Kade managed to stay conscious, though everything he’d just gone through was already starting to feel like a nightmare, somehow removed from reality. His vision faded to black, and he was worried for a moment before the world resolved once more, and he was back in the Abbey courtyard. He blinked at the sudden sunlight, and it was a moment before he could see properly. Kade struggled to his feet, and was starting to feel almost normal when something grabbed him.
Readying for an attack, it took Kade a moment to realize he had been lifted by the free arm of a happily laughing Salarus, who had evidently appeared right next to him. The Sorcerer showed none of his normal reservation as he wrapped Kade in a hug, still laughing. “You’re alive!” he shouted in disbelief, “We’re both alive, we did it!” The unrestrained joy was infectious, and Kade found himself joining in the laughter, and returning the hug. After an appropriate moment of celebration, there was a polite throat-clearing sound, and the two finally turned to see a solitary priest approaching from nearby.
“Welcome back, Children, and congratulations on succeeding in your Trial. Brother Markis will be here soon to confirm the Ritual’s success, in the meantime I will have refreshments brought out. While they are not necessary for sustenance, many find the Trial leaves them feeling drained and weakened in a way that only traditional nourishment can alleviate. Please feel free to make full use of this courtyard as you recover from your ordeal, it is a haven created for this express purpose. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” The helpful priest took his leave, and the two returned to celebrating.
“Well?” Kade asked. “Did it work, am I speaking to a Magus?” Salarus grinned, then closed his eyes–appearing to concentrate for a long moment. When his eyes suddenly shot open, he loudly screamed with joy. “It more than worked, my friend! The boon that Karthas spoke of is real, and it is remarkable!” He seemed to remember this was Kade’s first Trial, and hastily filled in the blanks. “Normally stepping onto a new Path will result in two abilities being unsealed–one if you’re unlucky, or did poorly in your Trial despite succeeding–and those abilities often take days to finish manifesting, but I have a third!”
The newly-minted Magus was now pacing with excitement, and was barely recognizable from the ill-tempered man Kade had met only a week or so before. Finally Kade asked for clarification, “That sounds very convenient, but I didn’t get the impression that new abilities were so difficult to acquire, am I missing something?” Sal had to pause from almost jumping with excitement to explain.
“Acquiring a third ability would likely not present an enormous challenge for active Keepers, it’s true, but the one I received is already unsealed! I know exactly what it is, and I can already feel it working! Whether this was random or fate, or some kind of elaborate joke from Karthas himself, I don’t care!” He whirled on Kade, appearing almost manic. “It’s called Intuitive Sorcery, Kade! I can feel magic! And I can understand it like a language I’ve always spoken. Even now I can sense Keepers and priests manipulating energy all around us, and I understand how it works!”
Kade tried to process this, but failed. He smiled while shaking his head, “Forgive my ignorance Sal, but I still don’t follow. This will help your quest, I take it?” The Magus was already nodding furiously, and Kade saw that he was nearly in tears.
“It helps everything. I told you that Sorcery is limited because it takes long, rigorous study and a willing assistant to even begin to grasp another’s ability?” Kade nodded, a smile forming on his lips. “No longer! Not for me at least. I can feel how it works, see how it works, like it’s something I’ve always been capable of. It’s not an instant solution, and at its early level I’m severely limited in what I can reproduce, but it is the key!” He stilled, and his tone went completely serious. “I’m going to do it, Kade. I’m going to carve out a Legend that will change how Sorcery is viewed forever.”
Kade put a friendly hand on the taller man’s shoulder, “I’m proud to have seen the humble beginnings, then Sal. Remember me when you turn into a sun or giant hat or something.”
Salarus burst out laughing, then once again appeared to grow very serious, “No,” he said simply, and held the expression just long enough for them both to laugh once more. Shortly after, the promised refreshments arrived, as well as a message that Markis was delayed with an Affinity Ritual in progress, and would join them shortly.
Sal was sipping a kind of sweet wine, and staring intently at lightning conjured in his own hand, when he suddenly shook his head and looked to Kade. “I’ve been rude, my apologies. I’m so distracted by my own discovery that I ignored your own accomplishments completely. You must have passed your Trial as well, what about your new Path? And your boon?” Truthfully Kade had been avoiding thinking about it, content with the vicarious joy he experienced knowing Sal’s dreams were coming true before his eyes.
Kade was worried. He wasn’t certain he had passed his Trial, and had half-expected that if he emerged at all, it would be to find that the true Karthas had awoken just long enough to crush him with a fingertip. But he was out now, and ignoring the issue wouldn’t solve anything, so he gave Salarus a quick nod, then looked down at this bracer.
He had to scroll past numerous messages from…the encounter with Karthas. He realized that even thinking about the experience was causing his head to hurt, and his thoughts to blur. He could safely picture everything around the pivotal moment where he’d defeated the Elder, but when he considered the role that the strange power inside him played…He shook his head as he again felt the fogginess setting in.
At last he got past the numerous messages about anomalous energy which mirrored his final moments in Altera–his body flooding with energy, pushing past his maximum, then expelling everything at once–he realized now that the bracer was responsible for the incessant beeping he’d heard in those final moments. At last he was greeted with another updated interface. Kade’s eyes widened as he took it all in.
Attention! Interface update!
Name: Kadeus (House unknown)
Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)
Soul Core: Chains of Fate
Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)
Lifeforce: 73%
Mana: 65/65 (+34!)
Anomalous Energy Reserves: 143/143 (+60!)
Strength: 11 (+10!)
Speed: 7 (+5!)
Endurance: 8 (+7!)
Magic: 06 (+4!)
Unknown: 16 (+12!)
Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)
Class: Path Stabilization in progress!
Creed: Unknown
Ability 1: Anomalous Energy Blast (Rank 4, 27%)
Ability 2: (Unsealed!) Path Stabilization in progress!
Ability 3: Sealed
Augmentations: None
Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)
Class: Vanguard
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Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.
Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 0, 0%)
Manifesting! Description unknown!
Ability 2: Challenger’s Might (Rank 0, 0%)
Manifesting! Description unknown!
Ability 3: Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 0, 0%)
New ability available! Description update!
Augmentations: None
Ancestral Totem 3: None
Kade couldn’t contain his grin, and he almost didn’t know where to start. It seemed like practically everything had changed, and he rapidly started looking into details. His attributes had apparently risen first by a small amount through the battles they’d fought, then by leaps from unlocking his two Paths! The mysterious one he’d been granted in Altera was still ‘stabilizing’, but he suspected that Markis would confirm that it was now properly integrated–or would be soon.
In the meantime, he had something definitive to celebrate. He was a Vanguard, presumably the variant warrior vocation he’d been told about. It was responsible for most of his newfound strength, speed, and endurance, and he couldn’t wait to explore his new limits. More than that, he’d acquired three new abilities, just as Salarus had. While the first two sounded tantalizing, they were still manifesting and should be available in a couple of days. The third, however, was something that truly excited him.
“Sal, I unsealed an Aspect of Metallurgy! Please tell me that means I get my own Anton?” The Magus’ eyes widened in shock, then his head tilted as he considered. Finally he spoke.
“First of all, yes, it should mean you will be able to bond and summon an Aspect, but it won’t be an Anton, as you put it, it will be its own unique being. Secondly…I’ve never heard of an Aspect of Metallurgy. I’m not even certain what that would be. Possibly a floating hammer or wrench or something…”
Kade raised an eyebrow in open disappointment, “Is the great savior of Sorcery really going to take such a prejudiced view on another marginalized Path?” Kade had meant the jibe as friendly, but Salarus’ face fell immediately, and he looked truly pained.
“You’re absolutely right. I never even questioned…all my life I’ve been looking at Metallurgy exactly as everyone looks at Sorcery. I feel like a fool.” Kade quickly tried to mollify his earnest friend.
“Don’t worry about it, Sal. I only thought about it as much as I have because everyone was convinced my chains meant that I would be a Metallurgist. It’s a little embarrassing to admit now that I understand a bit of what it was like for you, but honestly I spent some time thinking I would be doing for Metallurgists what you’re doing for Sorcery.” Once more Salarus showed his serious side, as he nodded gravely.
“A worthy cause–though I may be biased. I hadn’t considered your chains though–people were right to expect you to be a Metallurgist, why didn’t you take that path?”
“Effectively no affinity. One more oddity about my test results,” Kade answered nonchalantly. Salarus though, appeared shocked.
“Was it not explained to you how rare that is? It’s like someone whose Soul Manifests Fire being afraid of fire. Perhaps that’s hyperbole, but it illustrates the point with reasonable accuracy. This Aspect might be the connecting thread, I suppose. If that same Fire Soul couldn’t follow an Elementalist’s path, but instead could summon a Fire Aspect, I suspect we’d accept that readily. Perhaps it’s just more biases around Metallurgy.” He took a moment to look around, then turned back to Kade, “It doesn’t look like Markis will be appearing any moment, why not summon your Aspect now?”
Kade blinked in surprise, assuming that such a complex piece of magic would require preparations or study, and he told Salarus as much. The Magus shook his head dismissively. “The complexity is in the cost of the summoning, not anything related to the action you must take. Have you checked your bracer? They often at least have details on the costs of abilities.” Kade nodded and turned back to the display on his wrist, tapping eagerly.
ABILITY (New!)
Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 0, 0%)
Growth Rate: Continuous while summoned (Slow)
Cost (First summon): Soul Fragment (Small)
Cost (Re-summon): Extreme Mana
Description: Creates a permanent Bond with a Fragment of Metallurgic power, allowing that Fragment to manifest in local reality. Abilities and attributes are determined by the power of the summoner. Can be infused with additional mana to temporarily increase attributes.
Kade considered the information, then made a face at the cost. “This says it costs a Soul Fragment. I don’t think I’ve heard of those, are they like Magic and Might Fragments?” Sal shook his head, then hesitated before answering.
“It literally means a fragment of your Soul,” he was already putting his hands out to forestall Kade’s panic. “It’s not as bad as you think–the piece is infinitesimal, and it’s put to good use. The being you’ll summon–like Anton–will have a Soul of their own, but the tiny piece of yours that you offer will be used to…” He paused to search for a word. “Flavor? Flavor their own. Your fragment will be like a drop of dye in a bucket of clear water, and will help them adapt to become a better partner to you.”
Salarus gestured down at his stone boots, “Anton has taken a shape he can use to protect me more easily while I’m casting spells, and even enhance my mana regeneration when not performing that role. Were he bonded to a Warrior he might have become a suit of Stone armor, or even some kind of stone…projectile…thing–I don’t pay close attention to Warriors. My point was that he would have become something to compliment their fighting style, as your Aspect will surely adapt to you. It offers great benefit to the Aspect as well, as they are uniform and undifferentiated without a Soul to model themselves after; their only path to individual sentience is through a Bond.”
Kade nodded his understanding, but still felt uncomfortable. Honestly anything about his Soul made him uncomfortable, and often set off the strange warnings he felt when discussing it. “You’re certain it’s not dangerous to me?” Salarus shrugged.
“As I said earlier, Aspects are rare, but even rarities become common over eons. I’ve never heard of any complications relating to their summoning–quite the contrary, you’ll soon discover that this single ability may be enough to make you a far more powerful Keeper than you ever could be otherwise. I’m still excited to see how Anton will evolve when the ability reaches its first Zenith.” At that Kade’s eyes widened in shock.
“Anton can evolve? Will my Anton evolve?” Sal looked slightly miffed.
“Please stop that. I consider Anton a genuine friend and you’re belittling his entire existence.” Kade’s face dropped as he realized the joke had been in bad taste–he loved Anton after all, and the little stone man had been integral to their survival in the Trial, not to mention brave as it stood before an enraged Elder, never faltering.
“You’re right of course, and I’ll apologize to Anton when he’s not…boots. This is all still so new to me and being an ass somehow makes it feel easier. It’s not my best trait.”
“In fairness, Anton found it funny, but never mind. Yes, Anton can evolve, almost every ability has several possible evolutions. You understand that our Path abilities are essentially memories from Elders who used them in life?” Kade nodded. “Well in most cases that Elder would have been able to use the ability in numerous ways, each variation becoming a possible evolution we can acquire–think of it as uncovering another memory. There’s even some abilities that were common among many Elders, and while the basic version can be received from any one of them, you might find a more exotic version from only a specific Elder. There’s something of a database in Keeper headquarters for this, as some evolutions are rare and truly remarkable.”
Kade was fascinated, but given he had four new abilities to experiment with– counting the second one that was unsealing in his mystery class–he had more than enough to occupy him. He made the decision. “Alright, let’s do it. Let’s...carve off a piece of my Soul.” Saying it aloud caused him to change his mind several times in rapid succession, but deep down he knew he was committed. “How exactly do I do this?”
“It’s one of the few abilities that actually has a vocal component, as you’re effectively forming a contract with another being. Place a hand over your Soul Core, and speak the proper phrase.” He reached over and helped Kade adjust his hand placement slightly, while teaching him the words and inflections for the small Ritual.
At last Kade was prepared, and with conviction he spoke: “I offer this piece of my Soul, that a Bond may be shared, that a life may be lived as one. Hear my call and come to my side, accept this humble offering, Aspect of Metallurgy!” The last lifted into a shout as Kade felt a small tug at his Soul, and then nothing. He took a steadying breath, trying not to think of his sundered Soul, then looked around in confusion. “Did it work? I felt something but I don’t–” he stopped speaking as his eyes were drawn upward toward the sky.
Long before he could see the falling object, he somehow knew it was there. It was small, and he couldn’t make out any detail until it crashed down into the courtyard with a small metallic clang. Kade leaned down and inspected the object, which appeared to be a simple, steel helmet. He tentatively reached down, and upon finding the object cool, lifted it from the ground to inspect it properly. It was…surprisingly basic. While it was full-helm, and would cover the entire head and face, it didn’t even possess a proper visor, simply two small, angled slits for eyes. He let out a small sigh, figuring he’d have to put on the odd helmet to figure out anything more.
As he returned to a standing position and held the helmet at arm’s length, everything seemed to happen at once. The empty eye-holes suddenly took on a bright white glow, and Kade released the helmet by reflex. Rather than fall, it hovered in place for a moment before silver chains began to pour out of the bottom. The pile was almost comically large, and both Kade and Salarus had to retreat a few steps as the chains simply kept tumbling out. When the pile was half the size of a wagon, the helmet finally ceased producing more, and fell onto the pile.
Slowly, the silver chains started to move, shuffling and coiling like thousands of snakes as the mass began to take on a vague shape. It wasn’t exactly humanoid, though it was reminiscent of a man hunched over, with the steel helmet in place of a head. The helmet seemed to stare back at Kade as the enormous mass of chains swirled and looped beneath it, allowing it to move and shift in an odd, sinewy way. At last Kade smiled at his new chain ally, and extended a hand.
The helmet inspected the hand for a moment before a group of chains rose up and took on a vague, but serviceable approximation of the limb which it clumsily reached out with, clasping to Kade’s wrist. He smiled broadly, “Welcome to Iros, my new friend. I am Kade, and you are…Drake. Let’s have some fun together.”