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Chapter 1: The Tower: I
🕑 Added 2024-07-21 10:14:08 +0000 UTCChapter 1: The Tower
I
I spent the next few days floating about the city. I tried to discover what had become of my Bardic friend but I couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. I avoided returning to the church for fear there may be a Paladin there that could see me.
The city was abuzz with news that the term at Woden’s castle had once more begun. This combined with the repairs that had been made to the city led me to believe that I had been gone for some time.
With the school on my mind I floated over to see if I might impose on a lesson or two, one is never too old to learn after all. Unfortunately when I came within 10 feet of the castle’s complex I was rebuffed by a ward. Try as I might there were no cracks above or below.
I had just given up and was floating, annoyed, by the staircase which led to the main entrance when something or rather someone caught my eye. Three lads, two of which I thought I recognized, were leaving the building by the main gate. They walked through the ward and I could see them better. Although one did carry a staff and another a wand they weren't the boys I thought they were that said given their striking resemblance they may be related.
The two wood wielding boys seemed to be comforting the younger looking lad in their centre. The central boy appeared maybe 14 with short black hair and circular glasses.
“Nevermind, I’m sure you’ll get in next year.” The wand wielding comforter said.
“Yeah Hal, all your test scores were perfect, your mana pool was only a touch too low. Come next year you’ll be golden then you can show those professors what a mistake they made in not accepting you sooner.” the staff wielding lad added. The pair were wearing manticore robes the same as my one time students but the rather sickly looking boy between them was wearing plain black robes. They walked down the path towards the city and I floated behind them.
Hal didn’t respond for a while, he looked as though all his dreams had been shattered. “I can’t go back.” he finally said in a meek voice.
“What?” Staff asked, either not hearing him or not understanding.
“I promised my family I would get in, whatever it took. I’ll look like such a fool. My father said I didn’t have the talent for it. I simply can't go back.” He moaned, shaking his head before placing it in his hands.
“Then don’t.” Staff said.
“What?” Both Hal and Wand asked in unison.
“Just don’t go home. Stay in Wiccawich for a year until you’re accepted. Your family doesn’t have to know.” Staff said. Wand looked at the boy incredulously.
“He can’t lie to his family like that.” Wand said.
“No, I can. That’s a great idea.” Hal responded, lighting up at the thought.
“How will you live without your family's support?” Wand added. Hal’s face fell at the realisation.
“He can become an adventurer!” Staff retorted with growing excitement. “You’re a good enough fire mage to make a killing as an adventurer.” Wand tried to convince him it was too dangerous but the idea had become set in the young man’s mind.
While they talked I noticed something interesting. Staff had called Hal a fire mage and neither of them disputed it. He wasn’t, looking at his mana core I could tell his mana was naturally unattributed just like my own. Unattributed mana tended to change based on what was around it, if he only practised fire magic it might appear that he had an incredibly small fire mana pool. Assuming one is not looking for pure mana. I wondered if the lad knew what an incredibly rare gift he had or if he thought he was a fire mage. If the professors had known they would have snatched him up in a heartbeat. Then again not even I had met another like me.
Feeling a kindred spirit in the boy I followed him. When the three reached the city gate the two students were turned away as per the city’s agreement Woden’s students were not allowed in when school was in session.
I followed Hal as he headed, with some life back in his step, toward the adventures guild. I was surprised to see, when he entered, that Loretta wasn’t at the front desk. Instead one of her underlings was sitting there filing paperwork.
Hal introduced himself and stated his intentions. He was told that his life was his own responsibility in a rather bored tone then asked to sign a waiver to receive his badge.
When he did I learned his full name was Henry Price and he was part of a middling noble house from a foreign land. We entered the board room and it looked much as it ever did. To my surprise there was still a ratechin quest and it was still traditional for newbies to clear the sewers. I thought most of them would have been burned to cinders during my fight with the fire dragon but apparently nothing could keep nature down for long.
Hal took the quest and skipped along to the recommended entrance. He made his way through the half tunnel half alley and was greeted by Ravin the studious gargoyle. He gave his rehearsed lecture although throughout he seemed distracted by some form of grief.
Hal was kind enough to ask what was bothering the creature. We learned that today was the birthday, or creation day, of a close friend of the gargoyle. Another such creature who had sat atop the roof of the bank, apparently he had been destroyed during the dragon attack.
I felt a pang of regret as I remembered the sculpture I had accidentally destroyed, a creature that had been so happy to finally be able to fly. Hal tried to comfort the magical life form but was rebuffed and waved on into the sewers.
I followed along as the lad walked through the tunnels with obvious trepidation. He held a fireball ready, both to light the way and to attack anything that might jump out at him. I found the display a little funny as I could see that there was nothing for miles.
Eventually his posture relaxed, perhaps too much as when he did finally encounter a ratechin it caught him unawares. I saw the beady red eyes staring at the boy from within a darkened alcove but he did not and walked on past. I tried to warn him but I couldn’t be seen or heard in my current form. I tried to attack the beast as it leaned back on its hind legs and prepared to strike, again I ran into the same problem. I tried to cast a spell, anything, but being only a spirit I had mana but no means to shape it.
I was left to watch, helpless, as the giant rat attached the boy from behind. He screamed as the creature came from nowhere and bit into his neck. He launched his fireball, too close to his own body, and the screaming intensified from both parties but the beast didn’t realise his grip, only biting down harder. Blood sprayed out and painted the sewer tunnel. I kept trying to do something, anything but to no avail.
I had felt a connection to this lad, I had wanted to teach him to show him that he wasn’t the weak mage others thought him to be.
The rat-like creature burned up so much that it couldn’t move any more but the damage was already done. Hal slumped against the wall of the tunnel, slick with his blood. His skin grew paler by the second. I tried to insert myself into his wound, to staunch the blood flow, nothing. I watched as his heart slowed, each beat losing more and more blood.
I had seen death before, too many times. There was a reason I locked myself away in my tower and submerged myself in research. I was about to turn away in despair when a glimmer of light caught my eye. Within Hal’s chest there was a pin prick of white light. I moved in closer to examine it.
Inside his heart there was a core, much like the one I had seen in myself, though a fraction of the size and colourless. I had never seen these things before and was curious what other things my astral form would allow me to see but for now I forced my curiosity down. Desperate and with no other option I interacted with the core. As expected my spirit was sucked inside.
I opened my eyes as the last drops of blood dripped from my body and I died for a second time.
Congratulations:
You have learned the skill Possession
Notification:
Temporary race: Zombie.
☠
I passed out. When I woke up my Soul Manipulation told me that I was alone, Hal’s soul had moved on. I took a moment of silence as tears rolled down my cheeks. Once I had settled myself I turned to my situation.
It felt wrong to feel happy for another's misfortune but I couldn’t deny that I was. I was alive! Technically dead but close enough. There was much exploration that could have been done in my intangible form but I had forgotten how good it felt to be real.
Shaking off the sombre mood with years of experience I stood and examined myself. I was wearing large black robes that were covered in the young Wizard’s blood. Nevertheless I checked all the pockets to see what I had.
There was: a few coppers, a notebook, sticks of charcoal, a fire attributed ring, bone handled knife, a ball of twine, six six-sided dice, and a letter from the boy’s father; coldly wishing him luck whilst implying he won’t make it and would have to find his own way home.
A rather tragic story all told. I stooped down and with the lads old, but well made knife, I chopped the ear from the creature so I might get the bounty. The creature, despite its charred and blackened skin, tried to wriggle away - not yet dead. Not wanting to waste anything I created a spell that used the last of its life force to heal the tear in my neck with the help of Soul Manipulation. The wound was sealed, leaving a faded scar, but it couldn’t bring my body back to life.
Hopefully that could dissuade people’s suspicions somewhat. I would need to gather some spell components to deal with the stiff jerky movements and defend me from sunlight. I had thought to use Illusionary Skin but I discovered when casting the healing spell that Hal’s mana pathways and pool were underdeveloped. Limited as I was, I would have to find a budget option.
Having learned from my past mistakes I had taken note of the numbers the late aspiring Wizard had passed in his journey through the sewers, making it easy to go back the way we had come.
On the way I discovered some of the glowing blue moss I had found the last time I was here which contained enhancement mana. I also found some mushrooms hidden away in a dark corner. If I was using normal sight I would have probably missed them but I retained my Life Sense. The dark mana in them also helped hide them but they couldn’t escape my notice.
Using these two ingredients I improvised a single layer spell that would create an aura of faint darkness about me. It wouldn’t be enough to be visible, at most someone may think my skin is a slightly darker shade, but it should keep the sun from turning this body into a limp mass of flesh.
Congratulations:
You have learned the Sun Screen spell
With my Sun Screen in place I headed once more for the exit.
When I stepped back out into the light I was relieved to find that the low level spell did indeed work, although it would only last for a day or so.
When I passed the guard gargoyle he was shocked at my appearance, I explained that the blood wasn’t my own. I wasn’t even lying. After that he seemed much relieved. With his direction I then made my way to the nearest herbalist’s.
When I stumbled in, I ignored the strangely smelling dried herbs and potty fly catchers that nipped at passing customers. I looked about with an experienced eye until I found what I needed. I herb which increased someone’s finesse. I didn’t recognize the plant, how could I, I came from a different world, but the little mana it contained told me its effects.
I used half of Hal’s coppers to purchase the plant. Then I retreated to an unobserved alley and created another low level spell using some leftover moss and the herb I had purchased. It allowed me to move more smoothly so as not to be smited by a passing church goer. Maintaining the two spells was barely within this body’s limits but doing so would be good for my new mana network.
Next I got my robes cleaned and dried with my remaining coppers, seeing the state of me the owner of the wash told me to scrub off in the river. By the time I was done my clothes were ready and I returned to the adventures guild. Still Loretta was not about. This was probably for the best as she would definitely be able to see through my Conceal skill, just the fact I was using it had already raised some eyebrows. Not the Identifying someone without permission is something someone would admit to.
I got a strange look from the staff when I returned with a single ratechin ear, still they gave me my silver without question. Looking at the boards I selected a quest which suited me:
A mysterious tower has appeared in the village of Urila. The folk there sent three brave young men to investigate but they haven’t returned. They have managed to get together one gold mark for investigating the tower and recovering at least the bodies of their fellow villagers. The village chief has reported that ever since the tower appeared there have been non stop storms about their village with constant lightning strikes.
Danger level: 3.5/5
I remembered the quest number and went to the counter. The lady looked at me strangely when a child said they were going on such a dangerous quest but she didn’t stop me. She only told me that no one else had taken the quest, despite it being up for several days. I had expected as much, the risk to reward was terrible.
I had taken it, however, for a number of reasons:
First, I wanted out of the city; I kept feeling that Orlando could descend at any time and send me back to my soul space.
Second, while I hadn’t heard anything about Dante I did learn that the name was more common in the east and that’s where this quest would take me.
Third, Urila was a coastal town and I wanted to see the sea.
Fourth, I was in need of money; although this came second to my newfound desire for adventure.
I found my way to the market and a farmer’s caravan was only too happy to have an adventurer ride with them, even as young as I appeared. So it was that I set off on my first proper adventure.
