Inside Whitebranch, the atmosphere shifted dramatically from the slums surrounding the town. The town was a marvel of engineering and architecture, constructed almost entirely from smooth cut stone that gleamed under the afternoon sun. Wide, clean streets formed a grid, leading efficiently from one place to another, and buildings rose in orderly rows, their facades adorned with intricate carvings that spoke to the town's wealth. The most striking feature however, was of course, the large white tree in the center of the town. The road she was on gave a perfect uninterrupted view of the base of the tree. It was clear that this view was a large part of the reason why the town was built in the first place.
Kelsey didn’t know her way around, so she stopped and asked someone for directions to the Adventurers guild. She was directed to the center of town, north of the tree. When she arrived over half an hour later she felt silly for even asking. If she had come to the town center, the Guild would have been impossible to miss. It was a large 6 story building made of polished smooth stones and had a pitched wooden roof decorated with a large symbol of a silver sword surrounded by a golden nine pointed star. It was so clearly an Adventurers Guild that it almost seemed stereotypical.
Entering the guild was like walking into a different world. While standing outside, the building was completely silent, but as she opened the doors, a wave of sound crashed into her. There were hundreds of people in the hall of the Guild all shouting, drinking, eating, and singing. In the back of the room was a long bar that covered the entire length of the wall. The left half of the bar was the side for food and drink. This is where the majority of the people standing at the bar were located. The right side of the bar looked to be significantly more official. There were 5 people sitting on stools behind the bar with short lines in front of each of them. They looked to be managing papers and delivering payments to the people in line. Kelsey got in one of those lines and waited patiently..
While waiting for her turn, she saw several people receive what must have been a contract payout, and then walk directly over to the bar to buy food and drink to party with friends and companions. She saw most people that entered the guild were in parties of 3 or more. Most of them seemed pretty standard to what she would have expected of an adventuring party. Each of them had a frontline fighter wearing heavy armor and a shield, a secondary warrior, with either a ranged weapon or a two handed weapon, sometimes both, and a mage as their backline. Many parties had more than three people, but to see less than that was rare. A quick glance around the room made her feel like she may be one of the weakest people in the building.
She didn’t have any reason why the people around her felt stronger than her, just an instinct, kind of how she felt when she met Owen and Lisa. She wasn’t nervous or scared of the people in this room though, from everything her domain, eyes, and her ears were telling her, these people were kind, friendly, and adventurous. I am going to love it here.
Eventually, it was her turn at the counter. She was face to face with a small woman in her early thirties with short blonde hair, deep green eyes, and a kind face. Kelsey was immediately drawn to her. Kelsey wasn’t the type to become smitten with someone during their first interaction, but something about this woman was just enchanting. She was potentially the most attractive person Kelsey had ever met.
“How can I help you today?” the woman behind the counter said, a huge smile spread across her face.
That smile, she's perfect… Kelsey stared at the woman for several long seconds, not speaking or taking her eyes off the woman’s beautiful face for even a moment.
“Umm… miss… Are you okay?” The blonde-haired woman asked.
This question finally brought Kelsey to her senses, and she replied “Yeah sorry, just got lost in my head for a second. You have really pretty eyes.”
Why did I say that? What is wrong with me?
“Oh, thanks! Now, is there anything I can help you with?” she asked again with an even bigger smile.
As the woman smiled, Kelsey found herself being drawn even more strongly towards the woman, but she thought of her brother and steeled herself against the magnetic pull.
“Yes, sorry. I have a letter for the Guild Leader, it’s from Owen, one of the adventurers stationed at the plains bridge.” Kelsey said trying her best to keep focused on her objective.
“Okay great, why don’t you just wait over there, and I’ll go tell him he has a visitor.” she said pointing to a chair near the bar.
As she said those words, she got up and began walking away. The feeling of unfiltered lust and adoration that Kelsey had been experiencing vanished and the blonde woman now seemed to just be a normal, if relatively attractive person. What the hell was that? I wasn’t acting like myself. Was that some kind of skill?
As if to answer her question, a ding rang out in her mind.
*ding* You have learned the general skill Mental Resistance - lvl 1
Allows the user to resist mental manipulations.
*ding* Mental Resistance has reached lvl 1 -> 3
I see… It must be her path. Working in a customer service role would of course give people skills to make them more likable. I really wish someone would have warned me about that. I’m going to have to apologize for making things weird with her. But is it really normal for people to use mental manipulation skills in broad daylight? Feels like that should be illegal.
Kelsey contemplated the skill for a few more minutes until the blonde woman came back. As soon as she did, she felt the woman's skill sink into her psyche again. This time, the effect was minimal. Because she was aware of it, and with her new resistance, it was barely even noticeable. If anything, it just made Kelsey want to be nicer to the woman. “He said you can go see him now, he’s on the sixth floor. Once you get up there, someone can show you the way to his office. Have a great day!” the blonde woman said in a happy voice.
Kelsey, feeling a bit awkward about their previous interaction, wanted to clear the air before she moved on. “Hey. I’m sorry about earlier. I wasn’t prepared for your skill, and it caught me off guard.” The woman’s eyes grew wide, and a blush flared on her cheeks. “I am so sorry, I didn’t know. You must be an Otherworlder. Everyone around here knows about these kinds of skills from early in life and are able to build up a resistance to them from exposure. Please forgive me!” she said as she bowed ever so slightly.
“It's no big deal, I just didn’t want you to think I was some crazy stalker or something after the way I acted. I hope you have a good day. I gotta see the guild master, I don’t wanna keep him waiting.” Kelsey said, trying to ease the woman's mind.
“Okay bye, have fun up there. By the way my name is Fiona. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” she said as she winked at Kelsey flirtatiously. “By the way, my skill just enhances any positive thoughts and feelings people have about me. So…”
It was Kelsey’s turn to blush at what the woman was implying, but she thanked Fiona for her help and spun away before the woman could see her embarrassment. Damn mental magic.
Kelsey was not an unathletic person back on Earth but walking up 6 stories of stairs would have at least raised her heart rate. Now? She may as well have been sleeping for all her body reacted to climbing the stairs. I keep forgetting how strong my body is now. It's only going to get stronger from here. I’ll need to be careful that I learn how to control this strength. I lived on Earth for 28 years; I’m pretty used to how much effort I need to exert for something. I don’t want to accidentally hurt someone or destroy something as I get stronger.
Arriving on the sixth floor Kelsey glanced around the room trying to find where the Guild Master’s office may be. The sixth floor was some sort of intimate dining area. There were groups of people ranging from couples eating a nice dinner together all the way to full parties having a quiet meal. It was much calmer on the sixth floor and despite only being six floors up no sound could be heard from the ground floor. There must be some sound enchantments they’re using for this place. I should certainly be able to hear a room that loud from here.
Not having any luck finding the Guild Master’s office on her own, she politely stopped one of the waiters and asked for directions. Having been pointed in the right direction, Kelsey stopped in front of the large double doors and realized that she was unable to see into the room with her domain. It was like there was a void in this specific spot that her skill was unable to give her information on. Unsure what else to do, she knocked.
“Enter” said a deep gravelly voice from the other side of the door.
Feeling slightly nervous, she opened the wooden double doors and entered into the Guild Master’s office. The room was a small, almost quaint little office with bookshelves lining the side walls. There were two benches, one on each side of the wall with the door in the center. Behind the Guild Master was a large glass window that ran the entire length and height of the wall that let in plenty of natural light.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Sitting behind a large mahogany desk was someone that she would have guessed was captain of a pirate ship. He was a large, dark-skinned man with thick black hair and a large beard that extended to his chest. He was wearing a large leather coat over a silk white shirt with ruffles on the front. But the biggest thing that made her think of pirates though was the eye patch and scar that trailed across his left eye.
“Have a seat” he said pointing to a leather chair positioned in front of the desk. “I was told you have a letter for me?”
“Yes sir.” she said while reaching into her cloak and summoning the letter from her vault.
The guild master’s eye narrowed when she summoned the letter and he said “Spatial magic. Rare.”
Feeling flustered at having been seen through so quickly, she handed the Guild Master the letter. She had thus far been able to stop herself from reading it, but as it was out in the open so long, she was going to take the opportunity. Thanks to her domain, she was able to read the letter even while it was still in the envelope. She trusted Owen but was curious what he had said about her.
Dear Gregory,
I have sent this letter with a woman whom I think you would like to be acquainted with. Her name is Kelsey. She is an Otherworlder that arrived in Anoura about two months ago at the time of me writing this. She survived in the Mageblood Forest and made her way to the bridge through the plains completely alone. I have confirmed a few very important things about my new friend here.
* She is a Spatial Mage
* She is a Telekinetic Creator. Lisa and the other guards weren’t aware of it, but she may be one of, if not the only true Telekinetic Creator in Anoura. I’m not sure Grant and Fin were even aware she was a true Creator. She walked up to us wearing silk-like clothes she had created herself. It was quite an advanced creation.
* She may have some sort of domain ability. Lisa noticed her reacting to things she should not have been able to perceive without one.
* She has access to a dimensional storage of some sort.
* She may have a teleportation ability.
* She is somewhere around level 30.
* She may have had her body remade. She has no scarring, no wounds, and her skin is perfect. The only thing I can think of is that she ingested Mageblood from the forest. If so, it's a miracle she’s alive.
If Kelsey does indeed have everything on this list, and I think there is a high likelihood she does, then she is on the road to becoming one of, if not the strongest mage in Anoura. She must not only have an understanding of the concepts surrounding spacetime, but also a passion for them.
I recommend you convince her to join the Adventurers Guild and ensure she has proper training and experience. She is a kind and trusting individual. Do not let someone take advantage of her.
I will be back in six months unless you can pull some strings to bring me back earlier. At that time, I will be requesting a leave of absence to find a proper instructor for my new friend, if she would be open to that idea.
Thanks,
Owen Swanson
P.S. Kelsey will have certainly read this letter if she has a domain ability. She's mischievous like that.
As Kelsey read the last line of the letter with her domain, she looked up into the eye of Gregory the Guild Master who was simply staring at her from above the page. He put down the letter and grinned knowingly. “So, it's a yes on domain. How about the teleport and the Mageblood body?”
Hanging her head in embarrassment she just sheepishly said “Yeah… those too…”
Kelsey jolted in surprise as the previously gruff and serious man behind the desk burst into uproarious laughter. “You know lassie, you aren’t half bad I tell ye. Listen… It’s fine. Your skills are a Guild secret as of this moment. I swear to ye, Owen, Lisa, and I won't tell a soul.” He got up from his chair and made his way to the front of the desk to lean on it. “Hear me. From this moment on, you're under our protection. We can’t protect ye from everything, but no one should be punished for comin to this world against their will and knowing stuff.”
Kelsey digested his words for a few moments before she responded. “Thank you. I really had no idea my skills were out of the ordinary until Lisa warned me last night. I also didn’t know that the Mageblood ritual was so dangerous. I will say it hurts. A lot.”
Gregory sighed before he continued, much more seriously than before. “The Mageblood ritual has a 100% death rate. The only people that can take part in the ritual are children 11 years old or younger since they are the only ones without a class. Throughout history many parents have attempted the ritual on their child, thinking they had found a way to make it work. The identification implies that it should be possible, so people try.”
Gregory then rubbed his hands with his face and slumped down into the chair next to her. “Mageblood is the fundamental ingredient for nearly all alchemical creations. It is packed full of stable mana. It’s theorized that perfecting the Mageblood ritual would give a body that gave +1, or even +2 to all attributes every level. The best bodies we know average a total status distribution of +10 or so with the best ones giving two +5s. No one has ever seen a body give more than a +5 in a single attribute however.” He then turned in his chair and looked Kelsey deep in the eyes who was at this point trying, and failing, to enter mediation to decrease her body's heart rate as she had begun panicking.
“Based on your reaction, I’d wager the theories were wrong. Ye don’t have to answer, and I will perform a Blood Oath to never share this secret if ye wish, but I would like to know, if only to satiate my own curiosity.” he said almost a bit defeatedly.
“What is a Blood Oath?” Kelsey asked after a few seconds.
“It’s basically a promise that is bound by magic. If I break it, I die. I have the skill for reasons related to being a Guild Master.” Gregory said.
Kelsey stared into space for several long seconds while considering the Guild Master’s proposal. “How would I know a Blood Oath is real?” she asked noncommittally.
“The system will tell you.” Gregory answered simply. “I will share the oath with you now.”
*ding* You have been offered a Blood Oath by Gregory Swanson
Blood Oath
I, Gregory Swanson, under the threat of death, will not knowingly share the secrets behind Kelsey’s Class, Skills, nor her Mageblood Body to anyone, in any capacity, for any reason. If the event of an unwilling disclosure of these secrets I will be killed as if I had shared the secrets knowingly.
“No. Take out the last line and make it so you can inform and discuss this matter with Owen and Lisa.” After reading the Oath she began to realize what may be at stake here and was thinking about this seriously. “Owen seems to trust you so I will too.”
“Also, it’s a no on the instructor. I don’t want to sit in a classroom for months. I want to go out and explore. If you can find me an instructor that's willing to explore the wilderness and fight monsters most of the day, then I’d be happy to learn from them.” she added firmly.
Gregory was taken aback by Kelsey's sudden shift in demeanor. “This be the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in years. Kelsey, this is going to be fun.” As he said those words the new, edited oath appeared in front of her. Reading through it, the new changes were there so she hit accept.
God, this man changes the way he speaks more often than I blink. One minute he’s talking like a pirate, the next minute I could easily mistake him for a politician.
She had expected something to happen when she accepted the Oath, but the system simply dinged and closed the window. “So, what now?” Kelsey asked, feeling slightly confused.
“Nothing, it works just like that. Now, if I knowingly and willingly spill your secrets to anyone except Owen or Lisa, I will die, and you will receive a notification.”
That was a lot of pressure and Kelsey felt anxious about the prospect of having someone’s death on her conscience. But, steeling herself, she answered his question “Five to all... 30 total attributes per level. I received the body at level one. The body then merged with my Path at level 28. It also grants me a skill called Mageblood Regeneration which I have active most of the time. It converts Mana regeneration into Health regeneration. I can also spend stored mana to increase the speed of the regeneration. Based on some testing, I have been able to go from nearly dead to full health in a little over one second by decreasing the conversion rate. The normal conversion is 1 to 1. I haven’t had a need to test if limbs would grow back, but I’m nearly certain they would.” she finished breathily. Kelsey was so nervous she had given the entire explanation in a single breath to get it out as fast as possible.
The silence in the room was deafening, stretching on for what felt like an eternity. Kelsey could see that Gregory was deep in thought and carefully considering what she had just said. Gregory did however eventually speak. “Tell no one, ye hear me. The best, and I mean absolute best level 25 path classes provide around 70 total attribute points. A great body may increase that number to 80 if they’re lucky. If my guess is correct, having a Mageblood body was one of your requirements for your Path. That means that your class provides at minimum around 100 points per level. Do you receive any free points? Most classes with those high numbers usually don’t.”
“10 free points for a total of 110 points per level.” Kelsey answered seriously.
“This means that on average ye will be the same strength as someone roughly 50 percent higher level than you once you factor in the unique skill from the Mageblood body. Potentially even stronger than that.” The Guild Master fell back in his chair. “I am now going to be speaking to you in the official capacity as the Guild Master of the Whitebranch branch of the Anoura Adventurers Guild. Kelsey. I strongly recommend that you never utter a word of this to anyone outside these walls unless you trust that person with your life. There are people in this world who, upon hearing the information you've just shared with me, would hunt you down, stick you in a lab, and run tests on you till you drop dead.” He said very seriously.
Kelsey didn’t trust herself to speak so she just swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.
“That being said. I would be honored if you would join the Anouran Adventurers Guild and help us to protect humanity from the threat of monsters and the other sentient races that wish to do us harm. You will still need to take the entrance exam, but I would have it conducted privately to ensure the least amount of exposure possible.” He finished a bit more gently.
Joining the adventurers guild might be a good way to find Thadius. If they handle identification for everyone, maybe they have his information... if he’s actually here.
“On one condition.” Kelsey said with confidence. “I want help to find my brother first.”