The Dusk Cloud was much faster than the Dawn Cloud. At the rate it was travelling, Rieren might even reach Falstrom before Call of the Past ran out and Batcat emerged into the Mortal Realm again.

Nevertheless, the journey was still long enough for Rieren’s heart to settle back into place. Long enough for her to consider all that had happened and what her next steps ought to be.

But first, her thoughts were distracted by the achievement she got.

New Achievement!

First Ascendant realm cultivator defeated! You have overcome your first foe in a greater realm. Even more incredible, considering how lowly you truly are. Enjoy the victory while you can!

Rewards

* 1 Level

* 1 Skill point

* 1 Credit

* 1 Profession Point

Rieren decided not to think too hard about the achievement’s mention that this was her first Avatar defeated. She had already killed one on the slopes of Lionshard slopes, though she supposed she had essentially more facilitated his death instead of fighting and dealing the killing blow.

And worse, with the way he had conjoined with the Gravemark Puppeteer, she wasn’t sure if he was properly dead yet.

But none of those thoughts mattered in the face of the fact that she had finally claimed for herself her Enchanter class. Though, she couldn’t deny the options it provided her were interesting in their own right.

[Profession]

You have one available open Profession slot. Pick wisely.

Rune Smith

* Smithing class

* Construct Runic Formations, Runic Infusions and Enhancements, and Rune Items.

* Special: [N/A]

Enchanter

* Sorcerer class

* Enchant items and locations with various effects through various ingredients.

* Special: Can be progressed to enchant living beings

Herbalist

* Crafter class

* Concoct potions, craft poultices, create draughts and elixirs.

* Special: Can be progressed to grow ingredients necessary for crafting

The choices were interesting. However, she had long ago determined that the others wouldn’t suit her preferred method of conducting fights. Rune Smiths required the active use of runes and related items, just as Herbalists did with their concoctions. Both of those took away vital attention during a battle.

Whereas Enchantments were simpler and more instantaneous. She found them much more intuitive with how she normally fought. It suited her fast-paced combat and high Mind.

They also had different construction methods, which required a good deal of time investment. Rune Smiths needed a focused application of Essence into the constructed runes. Rieren recalled well how much Essence was channelled to rebuild the Sect’s runic formation so long ago. She couldn’t afford to spend that much time on it.

Similarly, cooking potions and the like took too much time. They didn’t require Essence, but one had to simmer the mixture just right, twist and twirl the ladles in the right manner, and so on. Back in the Sect, when she had been open to making some to further her cultivation, she’d had time. That wasn’t true now. Especially not if she intended to use them during battle.

They were also consumables. Perishable goods that disappeared when used or could be physically lost or even destroyed, or all of them altogether.

However, Enchantments weren’t so dependent on mundane tangibility. Rieren could cast them with ease, enjoy their effect so long as it lasted, and go on about her day. Where the others needed extensive preparation beforehand, Enchantments were like just another skill she could apply instantaneously, albeit with some necessary preparation beforehand as well.

Most importantly, however, she could use Enchantments to get all the blades of legend.

As such, she didn’t hesitate to pick Enchanter. A quick look into her status displayed her new class nicely.

[Status]

Rieren Vallorne

Race: Human

Class: Divine Bladereaver

Profession: Enchanter

Realm: Enlightened [Mid]

Level: 30

Perks: Divine Resilience [B]

Titles: [N/A]

Stats

Body: 54

Mind: 37

Spirit: 37

Skills

Fray Passage [A]

Gale Blade [A]

Earthfell Blade [A]

Reaver Stance [A]

-

Techniques

Tidal Summon [C]

Call of the Past [Spirit Bond] [B]

Water Dancer Blade [E]

Domain

Ocean [C]

Rieren grinned at her Profession. Enchanter. Just what she needed for the next step of her growth in power. Since she had a relic already, she just needed a few key ingredients for her first Enchantment.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The battle had lasted long enough that the day was climbing down to late afternoon. Dusk wasn’t far off. Rather ironic, considering the name of her Domain Summons. Rieren might have enjoyed the journey that almost felt idyllic, but she had important matters to consider.

For one, that Masked Avatar couldn’t have found her via coincidence. Rieren found that incredibly difficult to believe. No, someone had laid a trail for that man to follow, to hide among the people of the Shatterlands until she made herself known. Someone who might already know her.

There was, of course, the possibility that the Avatar might just have been lying in wait for any of the imperial court’s so-called undesirables to make themselves known. Maybe Rieren had just been the unlucky one to have been found out.

But then, there was the fact that an Avatar was hiding among the defenders. No, not simply hiding. Directly in charge of them.

People such as them didn’t come out of nowhere. They were put in place of power by those higher up in the hierarchy, or by those who had a way of manipulating the way the chain of command, bureaucracy, nepotism, and all such related matters worked. The Avatar’s specific presence in the outpost wasn’t a coincidence.

Rieren recalled well how the Ordorian Clanmaster had baulked at having to confront a Masked Avatar. That should have been all the hint she needed.

At first, it seemed like a mere political thing. The same reason why Mercion had seemingly hesitated to stand directly against a Masked Avatar, something that the bastard had explicitly hammered into everyone’s minds. The Archnobles’ relation with the imperial court was already rather frayed. Confronting or blocking an Avatar would be another nail to the coffin.

But maybe there was more going on beneath the surface. Perhaps the Avatars were being secretly assisted to carry out their odious duties by the Archnobles, just so they could return to the good graces of the Forborne Emperor.

No, not the Emperor. Rieren knew the man enough to know he would not be resorting to underhanded methods. The imperial court was likely acting independently in the matter. She already had proof that the Avatars had great freedom to do as they saw fit. This liberty to carry out the Emperor’s will was verging on abuse of their authority.

Batcat meowed next to Rieren.

She was startled out of her thoughts. Apparently, she had begun ruminating so much, she had lost track of Call of the Past’s power slowly fading away. The Dusk Cloud had reverted back to the Dawn Cloud now.

“Are you tired, cat?” she asked.

It did look a little exhausted. On the contrary, she wasn’t feeling the negative effects as much. Perhaps increasing the technique’s efficiency with Beast Cores was also transferring some of the negative fall outs from Rieren onto Batcat. She wasn’t certain if that sat right with her.

On the one hand, it was good not to have to worry so much about the drawbacks she might personally feel. But on the other hand, she didn’t want Batcat suffering in her place.

Falstrom was appearing in the distance as well. Right. She had to think about her current problems first, and what she was going to do about them. The capital of the Shatterlands was heavily guarded. Even if the Dusk Cloud hadn’t turned back to the Dawn Cloud, it couldn’t rise too high into the air.

Convenient though it might have been had the cloud possessed the ability to ascend until the city grew small and then climb down directly, that wasn’t an option. If she flew over it, she would be spotted. The cultivators who guarded against meteors would shoot her down too.

Instead, she would have to employ some other form of stealth. The patrols were heavy and well-trained. Sneaking past them would be difficult, if not nigh impossible.

However, there was the achievement she had just received.

Enchanter…

Maybe it was time she put her new Profession to the test. The nice thing about secondary classes was that they weren’t limited by a certain number of abilities that one could possess. They had no abilities, so to speak, but one could potentially use the benefits they provided to have an infinite arsenal at one’s beck and call.

Batcat meowed, then climbed up to its regular perch on Rieren’s head. She waited patiently until it had settled in, then began looking forward to when the city appeared on the horizon.

It didn’t take long. About another hour later, Falstrom grew in the distance. Rieren slowed the Dawn Cloud down. It wouldn’t do to get caught by the sentries. After a while, she pulled it to a full stop at a little shaded grove, then climbed down and sent it away. Now began the time for her to sneak over.

Rieren’s goal for entering the city was impersonation. It was the only way she could think of achieving her goal and causing the least ruckus.

To carry out Enchantments, she would first need a grimoire. Popping the System Shop open to find the right one didn’t take her long. Different grimoires provided access to a different school of Enchantments, and the overarching theme of the school was based on its main Aspect. For Rieren, all she had to do was narrow to water, then utility, then stealth.

A new grimoire materialized in her hand.

New Item!

The Grimoire of Waterborne Passage provides small spells to pass through the world as subtly as water. Claim the right to exist as natural as water, and you can go anywhere.

The book was small, perhaps the size of Rieren’s palm. She quickly opened it and flipped through the pages. Where was it… where… ah, yes. Page sixty-one. Shimmering Water Cage Cloak. Just the Enchantment she would need to get into the city.

Rieren didn’t even need to read the description on it. She had used it a good number of times already. Unfortunately, the main ingredient for her Enchantment would be a body. One she would then assume the form of, allowing her to pass through undetected, so far as she was concerned.

Rieren placed Batcat down and then headed off towards the nearest patrol. Her next problem was finding someone unwary enough that she could lure away and kidnap, which would be harder said than done.

The patrols themselves weren’t difficult to find. Rieren happened upon one before long and found several more in the distance. Groups of soldiers marched about with their eyes and ears peeled for any noise. Now that it was growing dark, they had brought torches as well, their shadows marching in step beside and behind them.

But they weren’t altogether. Not all of them. Rieren just had to walk around at the edge of their line of sight. There were smaller groups keeping stationary lookout, and it didn’t take long before she came across the first instance of where one man was standing by himself.

A little foolish that he didn’t have anyone watching his back. Though, the sentry position at the edge of a road looked like there might have been someone else there. Maybe the other guard had gone off somewhere, perhaps busy relieving himself. Then again, Abyssals weren’t known for sneaking around. They certainly had no intention of hiding their presence.

Either way, it was an opportunity that Rieren had to take advantage of.

She waited until the nearest patrols were well past her position. Rieren didn’t intend to cause any commotion, but if things did go wrong, she wouldn’t be immediately swarmed by soldiers.

Once the coast was clear, Rieren got to work. She rounded the edge of the soldier’s torchlight and walked to a spot behind him, ensuring she was out of his immediate line of sight. He might have still seen her if he had turned his head, but Rieren was too fast for him to do so.

Now, it was easy. All Rieren had to do was continue sneaking around the man until she was behind him. Of course, before she got into position, she made sure there truly was no one else around. No other guard was coming from anywhere, and the closest sound of marching patrols was still a decent distance away.

Rieren rose silently from her crouching position with her Receptor sword bared. She placed the blade against the soldier’s neck. “Make a single move or noise, and I will slice through your vital artery.”

The man had frozen. He wasn’t speaking, wasn’t moving, wasn’t lowering the torch in his hand. She couldn’t even feel him breathing. All the better.

“Listen closely,” Rieren said. “Follow my instructions carefully and you will come out of this unscathed. You will place your torch on the ground and retreat with me into the darkness. There, you will answer certain questions I have, and once I am satisfied, I will let you return to your post. If you agree, nod your head backwards. Hurry.”

She had begun to hear the next patrol approaching. There was no time for them to waste here. She began walking backwards, and the solider kept pace, trusting her footfalls.

Soon, they were lost from the light. There was another little thicket about twenty paces from the soldier’s original position. Rieren and the soldier went into darkness. It wasn’t too hard for her to see, especially once she infused some Essence into her eyes. There was a weak current of Essence floating into her captive, though he hadn’t mustered the courage to do anything with it.

“Stay still,” she said, keeping her voice low and firm, never releasing a single moment of the threat that she carried. “This will feel strange. But so long as you make no noise and cause no fuss, you will survive. Understand?”

The man’s gulp was audible, but he remembered to nod backwards again.

There wasn’t enough light to pull out the Grimoire of Waterborne Passage and check the details of Shimmering Water Cage Cloak. But Rieren knew the process by heart.

Enchantments were carried out by channelling Essence through a specific set of meridian nodes, while also ensuring they were of the right Aspect. So, while holding the blade against the man’s neck with one hand, Rieren used her other hand to flex her fingers in the appropriate motion.

Water formed at her fingertips and flew out of her hand to clasp the man. He shivered just a little but made no sound or any other motion. The summoned water had soon wrapped the man entirely in a thin sheathe of liquid. There. The first step of the Enchantment was complete.

Credit to the man, he didn’t give in to his fear. Rieren could feel her blade against his neck trembling ever so slightly. She didn’t really blame him. Being encased in a cocoon of water and feeling as though one was about to drown was no doubt a frightening experience. For all he knew, she might be lying, and he might drown at some point.

Thankfully, the encasing of water didn’t block his nostrils. Rapid though the man’s breathing grew in fear, it wasn’t impeded by any measure.

The Enchantment’s first step didn’t last long. In moments, the water receded from his body. All of it. There wasn’t a single drop left, not even a single wet splotch on his garb. It was as though he had never been covered by water at all.

In his place, all the water pooled at Rieren’s feet before rising and reclaiming her instead. A second later, there was a slight shimmer. The Enchantment was complete.

Rieren pulled her blade away from his neck.

This prompted the man to turn around. When he saw her again, he gasped. “Yo—you’re—”

Rieren smiled. “I am you.”