Jack surveyed the chamber; the rune formation had burned up in the chaos, and all the runes and white paint were gone. The floor was covered in dead nobles and blood. He began collecting the unused [Chronos Sphere] spell scrolls that were part of the ritual. Some had been damaged in the fighting, but each one he recovered could be the difference between life and death.

  “What’s the plan?” Cain asked as he grabbed a better sword from one of the dead nobles. He gripped it in his right hand and swung it through the air with a swish. “Much better.”

  “Do you want some [Chronos Sphere] spell scrolls?” Jack asked.

  Cain shook his head. “In the heat of battle, I’ll forget to use them… plus you need them more than I do.”

  Jack nodded. “I think we have about ten minutes before anyone outside comes to investigate.” He stuffed the spell scrolls in his pockets. “But, we should be out of here as soon as possible. I believe the nobles all went back to the manor, so they probably took most of the guards with them… if we are lucky, they took them all.”

  Cain nodded. “We fight our way through any guards and head back to Lundun. Where the hell are we, and where did you get that bow?”

  “We’re at one of Viscount Tides’ estates. It’s for hunting deer,” Jack explained. “There were dozens of nobles here earlier, but most left. Hopefully it’s just the twelve we saw earlier… so maybe forty guards and dozens of Tides’ servants.”

  Cain listened as he pocketed a few of the young noble’s coin purses. “And the bow?”

  Why does he care about the bow? “I bought it from a merchant in Lundun… about a week ago.” Jack continued describing his plan. “We kill any guards outside, get to the horses, then you knock me out.”

  Cain blinked. “What?”

  “Knock me out,” Jack repeated. “I’ll say you escaped during the ritual. You killed them all and took me hostage before leaving me for dead at the stables. I need to look like a victim, otherwise my family is at risk.”

  Cain hesitated.

  There was a cough behind them.

  Jack spun around to find that one of the nobles wasn’t dead.

  It was a young man, Fenton. The teenager had blood running from a gash on his forehead. He was running towards the exit.

  “No!” Jack yelled. He threw his dagger, but it missed by a wide margin. He’d never trained in throwing a dagger in his past life due to his disabilities.

  The noble slammed the door open and fled into the corridor while screaming for help.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Jack cursed. “Fuck! My cover’s blown.”

  Cain looked at him. “Then we run.”

  “Damn it!” Jack nodded. “I have no choice.” He realised his entire family would have to leave the city. We have to run. The first place the nobles would look for him was home, and his family would die. Again!

  Moments later, they burst from the hidden chamber into the fake temple ruins. Fenton was gone. Two guards, a human and a foxkin, stood ready, their weapons already drawn.

  Jack felt great, like he could do almost anything. He threw a blinding powder at the human and ran at him with his dagger drawn.

  Cain used a skill that, to Jack, looked like the First Strike skill. Before the foxkin knew what was happening, he was cut from right shoulder to left hip.

  Jack drove his dagger towards the blinded guard’s throat. The man deflected the dagger strike with his arm guard and headbutted him. With a grunt, Jack fell backwards with a bloody nose and vision clouded by stars. By the time he’d recovered, the guard’s head was on the floor.

  “Are you alright?” Cain offered his hand and pulled Jack to his feet.

  “Fuck!” Jack spat. “Broken fucking nose now!” He realised his mistake. I should’ve used another [Chronos Sphere] scroll. Stupid overconfidence!

  With so many potential enemies, he was trying to use the scrolls as little as possible. He’d overestimated his fighting prowess because of his earlier successes in the ritual chamber against young nobles. The guards would be older and more experienced at fighting dirty.

  Cain laughed. “I’ll set it for you later… if we survive the night.”

  Jack nodded as he watched Cain loot a guard’s arm guards. “That’s a good idea.” He looted the other guard’s arm guards. He was still wearing the new, uncomfortable suit and thin shoes. He checked the size of the guards’ boots, but both pairs were too big.

  The pair ran through the forest to where Jack knew there were horses. They had no real plan now. Steal some horses and run before Fenton informed the others. More bloodshed was on the horizon.

  As they ran, Jack began examining his new pseudo skills. Damn… Eight new skills!

  Jack examined his class screen while he and Cain waited for a pair of guards to walk away from the stable.

  Their immediate plan was simple. Wait for the guards to turn the corner and then sprint across the courtyard. Break into the stable, grab two horses, and ride for their lives. If everything went as planned, they’d have nearly two minutes before the guards returned.

  [Class Screen-Internal View]

  Class: Apprentice Scribe (31)

  Compatibility: 72%

  - Copy Text (4)

  - Translate Text (3)

  - Draughtsmanship (5)

  - Perfect Recall (4)

  - Create Cypher/Decipher (3)

  - Inscribe Spell (6)

  - Bind Book (2)

  Class: Novice Archer (0)

  Compatibility: 29%

  - True Aim (0)

  - Rapid Release (0)

  - Multi-Shot (0)

  Class: Novice Blood Mage (0)

  Compatibility: 84%

  - Compulsion (0)

  - Blood Bond (0)

  - Sense Blood Mage (0)

  - Harvest Pseudo Skills (0)

  -- Pseudo Warrior: First Strike (0)

  -- Pseudo Goblin: Enrage (0)

  -- Pseudo Rogue: Detect Trap (0)

  -- Pseudo Warrior: Greatsword Slice (0)

  -- Pseudo Librarian: Cross-Reference (0)

  -- Pseudo Administrator: Multitasking (0)

  -- Pseudo Mage: Fireball (0)

  -- Pseudo Healer: Heal (0)

  -- Pseudo Politician: Convince (0)

  -- Pseudo Mage: Shield (0)

  -- Pseudo Inquisitor: Detect Class (0)

  -- Pseudo Knight: Intimidation (0)

  Jack couldn’t help but smile at some of the new skills. The Librarian, Cross-Reference and Administrator, Multitasking skills. They’ll be helpful at the Library. I can already feel the benefits of multitasking. For a moment, he forgot he was about to flee the capital. He’d likely never set foot in the Royal Library again.

  The weight of it hit him. He clenched his jaw. Damn it.

  Jack considered the new pseudo skills. He understood what each one did without needing to focus; they were all based on common class skills, which he’d read or heard about.