Seeds of Discordia

Liam’s focus grew only because this was the first time anyone had ever brought up anything related to Bloodlines. He was curious to know more about it, especially since Uncle Naro had mentioned it could affect one’s class evolution.

He was curious about that specific part because of how his Starter Class Crafter had evolved into Spirit Weaver. Eri had told him not to mention it to anyone due to it being a Lost Class. If Bloodlines affected Class Evolutions then maybe his class becoming a Spirit Weaver had something to do with it.

“Can you explain more about how a Bloodline could affect a person’s class evolution?” Liam asked.

Mercer eyed Liam for a brief moment before understanding why he was so interested in the topic. He didn’t know much about Liam’s new class. When he was away from everyone he had tried to find books on that specific class or classes based around the name. He didn’t find anything on it. It was Eri who had told him not to bother looking into it since there were probably no books about the class.

Instead, she had informed him to focus on finding other things using his merchant talents. He didn’t know why she had him try and procure so many different types of materials until today when Liam listed the Crafts he was currently doing. Majority of the materials he had claimed were supposed to go to him to help him focus on leveling his crafts and crafting abilities.

Uncle Naro gave Liam a surprised look before laughing, “Not today. You are not yet ready to learn about Bloodlines since there is a chance you won’t have one. It’s more of a higher level sort of thing.”

Liam frowned at that response.

“Don’t give me that boy,” Uncle Naro teased with a grin. “I said I’d help fill in your knowledge where you lack it, but I won’t tell you what won’t apply to you at your current level. For now, just focus on the tasks I give you. Once you get to when you need to know it I’ll tell you.”

“Fine,” Liam pouted.

“So what task are you going to give us, Uncle Naro?” Gimmel asked, a bit excited.

Uncle Naro looked at each of them. “Gimmel, I want you to take them to the Library and have them find books based on their current Starting Class.”

Gimmel’s eyes opened slightly bit wider with understanding. “You want them to see what their current classes are capable of and the possibilities they have with certain affinities as well as possible evolutions?”

Uncle Naro smiled widely. “That’s exactly right. Now, it’s around midday. Spend a couple of hours and then get some ideas on the direction you wish to head and when you get back we can make a plan for that. Sound good?”

Everyone nodded.

“Ah, but for you Liam I want you to read this book. I personally made it myself,” Uncle Naro stated before pulling out a thick book.

Interest piqued, Liam took the book in hand and read the cover. The title read, Art of Crafting Combat. The many ways a Crafter can use their abilities and skills in battle. Liam’s brows rose. This was something he didn’t think was made into a book. But of course, leave it to the man who was decimating people left and right like they were nothing.

“Only read the first three chapters for now. It is important that you understand the basics of what it is I am trying to teach you,” Uncle Naro stated. “I also want you to find one on Mana Manipulation and Control as well as Benefits of using different Mana Types.”

“I have a book on each of those,” Mercer suddenly stated.

Uncle Naro raised a brow as he looked at him. “You do?”

“Yes, I came across them at a market when I was trying to learn and understand how merchants work in this world,” Mercer explained.

“Is that so?” Uncle Naro muttered as he looked Mercer up and down. “I take it you have abilities suited for merchantry? Have you applied for an M.I.D. yet?”

Mercer nodded. “Yes on all accounts.”

“Good. I will have to think about the best ways for you to use those abilities to the max later after I hear more about your affinities and path you wish to go down.”

“Thank you,” Mercer bowed.  

Liam gave the man an appreciative smile. He was starting to think that meeting and befriending Uncle Naro was one of the best things that had happened to him back on Cashat Port. After that, Gimmel led them away back towards the city and towards the Library in the Port town.

 

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The Library wasn’t hard to find. It was around the middle of town but compared to the one they visited back in the Tutorial; this one was smaller only having one story. It wasn’t as eloquent in the design either. Instead, it was a normal looking building made out of wood with a plain design and one color. Even inside the building there wasn’t a lot of eye catching furniture or paintings. It just had a few bookshelves a few tables and chairs and a couple of desks for the people working there.

Liam decided to find an open table for them as Gimmel helped the others find what they are looking for. Liam took out the book Uncle Naro had given him. Liam was surprised that the book looked like it went through the proper channels and was printed like the other books he had read. When Uncle Naro stated he had made it he believed he wrote it out by hand. That wasn’t the case at all.

As he read the index he noted that Uncle Naro had a lot on the topic. The first chapter was an introduction to the topic, the second chapter was supposed to talk about the many different crafts out there. The third was supposed to talk about the difference between Craft abilities and regular abilities. At least that’s what he gathered from reading the chapter names.

After reading for an hour and a half he understood why Uncle Naro wanted him to only read the first three chapters. He had to reread the three chapters several times to make sure he was really understanding what he was talking about. He had to go back to certain paragraphs from previous chapters to make sure what he was reading was right.

Like had suspected with the first chapter. It was an introduction to what Uncle Naro called the Crafter Combat Battle Style. He talked about how while Crafter abilities didn’t have the punch or huge impact that regular combat, support, or defensive abilities had, if they were used properly and in certain ways then they could still do the job. He had also mentioned that while using this type of combat style there were two sub-stats a Crafter needed to take into account, Crafter Endurance and Crafter Practicality.

While they both were essential for crafting, they played an even bigger part when trying to use the combat style Uncle Naro had made. Using Crafter abilities and skills affected your Stamina Bar. Crafter Endurance helps with the strain on your Stamina Bar the higher you level it up. Crafter Practicality also helps with that by learning how to better do something it takes away the wasted movements used when using a Crafter ability or skill. The less wasted movements used the less Stamina is used.

However, Liam had learned that Uncle Naro found something interesting while creating this Battle style. There was another type of Stamina Bar that a Crafter could receive after reaching a certain level in both Stamina Endurance and Crafter Endurance. This was left as a cliff hanger on the first chapter, which annoyed Liam.

That was just one of the many questions he had. The next few questions came after reading the second chapter. The one about the different types of Crafts. It was highly detailed and separated Production, Gathering, and Construction Crafts. Not only that, but in each of these sections there were parts that stated whether each craft detailed in each section had either attack usage, defensive uses, and support capabilities.

They didn’t go into more details on what those capabilities or usages were. Some of the crafts had either one, two, or all three written next to them. That created more questions, but another question came when he realized that the crafts listed were just the basics and none had the sub-categories shown. Did the sub-categories matter? Did each sub-category given different abilities he didn’t know about? Did the crafts not listed have no potential? The questions just kept piling on.

The same was for the third chapter. It had talked about the differences between a Crafter Class abilities and skills vs a regular class abilities and skills. The amount of mana needed to be channeled into a Crafter specific spell needed two to three times the amount a regular spell needed to make close to an equal amount. The book said as much, but at the same time it also stated that it wasn’t entirely accurate. For example, the heat of a regular Fire ball spell was hotter than a Light and Burn spell. However, if the crafter focused enough in channeling mana into it and tried to increase the heat by using another spell they could barely reach the same temperature as the regular Fireball spell. However, a Crafter would need to use Temp Check to make sure of the temperature and to many Crafters that was just a waste.

As that showed a disadvantage, the book also talked about that there was an advantage the Crafter had when using Light and Burn and that was using materials to make the fire they created last longer. A Fireball did burn hotter than a Light and Burn spell, but it would burn out quicker. People who weren’t Crafters wouldn’t use materials like oils when using their spells. They would use their spells and move on to the next one. Since a Crafter needed to be resourceful they would use what they had to make lasting damage.

This reminded Liam of his first time using that kind of strategy. He was fighting against the Spider-tailed Horned Viper. He had taken a gamble and thrown a vial of oil at it and then used his Light and Burn spell. It had worked and created a burn effect as it kept burning over time. He smiled as he thought about that. Those times were tough, and they had to learn things as they fought, but it showed how adaptable they could be.

The third chapter also talked about how Crafter abilities may be weaker than regular abilities and skills, but they weren’t so weak to be written off. Majority of the abilities lacked any punch when used, but if used properly they could set up for others to do more damage or help weaken enemies so others could get a killing blow in. Lest not to say the items crafters could make that helped give that punch they lacked, like the Chemicalized Creations and even poisons.

There were mentions of abilities crafters could use to pull out poisons, but there would still be some left over in the body that would need to be treated with an antidote or a Healer’s magic. A skill certain crafters could get that if they ingested certain poisons or venoms it would act like a buff to increase resistance and many more. Liam’s questions weren’t how they worked, but rather what he would need to do in order to get them.

He didn’t realize how much time had passed as he listed down his questions on a piece of paper while reading and rereading the three chapters. He was immersed in his readings and the thoughts that swirled on what he could do with the Crafter abilities and skills he already had that he didn’t hear when the others said it was time to head back. They had to shake him a bit before he finally snapped back.

“Geez you get so lost in your own world when you find something interesting,” Roman commented as they left the city and made their way towards Uncle Naro.

“Can you blame me?” Liam replied. “Do you remember how I was when I first got the Starting Class? I thought I was done for. Even after all the fights we did, I wasn’t really able to rely on my class abilities in a fight. I had to use Weapon Skills and my Fields of Magic to help me through.”

“I take it you found an answer to help you out with your Crafter Class?” Mercer asked, smiling at Liam.

“More like I have more questions. Sure I received a couple answers that I didn’t realize I had questions for, but now my questions have increased tenfold,” Liam said with shrug.

“If you have more questions than before then why do you look so happy?” Artem asked.

Liam turned his head to look at him. “Because the fun is just starting. Learning new possibilities for something you didn’t know were there can be as much fun as applying them.”

Blair and Avery shook their heads at Liam’s response. Even though they were shaking their heads they still had a smirk on their faces.

“That sounds just like you,” Ariyana commented as she gave him a warm smile. “I’m glad you stayed the same during the time we weren’t together.”

Liam felt embarrassed by her words, but at the same time he was curious about something. Voicing it, he asked, “It hadn’t been that long since we were all together so why would you think I changed?”

Ariyana looked a bit sad after he asked the question. He then noticed the looks on everyone except Gimmel’s had sullen a bit as well.

“After hearing what you went through. The way your old friends treated you, the comments that the full blooded Beast-kins said, and even the way that weasel-folk treated you…I don’t think many would bounce back from that so quickly. Some would let it get to them to the point it would either change their outlook on things or they would breakdown entirely.”

Liam saw the others nod, agreeing with her words. He thought about it for a long moment and decided to be honest with them. “I almost did.”

Those three words made the six look surprised. Even Gimmel had the same look.

“After surviving my first encounter with the ambush from Morshire’s men in the Green Dungeon and experiencing a near death fight with the Zombified Hobgoblin Warrior…hell even after Farry tried to cut ties with me just so he could protect his family…I was on the verge of a breakdown…”

The others looked down as they listened. Before any of them could ask or say anything, Liam spoke back up. “However…want to know what grounded me? Besides the talk with Uncle Naro.”

Liam waited to see if anyone would say anything. When they didn’t he answered for them. “It was my time with you guys. When things got rough I thought about our time in the Tutorial Area. How I wanted to go on more adventures with you guys again. The tough times, the fun times, the training with a certain arrogant swordswoman. The teasing and antics a certain Fae woman and Kitsune man used to ease the tension during tense times. The kindness of a certain Half Orc, along with the food he made. The strict words of a Dragon-kin and a Tiefling trying to make sure I didn’t over do things. The meals we shared. Sure we didn’t spend years together, but those were still some of the best times I had after things went to hell back in my world. They were enough to make me not want to breakdown and allow me to fight back against the negative experiences I went through.” Liam shrugged before adding, “I don’t know maybe I was just hoping that the time I spent with you guys during the Tutorial Area was more than just making memories I guess.”

When Liam realized there was silence after he finished he turned to look at them. They had stopped walking and were staring at him.

Aw crap. Maybe I said too much. Maybe they are put off by what I said. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Liam thought as he internally panicked.

Before he could say anything, Roman broke the silence by saying, “How long did you practice that? Was a mirror involved?”

“Oh screw you man,” Liam swiftly shouted without thinking. His cheeks burned from the embarrassment.

“So you’re not denying that a mirror was involved?” Ariyana asked with a teasing smile on her face.

“There was no mirror, and I didn’t even plan on saying anything okay!” Liam shouted.

Everyone burst into laughter after that.

Gimmel stared at them. Envy and slight jealousy filled him. Without realizing he was speaking out loud, Gimmel whispered, “You guys sure do seem close. I wonder if I could ever get to that level of trust and familiarity.”

“Sure you can,” Blair suddenly said, surprising Gimmel.

“You may be young and just recently joined us, but you are a part of our group now,” Roman added.

Cheeks returning to their normal color, Liam finished, “It doesn’t matter how long, you have already made some memories with me and even Artem, Blair, and Roman.”

Gimmel looked at them. Avery, Ariyana, and Mercer gave him smiles as they nodded in agreement.

“But…,” Gimmel started.

“But what? Your journey with us had started and before you know it you will be either joining in on the antics of some of us or scolding some of us on things we’re too ignorant on,” Liam stated.

“What Liam is trying to say,” Mercer chimed in. “Before you know it you will have memories you can look back on when you’re not with us. Just like Mr. Sad Sap here.”

“Hey!” Liam reacted quickly making everyone chuckle.

Gimmel stared at them again. He could feel the difference of being with this group compared to the last few he tried to join. He could tell they were trying to include him and reassure him he had a spot in the group. It wasn’t because he knew a secret he shouldn’t know, but rather that they themselves wanted him there.

A smile formed on Gimmel’s face as he thought about it. They wanted him in the group. That one thought was enough for him right now. Now he just had to see what kind of adventures they would have and go from there. Excitement foiled him at that. He couldn’t wait.

He turned around and started walking. He then said, “Let’s hurry up and get back to Uncle Naro. We still have a lot of things to do for you to get to the next step.”