I returned to the inn too tired to do much of anything. Aerion was already asleep—she liked to rise early—and so, I had the inn staff heat some water for a quick bath before I also crashed.
Taking my equipment off to sleep felt so wrong… And I had the sneaking feeling that I’d end up wearing my armor and clothing 24/7, despite the inconvenience.
I wasn’t there yet, though, and I enjoyed my rest like a normal person.
Aerion’s movements woke me up the next day. She was already dressed to go out.
“What’s the plan?” I asked, yawning as I sat up.
“You sleep too much,” Aerion said as she prepped the backpack she’d gotten yesterday.
“Yeah, well. Sleeping’s the best thing about life. You should embrace it.”
Aerion rolled her eyes. “You’ll become lazy. Bad for your health.”
“Actually, medical studies have shown that—ah, nevermind. So, where are you off to?” I asked. “You manage to sign up at the Hunter’s Guild yesterday?”
“I did, though there were no contracts available,” Aerion said, looking concerned. “The Cataclysm has only just begun, after all. It’s to be expected. I want to go back today to see if any new ones have been posted.”
From the way she paced around the room, she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself of that.
“That’s great!” I said, opting not to mention it. “Why don’t we head out together? I want to buy some more clothes. I’m working the graveyard shift tonight, so I have time to kill.”
“Why?” Aerion asked, giving me a worried look. “Are the ones I bought... not adequate?”
“More than adequate,” I assured her. “But you know how I get stronger when I’m wearing enchanted gear? Well, it turns out I can layer shirts and pants and probably jewelry, too. They all stack up.”
Aerion blinked. “You intend to wear layers? Won’t you feel hot?”
“Yeah, well,” I said. “There’s a practical limit, I’m sure. I just need to find it.”
“Affording rings and such will be difficult,” Aerion said, biting her lip. “Though, I suppose we’ve a bit of coin to spare.”
“Don’t worry,” I replied, waving her concerns away. “I’m not about to buy anything expensive. And if you ever feel like we’re getting low, please let me know and I’ll stop. I’ll earn my first paycheck by the end of the week. With both of us earning, money shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Understood,” Aerion said. “Then let’s be off.”
----------------------------------------
It was a beautiful day, with no sign of rain and not a cloud in sight. Dominion’s Trial hung over the city as usual, but I was getting used to it.
I was also getting better at following Aerion through cross traffic. There were no signal lights or even stop signs, so traffic ended up being a sort of organized chaos, similar to what you’d find in some less developed countries on Earth.
That didn’t mean I knew my way around the city, though. With a population in the low tens of thousands, it’d be a small town in my world, but here, it was considered a city. The big cities apparently had populations close to a hundred thousand, though there were only a handful of those per country.
We eventually arrived at the tailor—Aerion explained that most people had their clothes made to order here, and keeping clothing ‘in stock’ just wasn’t a popular concept. That was very different from what I was used to, but even tailors had their returns and rejects.
“Fine, rummage all you want,” the tailor said from behind his counter. His attitude changed on a dime when he learned we were looking for his bargain-basement stuff. “They’re in the back.”
Rummage I did, thinking I’d find some diamonds in the rough. [Uncommon] equipment, mainly. It was clear from all the clothing I’d Initialized thus far that [Common] gear just didn’t give me enough bang for my Essence buck. True, I had far more Essence now, but I could only wear so many layers of clothing. I needed each to give me as many stat points as possible.
I didn’t actually Initialize anything, though. I took advantage of the prompt the System gave me that showed me the Initialized cost and the rarity of whatever I was about to enchant.
It also told me whether something qualified, so I experimented with scraps as well—tying armbands and leg bands, but the System refused to recognize those as clothing. It did, however, consider a scarf and a bandana as clothing-armor, though they had to be long enough and had to be the right shape to be functional in those roles.
Aerion’s stolid expression crumbled with every piece of clothing I donned.
“You look absolutely ridiculous,” she said.
“Well, sorry,” I said, my voice muffled by a piece of cloth I’d tied around my mouth. This one was a no-go as well.
And so, after I’d inspected everything they had, I came away empty.
Aerion looked disappointed, and the store owner was definitely irked. That was alright. I didn’t see myself coming back here ever again.
“Know anywhere that sells nicer gear?” I asked Aerion as we left.
“Sure, but it’s not like we can afford it,” she replied.
“Not unless I sell something valuable, yeah,” I said, thinking of the two soul crystals sitting in my inventory.
Of them all, the Troll’s Soul Crystal on the fifth floor seemed like the best bet. The Troll's +10 Dominion was suddenly looking much less impressive compared to when I’d just entered the dungeon. I bet I could get near that with [Uncommon] items.
“Know anyone who’ll buy a Soul Crystal?” I asked.
----------------------------------------
Turned out Aerion did know of one, in a nicer part of town near the castle where the Baron lived.
Shops lined the streets on both sides, and the road itself was wider and had less traffic. I even spotted a couple of elves, though there were probably more that I didn’t see, since they all went out of their way to hide their ears with hoods. The giants, however, were impossible to miss. And while Dominion’s territory was primarily human-dominated, each giant made such an impression that unlike the elves, they felt more numerous than they were.
The keep itself was impressive. A large medieval castle with its own walls and ramparts, with guards patrolling on top.
“Everything is overpriced here,” Aerion said, looking at the stores with skeptical eyes. “Only the rich shop here.”
“I imagine you get better quality products here too, though,” I said, eyeing a large hanging wooden sign proudly displaying a needle and thread.
We entered the shop across the street, which had a sign with a giant black orb, and I couldn’t help initiating the Initialize dialog of a handful. Here again, I didn’t confirm the Initialization—that would have been stupid—but I did get to see their rarity and Essence Cost. They were all [Common] orbs, though. I figured the higher rarity ones were under the glass counter under lock and key.
Aerion’s bargaining skills came in handy once again, and I found myself with enough coin to buy some of the nicer-looking clothing at the needle and thread shop from across the street.
We perused for a bit, and I couldn’t help but notice that Aerion’s eyes kept flicking to the rich purples, blues, and reds—basically all the brightly colored clothes that hung proudly on the walls.
“Never figured you for the flashy kind,” I said.
Aerion shook her head. “It’s not that. The brighter the color, the more expensive it tends to be. It’s… a sign of wealth. And prosperity.”
She looked away as she said that, and I thought I saw a hint of sadness flash across her face. As curious as I was, I didn’t want to pry, so I let it be.
The tailor insisted I have the clothing adjusted to fit—that was the normal process here, after all, so he looked at me like I was crazy when I staunchly refused.
In fact, I didn’t want my clothes to fit at all. I wanted them loose, so I could layer under them.
I found I could get away with three layers of upper clothing, but only two layers of pants, before my movement became too restricted. Nevertheless, I opted to try wearing all three pant layers that I had, just to be sure.
The only issue was that this clothing was much thicker than the machine-made cotton I was used to. It was all handmade, which would ironically have fetched a higher price in my world, but here, it was standard practice. That meant it was rough, itchy, heavy, and thick, despite being noticeably nicer than the stuff Aerion had gotten me.
Initialize Fine-Woven Fabric Hose? 99% chance to Initialize [Uncommon] armor. Current Utilization: 118/170
99% for an [Uncommon] item! That was definitely a pleasant sight. My Blessing’s description had updated, and showed that [Common] items now Initialized with 100% probability, while [Rare] was now 33%. I could only imagine what sorts of stats and abilities [Rare] equipment would give me. Judging by how good [Uncommon] gear was—pretty darn good, I imagined.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Fine-Woven Fabric Hose [Uncommon]
Common fabric hose. Popular. Show off dem legs, hot stuff!
Essence Cost: 7
Condition: 30/30
Stats:
— Order: 9
— Wisdom: 9
Abilities: None
Fine-Woven Fabric Undershirt [Uncommon]
Common fabric undershirt. Itchy and uncomfortable, but durable and cheap!
Essence Cost: 7
Condition: 20/20
Stats:
— Vigor: 13
— Dominion: 5
Abilities: None
Fine-Woven Bandana [Uncommon]
Just your run-of-the-mill fabric bandana. Now you too can look like a bandit!
Essence Cost: 7
Condition: 30/30
Stats:
— Passion: 17
Abilities: None
Fine-Woven Scarf [Uncommon]
An ordinary fabric scarf. Y’know? I’m running out of boring things to say. Stop enchanting boring shit and get something cool for once.
Essence Cost: 7
Condition: 30/30
Stats:
— Dominion: 12
— Cunning: 6
Abilities: None
It was always amusing reading Cosmo’s descriptions. Not a bad haul, either. I was now at 146/170, so I had plenty of room for other stuff, and now, most of my stats could continue to grow.
As we walked to grab lunch at a tavern nearby, I looked over my haul. Sure, they weren’t much on their own, but they added up fast.
My stats, wearing everything I had on me, were as follows.
Name: Gregory Samuel Wills
Essence Utilization: 146/170
Blessing: Initializer [Epic] (Emergence - 2)
Stats: Total: 86
— Vigor: 20 (Max: 31)
— Order: 2 (Max: 11)
— Wisdom: 13 (Max: 22)
— Passion: 12 (Max: 29)
— Grace: 12 (Max: 15)
— Cunning: 15 (Max: 23)
— Dominion: 12 (Max: 29)
While my current stats only summed to 86, once I maxed them out, I’d be at 160. 160! Almost double my prior potential. All thanks to a few clothes.
I couldn’t help it—I laughed. I didn’t care that Aerion threw me a weird look. Between initializing people, gaining levels from Initialized gear they wore, and stacking items that made me stronger… My Blessing was unbelievably powerful. The possibilities were just endless.
I finished ogling just as we arrived at our destination and sat down to eat after ordering our meals and grabbing a couple of drinks. This place had two-and-four-person tables, unlike the long ones at the other place we’d been to.
I went with the local ale, while Aerion was going to go with water. But after seeing her furtively glance at the mugs of mead our neighbors were having, I ended up buying her a mug, much to her protest.
“You shouldn’t have!” Aerion said, looking guiltily at her mug. “I’ll pay you back.”
“Come on, Aerion. We’ve saved each other's lives. What’s with the formality?”
“It’s just… No, it’s nothing. Um, thank you,” she said, running her finger around the rim of the mug.
“My pleasure. Still. Never figured you for someone who drank,” I said, trying a sip of my ale, finding it pleasantly tasty.
“Why?” Aerion asked, taking another sip. “Because I’m a girl?”
“No, just… I had this vision of elves. I thought you’d only drink wine and be all elegant about it. Just didn’t picture you drinking from a mug like everyone else.”
Aerion rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m glad you have such a high impression of my people. Sorry to disappoint.”
“Ah, it’s okay, it somehow suits you, Reaver.”
Aerion narrowed her eyes, looking like she was biting back some witty retort.
She let it go, moving onto another topic.
Dang. She’s learning how to deal with my jabs… That was no fun at all.
“Now that I am Blessed, many doors are available to me,” Aerion said after we’d settled in. “Though I must admit, I’m unsure how I feel about the fame Blessed accrue over time. I only ever dreamed of this, before. To think I have not one, but two Blessings, and one of them…” Aerion trailed off.
“Wait,” I said. “Blessed? That’s what they call people with Blessings?”
“Yes? Why? Is that so strange?” Aerion asked, looking at me quizzically.
“Then what do they call boon holders? The Boonified?” I said, sniggering.
Aerion raised a brow. “I have a feeling you just made a very dumb joke, but unfortunately for you, it didn’t translate.”
My expression fell. That was a shame. But then realization dawned on me and my face lit up again. There was an even better joke here.
“The Boned, then. Sorry, did I say Boned? I meant the Booned. Did that translate?”
I grinned at Aerion, who pursed her lips and frowned.
“It did,” she said, staring at me like I was a moron. “A fine joke, Greg. Truly. It was of such high culture that I even forgot to laugh.”
That made me burst out laughing, earning us gazes from the nearby tables.
Not even Aerion could suppress the smile that crept up onto her face.
“Okay,” I said with a grin just as large as hers. “You win that one. I honestly wasn’t expecting that from you. I swear, it’s like a cheat code. Serious people have it so easy when it comes to jokes.”
Aerion’s grin shrunk into a gentle smile. “As I said in the Trial, I’m not normally that serious. Just that levity has no place in such dangerous situations.”
“Actually, I disagree,” I said. “I feel like that’s exactly where it’s needed most. Something to lighten the mood—reduce the stress, even if only a little. Could mean the difference between freezing up and survival.”
“I see,” Aerion replied, frowning contemplatively as she sipped her mead. “Is this why you were so silly in the Trial?”
I nodded. “Partly, yeah. Partly because that’s just what I do in stressful situations. Call it a habit.”
“I’ll keep that in mind before I punch you the next time you make a joke when we’re in mortal peril.”
“I’d appreciate that,” I replied, sipping my ale, my face blank.
“I said I’d keep it in mind. I didn’t say I wouldn’t punch you,” Aerion replied, equally deadpan.
We both stared hard at each other for a moment, each desperate not to be the first to crack. As it happened, we reached our limit at the same time, and stupid grins slid onto our faces.
Our food arrived—a thick savory pottage stew served inside a bowl of bread, with a small side of cheese. As usual, Aerion had paid for extra salt for the both of us, though mine had less of it than hers.
I had to admit, the salt was a very welcome addition, since even with it, the food was just barely tasty enough to be palatable. I didn’t know how expensive spices were, but I’d heard that certain spices were much harder to come by in medieval times than they were in the modern day. Though I suppose that was equally true for food in general.
We ate in silence, which allowed me to overhear some of the chatter coming from nearby. Even with Aerion educating me, I knew next to nothing about this world. What did the locals do for fun? What did an average day look like for them? And what kind of gossip went around?
I figured this was something I could lean on Philip for as well, though I couldn’t ask nearly as many questions as I could with Aerion, who knew my little secret.
“Dominion-damned parade’s messing everything up, I tell you,” someone said.
“Tell me about it,” his friend replied. “They have us working triple shifts, and even then, it’s never enough. We just need more men.”
“Ey, don’t complain. This is a golden chance to earn some overtime pay.”
“I suppose,” the man grumbled.
“Hey, Aerion,” I said in between mouthfuls. “What’s this parade they’re talking about?”
Aerion rolled her eyes. “It’s astonishing how clueless you are, despite claiming to be…” she hesitated before finishing, “Special.”
“As I said, Cosmo didn’t even tell me I was one,” I said, opting to use the deity’s alias, lest any prying ears overhear. With the privacy our table offered, and the general noise of the place, it was incredibly unlikely, but there was no need to take unnecessary risks. “So? What’s the scoop?”
“The country parades their Champion at each of their major cities upon summoning. It’s been the custom for as long as anyone can remember. There are feasts, balls hosted by the nobility, and much celebration. It’s considered quite the honor for a city to be included in the procession.”
“That… sounds absolutely fucking miserable.”
Aerion smirked. “I thought you’d get jealous.”
“Me?” I snorted. “C’mon, that sounds like torture. Could you even imagine? Being touted around like a purebred show dog? A glorified object for the world to admire and appreciate?”
“The Champions are not objects,” Aerion replied. “They’re noble warriors who risk their lives to defend this world.”
“Maybe. Sure wish I’d known this was what I was signing up for, though.”
Aerion looked down at her food, playing with her spoon. “That’s… true. You should have known,” she said with a trace of sadness.
The rest of the meal passed in silence, with each of us lost in our own heads.
With our bellies full and our minds slightly less sober, we left the tavern and meandered around the city for the next several hours, chitchatting and sightseeing, eventually making our way to a small bridge that ran over a creek. Turned out the creek was the city’s main access to freshwater.
We stood there together, watching the sun slowly set, neither saying anything.
It was… peaceful. Aerion looked like she was looking at something a thousand miles away, but her expression was tranquil. The gentle breeze and the sound of distant wind chimes completed the atmosphere, and I found my worries ebbing away.
We’d made it out of that deathtrap. I’d survived with a Blessing that had its odds stacked against it. And now, we were safe.
“It’s a little weird, isn’t it?” I said after a while. “Not fighting for our lives every day? Not dealing with mile-long whales and goblins and dragons?”
Aerion smiled. “And thank goodness.”
“But you know we’ll have to go back. I want to get stronger, and the Trials are the best way.”
“I’m aware,” Aerion said softly. “If we hope to help the world, we’ll have to delve Trials. To grow strong enough to fight the Cataclysm hordes. Someday soon, we’ll be embroiled in even more danger than we were.”
“We’ll be better prepared to handle that,” I said. “We’ll train. We’ll grow strong, and then we’ll waltz through it like it’s nothing.”
“Indeed,” Aerion said. “For now, let’s just enjoy this peace that we have, shall we?”
I nodded. “Hear hear.”
I thought of my shift that lay ahead that night. Tonight, I’d Initialize the scraps we were supposed to melt down when Philip wasn’t looking. And hopefully, come morning, I’d have a much better understanding of what abilities my Blessing could bestow.