NOVEL NEXT 44. A Rare Skill
Justin stirred awake to the smell of pine and the sound of birdsong.
And, of course, the Voice informing him of his next level.
[You have reached Level 7. You are becoming more competent, yes. But with increased competency comes the budding realization of just how much you truly don't know.]
Justin thought the description was apt, given the revelations of the previous night. But a part of him wondered whether the Voice was trying to tell him something else. Or was he reading too much into it?
[You have one attribute point to distribute.]
Justin immediately willed it into Charisma.
[Your Charisma is now 18.]
Justin smiled. He knew exactly what came next.
[As a Level 7 Socialite, you have unlocked your next skill. Choose wisely—there is no going back.]
As the options populated before him, his eyes widened. He didn't have just one but two rare skills to choose from. Maybe Eldrin was right about the advantage of the Prismatic Core.
Intimidating Lean (Rare): True charisma doesn't always play nice. Adopt a domineering posture that inspires fear and subservience, even when you have nothing to back it up. Its power scales with your Charisma attribute. (Cooldown: 1 hour)
A Solid Thwack (Rare): Strike with ultimate precision, dealing 20% extra damage and inflicting Daze for 10 seconds, interrupting your target's current action or skill. They cannot use it while Daze is active. Restricted to canes or bludgeoning instruments. (Cooldown: 3 minutes)
Justin considered his options.
Intimidating Lean felt like a bad guy ability, and yet there were plenty of situations where its use would be highly apparent. Sometimes, people just could not be convinced to see things your way, and preventing a greater disaster required actions that were morally dubious. He was especially intrigued by the part that said he didn't have to follow through on his threat. It would inspire fear regardless, but it still felt "icky" to use. Definitely not his style.
Even if he didn't like the idea, he had to respect its use case. The fact that it was a "rare" skill told Justin it was highly effective.
But then, there was A Solid Thwack. It would be a solid skill to add to his rotation. Extra damage was nothing to sneeze at, but a guaranteed way to interrupt an enemy's action was an absolute must. The cooldown of three minutes was quite long for a combat move, but saving the skill for a known powerful attack was probably the best way to play it.
It required him to be close to the enemy, and for the attack to land, but to him, there was no comparison. It was an attacking move, and combined with his new Add Injury to Insult boon, it would deal even more damage.
With a mental click, he confirmed his selection.
[You have chosen A Solid Thwack. When words fail, let your cane do the talking.]
A warm sensation washed over him as the skill was integrated into his being.
As with every level up, Justin summoned his character screen to check how much experience he needed to reach the next level:
Justin Talemaker
Class: Socialite
Level: 7
Experience to Level 8: 269/940
Skills: Poison Barb, Dazzling Display, Dandy's Swagger, A Solid Thwack
Boons: Magnetic Presence, Basic Cane Proficiency, Add Injury to Insult
Tactics: Refined Aura
A long way to go to Level 8, then. But when he did get there, he stood to upgrade to the next tier of his cane proficiency.
Justin came out of his concentration to find that someone had already served him some pork, while most of the camp was packed up.
"There you are," Lila said. "You were just staring off into space for a few minutes."
Justin was already digging into his meal. "Did you get a new skill?"
"I did. It's called Encore Performance. It refreshes the cooldown of any one of my skills."
"Hey, that sounds like it would come in handy. Does it have a cooldown?"
"Ten minutes," Lila said. "It's something that will grow with me, too. If I unlock truly powerful skills down the line with long cooldowns, I'll be glad I took this one."
"Absolutely," Justin agreed. "Look, this is something of a strange transition, but I've been wondering. So that Voice we hear is 'Veyrith,' right?"
"Yes," Lila asked, looking at him strangely. "What about it?"
"Well, I was wondering. Can the other gods talk to us, too? I know Arion is the God of Power, but are there gods of the other attributes?"
Kargan watched him from across the fire. The orc still didn't know Justin's history, or lack thereof, in this world. Justin really needed to be more careful with what he said.
Lila answered, "Well, they don't talk to us in the way you might think. But they can speak in signs, or in dreams. Certainly, classes have more direct connections to the gods, but most wouldn't claim to speak to them directly. Veyrith is basically how the Creator communicates with us. His spirit, if you will."
"A Holy Spirit," Justin said. "I know some things about religion."
"Yes, that would be apt, but people usually call Veyrith the Ethereal Voice. Or 'Voice' for short. But as for your question about the Six Gods, Arion is the God of Power, like you said. But there's also Thalora, Goddess of Endurance; Elyndra, Goddess of Coordination; Vesperis, God of Intellect; Lioran, God of Spirit. And finally, Zephyra, Goddess of Charisma. But together, they make up the Six."
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"I see. It seems like Arion is the most worshipped, though."
"In this part of the world, yes. But go to the central part of Serenthel and you'll find that Vesperis and Lioran are more popular. In my country, Zephyra is highly favored, while in the south of Aranthia, Thalora and Elyndra are most popular. However, all are part of the Pantheon of the Church of Light, equally esteemed for what they provide."
"What about the Creator?" Justin asked. "Is he above all of them?"
"Yes. I guess you could say he is the highest deity of all, on a higher plane than the Six. The Six are who you talk to when you want something. The Creator is just not someone you talk to, you know? He's too important for average people like you and me."
"I see," Justin said. He supposed it was like Catholics praying to Mary as an intermediary, or perhaps a saint. The concept wasn't wholly unfamiliar to him.
And yet, it was something of a contradiction. The Voice talked to anyone with a class when they leveled up, and yet, apparently, it was impossible to talk back.
Well, he supposed religion was nothing if not confusing, whatever reality one found themselves in.
"What about your new skill?" Lila asked. "I forgot to ask."
"Well," Justin said with a smile, "it's rare."
Lila's eyes widened, and even Eldrin's and Kargan's ears seemed to perk up at that.
"Rare?" Lila asked. "Tell me!"
"It's called A Solid Thwack. It lets me interrupt an enemy's skill and deal extra damage."
Kargan grunted with approval. "That could be a game changer. Interrupt skills are pretty rare."
Eldrin nodded. "We will see how it comes into play. If you are presented with a rare skill, it's almost always worth taking it, except under specific circumstances."
Justin didn't see the point in telling him that the other skill had been rare, too. It was further proof that his Prismatic Core was definitely shaping his destiny.
Besides this, Kargan revealed he had reached Level 4 and now enjoyed a new boon called Sanguine Infusion. It basically made all his wards, shields, and aegises heal slowly over time as well.
Justin frowned. "That sounds cool!" He cleared his throat. "So, uh, what's the difference between a ward, a shield, and an aegis, anyway?"
Thankfully, Kargan didn't find this a strange question. "A ward is basically an active effect that covers a certain area. It affects anyone within it. It can be either a good effect or a bad effect, depending on the use. A shield, on the other hand, is purely for defense. It can block physical or magical damage, but usually both. Finally, an aegis combines the properties of both. It normally shields an area around the caster in a dome, granting protection to anyone under it while also giving positive boosts. Naturally, it's the most expensive of all three."
"I see," Justin said. "Thank you for explaining."
"No problem," Kargan said. "I'm still learning this stuff, too. We orcs aren't exposed to magic much."
"Makes sense," Justin said.
He joined the party in the morning preparations, which were almost done.
"We'd better leave," Eldrin said. "We've got a long way to travel yet."
As they set out north, leaving no trace behind, the forest welcomed them with its natural beauty. The trees stood tall and proud, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze. Sunlight danced through the branches, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. Birds flitted from tree to tree, their songs creating a soothing symphony.
"This forest is so beautiful," Lila said. "It's hard to believe we were fighting for our lives yesterday."
"That's the nature of our journey," Eldrin replied, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "One moment, we're in danger; the next, we're in a natural paradise. It's the balance of our world."
Justin took a deep breath, savoring the crisp, clean air. "I could get used to this."
They walked in companionable silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts and the tranquility of the forest. They were heading north, toward Windfall, and for now, the journey was as important as the destination.
Here, it seemed danger was far away, so Lila invoked her Bardic Inspiration, boosting their Endurance. Almost immediately, Justin felt strength infuse into his limbs, pushing him to the top of a steep incline. Lila's voice stilled once everyone had made it to the top.
Justin was met with majestic views of the surrounding forest and the Umber Mountains to the west. To the north, he could spy vast mountains in the distance that dwarfed the glorified hills to the west of them. The peaks were jagged and towering, capped with snow that glistened in the sunlight. Wisps of clouds clung to the upper reaches, while lower down, dark green forests blanketed the slopes. Waterfalls cascaded down the mountainsides, their mist catching the light and creating rainbows.
"The Seraphim Range," Eldrin said. "Aranthia's northern border and the tallest mountains in this part of the continent. Windfall will be somewhere over there."
He pointed to the western arm of the mountain range, where they met the Umbers.
"Looks like a lot of elevation to gain," Justin said.
"Yes. We'll be out of the Northwood soon. I'm certain there is a village or two on the way in the foothills. Come. We need to keep moving."
The forest thinned out slightly, revealing the faint outline of an old, overgrown trail winding through the trees. Eldrin, unsurprisingly, was the first to spot it. He knelt down, brushing aside some undergrowth to reveal a path that looked like it hadn't seen regular use in years.
"Look here," Eldrin said, his voice thoughtful. "Looks like an old trail."
Justin peered over his shoulder. "Do you think it's safe to follow?"
Lila glanced around, her eyes scanning the surrounding hills. "It's this or continue bushwhacking. This trail could save us a lot of time and energy."
Kargan nodded, but his brow was furrowed. "But what if it leads us into trouble? We don't know where it goes."
Eldrin inspected the trail, noting faint but recent footprints. "Someone has used this path recently. It's overgrown but not completely abandoned. I think it's safe enough."
Justin looked at the others, seeing the mixture of curiosity and caution on their faces. "All right, let's follow it. We should be careful, though."
As they walked along the trail, the signs of wildlife became more apparent. Deer tracks crisscrossed their path, and bird nests perched high in the trees. A fox den nestled among the roots of an old oak tree. Its occupants peered out curiously before retreating into the shadows.
"Seems like this trail is a lifeline for the local wildlife," Eldrin observed. "We should be in good company."
The trail gradually led them to higher elevations, and soon they found themselves at a vantage point overlooking a vast valley. The scene before them was breathtaking: a river wound through the valley below, its waters sparkling in the midday sun. Along the banks of the river was a small village nestled among a stand of trees, filled with sturdy houses and thatched roofs, a water mill, and small surrounding fields growing winter wheat.
"Is that the Marin?" Justin asked.
"It is," Eldrin confirmed. "Much smaller this far north, even though we're only a hundred miles from Highcliff."
"Can we go to that town?" Lila asked. "I'd kill for a warm bed to sleep in."
"It should be safe enough," Eldrin confirmed. "I imagine it would be impossible for them to have sent anyone up into this isolated valley."
In the distance, the Seraphim Mountains rose majestically, their snow-capped peaks and blue glaciers glistening against the clear blue sky. Cascading waterfalls tumbled down the mountainsides.
"Wow," Justin breathed, taking in the panoramic view. "This is incredible."
If he had a button that would take him back to his old life, he might hesitate to press it, at least at the moment, just because of this vista. If every day could be like this rather than running for his life, he'd see the appeal of staying here.
"It's been years since I've been up this way," Eldrin said. "The Seraphim Mountains are one of the most beautiful sights in all Serenthel."
"What's on the other side?" Justin asked.
Eldrin shrugged. "The Everwood Forest, and beyond that, the Frostplain, which is tundra. Very dangerous lands. Too much for even a Ranger like me, at least in most parts. Dire wolves, frost trolls, frost elementals, wraiths, frost giants, and even ice drakes, if you're truly unlucky. Far safer on this side. There is one large city, called Kaldrath, on the Ghostly Sea, but it's a long journey and not worth the effort."
They took in the scenery, the grandeur of the mountains filling Justin with a sense of awe. The cold air carried the faint scent of pine and the distant sound of rushing water.
Kargan observed the mountains, but it seemed nothing new to him. It was probably a common sight for him.
"We should get moving soon," Eldrin said eventually. "But let's take a few more minutes to enjoy this. Moments like these are rare."
The group nodded in agreement, savoring the serenity of the mountains for a little while longer before they had to continue their journey down into the valley.