Their first night in Kellister, Bernard had arranged for “Sir Toren” and his squire to have a room for themselves in the town’s inn. While not as welcoming as the Honeyed Pear had been, closer to a boarding house for travelers than a real inn, it had the brick walls common to the village, allowing it to better retain the cool, dry air produced by a handful of chillgems scattered around the building, even in the face of the muggy summer heat.

“Not out with Alyssia today?” Storyteller asked as Caden entered their shared room.

Caden grunted as he plopped on his pallet. As a supposed knight, Storyteller merited a full straw mattress, while Caden was stuck with the stiff board of a bed.

The senior adventurer looked up from the book he was reading, an eyebrow arched. He slipped a bookmark between the pages and clapped the book shut before asking, “Okay, what’s wrong? Did Alyssia turn you down?”

Caden looked up, his brow furrowed. “What? No, I’m meeting up with her after dinner tonight.” Caught up in his thoughts, Caden missed the look of amusement that danced across Storyteller’s face. “It’s just… I’m not progressing the way I want to be.” He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration, thumb stroking over his wrist, where the winding road of the Wanderer and the rippling pool of the Echo were engraved in his skin.

Storyteller exhaled slowly through his nose, clearly weary of this conversation. “You’re a Novice, Caden, and you’ve been at this not even three months. It’s normal for it to take some time.”

The blue-haired teen shook his head, frustrated. “No, it’s not that. It’s just… something’s not right. It doesn’t feel the way it should.”

Storyteller tilted his head, his interest piqued. “How should it feel then?”

Caden flashed a dirty look at him. “Stop it. I hate leading questions like that. I came to you for advice, not condescension.”

Storyteller arched an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the sharp response, and Caden flushed with guilt. His bad mood wasn’t Storyteller’s fault.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s okay. And I am trying to help you, okay? Remember, there’s no guide book for gifts like yours, especially at your level. I’m honestly interested in how you feel.”

Caden frowned, and turned his eyes back to the floor, trying to control his sour feelings. “What do you mean?”

“Well. Most of the common gifts have been pretty well cataloged at this point. The six fighting styles of the Warrior, the five disciplines of the Mage, the seven common elements of the Primal, even the roles of the Elder and the most popular ensouled items and totems. If you had any of those gifts, it would be easy to train you, because I’d have plenty of points of reference.”

“But my gifts are special…” Caden muttered. Already, he could feel curiosity starting to pierce the veil of frustration.

“Exactly. I’ve had you practice with any common gifts we could find so that you could get used to them, but I’m still figuring out how to help you progress.”

“What about you though?” Caden asked. “You have the same gifts as me, right?”

“I do,” Storyteller acknowledged, “but I didn’t get them at Novice level the way you did. At your level, I had the Mage’s gift of the artificer and the Primal’s gift of lightning. Neither are exactly common, but they’re far from unheard of. I didn’t get the gift of the wanderer until I was an Initiate, and the gift of the echo was my last gift, when I was already past Expert. I was using them to supplement skills I already had, not building my foundation off of them.”

Caden frowned, trying to piece together the best uses of his odd pair of gifts. It was like trying to put together a puzzle where the pieces just didn’t fit together. Their flaws seemed best represented by his augment.

Augments were supposed to be the most potent and personal parts of a gifted’s arsenal, their signature abilities. Even Caden could see the potential power of Gift Divination, but like the rest of his abilities, it was harshly limited by his current level. He could only use it on those who had a single gift, or who were Novice like him. Since he had received the ability, he had used it maybe half a dozen times.

“Back when we met,” Caden recalled, “and we were starting my training, you said that my augment would be the core of my abilities. You talked about me using it to read my opponent, to mimic their own abilities and turn them back on them. Do you remember that?”

Storyteller nodded.

“I… I don’t think that’s right. You don’t fight like that, do you?”

“No,” Storyteller said, “by the time I received the gift of the echo, I had a fighting style all my own. I use the gift primarily to supplement my own abilities when they lack an answer for a specific situation. But I had thought, if I had the time to train you from the start…”

Caden shook his head more firmly. His eyes were unfocused as his gifts reappeared in front of him. He examined them more closely, more thoughtfully, leaving aside assumptions he now recognized as parts of Storyteller’s plans more than intrinsic parts of the gifts.

[Gift of the Wanderer]

Level: Novice

Experience: 43%

Explore new places and understand the heart of an adventurer to gain experience.

Abilities:

[Know Direction] - Active, Utility - Learn the direction of true north. No cost.

[Wanderer’s Knowledge] - Active, Utility - Learn rudimentary knowledge about any single target. May not work on exceptional or rare targets. Minor focus cost per use.

[Wanderer’s Mantle] - Boon - Moderate boost to stamina and awareness.

[Gift of the Echo]

Level: Novice

Experience: 37%

Use abilities on unique targets to gain experience.

Abilities:

[Gift Reflection] - Active, Soul - Copy one gift ability from a nearby target. Gift abilities operate at Novice level regardless of the target’s level. Abilities from certain gifts cannot be copied. This ability has a one hour cool down, but the copied ability is retained until it is used again.

[Soul Surge] - Active, Buff - Increase one attribute by five points. Lesser duration, moderate stamina and focus cost incurred when buff expires.

[Soul Empowerment] - Boon - Minor boost to all attributes.

Augments:

[Gift Divination] - Wanderer, Echo - Active, Utility, Soul - Learn the gifts possessed by a target. Can only be used on targets your level or lower.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“It’s like… I don’t know, I’m not seeing what they need to really work.”

Storyteller frowned down at Caden from his bed.

“Keep talking,” he told Caden. “Tell me more, describe the problems you’re feeling.”

Caden blinked, and he dismissed the description of his gifts. “What?”

Storyteller’s eyes retained intent, but they were still the dark, warm brown Caden associated with Storyteller’s most genuine persona. “Since the day I met you, I’ve been impressed by your mind,” the older man explained. “It has nothing to do with attributes or gifts. You have this natural curiosity to you, and this… fixation on whatever matter you’re interested in. Half the things I planned to teach you, you figured out on your own. So keep talking. If anyone can figure out how best to use your gifts, it’s you.”

Caden blinked a few times, surprised by the sudden honesty. He had grown used to Storyteller’s seemingly habitual obfuscation, as if to give a straight answer or show his true feelings on anything would be a personal failure. But every now and then, like after the Cairn Glade, he revealed a level of sincerity that was just as difficult to process and respond to.

“Okay… Well, when I was dueling with Alyssia today, I tried to use one of her skirmisher abilities, Cunning Maneuver.”

“I’m familiar.”

“Okay. I thought that it would surprise her, because I usually prefer one of her earth abilities, and it did let me dodge an attack that would’ve ended the fight. But when I tried to do a follow-up, she used the same ability to not just dodge, but to counter and disarm me.”

“Well, she is-”

“I know she’s an Apprentice,” Caden cut off the excuse before he could finish it, “and I know she’s a noble, with much more training than me. But that wasn’t the difference–I couldn’t have done something like that with Cunning Maneuver, even if I had practiced with it. The ability’s window is just too small. Alyssia probably practiced that technique for months, perfecting the movement within the tiny time frame of the ability’s boost, so that she could do it without thought. No matter how good I get, I’ll never get to that point, because I need to practice with so many different abilities, to be able to adapt to whatever gift I can use in any given fight.

“No matter what gift I copy from an opponent, I’m going to be at a disadvantage. Sure, throwing them off balance by copying them is great, but it’s a cheap mimicry. They’ll always use whatever ability I copy more efficiently and competently than me. I’m sure the strategy might work if I ever get to your level, where the broad boons and whatever Soul Surge does at high levels help to make up the difference, but that’s still years away. I need a strategy that works now to ever have a hope of making it that high.”

Storyteller nodded seriously. “Clearly you’ve been thinking about this a lot.”

Caden felt his cheeks color a little. He hadn’t expected it all to come spilling out like that. “Yeah… I guess I have.”

“So what do you want to do instead?” Storyteller asked, seeming genuinely curious. “What’s the better way to do it?”

“It’s like… I need abilities I can copy consistently, so that I can have the right tool for any particular job. Have a strong ranged option when I fight someone like Alyssia, but be able to switch to a defensive or a mobility power when I’m fighting someone, or something, that demands them. Not using the echo to try to be a bad copy, but to be flexible. Overcome enemies with versatility.” He looked up at Storyteller, suddenly insecure. “Does that… does it make sense?”

Storyteller nodded thoughtfully. “It does. In fact, you’ll get just the tool when you hit Initiate. They’re called mementos.”

Caden wilted a little at the idea of needing to wait two whole levels, but asked, “What are mementos, then?”

“You’ve watched me fight and use my powers before. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m able to change my gifts even when there’s no one nearby for me to copy.”

“Yeah, and your eyes change too.”

Storyteller’s mouth twitched, and a little laugh slipped out of him. “Right… trust me, that was a surprise the first time someone mentioned them to me. But essentially, yes. Those eye color changes reflect the three gifts I have mementos for. They’re special items that I can save a gift in, letting me target them with Gift Reflection. Then I use my version of Soul Surge to match the attributes they need to function. At Initiate, you’ll be able to make one too, but only one. And it’s a bit of a process.”

Caden pursed his lips. It was interesting to know how Storyteller’s fighting style worked, but it didn’t do him any good now. Sure, being able to put something like Storyteller’s Lightning Bolt into one of these mementos would be good, but it wasn’t enough. “That’s not the kind of versatility I was hoping for,” Caden said. “It’s just one more thing that will get better when I level up, but it doesn’t do me any good now!”

“That’s true,” Storyteller acknowledged. “I have one idea, perhaps… Give me a couple days, okay? Let me try to figure it out.”

#

The taproom of Kellister’s inn was as empty as ever that night, and Storyteller and Caden had no problem finding a table that offered some small amount of privacy. As they were in public, Storyteller’s eyes had taken on the cold blue shade of his knight persona, and he carried himself with an air of formal rigidity at odds with the simple, if hearty, fare being served.

Caden couldn’t help but examine Storyteller, thinking of the veritable feast of information the adventurer had provided about his abilities. The change went deeper than he claimed, that much was obvious. Sir Toren’s entire demeanor, down to the pitch of his voice, was a stark contrast to Storyteller’s normal personality. Considering Caden’s own habit of switching his body language and presentation, it was fascinating to watch how quickly Storyteller could change personas. Moving between genders was easy enough for Caden, considering how different they were, but it boggled his mind to imagine trying to become a whole different individual, rather than just expressing different sides of himself.

“So,” Sir Toren asked, drawing Caden out of his thoughts, “you mentioned Alyssia wanted to meet up with you after dinner?”

Caden shugged. He tore off a chunk of thick, dark bread and dipped it into the remainder of his stew to soak in the broth. “Yeah. She didn’t say why, though.”

Toren arched an eyebrow, and for a brief moment, a much more Storyteller-ish flash of amusement danced across his face. “I would think you’d be able to make a guess or two as to why.”

Caden looked up in time to see the look on the older man’s face, and he blinked in surprise. “What? You don’t mean she–”

“Yes.”

“But she doesn’t–”

“She does.”

Caden stared at the knight for a moment, half expecting him to laugh at the joke at his expense. “Really?”

The corner of Sir Toren’s mouth twitched, as if he was suppressing a smile. “It’s just one man’s opinion, but I think so.”

Caden frowned thoughtfully. Though they had only known each other a hair over a week, Caden reflected that he had spent time with Alyssia basically every day since they arrived in Kellister, between touring the village, hunting storm and stone monsters, and training together. They joked around a lot, and he was comfortable around her, but did she really…

“But… we’re going to have to leave soon, right?”

“Indeed,” Toren confirmed. “There haven’t been any storm monsters for a couple days now. I suspect the worst has passed, so it’ll be time for us to get moving again before long. Another day, perhaps two at the outside.”

Caden’s frown deepened. This had been the longest they had stopped anywhere since they had left Felisen, and already, the idea of setting out again was appealing. His feet had recovered from the road, and now he itched to get back out, to see new things. But it did make for something of a complication.

“Should I not then? With Alyssia?” he asked. “If I’m going to be leaving soon, I don’t want her to think…”

Toren shook his head. “It’s the way of things, Caden. Alyssia knows better than to think we’ll be staying here for long. Don’t forget that she’s a noble too, on top of everything else. Elliven might be a bit rustic compared to somewhere like Arsilet, but aristocratic blood still means something. I doubt she’s looking for anything more than a brief amusement for a night or two.” The knight arched an eyebrow, peering at Caden intently. “I think the question is if you are okay with that.”

Caden looked down, studying his stew. He thought of the older girl, with her appealing combination of confidence and ability, the taut strength of her slender body, the strong lines of her face, the sound of her laugh, bright and clear, as they fought… He felt himself flushing, and hurriedly picked up his chunk of bread to hide his embarrassment.

“Well, there’s your answer,” Toren observed dryly.