A Mage Rising: (The Chronicles of Herst 2: A LitRPG Saga)

by Thomas Whipple

  LEVEL UP! You have increased your level by 1. You are now level 19. As a Void Human you get 6 points to apply to your Stats and 1 Talent Point. As you are a Mage +1 INT +1 WIS are allocated. You currently have 4 undistributed SP and 1 undistributed TP. You can distribute these from your status page. Continue to increase your level to follow the path of true power. Fight for the RIGHT to survive!

  LEVEL UP! Your Familiar Thia has increased in level by 1. Thia is now level 19. As your Familiar she gets 5 points to apply to her Stats and 1 Talent Point. Thia currently has 5 undistributed SP and 1 undistributed TP. You can distribute these from your familiar’s status page. Continue to increase your Familiar’s level to follow the path of true power. Fight for the RIGHT to survive!

  Even that isn’t enough to raise my spirits significantly though. After watching the people defending this town die on that wall I’m starting to wonder if it was a good idea to lead everyone here. I push that thought aside, because where else was I supposed to take them. If they remained in Efftin then they may have all been blood thralls themselves at this point. Or worse. The experience of killing all the blood thralls that were all higher in levels than me brought in a lot of experience toward level nineteen and then a good portion more. I’m actually more than half way to twenty. There is one other message waiting for me.

  Quest: Blood Feud: Completed. Bonus objective completion amount: Good. Calculating reward……Extra experience granted. Bonus objective reward for original quest holder: Sanguine Tide Bulwark title gained.

  I wasn’t expecting a new title, that is for sure. The message was odd as well. I haven’t seen one that looked quite like a computer message with a calculation and all before. Knowing that Gwydia is likely the one creating them I suspect she is being a little snarky. Oddly enough, it kind of lifts a little bit of the weight I have been feeling since the death of my people on the wall. I never meant it as much as I do at this moment. MY people. My responsibility. But most importantly, we are all in this together. My reverie is interrupted at this point when I hear yelling from outside. At first I think it might be another attack but then I realize the sound is cheering.

  I try to untangle myself from the girls that have me hemmed in, but my rush wakes them. They all look bleary eyed from their nap, but eventually they all perk up when they hear the cheering from outside. “What is happening?” asks Azzaria.

  “I don’t know, but lets go check it out.” We all get up from the bed and head to the balcony. Standing out there overlooking the town I can see numerous citizens of Thunderbird’s Roost are standing out on the streets. They are all celebrating and cheering boisterously from below. Many even raise a fist to the air in our direction. “What is going on out here?”

  “Um, Vol?” I turn to the voice as I hear Gem come out on the balcony with us. “Did you complete a quest for the town?” I answer her question with a curious nod and she continues. “Some of them give experience to everyone in town. I think the one you completed was worth a lot. I was participating in the fighting so I gained a level and I’m now level seventeen. Lower level people in the town that didn’t participate probably still got enough experience to increase a level. For most regular people it’s a real achievement.”

  Huh. I guess that makes sense. It must not have completed for everyone until after I opened the completion message for the quest. That is why everyone is celebrating now. I’m glad I didn’t bother to look until I had a nap. The moral increase after the deaths of the walls defenders is good. We needed it. I notice that I have another message waiting for me to review now. Opening it I just stare for a moment. The quest completion must have pushed me over the edge too.

  LEVEL UP! You have increased your level by 1. You are now level 20. As a Void Human you get 6 points to apply to your Stats and 1 Talent Point. As you are a Mage +1 INT +1 WIS are allocated. You currently have 8 undistributed SP and 2 undistributed Celestial Mage TP. You can distribute these from your status page. Continue to increase your level to follow the path of true power. Fight for the RIGHT to survive!

  LEVEL UP! Your Familiar Thia has increased in level by 1. Thia is now level 20. As your Familiar she gets 5 points to apply to her Stats and 2 Talent Points. Thia currently has 10 undistributed SP and 3 undistributed TP. You can distribute these from your familiar’s status page. Continue to increase your Familiar’s level to follow the path of true power. Fight for the RIGHT to survive!

  Congratulations! You have met another milestone in your development, and can now select a second subclass. Your level will be on hold and any gains to your character after this point will be deferred for one day. At the end of one day if you have not selected a subclass, one will be automatically assigned to you. You can access the class selection menu from your status page.

  Congratulations! You have reached 50 natural INT. Your mind expands and you can perceive things with greater speed and retain information better. You gained the ability Quick Study.

  “I reached level twenty from the quest completion!” shouts Azzaria.

  I give her a smile as I see her hop up and down. “Me too.” She stops bouncing for a moment when she hears me, and then she is crushing my ribs with a hug. Her physical stats are higher than mine so her enthusiasm actually takes a few HP off. I ignore it and return the hug. After a minute I pull back to look them all in the eyes. “There are important choices to be made now, and I don’t like the risk of waiting to make them. We should all go back to bed and lay down so we can take care of them before we meet with the rest of the council.” At this there are nods from everyone except for Gem. Noticing her, I remember that she is the only one who didn’t make level twenty for their second subclass yet. “Can you look after us as we take care of our subclass selection Gem”

  She looks surprised for a moment after I ask her this. Maybe it’s odd that I would trust her so soon after meeting her, but with her oath and my instincts I decide to do so. Plus Thia doesn’t really have a class selection like me and Azzaria so she will still be conscious. I don’t know about Timbre though. “I would be honored Vol.” She is respectful and the fervor in her eyes lights up her face and making me pretty sure I don’t need Thia as a backup precaution. We all head back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed as Gem takes a guard position at the door. Before I do anything else I check the new title and ability I gained.

  Title: Sanguine Tide Bulwark: You have encountered the minions of the blood goddess and your people have survived the Sanguine Tide. You receive +10% to Blood magic resistance while you remain free of its influence.

  Ability: Quick Study lvl MAX: Your high intelligence allows you to study and retain information at an increased rate. +10% to leveling speed for abilities and skill.

  As I have been before I start with assigning the SP for Thia. First I place three into AGI and one into VIT. Then I split the last six between INT and WIS. Next I move on to her talent tree. Branching off from Ride the Lighting is a talent I have been putting off for a while since there always seems to be better options. Not any more. Concussive Landing. It allows Thia to create a concussive discharge in an area around her at the end point of her Ride the Lightning Skill. The first talent point makes the area of damage a five foot radius, and the second point makes it a ten foot radius, adds a lightning effect, and increases damage. Last is a talent that branches off Concussive Landing called Ghost Lightning. This talent lets Thia pass through solid objects when using Ride the Lightning. It will also cause damage to living things should she pass through them in transit.

  As I’m about to close out the talent tree for Thia I notice what is newly available now that she has a total of 30 points into the tree. From the path starting with the Familiar Bond is a new item that has my mouth watering. After Two Formed, and only available starting at 31 points in the talent tree, is a talent called Mount Form. From the description it will increase Thia’s size so that she can carry people. This may seem unnecessary since I have a spell for a portal, but that has a long cooldown and still doesn�
�t allow me to fly.

  Also, I can only travel to places I have been before, but with a flying mount I can get to new places much quicker and easier. Unfortunately I will need to wait for the next level for that. I should also talk to Thia about it more too. I mean, I am getting excited about literally riding her. Not that way either. I assume this will be a much less fun ride for her. I hope. The last thing I notice before I close out Thia’s status is how she now has another 100 HP and 200 MP with her new milestone.

  Next I open my own status and see the blinking box for my second subclass. I ignore effect for the moment to save it for last. I move on to the 8 SP I have to distribute. Following my normal start I put another point into INT and WIS per level, so two each. This also has the added consequence of bringing my WIS to 50 as well. The message icon lights once again but I put off checking to finish distributing the SP. There are four points left and I place one into VIT and AGI. The last two go into STR. I placed two points into STR because I’m worried that the new Armor I have being made may need more strength than I have. Now to check the new message.

  Congratulations! You have reached 50 natural WIS. Your mind becomes more complicated and you make connections to information faster for better analysis. You gained the ability Comprehensive Analysis.

  Ability: Comprehensive Analysis lvl MAX: Your high wisdom allows you to analyze and connect information at an increased rate. Increased comprehension of all information.

  Symbioses detected. Requirements met: Greater Adaptability, Quick Study, Comprehensive Analysis. These abilities have been combined into Advanced Adaptability lvl MAX.

  Ability: Advanced Adaptability: A combination of Greater Adaptability, Quick Study, and Comprehensive Analysis. Increases the speed of leveling skills and abilities, includes learning the first level. Makes learning, retaining, and processing information faster and easier for increased speed of adaptation. Your thoughts are clear and your wits are sharp. Grants one extra SP per level.

  Now that was unexpected. It seems like my racial ability was upgraded. I also notice the changes right away. I have either perfect recall or something very close to it now. Understanding also comes much quicker than it did before. It’s an odd feeling and I can’t be sure of the full effects until I have a better chance to test. After the cascade of messages I’m able to place my two talent points into Spell armament. According to the description, this will allow me to pre-cast a number of spells and save them in a temporal stasis to be released at will. The first TP allows for two armed spells and the second allows for four. Eager to play with that new ability I refrain, and focus on the next thing I need to do. My mind zeros in on the blinking square for my new subclass and my stomach lurches. There is the feeling of falling as my consciousness is pulled into the square.

  Epilogue

  “Torq has made a move against your champion” says a hooded skeleton.

  Turning away from the star studded depths of space before her a glowing haired goddess looks to the speaker and responds. “Yes brother. I saw this. One of Sofia’s chosen has joined him though.”

  Releasing a raspy chuckle the god of death, Morsith, places a companionable hand on her shoulder. “Yes. I thought she was fond of that one, so I was confused as to why she allowed her to be enslaved. Perhaps she has been conversing with one of our more capricious and eccentric siblings. Almost as if she knew the future.” At the last part the skeleton’s dark hood alternately bobs up and down on the left and right where its eyebrows would be.

  A lilting giggle comes from his sister. “Wherever did you learn such a gesture?”

  “I’ve been watching for far longer than you and your recent return of interest. And not just this planet. I may not be able to do anything as a god on the origin planet of your champion, but that doesn’t mean I can’t visit as a mortal. I’m quite fond of the comedies that come from there. Especially what they call gallows humor.” Another series of hood bobbing ensues.

  “Oh brother” Gwydia responds with barely suppressed laughter in her voice. “That is what they call bad humor I think.” Then, in a more serious tone “I didn’t think Torq would act so soon. Hot blooded she may be, but never as hasty as this.”

  “Yes. We should keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t overstep. Her Champion controls a part of the lay line. Perhaps Torq wants her pet to take the Mana Fount it originates from before your human can come into his true power. Whatever the case is she actually helped you and alerted everyone of the danger her minions present. And what do you think of Sofia?”

  Gwydia releases a full smile now. “Sister is with us. She came by to talk to me after Torq’s pets converted all those soldiers. I get the impression she has been holding back a visit while the others decided on there positions with me.” Her smile turns wistful. “She was excited to see me active once again.”

  “Dear sister. We all missed you when you were in seclusion. Though you were not truly away, you were not the same. Many of us are happy that you are showing some of your old self.” Morsith drops his hand as Gwydia turns back to the starlit view.

  Taking in a big breath, though she doesn’t need to breath, she lets it out in a long sigh. “It was hard when he fell. Everything got way out of hand and some of our siblings revealed truly vile things about themselves in that confrontation.”

  Turning to the view himself, Morsith just stands with his sister for a time. “Yes that was truly a dark time. The world is only recovering now. I fear if Torq and some of the others get their way that a war would be pointless. Who wants to reign supreme on a dead rock? I pray to myself that it should never come to pass again.”

  Quietly there is a reply from the goddess, serious but a hint of a smile can be heard in her words. “Gallows humor indeed.”

  *******

  On an Altar made of a stone so dark red it nearly appears black sits a large chalice of silver and gold. Garnets and rubies adorn the outside rim of the vessel. A voice comes from inside as the red liquid within vibrates on the surface. “Your minions failed me my servant.”

  Kneeling before the Altar and the chalice is a striking woman. Lips of deepest red set in a perpetual pout sit beneath cold calculating eyes that glimmer red. Pale skin accentuates her black waist-long hair. A complementing contrast. “That was no failure my goddess. Only a test. They will not stand the full force of the Sanguine Tide.”

  “He is aware of you now. That was a mistake. Do not fail me again. When shall you be ready then?”

  “Soon your graciousness. You shall get your sacrifice as you deserve.” With that the pale woman presses her face to the stone beneath her in the dark room.

  “Good” is the only reply heard from the chalice upon the Altar. Silence falls and the woman remains in supplication for minutes, the only light the dim flicker of torches in sconces along the wall. Eventually she stands and steps up to the macabre Altar, tortured images of blood and sacrifice can now be seen in the surface when she is close enough. She looks into the gem encrusted vessel to find it completely empty. Leaving the item there, for no one would dare to touch it besides her, she turns and quickly leaves the room.

  *******

  Falling again. At least this time I’m expecting it, having done this once before. Being more prepared this time I direct my feet to the ground. When I hit I bend and let my legs take most of the fall, going down to one knee and punching a fist into the ground with my other hand held out to the side. Superhero Landing! I bet it looked amazing. Perfect ten on the superhero entrance scale. Too bad there was no one there to see it. Okay, the image was probably ruined a moment later by the, completely manly, whimpering sound that comes out of my mouth. For one perfect moment though, I was a badass. The showy move didn’t break all of my bones and reduce me to a quivering pile of mush, not being real and all, but it still HURT. Last time I crash landed here there wasn’t nearly this much pain, but I guess that is what I get for showing off. I remain in my completely impractical pose for some time as I wait for the paralyzin
g waves of pain to subside. Not even able to fall onto my side, I just endure.

  When I feel like most of it has passed I try to stand up. The movement seems to unlock my paralysis but also brings back the pain, causing me to flop onto my side. In this position I’m able to slowly stretch out and the pain seems to pass faster this time. The majority of my metaphysical pain gone, I stand up fully. Maybe next time I’ll just try and roll through the landing and avoid any delays as best as possible. Looking around at the grove of reality defying trees, I observe carefully. This place looks even larger than it was before, but I expect that is a result of more possibilities. The fog at the edge receding to reveal the new options.

  I start my perusal of the trees in the grove. One catches my eye for the interesting effect it has. Obviously a class with a water type. I’m interested because it isn’t simply made of water like I had seen when I first started walking. It looks like a tree still but there is water that flows up it covering the whole thing. The water is moving though, receding and uncovering the branches to then slowly reclaim them. Stepping up to it I read the description.