- Yes, I would. It’s about the bracelet. If the bracelet is not with me, will the werewolf attack?
- He will! – the mage replied with confidence – We believe that Grim is noble enough to hand his future enemy he bracelet to equal the abilities at least a little bit. His bracelet possesses some power, I suppose you know it. So put on the bracelet and never take it off. He’ll give you some chance to survive. Anything else you’d like to ask about. ‘Yup… but if another gamer kills me, he will obtain the legendary item… it’s not good news for me’.
- Why does Grim attack? He is a noble hero, isn’t he? He couldn’t rescue his combat girl-friend and his love from death so he swore not to take up a weapon anymore.
- He couldn’t rescue her, that’s right – Tarnius said gloomily – But he couldn’t defend her not from enemies but from himself! From his beasty ego! That day on the cliff Doom Myrtle the Hurting Blade was fighting against Grim the Silver Hammer who turned into a wild monster! And she was killed by his fangs! As for Grim… he lost his mind as soon as he realized what he did. Once I met Grim – at noon in a city street – and tried to talk to him. And we did it. We were talking while standing face-to-face for about ten minutes. And then he disappeared in the air. And I realized the frightening truth. Grim persuaded himself that Myrtle had been killed by vile enemies and he just couldn’t have defended her. When I mentioned about the innocent who were killed by his bloody hands, he just didn’t understand what I meant. His soul got split… Grim the Inconsolable isn’t a werewolf, he is also a schizophrenic… an insane werewolf living in the world of day dreams and fantasies.
- May I ask you the last question? – I hurried up – Do you know where the other parts of Grim’s legendary armor could be? I’ve got the bracelet but about the rest?
- No, I don’t know – the greybeard shook his head with regret – Although… during that memorable conversation with Grim I saw around his thick neck a silver chain with a medallion depicting a grinning muzzle of a wolf. I felt some power emitted by the medallion. But to be sure in it, you must defeat Grim and take off the chain from his neck. Take this gold and spend it reasonably.
A small but rather heavy sack flew to me by air.
- A groom with a horse will be waiting for you at the guild’s gates. But remember – avoid meeting the werewolf until you gain enough strength. Always keep looking around and control the moon cycle properly – the danger is there for you only when the moon is full. I’ll be waiting for good news from you, my young hero… and for the head of the silver wolf as a proof. However, Grim’s head also will do. Good-bye, let gods’ blessing help you in this hard mission.
The arm-chair below me suddenly folded its legs and I was hung in the air. The tight air stream carried me out of the room through the door opened wide into the corridor and let me out from its embraces at the huge door of the guild just where it had caught me up. I decided not to overstay in the center of the hall and rushed ahead to the place where the hall became sharply larger and ended at the neutral grey wall with numerous multicolored arches. I was interested in the furthest arch made from green stone and entwined by rich vine at the edges and juicy clusters of grapes. I dove into the arch with a skinny fair-haired girl of seventeen level, but I came inside alone and at once found myself at a broad table at which a plain old man dressed in a green robe was sitting. Certainly he contrasted a lot to a grand greybeard Tarnius who had met me at the guild entrance. They were as different as the sky and the ground.
- Welcome, young man – the old man croaked looking at me with his washy and indifferent eyes – What made you come here?
- I wish to enter the Guild of mages Natural Magic Department – I replied humbly – All my life I’ve been dreaming about touching the secret of…
- I see – the mage interrupted me carelessly and waved his hand over the table. A thick folio lying in front of him rustling opened at a blank page – That’s a praiseworthy and wise decision.
It’s OK. No one was going to lisp me until I reach certain success in the magic of this class at least. Friendliness and respect level increases in accordance with the progress achieved.
- Touch the edge of the page – the old man grumbled.
After leaning I touched the virgin blank sheet of paper by my finger. As soon as I did it, runic symbols that I wasn’t aware of at all, started running all over the page. Some senseless doodles. But the mage sitting in front of me seemed to read them easily without a mere effort.
- Hrm… I see that you showed praiseworthy zeal – obviously the mage’s voice became friendlier by a couple of points when he raised his eyes on me – It’s very nice. Good handling of natural magic, the active usage of the spell called ‘thornbush’… such an unusual choice… Bravo, young man! Most of those coming here are totally ignorant and when they touch a page of this book nothing but for their name emerges… sorry sight. I’m very happy to congratulate you! Henceforth you are a student with major in Natural Magic. Huh… have you bought this spell in one of the local shops?
- Yes, you’re right, sir – I nodded hastily.
I didn’t have to lie although the old man asked it due to his curiosity. He must be bored here that’s why he is wondering. In the world of Valdira you can find magic scrolls anywhere: in treasure chests, to obtain from a gamer’s or a ‘local’s’ body, in ancient ruins and even at strolling traders. And it’s not a complete list.
- Your handling of this spell reached the required level long ago. You can claim to the second rank spell ‘thornbush obstacle’ without a mere doubt. Would you like to increase the spell rank? It will cost you five golden coins.
- Sure, sir – I replied.
Having nodded in complete silence the old man got armed with a fuzzy emerald feather and wrote a few hurried short phrases a my page in the magic folio. Then slowed down to admire the result of his work and added:
- Your natural magic handling has also increased high enough to let you master several useful skills without any difficulty right now. But you’ll have to choose only one of two. Either ‘Nature Awareness’ of the first rank that will allow you to spend less energy on creating natural magic or ‘Nature Power’ that will allow you to increase the effect and duration of your spells a bit. Make a wise choice, young man.
- Excuse me, will ‘Nature Awareness’ let me reduce the energy spending while using natural magic only or all the other magics too?
- Natural magic spells only – the old mage informed me shortly and that upset me a bit.
It didn’t work. And I hoped so much that would be able to decrease the terrible quantity of mana points required to use the spell ‘to chase away the magic veil’… heh!
- Then I choose the second – ‘Nature Power’.
- Alright – another short feather stroke and one more runic line appeared at the page. As well as any new-comer you are entitled to choose one free spell among three spells available. ‘Thornbush’ that you have already bought, ‘Call for a grass-snake’ that will allow you to call a tiny grass-snake to help you for a while or ‘Rainbow flash‘ that can show you where rare herbs grow or where the nearest stream or a pool with drinking water is situated. Make a wise choice.
- Hrmph… ‘Call for a grass-snake’.
- Done, and now I want you to pay – his dry hand demandingly stretched towards me – The spell is free, five golden coins for increasing the spell rank and five golden coins for teaching ‘Nature Power’ skill. Exactly ten in total, young man.
- Here you are – I passed him ten heavy golden round coins hastily.
- Touch the edge of the page again – ordered the old man.
My fingers touch the sheet of paper, a slight emerald flash and a plenty of information highlighted in front of my eyes:
You have successfully learnt a first rank skill named ‘Nature Power’.
Natural magic spell hit has increased by 3%.
Natural magic spell duration has increased by 3%
Achievement!
You’ve got a second rank achievement – ‘Natural mage’!
You can see your achievements in your character’s settings.
Your award for the achievement: +0.3% to the effect and duration of this class spells.
Current bonus: +0.4%
You have successfully learnt a first rank spell named ‘Call for a grass-snake’.
A list of the spell range: ‘call for a grass-snake’, ‘call for a wood snake’, ‘call for a bush viper‘, ‘call for a python’, ‘call for an anaconda’.
Type: natural magic…
Phew…
After getting rid of the messages, I bowed shortly:
- Thank you your knowledge, professor!
- I’m glad to meet such a hard-working and polite student – the mage grinned while closing the folio – I hope we’ll meet again soon when you go up one more step.
- Take care – I said good-bye and breathing heavily fell out in the giant hall of the guild of mages.
There were two items of my to-do-list to fulfill – to go Elemental Powers Department and Magic Healing Department. On my way I thought over all my acquisitions and was quite satisfied with the result. ‘Nature Power’ skill will increase hit as well as spell duration, ‘thornbush’ has transformed into ‘thornbush obstacle’ that theoretically must work better. I have chosen ‘Call for a grass-snake’ as the best among offered alternatives. A snake will attack enemy together with me so the enemy will digress due to it, moreover, it has a psychological aspect as many gamers brought in their phobias and fears to Valdira. Some are terribly frightened by repulsive spiders, some hate slick toads. Others can’t stand high places, lose their courage seeing flaring flame or pitch darkness. And somebody must be afraid of snakes…
The entrance of Elemental Powers Department was exactly between the pitch dark arch of necromancy and the sharply white arch of healing. The size of the Elemental Powers room was just the same as the size of the previous room I visited except for the color shades; the red color was prevailing.
I greeted the black-bearded mage briefly and at once asked him to let me enter the department. The procedure of touching a page was exactly the same but after it only one short line appeared. Sure, it was my name and maybe a date as well. None of skills was offered to me but I could choose among four first-rank spells though. ‘Magic stone’, ‘Burning coal’, ‘Ice needle’ and ‘Air palm’. A standard set of four essential powers. Thinking for a while I chose ‘Ice needle’. That will do for the first time; in future I can buy the entire set. Each monster has its own bonuses to protection against elemental powers and it was vital to possess all range of such magic. Plus terrain type actually influences elemental powers spells. I would have acquired the magic right now, but spells hadn’t been given for free anymore. I had to pay five golden coins for it. After that I thanked the professor and left the room for his obvious relief.
Achievement!
You’ve got a first rank achievement – ‘Elemental Powers mage’!
You can see your achievements in your character’s settings.
Your award for the achievement: +0.1% to the effect and duration of this class spells.
Current bonus: +0.1%
I didn’t have wander about in search of the next department – I turned right and dove into the white arch of healing where the procedure of entering the department repeated. Contributing ten golden coins I acquired ‘Small-scale healing’ and ‘Small-sclale clearing’.
Achievement!
You’ve got a first rank achievement – ‘Healer-mage’!
You can see your achievements in your character’s settings.
Your award for the achievement: +0.1% to the effect and duration of this class spells.
Current bonus: +0.1%
That’s all. I wouldn’t refuse to take ‘Small blessing’ as well but it belongs to divine magic. And it contains too many limitations on successful usage and further progress.
There is a reason why only the most honest men of principle become paladins and priests. Your life values must be very high. Rob a gamer’s or a ‘local’s’ carcass and – bang – you won’t be able to cast ‘blessing’. Kill a peaceful gamer and one of your spells rank decreases or vanishes from your magic book. Actually there is also ‘dark blessing’ but it’s too much for me…
Nevertheless I became a student of three magic departments: natural, healing and elemental powers. The benefit of this enrollment was zero but for the financial one – the same spell would be more expensive in an ordinary magic shop.
Having fulfilled all my plans, I strolled to the exit from the guild of mages. It was getting dark and there was about an hour until the complete darkness surrounded me. I had enough time to visit the guild of warriors and obtain a combat skill for crushing weapon handling that I had mastered honestly.
I got surprised in the street – at the gates of the guild opened hospitably wide there was a neatly dressed groom holding the reins of a chestnut horse waiting for me patiently. Lazily glancing over me, he grumbled ‘take’, handed me he reins and turning his back on me went away. As soon as I looked at the creature trusted to me, I was patted on my shoulder softly but demandingly.
I turned around to face a gloomy city quard.
- Is it your horse? – the guard of order wondered.
- Nope – I responded with alert – I was given it for a while.
- But are you taking care of it, right? – the guard didn’t want to leave me alone, his cheek was jerking nervously.
- Yes, I am – I had to agree.
- Then there is one golden coin and two silver ones on you.
- Why?!
- Every person coming to our city must pay fee on bringing behind the city border mount and any other animals. Cause they make our streets dirty. And they mustn’t come to this street at all! But I can forgive you as it’s your first time – the guard explained – The fee is two silverdumps. Have you paid the fee? No, you haven’t. And if you haven’t paid it but have been caught then pay the penalty – one golden coin! Pay!
- But, sir! – I yelled while looking around just in case. But the block stone street was free from any horse’s surprises and other waste – What fee are you talking about? It’s a local horse! It belongs to the guild of mages! What penalty do you mean? It hasn’t left the city yet? I’m not going to pay!
- Don’t pay – the guard shrugged his shoulders phlegmatically and stretched for the reins – You have such a right. But in this case I’ll bring your horse to the city stable. Come to the court tomorrow and everything will be considered there. Don’t forget to bring the horse’s owners with you. Give me the reins, why are you holding them like hell?
- I will complain! – I puffed holding the reins tight.
- You have such a right. Let me take the reins! Otherwise I’ll fine you for resisting and send to prison for a night!
- Wait, honorable guard, please, wait! I’ll pay! Here you are – I passed the required amount to the giant guard with my hands shaking.
- Well, that’s the way it must be from the beginning! – grumbled the guard, took a round wooden thing out of his sack hanging on his belt and pressed it against the horse. A bright white stamp appeared on the chestnut body – I put a mark. Now everybody can see that the fee has been paid. Take away your hack while I’m kind. And if you have some business in the central streets, then before coming here, send your horse to a stable! Did you get it?
- Yes, I got it, sir – I forced myself to say and hurried away taking my horse with me. I decided not to ride as the guild of warriors wasn’t far away.
Their building was as massive as the one belonging to the guild of mages. And the adjoining park abounded with statues devoted to famous heroes, standing on the plinths in a formidable manner squeezing various kinds of weapon in their hands. Making sure there were no guards in sight, I brought the horse through the gates hastily into the park thanking all the gods that the creature’s character was facile. It was moving ca
lmly and stewing at me kind-heartedly.
Interestingly, but not only ‘local’ inhabitants but also numerous domestic animals have different characters. Sure they were managed by a much more primitive artificial intellect but it completed the task of giving some individual peculiarities to them successfully. So horses could be fractious, facile or even mean striving to get rid of their rider at any possibility. These individual peculiarities granted an animal certain charm for peaceful gamers. There were huge and rather small farms in city suburbs as well as villas, graperies and other similar house-holds managed by gamers quite successfully. But in fact such a farm cost a fortune in terms of real money… I don’t even dare saying how much.
I whopped aside at the broad steps and ‘parked’ my Bucephalus behind a fuzzy green bush as high as me and cut in the shape of a knight with a shield and a sword. Looking back thief-like I dashed to the nearest flower-bed with blue flowers. I picked up a bundle of greens and came back to lay it in front of the horse’s muzzle. It wasn’t hard to please the horse and it started chewing the stems phlegmatically.
Achievement!
You’ve got a first rank achievement – ‘Careful master’!
You can see your achievements in your character’s settings.
Your award for the achievement: +2% to the speed of making your all your animals full while feeding or watering them.
Ignoring another achievement, I ran to the entrance of the guild like a bullet from a gun, dashed through the hall in all haste and flew into the arch with the depiction of a club .
A stocky but incredibly broad-shouldered warrior with a severe face and narrow loopholes of eyes. He was talking in accordance with his look – by short cut phrases ideal for such a battler.
(World of Valdira 01) The Way of the Clan Page 26
