A second later we disappeared from my room and I reappeared on the [Throne of Kantor] on the patio with Grandpa standing next to me. Mom looked at me with worry in her eyes, but I flashed her a grin to settle her down. There was no way I was going to let my System Day end with her and Dad worrying over me before I left in the morning.

Ever the prepared one, Dad grunted as he hauled a huge tray of presents onto a cart before rolling it in front of the [Throne of Kantor]. He smirked when my eyes grew wide. “Oh yeah, you know we had to pull out all the stops so you’d be good to go tomorrow.”

Mom and Dad did too much, there’s no way they’re really giving me THAT… Who am I kidding? Of course they would.

In the center of the massive tray of presents was a tightly rolled sky blue carpet with white clouds that seemed to move on it. There’s nothing else it could be, Mom and Dad got me a [Flying Carpet]. I’d briefly wondered why they hadn’t talked about me taking care of my horse, Dazzle, when I was out in the world, but now it made sense.

“You two are insane!”

I burst out laughing as I pulled the rolled up carpet from the tray of presents and snipped the ribbon holding it closed by reinforcing my fingernails with a bit of mana for a second. The carpet unrolled and floated in the air, just a few feet off the ground, but I knew from trips with my parents growing up that they could soar through the sky with nearly no effort from their rider. They weren’t fast, but they were about as safe as can be for flying and they could continue traveling while their rider slept on them as long as they gave instructions before passing out.

Mom and Dad stood hand and hand as they beamed at me. She shook her head at my exclamation. “The rules say you have to leave tomorrow for a year, but with this you can at least fly by and say hello without breaking the rules. Plus, it beats having to sleep on the ground.”

Arlo and Megara laughed and she thumped him on the shoulder as she addressed me. “It really does. Trust me, a few nights on that carpet will have you sleeping on it whenever you’re outside a town and aren’t in a dungeon. I know we always did. The few points of mana for the night are far and away worth it.” She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “Open the green one next, it’s from me!”

I was pretty sure I knew what Megara would give me, but it was something I really needed, so I didn’t dawdle. I pulled the green box from the table and quickly sliced open the paper to reveal a plain wooden box. A flick of my nail later and the top of the box was split open to reveal a gorgeous leather potion bandolier that matched my armor perfectly. I pulled it out and held it up for everyone to look at it before Grandpa helped me put it on for the first time.

The bandolier served a few functions beyond what a spatial storage ring could do. The biggest thing was that it would let any party members access my potions without having to strip my ring and bind it to themselves first. That alone was enough reason to wear it, but it was also just a touch faster to draw a potion from the bandolier than it was waiting for it to appear in my hand from a ring, especially with Agility as high as mine was likely to be.

“It’s enchanted to preserve the potions in it, both in efficacy and against breakage.” Megara shuddered. “There’s nothing as bad as having a bunch of potions and getting slammed in the chest by an Ogre Brute and having all of them shatter. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that.”

Her husband snorted before speaking softly for his huge frame. “That was funny.”

Megara slapped Arlo’s shoulder again as her cheeks grew red. “There’s a spot for a pair of alchemical grenades by your hips as well.” She stuck her tongue out at my dad. “It never hurts to be prepared.”

I looked down at the gifts I’d already opened once more and finally spotted the windows from [Essence Reading]. They were much less aggressive than the ones from [Analyze] and I knew I’d appreciate that in time, but at that moment it meant I’d forgotten about them.

[Cloud Carpet - Rare

Durability - 99/99

Description - Allows the rider to fly at heights between three and three thousand feet at a rate of three mana per hour for walking pace. More mana could be used to increase the base speed. If the primary rider falls off, this carpet will catch them as long as there is more than one thousand feet of free sky below the carpet. For this reason, the recommended flying height is two thousand feet.]

[Megara’s Special Bandolier - Rare

Durability - 99/99

Description - Safely stores and preserves any potion or alchemical grenade placed within the dozen potion slots or four grenade pockets. The bottom two potion slots can be dispensed directly into the skin of the wearer with the expenditure of ten mana.]

Two Rare items already? They must really be worried about me. I wonder why? They all trained me and I’m no slouch.

“Thank you so much Auntie Meg, this is amazing. I see it’s half full of [Mana Potions] and half full of [Health Potions], those should both come in handy.” I touched the grenade pockets to find them surprisingly full. “What’s in the grenade pockets?” I had a sneaking suspicion, but I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

She cackled. “My specialties of course!”

Everyone on the patio spoke in unison. “[Megara’s Big Stink].”

She faked wiping a tear from her eye. “You all know me so well!” I just shook my head.

I’d been gassed by her original [Big Stink] grenade a few years ago, but that was before she managed to get a named [Skill] to buff them. I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere near wherever I lobbed those grenades, but they would likely come in handy in my travels.

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“The red paper contains my gift.” Arlo rumbled as he put a hand on his wife’s back. “It’s not exactly what you’ve been training with, but it might come in handy.”

The gift in question was about the size and shape of a gauntlet wrapped in red paper. I picked it up with raised eyebrows. “You have me curious.” I ripped off the red paper to reveal a gorgeous brass and leather bracer. It even had both of my family crests on it, the keep with a pair of crossed pencils across it for the Neilson Clan, Dad’s dwarven family, and a sun over a placid lake for the Sunbeam family of Golden Elves. Dad didn’t really talk about his human family much, so I didn’t know a lot about them.

[Essence Reading] displayed what I needed to know about the bracer and I was amazed at how nice it was to get more than just the basic information I used to get from [Analyze] now. I realized with a start that [Essence Reading] was telling me how I would be best able to use the item, not how anyone else would.

[Arlo’s Animated Buckler - Rare

Durability - 499/500

Description - Designed by the Grandmaster Runesmith Arlo Longshadow, this bracer can produce a floating buckler the size of a large dinner plate. It is sufficient to block anything up to the size of a human broadsword, but is best served to deflect ranged weapons as that is what the enchantments on the item were meant for. Mana will drain based on the strikes the floating buckler deflects. The buckler can also be used while still attached to the bracer and that doesn’t cost any Mana, but it will cost Stamina.]

Wow, this thing is amazing.

Without a hint of hesitation, I put the bracer on my left arm and marveled as it nestled in beautifully with my studded leather armor. Then again, Arlo made the armor as well, so he likely made them to match.

“Uncle Arlo, you’ve outdone yourself. I can’t–” I flinched as a pair of crossbow bolts streaked toward me and threw up my new bracer to defend myself on instinct. A mostly transparent blue shield the size of a dinner plate popped into existence and deftly blocked the pair of attacks without me having to do anything.

I checked my Mana and saw two points had been spent.

“Good, it works.” Arlo touched a bracelet on his wrist and a pair of crossbow wielding automatons rolled out of the bushes toward him. He touched each of them on the head and banished them to his spatial storage. “I hope you like it, Cub.”

I blushed at his old nickname for me, but didn’t correct him. “Thanks Uncle Arlo. It’s good to know you’ll still be protecting me when I’m out in the world.” I patted the bracer. “This thing is awesome!”

“I’d say so!” Dad roared at Arlo in fake indignation. “Arlo, why didn’t you make me one of those?”

He shrugged. “I just figured it out a few months ago. Plus, your head is so hard you don’t need one!” The pantherkin flashed me a huge toothy grin. “The Cub needed it, so he got it. That’s how it works.”

Mom stepped in to stop the pair from arguing any further. “Thank you again, old friend. Your talents are much appreciated.” She bowed slightly to Arlo before turning back to Dad. “Give him your gift and stop harassing our guests.”

“Yes dear…” Dad grumbled. He pointed at the garish orange gift I’d known was his. “Grip and rip, kid.”

With a snort, I did as I was bidden. Inside the paper was a bracer so dark it seemed to absorb the light hitting it. What is this thing? I shrugged before putting it on my right arm opposite my buckler bracer where it disappeared from view. I focused on the window for it and was amazed at what I found.

[Night’s Fury - Unique

Durability - 19/20

Description - Forged from the heart of a Level 200 Wraith Dragon, the blade contained within this bracer is undetectable by anyone under that level. Anyone who successfully kills someone who was unaware of them with this blade will gain the [Assassinate] Skill. Doing so will not use up the Durability on this blade while normal use will drain it as normal.]

“Dad, I can’t… I didn’t get an assassin based class like you wanted me to.” I wasn’t exactly lying, but something like [Night’s Fury] was wasted on a generalist like me.

He walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. “That’s why I gave it to you. I knew you’d get something more like what your mother wanted with all that magical talent, so I figured this was the best way to give you that Skill.” He leaned in close. “You never know when you might need to take out a target when they’re not paying attention and that thing will make it much easier. It served me well for over a decade and I want you to have it.”

It’s still at almost max Durability and Dad used it for over a decade. Holy crap. Dad wasn’t just the comic relief for the party, was he? He was their damn assassin!

His eyes gleamed when I looked at him with wide eyes. “You’re probably right, but let’s keep that between us.” He tilted his head toward Grandpa and I understood what he was saying.

“Got it.” I gave him a side hug. “Thanks Dad.”

Grandpa stalked over and Dad made himself scarce with a puff of shadow before reappearing next to Mom. Grandpa snorted at his antics. “It’s not like I’d have hurt him for being in my way… much.” He pulled a gilded scroll case out and handed it to me directly. “You’ve always been a bit of a Skill monkey, here’s some help with that.”

I took the scroll case and gently twisted off the cap on the end. Peering inside, I almost laughed, there had to be forty scrolls inside.

Before I could admonish him, he put up a hand. “Those are all [Skill Scrolls] I produced in the past few years, just for this day. Don’t deny a grandfather the chance to spoil his grandson.”

Black writing appeared on his hand that was pointed toward me: With your Class, this is the fastest way for you to grow more powerful. Just make sure not to use more than five of them in one week, or you’ll be in for a demon of a headache. Wits divided by twenty actually, but five is a solid starting point.

“Understood, thanks Grandpa.” I pulled him in for a hug and it felt like I was hugging a sun-drenched blanket on a cold night. Grandpa’s hugs were next-level good.

“Anything for my Starchild.” He stepped away and waved for Mom to step up in his place.

She beamed down at me as I kicked my short legs on the massive throne. I had to jump into the thing with how short I was.

“Do you have any guesses at what I might have given you?” She smirked.

Wracking my brain, I came up with nothing. I shook my head. “I’m guessing it isn’t the camping stuff left on the cart?”

“No, those are from your father and I as a pair.” She pulled out a well worn tome and handed it to me. “This is from just me.”

I traced my fingers over the tome and immediately knew what I was holding. I’d stared at it since I was a kid where it sat on the mantle in the family room in the villa. The supple red leather had the Sunbeam family crest pressed into it and below that was my mom’s name in Elvish.

“Your travel spellbook? I don’t know–” I tried to push it back at her, but she rebuffed me.

“I know you’ve been reluctant to use your gift with spellcraft for battle since the accident,” She closed her eyes for a moment before continuing, “but I want you to have it. If you ever think you might want to learn one of the spells, it should be as easy as opening the book up and taking a look.” She looked sad. “Then again, you haven’t told us what your Class is yet, so maybe you don’t need my piddling spellbook.”

“It’s not that!” I hurried to store the precious book away before lurching to my feet with a hop. I pulled her into a hug. “I love it Mom, I really do. It just brings up some bad memories.” I squeezed her tighter. “I’ll do my best to put it to good use, honest.”

She clutched me even tighter. “As long as you come back safely, I don’t care what you do with the dumb book.”