Chapter 18

  Apprenticeship

  “First, let’s put your new Skill Rejuvenating Healing to work, before you bleed out everywhere,” Madame Bloom pauses her explanation.

  I pause, staring at her, I just stare, knowing that most of my injuries have been healed and I just need to clean up a few recently scraped spots on my legs.

  “Oh, I got rid of the scabs, for if you heal over the scabs, you are more likely to get scar tissue. Instead, you just have fresh unpigmented skin,” Madame Bloom states and then points to the spots on my forearms that have been healed. Spots that other than the skin being slightly paler than my other pale skin looked fine.

  “Here, you heal yourself, and I will distract you by answering your questions about why you were targeted by a Necrotic Assassin, and how you can achieve dual Skill magic mastery bonuses.” Madame Bloom replies and points towards my legs. Legs that are once again already in the process of scabbing over, which will apparently leave scars if left to linger for too long.

  “Okay?” I reply, and with that, I begin activating my Rejuvenating Healing Skill. The process for this skill is different, as I can almost feel my body’s natural affinity for Life magic kicking in as the green magic that had been tingling my skin before now felt normal. Rather than tingling and causing faint quivers of impulse, I am able to feel those instances and massage them for lack of a better term. The massaging comes from me not forcing the magic to go on one spot, but sort of a Gordian knot effect where I have to unravel one end, to then work on a second section, all to arch and bridge them together with a third.

  My skin starts to grow slowly, but not in a grotesque slimy way that it had felt like before. This way feels more natural, probably related to me being the healer and able to work the way my body knows best.

  While I am working on using and learning about my new Skill, Madame Bloom begins her lecture.

  “Before I begin, I have to ask if you are aware of the art of Apprenticing?” Madame Bloom’s voice calls out, her words seeming to come out of nowhere. Which is why I shake my head and deal with what at first appears to be a nonequatorial response.

  “Isn’t that where an apparent Master takes on an apprentice to learn an obscure Class,” I reply my answer more a question than anything. I vaguely recalling some details I had learned about Masters and Apprentices in this world. Similar to stories from my past life where great sages would find one promising student and choose to train them in odd mysterious ways. Despite the response, I am still able to keep my Skill going, likely what the Madame was aiming for, as doing multiple tasks simultaneously helps improve the engaged Skills faster, as it shows a level of mastery.

  “Yes, and do you know why Apprenticing is important?” Madame Bloom asks. Hearing that, I realize where this might be going, and decide to reluctantly answer. Though I try to hide my reluctance under a guise of still casting my Skill.

  Sigh.

  “It keeps powerful classes locked within Noble Bloodlines?” I hedge, realizing that this might be a method to keep me locked into the Bloom lineage indefinitely.

  “Normally yes, as most of the time an exceptionally powerful class forms the foundation of a major family. However, that is not the main point that I want to highlight right now.” With that explanation, Madame Bloom pauses, letting those words sink in.

  Madame Bloom stated normally, implying that this time might be different. At least these are the key words that my mind picked up on and dissected while she continued her explanation.

  “The original reason for Apprenticing, is that you have a master who has a highly specialized class, requiring a person’s mind, body, and abilities to be at a certain threshold to learn. Just as Skills require certain overall Attribute thresholds, so too do the Classes that you gain. Meaning right now, if you were to get a class, the highest rating you could gain would be Epic rarity, as that is the average of all of your Attributes combined.”

  With that my mind involuntarily pulls up the Attribute rating for Skills, a system that has been pounded into my mind since I first began primary school. Just as reading and multiplication times tables were also stressed.

  The rarity rating and assigned Attribute requirements for Skills, which now apparently also applies to Classes.

  I find it a testament to how often these tables are stressed that I can recall them so easily, even while slowly healing the last of my burned skin back, and reapplying the nerves underneath.

  “While your Attributes overall are nearing the Legendary rating, you do not have enough diversity in those Attributes to truly achieve a valued Legendary Class. Especially not one that enhances magical prowess.” Madame Bloom continues.

  There it is, the carrot. The hint that even if I was to unlock a Legendary Class, it would not be one with Magical affinities as I am missing a key component. Perhaps sensing my apparent shift in demeanor and distrust at her comments, Madame Bloom pauses and then once again shifts topics.

  “Do you know what grading your class would be, if I began teaching you a Legendary level class?” Madame Bloom presses. My mind able to keep up with the change as the last of my magic is used to heal up the remainder of damage on my legs. With that done, I focus on increasing the melanin levels until they are the same maturity as the surrounding skin. Which doesn’t take much as I am pale, unfortunately.

  “Wouldn’t it be Unique by default?” I question, pausing to look at my blending technique. Once I am satisfied with the coloration of my legs, I then turn my arms inward, so I can have a better look at my paler forearms. At which point I begin the same process there.

  “Exactly, but do you know why?” Madame Bloom presses.

  “No?” I reply questioningly, pausing my healing for a process to look up at Madame Bloom. Only to find that Madame Bloom herself is now distracted by looking at my work on my legs. After a second she shakes herself and continues.

  “The answer is Simple, and not so simple. See, the Gods who made the system were intelligent, and foresaw the fact that people needed time to grow to have a body and mind strong enough to contain a powerful Skill and Class, and also be intelligent enough to know when to use said Skills and Classes. That is why these tier systems were made.”

  I have never been much for divine beings being the answer for things, it always feels like a copout, like we couldn’t find a logical scientific explanation for why something exists, and therefor call it magic of the Gods. Which in my past life would have gotten you scoffed at, but here in a world where magic clearly existed, I had a harder time refuting claims of Gods. Still, I personally didn’t believe in them, but kind of hard to refute magic when you are wielding it to not only heal yourself but to color your pale skin to a slightly less shade of pale. For a moment I wonder if I could bronze myself, but then realize that might be a bit much. Instead, I just focus on tanning my forearms a bit. Then once they are done, I mentally focus on my back and begin applying the same process there.

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  Finally, I am done, with just five Mana to spare, at which point I pause and look at Madame Bloom, my eyes intent as I avoid looking at my Skill gains. Knowing that daily checking can lead to my obsessive compulsive side coming out, and I do not want that. Instead, I use it as a reward system on the weekend.

  Kind of a measure of how much I have changed. I did break it by looking over the gains yesterday, especially with the new Skill, but I could already feel my unhealthy actions of compulsively checking for progress coming back to me. In order to improve myself, I need to improve the way I do things. Pretty sure that was a mantra from my past life that I followed.

  “By me taking you on as an Apprentice, you will be given access to my Class’s current Rating, and the Skills that I possess at their current rating. At which point you will learn them as Unique variants, and only once you are done with your Apprenticeship will their Unique grade be removed and awarded a permanent rating.” Madame Bloom explains, and suddenly her random tangent about Attributes and Skill ratings all makes sense. Also, while I can’t refute the claim of the Gods making the system, the idea of learning from a Master allowing you to have a nebulous similar but unique class makes sense. Of course, with that, I realize there must be a catch.

  “Let me guess, if I don’t complete the study, or am otherwise forced to abandon you as a Mentor I will suffer a penalty?” I question, trying to see some of the pitfalls. Of course, these are mostly from history, tales about students who were learning from prestigious masters that then got full of themselves, only to be abandoned. Those students who were abandoned often found that their prowess and powers quickly dwindled and they were brought right by society afterwards. Honestly, just tales about not being jerks once you got powers, but there clearly was some proof to it, as we had to learn about such individuals in class.

  “Yes, no doubt you have heard of Faulty Frint, Laurence the Lecher, and many others. They are all true accounts about former disciples who all used their newfound privilege and status for evil and quickly lost their future and abilities once they were admonished,” Madame Bloom stated.

  I nodded, I had heard it all growing up. Then again, hard to put true conviction to words, when you only read about them in a text book. Yet, Seeing the look on Madame Bloom’s face, it almost seems like she knew these people. Or at least was there to witness their downfalls.

  “Okay, so now that we have the long exposition out of the way, how exactly does this relate to me being targeted by Necrotic Assassins and being able to master two different Magical affinities?” I press, trying to get back to the important part of why this whole conversation and forced self-healing process began.

  Scoff.

  At that comment, Madame Bloom smiles slightly.

  “Well, to begin I will answer the second part of your question first. To learn dual Magical Affinities, the way to achieve this is by having magical Skills linked with Skills using the same magical affinity in the same grouping system. Right now, you are experiencing a bonus from your two Life Magic attuned Skills being linked to your Free Skill slots. Linking them together and granting a partial synergy bonus, but not as much as you could gain from having those same Skills transferred from your Free Slots and combined in an appropriate Class slot. Now the Class would have to be aligned with Life Magic, and would offer basic bonuses to the types of Skills you learned. Meaning the more synergizing Life Magic attuned Skills you learned, the greater the linking bonus from both your body and Class would become.”

  “I think I understand. Basically, I am only getting a partial synergy bonus from two similarly attuned Skills being in my Free Skill slots. What you are suggesting is that a good Class, could allow me to take those same Skills and transfer them to a Class. That class would allow a basic synergy bonus between the Skills, and apply an additional bonus on top of that based on the level of the Class I was learning?”

  “Exactly, this is why finding a right Class for you is so important.” Madame Bloom responds.

  At this my mind realizes that if I got a class that specialized in Life Magic attuned Skills, then I could transfer both my Mana Extraction, and my Rejuvenating Healing Skill to new slots related to that Class. Which then lets me realize a sort of concern I had about not having any free slots left to learn Madame Bloom’s Mana related Skills would be freed up.

  Pause.

  I feel my mind opening as dawning realization seems to open my mind at the complexity of the scheme before me. A scheme that seems so wild that I almost can’t fully fathom it, yet it also seems to be the only answer that makes sense.

  “Let me guess, the two Mana related skills that you made a pact to teach me. They are both Skills that require a free Life magic Affinity slot?” I ask, my mind going wild with thoughts.

  Chuckle.

  “I knew you were smart, and yes. I’d much rather you realize this fact going into our deal. What I am offering you is a choice right here and now.”

  “Another choice?” I press.

  “Yes, right now we have a contract between the two of us. For option one, if you wish to remain independent, I can hire tutors to help you quickly max out your Improvised Weapons and your Music Resonance Skills. Skills that you will not be allowed to evolve or replace with anything other than the two Skills I am obligated to teach you. At which point, you will Max them out, we will invite the Arbiter to come and let you Badge your Maxed out Skills at which point I will teach you the two Mana affiliated Life Skills. You will then complete your remaining tasks as per our original contract and that will be all.”

  A pause.

  Those offers are tempting, as I would get two new Skills, max out two others and have four synergized Skills all linking together.

  “And option two?” I ask. I think I already know where this is going, but I want to hear her state the plan just to be certain.

  “Option two, you become my Apprentice. I teach you my specialized Class devoted to Life Magic attuned Skills. You will transfer your two Life Magic Skills to this new Class, and only put Skills I tell you to put into this Class. This will generate two open Free Skill slots for you, which you can use for any Skills you like. In fact, you can go ahead and forever use your Free Skill slots for any Skills you so desire, as long as they are not Life Magic attuned.” Madame Bloom replied.

  Hearing the reply, I couldn’t help but pause, realizing that this was big. Both options were amazing in their own right, but there was still something that was not being explained.

  “Now which option do you choose?” Madame Bloom asked. Hearing her question, I hold up my finger in a pausing gesture.

  “First, I think you still owe me two answers before I make my decision,” I respond.

  “Two?” She asks quizzically, raising her right eyebrow in response.

  “Yes, for you still have not answered why I am being targeted by Necrotic Assassins, which I assume has to deal with this Apprenticeship, but I can’t understand why for the life of me.” I state my first question.

  Chuckle.

  Again, she smiles at my question and my partial answer.

  “You truly are a perfect candidate for my Apprentice. Yes, you are right. The reason why you were targeted by a Necrotic Assassin was that I already declared my wanting to claim you as my Apprentice.” There was a pause, as Madame Bloom seemed to debate just how much more to divulge to me. Finally, after a second of deliberation, she continued. “As you might have guessed, House Bloom is at war with the Necrotin Family, and by extension all wielders of Necrotic arts.”

  I nod.

  “So I was targeted by Necrotins because you declared me as someone you wanted to claim as an Apprentice?”

  “Yes, it had been done as a method to protect you from retaliation from your own family. But I wasn’t aware that the Necrotins had informants at our conclave, an oversight on my part. No doubt the Necrotins tried to attack you, while I and the others were in negotiations.”

  Hearing her response, I point out the one thing I remembered from my attacker.

  “They dressed up and seemed to mimic my mother, but they were off.” I reply.

  “Yes, we received reports of the same. They were likely using true Assassin class techniques, including mimicking individuals to get closer.”

  “They could also stealth,” I reply remembering how only the outline of their feet and warm breath made any real indications that they were there.

  “Stealth?”

  “Yeah, they were able to appear completely invisible. Only their shoes and breath showed where they were.

  “Oh, you mean Obfuscation? Yes, that is a powerful Skill. The fact that you were able to notice them is impressive.” Madame Bloom responds.

  Silence.

  “Well, if there are no other questions?” Madame Bloom asked.

  “No wait, I still have my second question.” I respond. Hopefully she won’t nitpick about my clarifying questions earlier being my second.

  Madame Bloom pauses, and seems like she almost wants to argue, but eventually nods her head in acquiescence.

  “Why me? Surely there must be other powerful Life affinity wielders within the Bloom household?” I ask, trying to understand why Madame Bloom would take so much time and effort into recruiting me to be her Apprentice.

  Scoff.

  Once again, the Madame makes a frustrated half snort half laughing sound, frustration clearly evident in her posture. Though I can tell that the frustration is not directed at me.

  “Are you aware of the great Necrotin family merging event?” Madame Bloom asked.

  Her question seems odd, but having been a DiVoratore for over a decade, I am well aware of this comingling ploy used by the Necrotin house. Especially as grandfather used to praise it as a level of genius that was unparalleled at the time. This was also why I was almost certain that my family had intended for me to marry Johny from the start, as a method of the DiVoratore carrying on that odd legacy.

  “You mean, where the Necrotins feigned peace accords by marrying multiple generations of talented mages into all the noble families?” I respond.

  “Yes, at first it was seen as a boon, as it ensured all the children born from such a union would have a high magical affinity. However, there was a problem.”

  “A problem?”

  “Yes, while the unions did indeed breed more magical children, the affinities that each house had painstakingly cultivated for generations began to dilute. Where once families could be expected to have multiple talented children capable of learning the family’s most ancient and powerful of classes began to fade, not from lack of knowledge. But from something far more detrimental to a major family like the Blooms. We lost our ability to keep our specialized classes from lack of having children capable enough to properly wield the knowledge and powers that made us great. When we eventually learned of the Necrotin’s plans, we all assembled and waged war. Managing to destroy them, but it was a pyrrhic victory. For they were no longer a great power or threat, but we were not able to maintain our true identity.” Madame Bloom stated.

  With this information suddenly a lot more things seem to make sense.

  “That’s why you want me, because I have a high affinity with Life magic?”

  “Not just a high, but a perfect resonance with Life Magic. The fact that you were able to learn two Skills with Life magic affinity proves that you are not just capable, but a true throwback to what the DiVoratores truly were, when they first started as a house.”

  Hearing her speak, I realize that she speaks as if she was there, as if she knew the original head of House DiVoratore, somehow. I know Madame Bloom is old. She still looks and appears youthful due to all of her Life magic Skills, but still her comments make me wonder just how much history has she experienced.

  “That’s it, all cards on the table. I can teach you the Skills as promised. At which point you will fulfill your end of the contract. Or we can amend the contract to that of a Master and Apprentice, and I will teach you every Life magic Skill I know.”

  Hearing that, I think I already know what my answer will be, but I still need to press.

  “How about we go with option three instead,” I reply.

  “Option three?”

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