Spells Spearing Roots Lvl 32 Mana Bolt Lvl 28 Mana Shield Lvl 26 Root Control Lvl 87 Arcane Orb Lvl 22 Fireball Lvl 30 Magic Missile Lvl 4 Healing Palm Lvl 12 Pollen of the Rafflesia Lvl 20 Summon Pestilence Lvl 53 Mana Strengthening Lvl 48 Wall of Thorns Lvl 16 Soul Seed Lvl ® Agony Lvl 37 Inspiration ® Incinerating Bolt Lvl 64 Circle of Flame Lvl 39 Plantomancy Lvl 29 The Weeping Cloud ® Lvl 56
Crafting Potion Making Lvl 37 Farming Lvl 20 Plant Breeding Lvl 9 Mapmaker Lvl 7 Analyze Lvl 24 Refine Lvl 17 Extract Lvl 6 Mana Engraving Lvl 60
Auxiliary Physical Fitness Lvl 64 Meditation Lvl 62 Running Lvl 39 Sprinting Lvl 19 Sneak Lvl 46 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 29 First Aid Lvl 16 Equip Lvl 25 Pathfinding Lvl 18 Mental Strength Lvl 17 Curse Resistance Lvl 15 Fire Resistance Lvl 14 Sewing Lvl 11 Cutting Vegetables Lvl 2 Manual Labor Lvl 6 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 30 Grace Lvl 39 Bacterial Regeneration Lvl 64 Superiority Lvl 18 Mental Fortitude Lvl 38 Second Wind Lvl 29 Weather Affinity Lvl 32 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 8 Rejection Lvl 11
It was hard to remember what it was like when he started out Now he really felt like the system was an important part of himself It had helped him find his strength and his relationship with the world Slowly he felt himself growing as a person Again the image of those guard’s bodies falling below crushed in the tower as they escaped appeared but Randidly frowned and forced it away Not yet
He stood slowly and then stretched Now was time to find Shal His teacher had challenged him the previous night personally in a way that was aimed to unravel Randidly to get at any flaws in his character Luckily it hadn’t worked But Randidly wasn’t perfect He wasn’t sure what to do with his talent for violence So he could only do one thing seek help from his elders
The First Spear of Tomkat’s face was grim as he heard the news
Most of the guards inside the prison were dead It was confirmed that the warden had been slain prior to the escape too likely by Shal In addition a strange creature calling itself a Judgement had set up camp in the prison and was waging a slow cold war on the surviving prisoners who had banded together with the guards to survive The creature was getting pushed back but was a powerful mage which was making things difficult In addition there was a constant flood of tiny minions from its position which was complicating things greatly
They were making headway now but weariness was growing among the men in the prison Although it was probably too late for the First Spear to intervene with the time difference
It was not an ideal scenario The First Spear tried to remember that no matter the losses if he had another Adept in his employ he could recoup them But this was progressing past a loss of face this was a significant blow to his city in a way that didn’t make him angry just worried
But as he dismissed the guards what was driving the First Spear insane was the why of the situation Why had Shal gotten himself thrown in prison on a small matter in the first place He had read the report his disciple had killed a guard a foolish move that was designed to annoy his officials but because of the disciple’s age and strength they found it prudent to throw them both into the prison for the 100 year term Let them strengthen there then come out and be miserable from Aether Starvation for several months at which point the First Spear of Tomkat could recruit them
Why had Shal remained a captive The prison was not designed to hold Adepts Adepts could attack with their images without moving If one was an Adept escape was child’s play all the restraints simply blocked movement If you were powerful without it the cage held no meaning
Why now Why were they moving now
At least for this question the First Spear was able to obtain some answers The Spear Phantom Style had to accomplish certain goals in the next few months in order to maintain access to the light blue color spectrum that Shal used But of course the youngest generation of the Style had to be the one to accomplish it After a bit of research it seemed that youth a fellow called the Ghosthound and made it through a qualifier and would be going to the Northern Regional Tournament A top 8 finish there would be sufficient result for the honor of the Spear Phantom Style
So perhaps the prison was chosen as a training ground in order to give the youth real battle experience against other spearman Which seemed like a reasonable method if one that was extremely reckless in that it offended the First Spear of Tomkat a slight he would not soon forget
But Shal’s face as he tendered his promise this was not a reckless man If anything he seemed desperate
Sighing the First Spear beckoned over a servant There was one thing he wanted to investigate Although he didn’t know where the term was from those who fought against the strange Judgement creature testified that it kept referring to a Heretic which stirred a half forgotten memory in the First Spear So he would consult with his contacts in Deardun and figure this out
Why had all of this happened to him
The First Spear of Tomakat’s face was grim as he stared down at the blade of his spear His grip tightened on the shaft
Chapter 171
Helen stood over the small stream looking at her body’s reflection in the clear water Always her mother had pushed her into taking care of herself encouraging her to exercise in order to sculpt herself in certain ways push her chest up her hips out Use oils and stretches to make her skin soft her body supple
There were certain tangible benefits to her spear usage due to her mother’s influence specifically her 3 movements that someone who hadn’t take such care of their body couldn’t hope to mirror But as Helen slowly realized what was happening that she was fattening like a pig in the more feminine areas she grew to resent her life her mother and what she saw as the path her family wanted for her Still she couldn’t work up the nerve to directly contradict them so she slowly subverted their efforts
She would not be a plump wife that was kept at home
So she had gone above and beyond her mother’s training regimen until her body was almost impossibly elastic and strong Helen never had the pure strength to rival some of the other spear users especially those from the family she served but there was a grace and control that she had over her body that allowed her to hold her own She even attracted the attention of a traveling Adept who gave her some pointers on the training movements she used From that she was able to create an Uncommon Rarity Skillset that was all her own
Helen wasn’t sure whether the interest was actually due to her skill with a spear or the lewd way that old man had watched her practice but she couldn’t bring herself to care In this case the skill set was worth some of the shit she had to sift through to get there
Although it annoyed her parents her success was such that she would not be just the wife of a leatherworker But then her mother had begun to set her sights higher On the family of spear users that they served There were even several lesser disciples that had been interested To buy herself time Helen had asked for the chance to enter the local qualifier to test her skill Her parents had assented reluctantly worried but tempted by the possibilities for marriage that a high finish would bring their family
So Helen had traveled to Qtal quite far from her home and the rest was history
Now she stood there looking at her reflection in the water her hands tracing the faint bruises on her shoulders and hips from the Ghousthound last night The fucking fool didn’t know his own strength But she had invested enough in Endurance that it hadn’t actually hurt really It was cute in a way how wild he had been How out of control and vicious