“I think you’ll like what I have to say,” the young man began, “but I want mercy in return for saying anything.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kivamus frowned. “Why would you need to ask for mercy? You have helped to timely catch an assassin in the manor, and have probably saved my life. I don’t see anything to forgive you for.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Trust me, milord, you’ll change your mind after you hear everything I have to say. So I’m not opening my mouth until you agree to it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“How can we agree to anything like that without knowing what you’ve done!” Hudan growled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young man grimaced. “I know that the information I have will be helpful enough for you that I can ask you to trade it for my life. Put me in jail or send me to the mines if you want, but just don’t kill me. I can be very useful to you in the future!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We’ll see about that…” Kivamus muttered, “but I’m not making any promises about forgiving you. Now start speaking.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bearded young man shook his head. “Then at least give me your word that you’ll hear me to the end before deciding what to do with me instead of making a rash decision.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kivamus exhaled. “You are asking for a lot and I don’t even know what you want to talk about.” He gave a nod. “Fine. I agree not to have you executed immediately after listening to you, but if what you’ve done is bad enough, I’ll still hold a hearing with my advisors later on, and you’ll get the judgement your actions deserve. I can’t do any more for you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“That…” the man sighed. “I guess that’s the best I’m going to get.” He looked around at the people remaining in the hall, his eyes stopping at Tesyb and Duvas for a moment. “Are you sure you can trust these people completely? If any of them blabs about what I’m telling you, you are going to have a lot of problems in the future.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Is that a threat?” Hudan barked as he took a step ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man defensively put his hands in front of himself. “No, no! You’ll understand after you hear me out.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kivamus tilted his head. “I trust everyone who is present or they wouldn’t be here right now. Now speak! My patience is running thin…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young man nodded. “I’ll start from the beginning. I was born as the first and the only son of the man who was meant to become the Count of Cinran, which means I was also supposed to inherit the domain of Cinran in the future, but my destiny was stolen from me by Lord Ebirtas, who is the younger brother of my father – my uncle.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I call bullshit on this!” Hudan spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Boy, are you still drunk or something?” Duvas asked with pity. “I know Sir Tuilas went to the alehouse last night with his guards. Maybe that’s where you had a vivid dream where you thought of this incredible story?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No! I’m not lying!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tesyb put a brawny hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Do you want me to throw him out, milord?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kivamus raised a hand to stop the others. “Let’s hear him out first.” An ordinary guard turning out to be a noble in hiding? This did seem interesting, even if it turned out to be a sham later on. “Go on.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bearded man nodded with relief. “My father was supposed to become the Count around two decades ago, but he was murdered by my uncle Ebirtas when they had gone horse riding together to celebrate my father becoming the next count after my grandfather died.” He clenched his fists. “However, while my father was known as an excellent rider, somehow, he was thrown over by the horse and broke his neck, which meant Ebirtas became the Count instead of my father. I’ve been told that officially it was classified as just an accident<\/em>, but I know it wasn’t! Nobody speaks anything about it anymore to prevent making the count angry at them, so I can’t give you any proof about it, but everything I’ve said is true!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus frowned. “This does sound hard to believe… What’s your name anyway? Maybe that will jog my memory.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bearded man flinched. “Let’s leave that for the end.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Fine,” Kivamus shrugged, “but how do I even believe that you are the son of the man who was supposed to become the count, and not just some random servant without any noble blood in him who has heard the story and created a good narrative around it to help himself?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The young man glared at him. “How can anyone prove that they are the son of a person? I hadn’t been born then, so I haven’t seen my father even once, but I know it’s true! Just… Just look at any old portrait of my father in the Count’s mansion, and you’ll see how much I look like him! I’ve been in that mansion so many times and Ebirtas has already removed any good paintings of my father, but there are still a couple of them from when both of them were younger and had had a painting drawn of the family along with my grandfather. You can easily compare it to me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus nodded slowly, noticing that Duvas seemed to be lost in thoughts. Without access to technology like DNA testing, it wasn’t possible to know anything for sure, so a family resemblance would be all that could be used to prove something like this. “If what you are saying is true, why hasn’t the count killed you by now? From what I know, he also has a son. Even though that boy is known as a wastrel, he’s the only heir your uncle has, which means you pose a threat to him inheriting Cinran from Ebirtas in the future. That’s a very good reason for the count to prevent you from breathing any longer.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man snorted. “He can’t kill me if he doesn’t know I’m alive! I told you that I hadn’t even been born when my father was murdered. My mother was pregnant with me at the time, and she died of shock after the news came that my father had passed away during that horse riding accident<\/em>.” He grimaced. “Perhaps it was uncle Ebirtas who had her murdered, but I can’t prove it. Either way, while she died at the time, somehow I was saved, and I’ve been living as a servant in the Count’s mansion since then. As far as my uncle knows, nobody from my father’s bloodline has survived.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus nodded. “That does make sense if it’s true, but there’s a hole in your story. If you were just an infant when all this happened, and nobody talks about it anymore – for good reason, I’d say – then how would you have known about all this, with both your father and mother already dead and no siblings either to tell you the story.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The young man grimaced. “That bastard Zoricus! Who else? He was the one to tell me all this, including the fact that he had saved my life when my mother died. That’s why I have been working for him all my life behind the scenes, even though technically I am employed as a servant for the count.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus steepled his hands, thinking about it. “It’s very much possible that Zoricus had just picked up an infant – you – from somewhere and created this story so you’d think that you were the true heir of Cinran, so he’d get a good pawn in his hands to use against Ebirtas in the future.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I told you that you can easily see in that portrait that I look just like my father when he was young!” The man protested. “I’ve seen that portrait myself! I am not lying!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus looked at the majordomo. “What are you thinking about? You know anything about this?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duvas scratched his short white beard. “It’s been a long time, and my memory is hazy about it, but I do remember that there was a short power struggle in Cinran, soon after Tiranat was founded around two decades ago. Well, it wasn’t much of a power struggle – but more like a power grab. When I moved here after Tiranat was founded, the previous count – the father of Lord Ebirtas – had just died after living for a very long time, and his older son was the heir – who was in his forties already. From what I remember, the older son didn’t have any children by then, but it’s still possible that his wife was pregnant with a son at the time. I have no idea if the older son was a good rider or not, but everyone had heard that he died in an accident when he supposedly fell from his horse, so Lord Ebirtas became the count instead of him.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “See?” The young man pointed out with relief. “I told you it wasn’t an accident! Ebirtas must have done something to the saddle straps to make them too loose or easy to break! There’s no way my father just fell to his death!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duvas shook his head. “It really might have been an accident. Nobody can say for sure at this point.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kivamus nodded, looking at the majordomo. “Certainly, but it might not have been Ebirtas behind this at all. After hearing that Zoricus had secretly saved the infant son of the older brother who was supposed to become the count, it sounds like he had a lot to do with this incident. So it may have been him who caused all this to happen and the real heir to die – assuming it wasn’t just an accident.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shrugged. “Still, this elaborate plan to save the child of the real heir makes sense if Zoricus wants to use him to basically take over Cinran in the future by using this kid as a puppet while he rules the town from the background. But knowing how rich he is, why couldn’t Zoricus have just worked with the older brother? There was no point in taking this much risk.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapter 1: He who has no Class<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSlow down. You\u2019re going to give yourself a stomach ache,\u201d Gertrude admonished as Will devoured another entire loaf of bread. \u201cYou\u2019ll throw up the moment you have to run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUntrue,\u201d Will mouthed past the wad of stew-soaked bread in his mouth, causing the old woman to wince and avert her eyes. \u201cThe walk to the Hunting Grounds is over an hour, so I\u2019ll be fine by the time I get there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you can afford to walk slow, then you can eat<\/em> slow,\u201d Gertrude said, pulling the next loaf of bread away from his reaching hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAwww…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ll thank me when you\u2019re not reeling in pain from a busted stomach,\u201d Gertrude said, nose raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am\u2026constantly<\/em> not reeling in pain,\u201d Will sassed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gertrude smacked him over the head with the loaf, the black bread\u2019s hard crust making a dull \u2018conk\u2019 <\/em>as it delivered its force into his cranium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow \u2018bout now?\u201d the ancient priestess asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOw. I think there was a rock in there,\u201d Will said, holding his scalp and checking for bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNonsense,\u201d Gertrude said, prying open the rough-milled bread over her wooden plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clunk! <\/em>A fingernail-sized pebble dropped out of the bread and onto her plate, causing her weathered face to freeze in surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust\u2026eat slow, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMm,\u201d Will grunted, nodding as he began to masticate much slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It seemed the miller\u2019s new apprentice needed a bit more practice. Or perhaps a good caning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSeems like there might be a job opening at the mill,\u201d Gertrude mused as Dana took the pebble and stared at it with wide eyes. The little girl looked like she was going to put the pebble in her mouth, before Gertrude snatched it out of her hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am not going to hunt a wheat gremlin,\u201d Will said. \u201cHow would that even combine with an\u2026\u201d Will lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. \u201c…Uru Drake?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sure I don\u2019t know. Make twice the flour from half the grain, perhaps? Don\u2019t act as though milling grain is beneath you. It\u2019s a lifetime of good, honest work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDrudgery,\u201d Will countered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDrudgery you can support a family with. Your parents\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre awesome,\u201d Will interrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps reading Will\u2019s mood, Gertrude changed tactics. \u201cI\u2019m just saying it would be good for you to have a grounded life, raise children. Be happy. Many Climbers are not happy. I know. Perhaps you could even take Marissa as your bride? It\u2019d be one less mouth to feed here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will glanced over at where Marissa was picking her nose. The little girl glanced back at the mention of her name, nostril distended with her index finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure we\u2019re a good fit,\u201d Will said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSink into the Abyss,\u201d Marissa said, flicking a booger at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlready there, Abyss-spawn,\u201d Will said, flicking the booger off. Marissa turned red, climbed over the table and leaped on him, sending the two of them tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChildren!\u201d Gertrude hollered over the two of them before Will could get Marissa in a headlock. \u201cSit. Down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The promise of violence in the old nun\u2019s voice sent them scrambling back to their seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve got one piece of advice for you, William\u2014something the Gods know I\u2019ve tried to teach you,\u201d Gertrude said, pointing an old wooden spoon at him. \u201cTake your time. Don\u2019t leap into the Class Trial with the first three Sacrifices you can get your hands on. You\u2019ve got all summer to hunt. Shop around. Sell some of the Sacrifices you hunt, buy some gear. Check the market; other Aspirants might pass on something perfect for you. You don\u2019t even have to take your Class this year. <\/em>There\u2019s no time limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t start The Trial until you\u2019re sure<\/em> you have what you need<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Will muttered, ducking his head at Gertrude\u2019s intensity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSooo\u2026\u201d Will glanced around the breakfast table at the other children, who watched him curiously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, you can go join The Hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will shot to his feet and marched towards the door. Towards his Class, and by extension, his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door slammed before he got halfway across the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter<\/em> you clean your mess,\u201d Gertrude said, her Relic of The Host glowing faintly as she pointed to his bowl and crumb-covered plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will took a deep breath and grabbed the dishes, walking over to the sink, where he used the morning water to clean off the plate before setting it back in its proper place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a matter of seconds, Will was standing back in front of the door, practically vibrating with eagerness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gertrude looked like she wanted to say something else, but simply sighed and motioned to the door, her Relic faintly glowing again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door unlocked and swung open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One small step for William Oh, one giant leap for Saint Gertrude\u2019s Orphanage.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Will could see it already: With the myriad potent Abilities granted by the Uru Drake Sacrifice, he would be able to acquire Relics and become a Climber, carving out a massive range on one of the upper floors, making him a Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his benevolence, Lord William would deign to send supplies and money to the poor unfortunates forced to suffer through the old woman\u2019s sermons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will burst into the early morning light, his calloused feet trotting down the compacted earth trail that led from the orphanage to the town proper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sun itself was a bit weak this morning, barely radiating heat as the glow bloomed from the top of The Tower, illuminating the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, the heat was fairly substantial, since the orphanage was parked in the undesirable arid land baked by proximity to The Tower, and by extension, the heat of the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people took days or even weeks to travel from the outskirts to earn their Classes. Even months<\/em> for the maniacs who lived in the frigid wastes at the very edges of civilization\u2026if you could call living in ice-houses and eating raw gonku meat \u2018civilization.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will only had to walk an hour, but he had to get some supplies first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne sling, two dozen bullets, two pounds of pemmican, and a waterskin!\u201d Will called as he strode through the door to the general store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His plan to triumphantly slap the copper coins he\u2019d been saving up on Leon\u2019s countertop was somewhat muddled as he realized the way was blocked. The shop was packed wall-to-wall with others, ranging from aspirants his age getting hunting weapons to full-blooded Climbers grabbing last-minute toiletries or food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A group of Climbers currently crowding the countertop glanced over at him. Two women and three men, their Relics hinting at their roles in the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the men sported a simple cuirass and a smooth wooden bow that practically hummed with power, while one of the women bore a wand that crackled faintly with energy. She wore a ring that exuded ominous energy, while the other woman had a wooden symbol of Grevash in her belt that radiated an aura of calm, not unlike Gertrude. Another man wore a ring on either hand, a helmet, and a waterproof smock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The leader, a man wearing heavy armor, with a close-shaved head and scars near his eyes, glanced over at Will, his gaze skimming over him in an instant before he dismissed him entirely, turning back to Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey Will,\u201d Leon said, peering over his clients to catch sight of him. \u201cCatch!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leon reached under the countertop, then threw a leather bundle over the heads of the store\u2019s many patrons, landing it in William\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks!\u201d Will said, tossing his handful of coins across the room at Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cACK!\u201d The black-haired merchant ducked the flying metal, which clattered off the display pieces behind him, much to the amusement of his customers. \u201cGertrude already paid, brat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh. Then can I get my coins back?\u201d Will asked, holding out his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leon gave him a blistering stare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ll check back later. Start a tab!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leon gave him a good-natured rude gesture as Will waved his way back out of the store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He stopped in the shade of the store as the heat from The Tower began to build, opening up the satchel and peering inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only was there everything he asked for, there were also<\/em> bandages and a tiny dagger more suited for cutting cheese than braving the wilds inside The Tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But\u2026orphans can\u2019t be choosers, and it was far better than nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2019Sup, Will?\u201d A familiar voice dragged him out of his musing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will peered up at Ben, his partner for today\u2019s outing, one of the local boys who could keep up with Will. If Ben would tell it, it would be Will keeping up with him, but they both knew who was in charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI got my stuff,\u201d Will said, hoisting his leather sack of supplies. \u201cYou got yours?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben raised a brow and wordlessly thumbed over his shoulder, where a fine wooden bow was slung. On his thigh was a machete for both setting up camp and defending himself if some of the monsters got a bit too friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was wearing a leather cuirass and what looked like pants treated with Gollak glue, making them extra durable while maintaining flexibility. Will\u2019s gaze drifted farther down to the expensive shoes the boy was wearing that looked supremely comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will wiggled his bare toes. \u201cTry-hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t hate the hunter, hate The Hunt,\u201d Ben said with a shrug. \u201cSo my dad said we should pick off some of the easier prey and cash them in at the bazaar, shop around while we give some of the more experienced hunters time to soften up the more dangerous locations before we go in\u2014maybe after a week or so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you do everything<\/em> your dad tells you to?\u201d Will said mockingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm, let me think about that,\u201d Ben said, glancing off to the side before returning his gaze to Will. \u201cYes. Yes, I do. Because my dad is a smart man with my best interests in mind. What did Gertrude tell you to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will heaved a sigh. \u201cBasically the exact same thing. Fine<\/em>. Let\u2019s do things the \u2018smart way,\u2019\u201d Will said, making air quotes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, the two of them followed the path to The Tower, joining a steady stream of men and women marching along underneath the sweltering heat of The Tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Only the top third or so glowed white-hot where it connected to the sky above, a mile or so above them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The massive, arching entrance in the base that opened during the summer was only slightly warm to the touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or so Will had heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cC\u2019mon,\u201d Will said, nudging Ben to the side. \u201cLet\u2019s enter on the edge. I wanna touch the entrance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben sighed, but didn\u2019t protest, and the two of them dragged their fingers along the skin-warm stone as the gargantuan archway swallowed them whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two of them broke off from the stream of Climbers and Aspirants as they passed the threshold, gawking up at the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with the sky?\u201d Will asked, staring up at the strange monochrome blue fa\u00e7ade with wisps of white traveling across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019unno.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are those white things?\u201d Will asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019unno,\u201d Ben grunted again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is the sun\u2014OW!\u201d Will blinked tears out of his eyes as he shielded his eyes. \u201cWhy is the sun so bright?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow many times I gotta tell you?\u201d Ben asked, glancing down at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNewbies, huh?\u201d A voice drew their attention away from the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will glanced down and spotted the group that\u2019d been in the general store with Leon earlier that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow can you tell?\u201d Will asked defensively. If he was wearing a sign around his neck that read \u2018newbie,\u2019 he wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wordlessly, the Climber gestured around the entry field, pointing out several groups of young Aspirants shielding their eyes as they stared at the sky in amazement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Fair,\u201d Will admitted, resolving not to gawk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlso\u2026you\u2019re children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Also fair,\u201d Will admitted, resolving to grow a foot taller and pack on forty pounds of muscle overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s a good hunting ground that way. I used it when I was getting started out,\u201d the scarred man said, pointing off to the right of the entrance. \u201cAbout three miles that way. There\u2019s a large boulder at the edge of a meadow with lots of wheat gremlins. Use the boulder and the entrance as your landmarks. Don\u2019t navigate with the sun, it moves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe sun moves<\/em>?!\u201d Will demanded, glancing up at the sun and burning his eyes again. \u201cOw, crap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t mind him. He has no Class,\u201d Ben said, offering his hand. \u201cI\u2019m Ben, he\u2019s Will. Thanks for the advice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can call me Mr. Fontaine,\u201d the leader said, before turning and motioning to the rest of his group. \u201cThat\u2019s Bess, Amy, Mark, and Roger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s Kyle,\u201d Amy said, pointing at \u2018Mr. Fontaine.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cListen, we\u2019ve gotta be off, but if we meet up again, tell us how you did and we\u2019ll give you some pointers. It\u2019s always valuable to know if a hunting spot is still good or not from year to year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWill do!\u201d Ben said, waving them off. \u201cThey seem nice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will wasn\u2019t so sure. Kindness from strangers usually was accompanied by a catch of some kind, or an offer that was far too good to be true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But…they hadn\u2019t offered the duo much of anything aside from a location that didn\u2019t hold any value to the experienced Climbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless\u2026we provide the value?<\/em> Will thought for a moment, before he spotted Heath, a rather infamous bully about town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeath, Heath!\u201d Will shouted, flagging him down out of the flow of Aspirants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The young man with the extra foot of height Will so desperately wanted, and the squinty, confused expression that he so loathed, turned at the sound of his name, locking in on the two of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are you doing?!\u201d Ben hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s a good hunting spot for wheat gremlins about three miles that way: a meadow with a boulder on the edge of it. Can\u2019t miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben pinched him, but Will ignored it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heath squinted harder, confusion plain across his face. \u201cWhat\u2019s the catch?\u201d he finally asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s a teeny<\/em> chance you might get kidnapped and sold into slavery,\u201d Will admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s <\/em>what this is about?\u201d Ben asked, rolling his eyes. \u201cNot everyone is out to get you, Will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt sounds to me like you\u2019re too much of a pussy to handle it on your own,\u201d Heath said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSure.\u201d Will shrugged. \u201cWhatever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks for the heads-up, pussy.\u201d With a malicious chuckle, Heath lumbered off in the direction they\u2019d pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI admire his confidence,\u201d Will mused as the overgrown slab walked away, long sword over his shoulder. Even if Heath were smart enough to suspect they might try to ambush him, he would never in a million years believe they could get the better of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou just gave up a good<\/em> hunting spot on a whim.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA prime hunting spot out in the middle of nowhere, where only we and they know where we went?\u201d Will asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben opened his mouth and considered it for a moment before shrugging. \u201cYeah, okay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s go somewhere else, and check up on Heath in a few hours,\u201d Will said, motioning out into the wilderness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA\u2019ight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n They followed the stream of Aspirants for a while, until the stream thinned to nearly nothing before finally breaking off the path to delve into the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They ran into other Aspirants every now and then as they stalked through the forest, heading their separate ways. Thankfully, nobody got shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About half an hour into the hunt, Ben tugged on his shirt, catching Will\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJumper,\u201d he whispered, pointing. The creature had short, tawny fur, scaly feet with strong grippers, sharp forelimbs, and absolutely MASSIVE thighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will recalled the information he\u2019d researched about using the Jumper as a Sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jumper: Adds Leg-based abilities to the Aspirant\u2019s Class choices, mostly kicks and jumps. Provides 2 Str and 1 Kin\/level. Suitable for unarmed fighters and scouts. 12 copper\/leg.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The monster was seemingly unaware of them, its attention directed off into the distance, its view obscured by the foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a long shot for a sling, but for a bow\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou first,\u201d Will whispered, plucking a bullet from his pouch and dropping it in the sling before pulling out his tiny dagger in the off hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben nodded and quietly nocked an arrow, drawing it back while crouched in a hunter\u2019s stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He loosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The arrow hit some of the foliage between them and made copious amounts of noise as it dropped about two feet below the intended target. They both winced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Jumper flinched, glancing over at them before it hissed, and in the manner of all monsters, charged them with reckless fury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh crap, it\u2019s fast!\u201d Ben started as the Jumper began leaping from branch to branch, a blur of tawny fur and glittering claws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will whipped the sling forward and the bullet hissed out, bouncing off the monster\u2019s hip as it shot through the air towards them. It let out a strangled cry of pain, but it was already\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFu\u2014\u201d Will stumbled backwards as it slammed into his chest, impaling itself on Will\u2019s tiny dagger. That held it at an awkward angle, so it wasn\u2019t able to bring its claws fully to bear, but it didn\u2019t take the fight out of it completely, scratching and snarling ferociously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time seemed to slow as Ben dropped the bow and hefted the machete, eyeballing the mad creature scrambling to find purchase on Will\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was no way Ben wouldn\u2019t catch him with the machete, and Will didn\u2019t think he was in a state to listen calmly. The boy\u2019s eyes were white all the way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGah!\u201d Will shoved the Jumper aside and rolled out of the way as the machete came down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crunch!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Will got to his feet and glanced down at the beheaded Jumper, then Ben, and then remembered that some monsters come in packs, turning his attention back to the forest and their situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2026was\u2026it?\u201d Ben panted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was it, I guess,\u201d Will said, looking down at his scratched-up chest. The pain that had been shoved aside in the moment was starting to soak back into his perception. \u201cOw.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n They took a break, eating pemmican and drinking water after cleaning and bandaging Will\u2019s wounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even low-level monsters were dangerous without Resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s go find that arrow,\u201d Ben said once they\u2019d caught their breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t you stand in front of the monster next time?\u201d Will whispered as they crept through the forest. \u201cYou\u2019ve got armor. Better yet, don\u2019t miss the first shot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow \u2018bout you don\u2019t stand there like an idiot while it charges?\u201d Ben whispered back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI could say the same about\u2014\u201d Will stopped and tapped Ben\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will heard the faint trickle of water. After a moment of quiet listening, Ben nodded, indicating he could hear it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two of them crept toward the sound of running water, discovering a tiny creek that fed into a pond that either of them could probably jump across. There was even a part where the land rose up in the center of the pond, sporting a bit of water-grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will scanned the edge of the pond, but didn\u2019t see any prey out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait,\u201d Ben whispered, grabbing Will\u2019s shoulder and pointing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere. A foot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not willing to make any more sound, Will tried locating this \u2018foot\u2019 Ben had mentioned, without much success. Ben must\u2019ve seen the confusion on his face, because he clarified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnder the water,\u201d Ben said, holding his hands apart to indicate its size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will\u2019s eyes widened at that indication of size, adjusting his expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A frog foot about a foot across. Will traced the orientation of the foot\u2026back to the lump of land in the center of the pond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He realized what they were dealing with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wetlands Gulper: Adds Earth, Water, Slime, and Tongue-based abilities to the aspirant\u2019s Class choices. Provides 1 Res, 1 Str, 1 Acu\/level. Highly sought after by Aspirant potters, farmers, and rich Lotharios.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5 silver per foot of tongue.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Judging by its size\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s a wetlands gulper, and it\u2019s huge.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cWe could trade that for a good Sacrifice, easy. Or maybe a Relic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA cheap one, maybe,\u201d Will mused, but the obvious question was: How would they kill it without getting dragged into a watery grave and eaten?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5 minutes later.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeep shooting, keep shooting!\u201d Will urged Ben, his voice more shrill than he planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The wetlands gulper didn\u2019t have much in the way of sharp claws or teeth, and instead preferred to drag its prey underwater with its powerful, sticky tongue and drown it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So naturally, Will lashed himself to the top of a tree with his sling and began thrashing to get its attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stupid monster burst out of the water and shot its 20-foot-long tongue out, instantly ensnaring Will and dragging him down to the water\u2026until the tree bent back and dangled the confused monster above the water\u2019s edge by its own tongue, whereupon Ben began using it for some much-needed target practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only thing Will failed to account for in his master plan: five hundred pounds of pressure on the sling rope looped around his waist, crushing his guts and threatening to tear him in half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was an agonizing three minutes before the enormous toad stopped twitching and Ben deemed it safe enough to run up and slash the tongue with his machete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s how you make a good eighty silver,\u201d Ben said, admiring the trophy as Will climbed down. \u201cYou could buy half a dozen Sacrifices from this one tongue, easily.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think I\u2019m gonna throw up,\u201d Will muttered, holding his bruised waist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah\u2026\u201d Ben gave him a side-glance. \u201cYou seem like you\u2019re done for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will was about to respond when a flicker of light caught their attention. A pale yellow sliver of light opened out of thin air and formed a glowing archway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was like nothing either of them had ever seen, but they\u2019d heard of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trial presented itself to those who had acquired all the Sacrifices they needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ben\u2019s gaze flickered down to the satchel that housed Will\u2019s dried Uru Drake\u2014the third piece that had summoned The Trial. \u201cDid you want a jump-y\u2026tongue-y, frog-y Class?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cObviously not,\u201d Will said, straightening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen why bring the Uru Drake with you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t know what we were gonna find,\u201d Will said. \u201cIt could\u2019a been something cool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was<\/em> something cool,\u201d Ben said, lifting the tongue. \u201cLet\u2019s go check the bazaar. With the amount this sells for, we might be able to buy something a bit more\u2026exotic for our Classes.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “I think you’ll like what I have to say,” the young man began, “but I want mercy in return for saying anything.” Kivamus frowned. “Why would you need to ask for mercy? You have helped to timely catch an assassin in the manor, and have probably saved my life. I don’t see anything to forgive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tak-berkategori"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4081"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4082,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4081\/revisions\/4082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}