Chapter 20: Choices to make
Jaeger felt a strange tinge on the back of his neck, "Huh…felt like someone walked on my grave hahaha…weird" Looking around nothing seemed out of sorts and so Jaeger lazily layed back down onto the field and puffed a cloud into the sky as he patted Frog on his chest.
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Drek rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the stick in his hand. Everyone raised their stick up and showed the words painted in gold on each of them.
Ito, choice of power.
Tao, choice of skill.
Kito, a choice of boon.
Jax, an increase in ability.
Bjor, a weapon of choice.
Drek, a weapon of choice.
Ito scanned the contents of each stick with his eyes and sighed, "So only one of us got the choice of power…I was hoping for more…if we made him a demigod, hell we might just be able to relax…"
The man smiled, "Trust me…it isn't always good to give out a bunch of powers…the chance is quite low. The sticks themselves aren't labeled until they are grabbed so there is no fixed choice in my hands but only fate as it decides what you grasp…"
Tao muttered under his breath, "That was so poetic…" Before a solo tear came from his eye. Ito knew more than any other how much of a fiend Tao was for poems and literature. The two had really hit it off, and now the man spoke far more poetically then he should if albeit more deliberately...
Ito sighed again, "Can we smoke in here?"
The man shrugged, "Hell why not? What do you smoke?"
"Something with clover…no…make it something with a vanilla taste to it."
The man gave an inquisitive look, but waved his hand casting smokes from the air.
"Who is first?" Turning away the man asked in a deep voice, looking at the 6 before him, "We have all the time in the world"
Ito looked at everyone, "Jaeger…explained his power and abilities to me. First let me tell you what I know…and what he received last."
Everyone nodded, and after a while their eyes popped open wide, "What the hell kind of mix is all that…a gun too?"
Ito nodded, "Teleportation…artificial elemental transmutation…elemental boost buffs…a summon with an interdimensional space…a chain blade that imbues his powers and buffs…he is quite the character."
Tao began to think deeper than he had intended before, "What I choose matters just as much as yours…because it will also apply to his weapon."
Ito nodded, "Correct…I will choose a supportive power, and Drek and Bjor should choose supportive items as he is already a master of his weapon."
Drek and Bjor looked at each other briefly before raising their hands; the shop keeper raised a brow at them but nodded for them to speak.
Simultaneously, "We want an ounce of the greatest Kush!"
Tao spit out the water in his mouth he had just drank the last of from a flask, while Kito and Ito looked at the two like idiots.
Drek rubbed his neck, "Listen…we all have our vice, and we don't drink…so…yeah we were stoners in the Mage School, but we passed okay."
Ito and Tao sighed, while Kito shrugged, "It's better than drinking anyway…"
The shopkeeper nodded, "Such a normal mortal plant and yet it is across different worlds…." He waved his hands, and through a faint glimmer of light and mist, fresh plants fell from the air to the ground before withering into dried husks that glinted with crystalline structures adorning their outside.
"Thank you almighty one!" They each took out half a piece of pipe and like shaking hands reached towards each other and connected them before running off.
Ito turned to the shop keeper, "Explain the choices…start with genre…"
He nodded, "of course…offense…defense…support…"
"Support" Ito called out instantly.
"Self…other…together…external self, internal self…weapon application…"
Ito looked to Tao who whispered to him a bit with a nod, "Self or rather whole body…"
"Whole Self-applied powers include elements, flight, telepathy, movement, shifting, strength, speed…." The list for non-offensive or defensive powers was endless. With each choice it would break down into variants of that same power. Flight could turn to propulsion, emission, levitation, gravity, etc."
"I'm sorry buddy…god this might hurt…I choose secondary limbs, in the form of cloth wings that come from his back….each wing 7 feet long and they fold…the power is the wings themselves, as they take on the elements in which he has on him, applying them naturally as they are a part of himself…to the wings…"
The shop keeper moved his mouth several times, "Hmm…a metamorphic power…a mutation, but it does indeed count…alright…I assume this includes the ability to manipulate them freely? Why clothe if I might ask"
"Because of his already existing power…true wings, might actually be a burden…but a material such as clothe should not on his powers. It is also lightweight, and provides him a natural cloak to place runes on later…the clothe has no nerves, so pain through use is no problem…however what clothe type material can we choose from"
"You are really making this sound like an item…" The shop keeper smiled.
"No…noo…." Ito laughed wryly, "a power to manipulate this cloak in which forms from his body, that's a power right? However, as I am the one granting the power or rather the choice…I should be specific…should I not?"
The shop keeper eyed Ito, "True…what did you have in mind."
"Something conductive, highly resistant to elements and flame, but also lightweight and not to forget…black."
The shop keeper turned away and thought for a moment, "They have a material like this from another plane hmm…I like you folk, and it is a special year…alright, I will count this as a power." He snapped his fingers.
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Jaeger was just sitting on the ground trying to reach for a rose not far away when a horrible pain came from his back.
"What….what the fuck AHHH" Jaeger screamed, but slowly stopped himself. This pain wasn't as a bad as what Enigma had put him through, but the surprise was none the less not great on his nerves. Something was sprouting from his back!
Jaeger looked over his shoulder, and ripped off his shirt only to see a cloak like material sprouting from his back. It was split towards his upper shoulders, and went down and back up to meet in a place directly on his spine. Most of the pain came from this place, as it felt like it was latching onto and becoming one with his bones.
The clothe didn't stop growing, each half that connected and seemed to fold in towards his back, it was at least 6 to 7 feet long if spanned out. Jaeger slowly stood up and tried to flex his back, and was aghast as the cloak flapped out into two sets of dark wings made from clothe.
"Did…they give me this?" Jaeger looked towards the door behind him as the pain faded. Each wing had similar symbols to that as the back of his palm, "They have have…" Currently Jaeger had two lightning symbols up, with a gaze he noticed the same two of three possible bolts glowing on each wing towards the middle. It crackled with electricity every once in a while, but somehow it wasn't draining on him.
The wings slowly fluttered down over his shoulders before draping down his sides. For all tense and purposes it looked exactly like a cloak.
"What the fuck guys…" Jaeger muttered as he felt the material that was lightweight but seemingly very durable.
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"It is done…next" The shop keeper looked at those in the group again.
Tao was the next to step forward and unlike his brother already knew exactly what he intended to choose for Jaeger.
"Empower self" Tao had thought of countless options, and the very skill itself was equivalent to that in which his brother had as a power. It raised the attributes of the user by 30 points in all aspects for 5 minutes. This could be lifesaving, strengthening, and a decisive factor in a battle. It might be the very thing that Jaeger needed to win against a big boss too.
The shop keeper nodded, "Good choice…"
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"Huh?... agh motherfuckers!" Jaeger bit his tongue as a racking pain flashed through his body ending with a *ding* from his watch. Opening the display, Jaeger found a new skill in his set called "Empower self"
'Empower self: For 5 minutes, have a gain in all attributes by 30 points'
"30 points? My gods…that would make me second to Ito when he is boosted…" Jaeger looked around, before slowly sitting back down on the ground.
"Is this going…to happen for each of them?" It would make sense if it happened 4 more times, but what was strange was that he was supposed to receive nothing at all and now he was? Something wasn't right, but they weren't here to answer questions so there was nothing to do about it.
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"Boons come in many forms young miss…luck, protection, boons of magic to make say evocation spells come forth at half the cost of mana…etc…etc." The list for boons was actually quite short; the shop keeper even gave her a large sheet of paper with the boons upon them.
Tao and Ito peered over her shoulder at the choices; each in unison caught the eye of one in particular "Draconic Ranger, Warlock, mage, sorcerer". 4 options for the same boon, each with their own perks.
Ito shook his head to one of them, "Not mage…it may conflict with his power. Nor does he cast spells in that same regard anyway…sorcerer wouldn't be bad, but he takes in energy and elements not emits them…he would only be able to release that in which he could pull in. Warlock? Why would we choose a god for him, especially in the regard to dragons? We couldn't do that to him, I'd rather die. That leaves the ranger…which is quite interesting the more I think about Jaeger."
"Luck…charm…none of these is quite useful in my opinion" Kito spoke as if to agree. These were the only 4 boons outside of schools of magic, warriors, and otherwise. It was niche, but that was perfect. They needed a boon that covered several things, and the requirements of the others couldn't be met because Jaeger didn't have the right aspects to fulfill the boons requirements. Like for mage he had to be a certain level, or warrior had to be blessed in spirit towards a certain weapon.
For all and tense and purposes, even following Jaegers powers as an example, he was a formula that could bend to anything. Like the flavor vanilla…could be added to anything, so too could Jaeger as his abilities were never too much and applicable in a vast amount of ways.
That's why Tao didn't choose something crazy or rare, he gave an all-around boost to what Jaeger already had with his choice of Skill. Ito chose the wings, because they too could take on, like his weapon, the elements he pulled into his body because they were of-sorts connected to him.
'Draconic Ranger: A specific and long lost class of fighter, scout, and mage. The powers of this classal type coordinated with the powers of a dragon bestowed to a mortal of great character. This Boon is the form of a true blessing, in which the recipient is granted powers to the likes of a particular dragon.'
"Can we choose which one? And what abilities are granted from thereon?" Kito asked before Ito and Tao opened there mouths, they slowly nodded to the girl who they often forgot was as intelligent as they were.
"Well…there are others boons of the wolf ranger, which grant speed and agility…boons of the nature ranger which grant boons in magic related to nature and tracking…the draconic ranger is quite the rare choice."
She nodded, "Yes" for him to continue.
"Well…each dragon type has a buff it applies through the boon, for example the fire dragon grants immunity to fire…the same for the others, differing in regards like the earth dragon in that they grant resistance to impacts and quakes…it makes them stable as a mountain."
She nodded, "Yes…yes…what other types of dragon are there"
"Quite a few actually, they too are a species and even have humanoid counterparts…a bit of their blood is granted to the blessed, so you need someone who can handle greater potential within themselves…well there is the star dragon, the shadow dragon, dragon of light, dragon of space and time, dragon of gold who is the greatest of those of elements…dragon of the deep…abyssal dragon…wyvern…wingless dragon of the skies…dragon of the grey…"
"What is the dragon of the grey?"
"Oh it is an enigmatic type of dragon, said to be the chameleon of its brethren. It is nomadic, and travels wherever it so chooses becoming one with the planes and nature…it is also referred to as the Enigmatic Dragon, or the Dragon of all…in the case that it can become one with….how about I tell you what it grants already" He laughed seeing the three whisper their choice before his very eyes and he hadn't even finished.
Ito laughed wryly, "Sorry it just sounds so much like…well Jaeger"
"indeed….indeed….it grants an overall resistance to all forms of damage, a…how do you say all around defense. Not powerful, but a jack of all trades….it also grants those who combine themselves with the elements of nature certain boons on top of the resistance to all forms of damage."
Kito waited for him to continue but the man just nodded, irritated she spoke a little higher "Yes...AND, continue what you were going to say"
"Oh well…they will know when they are blessed."
Ito shook his head, "is this the right choice though…resistances to all aren't all that useful in the regard to common damage types. We don't know what other boons are granted and if they are all that much better anyway for the elements he uses…he also told me he gave up control of earth, fire, air, and water…so he may not even be able to apply the boons this dragon grants."
Tao nodded, "Hmm…" he turned to the shop keeper, "Why is it I may ask you won't continue?"
"Well…because I don't want to feed into your choice, it really is up to you."
Tao opened his mouth but closed it again, from the tone and the way he looked at himself and Ito he was applying that he was already giving leeway letting them discuss between each other what to give Jaeger so he acquiesced instead of asking further.
"Would it be wrong to ask for your personal choice of what to give? With my full consent of course, and only as instruction to me as an individual" Kito mouthed her words smoothly like a lawyer.
The shop keepers eyes brightened up, she was smart! Of course higher powers were watching him right now; he couldn't give away too much. However, from the way Kito stated it…
"Yes! Educationally indeed, it is good to learn from someone as old as me…" He floated the sheet up into the air and pointed to several, "Offense…defense…the amount of abilities granted…the types interrelated to the person specifically…for example Jaeger has magical affinities of an infinite amount, but only in the context of what he is met with. He seems to favor both Metal and Lightning as you stated, and from the signs of his fighting style…he is a mid range fighter. The chain blade, guns, the way he interacts with situations…proves this. He is a neutral type of person…and so…if I had to choose it would be this one"
He pointed to the bottom of the sheet, past his finger was the name of a boon none of them had seen. It was as if it appeared only when his finger had pointed to the sheet.
"A boon is the mix of power…skills…and abilities into one…in this case the 'Boon of Mystery' hidden from the eyes of those who don't look for it…"
Kito slapped her forehead, "Are there more hidden ones, is this page itself a boon…what is the boon of mystery, don't be so mysterious"
"Well it's the name isn't it…heh…"
Kito wanted to punch him in the face, but Ito slapped her hand down before looking at him, "For educational purposes of course…what the fuck is it"
"Oh well…it gives you a random item, or boon at different times. One's unrelated to bloodlines however or powers…it doesn't depend on a situation, it just gives you a random one."
"How many times does this occur?"
"They have to fulfill certain things…he will receive the boon, as well as a page. Depending on which quest he chooses, he will receive something from it. The bad side, it could ask him to kill a thousand demons and he will receive a stick…or he will receive that rod of smite that destroys all undead within 50 feet. It is both related…and unrelated, depends on his chances."
Ito, Tao and Kito looked at each other and nodded. The risk and return were great, and this was a boon of giving in most terms. The others were far too specific, and he did say it gave boons in a plearl and thus even at a random Jaeger would receive more boons then if they choose one specifically.
"Unrelated to your teachings…I choose the boon of mystery" Kito handed the shop keeper back the page.
"Good choice unrelated to me of course…you learn well pupil." He smiled and dispelled the page into thin air.
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*ding*
Jaeger looked down at his watch to discover a boon, "It matches each of the 6 choices they could receive…that cements it. Something isn't right…"
'Boon of mystery: Complete given quests, and reap the rewards.'
"Kinda straight forward…okay" Jaeger turned back to the door, "2 more then…"