With only eight skill slots left to fill, I might as well look at the two I’ve received against my will.
Soul Healing - Healing Skill - Hybrid
“Be careful kid”
User gains minor soul sight.
User passively regenerates soul based damage.
User may spend mana to form raw Aether.
User may spend Aether to accelerate regeneration of soul matrix.
The personalized message at the start of my skill does not surprise me, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes in case the gods are watching me somehow. The ability to form Aether from mana is unique in my memory, and the only creatures known to deal in such things are spirits. Spirits themselves are more soul than anything else, so it makes sense in that regard.
Memory Therapy - Healing Skill - Active
“Seriously. Don’t fuck around”
User experiences a minor correction when meditating.
User may spend mana while meditating to repair damaged memories.
User may spend large amounts of mana to reconcile opposed memories and perceptions.
Okay. I actually let myself roll my eyes that time. I’m not going to fuck around, they don’t have to treat me like a child. The skill is astounding though. The kinds of tasks these two skills alone supposedly let me do with mana are beyond anything I’ve ever heard of. I suspect that I’m not actually the one performing anything honestly, the system likely forms a conduit to some low ranking divine spirit that’s acting as an agent of my two patrons. I will accept the help. Begrudgingly.
I scoff slightly at my second train of thought as it bubbles to the surface. I wonder what it will be like when they’ve healed more. Will I talk to myself, or will the line between them be further blurred. The idea honestly excites me.
I have to get back to my skills though. Meditation on my state and any potential experiments can wait.
“Query, pull up available skills for [Apprentice Dark Mage]” and with a soft ding, my list of skills is organized in front of me according to previous parameters with class unlock.
[Elemental Affinity]
* Variant [Void]
* Variant [Ash]
* Variant [Salt]
* Variant [Dust]
* Variant [Vacuum]
* Variant [Abyss]
* Variant [Poison]
* Variant [Gravity]
* Variant [Spatial]
* Variant [Time]
* Variant [Aether]
* Variant [Mana Conversion]
[Focus]
* Variant [Spell Focus]
* Variant [Ritual Focus]
[Quick Spell]
* Variant [Chant Omission]
* Variant [Quick Draw]
* Variant [Simul-Chant]
And the list seems to go on and on for pages and pages. Every single available skill as at least one variant listed underneath it. It would take me hours to go through all of them, so I have to creatively apply a few filters.
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“Filter out any skills that would contradict current choices, or hold only partial affinity to my current elements”. The list shortens dramatically. I can think of two skills I used quite frequently in my first life that I would have taken as general skills if not for a mage-focused build. I can take them now, I likely couldn’t take [Wayfaring] or [Stealth] without taking a class side step later.
“Select [Appraisal] for level five class skill, and [Identify] for level fifteen” I prod the system. The skills are similar in use but differ in scope, and the more broadly used [Appraisal] is something I will use more so it’s likely to level up faster. Taking [Identify] for my Tier 3 class gives it a head start.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Congratulations!
[Appraisal] has been granted.
[Appraisal] has been set to level 5.
[Identify] has been granted.
[Identify] has been set to level 15.
With those two chosen, I only have three slots left for each class. I have to write certain skills off completely, either because I won’t use them or I can establish similar enough effects through skill alone. [Mana Conversion] is rather useless when you can convert mana to various elements manually.
I spend the next few minutes scrolling through my remaining options, considering various skills and reading about any that are unfamiliar to me. Occasionally, I will consider a skill and feel a painful sting in my head. The input from my other half is clearly driving me towards certain choices, and I have to accept their opinion if nothing else.
Once my choices are made for my Tier 2 class, I repeat the deliberation process for Tier 3. By the time the amber rays of sundown creep into the basement, I have six confident skill choices for my final few slots. Though in only a handful of levels I’ll be able to choose five more, so I’m not overly stressed by the concept.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Skill input accepted.
Congratulations!
[Void Affinity] has been granted.
[Ritual Focus] has been granted.
[Chant Omission] has been granted.
[Void Affinity] has been set to level 5.
[Ritual Focus] has been set to level 5.
[Chant Omission] has been set to level 5.
[Efficient Minions] has been granted.
[Abyss Affinity] has been granted.
[Clarity] has been granted.
[Efficient Minions] has been set to level 15.
[Abyss Affinity] has been set to level 15.
[Clarity] has been set to level 15.
A rush of sudden pings and notifications alerts me to all the class skills flooding into my mind, and the familiar blissful feeling of power and growth seeps its way into my body. Addictive. A good incentive for power, but an unnecessary one.
I smirk at the thought, and look over my freshly filled list of skills. At these early levels, I don’t particularly feel the need to obtain any active skills, so most of what I’ve taken are passives. Both affinity skills increase my efficiency and control when dealing with Void or Abyss element mana. [Ritual Focus], [Chant Omission], and [Efficient Minions] are all increases to magic I already do or have already done, and will not do much on their own. Finally, [Clarity] is a form of magical resistance skill that should help protect me in the future.
As much as I love Neia, Mom, I don’t feel comfortable with the looming threat of a high level mental mage exposing any secrets in the future.
The only active skills I took this time around were either forced on me, or skills I already know how to use. I think it will save me time in future experimentation, and to prove my theory I beckon Cain closer and target him with [Appraisal].
Shadewolf - lvl 10 (MAX)
Okay. Note to self: Cain got part of the experience buffer too, and I need to check his status when I’m done experimenting. It’s time for my old friend to level up as well.