Chapter: 8
Len woke early, his newly tempered body giving him better recovery. He used a water spell to fill the pitcher, throwing in tea and using a heating spell from his hand to warm the water.
“Fucking ass crack of dawn,” Rick muttered, getting out from between his blankets.
Len took out some honey and added it to the tea as Rick pushed the blankets off and sat on the edge of his bed with a grunt.
Len drank from the metal pitcher, letting out a sigh.
He dropped to the floor, squatting to remove any noise. Len held out the tea pitcher. Rick took it with a nod of thanks, remaining in his squat as he caffeinated.
“There’s a bath house, shall we see if we can get washed up before we head out and grab some food to?” Len asked.
“’kay.” Rick said.
Len dressed in his clothes from yesterday all their gear was packed and ready
Rick passed the pitcher back and donned his old clothes as well.
Len drank some more, swirling the rest. “Leaves in the bottom, you can finish it up.”
Rick took it with a grunt and a nod of thanks, pushing the windows open. Len started pulling on his gear, sword belt and armor first.
Rick threw out the leaves and little remaining water from the pitcher into the street, putting the pitcher back on the counter afterwards before he turned his attention to his gear.
Len got the rest of his gear on. “Its going to be hard to find creatures to kill to move our level.”
“We know places where there are stronger creatures. If we need to level we can go there.” Rick put on his armor and weapons.
Once dressed he joined Len sitting on his bed.
Len moved around, feeling the weight of the pack shifting and pulling him in different directions.
It barely felt like anything at all. That was the problem as you increased your tempering and cultivation. Things that had been difficult before became so easy they were negligible. Even though he couldn't feel the weight of the backpack, it didn't mean that it wasn't there.
Something easily forgotten in a fight, knowing everything around oneself was essential. It was all too easy to get numb as one grew in power. Using more expensive spells, overusing one's strength instead of using metered, measured responses.
Not about how much mana you put into the spell, its how useful the outcome is.
“Burning daylight.”
“Hasn’t even risen yet to burn,” Rick said. “Be nice when you can make some folded space gear, then don’t have to lug all this crap around.”
“Hardship builds character,” Len started for the door.
“I don’t think I tempered your bones enough,” Rick reached for his hammer.
“Give your pack to me, odd for a noble to carry his own stuff,” Len said.
“Very well, pack horse!” Rick grabbed his hammer and holstered it, grabbing up his pack and holding it out with a smile. Len put his amrs through the straps. Rick helped get it under the other pack’s straps to keep it in place.
Len shifted the weight.
“Good to go?” Rick asked.
“Ready.”
They walked down and out of the Slumbering Willow, getting some odd looks.
"What's with them?" Rick asked.
Len followed their eyes to his hip, where his sword lay. He studied them, they were ill equipped to deal with the ravages of the apocalypse, the thought stuck. "None of them have any weapons or armor. Not used to it. It was only when the apocalypse was in full swing that people started wearing them all the time.”
“Strange,” Rick said as they reached the bathhouse.
Light flared over the city. Len pushed open the window to look out.
Lightning soundlessly descended from the sky and then experience flowed in its path, draining the clouds above.
“Someone just leveled up their skills.”
“If they have the screens that would make sense.”
“Did they get it before we came back?” Len frowned. “Is this different from what we remember?”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“There’s lots of people with different skills, if they used them like we did then they’ll get hit with a ton of experience,” Rick said.
“And enlightenment.”
“Crafters are about to become some overpowered mother fuckers. Come on, bath water’s gonna get cold!”
***
The Coiled Serpent had dozens of people milling around. A bolt of light dropped through the ceiling into the back of the smithy.
Everyone looked over.
“I’m an apprentice!” A man croaked from the back room. Everyone erupted into cheers.
Len and Rick weaved through the people who were staring absently at screens only they could see.
“Hi, Ralph?” Len asked the man behind the counter talking to three others.
“Ah! They’re the ones that I was trading with when the light descended on me,” Ralph yelled.
“Have you got our gear?”
“Yes, yes right away! Have you seen your screen? Just need to say stat screen?” Ralph asked.
“Y-yeah we saw it last night when we were here,” Rick said.
“Everyone that’s been coming to the smithy has started seeing it and all of the smiths have been working all night to make gear, increasing their skill level.” Ralph laughed, a tired edge to it as he looked under the counters before snatching up the pipe bent into bracers. “Here you are!”
“Thanks.” Len grabbed up the bracers, pulling them on and tightening the leather string.
Ralph hurried back to his friends as Rick pulled on his as well.
A bolt of enlightenment hit a nearby food vendor across the street, slamming him into the ground as he out what had been a pastry and was now exploded over his now very-awake customer.
Len and Rick hurried out of the store, trying to hit as few people as possible with their gear.
He rolled his shoulder, his full backpack, messenger bag, rifle, map case and remaining gear didn’t bother him. Rick was wearing his jacket under his armor plate for more padding but his Valoria Academy crest had been sowed to his left shoulder strap.
They walked quickly and silence.
“So it looks like people just started getting screens when we showed up,” Len said.
“Kind of like when the Arrivals showed up and people nearest them started getting the screens too.”
“Gets passed to others,” Len said.
“People are about to get a lot stronger,” Rick said.
***
More than one person yelled out ‘stats’ in the street. Kids were staring off with that blank look of someone checking their screens.
It became less as they continued through the city.
“Freak lightning across the city, rumors that it was man-made!”
Len picked up his pace some while not using his full strength.
They walked through the station and found their platform that was already filling up with people.
“Where’s everyone going?” Len asked.
“Goran probably, the competition attracts people from all over,” Rick said. He found a spot against the brick building in the middle of the platform, offering bathrooms and a store selling drinks and food.
They settled into wait, people avoiding them and their armor.
“Eastbound train approaching!” a conductor yelled, moving down the platform and repeating his message, pushing people back from the edge.
The train whistled in the distance, its brakes squealing as it slowed down.
“Move in the name of Duke Crenda!” a man bellowed. A dozen guards swarmed onto the platform. One holding up a crest with another on the front of his jacket.
The guards split up, some pushing passengers out of the way as they got onto the train, others moving down the platform, searching.
Rick backed them up against the brick pillar they were standing next to, hiding them.
“Why would a Duke’s guards be looking for you?” Len asked.
“Well…” Rick peered around the corner. “Remember how I ran into a bit of trouble in Olwell’s?”
“Yes.” Len nodded. “You killed them?” He undid the chains blocking one from the small balcony at the rear of the train that would create a bridge to another train carriage if there was one.
“No, they were idiots, just punched them up a bit and then they were kind enough to give us some extra funds for the experience and a few extra potions.” Rick put the chain back in place.
Len cocked an eyebrow, then let out breath, leaning his head back against the brick wall. The train gave a whistle, conductors chivvying on the last passengers.
“Its going to be damn tricky, but I could bend the light,” Len said.
The guards were stalking down the platform, checking through the carriage windows and the alcoves on the platform.
“You sure?” Rick asked.
“A bit of fancy work, just can’t hit anything,” Len said.
Whistles blew, the train huffing as it began building up motion. Len and Rick rocked with the motion.
“Alright, well,” Rick looked out and ducked back. “Might do it soon they’re nearly here.”
Len manipulated the light around them, bending it slightly around them. It was similar to the concepts one needed to master with the spatial enchantments needed for storage devices.
It snapped in space, the world around them distorting slightly, footsteps approached, two guards with their hands on their swords moved past the rear of the train. They looked right at them, then around them.
“Anything?” the leading guard yelled as he jumped off of the train.
“Nothing!” the guards next to them said, turning to look up the platform.
“Shit.”
The train was starting to pick up speed.
The guards moving towards the bridge turned, looking at the train as it started to get faster, the engine chugging now.
They walked away, gathering up and heading for the bridge.
Len released his spell.
===
Skill: Spell casting
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Level: Journeyman (1/30)
===
“Ah shit.”
“What’s that?” Someone yelled.
Rick opened the carriage door and closed it.
Experience and enlightenment slammed into Len, he took the hit, dropping slowly to his knee and gripping the metal catwalk the balcony was made from.
The train was departing the station.
Everyone was looking at Len as he stood back up.
Rick opened the door and flipped the guards the bird.
It broke them from their stupor as they cursed and started running.
“On the train! Stop them!”
The train was getting good speed now, faster than the guards could catch up with. They cursed and yelled, slowing their pace as they reached the end of the platform.
“Well, that was exciting.” Rick laughed and helped Len stand up.
“I am really looking forward to not getting surprised by those damn skill-ups.”
“You and me both, shall we get seats?”
“Yeah,” Len looked through his stats. Every level increase cost ten times the level, so level one was ten points, level ten was one hundred.
Body is 40 points away, though I can increase my mana cultivation at ten and hit a new milestone.
===
Len
===
Level: 10
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Body: 15
Mana: 10/10
Experience: 20
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The mana density within his core increased, the once pure clear space within his core touched by a drop of red vapor.
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You have achieved a Red Vapor Core
===
The seductive power nestled in the center of his being, changes spreading through his channels, widening them.
He breathed through the growing pains, giddy from the power increase.