-Is he still asleep?
He has a lot to make up for.
-Ready for another?
Sure.
Level raised to 5
Strength raised to 232
Agility raised to 215
Perception raised to 278
Constitution raised to 252
Presence raised to 331
Mental Fortitude raised to 297
Intelligence raised to 279
Soul raised to 323
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 15
Remaining soul 16
I wonder if they exhibit any of our features yet. I feel a sense of annoyance from my soul. I smile.
-We probably shouldn't have done that during the day.
It's only a little after seven. Think I woke them? It's too late now. Think they will let us write letters?
-Nothing prevents us from asking. They should always be awake now. At least half of them.
Right, empathetic baby hydras. The man stirs, he enters my clinic.
“My lady.”
“Sara will do, I spent so long hiding, it will be nice to hear my name without worrying about who will hear it.”
He nods, “If you don't desire decorum, I am fine with Tim.”
I smile at him, “Let it be so then, Tim. Are letters allowed to be sent from here? Actually I don't know what here is.”
If I can ease up on decorum perhaps I won't bind those to me so harshly. It still kinda irks me.
“Oh, um yes, letters can be sent. This is the knight academy fortress Jitninar.”
Did Cecelia train here? No real point in asking, doubt she made an impact beyond her embarrassment.
“Am I to be trained as a knight?”
“No, just to be available to heal. You're too young for the rigors of training.”
I look at him with an eyebrow raised. He coughs.
“At least on paper, ma'am. Why exactly were you able to head butt me into unconsciousness?”
“I have really strong bones, Tim.”
-Don't want to tell him.
No telling who can hear. My soul sense has already felt multiple individuals who dwarf my own. Count Ericnae being one of them. I prefer no one knowing I'm a walking mithril vein. The knight turns his head.
“The count is calling a meeting.”
Wonder what that is about.
-Isabella spoke of being under the count. Perhaps their title links them to him.
He opens the door for me. I guess I am to attend. I walk out and he stays behind me, vigilant. I motion him forward. He comes up to my side and I start walking with him. Better.
-----
We step into a rather large room, enough to hold many knights. I think that, as there are already dozens here. There is a table at the far side with various races sitting around it. Tim does not approach the table. I stand with him. The various souls I felt before are here.
You have gained [Permanent Soul Sense] Apprentice 3
Presence raised to 320
Isabella comes up next to us.
“Glad to see you freed.”
“Sorry for the worry.”
She waves me off. A rather grizzled bear man walks up at the front of the table.
? ? Brakear Knight Commander, Marques
“Bronfkin has begun marching their troops. They declare war in the name of stoping the genocide of the Pimar. It is a veiled excuse for an invasion. As they are our easterly neighbors their march to the capital will be through here. Sir Krakner, Sir Tamqin, lead your troops to delay their progress. We will strengthen our position here. Her majesty's armies are already on their way to reinforce our position.”
“Shall we detain any Pimar, hate for there to be spies.”
So soon was I freed too.
“It would be simpler to prevent personal correspondence until after the war is done. Pimar are not the only possible spies after all.”
There was grumbling at that but none objected. With the initial announcement done the majority of us were dismissed. Timotran brought me to the hall where I had met Ericnae and Isabella. Isabella came in along with a few other knights. I just stand and watch, ignoring the various conversations. The count arrives last. The room quiets as he speaks.
“Our orders are much the same as before. We are still in charge of training the next generation of knights. All healing staff are to be issued specific robes to denote their position as noncombatants. Any life knight who wishes to see combat can report to me. Non essential staff are to be sent away. The aim is to end this war in a year's time. Remember this citadel has never fallen my knights, I be damned if it falls now.”
There are some cheers to that. The mood is rather hopeful. There is chatter of the opportunity to level and perhaps tiering. The acquisition of titles should their deeds be great enough. I am approached by Isabella. She has robes in her hands.
“Apologies that they are not made to fit but you will need to wear these should we come under siege. They will denote you as a healer. Should you be captured you will be treated well and be made to take care of their prisoners. The robes' stitching is made to react if you use offensive magic. They will redden should you receive slaying exp after using offensive magic. You are fair game for slaying should you be spotted in red robes.”
Huh, was I unintentionally broadcasting I was a killer before?
“Am I to hope our enemy is honorable then.”
“It is your choice to do so or not. Bronfkin has little desire to anger its neighbors by wanton slaying of life mages. That is not to say that all individuals abide by such rules.”
War sucks. I take the robe and return to my clinic. They are placed in a drawer. As tempted as it is to make it part of my soul space I do not know how the cloth would react. I found that the mage hand book I had pushed into my soulspace is bound to my aura now. If I throw it past my aura, it disappears back into my soul space. It does not cost me anything to summon it or send it back but it is intrinsically part of me. I understand that to remove it from my soul requires me to destroy it wholly. I have not added anything else because of that alone.
Tim's stomach grumbles and I laugh. It pulls me from my thoughts.
“Its been a long morning, we should go eat.”
“But I thought—”
“I may not get anything from it but keeping up appearances is important.”
He nods at that and leads me to the mess hall. The knights in training are a buzz with the news of war. I grab a tray and wait in line. The food that plops onto it is congealed and makes me regret my life choices. I walk with Tim to an isolated table. It does not remain isolated for long. An Orc woman sits down in front of me.
“You're the Pimar princess that was shackled right, why they free ya on the eve of war?”
I feel Tim grow angry at the words, but I speak up before he does. The woman is looking for a reaction.
“I am but a simple villager, I claim no nobility, knight in training. My bonds were not to do with the impending war.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
She raises an eyebrow, annoyed.
“Then why were you in shackles then?”
“A misunderstanding, my knight did not believe me when I told him I didn't need sleep or that I only drank blood for sustenance.”
I punctuate the sentence with a mouthful of… grease, is that my best description of what this is?
“I can't see how he ever thought you were lying.”
“Quite unbelievable, I know.”
Another mouthful. It sits in a mass in my stomach.
“I feel as if you are having fun with me.”
“The best sort, I speak the truth while my actions make you think I am a liar.”
She snorts at that. I take my blood skin and drink its contents down. If only to clear my palate.
“So are you going to be joining us in exercises now that you are free.”
“Alas being only ten I was told I could not withstand the harsh rigors that was knight training.”
She starts laughing at that. It is a throaty guttural sound but I smile at it.
“Now you wish me to believe a level thirty one [Priestess] [Adventurer] is only ten years old.”
Only another month till eleven. I felt I haven't grown since my death. Well other than the spider. But aside from that…
“What no deflection this time?”
“Sorry, I got distracted by an errant thought.”
-We should have Isabella look over our body closely, we never did get looked at after…
Right.
“Tim, is it alright to go see Isabella after this?”
“If that is what you wish.”
“Oh ignoring me now?”
“Just a bit, as for training, I'm not a knight aspirant. I was conscripted to heal.”
“Sounds boring.”
-It is.
I look to Tim, “Is there anything precluding me from training with the knights?”
“Other than your age not really, it's not a bad idea to train. You certainly have the time.”
I nod at that, looking back to the Orc.
“So then when is the next training session?”
“Well next is life and dirt magic training. After midday, it is more sparing.”
“Isebella will be leading the life magic initiations.” Tim adds.
“Ah yes, learning the converts.”
I smile, a nice memory.
“I am Qorth, a name truth telling liar?”
“Sara.”
Our meal finished, Tim leads me to Isabella.
-----
We found her in a small room. There are five knights in training with her. They are in a line and await her to push a blob of mana into them. She is slow and meticulous. When she is done with the fifth she speaks.
“Focus on the mana and try to create more of it. I know it is awkward but take your time.”
She sees us approach.
“I did not expect to see you so soon, is there something you need?”
“I um… could use a physical check up.”
She is surprised at that.
“You've resisted my eyes for so long, why the change of heart.”
I look at the other knights struggling to learn life magic. Sister, the cover trinket in my pocket please.
-Sure.
I pull it out showing the life knight. She nods and I activate it.
“I had a very traumatic injury almost a month ago and I never got seen by anyone who understands life magic. I realized that I might not be growing anymore. Can I count on your discretion in this?”
She looks at Tim who is standing next to me.
“I have already vowed not to reveal her secrets.”
She still looks at him. He understands and steps out of the cover trinkets radius.
“I am still bound by the vow I gave you. Are you ready to let me see?”
I nod and her floating triangles light up green again. She looks over my body.
“I feel that while everything in your bizarre body is working, you are also static. Much of the hormones I would expect in your body your age are not present. Are you willing to tell me what the injury was?”
I smile at her, guess it's time to see if the vow precludes not reporting me.
“I died. A skill allowed me to revive my body but I felt it hasn't grown since.”
“That is quite the statement to make, yet I felt no lie at the beginning, only something left out in the end. Did you use life mana to restore your body?”
I nod.
“May explain the overall static feel. The body was dead but you restored it to your soul image. Your body no longer remembers how to change.”
I look down. My sister squeezes my soul. We are broken, unable to bring back those we love. Before I can enter the abyss, Isebella places a hand on my shoulder.
“All is not lost, while your body has forgotten it is still changeable. I fear it would take near constant effort but [Body Morphic Magic] can guide you to adulthood. If what I assume of you is true, I do not have enough soul to affect you.”
But I could do it myself. Is this what Cecelia had learned?
“What do I need to learn it?”
“Well get [Sustainer Magic] to competent and I will teach you how to progress. I would also suggest your next core be life.”
“I had one before but I broke it when I died, it came back as fire.”
She smiles, “It is most curious, I would love for you to explain how that was possible but I can sense your apprehension of the truth. I won't pry.”
The conversation ended, I looked at the ones struggling to learn life convert, “Why so few aspirants?”
“Not everyone can afford a hundred large gold trinket to correct their sight, Sara. Any life knight must deal with poor vision until they can tier. Not a good trade for a martial based career.”
That makes sense. I am about to turn off the trinket when she says one last thing.
“Make sure to collect your errant strands of hair, it would not do for you to be leaving mithril about for others to find.”
She picks such a strand off the floor. Damn it, I didn't want others to know but then again, if I leave hair about, people will try to track down the blonde curly haired mithril bunny.
-----
My arcane core dipped. A few minutes later a white silk snood popped out into my hands. I placed it over my hair as Tim watched. Thank you sister.
-Anytime, coaxing a spider to make silk is such a bother.
He had so many questions, but I was not willing to bring out my trinket again. Instead he asked a different one.
“Did you still wish to participate in the spars?”
I nod and he brings me to their training yard. The incredulous marshal is there, gathering the knights.
“Sir Timotran, what brings you and your charge here.”
“She wishes to learn.”
“Did you not tell me she is ten?”
I chime in.
“A good age to learn.”
He looks at me, then shrugs. He tosses me a wooden sword. It feels so light compared to my iron one.
“Anyone wish to spar with the one who could decide amputation is a better option than restoration?”
I look sourly at the Drakenoid. But a man does stand up. It was the one who punched me before. The one who delights in pain. I am curious if it will be the same if he is the one feeling it.
“I'll give it a go, she is not the type to begrudge a heal over a beating.”
The marshal looks as if he is about to stop the man when I step forward.
“I am after all here to learn.”
We stand opposite from one another.
“As it is your first day, please have the first swing.”
I shrug and before I make the motion, he steps forward intending to strike me against my side. I block it with the blade. He seems surprised and backs off.
“Ah, it seems you have reflexes afterall.”
He steps in again, I block again. He is just so…slow. He is only level fifteen. The tyranny of stats I suppose. He makes more attempts but they are all parried. He grows exhausted then touches the ground. My skeleton sight sees an ankle high mound of dirt has risen behind my feet. Well if he wants to use magic…
He thrust forward with his sword. A Sara blocks it with the blade but stumbles backward over the wall. He quickly puts his blade to her face, haughtily asking.
“Yield?”
I poke him in the back of the head with the tip of my wooden sword. It causes him to stumble at which point he trips over the mound of dirt he had formed. He falls through the illusion I had made.
“I suppose I should ask you the same.”
“That's not fair to use illusion magic.”
I look to the Marshal.
“Considering the level of illusion, you should be grateful she didn't simply compel you to stand still. I do want to remind you, knight in training, that offering a first strike and then attacking is not honorable and will be noted by those judging you during the tournament of choosing.”
“As if there will be any choosing this year.”
The man pouts while I go and hand the wooden sword back to the instructor. Not sure sparring with trainees is worth my while. I join the mass of trainees and watch them do their spars. Any serious injury I heal but most brush me off. Qorth came by after her spar.
“Most amusing truthful liar. Gregory has not been willing to fight anyone he considered better than him. It is good to see him humbled.”
I shrug, “It wasn't my intention, I always remember the spars with my mother to be a lot…faster. What is the tournament of choosing?”
“Ah, it's just a friendly bunch of bouts for the knight seniors to observe. Do well enough, a noble might adopt you or at least sponsor you. Most are hopeful for a martial noble family to take them in. Are you interested in that, villager Sara?”
“Not a knight in training, besides it seems unlikely with the war.”
She shrugs.
-----
After the evening meal of grease I had returned to my clinic.
“Do you plan to continue training then? You seemed bored.”
“I fear my stats are too high to spar with recruits, I didn't gain any skill ups for that effort.”
He thinks on that, then responds.
“If you stay here I will fetch something that should help. I need to collect your blood anyways.”
Sister popped out the container he had used. The blood already transferred to one of my own. I handed it to him.
“That was not there before.”
I smile at him, “It was not.”
He wanted to ask but he instead left.
-Good as time as any.
You know Barbain and Beatrice have to adjust to the things we change in them.
-And you know they are eager little beavers to be more.
Is that what we are? More? I feel her annoyance at me for trying to drag out a thought.
-If you put it off he'll be back, it's nice to have a guard and all but its also suffocating.
Level raised to 6
Strength raised to 236
Agility raised to 219
Perception raised to 282
Constitution raised to 256
Presence raised to 344
Mental Fortitude raised to 306
Intelligence raised to 283
Soul raised to 332
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 14
Remaining soul 15
Hey its the 300 minor Mental Fortitude boon
You gained the skill [Mana Drain] Basic 1
Mana Drain - Create unaspected mana from mana that touches yours
Basic - the conversion rate is a tenth of your convert for that type of mana
Mental Fortitude raised to 310
I take a steadying breath, it feels the soul burn is becoming easier to handle.
-A new skill as well. Can we change our own mana as well?
I feel my mental mana dip as a small amount of arcane is formed. Seems so.
-It feels like I have a little bit more room to do more.
I suppose since you have all the cores capable of making arcane now. I can't be all that much more.
-Maybe enough for another rabbit.
Hey I know they shed and all and we just been reabsorbing it. Is it possible to train our sustainer on them?
-You would have me age Mister and Missus Rabbit.
Do they even have ages? Not like they didn't come out as adults. It's my arcane core that dips now.
You have gained [Sustainer Magic] Basic 6
Intelligence raised to 289
Seems so. Probably best to stay over half our core.
-You still have your reserves.
Eh, best to be safe. Tim returns with the container full and a box.
“Thank you for taking care of my needs. Do you go out to hunt for this?”
“No, the central tower is built over a dungeon, I kill the entrance monsters for your needs. Here these should help you raise your skills.”
Oh, wonder what it takes to visit that. I take the box from him and open the lid. They look like more iron manacles. I look to the knight who brought them.
“I know they look like the manacle of obedience but they are just the shackles of exertion. They simply lower strength and agility to the point that the user feels heavy wearing them.”
Do we trust him.
-I think we should try.
I take off my gloves and put my arms out. He clasps my fore arms in them, they shrink to a perfect fit. He then proceeds with my shins and they are all clasped.
“You need only cycle your mana through them to activate them.”
I do so and feel my stats plummet.
Debuff applied Strength and Agility reduced by 200
I remove the mana from the trinkets.
Debuff removed
I smile. Trust is important. I reactivated them.
“Thank you Tim, I must say losing two hundred in strength and agility is a lot.”
He pales, “You were able to turn all four of them on? But your only … did you level while I was away.”
Shit, best roll with it.
I smile a rather toothy grin at him, “The first few levels after a tier are pretty easy to gain, Tim.”
He swallows audibly. Knowing that it is unlikely I would have over two hundred in either stat if I was only starting as tier two.
