“So, do either of you have skills that need more experience before the ritual begins?” Raiden asked.

Edgar nodded. “It seems like Overdrive wants to combine, but it’s only at ninety-one percent.”

“I have one as well. My Water Blast skill.”

“Then we’ll train those two skills.” Raiden nodded. “You already know that experience comes from using the skill, but there are three ways I’ve found to increase the amount earned.”

Raiden tapped his temple. “One way is to use the skill creatively. Another is to use the skill in live combat.”

Edgar and Mirai looked at each other. That was reasonable.

“So you want me to throw Water Blast against Edgar while he runs away with Overdrive?” Mirai asked. “Or maybe I could try something more unique?”

“Oh, no.” Raiden smiled, shaking his head. “You see, the third way is the most effective.”

Raiden drew his sword, and Edgar heard the sizzle of electricity running along its length. “Using the skill with your life on the line.”

Edgar’s [Animal Awareness] began screaming, and he activated [Overdrive] without even thinking.

Mirai stepped backwards, summoning a ball of water. “W-Wait… Really?”

“Go!” Raiden shouted.

He chased them for what felt like an eternity, easily pushing both of them at once to their limits—and then beyond them. Edgar used [Overdrive] as frequently as he could manage, but no matter how fast he moved, Raiden’s blade moved faster. It cut much closer than he was comfortable with, leaving a few stray hairs on the stone and more than one cut in his shirt. There were times he felt he could have legitimately died, if not for tapping into some extra bit of flexibility, or finding a way to layer in one of his other skills.

After what felt like an eternity, Edgar found himself collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. Mirai wasn’t far from his side, muttering reverently about Raiden’s swordsmanship, lost in a sort of exhausted fever dream.

Edgar propped himself up on his elbows, watching as Raiden finally sheathed his sword and walked off towards the overlook.

Edgar collapsed again. “I’m alive… I’m… alive… Just gotta… catch my breath…”

Priz’s face appeared overhead. “You alright? That was… well… rough…”

“I think I blacked out. How long were we training?”

“About an hour… Man, and I thought our training was bad…”

Edgar laid there for a few more minutes, catching his breath. He glanced at the overlook, where Raiden was now meditating. The maniacal trainer had gone into hibernation, hiding behind a peaceful, composed facade.

But, they had done it. [Overdrive] was all at one-hundred percent experience. He rose to his feet and helped Mirai to hers as well. Her eyes were wide, full of excitement. Her breathing was mostly back to normal and her feverish mumbling had stopped.

It was time!

“You’re ready.” Raiden’s voice echoed across the plateau from the overlook.

He wore a half-smile and gestured at the ground in front of him. Together, they approached and sat. Edgar eyed him warily, but the man just continued on with his measured breathing, as if nothing were amiss. Edgar shook his head. It would take awhile to unsee Raiden’s crackling sword slicing just past his face.

“Take a moment to commune with your skills before we start.” Raiden said. “Make sure you understand their wishes.”

Edgar calmed himself, closing his eyes, and once he was ready he entered his core. They were behaving differently today. He sensed excitement, but not the blood-pumping, adrenaline-spiking excitement they exuded during combat. Instead, it was a celebratory sort of excitement. He could feel their pride. They gathered around his touch, making him smile.

“There isn’t much I can say to prepare you for the challenge, since it is between you and your skills. Just know that you are ready. Trust yourself, and trust your skills.”

They nodded.

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“Then, we’ll begin.”

Raiden adjusted himself, settling into a comfortable posture. They followed his lead.

“First, take out your soul coin and the essence you’ll be using to level.”

Both of them withdrew their coins and essences. Edgar’s essence was an [Essence of Darkness (Space)], while Mirai’s was an [Essence of Time]. The two crystal balls were similar shapes, but different colors, with energy of their particular aspect swirling in the center. The darkness essence was black and purple, while the time essence was slightly blue.

“Now, open the leveling menu and continue.” He smiled. “Best of luck to you both.”

Edgar took a deep breath and then opened the menu.

Leveling Ritual: Level 2

* Fuse a [Soul Coin] with an [Aspected Essence] to continue.

Holding the coin in one hand and the essence in the other, Edgar brought them together. With a flash of magic, they joined. The coin was now purple and black, crackling with energy.

[Soul Coin] has fused with [Essence of Darkness (Space)]!

What skill or ability will you invest in?

He closed his eyes and spoke as calmly as he could manage. “One with Darkness.”

He began feeling lighter and lighter, as if he were being sucked upward, through a straw. The next system screen appeared in his mind’s eye.

[One with Darkness] wants to combine with:

[Tail Whip], [Parry], [Scratch], [Acrobatics],

[Leap], [Overdrive], and [Animalistic Awareness].

This requires completion of a [Mastery Challenge].

Do you Accept?

Yes.

The sensation intensified until, quite suddenly, he felt the pull of gravity underneath him. He flung his limbs outward and managed to land in a crouch. He felt stone beneath his feet. Reflexively, he drew his claws and readied his tail, spinning in a circle.

The room resembled the dungeon he had been reborn into, with stone walls and purple torches—Dracula vibes all over again—and a single staircase spiraled upward. A large window revealed a moon partially obscured by clouds.

Something wreathed in purple flames fell from above, landing at the foot of the stairs. Edgar approached warily, watching as the flames subsided, revealing a seed. He scooped it up and immediately felt a connection to it establish itself in his core. The seed glimmered, awakening. A feeling blossomed in his chest and he knew he was holding [One with Darkness] in the palm of his hand.

It gave off all the familiar sparks of personality, and the sense of its spirit was stronger than it had been before.

Edgar clasped the seed to his chest. “Hello, little friend. Any chance you know what we’re supposed to do?”

As he spoke, the shadows in the room began to darken and grow, giving Edgar a horrible feeling. He began backing away, retreating up the stairs. From within the shadows, eyes began to appear. Then, small arms and legs as imps flooded outward. They ran at him, stumbling over each other in a mad dash. Some of them took flight and swooped towards him.

“Oh, god. Well, it’s about time we got moving. What do you say?”

He could feel the skill pulse with warmth.

Not needing any other encouragement, Edgar began sprinting up the stairs. Out of habit, he reached into his core to activate his skills, but his core was empty. Before he could panic, the seed pulsed again. It wasn’t using words, but somehow Edgar found he could understand.

It was asking him what he needed.

“Speed! Speed would be very helpful right about now.”

He felt heat blossom in his core, flowing down his legs, toward his feet. He could feel something changing within him as his feet pounded the stairs upward. The imps closed in, clawed hands reaching for him, but with his next step, he shot forwards. The imps disappeared behind him as he rocketed up the stairs.

[One with Darkness] has spawned the skill [Hot Foot].

Skill: [Hot Foot]

* Temporarily lower the character’s total mana to increase their agility. The effect scales with the amount paid.

* Aspect: Fire

* Duration: Indefinite

* Cost: Mana, Dynamic

* Cooldown: 10 minutes

The imps disappeared behind him as he ran faster up the spiraling staircase. He whooped happily as his hair whipped in the breeze, and the seed pulsed happily against his chest.

Eventually, he emerged from the staircase and stepped out onto a massive stone platform. Overhead, a massive moon loomed low in the sky, surrounded by clouds. The vague shapes of mountains could be seen far in the distance, but as he gazed towards the edge of the platform, Edgar had a feeling it dropped off into a void of nothingness.

He held onto [Hot Foot] and was happy to see that it remained active, with no hint of letting up. Without realizing exactly what was happening in the moment, he had paid half his total mana to activate the skill, and it seemed like as long as it was active, that mana wasn’t coming back.

But that was fine, since he had no intention of releasing the skill just yet. Something told him the challenge wasn’t quite as simple as outrunning a bunch of imps, and sure enough, a rumble of thunder sounded overhead. Dark clouds rushed towards him, sending bolts of purple lightning crackling outwards. They struck and scarred the large platform he was standing on.

As the thunder rumbled again, much closer, dread filled Edgar’s gut.

It wasn’t thunder at all. It was a roar.

~~~~~~~~~~

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