Quick Change Volume 1: Slyborn

by C. T. O'Leary

  His level dropped to zero, and the world went dark.

  Chapter 31

  Seth awoke to sunlight shining on his face. The warmth felt nice, and he smiled, not wanting to open his eyes, wanting to stay in dreamland for just a few moments longer. When a steel boot toed his side, the dreamy carefree feeling fled, and he cracked his eyes open.

  The sight that greeted Seth was, to say the least, otherworldly. Three figures stood over him as he lay on the stone floor. A man in robes with a red cape with straw-colored hair, a woman in bulky armor, also with a red cape, and last and most strange, a massive white lion with twenty-foot dove wings sprouting from his back all looked at him, varying levels of concern painted on their features.

  He almost made a joke about The Wizard of Oz, but then the memory of the battle with the spirit of the Broken Bones came thundering back into his head. Seth sat bolt upright, looking around the room for enemies. Aurora knelt and put her hand on his shoulder, and said, “We beat her. Or, you and Pahan did. It’s safe now.” Seth saw joy in her eyes, though she didn’t let it reach the rest of her features, and held her mouth in a hard line.

  Pahan was massive, he looked to have more than doubled in size, and a soft white glow emanated from the air around him. Seth felt a buzz of power just being in his presence, and wondered just how powerful he now was.

  Seth’s eyes flicked to his level and saw the ugly number zero there still, throbbing red. He looked at Pahan and just said, “How?” The lion’s familiar voice answered directly in his head.

 
  Seth almost commented that Pahan’s normal boastful nature had vanished, but the lion proved him wrong.

  Seth said, “That’s incredible. What does that mean for you, though?”

  Pahan looked at him silently for a moment before answering, Seth wasn’t quite able to comprehend everything that Pahan was saying, but he said the first thing that came to his mind, “But what about us? I still can’t see our bond. Can you not come with us?” Seth wiped his eyes. Was he seriously tearing up?

  The lion let loose a sad, low rumble at the question. Seth felt an arm reach around his shoulder and looked over to see Dominick next to him. Pahan said, Seth looked up and saw that Pahan had closed his eyes. Moments later, a small metal egg engraved with runes appeared from thin air between Seth and the lion, and clinked to the ground. Pahan’s breath came noticeably faster, like he’d strained himself creating the artifact.

  Seth stared at it, mute for several seconds before impulsively reaching forward and snatching the egg up. Just like the first time Seth had held Pahan’s egg, a pop-up appeared.

  Congratulations, adventurer, you’ve discovered a mount egg! A powerful enchanter has captured a sliver of a ‘spirit of the wilds’ in this item, granting its owner the ability to call forth a physical manifestation of the wild spirit to ride atop.

  Spirit Type: Broken Bones Winter Lion Race Restriction: Adventurer Replace currently equipped mount egg?

  No mount egg currently equipped, auto accepting.

  Seth silently activated the summoning spell and felt a ghostly wind brush against his back. He turned and beheld the beast that had just appeared in the cavern.

  The lion looked like Pahan, but had a more youthful appearance. He had less full features, less meat on his bones, and a smaller mane around his head. His fur was white like Pahan’s, but the most startling difference was the blood red fur around his snout and face that faded to white as it reached his neck. Intelligent red eyes met Seth’s, and he heard a new voice speak in his mind.

  Seth smiled at Verun, unable to stop himself. He looked to Pahan and said, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I will miss traveling with you, my friend. I wish we’d had more time together.”

  Pahan dipped his head in agreeance and said, Seth took Pahan’s advice and raised the amount of experience directed towards Verun to ten percent like he’d had with Pahan, and voiced when it was done. Pahan took a couple of huge steps to close the distance between the two of them, and stretched a paw forward, Seth held still and the giant paw brushed the tip of his nose, light as a feather.

  Seth started to chuckle at what it must have looked like, but energy and pain racked his body like a lightning bolt. It was like being struck outside of Vardon all over again, but Seth knew that there were no more levels to spend for resurrection. He started to take in breath to scream, but before he could do even that, it was over. He felt like nothing had ever happened, not even a small amount of the tremendous pain remained.

  Actually, he felt better. Much better than he had just moments before. He glanced at his logs and instantly saw why.

  Pahan, Great Lion of the Broken Bones has gifted you 9,113,860 experience.

  +8,202,470 experience, you’ve reached level 43, 240,190 experience left until level 44.

  911,386 experience diverted toward leveling Beast Bond - Verun. Beast Bond - Verun has reached level 30. 139,274 experience until level 31.

  Beast Bond - Verun has reached level 10! You’ve unlocked one bond token. Use this token to unlock skills and abilities for your mount!

  Congratulations, you’ve reached level 20! You may now adopt a secondary class. A master in a particular class (level 40+) can grant you a secondary class in their specialty. Seek out a master to claim your secondary class!

  Congratulations, you’ve reached level 20! Your divine boon is now available for an upgrade! Open the boon interface for more information. *Boon upgrade previously awarded and used. Auto unlocking skill Quick Change Position.

  Beast Bond - Verun has reached level 20! You’ve unlocked one bond token. Use this token to unlock skills and abilities for your mount!

  Beast Bond - Verun has reached level 30! You’ve unlocked one bond token. Use this token to unlock skills and abilities for your mount!

  Congratulations, you’ve reached level 40! Your divine boon is now available for an upgrade! Open the boon interface for more information.

  Congratulations, you’ve reached level 40! You’re now a master warrior, and may impart your knowledge to those ready to adopt their secondary class. Use this power wisely!

  Seth’s jaw dropped, and he couldn’t form words, staring at the notifications. Aurora started to speak up and ask what was going on, but he saw her eyes flick to her party interface and she stopped. She also processed in stunned silence for a moment, but was able to speak before Seth was, and said, “You gave him enough experience to get him to level forty-three!?”

  Dominick choked out a startled grunt,
and Seth saw confusion in Pahan’s eyes. He said, Seth started laughing then, and spoke up, “Djinia’s Blessing! All of my experience is multiplied by ten! That sounds like a loophole to me. I wonder if I can give you some experience back.”

  He tried but had no immediate luck. He tried willing some to Verun, too, but the young lion just shifted uncomfortably at his stern gaze, and no experience transferred.

  Pahan spoke up,
  Pahan had a twinkle in his eye when he finished, and Seth started to ask what he meant about another friend, but before he could even get the words out, he’d turned to white dust and faded away. Seth turned to Aurora, Dominick and Verun, motioning towards the tunnel they’d entered through, and said, “Shall we?”

  Chapter 32

  As the party ran, Seth opened the beast bond menu for Verun, intending to use the bond tokens he’d earned, but tripped over a rock almost instantly and fell flat on his face, taking twenty-six damage. Dominick helped him up and healed him, but Seth felt like an idiot and decided he needed a hand.

  He asked Verun if he could hop on his back while he made adjustments, and the lion agreed. Seth reopened the menu once he was mounted up, Verun’s feet thundering over the stone floor underneath him, Aurora and Dominick sprinting behind him. At first, he saw the same menu he’d seen when Pahan’s bond had reached level ten.

  Beast Bond Skills - Verun Level 30 beast bond Bond tokens: 3

  Unlock: Fight - 1 bond token With this skill, your mount will become a familiar. Your bond has grown strong enough for you to adequately fuel your beast’s attacks. Your familiar may now participate in battle. If your familiar is killed in battle, they will be forced to retreat to the void for at least 2 hours before being summoned again to the physical plane.

  Unlock: Flight - 1 bond token Your mount has the capability to take to the sky with enough investment of essence from your beast bond. Unlock this still to allow your mount to grow wings and soar. Restriction - while this mount can carry two average sized humans on the ground, it may only carry one while in the air.

  Seth chose Fight without hesitation, and the window disappeared. He had a feeling he’d need Verun’s help very soon. Seth felt a familiar tugging at his center, just like when he’d chosen Fight for Pahan what felt like so long ago. He reopened the menu and beheld the options he now had.

  Beast Bond Skills - Verun Level 30 beast bond Bond tokens: 2

  Unlock: Flight - 1 bond token Your mount has the capability to take to the sky with enough investment of essence from your beast bond. Unlock this still to allow your mount to grow wings and soar. Restriction - while this mount can carry two average sized humans on the ground, it may only carry one while in the air.

  Unlock: Flock - 1 bond token Gain skill Flock: Your mount lets loose a call for help, summoning a flock of its kin to help fight for ten minutes. Flock monsters will be of a similar species, though weaker than your mount. The Flock skill may not be used for 24 hours after a successful use.

  Seth had trouble deciding on this one, flying seemed like it could be immensely helpful, but it didn’t have easily visible battle benefits. Flock, on the other hand, would be great for taking on the army of Howlingshields surrounding Slyborn.

  Seth consulted Verun, and he suggested that they get Flight as it would have more of an impact on an average day, and plan to use the last bond token on Flock unless something much better appeared as the next option. Seth took Verun’s advice and selected Flight.

  Seth almost fell from the lion as two huge white wings, tipped with red feathers suddenly sprung into existence from Verun’s back. Seth was able to hold on and situate himself behind the bases of the wings, so he held his breath and opened the beast bond menu for the final time.

  Beast Bond Skills - Verun Level 30 beast bond Bond tokens: 1

  Unlock: Flock - 1 bond token Gain skill Flock: Your mount lets loose a call for help, summoning a flock of its kin to help fight for ten minutes. Flock monsters will be of a similar species, though weaker than your mount. The Flock skill may not be used for 24 hours after a successful use.

  Unlock: Fear - 1 bond token Your mount strikes fear in the hearts of your enemies. 10% chance enemies engaged in battle with your mount will simply run from the fight, unable to mentally cope with fighting such a fierce beast.

  Seth consulted Verun just in case, but he agreed that Flock made more sense in the immediate term, so Seth selected it. As the final pop-up disappeared with their last bond point, Seth looked up and realized that they were almost already at the exit from the caverns. He hadn’t even noticed them passing the Wight Bruiser’s body. He decided he’d have to address the new boon upgrade later.

  They exited the cave, passing the huge metal door that normally sealed it off and entering the room with the jail cells. Seth had to recall Verun to the void since he couldn’t fit up the tight spiral staircase leading to the main level. Verun agreed, but Seth thought he caught a hint of stress in the lion’s mental voice.

  Aurora led the way across the stone bridge and into the main courtyard of Slyborn. The courtyard was a mess of activity, with guild members running all around delivering supplies and weapons, and preparing to defend the stronghold.

  Seth re-summoned Verun as Aurora and Dominick went ahead, looking for Ramses. Apparently, some people had heard about Pahan, since no one tried to attack Verun, but there were still quite a few terrified glances thrown at the pair of them, and people bent their paths to avoid walking close to Verun.

  Seth wasn’t as good at reading Verun’s expressions yet, but he didn’t think the lion looked happy. He put a hand on the lion’s shoulder and said under his breath, “Are you okay?”

  A flash of anger appeared in Verun’s eyes and his voice said, Seth wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just kept quiet. Verun looked away, and then said, Seth thought of what the lion had gone through. He’d basically been born, or created, on the spot. His egg had been given to Seth, who’d ridden him through a cave and promptly banished him to an empty world of nothingness. He felt a pang of empathy for the lion. For as large, menacing, and as much like Pahan he looked, he was basically just a child. Seth said, “Listen, Verun, I shouldn’t have banished you there so soon. I’m sorry. I’ll do my best not to at all, okay?”

  Verun said, Seth smiled at the familiar word choice. There definitely was some Pahan there. He said, “We may have to fight some pretty rotten people soon. Are you alright with that?”

  Verun said, Seth said, “Oh, they definitely do,” as he remembered the carnage of the guild’s headquarters in Vardon.

  Just then, Seth saw Aurora, Dominick, Molly and Barnett walking quickly toward him. They all looked stressed. It looked like Molly had been crying, her eyes puffy and red. Before they spoke, he said, “What’s going on?”

  It seemed like no one wanted to speak, but Barnett finally said, “I’m glad you were able to rescue Paharn.” He smiled weakly at Verun.

  Seth said, “His name is Pahan, actually, and this isn’t him. This is his…son, and his name is Verun. It’s a long story. Where is Ramses?”


  Barnett seemed confused for a moment, and then looked at his feet. Seth realized that the man was trying to dodge the question. Aurora was stone faced, and Dominick hung back a bit behind the group, trying to avoid anyone’s focus. Molly finally spoke up, her voice thick with emotion, “While you were in the caves, the Howlingshields sent a messenger. Their leader is offering to spare the fortress if Ramses duels him. To the death. Ramses accepted. He’s putting on his best armor now. I wish he wouldn’t go.”

  She choked up again and started sobbing. Aurora’s mask cracked, and she hugged the woman awkwardly from the side, concern clear in her features.

  Just then, the door of the crafting building banged open, and Ramses walked out, heading for the front gate.

  Chapter 33

  The entire courtyard hushed when he walked out of the building. All eyes were on the commander, Seth’s included. The first thing Seth noticed was Ramses’ expression. He looked fierce, determined, but far away, as if his mind was elsewhere. That changed when Ramses saw Molly, though. His eyes immediately focused, and lightened up, he smiled at her. Seth heard her sob again at the smile, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Ramses.

  The commander’s best armor was intimidating. Ramses still wore his black and red cape. On his torso, legs and arms was the most finely crafted black leather armor Seth had ever seen. Not that he’d seen much black leather armor on Earth, but by Morgenheim standards he’d seen so far, this armor looked more like art that something to be worn.

  Compact pieces of leather studded with metal seemed to flow at his joints while he walked, not restricting his movement at all. On the parts of his body that didn’t need to move, there were single, sleek pieces of hardened leather to catch or repel blows. The entire ensemble shimmered a slight pale green, though it was hard to detect in the sunlight. Seth wasn’t sure what it meant.