Red hot flames rippled along my spine, and it took time, along with several deep breaths, to regain control over my emotions. The blacksmith tried to teach me several skills, but none of them worked. My current profession as a musician hadn’t grown since I’d lost half of my lower left fingers.

  Playing the strings of the whisperer required four hands. Two to shorten the strings, and two more to pluck. I’d lost my instrument during the invasion, and without it, along my lost fingers, my profession remained stunted.

  I needed a new profession to replace it with, yet, everything I tried involving my sword didn’t work. The academy had to have a profession that’d slot in with my current growth goals, something that would help me on this strange new Path that had called me.

  As I stalked out of the blacksmith clearing, I paused as four young ones darted between the trees to take my place. All the small tots cleared a room when I entered, giving me the full attention of the teacher or elder.

  I didn’t know why.

  “Why didn’t you join your teammates in collecting tokens?” asked Professor Verti with a smile, appearing from nowhere.

  Ignoring the question, I asked, “Why do the children leave any of the clearings when I enter?”

  “They give priority to those who are older, since they know the adults are here taking a break or learning something specific before going back to the war effort.” He motioned for me to follow him as he took slow, small steps along the corridor.

  “But I am not one of the water tribe’s warriors…” I remained rooted in my spot, wanting to finish the conversation before moving ahead.

  The explanation didn’t work in my case.

  “It doesn’t matter.” The Professor paused and shook his head slowly, with that same smile. “They have plenty of time to learn, staying safe here from the invaders. It is respect for your time, which is limited, that they show.”

  I glanced away down the curved path, trying to figure out what was next. I needed something else to try.

  “The music area is empty at this time of day.” The soft words hit with an impact.

  My hand with missing fingers clenched tightly. For a second the sensation lingered of my complete hand.

  “We could find you a whisperer to try…” These words sliced deep into my soul.

  My eyes snapped shut as images rolled past. All of that horrible day when we’d lost the twins, my sisters. Wooden frame snapped, strings cut, and blood everywhere. With a grunt, I pushed them away.

  “I can’t play it now,” my voice cracked.

  “Can’t, or won’t?” He didn’t wait for an answer and headed inside the closest room to watch the children. The lesson had already started, with the blacksmith talking about heat and metal.

  I turned away from the playful voices of the children. The twins would have loved this place.

  ###

  I blinked, unsure of the utility of my rewards.

  [Rune Template, Soul Bound, Alex.]

  [2,000 credits.]

  The credits were a nice little gift added to the amount I already had, but the first reward confused me. It made little sense. I couldn’t draw runes. While I had the two currently on me, one permanent and one temporary, I didn’t understand what a Rune Template was, or how it could be useful to one who didn’t draw runes.

  But before I could ask for more information, I needed to answer the damn question.

  [You have devoured a Magma Lurker, and gained the potential skill: King’s Guard. You have ten skills already, would you like to forget one to learn King’s Guard?]

  “What’s King’s Guard?” I asked, praying for more information. To my surprise, the description came up.

  [King’s Guard: You command reinforcements from those who have pledged their support. They are forced to come to your side in battle.]

  [Current pledges: Lenna, Kabi, Strange.]

  One word stood out to me that made me frown: forced.

  I didn’t want this skill, and I tried to figure out why I’d been offered it. Then I realized I’d gained two levels—one in my class and the other in my profession. Fortitude had outpaced the rest, and that controlled my ability to control outside presences, much like willpower controlled my inner presence.

  I could, maybe, get use out of it if I merged it with something.

  [Would you like to merge King’s Guard into Whispering Trap?]

  Now, that was a skill I used little. It lured beasts toward me, making it easier to ambush them, much like Strange’s distraction skill. Though, with Whispering Trap, the target didn’t know it was being lured.

  Let’s try this. I agreed to the merge.

  [You have merged King’s Guard into Whispering Trap, creating Sovereign’s Call. You project a powerful, resonant aura. For those who are not pledged or allied, it acts as a compelling siren song, drawing them closer to your position. If your fortitude surpasses an individual's willpower, this deepens into a potential hypnosis, leaving them vulnerable. For any individual pledged to you, it acts as a command, forcing them to rush to your side in battle.]

  [Current pledges: Lenna, Kabi, Strange.]

  Now that was an epic ability.

  If you weren’t me.

  Even reading it made me feel weird, like a spider crawling along my spine. The forced part didn’t lesson at all like I’d hoped it would.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  That didn’t mean I needed to use it, and it got rid of the notification blocking me from finding out more about the Rune Template.

  [Rune Template, Soul Bound, Alex.]

  I pressed for more information about what it actually did.

  [Rune Templates are used for creating runes that help the wearer improve oneself. This template is soul-bound to Alex, the First.]

  “But how do I use it?”

  [Rune Templates are used by Rune creators.]

  I let out a sigh and tossed it into my inventory. While it’d be useful in the future, hopefully, it wasn’t useful right now.

  “Alright, Strange, let's keep moving.”

  Shockingly, the archway led back to the safe area. A wooden door rested on the other side and opened to the same attendant as before.

  [You are entering a safe area. If you instigate a fight you will be ported randomly into the tower.]

  “Welcome back, and congratulations on your growth. Both of you.” The attendant leaned forward and rested his upper arms on the counter.

  Strange paused next to me, eyes bright. “Delivery?”

  That reminded me of the fetch quests.

  “Oh yes,” I said, pulling out the Pyre Wyrms and holding them out for him.

  Strange touched them, and they vanished. He dashed off in front of me, heading to the marketplace.

  “Those are worth a fortune,” said the attendant. “Many don’t get the option of the lava tubes. Especially with everyone speed running to the boss as safely as possible.”

  “Oh, good to know. Hopefully, Strange doesn’t give it away for nothing.” I scratched the back of my head, but didn’t leave yet. “Have you seen Lenna or Dengu?”

  “No, they haven’t been back since you last were here.”

  That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but everything couldn’t work out all the time.

  “Thanks!” I waved up at him and headed into the common area.

  Noise punched at my face, and I paused, trying to get my bearings. There wasn’t an open seat as far as I could tell, with tall blue Azurafolk crowding the space.

  “Alex? Alex!” The call came from Kabi’s father, of all people. He hurried over to me with a giant smile.

  [Havi, Blade Dancer, Level 141, Predator, Unknown.]

  “I didn’t expect to see you here. Is Kabi around?” he asked, before glancing over his shoulder. Manee darted through the crowd, headed in our direction.

  “He’s at the academy, waiting for us to clear the two level 80 sections. We’re all meeting up for the next area after that.” Finding Kabi’s parents here was a little strange.

  He chuckled. “I’m glad he found the academy. That all of this is hidden is so heartwarming.”

  Manee studied me, and I felt her use a skill. She smiled broadly at the results.

  “It’s good to see you are growing. Is the little creature with you?”

  “Yes, it's the same one we rescued from the lab.” I’d bonded with Strange, and he was my little guy. I couldn’t wait to see what he became in the long run.

  She turned thoughtful, like a switch flipped.

  “I didn’t expect that from one such as you.” Her head tilted to one side. “The other, yes, but not you.”

  She wasn’t wrong, Lenna would totally have helped him.

  “I promised his mother I’d help him, and I will.” It was more than that, but I didn’t explain it.

  Havi clapped his wife on the shoulder. “Promises are important to our people. It’s good to see you respect that as well.”

  “Do you want me to send a message to Kabi?” I asked. The communication stone sat heavy in my pocket.

  “Can you?” he asked with a bright look, leaning a little closer. “We should meet up before we leave the dungeon.”

  Manee glared at him. “Let Kabi travel his own path. Just like Cekta.”

  “He is traveling his path with the Shadowstalker, who is freeing those bound.” This time, he gave her a deep look. “The path he takes is one not in command, but of protection.”

  “Kabi can figure his own stuff out,” I interpreted the conversation. “He’s studying at the academy, then we will figure out our next steps once we clear the floor boss.”

  “You are right,” muttered Manee, letting out a huff. “He will decide what path to walk.”

  “I’ll let him know that I ran into you, and we will meet at the academy after we clear the floor boss.”

  “Perfect,” said Havi. “We need to get moving then. How many tokens does your party have?”

  “Two, but Lenna and Dengu are working on one, and we’re heading to the tower next.”

  “So close,” he said with a grin. “We only have two, but given our levels we don’t expect it to take much to finish things.”

  “I’ll send that along with my message as well.” I patted the stone in my pocket.

  Havi bowed his head toward me. Then dragged Manee out of the room and toward the exit.

  Shaking my head, I walked to the marketplace. A rush of warmth and joy blazed from Strange, along with the rush of several levels.

  By the time I caught up to him, he practically leaped with pride.

  [Do you accept a delivery from Strange?]

  That was a given.

  “Go to scale person!”

  Strange gained another level and then darted off away from me.

  I laughed my ass off that he’d earned a level from delivering a message to me. That lucky little guy.

  I made my way over to the area that the quest board gave for the Scales of a Wyrm. Three Azurafolk sliced and diced the creatures I’d given Strange. One glanced up with a smile.

  “Ah, you must be the one the little guy mentioned,” he said with a smile before bowing. “This is going to help the war effort. Everything will be used for weapons and armor. It’ll be funneled toward those who can make the best equipment.”

  “That’s good…” I didn’t know how to bring up the reward. The quest board had only listed ‘to be determined’.

  “Is there anything that you need?” he asked. This time, his eyebrows drew close together. “The little guy wasn’t clear, but anyone here will gladly help equip you.”

  “Do you have any Rune Creators? I received a reward I can’t really use.”

  “Yeah, we have a new guy just learning, but he's pretty good.” One guy quickly left the group and raced away.

  Too bad Strange wasn’t around to get another quest and more experience.

  “We’ll get him for you right away.”

  To my shock, I recognized the person who walked down the aisle.

  [Cekta, Rune Apprentice, Azurafolk - Forestdweller, Level 99.]

  “Cekta!”

  “Alex?” He chuckled, grinning like a madman. “I knew it had to be you. Is Kabi here? You just missed my parents.”

  “I ran into them, but they didn’t mention you were here.”

  “Just for a little while, to earn some levels, then back to work I go.” He motioned toward the bunk rooms. “How about we move somewhere private and you can catch me up on everything that's happened?”

  With that, we found an empty bunk room.

  “So, is Kabi here?” he asked, excitedly.

  “He’s at the academy.” I gave him a quick rundown of everything that had happened so far, including the lab and what I’d seen of the dungeon so far. I pulled out the Rune Template.

  “That’s an unbelievable reward,” he said with a frown. Before holding up a hand. “You should get someone else to use it for you. Maybe Lorniee at the academy, or even my master.”

  “You can’t use it?” I asked.

  “I could, but a master could do so much more. Like, it's the difference of something that would help you in Rank Two, like the rune on your chest, or in Rank Three.”

  “Oh.” I let the reluctance show on my face.

  “Yeah, I’d save it.”

  “Makes sense.” Despite what I said, I didn’t want to save it at all, since Rank Three was so far away. More than double my current level, and my profession still lagged behind.

  “Here,” he said, tapping the bare skin on my shoulder.

  [You have been offered a favor from the school of runic artistry.]

  “What is that?”

  “Something to make it easier if you come across a Rune Master. They’ll help you with the template.” He nodded to himself, though he appeared a little uncertain. “Anyone who has studied with the masters must accept the favor in good light.”

  “Are you allowed to give this to me?”

  “Yeah, plus it's you. Almost everyone has heard whispers of the shadow that frees our people, yet isn’t one of us.” He smiled, showing off his bright white teeth. “Who would have thought that you’d be so important when we carried you and Lenna through the forest?”

  “What about her? Any Rumors?”

  “You mean, the one who glows like the stars and helps those lost find their way?” Again, he leaned closer like he was telling secrets.

  “You're kidding, right?” I couldn’t wait to tell Lenna about this.

  “Not at all.”