Hot off the poking and revelation of my own idiocy and about five minutes of moping and beating myself up over it to get my mind back on what I was here for.
I had the skills I needed to get to.
[Verdant Nexus] was up next, and if I was decisive on the first class, this one was a pain.
There was just so much. Too much, and they had no real focused singular synergy but a bunch of synergies. It was way too broad, which I suppose made enough sense for such a transitory class. It was [Green Thumb], and I had dragged it towards renewal, something I had very little idea about beyond simple surface-level implications and understanding that it brought things back, like spring-renewed life from the dormancy of winter’s chill.
Sophia had mentioned that [Wellspring of Renewal] had been an upgrade for my Aura, but something she hadn’t mentioned was that it seemed to run only parallel with verdant magic, the intersection of Life and Plant magic. It touched on something closer to life, then plants, but was enough of its own thing it was splitting my options.
Class: [Verdant Nexus]
Levels Gained: 7
Skills Gained: 4
Skill Quality: Unusual
Top Three Picks:
[Greater Verdant Touch]
Passive.
Your touch is a blam to all plant life, granting an increase to the growth, yield, fertility, and hardiness of all plants touched.
[Enrich]
Passive.
Tending to plants enriches the plant and the soil around it.
[Bloom]
Active.
Forces a plant you are touching to bloom rapidly.
Top Three Picks:
[Gaze of the coming Spring]
Passive.
Grants a second sight that lets you perceive the world as it could be in the fullness of life.
[Verdant Aura]
Passive.
Extends an aura of verdant mana around you, encouraging plant life.
[Overcrop]
Active.
Forces a plant to rampantly increase its yield at the cost of the plant’s health.
Top Three Picks:
[Renewing Presence]
Passive.
Prerequisites: [Aura of Renewal]
Everything within your aura is yours to renew. Grants scaling to [Aura of Renewal]. (PB/2).
[Nexus of Renewal]
Passive.
Prerequisites: [Wellspring of Renewal]
Taping into the inherent power of life, continuously create a focal point of renewing mana around you that promotes the generation of life mana.
[Renewing Burst]
Active.
Gather and release a burst of magic in an area around you, at a point you can reach, that promotes renewal.
Top Three Picks:
[Renewing Conduit]
Passive.
Prerequisites: [Wellspring of Renewal]
Drawing from the ever-present wellspring of renewing life mana, draws life mana up and through the caster.
[Verdant Magic Affinity]
Passive.
Grants an affinity for verdant magic, increasing the capability for manipulation and a greater ability to call it forth.
[Verdant Burst]
Active.
Gather and release a burst of Verdant mana at a point you can reach, mending plant life.
They were all over the goddam place, and stranger still, most of them were that middle ground kind of skill, though there were quite a few I could imagine I might want, the main thing was, did I want to stick with renewing or plants?
Of the first set, only [Greater Verdant Touch] interested me. The other two had their place, but I wasn’t all that interested. However, I did make note of [Bloom], as I at least didn’t have something that replicated that already.
[Overcrop] was something I could technically do, I could nudge plants to grow; I just couldn’t force it, and that was a farming skill if I had ever seen one.
[Verdant Aura] was another skill I might have chosen to pick up, but it was totally outweighed by the first skill in the set.
“Sophy, what in all the hells and heavens is the deal with this skill?” I asked her.
“Hmm? What skill?” She asked, paying attention to where I was looking, then snorting to herself. “That's just a normal skill, though the name is quite pretentious. I know it’s a mouthful, it doesn’t sound like a normal skill, but it is, its just old is all.”
Despite her assurances, it was the type of name you gave to something legendary. Something important.
“Old like, older than me old, or like, old with capital letters old?”
“I’ve had that skill my entire existence; my predecessor had it, and I got it when I budded off, so… older than Humans old.”
I wanted to whistle, but I was too busy trying to imagine that, trying to imagine something that old. The skill made even my vastly inflated age seem like I was a child.
I put [Gaze of the Coming Spring] on my pick list, followed by the much easier next set, though I discarded [Renewing Burst], and then [Verdant Burst].
That left me with [Greater Verdant Touch], [Gaze of the Coming Spring], [Renewing Presence], [Nexus of Renewal], [Renewing Conduit], and [Verdant Magic Affinity] was my shortlist.
Six, less than last time.
The upgrade of the verdant touch would help out the garden, which is always good, and I might get something good with it later. It was the third time I had picked from this line of skills, each was a more potent skill than before. I was going to take gaze because, honestly, the name was far too interesting to leave it be. I decided to drop Verdant, not because I didn’t think it was worth it, but because I didn’t have as much of a use for it, not enough skills, not enough synergy in my picks.
The final thing I cut for now was Nexus.
I didn’t know enough about what the skills pre-requisite did, slapping on more could just confuse me.
That left me with my final four.
“I’ll take [Greater Verdant Touch], [Gaze of the Coming Spring], [Renewing Presence], and [Renewing Conduit].”
“Look at you, two for two and not one need to rely on me. I’m starting to think my skill is too good. I might get lonely myself if you don’t need to talk with me.”
I looked at her while she prepared the wriggling strands, each ready to spin out into a new skill.
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“Oh, don’t be like that. Your starting to mother me. I give you a name, and all of a sudden, your acting like we are childhood friends, what with you trying to talk some sense into me.”
“Oh, please,” she chided, waving it off with her dexterous little fingers midway through setting up the skills, “We both know I couldn’t talk you into making more sense, change comes from you, not some flowery words and a pretty face.”
I raised my eyebrow a little at her words.
“Don’t look at me like that, I look fine, it's your freakish, meaty bodies that are wrong. They set a poor beauty standard, it's what's on the inside that makes us beautiful.”
“Sure, but you can't swoon over a good personality, no one is going to get seduced by a person’s overwhelming intelligence,” I argued.
“Saphine, you are dating your magical teacher, who you talk highly of in both character and intellect, are you sure about that? Because it sounds like to me, you might have fallen for her looks but stayed for her personality.”
“That’s not what I was- That’s not why- I’m just saying that most of the time, beauty is an exterior thing,” I told her defensively.
“I know what you’re saying, I just don’t care, because you are wrong.”
“We can agree to disagree on that, I guess,” I told her.
“Sure, sure. If you can tell me when the last time you called Anna beautiful was.”
I stopped and thought about that.
The fact that I did was bad enough, an obvious, very blank answer was the only thing that met me, however.
I thought Anna was beautiful, quite often, in fact. Even if she was just herself, no paint on her face that made humans smell funny or big dresses. Had I called Anna beautiful when she was dressed up? I couldn’t quite remember. Had I ever?
The longer I thought about it, the worse it was. The only time I could remember it was when I told her she could be cute and beautiful, and she got pouty about it.
The blank spot came undone.
“Oh… Oh, man… I’m a real piece of work,” I said lamely.
“There's another spot gone, good, good. So, are you ready for the last few skills?” She asked me, plain as day, “We still need to get your last class upped, so we need to finish its skills if you are going to be a [Journeyman Magi].”
“That’s all you’re going to say, ‘Oh good, you figured it out?’” I asked.
I didn’t like that it felt like she was in control. I didn’t know what it was about it, but she was leading me around by the nose.
“Well, I am a [Guide] Saphy, I’m not here to tell you things, I’m here to get you to somewhere, sure, I’ll answer things if I think you should know them, but just telling you without you doing any legwork won't work, didn’t you hear me before? The change has to come from you. Has to, not might, not can, must! If I have to tweak you’re wet fox nose, I will, just like I made you voice your fear, now that you’ve told me, it’s easier to think about, too, so it was a good double whammy. And before you say it, I know you don’t like it, Saphine, but I don’t care, you needed it. So… are you going to pick or are you going to gripe about it.”
“I’ll pick, I’ll pick,” I told her with a huff.
“Oh, I should probably tell you, to pick up [Journeyman Magi], you need [Proficient Magi]. Don’t worry, you can pick up another of the third row for the next skill if you want it.”
Class: [Apprentice Magi]
Levels Gained: 6
Skills Gained: 3
Skill Quality: Common-Uncommon
Top Three Picks:
[Quick Study]
Passive.
You are a quick study, apply your intelligence to learning activities.
[Crude Foci Carver]
Passive.
Allows a person to consistently carve a magical tool called a Foci, like a stave, rod, or wand, to better conduct magic.
[Midnight Oil]
Active.
Refreshes you, clearing sleepiness and letting you burn the midnight oil
Top Three Picks:
[Magic Notes]
Passive.
You can remember your notes by magically tying them to yourself. You can do this with a number of notes equal to the sum of your Intelligence and Wisdom.
[Magical Tool Proficiency]
Passive.
Grants you proficiency with magical tools. stats scale with Proficiency bonus. (PB/2) for each stat when in use.
[Earth Dart]
Spell.
Discard a fast-moving shard of earth towards a target.
Top Three Picks:
[Death Magic Proficiency]
Passive.
Grants you Proficiency in Death Magic, granting stat scaling with Death Magic spells up to half your proficiency bonus.
Grants finer control over Death mana and a greater ability to detect Death Mana.
[Proficient Magi]
Passive.
Increases your magical proficiency. (PB/2) for spellcasting, mana perceptibility, acuity and control.
[Magic Dart]
Spell.
Hurl out a dart of magical power.
Magical Darts bypass obstructions.
I could only pick three of the eight skills, and I would have to pick one of them after levelling up again, but I could tell my skills were going to be getting better and better over time with this class.
Considering in most of my other classes, I was getting Affinity’s instead of Proficiency’s, I had to assume it was only up from here, anyway.
I could spot several of the three things Anna mentioned to me specifically, but out of the five of those, the magic spells seemed a little lacklustre. I mean, I had literally done one of them using [Cantrip], oh sure, it would probably be way stronger than chucking a tiny shard of rock, but if I could do it on my own, then why take it as a skill? Same with Magic Dart, if I couldn’t do it, then I might get it. It was an attack skill, or I supposed spell, and the phrase bypass obstructions intrigued me, but it came alongside skills like [Death Magic Proficiency], which was like having a perfectly good meal next to one made by a level 40 [Chef], it just wasn’t fair in contrast.
I started to cross a few out in my mind.
[Quick Study], was ok, but just ok. I could figure stuff out faster, but it said it scaled on Intellect, not one of my main stats, and it just made me learn faster. If I still couldn’t communicate, it would have been a top-tier skill, but things had changed even if I had a notable accent.
[Midnight Oil] was cut, I couldn’t see myself needing it, I wasn’t studying for a test, I could afford to sleep.
With four down and one I needed to take, I had four skills and three picks.
I made two of my final picks after a little more thinking. [Death Magic Proficiency], and [Magical Tool Proficiency]. I had a feeling, and maybe I was wrong, maybe I wasn’t, but if my tools were magical, and magical tools had their own proficiency, I might get two extra proficiencies from levelling up tonight to help with my shovel work.
The last pick I needed to make was between a spell book skill and one that would let me make a magical tool.
Maybe I was crazy, but there was something about having a magical stick that appealed to me, though I would have to figure out how to use them while holding my shovel, assuming I would need to hold them at all, which I did, I might be able to tie them together or something.
Also, while I knew well that I was capable of forgetting, I would need to basically buy a paper and a pen or just mooch off of Anna to use it. The feeling of mooching off of Anna was something I didn’t feel comfortable with at the moment, and it rolled off and into my opinion of the skill.
“I’ll get [Crude Foci Carver], [Magical Tool Proficiency], [Proficient Magi] and [Death Magic Proficiency].”
“Oh? Not going for free magic?” She asked contently, “I would have assumed you might have picked at least one.”
“Don’t think I can learn them on my own?” I asked.
“Psht, of course, you can, they’re the easiest type of attack magic, of course, you can, I’m just glad you didn’t fall for it. Now… Lay down, it's time to get to business.”
I did, I paid as little attention to it as I could.
The winding and wriggling over with, I got on to the final set of skills.
“Can I ask a question?”
“You just did, you weirdo, go on whats tumbling around inside the hollow of your head?”
“Smart ass,” I choked out, “so, why do you have to be so loud? You know, when you do that.”
“I’m not, it feels loud because I’m reaching out and shaping the material your body is made from. There is no sound here were just kind of... I don’t really know… having a heart-to-heart? Soul to soul? It’s not the kind of thing you have a word for, you know? Talking is a good enough way to explain it.”
“Wait, we’re not talking?”
“No, we're not, and you should stop doing it anyways and get your skills finished up.”
“Yeh, yeh… I’ll get out of your hair so you can… do whatever it is you were talking about.”
A tiny part of me wanted to gag a little, I didn’t want to know how that worked with her, considering the squiggles of it. It wigged me out a little too much to try and think it through. So I started looking through the section for [Woodsman]
Class: [Woodsman]
Levels Gained: 7
Skills Gained: 3
Skill Quality: Common
Top Three Picks:
[Survival Proficiency]
Passive.
Grants proficiency in performing and knowledge of simple things to aid in survival.
[Makeshift Weapons Proficiency]
Passive.
Grants you proficiency with makeshift weapons. stats scale with Proficiency bonus. (PB/2) for each stat when in use.
[Track]
Active.
Activate to immediately begin tracking a target you are seeking, picking up on tracks or other clues to follow them.
Top Three Picks:
[Cobblers Bane]
Passive.
Shoes and footwear are more sturdy, improving longevity.
[Woodsman's Stride]
Passive.
When running over uneven terrain, you are less likely to trip or slip and more surefooted on treacherous terrain.
[True Strike]
Active.
Focus in on one target. While focusing on them, you gain an increased understanding of their weaknesses or vulnerabilities and an increased ability to take advantage of them.
Top Three Picks:
[Wanderer’s Balm]
Passive.
Wandering or otherwise traversing through wilderness grants experience.
You can tell roughly where you are as long as you can see the sky.
[Soft Steps]
Passive.
Your footfalls are softer, leaving less behind to be tracked by and making less noise when walking.
[Reactive Strike]
Active.
Immediately attain a weapon and swing for an enemy when they launch a surprise attack.
“Why are so many of them combat skills by chance?” I asked her.
“Because you apparently need combat skills.”
“Yeah, I mean, I guess, but it’s a class for being in the woods and stuff, right? So, like, why?”
“Ohh… It skills a hunter might get, early classes, are super broad, and remember, there’s some bleedover from that. Some stuff for hunting, some for sneaking, some for just walking around a lot. [Reactive Strike] is a [Shepard] skill, no clue why that’s there, but it is.”
“Why would [Shepherds] need a skill to hit something attacking them?”
“Can you read with your stigmatic eyes? It says when they launch a surprise attack, it’s for protecting sheep.”
“Ohh, OK, weird skill, but gotcha.”
She huffed, “I’ve never met a [Shepard] that wasn’t weird. For them, it’s not a job, it’s a calling. Freaks, I tell you, freaks who like sheep too much.”
I couldn’t weigh in on that, I had never met a [shepherd], they just walked around watching sheep while I dug stuff.
“Let's see, this is a little bit easier, [True Strike], [Woodsman’s Stride] so I can run even faster… and, wait, is a shovel a makeshift weapon?”
“Saphine, ask yourself. Are you supposed to hit people with a shovel?”
“And [Makeshift Weapons Proficiency].”
I wonder how much stronger hitting people with a quadruple-proficient magical shovel would hurt. Gosh, that’s so cool… I hope it all works together because, whoo, boy, that would be super cool.
I can imagine it now.
I couldn’t, actually. I was imagining digging a really big hole, not the math of it. I didn’t even understand how they worked together, I just knew I could dig a bigger hole now and was comparing it in my mind to how strong I was.
I wonder how much faster I’ll be able to run, knowing it’s harder to trip or slide?
“Ok then, so are you ready?”
“I mean, yes? Go on ahead, let's finish up, and I can go apologize to Anna. And you can go get your freak on.”
“Good, good. Just make sure to take care of her needs, too. She’s a person, Saphy, not an [Angel].”
“Don’t you think I know thaaaa- fuck.”
“Damn right,” She said, quickly sticking the last strands into me, readying me to leave.
They were shorter than most of the other strands of nascent skill I had received today and flipped and folded faster than most of the others too.
“There… All done, now follow my advice and your gut, and don’t mess it up.”
“Ughh. I don’t plan on it,” I grumbled.
“Oh, and Saphine,” she said, light and sweet, “Do stop being such a virgin. Your girlfriend is bound to get pent up eventually.”
“Hey, I-” and before I could retort, I was cut off by waking up.
***
I jerked to wakefulness, “’m not… Huh?”
Anna was on top of me, which was at least relatively normal; she did that all the time, but this time, she had spun herself into a cocoon of sheets, a lump of cloth in the dark of the night.
The only thing peeking out was her face, eyes closed, a wreath of flowers awkwardly sticking out in front of her.
That wasn’t even the awkward part, though, what was is that her legs had pushed up my clothes, leaving me all the more bare as she curled in a C shape, head pressed into my chest, arms around the back of my neck, and legs, wiggling in cloth, pressed between my legs. She was pulled to me in a death grip that, unlike before, was a bit uncomfortable.
She was shivering, not in a way that might suggest she had any idea of what her legs were doing as I flushed, but in the way one did when they had a nightmare.
And just as I untangled my arm and got Anna’s legs out from my thighs and my clothes back down, I reached for her face.
She was, while not feverish, definitely off.
I brushed her face, her cheek, running my finger over the bone, the tip shy of her eye.
Her eyes jerked open as she let out a confused, “Beast Magic? WHY!” and woke up.
And, just like that, the day that refused to end got one last laugh.