Chapter 1
Happy Reading~
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Harry half collapsed against the blackened tree, falling on his backside with back resting against bark he panted heavily.
"Lungs... burn, what are you? Bonding?"
His concern was well justified, considering a talking coin had stated that it had saved him. The coin returned his questions with answers rather snappily. The voice resounding inside of Harry's head was one of an aged male. He was reminded of his riding instructor, the man always annoyed Harry.
[What am I? You rude little brat. I'm not a thing I'm a person, n' if I still had a body I could teach you how to walk! Nice moves you did, killing your allies and almost yourself.]
"I panicked all right! Wasn't my fault that... thing was in my way. You still haven't answered! What bonding? What did you do to me?"
[... I saved your sorry hide is what I did.]
"How did you do it? Answer me before I throw you into a lake!"
[Tch...]
The coin made a sound similar to the clicking of a tongue. How Harry wasn't sure then again he wasn't sure how the coin was talking into his mind, he glared at the silver coin he had now brought out into his palm.
[Do you know of the arcane arts? Magic.]
"Somewhat... I know of mana and that manipulating it into certain patterns can create the spells used in combat and some structures. I've tried to use mana, couldn't grasp it correctly"
[So the basics of basics. Great, how lucky I am...]The coin let out a mental sigh at this. [Some magic users, most closely related to nature can use mana in a way of bonding a small shard of their soul to an animal. I've done a round-about version of this. Due to this bonding I was able to pour some of my personal mana pool into your sorry ass and activate a simple protection spell.]
Harry blinked and gawked at the metal in his hand. -This thing, put its soul into me? Wait, did it call me an animal? No that's not right, it's wrong. Bonds like this need the others acceptance for it to work I've read about it I'm sure. If that's right...-
"Did you use a form of black magic on me? Soul magic, necromancy, whatever it's called!"
[...] The coin was silent at this point. Brat was smart, that or a good guesser. [My name is Oalk but you can call me Master if you'd like]
"Master?... Do you want to be melted down? Wait, don't change the subject! You used black magic didn't you, you bastard! Once I get to a city I'm getting a wizard to cut this bond."
[No dice on the Master thing? Feel free to ask a mage to cut the bond. Won't work, well it will. Only after you die that is.]
Harry felt his complexion turn a tad whiter. "Dead... Oi oi oi, nothing in the books said anything about unbreakable bonds! You're kidding right? Right?!"
[Fraid' not kid. It was a last moment thing, You stumbled upon me, quite literally since your empty head smacked right on top-o' me. Quite lucky for me I'd say cos' you see... The thing is, if we're separated for too long, you start to feel sick, nausea, vomiting after a while you'll struggle to stand... This sickness will only get progressively worse ya' get where I'm goin' with this?]
"So I've witnessed my friends perish, I've had a talking prick of a coin use black fucking magic on me and now I'm stuck with said prick of a coin. Do I get ANYTHING for all my troubles? Nope!"
[Kid' I saw you scoop gold into your satchel you got sumthin' for yourself didn't ya? Besides I don't think you understand your situation. You've got a legendary sentient magical artefact with a soul bond, to you and all ya' do is complain? I'm more of a gift sent from the celestial planes than anything you're making me out to be. Acting like I'm some curse... I saved your ass, be a little grateful brat.]
To this Harry fell silent, it was true. He was saved by this thing even if it had used forbidden arts on him. Carrying the coin around wouldn't be that big of a deal, least this thing wasn't a chair or he would have been screwed. A minute of silence passed before Harry spoke once more. "I apologise. You did save me that I can't deny, what was that thing? The burning... What killed them?"
Oalk gave a mental nod towards Harry's apology, at least the brat wasn't completely lost in the art of manners. [It was a deactivated magical trap. When it senses a presence it gives off an intimidating aura, if that doesn't work and it's control sigil is touched in the wrong way, it releases the power of three fire charged crystals. You activated the thing and its sigil when your right foot decided to try the left side of life... with a vase.]
"Thanks for the reminder you prick. intimidating aura? That's it? No loud noises or blinding light? Sounds weak."
[Lad, that aura can make a mountain troll shit its self and run to momma'. Hell, I'm not sure a wyrm could stand against it.]
"Oh... That doesn't sound... good. Next question, I felt the burning, why am I not injured and for that matter why is my equipment not ashes?" He gave a gesture with his free hand, indeed his clothing, satchel and weapons didn't seem to have taken any damage.
[Heal and repair. Good spells for the intermediate magician, I myself held a great power when I wielded a body. Thanks to you I can once more cast spells. Also, thanks to me you'll probably be able to use magic. Expanding your mana pool is a side effect of such a bond]
"Eh? This bond has granted me the ability to sense mana?! Now I need those books... that are a kingdom away and in the library... No worries no worries I'm sure a mages guild has them, no sweat. If they weren't guarded... Oi co-... Oalk, you said that you were powerful, could you teach me?"
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
[Brat if you die I'll probably get screwed over one way or another. I'll teach ya' so long as you'll listen and shut it when I tell you to. On another note an extended mana pool isn't the only thing you've got. I ain't a one trick ancient magical artefact! Lets see... Mh... There we go~]
Harry blinked as he came to understand what he was seeing... Then he cursed.
NameHarry Vivi'shanté RevourTitleCowardly PrinceHealth28Mana420Level2Health Regen/SecNaturalMana Regen/Sec3Strength12Agility16Wisdom4Intelligence14Stamina22Dexterity14
"Cowardly prince! How dare... what... Did you-" Oalk quickly interrupted Harry less he be allowed to explode.
[It's the magic, it reads the person it effects then gives information corresponding to said person in a feedback loop of sorts... Still... a prince? You?]
Harry muffled his outcry of rage, spare hand curled into a fist and stuffed into his own mouth. After a few moments of composure rebuilding he dropped his fist into his lap. "Four hundred and twenty mana essence. By the blazes of hell that's a large pool. I assume you did that... FOUR WISDOM. I'm not inept at philosophical thinking! Is your magic faulty coin?"
[It's Oalk and no not faulty, it's wise to know when to shut your mouth. A skill you sorely lack, it'll be your social cues that've tanked that aspect down. I'm more worried about the stamina, you sure as hell don't seem the type to endure pain... or anything for that matter.]
"Hey, I've self taught and trained myself in many things that didn't go along with the families interests! It takes dedication to do what I did..." Harry trailed off at this point, looking back to his given title with a scowl. It just wasn't right, he'd left because he found the lies of his friends boring... Cowardly? He wasn't afraid, he could have easily have handled being a prince. Telling himself the title was wrong once more he snapped back to reality when he realised the sky was dimming. "Shit, I've got to set up camp"
[Oh, finally doing something productive? While you go do that I need to think about what I'm gunna' do now I'm stuck with your useless self. Why couldn't I have been picked up by a powerful wizard and not some fleeing prince.]
Harry was about to respond before he felt a small detaching snap in his mind, placing it down to Oalk breaking the connection that allowed it... Him to talk to Harry. He simply fell silent. A moment later and he was back onto his feet, arms raised as he stretched his body. His legs would be sore with all that running, he couldn't even see the keep he had flee'd from. -Well, time to get to work.-
On that mental note Harry started moving himself, currently within a forest of blackened trees (Due to the dark magic frequently used not too far away) Harry didn't feel all that safe, to the east was a rocky outcropping and that is where he headed. Only yesterday did he camp there with his now fallen allies. Harry reprimanded himself. -It's a harsh world. Thinking of them now won't bring them back, only cause grief for you.-
His compassionate side responded -Yes but they deserve to be remembered. If anything you should tell their family, track them down. They should know!-
-That'll take years! They were adventurers, it might not be possible to even track them down!-
-You know where Talias family live. Going there is the least you could do for her.-
-Yes if I want to place myself into a very awkward position surrounded by tears and emotion! I don't deal with that well! You KNOW that!-
-Because you're scared to face it... I know well. I'm just saying it would be the RIGHT thing to do. Do what you wish-
With a scowl on his face Harry continued in his own silence. After an hour of walking he came to the outcropping. Bringing himself to the previously camped in spot he brought out his bedroll from his satchel. Normally something as big as a bedroll wouldn't be able to fit into a simple satchel, but not this one! It was his most prized possession. Thanks to a magical enchantment the container could hold up to one-hundred pounds of material and objects up to five foot in length! Now that he thought about it, why did he only scoop up a handful of coins?
He cursed himself once more as he unrolled the bed in the shadow of a large rock. If Isaac was here he'd place some protection wards to drive away beasts. Thinking there was no choice other than winging it he crawled into his bedroll to force himself to sleep. Finally after two hours and sixteen minutes of regretful thinking, reprimanding himself and mentally insulting the coin he felt sleep come.
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Thanks for reading!~ Three hours for this one chapter. I've severely underestimated what it takes to write literature.
I shall learn with time.
Chapter 2
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