Augmented Aspects: Chapter 54 (Patreon)

Chapter 54

The Class Choice, The Proposal, and The Tournament

You may now choose one of the following to gain for your class advancement: A new Spell, A new Skill, a New Class Perk, or a New Class Specific Trait.

The choices were all there staring me in the face, but logically only one made sense. It was the option that had been denied to me all this time. If I needed a new spell I would just create one, a new skill, well that was something that I had already done twice. The Perks were also nice, since this was my level 25 perk it was likely something to be impressive, maybe truly getting Unbound in my attributes, but I was so far away from that at the moment that even that seemed like a novel concept. No, what I needed now was the thing I always craved, more power.

“Trait.”

You have chosen a Trait as your class’s next evolutionary marker: Choose from one of the following main categories: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Healing, Death, Electricity, Phantasm, and Spirit.

I pause as those categories are all rather broad. I notice it is missing a few categories like Light, Shadow and other, though Phantasm could probably cover most of those. Instantly I rule out Death, Fire, Spirit and after a seconds pause Electricity. Granted Electricity could likely be used to fuel robotic suits, overload sensors and the like the vast majority of what I could use Electricity for would likely be offensive. There are more than enough ways to kill someone without a special class defining power. Similarly I rule out the remaining elements, while Water might let me breath underwater, it doesn’t have much more use for me at the moment. It is not like I need to drink to survive. Same thing with Earth, there is just not much purpose for it at the moment. Air might be able to get me to fly, but it is also just as likely that I will get a movement power, or worse some type of cyclone attack power. How annoying would it be to have a cyclone power, especially in my line of work, my notes would go everywhere. That really just left Phantasm and Healing, but Phantasm was a bit too nebulous, to many random facts. Could I get another power similar to Spiritual Doppelganger, or would I get a different power entirely? I didn’t know, nor was I willing to take the chance. Ultimately, I was left with one class Healing. Now I know what you are thinking, why Healing, don’t you already do that? Well I do, but  hear me out, currently I heal by converting energy from my main pool of energy. As I’ve said before, each Trait has their own well of energy to draw from, meaning that if I doubled down on Healing, I would be able to heal people twice as quickly, also I wouldn’t feel nearly as drained, as I currently do given that my reserves for each would be just as full as each other. Really Healing was the only option for me, that or maybe I shouldn’t make impactful life choices immediately after a twelve hour long surgery session, where I invent a brand new Tier IX spell that had been thought of as a superstition at this point.

Also, I do find the idea of a Spirit magician being better at all aspects of healing than even the most powerful of Life magic practitioners. Not only can I resurrect, yes apparently a deep spirit related power, but with this I would be able to heal more effectively.

By the fact that I was low on cognitive energy, and the fact that I was banking on the fact that I would have twenty-four hours to reconsider my choice, I went ahead and followed my gut. “Healing.”

You have chosen your Class evolution to be a Trait related to Healing Magic, is this correct?

“Yes.”

Calculating.

Checking recent Accomplishments, Merits, and Flaws.

Denoting two badges related to healing: Master Tier Spell Creator (500), Resurrector (250).

Applicable Merits: Precocious (7), Unbound (7), Hermit Healer (7), Angel’s Sight (25)

Applicable Flaws: Blind (7)

The lists were impressive, I noted that it counted a lot more merits than flaws, which was good. But looking at my sheet I had overcome a lot of flaws. I had over the years, and mostly when I first started had a total of nine flaws: Of which, only Broke, Dark Horse, Orphan, and Blind still applied to me. I left my Bad Starting Location and outgrown my now obsolete Child flaw. Similarly, my Second Class Citizen, and my Unique Class Flaw Void Touched Void Walker were both removed thanks to my recent bloodline cleansing. This meant I got to keep both Zero and my Death Shroud, for free thanks to that prolonged effort, thinking back on it, that might have been why that quest chain was so prolific. Of course, my last flaw my Rivalry flaw was destroyed at the same time as my Ally merit was, when the Arcanarus University imploded.

All in all, I was doing well, Broke was the last one that would age off within the next ten months and then after that, I would be down to my three flaws that I couldn’t get rid of. I was so busy lost in my own musings that I almost missed the calculations made by the system.

Healing Trait accepted with a 160% bonus applied. Original Class Trait awarding Healing has been improved to Omni-Healing.

Class Trait Omni-Healing: Heal any living creature with comparable magical energy.

I paused for a moment trying to understand where all the bonuses came in. I know I didn’t have a 160% bonus to healing normally, but only after a moment of hesitation did, I realize that I still had a few days on my divine blessing from Mallory. Did that also play a factor in determining this event? If so, that means I might need to hit up Mallory once more when I get close to level 50, though I doubt I will have as amazing as a response then.

Also after seeing the Trait I was given, Omni-Healing, I was more than sure I had made the correct decision. I was a little shocked that I didn’t have the 24 hour timer that I normally got, but in this case the system chose the power I got, based on my response. Right now, I still feel that there would be a moment I could challenge this, but I didn’t want to, honestly this was likely better than what I had hoped for. Though I also feel a certain spark in me die, as I feel I had just been handed the test answers at the back of the book. No longer would I have to focus on trying to find new solutions to solve problems, now it seemed that this would just hand me the answers. Honestly, I hoped it wasn’t like that, I hoped there would still be the puzzle needed to solve and help heal each patient, just that this would help me adapt to my individual patient. Also, the wording seemed rather open ended, as it seemed to imply that I could heal elementals, not that I knew what could truly hurt an elemental, but this spell did seem to imply I could do that very thing. Still, before I could get too far into what this all meant, I was met with yet another system message.

Class Void Walker (Unique) has evolved to Void Healer (Unique-Legendary).

Class level bonuses have changed From: +2 Free points, +1 Dexterity, and +1 Willpower every level, and +1 Intelligence every even level.

To:  +1 Dexterity, +1 Willpower, +1 Intelligence, +1 Perception, +1 to either Sociability or Personality (personal choice), every level.

That was a huge change, I went from just nine attributes every two levels, to ten attributes every two levels. Well that wasn’t much of a change, but it looked like it would begin to add up. I still had a backlog of 14 Free Points to spend, I had been thinking about putting them all into Perception, but now that I was going to improve Perception every level, it just meant that Strength and Stamina were the only attributes I had that would not improve once every level, as my racial bonus also gave me +1 Attractiveness every level.

“What happened?” The Guild Master asked, his words pulling me from my own chaotic thoughts.

“I just evolved my class.” I state.

“No, I think you still have time before the changes to your body become permanent. As it is, you are still showing signs of the bloodline… oh wait, you said your class, not your race? Is that correct?” The guild master asked.

“What?” I ask, shaking my head as I realize the mad professor really just let a large nugget drop there.

“You said your class had evolved and not your bloodline, er your class?” He corrected again.

He was not being too subtle, but then again I didn’t need him to be subtle at this moment, I needed to be told everything as I was still a little loopy from my marathon healing operation, so keeping up now was a little tough for me.

“Wait, so you are saying that in addition to my recent class change, I can expect a bloodline race evolution?” I ask.

“Yes, honestly it is odd that you were allowed to evolve your class while you are clearly going through a racial change.”

“What do you mean a racial change? I am still a dark elf, right?”

“How do I put this, yes and no. Yes, you will still have the base characteristics of a dark elf, the purple skin, the sharp ears, the monochromatic eyes, they will all be indicators that you originally began as a dark elf. But your recent changes have only just begun. Your skin is now a much lighter shade of purple, an indication that you recently awoken your bloodline. Your hair and eye colors have also changed, as your hair is now a very light blonde almost a shock white in color, as your eyes are now a sparkling emerald green. I don’t believe I have ever witnessed another dark elf with quite the same distinguishing features as you now possess. In fact, I don’t know if you realized but most males have a hard time looking at you without being attracted. That is why you were assigned a new set of female guards to guide you back to the Mage Guild.”

He pauses for a moment, at that, I remember the way that Glenn suddenly left and wonder if he too, but no, there was no way, he was an orc, there was no way he would be attracted to me? Right?

Oh well, I guess I will just have to ask him about it later.

I guess in a way it made sense that my race would also change now that my bloodline was active. But I don’t know, I kind of expected more? Though I guess in a way this would need to take a day, just like most upgrades. Also, was this the reason that my class upgrade was fast tracked, basically I couldn’t have dueling timers going off, so in order to stop problems from occurring the Trait for my Class was given automatically? If so, I was appreciative of that, as waiting for my choices to sink in is always annoying. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what my class upgrade would entail, also I really wondered what I looked like? Not that I am vain, but I do wonder what I look like now. Then again, I wondered what I looked like earlier as well.

BOOM!

An earth-shattering quake vibrates outside the building to show a lone figure standing outside the Guild Hall for a second, their landing clearly causing an impact crater to form.

“What was that?” The guild master says, but before he can move to inspect the cause of the disturbance, the disturbance comes into the guild hall, running and turning the corner.

Huffing.

The divine being that I clearly see as Mallory of the Midnight Hunters Guild is there, her chest heaving as she looks like she has run the entire way here.

“You okay?” I ask, suddenly moving forward to inspect her.

She blinks for a moment, then stares at me as if seeing me for the first time. “Cass?”

I smile then reply, “the one and the only.”

At that Mallory cocks her head to the side for a moment, before moving forward to inspect me. Her hands come up and begin touching me. I normally dislike such attentions, but when they are a level 700 killing machine, I tend to give them a lot of leeway. “Darling, what happened to you?”

I pause, at that, then run my fingers through my still sweat soaked hair. Though my hair is drying out by now, but I can’t look that good at all. “Oh, yeah, the surgery went a little long and I apparently had a lot of fluids I could sweat out. Not the most pleasant of experiences.” I admit.

“Okay,” she says as she then leans down to stare me in the eyes. “Are those contacts?”

“No, they appear to be my new permanent eye color.” I admit.

At that, I can see her eyes open wider.

“Wait, why are you here?” I ask, then look outside to the crater she left in the stretch of ground that separates the train track from the sidewalk of this town.

“My granddaughter, she said get to you immediately, then the reasoning was edited. I assumed it was something life threatening, so I got here as quickly as possible.” She says, looking around and noting my patient, the now gaunt Mr. Charles and his servant.

“Charlesey? Is that you?” She asks, clearly seeing the man and somehow recognizing him, even in his emaciated form.

“The one and the same.” Charles, my recently revived back to life patient answers.

“I thought you died a long time ago?”

“Hehe, can’t say it wasn’t for a lack of trying. That Blight got me good. Had it not been for the little doctor here, I would have been dead twice over.”

“Twice?”

“Yeah, brought me back to life and everything. I even got a badge for it.” He said with pride, as a wall of text appeared before him.

New Feat Recorded: First Reviver (500). You were the first patient to ever be resurrected back to life.

Seeing that Mallory gawked for a second. “No way, just seeing that, I want to buy you a beer just to hear how you got that one.”

“Hehe. Well, sadly from my end it would be a relatively boring story. All I remember is agreeing to Mitch’s idea of coming here.” He said, gesturing with one hand towards the person who was by his side the entire time. “After that, I remember meeting your guards, before being carried onto the train, then being taken here. There was one point where she cleared my lungs enough for me to breath normally, that nearly woke me from the dead. I remembered looking down at myself, nearly frightened by the body I was hovering over.”

At that the healed man, Charles, looked at his bony hands and just shook his head, as he faked giving himself the shivers from looking at his emaciated body.

“But who healed you?” Mallory asked.

“The good doctor here.” Charles stated.

At that Mallory blinked, then turned to face me. “You healed him?”

I paused at that, “I am a doctor after all.” I said, feeling somewhat annoyed by that statement.

Shaking her head, “right, but you can only do Spirit Magic right? How did you bring him back to life?”

At that I smile and show off my new spell that I created.

New Spell Gained: Resurrection (C): A Tier IX spell created by Cassiopeia Spiritlight, to bring a spirit back from the dead.

Reading the message Mallory paused, opening her mouth wide like a fish, before shutting it again. Then her eyes went wide, “that’s why my granddaughter urged me to come. You just did this, right? You just created a tier IX spell on your own?”

“Yeah, who would have known that Resurrection was a Spirit Magic spell this entire time.” I admitted.

At that, everyone paused.

Apparently, the guild master was the first to notice everything. “To be clear, you created that Tier IX spell just now, while you were operating on the patient?”

“Well I didn’t exactly have time to stop and read a manual on keeping a spirit tethered to the body, now did I?”

At that, the guild master pauses, then after a second, he too looks flummoxed. “I guess you are right in that you didn’t. Though, you say, you had to tether the spirit to the body?”

“Yeah, I used to crochet, and well apparently that is a skill needed if you want to resurrect people. Who would have known.” I say.

Cackle.

Mallory is cackling wildly, “oh girl, you are far too much. Mary me, right here and now. I just need you in my life, that much is certain.”

I pause looking at her with confusion clearly etched on my face. “Is this just to keep me in your guild?”

“Oh yes, well that and more. Girl, you are amazing. Again, come to us when you are free. In fact, let us know if you want someone to power level you, we can help you clear any number of floors on this tower.” She admits.

While I don’t want to have to go on a murder spree to clear the different floors of this tower, her words do make me realize another way I could be power leveled by so many high level people being around.

“Actually, if you are serious about the power leveling, then I might have an idea we can try?”

“Oh, and what is this idea now?” Mallory states.

“Next door, later,” I pause trying to realize if it is day or night out, but then remember that it is at least early in the morning, “today, there will be a Swap’em Holdem tournament. If you or some dozen or so members of your guild happen to be there, I will be more than happy to alleviate all of you of your money and experience.”

“Hahaha! See, that’s why I think you are perfect for our guild. I will get some of my people to show up, but don’t feel bad if they win.”

“Oh good, I would hate to just steal their experience and cash. Since they are going to try, it will make my victory that much sweeter.”

Chuckle.

“Girly, I think I’m going to like seeing what you do in the future.” Mallory said, as she then began to leave. “Toodles, I will see you later.”

Then just as oddly as she came, she disappeared.

Rumble.

This time giving another burst off from the ground in the same exact impact crater she created when she entered.

“Well, it seems she still hasn’t changed.” Charles said.

At that, I couldn’t help but smile, “at least she is having fun. Now if you all will excuse me, I believe I have a nap to take before I need to get back to work.”

“Right, about that, why don’t you take the rest of the day off.” The Guild Master said, before continuing. “In fact, just take off for the next few days, that should give me enough time to work this paperwork.”

“Paperwork?”

“Yes, now I have to document how you created a second new spell, this time it is a Tier IX spell for Resurrection of all things…” He mutters to himself as he leaves.

At that, I realize the reward for what it was, a clear dismissal to leave the hall and attend the tournament next door. Of course, I still had time before it was to start, but most of that would be fixed with taking a shower, followed by a much-needed nap.