Original Enchantment (True Calling LitRPG Book 1)

by Thad Ward

  “Okay,” Ike said with a hint of reluctance. He pulled the medallion’s chain over his head and let it dangle on top of his shirt. “I’ll take it for a spin. I have to say, though, being marked as a hero sounds more like a burden than a benefit, Adger.”

  Adger smiled and put a hand on Ike’s shoulder. “Lad, the fact that you understand that is exactly why you’re the right person to receive it.”

  Chapter 30

  Looking toward the horizon

  W ith a firm forearm handshake, the two parted company. Ike was no more than a few paces back into Weir when a familiar female form came hurtling toward him. Before he knew it, Ada’s arms were wrapped around his shoulders, the world around him was blocked out by her curls, and his breath was stolen away by a kiss.

  Most of Ada’s weight was behind the embrace, so Ike had to struggle a bit to remain standing. He barely noticed the effort, though. “Good morning to you, too,” he said dreamily when they finally came up for air a few seconds later.

  “I was so worried!” Ada said, playfully punching Ike’s chest. “I was too bogged down at the tannery to come help. Then Dusty echoed what you did over by the gate. They said you crashed.” Ada smiled and blinked away tears.

  “Sorry to worry you,” Ike said, planting a small kiss on her cheek. “If I had waited much longer, the dragon would’ve decimated the city.”

  Ada looked around the street meaningfully, then quirked an eyebrow.

  “More than this, I mean,” Ike said, rolling his eyes. He gently released Ada and glanced at her character sheet. “Congratulations on your level.”

  “That’s not even the best part,” Ada beamed. “I got to see London behind bars.” The two started walking into town.

  “Oh, so he survived,” Ike said. “I guess it’s good that he’s in prison, though I can’t say I was rooting for him to pull through after you poisoned him.”

  Ada shrugged. “I wouldn’t bank on him surviving just yet. He’ll be put on trial. If they find him guilty, he’ll be hung. And I can think of a few people who are interested in testifying.”

  “What about the other goons?” Ike asked.

  “I never got the name of the one starting the fires,” Ada said, “but the magistrate said he died. ‘Mauled by a wolf’ or something. You’ll have to tell me that story later.” Ada frowned. “As for Porter, he’s been given amnesty for helping the city defense.”

  Ike took a deep breath and shook his head. “It was a smart move. Kowtow to London just long enough to draw a profit, then do just enough public service to get away without consequences. You have to give him credit for being a clever crook.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he’ll screw up at some point,” Ada said. “I just hope I’m there to watch him get what’s coming to him.”

  The two passed into the market square. Even though dozens of people were actively cleaning the area, it was still an absolute disaster. There were piles of debris and scorch marks everywhere, some still trailing faint wisps of smoke and steam. Ike began to survey the area, then dug around where he remembered his cloak and partisan falling.

  “Hero,” came a reverent voice near Ike. He looked up to see the butcher and the young woman with the crossbow from the goblin raid several nights before, along with half a dozen other ordinary citizens. “What are you looking for?”

  Ike rose and dusted himself off. His discomfort increased when he realized it wasn’t just the people standing nearby; everyone in the market square had stopped what they were doing. “Just hoping to find some of the gear I lost. The dragon burned my cloak and broke my partisan. There’s also a small wolf figurine. I was hoping to salvage something off of them.”

  The butcher nodded. “You heard Master Ike! Everyone, find the hero’s effects!”

  With so many eyes and hands, Ike’s gear was found within moments. Several people came over and laid scraps of burnt cloth and shards of broken wood at his feet, arranging them into a vague pattern of their original shape.

  The girl with the crossbow was the last to approach, putting down the wolf figurine and backing up to a respectful distance. “We all heard what you did,” she said quietly. “Thank you for saving our city.”

  Ike knelt and cast Minor Repair. What was left of the items stitched themselves back together. As expected, though, the results were badly damaged. Under normal circumstances, Ike might have harvested their enchantments and thrown away what was left on the spot. He had been reconsidering his choice of primary weapon, anyway. With everyone looking, though, he opted to pull on the cloak and hold onto the partisan for the moment.

  Ada smirked. “Authentic battle damage,” she said playfully.

  “Thanks, everyone,” Ike said. He realized immediately that they were all waiting for him to say more. He paused awkwardly as he considered what that should be. “You’ve all been through a lot. The danger has passed, but there’s still work to do. I don’t think I’m impressive or anything, but you all seem to want to listen to me, so here’s what I’ll say.”

  Ike moved to the center of the market square so he was in the middle of the crowd. He raised his voice so it would carry. “I’m not that strong. This city isn’t standing because I did anything special. It’s standing because everyone worked together. Whether you were fighting or helping in other ways, this was your victory. Bad things come along that no one person can handle alone. All you can do is trust the people beside you.” Ike cast a meaningful look at Ada. “Do what you can to help them. Lean on them for support. Pull together and everything will turn out okay.”

  “I look around and I don’t see a city in ruins,” Ike said, then raised his voice to a yell. “I see a city still standing! I see people who didn’t give up! Through blood and fire, Weir stands! Now let’s build her back up, better than ever!” He thrust his partisan skyward.

  The crowd shouted their agreement more loudly with each statement, then erupted into clapping and cheers. Several offered thanks and patted Ike on the back as they slowly dispersed back to their tasks. “Not bad,” Ada said, walking up. “Not exactly Braveheart, but not bad.”

  “I picked up a Leadership skill last night,” Ike said, watching the people get back to work. There seemed to be a renewed purpose in the air. “I have a feeling it helped a bit. The fancy medal Adger gave me probably didn’t hurt, either...” Ike trailed off, looking thoughtfully at the ground.

  “It is pretty,” Ada said, then noticed Ike’s preoccupation. “What’s wrong?”

  Ike stooped and touched the ground. “I’m not sure. The ground is sort of… pulsing here.”

  You have discovered an intersection of ley lines. Would you like to create a confluence?

  “Confluence?” Ike asked aloud. “Hold on. Wasn’t that the skill I just got?”

  “Of course you got another skill,” Ada said, a hint of jealousy in her tone. “How many are you up to at this point?”

  Ike ignored her question. “It says I can make something called a confluence. I guess it’s sort of like tapping a well? I can make an intersection of ley lines into an area enchantment.”

  Ada nodded approvingly. “Fancy. Like what?”

  “Give me a second,” Ike said, focusing to confirm the earlier notification. A new window opened with a familiar text box and a prompt to, “Name this confluence.” Ike mentally typed in, “Weir Town Square,” and confirmed again.

  “Uh, Ike,” Ada said, her voice concerned. “What’s going on?”

  Ike realized that glowing runes had begun to appear on the ground around him, spreading out into a circle three meters wide. Ada took a cautious step back. Ike maintained his focus. “Do me a favor and tell everyone it’s okay. I’ll just be a minute.” Distantly he could hear Ada mollifying the crowd.

  You have established the confluence: Weir

  A new window appeared that bore a strong resemblance to Ike’s enchanting window.

  “Gee, I sure wish I could just wing it,” Ike whispered, smiling when a large text field identical to his cus
tom enchanting interface appeared at the bottom of the window. He inspected the code for the Waypoint enchantment. “Ah-ha! So that’s how you get location coordinates.”

  “You’re talking to yourself,” Ada chided. “Mind cluing the rest of us in?”

  Ike confirmed the existing Waypoint enchantment. The runes around him changed shape, flared briefly, then faded away. He stood to see the crowd from earlier looking on with expressions of awe and concern. “Sorry about that. Just making a little present,” he said, smiling awkwardly in an attempt to play off the overt display of magic. The air was filled with muffled statements of confusion as the crowd began to disperse.

  Ada gave a puzzled look at the ground where the circle had been as she walked back over to Ike. “So what was that all about?”

  “I just made this place a waypoint,” Ike said. “If it’s anything like other games I’ve played, that means people can use it to teleport here.”

  “About time we get a fast travel option,” Ada said. “How do we use it?”

  Ike chuckled. “I’ll let you know when I figure that out.” He began walking to the other end of the square. “Mind if I make one more stop?”

  Ada seemed about to nod when she looked ahead of them. “Oh, right,” she said flatly, “you’ve got a date with a CEO.”

  “Sorry. I promised,” Ike said as the two approached Warren’s Whiskers. “He did save your life and all.”

  “And then, and then, and then,” came an excited girl’s voice, “a glowy shield came out of nowhere and made the green guy let go of me!”

  “Oh ho,” came an old man’s voice, feigning surprise for the girl’s sake. “What happened next?”

  “Sunny saved the day,” Ike said as he walked up. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of little Myra regaling Hamish with her adventure from the night before, or of Hamish alive and well. The former beggar was dressed in cheap but serviceable clothes and had more color in his cheeks as he sat in a chair in front of the barbershop.

  “Aww!” Myra said, turning toward Ike with a pout. “I wanted to tell it!”

  Ike couldn’t help but laugh. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “How is Sunny doing?”

  Myra put a finger to her lip thoughtfully. “She’s sleepy. She got all beat up fighting the dragon. She said she had fun, though. And she wants to see Luna again.”

  “Luna?” Ike said. Understanding dawned on him as he remembered the summoned wolf howling at the moon before charging Morkenstradivix. “I like that name. I’ll have to bring Luna by to visit you both some time.” He pulled the wolf figurine out of his pouch. “See? She’s resting, too.”

  Myra hopped over and gave the figurine a loving pat. “Good girl,” she said before abruptly skipping away. “See you later!”

  “Master Ike,” Hamish said, bowing his head respectfully. “I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot today, but we’re all so grateful. Me more than most.” A tear crept down the blind man’s cheek as he smiled up in Ike’s direction. He seemed to want to say more but choked up.

  Ike stepped over and put a hand on Hamish’s shoulder, stooping down to eye level. “I’m just glad I could help. Is Warren in?”

  Hamish nodded, wiping away the tear. “He is. He’s with an important customer, but he said to let you in as soon as you showed up no matter what.” Hamish leaned forward and lowered his voice a bit. “I’d mind your manners. The one in there with him’s some blue blood from the capital, or else I’m as deaf as I am blind.”

  Ike looked down at his tattered cloak. Even if it had been in good repair, he doubted it was suitable for addressing nobility. “Thanks for the tip. Mind if I leave a few things with you, then?” Hamish nodded as Ike hung the cloak from the partisan and leaned them both up against the shop.

  The shop bell tinkled overhead as Ada and Ike entered. “So this man of yours? Porter, was it? You say he knows the location of the dragon’s hoard,” came a man’s voice tinged with an English accent. “You stand to become very wealthy indeed.”

  Warren looked up at Ike and Ada. His expression was carefully neutral, but Ike could tell by the speed of the motion that Warren had been taken by surprise. “Ah, Weir’s champions. Thank you for coming. I will be with the two of you shortly.”

  Warren was standing over a barber’s chair in the middle of shaving the man who’d spoken. The man was dressed in a brocade fabric jacket with gold accents that stood out against cloth so dark purple it might as well have been black. His brown hair was impeccably short; Ike assumed he’d gotten a haircut first or else the whole affair was just an indulgence. The latter wouldn’t have surprised him.

  The man looked casually over toward the entrance. His indifferent expression became intrigued when he spotted Ike. “Champion, indeed,” he said. “I spy a hero’s medal on that man. Please, Warren, do finish up. I simply must be introduced.”

  “Any idea who he is?” Ada leaned in and whispered as they waited for Warren to finish up.

  “Not by name,” Ike whispered back. “We passed him by the gate the other day. He was arguing with Adger about something. I didn’t hear what, though.”

  Warren offered the nobleman a towel. The man wiped the remaining lather off his face as he rose and crossed the room, depositing the towel on a countertop along the way. “Apologies for the delay,” he said, giving a very slight bow that was more of a deep nod. “I am Reginald Halvern III, Baron of Holton, loyal servant of His Majesty Tervanus IV. Who do I have the honor of addressing?”

  “My name is Isaac Fennell,” Ike said, making sure to bow a bit lower than the Baron had. “This is my… companion, Ada Rose,” he said, fumbling to find the right word for girlfriend as he gestured toward Ada.

  “A pleasure to meet you,” Ada said, bowing awkwardly.

  Baron Halvern took a step closer to Ada and gently lifted her hand to his lips. “Charmed,” he said, making Ada blush slightly. He released her hand and turned back to Ike. “Isaac Fennell, if you will indulge me, from whom did you receive that medal? And for what purpose?”

  Ike lifted the medal and looked at it briefly. “Adger Cots, captain of the Weir town guard, gave it to me for leading a group of volunteers in defending the city and defeating the dragon that attacked last night.”

  “My word,” the Baron held a hand to his chest, “so you’re the man everyone’s been talking about. A real dragonslayer. I am honored to be in your presence, sir, and I thank you for our deliverance.” The Baron bowed again, this time lower than before.

  “You mentioned that you were a servant of King Tervanus IV?” Ike said.

  “As are we all,” the Baron said, rising. “Weir is within His Majesty’s domain, after all.”

  “Is there any chance you could give him a letter?” Ike dug around in his pouch and produced the letter he’d kept since he and Ada had cleared the dungeon.

  The Baron cocked his head to the side and frowned. “It’s an odd request. What dealings do you have with His Majesty?”

  “None,” Ike said, shaking his head. He offered the letter. “And this isn’t for him, precisely. It’s a letter Ada and I found while cleansing Austrin Fortress. Something from a Lucius Austrin meant for King Tervanus III, who I assume was His Majesty’s father.”

  “Austrin?” the Baron said with a hint of alarm. He accepted the letter and quickly scanned it. “I say. This letter must be several decades old. The fall of Austrin Fortress was a tragedy and a mystery, but here is a record that explains the whole thing. And you say you cleansed it? Your medal is much deserved, Master Fennell. I daresay His Majesty will want to receive this from you directly. You must let me introduce you at court.”

  Ike’s eyebrows went up, both at the invitation and the quest notification. “I’d be honored, but I don’t see why the king would want to meet with a commoner like me. Are you sure?”

  The Baron waved Ike’s concern off like an annoying fly. “Either your standing as a hero or this unexpected service to the crown would be enough on their own. Together… w
ell, let’s just say you’d receive a summons eventually. Besides, the aristocracy isn’t what it used to be. The war with Rilimar purged many of the oldest families. You’ll receive a warm enough reception.” The Baron raised a conspiratorial eyebrow and added, “That is if you arrive with the right connections.”

  Ike caught the gist of the Baron’s meaning. There must be some political benefit to the Baron for presenting a hero. The rest, Ike figured, was just a dance of niceties. “I wouldn’t think to impose on you in such a way, Baron,” he said with the most humble bow he could muster.

  “Think nothing of it,” the Baron said, putting one hand on Ike’s shoulder and sweeping the other through the air in a grandiose gesture. “I shall make all the arrangements. You will have a guide and a carriage. Bring your entourage with you. During your time at the capital, you will be guests at my estate. You shall be fed, dressed, pampered, and presented to His Majesty as befits a hero of your esteem.”

  “My lord is most generous,” Ike said. He glanced back to Ada, who was wearing an impressed expression and offered Ike a half shrug, half nod. “We would be pleased to accept your offer.”

  “Splendid,” the Baron said, sweeping past them with the confidence of a man commanding the room. “I shall send a servant with the details within the day. Warren, Miss Ada, Master Ike,” he nodded to each of them in turn and walked out the door.

  There was a pause as everyone waited for the Baron to get out of earshot. “That guy’s a lot,” Ada said first.

  “You definitely made an impression,” Warren said, walking over to Ike. “Then again, you have a habit of that, don’t you, Ike?”

  “It’s not on purpose, believe me,” Ike said. “Anyway, it’s nice to get a quest, but I came to thank you for saving Ada yesterday. This game seems to have a real lack of healers, so we appreciate you stepping in to help.”