Soul of the Warrior

Reivyn bent over and gasped for breath. The Party had sprinted all the way to the second-floor boss room and taken up position at the top of the stairs. They had waited for twenty minutes for the horde of Revenants to appear, but they never did. After determining that the third-floor monsters wouldn't pursue them to the second floor, the Party had retreated all the way to above ground. The feeling of suppression from the Abyss Mana lingered, and they didn't feel relieved until they were once more in the sunlight eternally suspended over the Dungeon.

"Looks like nobody's going to be clearing the third floor until some really high-level Adventurers show up," Alisia said.

"The information from the Adventurer's Guild only says that it's not advised for anyone to go beyond the second floor for now," Melissa commented. "I thought that wouldn't apply to us because of how powerful our group is, but now I see that it's because of the suppression. I wonder why there isn't any more information than that on the third floor?"

"Probably because all of the people who went down there and didn't turn back once they got uncomfortable died," Alisia pointed out. "The Church might know what's down there, but their priority isn't clearing the Dungeon. They're here to prevent corrupted materials from spreading, and they only run the Dungeon to gain Levels and experience for the people here. They might send a high-Level team to check it out, but it's not that important for them. Anyone high enough Level to power through the suppression probably has access to Dungeons just as good as this one, anyway."

"If they know what's down there, wouldn't they spread the word to prevent needless deaths?" Erin asked.

"Yeah, that's why I said they might know about it," Alisia responded.

"I have a friend in the Church," Reivyn said after he caught his breath. He had taken a little more time than the others to recover because he expended vastly more resources than anyone else. "I'll ask him the next time I see him."

I should have realized what was going on when the others mentioned they were feeling uncomfortable but I wasn't, Reivyn mentally kicked himself. I got tunnel vision, and I was so focused on looking out for Revenants in my role as a vanguard, I hadn't been paying enough attention. Reivyn shook his head, a frown on his face. Melissa looked at him and noticed the action.

"What's wrong with you?" Melissa asked. "You saved all of us by stopping the Revenants and Spectres from overwhelming us in the corridor, why are you shaking your head?"

"I should have realized something was up down there," Reivyn answered. "I realized the issue was with the Mana in the depths, but I didn't think it would do anything other than cause discomfort. My own immunity to it caused me to dismiss the possibilities."

"How were you supposed to know it would behave any differently than it has before?" Alisia asked.

"I'm more sensitive to the different Mana coming from the Dungeon," Reivyn said. "If I had called a halt to our advancement, it might have given us a chance to discuss the issue. I might not have realized it would affect our own Mana, but it would have at least given a chance to everyone else to consider what the implications could have been."

"Be that as it may," Melissa said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "That was the first time we've ever experienced any kind of suppression from the different Mana.

"It's not just on you, we all had the opportunity to call a halt when the situation changed. We were just too eager, and we ignored the warning. It's not just your fault."

"I suppose you're right, but that still means I messed up. It just means everyone else did, too," Reivyn chuckled. "I also tell myself to not let myself get complacent or to get tunnel vision, and yet it happens over and over."

"I wouldn't say this was a case where you grew complacent," Alisia remarked. "You just didn't know what you didn't know. How were you supposed to realize we needed to stop and channel our Mana to verify if it was still effective? It would be complacent of you if you ran into a similar situation in the future and didn't do so now that you know it's a possibility."

"Thanks," Reivyn said, a smile on his face. "Your words make me feel a little better about the situation."

"You're welcome," Alisia said with a smile. "Now, let's get out of here. I don't think we're going to be going back to the third floor any time soon. That being said, I think it's a good idea to split our group up into smaller ones to maximize our Experience and Skill gains, and before we leave to go back to The Capital, I want to challenge the full Hard Mode of the second-floor boss. I think we can do it with a little more power."

Reivyn sat on his bed in Meditation circulating his Mana Affinities. He went over the events on the third floor, and the actions he had taken, trying to come up with a better way to handle it.

I didn't need to use so much Mana to destroy the Revenants and Spectres, Reivyn thought. I was just panicking and throwing everything I had at the problem. If I had calmed down and thought more rationally, I would have realized I could have done it in a better way. Using myself as a focus for the Inferno Blast Spell was a good idea, what with so many enemies rushing at us, but I didn't need to overpower it nearly so much.

If I can figure out the most effective way of doing it, I should be strong enough to solo even that battle. Especially after my parents finally helped me fill up my Bloodline. It's still not fully unlocked - there seems to be some hidden trigger that even my parents don't know about - but I still gained a ton of additional Stats from it.

Reivyn pulled up his Status Page.

Status

Name: Reivyn Class: Light Magus Lvl 7

Fighter Age: 11 (17)

Health: 4,860/4,860 (+200) Stamina: 7,821/9,330 (+260) Mana: 1,933/4,580

Physical Stats Mental Stats

STR: 447 (+6) INT: 455

VIT: 486 (+20) MAG: 461

DEX: 447 (+6) CLA: 400

CHA: 139 PER: 404

LUK: 138

Bloodline: Unknown 26,413/∞;

Additional Requirements to Unlock

Experience: 3,919/8,000

Reivyn had gained 216 additional points in each of his Physical and Mental Stats, and an additional 72 points in Charisma and Luck. He had gained a total of 300 points in his normal Stats and 100 points in the other two from dumping Experience and treasures into his Bloodline. The System simply calculated the equivalent Experience by using the natural treasures that his parents provided.

My Bloodline is clearly an evolution of the combination of my parents, but I have no idea what it's going to do once I fully unlock it. There also aren't any hints at what needs to be done to do so provided by the System. The only hint I have is the origination of my mother's Bloodline, but dad says his family doesn't remember anything about theirs. He just knows that it's not a derivative of the Imperial Vynn Bloodline.

He had been worried that he would lose the ability to siphon Experience into his Bloodline if he unlocked it, but his mother had allayed his concerns.

"Bloodlines can be upgraded further once they're unlocked. Because your Bloodline isn't fully activated, yet, the materials required are just within reach of your father and me. Our Bloodline is fairly powerful, though, and the level of materials required to upgrade it any further has to come from a Tier 5 Region or higher. That's one reason why Bloodlines found in lower Tier Regions are often weak.

"We had to flee our home before I was able to upgrade my Bloodline. Our family routinely sought after the natural treasures required to do so, but it was customary to wait until Tier 3 to go through the process."

His fears put to rest, Reivyn had absorbed the energies from the pile of resources his parents had procured. Several of the herbs had been refined into pills, and he simply had to swallow them and let the medicine do its work. Many of the treasures weren't ingredients in pills, though, and not all of them were even herbs. Some of the items were toxic, and consuming them like a pill would kill one before it enhanced the Bloodline.

It had been a week-long process and he did it during his break before heading to Magron, as the energies had to suffuse his Bloodline. He simply didn't have a large enough stomach to take them all in quick succession. If he took too many at once, the large amount of energy could also be detrimental. To absorb the energies from the toxic herbs and metals, he had been guided by his mother to gather up the energy with his Mana Manipulation Skill and slowly draw it into his body and direct it toward his heart.

He could feel his body grow more powerful over time, and he was greatly anticipating what would happen when the Experience counter finally reached the required ten million. The treasures had finally ticked the number over, and he waited with bated breath for the unlocking to happen. After sitting for several minutes with nothing happening, though, he checked his status and saw the change in his Bloodline.

He had discussed the issue with his parents, but neither of them had heard of a situation where an additional trigger was required to fully unlock a Bloodline. His parents had told him they would research their own Bloodlines and see if they could discover any clues to the matter, though his father had said it would probably take a long time since the history of his Bloodline had been lost generations ago.

Reivyn had also Leveled up twice when he gained just over 14,000 experience, most of it from the two instances of gaining 5,000 bonus Experience for technically clearing the second floor, from running the Dungeon over the past two weeks. He got almost zero Combat Experience, only getting a little for the couple of times he had intervened during the first foray with his roommates, and an additional 4,000 from decimating that horde of Revenants and Spectres.

I can definitely see some people exploiting this and running people through the first two floors for a fee. It's basically five Experience Crystals, and it could be sold at a cheaper price than the crystals themselves because one would have to travel all the way here and actually spend the time in the Dungeon.

It might seem like a loophole in the System for quickly gaining Experience, but then you run into the problem of gaining too many Levels too quickly. The System is pretty fair in balancing these issues.

Personally, I could wait a month and run the Dungeon the same way three more times to reach Level 9, or I could go ahead and turn my siphon ability back on - it still works - and move on to challenging the third floor with my parents' people. I think it's a better idea to clear it with them first before I attempt to solo it.

My priority right now isn't Leveling up, and I only want to clear the third floor for personal reasons. I can't see my future Class options anymore because I'm not close to achieving the next Tier, but I imagine I won't have any problems choosing an amazing class. With all of my previous Achievements, I basically don't have any restrictions from Stats for any Rarity Class, and I only have to worry about my Skills.

Since that's the case, I'll go ahead and run the Dungeon with my parents' Party next week, and then I'll try and figure out how to solo it. I have a ridiculous amount of Stamina and Mana now, so I should have enough resources to last a long time, but there were nearly a hundred Revenants from that first onslaught, and that was only one small corner of the giant cavern on the third floor.

For whatever reason - probably a warning from the System - we can see well past the limits of the Dungeon lighting when looking down on the cavern from that hallway on the second floor, and it's huge.

Decision made, Reivyn continued his Affinities training.

"Ahh, this is a nice place," Josn commented, relaxing back on the couch in the living room of Reivyn's rented manor. "It wouldn't be appropriate for the Church to provide such luxury to our priests, as we wouldn't want their hearts to waiver from their duties, but experiencing it in moderation while meeting with friends isn't a bad thing."

Josn was doing much better ever since the events of the Dungeon Break. He had visited Reivyn the previous week and they had caught up on all that had happened to each other over the past almost year. The first thing Reivyn had done was apologize for his accusation during the hectic battle, but Josn had simply waved it away, saying everyone had been under a lot of stress.

His mental health had not only recovered, but he seemed to be a lot more grounded, as well. He still told stories of being strict with his subordinates, but he wasn't as harsh or unapproachable to them.

Josn had taken command of the Church outfit after the Sword-Bishop had passed away, but he was too young to remain in such a position. He was rewarded, though, for his command of the retreat to Magron, and he had been promoted to a Senior Sword Priest several years ahead of schedule. He wasn't the youngest in his position, the Church spanned the entire continent, after all. He was definitely one of the youngest, and he had done it on his own merits.

"Yeah, we have such a large group all mingled together for this time around," Reivyn replied. "It didn't make sense for everyone to be scattered all over the place, and the setup here is perfect for having separate groups of boys and girls in the same house. We have enough people to form four separate groups and still clear the second floor.

"Speaking of, have any of the priests explored the third floor, yet?"

"No, not yet," Josn replied. "Sword-Bishop Nix had scouted the entrance area of the third floor, but he said he would wait for a higher level team to join him. He told us that he had an uneasy feeling, and that's all he said. If there hadn't been a Dungeon Break, he probably would have already gone down there. Have you guys explored it yet?"

"We went to the very first encounter," Reivyn acknowledged. "That place is super dangerous. The Mana density is much greater, and the corrupted Mana becomes the dominant force. It puts a suppressing effect on our Mana, and it isn't nearly as effective against the Revenants. My immunity came in handy, and I was able to cover the retreat of my Party Members, but I don't think anyone below Tier 3 should go down there.

"It's that giant cavern that can be seen in the last hallway on the second floor, and as soon as you step out of the corridor into the open, all of the monsters attack at once. We had almost a hundred Revenants charge at us with almost ten Spectres, and that was just the one corner of the cavern."

"Hmm, I'll be sure to inform the new Sword-Bishop, and we'll make sure to let the priests running the Dungeon know that it's off limits. I'll also put a note in your record for contributing the information. It won't get you any kind of reward or anything, but it'll look good. Have you informed the Adventurer's Guild Branch?"

"First thing we did after coming out," Reivyn nodded. "How about you? Are you still escorting the younger priests and sword-priests to bring up their Skills and Levels? Don't forget to take the time for yourself, too."

"Yeah, I squeeze in a personal trip with a couple of the other officers once a month. Having responsibilities greatly reduces one's options for constantly working on personal growth. But I don't resent it or anything. This is the life that I've chosen, and it's very fulfilling for me."

"Have you met Prince Galwit from Eldiar?" Reivyn shifted the topic.

"Yes, he's swung by a couple of times to meet with the Sword-Bishop. I get a strange feeling every time he's around like I'm missing something. Some of his followers also have a weird sense about them, but I can't place my finger on it." Reivyn nodded his head.

"I know what you mean. I've met him a couple of times. He's been nothing but friendly, but daggers can hide behind smiles." Josn gave Reivyn a level look and nodded his head.

"I'll keep that in mind."

The two young leaders continued conversing about various topics, and Josn stayed for a meal prepared by Teilon. Teilon had finally unlocked the Cooking Skill, despite saying he hadn't deliberately worked towards it, and, while it wasn't as good as something that could be purchased at a restaurant with professional chefs, there was a marked difference between his earlier meals.

Josn got along well with Melissa's crew and the roommates. His family wasn't nobility in the traditional sense, but they were well established in the local Region's Church hierarchy, so he was acquainted with some of the same people as they were. He obviously knew who Alisia was, and Reivyn could tell that he was pleased to have made a slight, friendly connection with their family.

Josn wasn't a political animal of any sort, and he took his job as a Senior Sword-Priest very seriously. That didn't mean that he couldn't recognize the benefits of being friends with important secular factions, though. He was also in the enviable position where he could befriend various factions that were normally at odds with each other, as long as he kept a clear distinction between Church and secular matters. Reivyn could tell that his friend understood this point quite well.

Reivyn walked up to the fancy gates of the manor complex that had been described in the note he had received. There were a couple of guards standing at attention at a little post that had been built for them, and they eyed Reivyn as he approached.

"I'm Reivyn," he said to one of the guards. "Prince Galwit should be expecting me."

"Yes, he is," the guard returned. "Come, I'll escort you to him."

"Do I need to turn in any weapons or anything," Reivyn asked as he was ushered inside through the opened gate?

"That won't be necessary," the guard replied. He kept a neutral expression on his face and only spoke what needed to be said, but he wasn't rude or stand-offish.

Reivyn followed the older man to the entrance of the manor, his Sense Threat Skill passively informing him that it wouldn't be easy to overcome him in a fight, but that he wasn't a deadly threat. He's probably around the same Level as Mr. Weimyn. I feel a little bit of pressure, but nothing I don't think I couldn't handle if push came to shove. Granted, he's just one of the guards.

Reivyn had received a missive from Prince Galwit to join him at his residence, and he had alluded to explaining some things that Reivyn had suspicions over. I might finally be able to clear the air and figure things out. I'm not too worried about my own safety, walking in here alone. I already met with my parents' people, and they're always around to keep an eye out.

The manor itself was much more ostentatious than the one Reivyn and his friends had selected, and it had more facilities attached to it. It would have been unheard of for something this luxurious, even his own rented manor, a year ago. The guard led Reivyn through the common living area and up the grand staircase. Prince Galwit was in a little office a bit of a way down the hall on the second floor.

Reivyn could see a couple of his followers doing their own thing, and he could hear the sound of training coming from the rear courtyard. He didn't spot Ren anywhere, and none of the other followers paid him too much mind.

"His Highness is waiting for you inside," the guard motioned toward the open door. Reivyn nodded his head and expressed his thanks as he entered the study.

"Ahh, you're here," Prince Galwit said, getting up to walk around the table and extending his hand in greeting. "Come in, come in. Close the door behind you, if you don't mind."

The scene reminded him of meeting with Knight-Lieutenant Brand on occasion in his office. They both had a similar vibe in how they treated their guests. Reivyn noticed that there wasn't a whole lot occupying the room, but there were a couple of personal effects to give a sense of home. It makes sense, considering he'll only be here for a couple of months, at most. He took a seat in a chair across from the prince.

"So, based on your reaction to me the couple of times we've met, I take it you've sensed something about me?" Prince Galwit opened right into the main point of the meeting. Reivyn nodded his head. "And I'm guessing you're wondering why I've taken such an interest in you?" Galwit raised an eyebrow while asking the question, and Reivyn nodded his head again.

Looks like I was right, Reivyn thought. Maybe I'll finally get some answers.

"Well, just like how you've sensed something in me, I've sensed something in you. I felt your presence the first time I entered The Capital of this little kingdom, and I've kept abreast of news about you ever since. I was ecstatic to find someone like you out in this tiny Region, and I think bringing you along to Eldiar and introducing you to the family would be a great boon for everyone."

"Introduce me to your family?" Reivyn asked, slightly taken aback. "Is your entire family like this?"

"I should hope so!" Galwit said, surprised. "If they weren't, then they wouldn't be family."

"So it's not you, personally, that's associated with an Abyss Cult, but it's your entire family," Reivyn said.

Prince Galwit's eyes widened, and he quickly pulled something out of a drawer, activating it. Reivyn could sense a magical barrier of some sort spring up and surround the office.

"Quiet! This place wasn't warded," Prince Galwit exclaimed with panic. He frowned and eyed Reivyn seriously for a short moment. "How do you know about the Abyss and my connection to it?" Reivyn pulled back in surprise.

"Wait, what? Isn't that what we were talking about?" Reivyn asked.

"No, I was talking about blood," Galwit said. "I felt a resonance in my blood when I passed by you nearly a year ago."

"Wouldn't that still be in the same territory?" Reivyn asked, confused. "Unless you really are an outlier, and it's just you that has an association with the Abyss." Prince Galwit considered Reivyn across from him a moment before he responded.

"No, it's my entire family," he said. "Eons ago, my ancestors were part of an invading force on this Realm. We lost the war, and they capitulated, agreeing to swear fealty to those that had defeated them in combat. The way back to the Abyss Realm had closed, and there was no way to retreat. My ancestors were split into two factions: One wanted to fully integrate into this Realm, and the other wanted to maintain a level of separation, refusing to give up their Abyss Mana.

"I figured that you were a descendant of the first faction, and it would have made sense that you didn't know about the connection to the Abyss Realm if your ancestors had fully integrated and erased any evidence of their origin. That's why I was so surprised when you suddenly blurted it out." Galwit paused for a second to gather his thoughts. "So your family is aware of their origins, then?"

"Umm, no?" Reivyn replied. "I simply saw you and your followers using Abyss Mana in the Cobbled Ruins. My family doesn't originate from the Abyss Realm, at all. I know perfectly well where my ancestry is from: The Tier 4 Vynn Empire. I just happened to gain access to the Tier 5 Abyss Affinity through an accident in the Dungeon, and I thought that was what you had sensed."

Galwit stared at Reivyn for another moment before throwing his head back and laughing.

"This is even better!" He cheered. "Our family's goal, over the millennia, has been to find a way to make Abyss Mana mainstream and not seen as Heretical, at least by the denizens of this Realm. We had long conceded that it might be impossible for the System itself to recognize that fact. My goal was to bring you along to Eldiar with me, and slowly, over time, use the example of your ancestry integrating into this Realm as a means to further the goal.

"That is if you had been who I thought you were.

"This is even better, though! You're a true member of this Realm, and yet you have access to the Abyss Affinity! Do you know what this means?" Reivyn shook his head. "It means we might be able to find a way for the System itself to stop viewing Abyss Mana as Heretical. After all, you have it, and I can see that you aren't considered a heretic."

"How do you know that?" Reivyn asked. "And aren't you worried that I'll rat you out to the Church of Light or something?"

"You would have already," Galwit waved away the concern. "I know you're friends with Senior Sword-Priest Josn. You would have told him about your findings if you had wanted to. And that very relationship is the reason I know you're not a heretic. I have a special magical item that hides my Abyss Mana, but I don't sense anything similar from you."

"Ok, so let me get this straight," Reivyn said. "Your family is descended from people who lost an ancient war, and you've kept your connection to the Abyss this entire time. You're not part of some cult organization, or have ties to one?"

"Hmph, the Cult," Galwit said with disdain. "They were a splinter group expelled from our ranks thousands of years ago. They risk jeopardizing everything we've accomplished so far. And for what? Brief personal power? We're not going to muster any grand crusade again, any time soon."

"Well, that's a relief," Reivyn responded. He could tell Galwit's feelings over the matter were completely genuine.

"Is that why you've been so cautious around me? Because of the people who incited the Dungeon Break?" Reivyn nodded his head. "Well, let me ask you this: What do you know about the Abyss Realm?"

"All I know is that it has bloodthirsty, sadistic people who turn other people into resources through dark alchemy. They can turn people into demons, and their overall vibe is one of darkness and death." Galwit stroked his chin as he considered Reivyn's words.

"You've only ever experienced things from the Cult," Galwit pointed out. "They were extremists. In reality, the Abyss Realm is almost identical to this Realm. There are Lifestyle Classes and Combat Classes, and the vast majority of people pursue a regular life.

"I can see the question in your eyes: 'how do I know this if I've never been there?'

"The answer to that is quite simple. My family was part of the group that chose to integrate, but we didn't want to give up our roots. We especially make sure to have internal lessons about the Abyss, and we've kept it up for thousands of years. Part of those lessons is to learn the truth of what the Abyss Realm is like.

"It's true that there are people like the cultists in the Abyss, and some people can be transformed into demons and other things. But that's not everyone. The way Abyss Mana works is it feeds on emotions to empower the people. Rage, hatred, and bloodthirst are common emotions for powerful Combat Classes, and so it would make sense that that is what you've experienced.

"Take Ren, for example. I recruited him as one of my followers because I had sensed the influence of Abyss Mana on him already. He was compromised by the people associated with the cultists who orchestrated the Dungeon Break long before you ever even met him. He was in the shadow of his twin sister his whole life, and that had fostered rage and resentment in him. I saw this connection, so I picked him up.

"Each of the other people I've recruited to follow me have similar situations, though it's not always negative emotions. The Lifestyle Classes in the Abyss are fueled by passion. Passion for their craft, passion for their loved ones, or passion for anything else.

"This is the heart of the reason for our goal of making Abyss Mana mainstream. We're all just people, like you."

"That's a lot to consider," Reivyn said. He sat in silence for a moment, mulling over the words. They rang truthful in his ears. "I have one last question, for now: You don't exhibit anything like what you just described."

"More of a statement than a question," Galwit mumbled. He chuckled and answered the implied question. "My lineage is one of nobility. It's not just that we're nobles in Eldiar, but my ancestors were nobles in the Abyss, too. Common citizens of the Abyss are empowered through embracing their emotions and passions, and the nobles are empowered by nurturing those emotions and passions in their followers.

"It makes for a great system. Each group gives and gets something from the other, far more tangible even than the nobility structures of this Realm. That's another reason why I recruited Ren. I was able to get him out of home confinement and help him develop his Class and Skills, and his loyalty directly contributes to my own."

"Okay, so all of that to convince me to join you in your grand endeavor," Reivyn mused out loud. "Well, I have my own plans, but I'm also not against extending what help I can. I'm not biased against the Abyss per se, just the ones that want to slaughter innocents or turn them into Experience Crystals. I say we let nature takes its course, and we can reconvene in Eldiar once I move to their Academy."

"That's all I ever hoped for," Galwit said with a smile. "I'll help you out with anything when we're there, and feel free to ask for my assistance with anything at any time, here, as well. I won't keep you any longer."

The two youths stood up and shook hands once more. Reivyn left feeling relieved that he wasn't going to have to defend against some other dark conspiracy involving a noble family of Eldiar.

I don't mind giving what assistance I can, especially if it leads to a peaceful conclusion, Reivyn thought as he exited the manor. I don't know why, but I'm sure that everything he said to me was the truth.

Skill Unlocked!

Tier 3:

Detect Lies/Truth (0 ->1)

Ahh, that would explain it, he chuckled.