The word “Spell Scribe” hung in the air as Kaiden repeated it aloud, his tone questioning. It didn’t stir a memory—it brought back a moment he’d never forgotten. Back at a bar he’d visited not too long ago, the bartender, an old man, had shown him and Davick a non-combat class tome. When Kaiden touched the tome, it said he could unlock Spell Scribe, a class whose name had stuck with him ever since. He often found himself thinking about it, as no one he asked quite seemed to know what it was.
How does Zinnia know about that? Kaiden wondered. He searched his memory, certain she hadn’t been at the bar that day. Could word have somehow gotten out to her? Or was he overthinking it, and she’d simply guessed he could unlock the class because of his ability?
“Yeah, Spell Scribe,” Zinnia said, breaking his thoughts. She gave him a sly smile and continued, “Know what it is?”
Kaiden shook his head, deciding to keep the bar story to himself for now.
“Alright,” Zinnia said, gesturing ahead. “Let’s walk and talk again—we’re getting behind.”
The pair resumed walking down the path, Kaiden falling into step beside her. “So, what’s a Spell Scribe?” he asked, genuinely curious now.
Zinnia clasped her hands behind her back as she spoke. “Spell Scribes are a lost class. There aren’t any that exist anymore.”
Kaiden’s eyebrows shot up at this revelation, but he stayed quiet, letting her continue.
“This may be hard to understand,” Zinnia said, her tone shifting as if she were about to explain something profound, “and I only have a basic understanding myself, but here’s the gist. All magic abilities are made up of something called runes. They come together like scripts in a play. Think of it this way: the way a scene unfolds in a play depends entirely on the playwright’s script, right?”
Kaiden nodded, still following.
“Well,” Zinnia continued, “magic works the same way. Each magical ability is essentially ‘written’ in the runic language, just like a scene in a play. The runes dictate how the magic manifests and functions. And here’s the thing—you can see those runes with your Arcane Vision.”
She exhaled, stopping for a moment as if giving him time to absorb the information. “This probably doesn’t make much sense, huh?”
Zinnia’s expression shifted to confusion as she noticed Kaiden’s reaction. He was smiling widely, his eyes practically lighting up with understanding.
“You understood that?” Zinnia asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
Kaiden said, “I understand it perfectly.”
He’d had an inkling that this was what the class was meant for, but without solid information, it had only been a guess. Now, with what Zinnia had revealed about Spell Scribe being a lost class, the puzzle pieces were fitting into place as to why Oros had brought him to this world. It made sense. Back on Earth, he’d been a programmer, and Spell Scribe seemed akin to a programmer class for magic—something that immediately resonated with him.
The bigger question was whether he could truly embrace the class and decipher the runes that made up magic. If it was indeed a lost class, he’d be venturing into uncharted territory. There would be no teachers to guide him, no internet to scour for answers, no neatly packaged courses to walk him through it. Would he even find anything in a library? It was another reason he felt drawn to finding one as soon as possible.
And then there was the lingering question: was becoming a Spell Scribe the sole reason Oros had brought him here, or was it merely a step toward something greater? Was there a specific kind of magic he was meant to decode? A task that only someone with this ability could accomplish? He couldn’t shake the feeling that Spell Scribe wasn’t the end goal. This felt like the beginning of something much larger.
The final question about the class lingered: what potential did it truly hold? Could he use it to create his own spells? Enchant gear? Improve his current abilities? Were the possibilities endless, or was there a finite limit to what the class could achieve—a hard ceiling where he’d eventually have to rely solely on dungeon drops and treasure?
There was so much he didn’t know, but the uncertainty only fueled a burning desire to find out.
“So, what do you think?” Zinnia asked, pulling him from his thoughts. “About working for me.”
Kaiden hesitated, then replied honestly, “I don’t know. It’s just all too... sudden.”
Zinnia nodded, her expression softening. “That’s okay. We still have time. Just don’t work for my sisters.”
Her sisters again. Kaiden frowned, her words raising even more questions. “Who are your sisters, and why are you so worried about me working for them?”
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Zinnia raised an eyebrow and said, “You don’t know who I am or where I work?”
Kaiden shook his head. “No,” he admitted, confused.
Zinnia shot him an amused look, tilting her head slightly as if trying to gauge his reaction. “Petal sisters? The Perennial Petal?”
Petal sisters did ring a bell, but only because Ashkar had mentioned it during their first meeting—he had seemed to know who she was. For Kaiden, though, it had been the first time he’d ever heard the term.
Kaiden knew Zinnia was someone of importance; the fact that the swordsman recognized her made that clear. Not to mention, she was undeniably powerful and didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by Ashkar. But around Kaiden, she acted so casual and carefree, never displaying the air of superiority or importance one might expect from someone with a high status. It was easy to forget just how significant she probably was.
Zinnia searched Kaiden’s eyes for any sign of recognition, but when she found none, her astonishment was obvious. “You really don’t know, huh?” she said, a smile tugging at her lips.
Kaiden raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to tell me?”
Zinnia’s expression turned mischievous, her grin widening. “I almost don’t want to. It’s so tempting to let you figure it out on your own.”
Kaiden said, “Well, I’ve pieced together that you work for some organization called The Perennial Petal, and your sisters are all collectively known as the Petal Sisters, who probably run a rival group. How am I doing?”
Zinnia burst into laughter, catching Kaiden off guard. He replayed his words in his head, cringing as realization struck at her reaction. The Perennial Petal is probably some big, well-known company, and I’ve just exposed my ignorance, he thought, cursing himself internally. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.
Still chuckling, Zinnia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and said, “I’ve never heard anyone refer to The Perennial Petal as ‘some organization.’” Her smile widened as she said the last part, and Kaiden could feel his ears burning with embarrassment.
“The Perennial Petal,” she explained, “is the largest and most well-known auction house and merchant house for not only dungeon-diving gear but magic in general.” She grinned as she continued, “I can’t believe I’ve actually found the one person on Aterra who’s never heard of us.”
Kaiden felt the weight of her words settle on him like a rock, making him feel incredibly stupid. He tried to play it off, offering what he hoped sounded like a reasonable excuse since it was truthful. “I’ve only recently started venturing out on my own. Until very recently, I wasn’t able to leave my house because of disease.”
Zinnia squinted slightly, as though trying to discern any deceit in his words. Finding none, she tilted her head and said, “I see. In that case, I won’t pry.”
She shifted gears smoothly. “Anyhow, to answer your assessment, actually, all of my sisters work at The Perennial Petal and not another company, but in different branches. And let’s just say we have a... healthy rivalry.” Her grin turned mischievous. “And I’ll leave it at that.”
Kaiden asked, “Do you get along with your sisters?”
He was genuinely curious. Having no siblings of his own, he couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have that kind of relationship.
Zinnia chuckled. “Ahh, my family is quite something,” she said, a hint of amusement in her tone. “But it’s not like we hate each other or anything.”
She continued, “Actually, I’m here at the behest of one of my sisters. She should’ve been the one to come, but she couldn’t extract herself from her current affairs, so I came in her place.”
“I see,” Kaiden said, nodding slowly.
His thoughts swirled as he considered the implications. Was everything Zinnia found in this dungeon supposed to go to her sister instead? And she’s just here out of familial obligation, acting as her sister’s stand-in? It made sense, but Kaiden couldn’t shake the unease creeping into his mind. And if I became a Spell Scribe, wouldn’t my employment naturally fall under her sister’s jurisdiction?
If so, it suddenly became clear why Zinnia was so insistent about keeping him from her sisters. A Spell Scribe could be an enormous boon to the kind of enterprise The Perennial Petal operated, and Zinnia clearly wanted to secure that advantage for herself. Kaiden shuddered at the thought of being reduced to a pawn in a power play between the Petal Sisters, which seemed to be happening whether he liked it or not.
“It’s her loss, actually,” Zinnia said with a grin that sent a chill down Kaiden’s spine.
Her eyes settled on him with a gleam that screamed ownership, as though she’d already claimed him as her newest acquisition. Kaiden felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple, his unease growing by the second.
So far, Zinnia had been mostly pleasant to be around, but he still wasn’t sure he could trust Zinnia. Was it all an act? There were too many unknowns, too many layers of intrigue and hidden motivations. He thought back to how all this had started and found himself asking the same question yet again: How did I even get myself into this mess?
Then Zinnia said something that bewildered Kaiden for a moment.
“From the moment you first laid eyes on me at Camp Thorne Dungeon, I knew there was something about you,” she said with a wide grin.
Kaiden’s heart skipped a beat as he immediately flashed back to the invisible figure he’d seen perched atop the dungeon. That had been less than a week ago. He groaned inwardly. I brought this on myself! If he hadn’t accidentally spotted her through his Arcane Vision, none of this would be happening. Well, he’d still be in this dungeon, but at least he wouldn’t have drawn Zinnia’s attention.
Actually, would I still be here? The thought struck him, unbidden. Would Ashkar have killed him or let him go if Zinnia hadn’t stood up for him? These were questions he'd never know the answer too.
Zinnia seemed to delight in his shifting expression as all these thoughts tumbled through his mind. She wore a smug grin, clearly entertained by his unease.
As they walked, a shimmering portal finally came into view. Its soft glow reflected faintly against the stone walls.
“We found the portal to the next floor—or layer—of the dungeon,” Zinnia said, her tone cheerful as if this were a casual stroll. “How lucky.”
She stopped and gestured at the portal with a flourish, then added, “Let me tell our swordsman friend.”
A moment passed as Zinnia closed her eyes, no doubt using the communication talisman Ashkar had given her. “He’s on his way,” she said after a few seconds, her smirk returning.
Kaiden still had a million questions he wanted to ask Zinnia, but one burned brighter than the rest. He turned to her and asked, “If that’s the portal to the next area, isn’t there supposed to be a boss fight?”
A loud roar echoed through the maze, as if the world itself had answered his question.
“Oh, shit.”
“Oh, shit!”