by Lars M.
I looked from the table back to the grinning half-orc. "Erm... what do I do? What are the rules?"
"What rules? You need to escape."
Fair enough. I'd show him.
I readied my violin, but Tyler stopped me. "We need no props for this. Also, the noise would probably be a bad idea. The guard's right out there, remember?"
With a grudging nod, I put it back in my inventory. A simple Sonic Push should do the trick. I summoned the spell, aiming at the tiny, glinting key in the center of the desk - but the sonic wave brushed over the object to no visible effect. I grunted. Damn, Maybe... I changed the angle a bit, and thinking back on Greck’s advice, focused the wave into a tiny beam. The wave appeared... still nothing. A bead of sweat appeared on my forehead, more due to the fact that the entire class was observing my failure than any exertion. The next Sonic Push, I pushed as hard as I could - except I had misjudged the angle, causing the heavy desk to tip and waver before it crashed back down with a clatter. The key slid along the surface of the table but stopped, still a good way away from the edge.
"–Okay, that does it. The guard's heard you, and you're definitely going to be convicted." He took the key, placing it at the center of the disk again. "Now... Genoa. You show him how it's done."
The halfling marched confidently forward and concentrated. Then, with an incredible show of precision, she managed to hit the key just right with a tiny sound wave, tilting it ever so slightly. A split-second later, a second push hit the key dead on and tossed it towards Genoa, where it clattered to the floor within her reach. She picked it up with a tiny smile.
The class applauded, Tyler along with them. When they died down, he added in a dry voice, "Well done. Of course, that noise might have alerted the guard as well, Genoa."
"Aw. Seriously?"
"Yes, Genoa. If we do not strive for perfection today, it will fail us when it counts. Now, for those of you who are a bit slow, my point is this. Control grants precision, increases the uses of your spells, and allows you to persevere where you cannot simply use more force. In the real world, these situations will come up. Remember, you need only one bad day as an adventurer to cancel out the worth of all the good ones." He graced me with a kind smile. "One addition that I suggest all of you take to heart: control and power combined beat everything else. Our good Arcangelo here might still surpass all of us. If he's ready to learn. Are you ready to learn?"
There was only one real answer to that.
Chapter 26 – Progress? Progress!
Over the following days, the joys of discovery turned to familiarity, and I slowly got into a routine. In the mornings, I handled the repeatable quest for Carth, attempting to improve the social well-being of the Academy. Sometimes it was conflict solving, like the one with the annoying duo, and sometimes running information to specific individuals. Once, the quest simply said to 'cheer up Jordell Freshbreeze,' and I spent almost an hour talking to an elf who had been through a period of mild depression. Weirdest thing - when he finally opened up about what had him down in the dumps, it was simply losing a foot race. While the tasks started as chores, once I got to know more people, everything became easier, and I was able to use more... subtle methods than the one I'd chosen on my first day. Often, the solution was as simple as getting to know people and applying a little logic and compassion - and the occasional nudge.
Then, after an early lunch, I'd spend my lunch break playing at the Amphitheatre. Crowds were slowly increasing, and I could tell that people were actually looking forward to the performances. Benjamin joined me the first handful of times and pointed out the rare teacher or Citizen with extraordinary spell power, so I wouldn't get caught. Even with the interruptions, however, I knew he was impressed. He stopped talking about 'stopping the experiment', instead deliberating on how to frame it when he planned to introduce it to the leadership of the Academy. I was aware that he was going to steal all the credit for it, of course. That was the price I'd have to pay for getting away with it in the first place. I chose to focus on the positive, which was damn easy. The mood during the performances was excellent, and my Affect Emotions skill skyrocketed as a result. After just four days, I hit 10 and Apprentice - and the upgrade was to die for.
Congratulations. You have reached the apprentice level with your spell:
Affect Emotions
Your Affect Emotions spell has increased to the rank of Apprentice. From now on, the effective range of the spell is increased to 45 meters.
At this point, that meant that I was affecting almost everybody who spent their breaks around the amphitheatre. Progress slowed down, but it was still steady and satisfactory. After eight days, I was at 13, and the spell felt like second nature to me.
Early afternoons were dedicated entirely to Sonic Magic. At first, I was left with some spare time after the classes, but as I got to know the other students, I was allowed to join the after-class practice sessions, neatly labeled 'creative playtime.' Turns out, that was another way of saying we'd use what we learned in class that day, only with props, without the teacher, and without restrictions. I slowly got to know my classmates and found that I liked them. Even the surly half-orc, Sienna; once you got past her serious facade, she had a sharp wit and sense of humor. Not everybody stayed - the twins couldn't be bothered to apply that much time, and the elf, Mordiel, spent most of the afternoons chasing skirts in the city. Like he said with an overbearing smile, "It's practically a requirement for us bards, is it not? Or have we not read the same chronicles? In fact, I assert that you are the ones who dedicate your pastimes incorrectly." Still, it was fun to let loose with the rest of them, and we enjoyed coming up with scenarios, challenges, and situations to test out our capabilities. Sometimes, things got a little out of hand, and somebody left creative playtime limping or cradling a sore head. Genoa had a talent for curbing the wildest ideas, though.
Not only were they an agreeable bunch, but they shared one thing with me - a deeply-founded passion for music. From time to time, they'd join us back at Meline's Perch, and I started more than one day with hangovers due to their enthusiasm and late-night impromptu concerts.
As for the classes themselves, I loved them. Tyler was not going to win any prizes for teaching new spells, but the ones he did use and teach, he introduced with enthusiasm, eloquence, and admirable fantasy. Getting over his disdain for 'props' or 'crutches,' as he called using instruments for magic, took a while. However, his focus on the spells and the versatility of the same was inspiring. His teachings worked, too. My Sonic Spells skill experienced steady growth, but it was nothing compared to what he called the 'mental fine motor skills.' Where I'd previously hammer away with whatever magical force I was able to put into my spell, I was taught to use the chisel instead, applying only whatever force was necessary with increased precision. Later, he promised me that I would be able to get astonishing results once I applied my newfound precision and full force at the same time. I did learn one spell from him. In his words, "it's an absolute necessity for any bard. It will get you out of, and into, all kinds of trouble. Plus, the girls love it." Mordiel nodded along with his words, so I took it as truth.
Congratulations. You have learned a new spell:
Humming Touch
You summon and shape a constant stream of tiny, ultra-short soundwaves. These sonic waves, when handled correctly, allow the bard to manipulate objects from a distance and even carry tiny items. Each point to Humming Touch increases the power of the soundwaves.
Properties:
Cast time: Instant
Range: 10 meters
Mana cost: 1 mana/second
Stat: Charisma
I loved it. Basically, it was a miniature Mage Hand spell that could be used for any sort of action. It was also notoriously difficult. Carry an object with too much power, and you'd fling it away; too little and you'd drop it. Tyler used it for everything, however, and I soon grew semi-competent in its use. One particularly memorable lesson had us all playing hands-free
dodgeball using only Humming Touch to catch the ball and a combination of Sonic Push along with Humming Touch for throwing. The sight of ten screaming, laughing grown-ups climbing, running, and jumping all over the furniture while balls whizzed all over, thrown by invisible hands, was one for the ages.
I considered finding some other classes too, but in the end opted out, taking my own advice to "have fun" for once.
My late afternoons were spent in the forests with Atlas. By now, our communication had become a two-way connection. He understood almost anything I said, and I always said things aloud while repeating the words mentally. For himself, he was also learning how to "speak" with his mind, and it was a joy to see him find his words. If this was anything like what parents experienced, I might eventually understand the attraction of the stinking, squabbling things. For now, I much preferred my monster-sized chameleon, however. Eventually, we were forced to move around a bit. Even with his camouflage, hunters had noticed his trails and were keeping an eye out for his presence. I ended up asking Tirane to help, and she agreed to tell the other guards about his presence. She still balked at the idea of letting Atlas into the city, however. Poor, misunderstood pup. To be fair, he didn't mind it much. The forest was filled with creatures that were too small to attract the attention of hunters from High Hold, but were perfect for a predator like Atlas. Constant, easy meals, plenty of sun, and regular visits and musical accompaniment from me led to one happy lizard.
Evenings were for relaxing. Lyle, Arack, and myself ended up sharing dinner every evening while discussing the day's events. Lyle had really taken a dive into the well of knowledge. His lore skills went through the roof, and I wasn't even surprised when his Crafting Lore hit Journeyman. The update was amazing and promised well for any future creations of his.
Congratulations. You have reached the Journeyman level with your skill:
Crafting Lore
You have amassed an impressive foundation of knowledge regarding crafting. This knowledge grants you a +3 to any future crafting attempts. Additionally, you now know enough about materials to handle magic and magic-infused materials without penalties.
I was so going to abuse this to craft the perfect meat shield!
At some point, Lyle had also found a sparring partner at the Academy and started spending some time keeping his combat skills fresh. He soon launched his Blunt Weapons skill to Apprentice, which gave him a sweet 5% chance to stun enemies on any regular attack.
As for Arack, once dinner was done, she usually went straight to bed. She worked herself hard, but the results were amazing. After just a week, she hit Apprentice Alchemist.
"This is amazing. Like, they'd told me there was a difference, but this is unbelievable. As a novice, you can handle maybe ten different recipes. As an apprentice, I have... I don't know! I really don't know! Isn't it amazing?"
Looked like it was the same as my Tinkering skill, with no update at the Apprentice level, but simply additional possibilities. For once, I was the one to initiate a hug. "You're amazing. I look forward to seeing what you can create."
She was beaming with pride. "Oh, you bet. Hey, and I'm finally going to be able to bring something home, maybe. It's, like, if I fill an order and avoid wasting materials, I can turn in the remains for reputation with the city... or I can keep them for myself. What do you think?"
I deliberated for a bit. "Mmmh - you decide. I believe we can get away with you keeping everything, though. Even if we just stay at the current pace, everything's coming together in... three weeks from now, maybe? Four, at most."
Her squee caused the neighbor table to throw us a look, but we ignored them. "Oh, praise Thracken. I can't wait to show you what I'm creating." Suddenly shy, she looked down. "I mean, it won't be the most impressive things at first. I'm still learning, and..."
Lyle laughed. "Geez. Stop it already. We promise to be completely blown away. Besides, low-effect potions are twice as good as no potions, which is what we have now."
As dryly as possible, I commented, "I'm pretty sure that's not how math works."
He waved his hand dismissively. "Of course it is. By the way, who wants to hear what I found today?"
Arack's gaze met mine over the table. "This isn't another speech about charcoal, is it?"
"No, seriously, this is great."
I hazarded a smile. "All right, hit me." His enthusiasm for knowledge was both impressive and unwavering, even after spending every free moment for the past week inside the library.
"I found a tome - not just a book, a frigging tome." He paused for effect. "On knighthoods of Aeion." When he saw our lack of enthusiasm, he threw up his hands in frustration. "Oh, come on, you two. This is amazing! It even has a section on the current-day affairs and locations of all known knighthoods."
I frowned. "Wait - does that mean..."
"Yeah. If I manage to make it to the capital, I'll be able to finally become a real knight. There's a handful of other towns that would work, too. I still haven't decided which knighthood suits me best."
"Oh, in that case I take back my lack of interest. That's amazing, Lyle. So, tell us about 'em. What are the options?" We might actually be able to put him through a class quest at some point.
Before he started explaining, Arack jumped in, "Just the ones you're thinking about, please. Like, I'm so tired, and I'm not sure I can handle a complete list."
Lyle pinched his lips. "You know, it really wouldn't hurt you to learn a little history - but all right.” He looked up and tapped his cheek. "There's the Gaborne Knights. They're mostly known for their vows of poverty and for only accepting rewards that will help them improve as knights. They're pretty famous, really, known for all sorts of feats of valor throughout history. Obviously, they’re also welcomed everywhere, because – well, they tend to help."
Arack shook her head. "No good. Like, sure, you may become famous, but… I mean, you should get to enjoy life, too? You would look silly being all grim and serious all the time."
With a look of dismay, Lyle turned his head toward me. I held up my hands in defense. "Hey, don't look at me. It's your choice, man. I will say, though, that it sounds a bit like a lonely road."
His face fell. "Yeah, they are famous for being solitary. Ah well, a good handful of others to pick from. The Knights of the Call are amazing. They have centers in most of the larger cities on Aeion that handle the organization, and they specialize in monster slaying and peace keeping. If a threat arises, they decide the appropriate response, and the Call goes out. They're also one of the only groups to cooperate with other chivalric orders."
Arack tilted her head. "Huh. That one sounds more easy-going. They get my vote."
Lyle laughed. "Yeah, they do not have the strictest moral codes, either. They mostly just want you to not shirk your duty. Actually, it's pretty common for knights of other orders to retire into the Knights of the Call."
"So, which ones are the strictest?" Arack asked. "What? A girl can change her mind. And I'm curious how fanatic they can get."
Lyle laughed. "Pretty damn fanatic, that's for sure. Hmm - the Order of the Unbroken may take that prize. They believe that life is about struggle and that the peoples of Aeion have it too easy. ‘Strength is only gained through adversity’ - stuff like that."
"Sounds like a pretty negative outlook," I agreed.
"Oh, you've only heard half of it. They carry these thorny, weighted suits to inure themselves to pain, flagellate themselves, and have dirges employed that keep them constantly suffering from debilitating spells."
"What? But... no! Why? Okay, you told us, but..." I shook my head to focus. "Are they simply insane or is there more to it?"
Lyle grimaced. "According to the stories, they aren't entirely mad. When they go into battle, they ditch all the weights, buff up, eat magic mushrooms and... well, go berserk. I don't know. It's definitely not a choice for me, but the stories are amazing. A lot of them are true, too. Like the story of Sir Mardagor, who braved a battlefield unarmore
d and fought his way straight to the other side, while his own side was losing the battle, to rescue a kidnapped maiden."
Arack huffed. "Feels like their life expectancy isn't really the longest."
"You would think that, right? But from what I can tell, they're some of the toughest bastards out there. Anyway - not too many other orders that seem interesting. Either they're too limited, too racist or too... well, old-fashioned. The Order of the Tear could be an option, but they're rumoured to be a little restrictive when it comes to companionship. Oh and Keepers of the Cabal, obviously, but that's not going to happen."
"Who? I mean, I know who the Cabal is, but not those other guys."
Lyle stared at me, slowly shaking my head. "Arack, please, tell him he needs to start reading more."
"Nah. Uncle's right. Reading's boring. Still, he, like, needs to get out and talk to people more. The Keepers are famous enough that we know 'em in Nerit and we don't get out at all!"
"Guilty as charged," I smiled. "Enlighten me?"
Arack leaned forward. "I'll give you the short version. They're bodyguards to the government sorcerers, and they’re frightening on a battlefield."
Lyle scoffed. "That definitely was the short version. They're also held as the shining example of all chivalric orders of Aeion. Any knight would praise themselves for earning a commendation from a Keeper. But... there's maybe fifty of them, total. The odds of me making it are non-existent."
"Hah. Well, I hope we actually make it to a bigger city at some point, so you'll get the chance to do something about it. Whenever it should happen, we're right here to help with the decision." I slapped him on the arm.
"Yeah. You'll need all the help you can get. Besides, you'd look horrible in thorns." Arack was clearly enjoying herself.
