NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: Shared Sympathy
Marcus was dead. Or rather, he felt like he was dead. He drifted in and out of consciousness over the course of several hours. When the memory of what had happened to him bubbled to the surface a soothing presence would chase it away.
Two voices slowly filtered down through the haze. It took him several minutes to focus enough to make out who exactly was talking. The first presence was a familiar sharp frost, the second, a golden pillar of authority.
In his state of half awareness Marcus thought he sensed an intangible connection to the second, but it was fleeting, like moonlight through heavy cloud cover.
“That hardly seems fair.” Came a familiar voice. it sounded as if it were coming from far, far away.
“Fair? Not at all. We wouldn’t know until afterwards but they were intentionally trying to get us expelled. When you’re from a high born family or have a sponsor you can get away with a lot. Even if the Academy is fairer than most places.”
The second voice was deeper, a comforting baritone. Marcus knew who that was. Sieg? And the other? Leaf? Marcus’s foggy mind cleared bit by bit, and with it, the clarity of the conversation sharpened. Oh, I remember this. Fun times.
“And they got away with it?” Leif asked. The spriggan’s voice was significantly less pleasant than Sieg’s. A raspy and hissing timbre to each word. Though it was far better now than when he had first started.
“Almost.” Sieg said, laughing. “Even though we did the work as a pair, and the project had ten people per group. Our grade wasn’t great, it wasn’t terrible mind you, but just barely enough to pass. One of the little pricks tried to claim that me and Marcus had ‘sabotaged the project’.”
“I don’t think he intended for his accusation to be taken quite so seriously.” Sieg continued. “But somehow his family got wind of the story and pressured the Academy to take action. Which they did, and when they did they found that no, we hadn’t sabotaged shit…”
“Ah, they got punished?”
“No, not really. Their family got some blowback but nothing really came of it. What did happen was the Academy quietly shifted me and Marcus into a different wing, so that was nice.”
“And you and he became friends afterwards?” Leif asked.
“Yeah, I realised being so standoffish wasn’t doing me any favours. But in my defence anyone who acts so unreservedly friendly right from the start is suspicious.”
Huh? What's that supposed to mean?
“Maybe… maybe you were too influenced by your past to see clearly?”
Yes! Exactly! Leaf, you tell him.
“He asked me if I wanted to play ‘Knight-Tiles’ within the first thirty seconds of us meeting.”
But it's a fun game! You even like it- What the hells was that? A warm wet sensation pressed against the side of Marcus’s face.
“I didn’t even know what that was. He had to teach me.”
Because you were uncultured- Ugh! What the shit? The wetness came again. Then something slimy entered his ear. Marcus yelped and sprang up, eyes snapping open. A deer stood at his bedside with its tongue out.
Both man and spriggan turned to look at him. “M-marcus! You’re awake!” Sieg said as he pushed the deer aside.
Leif shrugged. “Told you it would be soon.”
“Yeah.” Marcus groaned. “I’m alive. Not sure how, but I won’t complain.”
“It's thanks to Leaf. Some very potent healing skills.”
Marcus gave the spriggan a thumbs up. “Thanks a bunch buddy. You’re still level twenty five?”
Leif nodded.
“Twenty scales you get a healing class offered to you once you complete your advancement.”
“I’m not taking that bet.” Sieg snorted. “Because it's obviously going to happen.”
“How far along are your skill fusions?” He asked Leif.
The spriggan paused. Then answered. “Six percent.”
“Only six? Sieg, get this man a mana shard. Wait, we have some of those right?”
“A handful. Two thirds of the medium grades are left, and they’re the important ones.” Sieg confirmed.
“Give the tree some shards! He deserves all of them at this point!” Marcus exclaimed.
“We were waiting until you woke up.” Leif said placatingly.
“Give him some shards, Sieg, where are they?”
Leif already knew, there was a small sack of low grade mana shards on a mostly rotten table. He started absorbing them one by one while listening to Marcus complain about the deer trying to nibble his hair.
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Fusion of skills [Amber Awareness] and [Court Empath] 23/100%
“By the gods.” Marcus gasped. “Why are there so many hogs in this village?”
“I don’t know. There are far too many, I agree. We need to regroup with the expedition. Preferably before we get trampled.” Sieg grunted.
Fusion of skills [Amber Awareness] and [Court Empath] 41/100%
“He said that, did he? Johan is just projecting, he’s from the middle of nowhere too.”
“Oh I know, he’s a little rat that grasps at whatever power you hand him.” Sieg said as he hefted a small sack of his and Marcus’s belongings.
Fusion of skills [Amber Awareness] and [Court Empath] 60/100%
“If the undead reach the surface they’ll try and turn every living thing they can get their hands on. It would be wise to send the animals somewhere safe.” Sieg commented.
Leif contemplated this. Where would be safe? The northern mountains were full of dangerous monsters, should he send them back east? Would they even obey him? Leif looked at the two deer following Marcus around.
Probably not. He thought with a sigh.
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Fusion of skills [Amber Awareness] and [Court Empath] 100/100%
A faint wisp of smoke had come into view. Its nearby presence signifying to the trio and their many, many animal followers that the expedition camp was close. The smoke rose from behind a series of low rocky hills.
Sieg and Marcus had gone on ahead prior to Leif completing his latest skill fusion. While he waited, the spriggan had plenty of time to read over his newest skill.
Congratulations! Your fusion of the [Amber Awareness] and [Court Empath] skills is complete!
You have gained the [Amber Blight Spriggan] skill [Amber Sympathy]!
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Amber Sympathy:
Aspects: Perception (Time), Enhancement (Body)*, Social*
The amber provides a glimpse into the past. You passively absorb information about what has recently transpired nearby, you gain this information whether you were present or not. The more significant or personal the events of the past, the clearer they become to your sight.
You become more aware of your surroundings and are able to detect the emotions and intent of beings nearby.
You may share a limited amount of this skills effects with those nearby.
===
And by read over, I mean adjust. Because, unlike before, [Amber Sympathy] was always active. Sure, like with most skills Leif could push the effects down with a mental prod and a slight exertion of will.
But Leif wanted to get used to it. Just looking at the hundreds of animals revealed a transparent golden echo following each creature as they milled about, though the further from him they were the less visible the trail.
He focused, and the echoes became more distinct, physical reality rewinding as what looked like amber grains of sand flowed all around.
He could see the faint hints of the trajectory leaves had fallen, where footprints had been trodden into the ground. But most fascinating of all were the impressions and emotions.
It was nearly indescribable, but Leif could almost hear the whispers of intent and feelings from the past as if they were a distant conversation.
Leif waved his hands through the air, and where his hand passed, the spriggan could feel the path the wind had blown.
But there was more. For the longer Leif focused on his surroundings the further and further back the gilded overlay of time rewound. It was, to put it as simply as possible, magical.