Chapter 329 - The Choice

Chris

After what happened– what I did– it was hard to forget what came after. I didn't evolve immediately, but it was within a few weeks.

I wasn't sure what it was that did it for me. I still didn't. I'd spent the better part of a few years in the forge pounding away trying to increase my skills but it felt monotonous and dry.

After Lakeshore, I returned and made one of the best pieces I'd ever forged.

Abigail likened it to inspiration, but I thought it was more desperation. Lakeshore had attacked and killed some of the people working for me. In their efforts to seize the mine, they had killed those who stood in their way.

It wasn't the first time I had lost someone that I considered my people, but it hurt all the same. The person I put in charge of the entire village, as that was what it had turned into, was a member of the Order.

That only made it worse.

Having someone, another human especially, attack and kill one of my own... made me angry. Leaving alone the consequences I dolled out to them, the disproportionate consequences, it did little to make the feeling go away.

It was with that maelstrom of emotions that I took them into the forge and created weapons and armor of a level I hadn't before.

To protect those under me in case a similar event transpired. It was... sobering to know that all it took for me to push ahead was for a settlement of mine to be under threat.

Having so many things revolving around my evolution that didn't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, I didn't like thinking about it much. My Grandmother the week prior, my actions that I regretted, and those who fell that finally caused me to be ready to evolve.

Not the most sunshine and rainbows.

Still, as the weapons and armor I had created were considered a great enough feat to give me an Epic Profession option, there wasn't any more point in waiting.

I still remembered the day.

~~

Two years ago.

Putting a lid on my emotions was rather difficult after all that happened. It was hard to calm down, but I tried to anyway. This was supposed to be a joyous time and one that was meant to be celebrated, but that felt wrong.

I also didn't want to choose with pent-up anger that might sway my thoughts. It was the reason I had waited a few days before going through with it.

I had wanted to keep it secret. Well, not totally secret, but I didn't want any fanfare over it or any celebrations. Not that my attempts worked. There were things that had to happen before I evolved and one of them was retrieving the bones I had bought after the Test.

It was hard to deny what I was doing after grabbing them.

I wasn't even sure how they found out. It wasn't like anyone saw me grabbing them. Luckily, they agreed with my request to remain outside my forge.

My forge was where I chose to go through with it. Ashley was nice enough to sweep the place with [Cleanse] and I had already cleaned up the mess. I made double-sure there wasn't any stray scrap of metal or shaving left that might interfere.

I also set up far enough away from the Spirit Fire for the same reason.

A little area of the room cleared and [Cleansed] was where I would go through with it. I had carefully laid out the bones around me and rechecked to make sure nothing else was near.

The bones had a layer of frost forming over them as soon as they were exposed to the open air. The chill they carried, even in death, was something to admire.

It was only with a small amount of appreciation that I opened up the list of options that had plagued me for years.

Profession evolution available

I started with my Profession. It was the easiest of the two as there was only one Epic option.

~~

Apprentice Wardsmith(Uncommon)

Journeyman Armorsmith(Rare)

Journeyman Weaponsmith(Rare)

Journeyman Runic Enchanter(Rare)

Adept Runesmith(Epic)

~~

It was my goal to keep my Runesmith Profession and I had done a lot to ensure that stayed true. I worked to advance my engraving abilities and my forging abilities in near equal measure.

It paid off, too. The Adept title didn't really mean much to me, but the Epic rarity tag certainly did. More importantly, so did the stat points. Common Professions gave 64 points per level, Uncommon gave 80, Rare gave 96, and Epic gave 112.

Waiting, even though it made me delay leveling, gave me an increased 16 stat points per level.

Adept Runesmith(Epic)

+5 Strength, +15 Agility, +10 Perception, +10 Endurance, +10 Vitality, +12 Intelligence, +25 Wisdom, +12 Acumen, +13 Free

It leaned towards Agility and the magical stats but that was exactly what I needed. The smattering of physical stats it gave where inevitable. Runesmith was still part Smith after all, and there would be at least a few Strength and Endurance thrown in because of that. Vitality too.

But by and large, with my heavy leaning toward enchanting, it favored the magic side along with increasing Agility, due to the precision needed when engraving.

Perception was also necessary. As I would have needed to use Free points on it if the Profession didn't give any.

All in all, it was a perfect match for my usually more physical heavy classes and was able to balance me out.

That being said, I moved on to the Class portion of my evolution.

Last time, when I evolved into E-rank, there were four Legendary options and one Epic. This time, there were three Legendary options and two Epics.

I looked over the Epics first to get them out of the way. Seeing the information was useful, as it gave me an idea of what I had done to receive the Class in the first place, but I wasn't going to choose one of them.

Not when I had Legendary options available that were better.

The first wasn't a surprise. I had expected to see a Class like it or similar to it.

~~

Warrior Baron(Epic)

Some of those who rise above and receive a Noble Title lead from the back. Strategists or Commanders, who seek to manipulate the battlefield or inspire from the rear. You, instead, lead from the front. A mixture of both Warrior and Leader. A Warrior Barron has skills of both with a focus on combining the two.

Requirements: Baron Title, Leader of a growing Faction, Strong Warrior feats, respect from those under your Command.

+21 Strength, +10 Agility, +7 Perception, +18 Fortitude, +15 Endurance, +10 Vitality, +4 Intelligence, +8 Wisdom, +4 Acumen +15 Free

~~

It was physical heavy, due to its Warrior nature, but other than that, not much going for it stat wise. The skills it hinted at being available also didn't wow me. It was promising that my idea of leading from the Vanguard resulted in something, though.

I hadn't expected that to influence things.

~~

Arctic Bastion (Epic)

You have created a bastion of safety in a sea of danger. An oasis from harm that you seek to impose for as land as you stand. Protect others under your banner and keep them from harm with a multitude of defensive skills. For the few who try to breach the oasis you've created, they will learn that defenses are not all this bastion has.

Requirements: Baron Title, Leader of a Noble Ranked Faction, sizable portion of essence gained while protecting or fighting for others.

+15 Strength, +5 Agility, +5 Perception, +24 Fortitude, +15 Endurance, +15 Vitality, +12 Wisdom, +6 Acumen +15 Free

~~

The next Epic Class wasn't as interesting. It was a diverging path away from the Classes I had taken previously towards a more defensive and protective one. The option didn't upset me, as if every Class offered was the same line I was already walking, it would make it impossible to branch out.

Heavy defensive stats were featured and it was obvious that the skills would follow that nature. It was funny that it interpreted my need to kill things fast enough as an act of protection, but it technically wasn't wrong.

With those two out of the way, I focused on the three big hitters. One made me sad, as it was a stark reminder of what I had done to achieve it, but all three were impressive in their own right.

~~

Warden of the North(Legendary)

You have defended and protected. Led and inspired. Punished and enforced. The value of a true leader is in those who have led from the Vanguard for every battle. The first to bleed and the last to retreat. When people look to you for courage, you must stand tall even in the worst of times and have the strength for those who do not. A Leader and Warrior in equal measure with skills for both.

Requirements: Strong Ice affinity, a Noble Title, Leader of a growing Faction, Tyr's values.

+32 Strength, +10 Agility, +4 Perception, +25 Fortitude, +25 Endurance, +15 Vitality, +17 Free

~~

~~

Son of Frost(Legendary)

Your body contains a hint, albeit extremely faint, of the Primordial Frost reminiscent of that which was present before the Universe was born. Harness that essence and lean into it turning your already impressive connection with the Cold even more so. The further you go, the more your body, spirit, and soul will thrive in environments like it.

Requirements: Extremely Strong Ice affinity, Tier 2 Law of Ice, a faint hint of the Essence of Primordial Frost.

+28 Strength, +15 Agility, +12 Perception, +28 Fortitude, +12 Endurance, +9 Vitality, +7 Intelligence, +15 Wisdom, +7 Acumen +15 Free

~~

~~

Harbinger of Desolation(Legendary)

Desolation and the Cold End that follows come hand in hand. You have seen glimpses of what a scene may wrought and the aftermath of such abilities by your own hand. Lean towards the unforgiving Cold that only the rare being calls home, as not even those loved by Ice venture far into areas of Desolate Cold. With the brutal cold as your weapon, swaths of land quake for what may come.

Requirements: Strong Ice affinity, Tier 2 Law of Ice, witnessed and caused a scene of Desolation, grasped the Cold as your weapon.

+30 Strength, +15 Agility, +8 Perception, +20 Fortitude, +20 Endurance, +15 Vitality, +4 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +4 Acumen +8 Free

~~

All three were something to consider, especially the paths they offered to lead down.

Skipping Warden for a moment, both Son of Frost and Harbinger of Desolation offered a connection to the Cold. Both offered to solidify and strengthen that connection but in different ways.

Son of Frost sounded like it would strengthen my connection toward the Cold, and all that its essence contained, while Harbinger leaned toward the destructive side of things.

The harsh and unforgiving elements of my element. What it considered the Cold End. It sounded like a powerful option, but with little room for anything else it could be.

Son of Frost almost sounded like a middle ground in comparison.

But neither were my goal for this evolution. I had told myself that this would be the time to lean into the Leadership aspects, the ones I had left behind, and only one Class truly did that.

Well, two, if you counted Warrior Baron, but that was an Epic, not a Legendary.

Pure power, Harbinger looked like the winner, but that wasn't what I needed right now.

I wasn't quite sure what Tyr's values implied, but it was the only one that did what I needed it to without diverging too far from what I wanted to pursue with later evolutions.

With that being the case, there was only one real option.