Chương 4: Owning your future

Kite barely managed to jerk his head to the side, avoiding a thrust from a braided group of strands composed of black, animated hair. At the same time, his practice staff lashed out toward another of the animated appendages which were lashing out toward him at great speed. As the staff struck the surprisingly resilient mass of silky tendrils he channeled one of his special attacks through the weapon, which emitted a sharp pulse of shapeless energy giving off the feel of a mirror shattering.

Named 'Pattern-Shattering Counter' this counter-ability had proved supremely useful even in the early days of his training. If Kite could intercept an incoming attack, it attempted to negate the magical components of the incoming danger, even draining more of the energy used to fuel it. In early trials, they had found out that it worked against most types of attacks and spells as well as conjured weapons.

While very useful against opponents relying on magically augmented attacks, there were still some serious limitations to keep in mind. First, Kite had to actually actively intercept the attack. If he couldn't react fast enough, interposing a weapon or limb with the right intent, he would suffer the full brunt of the effects. This meant that reflexes and judgment became even more important, and that it would be all the more difficult to employ against very swift attacks, like those made by higher-ranking foes.

Second, it didn't interfere with most physical aspects of the attack. A boulder thrown with magically enhanced strength would still be an object of great mass moving with a crushing momentum, as there was no inherent magic to dispel even though magic made the throw possible. As would a heavy axe still carry deadly momentum even after the special attack that covered it with lightning was dispelled. Third, there was a short time after using it, around two to three heartbeats, when the ability couldn't be activated.

This gave Kite yet another reason to gain as much experience as he could, to lay a foundation for the judgment that he would need to cultivate to properly leverage this power to its fullest in the future. The braid dissolved and fell limp as the animating magic which fueled the attack was scattered, but he knew from experience that it would return in short order.

He swerved through two more jabs, one which clipped his side, desperately trying to gain some order of initiative in the conflict, now in full swing, which took place in a forest meadow just outside the village. Kite's goal for this practice was to reach his opponent and tap her with his staff, thus ending the practice bout.

With a shout, he threw the staff at the next incoming braid attempting to dispel it using the same method as he did two heartbeats ago while simultaneously plucking a wooden practice sword from empty air to intercept and dispel what he thought would be the last active strands of hair for a few heartbeats. That should give him time to- Too late, he realized that his timing of the throw had been slightly off as he saw the staff disappear out into the bushes.

Half a breath later, the very much not-intercepted lash of hair struck his chest with enough force to knock him back with a whoosh as the air left his lungs.

"I believe that's enough," barked the gravelly voice of Uncle Walker from where he leaned against a nearby tree, twirling a plucked leaf between two fingers. The strands of hair retracted back to their original length, leaving Auntie Crow standing in a relaxed pose, cup of tea still in hand. She took a sip while watching Kite getting back to his feet, Walker walking over to help him up as he continued.

"I must say, little Kite, that when I arrived a week back and heard about recent… developments… I was a bit concerned. In all honesty, I was worried if you'd be up to the task of mastering such a complicated path. But that throw, while inaccurate and poorly executed, was exactly the kind of initiative you need to find more of. If you can reach out and counter your opponent's attacks almost ahead of them even making them, it will be you who will control the flow of fights in the future."

Auntie Crow joined them as well, a strand of hair producing a bottle of water for Kite as she sipped her tea again before speaking.

"He's right, dearie. If you can manage to sharpen your judgment enough to know which attacks to counter, which to dodge and which to leave to your barrier, many an opponent will topple from mana fatigue long before besting you. I can even see you taking the top spot among the most annoying opponents I will ever have faced, should you have the tenacity to persevere and reach higher plateaus on your path.

That infuriating little hole in the world alone will garner ire from any sane opponent I can think of," she continued while nodding to the small, dark vortex hovering to the right of and above Kite's right shoulder which had been enthusiastically draining her mana during their spars. Spirit Singularity was apparently a rather common ability of the very rare void essence, and Kite thought it a fitting name as the hungry little vortex seemed to lead to an endless emptiness constantly hungry for the mana of his foes.

Kite had the sheepish look of someone who was both satisfied and embarrassed by the praise. As he took a deep drink of water, Walker said:"We should spend another day or two sparring and lay the foundation for some ingrained tactics. But nothing boosts motivation as much as a little danger in my opinion. That's why we'll follow that up by you and me going a bit further afield to find some monsters." At his words, Kite swallowed the rest of his water in an audible gulp.

He couldn't shake the feeling that the adults around him seemed to enjoy this a little too much. The week and a half since Uncle Walker arrived felt like it had been the most exhausting and enlightening couple of days in Kite's life. They began with demonstrations and some strategizing, as the grownups around him discussed everything they knew about his powers and other skills. This included taking the time to actually go through the extensive registry which Uncle Walker had brought.

Fortune had smiled upon Kite in that all but one of his powers so far had been registered, the names helping him further gain a sense of what was now inseparable parts of him. But one ability had not been registered, as far as they could tell; the one awakened from the stone of fortune. Kite had spent some time pondering, and was quite happy with naming it Something from Nothing, as it felt apt due to its connection to the void essence.

However, all this had been after a serious talk about Kite's future and whether he really wanted to walk this path. His aunties had assured him that there was no shame in keeping your essences for some extra strength and using monster cores for longevity, but all three of the adults had seemed a bit pleased when Kite confirmed that he wanted to learn, evolve and eventually see more of the region.

Like many young ones he had dreamt of fighting monsters while having adventures in the wild lands around them, and he felt that his newfound freedom of purpose and inherited power would be squandered if he didn't give it a try at least. Kite was also surprised to learn that both his aunties had been active adventurers earlier in their lives as they sat around a table in the gardens during one such discussion of plans.

"Oh yes, we had quite a lot of journeys, mishaps and excitement," Auntie Dove confirmed with a wistful smile of nostalgia as s he continued.

"While being a crafter can set you up for a comfortable life in the bigger towns or in the sects, neither of us wanted that many strings attached. Therefore we had to work, both gathering the materials themselves or at least the money to purchase them."

"We actually met during such an outing. I was looking for minerals for a new type of engraving while Dove needed a plant which grew on that very same mountain," Auntie Crow chimed in before continuing with a mischievous smile.

"You should have seen Dove as a blushing youth, full of vigor and enthusiasm. I can only confirm that those traits have only grown, like a young bud blossoming into a blooming flower. I still find it rather pretty." Auntie Dove's face had gradually reddened as Crow spoke, as Kite knew it was bound to do during any moment where Auntie Crow praised her in public. Uncle Walker came to her rescue, as he brought them back onto the topic of Kite.

"If you want to walk the path, we can at least help you prepare. There is no need to rush. Better to take the time to properly get you used to your powers and form the foundation for your style. However, I see it as almost inevitable for you to join the Adventure Society somewhere in the future, which means that some more general training is needed as well," Walker gestured to himself.

"Fortunately, few bronze-rankers know these lands better than your Uncle Walker here, and your aunties have generously made sure that I can take some time from my other duties to guide you a bit."

"But remember, in the long run it will be your path and no one else's. Those wings of our not-so-little chick will be tested, and sooner than you might think," Crow added.

"Thank you Uncle Walker. And thank you aunties. I will try to live up to your expectations," Kite answered, rather somberly. He knew a bit about the Adventure Society, and could see why his uncle saw it as necessary. Having their backing and channels for finding work were all but a must unless you wanted to live a more stationary life as the guardian for a village, or as part of the people operating in less than law-abiding circles.

But he knew less about the sects, only that they were big organizations which focused on different kinds of training and advancement. Kite decided that now was as good a time as any to ask more.

"Should I strive to join a sect as well? I have often heard you mentioning them when growing up." This caused a rather distinct silence as his aunties and uncle exchanged glances before Walker answered.

"The sects are… double-edged. For some, they represent great opportunity and a chance to gain both prestige and resources. But that would also mean joining your paths to theirs, and they view loyalty as a very serious issue. If an elder of your sect would order you to do something you are expected to oblige without question. And while most of them would deny it outwardly, they are not places of equal opportunity.

Nepotism and at least a bit of corruption have abounded in all sects I've come into contact with during my travels," he explained while pausing to take a bite out of the rice cake in his hand.

"That doesn't sound like a very nice place. There must be a reason people still join," Kite reflected with furrowed brows, his thoughts going back to the letter from his birth-parents. Had it been such loyalties that led to him leading the life he now did, separated from them at birth?

"For many it is indeed not very nice. But for those invested in local politics and wanting to rise in that arena, being part of a powerful sect is a sure way to gain a path of advancement. And for those who can rise to the top within a sect, many doors open for further advancement in the world outside," answered Auntie Crow.

"While me and Dove always wanted to remain free of such constraints, it will be up to you to seek them out if you want to. However, I would recommend to at least gain some more experience in the ways of the world before deciding." As Kite nodded, Uncle Walker followed up on Crow's statement.

"Besides, if you join the Adventure Society you will soon get plenty of experience of sect politics reaching far beyond their compounds. Many adventurers are also part of a sect, which has led to severe problems more times than I can count. But since the sects have such an influence in these lands, the Adventure Society has little choice than to try and work around it as best they can. Take it from an experienced local member; stay out of it when you can.

And try, when possible, to work with society officials originating from outside the country. They are usually less involved in the allegiances that draw the most trouble". He stretched.

"But I digress. You joining the society is still a ways off. And we have a lot of strategizing and practice to get to". Kite stood among the trees, staring down his opponent. It was one and a half meters tall, vaguely shaped like a stocky humanoid. Its body was a luminous light green and looked slightly gooish to the touch, and the round head at the top was dominated by a pair of faceted eyes with no other features visible as it stared blankly at Kite.

The lush, moss covered grounds around them were dotted with rocks and bushes, while the trees grew at least a couple of meters apart as their wide crowns combined to form a dense reddish-yellow cover high above them, patches of sunlight flickering along with the winds moving the rustling leaves. Several of the trees were missing huge patches of bark, courtesy of the Gyrmling as the monster was called according to Uncle Walker.

They had come across it while it was feeding on the bark, soft fingers ripping off big chunks and pressing into its body where it seemed to be slowly absorbed. Now it was looking at Kite, and while the faceted eyes gave away little, the body language seemed agitated.

"Gyrmlings are quite fond of their food and are prone to violence when trying to drive away rivals coming to take their territory. Which, according to them, is everyone," said Uncle walker from the edge of the clearing.

"Take it easy and use your abilities. I thought it best to start with a monster where they might make a substantial difference." Kite's hammering heart skipped a beat as the monster turned away from the tree and rushed toward him, but not before ripping several pieces of bark from the tree. These were swiftly magically fastened and reinforced to various places on its body, forming both something akin to claws at the end of its three fingers and a crude kind of hodgepodge armor.

While the rush was a bit surprising, it felt surprisingly slow compared to Kite's previous bronze-ranked sparring partners. Both his aunties and his uncle had taken turns teaching him, and the initial fear was replaced with caution and determination. Kite took a measured pace toward the Gyrmling as his spiritual vortex manifested, the refreshingly cool feeling spreading through his body as he absorbed mana from his opponent.

The flow was slow, but steady, and while he had yet to see it make a big difference his uncle had assured him it would in any prolonged fight. Just as the monster was about to leap at him, Kite lunged forward while swinging down with both hands. A weight fell into them as a halberd appeared from empty space, still wreathed in wisps of black nothingness as he drew it from his void sheath. Kite's evolved racial ability allowed him to store weapons in a personal void, retrieving them with a thought.

The ability was very convenient, even enhancing the first attack made after the weapon appeared. The appearing halberd was about as long as Kite was tall, built for balance rather than penetrative power. It had a long, slightly curving blade with spikes both at the top of the shaft and opposite the axehead. At the bottom of the smooth, unadorned shaft was a rather weighty metal ring which acted as a counterweight. WWJS (What would Jason see?) Stolen novel; please report.

Item - Pragmatist's Halberd Rank: Iron - common Effect: Increased durability Effect: Minor self repair Effect: Increased weapon balance The gyrmling's body had barely left the ground before the blade of the halberd bit into a piece of bark covering what, on a humanoid, would be counted as the shoulder. Kite sent Uncle Walker a thought of gratitude for gifting him the halberd, apparently having kept it with him for some time waiting for this very day.

"It might not be anything overly special, but when it should help you get your bearings and remain a flexible choice until you find what suits you," he had said, a bit awkward at Kite's earnest gratitude. The impact was much greater than the swing seemed to carry, courtesy of Kite's racial ability and was followed by a crunching sound as a pulse from the blade shattered the magic in the bark plate and even spreading to dissolve several adjacent ones.

At the same time, blue cracks seemed to dig grooves deeper into the gyrmling's body, visible only for a moment. Kite almost paused to marvel at the effect of his special attacks. The first, Disrupting Strike, was another dispelling attack which felt like a companion ability to his counter. The effects were similar, but this attack was instead more offensive in nature. When Kite struck an enemy with it, it attempted to negate or suppress ongoing magical effects on his target.

According to his uncle, this could be anything from conjured weapons and armor to magical boons and augmentation spells. This apparently also included the gyrmling's bark armor. While the bark itself wasn't magical, it was reinforced and held in place by it. As that magic was dispelled, it was easily shattered by the halberd and the attack's secondary effect; a small burst of disruptive force damage which intensified as it fed off the unraveled magic.

While far from optimal against solid objects, it was still enough to sunder the now ordinary bark. The second effect, named Chakra implosion, was a mana-draining attack causing the target's mana to implode, taking away a chunk of their spiritual reserves and letting Kite gain part of what was lost. While it didn't deal any additional damage, it left behind damaged magical circuitry in the form of an affliction which further reduced all sources of mana recovery.

Each instance was but a small reduction, but as the affliction could stack up it became an increasingly intense nuisance. Most creatures did not fare well being out of mana, with everything between crippling headaches to unconsciousness as a result. The ability could also be combined with other special attacks, leaving Kite with a power he found few reasons not to use whenever he could. Kite snapped back from his reverie as the gyrmling swung an arm at him.

It being unbalanced by Kite's strike gave him the opportunity to compensate for his lapse of focus, and the butt of his weapon snapped out to intercept the claw and sending another reactive pulse of mana in an attempt to shatter the claw as well through his counter. As the strike was deflected, the armored claw dissolved and left a prime opening for Kite to follow up. Planting his left foot firmly into the ground, he kicked out with his right.

All of his special attacks awakened so far worked both armed and unarmed, so while the force of his kick did little more than knock the monster back a few steps, both of the effects once more ravaged its armor, body and mana reserves. Whilst training and familiarizing themselves with the different attacks, Uncle Walker had seen little reason not to use them together most of the time and only neglecting the effect-disrupting one when he was absolutely sure that there was no more magic affecting his opponent.

The wait between activations were rather short, but his mentor had still pressed that those few heartbeats were a much longer time in combat than one might think. While it allowed Kite to use them freely and frequently, they wouldn't work with a more all-out offensive style focusing more on quantity than quality to get as many hits in as possible. Instead, Walker had advocated a more flexible approach and chose his gifted weapon to Kite accordingly.

The halberd had a mix of reach, flexibility and striking power that should work well for Kite as he got his bearings on his path. Kite gave Uncle Walker another thought of gratitude as he used said reach to follow up the kick with a thrust into the now exposed softer body. The spearlike point sunk into the soft body, spilling a saplike substance as the retracted the weapon. From there on, it was mostly cleaning up an already decided battle.

As the gyrmling fell, Kite could see a few glittering motes of green and brown being absorbed into him, accumulating in a space that both existed and didn't at the same time, courtesy of Something from Nothing. The accumulation was quite small though, and Kite realized that he would need to go through a lot of monsters before his rather odd ability awakened from the awakening stone of fortune would pay its first dividends.

"Not bad, little Kite. Versus an opponent relying heavily on magical reinforcement, it seems like our predictions of your effectiveness were proven true," said Uncle Walker as he walked into the meadow, joining Kite and clapping an encouraging hand to his shoulder.

"Let's continue on. I can assure you that it will only get more challenging from here on out". Kite limped toward the edge of the clearing, several bleeding injuries staining his clothes. Behind him lay the limp corpse of a rather large feline, its green, mottled fur blending in with the mossy ground even in death. He sat down against a tree, fumbled with a pouch at his side before producing a folded paper acting like an envelope for a small pill.

As he popped the pill into his mouth, the familiar warmth of healing spread with a prickly, tingling sensation through his body. Auntie Dove always looked after her little chick even when she herself was not present. What was to be the last battle for the day had been a rough one. The monster, called a moss prowler, had been fast, stealthy and strong. It's only magical power was its enhanced camouflage, as it relied on surprise and raw force to fight.

This left some of Kite's abilities with very little to impact, forcing him to rely on his barriers and general martial skill to prevail. While the barrier was quick and versatile, even more so due to his evolved essence gift, it still required a very short incantation to activate. Kite had thought that saying "Ward" would be possible at all times, but the fight against the moss prowler had proved that it was yet another area where timing, skill and judgment would be required.

His bleeding body was testament to that, and that was after the fact that his barriers actually had soaked up the majority of the monster's ferocious attacks. In the end, Kite had prevailed as the damage from his attacks mounted up and due to the fact that they were given a slight boost as the tiger was repeatedly striking his conjured barriers. The special ability responsible was called Spiritual reprisal, and Kite was currently very grateful for its constant assistance during his last ordeal.

The passive power skill left a kind of charge in the body of an enemy who struck him or his barrier. Each of Kite's own special attacks consumed one such charge to increase their effect, such as increased mana drain or additional disruptive force damage depending on the power in question. The increase wasn't spectacular but definitely noticeable, meaning that Kite's general effectiveness increased versus enemies actively engaging him.

Kite believed that the constant mana drain from his boosted skills and attacks had helped him come through victorious, as the monster had seemed more sluggish and slower to react halfway into the fight. As he sat and recovered, he whispered: " Ward" while holding out his hand. His barrier manifested again in front of him, visible as a slightly curved disc bearing some kind of symbol in the middle, with other smaller symbols moving slowly in different directions along its surface.

The whole affair was mostly transparent and hindered neither vision nor his own attacks in any meaningful way, as he could strike around the disc of force easily enough.

"The person naming this sure had a colorful taste," he thought idly in appreciation.

'Heaven-and-Void warding' had a certain poetry to it, although Kite was thankful that just 'ward' was enough of a chant to activate it in his case. The symbols were especially curious. While he didn't know if they were based on any language, they still gave off a vague meaning. He got the impression that all the smaller symbols depicted concepts of defense and protection, while the central one hid some sort of greater meaning beyond his comprehension.

Kite let the barrier drop as Uncle Walker came and sat down beside him.

"For a while there, I was sure I'd have to step in. There is an important lesson to be learned from this most fortuitous encounter."

"I don't feel very fortunate, at least I didn't during the fight. Was the lesson that monster claws hurt? A lot?" Kite said, with a slightly sour tone in his voice as he remembered the frenzied strength and grace of the beast. Uncle Walker chuckled.

"A bit, but there is another more important one. That there is always a bad matchup. It might be the monster itself or the circumstances. But If you walk the path to power, you'll inevitably face them. The challenges that feel like an uphill run from the start. In the beginning, you'd best do your best to be careful around them, little Kite. But after a while, those are the ones you need to seek if you want to improve.

But before that-" he said while clapping Kite lightly on his knee "-we shall do our best to help you find more tools, be it powers, skills or items, that will help you face those challenges". Kite, who felt a lot better after the pill having worked at his injuries, rose with him. His spirit had improved along with the state of his body, and his mind had already started to process and analyze the fight, just as Uncle Walker had taught him since he began training him in earnest. Next time, he'd do better.

A lot better if he had a say in it.

"We should head back," Uncle Walker said as he looked at the sky through the canopies.

"Your aunties will want to hear about everything you've experienced, and it's better to let you rest up properly after the first day. Tomorrow, we shall do it all again." With a final, shattering swing of his halberd, Kite dispatched the gyrmling in front of him as its bark armor was shredded. Hearing steps behind him, he let the arc of the weapon carry him around to receive a glancing blow to one thigh while catching the second on a freshly conjured barrier.

Kite lashed out two quick thrusts before backing away as the gyrmling's two companions were bearing down on him from each side. In the back, still observing, stood another gyrmling at least half again as big as the ones Kite were engaging. Its bark armor had substantially better coverage than any he had seen before and it showed a semblance of intelligence in its faceted eyes. Uncle Walker had called it a gyrmling brute, and they had seen it boss the other four around when they observed it earlier.

The brute seemed content to let its minions handle the intruder and remain an observer, but Uncle Walker had warned Kite that the brutes preferred easy fights when they could get away with it and often used the minions to weaken its enemy before joining in. Kite's focus remained on the smaller monsters, and as him jumping back caused the converging gyrmlings to have gathered before him, he let go of his halberd with one hand before reaching up and plucking a javelin from his void sheath.

As his foot touched the ground he planted it and flexed, reversing his momentum and leaning into the throw. When testing his abilities in the earlier weeks, they had determined that Kite's special attack worked with both melee and ranged attacks. This was apparently quite rare, and Uncle Walker had imparted the importance of incorporating this into his fighting style as it gave him greatly increased flexibility.

T hey had practiced with a few common types of ranged weapons, but the lack of an iron-ranked ranged weapon had been a bottleneck for trying it out in actual combat. This changed two weeks ago, as one of Kite's more forgettable abilities paid its first dividends, as something had indeed sprung from nothing. He had felt the slow accumulation of the ability reach a threshold, after which he instinctively knew that he could give his assent to activate it.

This had manifested the javelin which, in this moment, was traveling through the air propelled by iron-rank strength. The thrown spear looked like a barely polished natural branch that was relatively straight but still curved slightly on several places along its length. The tip was made of a gray, matted stone but was sharp as a knife and the uneven material created natural barbs.

As the javelin struck the nearest gyrmling, it punched through its bark armor and shattered several nearby plates both disrupting strike and chakra implosion delivered with the throw. While the damage was nice, Kite had chosen this moment for another reason as the ability of the javelin activated. Root-like vines sprouted from the javelin and shot out to ensnare everything they could within around two meters of the shaft. WWJS (What would Jason see?): [Item] Javelin of Entanglement Iron rank - Uncommon [Effect] - Ensnares creatures within a two meter radius. Creatures ensnared by this item have their mana and stamina drained for the duration. Cooldown: 15 minutes The flailing gyrmlings were quickly ensnared in the draining mass of vines. Almost immediately they began to rip and tear at the grasping appendages and, if uninterrupted, would probably free themselves sooner rather than later.

Kite aimed to be that interruption, and had begun to sprint back while the projectile was still in flight. He tore into the mass of vines and monsters with relentless slashes and thrusts, dispatching one after the other while they were still trying to break free of their confinement. The last of the smaller gyrmlings had just managed to claw its way to freedom as a lunging thrust finished it. Standing there, weapon extended, Kite had a sinking realization.

In his periphery, he noted that the gyrmling brute no longer stood as a still observer. He barely had the time to shout " Ward!" before an armored fist bashed into his hastily thrown up protection. Unfortunately for Kite, the punch carried the momentum of the leaping brute, and it broke through his barrier and sent him tumbling. As he rolled to his feet, his shoulder ached fiercely where he had managed to turn it into the strike. Kite gritted his teeth, summoned another barrier and re-engaged this enemy.

A fierce fight ensued, as the gyrmling brute showcased its increased strength and durability. They traded blows, but among the splinters of shattered bark and dissolving barriers, it became more obvious that the brute had made a mistake in waiting so long to engage its opponent. During the engagement with the smaller gyrmlings, a small vortex above Kite's shoulder had been constantly active.

While the mana drain wasn't spectacular on its own, the energy lost during the initial part of the fight quickly made a difference as Kite's other special attacks started imploding the mana in bigger chunks and the afflictions hampered its recovery even further. The brute almost looked to be dissolving from a critical lack of mana before the final blow from Kite at last struck its now unprotected head, courtesy of Kite's persistence in shattering the bark armor.

It toppled with a loud "thud" into the mossy soil, and Kite leaned on his halberd while breathing heavily. He felt triumphant and bone-weary at the same time. The triumph won the internal emotional struggle, as he felt that the energy gathered by his peculiar looting ability had once again reached critical mass. This meant that the last battle, both long and substantial, had provided more to the progress than any other that Kite had previously lived through.

Kite gave his mental assent, and motes of magic started flowing rapidly from a point in the air like reality had sprung a leak. The glittering fragments swirled around each other until they formed a vortex not unlike what Uncle Walker had described as a magical manifestation, which normally gave birth to monsters, essences or awakening stones. As the swirl condensed and the vortex vanished, Kite was left with a suit of armor.

It looked like a set of half-plate armor, with a breastplate, long gauntlets and tall greaves. The pauldrons were flat in a lamellar style, and similar plates were attached to the breastplate to cover the thighs. What stood out was that the whole suit seemed to be made of dark, polished wood, with a rougher coating of coarser bark over more vital areas, including the pauldrons.

It came complete with green silk padding, and Kite was busy admiring it as Uncle Walker came over, having finished his usual post-battle sweep to make sure nothing would surprise them while evaluating.

"Well, little Kite, it looks like your feeling about that ability of yours holds water. Two more weeks of you fighting mostly enemies with the plant affinity seemed to have produced another item of the same theme. One time might be a coincidence, but two in a row gives a lot more credibility to the theory." He scrutinized Kite and then the armor.

"It seems to fit you as well. Nifty. Let me help you put it on once you've rested up" Kite felt rather more imposing as he passed back through the gates of Starberry Peak than he had done leaving it. The armor was surprisingly comfortable and light, and wearing it for a while had given him a bit of a feel for its magical benefits. WWJS (What would Jason See?): [Item] Armor of Planted Roots Rank: Iron - Rare [Effect] Rapid self repair while in contact with the earth and/or exposed to sunlight.

If both criteria is met, the effect is increased further. [Effect] Increased health and stamina regeneration. This effect is dramatically increased while unmoving and in contact with the earth. [Effect] Activate to gain dramatically increased resistance to effects that would forcibly move you. Duration: One minute. Cooldown: 30 minutes.

The young man couldn't help almost glowing with pride as he envisioned how he must look; Like a woodland warrior returning triumphant from important battles, armor unblemished after villages rescued. Many of the villagers even stopped to look at him, some even giving shouts of encouragement. Kite knew it was a bit childish, but at the same time he reveled in it. Over a month of constant treks into the wilderness and many battles had gotten him far.

He knew he was by no means a master of anything yet, but he felt that all his practicing over the years had given birth to myriads of pieces that were now being gathered and molded into a new whole. To summarize, Kite felt like he could become more of himself.

"I wonder if this is the path everyone has always talked about?" he quietly mused, looking forward to see what awaited him along the road. His path. His future.