Chương 66: Chapter 65- Emerald Grove, the Frontier Town

The 'motivation' proved sufficient for Tia to win the contest, although Elias would definitely have shared the prize with her anyways. He was successful only a few minutes later, as it turned out taking a break to peel the fruit and come back with a fresh mind was all he needed to trigger the spell. Ding [Congratulations! You have unlocked the general skill [Identify]] Ding [Congratulations! You have learned the general skill [Identify] Lv 1] Ding [Identify: Lv 1 - Whether you are a [Merchant] or [Mercenary], [Hunter] or [Harvester], [Wet nurse] or [Wizard] everyone has a need to understand the world around them, and as such appraisal skills are many and varied. This skill is a staple for many, and is considered the cornerstone of commerce and the measure by which many others are evaluated. When in use this skill will display a tag showing the identity, rank, tier, and or level of the target for a miniscule mana cost. The amount of information displayed is determined by the level of the skill as well as the power differential between the user and their target. Increased information per level.] After reading the description of the skill Elias was completely unsurprised by the result of trying to identify one of Mira's weapons. [Dagger-??? -???] Yup, that tracks.

Elias pulled the head of his poleaxe into his lap and triggered the skill again. [Poleaxe- Uncommon - Tier 2] He pulled one of his tusk daggers out his boot and tried again. [Dagger - Common - Tier 2] Ding* [Congratulations! [Identify] has reached Lv 2] Well that was easy. He triggered the effect on Tia as she snacked on her fruit. [Wyvern - Lv 0] Ding* [Congratulations! [Identify] has reached Lv 3] Huh, thought it would show more?

Tia stopped eating and perked up for a second and looked at him, What was that brother-Eli? Oh sorry, I used the [Identify] skill on you. It didn't hurt, did it? No, but it felt weird. Elias had forgotten that he had felt it when Astra and Mira had used it on him, especially when Mira had used the high powered version. Wait. They would always ask before using the skill, I guess it must be rude to use it on people without permission, I will need to be careful.

Elias started shooting the skill all over the place, and while it was a little lackluster for a much vaunted fantasy skill, it did exactly what it said on the label. Considering he knew barely nothing about this world it could only be nothing but helpful. [Rock] [Tree] [Fern] [Wagon] [Bird - Lv 4] [Squirrel - Lv 2] I don't know what I expected.

Turns out a tier 1 [Identify] didn't do much, but Mira reassured him it would get better as it leveled and evolved. It was a little bit more useful once he got it to level 10, although he had to run his mana pool dry and meditate it full a couple times to do so, which given the negligible cost to cast, not even a full point each, mean a lot of [Identify]'s. [Swiftfeather Sparrow- Lv 4] [Glasswing Wren – Lv 8] Better, at least I can get some information now. [??? -??? -???] Mira gave Elias a smirk and a wink the first time he tried to surreptitiously cast the skill on her, and despite figuring out it was a bit of a faux paus to [Identify] without asking for permission the members of the patrol were fairly laid back about it. Apparently going on a bit of a spree was pretty common when someone gained an appraisal skill for the first time, and while Eli tried to be polite about it Tia had absolutely no compunctions about casting it on everyone and everything.

The young wyvern was so friendly and outgoing no one seemed to mind, only watching her antics with a bemused expression, and if Eli snuck in a cast or two to level up his skill somewhere in the middle of it? Well no one was any wiser." Oh really! You just got the skill? Cast it on me next!" If anything Astra was excited, and more than willing to show off for Eli and Tia, it even led to him learning that if you focused your will, you could relax the tier restrictions to fully display your [Identify] tag by choice.

[Crimson Flame Mageknight- Fire - Lv 18] Elias let out a low whistle at Astra's class name. After their tour around the camp he was better able to appreciate the implied rarity of the embellished class name for what it was. Granted there were only a few basic [Merchant], [Seamstress], and [Farmer]'s which were mostly among the refugees, but even the soldiers of the patrol were simpler things like [Stalwart Shieldbearer] and [Forest Scout].

Even without being told, it was easy to see the difference, although Mira cautioned him to not take this difference for granted. She gave him a serious look, " Even the vaunted [Whistling] virtuoso I told you about, only appraised as a simple [Angler]." She made eye contact for a moment to ensure he understood her point, nodding at the thoughtful look on his face.

Astra shrugged, stroking the spine of her Ridgeback as they plodded down the road, "You should really only trust the level and elemental alignment anyways, and you should always treat every opponent as a serious one. She leaned over in her saddle to where Elias was walking between her and Mira," There are far too many tales of doddering old women crossing one's path only to secretly be some old monster of a Grandmaster just out for fun playing tricks on the unwitting.

Being polite can be a matter of life and death in this realm." A smile grew on Mira's face as Eli studiously avoided looking in her direction, only to break out into outright laughter as Astra snickered at his expression. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Traitor.

The last few days in the journey passed peacefully, and at least in Elias's case, productively as he worked to level his skills and train his body to adjust to the increased attributes from using his free points. After some debate back and forth with Astra and MIra, Elias decided that given the bonuses from his race and the increased stamina from his training would bolster his striking power.

With the way so many creatures and people here seem to be absolute powerhouses here, Eli decided that trying to focus on staying power was a bad idea. He allocated enough to ensure his resources wouldn't run out in a protracted fight, and dumped the rest into the attributes that would allow him to strike harder, strength and intelligence. I don't have any magic skills yet, but Mira thinks I should get the base level of mana manipulation pretty soon.

The boost to my intelligence should help give it some oomph until I evolve my class. He had not been able to project the energy externally so far which was a requirement to unlock the skill, but Mira had assured him that he was making rapid progress and should break through any day now. As the patrol broke through the treeline into the farmland that surrounded the town of Emerald Grove, Eli pulled up his full status plate for one last check on his progress before they arrived.

Name: Elias Mercer Age: 23 Race: Voidborn Human Class: [Child of Void] Lv 10 ============ Health: 200/200 Stamina: 250/250 Mana: 250/250 -> 350/350 ============ Vitality: 20 Strength: 25 -> 35 Endurance: 25 Dexterity: 20 Intelligence: 25 -> 35 Wisdom: 10 -> 20 Willpower: 26 Charisma: 10 Free points: 37 -> 7 ============ Class 1: [Child of the Void] Class 2: Locked Class 3: Locked ============ Class Skills: [Child of the Void] Locked ============ General Skills Eagle's Eye: Lv 10 Studious Pupil: Lv 6 -> Lv 10 Stalwart: Lv 8 -> Lv 10 Companion Bond- Tiamat Mercer: Lv 8 -> Lv 10 Ranger's Resiliency: Lv 4 -> Lv 8 Soldier's Foundation: Lv 1 -> Lv 9 Mana Sense: Lv 1 -> Lv 8 Meditation: Lv 1 -> Lv 10 Identify: Lv 1 -> Lv 10 Free Skill Slots: 1 / 10 Mira said it was a waste to evolve without getting a full list of skills to 10, but all I need is the last couple levels in a few of the newer skills, pick up manipulation and level that, and I'll be ready to go according to her.

Apparently there was a good chance Eli was setting some kind of speed run records at this point, but with the exception of the other historical Godstouched his situation was kind of unprecedented, so even Mira was not able to tell him with 100 percent certainty if he was prepared or not. I'll take her best guess over my disorganized fumblings anyday though. After a couple weeks of lessons between her and Astra, Eli was starting to appreciate the wealth of experience the woman had.

At her direction he was able to easily pick up and train skills, and she seemed to have an answer for everything. The centuries of experience that Astra proclaimed she had seemed a tall tale, but after all the various anecdotes, widely varied case studies, and thinly-weiled 'old tales' that had a suspicious amount of detail, Eli suspected the truth might be even greater than what he suspected. It really puts the whole 'increased life span' thing into perspective.

As the patrol exited the trees, Tiamat dropped from above where she had been pacing the convoy from above in lazy circles, to land on Elias's shoulder in her customary position. He left out a soft grunt as touched down, Mira's warning that she would grow fast becoming more apparent by the day. Tia had grown from the size of an average house cat to a medium sized dog, with the weight to boot.

It's not all that surprising with the amount of enriched meat she's been wolfing down, and I'll need to pick up some brushes in town to help with all the molting she's been doing lately. The poor girl has been so itchy with this growth spurt." Pretty soon you'll be too big to fit up there Tia." An angsty whine in his ear gave away her opinion, That's no fair brother-eli I like this perch! Eli rolled his eyes, " Yes I know you do, and I don't mind carrying you, but pretty soon you're not going to fit."

As it was, the only reason she was able to hang on was by digging her claws into the leather on his shoulder and back with her tail being too long to coil around his bicep, and instead looping around his waist to steady her as he walked. Astra chimed in from astride her mount next to Elias, " You are welcome to join me anytime Lady Tia," as she patted her ridgeback, " At least as long as you fit.""

I am sure it would better fit the majesty of one of noble dragon blood to travel under their own power than to rely on the strength of others, no?" Mira smirked and gave Elias a sly wink as Tia scrambled down to the ground to trot alongside Eli as she fanned out her wings, stretching her sinuous neck to its full height by Eli's elbow with a haughty tilt to her head.

Eli reached down to scratch the scales on the back of her head just where she liked it, broadcasting his thoughts to her, Don't listen to Mira, you don't have to get down unless you want to. A small sigh echoed through his mind. No, auntie-mira is right, we will be meeting strangers soon and first meetings are important. If I am on your shoulder when we meet new two-legs they will think I am a pet not a person.

Mira smiled, " I am glad you have been paying attention to my lessons little one, we will make a fine noble Lady out of you yet." Elias took a deep breath of the fresh air brought across the meadows before him by a warm breeze, and gazed across the vista spreading before him. There were scattered clusters of trees throughout the grasslands but as he craned his neck back and forth he realized the treeline they exited from was the border of the deeper woods they had been traveling through this whole time.

As they crested a small hill before them, he took a moment to look back at where they came from, as the broad forest spread all the way out to the horizon like a wide sea of green lapping against the foothills of the Dragonspine mountain range.

He could faintly make out Springdale in the distance, the large oak on a hill surrounded by faint wisps of smoke from the chimneys of the village giving it away, but even with the enhanced distance of his fully leveled [Eagle's Eye] he was unable to pick out the glen where he spent his first few nights in this world. I must have been deep in the forest when I dropped into that puddle, can't believe I made it out already.

Eli glanced up as he realized Astra had stopped beside him as he paused for a moment and returned her smile as he turned to continue down the other side of the hill, thanking his lucky stars that he met her when he did. A soft warm breeze swirled around him touseling his hair, settling his mind as he strode forward into the unknown.

As he descended the hill he found himself among the beginnings of parcels of farmland starting about a mile from the forest, but continuing only about another mile's worth until they butted up against a large stone wall. The side of Emerald Grove facing the Reach made it clear the public's perception of the forest as there were two large watch towers facing the Reach, as well as a reinforced gate with a portcullis, and a drawbridge currently lowered over a deep trench dug in the space before the wall.

The gatehouse above the opening and the watchtowers both sported large mounted weapons that Eli suspected were less large arbalest and more small ballistae. Elias looked around and spotted several colored wooden posts that he suspected were range markers for the small arsenal dotting the open land past the fields and he arched a brow as he asked Astra, " I take it they have issues with monsters from the forest?"

Astra nodded, " Aye, that is why my father keeps a sizable garrison in this town despite the smaller size and remote location. A full company of around one hundred men and women." Elias's estimation of the threat level of the denizens of the forest ratcheted upwards in his estimation, especially after the refugees gave a hearty cheer at the sight of the town's walls and the clear relief on their faces at the prospect of safety behind them.

Elias smiled as he watched Tia have a rather one-sided conversation with the Hostler sisters as they regaled her with all the 'exotic' contents of the market that traders would bring from far flung lands, and what sights she could expect in the town. The bright green crown of a small cluster of towering trees in the center of the town visible from beyond the walls gave away the origin of the name.

Eli winced as a glint of light off of a reflective surface flashed across his face as he followed along, and tracing the shimmer of light to its source, he spotted a small walled enclave on the eastern edge of the town. A whole section of the wall encircled a small space of its own, and Eli arched a brow as he realized that this section not only had visible guards along the ramparts, but that all the weapons emplacements were not facing outwards, but inwards.

Another glimmer washed across the ground in front of him and Eli came to a halt as he discovered the source. Inside that small enclave there was a crack in the air, and not a small one. Starting from below the wall where he could not see and reaching far into the sky was a jagged pattern, like a shattered section of a pane of glass, a fracture, not in a wall or building but in the very fabric of reality. Like the air itself had been splintered like a mirror in a distorted seam reaching far into the sky.

Ok, what the fuck is that?!?