The Arcane Trickster

CHAPTER 3 - Dedication and Curiosity

Reynald was running around in joy with a sword he gained from Derwyn, his uncle who was the leader of an escort group that worked with local merchant's caravans, he always would pass a few days in Reynald's dad’s house when he was in town, Derwyn sometimes taught him how to use a sword, Reynalds love and determination for Knights came from his uncle who has awakened the Shield Bearer class in his second awakening.

The party was joyful, Reynald's family treated Asahel and Lucia as family members, so nobody was out of place. Reynald mother’s and Lucia were talking at the table, Lucia looked a lot healthier and more energetic after the good news.

Reynald and Asahel were talking with Derwyn, the two young men were enthusiastically asking the older and more experienced man questions, Reynald was having a hard time understanding how each class worked so his uncle gave a brief introduction.

“Each class manifests the gift of the goddess in different manners.”  Derwyn was talking in a serious manner, completely different from his usual nonchalant demeanor, but that made the young lads concentrate even more on what he was saying. “Not only in the skills that each class could develop but in the improvement in your physical and mental capacities." He paused for a moment and told Reynald to pick up an old barrel filled with Sunflower wheat, Reynald after a bit of effort lifted the barrel.

“Your Bannerman class was a focus on endurance, constitution, and strength, with minor improvement in stamina and willpower, strength and stamina are common terms so I will jump their explanation, constitution is how much damage your body can take, or by simples means, how much health you have.”

- “So that means that if you have more constitution you can live longer?” Asked Reynald still confused.

“Not necessarily, while constitution, stamina, and endurance impact your health and life force, their value isn’t that connected. Constitution is generally linked to how resilient you are, and that brings endurance that is how much bodily stress and pain you can undertake, the two are interconnected and influence each other, after all, it wouldn’t really matter if your body is one piece if you can get incapacitated with just a few blows.”

“So those statuses represent how sturdy and durable are you in a fight?” asked Asahel while taking mental notes.

“Well said, this and the Bannerman Special Skill Fighting Spirit is what makes them such a phenomenal class.”  Completed Derwyn.

“What type of is that, uncle?” Reynald asked with interest visible in his eyes.

“ Fighting Spirit is a skill that permits the Bannerman to resit to mental attacks and reduces his Willpower usage during a fight, note that only during a fight if you fall for a surprise attack that skill wouldn’t have a use.”

-” That doesn’t sound like a useful skill.” Reynald said without a trace of the previous interest.

“What makes this skill so useful is that it covers one of the weakness not only of the Bannerman class but of the Dominion Pathway.”

“Dominion Pathway?” Asahel and Reynald asked in confusion.

“Dominion Pathway is the name of the Pathway most of the “warriors” are in, classes are separated in Pathways, the only other Pathway name that I know would be the Verderium pathway that your scout class belongs.”

Derwyn looked at Asahel with interest, Reynald’s dad always told stories about the educated boy, and now, he could tell about the boy’s analytical and levelheaded traits, qualities that were indispensable for the thief and scout classes.

“While I’m not really knowledgeable about your classes, the thief and scout class should have similar improvements that focus on agility, dexterity, and perception, with a minor focus on willpower, wisdom, and stamina, they generally don’t have special skills but give a wide range of normals one that would prove to be useful”. 

Asahel listened to the descriptions of his classes with serious attention, after all planning was one of his strong suits, he held the urge to question what types of skills he could develop and let Derwyn finish his analyses.

“While is true that your two classes don’t have strong battle capabilities, they complement each other strong points, if you can develop them to a high level you would make an excellent scout, and good scouts are always in dire need, just make sure to work hard, because dual classes are a double-edged sword, while they seriously benefit the awakened their development is way harder.”

Asahel clenched his fist, he didn’t really know what he would do in the army, but now that he knew the basics of his gifts, he could start to really think about his enrollment in the army.

Taking a deep breath he thanked the older man and enjoyed the rest of the night with his mother. The party lasted quite a bit, but due to Lucia's health they were the first to go, they thanked everyone and headed home, while heading out Derwyn approached him.

“The scouts are part of the army intelligence department, and their entrance examination is a test with a duration of three months, if you join them you will have a rich experience that would seriously develop your two classes.”   He took a curved dagger and gave it to Asahel. “This dagger blade is made with a tusk of a beast found on the northern parts of the kingdom, this is a gift to you.”.

“Thank you, Derwyn.” Asahel bowed as he received the gift.

“It's just a dagger, and by the way, I came here because my companion was a daughter who is also joining the army, she is called Alys, I will ask her to take care of you in case you two met.” Derwyn generosity made Asahel emotional, he bowed and thanked him again before heading home.

Asahel and his mother arrived home, his mother was tired, but she knew he wanted to talk, since talking to Derwyn he looked more resolute.

She sited in the living room and looked at him, Asahel held the dagger in his hand, before talking to Derwyn he only thought about his responsibilities, but now he was curious about his gifts and their development, but his mother could barely work and they didn’t have any savings, three months is too long of a time period for her to be alone.

“So? Are you having second doubts about entering the army?” Lucia asked with a smile

“You know, the intelligence department entrance exam duration is three months, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to leave you alone for so long.”

“So are you giving up? Or maybe are you thinking about joining other branches? Your classes aren’t that suited for combat, I don’t think you would fit so well in the main army.” Lucia said with a humorous tone.

“But, how would you do in those three months? If you work for that long maybe your—”

“You shouldn’t worry so much about me, you know, I’m maybe ill but I can still work.” Lucia interrupted him. “I’m not that old to be so useless you know, fufufu.” his mother continued while laughing.

“But —” Before he could muster any longer his mother interjected again.

“You really should stop worrying so much, it’s not healthy for a kid to be so serious.”

“But Mom, I’m not a kid  —.” Asahel was interrupted again.

“Nor am I.” Lucia said with a resolute tone. “Besides, you didn’t say that you would buy me a house after joining the army? Ah, poor me thinking that I could finally have a house with a little garden.”

Asahel clenched his fist and gave up on convincing his mother that his absence for so long could be bad for her.