Even given my lack of ability, it did not take that long to return to the barracks, we had returned rather earlier than expected and lunch had not been prepared.
We gathered around the same tables as before. Elizabeth sat quietly and looked at each of us.
It was as if we were being stripped bare, all our strengths and weaknesses exposed to her. The longer this went on the more uncomfortable it became. Fanny slowly seemed to glow with a silvery light, a feeling of healing and unconditional love seemed to be radiating from her, It was a nice and peaceful sensation.
Yet at the same time, Robert started to have flickers of flames float away from his body. The strength of this sensation was far less than that of Fanny, and there was no real sensation associated with the faint red glow. Just a vague hint of a memory of the heat of an open campfire.
While I felt exposed I did not seem to be glowing, and neither Fanny nor Robert were reacting to me, But they were both reacting to their own light and to each other.
Finally, Elizabeth stopped what she was doing, as Holly approached.
“Hmmm, It is uncommon even in heroes that one would be able to express a class after less than a week. It is not that unusual that your first alignments would start to be expressed. Actually given your strength, Fonial I would have been more confident that you would have been reacting strongly and generating an alignment. But that is not the case. The others from your universe are, but not you. In both those cases, the alignments are exceptionally rare for a first alignment, Shadow, and Sharpness. They are derived alignments that normally result from the merging of alignments rather than being initial causes.
I do wonder where you will land.”
Then with an almost visible switch started to lecture.
“Classes are important.
Your class has a major impact on the skills that you learn.
Classes change the depth of some of the flows of your power. This means that those flows become more powerful and that much of the power that you hold flows down those paths. This results in those paths that are not part of your path having less power available to flow down them.
This results in learning skills outside of your class being more difficult and you will have more difficulty increasing their skill level. At least that is the case for the mortals. Those that have hero blood in their lineage surpass these limits to one degree or another.
Like all skills and attributes, your class will level, But unlike skills and attributes, there is a visible impact on the world when you level. The higher your class level the greater the pressure on other skills.
As the class progresses, class-only skills are learned, These are known as feats. When faced with a choice it is very important that you choose wisely. Feats can never be removed and will have serious impacts on how the power flows through you.
At this level, the choices don’t matter too much but when the time comes with each milestone the choices become harder and have greater impacts.
Fanny, I hope that you took the advice and accepted the Feat ‘Low Cost.’ Compared to any other class, healing will now cost you less power. You can heal more with the same amount of power, This is what it means to have a healing class.
How a healer levels their class is also a bit different from everyone else. While you do gain progress from the kills that any group that you are part of makes, most of your progress will result from the Skills that you use. There will be limited progress from skills that treat those that are outside your group, or normally for wounds that occur in training. This is why it was unexpected for your class to be granted when not fighting for your life.
All skills will still progress as they have been, but since the impact of healing and related skills is multiplied by the class level we need to have you form your group earlier than I had planned. Forming a group is normally a dynamic process where you try various people out. This is not going to be possible under the current circumstances. The good news is that you have 3 of the 7 members already.
Fonial I will guide you through the process. Since you have the most skills, and what appears to be some interesting titles. It makes sense that you are the first leader within the strike force that the Sphinx is forming.
This is going to mean that you will need to meet the others that have been selected as candidates for Red 1. There are two members that you have no choice about but the last two positions you can select from a pool of candidates.
I think that you know Lara, you have been mentally sparring with her for most of the last few days. She is to be your second, which to be honest is not going to make her exactly happy. The other is Adam. Adam has been her second for much of her training. She has had expectations of Adam that he is not able to return. He is a good man but does not return her feelings, This has resulted in them pushing each other away. However, he provides a balance to her skills that makes them and you potentially many times more powerful than any other team combination.
Lara is an attack specialist, and already gained the combat classes Sword Master and Elemental Enchanter, She has also been trying to level a professional class as well. She expects to become a Weapon Smith. Lara is very driven. And currently is by far more powerful in combat skills than you. Adam is far more relaxed but as an Oracle, will be able to enhance combat skills to an extent that few will ever experience. But you will need to help him overcome the difficulties that have arisen between him and Lara.
They are going to arrive later this afternoon. They are likely not going to be well pleased. They will be expecting to have a month or so to get to know you, before being made part of the group. Neither one is aware that the other will be part of the group. This will be an interesting experience. So rather than having the introductions done here, we will return to the area, where less damage will result.
So before we can do that. Put those bloody cups down.”
At that, she strode away.
Elizabeth’s left eyebrow was lifted, and she stared at us with expectation.
I had a plan, I had come to the conclusion that it was not a curse because I would have been able to sense that in the flows in the river. I was also coming to wonder if it was even a skill. While she had said that she was going to use a skill there was no indication that she actually did. So it had to be an expectation, an imposition of Elizabeth’s will. And if that was the case. All that was required is that I decide to put the cup down and not pick it up again. I had just been fighting it all wrong. It sounds easy but since she had so simply influenced me to pick the damn thing up and for so long not even realized that when I thought that I was putting it down all I did was swap hands. I suspected it was going to be more tricky than that.
Oddly just coming to that realization, meant that the compulsion disappeared. I put the cup down in front of Elizabeth and felt no need to pick it up.
With that of course I received a notification
Attribute Improved - Belief - +4
Attribute improved - Will - +3
Attribute Improved - Awareness - +5
The improvements were the largest that I had seen. Both Fanny and Robert looked shocked and then realized that all that had happened was that I had decided to put the cup down. So they did as well. Since I did not say anything, how they were aware of the process confused me, until I got a notification.
Skill Improvement - Common Skill Trainer - 3 / 20
Being forced into a group was not something that thrilled me, but in just a few short days I had started to view at least this group as part of my family. Even back on Earth I had viewed family as important. My wife's family was part of mine once we married. But for all I viewed family as important I had extended that to everyone that had a like-minded view. What I had always disliked was those people who limited those that they viewed as human-based physical, or cultural norms.
The feeling that I had got from Steven was that he viewed those summoned as tools, not human, not worthy of his consideration just because. No real reason. But because they were not from his little group of like-minded people. Holly on the other hand generated a sense of hope for people, While it was clear that her Sept and Clan were important to her there was something more, a sense that improving was important to her, and not just for a small insular group, but some wider and more significant
So maybe it would be OK.
Holly had moved towards one of the passages that now, without saying a word or making any external indication I just knew that I was to get up and follow her. None of the others at the table seemed surprised as well, perhaps they felt the summons as well. Elizabeth started to introduce a new exercise to them, as I moved to Holly.
As I turn the corner to move into the passage I am surprised to find that a stairway had appeared that leads down through the floor. I followed the only path forward As I stepped off the stairs into a new passageway that had tiled walls rather than the light wood that had defined the new cubicles in what had been the mess hall, all sound from upstairs stopped. What's more, something that I had not been aware of, was the sense of presence that radiated from all the people that had been present, from the more noticeable sensation of Elizabeth to the brighter flicking of my team members to the faint almost whisper-like sensations of the serving staff and the other servants. It would have been a return to the feelings of my original world but for the fact that Holly stood only meters away, and the sensations that rolled off her were like an intense fire.
“You need to learn how to shutter your inner vision. You need to be able to sense but not be blinded by the power of others’ minds.
Be aware of when you are the focus of others.
Be aware of the real risks and not jump at every little fluctuation
But for now, I will further dampen my aura.”
With that, the burning light dimmed to a pale moonlight.
“Come,” she said as she entered a passage that branched from the main hallway and then into a room.
“In a normal situation, this skill would have been allowed to develop naturally with exposure and training exercises. But you have interfered with the expected process so you will have to bear the cost. Lie there.”
There was a large bed in the center of the room, how I had not noticed its presence to that point could only be due to the continued impact of Holly’s presence on me. I quickly obeyed. There was no sense of threat, just one of expectation. But there was no way that I would even consider not following her commands.
She came to the head end of the bed and gently touched my forehead, and with that, there was a rush of power that propelled me into the vision state where I had previously examined the power that flowed through me. It scoured out a pathway in the river system that existed in my mind. What had been a stream that only had a suggestion of power flowing through it suddenly had a heavy flow. Two vortices appeared and there was a number that appeared further downstream.
New Skill - Basic Status - 10 / 10
Skill upgrade - Common Status - 2/20
New Skill - Basic Group - 1 / 10
The opening of this stream resulted in a significant increase in the overall power that was generated by the river.
Even as I started to recover from the impact of the changes another change slammed into my mind. It was not coming from Holly, it did not even come from that monster woman that I had sensed that was observing us in the arena. It was a gift I guessed from the system itself. Which suggested that the system might be self-aware.
I was then granted the class “Insightful Leader”. Blocks of text appeared in my mind, and as they did so my body rebelled, I vomited and evacuated myself. Blood dripped from my eyes and ears. A massive nosebleed started, and my body sweated out a foul-smelling slime. Followed by liters of more normal sweat. I ended up in a foul-smelling puddle of putridness.
If I had not already emptied my guts the stench would have triggered another round of vomiting. I was barely able to control myself. Even Holly seemed surprised and had been forced to step back. I was aware of what was happening to my surroundings but at the same time, I was forced back into my mind as further changes ransacked my body.
New title - Prophecy touched - As someone that a major prophecy has recognized as important to the outcome of the prophecy, You will have additional opportunities for learning. This may also result in penalties when bad choices are made. Prophecy Rules.
Suddenly Holly was chanting something but I was unable to understand anything more as yet again I was remade.
New class - Basic Insightful Leader: 1 - Exceptional
Error attributes Error
Minimums not meet
Error Skills Error
Minimums not meet
Attributes upgraded
Attribute improved - Body +10
Attribute improved - Mind + 15
Attribute improved - Spirit +17
Attribute improved - Awareness + 5
Attribute improved - Mental Fortitude + 5
Attribute improved - Mental Speed + 5
Attribute improved - Focus + 3
Attribute improved - Will + 6
Attribute improved - Presence + 8
Skill improvement - Perception - 8 / 10
Skill improvement - Common Status - 20 / 20
Skill upgrade - Uncommon Status - 10 / 30
New Skill - Basic Inner Eye - 1 / 10
New Skill - Moment of decision - 1 / 10
New Skill - Basic Combat Awareness - 1 / 10
New Skill - Basic Defender - 1 / 10
New Skill - Basic Attacker - 1 / 10
Skill improvement - Basic Group - 10/10
Skill upgrade - Common Group - 20 / 20
Skill Upgrade - Uncommon Group - 10 / 30
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
New Skill - Basic Group of Groups - 1 / 10
New Skill - Basic Group Tactical Awareness - 1 / 10
New Skill - Basic Fast Movement - 10 / 10
New Skill - Common Fast Movement - 20 / 20
New Skill - Uncommon Fast Movement - 30 / 30
New Skill - Unusual Fast Movement - 1 / 40
First Feats Available
Class Grant
Strong damage
Damage mitigation
Title Grant for extra feat due to Outworlder
Strong Shields
Shared Regeneration
Feat Grant due to title Prophecy touched
Hateful Projection
Fated strike
Racial Purity increase 3.5%
Holly was sweating after the storm of changes ceased.
“I believe that the shields held. I was able to reinforce them before the prophetic storm reached its heights, but it was a close-run thing.
Remove your clothing, what you are wearing has been ruined, and nothing will ever remove the physical and spiritual stink from them
Insightful Leader is a prized class. Yet I have never heard of it being a primary class. I don’t know how it could even be gained as a primary class. It is a class that is normally an evolution of a preceding class, the normal chain has 3 classes that are required and a small number of unusual skills, and the selection of a couple of particular feats. There is another path that only has 1 preceding class and a number of very difficult to gain skills and the willingness to accept feats that are considered suboptimal in the short and medium-term in that preceding class, to gain access to this class. But both these paths result in this class only being able to be gained as a second class, or more often the third class.
The following information is not normally important until much later. Each person can have up to 3 combat classes, and 3 professional classes. The first of each of these paths is normally straightforward to improve and level. In each case, as you level your classes you gain feats and once a class has reached its limits you will be able to evolve the class. If you have gained the required skills, attributes, titles, and feats then you will be able to select from multiple evolutions. Most often these are the ability to progress the rarity of the current class. In the worst cases, they simply cannot evolve the class as a prerequisite attribute has not reached the required level. When a class evolves it is granted at the next rarity as the class it evolves from.
Classes only improve when they are actively being used, Training has limited benefits to the class. It is possible to improve a class by improving the skills that are granted by it and it is dependent on it. But this also has limits.
So for you to have this class at the first level means that you will be offered the feats from that class as it levels rather than having to take feats from inferior classes.
You must take the feats within a very short period of becoming aware of them. If you don’t then you will acquire a random feat from those that are available. The pool of available feats seldom reduces previously offered feats stay available, unless a particular feat excludes other options. This is not common in the early stages of paths, But you will end up with feats that will slow the growth of your path, so taking too long to select your feats will cause problems. And you don’t get second chances.
I know that you have a choice to make as the greatest benefit of that particular class is that it grants additional feats. As feats have synergy with your personnel build and desires, you just have to choose based on the title of the feat.”
Since survival of the group or family has always been a driving factor in my life, the first choice seemed simple: ‘Shared Regeneration’.
As I focused on the feat it was as if a light cloth had been draped across my body. Just the act of focusing determined the result. It looks like there is no room for a change of mind. No confirmation prompts, just enough focus on the feat, and bang it happens. I was left with
Strong Damage
Hateful Projection
Fated strike
Strong Shields
I feared that just concentrating on the items on the list would be considered making a choice. Since I had already decided that strong shields were not the path that I wanted, that left hateful projection and fated strike, one seemed to be about controlling attackers and the other was about damaging them. Since the title of the second included the wording fated and I had got the extra feat due to being prophecy touched I focused on Fated Strike. This time I felt a breeze blow against my eyes and my hands felt as if they had been dipped in cool water.
Somehow I knew that attempting to “understand” a Feat was beyond my skill.
So I asked Holly, “I just gained 3 Feats
Damage Mitigation from my class
Shared Regeneration and Fated Strike from my titles
What do they mean? What do they do? What do they change?”
Elizabeth said, “you only get 1 feat per level given that class how the fuck did you get 3?”
“This is not making any sense. If I get 3 feats per level, Will I be so overpowered that it will be ridiculous? What is going on?
What does it mean?”
I could not stop asking questions, my mouth ran away with my brain. Until Holly told me “shut up” with more than a hint of command in her voice.
“While the intent was to grant you the skill ‘Grouping’ when a skill is imparted in this way there is always a risk of surprises as pushing power into someone's matrix. And while the size of the response that you experienced was significant, it is not utterly without precedent. It is well known that insightful leaders gain feats with each level. Rather than every few levels. But it will be necessary to conceal that you have that class as having it as a first-class, which is rather problematic. To that end, you will need to accept a skill effect or two.
I am only capable of hiding that you have a class for a day or two, but my mistress will be able to prepare an item that will mask the reading of your class.
You must accept these effects willingly as even the slightest resistance will cause them to decay rather rapidly. ‘
Since it was clear to me that having such a class only put a further target on both my back and my chest, I said “that sounds like a seriously good idea. Don’t need to be more of a target than I already am!”.
“Your group will be aware that you have a class, but will not be able to remember the details. You must discourage them from probing, This will be simple enough for all other than Lara, as she has a hidden skill that will moment by moment be able to pick at any secret skill that you use.
I will have her Aunt inform her of the importance of not disclosing anything she learns.”
With that, she started chanting as with the previous chant I was unable to even focus on the words let alone discover the meaning of the words. A cloud slowly formed in the room and then it collapsed towards me. I was drawn into my vision of the river as the cloud flowed into my body and then my vision. Branches that were deep and flowing with significant force were masked by a heavy mist, to the point that I was unable to detect the flows. Even the headwaters had become darker and more mysterious. Just looking in that direction however caused the cloud to fray about the leading edge.
Quickly I withdrew from my vision.
“Go to Elizabeth, and build the first formal group for the red team. Forming a team does not require a particular class, but a skill from the leadership stream. before you start considering or worse, questioning.
It is very important that you just keep your head down and do only what is needed for the time being.”
With this, I went upstairs and sat at the table with Elizabeth, Fanny, and Robert. Before I even got to the table I became aware that I had little or no control over my actions. It was a much more powerful version of the cup trick. I was aware that I could start to break down the compulsion, but I was also aware that doing so would expose me to those that viewed me like an insect to be crushed if I was to threaten even the least of their privileges. Holly, while clearly able to destroy me, made me feel safe rather than endangered as James had done. She was also more powerful than him.
Once I reached the table I asked Fanny first “Will you join my team?”
Fanny glanced and Elizabeth who nodded so she responded “Yes”
I took her hand and activated the skill “Group” using the words ‘Join, Join, Join’.
I felt a flash of heat run through my spirit, and a small green icon appeared in my vision.
I turned to Robert and asked, “Will you join my team?” before he accepted he looked towards Elizabeth who nodded again so he responded with a guarded “Yes”
So I took his hand and again activated the skill ‘Join, Join, Join’. I experienced the same sensations. I then sat quietly unable to hold a thought. Time passed, with no urgency, I was aware when the others returned, but not interested. Food was placed in front of me. I started to eat but soon even the ability to decide what part of the meal to eat, or if I was thirsty faded. Someone started to feed me and give me something to drink. It was just too much effort to care so I didn’t.
More time passed. But it did not matter, I was happy and content to just sit and be.
At some point, I was taken by the arm and led somewhere, it really did not matter to me in the least.
More time passed. I slowly was aware that I was back in the arena, but nothing was important anymore. There was no point in training. There was no point in caring, whatever was going to happen had already happened. I did not choose what had happened, I could influence anything so why care about anything? It was a comfortable sensation, but there was this quiet niggle somewhere at the back of my mind. It was saying something but I did not know what. But it was getting louder, but it was still so quiet.
Holly appeared out of the mist. And said “You must invite Lara now, you need to use about a third of your available power as she has quite a few more levels than you. After this morning the difference is not as great as we could have expected. So that is for the best.
Take her hand”
I waved my hand about until it was grasped, I could feel that it was smaller than mine but at the same time much stronger. The fog kept rolling from somewhere and all I could feel was the hand. I could not even see my own hand which had reached out into the fog bank. I started the chant ‘Join, Join, Join’ and pushed power down the link that was forming. There was a wall that existed this time that had not been there with either Fanny or Robert. I pushed through that and could feel the link start to form. Beyond that was another wall. So rather than ⅓ of my power I ended up using 80% as it looked stronger yet it was only a dry rock wall and there were many gaps and stones that did not belong so I was able to push past that. Suddenly I was thrust back into my mind but not before the link had strengthened into what felt more like a path that was easily walked. A gate had formed in the walls that had blocked me. And the blocks that made up the wall surrounding it looked stronger and fitted together better. However, on the other side of the doorway was a raging fire of emotions. It did not feel in the least bit a good place to tread.
This process had only taken moments. And the hand released mine,
Time was becoming increasingly meaningless to me. Once the hands had disappeared nothing mattered anymore. Somewhere out in the fog, I could sense four bright gleams of light that should be important to me, and yet they were barely interesting. Though one was constantly flaring and sparking, it was more interesting than the others.
I could feel that I was moving but it continued to be less important. Why struggle? It just was not worth the effort anymore. I had left one life, my family, and the people I had known, all I had known. Yet in this world where the powers that be only wanted to use me, and then spit me out as if I was a piece of used gum. To them, I clearly had no value.
The movement had stopped. The niggle was still there but it was becoming less important as well. What did it matter? Nothing really matters!
Suddenly a voice blasted into my mind. I refuse to die just because you forced a life bridge on me and then you decide to give up. How dare you even consider giving up. You stinking piece of weak-willed slime.
With that, that little voice flared back to life. No one gets to insult me like that. My anger started to burn the fog that surrounded me, The more that faded the clearer I was able to think. I realized that the fog had been either blocking or consuming the power that I was used to having flowing in me.
As I came back to life, first I was aware of Lara, her distaste and contempt were at the forefront of her thoughts. Holly then appeared. All sharp and prickly. I could sense the other team members. These three were faded by what felt like distance, But if asked I knew exactly the direction that they were.
At this point, I was no longer just looking with my inner eye but had started to actually see with my eyes.
We were in a new location. It had hallmarks that marked it to be similar to the hall where we had been summoned. There were guards at the only entrance. My team was gathered around me. Each of them was bright in my mind. Fanny and Robert were sharp and crystal clear in my vision, and awareness, and my spirit recognized them. I knew who Lara was as there was a stream of sparks that lit my inner awareness that flowed from her and then returned to her with a color change. What this represents escaped me. Beside Lara was a slender black haired woman that radiated sharpness. There was a young man that also stood with us. He stood with Fanny and Robert as far as he could from Lara, it was clear that there was tension between them; everyone was connected by currents but the flow between Lara and him was weak and blocked by what appeared to be debris.
Moment by moment, I recovered my mind. After some time passed a woman entered through the door. She at first seemed ordinary in comparison to both Elizabeth and Holly, but as she approached feelings and emotions rolled out of Lara. There was fear and terror but at the same time nearly overwhelming respect and admiration. A faint thread of love also weaved its way through the complex web of emotions.
Lara stepped forward and announced “This is my Aunt Desdemona. She is amongst the greatest in the family. She is to be honored greatly!”
She appeared to be a woman of youthful appearance but had a demeanor that made it clear that she was a power. As her attention swept the team we collapsed to our knees. Lara, the man, and the other young woman I had yet to identify bowed their heads, Fanny and Robert collapsed to the floor unable to withstand the pressure of her presence. I struggled to avoid doing the same. I could not look at her, and my head dropped forward into a bow. I could feel a nose bleed starting and something dripping from my ears.
“Good you are not completely useless, Fonial.” It was like a switch had simply turned off the immense pressure that I had felt. She still was looking at us, but rather than as a super-powered monster, all she appeared to be was a kindly but tough teacher.
Fanny was recovering quickly, but Robert had lost the fight and was now unconscious. I knew this through the sensations and feelings that flowed down the paths that had formed when the team had formed. The only person that seemed at all comfortable within the group was the unknown man.
Desdemona chatted with Holly, but for all, she was only meters away even though I heard words none of them made any sense. I was unable to detect any meaning at all.
She turned to me. Then pointed at a circle that was inscribed on the floor. I rapidly moved to the center of the area and waited. Runes and symbols lit up in conjunction with words that Holly and Elizabeth spoke. While again I was not able to understand the words, at least this time I knew that they carried meaning.
Desdemona approached, “The solution that I have decided on is to attach a mask with some particular skills in effect. Your class will be that of a cadet that is at least believable, even if exceptionally rare. But since you have the title of Hero it does grant the air of possibility. That will be enough and since it is one of the few classes that we know will sometimes lead to the class that you have actually acquired, it will mean that some of the feats that you will gain make some sense. The number of feats that you have and will gain is going to be more interesting to conceal. For this, I give you a necklace again with rare skills attached.
I will not risk injecting the skills directly because of what happened last time, that was rather unexpected you know. With this Holly placed an amulet on a chain over my neck, and then placed what looked exactly like a blank white Venetian mask on my face.
The three of them started to chant and the two objects merged into my body. I was unable to determine anything about the objects. Maybe later.
She stated “I expect that the skills will transfer very slowly into your delta. This will make you safer, But we will have to change plans a little. The plan was to hold you back saying that you had not developed to the point where it was useful to send you to the front. But now we cannot afford to have you in the city. You were to choose the further members of your team yourselves, but that is not possible now.
So these two you have no choice about. This is Ester, Lara’s Bond Sister. I took her hand and thoughts flowed between us. “While I would find forming a life path with you a blessing as it would strengthen my bond with Lara it is not right for now. You do use so much power” Even as these words formed in my mind I was chanting “Join, Join, Join” as suggested once I had pushed through the first barrier and could sense the next. I stopped. Not only did heed the advice but there was not the same desire to learn what lived beyond that wall. It was interestingly better constructed. Next, the young man approached and grasped my hand as Ester released and moved to Lara’s side.
But you can choose the class of your last member. Your choices are Hex Master, and Death Dealer.
Hex master deals with curses and reduces the enemy’s attributes and skills. This is most powerful when you face powerful individual foes. The death dealer class recovers corpses from the field and returns them to fight for you. The wind of the forest class.
So you are aware Lara delivers death at close ranges, while Adam has the skills to change the very field of combat to your advantage. Ester will be able to do the least amount of damage but will grant control in the local battle while ensuring that you are unlikely to be surprised by ranged foes. Your Fire mage will in time be able to deliver blows that ignite the very air. But for now, he is the weakest amongst you. Your skills lead to being able to control the focus of the foes you face. Your healer is limited by her Alignments and always will be but fear not, without her defeat would await you. Choose well.”
Either of the choices is good but considering the alignment of Fanny, I decided to go with the Hex Master in the hopes that they would be more compatible.
Even before I was able to state my choices out loud. Desdemona had called for Boris to come forward. He just appeared from near the doorway as if stepping through a curtain.
They stepped forward and Boris held his hand out. I grasped it and chanted ‘Join, Join, Join’ with that the group grew and I knew that he was the hex master. There was a flicker of joy that came from Adam.
I noticed that while these new members of the group all had classes only Lara had a secondary class. Boris and Ester did not have that many levels in their classes but the depth of power that flowed through them was huge.
As I looked up I realized that the guards had gone along with that woman and Holly.
Elizabeth looked rather annoyed “Come we need to get back to the barracks and get Robert his initial class.”. At some point during the proceedings, Holly had managed to bring Robert back to a functioning state, and with the absence of the powers, he had recovered quickly.
With that, she stepped out and at a quickstep led back into the roads and alleyways. This was the first time that I had been on the streets with people. While I wanted to look around and enjoy the experience I was just too tired. The day had been so stressful. Glancing at the sky it looked like it was mid-afternoon.
I was still so tired when we returned, I just started to move to the rooms that we had occupied when Elizabeth said “Until we have you out in the field, it is safer to occupy rooms downstairs. I will have a suite prepared.” Somehow where she raised this I remembered that there was some form of bad blood between Lara and Adam. But it did not register to any extent as I was so tired. So I went down the stairs and found the first rooms that had been converted, and collapsed into a bed.