(Vol 2) Chapter 46: Made To Crusade

Estara’s dress pockets were shown off — which were legitimately impressive, because she had two small dimensional pockets, one in a sleeve and another behind the back.

The party of four otherwise scrambled to get everything together so they could hit the road.

Dax mentally connected with Sammy shortly before they left. She had gone to her quarters to collect a few things. “Before I forget — can we uh, well, let me just hit you with it…”

User Dax is requesting authorization as a Crusader of Samantha, allowing access to associated deific energy enhancements while you continue to authorize, though the User’s belief always partially fuels them. Accept?

Despite the mental communication, Dax was looking into a wall mirror in her room with a sheepish sort of grin.

“Um… okay. That’s sudden.” But she sent to Dax, “So can you explain? Dax, why now of all times?!”

“I’m sorry, Goddess! I thought I’d have plenty of bloody time, obviously! I was chewing my lip. I-... I didn’t know if it was appropriate.” An awkward pause. “It’s a Special Class. Advanced. Requiring level 4 Knight. I’m level 5, so I can convert to Crusader and it’s basically Knight with different shit after level 4. Some healing, even. The invoke is a bit different.”

‘Wow! It doesn’t erase anything?”

“No, that’s not how things work, Your Majesty. Adds and creates options. And if I had to characterize — just from my limited understanding — it trades some defense for a little bit of everything else. Including offense.”

“And you feel a draw to it?”

“Yes. I-... it came after the ceremony, not just from the level up…”

“I see. Inspiration must be answered, hmm? Let this also act as a commitment and symbol that you are one of the dedicated.”

“Ah, right… was meaning to do that, too. Yeah. Hit me.”

“Daxerris Stoneboro, you are a valuable ally and friend — among my Devout from henceforth — and you are also now my first Crusader!”

Sammy gave the authorization, and a bright aura suffused Dax, enough that she gasped and fell to her knees, eyes sealing shut. As the aura faded, she raised up slightly to one knee, her head coming up and her eyes opening, showing pure white energy within.

Follower has obtained quality grade [Devout] and is also authorized as a [Crusader], providing 2 additional FE per day.

Interesting — as the System hinted, there’s a distinctive sense of the personal power being the core, as opposed to me providing largely everything.

Eventually the glow in the eyes faded too, and Dax stood up, grinning. “Now that’s my kinda hit!”

Sammy once more stuck to mental communication, in case the walls had ears. “Let me guess: you can smite people?”

“Yep! Any supernatural entity and any who can be classified as your ‘hated enemies’ — I guess that’s Dominion automatically… the rest is interpretive I guess? Haha, just thinking about it feels good, you know. Anyhow. There’s also a heal twice a day so far. And it’s Major. Incredible! I’m a better healer than Estara!”

Sammy smiled. “Perhaps it suits you. You’re a protector. As your beliefs have aligned with your direction, channels have opened. It is assuredly more you than me.”

Dax rubbed her neck with a wince. “Aw, cut it out — you’re making me blush!” She cleared her throat and continued squinting in focus on unseen things. “A personal protective aura against supernatural debuffs and enchantments, enhanced against your hated enemies. Other than those, just the potential slots for Special Skills. Training might be tricky there, though…”

“Special Skill slots?”

“Yep. One for every level, Your Majesty. Class focused. But most will specialize and upgrade a couple because new training is a lot harder to find and generate. Sometimes you have the option right when leveling since the level acts as an epiphany or new understanding of what you’ve already been doing.”

“Right, skill levels… like how Merril is a Grandmaster musician. Shit. I need to get on that, huh?”

“Probably. Wizard, right? I dunno about Goddess providing it. At any rate! I need to head out now and get down this damned road.”

“Of course. Godspeed.”

“More like Magicspeed, but sure.”

“Just wait until you’re flying on a faerie dragon, smartass.”

“What?! Really?!”

Sammy disconnected, smiling smugly to herself. One day, she’d definitely pair people and dragon Servitors up like that. Beelines through the air were fast compared even to the costly horse enchantments.

She cast her gaze upward. “System, do I have free Special Skill class slots? Which?”

Correct, User Sammy. 0/2 in [Wizard].

“And I need to seek training to figure out what to take?”

Yes, Special Skill access is exploratory.

“None from Goddess?”

The [Goddess] class does not provide Special Skill slots, though it can still open various doors of access. Special Skills are not technically restricted to slots.

“Right… I guess it’s powerful enough, after all.”

While it was on her mind, she knock-knocked to Marjorie, who sent an answering chime to come. The sorceress was reading a book on the balcony — “The Duke Who Loved Me” — which was one-hundred percent a trashy romance novel based on that alone. Sadly, there was no telltale cover art like the modern variety.

Fuck, I swear I’ve even read that title!

“Anything good yet?” Sammy asked as she took a seat.

Marjorie shrugged as she set the book down with a built-in golden ribbon marker to keep her place. “It is exceptionally average, and thus perfect.”

Sammy chuckled. “I wanted to ask about Wizard Special Skill training.”

“Ah, of course. Yes. I took Alchemy, Runic Comprehension, and Thaumatology. All are among the most common and learnable — if laboriously — from self-study. I also have Teaching by the way, which assists in training others in whatever one knows.”

“What does Comprehension and Thaumatology do?”

“You don’t have Comprehension? I just assumed! Hmm. It speeds up learning spells and adds to any level comparison related to runic language. Unless upgraded, this is only Core Spells. Thaumatology refers to the theorem, formulae, and physics of magic. Many intangible benefits. The skill specifically helps with the invention of new spells and also increases one’s level for relevant spell analysis, usually for certain aspects of Information spells. I’ve mostly squandered it, I suppose.”

“Interesting. Well, it sounds like I should get Comprehension on the double…”

“Indeed! I can’t believe you don’t have it, considering how quickly you absorb already. You didn’t pick up another helper rune somehow did you?”

“Nope. Maybe it's a goddess thing. Most deities would be starting off with way higher normal classes. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Marjorie rose, fixing Sammy with a suddenly cool air as she held out her hand and a book came flying into it. “No time like the present, pupil.”

Both Dolamashe’s Arcane Principles and The Big Fat Book of Runes were stuck in front of her to read things Marjorie listed off, as she also furiously wrote notes in a notebook, with her teacher pacing back and forth lecturing her with her arms crossed behind her back.

“Do not ever substitute clax for nadrei auz. This is a common crutch I’ve seen you lean on that you must avoid. Do the extra work in any design, so that it translates also to the mind. Practice this through the rotes on page 167. Solve each line — that should be around 3 pages. That is the fifth task, I believe. I will review it after. Eventually, you should fix it in any prior work, as well. Now, where was I? Ah yes… the nine principles of the ninth principle…”

Fix prior stuff?! No… no, please no…

It was definitely a different experience than learning spells. It was like being rewinded to a level 0 apprentice (that she’d never been), the dry, dry basics being hammered into her. All the nitty-gritty little details of a language. She had the benefit of already being a ‘native’ at that point, though, so it was very much filling in the ‘why’s’ of things she already knew the ‘how’s’ of.

She had to cut it short due to various other things she needed to do, but Marjorie was quite insistent they continue ‘as soon as possible.’ Sammy didn’t argue… there surely weren’t many who’d ever dared and succeeded, with her particular teacher. She was also instructed to request another book from Bast: A Wizard’s Foundational Formulae.

Sounds dry as fuck. I’ll need some brain lotion by the end of all of this.

The first thing she needed to get to was touching base with Zadkiel. So she zipped over to her Greenleaf realm and put her hippy face on. Then she sent a query.

Zadkiel sent back one of his ‘drawing in’ images, this time of him on a large, demonic steed at the top of a hill, his full bronze armor on his person, and holding his banner at the end of a spear. In the distance, some nondescript battles seemed to rage, shouts of his name and ‘The Endless Rise!’ frequent. “Puck. Still going with your Greenleaf motif, I see.”

This time, Sammy made a tree grow out of the ground right across from him, from a sapling to a tall, majestic form in a span of moments. But the end of the branches had great flowers among the leaves. One branch grew heavy with an oversized one that lowered closer to the ground.

Then the feminine form of Greenleaf blossomed from the flower, seated at a throne with one leg crossed over the other, smirking. “Why? Don’t you find it pleasing?” She did not bother much with a hippy accent with him — after all, the point was that it was a known facade.

Still need to meet the naiads, to get a better grasp on what is supposed to be under the surface… not that Stillwater would give super obvious tells.

Zadkiel’s brow was quirked in surprise as he studied her. He grinned. “Now that I see it up close, I find it exceptionally pleasing, yes.” He dismounted from the dread horse and thrust the banner down into the ground, then walked over.

As she’d begun level with him, he’d deliberately lowered himself by his act, practically at her feet, head craning upward with that smug, always slightly leering smile on his face. Somehow, she knew the symbolism was deliberate.

Some sort of attempted courtship? I guess I should roll with liking it at least a little since the dynamic benefits me. I guess I’ve already been acting that way… mostly as a channel for my legitimate spite.

Greenleaf’s lopsided smirk deepened slightly as her foot dangled up and down idly, a decorative anklet of wrapped, colored beads jingling slightly. “I enjoy the many different forms of nature as well.”

“Including the masculine?”

“That I prefer to observe or in some cases keep at hand’s length.”

“Not arm’s?”

Greenleaf smiled. “Some seem to belong instead on a leash, but they are far too wild for it — and before you respond to that, I’ve come more specifically to offer a little news…”

She delivered the rundown she’d been given first by Jeeves, at the end including the mention of the mercenaries on their way  — and by then quite close — to Port Al Kenstrom.

Zadkiel nodded through it all (perhaps slightly distracted by the allure of Greenleaf and her ever-dangling, teasing foot). “I sincerely appreciate you mentioning that. I in fact knew and have accounted for it, but you show loyalty and taking our alliance seriously by offering something I didn’t specifically ask for. I might be so bold as to say you’re even developing a soft spot for me.”

Greenleaf rolled her eyes and foot in tandem. “Bold indeed. Isn’t it unwise to let your hopes rise so high so quickly?”

“Maybe, but it’s too late for that.” He flicked his hand suddenly, to run his finger under her foot in a quick motion.

“Hrnt-!” Greenleaf’s foot jerked away in an involuntary, ticklish response — which was exactly his impish intent. Sammy stomped her foot down and glared at him as she made the throne move slightly further back.

How dare he touch me! Even if it was not overtly sexual. I was definitely teasing him. Hmmph. Still!

Before she could say anything, the devil grinning ear-to-ear said, “You were asking for that, don’t pretend otherwise. Actually, despite that I guessed correctly, I’m surprised you don’t have your sensitivity turned down. You’re quite the sensate, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am!” Greenleaf took a deep breath, then leaned down so her glare was especially obvious. “Zadkiel, you will revoke your privileges to be in my direct presence if you deign to touch me again, even mentally, without my express leave. Do you understand me?”

He nodded, though he was still quite infuriatingly amused, and ‘so worth it’ was infuriatingly imprinted in his countenance. “I deeply apologize for my naughtiness, Goddess. I guess it’s just in my nature. I do hope I can work my way back into your good graces. Perhaps a gift. What shall it be? The moon, the sun, a basket of stars?”

“Your sarcasm is well noted, Zadkiel. But rest assured, I’ll hold you to that. I’ll let you know — when I feel like it!”

____________________________________________________________

« (Vol 2) Chapter 45 | Table of Contents | (Vol 2) Chapter 47: I Have a Girlfriend »

____________________________________________________________

Note 1: Status sheet will be next chappy.

Note 2: Uploading the first incarnation of a map soon! I worked HARD! It'll be a work in progress through the story. ;-)