Alright, first thing. I have a third tier skill point in my second class, cant use it though. Why? Ilea asked as he took the crystal.
Normally you need five skills in the class to be the maximum level before you can unlock a third tier. As soon as you do that youll have to have five again for the next one. Dagon said and Ilea nodded. She had two so far at the maximum level but many more were very close. So it wouldnt take long.
Why normally? she asked after looking through her skills.
Well there are outliers from ti to ti. Ive heard many different things over the years. Level twenty skills that would simply advance to the third tier, skipping the second entirely. Classes giving two third tier skill points at level two hundred and one specific case where no third tier points were rewarded even though five of the class skills were at second level twenty. Its incredibly rare, so much so that Ive only ever read about them but the sources seem trustworthy. Just know that I believe so abnormalities might exist. Specific classes perhaps or hidden requirents. the man explained.
Interesting. Well Ill find out one way or the other I suppose. Ever heard of the Inheritor of Eternal Ash class? Im paying for the answer and anything related with the na of it should it be unfamiliar to you. Ilea continued.
No, I havent. An Ash Wielder evolution then? the man asked and Ilea nodded. Care to share the requirents? he asked and Ilea shrugged. Knowing about the requirents didnt really change how difficult it was to obtain.
Can I sohow find that information again because I dont rember all of it. she said.
You should be able to focus on the class for the additional information you received when it evolved. the man said, poised to start writing, his to open. Ilea nodded and recited the information from her mind.
You have three resistance skills in the second stage? I would be very interested to find out more about them if youre willing to share. Dagon said, his hand quivering a little as he finished writing down Ileas information.
First answer the question, Ill think about it. she said.
Let check then. There are a couple ntions of classes with the na of Inheritor in them but the records are not conclusive. The sources are stories and songs, nothing from soone I or a predecessor actually t. All sources speak of a specific elent and its destructive capabilities wielded by a single man or woman. Two of them ntion the creation and control of said elent specifically, one talking about a man imprisoned in the highest mountains, covered in ice. Yet still he manages to spark a fla strong enough to burn his way out through the runed chains and walls. It ends with him facing a dragon in battle, matching the legendary creatures fla. Dagon paused for a mont before he turned the page on his to.
Ilea was quite sure none of that had been written on that page but she wasnt about to question the librarians magic. Im sorry, it seems to be a rather rare thing but I dont doubt so high leveled elental mages have obtained similar classes. At that level its simply quite rare for them to share it with anybody else but their pupils, family or their order. the man said, shaking his head.
Well that brings to the next thing. Ive reached the second stage and level twenty in many skills already but I am pretty sure that Im not using them to their fullest potential. Am I just dreaming? Ilea asked.
No, even I still discover new depths to the skills Ive long since maxed out. The level simply sets a hard cap on your skills but this is actually studied and known rather well. At least in the Shadows Hand. Most people dont reach the maximum efficiency long after reaching the maximum level. There are specific records of mages with the exact sa skills testing them against each other, objects and other well subjects. Dagon said. The mages with more experience, not the leveling kind, usually had better results. Sotis clever ways to use the spells enhanced them as well. The sa applies to lee combat but its harder to asure there.
If two master swordsn face each other, both at the maximum of their skill level. One will still co out on top, wouldnt they? If you would assu that the maximum skill level ant a specific ability, then it would be a tie always. The sa applies to magical abilities, elental spells for example. There is more than raw power and potential. My theory is that much of this is also governed by numbers though we cannot access them. Dagon explained rather thoroughly. Ilea nodded as he pretty much confird her assumptions.
Her skill levels would stagnate for a while it seed, at least the ones already maxed but using them wouldnt be stagnation after all. The world wasnt quite as simple as so of the gas she had seen back on Earth, at least when it ca to the details.
Ill tell you about the second stage of Lightning Resistance then. Ilea said and smiled.
There are records on it but it would be nice to get another confirmation. Dagon said and she obliged.
thats all that I can reasonably explain about the creation and manipulation of elents. I dont think much of it applies to ash but maybe it helps a little. Dagon finished the lengthy explanation, having cost Ilea five mana crystals.
It seed the manipulation of different elents, be it light, shadow, sunlight, fire, water or earth, they all held their intricacies. All records were different, different mages talking about completely different approaches, feelings and strategies. Dagon had concluded that the advanced stages of elent manipulation were intrinsically individualistic, reflecting the mages personal connection, experiences and the flow of their mana.
So basically, find your own way? Ilea asked, a little annoyed that that was all that ca out of the over an hour long discussion.
Yes and no. Dagon said. Test the examples Ive given you, perhaps so might fit you, perhaps you will as you say, find your own way. Im interested in your approach though so co back if you advance more. The way you learned to be a fire mage has never been confird but I trust you as a source. he added and wrote down sothing in his to. Ilea caught a glimpse of the words vanishing after being written.
Oh I did do it by burning myself. Having a healer nearby is elentary to be sure. she said and smiled. Talking to Dagon had helped her in so way. She knew that at least she wasnt likely to be wasting her ti working on her ashen skills even though theyd soon hit the max level currently possible. Additionally there wasnt so way to do it the proper way.
Well there probably was but the interned didnt exist here and if soone died testing their thods, well there was no respawn. At least she was pretty sure there wasnt.
Hey Dagon, are there resurrection spells or skills? she asked suddenly, summoning another mana crystal.
Hmm, thats a tricky one. There are stories of healers who could recreate near completely destroyed bodies. There are sowhat reliable sources telling of recoveries a couple hours after heads were removed, bodies nearly completely burnt or drowned. We dont know of any specific classes or spells that could achieve such a thing but what at least all sources have in common, including the more unreliable ones, is that the recovered person looses a lot of their personal power. the man finished.
You an levels, skill levels or whole classes and skills? she asked and the man shook his head.
No records, sorry. he said. The man didnt know as much as Ilea had hoped he would.
Alright. Well my ti is up, at least you know your rune is working. she winked at the man and got up.
Not well enough apparently. he said, lifting his glass to her and finishing the drink.
Ilea strolled through Viscera and summoned Aki after storing him for the duration of the visit. She wanted to keep at least so of her personal information away from the dagger as she still didnt know anything about his origins. He didnt talk much either, their relationship having stagnated in the past months due to their ironically unspoken agreent of silence.
Hey Aki, how are you doing? she asked as she exited the Shadows Hand headquarters and entered the city.
In an emotional mood are we? the dagger asked and she just shrugged.
Mate we dont know each other very well for the fact that weve been traveling together for half a year. Ilea said and nodded to a group of three Hand mbers who greeted her. The dagger waited until they had passed and answered.
I dont exactly feel trusted if you put away every ti you talk about anything deeper than your bloody porridge. Aki said and Ilea stopped, unsheathing the dagger and looking at him.
Its been pretty busy in the past six months. Plus I havent exactly made the best experience with trusting people for no good reason. she said.
You trust your team mates. And Im not people, Im tal. the dagger argued. I do enjoy the ride though so this is fine for , better by bloody miles compared to sitting next to a dusty skeleton for a thousand years. a chuckle ca from the dagger.
Ive fought with them you know, trained with them. Makes it a little easier. Maybe its hard to trust you Because you are tal. Then again theres little reason to mistrust you either. Except youre sothing like the one ring, corrupting all. Ilea joked and continued her walk.
Im no one ring, whatever that may be. Maybe there is so manipulative purpose imbued in but I dont see how that would be a problem for you. the dagger said.
Fuck, I forgot the leather armor. Ilea said and turned around. She didnt quite know how to handle the dagger. Sure, he would enjoy the ride and she didnt think he had any evil intentions with her but it felt more like a colleague than anything else. She didnt mind him and neither did he mind her.
Ilea reached the training halls soon after and went to get a couple sets of leather armor from a storage room. Nobody was guarding anything, there was even another mber casually looking at so of the swords. There was nothing special down here for anybody at their level, nothing they couldnt buy with a sowhat small investnt. Ilea got three sets of fitting armor, which would probably cost around one to two gold coins in a shop.
Thinking on it, she would have to be a little more frugal now. With her near infinite wealth invested, her actual cash was reduced to 44 gold. Still plenty to go around and she had a house and enough food to probably last her a year or two. And she could hunt. Ilea shrugged at the thought, actually glad that her money will be able to help build up the city again. Plus she made a friend very happy, Claire would be busy enough with her responsibilities at the Shadows Hand but now she had a hobby as well.
What if I can beco useful in so way. Aki said suddenly as the newly clad Ilea walked out of the headquarters again.
I an youre my pocket knife. Ilea said and made her way towards the governnt building.
Yea but you dont exactly fight with daggers or knifes. With your ashen shit you probably wont be needing your bow for much longer either. Aki said.
Well what do you have in mind? Any skills you didnt ntion? You managed to burn my hand a little when I first t you but that wont add a whole lot to my arsenal. Ilea asked as they reached the building, getting so glances from people who overheard. Lets talk later. she said. Gonna store you again. she added as she blinked into Claires office and made Aki vanish.
Oh finally. Welco back, heres the contract. Let get you through it so you can sign. Ive already prepared seventy four purchase contracts that I need you to sign with your mana and signature. Claire started talking imdiately, sorting the papers in front of her.
Isnt that a little much. I an its a bunch of gold but seventy four shops? I assu its shops. Ilea asked.
Shops, houses, inns, streets, land, also in other cities nearby and further away. I dont plan to sit on this but youll have to give ti. Plus not all of these will co through, this is simply because youll be gone to who knows where soon enough and I wont be able to reach you anymore. Now co, sit down. Claire said.
Surprisingly it only took forty five minutes for her to go through the main contract and explain the gist and setup of all the purchases. Ilea waved her off on the third one already, telling her that she should do as she thought best before she read and signed all the purchase docunts. It was impressive that Claire could create so many docunts in the little ti.
Im so excited to start Ilea. Thank you so so so so much for giving this opportunity. Claire was brimming with joy while having a scary look in her eyes. Ilea wasnt sure if shed invested in a super villain. The thought of her own lair like house near the ocean made her relax though, she already was one.
Thank the Taleen for their contribution. Ilea said with a smirk.
Yea but I an you went there and got it out. Do you think I wouldve managed that? Claire asked and Ilea thought back on the Centurions and the green fire, then there was the acid coming up in the dark hall. Maybe not. She wiggled her hand in an uncertain gesture.
Exactly. Next ti though you offer at most 15 percent for the manager. I made it 30 because Im your friend. Claire said proudly, lecturing Ilea.
How does that make sense? Ilea asked but smiled.
You cant be trusted with too much gold. the woman said. The contract included that as soon as 250 gold coins was reached in winnings, all additional money earned could be reinvested in new projects. Ilea was to return sotis to sign new projects but should the contracts and the purchases be similar enough to a previously signed purchase, Claire was allowed to do everything on her own. She basically had full control other than going completely against Ileas wishes and having the buffer of the 250 gold coins.
Well then I hope you have fun with this, Ill be back training. Dont forget to do that either, if you find any ti. I might visit again soon. When do you think the jobs will co in? Ilea asked.
Co back in a week and Ill have so ready for you. Two weeks might be more reasonable for better paying missions but I doubt you do it for the money. Ill look for dangerous targets in hard to reach places. Claire said and sighed, glad she put in the death clause wherein Ileas half would be split between Kyrian and Claire. It would be a bureaucratic nightmare to explain a suddenly dead partner.
See you then. Ilea said and blinked out of the room, glad that was finally done. Claire wouldve done well on Earth. She did well even here. Shaking her head, she walked out into the square and stretched, the hood of her leather armor up, making her a rather unimpressive figure other than her identification that outed her as a level 224 warrior.
Thats her I think, new armor but yea. Im pretty sure thats her. A soldier nearby said while pointing at Ilea. He looked away and gulped as soon as she looked his way, surprised that she could hear him from the distance and with all the noise going on in the square.
The suns were setting, their last rays breaking through the cloudy horizon as a figure in light armor and a dark hood nodded to the soldier before walking over towards Ilea.
She looked at the figure with interest, noting the simple short sword on his waist and the casual confidence he held himself with. A rogue at level one twenty. At least he wasnt likely to be here for a fight.
I have a delivery to make for a black haired and blue eyed mber of the Shadows Hand. the man said.
Thats oddly fitting isnt it? I know of at least three people fitting that description. Ilea said, knowing of none.
The man chuckled in response and put his hands together. Well I have two additional descriptions that should set you apart, at least if that soldier is to be believed. That is black wings of ash. he said and smiled.
Well Im not gonna show you anything here. she said and he nodded respectfully.
Reasonable of you. Then the second piece of information I received. It stated that you would be able to find . he said and walked off, his figure suddenly shrouded in a mist of shadow. Ten more ters and he vanished. Ilea knew that he had teleported away as he was still in her Spheres range.
A ga of tag then. Or a trap. Well either way Im intrigued. she thought and followed the man as quietly as she could. He had moved below the city and into the vast system of underground hallways and sewers.
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