Chapter 42- The Offer
She sighs, "I don't like repeating myself but it's not a problem, we can work on that later. Listen, I have plans. Big plans. As soon as I graduate, I don't intend to spend my life withering away married to some noble while my talents get squandered. Join me, become my subordinate and you will receive the best resources becoming stronger than you can imagine."
Hearing her say it sounded like a good deal and if I didn't get Adriana's warning beforehand, I would have taken the deal. But my instincts were telling me not to take this deal. I had no idea what she was planning but it didn't sound too good. I was already in enough trouble with a royal family, I didn't need one on another continent as well.
"Sorry but I have my own problems to deal with, so I'll have to decline. Appreciate the offer though." I decline.
"Oh, I see. So, it's true that you are indeed the Mournwalkers pet." As she says this, her face grows smug and arrogant, looking down on me.
"You can say whatever you want, but I know you're just mad I turned you down. If that's all, I'll excuse myself." I dismiss waving my hand at her.
"Say whatever I want huh. How about the name Eric Ferngrow?" I pause slightly from getting up when hearing my name being called. I realize a bit too late that I just gave her leverage by showing the name has an effect on me.
"Meh, I go by Eric Budsprout now."
"Still acting tough, are you? Just make this easier on both of us and work under me. You'll only answer to me and basically have free reign to do whatever you want. Otherwise Ill have to take this information to some concerning parties.
"Acting tough? That's where you're wrong. Points to you for doing some research but my answer remains the same. I have but one rule that I abide by in this life and that's to not get taken advantage of. Sure, you'll pass on the information to whoever wants to know but let me tell you this. They can send whoever they want after me, but I can promise that I won't go down without a fight."
Having said that, I turn and head to the empty training grounds and work on leveling up my sage spells on the dummies there. I desperately wanted to use my new shadow spells and skills but from what I learned in the Assassin's class, it's not normal and everyone here seems to be wary of it. Knowing that the bell was about to ring for the next class, I took my last few moments here to stand in the shade allowing my mana to recharge for the Damage class.
At the chime of the bell, I head to the next class so I can get there earlier to talk to Adriana about what just happened. Of course, when I get to the classroom, she's sitting in the far back with her head on the desk. Prioritizing this conversation over how the teacher views me, I sit next to Adriana.
"The Princess has offered me a deal." She mumbles something unintelligible while her head is still on the desk.
I wait for her to elaborate on what she's said, and her head raises slightly. "Let me guess, she knows your identity and threatened to reveal it for something?"
"Yes, she wants me to work under her." I reveal.
"Hmm." Is all Adriana says and her head goes back on the desk.
"How does she know who I am." I further question.
"Well, she's a Princess you know, royalty do have their own network of spies that feed them information. You shouldn't worry about if she gives the information to anyone associated with your country as they couldn't really do much against while you're here."
Finished with our conversation, I look over and see that it's too late for me to switch tables, so I remain where I am. Soon, a man enters wearing a green suit with blonde hair in his mid 20s. When he talks, its smooth and each word is spoken slowly.
"My name is Augustine the Smiling who will be teaching you how to efficiently deal damage. Now many of you think, why do we need a class on damage, just swing your sword or cast some large AOE spell and you're good. With that attitude, you can expect to die a gruesome death with your team to follow in some dungeon.
As the damage, you are the shot caller, as you are the first to notice any changes in whatever you're fighting. There are many factors in play when you're a damage dealer.
Such as your team composition, your damage output in league with your team, proper positioning, optimal combinations between your teammate's abilities and your own, and finally the most important is understanding the team's expectation of you. If faith in the damage dealer is low, you'll receive less help, therefore the likelihood of suffering a battle loss is increased exponentially.
So today class, we well go around the class with a challenge to see who deals the most damage. I have a minimum output of what is to be met and you will be graded on how close you meet that bar. Bonus points to the first person to try."
Of course, I don't hesitate as my hand goes up first but it's not the only one. I failed to realize that just about half the first class is also here and raised their hands. I decide to actually wait on this one, scope out the competition and listen in on how well they do.
"Mr. Avos heard about you. Why don't you show us what you got?"
Avos stands up and just like the support class, runes are in a circle next to the podium where he stands. The teacher claps his hands and Avos' eyes goes blank. Unlike the support class however, a STONE in the front of the class shows a projection of Avos standing, brushing off the dust from his uniform.
We can see that he's in an area outside the dungeon like a graveyard with tombstones across the landscape. In the distance, a hooded skeleton raises its staff and bangs it on the ground, sending a green shockwave out and skeletons begin to rise around him.
As about 40 skeletons surround him, he summons his spear, twirling it as we see his mouth move indicating that he's chanting. Easily dispatching the first few skeletons that approach him, he finishes chanting and flames spread across his arms and legs in the spell he used in our fight.
Now powered up, he easily destroys any skeletons he encounters, laughing while he twirls his spear as he leaves flames in his wake. Now finished with the skeletons, he turns his attention to the skeleton who raised the others. Leveling his spear at the skeleton, he charges at him, saying something we couldn't hear.
The Skeleton holds up a green orb, which pulses as Avos gets near and forms a shield around himself. Avo's spear collides with the shield, stopping him completely before he gets launched back uncontrollably. The skeleton looks like he's laughing as his staff slams into the ground sending another green shockwave out and more skeletons arise.
Avos raises his spear, aiming it at the oncoming skeletons and begins chanting once more as fire spreads on it. Now finished with his chant, he slowly brings the spear back then tosses it forward, and it flies through all skeletons.
Any skeleton that touches the spear burst into an explosion that chains into the other skeletons. With no opposition, the spear flies toward the summoning skeleton who once again raises his orb, shielding itself.
Avos holds out his hand and his spear smoothly sails right back into his open palm. A wave of green sprawls across the ground as skeletons arise in another wave. As I observe Avos effortlessly cut through the skeletons and more rise, I begin to understand the premise of this challenge and how the grade will be determined. I required a bit more intel before I was willing to give it a try though.
After 15 minutes, Avos falls to his knees exhausted, and moments before the skeletons touch him, he disappears from the screen. We hear him huffing as he walks away from the runes. "Well done Mr. Avos, you killed a total of 360 skeletons but didn't touch the necromancer. Therefore, you get a B-. Who's next?"
Mariath approaches the runes next with a confident smile on her face. She goes through the same process of transferring through the spell and the STONE shows her arrogantly walking towards the Necromancer. She begins to spin in place before she stops, facing the enemy then hand signing as he slams his staff to the ground, summoning the skeletons.
She finishes her hand signing then, a cloud forms over the battlefield as she struts over to a nearby tombstone and sits down. As the skeletons begin to charge her, it begins to lightly snow then build up over a couple of seconds. Harsh winds of snow break apart the skeletons and the Necromancer holds up his orb to form a shield around himself.
He sends out a green wave of energy on the ground and skeletons begin to rise. As soon as they rise, they get torn apart by the blizzard she summoned. Ice begins to form around the Necromancers shield and after 3 more waves of skeletons, it finally cracks.
As he continues to summon more skeletons, frost creeps across his robes until he holds up the orb clearing himself of the frost and forming another shield. After 30 minutes of this loop, the clouds dissipate, and Mariath stands in a pose, sticking her tongue out at the approaching skeletons and right before they reach her, she disappears.
Walking away from the runes, the teacher calls out, "You killed a total of 720 skeletons and did some damage on the Necromancer so you get an A. Hearing his evaluation based on her performance, a plan comes together on how I should deal with this challenge. As I'm about to approach the runes, Lawson rushes past me to stand on the circle and I back down, interested to see how he handles the challenge.
On the STONE projection, as soon as Lawson stands, his claws grow bigger, and he waits for the Necromancer to appear. When he finally shows, Lawson charges and the Necromancer holds up his orb to form a shield around himself. Lawson collides with the shield and flies back, but he recovers instantly, landing on his feet as skeletons rise around him.
Ignoring the skeletons, he drops on all fours as he roars with the fur on his back rising as it cackles with electricity. Two lightning bolts rain down, shattering the Necromancer's shield dropping him to the ground. But as he goes to capitalize, the first skeleton reaches him, and he effortlessly cuts through him. The rest also reach him, and the Necromancer rises to its feet and raises the orb to form another shield.
Finished dealing with the skeletons, he drops on all fours once again, casting the same spell which breaks the shield of the Necromancer as more skeletons arise. Charging past any skeletons, he pounces on the Necromancer who momentarily flails under Lawson's claws. Blue lightning sparks off of his claws as the Necromancer evaporates ending the challenge.
Lawson strides pridefully back to his table, not without giving me a look full of arrogance, as the teacher shouts, "Excellent work, A+."
Mariath rises to her feet in anguish, "How did he score higher than me if I lasted longer than him and killed more skeletons?"
Mr. Augustine shrugs his shoulders, "If you don't understand by now why that is, I'll explain it after everyone's done. That being said, who's next?"
This time, fully confident of what to do, I approach the runes uncontested. At first, my plan was to kill all the skeletons longer than Mariath, then work on the Necromancer. I quickly cast that plan aside as I wouldn't be able to kill them as fast as she did and the only spells I had that probably would be the Shadow spells. From hearing how he graded the others, I already know how to get the top score.
Stepping on the rune I blink and find myself in the graveyard I've seen the others fight. Not wasting any time, I cast Blessing of the Fox and Invisibility as I rush to where the Necromancer has appeared each time for everyone else.
He rises as I creep behind him, and he looks around for his opponent and he rises his staff to slam it on the ground. Taking that opportunity, I come out of Invisibility slashing at his head. My dagger connects and his skeletal head plops down next to me, ending the challenge.
As I come back from the teacher's spell, I hear him shout, "Well you figured it out Mr. Eric. you get an S."