B6 Chapter 687: Gold, Finale (Patreon)

Sigil of the Untrodden Path:

Level: 201

Class Skill - Tier II

Affinity: Arcane, Soul

Type: Glyph-binding, Runic, Bond, Enhancement

Selection Available!

Heroic

There are many oaths between man and greater beast within the Vesryn Order, each with a glyphic sigil that empowers the bond as much as it reveals a chosen Path. When two walk where no one else dares, they commit to falling as one or not at all. Only by a true sharing of strength do they hope to set their eyes upon the summit.

Tier I:

This skill allows the user to inscribe the Sigil of the Untrodden Path upon their own back, and on the sternum of their bonded companion.This greatly increases the distance at which they can communicate, and prevents any disruption up to the second tier.

The sigil can be inscribed with glyphic formations that permanently bolsters both the user’s and the bonded’s capability. Creates a formationbook on the user's status if one is not already present.

Tier II:

The sigil increases in complexity, capable of supporting second tier formations.

Senses shared across the bond become moderately less disorienting.

Bond communication cannot be disrupted by effects up to the third tier, with partial efficacy beyond.

Each level significantly increases the potency of inscribed formations.

Every 200 levels the user may learn another inscription to add to the sigil.

Formations Known:

Tier I:

????

Tier II:

Selection Available!

…

Desperate Infusion:

Class Skill - Tier II

Affinity: Primal, Soul

Type: Glyph-binding, Runic, Bond, Enhancement

Selection Available!

Heroic

The worst of circumstances can often require trust and faith that another will see you through. Be thankful that you do not need to question if they exist in the first place, only if they have the capability required. 

Tier I:

Utilising the innate connection of a soul bond, both the user and their companion may double their counterparts Stats for 1 minute, while halving their own for 1 day. May not be used while the effects of a previous activation are present.

Tier II:

Time of Enhancement doubles, and time of withdrawal halves. While Enhanced, the user or their companion have their Skill potency similarly amplified. While suffering from withdrawal, the user or their companion have their skill potency similarly negated.

Each level infinitesimally increases the duration of enhancement

Each level infinitesimally reduces the duration of withdrawal.

Kaius poured over the options in front of him, half-listening to the constant low bubble of their dinner stewing away in the centre of their campsite. His friends were equally as absorbed, their gazes distant as they soaked in their latest Skill evolution.

The options were…interesting to say the least. The first Skill, Sigil of the Untrodden Path, seemed to be something of a natural progression from his old Sigil of Vesryn’s Pact. It still focused on body formations, but instead of empowering Porkchop alone, it had expanded to include him as well. 

It was mildly worrying, but ultimately unsurprising to see that Unbroken Through Suffering wouldn’t carry through without some sort of change. After his experience with Bound and Unleashed Maelstrom, Kaius was reasonably confident that it would be fine. Hells, if the change was simply to include him in the working, he was looking forward to it. Porkchop had his own resistances that Kaius would be more than happy to share. 

The other option was far more surprising. He just kept reading it over and over again, expecting to find something that he had missed, or some small piece that he’d misread. Apparently not. The Skill really did fucking double their stats. And their Skill potency.

Rotten bloody roots, it was ridiculous. With power like that, what would he struggle against? Mythril? Celestine? It was hard to say.

If only the drawbacks weren’t as vicious as a starved and beaten hound, or he would have picked the Skill without even discussing it. 

Across the cave-like knot-hole that they had made their camp, Porkchop blinked away his own options and looked over curiously.

“And what glorious prize have you found?”

Kaius snorted at the eager edge to his brother’s words. As far as Porkchop was concerned, he was basically getting two Skill evolutions for the price of one.

“It’s good, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. Way too risky.”

That caught everyone's attention. Kenva raised her brow. “Too risky even for us?”

Kaius just nodded slowly — and explained that the Skill would basically double their strength for a couple of minutes. More, after Skill scaling was applied.

Ianmus just blinked at him, clearly trying to figure out if he’d misheard. “What the fuck? That is quite literally insane.”

“Yep,” Kaius replied. “The problem is the other one of us gets their power cut in half for twelve hours.”

The gleaming bud of excitement in Porkchop’s chest shattered as he winced. “Yeah, no. There’s so many ways that could go wrong. It just wouldn’t work.”

It absolutely wouldn’t, Kaius agreed with that wholeheartedly. As a group, the foundation of their entire approach relied far too much on synergistic teamwork. Infusion wouldn’t just delete an entire quarter of their capacity, it would turn either he or Porkchop into an outright liability that would need to be safeguarded. Sure, the Skill would almost certainly win them the first fight — but what if there was a second? 

They’d have to be so sparing and careful with its use that it was basically a wasted Skill slot. Not to mention, it would come at the cost of body formations that had proven insanely useful up until now.

“What about the other option?” Ianmus asked.

“Looks pretty similar to the old Skill, but I’ll be benefiting as well,” he explained, briefing them on the change to the existing formation, and that he suspected most of the others would be focused on some sort of shared capability. “What about you guys?”

“I got something interesting — and I’m a bit torn. Both options are pretty straightforward attacks. Bladeclaw Evisceration is a claw attack that will summon some swords, which is nice and direct. Siegebreaker Eruption, however, involves hurling a big chunk of orichalcum at someone’s head. Which would give me range and flexibility. We’re not exactly lacking that as a group, though, and it’s more expensive.”

“You’re right we don’t exactly need more ranged capability,” Kenva said thoughtfully, leaning an elbow on her knee. “But it is flexibility. There’s something to be said for being a bit more well-rounded, and it would definitely help you keep the pressure up against more evasive enemies.”

“I largely agree,” Kaius said. “But someone does have to point out that a lot of our strength has come from complimentary specialisation.”

“And too much of that can easily be a bad thing — if we come up against enemies that Porkchop can’t physically reach, this will help him stay in the fight much more effectively than just another claw attack.”

Kaius shrugged — it was a fair point. They faced such a wide variety of enemies that flexibility was never going to be a bad thing. Still, if the cost was prohibitive, it might be better to have a Skill Porkchop could use frequently.

“How much more expensive is it?” Kaius asked.

“Nearly double, but it’s honestly not that bad. With my doubled resources, my stamina is getting ridiculous. I’ll just pick it — I was mostly seeing if there was something I’d missed, but it doesn’t seem like it.”

“Mine’s a pretty easy choice,” Kenva said.

“You’re evolving Winter’s Mark, right?” Kaius asked. It was one of her standard skills, granting her attacks extra power if he hit a black mark she left on an enemy.

Kenva nodded. “One option takes it in a more long-term stalking and tracking direction. It’s a curse, helping me locate them and granting an increasing bonus to my attacks based on how long it's been on them. Starts slow, but can rank up obscenely high — but it's still not really a good fit. The other is The Blackrose Blooms, which effectively marks a single person for death — every attack against them will inflict a stacking nature affliction. At least if they don’t have the skills or Vitality to resist it.”

“Every attack, not just yours?”

A gleeful smile spread across Kenva’s face. “Yep.”

That sounded damned good. With an ability like that, they would be able to focus on just hurling a bunch of fast, low cost attacks — it would probably build into something nasty considering how quickly they’d be able to layer things on with everything they had. Against something big and tough, they’d be able to wear them down all the easier.

Kaius flicked his gaze over to Ianmus, who was sitting there with a small smile on his face. Kaius was eager to hear about his friend’s options. He was evolving a metamagic, and as of yet, they had yet to see how that would even appear for keyseal based spells. 

Noticing his look, Ianmus broke into a wide smile. “I got two options that are both something called field seals. From the descriptions, they’re some sort of designated zone where casting within them will amplify magic — all magic, although it's most effective on spells of complementary affinities. One would be good for my few lunar afflictions, but the other is a combat enhancement — Fractured Firmament. Supposed to imbue offensive magic with a chaotic detonation of solar and lunar mana.”

Kaius raised his brow. He could think of several fun and interesting things he could do with that. With how fast he could cast with glyphbinding, all he would need is a few seconds to break away from the front to unleash a salvo of enhanced magic.

With their choices made, they wasted no time. As his friends lulled into half-awareness, Kaius felt a building potential simmer within his Skill but hold fast.

He still had one more choice to make before the System remade his Skill entirely — and he couldn’t wait.

With two notifications looming, he turned his attention to the new and changed Unbroken Through Suffering. 

Greater Unbroken Through Suffering:

Glyphic Body Formation - Tier I 

Affinity: Soul, Life

Glyph: Sigil of the Untrodden Path

Selection Available!

This Body Formation grants both the user and their bonded companion a small fraction of each other's  resistances.

Skimming through the description, Kaius sighed in relief. Thank all of the merciful gods — it had worked like he hoped. Sharing some of his resistances with Porkchop had gotten them out of a bind more than once, and now he would benefit from the same. His brother’s Greater Spell Resistance would be no small boon — especially with the more direct resilience it conferred. Now, he would be all the better equipped to deal with any enemy spellcasters they might encounter.

He moved to the next of his waiting notifications.

*Ding! Glyphic Body Formation available for selection - Sigil of the Untrodden Path!*

Hypervoltaic Onslaught:

Glyphic Body Formation - Tier II 

Affinity: Storm, Metal

Glyph:  Sigil of the Untrodden Path

Selection Available!

Abilities utilising storm or similar affinities are empowered. Abilities utilising metal or similar affinities leave voltaic needles embedded in their target, further strengthening electrical attacks. Voltaic needles are consumed when hit by an electrical attack.

…

Empathetic Woundleech:

Glyphic Body Formation - Tier II 

Affinity: Life

Glyph: Sigil of the Untrodden Path

Selection Available!

The user may instantly absorb a fresh injury from their counterpart, negating it entirely. Absorbed wounds are suffered in turn, distributed across the body. Once used, the body formation will require a period of recovery before being used again, depending on the severity of an absorbed wound.

…

Ruinous Tempo:

Glyphic Body Formation - Tier II 

Affinity: Force

Glyph: Sigil of the Untrodden Path

Selection Available!

The user’s companion absorbs power from attacks they weather, strengthening their defence and storing the energy. The user may draw upon this reservoir to empower a movement or attack. 

…

Mesner’s Gambit:

Glyphic Body Formation - Tier II 

Affinity: Spatial

Glyph: Sigil of the Untrodden Path

Selection Available!

The user and their companion may swap positions for a total cost of 3000 mana divided between them, while they are within a league of the other’s position. One party may also directly teleport to the other’s location if they bear the total cost of the Gambit.

As Kaius was reading through the waiting options, his friends finished their own Skill evolution.

“Oh, that feels weird,” Porkchop said, shaking himself.

“What does?” Kaius asked, still focused on the options in front of him.

“The formation on my chest. I think it just lost the Skill scaling — it just got a bunch weaker. I hope it was replaced by something just as good?”

Kaius grinned, blinking away his options. Porkchop’s old sigil wouldn’t have been automatically changed to the new variant. Given it was no longer listed under Kaius’s Skill description, it would have lost the empowering connection — until he could replace it with the new one, at least. “Not much of a change on your end once I get it inscribed, other than a bit better Skill scaling. I’ll be getting a bit of your resistances too, though.”

“Nice — what about the next one?”

His smile widened; there were definitely a lot of nice choices.

Diving into it, Kaius explained what he’d found — and his thoughts. Both Ruinous Tempo and Hypervoltaic Onslaught sounded right up their alley. Straight forward, aggressive, and another method they could use to act as a force multiplier for each other. As great as they both sounded, Kaius didn’t quite think Hypervoltaic was right for them. He didn’t like how specialised it was into an affinity that wasn’t core to his class — especially when the only thing that wouldfully make use of it was Stormlash. 

The chance was low, but the spell might change in the future.

Empathetic Woundleech was also a clearly strong ability. It could well save one of their lives in the future. Even ignoring a truly dire scenario, if one of them took a hit that slowed them down, they’d be able to deal with it immediately to stay in the fight. After all, it sounded like Porkchop could take a few deep cuts to negate him losing a damn leg.

Mesner’s Gambit? It was a teleport ability. Even if it wasn’t instant, like his Fractured Warp, it was still obscenely useful.

“I’m not going to be much help,” Ianmus said, bowing out. “All of those sound fantastic to me.”

“Yeah, but the Ruinous Tempo is probably the best one.”

Kaius looked at his brother with surprise. He thought Porkchop would have preferred Woundleech, or maybe Gambit.

Porkchop just snorted at him. “Emergency healing is good — but we have Ianmus and tonics for that. The teleport sounded nice — but it's really quite limited. Sure, we could probably pull off some interesting feints and positioning tricks, but it's still more niche than something that makes me tougher, and you both more mobile and stronger.”

Kaius agreed wholeheartedly of course. It was by no means a bad choice, hells it was his first choice — he just didn’t think it would have been Porkchop’s.

“Well, in that case, I’ll make my picks and then we can have a few more drinks before dinner.”