We were all gathered around the table again. The other three had waited six hours for me when I had gone to the dungeon master’s quarters. Which made me feel a little less hateful toward the caravan that abandoned Irwin. After all, it took him over a day to wake up, and they were afraid that the Boy Lich was coming back to fight.

Now we had all the scrolls laid out before us. Irwin looked like I was going to have to hit him with minor healing just to get him to stop overthinking. I understood what he was looking at. It was more wealth than he had ever seen. More than that, it was hope that he could stop being the son of a drunk and stand as his own man.

Irwin knocked the chair out from under him as he sunk to a knee. “I will take whatever oath you wish of me for as long as either of us lives. I would love to be your healer but I will walk whatever class it is that you want me to be!”

I smiled slightly. This world and its oaths were still something hard to fully understand. “Get back in your seat, and let’s figure out if we have the right spells to even make you a class.”

Irwin sat quickly. “My lord, for the past 5 years, I have sought ways to change my class, and before that, I read about all the magical classes that I could. Even if you just gave me a spell from six different schools, I could become a sorcerer. If they were all low-level, I could become a hedge wizard, which while weak, can grow to become powerful!”

Kasidy chuckled and got up, winked at me, and said. “I’ve been up too long. I am turning in.”

Renfry asked the question I wanted to. “Don’t you want to see the spells? Maybe there’s one that you can use.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Nope, that magic and mine don’t work well together. Now if you come across a song book with something in it!”

With that, Kasidy waived and headed up. I smiled for a moment as she moved across the floor. Right as she got to the steps, she glanced back at me and caught my eyes. Then she slowly smiled and started to make her way up the stairs. It wasn’t right that she could move that way, but between being a type of bard and a barmaid, she knew how to strut.

It took me a second to reclaim my focus as I remembered both that I was bonded and needed to get that sorted and that I was trying to get a healer. I slowly tore my eyes from Kasidy and turned back to the guys. Dave gave me a smile, and Renfry shook his head slowly. Irwin, on the other hand, was sorting through the spells.

I looked over at Dave and asked. “As a merchant do you happen have a list of classes and what is required to reach them that could be cross referenced with the spells we have here?”

Dave thought for a moment. “I can provided that to you for 50 gold. Or for 10 gold I can give you the top 5 classes and the spell assignments that you would need to get there.”

I nodded. “That might make things move a bit faster. I think that Irwin is going into choice paralysis.”

Dave turned to me and gave me a page. “Here you go sir. The top five classes that those spells could mesh with and the spells that you would need to make them happen. In order of power.”

I looked over at Irwin, who wasn’t bothering to listen to any of us. He was just looking through the spells trying not to drool. I pointed at the boy, and Renfry reached over and tapped him. Irwin bolted upright and looked at me.

I shook the paper. “Here the top classes that the dungeon thinks are here along with the requirements.”

Irwin smiled and took the paper, then he looked down and started to slowly read the class titles. “Succor of the Beach (Water mage), Assuage (Desert Druid), Transference Warlock (Speed Conjurer), Thaumaturge (Nature Sorcerer), Curative Augur (Anachronistic Cleric)… I have never heard of these classes. Using water magic for healing, I see the spells, but I don’t understand how they do it.”

Renfry yanked the paper out of Irwin’s hand. “I thought I heard you say Transference Warlock… That’s a powerful way to go but it has it’s own downsides.”

Irwin, who was about to yell about the paper, caught himself and asked. “You’ve heard of it? How does it work?”

Renfry nodded. “Basically like what it says. You would become a warlock and so a summoner or conjurer. Then you transfer the damage from your target onto your summon and let it go. The problem of course is you are summoning something from somewhere else. And when it appears it might break out from your control so you have have to be fast. Also from what I have heard you have to take the injury on yourself before you transfer it. Which means if it is too great…”

Irwin shook his head. “Not happening. The collection of spells I understand will give me a class choice I just don’t understand how to use those spells to work the class.”

I looked over at Dave. “You knew this would happen. Do you have any books explaining how the classes you listed out work. Ways to train him for the spells he would have?”

Dave nodded with a growing smile. “For you I could give you one book for 10 gold since you have been such a good customer but the rest would each jump to 100.”

I thought hard at Dave. “We are running out of wiggle room of the trade aren’t we?”

Dave gave me a slight nod. He knew that I didn’t want Irwin to know what I was as of yet because even though I was about to take his oath and change him. I was worried about telling too much. It was the same problem that I was having with everyone.

I looked back at Irwin, who was reading over the page again. He was moving spells around on the table and looking at what we had. Then he looked up at me with a slightly disturbing grin.

Irwin pointed at the paper that I couldn’t read. “My lord I think this one from the spells I am seeing will help the most. Will this work for you?”

I looked over at Dave. “Let’s get the man his book.”

Dave nodded, and a book appeared in his hand. “Anachronistic Cleric. A Cleric class lost to the ages. Not only are the spell selections odd, but the god which they follow has been all but forgotten. You can upgrade the class once you find a god that matches the requirements.”

Irwin nodded and thanked Dave as he opened up the book. For the next few minutes, he flipped through the pages. As he did, we picked through the scrolls that he would need. Twelve spells in total, with three being spells that Dave didn’t have till now. It has the basic 6 healer spells that most clerics had. Then three attack spells and three utility spells. The attack spells were what made the class.

As we picked up the spells, I looked over at Renfry. “Any that you want?”

He shook his head. “As much as every boy dreams of throwing a fireball… I shall pass as my focus needs to be on other things. My damage and mana will never be what is needed and if you can make others that will help you more.”

I nodded to my revenant and then said to Irwin. “You ready to take that oath?”

Irwin dropped the book and looked up, and then nodded. “Umm… Yes, your lordship. Do I kneel, or how do I stand?”

Before I could say anything, Renfry stood and spoke. “Kneel, Irwin, son of Irwin the King’s Wrath. Accept this oath from your liege. Arn of Westiral, Chosen of Bartholomew, the lord of the dungeons, Master of the trees, friend of the hunted, and keeper of the Eternal Tower.”

I pushed the oath of the healer and member of my retinue over to him. As I did, Renfry spoke again. “Repeat after me. I Irwin, son Irwin the Kings Wrath do give my oath.”

Irwin on his knee repeated. “I Irwin…” He took a breath and closed his eyes. A tear ran down his face. “son Irwin the Kings Wrath do give my oath.”

Renfry picked up the pace, with Irwin following. “I swear to protect my liege, to serve the good of both, though it may cost me my life. I shall serve faithfully and with honor. The family of Arn of Westiral, healing for the span of twenty years.”

Irwin shook his head at the last part. “For the span of all time.”

Renfry paused and looked at me. Irwin locked his eyes on me and nodded. I shrugged, and Renfry kept going. “I give my oath to hold his secrets closer than my own. To not abandon him in sickness nor leave him to poison. My health for his health. My life for his.”

Irwin, son of Irwin’s Oath, has been heard!

Eternal Tower bares witness and has informed his god

The oath of the healer has been freely given to Arn of Westiral, Chosen of Bartholomew, the lord of the dungeons, Master of the trees, friend of the hunted, and Keeper of the Eternal Tower.

Irwin, son of Irwin, has entered into his eternal retinue.

* * *