Master Of None

’ The user has learned the skill shadow spike through experimentation with the elemental manipulation skill.

Shadow spike- 4 mana cost

The user controls the existing shadows to form a sharp spike. This takes a significant amount of time to properly form. The target damaged with this spike is inflicted with strong decay that is nearly impossible to purify without a high amount of light elemental mana.’

At first glance Walker was not impressed by this skill in the least. What point of the battle would he be able to take up his time to create such a spike. However he was thinking in the wrong way, this skill was not for when he was in a battle but before it started! 

Walker found that this skill would best be used when he had the chance to catch an enemy off guards before they had spotted him. Not only would he be able to cause some damage to the enemy but it would also place a huge amount of decay on them which would slowly eat at the enemy’s health. This effect would be very useful against strong opponents that took time to deal with, Walker could already see Su holding off an opponent that was decaying away until it collapsed. This could be his easy but time consuming tank buster.

The only other party member that could use this skill better would have been Midnight who is more geared towards sneaking up and defeating opponents. Unfortunately she was limited in what skills she could learn. This was just the way the world worked. However this did not mean she could not do something similar with her decaying breath. The new strategy to wait out a tough opponent could prove invaluable. One drawback did come to mind though.

The party had been very lucky to keep monster bodies to sell or use as food. There were also the ones that were materials for crafting. If they inflicted decay on them then the bodies would have the potential to be useless to them in any way. Walker would need to somehow have enough light mana and a purification skill. This seemed too far-fetched to use in a dimly lit forest where the darkness mana would end up more powerful anyways.

Coming back to reality Walker saw that Onyx had curled up and looked much more normal that he had before. Onyx had completely adjusted his body and balanced out the two conflicting manas. There were some differences that could be seen clearly though, his scales were much darker than before. Walker compared them to staring in to an abyss, this really fit the name for his species. There was also a bit of light that would glint in Onyx’s eyes if he looked close enough. Walker was sure that this was the remaining light elemental mana he had consumed that he was using to balance things out.

Midnight was also having a bit more luck, The flames that came form her mouth had grown in size and strength. Instead of the small ones that needed the assistance of the fire Walker had made she was creating her own again. This was a much more difficult process but since her and Walker knew the basics from the prior training they had progressed more easily. 

While the sun had started to rise above the horizon bringing light to the training fields Walker found it becoming much more difficult to create the shadow spike. He spent some time practicing this skill to see if he could make it appear within the shadows from a distance. Sadly he needed to be in contact with shadows himself for the skill to make any spike at all. On top of this he found that his hand would not make any contact now that the sun was rising. The shadow spike that he was fearful to touch was nothing but a shadow in the shape of a spike and nothing more.

Walker saw Midnight struggling to adjust her flames and decided he would return to practicing the black flames as the sun rose as well. Onyx was coiled up enjoying his morning meal of sunlight, his body warm and balanced as it should be. The three planned to train the day away.

While Walker was busy training Remey had decided to do a few things herself. She had always hated the fact that she could not create potions that would heal fevers or help someone sleep at night when they were stressed by growing pains. She could only make small shelves and teas that she had learned from the alchemist buildings alchemists. She had taken too much time learning these things when she was younger and realized that with Walker’s help she would be able to put her hard earned knowledge to use.

She had decided that she would make sure the alchemy room was in perfect shape for when Walker had the fresh herbs from the garden. Nothing would stop her in this respect, She decided to visit the old man at the alchemist building, she did not care for a second that she would be interrupting his new experiments with the pure water he had gotten from their previous visit.

Making sure to keep to herself Remey headed out towards the alchemist building. She saw that Walker was too focused on the black flames in his hands to even notice her. The only one that seemed to catch her leaving the mansion from the back door was Onyx. She held up her finisher to make a shush motion. Onyx responded with a little head bob before resting again watching Midnight breath small black flames.

Remey told herself that she would find the best light crystals for Onyx when she had the chance as a thank you. Her trip was fairly uninterrupted, she walked to the lower tier of the city feeling back at home. She had ran around the streets with her siblings getting in to plenty of trouble and random brawls. The alleyways were just shortcuts to her that could take her to any place she wanted without issue. She avoided any of the merchant stalls that were crowded and made some rounds towards the older stalls that were less visited. 

”Been a while kid, come to try and buy out all of my honey again?” There was an older woman who had caught Remey taking a look as she passed. 

”Psshh that honey was too expensive, no one else would have bought it I did you a favor.” The retort was not as malicious as it would have sounded to the unknowing listener. The old woman showed a snaggle toothed grin before grabbing a small jar of yellow gold honey.

”Here honey, take the honey.” The old woman laughed but ended up coughing a bit at the end. ”I hope your little brothers are still doing well, no sore throats this time of year?” 

”Nope not a one! Since I started adventuring I have sent them some good money for food. I even had one of my party member’s mothers send some breads.” The old woman handed Remey the small jar of honey the same grin on her face.

”Good, no get along now before you scare more of my business away.” The woman tried to put on a stern face but her smile was still indeed showing through.

”Not that I wanted to stay anyways!” Remey picked up the pace, slipping the honey in to her pocket. The old woman was in a much better mood seeing that the little girl that had once begged for honey for her little brother’s sore throat was all grown up. She didn’t notice the gold coins on her table until much later, there was no chance of catching up to Remey now.

Remey went on like this only visiting stalls that had elderly or ill looking merchants. She had visited these stalls so many times since she was little that they would always recognize her in an instant. These merchants would start their conversations with the same harsh greetings that to an unknowing listener would be shouts to leave. To Remey these were the same warm greetings she had always heard from the same people who had given her ways to take care of those she loved. 

The orphanage had not always been on such solid ground, when Remey was young it was a rarity to get two full meals a day, now? She had worked hard and been able to help enough that the orphanage was considering adding another building. Times had really changed since she was little. These changes had allowed her to have the freedom to become an adventurer and make more money for her family. Just because she now lived somewhere else did not mean she was not still a child of the orphanage, it would always be her home.

After visiting another three stalls and having random herbs or fruits stuffed in to her hands, Remey had sneakily left gold at every single one of them.