Legend of the Spellthief

Passing the time with some minor chores, Logan returned to the G-Hall with his forms filled in and moved to the large practice grounds at the back.

Sitting on the pews to look over the other adventurers, Logan was able to Identify a few more than he had last time he was here. At level 16, with Identification at tier 4, he could scan up to level 22 if they lacked any defensive measures. There was quite a number of people that’d have their names on the leaderboards, being over level 10.

Logan remembered that adventurers of rank 15 or higher gained a metal signet, meaning he’d be joining that exclusive club soon. Since there were thousands of people in that bracket, at least when it came to the G-Hall, Logan would lose what little anonymity he was holding onto. He wasn’t going to have it for long if he was to make a guild.

“Evenin’, Phasing Hunter”, an adventurer greeted as he sat next to Logan.

“And to you”, Logan replied politely.

“Looking for new teammates?” the random person queried.

“Reassessment.”

“Good luck to you then.”

Keeping an eye on the training grounds themselves, Logan collected more data on the progression of other classes and NPCs. It was still weird to call them as such, the term was so, “gamey”, that it didn’t seem to fit. Even with all the windows and status screens, Logan was immersed in this world.

Most of the low levels, in the ranges of 1 to 8, saw increases of up to 5 with their new assessment. While some in the low 10s only got 1 or 2 level increases. Logan was going to have the largest increase in this session.

Logan was eventually called down to the grounds and put through the same motions as before. Running track, hitting dummies, and displaying his magical might. However, this time, Logan was treated to a few cheers and claps from the crowd.

Looking into the numerous faces, Logan saw happy smiles across many magi and even some non-casters who had heard of his exploits to date. It was hard to tell if it was true adoration or just respect for his work as a hunter that not many would want to do.

Regardless of those who were at his back, Logan came to the end of his assessment and the announcer called out his results.

“Logan Hall has been reassessed. He has been marked as a rank 16 Wizard. While his spell slots are on the lower end for his class, his mastery of the spells he prepares is on the higher end. Special notes are given to his specialities of being a Grasp expert alongside divination, and teleportation, with his summoning skills granting him the maximum number of elementals.”

A round of applause, louder than previously, followed this announcement. It seemed even higher-level adventurers were able to break through the general stigma of casters. At this point, Logan could cast so many spells a day that he wasn’t such a detriment to a team, though.

Moving to the exit, along with the rest of the adventurers with the end of the assessments, Logan could overhear a few people talking at the back.

“A quadra-focus mage? Send him an invite.”

“Teleportation is hard to come by in a team. You sure he isn’t set up as a porter?”

“I hear the max number of summons is five. What kinda army is he packing?”

“Another to be added to the ‘steels’.”

It was hard to pick out anything bad being said about him, a few harsh words were pointed at some of the others who were reassessed though.

Handing his scroll over to the front desk had Logan also get his signet changed out for a new one. The receptionist took a few minutes to take some notes and adjust the new signet to Logan’s details. Eventually, he was handed a steel-coloured metal signet that was thinner than his last one.

Unlike the wooden signet that was like a small shogi piece on a necklace, this one was more of a rounded rectangle. The numbers were no longer etched into the surface but were drawn onto it more fashionably. Logan could also tell that the signet had a small portion of mana, or spellforce as the natives called it, running through it to increase its toughness.

With his old signet getting retired, Logan adorned his new one which glinted a bit before being hidden under his clothing. As he did, another member of staff was updating the leaderboards on the other wall with the newly established level 10 and above adventurers.

While some adventurers were checking on the leaderboards, one came over to Logan from his side. “Hey, Logan, right?” the man asked.

“Yes. Can I help you?”

“We’re needing a porter to head north, interested in joining up?”

“Sorry, I got prior engagements for some time, another quest will have me too drained to do much else”, Logan replied, hoping this wouldn’t go the same way as before.

The man let out a sigh with a drooped head, “Fine. Good luck with your endeavours.”

“And to you”, Logan returned as the man walked away. “No more duels”, he thought to himself.

“No doubt they are worried about your armband, or your higher level”, Fol added in Logan’s mind.

Making his way back to the inn, Logan saw neither of his companions there. Asking Yetveka, Logan found that Marcus was still going about his hunter business and Amalia was still exploring. There were some hours left in the day, and a few into the night, so he decided it would be prudent to clear out some hunter contracts of his own.

Warping to the Gerro Guardhouse, Logan picked many low-rank marks and set out to fill his quest log in further. The weaker the better, to not increase his level too much.

It was easy to find the ones on the wanted posters, and possibly even easier to apprehend them when it came to it. Logan used either punches or his level 1 dagger to increase his Backstab mastery while trying to keep most enemies alive. When it came to group fights he let loose with Force micks.

A classless shoplifter who had been pawning off weapons.

A duo of level 3 robbers who were holding up smaller businesses to take what coin was behind the counters.

A group of four level 2 thugs who moved between the alleyways to rob passersby who took the wrong turn.

4 through 7 were to track down suspects in the under market trades of spell rings that Logan had dealt with before, each was guilty which made things simple when apprehending them for questioning.

A level 4 Wizard woman selling alerted trinkets that showed effects they did not grant.

A level 3 elemental that had been enchanted by someone else, causing it to go mad and leave its post. Logan brought its core back to the guardhouse.

Two runaway bandits of level 3 who escaped their escort to the guardhouse.

Quite the optimistic level 4 guildie traitor who fled with a bag full of tomes.

With such ample access to teleportation, Logan made quick work of these hunts, many of which were close to one another or could be transported back to the guardhouse by nearby guards. For the eleven quests Logan was paid 57 silver and 2 copper, the 10% with a minimum of 2 copper per hunt adding a handful extra coins to the reward.

As he was able to apprehend all his quarries unconscious, Logan was almost always in the realm of getting bonus rewards based on who put up the contract as well as who he was taking in. Jirango and eventually Jivvy were totally fine with him racking up pseudo “bonus points” to get better bonus rewards where possible from their store of criminal belongings.

As he was choosing from a selection of bonus rewards, a new window appeared to alert Logan to a new change with his one-hundredth hunt complete.

“You have gained the ‘Wolf Hunter’ title.”

“Wolf Hunter: The penultimate tier of hunters, as a wolf your hunting abilities are legendary. Criminals instinctively wince and hide at your name, whereas civilians would rather be nearer to you than a guardhouse.

You are awarded 15% extra money (minimum 3 copper) from successful hunting contracts and intimidate others with just a mention. You have gained 1 skill point to distribute.”

“Wow, that milestone already”, Jivvy chuckled as he looked over his papers.

“Huh?” Logan snapped out of his reading, “Yeah, 100 hunts.”

“Quite the shooting star. What’s it been, two months?” Jivvy asked as he took Logan’s armband.

“Something like that, my research into teleportation definitely helped speed things along.”

“That they damn did”, Jivvy laughed, “You’ve passed a lot of our other contracted hunters”, Jivvy continued as he sprinkled some more dust over the armband, its gold colour turning platinum with a silver glitter effect.

“Glad to be of service”, Logan smiled.

“Speaking of service, you’ve been taking on quite a few of the easier hunts. Do you have any mind to take on the harder ones? Those are a bit more pressing.”

“I just had some time free, maybe when the rest of my tasks are completed.”

“Good. We got one in recently that is offering a huge payout, twenty gold and some items to boot”, Jivvy announced as handed the armband back.

That was a big payment indeed. Logan’s previous hunt for the Qreil bandits, thirty members of ranks 1 through 3, rewarded 60 silver with an extra 30 for bringing in the leader alive. The Oni-Noni gang that Gaemo was undertaking paid 4 gold for eighty-seven level 4 through 10s. Dena, a single level 10 awarded 2 gold. Though the pay fluctuated based on if the hunts had gear that needed to be handed in.

“What is it about?” Logan asked, his curiosity piqued.

“A vampire came to town not too long ago, apparently some people were causing a coven some issues and he wants it sorted. A lot of killing, or apprehending, needs doing. It’s a rare hunt in that the client will be speaking with whoever takes the contract before they leave for further instructions.”

“Got some secrets to share then?”

“Most likely. The covens do keep a lot of stuff separate from one another, probably doesn’t want it written down for all to read.”

“I’m going to be busy for a couple of weeks… can it wait?”

“Most hunts collect dust on the board for weeks, if not months. I am sure this one can wait.”

“Alright”, Logan started as he pointed at the parchment in front of Jivvy, “these two will do for my bonuses.”

Jivvy looked at the writing briefly before clearing his throat, “How did I know you’d pick something like this. Do you mind waiting here for me to go grab them?”

Logan nodded.

Jivvy left the entrance room into the cell blocks at the back, and after ten minutes he returned with two tomes in his hands.

“Here you go”, Jivvy said as he handed the books to Logan.

Taking them in his hand, Logan glanced over their covers with a smile, “Thanks.”

The books were Invisibility Beginner’s Guide and Invisibility Manual 1. Since he couldn’t use the Rogue’s skill, Shroud of Shadow, this was his Spellthief option for hiding himself from sight.

“I got plenty of paperwork to do, you done for the night?”

“Sure am. I’ll see you in a week or two, I guess.”

Leaving the guardhouse, Logan looked over his new armband with a sense of accomplishment, he still had that skill point to spend.

Teleporting back to the inn with the last of his MP, Logan moved inside and straight to his room as he saw no comrades in the tavern section.

Logan spread himself over his bed as he looked over at Marcus who had already begun reading for the night. “Long day for you too?”

“Hmm? Yeah. I heard you were out there a lot too.”

“Hit a hundred hunts.”

Marcus smiled as he replied, “Quite the accomplishment, well done, Logan.”

“I was surprised no new quest popped up with any of it though.”

“We can pray you’ve had good luck and that bad luck hasn’t befallen anyone to warrant a quest.”

“Maybe. But their rewards are great. I kinda miss it…” Logan thought aloud, memories of his outburst over the last quest moving to the front of his mind.

“How’d everything go with Eventa?”

Logan explained what had happened in the day, a chat that cut into both of their reading time, but it was a good rest from their normal duties.

“That sorts out Amalia’s gold then, she said she was going to do some armour and weapon crafting, you could pay for her wares… overpay more like”, Marcus chuckled.

“Having a crafter in our group would be amazing. We saved and made a lot from my trinkets, though I can’t sell too many more of those with how the economy is shifting.”

“I guess we’ll all be doing our own thing for the coming weeks.”

Logan agreed, pulling out the tome that Eventa had given him to read for the rest of the night.

Logan’s eyes began to become dry, it seemed his new Regeneration skill wasn’t going to let him stay awake forever. He still needed to satisfy his normal biological needs, so he went to sleep after finishing his dinner and night-time drink.

While Logan still needed sleep, the next morning he felt refreshed and full of life. His Bloodcasted health had returned to him and there were no aches to be found in his body. He also no longer felt his veins and arteries in that weird experience, impurities finding their home back in his frame.

Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, Logan used his Clean mick to fully cleanse himself. With its empowered state it did it so much better and faster than before, even cleaning parts of his bed. Summoning up his elementals, Logan didn’t make them all permanent, so he could save some more MP for the day.

Logan had some time left in the morning before he had to go to Eventa’s estate, so he had a leisurely meal and reading session for the two other tomes he had accepted from Jivvy.

With the new developments to his spells, Logan could Dimensional Jaunt up to 40 miles, and use Invisibility for 26 seconds. Both suited Logan’s style of combat, though Invisibility would need some more investment to increase its duration. Right now, he could only feasibly attack someone while under its effects twice.

Standing up from his table, the Spellthief exited to his new job. “Time to make some money.”

--- *** ---