They each got another drink, and eventually they had covered every subject from how it was rumoured the two old casters in town had been passionate lovers when young, having more than twelve kids, some of which stayed around and some who travelled far, to how the name Bertrud was fake and taken from a different old ex that made the [Warlock] jealous whenever he heard it, causing him to eventually become a hermit when the whole village started playing along.

Once they had gotten a few more drinks in, and things had gotten a bit more personal, Kalle was talking about basically being orphaned when his mother died and his step-father had enough of him. Only to get lucky and get found by the old couple that his mother used to sell her weaves to, when they did not mind another pair of hands, albeit that had some growing to do, around the orchard.

How at first it was a year of sheer relief, that soon started turning to mounting frustration when he had been given so much support and now became qualified for a Class and needed to find a future of his own.

All Kalle knew from the start was that he wanted independence. And Harold empathised, even if Kalle had been struggling a lot longer. Eventually they got back on topic.

“So, you have essentially been using it to change the yield of a bunch of things, possibly at the expense of some other attribute, but last night you did something entirely different to the warrior wasps,”

“Right, right.” Just nod along. Warrior wasps?

“What I am thinking is that you must have changed their nature somehow, so instead of protecting the hive they are protecting you. You can still feel them, right?”

“Yeah, they came back from feeding and they’re up in the tree outside.”

“So, you have a connection, but it is not draining you like last night when it made you pass out. The change is there to stay. Which makes this a very, very high tier ability.” Harold was starting to see what Kalle was getting at and he started drumming the table from underneath subconsciously.

“But that does not necessarily mean much, right? Everyone gets all ten abilities for the first level, so everyone should have at least two or three high tier abilities.”

“You are right about that, but then there is this. She said you have a knack, right? And there is a rumour, or myth at least, that the ranking of the enticer-Skill you get when first coming across a Class is an indication of your innate potential within said Class." The implications of that were massive. If Harold's Class had given him the highest of enticer-Spells it could be a sign this Class fit him like a glove. That he had what it took to become a master of magic.

But Kalle kept going. "And I would estimate yours as at least Spell number seven. Maybe even eight, and only because I have no idea what kind of Skills are at rank ten for a variation Class. But I really do not imagine chaos essence being a natural part of the regular [Druid] Class.”

Harold’s head was swimming with this new information. Or was it the apple drink?

Eventually Kalle got down to brass tax. “Harold, be real with me for a second. Better yet, be real with yourself. I do not plan to stay around here my whole life, do you?” Harold’s mind was focusing up, but his thoughts were still churning.

“I want to learn magic - I want to visit different towns, maybe even different races, and see the sea. I want to meet someone weird, truly, mind-blowingly weird. And I want you to accept that [Class] and tag along. At least for the first couple legs of the journey, if you end up changing your mind or just not liking it much, then you can always return home!” Kalle was slurring his words slightly at the end there.

But the words still lit a fire in Harold’s young heart. He had been moping for months, barely scrounging by, with his little brother constantly sleeping in the back. Depending on him, but knowing they would always get by with each other's help.

Now, knowing he might have found a Class that was truly special, with a new friend egging him on. “Yes! I want that, I can just do it! I can sell the Hare’s Retreat and accept this Class and actually experience a huge part of this world, and learn magic!” They were arm in arm across each other’s shoulders by now, each raising the anticipation of the other with their wildest thoughts and desires.

Eventually the energy petered slightly and Harold had to ask what they should do first.

“All you need is a path to walk and a strength to carry you through. And momentum!” He waved confidently. “The rest will come. The great thing about a path is how you do not actually need to know the destination, only the next step.”

Harold was still looking at him expectantly.

“You go ahead and accept the Class, and then we will head down to negotiate after another drink, me as Dunner and you as you, minus the wasps.” Kalle finished.

“That's a deal old man!”

Drunken exuberance carried the boys into town, and thankfully it was a bit of a ways, because Harold had nine new Skills to start figuring out on the way there, not to mention a sales pitch to work on. But he was now a fully-fledged level 1 [Chaos Druid].