Omen: 9, 18

‘Hey, I was wondering, how come my bonus is so low?’

[It is +1.]

‘Shouldn’t it be higher?’

[No.]

‘I’m Level 3 now, and I have a +1 bonus? That is ridiculous.’

[…]

‘Can I increase my bonus?’

[At your Level, you can increase the Trained Bonus to +2 for 1000XP.]

‘A steep price, but very fair. I’ll upgrade the Trained Bonus to +2.’

With that, Adam began his routine, training with Jurot and the others, with Lucy joining them too, practising with her large axe, even practising utilising the ability to dismiss her weapon and resummoning it into her hand between strikes.

Once he was done with his morning routine, Adam checked his equipment. There were a large number of items he had kept, including two axes, a dagger, several sets of clothing, and…

“Why do I have four boar tusks?” Adam whispered.

Currency: 165GP, 15SP, 13CP, (30) Tiger Eye, (1) White Pearl, (1) Silver Pearl, (1) Pink Pearl, (1) Gold Pearl, (1) Black Pearl

He was filthy rich.

Even after using one of the White Pearls he had gained from Saerat, he had over two thousand gold in gems.

“I should do something with these tusks…” Then he looked at his dagger. ‘Though, I should probably do something with that too?’ He wondered what kind of enchantments he could place on his weapons. ‘Oh, right. I should probably enchant my sword while I have the time. So many enchantments…’

“Where are you going?” Sonarot asked, spotting Adam carrying his blade, his pockets full of gems.

“I was going to enchant my sword,” he admitted.

“You have only just finished enchanting Lucy’s axe,” she said, staring up at him. “You’re working too hard.”

Adam cleared his throat. “Well, you know…”

Sonarot stared deep into his eyes, waiting for his response.

“I feel really lucky today so I thought…”

Sonarot sighed. “Don’t stay out too late,” she warned.

“Yes,” he replied, rubbing the back of his head before heading out to enchant. First, he went to the warehouse, finding an Iyrman on duty.

“You aren’t allowed here,” the Iyrman said.

“I’m a nephew of the Rot family,” Adam said.

The Iyrman narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Do you have any proof?”

Adam stared at him. “I don’t think so.”

“Then you must leave.”

“What kind of proof do I need?”

“You may bring a Rot or an Elder with you.”

Adam rubbed his chin. “Oh. I see.” He wondered if he should bring Jurot along.

“What are you doing here?” called a familiar voice.

Adam glanced back over his shoulder. “Oh, Elder Zijin,” Adam replied. “I was here to trade some gems out.”

“You want to trade gems?” Zijin asked.

“I need some gems which are worth more so I can enchant my sword,” Adam said, tapping the blade at his side.

“A sword?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” Adam glanced aside. “I forgot.”

“You forgot the weapon of your family?”

“Well, you know, I just always used a sword, so…”

The Elder side and shook his head. “I can’t believe you’d break their hearts like that.”

“It won’t happen again…” Adam flushed, feeling like a little child who had been caught stealing biscuits.

“You can trade gems with families,” Zijin said. “No need to come to the warehouses.”

“Oh. Well, that does make sense…” Adam rubbed the side of his neck.

“It’s awkward for you to go to the warehouses alone, so bring someone else along. Any other Iyrman will do, as long as they’re willing to sign for you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you,” Adam said.

“What kind of gems are you looking for?”

“Anything worth the same as a white pearl. I have tiger eyes to trade.”

“Tiger eyes are quite popular,” Elder Zijin said, nodding to the Iyrman on duty, who disappeared.

“Yeah, no kidding. I have about thirty after all the enchanting I’ve been doing.”

Elder Zijin stared at him. “It’s not as much as I expected, considering how many weapons you have enchanted.”

“I gave a few of them away for free.”

Elder Zijin continued to stare at him. “For free?”

“Yeah.”

Elder Zijin remained silent as the Iyrman returned, with a box of all kinds of gems, from ambers to garnets, each of varying sizes. He placed it down at the side and brought out a small slip of paper, ready to note down what was being traded.

“Can I swap as many as I like?” Adam asked.

The Iyrman nodded. “As long as you trade an equal amount.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Adam said.

Currency: (30) Tiger Eye -> (10) Tiger Eye, (1) Amber, (1) Jade, (5) Garnet, (2) Amethyst, (1) Diamond (100GP)

“Why did you split it in that way?” Elder Zijin asked, noting that he could have easily traded for ten of the same gem. He signed off on the paper.

“I’m going to use the garnets for enchanting, and the other gems for other things,” he admitted, clearing his throat. He signed the paper too, and the Iyrman took it, signing it too.

“What kinds of things?” Elder Zijin asked.

“There are some spells which require diamonds.”

“What about the other gems?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Must I say?”

Elder Zijin stared at Adam, narrowing his eyes slightly. “It would be suspicious otherwise.”

“Can you keep a secret?”

Elder Zijin slowly bowed his head. “It is my role as Elder to keep the secrets of others.”

Adam glanced to the other Iyrman, who looked to Elder Zijin, before retreating away. “Well, I was thinking that some of the other gems could be used to make something.”

“Make what?”

“You know, rings and necklaces, that sort of thing.”

Elder Zijin nodded his head. “For enchanting?”

“Potentially.”

Elder Zijin narrowed his eyes. “That is not why you’re retrieving the gems? For enchanting?”

“Well, you know, I might want to have a necklace made for Lanarot’s birthday, or something,” Adam said, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Elder Zijin stared at Adam for another long moment before he threw his head back in raucous laughter. He almost began crying with how hard he was laughing, unable to control himself. The laughter caused the other Iyrman to glance back towards them, staring at the Elder.

Adam waited for the Elder to finish with his laughter. “I expect you to keep that between you and me.”

“You do not cease to surprise me, son of Fate.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

Elder Zijin shook his head. “I should have tried harder to claim you.”

“You couldn’t have offered me anything to have me switch,” Adam said.

“Everyone has a price, Adam.”

“There are some things which are priceless,” Adam said, smiling at the Elder.

Elder Zijin nodded. “You’re right.”

With his business done, Adam went to enchant, only to realise he had enough tiger eyes for two weapons. ‘I should have kept more of them…’ Adam placed down his various gems, including a garnet, and began enchanting.

Mana: 8 -> 7

Enchanting

D20 + 7 = 11 (4)

Omen: 9, 18 -> 9

18 + 7 = 25

The dwarf almost caught the sword, but somehow it had struck against his face, cutting across his bare flesh and blood splattered across the area. He cursed in his tongue, slamming his warhammer across the bandit’s side, and an arrow finished the man off.

Adam stared down at the sword, seeing the runes settle on the blade. He was concentrating on bringing forth a similar enchantment to Lucy’s greataxe.

Omen: 16, 20

“Ehm, I’ll be back home late tonight,” Adam said, avoiding Sonarot’s searing gaze.

She sighed, watching as he left. “He’s working far too hard,” she said.

“He is in a rush,” Jurot agreed.

“He’ll get sick if he continues like that.”

Adam clapped his hands together, rubbing them to warm his palms up, before grabbing onto the hilt of his sword, and he concentrated on enchanting again. “Come on! Big money, big money!”

The Iyrman assigned to him leaned to check on him, wondering what he was up to, but pulled her head back to leave him in peace.

Mana: 8 -> 7

Enchanting

D20 + 7 = 19 (12)

Omen: 16, 20 -> 16

20 + 7 = 27

The human woman managed to duck under the icy breath of the dragon, but stumbled aside into the dwarf beside her, who tripped into the breath. Shouts filled the air as the dragon tore apart a guard in half, tossing them aside.

Adam panted, staring at the sword, which was now warm to the touch. ‘I can feel it,’ he thought. ‘You’re going to be a good one, aren’t you?’

Mana: 7 -> 6

Enchanting

D20 + 7 = 23 (16)

Intelligence Save

D20 + 5 = 16 (11)

Omen: 16 -> 0

16 + 5 = 21

Health: 39 -> 29

The four panted, hidden within a small crevice, surrounded by ancient magic, which obscured them from the dragon. The dragon roared, pained from its previous bout, and fled to rest.

Adam gasped as his magic nearly drained from him in its entirety, and his muscles seized. His body flashed hot for a moment, before flashing cold. He coughed wildly as he felt something invade his body.

But as quickly as it had come, the moment passed.

‘Fuck.’ He gasped for air. ‘Okay, maybe I shouldn’t keep enchanting?’ He resolved himself to complete the last parts, to expend some XP and to name it.

XP: 900 -> 400

Adam stared at its statistics and began to laugh, remaining on the floor, clutching the sword to his chest.

‘Is he crazy?’ the Iyrman asked, who had rushed to him, but noting how he seemed fine, had left him be.

“I dub thee, Lightsear!” Adam declared, pointing the blade up to the sky. “Thou art my greatest creation!” He glanced to the side to the see the Iyrman, who was pretending that he couldn’t see the half elf, and he quickly glanced back up to the sky. ‘How embarrassing.’

XP: 400 -> 900

Great Enchantment Learnt!

XP: 900 -> 1100

It was quite late, and though he was exhausted, the half elf rushed back to the estate.

“It went well?” Jurot asked, staring at Adam as the half elf clutched at his knees, panting for air.

Adam gasped in response, before holding the blade out to him, and made vague motioned with his hand, though Jurot understood that he’d need to meditate with the weapon.

Adam dropped to his side, and the other Iyrmen glanced his way.

“It’s never boring with your nephew around,” Citool said.

Sonarot sighed, rubbing her forehead. “He needs to learn to relax.”

Once Jurot was done meditating with the weapon, he could feel its raw strength coursing through him. “It’s quite powerful,” Jurot said, cutting into a wooden target which had been prepared for him by the others. The wood gave in with little resistance, and he noted how the wood wasn’t just cut by metal, but by the force of light too. “No,” he said. “It’s more than quite powerful.”

“Right?” Adam said, grinning wide. “Now let me beat you up.”

Jurot stared at Adam, holding the blade tightly in his hand. “…”

“Just trust me.”

Jurot stared at Adam, silently.

Adam stared at Jurot, silently.

“Okay.”

Attack (Unarmed)

Hit!

1D6 + 6 = 9 (3)

9 damage!

Adam struck Jurot in his gut, feeling his hard abs resist against his blow. Jurot didn’t so much let out a single grunt.

“Is he…” Citool stared at Adam as he wound up another blow.

“Yes,” Sonarot said. “He is.”

Attack (Unarmed)

Hit!

1D6 + 6 = 12 (6)

12 damage!

Jurot coughed, reaching down to hold his gut, and prepared for the next blow, which did not come.

The other Iyrmen stared at Adam. They were surprised to see Adam attacking Jurot, though seeing as Jurot had agreed, none stepped in. However, they were more surprised to see how much strength each of Adam’s fists packed.

‘Didn’t he say he was weak?’ Timojin thought, feeling the excitement fill him as he stared at the muscular half elf. ‘I want to fight!’

Amokan placed a hand on Timojin’s shoulder. ‘You can fight after I have a round.’

‘I’m going to fight him first,’ came the response, wordless.

Kitool sighed. ‘Stop it, the pair of you.’

‘Damn, he’s pretty strong,’ Lucy thought. ‘His muscles aren’t just for show.’

“Now, attack with it,” Adam urged.

Jurot didn’t bother asking for an explanation, before he cut into the wooden target with ease again. Jaygak and the others didn’t notice much of a difference, but Jurot, who was wielding the weapon, and Lucy, with her keen eyes, noted that the blade had grown more powerful.

“What do you think?” Adam asked.

“It is an amazing weapon,” Jurot said.

“What else does it do?” Jaygak asked.

Lightsear (Longsword)

Requires Attunement

You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Deals 1D6 slashing + 2D6 radiant damage. Upon reaching half Health, deals an additional 1D6 radiant damage.

Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command.

“It can turn into a ring too?” Lucy gasped. “Hold on! Doesn’t that mean it’s a better weapon than mine?” She stormed up to him.

“I was much luckier this time!” Adam declared.

Lucy tried to snatch the weapon, only to realise Jurot was still holding it, so she quickly reached up to brush her hair. “I want to play with it too.”

“You can play with it once Jurot’s done with it,” Adam said, though Jurot held it out to her so she could meditate with it.

“You always surprise me,” Jurot said. “Your abilities are greater than I imagined, even after thinking they were greater than I originally imagined.”

Adam smiled. “I was just lucky this time. I need to make another item to sell, I’m running out of gems.”

Sonarot sighed silently. ‘What am I going to do with you?’

‘Should I mention the magical sickness which came over me?’ Adam thought. ‘No, never mind.’