Chapter 52

“Just you?” Ryker was waiting for me just like he’d promised.

“Yeah, Lyn and Nyle are going to look over the job board and figure out what we’re doing tomorrow.” I said. I was practically shaking with excitement over my new gear. During dinner it was all I could think about. Okay, that wasn’t fair. It was all I could think about, after I’d finished marveling at how delicious the smoked turkey was. Lyn had mentioned she was going to ask around for some cooking supplies and tips and tricks for us within the dungeon.

“Smart thinking,” Ryker said with an approving nod. “Planning your next step is key to being a successful Climber. With the right planning, even walls that seem impassable can be conquered.”

“Who said that?” I asked, “Commander Phyr?”

“No idea,” Ryker shrugged, “I just thought it sounded good. Not sure if I’m quoting someone else, or I’m just that good at coming up with good adages.”

“Uh huh.”

We began walking quickly back towards the City as we spoke. I was dressed once again in my Climber’s Regalia, smelling faintly of lavender, while Ryker continued to clank about in his Obsidian Armor. I’d noticed quite a few of the other veteran Climber’s seemed to constantly wear their gear, even while they were outside the Tower.

“Don’t you get tired of wearing that much armor?” I asked him, curiosity getting the best of me. Sure, I was jealous of his gear, but still, moving about in full plate, all day, seemed exhausting. “Isn’t it heavy?”

Ryker laughed, and a split second later his armor shield, and weapon all disappeared. He’d swapped them out, replacing them with an outfit of dark red, that shimmered as he walked. The pants looked like leather, or animal hide of some sorts, with a strange, scaled pattern. Was that snakeskin? Or something else? It was tight to his form, clinging to him, leaving no question as to his build to the imagination.

Likewise, his shirt seemed more like a layer of skin, than actual clothing. It was stretched to its seams, a red silky cloth, pulled completely tight around his form, clearly showing his muscled definition. And the coat he wore, crimson with golden trim, fluttered behind him, looking especially tight around his shoulders and chest. I stared hard. A year ago, Ryker had been like me, lean and toned. Now, his muscles looked to have tripled in size.

“Downside of leveling up,” Ryker said with a laugh as he watched my eyes exam him from head to toe, “is how it changes your body. Depending on your stats, and what you put your body through, you grow and change in unique ways.” He flexed his biceps, and I could swear his jacket, and shirt underneath, were going to tear at any moment. “Put enough stats into strength, and no matter how lean you are, your muscles will begin to bulge. Put enough in constitution,” a dagger appeared in his hand, and he drew it across his flesh. The skin went red, but didn’t cut, “and your skin will be tougher than leather.”

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I thought back to Hans. He’d definitely been impossible thick skinned and tough.

Ryker’s gear reappeared, hiding his form once more as he covered himself in his Obsidian Plate.

“Besides,” he said with a smile, “I spend more time in the Tower, than I do outside of it. This gear,” he thumped his chest with a gauntleted hand. A dull echo rang out, not the sound of metal on metal, but more like stone clacking stone, “feels more natural to me, than any regular clothes.” He shrugged, “truth be told, if I’m not wearing it, I feel vulnerable, naked.”

“But isn’t it heavy and cumbersome? Doesn’t it make moving about the City awkward?”

“This armor is surprisingly light,” he offered, “and with my strength stat, I hardly feel it. As for moving about, it’s actually the opposite. People know me because of my armor. They respect me. If I’m not wearing my gear, I’d have to deal with people in a completely different manner.”

“How so?” I pressed as we continued to walk. I took a look at our surroundings, noticing that people did seem to move out of the way of Ryker as he walked, while others stood off to the side and pointed to whisper or wave.

“Climbers are known based on their reputations.” Ryker explained. “The average member of the City doesn’t know our ranks. They don’t know if a Climber is an A rank, or a F Rank, or anything like that, by looking at us. What makes us unique, what makes us stand out… what our reputations build off of, is our gear. People know me as The Obsidian Shield. My armor, my shield, all of it, is a part of who I am. The people know The Obsidian Shield treats everyone well, and does all he can to keep everyone in his care safe. They know I give back to the City, and they know I’m responsible for bringing them valuable materials from within the Tower. Because of this, they respect me, and treat me kindly.”

He waved at a few people as we made our way towards the side streets.

“Conversely,” his voice dropped as we continued, “if you’ve a reputation that’s negative, it will affect you in a similar manner. People like Hans and Lars and such… they’ve a bad rep. The people dislike them, they don’t want to do jobs with them, and they go out of their way to avoid them. They don’t want to do business with them, and they’re less likely to go out of their way to do anything for them, in any way shape or form. And within the Tower, they’re less likely to trust Climbers like them, meaning they get less done in a day, than if they were being protected by someone like me.”

We made a few twists and turns, and I knew we were getting close. I had my mental map pulled up and was eagerly watching our small dots move closer and closer to Echo’s forge.

“Likewise, with Climbers, we show each other different levels of respect based off our ranks and reputations. All Climber’s are equal, but there’s a level of respect we give those who do good for the City, and who have climbed high in the ranks, compared to those who washout, and cause problems for others.” He stopped, just a single alley away from Echo’s shop. He looked at me, smiling.

“I want you to think about those things, as you and your group grow and climb. I’ve made sure plenty of people see you with me, so they know I’m your mentor. I’m putting my reputation on the line for you, because I trust you and believe in you. And it’s my hope that you and your team can grow into Climbers that the people love. Climbers who will take care of others, and who will help the city prosper. Climbers, that Alexandra, and the rest of us, can be proud of.”

He ruffled my hair and grinned. “But enough of that for now. You’ve worked hard today, you’ve made me proud, and you’ve been patient.” He turned in the direction of Echo’s shop. “It’s time for you to get your reward.”