[Mutable body Adept: In addition to adjusting your exterior appearance, you can now adjust your interior appearance. Common applications used by elementals include replicating a human voice box in order to speak the human language.]
[You have gained the water elemental abilities: Create water, Split, Guise of weaker self.]
[Create water 0/10 beginner: Create up to 4 liters of water using MP. The higher the skill, the more water can be created at a time. To create more water, multiple uses of this ability are required. In human form the volume of water is halved.]
[Split N/A: Split into two weaker versions of yourself. (Currently: two lesser water elementals). As long as your form(s) are not at the lesser water elemental strength, you can use split again. At higher skill line stages, the number of splits that can be achieved will increase. When your water elemental skill line reaches tier 3 you can use split to become 2 small elementals and then use it to split again to become 4 lesser elementals. In your human form, you can split as many times as your water elemental form, however your stats are directly halved for each split instead of dropping a monster tier.]
[Guise of weaker self. N/A: Disguise your current monster rank as a lower rank. While disguised you can only use skills known at that tier of growth. Only applies to monster skill lines]
{Yes! I finally got it!} Jericho the small water elemental cheered.
Llyn and Glaw came forward. {Congratulations on becoming a small elemental. Honestly we are surprised you were able to grow so quickly. Usually it would have taken a lesser elemental about 5 days to a month to grow to a small elemental. The growth time from there only gets significantly longer. Maybe it is because you are also human that your skills grew so quickly. Regardless, you now have the skill to save the village you and the other two came here to talk about. If you still want to save the village, we won't stop you. Use Create water repeatedly. It won't be fast but it will help bring water back to the human place.}
[Quest update: Upgrade to a tier 2 water elemental Completed. Use Create water to refill the village well. The skill will be more effective in water elemental form. Reminder, be careful who you form-shift in front of.]
Jericho returned to his human form for the first time in quite a few hours. {Thank you both for all of your help.}
Llyn shook his head. {We should be thanking you.}
Glawio came forward. {I suspect the two of us are off then?}
{Both of us?} Jericho questioned forgetting the past notifications.
{Glawio will still accompany you as you travel. He will help out as he sees fit. This was something we agreed upon after you became one of us.} Llyn confirmed.
The human height water elemental came into physical contact with Jericho. [Companion Glaw has used Merge/separate. While he is merged with you, your stats will be boosted. The stat boost has been limited due to being in human form.]
Jericho played one last song for the elementals before departing the lake with Glaw. He sent a message to Shiarra. [Just finished playing in the water. :P Princess will be home from school in a few hours. We can finish up the quest then.]
Shiarra looked at the message with a light frown. [You got a new skill from beginner to adept already? How?] She replied.
The bard looked confused. [You are the second to tell me that my skills progressed fast. The water elementals were surprised too. I didn't know my skills were growing fast so I am not sure how to answer your question.]
The woman sighed. "Figures, Princess did tell me that this was the first time either of them played a VR game." [Alright, you should come meet me in the starting town. Your fans are stalking the well hoping you will show up to play again. You can also show me that skill that can help us save the town.]
Jericho jogged back to the starting village. [Will do. It isn't very impressive but it will get the job done. It will be faster though if I have a way to restore my MP. Do you know of any?]
Shiarra let out a gentle laugh. [You can buy MP potions, HP potions and Stamina potions at any of the general stores in town. You could also learn the alchemy skill to make your own.]
The bard thought for a second before responding. [Buying MP potions would be best. That, or making friends with an alchemist.]
Jericho arrived at the well. He was excited to take advantage of his new split ability now that it truly belonged to him. The moment he pulled out his piano and sat down on the bench, excited shouts were heard and the area was quickly filled with people. The bard split himself into two copies. The other him pulled out the violin. "Time for some new songs." He whispered with a smile. The copy with the violin stood. Peaceful, calming music started playing from both the piano and violin. If Jeannette Long were in the crowd she would instantly recognize the composition.
The two instrument version of the Moonlit Lullaby lulled the audience into a restful calm. Many closed their eyes enjoying the beautiful overtones. Many members of the audience unknowingly fell into a sleep state in-game.
It wasn't long before Jericho received the skill notification he was waiting for. [You have performed a complex rendition the tier 2 music skill 'Lullaby'. You have put 31/58 audience members to sleep. 20/58 are feeling drowsy. 7/58 have resisted the skill Lullaby.]
[Lullaby 2/10 Adept. A gentle melody intended to lull other beings to sleep. The skill level is Adept. The difficulty resisting the urge to sleep has become harder. Lullaby's effectiveness is also directly affected by the type of lullaby you play, which instruments are used and the species of the intended targets]
After receiving the notifications the violin wielding Jericho laughed, startling the audience awake. "I guess I should play something a bit more invigorating!" He shouted out.
"This song is called the Warrior's Advance. Because I lack the proper instruments it is an incomplete version." The pianist started playing heavy handed chords on the deep end of the piano rapidly.
The violin started with a slow minor tone.
Both Jerichos started chanting warrior like shouts.
The violinist suddenly picked up the pace and switched to a major tone to match the fast tempo of the piano, creating a heroic army vibe.
The rhythmic composition echoed through the surroundings for a few minutes before coming to a conclusion.
The audience clapped.
"Hey Jericho, before you continue, we all have a question. How did you get a skill to make two of yourself?" One of the audience members wearing a yellow-green robe came forward.
"Lay off dude! We are here for the music. Jericho, just ignore that man, keep playing!" Another audience member shouted out.
Shiarra send a quick message to Jericho. [Danger! Don't ignore the man but don't answer his question.]
Jericho smiled at his overly suspicious comrade. He decided to heed her warning, despite feeling it was unnecessary. His clone at the piano started playing an interlude while the violin wielding bard turning to the man. "It's not that I don't want to tell you how I got it, friend. I promised the ones this skill originates from that I would only talk about it with those whom I can trust. Besides, this skill is more showy than practical. You are a magician right? Imagine having your intelligence, wisdom, and MP cut in half. It would become really hard to fight things right?"
The mage gave a determined look. "I'm Emerald Flame of the Vextor guild. I would like you to invite you to join our guild."
Many members of the audience booed. "Go solicit your guild elsewhere!" "Yeah, stop interrupting the performance with your useless agenda!"
Another message came from Shiarra. [Decline him and resume your performance. If he or his guild decide to make trouble I'll handle it.]
Jericho messaged back thinking his mission companion was still over-thinking things. [Thank you]. He smiled at the man. "I will have to decline your generous offer, Emerald Flame. As you can see, the show must go on."
He put away the violin and pulled out the ocarina. "This melody is called The Forest Guardians."
The piano started to play a chord followed by three increasing notes in a cycle creating a mysterious resonance.
The ocarina played an upbeat playful melody perfectly matching the rhythm of the piano. The strange discord created a very whimsical yet respectful feeling.
Emerald Flame left the crowd. He knew when he wasn't wanted.
A few songs later, the crowd seemed to grow greatly in size.
Jericho received the notification they had all been waiting for. [Your friend Dancing Princess has come online.]
When he gave the announcement the crowd cheered.
Princess arrived and the crowd split open to allow her in. "Wow, the crowd is even bigger than last time!" She proclaimed happily. "Hey brother, can we make it rain? I need water for my dances today."
Jericho chuckled. "How about I get you some water without getting everyone wet today?"
The ocarina wielding bard used his new skill he obtained for the sake of saving the town later; create water. Two liters of water appeared and fell at Princess's feet. "How much more do you need?"
The young girl thought for a bit. "About twenty more times should do it."
Jericho nodded and repeated the skill, draining his half-MP pool a few times. "Excellent, what songs then?"
"The Farewell Song. I want to try out my new staff and the skills I learned from our last adventure." She pulled out Yun's first staff and used her skill summon background dancers.
The bard smiled. "That's a good one." He put away the ocarina and both of him started tapping the outer casing of the piano like drums and started singing in a foreign language.
Princess swung her staff and started dancing elegantly to the calm chant like song. The elemental dancers harmonized their movements and elevated the puddle of water on the ground to lift Princess slightly off the ground.
The performance came to a close a few pieces later.
The 12 year old smiled sweetly at the audience. "We will be back another time! Remember to support us. Look up my brother Jericho Maestro and love his songs like I do!"
© J Eranoth