Chapter 31 – Bloodline curse

  Daniel sat in his room fiddling with the little puzzle cube. Every time he managed to find a new rune, the symbols would light up and a hologram of what the image represented would appear above the cube. Right now, he was staring at an image of a bird wishing he had a stack of paper and ink to record with.

  “Interesting,” Daniel muttered, thinking out loud. “It’s not an enchantment. Not one that I’ve ever seen before, so how does it retain its magical ability to work after such time? It almost acts like a persistent spell, but spells can’t last this long without some kind of source powering them, can they? Does it use a core or crystal?”

  Daniel placed the cube on the table as the image of the bird continued to display above it. Scratching his chin in thought, he watched the image as it continued to move about in very bird-like fashion. It was so lifelike. Even as he watched, he couldn’t determine any patterns in the image, but ultimately it was just an illusion. As though to remind himself of that fact, He swiped his hand through the image. It rippled as his hand passed through but was otherwise unaffected.

  Scratching his chin again, a thought occurred to him. Reaching out with his Mana, Daniel scribed the runic symbol for bird in the air using his finger to focus the energy like a pen. He had to concentrate on his Mana control to make his Mana retain the form as he wrote in the air. When he was done, Daniel stared at the two glowing symbols before him. One showing on the cube and the other floating in the air.

  “Another failure,” Daniel muttered. “But there is something almost there.”

  Daniel let the symbol he created fade away as he went back to work on the cube. He had barely picked the cube back up when a message popped up on his System Window.

  *Association with the Wizard’s Order of Altur has been revoked*

  Reason given: Missed check-in, lost contact with guard, believe Associate is now deceased

  “Huh.” He continued to stare at the message for a long time.

  *~*

  “Argh, your body is as flexible as a Rekna,” Jack heard Ciao hiss as they got closer to the tree they had spent the previous night at. Elaine and Jack had finally returned shortly before dusk only to see a strange sight before them.

  “I don’t even know what that is,” Bryant complained. ”Humans aren’t supposed to move like this.” He was on all fours, trying to balance on his fingers and toes, and Ciao had him moving along the thin branches of the tree.

  “It is a creature, made of stone, moves by rolling everywhere. This isn’t hard,” Ciao continued. To prove her point, she adopted the same position effortlessly. “You just need to bend your spine and reposition your ribs. A child can do this.”

  “And I told you,” Bryant yelled back. “Humans can’t do that.”

  “What is happening?” Jack asked, watching Bryant trying to make a one-eighty turn on the branch without standing up. The whole branch wobbled, and Bryant almost lost his balance in the process. He immediately grabbed the branch, wrapping himself around it to stop himself from falling.

  “You asked me to teach,” Ciao said. “I teach, but this human can’t even do the most basic of task. Why do you reek of another feline?”

  “This isn’t how humans do these things,” Bryant yelled again. “Why can’t I learn how to be stealthy like a human? I don’t see either of them doing any of this.”

  “Your body structure and hips would indicate this as a more appropriate way of moving than the way you humans normally do,” Jasper explained.

  “With time it should prove more effective,” Ciao said. “No idea why you all insist on standing upright all the time.”

  “Ah, Jasper… can you explain a little better?” Jack asked.

  Jasper sighed. “I’m afraid I forgot a basic tenant of teaching. You can only teach what you know, and Ciao only knows how to be stealthy as a feline.”

  “Hey Jack,” Bryant called down to him. “I got a new skill. It’s apparently a rare one according to Ciao. Feline Stealth. Why are you covered in blood? Is it yours?”

  “Congrats,” Jack called up to him. “And yeah, some things might have happened, but everything is good right now.”

  “Feline stealth?” Elaine whispered just so Jack could hear her. “Is that going to be a problem?”

  Jack could only shrug.

  “Answer me,” Ciao called to him. “Why are you covered in another feline’s scent?”

  “Found another cat,” Jack answered.

  “Another would imply you found one before,” Ciao said. “I’m not a cat. I’m a Cait Sith. Would you call a lion a cat?”

  “Actually, yeah,” Jack said.

  “Big kitty,” Elaine corrected.

  “Humans,” Ciao tsked.

  “Why are you not blocking the sound right now?” Jack asked. “There are still Wenduags around.”

  “Can’t teach stealth if there is nothing to hear you,” Ciao said.

  “Zephyr is keeping a lookout,” Jasper explained.

  “The jungle has been quiet,” Zephyr said, appearing on Elaine’s shoulder. “Except for earlier today when you were fighting the Kerga. But most things fled during that fight.”

  “What’s this about a Kerga?” Ciao asked.

  In answer, Jack pulled out some of the Kerga leather. Ciao came down the tree to inspect the leather.

  “Apex? Dangerous foe,” Ciao said. “And explains the smell. Make sure you don’t waste that in an attempt.”

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  “I was thinking Rayne might be able use of it,” Jack said. “She has the leatherworking profession as well, and she knows a lot more than I do. I can probably learn as she works it.”

  “Was there a core?” Ciao asked.

  “Yeah,” Jack confirmed. “Not sure what to do with it though.”

  “Are we ready to leave then or are we waiting until morning?” Jasper asked.

  “Depends,” Jack said. “How high is your stealth skill?” Jack called up to Bryant.

  “Beginner,” Bryant called back trying to stand up again. “But I got a few more Dex. increases.”

  “I could have gotten him higher,” Ciao said. “But you humans are clumsy and stiff. It is a small wonder how you don’t trip over your feet every time you walk a few feet.”

  “I had a friend on Earth that constantly did that,” Elaine admitted.

  “What do you think?” Jack asked Elaine. “We could try getting closer at least.”

  “We will have to approach the entrance during the night,” Elaine said. “We won’t be able to travel as fast as well.”

  “Travel back during the day then,” Jack said. “Get close enough to be able to head to the entrance during the night.”

  “Yeah, that might be best,” Elaine said.

  “Savgar is going to be annoyed,” Jack said. “I still have all the food.”

  *~*

  Savgar left the Trial of Reason more annoyed than when he had gone in. The Trial was okay. At least it was a little challenging and interesting, but the reward was… After the first Trial’s reward he had hope for some of the other rewards being useful but… Purge?

  Savgar shook his head. Well, perhaps a normal person would find it useful. He even expected that most would. But to him, it was just another reminder of what he lost. He had issues with spells. Even managing to learn the spell as a reward was a rarity for him. As an Ironbreath and son to the reigning Patriarch, he would have been first in line as successor if it wasn’t for his affliction.

  Savgar only had a few spells and skills that used Mana. He gained most of them when he was still a child. Back then he was looked upon as a prodigy. At least that was before he unlocked his Bloodline. Where he should have gained the trademark benefit of his family’s gift with Earth based spells. He was suddenly filled with nearly crippling pain and nausea. Ever since then, he had rarely managed to learn a new spell and even the one he had prior would hurt him when he tried to use them. He hadn’t progressed a single Mana base skill or spell in over sixty years.

  That was the double-edge nature of Bloodlines. Many of the ancestors would benefit from the Bloodline, but occasionally someone was born within it that didn’t take to it right. The Bloodline curse was what it had become known as, and the more powerful the Bloodline, the greater the curse.

  He had seen specialists of course. Each one an expert in their craft, so they claimed. Each one promising a cure for his affliction, but ultimately, they were only able to stabilize his curse and take away the pain. He could function normally now, but that was all.

  Savgar had made his peace with the situation. He would never be a true Ironbreath. He had the name, but his position in the family was honorary now. He was still the son of the Patriarch, but he would never take over the clan. That future was gone from him now, and every spell he did manage to learn was just another reminder of what he could have been.

  He let out a sigh at the thought. It wasn’t all bad. Most dwarves had no talent for spell work. Now he was just like any of them. He reentered the main room seeing the other object of his annoyance standing before him.

  “Congratulations!” the world-eater said. “That didn’t take very long.”

  Savgar only grunted. “Tell me… tree,” Savgar said. Savgar forced the words out of him. They had a System Promise between them now, and so long as the world-eater held its end he would treat it with a modicum of respect. He hated it, it wasn’t natural, but it hasn’t done anything yet, and undeserved animosity would only serve to poison their already strained agreement.

  “Are all the rewards for the remaining Trials just more spells?” Savgar asked.

  “No,” the tree said. “Only one more is a spell; the other is a skill.”

  “Well, at least the skill might be worth it,” Savgar muttered.

  “Not a fan of the spells?” the tree asked. “That’s strange. Most love the spells the Trials gives. I hear they are unique to the Order.”

  “Ay, that might be,” Savgar grunted. “But spells are wasted on someone like me. Can’t use most of them. Not without issues.”

  “Hmm,” the tree said. “Is it because of all the corruption in your channels? I imagine that does make it difficult.”

  “The what?” Savgar was halfway to the next room but stopped at the tree’s words.

  “The corruption in your channels,” the tree repeated. “Most people who come here have some, but I must admit that I never seen someone with as much as you.”

  “You can see that?” Savgar asked.

  “Yes, I can see that while your body is free of most corruption,” the tree said, “your Mana channels are fairly weak by comparison and almost completely packed with corruption.”

  “Ay, that is the issue,” Savgar grunted. “There’s nothing to be done about it.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” the tree said. “Why can’t anything be done about it?”

  “My channels don’t work,” Savgar growled, he didn’t want to be having this conversation. Especially not with this thing, but he knew it would only continue to pester him if he didn’t explain. He thought about just ignoring it, but he was already struggling to control his frustration and anger and didn’t want to deal with it pestering him the rest of the Trial.

  He knew his fate in this life. He wouldn’t even be able to ascend to the next realm. “Not for a long time. My Bloodline broke my Mana Cultivation, and ever since I’ve been stuck unable to improve my spells or progress my Mana cultivation. Even casting spells is difficult for me most days. Can only do simple things without effort.”

  “Were they always filled with corruption?” the tree asked. “Or did they fill as a result?”

  “How should I know,” Savgar practically yelled.

  “Well, have you tried purging the corruption and seeing if it changed anything?” the tree asked.

  “I can’t purge the corruption because my channels don’t work!” Savgar was starting to get angry. The Abomination just didn’t know when to stop.

  “I can probably help,” the tree offered. “I never done it on another, but I am constantly purging the corruption in my roots. If it is similar, then I might be able to help you with your situation.”

  “And why would you do that?” Savgar narrowed his eyes. “Hoping that if you kill me the promise that binds you now will go away too? It won’t. The System Promise had no bearing on me being involved. It will persist and hold you even if I am gone.”

  “What? No!” the world-eater said aghast. “I was just trying to help.”

  The tree did sound genuine and Savgar couldn’t get a sense of any deceit in the tree’s words. Still Savgar was skeptical. He had spent most of his young life with dwarven specialists, all of which said they could fix the issue. Nothing had ever worked.

  “What makes you so sure?” Savgar asked.

  “Cleaning corruption from Mana pathways is sort of a specialty of mine,” the tree said. “There has been little else to do most of my life than to keep corruption from building up.”

  “And you think you can do the same for me?” Savgar asked.

  “I’m not sure,” the tree said. “I can only promise to try and clean your pathways. I can’t say more than that.”

  “Fine,” Savgar grunted. At least it wasn’t offering him empty promises like the others. “But I better not be any worse off than I am now. I’ll know it if you try anything and consider it a violation of your promise.”

  “I can’t do anything to harm a Candidate undergoing the Trials,” the tree said. “Nothing intentionally at least. Jack was more of an accident. How was I supposed to know humans can’t consume raw Aethyr?”

  “Most creatures can’t,” Savgar said, sitting down in front of the tree. “Whatever this trick you have, better not involve that either.”

  “No,” the tree said as its branches came down to rest on top of Savgar. “But you might not like it much better.”

  “Just make it quick,” Savgar muttered. “And if I tell you to stop. Then you better stop, or you will learn what Thurg taste like. Pact be damned.”

  “Of course,” the tree said as the branches dug into his skin. At first Savgar was surprised the tree was able to break through his skin so easily. He immediately started having a bad feeling about this, but it was only amplified by the sudden wave of pain and nausea that lurched inside him overwhelming him. He sat there, frozen in pain. His last thought before blood began to fill his mouth was never trust a tree.