“I’m beginning to think daggers are useless in combat.” I said the next day as Autumn and I stood with Wind in the forest. A warm sun shone down from overhead, melting the snow into a shallow covering of white slush. It made for a rather slippery floor for combat training.
“That depends” Wind agreed. “You can’t go into a sword fight with a pair of knives against an evenly skilled opponent and expect to win. I don’t care what the stories say.”
“Then why teach us at all?” I grumbled.
“Because they tend to be useful when it comes to more underhanded methods. A real fight never plays out like a sanctioned duel” Wind shrugged. “Still it doesn’t matter. Our goal is to help you unlock the right path. We can adjust things afterwards.”
“Right.” I sighed, staring down at my two silver weapons now bound in cloth. Across from me, a dry Autumn eyed my soaked and muddy fur with smug satisfaction. I got the sense she hadn’t forgotten our discussion the other night.
“Now I want both of you to remember what we went over earlier.” Wind looked at both of us. “Try to work your way through the movements as cleanly as possible. I don’t care if you ‘win’. I want to see execution rather than speed.”
I took a deep breath and awkwardly settled into the stance Wind showed us. I had the suspicion the fighting style was designed for someone with considerably higher physical stats than mine.
“Begin.” Wind order, and I closed the gap to fight my opponent. From there we stumbled through the four simple movements that Wind taught us just an hour before. Step with firm confidence, sweep your claws across the ground, dodge with intent, control your opponent with your positioning, strike.
Autumn’s dagger struck me hard in the chest, sending me tumbling back to the mud and adding another bruise to both my skin and my pride.
“Better, Autumn, but you need to stop cutting corners lest your ingrain the wrong movements to muscle memory.” Wind said, with a pointed look at my opponent. Unlike me, she seemed to have found her balance, flowing through the movements with little hesitation.
Our vul’heli instructor turned to me as I picked myself out of the mud. “River, the goal of the second form isn’t just to avoid getting hit, but to put yourself into an advantageous position. Think before you move. I want you to spend some time practicing on your own every night.”
I nodded.
“Good. Now again.” Wind ordered. It was all I could do to hold in a groan.
**********
Level up! Vul’heli has increased to level 5.
Attributes:
+1 Intelligence
+2 Free
The notification came mid-afternoon just before we stopped with training for the day. I’d pushed it aside, deciding to deal with it and the free attribute points later when I could focus and think. “Earth requested all the new Lost gather this evening for lessons.” Wind told us while Aumun helped me clean the mud out of my fur using fresh snow from the forest around us. Between the slush seeping down against my skin and the prospect of being lectured at by Earth again, I stomped most of the way back to the plateau muttering a string of expletives under my breath.
“I’m sorry for the mud and the bruises.” Autumn said as we made our way up the ramp together. Her apology and the obvious guilt and pity behind it only stoked my frustration.
“Sorry for what?” I snapped. “No one improves unless they push themselves.”
“I’m just saying I thought I went too far.” Autumn defended.
“No. I need you to go ‘too far’. If that’s what you call it. I feel like I’m falling behind the others. Even Badger was a higher level than me when I saw him yesterday. What about the others?”
The gap of silence following my words told me all I needed to know. A glance at Autumn confirmed my suspicions.
Sek'heli: Level 6
“You can’t spend your entire life comparing yourself to others.” Autumn said, sounding like some sort of school guidance counselor. “You’ll improve faster if you just do what’s best for River.”
“It’s kind of hard when everyone else judges you based on the achievements of others.” I rumbled. “Sometimes I feel like the only thing I’m remotely competent at learning is inscription.”
Autumn shook her head. “We’ve only been here a couple weeks. How could you possibly know what you’re good or bad at without even trying? You’re obsessing over something when you should just be doing the best you can. I just… don’t want to see you do anything stupid.” Autumn whispered these last words under her breath, but my sensitive ears picked up on the worry laced through her words. I glanced at my best friend and sucked in a deep breath.
“I won’t do anything stupid.” I said. When I do make a move, I’ll be ready. I added silently.
Autumn gave me an ‘I-don't-believe-you’ look, but by then we’d reached the new camp and weaved our way between the tents towards the central clearing where Mara already had two cooking fires roaring in the afternoon sun.
The others were already there. I saw Rose stirring the massive pot of food with a wooden stick while Mara hacked away at something nearby. Young Weston was bundled up and strapped to Rose’s back. The adorable sek’heli kitten looked around the camp with wide, blue eyes filled with wonder. I looked closer at Rose and her son.
Sek'heli: Level 6
Sek'heli: Level NA
My sister, Brook, danced from paw to paw a short distance away while she talked animatedly to an ever-stoic Karl who nodded to whatever she was excited about. Brook’s tail danced side to side in her exuberance. I was hardly conscious of mine these days except when it got in the way.
Vul'heli: Level 7
Sanask: Level 6
Badger and Mirrin sat at the half-log table, the gray-muzzed vul’heli soaking in the afternoon sun while Mirrin watched the others with obvious boredom on her features.
Wood Elf: Level 8
Vul'heli: Level 5
I sighed. At least Badger was still the same level as me.
“River!” My sister yelled, bouncing over to us with a wild grin on her face. “I was finally able to sense my magic. Watch this!”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
My sister traced her finger through the air in a similar pattern to which I’d first carved into the stone. I saw her intent trail behind her finger until she completed the rune, leaving it suspended and fading before her. Then Brook prodded the rune and it lit up with a brilliant white light that had me squinting despite myself.
“What do you think?” My sister asked, practically bubbling with excitement. “I can only do it for a few minutes before I run out of mana, but eeeeee.”
“That’s… awesome.” I said, swallowing down an ugly feeling simmering in my gut. “Carmen lets you cast that without supervision?”
“Well…”
“Congratulations nonetheless. I’m not quite there yet.” It was hard to keep the disappointment from my voice. I almost felt grateful when Earth’s voice interrupted us.
“Gather around the table.” Earth called. “Get comfortable by the fire if you must. Rain and I decided it would be best to gather once per week and teach you something about this world, starting with the history of our tribe.”
We meandered over, each of us caught somewhere between interest and annoyance at wasting even more time on history lessons with the threat of the orcs looming over our heads. I took Earth’s advice and sat down next to the fire where its warmth fought against the chill of my still-wet fur. Autumn joined me with a sigh and, despite being the taller of the two of us, slouched down just enough to lean her head against my shoulder. She straightened a moment later at a glare from Earth, leaving my shoulder as light as the butterflies dancing within my chest. Light enough to ignore my sister’s amused look from across the table.
“Very good.” Earth began once everyone was settled. “Today I wish to start from the beginning of the ‘heli peoples from before the rise of the great empire where our stories and histories were passed down through oral traditions. Much of what I will tell you has been confirmed by Celestial herself, but keep in mind that as is the nature of verbal traditions, oral histories tend to drift over time.
“Our story begins in the age of the wilds many years after the first divine beings rose to power.” Earth continued. “Before the ‘heli, humans, dwarves, or even sanask walked the earth there were only elves. Only they could reason and build cities without the aid of magic, their piety bolstering the power of their sovereign god Aethos. Jealousy simmered amongst the other gods and goddesses and in their frustration some divine beings created the species we know today by molding populations of their own kind with the traits of the elves.
“Celestial created the sek’heli, while her mate Trickster created the vul’heli, and Rakk created the sanask.” Earth added this last as an afterthought, nodding to Karl.
“I’ve heard of Celestial and Karthos being spoken of, but I only know Trickster from my status.” My sister interrupted. Earth frowned, staring deep into Brook’s eye. Nearly a full minute of silence passed before Earth answered her question and despite her well-considered words, I felt something rough and angry behind them.
“While Celestial has helped both the sek’heli and vul’heli survive after our empire’s fall, Trickster went missing. He has not so much as showed himself despite the thousands of years of suffering we’ve lived through. You’ll find that many ‘heli blame him for our downfall while others believe he perished in the battle. Whichever is true, all we can say for certain is that no ‘heli has felt his presence in over four thousand years.”
Earth took a deep breath. “Now where was I?. After the great Divine War the ‘heli were were left scattered across the northern wilds where our bestial ancestors once lived. In those dark years the first sek’heli and vul’heli gathered together to weave the foundations of our culture and create the then forty seven tribes of our people.”
I blinked, struggling to listen to Earth’s droning voice as it faded into the meaningless sounds and words of my boredom. I knew this information was important, but she gave even my history teacher at Oakdale High a run for his money. Instead I pulled up my status while her words entered one ear and exited the other.
Name:
Dancing River
Species:
Vul’heli, Shadowclaw (5)
Age:
18
Mana:
80/80
Stamina:
22/50
Total attributes:
57
Primary Path:
N/A
Secondary Path:
N/A
General Abilities:
3
Total attributes:
57
Strength:
4
Dexterity:
4
Constitution:
5
Perception:
8
Willpower:
6
Intelligence:
16
Spirit:
8
Free:
6
I stared at my status, frowning at the 6 unused attribute points. Back on earth I might have hoarded them in a video game to use when I needed them, but in Realgar a lack of attributes might result in my death. Between my struggles with inscription, my lessons with Wind, and the ‘assassin’ path requirements, my choice of attributes was really a no-brainer.
I pushed all six into Dexterity and felt a warm tingling spread through my limbs. When the sensation faded, I felt… well… Completely normal. I frowned and took another look at my attributes.
Total attributes:
58
Strength:
4
Dexterity:
11
Constitution:
5
Perception:
8
Willpower:
6
Intelligence:
16
Spirit:
8
Free:
0
Shouldn’t there only be a 10 in dexterity? I thought confused until I remembered the vul’heli dexterity attribute modifier of 1.1x.
“River.” Earth’s annoyed tone brought me back to the present. I blinked away the menu to see everyone but Earth staring at me with amusement. “Could you please repeat my last point of discussion.”
“No ma’am.” I said with a sigh. I’d be embarrassed, but to be honest I didn’t care much about what Earth thought of me anymore. At least not with shit like this.
“It’s considered rude to look at your status while others are talking.” She stressed the word ‘rude’.
“Yes ma’am.” I said.
As soon as she began talking again I brought up my status once more to scan over my attributes. Now which direction was it best to go next?
**********
More than doubling my dexterity made itself known in subtle ways. I felt more balanced on my paws when I walked across the uneven ground. Every movement of my hands and fingers from eating to cleaning to brushing felt steadier and faster. I wanted to test it out. I wanted to sprint around the camp, inscribe something, or even duel Autumn again to test out my new attributes, but in the end I pushed that feeling aside. If meeting the others told me anything, it was that I needed to move up my timeline.
The morning after the dull lecture Autumn went to train with Wind while I retreated back to the inscriptionist’s tent only to find it empty except for Badger who was dutifully practicing his letters.
“Thorn and Wolf went to the old tower.” The old vul’heli told me, pointing with his charcoal-covered hands. “They told me to send you their way once you showed up.”
“Thanks.” I nodded, retreating back out into the patchy snow and slush. I found the tower much as I’d left it some day ago with the floor swept clean by Rain and the fifty runes spread in a circle around the trap door. Wolf and his apprentice Thorn knelt on the floor where they sketched and examined the runes.
“There has to be something we’re missing.” Thorn grumbled.
“Missing?” I snorted. “If you could just figure out the combination with a week of study, it would be a pretty useless lock.”
“I’m still not convinced it is a lock.” Thorn huffed.
“Focus on the probable, but don’t rule out the unlikely.” Wolf nodded.
“Although I think we can all agree that it’s important.” I finished. Wherever lingering magic held together the city, it was the strongest here beneath the last freestanding structure in the ruins. I was making assumptions again, but still. “But what makes this more important than the rest of the city? The so-called wardstone isn’t buried here right?” I mused aloud.
“The records say the wardstone was housed beneath the council chamber where we first began excavating the ruins.” Thorn confirmed.
“Could this be the entrance to the wardstone then?” I asked. “Perhaps a passage leads there beneath the palace.”
“Enough, speculation won’t get us anywhere.” Wolf interrupted. “None of that is relevant until we can get this open.” He turned to me. “Now River, did you make any progress on sensing your magic?”
“No.” I said, truthfully. “I still don’t know where to begin.”
Wolf nodded. “It takes most people a few weeks to get there. In the meantime I will continue instructing you on theory while Thorn and I work.” Wolf reached into a sack beside him to pull out a familiar tome detailing basic arcane inscriptions. He reached out to hand it to me, but I shook my head.
“You said there was a more direct way. I know you said it’s ‘uncomfortable’, but I don’t have time to twiddle my thumbs for weeks or months.”
“I already said I wouldn’t do it. I should never have mentioned it.”
“Aren’t these runes inscribed to work with arcane mana?” I asked, prodding one of the runes with my paw only for it to light up a brilliant red. Both Thorn and Wolf froze, staring at the rune and then at me in horror. I rolled my eyes.
“You’re an idiot.” Thorn grumbled. “But yes, every rune we’ve found so far in these ruins was designed to work with arcane mana despite being constructed during the old Heli empire. And other than you, I don’t know of a single vul‘heli or sek’heli with that affinity.”
“Then why not help me before I brush against a rune that actually matters and kills us all?”
Wolf shook his head. “Forced lessons in situational awareness would be a better option.”
“Has that ever worked for anyone?” I smirked.
“The only reason you're asking is due to your ignorance.” Wolf shot back, but I sensed him hesitating, and so too could Thorn.
“Maybe if you do it, River will stop being so cocky and questioning everything you say.” Thorn grinned.
“Fine.” Wolf caved. “But only because of River’s sheer idiocy and lack of self-preservation at touching every inscription in sight.” Wolf grabbed the sack of books and writing utensils before dumping its contents onto the floor. He scrunched the cloth sack into a ball and handed it to me.
“And what is this for?” I asked.
“Lie down and stuff that in your mouth. I don’t don’t want my ears ringing all day from your screams.”
“Screams?” I asked, staring at the ball of cloth in my hand with newfound trepidation.
Wolf snorted. “Like I said before. It’s ‘uncomfortable’.”