by A F Kay
Ky had wanted him to take the Scout branch and then specialize in Spying. There were probably good reasons for that, but he planned to study and decide for himself. He agreed with her that the other specialization, Ranger, might provide him more long-term benefit. But he didn’t want to sacrifice his future success just to give himself a slightly better chance of surviving now. He had plenty of time to figure it out since he didn’t have to commit to the Scout Sub-Class until level ten. And the specialization didn’t happen until level twenty. Those levels seemed impossible when viewed from his current one.
His eyes felt heavy, and he considered going to sleep now and learning these Observer spells and abilities later. Sleep would feel so good after today’s events. Another debuff appeared next to the two he already had: Exhaustion. A moment later, three more debuffs appeared. He looked at the Exhaustion debuff and saw it lowered all his attributes by one. He was a mess. Five of his six attributes were under ten. He looked at his debuffs: Exhaustion, Sickly, Weak, Clumsy, Ugly, and Foolish.
The six debuffs were a reminder of how meaningless this all was. Ruwen seemed to be getting weaker, and the people aligned against him were already so much stronger. It didn’t seem like it was worth the effort to fight back. He stared at the debuffs, their presence a reminder of his failures. A small part of his mind screamed he had succeeded today and that every advantage should be taken.
He started to put the Observer textbook away but stopped. Were the debuffs affecting his judgment? Death came quickly, and he was unprepared for the dungeon. Shouldn’t he be doing everything possible to make himself stronger? It would be foolish not to.
Gritting his teeth, he stared at the Foolish debuff. He needed to get rid of that as soon as possible. His whole fight had been full of foolish acts. He’d dropped his weapon multiple times, turned his back on his enemies, and overestimated his chances of escaping. Now the debuff was trying to stop him from improving himself. What if there was no time tomorrow morning? He would enter the dungeon weaker than necessary.
He opened the book again and skimmed the level one and two Observer abilities.
Ability: Freedom
Level: 1
Type: Self
Effect: No penalty for leather armor.
Ability: Rapid Fire
Level: 1
Type: Self
Effect: Launch two projectiles instead of one.
Ability: Keen Senses
Level: 1
Type: Self
Effect: Increase Physical, Magical, and Spiritual senses. Every level increases the effectiveness by 20%.
Ability: Weakness
Level: 2
Type: Self
Effect: Discover a target’s weakness. 10% chance per minute of study.
Ability: Pinpoint
Level: 2
Type: Self
Effect: Target a specific location for 200% damage. 400% damage if this location was discovered via Weakness.
Ability: Magnify
Level: 2
Type: Self
Effect: Increase the apparent closeness by 200%.
The Rapid Fire, Weakness, and Pinpoint were all powerful abilities, but he didn’t have any skills for throwing or shooting things. They might be useful later, but for now, he would ignore them. The Freedom Ability would be valuable. Any leather armor he wore wouldn’t affect his movement. But he didn’t have any armor right now, so it seemed like a waste to take it. That left Keen Senses and Magnify. He read the detailed description for both of them.
Keen Senses: The Observer is required to be hyper-aware of their surroundings. Success or failure can be decided by the early detection of your target or enemy. This Ability increases all senses by 20% per Ability level and stacks with relevant Skills, Spells, and Effects. In lower Ability levels, the Observer may need to interpret this Ability as it will manifest most often in their emotions.
Magnify: The Observer’s target is not always nearby. This Ability allows the Observer to decrease the visual distance to the target by 200% per Ability level. A clear view of the target is often necessary to trigger other Abilities, such as Weakness and Pinpoint. For close targets like documents or ingredients, the Ability functions identically, allowing the Observer to detect details or defects not visible to unaided sight.
Both of these seemed like they could be useful. At least more useful than the others. Ruwen returned to his knees and followed the same process he had with the Worker abilities. Moments later, both abilities were his. A small telescope appeared next to the eye for his Detect Temperature ability. Both these abilities could be toggled on and off. Hey You and Keen Senses were passive and always on.
He could barely stay awake, but he was determined to get through this before tomorrow. Without getting off his knees, he skimmed the basic information for the Energy-based spells available to him. He needed to be careful with these since these spells could kill him with an offhand use while his Void Band was active.
Spell: Find Trap
Level: 1
Effect: Increase chance of finding traps by 10% per minute.
Spell: Sprint
Level: 1
Effect: Increase your top speed by 20%.
Spell: Leap
Level: 2
Effect: Increase the distance leaped by 20%.
Spell: Climb
Level: 2
Effect: Increase the friction of your skin against any material by 20%.
Sprint seemed like an easy way to kill himself. Running with his Void Band opened seemed like a terrible idea, but if it was, and then he cast this spell, it might be lights out. Same with the Climb spell. He realized these hypothetical situations were probably never going to arise, but in his current state, any more deaths would be catastrophic. Find Trap and Leap were more one-time things that should be easier to manage. He moved on to the Mana-based spells.
Spell: Distract
Level: 1
Effect: Create a noise at the location of the Observers focus.
Spell: Camouflage
Level: 1
Effect: While still, blend into your surroundings with 20% effectiveness.
Spell: Bleed
Level: 2
Effect: Your next blow will cause the target to bleed for 2 times weapon damage.
Spell: Track
Level: 2
Effect: Increase the chance of locating your target's trail by 10% per minute.
These were all useful. But Ruwen didn’t think he could sit still long enough for Camouflage to work, and he didn’t see a real need for Track right now. Distract might buy him the time he needed to escape, and Bleed would be a welcome offensive spell.
He focused on each symbol and said a small prayer to Uru. These spells took longer to learn. It took a couple of minutes, but he cycled through the symbols for Find Trap, Leap, Distract, and Bleed. He’d gained four new spells and had finally caught up with his level.
Placing the Observer textbook back in his storage, Ruwen crawled onto his bed. He stared at the row of debuffs again. Ugly? Really? He should have added that last point into Charisma. He was glad Hamma couldn’t see him right now. Tomorrow was a new day and, assuming he didn’t die, he would fix all these debuffs. The exhaustion took hold of him, and everything faded to black.
Chapter 20
Ruwen woke to Sift tapping his forehead.
“You sleep like you’re dead,” Sift said.
“Ugh.”
Sift laughed and placed Ruwen’s clean clothes on his chest.
“Get dressed. We have a full day.”
Ruwen wanted to roll over and sleep another couple of hours, but he also wanted to gain some levels. Plus, he didn’t think Sift would let him sleep. Ruwen sat up and checked his debuffs. Exhaustion had disappeared, taking Sickly, Weak, and Ugly with it. Today he would get rid of Foolish and Clumsy.
Sift had moved to the center of his room and sat cross-legged. As if he could sense Ruwen’s gaze, he spoke up.
“Get dr
essed and join me,” Sift said.
A minute later, Ruwen sat in front of Sift and mirrored his position. Ruwen sighed loudly.
“We’re going to meditate for a few minutes and then practice some Steps,” Sift said.
“Okay.”
Ruwen closed his eyes and remembered what Sift had said last night. He’d told Ruwen to breathe in and out the same amount and to imagine the air powering his body and mind. This morning, however, his interface distracted him. Opening his settings, he minimized the interface to a tiny point in the lower-left part of his vision. Now, when Ruwen looked straight ahead, he couldn’t even see the small square. A few heartbeats later, his breathing became more regular.
“Straighten your back,” Sift said.
Ruwen opened his eyes, but Sift’s eyes were closed. Could he tell Ruwen’s posture just by listening to him breathe? Closing his eyes, he sat up straight and immediately noticed the positive change in his breathing.
Just like last night, his mind rebelled at the simple task, but Ruwen stayed focused on his breathing, and his mind cleared. A moment later, Sift spoke.
“Hey, snap out of it,” Sift said.
Ruwen pulled himself from the peaceful darkness and opened his eyes. Sift was shaking him.
“Are you okay?” Sift sounded concerned.
Ruwen’s body still ached from the beating last night, but his mind felt clear and sharp. The fogginess he’d experienced upon waking had disappeared. In fact, he’d never felt better.
“Yeah, did I do something wrong?” Ruwen asked.
“No, not at all. I just didn’t expect you to go so long on your second day.”
Ruwen maximized his interface and looked at his clock. Thirty minutes had passed. He opened his notifications, which were blinking for his attention.
Shing!
You have advanced a skill!
Skill: Meditation
Level: 2
Effect: Clear Mind: increase Health, Mana, and Energy Regeneration by 0.75%.
Shing!
You have advanced a skill!
Skill: Meditation
Level: 3
Effect: Clear Mind: increase Health, Mana, and Energy Regeneration by 1.0%.
He had gone up two levels! The thirty minutes had passed in a blink.
“I’m surprised, too,” Ruwen said.
“Wait, you didn’t get distracted or have to fight to stay focused that whole time?”
“I did at first.”
Sift pursed his lips. “We need to talk to my parents.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s good. I think you’re better at this than I am. They’re experts though, and will make sure everything is okay.”
“I doubt I’m better than you at anything.”
“Can you whistle?”
Ruwen laughed. “Fine, I doubt I’m better than you at anything important.”
“Says the guy that can whistle.”
Sift stood, and Ruwen did as well.
“We took longer than I planned for meditation, but I still want to teach you some Steps before we go downstairs,” Sift said.
“I’d like that a lot. I kind of struggled last night.”
“You’re alive, aren’t you?”
“Barely.”
“Well, barely counts. Give yourself some credit.”
Sift waited until Ruwen nodded.
“Okay, this is from Dad’s style. It’s called Blooming Flower. Slowly punch at my face,” Sift said.
Ruwen punched at Sift’s face. Sift stepped toward Ruwen and turned, so his back was to Ruwen. Sift grabbed Ruwen’s arm, held it against his chest, and then bent forward. Ruwen was thrown over Sift’s shoulder, and Ruwen landed on his back.
Sift helped Ruwen to his feet.
“So if a Bendy, sorry, Rod Spider, tries to eat your face, you can throw them now.”
Ruwen practiced with Sift for the next fifteen minutes. Unlike the meditation, this didn’t come easily to him. Once Ruwen finally threw Sift successfully twice in a row, Sift ended Ruwen’s misery.
“Don’t worry. We’ll keep practicing, and it will get easier,” Sift said.
“I hope so.”
Ruwen noticed another notification and checked it.
Shing!
You have learned a new skill!
Skill: Unarmed Combat
Level: 1
Effect: Increase unarmed damage by 0.50%. Increase chance to deflect or dodge a blow by 0.50%.
Ruwen closed the notification as satisfaction filled him. He had always dreamed of protecting himself with shields of magical energy. But there was a beauty to the movements Sift had shown Ruwen that he’d never noticed before, and the knowledge that he could defend himself with just his body filled him with pride.
On the way to the dungeon, they stopped at the bar they’d passed through last night. There was a long table with food on it, and Sift walked directly toward it.
Sift took what looked like a pancake, placed a sausage link on one side, poured what smelled like maple syrup on it, and then rolled it up into a tube.
“You have to squeeze the bottom, or the syrup will drip on you. Makes the Thrashers go crazy,” Sift said.
Ruwen’s eyes got big and Sift laughed.
“I’m joking,” Sift said.
He made another one and then gestured at Ruwen to make his own. Sift took a bite of the second one before finishing the first and Ruwen bit his tongue to keep from saying anything. Why would Sift not finish one before starting the next? It was like purposefully hanging a picture at an angle. It made his brain hurt.
Ruwen’s stomach rumbled, and he made two of his own but went light on the syrup. He didn’t want to get it on his hands and then stick to everything he touched the rest of the day. Although he did have Scrub now and could clean his hands whenever he wanted. But the textbook had warned against using it on skin until he’d increased the spell to level three. Better to just go easy on the syrup. He followed Sift to the stairs, both of them eating their breakfast as they walked.
“Lahmuhna,” Sift said his mouth full of pancake.
“Lahmuhna!” Sift said louder this time.
Ruwen finally understood what Sift was trying to do.
“Limuno,” Ruwen said, and the lights came on.
“Thanths,” Sift said.
Ruwen shook his head and smiled.
They descended the stairs, and far too quickly for Ruwen’s liking, they stood in the long room again. He peeked into the room he’d cleared last night and found it empty.
Sift looked at the next set of doors. “That’s still yours.” He pointed at the far door on this side. “I’ll start up top and work my way down.”
“What about the side you were on last night?”
“I cleaned all those.”
“What! You did six rooms in the time I did one?”
“Mine probably had fewer monsters.”
Ruwen doubted that. He felt terrible for taking so long while being impressed that Sift could clear so quickly.
Sift strode down the room, and Ruwen shuffled to the closed double doors. Pulling the staff from its harness, he spun it in front of himself until he heard the chimes. He then patted the dagger on his right hip and his baton on the left. Opening his Profile, he focused on his cloak. A timer counted down next to the description of the shield property, and it still had fifteen hours left. He’d hoped that the timer reset at midnight, but it looked like the “once a day” meant a literal day had to pass. He couldn’t count on it saving his life again.
He took three deep breaths and pushed the right door open far enough for him to enter. The wood screeched as it scraped across the stones, and he winced at the loud noise.
Sift, who had reached the far end of the room, shouted at him. “If you’re not sure they know you’re here, I can come back and announce you.”
“Very funny. Now you’ve announced yourself, too, dummy,” Ruwen shouted back.
Ruwen grinned
at the stricken look on Sift’s face.
His amusement fled as he looked at his door. He’d opened it enough to slide through, but not enough to get a good look on what might be around it. The thought of opening the door further and causing that horrible noise made him cringe. Plus, he didn’t want to take any more ribbing from Sift.
But, if something was on the other side of the door, it could attack him as soon as he entered, and he didn’t have his cloak to protect him. As he stood there trying to decide what to do, a feeling of certainty overcame him that something waited just on the other side of the door.
Was he just being paranoid? Maybe it was just fear. But this felt different. It felt solid like a fact. He opened his Profile and looked at his Abilities tab. The Keen Senses ability said it would manifest as feelings at lower levels. That must be why he was convinced something lurked on the other side of the door.
Looking through the spells and abilities he’d recently gained, he made a plan. Staring at his staff, he pictured the symbol for Bleed. His mind locked on the image for a full second and then the symbol faded. Twenty-five flashed over his Mana bar, and it dropped to one hundred forty-five. The staff glowed with a red light that continually dripped off the weapon. It felt good to have an offensive spell.