E book 8: Chapter 32: Chaos and Lightning

“Nicely?” Lam requested, wiping the toad blood from her cobalt-blue hammer head with a well-soiled rag. They’d all simply recovered from their Power infusions after the “boss” toad battle, and she or he wished to know if Darren had hit degree ten. He grinned at her, then at Edeya, who sat, eyes glazed, gazing System messages of her personal. He’d hoped to have each of their consideration, however Lam wasn’t going to attend. She stepped nearer to him and prodded his shoulder together with her boot, virtually knocking him off the flat rock.

“Okay, okay!” He laughed and held up his fist triumphantly. “Degree ten! And, based on the messages in entrance of my eyes, I’m prepared to decide on my Class.”

“Wonderful! That was quicker than I feared! Spend your factors earlier than you have a look at your Class choices. I don’t know if it makes a distinction, however I’m superstitious.”

Once more, Darren glanced at Edeya, however she was nonetheless distracted, so he nodded to Lam and put his newest 5 factors into vitality. That performed, he studied his new attributes:

Title:

Darren Whitehorse

Race:

Human – Base 1

Class:

–

Degree:

10

Core:

Wildarc Class – Base 1

Power Affinity:

Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1

Power:

140/140

Energy:

6

Vitality:

32

Dexterity:

5

Agility:

5

Intelligence:

9

Will:

28

“Not too unhealthy.” He nodded to himself.

“Getting some huge numbers, Dare?” Edeya requested, lastly performed staring off into house. “Sorry,” she added, throwing him a wink with one in every of her huge, blue eyes, “I made degree twelve.”

“Ugh!” Lam laughed. “Decelerate! I’m nonetheless solely eleven.”

“Why did I achieve 4 ranges within the time you gained two, Edeya?” Darren knew extra Power was required as ranges elevated, however he thought the 2 girls would merely obtain a bigger share of the rewards.

Earlier than Edeya may reply, Lam spoke, “A couple of elements. For one, affinity impacts how a lot Power impacts you because the System awards it. Additionally, contributions throughout a battle can change your share. The principle factor, although, is that ranges get slower and slower the upper you climb. We’ll all get to tier three fairly quick, however then the necessities begin to actually get steep.” She nudged him together with her boot once more. “Nicely? Inform us about your choices!”

“Shouldn’t we get out of right here first?” Edeya requested, fruitlessly making an attempt to wipe some greenish-brown sludge off her fingers.

“Darren?” Lam requested, hoisting her protect and elevating an eyebrow. “Are you able to wait till we’re out, so Miss Edeya doesn’t need to endure this muck any longer?”

“Darren, why don’t you inform us what you assume.”

Darren appeared from one girl to the opposite and gathered his ideas. Slowly at first, then with extra confidence, he started to vocalize ideas that had solely been half-formed as much as that time: “Edeya is quick and lethal together with her spear. You, Lam, are robust and sturdy and in addition battle in melee vary. I do know the 2 of you’ll have spells that do a number of harm once we achieve extra ranges, however I feel our group would profit extra from me studying to make use of magic as a lot as doable. I feel the Arc Reaver Class would swimsuit me properly, however the Chaos Sorcerer Class is much more preferrred, particularly because it focuses on magic-using attributes. If I’m understanding issues accurately, intelligence, will, and dexterity are all wanted for superior magic skills, proper?”

Lam nodded. “That’s correct. After all, it’s good to have some improved bodily attributes, even if you’re a spell caster, however you’ll be gaining vitality, too. As for power and agility, these might include future Class evolutions, or you may at all times shore them up with enchantments.”

“I simply hope that chaos affinity isn’t too . . . chaotic,” Edeya laughed.

Darren nodded. He’d but to make use of the brand new spell Lam had acquired for him. Lesh had promised to let him check it with him in a “secure” method, however the alternative hadn’t introduced itself up to now. “I’m wondering . . . lightning is my strongest affinity. Perhaps I ought to simply deal with it. I imply, what if chaos spells are too unpredictable or one thing?”

“Is that why his lightning is purple?” Edeya requested, ever fast to leap down tangents. “Does the chaos in his Core change it? I’ve solely seen Elementalists casting lightning spells that appeared, properly, pure.”

“I’ve seen purple lightning,” Lam stated, and her voice grew hushed as her gaze went distant. “You wouldn’t bear in mind, Edeya, as a result of it was the night time Catalina betrayed us. Hector . . .” She trailed off.

“Inform us!” Darren urged, keen to listen to something that may reveal extra about his seemingly unusual mixture of affinities.

Lam sighed closely and shrugged. “When Hector flew down from the mountain on his undead dragon, he threw bolts of purple lightning. We all know he was a Dying Caster, however he may have had different affinities. In any case, he was highly effective. Victor fought him extra carefully. Perhaps he may inform you one thing.”

“Proper, properly, who is aware of when he’s popping out of that jail dungeon? I’ll discuss to Lesh in regards to the Class decisions, however I’m fairly settled on the Chaos Sorcerer.” Darren leaned again and tried to benefit from the view. His two companions grew quiet, the temper soured by Lam’s memory of Hector, Catalina, and their military’s near-pyrrhic victory over the ambushing undead. The flying mechanical chook proved quicker than their earlier carriage, and so they arrived again on the lake home far more rapidly than Darren had anticipated.

Lam paid the coachman, after which they went their separate methods—Edeya and Lam to unwind and Darren to hunt out Lesh. Darren cornered one in every of Dar’s home employees and requested the place he may discover Lesh. The younger girl squinted her angular yellow eyes, smiled, and appeared down submissively as she pointed towards the deck. If Darren hadn’t thought it too wild a notion, he might need thought she was being shy and {that a} little bit of coloration had tinged her pale inexperienced cheeks. Because the thought struck him, he grinned and turned again to her. “I’m sorry, however what’s your title? I’m embarrassed that I’ve waited so lengthy to ask.”

She continued to gaze towards Darren’s toes as she wrung her fingers. “I’m Wensa, sir.”

“Nicely, please name me Darren. I’m no person particular. I’m solely right here,” Darren gestured to the fantastically appointed parlor, “due to the individuals I do know.”

“Thanks, Darren.” Her voice had a lilting high quality that sounded virtually melodic, and Darren discovered himself grinning stupidly as he savored the sound. After a second, the silence turned awkward, and he cleared his throat and gestured towards the deck.

“I’ll go discover Elder Lesh. Thanks once more.” She ducked her head once more, and Darren rapidly hurried out the door, immediately flustered by his brazen conduct—it wasn’t like him. What number of fairly girls had he admired in his life and by no means approached? Too many to rely, he determined. Lesh wasn’t on the deck, so he stepped to the railing and peered down on the lake. Positive sufficient, his mentor’s big, scaly kind was stretched out on the pier, soaking within the afternoon solar.

Darren hurried down the steps, and, as his footfalls echoed hollowly on the pier, Lesh lifted his fang-lined snout to see lazily at him. “Fosterling. Your satisfaction swells your aura.”

“I hit degree ten, Elder Lesh!”

“And also you’ve chosen a Class?”

“I’ve a desire, however I wished your recommendation.”

Lesh grunted and used one in every of his thick arms to push himself right into a sitting place. Darren may really feel the warmth radiating off his black scales. How lengthy had he been mendacity there? “Nicely, inform me, then.”

Darren nodded and sat down earlier than his mentor, crossing his legs earlier than himself. He took a couple of minutes to assessment his 4 choices and, as Lesh yawned and stretched, stated, “I gained’t take a fundamental Class as a result of it looks like a weakling’s determination. I’m not looking for the simplest path to degree. If I had an possibility increased than superior, I’d take that, too.” Lesh grunted, nodding, and Darren cast forward, “I feel the Class that appears tailor-made to each of my affinities is the one I ought to take. Not solely will I, hopefully, be taught some chaos spells, however I’ll be capable to assist my buddies with a caster’s skills.”

Lesh cleared his throat, summoned a bottle of pale inexperienced liquid, and took a protracted pull. Darren may scent the eye-watering alcohol vapors as Lesh exhaled a sigh of delight. “Good logic, however let me make sure you perceive one thing: All kinds of oldsters can achieve ‘caster’s skills,’ as you label them. Victor can do issues with Power that might make many pure ‘casters’ jealous. After all, somebody who focuses on intelligence and can and takes Lessons targeted on ranged spells and assist skills will typically be higher at spell casting, however don’t assume a person in heavy armor and carrying a large weapon gained’t be a harmful Power person.”

“Understood.”

“Aside from that small flaw in your logic, I agree along with your determination. Taking a Class meant to benefit from each of your affinities now will open higher choices for you at degree twenty. Don’t be involved along with your power and agility. You’re younger, and your future choices might properly shore them up a bit. If not, we’ll discover pure treasures to enhance you bodily, a minimum of to the purpose the place you gained’t endure from the imbalance.”

Darren’s ears had begun to woosh with the push of blood in his pleasure as Lesh signaled his settlement—he was about to take his first Class! “I can take it?”

Lesh chuckled and took one other swig of liquor. When he belched, the mist that wafted away from his snout was inexperienced, and Darren took a step again as a touch of chlorine tickled his nostril. “Sure. I’m glad you sought my recommendation, however this determination is yours.”

Darren didn’t want to listen to greater than that. He opened his standing web page, chosen the Class choice menu, and touched the choice for Chaos Sorcerer.

***Congratulations! You could have gained your first Class: Chaos Sorcerer.***

***Congratulations! You could have gained a Class talent: Sense Chaos – Primary.***

***Congratulations! You could have gained a Class spell: Chaos Storm – Primary.***

***Sense Chaos – Primary: This means means that you can discern the latent chaos Power in a given space, factor, or being. Discovering chaos is the primary key to understanding it and permits for its cultivation.***

***Chaos Storm – Primary: Calling on the character of Chaos and the facility of elemental lightning, you create an space of tumultuous, chaotic Power. The realm’s measurement relies on the Power supplied to the spell. Contained in the Chaos Storm, any residing being will likely be topic to random electrical discharges that may have the next results: 1. Direct lightning-based harm, 2. Quick, random teleportation, 3. Medium-duration stun, or 4. Non permanent insanity. This spell won’t discern between good friend and foe on the fundamental degree. Power Price: Minimal 100 – scalable. Cooldown: Medium.***