Cless stood there in her new bedroom, thinking herself stupid for pointing a finger at her deformed? scarred? face. She was gambling and playing games with Karen. She knew in her heart that the fire happened. But she was not sure she could trust her own dream. It was so real. She could feel the burns. The anger of the mob. The despair in Karen's face. Exactly like what she was seeing right there.
Cless lowered her hand. She wanted to dismiss everything and say it was fine to keep it a secret. She would hurt herself and make it fine. She didn't want to hurt Karen. And they stood there, without saying a word, beholden to the five other creatures inside the room.
"We will talk. But not here," Karen said slowly. The words sounded as hard for her to even say. "Josefine, tend to the needs of our four... not guests... Family members."
Karen waved one hand and suddenly Cless was in the basement larder. With Karen. It was scary. Could Karen teleport inside her inn? Cless wanted to ask but she had no voice. She was too scared to make a sound. Not of Karen or the teleport. She was scared that the truth could tear them apart. But there was no coming back.
"Tell me what you know, Cless."
Karen said. She was serious. Not angry, not sad. Serious. Concentrated. The sometimes silly and laid back innkeeper disappeared. Someone experienced, tired and wise took her place. Or the mask just fell.
"I was in a crib. The wood was soft like birch but not painted. It smelled of lavender. I was happy. A lady with a beautiful embroidered dress took care of me. Then I woke up with smoke and fire. People were shouting outside. I climbed out of the crib. One of the walls crashed down, burning. I was almost pinned by it. The flames burned my back, legs, and arms. My hair burned out as well. I crawled in the direction where fresh air was coming in. I saw a crowd. An angry mob. They wanted to invade and they were fighting someone. Guards. Then a man with two blades appeared and started to kill the mob. I cried in pain. You came and picked me up. You were running away when I lost consciousness."
She was in tears halfway into her retelling. The memories were clear in her head, except for the woman's face. She couldn't see it. Cless looked at Karen and the woman was crying.
"I'm sorry Cless," Karen said as a heartfelt apology but she changed her stance after she spoke. "When did you have this dream?" Karen asked. It sounded like she was also fishing.
"The day after we went to Witch Hill looking for some herbs. But I didn't say it was in a dream. Did it happen? Was my skin smooth like everyone else? Are these scars and not birth deformations?"
Karen sat on a barrel. "Yes. It didn't happen in Witch Hill but elsewhere far away. You lived with my cousin your mother and some staff and guards. An angry mob came to kill you two. We came too late to save your mother and we thought you were gone because we saw your bedroom destroyed and burning. You crawled out of the rubble and you were dying. I ran to save you but I could only keep you alive.
"The ones looking to kill you caught word that you survived and chased us. We had to flee here, to the middle of nowhere. Even so, they would catch up to us. Then the Priest decided to take you under his wing in the church as an abandoned orphan. His condition was that you should never leave the church until you came of age and that I avoided any contact with you. I could only watch you grow from afar. Even so, they were watching. Eventually, they learned of your whereabouts. The Priest, Balthus and I fought to keep you safe. A bargain was struck. One I cannot speak of. But you came of age, and everything was fine. You were released and I could finally take you in."
Cless went and hugged Karen. "I understand now. I was a prisoner in the church, despite their kindness."
"No!" Karen was startled. "Not a prisoner. It was a sanctuary for you. They would not dare touch you in the Priest's care. But we couldn't let you out. They were watching. Even now they might be."
"Who?"
"I cannot say. It is part of that bargain. To keep you safe."
"I don't want to force you to say anything. But you can listen, right?"
Karen smiled. It was bittersweet. So much pain mixed in with love. "That I can do. Speak your mind, Cless. We are family, and I mean that."
"It is about Legacy. My inherited Legacy. I learned a conflicting story regarding Skills. That it was not the One God that granted it, but someone called the 'Ruler of Midgard'. That the Skills are granted based on Desire and Legacy. It intrigued me. I can understand my Skill from the Desire part, what it does and what it means to me. But not the Legacy. It should make the Skill stronger, but for me to receive an S-rank Skill, what would it be?"
Karen bit her lip and crossed her arms. She sighed and remained silent.
"You miss my mother, don't you, aunt Karen?" Cless asked even though she knew the answer.
"A lot. Not a day goes by without thinking of her." More tears flowed from the innkeeper.
"Was she an awesome person?"
"More than you can imagine. She was the most wonderful person to ever grace this world with her beauty."
"And my father? Do you know who my father is?" Karen shook her head, but not as a negative. Her eyes told Cless to not ask further. "You don't want me to ask about my father." It was not a question. Karen nodded anyway.
"Did you ever hear about these things? Ruler of Midgard, Legacy and Desire, Skills, the alleged truth of the Dungeons..."
Karen put a hand on Cless' mouth. "Don't ever talk about that. You did one right thing, Cless and it was to pick the Cleric class. That is a good class for you. More than you can imagine. You are level twenty-five and need to pick a second tier class. We are going to the association. You pay your guild taxes, report your earnings, cash in that dragon head. You'll need money. And don't do silly things like saying it is guild fund. That dragon head is your money."
Cless felt a shudder. Karen spoke with a sense of urgency. It made Cless afraid.
"They are coming, aren't they? The ones chasing after me."
Karen didn't answer. She looked away.
"That is why I need to be stronger. Why Balthus is training me. And Lyle now. We need to hide our status from these appraisers."
"That would be good. Hiding your status can raise questions but it is not as bad as being singled out. A lot of people do. All of the really strong. and an appraiser has a limit to their proficiency."
Cless thought for a while and came up with another question. "What happened in Witch Hill?"
"Some very good people died there because they looked like the wrong people. That's all I am going to say."
"They died because those that were looking for my mother and I thought they might be us. Is that it? Don't answer."
Karen patted Cless' head. "Good girl. You caught up faster than I thought."
Something snapped in Cless' head. It was obvious. She only needed one hint to confirm it. "That old priest at the church, is he as strong as you or Balthus?"
"Yes. I would say he is even stronger."
That settled everything. Cless thought about the conversation and what it meant. She was being hunted by the same people that destroyed the manor now called Witch Hill. People strong and desperate enough to attack some random rich people just in hope they were the real target.
She would be safe with that Priest, but she did leave the church every now and then. So it was not about location, it was about who granted her sanctuary. The priest was strong and that was enough. So it was his status that protected her.
To whom the Priest's status would matter most? An organization able to accuse people of witchcraft, of consorting with demons, that would refrain from acting against a very powerful Priest. And her being a Cleric was a good thing. Only one fit the description on all points.
Cless looked away from Karen before she spoke. She had not the heart to see Karen's face. "The Church of the One God. These are the ones that are coming after me. They killed my mother. It is fine, Karen. We will talk about it again when you can. Okay?"
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
She didn't look back at Karen. But Karen said only one word. "Okay."
Cless walked out of the larder and up the stairs to the kitchen. She had a lot to digest. And even more questions than those she began with. The One God was a lie. She cast Light. She cast Hallow. The magic worked just fine. She denounced the One God in her heart. Her magic worked just the same. Enraged, Cless threw away her Holy Symbol. She walked into the empty common room and recast Hallow, but now missing the lines that praised the One God.
The spell worked just fine. And she was able to cast it in half the time. Embellishments. A smoke screen to deceive those that didn't test the boundaries. She tried every single spell. All of them worked and were cast even faster without all that blurb about a fake god.
Cless stomped up the stairs and into her room. Josefine was telling Venaris some stories about inn patrons.
"Everyone get ready to leave. Vic and Kurt, you will carry the loot. Remember to not look at anyone in the eyes."
Josefine turned and saw Cless' red eyes. "Is something wrong, Cless?"
"Yes, Josie. Everything is wrong and everything is the same. Sorry I can't speak more."
They got ready to leave. Downstairs, they met Karen. She was sitting on a chair by the front door, spinning Cless' holy symbol in her hand.
"Keep this even if you don't want to. It is a protection for you."
She took the amulet. Cless wanted to break it. But it was a gift from the Priest. He sheltered her. If he was that strong, being in a frontier town like this one was unthinkable except if to protect something. Her. So she put the holy symbol across her neck.
They left the inn behind and went to the Delver Association with Bear-Lyle. There she registered the three critters as her tame creatures and also registered Venaris as a delver. The people gave the gnome the stink-eye. Maybe Cless should ask about that. Besides the gnomes, Cless thought there were only humans and monsters.
Now she doubted who were the true monsters.
Cless went to the class selection booth and browsed the available second tier classes. It was another book, that rested beside the one she browsed back then. There were five other books. Seven tiers then.
"Since you are a Cleric, you should look only at the religious classes. The others are unavailable for you."
"Is there such a system? With prerequisites? For Classes? Can't a rogue get a second tier class for a warrior?"
"There are prerequisites but they are about proficiencies and Stats, not Classes," The clerk said with a snob tone. "But you won't have four weapon proficiencies twenty-five or more as a Cleric, would you? Or an Agility of forty."
"Those would be very hard for a Cleric, wouldn't they?"
The clerk nodded. "Indeed."
"But can't I look at the other classes? I'm a guild master, I'm supposed to give guidance to my guild members."
He cleared his throat. "Of course, guild master. Please tell me, what is the average level of your guild?"
"Around twenty-four." She answered right away. The clerk breathed deeply.
"Please browse to your heart's content, guild master."
She browsed. The classes had decorated entries showcasing their strengths, but they boiled down to improved stat growth. Second tier classes granted a bonus advancement, two extra stat point every five levels. There were the proficiency bonuses and they expanded a bit. None of the classes for the religiously-inclined appeased her. Maybe yesterday, but now? And these classes meant a stronger affiliation with the church. They wanted to make her safe by making her mingle with her hunters. She tried to imagine how the Cless from this morning would choose. She looked at the Class.
> Priestess (2nd Tier)
>
> Requirement: Gender: Female. Magic Unlocked. Proficiencies: 4 from Cleric at level 25.
>
> Main advancement: Magic. (+13)
>
> Secondary advancements: Intellect, Health. (+7)
>
> Bonus advancement: Agility. (+11)
>
> Proficiency bonus: 2x for Magic, Cleric and 3x for Magic, Priestess categories.
There was a Priest class, for males. It gave Strength in place of Agility. She would probably have to visit the priest and get another prayer book. But the Priestess class alone could hold the bonus to Cleric spells as it gave a proficiency bonus for it. To Cless, these stat points were laughable. She could get these by sleeping on her bed for two days. She browsed for something she wanted instead of Priestess. She found one.
> Battlemage (2nd tier)
>
> Requirement: Magic Unlocked. Proficiencies: 2 from Weapon at level 25, 2 from Social, Martial at level 25.
>
> Main advancement: Health. (+13)
>
> Secondary advancements: Intellect, Strength. (+7)
>
> Bonus advancement: Magic. (+11)
>
> Proficiency bonus: 2x for Weapon and 3x for Magic, Battlemage categories.
That was still something she was wary of. Too narrow a development. Cless wanted broad horizons, not inflated stats. She already had the latter.
"Does the first tier class get locked when you pick a second tier?"
The clerk looked at Cless as if she was an idiot. "No, but who is throwing away three hundred thousand Experience Points and twenty-nine stat points?"
She was. There was only another thing she wanted to know. "Are Elementalists first tier classes? What about illusionists?"
"They both are second-tier of the Mage class."
"How does one of them learn spells? From spellbooks?"
The clerk rolled his eyes. "How else? We sell spellbooks but they are expensive!" He was losing his temper.
Cless browsed for a first tier spellcasting class with good proficiencies. Or just a first tier class with good proficiencies. Another doubt came to her. "What Class grants House Magic?"
"Arcane Maid. Also Second tier from Mage."
"And you sell the spellbooks for that class as well."
"Obviously." Cless was having some guilty pleasure in torturing the association clerk. Maybe she should stop.
"Can I get two second-tier classes?"
"No, you can't. You can only have one class in each tier. Unless you had the right Skill, which you don't."
"How..." She was asking how did he know she hadn't the Skill but stopped. It would be very rude to ask about other's abilities as they were a person's most guarded secrets sometimes.
"Because if you had, you wouldn't need to ask. Those that have the Skill can read their description, can't you? With your own? Huh?"
No need to get cocky. Isn't your job to guide people in selecting classes? Why the rush? Aren't you going to stay in this room until sundown? Cless wanted to ask and be sassy but she couldn't.
"Is there a 1st tier class that grants only proficiencies?"
"There is no such absurd. Classes without stats are useless. There is a 1st level class that grants proficiency with everything and it is a very good fit for you." He said with sarcasm.
"Let me see it then, by all means." She answered with so much enthusiasm it came off as fake.
The clerk got the 1st tier book and showed her. The Jester. One of the last ten in the book. Gave +1 to stats rotating every five levels so all stats get something. It even gives a bonus to magic. Now she knew why Jester, Clown was considered a derogatory term. It gave a flat 50% bonus to all proficiency advancement. A shitty class for all purposes. But for one that didn't care about stats, about right.
"Thank you. I think I am ready now."
"Did you like it? I knew you would." He snickered.
Cless ignored the bitter clerk and went for the Class selector crystal; She placed her hand on it. She noticed she could see the stats for the classes at the selector but she needed to know the name of the class. She tried some involving Dungeons, like dungeon keeper, dungeon master, dungeon delver, dungeon herder and nothing. Then she understood. The crystal only showed those she had the requirements. Getting an exotic class involved two steps. Knowing it existed and achieving the requirements.
"I want to dabble in all trades."
The selector showed her one class. Dabbler.
> Dabbler (1nd tier)
>
> Requirement: None.
>
> Special: Unlocks Wisdom stat.
>
> Main advancement: Wisdom. (+13)
>
> Secondary advancements: None.
>
> Proficiency bonus: 25% to all.
She removed the Weaponmaster profession and doubled the Warmaster. She would lose half of the proficiency bonus she got from the professions with weapons, currently at twenty-four, to double the one granted to those under her command. The other benefit was that Warmaster now would progress at double the rate. Her build was more magic-inclined now, anyway. The faster advancement and doubled bonus for her group would more than compensate it. The profession's name changed to Veteran Warmaster. She selected Priestess for her second tier class.
Then she selected Dabbler for the 1st tier.
> Class erased: Cleric. -1 Strength, Agility. -7 Intellect, Health. -13 Magic.
>
> Class gained: Priestess.
>
> Deferred Class Experience granted. 1,014,542 Exp for Classes. 975,000 Exp allocated.
>
> You reached Priestess level 25. +1 Strength. +11 Agility. +7 Health. +7 Intellect. +13 Magic
>
> Class gained: Dabbler. Wisdom stat unlocked.
>
> Deferred Class Experience granted. 39,542 Exp for Classes.
>
> You reached Dabbler level 9. +5 Wisdom
She needed to get those spell books ASAP.
> Name: Cless (no surname)
>
> Race: Human.
>
> Level: 50 ( 1,261,681 / 1,275,000 Exp )
>
> Class: — Dabbler 9 (39,542 / 300,000 Exp ) — Priestess 25 (975,000 Exp / ** )
>
> Profession — Veteran Warmaster 18 (155,289 / 171,000 Exp) — Crafter 16 (Skill) — Farmer 16 (Skill)
>
> Base Stats — Strength: 63 — Agility: 85 [136] — Health: 85 — Intellect: 96 — Magic: 126 — Charisma: 42 — Wisdom: 15
>
> Available Status Points: 66
>
> Skills:
>
> S-rank: [ Absolute Contract ]
>
> B-rank: [ Succubus’ Kiss ]
>
> C-rank: [ Crafter ], [ Dangersense ], [ Illusionist ], [ Elven Longevity ], [ Eat Anything ], [ Earth Magic ]
>
> D-Rank: [ Trick Shot ], [ Nimble Step ], [ Tinker ], [ Grounding ], [ Dancer’s Grace ], [ Great Leap ],
> — [ Tremorsense ], [ Gemsense ], [ Ore sense ], [ Brownie Magic ], [ Courtier’s Charm ], [ Sling Mastery ],
> — [ Singers’ Talent ], [ Spellslinger ], [ Night Vision ], [ Poison Resistance ], [ Merchant sense ], [ Master Miner ],
> — [ Trapsense ], [ Heavy Handed ], [ Icewalk ], [ Farmer ], [ Druidwalk ], [ Twin Strike ], [ Curmudgeon crafter ]
>
> E-Rank: [ Giant's Stamina ], [ Tree refuge ], [ Gravebreath ], [ Burrower Bond ], [ Goblin Slayer ],
> — [ Architectural Ingenuity ], [ Coin Sense ], [ Weavertouch ], [ Silk Hair ], [ Hearth’s warmth ],
> — [ Perfect pitch ], [ Seamstress Talent ], [ Wanderlust ], [ Wide Vision ], [ Lady’s Countenance ]
>
> F-rank: [ Gardener’s touch ], [ Florist’s Wonder ]
>
> Proficiencies:
>
> Appraisal — Status: 22
>
> Crafting — Crude Weapons: 5 — Arrows: 1
>
> Magic, Cleric
> — Mending: 50 — Detoxify: 36 — Light: 44 — Turn Undead: 34 — Blessing: 46 — Holy Bolt: 50 — Purify: 40 — Protection: 50
> — Hallow: 45 — Flametongue: 30 — Cure: 30 — Uncurse: 30 — Banish: 30 — Heal: 45 — Warding: 30 — Revivify: 30
>
> General — Prayer: 47 — Scribe: 2 — Houseworking: 6 — Math: 3 — Reading: 12 — Forestry: 9 — Skinning: 7 — Herbalism: 3 — Sabotage: 2
>
> Social, general — Negotiation: 15 — Persuasion: 3 — Bluff: 6
>
> Social, martial — Leadership: 28 — Intimidation: 31— Tactics: 26
>
> Movement — Tumbling: 3 — Stealth: 3 — Sneak: 3
>
> Weapon — Long Blades: 27 — Short Blades: 2 — Unarmed: 27 — Archery: 28 — Spears: 3 — Maces: 32 — Staves: 4 — Axes: 9