Hex couldn't believe her eyes; she had done it, or more accurately, it had been gifted to her. She wasn't sure the Administrator would have deemed her worthy, considering whatever it was she had done to get an advantage in this integration. But all her misgivings were gone now; she had been gifted the class she most desired. The starting class of Seraph, the most powerful Prism Vixen to ever live. Hex was so happy she couldn't contain her stupid emotions and tried her best to stop the sobs so she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of Adric. But it was no use, and all she could do was cover her mouth to avoid being too loud. Still, she saw him looking at her from the corner of her eye and groaned inwardly, “Stupid uncontrollable organic emotions!”
Hex was startled at Adric's outburst about her class being awesome. She couldn't help but look at him with a tearful smile before looking back to her screen to finish reading the description before she selected it. As she read, her smile faded. "Wait, this isn't Seraph's starting class.” When she finished reading the description, she thought, “This class was specifically made for me!”
Growth Class: Assimilator
Type: Combat
Subtype: Magic
Initial Unlocked Skills / Spells: Absorb, Infuse, Magic Bolt
Focus: Vitality, Agility, and Intelligence
Attributes per level: +1 Vitality, +1 Agility, +1 Intelligence, +2 Free Points.
Class Perk 1: Receive 3% less damage from magic for every tier in Absorb up to 33%.
Class Perk 2: Reduced magic cost of absorbed magic types based on absorption level up to 50%.
Class Restriction 1: Receive 3% increased damage from non-magical attacks for every type of magic absorbed up to 33%.
Class Restriction 2: All leveling will require 10% more experience, which includes race, class, abilities, skills, spells, and absorptions.
Description: Assimilator is a unique class exclusive to the Prism Vixen species. It has been offered as a test to a single individual. Capable of absorbing and wielding all magics in an astonishing variety of ways, the Assimilator will be the bane of the battlefield. Power, however, is costly. To use a type of magic, the Assimilator must first absorb that magic from an attack that exceeds their current absorption percentage. They can then cast that magic if they survive the attack. Conversely, they will become progressively weaker against non-magical attacks to maintain balance. Note: Dismissing this screen will delete the class Assimilator from the archives and will never be offered again.
"I don't know about that class, Hex, but you're the expert here," Adric slowly said as Hex stared blankly at the screen in front of her. The more he read its description, the more he could see some serious downsides to the class. It looked to him like it would turn her into a magical glass cannon unless she could circumvent the non-magical attack debuff. But he figured if anyone on this planet knew if it was a good class, it would be her.
Hex hated to admit it, but she had some misgivings about the class and did not currently feel like an expert. Looking at Adric with wide eyes, she said, "I…I don't know what to do… thirty-three percent is a lot of extra damage. And there is the ten percent extra experience I must earn per level…in everything!”
“My class has the same extra experience cost,” Adric said helpfully.
She worriedly bit her lip and asked him, "What did you choose? Would you mind showing me?”
Adric knew it wasn't wise to show everyone his strengths and weaknesses. Still, she had been upfront with him, so he decided to show her his class description. He pulled it up for her to see.
Hex stared at Adric's class, trying to parse the information and compare it to the Assimilator class. To her, it looked like he had some tough restrictions, too. If she was reading it right, he would have to use his creations exclusively to level his abilities. The class wouldn't prevent him from using purchased weapons and gear, but if he used them, he wouldn't level in the skill or ability for which he used those items.
After looking his class over, Hex asked Adric what made him choose it. When he explained a little about himself and how he had lived his life up to that point, his decision to choose Tinker made sense to Hex. Unfortunately, it didn't help her all that much with her choice. With a sigh, she started to dismiss the class option when Adric made a simple statement that made her immediately reconsider.
"Maybe I can make you a vest or something that will mitigate some of that non-magic damage," Adric said more to himself than Hex, looking her up and down as if he was literally sizing her up.
Hex gasped and grabbed him by the arm, nearly shouting, "You're right! The description doesn't say anything about the damage bypassing armor!" She turned back to accept the class but stopped whipping back to him, "Do you really mean it? Would you make something for me? I have a printer in my birth room, but reading your class, I think what you make may be better."
Adric nodded, saying, "I will," but cautioned, "My Tinker skill is still level 1, so don't expect much," at Hex's dejected look he picked up his bow from the coffee table and handed it to her saying, "I did make this and most of those you see over in the rack," He pointed to the other bows on the wall, "I also made most of my equipment although not my guns, unfortunately."
Hex handed the bow back to Adric after admiring its quality. On a whim, she used her Examine skill on it, ignoring that the skill was still locked.
Recurve Bow [Uncommon]
Classification: Ranged Weapon
Type: Mid-Range Bow
Quality: Excellent
Magical: No
Runes: None
Description: A mid-range bow of exceptional quality with above-average draw weight.
“Exceptional,” She murmured as Adric took the weapon back.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, it's one of my better ones," He said, laying it back on the coffee table. "So, what's your decision?"
Hex looked back to the class option and selected Assimilator, confident Adric would be able to make her exceptional armor eventually, judging from the high quality of his bow. She shivered a little when the weird feeling washed over her. “I hope I made the correct choice,” She thought as the class options disappeared from her interface and she was informed of her automatic attribute point distribution. Then she received a message from someone she would have never expected.
Administrator Message:
Little Hex, this will be the last message you receive from me until after your first evolution.
To answer your thoughts, you made an outstanding choice! You would not believe how many complex calculations I had to make to throw that class together quickly! I hope it isn’t too buggy.
Ha! I'm joking! You should see your face right now; it's priceless!
Honestly, I thought you were a little cheeky in trying to get one over on the System to give yourself and that young human an unfair advantage in the coming integration. At first, I considered killing you, and as young Adric can attest, I very nearly did. But after I saw you lying there on that disgusting piece of furniture looking precisely as I did all those cycles ago, I calmed down. I realized you only wanted to be like me and mistakenly thought you could get a head start. But cheating will never lead to true power, and to prove that point, I have allowed you to chart your own path, just as I did, with an entirely unique class all your own. I won't say there aren't similar classes out there, but this one is exclusive to Prism Vixens. So, congratulations on being the first Assimilator!
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Oh, and I promise this class will be brutal to master! But hey, that’s what you get for cheating!
Good luck, you sneaky little vixen! Remember, I’ll be watching…
-Seraph
Hex’s emotions were going haywire again. She didn’t know if she should vomit or faint. To have the attention of a god rarely turned out well for the poor soul that caught the deity’s eye. She had not only caught the attention of a goddess but pissed said goddess off so much she had considered killing her. “I think I’m going to be sick,” Hex moaned as she swallowed the bile that rose unbidden in the back of her throat.
Adric took one look at her pallid, clammy features and quickly but gently grabbed her by the arm, leading her to the bathroom, where she immediately vomited into the sink. Adric would have preferred she used the toilet, but at least it wasn't the floor. He stayed with her, dutifully holding her long hair out of the way with one hand while keeping an arm around her waist to steady her as she retched up her stomach contents.
Hex’s status screen had followed them into the bathroom, and she still had the message open, so Adric read it out of curiosity. He had to stifle a laugh. He couldn’t help but think, “Yep. If that’s not terrifying enough to make you sick, then I don’t know what is.” He shook his head, amused, “And you didn’t even get the terrifying displeasure of meeting Seraph in person.” Looking back at his worn leather couch, he couldn't help but wonder, "What's so disgusting about my couch, though?"
After a few more minutes of retching and a damp towel to clean off with, Hex let Adric help her back to the Seraph-deemed disgusting couch on her shaky legs. When he sat her down, he perched on the coffee table in front of her to hold her attention. Once he was sure she was focusing on him, he said, "Seraph sent me a message, too. She's watching both of us—"
“I’m so sorry—" Hex started, but Adric held up a hand, stopping her.
"Look, the way I see it is simple. You did something that you shouldn't have done when you were an AI, and I do not presume to know what your true intentions were. But that being said, I know a frightened, naïve person when I see one, and either you are the world's greatest actress, or you truly don't remember what you did. So, I figure I can either be furious at you for nearly getting me killed by some low-level goblins and a literal goddess or,” He held up a finger when she opened her mouth to say something. He continued when she shut her mouth, "Or I can look at this as an opportunity. This System with its levels, classes, and magic is just like—" Adric stopped talking and cocked his head to one side when a thought struck him. He asked, "The games… role-playing games, dungeons and dragons, fantasy stories, things like that. Was that you and the System preparing human civilization for integration?"
"Yes, among other things, such as desensitization to violence and death to make the transition easier for the first solar cycle or year, as I guess I should call it now," Hex answered quietly, still trying to figure out where he was going with this.
Adric shook his head to clear it and get back on track. Clearing his throat, he continued, “Okay, now I know why this System is much like the games and books I used to play and read. So, as I was saying, in those games and books, some characters would get a guide of sorts, sometimes the guide would be a snarky fairy or something on the character's wrist like a sentient watch—” He waved his hand dismissively, “what they were doesn’t matter. What matters is the guides gave those characters an advantage early on," He pointed at Hex's chest, "You are that guide, that advantage." He started ticking off points with his fingers, "You know way more about the mechanics of this System than I do, even with your memory loss.” He grinned mischievously, “Since you have arrived, I’ve had the unfortunate privilege of meeting and surviving an encounter with a goddess, gaining a tier-two resistance. I've gained three levels in less than an hour. Plus, I was allowed to choose a unique class for me. Oh, and I got two more titles…whatever those do.”
Adric held out his hand for Hex to shake, “So, what do you say we start over with a clean slate and partner up, at least for a little while, to see if we work well together? I've seen you fight, and you're capable but obviously untrained in tactics. Suppose you will help me with this integration. In that case, I will help you with tactical combat…assuming what I know still applies in this new existence.”
Hex stared at Adric's offered hand for a long moment, "Is he for real? I thought he hated me. He did save me, though, and I think this is what I had planned for if the message I left myself is any indication. Plus, he’s a good fighter. I’m still not sure about the fact he just up and came clean about being an assassin…that is really creepy, but I don’t think I have any other good options right now.” She smiled, “Okay, yeah,” She grasped Adric's hand in her own and gave it a firm shake, saying, "I think we can both learn a lot from each other."
"Great!" Adric said, moving to sit next to her; pulling up his status screen, he said, “I think I can handle my free point allocation. The names of the attributes are pretty self-explanatory. Does it work mentally just like everything else?”
“Yes, and you can see what energies the attribute points affect by adding them to an attribute but not choosing to assign them. Once you choose to assign them, the change is permanent.” Hex warned. Adric nodded and looked back to his screen.
Hex took that as a sign to check her status now that she had selected her class.
Status:
User Designation: Hex
Species: Prism Vixen; Tier 1, Level 3
Class: Assimilator; Tier 1, Level 1
Title(s): Progenitor; First Blood
System Credits: 0
Free Attribute Points: 5
Free Skill Points: 3
Vital Energy: 54
Physical Energy: 75
Magical Energy: 106
Attributes:
Strength: 8
Vitality: 5
Agility: 7
Perception: 7
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 10
Abilities (Passive / Non-Combat):
Progenitor Linguistics
Absorb; Tier 1, Level 1
Abilities (Active / Combat):
Small Arms; Tier 1, Level 1 [Locked]
Skills (Passive / Non-Combat):
Examine; Tier 1, Level 1 [Locked]
Skills (Active / Combat):
Infuse; Tier 1, Level 1
Spells (Support / Non-Combat):
None
Spells (Active / Combat):
Magic Bolt; Tier 1, Level 1
Absorptions / Resistances:
Lightning; 1%
Suppression; Tier 2, Level 1
Hex noted the one percent in lightning magic she had absorbed and thanked Seraph. The two bolts she had been hit with were apparently retroactive with her class. Or, more likely, the goddess had taken pity on her. Then she stared at her five free attribute points, thinking about how she should assign them, "So I will obviously be using a lot of magic, but the class doesn't give me wisdom…is it because my race provides a point in that per level or is it because this class is a hybrid between physical combat and casting? Gods, I wish I could afford a better interface so I could get more information on my abilities! Magic bolt and absorb are obvious, but what is infuse? Is it like recharging or actually infusing? Is it for enchanting or combat?”
A frustrated growl escaped her mouth, causing Adric to glance at her with an eyebrow raised. "Sorry," Hex said sheepishly, "I'm just having more trouble than I thought I would be assigning my free attribute points.”
“Is there any attribute you don’t get points automatically assigned to per level with both your race and class?” Adric asked.
"Strength is the only one that doesn't have any points auto-assigned," Hex replied but added, "It's not just that, though; I'm frustrated because I don't know if my class is purely magic-based or a hybrid class, and I don't want to mess up early on by assigning points to attributes my class may make unnecessary in the future."
Adric responded with a question, "What attribute increases your physical toughness? Because you will need that one at least thirty-three percent higher than the rest, at least in these early days, I assume."
Hex realized what he was saying and nodded, "You're right; I need strength and vitality to compensate for my eventual weakness."
"I was thinking vitality, but why strength?" Adric asked, confused.
Hex was excited her System knowledge was coming in handy so quickly after he had just spoken about her being his 'guide.' She explained, "Strength does what it says it does and increases the body's physical strength. And what happens to muscles when they get stronger?" Adric was nodding, and realization dawned on his features. Hex continued to ensure they were thinking the same thing, "Their density increases, making them ever so slightly more resistant to damage. And with an all-powerful System allowing us to increase our strength to the point we will eventually be able to punch through steel…”
"Your muscle and skin will have to be nearly as strong as that steel, not to mention your bones," Adric finished her thought.
"Exactly," Hex explained further, "each of your attributes is actually one half of a pair. Strength may allow you to punch through a wall. Without vitality increasing your blood production and bone density, the act would leave you hurt or crippled. The same goes for agility and perception; high agility will let you move at incredible speeds, but if you cannot perceive the world around you at those speeds, you will find yourself running into obstacles."
“How does intelligence and wisdom work together? I’m fairly certain you can have one without the other.” Adric asked.
Hex shook her head, "You're still thinking like a pre-System human. Imagine solving hyper-complex equations in your head faster than a supercomputer; it sounds gr
eat, right?" Adric shrugged, wondering what her point was. Hex continued, "Well, with super high intelligence, you can. However," She held up a finger, "To understand why you are solving those equations in the first place and to have any hope of designing your own equations to solve, you will need the wisdom to comprehend your actions. Intelligence is the ability to know something, and wisdom is the ability to understand its nature." Hex looked back to her status screen, ending with, "At least that's how it works now."
Adric looked back to his screen and leaned back into the worn couch cushions, which let out a little creak of protest as he put his weight into them. Hex had given him some food for thought. Instead of adding his free points immediately, he dismissed his interface and got up. He grabbed his bow and walked into the garage, not bothering to close the door behind him.
Hex was curious about why Adric suddenly left, so she hurriedly assigned her attribute points. Three to vitality to bring it closer to her strength and increase her survivability. She wanted to put all five into vitality, but the fact that she was now a magic user made her decide to put one point each into intelligence and wisdom. When the prompt asked her to finalize her choices, she selected 'Yes' and closed her interface as slight discomfort washed over her. It was gone almost as quickly as it had come, and Hex jumped up, curious about what Adric was doing. He was clearly not a fool, and she wanted to know more about how he thought.