Advent of Eternity - Chapter 6 (Patreon)

Stix observed him for a few moments, then sighed and rose to her feet. Knell followed after her. He was nearly a head taller than her, but the way she carried herself left no doubt that she knew how to fight.

Several people glanced at them as they walked up the stairs. It didn’t help that Knell had to take his time with each step, ascending one loud tap at a time.

“Have fun, boy!” a rough looking man called. “The first time ain’t all its built up to be, but she’s a looker.”

Stix’s eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth as a few stupid chuckles traveled through the room. Knell glanced back at the man, then gave him a one shouldered shrug and a goofy grin. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, the grin fell off Knell’s face as if it had never been there.

Stix pulled the door shut behind them once they were inside, muting out the noise coming from below. The room was plain, with a single bed and a desk beneath a window that had been blocked by a heavy black piece of canvas.

Knell grabbed the only chair in the room and sat down on it before sending an expectant glace at Stix. “Well?”

“Well what? Do you want me to dance?”

“Depends on if you think that be a useful skill to have on my team,” Knell replied. “I don’t need dead weight. Alternatively, you could just tell me why you need my help.”

Stix sat down on the bed and pulled open the heavy pouch at her waist. She reached into it, after one more pause, revealed a small red gem. Knell’s eyebrows rose.

“Ah. That does explain a lot. A Path Upgrade stone?”

“Yes. It’s mine, but the group I was traveling with wanted it. They betrayed me and tried to set up an ambush, but I was able to escape.” She returned the stone to her pouch and crossed her arms. “The men following me are likely part of the ones that attacked me earlier. I didn’t get a good look at them since I was attacked at night.”

“Why not just use it?” Knell asked. “I don’t see the point of carrying it around if you plan to claim it for yourself in the end… unless you’re trying to upgrade it?”

“My Path has very strict requirements on the type of magic I can use,” Stix said. “This stone is neutral, but I can only absorb Yin magic.”

“That is a problem,” Knell agreed. “Yin magic is most prevalent during nights with the full moon, if I’m not mistaken. That must make growing stronger quite difficult.”

“It does, but that isn’t the point,” Stix said. “I need to keep those bastards off me until I can gather enough energy to infuse the Path Upgrade stone. You read them like a book today, and I only need a few more months until I have this under control. I just don’t want to get stabbed in the back before then.”

“Fair enough,” Knell said. “Are you sure trusting me is wise? What if I want the stone?”

“You don’t, for whatever reason,” Stix said. “Your expression didn’t have any desire in it when I took it out. You’ve got good control over your features, but you’re still only human. My eyes pick things up faster than yours do, and you didn’t care about the stone in the slightest.”

“An interesting talent. That could be useful to a team,” Knell mused. “Let’s assume I help you with this task. What are your plans for after it?”

“Well, I was going to join an adventuring team regardless. If your team is good, I’ll remain in it. If it isn’t, I’ll leave.”

“I can work with that,” Knell said. “Could you tell me about your Path, then? I’m afraid I don’t know much about it.”

Stix studied him closely, then extended her hand, turning it palm up. A faint tattoo of a cloaked figure was inked on her inner wrist. Knell reached out, clasping her hand with his own. A jolt of ice ran through his veins.

They both let go and he turned his hand over. Magical script traced over his wrist before peeling away and rising into the air before his face.

Stix

Shadow Stalker [Rank Zero]

Magical Energy Level: 12 (13%)

Upgrade Orbs:

[ ]

…

Bloodline:

[ ]

“Well, you’re certainly new to this,” Knell said. “You’ve got absolutely nothing aside from your Path. I haven’t heard much about Shadow Stalkers, though. That could work for or against you. Rare Paths are either powerful or completely useless.”

“I know my way around a blade and I’m whiskey with my knives.”

“Whiskey?”

“Sorry,” Stix said. “Good. It’s slang.”

“Ah. Let’s say I take you on your word. There’s one small problem,” Knell said, adjusting his position in the chair and leaning forward, supporting his weight with his staff. “I don’t actually have any plans of starting an adventuring team.”