The Ruby Magician

Leaving the seventh floor was not ideal but something Wyn considered a smart move. It was a strong floor, even from the little they climbed, and the payoff for the risk didn’t seem worth it. They had their best loot find yet after fighting the champions, but after discussing the situation with the veterans and Daniel, they all came to the conclusion that the odds of finding more treasure at a similar value would be low. And the climb to get to that point would be hard and treacherous.

So, they made an agreement. They’d return to the floor in a couple of weeks, hopefully gathering more experience and items in the meantime, and potentially hire a sixth Climber to fight alongside John to clear the floor and move to the eighth floor. It wasn’t necessary for them to clear the tier for another class upgrade, especially being only the first month climbing the second tier. They had plenty of time to climb the lower middle floors and Wyn was happy with the wealth they gained there, too.

There was no rush. But it was always good to be prepared.

After telling the group about his plan to gain the Ashen Warrior weapon and shield, they formed a new plan to climb for the foreseeable future. The fourth floor was ripe with rewards and relatively easy being the first tier’s final floor, making it an ideal place to run over and over for coins and items. The next challenging but manageable floor, the sixth floor, was also their target, as Wyn wanted the Ashen items and their rewards there were even better. Their climbing plan was what they discussed before - they’d clear out the fourth floor one day, aiming for at least three climbs but preferably four, then clear out the sixth floor the next day aiming for two clears. It was a lot, but if they worked hard it was doable within a reasonable timeframe of each day. And climbing that much would make Wyn roughly 500 to 600 crowns a day just from the floor rewards, not to mention whatever loot they found inside. The fourth floor especially had an easy secondary quest that could earn Wyn another 100 crowns, and even taking one day off a week would net him 2500 crowns climbing five days.

But, they wouldn’t be able to climb quite that much. John wanted to desperately participate in the guild recruitment process, which meant they would need to slow down their climbs to join. Wyn didn’t care about joining a guild but his friend did, which meant he would help however he could. And helping meant either going him by trying out for a guild or letting John try out separately. The loss of wealth wasn’t too big of a deal either, considering he had items to sell to make up the difference. He estimated he would make even more than the required amount for the month that The Assembly demanded, which put his mind at ease.

After leaving the seventh floor, the group carried out their climbing plan to great success. They earned items and coins and fell into a rhythm of clearing floors, shaving off hours of each day while climbing both the fourth and sixth floors with better efficiency each time. It was the beginning of the third week of the season, over a week of them climbing between the fourth and sixth floors, when Wyn finally struck gold. They were midway along the sixth floor when a blue rarity dagger dropped from the group of Ashen Warriors.

Wyn felt his heart race seeing the weapon. They had earned nearly two dozen items during their time climbing in that time, but had yet to find the two items Wyn was searching for. Most of the items were green rarity, but still worth money when sold. At the start of the week he made a new offer to the group so he could both get enough items to meet Benedict’s contact to sell and for his new weapon set. The agreement was that he would either find the dropped items during the week or trade for them, as well as take eight unidentified items to be sold - five green and three blue. It was far more than his share, but the agreement was that he forfeited first choice on other items that fit him or to add to his count to trade or sell. Wyn felt he was still getting out better than the group, but they reassured him over and over that they were a team and that his debt was more pressing than simply gaining a wealth of items. If they found items like Marcy’s cloak or Tasha’s ring that were perfect fits, they’d keep them, but otherwise they stored up items to trade at a later point.

Their current stock of magical gear was impressive. While there was always room to improve, they felt comfortable with their current position.

After their day of climbing, Wyn went to the training hall to test out his new weapon. It was currently in a dagger form in a basic leather sheath he bought at the Silver Step since the weapon’s changing form didn’t come with any kind of storage. It was lighter and easier to keep it small, and he smiled when he reviewed the item’s description on his parchment again.

Ashen Gallidium Blade: A weapon made from the rare metal Gallidium that has the unique property to liquify but keep its integrity. Gallidium is a malleable but strong metal that can be influenced to change with mana. This weapon provides an improved effect of abilities used by the wielder, boosting both spell’s and skill’s time and power. It can also be changed to another weapon type with a tiny amount of mana, though the exact mana needed is dependent on the size and type of the desired weapon.

Wyn held the dagger in his hand with a training dummy ten feet away acting as his sparring partner. The weapon looked plain at first glance, but when really studied it showed signs of impressive crafting with a finely polished blade, a silvered pommel, and a black metal grip that felt secure. He twirled it in his hands a few times testing the weight. It felt exactly as a dagger should, and far better than his other mundane dagger on his back.

Checking his mark, he started his first test. He willed the weapon to change into a spear, envisioning in his mind the length and design of spear he was used to carrying in the military. In a second the weapon morphed in a flash of silver, and the sudden change of weight caused him to briefly lose his grip and focus before recovering it. His mark registered the slightest sliver of used mana, less than what would be considered a small amount. Based on his previous tests and uses, he assumed it would take him about five minutes to recover what was needed.

Using the spear in various combat forms from his training, he felt the weapon was easy to use and oddly familiar. It took hardly any time sparring with the dummy for him to feel completely in tune with the weapon in its spear form. Changing the weapon to a mace, he changed his fighting style and sparred with the dummy in a way more suited to a blunt one-handed weapon.

After a few minutes of using the now-mace, Wyn laughed. The weapon felt solid and familiar. It was exactly what he had hoped it would be.

“Looks good,” a voice said from behind him.

Wyn turned and changed the weapon back to a spear, setting the butt on the ground in a familiar resting position. He looked at John and Marcy who wore mischievous looks. “It’s perfect. Are you two coming to train? I thought you wanted to get some more rest for tomorrow?”

“Well, we still do, but it was a lie,” Marcy said. “Sorry.”

Wyn didn’t answer. Something felt off, but he couldn’t place it. What was going on?

John’s mouth grew into a smirk before he pulled out something from behind his back. It looked like a bracer with a buckler attached to one side. A buckler that was the size of a saucer. It didn’t look functional at all, but realization dawned on him right when John spoke.

“It’s the Ashen Gallidium Shield. We had decided we’d trade for one of the two as a surprise this week if the other dropped in the floor. We’ve been climbing really well for only having five members, and not once have any of us felt in danger of dying or pressured to climb more to pay off your debt. You really are a great leader, and we wanted to show you that. One finally showed up in the trading hall so we jumped on it.”

Wyn felt his words catch in his throat. That was the last thing he’d expected to hear, and he certainly didn’t feel like he deserved any special treatment. He was their group leader, sure, but he only wanted them to survive and be great Climbers. It was incredibly nice for them to show him such appreciation, even if he felt like it was too much. He cleared his throat and shook his head, ready to pitch a new deal for the item that was fair.

Marcy immediately interrupted him. “And don’t you dare go trying to pay us back for this. It’s a gift. You’ve done quite a lot for all of us one way or another, so be a good little soldier and just accept it.”

Wyn couldn’t help but laugh as he nodded his head in agreement. “Okay. Thank you. This really is an incredible gift.”

John handed him the shield and Wyn immediately checked his parchment.

Ashen Gallidium Shield: A shield made from the rare metal Gallidium. Made in all aspects of Ashen life, Gallidium is a flexible yet strong metal. This shield can be expanded and retracted by using a tiny amount of mana, and provides both magical and physical resistance at a moderate amount. Twice a day, you can Empower the shield to greatly resist all attack types.

Part of the Ashen Gallidium set.

Set bonus: 2/6. All mana costs are reduced by a small amount and individual item’s effects are improved by a small amount. All clothing and gear magically fit the wearer.

Wyn immediately slipped the shield onto his left arm and moved it around. It was light and felt just like a bracer, not impeding his movements at all. The downside was that he couldn’t see his mark very well, but the bracer portion of the item was able to be reshaped as well, and he morphed it to become a series of straps instead of a solid bracer. His mark wasn’t clearly seen, but he could make out his symbol and circles good enough to know his mana reserves.

For now, he sparred with both the dummy and John as Marcy gave each of them pointers on form while acting as judge. It was one of the more productive training sessions Wyn had had all month, though it was likely fueled from the excitement of having his new weapon set. One of the perks of the shield he found was that it kept its lighter weight when expanded, and Wyn found it was incredibly easy to maneuver while keeping the defensive ability of a large shield when he increased the size. It was also fun to change his weapon mid-fight to keep John on his toes, forcing the Squire to adapt to a different fighting style on the fly. The dummy stopped being useful almost right away as John was a great sparring partner.

Still, both Wyn and Marcy thought it was funny watching John’s face when Wyn changed his attack from only using a spear to suddenly using a shield and axe, then a shield and mace, and then a large halberd. Wyn felt the rush of battle going through the weapons, and was elated to see that his mana was hardly spent at all despite the many gear changes during the duels.

All in all, they would be incredibly valuable pieces. His climbing would be easier, which would mean they could go further more efficiently. Maybe they didn’t even need a sixth member. Still, the best test would be actually climbing Alistair, so Wyn didn’t let his excitement overtake his pragmatism.

After all, he still needed to see how the Gallidium Helmet added to the set bonus. It very well could be his gear set for the foreseeable future.

So, after training for another half hour, Wyn felt confident in his gear and left to go see Daniel. He had some mental and magical training to do.

*****

Daniel set down his cup of tea on the saucer and slowly nodded his head. “That was quite the maneuver. But you know that their deaths aren’t your fault?”

Wyn took two deep breaths in and out while Daniel patiently waited for him to reply. In the past several weeks Daniel’s mentor role had shifted to more of a confidant, something that helped both men. Wyn had started to come to terms with his time at war and his experiences of loss and hardship, while Daniel had finally found a Climber who sought him for wisdom and genuine trust. Since they had started talking about Wyn’s past, the amount of flashbacks while climbing had drastically reduced, and he felt incredibly appreciative of the older Ruby Magician. Even though he wasn’t completely at peace with what he experienced, Wyn still felt comfortable to share and to start leaving his past in the past.

“I know they aren’t,” Wyn finally said. “For awhile I harbored a lot of feelings of guilt and responsibility about it but I don’t as much now. Strangely, being a Climber has helped with that. Seeing that Climber die last month helped me see that some people just aren’t cut out for a life like this.”

“At least joining the military is an option, not a mandate. But yes. I’m glad that you were able to release that burden.”

Wyn picked up his own cup and sipped it, enjoying the warmth of Daniel’s fire and his own tea. They caught up on Wyn’s time during the current season while in the older man’s apartment, as well as Daniel’s time courting Wendy. Their time together over the past few weeks shifted from dinners to evening tea after Daniel started eating with Wendy nearly every night, a change that Wyn was incredibly happy to make. The older man deserved happiness, and Wendy was one of the most positive people he knew at Alestead.

Daniel rubbed his hands together after setting down his cup, his habitual sign that they were done discussing Wyn’s past. “Oh! I almost forgot! I have something to show you.” He got up from his chair and walked over to his bookshelf on the wall, a display that dwarfed Wyn’s own. He was never much for reading, but Daniel was obviously the opposite.

Picking up a jet black book and coming back over to his chair by the hearth, Daniel sat and showed Wyn the cover. It was mangy and dusty, the edges frayed and scratched. “This is an Onyx Magician tier 2 spell book.”

There was a pause, but Wyn didn’t respond. Daniel flashed a smile and raised his eyebrows excitedly. Wyn just shrugged.

Daniel sighed. “This is an important book, because there isn’t a copy here in Alestead. I had to have this one mailed to me by an old friend in the capital.”

Wyn perked up. That was certainly interesting. “How did the library here not have one?”

“That’s the thing. They did, but it wasn’t in stock. The librarian believes it was stolen, along with a collection of other rare books. Apparently someone wanted some very unique books and went to great lengths to get them. I only got this because it’s older and from a friend.”

That made sense. It was a frightening thought, but Wyn knew if someone with enough money wanted something, they’d get it. “Alright. But why did you want that specific book?”

Daniel smiled. “Because you said your tier 2 spell wasn’t a great choice. There are a few spells in here that would be far better for you to have since you can copy them, and I believe we should narrow them down.”

Wyn nearly jumped out of his seat, but caught himself at the last second. “Wait. But won’t I run into the same problem? They take more mana that tier 1 spells, and they’re huge mana sinks. I haven’t found a support spell that Tasha can’t already do or an offensive spell that Cedric can’t match."

Daniel smiled. “That’s why you need to pick an affliction spell that neither of them can cast. Hence, the Onyx Magician spell list. If your unique skill allows you any spell to choose, well, you need to look at all of them. And now you can.”

Wyn’s excitement doubled after Daniel explained his point. And it made complete sense.

The next half hour was spent with Wyn looking through the older tome while Daniel rehashed his ideas. The more Wyn read about the mysterious class the more he was concerned with them. Instead of support or purely offensive, the Onyx Magician seemed to be more insidious and terrifying. If the Divine Magician was support and healing, then the Onyx Magician was support and death. There were still spells that were useful, like his Feeble spell, but a lot of what he read had negative features to them. He assumed it was because the beneficial portions of the spells were so strong they needed balancing. Like his Wellspring skill that could damage allies but siphoned health into mana for himself.

Thinking about his skill connected several fleeting thoughts in Wyn’s mind while Daniel idly chatted away. If he was focusing on support and mana recovery, he should pick a spell that fell into that category. And there were two that they had discussed with similar functions.

One was the Drain spell. It was straightforward and similar to his Wellspring skill and Feeble spell but was an area of effect spell rather than a trap placed on the ground that healed himself. The description said it coated an area in a magical miasma that weakened enemies over two minutes, draining them of life and giving back half of their life force to the caster at the cost of a major amount of mana. It sounded disgustingly useful, something a monster would use rather than a Climber. But, the price still seemed steep, as it would take the majority of his mana at full to even cast the spell. However, being a healing spell, using it also meant he could recover mana in an incredibly useful combination.

The other spell noteworthy was similar but worked in an opposite way. Instead of casting a spell in an area to leech an enemy’s life, Decay worked to surround the caster in an aura that sapped the life from nearby attackers and converted it to health. Like Drain, Wyn would recover mana as well since the spell functioned to heal. The spell cost a less moderate amount, too, which was a more reasonable cost for a second tier spell.

Both spells had benefits and drawbacks. Drain could work well with Wellspring to completely wipe out a certain area to heal himself and recover mana. It cost a lot of mana to use, though, and required Wyn to be nearly at full before even usable. On the other hand, Decay could be used more often and could layer with other skills and spells to make him an absolute terror in direct combat. Whatever monster faced him with Speed Up, Decay, and other effects like John’s Squire Aura would be devastated.

Talking them out with Daniel helped. They eventually decided that Decay would serve Wyn better, and if he wanted to change it at a later date or when he gained more mana to use he could since Daniel had the Onyx Magician spell book.

All in all, it was an incredibly productive day. Wyn felt more ready than ever, which he’d need. After tomorrow’s climb, he was set to meet Benedict’s contact, and then it was back to climbing.

It was going to be a busy couple of days.