good way of looking at it,” Ethan said with a shrug. “Can’t really blame them anyway, even if I don’t know the neighbors, and have no reason to think they’d be any nicer than the oh-so-friendly king. Anything else?”
“The princess wants to speak with you,” Glenn said seriously. “No idea about what, but she was adamant it would be your first stop.”
“Ah, joy,” Ethan said, trying not to show too much disrespect in front of the knight. Something to do with not Bonding a lightning Familiar, I’d expect. “Alright, lead the way Glenn, I have a lot to do today.”
***
Well this is fun, Ethan thought, while standing at the back of the expansive office. Definitely not needlessly rude. I’m absolutely not rethinking the whole ‘don’t want to be an Assassin’ thing as we enter hour two of waiting for this royal bi–
The princess stood up at last, stretching indulgently behind her enormous, polished desk. The massive arched window provided a halo of morning light, illuminating the fabric of her deep purple dress, and setting off her silver hair. The elven caste to her features–high cheekbones and angled eyes–only heightened the ethereal effect on the woman.
She moved around the desk, past the tall bookshelves and expensive looking furniture, running her hand over a golden statue of Flagras as she did so. At last she came to a stop opposite Ethan, sitting back against her desk with her hands resting gently on it. Oh look at me, I’m the most stunning and alluring woman in the world, and I’m a princess. It’s such a privilege to be waiting on me forever.
Princess Ellevaro still hadn’t spoken, she simply stood there examining him, and Ethan had been told–quite explicitly–that he wasn’t allowed to speak until spoken to. For the thousandth time since he’d entered, he considered ignoring that order, and for the thousandth time he glanced warily at the large knight who gave it. That ax does look very sharp.
“You didn’t do as you were instructed,” Ellevaro said at last. “I’m not used to being disobeyed, especially by someone whose life I saved.”
“Aren’t new experiences delightful?” he said. “They really expand your horizons and build character.” The princess held out a hand in answer, and Ethan had to look back to see the knight lowering his ax. What’s with these damn knights? They’re all jumpy.
“Valanor told me you were aware of the plan, he even said you figured it out for yourself,” she said, her voice still neutral. She still hadn’t actually asked a question, and Ethan was feeling belligerent after his wait. Especially given how much he’d realized about this woman’s intended manipulations.
“That would be the plan where you use me, a stranger who risked his life to help your knights, as an expendable meat puppet for the prince?” he asked, then turned immediately to glare at the knight, before the man could even finish raising the ax. “Your armor isn’t white enough for this, how bout you let the lady stand up for herself.”
The knight only looked confused, his helmeted head darting back and forth between Ethan and the princess. A small, feminine laugh, however, rescued him. “You may leave us,” she told the man, who growled slightly on his way out. “He really would have killed you, you know,” the princess said casually.
“You’re surrounded by big tough men who think you can’t handle being spoken to with a tone. You should be more upset than I am. So why am I here?”
Princess Ellevaro looked at him curiously. “You have the brazen confidence of someone who’s just gained their first taste of real power. Dawn rank does this to everyone to some extent, but I haven’t the time to be the one to bring you perspective.” She moved to a small cabinet at the side of the room, and poured herself a drink. “I don’t care about your approval of my plan. It’s still the reason you’re alive. You’ve strayed from it.”
“My newest Familiar will fill the gap, it won’t be a problem.”
The princess narrowed her eyes, moving back to the desk and staring at him once more. She seemed to really enjoy silence, likely she was used to it making those around her uncomfortable. Ethan had been in staring contests with every authority figure he’d met since he was a child; this was boring him.
“You are underestimating her as an opponent,” Tomo’s voice said. Ethan glanced to his side, seeing the transparent specter of his Familiar. Noticing his silence, Tomo spoke again. “You may speak to me freely. My illusions aren’t what they were, but they’re more than up to this task.”
“Really? She can’t hear me right now, or see me talking? If this is your first practical joke, I’d respect the hell out of it.”
“I can disguise your mouth and eye movements, and the sound, but no more,” Tomo said.
The princess interrupted their private talk. “I’m not certain what to make of you,” she said. “Your value is contingent on you fitting into my plans. There is some…flexibility, but it’s all dependent on trust.”
“Trust?” Ethan echoed. “How can we possibly trust each other? I’m only alive so long as I have value to you. I’m only loyal to the absolute minimum threshold that keeps you from killing me.”
She smiled. “Trust doesn’t have to mean we rely on each other or believe one another’s words. It can simply mean we act in a reliable, and predictable manner. If I can trust that you will behave as expected, that can be enough.”
“You’re not seeing this woman for what she is,” Tomo warned again, then pressed an ethereal hand to Ethan’s temple. “You’re Dawn rank now, look into the Astral.”
There was a flash, and Ethan’s world changed. He was still in the office, but every object had a slight haze, as if he were looking at it underwater. The sun was bright in a way he’d never experienced, and he felt as if he could count the individual rays of light if he truly wanted to.
But nothing was so transformed as Princess Ellevaro herself. She glowed with a burning orange, every bit the equal of the light pouring through the windows. Squinting, Ethan realized he could see the energy moving through her body, pulsing outward from her chest, where complex runes were displayed proudly.
Yet all of that was nothing compared to the creature lurking over her shoulder. It was a massive arachnid, glowing with its own dark blue energy. Ethan had to resist taking an involuntary step back, and glancing down, he realized he was standing in a web. It covered everything, and he didn’t understand how he’d missed it. The entire room was a single massive spider web, with strands even disappearing out the windows and through the door.
Even more surprising was that the webs didn’t lead back to the enormous, silent spider…they led to the princess. As Ethan watched, her glowing hands weaved furiously, and the web spread further. He had to force himself not to move as he realized the webs were attempting to attach themselves to him.
The instant they got close, however, a small figure appeared, slicing through them effortlessly with a glowing katana. Tomo moved in a blur, smoothly severing dozens of the webs before they began to retreat, and the princess smirked.
“What the hell is this?” Ethan asked desperately, his senses overwhelmed.
“Not now, the true princess waits,” Tomo replied, tapping Ethan again.
“Well, do we understand each other?” Princess Ellevaro asked. Ethan was back, his world having returned to normal. The webs were gone, as was the spider, and the princess was sipping her drink, looking at him as if he were wasting her time, which he realized he was.
“I have my year, you have your body double, what more is there to say?” He tried to sound confident, hiding his confusion and anxiety.
“Much. I have a vested interest in you surviving longer than a year, and so there are a few things you need to understand. The first is how you might prove yourself. Are you aware of the Grand Tournament?”
“No,” Ethan answered simply. He was more wary than ever of how she might be trying to manipulate him, and he wasn’t sure if she was about to give him a list of things he should definitely avoid.
“Get the full details from the Hunter’s Guild, there’s much to understand, and significant history. I’ll give you the highlights. There is a Dimensional Bleed in the South of the kingdom, one of rare size and age. It’s been around centuries.”
“The Forgotten City?” Ethan supplied, remembering the knights mentioning it.
“Precisely. It’s a lost piece of some society we can’t identify, and it’s built more like a labyrinth than somewhere people would actually live. Regardless, the Grand Tournament is held every year, and it’s a competition for the right to enter the Bleed.”
“Why would there be a competition for that?” Ethan asked.
“One of the many quirks of the city. It’s buried underground, and the entrance is only accessible once a year, allowing a limited number of people admittance when it opens. Hunters spend most of the year proving they’re worth one of those coveted positions.”
“I’m surprised you allow that. Wouldn’t it make more sense to simply send the most powerful? I presume there’s something worth seeking in there.”
“Another quirk,” the princess said with a slight smile. “There are many traps within, but the most common summon monsters to match the power of those inside. Too many Dusk ranks–or Goddess forbid a Twilight–and everyone who enters would likely be killed.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow, still struggling to think clearly after his experience. “Does that make sense for a city? Surely the most powerful defenses would always be the most logical.”
“There are numerous reasons why it might make sense to adjust your defenses to those activating them, but truthfully I agree with you. Most people believe that the city was turned into some kind of test. Pass the test, demonstrate your worthiness, and earn the mysterious prize.”
Princess Ellevaro smiled indulgently. “Does demonstrating worthiness seem like a fitting goal to you?”
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Ethan said. The Forgotten City actually sounded exactly like something he wanted to be part of, but agreeing to anything the princess suggested at this moment felt uncomfortably dangerous. She seemed unconcerned, however.
“In the meantime, you should know that Calevaro has returned from his Hunt. He was successful, and has a Bond that should serve our purposes. He will be battling in the arena from time to time, so be sure to attend. You must learn how he fights, to have any chance of replicating it.”
“I suppose I could take in a show,” Ethan said, genuinely curious.
“I’d suggest more than one. There’s likely much you can learn. Cal is a remarkable Hunter, and worthy of study.” She moved back behind the desk, pulling out her chair. “Now, our time is done. We’ll speak again soon.”
Ethan was grateful to be able to leave, and barely hid his desperation to be away. As he raced back out of the palace, he addressed his demonic Familiar. “Tomo, what in the hell was that?”