I was the last one waking up, but I found something I sincerely appreciated when I did.

Alistar was amiably talking with the Thermomancer, while Roana once again cooked for us. She was the best one at cooking among us.

"How long was I out for?" I asked as I tried sitting straight.

My skin was still soft and red; I could see it through my ripped-out shirt, but at least there was no scab.

This type of healing seemed to be stronger than what Nova was currently capable of; although, what I had been gifted with was a form of healing that I could only use on me.

She could use it on everything that lived. Mine also required me to sacrifice a part of my body; she just needed Flow, and Flow was everywhere, while my Skill required something that belonged to me and only me.

"For most of the day, but I guess you needed it. I've never seen such fast healing; not even Nova can heal like that," Alistar said.

His arm was still a stump, of course. He could heal naturally, but it would take its sweet amount of time.

"You keep mentioning this Nova; is she Loke's sister?" Aisha asked, she leisurely sat by the small fire.

I nodded, but I changed the subject. "How do you feel? You seem at ease given that… well, given the fact that we still can't just let you go. Don't you hate us?"

"That's… well, I," she sighed, "I want to leave, of course. But what you did yesterday... I have to admit that I can't simply escape you just like that, even if I tried to."

"Even if you tried to?” That didn’t feel correct. What was she trying to hide?

“Why do I feel like that's not all the truth?"

"I don't understand; what do you mean?" She asked.

I smirked. She was likely staying here by her own volition. Why was she doing it? Was the question I had to find an answer to.

"Did you guys Class up?" I asked, changing the topic once again.

"Yup," said the Kob.

"Ro?"

She nodded, grinning, but didn't add anything else.

"I'm a Guardian now," said Alistar, "take a look."

He proffered me the print with his Tracing.

Alistar Migs

Advanced Class

Guardian Lv. 31

Con + 3, Str + 3, Will + 3

Advanced Sub-Class

SpearFisher Lv. 32

Strength + 3, Focus + 3, Per + 3, For + ☆

Attributes

Stats

Natural

Augments

Agility

15

Greaves (+5), Spear (+5)

Constitution

33 + 30

Armor (+25), Shield (+15)

Strength

15 + 6

Shield (+5), Spear (+25)

Focus

7 + 3

Perception

16 + 4

Willpower

16 + 22

Fortune

☆ + ☆ ☆

Guardian Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

☆☆ Duress II - Constitution

(Eligible for Promotion)

☆ Your scales take the hardness of metal

Your Bonus Constitution doubles

Constitution + 6

☆ Solar Regen

Brandish Spear - Strength

☆ Damage all enemies standing in the range of your attack

Double Strength while Piercing

Unwavering Resolve - Willpower

Your basic Strength boosts your Willpower

Luck of the draw - Fortune

You are generally luckier than average

Fortune + ☆

SpearFisher Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Fisher Fortitude - Constitution

(Eligible for Promotion)

☆ Shade and cold are less effective on you

☆ Your Bonus Constitution doubles

Constitution + 3

Harpooneer’s Revenge - Focus

While using spears and bolts, Basic Focus is added to Strength

Follow the Flow - Perception

☆ Points out your target if it is moving

It’s easier to identify moving targets

A Waiting business - Willpower

★, ☆ While staying passive, your targets will be drawn to you

Willpower + 3

I gave him a big smile, "Alistar the Guardian. Who would have guessed."

"It's just temporary, you shall see, I'll become the Juggernaut," he said, drinking from his water flask, "it just wasn't there, as an option. Not yet."

"It'll be there, I know for sure."

He smiled back, satisfied.

"Anyway…" he said, "Roana has joined the ranks of the magicians. I guess she's the best among us."

That did not surprise me, not even a little. She was already a Medium; her Advanced Class could only become a magician or something like that.

"Well, I'm not surprised."

I joined Roana standing by the fire; I wanted to take something to eat, but instead— A fish on a wooden stake started floating by itself, coming toward me in a slow, waving motion.

"I'm still not used to it, but this is really amazing," she stated.

I couldn't help but stare at the flying fish. If he had been here, my grandfather would have already gone nuts.

I'm going to give you my old bow, right when the fish start flying! No, Loke. It will stay right there, on top of the chimney, where it belongs!

I chuckled, both at the memory and at how the fish was now tentatively slapping itself on my face.

"I'm sorry. I told you I'm still no good with it," Roana said, slightly embarrassed.

"It's incredible... What's the Class called?"

She launched a look at Aisha but then shrugged. Like me, she had guessed that the young Elf must have already seen this type of magic in her big City. In fact, Roana said the Class name out loud.

"I'm a Psyomancer now. I can control objects with my mind; oh, and also, a Seer. It's really useful. Take a look," she put on an amused face while giving me her Tracing report.

Roana Dowson

Advanced Class

Psyomancer Lv. 31

Foc + 6, Will + 3

Advanced Sub-Class

Seer Lv. 30

Per + 5, Will + 4, For + ☆

Attributes

Stats

Natural

Augments

Agility

10

Boots (+2), Staff (+15)

Constitution

10 + 3

Clothes (+2)

Strength

10

Staff (+20)

Focus

20 + 12

Perception

33 + 5

Willpower

20 + 26

Fortune

☆ ★ ★ + ☆ ★

Psyomancer Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Ethereal Armor - Constitution

Constitution + 3

Psychokinesis - Focus

☆ ★ Control small objects with your mind

Focus + 3

Divulge - Perception

☆ Send your thoughts to your target

☆ Your target may answer your thoughts

★★ Commands - Willpower

(Eligible for Promotion)

★ Utter a command that cannot be ignored composed of two words

People and creatures are likely to oblige your commands

Willpower + 6

Mental Fortitude

Seer Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Foretell -

Focus

Focus + 3

True Sight - Perception

★ See what cannot be seen

☆ Communicate with what cannot be seen

Relentless - Willpower

(Eligible for Promotion)

★ ☆ Enter the Relentless stance; your basic Willpower is counted toward Focus

☆ Your Bonus Willpower is doubled

Willpower + 3

Dowsing

- Fortune

Finding what you're looking for is easier

For + ★

I shook my head, chuckling. She likely referred to her new Foretell Skill having unlocked just a Passive Perk of dubious utility, however… She had now three Shade Stars and two Flow Stars, just like me.

But putting that aside, my friend had really become a magician. It was truly incredible.

"It's not as easy as it looks, you know?" She said. "It's like having to juggle with the wind and your thoughts at the same time."

"Well, you are making it look easy," said Aisha. "Thermomancers like me should be able to do this," she produced a little ball of fire on her palm.

The fire seemed to be emitted directly from her skin. It didn't seem like it was being fed by the external atmosphere, but by her own energy, the Flow she had stored in her body.

"But few are gifted with that level of control, especially without a Flow Control Skill. You lack a Shade Control Skill, and yet, there you are, jostling Shade like it's nothing on your first day."

As she said that, I couldn't help but look back at her Trace print, "Wait, you had a Skill called Trance, didn't you?"

Before Roana could talk, though, it was Aisha answering for her.

"When a Medium receives their Advanced Class, their Focus Skill shifts to adapt to her new Class; it's almost exclusive to magic classes. However, if I may?" she held out her hand.

She gestured for the Tracing. I looked at Ro for confirmation; weirdly, she nodded.

When she received it, Aisha folded it immediately, showing that she didn't want to read her Attribute distribution.

"Oh, there it is. Commands. That's your control Skill. It's rare," she stated, looking at Ro. "And there's a fix for Skills like this, but you'd need to train with it."

"What kind of fix?" Roana asked.

"Speaking to the Shade itself. Leading it on the path you want it to take."

"But… how? Shade is not a creature or a person; the Skill should not affect it," Roana replied.

"It does. Don't ask me why, but it does," saying so, Aisha gave the Tracing back.

They locked their stares as if Roana was trying to understand if Aisha was tricking her, and Aisha's intense stare was probably a means to show her that she was in good faith.

Alistar intervened in the staring contest.

"I've never gone through so many levels with such speed. These past few days have been ridiculous."

"Yeah," Roana broke out from eye contact first.

As I stared at them; eating, I decided to remove some doubts about Class leveling speed thanks to Aisha’s City knowledge.

"How is it that Dungeons really work, Aisha? If there are creatures as strong as people say in there, why are you not an Ultimate Class already?"

She smiled, "Monsters inside of Dungeons don't give Soul fractions."

Alistar and I shared an incredulous look.

"What!?" we thundered in a chorus; I spat fish everywhere.

"Yes. Soul fractions are given as a set-piece once a floor is entirely beaten. And it's not an amount as high as you might think. It's also shared between the group, so the more people, the fewer fractions you get."

"What about Skill experience then?"

"Yes," Aisha answered, "Dungeons monsters give only Skill experience. There are really no living things in Dungeons, so they cannot give Soul fractions. Only the prize at the end of each hall does. We still don’t know how or why that is so. But there’s a theory that says that Dungeons absorb it from nature; I can’t tell you much more than that; I’m no Scientist. Anyway, monsters in there are, or at least in our Tower, are just a resemblance of what life should be. So there are no Soul fractions to receive. Although our Tower is connected to its sewers, and there are a lot of monsters spawning down there, they do give Soul fractions, but they are limited."

"I don't get it… How can you be all so strong if Dungeons monsters don't give Soul fractions?" I asked that question, but I already knew the answer.

In my heart, I had probably already known it for a long time.

Aisha and Alistar answered together.

"War," they said.

Aisha nodded, "Why do you think they hail this damn war so much? Because of the land? Flow and Shade give us plenty of things and in abundance. So no, that's not the reason we wage war. Nor is it for pride or racial superiority. Those are just what they tell the masses. Wars are fought for Soul fractions."

For the first time in my life, I was at a complete loss for what to say.

Aisha had said it was hard to believe, but she was sincere; she firmly believed in what she was saying.

So, my parents had gone to fight a war that not only would never stop but a war that really meant nothing.

My arms fell to the side.

"Don't ever say what we just heard to Nova. Please, she will draw the wrong conclusions; it's too soon for her to hear this," I looked at Alistar first then at Roana.

They nodded, Roana a little more taken aback than the Kobold.

"Did you know?" I asked him.

"My father has always suspected it. Our race is a race of striving warriors. We waged war against the Kins and are likely still fighting it," Alistar said. "It's been hundreds of years since then. It makes you think why it has never really ended. Doesn't it?"

I nodded.

"But... Are Dungeons useless then?"

"No, they are not. Skill points, Form's expertise; training, materials, Dark Crystals, Shiny Stones? What else do you wish for? Everything is there, in the Dungeons. And really, Soul fractions are there too; it’s just that it’s really hard to get them. Every Dungeon level gives more Soul fractions at the end of each hall. In our case, the higher the Dungeon Hall, the more the experience. There are thirteen floors in Sundoor’s Tower, but I could only get as high as the fourth floor. Yes, there are organized groups that can reach all the way to the eighth floor, but that’s it. The only other person I know that has single-handedly reached level nine, and all by himself is, guess who?"

Alistar guessed it right, “Lester Teriman?”

Aisha nodded, “Exactly, the man is a phenomenal magician.”

"So, in the end, Sundoor’s riches do come from the Dungeon, but it’s hard to climb, and waging war is much easier. After all, it’s pretty clear that sapients give ten if not hundreds of times a regular monster’s experience,” I summed it up. More for myself than in need of clarification.

Aisha just nodded. "Putting Dungeon talk aside, though, the real question here is another. What are you going to do with me?” she asked, stopping to emphasize her point.

“I don't want to die nor abandon Sundoor. My mission, my self-imposed mission, is to change the City, to make the citizens understand that levels are really meaningless. There are so many things we could do or look for instead of killing each other for Soul fractions. Sub-Classes’ Soul fractions, for example, are received from doing natural things; otherwise, these types of Classes wouldn't exist, then why not focus on those? Why do we have to wage war? Why can't we just prosper? Why do we have to murder?" she stated. "I just want to live in a place that understands at least the basics... I want to live somewhere with people that understand that there are other ways to live. That wars are not the only way to thrive."

She took a breath to calm herself; she was shaking.

"What about what I've done?"

She looked at me quizzically, her eyes still shining with unshed tears.

"If we let you go, will you forget about us? Or start a manhunt to catch us?"

"I could say that I've… put you down?" she asked more than answered.

"But how can we trust you?" Roana asked. "Just because we've cooperated in killing a few Cyclopses doesn't make us friends. You would have helped even if we were slave traders; I know I would have… to survive. So what certainties do we have that you won't just go home then start spreading our faces and abilities around?"

"I guess the only answer for that is that you should trust me…"

I could not answer that, nor could Roana.

"I think I would trust someone like you," said Alistar.

He rose to take a fish stick.

"But I guess not everyone is as awesome as me. Maybe these two just need a little more time. Anyway, the fish is good! Where did you catch it?" He asked Roana.

"Oh? There, by that weird water."

I caught the ball as soon as I saw it to get out of that topic.

"Those waters have fish? My Trace says that it is a place where the connection with the Abyss is stronger," as I said that we all heard Alistar spit the mouthful of fish he was chewing, looking at us in disbelief.

"You almost had me eat Abyss fish!? Are you crazy!?"

"Why?" I asked, alerted. I had just eaten one.

"I don't know… but it's Abyss fish! Who knows what it can do?"

"I doubt it does anything bad, or at least, I'm still alive and kicking," Roana said.

"Any idea about it?"

She sighed, probably for the sudden change in topic, but she shook her head for a no.

"I'll go check on it; just pass me the Tracer first, please," I said to Roana.

"Last print," she said.

"Already? Damn, they must have overused it."

The Tracer had a small roll of paper on which it printed the results; it was useless without it.

Maybe if I leveled up Trace once more, I would become capable of producing the same results. Or so I hoped, but it was a vain hope since I had not gained other Shade Stars in my Fortune tab.

Loke Nightfold

Advanced Class

TechnoHunter Lv. 35

Agi + 1, Con + 3, Str + 3, Foc + 1, Per + 1

Advanced Sub-Class

Red Tamer Lv. 30

Sub-Class Perk: 1

Str + 3, Foc + 3, Will + 3, For + ☆

Attribute Borrowing

Attributes

Stats

Natural

Augments

Agility

15 + 7

Boots (+3), Dagger (+25), Short Bow (+10)

Constitution

12 + 14

Clothes (+3), Clockarm (+10), Dagger (+35)

Strength

14 + 6

Clockarm (+10), Dagger (+65), Short Bow (+25)

Focus

17 + 4

Dagger (+25), Short Bow (+5)

Perception

22 + 13 + 22 (Borrowed)

Willpower

33 + 3

Dagger (+25)

Fortune

★ ★ ★ ☆ + ☆

TechnoHunter Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

★★Trick Shot II - Agility

(Eligible for Promotion)

★ A Shade projectile follows your shot with a boom

★ Transfer to your Trick Shot’s location and double the following attack’s Strength

Agility + 6

★ Shadow Vigour

Technomantic Body - Constitution

★ Consume tech-parts to heal curable wounds

Constitution is boosted by your tech-parts: (+11)

Hunting Tactics - Focus

★, ☆ Your target’s weak points are partially exposed

★★★ Trace III - Perception

(Max)

★, ☆ Trace much more of the whispers of the Soul

★, ☆ Track your target and see his next move; your target doesn’t notice when they are being Tracked

Perception + 12;

Sixth Sense;

★, ☆ Synesthesia

Red Tamer Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Frenzy -

Strength

When your pet’s Health is lower than 30% their Strength is doubled but their Willpower is halved

Return to nature - Focus

Your pet partially heals eating your prey

★, ☆ Gain minor knowledge about your prey

Animal Instincts - Perception

(Eligible for Promotion)

When your family and pets are in danger your Strength and Willpower double for a short amount of time

★, ☆ Partially feel your pet’s emotions

★ Perception + 3 with Shade

Together we are one - Willpower

☆ You can tame weak Flow creatures

Your creatures can understand you

So my healing Perk worked exactly as I had understood it; however, the new Sub-Class Skill, Frenzy. It was definitely interesting.

It had some sort of a Berserker-like effect on Loki and did not require Shade nor Flow; it was relatively rare for a Major Perk not to require any. In the end, it was a good thing, but not game-changing.

Other than that, my Animal Instincts Skill was complete and ready to be leveled up.

I expected something different from the Major Perk, but it seemed to be in line with Frenzy.

Skills really affected each other in peculiar ways. Also, this Major Perk did not need any Shade or Flow whatsoever, which was a plus.

The fact that my Strength and Willpower would be boosted simultaneously with those of an endangered Loki could really come in handy.

But, apart from that, where in the Abyss was Loki?

"Where's the cub?" I asked, still treating him as a little thing.

"Down there, he's been playing by the waters ever since I woke up," Roana said.

"I'm going to check on him then," I ventured in the distance.

“Oh, hey, Loke!” Alistar called, “Nobody said it, so I’m going to spill the beans, but your left eye healed.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I think we all noticed, but nobody said anything, so I thought I’d say it. Does it still work?”

I raised my hand to my eye. I could see perfectly nonetheless, and it did not hurt.

“I… yes, it does,” I tried it by activating the ability to see weak points. It worked perfectly.

“Well, congratulations then, must have been your healing."

“Yeah, congratulations, Loke. You looked cute all the same, but you are more natural now,” Roana added.

I was slightly mystified; I was really not expecting for it ever to heal. But I went to look for Loki all the same, with a happy smile on my face.

The cave was indeed massive, much more so than I thought at first. Loki was in my sight already; he was crouched, looking pensively at the Abyss waters. Further ahead from where he was sitting, I could see a dark alleyway. Maybe it would lead us further inside the mountains if we took it.

"Hey, little guy, what are you doing?"

Loki looked at me, growling softly. From our connection, I could feel that he had been near me all night long. Probably giving me his warmth.

"So? What are you looking at?" I scratched his head.

I could feel his senses. He was perceiving something, something hidden deep within the body of water.

I stared at the mirror of water then, looking at my dark reflection.

My eye had indeed healed; it looked normal again, even considering its Shade-cursed color, beautiful if I could say so myself.

Then I started sensing it too, what Loki was feeling.

Something was definitely waiting for us down there, in the dark waters.

I looked over my back to my companions.

Aisha was still weak, probably for the lack of Flow in her body; while Roana was busy cooking. Alistar had only one arm, like me. His wounds, however, would not close because his arm had yet to recover, while my wounds had, already closed over.

I was the only one who could check it out.

So I simply decided to dive inside of the water myself, no second thoughts.

I just put my boots aside, my satchel, and all the other equipment but my trusted knife.

My Perception showed me something unexpected right away, a dim light in the dark depths of the minuscule lake.

Swimming was not easy with only one arm, but it was possible, so I kept pushing; I could feel something there, something I would need.

My lungs were already starting to burn when I reached the bed of the puddle, but sure as hell, it was there, something dark yet shiny.

A Dark Crystal was waiting for me to pluck, but when I did, I quickly swam up to the air; I understood almost right away that I had woken something.

The cave walls started shaking, and a vicious trembling could be heard coming from everywhere around the cave.

"Damn, damn, damn; what kind of luck is this!" I swore as I dressed back up. Then, a happy-looking Loki and I joined back to the group; they were trying to understand what was going on.

"Loke, why do I feel like you've done something that you shouldn't have, again?" Roana asked.

I showed her the Dark Crystal, "It was in the water; how would I have known it would cause an earthquake!?” I asked out loud.

Alistar laughed, but Ro sighed.

However, Aisha did not, "I don't think this is an earthquake."

"How can you say that?"

"I don't know; what little Flow gathers here in the day is acting up, as if responding to a greater density of-" Aisha could not finish what she was about to say because a massive roar came from the cave's entrance. It echoed through the tunnel and reached all the way to us.

Synesthesia activated, showing me images that were likely the origins of those roars.

"Guys… do you remember that massive cave we skipped?"

Alistar said, "Yeah, why?"

But Roana and Aisha had already understood.

"I think whatever lives there has come here and now wants us dead."

"I have no idea how, but I believe it felt this," once again, I showed them the Dark Crystal in my hand.

"Alright, since we can't surely leave? What are we going to do now?" Roana seemed rather tired.

"Well, there is a tunnel on the other side of the cave," I said, pointing. "I guess we should go ahead and find out where it leads. What do you say?"

"I'm in!" one-armed Alistar thundered.

"Couldn't even catch a little Flow…" Aisha sighed.

Roana sighed in unison, "At least let me eat first; I've yet to grab even a single bite."

"Be my guest. I doubt the beast can dig all that way toward us-"

I hadn't even finished speaking when I felt the crashing of stones coming from the tunnel.

"Alright, maybe I'll just stop speaking."

"You better," said a Roana angrily munching on her Abyss fish.

We were about to depart for the unknown, and it was better if we were as full as possible before we did.

Because whatever was waiting outside might have forced those Cyclopses to live here, despite their powers.

So whatever waited ahead, whatever roads we might have to take, was surely better than facing the creature that was digging its way inside of the mountainside to get to us.