Bella sat there, her savior sleeping and fire burning away. She thought of those that died to protect her, Clammy, Josie, Buck, and Mitchi. All dead. She led them to their deaths because she wanted to get away, to leave Salae, to leave her father. Now there were four dead, people who she called family, people who cared for her. All dead.

Bella glared into the fire, occasionally glancing at the man who saved her. At the man who made all her pain go away. The same man she hurt. Overusing “new” mana was something that only the most novice of [Mages] did.

Why would he do that? Purposely hurting himself just to heal me. When was it going to end? When am I going to stop harming the people around me? Bella began to cry. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

It had been a few hours since Max passed out. Bella had dragged him back to the cabin. She had used the one spell she knew, Create Flame, to start a small fire inside the worn-down cabin. Not the smartest idea, but Bella doesn't know if they were still around. Bella and her group were ambushed by a trope of goblins. Having no combat experience, the four traveling with Bella sacrificed themselves to allow her time to run. It worked, in the end, but Bella could still hear the screams. She could hear the crunch that a knife makes when penetrating bone. She could hear the sick giggles of the little monsters as they buttered and flayed her friends and mentors.

It was pitch black outside when Max woke up. He was bombarded with notification.

Congratulations you have learned the spell Soothing Waters (common):

Channel

While most never know the connection needed to heal with water, you somehow forged a link. Water bends to your will, healing even the worst of wounds.

Congratulations for learning your first tier 2 spell you gain 25 exp!

Congratulations you are now level 4!

You have gained 5 stat points.

Congratulations, Soothing Waters has become level 2!

Congratulations, Soothing Waters has become level 3!

Congratulations, Soothing Waters has become level 4!

Max felt the level-up-light wash over him, clearing his headache, and fixing his welts on his feet. Max opened his profile.

Name:

Max Fowler

Race:

Lost One (Human Earth)

Class:

N/A

Level:

4

Experience:

13/40

Heath: 20/20

Mana 7/25

Stats:

Strength:

Dexterity:

Stamina:

Intellect:

Wisdom:

10

10

10

15

15

Stat Points:

5

Max smiled softly, closing his eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Ummm... Excuse me?” Max looked up to see the girl. Her skin, rather than the pale white ghostly color, now was just pale. “Mister, thank you for saving my life. I don’t have much but I will find a way to pay you back...Somehow…” The girl looked back to the fire. Solemn in her eyes.

Max put on a smile before he spoke. “Just doing what anyone would have! My name’s Max, what's yours?”

“Max! Max! Are you awake!” Max had forgotten about Iris. He quickly relied.

“Yes, Iris I’m fine and the girl is fine. We are in the cabin. I just woke up. I gained a level. Give me a few minutes, okay?” Max heard her say “Okay.”

Bella looked at Max a little strangely... Who was he talking to? Iris? This reminded her that her inspect spell failed. Whoever this man was, he was not normal. Normally inspect was absolute. Only very powerful protection charms or enchanted items can deflect an inspection attempt. But this was different. Bella could feel her spell failing, something that she’s never experienced before.

I need to be careful. I can’t let him know who I am. Bella thought, understanding that Max may be dangerous.

“I am Clammy. A [Merchant]'s daughter.” She lied. “We were on our way into Lesterwood. We...We were attacked. Goblins I think they were. I’m not sure… I-I am all that is left…W-who were you talking to?”

Max could see the tears starting to swell.

“Oh Iris? I think she's an officer in Lesterwood’s Mage Guild? My system connected to the guild, and she's been helping me get to the city. Don’t you worry, Iris has already sent an adventuring team to find me. Now they will help both of us. We will get to Lesterwood.”

Bella thought for a moment. Mage guild? Long range communication? System based? Wait… Bella took a long look at him. He had no shoes. Pale sun burnt skin signifying that he had been outside for a while. He was wearing a weird kind of fabric, and even weirder material for pants. His hair looked professionally trimmed

… Is he a noble...? That would explain him having an anti-scrying ring... That would block my Inspect- Wait, he doesn’t have a ring… Bella’s mind searched for information of a noble that fit his description. Her position before leaving Salae left her knowing a lot about the noble house of Salae. But the more she looked at him, the more out of place he seemed.

Max studied her face. Seeing the confused look, he was giving her. Max chose to tell her. She would find out when the adventures got there anyways.

“I am a Lost One. That's why I’m out here.” Bella shot up standing. She took a deep bow. This made Max very uncomfortable.

“Wh-what are you doing Clammy?”

“Lord Lost One please forgive me for my previous action and the harm I have caused.” She kept her bow low. Not even making eye contact.

“Lord? Clammy please stop that. Why are you bowing?” genuine confusion coming from Max.

“My Lord. Ho-how long have you been in this world? If you don’t mind me asking.” She sat back down, slowly, keeping eye contact. She could feel something was wrong here.

“Hmm, not sure... Maybe thirty hours. Why?”

“Thirty hours! And you cast Soothing Waters? Are you from that water clan? No, there is no way you could get here from the clan in under thirty hours…”

Bella fell into contemplation, Max decided to give her a minute, and just to ask Iris what was going on.

“Hey Iris… This girl’s name is Clammy. She is calling me a Lord and bowing and stuff… Then she's asking about a water clan? Do you have any ideas?”

“All Lost Ones gain the title of Lord. You skipped that part of the manual. As for the water clan and the spell, the spell is a tier two. Since you don’t even have a class and are level 4, while it is not unheard of, knowing a tier two spell without a class is rare. You will be considered a genius…” Iris’s voice started to trail off.

“That's cool and all but she seems to be in deep thought over this.” Max relied, glancing at Clammy.

“The spell Soothing Waters is incredibly rare. It's conceived as one of the hardest tier two spells to learn. Only the members of the Deep Strider Clan are known to be able to cast it. Listen Max,” her voice turning to a whisper, “maybe only twenty people in the entire world know this spell. You are going to make enemies just because you know it. I can keep quiet, and I know my boss will. The issue is the girl.”

Max could see where this was going. He was going to have to make a choice for a reason he didn't fully understand. From the way Iris was speaking, Max didn’t think that she thought the girl had to die. After all, he told him to use it to save her. But this information could harm him and even her.

“Clammy.” She came out of her daze, “You seem to know about the spell I used. I just talked to Iris. You cannot let anyone know I have it. Okay? Think of that as a way to repay me. Silence. Understood?” Max made sure to speak with certainty in his voice.

“I. I-I understand. Thank you, Lord Max. I will not let you down.” Max felt the sincerity in her voice.

“Thank you. Let's get to sleep. We are going to have a long day ahead of us.”

Max took out a Racial trait item and used it. He figured that now would probably be the best time, in case he passed out again, he could just stay asleep. Max dreamed of deep waters; he could hear quiet whispers. Bella dreamed of goblins, her memories coming back to life. Torment her. She cried that night.