The Combat Alchemist

The Shattering. A term oft forgotten—a cataclysm wiped from the memory of the peoples—even though it is the reason why empires formed as they have and how pantheons have risen. Much knowledge was lost in that instant and in the following dark age; most important among these was its cause. Truly, I tell you, so complete was the erasure that none can scry so much as an iota of that long-forgotten age—not even our most powerful magi, nor the exalted ones who rule over the universes. But one thing is known: the mad emperor of the Eternal Dawn played a part—a fact the royal family conceals like sinners abounding in shame. They hide still more from us, the citizens of the multiverse—the children of those who had to rebuild from nothing! Truly, I say to you: soon, nothing will be hidden. The Eternal Dawn will fall.

-An excerpt from the letter of Emperor Tull Ga'reeve of the Rhukon Empire to his brother Prince Gowan Ga'reeve, fourth age.

Lukas' return to consciousness was heralded by a low, heavy groan. His entire body felt sore, as though he went too hard at the gym after not working out for a long time, only this was a thousand times worse. Even breathing was painful, the rise and fall of his chest sending a prickling pain over his whole body. His limbs felt tingly as he sat there unmoving, his eyes didn't want to open, and he had a pounding headache that the cool cave wall did nothing to ease. He wanted nothing more than to return to the sweet embrace of sleep.

Beside him, Akira was awakened from her meditation by his noise and looked down at his head resting on her shoulder. "You're finally awake."

"Unfortunately," Lukas croaked, unwilling to move or even open his eyes. "How long have I been out?"

"A while," Akira said with a shrug, nudging his head and drawing a pitiful groan from him in the process. "It's mid-morning right now. I don't think you've ever slept this long."

Finally deciding to open his eyes, Lukas attempted to sit up on his own, with Akira helping him. "And I still feel like this?" he complained. "How long have you been up?"

"I came to an hour or so before sunrise," she said. "I was in a similar state to you. I spent most of the time since then meditating, letting my natural recovery get a workout while I consolidated and went over the changes I underwent."

Finding the staff he'd dropped nearby, he slowly reached out and grabbed it, putting it away before turning to Akira. "Oh yeah, how did that go, by the way…?"

Lukas trailed off as he laid eyes on her. Her already gorgeous features hadn't changed much, but there was a new quality to them now. It was like he'd only seen her in photos up to that point and was now seeing her in person for the first time—everything seemed sharper and more defined. There was also something in there that reminded him of the untamed beauty of the forest. Then there were her eyes. They had already been a dazzling forest green, but now they were deeper and yet lighter, as though they held the power of nature itself.

"What?" she laughed nervously.

"...You look different."

Akira was taken aback, a hand going up to her face. "I do? Is it good or bad?"

"Good," Lukas assured, perhaps a little too hastily. "I can definitely sense your nature attunement now, and your appearance reflects that. What other changes were there?"

Akira suppressed a grin. "Some of my channels have shifted slightly so that they're more in line with nature, and I can sense that my nature-related abilities are stronger and under better control."

His eyes went wide in surprise. "That's an amazing boost from one natural treasure."

Lukas, being an alchemist, had done fairly extensive research into various types of natural treasures and their effects. In copper rank the effects of natural treasures were limited in some ways, at least according to the books he'd read. What was different about treasures of higher rank Lukas wasn't sure, but he'd find out at some point, likely when he was closer to ranking up.

Normally, depending on the type, a natural treasure would bond to one ability or stat. In some cases an ability would become stronger, more energy efficient, or take on an attribute of the natural treasure consumed. If a stat was affected it was usually a singular stat, and only by a few points, but depending on the rarity it could increase two or more.

To have so many effects come from one treasure must have meant the gem was of extremely high rarity and even more valuable. To stumble across something like that was lucky, and Lukas thought it was worth it despite everything they had to fight to claim it. Knowing now just how good it was, he wished he had a chance to identify it beforehand.

"That isn't the only thing!" she said, leaning into him excitedly. "I also had a massive boost in my stats! I must have gotten it from killing the big vermin!"

"That's great," he said, examining her aura.

The effects of the gem had settled, its unique signature gone after becoming incorporated and fully a part of Akira. Now all that remained was a fresh sense of nature—one that had always been there but had seen growth like the forest after a long-awaited rainfall. Then there was the increase in strength that seemed to radiate off her like heat. Normally that would be great; a boost in stats from levels and titles would make anyone feel stronger. The only issue was that Lukas was seeing a lot more change in that area than he'd expected.

The title she should've received was Unceasing, which gave 2 to all stats and 2% to all stats. Even if she'd gained ten levels there wouldn't have been that much growth, and he knew she hadn't gained that many because he had identified her and found her to be level 71. After everything they went through she'd gained four levels. So where did the other boost in stats come from?

It was then that Lukas noticed his notifications blinking in his periphery. Pulling them up, he scrolled through a lot of alerts telling him he'd infected something and just as many kill notifications. It was honestly insane how much there was, and it wasn't until he'd reached the bottom that his jaw dropped.

Title earned — [The Tides of War]

Ability (Domain of the Combat Alchemist) has reached lvl 2.

Ability (Star Forged Armory) has reached lvl 2.

Level gained: [Rogue of Night] has reached level 40 — Stat points allocated.
…
Level gained: [Rogue of Night] has reached level 45 — Stat points allocated.

New ability earned: [Cosmic Might] — Ability: The cosmos is eternal and everlasting, its might incomprehensible, a trait now bestowed upon you. As you fight and your wounds grow, so will your strength until either you or your enemy is dead. This is a passive ability. The more damage you take, the stronger you grow, your physical stats growing temporarily based on your health. Mana and Stamina cost increase the stronger you become. Ability can be disabled at will. Mana cost: Varies. Stamina cost: Varies.

Level gained: [Combat Alchemist] has reached level 41 — Stat points allocated.
…
Level gained: [Combat Alchemist] has reached level 47 — Stat points allocated.

New ability earned: [Plague of Despair] — Ability: On the battlefield you are the plague-bringer, and your weapon is despair. As you fight, the hordes wither and rot until there is nothing left but you and a sea of fetid flesh. This ability allows afflictions to spread from one enemy to another. You may expend mana to spread your various afflictions. The state of affliction spread is dependent on the affliction held by the original recipient. Mana cost increases as the affliction grows in severity. Mana cost: Varies.

Level gained: [Human (Outworlder)] has reached level 40 — Stat points allocated.

…
Level gained: [Human (Outworlder)] has reached level 46 — Stat points allocated.

It was a lot to take in. He half expected to feel a rush of strength and pain as it all sank in, but he realized that it had all happened after yesterday's fight. How he'd managed to live with two new sets of channels being seared into him was a mystery; he was surprised he hadn't just passed out when it happened.

So many levels were unexpected, though it shouldn't have been considering how many beasts he'd killed. Most of them provided extra experience for being above his level, if only slightly. He wasn't going to complain about getting his new abilities sooner, though. He had been expecting it to take a few more days, if not another week, to get his next ones.

Speaking of abilities, his new ones were interesting, and it was obvious why he'd gotten them. He'd once been told that abilities gained were a product of many variables—the largest factor being what a person had been doing or gone through. And these two definitely qualified.

The first, Cosmic Might, was a product of his fighting style, one he'd had since arriving on Adona. He was willing to take damage to deal damage. Akira had rightly told him it was a stupid way to fight and would result in him being dead sooner rather than later. That seemed reasonable for a rogue—except he wasn't specced like a typical rogue. The only thing that made sense concerning his stats was his agility.

As a result of his foolhardiness, his rogue class had given him what could only be described as a barbarian's skill. That being said, Lukas wasn't going to complain. He liked his fighting style. It hurt, but he found it effective. What was more terrifying than a crazy, poison-wielding rogue who only got stronger the more you tried to kill him?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

His second ability, Plague of Despair, made a lot more sense and really stuck with the theme of his class—even if the description was a bit macabre. Then again, he had killed a guy by melting the flesh off his head once.

The ability, while extremely useful, wouldn't be of much help during a one-on-one battle. During a fight like the one they'd had against the fungal vermin, it was perfect—letting his poison have a much larger impact while saving him from having to throw out dozens of bottles.

Overall he was happy with them. He would have preferred another special attack, or a spell to drown someone in a pillar of poison, but these two matched his needs well. He just hoped more special attacks were coming in the future. Until then he was excited to spend time with all his new abilities and find the best ways to utilize them.

Not able to do much more regarding his abilities, Lukas eagerly looked into the new title he'd earned. Despite all the pain and soreness, he could feel a pool of power beneath it all, one that had grown significantly. He wanted to know how much and why. He'd silently hoped there were more ways to gain titles than just killing progressively stronger beasts, so he was interested in seeing what else was out there.

Title: [The Tides of War] — War is inevitable, and so are its horrors. Even so, you refuse to back down no matter how bloody or bruised. In a single battle you have had a hand in slaying over 5,000 beings while still in copper rank, proving yourself resilient against the tides of war. +5 to all stats, +5% to all stats.

Lukas's eyes bugged out reading the description. 'Over 5,000!? Just how many vermin were there!?'

He felt his whole body go slack, realizing how close he'd been to death. Before, it was all just a blur—killing anything that came close without keeping count—but 5,000… He should have drowned in fungal vermin, especially in his state at the time.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he stared at the bonuses to his stats, and with some quick math he figured his titles gave him a nice +24 to all stats and +34% to all stats. It might not seem like a lot, but so early in his journey he still had so much room to grow, and at this stage every point counted. He was sure a handful of stat points didn't matter at Kora's level in gold rank, but in copper a five-point difference could mean life or death. So having such a lead—one that let him take on beasts far higher than him—was amazing. He couldn't wait to see how much his stats had jumped in just a few days.

Lukas Hellstrand

Race: Human (Outworlder [unique]) — Level 46
Class 1 — Combat Alchemist — Level 47
Class 2 — Rogue of Night — Level 45
Health Points: 1359/1790
Stamina: 1566/1700
Mana: 1624/1790

Stats
Vitality: 179
Endurance: 170
Intelligence: 164
Wisdom: 179
Agility: 253
Perception: 170
Toughness: 205
Strength: 209
Willpower: 132

Free Points: 58

Titles:

Prodigious Dimensional Traveler, Unkillable, True Heart of a Warrior, Indomitable Worm, Hierophant of the Risen Goddess, Unceasing, Path of Slaughter, The Tides of War.

Abilities:

Combat Alchemist Abilities: (Amber Eye of the Alchemist [lvl-1]), (Domain of the Combat Alchemist [lvl-2]), (Alchemist's Will [lvl-0]), (Plague of Despair [lvl-0]).

Rogue of Night Abilities: (Lurker of the Shadows [lvl-1]), (Star Forged Armory [lvl-2]), (Night's Intractability [lvl-0]), (Cosmic Might [lvl-0]).

Race abilities: (Dimensional Traveler), (Tribute of the Fallen), (Steel Gut), (Tongue of the Multiverse), (Stranger in a Strange Land).

Lukas blinked once, then twice, staring at his updated status screen. Never before had he seen such a massive increase in his stats at once. Every single one had jumped by over twenty points, and his agility by forty. Not only that, but his resource pools had increased by about three hundred—an insane gain in such a short time span.

It was to the point that Lukas wondered if he was stronger than Akira—if she were without titles, that is. He was so shocked by his immense growth that it wasn't until Akira waved her hand in front of his face that he snapped out of his trance.

"Hello?" she said. "Are you there?"

Jolting in surprise, Lukas closed his status and looked at her. "Huh? What's going on?"

Akira rolled her eyes. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" he frowned.

"Stare off into the distance. You just sat there for a solid three minutes staring at the wall without moving—and it's not the first time."

Lukas was taken aback. He'd never thought about what he looked like while going over his notifications or status screen, nor how long it took, but he guessed it looked strange—if Akira's reaction was anything to go by. He'd have to be more careful in the future. It wasn't likely anyone would figure out what he was actually doing, but less attention was always fine by him.

"Oh. Uh, I was just going over some of my own gains. I grew a lot thanks to yesterday's fight; I even got my next two abilities."

Akira's eyes went wide. "Already? I thought we'd have to keep going for at least another week. Are they good?"

Lukas told her about his newfound abilities, making sure to only give away information that came to him instinctively with the new skills.

"Those do sound great for you—especially if we find ourselves in a situation similar to yesterday's battle," she nodded. "Still, I think it would be best if you changed your fighting style."

"It'd be the smart thing to do," he conceded, "but I think I'll stick with what I know, and incorporate my brutal style into my technique."

"That's what I figured you'd say," Akira sighed, before moving on. "Now that you're awake, you should meditate. Recover naturally to exercise your stats, consolidate, and get used to the other changes. I'll keep watch, and when you're ready we'll head out."

Nodding, Lukas closed his eyes and rested his head back against the cave wall. He'd do as Akira suggested. It had been a while since he'd let his natural recovery do any real work. More often than not he'd just downed potions, waited out the one-hour timer, then taken another. The only time his recovery took charge was during the potion cooldown; even then it wasn't fully active.

He was just glad that meditating helped all forms of resource recovery, whether stamina, mana, or health. He was also hoping for a few more levels through consolidation. If all the levels he'd gained were anything to go by, he'd have a decent amount of loose experience floating around that could push him closer to his next abilities.

Time passed in a blur for Lukas as he sat in silent meditation, rotating mana through his channels. He'd gotten much better at it over the last few weeks, able to rotate mana through any one of his abilities' channels without the mana dispersing. He could even rotate mana through two channels at once if he was careful. Two was his limit, though, but he hoped that with time and experience he'd be able to handle more. He also found that if he consolidated while rotating his mana, it created a sort of pressure that made the condensing process faster and easier.

As Lukas had hoped, he did gain more levels—though it was only one in each class, resulting in another race level. Even so, he wouldn't complain; they were practically free levels, and he could feel he was on the precipice of gaining another in both classes.

A few hours later Lukas opened his eyes, feeling fresh and fully recovered. Most importantly, the sore and bruised feeling all over his body was gone, leaving each breath light and free. Thinking that, he took a deep breath and let it out as a satisfied sigh. His body felt good—really good. It was all thanks to the large boost in stats he'd gained before passing out. There was a power buried in his body that was ready to be unleashed, and he wanted to test it, to find his new limits.

Just as he opened his eyes, Akira came around a bend further in the cave, and upon noticing he was done said, "Good, you're finished. You should come check this out."

Lukas turned to her and found an excited gleam in her eye, so he could at least rule out trouble or immediate danger. "What is it?"

"Come on, I'll show you," she grinned.

With a shrug, Lukas got up and stretched before heading toward Akira. Once he'd caught up, she turned and led him further in. Turning the bend and into the darkness, she took out a glowstone from her pouch and used it to light a small cave. It was large enough for them to stand up straight and walk side by side; there was a bit more wiggle room, but not nearly enough if they needed to fight.

"So, what is it you want to show me?"

"It's just up ahead," she insisted, excitement still gleaming in her eyes.

Accepting he wasn't likely to get anything else out of her, he followed quietly. A few twists and turns later, Lukas began to notice small divots and scratches in the stone surrounding them. He was curious, but seeing as Akira didn't pay them any mind, he assumed they were nothing. Eventually, he began to notice small protrusions poking out of the walls and ceiling like studs. As they drew nearer, Lukas saw the bumps were a natural green, the light of Akira's glowstone reflecting off them as though they were small gemstones.

With a frown, Lukas stepped closer to one of the little things and examined it. He was about to identify them when Akira spoke.

"They're nature shards," she said excitedly. "Hundreds of them lining the cave wall, free for the taking."

That was when Lukas realized what those marks in the wall had been. Akira had been pulling the shards from the cave wall, collecting them. He couldn't blame her, either. First the gem, and now hundreds—if not thousands—of the shards. She was lucky, to say the least.

"This is… wow," was all he could say.

"I know, right?!" she said, veritably vibrating with excitement. "Help me collect them."

Soon enough the two were digging into the cave walls, using daggers to pry the small shards free before storing them. With both of them working, they made fast progress, and the stack in Lukas' inventory grew quickly. What Akira wanted with the things, he wasn't sure, but she could probably use them to upgrade her armor and spear. He just hoped he could get a little something out of all this, because so far Akira was the only one experiencing the windfall.

At some point the cave began to change and they stumbled across large cutouts. In these side pockets were what were clearly the nests of the fungal vermin—heaps of gross fur, plants and mushrooms, and nature shards all gathered and used in the construction. Thankfully they were empty, not a rat in sight, and the two dug out the shards with ease.

Not long after stumbling upon the first nests, they came across something else. The cave began branching in different directions, and they trekked down several paths, most ending in dead ends not long after. Curiously, each dead end seemed to have some kind of natural treasure waiting there, with nature shards absent from the walls. In most cases the treasures were mushrooms or subterranean plants. Most of those went to Lukas; being an alchemist, he was more likely to make use of them than Akira.

He was happy with the arrangement. He wasn't too sure what the nature-attuned materials would be good for, but he could always sell them if need be. Akira was having a field day and was practically drooling over all the treasures matching her affinity.

At some point Lukas stopped partway down what he had come to recognize as a tunnel rather than a cave. Something was tickling at his senses; he wasn't sure what it was, but it was weak. With a curious hum he activated his Amber Eye of the Alchemist and looked around to see if there was a natural treasure they had missed. There was something strange about the flow in the mana all around them. It seemed to move in patterns—an ebb and flow like tides.

Akira, having noticed Lukas' abrupt stop, looked up from collecting more shards. "Something wrong?"

Lukas continued to look around with a frown, "I think… I think we're in a natural formation."