The inside of the otherwise unimpressive building was like an old-school gym but made with magic and by someone who didn’t value their things.

Not that Alan had seen the insides of a gym other than in movies, but the place just gave that sense. As if thousands of men and women had shed blood and sweat to become a better version of themselves here.

There were many strange implements strewn everywhere, some large enough to block the rest of the room from sight. Still, the space was much larger than it had looked from the outside. Alan quickly realized that having the System truly changed how one would go about exercise. And he was about to learn exactly how much.

On some level, he felt giddy at the thought. His weak body had stopped him from ever experiencing the joys of exercise and growth. It was like a long-forgotten desire – an innocent desire he had somehow turned into a knife stabbing at his own confidence – was polished off and returned to him without any of the darkness smearing it.

The sound of a hit echoed through the hall and Alan spun around, ready to defend himself on instinct. His shadows, however, were still calm and their soft whispers buzzed like conversations of distant passersby in his ears.

There was still no word of Xil, which was a bit worrying, but Alan was sure the demon would be fine. He had placed the cube prison back into the shadow inventory as he was worried the Bazaar would prove to be too much of a danger.

“Not enough!” Isind Felmor, his would-be teacher yelled out.

“I can’t go faster!” a voice complained from somewhere behind the piles of strange equipment.

“You can, and you will,” the teacher said lazily.

“I’m telling you, my attribute is maxed for now. I can’t raise it by wasting my time like this! It’s better to go level, then try again.”

The owner of the voice soon walked out. A strong-looking young man, with bronze skin – in the literal sense – and a scowl on his face. He only threw a passing glance toward Alan, then opened his mouth to continue arguing.

“Alright. Go.” Isind simply said.

“What?”

“I said go. Begone. You’re a failure, and I don’t train failures.”

The young man paled at that, which looked quite weird considering his skin was made of actual bronze metal. Alan felt the shadows shift around as he suppressed a chuckle.

“But, my father—”

“Your father begged me for a favor, but he didn’t mention to me that I, the great and illustrious Isind Felmor, would have to teach a brat who’s got his head stuck up so far his ass he thinks attributes and levels are the beginning and the end of all things!” Isind got it all out in one breath and was almost panting at the end, but he still struck a pose with his chin halfway into the air, and his eyes closed, as if looking at his failing student was a sight he couldn’t bear.

What have I gotten myself into? Alan wondered. He’d met his fair share of weirdos, but somehow, surprises never ended.

“You can’t be serious!”

“Go!”

“Fine!” the young man yelled, then stomped his foot and was gone through the door in a burst of movement. Alan felt only a brief breeze before there was no trace of the young man. That speed was many times faster than his…

Isind didn’t seem to care. He easily pushed a giant machine that looked to be made for punching away to make room for another and smiled widely at Alan.

“Now! Tell me, what sort of skill do you need to improve, oh special boy? What even are you? Vibes tell me some sort of a bonded class, but then I’d have smelled your patron or god on you. Perhaps… ooh, interesting. Do you communicate with ghosts of the past? Are you a mage seeking the buried secrets of the forgotten? No!” the last word was almost yelled out. Alan raised his brows further, fearing they might decide to just fly away.

“No! You’re… a strange one.”

All those words for nothing. Is he for real? The young man walking out hadn’t inspired much confidence toward Isind Felmor’s abilities, but Alan felt refreshed by the man's energy. It was loud, weird, and carefree to an extent that made him desire the same for himself. Maybe not with so much flair. Everything that had happened during his stay on the fractal felt like an odd dream that was too distant to matter.

I wonder how Zirida and Kaly are doing. I hope Byrr’s alive too. Damn, I should figure out how to reach out to them. Maybe the Bazaar can help after I’m done here…?

Isind was busying himself listing off classes until Alan couldn’t take it anymore.

“A [Warlock] without a patron,” he finally interjected.

Isind’s eyes widened at that, “I knew it! You’re a prime catch! A tasty treat! Ah… to be newly integrated must be the greatest boon, the greatest joy.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Is it that obvious?”

“But of course! Who but a barely functioning ape would decide to pick a class based around borrowing the power of cosmic beings, and then refuse to bond with a cosmic being? Ha! Oh, don’t look at me like that, it’s not like I made you do it all. There’s also virtue in trailblazing. Of course, most of it ends in a gruesome death or a deep depression, but it's still worth trying!” Isind laughed and walked away.

Alan reluctantly followed. Had his choice been truly that stupid? He could see the lack of logic behind his actions… but why? He had thought things through back then in Ig’Thun’s cave, hadn’t he? He had made his choices alone, without anyone meddling in them. Sure, he had a vague idea of what some of the interpretations of a [Warlock] were in media, but then it was also often used without being linked to the necessity of patrons.

And Alan liked to think he had done quite well despite his… questionable choices.

Isind led them to a small clear space with all sorts of odd chairs. He took one – a large gnarly thing that looked like a throne for tentacle monsters and motioned for Alan to sit.

“Well then, list a few of those you’re comfortable revealing and I’ll help you pick.”

Alan nodded. He had thought a bit on the matter. He wouldn’t want to reveal his [Heritage] skill, nor some of his traits and bloodline. The [Curse: Stolen Life] was also quite a potent skill that was about to turn into an alternative power source.

He could still sense a faint connection to the two who had been marked by the curse in the fractal – the dragon and Riasko, but it was a dull frozen thing without signs of life. The marks had morphed into something else during the ritual, and Alan hoped it wasn’t anything troublesome. Looking at his own track record didn’t leave him very optimistic.

The connection to the large parasite was also gone. It had happened sometime soon after the fractal’s end probably. Poor thing.

What were the choices then? The most obvious was [Shadow Creation] which was already quite a nice skill. He shared the skill with Isind, just out of curiosity what the man would say.

“An elemental creation skill, a shadow one at that. Good, good. Creation skills are difficult to advance quickly, as they require a lot of understanding and, as much as it pains me to say it, attributes. Brain power is simply a must to be able to focus on all the different aspects of making the intangible tangible and force a shape onto what is inherently shapeless. In time, most creation skills advance through use and practice. I’d suggest you choose a different one.”

Alan nodded. That was great to know and it seemed like it would be a waste of opportunity to forcibly advance a skill that would very likely advance in time.

The next one he proposed was a skill he hadn’t really paid much attention to in quite a while despite using it constantly. [Warlock’s Body Mastery] had been his bread and butter since the start of things, and Alan was using its ability to boost his movements almost on instinct by now, and the conversion of mana to stamina was invaluable.

The only aspect of it he hadn’t made much use of was the boost to digestion, but Isind’s eyes lit up as he received the skill’s information.

“Digestion! That’s amazing! Great!”

“Is it?”

“But of course! You can consume treasures to boost your physique and attributes temporarily, prolong your sexual stamina, and survive various poisons. While skills allowing for mana reinforcement of various muscle groups or conversion of mana to stamina or vice versa are quite common, digestive skills are on the rarer side. People often ignore practices of using rare ingredients to boost their attributes or inherent qualities – a shame if you ask me. If there are no drawbacks, why not use it? It’s all about level this, insight that… blah blah.” Isind explained. “Good. Show me another, oh bringer of pleasant surprises. We can have a lot of fun!”

Alan grinned. He was learning a lot about himself and they hadn’t even begun working. The Bazaar was truly an amazing place.

“These are new skills I got from a skill crystal.”

Alan shared the information for [Mana Zap] and [Last Glimpse]. He was quite satisfied with how helpful a tool [Mana Zap] had proven to be toward understanding his skills and even creating a new one, but he was pretty sure there had been better choices than [Last Glimpse] at the time.

Isind whistled.

“First, good job. Second, you need to be aware that stepping up a tier might— keyword, pay attention— might bring about changes to your skills. While it happens very rarely some skills are not compatible with certain classes. I believe [Warlocks] won’t easily run into such an issue, as the class itself is open to constant change and various iterations. Patrons are not a stable-minded bunch, and their gifts can change quite often. However, something tells me you won’t remain a [Warlock] for long, or at least not a simple one.”

“With that said,” Isind continued, “[Mana Zap] would be easy to advance, and its ability to disrupt channeling is very welcome for any would-be mage. Especially a beginner one. Reaching [Ancient], however… that could be difficult. It is fundamentally a simple skill. Take [Shadow Creation] for example. It can do a whole lot once you master it – it allows for creative freedom, armor, weapons, all sorts of attacks, mostly physical in nature of course.”

“A mana attack is simple, straightforward, and the advancement of such skills typically results in a bigger boom, to lay out in simple terms. Don’t get me wrong, big booms are a must for anyone braving the dangers of the realm in search of treasures and levels, but… it’s a bit basic. You can always weave elements into it if you must. Pure mana skills are a great conduit for elements if you have any understanding relating to that.”

I don’t have elemental insights… does Emptiness count? It’s technically just a different name for the void. Can I turn [Mana Zap] into something akin to the attacks I saw the creatures from the fractal perform? Doesn’t strike me as an [Ancient] level skill, but it would be an amazing addition to my poor arsenal. Do I need him for that though? He’s already helped a lot.

“Now… you seem to have a penchant for shadows, and while I am not interested in them, I’ve seen what shadows can do. Oh yes, dear [Warlock]. I think with some interactive testing, some quite sickening practice, and a pinch of disrespect, we can do great things with the so-called [Last Glimpse].”

“We can?”

“It all depends on how far you’re willing to go. It’s an interesting skill for someone who likes to play detective, and it can be very useful in a survival situation. If you plan to explore the Myriad Worlds and all the unconquered System-grown wilderness that has probably taken over your new planet, like it has to so many others, then it’ll be an invaluable tool despite its simplicity.”

Isind Felmor stood up and his hands came to rest on both armrests of Alan’s chair.

“But it can be much more too!”

Alan stared at the man’s oddly iridescent eyes. It all sounded… quite good.

“There’s one more,” Alan said instead. One of his oldest skills, and one that would’ve led him down a very different path if he had allowed it to.

“Oh?”

He shared the details of [Synaptic Failure] with the strange man and watched as his eyes lit up.

“We can have so much fun!”

Alan forced a smile, while the shadows cackled in his mind.