Chapter 9: Merchants Association

How nice is it to feel the sun when outside is already darkening? Of course, it depends on where you live, but for me, the time zones are completely switched. First things first! Levels!

[You have leveled up]

Which makes me a level 5 Inquisitor.

[Materialize has gained a level]

[You have learned Mana Drain]

Sacrify 5 health per second to drain 5(+0.05 I) mana from the enemy. A 50% of the drained amount is absorbed by you.

It can only be cast during Specter form.

A Specter only spell? How is that even possible… maybe… have I been playing it wrong this whole time?

For once, I gained the class while a was a spirit, a soul. Materialize lets me recover my original body made of flesh... Everything suggests that my base form is spiritual. Plus, it did say it would be challenging at the start, hence the prohibitive and incremented cast cost while being a Specter.

Fuck! I should have thought about all this before. The only time that Materialize has leveled up was in the last battle. I was in human form all the other time, and it didn't go up. I barely cast one heal and had one sword go through me, and it leveled up once? Ah… I lost a whole day.

[Materialize: 2]

Your soul can now take material form. While in material form, you shall interact with the world as if it was your own body. Specter form allows you to bypass physical interactions but increases your spells' cost by 50%. Specter form empowers spells, granting increased damage and effects by 1%.

Changing between forms triggers a cooldown of 5 seconds and has a cost of 1% of your maximum mana.

Bound items and wearables stuck with you independently of the form.

I like this! If it really keeps increasing this way, there will definitely be a reason to remain in Specter form, even with the increased cost. Right now, however, I should avoid being seen like that. Not only would it expose my hidden class, but it could also alert Jonas' followers. And I don't need a cult of fanatics chasing me. No one does.

Well, now it's as good a time as ever. "Materialize!" Maybe there is something around I can test Mana Drain with. A quick look around me confirms the presence of some birds around. Perhaps it's not ethical, but they'll be my test subjects.

Walking through trees and obstacles, I reach my destination, a rock with a bird happily singing on it. I'm sorry!

"Mana Drain!"

As soon as I say it, my health starts dropping at a frightening pace. The bird, however, aside from completely stopping the melody, seems not to care. Okay, okay. Enough.

"Heal!"

I mean, if I am to see its full effects, I should at least be missing some mana. To recover the approximately 26 mana I have just lost, taking into account I recover about 2.5 mana per second, I would need to drain the poor thing for 10 seconds. That's 50 health for one heal… fuck! That's so ineffective! I would be trading half my fucking life! For one heal! I can only trust it will get better if it levels up.

"Mana Drain!" I wait for the whole minute in hopes of the effort making the skill level up—no such luck. Two heals, cast in as fast succession as possible, bring me up to safety levels again.

Now, I won't bore you with the past 30 minutes. Long story short, the bird has been the perfect companion. Quiet and still. It is alive. I had to check it, but it is. After a few rounds of this, I've managed to increase only one level in Materialize, Mana Drain, and Heal. I'm quite sure it's because I was out of combat. You know, high risk, high reward.

There's not much to tell about them, heal is down to 8 seconds of cooldown, Materialize gives an additional 1% of magic effects, and Mana Drain, sadly, only increased my base absorption rate to 51%.

Like a clock, I can see from where I'm standing how the other four log in. "Yo! Over here!" I call for them.

We exchange a few greetings and briefly talk about my recent discoveries. I Materialize, and we set out to the city. There is much to discuss; we can't afford to lose any time.

Along the way, and only to make sure we are all on the same page, I ask, "do we all agree that Dorian should be the one to speak during the meeting? He's the one who got the quest."

"Yes, please! I'm not interested in these things." Rand's honest answer gets almost immediately seconded by Mike's grunt. Lillia just smiles under the nose and does a little nod.

"Perfect, it's settled!"

If the way over was peaceful, the return even more so. Each of us is immersed in our own thoughts. The road is quiet, there's no wildlife near, no enemies, nothing. The city guards do an excellent job of keeping this peaceful. Or whoever is responsible for it.

Soon we find ourselves in the inner ring of the city. "Over there! That's their main quarters." We follow Dorian's lead and reach for its main door. The building itself is as big as the mansion at the end of the main street, but it lacks the vast garden surrounding the property. A heavily armored warrior bars our advance.

"Business?"

"We are on a mission for the Association, to obliterate the Kobolds. We have come to report."

Not a single word leaves his mouth. We are not even worth his breath, it would seem. Either way, he lets us in, which is all we need.

It is indeed a Merchants' building. Oh my fucking God! The number of treasures, paintings, maps, exposed weapons, and God knows what else is clouding my judgment. A small part of me wants to take something and run for it. No wonder they have that guard! I'd bet there are several more soldiers somewhere around, well-hidden from prying eyes.

"Please follow me; I shall bring you to the president." Out of nowhere, someone that looks like a servant by his attire approaches us.

Although not as opulently decorated as the entrance, the corridor leading to the stairs makes no short usage of gold. The very walls are embroidered with it. Statues of warriors and mages guard every few meters. It's close to your typical medieval castle, just much more prosperous.

Not long after taking those breathtaking stairs, worthy of a palace, the servant knocks on a door. "Come in!" A deep voice gives us permission to enter.

Our accompanist opens the door, revealing the view of a decently sized room. Compared to what we've seen until now, it's certainly minimalistic. One painting behind the president's desk and one coffee table surrounded by two red sofas. Standard high-class meeting room.

"Have you already gotten rid of those kobolds?" Straight to the point, I see. He didn't even offer us a seat.

"About that, President, we have come with rather disturbing news." I can see Dorian is nervous. "There were more than kobolds down there; we got ambushed but a mouse-like enemy."

"And?"

"Sir, we don't know what we are up against, how is it tha-"

"Is it money? I'll pay you double. Now go." He lowers his sight to the papers above the desk and waves for us to leave.

"But sir, why are rats and mice cooperating?"

"That's none of my business, nor yours." His face doesn't bother to look at us. "I pay you to kill. Don't make me repeat myself or I'll find someone else to do the job."

The servant, certainly afraid of paying for our deeds, decides to walk up to the middle and gently point us towards the door. Unable to do anything at all, we comply and follow him until we are out, back in the street.

"Fuck! What was even that? That fucking moron!"

"Mike, calm down. We can't do anything about it." His fist is closed, his veins popping out. It's not like I don't understand it; we all do. Hell, nobody likes to feel as impotent as we just did.

"But Dorian! He didn't even listen to you!" His voice, crisped and angered, raises a bit.

"I know, I'm as frustrated as you, but we can't let emotions get the best out of us."

Maybe I could help. "Hey, I might have a way to gather some information."

"Pray tell!"

"Ah… my trainer could provide us some insight and pointers…"

"Your trainer? I don't see Lea helping us. She is already too bu-"

"Not hers, I'm Isha's student!"