Chapter 12
Lazarus held out a hand to Jackson, and the Judge sent him a notification.
Lazarus would like to awaken your slumbering bloodline. Do you agree to this?
Jackson willed his response to the Judge, and his world rocked. It wasn’t pain, exactly; it was more like a river being unleashed in his body. His skin actually writhed, his veins bulged and pulsed, and suddenly he was within his Domain. The rivers of blood that normally swam within the nothingness that represented his destruction aspect were swirling into what appeared to be crimson hurricanes. The hurricanes eventually settled, but the blood had changed. No longer was it simply dark crimson; it had taken on a golden sheen, and now the liquid was red gold.
It still flowed through that nothingness, but there was a different feeling to it now—a feeling of hunger, a desire to grow. As Jackson came back to himself, he felt that hunger within him, like a living thing with a will of its own. It pulled at him, demanded, and howled to be fed. He pushed it back for now and addressed the notification that unfurled in his mind.
Jackson Grey, your bloodline has been awoken, and you have embraced your vampyric nature in full. Your player profile will reflect this change. In addition, your Domain has changed, and thus your class can evolve. There are three options available. Would you like to view these options now and make your choice?
Lazarus seemed to look down on him, a knowing twinkle in his eyes.
“Ah, I see by your expression that you have received an interesting message from Eden’s Avatar. What does it say, fledgling?”
Jackson raised an eyebrow at being called fledgling but made no comment on it as he replied,
“The message says my class can be evolved. It’s asking if I want to view the options and make my choice.”
Lazarus coughed, a mean feat given that he was just a spirit.
“You were given options?!” He sounded incredulous.
Jackson nodded,
“Why is that rare?” He inquired of Lazarus.
Lazarus chuckled.
“Rare, he says. It is basically unheard of, young fledgling. Your class and everything you are come from your Domain. When skills get added to your Domain, it is really just the Judge unlocking or awakening an inner part of your untapped potential. A class evolution reflects your Domain on a deeper, more advanced level, but usually there is only one option. For the Judge to perceive multiple options within you, it means that your Domain resonates with all of them on an equal level. If I were a dusty, boring scholar, I would find that fascinating. I suggest you go over the options with me; you won’t find anyone that can give you better advice than I can.”
Jackson shook his head at Lazarus’s tone but willed an affirmative to the Judge. Another message unfurled in his mind.
Here are your class options and the following skills they grant you:
Vampyre Swordsman (Apprentice Level 1): The vampyre swordsman uses blood and destruction aspects to enhance his sword combat, often becoming so powerful he can cut down an army with a single slash. Skills granted: Minor Regeneration (Basic Level 1): This skill allows you to regenerate health and therefore wounds at a very slow rate. This can be increased by consuming blood. Sword Skill (Basic Level 1): This skill grants you the ability to use any sword effectively. The higher the skill level and rank, the deadlier the swordsman. Consume Blood (Basic Level 1): A required skill for any vampyre, this skill must be used daily. The longer the vampyre goes without using it, the likelier it is that he will go mad and die. This skill accelerates minor regeneration and, in addition, restores mana and strengthens your domain. Warning: completely draining any player with this skill will result in their final death.
Vampyre Shifter (Apprentice Level 1): The vampyre shifter uses his blood and destruction aspects to transform himself into a terrifying winged and batlike form. In this form, you are a physical powerhouse, leaving swaths of destruction in your wake. Skills granted: Shifting (Basic Level 1): This skill governs shapeshifting, but due to your vampyric nature, it is locked into the Vampyre Combat Form. Consume Blood (Basic Level 1): A required skill for any vampyre, this skill must be used daily. The longer the vampyre goes without using it, the likelier it is that he will go mad and die. This skill accelerates minor regeneration and, in addition, restores mana and strengthens your Domain. Warning: completely draining any player with this skill will result in their final death. Minor Regeneration (Basic Level 1): This skill allows you to regenerate health and therefore wounds at a very slow rate. This can be increased by consuming blood.
Vampyre Acolyte: The vampyre acolyte forgoes all physical weapons and abilities in favor of focusing on mastering the weaves of mana that come from Domains. Vampyre acolytes are therefore unable to use any physical weapons or even weave physical weapons. Any weapon-based skills you have upon taking this class will vanish. Instead, you will gain the following skills and weaves: Hidden Bloodline (Basic Level 1): The hidden bloodline skill will hide your vampyric nature from all; even celestials must use their most powerful means of discernment to uncover your bloodline. Minor Regeneration (Basic Level 1): This skill allows you to regenerate health and therefore wounds at a very slow rate. This can be increased by consuming blood. Consume Blood (Basic Level 1): A required skill for any vampyre, this skill must be used daily. The longer the vampyre goes without using it, the likelier it is that he will go mad and die. This skill accelerates minor regeneration and, in addition, restores mana and strengthens your Domain. Warning: completely draining any player with this skill will result in their final death. Blood Lightning (Basic Level 1): This weave will allow you to weave together your blood and destruction aspects into a powerful bolt of lightning that will pierce and destroy most defenses, magical or otherwise.
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Jackson goggled at the choices. All of them were clearly better than his current class, by miles, in his estimation. He went over them with Lazarus, and Lazarus couldn’t keep from looking slightly impressed either.
“I am familiar with these classes; however, I am genuinely shocked that you resonate with all of them. If you pick the swordsman class, you will keep the progress you have made with that katana of yours, and it will be the most familiar for you.”
Lazarus tapped his chin, clearly thinking. Before Jackson could reply, Lazarus shook his head, his eyes closing briefly.
“Alas, you should not pick it. I am afraid you must pick the acolyte.”
“What! That is the one I least want to pick!” Jackson protested, slapping his knee with his good arm. Lazarus crossed his arms and looked down on him, clearly taking the tone of a parent dealing with a child throwing a tantrum.
“No need to shout. You can express your thoughts without throwing a tantrum, yes? I assume you are old enough to understand this.” He regarded Jackson, lips pursed in disappointment. Jackson felt heat flood his face, and he bowed his head.
“You’re right. I would like to hear your reasoning, though.”
Lazarus nodded, mollified.
“You need to pick it because of the hidden bloodline skill, obviously. Use your head, fledgling. I just told you not even five minutes ago that becoming a vampyre would make you a target for celestials everywhere. With this class, you will remain hidden from their sight, and that gives you a fighting chance to prepare and advance.”
Jackson sighed; he did not want to admit it, but the spirit was probably right. With the other classes, he wasn’t hidden, and he would be vulnerable to most analyze attempts. It just seemed a little unfair that he would have to give up his katana skills. He told this to Lazarus and then added,
“Why can’t this skill be available in the other classes? Didn’t you just say that granted skills are already a part of me?”
Lazarus unfolded his arms and looked at the ceiling, as if ready to give up.
“The skills best represent the class, and the class best represents the skill; it’s a kind of synergy. I believe I have already explained this. I can’t say why that skill is best represented by that class; that is the Judge’s decision. Perhaps it is because of the focus this class has on weaving. Regardless of the reason, it is what it is; what are you going to do? Deny reality.” Lazarus snorted.
Jackson’s shoulder slumped, and he let out a giant sigh. He really, really hated to admit it, but the spirit was correct, and he could not deny it. He eyed the class description. As he did, a grudging thought occurred to him. He wasn’t very good with the katana anyway. He must have voiced his thoughts, because Lazarus asked,
“What do you mean by that?”
Jackson explained his duel with Dylan and what he had said. Lazarus asked him some pointed questions, and the whole tale came out. When he was done, Lazarus bowed his head and muttered to himself. Finally, he shook his head.
“It seems you have had quite the experience so far, fledgling. In regards to the katana skill, it sounds like it is a flawed skill.”
Jackson was about to ask what that was, but Lazarus held up a hand, cutting him off.
“Yes, yes, I know you don’t know what that means. I will explain; it appears I will be doing a lot of that in the future. Sometimes our Domains resonate powerfully with a single skill, despite the fact that we are not actually suited for it. This can be for any number of reasons, such as a deep dream of ours or a strong belief that we should be good at that particular skill. Regardless of the reason, these skills resonate when they should not. It leads many players down a broken advancement path, close to perfect but inherently flawed. So often, in fact, they strive to perfect the skill and never can. That is your katana skill.”
Jackson took the information in, not even sure how to respond. His path had been flawed from the start. He didn’t want it to be. The katana was a weapon that gave him certainty; by being armed with it and by moving with it, he didn’t feel weak. He bit his lip and sucked in a frustrated breath through his nose. Sometimes the things we wanted weren’t right for us.
Understanding this, he made his decision, and the Judge sent a message into his mind.
Class evolution is commencing.
Purging katana skill…
Congratulations, Jackson! You are now a Vampyre Acolyte!
Jackson felt knowledge erase itself from his mind, as if someone had taken a mental eraser and scrubbed it away. New knowledge replaced the old, blazing through the familiar paths in his mind, causing him to clench at his head as he hissed in pain. The skills and weaves were all there as if he had known them his entire life. He just wished it would have gotten rid of the pain. Instead, all he had to show for all of this was a newfound feeling of intense hunger. Pushing it aside with a practiced mental shove, he looked over at Lazarus.
“Well, now that’s done. What now?” Jackson asked the ancient spirit. Lazarus shrugged,
“I do have a request for you, but before we get to that, why don’t you tell me what has happened to you other than the encounter with Dylan and the demon? Start at the beginning.”
Jackson hesitated; he still wasn’t entirely certain he could trust Lazarus. Sure, he had been helpful so far, but he highly doubted he didn’t have his own agenda. That did not change the fact that he had been supportive, and his journey up until this point was not a great secret. Other than his newly awakened vampyric bloodline, he didn’t exactly have anything worth hiding. Why not tell the spirit everything? He wracked his brain, trying to come up with one reason beyond not being fully sure he could trust him, and came up short. At some point, he had to trust somebody, and Lazarus was at least being more helpful than Melanie had been. He felt a sharp stab of guilt when her name crossed his mind, and he pushed that away as well.
Coming to a conclusion, Jackson took a deep breath and told Lazarus everything.