“Honestly girl, your hearing is as bad as Gramps if you didn’t hear him.” Grams helpfully interjected. My thoughts had frozen upon hearing Gramp's declaration of aid and Gram’s comment made me roll my eyes at her, which apparently somehow reset my brain back to normal operations again. I guess doing something I do a lot has brought my brain back to where it’s comfortable. 

“I heard you Grams, I was just surprised that’s all. I just never exp-,” Before I could finish my sentence, Grams interrupted me. “-Expected your Grandparents to help you run away from home?” 

“Nope! I did not. I didn’t think you’d understand but I didn’t want to deceive you either.”

“But you feel like you’ve got no choice right?” Gramps interrupted me this time. 

I looked down at my feet dejectedly, saddened by how selfish I was for doing this. I would be hurting the people who loved me the most in this world. 

“It’s okay sweetie, we understand. Your Gramps and I were the same at your age, give or take a few decades.” Now I’m wondering whether or not they were deliberately messing with me, each speaking one after the other. I feel like I’m at a tennis match. I tried to get my silly fairy brain to focus on what Grams just said. 

“What do you mean? Like you were adventurers too?” I asked, then immediately realised that I was being dumb again. I had literally just inspected the proof of that with their armour. I shook my head, fighting the urge to facepalm. “Never mind. Dumb question. Do you know where this urge comes from?”

“From your class dear, especially one like yours.” Grams answered. Finally not ping ponging between them with their responses. 

“Well.. at least we believe so.” Gramps added hesitantly. 

“Well that certainly clears that up.” I replied, sarcastically. I was immediately worried I might’ve been too rude. They were offering to help after all, but glancing at my grandparents told me everything was fine since they were both smiling still. 

Grams pulled me into another hug as she patted my back. “Aw don’t pout sweet girl. We will tell you what we know, although unfortunately it isn’t much.” 

I frowned, which definitely wasn’t a pout at my grandparents in confusion. Are they deliberately dragging out the answers for suspense or was it something more diabolical like increasing their word count? I shook my head slightly at my silly thoughts and focused on Grams who was continuing her explanation. 

“As you know, we obtain our class when we reach the age of 50. What you probably don’t know is that your class reflects what sort of person you are. So, just as your character seems to influence your class, your class also influences you.”

Gramps took up the explanation. “For example, people, especially Fairies, who gain a class like [Mischief Maker] or it’s upgraded form [Prankster] tend to be the sort who play tricks on others but rarely confront their marks directly. People Healer type classes are usually the kinds of people who prefer helping others, usually by using spells to heal or protect. A class like yours is a combat class. It is primarily used to fight enemies.”

“How do you know about my class? What do you know about it?” I asked Gramps excitedly. 

“We know about it because one of our companions we travelled with had the same class, you are the second person we have ever met with it and the only Fairy to have it. The things that he could do with it were and still are terrifying. If you gain even half of his ability with it then you will be a tremendous asset to your adventuring friends.” I saw a pained look pass between my grandparents when their companion was mentioned, normally I’d pry until I’d annoyed everyone but this was my class we were discussing, so I decided to put it aside for now.

I bounced up and down and couldn’t help but grin happily. My class sounded awesome! Before I could ask what sort of awesome stuff I’d be able to do, Gramps placed a hand gently on my lips. 

“Mmf mmhmm” 

“Before you ask what you’ll be able to do, in our opinion it’s better for you to experience and learn it yourself.”

“Aw!” I couldn’t help but complain, even if this was great information and more than anyone else had ever explained to me. 

“Everything you do when using your class can increase your power level, although as a combat class barely anything helps with that except actual combat. Learning how to best use your abilities will increase it, not just defeating enemies. For instance, getting better at aiming a ranged ability will be reflected in your power level.” 

My mouth made an ‘o’ shape as I thought about that information. I was still bummed they weren’t going to tell me anymore about my class, but what they had already told me made me even more excited to see what I could do with it and I was already pretty damn excited. 

“Now,” Grams said, interrupting whatever it was Gramps was about to say just as he had opened his mouth, “unfortunately we don’t have a lot of time left, we trust that you’ll figure it all out somehow. That’s what going on an adventure is all about after all, right?” 

I was confused again. 

“Come along dear, it’s time to put on your armour.” Grams said as she dragged me away from their nest room and into another room off of the side of The Hollow. Gramps didn’t follow us. 

“I’ll just go grab the supplies dearest.” He shouted before I heard his wings buzz then recede into the distance. It was fairly dark in this room. Not enough light seemed to be entering it somehow, it seemed a little unnatural. I heard Grams mutter something and the room was suddenly lit up, there was none of that unnatural darkness and a soft light permeated the whole room. Eliminating all the shadows. Weird. Was this a skill from her class or something else entirely? 

Just as I finished looking around the room, I noticed a set of armour all on its lonesome sitting on a mannequin, it was in a similar design to my current clothes, including the colour but looked way cooler. It had the strapless top and skirt made from the Ksora leaves but had a whole lot more extra layers and I could see little fairy script written over it glowing a soft white-green. It had a single medium sized pauldron which seemed to be designed to be used as a small shield, the other shoulder was bare except for an arm band that had spots to place small vials, possibly weapons like darts or daggers too maybe? The skirt was slightly longer than my own but not by a lot and certainly a lot thicker, with flat slats of wood, dyed in purple layered over the top of the Ksora leaves for extra defence. It came with a small pouch that hung off of the bare shoulder and down to the opposite hip. There was another band but this time on the thigh which could hold a few more small items and then finally a pair of boots made from Fairy cloth, the same material that our underwear is made of. The boots didn’t have any padding on the bottom but had plenty of purple wood that reached up slightly past my knee for the protection, the boots also had Fairy script written up and down it. Some sort of enchantment or enchantments I guess. 

“I wish I had the time to teach you how to cast fairy spells properly,” she grumbled. 

I had been confused by the behaviour of my grandparents then stunned by the armour and forgot to ask what the hurry was, but Grams comment reminded me. 

“Why don’t you have time? What’s the big rush? If you knew I would want to do this, why wait so long?” I asked in a rapid fire sort of way. That last question just kind of popped into my mind suddenly but I thought it was a good question so I tacked it on at the end. 

Grams sighed wearily before stepping up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “To answer your questions in order; you will have to leave within the next hour or so and that isn’t enough time to properly teach you as I said. You’ll just have to experiment, but don’t attempt any spells that affect your body on yourself before you try on rocks or something. Although I recommend sticks, something living. We are in a ‘big rush’ as you say because the way you’re leaving will be unavailable soon and it’s the best opportunity you have to get away without anyone else finding out straight away.” Grams took in a breath then let it out slowly. “And lastly, we didn’t teach you because your Mother was dead set against it. She was worried you’d get ideas and run off before you got your class or something, as she is your Mother, we had to respect her wishes. No one could’ve known you’d get an epic rarity class. Now, go grab that armour and put it on using your interface.”

That whole explanation just left me with further questions but I was eager to try out my armour and had started moving towards it before I froze and looked at Grams, who had a smile on her face. 

“How do you know, that I know, how to do that?” I asked haltingly. Making sure that the question made sense as I said it. 

Grams smile just grew wider. “Rose saw you do it when you were getting changed this morning, she left before her shift to let us know. It’s how we knew for certain you’d be coming to see us.”

My eyes widened in surprise. Rose knew about all of this? She’s sneakier than I gave her credit, I was so proud! I basked in the feeling that Rose knew and supported me, even if it was support in a stealthily way as I walked up to the sexy armour. 

Fairy Armour of the Mentalist (set) x1 (Purple)

Grade: Rare 

Owner: None

Set bonus: 

Bonus 1:10% increase in telekinetic damage. 

Bonus 2:10% increase in psychic damage. 

Bonus 3: 10% increase in intelligence. 

Crafted by Titania and Oberon, known by some as the Queen and King of the Fairies respectively, for their Granddaughter Azalea. Known by some as a pest, but loved anyway. 

“Oh wow thanks Grams! I love it!”

“You’re welcome dear.” I could hear the smile in her voice as she replied. 

I was absolutely amazed at the armour that Grams and Gramps had made for me. Not only was it beautiful and looked really cool, but it also gave me really good buffs. For starter equipment it was kind of crazy good, not that I was complaining. I couldn’t help but giggle at the description. I hadn’t seen a description quite like it before and wondered if it had anything to do with the people who made it? I quickly opened up my interface screen and mentally moved my normal clothes into my inventory then just as quickly equipped my new armour. 

Equipping this armour will set you as the owner, do you wish to continue?

Yes No

I clicked yes for every piece of the set, which seemed to only be the pauldron, top, skirt and boots. Everything else seemed to be interchangeable without affecting the set bonus. Good to know. I heard Grams gasp behind and turned around to look at her and to also give her a chance to check out my new look. 

“You have an inventory tab?” Grams asked, a little shakily. Come to think of it. She did look a little pale now too. I looked at her with a puzzled expression on my face. Although not sure where else I’d have an expression. Focus Azalea. 

“Yeah? Doesn’t everybody?” I asked, although I immediately remembered how Thornwood had thought that the undead bear hadn’t dropped any loot after I transferred everything into my inventory. 

“No dear, it’s rare for someone to get that ability.” Grams explained. Clearly still a little shaken. “Well that just makes travelling for you a whole lot easier then!” She said with a smile that looked a little strained, although that could’ve just been the odd light in the room I suppose. “Why don’t you go ahead and check your character sheet now.”