“The last flower that was auctioned off went for three hundred thousand. Oh, and I wouldn’t give the boy gold—it’s useless to him. If I’m correct, thirty thousand gold is worth three skills and three upgrades to level two. The god unlocked a new skill for Tailyn, and you’re the best herbalism instructor I know, so I’d say that would about do it.”
“Forian, I knew you had something up your sleeve!” Keran exclaimed. “Admit it—you engineered this whole thing so I’d teach him. Since you can’t handle that yourself, you decided to make me pay for it? Do you know how hard it is to get your hands on training points?!”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Forian replied with a laugh. “What, you think I grew the amilio there and organized the whole thing just to help some piece of street trash? Tailyn is nobody to me; I’m just following the path the god has placed in front of us. And since it so wished to give the boy herbalist, it’s not for us to stand in its way. We just have to help. Finish up here so we can head back to the city and get down to the real work.”
Tailyn, who had long since recovered, was sitting there listening to the mages with his mouth hanging wide open. The boy’s world had been turned upside down. Not in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that he’d be given the opportunity to learn how to collect divine plants.
“Come here,” Keran said to the boy with a sigh. “Tailyn, I’m going to teach you three new herbs and boost them to the second level. In return, you need to agree that I paid you your share for the amilio. Got it? Nod if you understand.”
The boy quickly nodded, afraid the mage would suddenly change his mind.
“You can be proud, you little delinquent—it took me two years to save up these training points! I’d been planning on taking on some students and giving them to whoever proved most worthy, but it looks like I’m just going to be handing them over to you. Close your eyes and keep hitting yes. Nod if you understand…”
Tailyn nodded again as he squeezed his eyes shut so tightly they hurt. All he cared about was making sure the mage saw him following instructions.
Keran Tisor, a level 2 trainer, would like to teach you three new skills:
Herbalism—Ordinary Loach, Ordinary Dairy, Ordinary Lavender.
Would you like to accept the changes?
Tailyn mentally tapped the yes button, and his body once again doubled over in pain. Only that time it wasn’t nearly as bad. It was over a second later, too.
Keran Tisor, a level 2 trainer, would like to give you skill points to promote Herbalism: Ordinary Loach, Ordinary Dairy, Ordinary Lavender.
Would you like to accept the changes?
Of course, he wanted to. Tailyn was so overjoyed he very nearly forgot to hit yes. It was a miracle. That very day, he was going to run to the temple and pray to the god on behalf of the two gentlemen who’d been so generous to him. His curiosity getting the better of him, the boy opened the first description.
Ordinary Loach. Description: an ordinary plant growing in mountains and other stony areas. Used in ordinary and rare recipes. Current search level: 2. From now on, you can see all plants within a radius of 36 meters [Search level * 10 + magic attack].
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Keran asked, and Tailyn quickly replied with a hiccup.
“I agree that I received my share for the amilio.”
He looked around and couldn’t help a quick shriek of joy—a loach was shimmering not far away. While Tailyn had missed it his first time around, he could see it and a couple other flowers with his new skill. He was heading over to add to his supply when Forian’s menacing shout stopped him in his tracks.
“Not right now! We have to head into the city, and you’re coming with us.”
“Yes, Master,” the boy replied, not even squeaking when the mage grabbed him to fly down off the ridge.
The guards had finished loading Dort up and were patiently waiting for the mages to finish whatever they were doing in the city of the ancients. They’d all been there when they were young, some of them spending booze-fueled weeks in search of ancient treasure. But it had all been in vain. Dead for millennia, the city had already been looted clean.
“Let’s go.” The mages settled onto the covered wagon, unwilling to trouble themselves by walking, and gestured for Tailyn to join them. Yet again, the boy felt a pang of frustration. He wanted to try out his new skill, but the stubborn mages just wouldn’t let him go. It was like they were laughing at him.
Still, as soon as he sat down in the wagon, he forgot everything but curiosity. Dort was shrouded in a blue glow, his neck was wrapped in strange, thick cloths, and his head was held stiff and high. And while he was sleeping, his face made it abundantly clear that his dreams were anything but pleasant. The muscles twitched; the boy moaned.
“You didn’t finish the mission in time, so you’re not getting a reward,” Forian said as soon as the procession started forward. “And I shouldn’t be doing this, but you did collect fifteen flowers before you found the amilio and lost track of time. That’s not bad for someone without the right skill. So I’m going to give you these.”
Forian pulled two cards out of his inventory and held them out to Tailyn. The boy stared wide-eyed at the mage, not daring to take them. Magic cards were something he’d never once heard about before that day. And the mage was going to give him something that valuable?
“Take them,” Forian said with a laugh. He understood the boy, for whom the simple cards were invaluable. “And learn how to use them.”
With shaking hands, Tailyn accepted the cards. And he just about dropped them when a description popped up.
Electric Strike-I. Description: an ordinary magic card that can be activated to do damage equal to the holder’s magic attack. Distance to target: between 0 and magic attack * 2 but no more than 100 meters. Includes 50 charges. Charges remaining: 50. Can be recharged.
***
Enhanced Shield-I. Description: an ordinary magic card that can be activated to increase shield level by magic attack for 12 hours. Includes 50 charges. Charges remaining: 50. Can be recharged.
“To use them, you need to say the key phrase, warm the card, and blow on it,” Forian said. “The default phrase is on the back of each card, though I’d recommend changing it immediately. If an opponent gets their hands on a card, you wouldn’t want them being able to use it.”
“How do you change it?” Tailyn asked, scaring himself with his own audacity. The terrifying academy mage was turning out to be just as human as everyone else. He was just stronger, more experienced, and burdened with important work.
“Hold the card up to your mouth and blow on it. That should warm it up.”
Would you like to change the settings?