Amberhorn

Hola, it's been some time since I last posted. Sorry about that! Life has been hectic as always, planning another move, Truck kun was broken into and a LOT of stuff was stolen, and I started going to the gym five days out of the weak. I'm sitting on a lot of narrative art as well that I'd really like to have finished for the story.

I'll endeavor as always to keep up with posting regularly as I can. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy!

Lorn looked over the celebrating children, the results of her labors come to fruition. For three full moons, she toiled to capture the wyvern used today to test the extent of their strength. Another four on top of that to ensure the beast had no chance of truly pressing escape against its confines should the children not be up to the task. 

You three continue to exceed expectations.

Lorn smirked, her brows furrowing as if to say 'You had nothing to worry about.'

"So, are we clear to continue as planned, your most endearing lordship?"

To Lorn who was basking in the afterglow of a successful assessment, Callum's voice was like a hammer shattering glass.

Could you not at least let me ponder before asking? 

Lorn’s smile faded as she took what remained of her cigarette from her lips, snuffing it against the wooden railing before flicking it into the area.

We’re clear to continue… But not with him at the helm. Part of this assessment was for class selection, and it's clear he can’t be the one to train the girl further. 

"As planned, all of you are to collect your children and take them immediately to my office as soon as they're freshly clothed. The assessment will be completed, and each child will have their class locked in. All the paperwork will be completed, they'll be given their identification tags, blase blah."

Lorn waved her hand as she rambled, still looking to the arena as she turned to her side and dismissed those present.

"Callum, you take Kiyomi. You're the closest thing to a parent present right now, and I'd rather you kept a close eye on her."

Lorn looked to Callum, the human stopping in his tracks as she called him out. Callum looked past Lorn to the arena, then back to the rather tired elf.

"I take it, there's a specific reason you're emphasizing this given I was going to escort her regardless?"

Callum seemed confused for a moment, leaning against the door frame just as most of the party had left. Only Avery was still present and seemed to remain unmoving even then. Callum shifted his glance to the Arachne, then back to Lorn. Pointing to Avery as if to question 'She's still here?'. Lorn nodded in response.

"She's here for more than one reason, one of which is regarding Kiyomi. It's pertinent she knows so she can formulate her opinion."

Lorn waved off Callum's concern, opting to ignore it entirely.

"Her nightmares, her screaming in the middle of the night, the random freezes and inconsistent personality."

Lorn leaned back against the railing, pulling one of her tablets from her pocket before crushing it in her teeth.

"Your involvement in her life will likely impact her more than you think, Callum. Consider that when you attempt to keep her at arm's length as her teacher."

Lorn parsed her words carefully, hesitant pauses dotting her speech. Callum tilted his head, rubbing his neck before looking back to Lorn.

"What're you saying exactly, Lorn?"

Callum was obviously uncomfortable with the subject, though it was difficult for Lorn to truly ascertain why. Lorn brought her weight forward, the thump of boots against wood filled the air.

"You're not going to be her teacher forever. Being an Adventurer? It’ll be nice for her to only come home to a full family instead of an array of instructors"

Lorn placed a hand on Callum's shoulder, stopping in the doorway and locking eyes with him. 

"Leave that to the next in line, take your chance at 'playing dad' while you have it."

Lorn paused, looking down the hall to ensure no one other than themselves was present.

"It did Hatsumi good, it'll do the same for you. All that drinking and whore chasing didn't just start overnight…"

Lorn patted Callum's shoulder before leaving.

"This is your second try and you're doing a good enough job, enjoy it."

Lorn said, looking Callum before turning away. Avery followed soon after, glancing at Callum for just a moment before hurriedly turning her eyes away from the scene. Callum’s face was a mix of confusion and disbelief, a sudden wave of cold coming over him from the interaction.

“Lorn, did you need to bring that up?”

Avery asked in a voice of concern, the intermittent tap of her palps against wood echoing against the awkward silence.

“It needed to be said at some point. Having Hatsumi come out with it wouldn't do them any good."

Lorn looked over her shoulder to Avery as she spoke, wood creaking as the halls ahead shifted and contorted to provide a singular route.

"Besides, he'll be wanting for time with Kiyomi since you should be taking his place."

Avery clenched her jowls at Lorns words. Part of the assessment was to determine their classes. Singling out Avery simply drove the fact home. The Arachne was pondering through half of the morning as to why Lorn specifically requested her presence following the assessment's completion. After witnessing the same fight as Lorn and the conversation with Callum that followed, it was clear.

"You're suggesting we take the reins with her training?

Lorn nodded.

"Aye, with her capabilities, we're her best matches."

Lorn clenched her own fist as they walked, the halls end now within sight.

"She can't use magic. So considering her disposition to physical strength, I'd wager she'll go farther with our training than otherwise. Having you present will serve to make Kiyomi relax to some degree compared to my lone presence."

Some time passed as the two conversed. Passing through the streets, along the plaza, and straight back to the guild. Lorn was greeted by her attendants as the two made their way upstairs.

"Would she be proud?"

Vaughn asked aloud, slowly dressing against the protest of his sore muscles.

"What? Of your incessant need to get yourself killed?" 

Gregor exclaimed, raising a brow at his son as he sat with his arms crossed. Gregor and Vaughn stared at each other for those few moments before Greggor smiled and nodded.

"Aye boy, your Mother would be proud. If she were only here to see it."

The normally stern face gave way to tenderness, letting through one of Greggors rare soft moments. He was truly proud of his son, satisfied that the boy's hard work did not leave him wanting for results.

"You know, it does pain me to think I can't pass on my knowledge."

Greggor muttered those words beneath his breath, expecting his excited son to merely let them pass through his ear. 

"Pa, you think I'm not going to hover over your shoulder at the drafting board?"

Vaughn was playful in tone, but Greggor knew his son was plain in meaning with him.

And how exactly can you balance that kind of life?

Greggor thought in response, silent to the world as the wood of the house creaked under the feet of a growing warrior.

Over the span of half an hour, Vaughn had made himself presentable. Only one key feature was new to the boy's usual presentation, his short sword hung from his belt and a cheap shield from his lower back. Vaughn was already following some of the common trends for adventurers within the city. Carrying your arm regardless of where you were or what you did. The girl, Kiyomi, had been doing so for some time. Beryl and Vaughn both had refrained from such a practice until now.

"You know, not long ago you were swinging a stick around instead. Running about with Beryl and the other hellions."

Greggor slowly stood, grumbling as his joints creaked.

"Were it that things did not turn out the way they did."

Greggor looked on as he took a moment to assess his son. Vaughn was growing, only a few years from matching the old man's stature. He shook his head for a moment, brushing away the nostalgia.

"Shall we grab a bite on our way back to the guild?" 

He asked, grabbing his coat from the chair behind him.

"Yessir!"

"After you, boy."

Greggor held a hand pool upward, directing Vaughn to ascend the stairway to the Guild masters office. Wood groaned as wind could be heard flowing against the building's exterior. Many things ran through Vauhhn's head as he walked up the stairs. The creak of his father's footsteps behind him, his future as an adventurer with Kiyomi and Beryl, and as an engineer.

Not many more steps until I can't take this back…

Vaughn stopped at the top of the stairs, the pressure from the day's events coming to a head within his mind.

I wanted to build… I want to build, like him.

Vaughn turned, looking down at his father who for better or worse was winding himself as he continued up. The feeling of Vaughn's chest tightening up rocked him.

But if that was all I could do…

The thought of someone long gone passed through Vaughn's mind, a strange sense of exhaustion following. His mother's face, a name rarely mentioned further in the home. Of Vaughn's friends, of Beryl's, of each person he'd grown up with.

Kiyomi showed us this option. We want to keep her safe just the same as she does us. I'm sure Beryl thinks the same…

Slowly, Gregor climbed the stairs to the point he stood alongside Vaughn. 

"Go on, you don't need my encouragement for this. You're sure of it, and that's enough. Up."

With a wave of one hand and the pat of another on Vaughn's shoulder, the two continued until they stood atop the stairs. 

We beat a wyvern… a crippled and trapped wyvern. But we defeated a wyvern. What expectations could they have for us?

They continued, the imposing doors to Lorns office standing tall in front of them.

Knock knock

Gregor rapped his knuckles against the wood, signaling their slow opening. Maria was the one to greet them, pulling the doors inward and prompting the two to enter.

"Welcome, we have been waiting for you."

The room's lighting was defined by the heavy crackling of wood and flames within the fireplace. The sun was now shrouded by the heavy layer of clouds in the backdrop of winter. Accompanying that same vast room with its display of trophies and weapons, with its wall of books and its giant wall of glass, was the elderly elf who called it home. She leaned back in her chair, an expression of boredom evident as she idly tapped at the desk surface with her fingers whilst she posted her cheek on her others. It wasn't until Vaughn and Gregor passed the fireplace that she stared past an individual unfamiliar to Vaughn save for a handful of instances. He was seen at the pass as the Revenants came down upon them. He looked as if he were Callum's older brother, sharp in his features and built like a bear in comparison to the athletic figure that Vaughn's mast sported. The elder man turned his head to look upon Vaughn. His eyes assessed every inch of Callum, slowly from head to toe.

"Your boy is a far cry of your own image, Gregor. Already I can see his frame."

He spoke with a smirk. Standing up, the man dwarfed Vaughn even more so than Callum, an open-fronted gambison adorning his frame creating the imposing image of a Knight that remained at the ready. A sturdy mace hung from his belt, while a shield almost the width of Vaughn's arms leaned against Lorns desk.

His expression hardened as he looked at Vaughn. His jowls clenched with each breath.

"My name is Stannis. Formerly a paladin of Orion. I am the frontline for the Revenants as you may know, and Kiyomi's uncle."

Stannis stood aside, crossing his arms as he leaned against Lorn's desk. 

"Have a seat."

Stannis nodded to the chair.

"This will take a while. You've no doubt looked at your choices for your class. Now that you've proven you can survive, it's time you take it a step further."

Vaughn was quiet as if he expected something further before hesitantly answering within his mind.

Status…

Adventurer, unattributed, selection available!

Preview

Knight: Specialized in defending and supporting allies whilst using directed attacks with a combination of support and buff-related skills.

Associated skills granted upon selection: 

Bulwark: A wall of mana summoned in place of one's shield in a fixed position. Living creatures can not pass through, but projectiles and other mana formations can. Can be summoned once a day per every four levels.

Aggro(modified): (aggro skill already present, further modification granted.) When triggered one can force the aggression of one enemy combatant on the user. Modification: Can be triggered to draw out enemies who have not yet attacked.

Lionheart: User can ignore their own fear in the most dire of moments, avoiding hesitation.

Phalanx: The user can boost the natural defense and reflexes of those to their side, or by extension, grant a weak mana shielding to those aligned with them in a party.

Parallel healing Lvl 1: (Level raises once per personal 50 levels) When fighting in formation, one can heal minor superficial wounds automatically at a cost to their mana pool.

It was clear to everyone in the room Vaughn was already looking ahead of their suggestion, his eyes focusing on an unseen object.

"Your logical option is Knight given your rather creative use of supporting strikes, diversion, and defense. That is why I am here, and not my brother."

Vaughn nodded, idly listening as he scanned each option with intent. 

I can't choose without reading in the least. As Pa says, 'make no decision with a lack of pondering'. 

Vaughn was cautious, even when his mind was made up.

 If I can't take the time to understand this decision, could I call myself an engineer?

Vaughn thought, his silence earning a light chuckle from his father who now sat at his side in another chair.

"Now we shall see the culmination of my teaching and that 'adventuring intuition'. The boy will think on it, even if guided through."

Vaughn's voice echoed in his mind.

Knight. How far could I go as a Knight?

He sighed internally.

It seems a good choice… and it more than grows my strength. A knight building castles sounds pretty damn cool too...

Vaughn dismissed the screen for a moment, looking up to his would-be instructor.

"Were I to pick Knight?"

"You'd be specialized for a role you no doubt excel in. Your skill set would be skewed toward defense at first, but as time goes on you will find yourself with more and more supporting skills."

Stannis stared, analyzing Vaughn for any little sway in his decision. It was only a few moments before Vaughn raised his head and leaned to the side of his chair. 

“How could I use some of the skills as an adventurer? Some of them seem like I’d be better suited to being a guard.”

Stannis raised a brow and thought carefully of how he’d used his own skills. One of which came to mind. An event where Hatsumi was put in shock amidst combat. 

“If you can reach level forty, Lionheart, by example, can be used to embolden or snap allies free from fear. Or, even break someone from a moment of emotional paralysis.”

Stannis rubbed his chin. 

“Like a particular demon, you may need to protect. Likewise-”

Stannis held a hand to the side, motioning to the head of a serpentine monster mounted to the wall. 

“Phalanx, when used as a party, can find itself strengthened by magic users… though it can only really stop mana-born attacks from impacting.”

Stannis’s arms found themselves crossed once more upon concluding his explanation. The silence continued for some time, the unsustainable chorus of clearing throats and breathing proving too much to bear before Lorn and Gregor moved to discuss construction progress to kill the time. It was only just as the two began entering a heated debate over a secondary wall structure using some wood from the keeps stores that Vaughn spoke up. He appeared slightly pale, with a drop of blood forming at the rim of his nose. Drawing the attention of everyone in the room, including a fuming elf, Vaughn made his choice known through physical exhaustion. The system had been prompted, and it made its changes. 

“So when do we start training for being a Knight, sir?”