Time remaining: 60 hrs 41 mins

It was a long four hours until the light of dawn crept in through the window pane. Throughout the night, Beast dared not sleep lest Risette slipped away from right under his nose. It was only until an hour before did the girl fall into a fitful sleep. Beast rested his other hand on the girl’s head and heaved a sigh of relief. It would seem that the fever had subsided.

The worst was over.

Gently removing his hand from hers, Beast quietly left to go about the day’s activities. Iruna came by as usual and taught him how to make chicken soup. He fed Risette as usual and chomped down on a piece of bread for his own hunger. However, Beast did not sleep at all at night ever since; he would sit on a chair by Risette’s bed and watch over her sleeping form. No way would he allow a thing such as that to happen again! His reward is at stake here!

As day turned to night and night became day, the time slowly ticked down to the quest completion. It was the last night now and Talos should be back tomorrow as he had said he would. For a goal so close, the time passed excruciatingly slowly.

Time remaining: 6 hrs 41 mins

“Cooking window” Beast whispered, taking care not to wake the sleeping girl.

Cooking (Basic 2) 12% Mastery

His cooking skill had leveled once during the course of the quest, giving him a +1 to all stats when it did so. His other skills however, were all sitting at one.

“Archaeology.”

Archaeology (Basic) 0% Mastery

Passive

Grants the user a basic knowledge of identifying artifacts and relics. The true history and origins of an artifact will be revealed to you. The powers of artifacts come to life in your hands. With this skill, you know exactly how to bring out the best in artifacts and ancient objects lost to time.

+2% effectiveness to artifact usage

Permanent stats gain from identifying artifacts based on rarity and difficulty of obtaining artifact

You can identify up to historical artifacts.

Without that sword, he has no way of increasing this… Wait a minute.

Beast pulled up the item window of the tome.

The Vanadic Tome of Artifacts

This tome was once a personal effect of the Lord Historian Vanandic of Alvastra before Alvastra fell into ruins by the Sundering. It held details on various relics and artifacts of each country and religion, and also elaborated on how one can recognize an artifact from worthless junk by sensing the innate magic within.

Type: Book, Artifact

There it was; the same tag as that of the sword. Beast almost wanted to slam his head upon the table. How could he have missed this? All that time wasted while a secret was right under his nose.

“Artifact Identify: Vanadic Tome of Artifacts”

There was a sudden bright light emitting from the black tome as the skill took its effect. Pages of parchment detached themselves from the book and began fluttering all around the room. A window pop-up appeared right after, but before Beast could open it to see what was happening, the light from the book swallowed his entire field of vision. There was a slight buzz reminiscent of a flashbang when his eyes re-adjusted themselves to the brightness, slowly forming a clear image of the background.

A horse… More accurately, he was riding on one. Two men were riding their horse across the forest, cracking their whips as they pierced through the thick undergrowth. From behind, distinctively inhumane cries sounded. Beast knew at once: they are being pursued.

“My liege!” His mouth moved itself, forming the words needed to be spoken. “They are coming closer!”

The one in front looked back and for that moment, the eyes of both men connected. Determined eyes looked back at confused ones, which turned into sudden realization. “No, brother!”

“But I must, for you need to reach Alexandria safely. You. Cannot. Die.”

With that, Beast reared his horse to a halt. With a flourish of his cloak, he leapt down and turned to face whatever was pursuing the two of them while the other helplessly watched as his horse brought him further and further out of sight. When the sound of galloping finally ceased, he was finally all alone.

“A fool. A fool has stayed back to challenge us.”

“A fool. A fool!”

From the shadows of the trees, a small creature emerged. Small and hunched, the little green creature looked at Beast with grotesque red eyes and bared its sharp deformed teeth. At once, thousands of other beady red glows blinked from the darkness.

Goblins.

His body trembled as fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins. If this were any other game, Beast would have absconded. The odds of this battle are totally atrocious, so why fight a battle he could not win? However, Beast could not move in this scene; his body was moving him instead. Holding out a familiar black grimoire at his front, the lone human stood his ground against the goblin army. Regal, imposing and fearless, he did not tremble.

“I call upon the power of the Blood Moon,” The pages of the tome started to flutter, until it finally rested on a page depicting a blood-red shard. “Prime: Crimson Haze.” In a matter of seconds, said shard materialized out of the book and shattered into many pieces, filling the air in a radius around him with red powdery smog. Soon, all that was heard was the sound of goblins coughing.

It was only then he moved into action.

Drawing out an ornate ceremonial sword from a scabbard hanging at the side of his horse, Beast launched himself into the fray, slaying the confused goblins one after another. There is no mercy for these foul creatures and he would expect none in return. Within the time limit of the spell, he needed to kill as many of them as possible.

“Bless me Sword of Antorine. Prime: Blade Burst!”

A sharp blast of high intensity blue energy gushed from his sword like a lance of death, illuminating the dark forest for a split second as the shot pierced through multiple goblins at once. As quickly as it has appeared, the residual energy died down, leaving only bodies behind. Meanwhile, the smarter goblins had already vacated outside the zone of effect of the magical smog.

“Archers. Archers, what are you waiting for? Fire!”

At once, a hailstorm of death rained down upon the haze. Beast grabbed the corpse of a dead goblin as cover, but the small-sized body was woefully insufficient to shield his own. Something has to be done, and fast.

“I summon the might of the Sylphic Horn. Prime: Air Burst!” A torrent of wind exploded from the open tome upwards, stopping all of the arrows in their tracks. Without any momentum, they fell onto the ground, useless.

Then, a knife struck his back, followed by several more.

Beast lurched forward, nearly overturning the table.

Time remaining: 3 hrs 27 mins

Was that… a memory? Yet it had seemed so real.

Worried that the commotion might have woken the sleeping Risette, Beast glanced over to find the girl sound asleep. Now, that was definitely weird. He then turned his attention to the pile of windows waiting to be opened ever since he activated the tome with his skill. Something told him that he would be in for yet another big surprise. Filled with a sense of trepidation, he touched the first window.

You have discovered the hidden artifact - The Vanadic Tome of Artifacts

Type: Historical

The Vanadic Tome of Artifacts is a book that allows the user to catalogue any artifacts and their effects he or she may come across. The user may then replicate the effect for future reference and use.

Durability: 50/50

Damage: 1-1

Value: --

When equipped:

+500 Mana

Grants skill: Catalogue

Grants skill: Artifact Prime

Skill: Catalogue

Cataloguing an artifact will generate a page in the tome detailing the powers and origins of the object.

Skill: Artifact Prime

Cost: 200 mana

Calls forth the power of an artifact catalogued within the tome.

Five hundred mana? That is equivalent to fifty stats points’ worth of Wisdom. Even clerics, who have the highest mana pool out of all the professions in the game could not possibly have this much mana at such a low level. However if one looks at it from another perspective, using an Artifact effect takes two hundred, effectively limiting him to only at most three uses. This would actually hurt him more further on, as he has to gain more wisdom points in order to increase his limit by one, whereas a heal spell that normally cost a pittance would achieve much more with the same amount.

It is an artifact effect after all, Beast consoled himself. Artifacts and their effects are supposed to be much more powerful than ordinary items so the tradeoff should be acceptable. Also, the book is supposed to have come with some artifacts already catalogued. It even said so on the description itself! However when Beast flipped through the pages again, they were now torn.

Guess it would have been too much to start him off with a few artifacts in tow.

Now, it is time for the second window.

You have gained the skill: Riding

Riding (Basic 1) 3% Mastery

When he saw that it was only a skill notification, Beast subconsciously gave a sigh of relief. The next one however, had his jaws dropped in disbelief. It had the familiar ring of a quest message.

The Lord of Alvastra

Unique Quest

The Lord Historian Vanadic of Alvastra has left behind a memory in which he stayed behind to help an unknown man escape from the goblin horde. He mentioned the city Alexandria as a clue. As the one inheriting his remaining legacy, it is up to you to retrace his footsteps and discover what really happened to him.

You cannot decline this quest.

Difficulty: ???

Job Restriction: Lore Keeper

It was not the fact that the book contained a quest or that he could not decline it. It was the portion where it is stated that the quest is only restricted to players who are of the Lore Keeper profession, one which he assumed the Vanadic fellow was of as well. And that could only mean one thing.

The sickening sound of a job-change echoed when Beast opened the last window.

You have discovered the hidden profession: Lore Keeper.

You have taken the path of the Lore Keeper!

You have gained 20 Intelligence

You have gained 20 Wisdom

You have gained 10 Stamina

You have gained 10 Luck

You have gained 100 HP

You have gained 200 Mana.

You have gained the skill: Scribe.

Skill: Scribe

Being a well-learned historian allows you to read and write in every known languages of the world.

With every scroll of the game window, Beast’s heart fell deeper and deeper into the abyss.

You have gained the skill: Decipher.

Skill: Decipher

The study of words have allowed you to analyze encrypted writings and decipher them to recover their true meanings

And finally when he thought it could not get any worse, the final straw hit him.

You can only equip artifacts from now on.

Artifacts equipment restrictions are halved and job restrictions are removed.

It was this last message that almost caused Beast to rage-quit and delete his character in disgust. This is totally bullshit! Sure, the game not only forced him into a quest and a profession he was in no way informed of, it also had to deprive him of everything else a normal game character has. The fact that he could only equip artifacts from this point onwards at level one means that he would be essentially screwed out of leveling, being unable to equip even the most common of equipment. Without equipment, he could not level and thus could not go out to search for artifacts to catalogue. Then, there is the problem of artifacts being extremely rare.

In other words, he has no future.

Slumping into the chair, Beast numbly gazed at the sleeping features of Risette. As the time ticked down to the quest’s completion, he opened and closed his character window like a robotic drone.

Status WindowName:BeastLevel:1Profession:Lore KeeperRace:HumanGender:MaleTitles:NoneFame:1-Health:310Mana:530 (+500)Strength:11Intelligence:38Dexterity:11Wisdom:33Stamina:21Luck:21-Equipment EffectsVanadic Tome of Artifacts: +500 manaRelationsCaerheim: 6

His profession remained the same throughout.

Despair.

What should he do? What could he do? The profession change is permanent and nothing would ever change that anymore. In Ages Online, each player is only limited to one character so as to promote individuality. Is he willing to reset his character and waste that fifteen odd days he had spent? Or venture down this road of dead ends praying for a miracle to happen?

It was only within the wee hours of the morning that he finally made his decision. There is no other rational way out of this mess. When he comes back to Rydelin again with a new self, he will make it a point not to ever open any suspicious books anymore despite how curious he might be.

Time remaining: 0 hrs 01 mins

First, he will finish this. One of his basic principles is to always complete what one started out on after all. Right as the timer touched zero, the sound of the door unlocking indicated that Talos the Merchant is back. It took no longer than a second for a flurry of worn cloaks and travel-torn sleeves to breeze past Beast into the room of Risette.

“Risette! Oh Risette…”

They might have been artificial intelligence, but Beast was touched by this display of affection and concern. Now that all is well for them, it is time for him to go kill himself in the sense of the word.

“Requesting Character Deletion.”

“Yes.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Now that even the last resort could not possibly work, Beast is trapped within an endless vicious cycle. This is really the end. Despair had turned into resignation. Maybe he should just log out and sleep it off.

While he was feeling pathetic for himself, a beaming Talos exited his daughter’s room and clasped his hands over Beast’s. It took all Beast had to force out a smile for the merchant. “You have no idea how grateful I am good adventurer. You have really been taking fine care of her all these while. Because of your help I could conduct my business in peace and bring back my shipment from Loyderidge. Finally, I can set up my own business here!”

Babysitting – Complete

Because of your utmost care of his daughter Risette during his absence, Talos can conduct his trade in Loyderidge without any worry and disruption. He had been successful in his journey and will thus open up a new shop in Rydelin.

Rewards:

Intimacy with Talos and Risette increased greatly.

+5 fame

+10 Public relations with Caerheim

+50 exp

“Here,” Talos pressed something into Beast’s palms. It is two silver coins. “Take this and whatever is left over from the allowance as payment.” The allowance had long since been spent on purchasing food for Risette, so Beast only effectively earned a total of two silvers out of this.

Yet what use would that be to him? Two silvers could not possibly purchase an artifact could it…?

A sudden realization struck Beast. No, there might still be hope after all. Thanking the merchant for his generosity, Beast rushed out of the house into the broad daylight of the market street.

Please… please be there.

It took a while but Beast found the player who was selling beginner items back from a week ago. Most of his wares are already gone from the looks of it.

“Hey.”

“Hey man, what dark circles you have there under your eyes! Where did you go? I did not see you for like six days and was about to close shop. There is another raid coming up for the Cave of Filmas.” The shopkeeper merrily said as he jingled his money bag, full from exploiting ignorant newbies.

“That sword, do you still have it?” Beast wasted no time.

“Of course.” Withdrawing a rusty sword from under the counter, the shopkeeper handed the blade to Beast who dropped a silver coin into his outstretched palm in return after inspecting that it was the same as the one he saw days prior. “I hope you enjoy your purchase, valued customer. You are lucky I still have this.”

Beast hastily bid goodbye and left. Only when he was sufficiently far away with his new sword did the shopkeeper dropped his fake smile into a smirk. “Lucky only because I could not find any other fool who would pay a silver for that.”

………

This secluded corner would be enough for what he was about to do. Beast was not about to risk something like what happened with the book in public. That would have gathered the attention of other people and then they would start to ask questions, questions he did not want to answer.

Looking at the sword in his hands, Beast uttered a small prayer. This sword could either be his salvation or damnation and all that is left to do is to find out.

“Artifiact Identify.”

You have discovered the hidden artifact – Rusty Ceremonial Sword of Lanos

Type: Historical, Weapon

The Ceremonial Sword of Lanos is a sword used to knight outstanding individuals in the ranks of Fort Lanos to commemorate their promotion into knighthood. With the decline and eventual fall of Fort Lanos in the Age of Conquest, this sword had been lost in time within the ruins. Blessed by a minor cleric of Balces, the knights touched by this sword were all said to have renewed vigor in defending the fort from outside invaders.

It had rusted and is in a state of disrepair.

Durability: 3/10

Damage: 7-11 (1-3)

Level restriction: 12 (3)

Value: 1c

Artifact Effect:

Renew

Cost: 100 Mana

When used, Renew grants a player an instant 100 HP recovery

Strength +3

Dexterity +2

Intelligence +6

Wisdom +6

Archaeology has increased to Basic 2

The Vanadic tome which Beast took to hung by his belt fluttered opened. Black ink began to write itself upon a new page, until all the information detailed to him had been catalogued.

So it seemed that every time he identifies a hidden artifact, he would be awarded a handful of stats as per the description on his archaeology skill and they seemed to be predominantly wisdom and intelligence. This second artifact had also leveled his knowledge skill to Basic 2, the ease of which might be linked to how rare artifacts are to find. What interested Beast the most however, was the artifact effect of the sword.

A heal effect.

No, correction, a horribly inefficient heal effect. One hundred mana points for a hundred health points is merely a palsy one to one ratio and if he primes the artifact effect, the healing efficiency is further halved. This was nothing like a cleric’s heal spell but at the same time, the spell also gave him the ability to be self-sufficient. With the state that he was in, no party would ever want him so he needs to be able to solo, at least until he could decide if he still wants to reset his character. Hefting the ceremonial sword over his shoulders, Beast headed back into the market for a quick resupply of bread before the gates. It is about time he tested his mettle against the denizens of Agaia.

At the gates of Rydelin, several players are calling for party requests and invitation. Contrary to the common meaning of ‘party’, a party in games refers to a group of adventurers that banded together for a common goal in mind. Usually, the experience and loot gained from the party ventures will be shared among the party members but some specialized parties have different ways of conducting things. It is here Beast considered if he should search for a party. Entering a party would mean being subjected to the common practice of a scan. While a scan would not reveal his detailed stats, it would still show his inflated HP and Mana that is indicative of a job-change. Even though he was not entirely happy about it, he would still prefer to keep his hidden profession class a secret. Furthermore, it is uncertain if anyone would become greedy after discovering that he has not one but two artifacts on his hands.

Artifacts are a one-of-kind-item in the world of Agaia. Even level one artifacts are bound to attract a good price for those interested in collecting them.

Someone approached him before he could decide though.

“Hey, are you a newcomer here?” The human girl with a head of flaming red hair asked. From the staff she is holding, she seemed to be a mage. “I am looking for people to level together. Since you appear to be a swordsman, you can tank the mobs while I drop them. How about it?”

“Sorry I am only level one.” Beast replied. Job changed players are usually higher than level ten. The difference in their level will do neither of them good in a party. Surprised, the female flushed for a moment. “Oh, I am sorry. I saw that you have a sword and I thought…”

Beast shrugged and took his leave. No sooner than that did another stopped him in his tracks.

“Hey, you are a newbie right? I am Lortan, level twelve warrior and this is Kiki12, level three.” A cute bubbly girl with a crop of shoulder length brown hair popped out from behind the buffed man’s back and waved. “Since I will be helping her get some experience with the wolves outside, you are welcomed to join us.”

Beast raised an eyebrow. “You don’t mind? I won’t be able to contribute anything.”

“It won’t matter. I mean, the more the merrier.”

The invitation into the party popped up even before Lortan finished his sentence. Although he was still skeptical about the whole thing, Beast caved in in front of the cute girl and the bright smile of the warrior.

“Fine.” He pressed the accept button.