Ethan wasn’t sure why he was moving so quickly as he practically ran from the palace, his flight response just seemed to be stuck. As he burst out of the main doors, he finally let himself stop, taking calming breaths. “Tomo,” he said after he felt a little more grounded in reality, “what the hell did you do to me?”
His Familiar’s specter was there instantly, maybe he’d never left. “Upon reaching Dawn rank, you gained the ability to perceive, and interact with the Astral Realm. I shifted your perspective for you, as I felt you needed to understand what was happening in that room.”
“Well I absolutely didn’t understand what I saw. What the hell was with the giant spider? And the webs? Were they really attached to me?” Ethan noticed a few guards staring at him. Tomo might hide his words, but clearly not the fact that he was standing in front of the palance, alone, gesturing wildly like a lunatic.
Ethan calmed himself and began walking back into the city as Tomo spoke. “The spider is her Spirit-Bonded Familiar, as for the webs…Yes and no.”
“Tomo, I would absolutely love a definitive answer as to whether a magic spirit spider has me in its evil web,” Ethan said as he moved past the outer gates.
“The Astral Realm is not a place of definitives. It is not this world, but it is a reflection of this world. It is a realm of metaphor and meaning, where this one is tangible and grounded in rules. Those webs are real, in that they would make your spirit more pliable to the princess’s manipulations. They are also metaphor, in that they represent her very real control over the situation in this world.”
“You were cutting through them in the Astral, though. Thank you for that by the way,” Ethan said.
“It is my duty. I am your Spirit Familiar, and I will always protect you in the Astral. It is also my fault that you are more vulnerable than most, which people like the princess will readily take advantage of. I will not allow that to happen.”
Ethan smiled at the determined little creature. It was easy to forget the towering and intimidating demon that he’d met in the tower just a short time ago. That image reminded him of something. “Tomo, is it okay for her to have seen you in the Astral? We didn’t really talk about what hiding your true nature would mean.”
“Fercerta,” the demon replied. “It is a monster common in the Southlands of this world. We look quite similar–at least at this rank. I need only disguise the color of my flesh, and any who bother to investigate will be easily satisfied.”
“Something tells me they don’t wear adorable little outfits,” Ethan muttered. “But that’s great–even if I do look like the kind of creep that dresses up their chihuahua. It’s a relief not to worry, I get nervous enough summoning Revan when people are around. Hell, I doubt Deevee will be any better.”
“That is more reflective of the culture of Viridus. There are few enough Hunters in this land already, and they have limited access to Familiars. You wouldn’t be worth a second glance in the coastal kingdoms.”
“That sounds oddly peaceful,” Ethan said as they entered the city. “Of course, if we want to live that long we need to focus on survival for now. I didn’t realize the princess was even Bonded, did you see how big that god damn spider was?”
“Dreadrachni, a powerful Spirit Familiar, and not one you’d normally find in this land. The size is less suspicious though. The princess is of Dusk rank,” Tomo answered.
“Oh,” Ethan said, considering. “She didn’t seem like the Hunting type, but I guess she could just be dressed for the office.”
“It is unlikely she is a Hunter, more likely the crown has invested considerable resources into Growth Rituals,” the demon said.
Ethan turned down the road toward the Hunter’s Guild. “Growth Rituals?”
“An advanced form of Rune Magic. It burns the gems of slain monsters, as well as many Astral Coins. The ritual can artificially advance one’s Familiars, even pushing the Bonded into a new rank. There are many disadvantages, however.”
“Such as?” Ethan asked. He didn’t even really understand how to advance yet, and already other people were cheating.
“Arguably the worst is that your abilities do not grow. You gain the lifespan, raw power, and other advantages of a higher rank, but your abilities would remain at Dawn. Beyond that, the cost is actually so high that it’s an anchor for the entire Astral Coin economy–you would need many times the wealth you currently possess to even consider a ritual.”
“Why would a Hunter possibly do it then?”
“A Hunter would not. But someone who just seeks the advantages of power in the Astral loses nothing.”
“Okay, then we’re right back to the Astral. What else do I need to know to avoid winding up in another web?” Ethan asked as the Guild came into view.
“The best way to begin your education is to look into that realm, especially when interacting with other Bonded. Most have very poor control, or Familiars ill-suited to that Bond. There is much for the observant to derive about one’s motivations and intentions.”
“Alright, learn by doing,” Ethan said as he entered the Guild Hall.
This time Valanor wasn’t here to rush him along, so he had a chance to really take it in. It was amazing to see so many Hunters in one place. There had to be at least two dozen people in the common room, exchanging jokes, swapping stories, and drinking. They were all around small tables, and might have passed for normal customers if it weren’t for the armor and weapons everywhere.
Ethan leaned against the bar, and at his Familiar’s prompting, tried to see into the Astral. Having felt the sensation before, it only took a moment to replicate what Tomo had done, and only a moment more to completely regret it.
The simple, wooden interior of the common room exploded into bright colors. What had been a relaxed and open area was suddenly crammed with Familiars, all made of different shades of light, and struggling to fit without bumping into one another. More than that, they were all moving. Everything was moving, even the Astral versions of the hunters. Ethan felt motion sickness squeezing his insides.
Two people calmly playing cards in the real world were at war in this one. Their spirits locked together like wrestlers, continuously trying to get the upper hand as their Familiars–a snake and a bird–did the same. Another hunter had a spirit bear of some kind, which had to hunch over not to brush the ceiling. The telltale orange glow of its master showed that they were Dusk rank, and every other entity in the room gave them a wide berth.
It was the same no matter where Ethan looked. Fulven chased other wolf-like Familiars, while insects swarmed and danced around each other through the air. Something like an ogre was glaring at the Dusk rank bear. It was overwhelming and overstimulating, but thankfully, there was a wide open space around Ethan.
Tomo was in front of him. His small katana was sheathed, and his reptilian hands were crossed behind his back, but he stared outward like a sentry, and the other Familiars avoided him. “They don’t recognize what I am,” Tomo whispered, “But they sense danger.”
Abruptly a hand was on Ethan’s shoulder, and he looked over to be nearly blinded by another Astral being. It was a Dusk rank hunter, but he couldn’t recognize the man as features were blurry and lost in the light of the man’s spirit. But it was his Familiar that drew Ethan’s attention.
He could only describe the thing as angelic, large wings reaching out in either direction, and a golden glow brighter than any other in the room. It was vaguely humanoid, but that appearance seemed odd somehow, reminding him of the spider webs and the princess. This one was clearly not intimidated by Tomo, moving aggressively closer.
Threads of seeking light began to reach out from the glowing wings, streaming directly for Ethan’s chest. Suddenly Tomo was there, but rather than cut through the lights, he simply allowed them to connect with him instead. The angelic being tilted its head in confusion, and sent even more of the threads, all of which lanced into the tiny demon.
Tomo gave his draconic smile, and the threads piercing him began to shift in color, matching his own deep, reddish-pink tones. The color spread toward the golden Familiar, which began to panic and flail, before slicing through them all itself. Fury seemed to radiate from it then, and it moved toward Tomo before stopping abruptly, and slinking back.
All of this happened in the span of a few tense moments. The hand was still on Ethan’s shoulder when he managed to switch his vision back to the normal spectrum. He looked over at the handsome man standing next to him, his black hair was pulled back into a tight tail behind his head, and laughing gray eyes inspected Ethan above a warm smile.
“Hey there friend, are you alright? People tend to avoid the Astral when a group of Hunters are gathered in a small space.”
Ethan pushed a hand through his hair, feeling a headache coming on. “Yeah I can see why. That was amazing, but painful.” He looked back at the man, clearly another Hunter in his dark leather armor, with twin maces strapped to his back. He seemed familiar. “Do we know each other?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The man smiled in response, gesturing toward the bar, and they both sat. The dark haired man ordered two drinks, then waited until the barkeep was further away before he spoke. “My name is Savilar, Mr. Bishop. We saw each other in the throne room, but weren’t introduced.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. Not only had he seen the man, but Valanor had mentioned the name. “You’re a member of the Church,” he replied, trying not to let his thoughts on the organization show.
“The martial order, yes,” Savilar said, taking a sip of his drink. “We don’t heal, we close rifts. We’re basically just Hunters with a specialty.”
Ethan nodded, remembering the explanation from Valanor. “Well, pleased to meet you. You can just call me Ethan. So what are you doing here? Don’t you get your dispatches from the Church?”
Savilar smiled broadly, then gestured at a large board behind the bar that Ethan had dismissed as a menu. “We still take notices when between Rift Hunts, but it tends to get a little more serious around this time of year. The Grand Tournament has begun, and the competition is already growing fierce.”
Suddenly very interested, Ethan read through the top ten names. “Firehearts, Pursuers…these aren’t people are they? They’re teams.” The other man nodded, gesturing at the other side of the board, which showed numeric totals for each team.
“Correct! Though you can still compete as an individual, you just won’t have much chance of winning. You see the top name? Firehearts, 348 points, the prince’s team.”
Ethan nodded, not surprised. “I take it we get points based on the monsters we take out?”
“Each notice has a point value assigned, but your Hunter’s Rune will also record what actually happens during the Hunt. Lots of ways to earn extra points. There might be more monsters than expected, or just more powerful ones.”
Hunter’s Rune? Something to figure out later, he thought, looking at the man curiously. “Blunt question, friend. Why are you being so nice? You and Abigail didn’t seem particularly excited to meet me before.”
The man chuckled. “That was a stressful time, as you can imagine. But you underestimate the value of the plan you put forward. You’ll forgive me for saying so, but, “he dropped his voice so they wouldn’t be heard, “Chosen tend to live short, bright lives. Prince Calevaro is respected by all, a true Champion in the making, and the man our nation sorely needs. No one wants to see another great prince lost. You’re doing the kingdom a considerable service by taking up this burden.”
“I see,” Ethan said, considering the words. “Well it was nice to meet you, Savilar, and thanks for the information. The daylight’s wasting though, I have Hunting to do.” He stood up, content to leave the smiling man behind.
“One last thing, Ethan,” the man called. “You should check out the prize for the tournament. It’s on display in the palace trophy room.” He saluted Ethan with his drink, then moved to sit with some other Hunters.
Tomo appeared then, expecting Ethan’s questions. “What the hell was going on in the Astral? Was that thing attacking?”
“Specifically not attacking,” the demon replied. “Much of the interactions you see in the Astral are as metaphorical as the princess’s webs. Every soul you’re near will be affected by your spirit now that you’re Dawn rank, and they’ll even occasionally scrap with one another, trying to show dominance.”
“Is that what was happening with the angel-thing?” Ethan asked.
“Essentially. That creature is obviously very used to overwhelming those around it. It is a true Spirit Familiar, like I am. It didn’t expect to be rebuffed, and reacted poorly. The Church Hunter yanked its leash, but it was the equivalent of a social misstep, no more.”
“You’ll warn me if there’s an actual attack?”
“If there’s a true Astral attack, you won’t need to be warned,” Tomo said ominously.
They reached the back wall, countless notices hanging and overlapping. This time Ethan realized they did, in fact, all possess point scores on them. He hadn’t been able to read them when he was here with Valanor. “Do you know what we’re after?” he asked his Familiar.
“You have many abilities which we must unlock, but a few specific ones will be our highest priority. There, these three,” he said, floating over to indicate several notices. Ethan moved to collect them, when a voice called out.
“Hey, rude bastard. You’ll need this.” Ethan turned to see an irritated Glenn striding up behind him. He handed over a rune stone, then crossed his arms with a glare. “What part of ‘there always needs to be a knight with you’, was confusing? You get that I’ll be the first one executed if you disappear right?”
Ethan cringed, “I did not actually get that. Sorry Glenn. I got my first look at the Astral in the palace and kind of…tactically retreated like my ass was on fire?”
Glenn grunted a laugh, relaxing his posture. “Ah, you didn’t look at the princess did you? That spider of hers gives me nightmares.”
“You’ve seen it too?” Ethan asked with some relief. “That has to be the worst way to lose my Astral virginity. Anyway, what’s with the stone?”
“Hunter’s Token,” Glenn replied. “Normally there’d be a lot more paperwork and tests, but you’re an exception. That’ll give you the Hunter’s Mark you’ll be needing for a number of reasons. Hang on to the stone though, it’s got a few utilities of its own.” He gestured to the magic photocopier, “Like making copies of notices.”
“Ah, right. Thanks Glenn. Well, I hope you brought your gear, because I’ve got some Hunting to do.”
***
Ethan moved slowly through the underbrush, Tomo judging his every move. They were in the forests near the capital, the canopy so thick that the sun barely penetrated it, leaving the dense green woods conveniently dark. “I still think it’s weird I’m not dressed in black,” he said again.
“How many camouflaged animals and monsters have you seen that are uniformly black?” The demon asked. Ethan’s mind flashed through numerous examples from earth, and was forced to acknowledge the point. “You must remember that you are not invisible, you are blending in. The illusions hide you, but poorly concealed movement will give you away.”
----------------------------------------
Ability: [Trick of the Light] (Dawn Rank 0: 2%)
Type: Mystic, Persistent Illusion
For a low ongoing mana cost, you may create an illusion to camouflage yourself, blending in with your surroundings. This effect is easier to spot while moving, or when seen from multiple vantages, or by multiple targets. Effect can be extended around another being, or object, for increased mana cost. Cannot be used if in direct eyeline of hostile target. Breaks upon performing a hostile action.
----------------------------------------
“Your boots are a crutch; we will train until you no longer require them,” Tomo assured him. Ethan nodded while he continued to creep forward. The aculeo was just ahead, resting against the trunk of a tree, and he didn’t want to alert it to his presence.
He carefully moved closer, eyes locked onto the large brown insect. It was roughly as wide as his torso, but with thin limbs and a long body. Two sets of membranous wings flapped every few seconds, letting out a soft buzz before stopping. It looked like a giant mosquito, though its face lacked the blood-sucking mechanism, and it had a stinger instead.
It was the stinger that made the creature special, living up to its name as Ethan approached. It began as a long, sharp point, then suddenly it was short and curved. A moment later it was two stingers, then one again. Apparently, despite the creature’s obvious Insect Affinity, the stinger used a Mystic technique, and Tomo insisted it was the catalyst they needed.
When he was at last right behind the creature, Ethan reached down, one hand gripping Last Resort’s scabbard, the other wrapping around its black and red handle. Licking his lips, he prepared to use the ability that had come with his role as an assassin.
----------------------------------------
Ability: [Knife in the Dark] (Dawn Rank 0: 0%)
Type: Ruin, Special Attack
For a low mana cost, you may perform a melee attack that deals bonus damage. Damage works as a multiplier on base damage dealt, which increases with the rank of this ability. Only usable on targets who are unaware of your presence, or otherwise entirely distracted.
----------------------------------------
Ethan let out a long, quiet breath to calm himself, then prepared for the battle. It was his first time fighting a flying opponent, and he was juggling strategies in his mind for countering that advantage, all while trying to remember Tomo’s instructions on the proper way to use the katana’s draw attack.
Finally, he struck, combining [Knife in the Dark] with Last Resort’s [Draw]. The blade shot out smoothly and in one single motion, as Ethan pulled back the scabbard with his other hand. He watched the attack as if in slow motion, fascinated by the dark, burning energy on the blade, no doubt the power of Ruin. The blade sliced through wings like paper, then connected with the thin body, Ruin pouring into the wound instantly.
The sting-shifter absolutely exploded.
“Oh come on!” Ethan said, spitting bug guts out of his mouth as he stumbled backward. He had annihilated the insect, and green goop was now splattered everywhere. The tree, the ground, and especially on Ethan. Only his white coat remained pristine, which wasn’t much comfort.
Coughing and retching, he turned to Tomo with a glare, who only shook his head. “It was a bug,” the demon responded. “Were you expecting a battle for the ages? It’s barely even Dawn rank, and not all monsters are created equal.” Ethan watched the little Familiar go and touch a semi-intact limb, glowing as he did so.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. “You knew,” he muttered, wiping his face. “If this creature is so weak, why the hell do we want one of its abilities?”
“We do not want one of its abilities, we want one of my abilities,” Tomo said. “All we require from this creature is that it possesses the correct blend of Affinities. And you should be grateful that this was such an easy battle. The beast that possesses a touch of Dimension Affinity will be a far greater test.”
Ethan nodded, then eagerly checked his system when Tomo finished his work.
----------------------------------------
New ability!
Ability: [Many-Faced Blade] (Dawn Rank 0: 0%)
Type: Mystic, Persistent Conjuration
For a low mana cost, conjure one of several Mystic weapons. Available forms determined by ability rank. Available Conjurations:
Wakizashi (Dual): Short blades, well suited to slashing and stabbing attacks.
Kusarigama: Sickle, chain, and weight, a highly versatile weapon.
----------------------------------------
Ethan looked up from the description curiously. “Many-Faced Blade,” he whispered, concentrating on the sickle and chain. Immediately the weapon appeared in his hands, the hard steel a glistening black and red. Ethan looked at it doubtfully. “Tomo, this thing is insane. It’s not even in the martial knowledge I absorbed.”
“That is just one of the reasons why it will be so valuable. We will discuss the basics as we search for the lutumstrider.” Ethan looked down at the notice, shaking his head at the creature he could only describe as a dinosaur.
“Perfect,” he said. “This chain will definitely even the odds.”