He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ethereal presence of the high priestess as she patiently waited his response. The allure of her offer was undeniable; finally, he would have a guide to navigate the unfamiliar realms surrounding him. With her advice and knowledge, he could avoid stumbling blindly through a world about which he knew so little. Above all, the prospect of learning new spells from her fueled his desire to agree instantly.
The lure of magic, the new and powerful spells that she could offer were something that everyone coveted, compelling them to go to great lengths. Franny had enlightened him on the challenges of acquiring new spells, you couldn’t simply do it on your own. Options included joining costly magical institutes, a privilege primarily afforded by nobles, or seeking out merchants vending magical tomes. Unfortunately, the latter often offered only a meager selection of weak spells, as those that possessed the powerful magical books were reluctant to part with them for a few coins.
There existed another avenue, albeit riskier, loot. In places like the current dungeon or other sites of magical significance, there was always a chance to come across some ancient tome, waiting to be claimed.
Even though Talax realized what a big opportunity it was for him, he hesitated. The realization that someone was actively influencing his journey, making decisions without his knowledge, left him feeling uncertain and frustrated. The deity's motives were unclear, did the God had good intentions or sought to harm him? The revelation that a God orchestrated his encounter with the ancient ghost only heightened his reluctance.
A sigh broke the silence, prompting Talax to look up. "I sense your indecision, and I empathize with it," the elf woman spoke with a kind smile, casting a radiant glow on her delicate features. "However, I assure you, I harbor no ill intent. My sole purpose is to find someone to aid my family. That is all." Talax nodded, sensing the sincerity in her words.
"It may be naïve of me, but I believe you. That is not why I hesitate, however. The fact that someone orchestrated our meeting makes the whole situation suspicious. I don’t want to become a pawn in a God’s games."
Aria nodded with understanding, gracefully moving toward a massive crate overflowing with rings, ready to spill to the floor. She crouched down, studying the mountain of small, golden rings for an extended moment. "Do you know what those are?" she asked, straightening up to look him in the eyes. Talax shook his head in confusion, uncertain of the relevance.
"Ha’arun was a God, shaped by his past..." A deep sigh, filled with both fondness and sadness, escaped her lips. "He was the God of lost souls and second chances... He loathed Xesious’s dominion over death and yearned for a foothold in the afterlife. He was a new God, arrogant and rash..." Despite knowing her God was gone, the high priestess spoke the words slowly, almost unwillingly, as if afraid to offend her long-gone patron.
"He defied rules and standards, all in his attempt to secure a small share over the domain of death. And he succeeded..." Her gaze returned to the small mountain of rings, prompting a frown from Talax.
"People flocked to his temples, and he grew stronger every day, with each new worshipper. He promised a second chance, a reprieve from death, from Xesious himself!" Talax's eyes widened as he remembered his vision of the cobbler’s life, how he had turned deathly ill, and his wife learned of a new God that could cure him.
"Do you know what someone would do for a second chance? For a new breath of life? Everything! Even pledge their soul!" Her eyes trailed back to the rings, and it finally dawned on Talax what he was seeing.
"Are those?" He blinked, unable to believe that the rings were, in truth, the souls of those who sought the God’s favor. His suspicions were confirmed when Aria nodded.
"Yes. Although I suspect they were freed when Ha’arun was destroyed. What I am trying to say is that even if a God coerces you into a situation, you can still gain something. All those people were forced to use their souls as collateral for a second chance in life, but they still did it. You were steered into finding me, probably for some elaborate plan, and you can use me as you see fit, or you can just leave me here. Whatever God is following you may leave you in peace or will hatch another plan for you to do his bidding. Ultimately, the choice is yours."
Talax was not reassured in the least. Aria’s tale about the God she had served only made him more skeptical. He could remember the cobbler’s despair and hopelessness as if they were his own, the contract he had to sign for a chance at a cure... and this woman was there, to take advantage of the hopeless and desperate.
The woman frowned, seeing the anger and accusation on his face. "I have angered you. If you decide to go on without me, please consider helping those of us that need help. That is all I ask."
"How could you have used all those desperate people?" Talax spat, letting his anger run rampant. "They came to you, hoping for salvation, and you only saw them as objects to be harvested!" Aria frowned, appearing genuinely confused.
"What are you talking about? People pleaded for a chance at Ha’arun’s miracles. While the practice of soul collection is unorthodox, Ha’arun needed fuel to perform his miracles. It's not easy bringing someone back to life. I became a disciple of the cold embrace when my God resurrected my sister, my beloved sister who had been frail and sickly since birth. When she got her second chance, she came back to us as a new person, healthy and lively like never before! So, do not condemn my God or his actions!"
The high priestess looked outraged, and Talax was sure that if she were truly alive, she would have turned red from her anger. She seemed genuinely affronted by his accusations, but then again, any zealot would be enraged if someone spoke ill of their God. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that the woman was being genuine and truly believed they had been helping people. He didn’t know, though, whether she was delusional, intentionally overlooking the fact that they had been using people’s souls as fuel for the few that managed to overcome the obstacles the God had set up.
The big question remained, should he accept her offer?
Ultimately, the deciding factor was his greed. He couldn’t resist the promise of new abilities and spells. With her guidance, he would have someone to help him navigate the challenges ahead. The high priestess needed him, after all. He was her only chance of helping her family, and she had a personal stake in seeing him succeed and become more powerful.
With a resigned sigh, hoping he wasn't making a big mistake, he said, “Fine. I accept!” All the anger and outrage left the elf’s face in an instant. She looked at him with bewilderment and hesitant eyes, as if afraid he would spook and run away.
“Really?” She finally asked in a small voice. Talax nodded resolutely in his decision. With hopeful eyes, the soul fragment approached, her movements eerily silent.
“Thank you!” She exclaimed, but then her expression clouded, and she looked away. “But before we bond, I need you to promise me that you will find my family and help them.” Talax nodded; if that was the price of her knowledge, then he would do it.
"I promise," he simply stated, but the elf shook her head. "I am afraid that is not enough. I need you to sign a contract. You may be willing to help me now, but how do I know that once you have my help, you decide that you don’t need me and throw the amulet away?"
Talax narrowed his eyes, trying to discern if the ghost was trying to trick him somehow. "Wait a moment, please," she said, and her form started glowing with mana. After a few seconds, a parchment appeared out of thin air. His Mystic Insight skill activated, and he saw the magical contract for what it truly was, a manifestation of the woman’s will.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Talax poked the magical construct. Information immediately flooded his mind, and his eyes widened in surprise.
In the name of the dichotomous Ha’arun, I, Aria, the esteemed High Priestess, do hereby solemnly enter into this sacred covenant of service with the honorable adventurer, Talax. This covenant shall remain binding until both parties, through mutual consent, determine its dissolution.
I, Aria, High Priestess of the dichotomous Ha’arun, do pledge my solemn vow to share and divulge any knowledge I may possess, offering my guidance and counsel to the best of my abilities. Furthermore, I solemnly undertake to instruct and bestow any skill, ability, or expertise within my purview.
I further solemnly vow never to engage in deceit or falsehood with the esteemed adventurer, Talax. In the event of any transgression of this oath, I acknowledge that Talax is fully empowered to terminate this sacred partnership.
In turn, the adventurer, Talax, does hereby pledge to locate the last surviving members of my lineage within the bloodline of Aria, the High Priestess of the dichotomous Ha’arun, and to extend his assistance and support in their time of need.
May this magical contract stand as a testament to our commitment, bound by the sacred principles of Ha’arun, and may it endure until such time as both parties find it just and equitable to bring this covenant to a close.
Talax felt his eyes bug out of his sockets from the flood of information. He read and re-read the contents of the contract, attempting to find some loophole, some small window that would allow the ghost to use him in some manner. Despite how hard he tried, he couldn’t find anything suspicious. He had hoped to uncover some small inconsistency, a reason to refuse the ghost, but... Nothing!
Everything seemed to be in his favor. She had explicitly written to offer any knowledge, spells, skills she had in her possession. She even added the clause that she would always have to tell him the truth! Talax had the suspicion that the woman was desperate and would offer anything to make him agree to bond.
With one last look at the woman, who tried to appear aloof and collected, even if her façade was transparent, he raised his hand and imbued his mana into the magical contract, just as he had seen the cobbler do. Suddenly, he felt a brand being imprinted upon his core, the feeling so unsettling and uncomfortable that he grunted in surprise. It was as if his core was under assault by an overbearing power that couldn’t be denied.
The brand started dissolving, and instead of feeling relieved, he became even more agitated. Invisible bands slithered all over his core, keeping it hostage with immaterial chains. He looked up, ready to unleash his fury but saw the woman’s face bearing a similar grimace to his own, obviously feeling the same sensation.
Abruptly, the bands of mana stopped moving, and an invisible bond appeared between him and Aria. “It is done,” the woman muttered, relief evident in her voice.
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"So, that’s it?" Talax asked, already feeling regretful. "You just have to infuse your mana into the amulet for the bond to be established,” the woman informed him. Talax looked down at the amulet, still clutched in his fist. Old and weathered, with chips missing from the simple circle, one would never have thought that a soul resided inside.
Without thinking too much about it, Talax poured mana into the amulet. Immediately, a new connection appeared, and he felt another consciousness brush up against his mind. “Well met, Talax.”
The voice didn’t come from the woman opposite him, who was looking at him with a serene expression, but it was spoken directly into his mind. Pure animal instinct took over, and he felt like a predator was bearing down on his neck, leaving him exposed and vulnerable.
“Can you read my thoughts?” He demanded aloud, ready to throw the damn amulet. “No. In order to perform such an action, our bond will have to deepen and evolve. At this point in time, we are able to transmit thoughts telepathically. Akin to speaking, there has to be intent to perform such an action.”
Somewhat reassured, Talax looked at the woman not knowing what was next. Aria didn’t move, but Talax felt an unexpected burst of mana inside his core. He saw the woman’s form quiver until it finally lost cohesion.
“It was far more draining than I had thought,” Aria’s voice whispered into his mind. “I will have to replenish my mana to manifest again. But if you look into your core, you will see my little gift to you.” Talax felt excitement coursing through him and immediately looked into his core.
There he found a small flickering star amidst the starlit sky of his core. Among the bright, shining stars of his wreaths he found one small, but precious. All his attention was drawn to the new addition of his core and information flooded into his mind.
Soul-Bonded
You have established a bond with the fragmented soul of Aria, the high priestess of the God Ha’arun. You may enjoy a slew of benefits from your binding to the ancient soul. In time the bond may evolve, and new benefits may be discovered.
At present you are granted the ability:
Analyze: you are able to identify and gain deeper insights into objects, creatures, or magical phenomena. You have the ability to examine, understand, and uncover hidden properties or information about the target.
Talax couldn’t hide his excitement and laughed in happiness. He finally had a way of examining his equipment! He raised his hand and focused on his bracers, which looked ready to disintegrate from all the fights he had been through, and he felt a thin string of mana go to his new ability.
Leather bracers
Defense:
+5
Class:
Common
Type:
Light Armor
Durability:
9/20
Traits:
None
Talax’s eyes rounded in surprise. For the first time, he didn't just have information flood into his mind, but he could actually see it. “That is so awesome!” He whispered and waved his hand to see if he could touch the small panel. All he managed to do was look foolish though, and he heard a snicker in his mind.
“Why, thank you, Talax!” Aria said mirthfully. “I have to comment on the sorry condition of your equipment. Thankfully, we are inside a treasury, so we will find you something new to wear.” Talax laughed self-deprecatingly, seeing how badly he had treated his armor, well not him but the monsters of the dungeon.
Talax then examined the rest of his equipment, seeing panel after panel appear before his eyes, like floating displays of his possessions.
Boots of the Cold Embrace Order
Defense:
+11
Class:
Uncommon
Type:
Light Armor
Durability:
25/30
Traits:
20% noise reduction
Gloves of the Cold Embrace Order
Defense:
+5
Class:
Uncommon
Type:
Light Armor
Durability:
19/26
Traits:
+1 to endurance
Gloves of the Cold Embrace Order
Defense:
+15
Class:
Uncommon
Type:
Light Armor
Durability:
8/40
Traits:
5% health regeneration
Gloves of the Cold Embrace Order
Defense:
+10
Class:
Uncommon
Type:
Light Armor
Durability:
18/30
Traits:
20% to concealment
Finally, Talax checked the only piece of jewelry he had ever worn. The silver ring he had found early on in his travels. It looked simple, but he could detect a small amount of mana coming off of it.
Silver ring of Danger
Class:
Uncommon
Durability:
11/12
Traits:
17% to trap detection
Ahh! So, that’s how he had been able to spot the traps in that chamber early on in the dungeon, without even having the traps skill at the time. That small ring had saved both Qalo’s and his life without them even knowing. He gave a silent thanks to the ring, knowing that with his traps skill, it was of no use anymore.
“Now that you are through with the inspection of your equipment, would you like me to show you your character sheet?” Aria inquired. “Character sheet?” Talax asked, confused.
“Your personal information. It is more convenient than submerging yourself inside your core and getting cut off from your surroundings.” Talax was impressed; one of his gripes when studying a new skill or ability was that he had to focus on his core. He had tried to find a solution so that he could remain aware during that period, but he had little success.
Then an idea came to his mind. “Can you distribute the points I get when I level up to specific characteristics?” He asked with excitement. He heard a derisive scoff. “Of course. That is child’s play!”
“Ok, show my character sheet!” Talax all but rubbed his hands at all his new possibilities.
Name: Talax
Health points: 162/220
Mana: 110/274
Level: 14
Race: Human (Voidborn)
Age: 25
Profession: None
Class: None
Humans stand out as the most populous and adaptable race. While some races may possess inherent magical abilities, superior strength, or extraordinary longevity, humans rely on their inherent versatility to navigate the diverse landscapes and challenges of Helios. Their broad affinities and capacity for learning quickly have allowed them to thrive in nearly any environment or occupation.
Skills:
Scribing
Level: 3
Persuasion
Level: 3
Interrogation
Level: 4
Brawling
Level: 4
Mystic Insight
Level: 4
Mana Manipulation
Level: 2
Herbalism
Level: 2
Athletics
Level: 11
Evasion
Level: 7
Natural Defense
Level: 9
Light Armor
Level: 1
Dual Wielding
Level: 2
Short Blades
Level: 5
Swordsmanship
Level: 8
Archery
Level: 9
Traps
Level: 5
Tracking
Level: 4
Stealth
Level: 6
Attributes: +5 per level (+3 Voidborn)
Strength: 19
Constitution: 22
Dexterity: 25
Willpower: 21
Intelligence: 27
Charisma: 23
Elemental Magic:
Void Magic
Level: 1
Water Magic
Level: 6
Earth magic
Level: 3
Ice Magic
Level: 1
Lightning Magic
Level: 1
Dark Magic
Level: 1
Death Magic
Level: 1
Shadow Magic
Level: 1
Patron: None
Blessings: None
Wreaths:
Voidborn
Lion-hearted
Mental Aigis
Silver-tongued
Slayer of Behemoths
Soul-bonded
Talax was left shocked, seeing how many skills he had accumulated over his adventures. Viewing them inside his core, represented by small trees, didn’t convey how much he had changed and progressed. But now, he had ample evidence of his success. He was becoming stronger!
“I have to say I am impressed by the collection of skills and elements of magic. Although I have to point out, your levels are pitiful! How are you to protect my family if you are so weak? You have to train at once!” Aria sounded both alarmed and determined, as if his lack of levels was a personal affront that she had to correct.
“Your statistics, however, are beyond impressive! Being a Voidborn has granted an obscene number of points for your level, that only the higher beings are able to enjoy. Also, your fruitful encounters have added to that number, giving you a significant boost. Not bad... Not bad at all...”
Aria seemed pleased by his stats, but Talax was barely listening. He was still too mesmerized seeing all his skills and magic.
“Ok, I believe now is the time to find some suitable gear for you!”
Ohh! That got his attention and had him rubbing his hands in anticipation.
“It’s about time I do some shopping!”