The next two days was pretty much normal-ish. On the run from bounty hunters, buying and stocking supplies, and training with the elite rookies.
I bought a beast ride which was good in both combat and lift, and it cost me one blue bills and five green bills... which was like an arm and a leg. I also bought more of preservable food than spices, and got a water distiller for the parade.
I was pretty much confident in my ability to predict and avoid danger, but that wasn't going to help in the parade. Because the nobles would probably not listen to me when I try to warn them of danger, and going off alone was as good as dead.
So I kept lecturing myself on 'what to do', if 'these were to happen', and I felt my survivability rate increase to 7.5%... Nice right?
Ellen gave me a list of what she would be needing, and the bills to buy them, then isolated herself in her room for the two days. While Peter and Mike were pretty much doing the same as I was.
Today was the day all portals would be open to stronghold one, for the novice inheritors who were joining the parade to register there. Then they would spend the night there, and set off for the parade, at first light of the next day.
If I were to survive the parade, then I would probably be returning as a tier two, or three inheritor. And would get new spells, capable of doing what Elizabeth did... That would've killed me, if there hadn't been a relic in the lake.
The progression to a higher tier was achieved by straining your soul force in real combat, and the mastery of your already owned spells. And when that is achieved, details of a new set of spell would be chanted to you, and your soul's force would expand.
-
"We are running late Ellen, what's taking you so long!" Mike screamed out for the nth time.
We were all packed and ready to go, and was waiting for Ellen to step out of her room, so we would go register for the parade together. But there wasn't any reply from Ellen since Mark had been calling out to her.
"Maybe she died of starvation in there" I commented lazily.
"You guys can go, I'll catch up later with Alex" Ellen finally replied from her room.
"What? Why me?" I asked in surprise.
"See you later man, try not to die before you get to stronghold one" Mike said with a chuckle.
"Try not to get killed by Peter along the way" I replied with a smirk.
"Hey! Don't trash my name" Peter retorted, and walked out with his luggages, followed behind by Mike.
After Mike and Peter left, Ellen walked out of her room with an excited expression.
"What's with the excitement?" I asked casually, and picked up my luggages, ready to leave.
"Drop the bags, we aren't leaving now" Ellen said, and sat in a lotus position, on the floor.
"Why?" I asked in confusion.
"Alex, let's make a deal... I give you a six star information, and we stick together, during the parade" Ellen said with a smile.
"Uhh... Can I say no?" I asked sarcastically.
Who wouldn't want to privy on a six star information, in exchange to be with a beauty... A creepy one though.
"Come sit with me" she said and patted the floor rug beside her.
I obliged and sat beside her, in a lotus position.
"Drink this..." She said, and handed me a bottle of... diluted red liquid?
"Has it come to this? Poisoning me?" I asked and stared at the bottle in disgust.
She smiled and uncapped the bottle, then took a sip from it, and handed it to me. I took the bottle from her, and raised it to my lips, about to take a small sip from it too... when she suddenly shoved the bottle in my mouth, and it's content got emptied down my throat.
I instantly felt a severe burning sensation down my throat, and heard a loud crack in my head. I felt warm liquid trickling out of my nose, and my brain went blank.
'Tier X magic, shadow manipulation' I suddenly heard a familiar chanting in my head, and instantly felt my tier one soul's force limit shackle, shatter.
It took my a brain a while to heal from the shock, and I was finally able to understand what had happen. I looked at Ellen who was beaming a smile at me, and felt like kissing her all over... But I knew better than to do that.
"What the f*ck is this?" I asked in surprise, and stared at the now empty bottle in love.
"Do we have a deal?" She asked, with a self appreciative smile.
"Of course we do... But, why would you give me something special, in exchange for partnering with me?" I asked in confusion.
"Alex, learn to always think outside the box. When Mike tipped me about your ability, i began seeing you in a new light... We are in a world of eternal darkness, and what do you always find in darkness?" Ellen asked with a serious tone.
"Shadows..." I muttered to myself.
"Exactly, and all your abilities revolve around the use of shadows, do you know what that means?" Ellen asked in anticipation.
"I'm a shadow mancer...?" I muttered again with a smile.
"No! That's right but, no! That's not what I meant... You, Alexander White, is the protagonist of this era. You are destined for great things, Alex. And I wouldn't want to miss out on that... I'd love to be by your side when your destiny starts manifesting" Ellen said with a serious expression.
"... What's the meaning of a tier X magic, and it didn't have a classification" I asked, after a while of being silent.
"It signifies what your ability is about... It's as weak as a tier one magic, and as strong as a tier six magic... It's potential is boundless, and all depends on you, to use it right" Ellen said, and looked me in the eye, "I believe your new spell is shadow manipulation...?" She asked.
"Yeah... What's yours?" I asked slowly.
She smiled mischievously, and numerous chained daggers suddenly shot out from behind her, and began flaring around the room wildly, with their chains all connected to her back.
"Highly poisonous, and their chains could stretch as far as my soul's force could take them. An opponent has no chance with me" she said with a grin.