"Inadequate is an understatement."
Asha turned her attention back to the list of spells. The prices looked a little steep, but a sorceress needed spells; otherwise, she was just another grunt grinding away at the Game.
"I'll take the fireballs for twenty-five shekels."
Lady Isadora handed her a piece of paper after Asha paid. The sorceress read the spell, and the paper vaporized in a puff of smoke. Then she bought another spell for five shekels that allowed her to start a fire with a snap of her fingers. Again, the written spell went up in smoke the second she finished reading it.
"These spells are bound to me, right?"
"Absolutely," she said. "They are yours forever."
Asha studied the list some more and noticed one that brought a smile to her face. It was a spell Killum used in the previous realm. "I'll take Slow as Molasses for ten."
After buying a levitating spell that helped her hover 30 seconds, she closed her purse. Lady Isadora had bought one of her two remaining her silver coins, so the sorceress only had one silver and thirty copper shekels left.
Congratulations! You've earned enough experience points to move up one level. You are now a Level 13 sorceress!
Asha paused to check her stats. She smiled to see the changes, especially the extra and unexpected mana. The change in alignment after selling the staff was expected, but appreciated. But her strength, endurance, and agility numbers increased, and she wasn't sure if that just happened or they were ticking up and she hadn't noticed.
Current status
:
Name:
Asha
Race:
High Elf (Desert Tribes)
Class:
Sorceress (Novice)
Leveclass="underline"
13 (4% to next level)
Alignment:
+3 Light
Health:
100/100
Strength:
20/20
Endurance:
30/30
Agility:
15
Mana:
175
Skills:
(Click to View/Hide)
Social skills:
Bartering (Lvl 2).
Battle skills:
Swordsmanship (Lvl 2).
Hand-to-Hand (Lvl 1).
Spellcasting:
Simple fire.
Fireballs.
Slow as Molasses.
Slow foes down for up to one minute.
Hover.
30 seconds.
Possessions:
(Click to View/Hide)
Weapons:
Short sword.
Dwarven long knife.
Ork belt knife, single-edge.
Armor:
N/A
Magicaclass="underline"
Robes of Concealment.
Dagger of Wrath.
A Bound object. Sends victim to Purgatory for one month.
Healing Potion (10).
Will heal 20. Cooldown: 15 minutes. Can be used once an hour, up to 5 times in 24 hours.
Mana Restoring Potion (5).
Will restore 25 mana points. Cooldown: 10 minutes. Can be used once an hour.
Money/shekels:
0 gold, 1 silver, 30 copper shekels
Wardrobe:
Spawn tunic (Cotton)
Elven Sorceress dress (Silk).
Purple. Two piece (Halter and slit skirt).
Player Kills:
3
Deaths:
1
"Does leveling up give me more mana?"
"Yes, at the tens," Lady Isadora replied. "And buying spells usually adds a few mana points, too. Also, just using magic will push your top limit up."
"Oh, I almost forgot." She looked back at the list of spells. "Do you have an inventory spell?"
"Yes, but it's quite expensive," she said. "I have a spell with twenty slots for twenty-five gold shekels, another for fifty slots for fifty shekels, and the biggest with one hundred slots for a hundred shekels."
"Inventory spells cost a gold shekel per slot?"
"I'm afraid so," she said with an apologetic shrug. "The spells are extremely difficult to create."
"Too rich for me," Asha said. "I'll have to start saving my shekels."
Asha thanked the witch and departed. Upon stepping outside, she noticed the day was growing bright. Sunrise was just minutes away, and then the town gates would open. She needed to get to Madam Elise's Inn before Rudolf came charging into town looking for vengeance.
She walked as fast as she dared to avoid others taking too much interest in her. The sorceress didn't want to make it easy for the dark wizard to track her down. The town wasn't very large, so she reached the plaza in front of the main gate as the guard detail arrived to relieve the night watch. The portcullis would be lifted when the bell tolled, which happened when a lookout saw the edge of the sun top the horizon.
Elise's Inn stood close to the wall and across the plaza. As she headed towards it, Asha heard a cry of outrage, and swords being pulled. The guards looked, but seemed uninterested. Odd, that. When she looked that way, a flash of fire-red hair caught her attention.
She checked out the three men backing a young woman against a wall.
Raul. Human Merchant (Lvl 23). Neutral. PK: 6.
Carr. Human barbarian warrior (Lvl 13). -1 Dark. PK: 17.
Sal. Human Soldier (Lvl 11). -2 Dark. PK: 23.
Tiana. Human thief (Lvl 13). Neutral. PK: 1.
"They're going to kill Tiana," she whispered, and almost pulled up a fireball.
Asha reconsidered as she walked quickly towards them. The Robes of Concealment were bundled and tied to the back of her sword belt. She pulled them free of the bindings while she considered her options. As soon as the robes were on her body, she willed herself invisible.
Pulling the ork belt knife, single-edged, she slipped up behind the soldier and thrust into the back of his sword hand.
"Aaiiee! Mother – " he cried, releasing his sword.
Her roundhouse to the face ended his outcry. Asha spun around, and kicked the barbarian's wrist, causing him to cry out and drop the sword. And then she slashed the merchant's robes, and all three took off running.
She hurried over to Tiana, who was staring after the retreating men. "Shhh, Tiana. It's Asha. I'll meet you at the inn."
The bell tolled, loud and vibrating the air. That bell had to be humongous, and close to do that. The portcullis began creaking as it slowly rose up. The night watch formed up to leave, as the day watch started moving into position. Asha didn't waste time getting to the safety of the inn. Tiana was right behind her.
"Come in, Tiana," she called after passing through the door and willing herself visible. The thief ran in and wrapped her up in a big hug and kiss on the cheek. "Well, I guess you missed me."
"Asha! I did miss you. A lot," Tiana said. The thief looked her over, eyes lingering on her breasts. "And may I say, you look amazing. Ten times more beautiful than in the last realm."