by Aleron Kong
Life 50%
Mental 65%
Spiritual 15%
Race: Human (Chaos Seed)
Reputation: Lvl 3 “You seem like someone worthy of my attention.”
Alignment: Neutral
Language: All
He breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that the debuff had been removed. That sigh turned into a grunt of discomfort because even this small arm movement shot pain through his body. Thank Abrams and Whedon for Sumiko! He couldn’t think of any other reason why he wasn’t a vegetable. His health potions and healing spells couldn’t even heal bone, let alone mend something complicated like a skull fracture. Richter started thinking that he would have to do something nice for the old sprite… like get her a fruit basket… or a gigolo. He started to chuckle to himself, but it made his baseline headache flair. Realizing that he might have just been the recipient of instant karma, he kept going through his prompts. The next one had been auto-minimized as it was from mid-battle. It made him realize that there might be an argument for having some prompts appear in an unobtrusive way while fighting. This one could have saved him a lot of pain.
You are attempting to use an item: Quicksilver Collar of Submission, on a creature of the wrong size. This item may only be used on medium or small creatures. Take it to an Enchanter if you wish for it to be resized.
Richter grimaced. Well, that explained about the collar not fitting. He had just thought it was too small, but it turned out that certain items were graded for certain beings. From his first lore book, he remembered that humans, elves, and dwarves were considered medium in size. A sprite or goblin would most likely be considered small, though he didn’t know what a half-blood like Yoshi would be. He guessed he would put the rock giant in the ‘too fucking big’ category. In retrospect, Richter realized it had been a dumb risk to stand over a still living behemoth and try to capture it, not once, but three times. As he thought about it, that particular moment felt surreal. He could only remember that it had felt like he was riding a high. In his mind, he had been untouchable, and he could remember believing at a core level that anything he wanted could come true just because he willed it.
Was that the consequence of using Spirit magic, he asked himself. Richter took a long, slow breath. Deep magic was powerful, but it was clearly also dangerous. He resolved to learn more about it and practice it in controlled conditions before relying on it again in battle. Before he got back to going through his prompts, though, he remembered one other thing about using Spirit magic that was even more disturbing. He had loved the way it felt and right now was eager to use it again. Richter didn’t feel ready to deal with the implications of that yet, so he went on to the next notification.
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 13 in Light Armor. +2% to defense of all light armor.
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 2 in Beast Bonding. +1% effectiveness to Tame. +1% attack and defense to bonded creatures.
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 9 in War Leader. +1% effective distance. +1% attack and defense for all allies.
You have completed the Quest: Hunters or Hunted II. The dangerous creature your hunters had noted was the same rock giant that you had met previously. The monster had marked you for death for having the audacity to wound it previously. Nonetheless, you and your war party have vanquished it!
+100% experience for your entire war party for vanquishing a mortal enemy of their leader!
Reward: 37,500 (base 15,000) experience.
Reward: Restoration of full hunting grounds for the Mist Village
Reward: Village-wide Loyalty +5 (+10 for hunters).
Reward: Increased regard of the hunters for you.
You have trapped the soul of a Rock Giant! Soul level: Luminous.
Richter paused again and accessed his inventory. Seeing a new, glowing soul stone, he read the description and saw that indeed it contained the soul of the rock giant. Richter smiled and crooked his index finger at the inventory window, waving to the captured creature. “Hey, asshole,” he said quietly but with intense satisfaction. The collar may not have worked, but he would take the soul as a consolation prize. More than pleased, he went through the rest of the prompts.
For slaying one Rock Giant, you have been awarded 5 War Points! Total War Points: 286.
You have been awarded 10,101 experience (base 134,686 x 0.06 x 1.25) from Brain Drain against Level 15 Rock Giant.
TRING!
You have reached level 31! Through hard work you have moved forward along your path. As a Chaos Seed, you gain 6 points to distribute to characteristics instead of the usual 4. You also receive 15 Talent points instead of the usual 10. +5 Talent points for 100% affinity in Enchanting. You also get 25% advancement to the skill of your choice! Crush your enemies, honor your allies, LIVE!
You have either characteristic points or skill percentage points to allocate from the previous level. Now that you have progressed again, you must allocate your points within the next week, or they will randomly be assigned for you.
Futen had floated into the room while Richter was going through the prompts. With a final smile, Richter dismissed his last notification. Focusing on the remnant, he asked, “How did I get back here?”
“I believe that you were carried back to the village by Smith Krom, my lord.”
Richer nodded, “Did all of the members of the war party make it back safely?”
The light at the center of the grey orb pulsed, “There were several injuries, some quite serious. None were fatal, however. Lady Sumiko and her healers fixed the damage.”
Richter exhaled a small sigh of relief. His assumption about the war party had been correct. “What about my snake? The shale adder?”
“That is on the floor, Lord Richter,” came the monotone reply.
“What?” Richter shouted, sitting up quickly. The movement made his headache flare again, but it didn’t stop him from peering over the edge of the bed. Sure enough, after a second he picked out the form of the snake blending in with the grey marble of the floor. It raised its head upon hearing the bed creak and its red tongue flicked out of its mouth before it lay back down again. Richter was seriously creeped out. Every child learned there weren’t any monsters under the bed, but he had just learned that there was a monster under his bed. If he had stepped on the damn thing without knowing it was there, he might have been horribly scarred for years! Not to mention that a shriek of fright would not be in keeping with the badass aesthetic he was trying to cultivate.
Happy that the snake still seemed to be under control, Richter still couldn’t resist asking, “And everyone was okay with just leaving this giant predator resting under my bed?”
“When you were brought into the room, one of the villagers actually mentioned that very point, my lord. No one seemed willing to try and lay hands on the snake to stop it from following you, however. I believe it was decided to simply trust in the power you had over the beast.”
“Uh huh,” Richter said. Not that anyone would have known how long his control would actually last. After what had happened last time, he wasn’t even sure if he could risk casting Tame again. The Blood magic had seemingly taken away his self-control. He had tirelessly disarmed the assengai queen’s traps, not even considering that staying in a monster lair for hours might be a bad idea. He couldn’t even say that his decision to charge after the rock giant’s trail wasn’t influenced by the Blood magic and he had done that hours after he cast the spell. It was true that he probably would have followed the trail either way, but thinking about it now, attacking a twenty-foot tall rock monster head on, after calling it out no less, seemed the height of idiocy.
It was clear that using Weak Aura Lance was not completely safe either. Even though the twenty-four hour cooldown hadn’t expired yet, he was already itching to use it again. It had felt so… good. Richter shook his head. The Deep Magics were definitely more dangerous than wielding the Basic Elements. It was so frustrating, though!
The power of Blood and Spirit magic was incredible. The high level monster lying under his bed, meek as a freshly born puppy, was proof of that. That meant that he would have to cast Tame again soon, otherwise the snake would once again become a feral monster. It was also arguable that without Weak Aura Lance the war party might not have overcome the rock giant. The sonuvabitch had been tough!
“Gah!” Richter exclaimed, slapping the bed.
*Hmmm? What is wrong, master?* Alma thought at him sleepily.
Richter immediately felt bad at having awoken his injured familiar. He could see that her health bar was blessedly full, but Sumiko must have had a reason for binding her wings. *It’s nothing, my love. Go back to sleep.* he thought to her soothingly.
Rather than following his instruction though, Alma straightened her legs and arms and stood up. She walked over to his face and licked his cheek, *I know that you want to protect me, master, but I am not the simple creature that I was when you summoned me. I am your soul familiar and I am here to help you. Tell me what is wrong.*
Richter was taken aback by her gentle, but firm, tone. He could not argue with what she said. Alma had progressed massively since he had torn a hole in reality to summon her. The gaze she directed towards him was focused and intent. He decided he deserved the rebuke, *You’re right, Alma. I’m sorry. I do need to share more with you. What I’m concerned about is how out of control I feel when I use Blood or Spirit magic. Dangerous or not, though, I can’t just ignore the power those magics offer. I need to find a way to control myself.*
The dragonling continued to stare at him intently, *I think that I can help with that, master. My race has strong mental defenses. These defenses protect psi dragonlings from dangers without, but also from those within. Our Psi Bond gives you unconscious access to those same protections. With my help, you can begin to consciously use those defenses to control yourself. This will be a journey of discovery for both of us, but I know in my heart that I can help you, master.* The mental tone of her words transmitted feelings of love and support.
Richter smiled at her, *How do we start?*
For the next few hours, Richter and Alma rested in bed and she gently pushed her way through his mind. During their communion, he also began to get flashes of her past life and it was fascinating. She came from a world of dragons. Small and large, intelligent and bestial, dragons of all types were the dominant species of her planet. He wasn’t able to get too many details, but what he did see was tantalizing.
The level of understanding between them deepened in the same way that friendship deepened during a night of soulful sharing. She guided him through techniques of mental control that were instinctual to her kind, but instructed him in a way that transcended language. Concepts were offered to him at the speed of thought, and as they swam through each other’s memories, they grew to know both each other, and themselves, better. The defensive techniques that Richter learned as they communed were rudimentary, but after hours of training he had earned several prompts.
Know This! The journey to know oneself is a path without an end, but each step brings you closer to your truth. The mental training you have begun has long been honored by mystics and madmen. You have learned a new skill: Self Awareness.
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 2 in Self Awareness. +2% mental and emotional control.
…
Congratulations! You have reached skill level 7 in Self Awareness. +2% mental and emotional control.
They practiced various techniques through the night. Both master and familiar began to enjoy themselves as they launched mental attacks at one another, teaching and learning simultaneously. This continued into the morning and they only stopped when Randolphus came into the room to check on his lord.
“You are awake,” the chamberlain said in greeting.
“Nice to see you too, Randy,” Richter said with a faint smile.
Randolphus looked down at the adder on the floor and said, “Could we speak in the conference room, my lord? And perhaps your, ahem, pet could stay here?”
Richter nodded and threw back the sheets. He took a set of clothes out of his Bag and while donning them asked, “Do you know where my sword and armor are?”
“Your armor had apparently taken quite a beating, my lord. It is being repaired in the forge. I believe Captain Terrod took your sword there as well.”
Richter nodded and finished dressing. They walked out of the room and over to the conference room. The snake started to stir, but Richter mentally ordered it to stay put and it settled back down to the floor. Before leaving, Richter picked Alma up and placed the dragonling in her favorite spot, atop his shoulders.
As they walked, Randolphus asked, “Are you a beast tamer now as well, my lord? It seems that your powers know no bounds.”
“Not exactly a tamer,” Richter replied. “I do have a skill called Beast Bonding, though.”
The chamberlain stopped walking and looked at Richter sharply, “Blood magic?”
Richter paused, interested both in the chamberlain’s reaction and his immediate knowledge of the skill. Instead of answering, he asked his own question, “What do you know about it?”
Randolphus’s lips twitched in an effort to control his expression. Finally, he said, “I know that such magic is dangerous, my lord. There are countless examples of magician’s losing their minds and becoming like beasts themselves. Deep Magic is not to be trifled with.”
Richter was initially irritated at being scolded in such a manner, but he controlled himself. It actually seemed quite easy to reign in his emotions. He realized his new skill was already coming to bear. Instead of snapping, he said in a measured voice, “I appreciate your concern, chamberlain. I quite agree with you about the dangers. You must trust me that I am taking steps to deal with this.”
Randolphus looked at him for another moment before nodding resignedly. The two men started walking again and didn’t speak until they were sitting across from each other at the conference table. The chamberlain stared at his liege and said, “Lord Richter, you were almost killed. Again. I saw you before Lady Sumiko healed you. There was a rock sticking out of the top of your head. When it was removed, I could see that it had left a dent in your skull. If anyone other than a Life master had been here, you would have died or been left with permanent brain damage.” Randolphus took a deep breath before continuing, “I have the utmost respect for you, my lord. I have the utmost respect for what you have done and sacrificed for your people. I would be remiss however, if I did not say that you are taking too many risks. You do not need to lead every assault, and you do not need to conquer every dungeon! I do what I can to make this village more successful, but you must help me!”
While the man had been talking, Richter could see the stress in his chamberlain. He saw the toll that running the village had taken on his seemingly tireless steward. Randolphus had seen to the daily activities of hundreds of people, of various cultures and various races. Not once had the man complained or wavered. Seeing him lose his cool now though, Richter realized that he had been asking too much.
Richter leaned in and put a hand on Randolphus’s shoulder, “I’m sorry. You’re right that I need to support you more. You are truly invaluable and I think this village would fall apart without you. I cannot tell you that I will stop taking risks, because I believe the time is soon coming where my strength will be tested. All of our lives may depend on how powerful I have become when that happens. That means I must sacrifice, gamble and accept the pain that comes from pushing the boundaries of what I am currently capable of. With all that being said though, what can I do to help?”
Silence presided over the table for several moments before Randolphus said, “Well I do have some reports I need to go over with you.”
Richter gave a long-suffering sigh, softened by a faint smile at the end and said, “Of course you do. What’s the first item on the agenda?”
CHAPTER 3 -- Day 111 -- Kuborn 1, 15368 EBG
The two
men talked for a good hour and a half. Richter also authorized Randolphus to hire two of the workers to serve as dedicated aides. The relief on the chamberlain’s face was comical. For a second, Richter felt bad for whomever Randy chose to help out, sure that the man would be a taskmaster, but then he figured it was tough all around.
While they had been speaking, Richter had sent Futen to retrieve Sumiko. The sprite Life master entered the room with her usual flare, “Who said that you could get out of bed? Your brains were hanging half out when you came back! The bones could still be setting together! If you like having a large crack in your skull, I can give you another!” She shook her cane at him threateningly.
Richter raised both hands to placate her, “Thank you, Sumiko. You have saved me again. I truly don’t know what I would do without you.”
She sniffed at him in disdain, but didn’t start haranguing him again. Richter took that as a good sign and continued, “I was told that everyone from the war party is alright. I hope that you can confirm that.”
Sumiko rolled her eyes and huffed, “Yes, though many were in almost as bad shape as you were. Those two mages are still resting and being checked over by some of my healers. They both suffered massive internal trauma and will need to be healed in stages. You are lucky you didn’t suffer any major brain damage or you would be lying beside them in that pitiful excuse for an infirmary you have me working in. There is no guarantee that even I could repair that type of damage.”
Richter felt a chill. Despite his quasi-immortal status, it was both a useful and frightening reminder that there were worse things than death. Living as a vegetable was not his idea of a good time. Richter thanked her again and also told her that he had picked up on her not-so-subtle hint. Making the healer’s hut was a priority.
“What about Alma? Are her wings okay?” This was the other main reason he had wanted to speak with the healer.
Sumiko cast a quick spell and extended her hand towards the dragonling. A nimbus of gold light surrounded both her hand and Alma, and a thin tether of the same light connected them. The healer closed her eyes and lowered her head, concentrating. Soon she opened her eyes and smiled fondly down at the familiar though. The spell faded and Sumiko reached out and unbound the bandage. As soon her wings were free, Alma gave a cry of joy and launched into the air, circling above their heads. To Richter’s delight, her delicate scales had regenerated as well.