"Welcome, Lord of the Land…"

"Pause!" I groaned, instinctively. The voice died away. I blinked, coming back to myself, and realized I was laying on the floor, aching all over. I took a few deep breaths, trying to center myself, and nearly ended up hacking my lungs out. I struggled back to my feet and glanced around for the gem, only to realized it was still clutched in my hand. I scrubbed at my aching forehead for a long moment, before tucking it into a pocket and reaching down for another rock.

Strangely enough, even though it felt like finishing the barricade took hours, I was feeling better at the end. I finally had something that would stop butterflies, even if I wasn't entirely certain how it would fare against magic butterflies. My headache was beginning to fade, and although my hands still ached, the scrapes and cuts weren't stinging quite as sharply.

I sat down cross-legged at the back of the crevice, and fished the gem out of my pocket.

Wonder what I picked up here…?

First things first, though.

"Voice of the world, visual mode."

"Visual mode confirmed."

Audible mode was much more convenient when sailing, or during action. Can't have blue boxes cluttering your vision in a gunfight! But if you needed to inspect something carefully, visual mode was simply better - as long as you could read. Thankfully, I'd managed to pick up more education than the average streetrat over the course of my checkered career.

"Unpause."

Welcome, Lord of the Land.

You have bonded the Heart of Metzli. A privileged class has been granted. Your dominion is currently 'tiny'. Your archive is 'small'. Your power is currently 'personal' and 'inconsequential'. Your rank is 'Knight-errant'.

As a new ruler, be sure to activate your privileges soon. Investing your power will unlock benefits and growth, by the Will of the World.

Huh.

I stared at that for a long moment, pondering it. Finally, I turned my attention to the stone.

"Assess."

There were some benefits from picking up the 'trader' class. A limited analysis ability was one of the best. It had nothing on an investigator class, or even a mage or scholar, but… the time needed to spec into those was ridiculous.

Heart of Metzli: Dominion Core, Class 7

A gemstone of unfathomable power, formed by the will of the world; this crystal anchors the very existence of the Island of Metzli. Whoever possesses and controls the Heart is acknowledged by the land itself, and can hold rightful dominance.

Hooooh boy.

I waved away the boxes and carefully folded the gem in my handkerchief before tucking it into my pocket. I scrunched up my eyes and pressed my face into my hands, trying to cudgel my exhausted brain into functioning. I wasn't entirely sure what I'd picked up, but one thing was becoming increasing clear:

This was the sort of chance you only get once in your life.

This was heavy-duty magic. Earth magic. World magic. The sort of sorcery arch-mages would fight to have, kingdoms would mobilize their armies for, heroes and dragons would clash over.

After doing my best to quell the waves of uncertainty sloshing through me, I calmed myself and mumbled: "Show classes."

Classes

Name

Level

Beggar:

Out of practice

Thief:

Passable

Gunner:

Excellent

Explorer:

Mediocre

Administrator:

Below Average

Sailor:

Daring

Trader:

Vicious

Navigator:

Passable

Lord of the Land:

New

I absently ran a finger down the list, pondering. None of these would really help me get out of this cave. I paused on Gunner, and it expanded for a moment.

Gunner Skills

Aim:

Deadly

Reload:

Deft

Maintenance:

Passable

Abilities

Reflexive Dueling:

Exceptional

Sharpshooting:

Accurate

I closed it with a sigh, wishing for my pistol. It was probably still hanging from the tiller, at the bottom of the lagoon…

I continued down to my new class.

Lord of the Land Title: Knight-Errant

Skills

Akashic Magic

New

Dominion Magic

New

Abilities

Mark

New

Summon

New

Archive

New

Incarnate

New

Hum.

To be honest, I hadn't expected to learn much just from this. Most class descriptions were pretty sparse. Mage, for instance, came with exactly one skill, '(some type of) magic', and no abilities. But then, mages could use simple magic with just their voice and hands. Gunner started with three skills because guns were complex and essential to the job. It had taken me years of training to turn sharpshooting into an ability, and reflexive dueling… well, I'd had more than one brush with death in order to acquire that little gem. Back when I'd ruled the slums in Lavaille, I'd had more than enough opportunities for that.

Moving on, I touched each word, drawing up a description.

Lord of the Land

One who possesses and controls a dominion core. The magic of the world itself will support them.

Knight-Errant

Beholden to none, either for protection or aid. Your land is unmarked, your qualities unproven.

Akashic Magic

The magic of remembrance and understanding. As the archive grows, so does its power. Grants the abilities Archive and Incarnate. Grants the Magic statistic.

Dominion Magic

The magic of control and command. Whatsoever you mark belongs to you, and 'ware the one who takes it. Grants the abilities Mark and Summon. Grants the Magic statistic.

Hmm-hmm. Well, I didn't have anyone or anything to rule right now, so 'Knight-errant' made some sort of sense… it was landless nobility, I guess? Both fields of magic seemed extremely powerful in their own right, but, unfortunately, I had absolutely no idea on how to use them. At least they came with abilities…

Mark: Active

Claim your territory and subordinates as yours. Everything under your dominion contributes to your growth; every time you grow, claim more and more as your own. Costs Magic for scale and rank.

Current marks: 0

Summon: Active

That which is yours obeys your call. Costs magic over distance and dimensions.

Archive: Passive

The things near and dear to your heart will be forever preserved. Draws in the memories of the world and turns them into your power.

Incarnate: Active

Nothing is truly dead until it is forgotten. As long as you can recall it, it can be called back into the world. Costs Magic for complexity and understanding.

Hurgh. Not a lot of help here. I stood, shoved my hands in my pockets, and started pacing. Whatever I'd picked up, it was obviously powerful; these skills seemed straight-up broken, and the abilities - beginning abilities, no less - felt more than a little overpowered.

Unfortunately, I had no idea how to actually use any of it.

More than that, I'd never even heard of any of this before.

That… was more than a little worrying. This sort of class, even if it only appeared once in a thousand years, seemed like it should be the subject of myths and legends, not to mention rumors. But… Lord of the Land? I'd met lords, if not kings, and they had nothing on this. It was a dominion supported by the Voice of the World itself, not some measly dictatorship or what.

On the other hand, what if there were people out there who had this class, and hadn't ever told anyone? I mean, I'm pretty sure that if — no, when — I made it back to civilization, I'd do my very best to keep my newfound power under wraps. If anyone knew what this little gem could do… I shuddered, and absently ran a finger over the bulge in my pocket.

My mind whirled in long circles. Were there traps to this class? Could I afford to use it? Could I afford to not use it? How could I even know, until I tried it?

Finally, I calmed down and returned to the problem at hand. I was stuck in a cave, in a slumbering volcano, on a wild and desolate island, deep in a monster-filled ocean. Being chased by butterflies.

…alright, maybe I wasn't so calm.

I drew a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and decided I needed to do something, anything, before I ended up in deeper trouble.

Abilities first, I guess?

I concentrated my intent, reaching for my new Actives. The World had said I should invest my power as soon as possible, and only one ability made sense for that. I firmed my resolve, and called out "Mark!"

There was a flash. I blinked, then staggered as I felt something, that same cold sharp harsh something that had poured through me when I picked up the Heart, rush out of me. Magic? I watched as it streamed around me, icy white and glowing, and began to form symbols. They were entirely inscrutable at first, but oddly enough, the longer I looked, the more I felt like I had some idea what they were saying.

Control… command… subjugate… transfer… Wait, hold on… I squinted, pushing away my strange comprehension as I realized I'd seen them before. This is a… dungeon circle? I frowned at that, dredging through my memories.

I'd never made a habit of dungeon diving, but there's a point in most everyone's life where they need a bit of extra money and they're willing to put their health on the line for it. For me, it had been a soujourn in the dungeon of the Marglades.

It had basically been an endless swamp. I'd struggled to keep my pistols from rusting to scrap, even as I tried to keep my party from falling apart whenever we found anything at all worth looting - usually after I tried to keep them from running away once we came up against anything worth fighting.

I'd been happy to see the back of that, especially since I didn't actually have to shoot anyone for betraying me.

However, between rooms and areas, there had been transfer circles. Small arrays of strange magic that could move you forwards or backwards. I looked down at the power surrounding me, comparing them in my mind. Maybe it wasn't exactly the same as what I'd seen in the Marglades, but it was suspiciously close.

The power was slowing now, changing from a rush to a trickle. It still pulled on me, dragging strength from my already wobbly legs, but I could see it beginning to work now, settling into the floor of the crevice and etching itself into the stone. I heard gentle grinding noises, and the floor flattened and began to spread.

But, dungeon, huh? Dungeon lord? Was that a thing? I frowned, as half-remembered snippets floated up in my brain. Dungeon from 'donjon', from 'domino', which also gives 'dominion'…. Hrm. Dominion lord and dungeon lord… Was this something the Voice of the World did, or was the bastardization on the human end?

I'd heard of 'Dungeon Bosses', of course, the malevolent monsters that guarded the labyrinths. But I'd never heard of a 'dungeon lord', in sense that someone controlled the things.

Was it simply a well-kept secret?

Dungeons were often regarded as strategic assets, and for good reason. The sorts of materials, classes, and magic that came out of dungeons was simply astounding. If it was possible for a single person to control that… that was the sort of information many countries would do their utmost to keep out of their enemies hands, even as they did their best to use it for their own gain. Sure, I'd never been strong enough to do more than peer through the windows of the halls of power, but I'd have at least heard rumors of that sort of thing.

Conquest complete!

By expanding your territory, your title has changed from Knight-Errant to Knight of Metzli.

Congratulations on establishing your dominion!

As a landed Lord, your Sanctum is Fixed. Now, above all else, guard your Heart. Your dominion is now Miniscule.

I shoved the thoughts out of my mind as the ability finished with a crack and a fizzle. I stood there panting for a long moment, assessing what had changed.

Creeeeak…

I spun at the noise, and then stared in shock. There was a door behind me.

It was a simple wood door, set directly into the basalt walls of the crevice as if it belonged there. It stood slightly ajar, and warm light poured out of it. I stepped forwards hesitantly, but strengthened my resolve as I grasped the handle. This was something my Ability had created; it should be safe. As long as I didn't forget caution. I swung the door wide and stepped through.

Was this my Sanctum?

A small circle of grass hung in a white void. I looked back, and saw that the door I'd come through was framed in rough timber, standing free in space. I reached towards the edge, but my fingers simply pressed up against the boundary, as if it was bordered in perfectly transparent glass. It ran directly through the doorframe; no matter how I tried, I couldn't look behind the door.

A stone walkway lead away from the door, meandering into the grass, eventually winding its way up a small hill, to where a modest cabin and a spreading tree stood, right in the center of the Sanctum.

But just as I was about to step forwards—

Warning, invasion!

Your domain is being threatened! Protect it, or risk losing your influence!

I felt a draft on my neck and turned back. At the entrance to the crevice, chill light was flashing through the chinks in my rock barrier. I could hear the whisper of wings, and my heart sank. The damn butterflies still hadn't given up.

I clenched my teeth, and for a moment, considered simply closing the door and ignoring them.

But.…I still didn't know enough about this new class. What if that simply destroyed the Sanctum when they took my cave, and it dumped me out right there? I couldn't risk that. No, I needed to fight here. I had new abilities, and if I used them right... there was a chance I could pull through.

I strengthened my resolve and drew a deep breath, reaching for another Active. I'd only read the description, but if this worked like I hoped… I pulled up an image in my mind, holding it firm; the weapon I knew best, inside and out. It was burned into my memory. I scraped together the dregs of my magic, and said: "Incarnate!"

The pistol landed in my hand with a reassuring thunk. I grinned as my practiced fingers danced across the mechanism, checking the magazine, checking the chamber, flipping the safety to 'off', racking a round.

"Alright," I mumbled. "At least I have a fighting chance."