Endless Online: Oblivion's Price: A LitRPG Adventure - Book 3

by M. H. Johnson

  Yin whistled. "Incredible! I definitely want to learn that spell!"

  Julia smiled. "Well, if training is your thing, you've joined the right guild. Now here is the next spell..."

  And before he knew it, an awed Val had seen his friend cast almost a dozen spells, streams of fire, spears and daggers of ice, ethereal webs Val had seen once before, even a puddle of oil. She showed several simpler spells too, and Val felt like he could almost understand seeing it cast but once. How to conjure a single point of light, how to generate a warm current to wash over one's body and ward against chill. A spell that summoned a trickle of water from the ground. Other spells were much harder to grasp, such as the shimmering ward of force now covering her entire body like a second layer of armor that would reduce the force of kinetic blows. While she was demonstrating, Yin quietly explained that even with a character point spent, they had to have seen a spell in action at least once in their lives to flash learn it. Of course, being Spirit Linked to their effective mentor as they were would help them make learning it directly much more feasible. "At least that's what the Readit boards said, though I couldn't help noticing you doing some pretty fascinating stuff the other day," Yin whispered with a smile.

  "This game was designed for the long haul," a panting Julia declared. "Mastering each spell is like imprinting a complex flowchart, perfectly memorizing a song, or learning to weave together an entirely different outfit of magic, if you will. It can take weeks of dedicated study to learn various spells, spells that would take months for even the most dedicated NPC mages to comprehend. But the rewards? Incredible." She gave a breathless chuckle. "The rush of casting is hard to beat! And the better you've learned a spell, the easier it flows through you."

  Yin applauded in admiration, earning a grin from Julia. She had been pacing herself until showing off the flashy destructive spells at the end, and Val could now sense Julia waiting for her mana bar to recharge once more, it taking a little over a minute to do so.

  "Impressive, no?" Dirk said, having returned with a sangria-like drink that was a welcome relief to parched throats.

  Yin giggled. "I know I'm just riding along in this game, but it really does taste like sangria, and I think I'm already starting to get a buzz."

  "Lightweight," Dirk teased. "Put down the glass then, and have the iced juice instead. I want you guys alert and ready for what comes next."

  "Ah, more training!" Yin crowed.

  "Exactly. But first, I want to see what our second newest member is capable of." He nodded Val's way.

  Val turned toward the field, looking towards the leftmost targets which had not been burned, cracked, covered with sticky gloop, or otherwise compromised. "Glacie Pilum!" He roared, spending an extra moment to visualize constraining the odd tangents and strands of power itching to break free with his PRM skill, still boosting his spell just for the thrill of seeing that massive spear of ice streak through the air, tearing right through the clay target Val had chosen. It was easier to cast now that he had rank 2 in Water, and he had taken a couple moments to boost and contain it, reducing its cost to 41, and its radiation to almost nothing. And Val was certain that if he spent enough hours at it, casting it would become as quick and natural as breathing.

  Dirk gave an impressed nod. "Not many novices have the juice to boost Ice Spear. Have you mastered the spell?"

  Val shrugged and smiled, pretending to recover a moment even though he was still over 300 mana. Then he cast a Firestream spell and levitated several small stones by Yin's feet, who yelped once and stumbled back, Dirk chuckling and helping her to the feet as she pouted at Val.

  Val then concentrated a moment, grinning at Julia. "And finally, here is my take on your candlelight spell," he said, his hand filling with flame as he cast Burning Light. "Mana intensive for a light spell, and sure, it could blow up in my face, but it doubles as a handy instant fire attack if bad guys get too close." He smiled into Julia's eyes before snapping and pivoting around in a heartbeat shoving out with his hand as a host stream of fire roared forth, singing the closest target, a good 20 feet away. "Not quite as good as Firestream, I know, but at least I can light my way with it before instantly spraying some enemy with the spell."

  Val grimaced and shrugged, knowing his spell hadn't done a huge amount of damage, though when he boosted it, it really did burn close to Firestream in intensity. He gazed at the saber on his hip for a moment, but elected to say nothing at all about Fencer's Fire. Nothing beat a mage with a searing hot blade in most games, but in this one he had to focus to keep the energies contained and the weapon's structure intact, the blade exploding from the pressure a very real, very uncomfortable possibility. Firestream and Ice Spear were probably much safer choices, all things considered.

  Val frowned and turned around. It was everything he could do not abruptly drop and take evasive action, suddenly feeling as if he was caught in a sniper's scope.

  Dirk and Julia were pinning him with the oddest stares.

  Yin blinked, noticing it too. "Why the strange looks, guys? I'll vouch for him. I was there when he was mucking about with his gift and made himself a flamy torch with his palm, and his sword as well."

  Dirk frowned. "You never saw anyone cast that spell? Not even once?"

  Val shook his head. "I just tweaked Firestream."

  Dirk's brows furrowed. "You can't just tweak spells you know on the fly, Val. No one can. And what's this about your sword?"

  Val shrugged and smiled. "Maybe you're right, and it was a starting spell. New as I am, how would I even know? At least my sword looked cool with the reflected light shining off it."

  Yin looked ready to interject but Val's bland, innocuous gaze her way was enough to make her flinch.

  Dirk chuckled. "Well, it seems you're starting with some of the best destruction spells for your level, so maybe it's fitting that you got a couple oddball spells thrown in the mix."

  Julia nodded. "Battlemages get either four free basic spells or one they have mastered. I know mastering Ice Spear from the get-go is now the preferred one trick pony on Readit, but I wanted to be able to experiment and see what I liked best. But if the game didn't let you choose, since your origins were such a messed up jumble, well, at least the game saw fit to give you two winners, and if you're serious about this, I'll teach you whatever spells I know that you want to learn, Val," Julia promised.

  Yin cleared her throat apologetically. "I hope you don't mind my studying beside Val when you teach him whichever one he wants to learn. I'm sort of a fallen mech pilot that the game didn't see fit to give any spells, just a mana pool that guarantees no one will let me near those beautiful beasts," she said with a sad sigh.

  Julia chuckled sympathetically. "Of course, Yin. Just be patient while I teach Val, and once he feels ready to try whatever spells we practice on his own, I'll help you with any questions you have."

  Yin clapped enthusiastically. "Awesome!"

  Val looked at Julia's left hand, the intricate looking shield of force shimmering with such potential had been instinctively summoned from the moment she began her training, and for some reason he suspected Dirk's influence, hammering in the dedication and habits needed to survive as an adventurer or explorer.

  "Actually, I'd love to learn how to cast that Arcane Ward you've held since we began. It looks a bit more intricate than mine."

  Julia's eyes widened and she grinned. "You can see it so clearly that you sense its evolution? That's fantastic Arcane Perception, Val! Yes, I have a tier 3 Arcane Ward I summon at all times before I begin practice, and while adventuring. I'm skilled enough with it that it costs me no mana to summon or maintain it, only when countering a really strong spell or attack." Her grin widened. "And it can do things most arcane wards cannot."

  She turned to Yin. "Yin, hit me with your best shot."

  Yin's eyes widened. "You mean unarmed, right? Are you sure?"

  Julia nodded, her eyes widening when Yin didn't attempt to hit or kick her, but instead launched fo
rward, attempting to hip toss the taller girl.

  Only to bounce back in frustration as Julia quickly stepped back, her left hand and the shimmering field of force held before her.

  Yin grinned. "Wow. Your magic field blocks physical attacks! I was hoping to flip you! But I couldn't even jerk that force shield or whatever it is that you have in front of you."

  Julia grimaced. "Actually you surprised me, and it cost me a few mana to keep my shield steady, since you definitely know what you're doing. But yes. You can actually enhance your shield to stop physical attacks."

  Val grinned. "Like Ice Spears?"

  "Only if you're very, very good," Julia said. "Okay, let me see if I can teach you a very basic spell we can use to test your Arcane Ward in that time, and we'll practice strengthening it from there."

  Val nodded, more than game, and much to Julia's surprise, he had mastered the simple flow of arcane strands that summoned the water spout Julia had summoned after witnessing her cast it several times.

  You have learned Water Spout! This level 10 C+M/W spell is great for soaking your friends or quenching thirst! If you boost it, it just might bowl someone over! Cost to cast at your level of skill: 3 mana per second. Val frowned, having the strangest regret that he didn't know this spell before, though he had no idea why.

  Yin whistled, still struggling to get the hang of it herself. "And I thought my comprehension was good!"

  Of course, when it came to actually enhancing his Arcane Ward, he was an exhausted, soaking wet mess as the sun rose to noon and he focused yet again on summoning his magical shield, still having to work exceedingly hard to incorporate a certain sense of force into the weave. Of course he could use his PRM to help push aside some of the flow of energies before they could make contact, but he already knew to how to do that, and it wouldn't help him with what they were currently working on.

  The problem was balance, he realized, as Yin laughed at his soaking form, Julia happily spraying him with water that lost all arcane properties once the webs ruptured against his spell, but the inert water continued to pour through and soak him.

  Julia's smile was part sympathy, part enjoyment as she eyed his soaking form. "If you really are fully harmonized, at least you don't have to worry about a bath," she teased, handing Val a glass of sangria he gratefully sipped while they rested.

  "Ha ha. Funny."

  Julia’s grin widened. “You do look cute, soaking wet. Like a puppy in need of a home."

  "Is there another component?"

  Her gaze turned curious. "What do you mean?"

  "It's just, well, this feels unbalanced, somehow. Like it's missing something. Does your Arcane Ward have another element to it? It does seem a bit different than mine."

  Julia blinked, gazing at Val oddly. "You can sense that?"

  Val shrugged.

  "Actually, that's pretty impressive. Yes, the final enhancement to protection is to make sure the ward resonates throughout the electromagnetic field. It already stops arcane oriented waveforms, if that makes sense, so with just a slight twist of understanding, it can ward electromagnetic as well."

  Val grinned. "That does sound pretty cool."

  Julia frowned. "But Val, it's an advanced technique, and you're still having trouble with the first part of the process."

  Val nodded. "True. And some people learn best compartmentalizing everything into a modular series of steps. For me? I tend to learn better if I can sort of taste or grasp the whole of it with my mind all at once."

  Julia's frown turned thoughtful. "What do you think, Yin?"

  "I'm loving this!" She assured. "I can just barely cast my arcane ward, but please show him! Maybe it will help me, or maybe I can buy it on the cheap when I level up."

  "Really."

  Yin nodded. "It's a sort of an extra perk I have. If I'm training under linked party members or a dedicated instructor, I can buy arcane skill ranks at half price until I match your own level."

  Julia whistled. "Damn impressive. I'm madly jealous, but I won't say anything, since I'm going for the benevolent, aloof instructor here."

  Yin smiled, not hesitating to hug a surprised Julia. "Thanks for being a friend and taking me under your wing. It really means a lot to me."

  Julia's exasperated smile turned genuine. "Thank you, Yin." She tilted her head. "I don't suppose you can tell me how you got that awesome perk?"

  Yin solemnly nodded. "Of course. I think it's tied to my scholarship. It's kind of high, so, well, I just got a 'congratulations, you're a cut above the average Terran monkey' message, and that I train faster when linked, and that Psionic Instructors can implant skills in my head. But since my cyberlinks are gone and no one would dare let me near a battle-mech now, suddenly I can learn magic arts faster. Like it's a consolation prize. Or that's what I think it's implying."

  Julia frowned. "The game just is. It doesn't give consolation prizes if your build's messed up. Hell, it kills people who can't survive its trials. Maybe you always had that potential. What's your Scholarship, Yin?"

  Yin suddenly looked embarrassed. "17. I'm not a genius, I just have a really good memory."

  Julia's gaze hardened, she swallowed, gazing at her feet. "That's... really awesome, Yin. You're lucky." She took a deep breath. "Don't ever do anything stupid and damage your precious gift. Nothing, no drug, no craving, no experimental game like the one we're all stupidly playing is worth that risk."

  Yin blinked, at a sudden loss for words.

  Julia pinned Val with her gaze. "Val already knows, but..." She lifted up rich locks of auburn hair, shimmering like fire in the afternoon sun. Yin gasped to see her chrome ports, flashing in the sun. "I woke up with these in my skull a few months ago, tormented by cravings you wouldn't believe." She shuddered. "It's been a hell of a struggle, but I'm making it, day by day. But I paid a bitter price. In the outside world, I can pretend I'm just a bit restless and distracted, but you can hide nothing in this game that imprints our own neuro-networks so well. I lost two character points, basically a 20 point dip in IQ, after a bunch of bastards drilled holes into my brain and did horrible things to me."

  Yin's eyes widened, her caramel complexion paling. "Jesus! Julia, I'm so sorry!"

  Julia shrugged. "What are you going to do, right? Learn from my mistake. If anyone tries to get you to try out an elite, exclusive internship or beta test anything, take a hard pass. Better yet, beautiful as you are, I wouldn't even go out alone at night. Too many monsters out there. By far."

  Yin squeezed her fiercely tight. "That is so fucking horrible! I am so sorry you went through that, Julia, I really really am."

  Julia's lips quirked in a surprised smile. "Thank you, Yin. I can tell you're good people. And don't worry. There's actually a happy ending to this story. My scholarship was twelve when life was good, before I was hurt. So even though I've put most of my points into mastering the wonder that is magic, especially since Earth itself is forming odd fields scientists are only now starting to acknowledge since the star eclipse, I still used two points to boost my scholarship, just so I could feel like the person I was once more."

  Yin's gaze locked upon Julia's. "Did it work? Did this game's biofeedback really help you?"

  Julia's grin lightened Val's heart. "Yes, Julia. It really did. The cravings are still bad, but I can focus and concentrate much longer. And even though my mother's only been supportive and understanding since I've been recovering and she's taken to my homeschooling personally, since I put those two points in scholarship? This huge weight's lifted from her shoulders. She looks at me with such fierce pride." Julia swallowed and shrugged. "She gives me so much credit, but I didn't make those strides through incredible sacrifice. No. I boosted myself leveling up while recovering artifacts from lost ruins and butchering life-like foes in a digital world."

  Julia chuckled. "It sounds like pure madness when I put it that way, right? At least my mom doesn't complain about my VR use now. She says that as long as it seems to be stimulating my brain to
grow and repair itself, I can use it every day."

  "That is fantastic!" Yin declared. "I always love a happy ending."

  Julia winked. "And now I know I need a 17 in scholarship as fast as I can get it, so I can get that kickass perk too."

  Yin grinned. "And even if it doesn't pop up, it will still help you kick ass in college!"

  Julia nodded, stepping away. "You're good people, Yin. Now step back, and let me show you and Val how to cast a proper shield."

  And after the most exhausting couple of hours Val could remember, he felt the most intense shiver of awe and wonder rushing through him, projecting from his trembling left hand a brilliantly shining latticework of arcane, obsidian, and golden energies that everyone was staring at with wonder, even Dirk who had returned to the training grounds with a new fellow in tow.

  Congratulations! You have learned the arcane skill Hardened Ward - Mageward dependent. You have learned the skill Energy Shield - Mageward dependent. Your Mageward is now Synergized! Able to block moderate damage of arcane, physical, or electromagnetic force before collapse.

  Congratulations! Your Mageward is now Rank 2! First 20 points of damage per attack will be absorbed without cost, then wounds of moderate intensity or less will be absorbed by your mana at a 2 HP damage for 1 mana ratio. Wounds of greater than moderate intensity will blow through with reduced potency and risk of shield collapse.

  Julia was gazing at Val with naked wonder. "Oh my god, you did it! Honestly, I thought, how hard you guys were training... you'd be spending your level up points on this skill for sure!"

  Yin grinned with pride, patting Val's shoulder. "Isn't he a wonder? He learns faster than me!"