by James Patton
In a way, that laughter is a symbol of Atagon’s reign as king. Who can trust a dragon whose loyalty is always in question? What kind of dragon could turn on his closest friend and steal what he did not rightfully earn?”
“What did I just listen to?” She asked Midnight.
“An Audio Roll, but one that should probably disappear. They are just a quick way to store verbal information. They cannot store much, but they are abundant. Most use them to record messages or thoughts. Feel free make your own. There are collectors that pay a lot of Vees for them.”
“Interesting, and what did the gods say?”
“They are going to allow it since you chose a Mercury Elf as your race.” Midnight said.
“That is what they said? Or are you goading me again?” She asked.
Midnight started laughing and she walked towards him.
“Do you want me to punch you again?”
“Relax, I’m just playing with you.” Midnight grinned at her showing rows of sharpened teeth. “There is a stipulation. You must prioritize one over the other.”
“Elemental Shield Mastery is first and then The History of the Talons.” Doubt pushed in as she made a choice, but she clamped down on it. She was a Dragonrider, and she had a dragon to kill. Shielding was critical.
“Very well.”
You have found all the Remnants of your lost ability.
The final judgment awaits.
Boh
Chapter 22
Lost Ability
Every great tactician realizes history is their greatest source of knowledge.
-from Matriarch of Sorrows
The number of messages hitting her interface was overwhelming. She checked through several and realized she would be at this for a little while. Sighing, she sat on the couch again and heard Midnight chuckling.
“I recommend you take your time. It will be one of the very few times you get a free ability because you will find everything in this world requires work and dedication.” Midnight told her.
“Thanks. I’ll let you know when I finish,” she mumbled, her eyes focused on reading.
Trial Bonus: Book Worm
- Cognitive +2. Cognitive is now 7.
Congratulations! Based on your book choice, you have gained a shield modifier called Disc.
Shield Modifiers are always available when a shield is active. Once these are learned, it is used by thinking of the mod and using it. Using the mod will increase the shield’s response to your mental commands.
Disc (Shield Modification)
This mod allows you to condense your shield into a disc with a twelve-inch radius, and this condensed shielding reduces Feedback damage by half.
- Note: Shield Modifications change the default shield that surrounds you. In the case of Disc, the shield is no longer surrounding you, but condensed to a smaller size. Use with caution.
Benefits of the Disc modification are as follows:
- Blocking an elemental strike increases Feedback Efficiency by 50%.
- The Disc can block physical attacks. 25% of the non-elemental damage always impacts your Feedback.
Congratulations! You have gained the Innate skill Historian.
Historian - This will allow you to read information and glean information that others will miss. Historian activates on all forms of text.
Perks:
- Adds locations you read about as points of interest on your map.
- Understanding traps or puzzles when confronted with them.
- Knowledge of artifacts, locations, statues, symbols, and more when you spot them. Provided you gained the knowledge through a book, scroll, or other written text.
- Previously read knowledge is available when you need it, a magical replica of the text will appear in your hand. Note: This will provide the text, but you still need to decipher the meaning
- Records notes you take on various things throughout your journey. Such as animal or plant behavior.
- The more you read, the more this ability will benefit you.
As she finished reading those, more alerts came up. She filed away the skills and found herself practicing the shield, and it came naturally. It would have been near impossible to use if she could not see the magic. She could nudge the disc-like Shield where ever she needed it with a thought.
She checked the next message.
Primary Active Skill Selection:
You skill selection is based on Remnants. Race choice and actions during the Trial also play a part, but a minor one. Your Secondary Skill choice is based on your Primary selection, so pay attention to the skill qualifications.
Radiant Spells [Updated] - These spells use all elements in the casting and shaping of the spell. If any Affinity dips below 50%, all Radiant spells lose 50% of their effectiveness.
Inversion
- Affinity: Void
- Restrictions: Can only be used once every 4 hours
- Range: 15 Feet
- Duration: 30 seconds
- Feedback: 50% per cast
- Effect 1: [Ally or Self Only] All strikes against your target’s Elemental Shield will reduce the target’s Feedback rather than adding to it. Including Non-Elemental damage, but only 25% of the Non-Elemental damage decreases your Feedback.
- Effect 2: [Opponent Only] Doubles the amount of Feedback gained for a strike against your target’s Elemental Shield.
- Effect 3: [Opponent Only] If the target’s Elemental Shield is down, it will prevent them from activating it for the duration of the spell.
- Effect 4: [Opponent Only] If the target loses their Elemental Shield due to Inversion, they will not be able to use their Elemental Shield for 60 seconds.
- Qualifications: Pewter Dragon Eye, Book on Elemental Shield Mastery, Runed Dragon scale
Radiant Missile - Note
- Affinity: Radiant
- Restrictions: All affinities must be greater than 50%
- Damage: 1% base health
- Range: 200 yards
- Feedback: 5% per cast
- Effect 1: [Occurs if target’s Elemental Shield is up] Increases target’s Feedback by 25%.
- Effect 2: [Occurs if target’s Elemental Shield is down] Creates a blinding flash, target is blinded for 15 seconds. Anyone within 10 yards of the target is also blinded. The further away from target, the greater the chance of resisting blindness.
- Qualifications: 5 or higher in Magic, Runed Dragon Scale, Pewter Dragon Eye
Greater Imbue - Note
- Affinity: Radiance, and all Affinities
- Restrictions: All affinities must be greater than 50%, Greater Imbue can only be used on One-handed weapons (1H)
- Range: Touch
- Duration: 24 hours
- Feedback: 5% for regular Affinities, 35% for Radiant
- Effect 1: Lesser Imbue any weapon with an Affinity of choice.
- Effect 2: Greater Imbue allows the caster to enchant a 1H weapon with Radiance. When the weapon strikes an opponent it will automatically switch Affinity to the target’s weakest Affinity.
- Qualifications: Runed Dragon Scale, Book on Elemental Shield Mastery.
- Note: All ammunition is already imbued with its user’s highest Affinity.
“How about you make that choice a little tougher.” She muttered and Midnight chuckled. “What does it mean when it says I imbue projectiles with my highest Affinity?”
“All projectiles have an Affinity too. Taken from the living creature that launched it. Blame the World Wyrm; he felt that guns upset the balance, and corrected it.” Midnight explained scratching under his chin with his talon’s nail.
“I choose Inversion.” It was a toss-up between that or Greater Imbue. In the end, she decided when she killed Vasia, it was going to be up close and personal.
“Are you certain? Once you set your Primary Active Skill, you cannot undo it.” Midnight asked, his head turning to watch and assess her as if he was unsure of her choice.
“I am sure. Unl
ess you have advice, you would like to give?”
“Just curious why you did not pick Greater Imbue or Radiant Missile, but mostly Greater Imbue.” The giant beast shrugged as if to say it was her choice, but its eyes never left her.
“I thought about it.” She thought about her choice while rubbing the tip of her ear. “Radiant Missile might help, but it is not for me. Imbue might be good if I could shoot a gun. Inversion is the right choice, either I run through a crowd and get powered up, or I destroy my target. One way or another, my enemies will know I’m there when I dance among their corpses.”
Knuckles cracked as she squeezed her fists closed tightly. Thinking of one specific target brought her heart rate up and plastered a feral grin on her face. Everything she did now was to bring down that bitch.
“Damn. I do not know what happened to you in there, but I hope I am not your enemy, girl.”
“Keep calling me girl, and we will see.”
Midnight laughed, it was infectious, and she could not stop the chuckle from escaping. It took effort to remind herself that this dragon is an ally and that he had nothing to do with Vasia or Malinite.
“Ability granted, here comes the next choice.”
Congratulations! You have learned Inversion.
Inversion has been set as your Primary Active Skill. This is permanent and cannot be changed.
Event Bonus: Acquiring a Lost Ability
- Speed +1, Speed is now 8.
- Magic +2, Magic is now 11.
- Cognitive +1, Cognitive is now 8.
- Willpower +1, Willpower is now [Still Assessing]
Warning: Speed cannot exceed 8 at your current Strength. Any attribute gains in Speed are still awarded, but your effective speed will remain at 8 until you increase your Strength.
Please choose one of these secondary skills. Remember, these skills can be swapped in and out of your skill bar as long as you are not in combat. Swapping skills reduces their effectiveness for thirty minutes.
Power Shot
- Affinity: Uses your strongest Affinity
- Restrictions: 1H weapons only
- Damage: Varies - depends on how much energy is drawn
- Range: Effective range is dependent on weapon
- Cool Down: 5 Minutes
- Feedback: 15% per shot
- Effect 1: Accumulates elemental energy into one massive shot
Radiant Flare
- Affinity: Radiant
- Restrictions: All affinities must be greater than 50%
- Damage: None
- Range: 100 yards
- Duration: 10 seconds
- Cool Down: 30 seconds
- Feedback: 10% per cast
- Effect 1: Creates a flare around your target, potentially blinding everyone in the area.
- Effect 2: Increases aggression towards caster.
Elemental Sonar
- Affinity: Radiant
- Restrictions: All Affinities must be greater than 65%
- Range: 30-Foot radius of caster
- Duration: 10 minutes
- Cool Down: 5 seconds
- Feedback: 30% per cast
- Effect 1: Sends out a magical pulse. This pulse will coat all magical objects with an Elemental Shield.
- Effect 2:
- Qualifications: Must have the Seer title
- Note: This ability uses an Elemental Shielding to cover magical items. Without a Seer ability, the caster will not be able to see the highlighted items.
Boh pulled on the tip of her ear while she thought about the choices. She already knew that all Secondary skills could all be learned, but she had a feeling that finding someone to teach her Elemental Sonar was going to be difficult.
“Elemental Sonar,” she said.
“Odd choice.” Midnight gave her a speculating look. “One of those is an offensive skill, why Sonar?”
“Do you know anyone that could teach Sonar to me? I bet you know several that could teach me the others.”
“Hmm, unexpectedly practical.”
“Ass.”
“I have to ask— are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Congratulations! You have learned Elemental Sonar.
Current Skill Slots
[]Active Skill Slots:
Primary
[Inversion]
[Transfusion] - Dragon Primary
Secondary
[Elemental Sonar]
[]Secondary Skill Slots:
Primary
[Piercing the Veil]
[Empty - Reserved] – Dragon Primary
Secondary
[Empty]
“Now for the last part, come closer and put your hand on mine.” Midnight extended his large talon, and the underside of it had no scales. Just like Malinite, which made her involuntarily step away. She saw the cat-like pupil in his eye narrow, but otherwise, he made no other action that she could see. She put her hand in his talon, and it felt warm and dry.
“You were already tested… that cannot be right.” She heard him say with a startled voice.
A steady vibration started emanating from Midnight’s Talon, working its way into her hand. At first, it was not unpleasant, but as the intensity grew her hand felt like a thousand ants were biting her skin.
The pain was not unknown to her, but it made her heart race thinking about her old life. All the self-meditation tricks came out as she sought a way to ignore the growing pain that kept inching its way up her arm.
At some point, she could feel the tears beading at the corners of her eyes but refused to budge. She refused to give in again, refused to back down. She was stronger than that. She stared out into the night, seeing and feeling the magic going through every molecule in her body. Time lost meaning as she started to lose awareness of herself.
Boh
Chapter 23
Assessment
Multiple Sclerosis hospitalized me on occasion. I looked at my future and could only see the pain like a blizzard blotting out the horizon. I told cancer girl about my blizzard. She just laughed and asked if we could build a snowman…
Universe… you suck.
-from Boh, Audio Roll 1388
Her eyes snapped open, and she shoved herself back away from the big dragon looming over her. She bit off her scream when she realized who it was, but not before he saw her fear.
The pain that shot up through her arm nearly made her cry out, but she curled her arm up tightly to her chest. It slowly dawned on her where she was again.
“What happened?”
“Something interfered with your Trial. I am not allowed to ask, but you are free to talk about it if you want.”
She shook her head.
“Boh, I do not doubt your strength, nor your willpower. Your final test alone shows you have nothing to worry about in either regard. Your willpower scored higher than any I have ever seen. I am not your enemy, and we will be together for a while yet.”
“What does that mean?”
“I am your mentor; I am with you until you either bond a dragon or the gods have determined that I am no longer needed.”
She did not know bonding ended with Midnight leaving, forced or not. It would have to remain her secret because she refused to acknowledge the bond as legit. If he knew the truth, would this dragon abandon her too?
Another reason to kill the Dark Queen, because she did not want to lie to Midnight. He did nothing to deserve the treatment she gave him.
Midnight sighed before speaking again. “Here are your final rewards.”
Your base Charisma is 4. Charisma is now 4. Most cities will hold you in neutral regard, and you will not gain any particular advantages in convincing townsfolk to aid you or give you better deals.
Your base Luck is 3. Luck is now 4. You do not rely on chance, but take risks based on strategy. In this, luck will favor you.
Your base Faith is 6. Faith is now 7. You have an indomitable spirit. You believe even when you have no basis for doing so. Co
urage will reward you.
Your base Willpower is 9. Willpower is now 12. Death fears your will to survive and refuses to open the door until he is sure you are dead.
Quest Completed: The Champion Trials
- Details: All residents of Seventh Talon are born with primary abilities. Champions come into this world without these abilities and must discover the Remnants of their Lost Abilities. Remember, in the Trials every action is assessed by the gods.
“Your willpower is the strongest I have tested. Even when you lost consciousness, you remained standing for another five minutes.”
“Now what?” She asked, and stood up to stretch out her sore arm.
“Now you choose your people, and we go for a ride.”
“What people can I choose?” She asked, not sure how the social makeup of this game worked.
“I will save you time and tell you to ally with the Haase Talon. They are to the north along a chain of mountains uninhabitable by two-legs. You are fierce for a female two-leg, but you have to be more. If you want to be a Dragonrider, Haase is going to be the best place for you. I feel I owe it to you to make sure you become a Dragonrider, and out of all the females that have tested, you do stand out.”
“Why Haase?”
“They are at war, and in war, very few two-legs will join up with a losing team. Dragons are stronger with a rider, and they’ve been known to do desperate things.”
“Like take a female rider?”
“Possibly. Young dragons are impetuous and egotistical but not necessarily stupid. A rider gives them strong advantages.”