Underworld - Book 4 - Chapter 25

I followed our assassin from the inner perimeter to the mid, and finally to the outer. He was quiet the entire way, but I also felt a great unease coming from him. Exactly what it was, I was pretty sure I was about to find out.

Once reaching the outer perimeter, we quickly made our way past the others who were waiting for the next mob to show up and continued forward. A half dozen rooms later, we entered one where a giant beetle was lumbering toward us, heading toward our dungeon aura like it was possessed.

Steve quickly stepped into shadow. I held myself back because I hadn’t gotten to see him in action very often. He was happy enough to put on a show. Not even slowing his pace, he strolled around to the flank of the beetle and waited until its rear was in full view. The knife he pulled was no surprise, but it seemed to crackle in white-blue mana. Was that Lightning Mana?

For the briefest moment, it was like a cloak that was hiding his mana was unveiled and he shown in the same white-blue light. A great pulse of power shot from his core through his arm and into his knife. As his blade touched the beetle’s shell, his mana erupted from it. It was as if there was no resistance. His blade sunk in up to the guard and his lightning magic leaped through its insides. Even as his blade sunk, the beetle’s face stiffened, and countless arcs of electricity danced over its soft features. The beetle dropped to its belly with smoke starting to roll out from under its shell and the puncture hole. 

Pulling his blade back under his cloak, Steve wasn’t facing the mob that was obviously already dead but looking at me like his problem was obvious. “I think I messed up my build.”

“Uh.” You’re kidding right? Was what I was thinking, but I asked anyways. “How exactly have you messed up?”

Shifting to his weight to his opposite boot he pulled back his hood. His brow was creased up in frustration. “The problem is my talents don’t fit well together. It’s like I was meant to be a jack of all trades type, but and a master of none—which means it takes me much longer to raise all the necessary stats.”

“Let me see your stats.”

He pulled up his chapter sheet and showed me.

Steve

Level: 423

Health Points: 56,600

Mana Points: 51,110

Attributes

Strength: 273

Dexterity: 1,039

Constitution: 566

Intelligence: 511

Wisdom: 201

Stats to Spend: 510

Steve’s stats were just as inflated as Travis’s were, if not more considering he was 40 levels less than him. Seeing his stats and trying to substantiate exactly what I’d just seen with his show of magic ability, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. 

“I haven’t shown anyone else.” He tried to explain. “I’m embarrassed—"

I brushed aside his worry with a wave of my hand. “What are your talents?” 

“Well. Stealth for one, which unlocked the assassin skill set for me early, which requires high levels of Dexterity for its abilities. But I also have a talent in Lightning Magic, Intelligence and Constitution.”

“All four?”

He nodded.

Having two talents was uncommon among us, but a good number of us had two including myself. Three was rare, but four? I thought I recalled there being a Lighting Mage among us during Lord Darius’s attack but hadn’t considered what had happened to them. 

I had to ask. “Why did you choose assassin over lighting mage?”

“We had so few people that could see through stealth and traps that I thought I’d be of more use as a rogue-type.”

“That makes sense—Although, I don’t see the problem. You have 510 stats to spend, which could put you over the top for Intelligence or Constitution. Both of which you have talents in.”

He just shook his head. “I don’t know which one to pick, or maybe something else...”

“Intelligence will definitely give you a boost to your Lighting Magic and Constitution would be a big boost to your survivability. So you have a choose between offense and defense. It sounds like a good problem to have to me. And whichever you don’t pick you can just work on next.”

“But what about continuing to increase my Dexterity. I feel like I should be focusing on one thing and I’ve already wasted stats by placing them in Intelligence and Constitution… Not to mention, if I’m suddenly pulling out my Lightning Magic again, people might start asking questions. I wouldn’t know what to tell them.”

“You tell them that you were focusing on stealth for a while because you thought it would help the group. As for what you should do, I don’t think there is a wrong answer. One thing I can say is that the bonus you get from getting a stat to 1,000, especially one that you’re talented in, has always proven to be worth it so far. You could be different, sure, but no one is going to look down on you for the decisions you’ve made with your character build. You literally have twice the number of options most of us have and who’s to say which is the best?”

Taking a step toward him, I rested my hand on his shoulder. I suddenly felt like Russ. “With that said, I’d normally recommend Wisdom for a caster because it improves your mana regeneration so much, but in your case, you might not need to focus on it with your Intelligence talent. Even if you end up having to focus on a higher variety of stats than everyone else, how can an assassin mage tank combination be a bad thing?”

He let slip a smidgen of a grin.

“Take your time and think it through. Whatever you choose, you have my support, man.” I left him there standing next to the dead giant beetle by himself to think. I was half tempted to hide somewhere and watch what he chose to do so that I could watch any possible transformation that might take place. Personally, I would have increased my Intelligence without a second thought, but that my experience had already primarily been with casting. I also didn’t know what all he was capable in his current state. It was possible that Constitution would be the best choice in the short term, especially if he planned on getting both Con and Int to 1,000 eventually.

There was something else that was just as intriguing as finding out he had four talents. He’d disguised his mana type and potency before attacking the beetle, then veiled it once again without a second’s thought. It was even more impressive of an ability than the elder goblin’s ability to suppress his own power. There was no transformation necessary. He simply veiled it and unveiled it at will. With such an ability I could walk around in my human state… I’d have to ask him about it, but I kept walking for the same reason I didn’t go back in secret to see what he decided. He had trusted me with his secret, and I wouldn’t abuse that by sneaking up on him now. There should be time to discuss it with him later on.

For the first time that morning I didn’t have someone waiting for me, so I headed straight to the living quarters for some breakfast. Zorik was already up and had breakfast stew simmering and ready for any early risers. I wished I could heal his exhaustion, but he wasn’t really in need of my magic at the moment even if he was capable of receiving it without it killing him.

Getting in line, it accrued to me that Dark Magic beings might be sensitive to the Solar aspect of Light Magic as well as the Life aspect. I prepared to transform to something less glowy, but he looked at me from just on the other side of the counter without so much as a flinch. Baring his needle like teeth in a full grin, it didn’t seem to bother him at all.

I asked him to be sure.

Handing me a bowl, he shook his head. “No master. The more light there is the less places there are for nasties to hide.”

“I’m glad to hear it. And thank you for breakfast,” I said with a nod.

On my way to sit down, I found myself questioning my own appetite. Since my transformation, I still enjoyed food, but my need and certainly changed. My hunger seemed to come solely from my head and not from my gut. With a sigh, I realized I really shouldn’t be eating. It was only chipping away at our small supply of food. I could easily make up for the bread, but all of the meat and its benefits should go to the others. Although, there was a case to make for eating just enough to keep me supplied with the additional buffs. I’d limit myself to one helping then.

I tried to make myself useful the rest of the morning, and then, into the afternoon. Russ and Clarissa had taken over the “mana cannon” project entirely and needed little help from me. Steve had our crop in line and George seemed more than happy to take care of the new litter of piglets. It was more than that. It was as if he’d found a hidden cache of loot and was sorting through all the pig shaped goods.

Spending a little time in the outer perimeter, I burned a few holes in a mob or two, but after using Drain on them and getting not stats, I moved on. Other’s would get more experience from killing the same creatures. I ended up kicking Richard out of the Master’s Chamber so that he could spend more time leveling with Skyler. It was for the best really. There were a few important decisions we’d have to make tonight and I still wasn’t entirely sure what my own thoughts were on what we needed to do.

I’d half expected Khun to already have his mural complete, but the lower walls were still blank. I’d commanded him to decorate them, so I didn’t think he was being negligent in any way. I’d give him a few days before breaching the topic again.

Aeris joined me in the afternoon. At first, we discussed the possible buffs the Cave Swine could provide, then the wisdom of testing the mana cannon while we had the chance. It wasn’t long before we sat shoulder to shoulder without saying a word. How could I possibly complain? We were together, and, at least in the present, alive.