The Dive: Birth of a Wordsmith

by Justin Miller

  “Oh, I see--wait, you will? You didn’t even ask how much it was…”

  “Oh, it doesn’t matter. My boyfriend is paying for it.” She glared at me as if saying ‘Yes, payback is a bitch’.

  The man just tilted his head back and laughed. “Wow, what did you do to get on her bad side? Tell me now so I can not.”

  “I gave her a magical gift. I guess she didn’t like it as much as I imagined.” I shrugged innocently. “So, how much is it?”

  “900 gild for the sword and sheath. Best deal I can offer.”

  “That’s fine. Like she said, I’m paying.” I held out nine golden coins to him, and he gave the sword to Denise.

  “Thanks for your business. And do take care of that woman of yours, you hear?”

  “Oh, don’t I know it.” I smiled to him and we left. Once we were out, I chuckled. “That was actually pretty cheap, I think he liked you.”

  “Well, duh. Who wouldn’t?” She struck a pose that earned more than a few looks from the passers-by, and we both laughed. “So, back to the dungeon?”

  “Right. And, mind if we take a shortcut? I still haven’t seen an inn here yet, so we might as well go straight back.”

  “Alright. And what shortcut?”

  I smirked, pulling out my spellbook, and she got the message pretty quick. “You want to use this to test your new spell… Fine, I guess I deserve it. You better not let us end up in the middle of a hall.”

  “I’ll do my best. It’s only a couple hour’s ride, so even as a first time use, I won’t need the ritual.” I looked at the words of the spell to recite them. “Stars of the west, eyes of the north, bridge of the south, and eastern seas, guide me to the place I seek.” I focused my mental image on the oasis we visited earlier, and expanded the spell to include Denise and Midnight.

  “You’d bett--gah!” A bright light enveloped us and it felt like we were being pulled through the eye of a needle. But, sure enough, the next moment we arrived at the oasis. “Warn me next time!”

  “I thought the chant was a pretty good warning..” I gasped a bit, entirely uncomfortable with the spell. “Maybe it’ll get easier as I get better…”

  “It better… or we are taking the long way.”

  “Agreed. Now, can I have the book? I don’t think it’s waterproof, and I’d rather not test it.”

  She nodded, handing me the book on enchanting magic. “But read it properly.”

  “Yes, mother.” I chuckled and opened the book, taking my time to read through it diligently.

  “Oh, things would be so much less interesting if I was your mother.” She grinned at me and sat down, keeping her eyes on the distance to keep watch.

  “Mind keeping an eye on the pond? The creatures around here wouldn’t recognize it as a threat unless something came out now and then.”

  “Oh.. right.” Denise turned around and kept her eyes on the pond instead. It wasn’t likely that anything would suddenly appear while I was reading, but always possible.

  I sat there, focusing on the book for well over an hour, doing my best to absorb the various formulas and mechanisms for implanting magic permanently into an object. There were also various buff spells that I could use on people, too. I decided those would be nice to learn, and studied the entire book front to back.

  Magical Knowledge has increased to 23

  New Talent Unlocked!

  Enchanting - The ability to imbue a creature or object with your own magic, granting them various bonuses or abilities.

  Enchant Speed has been added to your Spell List

  Enchant Power has been added to your Spell List

  Enchant Defense has been added to your Spell List

  Opening my grimoire after finishing the book, I frowned when I saw that the three new spells didn’t have a chant to go with them. Guess they don’t last long enough to be considered worth a chant.

  “Okay, we’re good to go now.” I nodded towards Denise, and we both got up. “Midnight, there aren’t any monsters in the area, and we’ll be taking care of what’s in the dungeon, so we have to leave you out here.”

  Just get it over with. The horse glared to me, and I smiled back. I decided to take one last look at our character sheets before we made our way into the dungeon.

  Name: Jin

  Race: Human

  Title: Mage, Arcane Savant

  Fame: 670

  Gild: 3563

  Level: 63

  Health: 225

  Mana: 1225+575

  Strength: 20

  Agility: 40

  Endurance: 35

  Wisdom: 105+25

  Intelligence: 205+15

  Luck: 10

  Attack: 10 + 10

  Defense: 10 + 28.75

  Talents: Magical Talent 18, Magical Knowledge 23, Navigation 5, Nature Magic 1(+1), Summoning Magic 11(+1), Runescript 1, Discovery 2, Divination 1(+1), Enchanting 1(+1)

  Title Bonuses: +2 Int/Wis, +200 Mana

  Equipment bonuses: +15 Int/Wis, +500 Mana, +10 Wis, +50% Mana Recovery, Elemental Resistance +5%, Magic xp gain 50%, Magic Talents +1

  Name: Denise

  Race: Human

  Title: Innkeeper, Beastmaster

  Fame: 30

  Gild: 4450

  Level: 63

  Health: 375

  Mana: 0

  Strength: 85

  Agility: 195 + 20

  Endurance: 65

  Wisdom: 15

  Intelligence: 20

  Luck: 7

  Attack: 30 + 151.5/46.5

  Defense: 15 + 138

  Talents: Merchant 2, Archery 22, Reflex 10, Speed 6, Chef 6, Tracking 3, Light Armor 4, Taming 5(+4), Hawk Eyes 3, Swordsmanship 2

  Title Bonus: +4 Taming

  We moved forward towards the pond together, each took a big breath, and dove in, Denise following me as I swam through the path I saw earlier, until we came up into a tunnel that had air in it.

  You have discovered a hidden dungeon.

  Secrets of the Oasis - You are the first person to explore this dungeon. +50 fame. Double experience for the first five days after discovery.

  Suggested level - 65 or higher.

  Chapter 13

  After pulling ourselves up out of the water, we took a second to look around. Of course, this is wholly unhelpful, as the underground passageway is pitch black. After a moment, I pull out the illusion torch from my pack, letting it light the way. “So.. this is a dungeon. It’s a bit stronger than us, but we should be able to manage it. At the very least, it will be great for your sword practice.”

  Denise nods to me, pulling out her scimitar and twirling it with one hand. “Right. Guess that means I’ll lead?”

  I smile, handing her the torch. “I’ll keep an eye out for ambushes.” I immediately activate my Scan spell, which seems to be my most often used spell now that I think about it. It probably won’t be long now before it hits Advanced level.

  “I’ll watch for traps then… these damned glasses.” Denise mutters as she puts on the glasses to spot traps. “Making me look like an old lady…”

  “Now that is the last thing you look like.” I smirked, looking ahead as the darkness gave way to my green-tinted vision. “Looks like there is a fork in the road a ways down. Still don’t see any enemies though.”

  “Yeah.. well, don’t let your guard down.”

  Slowly, we proceeded forward, with me able to keep my Scan spell active thanks to my high mana recovery overpowering the cost of the spell itself. When we get to the fork, there is a bit of writing on the wall between the two paths. And… it seems to be written in runes.

/>   “Please tell me you can read this chicken scratch.” Denise glares back to me, and I step forward to look at it.

  “Yeah, just give me a minute. There’s a reason mages don’t casually write like this.” I slowly read over the message once, twice, and then a third time. Since a rune has both a surface meaning and deeper meaning, you have to grasp the entire thing to see it in context. Like how ‘property’ doesn’t mean something you own, but ‘a facet of an object’s nature’.

  “Hmm… ‘Those who value justice and virtue, take the left path. May the rules of the world, the heart of dominion, and the spirit of glory guide you down the right path.”

  Denise nodded, and turned to the left before I reached out and stopped her. “No, we need to go right. It’s ridiculous… but the rune they used for right isn’t the one that means ‘proper’. It literally means right.”

  “Oh… well say that sooner!” She shakes her head and turns to the right. “Though, does that mean that the left path is the easy one? Or just that the right path has things that will make us question our judgement?”

  “No idea. But let’s make sure that whatever is down the left path doesn’t have the chance to get out and attack Midnight while we’re here.” I put my hand out towards the left path. “Guardians of the earth, answer my call and become my shield. Wall of Clay.” A wall of stone quickly rose up to seal off the hall, but I grimaced at how unnatural it looked compared to the worked stone walls. “I guess I need to make a spell for that…”

  “A spell for what?”

  “To carve earth, would make that wall fit much more naturally.”

  “Is it really that important?”

  “Well… it would help other ways too?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Want to quickly make one before we move on? Knowing your insane speed, you’ll have a spell worked out before I can even relax.”

  “Alright… just give me a minute.” I leaned against the wall and focused. Sculpt. That should be the focus for the spell. Then fill that with the magic of the earth. I held the rune’s image in my head as I mentally poured earth magic into it, aiming my hand at the wall I made. Gradually, lines like bricks began forming on the wall, until it more closely matched the surrounding walls.

  Sculpt Earth and Stone has been added to your Spell List.

  Nature Magic has increased to 2

  “Okay, that should be good. Let’s get going.” I shook my head and sighed, quickly investing my points before we turn towards the right side path, where I immediately see something in the distance with my Scan spell. “Damn… looks like we aren’t alone after all.”

  About ten meters off, staring straight at us from just beyond where the torch lit, there was a humanoid creature with dark skin, two columns of three eyes, and long thick arms that had spikes coming out of the elbows. And somehow, it slipped past my Scan spell earlier.

  “Way to go, scout.” Denise glared at me as she seemed to spot it as well. “Plan?”

  “Plan A.”

  “Plan A?”

  “Kill it before it kills us.”

  “We got a Plan B?”

  “Yup. But I like Plan A.”

  “Plan A it is.” Denise held up her sword and focused for a second as I gripped my staff and began chanting.

  “Mother of all things, that which rules the land, come forth to my call and seal their movements. Nature’s Grip!” Roots quickly came from all directions, bursting through the stone wall as they tried to grapple the waiting monster. At the same time, Denise began slowly walking forward, her sword in one hand and the torch in the other.

  Given that this was the first time I’ve used the spell, and the Talent behind it was only effectively level three, I wasn’t expecting much. But for it to just shrug it off like the vines weren’t even there and charge forward left me a bit depressed. “Enchant Speed!” A soft light emanated from Denise, and her speed quickly increased, while at the same time she activated her own speed skills, surging forward in a blink to appear beside the monster, her sword moving in consecutive slashes.

  The monster didn’t seem that bothered by her attacks either, and I grimaced. “Alright. Let’s try something bigger. Denise, get back as I finish! Guardians of the earth, bestow upon me your spear!”

  Immediately, Denise shot back towards me, as spears rose up from the ground and stabbed at the monster. This time, it seemed to be effective, causing it to momentarily let out a shrill cry while its blood poured from the wounds. “Not done yet.. Crimson light which burns all things, come forth from my hand.” A small fire burned within my hand, but I quickly put it out by grasping it. “Become!”

  Before the monster had a chance to break the spears, all of the stone stabbing through him burst into flames, igniting the monster as well. “Your turn Denise! Enchant Power!”

  Denise shot forth again, ignoring the flames wrapping around the flailing monster and slashing one of its arms off. Then, with her next movement, its head followed after it.

  “We did it…” I grinned to her, and Denise nodded, with a somewhat worried look. “What is it?”

  “It didn’t attack, did it? That just seems odd.”

  “Maybe. I’d like to think we didn’t give it a chance.”

  She nods again, though seems unconvinced. “Alright, maybe.. Let’s just be careful. And don’t bother scanning, if this guy got so close without you noticing.”

  I nodded to her, and canceled the spell. “Okay. Onwards and forwards.” We continued a bit, passing down the wall that never seemed to change. Soon, we saw a pair of the monsters from before. They seemed to be called Sentinel Demons.

  “Let’s wait for them to make the first move this time.”

  “If you say so…” I gripped my staff, keeping my mind ready to recite a spell in an instant while the demons just stood there staring at us. We kept this standoff for what seemed like eternity, but was really only thirty seconds or so before I pointed out, “They’re not doing anything.”

  “Try talking to them?”

  “And what am I supposed to say? ‘Hey look, we don’t want to kill you?’”

  “Uhm.. yeah. Can you say that in runes?”

  “...No… no I can not. Runes aren’t a spoken language, just written.”

  “Okay… then write it out? That message earlier was written in runes, so maybe that’s how they speak?”

  “Okay, fine… but if this backfires, totally your fault.” I pulled out my grimoire with one hand and flipped to the spell page. “I have read and understood the origin, and command it to shape to my desire.”

  “Agreed.” Denise nods to me as I cast the spell, before runes appear on the floor in front of the demons, and on the walls next to them. Simply put, the rune means ‘Peace’.

  The demons begin letting out a clicking and groaning sound, likely part of their own language, before they fluidly slip into english. “What happened to the first guide?”

  “Uhm… well, he suddenly approached us undetected, so he seemed like a hostile.” I responded to their question, assuming they used a spell to translate.

  “Understood. You are from the over-world, are you not?” Four of the six eyes of the questioning demon narrow at us, and I thought it was downright creepy that the other two didn’t join them.