Instead of howling winds, the two heard the Sirocco’s fuselage and gears squeak as they walked into an oval-shaped room. In the middle floated the astral cluster, a crystal roughly half the size of a man, sparkling with rainbow light when you peered directly at its center. On the floor near the walls were various locked storage chests, tainted by the corruption to store an infinite number of items inside, namely weapons, armor, accessories, sigils, and spare asteriarite.
She led Guy into the room, this time remembering not to hold his hand. “That is the astral cluster,” Tempeste said, as she pointed at it. “Touching it will allow you to switch your class or assign a subclass.”
Tempeste showed Guy how, by placing her left hand upon the warm and smooth crystal. A screen opened ahead of her as she did. It gave her the option to change her main or subclass to any of the classes she had unlocked. Tempeste selected Mage as her primary and Cleric as her sub, then tapped the confirmation button.
A burst of white light sparked and twisted around her body, illuminating the chamber’s walls for a second. It faded, delivering to Tempeste her desired results. Her brawn and knowledge of a swordswoman diminished as her intellect and ability to bend the elements to her will surged.
She was a Mage—
Clank.
Her armor peeled off her frame and fell to the floor, along with her sword and accessories. She lacked the strength required to equip it.
“Oh shit,” Guy cried out.
“Worry not,” Tempeste said, and waved for her Inventory screen to appear. “That was my fault. I forgot that my body is weaker as a Mage of this level.” She lowered herself to the ground, dragged her Spellsword Maiden’s Dress Tabard and Spellsword Saber into the screen, then fetched her Lumière Sorcerer’s Dress from the screen—
Something was wrong, and she could see it on Guy’s face. It had turned red, and he was staring up at the ceiling. Tempeste tilted her head to the right, peculiarly staring at him. “Is there something wrong, Guy?”
Still looking up, Guy pointed down at her. “Well, uh.”
Tempeste looked down and saw her bare feet. Her equipment fell off and exposed her breasts and blonde pubic hair to Guy after she switched classes. Now Tempeste was the one with red cheeks—her shoulders too. She retrieved the Lumière Sorcerer’s Dress, slipped into it as matching undergarments flashed into existence on her.
“My apologies . . .” Tempeste stood. “It has been a while since I’ve switched classes. You may look at me again.”
He did so and saw what she had become. Instead of an armored Spellsword Berserker, Guy saw Tempeste stand wearing her Lumière Sorcerer’s Dress, a red skirt matching a low-cut halter top with long thigh-high boots. Her Gladiator sigil, exclusive to the Berserker class, faded and appeared in her inventory.
“So it’d be wise to make sure you have gear ready to switch into when changing classes,” Guy said.
“Yes, or wear uncorrupted undergarments and clothing along with your armor, such as your long coat and pants.”
“Anything else?”
“You can only use half of your subclass’s level,” Tempeste said, then explained further. “For example, as a level 20 Berserker using a Mage subclass, I can access traits from a Mage up to level 10. At level 21, I will still be restricted to level 10 Mage traits. But, when my Berserker attains level 22, I will be able to use level 11 Mage traits.”
“What are the benefits?”
“Your base stats will increase, depending on what you select your subclass to be.” Tempeste spun to the astral cluster, placing her hand on it once more to change her class. “Um, turn for a moment.” Guy put his back to her. Tempeste altered her main class, restoring it to Berserker and Mage as her subclass.
A wave of astral energy forced her Lumière Sorcerer’s Dress to fall from her body as its matching undergarments faded away. She no longer possessed the intelligence required to equip it. Tempeste was a naked elf again, standing before the shimmering crystal in the room. She retrieved her Spellsword Maiden’s Dress Tabard and Spellsword Saber from her Inventory screen, got back into the tabard and felt everything click in place, undergarments and all.
“Turn back,” she said. Guy did so to see that Tempeste’s Spellsword Berserker form had returned. “As you can see, I have MP because Mages do. I can use the Magus sigil too because I have access to the Mage trait that enables me to use it.” Tempeste pointed at the Magus sigil that returned on her body just above her cleavage. “Believe it or not, while my armor shows a lot of my skin, it is not there to dazzle. It is there for me to keep as many sigils as possible exposed. As a Berserker using a Mage subclass, I have a number of sigils that I need to place on my body to learn new spells.”
“But the trade-off is, your armor has a weaker defense stat.”
She nodded. “Correct.”
“Why not just be a Mage main then?” he asked. “Other than the fact your Berserker is a higher level.”
“True, as a Mage main, I could cast spells that will deliver far greater damage and have more MP. But using a Mage subclass gives my Berserker spells it could not use. Surely, by now, you have seen my blade spark with electricity, right?”
“Yeah,” Guy said and paused as he put it together. “Wait, so enchanting your sword like that was a Mage spell?”
“Indeed. If I were to change my sigil set up, I could also learn a Mage spell that could imbue my armor with elemental magic. As a Berserker, my attack range is limited to the reach of my sword or an axe. But with a Mage subclass? I can cast spells on my targets, weaker ones when compared to a Mage main, of course.”
Guy crossed his arms and made a half-smile. “So, a Mage sub will give you the power to cast spells, boost your MP and Intelligence. What happens if you were to switch to, say, an Assassin subclass?”
“Then my Berserker’s base dexterity, agility, and strength will increase,” she said. “But I would, of course, lose all the benefits from a Mage subclass while acquiring the benefits an Assassin subclass will give me, such as dual wield and Assassin skills like Backstab and Stealth. Berserker Assassin is quite a viable setup and preferred by most members of our army. But I prefer to use a Mage sub. I am quite good at it.”
“Yeah, you were something else out there, Tempeste.”
“So were you, Guy.” She smiled at him. “I thought the PKers would kill you again, but they did not. Paladins are amazing, even without a subclass. I am curious what sort of power you can do with a subclass and better gear.”
“And I’m the only Paladin in existence, for some reason.”
“I am not surprised. We have seen no one, until now, who can use the Paladin class. Same with the Nox Knight class.”
The words “Nox Knight” caused his face to contort. Guy shut his eyes and clenched his fists. “I’ve seen a Nox Knight,” he finally said, his voice sour.
“Really?” Tempeste asked eagerly. “What are they like?”
“They’re like me, just infused with darkness rather than light. One was working with the Autumnfall Empire on Faeheim and the sentinels. He wanted my sword.”
“I wonder if the fae who allied with the dark elves are this, Autumnfall Empire you speak of.”
“Probably.” Guy took a deep breath. “If what you say is true, Tempeste, and Averyl is in Lumière with your people, then the empire must have found out and come to your world to take her.”
“And to do so, the Autumnfall Empire allied with our enemies in New Svartálfar to facilitate their goals.” A sad sigh passed her lips. The end of the age of light elves was near unless the Paladin before her grew stronger and fast.
“We’ll sort this out.” Guy stepped toward the astral cluster and touched it with his right hand. Nothing happened, of course. He did not meet the requirements to switch classes. He looked back at her, smiling. “Guess we’re going to need one of these, eh?”
“The astral cluster is a reward for completing the subclass quest,” she said, standing with him. “We could also len
d you one, as we have many spare ones on all our ships. Are you busy?”
Guy pulled away from the massive crystal, shaking his head. “Not really.”
“Would you care to duel me? I wish to see what your class is capable of.”
“A duel, eh?” A charming grin graced his handsome face. “Sure.”
Chapter Seventeen
Challenge Tempeste to a Duel? Yes/No
Guy pulled Asteria’s Sword off his back as the dueling screen floated ahead of him and Tempeste, its numbers ready to count down. Tempeste flicked aside a lock of her blonde hair, got a firm grip on her Spellsword Saber, and took a few steps backward.
The countdown timer began.
3.
Guy gave her a smile. “Don’t go easy on me, now.”
2.
A grin stretched her pink lips. “Promise me the same!”
1.
Duel Commence!
Tempeste opened the bout by casting Elemental Weapon: Lightning, making electrical lightning brighten her Spellsword Saber. Guy had a feeling she’d do that first, so that’s why he didn’t charge. He held his ground and went on the defensive. Tempeste went on the offense, and she walloped him. His muscles tensed up when the Spellsword Saber struck to deliver its shock, causing him to shake violently. Not all her attacks did that. He figured the shock effect was random, kind of like his human racial trait that prevented knockbacks. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.
Despite getting zapped each time he failed to evade and deflect Tempeste’s thrusts, he felt no fear. This was a duel and would end once his or her HP hit 1. It was impossible to kill your opponent during a duel. Their astral circuits would forbid it. At worst, Guy would feel pain, lots, and lots of excruciating pain, probably bleed all over the airship deck, but not die. An HP hypospray would heal him up if it came to that.
Speaking of which, Guy thought as he deflected her blade, then leaped back. It’d be best not to use any of my hypos. I don’t have many, and there’s really no point. She can’t kill me; this is just a practice fight.
Tempeste’s skills had impressed Guy. She was swift, persistent, and wielded the Spellsword Saber with incredible elegance and held up on her promise to not go easy on him. He figured Tempeste’s higher agility helped. Guy made a mental note to slot in some agility asteriarite into his gear. It should make his arms and hands swing Asteria’s Sword faster.
Like Guy, Tempeste didn’t possess the body or arms of a swordswoman. She was a slender woman with hands that looked very delicate, grasping her weapon’s hilt. Yet, she swung the Spellsword Saber like it weighed nothing, like she’d been training and working out her entire life and did it a hell of a lot better than Guy. The reality corruption was indeed a strange phenomenon. It put the knowledge of sword fighting into her mind and gave her arms and legs the strength needed to fight without spending a day working out. Tempeste looked like a pampered princess who could kill men twice her size in minutes. Guy couldn’t get over her appearance. Tempeste was what? 18? 19? With elves, it was hard to tell their age by looking because of their long life. She could be 45 for all Guy knew, and he’d never know it unless she told him.
Tempeste hadn’t broken a sweat since the duel started.
Guy had made little progress on his end since he was maintaining a defensive stance. All part of the plan, of course. He monitored Tempeste’s buffs, namely Elemental Weapon: Lightning. Like all buffs, it was bound to fade away. He just had to wait and endure. Elemental Weapon: Lightning’s buff faded, and Guy grinned and dashed in to go on the offense, striking Tempeste’s chest and arms to cancel her spell casting, rewarding him with AP. Now Tempeste began to sweat. Guy was preventing her from accessing her secret.
Until he missed a strike. Tempeste countered with an upward cleave, cutting a vertical red slice into Guy’s chest and removing almost 10 percent of his HP. She could beat him with 10 or 11 sword swings, never mind getting AP. The pain from the hit threw Guy back, and she recast Elemental Weapon: Lightning, bringing lightning bolts back to her blade. She came at him, and this time Guy tried something different. He had magic spells of his own now.
Guy raised Asteria’s Sword and cast Blinding Flash. A burst of white light blinded Tempeste, making her wince as she thrust her Spellsword Saber about, hitting the air where she assumed Guy was. It bought Guy time to use another spell, Lay on Hands. He topped up his HP, then moved to Tempeste’s side and swung horizontally. The first slash hit; his second slash met her blade. Then she faced him, despite the blindness. Tempeste was good with her ears, too.
Her eyesight returned. Tempeste shot him a smile and resumed where she left off. He repeated his maneuver and cast Blinding Flash to blind her. Guy opted to tiptoe behind her and push Asteria’s Sword into her back. Hard to parry something from behind, especially when blind.
Tempeste’s weapon enchantment faded. This was it. She came at him again. So he used Storm Slash, twisted around with his sword out, and knocked her into the wall. Tempeste leaped to her feet, went to recast Elemental Weapon: Lightning, took a diving slash from Guy instead—
Bam.
She spun with her leg out, clocking Guy upside his head. Her vision had returned. Guy shook off the pain that flared, then examined his MP.
Guy | MP: 39/244
Casting Lay on Hands wasn’t an option, neither was Flash. A flare of sparks fell off her blade. She had cast Elemental Weapon: Lightning then dashed across the gap hitting him in his arm. His body twitched, and he lost the power to stand. Tempeste hit him again, delivering another electrifying shock, filling the air with black smoke from his zapped skin and hair, and easily removed 10 percent of his HP with each swing. The debuff of shock with your HP below 25 percent was brutally painful. Tempeste had utterly dominated him and only had to rely on one spell to do it. Had Tempeste cast her other spells, then the duel would have ended earlier. She had gone easy on him.
Either that, or Tempeste didn’t want to use MP potions. Like me, they’d been a waste to use in a practice fight.
Duel Over!
Tempeste had Guy stun locked for so long he didn’t even see his HP fall to 1.
So that’s her trick. Get her target to 25 where the shock debuff activates frequently, then just shock them to death. He stared up at her. Damn, she’s a woman who could kick my ass. That’s kind of hot, I’m not gonna lie!
Tempeste sheathed the Spellsword Saber at her side, and lowered her free hand to Guy, offering it to him. “Your moves are impressive,” Tempeste said. “It is a pity I cannot use them.”
Guy accepted her hand, and she pulled him up. “I’d say become a Paladin,” he said. “But it seems only I have that luxury. You got some nice attacks too.”
“When you reach level 20, consider using a Berserker as your subclass. You will be able to use a few of the skills I have and possess increased strength and HP.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
Guy stood on his feet now, but his balance wavered thanks to his throbbing joints. Tempeste never released her grip on his hand, and he was glad for it. Her help was the sole reason Guy hadn’t fallen over. He steadied himself, shook off the pain, and peered at her. “I’m good, thanks.”
Tempeste released her hold. Guy tried to amble away—
And his legs gave out.
He collapsed forward and into Tempeste, his body weight pushing her back. She caught and held him in her arms, but wasn’t strong enough to keep him still. Tempeste fell backward while holding him. She never let go.
Crash.
An alluring pair of green eyes stared up at Guy. He had fallen on top of Tempeste and felt the curves of the elven woman’s chest press against his, her blonde hair spread out over the wooden floor, arms wrapped around him in an awkward embrace. Tempeste’s cheeks turned pink as her lips parted instinctively. Guy did the same, and he didn’t know why.
His cock stiffened instantly.
Behind, someone had cleared their throat, and it broke the sudden trance Guy and Temp
este fell into. He rolled off her quickly, groaned at the pain that flared, and slowly got to his feet, legs shaking.
“Oh, Rachael!” Tempeste said, as she stood.
Rachael was at the exit, arms crossed, left foot tapping, her fae wings twitching. “Been looking all over for you, Guy . . .” Rachael marched to Guy, grabbed him, and pulled on his arm, towing him out of the room and away from Tempeste.
He glimpsed Rachael staring back at Tempeste with an angry scowl.
“Oi, careful!” Guy cried out in pain. “I’m at 1 HP!”
Rachael dragged Guy out of sight, leaving Tempeste standing alone in the chamber beside the astral cluster, glittering its rainbow light across her pale skin and hair.
He heard Tempeste release a sad-sounding sigh.
Chapter Eighteen
Nijana laughed internally as she tugged at the rope wrapped around her torso, keeping her wings pinned to her back. She recalled a story Xanthe had told when Nijana pretended to be princess Averyl on the star-dweller ship, Seraphim. Xanthe claimed to have kept Averyl and her wings tied, then left her inside a carriage as she sent its horses to the desert city of Holt. Xanthe profusely apologized for the rough treatment she gave Averyl, believing Nijana was her.
Now, Nijana was lying inside a carriage just like the woman she sought to masquerade while surrounded by elven outlaws, led by a sassy druid. Irony was a bitch.
She felt the rumbling of the carriage stop, sat up, and watched as the druid Mage, Synaria, stood on her toes and peeped through the window.
“Aye, this is the place,” Synaria said, then faced Nijana. “Alright, lass, up with you. This is where you and me get out. Chop-chop.”
Synaria opened the carriage door, hopped out first, then waved for Nijana to follow. She peered at the landscape, barely visible from a cloud of white mist. They had arrived in a marsh wetland, judging by the water that splashed up when Nijana leaped out of the carriage. You could hear the chirping of insects everywhere, the water flowing from a nearby creek, and frogs scattering to safety as Nijana followed Synaria deeper into the blinding fog.
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