I spent the rest of the day practicing with my portals. As it turned out, I couldn't create them very far from myself - currently ten meters at most. As expected of an I-tier skill. Still, I had precise control of where the portal would appear, what shape it would appear in, and how objects would enter and exit them. I could emit the smoky portal from my hands and head, which moved with me as opposed to remaining stationary in relation to the planet. I couldn't manipulate this portal smoke after it was flowing from my skin, which meant I couldn't just expand it across my body. I could, however, use them to gather relative data to create portals around me on instinct. Basically, if I had a hand portal active I could create a portal three feet in front of me about as fast as my brain could come up with the idea of doing so.
It was an interesting power, but incredibly dangerous and volatile if used incorrectly. I had plenty of time to learn how to use it, though, because we wouldn't be leaving the clinic until the next morning. Ravelus had visited me, asking for my perspective on what he had already heard from mother and father. I told him in as great a detail as I could without spilling the beans on my system - that was something I wouldn't share with anyone. I hid the effects of the system under the guise of my 'blessing' title, which I realized would be a great help in keeping my abilities secret.
It had the additional effect of spreading a methos around me, which would hopefully dissuade people from attacking in the future. ' Or it may make them try even harder… ' I thought with a sigh. ' I need to get strong. Quickly. How the hell do I do that, though? '
[Quest
(0/30) Unlock the
' A dungeon? That's what I'm talking about! ' I smiled, looking to a plant in the corner of my room. ' Now, how to unlock the observe skill… ' I stared intently at the plant for a long time, taking in every detail of its structure. Sure enough, after a time of doing so, I received a pop-up.
[Green Reed-Stalk]
A mature Green Reed-Stalk plant. Turns ambient mana into healing magics that speed up the recovery of those within ten meters of the plant.
[Skill
' Nice, ' I nodded, turning to the small flower bushel on my bedside table. ' Observe, ' I commanded, and the pop-up appeared instantly.
[Amryllis Boquet]
A boquet of Amryllis flowers, which signify good luck and healing. They are self-sustaining on sunlight alone.
'Haha! Now I just need to find twenty-eight more species of plant.' I stood with a grunt and moved to the window of my room, then scanned the various plants in the alley below. Growing up from between the cobblestones and within the flowerbeds. From that spot alone, I reached 11/30 towards my goal. The rest, I could do on the carriage ride home the following day.
It was a shame I missed my birthday party, but I couldn't change the past.
_/|-|\_
The following morning, I walked confidently out of my room and down the hall, striding right past the guards outside my room. They followed without hesitation, likely sensing the change in my disposition. I was the second Prince, someone of no real import aside from familial bonds. As far as I knew, I would never own any land or command any armies. Now, however, I knew I had a purpose. The grow strong enough to defeat that thing from my nightmares using whatever means necessary.
It was about time I acted my position.
I wasn't one for barking without bite, so I simply hadn't barked in the past. I knew a bit of martial arts from my first lifetime, and had been trained in minor defence magicks by the Mage Queen herself, but I wasn't known for my combat prowess. So, I was the gentle Prince, kind and innovative. I invented ice cream and other easy-to-make delicacies.
Now, however, word of my defense of my elder brother would spread, and I would become known as a sleeping dragon. Outwardly kind, yet fiercely defensive. If I continued attempting to be the pure and innocent little boy I had been before, it would get people hurt. Worse, I would be playing a part, and I hated fake people.
No, I needed to man-up and take control of my destiny, and that started with going to the town park.
"Where are we going, Your Highness?" One of the guards inquired seriously.
"The park. I need fresh air, away from these medicinal chemicals," I answered. We passed Madam Havri, who gazed at me as I walked out the door. "Good morning, Madam Havri. Please inform my parents that I will be out until lunch, attending to personal matters regarding what you overheard yesterday."
"Y-yes, my Prince," the woman stuttered more out of surprise than anything else.
I strode out into the street, still wearing my medical garb and bandages, and walked confidently down a street whilst leaning my head to the side to see one of the guards. "Where is the nearest tailor?"
"Right up ahead, my liege," the guard gestured to a hanging sign three stores ahead. I nodded and walked into the store, which had only two customers at the moment. One of whom was an elder gentleman being fitted for a robe, but the young man doing the fitting looked like he was almost finished with the process.
"I'll be with you in one moment!" The young tailor called out without looking, taking the measurements of the elderly man's wrist. I took to the shelves and felt the various clothing materials, coming up with an image of what I wanted in my head. Indeed, I didn't need extravagant clothing like what I had to wear to balls; instead I wanted something functional. Outer wear that would protect from rain and flame, whilst remaining fashionable. I had a station to uphold, after all.
"Alright! Come again tomorrow morning, sir; I'll have your robe finished by then. Take care!" The tailor helped the man out of the shop before turning to me and completely blanching. "P-Prince Alistair! Oh my! I didn't know it was you! I'm so sorry for my belligerence-"
"It's fine," I cut him off by raising a hand. "I'd like to commission a set of clothing from you, if you'd spare me your ear."
"O-of course, Your Highness. What would you like?" He recovered and regained a business-like persona.
"Please, show me what you would sell to someone looking to hunt or dungeon-dive for extended periods of time," I asked.
The man likely assumed I was shopping for someone else and nodded vigorously, rushing across the shop to a pair of mannequins. I followed, pleased by what I saw. On the mannequins were sets of clothing matched for a man and woman respectively. Obviously, I was more interested in the male version.
It consisted of black undergarments and a leather vest, complete with a jacket, pants, and high boots. It even had a cavalier hat. I nodded to myself, turning to the tailor. "I'd like one of these in my size - one fit for a Halfling should be done in short order. I'll need it as soon as you can make it, because the clothes I wore here are obviously out of commission. If I like your work, I'll pay you for three more sets, and continue to purchase from you as I grow."
The young tailor was shocked for a moment before nodding vigorously once more. "Of course, Your Highness! What would you like them in?"
"Aranbolia-silk, hytheria-thread, and dragon leather," I answered. He blanched again.
"Th-that is quite expensive, young Prince…"
"I'll pay you in full, regardless of whether I like it or not," I assured him. "But what you need, and tally up the cost of the materials and labor. I'll seal an invoice with my magic."
"R-right away!" The young man ushered me onto the rotating stand and began taking my measurements. I was used to this, and he was quite efficient, so the process only took a few minutes. He fleeted away into the back of the shop, likely where the workshop was. He came back a moment later with a set of clothing matching the material and fit I requested. He had me change into them behind a curtain, then started sewing and cutting according to the measurements he'd taken. Within an hour of me entering the shop, I was fully dressed in stylish - yet functional - adventurer's garb.
"How do you like it?" The young tailor asked.
"It's great," I complimented, stretching whilst wearing the clothing. It didn't creak or restrict my movements, like I had expected from leather. Dragon leather was magic, so I should've known otherwise. I even had gloves of dragon leather, so it should've been obvious to me. "How much for this?"
"Let me see…" he grabbed a book from behind the counter and checked several lines of text. "Four gold, thirty-eight silver."
'438$ USD, ' I made the mental conversion in my head as I had grown used to doing. "Fair. I'd like two more delivered to the castle at your leisure. You can write up the invoice for that now, and I'll charge it to my personal fund."
"Of course," he bowed and began writing on a sheet of parchment with a 'Marketman Quill' produced by the Merchant's Guild. They created contracts sealed by magic that can be exchanged for metal money at any royal bank. Like a check back on Earth, but infallible between two parties.
I accepted the sheet when he was finished, reading it over before drawing my magic to my skin and allowing it to seep into the paper. A seal - my seal - appeared in the bottom right corner of the parchment allotting the required currency from my account. "There. Satisfactory?"
"Yes, Your Highness," he bowed again. "Thank you for coming to my humble shop."
"Keep up the good work, and you might secure yourself a place within the higher ranks of the Artisan Guild," I gave him a thumbs-up as I walked out of the building, the guards flanking me.
Seeing as I had a hat, I didn't find it necessary to visit a barber. Instead, I found my way to the park with the assistance of the guards and began using 'observe' on everything in sight. Using the various flora in the park, I quickly reached my goal of thirty plants, and unlocked the dungeon.
[Quest
+Dungeon Entry:
+200 EXP
'Nice,' I grinned. Wanting to test how it worked, I made a few steps-distance between me and the guard and willed myself to enter the dungeon, just like I did to open the various menus. In an instant, I felt my mind whirl as my surroundings changed, and I was suddenly in the middle of a peaceful glade. I immediately fell to my knees and almost threw up because of the sensation, vision swirling for a moment, but got control of myself and stood.
"Trespasser…" a calm and smooth voice floated past my ears on the breeze. "Prepare to meet thine doom…"
Small vines shot out of the ground all around me, forming spheres that hung above the ground like balls of yarn. There were five of them in total, and the thorns on some of the vines forming them did not look very welcoming.
[Thornvine Cluster - LVL 1]
HP: 20
MP: 5
' Leave, now. I can deal with this later. '
[Cannot Escape Dungeon Whilst in Combat!]
' Damn it! New plan. ' I waved my hand, producing the military multitool from my inventory. With a flick, it opened to the saw. I ducked just in time to avoid a thorny vine to the face, and swung with what was essentially a serrated dagger, chopping off the vine before it could retract. It did five damage. ' Haha! '
Another vine struck me in the back with the force of an adult's punch, sending me sprawling across the floor. I grunted, chest and back wound aching as I rolled to the side to avoid two more vines before getting up and charging at the nearest cluster. Fortunately, these things weren't very fast, and were very predictable, so I could easily avoid them so long as they were within my vision.
The one I got closer to sped up as I approached, but it was still within a manageable range, and I was able to slice off a few vines that it sent my way. With one final slice, I severed the cluster from the roots it had in the ground, and it collapsed in a heap.
A moment later, a thorny vine wrapped around my ankle and yanked me to the ground. I could feel the thorns, even though they didn't pierce my boot, quickly rotating onto my back as I was pulled towards the remaining four clusters. They appeared to have gathered while I charged their fellow.
I slashed the vine and created a portal under myself, dropping out of the air a few meters behind the farthest cluster. My grunt alerted them to my presence, and a couple shot vines towards me as I was on the ground, but I was able to roll to the side and stand before they could touch me.
Creating another portal, I redirected a vine at the base of one of the cluster's roots, which the cluster it originated from ripped apart thinking it was one of my extremities. The target cluster immediately perished, falling limp on the ground. I slid on my knees, using the grass to my advantage to pass by another cluster while slashing its root cluster, only for a vine to wrap around my arm and yank it to the side, throwing my multitool into the soil a few meters away.
Another vine wrapped around my other arm, and they began pulling taught, stringing me up into the air. My shoulders hurt from the tension, and my legs hung loosely in the air. Grunting, I focused my attention on one of the vines and created a portal in the middle of it, then closed it, cutting a circular chunk out of the vine and making it recoil, releasing me. I quickly landed and jumped up to straddle the other vine, then used my weight to tear it out of the cluster it came from before dashing towards my multitool.
I scooped it up and spun, slicing at another vine that approached before ducking under the sweep of another one and rushing towards one of the two remaining clusters. I slashed the roots out from under one of them before throwing my shoulder into the bulbous cluster of the other, sending it down to the ground as I fell on its roots. It grabbed my wrist with one vine and it wrapped another around my neck, but I bit into the roots and tore them out of the ground with my teeth, killing the fifth and final thornvine cluster.
[Thornvine Cluster (LVL 1) x5 Slain!]
+50 EXP
+5
+18
[Quest
(5/100) Kill Thornvine Clusters in the Dryad's Garden Dungeon.
[Quest
(0.3%) Kill All Enemies in the
(0.06%) Explore 100% of the
(0/15) Kill All Mini-Bosses in the
(0/25) Find All Secrets in the
(0/3) Slay All Main Bosses in the
I let out a shaky breath as I regarded the quests before closing the windows and observing my kills. The thornvines slowly faded to dust. I hadn't taken any damage, fortunately, but I had been away longer than I anticipated. I didn't want to worry anyone, so I went to escape the dungeon.
[Dungeon Escape?]
"Yes," I said, and I was suddenly back standing in the park. I felt a wave of nausea and fell to my knees, a hand on my chest, and the guards were at my side in an instant.
"Are you okay, Your Highness? Do we need to fetch the surgeon?"
"No, no," I waved them off. "Just a bit of pain. Nothing I can't handle," I lied smoothly.
[Bonus! +1 CHA (15->16)]
"If you say so, Your Highness." The guards believed me. I got up and looked around, noticing that no time had elapsed while I was in the dungeon. That would be helpful, but I didn't know if it would result in my aging faster or not. Hopefully my physical age was paused whilst in the dungeon, else I may end up an adult sooner than I should be. That would be bad for many reasons.
I decided it would be a good time to head back to the clinic, if only so my parents didn't panic. I wanted to check in on Ravelus, too, who did have a head injury. Organs like the brain were tedious for even the best of medical mages to heal, thus they had to heal naturally. Not even people in a world full of magic understood how the brain worked, completely.
We arrived back at the clinic, and I was immediately grabbed up by Rel, who squeezed me so tight I thought my sutures would burst. She only stop when I made a groaning sound that I couldn't control, setting me down with a sorry look on her face. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"It's fine," I waved her off, clearing my throat. "Is Ravelus awake?"
"Yes, he's having breakfast with Rhia and Ilyor in his room," Rel said. "You should join them; I know they're just as worried about you as we are."
I nodded in agreement. "Very well. Will you and father be joining us?"
"No, we still have to coordinate with the town guards for the investigation," Aedon said, glancing up from the sheets of parchment he was inspecting. I gave them both a worried look. "Rest assured, son, we will find time to eat and rest. We need to find out who attacked us, though."
[Quest
(O) Find out who attacked you and your family.
(O) Bring those people to justice for their crimes.
"I'd like to help," I said.
"I know your blessing has granted you new abilities, Alistair," Rel said with a nervous smile on her face, "but we can't have you endangering yourself. You and your brother are too valuable."
"But-"
"No buts, son," Aedon said sternly. His expression then softened. "We will allow you to examine the evidence, if you'd like, but you will not be doing any investigation, yourself."
I sighed. "Very well. I shall go join brother for breakfast, then."
"Good," Aedon said. "Make sure to eat well; you'll need your energy to heal."
"I will, father." I moved to walk down the hall to Ravelus's room, but paused. "I love you both," I said.
They both smiled, and Rel hugged me again - gently, this time. "We love you, too, Alistair."
I found my way to Ravelus's room, where he was sitting in his bed with a tray over his lap. A small table had been set up beside the bed, where Ilyor and Rhia - Ravelus's personal maid - were eating their breakfast. I walked in, leaving the guards by the door, and sat down between the two women, catching them off-guard.
"Prince Alistair?" Rhia asked sternly. "What are you doing out of bed, with those injuries?"
"I went for a walk, and got myself some new clothes," I said. "How do they look?"
"You look like a proper adventurer!" Ravelus laughed, though it made him wince as his head ached. "Planning to go hunting dragons?"
I smiled back. "Perhaps. I suppose I just wanted to take my appearance more seriously, now that eyes will be upon us."
"Yes, I suppose that's true," Ravelus nodded. "I'm still upset I missed your end of the battle. Slaughtering eleven assassins in under half-a-minute… Marvelous stuff!"
I grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the table and bit into it, savoring the juicy flavor and not commenting on how I felt about the killing. "Ilyor, Rhia, are you unharmed?"
"Both of us, yes," Ilyor said. "We went to reserve the ice cream parlor before the carriage exploded."
"Thank the gods," I breathed out a sigh of relief. "I don't think I would've been able to look at my birthday the same way if one of you had died…"
Rhia smiled in a motherly manner, while a tinge of pink came upon Ilyor's face. Rhia spoke, rather bluntly, "From what I understand, death isn't particularly enjoyable, so I agree."
Ilyor seemed to come to a revelation and grabbed my cheeks, one of which was still bandaged. "The Queen told me you were gravely injured! Are you certain you're okay?! What happened?!"
I smiled wryly, unable to speak because my lips were being squished by her palms, which made her realize what she was doing and almost fall out of her chair with a blush. "The pain is nothing I cannot handle," I said, tapping my chest where the blade had pierced my sternum. "I'm sure you can ask anyone in town what happened; I don't particularly want to revisit that event."
"Ah, right," Ilyor looked down. "Either way, I am exceedingly glad that you both are okay."
"As am I," Rhia added. "Now, you should both finish your breakfast. Alistair, I'm told your mother and Madam Havri will be by to attempt healing your wounds."
Ravelus and I nodded and refocused our attention on the fruits and vegetables in the bowl on the table. There were also portions of egg, which Ravelus was hogging as if he required them to remain conscious. Ilyor and Rhia both tastefully ate their fruits, maintaining immaculate etiquette as they were trained to do.
After eating, I returned to my room and laid down, resting my eyes. My thoughts drifted back to the unimaginable evil heading towards my reality, which I would one-day have to face. 'Can I really do it?' I couldn't help but wonder.
_/|-|\_
The carriage ride back to Endrillion was not so bad. Father bought one from someone in town, and because my wounds were healed thanks to the efforts of my mother and Madam Havri, I felt no pain because of the bumpy ride. I spent my time spamming
[Rel Eil]
Level: ???
Titles: Mage Queen of Eilon; Second Princess of Rhana'Vi; Beast Maiden; Second-Circle Spirit-Tamer; Academy Mage Valedictorian;
[Aedon Eil IV]
Level: ???
Titles: Knight King of Eilon; Academy Knight Valedictorian; Dragon-Slayer; The Vengeful; Eilon Aegis; Dungeon Conqueror;
They were far too powerful for my skill to read their abilities. I got an idea from their titles, however, and it only made me realize just how amazing they were. Father had slain a dragon , and mother had tamed a second-circle beast spirit. Not to mention they were both top of their year in the Academy. As one could imagine, it was daunting being the son of two overachievers. I didn't want to disappoint them. But, now that I had this system - blessing, rather - I could catch up to them. That much, I was confident in.
We arrived back to the capital to crowds of people swarming the main street. They made way for the carriage, of course, but they all wanted to see the royal family after such an attack. Aedon and Rel took up positions by the windows and looked on with solemn strength, showing the people that they were determined to avenge the lives lost in that conflict. I continued looking through my system, planning my levels and such.
The gates into the launch atrium opened, and our carriage came to a stop in its center. The door was opened and father stepped out first, then helped mother down to the ground. Ravelus and I followed with our maids behind us. Several men, women, and children waited in a group nearby, some watching with awe while others looked on with disdain. These could only be the families of the soldiers who had accompanied us.
"Thank you all for coming," Aedon addressed them with a firm expression. "First, I would like to apologize for the loss of your husbands, fathers, and sons. Be certain that they died valiantly, performing their duty to the utmost. You will all receive compensation for their unfortunate demise - enough to ensure you are cared for in their absence. Second, I am promising to you now that we will find whomever did this, and will bring the hammer of justice down upon them with our full weight. Rest assured, your loved ones will be avenged. Third, I have brought the bodies back in my own void ring, and have arranged for services to be held for each of these men, and their names to be added to the Monument of Gratitude."
He held out his hand, and eleven sheet-covered bodies appeared on stone slabs between us and the crowd. Many of them immediately broke down crying as they approached their respective family members, while we watched in solidarity. I felt terrible, seeing the grief on their faces as they saw their loved ones dead on a slab. It reminded me of the times I had seen friends dead in the morgue back in New York, when they were killed by other gangs. I wanted nothing more than to comfort them, but I knew nothing I could do would ease their pain. I was the reason their fathers, sons, and husbands were dead.
Eventually, Rel led us up into the castle where we prepared for my birthday celebration. It helped with my mood, somewhat, knowing I'd get to see a few of my friends again, but I still felt down because of the situation. I knew it was likely that the assassins were sent by someone in the court looking to overthrow my parents, and that they might be there tonight. What if they tried to kill us again? What if more portals appeared, and more people died?
' I can't think about that, ' I sighed. ' There are tens of thousands of soldiers in Endrillion, and every nobleman is a capable fighter all their own. We'll be safe. '
I undressed in my changing room, changing out of the 'adventuring' clothes I had bought while in Crava. Ilyor stood by the closet, selecting a suit for the night's events. She turned, carrying a silver-silk undershirt. When she saw me shirtless - more specifically, the large scar down my sternum, she blanched. I cocked my head to the side, looking down at the scar for a moment before smiling. "If anything, I'm happy to have this scar. It tells me that when everything really goes to hell, I can still do what is right." I waved her over, and she hesitantly approached, eyes still glued to the strip of agitated tissue. I took her hand and guided it to the afflicted area, to which she flinched as if thinking she would hurt me. "It also tells me that I have the resilience to survive bad situations, or at least very good luck. It helps that it's badass, too."
She glanced up at the smile on my face for a moment, before her frown turned into a smile of her own. She helped me dress in a blue and silver dress suit, complete with a ruffle collar and a tri-corner hat with a feather in it. I made sure to grab my wand and tuck it in a holster in my sleeve, just in case. I didn't know any combative spells, aside from generating a poof of flame, but it made me feel more secure.
Once dressed, Ilyor and I made our way down to the dining hall, where the celebration would begin. My family was waiting for me there, alongside their own attendants, and they smiled as I approached. "Alastair! Are you excited for your party?" Mother asked.
"Somewhat," I said. "I'd like to see Ciaran and Ymil again."
"I bet they're excited to see you again after - how long did you say it was in your last letter? Four months?" Ravelus asked. "They'll undoubtedly want to hear whatever story you've come up with, since then." When he said that, he was talking about the short stories 'I've' written. By that, I mean I paraphrase what I remember from the books I read back in my first life. It was a bit shameful, passing other people's work off as my own, but I'd rather it be told under my name than not told at all. It wasn't like I could credit people who weren't even in this universe, anyways.
"This one is about a farmer boy who finds a dragon egg in the mountains near his home, and is sent on a journey running from the evil emperor's forces until he can grow strong enough to fight back," I said. If you couldn't tell from the short synopsis, the book I was copying this time was Eragon . One of the first fantasy stories I read, and written by a fifteen-year-old! It's crazy how talented some young people are, but I suppose I was the same way with my father's taxes. Being 'prodigious' in this life didn't count, because I was technically still sixteen-years-old.
"Your creativity knows no bounds," father chuckled. "We could get you a scribe so you can publish these works among the nobles. Make some coin for yourself."
"I actually have an idea for that, but we can discuss it later," I said. "What is the itinerary for tonight?"
"An hour for mingling, followed by an hour for dinner, then some time for gifts, and finally a dance," mother said with a proud look on her face. "I'm certain you will love my gifts!"
"As am I," father boasted confidently.
"I brought something back from the Academy CIty for you," Ravelus said.
"Thank you, all," I smiled happily.