A yell awoke Gahl that morning, in place of the gentle whisper he heard the morning before. The life before.
‘GAHL OF FREITFA! PRESENT YOURSELF TO YOUR COUNTRY ON THIS, YOUR DAY OF HONOUR!’
Gahl dressed into the most combat ready clothes he had - a tunic, breeches and the sturdiest boots his father had acquired. His parents hung at the door like ghosts, staring at Gahl as he left.
They look dead, but soon I will be dead.
Gahl stepped out of the door. The rain pattered off his hair, clumping it to his head, as he stood staring at the priest.
‘Child of Glory!’ the priest roared.
‘Good morning, Brightener.’
‘I am no longer to be referred to as a Brightener by you, for no longer am I to be seen as a priest. You may refer to me as you would refer to a general.’
‘Good morning, General,’ Gahl corrected.
‘Has no one ever told you how to properly refer to a General, to one of the fine souls keeping the peace, and protecting our great island?’
Gahl sighed. He looked beyond the priest, and could see that Ana stared at the priest with a similar annoyance. Her lute was still slung over her shoulder, though Gahl noticed now a sword at her belt as well. She turned to Gahl, her eyes newly turned pink with her psychic strikestone. Just do it, she mouthed.
‘Good morning, World Giver, World Saver, and World Tamer.’
‘While World Tamer is given mainly to those of a higher rank than you all are now,’ began the general ‘though I would be sure to expect that to change soon - we are all World Tamers here. Each and every one of us strives to pacify the barbarity that plagues far shores. Each of us will do everything to protect our own shore, and to do that sometimes we must embark on a journey to pull evil from its far off roots.’
Yl, who stood silently beside Ana until then, cheered.
I have never heard such a succinct and cohesive argument made for colonisation. Not as if you hear it every damned time you enter a temple.
‘Though, for now,’ the general continued, ‘I would recommend calling me that and me only. That, or just referring to me as “High Sarembai”. Yes, you do have a slight sense to you. With that Knowledge stat you’d hope so, especially with what you put on the line for it.’
Gahl winced, but Sarembai carried on.
‘Now, join the other members of your party as we continue to raise the battalion.’ Sarembai pointed his staff at Gahl, however Gahl noticed it was not the same staff as he used for the Choice Ceremony.
‘Yes, Worldsmith!’ Yl cried, despite the order barely relating to him whatsoever.
‘That’s the spirit, Glory Bearer,’ Sarembai said,
‘Thank you, Sir!’
Gahl’s tiredness prevented him from thinking of a retort in time to say it before he joined the group. He also had a faint indication that a quip may have his head blown off, however the tiredness seemed the primary factor in his mind.
***
‘So, how are you, “Child of Glory”?’ Ana asked as they began walking.
‘Tired.’
‘How was your terrible night?’ Ana asked as they began walking.
‘My father tried to teach me all he knew about the army from friends.’ Gahl’s sluggish steps nearly caused him to fall into Ana as they walked.
‘At least he wasn’t talking that long.’
‘Oh yeah, your parents must have had a lot to talk about.’
‘That’s what you get when you’re born to two soldiers. The worst part is, I have this sword, but in no way, shape or form can I even use it. Since yesterday, I can only do damage with my mind.’
‘They might not have noticed how your eyes are glowing pink. Y’know, that’s a very easy thing to miss, dusty grey to bright pink.’
‘As if they looked into my eyes all evening.’
‘You say that to me.’
‘Oh, yeah. How did your “genius innovations” and whatnot go down with your parents?’
‘Let’s just say it was a weird Choice Feast.’ Gahl shivered at the thought of their disapproving glances at him the night before, the way they shifted their gaze directly after his eyes made contact with them.
They soon collected Torv, and Gahl heard the entire extravaganza restart. This time, the screams and cries of Torv’s children hurtled down the road. All could hear them, but no one could stop them.
Just as no one can stop your fate now.
One clung to his leg as he walked out, but after a quick hug and a beckoning from a mother that must have been behind the wall, the child disappeared. The child was pale, but not as pale as Torv’s unusual complexion for Tordana.
Torv gazed longingly back into his home, before he clutched a locket in his hand and joined the group.
The day grew brighter as they walked, though the rain did not stop. The shower seemed to grow heavier as they waited outside the inn where Tilyhav was said to be staying. Gahl shivered in his angst, but quickly stopped when he noticed Ana looking at him.
‘Hey, I can distract you?’ she asked.
‘How?’
Seems pretty damn impossible.
‘Look at me.’ Gahl stared at her, and her stat sheet soon popped up.
Gahl wasn’t used to her stat sheet being bright green, but otherwise it was the exact same.
‘What?’ he asked.
‘Maximise my stat sheet.’
‘Okay.’
Ana of Sara Human (Tordana) Bard Psychic Strength 1 Dexterity 1 Vigour 1 Knowledge 3 Wisdom 2 Charismatic Charm 4 Luck 2
ABILITIES:
Persuade
Entertain
Intimidate
SPELLS:
Healing (10M)
Force of Mind (20M)
Motivate (30M)
‘You have a spells list?’
‘And just general abilities.’
‘How did you get them?’
You can’t get spells, everyone knows you can’t get spells. So why do you care?
I care for my friend. Totally…
‘It’s very hard for me to explain, but if you try to take a look inside you can see things about yourself.’
‘Like your true intentions and life’s true meaning?’ Gahl remarked.
‘Gahl, I’m being serious. When you look into your heart, like into your soul, you can see this screen. You may as well give it a try.’ A memory zipped to Gahl.
The Level Screen is the subject’s inner stat stone. There, you can find information about all of your attributes, skills, spells and levels. It is the main source of the subjects magical power, containing the spell select screen and ability replace hot action.
‘That’s so weird.’
‘What is?’
‘I keep getting these messages, like an inner voice in my brain.’
The All-Knower is the colloquial name for the voice inside the head of subjects with a high knowledge stat. Using it, you can refer to any information you may query over. This, of course, is affected by level - with higher knowledges contributing to more knowledge from the All-Knower, with ten being access to all worldly knowledge.
‘What is it?’
‘The All-Knower, seemingly.’
‘That’s a real thing?’
‘Seems so.’
‘Wow, and yet still people don’t put any points into knowledge.’
‘The only people who do seem to put too many points into it,’ Gahl sighed, just in time for his boot to sink into a particularly large puddle. Water sprung out in all directions, surging out into the mud around to form yet more puddles.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Guess this will be the last time I’m even close to a path for a while, I may as well get used to this.
‘Anyways, what did you want to know about spells again?’
‘How many spells do you have, as a bard.’
‘A fair few. I can’t access all of them.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘It’d be easier to show you.’
‘Can you show me?’
Subjects cannot convey Their Level Screen, as it is unique to each individual, however there are key items that are included within all Level Screens, such as an attribute, General Level, ability and spell screen.
’Spell screen?’ asked Gahl.
‘What?’
‘That’s what the All-Knower said. It implied that all people have a spell screen. Do you think that includes fighters.’
‘I mean so far as fighters are people, I suppose. I have talked to my parents, though, and all know they aren’t human. In fact, anyone who willingly picked fighter should be up to scrutiny.’ Ana glanced at Yl, happily jumping around beside Sarembai.
‘If you don’t remember, I didn’t willingly pick fighter.’
Hyuna, that’s still weird to say.
‘Anyways, yes, fighters are people - to some people,’ Ana confirmed
‘So we’re sure fighters have spells, and if I-‘
‘OPEN THE DAMN LEVEL SCREEN!’ Gahl jumped back, the other people on the path shooting around to look at Ana - though she seemed not to care.
She is so quick to quip, and yet when she is serious she is so terrifying.
‘How?’ Gahl asked.
‘Just look inside yourself!’
‘How does one do that?’
It is common knowledge that the easiest way to enter the Level Screen is to focus on one’s breathing, and from there begin to focus on parts of their body individually until they find their spiritual core, usually located somewhat near either the heart or brain.
‘Okay then,’ Gahl said.
‘What?’
‘All-Knower.’
‘This is starting to sound pretty passive aggressive.’
‘DON’T FALL BEHIND!’ cried General Sarembai. Gahl and Ana rushed forward. Their company, now fully complete, was stretching out slowly into the battalion they were to ride overseas with.
‘I have to try and find my spiritual core. From there I can access my level screen and from there I can see if I have any spells.'
‘I guess you shall have to try and do that while walking,’ said Ana.
’That’s totally possible.’
Okay, breathe in
Gahl inhaled, focusing on the breath as it pushed through his throat and expanded his chest. He sighed, letting all the air barrel out again.
In
He breathed in again, focusing now on his heart.
And out
He examined his heart with his eyes closed.
This will be spilled on the ground soon, as well as everything in you. And in
He breathed in again, his mind focusing now on his lungs once again. He noticed their rapid expansion and contraction with his chest. Bobbing up and down like a ship.
A ship I am soon to be sent on.
He spent a few breaths thinking about his lungs.
They may not work soon. I am such a positive thinker. And in.
This time he focused on his throat.
A darkness filled his vision, darker than the sight he could see with his eyes closed. He no longer knew if his eyes were open or closed. It would not have made a difference. Until he heard a rumbling.
Up from the darkness he assumed was down rose a fluorescent light. Electric blue, it shone with a brightness that hurt to look at until his eyes focused.
LEVEL FOUR
2/3 ATTRIBUTES GAINED FOR LEVEL UP
While that floated in the centre, rotating slowly around, more lights rose.
STRENGTH
1
LIFT WEIGHT: 35 KG
CARRY WEIGHT: 50 KG
DEXTERITY
1
SPEED: 0.75m/s
VIGOUR
1
HIT POINTS: 20
KNOWLEDGE
6
MANA: 120
WISDOM
4
PERCEPTIVE TRADITION: 80/200
CHARIMSATIC CHARM
1
10% Persuasive Chance at Petty
LUCK
0
FOR A FOOLISH FORSAKEN FORTUNE
ONE WOULD WANT IT BE WORTH
THE HAVOC IT WILL WREAK
As freaked out as Gahl was over that adage, he still managed to notice a strange lapse within the levels. The distance between Luck and Strength seemed much more than the distance between Charismatic Charm and Luck.
Or any stat for that matter. Must just indicate the cycle resets.
He was soon distracted by his primary concern.
ABILITIES:
FIGHTER LEVEL 4:
SKILFUL HIT (requires Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Weapon Type Level 2.2)
QUICK RECOVERY (requires Dexterity 2, Vigour 3)
BATTLE WITS (requires Wisdom 3) (Unlocked)
Boosts Perceptive Tradition by 40 Points for 2 minutes
That seems mildly useful.
Gahl quickly found what he was actually looking for.
SPELLS:
STRENGTH:
1:
REACH TWO STRENGTH TO UNLOCK LEVEL TWO SPELLS
DEXTERITY:
1:
ROUTE I - What does an arrow and its archer have in common?
‘What?’ Gahl hurtled back to the real world. He jumped as he noticed he progressed down the path, despite not moving on his own accord.
‘You’re finally awake!’ cried Sarembai.
‘Huh?’
‘You collapsed to the ground back there,’ Ana’s voice said. ’Poor Torv had to carry you here.’
Gahl turned. He saw the farming village behind them, and looking down he saw they were ascending up a hill. They were nearly at the port.
That in itself was enough to make Gahl nearly fall unconscious again, though as he slumped Sarembai caught him and shook him.
‘I swear if you enter that damned level screen again I will shake you awake, and y’know what happens when you’re awoken from a slumber of that calibre? You die.’
Death threats from your general always are great. Such a great start to our working relationship. As if it would ever last.
Gahl jumped up again, almost shuddering at how his clothes stuck to him with the mud that clung to them.
Once again, I don’t think you can not like mud if you’re going to be a damned soldier.
‘Now, does anyone else want to try out the powers they don’t have?’ asked Sarembai. No one said a word. ‘Now, let us go.’
They began to walk once more, Gahl terrified to begin conversation with Ana once again. Until Ana walked over to him.
‘So, what was it?’
‘There was a riddle.’
‘Oh yeah, there are riddles for the spells that you must figure out to unlock the spell. Like, for instance, my healing spell was “I rhyme with an action you would do when you lose a duel, and yet this will win all battles’.”
’How did you figure it out?’
‘I just sat there and thought about it for a while.’
‘I don’t really have time to think about this spell right now.’
‘I mean you spent a long time looking quite dead.’
‘Practice for our departure.’
‘Anyways’ - a bit of a subject change. Not as if I can hold the grudge for too long… ‘what was the riddle?’
‘”What does an arrow and its archer have in common?”’ Ana recoiled.
‘Say that again, I couldn’t hear it over the gust.’
‘What gust?’ The terrible day, while still very terrible, did not produce a gust at that very moment - at least not to Gahl.
‘The gust of wind that just blew. Did you not hear it?’
’No?’
One cannot get help for their riddles. To unlock a spell, the subject must be well versed in their class, and as such have the knowledge necessary to answer. Teachers may teach their students how to answer those questions, and developing a knowledge in one’s class will inherently boost their chances of comprehending the question and being able to respond, however one may not simply be taught the answer to a riddle.
‘Oh.’
‘All-Knower again?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What’d it say this time.’
‘Basically I can’t ask for help.’
‘So why were you able to know what my healing riddle was?’
‘Presumably because you had already answered it, and as such I could not help you.’
‘You couldn’t help me either way, you would worsen my chances if anything.’
‘I quite literally have a voice telling me answers in my head.’
‘And? I’d rather a very smart dumb person than a very dumb smart person as my advisor.’
‘That makes no sense.’
‘Of course it doesn’t to you, you’re a very dumb smart person.’
‘Yeah…’
’So, you wouldn’t get it.’
‘Of course I wouldn’t.’
‘Smartest thing you’ve said all day.’
‘DO I NEED TO START BLASTING SPELLS AT YOU!’ Gahl and Ana sped on towards Sarembai, falling back in line just as his face mellowed back from the red it had just reached.The mud produced a new surge of water to fill Gahl’s boot, and he groaned.
‘I have noticed though that this spell does not seem to lead anywhere interesting.’
‘I assume that the spells are class specific, and as such-’
The only spells the subject can learn are ones that will come useful to them in pursuing their class’ goals, whether that be a bard knowing invigorate to boost morale or a wizard knowing how to cast a ray to fend off attackers. A wizard cannot utilise the abilities of a bard, as a snake cannot fly like a bird, even if it would help them to catch prey.
‘Every time you start being spoken to by the All-Knower, you stop,’ Ana pointed out.
‘I really need to stop being talked to by the All-Knower then.’
To stop being spoken to by the All-Knower, say ‘exile’. To begin to speak to the All-Knower again, speak ‘beckon’.
‘Exile.’
Exiled.
‘Okay, that should sort the problem.’
At least that hadn’t happened in the middle of battle. I would be even more certainly dead than I am now.
‘So, I mean, that’s one problem down, eh?’ said Ana.
‘I guess so.’
***
With nothing else to really talk about, a rare occasion after the Choice Ceremony, Gahl joined the silence that had risen around the battalion he realised had risen in his unconsciousness.
At least I have time to think more about this riddle.
The pain in his feet partially took away from the fun he usually enjoyed while cracking riddles - that, and the looming death sentence he walked to - but he could still think about the riddle nonetheless.
Hey, All Knower - is that how I’m meant to talk to you - can you help me figure this out? Oh yeah, you’re exiled.
‘Beckon,’ Gahl whispered, but only after making it far enough ahead in the line that he would not fall behind.
Beckoned.
Is there a way you can help me with this riddle?
The All-Knower knows all, but the subject is not always entitled to its wisdom. To increase the amount of knowledge you can achieve through the All-Knower, raise your Knowledge statistic. Though, while Knowledge 10 subjects may know all there is to know, no other level of Knowledge may grant you access to the answers of riddles. You must verse yourself deeply within the question, and prepare your mind to solve it, for it to come to you - though some subjects never learn the answers to their riddles, and as such fail to unlock the spell.
Gahl shuddered.
Imagine how must it feel to never be able to unlock the spells you need to unlock to progress in your class, perhaps even your career of choice. Oh yeah…
Can you give me a hint, Oh Great Knowing One.
The All-Knower is not to be flattered by titles, however I may be able to extend to you advice. Common Knowledge. It is common knowledge that to unlock a spell, you should first figure out what that spell may centre, and become versed in that craft, whereupon you can teach yourself the riddle as a result of your knowledge of its only possible results.
Thank you.
The All-Knower is not human. It does not pay heed to thanks.
Thanks anyways. Exile.
Exiled
***
Gahl realised he was at the back of the line - a bit behind, actually - but, thankfully, the line had stopped.
I never thought I would be thankful for the fact I am closer to death, but I suppose here we are.
‘FORM INTO YOUR COMPANIES!’ Sarembai’s voice boomed.
Gahl quickly sought out the other members of his company. Ana found him first, though.
‘We’re over there, Gahl.’ She pointed to the group, standing nervously at the front with Yl engaged in conversation with Sarembai.
‘How did you find everyone so quickly?’
‘Gahl, it quite literally tells us exactly where everyone is if you just think about the party.’
‘Oh, yeah. That will come in handy.’
‘It will, if you remember to use it.’
‘WE ARE GOING DOWN THE HILL! FORM UP!’
Gahl and Ana jogged over to their group, feeling much stiffer than they did the day prior.
At least I have Knowledge and certain death now.
***
‘NOW! WITH YOUR COMPANIES, FIND A SHIP! I DO NOT CARE WHICH, BUT IF YOU DON’T GET ON WE ARE LEAVING YOU BEHIND!’
‘Is that a bad thing?’ Ana whispered to me.
‘IF WE LEAVE YOU BEHIND, BE WARNED THAT I WILL ENSURE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A DEATH RAY PERSONALLY ADMINISTERED BY ME!’
’So get in your groups!’ Yl screamed.
‘THIS GLORIOUS CHILD IS GOING PLACES!’
We are all going places.
’Thank you, Sir!’ Yl saluted.
’NOW, BE OF INSPIRATION TO YOUR DESCENDANTS AND EMBARK! ON THESE SHIPS YOU WILL BE TRAINED, YOU WILL BE RAISED AND YOU WILL BE PREPARED TO DEFEND OUR GREAT NATION, TO DEFEND ALL WHO LIVE IN IT!’
Can’t wait.
***
The company soon climbed aboard a ship on the dock, and from the seat Gahl took he stared out at the landscape of Tordana.
‘This is a bad way to go,’ said Ana.
‘In what way? The way that states we are going to die, or the way that states we are just leaving the island.’
‘Do you plan on dying?’ Yl asked. He sat next to Gahl, though Gahl knew not why.
‘Yes, actually,’ Gahl replied.
‘Well I don’t.’
‘Good for you.’
‘I suppose it is good for me, I won’t have to spend this 3 month journey sad all the time.’
‘Three months???’ Ana interjected.
‘Were you not listening to the General?’
‘We are going to Zyxix after all,’ said Gahl.
The farthest away you can be, in a place literally called “The Outskirts”. Why couldn’t we just have been deployed within the Belt, within our actual nation?
‘It’s going to be great going to the new island, isn’t it?’
‘We are going to die there.’
‘You might, but I won’t.’
‘How come?’
‘I will train.’
‘So will I, I just doubt that any basic swordsmanship can prevent our death to the first spell that comes our way.’
‘Then you duck.’
‘Right…’
‘YOU THREE! THIS SHIP IS NOT GOING TO SAIL ITSELF!’
‘But we have no experience sailing,’ Ana said.
‘Did your parents not bring you out to fish?’ asked Yl.
‘I DON’T THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE FISHED TO FOLLOW BASIC ORDERS!’
‘Yes, Sir!’ Yl screamed, running off. Gahl and Ana soon joined him.
***
Despite Gahl’s efforts to help, he ended up standing awkwardly until he was allowed to sit again, when the ship departed. He then sat, and stared once again at his home island, this time as it slowly shrunk and shrunk into the horizon. By the time they sailed out of view of the last speck of the island, night rapidly approached.
The sun sets behind me now. When it rises, it will rise over the mountains, cradled in their midst once more, but not for me, not anymore.
What have I done?